It’s been 5 years since North Lake delivered the ‘Moonwalker’ 12” on Phonica’s main label and it’s telling that to this day it’s one of the most requested for a repress. That’s not to say he’s been idle in the years since then, his releases for Life & Death, Permanent Vacation and Ellum Audio have cemented his reputation as a trusted producer in the world of leftfield Techno.
North Lake is Michigan-based Isaac Delongchamp and his ‘Hearing Voices’ EP features four tracks that illustrate his influences, stretching from classic Detroit Techno to Deep House and even New Age and Ambient. In fact, these four tracks could work as a story, from the opening title track, ‘Hearing Voices’ through two peak-time housers into the after-hours vibe of the final track.
‘Hearing Voices’ is the standout here based on a beautiful looping keyboard melody which subtly grows, progressing and ascending to a deceptive moment of silence before returning to its original melody. Next up ‘Vibing To Your Vibe’ is a perfect combination of organic and electronic elements with little synth details and an 80s Electro vibe adding to the 4/4 groove.
On the flip, the simple but devastatingly effective Omar S-esque ‘Magic Ride’, the EP’s peak energy moment and the logical follow-up to his first Phonica release with Dixon-favourite ‘Marlborol Noir’. Finally, the record comes to an end with ‘Teenage Heartbreak’, a mellow, classy House production that works just as well on the dancefloor as well as home listening. More

Following Lord Of The Isles' "Year Of the City EP" Phonica Records return with a solid 3 tracker from North Lake. "We've been fans of North Lake here at Phonica HQ ever since his Resista outing last year and his second EP on Sweatshop and contribution to the first Blank Slate release only reinforced our desire to release an EP from this talented producer." "Moonwalker" features three analog jams born out of live sessions - three beautiful synth cuts for home and club listening that instantly bring parallels to early Isolee material; melodic and heavy enough to whip up a frenzy on the dancefloor. "Marlborol Noir" kicks off proceedings, chugging away effortlessly with it's ascending and descending synth riffs, the spawn of a long imprpvised session in the studio. "Suomi Kutsuu" opens the b-side emphatically, a heavy galloping rhythm and an ascending synth riff dominating from the off. It's six minutes of pure analog battle gear. Rounding off the EP, title track "Moonwalker" is a pacy mix of arpeggiated synths, intricate drum programing and eerie melodies that intertwine perfectly with the bass-heavy syncopated kick drum. More

AVNU returns to the Ellum collective, dropping a new single in advance of his second full-length album ‘Crisis In the Simulation’ due on the Ellum this Spring. ‘Next Caller’ comes backed with a remix from another Ellum stalwart, Raxon.

Based in Scotland, DJ & producer AVNU has been deeply immersed in music for over two decades, taking inspiration from the warm tones of blues to the hard cuts from the rave and all points in between. Latest collaborations with Maceo Plex on his new album ‘93’ (‘Clickbait’, ‘Serpent Jazz’ and ‘Go Back’ feat. Desire) and remixes of Tyler Hill and Madben have solidified his association with the Ellum and Lone Romantic labels.

On his new single ‘Next Caller’, the talented producer whips up a progressive and chunky club track laced with dark energy. Raxon’s accompanying remix provides a nuanced slant on the original, kitted out with chunky drums and catchy loops to compliment the thick bassline rhythms of the original. More

Madben's superb Troisième Sens album is remixed again, as new mixes from Josh Wink and AVNU join previous offerings from Alinka and Avision on this standout EP. Kicking off this fantastic package is Ukraine-born but Berlin-based Alinka. She is now right at the cutting edge of the scene after big releases on the likes of Rekids and Live at Robert Johnson. She is a regular at iconic spots like Berghain/Panorama Bar, Circoloco and Smart Bar and flips 'Addicted' into a heavy house cut with thumping drums and lithe baselines. Acid sprays about over warmer synths to make for a real peak-time weapon. Next up is Josh Wink, a legendary electronic artist who heads up the Ovum label and has consistently crafted some of house and techno's biggest tracks. He flips '1AM At A Rave' into seven-plus minutes of scintillating electronic deepness with trippy leads and real synth intensity building to an explosive peak. NYC DJ and producer Avision has released EPs such as ‘Innocence’ on this label while also getting support for his new school techno from Adam Beyer and Chris Liebing. His remix of 'Circuit Breaker' is a chunky and textural affair with seriously weighty drums. Stark synths rise up through the mix next to bubbling acid to make for a heart-of-the-dance-floor classic. Scottish artist AVNU is another label regular who dropped his ‘Tough To Love But Worth The Effort’ album here last year. He flips '1AM At A Rave' into a dark and atmospheric cut with flashes of strobe-lit synth and zippy leads that rip up the crunchy electro-tinged drums. More

As a standout and highly requested track in Maceo Plex sets over the last year, his Ellum Audio label finally releases Raxon's 'The Cage of Love,' an epic cover of trance classic 'Age of Love'. The original 'Age of Love' is a genre and era-defining tune. Despite its legendary status, Raxon is an artist who is more than up to the challenge of reinterpreting it for contemporary dance floors. The Egyptian-born, Barcelona-based artist is an underground mainstay with a fantastic album on Kompakt, top singles on Ellum Audio and Cocoon Recordings and gigs all over the world. He has teased this track at many of them, and it has never failed to light up the dance floor. 'The Cage Of Love' has an all-new techno feel with a taught bassline and slapping drum funk. The lead synths are molten and futuristic, while the original's vocal adds the iconic hook. The track builds in layers, teasing and then pleasing when it finally drops as the dance floor explodes and the laser-like synths spray about the mix with a life of their own. The vinyl comes with extended and instrumental mixes, while digital downloads include the radio edit and extended mixes. This is a new high point for Raxon and a bona fide classic in the making from Ellum Audio. More

French techno titan Madben unveils his much anticipated ‘Troisième Sens’ LP on Maceo Plex’s Ellum Audio. Madben started absorbing the techno of Jeff Mills, Dave Clarke and Speedy J in the 90s, growing up in Lille in northern France. He retains a passion for DIY culture and warehouse parties thanks to youthful raving at Brussels' Fuse, Gent's Kozzmozz or in abandoned factories in Courtrai. All this has shone through in his music, including a debut album on Astropolis in 2018 that featured a collaboration with Laurent Garnier and a recent EP for Garnier and Scan X’s label.'Departure' kicks off with uplifting synth work and broken techno beats that have a celebratory feel. 'Addicted' is a lithe cut with steamy vocals and a more fulsome combo of drums and bass, while 'Circuit Breaker' cuts loose in the cosmos. Acid wobbles, smeared synths and metallic percussion all make for a bouncy cut before 'Fade In Fade Out' continues the cosmic trip with vastly oversized synth patterns that will light up a dark space with overwhelming euphoria. The brilliant 'It's 1 am In A Rave' is a dark, heads-down banger with 'Lost Memories' then layering up melancholic synths and Plastikman-style drum loops into something full of deep thought. There is no let up with the superb acid techno gymnastics of 'No fear', and 'The March' is a turbulent mix of sheet metal synths that whip about over steel-plated drums. 'You Dance Like A Robot' is end-of-the-world electro with a menacing robot vocal, and the electro tip continues with expert drum programming and menacing leads on 'Deep In The Jungle'. 'Meta' is a flailing rhythmic workout that sounds like the machines are in meltdown, and 'I Made A Dream During This Nightmare' is a serene techno soundscape for ruminating about the future of the human race. Intelligent yet immediate, impactful but emotional, ‘Troisième Sens’ is another standout techno record from Madben. More

Belgian artist Melawati steps up to Ellum Audio with an arresting debut album, Artimia. Produced with an array of modified machines and modular synths, it is a testament to finding beauty in chaos. Martijn Ravesloot aka Melawati makes music out of mistakes. He comes from an indie background but has always admired Aphex Twin while playing in bands such as The Subs and working in theatre. He has a love of experimenting with soundwaves that gives rise to his complex, experimental and improvised sounds. He first met Maceo Plex while jamming and that session turned into the track 'Daliah' which dropped on Ellum Audio and was remixed by Tale of Us. After that, Melawati wrote this most absorbing and beautiful album during the pandemic in a dark studio attic in the heart of Brussels. He set about recording live experiments on analog synths and then deconstructed and reconstructed them into the tracks presented here. The angelic tones of guest vocalist Lisa Jane feature on two tracks though the pair have never met, and Melawati is now set to take his impressive live show to Tomorrowland. His life has changed since writing the album, he now has two children and lives on a farm, but the power of this music where organic and alien worlds intersect remains utterly compelling. Opener 'I Just Want To Go Walking' pairs a heavenly vocal with celestial chords and a bustling broken beat that strikes a powerful emotional note right from the off. The excellent 'Riddles' showcases more majestic synth work and molten melodies that suspend you in mid-air while 'Slow Pulse' is an intense layering of drones and heavy drum tumbles that again offsets light and dark, tension and release. 'Red Herring' rests with beautifully pensive synth patterns that twinkle, warp and melt before your very ears and 'You And I' takes off on a rubbery groove overlaid with heart-aching keys and shimmering, wordless vocals. 'Somebody' is brain-soothing synth bliss with lush patterns and icy drums that gently unfold to get you in a trance and the gorgeous 'Radiate' then offers a widescreen and cosmic ambient interlude. The heartbroken synths of 'Let Your Love Wash Over Me' speak of the end of a cosmic love affair and 'Violent Thoughts' rebuilds on smooth arps and smeared pads over downtempo drums. The final trio of tracks offers rousing breakbeats on 'New White Noise', uplifting synth catharsis on 'Pain And Pressure' and a melancholic lullaby on 'Stellar'. Artimia is a beautiful mix of harmony and dissonance, of real emotional power and improvised musical elegance. More

AVNU (UK) follows up his fantastic recent single on Ellum Audio with a long-awaited and hugely adventurous new album, ‘Tough To Love But Worth The Effort’. AVNU (UK) is based on the East Coast of Scotland and has been deeply immersed in music for twenty plus years. He has a love of everything from rock, soul and blues to disco, electro, techno, trance and rave. All of that comes out in his innovative sounds, which range from sweat-inducing club tracks to hooky and feel-good grooves. This album finds him working his magic across 15 tracks that bring plenty of fresh perspective to house, electro, synth, techno and pop. They add up to a storytelling record filled with left turns and tracks that work in a range of different contexts. 'Surprise!' opens with a glossy electro beat and shimmering 80s synths that set the tone for the whole record. 'I Love You' brings a French touch influence with plenty of filtered synth loops and crisp drums under a soulful vocal, then 'Supaflake' cuts loose on an old-school funk vibe with nods to early Daft Punk. This most colourful of records plays out through the likes of sombre cosmic techno offering 'Bad Karma,' the longing chords and heavy-hearted electronica of 'Odyssey Jam' feat Mariel Ito and distorted bass of 'Phlegm In The Street' which comes with laser-like synths and menacing vocals. The future styles continue on 'Yo E, Check This Out' which collides jungle breakbeats with brain-melting sine waves, while 'Wilkie' is a moment to catch your breath amongst bright and shiny synths and deeper drums that suspend you in a celestial sky. 'Proud You’re Mine' is a perfect electro-dance-pop gem that has potential to be a summer festival anthem and the title track closes down with six minutes of enchanting and mystical synth lines and hypnotic drums. ‘Tough To Love But Worth The Effort’ is a spectacularly broad and accomplished album that lives in a world of its own. More

Ellum Audio welcomes back Raxon for another of his cosmically minded techno EPs. Egypt-born but Barcelona-based, Raxon is at the forefront of the melodic techno scene thanks to always well-designed sounds on Diynamic, Kompakt, Cocoon and more. As a DJ, too, he explores an interplanetary sound that has seen him on the billing at influential festivals and clubs worldwide, from DGTL to Resistance Ibiza at Privilege. He opens this one with the superb 'Mantis,' a terrifically twitchy and astral track. Robot vocals are stitched into the mix with turbo-charged synths and a looping bassline over heavy drums. It's the sound of intergalactic warfare with a real sense of electronic funk and cinematic design. Then comes 'Input Robot,' a jostling broken techno groove laced up with sleek cosmic chords. Alien life forms live between the beats, and the elastic bass keeps you moving as the track rolls on through a turbulent night sky. The ‘Mantis EP’ is another innovative techno exploration from Raxon. More

New school techno pioneer Avision will release his debut album ‘In My Mind’ on Ellum Audio this winter. Avision grew up around the rich club culture of New York City and is now part of a new wave of artists defining the contemporary techno landscape. In just a couple of years, the American has become an absolute mainstay on labels like Drumcode, Machine, and We Are The Brave. His hard-hitting productions have found their way into the record bags of tastemakers like Adam Beyer, Maceo Plex and Chris Liebing. At the same time, he has been featured everywhere, from The Brooklyn Mirage and Time Warp in New York to festivals like Elrow, The BPM Festival, Electric Daisy Carnival and Dockyards. Now he offers up ‘In My Mind’, a widescreen artistic statement across 13 immersive tracks. Says the artist, “I’m truly proud to share ‘In My Mind’ with the world, as I feel like this is another side of music that people haven’t heard from me. This album touches on a little bit of everything, and I wanted it to represent where I’m from. 90% of the album was written during the time we couldn’t be ourselves and do what we love, but I turned that frustration and disbelief into an album with emotion and meaning. I couldn’t be happier with the final outcome, and I hope everyone enjoys it.” The LP kicks off with ‘Real Talk’, wasting no time getting going on a lush wave of Detroit-style techno full of hi-tek soul. 'Cut The Rope' features Robert Owens, the legendary house vocalist who lights up the deep, driving house drums with a typically impassioned vocal. The energy levels stay high on 'No Disco' with its oversized hi-hats, nimble bassline and chattery claps, while 'Baby' traps you in metallic techno loops with a playful vocal sample. After the bright lights of lead single 'Contrast,' and grinding peak time weapon 'In My Mind' is ‘Ground Rule’, an atmospheric spoken word interlude about NYC. The album’s second half kicks off with the far-sighted cosmic pads of 'I'll Take You' with Xander and has you lost in another world. There is angst in the tense synth loops of interplanetary techno cut 'Your Soul' and hands-in-the-air trance energy on 'Where I Want To Be.' The monstrous 'All Night' is another wall of rich synth sound over big drums, and 'Lost Symmetry' then releases the pressure with a more dreamy melodic vibe built on tumbling breakbeats. 'In Your World' closes in an uplifting fashion across eight minutes of cantering techno and epic synth work. ‘In My Mind’ is an accomplished and adventurous album that takes melodic techno in bold new directions. More

Hailing from Amsterdam, Melawati, also known as Melawati Modular, is a composer, sound designer, avid lover of modular synths, and an experimental live electronic music artist making his debut on Ellum Audio. His beautiful single also features two astounding remixes by the maestro and label head Maceo Plex and melancholic masters Tale of Us. The excellent 'Daliah' is a smooth and seductive journey through lush melody and productive synth work. Those synths come in various forms, from fluid smears to more pixelated stabs. The restless breakbeats below his humming tunes add to the sense of adventure as you race through the cosmos on the galactic journey Melawati has created. Maceo Plex steps up to remix, with a version that has tense, textured chord vamps, punchy kicks, and enigmatic twinkling keys raining down from above. It is epic and cinematic and a perfect fit for his always far-gazing label. Finally, the acclaimed Italian duo treats us with their excellent remix. Tale of US flip the cut into a spacious melodic techno track with dramatic breakdowns, big chord builds, and a cruising groove that will carry the auditor into the next dimension. This is an innovative, classy melodic techno track of the highest order. TRACK LISTING: A. Daliah (Maceo Plex Remix), B1. Daliah, B2. Daliah (Tale Of Us Remix)
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Josh Wink joins Ellum Audio for a stellar new single backed with a remix from DJ Seinfeld. Josh Wink needs little introduction to fans, or even occasional listeners to dance music. The American DJ and producer has been one of the most enduring figures in the scene with a catalogue of music on labels like R&S, Strictly Rhythm, Nervous, Pokerflat, MNus and of course his own long standing Ovum Recordings imprint. As a DJ, he has travelled the globe since the mid-nineties, headlining festivals and clubs wherever he goes. What he has never done in his almost 30-year career is ever lose touch with the roots of underground dance music, something he demonstrates once again here with a standout new single for Maceo Plex’s label. As Josh says, “Eric and I have known each other since the 90’s, when I would come to Dj in Houston Texas, and now so many years later, I’m excited to have my music released on his mighty Ellum imprint, including a great remix from Dj Sienfield”. ‘Feel’ is classic Josh Wink, near eight minutes of spacey, hypnotic dancefloor wonderment fuelled by syncopated percussion and arpeggiated bass which builds the tension before a spacious drop and meditative, spoken word vocal take the reins. Timeless and heartfelt this is a gem from the Philadelphia legend. Remix duties fall to Sweden’s DJ Seinfeld, the lo-fi house pioneer and Young Ethics label boss who chops things up with a warped bassline, wonky FX and dancing synth lines to bring a brilliant alternative to the table. TRACK LISTING: A. Feel, B. Feel (DJ Seinfeld Remix)
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Swedish DJ/Producer Christian Nielsen debuts on Maceo Plex's Ellum imprint with the ‘Love Struck’ EP this May. The four track EP continues a strong start to 2020 with releases from Raxon and Avision and, true to the label’s form, is all about weighty, characterful cuts from Nielsen, an artist who has previously chalked up releases for the likes of Kompakt, Of Unsound Mind and Play it Down. The titular opener of ‘Love Struck’ is a swaggering, low slung affair with a growling bassline underpinning a pitch shifted vocal refrain and piercing rave stabs - a mutant beast which fuses techno, Garage and rave aesthetics in anthemic style. The skeletal rhythms and gritty acid flair of ‘For Myself’ follow in a track that, through some nifty builds, manages to pull off a big room energy as much as it does a basement vibe. ’Switch’ is next up and, with a rock solid groove, vocal sample and subaquatic tones, displays just how well Nielsen can create a monster with few elements. The heaviest track, ‘Pulse’, rounds off ‘Love Struck’ with a huge, padding kick drum and resonant percussive lead doing the heavy lifting while counterpointed by judiciously employed warm, cossetting jazz flute licks More

Ellum Audio mainstay Raxon is back with two more of his cosmic techno wonders. Raxon hails from Egypt, is Barcelona based and has risen through the ranks with a well crafted and emotive techno sound on labels like Diynamic, Kompakt, Cocoon and more. Last summer he played huge parties like Resistance Ibiza at Privilege as well as festivals like DGTL. Though he has made big moves in recent years, Raxon has been deeply involved in the scene for more than two decades. Characterful opener 'Loop Machine' is a dark and playful tune with loopy vocals layered over a rolling drum beat. The pixelated synths spray about the mix and the whole thing is destined to make the club bounce as one. The excellent 'Love Lapse' has a retro feel with its 80s synth chords and widescreen astral atmospheres. A busy bassline does plenty of work to keep things moving, while turbulent blasts of synths and prickly percussion add vital texture to this late night jam. These are two more forward-looking and evocative tracks from the ever on-point Raxon. TRACK LISTING. A. Loop Machine,, B. Love Lapse More

Avision storms into 2020 in fine fashion with his first EP for Maceo Plex's Ellum Audio label. Playing the decks since just 12 years of age, this American artist grew up in the musically rich New York City scene and is now at the sharp end of it with his own new school techno sound. He has released on key labels like Ben Sims’ Hardgroove, Mark Broom’s Beardman and Teksupport, and is someone that icons like Adam Beyer and Chris Liebing often reach for in their own sets. He starts off his latest offering with 'Innocence', a bustling techno track with bulky drum programming that is brilliantly loose. It jostles you into action as dark vocals add intensity and makes for a perfectly physical dance floor workout. Keeping up the pressure is 'Time Lapse', with big hi hats and a driving bassline all interwoven with thundering kick drums that will get the whole club up on its toes. A rising synth in the background adds an air of cosmic exploration and means this tasteful techno trip is enthralling from start to finish. These are two superbly stylish and high powered techno cuts from this contemporary tastemaker. More

Maceo Plex finally serves up a new single that has been huge for him in recent months: it comes from hotly tipped Irish pair Brame & Hamo with a remix from techno and electro specialist Steffi. Brame & Hamo are new school, underground stars who can hold down intimate Berlin basements, festival main stages and large scale clubs with equal skill. They deal in house, acid, breaks and techno that is big on character and has come on their own eponymous label, amongst others. Here they link with Anthony Acid for a new single, which is only their second outside their own label since 2016, following as it does the hugely well received Feel My Bicep release, as well as the recent remix for Ninja Tune’s Counter Records imprint. The fantastic and anthemic ‘It’s Time To' is a throwback acid house jam with dark, looped vocals that get you in a trance. The serrated 303 is gritty and the punchy drums cannot fail to work the floor into a sweaty, writhing mass. Steffi has long been an underground star with releases on Ostgut Ton and her own Klakson marking her out as one of house, techno and electro’s most atmospheric and assured artists. Here she remixes the original into a rugged and propulsive house cut with soulful Detroit synths and melancholic chords that make for an emotional and powerful classic. This is a monstrous new package from Ellum Audio and another superb offering from this unstoppable duo. More

Ellum Audio welcomes impressive new school talent Raxon for four suitably cosmic techno tracks. Raxon hails from Egypt, is Barcelona based and has risen through the ranks with a well-crafted and emotive techno sound on labels like Diynamic, Kompakt, Cocoon and more. This summer he has been playing the revered Resistance Ibiza at Privilege as well as festivals like DGTL. Though he has made big moves in recent years, Raxon has been deeply involved in the scene for more than two decades. Opener ‘Andromena’ is a tense and futuristic groove that keeps you in suspense. Synths and chords ride up and down the scales without resolving and will make for a rapturous effect in the clubs. The superb ‘Vortex Cortex’ is stripped back, driving techno with a sleek bassline and sci-fi sounds making it all the more cinematic. The whole track feels like it is going to take off and carry you away to the stars. After the scene-setting ambience of ‘Introspect’ - a short and atmospheric interlude with more cosmic sounds, pulses and sonar blips - the excellent ‘Second Contact’ closes things out. A dark and prickly jam with expertly programmed drums that are broken and punchy, this one is about creating real intergalactic energy and is does that in style. This is Raxon’s most accomplished EP yet, and as such is perfectly at home on tgmthe mighty Ellum Audio. More

Maceo Plex’s taste-making Ellum Audio serves up a sizzling EP from Madben, featuring a remix from men of the moment Brame & Hamo. Frenchman Madben has a healthy reverence for Jeff Mills and Detroit techno that infuses all his work. He has been mentored by Laurent Garnier and released on a wealth of quality labels from Bedrock to Suara. A resident of the Rex Club in Paris where he puts on his MAAD parties, he is now a regular in the best clubs around Europe where he serves up his always profound sounds, something he does again here. First up is the fantastic ‘Blooming’, with its old school rave styles and dusty breakbeats. Euphoric chords light up the whole thing and it’s a tune that is sure to get hands in the air. Brame & Hamo are Irish sensations who are based in Berlin and known for big tunes that range from house to techno to disco. After establishing their own label they step out with a remix that is superbly stripped back. On deep rolling drums, sleek synths unfold and take you on a cosmic adventure that is well paced and cinematic. Madben’s ‘Enjoy Yourself' is well crafted techno with a sense of progression in the ever evolving lead synths. Rumbling drums provide the power below and filtered, whispered vocals are an intriguing detail up top. Last of all, ‘Haze’ is a prickly track with snappy mental drums, off kilter synths that twist and turn and a dark energy that is tinged with industrialism. This is a fresh techno offering that comes with plenty of new ideas that are all expertly executed. More

Just before Maceo Plex’s Ellum Audio label reaches its half century, the influential outlet serves up a standout EP from fast rising talent Fred Lenix. Iago Frederici is a young Brazilian music producer who merges new era electronic melodies with his unique perspective of Latin American and Turkish cultures. Always expressing himself well, he is a regular face in Sao Paolo who is driving the thriving local scene forwards, and this new EP is sure to win him plenty of new fans across Europe. It kicks off with ‘The Rails’, a bristling tech track that is run through with wiry synths and frosty filters. It’s cold and austere and perfect to shake up a big warehouse space with a real sense of futuristic drama. Next comes ‘Manipulated Dead’, an excellent electro tinged number that builds the suspense with some edgy drum work and rumbling synths. A sense of cosmic ambiance lights up the background and make this a track with real feeling. The slick electro bomb ‘Manipulated Living’ closes things out with excellent drum programming and taught kicks. The slippery synths bring real fluidity to the grooves and some distant pads enrich the whole thing with a sense of real serenity. More

This is a new series of tracks from the late 90's mid 2000's that went under the radar and we are bringing them back. More