There is a tendency within modern electronica to pigeonhole and categorise, to package music into easily digestible formulae. In direct revolt comes Dutch artist Satori and his new album Dreamin’ Colours, released globally April 22nd, 2022, on renowned imprint Crosstown Rebels. Recorded at the esteemed Sonic Vista Studios in Ibiza, the nine-track LP has been greatly anticipated off the back of its proceeding’s singles: Yellow Blue Bus ft. Laska, Lalai ft. Ariana Vafadari and most recently Gin Song. An ethereal, swirling body of work, Dreamin’ Colours is rich in texture, colour and imagination. Satori stretches himself out through languorous, mystical explorations of both the digital and the analogue elements of music, the result a beautifully conspired collection of world music, steeped in electronic and Balkan roots, and straddling a multitude of genres from blues and indie electronic to opera, folk and beyond. More

Satori returns to Crosstown Rebels with his atmospheric album MAKTUB. Here is a four track vinyl sampler from the album, including a live unreleased vinyl only version of ‘While I Miss You’ Music flows through the veins of Satori. No ordinary artist, he is creating deeply spiritual music through a range of instruments and production techniques. MAKTUB, his debut album on the illustrious Crosstown Rebels pulls the listener into an exotic world, blurring the lines between electronic and meditative music. At the core of MAKTUB is Satori’s desire to touch people with his music, and his vocals shine through from start to finish, as he guides the listener on an Arabian Nights inspired journey. After the success of ‘Imanis’ Dress’ and ‘Umama’ singles, Satori’s album is a work of sonic beauty. This four track sampler features four diverse cuts from the album that will each beguil, inspire and enthrall. More

The enchanting and notorious Satori unveils Imani’s Dress, the first snippet of his forthcoming album due for release this Spring on the illustrious Crosstown Rebels, with Matthew Dear and Ewan Pearson providing hefty remixes. Satori is no ordinary producer and live artist. Born to a Serbian father and South African mother, the man behind the instrument is a meditative music-lover on a deeply spiritual journey. Creating melodies on the piano, kora, kalimba, and guitar, his live shows are mind-altering. Imani's Dress was the spark for the creation of Satori’s debut album after Damian Lazarus heard it and requested to hear more from the visionary artist. Hungry and eager, Satori locked himself in a secluded studio and finished the album, and soon after it was signed to it’s spiritual home, Crosstown Rebels. DJ and production heavyweight Matthew Dear’s remix is a skillful demon that illustrates why he is a pivotal artist in the electronic music arena. Ewan Pearson’s remix is an ode to the guitar. Creating music for over two decades, here his warm riffs are infused with soothing synths and a meticulous groove. More

Part 1: Mano Le Tough, Jimi Jules, Coloray & Tjade More

Part 2: Dax J, Deniro & JP Enfant More

Part 3: Adriatique, Roman Flügel & Nicky Elisabeth More

Part 4: Frank Wiedemann / Trikk, Terr / Daniel Watts /Johann Heyss, Kino Todo / Danelz & Lucky Done Gone More

DGTL Records - the official label arm of Dutch festival giant DGTL - marks its fifth anniversary in style with brand new album ‘5YRS of DGTL Records’. The 14-track long player is released on April 29th as a 4x 12” vinyl set and drops digitally across 4 separate EP releases between February 18 and April 1.

5YRS of DGTL Records is a perfect reflection of not just of the label itself but also its global event patron: headliners sitting equally alongside local talent and up-and-coming acts.. Holding a great variety of forward-thinking house and techno, the label stays true to the same formula of the festival shows. Over the past five years, DGTL Records has grown into its own as a fully-fledged musical arm of the overall DGTL musical experience, introducing new sounds and acts to an international audience.

For promising Dutch DJ/producers Coloray, Tjade, Nicky Elisabeth and Lucky Done Gone, this will be their first release on DGTL Records, while the likes of Deniro and JP Enfant are already familiar names to label fans, having previously released EPs on the label. All are linked to promising rising international talent such as Jimi Jules, Kino Todo and Terr and to DGTL 'veterans' such as Adriatique, Dax J, Roman Flugel and Frank Wiedemann & Trikk, who have been part of the DGTL family for years.

Once the digital EPs are fully released, '5YRS of DGTL Records' will be available as a very special commemorative 4x12" vinyl release. Presented in a tri-fold cover, the LP will feature artwork by Eric Smilde, who has incorporated the distinctive elements of DGTL festival at the NDSM Docklands into a 3D design. Known for its sustainable ambitions, DGTL continues along that path with this vinyl release, choosing to work with Deepgrooves, the world’s greenest vinyl pressing plant thanks to their innovative and leading working method. The vinyl will be ready on the weekend of DGTL AMS 2022 at the NDSM Docklands and will be available there for the first time. More

After DGTL’s first ever Various Artists release it is time to hand over the momentum of the 9th release to one artist only: Lauer. Phillip Lauer has been producing and remixing for decades. He has over 250 remixes to his name, collaborations with Gerd Janson, Fabrizio Mammarella and Tim Sweeney and various EPs and albums under his Lauer moniker. For the DGTL release Lauer gives us the three-tracker Topo Chico doused with his signature sound. Starting off with Inkel Jet 880, maybe best described as a modern Italo track, but without the typical accented vocals, giving you a mean and lean vibe throughout. The thick and synthy bass-line combined with the sharp chords, thumping beat and two effective breaks make Inkel Jet 880 an energetic ride straight to the dance floor. The title track Topo Chico is a softer sounding track with a swinging bassline and high pitched arrangement that builds up to stretched out chords, giving it all a dreamy yet spirited feel. From here on the track continues to build up to various highs, by leaving out the chords here and there, but adding some bells instead, while slowly but surely the chords drop by again and makes Topo Chico all the more blissful. The EP ends with the Topo Chico Tribute mix which starts with an acidic bass line that drops into a bath of soft sounding bells and Lauer’s signature stretched out chords, while the arrangement gives the track a nostalgic vibe, turning more current later on in the track. The tribute ends where it all started, with the thick Acid bassline, making the Topo Chico Tribute mix a perfect ending to the EP. The sleeve of DGTL’s 9th release Topo Chico is yet again custom designed by the duo Boris Acket and Tim Straver. More

Strange Alliances holds two striking and contemporary tracks by the Tel Aviv native – who also has releases out on Turbo and Life and Death - plus remixes by Trikk and Rebolledo. And so it seems the Amsterdam based label has another winner on their hands. With Autarkic having an exceptional personality one would expect the same from his music. And this is exactly what you get with Strange Alliances, as his originality shines through on both tracks. Interesting fact is that Autarkic used a lot of live instruments and his own vocals on both tracks, adding to the ingenuity of the DGTL 006 release. More

Man Power his raw electronic sound, organic flourishes and diverse selection make him a perfect match for DGTL, both on stage as well as on the imprint. Next to releasing a steady flow of records on established labels like ESP Institute, Optimo Trax, Correspondant and Hivern Discs, Man Power is running his own shop as well: Me Me Me. This gives him an outlet to release music by both friends and himself. For his release on DGTL Records he created a three-track EP called Apologue EP, that showcases just two of different sides of his multi-faceted musical scope. The a-side features two firm, acid influenced tracks. The first of these two, The Duelist, is an emotive house record, with a soundscape of piano melodies, synths and syncopated percussion laid on top of an acid bassline. El Mago del Tiempo features heavy hitting kicks combined with a sharp synth pattern. It has a long build up that keeps evolving throughout the entire composition. Halfway through, the track breaks in to a raw and fierce rhythm accompanied by yearning, drawn-out synth pads. On the flipside, Put Your Hands on the Car (And Get Ready To Die) brings back memories of a long gone past with nods to Balearic Pop, EBM, and the Soundtrack work of Stewart Copeland, James Horner, and Jan Hammer. This multi layered production has a warm and analogue sounding feel to it that rounds off a 3 dimensional release. More

For their second release on the label, DGTL Records asked another one of its festival shows regulars: Fort Romeau. After playing at three different DGTL editions, and an upcoming fourth during ADE, the organization also wanted to propagate his sound with an EP on their imprint. The release consists of two multi-layered compositions, Untitled II and A Familiar Place, and will be available both on vinyl and in digital stores on the 13th of October. Fort Romeau came into the spotlight with releases on Running Back, Live At Robert Johnson and Ghostly International amongst others. The British talent gained recognition with his cultivated ear and apprehension of all genres of music, that brought him to add something unique to the widespread spectrum of electronic music, both as a DJ and a producer. In 2015 he also set up his own label, Cin Cin, releasing split EPs from established names and newcomers alike, with a diverse musical policy that reflects Fort Romeau his open minded and inquisitive approach.
?Untitled II? is a luminous house tune, with a soundscape on top that takes you on a journey, while ?A Familiar Place? adds a little bit of darkness to the EP. This B-side is made up out of raw elements, a high tempo kick and hi- hat create a sturdy flow that makes it hard to sit still. All in all, it advocates the vision of the festival and its label, in every way. More