House News

2019 marks thirty-five years that DJ PIERRE has been DJing and creating acid housemusic.This seven-part series of 35 remixes of ACID TRACK by PHUTURE is a celebration of the first monumental record for DJ Pierre and the spark for a new genre and movement in dance music history. “35 - 004” will be the fourth volume in this series and will feature 5 remixes from Paul Johnson, Marko Nastic, Zombie Nation, Shinedoe, and N.U.D.E.

In 1987 the first acid house record, “Acid Track”, was released by the Chicago group Phuture—DJ Pierre, DJ Spank-Spank and Herb J. It was DJ Pierre who thought to play and twist the knobs on the Roland TB-303 in such a way that it created an entirely new (and at that time, totally bizarre) instrumental sound often described as “squelchy”, trippy, psychedelic, futuristic, and out of this world. Spanky laid the beats and together “Acid Track” was born.
The legendary Ron Hardy, a resident DJ at the Music Box in Chicago, gave this strange track a listen and played it not once but four times on the dance floor until it created a frenzy.

News of the Acid “squelches” quickly spread around Chicago and then across the Atlantic, inspiring the next wave of pioneering acid artists in the UK to create their own. From here the Acid House movement began, known as the Second Summer of Love (1988). It was this movement that spread across Europe and the world, becoming the rave and festival scene we know today. Thank you DJ Pierre for your legendary contribution and innovative spark to dance music. This world would not be the same without “Acid Track” and acid house. Here’s looking forward to another thirty-five years.

Dubai’s lo-fi wizards Shadi Megallaa & Abood Nasrawi aka GYPS take a break from their lo-fi experiments & venture onto the dancefloor with 3 original cuts aimed to make the bass bins rumble. We’ve also enlisted Dub master & Mosaic main-man, Steve O’Sullivan for a remix that takes the title track to another dimension.

For those who might have missed out on the sonic odysseys of GYPS1-6, fret not, as they await discovery on Bandcamp under the moniker "gypstapes

This is the 30th release and 3rd Anniversary of our first tape, so to celebrate the label has brought together friends new and old for a spectacular compilation ranging from ambient to dreampunk to uk garage to house. All proceeds from this release will be donated to the Coral Reef Alliance.

London-based artist, musical director and producer Amane shares ‘Moments Of Solace’ via Música Macondo. Introspective and contemplative from the outset, the 6-tracks EP meanders between the hypnotic pulse of electronic percussion, nocturnal pads evoking elated epiphanies and calming synths. Echoes that fade and return, an ecstatic wave of sound. For Amane, the music collected on ‘Moments Of Solace’ is the physical answer to a world that seems to become darker every day. A creative way out, a sonic world where ambient excursions à la Boards Of Canada coexist with thumping beats that could have rolled out of a Floating Points’ set at Plastic People. On ‘Moments Of Solace’ Amane distills ambient electronica, idm, jazz, crafting music that reflects his global pursuit - a non-stop touring creative able to soundtrack night drives on the Pacific coast highway, clubbing in London or a meditative trip on the Shinkansen.

Wonderwax returns with yet another 12″ filled with the distinctive soulfulness that has been a stand out point for the label since its inception.

DJ Spinna has been a fan of R&B/Neo-Soul queen Carmen Rodgers since her debut album 20 years ago, so it was just a matter of time before the two teamed up for something special. The result is an epic soulful house journey on Side A, where Spinna gives his typical Galactic Soul touch to Carmen’s jam “Again and Again”. The og version of the song was released originally in her “Hello Human vol. 1” EP together with “Say So”, which also gets Spinna’s twist on Side B: a progressive Hip Hop/Soul flip for the downtempo heads. Classic!

Stamp is back with a special three tracker of disco edits from J1mi Beyonders!

A trio of unashamed hands-in-the-air pumpers to induce dancefloor euphoria...

The Dutch icon Orlando Voorn is releasing his second album for Deeptrax Records sublabel Contrafact! Having started his career in the early 80s with major influences of Parliament, Kraftwerk, Motown and P funk, he is now widely recognized as an ingenious (Detroit) house and techno producer with former releases on Juan Atkins’ Metroplex records and Kevin Saunderson’s KMS. "The Master 2" is an album that is heavily influenced by the deeper sounds of soul and funk.. Orlando Voorn has used aliases in the past to present and release various styles of music without limiting himself and is one of the most versatile producers out there. We are proud to team up with Voorn and release this album that captures soulful jazz, funk rhythms and perfectly fused with passionate vocals in a real jazzy Detroit vein.

Third Attempt shows sparkling form on his latest long-player on Beatservice Records, crafting a typically refined selection on the gorgeously eclectic and majestically constructed 'Momentary Bliss'.

Since announcing his arrival in 2018, Torje Fagertun Spilde's music recorded under his now-familiar Third Attempt moniker has lit up the ever-reliable Beatservice roster. Combining an awe-inspiring production quality with an equally inspiring work rate, his work quickly confirmed his status as one of the Norwegian underground's most magnetic artists to have emerged over the last few years. True to his evolving-but-recognisable sound, his latest long-player seamlessly glides across musical textures, forging elements of lounge, ambient, disco, house, funk, hip hop and more into a brilliantly coherent collection.

The album opens with the dreamy swells and evocative vocals of the 'Precious Day On Earth' intro before quickly raising the energy with 'Soul, Body & Mind' - a funk-flecked track pitched somewhere in the alluring territory between glossy nu-disco and hazy trip-hop. Here, dreamy chords glide over rolling bass as hip-hop vocal licks enliven the rhythm, with airy synth motifs and ethereal female vocals entwined over crisp drum beats.

'Love Star' finds Spilde in typically inspired form, demonstrating his flair for sampling as he elegantly layers atmospheric vocal chops and dexterous musical refrains. Unfolding over a sprightly broken rhythm, summery chords are embellished by carefree horns and strings as hypnotic guitar and sparkling keys augment the feel-good groove.

'Keep Your Head Up' sees crafty hip-hop vocals and dexterous scratches dart over soothing keys, ethereal strings and atmospheric horns. Supported by thick bass and rolling breaks, the arrangement elegantly unfolds as soulful vocals add mystique to the groove, the smokey aesthetic equally suitable for at-home meditations and backroom jamming.

The dusty-fingered sample manipulation continues on 'Teach Me', where smokey vocals drift across waves of twinkling keys, funk guitars and impactful horns as tightly-spun rhythm and bass guide the tempo, while 'Turbo' continues the funk-flecked theme, with crisp drums driving mesmerising guitar licks, spacey synths and stirring chord progressions chords. with the neatly woven music pitched perfectly to sound equally striking in disco-loving bars, clubs, and living rooms.

Next, 'Secret' drifts into focus with luscious chords, hypnotic guitar riffs and robust bass augmented by soul-drenched vocal stabs and atmospheric synth work. Upping the disco energy, 'Our Show For The Night' subtly shifts the mood. Emotive horns soar over twinkling keys and thick bass notes before harmonic guitar licks add texture to the groove, the honeyed vocal samples beautifully augmenting the captivating orchestration as the dynamic arrangement unfolds.

'Keep Playin' rises in with lively broken drums providing a hyper-infectious rhythm. Atmospheric chords swirl over the tight beats as dexterous guitars and agile keys dance across the panorama, the chopped hip-hop vocal lines cutting through the musical mist before growling synth bass adds weight to the groove.

The floor-focused tempo continues via the soul-soothing flex of 'Hold Me', with seductive vocals bursting over gorgeously orchestrated instrumentation as feel-good guitar licks and stirring strings combine as psychedelic synths glisten over sampled textures and tight disco drums. Equally suited to balmy dancefloors and swaying back rooms, this is yet more elegant crossover material from Spilde.

Finally, the rolling breaks and sumptuous strings of 'Hard Times (Part Of The Journey)' propel jazzy keys, hazy guitar licks and evocative vocal samples to see the album home in suitably engaging style.

Unquestionably an artist with a diverse and powerfully vivid musical message to share with the world, Third Attempt demonstrates his boundless quality across this mesmerising album. 'Momentary Bliss' is set to further enhance his already formidable reputation in - and far beyond - the dance underground.

Daje Funk Records is back with Vol. 4 of the legendary ‘Slam Dunk’ series of EPs, this time featuring Souldynamic - Musta - Les Inferno - Groovemasta !!!

On the A-side, the supremely talented Souldynamic kicks things off with ‘Tales From Q.J.’ - a delicious chunk of late summer grooves bathing in sun-drenched keys and strings. The rolling bassline acts as the hook, and what follows is a gloriously constructed melodic masterpiece sprinkled with heavenly vocals. Fall in love with this, you will.

A2 sees Italian maestro Musta crack open the deep reggae vibes with ’Soup’. You’ll find it hard to resist this bubbling broth of twisted, rhythmic precision bass, ‘one drop’ beats and tight, short skanking guitar riffs. With ‘Soup’, Musta demonstrates his complete understanding of this genre. Darkened room or bar sun terrace - you decide.

On the B-side, label co-owner Les Inferno spices things up several notches with the aptly titled ‘Hot Burn’. And boy, does this track sizzle. A hustling rhythm that takes over your dance nodes from the get go, Les Inferno lovingly sprinkles Latino and Afro vibes all over this searingly hot dish. It’s furious, intense and relentless - and the brass breakdown acts as the tabasco sauce. Drink water. Plenty of water.

Closing Vol. 4 out on B2 is Groovemasta with ‘That Funk’. A track that treats its funky beats and chunky bass like royalty, this 118bpm monster wastes no time in demanding ‘Gimme that funk’. And you’re gonna hand it over. The swirling, gyrating sexiness of ‘That Funk’ can’t be understated - impossible not to lose yourself in this guaranteed dance floor time bomb.

Slam Dunk Vol. 4 seriously raises the bar for this already excellent series, and has to be in any self-respecting vinyl junky’s record box. Grab it while you can!

Chat Noir's new imprint Cosa Vostra returns with another french producer Alich.
Paris based moroccan artist & Decadance festival resident takes you on an introspective journey that explores mind and club music and blends it effortlessly into a thoughtful and playful musical experience. On A side Alich unleashes some Driving rhythms and relentless energy, synth layers and funky elements culminating into one tireless momentum on the dancefloor. B side is more about tension and mystery through a minimalist sonic composition. Dark and hypnotic yet sensual grooves join forces to create mind captivating listening and shadow dancing actions. Serious business, right there!

Love Above Records is proud to present its latest offering with this brand new EP - Silent Tonality by legendary Detroit DJ and producer, Alton Miller.

The project started from a friendship forged between the speakers of 24 Moons, where Alton played at one of our Wildlife x Love Above parties in 2022. Special shout out to our friend DJ Jnett for connecting us all together.

The Detroit Music Institute founder has graced us with a 5-track EP of sophisticated house music that boasts a myriad of modern house sounds. Deep rhythmic passages, soulful vocals and organic textures all in Alton’s usual signature style.


Alton Miller, is a true luminary in the world of electronic music. With a career spanning several decades, Alton Miller has earned a reputation as a pioneer and innovator in the Detroit house music scene. His unique blend of soulful, deep, and melodic house beats has been a driving force in shaping the sound of the Motor City's electronic music culture. Miller's contributions to the global electronic music community have made him a revered figure, and his timeless productions continue to captivate audiences, solidifying his status as a legendary figure in the world of house music.

Alton’s early roots in soul & funk music led to an affinity for clubbing and house music. Born in Chicago but raised in Detroit, Alton grew up with the sounds of Stevie Wonder, Santana, Parliament Funkadelic and the Philly Sound, always playing in the background. Miller began developing his deejaying skills under the electrifying energy of house music founding fathers like Larry Levan and Timmy Regisford, where he regularly attended infamous parties such as Ron Hardy’s Music Box and Frankie Knuckles’s private loft party in Chicago.

A few years later, Alton along with his like-minded friends, Chez Damier and George Baker, founded the legendary dance club 'The Music Institute' in Detroit in 1988. Since then, Alton has cemented himself in underground house music with numerous releases on some of the most notable independent labels in the industry, including Defected, Planet E, King Street, Nitegrooves, Guidance Recordings, Trackmode Records, Seasons and Octave Lab.

Returning with a signature live approach, John Swing drops
the latest Warm Sounds 12" with infectious evolution and a reflection of the future.

Fractal percussion locks 4 bass-minded grooves that blend techno and house with a hypnotic jazz industrialism recalling both
the modern and the ancient. Inter-modular paganism built
for primitive dance sessions.

Through 35 hedonistic highlights stretched across three volumes, Music For The Radical Xenomaniac delivers the first ever deep dive into The Netherlands’ colourful house sound of the 90s and the under-celebrated producers and record labels whose music soundtracked a countrywide cultural movement.

Plenty of books and documentaries have celebrated the riotous raves, legendary clubs, high profile DJs and promoters who shaped The Netherlands’ hedonistic house scene throughout the 90s. Music For The Radical Xenomaniac dares to challenge these narratives by shining a light, for the first time, on those who created the scene’s kaleidoscopic, game-changing and globally influential soundtrack.

Leading the charge were a disparate group of key creators who not only forged links with their counterparts in Detroit, Chicago, New York, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom, but also became celebrated figures on the worldwide electronic underground (Eric Nouhan, Aad De Mooy, Orlando Voorn, Stefan Robbers and Steve Rachmad). Alongside key underground imprints (Stealth Records, Basic Energy, ESP, Prime and Outland Records included) and lesser-known producers, these pioneers gave flavour to a radical musical movement via open-mindedness, unheard-of creativity and a genuinely futuristic ethos. All of these artists and labels are represented throughout the series.

So, what defined this hedonistic house sound from The Netherlands? Stylistically, it was varied – as the series so emphatically proves – but was defined by a set of distinctive sonic characteristics: emotive musical motifs, high-frequency synth sounds, mellow basslines, pulsating rhythms and more than a touch of hallucinatory intent.

Volume 1 boasts a wealth of notable tracks and slept-on gems. There’s ‘No Strings Attached (Freedom of the Soul Work)’ by Marionette, a magical spell of percussion-rich fairy-tale house from 1991 courtesy of R.o.X.Y Amsterdam resident DJ Dimitri and mellow pioneer Eric Nouhan, and the sole single by Eindhoven techno producer MAX404 as Faceless Techno Bastards, the rushing excellence of ‘Go Mellow’.

Other highlights include Rachmad Project’s ‘Summer Breeze’, a chirpy house masterpiece from foundational producer Steve Rachmad that first appeared on Outland Records offshoot Spiritual Records, a genuine oddball obscurity from John Krengiëlczak as Land of Fantasy, Tales And Myths (‘And They Lived Happily Ever After’), and a seriously sought-after cut from Rotterdam duo Space Trax, 1992’s ‘Aura’.

Packed full of forward-thinking 90s gems remastered for today’s dance floors by Alden Tyrell, Music For The Radical Xenomaniac Volume 1 is a life-affirming celebration of a distinctly Dutch musical movement, whose rich textures and melodies are still inspiring new generations of DJs and dancers today.

Dive into the exhilarating era of Japan’s electronic dance music scene from the mid ’80s to the mid ’90s with Japan Vibrations Vol. 1. The hand-picked collection by DJ and musical storyteller Alex from Tokyo pays homage to the trailblazers and innovators who shaped the landscape.

Set for release this autumn, the compilation serves as a time capsule recording a vibrant point in Japan’s modern music history. Likewise, a love letter from someone who lived it.

11 newly remastered tracks spanning ambient, downtempo, dub, world beats, deep house, new jazz, and techno. Together they showcase the creative ingenuity and energy of a paradisiac era marked by a symbiotic fusion of international sounds with distinctively Japanese influences. Experience the vibrations of pioneers Haruomi Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Yasuaki Shimizu. Culture-shaping forces Hiroshi Fujiwara, Kan Takagi, Susumu Yokota, Silent Poets, Mondo Grosso and Kyoto Jazz Massive. And new- generation artists Jun CMJK Kitagawa (C.T. Scan), Mind Design, Okihide, and Hiroshi Watanabe. The evolution of a scene, a moment, presented with the progression of a DJ set.

Hi-fidelity remastering by sound engineer Isao Kumano (PHONON). License coordination by Ken Hidaka, album artwork by Takehiko Kitahara.
Photography by Meisa Fujishiro and Beezer, and from Alex and friends’ personal collections.
Pressed by Mother Tongue Records. Distribution by Rush Hour.



Track info:

1. Haruomi Hosono — Ambient Meditation #3

The compilation opens with an invitation to tea in the dream layer. The tranquil track, dedicated to new age legend Laraaji and ambient great Brian Eno, features Hosono on the Prophet 5 synthesizer and the American multi-instrumentalist Laraaji plucking a glittering zither. Hosono released it in 1993 as the closing track of his Medicine Compilation From The Quiet Lodge. True to its title, the album charts the early ‘90s contemplative turn of one of Japan’s most influential musical artists. Recorded in the tea-room modelled RACOON studio in Yutenji, Tokyo, the album weaves together house, techno, and ambient elements with Hosono’s signature eclectic-exotica touch. The result is a divine elixir, and this track is especially captivating.

2. Silent Poets — Meaning In The Tone (’95 Space & Oriental)

The bubbling dub is impossibly vibey on this remix of “Meaning In The Tone” by Japanese electronic duo (turned solo) project Silent Poets. The original track by Michiharu Shimoda and Takehiro Haruno appeared on their 1993 sophomore album, Potential Meeting. This ethereal, downtempo reworking came out in 1995 for the compilation album New Chapter for DJ/artist Nobukazu Takemura’s newly launched label idyllic records. Silent Poets went on to garner international acclaim for its catching sound palette—spanning dub, trip hop, acid jazz, and downtempo like this track—and holistic approach to art fusing music, design, and culture. Shimoda’s original music and brand Poet Meets Dubwise continues to capture the meaning in the tones.

3. Mind Design — Sun

Soft and resonant with a cinematic build up, “Sun” by techno unit Mind Design (Tomonori Sawada and Koji Sakurai) feels like daybreak at Mount Fuji. Sawada and Sakurai made the track (and all their music at the time) using a sequencer to run synths and rhythm machines, and a DAT recorder to capture everything in a single shot. In 1993, Mind Design signed to Transonic (predecessor of Trigger Label), Kazunao Nagata’s underground electronic music label, after the muiltitalented DJ, musician, mastering engineer, and producer saw the duo perform live at a Tokyo techno party. Mind Design’s first and only album View From The Edge followed in 1994, paralleling Sakurai and Sawada’s rising careers as sound composers and designers in the video game industry, where they remain active today.

4. Quadra — Phantom

A rare downtempo gem by Hiroshi Watanabe under his Quadra alias featured on his debut album Sketch From A Moment. With its gently swaying synths and confident percussive stride, “Phantom” is a total vibe. Watanabe, a prolific and versatile artist, is a man of many aliases (Quadra, Kaito, Hiroshi W, Tread with Takehiko Kitahara, 32 project), label homes (Nite grooves, Kompakt, Third Ear Recordings, Ibadan, Transmat Records), and sound profiles (deep slow house, uptempo, melodic techno, to name a few). The mid ‘90s found Watanabe hard at it, studying composition at Berklee College of Music in Boston, spreading from New York the deep house gospel with EPs released on Japanese label Frogman, spinning hard house and techno at NYC clubs like the legendary “Save The Robots,” and more. “Phantom” captures the spaces between—a mid-album track with a subtle, unrushed flow. Nothing dramatic, everything chill and beautiful.

5. Yasuaki Shimizu — Tamare-Tamare

Few artists create a vibe as timeless, innovative, and totally fun as Yasuaki Shimizu. Singing and sax-ing (he does both on this track), connecting dots across the world, tinkering with scales and studio techniques—Yasuaki’s organic and highly experimental flickering about is an artform itself. Enter “Tamare Tamare,” an electro, world-fusion dance-floor killer featuring renowned Senegalese singer and musician Wasis Diop. Recorded in Paris’ ADS-Colour studio with Martin Meissonier, worldbeat and ethnic music producer extraordinaire (think Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade, Salif Keita, and Manu Dibango) and released on Shimizu’s 1987 Subliminal, the track shines like the sun. “Tamare Tamare,” as the maestro himself says, is a potent spell in sound form.

6. Ryuichi Sakamoto — Tibetan Dance (Version)

A groovy collage of deep slaps, snappy beats, feathery strums, ethereal windings, rolling keys, and plenty of experimental tweaks, the track feels like a joyful gathering of friends. And it should—Sakamoto invited his YMO colleagues and collaborators Haruomi Hosono (bass), Yukihiro Takahashi (drums), Kenji Omura (electric guitar) and string instrument master Ayuo Takahashi on the Japanese zither instrument the koto into the studio to make “Tibetan Dance”. The revolutionary Fairlight CMI synthesizer joined the party, too, providing the perfect foil for an epically funky, buoyant tune. This slightly stripped down, club-oriented version first saw the light of day in 2015 with the Japan-only re-issue of Sakamoto’s 1984 Ongaku Zukan, remastered in high-resolution format (DSD) by Seigen Ono. Our “professor" Ryuichi Sakamoto, prodigious (and pioneering) musician and beautiful human, passed away in March 2023. His astonishing body of work - some 25 solo albums, 41 albums with YMO, 14 live albums, 19 collaboration albums, and 40 EPs and singles - will enliven and inspire for generations to come!

7. T.P.O. — Hiroshi’s Dub (Tokyo Club Mix)

Thunderclaps and a driving downpour of beats—we’re deep in the club now, Japan vibrations at max amplitude. This atmospheric club classic tells a story of scenes and genres—whole worlds—merging at the close of the ‘80s in Japan. An early release by the powerhouse hip-hop label and posse Major Force, the track is a remix twice over. It started with the uptempo “Punk Inc.” by Tiny Panx Organization” (T.P.O.), brainchild of Hiroshi Fujiwara, Kan Takagi, and K.U.D.O. Next came the dub take by Hiroshi, supreme music and culture tastemaker. And here we have the Paradise Garage-inspired deep-house reworking by Sapporo-hailing DJ Heyta. Got that? Now imagine taking it in at the tiny basement club Aoyama MIX during one of DJ Heyta’s wildly popular Wednesday nights back in the day. Lights out!

8. Okihide — Biskatta

Cycling through sugar cane fields in Okinawa, intense sun overhead and a glistening ocean stretching out into infinity. That’s a sweet memory Okihide Sawaki was recalling when he made this track in his Kyoto “Sleepy Room” home studio. Okihide, a sound otaku since childhood (proud owner of a Korg Mono/Poly at age 12!), caught the attention of Fukuoka’s top DJ and producer Ken Inaoka in 1994 when he was playing live under the moniker Tanzmuzik at Shibuya On Air in Tokyo. Inaoka signed the young artist, now going just by Okihide, to his just-launched techno label “Syzygy Records,” and in 1996 A boy in picca season came out. This smooth, uplifting, Detroit-inspired jam from his eclectic, “intelligent” debut album is full of feeling.

9. Mondo Grosso — Vibe PM (Jazzy Mixed Roots) (Remixed by Yoshihiro Okino)

Peppy, elegant, and massively jazzy bops from 1994 that feel so familiar and fresh. The Kyoto-based acid-jazz collective Mondo Grosso roared to life in the early 90s, led by the multitalented Shinichi Osawa. “Vibe.P.M” (Jazzy Mixed Roots) appeared on the compilation Kyoto Jazz Massive (For Life Records), the brainchild and handiwork of Shuya Okino who, along with his brother Yoshihiro, formed the eponymous musical project (Shuya had been managing Mondo Grosso while working at the Kyoto club “Container”). Yoshihiro’s remix presented here is a slice of Japanese crossover jazz that “makes me feel so alive,” just like American vocalist Brenda Kay Pierce beautifully sings on the track. Thirty years on, Kyoto Jazz Massive and Mondo Grosso, together and as individual artists, continue to evangelize good vibes and heady crossover dance music.

10. Prism — Velvet Nymph

A masterful straight-up deep-house track by one of the masters of Japanese electronic music, the late Susumu Yokota. Working under the pseudonym Prism, and fittingly so, Susumu refracted and refined the Detroit techno sounds he loved into Metronome Melody, released in 1995 on the newly formed Japanese label Sublime Records ran by Yamazaki Manabu. The track and album came on the heels of several pioneering moments for Yokota and, by extension, the Japanese electronic music scene. First, he created a storm in December 1993 performing live at club Yellow as the opening act for Underground Resistance (their first appearance in Japan!). Then, in June 1994, Yokota rocked his unique acid-techno sound at Berlin’s Love Parade to huge fanfare (the first Japanese performer at the legendary technoparade!). The dearly missed Susumu Yokota left us with an amazing, eclectic body of work—some 70 albums and singles over 2 decades.

11. C.T. Scan — Cold Sleep (The Door Into Summer)

The compilation closes with an epic techno gem that spins the story of an era: Frogman Record’s 15-year history as a key incubator of Japanese techno music. Among those discovering techno music in the early ‘90s in Japan was a crew of club-going music writers and industry workers that included Kengo Watanabe, Tsutomu Noda, Dai Sato, and Masakazu Hiroishi who would all in different ways influence and innovate the whole scene. Watanabe and Noda launched the groundbreaking electronic music magazine ele-king. Moved by the Berlin techno scene and spurred on by German-Japanese techno ambassador DJ Toby Izui (aka Tobynation), Watanabe and Dai created the techno label Frogman. They tapped C.T. Scan (better known as synthpop artist and producer CMJK of J-pop fame) for the label’s first and final releases. This version of “Cold Sleep (The Door Into Summer)” appeared on Frogman’s 2008 entering-into-hibernation compilation, Fine – The Best of Frogman. Inspired by Robert A. Heinlein’s sci-fi tale about traveling back in time to find oneself, the track is reflective, floating, and gently futuristic. Looking back to create the future, the highest Japan Vibration.

Four tracks from '20 Years Of Phonica' on limited 12" vinyl!

At the forefront of jungle’s new wave, Tim Reaper joins forces with Comfort Zone on the drum & bass anthem ‘Subterranean’. One of the heaviest sonic technicians around, Reaper and his collaborator Comfort Zone offer up a quality tune, based around a familiar vocal sample.

Toby Tobias has been a long-time friend of the store, collaborating with the Phonica crew on one of their monthly DJ nights for almost a decade. A prolific produce under many pseudonyms, including Alphonse, and on the Rekids, Klasse Wrecks and Emotional Rescue labels, Toby’s ‘On My Mind’ contribution is a complex house-not-house, bassline-heavy wriggly groover that becomes more compelling at every listen.

NTS Radio presenter and Eglo artist Shy One has been attracting attention with an original sound that is a mixture of live percussion, and funk mixed with UK bass. Here, ’Uncle G’ offers exactly that, combining broken beat, heavy bass and jazz sensibilities for a breezy, refreshing offering.

Finally, our own Kieran Jandu rounds out the 12" with his ‘From My Soul’, a hypnotic house anthem.

After a year off, Increase the Groove Records is back in force with a release eclectic AF, like the vibe that has instilled into this label since its creation. The EP of ALYHAS & LIAM FATTORI, includes 2 remixes of the very tallentuous : Idris Bena and Harry Wills !

Lowride & enjoy it.

Va¨stkransen Records' first release—Bike Thieves' Laura EP'—is out on 12' on April 6th, 2018. Based in Stockholm, Va¨stkransen Records is an offshoot of Ga°rden, an underground open-air party held in an industrial zone of the city since 2014. Featuring DJs like Cinthie, Baba Stiltz, Maya Lourenc¸o and Mount Liberation Unlimited, Ga°rden is attended by a devoted following of dance music heads looking to sweat to classic disco and house. Laura EP' introduces Ga°rden residents Bike Thieves—two long-time Stockholm comrades with a penchant for gritty house. The A-side features the duo's banger Laura', along with a funky disco remix by Mount Liberation Unlimited's Tender T. On the flipside, HK presents a deep tech-house interpretation of Laura', the record closing with Bike Thieves' after hours cut Jailhouse'.

DJ Assam delivers his inaugural project under his own name Joe Davies this November. Entitled ‘Shields In Full Sunlight’ and comprising eight original cuts, his debut album is full of beautiful shades, unexpected twists and twirling melodies.

The past decade has seen DJ Assam releasing material for the likes of (his own imprint) Lehult, that he runs with a few friends, KANN Records, Super Tuff and Smallville Record sub-label Down by the Lake, as well as Djing regularly at hotspots across Europe and beyond. We are very happy to have him appearing under his own name- Joe Davies- to our main Smallville imprint with some serious longplayer material.

Through the project, Davies offers up textural ethereal numbers like opener ‘Hi Life’ (featuring his brother Daniel aka Ossia, ‘Smile and Wave’ and closing track ‘Nefyn’. Also on offer is the more signature deep and dubby Smallville house sound with tracks like ‘Two Hours Earth Room’, ‘Cygnus’ (featuring Space Drum Meditation) and ‘AMY' (featuring Johan Kaseta), while the likes of ‘’Echo Form’ sees Davies deviate into Bruk with broken rhythms and jazzy melodies or ‘Movement Into The Breach’, which embraces a more mystical, Balearic-tinged aesthetic.

Once again Smallville delivers raw deep and understated music for the heads with Joe Davies ‘Shields In Full Sunlight’ LP out this November.

Full cover artwork by Stefan Marx.

Hot on the heels of their releases on Nu Groove and Refuge Recordings Acid Jerks are back once again with another EP of jackin' traxx.

It's their first for Local Talk and we are, of course both proud and honoured to release "Hifi Shades Of Grey" on limited 12" vinyl.
The Acid Jerks sound is tried and tested to perfection by now and their fans won't be disappointed listening to this EP for sure.

First up is 'Shades Of Grey', a proper builder with its haunting strings, setting the tone perfectly.

Then we have 'Wheels Of Fortune', a track with that raw Chicago vibe. Warehouse soul anyone?

Both 'Rise Up' and 'Ace Of Spade' are tracks infused with that and equal parts of old-school and bounce.

Acid Jerks makes music that is impossible to ignore, it's a fact.

When it comes to breathing new life into classic cuts Joseph Caserta is as good as it gets, proven many times on his imprint BridgeBoots.

Making punchy and jackin' house, sounding like it's been dipped in some secret sauce is another trick of his.

The first track on his Local Talk debut, Hip Hop, comes in two flavours with the special sauce added on top.
Both the Rap Mix and the Haus Dub got swinging drums and a meaty, stabby chord that keeps the energy tight.

On the flip, 'g'Head' is a punchy and bumpy house jacker that takes a hold of you and doesn't let go.

Another Gem by Francesco, this time embellished by the remixes of a very fresh Alex Neri and completed by a Miki full of pathos!!

Bigfire featuring Marshall Jefferson, K’Alexi & Jammin Gerald Remixes! Japanese electronic music band Bigfire releases 5th vinyl in 2021, including 3 great remixes from Chicago. One of house music’s most important founding fathers, legendary Marshall Jefferson remix is very magnificent, consisting of impressive built up strings, breathtakingly beautiful piano, strong bass and absolute House beat. Jammin Gerald is widely known as a pioneer of Ghetto House Music
and an ace of Dance Mania label. Factory style series, a familiar name of his banging sound is constructing this innovative remix. K’ Alexi Shelby have had a great influence on not only House music but also Techno up to the present time. His elegant remix is nostalgic and soulful as its name suggests. Hirugano on B2 is an original of Bigfire. This is a one of a kind Hardgroove Rock produced by Homma Honganji, a leading expert of Hardgroove/Funky Techno. Mastering of all tracks and mixing of Hirugano (original) are done by Chester Beatty, the Chicago House Master in Japan Jacket illustration is
drawn by Kishi Daimuro known for Kyoryudaikiko (Dinoventure).

We are very honored to present you Dana Lewis Kelley - Alpha (re-issue from 1999)

Unfortunately this great artist also known as DKMA left this world way too early...

Many thanks to his Brother, Lyle Kelley who keeps Dana’s legacy alive!

After two years of silence, Downbeat comes back with an old friend of the label. The responsible for that fantastic “Foregrounds and Backgrounds” ep, DaRand Land releases a new vinyl on the label from Madrid and he is fit as a fiddle.

This underground music hero presens 4 synthetic deep house tracks with all those elements that are already an original brand: Hypnotic vibes with warm and smooth synth lines, silky pads and dubby basslines, This whisper from the lake EP will be immediately loved by the label followers because is exactly what the label is. Atmospheric and erotic midtempo house that represents perfectly the sound of Downbeat.

Artwork Cover, 180gr, Vinyl Only.

It’s a new day – and 2022 marks a very special new chapter for Parisian producer Hugo LX, who delivers his latest sound offering on his freshly founded imprint Doma Music.

A collective adventure, « The Platinum Wave » sees the return of Hugo’s most frequent collaborators – trumpeter Hermon Mehari and guitarist Christopher Johnson, with the addition of pianist Tony Tixier – the four of them connecting, building and weaving their sonic textures over these five sound cuts.

A starting point in the Doma music catalogue, « The Platinum Wave » aims to propose a different sound in dance music, both a continuation of a certain musical legacy and an exploration of today’s boundless possibilities, as much as an intimate soundscape from four artists deeply involved in the Paris creative scene – and most definitely, a first taste of things to come on the label.

Ethos Records is a new vinyl only record label based in Athens,GR.
It’s aim is to present music from carefully curated artists that are consistent & true to their sound regardless the current trends or hype.
For the first release Leonid delivers a deep & dubby, Detroit influenced 4 track EP.

The release will be a limited pressing with each record featuring a hand stamped number on the label.

Autumn of 2022 marked 20 years since the initial release of Metro Area's first and only album, Metro Area. Environ had already remastered and re-released this essential LP for its 15th anniversary. So this time around, we're doing something a bit different.

To celebrate two decades of Metro Area, Environ has partnered with renowned mastering engineer Matt Colton (Metropolis Studios) to remaster and recut the first four Metro Area 12"s: Metro Area, Metro Area 2, Metro Area 3 and Metro Area 4. Unlike the album reissue, these records include the original, extended 12" versions of all songs, including some which have never been re-released.

Metro Area is the duo's first 12" EP, originally released in 1999.

The third release on SLICES OF LIFE comes from the Berlin vinyl DJ and producer BAAZ, who has been gaining steady growing attention by House Music lovers and DJ?s. He is the reason that Daniel Bell reactivated his Elevate label to release a BAAZ 12inch in 2008. This ep and the releases on Agnes' label STHML Audio opened up the door for very productive collaborations with other labels and dj?s. The 3 tracks on SLICES OF LIFE show Baaz?s focus on deep pure and simple House grooves that roll on massively, and work perefectly without using obvious effects and frills. The A side "Judy?s Bass" clearly reveals Baaz?s love of fat bassdrums and basslines in combination with classic drum machine and percussion elements while the stringline carries you away endlessly. With "Jeally" on B1 Baaz delves even deeper into percussion programming and creates a perfect deep track for the late hours. Carbon Hair (B2) shows the dubby and darker side of Baaz: a very dub techno influenced house track that is especially driven by warm beats and open high hats.

repress, blue marbled limited version

The label imprint of the beloved Berlin based club Paloma delivers its eighth release, and it was created by none other than a vogueing encyclopedia of musical and club culture knowledge (plus a cherished Paloma resident DJ). The disco professor: Daniel Wang.
It is his first original production under his own name in many years, and you can easily tell that this is not a tool to join in with dancefloor conformity (after all, his first album was called Idealism for a reason). Daniel Wang had already evolved from innocently enthusiastic sampling to synth wizardry during the heyday of his legendary Balihu label, and while studying the masters, he became one himself.
DSDN is an ode to nocturnal Berlin and its party community, a city that never left the centre of international attention for its vital and influential scene. Daniel Wang is a part of it since twenty years, and he was influenced by what he experienced as much as he left his mark on many nights, both as a DJ, and as a producer.
Of course, this release follows the traditional structure of a Disco EP by using a main tune DSDN with complementing dubs and instrumentals. Four to be exact, because four is the magic number with this format. DSDN reflects the internationality of the clubs across town in English and German words and pays homage to all the districts, and it effortlessly manages to unite sounds of both 80s NYC and Italo disco, 90s NYC and Italo house, synthpop and rap before it became too successful, balearic vibes before they became a mere excuse, and then it just majestically unfolds into both a charming summer hit and a complex opus magnum, but all an aural sunbeam that blows a kiss to those who emerge from recent sensations in clubs, bars, parks, and streets. Alone or together, happy or sad, resolute or irresolute, tired or energized, or all at once.

Neroli release n. 60 and is indeed a special one…Dominic Stanton aka Domu is back! Not much else to add really, as a return of a Domu release after more than 10 years of absence from the scenes should already say it all! These brand new songs still have all his signature elements but with a modern twist, and feature the vocals of Hiatus Kaiyote’s Lori on the breathtaking ‘On The Line’, the skills of K15 on ‘Ya Nah Gonna Get It’ and the help of long time collaborator
Marin on bass! A unique sound that we missed so much….

Detroit artist Julion De’Angelo steps forward into his own with a new musical offering:the inaugural EP from his new imprint, Maybee Hill Music. Named after the street that he grew up on, the label celebrates ancestral guidance and reflecting on the past, so you can move FORWARD!

Can’t Go Askin is an exuberant testament to Black joy, building and shining triumphantly throughout its mesmerising 12-minute runtime.The track centers on a riff that immediately locks you in, as it stretches and expands with a seductive, propulsive groove, with percussion and keys all floating below a soaring and shimmering Juno. This bold and idiosyncratic interplay results in a jam which takes you HIGHER, transcendent in the spirited tradition of Chicago and Detroit.

De’Angelo completely switches gears for the flip side of this musical offering. Reflecting Cancer Moon is an immersive descent into deep dubby waters inspired by a night walk in the woods. A hypnotic, bare-bones meditation with crazy swing, that explodes into a rhythmic swirl of percussion. Dub delay echoes in and out as we journey deeper into the forest with the moon illuminating our way forward. This EP embodies De’Angelo’s restless urge to constantly seek out new sounds and open up new sonic areas for experience and transformation, with two tracks reflecting two sides of the musical spectrum.

Nathan Micay is pleased to present the fifth re-issue on Eternal Schvitz: Love Boat People - 3 Some. Originally released in 1998 during the infamous Gulliani NYC nightlife crackdowns, this is the first record ever made by Bryan Keller of duo Automagic. A unique and timeless record that was Bryan's battle cry to what was happening at the time. A-sides '3Some' and 'To the Other Woorld' are as psychedelic and groovy as they come, making great use of a 70's era Crumar Spirit Synth and some truly wild vocals. B-sides "Dontcha Know? (Sunday Morning Mix/Sunday Night Mix) are equally banging with 'The Sunday Night Mix' conceived for Emjay's Sunday Night Very Gay Who's-Who Roundup Party at Crowbar, while the 'Saturday Night Mix' was made for Big Room, where it could be heard regularly in the sets of Danny Tenaglia, Junior and other DJ's around the city.

Mood II Swing are giants of NY metro area club culture. On calibre with heavy-hitters like Masters At Work and Blaze, Lem Springsteen and John Ciafone's output boasts the bejeweled crown of deep house supremacy, spanning from the early 1990's to the latter part of the decade, molding and modeling a sound painstakingly tailored to the vanguard of minority and transgendered club scenes, pre-purge New York. One of their first and most explosive claims to the throne was 1992's "Wall of Sound" EP, a no-prisoners-taken masterpiece with the confidence and cockiness of two producers just out the gate and fully assured of their total domination of the craft. "I Need Your Luv" is, to this day, the indisputable measuring stick of cunty club tracks, opening as the curtain lifts with the outpouring of one fierce ruling diva, quickly picking up force in a storm of wide swinging-drum programs, punching bass drives and sparse, splitting synth stabs, all punctuated with unyielding vocal cut-ups and yearning cries. On the flip, "Penetration" delivers the same expert method, albeit with a more abstract, dreamy air about it, a bumping, endlessly ascending standard of the vocal-sample driven deep house track of the early 1990's, constantly building and morphing in its deceptive complexity. Brilliant, timeless and time-defying, "I Need Your Luv" & "Penetration" have finally been reissued for the first time since their original debut 21 years ago, the latest feature in Slow to Speak's ongoing CORE series, a testament to the formative years of NY house lore.

In recent years, Tominori Hosoya who gets a high reputation as a composer from Japan has been included in the catalogs of popular deep house labels such as deepArtSounds and Soul Print Recordings. Also he manages his own labels, this project is the 3rd in the compilation series "Wishes & Memories" based on the concept - 'we release only special musics that are made for precious persons, memories, things etc by each artists' from TH Pressing. 4 musics by Mark Hand (UK) who also has related on Soul Print Recordings, US deep house maestro Trinidadian Deep, Shaka (US) who has been released from many labels - Balance Recordings, Kolour Ltd etc and japanese Tominori Hosoya's own new one. It goes without saying
that they are emotional deep houses that reflect the individuality of each artists, it is not just a compilation, but a drama that resonates with Hosoya's view of music that is good at expressing rich emotions using beautiful melodies and chords. There is a thought that each artist devotees to something special. Pure deep house collection that is filled with the nostalgia and distantness of distant memories.

repress !

Aus Music non-stop. Not quite content with already chalking up two of the biggest EPs of 2013 so far from Midland and Dusky, Aus return once again with yet another release you've been waiting for - the return of Belfast's biggest sons, Bicep. The London-based duo of Andrew Ferguson and Matthew McBriar had a breakthrough year in 2012, four years after the pair's Feel My Bicep blog first began. The past year has seen them play in more than a dozen countries, including major gigs across the US, China and, more recently, Australia, with particular highlights including a peak time set at Berlin's haloed Panorama Bar and capacity crowds at both Sub Club and Trouw. In addition to the release of 'You/ Don't' on Aus, the boys also inaugurated their own imprint with the Visions Of Love EP, whilst "$tripper", which was released through Love Fever, came in at number 35 on RA's top 50 tracks of 2012 poll. Further to that they scooped the award for DJ Mag's Best Breakthrough DJ, supplied Tim Sweeney's Beats In Space show with an exclusive mix of unreleased material, remixed Ripperton's 'Let's Hope,' and all the while maintaining the DJ treasure trove that is their blog. Across the EP they take things a little deeper, delving into a different area of their own personal taste. What's presented is an overall more lo-fi style and broader approach, drawing from a wide range of influences including King Street Sounds, HBO's The Wire and AphexTwin.

Back on Lüüd Discs for his first EP, Bwi-Bwi signs four tracks with rich and varied influences that plunge us into the atmosphere of his universe. Canto Soulèu.