House News

Coloured Vinyl

Modest techno for mindful people. Venezuelan born, Swiss raised and Berlin living artist Arutani developed his own signature sound from early on. Very reduced, but sonically rich, reviving the golden era of minimal in his own in- terpretation. Subtle and detailed, dark at times, but always uplifting. Luise is proud to give home to his rst album. Hello Arutani.

It's that time again... Every summer Jennifer Cardini's Correspondant imprint celebrates another ground-breaking year with a far-reaching collection. Ranging from palpitating ambience to chuggernaut technoid trips; the stirring 16 track set features late night creations from old friends (Red Axes, Zombies In Miami, Mike Simonetti, Moscoman) new friends (Simple Symmetry, Perel, Julian Stetter, ) and friends that have been Correspondant kindred spirits since day one, but have never had the opportunity to cast their magic on the label... Until now (Black Merlin, MR TC, Yula Kasp & Mi.ro). As always, the vibe is deep, smoldering, emotive, innovative and unapologetically cosmic as we're pushed headfirst into Correspondant's boundary-less soundscape. From the coiled spring funk of Javi Redondo's 'Fictional Friendship' to the hypnotic harmonics and trippy vocal textures of Uriah Klapter's
'Breeze' via the slinky arpeggiated charm of Marvin & Guy's 'Cowboy Disco', it's another sublime excursion from one of the most consistent and considered imprints on the left side of techno.

We all go through phases. We don’t always feel the way we felt yesterday. Despite all these phases, we’re always drawn to music. It accompanies, touches and feeds us. This debut album is the story of Austrian Apparel and their journey up to this day. “AAplus” stands for inclusion - it takes paths into the openness of sound. It shows two sides. light and dark. While the light side features tracks outside of the four-to-the-floor realm, the dark side showcases their club oriented material. Never leaving behind their signature sound forged from their expertise on stage and in the studio. In coherence with their previous work, Austrian Apparel continue to explore an unconventional approach with their audio equipment, departing from a habitual studio process and emerging with a carefully condensed sonic episode of their journey.

“In the beginning were friendship and love for music.” That was how M U S I K G E W I N N T F R E U N D E was created in 2006, and this philosophy still drives Nico and Christian’s music. It’s also why the long-awaited return of label heads K O L L E K T I V T U R M S T R A S S E , on their own imprint, marks the perfect moment to get back to the unique sound the MGF label has become known for over the last 13 years. The R I B B O N R E E F E P is perfectly crafted, bringing a new awareness to the stunning harmonies of K O L L E K T I V T U R M S T R A S S E by melting the quintessential elements of their music together with a special tension that grows more and more with every minute. This brand-new EP is a proper journey. It opens with the breathtaking melodies of the main track, “ R I B B O N R E E F ” , which bring to mind a beautiful summer sunset: our souls seem to become connected with the space around us, allowing all this music’s emotion to come through. The adventure continues with “ N E W S T A R ” , a track that takes us into the night with its dance-floor attitude. A digital exclusive is the stripped-down and dubby “ N E W S T A R ” edit, which will surely sound perfect on the floor in the early morning

Best Works Records is back with a new offering from Spanish artist Luis Junior. The two new tracks "Ipsum" & '2DB2' come with remixes by the production duo Andre Lodemann & Fabian Dikof aswell as one from italian shooting stars Stereocalypse.

Luis Junior's track "Ipsum" continues to play with a slight Spa-nish flair reminiscent of his previous output with us. '2DB2' offers some more floor-ruffness and technoid play.

As remixers we are really happy to have Stereocalypse on board, some might know their amazing work for WhomadeWho. For the second remix label-head Andre Lodemann joins Best Works Records artist Fabian Dikof for their second remix collab after the success of their Compuphonic remix.

„15 Yrs Systematic“ is the third part in the five year Systematic series where Marc Romboy’s esteemed imprint Systematic Recordings celebrates each five year milestone with a compilation of exclusive tracks.

This special edition on a limited picture disc features special releases from Bedrock´s John Digweed & Nick Muir, Rodriguez Jr., ARTBAT and label frontman Marc Romboy himself.

Marc Romboy: „Wow, 15 years with roundabout 200 releases of 50 artists are over and it feels like only three. I’m more than glad that so many friends have contributed fantastic tracks for the 15 years compilation. It’s worth giving all of them a careful listen.“

This Spring, Life And Death hits a half century of releases with a suitably standout album from leftfield innovator Autarkic. Terms and Conditions is a 10 track window into the Tel Aviv artist's rich, wildly-infused electronica.

Critical acclaim has followed Nadav Spiegel's every move since he debuted in 2015. He is impossibly hard to pin down, and brings real songwriting ability to club tracks that colour far outside the usual lines. Weird dub, psychedelic rock, all forms of wave, sideways pop, swampy techno, Middle Eastern subtleties and plenty experimental in-between sounds all inform his work. It defies convention in ways many cannot, and has come on labels like Disco Halal and Turbo, as well as Life And Death with the Heavy Dreamer EP in 2018.

2016 and 2017 brought his first two albums, Can You Pass The Knife? and I Love You, So Go Away, both on Disco Halal. Both were full of intensely emotional wave, synth and lo-fi sounds that fizzed with innovation. Says the artist of its follow up, "Terms and Conditions was created to celebrate the moment in time that is now. The moment we became peasants in a new digital-feudal world, happily giving away our privacy for the privilege of owning a smart phone."

Terms and Conditions is a unique melting pot, a reimagining of familiar sounds in unfamiliar ways, and is another standalone record from Autarkic.

Oh sweet melancholy. Jascha Hagen is back for Luise's largest sibling and takes it all down a notch. »A Touch of Cold Water« is a tale of minimalism and awareness, carefully placed and well de ned elements, light spaces and echoing rooms. A string of tracks that vary between unfazed euphoria and sober retrospection, slightly out of tune like the voice in your head. Who needs to wipe o the dust when it scratches so nicely.

Marlon Hoffstadt debuts his first album on his own Midnight Themes imprint.
Set for release on March 13th 2020, Marlon Hoffstadt’s debut album ‘Planet Love’ marks the ninth release on his label, since its launch in 2017.

Having established his very own signature sound over the years, navigating through feelings from house, disco, trance and eurodance, Planet Love showcases these sensibilities in a long listening format.

While he seemed to not take himself too seriously throughout his past releases, naming records “Ready For Take Hoff” and “Der Hoffmaster”, Marlon now touches a topic which, over time got more and more serious and important to him. Having dealt with anxiety and panic attacks in the past he developed his very own mantra, which one could already recover in projects such as his phone free "Savour The Moment" events at Berlin's Renate.

“Be kind. Be humble. Take Care. Give Love. Because only love will set you free”.

This simple but powerful mantra, that he kicks his album off with, is not only his very own guide through insecurity and fears that he faces in his life as a musician, father, student and promoter. Much more it is a reminder that true success is not defined by heavy touring, big money and fame. Instead being successful means to be kind and caring towards yourself, your fellow humans and the environment and that most importantly love is stronger than anything else.

The full album is out March 13th, 2020 and is available digitally as well as on a 2x 12” double LP. It comes along with a full cover artwork from Hermann Reimer, titled “Ewige Gärtner”.

Scatcity release number seven welcomes Nandu and his Child Of A Child EP, seeing the Danish producer offer up three stellar original cuts alongside a remix from Santiago Garcia.

Inspired by Gibson's 'Neuromancer', Patrick Holland dives deep into the ambivalent future with Simstim. Also known for work as Project Pablo, Simstim uses familiar motifs with a more personalized touch. Pointillist melodies lay in a wash of noise artifacts, as pulsating rhythms fray subtly falling between sections, all delicately glued together with blissful harmonies. For the dancer and/or headphone listener alike.

Tim Green will be returning to Cocoon for his first release on the label since March 2016, with an atmospheric new dual single. 'Echo/They Want Us To Fall Down' is the first single from his
forthcoming debut album and is set for release on 26th March, out on vinyl as an album teaser. A cinematic production offering heavy shades of emotion, led by deep chords and rattling percussive sweeps, the release precedes Tim's debut album 'Her Future Ghost'. Set for release in April, the single is a teaser of what is to come from the expectation-defying producer.

Tim first made his production debut on four:twenty in 2006, going on to release on Dirtybird and Get Physical before Cocoon tapped the young producer for his first EP on the label in 2011. Whilst the prolific studio head has continued to experiment on other respected labels such as Lee Burridge's Get Weird label and Cityfox, Cocoon and Sven Vath have helped Tim's productions reach the biggest dancefloors in Ibiza and across the globe - so it's fitting he returns to this dance institution for his debut
album. Clad with loop pedals and menacing synths, 'Echo/They Want Us To Fall Down' embodies TimGreen's approach as a fiery live DJ, he's been tapped by Sven Vath to play at Cocoon events
around the globe (Amnesia Ibiza, Dockyard Festival, Mysteryland, Parookaville, off Sonar showcase at Pacha Barcelona) as well as solo at some of the world's most respected clubs, Panorama Bar, WOMB
Tokyo, Fabric London and Rex in Paris to name just a few. Now an internationally established and respected name, the release of 'Echo/They Want Us To Fall Down' is just the beginning of an exciting new chapter in Tim Green's career.

Clear Vinyl

Between Sleeps is a french producer based in Paris, passionate about sound design and synthesizers. His stage name and musical world evoke the state of semi-consciousness, when neither awake nor asleep. With dreamy pads and strong rythms, his music mixes electronica, house and techno. Boards Of Canada, Lone or The Field are among his main influences. All the tracks included in the EP Fantasia have been composed with the same hardware set-up: a sampler, an FM synthesizer and a substractive analog synthesizer. Every track has been recorded in one stereo take.

Transcode is back on Terminal M with a rocking 3 track ep! I love his way of producing, deep but powerful. Hard to decide which is my favourite track, I love them all. (Monika Kruse)

The latest release by the Mexican avant-garde label Akumandra is
founder Sainte Vie’s three track auditive voyage: From Desolate Places
and Forgotten Times. Going beyond previous experimentation with
sound assemblage and sampling from non-western musical traditions,
Sainte Vie crafts his signature mesmerizing soundscapes by
combining dreamlike synth textures, monumental drops and vibrant
melodies that feel deeply melancholic. Insistent arpeggios and
expansive build ups bind the tracks together in an ebb and flow of
dynamic energy

Power Plant records celebrate 10 years of impeccable releases in 2020 with the release of 10 club-focused tracks from label founder, La Fleur. The Berlin-via-Stockholm DJ/Producer has been carving her sound into the underground dance scene for years, cementing a distinctive production style and eclectic dance-orientated DJ sets at clubs and festivals across the globe. La Fleur opens her first Power Plant EP of the year with ‘Ravenwaves EP’, a weapon that has stirred her sets throughout the winter months from Awakenings to Fabrik Madrid.

"I study time. That thing, because of which everything happens not immediately."

Raven has collaborated with many well-respected artists including Kate Tempest, Paul Weller, Mica Levi, Kwes and Bullion. His music upholds a balance between the orchestral and electronic, abstract and conventional. Parallels can be drawn to the artist Arthur Russell, in terms of their diversity, creating tracks you can dance to, but also songs and music for reflection. Drawing inspiration largely from the people around him, Raven explains "I find people really inspiring, it’s amazing what can happen after a good conversation, it can give you a different perspective on things. I guess I’m always trying to get a new perspective in one way or another, I find that really creative." Combining this with an interest in dance as an art form and movement, Raven came to create Jeté. Having recently worked with some incredibly talented choreographers and dancers, Raven looks to explore the creative freedom, emotion and human connection within dance with his new record; the EP title Jeté literally translates as the French for "jump" and the cover art was a photograph taken by Raven's father of dancers back in the 80s.

Jean Claude Ades's debut on Monaberry delights the senses and synapses with two superb productions. "Illusion" embraces with warm chords, mellow breaks and a colourful interplay of pure groove, sweet surfaces and a magical arrangement. "Say Goodbye" combines a juicy smooth groove with an irresistible arpeggio and peaktime break, accompanied by soulful vocals and ethno percussions.

Theo Kottis continues his impressive run of form with the sublime ‘Nothing To Lose’ EP, released on his own Beautiful Strangers label on March 13th.

Following an Annie Mac’s ‘Hottest Record in the World’ accolade for ‘Turning Around’, a brace of Mixmag’s Big Tunes and 10/10 reviews in 2019, plus support from many leading tastemakers and DJs, Theo Kottis shows why he is one of the UK’s most exciting producers and regarded as ‘one to watch’ for 2020.

The three-track ‘Nothing To Lose’ EP includes everything from club focused sounds to smooth, soulful melodies. Carefully crafted, the title track ‘Nothing To Lose’ is ready for the dance-floor and described by Midland as “sounds like Floating Points making a record for Afterlife!”. '12 Months' mixes arpeggiated synths with pads and breakbeats to create a perfect peak-time moment. The more chilled sounds of 'Loyal’ showcases Theo Kottis’s impressive range, offering up another stellar groove.

With a forthcoming date at Berlin’s iconic Panorama Bar (22 February) and a Gerd Janson remix of ‘Turning Around’, 2020 is off to an excellent start for Theo Kottis.

Joris Biesmans and Damien Vandesande are a formidable duo with impressive backgrounds. Both artists used to have their studios at the same place in Berlin, where Vandesande got to work as part of widely-regarded performers dOP. Meanwhile Biesmans, originally from Belgium, is relatively new to the scene and releases his music on labels like Correspondant and Watergate, where he was an integral part of club working as their sound technician for many years before he started making music full-time. Together they have formed an awesome partnership through which they are channeling their combined experience and passion for exploring the sprawling cosmos of electronic music. Their debut on TAU is a collection of three stunning cuts, each incorporating indie influences and evoking a range of emotions. We start with the title track, ‘Inglorious Express’ with its twinkling melody designed to tug on your heartstrings and arouse an air of sentimentality. Combined with a soulful vocal clip, melancholy synth lines and a steadily increasing swell of positive energy, it makes for quite a trip. A moment of calm comes with the first breakdown, leading into the main body of the track which pushes the feeling on. By the time we reach the main breakdown, it’s time to really let loose. A second melody creeps in and signals the arrival of a euphoric crescendo. Next is ‘Prisoner Of Love’, a punchy grower with potent percussive power and a winding low end. Warped trumpets form the main motif of this cut, injecting a healthy amount of vibrant energy to proceedings as the beats add vitality to the track. Biesmans and Vandesande work the progression with panache, adding a middle section and bridge that gives us a chance to breathe before the jubilant trumpets return. Closing the EP is ‘Satellite Beach’ a more solemn composition which brings the mood down a touch, to begin with at least. This track features
a chirpy, earworm of a motif that has a jovial outlook, counteracting the morose b-line. As the track progresses, layers of bleep are added, giving the track depth and creating a symphony of positivity, time to close your eyes, put those hands up and lose yourself in the music.

This year’s edition of Steyoyoke’s ‘Couple Affair’ features four solid tracks that combines two artists from six label members: Soul Button, Nick Devon, Strinner, Darko Milosevic, Arude and Ceas. This memorable vinyl only EP, brings the family together by showcasing the strength and harmony created by the pioneers of Ethereal Techno.

Nick Devon and Darko Milosevic join forces to create ‘Pictures From The Past’, a heavenly techno imprint of a never-ending climax. Strong and dreamy, this collaboration is the ideal way to begin the EP. Next up, Strinner teams up with Soul Button with ‘Oracle’ and takes us to a darker space with a deep, echoing melody, and a refrain that is pared back to its essential parts. Following is Soul Button and Arude who takes the twisted, dark path down to ‘Opia’, with a tragically beautiful melody that invites you into its mysterious basslines and addictive synths. The final track by Ceas and Soul Button, ‘Sphere’, sets out to break the hearts of people around the globe as they experience the emotive nature of this timeless gem.

This year’s ‘Couple Affair’ release comes to you exclusively on vinyl, ensuring only the most pure and organic frequencies penetrate your ear drums. An infinite beauty, ‘Couple Affair’ stands out proudly amongst the Steyoyoke releases for it’s loyalty to Ethereal Techno.

Repress

Part homage, part prophecy: ‘Fire in the Jungle’ is the 8th studio album from Berlin-based DJ, producer and label owner Oliver Koletzki, released on 15 November 2019 by Stil vor Talent.

With sounds as diverse as the stamps collected in Koletzki’s passport over the past 18 months, ‘Fire in the Jungle’ is a statement in itself: complex, verdant, the product of years of growth.

From the arid desert tundra of Australia, to the lush turquoise beaches and sacred sites of Mexico, to the dusty Playa of Burning Man: these rich and varied landscapes, people, experiences have strongly influenced Koletzki in the production of this multifaceted masterpiece.

Musical maestro and storyteller Koletzki expertly weaves live instruments with a range of electronic music production techniques, with producers Sam Shure, Township Rebellion, Hidden Empire, Niko Schwind and Cioz taking listeners on an extraordinary aural peregrination of genres and styles.

Lyrical and vocal collaborations with Monolink, Aparde, Temple Haze and Lisa Who are layered with Koletzki’s signature sound, adding their unique influence to this distinctive 16-track album.

Running the gamut from full-power, bass-heavy dance floor anthems to slower, more sultry tracks, the dramaturgy of this album is matched only by the eclectic exotica and psychedelia of the jungle.

As the Amazonian jungle burns, this versatile and thought-provoking album raises important questions about what sustains us and asks us to reconsider the egoism and laziness of the human species.

Theus Mago – the man, the myth, the legend from Mexico City. Leaving behind his characteristic synthwave / dark disco sound, the Duro label cofounder delivers a new experience where modular synths and Amazonian rhythms blend seamlessly with a type of laidback psychedelic techno music. All of this thanks to a huge amount of spices added to glue everything together just nice and deliciously. The Carrier People EP features three heating original tracks and a remix interpretation by unmistakable Curses

Dublin's R.Kitt, fresh off the back of an incredible live throw down at AVA festival in Belfast sent us through some divine music we absolutely had to have. "Ripples from the Edge" shares five sentimental yet forward thinking originals from the rising producer as well as a remix from label founder Eluize.

The title track comes at us with cascading arps, ariose droplets and pure, smokey pads that burst through a jungle of thumping percussion. "I Wish You Hadn't Said" gets going with gritty breaks and glassy synths that would be at home on a fog laden warehouse floor, mood lightening melodic jabs slice through before things turn back to a tumultuous minor. "Strange Perspective" is casual and light hearted, funk charged electro.

On the flip "Stitch Up" feels ancestral, heavy bass, earthy leads and a dark and enigmatic vocal hit heavy. Damhsa, the Irish word for dance, inspires the next jam, "Machine Damhsa", a fast paced 4/4 beckoning to do so. The track's breath catching breakdown gives a moment of transcendence between it's boundless energy and pulsating drive.

Eluize couldn't resist the lush melodies from Ripples and dives in to turn out a cosmic, 80s touched b boy ready version.

Photography by EAST CHINA SEA PHOTO CLUB, a film photography collective based in Kagoshima Japan. Design by Danny Ogden Design.

Cooper Saver is a Los Angeles based DJ and producer responsible for the Far Away party, cassette mixtape series, and radio show on Dublab. For the last 6+ years, Cooper has consistently brought unique and underrated talent from abroad for his late-night warehouse party while also regularly traveling around the world to DJ. As a producer, Cooper maintains a steady flow of remixes - recognized most for frequent remixes on DFA Records. As of late, Cooper's original music is finally starting to surface - starting with a debut full EP on Permanent Vacation. Coastal Breeze is a collection of tracks Cooper produced at home in LA over the last year or so, aimed at the late night dance floor with an injection of California sunshine. Close friend and local hometown hero Indra Dunis of Peaking Lights was summoned for vocal duty on 'The Search,' rounding off this release as the ultimate embodiment of Cooper's surroundings.

Dropping into chapters four and five of his Midnight Themes series, Marlon Hoffstadt responds to this summer's double set of 'Human Interpretations' - where Gramrcy, Eric Maltz, Johannes Albert, Bawrut and others remixed his previous work - with a two part EP of original material titled 'Law Of Attraction'.

Adopting a dynamic ebb and flow for 'Part Two', Hoffstadt nods to tribal techno and romantic trance on four new tracks where wandering acid-tinged leads cross paths with deep, expansive pads and free-flowing sentimentality.

Set for release on December 7th, 'Law Of Attraction Part Two' closes a busy year for Marlon Hoffstadt who debuted on Rawax, returned to Ransom Note Records and released 5 records on his own Midnight Themes imprint.

Join Marlon to celebrate the release of both EPs on December 8th at Renate alongside DMX Krew, Kowton, Meggy, Gigsta and many more.

We’ve reached into the archives and pulled out another popular classic to be given the exclusive 7-inch coloured vinyl treatment. This time Blue Alphabet’s Cybertrance and Quixotism are in the spotlight. In 1994 Blue Alphabet sent shockwaves through the trance scene and pioneered the newly found Nu-Nrg niche that existed only in the deepest darkest corners of the scene. Four producers, Christophe Vervroegen, David Brants, Gregory Dewindt and Peter Schiettekatte made up the group over the years and together they rocked the globe. These four guys also make up a vast number of aliases who dominated many releases for Bonzai collectively, far too many to mention here. Cybertrance delivers the quintessential energetic trance track that is always guaranteed to lift the party. Quixotism stood firm on its own as it delivered an energetic and uplifting trance explosion. The simplicity of the melodies is so powerful it reached deep into our minds as we were carried along by a rip-roaring bassline. Check out our socials for pre-order info and snap this one up for your collection.

Markus Homm is back on Still Hot and once again proves impressively that he is a guarantor for deep groovy dance floor tunes.

The title track “Pleasure” gets a hypnotic note from an Arpeggio building up in the background, paired with a distinctive drum groove that goes straight into the legs.
The female vocal, which gives the track a certain recognizability, also picked up by label boss Benny Grauer for his version of “Pleasure”. The Arpeggio reduced and equipped with a striking bassline, he gives the track a technoid touch.

The second original track "Golden Horizon" is way darker than the title track. The almost mystical sounds are accompanied by a crunchy bass drum and surely made for a lot of fun on the afterhour.
Vinyl fans can already look forward to the third original track "Dakar", which will be available only on vinyl.

microcastle begins 2020 by welcoming Cornucopia back to the label for a new EP. The mysterious artist makes a much-anticipated follow-up to the July 2018 release ‘Forever Gone’. The three-track offering saw a wide spectrum of play and support from some of the underground’s top tastemakers in Adam Port, Ame, Baikal, Dixon, Frankey & Sandrino, Guy J, Jimi Jools, Laurent Garnier, Luca Bacchetti, Patrice Baumel and Solomun. With a release on Multinotes to highlight 2019, Cornucopia now lands back on microcastle with ‘River of Memories’ to begin the new year.

Elusive and organic in equal measure, the transcendent nature of Cornucopia has the rare ability to unite a cross section of music lovers. The romantic sounds of ‘River of Memories’ sits as perhaps the most apt illustration, invoking a rare combination of hope, heartache, reflection and meditation across it’s eleven-minute storyboard. Shrouded in mystery for nearly three years after countless live airings, it’s the pensive nature of ‘Holding You Tight When The World Collapses’ that follows. Rich in tone and texture, there is also a keen emphasis on rhythm and groove, as exotic drums and low-slung basslines marry fragmented melodies and wispy atmospherics, creating just the right balance of tension and emotion before melting down into the timeless sensibilities and metallic clusters of the EPs closer ‘Orion’. Classy and refined, it rounds out another elusive chapter in Cornucopia’s unique musical history, continuing the artist’s love for intriguing melodic concepts, while already finding a place in the playlists of the worlds most astute DJs.

We are happily welcoming Jacob Groening to the Earthly Delights family,
a talented producer that has been on our radar for a while. Jacob comes
through with a very special 3 track EP, which will be our first ever vinyl
release. The EP features his unique sound that he masterfully integrates
into his live shows. Working more with musicians that he records at his
studio, he plays around with the recordings, taking it to the extremes
when it comes to cutting, pitching, warping. “...following my
intentional flow, not trying to force a specific sound. I am more listening
to what sounds are good to me and feel right.”
Jacob uses Prophet 12 a lot for the pads and most synthesized sounds in
EP, using the almighty moog voyager for the bass, recording percussion
and vocals. Most of the recordings are made with long-time friends and
other Berlin musicians. Noah Rott, who played the keys for Fask is Jacob’s
first Piano teacher from Hamburg and they have often collaborated since.
“Another very close friend of mine, Joel Silberkuhl, played the hang drum
for Fask and the guitar for Lacun. I visited him at his house in Luneburg in
northern Germany and we made music all day long. It brought us back to
our jam sessions when we were just 13 years old, playing reggae, hip hop,
jazz and rock...” Joining the release is a Canadian smooth vibes operator, Gab Rhome, who delivers a minimal melodic house vinyl only version
that's perfect to have on a 12”.
This EP interlines Jacobs friendships and experience making it a
heart-warming and truly personal release we are thrilled to share with
you !

Opal Sunn's return to Nick Höppner's Touch From A Distance is sort of a recap of 2019 - a year that proved pretty incredible for the duo of Alex Kassian and Oba Hiroaki. Their live show took them quite literally all over the world including Tokyo, Valencia, Ho-Chi-Minh-City, Hanoi, Fusion Festival, England's beloved Field Maneuvers and last but not least: Panorama Bar in Berlin, where they performed twice in 2019 as part of the Touch From A Distance labelnights. Their „Laika EP“ has been largely inspired by their first Panaroma-Bar-performance in january last year, which they - unassuming, yet assertive - took by storm. Eight months later their show in the Laika tent at the UK's best kept festival secret Field Maneuvers marked a second highlight in Opal Sunn's calendar. As a tribute, Opal Sunn have called the opening track to this record „Laika“. Their second ep for Touch From A Distance is picking things up, where their debut left off, meaning Opal Sunn's sound design is as pristine as a mountain spring and their arrangements are as tight and effective as ever. Having played numerous gigs in the meantime, there seems to be a new focus, though. All four tracks feel much more centered and balanced, aiming quite effortlessly at a heaving dancefloor. „Laika“, the ep's lead track, sees Opal Sunn at their most effective and peak time. A long build up and a rolling 303 bassline make for a total sureshot of a track. On „Minority State“, the duo let's their Electro inclinations run free, fusing razor sharp beats with icy melodies and abstract sound effects. On the b-side, „Holy Mountain“ is essential Opal Sunn: Glistening arpeggios, gliding melodies and floating beats create a psychedelic atmosphere predestined to lose yourself in. The ep ends with „Tangerine Blues“, an equally atmospheric and trance-y track embedded in a rather broken beat, going for a more cinematic vibe.

The release of Marc‘s album „Voyage de la planète“ in 2017 marked a new era of his career. With ten rather beatless tracks where he combined his definition of electronica with classical instruments like violine, cello, double bass and piano Marc began to walk the path of fresh sounding music for the brain.

The title track has been the most successful one so that Marc called no one else than Erased Tape‘s poster boy Ben Lukas Boysen from Berlin to contribute his very own interpretation. Ben created a typical and unique version which comes along with a, believe it or not, 4/4 kick pattetn towards the end. But listen yourself, it totally makes sense. And Bordeaux‘s best Ocoeur made a short but epic ambient version you also should not miss.

After 7 strong and ranging releases by the likes of KiNK, Fort Romeau, Autarkic and De Sluwe Vos amongst others DGTL Records has set out a diverse and yet steady course. A mixture of these different sounds is all found on this Various Artists EP, with input coming from different parts of the planet. The 4-tracker consists of contributions by HAAi, Rebolledo and Paulor, Axel Boman and JP Enfant, of which three are also playing at the annual DGTL festival in Amsterdam this April. Needless to say, the EP will be available at the festival too. The Various Artist release on the Dutch label is the first in a series, so expect more to come. HAAi is up first on the EP with her track 'Drumting'. The Australian born, London based DJ and producer has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence over the past few years, most recently winning the title of the BBC's 'Most Essential Mix of 2018' for her contribution to the world- renowned mix series. 'Drumting' channels a similar energy to that found in her warm up sets, with a danceable yet steady rhythm underpinning her characteristic globally-influenced blend of electronic and acoustic elements. The typical driving and sturdy sound of Mexico's Rebolledo and Paulor is evident on the A2 side of the EP. Their 'The Fog and the Forest' is almost like an LCD Soundsystem song without the lyrics due to the sturdy bass line. When the captivating synths and overpowering guitar chords drag you further into the foggy forest there's no turning back, but why would you! Axel Boman's 'Surfliner' is one to listen to while overlooking the ocean after a warm day in the sun for sure. The emotional piano chords that are with you throughout almost the entire track, are there to hold-on to while 'Surfliner' takes you on a melodic and enticing trip that is best described as new-school Balearic. Another trip comes from Amsterdam's own techno wunderkind JP Enfant. 'Sputnik' is a smooth but stirring ride into space loaded with hallucinogenic acid lines. Exploding into ecstasy at the edge of the universe, while the ride back to planet Earth is just as exciting as the way up. JP Enfant's techno track is the perfect closer of the very first VA release on DGTL. Just like the previous two releases the artwork on this EP comes from the very skilled duo Boris Acket and Tim Straver.

A year after the release of Adriatique’s debut LP, ‘Nude’, Afterlife presents a seven-track remix package to breathe new life into the originals.

With Apir we are happy to introduce a new name, but yet a familiar producer behind this moniker. Tim Green has been around for quite some time now and just released his well received album on Cocoon Recordings last year.
While Tim Green’s sound is very melodic & playful, Apir has a much more stripped back approach, focused on a certain sound and direction. We felt this was the perfect follow up to our very own ‘X’ EP on Siamese.

Adriatique

ROD is a new artist for Afterlife Recordings and ‘Brighten Up Bunny’ is another high-quality entry in Benny Rodrigues’ acclaimed discography.