Buscar:synths

The latest in Field Records' run of essential vinyl pressings revisits Stephen Hitchell's 2009 masterpiece under his Variant alias, The Setting Sun. As part of Echospace and also celebrated for his productions as Intrusion and Soultek, Hitchell is considered a leading light in dub techno, with the versatility in his sound to range from rhythmic, physical pulses to purely tonal, abyssal drone. His work as Variant, which debuted with The Setting Sun, capitalises on this scope to deliver a compelling ambient-with-teeth set richly deserving of a proper vinyl pressing.

The Setting Sun first emerged on Echospace as a download-only release. Hitchell was at pains to map out the tools that went into the sound on the album — field recordings of storms in Berlin, Germany and train rides in Narita, Japan, outboard synths and samplers. Crucially, he declared no computers were used, and it shows. When The Setting Sun was recorded, in-the-box production was largely dominating electronic music and the technology had yet to replicate the warmth and character of analogue equipment. Hitchell's looming chords come baked with harmonic overtones, surface noise becomes another essential layer and fragments of distortion add to the narrative of these glacial, monumental pieces.

Hitchell threads his dub techno tendencies in subtle ways, from the kick pattering underneath 'As Time Stood Still' to the quintessential metallic delay ripples that define 'A Silent Storm'. 'Someplace Else' has a defined, albeit delicate, rhythm section guiding its lighter shades of pads and chords. However, drums are never a dominant aspect of the music, simply another layer in an intentionally coagulated whole. At times, flickering tones hint at space where percussion once stood, since muted to leave the wet signal setting a new course for the sound, somewhere far beyond drum duties. The hushed ceremony of tracks like 'Adrift' are the perfect scenario in which to absorb these microfibres of detail, where the genius of Hitchell can truly be savoured.

In line with the limitations of record pressing and Hitchell's proclivity for long-form tracks, 'The Setting Sun' is reserved for the digital edition of this reissue. It's a logical move, as the sound palette widens to encompass tangible, organic instrumentation evolving over the best part of half an hour. The presence of piano keys feels stark in the Variant sound world, but Hitchell ably folds these coded elements into his process bathed in the same curious luminosity that lingers around all his work. Evolving at a painstaking pace, the plaintive humanity in the cascading keys and plucked guitar strings renders one of the most personal expressions in Hitchell's considerable canon — a unique piece that holds its own space comfortably, while also adding to the overall weight of The Setting Sun as a profound benchmark in a stellar discography.

Psychedelic dub, Afro-Latin rhythms and cosmic grooves come together on La Chooma’s self-titled debut for Batov Records. Drawing on Moroccan Gnawa, Colombian cumbia, Afrobeat, Jamaica dub & roots, and cosmic jazz, the six-piece ensemble create deep, hypnotic music rooted in global traditions and shaped for contemporary dancefloors.

Having already captivated local audiences with their hypnotic, organic live performances, La Chooma – now a six-piece ensemble – have been steadily building an international following. Initial singles “Magic Plant” and “Huachuma” earned support from tastemakers including BBC Radio 6 Music’s Deb Grant and Tom Ravenscroft.

“Magic Plant” distills the band’s signature blend of hypnotic grooves, lush percussion and woozy synths, like Jimi Tenor lost in the Colombian Amazon. A dreamlike, dub-infused trip driven by organic rhythm and cosmic textures. “Huachuma” picks up the thread, fusing Afrobeat percussion, swirling basslines and psychedelic flourishes into a hallucinogenic jam made for a tropical dancefloor.

The latest tape from Captured Visions offers up smoky, low-key deepness that is perfectly suited to the imperfections of the format. Arcade, aka Nathan Stephenson, opens up this compact but potent collection with 'Grace 01', a dreamy house sound for calm and reflection with a gentle smattering of toms and smeared chords soothing the soul. 'Grace 02' moves more but remains well below the surface, with liquid pads and cuddly kicks. '03' spins out into electro drum patterns with bleeping digital synths and crunchier hits, and '04' closes with ghostly chords that drift in and out of focus over a cavernous and dubby low end from late 90s Berlin.

When you notice the cheerful mystery playing with the synths, the edges of this small world start to look slightly distorted. In any era, someone is always creating mysterious music on their own. (7FO)

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Music in DNA is an album recorded in the early 1980s in New York City by Yasuhito Ohno, a young Japanese man breaking free from the constraints of his homeland. The album is a naive burst of outsider DIY enthusiasm, inspired by the multiple avant-garde movements of the era, in music, painting and performance, as well as the native energy of 80s NYC. Ohno channeled his youthful "edge" and zeal into open-minded lo-fi musical explorations using a mere two machines: the then-new technological glories of a four-track cassette recorder and that polyphonic synthesizer masterpiece, the Roland Juno-60; on several pieces he vocalizes. These seven tracks have a zestful, innocent, anything-goes charm, free from preciousness and self-consciousness: a raw and youthful human spirit at play in a new world. Ohno was also inspired by the humanistic promise of the general technological developments of the day, including DNA research, personal computing, and early computer graphics, an example of which can be found on the cover. Ohno later returned to Japan, becoming a renowned composer/producer. In an era of jaded cynicism, Music in DNA is a welcome taste of big-hearted innocence, a revival of a raw self. Available on CD/LP/Digital, with E/J liner notes.

Mark IJzerman’s debut album Flounder Maps sounds like wandering through a world that's both familiar and strange. Forests humming with electricity, machines that breathe. Warm synths drift into chaos, calm moments crack open into something urgent. It's about things growing, falling apart, becoming something else. Inspired by eco-fiction and near-future imaginings, it pulls you through landscapes that feel alive and uncertain. The album takes its name from navigating uncertain ground. Music for a world in flux.

Boutique-pressed 7" vinyls A-side: "Wonderin'" / B-side: "Dream"

Drawing influence from the likes of CAN, Faust, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and David Vorkhaus, Shakti Soundsystem traverses the borderlands of psychedelic rock, Krautrock, jazz fusion, and ritual improvisation. But this isn't a retro trip—this is future folklore.

Each track is a trance in motion, built on hypnotic basslines, spiraling melodies, and moments of ecstatic dissonance. The instrumentation is as unconventional as the process: Bulbul Tarang, modular synths, guitars, drums, and vocals that oscillate between invocation and surrender.



Their first singles have already made waves across tastemaker blogs and listener-curated Spotify playlists, includingNeo-Psychedelia, Psych Rock Melting Pot, Rock for when 26 King Gizzard albums aren't enoug and Psychedelic & Space Rock.

"Wonderin',"described by Analogue Trash (UK) as "an absorbing, psychedelic jam that thrives on hypnotic repetition and a raw, live energy,"introduced their trance-infused sound to a wider audience.
"Silver," hailed by RMAS (Mexico) as"a hypnotic journey between Krautrock and spoken word... a sonic delirium that recalls CAN and the free spirit of the European underground," cements their place in the modern psych scene.

TMAC returns with a raw Chicago house banger inspired by tape-deck tracks From the early days of house. One-sided cut with two mixes on colored wax, this joint delivers funky synths, hard-hitting drums, and peak dance floor pressure.

Regular contributor Vick Lavender returns to Cataleya Music for two lengthy stargazing jams. Each clock in at over 10 minutes, taking the listener on an extended musical journey. They combine Spiritual, Soulful and Jazzy House Esthetics with great results. Africanus is a moving composition with mystical melodies, thoughtful instrumentation and percussive layers. No Rhyme, No Reason offers powerful synths, mellow brass and in-step beats. Both Africanus and No Rhyme, No Reason are incredibly engaging pieces of music. The Esthetic EP is Vick Lavender’s most ambitious record on Cataleya Music so far. Listen and be rewarded!

Al Wahem (“The Illusion”) is the new full-length release by PRAED, the Swiss–Lebanese duo of Raed Yassin and Paed Conca. Recorded between Beirut and Berlin, the album returns to the group’s central aesthetic: a rhythm-driven weave of Egyptian shaabi, electronics, improvisation and the gritty pulse of street-level sound. Nearly twenty years into the project, PRAED have distilled their approach into four pieces that subtly shift the listener’s bearings, reordering grooves and fragments until familiar elements take on new identities.
The twenty-minute title track sets the tone. A tightly interlocking two-drum foundation from Pascal Semerdjian and Ayman Zebdawi shapes a structure that expands steadily: synth figures branch outward, clarinet and bass lines act as internal guideposts, and brief vocal calls from Yassin and guest singer Mayssa Jallad sit inside the texture rather than leading it. PRAED’s shaabi keyboard language is present, but the duo stretch it outward, building tension and movement through patient accumulation.

“Al Hathayan,” at 4:46, tightens the focus. Conca’s clarinet moves between melodic arcs and clipped rhythmic gestures, threading through electronic loops that surface and disappear. Zebdawi’s percussion adds a raw, tactile quality, placing acoustic patterns and electronics in direct conversation. The piece acts as a bridge between the album’s two long-form compositions.
Side B begins with “Al Maraya,” a thirteen-minute piece that relies on electronic, bass and clarinet interplay. The atmosphere nods to the breadth of PRAED Orchestra!, but remains anchored in the duo’s rhythmic foundations. Rather than building mass, the layering creates a sense of depth, as if new spaces were opening inside the groove.
The album closes with “Assarab,” featuring keyboardist Amr Said. Semerdjian and Zebdawi again form a dual percussive axis, while synths hover between melody and pulse, and themes recur in widening circles rather than building vertically. The porous boundary between electronic and acoustic sources — processed clarinet mistaken for a sequencer, rhythmic figures springing from live drums — is where the album’s theme of “illusion” shows itself most clearly.

Al Wahem follows a long arc: early releases on Annihaya, a key appearance on Ruptured Sessions Vol. 5 – Live at Radio Lebanon (2013), later albums on Akuphone, and the large-scale PRAED Orchestra! documented on Morphine Records. This new Ruptured/Annihaya co-release brings the duo back to a concentrated format, reorganizing their familiar materials with renewed clarity and intent.

POD & Edward Richards return with their second release on Kinetic Vision, the ‘Polar Phase’ EP, following their much lauded ‘SQZR’ EP. A landmark release for the label, ‘Polar Phase’ marks the first of a series of records to come. Set at a tempo of 100 BPM, the duo mix minimalism, broken beats, world music percussion and psychedelic synths to weave a tapestry of darkness, albeit more zen than melancholy.

The opening track ‘Mind Machine’ is propelled by a broken beat and flurry of hard hitting snares. A swirl of synths abound while a tribal incantation is whispered in the dark. The title track ‘Polar Phase’ takes us on a pulsing journey of techno hypnotism, with icy synths threatening deep underwater immersion. The B side ‘Flux Growth’ elicits an obscure playfulness with its punctuated kick and slowly building chaos. Finally the Sub Basics remix of ‘ Polar Phase’ lifts the tempo and we find ourselves in a bliss of pure dancefloor hedonism.

POD & Edward Richards have crafted a rich textural sound with slow paced hypnotic grooves, creating deep absorption for both DJ and listener alike.

One of the most innovative and ambitious albums ever made, Genioh Yamashirogumi’s Ecophony Rinne is a sonic masterpiece featuring over 200 musicians that expanded the limits of what music and sound could do.

Before Akira there was Ecophony Rinne. Originally released in 1986, Ecophony Rinne is a four-part symphony of “ecological music” by Geinoh Yamashirogumi that married ancient tradition with technological innovation, and changed the way we listen to music in the process.

Half-speed mastered at Abbey Road by Miles Showell, Time Capsule’s high-tech analogue reissue is the first to reproduce composer Ōhashi’s ground-breaking “Hypersonic Effect” theory on vinyl, cutting frequencies beyond the realm of human hearing into wax to capture the full spectrum emotional impact of this extraordinary work.

Founded by genius polymath Tsutomu Ōhashi aka Shoji Yamashiro, Geinoh Yamashirogumi is a shapeshifting collective of over a hundred members from across disciplines. Rejecting professional musicianship, Ōhashi cultivated an ethos where neuroscientists, psychologists, doctors, journalists, engineers and students could critique society through artistic expression and pursue their research in ethnomusicological performances that spanned global traditions, Eastern spirituality and Western classical form.

Ecophony Rinne represents the pinnacle of this vision - an expansive orchestral suite made with over 200 musicians that channeled Ōhashi’s thinking about mankind’s relationship with nature, and fundamental questions of life, death and rebirth.

Here pipe organ synths made from sampled Tibetan horns sit alongside field recordings from Central African forests, Buddhist mantras circle dummy head microphones, Javanese Jegog percussion ensembles pulse like verdant ecosystems, and the acoustics of temples, caves and landscapes are conveyed in the mix. Weaving together culture, nature and technology, it is a record that vibrates with the polyphony of life on Earth.

But Ecophony Rinne was not only musically innovative. Noticing the difference between vinyl and CD versions of the album where digital reproduction limited the sound, Ōhashi developed a theory of “Hypersonic Effect”, determining that ultra-high frequencies above 20khz can impact human perception even if they are inaudible. At once a physical and a psychological experience, to listen to Ecophony Rinne is to feel music differently.

The rest is history. After its release, Ōhashi was approached by director Katsuhiro Ōtomo to produce the soundtrack for Akira, the work for which Geinoh Yamashirogumi is best known. Emerging from the shadows at last, Ecophony Rinne was its transcendental blueprint, reissued in its most complete hypersonic form on vinyl for the first time.

Rather than describe nature, Ecophony Rinne embodied it. Rather than reflect culture, Ecophony Rinne defined it. Rather than explore technology, Ecophony Rinne changed it. As a work of art, it is more relevant than ever. You won’t have heard anything like it.

Meticulously assembled from a good 15 years' worth of source material, Cong Burn boss John Howes' second Paperclip Minimiser transmission proliferates its predecessor's network of turn-of-the-millennium aesthetics and concepts, bringing us closer to the lost future promised by the mid-digital age. If the debut album rooted itself in 2006, using an era-specific rig to activate its vintage Winamp-ready sound, 'II' pushes the clock forward just a little, recycling an unreleased album that Howes engineered in various locations across the north of England, starting way back in 2011. Working quickly and methodically with his homebrewed "DIY DAW" system, Howes improvised live using the record's bank of sounds, transforming the skittering bio-electronic rhythms, bitcrushed modem whines and inclement Lancs soundscapes into a suite of sleek, bass heavy steppers.

Howes has refined his setup and process over the years to function as an antithesis of contemporary production logic, a system that he can use easily to retreat from the excessive layering, overdubbing and editing that plagues modern electronic music. With only limited separate channels in each track, 'II' sounds both archaic and strangely novel. Showing respect to the early days of techno, when stone-cold classics were jammed out live using just a drum machine, a sampler and a couple of synths, Howes simultaneously acknowledges the promise of the transition to a digital future, as nascent algorithmic technology began to rehydrate stale rhythmic and melodic patterns. Fabricating its wrinkled cyberpunk landscape from shovelware blips and whines, spacious environmental echoes and lustrous, plasticky FM hits, 'II' is dense but never congested. It's a reminder that bass music thrives when it's given the room it needs to breathe.

2026 Repress

Berlin's Scheermann debuts on Mutual Rytm with deeply personal EP, 'Viciosa'.

Scheermann is at the heart of the Berlin underground as a DJ/producer, but also working behind the scenes at the Intakt Berlin vinyl pressing plant, where he first met Mutual Rytm founder SHDW. As a resident of the Lorem Ipsum party series, he delivers cultured and compelling grooves, and is also an active member of the Wesertekk collective - supporting and pushing club culture to the forefront in more rural areas. His music comes from a deeply personal place, never chasing hype or headlines, and is usually found at home on his own imprint, SAMMLER. This new EP marks his first appearance away from the label as he unveils a collection of records crafted over five years, with each track representing different moments in his life.

'Viciosa' kicks off with paranoid vocals panning about as swinging, warehouse-ready drums pound heavily below. The gritty synth craft adds plenty of texture as filters build the vibe. 'Placid Sin' is even more intense with unresolved synths tripping you in a loopy state while coarse percussion and cantering drums march on. 'Don't Care' is a rave-ready cut that injects your soul with urgent synth energy over more minimal and moody drums. 'Kano' brings a more elastic rhythm with dubby undercurrents and sleek sonar pulses infusing it with mystery, while 'Reika' is a nimble cut with icy hi hats and curious synth notes layering in late night suspense. First digital bonus 'Resoclap' is a heavyweight swinger with dark, groaning voices, before the second digital bonus 'Mizu' provides a speedy and supple workout for body and mind.

Scheermann 'Viciosa' lands on Mutual Rytm on 22nd August 2025.

The ‘Haris – Fourtrack EP’ marks the debut release from Shimmy, a new reissue label with a sharp ear for overlooked gems. Originally released 25 years ago and long coveted on Discogs, this sought-after EP finally returns to the shelves, breathing new life into a classic of the tech house underground.

Haris made his mark in the late ’90s and early 2000s with releases on iconic labels like Oblong and his own imprint, Laus Records, collaborating with scene heavyweight, Terry Francis. Renowned for his mastery of rolling, groove-led tech house, Haris crafted a sound that remains timeless and endlessly playable.

Each of the four tracks delivers a distinct flavour for different dancefloor moments, offering real depth and versatility across the EP. Expect snappy tribal percussion, eerie synths, haunting vocals and deep, driving basslines - all the essential ingredients for a late-night shimmy.

2026 Repress

Lars Huismann returns to Mutual Rytm as he delivers the second instalment of his "Sounds From The Past" trilogy on the label.

As SHDW & Obscure Shape's Mutual Rytm imprint continues to grow, it's clear that the DJ and producer pairing have a strong vision for the label and are building an equally impressive roster of artists to form the imprint's core family members. One of the early standouts is Lars Huismann, who arrived to deliver a selection of impactful offerings influenced by the "golden years" of techno in his own unique style crafted by various production techniques. Having featured on the label's opening VA and delivered the first EP for MR002, racking up a wealth of global support in the process, mid-November welcomes a return for the Berlin-based talent as he serves up six fresh cuts in his signature sound for "Sounds From The Past II".

Opener "Sounds From The Past II" is an action-packed title cut fusing typically slick rolling grooves with hazy melodies and atmospheric releases of tension, while "Propulsion" takes cues from its title and sees precise drum shots, echoed background vocals and a tunnelling groove taking the track right into the thick of the action.

On the flip, B1 "Loucura" brings a percussive workout as frantic organic drums and resonant brass melodies bring a party
to proceedings, with "Stroke" and "Nudge" both armed with tough kicks, zipping synths and more subtle vocal work.

Digital buyers get an extra exclusive in the form of "Dub Division", welcoming a slightly more subdued but equally as impactful track guided by dubby chords and peppy hi-hats to close the show.

As Nathan Fake rises from the nocturnal subterranea and rave catharsis of his previous records, on Evaporator, he resurfaces into the domain of daylight, bringing a tangible sense of air rushing against your face, of big skies, and endless landscapes. The idea of pop accessibility that trickled into 2023’s Crystal Vision is refracted here through the prism of sweeping ambient, deep electronica, and trance uplift. Evaporator is Fake’s idea of “airy daytime music”, with each track a different barometer reading across the album’s varying atmospheres, which range from vibrant sunbursts, bracing rainscapes, and fine mists of clement melodics. “It’s not overtly confrontational electronic club music,” states Fake. “It’s quite pleasant, it’s accessible. As I was progressing through making the tracklist, I called it a daytime album. It doesn’t feel like an afterparty album.” For the past decade Fake has been gingerly introducing collaborations with heroes and friends alike into his lone, idiosyncratic working process. Border Community alumni Dextro AKA Ewan Mackenzie transmutes his ferocious drumming for Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs into the blurred choral thump of ‘Baltasound’. ‘Orbiting Meadows’, meanwhile, is his second collaboration with Clark, an eerily idyllic duet where microtonal 18EDO piano clangs slowly twirl around wailing pads. Evaporator marks the junction point of old technology and ever fresh creativity for Nathan. The trusty “dinosaur” age software, particularly Cubase VST5, that has powered two decades of music is rarely updated. “I used to sort of feel a bit ashamed of using such old software, and then I kind of had an epiphany – that’s just how I work”, comments Fake. “That’s just how I play. I’m very fond of these old tools, and I get the most joy out of them, but now I’ve incorporated new technology too.” When an artist accumulates so much synergy with their instrument, music making becomes instinctual. By Fake’s account, much of Evaporator just fell into place. The album title arrived randomly in his head (“it felt completely perfect. Airy.”), ideas looped and developed until things locked into place and just felt right. ‘The Ice House’ is a fleeting glimpse of the sonic world he taps into in this creative state, its glassy FM synths built around a counterpoint between rough-hewn crystalline arpeggios and sparse yet gravitas-bearing bass. “That riff I just wrote out on the keyboard, I just played it forever and ever and ever. The original track ended up being really short. Here you go, and it’s gone!” These unplanned channellings of sound call forth records from Fake’s past while he looks ahead, perhaps getting at the very essence of his musicianship. The opener ‘Aiwa’ (“the breeziest,” he muses) reminds of the introspection that characterised Providence, excited by the fire and grit of Steam Days’ textural experiments, its chunky slams and clatters surging into a flood of harmonic buzzing as they reach out for old wisdom. ‘Hypercube’ stampedes in a similar chronological confluence, infusing an incessant synth line reminiscent of the golden age of rave with the crackling, ecstatic energy of modern festival anthems. Like the vaporisation of liquid to particles, everything that Evaporator presents has a mutant desire to be amorphous. Sounds rarely settle; the irradiated garage beat of ‘Bialystok’ is pitched downwards to driving, rebounding effect, while ‘You’ll Find a Way’ warps static into shivering energy, cinematic synth strings building anticipation into a gradual gush of chords. This translates into a more expansive stereo field than Fake has explored before. ‘Slow Yamaha’ saves the wildest, most kinetic transformations for last with a cornucopia of crispy melodies and fried drums; a sibilance of cymbals on the left, a susurrus of shakers on the right, and kaleidoscopic lasers pulsing and fizzing all around. Evaporation culminating in pure excited atoms. In a world where music has increasingly become background content, making albums remains lifeblood for Fake: “It makes me realise how long; twenty years is ages! It’s weird to see how much the world has changed. Release day back then you did fuck all, now you spend all day on socials. When I grew up the people who made the electronic music I was into were quite mysterious, and the artwork was very abstract. There was a massive distance between you and that music, and that was a key part of it, really. Now it helps to be an extrovert, and I'm just not, but the album marks the first time my face has graced the cover art. I’ve never wanted to do this before, I'm very shy, and generally I don’t like being seen,” he professes. “But, twenty years in, I supposed I could try something new. I'm very lucky that I'm somehow surviving in this world, where the media world favours extroverts and interesting looking people. It’s not my world but somehow I’m still in it.” Evaporator continues to prove Nathan’s necessary presence, with some of his most engaging, varied, and magical music yet.

Melodize is bringing the world back on the dance floor with Lauer and his 4-track “K1m Fantasy” EP. Behind the label is Brooklyn-based DJ and musician Beartrax, who is known for his groovy yet moody compositions. Philipp Lauer, known as Lauer, is a true veteran in the electronic music sphere, with over 20 years of experience, yet his sound remains novel and fresh.

This time, Melodize and Lauer shape the world of a fantasy dance floor where everything is possible. “K1m Fantasy” starts with Lauer letting his confidence shine through as an experienced professional with a signature sound in the first track “Boss Electro”, which will inevitably showcase why he’s the boss.

The playful tune of “Rabbits” takes the listener on a journey through electro-induced synths much like the image of curious rabbits playing on a grass field. The eponymous B-side “K1m Fantasy,” with its steadily unfolding mellow soundscape, is an introspective piece exploring the fantastical world of the techno dance floor where all becomes one.

Lauer’s last treat is “Choirs,” where brassy exclamations take turns with a haunting choir of electronic voices, reminding us that unity is key to pleasure and existence.

The upcoming release scheduled for 2026 is made by the Irish London-based artist Cherrie Bea. Emerging electronic artist carving out a distinct space in the UK scene with thoughtful, deep and atmospheric productions that blend house, ambient textures and soulful guitar work. Their debut EP Jafar’s 21st introduced a warm, late-night sound that’s already earned support from underground tastemakers and NTS. Their latest release, Pearlescent, highlights Cherrie Bea’s playful, experimental edge, a collection of carefully crafted tracks that invite listeners to feel, interpret and experience the music in their own way Cherrie Bea stands as a reserved and introspective figure within the electronic scene, serves as a true statement piece, live instrumentation, ethereal synths, processed vocals, and dense harmonies wrapped in a late-night / early-morning atmosphere. The forthcoming “Pearlescent” EP, released on Series of Taboo, fully embraces that mindset: 4 tracks blending house, funk, and a touch of electro.

Patience moonlights as one of the most underworked muscles of the modern human. Time meanders at the same pace as always but yet everyone seems to be living their lives as through they are stretching it out like elastic jelly through their fingertips, ignoring the virtue necessary to ride each moment. At the end of patience always lies a reward. DJ Teeth, a veteran disciple of time, presents a sonic palette to Kasra V's V-Sion imprint that is for only the most determined. Symphonic synths and acid swells ebb and flow, vocal samples move like auditory hieroglyphics scrawled on cave walls, and other hidden messages appear, but only for those who wait. Patience will be rewarded.

Fuzzy Bears offers a forward-thinking and immersive listening experience that pushes the boundaries of jazz and electronics — equal parts experimental laboratory and live concert. On stage, the adventure takes its most daring form. Instead of relying on the original vintage synths, the trio reinterprets the studio’s electronic textures with a streamlined setup designed for live performances.

The songs of this exciting experiment are collected on a self-titled album, to be released on March 20th 2026 via Marcel Records. First single 'The Happy Are Being Born' is out on January 8th.

credits
Fulco Ottervanger: Synths, Piano - Harmonic and Melodic info
Lieven Van Pée: Synths, Bass - Low-end info, Mastering
Simon Segers: Synths, Percussion - Rhythmical info
Peter Desmedt: Serge Patching & Sound processing, Recording & Mixing
Special Thanks: Rikkert Brok & Hans Kulk
Recorded at Willem Twee Studios, ‘s Hertogenbosch
Mixed at Studio Ledeberg, Gent

Detroit's Big Strick for his 7 Days Entertainment label has assembled of collection of Motor City leaning sounds from local and international artists here across four vital sides of wax. Generation Next opens with taught, pinging kicks and tinny melodies on deep house gem 'Senza Via D'Uscita' then Flabaire from Paris brings more bleeping sci-fi synths to a churning and dubbed out low end. Big Strick himself layers in electrically charged, fizzing synths and ticking hi-hats to his raw and gritty 'Bang My Shit' and Ron Cook ups the pace with the blissed out bumps of heady hymn, 'Again And Again.' Pegasvs from London also stands out with his great drum programming on '808 Jazz'.

Rom Com is the debut album from Disco In Sochi; a Liverpoolborn duo injecting full-throttle glam rock theatrics into modern pop. Built on strutting guitars, neon synths, & unapologetically huge hooks, their sound is loud, glossy, and engineered for the spotlight. Drawing from the lineage of glam’s excess and pop’s instinct for spectacle, Disco in Sochi trade subtlety for swagger. Their songs are designed to hit hard and fast — all attitude, amplification, and choruses made to be yelled back from the front row. It’s music that treats the stage like a catwalk. Disco in Sochi make pop music for outsiders who dress loud, move louder, and don’t believe in playing it cool. Equal parts flash and force, they arrive with the confidence of a band ready to turn volume into a statement.

For their fourth release, Australian label Lunatic Music welcomes Chris Stoker (UK) and Jamie Blanco (UK born, AUS based) to the fray for a dubbed out analogue synth workout that is indisputably Ess O Ess.
Fusion unfolds in Simply Nothing. Analogue synths intertwine with exquisitely programmed percussion and George Humes' chorus-drenched, draped in a veil of spectral vocals by Sarah-May Brown. The result is a retro-futuristic sonic whirlpool that is as memorable as it is delicate.
A waterfall forms in The Lotus & The Banksman. An otherworldly mutant breakbeat techno floor filler. Ethereal pads and dubby textures ripple across the surface whilst the resonant bassline churns below. Gentle currents give way to surging momentum as the percussion kicks in wth the repetitive chant of Time Travelling Man throughout, again by Sarah-May Brown.
On Remix duties, Hybrid Man applies their refined proto-trance formula to Simply Nothing, drawing out its hypnotic core.
Mayurashka fractures The Lotus & The Banksman, sifts through the pieces, and assembles a mind-melting, wonky techno drum work-out from the fragments.

Scopeotaku’s latest is a continuation of themes he explored in System Failure. Mutating into darker dimensions, influenced by recent world events. reality error is steeped in strangled synths, tape hiss and distorted echoes. Featuring crushed low-tech rhythms and recordings inspired by science fiction B-movies. Scopeotaku seizes the means of production with full on DiY approach. Setting out to soundtrack a dystopian society that has lost touch with the soul of humanity. A world where corporate greed and disruptive extremist views amplified by echo chambers soaked in misinformation drown the voices of reason and compassion. Within this murky swamp however lies a glimmer of light and hope for us all to not accept the future but to shape it.

50 DiY tapes with download code included.

Recorded in Glasgow

2026 Repress

Turbotito and Ragz's electrifying Naya Beat label has curated a cultured list of remixers to add their spin to the work of legendary Indian vocalist Asha Puthli. This essential remix album features Yuksek, Maurice Fulton, Psychemagik, Kraak & Smaak, Jitwam, and Turbotito & Ragz.

Naya Beat, which translates from Hindi as 'new beat', is focused on uncovering foundational electronic sounds from the subcontinent and South Asian diaspora through reissues, remixes and compilations. It found quick success with its first release, 'Naya Beat Volume 1: South Asian Dance and Electronic Music 1983 - 1992', followed by a rare 1985 Hindi New Wave album by Pinky Ann Rihal and more recently a ground-breaking compilation ‘Awaaz’ uncovering Bollywood electro and leftfield 80s original soundtrack recordings.

Hot off their highly sought after EP of Dimitri From Paris’ seminal remixes of Asha Puthli’s iconic track ‘Space Talk’, the label now offers up the first of two full-length releases based around her music. Cosmic disco pioneer, Studio 54 icon and jazz improviser Asha Puthli has recorded, sung or shared the stage with the likes of Roy Ayers, Alice Coltrane, Grace Jones, Barry White, Andy Warhol and many more. From David Mancuso's The Loft, to Giorgio Moroder's early work with Donna Summer, to hip-hop where she has been sampled extensively, Asha's musical influence and impact is profound. She was the first artist of South Asian descent to successfully crossover and make a mark on dance, jazz and pop culture in the West.

For this LP, Naya Beat tracked down the long mythologised original stems and recordings of Puthli's most seminal albums, including ‘The Devil is Loose’, and working closely with Asha, they have tasked a series of producers inspired by her work to remix her music.
Yuksek opens up with a pumping disco remix of 'I Am Song (Sing Me)' awash with uplifting synths and big claps next to the original vocals, which soar to the heavens. The seminal 'Space Talk' is remixed by Maurice Fulton into super steamy and late-night territory. The live drums and jumbled percussion are lit up with soulful chords as Puthli's carefully delivered vocals seduce up top. 'Lies' (Kraak & Smaak Remix) rides on fat-bottomed drums and bass that unfold with a dub swagger beneath a nebulous eco-system of cosmic synths and dramatic vocals. Label heads Turbotito & Ragz flip 'One Night Affair' into a leggy disco celebration with sweeping synths and bright effects, and Psychemagik's 'Right Down Here' is a pulsating mix of dark, snaking bass and drums with deep space ambience and raw hits making for a turbulent and tense atmosphere. Lastly, Jitwam closes out with a smooth disco sound laced with dynamic drums and cruising chords next to another sensuous top line from Asha Puthli.

Eine Stadt voller Flimmern. Ein Herz voller Sehnsucht. Und ein Sound, der sich weigert zu verschwinden. Nachdem Andreas Kraemer mit seinen Synthpop-Versionen von Nightshift und See My Dream sowie dem gefeierten Remix zu PLEXIPHONES – In The Unreal die Radiostationen im Sturm erobert hat, meldet sich sein Synthwave-Projekt AuraWave zurück – und erhebt sich mit RISE auf ein neues, strahlendes Level!

Dies ist kein Album - Dies ist ein Aufbruch! Zehn Tracks, pulsierend wie Neonadern, schimmernd wie die Nächte einer Stadt, die niemals schläft. Zwischen Melancholie, futuristischem Glanz und der unendlichen Suche nach Licht im Dunkel. Vom aufsteigenden Titeltrack Rise, über das treibende Run Into the Dark,die verregnete Großstadtromantik von Whispers in the Rain,bis hin zur hypnotischen Tiefe von Ghosts Never Sleep und der verführerischen Dunkelheit von Poison Lips – jeder Song erzählt einen eigenen Moment eines Films, der sich direkt in dein Gedächtnis einbrennt. Synths schweben, Drums pulsieren, und irgendwo zwischen Erinnerung und Zukunft öffnet sich ein neonfarbenes Tor in eine andere Welt

Far from being a nostalgic exercise, the record reasserts their daring artistry, merging legacy and rebirth. Known for melodic minimalism, elegant melancholy, and pulsing electronics, the band has often been compared to Depeche Mode, New Order, or Joy Division, yet their singular identity has always set them apart. On this new album, they reinvent their sonic language, blending vintage synths with classical textures and luminous modern production. The result is a sensory journey where light and shadow converse, where poetry meets pulse, reaffirming their timeless relevance. Their influence extends across genres: sampled by Madlib, reinterpreted by Tricky, reimagined by Theophilus London, and remixed by DJs such as Marcel Dettmann. Tributes, reissues, and appearances in cinema and fashion underscore their resonance, from Lucie Borleteau's Chanson Douce movie to catwalks by Chloe.

Born in Marseille in the early 1980s and led by Alain Seghir alongside Catherine Loy , Brigitte Balian , and Beverley Jane Crew , Martin Dupont left a mythic legacy with tracks like ' Inside Ou't and 'Just Because...' before dissolving in 1987. Rediscovered through Minimal Wave reissues, their music captivated a new generation of underground and electronic enthusiasts. Today, Martin Dupont are reborn. Seghir and Crew, joined by Sandy Casado, Thierry Sintoni, and Olivier Leroy, embark on a world tour that affirms their unique ability to move and inspire. You Smile When It Hurts proves that their visionary sound has never been more alive

Oinimod Records proudly presents its first-ever vinyl release, Gravity EP, a statement of intent rooted in deep grooves, timeless house aesthetics, and club-driven energy.

Written and produced by Duccio Lopresto, Gravity EP delivers two original cuts that explore different shades of House music, complemented by a powerful remix from Gearmaster, one of Estonia's most respected House talents.

“Gravity” opens the EP with a deep and groovy House journey inspired by the classic Detroit House legacy. A strong rhythmic foundation drives hypnotic acid lines and rich, expressive synths, creating a track that is both raw and elegant, built for the dancefloor yet deeply musical.

“Mirage” reveals a more dreamy and introspective atmosphere. This Deep House track flows with a timeless rhythm, warm grooves, and relaxing yet melodic elements, offering a soulful and immersive listening experience that transcends trends.

Closing the EP, Gearmaster delivers a pure Club House banger remix of Gravity, reinterpreting the original material with precision and power. Tight rhythms, infectious groove, and a modern club sensibility turn the remix into a peak-time weapon, showcasing Gearmaster’s unmistakable touch and deep understanding of the dancefloor.

Gravity EP marks the beginning of Oinimod Records’ vinyl journey — a release that bridges classic influences and contemporary House music, crafted for DJs, collectors, and true House music lovers.

Doug Gomez is one of NYC's esteemed Afro-Latin and deep house tastemakers and he delivers a formidable follow-up to his last outing with 'Signals '2 on Merecumbe Recordings. This first volume in the collector's series offers four club-ready cuts that showcase Gomez's refined rhythmic vocabulary. The A-side opens with the irresistibly funky 'Get Down,' while the flip features Tedd Patterson's coveted edit of 'Baby Powda' which is a percussion-driven peak-time weapon. Gomez then teams with South Africa's Lukamusic on 'My Life in the Sunshine,' a lush, Roy Ayers-inspired groove awash in synths and muted trumpet. Already championed by heavyweights like Louie Vega and DJ Spinna, this one is a no-brainer.

Music From Memory is thrilled to present ‘Aquáticos’, a captivating new record from Los Angeles producer Eddie Ruscha and Brazilian guitarist Fabiano Do Nascimento. Blending Nascimento’s expressive, Afro-samba and choro-inflected guitar with Ruscha’s cosmic, groove-driven sound, ‘Aquáticos’ marks the start of a vibrant musical partnership—an organic, free-spirited collaboration full of interplay and vitality.

Conceived during the early 2020’s, ‘Aquáticos’ grew from a series of recording sessions in which the music unfolded naturally, in a state of effortless flow. Album opener ‘Nascer,’ the very first piece they recorded, captures such a moment perfectly: Nascimento’s 7- and 10-string nylon guitars weave seamlessly with Ruscha’s modular synths, drum machines, and vintage keyboards. Like much of Ruscha’s work under Secret Circuit and E Ruscha V, it is rich in lush, rhythmic textures—pulsing and bubbling with vibrant energy.

The initial session that produced the opening track set the tone for the record, establishing a template of intuitive interplay and musical freedom. Each subsequent session built upon the last, gradually shaping ‘Aquáticos’ across nine tracks, all characterized by melodic richness, rhythmic depth, and an unshakable sense of spontaneity.

‘Aquáticos’ pulls the listener gently into a celebration of musical conversation — a radiant, immersive journey where Ruscha and Nascimento’s instruments breathe together, echoing the joy, curiosity, and playful spirit that define their collaboration.

Sleeve art and design by Michael Willis.

Eight years have passed since 8 regards obliques, the album in which Jaumet reinvented his spiritual jazz classics, letting them drift into other dimensions. Since then, an intense tour alongside Thomas de Pourquery and a new recording adventure with Zombie Zombie have taken him on the road. Yet it is in the inspiring calm of his brand-new studio in Bagnolet that he found the material for Du cortex à l’iris, his new album recorded for his label Versatile Records. Du cortex à l’iris continues this delicate balance that defines Jaumet’s signature: a constant tension between hypnotic abstraction and an almost animal groove. "To reduce the distance between my cortex and my senses, in order to compose mental images with sounds," he says. This intention runs through the entire album: a desire to make people dance, yes, but with echoes of EBM, bursts of cinematic landscapes, and that singular way of slowly inducing trance rather than declaring it. Saxophone, synths, analog drum machines: the arsenal remains familiar, but the approach is even more direct. Playing fast, composing in the moment, letting the hand run before the mind corrects. Capturing something primal, spontaneous, almost raw – as if the sound were really passing, this time, directly from the cortex to the iris.

B. Chamber (Stratum A), by B. Close, is the first full length solo release by Los Angeles-based multi-disciplinary artist Brian Close. The first of two volumes assembled from some thirteen hours of music produced by Close while residing in Connecticut from 2021-2025, B. Chamber (Stratum A) offers a vivid, fractal afterimage of a prolific, specific time and space in the artist’s oeuvre.

After leaving New York City early in the pandemic to a farmhouse in the countryside with dedicated spaces for multiple sound stations, Close developed an intensive daily practice of melding with the machines. The vast, pastoral backdrop of rural CT provided inspiration and contrast for his ongoing investigations into dynamic, poly-rhythmic electronic music. The sounds on B. Chamber (Stratum A) range from the machine-modeling of acoustic instruments and natural environments to the utterly unhuman, spinning on the axis between crystalline, pointillist precision and shifty blown-cone distortion. Close’s atypical interpretations of rhythm, noise and other undefined musics land in a hybrid zone of their own.

Throughout B. Chamber (Stratum A), Close’s productions are in perpetual motion. Foxtrot’s shifting hi-hats and disembodied voices rise like cicadas propelled by glitching machines and tangled rhythms, Many Drive draws momentum from dubby stabs and twinkling atmospherics. Character Community’s nimble, drifting snares and erratic static are uplifted by swelling synths, and Mpan’s modular mining forgoes drums but is no less propulsive for it. Acre Voices’ seasick pads and deft drum patterns tap an energizing nerve, and closer 5D Bow’s ambush of pummeling machine gun fire spirals into the tryptamine palace and emerges completely rinsed and refreshed.

Equally powerful in the club as in the outdoors, in the headphones eyes closed or on the move, B. Chamber (Stratum A) grants an immersive temporary trip on B. Close’s unique wavelength, with Stratum B to complete the picture in the summer of 2026.

RIYL - Mark Fell, muay thai, Vladislav Delay, gaming, Errorsmith, modular synthesizer.

+++++

Brian Close (b. 1979, NYC) uses the cold logic of mathematics to trigger states of total sensory displacement. Close co-founded multiple AV studios to explore the "hypnotic"—a ritualistic practice of motional-graphism and improvisational sound. His work is a study in synesthesia and the architecture of trance, using geometric precision to dissolve the sense of time. It is a digital-visceral experience built on heavy logic, designed for large-scale immersion and timelessness.

Close is one half of Georgia who have released records on Palto Flats, Firecracker Recordings, Meakusma, Youth, OOH-Sounds and EM Records, and have a long-running residency on NTS.

B. Chamber was written, produced and mixed by Brian Close.
Mastered by Rashad Becker.
Artwork by Brian Close.

ZHERAV unleashes hypnotic Middle Eastern grooves on NAJA / BAZAAR 45 for Batov’s highly collectable 45 series.

New Zealand-based producer ZHERAV announces his debut release, NAJA / BAZAAR, a double single and 45 on Batov’s Middle Eastern Grooves series. The record fuses psychedelic rock, hypnotic rhythms, and electronic production influences, creating a sound that moves between swung grooves and cinematic, reverb-soaked textures.

ZHERAV draws from his background in house and techno, layering live guitar, bass, and synths over programmed drums. “I had a production template for house music on Ableton” he explains, “and I thought about how to switch to this Middle Eastern sound using the same format”. Most of ZHERAV’s tracks developed through improvisation - starting with programmed drums, then experimenting around scales on instruments until something works. ZHERAV has already received support from independent radio in Australia and New Zealand, and encouragement from international artists like Ko Shin Moon.

Both tracks explore Middle Eastern scales, bringing a distinct flavour to the grooves, while maintaining ZHERAV’s signature hypnotic layered sound. ZHERAV had something in mind related to snakes and their charmers when creating the A-side, NAJA (“Indian Cobra”). An ominous bassline loops repeatedly over snapping drums and percussion, whilst ZHERAV improvises guitar riffs and effects over the top.

Belgian artist, label boss and DJ, End-jy, glances back at one of his most revered releases to date, the 2003 ‘Red Alert’ EP, originally released on Lupp Records it marked a defining moment, earning widespread support from scene-shaping artists including Carl Cox, Tiësto, Marco Bailey, Dave Clarke and Mark Broom. Long regarded as a personal milestone, the track now returns in renewed form on the artist’s own label as MV08. This forthcoming EP revisits the original with fresh perspective, featuring a powerful remix from Pig&Dan alongside a newly reworked version by Dimitri Andreas and the artist himself, bridging the track’s enduring legacy with a contemporary evolution.

Pig&Dan take the reins first, extracting fragments of the original version of ‘Red Alert’ and reshaping them into a dub tinged, deep techno cut fuelled by circling synth stabs, robust percussion, tension building atmospherics and a driving bottom end. Following on is ‘Red Alert’ (Dimitri Andreas & End-jy 2026 Remix), the pair lay down a deeper, more hypnotic and minimalist interpretation courtesy of crisp, stripped-down drums and oscillating resonant synth flutters underpinned by the original’s dark, dubby aesthetic.

The original version of ‘Red Alert’ opens the flip side, capturing the essence of the underground at the turn of the millennium, the track fuses, gritty stabs with organic percussive elements, hypnotic siren like synths and a subtly evolving feel throughout.

‘Flexibeat’ then concludes the release, a composition that veers into the realms of early Detroit techno and electro via an amalgamation of twitchy synth pops, cinematic strings, saturated 808 drums and murky bass tones.

Already Supported by Jamie Jones, Calao, Amé, Marco Faraone, Timo Maas, Nick Varon, Steve Parry, Just Her, Dax J, Perc, Massimiliano Pagliara, Alex Neri.

Siren Selector presents the first voyage of Remy Solar, as the producer takes a break from composing sound system exclusive dubs to expand his horizons with this by-turns lush, textured, menacing and plaintive album.

‘Heavy Terrain’ emerges from the depths of a lifetime inside the dub fraternity: reared on a potent diet of Lee Scratch Perry and Augustus Pablo, The Disciples and Digital Mystikz, it’s an album which stuck its head in a bass bin in an abandoned bingo hall in north London before striking out on a musical road-trip to imbibe sounds and rhythms from further afield.

The album opens with the militant drums and ethereal pads of 'Sound in the East' before being bookended by two mixes of 'Star Trail', where unformed musical space and time cross uncharted distances to coalesce into the beginning of direction and rhythm. The lush deep house chords and drilling synths of 'Lila #3' summon ghostly presences, while in its counterpart 'Lila #7' layers of melody rise and hang like mist before dissipating in percussive heat. 'Dakhla's’ swelling and retreating drones fade into swirls of drums. In the eponymous 'Heavy Terrain', off-beat keyboard chops respond to each other from uncertain depths while electronic horns pulse across miles of open space. 'Empty City 'sees walls of sound coalesce and fragment, falling into bursts of white noise.

Remy Solar explores a deliberately constrained hardware set-up to create the primordial conditions of trance, locking down a rhythmic foundation while semi-improvised excursions form and reform above it. It’s an album that takes the listener on a journey between order and chaos, past and future, all the while underlaid by a counterpoint of cavernous bass lines and echoing percussion, yang and yin, shade and light.

Cataleya Music follow up their debut from Vick Lavender with Let Me Show You from Zephan aka Cool Affair. The Johannesburg based producer has been making music since 2006. The Prince of Broken Beats has a Jazz background, evident in his music released as Cool Affair and Zephan. Let Me Show You has a magical melody, icy chords and textured percussion. Cool Affair's vocals add an extra dimension. Alongside the original, we get a 'Galactic Soul Remix' from the legendary DJ Spinna. The Brooklyn born producer needs little introduction, at home with Hip Hop, House and everything in between. On this remix, Spinna opts for swaying synths and flips the keys. This remix complements Zephan's original perfectly. After only two releases, Sweden's Cataleya Music show they are an imprint to watch.

Audial is a party in Leeds that has made great moves in recent times and has become an essential night out for those who like heady underground sounds. It now takes the natural next step by branching out with a new label and a fresh VA to kick it off. City mainstay Keefy G serves up the first cut 'After Diz' - a raw, gritty garage house slammer with naughty bass. Joejoemojo's 'Moneymaker' spins out on dusty breaks and warped low ends that bring the filth and on the flip Kerouac drops the late night and eerie tech of 'Broken' with bleepy synths and sultry spoken words. Geeson3003 shuts down with a rework of a Streets classic that hits hard with a UKG twist.

Diagonale des Yeux is the new band formed by two of France’s admired and adventurous artists. Laurène Exposito, we know as EYE, our longest regular contributor to the label — and friend Théo Delaunay, member and producer of Parasite Jazz, panoptique, De Klok & Violent Quand On Aime.

In Knekelhuis we have a particular fondness for artistic outputs that resist easy categorisation, and Diagonale des Yeux inhabits precisely that kind of territory.

Every aspect of the project is DIY/homemade. Their world drifts along the fringes of cabaret, strange 1980s French underground pop music to contemporary lo-fi scene — evoking the spirit of Nini Raviolette and The Residents — while delivering beautifully written songs that lodge themselves in your head almost immediately like a Cindy Lee ballad.

The tracks on Madeleine squeak and creak, wobbling on fragile hinges before suddenly opening onto moments of pure beauty.

Drums and guitars follow up synths and electronic percussions captured on tape between living rooms, studios and a concert space.

The band has a kink for choirs and playfully uses diverse languages. Their lyrics emerge through a homemade, patented four-hands cadavre exquis (Exquisite Corpse) process, where chance and dialogue shape meaning as much as intention.

Diagonale des Yeux is a singular project — equally strange and irresistibly pop-leaning. Music like weeds pushing through pavement cracks and, against all odds, turning into flowers.

Dream Ticket is back with revved-up snarling electro from Barcelona: the grinding circuitry of synths pushed to their limits, highs that slice the air, the squeal of tires on tarmac right before impact. Watch out fugitives, The Future Corporation is on your tail.

Italo Deviance aka Marcello Giordani returns with the captivating "Purple Galaxy", a standout Electro/Cosmic gem crafted exclusively with warm analog synths, delivering an impeccable blend of vintage futurism and hypnotic groove. On the flip side, the previously unreleased "Weightless" makes its vinyl debut: a sleek Acid/Disco cut pulsing with raw 303 lines, funky basslines otherworldly atmospheres perfect for late night dancefloors and collectors alike. A must have 12" that bridges classic influences with timeless dancefloor energy.