The summer is hot and the stages remain empty but the fans have spoken and we refuse to stop the beat here at Kompakt! London’s own Kiwi joins us with “Hello Echo” to fill your boombox park hangs with 3 epic blends of disco, house and everything in-between. To those unfamiliar with Kiwi here’s a quick intro. He’s the mind behind Crossbreed, the talked-about label and party series coming out of London. His early music endeavors saw him release on coveted labels like Disco Halal, Days Of Being Wild, Deep Shit, Optimo, Mood Black, Correspondent and we cannot forget the massively massive single “Orca” released on Futureboogie in 2017. He’s now ready to share the fruits of his lockdown with this debut for Kompakt. We ring in with the title track ”Hello Echo” featuring Bestley on vocals. Simply put, THIS is that disco-fied feel good single that is as essential as every hot day requires a cold drink in hand. Sexy and bold, “Down with the Rhythm” an immaculate bass line and a vocal that would make Dave Gahan proud. “Acqua Panna” is a favourite for us here. A crazed breakbeat mingles with a lost piano and synth that seems to jam on nowhere but somewhere that we find is very dear to the dance floor. More

Back with his third EP for Dave Harvey’s forward thinking Futureboogie label, Kiwi serves up three pulsating jams on ‘Charlie’s New Vision’, backed with a remix from Johnny Aux. Drawing upon his many influences across the house/disco/funk spectrum, South London based Kiwi has been illuminating the more discerning dancefloors of late with a strong of releases for Cin Cin, Needwant and his own new label venture, Crossbreed. A low-slung groove is explored on ‘Charlie’s New Vision’, incorporating tripped out film dialogue, bleeps and dubby tones, and a serpentine bass riff, all forging an off kilter yet infectious & hedonistic chugger. Johnny Aux follows up recent appearances on Man Power’s Me Me Me, Party Central, and Multi Culti with his own take on the lead track. Churning over a bleepy and epically transcendental remix of the highest order, this is the stuff of sunrises and enlightening moments! The sprightly ‘Ghiaccio’ draws together a kaleidoscopic array of opulent synth melodies with an compelling rhythm, whilst ‘Italian Heat’ doffs its cap heartily to the Italo disco choons of yore that always strikes a potent chord to this day. More

The infamous Kiwi returns to Needwant with his second EP on the London label (home to the likes of The Revenge, Ejeca, Maxxi Soundsystem and many more) On this cut Kiwi does what he does best by incorporating emotion and grit into dance music. The EP features 3 mixes of ‘Kiya’ as well as a remix from underground hero Brian Ring. The record has already seen support form the likes of Theo Kottis, AME, Tensnake, catz n dogz, Nick Warren & Fort Romeau to name a few. The record opens with the original version of ‘Kiya' which features warm bass tones, spaced out synth lines, shuffling percussion and a tribal-esq vocal. The Rave mix gives ‘Kiya’ dance floor authority, introducing driving acid synth lines and a weightier low end. On the B side Kiwi delivers a deconstructed ‘Dreamscape’ mix stripping ‘Kiya' back to it’s beautiful bare bones. ‘Kiya’ will be another addition to Kiwi’s already impressive physical discography which includes releases on imprints such as Disco Halal, Future Boogie & 17 Steps. His unique approach to remixing and producing over the years has meant that he has seen a wealth of support from names such as Andrew Weatherall, DJ Harvey, Gerd Janson, Daniel Avery, Erol Alkan, Optimo, Annie Mac and Skream. More

Kiwi's sound is one defined by positive, kinetic feeling - joining the dots between Detroit Techno, Soul and Balearic. With previous releases on Futureboogie, Life and Death and Moscoman's lauded Disco Halal imprint, he's garnered several accolades including reaching number #85 in Mixmag's Top 100 tunes of 2017 and sitting at #1 in the genre chart for a total of 9 weeks with his 'Orca' EP back in 2016. Now - continuing on his ascent, Kiwi lays out a pair of rapturous, gooey House jams that lands right on time for the festival season. On 'Oooh' - Vocal lines swirl over a largely beatless backing track. A rich, balmy feeling unfolds behind synth chimes and layered delays which work together to form an irresistible summer DJ tool. 'Andromeda' then follows up and blends 80's soundtrack-tinged stabs with crispy drums and thick sub bass before being accompanied by a pulsating synth line that carries the track to a delectable crescendo. Hammer then closes things up with a somewhat hallucinogenic take on 'Oooh' with LFOs, analogue sweeps and blobs of acid bleeding together to cap off an altogether warm and woozy trip. More

Following Dusky’s ubiquitous ‘Cold Heart’ EP 17 Steps presents Kiwi’s ‘Marmora’s Theme’ EP - the London producer’s debut on the label.
Having recently released on tastemaker labels such as Futureboogie, Correspondent and Optimo Music, Kiwi’s distinctive sound is a physical mix of Italo disco, techno and electro influences. Carried by a pulsating Italo bassline, lead track ‘Marmora’s Theme’ is a cosmic epic that rides crisp piano melodies and sci-fi synths - and is already garnering support from Gerd Janson, DJ Tennis and Annie Mac. Transporting the original’s piano euphoria into darker, rave referencing territory, the Tuff City Kids remix calls on growling reese bass and ’92 hardcore style pianos.
Offering some alternative vibes are the deeper, dirgy warehouse grind of ‘OTH’ and the beautiful, reflective electronica of ‘Reservoir’.

More

London’s Alex Warren, AKA Kiwi presents “ThrowDown”, a cover version of Carmen’s cult and in demand 1986 Electro Funk hit. It comes in two versions, a 4/4 club mix and at the suggestion of JD Twitch, an updated take on a Latin Freestyle mix. Both versions feature full vocals from Ciara Haidar and have “summer hit” written all over them. More

Boundary pushing EP from Kiwi, regular side kick & friend of Duke Dumont, on Duke's re-launched label Blasé Boys Club... London based Dj, producer and wonderkid Kiwi steps forth as Duke Dumont's Blase Boys Club imprint announces their next club ready EP. Striking out with Animals, the latest BBC cut heralds a new dawn for the imprint that prides itself on unearthing fresh and unique talent. After spending time developing his gut busting live show, Duke Dumont adorns the A&R hat once again as he readies this new EP. Kiwi (AKA Alex Warren) is no stranger to creating sure fire dance-floor tremors; in fact, he's shaping up to be one of the most exciting young producers out there after tracks on Sneaky, Needwant, Kitsune and Deep Shit, with a string of remixes and tracks set for release in the coming months, plus a much anticipated back to back set with Mr Andrew Weatherall, the Animals EP stands as the perfect bridge into Kiwi's forthcoming summer season. With each track named after obscure species of wildlife, it's reflective of Kiwi's own penchant for touching the outer reaches of the floor, pushing the boundaries with unique and honed sonic interpretations. Starting life with wild intent, opening track 'ShortTail' takes on a pulsing, laser galvanised bassline, growling and pushing behind whirling atmospheric sweeps and layers of sub bass before dropping into a strong blend of techno drive and house swing, flanked by cowbell chimes and percussive nuances; make no mistake, this jacking track was aimed squarely at the soldiers on the floor. Next, Kiwi teams up with vocalist Takura for the light, dreamy and airy slow-mo house romp that is 'Fossa'. Takura's light, harmonic but strained vocals add an emotional quality to the ticking groove and slow-swing of the track, much like the cat like mammal that the track shares it's name with. On the flip, 'Atlanticus', going for a slow-mo, electro-boogie fusion, bringing together down tempo groove and slow and low bass, showcasing the London bred producers penchant for all shades of house music with an ethereal, musically charged composition. After this brief respite, it's back to business on 'Pelican', with a balearic feel accentuated by perky and fluctuating basslines, the tempo firing back up through a mesh of oscillating rhythms, compressed snare hits and an unstoppable groove. More

DJ Nature follows up 2018’s ‘Ultimate Delusion’ EP with another set of pure heaters for Futureboogie. The Bristol born DJ and producer, also known to many as Nature Boy, comes with an exemplary track record, but that’s to be expected from one of the scene’s early pioneers. Releases for Golf Channel Recordings, Jazzy Sport and Ruff Disco Records are considered true classics, and rightly so! Breezy MPC house jams of the highest quality, ‘Flutter’ manages to fuse David Lynch style pads and earthy vocals with a marching rhythm, whilst ‘A Moment’ gets cosmically charged with a spiralling modular lick over a chugging guitar hook and spacey chords. NB’s Mix of Siliconada goes straight for the jugular, with looping disco rhythms and off kilter jazz licks, whilst the Original Version lays heavy and disorientating synth work down for a killer techno injection. As always, DJ Nature delivers a unique and distinctive sound that is often imitated but never bettered! More

Quirky and trippy house flavours are served up by Desert Sound Colony and Baby Rollen on the ‘Beta Burner’ E.P., with added psychedelic flavours courtesy of an A Sagittariun Remix. Hot of the heels of stellar releases for Touch From A Distance, Snap Crackle & Pop, and his very own Holding Hands Records, Desert Sound Colony debuts for Futureboogie, and delivers a trio of collaborative tracks with Baby Rollen, and a solo jam to boot! Title track, ‘Beta Burner’, is built upon an infectious break- beat groove and bumping sub-bass line; Rhodes chords jostle for position with dubbed out tones, synth hits and acid riffs, as this colourful and contagious track works its magic. Bristol based techno dreamweaver, A Sagittariun, summons up the original track’s darker elements for a slower paced, but just as deadly, “Re-Dream”. ‘Sagi’ slingshots his remix with tribal snares and a typically transcendental arp riff over muscular beats. The inventive and playful work continues on ‘Dumpster Truck’, with the gargantuan bassline taking centre stage, supported by swinging broken beats and frisky sound manipulation for a truly enjoyable ride. Wrapping up the EP, Desert Sound Colony goes solo on ‘Seismic Soy Bean’, ramping up the funk factor past 11, and dishing up the kind of headsy, happy tech grooves that the likes of U-Freqs and Wiggle were foraging at the turn of the millennium, to great effect. More

Welcome to ‘Ruffy’s Island’, the brand new interactive game that’s blowing minds from DJ, producer, record label owner, record store owner and video gamer Ruf Dug! Futureboogie proudly partner up for the audio extravaganza. Three levels to conquer, each soundtracked by Ruf Dug’s first new music in over 3 years. The virtual journey comes complete with a bonus ‘level’ in the form of a remix from the in form Sharif Laffrey. The wistful 16-bit funk of ‘Boat Party’ leads you through the first level, its melodic chops and jubilant mood advancing you to stage two with ease. ‘Techno Cave’ guides the shoot-em-up activities in the cave, with its bold, brassy bass, sparse synths and rapid tempo. Find the ‘Easter Egg’ that is the Sharif Laffrey ‘Nightwork Remix’ and you’ll be in for a real delight, as the Detroit mainstay ramps it up over ten tantalising minutes with a truly exceptional version. Make it to the ‘Abandoned Pyramid’ and you’re clearly a professional. Ruf Dug leads you on a tropical excursion through this mystical land, with deft piano play and meditative pads. What lies ahead on the fourth level, we will have to wait and see... More

Celestial electronics are always at the heart of James Welsh’s music, via a number releases for labels such as Erol Alkan’s Phantasy Sound, Wolf Music and Hypercolour. “Hammers” is Welsh’s second release for Futureboogie (following 2013’s “Craven” EP), and finds the UK based producer on particular fine form. With its airy pads and shrouded ambience, “Hammers” drives a 303 bass line right through its centre, perfectly balancing the tracks emotive and darker sides. Hodge (Livity Sound/Hemlock) comes on board with an industrial sized remix, carving out some heavyweight tribal drums and additional percussion and letting the acid do its tweakable thing. “Denergy” meanwhile channels some electro tinged bassline moves over super funky, tight drums, a flourishing acid line, and laced with the futurism and sound aesthetics that’s keeping James Welsh at the top of his game. More

Stalwart of the scene, Craig Bratley, serves up big Italo flavours all over the “99.9% EP”, ably backed with a remix from Mr. Andrew Weatherall. With previous releases on Neil Diablo’s To Rack & Ruin, Tsuba, Is It Balearic? and Robsoul Recordings, Bratley’s Futureboogie debut opens with the searing synths and chugging arped bass of “99.9%”. Wide-eyed melodies and punchy drums demand a mirror ball moment to this fabulous cut. Family favourite, Andrew Weatherall, takes the chugging tempo to new depths, remolding “99.9%” into a tense, reverb soaked, dubbed out sci-fi encounter. Further explorations into space disco are to be found on “Italo Love” with luscious waves of thick analogue sound and planetary FX, whilst on “Take Me To Bedford Or Lose Me Forever”, distinct Asian influences are at play, as Bratley channels his inner Vangelis for a mesmerizing and cinematic piece. More

Futureboogie’s 60th release comes from Elliott Lion, the uber talented musician and producer and the keyboardist and chief electronics whizz for the hugely successful band Editors. Lion has recently embarked on a solo venture, embracing his love of classic house, techno and spaced out cosmic disco. In its original form, ‘Ectsasy’ combines pacey disco looped beats, seductive vocals, dramatic sweeping pads and arpeggiated synths for a perfect cosmic pop experience. Roman Flu¨gel delivers a remix of epic proportions, stretching and dubbing out the original over the course of eight tantalising and telepathically charged minutes. A future Barbarellas classic in the making for sure! Otherworldy atmospherics are at play in ‘I Can’t Forget You’, as Lion packs in a driving bassline and roaming synths into this techno infused burner! The darker vibes and dubwise sirens are intoxicating and perfectly demonstrates Lion’s production chops and a producer to look out for! More

Purveyor of fine disco grooves and future funk, Ron Basejam, returns to Futureboogie with the bustling 5 track EP, “After The Rain”. Having already contributed some key releases and remixes to the label, from his 2016 collaboration with Neil Diablo, his first class remix of The White Lamp’s “It’s You” to his stellar productions as part of Crazy P, Basejam gets right down to business across all five cuts. Rhodes keys glide over soulful vocals and a frenetic percussive workout on “After The Rain” as elegant soaring strings lift the atmosphere perfectly. A raw and stripped back bass and drum funkfest shapes “The French Exit”, whilst on “Raise”, a heavy synth riff breaks out over tom-laden beats and uplifting vox. The quality never drops as further excursions into soulful street vibes are dished out across “Jacob’s Chair” and the positively energetic euphoria of “After The Sun”. An EP packed with many different shades of Ron Basejam’s continually on point productions, this is a must for lovers of the boogie! More

Having carved out a reputation for some of the finest cosmic house productions on labels like Omena, Dirt Crew and Quintessentials, the Lithuanian based producer delivers three new cuts on this release, which comes ably backed by a remix from Italian producer Fabrizio Mammarella. On the title track, Alex Pletnev (Ponty Mython), goes for breezy synths and wandering melodies over a chugging mechanical beat and an FM style bassline, whilst Fabrizio Mammarella (Bear Funk/Les Disques De La Mort) toughens things up slightly on his remix, plunging into a darker sound aesthetic for a great reinterpretation of the original. On “Time Spiral” an unhurried groove is laced with layer upon layer of meditative synths and percussive rolls for a fat dose of eighties soundtrack vibes, whilst EP closer, “Appreciate It While It's Not Too Late”, settles down to a head-nodding pace with funky bass and key melodies and live drum samples for a real earworm of a track. More

Having already earned his Balearic stripes some time ago, as one of the resident DJs at We Love.... At Space in Ibiza, Ian Blevins has since relocated to Berlin, and has been immersing himself in the esoteric vibes of the city. On the strength of his latest EP on Futureboogie, this is clearly a good thing, as the 'Round Trip' EP is laden with the deep magical vibes that have also shaped his recent releases on labels like Banoffe Pies, Not An Animal Records, Blind Jacks Journey and ESP Institute. On 'Round Trip', an abundance of driving, arpeggiated synthesizers weave around sparse yet sturdy drumbeats, as thick pads rise and fall in dramatic fashion. Panthera Krause (Permanent Vacation/Riotvan/Lobster Theremin) is on board for the remix of 'Round Trip', re-shaping the original into a merry, space organ led, tribal dance; with a splash of garage house vibes that soon become immersed in its own synth heaven, it's a cracking remix from the Leipzig based producer. On 'Roland's Rat', Blevins keeps things tight with soaring strings, organ stabs a strolling bassline for a quality jam, whilst 'Can You Count My Dream?' is a dense, and cinematic slab of transcendental dance, an almost claustrophobic atmosphere only intensifies the drama and delivers the heat that seals this superb EP from Blevins. More

Following on from 2016’s excellent “Birsk” single on Futureboogie, Philipp Lauer returns to the label with a new three track single. The “Las Brisas” EP kick starts with the mechanical funk of “Pile”; acidic notes drip over heavy EBM drums whilst a hovering ‘Resse’ style bassline dominates, the influence of early house and industrial dance are ever present here on this belter of a track from the Tuff City Kids and Talamanca System player.
More acid pressure can be found on “Clipper”, a blazing and dynamic slice of anthemic Balearic dance. Searing pads and lustrous melodies pour over the robust drum machine workout, that’ll have dancers reaching for the skies! Real stirring stuff from Lauer, which continues with closing track “Tyco”. Ricocheting stabs and cowbell hits bounce off a sturdy kick drum as the track flourishes with more on-point melodies and a snaking bass. Dripping with emotive refrains, Lauer brings his very best to the table here, and rounds off an EP that’s most definitely all killer and no filler!

More

Austin Ato is the latest project from Colin Bailey, the multi talented producer from Oban in Scotland who has been the man behind the Drums Of Death moniker since 2008, and has also recorded under the Frankie Dreams and Coba aliases. With forthcoming material also due on Phonica White, Ato lands on Futureboogie with the massive feel good vibes of “Music Will Save The Day”, backed with two superb remixes from Auntie Flo and Christophe. Featured here are two original mixes of “Music Will Save The Day”. The “Dub Mix” the is classic house music jam, packed full of energizing musical flourishes, from the Balearic tinges of the sequenced mallet riff, whimsical pads and booming bassline to the searing crowd chant and the joyous piano motif. Ato displays some serious musical chops here, which are further enhanced on the “Vocal Mix” with the addition of a bi-lingual vocal hook that will surely act as a call to arms on any discerning dancefloor. On the “Auntie Flo’s Hidden Garden Remix”, the Huntleys & Palmers mainstay strips things right back for a beatless excursion, letting the percussive elements drive the forward motion whilst the melodies and thick synth pads wash over like crashing waves, a great reinterpretation by Brian d’Souza AKA Auntie Flo. Futureboogie’s very own Christophe provides the second remix; tweaking an acid riff over a heavy, old school drumbeat and teasing in the musical elements, providing a tougher and more jackin’ take on the Original Mix, whilst keeping faithful to the original vibe. More

‘50’? comprises four brand new tracks from Christophe, each one displaying an assured grasp of what makes a crowd move, having been an essential resident DJ at the Futureboogie events globally. ‘Dance Pants’? takes the futuristic highway through contagious acid basslines, frenetic drum machine patterns and spiraling pads, whilst imaginatively titled ?‘Caravanaramabar’? keeps the energy levels raised with shimmering synths, beating drums and sun rising melodies.
On the flip, ?‘Savanna’? mellows the pace somewhat, wrapping a delectable synth riff around a percussive heavy beat, dusted with choppy vocal hits and dreamy stabs. Closing the EP is ?‘Key Largo’?; wigged out bass and freestyle keys jostle over reverberating drums for a real hypnotizing finale on this milestone 50t?h? release.
A wealth of house music royalty and bourgeoning talent has helped shape the Futureboogie sound and label brand. ?Julio Bashmore?, Waifs & Strays?, ?Eats Everything?, ?Felix Dickinson?, O? utboxx?, ?Ron Baseman?, ?PBR Streetgang? and ?Lauer? are amongst the role call that have helped the label chalk up 50 releases, with ?label boss Dave Harvey? already lining up the next slew of releases to help Futureboogie march towards another 50! More

Futureboogie open their 2017 account with a new release from Lizards, the Newcastle based duo otherwise known as Lee Forster and James Hadfield. After appearances on labels like Leng Records, Join Our Club and Not An Animal Records, Lizards strut their stuff across two original tracks, whilst man of the moment Lord Of the Isles weighs in with a superb remix. The percussion driven house of “Tzatziki” kicks of the release, wrapped in warm and inviting pads and piano riffs. Shades of old school Chicago house meet sun-kissed Balearic vibes on this early morning riser, as the heavyweight bass sounds curl around the raw drum programming and illuminating keys sprinkle over the production. On “Aloof”, the tempo is taken down somewhat, as a bass line wanders over a steady kick and otherworldly ambient sounds and hushed vocal clips lazily glide over the 4/4 arrangement. As the track unfurls, more melodic and percussive elements come into play, blossoming into a something quite epic and unique. With a slew of releases for quality imprints like Permanent Vacation, Firecracker, Mule Musiq and ESP Institute, Neil McDonald, AKA Lord Of The Isles, serves up a deliciously chugging version of “Aloof”. Gurgling bass and marching handclaps are dowsed in dramatic synth sweeps and glacial tones, as the good Lord takes us on a monumental ride. More