Cerca:we are

30 years since their creation, the unreleased Frankie Knuckles remixes of Electribe 101’s deep cut ‘Heading for The Night’ are finally unvaulted, available on 12“ vinyl

UK based electronic group Electribe 101 and their one album, Electribal Memories hold a legendary place in the annals of house and dance music. The band met after vocalist and writer Billie Ray Martin had placed an ad in Melody Maker in 1988: “Soul rebel seeks musicians – genius only”. Billie headed to meet the four responding musicians (Brian Nordhoff, Joe Stevens, Les Fleming, and Roberto Cimarosti) at their studio in Birmingham.
“I took three songs with me, one of which was the lyrics and melodies to (Electribe 101’s first single) ‘Talking with Myself’, as well as a copy of Julian Jonah’s ‘Jealousy and Lies’,” says Billie. “I told the guys: “I’ve heard the future, and this is what I want to do.” I had heard Julian’s track at the WAG Club and I still remember the moment I stopped my shimmying and just stood there, staring, then turning on my heels and going straight to the DJ to ask what this record was. The guys had already experimented with some more dance orientated tracks and were instantly sold on the idea.”
Originally self-released on white label and championed by pirate radio, ‘Talking with Myself’ caught the imagination of the UK club scene and saw the band sign to Phonogram Records. With the re-issue and its follow up, ‘Tell Me When the Fever Ended’, becoming bona fide pop chart hits, with daytime radio play, Top Of The Pops appearances, and magazine covers from Melody Maker to MixMag, i-D, the label were keen to galvanise the band’s success and for them to deliver an album quickly.
“Because we weren’t yet used to writing together, we tried different approaches,” explains Billie.” I brought along a few songs I’d already written with others. Other songs we wrote from scratch. ‘Heading for The Night’ is one of those songs. The guys had developed the music and I wrote and sang the melody and lyrics straight onto the track, without making any arrangement changes.”
The band had also found ardent fans in the US, with chart-topping success on the US club charts and mixes from some of the most in-demand remixers of the day, including Chicago House doyennes Frankie Knuckles and Larry Heard.
“Frankie had already done such an incredible job with ‘Talking with Myself’ and he was smitten with ‘Heading for The Night’”, recals Billie. “He enjoyed mixing it so much that he did six mixes, each one brilliant and soulful in its own way. His effortless and perfect vocal production while creating a more danceable version makes this another Knuckles masterpiece.”

While 'Heading for The Night' had been considered for single release, these legendary remixes never saw the light of day. Finally, Frankie’s work on this song finds its rightful place in both his and Electribe 101’s legacy.
This EP of remixes precedes the release of Electribe 101’s fabled second, never before released album Electronic Soul, later this year.

Platform 23 is delighted to present music from Colin Potter with It Was, a collection of tracks chosen from his 1989 cassettes Recent History Volumes 1 & 2.

After a burst of activity, mainly on his ICR label, from 1980 - 82, the tapes were the first released music in seven years and highlighted the intervening period.

While much of his earlier recordings have now been reissued by Dark Entries, Deep Distance and Sacred Summits, It Was covers the period where Potter recordings were limited while working as an engineer at his IC Studio, and pre-date his work with Nurse With Wound.

The ambience and guitar of The French Polisher leads to Diary Of A Nobody, an embodiment of Potter, sequencers and guitar against submerged, metallic percussion rising. Dense, claustrophobia follows in Solidarity At Wujeck Colliery towards the guitar refrains of Persistence.

Side two starts with Green Fields, where plucked guitars are surrounded and consumed by arpeggios. Propulsion without percussion, the layers of arps shift and redefine before the scatter of Saw with reversed synths and guitar acting as counterbalance. Nine Months, a possible centerpiece, has an autumnal atmosphere; crashing cymbals and ambulant guitar, leading to the closing Ships That Pass In The Night, a hazy drift of slowly sequenced synths & primitive voice samples.

Phuture Assassins - ‘Back To The Phuture EP’ - We are going back to the Phuture with this incredible package of exclusive 'Future Sound' mixes which has something for everyone!

The very first release, before there was Suburban Base, was a Boogie Times release which didn't even carry a label name or logo... BOOGIE 001 under the artist name 'Phuture Assassins' became the record that really did start it all. So what is more appropriate than the next release in a continued order of catalogue numbers for the whole new era of Suburban Base than a Phuture Assassins release as SUBBASE 77 to continue your collection.

Leading with the unreleased Dead Dred '95 Dubplate which was considered a 'lost DAT' until it was recently unearthed amongst the archive of masters in Sub Base storage. You can imagine how excited we were to rediscover this and were able to save and remaster it for release. This was intended as part of a remix package that never ended up being released and was only available to a selected few as a Dubplate, that is, until now.

Alongside it we have included the 2 Bad Mice remix, which is now considered not only a classic but it is also the definitive mix of 'Future Sound', for those of you that were looking for a reissue. Its been expertly remastered to superb quality.

You wanted a brand new remix? Mark XTC & Exile's 'Future Sound' 2021 Remix brings the 1992 future to the 2021 present! They have given the timeless Suburban Base classic 'Future Sound' the remix treatment, producing 'raise your lighter' moments in their inimitable style, drum and bass with deep subs, whilst still keeping to the original vibes of this classic.

And completing the package is a version from the legendary Cause4Concern, their remix of Future Sound was only ever promo'd and despite receiving critical acclaim and extensive club play it never saw a full release. Now it's being fully unleashed in beautifully re-mastered form.

This release has it all, unreleased 'lost' mixes, remastered reissues, brand new remixes, beautiful special effect vinyl for the entire pressing run, all wrapped up in one of the most stunning original Nodz artwork sleeves ever created, an Assassin from the Phuture emerging from a time travel wormhole firing Sub Base Bullets!

Samosa Records releases are coming thick and fast in what could be their finest year yet. Lex & Locke are the latest talent to make their Samosa debut with their ‘Pacifica’ EP – a sublime three tracker which is mouth watering from the off.

First up is Balandra. From the moment you hear the raw four to the floor drumbeat, you’re under its spell. The infectious bass riff moves the scenery around a little, whilst the subtle bongo attack teases what’s to come. And what’s coming is a funky, rolling cosmic lead synth that has no right to sound that damn sexy, no right at all. The vibe quickly grows into an interstellar journey, aided by an outrageously funky clav jam that gets inside your head. Balandra feels like the soundtrack to an ‘after dark’ undercover stakeout in a 1970s cop thriller. Detectives Lex & Locke are on the case and the evidence is compelling. A unique, 122bpm funk bomb which has the Samosa fingerprints all over it.

A2 is Cabo Pulmo – continuing the vibe of Balandra, Lex & Locke lay down some serious grooves in what initially sounds like a live funk band jamming away in the studio without a care in the world. No soon as we get into the beat and the bass, there’s an immediate switch to a swirling, bold cocktail of funk infused with a touch of jazz that belies the 124bpm tempo. The production is expertly tight; layers of synth, electric organ and punchy guitar riffs make this ideal for both the sun terrace and the dance floor. You’re under arrest, and Lex & Locke are reading you your rights!

The final track, Nine Palms has a real quirky, almost broken beat feel to it with its high-hat ride pattern and punchy bass drum. A wickedly twisted analogue organ riff is quickly introduced, which is cleverly used as both a rhythm device and the melodic platform that sets up the whole track. Lex & Locke seem to be total masters of a ‘free-style funky synth lead’, and we’re treated to another slice of this particularly tasty pie in ‘Nine Palms’. Whereas Balandra is the late-night stake-out, Nine Palms is the final act where Lex & Locke high five each other following another successful bust.

The Pacifica EP has a wonderfully intimate and assured vibe about it and is sure to feature in many a summer soundtrack. This release also proves that Samosa Records aren’t afraid to go off the beaten path occasionally - and when it’s this good we’re more than happy to follow. Grab this amazing cut of wax while you can!

Debut release for The Fear Ratio's Mark Broom and James Ruskin under their 'Deadhand' alias, which proceeds on a strictly experimental hip-hop tip, accompanied as they are here by 4 x world scratch champion DJ Prime Cuts (of The Scratch Perverts) and illbient rap legend Sensational, who brings his characteristic broken charm to the EP's itchy, spartan production vibes: "Step into my office, now we sparkin' it... I spit the isms in yer ear... you better recognise it's raw shit from orbit."

This pairing with Sens makes total sense: Distinct from Mark and James' work as The Fear Ratio, their Deadhand project delivers something closer to 90s illbient in any case: extending the boom-bap era of hip-hop production with elements of hallucinogenic dystopianism, the energy of the EP nevertheless vibes playfully: Given the dispiriting global situation at present, the EP title 'Meanwhile' might simply refer to getting on with things in spite of all the cultural and political misendeavor the era will no doubt be long remembered for. Despite the global health pandemic and the looming spectre of wide-scale environmental collapse, little despair or surrender prevails here, but rather a hankering to attempt a few tripped-out experiments.

Three remixes bring further twists of the screw: A cosmic break flex from ETCH resituates Sensational amidst the magmic glow of Reaktor bass ensembles, while DJ Prime Cuts repurposes 7" soul gold by way of a more 'traditional' SP1200 approach. 90s trip-hop pioneer and graffiti legend REQ steps up with all the painterly flair he is rightly renowned for, obliterating the Monster Orchestra's classic 'I Can't Stop' stab towards a double dose of galactic melancholia.







g 07: Touch (ETCH's Pink Ladies in Space Remix) feat. Sensational
[h] 08: Meanwhile (DJ Prime Cuts Remix) [feat. Sensational]
[i] 09: Touch (REQ's Dub) [feat. Sensational]
[feat. DJ Prime Cuts]

Amphia welcomes Ferro, making his debut with a
four-tracker EP titled “The Unforced”.
“I Said” starts off with a mysterious vocal sample
complemented by a gliding bass line and abstract
percussion that drives the audience to create their
own narrative. A change of direction and a deeper
exploration of a darker dimension are brought on by
“Post Apocalyptic”, characterized by a slightly more
mechanical, nuanced rhythm. “Unforced” with its laidback mood and stripped down groove keeps your
attention focused, the percussion arrangement
working in unison with the glitched textures to create
a distinctive character. Concluding on a high note,
“The Contrary” keeps a steady flow through its lowend bassline, enigmatic synth line and vocal cuts.

Lee Foss and Franky Wah join forces in the ‘Name of Love’ for this hypnotic house track on Club Sweat complete with a bumping Torren Foot Remix. Lee and Franky escape their own sonic boundaries to conjure up a pertinent soundtrack for everyone feeling the need to escape their physical confines after this past year and reconnect with loved ones. Filled with a lush piano melody, crisp drums and blissful vocals of SPNCR the track slowly brings in lush deep-tech undertones to create a euphoric soundscape.

On teaming up with Lee Foss, Franky Wah said, "I’m buzzing about this record because if it wasn’t for Danny Howard and Radio 1 this collaboration would never have even happened. I’d say Lee and I are in different lanes sonically but this track is a perfect example as to why artists should experiment and forget about the boundaries and rules that they set themselves. It’s a record that everyone needs to hear given the year we’ve all had and another one that I hope will resonate with all of us."

Harald Björk follow up his recent releases on Cocoon Recordings, Traum Schallplatten etc. with the four track 12" Sketch On A Feeling. A record featuring German legends Extrawelt, no introduction needed and Swedish Teenage crime star Adrian Lux who we recently have gotten to re-known beyond his EDM stardom through his band Off The Meds (Studio Barnhus) and 90's techno banger alias Luxxy.

The record wears two original's written and played entirely on Roland MC-202 and TB-303 by the label head himself, Mr. Björk.

Textextext - (add your write up)

Kranglan Broadcast, established in 2009, is the record label of Swedish artist Harald Björk (Cocoon Recordings/Traum Schallplatten/Studio Barnhus). The shifting genres and gaps between releases might seem confusing? But… the core seems to be quality releases by good friends who have crossed each others lanes and teamed up in creativity, and there are some friends!!! Axel boman, Nathan Fake, Popnoname, Kate Wax (Aisha Devi), Fairmont, Anton Kubikov (SCSI-9), LOKATT and many more. Electronic music as it used to be before the "business era", friends sending files and pressing vinyl!!!

In 2021 Kranglan Broadcast have some fine gems coming up and Sketch On A Feeling is the first one to get public.

Harald Björk follow up a weird and packed year of 2020 with guest shows on John Digweed's Transition Show and releases on Cocoon Recordings,Traum Schallplatten, Studio Banrhus, Internasjonal and many more! The record features German legends Extrawelt, no introduction needed and Swedish Teenage crime star Adrian Lux who we recently have gotten to re-known beyond his EDM stardom through his band Off The Meds (Studio Barnhus) and 90's techno banger alias Luxxy. Dense stardom in a perfect blended EP with all modes included!

Long Story short Harald got in contact with Extrawelt over an old unreleased remix of Björk's that got to see release light on Traum in the summer of 2020. Similiar Harald reworked Teenage Crime duo Lux and Lune same year… What follows of great connection is often friendship and Kranglan Broadcast is all about friendship, quality and fun… Perfect soil for electronic music to grow organic and full of energy.

The record wears two original's written and played entirely on Roland MC-202 and TB-303 by the label head himself, Mr. Björk.

Artwork by Lukas Nystrand von Unge and mastered and cut by maestro himself LUPO!

Enjoy electronic music on vinyl at best!

With his raw, dark, cutthroat approach to Techno, EarToGround are very happy to introduce Spain's PWCCA to the label via four distinctive original tracks and remix work from label owner Gareth Wild.

With recent appearances on genre leading labels such as Oscar Mulero's Warm Up Records as well as Tsunami, Granulart, Faut Section and New Rhythmic he makes a perfect addition to London's ETG.

In the fight against Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, schizophrenia and other diseases characterized by an imbalance in neuronal activity, there are chemical weapons, such as those that try to prevent the protein fragments known as beta-amyloid plaques from developing in the
cerebral cortex , and physical, such as electrical stimulation that allow to restore the functionality of brain cells. This last resort, which has already been shown to be effective in modifying the activity of the cerebral cortex, is today a weapon of general intervention.

Converting it to precision requires the development of individualized and predictive brain models that allow identifying where and how much to stimulate each patient. To achieve this, an international European team is working on the creation of virtual replicas of the
most unknown organ in the body: the Neurotwin project.
According to recent research, the decrease in power in the neuronal oscillations of the gamma band of the cerebral cortex (a pattern whose frequency ranges between 20 and 50 Hertz) favors the development of protein fragments related to Alzheimer’s.
Transcranial application of weak electrical currents has proven to be an effective and painless way to modulate brain activity without side effects.

The objective is to create complete computational models of the brain with real data of living beings (human patients) and that allow to anticipate and specify the effects of noninvasive stimulation techniques on neurological mechanisms.

“Never turn your back on a friend.”
Alfred Hitchcock

Mastering – Eternal Midnight Mastering Studio
Cover Art – Nitasha Singh Brett
Visuals - Dietriamgle, Espii Studios, Irene Avellanal

For the 11th installment of our ongoing Breaking New Soil series, we have an all-star compilation for you! First up is Patrick Siech, a core member of the BNS family from the beginning: „Basscamp“ has it all - it´s one of those late-night jams that locks the dancers into its irresistible groove after seconds and won´t ever let them go - we think it´s a timeless piece of classic, yet modern Techno. Next up is Petar Dundov, who really needs no introduction: „Feed“ is unmistakeably a classic Dundov production, yet it is more dark and hypnotizing than you would expect from the melody wizard. Oliver Deutschmann, who just remixed one of our recent releases, handed in "Physics", a relentless piece of raw Techno showcasing his signature production style! Next up, we have our friend Marco Effe returning to Break New Soil with a massive Warehouse Techno anthem! Then, P-Ben from France, one of our favorite artists of the moment, who continuously delivers one killer track after the other: We are more than happy to have his debut for BNS: „Wookit“! Enjoy „Breaking New Soil Vol. 11“!

Mr. K takes on two different disco moods in the latest in his long-running series of edits on 45.

Danny Krivit’s edit of Tony Orlando’s “Don’t Let Go” was released in Japan in 2012 and immediately became a sought-after, impossible to find rarity. Orlando’s version of “Don’t Let Go” was released at the height of the disco era, but the song itself was already a well-worn pop standard, having been covered by numerous artists before the pop singer tried his hand at it, switching things up with a percolating disco groove. “I never expected to rave about a Tony Orlando record,” wrote Vince Aletti in his Record World column in June of 1978, “but this one’s really terrific… My pick for a summer refresher.” The Jimmy Simpson mix on the original 12-inch follows the vocals with a long instrumental section that teases the various elements provided by the Muscle Shoals band (guitar, vibes, strings, and above all a sinuous synth) back in over the relentless bass and drums. Danny’s edit, which he’s trimmed down for its debut on 7-inch, works with this instrumental break and more than lives up to Aletti’s description as an addictive warm weather jam.

From the moody instrumental sound of “Don’t Let Go” we move to the bright uptempo vocal track "I Fall In Love Everyday." In spite of the relative obscurity of this fabulous but lesser-known cut, it comes with a sparkling pedigree. “I Fall In Love Everyday” was written by Jay Graydon (whose credits also include “Turn Your Love Around” for George Benson and “Breakin’ Away” for Al Jarreau), produced by Motown ace Mickey Stevenson (who wrote “Dancing In the Street”) and arranged by David Foster, who was just making the transition from session keyboardist to the superstar songwriter/arranger he’d become. The backing track was first used for singer/TV personality Jaye P. Morgan’s version of the song a year earlier, but you certainly can’t blame the team for reusing the music when the band included studio heavyweights like Harvey Mason, Lee Ritenour, Ray Parker Jr., and Kenny Loggins. Danny’s creative edit fashions a clean, DJ-friendly instrumental intro where none existed on the original, and gives new life to a track that’s sure to bring some sunshine to dancefloors.

As always, these unique selections from Mr. K’s personal stash are cut on a loud, club-ready 7-inch pressing.

Charlotte de Witte's mighty KNTXT label rolls on with another big new EP from Italian wonderboy Alignment. The Berlin based techno talent serves up four suitably supersized cuts that follow on from his Time EP, which landed earlier in the year.

For the last five years, this artist has been amassing a fine discography of thrilling techno. This has earned him a worldwide reputation amongst the techno cognoscenti, and despite the global
pandemic this year, he has still put out plenty of red hot new material that proves he has used his extra free time at home wisely. He can do old school inspired bangers as well as refined futuristic techno rollers with equal style, and proves that once more with this fantastic new EP.

He says it, “reflects more the ‘sentimental' moments during these hard times. Nevertheless, you can also expect trippy and hypnotic vibes that will make you dream to dance again until the early hours.“

While Charlotte adds, "Ever since I started playing these tracks, people started asking for track IDs. They stood out and always were one of the highlights of my sets. These tracks are made to
destroy any type of dancefloor. A true masterpiece by one of the most exciting artists around.”

Opener Nothingness is a hunched over techno power-groove, with high pressure kicks and scraping synths peeling off the drums. It's a big wall of irresistible sound, then Injection brings
even bigger and more kick drums that are sure to rattle any club to its foundations, while the rave synths will get hands in the air.

Reverberated keeps up the good work with a more all-consuming techno cut thanks to the laser-like synths that light up the track from above. It has superbly dark and unsettling vocals stitched into the groove for extra layers of mental intensity. Last of all is the dark and urgent Sensory Deprivation with its edgy synth motifs and unrelenting energy.

These are four more high powered tracks from man of the moment Alignment.

Third release for the young label Slow Bistro records, created by Slow-L in 2019. This is a brand new 2021 never released before 12” after two sold-out releases in 2019, we sold lots of these at french shop Dizonord and are happy to share the tip now.
Italo disco & new wave inspired tracks rather than pure house, these are still fitted for the clubs. Great pictures from the French Japanese artist Maï Saikuza on rear and front sleeve.

Repress

Guy J returns home to Lost & Found with two absolute monster tracks! And for the first time in the labels history, these tracks will be available on vinyl as well digital download.

Let's get straight to business then and its Dizzy Moments kicking us off. A techno grooved workout with percussive layers meeting subtle yet ethereal pads, creating a warm atmospheric vibe. The track expands with the sounds growing as the elements ooze from within, creating an epic melodic masterpiece as delays interact creating a dreamy smile inducing gem of a track that we are positive will create a serious fuss and will send clubbers wild.

Diaspora grinds in to action from the off, with its slightly tribal tinged percussion, brooding bass stabs and cool fx setting the mood, swiftly followed by creeping pads that lighten the vibe while adding an air of mystery, dropping its fierceness, but only temporarily, before we pound back in to action. Gated chords meet cool keys as we meander around the ups and downs of this monster. Another serious slab of dance floor devastation from Guy.

Two outstanding tracks that will no doubt be flying straight in to many a DJ's playlist at rapid speed.

Doug Willis returns with a club banger in the form of “The Mighty Douglas”. A euphoric ride in the sky with live gospel organ-led instrumentation, whilst vocals are provided by Taka Boom (Chak Chak Chaka Khans Lil sis). Hallelujah! We then have Mr Basejam delivering one of his groovy chugging mid-tempo mixes of this forthcoming ZR release by Mr Wrightangle. Live strings, syncopated clav and overly loud organismic dog howls are the order of the day here.

On the flip we have the prolific Atjazz who turns his hand on that classic Jakatta track ‘American Dream’. He reconstructs it elements with great precision as he lays out swinging drums & sparkling percussion to back up a seriously groove led bassline and slick synth work. The legendary US soul funk act of “Come Go With Me” fame release a brand new song in the shape of optimistic gospel tinged “Work It Out”. Dave Lee works his magic on the mix to tease in some of their classic old sound into the instrumentation.

It’s time for the label founders to take control over our spaceship. Clusterhead offers four slices of proper abstract techno for those who know.
Release starts with Alteración del orden: a broken kick spiced with elastic synth washes and microdrones sets the pace while the rest of the percussive elements appear softly in the arrangement. The main sequence grows and mutates as minutes go by, reverb and stereo treatment goes heavier until repetition makes the desired effect on the virtual dancefloor.
Second cut Resiliencia Incesante again relies on broken kicks and processed synth lines. The BPM rate is higher here and the percussive elements are snapper and tighter. Sounds twist and change over time as the frequency range grows. An industrial ode to obscurity.
On the flip side, Automutilación creativa brings us again into oblivion, shuffled grooves obsessive sequences continuously moving and high pitched synthetic drums running through the stereo field.
Closing the release we have Notzing on board, still recovering from his amazing experimental work on our label, we give him again the commands of our spaceship to translate his mental obsessions in this superb rework of Automutilación creativa.
One more time we push the sound boundaries on behalf of timeless futuristic music in touchable format.
ESPAÑOL
Es hora de que los fundadores del sello tomen el control de nuestra nave
espacial. Clusterhead ofrece cuatro rebanadas de techno abstracto para aquellos que saben de lo que hablamos.
El disco comienza con Alteración del orden: ritmos rotos condimentados con sonidos elásticos de sintetizador y microdrones marcando el ritmo, mientras que el resto de los elementos percusivos aparecen suavemente en el arreglo. La secuencia principal crece y muta a medida que pasan los minutos, la reverberación y el tratamiento estéreo se vuelven más presentes hasta que la repetición produce el efecto deseado en la pista de baile virtual.
Como segundo corte Resiliencia Incesante nuevamente se basa en bombos rotos y líneas de sintetizador procesadas. La tasa de BPM es más alta aquí y los elementos de percusión son más rápidos y ajustados.
Los sonidos se retuercen y cambian con el tiempo a medida que aumenta el rango de frecuencia. Una oda industrial a la oscuridad.
En la cara B, Automutilación creativa nos trae de nuevo al lado oscuro, grooves mezclados, secuencias obsesivas en continuo movimiento y percusiones sintéticas de alto rango recorriendo el campo estéreo.
Cerrando el lanzamiento tenemos a Notzing a bordo, todavía recuperándonos de su asombroso trabajo experimental en nuestro sello, le damos de nuevo los comandos de nuestra nave espacial para plasmar sus obsesiones mentales en esta soberbia reelaboración de Automutilación creativa.
Una vez más empujamos los límites del sonido en nombre de la música futurista atemporal en formato táctil.

Repress !

From Another Mind celebrates its fifth anniversary with 'Versionen 008’, a mammoth remix package of SHDW & Obscure Shape tracks from Héctor Oaks, Ø Phase, Exium, and more.

Comprising nine remixes of the German producer/DJ outfit, 'Versionen 008' covers four sides of vinyl and features adaptations from a wealth of modern techno talent, rising stars, and scene veterans alike,
with Hadone, MRD, Stigmata, Exium, Héctor Oaks AKA DJKAOS11, Introversion, Ø Phase, and DJ Boss making contributions.

With the influences across the release darting between acid, techno, and rave, 'Versionen 008' is a no holds barred journey into the sounds of dark, cavernous rooms and sweaty basements alike, providing a
keen insight into who SHDW & Obscure Shape are passionate about as artists.

From the fast-paced, dub techno infused MRD version of ‘Der Weg Des Kriegers’, the explosive energy in Exium’s remix of ‘Blick Des Bösen’, to the two versions of ‘Die Augen Des Teufels’ by Stigmata, who effortlessly provides a dose of early 2000’s nostalgia, all aspects of the pair’s musical tastes are covered. Héctor Oaks takes ‘Kein Entkommen’ in an otherworldly direction, painting the track with his
signature voice, while Ø Phase brings his powerful and hypnotic sound to the duos ‘Verlorene Seelen’.

Elsewhere on the release, ‘Die Prophezeiung’ receives a shot of trancey energy from France’s Hadone and Introversion breathes new life into ‘Blisswunden’, developing the track into a melodic dream
amongst metallic percussion. The penultimate ‘Feuersturm’ gets the DJ Boss treatment, as the Slovakian DJ/producer transforms the track into a dynamic late-night roller.

Taking in these variety of moods across the remixes, the compilation sways between different strains of techno, from anthems to DJ tools, covering both modern and vintage to provide a diverse compilation
that will no doubt be warmly welcomed by DJs and listeners alike.
Favouring fiercely high-energy and gritty productions, the duo has used the label as an outlet for their dark, intense sound to the rapturous responses from DJs and dancefloors and 'Versionen 008' sees them celebrate five years of the imprint in typically uncompromising fashion.

Repress!

This is the debut release on Noir Music from Brazilian K.A.L.I.L.
We have been working quite some time to perfect this first release from him on the label and give it the edge needed to stand out. After tons of road-testing and going back and forth with production ideas I am now happy to have 2 perfect tracks ready from K.A.L.I.L. that really showcase his super solid techno sound and production flair. Involved (co-produced with Any Mello) is a quite simple trip with Any's spoken word in center of industrial elements wobling it and out. This track works really well in the clubs because of its on point minimalism, the high intensity stacatto synths and the catchy vocal line from Any. It's not easy to do big tracks without big basslines - but that's what K.A.L.I.L. and Any Mello truely achieved with this one. Revolved is a track I signed already last year and since then K.A.L.I.L. has been perfecting everything about the track from small details to bigger arrangement improvements. This track has that big bassline that sits right in your face. It also has the right build for those peaktime
moments in the clubs. I have been playing 'Revolved' a lot over the past months and people go crazy for those big bass drops.
We are honored to have another great producer join the Noir Music family and proud to have another belter of a release ready for you.

A well-known figure of the Roman nightlife, resident of the city's iconic Goa Club and its infamous Ultrabeat nights, Simona Calvani, aka DJ Red, steps up on Danza Tribale with 'The Prophets Are Smiling' - her first material to surface since the release of her 'Raw Cacao' EP on Wolfskuil in 2016, here featuring an exclusive revamp from local hero Lorenzo D'Angelo, alias Lory D.

Fitting the label's trance-triggering ethos to perfection, this new record finds the Italian DJ and producer rushing headlong into tropicalised techno grounds, halfway ethno-ritualistic music and a future-ready kind of big-room churn, primed for Berlin's fiercest subterranean raves as much as ayahuasca-induced rituals in the heart of a misty rainforest.

Dipping its toes in teeming beds of organic textures and ancient rhythmic tribalisms, 'The Prophets Are Smiling' fully gears toward awakening your senses and elevating your mind to a broader and further acute state of consciousness. Bathed in a mystique-imbued atmosphere, the track steadily oscillates betwixt a no-nonsense steely swing, glazed industrial tints and epic-sized primitive chants to better daze and confuse its audience.

Hopping on remix duty, Italian techno legend Lory D provides the wares with implacable efficiency, as he reveals the more intricate side of DJ Red original's cogs and wheels to turn it into a proper off-axis floor crusher. Rolling onto a more classic and functional pathway, 'Moon' is a paragon of hypno-tech efficiency. Channeling the pulsating energy of a thousand dancing hearts through a distinctively rich and deep melodic prism, DJ Red confirms her status as one of the Roman scene's most gifted pacesetters.

Collecing orders for repress

Dawns Early Shadows By Berlin's Ubahn Platforms, Desperately Running From His Own Shadow Into The Arms Of A Lover Not Found. Eva Is A Warm Soul From The Past Trapped In A Ice Cold City Reliving A Modern Neues Sehen. We Are Proud To Present His Fragile Story & Namesake Ep / Single Title 'einsam' Which, In Our Opinion, Is A Romantic-wave Masterpiece. Flip To The B Side, The Beginning Of Eva's Loveless Story Actually Starts Here With 'the Gitter' Gearing To Machine Funk Territory And A Naive Outlook On What Could Be In-store For Him. Finally P808 Takes Us Into The (sub) Consciousness Of His Mind, Just As The 808 In The Name Suggest, Toms Pulsate Like His Brain Scanning Neurons Over And Over, Searching For The Answer, 'who Will ...who Will Love Me'

Fatal 1998 old tunes... Playable at any speed :) ahahah...

Musicians are free... And Deejay prooves it when they sratsch as well as when they play the wrong speed :)

Rhythm Section welcomes Nicola Cruz to the fold with his debut EP on the imprint - “Subtropique”. Inspired by an Ecuadorian upbringing, percussion is at the heart of how Nicola operates. His rhythmic style finds a natural home on the London label - which presents 5 expansive efforts equally indebted to traditional drumming as they are to contemporary club sounds. Remaining sonically cohesive without feeling the need to settle into a definable style - the tracks are tied together by a lucid psychedelic thread which, despite challenging the expectations and fundamentals of electronic dance music - demand movement at a time where we yearn for it.

Spirit Of House’ is a jackin' 90’s Chicago inspired groove. It’s an uplifting, dance floor ready track from two of House music's finest. Those unmissable vocals from the legendary Gene Farris add a stamp of old authenticity – he’s a bonafide Chicago legend, who’s contributions to the House music scene are undebatable. He’s been pushing musical boundaries for close to three decades, working with world-leading labels and artists such as Relief, Dirtybird, ViVa Music and Defected.

ATFC is a longstanding label favourite and household name in the scene. He has 3 UK top 40 hits under his belt and has remixed tracks for the likes of P Diddy, Missy Elliot, Simply Red, Faithless and Dido. He’s entered Pete Tong’s Essential Mix hall of fame - and the BBC Radio 1 tastemaker himself described ATFC’s productions as ‘verging on genius’. This collaboration is a match made in heaven.

‘Spirit Of House’ is a deeply playable, feel-good House record from two of the most established producers in the scene.

‘R U’ features a catchy piano hook, tough drums and that deep, powerful vocal from Gene Farris himself. It’s a stripped back, gritty house cut and we're proud to be giving it a home on Toolroom.

Whilst sampling can be a sticky subject in dance music, 'Tech House Kinda Thing' is a fine example of how digging deep and being creative can be hugely rewarding. The vocal sample on this record is from another house titan; Harry Romero. This was taken from an event promo video that Harry recorded himself and posted on his Instagram page. Being the creative soul he is, ATFC heard it, sampled it, brought the idea to a Toolroom writing camp last November, and voila, this record was born! The record itself is an energetic club workout, produced with the detail and finesse you'd expect from such a legendary producer such as ATFC. With driving rhythms, off beat quirky stabs and that unique, spoken vocal, this really is a special record!

‘Not Enough’ is an uplifting, funky, feel-good tune. It oozes that ATFC warmth and the vocals from Mia Mendez add some serious sunshine vibes! Her voice is super powerful and within seconds of hitting play on this record you're whisked away to a sun drenched terrace!

With „Time Machine EP“ Next Door launches a new motto vinyl record.

Dark, driving, Acid!

On the first track on “Eloi-side” you will find a completely astounded inhabitant of a far future world, who has no answers to the questions of a time-traveler. The second track takes place during a rapid trip - plunging into two worlds.

On the “Morlock-side” machines are working monotonically with the inhabitants in dark caves below the earth’s surface in a far future. Track two is a serious call for a wild dance in a driving ¾ beat.
Have you ever heard anything like it?

The Computer Controlled Minds deliver four remarkable tracks on vinyl. You must experience this!


Mit der Time Machine EP bringt Next Door eine weitere Mottoplatte an den Start.

Dunkel, treibend, Acid !

Auf der Eloi Seite findet Ihr im ersten Track eine völlig verblüffte Bewohnerin einer fernen Zukunft, die auf die Fragen des Zeitreisenden keinerlei Antworten hat. Der zweite Track spielt sich während der rasanten Reise beim Eintauchen zwischen den Welten ab.

Auf der Morlock Seite hingegen arbeiten im ersten Track die Maschinen monoton, in einer fernen Zukunft, unterhalb der Erdoberfläche in dunkeln Höhlen mit ihren Bewohnern. Track zwei dieser Seite ist ein eindringlicher Aufruf zum wilden Tanz im treibenden ¾ Takt!

Habt Ihr so etwas schon mal gehört?

The Computer Controlled Minds bringen hier vier vollkommen krasse Tracks auf Vinyl, das solltet Ihr euch unbedingt geben!

Repress

We are proud to present this new record of Antigone. Throughout these three tracks, the artist attracts us in his technological and futuristic universe, an immersion in the spirit of this sound architect...

With his new album, Year Of The Living Dead, Vienna-born and LA-based producer John Tejada finds a blissful extended moment of balance between the new and the familiar. Anyone who’s followed his career to date, which has included four previous albums for Kompakt, outings for storied labels like Plug Research, Playhouse and Cocoon, and numerous remixes and collaborations – most recently, his Wajatta duo with actor and musician Reggie Watts – will immediately sense the warmth and eloquence that Tejada brings to his gilded, pliant techno and electro hybrids. But there’s more here, too; an explorer’s glimmer in the producer’s eye, as he gets to grips with new ways of working and being, while offering a reflective opening for the listener, something echoed in artwork by graphic designer and ‘contemplative artist’ David Grey.

“The album was started using tools I was unfamiliar with, which became an interesting exploratory process,” Tejada says. “Staying away from the obvious and having to re-learn simple things was a fun challenge.” You can hear these new creative pulsions pushing the eight tracks on Year Of The Living Dead ever-forward; the album has an unique cast, and though there are trace elements of the genres Tejada has indulged previously, he’s never quite put them together this way before. There’s the dubwise glitter sprinkled across the moody opener “The Haunting Of Earth”, the kind caresses found amongst the deftly woven textures of “Sheltered”, and the churchy melancholy, all hymnal and golden, of “Echoes Of Life”.

Year Of The Living Dead also speaks obliquely to its moment, though Tejada works this implicitly, allowing the strange circumstances of 2020 to cast their inevitable shadow without being obvious or didactic. “The production process began right before lockdown and continued through what felt like a very serious time for all of us,” he recalls. “Not being able to see or touch our loved ones made me feel we are all like ghosts. We can observe from a distance but cannot really be there. We are isolated and alone.” And yet, Year Of The Living Dead’s tenderness offers an out for that anxiety and loneliness, its intimate immensities gifting the album a redemptive and compassionate core. Compact and glistening, Year Of The Living Dead sculpts unassuming beauty.

Mit seinem neuen Album “Year Of The Living Dead“ findet der in Wien geborene und in Los Angeles lebende Produzent John Tejada die richtige Balance zwischen Neuem und Vertrautem. Wer seine bisherige Karriere verfolgt hat, seine vier Alben für Kompakt, Beiträge für Labels wie Plug Research, Playhouse und Cocoon, zahlreiche Remixe und Kollaborationen wie zuletzt das Projekt Wajatta zusammen mit dem Schauspieler und Musiker Reggie Watts, spürt sofort wieder die Wärme und Eloquenz, die Tejada in seine geschmeidigen Techno-Elektro-Hybride einbringt. Doch es geht auch noch einen Schritt weiter. Da ist dieses Aufblitzen des Entdeckers im Auge eines Produzenten, der sich mit neuen Arbeits- und Seinsweisen auseinandersetzt und dem Zuhörer gleichzeitig etwas sehr Offenes und Nachdenkliches anbietet, etwas, das im Artwork des Grafikdesigners und "kontemplativen Künstlers" David Grey nachklingt.

"Ich hatte angefangen, das Album mit mir noch unbekannten Tools zu produzieren, was sich zu einem interessanten Forschungsprozess für mich entwickelte", sagt Tejada. "Sich vom allzu Offensichtlichen zu trennen und einfache mal Dinge neu lernen zu müssen, war eine recht spaßige Herausforderung.“ Man kann diese neuen kreativen Impulse hören, die “Year Of The Living Dead“ auf einer Länge von 8 Tracks nach vorne treiben; das Album hat einen einzigartigen Ansatz, denn obwohl es Elemente der Genres gibt, denen Tejada zuvor gefrönt hat, hatte er sie doch noch nie zuvor so zusammengefügt wie hier. Da ist dieses dubbige Glitzern im atmosphärischen Opener "The Haunting Of Earth", die freundlichen Zärtlichkeiten, die man in den Texturen von "Sheltered" findet, und schließlich die heilige Melancholie im hymnischen "Echoes Of Life".

Auch “Year Of The Living Dead“ enthält Andeutungen auf die momentane Situation und erlaubt es, den seltsamen Umständen des Jahres 2020, ihren unvermeidlichen Schatten zu werfen, ohne dabei zu offensichtlich oder gar belehrend zu sein. "Der Produktionsprozess begann kurz vor dem (ersten) Lockdown und setzte sich in einer Zeit fort, die sich für uns alle als eine sehr ernste Zeit anfühlte", erinnert er sich. "Da wir nicht in der Lage waren, unsere Lieben zu sehen oder zu berühren, hatte ich das Gefühl, dass wir alle wie Geister sind. Wir können nur distanzierte Beobachter sein, aber wir können nicht wirklich anwesend sein. Wir sind isoliert und allein." Und doch scheint die Zärtlichkeit von "Year Of The Living Dead" einen Ausweg aus dieser Angst und Einsamkeit anzubieten, die grenzenlose Intimität des Albums enthält einen erlösenden und mitfühlenden Kern. Derart konsistent und schillernd formt "Year Of The Living Dead" eine unprätentiöse Schönheit.

Conform Re-Touched Series has delivered other 5 gems to collect with the Vol.IV! The result is brilliant thanks to the contribution of great artists such as Radio Slave, Honey Dijon, Mark Broom, Adriana Lopez and Shlomi Aber.

When it comes to Radio Slave, no one can ever remain indifferent to the quality of Matt Edwards' production. Once again it has hit the mark by re-interpreting "Inside" by Gaetano Parisio in a masterly way. The track is a continuous crescendo but always well anchored to its original groove. The great British producer, Mark Broom, once again leaves no doubt about his ability to create real dace-floor killers. Seems that his edit was created to challenge the sound systems of all clubs around the world. It is the dream of all DJs to play a track of such impact during a party. His version remains faithful to the original but it has that broomish which makes it super catching.

Honey Dijon, an absolute star in the world techno firmament, makes her debut on Conform with her Re Rub interpretation of a classic like Dual Ep by C&G Southsystem, the project created by Gaetano Parisio and Marco Carola. Honey puts all of her Chicago background into this version. By adding vocal she manages perfectly to make two such different schools coexist, the Neapolitan one and the Chicago one. The result is simply sublime.

Likewise, it's a debut on the label also for Adriana Lopez absolutely respected throughout the techno scene for her extreme quality music. Her interpretation leaves no room for doubt that she doesn't like middle ways. Her remix is dark and hypnotic at the same time. Adriana gave her best and the delivery is just outstanding.

The grand finale takes place with the digital bonus track. Ben Sims "Carnival part one" re-edited by Shlomi Aber. This is definitely the icing on the cake! If you are a DJ you'll immediately desire to play this track as soon as possible. His edit it's just perfect leaving intact the original vibe of the English legend's track. Its tribal groove echoes the early 2000s sound. For those who love the genre this is unmissable.

"I am sitting in a garden, I haven't left the property in weeks, someone is dropping off food once a week. I haven't seen a human being in ages, I feel like a reverse Schroedinger cat - do I exist when nobody sees me? I must be somewhere in France but I don't remember. I have lost my consciousness again. When I wake up I hear a broken record looping somewhere in the mansion. A washed-out opera. Behind the trees I see the dilapidated hermaphrodite sculpture in a field of verdant nettles and fern. I hear gunshots far afield, aeroplanes in the sky, sirens on the main road.
When unconscious I dreamt of sitting on the Concorde observing the scarab blue ocean and iridescent clouds from above, an erstwhile receding memory. Sometimes I hear the organ of the nearby Renaissance Cathedral merging with the Russian Church bells.
I am hallucinating again. Someone's humming in the kitchen? Singing? A Radio? I overhear two young women talking about art galleries in the neighbour's garden. Bees attack, again…..again and again. The hairspray finally intoxicates them. An amphoric japanese voice is whispering in my head saying I will die soon. Someone (something?) bangs on the vases. The fountain's water turns dark red.
Fleur calls and says mum died. The funeral will be televised on tuesday. We opt for the synthetic choir for the service. The call is suddenly interrupted. Mold is slowly taking over the house.
I go back inside."

Une Fille Pétrifiée is the debut album of new Black To Comm related entity Mouchoir Ètanche (after one recent 12" on Richter's own Dekorder label). Combining real and fake acoustic instrumentation, sampling, field recordings and excessive yet inaudible post production this is another sublime and ethereal statement. Influences are ranging from (French) Classical & Opera to the anecdotical compositions of Luc Ferrari, Chinese Opera, Chanson, Sacred Music / Church Music, JG Ballard and Surrealism.

Marc Richter records as Black To Comm for Thrill Jockey, Type and Dekorder and as Jemh Circs for his own Cellule 75 imprint. He also produces soundtracks and acousmatic multichannel installations for institutions such as INA GRM Paris, ZKM Karlsruhe and Kunstverein Hamburg.

Brooklyn-based queer nightlife luminary Jasmine Infiniti self-released her debut album, BXTCH SLÄP, in March 2020. Dark Entries steps forward to present the album remastered and on double vinyl. Over the thirteen disruptive club cuts of BXTCH SLÄP, Jasmine conjures occult rave incantations with sub-tectonic bass and seductive harmonies. Audaciously championing R&B, vogue, and hip-hop sounds, Jasmine Infiniti’s latest collection of techno-hybrid dance tunes is built for the dancefloors of underground nightlife.
While SiS, her debut EP, was an ode to queer solidarity, community, and sisterhood, BXTCH SLÄP refines the art of personal myth-building. It is an unflinching and uncompromising album, but it also boasts surprising range, moving briskly between ethereal hardcore house (“HOTT”), anxious dark electro (“SPOOKED”), and certifiable techno bangers (“YES, SIR”, “WELLFAIR”). Meanwhile album standout “<3” hovers just above 100 BPM, a defiant statement of euphoric sensuality that’s no less gripping for its dramatic deceleration. Closing number “SHONUFF” clocks in at ten and half minutes, but not a second of this acid-laced adrenaline rush feels wasted. BXTCH SLÄP might be suited for the high-impact dancefloor, but this music takes on a new life in the moments we spend between the parties, alone and full of desire.
BXTCH SLÄP was mastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. The sleeve features photography from Guerrilla Davis and hand drawn Infiniti logo designed by Eloise Leigh with a 3-D chrome effect by Sebastian Ortega. Each copy includes a 3-D chrome die-cut sticker. The Queen of Hell is back and her powers are stronger than ever. All hail The Queen!

Repress!

A MAJOR EXPLORATION OF TOKYO'S CUTTING EDGE 80S SOUND THROUGH THE MUSIC OF CULT JAPANESE LABEL NIPPON COLUMBIA AND ITS BETTER DAYS IMPRINT, SELECTED BY BRITISH RADIO PRESENTER AND DJ NICK LUSCOMBE.

‘Tokyo Dreaming’ is a superb selection picked from the highly collectible Nippon Columbia label and its Better Days sub-label. For the occasion, we’ve teamed up with journalist and Japanese music expert Nick Luscombe who was granted rare access to the much-guarded Nippon Columbia's vaults for a masterful selection encapsulating the fascinating sound of Tokyo in the late 70s and 80s. The selection mixes electro, synth-pop, funk and ambient and features such artists as Ryuichi Sakamoto, Mariah, Shigeo Sekito, Juicy Fruits, Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama and Yumi Murata. The tracklist includes many sought-after rarities and hidden gems which have never been released outside of Japan and the set has been newly remastered by Nippon Columbia. The album has been designed by famed London-based designer Optigram and is annotated by Nick.

Nippon Columbia, one of Japan's oldest music labels is also one of its most collectible thanks to its sub-label Better Days which, in the late 70s, became a hotbed for Tokyo's new generation of pop artists eager to experiment with ambient, electro and funk. Armed with a string of new Japanese-made synthesizers and drum machines that would soon take the world by storm, they made cutting-edge music, which has since become highly sought-after by a new generation of Japanese music lovers. Nick Luscombe, who has long been a leading advocate of Japanese music from this era, has handpicked a selection of some of the sharpest music released on these labels at the time.
According to Nick, “Tokyo Dreaming is a look back to an incredible era of Japanese music, that still sounds and feels like the future. It was a moment when brand-new music tech from Japan helped forge new ideas and experiments that permeated pop, soul and jazz and helped create new forms of music including electro and techno. The perfect meeting point that would help create a new soundtrack for modern living.“
?The selection starts with "The End of Asia" by Ryuichi Sakamoto from his 1978 ground-breaking debut "Thousand Knives Of" (reissued last year by Wewantsounds). The track became a staple of Sakamoto's and YMO's live shows and was even re-recorded by the group for their 1980 album 'X Multiplies'. The track is followed by Mariah's cult Armenian folk flavoured synth pop classic "Shinzo No Tobira" (1983), which first spread outside of Japan when the Scottish DJ duo Optimo started playing the track regularly at their shows.
?Chika Asamoto's "Self Control" (1988) and Jun Fukamachi's "Treasure Hunter" (1985) are perfect songs in the synth-pop canon, while Yumi Murata's rendition of Akiko Yano's "Watashi No Bus" and Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama's "Rainy Driver" both from 1981, move closer towards the slicker, funkier sound of City Pop.
?'Tokyo Dreaming' superbly showcases the breadth of 80s Japanese music and the way electro pop was a playing ground for musicians to experiment with many styles, as showcased by Akira Sakata's dub-enfused "Room" from 1980, Kazumi Watanabe's discoid "Tokyo Joe" (1980) and Juicy Fruits' "kawai" robotic Techno pop song "Jenie Gets Angry".
?The selection flows effortlessly between many shades of synth and ends with two cult classics in the form of Yasuaki Shimizu's "Semi Tori No Hi" and Shigeo Sekito's ambient-jazz masterpiece "The Word II" from his highly sought-after album "Kareinaru Electone (The Word) Vol.2" which, although recorded in 1975, perfectly announces the synth revolution to come. Tokyo Dreaming showcases the groundbreaking sounds of a city turned giant sonic lab which was restlessly inventing the music of the future.
Nick Luscombe is a highly respected and in-demand music influencer who discovers great music from all over the world and shares it internationally through his many radio shows and DJ sets. He has been in charge of music selection for various radio programs since 1999, and from 2010 - 2019, was the DJ for the popular BBC Radio music program "Late Junction”. He has also curated and presented music shows for Monocle and British Airways radio stations. He has worked as both Chief Music Editor at iTunes and Director of Music at London’s Institute of Contemporary Art, and is the founder of MSCTY.

For this occasion we have an original song by the well-known artist The Hacker, who this time signs it with his alter ego Amato in which he has already published on labels such as Pinkman, Return to Disorder (Helena Hauff), Cititrax….

The rest of the Ep is completed with three remixes. One of the increasingly powerful Years of Denial that have made a voice adaptation. On the other hand, there are the world-renowned Spaniards within the Esplendor Geométrico industrial scene. And to finish a remix of Orlok 101 with a more track-focused theme.

The above references have already been supported by artists such as Dave Clarke, Phase Fatale, The Hacker, Lokier, NX1, Unhuman, Alienata, Reka, and many more.

It’s 2020, the year Pop Ambient turns twenty-one years old, a spritely young adult waltzing out of its teenage joys and tears. Pop Ambient has always stood for a certain classicism and elegance, a kind of beatless music that’s diaphanous and hazy, gossamer and glittering. It’s a music that’s no less inviting for its slow pace and becalmed nature, with a different kind of tension bubbling under the surface. For twenty-one years, KOMPAKT co-founder Wolfgang Voigt has curated a series of peerless compilations that repeatedly find refreshing answers to a simple question – What happens when the dancefloor is empty, and everyone’s home to drift away?

As with many other Pop Ambient compilations, Pop Ambient 2021 offers a welcome platform to contributions from both old friends and new faces. It opens with the gorgeous, slo-mo drift of “Of A Vessel”, from new Kompakt signings Blank Gloss. Sending their music out into the world from their home in Sacramento, this duo makes music that’s featherlight and luscious, the muted chime of a guitar over here, the steady hum of a halatial drone over there; everything in its right place, and nothing overdone. The poise is all. Neozaïre (Tobias Sawitzki aka Noorden) and Seventh World (Juho Hietala aka Blamstrain) are our other two new voices, the latter closing (the CD version of) Pop Ambient 2021 with a long, lambent dreamsong, Neozaïre offering us two gaseous, morphing driftworks, “Vor den Toren Europas” and “In Verschwenderischer Fülle” (CD only), etched across with bell-like arpeggios.

Pop Ambient has always felt like a field for play for the KOMPAKT cognoscenti, and 2021 is no different, with Joachim Spieth collaborating with Pepo Galán on the sidereal visions of “Libration”, while Leandro Fresco teams up with Thore Pfeiffer on the lovely “Abejorro”. Pfeiffer also contributes two lovely solo miniatures of abstract longing. Yui Onodera calls in again, long distance, for their fourth Pop Ambient running, with the refracted, glinting lightscapes of “Cromo 5” and “Monochrome”, while there are also star turns from Max Würden, both solo and in Reich & Würden (with Luis Reichard), and Morgen Wurde, who drops by with the ‘ethereal drama’ of “Mittsommer”.

Pop Ambient gets the balance right: visions and soundscapes, long-distance communications and intimate asides, sweetness and light, drama and dreaming, all wrapped up in floral abstractions – a most beautiful distraction.

Wir schreiben das Jahr 2020, das Jahr, in dem Pop Ambient einundzwanzig Jahre alt wird – das entspricht etwa einem lebenshungrigen jungen Erwachsenen, der gerade aus den letzten Teenager-Freuden und Leiden herausgewachsen ist. Pop Ambient steht seit jeher für eine gewisse Klassik und Eleganz, beatfreie Musik, die, transparent und leicht verschwommen, zart und glitzernd leuchtet. Musik, die trotz ihrer Langsamkeit und ihrer sanften Natur unter Spannung steht, weil hier immer etwas unter der scheinbar ruhigen Oberfläche brodelt.

Einundzwanzig Jahre lang hat KOMPAKT-Mitbegründer Wolfgang Voigt diese einzigartige Compilation-Reihe kuratiert, die immer wieder neue Antworten auf eine einfache Frage findet: Wie füllt man die Leere nach dem Club?

Wie viele andere Pop Ambient-Compilations bietet auch Pop Ambient 2021 eine Plattform für die musikalischen Beiträge von alten Freunden und einigen neuen Gesichtern. Es beginnt mit dem wunderbaren Slo-Mo-Drift von "Of A Vessel" von Blank Gloss, einem neuen Kompakt Signing. Das Duo stammt aus Sacramento in Kalifornien und sendet von dort seine überaus leichte und sinnliche Musik in die Welt hinaus – ein zartes Zupfen an einer Gitarresaite hier, das gleichmäßige Dröhnen eines prunkvollen Soundscapes hier; alles ist hier am richtigen Platz und passiert ohne übertriebene Betonung. Gelassenheit ist alles. Neozaïre und Seventh World sind zwei weitere Neuzugänge. Hinter Seventh World steckt der finnische Produzent Juho Hietala aka Blamstrain, der (die CD Version von) Pop Ambient 2021 mit einem epischen, flackernden Traum names “Light The Waves Before Dawn“ beschließt, während Neozaïre, ein Seitenprojekt von Tobias Sawitzki aka Noorden, zwei gasförmige, sich immer wieder morphende und abdriftende Tracks abliefert: "In Verschwenderischer Fülle" (CD only) mit seinen glockenartigen Arpeggios und “Vor Den Toren Europas“.

Pop Ambient fühlte sich immer schon an wie ein Experimentierfeld für eingefleischte KOMPAKT-Künstler, und auch 2021 ist das nicht anders: zum Beispiel Joachim Spieth’s Kooperation mit Pepo Galán ("Libration") oder Leandro Fresco, der mit Thore Pfeiffer das liebevolle "Abejorro" produzierte. Pfeiffer steuert mit “Grape“ und “Center“ zwei weitere Solo-Miniaturen voller abstrakter Sehnsucht bei. Der japanische Klangkünstler Yui Onodera meldet sich mit den gebrochen-glitzernden Lichtlandschaften von "Cromo 5" und "Monochrome" bereits zum vierten Mal auf Pop Ambient zu Wort, während Max Würden sowohl solo, als auch als Teil von Reich & Würden (mit Luis Reichard) ebenso wie Morgen Wurde schon zu den Stars dieser Compilation gehört.

The concluding chapter of Jamaica Suk’s 17-track ‘Uncertain Landscape’ series arrives with a bang, with another four explosive tracks to round it off.

Milton Bradley — aka Alien Rain — begins proceedings with a hammering assault in the form of ‘Driving Force’. Detuned, ravey synths produce a cacophonous barrage of sound as the rubbery kick groove intones more hardcore vibes. There’s a touch of John Carpenter vibes in the spooky arpeggios that permeate the more stripped back sections. Bone-crushing groove abounds throughout.

Italy’s Kill Ref delivers a distorted thumper on ‘Subbaculta’, slowly eeking out a rasping groove from the underbelly of his pummeling drums. The track keeps building throughout, the shuffling rhythm
bolstering some seriously raw machine funk in the latter half that emerges almost imperceptibly.

The ringmaster herself, Jamaica Suk, makes her contribution to the series on ‘Escape’. She conjures up a tripped-out soundscape where layers stack in potent combination. Squelchy acid licks do battle
with the stomping bass groove and heavily-reverbered sustained textures. It sounds as if there are monsters loose in the speakers.

Nicolas Bougaïeff closes this momentous four-part release with his second contribution, ‘Nocturne 3’. Rocking a stuttered kick pattern, it revolves around grunting swathes of industrial noise, on-beat
clap patterns and all manner of weird and wonderful sounds that pitch-bend, tweak and freak to delightful levels of intensity. It’s a very well arranged and sequenced track that keeps you guessing.

Group Rhoda, the solo project of Mara Barenbaum, returns to Dark Entries with ‘Passing Shades’. An integral member of the Oakland electronic music scene, Barenbaum has been writing, performing, and plunging into oneiric depths as Group Rhoda since 2009. This is the project’s fourth LP, and the third time Barenbaum has collaborated with Dark Entries; previously on the Max & Mara LP ‘Less Ness’ in 2013 and the Group Rhoda LP ‘Wilderless’ in 2017.
Passing Shades is an investigation of the metaphysics of loss and the transitory nature of the material world. But it is not a grim collection; over 8 songs, Group Rhoda diverges through synthesizer-laden symphonics, four-to-the-floor inflections, and cosmic musings. Barenbaum’s striking voice and singular songcraft guide us through this labyrinth. Arpeggiated waltz “Flow” channels wisdom sought through martial arts; “Earthly Ark” sets a Margaret Atwood poem from the God Gardener’s Hymn Book to somber electronics. The vocoded canticle “Nevermore” is dedicated to the memory of a beloved cat. ‘Passing Shades’ is both mystifying and revelatory. Folk forms are echoed only to detour into the alien. Each song functions as both a fragment of a larger puzzle and a koan unto itself.
‘Passing Shades’ was mastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. The sleeve was designed by Eloise Leigh, and features a hazy, clouded sky. The back cover uses a photograph by Harry Crofton. A postcard featuring a poem by Barenbaum is included, as well as a digital download.