Cyphon Vinyl, CD & Tape 13 Items

The influence of the UK’s Steel City on electronic music is well documented and undisputed and continues to push the envelope with key figures such as Winston Hazel (Forgemasters, The Step), DJ Parrot/Crooked Man, Richard Benson (rac, Swag, Altern 8), Chris Duckenfield (rac, Popular Peoples Front, Swag, All Ears Distribution), a thriving underground club scene and the likes of Synaptic Voyager reinforcing the city’s rich musical legacy.

Matt White and Paul Baines have been making off-kilter, emotive, late night electronic jams since meeting in the early 90’s and while life took them on different paths for a while, they have recently blown the thick layer of dust from their synths and drum machines and got busy in the studio to create some amazing new music which draws influence from that classic UK techno sound which played such an important part in the development of dance music culture around the world. With recent releases on Frame Of Mind, Acquit and Telomere Plastic the duo are clearly on a roll, wearing the heritage of their city on their sleeve and delivering what can only be described as heartfelt, authentic machine music made with love and soul.

From the opening beats of lead track Dawn Till Dusk we are drawn in to another place which feels comfortably familiar yet organic, fluid and loose in a way that tugs on the heartstrings. A million miles from cookie-cutter tech house, this is two guys in a bedroom studio, digging deep on hardware machines to create a sound to get completely lost in. Lonely Promontory takes things deeper still with immersive pads, taught electro beats and blissed-out melodic lines which give just hint of optimism and recall those beloved sounds of B12, Redcell and Likemind.

Flipping over we have Stellar Engine which goes a littler heavier on the beats and bass whilst still retaining a floating quality, once again highlighting the hardware jam workflow that Synaptic Voyager utilise in their studio. Once Exposed takes us back to those heady days of the early 90’s when techno, house and ambient electronics combined to create a heady blend of deep atmospherics and driving beats which could work on both dance floors and car stereos alike. Rounding off the EP we have Cognitive Network which goes for a straighter four on the floor techno groove and a killer bassline to lose yourself in. These recordings were delivered to the label in unedited long form (some tracks totalling 15 minutes or more in length!) which Jimpster lovingly edited into the versions which you hear on this release.

Almost exactly 30 years ago in 1994 Jamie Odell released his Loxodrome EP on legendary London label Jumpin & Pumpin, a release that has since gone onto receive a lot of love and attention and got reissued by Craigie Knowes sub label Wormhole Wisdom back in 2020. Fast forward three decades and Jamie aka Jimpster has decided to dust off his Loxodrome cap, and now we’re happy to present you with the fruits of his studio sessions in the form of The Drop Out EP.

The title track treads a much darker, more minimal path than we’re used to hearing on his Jimpster or Franc Spangler releases. Aimed fairly and squarely at the dance floor, Drop Out goes heavy on squelching, modular synth sequences which build around a stripped back jacking drum groove. Jamie’s trusty Juno 106 gets dusted off to provide the chunky bassline and ominous pads which are interjected with a trippy vocal sample and white noise fills.

Emberfall follows in fine style with saturated 808 drums and 303 acid line taking centre stage. Overall, an optimistic and uplifting atmosphere emits from the speakers, heightened by the Juno string chords, taking inspiration from classic 90’s Italian Dream House.

Flipping over we have a dub version of Emberfall which loses the pads and stabs in favour of dub delays and extra snare fills for a more impactful and minimal acidic club workout.

Closing out the EP things get lush as Jamie heads into deep, late night electro territory on Fornax A. Memories of Black dog and B12 are channeled through the layers of filtering synths and glitchy breakbeats and are inspired by his production approach and Atari ST running C-Lab Creator and Akai S900 - the tools at his disposal when producing his debut Loxodrome EP all those years ago.

Kirk Degiorgio’s influence on electronic music cannot be overstated, having been responsible for producing some of the most emotive and soulful machine music dating right back to the early 90’s. As a leading figure in UK techno his As One, Elegy and Future/Past output on labels such as B12, R&S and his own Applied Rhythmic Technology (A.R.T.) have rightly become revered classics and helped shape ambient techno and what would come to be known as IDM/Future Electronica. His connection with Cyphon co-founder Jamie Odell also dates back to the turn of the millennium when Kirk invited Jamie to play keys on his 21st Century Soul LP released on Ubiquity and subsequently releasing an EP together under the name Super Aloof on Exceptional.

With Cyphon’s inspiration being indebted so heavily to the influence of Kirk’s music, the label is proud to present the follow up to last year’s Frayed Edge EP here on the Elate EP. Opening track Seven Minutes Of Funk sees Kirk in rolling, acidic house mode with a track which draws you into it’s hypnotic confines. Filtering pads, percussive groove and 303 line all combine to create a classic sound which will create just the right energy on a big system and help transition from deeper house to Detroit techno. Elate follows with a piano-led, euphoric house track with Kirk’s sonic explorations in synthesis shining through adding fizzing pads and rhythmic movement.

Flipping over we have Five Minutes Of Dub, a stripped back version of the A1 keeping the focus on the drum machine groove and rolling bassline. Echos of 303 bring a darker touch whilst the shimmering strings add some energy and intensity to the arrangement. Closing out the EP we have Lost which once again fuses deep, synth atmospherics with rasping white noise hats and chiming modular arps to create a late night city scape mood to get lost in.

Hot on the heels of their sophomore release with DJ Rocca, Cyphon Recordings welcome Tijuana’s Cyborg Nerve to the family for the third installment in their busy label schedule.

A new project helmed by the Cedillo brothers - also known for their work under the monikers Soul of Hex and Mano De Fuego - Cyborg Nerve’s sound tips the hat to the roots of Detroit electro and techno.

The Vicario Musique Recordings bosses have already made a mark under their Soul of Hex alias, pushing their cosmic, vibrant take on deep house. It’s caught the ear of labels and artists across the world; the likes of Delusions of Grandeur, Freerange Records and Quintessentials have shared their music and they’ve even earned the Larry Heard seal of approval, with the legendary Chicago producer stepping up to remix their 2014 track ‘Lip Reading’. As Mano De Fuego they’re also getting their music into the hands of pioneering figures in the American dance music scene - summer of this year saw them release a shamanistic debut via the inimitable Underground Resistance.

For their debut outing as Cyborg Nerve, the pair deliver four tracks of old school electro grooves. Title track ‘Cristalizacion’ kicks things off. A slice of intergalactic electro; celestial pads soar above warm bass and staccato drum rhythms. Their eponymous track follows and takes the energy levels up a notch: a warbling bass line drives the track forward, whirring and revving while crisp hats fizz overhead.

‘Tijuana 3000’ is another cut that's custom-made for the dance floor. As with the title track, the duo call to mind the interstellar jazz-tinged electronics of Detroit outfit Galaxy 2 Galaxy, as they pair cosmic twinkling melodies with a hypnotic acid line that takes centre stage. ‘Machine Effect’ brings the EP to a close. Like its name suggests the track is powered by a raw, machine funk groove and precise drum programming - no bells and whistles, just pure cosmic vibrations to move your body.

Cyphon Recordings continue their deep dive into the rich heritage of UK and Detroit electronic sounds with their second label release, this time from Danny Was A Drag King label boss DJ Rocca.

Active since the 90s, the Italian producer is a dedicated explorer of the Italo Disco-inspired sounds native to his home. He’s been plotting his sonic journey for decades, making pit stops at labels across Europe including Rekids,Toy Tonics, Slow Motion, Rotten City Records and Roam Recordings. On top of his solo outings, collaboration has played a big role in his production journey to date. He’s worked with artists like Howie B, Jazzanova and Zed Bias, as well as joining forces on ongoing projects with fellow Italian stalwart Daniele Baldelli and Dimitri From Paris, the latter under the name Erodiscotique.

Now back on his solo pursuits for Cyphon, Rocca proves he’s still very much at the top of his game. The four cuts on ‘Code 041’ explore all shades of electro, from raw, old school machine funk to futuristic cosmic sounds. It’s electro done the Rocca way.

The title track sets the tone. An eerie bass line crawls along, providing a bed for reflective pads to glide and mysterious synth sounds and echoing vocal samples to ricochet above. ‘No Gym’ greets us next, bringing that Italo flair Rocca’s mastered so well. It’s the most vibrant track on the release, matching colourful pinging synths and tropical-tinged melodies with a signature driving acid bass line.

On the flip, ‘The Bigger Lake’ takes the EP in a different direction, on a trip through dark glistening pads, tittering percussion and sub aquatic bass before the dusty breaks and moody, jazzy keys of ‘Omega’ bring the release to a close. Mirroring Cyphon’s label ethos, Rocca showcases the best of the past and present of a timeless sound.

Tokyo-based DJ, producer and sound artist Yuu Udagawa inaugurates the freshly launched Cyphon Recordings with her debut EP, ‘Forever’.

Growing up on a cocktail of everything from rock, hip-hop and Latin jazz to techno and house, Yuu’s immersive musical output draws inspiration from this diverse pool of influences to create ‘uplifting and healing’ music for the mind and body. There’s an elegance and sophistication to her productions, which stems from her desire to make music guided by the Golden Mean philosophy of finding a middle ground between two extremes: excess and deficiency.

Active as a DJ since the millennium, which saw her playing at clubs, festivals and fashion shows across the country, she soon turned her attention to music production and has since self-released a handful of singles and contributed audio commissions for Sony Playstation3, museums, theatres and apparel brands. Yuu’s meditative pallet of sounds instantly grabbed Cyphon’s third ear which led to the tracks that make up ‘Forever’: a collection of analog slo-mo electronica and leftfield minimal house that strike a perfect balance between warmth and depth.

The release opens with the titular track: a deep, emotive electro cut punctuated by a twinkling synthline and blissful vocals. ‘Mojito’ continues the EP’s voyage into the deep, matching softly spoken word with jazz-tinged chords and meandering melodies, before ’Hug Close’ strips things back, guided by a crunchy minimal groove, warm, resolute keys and reflective synths.

The B-Side steers things on a soulful course. The dark, enveloping atmosphere of ‘Illuminated Night’ is lifted by bright synth stabs and harmonic R&B-flavoured vocals. These influences continue on closer ‘Stay With Us’. Slowing down the pace, the track is a wash of shimmering funk-inspired chords and shuffling rhythms, laced once again with effortless, soaring vocal tones.

Last year marked the reemergence of Anoesis following a 20-year hiatus. A highly respected producer across the ‘90s, specialising in interstellar IDM and electronica, Howard Dodd rose from his statis to release two new albums alongside a five-track EP on Cyphon Recordings last year. A bold statement and stake in the ground showcasing that Dodd’s production prowess has not faltered in that time, but has rather taken on a fresh vitality in this new chapter.

The Megacognition EP exudes Dodd’s distinctive style. A master at making tracks that sound like they were created in an extraterrestrial laboratory, fed by long lost tapes of Detroit techno from ‘Planet Earth’.

‘Vision Off’ opens the EP. Subaquatic rumblings with precision drum programming that dials from reverberating kicks to crunched claps. Trembling basslines and hypnotising synths entice you to the depths, as arps trickle to the top disorientating your brain.

‘Do Don’t Don’t Do’ and ‘Polybius’ follow. The former, a spiralling, off-kilter web of interlocking synthesis, that’s both dizzying and harmonising in the same breath. The latter a dubbed-out, minimal house groover packed with tactile basslines, dusty drum loops and echoed vocal samples.

Take to ‘New Style of Life’ for a transfixing dose of twisted Martian music, guaranteed to cause a stir. Warped electro meets cybertronic electronica with a techno edge. ‘Voxelle’ then closes out the EP. A soul-rousing cut of euphoric deep house. Stargazed, sunrise hazed, it’s a track that can be deployed anytime, anywhere and is sure to leave a lasting mark. Layers of luscious pads and celestial strings topped with an infectious synthline that will suspend you weightlessly in a bubble of worry-banishing brilliance.

Active in an age where talent, diligence and taste meant more than social media traction and algorithmic obedience, Dodd’s versatility and class have clearly never waned since those early days. If anything, the Megacognition EP shows it is as strong as it has ever been.

Operating from the depths of London’s musical underground since the late ‘90s, Infinity Plus One has been quietly toiling away, letting his music do the talking for the past two and a half decades. Cyphon Recordings draft in the veteran producer for a rare four-track EP of Detroit-infused, future-facing house and techno laced with the compelling lyricism of JaronX.

The Rebellion EP sees Infinity Plus One in some of his finest form to date. Leading the charge, ‘Context is Broken’ opens with JaronX’s poignant and passionate lyric on the state of global media, where sensationalism sells more copies than facts. From there, you dive headfirst into a hit of heavy-duty, contorted house. Crisp hats, punchy kicks and echoing stabs are interspersed with twisted electronics and JaronX’s arresting vocals. A sub-rattling bassline hits you square in the chest taking this neural club cut to the next level.

‘Say The Truth’ follows. A glitching, syncopated roller, woven with an entrancing monologue that is modulated and layered into tripped-out harmonies that echo around your brain.

On the flip side, ‘Identity Keeps Changing’ is a morphing techno weapon, where voices and synthesisers oscillate through different forms with every new turn. Rave-infused synth lines, breakbeats and a warped bassline channel that ‘90s warehouse flavour for a kinetic dose of dancefloor bedlam.

Rounding off the EP, the surging chords of ‘Utopia’ ping between your ears. A pulse that rides the kick drum, as dizzying arps and heavenly strings are layered into the mix to form a transfixing, gravity-defying techno immersion.

Fusing lyricism with the depth and dynamism of house and techno’s roots, Infinity Plus One hardwires meaning within his music. Visceral and thought-provoking, it’s a welcome respite in a sea of conformity.

One of the most consistent new labels around, Cyphon Recordings, marks double figures with another standout release that gleans from the past, but faces the future. This time they look to the talents of Emotive Technology, a new alias from Chilean Massiande who provides a five-track EP of machine-wielding, soul-rousing techno from across the spectrum.

Although this may be the first release under his new moniker, Massiande has spent the last decade putting out productions with labels such as Housewax, Phonica, Freerange and Groovin. Firing on all cylinders from the get-go, ‘Rise’ kicks off the Walk Into The Light EP. A hyperspace melding of new beat, Italo and arp-operating techno that opens out into a slice of peak-time revelry.

The swirling textures of ‘It’s On’ follow, pushing you into the next dimension. A hypnotic, entrancing and arresting heads-down powerhouse. Crunchy and considered it's the kind of strobe-stuttering basement jam that turns heads inside out.

Two Detroit-leaning tracks ‘Your Zone’ and ‘Walk IntoThe Light’ are up next. The former is a heavyweight machine workout. Layered synth lines and crisp drum programming transfix, as that grooving low-end powers bodies into bedlam. The latter, a Motor-City-influenced tour de force. One that sees Massiande recode the circuitry to hit with a piano-laden stunner, balancing power and presence, with emotion and nuance.

Closing out proceedings, ‘The Swing’ sucks you in deeper. A resonating world of synth stabs, pulsating basslines and atmospheric electronics.

Doing the Emotive Technology namesake proud, Walk Into The Light is machine music hardwired with a heavy sense of soul.

Cyphon Recordings continue their remarkable run of form with a brand new six track mini LP from Aussie powerhouse Ewan Jansen. With three decades of experience permeating his productions, Chroma Sea is a signature Jansen voyage - crisp, colourful, groove-heavy house and techno anchored by an analog weight.

A veteran of the scene, Jansen cut his teeth in the early '90s producing hardware-saturated house music drenched in depth and feeling. Having released on the likes of Moods & Grooves, Going Good, Freerange and Butter Sessions across the years, he’s also been captaining his own label Red Ember Records since 1997.

Leading the Chorma Sea odyssey is 'Salt Circuit', a squelching '90s tech house leaning track with a Detroit influenced touch, where bounce and power balance expertly with intricate synthwork and synapse-firing breakdowns.

'Brinewave' and 'Cybercanisco' follow, the former a head pickling, bass heavy, atmospheric electro joint. The latter a blinding yet blissful, Motor City channelling techno creation, that burrows deep down into your soul.

On the flip, 'Hydronexus' swallows you up in with a hit of absorbing space-age techno that envelopes your brain in layer upon layer of tactile sounds, before 'Faulty Gelfling' fires you out the other side into a twisted, robo electro hyperspace.

Closing out the release and bringing you back down to earth, 'Surabaya', where soft pads swell and oscillating synths wash over you, as that grooving low-end just keeps on rolling. The Chroma Sea release expertly illustrates Ewan Jansen's ability to craft a vibrant blend of house and techno that nods across the ocean to the US and Europe, yet grounds itself down under. Earthly and analog yet explorative all at once.

Following on from Anoesis’ standout Stasislogue EP, Cyphon look to the interstellar offerings of Ben Sun for the next release on the label. On an axis that Cyphon are fast becoming known for, Ben presents four spine tingling, celestial cuts that balance weight, precision and emotion with a distinct solar flair. Having released on the likes of Housewax, Delusions of Grandeur and Utopia Records, Ben Sun has sculpted a sound that exudes warmth from it’s rays, whether plotting a disco trajectory or looking to the atmospheres of house and techno. The Apex EP sees Ben orbit the latter, with opening track ‘Tether’ as enticing an opener as you could ask for. Modulated arps and dreamstate voices build into a deep yet powerful techno-leaning cut, doused in engulfing pads and peaking toplines. Following this, ‘Self - Other’ is a rich, Detroit-flavoured journey travelling from galaxy to galaxy. Marrying an electro funk feeling with synth strings and acid touches, atop a chunky bass and potent kick. Take to the B side to see Sun hit deep space for the title cut, serving up a hypnotising slice of mind-bending electronica meets atmospheric techno. Otherworldly arps run your mind in circles, the bassline grooves across dimensions, before an enchanting breakdown opens out into a euphoric universe. Closing out this trip, ‘Shores Of Minds’ serves up a 303-infused hit of mesmerising textures and glistening sonics. Heads down business, with Sun’s signature stabs anchoring this trance-inducing jam. Blending the classic and contemporary, Ben Sun’s Apex EP hits that sweet spot that straddles the space and time between the two. As far in the future, as it is in feeling the past, with a gravitational pull that draws you in closer with every new element added.

Cyphon is proud to bring you brand new music from one of Europe’s pioneers of techno and IDM, Stefan Robbers aka Terrace and Florence. His early releases for Djax-Up-Beats and his own Eevo Lute Muzique in the early 90’s were hugely influential striking a sweet spot between stark minimalism, majestic analogue lushness and dance floor grooves. In more recent years his own reinterpretation of the Detroit sound can be found on the highly regarded Dutch label Delsin. Here on his ‘Thermionic EP’ Terrace sings out with such intensity that minds are blown. Listen to the brutal, exhilarating sequences of ‘Territorial’ which leads the new EP, and you will receive that message loud and clear. While the music is as much about the consequence of soulful depth, it is also about edgy machines communicating intimately. Sweet chords fuse and then contrast with grainy acidic sonics, leaving the tempo poised at an irresistible pace like all our futures depended on it. As you move next onto the more subtle electro pulse of ‘Thermon’, shimmering keys dance around a frame-by-frame remembrance of robotic disco in the 23rd century. The uplifting brilliance of ‘Woodward’ follows filling the void with an explosion of colour that is all about life-affirming instrumentation, hitting you fast and loose with a cascade of arpeggios, tough drums plus an incendiary surge of melodic distraction causing the airwaves to crackle with celebration. Completing this stunning release from Terrace are the fierce, hotwired grooves forged by ‘Ritual’, conjuring up endless combinations of an analogue model rediscovered. The sheer dancefloor animation found within each of Terrace’s productions on this EP purposefully point to and enhance Cyphon Recordings own mission to explore, propelling the emphasis forever forwards.

Cyphon Recordings welcome DJ, producer, musician, and D.KO co-owner Flabaire for the fourth outing on the label. At just 29, the Parisian artist, already has a fair share of victories under his belt. On his acclaimed D.KO imprint, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year, he’s released three albums and several EPs, as well as charting releases for Organic-Music, Deeppa Records and South Street. For his next solo EP, he brings his beautifully affecting and nostalgic blend of electro, IDM, and deep house to Cyphon. Doing what he does best, Flabaire’s ‘Entre-Deux’ is an EP brimming with emotion and atmosphere. Pulling at the heartstrings, opener ‘In Between’ layers an electro beat over lush pads with iridescent synth lines rising out of the haze. Cowbells swing into action, pads swell and glisten, making way for a squelchy 303 to bubble underneath. ‘No Minding’ moves into softer realms, a serene blend of deep house and electronica, it’s paced by a warm bass bounce and shuffling percussion sprinkled with chopped vocal samples and bright keys. Flabaire’s bass mastery continues ‘Click Plok’, as does his deftness at producing delicate, gliding pads, this time punctuated by tight bleeps, gentle open hats, and a meandering synth solo. Closing out the EP the atmospheric ‘fbg’, a balmy syncopated groove joined by twinkling synth melodies that dance over dusty breakbeats and hushed vocal stutters.