Michigan techno and ambient virtuoso John Beltran wraps up the so far so excellent Back to Bahia 7″ series with the a final volume that proves to be the most dancefloor focussed offering yet. Leading with ‘O Pátio’ Beltran shows his class with a blend of jazz-funk and MPB that comes with a rather sunny Ibiza-inspired twist. On the flip side, ‘Belle Isle’ is a perfect party anthem for those outdoor sessions – think beach gatherings or cookouts and you won’t go wrong.
Dublin’s most dedicated Detroit district has just assembled a fresh set of space shuttles ready to take off. Xistence Records is known best from its true to the cause, hypnotic rhythms forged to the ethos of the classic Motown techno. The label owner Phil Robertson brings three variations for galloping grooves on whirling synth fields, with pulsating percussion here, chimey chords there, and even French Kiss-esque stabs appear somewhere. Last but not least, John Beltran joins the show with a beautiful Transmatic acidic bliss as his reimagination of ‘Lonely Moments’. Mesmerising.
Intrinsic Rhythm presents a new EP by John Heckle entitled “Return To Titan” and the first on the the label from a different artist other than label owner Tr One. This is John’s first release under his own name for a number of years and also includes a remix by Michigan techno visionary John Beltran.
John Beltran aka Indio is back with a follow up to the great Detroit Dancer release earlier this year. Here with a even more Detroit sounding production that makes us think of early Detroit / Transmat releases. On the remix duty we have 2 absolutely stunning remixes from Convextion / E.R.P.
It’s not every day we see a new release from John Beltran’s alias Indio. With releases previously only on Transmat and Rhytmic Tech some 10 and 20 years ago, Detroit Dancer presents his new EP called Phoenix. Phoenix is a full on Detroit dance floor belter with warm strings and comes with strong remixes from E.R.P. and Stryke.
Detroit composer John Beltran returns to Delsin with The Season Series. A collection of subtle and colorful compositions of beautiful synth melodies creating heavenly atmospheres. A blissful walk through breezy spring fields where the gentle sunrays thaw frosty winter scenes. Whether offering up club-focused Motor City techno, futuristic tech-jazz, bubbly electronica or sofa-bound ambient compositions, John Beltran always wrings the maximum amount of beauty and soul from the machines he uses to make music. He’s at it again on “The Season Series”. Variously fusing swelling, almost classical chord sequences, stirring melodic refrains, effects-laden shoegaze guitars, effected vocal snippets and beats (when used) that touch on many of Beltran’s main influences (think IDM and Detroit techno), Beltran has produced a simply stunning album that amply rewards those who give themselves in to its positive, emotion-rich charms.
Celebrated Detroit composer, producer, sound designer and ambient pioneer John Beltran keeps up a busy 2019 with an expansive new LP on Delsin. The nine tracker takes you on a trip though his typically serene and beautiful world right form the off. ‘Alle Kinder’ floats on gentle drums with beautiful synth melodies making for a heavenly atmosphere. The journey commutes through the calming pads and glistening arpeggios of ‘A Different Dream’, uplifting joys of the ‘Himmelszelt’ with its mellifluous harmonies and achingly perfect ambiance of ‘The Coming Home’. ‘One of Those Mornings’ washes over you like the sun through a breaking cloud and the brain cleansing, pulse soothing goodness continues though ‘It’s Because of Her’ and the elegant Detroit techno bliss of ‘Perfect In Every Way’. The final two tracks close things down with a sense of classy contentedness, subtle celebration and inner joy that Beltran conveys better than anyone.
John Beltran, Mark Archer, Future Beat Alliance and Max 404 line up on this third 10 years anniversary 12” for De:tuned. Both John and Mark deliver a timeless, Detroit tradition indebted techno vibe, resulting in 2 dancefloor-friendly tracks. While FBA and max 404 activated their DAT recorder, culminating in unheard crisp yet sensitive cuts. Kevin Foakes (Openmind, DJ Food, Ninja Tune) created all the graphic work. Mastered by Matt Colton at Alchemy Mastering, pressed on 180 gr vinyl and a separate digital version will be available from the usual digital shops.
Indio was a short lived but influential trio of John Beltran, Sam McQueen and Seth Taylor. They released an album and three EPs of hi tech ambient techno on Derrick May’s Transmat and the Rhythmic Tech label between 1999 and 2010. Here, three tracks from their self titled 2003 EP and one that was released on Styrax get put together, remastered and recut for the next Delsin reissue. Opener ‘Winter Long’ is classy techno cut that looks into the future. A symphony or gorgeous strings lights up the backdrop as scintillating drums dance and shimmery in the foreground. A Detroit sense of melody adds colour and ensures utter timelessness. ‘Blue Fantasy’ is another track that show off the power of machines to make music that touches your soul with its gorgeous strong stabs and masterful drum programming, and ‘Inca’ then slips more into a house groove, with busy, shuffling drums driving along beneath acidic twitches and broad, heavenly pads. It’s slick, urgent and compelling and ‘Nolita’ closes things with more delicate dancing machines, rueful synth work and rubber bass. It’s archetypal Detroit techno that sounds as good and forward facing now as it ever did.
Classic of 1991 produced by John Beltran and Mark Wilson. Unmistakable Detroit House sound of that period, all completed with a great Carl Craig remix.
After a career spanning more than 25 years John Beltran lands on the Belgian De:tuned label with the long-awaited follow-up album to his widely acclaimed classic 90s masterpiece ”Ten Days of Blue”. On ”Moth” Beltran opens his heart by combining melody, emotion and soul with infectious grooves. As such he lays down the definitive and timeless Detroit sound with a clear nod to the early innovators. From 4/4 dance floor burners to tribal shufflers and ambient interludes, ”Moth” is a well-balanced journey full of blissful atmosphere for both the mind and feet.
Frank & Tony streak back onto the scene with one of their most refined efforts yet, ‘Harmonia’. The title cut is an openair, sundrenched euphoric affair. Airy pads and a buoyant bass carry the track effortlessly, and the simple, yet incredibly effective, drum patterning further lightens the tone giving everything the feeling of dancing in a cloud. Slowly, sirenlike synths call out, entrancing the listener into eyes-closed revery. The EP closes on an even higher note as the duo take on John Beltran’s classic “Gutaris Breeze (6000km to Amsterdam)” from his 1996 album, ‘Ten Days of Blue’. The boys left the original mostly untouched, only bringing forth the track’s softer elements to the forefront and adding a monstrously driving kick next to a serpentine bassline, transforming the track into a peaktime powerhouse.
John Beltran returns on Soul Research with his melodic tunes. Techno which emanates emotions and breathes Detroit in and out in rhythmical arches. Israel is a journey to faraway lands, with both hypnotic and melodic tunes while Achva resounds ambient and techno filled with pathos. The long awaited Israel remix by historical Brit Kirk Degiorgio is a full re-interpretation of rhythm and movement that only the great can create.
John Beltran, class of ’69, is one who have surfed the musical scene for the last 20 years with unforgettable and unclassifiable tracks. Detroit Techno, jazz, ambient and electronica have all been part of Beltran’s career, just like the unchartered territories which are released here with Soul Research. Lunata, with it’s 3 tracks, is a record which brings back classic ’90s Detroit, enriched with soft and enveloping memories. A jump into the future with influences from the past.
17 years after first releasing a cassette EP from label boss Marsel van der Wielen under his Peel Seamus guise, Delsin has now hit the landmark category number of 100. Truth is, taking into account choice re-issues and specials such as the recent house series, there have already been scores more than 100 releases. Nevertheless, in that time the Dutch label has become synonymous with a wide range of timeless sounds from house to techno to dub to electronica, nurturing and championing some of the most respected names in the scene, all of which can now be enjoyed on 5 separate, various artist vinyl EPs or one impressive two disc compilation. Far from just a collection of tracks, the 100DSR compilation has been carefully curated to tell the tale of Delsin. Each record conveys a slightly different part of the story – be it house, techno, beats or electro – yet every one is tied together by the label’s own underlying sense of desolate melancholy. Across the five EPs and complete CD collection there are tracks from newbies and old favourites alike, including Sawlin and Delta Funktionen, John Beltran and Bleak, Redshape and Convextion, Gerry Read and Claro Intelecto.
John Beltran returns on Delsin with a brand new album entitled Amazing Things. As a life long pioneer of ambient soundscapes, blissful downbeat and stirring techno, Michigan born John Beltran already has his place in history assured with a bulging back catalogue that takes in influential releases on vital labels like Peacefrog and R&S. This new 17-track album sees the man draw on his lifetime in music to craft an immediately timeless body of work that’s stuffed with genuine musicality, pregnant with emotion and laden with organic blissfulness.
John Beltran presents 3 new ambient electronica tracks on Styrax Records. Beautifully produced, generously melodic work of one of techno’s unsung heroes.
In addition to the “Best Of Ambient” compilation from John Beltran, two remixes are made to honour one of our favourite electronic music producers of all time. The a-side gives us a reinterpretation of “Brilliant Flood” from rising star Kassem Mosse together with his studiomate Mix Mup. This remix smoothly pimps up the track whilst leaving the atmosphere of the original intact. On the b-side, Sven Weisemann made a composition as a tribute to John Beltran, which contains elements of different original cuts. The result is Sven’s Glorify Tribute Mix, a dreamy epic adventurous nine-minute masterpiece in three parts
Delsin is proud to present this “Best Of Ambient”-compilation by one of their all-time electronic music heroes John Beltran. 16 tracks presented on triple vinyl and cd, including ‘Collage Of Dreams’ as featured on HBO’s Six Feet Under series and other material from his sought after albums originally released on Peacefrog and R&S and more. With extensive liner notes from the artist himself.
The Hipodrome Of Music 