Sourcing influences from 90s Tech, house, trance and breaks Aiden Francis' pure passion for underground electronic music radiates through his music and DJ sets. Effortlessly drifting between different sounds and aesthetics, Aiden has managed to break himself free from the constraints of genre so that his true creative prowess can be flexed in full.

The lack of constraint overflows into Aiden's DJ sets, providing highly energetic experiences that flows through a unity of sounds, cultures and voices. This varied approach to DJing has found Aiden's name appear on high-quality events across Manchester and the UK, having played along Eris Drew at The Loft, taking the reins for High Hoops Pride Weekender at The White Hotel featuring on the lineup alongside D.Tiffany and Fafi Abdel Nour and regular intimate sets at Eastern Bloc. More

Holly Lester’s Duality Trax Label has quickly become synonymous for its blend of future facing sonics and mind-warping melodies, served together with a healthy dose of nostalgia. A label just as focused on making dancefloor destroyers as it is exploring left-leaning, personal projects, it’s within this duality where the label has found its success, never afraid to shy away from b side oddities or tracks edging more towards good-old-fashioned-fun.

DUALITY5 steers towards the latter, with Manchester based DJ & producer Aiden Francis providing the serotonin on tap with three lively dancefloor cuts, including a huge remix from Italy’s Matisa. Aiden had a big 2022, releasing music on Magic Carpet, Gestalt and beloved music platform and label Houseum, solidifying himself as one to watch in the euphoric unity of house, trance and techno.

Title track ‘Plastic Fantasy’ is the star of the show, a suitably sassy roller that places everyone's favorite blonde icon front left of the speakers. Subtle old school strings contrast with alien electronics, providing familiarity in an otherwise unfamiliar world. A bubble-gum vocal then rolls in cheekily over a driving bassline and dynamic percussion - used in a way I’m not sure the original creators had in mind. ‘Future Proof’ meanwhile demonstrates Aidens’ knack for contemporary progressive house music. With warm pads, swirling sonic textures and moments of blissful euphoria, it’s energetic enough to move a dancefloor, but gentle enough for home listening too.

The record comes to a close with ‘Aquamarine’, with Aiden opting in favour of free flowing breakbeats and mind expanding synths, together radiating a feeling of warmth and hope for days to come. Italian DJ and producer Matisa is on hand to round the EP off with a bass-heavy rendition of ‘Plastic Fantasy’ a no-holds-barred speed garage licked stomper, with the power to lure smokers back inside the club with their feet firmly planted on the dancefloor. More

Take a think back to the end of the night, past the two o'clock knock-off time and towards that steady flicker of synthetic lights that tell you to go home. There's a sunrise somewhere outside, creeping towards the horizon and providing the clarity of day. But for now, the bass deepens as Aiden Francis draws you into his folds: the night has a few more memories to be made and the dancefloor a collection of dedicated music lovers who are there to wring the last few moments from it.

Aiden Francis started creating and forming this release back in 2019. At the time, he was repeatedly getting stuck in a musical rut with no clear artist or musical direction. So when he started working on the title track 'Mezzanine', all the other tracks fell into place after that. By the time 2020 came around, the EP was pretty much done but when the Covid pandemic hit, he found myself with a lot more time to sit removed from outside influence. So he sat back down with the tracks to refine and perfect them. His recording process for this started out quite relaxed but it then became some sort of lifeline for him over those lonely and scary months. This is why most of the tracks are less heavy dance floor orientated and more for those moments of bliss at home, the end of the night or that 7 am walk home from the club. More

Repress!

Gestalt Records present the 4th installment of their Anniversary Sampler series, including brand new dancefloor cuts from Tywi, Route 8 and Reflex Blue, as well as a long-awaited reissue of 2 Trip 2gether’s 1995 classic, 'Same Trip'. More

Italian newcomers E.T.H (Italy) and Palmiz go head to head on Gestalt Record for a techy 4-track exploration, surfing between big room utility and heady club shuffle. More

Perfect imperfections come one as Swiss producer Modex
journeys through an array of hypnotic melodies and driving
basslines, culminating in 4 cuts of future dance floor classics. More

The 31st installment on Gestalt Records comes from enterprising UK producer Utopian Streams who debuts with an ethereal 4-track EP, phasing through house, techno, breakbeat and electro. More

Gestalt Records is turning 5 so we've teamed up with Asphalt DJ & Gzardin, Opal Sunn, Salomo and Clint for the annual anniversary sampler, spanning 4 club-ready cuts of tech, acid and prog. More

Following a remix cameo on GST27, Biodive returns to Gestalt Records with 4 tracks of low-slung basslines, rhythmic melodies and fleeting vocals, covering an array of vogue dancefloor territories. More

Upcoming Melbourne producer, Michael 'Cybernet' Giese debuts on Gestalt Records with a blistering 4 track EP full of neo-noir-esque Goa, progressive trance, leftfield house and deep breakbeat. More

Birmingham's Ed Hodge (1/2 of Mother of Pearls) is up next on Gestalt Records with an infectious 4-tracker spanning surging tech, heady minimal and cosmic prog, for the mind, body and soul. More

Gestalt Records mark their third anniversary with a 4-track compilation full of trippy prog, crisp electro and slo-mo acid. Abdul Raeva feature on the sampler for the second time running while Anderson, Baby Rollén and Long Island Sound all make their debut on the Estonian imprint. More

Dutch 303 aficionado Böhm lets his arsenal of bleeps and breaks loose on GST19. Released in collaboration with Echocentric Records and in addition to ECR005. More