Tracklist:

Ataxia - Detroit Gospel
Ataxia & Andres - Pine Island
Ataxia - Language
Ataxia & Dj Minx – Maxia
Ataxia - Spit In Your Percolator
Ataxia - 98 Degrees
Ataxia - Number Streets
Ataxia - The Formulator
Ataxia - The Pusher
Ataxia & Mister Joshooa - Feels Like
Ataxia – WM
Ataxia - Dance the Bridge

Info:

Having torn up raves for well over a decade, the Detroit duo Rickers and Ted Krisko AKA Ataxia present their debut longplayer ‘Out Of Step’. Featuring guest spots from close peers DJ Minx, Andrés and Mr Joshooa, they twist house, techno, electro, breakbeat and rave into revitalized new shapes; embellished with a touch of soul, funk and hip hop. With backgrounds in hardcore and punk, Ataxia’s debut is suffused with that energy, attitude, and approach; this is raw, lean and unashamedly no-nonsense dance floor tackle that goes straight for the jugular. Heavily analogue, the album experiments with tape saturation, which harks back to the duo’s formative years in bands, recording demos to cassettes. These straight-up, in-the-red tracks give preference to overdriven drum machines, rather than generic polished sheen, but conversely, it’s all deceptively well-crafted too; ‘Out Of Step’ is a standout record that’s big in character, bringing to mind the renegade spirit of Underground Resistance, and the bombastic brilliance of The Prodigy and Chemical Brothers.

Defiantly optimistic despite the state of the world, a “life is good” vocal sample meets minor chords sliding over 808 hats on the exemplary house/techno pumper ‘Detroit Gospel’, before a lighter moment on the album, but no less impactful with its hefty low-end thump, is ‘Pine Island’ featuring Motor City hero Andrés. Together they cook up a Motown-inspired house cut awash with horn swells and backup singers, bouncing to wide swung funk bass, in classic 313 style. ‘Language’ turns the club on its head – busting out one of the most distinct basslines in recent times, and bristling with buzzy, undulating chords, whilst ‘Maxia’ features influential Detroit royalty DJ Minx. Inspired by her classic ‘A Walk In The Park’, with a fat distorted kick and stealthy bass groove, this is low-slung, stripped-back, heads-down coolness. The high-tech funk of ‘Spit In Your Percolator’, is laser-guided in its efficiency, with a strobe-like, increasingly intensifying energy, peppered with clever, tripped up vocal chops. With the next cut, conveyor belt noises and fast churning low-end gives way to a dubbed-out breakdown, on the deep breakbeat roller ‘98 Degrees’. Charged with a blistering, rave intensity, ‘Number Streets’, is a futuristic distorted techno workout that booms through the subs, whilst ‘The Formulator’ mixes filtered snippets, abstract synth noises and melodic bleeps with a bassline echoing Paperclip People’s ‘The Floor’. Closer to the UK definition of hardcore, combining 4/4 and breakbeat, ‘The Pusher’ evokes the spirit of late 80s orbital raves, adding a natty keys solo, and deadly bass used sparingly, for even deadlier effect. ‘Feels Like’ sees Rickers and Ted team up their studiomate and fellow TV Lounge resident and club booker, Mister Joshooa. Inspired by Photek but also almost UKG in style, this breakbeat session is stamped with MJ’s signature chopped vocals and intricate rhythmic interplay. The bubbling, wobbly loose swing of ‘WM’ is constructed around a classic chopped-up MTV cribs sample, with a filtered vocal creating a far out psychedelic effect – all of which is propelled apace by a huge bruising LFO. The LP concludes in fine style with ‘Dance The Bridge’, where bouncy beats and wigged-out keys meet bright, gently uplifting synth chords that bring a clear-skied mood; ending the record as it began, on an optimistic note.

‘Out Of Step’ marks another chapter in the ongoing relationship between Life and Death co-founder DJ Tennis and Ataxia. Their connection goes back to the earliest days of the label, where they played gigs together on some of Tennis’ initial visits to Detroit. It’s a friendship that’s blossomed organically over the last decade through their shared love of punk and hardcore, and led to the fruition of one of Ataxia’s most compelling projects to date. Labels to release Ataxia’s output include legendary Detroit techno imprints Planet E and KMS, plus the seminal American house label Nervous Records. Their catalogue also includes music for Visionquest, Leftroom, 20/20 Vision and Seth Troxler’s Play It Say It.

More

Tracklist:
A1 Oblivion
B1 Michaelangelos

Release Info:
Having made a huge impact amid Carl Craig’s celebrated 2019 entry in Planet E's Detroit Love mix compilation series, Ataxia's anthemic ‘Oblivion’ arrives on vinyl for the first time alongside a new cut, ‘Michaelangelos’. Each track takes Ataxia’s notoriously detailed production techniques and applies them to a widescreen, enveloping template.

Constructed from rubbery basslines, wormholes of rave power and a structure that applies tension and release to killer effect, ‘Oblivion’ has continued to engross dancers since it’s digital release, transmitting an increasingly rare blend of minimal yet maximal rave pleasures.

On ‘Michaelangelos’, Ataxia further demonstrates a fluid ability to keep listeners on their toes, shuffling the deck but applying the same irresistible tricks to a rhythmic, tripping cut and the unexpected sample at its core.

Consisting of Eric Ricker and Ted Krisko, Ataxia have previously released on labels including Visionquest, 2020 Vision, Leftroom and Kevin Saunderson's KMS Recordings. They currently hold down long term residencies at the legendary Marble Bar and TV Lounge in their hometown of Detroit.


More

Format: LP (Pink Coloured Vinyl)

Tracklist:
TOO CUTE
HEART OF LEAD (TAKE IT OFF!!!)
MANIAC [ft. Princess Rani]
LEO’S SONG (THE SOCIAL MEDIA GUY)
WHERE HAVE I BEEN ALL MY LIFE [ft. Bugle Boy]
STAY WID DE MONEY (GO HOME!!!)
FOOTYLICIOU$
THE BOMB (IS IT THE TEAR GAS OR BABE ARE YOU)
SUKC MY DIKC
VIP PARTIES
AN OLD COUNTRY BALLAD
BEST DJ EVER (I’M THE!!!)

In a world of division, BEÃTFÓØT’s delayed second album is as an invitation to unite at a utopian celebration of life. Originally scheduled for release in October 2023 but postponed due to the ongoing Israel/Palestine war, the intrinsically-political ‘TOO CUTE’ has taken on more prominence than the Tel Aviv duo of Udi Naor and Adi Bronicki could have imagined.
“It's more urgent than ever for us to share this now, even though the album has been ready for a while,” says producer Naor. “BEÃTFÓØT are against any war, and believe that people should talk and not use violence - never,” he adds vehemently. “We feel the pain of Palestinians and Israeli loss of life, and are devastated by it. We hope the war will be finished soon and that peace and prosperity will come soon for both sides.”
While both Naor and vocalist Bronicki have been active in protests, charity work and community efforts over the past year - explicitly against the current government in Israel - such values of peace, acceptance, coexistence, inclusiveness and anti-hate from all sides are further instilled in the songs that form ‘TOO CUTE’.
“We're really trying to highlight that there are people here working tirelessly for a brighter future for our ill kids and our neighbour’s kids,” adds Naor, who is also co-founder of techno duo Red Axes. Having had to flee the country with his family, it’s through music that Naor and Bronicki have found hope.
In light of such conflict, the multi-layered yet sonically-bonkers record also enables escapism, which is needed more now than ever. Following their self-titled 2021 debut (released on DJ Tennis’ label Life and Death), ‘TOO CUTE’ is a refreshingly-ridiculous dark-rave rollercoaster which careers between hard-dance, big-beat, post-punk, techno, hyperpop, country and everything in between.
Things blast off at breakneck speed with the chaotic title track’s hyperpop snares, instantly-catchy lyrics (which feel ominously striking considering the war) and a stadium-ready chorus that erupts into rolling breakbeats, punishing EDM and even a nod to The Bloodhound Gang’s ‘The Magic Touch’. Somehow, we’re just three minutes into the record.
The tongue-in-cheek ‘HEART OF LEAD (TAKE IT OFF)’ still bangs despite its silliness, like if Kero Kero Bonito got in the studio with will.i.am. Later, ‘LEO’S SONG (THE SOCIAL MEDIA GUY)’s wittily satirical one-liners - “I just wanna get high with AI” - come thick and fast amid a barrage of glitches and guitars. ‘SUKC MY DIKC !!!’, meanwhile, pairs flute with pulsing hardstyle beats.
While their first record’s experimental explosion captured the pure carnage and energy of the BEÃTFÓØT universe in a conceptual fashion (though remaining polished in its own way), album two is primed to connect with a bigger audience thanks to its pop melodies, structures and songwriting.

Much of ‘TOO CUTE’ was written while the duo toured Europe for the first time, with rough sketches of tracks created in the moment during their incendiary live shows, and then recorded in planes and cars.
If their first record was a case of testing the vibes, album two is more assured and confident within their sonic world. “In the first album, we stepped into the club, metaphorically, and started making eye contact with everyone to figure out the energy,” Bronicki says. “But, this time round, I already had an idea of the story that I wanted to tell to these random people.”
And what is that story? “Radical silliness, or radical fun – that’s the essence of BEÃTFÓØT,” Naor confirms. “What we really want to do is goof around and have fun, and that brings out something very profound and honest,” he explains. A sense of nostalgic freedom is also at the album’s core, thanks to the removal of adult predetermined social constructs that decide how people should behave or look. “There’s a very honest and positive energy in holding onto your childlike wonder and trying to explore that with others,” Bronicki suggests, adding that “the adult world can be so wrong and angering”.
She feels this relates to both the album’s lyrics and the artistic state of mind that the duo always work to: “the goal is to feed a really thought-out and profound idea, but through a playful spoon,” she says. With this in mind, the recurring theme of ‘TOO CUTE’ stems from the duo’s “radical and lived experience of existing in a place that holds a lot of guilt and fear – because death is so imminent and prevalent in a very confronting way”. This is clearly represented on ‘FOOTYLICIOU$’, on which Bronicki screams “someone’s gonna die tonight!” before emphatically shouting “NOT ME!”
The album title is BEÃTFÓØT’s response to that: “We want to be a celebration of life, and that applies to all lives, of all backgrounds, including animals… that’s our guiding light,” Bronicki says.
“We create in the context of living in a country where the current government’s anti-democratic measures are limiting who is included in the celebration of life. Because different people are always being pushed out and excluded: whether it’s queers, Palestinians or people from different religions.”
BEÃTFÓØT - who have found a home among the LGBTQIA+ community - are fighting back against oppression. “We want everybody to come to the party and celebrate life together,” says Naor, setting out his and Bronicki’s mission… “and our goal is to widen that party as wide as it can go.”




More

Tracklist

A1. Love Seeking
A2. Love Seeking – Club Mix
B1. Love Seeking – Âme Remix


The brothers Fognini aka Mind Against return to Life And Death with their new single Love Seeking with a remix from friends and fellow masters of the emotional dancefloor Âme.
It’s fitting that techno storytellers Mind Against should revisit the home of their first EP with a revamped sound and turbo-charged take on current-day disco. Their history with DJ Tennis and Life and Death is almost as old as the label itself, harking back to their days living together in Berlin.
Now the brothers leave behind their signature hypnotic techno palette for a boogie-fied stepper that’s equal parts pop breeze and deep synth trip, full of hopeful anticipation. For the remix, Innervisions duo and cultural tour-de-force Âme twist the knobs and stretch out the heartstrings for an extended slice of big room goosebumps.
In the words of Mind Against themselves:
“10 years after releasing our very first EP Atlant on Life and Death, we’re excited to come back to our first imprint with such a special track and remix by Âme.
We’ve stepped out of our usual comfort zone and done something that can be both linked to our own musical world and to the sounds that Life and Death have evolved in recent years.
Our friendship with DJ Tennis is about as old as the label is, bringing us back to the times we used to share a flat in Kreuzberg. One may say this release is both an ode to the past and to a bright future, full of promises.”


More

2024 repress

Tracklist:
A1. Amsterdam
B1. Amsterdam - DJ Tennis Remix

Release Info:
Sicilian musician Luigi Orofino delivers his debut single Amsterdam for Life and Death records, due for release on 19th May. The song features regular Erlend Øye collaborators La Comitiva, and comes together with a dancefloor friendly remix by DJ Tennis.
Amsterdam might sound effortless, but the laid-back groove and easy atmosphere that Luigi has conjured up isn’t something you can just pluck out of thin air. It’s taken everyone involved several years of playing together to get just the right marinade of Brazilian rhythm and Mediterranean musicianship. It’s a flavor they’ve mastered while on the road with Erlend Øye as La Comitiva, and their touring schedule has become a way of life. When the travel ban was finally lifted, Luigi headed straight to his friends in Amsterdam, and that freedom to travel once more inspired this song. That trip put the color back into life, and the result was this timeless slice of sunny samba rock.
The song has many collaborators, all operating under the gentle guidance of Luigi. Players from La Comitiva and I Calafatari gelled in the studio, also accompanied by Lucio Aquilina (NuGenea) and Luigi Scialdone (Fitness Forever), while the lyrics were written together with Alberto Locatelli. A breezy piece of Brazilian-tinged funk and easy soul, Amsterdam is more than the sum of its parts - it’s the sound of friends playing together and simply enjoying life.
The single is topped off with a remix by Life and Death chief Manfredi Romano aka DJ Tennis, who boosts the kicks while keeping the loose samba magic. The pair met in Mexico, and the kindred spirits immediately hit it off. After bouncing versions back and forth between Siracusa and also a studio in Paris, the final version was realized, full of floaty Rhodes chords and cavaquinho thrills that will lighten any dance.
It’s a testament to Amsterdam’s catchiness that many of Luigi’s friends are involved - the song is reflected in the people it brings together, and in this sense, it’s as much about the art of encounters as it is about the city.



More

Tracklist

A1. Who Dis
B1. Dance With Your Feet (ACD Mix)


After a 6-year break, a poignant love affair between Life and Death and Marvin & Guy resumes with two catchy but effective tracks that breaks a two-year hiatus from releasing original music.Minimal and purposefully crafted for dancefloors, a departure from the usual emphasis on melodies we all get used to listen from them. This record emerges organically during playful experimentation with just a bass on a synthesizer, preserving its distinctive rhythmic and harmonic changes.The girlfriend's continuous request to play "Who Dis" underscores its contagious allure. Both songs incorporate sounds like shattered glass, opening doors, a whip, and an authentic Formula 1 engine roar – all meticulously recorded specifically for these ideas. There's not really specific creative process beside having fun with synthesizers; it's simply music crafted for the joy of dancing.

More

Tracklist

A1. Proto Call
B1. Talk To Frank

Release Info:
Semi Delicious label boss Demi Riquísimo is set to release his latest EP via DJ Tennis' renowned Life & Death imprint. The release, entitled the ‘Proto Call’ EP, features a double helping of cross genre, hands in the air jams sure to set the day party and club scene alight this coming summer.
The release opens with the titular ‘Proto Call’. A thoroughly diverse track ‘Proto Call’ melds disco percussion with elements of vintage Italian house, squelching acid and progressive all whilst chugging along with propose, a key feature of many efforts in Life & Death’s back catalog.
On ‘Talk To Frank’ sensual vocals set the tone for this bonafide hip shaker. A rhythm that implores you to dance, an inviting organ top line gives way to subtle acid grooves with both then working in unison over a classic house bass line.
DJ Tennis has long been known for his impeccable taste in music and his ability to spot talent. The pair have shared the stage in a series of recent back to backs and the ‘Proto Call’ EP is another touch point in the burgeoning creative relationship between the pair.




More

Tracklist

A1. Life
B1. Nation

Release Info:
Turkish-Italian multi-instrumentalist and rising music icon Carlita joins forces with German DJ and production duo Andhim to release their debut EP ‘Life’.



More

Tracklist
A1. Margaret
A2. Don't Worry Psy Happy
A3. Poliziesco
A4. Altre Cose
A5. Sunfish
B1. Optimist
B2. Studio Session
B3. Dancebra
B4. When Life Was Slow
B5. Flying Junior
B6. The Siebel Road To Mars


Release Info:
Veteran artist Sebra Cruz releases his debut album ‘Don't Worry Psy Happy’ on DJ Tennis’ revered Life & Death imprint. The daring eleven track LP is as experimental as it is definitive and encapsulates the Italian spirit in perfect style.

The LP follows two previously teased singles; ‘Margaret’, an ode to Cruz’ girlfriend which is a deeply passionate and expressive melodic house offering and album title ‘Don’t Worry Psy Happy’ a hedonistic, tripped out soundscape.
The lead track ‘Sunfish’ is a melange of powerful synths overlaid with sporadic vocals and a swinging breakbeat which make the record the perfect soundtrack for early morning dancefloor euphoria.

The album continues its genreless motif and is hard to pin down. It broaches a variety of styles including cinematic and ambient leaning sonics such as ‘Optimist’ and ‘Poliziesco’, the latter which includes Gabriele Fabbri’s atmospheric guitar riff throughout.

‘The Siebel Road To Mars’ is a similarly powerful yet emotive record which samples current Italian President Sergio Mattarella between the piano and the extraterrestrial sound palette. Continuing with the more abstract tracks ‘Flying Junior’, which was named after Cruz’ own sailboat, emulates the peacefulness and tranquillity of the sea. It’s yet another reflection of Sebra Cruz’ artistic personality.

Juxtaposing the calm and serene records from the album, ‘AltreCose’, inspired by the energy of the Neapolitan people during Sebra’s DJing residency in the 90s, is a more high energy disco-infused record. Similarly ‘When Life Was Slow’, released on Life & Death back in 2020, is another upbeat dance interpretation and a tribute to Cruz’ passion for Italian composers from the 60s and 70s.

Speaking about the album Sebra says: “What emerges is in my opinion an album with predominantly Italian spirit, disco, house with both edgy and gentle influences. I never decide what to do first, I simply follow my spur of the moment instinct. Releasing an album for Life & Death is cool because I've always had huge respect for Manfredi.”

Sebra Cruz and DJ Tennis have a long lasting and trusting collaborative relationship exhibited by the former's numerous releases on Tennis’ Life and Death label. DJ Tennis’ encyclopaedic musical brain and shared passion for Italian composers perfectly complements Sebra’s stylings.

Striking an impeccable balance between abstract and obscure sonics and more methodical and conventional melodies, 'Don't Worry Psy Happy’ is a body of work that exquisitely expresses Sebra Cruz’ personality via different worlds and mediums.




More

Tracklist

A1. Cobblestone Jazz & The Mole - Hip Waders
B1. Cobblestone Jazz - Does Yo Mama Know?

Release Info:
The Cobblestone Jazz trio team up with kindred spirit The Mole for a double single of cascading grooves and stretched-out club burners.
It’s been over 20 years since the first Cobblestone Jazz EP, and Danuel Tate, Mathew Jonson, and Tyger Dhula continue to unravel expectations, creating outside-the-box rhythms and shifting, explorative musical structures for the dancers. It’s an approach that has seen them play countless shows at festivals and clubs around the world, while reinventing their style on the fly, and whipping up a timeless blend of classic and modern sounds.

For this single they're joined by friend, bandmate and hypnotic discotheque collagist The Mole. Hip Waders comes from one of the group’s long studio sessions, and this gem of a jam was laid to tape after a couple days of playing. Usually the group likes to set the studio up first (tuning the room, picking their instruments and setting up the patch bay), before exploring and recording musical ideas over the rest of the week. Although bouncing along at 120bpm, Hip Waders still strides into deep waters, courtesy of jazzy, tremolo chords that ripple across its skittish electronic groove, which constantly unfolds across a full 13 minutes.

In contrast, the B-side isn’t so meditative, but rather more classically arranged, and sprinkled with some live passes over the top. Does Yo Mama Know ups the tempo and rolls along on a broken, garage rhythm, before a sweet descending organ progression pulls the pulse into tighter focus. The title is in fact a nod to the Hollywood club that West Coast house pioneer Marques Wyatt did in the mid ‘90s - all about the music and sound, no lights except for those of the 1200s, and a killer vibe.

In this way, the 12” is split along true Cobblestone fault lines - a contrast of long-winding and concise, macro and micro, vintage yet (re)inventive. Cobblestone Jazz and The Mole find the pocket as they always do: those coordinates somewhere between the dance music of the past and the present, while adding a twist to create new, forward-looking versions.




More

Tracklist

A1. Free Bird
A2. Lil Dirty
B1. Speed Meditation
B2. Touched By Silence

Release Info:

High-flying global house and techno torch-bearer Jimi Jules returns with a new EP Free Bird on Life and Death Records.


The four tracks on Free Bird were written during the same sessions as Jimi’s album ‘+’ on Innervisions in 2022, and collected together they’re a summary of what Jimi’s all about - hands-in-the-air anthems, chaotic house bangers, deep burners and contemplative moments all rolled into one release.


Jimi Jules has been turning dancefloors inside out for over 20 years, from festival stages to intimate redlight basements. He’s brought his free-wheeling creative spirit and masters in music to bear on collaborations with Dixon, Âme, Joy Tyson and Tugg The Drummer for labels like Defected, Innervisions, Zukunft, Watergate and many more.


Jimi’s Free Bird EP switches seamlessly from anthemic mood and all-out party to self-reflection and brooding rave noir across 25 transformative minutes. The title track is a acid-tinged floor filler, imploring dancers and the public at large to question the status quo, and “break the rules, in everything you do”. Then Jimi follows his own advice and hands over the controls to his Swiss latino accomplice Lil Dirty, who embraces the chaos with delay effects, scratches and saw waves, for a house grinder that's full of fun and filters.


The euphoria of the A-side is balanced out on the flip with two deeper cuts. Speed Meditation delivers a zoned-out atmosphere over a bouncy percussive groove, while poking fun at the West’s adoption of spiritual practices to deal with the stress of modern living. Touched By Silence rounds off the EP, as Jimi channels his inner dancing Thom Yorke for an urban hymnal complete with a haunted falsetto, on top of a driving beat inspired by the ghost town that was Zurich during the pandemic.


Free Bird is an EP only Jimi Jules could make, operating at the height of his powers after over two decades of making people dance all over the world, where he rips up his own rule book and gets creative on four tracks packed with personality and character.



More

Tracklist:

Ataxia - Detroit Gospel
Ataxia & Andres - Pine Island
Ataxia - Language
Ataxia & Dj Minx – Maxia
Ataxia - Spit In Your Percolator
Ataxia - 98 Degrees
Ataxia - Number Streets
Ataxia - The Formulator
Ataxia - The Pusher
Ataxia & Mister Joshooa - Feels Like
Ataxia – WM
Ataxia - Dance the Bridge

Info:

Having torn up raves for well over a decade, the Detroit duo Rickers and Ted Krisko AKA Ataxia present their debut longplayer ‘Out Of Step’. Featuring guest spots from close peers DJ Minx, Andrés and Mr Joshooa, they twist house, techno, electro, breakbeat and rave into revitalized new shapes; embellished with a touch of soul, funk and hip hop. With backgrounds in hardcore and punk, Ataxia’s debut is suffused with that energy, attitude, and approach; this is raw, lean and unashamedly no-nonsense dance floor tackle that goes straight for the jugular. Heavily analogue, the album experiments with tape saturation, which harks back to the duo’s formative years in bands, recording demos to cassettes. These straight-up, in-the-red tracks give preference to overdriven drum machines, rather than generic polished sheen, but conversely, it’s all deceptively well-crafted too; ‘Out Of Step’ is a standout record that’s big in character, bringing to mind the renegade spirit of Underground Resistance, and the bombastic brilliance of The Prodigy and Chemical Brothers.

Defiantly optimistic despite the state of the world, a “life is good” vocal sample meets minor chords sliding over 808 hats on the exemplary house/techno pumper ‘Detroit Gospel’, before a lighter moment on the album, but no less impactful with its hefty low-end thump, is ‘Pine Island’ featuring Motor City hero Andrés. Together they cook up a Motown-inspired house cut awash with horn swells and backup singers, bouncing to wide swung funk bass, in classic 313 style. ‘Language’ turns the club on its head – busting out one of the most distinct basslines in recent times, and bristling with buzzy, undulating chords, whilst ‘Maxia’ features influential Detroit royalty DJ Minx. Inspired by her classic ‘A Walk In The Park’, with a fat distorted kick and stealthy bass groove, this is low-slung, stripped-back, heads-down coolness. The high-tech funk of ‘Spit In Your Percolator’, is laser-guided in its efficiency, with a strobe-like, increasingly intensifying energy, peppered with clever, tripped up vocal chops. With the next cut, conveyor belt noises and fast churning low-end gives way to a dubbed-out breakdown, on the deep breakbeat roller ‘98 Degrees’. Charged with a blistering, rave intensity, ‘Number Streets’, is a futuristic distorted techno workout that booms through the subs, whilst ‘The Formulator’ mixes filtered snippets, abstract synth noises and melodic bleeps with a bassline echoing Paperclip People’s ‘The Floor’. Closer to the UK definition of hardcore, combining 4/4 and breakbeat, ‘The Pusher’ evokes the spirit of late 80s orbital raves, adding a natty keys solo, and deadly bass used sparingly, for even deadlier effect. ‘Feels Like’ sees Rickers and Ted team up their studiomate and fellow TV Lounge resident and club booker, Mister Joshooa. Inspired by Photek but also almost UKG in style, this breakbeat session is stamped with MJ’s signature chopped vocals and intricate rhythmic interplay. The bubbling, wobbly loose swing of ‘WM’ is constructed around a classic chopped-up MTV cribs sample, with a filtered vocal creating a far out psychedelic effect – all of which is propelled apace by a huge bruising LFO. The LP concludes in fine style with ‘Dance The Bridge’, where bouncy beats and wigged-out keys meet bright, gently uplifting synth chords that bring a clear-skied mood; ending the record as it began, on an optimistic note.

‘Out Of Step’ marks another chapter in the ongoing relationship between Life and Death co-founder DJ Tennis and Ataxia. Their connection goes back to the earliest days of the label, where they played gigs together on some of Tennis’ initial visits to Detroit. It’s a friendship that’s blossomed organically over the last decade through their shared love of punk and hardcore, and led to the fruition of one of Ataxia’s most compelling projects to date. Labels to release Ataxia’s output include legendary Detroit techno imprints Planet E and KMS, plus the seminal American house label Nervous Records. Their catalogue also includes music for Visionquest, Leftroom, 20/20 Vision and Seth Troxler’s Play It Say It.

More

Tracklist:

A1. Bon Trip
A2. Bon Trip – Krystal Klear Remix
B1. Run Run Run featuring Duddha
B2. Run Run Run featuring Duddha – Red Axes Remix

Carlita’s meteoric rise through the electronic music space continues with her impressive new ‘Bon Trip’ EP and also marks her first-ever vinyl release.

The EP kicks off with the title track, a spacey slice of progressive house drenched with a classic-era piano line - it’s exactly what you want to be listening to when the sun rises and sets at your favorite outdoor party. Next, ‘Run Run Run’ immediately kicks into high gear with an irresistible bassline that offsets Duddha’s spiritual, leftfield vocals which help make the track quite the trip. The package is rounded out by two remixes - Krystal Klear offers a punchy, electro-interpretation of the title track while Red Axes dips ‘Run Run Run’ into a vat of acid for their 303-inspired version of the song.

The “Bon Trip EP” comes on the heels of Carlita and DJ Tennis’ incredible remix of Diplo feat. Jungle “Don’t Be Afraid”.


More

Tracklist

A1 Take A Trip
B1 Take A Trip (Ambient Version)

Take a Trip was born of a love of Acid House and wanting to explore my mates 909 & 303!! The way they sing when programmed is mind blowing. There’s magic inside of them that creates something special. From Chicago’s Warehouse to London’s Shoom and Hedonism, Manchester’s Hacienda’s Hot and Nude nights, parties such as R.I.P., Spectrum, Zoo, The Trip, Apocalypse Now, Legends, the State, Rage an Sunrise. It’s a sound that will never fade.

Alan Dixon is back with his first ever acid track and it’s instant love. The disco producer hits the target with no compromise.

More

Tracklist:

A1. Country Classic
B1. Rampage

Release Info:
Ashee’s music fires on all cylinders. Not preoccupied with subtlety, the music punches you on the nose and won’t be ringing you the next day to apologise. A punk ethos pulls together sinister 90s techno energy, rave goosebumps euphoria, and face-twisting garage basslines from the subwoofer of a modified Vauxhall Corsa skidding past a kebab shop.
Country Classic, Ashee’s second EP, holds on to all with an injection of dead-pan fist-pumping EBM on the A-side. “Rampage” the B-side is a DJ’s Swiss Army knife - extremely versatile, from floor-filling warm-up to keeping the dregs in the room at afterparty.


More

Tracklist:
A1 Carte Blanche
B1 Lux Interior

Release Info:
Over recent years Rome-based DJ and producer Whitesquare has earned a reputation for his eclectic and expansive DJ sets and his cosmic approach to his house, techno and disco productions. Following releases on labels including Toy Tonics and 20:20 Vision, along with his own Whitesquare Series and Versione Lenta imprints,
he returns to Life And Death with a fresh EP that’s bursting with summer positivity.
Life And Death’s first release of 2021, 'Discreet Moment Thing' is split into two parts, with a second installment
coming up later this summer. Whereas Whitesquare’s previous offering, 2020’s 'Seventy Days Of Déjà Vu', was a
laid back affair created during the first lockdown period, this latest pair of tracks have been clearly created with
the dancefloor in mind, drawing on influences from classic house music of the late 90s / early 2000s era when the
genre was at its peak dominance of popular culture.
Part one opens up with 'Carte Blanche', giving us a taste of much-needed optimism and dancefloor bliss. On the
flip side, euphoric piano chords and a feel-good bassline shape 'Lux Interior', the ultimate summer jam.
More

Tracklist:
A1 Discreet Moment Thing
B1 Lady Cherry

Release Info:
Life And Death begins 2022 as it did 2021, with a new 12" release from Whitesquare. 'Discreet Moment Thing Pt.
2' follows part one with another pair of undeniable dancefloor cuts that draw from the classic electronic music that
has influenced the Rome DJ and producer throughout his career.
On the A-side, 'Discreet Moment Thing' is a modern update of Eighties electronic disco, with inspirations from the
synth pop pioneers of its time especially prevalent through the track's cut up vocals and bassline. On the flip,
'Lady Cherry' draws from the more glamourous purveyors of the 80s synth sound, with its Euro-pop piano
melodies, balearic pads and insistent synth basslines. More

world excl. US

Tracklist:
A1 [SKIP INTRO]
A2 LAŸF
A3 ??? FUN ???
A4 21 GRAM
A5 ? KING~TRÃSH ?
A6 (? ?° ?? ?°)?
A7 ~BÂM~BÁM~BÄM~
A8 BÛLLDØWZER

B1 ÃDINÅMØ
B2 BLÓODFLØW
B3 GRÜFFALØ
B4 TOTALLY SOBER
B5 EXIT THROUGH THE GUILT SHOP

Release Info:
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the Spice Girls smoked crack and joined forces with the Power Rangers on acid? Meet BEÃTFÓØT. These punk-infused electronic poltergeists and big-beat acid trio are Udi Naor, drummer and founding member of electronic duo Red Axes, Adi Bronicki (who also fronts Israeli garage-punk-folk band Deaf Chonky) and ace of all trades guitarist Nimrod Goldfarb.

The band have been launching warped stoner-acid-pop out of Tel Aviv with maniacal intent and are producing post-punk rave bangers that will scorch every dance floor with a huge lethal smile. BEÃTFÓØT are a DIY supergroup who describe themselves as sitting somewhere between Aqua, Beastie Boys and The Prodigy.

Their music endeavours feel akin to being hurtled through a kaleidoscopic waterslide, overflowing with the spirit of 90’s youth culture. The radioactive trio are DJ’s, musicians, songwriters and producers with a diverse range of individual projects and talents, their combined sonics map your journey across the hazy astral spectrum of hip-hop, big beat and rave music. Morph these radioactive pieces with the no nonsense attitude of punk-rock and the venomous spitting flow of golden-era rap and you might just come close to fabricating the freakish sound of BEÃTFÓØT.

The band’s self-titled debut is set for release on 17th September on Manfredi Romano aka DJ Tennis’ Life and Death. Founded in 2010, the imprint curates soulful dance music with a post-rock aesthetic. This refreshingly original and experimental LP from BEÃTFÓØT marks a new direction for Life and Death this year and beyond.

“BEÃTFÓØT” takes unsuspecting listeners on a wild ride of unprecedented musical madness (firmly without seatbelts). Fizzy synthesiser programming stimulates you effervescently through the album like the welcomed sting of sour sweets, surprising accompaniments appear in the form of manipulated vocal lines and quirky samples, all jovially mixed together in a gummy melting pot of wild conceptualisation and starry eyed rhythms.

Thirteen tracks of unprecedented dancefloor mutations send us triumphantly into the candy-covered kingdom of BEÃTFÓØT with open arms and infinite imagery of fanciful gutter-glam escapades. This project fulfills the role of a musical bulldozer, flattening all previous conceptions of what it means to belong to a genre and leaving behind a hot mess trail of anarchic musical fragments in its wake. The undying spirit of the nineties.

With fans that include legendary Irish born singer, songwriter and producer Roisin Murphy, BEÃTFÓØT are a breath of fresh air set to be igniting dancefloors this summer.

More

Tracklist:

A1 Schwarzmann - Octave Two
A2 Prins Thomas - Agua
B1 Byetone - Wheels
B2 Gera Akaté - Mukti
C1 Red Axes - Rasss
C2 Fango - Trattore
D1 Vivian Koch - Find Your Way Out
D2 Luciano Esse - Lost

What is techno? It's a question that might be worth considering in our current world away from the dancefloor, and that which is proposed by DJ Tennis on 'Anthems for No State', a new compilation commemorating ten years of music from Life and Death. A number of the label's most trusted associates offer their sonic answer to Tennis's query on this propulsive yet thoughtful compilation.

"Not all of the artists here are exclusively associated with 'techno', whatever that may be, and everyone took a different direction", explains Manfredi, the international DJ turned-lockdown bicycle repairman. "But in producing something outside of your comfort zone, or experimenting with something you'd never thought about experimenting with, it takes you right back to when you started, and so you have nothing to lose. And it's liberating."

Although 'Anthems for No State' focuses on the potential within one particular sound, it's the perfect anniversary accompaniment to a decade of one of electronic music's more unpredictable institutions. As Tennis himself puts it, "sometimes we failed, sometimes we were successful without ever expecting it, but we always want to keep things interesting within the manifesto of the label."

In this instance, techno is truly a matter of Life and Death.

More

Tracklist:

A1 Goa Kids
A2 Boom Shaki Boom ft. Red Axes
B1 Paradox
B2 Vocus Pocus

Release Info
Israeli artist Kino Todo continues to put himself in the spotlight with an innovative new EP on DJ Tennis's Life And Death that features a track with countrymen Red Axes.

Todo's multicultural sounds on Jenia Tarsol’s and Chaim’s Blue Shadow records, where he released his first ep with hit banger “Gidafi Na” as well as on Moscoman’s Disco Halal have made him one of the most promising new artists in the scene. He is someone with a psyched out style that fuses long, drawn out drum machine rhythms with intoxicating synths as well as influences from prog and rock. His music is colourful and charming and always refreshingly original. His last release, 'Yasmin', was his biggest yet, but this new offering shows another mature evolution for such a young artist.

Opener 'Goa Kids' is a bristling and uplifting arrangement that is always on the move. It comes on strong with a percussive jumble of hits and tambourines that ride in loose fashion over a surging groove. Warm, rich bass pumps down low, enchanting flutes and youthful vocal chants all get you locked and take you on a charming trip. The lively 'Paradox' is a more broken beat, with twisted synths and sci-fi sound effects all underpinned by booming kicks as alien vocals are layered in with sirens and pixelated pads. It is a fantastic collision of musical worlds.

The vital 'Vocus Pocus' is a Middle Eastern rave that overflows with musical imagery, ghoulish vocals, juddering kicks and retro-future synth lasers that prepare you for take off. Last of all, the esteemed Red Axes duo join the party for 'Boom Shaki Boom', a tripped out and freaky cut of Israeli acid techno that is riddled with edgy pads and intergalactic sounds.

These are complex and characterful tracks that draw on a wide range of cultural references and reimagine them as dance floor dynamite.
More

Genre: Deep House

Track list:
A1 Heel Goed
A2 Lift Adrift
B1 Fine Rise
B2 Asanti
B3 Expanding Signal

Release Info:
Our 20th celebration year continues with a very special comeback! It’s exactly ten years now since the last Ben La Desh release on our label, his sublime “Stellar Talk EP” hit big waves and together with the “Midnight Rendez-Vous EP” from 2012 he cemented himself in the lo-fi deep space house scene as an artist to look out for, no one produced deep house like he did back then. After a longer break from releasing music he is back and we think stronger as ever, with analogue gear and well curated sampling and live field recording we present you his “Fine Rise EP”.

The opener “Heel Goed” is an amazing track with that distinctive 909 beat and DX bass driven “La Desh” flavour and a truly wonderful vocal sample from a 90s TV commercial, hilariously funny and brilliant at the same time! We can’t wait to see the faces of people, especially on the Dutch dancefloors, when they try to figure out and discover what the ladies are talking about! Second A side track is the super funky “Lift Adrift” that flanges itself to outer space, etherical with chopped break beats and various percussive and rhythmic Pearl Syncussion layers running through effect pedals, Lift Adrift!

On the other side we start out with the deep title track “Fine Rise”. Here Ben treats us again to his trademark spaced out effects driven sound and on top a killer bass line and synth lead melody, reminiscent of the golden age of (good) trance music. Followed by the break beat gem that is “Asanti”, cautiously cut up breaks and layered machine drums with bubbly Syncussion sounds, rain drops falling down on different surfaces recorded in a garden in the French Drôme and processed African Kalimba. Did we already say Etherical? It is!
Closing out this great new record is the ambient piece “Expanding Signal”, an analogue tune that consists of field recordings and deep dubby chords, a building Juno pulse, swooshes and again a profound DX bassline, think of “Sun Electric” or “The Orb”.

Enjoy this one and play it loud on the dance floors or silently in your bedroom, it works everywhere as far as we are concerned!

All tracks mastered by Salz Mastering in Cologne. Photography & Art by Break 3000.

More

WW -DE, -AT.

LP incl DL code

GENRE/S:
Electronica, Breaks, Drum & Bass

TRACKLISTS:
A1. Jungle Times
A2. Roll Of Thunder
A3. When Young
A4. Ombre
B1. Aura
B2. Dog Days
B3. Drift Out

SHORT INFO:
ZG is the moniker of London based Zansika Lachhani and Grant (aka Anthony Collins, and the Tony in Frank & Tony). The concept was borne out of a connection online, as Grant and Zan connected on Soundcloud, both independently vibing off each other's music and approach to their art.
In 2018 they began to work together, developing a number of tracks but eventually parking the project as other life commitments got in the way. Fast forward to 2021, while clearing out old harddrives, Grant rediscovered the recordings and was blown away by the music already put down. Together they began to rework and develop the project further, resulting in a blindingly beautiful seven track LP.
Opener Jungle Times sets the scene, an atmospheric dreamy opening giving way to an idiosyncratic breakbeat and whispered vocals from Zan, setting the tone perfectly, floating the sound equally between London and New York styles. Following it up is the enigmatic Roll of Thunder, drawing its power broken beat patterns, deep and soulful strings and washes reminiscent of 4Hero in their prime.
When Young also brings a jazz aesthetic to the fore, with upfront drums and Rhodes chords washing over in melodic bliss. Ombre starts with a thick bassline and urgent synth stabs before developing into a tripped-out groove, layered with thick synth lines and subtle harmonic touches. Similarly, Aura uses some of the same sound palette as well with touches of guitars and more sparking pads creating an uplifting yet melancholic journey. The first real vocal arrives with the penultimate track Dog Days, dreamily layered over beautifully evolving synth washes and skittering beats. By the time Drift Out arrives to usher in the last act of this exceptional LP, we are on cloud nine.








More

12" - Cover Artwork by Stefan Marx

Edward delivers his latest collection of works, the ‘Eddie Green’ EP via Smallville Records this July,
comprised of four originals.

For the past decade and a half, Frankfurt-original Gilles Aiken, better known to most as simply, Edward, has been
unveiling his productions regularly via the likes of his most regular home Giegling, but also Baby Ford & Eon’s
Trelik, White, Die Orakel or DFA, plus teaming up with Ricardo Villalobos in 2020 for their Disordered Rhythm
Metronomy project on Perlon. Here though, we see Edward mark his debut for Smallville Records, a fitting home
for his deep, dynamic and hypnotic style which regularly blurs the lines of House, Techno and beyond.
Up first is ‘Primal Dream’, a raw and reduced journey through modulating synth flutters, squeaky percussive
twitches and a bumpy, robust rhythm section. ‘Blue Glue’ follows and diverges into a more mystical sonic world
with haunting chants, resonant synth licks, meditative chimes and ethereal textures intertwined with crisp, crunchy
drums.

Title-track ‘Eddie Green’ opens the B-side, embracing a more dubbed out, deep techno aesthetic via murky chord
swells, clattering organic percussion, throbbing low end pulsations and vocoded spoken word vocal lines. The
aptly title ‘So Slow’ then rounds out the release, dropping the tempo and shifting focus Edward’s more jazz-tinged
influences with wandering piano melodies and soulful vocal chants uttering the track’s title, underpinned by
shuffled drums and waves of sporadic oscillating synth.

Tracklist:
A1 Primal Dream
A2 Blue Glue
B1 Eddie Green
B2 So Slow
All tracks written & produced by Gilles Aiken
Mastering and Vinyl cut by Helmut Erler @ Lathesville
Cover Artwork by Stefan Marx
Distributed by Wordandsound More

2024 repress, full cover, same set up as before

Tracklist:
A1 Gravity Hill
A2 Beaver
B1 The Swamp
B2 Stargazer


Dial Records boss makes a welcome return to Smallville in March of 2024 with a fresh four-tracker EP ‘Gravity Hill’. Peter Kersten, better known to most as Lawrence, has been at the forefront of underground house and techno for decades now. His Dial imprint, co-founded alongside Carsten Jost, has grown to become a north star for many seeking out raw, emotive and understated electronic music and Lawrence’s own productions follow a similar path, finding a home on many beloved labels beyond Dial such as Kompakt, Mule Musiq, Ghostly
International, Giegling, Pampa and of course Smallville, that he co-founded together with Stella Plazonja and Julius Steinhoff in 2005.
Title-track ‘Gravity Hill’ opens the project and perfectly sets the tone with Lawrence’s distinct atmospheric haze of keys, chords and pads billowing atop swaying bass tones and crisp drums. ‘Beaver’ follows next and edges into dubbed out realms with expansive stab delays, rounded subs, modulating percussive flutters and a robust rhythmic drive.
‘The Swamp’ then leads the B-side, diving into a deeper territory via airy Rhodes melodies and subtly unfurling pads, intertwined with organic percussion and a jazz tinged bass line. ‘Stargazer’ then concludes the package and shifts back to a more straight, dance floor- oriented feel via a twitchy acid bass, circling resonant synth licks, hypnotic textures and a swinging drum groove.
Smallville 62 artwork by Stefan Marx as always and it's the first 12“ Smallville cover in full colour ever after 61 black/white releases.

All tracks written, produced and mixed by Peter M. Kersten
Mastering by Helmut Erler, vinyl Cut by Lathesville
Artwork and Typography by Stefan Marx
Distributed by Wordandsound More

GENRE/S: Electronica, Deep House

TRACKLIST:
A1. Unsuitable
A2. Through The Windows (feat. Francis Harris & Philipp Priebe)
A3. Drowning (feat. Module One)
A4. Dark Portrait
B1. Lost In The Fog
B2. February Is Not Going To Be Forever (feat. Lawrence)
B3. Spirits
B4. Even If I Ask You To Stay

SHORT INFO:
Soela is the DJ and production alias of Elina Shorokhova, a Russia-born Berlin-based experienced pianist and vocalist who has made a hugely impactful transition into electronic music. Having released material on such labels as Kompakt, Dial, Shall Not Fade, Lost Palms, E-Beamz, Red Ember Records, Sushitech, and others, Soela joins the ranks of Scissor & Thread for this exquisite album - Dark Portrait.
The album opens in a typically understated manner with Unsuitable - a melancholic trip-hop adjacent track that sets the tone for the next 8 pieces. As Soela explains, “I was dealing with some very complex feelings, so I came up with this album, which helped me not to despair, to work on myself, to grow internally, and to start listening to myself. It helped me to keep sane when my country invaded Ukraine with a full scale war. It absolutely broke my heart, and music was one of my main salvations.”
This complex mix of emotions plays out across the album with tracks that utilize her beautiful musicality (Through the Windows feat. Francis Harris and Philipp Priebe, Drowning feat. Module One) and ear for details with skittering beats, ambient soundscapes (Spirits, Lost In The Fog) and lose-yourself dancefloor moments such as the collaboration with Lawrence on February Is Not Going To Be Forever. The title track Dark Portrait combines dubby elements with affecting pads and melodic touches, while the lead single Even If I Ask You Stay delves into multiple feelings around escaping toxic situations, and battling depression. It features a powerful vocal from Soela supported by a deeply affecting arrangement. The closing track The Darkest Hour Before Sunrise brings a sense of hope and light, balancing subdued keys and strings with ethereal tones and atmospheres










More

GENRE/S: Acid, House, Electro, Techno


TRACKLIST:

A. Glocken Jr. (9:12)
B. Tears (Shakuhachi Mix) (8:44)


SHORT INFO:

Spaced-out, Electro- and Techno-leaning Acid journeys by Pocochin’s own, Claw-Z


VITAL SALES POINTS:

- Artist debut
- Hand printed custom disco sleeve











More

FORMAT: 12" 180g vinyl

TRACKLIST
A1. Disrupted Neural Gateway 05:58
A2. Do You Want To Get Down? 05:44
B. Power Of The 3rd Brain 05:31

RELEASE INFO:
Following the re-release of Drexciya’s essentials 'Neptune's Lair', 'Hydro Doorways', 'Harnessed The Storm' and
'Digital Tsunami', the reissue series continues with Transllusion’s ‘Opening Of The Cerebral Gate’ and the
‘Mind Over Positive And Negative Dimensional Matter’ 12” coming on February 10th 2023.
Produced by the late James Marcel Stinson and released in 2001 via Supremat, a short-lived sub-label Tresor
dedicated to a more abstract and experimental electro sound, ‘The Opening Of The Cerebral Gate’ was
conceived as the second part of the so-called Drexciyan Storms – a whopping stack of seven albums by the
Detroit pair released under dierent monikers within a single year. This phase marks a groundbreaking time
for the duo, their cosmos breaking wide open, right at the dawn of a new technological era in electronic music
production. All this is deeply reflected in Transllusion’s first album. This phase marks a groundbreaking time for
the duo, their cosmos breaking wide open, right at the dawn of a new technological era in electronic music
production. All this is deeply reflected in Transllusion’s first album.
2022 marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of James Stinson and the releases of the Transllusion and
Shifted Phases albums. In recognition, the rightsholders, their families, and the label have commissioned
Detroit-based contemporary artist Matthew Angelo Harrison to re-conceptualize the covers of Tresor's
Drexciya-related catalogue. These editions will be released sequentially, bimonthly, starting early-September
2022. The series is completed by the long-awaited re-release of 'Shifted Phases – The Cosmic Memoirs Of The
Late Great Rupert J. Rosinthrope' - at the end of March.

More