Omena proudly presents 'Ceramics' by Saine, the much awaited follow-up to 'For The Dreamers' released on Omena in 2017.

Manoeuvring between styles and atmospheres comes second nature to Saine, but what's truly highlighted here is emotion - steering away from short-lived trends, the LP offers a non-forced listening experience by an artist exploring the different facets of what his music can be.

Swaying analogue synthesiser arpeggios, playful beat-work and what feels like echoes from an alternate dimension sum up a full-length which pushes and pulls at the fabric of what you've come to expect from Saine. More

Helsinki-based producer Saine makes his Delusions debut following amazing output on such revered labels as Voyage Recordings, Odd Socks, Omena and Fina. A producer who can flit from hazy instrumental hip hop through to raw, dusty house at the flick of a switch, Saine has built a solid following amongst lovers of left field leanings we’ve come to expect from the likes of Max Graef, Glenn Astro, Henry Wu and Leon Vynhall. On lead track Act Natural we find Saine in perhaps his heaviest mood to date, delivering a crunchy uptempo house jam which retains his unique sound despite being aimed firmly at the dancefloor. A speaker wobbling eighth note bassline locks down the groove whilst familiar, much-loved frag- ments from the rave days punctuate the crackling beats. Add to this some simple syncopated chords and you have a winning formula for a timeless track which looks to the future whilst respectfully doffing it’s cap to the past. Jus Right continues in a deeper, more musical fashion with Saine getting busy on his synths, building up layers of warm pads and soloing Moog lines. A prominent vocal brings a soulful touch whilst the minimal, almost hihat-less groove adds an original and fresh feel to this blissful track. Flipping over we have Low Key, a shuffling deep house number loaded with sliced Rhodes samples, echoing vocal hits, clipped percussion and sublime bass. As the atmosphere thickens, everything falls away to silence before rebuilding, creating some nice tension in the arrangement. Finally we have Pontchartrain offering up an excellent remix of Jus Right. The Detroit native responsible for some mighty fine releases for the likes of Rocksteady Disco, Lovedancing, Soul Clap, Kolour LTD and Whiskey Disco takes things in a more straight-up house direction with heavier beats, 909 hats pushed to the fore and a distinctively old school feel to the mix. More

The third artist album on Omena is here, 'For The Dreamers' by Saine. An effortless blend of crisp beat-work and delicate textures, the album feels equally suited for playing out loud or for those hazy summer night headphone marathons. Album artwork by Rickard Ljungdahl Eklund
Label artwork by Ivo Kiusalaas (bildansvarig) Mastering by Andreas Saag More

Helsinki's Lauri Saine is the storyteller for this, the third chapter of Fools & Fable Pleasingly his irresistible releases don't come along all that often, but when they do, they justifiably make serious waves Small Remedies, takes us on a journey to a side of Saine we seldom see...
First things first, 'Blush' cuts a breezy, cheerful path through a warm analogue space, with the mid-tempo throb of sampled rhythms to keep you from drifting too far off course. 'Casual' wears altogether looser pants as we just bob to and fro in a hammock while rum-soaked session players jam away in a distant speakeasy. The tropical breeze blows free through 'Leisure Song' too, as we begin to get the impression Finland might actually be a small Pacific island. The sun has definitely set as we move to side B Electronic elements play alongside the organic materials as pitched vocals punctuate a more plaintive vibe. As the first cool beers of the evening begin to create a warm glow, we head to a dimly-lit basement bar, 'No Rush' where the hep cats are hanging and a sharp fingered double bassist dances a deadly duet with the Rhodes player. We wrap up this most memorable evening back in the hammock, taking in the 'Scenes' as the sun's just beginning to peek over the horizon, we bask in the glow of the day and night we'll have again and again... Another strictly limited affair from the F&F camp. No repress, no digital. Not now, not ever. More

BLR gets back in the game with a record from Manchester DJ / Producer Sameed. Ode to G is even parts disco and house, with two tracks on the loopy soul side and two sitting more in the orthodox house pocket. More

Continuing the deeper explorations of their last couple releases, BLR invites Delusions of Grandeur mainstay Norm de Plume to join the party.

Hear Us Now is a four-tracker offering flavours for every occasion, from the anthemic title track and fierce 'Meanwhile Uptown' to the moodier midtempo action of 'Strange Land' and 'April'. More

Smooth Swede Sune’s follow-up to the beloved Butter Love EP is equal parts bright and bittersweet. Elevator Connoisseur boasts the producer’s knack for sampling and crafty layering in unison with his trademark dusty drums. More

BLR’s Lyon connects Ethyène and Saint Paul unite for a split four tracker soundly in the tasteful disco house vein of their Moonrise Hill Material crew.
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Bristol’s Admin renown for his digging prowess and charming, dusty beats joins the Better Listen family with a trio of chilled, jazzy house cuts. More

Blond London wonder Joe Corti is back on Better Listen to kick off what’s sure to be a big year of releases for him. Fourth Base balances big party tracks meant for roughing up the room (Oh Lord) and the title track, for instance) as well as the sly filter disco sound of Lula and the surely anthemic The First Time. More

Lyon beatsmith Saint Paul made an impressive full debut in 2017 with his Introspection EP on Moonrise Hill Material (which he co-runs with his boys Folamour, Ethyène and Kaffe Crème). After tasty contributions to V/As on the likes of Apparel Wax and FHUO, the Frenchman is back with another solo record on DC's Better Listen Records. The Naturist Behavior EP is a tastefully balanced, warm-weather oriented four tracker. The title track and the A2, "A Hawaiian Trip", explore playful and jazzy territories. Meanwhile, the flip hosts moodier ventures via the bittersweet boogie of "Tell Me" and the ice cold late night jam, "Feels Good".
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Washington based Better Listen Records drop their first VA e.p. housing four disco influenced dancefloor workouts bringing a slice of sunshine to our shores. Folamour kicks things off with an uptempo disco stomper, complete with driving bass, infectious string hooks and energetic piano stabs. The A2 sees Ethyene slows things down combining choice vocal snippets, shuffling rhythms and sleezy synthwork to create a sunset groove ready made for the summer. On the flip Ari Bald draws on all the elements from a classic disco anthem, with brass stabs, slap bass and an uplifting guitar riff driving things forward, before Dorsi Plantar closes things out with a blissful boogie simmerdown perfect for any sunrise set. More

Malmö's own Sune fills in for Better Listen's tenth release, continuing a run of sweet Scandinavian finds for the label.
The Butter Love EP is a true reflection of the Crime City man's sound; jovial, dusty disco and soul samples adorned by heady drum machine programming. More