Northern Nightmares returns for a third instalment. Alongside the usual suspects, Up North welcomes some new blood to the party. NN III also has the honour of lifting the veil from Parrish Smith’s latest project, METAL! From Antonio’s blistering basselines to Eindkrak’s twisted rhythms, this intoxicating compilation will shatter speakers and clench fists.
Hamburg-born and raised, Helena Hauff studied both Fine Art and Systematic Music Science. Her astonishing DJ and producing skills reflect this experience, as this juxtaposition shaped her approach to coaxing music from her machines. As a former resident of the esteemed Golden Pudel club, Helena has established herself as a selector who prefers playing vinyl, a producer who uses vintage hardware, and a virtuoso of seamlessly handling the crowd. Wherever she performs, her style is significant and recognizable—fierce, rough, and raw, yet steadfast and playful. All this is perfectly captured in Helena’s mix for the ‘fabric presents’ series. Nine tracks from Helena’s mix for fabric, cut to double vinyl by Matt Colton. The bundle includes her new single for fabric Records, ‘Turn Your Sights Inward’, as well as the exclusive ‘Alter Simus’ by Magda Rot. The killer remix by Autechre of D-Breeze’s ‘Crazy For Love’ from 1999, is here, and digitally for the first time; it was originally released on the MASK 500 compilation record from the legendary Skam Records’ limited-edition series.
Slow Motion Records long-standing member and renowned, Italian Dance Wave selector Giulia Gutterer compiles a collection of tracks illustrating her distinctive taste. With Iconic releases from label heads Fabrizio Mammarella and Franz Scala, along with genre-solidifying productions from the likes of Ma Spaventi, Altieri, Francisco and Tjor.
Nick Anthony Simoncino’s HotMix Records presents Obscure Underground Dreams Vol. VIII, a collection of 14 obscure underground house gems.
This compilation brings together for the first time diverse Peruvian musical groups that immersed themselves in dance music following the codes brought by the disco revolution. As a phenomenon of a new culture, the global dissemination of disco music had various variations and reformulations. The way it took root in Peru constitutes a fascinating yet underexplored history, despite the numerous recordings that came to light, mainly in the 1980s, running parallel to the boom of Peruvian tropical music, the emergence of a new pop rock scene, and the widespread use of synthesizers and electronic drums. And even though the groups were eclectic and moved across various musical genres, their dance music hits have now become cult pieces.
Höga Nord Rekords celebrates a decade of deep diving into both local and global pools of underground music. During this 10 year long period, Höga Nord Rekords has proven that music both has high cultural relevance as well as supplying instant kicks. Common for the label mates are the slightly screwed approach to genre and sound, with creativity and surprising takes on song structures and tonality. The label has from day one searched for, and signed creative people making music that is not for everyone. Höga Nords reach has and never will be the mainstream and the well-known, rather going deep and wide underground, reaching those who need music to survive and not just as a fund to pass time.
Pablo Bozzi inaugurates his new label, Second Sight, with the various artists ‘Unknown Prospect’. The title says it all: boundless and vast, Second Sight’s intent is to promote the talents of innovative producers who defy genres in the pursuit of their own idyllic aesthetic.
After some time of laying in the dark, the Warsaw-based Syntetyk label and club night series emits waves yet again with their very first cassette release by various friends from the local and global underground. Tape starts with a pathos ambient track by Mchy i Porosty, followed by a desert night drive dub by Rapha. The A side continues with a wavy melodic thumper by Olivia, accompanied by a nostalgic club diver by Czech maestro Exhausted Modern and a punkish fast paced hymn done by the Colombian prodigy – Filmmaker. The B side opens with Dogpatrol’s broken jungle track and carries on with Astma’s industrial dub-driven tune. Album slowly comes to a close with a nasty distorted wave by Dyktando, dystopian radiation emitter by Chino and ends with Mala Herba’s folk inspired epic ambient drone.
Orpheu The Wizard is a Dutch DJ and co-founder of the infamous but sadly now defunct Red Light Radio. Coming through for the fifth edition of the Sound Of Love International series – which showcases the eclectic musical tastes of the DJs who play at the Love International festival in Croatia – this fresh selectors’ comp hears Orpheu crate-fiddle through cosmic disco, Balearic pop, synthwave and ambient.
Transparent Sound are the original dons of UK electro, not exactly household names yet an act with so many under-repped classics that once you dive into their catalogue you might end up emptying your bank account on Discogs. To save you going down this calamitous path as well as to finally, raise TS to the level of notoriety they deserve, Tresor Records presents ‘Accidents 1994-2023’. Formed by Orson Bramley and Martin Brown in Bognor Regis in 1994, Transparent Sound have managed to create 30 years’ worth of some of the best electro from the British Isles, despite claiming to not know what they were doing nor how their instruments work.
Over the years veteran producer Mark Ambrose wrote some of the most unique, energetic house / techno tracks. The Journey is an essential and timeless compilation that collect his most rare and hard to find classics. Volume 2.
Over the years veteran producer Mark Ambrose wrote some of the most unique, energetic house / techno tracks. The Journey is an essential and timeless compilation that collect his most rare and hard to find classics. Volume 1.
On 26 February, hundreds of Israeli settlers went on a violent late-night rampage in Huwara and other villages in the northern West Bank, leaving one local resident dead and 100 others injured and the town ablaze. This compilation of music was put together in order to raise funds that can hopefully give some aid to the residents of Huwara, all of the proceeds Confused Machines make from digital sales will go directly to Physicians For Human Rights – Israel (PHRI) www.phr.org.il An NGO that works in the occupied Palestinian territory, promoting Palestinians’ right to health and providing direct medical and humanitarian assistance. The compilation hosts a roster of both local and international artists spanning a wide spectrum of leftfield electronic music. Acid, Drone, Noise, Downtempo, Techno, SoundCollage and more. All of these tracks are new and have not been heard before, many of them have been created with Huwara and Palestine in mind.
Kri Records strike back with a cassette compilation under an appropriate name: Trust the Rust! Nasty electro cuts are served by LA-based Ole Mic Odd, Italian producer and the Gravitational Waves owner DJ Nephil, British veteran Chupacabras and Russian producer Larionov. The Electro part of the compilation is closed by the local Ljubljana legend operating as a DJ and Honest Work label owner, 198319831983. EBM-ish march is saluted by Black Dot, the duo of Christian Kroupa and Le Chocolat Noir. Christian has also joined forces with the Dallas and Science Cult native Aura Nox. NYC and wave EBM bangers are represented by R Gamble, Spinal is an up-and-coming producer from Chile having released a great EP on Pildoras Tapes, while Bianco Negativo from Marguerite Records wraps up the release.
030303 Records presents the fifth Various artist compilation, featuring a variety of acid sounds that transcend the boundaries of genres. Sounds inspired by Chicago, West coast The Hague, Malta acid and/or Cornwall UK. Caramel Chameleon kicks off with an epic cut, one that will appeal to fans of Roy of the Ravers. Perseus Traxx, Raving Kid and RAG aka Steven Brunsmann follow suit with acid on a deeper tip, with the latter adding a heavenly soulful touch to it. And how great it is to see American producer Korre return to the label with a wonderfully spaced out introspective cut. Also standing out is Endfest’s heavy electro/acid take on one of the most obscure mysteries ever to come out of Detroit: Shari Vari. Dwaalgast & De Beer Uit Allekmaar aka Cosmic Force deliver the last track before the lights go on – the aptly named A Wave Goodbye has a distinctive, bouncy westcoast-sound-of-Holland feel to it.
Traxmen, legendary Chicago label created by the very own Robert Armani presents an exclusive capsule collection on vinyl of the artist greatest hits honoring his 30th Anniversary in the music industry. Robert Armani is a living legend and he is loved from Chicago to Belgium. It’s the ultimate collection and an unique opportunity to celebrate the artist’s outstanding career.
Marguerite Records announces its first release of 2023, MRG014 a New Wave, EBM and Electronic compilation composed of six tracks. Side one features artists who already appeared in Marguerite discography. A1 opens up with ‘Noi Non Ci Saremo’ a bruise of nostalgic, new-romantic and dreamy 80s vibes from Diana Berti, followed up by Black Dot’s ‘Recurrent Disorder’ with occult spoken-word intonation of Le Chocolat Noir reminding of John Balance, over acid bassline, electro beat and syncopated noises by Christian Kroupa. ‘Unknown Faces’ close up the A side – an EBM track with a killer raw beat and distorted bass ready for sweaty dancefloors from the label heads duo Bianco Negativo. Flip side is unwrapped by one of the synth pioneer and UK based artist Timothy J Fairplay with ‘Love Boat For Four’ that drags you straight into a sci-fi movie fiction with the 8 bit electronic synths. B2 is Highest Bidder from Harlem Electronics, a seductive minimal rhythm with a dark undertone. The journey ends with ‘Svart Magi’ an hardware industrial jam by the Swedish producer Celldöd.
Platform 23 returns to where it began, working the Vox Man Records to bring their compelling and unique archive to light, to create again a compilation from their cult cassette releases. Offering more than the sum of their parts, the best of two cassettes is compiled here in “Ethniques Psychedeliques”, a snapshot of contributions from far and wide, based on the warm expanse of ethnic world music with an idiosyncratic psychedelic nature throughout the selections, from the early 80s DIY post-punk scene.
Delkom’s only known previously released album. Originally released in 1990 by the wonder duo consisting of Saba Komossa and Gabi Delgado. The album is released as a continuous mix with each track delineated on the grooves. Imagine Berlin in 1990, the wall is about to come down, no social media, no CDJs, new drugs are being standardized and this is the soundtrack to your night out in this debaucherous capital, exploding with energies that anthropology PhD students still haven’t been able to fully describe. The entire record sounds like a dub mix that almost wasn’t allowed to be released by the record label, unorthodox in its methods, too experimental for most studios yet highly effective on the best of dancefloors. Sexually charged lyrics, driving percussive rawness over heftily synthesized bass lines, all boxes are checked for total club mayhem. Pioneers in their own right, clearly marking their territory in Berlin dancefloor culture from its early post reunification days. Powerfully tasteful and unique sounds from a golden age.
Although his released body of work is relatively small, Dirk De Saever’s EPs come with a rather unique aesthetic in sound. Once New Beat was established and exploded as a dancefloor craze in Europe, there seems to have been a bit of a flood of attempts at making “a hit” within the style, filter through most of that and you’ll eventually land on Dirk’s mini catalogue of top grade Belgian New Beat. This 12” is a compilation of De Saever’s 3 EPs combined in one, featuring original mixes on the A-side and instrumentals on the B-side.
The Hipodrome Of Music 