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A third Punctuality enters the chat; its latest member Maara proclaiming Drama On for Spray’s ever-evolving label. The Montreal maverick cues up a psy-eyed sesh for the ages, 5 wily thumpers shaded sapphic for those enthralled by the mischievous dance.

Since 2021, Maara has operated on an ‘all pills, no frills’ basis. Her prolific run of EPs for the likes of Kalahari Oyster Cult, Step Ball Chain and Radiant Records has cemented her rightful place within the club pantheon of the prog and divine. Spray and his Punctuality cohort reside there also, teasing clubland salvation for those who dare. Maara giddily joins for the ride, offering a gift in the name of Drama On; an EP of direct dancefloor transmissions that map out kinetic paths to sordid euphoria.

The curtains rise as What U Do 2 Me skips, gallops and jumps across theatrical plains, breaking for a titular reflection before reuniting with its ravey chaos. Drama On swings sharper, riding a sleazy donk through a dimly lit groove of pulsating vulgarity. An outright sassier affair celebrates Sigmund Freud’s Big Day Out; an unconscious slip of the hard house tongue that feeds an otherwise techno-driven delirium with wry glee. Give Me Ecstasy eases the tempo while raising the temperature, commanding your gaze with a noxious roller that seductively writhes in sexed-up delight. The house lights beckon, and Not My Web, Not My Problem she retorts with an unforgiving groove thrusting its charged-up rump through a cauldron of salacious murmurs and groans.

It’s Maara’s world, and we’re all just dancing in it.

Embark on a Journey Through the Golden Age of Electronic Music with Danceopolis !
Step into the Danceopolis planetary system and travel back in time to the golden era of electronic music, where people danced all night to the hypnotic rhythms of Goa trance. The Eyes of Goa presents a new release that captures the essence of trance music from the early 90s, blending it with a modern twist to create a unique hybrid sound. This EP is a perfect homage to the iconic Goa style, bringing the energy and spirit of that time into the present.

It’s time to embark on the next chapter of extra-terrestrial worldbuilding - the second instalment of Seismic Records is here. Stepping in is sonic explorer Pyramid of Knowledge a.k.a. K.O.P 32. Based in Seoul but born and raised in France, the Beyond The Bridge label head is blending his Tekno roots with an introspective approach to music, carving out a trademark sound led by pensive rhythms and psychedelic atmospheres. With fierce precision and spellbinding force - you’re invited to explore the unknown depths of your psyche as you enter the state of ‘Fusion’. In all its ominous grace, the journey takes off with ‘CFU’. A kaleidoscope-esque acid ritual is guided by subtle yet uptempo kicks, lifting us into the first phase of the cleansing. Followed by ‘Xer’, where an ancient chant introduces the next dimension of consciousness-expansion. The progression of energy tells us that the higher powers have bigger plans for us - a phase that is entered on the B-side. ‘TV’ surges in tempo and raises blood pressure with an annihilating paradox of the calm and the chaotic. For those who managed to withstand all phases of the occult test, reconciliation is near as ‘Yrots’ strikes down with a mind-warping drum workout for the body and soul. Enter the heart of a psychedelic odyssey and swirl into the labyrinthine pathways of your ego as you enter the Fusion by K.O.P. 32.

London based Opia step up for a 16th release on the label with, Longhair. A fusion of futuristic funk, and dreamy rave nostalgia throughout the four cuts, keeping well in line with the stream lined direction of the label. The “Surf & Turf” EP intricately melds vibes as it moves, wandering between versatile shades of hazy house, and shimmering innovative techno, synonymous with the Opia sound year after year. Classy underground atmospheres from start to finish.

Spray retires the eponymously, to instead seek Punctuality; a new label for ‘dastard club elegies in the dark’ hosted by the maestro himself. Blu:sh clocks in to provide the imprint’s inaugural extended player with U is for U and me, a pentagonal suite of nocturnal seductions for ‘U’, our dear listener, from ‘he’, its rosy-cheeked conductor.

B is for Blu:sh (sometimes Benoit B and Terra Utopia), a froward node in the artist’s trilateral soul whose previous charm offensives for Roza Terenzi’s Step Ball Chain and Rey Colino’s Kalahari Oyster Cult under the alias signalled the arrival of a new challenger to the ‘hits parade’. U is for U and me provides distinct variations on the theme of ‘club allure’, five tracks of sparkling body music that captivate in its relentless drive for kinetic salvation.

“A quick glance at the watch, and they’re off!”
AM PM strikes first more night than day, its throbbing bass line locks shoulders with precision rhythms within its psychedelic landscape. Whirlwind Mindsets is sassier, opting for more bump while the track’s aural mesh is grazed by sharp textures of live wires and melodious bleeps.

“... and they get back under way!” Magnetized Your Soul soundtracks the self-actualisation of sonic sophistication, applying the rave pressure with a current of discordant pads and haunted vocals bound by twisted attraction. Pixelated Pleasure Dome is pure sleaze, a wiggle-fested romp of leering subs and thunderous groove of pure self indulgence. High In Cloud City offers the finale of heads-down speedy exuberance with faint breaks and non-stomp pump right up until curtain call.

Written & Produced By Blu:sh
Mastering & Cut: Marco Pellegrino Distributor: One Eye Witness Artwork: Lucia Dominguez Release Text: Nevan Jio

Label head Blue Hour steps up for the next release with an impressive two tracker, offering a new exploration of sound from the Berlin based producer. First up on the A side ‘Dimensions’ reveals a dramatic and eery driving Techno track with an atmosphere akin to early British IDM releases but with a more dancefloor-focused approach. ‘Dimensions’ is punctuated by warped mechanical percussive fx, pummeling drums and relentless groove highlighted by a simple yet effective melodic line which boldly opens things up and cuts through the complex layering of sound as the track evolves. On the B side ‘Sun Dogz’ adopts a similar soundscape, however picks up the tempo with a more Trance orientated production inspired by darker Goa/Psy styles and modern Fast-Trance productions. Hypnotic acidic lines, spatial fx and tribal percussion guide the listener to the main event. A heavily reverbed metallic hook and unique piece of sound design which takes multiple twists and turns along the course of the track. The EP wraps up a year of multiple successful releases from the label, with next year marking 10 years since the labels inception - keep an eye on things to come.

The first sampler gets off to a flying start with the A side featuring the absolutely legendary track 'Ten Seconds Before Sunrise' by Tiësto, repressed here for the very first time since its original release. For the second track on the A side we are going for 'Made in France' with 'The Milky Way' by Aurora Borealis, a true rave classic originally released on Laurent Garnier and Eric Morand's label F Communications.

The B side is all about 'back to basics' with the classic house track 'One Kiss' (Fathers Of Sound One Mix) by Pacha, one of the many guises of UK house legend Dave Lee, best known as Joey Negro. Equally classic is 'Hablando' by Ramirez, closing the B side in true 90's house style.

On the C side we are going all out with the exceptional inclusion of a cult Jam & Spoon record 'Odyssey To Anyoona', released back in 1992 on Belgium's legendary R&S Records. A glorious return to our roots, completed by Ransom's 'My Dance', a pure house gem and one of La Rocca's greatest hits.

Finishing on a high note the D side kicks off with the timeless piece of music that is 'Shed My Skin' by D*Note in the ubiquitous Pete Heller remix, who is of course also responsible for the hit 'Big Love'. O.T. Quartet's 'Hold That Sucker Down' is the final piece of the first sampler. A giant of a track straight from England, composed by Rollo (member of Faithless) and Rob Dougan, who went on to write the music for the film 'The Matrix'.

The third and final sampler takes no prisoners and starts with THE hit of the year 2008: 'Toca Me' (Inpetto 2008 Remix) by Fragma, played by absolutely any DJ worth his or her salt in that era, including a certain DJ Tiësto who made it one of his favourites of that year. Linking this Dutch connection up nicely is 'Solid Session', by Format aka Orlando Voorn, a true techno and house master of the 90's who is one the few Europeans fully adopted by the techno pioneers of Detroit.

The B side has legendary written all over it with the beast that is 'Tone' by the undisputed master of acid Emmanuel Top (also known for 'Acid Phase', 'Turkish Bazar', etc.). 'Tone' is definitely one of the greatest records of this music style, with Sven Väth making it his very last track to close the 10th anniversary of the Omen in 1998, a legendary moment for many German clubbers. 'Tone' is followed by a nice surprise on this sampler in the shape of 'Zorgoonn' by Total Groove. This At The Villa classic is the pearl of the early years of Gregory Dewindt, a true giant of our scene who also collaborated with DJ master Phi Phi on the classic 'Jesus Trip'.

On the C Side we find another 'Made in Belgium' hit with 'Monotone' by Monotone feat. L.A. Work, a timeless and super effective classic that's impossible NOT to play! 'Monotone' is followed by a genuine beauty in the pure state of trance, one of the classics of the Yeti Records label, the magnificent 'Pure' by Rebirth, bringing us almost 12 minutes of pure emotional pleasure.

And finally on the D Side we keep the quality very high with 'My Lexicon' another masterpiece by Sander Kleinenberg and a true gem of progressive house played and compiled at the time by Sasha & John Digweed, which says a lot! Concluding this extraordinary series of samplers what could be better than a legendary title composed by the God of trance himself under his alias West & Storm? 'Moose' was indeed one of Tiësto's projects and became one of the most emblematic records of Extreme on Mondays. One for the real trance heads who will be over the moon to see this one reappear here!

[Pals FM: Floor Materials Vol.2] is the second dance music compilation from Walls AND Pals. The aim is to share various ideas of dance floors instead of lingering on a certain genre or style, and while being DJ Friendly, it also serves as an exchange ground where production techniques of artists co-exist. All four tracks in [Vol.2] correspond with the common purpose of bringing out ‘Floor Materials’, keeping distinct identity from each musician. In ‘Cofrica’, rapper and producer Simo of Y2k92 injects his long-time affection of Detroit flavor into a minimalistic form. Conversely, Dott from the Thai label More Rice brings intricate and complex rhythms centered around the step sequencer in ‘Antibody Movement’, walking a fine line between House and Techno while the essence of Tech House is preserved . And in ‘Pump It Up’, Acidwork demonstrates what the outcome would be when Electro runs through digital instruments and samplers. Last but not least, Seo John, who put out his first EP [dive] last year from the label Goddezz, follows up with ‘miQro’, creating a different side of Trance that is more adequate for clubs or concrete spaces rather than outdoor raves or festivals. In the same manner with the preceding release [Pals FM: Floor Materials Vol.1], [Vol.2] is a compilation executed by fellow Asian musicians across the region. Beyond the reopened borders, and just like the excitement and stimulus at unusual events, this compilation serves to contribute to the dancefloor as an interesting ‘Material’ than simply as a ‘Tool’.

It’s no big secret: The elements of trance music have always played a vital part in the music of Prins Thomas. In fact, there are scholars who argue that these stylistic attributes were the ramp that shot his disco into space. But let’s not pour hot coffee onto the cold one. When the king they call Prins sent a loose bunch of tracks to Gerd Janson to get some sort of feedback, it was like an epiphany: the calling for the missing link between “Logic Trance” compilations of yesteryear and the honey for the strobe light bees of today has finally been answered. Naturally, it’s not all ice cannons and glow sticks, endorphins and euphoria. The private and poetic Prins stands just one step behind the sweaty one - in alphanumeric track list order. If there has ever been something like thinking-(wo)mans-trance, this is the album for it.