VA – Five Years Of Tears Vol. 1 [PNKMN5Y1]

Pinkman records presents Five Years of Tears: A string of releases dedicated to celebrate the 5th birth year of the label. The first volume features contributions by 3 of the labels usual suspects, as well as newcomer Randstad. Ernestas Sadau’s powerful, raw and menacing cut starts sets the scene for Alessandro Parisi to delve deep into his synthesizer toolkit. What comes out is a highly emotional production, infused with sirens and melodies that may cause tearful mourning on the dancefloors. On the B side Identified Patient provides yet another one of his notoriously slow and filthy underground creepers, while Randstad delivers another burst of energy that celebrates raw percussion, gloomy pads and haunting vocal samples.

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VA – Five Years Of Tears Vol. 1 [PNKMN5Y1]

Umwelt – Abandon In Place [NF20]

To celebrate New Flesh Records 20th release to date, French veteran DJ Umwelt returns to his own label with a new LP. Built like the soundtrack of a dystopian movie where main characters evolve in a hopeless future, Sci-Fi ‘Abandon In Place’ delivers no less than height cinematic masterpieces half-way between electro and ambient registers. From the menacing sirens of opener ‘Void Of Nothingness’ to the melancholic synths of closing ‘Galactic Wreck’, passing through the Blade Runnerish vision of ‘Celestial Matter’, this soulful album depicts nothing but the extinction of mankind in a ending world. Besides its terrific message, ‘Abandon In Place’ showcases the unlimited talent and incredible versatility of Umwelt, a mighty producer able to split from the most cutting edge music on New Flesh Records to a more radical, straight to the dancefloor approach on Rave Or Die. A gloomy journey through apocalyptic tones, slow yet deep basslines, industrial touches, cold and un- compromising emotions. Umwelt’s most forward thinking opus to date sum up in once sentence: “By the end of the day, all is dust”.

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Umwelt – Abandon In Place [NF20]

VC-118A – Permutation [FR041]

Lowlandish transmissions from the land of a thousand lakes. It’s been 18 months since Samuel Van Dijk last donned the VC-118 alias. Back then, he was releasing sophomore album Shift Register on Tabernacle. Here, he resurfaces on Frustrated Funk with a five-track EP that tends towards the introspective and melancholy. Of course, there are still notable dancefloor moments – see the locked-in analogue house beats, dubbed-out electronics and held-note bass of “Permutation” and the mid-tempo electro swing of “Verdictia” – but for the most part the EP is a laidback and poignant affair. It’s a side of Van Dijk that we don’t see that often, but one that he really should explore more. Certainly, the ghostly “Enter” and sorrowful “Sequence” are among the most memorable tracks in his already impressive catalogue.

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VC-118A – Permutation [FR041]

Ceephax – Camelot Arcade [WEME046]

Camelot Arcade is the new triple LP from Ceephax Acid Crew on WeMe Records. 13 tracks of Camelot goodness with all the feeling and melodies we’ve come to expect from Ceephax and his collection of classic electronic hardware. The tracks range from the easy listening sound of Phraxby to the baroque dancefloor pump of Camelot Escalator, to the trap-esque cyber feel of Yodecahedron and the Detroit moodiness of The Green Night. Creon Happy and Trusthouse Forte have an upbeat classical feel (backed up of course by Ceephax’s favourite Roland drum machines.) While Path to the None and Shadowphax Part I&II are more dark in spirit. A lot of the tracks such as Life Started Tomorrow and The Great Greatsby were born randomly of quick jams with live keyboard playing and the album has an organic feel to it which a lot of the more formulaic electronic music lacks. All in all Camelot Arcade is a wonderful breath of fresh air and is sure to go down in history as one of Ceephax’s best.

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Ceephax – Camelot Arcade [WEME046]

BinarySystem01 – Quantum Theory EP [USR007]

EDO8 and Wavemechanic are coming together as BinarySystem01 to bring you this slice of analogue electro. This 4-tracker consists of chopped up grooves blended with deep melodies and basslines reminiscing of old school electro era. Wavemechanic’s skills on the Moog and E8’s attention to detail carefully crafted this varied ep that will work in many different situations.

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BinarySystem01 – Quantum Theory EP [USR007]

Posthuman – The Damocles Syndicate [SHIP056]

Two miscreants of UK electronics have been drafted in by Shipwrec for a 12″ of techno debauchery. Richard Bevan and Joshu Doherty, aka Posthuman, have been addicted to acid from their first contact with the caustic and cruel chords of the TB303. Since then the two cousins have gone on to curate 10 years of I Love Acid as well as doling out some toxic classics of their own. The duo deliver the soured goods once again, starting the audio anarchy with the ominously titled “Netflix and Kill”. Drum patterns are gnarled and nasty in this slow burning jacker where basslines boil over into a thick syrup of late night revelry. The flip is taken over by the bullying sounds of “The Damocles Syndicate.” The track rumbles with venomous menace. Coils of 303 spite bulge and contract under the strict resolve of a stern beat in this ready made floor filler.

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Posthuman – The Damocles Syndicate [SHIP056]

No Moon – Infinite Dreamz EP [CKNOWEP8]

True intergalactic finery by No Moon (AKA Manchester-based producer Fred Shepherd) on the latest Craigie Knowes expedition. All three tracks are impeccably spacey and futurist in tone, with Shepherd wrapping dreamy chords and glistening electronic melodies around snappy drum machine rhythms. Three elegant electro tracks by the highly talented English up-comer.

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No Moon – Infinite Dreamz EP [CKNOWEP8]

WLDV – A Dying Feast [BAP117]

For years Nathan Church or Gionata Ecclesia has been cutting up floors in his native Bilbao. Recently the Basque man’s attention has turned from the Dj booth to the studio. Under his WLDV (We Love Dolce Vita) this Iberian electronic inspiration has cast long shadows and brightened rooms with his blend of horror score intensity and disco exuberance. WLDV arrives at the Bordello with a four tracker of serious intent. Sepulchral and sinister synthlines characterise A Dying Feast, nowhere more than in the haunting samples and clean drums of ‘A Bucket of Blood’. Cold chords gleam with icy menace while crisp claps punctuate the entrancing funk of ‘Danza Macabra’. Ecclesia toys with set parameters, exploring what lurks in the twilight between terror and titillation. This flirtation with the divine and the profane is plain to hear in the uneasy elegance and uplifting elation of ‘Far, Far Away’, a work of steady kicks, unsettling extracts and soaring strings. This Feast ends on a delectable note. Keys dance and spiral in the intoxicating ‘Laying Down On Cosmic Dust’, an enthralling end to and enthralling EP.

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WLDV – A Dying Feast [BAP117]

Bogdan Drazic – Four Trax On Black Wax [GD029]

Returning to Giallo after the split ‘Black Gloves II’, Bogdan Drazic is back with ‘Four Trax On Black Wax’. Three new blisteringly blown out grained to fuck voodoo bangers plus a remix from the mighty Dmitry Distant. Haunted organs, lost jungle tribes, hot cannibal nights… all documented under piles of dirt and ancient spells.

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Bogdan Drazic – Four Trax On Black Wax [GD029]

The Exaltics – Das Heise Experiment 2 [SOM045]

“Das Heise Experiment 2″ marks the 6th album of The Exaltics. Lovely presented on double 10” vinyl with full cover artwork from non other than the mighty Godspill, who also designed the pre release of this album with an amazing looking shape picture disc. To hold things special the guys from Solar One Music put a full comic with the story of “Das Heise Experiment” in each record. The music ranges from dark experimental techno, electro, ambient and soundtrackish nightmares which goes perfect with the story of the comic. Also Gerald Donald collaborates with The Exaltics for one track , which is one of the highlights of the album. This music is nothing for the club its much more, a complete story to feel. Turn your headphones on and dive into the world of aliens, scientists and distant gallaxies.

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The Exaltics – Das Heise Experiment 2 [SOM045]

VA – In The Dark Again 09 [DARK009]

Here comes In The Dark Again 09. Please open your ears for five sonic adventures,
brought to you by the amazing sound explorers Moralez feat. Zombierella, Zak Famellos, Textasy, Night Caller and Vinilette.

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VA – In The Dark Again 09 [DARK009]

VA – Stilleben 051 [STILLEBEN051]

Another VA from Luke Eargoggle’s Stilleben Records that keeps on releasing the purest electronic music. Jensen Interceptor and Obergman are two familiar names in the electro game but on this 12″ Hiltipop and T-Error will also show their vision and style.

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VA – Stilleben 051 [STILLEBEN051]

Gian – LACK 015 [LACK015]

Gian strikes back all the way from Reutlingen to Neukolln with a three track EP bound to hit you hard. Pairing his signature Electrofunk beats with gnarly Acid on the A side & ultra effective pad-sex on the flip, Gian will manage to sneak his way into your DJ bag, whether you like it or not.

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Gian – LACK 015 [LACK015]

Secret State – Zero Zero One [CPU00111001]

From another analogue basement, amidst paranoid conspiracy theories and wild youtube truths, the heat of a Tr-808 and Juno-60, and dreams of forgotten utopias, comes the first Secret State EP, an attempt to rise above the all pervasive, vacuous, decaying culture.

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Secret State – Zero Zero One [CPU00111001]