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alex kassian - Olsen Waters
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alex kassian - Hidden Tropics
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alex kassian - Quiet Dawn
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alex kassian - Birds Of Bahia
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alex kassian - Bells Of Ukyo
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alex kassian - Hidden Tropic Revisit
Utopia Records uncovers the work of Alex Kassian the Kyoto born Berlin based producer and DJ whose work as Opal Sunn and Al Kassian has been turning heads and shifting feet in recent times.
Over the last decade Kassian hosted word of mouth dances in London and Berlin where he gained a reputation as one of Europe's most promising artists.
Kassian's recent output has been primarily composing scores for contemporary dance and theatre in Berlin, an approach he brings here to this 6 track EP 'Hidden Tropics'.
Kassian inspired by other Utopia Records artists such as Lars Bartkuhn and Vangelis Katsoulis delves deeper into his compositional scope for a sound that joins the dots between ambient, world music to spiritual house in parts inspired by his homeland of Japan as heard on 'Bells of Ukyo' and the 80's Sakamoto-esque 'Olson Waters'.
The title track is a breakthrough in contemporary house music, sure to be picked up on by the tastemakers from New York to Johannesburg to Berlin to Amsterdam to Tokyo and beyond.
Cover image of 'Tsuwaono Sagimai' by Makoto Furukawa, Shimane, Japan. More
Over the last decade Kassian hosted word of mouth dances in London and Berlin where he gained a reputation as one of Europe's most promising artists.
Kassian's recent output has been primarily composing scores for contemporary dance and theatre in Berlin, an approach he brings here to this 6 track EP 'Hidden Tropics'.
Kassian inspired by other Utopia Records artists such as Lars Bartkuhn and Vangelis Katsoulis delves deeper into his compositional scope for a sound that joins the dots between ambient, world music to spiritual house in parts inspired by his homeland of Japan as heard on 'Bells of Ukyo' and the 80's Sakamoto-esque 'Olson Waters'.
The title track is a breakthrough in contemporary house music, sure to be picked up on by the tastemakers from New York to Johannesburg to Berlin to Amsterdam to Tokyo and beyond.
Cover image of 'Tsuwaono Sagimai' by Makoto Furukawa, Shimane, Japan. More
More records from alex kassian
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Alex Kassian - Voices (Jenova Mix)
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Alex Kassian - Voices (Swarm Mix)
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Alex Kassian - Voices (Materia Mix)
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Alex Kassian - Lifestream
Following releases on Love On The Rocks and Pinchy & Friends (the massive 'Leave Your Life' and 'Strings of Eden' which now goes for big bucks on Discogs) Alex Kassian arrives with the first release on the new label from the Test Pressing team.
Lead track 'Voices' arrives in three mixes that run from an expansive journey, to a pure club version, followed by the ambient excursion 'Lifestream' - an electronic piece focussing on what Alex does best, quality production with amazing sounds and melody. This is the first in a three part series of Alex Kassian releases building to an album next year. More
Lead track 'Voices' arrives in three mixes that run from an expansive journey, to a pure club version, followed by the ambient excursion 'Lifestream' - an electronic piece focussing on what Alex does best, quality production with amazing sounds and melody. This is the first in a three part series of Alex Kassian releases building to an album next year. More
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Alex Kassian - Strings Of Eden
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Alex Kassian - Strings Of Eden (Garden Mix) Ft. Miguel Atwood-Ferguson
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Alex Kassian - Passing Clouds
For our 6th vinyl-only release, Kassian provides an addendum, an addition, a supplement - if you will - to his Leave Your Life EP. Here, he elaborates on ‘Spirit of Eden’, the dreamy B-side of last summer’s well-received EP.
On side A, we have the EP’s title track; a lush reimagining of the original, which lives up to its ‘Strings’ moniker, but still has enough percussive oomph to get feet moving on the dance floor.
On the B-side, we have ‘Strings of Eden (Garden Mix) ft: Miguel Atwood-Ferguson’. This one foregoes any backbeat and lays the strings on even heavier, utilizing the talents of Los Angeles’ Atwood-Ferguson, who is renowned for his kaleidoscopic string arrangements in the jazz, classical and experimental genres.
The EP closes out with a new offering: The gorgeous, airy, cinematic ‘Passing Clouds’.
Please note this will be a one-time pressing of 1200 units only, on 180 gram vinyl. Not to be missed. More
On side A, we have the EP’s title track; a lush reimagining of the original, which lives up to its ‘Strings’ moniker, but still has enough percussive oomph to get feet moving on the dance floor.
On the B-side, we have ‘Strings of Eden (Garden Mix) ft: Miguel Atwood-Ferguson’. This one foregoes any backbeat and lays the strings on even heavier, utilizing the talents of Los Angeles’ Atwood-Ferguson, who is renowned for his kaleidoscopic string arrangements in the jazz, classical and experimental genres.
The EP closes out with a new offering: The gorgeous, airy, cinematic ‘Passing Clouds’.
Please note this will be a one-time pressing of 1200 units only, on 180 gram vinyl. Not to be missed. More
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Alex Kassian - Leave Your Life (Lonely Hears Mix)
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Alex Kassian - Leave Your Life (Dance Mix)
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Alex Kassian - Spirit Of Eden
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Alex Kassian - Spirit Of Eden
For our fifth release, P&f Recordings is pleased to welcome Berlin-based musician, producer, and DJ, Alex Kassian.
Over the past few years, Kassian has made a name for himself in Berlin and beyond as a solo act, as well as with his project Opal Sunn, via a clutch of well received, dancefloor-focused 12s. But on our first release of 2021, Kassian swaps the techy pulse of the German capital for a sound that’s altogether more melodic and atmospheric.
Side A kicks off with 'Leave Your Life (Lonely Hearts Mix)' which began as a way for the producer to realize some of his early—and so far unrequited—dreams of playing in a rock band.
Next up he delivers 'Leave Your Life (Dance Mix)', which ups the energy and echoes some of the production that made the musician’s 'Oolong Trance' (Love on the Rocks) one of 2020’s best club tunes.
On the flip, the gorgeous 'Spirit of Eden' unfurls like a lost Lyle Mays classic, but with a mesmerizing loop that keeps the song’s feet placed firmly on the dancefloor.
Concluding the EP is a bass-heavy remix from none other than U.S. dub legend Bill Laswell. 'Eden’s' melodic focus is underpinned by a propulsive groove and filtered through Laswell's trademark sonic dynamics.
The EP, comes packaged in a full-color jacket from Parisian artist Alexis Jamet with OBI strip. More
Over the past few years, Kassian has made a name for himself in Berlin and beyond as a solo act, as well as with his project Opal Sunn, via a clutch of well received, dancefloor-focused 12s. But on our first release of 2021, Kassian swaps the techy pulse of the German capital for a sound that’s altogether more melodic and atmospheric.
Side A kicks off with 'Leave Your Life (Lonely Hearts Mix)' which began as a way for the producer to realize some of his early—and so far unrequited—dreams of playing in a rock band.
Next up he delivers 'Leave Your Life (Dance Mix)', which ups the energy and echoes some of the production that made the musician’s 'Oolong Trance' (Love on the Rocks) one of 2020’s best club tunes.
On the flip, the gorgeous 'Spirit of Eden' unfurls like a lost Lyle Mays classic, but with a mesmerizing loop that keeps the song’s feet placed firmly on the dancefloor.
Concluding the EP is a bass-heavy remix from none other than U.S. dub legend Bill Laswell. 'Eden’s' melodic focus is underpinned by a propulsive groove and filtered through Laswell's trademark sonic dynamics.
The EP, comes packaged in a full-color jacket from Parisian artist Alexis Jamet with OBI strip. More
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Alex Kassian - A1. Alex Kassian - Oolong Trance (Club Mix)
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Alex Kassian - A2. Alex Kassian - Oolong Trance (Paradise Mix)
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Alex Kassian - B. Alex Kassian - Oolong Trance (Telephones Remix)
Tracklist EP:
A1. Alex Kassian - Oolong Trance (Club Mix)
A2. Alex Kassian - Oolong Trance (Paradise Mix)
B. Alex Kassian - Oolong Trance (Telephones Remix)
Alex Kassian steps up for his first solo 12" on Love On The Rocks with 'Oolong Trance', a driving, tropical-tinged uplifting acid trip in 'Club' and 'Paradise' mixes and a supercharged 'ADHS' mix from Telephones.
Kassian is no stranger to the label, which celebrated its fifth birthday last year with the 4-part 'Supergau' compi-lation that opened with Kassian's 'Chopstick Romance'. He also remixed Ghost Vision in 2018 on their Love On The Rocks debut, 'Shakuhachi'.
Young Kassian from Kyoto, who has the silkiest hair in house, has recently been enjoying success alongside his longtime collaborator Hiroaki OBA as Opal Sunn, taking their live show on tour around Europe and Asia with stops at Field Maneuvers in the UK and Panorama Bar in Berlin. Their first releases on their own imprint, Planet Sundae, got the attention of the late Andrew Weatherall (RIP) and early support from the likes of DJ Sprinkles and Nick Höppner, who released their last two EP's on his label, Touch From A Distance: 'Parallax' in late 2018, and 'Laika', earlier this year.
As well as being Kassian's debut on the label, 'Oolong Trance' is the first Love On The Rocks record for 2020, so, what's in the tea?
The Club mix is classic Kassian: big kicks, driving percussion, swirling pads, a tropical sunrise, a celestial or-gan and a large dash of acid. The Paradise Mix is what you get when you let it brew a couple seconds longer: off the charts trance levels and Alex delivering some truly ecstatic piano work, channelling the spirit of a young George Michael, truly intoxicated on the Oolong drank.
Telephones also delivers a hell of a brew, with his 9-minute, 90s house and garage inflected 'ADHS' remix tak-ing the keys off in yet another direction and delivering a energetic, Chicago-inspired oddball rework with hints of Detroit and more than a few drops of old school, classic house spiritualism. The tea, as they say, is particularly good today.
More
A1. Alex Kassian - Oolong Trance (Club Mix)
A2. Alex Kassian - Oolong Trance (Paradise Mix)
B. Alex Kassian - Oolong Trance (Telephones Remix)
Alex Kassian steps up for his first solo 12" on Love On The Rocks with 'Oolong Trance', a driving, tropical-tinged uplifting acid trip in 'Club' and 'Paradise' mixes and a supercharged 'ADHS' mix from Telephones.
Kassian is no stranger to the label, which celebrated its fifth birthday last year with the 4-part 'Supergau' compi-lation that opened with Kassian's 'Chopstick Romance'. He also remixed Ghost Vision in 2018 on their Love On The Rocks debut, 'Shakuhachi'.
Young Kassian from Kyoto, who has the silkiest hair in house, has recently been enjoying success alongside his longtime collaborator Hiroaki OBA as Opal Sunn, taking their live show on tour around Europe and Asia with stops at Field Maneuvers in the UK and Panorama Bar in Berlin. Their first releases on their own imprint, Planet Sundae, got the attention of the late Andrew Weatherall (RIP) and early support from the likes of DJ Sprinkles and Nick Höppner, who released their last two EP's on his label, Touch From A Distance: 'Parallax' in late 2018, and 'Laika', earlier this year.
As well as being Kassian's debut on the label, 'Oolong Trance' is the first Love On The Rocks record for 2020, so, what's in the tea?
The Club mix is classic Kassian: big kicks, driving percussion, swirling pads, a tropical sunrise, a celestial or-gan and a large dash of acid. The Paradise Mix is what you get when you let it brew a couple seconds longer: off the charts trance levels and Alex delivering some truly ecstatic piano work, channelling the spirit of a young George Michael, truly intoxicated on the Oolong drank.
Telephones also delivers a hell of a brew, with his 9-minute, 90s house and garage inflected 'ADHS' remix tak-ing the keys off in yet another direction and delivering a energetic, Chicago-inspired oddball rework with hints of Detroit and more than a few drops of old school, classic house spiritualism. The tea, as they say, is particularly good today.
More
More records from Utopia
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earth patterns - No Title
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earth patterns - No Title
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earth patterns - No Title
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earth patterns - No Title
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earth patterns - No Title
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earth patterns - No Title
Earth Patterns is a new journey into sound by London based Australian born musician Ben Davidson, best known for his disco tinged house singles as Ben Sun, that were championed by the likes of Gerd Janson and Larry Heard. The Earth Patterns concept presents a more expanded instrumental sound with live rhythm sequencing and synth work, sitting alongside Vangelis Katsoulis, Lars Bartkuhn and Soichi Terada on Alex Bradley's Utopia Records. Davidson joins the dots between Detroit by way of Tokyo techno on 'Sunflower' to Dream II Science deepness on 'Horus Rising' and some worldly organic rhythms for a modernist and dare we say it Utopian sound on 'After The Rain'.
The analogue sound from his London studio comes through on the gentle and harmonic B-side opener 'Transit Pan', perhaps the start of a journey beyond the dance floor for the producer. Artwork and liner notes by Davidson himself, all pressed by bespoke pressing plant The Vinyl Factory on heavyweight vinyl. More
The analogue sound from his London studio comes through on the gentle and harmonic B-side opener 'Transit Pan', perhaps the start of a journey beyond the dance floor for the producer. Artwork and liner notes by Davidson himself, all pressed by bespoke pressing plant The Vinyl Factory on heavyweight vinyl. More
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vangelis katsoulis - All the Blue Skies
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vangelis katsoulis - Liquidity
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vangelis katsoulis - Grand Delusions
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vangelis katsoulis - Noir
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vangelis katsoulis - Tore
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vangelis katsoulis - The Slipping Beauty Part II
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vangelis katsoulis - Zarrin
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vangelis katsoulis - If Not Now When
The Avant Garde movement largely influenced Katsoulis’ early compositions. After which, he turned to minimalism, applying elements of jazz and rock into that genre. Since the 80s, the use of technology became gradually apparent in his compositions, whist not diminishing the importance of the human factor and the creative involvement of the performer. Today, he is striving for simplicity, trying to express the most, using the least, providing the context for this release. From the subtle ambience of title track “If Not Now When”, to the intense and confronting sound on “All The Blue Skies”, Katsoulis and his accompanying musicians deliver a diverse and contemporary work with a level of sophistication that will challenge the current electronic musical landscape. The purity of sound in stand out track ‘Tore’ is juxtaposed by the dark and gritty “Grand Delusions”, a remarkably modern composition which sounds like it has been composed for a Berlin Techno club, from a man we suspect has never been to one. ‘Slipping Beauties’, the most revered of Katsoulis’ back catalogue (recently remixed by Young Marco) is given an organic and intelligent reinterpretation for 2016. The haunting and provocative vocal performance by Anna Linardou on ‘Zarrin’ leads the record down an even more emotive and provocative path.
More
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vangelis katsoulis - All the Blue Skie
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vangelis katsoulis - Zarrin
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vangelis katsoulis - Grand Delusions
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vangelis katsoulis - Liquidity
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vangelis katsoulis - Take Take Tundum
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vangelis katsoulis - Midsummer Tobago
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vangelis katsoulis - Noir
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vangelis katsoulis - Shhhh
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vangelis katsoulis - Tore
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vangelis katsoulis - The Slipping Beauty Part II
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vangelis katsoulis - If Not Now, When
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vangelis katsoulis - Recapitulation
The Avant Garde movement largely influenced Katsoulis’ early compositions. After which, he turned to minimalism, applying elements of jazz and rock into that genre. Since the 80s, the use of technology became gradually apparent in his compositions, whist not diminishing the importance of the human factor and the creative involvement of the performer. Today, he is striving for simplicity, trying to express the most, using the least, providing the context for this release. From the subtle ambience of title track “If Not Now When”, to the intense and confronting sound on “All The Blue Skies”, Katsoulis and his accompanying musicians deliver a diverse and contemporary work with a level of sophistication that will challenge the current electronic musical landscape. The purity of sound in stand out track ‘Tore’ is juxtaposed by the dark and gritty “Grand Delusions”, a remarkably modern composition which sounds like it has been composed for a Berlin Techno club, from a man we suspect has never been to one. ‘Slipping Beauties’, the most revered of Katsoulis’ back catalogue (recently remixed by Young Marco) is given an organic and intelligent reinterpretation for 2016. The haunting and provocative vocal performance by Anna Linardou on ‘Zarrin’ leads the record down an even more emotive and provocative path.
More
1
lars bartkuhn - NOMAD (FULL EXPERIENCE)
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lars bartkuhn - NOMAD (REPRISE)
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lars bartkuhn - TOKYO BURNING
Following on from his return to dance orientated music on Neroli records with the lush and endearing 'Music for The Golden Age', multi album artist Lars Bartkuhn (Sonar Collective & Needs) brings contrasting sides of his musical character for Alex Bradley's burgeoning Utopia Records, touching on Detroit, Jazz Fusion and Ambient. Tokyo Burning is a youthful and stripped back electronic club track harking back to the Detroit house heyday of Galaxy to Galaxy and Happy Records but with a modernist approach and Bartkuhn's unique musicality for what has all the hallmarks of a peak-time club classic. In contrast title track Nomad brings the full spectrum of Bartkuhn's musical range with a more organic and rhythmic dance composition. A fusion of afro percussion, his own emotive vocal hook, melodic keys, joyful flute playing, bound together with the guitar playing that has had many compare Bartkuhn to the likes of Jazz master Pat Metheny. The track builds into a breakdown that is perhaps best described by Anthony Nicholson as; 'a combination of truth, inspiration and cosmic energy'. Rounding out the EP a gentle acoustic reprise, a deeper introspective piece for ambient music lovers. All pressed to impress on 180 vinyl with full artwork to round out a quality release on Utopia with more to come from Bartkuhn on the label as he reaches the 'Needs' heights that made him (along with his residency in the early days of Robert Johnson) an inspiration to a generation of Deep House DJ's and producers.
More