Garage | 2Step | UK Funky | Bassline 217 Items

Millia, real name Akeem Asani, was born and raised in the Midwest and is now based in the Windy City. With his dancefloor-ready solo project seeing releases on Sweat Equity, Knightwerk, and a string of self-released singles online, Millia has received support from NTS regulars Re:ni & Laksa, Bradley Zero, and Otologic, as well as club and festival plays from Nick León, Tammo Hesselink, Gramrcy, LCY, and Shanti Celeste. For his latest offering, Millia readies two rich organic and dub-influenced tracks for Roy Mills’ Local Knowledge imprint. ‘acab Break’ combines psychedelic samples with tripped out breaks, deep subs, and dense, spacey atmospheres. On the flip, ‘Trip Dub’ delves further into dubwise territory, delivering a tense percussive affair of cavernous soundscapes and weighty drums that stretch effortlessly across the B-side. Elsewhere, with Kindtree and Concave Reflection, Akeem is part of the downtempo super-group Purelink, who enjoyed acclaim with their ‘Bliss / Swivel’ 12” and followed with their debut EP on UwU Dustbath and a performance at New York festival Sustain/Release. Akeem picked up Resident Advisor’s ‘Mix Of The Day’ for his Motion Ward mix in 2022, and has featured DJ mixes with Animalia, Knekelhuis, Warning and c-.

Fiery Subwoofer Decoding Rackets

The Craft Music label is back after a one year break with some fresh new cuts by resident Marco Lazovic. It's an EP inspired by the sound of the English club scene in the nineties and noughties, labels like Good Looking Records and artists such as Mike Millrain. Opener 'Losin Control' sure is a compelling mix of electro and breaks that soars on cosmic lines with euphoric vocals in the distance. 'Come To London' has a distinctly garage feel to it with its crisp broken beats and there is more high energy but melody-rich breakbeat action in 'Dark Gravity' while 'Space Jazzy' is s super sweet and deep jungle cruiser.

Plastik People boss Mark Cotterell keeps up the good form he sowed in 2022 with his first EP of 2023. It comes on Rhythm Vibe and features two more of his well-designed and well-swung garage-house groovers. 'Take You For A Ride' has choppy drums and hits with fresh piano stabs and soulful vocals and 'Move To The Groove' then gets a little deeper but with similar ingredients. A Ross Couch mix takes it into more airy and floaty territory while Mike Millrain's mix of 'Take You For A Ride' brings the 90s vibes.

Dublin’s M4a4 returns with his first release of 2023, accompanied by a darker sound

Nicknamed “The Sleeping Giant” by B.B. King, Lowell Fulson is one of the finest bluesmen to ever come out of Oklahoma. Tramp, his second effort from legendary blues label Kent Records, sees Fulson at his honey-toned best. The opener and title track “Tramp” is arguably Fulson’s most popular song - a funk blues cut which initially peaked at number five on Billboard’s R&B Charts before becoming a minor hit for Otis Redding and Carla Thomas (who would take it to number two on that very same chart) just a single month later. Across twelve tracks, Fulson’s playing is constantly funky, constantly bluesy, and constantly amazing. Don’t miss a single moment - reissued on limited edition monophonic vinyl, this record sounds simply fantastic.

One-off collaboration with Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh.

"Blue Lightnin'" is an album by legendary blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins recorded in Texas in 1965 and released on Stan Lewis' Jewel Records in 1967. This album has long been acclaimed as a masterpiece, capturing the aesthetics of Lightnin' Dirty Blues. Instead of the widely circulated jacket design featuring a colour photograph of Lightnin' himself, we now present it in a rare jacket design featuring another photograph which is now rarely seen, and is all blue. These little differences is one of the pleasures of digging reissue vinyls.

LP edition of 220 in printed sleeve w/ download code

"Obsessive tekno/grime experiment from London's lostdomain producer Leeway following the great great Krevet EP. Very compatible with ~160 BPM hardtek/trance. Grainy desaturated claustrophobic sound progressing to full, crisp and dreamy with alien salival textures...Whole album varies on two or three circling themes. Super zoney and subdued and spiritual but then jumps right out of the speakers with violence." - Stress zine

"Hi there, I'm really happy to present my new EP "Kernel Panic" released on one of my favorite labels "Yuku". I've been discovering a lot of great music and new artists thanks to Yuku and I'm really happy to join the family.

My first release ever was a footwork release 8 years ago, and I wanted to experiment with this 160 bpm vibe again and merge it with a lot of different personal influences. I've been experimenting a lot with crazy polyrhythm sequencers and Euclidean algorithms for this EP. It was a lot of fun but my laptop didn't like it at all. During the whole process, I experimented a huge amount and experienced loads of bugs and laptop freezes, so I decided to dedicate this EP to "Kernel Panics".

It might be the most hybrid EP I've done. You can hear breaks, electro, footwork, grime, percussive, and dub ingredient within. I also had the pleasure to collaborate with the very talented Kenyan rapper, Nah Eeto, for Piga Makofi, and I can't wait to play this one live with her.

I asked my friend Vica Pacheco to create the artwork and she built this psychedelic 3d world based on "the hypnotic and dynamic energy" of the EP.

Big thanks to Yuku for following me into these new areas of experimentation." - Le Motel

Pre-order for July 7th 2023 release. Grabbing musical ideas from myriad places – jungle, drum and bass, classical piano, new age synth, breakcore glitch, robotic industrial static, and of course pop music – Salesforce is frenetic and refined.

Last Nubian — one of South London’s most electrifying producer/DJ talents — partners with Geneva’s Sweet Fruity Brunch to debut on Errol and Alex Rita’s Touching Bass. Six tracks oozing the grit and groove of inner city LDN with deep house, broken beat and dub at its core.

From the wiggling, jazz-tinged house of the title track and anthemic singalong bruk of “in da morning” (both featuring the honeyed vocals of Achanté) to “unformidable/call it out”’s moody steadiness and the dub that bookends the EP — this is music with soul firmly in its veins.

Fresh from stellar releases on kinship labels, Tiff’s Joints and Ben Hauke’s Woop Records, the Balamii Radio resident has been steadily making moves for the past few years as part of an exciting scene of local producers and DJs. He’s now ready to take things to a new level, developing a live/DJ-hybrid performance (which premiered spectacularly to a hot-footed audience at Gilles Peterson’s We Out Here Festival).

‘Babylon Shuffle’ marks the first of Touching Bass’ 12” riddim packages, bottling the eclectic sounds of their much-loved South London-based dance on wax; custom built for dancefloor damage and beautifully presented in the soon-to-be customary, crimson red house sleeve.

Previous support from Moxie, Shy One, Secretsundaze, Aqwea, Pete Tong, Jamz Supernova, Alexander Nut and more.

Following their much loved NTS radio shows and parties of the same name, the highly rated DJ/producers re:ni and Laksa have announced a brand new label, also called RE:LAX. On ‘Body Score’ Laksa continues to traverse the same 150bpm territory as his releases for Hessle Audio and Timedance, but here we also find influences from his job as a social worker. Chiseling bass weight, swung beats/loops and FX into new shapes with confident hands, ‘Body Score’ conjures mental images that’re equal parts wild humid rainforest and dystopian industrial complex. ‘Soulz’ sets the agenda from the outset; Featuring pumelling gut-punch bass and frenetic percussion, this tightly-wound ball of energy takes you deep into a dank cerebral vortex. Acknowledging the darkside of life – 'Bodies' samples the psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk. Like an ancient ritual, ‘Mind’ evokes scenes of drummers whipping dancers up into a frenzied higher spiritual state, and with its huge snare adding head-cracking accents, the unstoppable momentum thunders along ‘til the very last bar. Early support from the likes of Pearson Sound, Zenker Brothers, Darwin and Om Unit.

Laze Haze re-joins the Shall Not Fade family, this time with 4 track EP Mind Clarity.

Presenting the third volume of forward-thinking electronics and peerless Jungle / D&B expressionism from iconoclastic Bristol producer and DJ, Krust. An artist who has always been pushing the sonic envelope while keeping dancefloors fully locked.

Introducing 'Irrational Numbers,' a meticulously curated collection of five parts, available on both vinyl and digital formats. This compilation is a treasure trove of hand-picked records and archival gems from Krust's extensive discography, thoughtfully remastered and presented anew for both devoted fans and newcomers.

'Irrational Numbers' features a dizzying array of self-released 12" cuts, exclusive unreleased VIPs and dub-plates, alongside epic major label widescreen classics. It's an unmissable journey through the sonic output of one of the UK's most distinctive and forward-looking producers.

Volume 3 serves us a plethora of unmissable highlights from Krust's enviable back catalogue. From the raw jump-up chaos of 'Rukus', the early rolling business of 'The Resister' to the epic genre defying voyage that is 'Soul In Motion', no stone is left unturned on what is - once again - an essential purchase for any serious lover of electronic music.

For longtime Krust enthusiasts, this project serves as a fond reminder of the boundless creativity and originality that flourished during the early 1990s and beyond. For those new to his work, it presents an enthralling introduction to innovative electronic music that has comfortably set the tone for generations to come. Get ready to experience the evolution of sound and immerse yourself in the visionary artistry of Krust.

Kobe JT returns to Time Is Now with 4 summer driven UKG cuts!

Green vinyl.

Kitchens inc. is a new label set up by Leeds based DJ and Producer duo, Marcus and Chris Kitchen. The first release comprises of three original tracks of their own material and will appeal to those that seek out genre crossing music. On a minimalist house tip, expect eery off tones and unearthly vocals that are seamlessly woven into understated grooves. Each track has its own personality, switching between 4/4 and breaks with a discordant jazz theme that runs throughout the EP.

New Label to our roster of labels, straight from Japan. Space Jam Techno...

Following Laksa’s mind-bending Body Score EP, Jurango joins the re:lax family for their second outing. Enchanting yet explosive, Isle of Crass EP explores driving rhythms, deep textures and heady atmospheres across four high-tempo tracks. The release sees the Bristolian entering new territory, drawing inspiration from Rian Treanor, Djrum and the pulsating energy of Singeli and Nyege Nyege Tapes.

Jonas Landwehr & Felix Fleer, the minds behind R-Imprint, are back with their youngest
brainchild ‘Serial Sound’. They are starting the new label off with an expertly crafted five track
EP ranging from emotive 4 to the floor anthems, over ideosyncratically spaced out IDM
experimentation, to cutting edge UK-infused club weapons. ‘Secrets’ is opening the A-Side with
a raw vocal performance by LAINE, fused with an infectious groove, building up to a euphoric
climax of layered poly-synths, sample flipping and abstract textures. ‘Blinded’ is carrying this
vibe over into a more toolish format while maintaining an intricate narrative arch. ’Water Seven’
rounds off the A-Side with a more dreamy excursion into ambient territory. ‘Windows’ opens
the B-Side with a catchy theme of pulsing modulated chords supported by subtle, micropercussive textures. Aeon is closing off the record with an aggressive, synthetic rhythm,
featuring syncopated vocal slices, contrasted with enthralling pad sounds. With this release the
duo has opened up their sound into a more mature & eclectic direction, while staying true to
their signature brand of contemplative harmonies and detailed textural layering.

Up next on Pleasure Club we have some re-imaginings of Johnny Hunter’s lockdown summer jam U.K.AIM. For this we enlisted the skills of nu UK garage don ZeroFG, who turned in not one but two of his trademark low end workouts. We are also honoured to welcome one of the founding fathers of UK tech house, Mr Len Lewis, to the label who delivers a heads down late night take on the original.

The spirit of U.K.AIM lives on…

Jeigo dropped a thrilling debut album Cerulean back at the end of 2022, worked in a tune with Elkka for her DJ-Kicks mix and also remixed Bicep not long ago. Now he follows all that up with a firing four-track EP on Tread Records that again collides different club sounds, great samples and hooky melodies. 'Hatchet's Cave' is hands-in-the-air house euphoria with blistering drums and warped pads, then 'Move X' is a gritty tech bouncer and 'Compulsions' is a bubbly one with crisp hits. Nervous Horizons label boss Anunaku remixes the title track into a bass-heavy banger and four locked grooves feature on this 12" for adventurous DJs to play with.

Excursions down footwork, acid, breaks and grooves are what Jeez Marquis brings to Cape St. Francis for their third release.

The common denominator between these tracks? F-u-n.

Limited to 300 copies.

Utter (in collaboration with 3xl) presents mu tate's second album 'they're with you always', featuring Joshua Inyang (Space Afrika), Nikolay Kozlov, Desirèe Monique, Igor Dyachenko and Mathilde.

Available on limited vinyl housed in a high-gloss sleeve artworked by Lucas Dupuy and Art Crime. Mastered by Ike Zwanikken then transferred and cut by Anne Taegert at D&M.

they're with you always inspired by a true story

As one of the three co-founders of Washington D.C. production and DJ trio Black Rave Culture, James Bangura is no stranger to situating electronic music within its most purposeful and potent contexts. With this new duo of tracks, however, Bangura taps into a deep, personal internality, metabolising visceral experiences and personal transitions into unexplored phases of his musical life.

The bass-forward “Harrar” is a complex organism which operates on two planes: a sweat-drenched 150pm symphony of synth pulses, fidgety percussion, shimmies and distorted vocals, that falls into lockstep with a meditative, dubby bass tone that calmly swells and recedes. Emerging out of Bangura’s high intensity hardware jam sessions with friends and collaborators, both the depth and energetic fizz of “Harrar”’ are signified by its name, borrowed from Harrar Coffee & Roastery--a beloved Ethiopian coffee house and community meeting place in Washington D.C. that radiates warmth and familiarity.

“Witness Dub” occupies less of the senses, exploring a state of liminality through a contemplative deep house signature. Having emerged from an extended period of active duty in the military, Bangura had to navigate civilian life for the first time, causing him to process multiple culture shocks that stretched across culture, language, communication and identity. “Witness Dub” finds Bangura at this crossroad, juxtaposing the steady propulsion of kicks and drums with pensive minor key chords, as he begins to explore the other side of the self, letting the energy guide the music.

First self release by Berlin based Chinese producer IVU.
Inspired by the concept of inner alchemy from Taoism, the name "Circulation of Light" comes from the book "The Secret of the Golden Flower" which was first introduced by Richard Wilhem and Carl Jung to Western countries.

For their second release of 2023, T4T LUV NRG present the “Temptation E.P.” by breakout L.A. based producer and DJ Introspekt. Between sets at West Coast renegades, Introspekt has caught the attention of DJs the world over with her heavy and beautifully crafted UKG productions on Gimme A Break and Shall Not Fade, including a forthcoming release on Interplanetary Criminal’s compilation for Locked On. T4T LUV NRG label heads Octo Octa and Eris Drew were introduced to Introspekt through Bored Lord and eagerly signed the Temptation e.p. on a first listen, already having been fans of her music. Their imaginations were immediately captured by this U.S. artist’s fresh take on UKG, which borrows certain motifs from Ballroom culture and classic house sounds. All of the tracks on “Temptation” utterly rip in a playful way but they also have a genuine emotion and narrative that Introspekt weaves through all the swingin’ beats and bass. We can’t wait to hear these juicy tunes work the bins over the coming months!

James 'Bursnki' Burnham aka Constant Sound label boss and garage head Instinct is showing no signs of running out of ideas despite having put out such a high amount of high-class club weaponry in the last few years. He goes big once more with this latest 12" which subtly features the iconic vocal cries from Moby's 'Go' but repackaged in a shuffling and banging garage groove with dark synths and wonky bass. On the flip is pure grade bassline track, 'Bassline Track.' It'll take you back to the days when this northern take on garage was all the rage, and why not?

Following up their sold-out split plate with Kliptown for the Yuku vinyl-only white label series, Ikawa returns with a plate of their own, laced with groove and style.

Artefacts is the second part of the diptych of 2 albums by Hihats In Trees, pseudonym for Belgian drummer, producer Lander Gyselinck

Hhit’s unprecedented experiments with rhythm and acoustic textures on its debut album ‘Disleksikon’, released in 2019, was well received. On Artefacts Hhit takes it a step further. A truly sensational sonic realm is explored.

Hihats In Trees’ obsession with singular physical objects, materials of wood, stone, metal evokes a dark dystopian sentiment and a recurring melancholy. A poetic expression of the solid object. In Artefacts, through this language with materials, the physical objects come to life sonically. The 10 compositions revolve around this peculiar vocabulary of texture and rhythm, balancing between the dance floor and a solitary ritual, reminiscing on Hhit’s major influences of gqom, detroit techno, hiphop and experimental ambient.

Fashion designer Dries Van Noten was fascinated by Hhit’s musical experiments, This resulted in a collaboration with photographer Viviane Sassen for his Spring Summer collection in 2021 with music by Hhit, partly from Disleksikon, partly tracks later to be released on Artefacts. Artefacts is released on the Brussels based label Maloca Records, run by dj, producer Le Motel.

Harry Wills delivers his debut album, Luxury Bedtime on his new Nimble label.