Sure Thing welcomes two new additions to the label with a long-distance collaboration between Seattle’s Archivist and Berlin’s Claudio PRC. Two original productions from Archivist recall dense, billowing fog and the gentle shimmer of waves, each re-imagined through Claudio PRC’s exacting lens into novel forms that spiral with steady, monolithic intent. Brought together, an expansive double vision, an exploration of the compelling nature of movement and air each within the other.
Something Records lifts off ‘Lost in Musik’ by STL aka Stephan Laubner. On 17 tracks and an extended playing-time, this double vinyl comes in complete album feel, multifarious variations, and in STL’s full tonal trademark fit. STL attends the brains & ears in his magic discrete way with an unstoppable bucket-raining flow of fresh sounds, catching rhythms and aspirating music, like no one else usually does. An album to blow your minds, shake your bodies and touch your souls.
Long awaited reissue of Connective Zone’s Qwerty EP. Originally released in 2002 on Emoticon, the deep electronica sister label of Headspace Recordings. Connective Zone, aka Lincoln-based duo Graham Sims and Simon Button, have been making their unique brand of deep techno for many years. Warm strings, thick chords, multi-layered synth melodies and crisp beats are the order of the day, with influences coming from early Detroit techno and ‘artificial intelligence’ era UK electronics. All four tracks pack a soulful punch, drawing from the past but allowing their individual sound to shine through. Rhythmically they range from straight-up 4/4 beats to more syncopated patterns, and are sure to find favour with more adventurous DJs as well as home listeners.
Vade Mecum returns with yet another amazing release by Matt & Mark Thibideau. This record is dedicated to Mike Huckaby and his love for the Waldorf Wave synthesizer.
Polyverse is the new debut album of the very exciting and fresh sounding Kosmogonik from Bucharest, Romania. Nine driving and atmospheric tracks that vibrate all the way from heavyweight techno to cosmic ambient.
Ebi was a pseudonym used by Susumu Yokota who was a Japanese techno and ambient composer, producer and house music DJ. Transmigration presents now a one double LP of 2 previously re-issued EPs by the Japanese artist. This is Susumu Yokota’s vision of techno – house, lovingly collected in collaboration with Space Teddy and the Yokota family.
Kizen Records presents a 4-tracks EP written & produced by Tom Huthwohl aka BLNDR, inspired by the majestic landscape and the atmosphere of Santiago de Chile.
Space Trace is coming in hot with a 4 track EP made by the label boss Eric Axelsson. ST001 marks the birth of Space Trace.
Fluid Electronics returns with a new collaborative EP courtesy of Dutch veteran Jarno, the man behind Trouw’s infamous Below evenings, and Fluid Electronics’ co-founder and owner Shirazi, back in full swing after a ten-year break from production. The EP features remixes from Amsterdam’s Love Over Entropy and seminal Rotterdam-based duo, Duplex.
Steve Rachmad’s richly melodic strain of techno has resulted in a huge body of work he has been growing since the early 90s. His sound is the perfect distillation of machine soul – dubby atmospherics and crisp, danceable dynamics balanced in perfect unison. Amsterdam’s Delsin Records gathers together some of the Dutch techno figurehead’s most important, sought-after works in a new EP series, all remastered from the original DAT tapes from Steve’s archives. His flagship Sterac project is present with Asphyx EP, featuring four absolute classic Sterac works dating from 1995.
All computer and synthesizer programming, drum programming and mixing done by Bees. Beautiful, stepping, warm Ambient atmospheres released on new label A Visiting Link.
The Romanian label Stomping Grounds is putting together their first split EP. The release shareds graciously between Romanian duo Heerd and Irelands Noah Skelton. Starting off with the acid-edged peak timer “Hellrot”, going through the atmospheric depth and hypnoticism of “Kamaals Groove” and “Persistence”, the EP is neatly finished with a healthy “Balance” of rolling hats and percussion.
MÉTIER is the new label from Jack! Who? and his UK based deathtechno.com project that is set to journey into deep, dreamy, dub, techno, acid, electro and ambient that will surprise and delight from release to release. AX15 is a new alias of the veteran Alex Dolby. “Ascension” is a wonderful, bleeping cut that uses uplifting chords and modular licks over soft drums to create a lighthearted, ethereal atmosphere. The second track “Orbital” uses a spacey funk to turn the energy up to a level. Delayed electronic sound effects and abstract synth parts make up the main hook of this understated masterpiece. Closing this release with “Moon Landing”, a track that instantly takes off with a classic electro beat from pulsing, acid stabs and crushed claps. Fuelled by astronaut vocal samples, there’s a moody vibe locked into the stellar groove.
Conforce signs ”Wavetable” to Sungate – an energetic and diverse four-track EP produced using mostly wavetable synthesizers. These chord-driven tracks showcase a sophisticated danceable approach with proper groove. Rotterdam techno in its purest form.
For almost three decades now Kosta Athanassiadis aka XDB has been involved in the constantly changing world of dance music. His curiosity and dedication to electronic music spiral deep into the depth of House Music and Techno and where ever he appears he generously shares his unique knowledge in this field with equally dedicated crowds. Now he presents “Inspiron” actually his debut album, coming out on Dial.
B12 was originally a duo before Steven Rutter took over the alias as a solo artist, but after a string of, he decided to start producing under his own name. Steven Rutter kept his sound the same, but shed the skin of B12 to mark a new point in his musical career. Battling with personal demons, the B12 sound had become dark and introverted, and the Steven Rutter style keeps that same moody atmosphere, while adding upbeat rhythms and more jovial chord progressions without losing focus of the core sound that’s made his music so influential. “Riddle Me Sane” is the third album Steven Rutter has done under his own name. Cosmic melodies and sci-fi influenced textures with dystopian sound design, the thought provoking album paints pictures of alien landscapes, while its down tempo grooves also have the key elements needed for the dance floor.
Hypnus shares another vinyl relic by adept veteran Feral. ‘Woodland’ takes us on a trip through his immaculate craftsmanship and inimitable sound, lacing contemporary minimalist deep dub techno with tribal psychedelia. Feral consistently carries a thread of spirituality throughout his work. Embodying the sound of deep techno through his passion for audio engineering, hardware experimentation and fascination for percussive instruments, as well as an affinity for the shamanic becomes apparent when we swirl in tribal timbres and rhythms.
John Shima with 4 tracks of deep & warm Detroit vibes. He’s in fine form on this surprise outing for Subwax’s Excursions series, effortlessly moving between the emotive, melodic bliss of “Evergreen”, where lilting lead lines spar with dreamy chords and a hybrid electro/deep sci-fi techno groove, the poignant, pitched-down deep electro beauty of “Moodswing”, the deep space breakdowns and tactile chords of “Space Cadet”, and the intergalactic electrofunk haziness of enveloping closing cut “Street Soul”.
The Hipodrome Of Music 