House News

Seth Troxler follows up a slew of cross-genre releases across his Soft Touch and Tuskegee labels with another offering on his no-nonsense imprint Play It Say It. Designed to bring road-tested, high-grade club material to the fore Play It Say it has seen the likes of Clarian, Sharam and Steve Lawler build its catalogue and now, next in line is the Paris based Damien Roussel AKA The Mekanism.

Every bit as much a stalwart of vinyl DJing as a producer The Mekanism's previous releases have touched Needwant and Los Suruba. As a DJ, he holds down a residency at Showcase in Paris as well as maintaining summertime slots at one of Ibiza's most loved underground parties Antz.

All the while he has consistently rolled out the sort of taught, bumping grooves that lend him perfectly to Play It Say It and his latest offering is no exception: Tough and tumbling bass lines peppered with nifty vocal samples and flecks of acid.

'Acid Love' kicks things off with a circling bass pattern punching beneath sharp, shuffling percussion and stuttering vocal samples. 'Lost Girl' then drives a spoken word sample through a hefty bass pattern and hallucinogenic delays that are sent shimmering across the mix in a manner certain to send the floor into rapture in another fine addition to the Play It Say it series.

Debut ep by this Russian based newcomer under the alias LOW TAPE.

Luke Vibert returns to the I Love Acid series, with two more DJ-tool acid jam workouts. Coming in at ten minutes a side, cut at 45 by Radioactive Man at Curved. Pure analogue acid from the master. Strictly limited to 303 copies, on hand-stamped & numbered heavyweight 12" vinyl.

ULTRAMARINE have history. As far as track records go, theirs is as close to perfection as you can get ... but you can go knock yourself out on Google for that - we're not here to talk about yesterday. Today, Ian Cooper and Paul Hammond give us ACID and BUTCH - two timeless trax with an eye on tomorrow...

Ears Have Eyes are ready to drop their 4th release, this time drawing on the fertile pool of talent available in their adopted home of South East London.
We kick off with the duo FYI Chris who, while not manning the counter of Peckham institution Rye Wax, have been putting together an impressive string of releases on labels such as hurch, Lumberjacks from Hell and Rhythm Section.
Nightmare is possibly their darkest offering to date, pairing chugging drums with jagged acid lines.
Up next, the odd and elusive character of Nick Araguay delivers a silky smooth cut of warm, emotive techno.
Hot on the heels of his recent wax on the excellent Peur Bleue imprint, he's definitely an artist to watch out for.
Over on the flip we have Murun B & Ivor E with a fine track of deeply textured techno.

Finishing off proceedings we have a lovely cut of rough yet sparkling house music that shows off the talents of young production duo The Soft.

John Frusciante's Foregrow doesn't sound like any Acid Test record, or any record, that's come before it. After the unlikely alliance between the Los Angeles label and the iconoclastic Venice, CA musician on Trickfinger, all bets are off. This one's truly a passage through night. Foregrow is a lurching, lysergic beauty which offers glimpses of his platinum pop instincts, but only behind the veil of true experimentalism.

Mike Ash returns to Super Rhythm Trax after providing the very first release and gives us 4 authentic and acidic warehouse smashers. Mike Ash may be familiar from early releases on Moving Shadow and Rising High records under a variety of pseudonyms in the early 90's but in the last 10 years has become synonymous with releasing mind blowing and true Electro under his own name. When he turns his hand to Acid House, the results mirror the high quality and his no nonsense approach shines through having lived and breathed the music and culture back when it was exploding in the late 80's and early 90's.

In his own words I tried to keep with the original 1988/1989 vibe. I didn't use any synths / sounds / samples that weren't available past 1990. It's all Juno / SH-101 / 303 / Jupiter / 808 / 909 / 707 / 606 and samples from the Beats Breaks & Scratches vol 1&2'The tracks exude a raw and strangled soul and are a bold and comfortingly honest take on the warehouse and pirate radio sound of the UK.

1X each customer"!

Dan Shake returns for his highly anticipated forth release on his label with support from the likes of Jackmaster, Radio Slave and Moxie. Limited to 300 white labels until the full release later this year.

Expanded re mastered edition of Farley's classic "No Vocals Necessary" EP from 1988. 2 x 12" ranging from distorted acid to funked up disco filtered excursions. Essential!

Fresh from the success of last years critically acclaimed PT 1 EP, Leeds-born Samir Alikhanizadeh aka Happa, is gearing up for the hotly anticipated release of PT 2, a 3 track EP and the second in a series of releases on his own label PT 5.

Having first drawn attention with his tumbling remix of the Four Tet track Jupiters, it wasn't long before he was heralded by the likes of Radio 1's Mary Anne Hobbs, James Blake, Zed Bias and Skream, to name a few. Happa's love for electronic sounds is no more evident than on his latest offering; surging ahead at a faster pace than PT 1, with nods to EBM and industrial along the way. Opening track Blackberreh! marks a sideways move away from its predecessors. With spikey glitches, pitch-bending beats and extra melodic attention paid, the track plays out across a dark soundscape, creating an all-embracing big room noise. Catch-22 takes things further with abrasive beats and aphotic vocals giving it a brutal, industrial quality, and acts as the perfect showcase for Happa's wayward electronic tastes. Closing out the EP is Drag, a juggernaut of refracted beats, displaying admirable depth and a real techno assault.

If PT 1 was the product of a young artist refining his sound, PT 2 is the bass-heavy, hypnotic call to arms of an artist with enough raw talent and perseverance to create something truly astounding.

Made by Mark Imperial & Vinnie Devine as Laurent X, "Machines" was conceived in a 16 track studio with an unquestionable Roland TB-303, but also a TR-808, TR-909, a Juno 106, some FX and a bucket of rib tips. According to Mark Imperial, he and his friends (specially Vinnie Devine) had a mad fun playing with gear.

"I was DJing Italo imports since 1980, and as a regular on the Chicago DJ scene, naturally I became involved in DJ International Records from the beginning", says Mark about how the whole thing started.

It was what we call a 'thinktank', and these young producers all experimented with gear. Mark Imperial's exposure to the acid sounds of TB-303 came from his dear friend Adonis (the one responsible for "No Way Back"), and Mark's exposure to the Juno 106 from Dane Roewade.

About the equipment he made use at that time, Mark also stated: "I visited Detroit and was exposed to the Yamaha DX-100, a mere toy that was a staple to the Detroit sound at the time" (Derrick May, for example, did several of his early tunes' basslines with it, and Kenny Larkin confessed it was the equipment through which he made the etheral pianos of 'Yennek - Serena X' classic).

Mark Imperial continued: "Although I didn't visit Detroit until 1989, Derrick May showed admiration for my track "Jason's Revenge" which I did in 1986", a fact that made Mark believe he was making "Techno" at its very early days.

"Machines" was very, very influential tune as well. In 1988, he thought they were making "Acid", but it also became a quintessential masterpiece to other kinds of House music that appeared since then...

9300 RECORDS returns with the first EP by SHIN, a relatively unknown, Belgian producer duo. They gave birth to three solid tracks with low kicks and raw bass chords, synths that are highly 90's trance influenced and some acid vibes on the B-Side. The cherry on top is a remix of 'Mistress' by none other than Legowelt! Danny Wolfers discribes the EP as 'Flemish achromatism' , which is a good reference to its melancholic undertone.Limited to 300 hand stamped and numbered copies !

Ryan Crosson, Lee Curtiss and Shaun Reeves return as Visionquest this February with 'The Monstreux' EP, their first Visionquest EP ever!!!
Visionquest both as a label and the guise of the three label owners has come a long way since its inception back in 2011 with material being released on the label from the likes of Deadbeat, Rework, Dinky and Wareika, plus a revered fabric mix compilation from them as artists. Here we see Ryan, Lee and Shaun return with some long awaited fresh original material as Visionquest, coming in the shape of 'The Monstreux' EP.
Opening the package is title track 'Monstreux', a slow-blooming hypnotic number fuelled by meandering arpeggios, sweeping atmospherics and 80's tinged synth hooks running alongside weighty, low-slung rhythms.
Following is 'Could Be' which sees the trio enlist the vocal styling's of Canada's Jenny Mayhem to create something typically psychedelic from the Visionquest camp. Mayhem's mesmeric vocal hooks swell and unfold via dubbed out echoes around the trio's robust and stripped-back percussive drive while bumpy sub bass tones further fuel the energy of the record.
The package is then rounded off with 'Modulant', collaborating with Ibiza-based producer Tuccillo, and as the name would suggest it focuses on intricate modulations of tone and strength in the synthesized elements, creating a subtly unfolding and complex groove-led composition.

Kevin McHugh returns to his Delft imprint as LA-4A for his & the label's first artist album. Phonautograph represents an artist album in its purest sense: a deeply personal work that feels like the culmination of a lifetime of passion and experience - one that ebbs and flows across a variety of styles and tempos, from the electrifying acid house and electro of 'Resistor', 'Capacitance' and 'Dialup' to slower tempo ambient and experimental excursions such as 'Frequenzvariabler', 'Blitzlicht' and 'Semantron'.

Members of The House - Summer Nites (Kornél Kovács Remix) NMBRS54 Tip for the sum sum summer.Thanks to Members of the House and eternal respect to Underground Resistance.

Reflections is the Spectral Sound debut of Nautiluss, the primary project from Toronto's Graham Bertie. His career began, as many do, with practicing mixing records in his bedroom before cutting his teeth in warehouse raves in Montreal. After many collaborations and heavy touring early in his career, Bertie has chosen to stay in more than go out, leading to a new direction in his music. Don't let this lead you to believe he's a slouch in the live department. Bertie has performed live at the influential MUTEK Festival and Panorama Bar in Berlin, showcasing his flexibility and expertise with all manner of instrumentation - analog and digital, hard and soft, improvised and structured. He has also been found spinning at iconic clubs such as Trouw, Panorama Bar, Dance Tunnel and his favorite local grotto, Toronto's Bambi's, performing alongside talent such as Mike Servito, Octo Octa, and Galcher Lustwerk.
The tracks from the Reflections EP emphasize this dichotomy - tracks which are equally suited for the dancefloor and headphones. EP opener "Odyssey" begins with eerie chords and shuffling drums, constantly shifting underneath a layer of analog hiss and twinkling piano vamps. "Kodama" is darker and moodier, with deep chords, square wave basslines, and clenched hi-hats. "Alphaville" is acid by ways of the Nostromo spacecraft of Ridley Scott's Alien - hisses, clangs, and yelps cavort amongst a lone triangle, laser sounds, and high-speed flybys. "Lonely Planet" closes out the EP with radar pings and classic deep Rhodes chords.

Mark Jenkyns and Christopher Sylvester have joined forces as 12 Stories to release the heavy duty 'Night Obscure EP' on Hot Creations. The EP features two original and unique no nonsense club weapons plus an equally solid remix from Bunte Bummler.

On the A-side, the acid induced 'Showtime' uses a sample from a ghetto fight to aptly fit the name of the track. After spending a lot of time in the studio and using numerous bits of Roland gear, the second track 'Night Obscure' finally came together when Mark's neighbour spontaneously sang a French poem for the the vocals. No stranger in the Hot Creations camp Bunte Bummler uses the vocals to full effect over deep chugging percussions, while keeping hold of the sonic energy that flows through the EP.

This release is their first original output as 12 Stories and paves the way for much more to come including releases on VIVa and Leftroom. Originally from South Shields, Mark Jenkyns has enjoyed a series of well received releases on Hot Creations, Hot Waves, Crosstown Rebels and Dogmatik. Christopher Sylvester under his Inxec alias has released on a wealth of labels including Contexterior, Last Night on Earth, Leftroom, Get Physical, Culprit and Crosstown Rebels.

Mannheim natives Bunte Bummler aka Fabian Winkels and Manuel Vobis met 12 years ago in the graffiti scene, although several years would pass before they joined together to produce and DJ. Releases have appeared on the likes of Hot Trax, Recovery Tech, Deep Tech Records, Viva Music, Leone, Defected and Cecile.

I Love Acid reaches number ten with a very special edition: a various artists 4-tracker featuring three certified legends of the TB303: DJ Pierre, Hardfloor, and Luke Vibert - plus a track from the label owners Posthuman. Heavyweight 12" vinyl - hand numebred & stamped, limited to a one-off run of 808 copies. Strictly no digital. Strictly no represses. Proper acid gear.

Having made a brief appearance on Omnidisc alongside Danny Daze on the 'Four' EP, Drvg Cvltvre steps into the spotlight for a full solo release. A prolific producer from an underground punk DIY background, Vincent Koreman AKA Drvg Cvltvre was previously known for his experimental techno releases as RA- X in the '90s, on labels such as Bunker and KK Records. Stepping up to the new Omnidisc imprint, he delivers an EP packed with uniquely gritty, yet melodic techno weapons

After about 30 years as Techno/House/Synth DJ, Borft now release Joakims debut album. You can hear that he really knows what it takes to get your crowd crazy. This record is full off Classic (yet bizzarre) House/Acid/Disco styled stuff and on the entrance track he got Company by wonderful vocalist Silvia on a Classic trip Chicago - Helsingborg.... Check this def. out!!!

Bam Bam's label Westbrook unearths a true Chicago classic from 1988.

Written by Mike Dunn and co-produced by Bam Bam all three tracks are truly pioneering Acid House benchmarks from Chicago's golden age.

Re released and re mastered for 2015 in conjunction with Westbrook Records / Chris "Bam Bam" Westbrook.

200 coloured copies

Four tracks of diverse and different techno make up Deep Sound Channel's first compilation. Past alumnus Tripeo returns with the hulking tribalism of "Raz." Breaks are built and rebuilt, demolished and razed in this gritty thumping workout. Najem Sworb, of Clone and AI fame, is up next with the warbling atmospherics of "Io Ice" before Matt TdK delivers the frigid and frosted "4714." The finale is a smouldering sign off. Jelle Groen, under his Modular Scapes alias, serves a brooding acid infused piece bathed in 90s IDM flows. Limited to 250 coloured copies in a printed sleeve.

charmin is back with a new v.a. ep . this time with great tracks by Michael Claus , Interstate , Jimc and label head Florian . 4 different house cuts which all stand for their own . mastered at reel mastering with nice tape flavour .

REPRESSED !!
One of the hidden artistic gems on MATHEMATICS comes with another solo project of high class, jump up, movement on floor sounds. Think early DAFT PUNK or BOB SINCLAIR. For the heads. Thumbs up from label boss JAMAL MOSS.

Since contributing to the CockTail d'Amore 5 years Compilation, Andrew Cole aka Luv*Jam has been invited few times to rock the monthly party with his deeply blissful and futuristic sounds. This is his first 12' for the Berlin imprint.
The title track takes over the A side. Nip To Space is an abstract hypnotic slice of techno. Every frequency of the 4/4 groove is stretched to the max, and it's built to enhance the dance floor with masterful soundscaping. On the flip Forest of Nip is a raw tune, made by unexpected elements disappearing and re-appearing vibrantly, climaxing in a maze of fluffy acid synths.
With Flip To The Flop the alchemist of sound design explores breakbeat of the finest UK tradition that evolves unexpectedly in a cosmically distorted afterhours delight. LUV*JAM's psychedelic perspective of sound is at its best in this EP, coupled with his unique mastery of frequency manipulation.

Costin Rp in control of Silver Series N°8.With these two intelligent techno cuts Costin takes you straight up back to the future.

Stallone the Reducer's debut release on EST. 83 Records, a division of the FIT SOUND label. Stallone has been kickin' around in various guises and outfits for a generation (Tamion 12 Inch, Adult., Bad Thoughts) always delivering a distinctly anarchic take on synthesizer and drum machine composition. The EP opens with "Drug Pusher"- system shredding bass unevenly paired with 808 gravity that comes on like Young Boys Inc. taking the lead in a slasher flick. You're already dead before the dinky disco arpeggio lends a hand to squeeze. "Cop Gets Off" - a double sided protest sign. It says fuck you' but it says fuck me' too. On the flip, you better call shotgun before you "Do The Seatbelt!", and other crazes for well behaved kiddos. Non-triggering guaranteed. Rounding out the legalese suite is "Trade Show" - a slinky cauldron of brzap and flower power - sounding just like candy hiding in the electrical socket that you'll happily lure out with yr tongue.

Volt Music once again stays true to it's non circumstantial approach to dance, this time with an incandescent 4 track EP by the Ukranian live duo Animous.

Don't be fooled by the low slung vibe on Avers'. This cut makes all the thugs come out to play. Combining constant dreamy stabs and Wurlitzer-like licks with an ever so nasty distorted acid rhythm makes this one appropriate as a party starter or an after, after hours crowd pleaser. If you forget, the constant reminder to Drop That Shit, don't worry, this will keep you on track.

The boys team up with the eerie vocal chords of Vladislava Lefor for Reverse'. This is 8 minutes of pure, lush and synthy depth that's carried through once again with the Animous signature lead that starts off way in the back and somehow ends up front row. Horn and vocals chops give this one a subtle sense of euphoria. Anytime, any place.

Stars' is an obvious preservation of Volt Music's non cliched approach, even within the confines of techno. The lack of regard for friendliness might be viewed as perverted. However those who admire the unification of polar opposites will love the combination of spectral vocals and keys steered by straight up familiar boom clap.

To close it off, Volt enlists the duties of strongman/homeboy Tin Man for this fierce remix. Known for his impressive sound and au fait love of everything acid, the choice was obvious. His version of Stars' holds a certain intensity that he manages to curb while simultaneously keeping us moving.
A true floor specialist.

As an export of one of the fastest rising electronic hotbeds in the UK, established Belfast DJ and producer Jordan is developing his eponymous night into a brand new label for 2016. Featuring on point and house and techno from the man himself, Nocturne will also call upon plenty of high profile remixers and really aims to keep the spotlight on the exciting Northern Irish scene.

Nocturne, which started out as an illicit afterhours gathering and has also spawned a weekly Saturday offshoot, The Night Institute, is a party that is very much setting the local agenda and as such has gotten plenty of kudos thanks to tasteful bookings like Roman Flugel, Session Victim and Gerd Janson.

After the success of the parties, the logical next step is to develop the brand into an outlet for quality club beats. The man behind it all is Jordan McCuaig, someone who has impressed with releases on Luke Solomon's Classic Music Company, Extended Play and Made Fresh Daily. Like his home city, he is very much a star on the rise, as this first new EP on his own label proves.

Expert opener 'Killing Mockingbirds' is a jostling, busy cut with warm and dubby drums, loose claps and a fat bass line that rips right through the middle. It's fresh and inviting and has some well sculpted synths to add colour and heat. On remix duties first is Borrowed Identity, one of the breakout stars of recent times who releases on DVS1's Mistress label and the infamous Ostgut Ton. His take on the original is expressive indeed, and the result is a peak time cut with hulking drums, catch chords and knotted bass riffs that really get you going.

Next, 'The Block' is a classically inclined house cut with a wild and rich bassline spraying about between pinging kick drums, spangled synths and explosive snares and is a truly dynamic workout that will make every dance floor jack. The last of the originals is 'Strung Out', and it has rinsing breakbeats, wild, pitchbending tones and a dark jungle energy that makes it perfect for freakier late night sessions.

This one gets remixed in style by Adesse Versions, the acclaimed British techno talent who runs his own label and relates his killer wares on others like Numbers and Local Talk. In his hands it is an expansive, tough house groove with punchy kicks and perfectly smeared synths bringing a great sense of soul to the table.This is the start of a sure to be exciting new label that pays homage to its local roots as well as to Jordan's own well informed dance music understanding. As such, you should waste no time in getting behind it.

Originating out of room 147 at the Secret Studios Annex in San Francisco, SS Records is the launching pad for a collaborative effort of like minded artists. Under the Secret Studio moniker, Bai-ee and Tyrel Williams are beginning to release tracks. These two hard hitting acid cuts represent the overall aesthetic and future direction of their label (SS Records)...

Stamped white labels
SUPPORT BY:
MATRIXXMAN 'PROPER ACID VIBES THROUGH THE ROOF. HOME BASS IS LOVELY AND ACID BATH IS FIRE...'

ALLAND BYALLO 'PROPER ACID CUTS THAT PAY TRIBUTE, YET SOUND FRESH!' ADDITIONAL SUPPORT BY:

MACEO PLEX, CLAUDE YOUNG, JUSTIN LONG & MIKE SERVITO+ 'Acid Bath' is the original work of Secret Studio

If we put Armando, Gene Hunt and Steve Pointdexter together in a room with a few synthesizers, some rhythm boxes, a Roland 606 and a few cans of beer, what we would get is Shrimp Traxx. This very young, practically unknown Austrian artist has just made his recording debut on Bons Records with five tracks that range in style from classic to trippy, psychotic acid house.

These five jam sessions, made 100% using hardware, are now appearing on the Catalan label. After an EP with a markedly 90's house sound, Bons Records is now turning towards more ghetto vibes with a record to be spun and danced to exclusively in a house club. This is not warm-up stuff!

RECORD STORE DAY 2016 RULES APPLY

Original release date -Nov 1988.

Late 88 Acid House swept a cross the UK, as it took its hold in The Midlands, 17 year old budding DJ, locally know as Carl Boy was easy influenced by this amazing new sound and decided to purchased as much Acid as he could get his hands on and put on his own Acid House night.
2nd Sep 1988 'The Ecstasy Club' club night road block a small function room upstairs at The Power House nightclub in Birmingham. Lots of fun was had by all, the crowds chanted ACID ACID ACID into the night as they danced franticly to new funky sound of Acid House.
Less than 2 days later Birmingham's own tabloid The Sunday Mercury ran with the headline, 'SEX AND DRUGS DANCE CRAZE HITS BIRMINGHAM.'
The story went on to tell the tail of youngsters being corrupted by this evil new scene at The Ecstasy Club 2 nights before. 'This craze should be stamped on from a great height' was one Conservative MP's comment. The owners of the club the ironically named MECCA Leisure Ltd shut down the function room and banded Acid House from all its venues. This controversy caught the eye of Birmingham independent record label Swordfish Records who suggested this should be followed up by The Ecstasy Club's release of an Acid House single. Dj Carl Boy was thrust into a local studio with a Roland 101 an 808 a sequencer and an engineer. 3 hours later a track was written recorded and mix and 3 weeks later in Nov 1988 'Jesus Loves The Acid' by The Ecstasy Club was release on Swordfish Records as a 12'single. The track became one of 1st ever UK Acid House releases, sighted and favored by the likes of Aphex Twin, Carl Cox, Dave Clark, 2 many DJ's and Derrick May, over the years its also been reworked or remixed by CJ Bolland, The Glimmer Twins and The PSI Division. The track went on to sell over 30,000 copies in the UK and countless more with a multitude of European licenses. It became one of the biggest dance tracks of the time in Belgium this help with the confusion of at the time, that lots mistook it for a European Acid tune invading the UK. 28 years on The Ecstasy Club releases the 1st true new version of the track in as many years, remade from scratch using Ableton live and TAL 101 Baseline to mimic the original track, in fresh new take on this Acid House Classic, ACCCCCCCCCCIIIIIIIIIIIID.
TUNE IN - TURN ON - DROP ONE.

Holger #10 introduces yet another new face to the ever growing label crew: Chino has been one of the most busy live performers in Poland for the last decade - playing all-hardware sets in clubs and at festivals on a weekly basis. His »HISS« EP is a true Acid treasure and Holger's most decisive step into proper club territory. »Worker« and »Paper Rider« are two bass-heavy dancefloor belters, with strong kickdrums and synapse-tickling 303 lines. The flipside shows two more of Chino's many facets: While »31.08.« is a slow-burning Dubtechno hypnosis, »Shifter« closes the EP with moody Electro. Mastered by Ruud Lekx, also known as the legend that is Rude 66.

Beautifully Designed HQ Doublepack by Roman Flügel - 6 stunning (and we really mean that) long tracks, all equally worthy.
Very few artists have influenced the sound of house and techno as much as Roman Flügel. Having been active since the early 90's under various aliases, few have been revered so widely as a DJ, live performer, producer, remixer, intellectual and record label owner. The record labels he helped found, Ongaku, Klang and Playhouse, are pivotal imprints in the electronic music scene, and his ability to gracefully incorporate and master most styles of 4/4 has seen him create a range of genres from techno, house, electro, ambient, IDM, downtempo, and acid house. Respected both as a solo artist and collaborator, this veteran of the scene has just ticked the label's bucket list with an incredible double vinyl for Hypercolour.

6 tracks of highly polished techno/electronica cover a range of tempos and styles on 'Monday Brain', a double pack vinyl to be released this October. Flügel demonstrates his ability to morph his sound with the times, and displays his breadth of sound design magnificently over the release.

Cosmic IDM sensibilities are explored on EP opener 'Teenage Engineering', building in harmony and texture, and a fine example of Flügel's melodic sound, whilst 'Make It Happen' captures more psychedelic touches over a solid groove.

"Man Sees The Face God Sees The Heart' goes as deep as the title suggests, rhythmic sounds melodically ride over minimal beats and luscious bass in a stirring slice of modern electronica, whilst 'Church Of Dork' wigs out like the very best Chicago house records, its synth motif worming around the jacked up beats. 'Picnic For Players' comes ready with blissful and melancholic riffs, dipped in warm reverb for a classic sounding piece, and the EP closes in fine style with the shadowy 'Vegetarian Leather Jackets'.

Even after two decades of music production and arrangement, Flügel shows no sign of dipping in the quality control department, and 'Monday Brain' is a testament to this producer who is clearly heading into the prime of his career, displaying an effortless knack of creating timeless dance.

Synkro delivered his superb debut album 'Changes' last year and has now hand picked four of his favourite producers to remix tracks and they have all seriously delivered the goods.
Sven Weiseman provides a 13 minute remix of 'Your Heart' that starts as an ambient track and mutates into a gentle deep house groove. Legowelt does what he does best and reimagines 'Changes' as an analogue Detroit house jam - check those strings!
Synkro has released on DBridge's Exit label and he's remixed him before so he was another natural choice. His remix of the vocal tune 'Body Close' featuring Lyves is classic Dbridge.
Helios (aka Keith Kenniff) is a huge inspiration to Synkro and he's taken one of the album favourites 'Midnight Sun' and blissed it out even more which we didn't think was possible

*** Limited Colored Vinyl & Hologram Label Sticker ***
Everyone knows of course that the main driving force behind the label PRAXXIZ is one of Germanys earliest Techno supporters, innovators and ultimately icons Dr. Motte. Maybe fewer are aware of his love of and involvement with the various genres of Electronic Listening Music/Ambient Electronica. Dr. Motte was after all one of the founders of the Interference Festival, arguably one of the greatest gatherings of Electronic Musicians & DJ's to have occurred back then (mid 90's), and to be honest since then.

So it will come as no surprise that the newest release on Dr. Motte's PRAXXIZ, a collaboration between himself and Electronica guru Gabriel Le Mar expertly brings together elements of both ends of the Techno/Electronica spectrum, lovingly creating a fusion that may well be the strongest release yet on PRAXXIZ.

Fever sets the pole high, with a combination of sounds and programmed patterns that display both a sensitivity and an awareness of musical structure that enable clear crisp sparse rhythms to carry a sense of purpose & direction without meandering or resorting to less refined strategies. There is even a very tasty and beautifully placed break beat in there which captures exactly the vibe of that big sound of yesteryear, whilst achieving a here and now vibe from the track overall.

Tresor92 grooves along in an insistent Techno way, but again does not fall into the 'old fashioned' or 'heard that already' pitfalls so many of the thousands of new releases each month seem to willingly dive head first into, for all they are worth. The track builds from its initial strange opening melody that could be some kind of mutated grandfather clock. Slowly and surely, it sneaks up on the listener, evolving as it does into a hard and driving enough piano type chord driven groove. Again as in 'Fever', what makes the track so much more than just another well programmed Techno tune that if we are honest we heard already 1000 times, are the subtle polyrhythms, flourishes and various shades of musical awareness that create a constant feeling of change in the track.

Acidspray again scores top marks as it chugs out a heavy slow burner funked up rhythm, topped with subtle and always engaging Electronica style melodies and nuances. Add to that a refrain that sounds almost like a rave signal, but retains enough originality not to be pigeon holed, and a deep down in the mix twisting turning voice of sorts that further adds to the overall feeling of a funk groove that's friendly, but mildly menacing, and you have three out of three top tunes so far on this latest release from PRAXXIZ.

Zikade could have been a throwaway given the quality so far on this release, but instead it chooses to strive for the gold position. A very fine bringing together of dub, after hours groove, strings and funky house style bass lines. it builds from the first to the last note in a way that is neither overbearing nor ineffective or boring. Motte and Gabriel get it spot on. All the right bits in exactly the right places, perfectly timed for maximum effect. And a perfect way to bring this outstanding EP to a close. A very very fine release in deed, maybe their best yet, if the 'Fever EP' gives a hint of where the artists are heading, bring it on!

Early support by:

Marco Carola, Meat Katie, Sven Väth, Dave Clarke, DJ Rush, Patrick DSP, Adam Schock, Da Fresh, Superstrobe, D.Diggler, JJ Mullor, Solee, S-File, Christopher Kah, Niki Belucci, Eike Voigt, makossa (&megablast), DJ Tom, Tony H, Phonogenic, Marcus Dunst, Dr Hoffmann, Arnauld Stengel, Lars Wickinger, Vilas Pomp, Luis Nieva, Carmelo Carone, DJ Rainer, Altmark-Event, Scheibosan, Acid Washed, Mike Cain, Tim Thaler, DJ Chris Lee, Angel Molina, PALE PENGUIN, DJ Infusion, Me&He, NanoCore, Tremolo, Marco van der Vat, Marco Scherer, DJ Olli, Diego Castillo, Naveen, Putzi, Vito Camarretta, Daniel Gavilán aka Greencross, Bapho, marka, DJ Nick, L'Elf, Matt Handy, Dave Seaman, Oleg Scherbin, Notch Komplex, Dj JoX, Scizzle, Alavux, Balu, Chill Factor-5, Dr. Dark, Ma-Cell, Dave Simon, Al Bradley, Mike Deejay, Dr.Zoldberg, djseth, Niklas Venn, Steve D. Gree, Bee Lincoln, Dr. Motte, DJ-SnooP, Aki Bergen, Matthias Korr, MAT, Fady Ferraye, Mike Koglin, NordFreak, Robin Raubvogel, Bogdan Taran, Dennis Paulisch and many more ...

"I want them to hate me for putting this out" says Jackmaster Hater, referring to tracks once possessed by a mere handful of Chicago House DJs. These recordings, traded secretly on tape, were exclusive to the likes of Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles.

Here is the new compilation by Jerome Derradji with Kevin Starke, aka the infamous Jackmaster Hater and owner of Kstarke Records in Chicago. It is one of the sickest slice of Chicago House Music ever released.

This compilation features ultra rare and lost Chicago classics paired with a nice selection of newer tracks produced by Jackmaster Hater and his friends, all nicely laid out on a DCD and 2 DLPs. The DLPs come with a killer poster and the DCD features a booklet about Kstarke records and Kevin Starke and a few more surprises.

It includes rare tracks by Ron Hardy, James "Jack Rabbit" Martin, Terrence Woodard, Traxmen and many more.

This is the real sound of Chicago.

5 track acid house EP good for nightclubs. Vocal and dub/instrumental mixes along with an acapella. Out on Chicago's HOUSE NATION TRAX.

4 track acid house EP good for niteclubs. Out on Chicago's HOUSE NATION TRAX.

Chicago duo, STEVE POINDEXTER & JAMAL MOSS coming together once again for THANKS 4 THE TRACKS U LOST VOL 1, lost material created over 20 years ago. Salvaged from cassette tapes and DAT's comprised of over 30 tracks of raw, original Chicago sound that influenced the world.