Now a fully-fledged music label with over 30 releases to its name, EPM counts albums from Paul Mac, Carl Taylor, Kristian Heikkila, Lee J. Malcolm, Luis Martinez and The Third Man to its ever-expanding roster. ‘EPM Selected Vol 2’ is the second label snapshot, focussing on the techno side of the label’s output so far (with a couple of rare exclusives* thrown in for good measure).
A collection of hits, misses, new loves, and future head scratchers running the gamut from floor ready beat tracks (Legowelt) to post chill out room bleep-hop (Daywalker & CF) to industro-wave anti beat experimentation (Svengalisghost) with no restrictions or limitations. As with last year’s American Noise compilation, disc one revists prime cuts from the nearly 30 releases the label will have released by the end of 2013, while disc two compiles unreleased tracks exclusive to this cd. A document of the immediate energy surrounding these musicians here and now, maybe one can call it club music for people who hate going to the club? or simply “Music for Shut Ins.”
Prolific, eclectic, and always evolving, Ben Sims’ name has been synonymous with quality techno for nearly two decades. His enviable career path mirrors the history of twenty years of popular music in the UK, drifting from hip-hop and reggae into the early days of pirate radio, the peak of acid house, and pummeling hardcore. Sims has always been a precocious listener – in his early teens he would DJ his school’s disco parties prior to gaining a reputation as an advanced talent on the rave and club circuit – and his experience is reflected in the timelessness of the selections on fabric 73. Beholden to no specific era or genre beyond the power of their pure transportive grooves, on fabric 73 Sims showcases the restlessly creative selections that continue to make him an essential and inspiring DJ for advanced techno listeners worldwide.
17 years after first releasing a cassette EP from label boss Marsel van der Wielen under his Peel Seamus guise, Delsin has now hit the landmark category number of 100. Truth is, taking into account choice re-issues and specials such as the recent house series, there have already been scores more than 100 releases. Nevertheless, in that time the Dutch label has become synonymous with a wide range of timeless sounds from house to techno to dub to electronica, nurturing and championing some of the most respected names in the scene, all of which can now be enjoyed on 5 separate, various artist vinyl EPs or one impressive two disc compilation. Far from just a collection of tracks, the 100DSR compilation has been carefully curated to tell the tale of Delsin. Each record conveys a slightly different part of the story – be it house, techno, beats or electro – yet every one is tied together by the label’s own underlying sense of desolate melancholy. Across the five EPs and complete CD collection there are tracks from newbies and old favourites alike, including Sawlin and Delta Funktionen, John Beltran and Bleak, Redshape and Convextion, Gerry Read and Claro Intelecto.
Creme Organization celebrates their 10k barrier of soundcloud followers with a free pack of tunes by Marquis Hawkes, Jorge Velez, Trackman Lafonte & Bonquiqui, Innershades, Yør, Orgue Electronique and Delta Funktionen. Free free free, so go grab this early Christmas present!
Medical Records is proud to release it’s first compilation LP. Medical has carefully curated a collection of extremely rare and sought after singles and rare tracks. This compilation includes 5 complete A + B sides as well as 2 other tracks that only appeared on obscure compilations in the early 80s. The first 2 tracks are by UK’s The Electronic Circus. Featuring Chris Payne (who also performed synth work on the iconic “Pleasure Principle” by none other than Gary Numan), the track “Direct Lines” is pure synthpop perfection. The second featured artist is Boston’s Psychic Youth who released one lone 7″ in 1982. One of the members, Perry Geyer, was also a founding member of the industrial outfit Manufacture. “Step in Time” and “The Future Is Now” are both dense minimal synth hits. Another excruciatingly rare 7″ is the self-titled single by UK’s Aaah…! “Slip Away” and “Duty Calls” further fit the bill for moody minimal synthpop greatness. Possibly even more rare is the Shazam single released in 1983 in the UK. The 2 “wild card” tracks if you will on the record are “Panic In Your Mind” by N.A. Pop 2000 (UK) and “Maske” by Berliner Strasse (Yugoslavia). Both tracks were plucked from rare wave compilations from the early 80s. The final single featured is the solo outing by Claude Arto from Mathematiques Modernes. Released in 1981 on Celluloid (France), the 2 tracks drip synthetic bloops and blips while being propelled by rhythmic electro sequences.
The ever-loving team at Still Music present yet another unmissable selection of East side beats, this time shifting focus from Chicago to Detroit to shine the light on some of the less celebrated talents operating in the city. There is boundless quality at every turn here, from the jazzed out tones of Craig Huckaby to the raw chemistry of Marcellus Pittman. Terrence Dixon does an excellent demonstration of wormhole techno with “The Fall Guy (Part 1)”, and DJ 3000 brings a demonic brand of slow-chugging house to the table. Alex Israel also reminds everyone that he truly is one of the most slept-on gems the Motor City has to offer, so get busy and connect with this utterly essential selection.
Out of the dark depths of the underground emerges, once again, the purveyors of proper electro with a fresh new record to settle the score. Marguerita-Recordings delivers with a 10 track various artist compilation record, Telex Magick, which features artists from Europe to USA to Asia and back…the true essence of the underground is back. Gosub, Rude 66, Boris Divider, Manasyt, Cosmic Force …
Here’s the pitch: ask six of Chicago’s finest exponents of bumping house and pitched down disco cuts to contribute some of their finest works, blend them all together and present in the appropriate space either side of two 12″ slabs. What’s the end product? The rather hot looking Chicago Service from the Amsterdam label Lumberjacks in Hell which features a merry cast of the city’s finest in Gene Hunt, Rahaan, Jamie 3:26, Cratebug, Hugo H and Boogie Nite across two hot plates.
Strut present ‘Metal Dance’, a new compilation from one of the UK’s most respected DJ / producers, the man behind Playgroup and original founder of the legendary label Output Recordings, Trevor Jackson. Echoing elements of his renowned DJ Kicks mix from 2003, Jackson draws here on specials that have peppered his DJ sets for almost two decades. ‘Metal Dance’ mines deep and hones in on the more underground and danceable side of industrial, post-punk and EBM (Electronic Body Music), a phrase coined by Ralf Hütter of Kraftwerk but honed by later bands like DAF and Front 242 as socialist realist aesthetics were dragged onto the dancefloor during the mid-’80s. Jackson cherry-picks classics and rarities from this era, including a new edit of Nitzer Ebb favourite ‘Control I’m Here’ (sampled on Quartz’ rave classic ‘Meltdown’), the cold dance of Analysis’ ‘Surface Tension’, Neon’s dark ‘Voices’, re-interpreting a Master C&J riff from the early days of Chicago house, and hard-hitting dubs from Pete Shelley, Alien Sex Fiend and more. Herein lie sounds that have heavily influenced today’s crop of artists – from LCD Soundsystem and The Knife to Factory Floor and Hot Chip. Elsewhere on the album, Jackson brings in unexpected gems – a track from cult John Carpenter film ‘Escape From New York’ re-edited by Klein & MBO’s Mario Boncaldo, a lost album track by avant garde Spanish artist Diseno Corbusier and a UK promo-only mix of Yello’s ‘You Gotta Say Yes To Another Excess’.
Downwards Records present a full circle label showcase featuring the noisier, leftfield end of Techno.
Russia’s official policy and attitude towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people has fallen down a slippery slope. This is a compilation by 24 left-field techno producers to raise money, awareness and show our support to the Russian LGBT people.
Super-loud supreme audiophile 180gm double-vinyl housed in deluxe gatefold sleeves and polyethylene inners, complete with full graphic novel inside, contains complete full-length 12” original fully-remastered heavyweight Chicago acid at its loudest and best.
This LP + bonus CD features the entire track listing, plus 5 bonus tracks from the Italia New Wave LP. This album represents the musical mutation that occurred after the post-punk hangover gave way to more frigid emotional shores, in-line with the synth-wave moment that was sweeping Europe and the white cliffs of Albion. This scene flourished in Italy between 1981-1985, and the musicians that came out of it are still revered today (particularly in the US). Robotic rhythms and intuitions that, besides sharing common ground with the electronic movements that had come before, also knew how to fill up the dancefloor! Featuring four previously unreleased tracks by Der Blaue Reiter, along with tracks by Modo, Actor’s Studio and La Maison, as well as the still fresh sounding contributions by true pioneers of the genre Neon and Naif Orchestra.
The second comp on Holland’s 030303 shows the beauty, depth and variety of the Roland TB-303 more than ever in the history of the label. Moving away from IDM and braindance this time, all that’s presented to you is gorgeous dancefloor mayhem with great personality. Contributions by Elec Pt.1, Jonny 3 Snares, Automatic Tasty, Cosmic Force and Dexter all have a classic yet leftfield feel to it. About half of the 10 tracks diverge a little from this excellent recipe. Roy of the Ravers’ track ‘Acid Hors d’Oevre’ stands out for it melodic raving ecstacy; the track may well be the main hit of the Bangface-style rave community this year. Further down the line, Kid Machine’s ‘Mirage’ brings impressive synth-wave-disco madness on a distinctive 80s tip – this one is for fans of Legowelt. Then Jared Wilson’s cut – amazingly – brings us back to the time we first heard Choice’s ‘Acid Eiffel’: classic stuff that will never bore the ones who feel it. Another BIG one is for Drvg Cvltvre who delivers some down-to-midtempo sickness, distantly reminiscing of 33 1/3’s ‘Searchin”, but then on acid.
The third installation of the Circuit D’Actes series from Belgian-French label La Forme Lente. In keeping with the spirit of its acclaimed predecessors, this new release offers a focus on modern acts (2 tracks each) as much as an overview of all things synth-based. From Position Parallèle (Geoffroy D of Dernière Volonté) and Kline Coma Xero’s dark romanticism to the self-described “No future pop” of Illustration Sonore (feat. members of Dolina, Âme de Boue, Jeunesse Fantôme and Froe Char) and Új Látásmód Fúzió /Post-Festum minimalistic soundscapes or Shiny Black Mater’s (former Le Syndicat Electronique) take on 19th century nursery rhyme, every track is striking evidence of the creative forces within the synth wave scene.
Adventurous electro project featuring a what might be regarded as a who’s-who in the current electro scene, reeling-in names such as DJ Stingray, DMX Krew, Ian Martin, Shemale, Elec Pt.1; with perhaps lesser known talents such as Linear Synthesis, Federico Leocata, Koova and Das Muster. A fine selection of tracks which successfully presents fresh sounds by tried-and-tested names, while simultaneously introducing upcoming and arguably lesser known, but by no means any less talented artists.
Who knows better about revealing emotions on the dancefloor then Terre Thaemlitz worldwide known writer, public speaker, multimedia producer, dj, audio producer, and head honcho of Comatonse Recordings. His deep house alias DJ Sprinkles began life in the gay clubs of midtown Manhattan and New Jersey in the late eigthies and early nineties a time when deep house began to take air. The mix grooves with DJ Sprinkles’ trippy mixing signature that playfully melts tracks who are built of flying piano notes, arresting tactile basslines, straight kicking drums, and magnetic layered samples. a deeply cathartic piece of a DJ mix that transforms dancing into a ritual in which dancers do rhythmic body painting that amalgamtes the indivual identity into a collective.
A long-overdue reappraisal of Steve O’ Sullivan’s efforts as a producer is underway with this bumper release from Sushitech. Collating the myriad aliases of the Mosaic boss and drawing on some on his co-conspirators such as Mark Ambrose and Jorge Zamacona, this triple vinyl beast of a package is overflowing with high-grade house music powered with the attitude of techno. There’s a classic feel to all the tracks here as they carry the torch for Basic Channel and the original dub techno ethos, but attaching the spacious, mysterious tones to a funkier template. That possibly oversimplifies the majestic quality to this breed of techno, but then of course the devil is in the details.
Esteemed selector, producer and Panorama Bar resident Steffi presents the fifth mix CD in the series, showcasing the variety and depth of sound to be found during her sets at the club. In ‘Panorama Bar 05’ we find a mature and confident Steffi channeling her years of experience as a record collector, DJ and beat-maker into 80 seamless minutes. Reflecting all the angles of her classically inspired, raw and profoundly warm sound, we are guided through a rather grand lesson in House music. Steffi shows off her talents here with a captivating and classy mix of underground House and Techno. All the tracks she included, and the producers she invited to contribute, help to define part of her identity – much like the culture of DJing with records, that she brings to clubs with love, intensity and passion.
The Hipodrome Of Music 