Once regarded as an up-and-comer to watch, it’s fair to say that the past eighteen months have seen Dutch DJ/producer and live artist Locklead establish himself as one of the most in-demand artists emerging onto the global house stage. From his collaborative ‘Across Boundaries’ with close friend Chris Stussy to music via Dungeon Meat, Pilot, and Up The Stuss, the Utrecht-based talent has set his stall and is showing no signs of slowing. Adding to a first outing on sister label LOCUS two years ago, April welcomes a big debut appearance on FUSE as head honcho Enzo Siragusa invites him to the label for the first time to release his latest EP, ‘Kemickal Affairs’.

Opening the record, A1 ‘Zero’s Delight’ is a funk-fulled and spacey ride armed with resonant chords and swirling leads, while ‘State of Peace’ is a blissful ride through rich yet driving house spheres and showcases the second of two heavily requested anthems that have been go-to records for the likes of Stussy and Siragusa over recent months. The flip sees title cut ‘Kemickal Affairs’ open the b-side with authority, as bumping kicks and slinking grooves go to work beneath swirling synth lines and hazy tones, before wrapping things up with more modulated goodness and off-kilter vocal snippets on the chunky and trippy ‘Morning Krew’ - expect this to come out to play in those weird and wonky early-hours afters!

DJ Feedback:

Laurent Garnier - Very cool Ep

Jamie Jones (Hot Creations / Paradise) - Feeling this.

Joseph Capriati (REDIMENSION) - nice, will try soon. thanks !

Seth Troxler (Circoloco / Lost Souls Of Saturn) - lov

Paul Woolford / Special Request - State Of Peace is a killer house record, lovely chords and groove, thanks!!

Stacey Pullen (Blackflag Recordings / Transmat) - COOL THANKS!

Chris Stussy (Up The Stuss) - already on heavy rotation for the last couple of months, absolute heat!!

Rossi. (HOMEGROWN. / NO ART / LOCUS) - Immense music :) More

Locklead arrives on LOCUS in style as he drops a quartet of cuts via his ‘Blue Monday’ EP. An artist undeniably in a purple patch following releases via Dungeon Meat, Vatos Locos, Dark Side Of The Sun and his debut album ‘Square One’ on Up The Stuss, Utrecht’s Locklead continues to flourish as one of the Netherlands’ hottest emerging house talents. Showing no signs of slowing down, his next release provides another signal of intent as he heads to FUSE sister imprint LOCUS for the first time. Following multiple appearances for the label at their London showcases, he now unveils four diverse and expansive offerings showcasing his far-reaching sound across his ‘Blue Monday’ EP.? A track that’s been the subject of ID requests for months, title cut ‘Blue Monday’ kicks things off in style as infectious vocals and spiralling synths go to work above a wormhole of a bassline to provide a peak-time cut already proven to work dancefloors. ‘Join The Tribe’ leans on tight rolling grooves guided by crisp organic drums licks, rumbling low-ends and off-kilter samples, while ‘Orbiting’ is a spacey journey into the late night hours. To close, Locklead takes things deeper as he layers rich chords, swinging drums and hazy vocals across a classy house effort to wrap up proceeding More

Tracklisting:
A1 Locklead - Era
A2 Locklead - Era (Sweely remix)
B1 Locklead - Friki
B2 Locklead - Initiate Robot
B3 Locklead - Friki (Luuk van Dijk remix)

Release Note:
DSOTS proudly presents its first vinyl release. Dutch genius Locklead presents his EP "Era" including three of his original sharp-edged tracks. Accompanying the release are two remixes by none other than underground legend Sweely and trailblazer Luuk van Dijk. More

Dungeon Meat are back with a smack. This time they call on the talents of Locklead who delivers an EP bigger than Godzilla’s wedding tackle. B-leave has been one of the most asked about tracks on Dungeon Meat and now it is finally unlocked from the vaults and is seeing the light of day. On top of that it also comes with a DJ tool to get creative with and work in the mix. Flip over for two more super solid slabs designed for dance floor detonation so make sure you protect your necks when you unleash them on the decks. More

If debuts are anything to go by, the return Across Boundaries on Up The Stuss is a guaranteed treat. A collaborative project born out of mutual passion and understanding between two close friends, Chris Stussy and Locklead’s joint guise has taken the house landscape by storm, and the pair are only one release into their exciting journey. Merging signature sonics with future-focused ideas, the project takes cues from its name and sees the pair bridge genres and influences to deliver a raw and impactful take on house music - something on show here with their sophomore offering, ‘Synergy’.

Created to showcase a deeper side to their diverse sound palettes and a project for the duo to express themselves differently to their own solo sets and productions, the latest five-track EP contains a kaleidoscope of sounds and textures to soundtrack moments from sunrise to sunset and beyond.

Another essential pick-up to tick off your want list. More

An artist needing little introduction, having crafted a playful yet impactful sound that is entirely his own spanning house to breaks, electro and beyond, Cologne’s Kolter continues to prove exactly why he’s in such high demand as a producer and a DJ. Following his debut on Up The Stuss back in 2021, his releases since have landed via labels such as Solid Grooves, Shall Not Fade, Pilot, Berg Audio and his own Koltrax imprint, and he picks up right where he left off with a long-awaited return to Chris Stussy’s admired imprint with four cuts that have been in heavy rotation for the label boss for months. From the hooky vocal samples to the rumbling groove and vibrant bass guitar licks, title track ‘That Was Fresh’ brings the arrival of one of the German’s most requested anthems to date. Add in the helter-skelter electronics and glitchy sonics of ‘This Is It’, the breaks-driven and resonant ‘Feel’, and the hazy yet driving ‘I’m Fine, Thanks!’, and the four tracks showcase Kolter at his best as he makes a triumphant return.

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Lee Burton makes his debut on Up The Stuss with ‘Sinewaves’, a five-track collection of expansive house cuts representing his impactful sound.

With music released via Dorian Paic’s renowned raum…musik through to John Dimas’ Elephant Moon and Berlin’s Taverna Tracks, Greek DJ/producer Lee Burton has been a firm favourite for those in the know, having been embedded within the underground minimal/house scene for the past decade. A constant when it comes to providing ‘secret gems’, with his records in rotation amongst the record bags of leading names across the globe, Burton’s talent as a DJ has also seen him grace legendary parties and institutions from NYC’s ReSolute to Berlin’s Club der Visionaere. Next up, his latest studio voyage brings an impressive label debut on Chris Stussy’s Up The Stuss, opening the imprint’s 2024 schedule in style.

From the acid-electro fusion of opener Sinewaves’ and the breezy tones of ‘Burning’, through to the up-tempo and intoxicating sci-fi sonics of ‘ITICF’ and the modulated, electro-funk of ‘Love Motion’, each track provides a unique slice of Burton’s vast sound palette, crafting an EP that covers all hours of the night. Sprinkle in the digital bonus ‘Oxytocin Overdose’, contrasting squelchy tones and classic chords with that infectious topline, and it’s another must-have record on the imprint. More

Varhat unveils fresh music for his Up The Stuss debut ‘Breaking Out’, with Canadian favourite Paolo Rocco returning on remix duties.

When it comes to artists who have managed to carve out and command their own unique place within the modern minimal and house scene, French DJ/producer and live artist Varhat is a name you have to include at the top end of your list. The creative behind an endless list of aliases, plus multiple Unknown Artist projects and mysterious labels via Paris’ illustrious Yoyaku, he now readies an impressive outing on Chris Stussy’s Up The Stuss imprint, delivering an eclectic selection of house cuts for all hours and settings.

From the delicate electronics and hazy tones of the opener and title cut ‘Breaking Out’ to the acid-laced, driving rhythms of ‘Nobody’ and the slinking, signature sounds found within ‘Mopho’, the EP is a celebration of all things house music from one of its modern contemporaries. Add in a deep, dubby and cosmic trip from the returning Paolo Rocco on remix duties, and there’s a slice of genius here for everyone to enjoy. Tip! More

Purple Vinyl!

A true modern-day pioneer of house music, Amsterdam-based DJ, producer, and label owner Malin Genie is only getting better as he continues to add to his rich catalogue of releases.

Whether producing darker, more-minimal leaning productions on his Vigenere imprint through to his contributions alongside Lazare Hoche and S.A.M. as 1/3 of Mandar, his wide-reaching sound sees his productions primed in the record bags of the scene’s most renowned names, with his ‘Phaethon EP’ providing a perfect showcase of this talent.

Welcoming a collection of house gems from across the spectrum - from glistening, resonant synth-driven productions to skittering low-end heavy cuts and warping, twisting efforts - this is arguably his most diverse release to date as he marks his return to Up The Stuss in exemplary fashion. More

Known for creating enriching house music, Italian Canadian DJ and producer Paolo Rocco is in fine form once again as he makes his first outing on Chris Stussy’s up the stuss imprint.

Delivering a selection of silky, classy, deep, and spaced-out trips his “To The Stars And Beyond” EP is an exemplary showcase of his vast talent in the studio.

The package comes reinforced with a stand-out remix courtesy of mandar member and Vigenere boss Malin Genie.

If you’re after a cosmic journey loaded with classic nuances, look no further. More

Up The Stuss goes down under as Sydney's Litmus steps for the label's tenth release. A bubbling member of Australia’s house and minimal scene, his productions via No Art, Piv And Dailycid have seen the exciting Aussie emerge onto the global landscape and make some noise.

Continuing in slick fashion, his 'Plus One' EP showcases a wealth of vibrant solo flavours while partnering up with Berlin's Black Loops for a crisp collaborative sprinkling of house delight - all backed by French live act and man of the moment Leo Pol as he delivers a heady, piano-driven remix of the title cut. More

Journeying into deeper, more electro-tinged territories than his previous material, Chris Stussy’s first solo EP on Up The Stuss ‘Mysteries Of The Universe’ showcases his evolution as an artist at the heart of modern house music.

Weaving spacey sonics, sparse textures and swirling, hypnotic melodies, the four originals across the EP deliver fresh, expansive club ammunition from the Amsterdam favourite on his return to home turf. Joining the package, partisan favourite Giammarco Orsini becomes the second remixer on the label, serving up another killer late-night voyage to shape up the package. Don’t sleep on this one. More

An artist at the heart of Berlin’s rich scene, DJ and producer Sota looks set to continue his sharp upwards trajectory as a name to know. Welcoming four intelligent, expansive cuts combining slinking low-end grooves, sci-fi electronics, and sweeping interludes, the Dutchman’s ‘Pelican Club’ EP showcases his take on house music for the early morning hours as he touches down on Up The Stuss for the label’s sixth release. More

12 Inch, White Vinyl, Picture Sleeve
A1 – Holo
A2 - Bec’s Groove
B1 - Jazzed In Time
B2 - Jazzed In Time (Chris Stussy Remix)

One of house music’s most prolific producers, London’s finest East End Dubs delivers the second release on the imprint with three cuts in his trademark style, accompanied by label founder Chris Stussy on remix duties.




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