Beats News

Following on from his percussion driven 'Rhythm Trainx Vol 2' EP on the renowned Running Back Ketiov returns with something special for the fourth outing on his own self-titled label. The 'King Of Hypocrisy' LP is a journey of personal development and musical discovery built around soundscapes, field recordings and new monotone arrangements. From the start the Ketiov alias has been about free expression and musical direction and in stark contrast to the Running Back EP this record shows the broad spectrum of the artist's influences and inspirations. Each track holds a special meaning and background story, written in private and kept private until totally finished. From the spooky vocals of 'the Wait' to the blissed-out guitars of 'Today' and the analogue arpeggiators of 'Dual Morality' the ten short tracks come together as an exceptional personal listening experience, which leave us wondering... what else does Ketiov have in store for the future

Dark Star Safari, a newly formed group featuring Samuel Rohrer, Jan Bang, Erik Honoré and Eivind Aarset, present its eponymous recording debut, an evocative song-driven album. These songs conjure shadows of memory, clouds of dreaming and silhouettes of foreboding through the album’s layered, many-textured fabrics and Jan Bang's silken delivery of Erik Honoré's acute lyrics. Dark Star Safari is the work of four kindred spirits, their open modus operandi, and a remarkably interconnected creative nerve system. Key to their collaboration is an organic freedom that enables the music “to fill itself in", to be self-actualizing via the musicians as medium. The music of the 10 songs resulted from a two-stage process: an initial phase of free flowing open improvi- sation, and a subsequent exploratory phase where hidden potenti- als were discovered and nurtured. The groundwork of the album’s music originates from a session initiated by Samuel Rohrer, who invited Jan Bang and Eivind Aarset to the renowned Candy Bomber studio in Berlin. The ses- sion was run under the imaginative craftsmanship of sound engi- neer Ingo Krauss, who worked in the famous Conny Plank stu- dio, and its recording and mixing employed sophisticated use of vintage analogue equipment alongside cutting edge digital pro- cesses. This meeting opened the door for something larger to emerge. The group did not settle for just the outcome of the initi- al open improvisation. They were driven to dig deeper, to atten- tively examine and manipulate the material, in order to discover what it had to offer. This caused a creational chain reaction, forcefully spreading across the group. During this second phase, Jan Bang, while meditating upon the possibilities and reach of the improvised material, felt a strong urge to give additional shape and colour to it by singing. Thus, he organically stepped into the role of vocalist, a role he had not pursued since the early days of his musical career. He sent the results to Erik Honoré, who immediately was inspired by its po- tential, quickly penning lyrics and providing the project with its name. Honoré composed two additional songs, Mordechai and Fault Line, and thus rounded the project out towards a fully reali- zed opus. The group continued this back and forth process, with Samuel Rohrer and Eivind Aarset bringing in fine-tuning and e nrichment to the song structures and textures.

5 years after his first RSD release on the label, Berlin´s Sven Weisemann is back on FAUXPAS MUSIK. Garden Of Fantasy is a re-release from the fantastic Essáy 7inch Label, run by Styrax. this EP comes as 180 gram Vinyl only Release and truly takes you on a journey somewhere far away from this world. the design comes from talented French Designer Freak Fabrik. vinyl tastes better..

Midnight Embassy is a ping­pong project by songwriter Angela Aux and producer Sam Irl. During nightly sessions and on walks together, the two artists have created a palette of timeless tracks and futuristic sculptures from pop music flotsam. Like if two archive junkies had synchronized their sketch collections and notebooks so that the different genres and decades seem to effortlessly swirl through each other: Dub, Folk, Beatnik literature, Afrobeat & Electronica. Aux & Irl celebrate a gentle escapism, both cosmopolitan and aloof. This island mentality sparkles unobtrusively through all five tracks of the debut EP. No fireworks, no illuminated advertisements, no selfie thunderstorms: they come at dusk, set shimmering beacons and disappear on a reverberation trail behind the curtain of the night.

Scandinavian Dream House

John Beltran, Mark Archer, Future Beat Alliance and max 404 line up on this third 10 years anniversary 12" for De:tuned. Both John and Mark deliver a timeless, Detroit tradition indebted techno vibe, resulting in 2 dancefloor-friendly tracks. While FBA and max 404 activated their DAT recorder, culminating in unheard crisp yet sensitive cuts.
Kevin Foakes (Openmind, DJ Food, Ninja Tune) created all the graphic work. Mastered by Matt Colton at Alchemy Mastering, pressed on 180 gr vinyl and a separate digital version will be available from the usual digital shops. Stay tuned!

Robert Steenkamer is known as a purveyor of exquisite house music. Under his Roberto S guise, the Torontonian has released several landmark records. Besides this, he is known as a valued selector in his native Canada. The collaborative releases with Jex Opolis under their "Conga Radio" moniker have received worldwide praise throughout the house community. For his Pulp debut, Steenkamer has created a diverse body of music that touches different moods and genres.

On the A-side, the opening track "Inner Rhythm" is a orchestrated piece of work that uses an uplifting vocal cut and ethereal flute sounds to create a calm and positive dancefloor experience. Also on the A-side "Swizik" is a melody-heavy work where Steenkamer uses fun sequences, euphoric pads and well balanced drum patterns.

The title track is placed on the A3 position and is a genre-transcending cut. The tempo is is low and the beats are dragging along with the well-executed pads and synth riffs. On the B-side, the title track is being remixed by fellow Canadian "Florist". On this remix, Florist turns the slow vibe of the original into a soul touching dancefloor creeper that will definitely gain a lot of support in melodic circles. "Remember When" is a positive work with a snappy bassline and oozing synth sounds. Glass Road EP will be available from all specialized retailers in early 2019.

2019 Reissue Original Art!! Isabelle Antena's Album 'camino Del Sol' Is An Electro Samba Classic From 1983 (incl. Tracks Produced By John Foxx). Here Come Hot New Remixes By Joakim & Todd Terje! Joakim Delivers A Killer Prime Time Track, Todd Terje Goes Down The Balearic Route.

Osaka,Japan-based electronic music producer/musician 'ind_fris' will release his first LP record 'Sink in' from his own Scaffolder recordings. This LP includes 7 soft & watery sounds recorded with analog synthesizers, drum machines, guitars, and vintage Rhodes piano. Under the influences of ambient, newage, jazz-fusion, and deep house sounds, 'ind_fris' came up with the ideas of making something odd but sounding familiar to our daily lives. Meanwhile many inspirations of psychedelic feeling from Osaka underground's night club experiences underlie this album. 6 tracks are originally composed by himself. Track B4 is cover of jazz standard number 'Blue moon.'

For the second of six albums issued under the title Everywhere At The End of Time,
The Caretaker's fictional first person account of life with early onset dementia takes a
more wistful tack as our protagonist gradually realises that all is not well and begins to
rummage deeper into the recesses of his memory, masking emotions of grief, loss, fear
and uncertainty by deeper dwelling in the recesses of a decaying mind.
As The Caretaker's short term memory functions begin to more rapidly erode, the loop-
based punctuation of previous instalments begin to subtly unravel, leading his mind
to drift off and ponder fuller segments of tea dance strings and horns which appear
uncannily more inviting, seductive, and now even more tangible than the abbreviated
reels of earlier editions.
Loop points wilt away in autumnal greys and russet rustles as new information becomes
more difficult to process, back pedalling down memory lane toward an opaque smudge
of half-forgotten/remembered spaces, places and un/familiar faces which provide more
comfort and clarity than the world around him.
It feels strange to recommend undergoing this experience, albeit in such an
impressionistic and detached manner, but it somehow feels like a conversely
enlightening one for these strange, disingenuous and unpredictable end times that we
inhabit right now..

Velvet Desert Music Vol. 1 introduces a new compilation series on Kompakt, curated by one of Cologne's leading figures in electronic music, Jörg Burger (aka The Modernist, The Bionaut, Burger/Ink and many more). Velvet Desert Music Vol. 1 combines elements of rock, folk, country, surf, krautrock and psychedelic in contemporary electronic music.

Velvet Desert Music Vol. 1 features unreleased music and mixes from Matias Aguayo/Terrapin, Fantastic Twins, Paulor, Rebolledo, Sascha Funke & Cosmo Vitelli, Superpitcher, The Modernist and more.

The concept shares some similarities to Kompakt's Pop Ambient series as unlike a conventional compilation of tracks from different artists, Velvet Desert Music Vol.1 is a collection of music that creates a distinct vibe and atmosphere.

Jörg Burger is responsible for the concept and selection. The styles of music presented on Velvet Desert Music Vol. 1 play a crucial role and influence in his work for many years. Now he has created a platform for these styles. Beside showcasing his own music, Jörg Burger kept to inviting a close circle of friends and colleagues that share similar influences in their work. All of their contributions were specially composed or remixed for this collection.

Velvet Desert Music Vol. 1 features the first new Burger/Ink track since the release of their iconic full length 'Las Vegas' on Harvest and Matador Records in 1996.

'Just think...from Sergio Leone to David Lynch, from Elvis in his deepest moments to Johnny Cash somewhere between amphetamine backlash and American Recordings, from Hollywood Babylon to Hotel California, from Mulholland Drive to Paris, Texas. Served with a pinch of Tago Mago and Pink Floyd at Pompeii. Then you know exactly what Velvet Desert Music is about...' - JÖRG BURGER

hand-painted / signed / numbered / ltd. to 99 copies

Polyarrythmics is an EP by Mark Spn, a music producer and sound engineer who lives in London. While this is his debut EP under this moniker, he has recorded under various other aliases, one favourite being Holdie Gawn on Sylphe Records.

This release slows things down a notch from Mark's other output. He presents a densely layered work that conjures Herbie Hancock's sextant & Kirk Degiorgio's arps, J. Majik's mermaids & Underdog's attic tapes. It is cerebral and cohesive, made to be consumed as a sum of its parts: found sounds and urban field recordings, hushed Hammond grooves and modulated keys, muffled beats and unsyncopated rhythms, flickering electronics and hovering pianos.

Artist John Tsombikos has been commissioned to provide one-off artwork for the limited edition physical product, to be released in mid March. Hand painted, signed and numbered, limited edition of 99.

Rooted in Swedish psychedelic folk music, Hanna Ostergren (Hills, Trad Gras och Stenar) takes a creative new grip on the genre. Under the name of Laughing Eye, Ostergren creates spiritual Nordic raga, or nature music that stems back to prehistoric ages. Hoga Nord Rekords now releases her debut album.

Laughing Eye is more than just music, this is a distillate of ancient superstition, fear, euphoria and nature romanticism. The sound edges on the upper tree line and in the closing track, 'Agnetero / Huset' Ostergren takes a step off the mountain top, into space where the flute melodies float weightless to the outer rim of our solar system.

Laughing Eye is deep, warm and embracing sounds for cold urbanized souls, a buzz or a murmur from the far past, translated to music we can interpret.

Cologne is Danny Lane and Vasilios Manoudakis - a photographer and a ship captain who make songs together. Vasilios works as a boats captain in New York while Danny stays landlocked, producing tracks and hustling work as a photographer/actor in Los Angeles.
The two communicate with one another through music, sending loops and snippets from wherever they happen to be, independently writing pieces of songs that smoothly snap into
place. Throughout this, the two share a thing for synths and classic pop, creating songs that are warm, relaxed, and inescapably catchy. Though their influences range from 80s dance music to minimal house and ambient music, they see Cologne as something new and have a very pure idea of success: If people like it, we are happy. Vinyl tastes better...

It is the duo integrated by Miguel Dahbar (ARG) and Alexis Cabrera (ARG) at the end of 2016 in Berlin, Germany. Inspired by the rhythmic trips of the Andes and Central America, they began to fuse that essence with electronic instruments, afro-latin percussions, guitar and soundscapes. Conditioned by their fantastic and emotional narrative, the performance travels through experimental Latin compasses and warm dreamy textures on a magical South American journey, WOLKE7s Iniciados tells the story of a young magician's apprentice, a long emotional way through the nature that surrounds him, to understand the laws of the universe and develop his powerful essence.

'For The Colleagues Of Ubu & Their Authorities' is the brainchild of Vienna based vinyl enthusiast, DJ & producer The Reboot Joy Confession. What once started as a series of mixes has been expanded into this compilation, on which he brings together diverse genres of music like electronica, modern minimalism, folk, post-rock, avant-garde or modular music, which also reflect his own versatile musical taste. 'As I stopped thinking in genres, my attempt was to merge my musical taste in the most fluent way possible onto one record. There are mesmerizing songs from some of my favourite contemporary artists - I feel a timelessness in their music, I can ´t get tired of. With the compilation I wanted to create a contemplative, fictitious, surreal world, merging those different styles together. Giving it that title, I wanted the listener to be able to imagine a tale that is building up with each song. I am really happy about the outcome of this compilation and hope that many other listeners can feel the magic.' The compilation includes the surreal work of Swiss producer Dim Grimm (also known as Dimlite), as well as a collaboration between Merz & Julian Sartorius Drum Ensemble who radically altered the original version of 'The Hunting Owl' into a monstrous percussive live version. Taken off the debut album from one of Poland ´s most interesting musicians at the moment, Waclaw Zimpel & Kuba Ziolek, 'Wrens' is a fusion of folk, jazz and modern minimal music. Experimental pop musician & filmmaker Tujiko Noriko appears with an emotional piece that challenges the paths between pop and avant-garde. Gerhard Zander, whose musical work started on the outskirts of experimental pop music in the early seventies in Germany, delivers a modular synth masterpiece with unique sounds, textures and a far-out synth choir. Rock and ambient influenced musician Helen Money (also known as Alison Chesley) is a Los Angeles based cellist and composer who appears with a massively dark post-rock song called 'MF', which was recorded at Steve Albini's Electrical Audio studio in Chicago in 2009. Often compared to Frank Zappa and known for their richness of ideas, Liverpool's a.P.A.t.T. contribute the hypnotic 'Young Free & Parasite', with references to British glam, post-punk or synth rock, but in a fresh and obscure sounding outfit. SSELLF, the moniker of New Zealand ´s Christoph El Truento, inspired by post-punk and noise. 'Visitors' is simple and simply in your face, with lo-fi drums, distorted synths and raw vocals by Christoph himself. After a few seclusive years, The Reboot Joy Confession returns with a new, crispy and soulful track. Cinematic strings written by Martin Riedler, arranged by Flip Phillip, and recorded at the established Vienna Konzerthaus, based on a properly arranged drum outfit and played by a villain named Gurlimu. Both strings and drums are guiding through the whole song and culminate in Glockenspiel and Rhodes melodies. Oceaneer aka Japanese pianist Oneechan Nanashi completes the compilation with her beautiful and profound composition 'The Sea, Forever'. She describes her music as 'improvised instrumental underwater music from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, played with broken instruments, directed by the spirit of drowned people who are talking through the hands of the pianist. It's lonely and bleak music for the dead.'

"Perhaps we should use the sun, not only as a giver of life, but as a cipher of presence and focus, a centre point to escape the frenetic pace of modern life and a metaphor to always inhabit our own space, regardless of the insanity that surrounds, to become balanced and calm like the mirror-still sea that sits below this ever glowing presence that draws us back time and time again to this Island of infinite possibilities." Mark Barrott on his experience playing at Hostal La Torre.

Hostal La Torre gives no credence to the celebrity culture that exists elsewhere in Ibiza. Once through it's doors, the sun is the only star, as La Torre strives to protect the intimacy and magic that Ibiza was built upon. Those who witness its jaw-dropping sunsets and experience their eclectic and pioneering music policy will tell you there's no place like it.

Last year saw La Torre launch the first edition of their compilation, which went on to be named one of Resident Advisor's top 5 mixes of 2016. Compiled by Mark Barrott and Pete Gooding, both integral to La Torre's musical identity and the wider Balearic scene. Pete Gooding holds over three decades of experience as a DJ, including over twenty years soundtracking sunset at the notorious Cafe Mambo in Ibiza, while Mark Barrott has become the face of Balearic, featured in the Guardian, Pitchfork, NPR and The Fader for his sublime productions and forward thinking International Feel label.

The mix includes obscure and much coveted material from the likes of old veterans Vangelis and John Barry, through to a new generation of musical eccentrics such as Lord Of The Isles, Tornado Wallace and La Torre's own Mark Barrott with an exclusive track. It skirts the outer peripheries of oddities to reimagine what is considered du jour, resulting in a charmed and esteemed choice of music that reflects the audience of La Torre - a cosmopolitan, original and radical set from all walks of life.

"Our hope is that even if you haven't yet visited us at La Torre, this collection of music will help you on this journey and if you have shared the majesty of the sunset with us, we hope it will transport you back to that glorious moment when the stillness and feeling of connectedness is so joyous it's almost overwhelming."

Tucked away in a secluded spot on the west coast of the island, Hostel La Torre reinvents the Balearic spirit pioneered by Alfredo Fiorito at Amnesia and José Padilla at Café del Mar in the early 80s, carving the footprints of a new and inspiring avant-garde scene in Ibiza's next chapter.

After seven years of label making, Dorfjungs says goodbye with a final collection. GroupWorks mixes improvised vocal jazz and tropical ambient with sweet pop music, bad-tampered hip-hop and pitched down techno tracks. Thanks to all friends, fans and collaborators. Adieu

The Connection Machine is Natasja Hagemeier and Jeroen Brandjes. The CD-only original release from 2004 has been re-mastered and features nine tracks for this first-time vinyl version of the album. The Down Low label is a vital US resource for deeply personal electronic music that works both in bedrooms and DJ booths. It's a label that put out celebrated albums and EPs by the likes of Convexion, E.R.P and Dan Curtin, and played a key role during its first lifetime. Ten years after their last release they return with this double 180g vinyl version of the Painless album by The Connection Machine. It is an album made up of material made in the nineties that never saw the light of day and is full of achingly deep moods, dreamy acid house, down tempo electronics, ambient, and Detroit techno, all of which make it a lost classic from the Dutch techno scene. This is a vital reissue that not only re-introduces this forgotten classic to a whole new audience, but also the Down Low Music label itself.

De:tuned continue to celebrate their 10th anniversary with this second EP of the series and dive deep down into the ambient techno world. The A side makes you drift away on a rare Sun Electric get together, followed by a Higher Intelligence Agency piece of beauty. DeepChord's dubbed lushness completes this highly intense journey.
Kevin Foakes (Openmind, DJ Food, Ninja Tune) created all the graphic work. Pressed on 180 gr vinyl and a separate digital version will be available from the usual digital shops. Stay tuned!

Variety is the spice of life! From bangers to chillers, these four tracks will take you from bath to bar, club to car!

"Dreams, as we all know, are very curious things: certain incidents in them are presented with quite uncanny vividness, each detail executed with the finishing touch of a jeweller, while others you leap across as though entirely unaware of, for instance, space and time. Dreams seem to be induced not by reason but by desire, not by the head but by the heart, and yet what clever tricks my reason has sometimes played on me in dreams!" says Fyodor Dostoevsky in his anti-hero novella "Notes from Underground" from 1864. Also, the three Hamburg based art lovers of the band Giraffe like to play on their dreams. Since 2017 the trio released their deeply collective reveries on one album called "June" and one EP called "Climate". Both are featuring brief and epic sensitive shifting conversations between Charly Schppner on percussion, Sascha Demand on electric guitar and Jrgen Hall on synthesizers. "We compose and produce everything together. The ideas of each single member become better through the influences of the others." they reveal about their meandering creative activity. The result is a sublime tension of itself: a psychoacoustic distillation of improvisation, composition and experiment in which clattering percussion, synthesized transcendence and dreamily electric guitar serialism transform into radical poetic journey music. For their new album "Shine & Dark" Giraffe built their music around acoustic drums, frame drums and electric percussions, that evoke spiritual jazz emotions and percussive ethnic vibes while dark synth layers and mesmerizing guitar microtonality dances around the rhythmic tension. Suspenseful wondrous story-telling, that opens a gate to an elaborated executed, multi-layered musical paradise, that is entirely induced by desire.

For his Studio Barnhus debut, Laurence Guy connects the dots between the lo-fi ambient investigations of
his 2017 album Saw You For The First Time, the warm club sounds heard on All I See Is Her (last year's
standout 12'' for Tokyo's Mule Music), and the London-based dj/producer's long roots in deep drum'n'bass and
dubstep soil.
Those roots, always present as subtle rhythmical traces on Laurence Guy records, now appear more explicitly
than ever, boosting the typically graceful harmonies and sooty samples of Guy's music with a new, profound
energy. From the unswerving neo-jungle of Wildlife, through My Brain Is A Scrambled Egg with its dusty rave
euphorisms, onwards to the hypnotic guitar ballad It's Good To Try, this six-track EP is chock-full of the sort of
unrestrained musical enthusiasm that Studio Barnhus is always on the lookout for.
Making Music Is Bad For Your Self Esteem is at once Guy's most experimental and most personal record yet, an
essential addition to both artist's and label's catalogues.

A fresh balearic production born during summer 2018, while breathing our hometown's tropical breeze in Italy.

Ukraine's arguably most interesting contemporary electronic music producer Mikhaylo Vityk, known as Vakula, returns to our label family. Having released an EP for Burek in 2012 under the Vedagor alias, for Barba he came up with a new name - Rocco Siffredi, and a spaced out 3-tracker EP titled "Per Asper Ad Astra". As it is expected from an artist as unique and prolific as he is - Rocco hits the spot, so to speak, with this 12" as well. A1, the title track "Per Asper Ad Astra" is a very late 70's reminiscent italo disco affair. Bubbly synths, flying arpeggios and pitched vocals make it feel perfectly at home in between a Giorgio Moroder and Space track, but somehow Mr Siffredi made it "his own" and sounding fresh and futuristic even in 2018. A2, "The Elements", is the records most forward momentum track and probably the most psychedelic one. It's a pure dancefloor cut with a tight drum programming counterpointed with airy synths and reverbrating guitars which are begging to be played during an open air venue sunrise moment. It's a track which exposes itself in layers of influence...from synth pop to disco and early electro. B1 cut, "Code P" is the ambient come-down tune. Rich sequences and beautiful synth pads seem to wrap themself around you as the track progresses and drown you in echoing bubbles closer to the end. Beautiful way to get lost in the record and finish it with style. We're pleased to say that Rocco delivered a diverse but consistent EP which heavily leans on the late 70s lingo of synth-infused disco and pop but carries a stamp of "today". Art by Wanda Kuchvalek.

The Sound Exhibitions, for this release we are happy to present an EP with two songs with influences 'Afro Funk', the version titled Karma Experience and a song with a sharp groove from a very hot bass and ethnic sounds that give a magic to the song. The second song titled Soul Free and a fusion of various genres but stands out an Afro groove, certainly will be appreciated by the dance floors.

POP AMBIENT 2012 begins in an unusually new but nevertheless somehow familiar fashion. MOHN with MANIFESTO is the opening act. A manifest of slowness. A slowness that Jörg Burger and Wolfgang Voigt have taken up as new mission. MOHN is their new ambient-grunge-down-beat project, scheduled to depart on its official musical journey to Middle Earth early 2012.

Ryan James Ford's Productions Are Rarely Anything Other Than Inspired. Through Regular Releases On Marcel Dettmann Records, Answer Code Request And His Own Shut Imprint, Ford Has Proved To Be An Exciting Producer, Capable Of Mangling Sounds And Styles To Fit His Wide-ranging Musical Vision.

The Berlin-based Canadian Arrives On Happy Skull With A Label Debut That Dramatically Emphasizes The Point. For Example, Ep Opener "ormst Kaban", Whose Wild, Crashing, Off-grid Breakbeats And Twisted, Foreboding Electronics Aggressively Spar With Glacial Chords And Icy Textures. The 16 Bit Arpeggio Lines Of 'hobrv Kegdit' Are Underpinned By Powerful Sub-bass Tones And Industrial Drum-breaks That Merge To Create A Densely Sprawling Mass Of Dance Floor Melancholia.

This Pattern Continues Throughout The Ep, With "slown Ridel" And "nos Ummi" Balancing Skittish, Noise-seeped Percussion With The Dreamy, Glassy-eyed Swell Of Classic Ambient And Pioneering Early '90s Idm.

As this one thumps along - the dreamy synths, sweet acid lines and rolling hi-hats drive through the horizon. Perfect for a time in the soft sunshine or a moment of love on a dark dancefloor. A2. Clouded Remorse Darkness incoming. The acid lines draw up hypnotizing, eerie energy. But the driving kick and raining hi-hats will keep you moving through the storm until the clouds will clear. B1. Long Distance The deep, melodic pads will soothe your soul. Soft bells and synths bring up memories and gently lift you. B2. Mind Gap Light hearted and grounding, the bright pads and steady kick of this acid house track keeps it chugging along in a dream of melodies.

The second release on AF Trax, again with all profits being donated to Hope Not Hate, is the debut from Al Jerry who has the following to say -

I was initially picturing Al as an ambivalent character trying to evoke in his music deep issues and emotions related to Middle Eastern cultures, but not without a certain self-depreciating sense of humour and a questionable taste for stereotypical arabesque harmonies.

On a personal level, I'm from a family who is half-French, half-Armenian (from Turkey). I grew up with this sort of historical ambivalence in mind, born and bred in the relatively untroubled French culture but not completely oblivious (how could I) of the troubled past of my modern Armenian ancestry who had experienced the first genocide of the 20th century - which as you may know some people and countries still deny its very existence as we speak now in 2018. So, instead of doing something purely on my personal history and origins, I just wanted to celebrate/acknowledge the modern history of the both fascinating and chaotic Middle Eastern cultures.

When I introduced that vague idea of a project/alias to B with an early version of Sana'a Riots, he got instantly into it. The hybrid feel of the project really allowed us to experiment and mess around with odd tonalities and enthused solos. It was the first time for both of us that we manage to collaborate on an EP with someone else. We had never tried something together before and it actually turned out to be a lot of fun. More to come from Al then :)

AF Trax = Against Fascism Trax and is a new label project instituted by JD Twitch/Optimo Music. Its aim is to make a musical and cultural protest in opposition of rising far right politics and ideology in the world. Encouraging artists to make music intended to interrogate these toxic ideas, and with all label profits donated to Hope Not which campaigns to counter racism and fascism. Against Fascism Trax's intent is to provoke conversation, inform and financially support the opposition to fascist thinking. Its simple idea is that we must do something more than just talking. The moral thing to do is to act

After a career spanning more than 25 years John Beltran lands on the Belgian De:tuned label with the long-awaited follow-up album to his widely acclaimed classic 90s masterpiece "Ten Days of Blue". On "Moth" Beltran opens his heart by combining melody, emotion and soul with infectious grooves. As such he lays down the definitive and timeless Detroit sound with a clear nod to the early innovators. From 4/4 dance floor burners to tribal shufflers and ambient interludes, "Moth" is a well-balanced journey full of blissful atmosphere for both the mind and feet.
The matching artwork was designed by the talented Plastica from Spain. Matt Colton took care of the mastering duties to ensure the highest playback quality. The album will be released as a 180 gr vinyl double pack. A separate digital release will also be available from all the usual digital shops.
De:tuned would like to thank John and everyone that has been involved in the making of this wonderful album. Stay tuned!

British producer Ross From Friends aka Felix Clary Weatherall is the newest signing to Flying Lotus's Brainfeeder family. The 24 year old has a fistful of releases under his belt, the distillation of myriad influences from hip-hop cut 'n' paste culture, 80s Eurobeat, Hi-NRG and Italo into lithe, irresistible, raw dancefloor trax. He made his debut on Breaker Breaker in 2015, followed by outings on Lobster Theremin and sister imprint Distant Hawaii, Lone's Magicwire and recently: Molten Jets.

'It's honestly an absolute rush to sign to Brainfeeder,' he explains. 'It has always been pushing such a forward thinking sound, one that constantly grabs my attention with every release. I put these 4 tracks together with Brainfeeder in mind, I wanted to explore the music that I've been developing over the past 7 years as Ross From Friends whilst trying to explore the explosive sound that the label is best known for.'

Up first, 'John Cage' encapsulates both his desire to experiment but also maintain a sense of fun. 'It originally began life as a tune for this goofy hip-hop project that me and my pal Guy from back home always do when he's in London,' explains Felix. 'I'd be making the beat and he raps. It's always a refreshing approach making tracks in that atmosphere because we're both always on such a spontaneous tip. When I'm making music alone, I'm obsessive and everything takes hours, whereas with Guy, we'd try and get as many tracks finished as possible in like a few hours. That's him freestyling a relaxation tape in the intro.'

Limited edition black vinyl 12' housed in an uncoated white board sleeve with product sticker.

3x12"

Les Disques du Crepuscule presents Signals Into Space, a brand new studio album by acclaimed electronic duo Ultramarine. SIS is their seventh album, having debuted on Crepuscule back in 1990.
The new long player was conceived by Ian Cooper and Paul Hammond over a three year period and features four songs co-written with North American musician Anna Domino, a firm favourite of the group since her leftfield pop releases on Crepuscule and Factory in the 1980s. 'For this project we wanted to do something more ambitious and perhaps more accessible than our last album in 2013,' explains Paul. 'We were keen to start collaborating with other musicians again, as well as develop our method of performance-based writing and recording, which is partly improvised.'
 Signals Into Space also features contributions from saxophonist Iain Ballamy (ECM, Food, Loose Tubes) and percussionist & vibraphone player Ric Elsworth. It was recorded and mixed in London with Andy Ramsay (Stereolab) and mastered by Noel Summerville.
 'To some extent Signals Into Space is an escapist record,' reveals Ian. 'Our rehearsal space is a small windowless room on an industrial estate in Essex. Possibly as a result we ended up with a collection of visually suggestive tracks, conjuring mental images of cities, deserts and tropical islands, which gradually came into focus as Anna's lyrical ideas developed. So while the music might have been conceived in a closed space it's imbued with a positive spirit - looking outwards, seeking contact.'
 Cover art by Studio Heretic. Available on CD, digital and vinyl LP (vinyl format includes a free digital copy on MP3).

LP 1 ist das Debütalbum von AIRCHINA, dem jüngstes Projekt von Nikolai Szymanski - Komponist, Sänger, Elektroniker und Umschlagkünstler von Stabil Elite aus Düsseldorf. Pluckernd analoge Rhythmik, subtraktive Synthese und Softwaresynths. Melodien schichten sich licht in asiatisch anmutendem Gewand. Aber nicht so einfach: ein fremder Blick. Eine Idee von Japan. 1983, 84, 85. Getrennt durch Raum und Zeit. Von hier aus gesehen, Düsseldorf. Signale, wie sie Pyrolator empfing, Tokyo, wie es Hosono Haruomi und Ryuichi Sakamoto beschrieben. Ambient-instrumentale Eleganz, Kammerstücke, Miniaturen, Popschönheit - wer Namen braucht: The Orb, Ultramarine oder auch Oneohtrix Point Never im Sinne.

LP 1 is the debut album of AIRCHINA, the latest project by Nikolai Szymanski - composer, singer, electronic musician and cover designer of german neo-kraut band Stabil Elite from Dusseldorf. Plucking analog rhythms, subtractive synthesis and software synths. Melodies layer light in asian-sounding scapes. But not so easy: A strange view. An idea of Japan. 1983, 84, 85. Separated by space and time. Seen from here, Dusseldorf. Signals as Pyrolator received them, Tokyo, as described by Hosono Haruomi and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Ambient-instrumental elegance, chamber pieces, miniatures, pop beauty - who needs names: The Orb, Ultramarine or Oneohtrix Point Never.

Michigan artist John Beltran's 13th studio album and 3rd on Delsin is his most complete and personal work yet. Written largely on modular synthesizers for the first time, it melts 90s intelligent techno with post rock and ambient with leftfield downtempo. The seventeen tracks draw on his expert knack for sound design; for melody and atmosphere and make for yet another hugely absorbing affair.

third release of studio mule's new project with miyako koda aka dip in the pool.

following the cover versions of ohnuki taeko's carnaval&mariah's shinzo no tobira,we made the new version of japanese pop ambient classic 'face to face by yumi murata'.

extended edit on a side is full of the respect for the original version and ambient version on b side is simply emotional.

the first album of studio mule is coming in the beg of next year.

stay tuned.

2x12"

An artist as versatile as Alex Krüger is a rare find these days, not only did he release numerous EP's and albums as Tigerskin or Korsakow since the mid 90s, he's also been on the forefront of the 'Dub Techno' movement since 1999 with outings on classic labels such as 'Raum...Musik", 'Force Tracks' and '3B/ United States of Mars". Now ten years after his last album on 'Opossum Recordings' Alex is back with this well crafted genre bending full length 'Caves & Cages". From deep techno cuts through rippling ambient excursions to funky reggae infused live jams with Haushausen this work is yet another milestone in the creative bubble Alex lives in (i.e. his studio). A predominantly analogue producer, Alex recorded most sounds for 'Caves & Cages' on his modular synths and vintage gear at Organic Domain during 2017 and early 2018. Throughout the album tension ebbs and flows effortlessly via syncopated subs, analogue improvisation, subtle chord stabs and sustained swells interspersed with textured field and home recordings. The ambient opener 'Intra' sets the tone for the album. Rich with alien atmospheres, distant soundscapes, out of reach voices and licks of live instruments dug up from numerous recordings dating back as far as 30 years, even before Alex started his electronic journey. The sojourn ventures deeper from there. Subaquatic dub techno is the mood on 'King's Cave", 'Helix' and 'In Air' only surfacing ever so slightly for moments of clarity where shimmering tops and glistening synth lines shed some light on the steady grooves. The tracks 'Future History' and 'Transition State CIV' border on deep house territory.