Native Mexican Leo Leal returns on Binh’s imprint Time Passages with a new 12” EP “Antimateria”.
Leo Leal – Antimateria EP [TP20]
Author: hipodrome
Mick Wills @ Intergalactic FM Streaming Festival 2021
Harlem – Bait [VEYL025]
VEYL welcomes Harlem to the label for a new seven track album titled ‘Bait’. The Stockholm-based duo of Martin Thomasson and Johan Skugge bring a vast history of production behind them, operating since the early aughts and known for their work in dub and minimal techno. ‘Bait’ ventures into new territory for the project, delivering infectious strains of body music, new beat, industrial and beyond coupled with soul-stirring vocals which quickly dig beneath the skin. The release is about everyday manipulation, soft power and persuasion. We exist in a world in which corporate management techniques are deployed in our everyday lives, nudging each other for short-term gain, slowly hallowing out any lasting trust while ultimately all being crushed by a hyper-capitalist system. From the opening synths of the title track to the ominous ending notes of ‘Night Vision’, we also uncover funky grooves and diabolical floor shakers which remind us of something from the past but exist perfectly in this corrupted new world.
E-bony – Stray Cats [WE013]
Tel Aviv based producer E-bony debuts with his first EP, thus joining the dark forces of our infamous sister label Wrong Era. “Stray Cats” is six tracks killer EP with rumbling basslines, cutting edge synth sounds, and an unstoppable rhythm that hits you in the stomach and takes you for a spin with no way back. From the dark electronic sounds, to howling cats like synths flying through your ears. E-bony puts his machines to full operation and gets a remix by no other than disco heavyweight Franz Scala.
VA – Diamonds In The Night Vol.3 [BAP150]
Through darkness diamonds spread their richest light… Part three is here with Hyboid from Germany, Discobeton from Germany/Bulgaria, Daniel Monaco & Futuristant from The Netherlands/Italy and Captain Mustache from France.
VA – Red Laser Records EP 11 [RL38]
As a New Era beckons globally, Manchester’s primo Manctalo merchants – Red Laser Records – quietly unveil their latest clutch of specialist space-age kinetics. A fifth-kind encounter enabling users to bridge the continuum of dance & interaction between our Earth-dwelling selves and the inter-dimensional overlords. Containing three brand new movements in machine music from our treasured production stable of Kid Machine, Bob SwanS and Il Bosco; it also houses an honorary appearance from revered Danish spearhead Flemming Dalum, who serves up a particle-splitting redux of a lesser-known proto-techno nugget from Belgium.
Model 11-29 – Wot Times [BSTX082]
Best Record Italy presents a reissue of Model 11-29’s “Wot Times,” a particularly inspired work by the legendary Sangy that transforms “Rapper’s Delight” into a slice of Italo-balearic ecstasy. On the vocal version, drums sit between disco and electro as they boogie down to a breakdance beat, with greasy funk basslines slapping and sliding in support. Solar dub chords pulsate through anthemic pattens, pads blow across the mix like a warming ocean breeze, synth leads sparkle in coral colorations, and those classic Sugar Hill Gang lyrical flows are reconfigured into an ebullient spoken word rap, which is then morphed by futuristic fx and interspersed with shouts, grunts, and call-and-response chants. On the flip, the instrumental version walks with more of a sexual disco strut, resulting in a summertime seaside cruiser overflowing with dazzling synthesizer displays, as organ chords generate mirage visions, gemstone leads shimmer through swells of tropical mist, and acid-laced Italo pulsations work the spirit into euphoric beach dance hypnosis.
East Coast Love Affair – Confrontations [AOTN12010]
Athens Of The North get themselves in party mode with a fourth EP from East Coast Love Affair. There is some series fun to be had in these tracks, with side one. ‘Confrontations,’ being a rebuild of a rare disco funk 45 by Homegrown Syndrome. On the backside is ‘Shake’ which goes deeper but still has plenty of dance floor appear. It has tropical perc and whirring electronics that just scream ‘dance’ while the actual screaming vocal reminds of Moby classic ‘Go!’ These are hefty tunes, rare as you like, but immediately accessible and high impact.
Raffaele Attanasio – Nuovo Futuro [AX099]
Axis Records presents the latest release from the heterogeneous Raffaele Attanasio. The multifaceted Italian has delivered an eclectic sound over the years, from devious techno to melodious rhythmic beats. Attanasio delivers a jazz-tinged, angular, progressive and championing album by coalescing influential factors: a musician father, a multifarious palate in music, and prowess as a multi-instrumentalist. “Nuovo Futuro” is creating a new future by travelling to the past. Digging into the Zeitgeist of Naples post-second world war, Attanasio extrapolates the sound to present day, combining modern flair with an enriched sound. The influence of American blues and jazz is felt in his hometown, celebrating the lore of Neapolitan musicians through the track ‘Parlesia’. The history comes to life through these compositions, influenced by 70s spaghetti films and rich Italian exuberance. Ardour, lust and avidity ensnare the listener in ‘Indagini Sospette’. This album is a journey through the streets where he grew up, but also, encapsulates a wandering mind, meandering into the harmonious Mediterranean under the watchful eye of Mount Vesuvius. ‘Equilibrio Dinamico’ is a snapshot of the working mind of Attanasio, balancing the impromptu of jazz with a gentle caress of his honed craft. Melodies are soft, smooth, progressive and fulminating the constraints of contemporary music. It emanates a renaissance for a sound that Axis is espousing in their releases.
Wildflower – Better Times [TOL001]
Wildflower, the project comprising Idris Rahman, Leon Brichard and Tom Skinner, continues its journey with the third release Better Times, setting ahead with a deep, relentless and unique sound, constantly evolving and effortlessly hitting the aim. The beauty of Blue, Yellow, Green and Red, recorded in London in 2019, lies in the openness to form and structure these tunes, whilst a sense of groove and melodic development is maintained throughout. The confidence and versatility of the musicians is key, and so is the interaction between them, characterising a natural flow of unfolding musical ideas and embracing a New York musically care-free ethic, without having to wear their combined influences on their sleeves. Each song has a colour reference suggestive of mood tone and internal balance, enabling the audience to concur that Wildflower is not just a band, it is as ever an experience and one that allows its listeners to emerge and engage in a time where a perfect fusion of global sounds and jazz exists as a remedy, one you can feel and enjoy the benefits from everyday. Better Times by Wildflower is the debut release on Tropic of Love Music.
Infravision – Illegal Future [F//022]
The Illegal Future LP by Infravision is the soundtrack to a (not so) imaginary future constructed with clear cyberpunk aesthetics, inspired by films like Strange Days, Blade Runner or Akira and of course by the current disturbing era. Through their titles, lyrics and sonic palette Kendal & Pablo Bozzi channel a dystopian narrative on themes of virtual reality, police brutality, ultra-authoritarian leadership, illegal nocturnal activities, border controls, ecological crises and space colonisation. It is their ambition to imbue the italo, EBM, early trance and breakbeat sounds of the 80s and 90s with an undeniably modern touch, making claim to their very own distinctive and powerful sound : Italo Body Music from another reality.
Daniel Monaco – Tu Sei Pazza [BAP151]
Daniel Monaco is a musician who defies definition. An artist who is as comfortable strumming a bass as he is bending waveforms on his synths, this is a creative that guarantees something unique. Tu Sei Pazza more than meets that guarantee. The title track is an instant classic. Soft burbling basslines float around a steady kick before daring brass sections are punctuated by scaling xylophone lines. Somewhere between late 70s lounge music and strikingly modern disco, this piece will put a smile on any face. Whodamanny lands on the flip and takes the original to moonbase five via Studio 54. Tempos are reduced as a path of cosmic laser-funk is taken by the amazingly versatile Naples producer. A cracking close to a 7” that packs a real punch.
Somachrome – Electro Romantica [PRD1021]
“Electro Romantica” covers the content aswell the inspiration for this beautiful record produced by Somachrome aka Raffaele “Whodamanny” Arcella and Luca “Bop” Affatato. The duo created an alternative romantic reality where the autobahn connects Detroit to New York to Napoli, and where heady electro, Hi-NRG, and post-punk grooves merge with narcotic new wave, interstellar funk, and psychedelic rock. The result is an epic adventure equally suited for dancefloor mania as it is for coastal highway cruising joined by the mysterious forces of the night. Another essential Periodica Record.
Palms Trax & Nonku Phiri – Petu [CWPT001]
Palms Trax signals the arrival of his new label CWPT with ‘Petu’, a new single featuring South African vocalist, Nonku Phiri. Originally debuting in dub form during the Berlin-based DJ and producer’s set at The Music Locker as part of Grand Theft Auto Online, ‘Petu’ re-emerges here as a soulful collaboration, neatly complimented by a wide-eyed take from Masalo. Initially written as a slow-heating instrumental to connect the various musical dots across a DJ set, Palms Trax nonetheless had a vocalist in mind throughout, a fresh voice to lend ‘Petu’ universality and energy. Introduced through mutual friend Esa, Johannesburg’s Nonku Phiri draws on her signature style influenced by vintage Afropop styles and folk traditions, delivering a smooth and vulnerable tale of desire.
Gene Hunt – Feel My Soul [CONTRA003]
Mr Gene Hunt is already in the game since the early 80s and is considered a true Chicago legend. Now he returns with a heavy hitting 3 tracker on the fresh sublabel of Deeptrax Records; Contrafact. Gene serves you the perfect mixture of nostalgic Paradise Garage vocal house moods with deep growing and shuffling classic grooves for peak time happiness.
Marcel Dettmann – Command EP [SSPB018]
Four functional techno tools designed to do some serious dancefloor damage by Marcel Dettmann.
Precession – Retrograde Motion EP [RSO-02]
RAWAX presents Precession aka Steve O’Sullivan with the second release on his own series. This one is very special as it’s the first release Steve ever did 25 years ago. 2 tracks on this outstanding ep were co-produced by WIS. Retrograde Motion EP came out originally on the legendary Ferox label, runned by Russ Gabriel.
Feral – Absolute Zero EP [MMV012]
Juno Records Big Flash Sale
Big flash sale on Juno Records.
Loads of records from 1-2 euros.
Check it out HERE!
VA – Cities Collided [RHR010]
New release from RotterHague with tracks from DJ Maaco, DJ Technician and DJ Overdose. Complete with MegaCollision Megamixxx and loads of locked grooves.
The Hipodrome Of Music 