Innershades – Homage [CJFD41]

January 14, 2025January 14, 2025 hipodromeacid house, clone jack for daze, clone records, innershades, new beat, techno, thomas blanckaertLeave a comment

Innershades comes with a follow up on his Clone Jack For Daze debut from 2019 with his buddy Betonkust. This time he digs in the local history from his homebase Belgium. The country that brought us the New Beat craze which had its breeding grounds in club’s such as Boccaccio. A venue which used to be one of the prime locations in the Benelux to hear the latest House and Techno releases in ’89,’90 and ’91. All the fresh new sounds from Chicago, Detroit, the big New York labels and producers, Early UK rave and of course the local producers from the Benelux. This Homage EP brings a collection of tracks drenched in bleepy acid lines, topped with choir pads and slightly detuned slowly phased chords and dominant mixed bass sections. Energetic tracks that capture the spirit of those days with a contemporary touch from Innershades. Tracks that fit perfectly to the Clone Jack For Daze series inspired by these early days, where people danced for daze on all these energetic and futuristic sounds from the underground.

VA – Time Passages 10 Years LP [TP024]

October 18, 2024October 17, 2024 hipodromeandrew red hand, barnt, bezier, compilation, dc salas, dj hell, hardfloor, house, innershades, latress, techno, the model, time passages, z@pLeave a comment

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.

Innershades – The Beat EP [IPK004]

September 19, 2024September 18, 2024 hipodromeacid house, impakto records, innershades, new beat, techno, thomas blanckaert, unusual systemsLeave a comment

Innershades presents some new tunes but old school sound, faithful to the New Beat and Belgian proto Techno sound, using a Roland JV 1080, D-50, Yahama RY-30, SH-101, TB-303 and a JD-800 to execute this magnificent EP.

Innershades – Explorer EP [ALT007]

February 12, 2024June 11, 2024 hipodromealtered circuits, electro, innershades, thomas blanckaertLeave a comment

Innershades revisits his take on electro on the “Explorer EP”. His minimalistic take on dancefloor melody and drums is combined with electro’s energy and brilliance. And even though it’s clear he’s taken notes of this style of music since its materialisation in the early eighties, this record might be most indebted to the sounds coming out of Detroit, the Dutch West Coast and the ocean in between.

VA – Smooth Waves // Liquid Seduction EP [CM005]

August 18, 2023August 18, 2023 hipodromeb.ai, conceptual moods, deep house, guilio gastadello, house, innershades, mood waves, smooth waves, thomLeave a comment

Smooth Waves, the names says it all. For this edition of the Conceptual Moods series we get some smooth synthy tracks. Thom introduces the VA with lush melancholic synths driven by a subtle proggy bassline. Innershades provides a deep bleepy tune that obviously bangs as one expects of him. The B side starts with Guilio Gastadello and B.ai concludes the EP with a dreamy, yet groovy tune that perfectly suits the other tracks. We are very happy to have her on board.

Innershades – Summer Love [HR010]

June 9, 2023June 9, 2023 hipodromeacid house, heko records, house, innershades, thomas blanckaertLeave a comment

Heko Records welcomes Innershades to the fore for a new “dreamatic” house music EP that refreshes the style for the present, with heaters like ‘Summer Love’ seeming to take direct inspiration from the aforementioned track, while adding a modern flair. Things slowly get more bloopy and hard, as ‘Mutant’ squelches and hat-scratches away against a bed of yet more pads, while ‘909 Voices’ similarly lulls us into a hypnotic state with a slow tapering-off into ravier territories. Summer vibes guaranteed.

Innershades – Heritage Vol. 1 [ALT004]

March 24, 2023August 16, 2023 hipodromeacid house, altered circuits, innershades, new beat, thomas blanckaertLeave a comment

Over the last years a rehabilitation of the New Beat genre has taken place. Short-lived it succumbed under its own immense popularity at the beginning of the nineties, watered down once producers with an eye for commercial success – and not quality control – joined in on its seemingly easy recipe. Below the surface a lot of highly original tracks remain to be enjoyed however: the sound, with its unique mix of amongst others Chicago acid house and Belgian EBM, reveals itself to be an essential node in electronic music’s Trans-Atlantic trajectory. Innershades has been a longtime enthusiast of the genre and made it a focal point of attention on ”Heritage Vol. 1”, the first part of a series that celebrates his inspirations and influences. Rather than making a selection of style exercises, he opts to subtly inject his tech and progressive productions with some of its tropes. It is a blend that comes naturally as menacing melodies and throbbing pulses are vital to his sound.

Palermo Disco Squad – After All These Tears EP [BAP164]

September 19, 2022June 7, 2023 hipodromebordello a parigi, disco, innershades, italo-disco, palermo disco squad, thomas blanckaertLeave a comment

If you like your Italo-disco bright, full-throttle and peak-time ready, Thomas Blanckaert’s occasional work as Palermo Disco Squad (he’s better known for his rave-ready techno jams as Innershades) should be on your radar. It’s been four years since he last used the alias, but the project’s belated return to Bordello a Parigi is predictably triumphant. He sets his stall out with the freestyle and Bobby Orlando-influenced shimmer of ‘After All These Tears’, before opting for more chugging sequenced synth-bass and undulating lead lines on the slower ‘L’amice Geniale (theme)’. ‘Loupara’ sounds like a shinier, more sun-splashed ‘Please’-era Pet Shop Boys instrumental, while ‘The Return’ is a rushing, feel-good slab of freestyle/post-Italo fusion that’s as sunny and joyous as they come.

Innershades – Deviation [CRTL014]

December 16, 2021December 15, 2021 hipodromeacid, cartulis music, electro, innershades, mutado pintado, thomas blanckaertLeave a comment

INNERSHADES - Deviation

Belgian Thomas Blanckaert aka Innershades debuts in Cartulis with a 5 tracker representing his best shades of Techno/Electro.

VA – Twenty Moons – Nocta Numerica In 20 Tracks

July 14, 2021July 13, 2021 hipodromeacid, betonkust, cignol, cold colors, compilation, dynarec, electro, glass figure, innershades, luxus varta, machinegewehr, nocta numerica records, pq17, quadratschulz, raymond d. barre, teslasonic, timothy j fairplay, too smooth christ, voiron, zobolLeave a comment

This September Nocta Numerica will release its twentieth record. In the meantime, to mark the occasion and look back on the past six years, they released the compilation “Twenty Moons – Nocta Numerica In 20 Tracks”, 20 tracks that represent the identity of the label: 19 of them are from past Nocta Numerica releases and one is exclusively taken from Zobol’s upcoming EP.

Innershades / Do or Die – Function EP [EYA012]

March 3, 2021November 6, 2023 hipodromedo or die, drugwork, eya records, house, innershades, techno, thomas blanckaert1 Comment

Innershades and Do or Die are joining forces together blending their powerful and distinctive styles to deliver a genre-bending record which ranges between Techno, Rave, Acid and Trance.

2020 Giveaways

December 25, 2020December 25, 2020 hipodromearnaud rebotini, black propaganda, brokntoys, creme organization, danny wolfers, david carretta, djedjotronic, ekman, gesloten cirkel, innershades, jensen interceptor, k100 signal, kris baha, lake haze, legowelt, marco bernardi, mark du mosch, modern obscure music, myriadd, nightwind records, obergman, pedro vian, perel, perseus traxx, phormix tapes, ratsnake, rodhad, simoncino, smackos, wsnwg, xy0815Leave a comment

2020 was a tough year for almost everyone and definitely a year to forget for our scene. Events and gigs canceled, venues closed, artists lacking a way to earn a decent living and club culture facing a threat like never before.
In the midst of these events were several people / organizations who tried to ease the pain, offering out some comfort by releasing music to people for free or by pay as you want download. This was always done, but this year I noticed that more and more artists are doing this.
Here is a selection of albums and compilations I came across this year and that I think is worth mentioning again.

Continue reading “2020 Giveaways” →

Emotive Response – Emotions ’95 [AAL011]

June 15, 2020June 15, 2020 hipodrome9300 records, emotive response, house, innershades, techno, thomas blanckaert, tranceLeave a comment

Part 1 of a Trilogy inspired by Belgium Dance Music from early/mid 1990s till early 2000. Produced by Thomas Blanckaer aka Innershades under his new alter Ego ‘Emotive Response’. Belgium Trance was at its commercial peak during those years and while Dj’s showcased their skills on national television (TMF!), a new group of producers stood up injecting the lively scene with big tunes. The often dramatic and dark melodies that defined their typical sound can be found again in the four club bangers collected on this first EP. All containing that energetic and uplifting sound from those days, but with a an own twist from the man Innershades.

VA – 20 Years Crème Organization [FREE DOWNLOAD]

April 9, 2020April 8, 2020 hipodromecompilation, cosmox, creme organization, cultuurschok, djpt, ekman, electro, free download, free tracks, house, innershades, lake haze, legowelt, marco bernardi, mark du mosch, myriadd, perseus traxx, simoncino, techno, the delta mirrorLeave a comment

“Here’s a free compilation to celebrate our 20th birthday, which fittingly falls right in the middle of the biggest crises the world has faced this century. This is not a retrospective, in times like these it important to look to the future. It features exclusive tracks by label mainstays and some up and coming artists from the West Coast and beyond. Up to you to figure out which is which.”

Innershades – It’s Time [TP14]

February 7, 2020February 6, 2020 hipodromehouse, innershades, techno, thomas blanckaert, time passagesLeave a comment

Innershades returns to Time Passages. He hits the ground running with “It’s Time”, a warehouse-ready throb-job full of new beat riffs and creepy electronics, before offering up another funky Euro techno cut that sounds like it could have been played at an after-party in 1990 (“Forum”). Elsewhere, “Euphoria In Ginza” is a deliciously chiming and melodious breakbeat-house workout, while “No Romantic” is another retro-futurist romp full of squelchy synth bass and rushing, turn-of-the-90s style nostalgic riffs.

VA – Florence And The Machines [OPIA006]

January 2, 2020December 29, 2019 hipodromedaif, etienne, formas, house, innershades, opia records, primary perception, technoLeave a comment

UK’s OPIA tell the tales of ‘Florence and the Machines’ via the form of otherworldly sounds. Etienne kicks off proceedings on the sixth release of the label with ‘Engage all Targets’. Distinctive drums and wavering synths zoning in on your senses. Belgian producer Innershades provides ’10,000 Steps’ a hard hitting jam, leaving nothing to the imagination. Rounding off the A side is sub heavy goodness from a man on fine form, Daif. Glitchy rhythms with the machine theme of the VA heavily embedded in its sound, ‘Vade Retro’ by name. Serving up on the B side are young duo and Slowlife affiliates, Primary Perception. Ice cold broken drums, riding an elastic bass that swallows you up. ‘Maelstrom II’ is one of their cleanest cuts to this day. Robotic conversations in the closing track from Berlin based Formas, the trio deliver a curious final chapter to the story with ‘A Su’. Another discerning VA from OPIA, bringing together vital and established artists once again.

VA – EYA006 [EYA006]

October 7, 2019November 6, 2023 hipodromeeya records, house, innershades, otis, techno, two phase u, zotsLeave a comment

EYA Records is back with their first double 12″. Music provided by Belgian producer Innershades, Uruguayans finest Two Phase U, Berlin based Otis and Arma resident Zots. An eclectic selections of tracks that reflect the label vision.

Betonkust & Innershades – Benelux Connection [CJFD33]

October 7, 2019April 19, 2023 hipodromeacid house, betonkust, clone jack for daze, clone records, electro, innershades, swiere westveen, thomas blanckaertLeave a comment

A true lowlands collaboration on the Clone Jack For Daze Series. Betonkust and Innershades team up for the Benelux Connection EP. Harking back to the days of when New Beat and early Chicago House ruled the Dutch and Belgian dance floors and ravers cruised the Benelux in search of that perfect beat.

Vitamine w/ Jonny Rock, Innershades & Artrax @ Midi (Cluj-Napoca) 21.09.2019

September 5, 2019September 5, 2019 hipodromeartrax, innershades, jonny rock, midi, vitamineLeave a comment

VA – Family Matters Vol.2 [AAL010]

July 19, 2019July 19, 2019 hipodrome9300 records, alessandro parisi, betonkust, disco, electro, house, innershades, intimacy, robert dLeave a comment

The second chapter in the Family Matters serie marks the 10th release on the Belgian record label 9300 Records. Via electro, through house and breakbeat, all the way to New Beat, established members offer you their view on the different aspects in the spectrum of electronical music. It’s a nostalgic reference to the past, through the eyes of the present. Alessandro Parisi makes his first contribution to the label with an ominous New Beat influenced track, while Betonkust joins him on the dark B-side with his well known non compromising electro. A-side consists of dance-floor approved electro/house tracks of both Intimacy & Innershades and a sober, yet sophisticated anthem by the hand of Robert D.