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This is France in the Mitterrand years: fashions fleet as fast as governments. In the early eighties, the happy-go-lucky gather the nectar of each and every new release.
Believing in a bright future for videotex, and loosened up by the sexy talks broadcasted on the budding pirate radios, the new generation dreams of dance floors and holiday clubs. French Boogie, which preserves the spirit of these years of boodle and bunkum, is the ideal soundtrack to their dreams.

What the web now refers to as French Boogie is some synthetic funk reflecting the spirit of those days when nothing was impossible, or so it seemed. Its syncopated flow heralded the dawning of French rap. Often considered as some kind of post-disco, inspired as much by black music as by new wave, this carefree pop music with bawdy lyrics indulged in simple pleasures: holidays, swank and sun were recurrent themes. Totally in tune with its time, it incidentally glorified luxury, success, and a certain consumerism embodied, for instance, in Bernard Tapie.

In popular clubs such as La Main Bleue in Montreuil, or L'Echappatoire in Clichy-sous-Bois - where Micky Milan could be seen behind the decks - an enthusiastic audience discovered this new sonic wave, influenced as much by French pop as by Sugar Hill Gang or Kurtis Blow. The artists who first launched the movement engaged in it wholeheartedly, but as often the case with new music trends in France, humour and casualness quickly became a decoy to impose a new style. This explosive mixture, in which startling and typically Frenchy French lyrics go along New-York-style tunes, is sometimes reminiscent of the kinky comedies directed by Max Pécas or Claude Zidi. On this prolific scene, partly originating from the Jewish community, everybody was looking for success, trying to hit the jackpot with what was to hand. Famous media personalities, one-hit wonders or John Does in quest of fame, all had a go at French Boogie - more or less successfully. Apart from « Vacances j'oublie tout » by Elégance, « Un fait divers et rien de plus » by Le Club, or « Chacun fait ce qui lui plaît » by Chagrin d'amour (produced by Patrick Bruel), very few songs became hits: the story of funk in France is that of a half-baked robbery.

In this myriad of new musicians, the very young François Feldman and Phil Barney pioneered a fresh and hybrid style. Other well-known artists like Gérard Blanc from Martin Circus (Attaché Case), Richard de Bordeaux (Ich), or Jean-Pierre Massiera (Anisette, Pirate Scratch Band, Mandrake, Scratch Man...) added an eccentric touch to this sound-wave, making it often entertaining, and sometimes showy.

Capture d'écran 2015-10-26 à 12.55.43Singers like Agathe (the author of 'La Fourmi' and of the hit song 'Je ne veux pas rentrer chez moi seule') were far more than just window dressing. They even tried to give an ironic and subversive twist to this rather harmless genre. The very vindictive rebel Gérard Vincent shared in this spirit, but as a whole, French Boogie became associated with nonchalance and sauciness. Thus, Stéphane Collaro, Gérard Jugnot, Alain Gillot Pétré and other TV clowns would clumsily contribute to this French variation on funky sounds. In a few but intense years, French Boogie gave all the tips to party with style.

If some hits made it possible for the happy few to get a real house under truly exotic palm trees, the wave actually ebbed away very quickly, leaving quite a few musicians stranded on the shore. Whether they were sincerely motivated, or simply opportunistic, they had failed. In 1984, French Boogie was already breathless, and got merged with other genres: on the one hand, rap and breakdance adapted its flow to a more urban world, especially with Sydney's show, H.I.P.H.O.P, and Dee Nasty's broadcasts on Radio Nova; on the other, italo, new beat and house began to rule over dance floors, even more strongly asserting the will to develop music for clubs.

Squeezed in between the age of disco and that of modern electronic music, French Boogie was a transitional phase, but it remains an amazingly refreshing testimony to the intermingling of pop and underground cultures. The genre was hastily categorized as anecdotal in spite of its pioneering synthetic groove and matchless bass lines. An attentive ear will discover the poetry of the ephemeral beyond the eccentricities of the genre, as well as a certain unexpected avant-gardism. At the origin of major music trends, always cheerful and catchy, French Boogie is what you need to party.

To anyone with even a passing interest in the weirder end of good-time party-ready house music, Freaks should need little introduction. Luke Solomon and Justin Harris have been keeping our preferred kind of dancefloor vibrating to the cheekiest manifestations of house music since the mid- 90s, never letting up and moving in the same oscillations as the good ship Circus Company. From first emerging on Phono through to setting up their Music For Freaks label, stopping by Playhouse, Wash House and Rebirth amongst countless other labels along the way, the UK duo have constantly given the traditions of house music a tickle in the ribs without losing that fundamental funk that makes a record great to dance to. We were thrilled to welcome Luke and Justin to remix Dave Aju's 'Nu Threads' at the end of last year, and now we follow up on that connection with a special EP of gems from the extensive Freaks archives. On 'Shrunken Heads (One Pro Mix)' the rock solid foundations of filter house music collide with flamboyant synth noodlings for a truly cosmic end result, while 'Absolut Zero' finds solace in a slower, deeper groove peppered with oddball effects tweaking and disembodied vocal samples. Heading further into loose-fit, slippery territory, 'Funk You (Who Do You Trust Dub)' lets soulful sample licks wriggle and writhe through a decidedly laid-back atmosphere that shows off the range Freaks have always sported in their output since day one. In many ways this coming together of Circus Company and Freaks feels like a logical development for two bastions of the oddball house music community, not to mention a great opportunity to hear tracks that otherwise might never have seen the light of day.

Coming out of Amsterdam via London, Breach's Naked Naked imprint has been a platform from the globally lauded producer can launch club-ready material both from himself and his peers. Having previously released records from Maison Sky, J.Tijn and Viers - the next in an ever-reliable series welcomes back Church and 2020 Midnight Visions affiliate Lorca for his third outing on the label. Hailing from Brighton, Lorca has garnered a following behind several extolled 12s showcasing his intricate and spectral brand of UK Electronic music. His latest offering expands on this with three moody cuts that meld eyesdown melodies with sharp, lively drum structures. 'Creta Kano' kicks things off with ticking percussion scurrying over a rubbery, tape driven thud. Deft dynamics build depth in the mix as detuned and delayed synth lines interweave to stunning effect. 'Malta Kano' then sets more textures bubbling behind bright drums and powerful, melodic synth leads. The Alt version of 'Creta Kano' then brings things to a dark and purposeful close. Field recordings gently bleed in and out of focus while more glowing synthesis occupies the foreground. A warped sequence circles in towards the close bringing another insight into the chops of one of the UK's most dynamic and exciting young producers to a close".

Manchester based producer Sameed delivers us a very nice EP for the Skylax n°141. After his first weapon "Spend EP" on the swedish label Local Talk, he confirms here his taste for house music with "Ma'Thang". This new release is perfect to bring a dark and sensual amosphere to a warm up set.The first side begins with "Bad You", a perfect mix between a deep bassline, a mysterious background and soulfull vocals. The only element that kept you stuck on the floor is the raw clap. "No one else" is more focused on the beat and the repetition of the funky voice sample through the patterns. By using flanger effects, Sameed gives even more energy to this track, moving away from the keyboard softness. The third one, "Blue", could be the expression of what you hear while dreaming. We find again a mystic musical background but it is added to a very light melody, the sound of the sea and what seems to be whoops of joy."Hustle", the first track of the second side, is definitely darker and more nostalgic. Remebering us some Rick Wade sounds, the melody seems to confuse itself but keeps a clever coherence. The hi-hats manage to provide the sensation of speed and continuity all along the musical trip. "Watching U", is really about rythm and bass : the raw beat and heavy bassline deliver to this title all its identity. The jazzy notes and asexual vocals fit very well with this body oriented track. "Grg-Jam" is certainly the most particular element of this EP. Even if we can find the same kind of melodies as in the other titles, the beat is really different, remembering drum'n bass but in a very soft way. During this imaginative jam session, Sameed alternates the textures of the hats, bringing a frenetic rhythm to the conclusion of Ma'Thang.Sameed proves us that he is definitely a safe bet of the "Madchester" house scene. To be continued.

Due to the release of Dial Record's 15 years compilation "All" one track seemed to be the most particular and praised: Dawn Mok's "Like Thought Or Moments We'll Fall"- an intensely touching piece produced by Berlin based artist Felix Mura. The label is honored to release the full length debut album "Eternal Love" a journey into deep and dark shades of future R'nB. Within a year of production and sound design, including the the mixing of Finland's Ville Haimala aka Renaissance Man, Dawn Mok created a milestone of contemporary dance musicand beyond. The Mastering by Rashad Becker (Pan Recordings) brings the longplayer to perfection and a disturbing artwork by artist Dan DeNorch completes a wonderful & surprising release.

One of Sweden's best kept techno secrets, KAB, is back with a vengeance. Remix done by Karl M. Dreamy, deep and funky EP for your soul!

* Quotes:
Randall - 'Heavy tunes Quarantine are cooking up' Ant TC1- ' Another release simply verifying further that Quarantine is a label that can do no wrong, constant and consistent quality, a shining light of an imprint, always has been'
Fabio- 'Drum and Bass the way its supposed to be from one of my favourite producers.
Rolling beats for the dance floor and a little something for the heads.'
Kasra (Critical) - 'This is great!'
* Quarantine's ever growing arsenal continues this time with debut single from Zero T.
* Hot on the heels of his 'Golden Section' LP on Dispatch Recordings.
* ''Lowball'' is an evolving, stomach churning piece of gutter tech. Leveling dance floors across the globe. Maybe even as you read this.
* "Thick and Thin" Demonstrates Zero T's command of Rolling beats and bass
pulled through a cascade of soothing summertime Rhodes. A musical DJ weapon.

* Both these tracks continue to establish the return of Quarantine and have been getting supported and played by Friction, Fabio, Doc Scott, Randall, Hype, Bailey, dBridge, Marky,
Ant Tc1 and many more.

Dhaze featured on Metroline Limited 76 (with Sabe) as well as on Amam, Little Helpers, Body Parts & more - Remix from Spanish producer Medu (Dissonant, Wavetech Ltd) Short info: For release number 80 we welcome back Italian producer Dhaze. Hailing from Rome, Dhaze started his self-thought experimentation with electronic music in 1996 when he bought his first sampler. His productions have seen the light of day on several undergound labels such as Amam, Little Helpers, Bla Bla, Body Parts, Inmotion and plenty more! Of course Dhaze has also already released on Metroline Limited, with fellow Italian producer Sabe, on the stunning Metroline Limited 76, Full Force EP. The EP opening is the 'explicit' Subatomic Pussy. The groove shuffles away with a clever use of drum patters and crispy hats. The mood is dark and disorienting, almost sinister with some crazy cavernous Green Velvet-esque vocal snippets that make their presence felt every now and then. And if the dark grooves of the openeing track weren't heavy enough, the following track, Waterdrip take the tension up a notch or two! The track is a relentless groovy monster, one for the darkest moments of a tech-house set but also suitable for the most obscure hours of Berghain! Not for the faint hearted! :) This time on remix duty we welcome Spanish producer Medu. Having loved his latest productions both on Dissonant and Wavetech Ltd we though about asking him to rework Subatomic Pussy and the result is excellent. Medu stripped Subatomic Pussy down to it bare elements but menaged at the same time to re-create a similarly hypnotic and driving peak time techno number! As we like our EP's to be 'all killers' and 'no fillers', to close this release in style we decided to include the incredible track 'Hardware In Love'

Karousel is the new alias from Irish producer Gavin Herlihy. Forged in the fires of house and determined by a steely dedication to timeless deep dancefloor theory, the alias begins life on one of the UK's most trusted vinyl labels, Illusion Recordings. Gavin started learning to produce in 2005 and less than a year in scored one of the tracks of the year in 2006 with Machine A Homework, a techno opus hailed by Laurent Garnier and DJ Hell as one of the tracks of the year. Over the next few years a move to Berlin lead to gigs at clubs like Panorama Bar, Fabric and later Circo Loco while his productions took root in a variety of different genres and big labels. Karousel is the expression of Gavin's house leanings rooted in the sampling of dusty old jazz and disco records and the use of hardware.

Out with a bang, 'Blitz Magic' is the final release in the Jose Padilla 'Too Many Colours' campaign from International Feel. A carefully curated project, from the selection of producers working on the album (Mark Barrott, Wolf Müller, Tornado Wallace, Telephones, I:Cube and Dream 2 Science), superior productions and remixes to boot, through to the beautiful artwork. Now it draws to a beautiful close. 'Blitz Magic' a Telephones production is the perfect club track to follow the wondrous 'Lollipop'. The original of 'Blitz Magic' is a lovely balearic ride that feels the influence of the all time classic 'E2E4' or in turn 'Sueno Latino'. It has now been placed in the hands of Tambien and Deetron for remix duties. Tambien are a trio from Munich. They are the Bartellow and Public Possession pair Marvin & Valentino who have released on various labels but in recent times ESP Institute and their own Public Possession. They create that intriguing mix where intelligent meets club music such as their Jil Thunder Light Remix. Deetron is an awardwinning Swiss producer and DJ that keeps his soul in Detroit and his heart in warm techno. This sound is perfectly shown in his stripped down remix cleaning out the drums and taking it back to pure club values. As Autumn arrives it feels the perfect time to release this third single from Padilla, the last in a beautiful string of releases that for International Feel have perfectly encompassed the Balearic sound as it is now. Play loud and you'll get the benefits.

José P adilla is loved by many for his work soundtracking sunsets at the Café Del Mar and compiling the seminal Café Del Mar compilations which sold over six million copies. His fans are wide and varied, on one end of the spectrum you have Madonna or Karl Lagerfeld, and on the other DJ legends such as Harvey and Andrew Weatherall. His new album ' So Many Colours' was released on International Feel earlier this summer to great acclaim and is regarded as the most forwardthinking Balearic album of the year.
FEEDBACK
I played it loud, Tambien mix is beautifully bizarre. - Mark E
Deetron mix is magical - a organic knights of the jaguar .. - Terry Farley
Simply brilliant. Loooove both mixes. Thanks a lot - Laurent Garnier

Ever since the debut, 'Communication EP' which also marked our 50th release, Alexander Lay-Far has a special place in the Local Talk family.Since then things have been going well with plenty more releases, tours, the launch of his label In-Beat-Ween Music plus a new full length album done.
With so many things on the go we're of course very happy to welcome Lay-Far back and with him this time, two UK house legends that need little introduction, Ashley Beedle and Darren Morris. Together the trio produced an EP that embraces the charms of both disco and house and we think it hits on every level. The A-side is dedicated to 'Doctor Feelgood', which is just as the name suggests, a delicious disco house cut that will make you feel good.Extra bonus points for the wonky bassline.
On the flip, you'll find two versions of Slope. The first one is an easy / breezy number built around jazzy drums, warm chords to catch your breath for a minute or two, lovers of rhodes should lend the track an extra ear, it's pure bliss. After those 5 minutes and 14 seconds has ended Lay-Far steps into the remix arena, turns up the tempo and sends the track straight to the dance floor. No need to fiddle around too much, he just sprinkles some extra touches of Lay-Far magic to the original and voila, it's done.

It is certainly not a small feat to have an ambient compilation series running for over a decade and keep it fresh and interesting - especially when the core aesthetic idea is as well-defined as POP AMBIENT's. However, this didn't keep last year's instalment (KOMPAKT 315 CD 120) from finding a compelling balance between veteran contributors like JENS-UWE BEYER or LEANDRO FRESCO and new, idiosyncratic voices like MAX WÜRDEN or THORE PFEIFFER. They all return for POP AMBIENT 2016, joining a captivating cast that also includes heavy-weight soundsmiths, experimental composers and ambient confidants like THE ORB, ANTON KUBIKOV of SCSI-9 fame, MIKKEL METAL, GREGOR SCHWELLENBACH or STEPHAN MATHIEU.

Starting off with a surprise guest, POP AMBIENT 2016 presents electroacoustic composer and installation artist STEPHAN MATHIEU, whose highly textured opening drone APRIL IM OKTOBER bears all the hallmarks of a pop ambient classic, stealthily weaving in layers of sound and moving fluidly between territories. The man clearly knows what he's doing - after all, he has worked with luminaries like Taylor Dupree, Ekkehard Ehlers, Janek Schaefer or Sylvain Chauveau (see also Pop Ambient 2009). Meanwhile, THE ORB show off the full extent of their experience in the field and have their own little ambient collage opera going on in ALPINE DAWN - a slight detour from their beat-laden full-length MOONBUILDING 2703 AD (KOMPAKT 330 CD 124), but just on that same level of masterful sonic dexterity.

Moving forward, SCSI-9's ANTON KUBIKOV builds momentum with a sweet melody slowly evolving to the atmospheric backdrop of a light synth rain, while MAX WÜRDEN imagines a dreamy, yet twisted underwater world with lots of space to get lost in. He later returns for a collaboration with THORE PFEIFFER (not on vinyl), the other newcomer hero from Pop Ambient 2015, and the result is a fascinating amalgamation of both producer's distinct sonic sensibilities - the grittier, drone-based approach from Würden and Pfeiffer's penchant for roaming samples and skewed loops. Another dedicated collab comes from SICKER MAN & GREGOR SCHWELLENBACH who team up for string-infused, cinematic epic TURNS.

Longstanding Kompakt ally MIKKEL METAL presents the surging TITAN, followed by LEANDRO FRESCO's magistral rework of DAVE DK's VEIRA from his VAL MAIRA album (KOMPAKT 326 CD 121). A very special bonus adventure can be found in THORE PFEIFFER's "megamix" of WOLFGANG VOIGT's RÜCKVERZAUBERUNG (not on vinyl) - an entire concept series succesfully reimagined as one sweeping cut. JENS-UWE BEYER continues his expeditions into hypnotic, semi-acoustic soundscapes on THE BREMEN, transitioning into the windy mountaintops of LEANDRO FRESCO's mysterious, multi-layered CONFIGURACION DE ATAQUE (not on vinyl). THORE PFEIFFER has the honour to conclude POP AMBIENT 2016 with the appropriately titled IDYLL, a soothing, swirling synth study giving the listener ample opportunity to return to mundane reality at his own pace.

There have been many different ways in describing the personal stories behind the protagonists of the electronical music scene in the 90ies. It´s in the nature of things that especially producers, whose place of work is the studio, remained rather in the background.
One of them is Ralf Hildenbeutel. He was the producer of Sven Väth´s most important releases such as "L'Esperanza" or "Fusion" and an essential creative part of the Eye Q label in the 90ies. His "Earth Nation" project was the first live act from that genre who was taking a drummer on the live stage, playing on international festivals and stages including the "Montreux Jazz Festival". The vita continues. While many other musicians kept on working on techno, Hildenbeutel composed for artists such as Laith Al-Deen or Phil´s son Simon Collins and wrote filmmusic for movies such as "Hommage á Noir" which won the Goldmedal for music on the New York Filmfestivals. The film adaption of Martion Suter's "Der Koch", "Ausgerechnet Sibirien", TV thriller such as "Kommissarin Lucas" or even the series of "Verbotene Liebe" have been scored by Ralf Hildenbeutel. His filmmusic for the international multi-awarded shortmovie "Momentum" was nominated at the Newport International Filmfestival. On "Moods" Hildenbeutel finds more back to electronical music. Fans of artists such as Ólafur Arnalds, Nils Frahm or Jon Hopkins will enjoy this longplayer. Hildenbeutel mixes complex string-arrangements and piano pieces with clicks & cuts and invents his own coherent language which allows both directions to live in harmony. Elegiac compositions and vivacious, percussive breakouts as in "Spark" (for which an video by award-winning filmmaker Boris Seewald will be made) meet on this album.
An album which grows and gains depth with each hearing.

(en) French duo THE SILENT ONES aka Aalik and Fred Traverso have specialized in their own brand of indie-infused electronic pop, putting a modern spin on vintage cold wave and minimal synth influences. MAGICAL PARTY is a prime example for their distinct melange of swirling melodies and catchy songwriting, an iridescent piece of dreamy musical drama with lots of charm. Known as incurable romanticist, fellow countryman JONAS BERING was the obvious choice for a remix, finally returning to Kompakt after his 2008 release CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU (KOMPAKT 172) - his immersive rework successfully trims the vocals and transplants the original's delicacy into a deep, but buoyant mover geared up for the distinguished floor. Pushing for a trance-inducing throb, the BEN WATTS mix is a fitting companion cut, promoting a slightly bouncier approach and seasoning its propulsive beats with tension-building synths for that special whiff of epic broadness.
(de) Das französische Duo THE SILENT ONES alias Aalik und Fred Traverso hat sich auf eine eigene Variante von Indie-geprägtem, elektronischem Pop spezialisiert, eine zeitgemäße Übersetzung von klassischen Cold-Wave- und Minimal-Synth-Einflüssen. MAGICAL PARTY ist ein herausragendes Beispiel für ihre individuelle Melange aus wirbelnden Melodien und mitreissendem Songwriting, ein irisierendes Stück verträumtes musikalisches Drama mit viel Charme. Bekannt als unverbesserlicher Romantiker, ist ihr Landsmann JONAS BERING eine offensichtliche Wahl für einen Remix - eine langerwartete Rückkehr zu Kompakt nach seinem 2008er Release CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU (KOMPAKT 172). Seine einnehmende Neubearbeitung stutzt die Vocals zurecht und verpflanzt die Zartheit des Originals erfolgreich in einen deepen, aber lebhaften Schieber, bestens gerüstet für anspruchsvolle Tanzflure. Dank eines grossen Interesses an Trance-induzierendem Pulsschlag entpuppt sich der BEN WATTS Mix als ein äusserst passender Begleiter der eine eher federnde Gangart einschlägt und seine treibenden Beats mit spannungsgeladenen Synthies abschmeckt - für das gewisse Extra an epischer Breite.

Essen's own Glenn Astro has called his first album Throwback, and the name is at once a perfect fit and not nearly the extent of the story. On the one hand, Astro has filled the double-LP with a wealth of old-school gestures and textures—the warm whoosh of analog synths, the rattle of Rhodes tines and the sizzle of jazzy drums,all held together by the comforting glue of tape hiss and vinyl crackle. If you're used to the clean sonic lines and stylistic streamlining of so much contemporary house music, then Throwback is sure to feel less like a record you just pulled out of plastic wrap than a well-seasoned one salvaged from a flea market or unfinished basement. And yet like so many Tartelet releases—particularly the label's last two full-lengths,
Max Graef's Rivers of the Red Planet and Uffe's Radio Days—it feels fresh and keenly contemporary no matter how vintage the fabric. Rather than throw back to any one moment, he's given us a collage of styles that's quite literally timeless. Astro makes brilliant work of his influences, drawing on hip-hop, house, funk and soul in such equal measure that it's hard to argue that one impulse dominates the other. The sound certainly flirts with the dance floor, with Astro applying highpressure
deep house pads on the title cut, gliding on shimmering keys for "One For Viktor," and taking us on a vibraphone-fueled workout with "Kilometer Disco," one of a pair of cuts featuring Max Graef. But Astro obviously relishes the time he spends on the sidelines absorbing the atmosphere, or at home head-nodding to the dustiest corners of his record collection. For every house beat you hear, you'll also dip into juicy, 90's-style beat science, toasty ambience and buttery chord progressions.
Expertly paced but never hustling you along, Throwback begs to be heard as a whole but explored at your own easy pace—a record for hazy mornings-after, vibey
nights in and endless summer afternoons.

LIMITED COPIES

Capital Bass continues to gather Russian names under one roof and expand stylistic variations. Next big thing is a three-track EP from Ponty Mython (Alex).
This is the second EP by sir Ponty Mython on Capital Bass. It has been two years since his bulletproof Jesus EP in 2013.
During these two years Ponty Mython has been working with such iconic house imprints as Arma, Quintessential, Dirt Crew and others. His new Adverbs EP is a quite eclectic thing.
Side A is a filtered house banger Gracefully - a result of sampling games with Moscow house star Lay-Far (Local Talk, In-beat-ween). Side B - Afterwards tune is a real one-loop thriller, dirty and raw, with African samples and invisible sub bass line.
On B side you can also find a psychedelic version of Afterwards by Saint Petersburg techno artist Nocow (Roots United, Fauxpas Musik). (Roots United, Fauxpas Musik)

One half of Scottish duo Clouds, Perth Drug Legend tear off a solo EP of rugged, apocalyptic bloke-techno. Stunners, all of them. Freak genius at work.
What more can be said about Clouds, young prodigies who have put out as much innovative techno in the past few years than anyone. The story takes a twist with a wealth of material being released by PDL, hot off a remix of Tiga's Bugatti and releases on Resin and Westend Communications. The sound is reminiscent of Ghost Systems Rave, but there's the feeling that things have gotten even more refined, something that smacks of a real subcultural movement.

Opener Balquhidder Ruins is a stomping gate-crasher, the tempo pulled back just enough to feel the grit of industrial funk, everything restrained to it's bare essentials. Monzievaird swings heavily around a few twinkling bleeps, sparse, chunky kicks that thunder through the greased hats. Pushing things even more into the dark corners with overdriven, haunting resonance is Clackmannanshire Crusaderz, which sounds like the soundtrack to being blacked out on the ground in a Berghain tunnel. Thisistullohnottibetpal adds a mystical, multi culti dimension with some mountain flute inexplicably soaring through the air before a bell breakdown zens things into a forceful yet tranquil climax.

If that madness weren't enough, there's a digital bonus track which is an absolute bomb if you're into lower tempos and hip hop inflected bangers.

Stunners, all of them. Freak genius at work.

Toby Tobias has been responsible for some fine quality music over the past 10 years with labels such as Rekids, Nang, Let's Play House and Quintessentials all dropping his unique brand of raw, analogue house and techno. A DJ's DJ who always seems to pull out a lesser known gem and make it sound like a classic, Toby knows his music as well as his studio, inside out. We've been proud to deliver three EP's from him on Delusions but we all felt the time was right for a full length, especially considering that 7 years have passed since his debut LP Space Shuffle on Rekids. Toby fully embraced the scope and breadth that an LP affords a producer, holing up in his Hackney studio and losing himself in his machines. Rising Son is the result of those sessions and it's brilliant!

From the opening machine funk of The Wonder featuring vocals from Atwell we can hear that Toby is quite sure about the direction he's taken for the LP. 808 beats bring vintage electro vibes whilst Atwell's vocal hints at the golden era of Chicago house, adding a soulful touch to the rigid groove. Love Affair continues the theme of off-world utopia where the droids have a heart and soul and sing torch songs of love lost, the Moroder-esque influences bringing a retro sheen to the LP. As we continue through tracks such as Sloflava and Sending Signals we find blissful, downtempo jams which perfectly soundtrack this imagined night time world which Toby seems so happy to immerse himself and his listeners in.

I Robot follows, providing the one cover version on the LP from the Alan Parsons Project as well as being an LP defining focal point. A track which shows that when the machines are working for you, it could just be a perfect world. But Broken Computer soon shows us what can happen when things go wrong. Incidentally, this is from a genuine computer crash which Toby managed to capture using his phone. A beautiful glitch in the system which spewed out such a mournful noise and a very happy accident that would be completely impossible to create if you set out to try.

As we continue we're treated to the likes of Friday Analogue Jam, Whisper It and Weird Danger, all echoing bleeps, squelching bass notes, heavenly pads and precision beats. In some ways we get a feeling of a land that time forgot, in others something of sublime beauty and futurism. That Toby can paint pictures with his music in this way speaks volumes, knowing instinctively when to draw out a mood or feeling or flip things on their head to command your attention and beg another listen. And another.....

Welcoming the fourth vinyl only instalment from FarFromNormal Features an excellent 3 track EP from the up and coming Julian. After a long process Julian has come up with 3 great original tracks which FarFromNormal where happily to take on board and put together Julian's very first vinyl release. This record grabs your attention from the start with track 1 Resorave. Resorave is a very psychedelic track with dark drums and beautiful slow atmospheres and a tripping vocal. Track 2 Grunge is much more on the groovy side to with fantastic production and pads that take you on a great journey. Track 3 Chorale is the title track and the one track to leave you on a high, with the heavy kicks and bass lines mixing between a tripping vocal and beautifully placed instruments, this is perfect for the peak hours.

Poker Flat's Forward To The Past anthology returns in its 3rd iteration, as lean and mean as it ever was and precision-engineered to make you jack, dream and all things in between. The winning formula remains the same: task a selection of hotshot veteran and up-and-coming producers with recapturing the style and mood of early club music, paying homage to the golden years between 1985 and 1992 when Chicago House and Acid, New York House and Detroit Techno took the world and its dancefloors by storm. The result is a collection of new and exclusive tracks as addictive as the stone cold classics that influenced them - a tribute and, at the same time, the cutting edge of contemporary music production. LA-based compatriot MANIK contributes a rolling, no-frills jam that sticks to the tried and tested production values of early acid as if to say, Why mess with perfection' From his small Amsterdam studio crammed with classic drum machines and synths, Wouter de Moor serves up 'Bon Voyage', a simmering analogue acid jam bedecked with snickering percussive flourishes and long, sustained chords for that blue-tinged Detroit vibe. Pavel Iudin, meanwhile, adds jazzy Rhodes inflections and whistling birdsong to a similarly bubbling groove. Veteran DJ Aakmael adopts the classic Juno bass sound to pay homage to the godfather of deep, Larry Heard, for an exercise in immersive repetition.

4th studio album by their very own Dapayk Solo. Titled - #nofilter the album will be out on Oct 12, 2015. Since 1996 producer Niklas Worgt is regarded as one of the most creative and versatile protagonists of Europes club scene. Several projects for his label Mo's Ferry Prod., like the - I LOVE VINYL - Festival or the work on new Dapayk & Padberg releases have kept him busy during the last 5 years. But finally he came around to spend some - solo time in the studio. After having turned to a more melodic and gentle side on his last two album releases as part of the german electronica duo Dapayk & Padberg, - Smoke (2013) and - Smoke- The Family remixes (2014), Worgt is now being much more experimental and edgy in his productions. - I wanted the sound to be very focused - he says about his vision for album #4. More straightforward, more reduced, more analog and dirtier than - anything i have done before . On - #nofilter he combines elements from his early days in breakbeat and drum'n'bass with minimal and techhouse to his very own and very unique signature sound - far off the beaten club sound track. Worgt aims to challenge his audience, willing them to see that there is more than just one way of doing things. Well aware of the fact that: - ..some of the tracks might not be for everyone at first glance. But it's always good to do things in an unexpected way, to change the listeners perspective. Niklas Worgt also proofs his provocative and humorous side with the album title - #nofilter , statistically prooven to be one of the most commonly used hashtags. A keyword, often headlining the fact that a filter has been used.

Originally released back in 2006 Destination Boogie has been one of ZR's most popular and respected compilations. In fact we recently reissued it on vinyl for the first time.
There's a lot of crappy edits out there, we believe these Dr Packer reworks are very worthwhile, well-constructed new versions that make the tracks more playable for today's dancefloors whilst retaining their boogie tastic musicality.
Since the album was released the whole edit culture has exploded so we thought it would be a nice idea to get one of the best, Dr Packer, to rework four of the most danceable cuts from the album. We at ZR HQ think he's done a great job on these........

Something is looming on the horizon, a flickering presence, a sparkle in the twilight, hardly visible at first, then slowly taking shape and finally coming into view: "I will depart/I see, I will, I won't go far," Stefanie Boehm (Couch) sings on "Sirens", one of 10 tracks Ms. John Soda have recorded for "Loom", their first album in eight years – and it's true: It's a return that often feels like yet another departure, like it's time to say farewell once again, one last hug and off it goes into the valley, where life is already waiting.

A lot has changed since Ms. John Soda released the first 7" back in 1998, since Micha Acher (The Notwist, Tied & Tickled Trio, Alien Ensemble) joined Stefanie Boehm and completed the creative nucleus of this band around the turn of the millennium; day-to-day life indeed feels different some 16 years later (and half as many since the release of their sophomore album, "Notes and the Like"), but the basic chemistry, the intricate balance of electronic and analog molecules that orbit this nucleus – and thus, the resulting mood and vibe -, they're still recognizable, still undeniably Ms. John Soda: Whether it's the dense, intensely rushing soundscapes of "Hero Whales", numerous layers pushing and taking off into the same direction, the propelled clatter of "Sirens", a track like "Millions" that blows off more and more steam, a glistening, wheezing sort of madness even (though there is a tender side to it as well), the perpetual, magic lantern-like motions of "Name It" (think Trish Keenan and Broadcast) or the gradually descending melodies of opening track "In My Arms" – they're all lined with a certain tension, underpinned by a certain atmosphere, a unique brand of melancholy that never quite gives in, keeps searching for new outlets and answers.

The album title Ms. John Soda have chosen for their third full-length, "Loom", obviously hints at this feeling of re-emergence, gathering and looming, but according to the singer, it also refers to a weaving loom: It's about "weaving and combining a vast number of influences, ideas, instruments, melodies, rhythms, and layers to create a whole," says Boehm, whose vocals span these new tracks like thick, reliable ropes that glow with marine luminescence. "It's about weaving individuals into a group ('Millions'), weaving and merging former ideals and hopes with reality ('The Light'), combining 'hi' and 'bye', beginning and end ('Hi Fool'), interweaving opposite or contradicting concepts, such as pushing forward vs. being pushed ('In My Arms')." And while the weaving, just like life itself, can easily get out of hands, "because you lose track, and yet life goes on ('Name It')," a lot of these songs – e.g. "Hero Whales", the billowing "Sodawaltz", "Fall Away" – revolve around a shimmering sense of something we can't quite grasp or put a finger on just yet: "Intuitions, hopes, dreams, wishes, affinities, distances, temptations…"

Whereas Cico Beck aka Joasihno (drums, electronics), also part of Aloa Input and the latest addition to Ms. John Soda's live band, and drummer Thomas Geltinger helped out on various tracks they recorded with Oliver Zülch in Weilheim, Boehm and Acher were also joined by Karl-Ivar Refseth (percussions) and Matthias Götz (trombone). Together, they keep feeding the loom with countless spools of yarn, until epic piano closer "Fall Away" seems to offer a temporary respite: "find your way/take the dry suit off/for a night". Time to rest, to take a deep breath. Or is it already the first rays of dawn looming on the horizon?

No longer one of Denmark's best kept secrets, Holtoug's talent is firmly out of the bag as he touches down on hafendisko with the yearning 'Stay In Love' - a tune worthy of comparison in feel and tone to Âme's smash 2012 remix of Ry & Frank Wiedemann's 'Howling'. Marrying the drive and energy of dance music to the singer-songwriting sensibility of his indie roots, it's a delicious mélange, intense yet featherlight, booming yet ethereal: an intricate and playful soundworld characterised by breathy pads, deft percussive flourishes and a swooping, swooning bass that basks in all its glory on the accompanying Instrumental version. On remix duties, hafendisko labelmate Yannick Labbé - best known for his work with Trickski and long association wth Jazzanova/Compost - gets all dark and menacing, adding harsh, machine percussion, vibrating subs and a discombobulating counterpoint of eerie, sustained tones. Meanwhile, Martin Gretschmann (The Notwist), operating under his Acid Pauli pseudonym, mutates the vocal into a cooing, howling, wah-wah as playful intertwined synth lines dance and bounce off each other gleefully. Perpetually inventive, otherworldly stuff!

* Jon Gurd's Birth Right EP is the first material from the Portsmouth based Techno producer in more than 2
years since his ventures on Octopus recordings, 8 Sided Dice and Quartz. The EP therefore indicates an
audible step change not just in the approach to production but also in the mindset and emotive feeling
behind each texture and layer. Having emerged unscathed from a traumatic family related drama Jon
communicates a tortuous and re-evaluated life message across all 3 tracks, and is dedicated to his brother
with a hidden meaning conveying, Tomorrow Is - Promised - To No One'.

* Dissecting the EP further the educated are blessed with field recordings, analogue rumbling and modular
synthesis exiting from almost 24 months of lab driven experimentation. No real process has been applied or
extant formulae followed and the EP's resounding success is that this now exudes what Jon feels' innately
rather than what the industry wants, therefore the journey, endless noise making and experimentation gives
a balanced and exciting offering. Jon comments seriously my process for producing this has been all over
the place, literally stumbling on shit, slipping over my own creative vomit, workflow went out the studio
window on day one'.

* Having spent two years asking himself why he makes music, I think on first listen of Birth Right EP we will all begin to empathise why. Remixes kindly provided by Messrs Dave Clarke and Ancestral Voices (new project from Liam Blackburn formerly Indigo / Akkord).

* A long time-friend and recording partner of Alan Fitzpatrick, as well as one third of Mister Woo with Dave from Reset Robot, Jon Gurd is best known for his work on the likes of Octopus Recordings, 8 Sided Dice and Quartz. Abundant with field recordings, analogue rumbling and modular synthesis, his latest signing to Derelicht is a result of almost 24 months of lab driven experimentation, and marks an auspicious return from a musical hiatus that stemmed from a personal tragedy. From the off, 'Tomorrow Is' is a driving piece of techno complete with sinister undertones and menacing atmospherics, meanwhile 'Promised' focuses on a low-slung groove as tantalising synths operate on top. The last original, 'To No One', then exhibits a deeper vibe with ebbing pads and spectral chords. Dave Clarke's decadent rendition of 'Promised' ups the tempo whilst demonstrating commanding kicks, until Ancestral Voices, the new project from Liam Blackburn (Indigo / Akkord), strips back the beats of 'To No One' for a subdued subterranean workout.

* Press / Promotion: 3 x Co-ordinated PR Campaigns (In House campaign by Derelicht, Dispersion PR and EPM Music, 100 vinyl hand-distributed to leading editors, artists and tastemakers. Key editorials through Resident Advisor, Inverted Audio, Ran$om Note, Beat Vision, Slate The Disco, Magnetic Magazine, DJ Mag, Noise Porn, Mind Grub Audio, Portals, Elevated Culture. 1 x videos produced to support Dave Clarke remix
Tiefschwarz - 'Just Beautiful!'
Alan Fitzpatrick - Yeah massively into this, will play a lot. Thanks for sending.
Dustin Zahn - Feeling the original of "To No One." the chord/pads are hitting the right spot for me this morning! The remix is also a nice take on the original
Baikal - to no one and Derelicht are dope
Kirk Degiorgio - Dave's mix for me!
Bas Mooy - yep! A1 for me mate!
Ben Sims - a1 is the cut for me, heavy and heady but still has the groove
Benjamin Damage - Thanks for sending this, top work!
Bryan Chapman - really feeling this EP, fav is the Ancestral Voices remix, that downbeat vibe
Bryan Zentz - Wonderful, moody, and emotive...LOVE it
Carlo Lio - Actually feeling all of them. Something for every time of the night. Can see myself playing a few of these for sure
Lo Shea - Tomorrow is sick! Dave Clarke's remix is dope too.

Finale Sessions is really pleased to launch new series Finale Sessions Limited with Berlin up and coming act Arcarsenal. Duo comprised of Alan Mathias and Etienne Dauta, both founders of Bass Cadet Records and its dedicated vinyl store located in the heart of the german capital, they are also active members of the large Underground Quality family. Arcarsenal have already started to establish themselves as proponent of a crossover sound, mixing many influences from jazz, house, ambient to dub and techno. They are always giving a prominence to jam, improvisation and textures work in their studio routine. This EP called « Dark Skies & Wetlands », even if slightly grittier than usual, is no stranger to the rules of the duo. The opening track « Different Planet » is an epic dark deep house cut which develops itself over a course of 8:40. Starting with a stamping ground bassline and hazy atmosphere, the track opens up with synth attacks, dub echoes and slowly brings in a blissful melody that ends up linking all the elements. « Substance Of Arjuna », the following track on the A-side, is a-contrario a short but intense ambient work. Shot in one take, this subtle cut showcases the kind experimentations that Mathias and Dauta can end up doing late at night in front of their machines. The b-side of the EP leaves all the space to « Racoons », one of the weirdest and yet most powerful work of the duo to date. Tribal techno could be a short try to define what they achieved here, but the track goes far more than this. Built on a gritty mental acidic bass and a huge drum kick, the frenchmen bring over aggressive synth work that could sound like an orchestra on rehearsal, pachydermic screams or an overdriven guitar larsen. Underlined by a complex percussion pattern recorded live in their nest and chopped up to the best effect, the track ends up in a looping transe from which the listener might not leave in a normal state.

Don't be mislead from the name, the enigmatic M. Zalla, is one of the numerous alter ego of the italian maestro Piero Umiliani. Umiliani, during his period of fascination for psychedelic and electronic atmospheres, starts to compose a good number of musical portraits dedicated, as the title reveals, to the problems of his time. We are at the beginning of '70 and italians are worried by mafia, terrorism and social conflicts: so it has sense that the music choosen to represent this anxious problems has a sperimental nature, dark and disturbing a sort of unicum in the long and extremly productive Umiliani career.And if, in 2015, titles as Mondo in Crisi', Problemi Sociali', Azione Sindacale' and Mafia Oggi' sounds still sadly actual, it's even more surprising find that the music of Problemi d'Oggi' (Today Problems) is projected on the future, sounding still alien and uniques.
The record presents various styles: from Pink Floyd atmospheres (or Braen's Machine if you prefer...) to compositions characterized by a great use of drum machines and synthetizer (MOOG and Sinthy). We just have to listen the begginning of the opening track Produzione' to give sense to the words of Sean Canty (Demdike Stare) that defines the music the first techno/trance track of the history, but between the grooves of this vinyl it's easy to find intuitions that many other artist and musicians - from Residents to Aphex Twin and Four Tet - will be able to catch during their carrers.

Introverted Dancefloor is Bevan Smith, a New Zealander who has released music under names like Signer and Aspen, and who has played in the Ruby Suns and Skallander throughout the last decade. His prior output has been spread over many international labels and has touched on sundry genres (like techno, IDM, folk, ambient) while featuring restraint and sophistication as compositional hallmarks.

As Introverted Dancefloor, Smith has kept those features as guiding principles while allowing a more propulsive low end to dominate the construction of this music, winding up with understated but energetic dance tracks. Gestation, too, is a prominent attribute of this music, though not necessarily an obvious one. Smith started these songs with hundreds of layers, which he then pared down to a few core elements before rebuilding again.

For Introverted Dancefloor, Smith limited himself to the use of two synthesizers, one mic, one filter, and one effects processer. This constraint is not obvious upon listening as the album works across the idioms of electro, Detroit techno, pop house, and leftfield disco, playing with the line between fluid melody and drum machine programming. Each track has a playlist as its scaffolding, Smith's goal being to filter a certain set of varied influences through just a couple of instruments. Metro Area's Miura' (Original Mix) turned into Introverted Dancefloor's Happiness is such a mess/Pipedream.' If there can be such a thing as a subtle banger, then Smith may have earned that distinction here. Take it high' seems to be a constant ascent with its climbing bass and layers of chords, relying on no hackneyed drops or releases for its crescendo. Smith's layering practices show their precision on tracks like Even if you try' and Tiger bones,' in which disparate elements contribute to pointed melodies, an unidentifiable percussive part entering the same expressive plane as a sung line.

One of the record's most striking features is Smith's inclusion of certain elements of a song in a neighboring one (vocals from Pipedream' in Happiness is such a mess,' a synth line from Even if you try' in Always turn your head') to lend a phantasmagorical effect to the procession, blurring the distinction between a track and its reprise. The result is a song cycle wrought from painstaking labor, while nonetheless retaining core values of amorphousness and motion.

Auntie Flo returns with his 'Theory of Flo' LP masterpiece, his
first release on H+P in over 3 years!
Following his critically acclaimed 'Future Rhythm Machine' LP,
'Theory of Flo' is a bold step ahead from FRM, as it takes us on
the trip of a lifetime, spanning continents, genres, languages and
cultures to create a wholly unique listening experience, and one
which is only possible in 2015.
Teaming up with long term collaborator, Esa Williams, the album
also features collaborations with the incredible Ghanaian singer,
Anbuley (who last appeared on the Autonomous Africa hit
'Daabi'), Shingai Showina (of The Noisettes / Matthew Herbert /
Dennis Ferrer fame) and has experienced a lengthy recording
process between Havana, London and Glasgow - with outstand-
ing results.
'Theory of Flo' lands this November, in the meantime, his 'So In
Love' smasher and the spellbinding 'Waiting For A (Woman)' drop
on limited 10'..

Following almost two years of driving bass music promotion, in the form of compilation albums, free download round-ups, reviews, guest mixes & mix series CDs, the time has come to transcend from what first began as an online blog into our very own music label. After working with renowned artists such as El-B, Quest, BunZer0 and Phaeleh, as well as fellow promotional platforms FatKidOnFire & Deeper Vibrations - the Albion community has developed and grown to become recognised across the board of the bass music spectrum. This extension of our brand will help in pushing this music even more, enabling us to curate a fundamentally diverse sound beside the culture that we so passionately enjoy.The launch of Albion Collective Recordings is to be set in motion with In Pieces, a collaborative down-tempo effort conceived between Vaun and Jafu which is radiant in textural soundscapes. This particular piece has been doing the rounds as a clip on Deeper Vibrations' YouTube channel since 2013, inducing longing excitement for the song to finally surface.
Bristol based Daniel Brown, aka Vaun, has prospered into one of the scene's most prolific producers, covering multiple styles and turning out numerous releases for MindStep Music, Redshift-One and Soulstep Records. After recently hinting at the imminent release of an album, Brown can also reap in the keepsake of ALBION001 alongside Canadian artist James Fuller, aka Jafu, who likewise has blossomed astutely alongside his soulful Chord Marauders collective.In Pieces falls somewhere amongst immersive trip-hop and jazzy 2-step, an affectional arrangement that makes wonderful use of Marvin Gaye's a cappella in his classic Sexual Healing. The composition will certainly induce healing of the cerebral kind, with its stripped and delicate percussion work, dubbed out horns and soothing string sections. Encapsulated within Vaun & Jafu's musical offering is our label's statement of intent. That is, to champion unique music that emanates elegance such as this collaboration - and such as J.Sparrow's remix treatment. Ryan Wild aka Jack Sparrow, a Deep Medi Musik signee and one half of dubstep extraordinaire duo Author, has granted the scene with his tenacity to build profoundly stunning electronic music. Wild has the tempo notched up for his In Pieces edit but remains true to Vaun and Jafu's approach in the sense of its lavish spatial touch. The atmospherics breeze over with a soft vibrancy, as the electronic guitar solo recording from the original plays over the initial main section charmingly. This is all resulting in a simply sumptuous mix which goes right up there with his top drawer remix work for Annie Drury and De Niro & Y. To compliment J.Sparrow's sublime contribution and to also complete the package, the Black Butter Records assosciated and Bristol-based outfit Sly-One have whipped up an outright banger of a remix. Joe Cannon, Dave Constant and Oliver Read can already boast an admirable set of releases in the four years since they've joined forces, featuring on Shifting Peaks, Lost In Translation and 877 Records. Add that to a rude collaboration with fellow Bristol head & rasta emcee Buggsy and a remix for Bad Mojo on Meanbucket, Sly-One had clearly meant business from the offset - and have shown absolutely no let up for us at Albion Collective. Served with a side order of the trio's classic subtle cowbell hits, their 2-step/bassline fusion works wonders with the vamped-up vocal sample and is ready and waiting to rumble clubs & festivals for this summer and beyond. Early DJ support for the release has been noted from artists including Phaeleh, Quantum Soul, Thelem, J. Robinson, Walsh, K-Man, Nanobyte, Syte, Trashbat, Majora and D-Operation Drop & Foster. Radio airings to date stand at Sub FM on the BunZer0's legendary FOB Show, BBC Introducing showcased the release and Monki played the Sly One Remix on BBC Radio 1 Extra. The almighty
Dubstep duo Truth added the J.Sparrow Remix to their recent 'Chronicles' mixtape on Soundcloud, which was posted to their 75,000 plus following, Biscuit Factory Records owner and dubstep legend Walsh opened the edit on his latest podcast and J.Sparrow is set to showcase the version in a mix for the iconic Deep Medi label. Support is confirmed from digital publications such as FatKidOnFire,
GetDarker, Trusik and MTV Wrap up, which will involve a number of featuresm reviews, track premieres and artist spotlights. A review will also be printed in November's edition of Mixmag on Tomas Fraser's Grime/Dubstep page

Milos has been causing quite a stir of late with his limited handstamped MSR & Milos Recordings projects, gaining support from key players including Ben Sims, Gez Varley (LFO), and Colin Dale. Now we look forward to Receptive Visions, a label focused on no bullsh*t, real dancefloor techno. Kicking off with the euphoric yet raw "Reconery Flight", razor sharp hats, and massive drops pave the way for gauranteed dancefloor response! Flip for "Away Days", heads straight down, with a distinct gnarled, ragged intensity and thick pulsating grooves! One to watch!

AUS Music continue to bolster an ever expanding roster in uncovering an adroit and overlooked producer - the Dublin born producer Timothy Blake. In amongst those in the know, Blake is an artist whose reputation reaches back over 20 years and one whose releases have touched the likes of Dirt Crew, Fatty Fatty Phonographics and Kleine Reise. For his first ever outing on AUS he teams up with man of the moment Marquis Hawkes in delivering 'The Stormy Search' EP. Now residing in Berlin, Blake's idiosyncratic productions have been described as 'joyous freewheeling Funk' by Infinite State Machine as sounding 'like Stephen King decided to start making house music' (Trevor O'Shea Bodytonic) and also 'kinda like some lost Prince demos from an alternate world' according to Golf Channel's Dan Selzer. That goes part way to elucidating his creations and - as you'd expect from these descriptions his latest offering is a meld of jubilant synth lines, bumping 909 drums and Funk-indebted bass grooves. Having originally made the introduction to Will Saul which eventually lead the record - Marquis Hawkes offers up a remix of the title track which he additionally co-produced. Also on remix duties of the title track - Hawkes does as he does best in dimming the tenor, driving percussion through purring tape machines and adding in the signature dose of granular soul that's been his calling card throughout releases on Dixon Avenue Basement Jams, Houndstooth, Clone and Créme Organisation.

Be With Records are honoured to present the hyper-limited (200 for the world) farewell single from cult Balearic maestros Korallreven. We've been enormous fans since the beginning so we are delighted to be collaborating on this special release. As per the band's specific wishes, we have created a special one-sided, full colour 7" flexi-disc. Over to the guys themselves for their parting words:

"It has been a trippie trip, sort of a dream come true, sort of a dream become shattered. Kinda incredible how Korallreven, with this weird name in Swedish, snowballed from bedroom recordings in Stockholm into a headline US tour, festivals around Europe, amazing collaborations and all this love we have felt from all around. It's been magic. But there is a time for everything and an end to everything too, also with Korallreven.

So, enjoy this single, as you would the last drop of fresh water in the jungle. It sort of underlines exactly everything we wanted to do from the beginning but never yet achieved. Lifelovingness, big words and melancholy in three and a half minutes, for the last time.

Entitas, is the second instalment of Jay Clarke's BLACKAXON imprint, and sees the label boss bring out the big guns in the form of three distinct and diverse cuts. First up is Entity, an autonomic monster which has sweat soaked energy written all over it. It's auspiciously one part deep, and more than double just as twisted. Things are far from linear with Entity, it's mercilessly the sum of it's own parts, and has the hallmarks of a true big room pleaser written all over it. A truly authentic demonstration of the old adage 'It's not where you are going, it's how you get there'. Entity is certain to be reached for by all of the major players on the Techno circuit for a long time to come.
On the flip, Ghosts Of Acid is the Yin to Entity's Yang. A plangent and introspective groove opens up with wispy cymbals, cleverly placed rims, hats and claps. Exploratory and evolving subaqueous acidic forays dare the listener to dive in a little deeper, with the reward being a very proficient and efficient take on the now classic Acid sound.

Existence Through Perception seeks to carry on where the previous two tracks left off. A driving groove and sinister hook lets up briefly midway to a near triumphant fanfare, only to be brought back to it's mischievous overture. A perfect late night/peak time track for DJ's looking to elevate the bar of their set just one more rung higher.

Support From:

(Phase), DVS1, Ben Klock, Answer Code Request, Luke Slater, Norman Nodge, Chris Liebing, Lucy, Oscar Mulero, Speedy J, DJ Deep, Tommy Four Seven, Cassegrain, Inigo Kennedy, Slam, Brendon Moeller, Nihad Tule, Kr!z, Psyk, Jonas Kopp, Truncate, Samuli Kemppi, Juho Kusti, Anthony Parasole, Eric Cloutier, Jereon Search, Moerbeck, Truss, Distant Echoes, Yac (I/Y), Philippe Petit, Thomas Hessler, Randomer, Volte-Face, Fundamental Interaction, Arnaud Le Texier, Ame, Angel Molina, Tensal, Kwartz, Stacey Pullen.
Credits

We were very excited indeed to see the third release from the quite promising Love Notes from Brooklyn imprint! Marco Zenin was a featured artist on the last release under his DJ Octopus guise, and this time he's featured again with his other project, the more techy/ more minimal Die Roh, who recently had an underground athem with their release on Black Venison. The duo here seemingly lean their sounds in the direction of the label's and offer two-cut EP which is their deepest effort yet to date. Surely more DJs will play the dancier A side, Behind 6000, but for us, the groovier B side and title track Genghis Kahn is the choice cut. Label owner, Nathaniel Jay, continues in the precendent he's set with each release having its own unique "Love Note", authored by him, making every one of these records collectable.

Optimo Trax 16 is a various artists EP featuring tracks from Glasgow, London, New York & Edinburgh.

First up is Glasgow dj, Beta with his debut release "Endless Plains" a broken percussive, spine tingler. 100% emo.

Next London's L/F/D/M who had the first release on Optimo Trax returns under the modified moniker Love's Flaccid Disco Muscle with something a little different. "3am at the Aqua Disco" is bass heaviness with an almost exotica-style lead line. Unique and glorious.

Side two kicks off with New York's Alex Burkat (now relocated to Philadelphia) with an 8-minute depth-charge, "Culture Full Circle" that features a mutated sample form a legendary reggae track. One to get lost in.

The EP closes out with Modini (aka Neil Landstrumm and Alan Parley) with "Ghost Seducer": bass, dub and bleeps 21st century style.

4 different artists, 4 A-sides!

limited to 300 copies
New EP by Alixander III. After AZARI & III have finally split up, main man Alixander III joined the Toy Tonics records crew. Like his first TT release also this new one consists of raw and heavy machine funk. It's techno - but with a heavy dose of soul! The one that makes you swing. Not stomp! 'Heavy Friends 2 is a collaboration featuring guest vocalists and producers from his hometown of Toronto, Canada. A tight package of vintage, old school, Detroit soul techno. Bulging with hooks and unusual textures. A vast soufflé of bittersweet melancholy, a polished yet irreverent statement that congeals the far-reaching influences and intricate techniques that have defined Alixander's work since long before Azari & III met the world.

"...don't ask if there will ever be a Volume 2. We don't know yet. What we do know is that if we ever come across a similar tour de force as Don McCaslin's composition, Praise Poems, then there will certainly be one..." These were the final words of the sales notes for Praise Poems Volume 1 - which we proudly released earlier this year. And indeed, since then, we have discovered a tune which led us to continue to curate this series of obscure, soulful, jazzy and spiritual sounds from back in the day. The song to which we refer to is Abraham Battat's jazz-samba masterpiece, Fly Away. Fly Away is a righteous combination of sonorous jazz guitar, crackling drums and warm acoustic piano. Floating through the tones as if in a private concert for you in your very living room, it is an earnest, honest vocal performance bringing a rainbow message of freedom and liberty to the world. This is the standard by which we judged the entirety of this compilation. Though they may be known in some circles, selections by Richard Martian, Larry Covin, and The Gingerbread Express are in the same category of pure beauty. Of course, good luck finding a copy of Larry Covin's Masquerade or the Portis Brothers' Summer Love. The single hit you receive while doing an online search is the exact same copy from which we took the master. To find a needle in a haystack is a cakewalk compared to turning up a copy of some of these gems to be found here.

This new series on Expansion explores classic and exceptional 70s and 80s 'modern soul room' tracks making them available on 7' single for the very first time.

The Moments were a prolific sweet soul group in the 70s, signed up by Stang Records and regularly in the charts. They comprised vocalists who would later become Ray, Goodman & Brown. As The Moments their first US R&B No.1 was Love On A Two-Way Street' in 1970 and in the UK were best known for Nine Times', Dolly My Love' and Girls'. When they changed labels, a handful of songs were left unissued including the incredible Sleep Won't Come', first released as a CD bonus tracks on a 2CD Moments anthology Moments To Remember'. Interest in the songs has become high since that time resulting in an inevitable debut release on vinyl here on Expansion.

The B side is one of the group's most underrated gems.