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40th anniversary edition of the debut album by the multi-talented musician Carlos Perón. “Impersonator” was originally released in 1981 when he was still a member of Yello. This first solo work represents a desire to conduct daring electronic experiments, to achieve stylistic variety and musical intensity while at the same time it is an example of Mr. Perón’s bizarre sense of humour. Since the beginning of his career he pushed experimentation beyond limits with noise atmospheres, loops and complex textures which he has long used since before the introduction of sampling technology. With the arrival of sound sampling, he was among the first to experiment with equipment such as the Fairlight, Emulator and Mirage. During his time with Yello, Carlos may well have been one of the world’s first sampling masters. This new re-issue of “Impersonator” includes all original tracks with some bonus including the whole Frigorex EP from 1984 and six previously unreleased cuts recorded between 1982 and 1983. Limited edition of 500 copies with gatefold sleeve and an exclusive postcard.

One of the very first compositions by Bruno Sanchioni (Age of Love, Bbe), released in 88 just at the beginning of the New Beat phenomenon that marked the history of Belgian music.



Along with Confetti's and Amnesia, it was one of the most popular tracks of its time and marked the start of a long and promising career for Bruno Sanchioni. Just 2 years later, he composed the original bassline for the legendary track "Age of Love", which, thanks to Jam & Spoon's remix, was to stamp the electronic music scene for several generations. Based on video clash created by the visionary Lil'Louis, the original slow tempo was enhanced by the highly recognisable vocal "The Story" and a simple but highly effective melody. It was already remixed 10 years later by Viper, with a rhythmic pattern once again inspired by the Chicago pioneers.



25 years on, this track still evokes emotion and still inspires a good number of artists to want to touch it up, and for the track's 35th anniversary it seemed appropriate to pay it a vibrant tribute by offering several remixes split into two different vinyl projects. In a faster, more acid-influenced style, the first project features a remix by Djhs, Manu Kenton and Furax, emblematic artists from the north of France, and is completed by Viper's excellent 98 remix for those who haven't heard it yet. Djhs is behind the legendary acid track 'Spokesman', Manu Kenton is one of the flagship artists of the 'Ghoststyle' label and Furax is behind 'Big Orgus'.

The reissue of classic and seminal releases from the Tresor catalogue comes round to Waveform Transmission Vol.
2 by The Vision aka Robert Hood which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.
Released in the same year he left UR and his hometown of Detroit, Waveform Transmission Vol. 2 represents a
pivotal moment in Hood’s career as his move to New York with fellow UR co-founder Je Mills led to Hood
experimenting with a new work ethos through which he settled on his trademark sound.
Fast, aurally assaulting, yet funky - the release is techno as eective as it can possibly be; in this version,
remastered by Thomas P. Heckmann, we see the first results of his transmutation as Hood manipulates the raw
sounds he would soon distil into seminal works like Internal Empire and Minimal Nation.
Ever philosophical and spiritual, in the sleeve notes for the release Hood dedicated the release “to the form of
simplicity[,] the reasoning of vision[,] the understanding of where we came from and how we got here and to the
perspective we use to construct over destiny” - words which from our early 2020s vantage point almost foresee
the influence this intuitive work would have on artists working from Birmingham to Berlin and beyond over the next
three decades.

Next up on Aris is a particularly special one - Ireland's first electronic music 12"- Carrier Frequency's Telecaster Man, a particularly Irish take on the acid house sounds of the late 80's, that still does the job 35 years later. "A nine minute tune with two chords, it's just f-ckin' madness mostly - distortion and drum machines." simply put by one of the artist himself, but it's much more really. The record originally released in 1989 was a collaborative effort featuring the talents of Mr. Spring, Leo O'Kelly of 70's folk heroes Tir Na nOg, and Trevor Knight of 80s synth pop band Auto Da Fe, Mr. Spring, a veteran of pirate radio since his early teens and the local go to studio guy for dreamers and the Depeche Mode and Talk Talk clones of the time, spearheaded the project. Drawing from his extensive experience and technical prowess, Spring had already established his own studio in 1987, equipped with state-of-the-art gear including an Atari sequencer and an Akai s900 sampler. Joining Spring in this creative endeavor were Leo O'Kelly and Trevor Knight, both esteemed musicians with diverse backgrounds. O'Kelly, known for his pioneering work with 70s folk outfit Tir Na nog, brought his unique blend of folk and electronic influences to the table and Knight, a seasoned performer with roots in jazz fusion and new wave. Spring had met them while Djing before one of their gigs and was immediately taken with Telecaster Man. They decided to work together on it as Spring says "We wanted to get a Cabaret Voltaire sound to it and have a bit of fun." Fueled by a shared passion for experimentation and sonic exploration and inspired by the dynamic energy of the club scene and the rapidly evolving sounds of electronic music, the late-night recording sessions in Spring's studio characterized by spontaneity and innovation. The result of their collaboration was "Telecaster Man," a nine-minute tour de force combining distorted guitars, hypnotic rhythms, and pulsating synthesizers. The 12 inch comes with the original and Sinewave mixes plus a new Mr. Spring remix from the original multi tracks rounding it out with the replication remix and a bonus acapella. Full colour sleeve and comes with extended liner notes.

Roberto Cagnoli started his musical career in 1995 in Florence, enriching the already prosperous regional musical heritage with numerous aliases. He produced music for labels like Disturbance and appeared in the “Progressiva” compilation by Gigi D’Agostino. Evasione Digitale teamed up with the artist to reissue his project “Megaton - Essence”, originally released on Stefano Noferini’s experimental techno label Plate Records in 2000. Mesmeric and heavy on percussions.

Twenty-three years on from its original release, the debut album of American artist Mike Parker stands proud as a blueprint for deep, hypnotic techno in the new millennium. Originally published as a CD-only edition on Parker’s own Geophone label, Field Records are now giving Dispatches the full vinyl release it so richly deserves - spread across six sides and reproducing Parker’s distinctive artwork at scale.

Charting the course of Parker’s career reads like the evolution of deep techno itself - moving from early collaborations with Donato Dozzy to appearances on seminal labels such as Prologue, Semantica and Spazio Disponibile. The essence of his approach was forged early on, honing techno’s propulsion into a raw essence without losing any of the weight. It’s an exercise in minimalism, but the sound is still monolithic and engulfing, crystal clear in its intention and devoted to the power of subtle pressure. When the decay on a reverb opens up a fraction, Parker’s music leaves enough space for you to notice. Incremental shifts become monumental in his hands and his commitment to subliminal layering reveals hidden depths the further you submit to his hypnotic sound.

This definitive edition of Dispatches looks at the vinyl singles which accompanied the album’s original release and creates a more complete picture of the area that Parker was exploring at the time. It’s the first time that the alternate take of icy depth charge ‘Copper Variations: Cv1’ appears on wax, as goes for the pneumatic tension of ‘Reduction’ and evocative miniature sound sculpture ‘Blue Equals Black’. Expanding the album beyond its original CD form, epic rarity ‘Dissolution 99’ presides over the final side, while the standout Voiceprint release is now represented in full with the inclusion of heavyweight stepped techno workout ‘Voiceprint: Voice Two’.

Able to sustain his own creative vision without cowing to the trends or expectations of any scene or clique, Parker’s music has progressed on its own terms. What this reissue demonstrates is how fully formed his vision was - even at a relatively early stage. In an era where the deep techno scene is thriving, Dispatches feels all the more relevant, undiluted by time and still unmatched in its immersive perfection.

promo white label. Writing on label sticker.

Thomas Fehlmann remains as one of the most endearing and respected artists on Kompakt. He has inspired generations of fans and musicians over the course of his 30+ year career. From his early days as part of the legendary band Palais Schaumburg, and the pioneering Detroit/Berlin act 3mb (With Juan Atkins and Moritz Von Oswald), to his longstanding membership with The Orb, combined with his contributions as a solo artist to esteemed imprints R&S, Plug Research and of course Kompakt, where we have proudly released two full length solo albums: Visions Of Blah (Kompakt CD 20/Kompakt 67) and Honigpumpe (Kompakt CD 59 / Kompakt 157), his musical works have been prolific, not to mention four singles and a full serving of tracks found on our Pop Ambient and Total collections. Now, after 3 years, Fehlmann returns with 'Gute Luft'.

Tresor Records is fortunate enough to be sitting on a catalogue of past releases that no other label in electronic
music would turn down. Three of the nest in this collection were contributed by Surgeon: “Basictonalvocabulary”,
“Balance” and “Force + Form” all originally came out on the Berlin institution between 1997 and 1999.
Surgeon’s inimitable combination of Detroit techno and post-industrial sounds emanating from his British
homeland found its fullest expression in these masterful trio of releases on Tresor. Tresor Records have decided
that its high time to give these seminal albums another airing, and will present each in a staggered series of 2LP
represses throughout the year.
“Force + Form” is the last chapter of this re-issue series, centered around Surgeon and represents a turning point
both in the artist’s career as well as for the history of techno music. Tresor117 was remastered in 2015 by Matt
Colton at Alchemy Mastering, London.

A download code is included.

Tomas Barfod, Tomas Hoffding and Jeppe Kjellberg aka WhoMadeWho have paved an illustrious career spanning numerous singles and two acclaimed full length albums. They have certainly been one of the few acts in the past decade to successfully redefine the term “crossover” in music thanks to their genre hopping creative tact. Now, WhoMadeWho team up with Kompakt to bring you this very special release. Following a long tour and still riding on success of their last full length "The Plot"(2009), in early 2010 the Copenhagen trio isolated themselves in several rooms of an semi-built hotel near the harbour of their hometown. The days at the hotel quickly evolved into a musical pendant of a tour-de-chambre, with ideas being kicked back and forth between the band members working in separate rooms. During the writing process, two musical directions occurred and instead of trying to merge the two, the band decided to record two albums. First up is what we have here - the mini album "Knee Deep”, while the full length is set for release later this year. This eight track mini album clearly shows the band's love for electronic music in conjunction with 60’s inspired psychedelic vocal productions. The band has deliberately chosen to save the more melodic and radio friendly songs for "the second album" though it’s obvious that the single “Every Minute Alone” is one of the most brooding and greatest songs we’ve heard from them. As drummer and electronic handyman Tomas Barfod puts it, the mini album came from the desire to create "a focused listening album that draws on a more abstract musical starting point.” Even from the very first minute of the opening track, “There's An Answer", it becomes obvious that WhoMadeWho are painting with a darker pallet than on previous records. With an intense use of bass clarinet and a forward driving beat, the song reflects certainty and insecurity in search of answers: "There's an answer to it / There must be an answer to it." These themes of turmoil and searching are also present on the first single, "Every Minute Alone": "Every hour of doubt / Trying to figure it out / Should I call you up?"

Voices From the Lake (consisting of Donato Dozzy and Neel) mark the 10th anniversary of their influential self-titled album with a fully remastered reissue on Spazio Disponibile. It arrives in full on vinyl for the first time, as well as on digital formats, first quarter of 2023 as the pair continues to play select live shows around the world. The release will see the light of day as a 4-set vinyl LP release, including download. Italians Dozzy and Neel have been friends united by a shared vision of music since their teenage years. They are immaculate sculptors of sound who fuse evocative ambient and leftfield techno into multi-layered soundscapes. For many years they worked as established solo artists but came together in 2011 to craft what is now regarded as one of techno's most pure and absorbing listening experiences. It's often said that the best music comes about as a happy accident, and that is certainly true of Voices From the Lake. The career-defining album first arose in the thoughts of Dozzy and Neel when the latter was preparing a mix for the former's wedding and named it Voices From The Lake. It was a pertinent title that stuck in the mind: both grew up by waters around the coast of Italy, and in their early days the pair even held private parties on the shores of a lake. Fittingly, Japan's celebrated Labyrinth festival at that time was also held by a river and a lake in the middle of a forest on a serene mountainside. It was that exact setting the pair envisaged when making music to play live on stage. During preparations, they "accidentally" wrote an entire album. It has only ever been performed live a few times - once at Japan's Labyrinth festival in 2011, at London's Barbican, Barcelona's Mira Festival, Paris' Marathon Festival and once during 2022's Amsterdam Dance Event. Those shows saw the pair using banks of analogue and digital equipment to improvise in the moment and essentially remix the album live on stage. That spontaneity is captured in the original Voices From the Lake recordings and on later LPs such as Live at Maxxi in 2015, and the most recent EP Quarto Freddo from 2020. But the debut album remains a standout achievement. A decade on, it's quiet intensity, musical storytelling and slowly unfolding tension remain in a class of one. Each sound is meticulously designed and placed, and the spaces left behind are just as important in conveying such a captivating mood and emotion. Rather than traditional kick drums, hi-hats or snares, this is music crafted from layers of real-world sound - dripping water, chirping birds, rustling leaves or a distant breeze - and it's that which defines the album's organic allure. From deeply contemplative to cautiously optimistic, pastoral organic scenes to more underwater worlds, Voices From the Lake is a cohesive collection of tracks that add up to one inseparable whole.

Back in stock! Back in March 2003 Claro Intelecto announced his arrival in the electronic world with his Peace Of Mind EP on Ai Records. Now, a decade later, Delsin, the label on which he released his latest LP, is re-releasing it in all its glory. Across four perfectly formed tracks the EP proved Manchester's Mark Stewart to have a fine grasp on techno, electro and dub, and that he was able to do his own unique things with each. Arguably the most well known cut from the EP is 'Peace of Mind (Electrosoul)', a busy bit of chattery house-come-electro that is wired up with many zithering melody lines and Claro's trademark lush strings. 'Tone' is then a much more frazzled and aggressive bit of techno with raw, slapping percussion, gurgling synth lines and plenty of dystopian electro vibes. 'Contact' then settles into a deep, dubby, spacious groove with airy hi hats and a delightful bassline and carries you along effortlessly, and final track 'Signifier' closes things out in beautifully serene style with ambient swirling pads, organic synths and a curious bassline that rises and falls like the tide. Seminal stuff that still fetches a high price on Discogs, it was the start of a remarkable career for Claro Intelecto.

Timmo is a new name to Drumcode and one in which they hope to be seeing more of. Having released tracks on Fone, BluFin, Octopus and Alleanza to name a few, Timmo's production career is set to shine as his new material is getting noticed from the likes of Adam Beyer, Joseph Capriati, Richie Hawtin, Nicole Moudaber, Len Faki, Dustin Zahn to name a few. Timmo's debut Drumcode release "We Beat On" carries a flow through out that gives Timmo his own unique sound that has captured the ears of many highly revered techno DJ's around the world. Timmo uses hypnotic sounds and phrases whilst he always maintains a thumping techno beat that underlies all the tracks within this EP to maximum effect. Furthermore, there is a ghostly feel amongst Timmo's tracks that really provide him with his acquired sound, the pads in "Canvas" are a beautiful reminder of this. Timmo also uses strong synth stabs to full effect that juxtapose against the drums to help create the tension and aggression that is present within techno.

LEGENDE is both the continuation and alteration of Matias' well-established aesthetic canon, drawing from all stages in his production career und ultimately synthesizing various sonic strains into a wholly new listening experience.

Truly an old school Techno Bass jewel, DJ Di'jital has been a key player in the development of what some call the "Second Generation" of Detroit Techno. Having released on classic Detroit labels like Metroplex, Direct Beat, and Twilight 76, there is plenty of good reason why his name and his work have become so legendary over the years.

Influenced by early groups like Kraftwerk and Parliament, it was no surprise that the 80's fusion of Electronic Music, Funk and Hip Hop that brought about the Electro Funk sounds, would have such an impact on him. As a kid, Lamont Norwood aka DJ Di'jital became acquainted with the idea of mixing two songs together using tape decks, which while being limited, still gave him the drive and passion to pursue a career as a professional DJ. Over the years he played many different house parties and underground clubs, even spending some time as a Cabaret DJ.

Throughout this time, Di'jital became an incredibly skilled turntablist, quickly gaining the reputation of being a formidable force behind the wheels of steel. The year 1996 would prove to be quite a momentous one for Norwood, not only signing to the already well established label Direct Beat, but also becoming the official DJ for one of the label's finest and most important artists, Aux 88. Having already released his first EP, "Prototype", on Direct Beat, this would become a great opportunity that would help seal him as an icon of what was now known as the Detroit Techno Bass scene. Over the next few years,

Di'jital continued recording for Direct Beat, releasing some of the greatest and most unique Techno Bass classics to date, even doing a few remixes for some of Aux 88's most well known releases like "Electro/Techno", "I Need To Freak", and "Break It Down". Hit EPs like "From The Mind Of The Master", and "360 Degrees" became instant classics, still very sought after to this day. He also had some of his songs appear on some of the various Direct Beat compilations that were released between the years 1996 and 1999 like "Xperience De Bass II", which released "Radar2Bass", one of his most notable works, as well as the all time collector's album, "Techno Bass: The Mission".

Perhaps what may have been one of the biggest signs that his career was becoming exactly what he had hoped for, was the opportunity presented to him to remix Aaron Carl's classic "Down", which was released on the iconic Metroplex Records in 1998; Something that to any Detroit native would have been an honor and a milestone, given the reputation and level of success and influence that Juan Atkin's imprint had on the Detroit Electronic Music scene, as well as the global Electro/Techno movement.

Between the years 2000 and 2002, there was a small hiatus in complete EPs or albums being released by DJ Di'jital, although there were 2 different tracks released on the labels Bipolar and Studio iK7. In 2002, he went on to sign to another of Detroit's legendary imprints, Twilight 76, where he released 2 EPs, "Bass Programmers", and Di'jital's Revenge". In 2005, already a veteran and having amassed the necessary skill and knowledge needed to be a true beat warrior, Di'jital was now ready to join the resistance...Underground Resistance that is! Featured on the Interstellar Fugitives Vol. 2 compilation ( also later released as a 2xCD/DVD set ), Di'jital also released on the Electrocuter EP, which featured the previously released "Bang", as well as "Track 19".

In 2006, already well into the digital age ( no pun intended ), Norwood would release his first set of downloadable works, starting with an album called "The Prototype", on Twilight 76, which was completely unrelated to his first EP which was also called "Prototype". Recently, Twilight 76 has also released what is so far a 2 volume set of battle cuts dubbed "Electro Battle Tools".

The only known material that is known to be in the future for DJ Di'jital at the moment is a remix of Morphogenetic's "Techno Bass Is Back!", which was originally released as a free download to members of Technobass.net, but will soon be released on a 12"/Digital release that will launch the site's own label "Techno Bass Music". There will also be a follow EP by Di'jital, so stay tuned! Over the years, DJ Di'jital has proven to be an unstoppable force in the Techno Bass scene, tirelessly working to push the boundaries of Electro forward with his futuristic and visionary beats that have unleashed mayhem across the globe, not just in his published works, but also in his incredible DJ acts, where one can truly witness one of the few actual turntablists in this style of music. Expect more in the future as Di'jital's revenge continues to spread across the globe with his out of the ordinary approach towards Techno Bass music.

Limited repress. Mystical Crocus VA 002! Minimal and hypnotic bombs from Crocus collective. 180g Vinyl Only.

One Copy per customer!

After a decade releasing club-savvy music, argentinian producer Alejandro Mosso has lately approached a richer and more profound sound. 'Gaia', his double 12" for Hivern, might be the best expression of such evolution. 'Gaia' is still conceived with the dance-floor in mind -as a matter of fact, some of its tracks have become staples in John Talabot's sets as well as in those of Hivern's core members-. But moreover making people move, it's music that shows a desire of telling stories. "I prefer to refer to them as songs instead of tracks, they all have a certain narrative", says Alejandro. Indeed, these six compositions cover a vast emotional spectrum, expressing raw emotions through detailed and precise productions that never feel too calculated or fabricated. Cuts as Rhea, Uranus and Naiads capture a very specific kind of serene bliss, one in which melancholy is more reassuring than bitter. By contrast, Ares and Dryads explore darker corners, embodying angst through tension-rising soundscapes and solemn choral vocal samples. It's a dichotomy that perfectly captures the ups and downs of any restless mind. In Alejandro's case, it's the result of a particularly introspective period in his life, in which he voluntarily disconnected from the electronic scene in order to regain some perspective on his career and creative process.

Adding on to his extensive discography, Reboot has curated a fresh journey through his world with the aLIVE LP on Get Physical Music. A diverse selection worthy of the international dancefloor, the LP contains the culmination of the artist’s long career and the many experiences, stories and inspirations that come with that.The LP includes a free download code for the full digital album + remixes from Ricardo Villalobos, Kölsch, ANNA & Nakadia.

Following celebrated compilations from Motor City Drum Ensemble and Young Marco – and with the second edition of its limited-capacity festival in Croatia right around the corner – Dekmantel’s Selectors series now continues with an edition curated by Marcel Dettmann
.
Although he’s now known as one of the world’s most celebrated techno artists, even Marcel Dettmann had to start somewhere. Long before he ever held court at Berghain (or its predecessor, Ostgut), he was just another young boy in Eastern Germany, one whose earliest encounters with capitalism involved spending every penny he could scrape together down at the local record shop. In those days, it wasn’t techno that got him excited, but new wave, post-punk, industrial and EBM acts like Front 242 and Depeche Mode

“It’s music from my childhood,” says Dettmann. “It’s still relevant and still inspires me.” That inspiration can be heard across this edition of the Selectors series, as Dettmann has put together what he describes as a “pre-techno compilation.” Much like the previous Selectors editions, the compilation is not a mix CD, but a collection of tracks hand picked by Dettmann from his own vinyl archives. Freshly remastered – and occasionally reworked or re-edited by Dettmann himself – the songs here are undoubtedly vintage gems, but they also represent a very personal journey into Dettmann’s past.

“It was a great opportunity to dig deeper into my own musical outlook,” he explains. “The tracks come from a time before Marcel Dettmann became a DJ.” Simply put, the songs here are some of the building blocks upon which he’s built an incredibly storied career, and now he’d like to entrust them to future generations.

Sasha continues to make this year his own as he drops his debut EP on Watergate, ‘GameOvr’. The EP features two original tracks, including the long-awaited ‘Trigonometry’, and first class remixes from Cassy and La Fleur. After his recent critically acclaimed sell-out live shows at the Barbican and his ‘Out Of Time’ EP on Kompakt, not to mention gearing up for his RESISTANCE residency with John Digweed in Ibiza, Sasha officially confirms his debut release on Watergate Records. ‘Trigonometry’ has been a highlight in Sasha’s sets in recent months and has sparked many a heated debate online, from excited pleas for a Track ID, to urgent demands for a release date. The track is as ethereal as it is compelling, constantly building up to the sublime break down and those iconic chords that have left ravers spellbound worldwide. Swedish born Berlin-based La Fleur puts her stamp on the remix, keeping the riff but adding gravitas with a rhythmic bassline. She’s fast become a key player on the house and techno circuit, with a string of releases on the likes of Cocoon, Watergate, and Sasha’s own Last Night On Earth imprint. ‘GameOvr’ shows the producer’s tougher side; a strong techno track in keeping with Sasha’s constant focus on the future, always exploring new directions, though his signature groove is still on board. Revered Panorama Bar resident Cassy, whose stunning album ‘Donna’ was one of 2016’s outstanding releases, turns her hand to remixing the title track, delivering a harder edged driving cut with a heavier kick drum, echoing chords and hypnotic percussion. This EP marks yet another creative landmark in this, one of the most fruitful and exciting phases in Sasha’s distinguished career.

Detroit producer Norm Talley shares his debut album, “Norm-A-Lise” on FXHE Records. Having started his career when disco was king, Talley’s real life influences over his 25+ year career have included the originations of house through various iterations. His reference points as one of the original members of the West 6 Mile Detroit crew and his dedication to his Analog only studio position him as one of the more dynamic Detroit artists who’s finally taking the time to release a complete project for his long awaiting fans. The album features 14 original tracks with influences of disco, house, and beyond taking his signature infectious style deeper. On top of all of that, the album includes a track written by FXHE label boss Omar S aka Alex Smith featuring L ‘Renee.

In a career that spans two decades, Terence Fixmer reached worldwide recognition with the release of his debut album Muscle Machine on DJ Hell's seminal International Deejay Gigolos imprint in 1999. The album opened a whole new genre by combining Electro, Industrial, EBM and Techno into a more dance floor-focused EBM style, simply called ‘Techno Body Music'. The French producer and live act has consistently explored and redefined the boundaries of modern Techno –and he is not slowing down. Dance Of The Comets is the second release on the newly relaunched NovaMutelabel. NovaMuteis the seminal techno label that has been home to Plastikman, Speedy J, Juan Atkins, Luke Slater, Joey Beltramand more. NovaMute, born again, recently released Cognitive Resonance by Nicolas Bougaïeffand will release the forthcoming EP by Charlotte De Witte. Terence Fixmer'ssound deftly avoids repetition by developing soundscapes which maintain musical depth and integrity. He above all preserves an original style, an increasingly experimental, simultaneously ruthless and instantly recognizable aesthetic.

Shlomi Aber makes his debut on Drumcode Ltd with a piercing four-tracker for the vinyl only offshoot. Israel's Shlomi Aber remains of techno's most consistent artists, with a career stretching back 15 years.
The label boss of Be As One, Aber has also had his music released on such imprints as R&S, Figure and Ovum, reinforcing his status as a purveyor of classy yet impactful techno.
His contribution to Drumcode Ltd puts a fresh take on the classic pounding DC sound of the label's early years, an era the DJ/producer has long been a fan of.

Over the past few years, Luke Standing – the British producer behind the Blue Hour project, has been developing his self-titled imprint as a go-to outlet for high-energy, retro-futuristic dance floor Techno. Starting out as a home for the producer’s own original work, it’s since expanded in tandem with the British artist’s career, to accommodate both a Remixed series (featuring remix-work from peers Answer Code Request, Steffi, Pangea & more), as well as a new, collaborative project, Tracing Xircles.

Ascetic Limited is shifting gears, focusing on solo EPs dedicated to the artists that form the collective. To kick it off they present an EP from renowned Milanese techno producer Wrong Assessment, who throughout his career in techno has proven himself to be one of the most interesting producers coming out of Italy. From his collaborative works with the late Max_M as Overall Severity to his solo works as Wrong Assessment, his tracks are always unique. Influences ranging from minimal to hard pounding techno bangers, through house grooves and ambient arrangements, he still is able to transmit his sound and vision with his music.

Drumcode has become a label synonymous with some of the most-cutting edge and forward-thinking techno over the last 20 years. Their artists include both emerging and established names, and one of those well recognised is Enrico Sangiuliano. Now announcing the very first concept album of his career.
Biomorph is born. A very special concept album designed to take the listener on a journey of evolution. A musical adaptation describing how biological and technological advances over numerous generations of time have all started from the same first step in our own biological journey.
Divided into 4 parts, Organisms opens with atmospheric tones, gradually blending complex textures and timbres to begin the evolutional process. The beginning of this section combines full sounding arrangements before stripping it all back to basics. From here it dissolves into the atmosphere. Organisms then progresses into a break-beat influenced, down tempo track using synths to add complexity to the straight, broken rhythms.
Galactic, futuristic elements are found in both tracks in Cosmic Forces. Upbeat, groovy, electronic synths resonate, before 'Hidden T' brings the tension to get things pumped up with stratospheric swirls and twirls to lay down one of the most mind meltingly deep drops.
Metamorphosis is mysterious, its opening beat is a deep and piercing tone that sends the listener into a sensory awareness of their surroundings before breaking into a fully charged, techno track, with Enrico's trademark sounds and textures.
All evolution has an ending.
Two Probabilities shows the positive, starting out evocative and emotional, with a gentle harmony, gazing towards a 'New Dawn'. On the other side of the spectrum lies the negative. This is influenced with a rhythm that articulates the beat of death, mathematical, cold and metallic in texture, it shows the unsustainability of its nature, with a hectic, anxious break beat influenced ending.

Helena Hauff cracks through the ice with Qualm, her new album for Ninja Tune. Titled after the German word “Qualm” (kvalm) which translates as fumes or smoke, this murky feeling runs through the album’s intended lo-fi production quality and translates Hauff’s sound as electro with an uneasy feeling of doubt, worry, and fear, especially about one's own conduct.

Widely regarded as one of the leading lights within the darkened expanse of modern EBM DJs and producers, Helena Hauff has consistently throughout her DJ sets and records created an entire universe of dystopian electro, acid and post-punk techno. Having already racked up releases and mixes for PAN, Blackest Ever Black, Dark Entries, Bunker, and Werk, by this point in her career it would be easy for Helena Hauff to take a step back when locked in the studio and knock out ten or eleven tracks of crunchy loops and distorted acid b-lines. Yet Hauff does exactly the opposite, submerging herself in twelve tracks of raw electronics, that then emerge above ground to soundtrack your own street-level science fiction.

Having spent some proper time with Qualm, we'd say it’s probably the most cohesive and enjoyable record Helena Hauff has put out yet. Treating her productions with the same vigour as her extensive DJ sets, Hauff lays the blueprint for each track with a crushing drum beat that plays on while she searches out new and inventive ways to build up vast blocks of tightly built acidic electro, all put right by her modus operandi of jamming on her collection of machines. In her own words, Qualm is about “trying to create something powerful without using too many instruments and layers”.

Hypnotising yet cutting throughout, Qualm is like a nightmarish vision of the day to day ambience of the Kowloon walled city that is created after dark.

Adam X returns to his imprint Sonic Groove with his first album in four years, a 56 minute excursion into EBM and Cyberdelic Industrial Techno titled Recon Mission. The mission begins with beat driven hypnotic electronics that invoke paranormal illusions of Easter island mythology and Bermuda Triangle disappearances. Climbing forward the album crosses the line into harder industrial territories, conjuring visions of New York City’s dystopian past and CIA shadow government experiments. Adam’s own voice adorns tracks such as Never Ending Quest, Modular Bodies and the title track Recon Mission while manipulated dialogue samples take the stage on Tales Of Mystery , Search & Retrieval & Delusions Of Paranoia. Subtle, whispered statements creep in and infect the listener’s ear, guiding them deeper into mental oppression. This album is not for the faint of heart, and its meticulously detailed production stands as a testament to Adam X’s enduring career in techno. Adam has survived the ups and downs of the industry while continually raising the bar for production value and sound design. Recon Mission is a triumph, ahead of the curve of modern industrial techno. This is not a throwback, this is Future EBM.

Reclaiming her original moniker of Kittin, electroclash pioneer—formerly known as Miss Kittin—presents Cosmos, a continuous twelve-track LP of organic, leftfield electronica. Throughout her illustrious career, Kittin has carved a considerable niche for herself, assimilating references from New Wave and '90s techno to form an inimitable sound that resonates with electronic music fans the world over. Despite being most recognizable with ‘Miss’ before it, Kittin was in fact her original artist name—the prefix often added without her consent at promoter’s will and eventually becoming the norm.


Cosmos is her most spiritual release yet, influenced by her time in the French countryside after a bout of touring exhaustion. She gives up any formulas from her past; verses/chorus, pop or club beats, to come to the essence of chords and textures, peeling away the non-essential to find joy in music yet again. In retrieving her chosen name from more than 20 years ago, Kittin also returns to the essence of her musical journey. By liberating herself from the constraints of formal structure she opens the door to a new set of aesthetics, exploring her influences without restraint. Sonically, the voice acts a central instrument, whilst the album drives continuously forward with no breaks, paying homage to her love for ambient and electronica whilst wandering calmly into the unknown.

Wehbba collaborates with ghetto tech legend DJ Deeon, to deliver another superlative EP on Drumcode.
Since his debut on Drumcode in 2017, Brazil’s Wehbba has become one of the most dependable and impressive artists on the roster. Last year saw two standout EP’s ‘Eclipse’ and ‘Catarse’ drop on the imprint, alongside ‘Just’, his strong contribution to A-Sides Vol.7. He also made his mark playing Drumcode events at OFF Week, Resistance Ibiza and the much talked about double header in Manchester and Bristol when DC took over Warehouse Project and Motion respectively.
A true master craftsman in the studio, his first contribution for 2019 is typically impressive. A huge inspiration to Wehbba since his nascent raver days, ghetto tech icon DJ Deeon contributes a fierce vocal to ‘We Have Bass’, after a serendipitous hook up in São Paulo. A peak career moment collaborating with one of his original heroes and the artist responsible for the classic ‘Freak Like Me’, the resulting percussive-heavy cut kicks like a rodeo bull. ‘Third Wave’ is coffee geek Wehbba’s homage to his favourite brew, constructing the production to mirror the experience of a caffeine fix, as a loopy trance-inducing groove leads to powerful synth stabs that are heavy on impact. ‘Steamroller’ is a stripped back slice of techno driven by the Brazilian’s Korg MS-20 and found form after it initially begun as a studio jam inspired by Richie Hawtin’s ‘Minus Orange’.
A Jean-Michel Jarre fan stretching back to his childhood, ‘Another Mistake’ was conceived after Wehbba saw the French legend in concert last year and was subsequently able to meet him backstage through a mutual friend. While creating the track, the producer imagined Jarre playing the main layers of the hook on his famous Laser-harp, eliciting an almost celestial quality with the melody. This is a stirring slice of techno fit for stadiums. The EP ends with ‘Purge’, the artist’s stream-of-consciousness expression recorded in one-take and a beautiful beat-less way to conclude the work.

Kap Bambino puts an end to the wait and comes back with a new album: “Dust, Fierce, Forever". Praised for his explosive live shows, the band has always built its career in and outside of France, appearing in some of the biggest international festivals like Glastonbury or Austin’s South By Southwest in 2009. Staying true to their unique identity, Caroline Martial (voice) and Orion Bouvier (machines) remain the dark and mysterious duo we’ve known since their album ‘Blacklist’, capable of unleashing a unique and irrepressible vital force. With 13 brand new songs “Dust, Fierce, Forever” wonderfully demonstrates the strength of the duo: playing with familiar tones, euro-dance references, hints of hardcore, and combining them into an addictive chemistry.

Unmixed versions of 8 choice tracks from the comp!

When Peggy Gou released her debut EP ‘Art of War’ in
2016, she made a list of career goals. One of them was to
become the first South Korean DJ to play Berlin’s techno
institution Berghain, an objective she achieved only a few
months later. Another item on that list was to record an
instalment of !K7’s DJ-Kicks series. “It’s the premier
class of DJ mixes,” she says. “Some of my favourite
selectors have contributed to it.” Now Peggy Gou can
tick that off her list too as she proudly presents the 69th
edition of the mix series.
The Berliner-by-choice started working on the mix last year. It was a
busy time for the 28-year-old: she’d just scored her first Mixmag cover
and her single ‘It Makes You Forget (Itgehane)’ was receiving awards
and critical acclaim. Each month she would DJ in 20 nightclubs all over
the world. And yet, the goal for her mix was ambitious: instead of trying
to capture the energy of her DJ sets, she aimed to create a portrayal of
her own musical journey. An 18-track listening session that takes you
straight into Peggy Gou’s living room where she plays you the formative
tunes from her collection. No genre boundaries – she moves across
disco, house, techno and electro. No tempo limits – the mix ranges from
90 to 150 BPM. And no age restriction – the earliest tunes on the mix
are from 1983.

When Peggy Gou released her debut EP ‘Art of War’ in
2016, she made a list of career goals. One of them was to
become the first South Korean DJ to play Berlin’s techno
institution Berghain, an objective she achieved only a few
months later. Another item on that list was to record an
instalment of !K7’s DJ-Kicks series. “It’s the premier
class of DJ mixes,” she says. “Some of my favourite
selectors have contributed to it.” Now Peggy Gou can
tick that off her list too as she proudly presents the 69th
edition of the mix series.
The Berliner-by-choice started working on the mix last year. It was a
busy time for the 28-year-old: she’d just scored her first Mixmag cover
and her single ‘It Makes You Forget (Itgehane)’ was receiving awards
and critical acclaim. Each month she would DJ in 20 nightclubs all over
the world. And yet, the goal for her mix was ambitious: instead of trying
to capture the energy of her DJ sets, she aimed to create a portrayal of
her own musical journey. An 18-track listening session that takes you
straight into Peggy Gou’s living room where she plays you the formative
tunes from her collection. No genre boundaries – she moves across
disco, house, techno and electro. No tempo limits – the mix ranges from
90 to 150 BPM. And no age restriction – the earliest tunes on the mix
are from 1983.

Synergising their respective studio prowesses and harnessing their accomplished hardware artistry has helped establish Neon Chambers as a modern symbiosis of atmospheric, contemporary club sounds, and multi-rhythmic machine-driven sonics, the two producers have set out on the beginning of a new era of electrifying, astute sound design, and breathtaking modern electronic music.
The duo’s debut EP, One is a whirlwind of crushing modern sonics, that is equal parts jagged rave, progressive dub-fuelled two-step and night time-ethereal IDM. Throughout all five-tracks, the producers wield a wicked awareness of state-of-the-art sound design, that makes each kick cerebral, every bass-sound an epic vibration, and every synth a futuristic cacophony of finely-tuned noise. The sounds are an amalgamation of everything that has made each artistic unique in their own right, while correspondingly helping create something new. ‘Apollo’ is a prodigious working of melodic synthesis, with delicate, and rolling breaks, while ‘Cascade’ moves into a more grandiose, heavenly territory, befit with trance-like, precision synthesis. ‘What it takes’ brings on board a more UK, post-dubstep sound, albeit one with more craft, and sonic mastership. ‘Your Touch’ toys once more with atmospheric rolling breaks and solemn vocal samples, while ‘Helles’, the closing track, is an excursion into more compelling, auditory realms.
Neon Chambers is the new project of UK producer Sigha, and French artist Kangding Ray. Sigha, aka. techno producer James Shaw comes from a steadfast background in abstract and grounded techno, with previous works on Token Blueprint, Avian and his own Our Circular Sound imprint. Kangding Ray, aka. David Letellier, has made a career for himself with genre-breaking and experimental sonic adventures that have taken him across such era-defying labels such as Raster-Noton, and Stroboscopic Artefacts. In 2019, he also started his own imprint ara for more bespoke, avant-garde releases. The duo came together to create Neon Chambers to further extend their analogous ambitions, and create bigger, and more daring live and audiovisual performances.

Close to a year after its Blasted-fathered, inaugural first EP, Depth.Request operators reveal that the London-based imprint is far from being dead in a cradle and has a pair of legitimately attention-commanding names presented on the sleeve of its sophomore record as a matter of fact: with a career spanning well over a decade, Osaka’s reliable warehouse demolitioner Ryuji Takeuchi needs little in terms of introduction and really so does A1 remix-assigned Swarm Intelligence, whose designer creations are known to provoke thought and action at even degree. Phenomenon Of Combination starts off with Noctambulism, an anxious-to-get-to-it opener whose 6 kicks a tact work nicely to perceivably speed up its tempo of 132 and aren’t halting for bit as the distorted acidic sequence, spinning hats and tides of noise gradually show up to do what reaching crude oil connection would to a wildfire already raging. As percussion in a revised 136-BPM version is approached differently and with more emphasis applied, the signatures remain uneven—as is often the case with Swarm Intel’s offbeat and off-the-wall production; that aside, the roaring digital grinding and vertiginously panning mid-section drones add sinister colors to Takeuchi’s metaphorical picture which wasn’t exactly evoking green pastures and still waters to begin with. While brought down to 124 a minute, one probably wouldn’t want Somnambulism running much faster anyway with a somewhat convoluted drum programming that is involved; a steady rise of distortion and gain of its fluctuating acid bassline also proves to provide enough fortitude to make up for the mid-range tempo and slowly but surely fills up every patch of the spectrum with acute aural intensity. Definitively exhausting the synonyms for this titularly addressed brand of parasomnia, Sleepwalking brings the release to closure through diligently whanging 4x4s alongside a condensing arrangement of 16x16s, paced at 137 and supported in their plight by faintly striking claps with light hats peaking from behind the perpetuating pattern of a deranged acid wall that undoubtedly does to psyche something akin to subtly stirring the sanity meter towards E while drilling a hole in tank to eliminate the possibility of a refill. Maddening in all good senses, second adoptee of Depth.Request is a four-pack of tools forget to inflict hard damage, best recommended to those that regard their local factory-made-a-venue as weekend retreat. – rhetor

Hitting the label's 15th year anniversary, Cr2 unleashes it's first of many releases to celebrate the occasion. Paul Rayner & FevaSoul's collab recorded in the 1990's 'Seek & Find' leads the campaign perfectly - 'Seek & Find' is a UK garage track laced with neatly done percussion shuffles, slick bass-lines backed by a leaning house vibe to sweep clubs off their feet.
After 20 years unreleased and stored on DAT, 'Seek & Find' has suddenly surged into a club powerhouse that has so far been championed by the likes of Prospa and the Slapfunk Records crew' Julian Alexander, Samuel Deep, Anril Aras - MC Feva, known for his work with the likes of Jeremy Sylvester and Acetate celebrates the release, saying It's 'Great for this to finally see the light of day. The reactions on the dance floors speaks for itself!'
With a career spanning for more than 25 years, MC Feva is joined by household name Paul Rayner, a veteran electronic music producer known for his remixes of a multitude of artists including Visage, Ysa Ferrer, Mel Merio, Spagna.

- 2022 repress -

Slam rework Nitzer Ebb, Silent Breed, DK8, Terrence Fixmer and more for the final installment of their Archive Edit series.

Soma label heads Slam curate a specially designed package of tracks to finalize their Archive Edit project that sees them delve deep into Techno's past to bring some of the genre's best tracks into the modern age. The Archive Edit project started as a way for Slam to showcase and share the many different edits that had made their way into their DJ sets over the last few years. The pairing of Stuart McMillan & Orde Meikle have both raided their extensive collections, picking out tracks that have defined countless sets over their career. Tracks from luminaries such as Nitzer Ebb, Thomas P Heckmann (as Silent Breed), Damon Wild & Terrence Fixmer have been re-edited alongside some of Slam's own unreleased material, showcasing the duo's current sound; one that naturally evolves, matures and demonstrates why the duo have been at the forefront of the global scene since its inception.

This unique vinyl single release selects 4 of the best from the full Archive Edits LP.

Franky Rizardo announces the launch of his new label, LTF Records with four-track EP ‘Primrose’. The culmination of a number of years hard work, the Dutch DJ, producer, promoter and now label head proudly presents an outlet for his own music.
Encompassing an immersive feeling of energised focus, involvement and enjoyment of his journey within the industry so far, LTF Records (Listen To Flow) is Franky Rizardo’s new platform to transport its listeners and followers into a flow state of mind.
One of The Netherlands finest exports, Franky Rizardo has established himself as an international touring artist, as well as name renowned within his own country. Being an ever present on Dutch national radio station, SLAM! has provided him with the perfect platform to develop and nurture a label that is crafted with clear intentions and identity. Building a career based on strong philosophies, Franky has consistently aimed to do his own thing, keep everything in perspective and most of all, having fun.
From ingraining himself within the ANTS and elrow camps, to releasing on labels such as Strictly Rhythm, Rejected, Saved and 8Bit, Franky has become a name synonymous with deep driving house music that blurs the lines between Techno and House. The multi-faceted Dutch artist has also represented himself and his brand FLOW, at events such as Tomorrowland, Fabric – London, Shelter – Amsterdam, Amnesia – Ibiza and Soho Garden Dubai, further cementing his status as a one of electronic music’s most dynamic individuals.
Across four-tracks on the ‘Primrose’ EP, Franky focuses his energy firmly on the dancefloor, keeping people locked into his flow state. Opening with ‘Primrose’, the tracks low-end rumbles throughout, supplying the perfect atmosphere to keep the crowd moving. ‘Faze’ offers a wonky blissed out vocal alongside stabbing synth. Whereas ‘DC Terrace’ is a nod to the peak-time movements at Ibiza’s famous club, DC10. Closing the EP ‘Clouds’ provides an energised up-tempo focus track to engage to zone.
The label launches at time when authenticity within the industry is key, Franky continues to focus on his own output, never taking himself too seriously and always keeping full perspective on the task at hand. Inviting you to join him with LTF Records, Franky wants you to enter his flow state.

Josh Wink joins Ellum Audio for a stellar new single backed with a remix from DJ Seinfeld. Josh Wink needs little introduction to fans, or even occasional listeners to dance music. The American DJ and producer has been one of the most enduring figures in the scene with a catalogue of music on labels like R&S, Strictly Rhythm, Nervous, Pokerflat, MNus and of course his own long standing Ovum Recordings imprint. As a DJ, he has travelled the globe since the mid-nineties, headlining festivals and clubs wherever he goes. What he has never done in his almost 30-year career is ever lose touch with the roots of underground dance music, something he demonstrates once again here with a standout new single for Maceo Plex’s label.

Hypnosis’ was one of Drumcode’s most vital under-the-radar releases of 2019. Its creator, Veerus, returns to the mothership for another top-shelf offering. The Italian’s career is a brilliant slow burner, releasing EPs sparingly over the course of his 14-year career. There’s a narrative quality to each track too, the artist reveling in a drama-laden call-and-response dynamic. All three cuts from his latest ‘System’ EP are made for big moments. The title track was created with Amsterdam’s holy rave cauldron the Gashouder in mind, and was completed by Veerus just a few days before ADE last year. Balancing on a knife’s edge between tension and euphoria, the track’s twisted synth lines sent an energy surge through the iconic venue. ‘Year’ is a deadly one-two combo of synapse-searing synths and sharp drums as jagged waves of sound throb with panoramic effect. It was a captivating highlight of Beyer’s set at Amnesia in Milan in February, the final session before the lockdown. ‘Pyramid’ was debuted at Beyer’s Cercle performance last September, sound tracking a blissful post-sunset moment at the Théâtre antique de Lugdunum in Lyon.

Outbound.4 is a crisp double A-Side affair - featuring two killer Techno workouts courtesy of our French stalwart Anthony George Patrice followed up by two Deep/Dub House delights delivered by Son Dos.

Brigitte Barbu’s Muzak pour ascenseurs en panne (Muzak for broken lifts) marked a bold new addition to the Circus Company repertoire. In a gilded haze of resonant tones conjured by traditional and non-traditional methods, Brigitte Barbu created an inviting sound world brimming with life and doffing its cap to 1970s signal processing. Out of such sonic research and development comes a wealth of material for other artists to sink their teeth into, and so we proudly present an accompanying remix EP that takes Brigitte Barbu’s distinctive stamp into new territory. Roman Flügel makes a first appearance Circus Company with two versions of “Dae-Boj DeMoya” that showcase this constantly versatile lynchpin of European techno. First up is his “kraut remix", which unsurprisingly channels the grainy beauty of Neu! and early Kraftwerk, before his “synth remix” dials back the drums and diverts our attention towards an expansive arrangement of melodious flourishes from classic synthesisers. John Tejada and Reggie Watts reunite as Wajatta following their triumphant LP Don’t Let Get You Down on Brainfeeder to deliver a particularly inventive, soul-stirring vocal techno version of “Couvre chef en peau de taupe". Watts soars over the signature warmth of Tejada’s production, while Brigitte Barbu’s mysterious tones linger in every fold of the mix. Matthew Herbert offers up a “Butter Dub” version of the album interlude serie “Trou Vert” that pits his signature stark sampling methods against Brigitte Barbu’s material and creates a fruitful dialogue of crooked 4/4 mechanics with all the playful curiosity of the original and a strong dose of Herbert’s inimitable musical personality.

Will Saul, DJ/Producer and Aus Music label head primes the 150th release for the longstanding British label with a stellar cover of the 1990 seminal techno record of the same name by Yolanda on seminal label Underground Resistance. With the original record being one of Saul’s all time favorites and UR being a constant source of inspiration it was beyond a dream to get his version fully approved by Mike Banks to celebrate the landmark anniversary. Saul then worked with Berlin based vocalist Gilli.jpg - who has recently worked with Cinthie - to re-vocal Yolanda’s song. As a former intern at Skint in the late 90s heyday, this up-streamed anthem feels extra special finally landing digitally on the label where Saul began learning his trade over twenty years ago. The vinyl will be released on Aus. There is also a version expected later this year which see’s Saul collaborate with Paul Woolford and additional remixes by Move D and Space Dimension Controller that will land shortly. The release features artwork by Trevor Jackson, the man behind the Output label, who’s releases launched careers for huge artists like Four Tet and LCD Soundsystem to name just a few. His iconic, pop art influenced work has been seen on releases including the undisputable 80’s dance classic, Raze ‘Break 4 Love’ and S’Express ‘Theme from S’Express’.

Stephane DRI alias Scan X, the pioneer of the French Techno scene, began his career in 1993 by signing his first two EP’s on the now legendary Fnac Music label. In 1994, he continued his odyssey at Fcommunications by producing a series of maxis, some of which are considered today by many to be classics.

Mind Control: Making people believe by shaping what they hear; a sonata for the age of acceleration morphosis; a music born under punches. Play at any required speed.
Cristian Vogel is a life-long innovator in the design, composition and performance of electronic sounds. His independent career in music and audio technology has won prizes and awards establishing him as an outstanding influence in the field of composition for studio, club culture and stage. He performs, remixes and produces original music and sound design at an international level. He has lived in Brighton, Barcelona, Berlin and Geneva and is now permanently based in Copenhagen where he continues creating technologically based music, sound and audio technology at his design studios Ekometic and NeverEngineLabs.

We’re thrilled to have another legend of the underground on O.C.D. : Alex Martin. A very well respected mainstay in the Spanish Techno scene, Alex’s career spans 3 decades under different production aliases and releases on seminal labels like F-Com, Klang Elektronik, Pias, Cosmos Records, Minifunk, Boozoo, Pagoda Recordings, many of which are now sought-after collectors material. Alex is a very good friend of the label since long and a while ago he shared with us his DAT archives filled with unreleased material from the early years of his career. It took us a while, but we are now ready to give him the rightly deserved space on our Secret Sun series. This is the first volume of a collection of never heard before music from Alex Martin under some of his several aliases, retrieved from the vaults to be finally made available to the world.

Brixton electronic label Dream Diary announces the arrival of Abstract Chemistry EP by veteran UK producer and DJ Aubrey. The release marks the seventh in the label’s catalogue.

When Dream Diary were scouting talent for the label’s next round of releases, the name Aubrey came up with enthusiasm. The team met Aubrey in Berlin over a long weekend, inviting him to record his next release for the London label. The only stipulation in the arrangement required that the EP follow the Dream Diary tradition of being written and recorded at Octagon, the label’s home base and recording studio in Brixton.

Aubrey took up the offer and camped out at Octagon for a week in the fall, crafting a house and techno trifecta sprinkled with the studio’s choice collection of analog equipment. On Abstract Chemistry, Aubrey plays into his signature fusion of vigorous grooves and textured sound design, fitting perfectly into Dream Diary’s discography of spirited electronic music.

Active in the UK techno scene since the early 1990s, Aubrey’s prolific output spans nearly a hundred releases over a nearly 30 year career. His third full length album Gravitational Lensing was released earlier this year on Out Electronics Recordings, following recent releases on Assemble Music, Barba Records, Metroplex and Curle Recordings.

It’s about time that our partner in crime Lostsoundbytes joined us for a ride. Kept on the back burner for a while, the debut album by the Belgium-based producer and Vastechoses label honcho couldn’t have come out at a more convenient time. Keeping with the madness that we all have buried within ourselves, Degenerate Brain sounds like it’s been recorded and corrupted by some artificial intelligence in the grips of mental disorder and paranoia. Frantically exhibiting a wide stylistic palette by means of irradiated kicks laid out on top of distressed electronic modulations; worn out electro bangers and slo-mo keepsakes from imaginary performances to crooked minimal wave ramblings led by a man-machine flying off the handle. A seemingly meaningless stroll orchestrated by a mind that has lost control over some data dump coming in hot — which may fry your brain unless you manage to pull yourself out before it’s too late.

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.

A fixture on Copenhagen's music scene for nearly two decades, Nikolaj Jakobsen, aka Sugar, has to date thrived on concentrating - usually to the point of obsession - on one type of music at a time. Early on, it was punk: from his mid-teens he lived in the legendary squat and artistic community Ungdomshuset, toured worldwide with punk and metal bands, and was completely immersed in and dedicated to the city's DIY punk and metal scene. Then in 2012 he set foot in a techno club for the first time, and his laser-like focus turned in that direction. Jakobsen began producing fast techno under the Sugar alias, and co-founded Fast Forward Productions, an agency and party that has gathered together the city's previously disparate band of fast techno and trance producers, DJs and collectives. Fast Forward has been instrumental in launching the careers of the likes of Schacke, Repro, Funeral Future and Rune Bagge, as well as Jakobsen himself. Now Jakobsen is launching a new label that, even down to its name, is an open challenge to himself to focus on multiple musical styles at once. Perfumery, of which the Eyes Cream EP is the inaugural release, will be a home for his productions under the Sugar name and other aliases, as well as collaborative efforts with others. The label's open remit defies definitive categorisation of is to come, but its second release will be an abstract, atmospheric album by the cimbalom and tuba player and composer Anders Bo Eriksen, aka Opica. On that record's heels will be collaborative projects with D.Dan and Hvad, as well as an experimental-minded debut LP by Jakobsen as Sugar.

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.

When the first Placid Angels album dropped in 1997, Jon Beltran was already an established force within dance music’s then-emerging scene. He had a knack for both the melodic side as well as intricately designed rhythmic programming. A signature style that went for his early records in the 1990s as much as it does for this new installment of the Placid Angles series. The blissful synths, Aphex Twin-era IDM and loose percussive patterns take you right back to where it all began when genres didn’t mean anything and Beltran was just starting out to experiment with any sound that would elevate your consciousness. The Michigan-born artist since has spanned a career of nearly four decades, remaining relevant all the while, by playing the music he found himself most drawn to express. By working with artists like Detroit veteran Carl Craig, labels such as R&S or more recently his LPs for Delsin or his joint work with Four Tet. Whether it be his more Techno-leaning or New Wave-inspired works, his takes on Ambient, or the more Latin-influenced productions - he has always stayed active and re-invented himself while painting his records with a clearly own palette that is full of beautiful melodies and a timeless sound-design. The album Touch The Earth itself comes as diverse as the artist’s own legacy, ranging from skittish, colorful UKG to proper pulsing sub-basslines as it progresses deeper into intelligent drum programming and further into the melodic ventures of what’s at the core of Beltran’s work.

The first Azu Tiwaline's album, after been acclaimed by DJs like Lena Willikens, upsammy, Shanti Celeste and a bunch of electronic medias (Bandcamp, RA, Crack), is now remixed by a Lyon-Bristol-Berlin trifecta of similarly minded rhythmic innovators - twisting and warping her work into new shapes, featuring Don't DJ, Laksa & Flore reinterpretations. Nothing happens overnight. Behind every emergence, there’s years of work, thought and preparation - both intentional and unconscious - that’s gone unseen. So the past year might have been a ‘breakout’ year for Azu Tiwaline, but it was really built over two decades of experimentation, soul-searching - both creative and personal - and exploration. “A new name for a new spirit” as she likes to say, but with an unmistakable identity rooted in her history and ancestry. On her debut album as Azu Tiwaline, Draw Me A Silence, a record released in two parts with her family at I.O.T. , she fused together two halves of her own heritage, inspired by a new home in the desert. Personal history collided with family heritage: half step rhythms from a career in bass music met the warm winds and wide open silence of El Djerid in Tunisia. When music is sincere and honest, it tends to reverberate more widely, and deeply. The tracks written for the Magnetic Service EP were sent to one label and one label only, Livity Sound, who picked it up instantly. Something about the spacious, yet dense sonics - crafted with the help of percussionist Cinna Peyghamy - resonated with listeners starved of both the community of the dancefloor and the space of the outside world. The EP became one of the Bristol label’s most heralded releases of 2020, featuring in end of year coverage from Bandcamp to Resident Advisor. Beneath the calm of her productions, a restless spirit inhabits Azu, born out of months and years spent on the road. In 2020, it was her music that took her places. She put together a series of podcast mixes that echoed the percussive, rhythmic curves of her own productions, for Boiler Room, Dekmantel and Crack Mag. She distilled Fazer Drums’ percussive experiments into dubby downtempo with a remix, and contributed her most rooted track yet - Violet Curves with Cinna Peyghamy - to On the Corner’s Door to The Cosmos compilation. This will be followed by the Extended version of the album with a gorgeous ambient bonus track “Eyes of the Wind”, accompanied by a video clip directed by Azu Tiwaline, shot in her desert lands. This track will be appearing in a digital reupload reunifying Draw Me A Silence Part.I and II. As a sort of final chapter of this debut album. As for the rest? We’ll see what 2021 has to offer for both the world and Azu Tiwaline. In the meantime, take inspiration from her music: keep the tempo steady, let some light in, and listen for the silence.

Max Chapman returns to Toolroom following on from his debut release 'Zulu' which stormed the Beatport charts and gained massive Radio One specialist support. This time around he teams up with studio buddy ThreeSix, formally known as M.A.F.F, on 'Make A Move', marking another huge release. Resonance Records label boss, Max Chapman, has remained consistent with his sound and productions since day 1 and it's no wonder he's in the top 10 selling producers on Beatport's Tech House chart for the 3rd year running! Last year he was ranked Beatport's 8th best-selling artist overall and played Global shows from Fabrik Madrid to Flash in Washington. His recent label signings include Jamie Jones' Hot Trax, Solardo's Sola and Low Steppa's Low:Res. There's not many young artists who can boast such a solid following across the World but Max is certainly one of them. As a relative newcomer to the scene, ThreeSix started to release music in July 2019 and he's already gained a loyal community of supporters and has released on labels Under No Illusion, LDN Trax and Lost Audio. Making the decision to go back to his original roots with his ThreeSix outlet, he is certainly an artist to keep your eye on this year: We are all facing difficult times but it's important to stay positive and use this time to better our career and ourselves. We can't wait to hear more of what he's got. 'Make A Move' is a stripped back, bumpy, underground cut, with that soft vocal injection and lush M1 chords, it's a subtle nod to 90's Garage but toughened up for today's modern house floors - Essential stuff!

Those well-acquainted with Los Angeles-based DJ and producer Wheez-ie can attest to his masterful dexterity both behind the decks and in the studio. For the uninitiated, his forthcoming release serves as another testament to the timely-yet-timeless quality his productions have since become championed for. Finding common ground through an emphasis on genre hybridization, Wheez-ie's latest offering, Horizons, benevolently marks the next entry in the rapidly growing catalog of John Frusciante and Aura T-09's Evar Records.

Set for release on October 1st, this 4-track collection has already received advance support from the likes of Nina Kraviz, Sherelle (with the track "Shut the Door" being featured as part of her official BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix), Vtss, Cera Khin and fellow Evar signee Kilbourne, exemplifying how Wheez-ie's tunes are not only certifiably rave-ready but can find a happy home in DJ sets of all styles.

Drawing influence from techno, industrial metal, darkcore jungle and big beat, Horizons culminates in a fierce exploration of sounds that efficaciously capture the essence of early 90s-era rave through a modern lens that is both perceptive and prophetic. While working from a referential or nostalgic place can be cheugy if not executed properly, the Texas-born producer is at his best when pulling from his encyclopedic knowledge of electronic dance music to provide that 2AM banger the dance floor didn't quite know it needed until the cathartic moment it explodes out of the speakers.

As exemplified by the depth of his discography, including recent additions courtesy of London's Them imprint (2020's Negative Zone EP) and Perth, Scotland's Craigie Knowes (2020's Only Human / Weaponized), Wheez-ie has been fiercely applying pressure and challenging genre tropes from the very onset of his career, and doing so with immense care and understanding of nuanced cultural codes. Prioritizing feeling above genre, Wheez-ie's Horizons brilliantly showcases his multifaceted nature, with each track offering a different side of his dynamic arsenal as a producer and DJ.

Breathe – the stunning eight-track mini album from long-standing British techno artist Mark Reeve out via Adam Beyer's iconic Drumcode Records. Following a slew of critically acclaimed single and EP releases on Drumcode over the course of his esteemed decade-long career – the last of which came in the form of his mammoth Distance EP back in February 2020 – Breathe marks Mark Reeve's most extensive musical opus on the legendary imprint, and goes a long way in showcasing the inexhaustible creativity of one of the most prolific and original artists in techno today. A career-defining moment for Reeve, Breathe has extraordinary allure and maintains the impressive quality of engaging the listener from the very start. A rich and complex body of work, the stunning eight-tracker goes far beyond Mark's trademark transcendental crowd pleasers, encompassing lilting moments of euphoric ambience alongside a sundry offering of full-throttle warehouse juggernauts and ravey breakbeat cuts.

Mick Wills is no stranger to Frigio Records, the German Dj and producer has turned his hand to edits and remixes on previous releases and now arrives with his own 12” of edits for the volumen 4th of the label’s Ecdisis series. The source material for the two pieces on offer comes from Brazil’s Simbolo, a band formed in 1988 and still active with a career spanning more than thirty years, was a central player in South America’s EBM and Synth scene. Wills has selected two tracks from the Brazilian’s back catalogue, the first being “Mind.” Industrial influences come immediately to the fore, complex drum patterns give way to a juddering groove in which guttural vocals depict a scene of hurt and pain. “Synchrono” occupies the flip. Taken from the 1995 album, In the Danger Zone, the original two minute piece is extended into a seven plus minute epic. Following on from “Mind”, “Synchrono” melts stuttering bass-lines and textured percussion with indecipherable lyrics counter-balancing heady strings. Two cuts of emotive and impacting electronics.

Established in 2018, Let Me Understand Records is the imprint run by Santos, an Italian producer & DJ based in Frosinone that requires very little introduction, especially considering his excellent career in the business since 1995. Lmurwax is the logical stepping stone for Let Me Understand, catapulting the label to the vinyl market with both style and substance.

Highly desired on wax amongst minimal house DJs, 'Suburban Cult' is finally pressed on wax and presented in a glorious package that couples the original Santos club weapon with Ricardo Villalobos and Tripmastaz on the remix duties as tRicMast. Exquisite production values and a superb showcase of modern club music minimalism and how it should be crafted.

'Infinite' is the hypnotically marching banger alternative of the record. Here Santos chooses to drive bouncing basslines and minimal (but finely detailed) drum arrangements through clouds of warm pads and haunting vocals. It is a true mood-setter for the proper setting and the right time, especially when dusk becomes dawn and people dance where the waves take them — "infinite.. the waves where you will take me."

C.Z. debuts on LA's Evar Records with the uncompromising Heat Index EP.

The Los Angeles-based producer, beatmaker and DJ sets a course through IDM, techno, jungle and trance to deliver five frenetic, emotionally-charged dancefloor cuts.

Over the course of an intensely productive career, Colby Zinser (aka C.Z.) has made music spanning genres like pop, rap, hardcore and jungle. As well as releasing music as C.Z., he's operated multiple aliases, including the prolific Ice Underlord. Drawing from a longstanding fascination with breaks, trance and the IDM of artists like Warp Records' Clark, he's developed his own rich and eclectic style of club music - a sound that crystalized on his 2020 debut album Hyperfocus.

C.Z. emerged from 2020 armed with a mass of new dancefloor tracks, freshly inspired to make club music a central focus, after years of smuggling techno, trance and breaks elements into the rap beats he was making for others. As he explains: 'It's great to come back to music and just make what I love, I don't want to be someone else's secret weapon, I want to be my own.' Heat Index refuses to toe a line, steering skillfully through genres and setting a tone that oscillates between club-fuelled euphoria, heartbreak and the looming threat of planetary crisis.

Opener 'Midnight' rattles along at a breathless 160 BPM, transporting you to a breakdown in the middle of a pounding hard trance set. Within a minute the rushing neon trance synths collide with huge, sub destroying kicks. The title track 'Heat Index' follows, with brooding pads bolted onto a tight breakbeat, leaving space open for the razor sharp, searching synth line.

Moving rapidly through the gears, 'Hurricane' is an aptly titled exercise in precision programmed classic jungle breaks, carried forward by bubbling earworm melodies. 'Retrograde' shifts the focus again - a pitch-black, dark, fast and seething techno track ripe for warehouses and dungeons, before 'Radial Lens', a melodic, anthemic set-closer built on a muscular, downtempo break.

C.Z.'s first appearance on Evar Records, the LA label founded in 2020 by Trickfinger and Aura T-09, follows a series of hard-hitting releases from Speed Dealer Moms, Limewax and Kilbourne, all artists who like C.Z., are able to traverse twisted electronica, club music and pure abstraction with ease. 'I want to help encourage a more open electronic music space, less pretentious, and encompassing all genres.' C.Z. says. 'It's an important goal of mine, and one the label shares.' Heat Index is a wide-ranging EP from a versatile producer, and a celebration of unfettered expression, for minds and dancefloors free from inhibition or genre restriction.

Having already proven that he is capable of maintaining sonic quality and distinction over the course of a full original program, Chevel (a.k.a. Dario Tronchin) now makes his LP debut for Stroboscopic Artefacts. His other S.A. contributions (including the inaugural entry in the label's singular Monad series, the "One Month Off" EP, his participation to the label's five-year retrospective series) have already hinted that a more complete exposition of his unique inner world would surface, and here it is at last. Over the course of his young career, Chevel has gained a mastery over several compositional elements: Polaroid-like slow melodic fades, sharp ricocheting beats, and simply making one's headphones feel like a viable means of physical transportation. All of these elements come into play shortly after the needle hits the grooves of 'Comb' a euphoric introductory track marked by a spectral panning sequence and by beats chopped with a culinary expert's sense of elegance. The drum kit sounds that feature throughout are used sparely but – either because of this or in spite of this – provide maximum impact upon the listener's nervous system. The almost 'far Eastern' use of 'block' percussion on 'The Windrunner' and 'Low Roof' perfectly complements the synthetic sheen produced... more