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Lauer - Ski N Gee
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Lauer - Otto Zero
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Lauer - 808126
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Lauer - Time 2
The venerable Philip Lauer (aka “Lauer”) makes his debut on Public Release this Fall with his latest EP Otto Zero. One half of T&P, another half of Tuff City Kids, and a full two halves of Lauer, we're thrilled to welcome him to the Public Release family. I’ve been rinsing his tracks in my sets over the years; a sound so recognizably his, warm and fleeting emotions — yet simultaneously cold and rigid— he masterfully toes this line. The EP is serious party music for any room, whether it be the dance floor or the kitchen... It hits wherever, whenever.
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More records from Lauer
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Lauer - S-Paragus
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Lauer - Don't Let The Music Stop
3
Lauer - S-Paragus (Johannes Albert Remix)
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Lauer - Don't Let The Music Stop (Max Buchalik Remix)
OULMEEX record label premiers with a powerful nu-disco and italo EP conceived during the spring and summer of 2024. It comes with the signature of synth maestro Philipp Lauer, and remixes by Johannes Albert and Max Buchalik. An impressive debut for a label that originally began its path in the industry as a weekly mix series back in December ’22.
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Lauer - Centurio
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Lauer - I Don't Know
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Lauer - Trig Out
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Lauer - Longo
Lauer makes a glorious return to Way to France Records with another varied mix of typical Lauer hits (“Centurio”), breaks (“I Dont Know”), fast - in the 2016 sense - dancefloor stompers (“Trig Out”) and Ibiza-esque deep house (“Longo”) on his “Centurio EP”.
Piano-filled tracks for beginners and advanced listeners. More
Piano-filled tracks for beginners and advanced listeners. More
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Lauer - Law High
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Lauer - Law High (Charlie Remix)
3
Lauer - Enso
4
Lauer - Enso (Janthe Remix)
The first outing of the new label Way to France records, born in Leipzig and raised in Cologne (including an extra long puberty), comes from none other than Robert Johnson legend Lauer.
The title track Law High heads straight for peak time in classic Lauer style between synth-pop, wave and house. Extraordinary DJ Charlie from Berlin transforms Law High into an analog-sounding EBM-Italo stomper with her first remix ever.
On B1 Lauer shows his other side with Enso: Techno Soul in the melody-man manner. Enso got the remix treatment from Leipzig's highly talented Janthe, who (another remix premiere) pulls off a modern, froggy, timeless version that's playable on any occasion. WTF Records headquarter is more than proud (and happy) to have so much talent on their versatile catalog number 001.
Get the balance right. More
The title track Law High heads straight for peak time in classic Lauer style between synth-pop, wave and house. Extraordinary DJ Charlie from Berlin transforms Law High into an analog-sounding EBM-Italo stomper with her first remix ever.
On B1 Lauer shows his other side with Enso: Techno Soul in the melody-man manner. Enso got the remix treatment from Leipzig's highly talented Janthe, who (another remix premiere) pulls off a modern, froggy, timeless version that's playable on any occasion. WTF Records headquarter is more than proud (and happy) to have so much talent on their versatile catalog number 001.
Get the balance right. More
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Lauer - Harmony Unit
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Lauer - Betone
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Lauer - Frizzante
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Lauer - Playa
A new figure sashays their way into Bordello. In one hand, a bouquet of carnations, in the other a 12” record. Lauer. Philipp Lauer. Known for his incredible productions on labels like Running Back and Permanent Vacation, not to mention his collaborations, the German all around good guy delivers four gems. The title piece radiates warmth, clean drum patterns giving way to beaming synth bars with vocoder lyrics bopping to the bass. Light hi-hats and a wet snare are the fertile ground from which choral key shifts break to squelching acid in this addictively diverse work. The energy levels spike, like a cork spearing its way from a champagne bottle, for the unbridled enthusiasm of “Frizzante”. Piano stabs, pulsating percussion and an infectious groove. The Summer sun may have set, but Lauer is still at the “Playa” with his playful finale. An off-kilter melody ebbs and flows on a string of rhythms, dreamy tongue-in cheek synth play sailing this 12” off to the horizon.
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Lauer - Somebody w/ Dena 5:33
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Lauer - Somebody instrumental 6:18
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Lauer - Resonancer 5:57
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Lauer - Exterminate 5:43
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Lauer - Friends 4:08
6
Lauer - Cyclone Days 4:25
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Lauer - Neway 5:45
Format: Mini-LP
Tracklist
A1. Somebody w/ Dena 5:33
A2. Somebody instrumental 6:18
A3. Resonancer 5:57
B1. Exterminate 5:43
B2. Friends 4:08
B3. Cyclone Days 4:25
B4. Neway 5:45
Often duplicated, never imitated: the power of Lauer! Albeit being no stranger himself to musical influences from the outside, the producer from Frankfurt managed to carve out a sound that is very much his own. Indie-dance, Italo, power pop and house music in its traditional sense get mixed up in a blender of happiness.
Lauer’s latest achievement for Running Back and welcome return is a mini-LP called Cyclone Days. Aptly titled and ably executed, it’s everything you would expect or want from him. A world of merry music, where melody is king.
On top of that , you get value for your money: Vocal blockbusters like the upbeat Somebody (instrumental included) and the more restrained Friends (both with frequent collaborator Dena), sit comfortably between instrumental hits. Resonator and Neway take the role of the proverbial keys to happiness, while the title track or Exterminate balance it out with joyful melancholy.
Just imagine Righeira signing to Factory Records or Durutti Column on holidays in Rimini and you are halfway there. The days might be like a cyclone, but as long as there are records like this, the shelter isn’t blown.
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Tracklist
A1. Somebody w/ Dena 5:33
A2. Somebody instrumental 6:18
A3. Resonancer 5:57
B1. Exterminate 5:43
B2. Friends 4:08
B3. Cyclone Days 4:25
B4. Neway 5:45
Often duplicated, never imitated: the power of Lauer! Albeit being no stranger himself to musical influences from the outside, the producer from Frankfurt managed to carve out a sound that is very much his own. Indie-dance, Italo, power pop and house music in its traditional sense get mixed up in a blender of happiness.
Lauer’s latest achievement for Running Back and welcome return is a mini-LP called Cyclone Days. Aptly titled and ably executed, it’s everything you would expect or want from him. A world of merry music, where melody is king.
On top of that , you get value for your money: Vocal blockbusters like the upbeat Somebody (instrumental included) and the more restrained Friends (both with frequent collaborator Dena), sit comfortably between instrumental hits. Resonator and Neway take the role of the proverbial keys to happiness, while the title track or Exterminate balance it out with joyful melancholy.
Just imagine Righeira signing to Factory Records or Durutti Column on holidays in Rimini and you are halfway there. The days might be like a cyclone, but as long as there are records like this, the shelter isn’t blown.
More
1
Lauer - (1) a1: Lil Forci Jr. (4:51)
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Lauer - (2) a2: Ghost feat. Jasnau * (4:48)
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Lauer - (3) a3: Switec (5:15)
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Lauer - (4) a4: SNNO (4:24)
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Lauer - (5) b1: Make It Stay feat. Dena ** (4:18)
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Lauer - (6) b2: Valentino III **** (3:47)
7
Lauer - (7) b3: Altalenanti feat. Fabrizio Mammarella *** (5:14)
8
Lauer - (8) b4: No More Push-Backs (4:38)
9
Lauer - (9) b5: Fait Accombli (2:48)
Vinyl LP incl Digital Download Voucher
Tracklist
(1) a1: Lil Forci Jr. (4:51)
(2) a2: Ghost feat. Jasnau * (4:48)
(3) a3: Switec (5:15)
(4) a4: SNNO (4:24)
(5) b1: Make It Stay feat. Dena ** (4:18)
(6) b2: Valentino III **** (3:47)
(7) b3: Altalenanti feat. Fabrizio Mammarella *** (5:14)
(8) b4: No More Push-Backs (4:38)
(9) b5: Fait Accombli (2:48)
Release Infos:
Lauer Drops New LP “Answers 2 Trouble”
Lauer makes it all look so easy.
Over his two decades in the game, Philipp Lauer’s work always manages to mix the best of steely German engineering with deep emotion; industrial-strength beats with the warmth of an old sweater.
On his new LP “Answers 2 Trouble” (out April 2 on Permanent Vacation), the Frankfurt-based musician once again delivers the goods: Nine tracks stuffed with elite beat making and delicious, 80s-influenced songcraft, drawn together by clever arrangements and expert pacing.
After a handful of high-profile collabs over the past few years with the Sex Tags crew, Skatebård, Fabrizio Mammarella and fellow Tuff City Kid Gerd Janson, the prolific producer sounds energized to be back behind the wheel for a solo spin—his first LP since 2018’s “Power.”
All the Lauer hallmarks are here: Flashes of modern house and techno, a few drops of acid, layers of gorgeous synths and those wistful melodies that recall an era when New Order played live on “Baywatch.”
While the longtime Robert Johnson Club affiliate hasn't shied away from his John Hughes influences in the past, this time around, Mr. Philipp pushes his sound further into pure pop than ever before.
Especially on cuts like “Make It Stay” and “Valentino III,” Lauer swaps moody dance floor workouts for breezy, seaside drives.
On the former, new collaborator Dena plays Cosey to Lauer’s Chris, and the pair craft the kind of song that would sound perfect on a teenage spin in mom’s convertible VW Cabriolet.
Not that he's gone all pop, though.
The Italo-tinged “Altalenanti” lands squarely in Lauer’s patented toughness + grooviness equation, while album highlight “Ghost” (alongside frequent vocalist Jasnau) is all shouty vocal hooks, clenched fists and stomping bass lines.
Lauer tells us the new record was completed in his brand-new, purpose-built studio. While we imagine wiring together all his vintage gear must’ve been a major chore, thankfully, the results sound effortless.
More
Tracklist
(1) a1: Lil Forci Jr. (4:51)
(2) a2: Ghost feat. Jasnau * (4:48)
(3) a3: Switec (5:15)
(4) a4: SNNO (4:24)
(5) b1: Make It Stay feat. Dena ** (4:18)
(6) b2: Valentino III **** (3:47)
(7) b3: Altalenanti feat. Fabrizio Mammarella *** (5:14)
(8) b4: No More Push-Backs (4:38)
(9) b5: Fait Accombli (2:48)
Release Infos:
Lauer Drops New LP “Answers 2 Trouble”
Lauer makes it all look so easy.
Over his two decades in the game, Philipp Lauer’s work always manages to mix the best of steely German engineering with deep emotion; industrial-strength beats with the warmth of an old sweater.
On his new LP “Answers 2 Trouble” (out April 2 on Permanent Vacation), the Frankfurt-based musician once again delivers the goods: Nine tracks stuffed with elite beat making and delicious, 80s-influenced songcraft, drawn together by clever arrangements and expert pacing.
After a handful of high-profile collabs over the past few years with the Sex Tags crew, Skatebård, Fabrizio Mammarella and fellow Tuff City Kid Gerd Janson, the prolific producer sounds energized to be back behind the wheel for a solo spin—his first LP since 2018’s “Power.”
All the Lauer hallmarks are here: Flashes of modern house and techno, a few drops of acid, layers of gorgeous synths and those wistful melodies that recall an era when New Order played live on “Baywatch.”
While the longtime Robert Johnson Club affiliate hasn't shied away from his John Hughes influences in the past, this time around, Mr. Philipp pushes his sound further into pure pop than ever before.
Especially on cuts like “Make It Stay” and “Valentino III,” Lauer swaps moody dance floor workouts for breezy, seaside drives.
On the former, new collaborator Dena plays Cosey to Lauer’s Chris, and the pair craft the kind of song that would sound perfect on a teenage spin in mom’s convertible VW Cabriolet.
Not that he's gone all pop, though.
The Italo-tinged “Altalenanti” lands squarely in Lauer’s patented toughness + grooviness equation, while album highlight “Ghost” (alongside frequent vocalist Jasnau) is all shouty vocal hooks, clenched fists and stomping bass lines.
Lauer tells us the new record was completed in his brand-new, purpose-built studio. While we imagine wiring together all his vintage gear must’ve been a major chore, thankfully, the results sound effortless.
More
1
Lauer - Know You
2
Lauer - You Know w/ Jasnau
3
Lauer - Body Chck
4
Lauer - Ctron E
5
Lauer - You Know (instrumental)
Tracklist
A1: Know You
A2: You Know w/ Jasnau
B1: Body Chck
B2: Ctron E
B3: You Know (instrumental)
Shortinfo:
The man machine Lauer is back on Permanent Vacation with full power! After last year's album for
Running Back and his summer anthem "Inkel Jet 880" for the DGTL label, here is Phillip's new EP
"Know You". And Lauer does what Lauer does best: Perfecting his proto disco trance sound into four
emotional party tracks for romancers and B-Boys alike. On this EP, you even get the chance to sing
along. " You Know" features his good old buddy and frequent collaborator Jasnau on vocals. To say it
with his words: Don't hesitate!
More
A1: Know You
A2: You Know w/ Jasnau
B1: Body Chck
B2: Ctron E
B3: You Know (instrumental)
Shortinfo:
The man machine Lauer is back on Permanent Vacation with full power! After last year's album for
Running Back and his summer anthem "Inkel Jet 880" for the DGTL label, here is Phillip's new EP
"Know You". And Lauer does what Lauer does best: Perfecting his proto disco trance sound into four
emotional party tracks for romancers and B-Boys alike. On this EP, you even get the chance to sing
along. " You Know" features his good old buddy and frequent collaborator Jasnau on vocals. To say it
with his words: Don't hesitate!
More
1
lauer - Inkel Jet 880
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lauer - Topo Chico
3
lauer - Topo Chico (Tribute Mix)
After DGTL’s first ever Various Artists release it is time to hand over the momentum of the 9th release to one artist only: Lauer. Phillip Lauer has been producing and remixing for decades. He has over 250 remixes to his name, collaborations with Gerd Janson, Fabrizio Mammarella and Tim Sweeney and various EPs and albums under his Lauer moniker. For the DGTL release Lauer gives us the three-tracker Topo Chico doused with his signature sound. Starting off with Inkel Jet 880, maybe best described as a modern Italo track, but without the typical accented vocals, giving you a mean and lean vibe throughout. The thick and synthy bass-line combined with the sharp chords, thumping beat and two effective breaks make Inkel Jet 880 an energetic ride straight to the dance floor. The title track Topo Chico is a softer sounding track with a swinging bassline and high pitched arrangement that builds up to stretched out chords, giving it all a dreamy yet spirited feel. From here on the track continues to build up to various highs, by leaving out the chords here and there, but adding some bells instead, while slowly but surely the chords drop by again and makes Topo Chico all the more blissful. The EP ends with the Topo Chico Tribute mix which starts with an acidic bass line that drops into a bath of soft sounding bells and Lauer’s signature stretched out chords, while the arrangement gives the track a nostalgic vibe, turning more current later on in the track. The tribute ends where it all started, with the thick Acid bassline, making the Topo Chico Tribute mix a perfect ending to the EP. The sleeve of DGTL’s 9th release Topo Chico is yet again custom designed by the duo Boris Acket and Tim Straver.
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Lauer - Blissos
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Lauer - Fatigue
3
Lauer - Direction
4
Lauer - Mirrors Feat Jasnau
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Lauer - Phaser7
6
Lauer - Faell
7
Lauer - Realistic
8
Lauer - Nirost
9
Lauer - Power
Tracklist LP:
Tracklist
A1. Blissos
A2. Fatigue
A3. Direction
A4. Mirrors Feat Jasnau
A5. Phaser7
B1. Faell
B2. Realistic
B3. Nirost
B4. Power
Shortinfo:
Lauer always rhymes with “Power”. Proven by countless remixes, productions and projects like Arto Mwambe, Black Spuma, Talamanca System or Tuff City Kids and – naturally – his own-brand. There aren't many dance floors left that haven't been blessed by all this glory.
Now, the aptly titled third album of Frankfurt's prime export regarding all things melodic, teenaged and synthesized, intensifies, condenses and hones the sound, he has been developing for years: a topical take on classic dance and 80ies pop figures, disco music in a closet (Lauer is still in denial), singing arpeggios, android choirs, beautiful bass lines and sometimes the apparitional architecture of house music.
Neatly placed on one piece of vinyl, “Power” collects nine tracks resp. songs that follow these roads. Expertly produced, recorded on high-end tape and complemented with intricate songwriting, Running Back is proud to present his magnum opus.
“Power” is vintage Lauer. Like his attic – Pyramide Studio 2 for those who know – where a vast synthesizer collection from the days of yore and tomorrow meets other digital dinosaurs and analog Aphrodites, it showcases a sanguine, punky and vivid DIY-aesthetic that isn't too far from a garage band turned into a one-man-orchestra.
Glazed with two songs featuring the vocal talents of Jasnau (Mirrors and the Poeponymous Power) Power), that sentiment is consolidated. Music to dance to and to romance to.
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lauer - No Title
2
lauer - No Title
3
lauer - No Title
Following on from 2016’s excellent “Birsk” single on Futureboogie, Philipp Lauer returns to the label with a new three track single. The “Las Brisas” EP kick starts with the mechanical funk of “Pile”; acidic notes drip over heavy EBM drums whilst a hovering ‘Resse’ style bassline dominates, the influence of early house and industrial dance are ever present here on this belter of a track from the Tuff City Kids and Talamanca System player.
More acid pressure can be found on “Clipper”, a blazing and dynamic slice of anthemic Balearic dance. Searing pads and lustrous melodies pour over the robust drum machine workout, that’ll have dancers reaching for the skies! Real stirring stuff from Lauer, which continues with closing track “Tyco”. Ricocheting stabs and cowbell hits bounce off a sturdy kick drum as the track flourishes with more on-point melodies and a snaking bass. Dripping with emotive refrains, Lauer brings his very best to the table here, and rounds off an EP that’s most definitely all killer and no filler!
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More acid pressure can be found on “Clipper”, a blazing and dynamic slice of anthemic Balearic dance. Searing pads and lustrous melodies pour over the robust drum machine workout, that’ll have dancers reaching for the skies! Real stirring stuff from Lauer, which continues with closing track “Tyco”. Ricocheting stabs and cowbell hits bounce off a sturdy kick drum as the track flourishes with more on-point melodies and a snaking bass. Dripping with emotive refrains, Lauer brings his very best to the table here, and rounds off an EP that’s most definitely all killer and no filler!
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It might be commonplace, but it holds some self-evident truth for the return of Lauer - to the album format that is. Three years after his debut "Phillips" on Running Back, the melody man from the outback of Frankfurt am Main presents Borndom: a thirteen track trip through a universe that is specifically his. Far from being a stranger to Permanent Vacation with singles like Delta NRG or Donnerlake being heralds of the things to come, it provides a home to their spiritual kinship and ethos. Rooted in pop music and mixed with the reactance and sound aesthetics of punk, while wearing dancing shoes, you'll be hard pressed to find lots of contemporaries that till a similar field. With a sound signature, a melodic repertoire and an emotional quality that is immediately recognizable, often yearns for vocals (a point of criticism that is minimized as you will see in just a second) and is if nothing else highly individualised, Lauer might one of the thoroughly honest indie dancers out there.
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More records from Public Release
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Earth Boys - In The Sun
2
Earth Boys - In The Sun (Eden Burns Remix)
3
Earth Boys - Fog Night
4
Earth Boys - Chillb909
5
Earth Boys - Chillb909 (Mayurashka Remix)
At the dawn of 2024, Earth Boys, the collaborative force of Michael Sherburn and Julian Duron, reemerges on Public Release with their latest EP, 'In the Sun.' Their signature raw and smoke-infused sound is as rugged as ever, reaffirming the unmistakable Earth Boys touch. The lead single gets a hypnotic tweaky groove courtesy of an Eden Burns remix—perfect for setting the stage for a peak-time build—while Tokyo's Mayurashka offers a deep and contemplative atmospheric chugger. This 5-track EP is perfect for a spectrum of cheeky activities on and off the dance floor.
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Richard Sen - My Definition Of Funk
2
Richard Sen - Social Science
3
Richard Sen - Smoke And Mirrors
Since 2014, Public Release has been enlisting the raw, trademark groove of Richard Sen on a variety of now- renowned remixes. Label boss Eug has cited him in numerous interviews as being one of his all-time favourite producers, so it was inevitable that a solo EP would eventually materialize. That time has finally come, and in the Spring of 2022, the UK legend drops his solo EP “My Definition of Funk” on Public Release. These three raw, gritty, hard-hitting, peak-time tracks are quintessential Richard Sen, combining the energy and influences of post-punk, breaks, and house in one sturdy sonic package.
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METROPOLITAN SOUL MUSEUM - L'Ete
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METROPOLITAN SOUL MUSEUM - Reapers
3
METROPOLITAN SOUL MUSEUM - The Pleasure Principle
4
METROPOLITAN SOUL MUSEUM - Objects
Metropolitan Soul Museum are Nick Woolfson and Filippo Rocco. The UK based duo have storied history as individuals; Nick having been half of legendary Mock & Toof and later on running the iconic Teng record label. Filippo, also with significant history at Teng and a former drummer, now focussing on MSM and related avenues. Following up on their hypnotic contribution “Stoneman" to the 2020 Public Release VA compilation, this is their first EP on Public Release. Moody with a significant weight behind every note, rays of sunshine beam through all the right places, giving their tracks a distinctly unique emotional response. 4 deep-cuts of impeccable brooding lushness.
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1
Richard Sen - - Abstract Dance (Kolago Kult’s Swamp Dub Mix)
2
Earth Boys - - EBoys 2020 (Licaxxx Remix)
3
Fran-Key - - Summer into Winter (Eric Duncan Remix)
4
Tim Sweeney - - 8th & Broadway (Jex Opolis Remix)
5
Tendts - - Slice the Top (Vin Sol & Matrixxmann Remix)
The much anticipated Remix EP of “415-PR22” finally arrives from pressing hold ups. A truly international roster of remixers and co-conspirators, topped off with graphics by UK legend Fergus “Fergadelic” Purcell. Abstract Dance: London new school Kolago Kult, remixes London old school Richard Sen. EBoys 2020: SF/NY based Earth Boys, get flipped via Tokyo icon Licaxxx. Summer into Winter: Old friends share a track; Eric Duncan gives Tokyo’s Mild Bunch member Fran-Key an offering. 8th & Broadway: The great white north; Jex Opolis drops his trademark touch on Tim Sweeney's first solo production. Slice the Top: SF/BE friends Vin Sol and Matrixxman produce this blissed out version for Greek brothers Tendts.
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1
Tendts - - Slice the Top
2
Richard Sen - - Abstract Dance
3
Tim Sweeney - - 8th & Broadway
4
Earth Boys - - Eboys 2020
5
Fran-key - - Summer into Winter
6
Metropolitan Soul Museum - - Stoneman
Every so often Public Release takes a snapshot along their discography timeline, to pause and recognize the various artists that represent the past, present and future of where the label sits. The last such release was in 2016, and four years, twelve releases later it’s time for another marker. This EP pools together six exclusive tracks from their global family, some on the PR roster for the very first time. From the beautifully addictive melodies by Tendts and Metropolitan Soul Museum, brooding baselines and synths from Richard Sen and Tim Sweeney, to the ecstatic floor energy produced by Fran-key and Earth Boys, the range presented here is impressive. Equally enjoyable as an abbreviated album, or as singular tracks at your service. TRACK LISTING: A1. Tendts - Slice the Top, A2. Richard Sen - Abstract Dance, A3. Tim Sweeney - 8th & Broadway, B1. Earth Boys - Eboys 2020, B2. Fran-key - Summer into Winter, B3. Metropolitan Soul Museum - Stoneman
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Anderson Chase - Moon Replacement
2
Anderson Chase - Moon Replacement (Gonno Remix)
3
Anderson Chase - Moon Replacement (Mark E Remix)
4
Anderson Chase - Between Us
Public Release once again plunges into the deep well of dance music talent its hometown of San Francisco has long fostered for Moon Replacement, the debut single by Anderson Chase, two originals wrapped around a couple remixes of its titular track. Clocking in at over eight minutes, “Moon Replacement” is a tense, drawn-out affair. It coaxes you onto the dance?oor with hardedged drums that slap with a metallic clang, a steely bass throb that de?nes its backbone, and spindly synth noodles that creep around the crust on top. Chase’s previous life as a punk and metal drummer seeps through; this is a tenacious house boogie that trundles along at that Goldilocks BPM of 118, fast enough to snap you to attention, slow enough that you don’t lose stamina as you give into the groove. Japanese house producer Gonno, known for his ability to graft scalpel-sharp minimal techno loops onto out-there, mindexpanding arrangements, puts his own spin on the song for the A2 slot. He darkens the mood while zapping it with a static charge to quicken its pace. On the reverse is Mark E’s take, which goes in the opposite direction, applying some heat so the square structure’s joins start to melt, wiggle, wobble. The bottom is still stocky, a molten mass of heavy-duty bass energy, but the melody that dances around the top is airier and lighter, glints of sunshine through storm clouds. And then “Between Us” arrives to stick the landing, get us back to where we started. Like “Moon Replacement,” it’s a blocky foot-stomper that directs you forward with its tireless rhythm section, though this time with an even longer shadow cast behind it.
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1
mark e - Shake
2
mark e - Shelter
3
mark e - M-54
4
mark e - Shinkansen
The 12-inch starts on a bone-chilling note with the titular track, a spartan warm-up that’s a creeping bass on the low end, wispy pads in the mids, and a scratchy looped vox sample on top designed to haunt your dreams. A freaky intro that unnerves as it allures. On the move now, Mark burrows deeper into a hypnotic groove with “Shelter,” a midtempo cyborg cut, half round, warm, organic percussion, half cold-tothe-touch synth chord sustains. The energy and urgency feels like new territory, but the execution is signature Mark E. On the reverse is a pair of more melodious tunes, the shuf?ing cyberpunk groove that is “M-54,” then the prickly “Shinkansen,” which has a sputtered and bleary-eyed thrust to make feet jitter and hips shake. A twist on the man's disciplined studio workmanship that we've come to know—arrow-straight arrangements, celery-crisp drums—that’s spiced with a few pinches of psychedelic, inside-out wickedness, devilishness to keep you wired, buzzing
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1
tendts - Cosmic Swimmer
2
tendts - Cosmic Swimmer (Soulwax Remix)
3
tendts - Cosmic Swimmer (Kim Ann Foxman Remix
4
tendts - Cosmic Swimmer (Eric Duncan Remix)
For its newest record, Public Release soars over the Atlantic and glides into Greece to convene with two brothers from Thessaloniki, Christos and Fotis Papadakis, for Cosmic Swimmer, a gentle, lilting sunbleached house escapade. The 12-inch opens with their soft and cushy original mix of “Cosmic Swimmer”, a charmed layer cake of round, full-bodied hand drums, airy pads, and washed-out vocal harmonies. A breezy, wide-open endless groove that ambles along at a not-too- slow, not-too-fast Goldilocks pace that will easily keep you undulating on the floor or in your head. Another pair of brothers, the Soulwax boys, making a very rare, celebrated appearance here, take the reigns and fill out the arrangement by wrapping it all up in some stone-cathedral euphoric resonance and injecting it with their trademark finger-plucked bass struts. One of their top remixes ever? Perhaps. The hot potato is then passed to New York City’s Kim Ann Foxman for her take, a more urgent and pressed affair that swaps the organic elements for jittery programmed percussion, strobed effects, and brittle synth licks, all the while somehow keeping the dusting of Balearic feel-good presence intact. Finally, Eric “Dr. Dunks” Duncan jumps into the frame with a tough love acid- flecked interpretation that thrusts the record into peak-hour rave territories.
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Public Release maintains its coast-switching lifestyle with what is perhaps its most ambitious project—and inarguably its longest —yet, Earth Boys’ debut full-length, The eboys LP, the logical conclusion to a chain of collaborations that began, a little over a year ago, with the release of their Trail Mix EP. The two-disc, twelve-track album represents a new high for the pair comprised of Michael Sherburn and Julian C. Duron both creatively and technically; ideas they’ve been stewing and simmering since their splash of a debut in 2015 are now presented fully baked here. Eboys was conceived as a classic long-player, with the majority of the tunes having a runtime of about four minutes and the whole thing feeling most satisfying when inhaled with one big tug that gets you from the A1 all the way to the D3.
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earth boys - Trail Mix (T&P Remix)
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earth boys - Highway 1 (Earth Boys Dab Remix)
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earth boys - Big Time (Khotin's Omega Trek Mix)
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earth boys - Trail Mix (Mike Simonetti Remix)
In early 2017, Public Release dropped a four-tracker by Brooklyn’s Earth Boys, a duo comprisedof Julian Duron and Michael Sherburn, and now it’s being followed by a collection of remixes by some formidable names from around the world. Where the EP of originals fell squarely in the category of vibey, shuffling, laid-back house grooves, Trail Remix is decidedly made for the after-midnight parts of club sets. The 12-inch begins with a T&P - that's Beats in Space's Tim Sweeney and Phillip Lauer's version of 'Trail Mix'. Acid-flecked and hard-edged, and tongue-in-cheek at heart yet seriously functional, it's the original red-lined and shot down the highway at ninety miles an hour. (Worth noting that this is the transatlantic unit's first remix to be released.) After that is Earth Boys' own redo of 'Highwa 1' a juiced-up re-imagining of the first version, filled out with chunkier kicks and fatter synth washes that completely envelope any sense of direction. The flip leans towards the ethereal, stretchy, abstract, though it, too, is tracky and driven. The B1 slot goes to Canadian wunderkind Khotin, of 1080p and Normals Welcome, who blows some stardust into the tune, enveloping it in a blanket of sharp drums and icy pads. NYC mainstay Mike Simonetti, formerly of Trouble Man and Italians Do It Better, currently of 2MR, caps the record with his beefy overhaul of 'Trail Mix' a compression of industrial percussion, tribal rhythms and sub-bass undulations.
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jee day - Crocodile Tears
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jee day - Communication Masterbation
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jee day - Communication Masterbation Dub
If you’re familiar with Public Release’s sibling, FACE, a series of parties, you’ll already know that Jee Day, né Dennis McNany, has been in the Bay Area label’s orbit for some time; as half of the DFA act Museum of Love, he joined the inner circle years ago. Here, with Amot Herga Laxy, he makes his bold debut on Public Release itself. The single begins with “Crocodile Tears,” an abstract, impressionistic tapestry of African rhythms, meditative synth washes, Vangelis-esque horns and pads. It recedes and Jee Day plunges deeper into the jungle with “Communication Masterbation,” a propulsive number built around a psychedelic, droney bass that’s wrapped with gritty, distorted effects and layers of topline keyboard licks stacked high. A raw club track cut from transcendentalist cloth that’ll lift you off the dance floor. The B-side is a dub of “Communication Masterbation,” with an emphasis being placed on pulling out, unraveling, extending the rhythmic elements and emphasizing the electronic veil the piece is shrouded in. A trancey, menacing sprawl that could be an extended Sonic Youth live jam if they swapped their stringed instruments for Roland and Korg gear—and dusted the whole thing in an unknown psychoactive slime.
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eye o - Kinetic
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eye o - Spacewalking
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eye o - Spatial Relations
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eye o - Elephant
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eye o - Had Fun
Time for something a little different from Public Release. EYE O is the convergence of a few Bay Area stalwarts—Kevin Woodruff, formerly of Tussle, and Jason Schwartz—and “Deux O & Debut" is their first studio-recorded public offering. The five-track, fifty-minute- long LP is a weaving journey through a pastiche of styles that’re all nephews, cousins, brothers, sisters of one another. Kraut-rooted motorik drums reconfigure into more complicated math-y patterns; razor-sharp dance-punk guitars stretch out and dissolve into dubby post-rock atmospherics; synth loops you’d more commonly find in house tracks get grafted onto fuzzy psychedelic breakdowns; hard rock licks lock into chunky industrial grooves. Less for dancefloor destruction and more for trippy weekenders, the instrumental record manages to both be a focused, cerebral, conceptual hunk of fat to chew on and a spaced-out, intuitive ride through the cosmos. For use during those off-kilter small hours of the night just as much as it is vision quests and introspective weekends. It’s rare that an outpouring of so much can feel so simple and sublime.
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earth boys - Trail Mix
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earth boys - Big Time
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earth boys - Put Me On
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earth boys - Highway
Public Release’s lucky thirteen and second release of 2017 is by another kindred spirit newcomer to the label; Earth Boys, a Brooklyn-based duo that’s all dreamy keys, soft pads, peace frogs, throwback vibes, and deftly futuristic house rhythms, though not necessarily in that order. With Trail Mix, Mike Sherburn and Julian Duron have built four gloriously friendly, oddball house cuts— cheeky, choppy vocal samples juxtaposed against schmaltzy piano licks and punchy tribal rhythms rubbing against smooth bass figurations. Their ironic sense of humor intersects with precisely crafted productions in a way that underscores both, making the EP a brilliant concoction of bouncy, energetic dance music that teases the genre as much as it revels in it. If that messes with your head, just shut down your left brain, drop the needle, take a big ol’ rip, and see where a microdose of Earth Boys will take you.
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phil gerus - Ohashi Sky Garden
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phil gerus - Ohashi (Richard Sen Remix)
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phil gerus - Naha Swim
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phil gerus - Kiss Of A Kind
Public Releases hits the lab for some aural alchemy and to turn out its first release of 2017. A four-tracker from Moscow’s Phil Gerus, Scenes—or, in the producer’s native Russian, ?????—manages to have a makeup that’s both peculiar and magnetic. The title’s a fitting one; every track feels like a vignette in a collection of short stories. Separately, they’re self-contained, but a rich narrative arch is added when they’re sewn together. If there is a theme here, it’s of viewing the future through the dusty lens of the past, and each of the songs explores this in its own fashion. The kick-off, “Ohashi Sky Garden,” starts as a hyped-up Italo space epic, pumped full of swirling synth licks and sharp, tight drums, but it mutates into something completely its own when vocal samples (90s R&B?) and warm keys (prog rock Rhodes?) enter. After the original’s brisk five minutes, the legendary Richard Sen—graffiti guy, breaks guy, house guy, disco guy, half-of-Padded-Cell guy—steps in to give it a trance-y tinge while doubling its runtime and adding a dancefloor-destroying Hi-NRG coloration. The B begins with “Naha Swim,” a crunchy funk foot-stomper that might as well be an unreleased Idjut Boys or Ray Mang ditty dug up from the Noid catacombs. Fiery and furious, yet utterly cheeky. Serving as a sort of coda to “Naha” is “Kiss of a Kind,” a Gerus take on 80s adult contemporary, replete with sleazy sax and sensual pads. A gentle nightcap to a zigzagging, antic 12-inch.
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Anonstop - - Seaside (Tough Talk Remix by Thee Loving Hand)
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v.a. - Seaside (Tough Talk Remix instrumental by Thee Loving Hand)
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Be´zier - - Domination (Chida Remix)
Landing straight after 415-PR10, Public Release’s first in a loose series of San Francisco-centric compilations, this three-track 12-inch is a further exploration of the Bay Area’s sounds and aesthetics, though here it’s explored via remixes produced by friends from abroad. The A-side is a complete overhaul, reimagining, and extension of Anonstop’s “Seaside” by Thee Loving Hand, Tim Goldsworthy’s solo moniker of choice these days. The ex-DFA Records co-founder and former member of UNKLE took the tune’s Balearic foundation and used it as a bed for what one might mistake as a lost Arthur Russell cut from the World of Echo era. Joel Wells lent his airy, light, sweet vocals to the track, while Darren Morris added synth work to bolster Tim’s usual production genius. It’s carefree and emotive, the aural equivalent of a big, toothy smile. The flip features a mix that’s a whole helluva lot more intense and uptempo, though no less positive than it’s original. Chida’s remix of “Domination” is squarer and housier than Be´zier’s piece, which was glitzy classic disco dunked in Italo, but enough of it remains to be unmistakably a spinoff. Fiery and propulsive in the way a Gulfstream jet is, it’s a ball of thunder that will electrify any set, any dance floor.
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anonstop/ 40 thieves/ bezier/ the beat b - Anonstop - Seaside
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anonstop/ 40 thieves/ bezier/ the beat b - 40 Thieves - "Lower Haighter" (Cage & Aviary remix)
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anonstop/ 40 thieves/ bezier/ the beat b - Bezier - "Domination"
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anonstop/ 40 thieves/ bezier/ the beat b - The Beat Broker - "Trade Secrets
Seeing as Public Release is a San Francisco label and sister to Face, a long-running local party, you could say it was inevitable the label would put out a record that candidly celebrates its hometown’s talent, color, character. 415-PR10, whose name is an ode to S.F.’s first, emblematic area code, is exactly that: a frenetic survey of some of Northern California’s finest producers— and a blueprint of sorts for more similarly-minded and -themed EPs in the future. The 12-inch gets warmed up with an uncharacteristically brief yet captivating nugget of West Coast-tinted Balearica by Anonstop, a mysterious entity whose debut release was a pair of edits on the cult imprint Blackdisco that came out five years ago. Then, 40 Thieves, a collective of some of the region’s most lauded and sought-after diggers, rev things up and settle into cruise control with Cage & Aviary’s dubby, drifting mix of “Lower Haighter.” It has a peculiar, crooked patience that sounds like an invitation to seek out all that goes bump in the night. The strobes begin to flash on the flip with Be´zier’s “Domination,” a swinging Italo disco riot that’s as sweaty and frisky as it is focused and no-nonsense. It’s a subtly twisted jam that you’ll swear played for hours when it sharply ends in a bass-and-hi-hat reprise, which is probably exactly what it was made to do; Be´zier, a.k.a. Robert Yang, is one fourth of Honey Soundsystem, the San Francisco DJ crew that’s been throwing parties for over a decade. The EP calls it with the Beat Broker’s “Trade Secrets,” a glittery shuffler that almost serves as a medley of the three cuts it’s preceded by. A dollop of velvety kosmische, a cup of slow-mo disco, and a sprinkle of underspoken piano house, it’s a freeing way to wrap the four-tracker.
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mark e - Sky Horn
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mark e - Sky Horn (Happy Family Remix)
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mark e - Midnight Equatic
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mark e - Midnight Equatic (Museum Of Love Remix)
The last of Public Release’s single-digit records is the first from the British West Midlands’ most famous DJ and producer, Mark E. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. If anything, the fact it didn’t happen earlier should; Mark appeared as a remixer on Jeffrey Brodsky’s 2014 Public Release EP, which has earned him the status of esteemed member of the outfit’s inner circle and prime candidate for an extended play of his own. That little bit of context behind us, let’s move on to the actual music that’s been pressed to Sky Horn. The 12” kicks off with the titular track, an abrasive number built around a meaty, sawtoothed synth line that sits snugly atop a hypnotic beat. Happy Family’s remix—Happy Family, for the uninitiated, is Eric Duncan and Justin Van Der Volgen—is a more psychedelic reimagining of the original cut that’ll knock you into an exhilarating stupor. Speedy and demented, it’s an explosive, tantalizing cap to the first record. The second begins with “Midnight Equatic,” a tense yet propulsive number that’s somehow paranoid industrial, tropical disco, and prototypical synthwave all at once. The duo comprised of Dennis McNany and LCD Soundsystem’s Pat Mahoney, Museum of Love, wrap the four-tracker with their remix of the song, which zeroes in on the electro component so elemental to the original and runs with it, taking it into Depeche Mode Violator territories—before making a sharp left turn and exploring the wild sounds of the early 90s UK rave scene. A final hoorah for the party that is this record.
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jeffrey brodsky - I'll Be Strong
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jeffrey brodsky - I'll Be Strong (Mark E Remix)
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jeffrey brodsky - I'll Be Strong (Richard Sen Remix)
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jeffrey brodsky - I'll Be Strong (Mike Simonetti Remix)
Southern California producer Jeffrey Brodsky's "I'll Be Strong" is the latest EP to appear on San Francisco based label Public Release. Its comprised of four tracks, with Brodsky's original joined by three wide ranging remixes, which complement its energetic feeling with deeper material aimed at late nights and early mornings. The title cut is a prime time house number, which recalls the genre's underground roots through spiralling arpeggios, tweaked-up vocals, and chiming organs. But this isn't just some nostalgic memory, instead Brodsky gives the track some modern muscle via a clean production aesthetic and energetic structure, that locks the vibe in a more contemporary direction. Mark E provides the first remix -- it's a move towards the hypnotic, with tribal drums and cascading bells that ought to provide a worthy complement to late night epiphanies, and memorably euphoric moments spent under the mirror ball. Then comes Richard Sen's take, which runs the whole thing through a filter of '80s-style acid house, with a big raw 303 bassline and dubby vocals accented with delays. The final remix duties fall on Mike Simonetti, whose version teases out the song's atmospheric space through tight, heavy drum programming and monolithic washes of synthesizer.
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