Phantasy’s #PH100 retrospective continues with PH45RMX. Denham Audio, perhaps one of the most prolific British production crews emerging in some time, arrive on Phantasy with a breakbeat-heavy and lucid take on James Welsh’s ‘Cold Land’. Originally released under Welsh’s original alias of Kamera in 2015, ‘Cold Land’ remains one of the underrated gems in the label’s back catalogue. Initially emerging from a shed in rural Mallorca, it’s halcyon poly synths and skittish drums immediately recall the wide-eyed optimism of 90s IDM. Far from mere ‘braindance’, ‘Cold Land’s emotive quality affords it a unique timelessness. Fresh from releases on Lobster Theremin and E-Beamz, Denham Audio build on their recent reputation for both nuance and impact, comfortably interweaving the dreamy melody of Welsh’s with unapologetic breaks, taking the original’s futurist sonics into the parallel scene of UK hardcore and DnB. For those with a warehouse going spare, the alternate ‘Raw Mix’ hits even harder. TRACK LISTING: A1. Cold Land (Denham Audio Melodic Mix), A2. Cold Land (Denham Audio Raw Mix), B1. Cold Land 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

The EBM-indebted techno funk of James Welsh’s ‘Thread’ reemerges from the industrial fog, evolved into two outstanding remixes by a trio of established, emerging and somewhat unexpected artists. Ozel AB delivers his debut remix, reimagining Thread to encompass a widescreen vision of depth and drama. Unfolding slowly and ethereally, with military kicks holding down a seemingly weightless, extended breakdown, his taste in dreamlike rave euphoria contains the same magic touch as it has done on previous, acclaimed releases for Workshop and Lobster Theremin. On his ‘Garten’ remix, Radio Slave takes a percussive approach to the relatively raw electronics of the original track, adding a deceptively simple but immediately effective layer of drums to the production, before unleashing a more filtered and fucked-up interpretation of the riff to winning effect. More

Fresh off the underground success of ‘Standing/Slip’, a club-ready bullet that received support from DJs such as Leftfield, Scuba and Adam Beyer, James Welsh returns to Phantasy post haste, once again blending a slab of characteristic rave euphoria with a more downtempo trip on the flip.
The release opens on ‘Thread’, the unmistakeable sound of Welsh pushing his studio to its unworldly limits. Initially building the tension with competing, spectral components, an ominous intro paves the way for the sudden eruption of a stomping, hi-NRG electro bassline. Pathologically chaotic until it’s final moments, sudden breakdowns of white noise and ghostly commands lost deep in the mix anchor the listener in reality, enveloped in smoke and strobes, real or imagined. On the contrary, ‘North’ stretches a skeletal half-step beat to support a bracing vision of maximalist melancholy. A chilly analogue hymn, awash in choral reverb, heavenly organ sounds coalesce with cathartic distortion, creating a six-minute musical landscape that is at once pleasingly epic, yet tellingly intimate in its more subtle details. Physical and cerebral in equal measure, ‘Thread/North’ is a worthy contribution to Welsh’s increasingly powerful back catalogue. More

Since 2015, James Welsh’s contribution to Phantasy as Kamera has delivered a series of releases shrouded in mystery, injected with the personal energy of both a hardcore and club heritage. Two EPs, ‘Arc’ and ‘Ventoux’, set a distinct tone, with the latter complimented by head-turning remixes from artists such as George Fitzgerald, Throwing Snow, Truncate and Yaleesa Hall. Now, the key Phantasy artist emerges from the shadows under his own name, in order to continue his uncompromising musical journey.
Returning with a new, two-track EP, ‘Standing/Slip’ captures the finely tuned tension and euphoric release of Welsh’s sound in arguably its strongest form to date, showcasing not only the dancefloor mettle firmly established under his prior alias, but a new sense of wistfulness that coaxes his typically outstanding machine work into altogether more reflective territory. ‘Standing’ throws listeners headlong into Welsh’s formerly anonymous industrial complex, generating a churning, relentless rhythm offset with a dry female vocal that recalls the sardonic stance of vintage electroclash. Following this, ‘Slip’ is an initially unexpectedly spectral diversion, transmitting a curious synth line into space, and receiving a choral, sombre frequency in return. Without losing it’s emotive qualities, the track succumbs to a hailstorm of Welsh’s sharp, potent drums, before collapsing in understated catharsis. More

Shabby Doll may seem a little infatuated with Yorkshire house at the moment – but who's complaining? Next up is the 'Wanderlust EP' from Bradford born James Welsh. James has already performed remix duties for Shabby Doll, having whisked up Mella Dee's 'Things Don't Change' in 2013, but his appearance centre stage turns the attention onto his own propulsive house sound. The four-track release brings together three sparkling James Welsh productions, along with a malevolently powerful remix of the title track by Hypercolour's Ste Roberts. It's another sign - following releases on Hypercolour, Wolf Music, Losing Suki and Futureboogie - that James is a quality creator of deep, delicious house music. In fact, James has already hit some heady heights in his previous life as Ocelot. In that guise, he signed to Wall of Sound and played everywhere from the main stage at Creamfields to a rooftop gig in Miami, not to mention remixing the likes of Rob Zombie, Depeche Mode and... believe it... Britney Spears. But now he's cut loose and is heading where his heart takes him...

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Following on from Medlar's debut album 'Sleep', WOLF Music return with their 21st release. This time they welcome back James Welsh to the label with a full EP backed up by a remix by Dutch rising star, Frits Wentink. More

UK-based DJ and producer Wallace debuts on Phantasy Sound with an irresistible double A-side single, ‘Cravings (ft. Love Letters) / Concourse.’ Bubbling with sensuality and euphoria, both tracks reinforce Wallace’s burgeoning reputation as one of electronic music’s most impressive new voices, a crowning moment on Erol Alkan’s long-running label following a stellar run of singles for imprints including Cooking With Palms Trax, Rhythm Section, and Moxie's much-loved On Loop. Led by a longing, inquisitive performance from vocalist and underground house music luminary, Love Letters, ‘Cravings’ builds from a simple throbbing bass line to an eruption of lyrical and musical joy. Exploring onset desire – risk, uncertainty, and ultimately, reward – Wallace’s deep and celebratory arrangement interweaves with Love Letters’ queer perspective to deliver universal satisfaction. While ‘Cravings’ looks inward to find release, ‘Concourse’ goes for the jugular with a darker, more epic sensibility than Wallace has previously indulged. His flawless production touch seamlessly gifts magic to a widescreen techno epic that might not sound out of place on the terrace at Circoloco or else a field near early-nineties Frankfurt, repeatedly working his acid-oriented machines into a lather and conjuring cosmic drama from eerie, choral voices beneath a powerful groove. More

One of electronic music’s most prolific and beloved figures, Roman Flügel checks in to Phantasy for his debut single on Erol Alkan’s equally storied London label, presenting ‘Hotel Karthago / Energies’, two contrasting dancefloor tracks that capture distinct shades of Flügel’s boundless creativity.

Arranged with energy front and centre, ‘Hotel Karthago’ promises to be an essential addition to Flügel’s peerless back catalogue of club classics. Bolting with the requisite tempo of contemporary dance floors, and accelerated by a joyous piano line, this particular property balances the elegance of vintage house with analogue machines operating at their most energetic.

In keen contrast. ‘Energies’ expertly pours a measure of melancholy, teasing out a twinkling melody that recalls the warmth and wistful moods of his classic LPs such as Fatty Folders and Happiness Is Happening. Illuminating and then unravelling with ease, ‘Energies’ concludes in underscoring the Frankfurt-to-Berlin producer’s skill as a composer, as well as a trusted rave alchemist. More

Having already forged a scene-shifting career as a DJ, producer, remixer and collaborator, it was only in 2013 that Erol Alkan released a debut EP, 'Illumination' on his label Phantasy. Its shimmering opener was 'A Hold On Love', the soaring, glossy chords that have remained a staple in Alkan's DJ sets in the decade since.

Upon its tenth anniversary, Alkan presents two subtle but hugely effective reworks that transport one of the London producer's most enduring tracks onto contrasting dance floors.

The '(dyna-mix)' finds canyons of heady dub and psychedelia among halcyon chords, first means tested on wide-eyed crowds at Houghton Festival and throughout Alkan's ongoing 'To The Rhythm' all-nighters. Meanwhile, the '(trip-mix)' subtly lifts the energy for a pacier take, rich in reverie yet without sacrificing the detail and musicality always at the centre of Alkan's still fertile blend of house, electro, techno and alternative sensibilities.

The two tracks are available pressed onto extremely limited edition vinyl featuring manually screen printed sleeves, hand numbered by Erol himself. 300 copies only. More

One of the longest-serving and most consistently intriguing artists within the fold of Phantasy, U returns to the label with another two-track trip of sonic mystery and erratic magic, ‘Parade/Watchers’.

Presented on limited-pressing 12” vinyl with a sleeve riso printed by U with London's Error Press.

With the texture and earthy promise of a psychedelic mulch, ‘Parade’ presents a glorious timelapse of acid-inflected minimalism. Unfolding defiantly at nearly fifteen minutes, U’s driving but subtle composition transports from guttural, electronic uncertainty to a wide-eyed denouement in one illusionary transition.

With inverse effect but no less power, ‘Watchers’ unexpectedly drops listeners into a rough wash of digital hardcore, spinning it’s initial warehouse chords into a collage of decay and regrowth, a nephilim-scaled journey and arguably U’s most ambitious production to date. More

Needing no introduction, The Chemical Brothers make a very special appearance on Phantasy with a limited-edition vinyl pressing of Erol Alkan’s triumphant remix of ‘Goodbye’, a highlight from their recent, Grammy-nominated album, ‘For That Beautiful Feeling’. Masterfully bridging soulful vocals and widescreen techno with their typical psychedelic edge, Alkan’s interpretation demonstrates his unique brotherhood with Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. Across a near ten-minute journey, Alkan pushes the Brothers’ irresistible synth line further into dissonant analogue bliss, which coupled with celestial breakdowns, already counts as a personal favourite in the London DJ and producer’s diverse, enviable back catalogue of reworks. The other side of the record includes Alkan's previously unreleased instrumental. More

Terr’s debut LP 'Consciousness As A State Of Matter’ arrives on green and orange split double-vinyl, limited to a pressing of just 400 copies, housed in a sleeve of hallucinatory artwork from designer Sebastian Ofuszak. Across eleven tracks, Terr continues a long, fulfilling journey in electronic music with a visceral, vulnerable full-length statement inspired by tireless and timeless innovators in the history of electronic music such as Giorgio Moroder, Wendy Carlos and Phil Oakey. Achieving a delicate, wide-eyed chemistry between the catharsis of the dancefloor and the ever-renewing promise of pop, 'Consciousness As A State Of Matter’ includes and expands upon the vision of singles ‘Only For Tonight’, ‘Tale of Devotion’ and ‘Layers’. More

Red Axes return to Phantasy with a double A sided single that captures and expands on the creative relationship forged between the cult Israeli duo and Erol Alkan’s highly regarded London label. The single arrives in tandem with a new compilation ‘The Phantasy Collection (Part 1)’, collecting an enviable run of EPs between 2018 that have resulted in Niz Arzi and Dori Sadnovil’s deserved prominence in DJ sets spanning genres. Carving a hypnotic path against the maximalism currently au-fait in club culture, ‘The Phone Calr’ is as peculiar as it is powerfully effective, a stripped back groove serving as the backdrop to the Axes’ playful deconstruction of an obscure broadcast concerning telephone area codes. A lesser staple of club culture, Sardnovik and Azri transform archival public information into club disorder, stretching a short burst of dialogue to absurd limits before releasing the tension with vampish pianos. ‘Sound Text XoX’ meanwhile finds the pair delivering a surprising alternative take on the lead track from their 2019 EP, retaining its central escalating countdown but adding a powerful, dystopian acid line. The resulting track transforms an already beloved club tool into a frenetic powerhouse More

Returning to Phantasy for a triumphant fourth single, ahead of a debut album to be released later in 2023, Josh Caffe dons ‘Meine Lederjeans’ for a gloriously tight squeeze of electro-funk, accompanied by an unapologetically gritty, stroboscopic remix from Caffe’s frequent collaborators, Paranoid London. Dialing the tempo down from the frenetic club play of previous releases ‘According To Jacqueline’ and ‘Do You Want To Take Me Home?’, ‘Meine Lederjeans’ finds the British-Ugandan DJ and performer melting into a hedonistic slow jam of Prince-indebted grooves driven by drum machines oozing Chicago spirit with additional playing from Alex White of cult groups Fat White Family and Saint Leonard. Celebrating and subverting queer tropes in double measures, ‘Meine Lederjeans’ is an exquisite blend of soul and sexuality. Paranoid London, the duo of Gerardo Delgagdo and Quinn Whalley (Caffe’s principal studio partner, and producer of ‘Meine Lederjeans’) deliver a characteristically merciless remix of Caffe’s original, looping their vocalist into an acid-soaked stupor. Throbbing, insistent, maximal yet minimal, this is PL in particularly raw form. More

Already scoring huge support across a wide range of DJs and reaching #1 on the Beatport Indie Dance chart, Terr’s infectious ‘Only For Tonight’ gets appropriately physical on a once-and-done pressing of clear yellow vinyl. Featuring both the original track and a spacious, sensual dub, ‘Only For Tonight’ captures the chaos of contemporary hook-up culture with an instantly-recognisable bassline, rave sirens and Terr’s wicked narration.
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Having co-produced Duran Duran’s acclaimed fifteenth studio album, ‘FUTURE PAST’, Erol Alkan returns to recent single ‘ALL OF YOU’ to deliver a very special Extended Rework. Paying tribute to the band’s pioneering ‘Night Version’ remixes that tipped their earliest material towards the dance floor, this grandiose reimagining equally recalls Alkan’s beloved reworks from over the years. Recorded with founding members Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Roger Taylor, ‘All Of You’ also features lead guitar from Graham Coxon and backing vocals by Barli. Blessed with the raw material, Alkan distills each element into a glorious disco odyssey totalling nearly ten minutes, an epic but sensual dance floor trip that already ranks amongst his finest work. ? Phantasy is proud to release 'ALL OF YOU (Erol Alkan's Extended Rework)’ (backed with an instrumental version) on a limited run of 12” vinyl. More

Phantasy are delighted to introduce the first taste of an exciting new signing, Ruby Goon, debuting with a limited-edition 7”, ‘Cold Wind/Leech’. Led by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ivan Solimani-Lezhnev, these two tracks emerge from the previously bustling and forward-thinking live circuit of Moscow, Russia, where Solimani-Lezhnev’s youthful but timeless songwriting and performances have helped define a flourishing alternative underground. Ruby Goon’s talents for melody and melancholy sweep in with rare assurance on ‘Cold Wind’, a plaintive and irresistible nugget of rock instrumentation, Solimani-Lezhnev’s guitar gently weeping, then subtly erupting alongside a yearning vocal and soaring brass. ‘Leech!’ embraces a distinct sensitivity at play within the collective, a sensual and lyrically speculative slice of contemporary blues that illustrates the talent and chemistry evident between Solimani-Lezhnev and his band. Recalling the softer avenues of seventies glam and soul, ‘Leech!’ seduces with a vulnerability that roots it firmly in the contemporary. More

Having been extensively road-tested this past year by DJs including Daniel Avery, HAAi and Gerd Janson, Highdive arrives with tangible anticipation. The work of less-than-shadowy figures Gramrcy and John Loveless, the pair have passed lockdown and beyond remixing artists such as WH Lung, Discovery Zone and Ghost Culture. Debuting their first original material, closely following Gramrcy’s recent appearance on Loveless’s own Hot Concept imprint, Highdive is a long-anticipated explosion of energy. Built around a sonic-boom breakdown, glossy rave chords and pounding post-punk drums, Highdive feels immediately at home on Phantasy. Having worked closely alongside founder Erol Alkan in recent years to shape the imprint's diverse output, Loveless' collaboration with the Peach Discs founder nods to the electro landscape of the label's earliest days. Having never left dance floors since, Gramrcy & John Loveless take a golden opportunity to plunge dancers into the sublime and the ridiculous. While a stripped-down ‘Beats Mix’ sees the pair adopt a less-maximal approach, leave it to Schacke to stretch Highdive into hardcore rave heaven. The already-influential Copenhagen artist underscores his refreshing funk in the ‘fast-techno’ scene through which he has risen, turning the screws and upping the tempo with intense but elastic results. More

Introducing Josh Caffe’s second single on Phantasy, ‘Do You Wanna Take Me Home?’ is a sensual yet gritty return, a keen document of just one of the many stories of desire always occurring in the shadows, just beyond the strobes. Produced in collaboration with Quinn Whalley, one half of Paranoid London, ‘Do You Wanna Take Me Home?’ also features a headsy interpretation from Steffi & Virginia, marking their first ever collaborative remix. Inspired by the rawest shades of early Chicago house music, ‘Do You Wanna Take Me Home?’ finds Caffe in thirsty pursuit of pleasure and recognition, eyes locked on an unidentified but all-too enticing individual in the club. Whereas previous single ‘According To Jacqueline’ turned the heads of dancers with it’s outrageous sexuality, Caffe’s follow-up finds him switched by a different strain of lust, head down in a blend of analogue jack and vocal vulnerability. Steffi & Virginia have long since established themselves as distinct individual forces in contemporary dance music. Here, reunited in the studio together in the first instance since 2019’s ‘Work A Change’ EP on Ostgut Ton, the duo transplant Caffe’s yearning invitation into a sensuous reverie that touches on the deeper, tripper ends of their house and techno heritage. Driven by creeping organ chords and a powerful shuffling bassline, the result is a sophisticated reimagining primed for the heat of the function. More

Following her 2021 debut, ‘Save My Day’, remixed by DJ Python, PYTKO returns to Phantasy with ‘Silent’, experimental and introspective electronic songwriting this time radically reworked by beloved pop-experimentalist, Bullion. On ‘Silent’, PYTKO invites listeners to lean in closer than before. Seemingly untangling the frustrations of a faltering love affair, it’s vulnerable lyrics arrive buried beneath a sophisticated arrangement that, with bit-crushed electronics and rumbling bass notes, seems to decay with haunting effect. In contrast, the austere ‘Orchids & Limes’ mines an equally original sound, a striking sort of cyber-balearica sculpted around PYTKO’s intricate guitar work, conjuring an even darker sense of romance. In radical contrast, Bullion proves a perfect fold to PYTKO’s vision with his positively high-spirited flip of ‘Silent’. The man behind DEEK Recordings and cult hits such as Blue Pedro keeps PYTKO’s perspective front-and-centre, while performing an alchemy of magic and melancholy that results in one the most memorable remixes in Phantasy’s fifteen-year history. More

The landmark hundredth single on Phantasy, Erol Alkan’s ‘Automatic’ accompanied with two remixes that further take the London DJ and producer’s psychedelic club vision in distinct directions. The original 12" pressing, limited to 100 and hand-numbered, sold out in less than an hour.
Palms Trax builds on the sensual reverie of Alkan’s production with an electrifying rework full of touches both French and personal. Throwing out a gloriously chic bassline, the Berlin-based producer sprinkles carefully considered sweeps, stabs and filters on a trip to timeless house euphoria. Mirroring the first ever artist to release on Phantasy in 2007 where Alkan remixed 'Engine', LA Priest proves a perfect candidate to reconstruct the label’s centenary single, a task he approaches with typically esoteric nous. Coaxing a heavenly aura from the original’s glorious loops, Sam Eastgate’s collection of reengineered and self-made analogue equipment soon progresses to melt Automatic’s rhythm into sticky cosmic bliss. More

Phantasy are proud to present the vinyl re-issue of Mystery Jets’ seminal 2008 album ’Twenty One’. Produced by Erol Alkan, the beloved LP includes hit singles ‘Young Love’ and ’Two Doors Down'. The LP is available to pre-order now on deluxe coloured vinyl. The deluxe edition features a bonus disc of previously unreleased demos and rare B-sides. “Of all the messages we’ve received from our fans over the intervening years, the single question that has come up more than any other, is ‘When will Twenty One will be released on vinyl again?’. Much to our frustration, our response has never been anything more than a helpless, resounding shrug. That is, until now. The year being 2021, and all the band being firm believers in the powers of numerology, we felt there would be no better time of telling you that for the first time since its release, Twenty One will finally be available to own on vinyl again. As well as reissuing the original album, we have also dug through the archives and compiled a special selection of never-heard-before outtakes, demos and rarities from that era to accompany the deluxe version of the album. We are delighted to be reissuing the record via Phantasy, the label founded by Erol Alkan, who produced Twenty One and mentored us to make an album we’re still immensely proud of. This is the record you have been asking for, and the one we always wanted you to hear. More