Telemaco Xavier Quintet – Time Pawn [APNEA115]

Eduardo de la Calle and DJ Surgeles meet Fabio Giachino, David Strike, and Manu Melero Amaya in Telmaco Xavier Quintet, a project where jazz and electronics engage in a real-time exchange rather than a controlled experiment. “Time Pawn” is built on interaction – musicians and machines reacting to each other, shifting between structure and instinct. Eduardo and Surgeles don’t frame jazz within an electronic grid, nor do they treat electronic textures as a decorative layer. Instead, they allow both elements to retain their full character, pushing and pulling in ways that never settle into easy resolutions. Fabio Giachino’s piano moves freely, alternately threading through and cutting across the pulse. David Strike and Manu Melero Amaya bring movement that resists the obvious, allowing groove to exist without being locked in place. The result isn’t about merging styles but letting them exist in the same space–sometimes in harmony, sometimes in friction, always in motion.

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Telemaco Xavier Quintet – Time Pawn [APNEA115]

VC-118A – Back To Life LP [APNEA114]

Apnea welcomes VC-118A to the label for the first time with his next album ‘Back To Life’. Across nine tracks on two 12”s, he delivers a potent mix of deep electronics, acid bleeps, mechanically crafted rhythms, and atmospheric dub infusions–pulling the listener into a hypnotic, meditative space. Driven by futuristic machine grooves and evolving textures, Back To Life moves between fluid, weightless passages and tightly constructed sequences, balancing structure with deep immersion. Each track unfolds with intention, guiding through shifting sonic landscapes that blur the line between motion and stillness.

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VC-118A – Back To Life LP [APNEA114]

Versalife – The Parallax Effect PT. 2 [APNEA112]

Following the first installment, Parallax Effect PT.2 finds Versalife shifting gears, distilling his unmistakable rhythmic instincts into something even more elastic and unpredictable.Smeared low-end and restless sequences coil around a framework of percussive movement, flickering between restraint and momentum. There’s an underlying tension–one moment held in suspense, the next unfolding into fluid motion. The machine logic remains intact, but with an organic pulse running through it, shaping each track in real time.

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Versalife – The Parallax Effect PT. 2 [APNEA112]

2024 Best albums

From the debut album of cold wave/new wave acts of Konstant, La Nuit Je Mens and Oliver Decrow, to the electro art of veterans Anthony Rother, Dark Vektor, E.R.P. and Legowelt; from the roughness of Filmmaker, Gesloten Cirkel and Howard Thomas to the melodic synthscapes of Steve Moore; from the jacking house of Paranoid London and Timothy J. Fairplay to arpeggiated madness of Rodion & Fabrizio Mammarella, here are our favorite 20 albums from 2024, compiled in chronological order.

Continue reading “2024 Best albums”
2024 Best albums

Kyle Hall – Crimson Clouds [APNEA113]

Detroit’s stalwart Kyle Hall is back on Apnea Records with “Crimson Clouds,” his second release for the label following the acclaimed “Cosmic Touch.” This acid-infused record is a tribute to Detroit’s electronic legacy, drawing inspiration from the 90s sound of labels like Matrix and Underground Resistance, all while injecting Hall’s unmistakable modern flair. Tracks like “Acid Tea” showcase Hall’s acid-driven approach, delivering a dancefloor twister that’s pure bliss. Meanwhile, “Nimbus” stands out with its syncopated rhythms and soulful synth lines, and “Told Them Before” brings raw, head-spinning techno energy to the forefront. With “Crimson Clouds,” Kyle Hall delivers another essential record that bridges classic Detroit sounds with his unique modern twist.

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Kyle Hall – Crimson Clouds [APNEA113]

Versalife – Parallax Effect Pt. 1 [APNEA111]

Apnea Records proudly welcomes a new face to the family, though one whose name resonates deeply in the electronic music world. Versalife, also known as Conforce, steps onto the label with the first of two meticulously crafted EPs in the “Parallax Effect” series. With a career spanning over 20 years of sonic innovation, Versalife delivers a masterful blend of broken rhythms, metallic textures, pulsating synths, and analog tones. From industrialesque electro to deep IDM explorations, “Parallax Effect PT.1” takes listeners on an immersive journey through cutting-edge soundscapes. And with Part 2 on the horizon, this is just the beginning of an exciting new chapter for both Versalife and Apnea Records.

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Versalife – Parallax Effect Pt. 1 [APNEA111]

VA – Apnea XX [APNEA110]

For its landmark 20th anniversary, Apnea Records proudly presents XX, a double 12″ compilation that chronicles the label’s journey from its inception to its current cutting-edge form. Featuring both original innovators and fresh talents from its recent relaunch, this release is a sonic time capsule and a forward-looking statement. Spanning from deep techno to Detroit-infused house, Jamal Moss’s abstract house, electro, and E.R.P.’s signature machine funk, XX dives into the label’s broad sonic spectrum. With contributions from Alex Under, Damian Schwartz, Jamal Moss, E.R.P., Dopplereffekt, Thomas Brinkmann, and Kyle Hall & Kero, this collection serves as both a reflection of Apnea’s past and a bold vision for the future.

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VA – Apnea XX [APNEA110]

E.R.P. – Faded Caprice LP [APNEA109]

For its 9th release after its relaunch, Apnea Records presents another E.R.P. record, this time in the form of a 2×12″. Album “Faded Caprice” is a mesmerizing journey into the heart of summer’s fading glow. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, each track is a sonic tableau, capturing the essence of hot afternoons and wistful sunsets. E.R.P.’s signature blend of deep, cosmic funky electro gems resonates with emotional depth, inviting listeners to lose themselves in its hypnotic embrace. From the pulsating rhythms of “Miami Nice” to the introspective melodies of “Cape Earl “Faded Caprice” is a testament to E.R.P.’s artistry and vision. A testament to Gerard Hanson’s music landscape, offering audiences a glimpse into the boundless possibilities of sound and emotion.

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E.R.P. – Faded Caprice LP [APNEA109]

Hieroglyphic Being – The Moon Dance [APNEA104]

‘The Moon Dance’ Mark’s the come back of one of Chi Towns most innovative and iconic figures to Apnea Records. Jamal Moss (Hieroglyphic Being) sound’s were first released on Apnea in 2007. Now, in 2023, he’s back with this double 12” album flooded with synth jazz and cosmic acid explorations in his signature and irreverent style.

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Hieroglyphic Being – The Moon Dance [APNEA104]

E.R.P. – Untitled [APNEA103]

We’ll never tire of Gerard Hanson’s individual take on electro, where vast swathes of pads and finely balanced melodies ensure a smooth trajectory into the outer realms of what machine funk can be. This latest EP appears on Spanish label Apnea, and it leads in with the bubbling bass and celestial vistas of ‘Lake Bachman’ before swerving to the lightly Italo-tinted melancholia of ‘Summer Springs’ – a fast but delicate trip to unknown regions. ‘Myrtle’ is a knottier transmission from Hanson’s tangled studio circuitry, while ‘Station Wagon’ completes the picture with some consummate Moog-esque basslines and star-gazing chords that speak volumes without saying words.

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E.R.P. – Untitled [APNEA103]

Gedankenexperiment – Experiment Defined [APNEA102]

Futuristic electro by Gerald Donald (Dopplereffekt, Drexciya) and Beta Evers, originally released on Weme in 2011. This version includes a previously unreleased track.

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Gedankenexperiment – Experiment Defined [APNEA102]