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White label promo copy with insert is close to NM.

The Frog Dog Records crew outta Philadelphia follow up their previous VA release with another quirky yet intriguing EP.

10 years since the consumerist musings of Tesco, Matthew Herbert reanimates his Wishmountain project and heads deep underground to find the source material for Stonework: 1000 metres down.

Like many of Herbert’s projects, Wishmountain releases revolve around specific, material sound palettes, and for this latest album he’s drawn from a sample library created as a commission for the Stone Techno festival, which took place at the Unesco World Heritage Zollverein mine in Essen, Germany. Working with sound recordist Lorenzo Dal Ri, Herbert and Dan Pollard captured a varied and wide variety of hits, tones, textures and one-shots from the frozen-in-time remnants of the Ruhr region’s coal-mining industry and from specific materials in the nearby Ruhr Museum and Mineralien-Museum. A sample library created by Matthew and Dan of the recordings was also used for the Stone Techno series, from which tracks have been commissioned by the likes of Luke Slater, Megan Leber, Ben Sims and KiNK drawing from the same sounds heard on this album.

These stone-cast sounds lend themselves to the Wishmountain framework – skeletal, quasi-industrial techno with an angular impulse and a subtle swing. Much like the breakthrough hit, 1996’s ‘Radio’ (made using samples of a broken radio), the limitations on the source material sharpen the focus of the music. What started out as a practical hardware restriction in the early 90s became a purposeful way of working for Herbert – one which carried through the 1999 album Wishmountainisdead to 2012’s Tesco with its sampling of the British supermarket chain’s 10 most popular products.

Musically, Stonework is consistent terrain for Wishmountain – austere and forbidding in one sense, playful and irreverent in another. But from a club music perspective, which Wishmountain absolutely is, it offers DJs a variety of rhythmic formations within the tool-like minimalism of the arrangements, opening up intriguing possibilities for mixing into, out of, or somewhere in between. For every 4/4 thrust and jerk there is a fractured, snaking meditation pivoting around other time signatures.

Crystal clear in its creative intention and simultaneously successful as surface-level club music, Stonework: 1000 Metres Down is a natural continuation for one of Herbert’s most celebrated, albeit intermittent, aliases.

Chicago legend, Green Velvet, returns to Toolroom as he locks horns with label founder Mark Knight and studio partner, James Hurr, for 'The Greatest Thing Alive'. A low slung, chunky affair that screams Miami Space terrace at 8am! Quirky, full of character and Green Velvets unmistakable vocal re-work of the classic 'Mannish Boy' from Muddy Waters pushes this record into a really special place. Green Velvet debuted on the label back in 2015 alongside Technasia with 'Suga', a record that went onto to be an overall Beatport #1 and remained as their highest selling track for many years that followed, the track also sits on an impressive 9m streams. On the flipside, head honcho Mark Knight, returns with studio cohort and DJs favourite James Hurr, as they take on one of House music's all-time classic records; 'Lady (Hear Me Tonight)'. No messing around, Mark and James offer up an alternative take to this stone cold classic, bringing the infectious vocal and iconic guitar riff to the forefront, mixing into a signature Mark Knight club heavy beat. Having previously collaborated on 'Make You Happy' with Todd Terry and last year's 'You Are A God' with vocalist Cari Golden, Mark Knight and James Hurr are fast becoming a killer duo in the studio, and throughout the scene. Offering up a killer reinterpretation of legendary House classic 'Lady (Hear Me Tonight)' by French House duo Modjo, a record which transcended the boundaries of dance music back in the early 2000's and has since become a record synonymous with the era. True to form, Mark Knight and James Hurr mix their musical prowess together and deliver yet another stomping hit for the clubs!

Seamless to our first release of the Stone Techno series we are presenting the second edition of this unique concept. Each artist has been given a sample library consisting of recorded minerals from the Ruhr Area. The task was pretty clear, to create a track exclusively out of those sounds. The results are remarkably differing from each other and showing the huge creative potential of this project, which is a collaboration between the world famous Ruhr Museum foundation and The Third Room collective.

While Matrixxman delivers us an ambient driven masterpiece, Rodhad shows us his impeccable skills to create an ever-evolving tension in his dub techno influenced approach. Yan Cook on the B-Side is exploring the full potential of those samples to honor the industrial era and its machines, while T3R-Resident Vnnn. is hailing with his hypnotic grooves the late hours of an extensive musical journey.

We hope you enjoy this imposing line-up of artists and its different styles within the release. There is more to be coming. Stay tuned!

Each release is limited to 300 copies (180gr marbled 12" Vinyl, Full Cover Print).

The Stone Techno Series returns with another exciting compilation. This time alongside a new festival that celebrates forward thinking artists from 9th to 10th of July at Europe's biggest coal mine complex under the Unesco World Heritage Zollverein. The project is exceptional at its core, bringing back excitement and inventiveness to the genre.

The project functions as a multidisciplinary ever-evolving experiment that brings different aspects together. Sampling, creating and releasing music made out of million years old inorganic materials which shaped and defined the Ruhr Area like nothing else. "Auf Kohle geboren - born on coal" stands for this region and the so-called "German Wirtschaftswunder".

The Stone Techno project wants to embrace the history of "the Ruhrpott" while looking into the future as well. Techno Music stands for upheaval and modernity, while coal is the symbol of the Ruhr Area. This unique project will lend audibility to the ongoing process of transformation in the cultural and natural history of this region. Science and museums crossing paths with contemporary electronic music culture.

The Stone Techno project is not shy of its obvious significance. World-famous Ruhr Museum and The Third Room collective mark a first of its kind of long-lasting collaborations between a techno brand and a cultural institution.

This time the project is conceptually going one step further: Before the final backfilling of the mine at Zeche Zollverein, the acoustic atmosphere of this significant piece of global mining history was recorded 1000 metres underground, not only as an irreplaceable acoustic document, but also as preparation for a new extraordinary sample library.

A luminary of the electronic music scene has taken on this mammoth task, the British artist Matthew Herbert, this summer Matthew has sampled rocks and coal seams from the Unesco World Heritage Zollverein to create a new sample library for Stone Techno from the soundscape of the underground world. The finite raw material provides the basis for new creative endeavours coming from previously featured producers alongside new ones.

This year's artists feature New Sample Library recorded and processed by Matthew Herbert and varied new takes on the rich sample library from Adiel, Ben Sims, D. Dan, James Ruskin, Julia Govor, Kink, Lady Starlight, Lokier, Luke Slater, Megan Leber, Out Of Place Artefacts, Perc, Setaoc Mass, Sterac and Tommy Four Seven together with new tracks from previously featured artists Vnnn. and Ahmet Sisman in the series.

The Stone Techno Series marks the use of coal mines, its minerals as a boundless source for creative inspiration, artists displaying a vigorous return, enriching the sound and texture of a sometimes overlooked industrial force.

Art Direction by Jan Petry (Humain Studio) Curated & mastered by Ahmet Sisman (The Third Room Studios) Sound Recordist: Lorenzo Dal Ri Geological consultant: Achim G. Reisdorf Sample Library by Matthew Herbert & Dan Pollard commissioned by Stone Techno, a collaboration between the Ruhr Museum and The Third Room in partnership with the New Now Festival and Mutek Montreal.

Number 2 of three kicks off with the menacing sounds of Anastasia Vtorova’s (Machine Woman) 8 minute "Iron Curtain", meandyou co founder Herron (Sam Lewis) made on appearance on the first Jheri Tracks comp and is back with the percussive stop start vibes of "Yusmita". Sias returns to the fold with his brand of post punk techno on "Brickfields" with SBOT & Soft Stone completing the set.

"A shield against death, Blood, fire and power. The purity of feelings, For an eternal youth." After more than 5 years in the techno scene as an organizer, label, and agency, RAW is launching their first vinyl compilation including 16 original tracks from a well-curated list of top producers. The release features several early label contributors as I Hate Models, Under Black Helmet or Hadone with respected and inspirational artists as Perc, Somniac One, Thomas P. Heckmann, or Clouds to name a few. Entitled Gemstones, this V/A is divided into 4 colored vinyls representing precious stones, promoting a hard and harsh sound from industrial to emotional techno stompers.

"A shield against death, Blood, fire and power. The purity of feelings, For an eternal youth." After more than 5 years in the techno scene as an organizer, label, and agency, RAW is launching their first vinyl compilation including 16 original tracks from a well-curated list of top producers. The release features several early label contributors as I Hate Models, Under Black Helmet or Hadone with respected and inspirational artists as Perc, Somniac One, Thomas P. Heckmann, or Clouds to name a few. Entitled Gemstones, this V/A is divided into 4 colored vinyls representing precious stones, promoting a hard and harsh sound from industrial to emotional techno stompers.

For our second release, circuit|breaker quips back the stacked offering of Cbrk001 with another dynamic double LP, exhibiting some of the best local and international talent that’s cropped up on our radar over recent years.

The label is as driven as ever to build a bridge between our community and the wider electronic music domain, giving artists a platform to preach the sound that speaks to them, and this release is but another stepping stone towards greatness, for us and for them.

Cbrk002 opens up with a rolling, gritty number that could only be Fergus Sweetland, as metallic voices beckon forth on ‘Untitled (arp 1.02)’. Hasvat Informant, whose thunderous reputation precedes him, then storms the barn with the explosive ‘Abispa Ephippium’. The B-side shifts gears to Goa’s Dotdat and his frantically groovy track ‘Holo’, followed by a gorgeous minimal number by Berlin-based Pino Peña – Mia’s Pocket; one that’s sure to get summer dancefloors pumping.

The C-side of the record contains two heaving tracks, the C1 from the prominent force of Cloudy Ku with ‘A Room of One’s Own’, and the C2 from the dark visage that is disgrays with ‘Turmstraße’. The final side of the record has Amsterdam legend Juan Sanchez open the filter with a warm, jacking submission in ‘Indulge’, while the Berliner Marsch takes us home with a devious timbre that will have bodies glued to the floor on ‘Into You’.

Mysticism's Dubplate series has got a couple of great drops lined up at the moment and this is one of them - a boule pack from German digidub pioneers TVS aka Trance Vision Steppers. This was a project that never made it out of the studio but still cooked up some brilliant sounds, which in the case of this collection come from their earlier period between 1995 - 1999, all of which land on vinyl for the first time here. Fans of Adrian Sherwood, Dennis Bovell and Mad Professor will be head over heels of these dub delights - they are deep and atmospheric, with lush ambient pads, downtempo vocals and stoner synths next to more twisted rhythms.

Following her highly praised "An Antworten EP" on TAL, Tentenko releases “The Soft Cave” on Couldn’t Care More. The Tokyo Wonder Girl further expands her unique universe of electronic music with four stunning tracks between oddly beguiling iridescence ("The Wave") and deliberately raw technoid clanging ("Stalactite"), developing a twisted yet very playful version of Experimental Techno, Breakbeats or whatever it is ("The Fish Stone"). Exciting stuff for Warp / Modern Love / Sähkö aficionados and everyone who dares.

Warning! This record contains traces of acid and spaced out tripping techno! Classic unpredictable SW. goodness straight outta Sued: Detroit hitek soul & UK broken beat vibes meet subtle swinging & warm sounding lo-fi house. Artist Info: - SW. is one of the heads behind Sued records - his album from 2017 got voted by Rolling Stone Magazine to the top 20 electronic music albums of the year - this year he is releasing also on Kimochi and a famous label from Salzburg - his past remixes were on Kimochi, Acid Test, Klasse Wrecks, Bright Sounds, and Kalahari Oyster Kult.

No more words to say… Stone Edge delivers 4 fantastic cuts, all on the edge of techno, house, dub and melancholy.

The exceptional producer Stenny has been a Munich resident for a few years to be as close as possible to his musical home port of Ilian Tape. Here he once again proves what a perfectly mixed supergroovy breakbeat board is. Janis and Fabian from the live duo aka Trap10 do not hide their musical ideals. In “People Zoo” it’s classic but classy, according to old Detroit style and Chicago tradition. Jonas Friedlich’s EPs on Molten Moods and Four Triangles are a good example of what Techno’s style is all about: tape delay is his weapon of choice, often with vocals and rarely straight beats. With “Jazzersizzzze” he ties in masterfully to it. P-T2 has become an integral part of the Red Sun (Club Rote Sonne) in just a few years, indulging her fondness for the harder pace of club music. Accordingly, their RFR post is an acid board, as it is written in the book.

Ignorance Defeating Pleasure Rave.

Limited one time pressing fast paced dancefloor mechanics on 180g vinyl.

Volume 3 of the Trust XY recombination series again sees four unique artists channel sonic echoes from the label's past. Stenny is up first, the Italian producer whose name is synonymous with Ilian Tape's much acclaimed crossover of techno and bass music. He complements the deep pads of Versalife's 'Nova Prospekt' with a scorching bass line and rolling breaks programmed in his unmistakable style. Canadian producer and Planet Euphorique label owner D.Tiffany is a champion of complex percussions and an obvious choice to rework Alex Cortex's percussive electro anthem 'We Run Your Life'. Her take chops and warps Cortex's vocals around a twitching techno beat that's both experimental and effective. Side B has UK electro and breakbeat pioneer Clatterbox return to Trust, reshaping one of the very first Microthol tracks into modern form. At his hands 'Intertronic' turns into a bleeping and hissing, snarling and growling electro bass monster. Lastly Delsin's dub master and Trust alumni Vc-118a takes on 'Tides' by /dl/ms/, replacing the original's sparse funk with a low slung dub techno groove that serves as the foundation for perpetually cascading ebbs and flows of lush and dreamy soundwaves.

label sleeve

Dial's label boss Sten aka Lawrence presents his long awaited third album on the ever-classic Berlin based Sushitech Records. Earthshine is an extended journey of 12 tracks written and produced by Peter Kersten over the last 5 years. Atmospheric Ambient to deep Techno and everything in between put together by a true master of the craft.

After almost a year of waiting we are happy to add 005 into our catalogue. Proudly adding Stan Yaroslavsky and legend Audio Werner to U family. More easy listening EP with timeless analog sound is the direction label wanted to take for some time.

Sidney Charles, the German house and techno Hurricane Kid, is finally dropping his first EP on the renowned Mannheim label Cécille Records. Despite knowing each other for over a decade, Sidney, Nick, and Marc have only now come together to unleash their creative synergy in the form of this highly-anticipated EP. Prepare to be mesmerized by Sidney Charles' signature raw and groovy sound that is sure to leave you wanting more. Previews of the tracks are available on Cécille Records' SoundCloud and official Cécille Records website.

German powerhouse Sidney Charles steps up to the plate for Eastenderz latest and milestone 50th release. The prolific Hamburg producer hits hard with a four tracker of house and minimal goodness that has the club squarely in its sights.

Raw Culture renews its love with France by carving it on the wax.
The Parisian Security Dj, honorary member of the Knick Knack Yoda squad, returns, after the success of "Fucking DJ", in collaboration with Sophia De Jong released on our t last VA, this time with two whole sides dedicated to his weirdness.
Resident of Rinse France, in his sound, converge endless cues from his musical research, expressed through his already proven skills as a producer in his infamous Aubervilliers Studios. Roughness and overwhelming grooves are his characteristic traits.
Within the EP a collaboration with his snack dude Rawmance, Parisian by birth, Italian by adoption, with whom he shares also the Drew C. Mance project.
Asymmetrical , boss of the label, did the role of Celine Dion in “Ramp Age” with his magic voice.
Finally, to complete the work, we have the pleasure to have in our infamous stables tha guy Cardopusher, who cooks his version of "domestic xs" with his unmistakable groove and sound that makes even the stones move from the ground.
The release as always will be available in a limited series of 300 hand stamped vinyl.

SC-164 is a new label based out of Brooklyn, NY, run by Greg Schappert aka Donor.
The Channel series is set to include a run of electro and experimental EPs under his SC-164 alias. For the second installment, he presents inventive, rough-edged future music with no signs of human life, and it's utterly thrilling.
The first track is a blizzard of frosty, serrated synths and hard drums that are designed for dance floor destruction. 002-002 continues this way, an intergalactic face-off, with laser synths firing across the face of jittery, punch drum programming. Textured and raw, it's pure and powerful machine music. Next up, 003 layers up ghoulish white noise and synth bleeps that are brilliantly bleak and dystopian. The closer is a roaming electro cut, with menacing bass and groaning synths taking you to the heart of a stone-lit frenzy.

As the moon gives way to the sun, so does the night to the day. Everything breathes whether it is stone, flesh or fiber. Everything vibrates to the dance of planets and thoughts, creating everything, one big breath.

Includes a download code for the whole album.

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."

After more than a years break during the pandemic, Heisenberg is back with the next long awaited vinyl. Hsbrg Blck 02 compilation featuring labels residents Matpri, Saktu, Adamov, Stan Yaroslavsky. A 4 tracker perfect for different dancefloor situations. Matpri delivers his signature micro house bomb, Alex Adamov is trippy & groovy as usual. B-Side is deeper. Saktu takes us on dub house trip with acid elements and wonderful juno 106 chords and last but not least is Stan Yaroslavsky with his track Starting All Over - This shit is timeless! A Must Have! Vinyl Only!

The second outing from Transmigration’s anything goes sub-label Sacred Stones. Four DJ edits covering repurposed free tekno, extended proto trance and a cosmic jam with Cocktail D’Amore resident Trent.

Vinyl only, those streaming fat cats won’t see a cent from this.

London based label Natural Selection present their 4th release in the form of a 4-track physical and digital Techno EP courtesy of Rommek, entitled "Devil's Playground EP". Cut by Simon at The Exchange Vinyl and mastered by Dadub Studios, Berlin.
Based in London, Rommek has seen his music released by the heaviest of renowned labels such as Mord, Arts & James Ruskin's Blueprint Records. Rommek returns to Natural Selection after releasing with the label via their widely acclaimed VA compilation fundraiser "In Aid Of Ukraine" in 2022, with his track "All Blood Is Red", which has gained support by some of the most respected DJ's worldwide.
Since his debut release in 2014, Rommek has creatively expanded his own sound and has firmly established himself within the global techno and experimental scene. His extensive interest in sound design is crafted within the dense atmospheres, heavy broken drums and dynamic tones found within his productions. After various releases that grounded him within the Blueprint family, Rommek then completed his most established work to date, the 'Set In Stone Trilogy' in 2018. The three part release compromises of 12 tracks, original and remixes from key members of the Blueprint team; James Ruskin, O/v/r (James Ruskin & Regis), Broken English Club and Makaton.
After releasing over 15 solo EP's, Rommek has gained a wide range of noteworthy support, from being played on BBC Radio 1, to features and reviews in Mixmag, The Wire and The Quietus magazines. In 2018 he was featured within the top 100 globally charted artists on Resident Advisor. From this, it is clear that Rommek is driven to continue expanding his capabilities and keep excelling forward. After forming a close connection to Natural Selection in recent years, he has now cemented himself as one of the main front-line artists and residents within the London based imprint.
Natural Selection are well known for bridging the heavier spectrum of Techno, Electro, IDM, Acid, etc. with new, experimental style and form. One can always expect cutting-edge, hard-hitting, underground electronics from Natural Selection, with extreme diversity in sound.

Shortly after the release of his hugely successful album “Death Star Droid” , Robot Koch returns with this Remix EP, that also includes 2 brand new tunes by the sleepless robot.On this EP, Robot gathered some friends and like minded artists from around the globe to flip his original compositions.
The EP kicks off with a brand new original tune from Robot Koch: “Blind” featuring Grace on vocals, who also appeard as a guest vocalist on on Death Star Droid.
Robot and Grace are working on some new stunning material at the moment that will come out sometime in fall 2010.
When Robot played in NY last time, he met Brooklyn based band Body Language, who release on Machine Drum's Normrex label, and shared a stage with them at Coco66 in brooklyn.
For this EP Robot remixed their tune “New day” and they made a surprising flip of Koch's dubstep infused album tune “Gorom Sen” in return.
Robot's berlin mate fLlako, who recently grabbed the attention of the likes of Giles Peterson and Stones Throw, make a nice re-edit of the title track of Robot's album: “Death Star Droid”.
Phon.o (of CLP/Shitkatapult fame) took the club banger potential of the tune “Gorom Sen” to the next level and made it sound like zomby and boy 8 bit jamming it out.
Upcoming beatmaker Shlohmo from San Francisco also remixed “Gorom Sen”, making some noise on the blogoshpere about it prior to the release already.
Loops Haunt from Scotland, who could be found recently in Rustie's Fact magazine mixtape and Hudson Mohawke's BBC Essential Mix, made a ten remix of “Gorom Sen”.
Producer Beat Laden from Portugal, that recently caught attention with his KUBO remix on man recordings gave that original sengalese vocal scatting a rerub and turned it into a solid club banger.
Talen, from Switzerland made their very own unique interpretation of Robot Koch's frenetic original.
And last but for sure not least, UK Producer Blue Daisy made a sublime remix of the song “While” feat. Manya one of the few vocal tracks on Robot Koch's Album. His mix does the cinematic original justice and takes it even further out of space or underwater. A pure sound trip.

I have no words, no tears. My heart within me like a stone Is numbed too much for hopes or fears; Look right, look left, I dwell alone.

This is a special, limited edition purple vinyl version of the new Pulsor EP from Orlando Voorn. And it features a real glut of goodness across four tracks, too: there is the stone-cold classic 'Flash' under his Fix alias which is big, bouncy techno with wigged-out synths and plenty of playful energy. There is also the brand new title track 'Pulsor' which is a nice heady and deep cut with silky synth ripples and rubbery drums intertwining with one another perfectly. The two remixes included have never been available on vinyl before. The first is Orlando's chunky and funky techno rework of 'Boucle To The Beat', one of Toddy Terry's most recognisable early tracks. Then last of all is the colourful house sound of Ken Ishii's remix of 'Dope Computer'. It's a filter-heavy and loopy jam with prickly acid that will pump any party.

This new EP grey and black splattered 12" from Orlando Voorn features a real glut of goodness - there is the stone-cold classic 'Flash' under his Fix alias which is big, bouncy techno with wigged-out synths and plenty of playful energy. There is also the brand new title track 'Pulsor' which is a nice heady and deep cut with silky synth ripples and rubbery drums intertwining with one another perfectly. The two remixes included have never been available on vinyl before. The first is Orlando's chunky and funky techno rework of 'Boucle To The Beat', one of Toddy Terry's most recognisable early tracks. Then last of all is the colourful house sound of Ken Ishii's remix of 'Dope Computer'. It's a filter-heavy and loopy jam with prickly acid that will pump any party.

Relentless raver and emerging artist from the Rinse France roster of captivating talent, Roni launches her imprint Nehza Records with a five-track EP titled ‘Slowing’ by Bordeaux-based Neida . Marking the debut release on the label, Neida is the first producer to bring Roni’s fantasy-led vision to life. ‘Slowing’ is a cross-pollination of breaks, acid, jungle and bass which nods to the sound of the underground UK rave scene circa 1990. An era that Roni closely aligns with in terms of sound, art and the sense of liberation synonymous with 90s club culture, Neida nails this aesthetic throughout the EP. ‘Bull’ sets a powerful tone as the opening track, packed with punchy drums layered below an orchestral-like vocal before ‘dso’ burbles through with squelchy synthwork over a 4/4 beat — a clear hint of that UK rave sound simmering under the surface. Garnering his appreciation for reggae and Rasta dialect, Neida’s rework of a vocal derived from reggae artist Don Carlos is masterfully blended into this 6-minute churner. Over on the B-side, ‘Guess Who’ burns slowly with downtempo breaks and mesmerising chords; you can almost smell an imaginary forest as the track unravels, creating an image of tripping in nature. ‘wht’ rumbles through with a mellow introduction before going full-whack into barreling drums and clap-heavy percussion, illustrating Neida’s ability to dip into experimental textures that nod to complex rhythm patterns rather than club-cut melodies. ‘For All The Time Sake’ closes the EP with an acid bassline and bright, crisp percussion ending the EP on a significantly vibrant note to mark the first stepping stone of Roni’s record label. ‘Slowing’ is a spiralling myriad of bright atmospheres and escapism, likely to be one of many sonic trademarks on Nehza Records.

The #1 Best Selling Track for 2019 in Electronica / Downtempo genre on Beatport, Namito - 'Stone Flower' sees a new vinyl release featuring a previously unreleased, and vinyl only, remix by Satori. It also serves as a teaser for Satori's upcoming full length album on Sol Selectas Records. Iranian artist Namito, who has made quite a name for himself over the years in the Techno scene of Berlin, diverges from this tip for 'Stone Flower', putting a new twist on a Persian classic. Creating a hypnotic deep house groove, with ethereal uplifting lyrics, listeners and dancers alike are taken on a journey to a time when Persian culture was at its peak of creativity and freedom. Namito heard this traditional song at a family gathering in Iran, sung by his 2 sisters Mojgan and Marjan, and was instantly moved by its beauty. He invited his sisters into the studio the very next day to record their vocals, and the result is 'Stone Flower', which pays homage to the Persian tradition, while embracing the modern edge of electronic music at the same time. For this special vinyl only remix, Satori winds his way deeper down into the electronic abyss, with a reinterpretation that maintains the original Persian vocals, but also blends in elements of an old Afghan interpretation of the same classic song, creating a tougher, club-leaning version. The artwork by Helia Jamali, also of Persian decent, takes us into the mystical world of ancient scared geometry and displays the beauty of her home country Iran.

Credited by many as one of the leading tastemakers in dance music, his DJ sets have influenced a generation (or two) of musicians and fans out there today. An artist that has never allowed time or age to slow him down – Michael Mayer remains tirelessly motivated behind the DJ decks, in the studio or behind his desk at Kompakt, the company he co-owns. Last year’s full-length LP, ‘&’, was Michael’s fourth, a departure that saw him extensively collaborate with an impressive host of contemporaries and friends, including Joe Goddard, Prins Thomas and Agoria. Complimenting these excursions perfectly, Michael’s long overdue contribution to the legendary DJ Kicks series finds the Cologne artist in just as generous of a mood, only rooted in his ever-expanding record collection, and above all, his defining instinct to share the beauty of music with others. “On an abstract level, the approach was basically the same for both projects”, observes Mayer. “For & I put together a group of people that are close to my heart. For Kicks it was a group of records that are like friends to me. All of the tracks I used went through heaven and hell with me. They've become true companions. Circling in on and bringing together these friends was the only criterion for the making of this mix. I wanted it
to be as personal as possible.”
Perhaps unnervingly to some, fifteen years have passed since the debut edition to Mayer’s breathtaking, scene defining mix trilogy, Immer. Not that it’s legacy - Resident Advisor’s #1 Mix of the 00s, one of Rolling Stone’s 30 Greatest EDM Albums Of All Time - has disturbed Mayer’s formidable workload. A catalogue of no less than 23 EPs, 4 albums and 170 remixes informs a near constant level of international touring. Exhausting as this can be, even after all these years, it’s a ritual that informs the delicate
construction of Mayer’s contribution to the DJ Kicks series.

In 2019, Southern Lights released the debut album of audio-visual artist Lost Few, fusing his relationship with the physical form including found sounds from the Australian wilderness and disturbed electronics, processed instrumentation and sub-bass experiments. Those sonic experiments have been given the remix treatment by a handful of contemporary artists working within the fringes of techno. Manchester’s Karim Maas provides his dark, ritual touch to “Indecision”, Vohkinne dials up the velocity on “Quietly We Wish For Silence” with his Extended Thrust Mix, Years of Denial deliver a stunning interpretation of “Expectations Are The Devil” straddling industrial and EBM, while Dino Sabatini closes the release with a serene and introspective remake of “Many An Idle Stone”.

Next up on BPitch sublabel UFO Inc. is an essential linkup from two rising Berlin-based talents, Linn Elisabet and Stina Francina. Bringing with them two distinct approaches to music production but a shared vision of techno's weirder corners, Linn and Stina go all in on their first joint release together, fusing sonic abstractions into a release that never loses sight of the club. With a classically trained musical background, Linn explores reverberant soundscapes and complex arrangements with a learned ear, but a firm rejection of the rigid forms that often taint formal musicality. Promoting a sense of non-compliance in their sonic palettes, they offer a contemporary and transgressive interpretation of techno that strives to reimagine reality and desire. Having fostered her passion for electronic music in intimate, underground spaces, Stina's approach to production is rooted firmly in affect; carefully weaving fragile emotional narratives with a generous sensitivity. With a particular penchant for old school trance, her sound is often coloured by a feeling of melancholy and hope.

Distort with scornful strident cries The tragic masks of tortured stones Plunging form the scouring seas To the magnetic turning sun

Gold, Stones, End.
Five, Stares, Friends.
Defect, Patience, Send.
Fiend, Find, Planned.

LLD a.k.a. Lawrence Le Doux is back with an independent release, a 3 track EP titled Eemail. While staying true to his signature melange of dub and experimental electronics, he forays into the realm of minimalism, favouring crispy basslines and generative rhythms. The downtempo beats are complex but not overly so: enough to get into a deep listening state but always inviting and accessible. The A1 track Sun Stone is layered and dreamy, a dubby techno harking back to Basic Channel. Pico and PI are ambient groovers made with the Korg Volca synth, somehow making a statement about the unparalleled elegance of simplicity. Artwork by David Coquelin.

Kessell is back at home with a powerful EP plus a bonus digital track on the digital edition. There is no need to remind everyone that Valentin Corujo is one of the most experienced producers on the techno scene. And this new work is the sonic proof.

Nothing left to say opens fire with distorted broken beats soon aligned by a solid 4/4 groove. The harsh sounds run across the stereo field wisely while the beat goes relentless. A powerful and raw peak time tool.

All that matters is the second cut, beginning with a bass heavy groove, sibilant and distorted at the same time until the additional percussive parts appear and the subterranean bass turns into distorted hypnosis as the bars go on. An intense and obsessive piece of rugged techno.

On the B side, Descending Darkness, an industrial funk workout made of continuous distorted sequences and an enforced drum beat. No sign of breakdowns or epic moments, just a continuous drill for your neurons.

Cyclical Nature goes scifi and mental, with reverberated sequences running over a solid cemented pattern the spiral sequence turns into overdriven madness as the track goes combining aggression with futurism.

Inside Trauma uses broken beats as a basement, one of Kessell's personal signatures when working on his side project Exium.

Another stepping stone on a solid and long career for this excellent creator.

Limited Splatter Vinyl Version! There is no doubt that the native Detroiter Jeff Mills, as >The Wizard<, put his own mark on the Cologne Psycho Thrill club-nights and thus the entire West German Rhine Area in terms of Techno in the years 1991-2007 through his innumerable appearances in the Cologne ClubEvent institution. Mills track >Mosainga<, which was given to Claus Bachor in 1996 for publication on his own label, also played a significant part in this well beyond the 2000s. In 1997 for the first time (unofficially) released in advance via Roland Caspers Essence label on a >Psycho Thrill EP< White-Label limited to 500 copies, Mosainga finally appeared remastered in 2004 on Psycho Thrills own >Motor City Dayz Vol.1< (ptne 2111) compilation including a DJ-friendly bonus loop and then finally made its way straight into the clubs of the world. The track then received renewed attention beyond its natural decay value in the Cologne Bnkr years (2011-2016), which were deeply shaped by Psycho Thrill itself for Colognes nitelife, in which the Cologne label completely redefined the entire Techno culture of the Dome metropolis in its own way 2 be propelled forward once again. The desire quickly arose to give the relatively short running time of the original track of around 4 minutes a more extended club play character, which with the longer running time corresponded even more to the dark, monotonously driving sound philosophy of the old Wkii bunker walls. The two Psycho Thrill >Bnkr boyz< Claus Bachor and Chris Baumann therefore re-edited the track in 2 slightly different, powerful variants, and so >Mosainga< succeeded in becoming a downright hypnotic Future Club Classic, whose bass always hit the audience in sheer quality Club euphoria drove. Berlins own Milton Bradley, a friend of the family who was also often present at the Bnkr turntables, subsequently developed his own two Roland TB303-affine >alien Rain< remixes, which stripped >Mosainga< down to its basic structure. And the two new versions further created a floor-effective 90s Acid-House hallucination feel to keep it movin when the crowd said >Go!<. The occasion of the threshold of the labels 29th to 30th anniversary, was exactly the right time to press the tracks interpretations nowadays on vinyl for posterity. Where the Psycho Thrill Bnkr (somewhere in Cologne ...) and Mills legendary Vinyl sets are long gone, >Mosainga< is >written in stone< so to speak, as a timeless, powerful club-anthem, especially in the current Psycho Thrill residency at Düsseldorfs famous Golzheim Club. And a true masterpiece of top-notch quality >forever and one day<, which still continues to leave time and space Mills unmistakably typical behind itself.

Glaswegian producer Jai Dee follows up from his hard-hitting debut on 1Ø Pills Mate with a devastatingly beautiful and visceral blend of breaks, jungle and emotive leaning electronica.

Opening track ‘Coming Up Again’ covers a range of responses over it’s seven minute duration; from it’s front-running introduction, radiating keys and its finale, featuring alien electronics futuristic enough to send you straight to space. ‘Tears In Your Voice’ is simply put, a stone-cold banger; with a hint of humour sprinkled on top for good measure. If you want to incite a riot and be at risk of being sued for whiplash, this will surely do the business.

The B side kicks off with ‘We Can Have It All’ an ultra-kinetic sound that mixes choppy breaks, soaring pads and Jai’s own signature keys, before the EP comes to a close with the unforgettable ‘Hold Love By The Hand’. Stuttering percussion and dense stabs float amongst cloud-like pads, moving effortlessly throughout a star-lit sky; a kaleidoscope of shifting emotions rushing back and forth bringing to close another deeply stirring record from a seriously talented producer.

Nighttime approached in the Hollow and as the hue of the sky shifted to dark, another dreary state of slumber commenced. The raven, ever so gallantly mounted on a birch pedestal, twitched his head in bewilderment as the Horseman lay in his bed of stone. Aware of his elongated moments in solitude, this living humble creature sensed that this extended period of time alone had caused a great deal of misery for the Horseman. Over time the distress subsided.

In mid-2012, Guy J started the label, which became one of the most influential platforms in the history of underground dance music. The name of the first release was Lost &Found. Over ten years later and with numerous chart hits, this authentic piece still stands the test of time.

Lf100 reissue proves Lost & Found was more than just another disposable single, but a timeless masterpiece. The re-release pays homage to the roots through the same visual identity and numerological concept. The two-track release includes the 2012 version of the track and the new AM version rooted in ambient electronica.

What's the best way to honor a classic? After over ten years of digital listening, this is the first time the label has the material on a classy 12" record. Instead of carving it in stone, Guy J decided to print the music on vinyl and preserve it forever.

Gladstone Deluxe is a New York based artist, producer and percussionist whose work takes form in recorded music, installations and live performances. Stone has performed as a soloist at the Kennedy Center, worked as a technical audio engineer, a software engineer and as an installation artist addressing concepts of rhythm, geometry, the black body and technology. “Spherical Intelligence” is Stone’s first appearance on vinyl. The crux of the record is three live performances recorded at his studio in West Harlem. These sprawling improvisations wove acoustic and electronic percussion, ambience and melody into forms that span the chasm from soundscape to advanced and intelligent club music. The stems were captured and then arranged into club-oriented tracks aimed directly at DJ and dancer. The result is an EP of cerebral, percussion-intensive music for the mind and body that reclaims and re-envisions the term “Intelligent Dance Music” from the Afrofuturist’s perspective.

Unusual Systems Records is back with their 7th release, recovering three tracks from the vault of the cassette tapes recorded by his founder in 2017-2018 at the same time that the first release of the label and "Robotik Dreamer" released on his album on Libertine Records in 2020 with the characteristic sound that represents this era of the artist, 80's drum patterns, simple basslines, mysterious melodies and epic pads with a touch the early spanish proto-techno sound.

On the B side Cavalry Stone, the spanish duo formed by Jesus Fernandez Solis (aka Nuclear Waste) and Oscar Ricardo. They have previous releases on cassette and digital on the label Soil Records and the approbation of artists such Ancient Methods that used their tracks in his DJ sets

Ltd. Vinyl Only.

Supported by: Arapu - Lumieux - Direkt - Vincentiulian - Massud Matin.

Parallel Minds’ fifth label release is a major landmark for the Toronto-based label. Not only is it their first full length LP, it is also the debut album from co-founder Ciel, who is also making her first solo appearance on the label since its inception.

In 2021, spurred on by a productive creative streak and the economic austerity of pandemic lockdowns, the Xi’an-born and Toronto-based DJ Ciel (real name Cindy Li) applied for grant funding from the government of Canada to write her debut album. Self-proclaimed “DJ first, producer second”, Ciel never thought she would have the self-confidence and desire to write an album. It wasn’t until after spending prolonged time away from clubs & festivals whilst dedicating herself to daily sessions in her studio that she gained the motivation and aspiration to make a musical statement that only an album could express.

Since the start of the covid19 outbreak, Ciel, like many other Chinese diaspora people in the West, had felt a great deal of anxiety and pain at the rise of anti-Chinese sentiment and racism in the media — even in her corner of the dance music industry. Tired of expressing her frustrations fruitlessly online, she felt inspired to channel that into her music, to turn something that was filled with hate into a thing of joy and beauty. It was within this context that Homesick began to take shape.

After researching the rich history of Chinese instruments, a concept began to form around the album in which she could marry her love of sampling and analogue instruments. Using the eight types of traditional Chinese instruments (silk, bamboo, wood, stone, metal, clay, gourd, and hide) as a guideline, Li began writing each track with a focus on one of the eight. She hired traditional Chinese instrumentalists to play the guzheng and the xiao, whilst purchasing and teaching herself the smaller hand drum instruments like the kuaiban (bamboo clappers), and muyu (temple blocks). With the news that she had successfully been granted funding from Canada Arts Council, she wrote, recorded, arranged, and mixed all nine tracks of her album over the first three months of 2022. More than just highlighting Chinese instruments, the music on this album encapsulates so many musical influences from Ciel’s childhood when she began her lifelong love affair with music. True to her style as a DJ, the LP incorporates a diversity of genres she loves, from drum & bass to house, electro to breaks - even downtempo.

What has come out of these sessions is a deeply personal dancefloor record, a true expression of love for Cindy’s culture that came out of a time of relentless chaos, negativity, and uncertainty. Ciel sees her compositions as a distillation of herself — her life experiences, her wide interests and passions, and her often-turbulent emotions. Immersing oneself in the LP feels like listening to the musical confessions of an artist heading towards the peak of their career, who is finally starting to make sense of her artistic identity. What a joy to witness it.

Vinyl is close to NM.

Portland-based Kevin Palmer returns to blundar with his Best Available Technology for another release (having previously been featured on cassette). This time it’s on vinyl but still messing about with the same business of constructing and deconstructing head-nodding beats into a foggy bowl of ambience that has become the trademark sound of BAT.

Initially inspired and influenced by the sound-worlds created by Hank Shocklee, BDP and Kday, Palmer spent his formative years combing pawn shops for samplers. This kicked off his self-described obsessive compulsive work crunching out impossibly naive and obviously unschooled jams in what might have been and continues to be an attempt to capture and document something he felt when listening to the bombastic sonic collages of early hip hop.

Going backwards in order to go forward could be an apt mantra to describe the philosophy behind BAT. Often attached with labels like nostalgia and melancholy, Palmer surely deals with the longing for that perfect time capsule of N.Y. hip hop in the 90s - but where others zoning in on that era simply imitate it, Palmer goes way further into a world of his own making.

Far removed in both time and place to the outskirts of Portland, the sonics of Palmer filters through an outsider’s perspective, sometimes offering a personal journal of the here and now via field recordings from skateparks and surfing trips.

As if one would imagine looking slightly to the left of what was supposedly going on, these tracks continuously shift one's focus. That funky feel good beat is there, but almost always just out of grasp. Palmer gives us the sound of a memory slipping away.

Yet this reads not as the end of something, but rather a stepping stone into a world of possibilities. Operating at the outskirts of genre, you could imagine anything from dub, hip hop, ambient or techno to emerge and crystalize from the haze, yet it never does. This is all those things and nothing. Or maybe it’s just some “sad fucked up funk” as Palmer puts it.

Ifach continues its new series of reissue projects with an expanded version of Baby Ford & The Ifach Collective's Sacred Machine album, which has been lovingly remastered by Dubplates & Mastering for the occasion. The 2001-released album set a new benchmark for minimal techno that has rarely been bettered since. The sound design is of course the first thing to mention - impossibly fine and subtle, with plenty of quirky twists and experimental ideas. 'Bad Friday' is blissful minimal trance, 'Carpet' explores darker progressive moods and there are two previously unreleased gems from the same sessions - Mark Broom's mix of 'rtdc' and 'In The Bag'. As good for mind as it is for the body, Sacred Machine remains a stone cold classic.

Straight from the stone head, 3hrvl and the spiral sorcerer of ozz speak to you, the chosen ones.

Local Action is proud to present Cyclorama, the long-awaited debut album by Ariel Zetina.

A resident DJ at Chicago’s iconic Smartbar, a long-standing Discwoman family member and a key part of the city’s dance music and Lgbtq+ communities, Ariel has established herself as one of the most exciting electronic artists operating today - through releases such as 2020’s acclaimed MUAs at the End of the World and 2017’s Organism, and her meticulous approach to DJ mixes - as recently evidenced on Sestina, her 2020 contribution to Mixtape Club.

Written across 2021 and honed this Spring, Cyclorama is Ariel’s most impressive and all-encompassing work yet, showcasing her as a producer, vocalist and also curator, pulling together an ensemble cast of her peers in Chicago (Cae Monāe, Mia Arevalo, Dannn) and some of the most exciting names in contemporary club music (Violet, Bored Lord).

Conceptually, Cyclorama draws heavily from Ariel’s background as a theater writer and producer. Popularized in 19th century German theater, a cyclorama (or cyc) is a large curtain, placed on the back wall of the stage. This creates an illusion of extra depth in the background, and often is used to represent the sky. In Ariel’s words, “I imagine all the tracks on this as the lights and action projected onto the cyclorama. The whole album is like the cyc, a representation of the sky. Or an imagined sky. An imagined dancefloor. An imagined theatrical production.”

As well as drawing conceptually from Ariel’s background in theater, the album draws on a personal level from Ariel’s journey as a trans woman of color - most directly on Cyclorama’s three vocal tracks, ‘Gemstone’, ‘Slab of Meat’ and lead single ‘Have You Ever’.

On ‘Have You Ever’, Ariel collaborates with Cae Monāe, a dear friend and fellow trans woman of color. “‘Have you ever been with a girl like me before?’ and all the lyrics refers to the fear and anxiety that cis men who are attracted to trans women feel, and also any woman that doesn’t fit the mold of a stereotypical woman”, Ariel explains. “Cae and I - and many trans women - have been in so many situations where society tells cis men they cannot be with trans women and this explores that and gives power to all trans women in this situation. The techno reflects that, as well as the “Spell my name” section at the end, showing the true power of trans women.”

On ‘Slab of Meat’, Ariel delivers a hypnotic solo vocal performance that builds in intensity with each line (“I am treated like a slab of meat both emotionally and sexually sometimes, especially one left in the freezer on the back burner. Why did you bring this meat home from the market? For what? You’re wasting meat!”), while ‘Gemstone’, a collaboration with Mia Arevalo, continues the empowering themes of ‘Have You Ever’ in a different context:

“[‘Gemstone’ is] a call for trans women to take time with your transition because it will all happen eventually. As two girls who have started our transition almost a decade ago, I think we have both seen that we have always needed to take our time to take our time. Reminders not to rush or compare yourself to other girls. I love the metaphor of gemstone months representing different periods of transition. I’ve been so many different women in recent years, and I'm excited to continue my journey.”

It’s immediately followed by album closer ‘Tropical Depression’, the title of which is a reference to Ariel growing up with tropical depressions, storms and hurricanes affecting her hometown of Jacksonville, Florida as well as her family in Belize City:

“This track for me is about living day to day and continuing while dealing with my really intense clinical depression. The sample comes from “Why can’t you let me go?” but is supposed to be transformative and not necessarily legible. How we hold on to our trauma and depression like a protective shell. This is an attempt to deal with it in a different way.”

The Cyclorama album cover, directed by Dylan Bragassa, stars Ariel alongside Monāe and Arevalo in an imagined theater production. In Ariel’s words, “a theoretical performance starring only trans women of color - I wanted an ensemble shot to represent the ensemble nature of this album! Love how Dylan combines so many ideas to create a very unique image that asks so many questions.”

Writing on labels.

Alex Stein with his first Terminal M release in 2024.

The post-industrial Ruhr-Area has been an indisputable part of Germany's techno landscape since the very beginning. More than 30 years after techno's golden era and after a manifold challenging pandemic, the scene and its sounds are blooming like never before. Ahmet Sisman and his project The Third Room can be described as key factors for both the area's ongoing, sustainable dedication to electronic music and its current success, being more and more embedded in cultural contexts and society overall.

It's unsurprising that the first album of Ahmet Sisman, the multitalented artist and man of action, is a well-considered mix of familiar and pioneering sounds, enriched by countless influences within and beyond technos constantly evolving sub-genre scenery. With a sophisticated 50/50 mix of four on the floor strikes and innovative breaks, Sisman manages to hit a sweet spot between raw but groovy, experimental but subtle nostalgia, melodious but noisy.

All this is already worthy of a listen, but placed in context, it perfectly fits the musical approach of the Ruhr-Areas biggest transcendental techno project - The Stone Techno Series and Festival. Like the bound-breaking release series of the last two years, 'The Third Space' maintains the metallic and fierce sound vision of a coal mining tradition with everlasting impact. The time travel through industrialization and renaturation continues here with T3r008 and gains a whole new dimension from Sisman's skilled handwriting.

Adam Beyer is back on Drumcode with an impressive array of tracks that will get the senses tingling and shows us what Drumcode is all about. These 4 tracks are deep and almost melancholic in their approach to techno, using effects to really help enforce an ambience only Beyer can achieve within his productions. The under lying throbbing of the drums drives this EP into the forefront of the heads down Drumcode sound and have been heard in many of Beyer's phenomenal sets throughout the year.

The Drumcode founder is measured when it comes to signing music to his own imprint, biding his time till the stars align. His last individual outing was 2015’s ‘Stone Flower’ EP, which included the thrilling label favorite ‘What You Need’. A succession of classy collaborations followed, linking with DC’s most vital artists highlighted by ‘Your Mind’ with Bart Skils, proclaimed one of the best tracks of the last decade by Mixmag. An EP that gives a nod to uncertain times, while remaining resolutely positive, ‘No Defeat No Retreat’ was written during Beyer’s fruitful production sessions during lock down. The opening track, ‘Park People’ sets the pace with an energetic, 80’s nu wave creating the track’s spine. Its hypnotic energy stems from a powerful synth riff and vocal sample culminating in a skillfully balanced track that neatly combines the old with the new. The title track is a study in contrasts, deftly crafting a muted, nagging vocal hook and infectious bass line into a slice of forward-facing, edgy techno. With its subtle, undulating layers of melody building in the background, it ushers in an understated sense of euphoria, making it a perfect end-of-set mood-maker. A thrilling return!

Writing and sticker on label.
Side A track 1 has a tiny pressing inclusion.