FINA Records marks its fifteenth release this with Borrowed Indentity’s ‘Bang Bang Boogie’, a four-track single of rugged house and disco grooves. Romanian born now Germany based join the FINA Records roster, a fitting placement for his soul-laden electronic sound.
‘Fields Of Light’ is an ambitious compilation release containing 6 tracks by BNJMN, Aroy Dee, Lerosa, Metropolis, Perseus Traxx and Tr One, that focuses on other qualities than the usual style-similarities. Here, the focus has been put on some other aspect; their soulful and melancholic nature. On each side 15 minutes of dreamily emotive and sometimes alienating works from these 6 producers have been pressed. Some of them appeared earlier on Photic Fields, others are new here. Among these works you’ll find a deep and multilayered sonic excursion (by BNJMN), a dark, futuristic and movie-inspired piece (by Metropolis) and an emotion-drenched late 80’s inspired house music-cut (by Perseus Traxx). Each of these tracks may have their moment to be played, some might work on dancefloors while other are ‘just’ for the home-listener. But a true sentimentalist should find these moments.
The second Final Chapter release. Once again Stockholm’s Sean Dixon perfectly executes a pair of heavy, late night, club tracks kicking off with “Perspective” with its subtle organ stabs, tight percussion, solid bass and inspirational vocal. Detroit´s Jared Wilson remakes it with with an older feel, then twists it into something more raw, dusty and intense. “Anxiety” wobbles subtly into being with haunting synth parts and pleasurably disjointed percussive elements, which keep interest and maintain a groove, only to be straightened into something much more linear as it’s remade by Perseus Traxx, spreading the heavy and unsettling tones of his own anxieties.
Willie Burns and Entro Senestre team up for their second release on L.I.E.S. under the Daywalker + CF moniker. Picking up right where last year’s release left off the title track, Supersonic Transport, turns out to be their most dancefloor driven effort to date as it does exactly what the title states, moving in beautifully epic territories throughout its almost 8 minute course taking you where you need to go. The b-side turns the floor vibes down a notch, as both tracks are left alone to breath in their own worlds, each with equal space and unique sonic character. Ace release from these guys.
Chaos In The CBD drop down on Hot Haus Recs In Effekt with 2 outsider house bangers backed with a Legowelt remix. Having released records on Clek Clek Boom to much fanfare the New Zealand brothers have honed a more analogue houz sound for their Hot Haus 12 keeping with Unknown To The Unknown spirit of “offf the wall bangers”.
If you’ve been amongst the sweaty throngs worshipping at the altar of Alkan of a Friday or Saturday night over the past few months, you will no doubt have heard Erol laying down the oddball house stylings of “Balls Of Steel” by Beau Wanzer. So it’s little surprise to see the Nation and LIES artist one of the names called on to rework tracks from Alkan’s overdue debut EP Illumination. It’s even less of a surprise that Wanzer’s ‘adjustment’ of “Bang!” stands out, removing all the sharp edges and turning it into an effective techno bludgeoning tool that will shake sweaty basements apart. Don’t sleep on the A Side either however, as U’s version of “Check Out Your Mind” is even more twisted than the chopped up original.
Be it Tusk Wax, Horn Wax or Porn Wax, the collective of labels continues to develop into one you willingly place your trust in safe in the knowledge the standard of music will be optimum regardless of genre or contributor. Tusk Wax Thirteen sees the label debut of Clouded Vision co-founder Steve Cook who is perhaps the lesser celebrated producer than his Clouded Vision cohort and part time hair model Matt Walsh. However the four tracks here demonstrate perfectly Cook’s capacity to craft thick, analogue house music of various shades and tempos yet all primed for the dancefloor. “Self Control” and “Still Hardcore” are the sort of languid, spacious acid cuts Weatherall would open a set with, whilst “Juno How I Feel” is wonderfully ascendant in its execution. The effervescent “Hacid” is the B Side most selectors will pull for, with a restrained acid line that complements the heavenly chords to a tee.
Ron Maney aka DJ Skull lived in the Southside of Chicago. His musical career started during the summer of 1986, DJing first at basement parties, building his reputation to go on to larger events such as loft and hotel parties, and eventually the infamous Music Box and Power Plant clubs. At the age of fifteen Ron shopped his first demo at Trax Records. There he first met Chicago’s legendary DJ Ron Hardy, working as A&R for Trax Records. Two years, and a new alias later (DJ Skull) later while at the Power Plant, Chicago’s own Steve Poindexter heard a DJ playing one of Rons tracks, and met Ron. Steve was now A&R at Saber Records and invited Ron to release some tracks. So in October of 1991 DJ Skull’s first record ”N.R.G. Music” was released. In 1993, he released the EP ”The Stomping Grounds” on Djax-Up-Beats, which was more noted than the first one. Over the years that followed DJ Skull released lots of EP’s on several labels. He has become well-respected producer and DJ in the Techno industry.
The Zodiac 44 label returns with its second release, with Daniel Andreasson firing up the 303’s for 3 original tracks. Also includes an absolutely bonkers techno remix by John Heckle of B-side cut “What’s My Name?” and a Andy McNeill remix.
Four tracks of gritty club ammo straight outta the East side torrents… from bleep era warehouse vibes to sweaty dub to all out jak madness.
Just a year after starting and the irrepressible R-Zone series is up to release number 9. Again this time there is no real word on who is behind the music, but again it is fierce, searing techno for darkened dancefloors. The barrelling, stomping ‘Down You Go’ opens this EP with blocky metal beats, spares synth lines which bleed in and out of focus and plenty of rattling percussion. ‘Give Me More’ goes a little slower and deeper, with rubbery kick drums forming the base of the track as molten and melted acid gurgles percolate up through the mix. On the flipside, ‘Too Much TV’ is a more elastic groove that undulates up and down with short little acid stabs buried deep within as the bass drops in and out. Supple and propulsive, it’s arresting stuff that gets completed with final track ‘VHC Beats’. Whichever producers are behind the R-Zone series always manages to come up with the goods, so if you like fizzing, textured techno that pulls no punches, this remains the series for you.
Decius – Come to me villa. ”If you can’t smell ladyboy sweat while listening to this track then I’m sorry, you have forgotten how to ‘feel”. Decius – Gay Futures. ”Dirty, raw, drug – fuelled house music, for men and women”.
This new EP from D’Marc Cantu, Long Weekend, features three new tracks of fully formed house and techno with more than a touch of acid along the way. The title track opens the EP with a lively house jam that has proud kick drums, plenty of muffled and deeply buried chords and a busy bassline that darts about like a kangaroo on hot rocks. It’s propulsive and emotive as it surges along, taking you with it every step of the way. Next up, ‘1Lb Of Flesh’ is a much more jagged and serrated track, mainly because of the manic acid squiggle that runs right through the heart of the slapping snares and icy cold hi hats. Full throttle and as ever delightfully frayed and analogue sounding, it’s a real face melter. Last but by no means least, ‘Acid Test’ is the quickest of the lot, coming over like a slick, powerful fusion of electro and techno that whips and snaps as Dance Mania style snares flap about above a grilling bassline and acid wiggles in and out. It’s a busy, fulsome track but never feels cluttered and rounds out another exceptional EP from both MOS and main man D’Marc Cantu.
The Hague’s finest Legowelt on one of the greatest US labels: Peoples Potential Unlimited. In the past Legowelt already did a remix for the Go Bananas release on PPU.
Hardmoon London is a new independent platform solely focused to release music by the analog militants who are struggling against the loudness war of digital industry and want to spread the love of that warm, distorted sound exclusively through vinyl or special tapes. The first release comes by way of courtesy from the mysterious Hissman who captures, with his name, the vey essense of the tape’s sound: Hissssss… that’s the sound you hear when a tape starts rolling.
The Hipodrome Of Music 