Repress!
German techno champ Alex Cortex hasn't released an album since 2011's Kihon on Pomelo, but the prolific and long-serving artist is rarely resting on his laurels. Having released just one other EP from Lowtec, Blundar now presents a new untitled LP from Cortex that should satisfy fans of his leftfield approach to techno in all its forms. "Track 2" is a masterclass in how to work breakbeats into techno without sounding forced or false, while "Track 4" blooms from delicate ambience to snagging broken beat with the grace you can only find with such a seasoned vet. Spanning many moods, tempos and rhythms, this is a perfect demonstration of the many engrossing approaches Cortex can attempt and succeed at within the many-sided realm of techno.

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

After a career in electronic music spanning more than twenty years and so far yielding over fifty vinyls under a host of guises, ALEX CORTEX now delivers his latest treat, his own label, RANGE. It will be home, of course, to his own music, but will also welcome guests that in some way played a role on his path. No specific rules have been set as to musical styles, very much alike the diversity ALEX CORTEX is known and respected for. The thread holding it all together is authenticity.

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
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Legendary techno rebel Alex Cortex joins TRUST for an EP that wears his nonconformist creed proudly on its sleeve. 'We Run Your Life' takes center stage here, a massive electro banger and electronic warfare anthem for a dystopian future, its programmatic vocals striking a fitting resemblance to UR's most political output. Bouncy beat experiment 'Foam Rubber Landscaping' and dizzily spiralling 'Memory Overload' complete this triptych of techno rebellion. First release in TRUST's new 'Covert Systems' series, limited quantity.



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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Texas-based electro producer Cygnus broke the post "Cosmos" LP hiatus with 2018's "ne0 ge0" EP on Barba. Now, less than a year since, it feels like a good time to present another record from this artist worthy of the highest echelons of electro universe. "Liquid Sunlight" EP consists of four tracks: "Quicksilver Surprise", "Behold The Spirit", "Crystals In Your Mind" and "Liquid Soul" which all share common qualities of his previous work - deep, spacey, richly textured and just really well crafted electro music. Throughout the record's various moods, there's an undertone of melancholy and beauty. What Cygnus does so masterfully here is combine the futuristic imagery with deeply human emotions, a juxtaposition which makes the result feel much deeper than the sum of those parts. Without a doubt, "Liquid Sunlight" is a wonderful example of how electro in 2019 can sound. Respectful to the genre's tradition yet looking toward the future. Technology led but deeply grounded in the human condition. Engaging in solitary home listening, powerful at 4 AM in the club. All of our releases, this one's pressed onto a heavy duty 180 gram vinyl and beautifully dressed in an original artwork by local artist.

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Return of the UK producer Allen Saei aka Aubrey on the mighty Barba label is another bold statement in the discography of this well-versed artist. Building on the relationship with the Burek/Barba/Pomalo family established through remixes of Information Ghetto's "Inspiration" track (Burek 2013), DJ Stingray's "Communication System" (Barba 2015) and his solo "Clock Funk EP" (Barba 2017), for this record Aubrey presents us with a continuation of his previous Barba release, simplistically titled "Clock Funk 2" EP. As is to be expected from a guy who's been spending time in the studio for better part of the last three decades, this 12" is pure techno, in the best sense of the word. As mature and consistent as the previous record of the series, we have Aubrey building on that ground and expanding the range into more abrasive and rough on one side, and even more subtle and humane on the other. A1, titled "Clock Funk 2" is among the subtle ones. Beautiful cascading keys, glitchy synth bleeps and lead lines intertwine into a gorgeous composition grounded by a driving bassline and counterpinted with distorted ride cymbals. Uniquely sounding track which draws influences from many corners of the planet. A2, titled "Sel Moulo" sets a point for the other side of the spectrum. The heaviest and roughest, it locks the frame in which this EP works. Direct, abstract and firmly aimed towards the dancefloor, this cut is for the peak moment of the night when its combination of jacking beats and trippy leads will just push the craziness off the edge. B1, the most humane and gentle track on the EP, "Triads" is a perfect match for the A1 cut, although slower and calmer. Again, the similar approach is used, where the perfectly tuned combination of small synth and keys elements form a complex image which will stay ingrained into anyone's mind once you play it in the right moment. Again, it's hard not to reach for the word "beautiful" when describing this one. B2, Ghost Mist, is on the other hand a match for the heavy A2, but also not as intense. A repetitive affair, with abstract synth lines and disharmonic pads serving as an emotion injection just when they're needed. Common thread moving through all four cuts is an infectious groove intertwined with synth lines that would not be misplaced amongst the best examples of space-influenced techno music firmly grounded on the floor. All that, pressed onto a heavy duty 180 gram vinyl and beautifully packaged in an original artwork by local artist EmaEmaEma.

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
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Texas-based electronic music producer Phillip Washington aka Cygnus was on bit of a hiatus since his phenomenal "Cosmos" long play on Fundamental Records, released near the end of 2016. With this EP, titled "ne0 ge0", he's breaking the silence and we're extremely happy to see it happening through Barba imprint. The record consists of 4 cuts; "Zone Shifting", "Vertexing", "ne0-ge0" and "Astronoot" which all share common qualities of his previous work - deep, spacey, richly textured and really well crafted. "Zone Shifting" is what electro in 2018 should sound like. Deep, emotional and futuristic but well grounded in the human condition through the vocal line which seems to haunt from the distance. "Vertexing" is a slightly more paced, moodier affair with slow enveloping Vangelis-esque synth lines bleeding all over traditional electro sounding beat. However, in this case that's exactly what's needed. Title track, "ne0-ge0" is the first one on the flip side and the busiest one. Creasing of multiple synth lines and pads is done in such an expertly elegant manner that you just can't resist but play it loud on a big soundsystem and see what it does to the dancefloor. And finally, record closes with "Astronoot", and as B2 tracks usually are - it's the deepest of them all, reserved for those heady moments when you need something to bring the magic to the next level.

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
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5th release of the strong Barba records! And its FBK who's back featuring a remix by none other than Claude Young - a Detroit heavy-weight who's been particularly selective with his output. Kevin's previous record for Barba, a 2016 twelve titled "Screaming Her Name", also featured a remixes by Terrence Dixon and Plural. Between then and now Kevin managed to put out a track for "The Cast Project" VA and a solo EP for Radio Slave's "Rekids" imprint. As we mentioned earlier, "Eclipse" features two original tracks, the title one and "To A Place I Know". "Eclipse" track is closer to the sound we've come to associate to FBK's productions - equally banging and meditative. This track takes you for a spin with hypnotizing lead synth, distorted acid lines and drums that intensify the vibe as the track progresses. It's dark and moody, but perfect for those moments when the dancefloor is ready to dive really deep. "To A Place I Know" starts on the similar note but as soon as the sampled vocal loop takes the lead it takes the song to a much happier place. Hypnotizing element is still unavoidably present but here the synth line is more subdued and plays a supporting role to the vocals. Something you would play when you need to dive out from the deep and feel some sun on your skin. Finally, Claude Young's remix of "Eclipse" is a fairly different affair, focusing on the meditative aspect of the original quite literally, and taking it to a whole other level. It is an exercise in restraint and patience, with a slowly-rising tension masterfully achieved by a piano line, ambient pads and synth textures subtly exchanging roles throughout the whole length of the song. Simply wonderful. All that, pressed onto a heavy duty 180 gram vinyl and beautifully packaged in an original artwork traditionally featuring local artists

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
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UK producer Allen Saei aka Aubrey is no stranger to Burek family, having already remixed Information Ghetto's "Inspiration" track for Burek in 2013 and DJ Stingray's "Communication System" track released on Barba in 2015. As is to be expected from a guy who's been spending time in the studio for better part of the last three decades, on 13th Barba release Aubrey delivers a mature and consistent space-themed club 12" titled "Space Funk". Although pretty self-referential as a whole, each track on the 12" offers a different take on the topic. "Clock Funk" and "Space Jazz" are quite direct and peak time, "Spaceship Blues" is a chunky funk workout and "Path To Nowhere" is somewhat deeper introspective piece. Common thread moving through all four cuts is an infectious groove intertwined with synth lines that would not be misplaced amongst the best examples of space-influenced techno music firmly grounded on the floor but with eyes on the future. All that, pressed onto a heavy duty 180 gram vinyl and beautifully packaged in an original artwork by local artist EmaEmaEma.

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

London-born producer Colin Lindo aka Nubian Mindz is not your average predictable artist. You know his stuff's gonna be good, but there's a solid chance you'll be surprised with a thing or two in every track. Similar approach applies here. Generally speaking, the music is deep and rich, yet very direct and club ready, but with plenty of those unpredictable moments which made us go crazy for these tracks in the first place. A1 - "Aqua Lifeforms" is perhaps the least intense cut on the record, a sort of a slow grower which builds up momentum by layering sounds and pads. A2 - "Body Mover" is exactly what the title tells you. Crunchy peak time tune for the dance floor, with shuffling broken beats wrapping around deep chords that hint what's happening on the flip side. B1 - "Doorway To Her" is a nod to the classic deep techno chord-ish approach. Well, sort of. The song lets you think that until the first curveball just before the half of the track. After that, it's just deeper than deep. B2 - "Pulsing Hearts" is another well-crafted dance floor cut. The track moves from deep meditative vibe to subtle acid tripping, just to be finished with a proper bass workout. Overall, we couldn't think of a better way to mark the 10th Barba release.

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
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Killer deep spaced out electro tracks!!! Over 20 years ago Shad T. Scott and his pal Seven set up Isophlux Records, Miami's infamous first electronic imprint releasing, as they put 'techno, electro, funk, experimental, and anything good'. Now in year 2016, Shad under his Gosub alias releases this Sunday At Battle Ship Key titled EP for Barba Records, staying true to that initial principle. Its far away from just being good though, its beautiful and warm electronic music at its best, oozing chill and feel good moods. Original two tracks are accompanied with a remix by second time appearing on Barba - JTC aka Tadd Mullinix who this time nicely surprised us with his ol' school NY style house beauty. Overall one fine classic record this, period.



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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
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FBK aka Kevin Kennedy is a hardworking man, be it battling computers and machines when producing music or when going out there and getting job done. In either case, one things is certain - theres no messin' around. He's also one half of 'The Fallen' a duo performing live, showcasing their love for banging darker industrial/wave inspired techno. His pal James Johnson aka Plural, artist with release on legendary Metroplex label last year, provided great remix on this latest EP by Kevin under his FBK moniker for Barba Records. All three original tracks are long building, big room, grooving stompers with a lot of emotions that would fit in various sets pretty much at any time. To keep things entirely 'D' footed, the legend, the man of weird, beautiful, unique and reduced techno world - Terrence Dixon rounds things up with his hypnotic re-interpretation of title track.



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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More