Radio Slave welcomes UK techno talent Roberto to Rekids to deliver the latest installment in the‘Special Projects’ series as he opens 2019 with his ‘Let’s Be Free’ EP. Based in London, Roberto aka Rob Kirkaldy is one of the latest names of note to emerge from the capital’s ever-impressing electronic music scene having showcased his rich blend of deep and immersing techno via a host of esteemed imprints including ARTS, Fachwerk and his own label Fossil Archive, founded in 2015, in recent years. Following a string of performances across revered establishments including fabric, Tresor, Culture Box and Berghain, 2019 will open with a debut outing on Radio Slave’s Rekids imprint as he delivers four entrancing techno cuts in the form of his ‘Let’s Be Free’ EP, set to drop in late January as part of the label’s Special Projects series. ‘The Jester’ opens the EP as Kirkaldy fuses slick, crisp percussion amongst murky swells and everdeveloping, dubby chord arrangements, whilst ‘Tonic’ continues this aesthetic as transcendental melodies meet deep kicks and delicate hats to reveal a captivating journey across six and a half minutes. On the flip, ‘The Days Are Longer Now’ utilises a skillful balance of emotive synths and refined kicks to deliver the most up front production of the package, before title cut ‘Lets Be Free’ closes proceedings as resonant melodies and paired back organic percussion patterns ebb and flow amongst pockets of intricate sound design to conclude yet another impressive release on the Berlin based imprint. More

After his turn in Conga Radio, Roberto makes his debut on Good Timin' with four-tracks of classy bangers. Leading the charge is the shuffling "Junk Rudder," a piece of flanged out club gear that has the grace and grit to take any party to "that next level." Meanwhile, "Atomic" is a not-quite peak-hour stomper, while "Oceanic" is the sound of Goa Trance if the drug of choice was high-end coconut water. Finally, "Twilight" sounds like something Bruce Hornsby might cook up if he got arrested and could only talk to his lawyer through a broken Moog. More

Canada's Solar Phenomena presents three DJ Sotofett remixes of Tokyo producer Mystica Tribe. With a unique and unpredictable approach, Norwegian DJ Sotofett who runs Sex Tags Mania, Amfibia and Wania opens the remix EP with "Ash of Dub Mix", and as the names suggests, a fat dub with huge rubbery kicks, oodles of echoing hits and a spaced out curiousness that sonically draws inwards. "Dub Lawn Dub" eight minutes strips it back with a meandering top line, whimsical, dreamy and encouraging synths contrasting the rickety drums tumbling below. Lastly, "Dub'right Mix" continues the producer trademark loose limbed and jumbled drums, working into a lather while synths squelches and wobbled pads parallely prospects other dimensions. Heavy deepness with percussive highlights. More

Solar Phenomena continues a high quality and high rate of releases after EP's from the likes of STL and Fluxion with a new one from Mystica Tribe - the musical alias of Tokyo-based producer, Taka Noda. Here he draws on everything from dub, soul, bass music, rhythm and blues and will always freak you out with his unusual sounds.
This excellently absorbing EP starts with Love Is All Right, a fusion of Asian percussion and reggae drums that is high tempo and funky. The bright steelpan sounds offset the razor sharp percussion and make for a sunny dub that will get any crowd going. The same fusion vibes continues but in more blissed out and slow motion fashion on 'Lawn Track', the beautiful cosmic psyche-out that is 'Ash' and supple space journey that is 'Voyage' with its intoxicating melodies and loose, tumbling percussion. This is unusual but essential music from an exclusive talent. More

Solar Phenomena keeps up a busy schedule with the third EP of 2018. This one comes from cult UK artist Duckett who's past collaborations include Tom Demac, Grimes Adhesif and Leif. Recently he has served up solo EPs for labels like Galdoors, UntilMyHeartStops and Wisdom Teeth. Mixing up elements of IDM, techno and ambient, he is a sculptor of timeless tracks that come from another world. 'Could I Pulverise A Leg' opens up the EP with trippy synths falling down the face of the track, with minimal drums and corrugated bass racing below. It's the sound of space travel in turbulent times. 'Cycling Is Crushed Inside A Moment He Forgot' is more sparse, with watery keys and curious melodies drifting about above another barely there groove. It's heavenly, celestial stuff that places you in a microbial world of neon colours and beautifully alien sounds. 'Flex' is more for the club, with broken mechanical drums and fractured vocal sounds all grinding together to make for something truly new and original sounding. 'Risks' then rounds out the EP with edgy ambience and coarse hits, swirling pads and an ominous suspense that keeps you engaged throughout. It rounds out a hugely inventive EP. More

After a first EP of the year from STL, the Solar Phenomena label now welcomes Romania's Romansoff. The Raw Tools label boss hails from Bucharest and has also released his gritty, stripped back house and techno on Creme Organization and Sportiv. Here he offers four new tracks, with one remix from Timedance man Ploy completing the package. 'Halo' epitomises Romansoff's style with its slow, heavy drums and sparse, scattered perc sounds. A lo-fi melody adds colour, while 'Coach Jacket' ups the ante with busier claps and crashing hits laid over a turbulent, unsettled bassline. Increasing the pressure further, 'Graded' grows manic with punchy drums, layers of fuzzy synths and bass and distant cries that are dark and unsettling. Ploy flips this one into a prickly and atmospheric drum track that keeps you on edge and Romansoff's digital exclusive 'Michigan Lake Tapes' is a slow motion workout with unsettling synths and tortured pads that grows ever more unhinged. It rounds out a leftfield house EP in style. More

The Solar Phenomena label welcomes Achim Maerz for its fifth EP. The Hamburg producer is an associate of labels like Don't Be Afraid, where last year he released his mini-album of rough and ready house tracks that are improvised and innovative. The four cuts he serves up here are just as special and have an ethereal air to them. In My House opens things up with serene synth work and lush Detroit stylings. It's a deep and widescreen track that encourages you to dream. Fresh Air is a little more upright, with rattling hits and pixelated, long tailed synths lingering above the rooted drums. As the title suggests, Leaving This Planet is a cosmic exploration, with ambient keys and meditative atmospheres joined by only the most subtle and suggestive sense of rhythm way down below. Last of all is Two Times, a beautiful deep house track with deft synths drifting, bleeding and wandering off into a starry night sky. All in all, then, these are truly thoughtful house tracks. More

Solar Phenomena welcomes singular rhythm master STL for a new EP that offers four fantastic tracks of dubby house. It is the label's fourth release and finds the Something label boss in a typically inventive mood. First track 'Spy vs Spy' opens things with shuffling drum loops and eerie synth details that hypnotises over seven minutes. 'Atomsmasha' has wooden hits and rough shakers peppering a soft, imperfect groove as awkward chords bring an unhinged edge to the mix. On the flip, 'Summer Breeze & Brotherhood' has loose keys doing an off kilter dance over STL's trademark low-key drums where 'Freebird' zones you out with long held chords and detuned keys as cloudy, dusty kicks bring a barely-there groove deep down low. You know what to get from STL by now, but at the same time you can never get enough. More

Solar Phenomena is a brand new label on an exciting astral crusade. The take-off pilot for our virgin mission is none other than decorated Polish producer Echoplex. One of the country s first breakthrough international techno artists, his body of work dates back almost 20 years While often taking us 20,000 light years forward. This is no exception.

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