Review: Basel-based experimental labels Amenthia Recordings and A Walking Contradiction join forces for their first collaborative release here in the form of the Flash Crash/Hack Crash EP. Both labels are known for pushing boundaries within their close-knit creative circles and this one features Agonis' heavy stepper and Konduku's whirlpool of low frequencies on the Amenthia side, while Lemont continues the low-end, tripped-out vibe. Varuna represents A Walking Contradiction and delivers swampy, slow-motion sounds in their signature style. This release embodies both labels' commitment to daring, unconventional electronic sounds.
Review: AkizzBeatzz and Lego Edit join forces to mutually reinforce what they both do best: making disco edits and reworks of classic funk, soul and Afrobeat, and occassionally offering up the odd original track. The 12" 'African Groove' is a downtempo and weighty meditation on what it means to hail from the continent, with Akizz' A-side 'I'm An African' playfully laying down a diasporic big beat excursion, replete with regional instrumentation and defiant political vocal samples. Lego Edit's 'Sahara Adventures', meanwhile, works a chugging beat around a central algaita line.
Review: Well Curated is a series of releases and parties that - in its own words - "reflects the ethnomusicology of the last 50 years of music" - and aims to reach into all genres, merging classic styles and breaking down barriers. Steve Spacek occupies the A-side with the breezy broken beat and soul-in-space of 'Alone In Da Sun', while Lukid's 'Hair Of The Dog' is a more intense counterpart, with wobbling sub-bass and swirling, surging atmospherics hovering above.
Review: Rebirth kicks off its 2024 with a remix EP that serves as "a tribute to the Brescian music scene in its many facets and declinations." The full original project is a complete 12-track album that brings together many different sounds, scenes and generations, with the best bits now assembled on this new 12". The revered deep house master Fred P opens up with some texture spiritual synth depths, K-Lone brings some nice house swing to his version of 'Paline' and edit maestro Rahsaan also keeps it paired back and late night on his soulful take on 'Scent Of An Old Life'. A great reimagining of some moving musical adventures, then.
Review: New label Taf Kif kicks off with this classy VA package from some cool cats who know how to lay down a slick groove or two. First up on this distinctly 80s-styled package is Axel Boman, who brings some of his signature sparkling melodies to a synth-pop indebted jam entitled 'Oasis'. Meanwhile Velmondo follows up with something a little more trippy and adventurous on 'Echo Welt', before MLiR inaugurates the B-side with the sultry tones of 'It's Baby Time'. Lusille completes the set with the hazy Afro house deviations of 'Une Longue Route', riding a swung groove that offers something different from the everyday cookie cutter house we know so well.
Charlotte & Reinhard for WeCanDance - "To Be Free Again" (extended) (5:10)
Ollie Loudon - "LMT" (extended) (6:21)
Lily Ko - "Pure Rubber" (5:58)
Biancolato - "Resolution" (edit) (5:46)
Review: We're promised Mellow Magic and that's precisely what we get, across four tracks emerging from disparate corners of the globe but united in a common mission to provide beats that work on the more relaxed end of the dancefloor. Belgian duo Charlotte & Reinhard of Rheinzand fame kick things off with a slow motion Balearic version of a well known 80s MOR classic. Ollie Loudon's 'L.M.T.' finally makes it to vinyl after long being a secret weapon in Gratts' DJ sets, where handclaps and languid strumming meet a gentle but infectious groove. Flip it over for the more tracky affairs, as Japan's Lily Ko makes an impressive debut with 'Pure Rubber', an original mix of disco foundations and always snazzy but never showy 80s synth play. Melbourne's Biancolato finishes things off with understated deep house shuffling that adds just a touch jazzy keys and dreamy, wispy pads.
Review: Fearsome techni-techno through the Swiss futurists ENMODA, whose modus operandi is to actively promote and advocate for the local Swiss scene. With chilling textures and an ear for material, sonic grit, a cloister of ten producers are heard going full Eski-mode here, for the first instalment in their yearly compilation, Alpine Express Volume 1. Aptly described as a set of "dancefloor hurters", this is a record that proves the mid-European enclave still have their ears to the ground: pree the classic trance-techno of Marcism's 'Echo' or Ermatik's 'Funk Alt Delight', The Chronics' restlessly fight-or-flight revenant, 'Sonic Memory', and/or TIS' closing jit-tech piano weapon 'I Don't Mind'.
The Mechanical Man - "Uncle Swing" (feat Bob Vito) (4:31)
DJ Rocca - "The Box Above" (6:03)
Lex & Locke - "Soul Escape" (6:56)
Review: Musica Solida sampler 1 marks a thrilling celebration of 40 years of Flexi, the venerable record emporium that has stood the test of time in the ever-evolving music industry landscape. As the label weathered storms and celebrated triumphs, it has remained a beacon for vinyl enthusiasts, and this compilation embodies its enduring spirit. Curated by Flexi Cuts, Musica Solida promises a series of carefully selected singles spread across multiple 12-inch samplers, showcasing the talents of cherished Flexi-affiliated artists and producers. With a vision to cultivate a movement of sublime tunes, the compilation aims to uphold the commitment to quality that Flexi has exemplified within the Italian music scene and beyond. Musica Solida sampler one sets the stage with an eclectic lineup of artists, each bringing their unique flair to the table. DJ Rocca stands as a stalwart of the clubbing scene, while Club Soda delivers live electronic ensembles brimming with house-flavored jams. Lex & Locke bring a touch of Greek sophistication to the mix, showcasing their groovy sound destined for future acclaim. Hiroyuki Kato emerges as a Japan-based multi-instrumentalist with a punchy debut track, and The Mechanical Man (feat. Bob Vito) adds a raw, gritty energy to the compilation. For those that are adventurous in finding unique music, you will want to check out this great release.
Review: White Fetish X, the latest release by enigmatic collaboration between Dataintrang and Luke Eargoggle on the Italian label Pareidolia Recordings, is a hypnotic and eerie exploration of the dark side of electronica. The album's six tracks veritably pulsate with a sinister energy, blending elements of EBM, electro clash, and sci-fi to create a truly unique and unsettling soundscape. 'Starting Shift' sets the tone with its menacing EBM stomp and early techno sound, while 'Mann Gegen Mann' ups the ante with its sinister electroclash beats. The title track is a hypnotic and eerie soundscape, with its sci-fi synths and demented, horror-like atmosphere. 'Radiowelt' is a heavy electro track with a pulsing body funk rhythm, while 'Audio Warrior' closes the album out with its dark and evil-sounding but funky bassline. Overall, White Fetish X is a challenging and rewarding listen for fans of dark electronica. Its sinister soundscapes and hypnotic rhythms create a truly unique and unsettling experience that will stay with you long after the final track has faded out.
Zarate-Fix & DJ Sotofett - "Dub State Looped" (8:15)
DJ Sotofett - "My Spirit Is Looped" (0:28)
Ronny Nyheim - "EXP" (DJ Sotofett Lockmix) (2:03)
DJ Sotofett - "Hats Loop 1" (0:37)
DJ Sotofett - "Stab Loop 1" (0:26)
DJ Sotofett - "Beater Loop 1" (1:08)
L.A.2000 & DJ Sotofett - "1st Wave Fusion" (9:49)
DJ Sotofett - "Preparation Looped" (0:33)
Review: The wonderfully idiosyncratic DJ Sottofett is back with more of his leftfield magic alongside Ronny Nyheim, Zarate_Fix and LA 2000. This outing on WANIA is a special release with alternative mixes and non-album tracks from the upcoming WANIA mk1 double album. 'Dubquartz' opens up with rattling dub techno, 'Dub State Looped' is a slow motion and heavyweight dub with rusty chords and then comes a seizes of loose for adventurous DJ fun such as the scratchy vocal of 'My Spirit Is Looped' and frosted hi-hats of 'Hats Loop 1'. '1st Wave Fusion' is the standout with its cinematic synths and widescreen grooves.
Review: Luigi Tozzi and Feral join forces on Aube Rouge for a seriously deep outing. The pair cook up four collaborative tracks that are sure to appeal to fans of techno stylists like Dozzy and Neel, such is the deftness of the designs and the heady, hypnotic nature of the rhythms. 'Neon' is first and is all sub-aquatic sound and rolling drums. 'Enigma' keeps you in a hypnotic state with subtle bell loops over pulsing drums and bass and the flip is no less involving: 'Third Eye' is minimal, ambient laced deep techno sophistication and 'Trip No Trip' rounds out with a little more propulsion but no less a cinematic design.
Review: Five years on from their debut collaborative EP 'Frisina Meets Toco', modern Brasilian dance artists Gerardo Frisina and Toco return for a second faceoff, this time with liaising artist Luzia Dvorek serving as ringmaster. Centring on samba-infused jazz and deep house with mystical and folk influences, "deixa passar" translates from Portuguese to "let it pass", though the mood is certainly not outright passive. This delectably quartered slice of carnivalesque dance music is rather rich in sonic papaya juice, charting sustained vocal contrasts between Toco and Luzia against smoky and furnaced beats. Aperient track 'Deixa Passar' leans heaviest on languid piano, whilst dozier mists emerge on the B-side in the form of 'Ile' and its rework by Gerardo Frisina, bringing pan flutes, strings, breathy vocal counterpoints, cabasa shaker, and subtle bass undercurrents.
Review: Ben La Desh shows off his elegant take on deep house on the Dirt Crew label here with five well appointed tunes. 'Heel Goed' has loopy, subtle broken beat loops taking you on a trip through the cosmos next to swirling pads and daubs of colour. 'Lift Adrift' is a gorgeous tune laced with ambient beauty and 'Fine Rise' is warm, comforting and inviting. The drums are paced and the pads are spaced out. There is some meticulous drum programming to 'Asanti' that again heads off up amongst the stars and 'Expanding Signal is a perfect back room sound for cosy and intimate dancefloors.
Review: Brit-boogie obscurity alert! You might not be familiar with La Famille - a short-lived group established by jazz guitarist Alan Weekes, whose members also included then future Soul 2 Soul singer Caron Wheeler and a pre-fame Cleveland Watkiss - but in 'Dancer', they made one of the loveliest jazz-funk/boogie crossover records of the early 1980s. Originally a white label-only release and near impossible to find since, the record has long been crying out for a reissue. It has all the ingredients you'd expect - squelchy synth-bass, soulful vocals, leisurely jazz guitars, drum machine beats and an overriding sense of musical sweetness - and is presented in equally essential vocal and instrumental mix variations.
Review: Lovers of downtempo sounds and psychedelic electronic grooves will no doubt be drawn to this record form the cover art alone. It has that majestic, dreamy feel that suggests the music inside will take you to a soothing place of escape. And so it proves with Lab's Cloud aka Raul Jordan (who started out making psy-trance under a different name) explores floating melodies, ethereal grooves, widescreen sonic vistas and plenty of atmospheric feudal recordings across this fine 12" for Ensancha El Alma. This is a delicious record for those late night hours when you want to sink right into the sofa.
Review: Foundation Music take two of the standout tracks from Lady Blackbird's critically acclaimed debut album 'Black Acid Soul' and enlist the expertise of some of jazz's finest talents - Greg Foat and Emma-Jean Thackray - to step up and remix these absorbing cuts. Jean-Thackray delivers a casual, hypnotic, broken-beatific dream-imagining of the track 'Blackbird', replete with bustling piano backings and amphitheatrical echo. Foat, meanwhile, pulls out the smoother-edged, slow-jammed stoppers on his version of 'Collage', in what amounts to a deeply sensuous downtempo funk head-nod.
Review: Slip on your Speedos and prepare for a dip in the warm waters of Swimtrax, which debuts here with an EP from Mark Lando that immediately suggests this label is going to be one to watch. First up are the gorging acid lines and rubbery bass rumbles of 'Formation', a mutant techno sound heavy on the low end. 'Scope' picks up the pace with speedy but no less slick kicks and icy hi hats while a mysterious and gloopy synth lingers in the foreground. The flipside offers the psychedelic lines of minimalist masterpiece 'The Salk Zone' and comic tech of 'In This Light.'
Review: Neil Landstrumm is one of the UK's most underrated but high-achieving artists if you ask us. He's done it all over the years and has been pivotal to a number of different in-between sounds flourishing into scenes. Here he lands on a fellow UK institution in Swamp 81, once a home to cutting-edge bass and now offering an outlet for Landstrumm to explore the cosmos. He does so with his usual mix of quirky sound designs and heavy grooves on 'Minimoo' which is both serious body music but also playful and charming. 'Aintgotnojob' is a twisted juke-inspired B-side with reverberating low ends and tightly looped vocal phrasings that melt the mind.
Review: If you want hugs on the dancefloor deep into the night, Late Night Tough Guy's (formally DJ HMC) "Bless The Rains" is the perfect drug. The Adelaide based luminary rehashes Toto's "Africa" in a heavily pitched down and simple edit fit for any fromage-laced discotheque. Skirting around the throbbing bassline and triangle hits of "My Body On Fire" is a vocal that will have some train-spotters pulling their hair out in frustration, while "Not In Love Anymore" will have both Warren G/Nate Dogg and Michael McDonald fans bumping and grinding to excess.
Review: Lawrence's Epiphany Remixes, a release from the German record label Giegling, presents four distinct interpretations of the title track. Each remixer brings a unique approach to the original piece, resulting in a diverse and captivating soundscape. Zoe Polanski's version transforms the track into a crystallized melody, creating a cold yet beautiful atmosphere. Lowtec's remix explores deep techno, delivering a smooth and dreamy ambiance with a touch of sadness. M Pittman Ladder's interpretation adds a gritty, chunky bassline, while Tobias' remix elevates the tempo, creating a pulsating and mechanical percussion elements. These remixes showcase the versatility of Lawrence's original composition, demonstrating how different artists can reinterpret and reshape it to create new and engaging experiences.
Review: Short Attention Records makes a welcome return here with a new drop of wax that fits the label head into its roots in deep techno sound worlds. This one takes the form of a various artists' EP crafted with an intake feel for cosy floors and who better to kick off in that vibe than the revered Lawrence whose 'Hawser' is a groovy and melodious track. Next, New Jersey don Joey Anderson sets a slow and deep tone with 'Human Kind' which has moody vocals and Japanese artist Takuya Matsumoto follows with 'Three Flowers', a more potent and driving cut with a fine acid bassline. Rounding off the EP is 'Desired Spring' by R/K, a loop-driven deep house gem designed for both listening and dancing.
Review: Fresh, cruddy electro dreamatics from mysterious production outfit Lazer Worshippers here, joining the Atmosphere label to stake their claim to their very own 'theme'. A name like Lazer Worshippers gives off vibes of a apparent machine cult with a penchant for building sonic monuments to our AI-mech overlords. The music is similarly vaunting and numinous, with its synthetic choirs and trilling arps dancing between the left and rights like heavenly visions of a mechanized future. B-siders 'On A Rise' and 'Free Flight' are just as teary-eyed, yet bleepy, recalling the entrancing, oldskool breaksy trance work of Spooky or Digital Justice.
Review: LDS takes no prisoners on this blistering new techno workout for Exos' Planet X & X/OZ labels. Opener 'Karplusfunk' is a 100-mile-an-hour assault with caustic hit hats over clipped, kinetic drums. Manic synth lines ride up and down and the energy levels are off the chart. 'Mvoper FM' is slightly paired back but is still warp-speed icy techno to take dance floors on a white knuckle ride through the cosmos. The Exos remix of 'LD5' has snares that sound like sheet metal blowing in the wind while solar clouds peel off the groove. The flip side offers two more cuts of head-melting techno experimentalism.
Review: Lea Porcelain, the new wave retroverts from Frankfurt am Main could very well be the next big thing that you've never heard of. The original version of "Loose Life" itself is quite difficult to locate on the interwebs but we're sure it's hard to compete with local legend Roman Flugel's slow burning remix on offer here. Darmstadt's finest Benedikt Frey is onboard too, giving "Similar Familiar" a makeover that's as unique as pretty much all his other work: part techno, part cosmic or even industrial. It's brooding, wall of sound guitars and vocals drowned in reverb battle it out against pounding 909 snare attacks and screeching synth leads. Awesome!
Review: Who doesn't love it when new Legowelt music drops? The Dutch is one of the most prolific producers in the game but he never sounds the same from one record to the next. This time out he lands on Hotmix with a two-track 10" that kicks off with 'DRUMCOMPUTER GLORY.' It's a warped track with acid tinges, mirky synths, weird vocal samples and jacked-up drums that are raw and proudly old school. On the flip side is 'CASIO CTK630 HOMEKEYBOARD', a snaking groove with hissing hi-hats and more smeared, smudgy synths that make for an unusual but alluring atmosphere.
Review: Under the familiar Leo Zero alias, Leo Esltob has crafted countless killer re-edits over the last few decades - though only a limited number have ever been released. Hence the Edit Archive series of 12" EPs, which here reaches volume two. As you'd expect for a man of his experience and expertise, there's much to admire, from the sing-along powder-rock brilliance of 'Dreams' (a tasteful, extended re-work of one of the most famous and celebrated songs of the 1970s) and the re-vitalised Balearic brilliance of 'Taboo' (yep, it's an excellent Sade re-rub), to the loose-limbed-but-locked-in house-not-house headiness of 'Feel The Pain', with its echoing vocal snippets, metronomic cowbells and bubbly synth sounds.
Lewis Fautzi & Norbak - "Code Of Deception" (5:17)
Oscar Mulero - "Zw System" (5:20)
Temudo - "Niiv" (6:29)
Kessell - "Time Domain" (5:11)
Review: Faut Section's Perception Series is back with a second sizzling installment of freshly made techno. Lewis Fautzi & Norbak pair off to open up with 'Code Of Deception', a barreling cut with icy hi hats and taught bass twangs full of dusty factory floor menace. Oscar Mulero offers one of his signature loop-techno rollers in 'Zw System' Temudo then rattles walls with the mysterious bass rumbles of 'Niiv'. Completing what is an EP that is as varied as it is vital is Kessell with the dubby broken techno beats of 'Time Domain' which has fizzing synths cracking like static on a 90s TV screen.
Review: A fresh collaborative dance effort from the fine folks over at Leng, centring on reworks of the brilliant debut album Waving by producer Lex (Alex Andrikopolous). Released in 2022, we're now two years ahead, and come met with this fine array. Kicking things off with a glorious Faze Action remix of 'Punta Allen', on which guitars, steel pans and clap-slaps abound, we're soon further into the mid-rave movements of 'Libre De Amor', a new one with Locke, followed by the acidic additives of Ruf Dug's version of 'Prezend'. Finally, another original, 'Super Awake', surfaces as the cascading coda to an all-out suite of neo-Balearic delights.
Lex, Dennis Liber, Rosa - "Una Sera D'Estate" (feat Max Giovara) (7:02)
Lex, Dennis Liber - "End Of The Line" (5:56)
Dennis Liber - "Playa Eden" (feat Sariela Camargo) (8:32)
Dennis Liber - "Hidden Island" (feat Ricardo Benitez) (4:17)
Review: Rocksteady Disco welcomes Dennis Liber & Lex for a standout debut here. Their four-tracker captures the magic of musical nights spent down in Mexican hotspot Tulum with organic and airy grooves aplenty. 'Una Sera D'Estate' (feat Max Giovara) exodus late-night warmth and loved-up vibes with its melodic bassline and disco-tinged house drums. 'End Of The Line' is more lively but is no less direct with its big drums and pointed bass phrasings. Liber then goes solo for the dreamy, Italo-tinged yet tropical 'Playa Eden' and wonderfully escapist closer 'Hidden Island' complete with Balearic beats and the sound of singing dolphins.
Review: Ten yeras ago, when it first was released, Young Corner marked the triumphant return of Swiss producer Alex "Lexx" Storer, renowned for his ability to craft evocative atmospheres and emotive journeys on the dancefloor. The standout track, 'Turning Tides,' blends deep house rhythms with Balearic flair, featuring sun-soaked textures and lush disco-inspired guitars destined to create unforgettable moments. 'Mahogany' takes a slower pace, with bold electronics and crisp guitars layered over a deep, dub-infused bassline. Rounding out the EP, 'Serenity' elevates the Balearic vibe with dreamy chords, clipped guitars, and cascading electronics, offering a serene escape into blissful sonic landscapes. Lexx's artistry shines through in this mesmerising collection.
Review: The Mannequin label strikes another perfect techno pose here with LFT aka Johannes Haas stepping up to lay it down. Opener 'I Want To Be A Witch' is a pummelling drum assault with heavy funk in its rhythms and darkness in the tortured vocals. 'No More Tears' is a gehtto-fried double-time workout with more well treated, reverb heavy vocals and unrelenting drums and 'Horst Du Das' is a dark wave, EBM and industrial post-punk techno fusion full of straight-ahead energy and warehouse grit and grime. That scuzzy lo-fi aesthetic continues through the snarled vocals and fizzing drum machine sounds of 'Panzer Tanz', percolating synths of 'Voodoo Dues' and menacing atmosphere of The Hacker's remix.
Review: French producer Lingo launches their imprint Lingo Tools with a decisive helmer, 'Lingo Tools 001'. Landing somewhere squarely between breakbeat, hip house and jam-out acid propulsions, we're first met with 'Push Da' System' - which brings a finger-on-the-button, Beastie Boys-styled vocal line to a stabbing rave blow-cutter - while 'Never Say Never' moves straighter and buzzier. B-sider 'The New Sound' finds confidence in transitory quadruple claps and injunctions to usher in the new sonic world order; finally, 'Moonwalk Like Me' prostrates itself on an astral geyser of sound, with a central arp-ing, melodic tessellation showering off the tune like meteoric detritus.
Review: The artwork for this new 12" from the System 108 label is eccentric enough to make you want to check out the music even if you don't know the artists. It's the sort of cover that suggests the music will be left of centre and quirky and that it is. 'Sao Januario' is a deep and lazy groove with sunny chords and jazzy keys that take you to the global south. 'Sunny Villa On A Distant Planet' is a twisted disco cut with house leaning drums and big cowbells under intergalactic synth lines. 'Rolando Nascer Do Sol' then rides a crisp electro breakout to keep you on your toes and 'OWL WCS' slows down for a cuddly back-to-mine style closer.
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