This compilation features 18 songs released on physical media in 2024 from artists on the Cold Transmission Music roster.
VA – Selected Works 2024
compilation
VA – Hexagon [SAM019]
Hexagon – the sixth installment in our yearly compilation series – is here, bringing together six tracks that explore a range of powerful and intriguing musical directions. Clouzer kicks things off with a driving EBM monster, setting a bold tone right from the start. Next up, Gunce Aci delivers a high-tempo, hypnotic hard-hitter. Then, Radondo takes us in a darker direction with a haunting EBM piece that blends atmosphere with intensity, creating a sense of eerie tension. Ton Globiter follows with a high energy of a track, infused with his signature vocals that give the track an undeniable punch. Dream Days maintains the momentum, keeping the tensity high. Finally, KMBN wraps things up with an electro-tinged, leftfield track, offering a surprising and experimental finish to the compilation.
VA – Deep Entries : Gay Electronic Excursions 1979-1985 [DE320]
Dark Entries has raided the bathhouse to bring us Deep Entries: Gay Electronic Excursions 1979-1985, 10 tracks of obscure queer synth bliss. One of Dark Entries’ most important missions has been illuminating neglected facets of gay musical history, with crucial archival works by legends like Patrick Cowley, Sylvester, and Man Parrish. On Deep Entries, the label spans 6 years of gay electronics – from sultry to angsty to camp, these songs are overflowing with snappy 808 snares and sinewy analog synth leads. The ’80s were a difficult period for many in the gay community as they grappled with the horrors of the HIV/AIDS crisis. The 10 tracks on Deep Entries, varied in genre and vibe, are united in their portraiture of 1980s gay life, and the hope for love or fleeting romance. Previously unreleased cruising soundtracks come courtesy of Patrick Cowley’s “Love Me Hot” featuring vocalist Paul Parker and Boytronic’s “Tonight (Alternate Mix)” set on Hamburg’s famous “Mile of Sin.” Brisbane-based Megamen deliver the proto-electroclash number “Designed for Living,” which prefigures Madonna’s Marlene Dietrich rap in “Vogue.” Trans vocalist Paula “Ula” Villagrá declares, “Everyone is gay!” on Muzak’s “Happy Song,” a skittering tecnopop anthem. Dereck Higgins’ “This Was Something” rings like a lost Joy Division cut draped in bizarre effects, and Polar Praxis’ “(I Want) To Be Different” is a seething ode to alterity. Nightmoves’ “Nightdrive,” is best known as the brooding instrumental B-side to their epochal “Transdance.” Transistor Jet’s “Master Of The Universe (BW’s f-w)”, Maxx Mann’s “Just Like a Razor” and Bachelor’s Anonymous’ “A Stranger’s Bed” are mood music for the pleasures of BDSM and one-night stands. The record comes housed in a retro bathhouse fantasy sleeve designed by Gwenaël Rattke and includes a double-sided poster with photographs and lyrics. Deep Entries arrives on December 1st in honor of World AIDS day, and proceeds will go to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.
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.
VA – Electric Program II [GRTW012]
Immerse yourself in an electrifying fusion of analog textures and experimental soundscapes. This record is a bold, underground exploration where Electro, Techno, and Experimental collide in an uplifting yet distorted sonic journey. Crafted with an unwavering commitment to authenticity, the tracks embody the raw, unpolished energy of analog gear, delivering a gritty, dynamic experience. The artists—Filmmaker, Hanniball III, DJ Nephil, Mule Driver, Porosty, and DJ Sigils—bring their uncompromising vision to the forefront, creating a soundscape that rejects mainstream conventions. This record isn’t shaped by market trends or hype; it’s a pure expression of underground artistry, designed to break boundaries and let creativity flow untethered. With each track, the listener is invited into a world where the unexpected thrives, and where the only rule is to push the limits of sound.
VA – Time Passages 10 Years LP [TP024]
Time Passages celebrates their ten years of existence with a stellar line up of artists; this is the full LP to complement a shorter EP. The mood on this one is decidedly hellish yet, of course, for that very reason, tempting to cop; this being the characteristic of the flagrant provenance of DJ and producer Binh, whose brand of sinister minimal techno and electro always turns up scorched, hardened into granite, by the embered airs of hardcore. The Berlin outfit welcome The Model and DJ Hell on the A1 side, with the first opening up his own private bacchanal into the hungry streets with ‘Eat More House’ – a motto we can really chew on – while Hell’s ‘Alienation’ plays on similar themes, with a central acid riff and sniper clap pattern. Barnt and Bezier steer and slow the B-side to a canter, the latter especially on the low-slung, ominously new beat-inspired ‘Roter Faden’, while the likes of Z@p and DC Salas go on to encrust the ensuing sides with a haunted clog of synthpop and new wave judder-offs.
VA – Trust the Rust Vol. 2 [KRI009]
Trust the Rust is back with a vengeance. The second compilation by Kri Records takes up where the previous one left off: rusty electro, occult wave, distorted acid and melancholic EBM. Alonzo opens the release with his signature 808 bass, Hayter pushes pitched-down vocals and filthy electro vibe further, while Chino delivers a diabolical ravey EBM banger. Serbian duo YusYus marches on with an authoritative synth anthem Masters Of The Future and Disco Morato finishes the A side with a hypnotic slow burner Ultime. B Side opens with a bang by Parand, followed by arctic electro mist crafted by System Disorder (aka Dj Nephil). Marco Segato smoothly blended electro and jungle with the track Subconscious, Zagreb collective Lab Personnel’s dark stomper might evoke fist pumps on the floor, while E.L.I.’s nostalgic piece Atonal Being rounds the release.
VA – Northern Nightmares IV [UNR013]
As the darkness creeps in from the depths of the north, the restless spirits of the underground rise from their eternal slumber. Like a chilling reckoning, the creatures of the night emerge from their graves, summoned by the pulsing rhythms and haunting melodies of Up Norths’s latest offering. This cassette tape release unleashes a malevolent force of EBM and dark electronics, conjuring an unholy alliance of sounds to possess your soul. Let the shadows consume you…”
VA – Back Up Dos: Mexican Tecno Pop 1982-1989 LP [DE-323]
Dark Entries returns to Mexico with Back Up Dos: Mexican Tecno Pop 1982-1989. Following 2021’s Back Up compilation, Back Up Dos delivers 10 more tracks of synth-pop and New Beat, 7 of which have never before appeared on vinyl. From mutant drum machine beats to irresistible synthesizer hooks, fans of the fringes of the 80s will find songs to stir their cold, dark hearts. But Back Up Dos does more than mine retro kitsch; it documents the development of a rich DIY music scene that is still underexplored. As affordable samplers and digital synths spread throughout the decade, post-punk and new wave gave way to more aggressive EBM and cyberpunk sounds. The scene also developed in opposition to the political climate of the times: the rise of the drug cartels and a reactionary turn in national politics. Using home recording techniques, these bands took cues from the electronic wizardry of the Human League and Wax Trax Records while reflecting the vibrant and chaotic Mexican cultural landscape of the era. On Back Up Dos, impeccable pop anthems from Casino Shanghai and Los Agentes Secretos sit alongside gnarled obscurities from Ford Proco and María Bonita, showcasing a decade of sly deviance and enthusiastic experimentation. Back Up Dos compiles synthetic music produced in Mexico at the crossroads from Tecno Pop to Post-Industrial, nourished by culture shock and stories of dystopian worlds.
VA – Veil Of Echoes I [SUBL016]
Sciahri and his label Sublunar are thrilled to present “Veil Of Echoes,” a new project that brings together both emerging and established talents from the label. This release showcases a fresh dimension of techno and electronic music, celebrating originality by combining timeless cuts from the past with cutting-edge sounds of the present and future. Tracks by Temudo, Troy, Neel, Marcal, Kameliia, Kaiser, Roll Dann, Cirkle, Juri Heidemann and Kerrie.
VA – Fuga V [TOKEN127]
With eight fresh tracks for the modern dance floor, Token writes another chapter of the Fuga series. Challenging new faces to complete the label’s sound, Fuga V is another focused compilation that balances spatial detail and rhythmic bite. Tracks by Singular Anomalies, Ketch, Justyn Nell, DHAEUR, Maasym, Ray Kajioka, Kameliia and Kashpitzky & Casual Treatment.
Techniques Berlin – The Extension of Machines [1985-1991] [MEC091]
Formed by high school buddies Andreas Gregor and David Rout, Techniques Berlin started in 1984 experimenting with synthesizers, drum machines and guitars. In the early stages, the band was heavily influenced by UK new romantic acts The Human League, Visage, Yazoo, OMD and Depeche Mode, as well as rising Canadian synth-pop bands Rational Youth, Men Without Hats and Trans-X. It took them a few years to master their electronic toys and create a unique blend of addictive electro-pop melodies and beautifully crafted alternative beats. “The Extension of Machines” compiles 13 extra rare and unreleased tracks from the vault.
VA – Kampire Presents: A Dancefloor in Ndola [STRUTLP273]
Strut introduces a pioneering new compilation ‘A Dancefloor In Ndola,’ curated by revered East African DJ, Kampire. This release marks an evolution in Strut’s approach to compilations, showcasing emerging DJ talent from across the world and embracing an innovative approach to musical discovery from the next wave of selectors. Forging her reputation through memorable sets for the Nyege Nyege Festival in Uganda over the last decade, Kampire now tours worldwide and is celebrated for her brilliantly curated sets spanning the full range of African music styles from the ‘70s and ‘80s to the present day. Although born in Kenya to Ugandan parents, Kampire spent her formative years in Ndola, Zambia. ‘A Dancefloor In Ndola’ is inspired by artists and songs that formed part of her soundtrack during that time. The compilation flows through different East African and South African genres from Congolese rumba and soukous to 1980s township bubblegum and the rich guitar-led sounds of Zambian kalindula.
VA – No More Bloodshed [CM23]
“These are challenging times in the middle east. As the situation in Gaza gets worst daily, we are committed to doing what we can to end this conflict, and provide aid to the residents of Gaza, as well as all Palestinians in the west bank.
All proceeds from Confused Machines’ digital sales will go directly to Physicians For Human Rights – Israel (PHRI) www.phr.org.il, which continues its medical work and humanitarian aid in the West Bank despite the difficult circumstances.
Since October 2023, PHRI has doubled its activity in the West Bank and is sending two weekly mobile clinic visits to help communities that are cut off from medical treatment due to the severe wave of settler and military violence, movement restrictions, and the financial crisis in the West Bank.
PHRI is currently unable to operate in Gaza due to restrictions by the Israeli authorities, and have been barred from delivering aid to the strip. PHRI is constantly working to resume these activities and will do so as soon as the circumstances allow.
We urge for an immediate ceasefire, the return of all hostages, and a peaceful future for all inhabitants of this troubled land.”
VA – Computer Controlled [DAT-LP1]
Mighty fine compilation feat. DMX Krew, Tom Carruthers, Network 1, DimDJ, etc of early sounding UK techno and Detroit.
VA – Rock Rendez Vous: Musica Moderna Portuguesa 1985-1986 [DE307]
The seductive sounds of Portugal swing to Dark Entries on Rock Rendez Vous: Música Moderna Portuguesa 1985-1986, a compilation of vintage Iberian synth, wave, and postpunk gems. The legendary club Rock Rendez Vous (RRV) opened its doors in Lisbon in 1980, heralding a new era in the Portuguese underground. Although touring acts like Killing Joke, Danse Society, or Echo & the Bunnymen graced its stage, RRV more vitally served as ground zero for a new generation of Portuguese bands, one simultaneously in touch with broader international musical movements while being invested in establishing a national sonic identity. Rock Rendez Vous culls 9 tracks of prime Portuguese indie tunes from the Música Moderna Portuguesa compilations released in 1985 and 1986, documenting the heyday of this movement. Jangly and brooding postpunk gems like “Levante” from Jovem Guarda, Projecto Azul’s “New Sides,” and Essa Entente’s “Festa Final” are well-represented here. Meanwhile, quirky Balearic-laced synthpop gems like D. W. Art’s “Mate” or Zona Proibida’s “Musak” add a subtly regional flare. Rock Rendez Vous: Música Moderna Portuguesa comes housed in a sleeve designed by Eloise Leigh featuring a photo of the club RRV, and also includes a double-sided insert with lyrics, photos, and liner notes.
VA – Ranges 10 Years LP [RANGES016]
Deep dubby techno on Ranges, who are celebrating their 10-year anniversary with this lovely compilation album. It features tracks by JS Zeiter, Merv., Federsen, Gradient, Submoon, Ohm & El Choop, Tm Shuffle and Ixm.
Timothy J. Fairplay – Dungeon Module Volume Two [DGMD006]
Timothy J. Fairplay presents ‘Dungeon Module Volume Two’ is a follow up to last years Volume One and as before a ‘compilation of tracks made by occasional visitors, Alias’s, pseudonyms, mystery producers, assumed names and alter egos who make music in Timothy’s Dungeon Module studio. The compilation begins with ‘Bad Guys’ by Timothy himself, sounding like one of those minimal wave records that were popular in Italo clubs, and ‘Success’ by Tear Jerker is raw NO-303 Chicago House music. Bizet’s ‘Farandole’ gets a west coast rework by TJF, and ‘Iron Thorn’ by Leon Kaiser is part of the unreleased soundtrack for the Poliziotteschi film of the same name. Starting side B, Based in Dawson City, Main Street Mining are back from Vol 1 with ‘Its About Time’ followed by Media Attention who is Timothy J. Fairplay and Jamie Paton, ‘Golden Era’ is heavy New Beat influenced club music. Crunchy jack track ‘Not Licensed For Use’ by P2000M made entirely with Timothy’s Casio RZ-1, and the enigmatic Antoine Rouge makes his return from Volume One with ‘Pocket Keyboard’ to close the cassette. Finally there is a digital only bonus beat track version of Main Street Mining’s ‘It’s About Time’.
VA – ENOUGH!
In the face of the atrocities committed against Palestinians in both Gaza and all occupied territories the Jordanian label Dreaming Live issued this fundraiser compilation under the title ENOUGH!
All proceeds from this compilation will support Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah’s Children’s fund. Dr. Ghassan had volunteered extensively in Gaza throughout multiple crises. During this genocide, he worked in both Al-Ahli and Shifa hospitals. He was a survivor of the Ahli Hospital bombing which killed hundreds. His press conference outside of the hospital, surrounded by dead bodies, will be etched in our memories forever. He has now established a Children’s Fund which aims to treat injured children, rebuild the destroyed medical infrastructure, and establish a sponsorship program for 20,000+ orphans from the conflict.
VA – Defected presents House Masters – Marshall Jefferson LP [HOMAS38LP]
Defected welcomes one of Chicago house’s founding fathers Marshall Jefferson into the illustrious list of House Masters with this exclusive wax release. An artist that has successfully navigated major cross-over success while retaining utmost respect from the inner circle of electronic music’s underground, Marshall has been behind countless seminal records over his five-decade career. Now a selection of the very best tracks from his new House Masters compilation appear together on vinyl for the very first time, showcasing the impressive output of this house pioneer from his most well-known solo records, to major production credits, key remixes and the underground gems still favoured by selectors today. ‘Defected presents House Masters – Marshall Jefferson’ is an all-encompassing guide to his tremendous career. A trailblazer and genre-defining artist, Defected is honoured to welcome Marshall into the House Masters Hall of Fame with this very special vinyl compilation.
The Hipodrome Of Music 