2019 saw Firescope release a seminal album, The Lonely Machine by Britain’s John Shima. The world has become a very different place since then. The pandemic, economic turmoil and global crises prevail. It is amidst such uncertainty that Shima returns with a new collection to combat the savagery of our times, enter Empty Lands.

Dauby basslines and silken strings introduce “Component”, saturated snares giving ballast as Shima’s signature style immediately comes to the fore. A throbbing kick and orbiting notes are peppered with hi-hats for “Neglected”, a sonorous stratum synergising beautifully. Shima is a student of techno. His appreciation and knowledge of the sound is central to the album as he composes within the traditions of the UK and US canon while exploring new plains. The influence of “bleep” is woven into the tapestry of pieces like “Depart” and “Mettle” with the minimalism of the 90s genre reimagined through new textures. “Sayaka” flows with a different current. Rhythms are understated, lapping against undulating keys as dawn rises. Harmony and melody are cornerstones of record, the gentle ebbs and flows of key and drum merging. Inspiration arises from home as well. The steady pulse and metallic tang of “Projection” recalling the industry of Sheffield and the pioneering electronics that sprouted from that rust red earth.

Track titles, and the album name itself, suggest periods of challenge and difficulty. “Paralysis”, “Desolate”, “Empty Lands”. Words that conjure certain feelings and responses. Shima’s music is a counterbalance to these emotions. Positive compositions of subtle shifts, complementary percussion and welcoming warmth acting as a tonic to the negativity that swirls; the ten audio works on offer acting as a balm to soothe the soul in these troubled time More

RAWAX welcomes John Shima to the Family!
His great debut for us will be out 10th of January on vinyl!
Highly recommended! More

Hailing from the heartland of British techno, Sheffield’s John Shima is one of the leading lights of UK electronics. His beautifully crafted sounds have graced a host of imprints including Distant Worlds, Exalt Records and, of course, FireScope. It is to the latter that Shima returns with his long awaiting debut album, The Lonely Machine.
John Shima is a master melody weaver, with this first LP attesting to his deftness of touch. Celestial chords and star gazing synthwork permeate this ten track odyssey. The musical heritage of Shima’s hometown, the elegance, majesty and subtlety of British electronics, is invoked from the needle drop. A range of influences come to the fore in this 2LP. Skirting around the edges of astral ambience and tonal texture are nods to industrial history, the rasp and resonance of rhythms in “Empires”, with the inspiration of Detroit surfacing in the future funk of “Phase Distortion” and “Linear.” Dreamscapes are painted in delicate hues, the fragile movements of “Accepting”, with brooding works adopting thicker basslines and ruffled notes as with “Distrust.” Nevertheless, it is the incandescent brightness of Lonely Machine that truly shines. Radiant pieces of elating electronics, complex and joyful compositions that chime with unbridled hope and open-hearted optimism.


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After some outstanding releases from Stojche, Aybee and Kuba Sojche, DMK step up again with another impressive release, this time with John Shima who delivers the ‘Stealth EP’. After recent releases on Exalt and Firescope records, the quality continues across this EP, with four cuts of deep atmospheric techno.
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Super limited John Shima 7" on juicy green wax from Exalt, only 50 copies of this so be fast!
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Burroughs continues his evolution on Seventh Sign, with the singular Carl Finlow lending a masterly remix to an overall formidable bunch More

Repress coming Mid April!

Talented Kilkenny-based Peter Lawlor, aka Polytunnel, rocks up on Seventh Sign Recordings and turns in a masterly release. More

Ukrainian/Australian producer and musician Tim Jackiw's techno heart beats strongly on this hugely impressive EP that also takes inspiration from the more classically-leaning great 20th century composers like Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream. An obvious talent, his highly musical approach is evident across this record. His is a rich, deep, melodic style which pulsates into play on the record's opener, 'Crimea' where swooping strings and stabs swirl their way round a direct and pulsating electro-patterned bass in a quite masterful piece. Next up 'Oculus', with its slight change of pace, weaves together brittle synth melodies, sweet 808 cowbells and a deep insistent bass line, morphing into an emotive string-led climax, rounding off a fantastic A side. On the flip surging pads envelope a funky, solid bassline on "Element 115" and within a minute we're into a techno dream, pulling us along with its frenetic beat. Closing things is the subaquatic beauty of "Wisteria" at first a deep, gentle turn but then accented with a wonderful, gnarly bass line, pulling the soaring beauty of the music into an impossibly funky, danceable groove. High quality music for the mind and body; a masterful turn from one of techno's true talents. More

Clyde built Stephen Lopkin delivers big as the latest home recruit for Seventh Sign Recordings.

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Bud Burroughs emerges strong with this very fine follow up to 2017's Mail Art EP. Growing with each release, Bud is one to watch. More

Glaswegian Leeon delivers in stunning style this follow up to 2012's brilliant debut on his home city's classic Seventh Sign Recordings imprint. More

A breakthrough artist features on this, the new 7th Sign, which also sees Conforce deliver a slick remix. Here the label once again unearths some new talent. Leeon, a Glasgow-based DJ and producer, uses his debut to serve up three beautiful slices of the proper machine soul we've come to expect from 7th Sign. Conforce is the gifted and restless producer from Terschelling, Holland whose deep, pulsating, atmospheric, expertly-designed pieces of music have also appeared on respected imprints like Clone, Delsin, Meanwhile and Rush Hour.

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In following up Marcellus Pittman's killer Eastside Story, Seventh Sign waste no time in bringing another red-hot act to the label. A member of the legendary Underground Resistance / Los Hermanos / Galaxy 2 Galaxy crew, Santiago Salazar has also enjoyed success as a member of The Trinity (with Mad Mike Banks and Gerald Mitchell) and more recently as Ican, not to mention his many solo outings. His pedigree is unquestionable; a fact not lost on the many labels that have played host to his music, including Submerge, Planet E, Motech and now Seventh Sign. Santiago's sound is full of soul and warmth and is presented using state of the art production and a rich palette of modern sounds, as this E.P. demonstrates to devastating effect... Hot!


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Scotland's number one label present their stunning first release, remastered for 2018. Title track "OSB" has lit up many a dance floor down the years and the flip's menacing "It's Dark, But I'm Not Afraid" has become a unique classic, lauded and loved by many. The haunting "Move Yo Body" rounds things off in true Hutton Drive twisted fashion. A definitive must-have More