House News

First release by a female ensemble from Rotterdam.

Their 5th album titled, "The Fifth State Of Consciousness", is a double LP produced in Peaking Lights Dreamfuzz studio over the last two years. It's both a departure from the new and a return to the old with a whole new twist on the psychedelic dub-pop they've become know for. Self released...from the heart! Gatefold Sleeve. BIG TIP! Sonically the double album shifts through many states from beginning to end, resonating deep, like a drive thru foreign landscapes where you're glued to the window as everything slowly changes around you. The flow and pacing of songs has a sense of wonderment and each time you play it there's a whole new batch of lovely sounds and eccentricities within each of the players. While bringing together their love of Psychedelic music, House, Electronic and Reggae each song manages to live it's own life and yet still there is some magical thread that binds them together. Produced by Aaron Coyes, the whole creative process was filled with nerdy gadgetry, playful experimentation and deep alchemical soul searching for a musical medicine. Aaron describes Dreamfuzz as 'a small junkyard with many happy mistakes'. Using tape machines, writing melodies backwards then playing them in reverse, layering sound upon sound to create 'pads', literally breaking electronics to get sounds, and a strict motto of 'anything goes, pure creativity'. Most sounds were run thru Peaking Lights' 1976 16/8 soundcraft Series Two mixing console (the same type of board used by Lee 'Scratch' Perry at Black Ark, and at the infamous Cargo Studios where many of the early Factory Records bands were recorded) to add some 'mojo'. It's an album that is sure to be a creeper even if you don't fall in love on the first date.

Transparent vinyl LP, download card included. Whether their muse lies in 60s sci-fi soundtracks, The Radiophonic Workshop, the prototype electronic sounds of The United States Of America, the retro-futuristic edge of Broadcast, the dream pop ambience of Angelo Badalamenti/Julie Cruise, or the shimmering shroud of Mazzy Star, will doubtless be raised in countless interviews. But what matters more is that Death And Vanilla have woven a stunning tapestry that envelops all that preceded them, into a literally head-turning album, of kaleidoscopic proportions... Formed in Malmö, Sweden by Marleen Nilsson and Anders Hansson, Death and Vanilla utilise vintage musical equipment such as vibraphone, organ, mellotron, tremolo guitar and moog, to emulate the sounds of 60s/70s soundtracks, library music, German Krautrock, French Ye-ye pop and 60s psych. They revel in the warmth of older analogue instruments to create a more organic sound, each loose wire and off-kilter noise adding to the rich atmosphere. After a handful of successful releases including a debut EP in 2010, their self-titled LP in 2012 - which sold out on pre-order - and a beautifully designed 7' single, the experimental pop duo were invited to compose a live soundtrack for the classic horror film, Vampyr (1932), for the Lund Fantastisk Film festival in Lund. Now, newly signed to Fire, the band return with 'To Where The Wild Things Are.' Named after the Maurice Sendak children's book, the album is comprised of pop music with a wild, dreamy and experimental edge, celebrating imagination and the ability to travel to stranger recesses of the mind. 'Where the Wild Things Are' starts off with some of the most pop' songs they've ever recorded, typified in the sweet and melodramatic Arcana', and the classic pop inspired Time Travel'. Like Sendak's book of the same name, the album then proceeds into stranger and stranger territory, resulting in some of the most experimental material Death and Vanilla have produced, such as the six minute Something Unknown You Need to Know' and the machine-like, surf-guitar track The Hidden Reverse'. The band recorded the new album themselves in their rehearsal space, using just one microphone - a 70's Sennheiser - which they bought at a flea market for a tenner. It is this unconventional recording process that gives Death and Vanilla their unique personality, using a trial and error approach to recording has rewarded the album with a strangeness that would not have otherwise been achievable. Creating deliciously enticing soundscapes, full of moody moogs, swirling melodies and breathless vocals, their influences on 'To Where the Wild Things Are' are apparent and diverse, ranging from Ennio Morricone to Scott Walker, Tom Dissevelt to Norman Whitfield, The Zombies to Sun Ra, and Bo Hansson to The BBC Radiophonic workshop. Death and Vanilla's sound is like an elaborate dreamscape composed of foggy visions and mind-altering notions.' Redefine Magazine // Death And Vanilla are a Swedish haunted-pop duo who have found themselves caught in the vortex of retro-futurism circa 1969... they've got a good grip on the baroque psychedelia of the United States Of America and Free Design,' Aquarius Records

A somnambulant journey through psychedelic bedroom fantasy-scapes, Glare is Roe Enney's first proper LP after only a few under-the-radar cassette releases on Phaserprone, Discriminate and Piero since 2011. Recorded over the last couple years, Glare unfolds like a manifesto on the devolution of communication. An experiment of thresholds: electronic, political, poetical, Roe Enney touches on the likes of Tara Cross or Anne Clark but only briefly before hurtling into a subterranean world of closed-off obsessions.

"The electronic artist is always enmeshed in a battle of thresholds. What does one do This is because she, the electronic spirit, is always in the process of change. This spirit is never stable, it is tenuous. It is a moving hierarchy, a royal island with a v. real topography, with its own guard, observation deck, casino. The music on this record firmly pledges allegiance to this island, and yet it is out somewhere on the shore, perhaps 'dreaming of elsewhere.' Yet one cannot help what one is. Perhaps the record is cast-off."

Mastered by Sean McCann and cut at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin.

Since the inception of Gregory Vand and Susan Subtract's electro-punk outfit High-Functioning Flesh in 2012, the band has proven to be one of the most singular acts in years, defying the genre tag of 'classic' EBM, as the creativity and fresh perspective they bring to the stage and studio has been instrumental in carving out a modern audience for the genre - elevating HFF into a category all their own.

Following their striking debut on DKA Records in 2014, High-Functioning Flesh delivered an exceptional step forward in their sound on their sophomore effort for Dais Records, the 'Definite Structures' LP in 2015. Since then, High-Functioning Flesh has toured extensively with label mates Body of Light and previewed their caustic shift to a more refined, hardened signature with their 'Human Remains' single in 2016. We now find High-Functioning Flesh at their sharpest and most poised position to date within their newest album: 'Culture Cut'.

Produced and mixed solely by the band in their personal studio during the Fall of 2016, Vand and Subtract felt the need to start the recording process on fresh footing, and composed 'Culture Cut' using a variety of newly acquired vintage Roland and Oberheim equipment, creating entirely new percussion and synth samples to break out of familiar writing habits.

The result was an album written in the face of a world unraveling - with several tracks addressing the dynamics of life in our current political climate. Songs such as 'Drawn Out' discuss the observation of projected failure in our daily lives while 'Provoke the Wound' projects a vision of dystopian collapse. 'Invoking Phantoms' and 'Hands at Play' reveal the band's more melodic sound, previously debuted on 'Heightened State', the b-side to last year's 'Human Remains' single. Regardless of this pliant approach, lyrically the band holds firm to its abstract doubt and disinclined sense of compromise. The final chorus, 'Suffered Collapse', was written as a dedicatory ritual in remembrance of friends lost to the Ghostship Fire in Oakland, CA during the Winter of 2016.

From the initial concept to the final production, 'Culture Cut' is a complete reboot from top to bottom with their process, style and sound.

Since the inception of Gregory Vand and Susan Subtract's electro-punk outfit High-Functioning Flesh in 2012, the band has proven to be one of the most singular acts in years, defying the genre tag of classic' EBM, as the creativity and fresh perspective they bring to the stage and studio has been instrumental in carving out a modern audience for the genre - elevating HFF into a category all their own.

Following their striking debut on DKA Records in 2014, High-Functioning Flesh delivered an exceptional step forward in their sound on their sophomore effort for Dais Records, the Definite Structures' LP in 2015. Since then, High-Functioning Flesh has toured extensively with label mates Body of Light and previewed their caustic shift to a more refined, hardened signature with their Human Remains' single in 2016. We now find High-Functioning Flesh at their sharpest and most poised position to date within their newest album: Culture Cut'.

Produced and mixed solely by the band in their personal studio during the Fall of 2016, Vand and Subtract felt the need to start the recording process on fresh footing, and composed Culture Cut' using a variety of newly acquired vintage Roland and Oberheim equipment, creating entirely new percussion and synth samples to break out of familiar writing habits.

The result was an album written in the face of a world unraveling - with several tracks addressing the dynamics of life in our current political climate. Songs such as Drawn Out' discuss the observation of projected failure in our daily lives while Provoke the Wound' projects a vision of dystopian collapse. Invoking Phantoms' and Hands at Play' reveal the band's more melodic sound, previously debuted on Heightened State', the b-side to last year's Human Remains' single. Regardless of this pliant approach, lyrically the band holds firm to its abstract doubt and disinclined sense of compromise. The final chorus, Suffered Collapse', was written as a dedicatory ritual in remembrance of friends lost to the Ghostship Fire in Oakland, CA during the Winter of 2016.

From the initial concept to the final production, Culture Cut' is a complete reboot from top to bottom with their process, style and sound.

Medical Records proudly presents Volume III of a collection of "Forgotten Tracks, Sketches and Unfinished Work 2002-2004" by Martial Canterel. This release coincides as a standalone with Medical's other releases of Volume II as well as a special 3LP compiling Volumes I-III. Sean McBride has been producing work under the Martial Canterel moniker dating back to 2002 as well as working as half of Xeno And Oaklander. These tracks capture the allure and depth of Sean's early work exploring rhythms and perfectly crafted pop songs using a very early incarnation of limited instrumentation. Fans of Martial Canterel's early work (think "Austerton" and "Sister Age") will be instantly elated. This is the first time these tracks have been released on vinyl and have been remastered for this release by Martin Bowes at the Cage, UK. Contains special bonus insert with lyrics. Fans of early Martial Canterel as well as other cold wave icons such as A Blaze Color, Snowy Red, and the like will need this collection. Presented on high-quality 180gram classic vinyl.

Zwischenfall formed in Belgium in 1982 with Michael Sass (synths), Martin Urban (bass/vocals) and Stephan Kraemer (guitar/drums). They were united by their interest in combining electronic and traditional instruments, which developed the basis for 1982 demo recordings. By chance Patrick Codenys of the Belgian electro pioneers Front 242, heard two songs and decided to record a 4-song EP. The Heute' EP was released in 1983 after a week of recording in Front 242's private studio under the direction of sound-whiz Daniel B. In 1984 Martin Urban left the band and was replaced by vocalist Iben Larssen and bassist Thomas Kürsten. They recorded their second 12' single, Sandy Eyes', which contained a remake of their song Fluct', sung in the English this time. Some fairly revolutionary techniques were used, including the introduction of sampling (with an Emulator I and Ensoniq Mirage), and 'gated reverb', in which the sound of a large reverb room was processed through a Yamaha CS15's envelope follower. This record was originally released in 1984 on both Les Disques du Crépuscule and Fuzz Dance, packaged in three different covers. Our reissue EP features two bonus tracks from the 1984 recording sessions previously unreleased on vinyl: the saxophone drenched instrumental Polar Magazine' and street beat dance track Sacred Time'.

HELIC.AL, the new label from Todd Sines + Charles Noel / Archetyp, functions as an constrained exercise to break from restrictions. Instead of the obvious new electronic dance music label that would be expected of these seasoned producers, HELIC.AL turns history on its ear, resulting in collaborations new and old. The debut album from Interval, featuring bassist Andries Boekelman, Sines on vocals, guitar, synths & engineering, Noel on drums and percussion, steps outside the comfort zone of endless tracks and overdubs from a digital workflow, tracked to 8-track tape, and mastered direct to lacquer by Josh Bonati, with no computers in between.

Future releases include Crash Course in Science's Michael Zodorozny and Todd Sines as I/TMSZ, Soviet's Amanda Berkowitz and Alyssa Barrera as Artefactos de Dolor, Möthersky, Excepter's SSPS & Gramma, and is in discussion for releases from Robert Görl of Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, Graham Lewis of Wire, Dome and He Said, and Stephen Mallinder of Cabaret Voltaire / Wrangler, for a follow up to his seminal 1982 release, Pow Wow.

Killer electro/wave tracks by Black Pond. Black Pond is a collaboration of underground star Beta Evers and Jeff Galea from the legendary Eleven Pond. Known for her solo work as well as various collaborative projects, Beta Evers can be considered the godmother of German electro wave. Her beats are strict while her voice is cool and deep. Jeff Galea, who founded Eleven Pond in the mid-80s, is the master of energizing bass lines and emotional synth melodies. Deepest Chasms reflects their shared darkness in four melodic and atmospheric synthwave tracks that won't let go of you.

After the Lost Tapes, the Found Tapes and the Hidden Tapes, Electronic Emergencies releases the Closet Tapes - a compilation of queer electronic music on pink vinyl. Spacemaker and Leather E have rounded up an unorthodox and fierce combination of queer legends, contemporary queer heroes and future queer stars. These include Andy Butler from Hercules & Love Affair, Eddy De Clercq, Bezier from the Honey Soundsystem and Hard Ton together with our own Popsimonova. We are proud to be queer and this is what we love.

Lucifer & Lust is a 10-inch mini album by Dmitry Distant, showcasing the diversity of his talent. The 6 tracks by the Russian-born artist who currently resides in Latvia reflect the atmosphere of the Baltic and the mystic sides of electronic music. Showing where his devotion lies, Dmitry experiments on the verge of techno, wave and industrial. On this mini album, he grasps our attention with minimalistic trance-like rhythms covered in fluctuating painful melodies, using wonderful analogue sounds and exotic instruments such as the electric violin.

7"

Remastered version of 80's classic

Following the massive success of The Cars' multi-platinum debut in 1978, the band kept its platinum - album streak rolling with Candy-O and Panorama, releases that include memorable hits like Let's Go,' It's All I Can Do' and Touch and Go.'

For the first time ever, the band has expanded those classics to create versions that include rare and unreleased recordings taken from the sessions for each album. Band member Ric Ocasek recently supervised the remastering of these albums for last year's boxed set The Cars: The Elektra Years, ensuring superior sound quality on these new versions.

Candy-O (Expanded Edition) goes beyond the original album's 11 tracks with seven bonus tracks. Among the highlights are unreleased alternate mixes of Let's Go' and Lust For Kicks,' as well as the previously unissued song They Won't See You (The Northern Studios Version).' The album's liner notes were written by David Wild and include a new interview with guitarist Elliot Easton.

Following the massive success of The Cars' multi-platinum debut in 1978, the band kept its platinum - album streak rolling with Candy-O and Panorama, releases that include memorable hits like Let's Go,' It's All I Can Do' and Touch and Go.'

For the first time ever, the band has expanded those classics to create versions that include rare and unreleased recordings taken from the sessions for each album. Band member Ric Ocasek recently supervised the remastering of these albums for last year's boxed set The Cars: The Elektra Years, ensuring superior sound quality on these new versions.

Panorama (Expanded Edition) builds on the original album's 10 songs with four bonus tracks. They include the B-side Don't Go To Pieces,' as well as unreleased songs like Shooting For You,' and Be My Baby.' For this release, Wild once again pens the liner notes, along with reminisces from keyboardist Greg Hawkes.'

Peripheral Minimal is proud to present the new 12" by the French electronic pioneer, Philippe Laurent, entitled, 'Phoenix'. This will be Philippe's second release on Peripheral Minimal after the infectious synthetic classic 12", 'Mithra'. Phoenix is a three track E.P. featuring two brand new tracks on the A-Side, 'Phoenix' (featuring Philippe's trademark robotic vocals), and, 'Agapao'. Meanwhile over on the B-Side, we have the 13-minute electronic opus and highly representative of his early work, 'Exposition 4', a never before released track from Philippe's extensive archive, and recorded in 1982.

The E.P. Is representative of Philippe's latest forays into contemporary synth music, but still with a retro futurist edge and influenced partly by German pioneers Kraftwerk / late 70s Kosmische and au courant electro / synthwave acts, fitting into the current enthusiasm for early 80s synth pop and minimal wave.

The E.P. is presented on white vinyl and limited to 300 copies. Mastering by Martin Bowes @ The Cage. Pre-orders are now available!

Instrumental industrial electro and techno with a massive experimental IDM ambiance... This dark and clean, total in a plastician ambiance. Enjoy !

Dark Entries is honored to release 'Dualism', the sophomore E.P. from contemporary Montreal-based duo, Solitary Dancer. They released an eponymously titled debut E.P. on Midland's label Graded in late 2016 after their track

Brilliant comet of the Italian New Wave scene. Real deal. TIP!
.
Atelier du Mal were formed in Florence in 1983 by Lapo Pistelli (synths, electronic drums), Iacopo Ficai Veltroni (bass, synth) and Ignazio Matteini
(drum programming, percussions). Recorded in 1984, 'Noblesse Oblige' was the first and subsequently the only demo tape by the group, self-released using classic gear like Korg Ms-20, Roland Tr-606, Roland Tr-808, Roland Juno 60, Roland TB-303.

Following celebrated compilations from Motor City Drum Ensemble and Young Marco - and with the second edition of its limited-capacity festival in Croatia right around the corner - Dekmantel's Selectors series now continues with an edition curated by Marcel Dettmann
.
Although he's now known as one of the world's most celebrated techno artists, even Marcel Dettmann had to start somewhere. Long before he ever held court at Berghain (or its predecessor, Ostgut), he was just another young boy in Eastern Germany, one whose earliest encounters with capitalism involved spending every penny he could scrape together down at the local record shop. In those days, it wasn't techno that got him excited, but new wave, post-punk, industrial and EBM acts like Front 242 and Depeche Mode

It's music from my childhood,' says Dettmann. It's still relevant and still inspires me.' That inspiration can be heard across this edition of the Selectors series, as Dettmann has put together what he describes as a pre-techno compilation.' Much like the previous Selectors editions, the compilation is not a mix CD, but a collection of tracks hand picked by Dettmann from his own vinyl archives. Freshly remastered - and occasionally reworked or re-edited by Dettmann himself - the songs here are undoubtedly vintage gems, but they also represent a very personal journey into Dettmann's past.

It was a great opportunity to dig deeper into my own musical outlook,' he explains. The tracks come from a time before Marcel Dettmann became a DJ.' Simply put, the songs here are some of the building blocks upon which he's built an incredibly storied career, and now he'd like to entrust them to future generations.

Limited 200 copies - 1st copies on colored yellow vinyl !Highly demanded release with a legendary rework from Allan Goldberg and the Italo Master Tony Carrasco

Official Remastered Reissue of the 1982 Original Recording Licensed from Expanded Music srl Italy of the legendary Italian group founded in 1977 with a Punk rock / New Wave attitude that in the early 80's turned into a more electronic / dance mood and delivered some of the greatest tracks of the golden 80s age !

Garage noisy pop punxing around !

Lena Platonos is a Greek musician, pianist and music composer. One of the pioneers of Greek electronic music, she remains active today. Lena was born in Heraklion, Crete, and grew up in Athens. She began learning how to play the piano at the age of two and became a professional pianist before turning eighteen. Soon afterwards, she received a scholarship to study in the the Berlin and Vienna Academies , where she was exposed to jazz, rock and Middle Eastern music. She returned to Greece in the late 70's and began working with the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation. Released in 1984, 'se ' ('Sun Masks') was Lena Platonos' first record to feature her own words and vocals. All instruments were performed by Lena herself.. 'Sun Masks' was inspired by Argentine writer, Julio Cortázar as well as the film 'The Wall' by Pink Floyd. "I began to reverse my thought process, to let melodies fade out, to turn to minimalism, to experiment on my Yamaha C60 synthesizer and a variety of boxes' which I used to change the sound of my voice as well as the sound of the synthesizer' says Lena. The album featured experiments with different sounds and a new batch of electronic equipment, such as the legendary Roland TR 808 drum machine. Lena narrates each song in deadpan fashion, skillfully reciting her surreal Greek poetry. Her lyrics deal with the futility of love, the gap of human relationships, consumerist alienation in the bourgeois lifestyle of the 1980s. All songs have been remastered from the original master tapes for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The jacket is an exact replica of the 1984 edition, featuring a photograph of Lena wearing sunglasses or sun masks'. Each copy includes a two-sided 11'x11' insert with lyrics in both Greek with English, and liner notes by Lena.

Re-edits inspired by the legendary all-ages Chicago night club MEDUSAS done by JAMAL (HIEROGLYPIC BEING) MOSS. This EP includes BLANCMANGE'S minor hit "BLIND VISION", "FLYING TURNS" by CRASH COURSE IN SCIENCE, and "FIRST STEPS 2 HEAVEN" by DAF. In stickered paper sleeves.

Their 5th album titled, "The Fifth State Of Consciousness", is a double LP produced in Peaking Lights Dreamfuzz studio over the last two years. It's both a departure from the new and a return to the old with a whole new twist on the psychedelic dub-pop they've become know for. Self released...from the heart! Gatefold Sleeve. BIG TIP!
Sonically the double album shifts through many states from beginning to end, resonating deep, like a drive thru foreign landscapes where you're glued to the window as everything slowly changes around you. The flow and pacing of songs has a sense of
wonderment and each time you play it there's a whole new batch of lovely sounds and eccentricities within each of the players. While bringing together their love of Psychedelic music, House, Electronic and Reggae each song manages to live it's own life and yet still there is some magical thread that binds them together.

Produced by Aaron Coyes, the whole creative process was filled with nerdy gadgetry, playful experimentation and deep alchemical soul searching for a musical medicine. Aaron describes Dreamfuzz as 'a small junkyard with many happy mistakes'. Using tape
machines, writing melodies backwards then playing them in reverse, layering sound upon sound to create 'pads', literally breaking electronics to get sounds, and a strict motto of 'anything goes, pure creativity'. Most sounds were run thru Peaking Lights' 1976 16/8
Soundcraft Series Two mixing console (the same type of board used by Lee 'Scratch' Perry at Black Ark, and at the infamous Cargo Studios where many of the early Factory Records bands were recorded) to add some 'mojo'. It's an album that is sure to be a
creeper even if you don't fall in love on the first date.

Dive does need no introduction. Frontman of Belgian EBM prime-movers The Klinik and the seminal minimal-synth act Absolute Body Control, Dirk Ivens started to work under this moniker in 1990 and has released a long list of albums and EP's on a wide number of labels including Minus Habens (Italy), Daft Records (Belgium), Discordia (Germany) and recently Out of Line (Germany). Dive is a sharp mix of industrial, EBM, noise and experimental sounds with abused drum machines, pulsating distortion and an unmistakable voice.

This live show recorded on the famous Razzmatazz in Barcelona on April 2003 shows Dirk at the best of his fruitful career including some of Dive best tracks: Final Report', Sufferhead', Power of Passion' and others.

Released in 1981 and seamlessly blending passion, sleaze and synths, this was the stunning debut album by the influential duo Soft Cell. The album's critical and commercial success was helped by the worldwide success of its lead single single 'Tainted Love', a cover version of a soul song by Gloria Jones, which topped charts worldwide. The album produced two more wonderful top five singles in the UK in the shape of 'Bedsitter' and 'Say Hello, Wave Goodbye'. Meanwhile the infamous 'Sex Dwarf' caused something of a national furore. Bravo, Soft Cell! 180g, Back To Black vinyl with an MP3 Download voucher.

incl. 8 vinyl-only bonus tracks on side D, gatefold sleeve, incl. mp3

Are you for real Does anyone out there really think that artists could be involved in a project that bestows total freedom in 2017 Isn't today's reality that society and what is left of creativity are being forced to bow to the pressures of neoliberalism and are being undermined by politicians with their largely awful agendas Hasn't creativity been reduced to wages and money versus time and art

However, it's too easy to just peek out of our caverns at a world overshadowed by dark clouds and leave it at that. Because at the same time, don't we still believe that, against all odds, anything is still possible if you're surrounded by an exemplary group of like-minded people

Gudrun Gut, the artistic powerhouse behind labels Monika Enterprises and Moabit Musik is a musician with an extraordinary legacy - be it as a member of Berlin's legendary act Malaria, OceanClub, her acclaimed solo projects or recently a collaboration with Faust's Hans Joachim Irmler. Gudrun Gut has a proven track record of successfully connecting with like-minded artists on unusual paths of creativity. She´s an outstanding example of someone who refuses to compromise their artistic vision.

And now she is ready to present one of her most ambitious projects ever: Monika Werkstatt - a loose collective of female artists set up to enable each of them to achieve new goals through collaboration. Monika Werkstatt will ensure that their artistic output gains visibility in an art context still too dominated by men.

Monika Werkstatt has its origins in collective workshops and in shared interactions. By sharing their own challenges and achievements later on with an audience, this opened a gateway to a further feedback and creative dialogue. Every moment, every gesture, every communication has been about empowerment, both individually and as a group.

History has a weakness for coincidences, and the release of Monika Werkstatt' happily falls on the 20th anniversary of Monika Enterprises. A fantastic landmark and a means of celebrating such a tremendously talented collective that Gudrun Gut has orchestrated.

So what is this release really about Gudrun's fellow Monika members - AGF, Beate Bartel, Lucrecia Dalt, Danielle De Picciotto, Islaja, Barbara Morgenstern, Sonae, Pilocka Krach - travelled from Berlin and assembled in the creative oasis of Uckermark. The goal was to create and record without any of the usual pressures and distractions that you'd anticipate in a group context. To keep the focus, Mo Loscheider cooked, Manon Pepita assisted with the day to day and Lupe was filming.

Uckermark became a kind of utopia for them. Between recording and jamming, their days were filled with music, eating, short walks in the fields and forests resounding with inspiring talks and discussions. Without any restraint or rules, they opened up new forms of interaction and creative dialogue which found themselves falling into a process without any clear beginnings or ends. The result Hours and hours of new from this uplifting gathering.

Once the recordings were completed, representatives of the group were delegated roles for a finished production - some sequenced and mixed the recordings into their own tracks, while others built their own from the material recorded. The results succeed in showcasing the community as a group, as well as portraying singular pieces of art derived from a collective process.

Berlin-based Barbara Morgenstern opens up the album with Grow' - a hypnotic jam that recalls the beauty of Kate Bush and lyrically captures the Monika Werkstatt' atmosphere perfectly. And the light will fall onto us / And the wind will blow for us / And we will grow with us / And the landscape will form us / And the night will wait for us / And the rain will sing with us / And we will grow for us / And we will grow with us

From a melange of ambience, improvisation and song we are treated to a double album that features 25 shining stars. Keeping to their motto of total freedom, the range of styles and sounds are very diverse. Some of the contributors prefer to reflect room and space such as like Nathalie Beridze (who was invited as a producer) with Doodle and Hit Bottom or Feuerland by Beate Bartel, others walk on industrial ground like Lucrecia Dalt with - Blindholes .
Beate Bartels other contribution M.B.T.' is prime for the club whereas AGF continues to prove herself as one of electronic music's coolest musicians with Ninjaness'. Gudrun Gut takes listeners on a magnificent journey into dub with Repetition', whereas Danielle De Picciotto delivers mighty sound collages with Ikarus' and Desert Fruit' - taking a powerful lyrical approach that almost feels that you are listening to the gospel of nature.
And then there is Between Two Worlds' by Sonae - its hard to believe that its only 4 minutes long as the story one hears appears to be so much longer and bigger. The piece recalls Blow Up' by Michelangelo Antonioni - an amplified excursion that multiplies the sounds of a meadow. Listeners can pick up on all the noises and scratches that emit from under her feet. A natural drone symphony.
Changing pace for the second half of Monika Werkstatt', Pilocka Krach asks a crucial question with Who's Afraid Of Justin Bieber', right before Islaja starts making mystical gestures with Sappho's Gifts'.

Try as you might, you'll not be able to second guess a moment of - Monika Werkstatt . By giving everyone, both group and individual, freedom of creativity these musicians have really charted new territory. I would be lying if I said I wasn't jealous to have not been on Sternhagen Gut while the magic happened.

There is so much more that could be said about the feelings, ideas and stimulations within this inspiring collection but its time for you to take a listen for yourself. These are only my thoughts and they count no more than your own. Working together, we get a bigger understanding of this picture called life. And remember, we all have the right to live according to our dream of total freedom. Life is too short to be told what we should or should not do when it comes to art. Or indeed, anything else.

So, meet the creative collective, and feel the empowerment that goes by the name of Monika Werkstatt!

Next up on Polytechnic Youth (following the killer, sold-out-in-a-day ATL Music For Air-Cooled Motoring' LP) is a fabulous 45. Arguably the label's highest profile release thus far, the mighty Pye Corner Audio joining forces with PY label mate Faten Kanaan for an ace split 45.
In PCA's Martin Jenkins' own words: Faten Kanaan first came to my attention with her wonderful cassette release 'EP'. We started corresponding shortly after that and I always had it in mind that we should collaborate on something. So when PY asked if I would contribute to the label, and then released Faten's 'The Botanist & The Archaeologist' LP things seemed perfectly aligned'.
A side The Darkest Wave' features pulsing icy synth drones over which Faten's cool NY narrative owes nods to some 70's Carpenter-eque VHS chillwave soundtrack, (not unlike some of Umberto's work of the last decade or so.) A beautifully evolving, slow burner piece which over continuous plays reveals one of the year's great A sides so far.
The B side is a stripped down piece more in keeping with the seminal minimal synth singles of the late 70s beloved by both artist and label here. Indeed, Martin Jenkins' sleeve art also doffs it's cap to the artwork feel of some of those legendary post punk 45s.
A magical 45 released as a one time pressing of 500 45s on vinyl only with Polytechnic Youth discography card. Incidentally, look out for a new Faten Kanaan LP currently being recorded, on Polytechnic youth later in the year.

HELIC.AL, the new label from Todd Sines + Charles Noel / Archetyp, functions as an constrained exercise to break from restrictions. Instead of the obvious new electronic dance music label that would be expected of these seasoned producers, HELIC.AL turns history on its ear, resulting in collaborations new and old. The debut album from Interval, featuring bassist Andries Boekelman, Sines on vocals, guitar, synths & engineering, Noel on drums and percussion, steps outside the comfort zone of endless tracks and overdubs from a digital workflow, tracked to 8-track tape, and mastered direct to lacquer by Josh Bonati, with no computers in between.

Future releases include Crash Course in Science's Michael Zodorozny and Todd Sines as I/TMSZ, Soviet's Amanda Berkowitz and Alyssa Barrera as Artefactos de Dolor, Möthersky, Excepter's SSPS & Gramma, and is in discussion for releases from Robert Görl of Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, Graham Lewis of Wire, Dome and He Said, and Stephen Mallinder of Cabaret Voltaire / Wrangler, for a follow up to his seminal 1982 release, Pow Wow.

As for the second release, the versatile newbeat can be, the versatile this release is.
It kicks off with kFactor. A Brazilian EBM-artist, bringing a strong sounding NewBeat track.
On the edge of military rhythms and cheezy acidlines, and an unmistakely ongoing beat.
VV303, also an EBM artist, give us more then just pure acid. 303's snorring and humping the dancefloor on fire.
Ascended Man is the pseudonim for Olivier Abbeloos, know from T99, Quadraphonia,... joins us on this release with a masterpeace. The track connects modern underground Electro with the strong and dark NewBeat. Another floorfiller.
"Washing the Machince" is the closing track, and a reference to the classic house sound of the Warehouse and other early Traxx, and still fresh and very NewBeat.
As the first release was a huge fresh improvement of todays dancemusic, this release makes the statement clear. FenixFireRecords is here to stay. NewBeat is here to stay.

Das Ding, the dutch wave savant, arrives on Pinkman with four works of full bodied synth sorrow. Freezing rain pelts rusting machinery, a barren land of decay stretches out onto dancefloors. Rasping rhythms and lumbering bass buttress bitter chords and grinding notes that compel bodies to move. And within the dereliction, behind the dilapidation and rot, burns a purity of expression that is emblematic of Danny Bosten's consistent quality.

Here at Optimo Music we have been fans of Dennis Bovell for longer than we care to remember. We rate him as one of thee very best producers the UK has ever produced. From first hearing his work on the magnificent 'Silly Games" by Janet Kay through his incredible solo albums, his production on albums by The Slits, The Pop Group, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Orange Juice, Saâda Bonaire and many more to his astonishing mixes on piles of highly sought after dub 7"s. He has been active in music for 40 years and is still going strong. In 2014 he worked with artists ranging from Rihanna to Golden Teacher! When we heard he was going to be performing in Glasgow late last year we tracked him down and asked if he would be up for going into Green Door studios for a day and doing something with Golden Teacher's music. He was, and these are the results. Mr. Bovell did lots of overdubs, adding organ and other instrumentation, pitching down vocals and basslines and created these delirious dubbed out gems.

On the AA side is the previously unreleased "Instigator" while on the A side he reworked Golden Teacher's second single "Like A Hawk". Housed in another classic sleeve designed by Oli from Golden Teacher this two track 12" is a dream come true for us to release.

Debut release by Shredder on own label Tropical Goth. Limited to 200 copies.