2022 Repress

The ongoing importance of this album is indisputable, essential both to techno and to Tresor. It is a history intertwined. This work elevates its maker as master, and remain a cherished moment in the Tresor story, sharing an irrefutable singular magic, sounding as present and indispensable as when first created. To understand this work fully is to stand back and celebrate its impact. Originally released in 1994, 'Internal Empire' marks a point of transition for Robert Hood moving on from his previous collaborations within Underground Resistance. Robert Hood advanced uncovering the power of true minimalism. Deep soul through a simplicity that showed how much could be done with so little. The devastating rhythms of this album forge the unmatched spirit of this sound, influencing generations to come.
Tresor.27 is re-mastered and re-cut, releasing February 1st, 2019, on CD and 180g. 2LP vinyl. More

DSetroit’s pioneering techno giant Robert Hood is next to take the reins of the DJ-Kicks mix series. His timeless 22 track offering includes four of his own new exclusives, and will come on CD as well as with a 2 x 12” vinyl sampler.
TRACKLISTING CD
01 Connected (Intro)
02 Robert Hood - Focus (DJ-Kicks)
EXCLUSIVE
03 Truncate - Terminal 5
04 Slam - Remain
05 Robert Hood - Clocks
06 Marcel Fengler - Mirror Man
07 Mark Broom - King (Gary Beck Remix)
08 Robert Hood - Greytype I **EXCLUSIVE
09 Robert Hood - Mirror Man
10 Stare5 - We Will Not
11 Gary Beck - Video Siren
12 Mark Reeve - Dice
13 Robert Hood - Bond Solid **EXCLUSIVE
14 Landside - Signs of Change
(Robert Hood Remix)
15 Adrian Hour - Make You Feel Good
16 Ben Long & Tom Hades - The Knight Rider
17 Clouds - Chained to A Dead Camel
18 Hans Bouffmyere & Kyle Geiger - Inwards
19 Robert Hood - Machineform **EXCLUSIVE
20 Robert Hood - Hall of Mirrors
21 Oliver Deutschmann - Confuzed
22 Matrixxman - Protocol
More

DSetroit’s pioneering techno giant Robert Hood is next to take the reins of the DJ-Kicks mix series. His timeless 22 track offering includes four of his own new exclusives, and will come on CD as well as with a 2 x 12” vinyl sampler.
TRACKLISTING LP
A1 Robert Hood - Focus (DJ-Kicks)
A2 Truncate - Terminal 5
B1 Slam - Remain
B2 Stare5 - We Will Not
C1 Gary Beck - Video Siren
C2 Mark Reeve - Dice
D1 Landside - Signs of Change
(Robert Hood Remix)
D2 Ben Long & Tom Hades -
The Knight Rider More

FORMAT: 12" vinyl, generic sleeve artwork,
10x15cm postcard inlay, dl code

TRACKLIST
1. / A1 The Element 05:13
2. / A2 Riva 05:26
3. / B1 Love Letter 05:57
4. / B2 Etereo 05:40

Fireground’s live sets brim with joy and Mediterranean warmth so, as we have now passed the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and are well on en route to leave the long, cold winter behind, what could be more fitting than a new release from the duo?
As with their three previous releases on Tresor (Dualism, Refreshing Part 1, and Dreams) for Love Letter Angela and Daniele have created a heady melange of styles of techno synonymous with the turn of the century with such outrageous elan and jubilation that they practically embody the musical term giocoso:
“We had the "summer" concept in mind from the beginning, this pushed us to create a message in our sound making it uplifting and engaging, capable of conveying a positive, romantic and warm vibe. In our productions we always give priority to the harmonic parts such as melodies, pads, piano and guitar riffs, the peculiarity of this EP is that all the tracks were born first from these elements, and only at the end the groove was crafted, not due to a difference in importance, rather to ensure that the rhythmic part paid as much respect as possible to the harmonic part.”
This decision to build upwards from the harmonics has paid dividends: the entrance of a string section provokes visions of a rapt club crowd cheering with exultation; a looped groove stimulates a connection to such gleeful nostalgia that is almost certain to be heard at many festivals in coming months; a blissful pad sweeps over a
track like the first rays of sun in the morning; a filtered synth rises to be met with a xylophone-like countermelody…every track has a moment where the music overflows with some form of happiness. Together the collection promises, and perhaps even delivers, a summer both ecstatic and joyful.
More

Territories: World excl. UK

FORMAT 12" vinyl, full printed pantone sleeve, glossy varnish, download card

TRACKLIST
1. / A1 Model 500 - I.D.L.E. 05:39
2. / A2 Ectomorph - Searching (Live at Globus) 04:54
3. / A3 AMX - Your Body 05:20
4. / B1 DJ Stingray 313 - Dynamic Instability 04:14
5. / B2 JakoJako - Metal Goat 05:05
6. / B3 Erik Jabari - Screamore 04:47

030/313 – Berlin/Detroit, the fundamental techno union. Now Carhartt WIP, whose roots can be traced to Detroit, Michigan, join forces with Tresor for a collaboration that celebrates the enduring spirit of two music metropolises. Referencing the early 90s compilations like “Tresor II – A Techno Alliance”, they present a 12” mini compilation with exclusive material from both cities.
The compilation opens with “I.D.L.E.”, a lost Model 500 track, of essential funk that touches the techno soul of The Motorcity, with trippy melodies and cosmic drilling traversing electrified Mojo freeways. It’s followed by another true Detroiter: Ectomorph’s “Searching (Live At Globus)”, a first extract from their live set at Globus in 2021, which BMG and Erika played on borrowed equipment after Erika’s case was lost on a flight. The A-Side stays in Detroit and finishes with “Your Body”, an exclusive track by AMX, also known as The AM, one of Detroit’s freshest funk techno sensations. She carries on the mentorship mindset by having learned from two of the greatest: D.I.E. and Scan 7. “Your Body” is a classic techno feel swinger, where subtle chords meet drum machine funk in the spirit of early Detroit techno.
DJ Stingray 313 opens the B-Side with a bang. Precisely hacked techno, full of dark funk and that special industrial jack, that the man in the mask has made his own. A total “Dynamic Instability”. Magic & furious. The thrill continues with “Metal Goat”, by JakoJako, one of Berlin’s brightest synth sensations. She provides an introspective grower that slowly evolves into a fast-paced techno grinder, laden with micro shifts and magic twists. The final tune comes from Erik Jabari, a newcomer from the 030 zone, emerging from the Hard Wax peers with haunting modular synth techno–a feverish minimalistic trip of motorized kicks. DJ Pete performed as spiritual guidance on this one. It’s floor proven. An overall cachet of “030313” - the small compilation with a huge techno heart. More

FORMAT 12“ vinyl, printed sleeve, dl card

TRACKLIST
1. / A Concave 1 07:28
2. / B Concave 2 07:28

The serene source of captivating musical ideas that is Borderland, keeps on flowing and vibrating with subtle energy.
Two versions form a set of studio-refined sequences. Both parts of “Concave” are the ungraspable manifestation of the wild quietness in which the duo finds itself. Predicting at once, possible outcomes for the craft of electronic sound, while respecting their profound origins..
More

FORMAT 2LP 180g vinyl, printed sleeve, dl card

TRACKLIST
1. / A1 Transport 07:28
2. / A2 Odyssey 07:28
3. / B1 Lightyears 06:08
4. / B2 2600 06:44
5. / C1 Merkur 04:09
6. / C2 Riod 09:14
7. / D1 Zeolites 10:30

Juan Atkins and Moritz von Oswald – the two indispensable protagonists of the Electric Garden – plug back into the wilderness.
‘Transport’ – the full length effort brings together a set of studio-refined sequences aimed at colonizing some of the dark energy that
pulsates through those areas that are thoroughly electrified, even if not ‘on the grid’.
The Detroit-Berlin axis triangulated to a third point which, like the atomic particle that lives in two places at once, flickers between a
form of techno-charged ambience and a futuristic club-jazz which cannot be broken down into constitutive parts.
Borderland remains caught in a state of enraptured stillness, invisibly moving between every imagined future for electronic sound
making.
The result: a font from which springs serene and exhilarating musical ideas that vibrate with refined energy for sixty seconds in every
minute.

More

Territories: World excl. UK

FORMAT 12" vinyl, generic sleeve, dl card

TRACKLIST
1. / A1 Machine Alliance 05:38
2. / A2 Symbiosis 05:25
3. / B1 Technopoly Dream 05:21
4. / B2 Ode To The D 05:13

Digital Bonus:
5. / DX1 Replicants 04:55
6. / DX2 System & Structure 05:08
7. / DX3 Human In The Loop 04:35


At what point does a new tool or technology become so integral to a process as to be intrinsic? And what happens if that technology starts to subordinate its user?
By reflecting on these questions Machine Alliance, the new EP by Irish producer Kerrie on Tresor Records, connects her music to the sci-fi origins of techno and electronic music in general.
With inspiration from classic books and films of the genre such as The Machine Stops, The Matrix, and Blade Runner as well as modern explorations in art and philosophy like Free Your Mind and Technopoly, the EP’s title takes on two opposing but intersecting meanings.
One, based on the potential for machines to take over or replace humans, is a key idea of sci-fi that seems closer to reality with the arrival of machine learning and real artificial intelligence.
The second has a much more positive view, one where the “alliance” is between the artist and machine to create the music, a process she places immense value on, being both cathartic and therapeutic, whilst also being a vehicle of addition and expansion: “I feel that it’s a collaboration…the machines are precise in their timing and I add the human touch (literally) in the live performance which adds natural imperfections, so we both provide something the other can’t. There’s also an element of growth; the machines get updates and so are always expanding in terms of their musical capabilities. And the more I push my own technical abilities I feel we are growing together in a constant synchronised dance.”
This “dance” results in four tracks (plus three digital-only bonuses) of classic machine funk which combine the aforementioned ideas in sci-fi with a deep lifelong affection for techno. Tracks like Ode to the D, and Technopoly Dream display this love through her choice of sounds and structure, both intentional and subconscious, while Replicants, and Human in the Loop project into other genres to fully round this release off as a contemporary example of music rooted in both past and future.

More

2024 Repress

TRACKLIST
1. / A1 messy kafka world 05:21
2. / A2 synthi chase 05:15
3. / B1 wooden dolls don’t cry 06:13
4. / B2 cassiopea 36 06:30

The unassuming maestro of techno music Donato Dozzy returns to Tresor Records on its 30th year with a new EP entitled 124. The record follows a majestic appearance on the Tresor 30 anniversary compilation and his expert devotion to the Roland TB-303, Filo Loves The Acid. True to form, 124 meddles sharp rhythmic minimalism and diverse textures, each track pushing at the epiphanic threshold as the boss of Spazio Disponibile allows his deeply intuitive productions to take effect.
"messy kafka world" introduces a frenetic and concentrated atmosphere of rhythmic forces, hallucinatory and euphoric in effect. Its dizzying staccato loops are given structure by strengthening beats and bleak synthetic pillars. "synthi chase" emits radical powers, as buzzing rhythms and monotone synths make raw gestures towards altered states. It shares a kindred spirit with "cassiopeia 36", seen in particular through its determined
and primitive pulses, nested within wobbling wood percussion and nervous synth repetitions. "wooden dolls don’t cry" stamps a warm groove, its tempered percussion taking centre stage as shimmering melodic loops threaten spiralling feedback. These dark, hypnotic tracks are flawlessly programmed to cast mesmeric momentums onto club floors and into loosened limbs.
124 represents Donato Dozzy ever-expanding his powers and musical freedom. His innate groove and inventive sound design push minimal and serene techno with a substantial weight and voice that sets him apart from others.

More

Territories: World excl. UK

FORMAT 12" vinyl, generic sleeve, dl card

TRACKLIST
1. / A1 Velocity 04:22
2. / A2 Sync Out Off 05:54
3. / A3 Fong (feat. Kastil) 04:53
4. / B1 Sub Osc 04:32
5. / B2 Tight Gate 04:39
6. / B3 Breath Controller (Dopplereffekt Gravitational Remodel) 04:52


7. / DX Breath Controller (Digital Bonus) 03:28

Release Info:

Datashader emerges from the shadows with a striking breaks- and bass-heavy debut release that challenges the fabric of our digital existence. Replete with a Dopplereffekt remix, it nods to the legacy of revered anonymous acts such as Scopex, Drexciya and Underground Resistance, pushing the boundaries of both electronic music exploration and its conceptual underpinnings. As a critique of the erosion of genuine human connection in the digital age, Datashader delivers a barrage of billowing subs, infectious electro, recontextualized jungle, and techno, serving as a poignant counterbalance to current dance floor-centric norms. It’s a contemporary anti-soundtrack that offers a haunting mirror to the societal costs of technological convenience.
In a world engulfed by the digital realm, where social media platforms thrive and dominate every aspect of our lives, the enigmatic project known as Datashader was founded to reflect on the pervasive erosion of authentic human connection through various virtual realities. Artistically, Datashader seeks to critique the impact of technology on human identity and relationships, breaking with an archetype of digital conformity and expressing a profound disillusionment with the superficiality of online interactions through music. Genuine human connection and art cannot be quantified by likes, comments, or followers but rather thrives in the visceral realm of shared sonic experience and human emotion. This idea is at the core idea of Datashader, whose artistic expression ranges from avant-garde composition and electronic experimentations to art, installation, film and more.
Expressed within the varied contexts of diverse artistic mediums, Datashader explores the concept of “technological gentrification”, which describes the gradual displacement of human interaction by technology. Just as gentrification alters the urban landscape, driving out communities and cultures, digital gentrification transforms the social landscape, replacing genuine connection with curated online personas.
Musically, Datashader’s practice confronts this dystopian reality, highlighting the alarming consequence of people becoming mere nodes in a network, reduced to a collection of data points. This is manifested sonically by a blistering assault of breaks, recontextualized IDM, abstract electronics and otherworldly synthscapes, conceived as the aesthetic counterbalance to much of contemporary electronic music’s dancefloor focus.
Datashader dives deep into genres and influences which stand for a form of sonic resistance: A contemporary anti- soundtrack – a sonic mirror of the price we pay for convenience and instant gratification. A self-image in constant flux. No false technological idols.
More

Territories: World excl. UK

FORMAT 12" vinyl, generic sleeve, dl card

TRACKLIST
1. / A1 Cogitor 06:27
2. / A2 Sexual Tension 06:05
3. / B1 Fragment 04:17
4. / B2 Solar 05:11
5. / B3 Gargk 04:30
4. / DX Wallon (Digital Bonus) 05:49

Writing about techno is quite difficult without falling into cliché: there are only so many ways that you can say
something about a music whose core elements are forged on deliberate repetition; where real talent is attributed
to those who can find the perfect groove where nothing needs added or subtracted to hold the listener’s attention for upwards of five minutes.
Such tracks are the hallmark of Tresor’s catalogue, and this joy in repetition can be found in works from Detroit,
Berlin, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and more. And it is through this lens that Parisian artist, UFO95, focuses his
output, resulting in Backward Improvement, an EP that sits perfectly in the spectrum of techno found in the
Tresor chronology.
The title itself makes an abstract reference to the influence of the classics of the genre, inspiring him to take a
distinct less-is-more approach to production for this collection of stripped-down yet unrelenting techno chiselled
from the live set which has fixed UFO95 as one of the next holdfasts for the future of the scene.
Perhaps it is the fact the UFO95 only performs live that had led to such crisp and focussed studio productions.;
each of the tracks showcase the artist’s burgeoning talent for creating the essential foundations of techno;
perfect, looping, instinctual grooves that are counterbalanced by an apprehensive tension from off-key tones.
Backward Improvement marks the addition of a new name in the list of techno’s best producers and proves that
while the genre may now be in its 40th year there are yet sonic explorations to be made and variations that are
worth unearthing. More

2024 repress, 140 g.

World minus UK

Propulsive techno solicitations abound on Ideoma, the debut EP from Oscean, a collaboration from Sebastia?n Galante, also known as Seph, and Andre?s Zacco. The two are figureheads of Argentina's techno sound, with releases on labels such as Insurgentes, Echocord Colour and Ilian Tape over the last decade.
Galante and Zacco join forces for the first time with inspiring effects, moving forward with vast paces, unshifting footsteps, with uneven prisms of electronic rhythm. Its direct intent and crisp sonic detail conjure a cinematic and nocturnal drive, unearthing subterranean pulses that leave all in its wake.

With Ideoma, Tresor Records presents a whirlwind of dense movement and cosmic energy that twists on percussive bends and distorting spirits. Spiral recalls natural phenomena, bound tight, with a rugged texture like no other, as flickers of sound processing suggest lift-off. The flanging Feral exudes a potent demeanour, wicked and unceasing. The ebbing melodics of Spacion hark back to 90s ambient techno and yet possess a rhythmic cut and thrust that navigates unchartered terrain.

Transmuting beyond planet earth, further into the extra-terrestrial, Galante and Zacco mask fractal brush- strokes with hurrying rhythms. They smear primitive and sharp sonics, pressed with dizzying resilience. The nosediving FM synths of Austraal beckon a haunting trip, cloaked in a trance of motion and forever eschewing all prediction.
More

Territories: World excl. UK + North America

FORMAT: 12" 180g vinyl, generic sleeve, dl card

TRACKLIST
1. / A1 M-87 04:02
2. / A2 M-90 04:32
3. / B1 M-99 06:08
4. / B2 M-00 04:45


Juan Mendez aka Silent Servant is a figure in techno history that needs little introduction. As a member of the Sandwell District collective and the label’s art director he collaborated on works that were responsible for a global focal shift in the genre as their label adapted and challenged the paradigm of minimal techno, taking influence from other sources such as dub, post-punk, and even classical minimalism.

But Mendez’s relationship with music goes back much further than these seminal releases. With In Memoriam, Silent Servant’s latest release on Tresor Records, Mendez writes a deeply personal memoir of a 30-plus year career spent exploring and absorbing the shadowy side of music; a carefully crafted elegy to people, places, and times past and the lasting effect they have on the present.

Across the four tracks, Mendez pays tribute to the earliest Detroit techno and electro, the Belgian EBM movement and the wave music that followed, the monumental dub techno sound from Berlin, and the harder, abrasive sound of the UK at the turn of the last millennium; exploring and referencing the genres that informed his later work. Each track name gives a hint to the timeframe he is revisiting and re-contextualising as the E.P. repurposes the styles that exerted an influence on him.

This E.P. represents a pure distillation of Mendez’s memories whilst also cementing his place in the current and future sound of 21st century techno; aware of where we came from but focused on where we are heading. More

Territories: World excl. UK + North America

FORMAT 2x12" 180g vinyl, full printed sleeve, artwork by Cyprien Gaillard

TRACKLIST
1 / A1. Silencio 12:34
2 / A2. Luminoso 08:53
3 / B1. Librarsi 03:04
4 / B2. Infinito 06:17
5 / B3. Colpo 05:05
6 / C1. Volta (Version) 04:02
7 / C2. Infinito (Version) 06:25
8 / C3. Luminoso (Version) 04:49
9 / D1. Volta 05:47
10 / D2. Opaco 08:57
11 / D3. Opaco (Version) 01:54

What are the differences and similarities between human and artificial sound, between oscillations generated by vocal cords and synthesizer voices, voltage amplified by speakers? On Silencio, his latest album for Tresor Records, Moritz von Oswald works with a
16-voice choir to explore this concept.
Drawing from the ensemble works of long-standing inspirations Edgard Varèse, György Ligeti and Iannis Xenakis, von Oswald and Vocalconsort Berlin delve into the space between sounds, creating a deeply textured collection that shifts between light & ethereal and
dark & dissonant.
As masterfully demonstrated in the early work of von Oswald and Mark Ernestus’ influential Basic Channel project, repetition and reduction are key elements here, much in the tradition of techno and minimalism. The vast dynamism of the human voice adds to the
profound weight of electronics while offering up a rhythmic source and sonic noise palette unexplored in von Oswald’s repertoire. In Silencio, von Oswald dredges a dank murk, pulling clouds over a distant pulse. It hangs, ready to take on new forms.
The compositions were written in von Oswald’s Berlin studio on classic synthesizers, such as the EMS VCS3 & AKS, Prophet V, Oberheim 4-Voice and the Moog Model 15. These abstract recordings were transcribed to sheet music for choir by Berlin-based Finnish composer and pianist, Jarkko Riihimäki and performed by Vocalconsort Berlin in Ölberg church in the city’s Kreuzberg district, only few metres down the road from where Dubplates & Mastering and Hard Wax opened their doors for music enthusiasts for many years so long. The recordings of the choral versions were then incorporated into the synthesized parts of the album and brought into anew electronic context; in Silencio, the focus is not on using one means to imitate the other, but to sonically discuss the tensions and harmonies between the two worlds and create a dialogue between them.
The relationship between von Oswald and Tresor Records goes back thirty years, all the way to Blake Baxter’s Dream Sequence in 1991 - which von Oswald engineered alongside Thomas Fehlmann. The collaboration with Fehlmann lived on, seeing the duo team up as 3MB with Eddie Fowlkes or Juan Atkins. More recently, the Detroit-Berlin connection continued as Juan Atkins & Moritz von Oswald present Borderland.
For von Oswald, Tresor Records and also the participating guest musicians of the choir, this release brings together audiences from other musical areas, cross-pollinating; Silencio is an album that stands for itself beyond the musical genre boundaries. More

Territories: World excl. UK + North America

FORMAT: artwork by Cyprien Gaillard, jewel case CD

TRACKLIST
1 / A1. Silencio 12:34
2 / A2. Luminoso 08:53
3 / B1. Librarsi 03:04
4 / B2. Infinito 06:17
5 / B3. Colpo 05:05
6 / C1. Volta (Version) 04:02
7 / C2. Infinito (Version) 06:25
8 / C3. Luminoso (Version) 04:49
9 / D1. Volta 05:47
10 / D2. Opaco 08:57
11 / D3. Opaco (Version) 01:54

What are the differences and similarities between human and artificial sound, between oscillations generated by vocal cords and synthesizer voices, voltage amplified by speakers? On Silencio, his latest album for Tresor Records, Moritz von Oswald works with a
16-voice choir to explore this concept.
Drawing from the ensemble works of long-standing inspirations Edgard Varèse, György Ligeti and Iannis Xenakis, von Oswald and Vocalconsort Berlin delve into the space between sounds, creating a deeply textured collection that shifts between light & ethereal and
dark & dissonant.
As masterfully demonstrated in the early work of von Oswald and Mark Ernestus’ influential Basic Channel project, repetition and reduction are key elements here, much in the tradition of techno and minimalism. The vast dynamism of the human voice adds to the
profound weight of electronics while offering up a rhythmic source and sonic noise palette unexplored in von Oswald’s repertoire. In Silencio, von Oswald dredges a dank murk, pulling clouds over a distant pulse. It hangs, ready to take on new forms.
The compositions were written in von Oswald’s Berlin studio on classic synthesizers, such as the EMS VCS3 & AKS, Prophet V, Oberheim 4-Voice and the Moog Model 15. These abstract recordings were transcribed to sheet music for choir by Berlin-based Finnish composer and pianist, Jarkko Riihimäki and performed by Vocalconsort Berlin in Ölberg church in the city’s Kreuzberg district, only few metres down the road from where Dubplates & Mastering and Hard Wax opened their doors for music enthusiasts for many years so long. The recordings of the choral versions were then incorporated into the synthesized parts of the album and brought into anew electronic context; in Silencio, the focus is not on using one means to imitate the other, but to sonically discuss the tensions and harmonies between the two worlds and create a dialogue between them.
The relationship between von Oswald and Tresor Records goes back thirty years, all the way to Blake Baxter’s Dream Sequence in 1991 - which von Oswald engineered alongside Thomas Fehlmann. The collaboration with Fehlmann lived on, seeing the duo team up as 3MB with Eddie Fowlkes or Juan Atkins. More recently, the Detroit-Berlin connection continued as Juan Atkins & Moritz von Oswald present Borderland.
For von Oswald, Tresor Records and also the participating guest musicians of the choir, this release brings together audiences from other musical areas, cross-pollinating; Silencio is an album that stands for itself beyond the musical genre boundaries. More

Territories: World excl. UK + North America

FORMAT 180g 12" vinyl, full pantone printed sleeve, download code incl all seven tracks

TRACKLIST

1 / A1 ChronoRebel 05:56
2 / A2 Neon Harmonies 04:37
3 / B1 Blaster Imploder 05:40
4 / B2 Echoes of Chaos 05:56

Digital only
5 / DX Random Destiny 05:12
6 / DX Neon Harmonies (The Other Version) 05:34
7 / DX Who Holds the Key? 05:36

Argentinian producers Oscean return to Tresor with Chronium Radiance, their longest release so far, in which the duo continue the evolution of their sound, coalescing the elemental ideas explored in their first two releases and yielding sublime results.

This landmark release will no doubt be seen as the point at which Oscean crystalised a trademark sound, balancing complex percussive rhythms with pulsing and cadenced music in which a universe of often oxymoronic ideas can be found, melded together with a deft touch to create a blissful sonic whole.

There is a sense of space and airiness to side A of the record as synth parts drift across the more solid-feeling landscape of the basslines and percussion: Opening track ChronoRebel is a propulsive trance induction that brings forth cinematic images of billowing clouds. This nebulous quality is continued on Neon Harmonies where the highly syncopated drum track weaves through a haze of colourful synths that while lower tempo than the previous track somehow has an energy of a faster piece.

The flip side has a denser, darker quality to it beginning with Blaster Imploder, a deep and funky track that continues the convention-defying theme by being powerful and frenetic whilst also having a soft and exultant sheen. This is followed by Echoes of Chaos which closes out the 12” with a dynamic beat and spacious, sweeping synths that feel as though we are passing through the atmosphere heading towards some distant nebula.

Alongside the tracks on the vinyl release, three digital tracks expand on the universe Oscean have built with a truly ecstatic love theme, a retelling of Neon Harmonies that unveils a river of dub, and a low tempo, drifting yet no-less affecting piece acting as the closing titles to our voyage to this Osceanic world. More

Territories: WORLD minus UK and US


2023 Repress

FORMAT 12", dl card

TRACKLIST
A1 The Tresor Track 06:24
B1 Basement Trax 05:36
B2 The Upstairs Lounge 06:01


Release Info:
Following the club and label’s 20th anniversary back in 2011, Tresor memorialised its two decades of existence with an exclusive
mix from one of its esteemed Detroit connections, Mike Huckaby. On that mix, Mike Huckaby included an exclusive production of
his, the first one to be released on Tresor Records.
Today, Tresor is proud to announce the repress of the ‘The Tresor Track’ on wax, making up for a massive A-side cut at 45 RPM.
This title is on its way to stand along with the label’s most important classics, a genuine anthem for the Berlin techno institute.
On the flip, Mike Huckaby goes for a stroll through the Tresor building, heading downstairs, exploring the room’s darker and more
twisted corners with ‘Basement Trax’, going back towards ‘The Upstairs Lounge’ and surprising his audience with some original
rhythmic patterns. The Tresor EP is a statement, a seal manifesting for a fruitful and long-lasting collaboration between Mike
Huckaby and Tresor.
"I try to create a vibe, feeling or idea that could create a vicarious expression. Often, this is derived from many of my personal
clubbing experiences. I have a permanent snapshot in my mind from the vibe I remember at the Music Institute in Detroit, or the
Shelter in NYC. So I vibe o of that quite often. In terms of house, it's usually based around strong chord progressions, and very
colorful and expressive sounds. For techno, it can be a mixture of both, or purely abrasive and dance floor driven.
Music is reciprocal. I have coined or phrased a term called "the reciprocal relationship" in music. The reciprocal relationship in
music demonstrates that tones excite chords, and chords excite tones. Here's an example to further elaborate on that: A chord
can invoke a specific feeling within the listener. But the strength or degree in which a feeling is invoked within the listener has a
lot to do with the notes or chord progression that is played upon a specific tone or patch.” Mike Huckaby, 2010.
In loving memory of one of the greatest. More

Territories: World minus UK & US

2023 repress

FORMAT 2x12" 180g vinyl, full printed sleeve, dl card

TRACKLIST
1/A1. Preview 01:57
2/A2. Golden 05:56
3/A3. Circles 04:38
4/B1. The Heath 06:02
5/B2. Pnuma 05:53
6/C1. Set One 02:49
7/C2. Set Two 05:32
8/C3. Box 04:31
9/D1. Dialogue 04:10
10/D2. Dinah’s Dream 05:39

Release Info:
Tresor Records is fortunate enough to be sitting on a catalogue of past releases that no other label in electronic
music would turn down. Three of the finest in this collection were contributed by Surgeon;
“Basictonalvocabulary”, “Balance” and “Force + Form”, which all came out between 1997 and 1999.
Surgeon’s inimitable combination of Detroit techno and post-industrial sounds emanating from his British
homeland found its fullest expression in these masterful trio of releases.
Following the release of Surgeon's first album in 5 years "Crash Recoil" earlier in 2023, Tresor Records have decided
that its high time to give these seminal albums another airing. More

Territories: World minus UK & US

2023 repress

2x12" 180g vinyl, full printed sleeve, dl card

TRACKLIST
1/A1. Intro 00:58
2/A2. First 04:46
3/A3. Krautrock 04:33
4/B1. Movement 04:33
5/B2. 9 Hours Into The Future 04:32
6/C1. Depart 04:11
7/C2. Rotunda 04:29
8/C3. Waiting 02:39
9/D1. Scorn 04:55
10/D2. Return 04:35

Release Info:
Tresor Records is fortunate enough to be sitting on a catalogue of past releases that no other label in electronic
music would turn down. Three of the finest in this collection were contributed by Surgeon;
“Basictonalvocabulary”, “Balance” and “Force + Form”, which all came out between 1997 and 1999.
Surgeon’s inimitable combination of Detroit techno and post-industrial sounds emanating from his British
homeland found its fullest expression in these masterful trio of releases.
Following the release of Surgeon's first album in 5 years "Crash Recoil" earlier in 2023, Tresor Records have decided
that its high time to give these seminal albums another airing. More

Territories: World excl. UK + North America

FORMAT 12" vinyl, dl card

TRACKLIST
1 / A1. Ireen Amnes - Our Bodies 05:44
2 / A2. Ireen Amnes - Fragments Of Desire 06:40
3 / B1. Chloe Lula - Timeshift 04:29
4 / B2. Chloe Lula – Event Horizon 04:21

Digital only
5. Ireen Amnes – 6 am 05:21
6. Chloe Lula – Together 05:07

Release Info:

Tresor is proud to present the debut split 12" from Chloe Lula and Ireen Amnes. Meeting in the darker, harder-edged side of the
Berlin techno scene in 2019, the pair have regularly collaborated and performed together, but Synergy marks the first time
they've shared a record sleeve. Amnes describes Synergy as "the world we built while thinking about our journey as friends and
the connection we share as people and artists," and while the record highlights their relationship and shared influences, it also
showcases how each has grown into their respective lane.
Amnes' tracks lean into significantly more distorted territory, characterized by a dense fog of grainy pads punctured by sharp,
expertly-programmed percussion. On "Our Bodies," these fragments are sculpted into driving hardware gear, replete with distant
vocals and acidic squelches, where "Fragments of Desire" makes space for a more somber attitude, descending into murky,
psychedelic electro.
In counterpoint to Amnes' deep atmospherics, Lula's contributions are driven by intricate sound design and a focus on dancefloor
impact. Taking cues from Regis and the Birmingham techno sound, she reins in the distortion of 2021's Errant Bodies for
aufnahme + wiedergabe in favor of rolling techno and breakbeat-inspired rhythms that nod to her EBM influences. Making use of
the extra space, she builds tension through heaving, textured basslines and crescendos of noise, and on EP closer "Event
Horizon," she carves through the beat with her own metallic vocals.
Synergy includes a digital bonus track from each artist. Lula's sees her pushing deeper into finely-tooled techno territory, her
drums at a swift, driving gallop, surrounded by ominous swaths of reverb. In contrast, Amnes crafts a gritty warehouse trip,
sharpening the angles of her drums and detuning her synths until they sound bent and alien. Complete with the EP's physical
cuts, these tracks are a testament to how the pair can simultaneously complement and contrast with each other, departing from
their shared sonic origins and ending up in wildly dierent destinations.

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Territories: World excl. UK + North America

FORMAT 3x12" 180g vinyl, full printed sleeve,dl card

TRACKLIST
1 / A1. Remanisance 06:27
2 / A2. No Call From New York (Acid Mix) 06:38
3 / B1. Slang City 08:06
4 / B2. Mistakes Happen 06:12
5 / C1. Punk Mother Fucker 08:46
6 / C2. Numb In The Face (V.23) 06:01
7 / D1. Awful Mutation (V.23) 05:14
8 / D2. Windows To Your Sole (V.23) 05:28
9 / D3. Tricks (V.23) 04:16
10 / E1. Atmosphere 07:17
11 / E2. What Goes On 06:09
12 / F1. Freaks Frequency 06:45
13 / F2. Gritty Glamour 06:16

Digital only
14. Music Noir 05:41
15. See The Signs (V.23) 08:07
16. Analogue Deliverance 06:01
17. Haircut Fantasy 06:26
18. Pocket Full Of Mischief 04:42
19. Voyeurs Chance (V.23) 05:58

Release Info:
“I’ve always loved mistakes; it’s the hidden beauty in all art” - Andrew Weatherall
Transparent Sound are the original dons of UK electro, not exactly household names yet an act with so many under-repped
classics that once you dive into their catalogue you might end up emptying your bank account on Discogs.
To save you going down this calamitous path as well as to finally, raise TS to the level of notoriety they deserve, Tresor Records
is very proud to announce the release of Accidents 1994-2023. Formed by Orson Bramley and Martin Brown in Bognor Regis in
1994, Transparent Sound have managed to create 30 years’ worth of some of the best electro from the British Isles, despite
claiming to not know what they were doing nor how their instruments work.
It’s likely that it’s this lack of knowledge that led to the quality and longevity of their output - the pair experiment and tinker with
the machines until something pleasing appears then follow that sound down whatever path seems fruitful: “the confidence of
ignorance” as a slightly more-famous Orson, Orson Welles, once put it. This tactic has paid o well and found them stumbling
into many notable adventures, from remixing The Cure to performing during an intermission between two halves of a lecture -
none of which they understood as it was in Spanish.
The compilation collects a lucky-for-you 13 of their most glorious electrical accidents on a three-disc set including the
dancefloor hits Punk Mother Fucker (a mainstay of Villalobos sets at the time of release), and No Call From New York (as heard on
Helena Hau’s perfect 2017 Essential Mix).
The package also comes with ‘Windows To Your Sole’ from the unreleased white label Transparent Sound 007, other
unreleased tracks, and special 2023 edits as well as six digital bonus tracks. More

FORMAT: 12" vinyl, generic sleeve artwork,
10x15cm postcard inlay, dl code

TRACKLIST
1. / A1 The Element 05:13
2. / A2 Riva 05:26
3. / B1 Love Letter 05:57
4. / B2 Etereo 05:40

Fireground’s live sets brim with joy and Mediterranean warmth so, as we have now passed the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and are well on en route to leave the long, cold winter behind, what could be more fitting than a new release from the duo?
As with their three previous releases on Tresor (Dualism, Refreshing Part 1, and Dreams) for Love Letter Angela and Daniele have created a heady melange of styles of techno synonymous with the turn of the century with such outrageous elan and jubilation that they practically embody the musical term giocoso:
“We had the "summer" concept in mind from the beginning, this pushed us to create a message in our sound making it uplifting and engaging, capable of conveying a positive, romantic and warm vibe. In our productions we always give priority to the harmonic parts such as melodies, pads, piano and guitar riffs, the peculiarity of this EP is that all the tracks were born first from these elements, and only at the end the groove was crafted, not due to a difference in importance, rather to ensure that the rhythmic part paid as much respect as possible to the harmonic part.”
This decision to build upwards from the harmonics has paid dividends: the entrance of a string section provokes visions of a rapt club crowd cheering with exultation; a looped groove stimulates a connection to such gleeful nostalgia that is almost certain to be heard at many festivals in coming months; a blissful pad sweeps over a
track like the first rays of sun in the morning; a filtered synth rises to be met with a xylophone-like countermelody…every track has a moment where the music overflows with some form of happiness. Together the collection promises, and perhaps even delivers, a summer both ecstatic and joyful.
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GENRE/S: Techno

Tracklist:
A1 / Flashback
B1 / I See You


Key Selling Points
- The legendary techno icon Sven Väth makes his debut on Montreal's titanic Turbo Recordings, alongside his longtime collaborator Gregor Tresher.

- When it comes to foundational figures of electronic music, few are more impactful than Sven. Through his label Cocoon, and his widely respected DJing and parties over the last 30+ years, Väth has tremendously influenced of the global techno scene.

- Sven Vath almost never releases on labels other than his own (Cocoon). This is a rare treat to have him on another imprint.

- Sven performs vocals on both tracks, which is also a rare & special occurrence. More

We are excited to announce the next collaborative release on the WSNWG Label. LAVANDE is the result of a one week long jam session between french producer and live performer UFO95 and label head Rødhåd in January this year.
The EP will be released on vinyl and in digital formats on the 7th of June. A Special Edition limited to 100 copies will be available on the same date at 12.00pm CET via the WSNWG bandcamp site.

Written & Produced by UFO95 and Rødhåd at WSNWG Studio Berlin.
Mastered by Conor Dalton at Calyx Mastering in Berlin.
Vinyl cut at Schnittstelle in Berlin.

A1 LAVENDE 01 [240107.2] - UFO95 & Rødhåd
A2 LAVENDE 02 [240107.1] - UFO95 & Rødhåd
B1 LAVENDE 03 [240106] - UFO95 & Rødhåd
B2 LAVENDE 04 [240110] - UFO95 & Rødhåd

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GENRE/S: House, Deep House, Acid House, Breakbeat

TRACKLISTS:
A1 Green Ink - Level 2
A2 Green Ink - Level 2 (Will Hofbauer’s Ground Floor Mix)
B1 Green Ink - Dafen Village
B2 Green Ink - Nierpa

SHORT INFO:
Green Ink is back with his third entry in the Altered States EP catalog! His "Level 2" EP comes with three original gems made for the dance floor.
Joining on remix duties is none other than the very talented producer and "Third Place" label head Will Hofbauer who delivered a catchy, stripped-back interpretation of the title track.


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2024 repress


The First Authorised, Official Re Edition of this Electronic, New Wave, Cold Wave, Pop, Synth, Post-Punk Classic, Personally Overseen by Stephan Eicher, Everything Original: Art, Tracklist, Cut on 45 rpm - Printed on 350 GSM Paperstock incl. Sticker!

WRWTFWW Records is very honored to announce the official reissue of Grauzone’s essential 1981 maxi single with timeless classic "Eisbär", proto-techno beast "FILM 2", and romantic synth ballad "Ich Lieb Sie", just in time for the 40th anniversary of the Swiss band’s formation. The three-track vinyl is sourced from the original reels, cut at 45rpm, and comes with its iconic artwork on a 350gsm sleeve.

Tracklisting:
A1. Eisbär
B1. FILM 2
B2. Ich Lieb Sie

Info:
WRWTFWW Records is very honored to announce the official reissue of Grauzone’s essential 1981 maxi single with timeless classic "Eisbär", proto-techno beast "FILM 2", and romantic synth ballad "Ich Lieb Sie", just in time for the 40th anniversary of the Swiss band’s formation. The three-track vinyl is sourced from the original reels, cut at 45rpm, and comes with its iconic artwork on a 350gsm sleeve.

Ich möchte ein Eisbär sein…Written by Martin Eicher after a nightmare in which he saw talking polar bears on the walls, and with music by the Grauzone crew consisting of Martin and his brother Stephan Eicher, Marco Repetto, Christian "GT" Trüssel, and Claudine Chirac (on saxophone), "Eisbär" is the most recognizable title from the band, a sublime mix of ingredients reflecting the transitional era it comes from - the raw energy of punk music still palpable, combined with the audacity of early electronics, the warm groove of a disco gem, beautifully fragile lyrics, and one of the best basslines ever. It became a mega hit, totally unplanned, but how could you resist such a track?

"FILM 2" is the ultimate b-side monster, a menacing all-instrumental pre-techno masterpiece, slowly building to a magnetizing frenzy. An instant underground favorite, it was famously heard played at both speeds depending on the scenes and DJs you were frequenting, 45rpm as it was first intended, and 33rpm for the cosmic experience (search Daniele Baldelli’s Cosmic C75 1982 mixtape online for a great example of this).

The maxi single ends with "Ich Lieb Sie", a synth-pop meets doo-wop ballad, a true love song oozing with innocence. Simple, stylish, and just right.

At the crossroads of post-punk, new wave, pop, and electronic experimentation, the Eisbär maxi offers three songs that are technically different but hold the same spirit, the perfect embodiment of Grauzone’s music - wild, unpredictable, and youthful, yet sophisticated, catchy, and ingenious. The magic recipe for the good stuff.

Stephan Eicher went on to be, arguably, the most successful Swiss musician ever, with an international career extending from pop chanson to experimental escapades and collaborations with Moondog, artists Sophie Calle and John Armleder, and author Martin Suter among many other luminaries. Marco Repetto flourished as a techno and ambient producer, releasing multiple projects including releases on Aphex Twin’s Rephlex label.

Grauzone and WRWTFWW will continue to collaborate on the band’s 40th anniversary reissue campaign, with numerous projects planned for the year, including a vast selection of music, visuals, and literature never available before.
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Kicking off the sixth various artists record, ‘The Works’, on the Detroit-based Infolines label is Shaun
Reeves’ ‘Playground’. The co-founding member of the Visionquest project utilises a low-slung groove with
snaking, sizzling hats above while mysterious bell-like keys toll in the background. Up next, Infolines label
founder ADMN and Aran Daniels, one-half of the Remote Viewing Party alias who featured on the previous
Infolines VA, team up for ‘50 Gallon Drums’, a wonky trip boasting wild and whirring percussion in an
infectious drunken groove working perfectly alongside crunchy synth-lines.
"Cranberry, extra ice. IYKYK" - Infolines
On the B-side, the anonymous Bendersnatch returns to Infolines with ‘Doppler’, taking us deep under the
waves for a submarine expedition. The sonar bleeps among electrifying zaps, a steady techno beat leading
the way. Closing out this fantastic next instalment on the Infolines label is Snack Time founder Gino, who
brings us ‘Bonedog’, finishing the release on a high with psychedelic synth elements and an iconic, earworm
vocal over a slick groove - secret weapon energy!
Infolines, a dynamic collective of Producers, DJs, and friends hailing from Detroit, is renowned for its
compilations that showcase the distinct styles of its artists. Following the success of Infolines 005, ‘CAID’,
which garnered support from artists like Anfisa Letyago, Paco Osuna, and Korea Town Acid, the label is all
set to launch its superb sixth record. More

LP 180g, beautiful embossed Chess Board Artwork Print, inner sleeve with artist picture and text by David Elliott, Sounds June 16, 1984

In anticipation of the 35th anniversary next year one of electronic music´s most influential recordings, the legendary E2-E4, from 12.12.1981 does get an official rerelease by Manuel Göttsching on his own Label MG.ART.
Carefully overseen by the Master himself

Total Time: 59:34
Tracks:
Ruhige Nervosität 13:00, Gemäßigter Aufbruch 10:00, ... und Mittelspiel 07:00, Ansatz 06:00, Damen-Eleganza 05:00, Ehrenvoller Kampf 03:00, Hoheit weicht (nicht ohne Schwung...) 09:00, ... und Souveränität 03:00, Remis 03:00

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2023 repress WG Standard Sleeve

Tracklist

A) Patrice Bäumel – Roar (Adana Twins Remix)
B) Adana Twins – Aufstand der Massen

Infotext

Coming in hot off their latest Watergate Mix Adana Twins deliver their first EP stemming from the mix itself putting what could be the standout track off the compilation: their remix of Patrice Bäumel’s ‘Roar' front and center. Taking the hugely successful original which could be considered as much a tool as it is a peak time bomb, the duo twist the initial anthem into a climactic, euphoric ride by adding their signature percussion and shimmers of melody while utilizing the original’s spine tingling tension to create an absolutely massive and memorable dance floor experience.

Flipping to the B-side, Adana Twins present ‘Aufstand der Massen’ where they dive into the ethereal corners of dramatic Techno reminiscent of the ‘Jupiter’ EP from early this year creating a flawlessly executed trip into enchanted territory. Having already been in constant rotation of heavy hitters like Solomun and Tale Of Us is proof enough that Adana Twins have a hit on their hands and now it’s time for you to have it too.
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2021 Reoress - finally available on Vinyl for the First time. 2LP in full Original Coverart.
The legendary movie soundstrack based out of Kingston, Jamaica in April 2008, telling the story of the original vocalists and musicians involved.

The sixteenth release on the Moll-Selekta label shares its title with a wonderful film, a heartwarming homage to the golden age of rocksteady. It documents the recordings being made for this very album at the Tuff Gong studios, Kingston, Jamaica in April 2008, telling the story of the original vocalists and musicians involved. Excerpts from an all star reunion concert staged in Kingston and older archive material complete the picture. Never before in the history of Jamaica, which already occupies a unique place on the world map of song, its sound embraced by western popular music, has such an illustrious collection of singers and players been assembled. The album showcases 15 rocksteady classics in sparkling, deeply inspired new versions, recorded in the studio which also played host to album sessions of a certain Bob Marley. Under the musical direction of Ernest Ranglin, a guitarist of considerable renown not only on the reggae circuit, but also on the jazz scene, mixed by legendary engineer Errol Brown - in Duke Reid's employ at the Treasure Isle studio in the sixties - and freshly arranged by Lynn Taitt.

Tracklisting:
SIDE A
You Don't Love Me (No No No) - Dawn Penn 5:13
People Rocksteady - Leroy Sibbles 3:10
Sounds & Pressure - Hopeton Lewis 4:28
Silent River Runs Deep - Judy Mowatt 3:21

SIDE B
Stop That Train - U-Roy 3:49
Freedom Street - Ken Boothe 4:09
Tougher Than Tough - Derrick Morgan 3:02?
Take It Easy - Hopeton Lewis 3:35

SIDE C
Love Me Today feat. Gladstone Anderson - Stranger Cole 5:22
Shanty Town (007) - Ken Boothe 4:36
Tide Is High - Marcia Griffiths 3:13
Equal Rights - Leroy Sibbles 3:11

SIDE D
Rivers Of Babylon - Hopeton Lewis 5:20
Conquering Ruler - Derrick Morgan 3:38
Bog Walk - Lynn Taitt 5:34
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Tracklist 12":
A1 – Abstraxion - Wholes
A2 - Abstraxion - Gold
B1 - Abstraxion - Force
B2 - Abstraxion – Trance Body Music

Short Info:
Abstraxion once again delivers another twist to his exotic musical tale with "Trance Body Music". A four track collection
of 90’s-infused club rockets. Hi-NRG sounds that traverse the trance-techno-rave intersection.
Lead single ‘Whole’ is a distorted and relentless number that hammers along with skewed vocal chops and lashings of
bounce. ‘Gold’ however, is a more pushy heads-down affair. It's ramped BPM and vocals muster dewy-eyed Bonzaimemories, whilst harnessing the free spirit of the resurging eurodance movement.
Next out of the rave cannon comes ‘Force’, with its fierce tempo, jittering synth stabs and playful melody working
together to create a tidy dancefloor moment. The show is brought to a close with the bubbling title track Trance Body
Music. A perfect, almost soothing, finale to a wonderfully energetic adventure.



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Territories: Worldwide no restrictions

Format Notes: 2022 re-issue, 140g double vinyl, includes the CD bonus track “Tanqueray”, reproduction of the original stickered sleeve


Track List:

1 A1 : Street Level Entrance (1:52)
2 A2 : Get At Me (4:08)
3 A3 : Diggin’ U Out (4:48)
4 A4 : Safe + Sound (4:49)

5 B1 : Somethin’ 4 Tha Mood (5:55)
6 B2 : Don’t You Eat It! (1:08)
7 B3 : Can I Eat It? (4:59)
8 B4 : It’z Your Fantasy (4:23)

9 C1 : Tha Ho In You (4:45)
10 C2 : Dollaz + Sense (5:53)
11 C3 : Let You Havit (3:40)
12 C4 : Summer Breeze (4:34)

13 D1 : Quik’s Groove III (2:37)
14 D2 : Sucka Free (2:11)
15 D3 : Keep Tha “P” In It (5:25)
16 D4 : Hooray 4 Tha Funk (2:11)
17 D5 : Tanqueray (4:19)

Release Notes:

DJ Quik is a giant of West Coast hip-hop. With 1995’s Safe + Sound, he scaled new levels of musical magnificence with his signature new age P-Funk/laconic G-Funk. A quintessential, sun-scorched LA album, this is pretty much essential. Typical for mid-90s albums the original vinyl copies are now rare so here’s the Be With re-issue, complete with “Tanqueray”, the hidden track from the original CD release.

A preternaturally gifted producer/rapper, DJ Quik has produced scores of LA gangsta rap classics. He’s released platinum and gold records of his own, as well as helped craft them for the likes of Tupac, Snoop Dogg, and Dr Dre. Quik has always been quirkier and more interesting than his gangsta rap peers, both musically and lyrically. An old-school funk producer at heart, he’s also incredibly nice on the mic. His raps often deal in boasts, jokes and good times but also cover his beefs, his trials and his trauma. Partying and pain, all mixed up. DJing and producing hype beat tapes from age 14, Quik’s tracks blended the languid funk and rubbery synths of Zapp and George Clinton with a gangsta aesthetic, creating a more danceable foil to Compton’s more typical nihilistic hedonism. Ultimately, his records sound custom engineered to drift out over sun-soaked barbecues.

By the time of his third album DJ Quik was a household name on the West Coast - California’s premier rapper/producer not named Andre Young. Released on Profile in 1995, Safe + Sound was certified gold. Less reliant on samples and more focused on live instruments, it elevated him from producer to fully-fledged composer. This sound — the quick, winding basslines, tinny high hats, smooth instrumental solos, soulful pipes, and Roger Troutman’s talkbox — defined him. This is an album of full-blown masterpieces. Rich soundscapes and masterfully arranged orchestrations with dense layers of sounds, intricate rhythms, and well-balanced songwriting.

The first track proper, “Get At Me” samples Cameo whilst Quik takes aim at the Judases in his life, the horn-laced chorus providing a triumphant feel. On the horizontal “Diggin’ U Out”, the soulful electric piano of Warryn Campbell lays a relaxed groove for Quik to talk over about one of his favourite topics: sex. Title track “Safe + Sound” chronicles Quik’s formative years over a slick instrumental. The moody bass locks a laidback infectious groove, the hook is catchy and Quik’s delivery is in fine form. On the uber-chilled “Somethin’ 4 Tha Mood”, Quik cooks up a breezy, feel good track of sparkly keyboards, syncopated claps, shuffling hi-hats, woozy synths and a floating two-minute flute solo courtesy of Robert “Fonksta” Bacon. Analysing the highs and lows of an average day in the hood, it echoes Cube’s “It Was a Good Day”.

“It’z Your Fantasy” is a silky smooth soundtrack to Quik’s detailed retelling of a sexcapade with a young lady and whilst “Tha Ho In You” is musically perfect for that midsummer family BBQ, its lyrical content is unsurprisingly decidedly less family-friendly. A real highlight, the infamous “Dollaz + Sense” is one of the most ruthless diss tracks of all time. The brutal lyrics ride a laidback West Coast beat, flipping a sample from Young & Company’s “I Like (What You’re Doing To Me)” as Quik fires lyrical shots at his arch Compton nemesis, MC Eiht. On the loping, hazy “Let You Havit”, Quik is again in gangsta mode, with more bars of barbs aimed at Eiht, rhyming over sun-kissed synthy-rollerskate funk.

Some of the finest tracks on Safe + Sound are those designed to de-stress. The evocative “Summer Breeze” is a classic warm-weather jam, anchored by a twangy funk guitar, breezy string arrangement, and a soulful hook delivered by Dionne Knighton. Quik’s nostalgic lyrics are not far from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s “Summertime”, reminiscing over barbecues at the park, young love, and the brevity of halcyon youth. The relaxed and jazzy “Quik’s Groove III” is another highlight, as bass, guitar, piano and flute combine to create a smooth, soulful instrumental.

The swaggering “Shack Up”-sampling “Sucka Free” features a cameo from Playa Hamm, all funky braggadocio and over much too quikly (pun thoroughly intended). The jazz-flavoured “Keep Tha ‘P’ In It”, again featuring Playa Hamm but this time extending the cameo invitations to Hi-C, 2nd II None and Kam, is pure laidback P-Funk. The deep bass and industrial drums make sure the groove hits hard.

“Tanqueray” was originally a hidden track on the CD version of the album, but it’s too good to hide. This wild party samples Brass Construction’s gigantic “Get Up To Get Down” and soars in its drunk-ebullience. An apt way to close this party-driven set.

This 2022 Be With double LP re-issue has been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman and pressed at Record Industry. Unusual for the time, Safe + Sound was originally pressed as a double, so all that was missing was the CD’s hidden bonus track “Tanqueray”, so we’ve fixed that. The original vinyl release never got a picture sleeve, so we’ve recreated the original’s promo-style silver-sticker and plain black jacket. A subtle cover for a wonderfully unsubtle record.
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Special remarks: VINYL ONLY//180G VINYL//PRINTED KRAFTPACK SLEEVE

Tracklist 12":

A1 Dachshund – Keep On
A2 Sascha Dive & Pornbugs - Digital Dusk
B1 Markus Homm, Brad Brunner, AG Swifty - Take out
B2 Alex Ranerro - Gotiva

German label Bondage Music delivers the tenth instalment of its ‘Bondage Games’ series. Another vinyl only release, this time with four fresh tracks from Dachshund, Sascha Dive, Pornbugs, Markus Homm and Alex Ranerro.
















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