R.A.N.D. Muzik Recordings welcomes Berlin based, Asphalt DJ to the label for a four tracker of progressive house and breaks. More

Belgrade-based Laars marks his first solo vinyl release over a sensual 4-track tale honouring the merits of faith, discipline, and the satisfaction of taking your sweet time. Drawing from the vibrant sounds of the 90s and 00s progressive trance and house scenes, he discovered a kindredship with those who have since then primed and perfected their own modern takes on the definitive genres.

The proggy trance/house opener “Breath Control” sighs into existence, emerging like the head-rush of euphoria that accompanies surfing the sadistic tease between suspense and bliss. High resonance and acid sounds punctuate the track, supplying a dominant bodily cue amidst the melodies, gated vocals and loops. “What If You Fly” observes the void below and decides to jump anyway, finding its faith rewarded in a free-fall through chords and synths that knit into a dark, groovy soundscape - soaring over an underscore of conga drums as though caught in exhilarating flight.

On the B-side, “Concur” looks up from the void back into the ether, embracing the danger of the pale blank space above. At 135BPM it glitches and dances through a cyclone of atmospheric synths, pads and cult sci-fi film samples, grinding like a serrated blade under a soft-focus lens. For the close, “Delight” flirts with the comfort of another, tantalising its approach before erupting in slow-motion from its amniotic state. It blisters, bubbles and gasps - and then takes a roll-eyed descent into breakbeats and arps that glide like menacingly slow fingertips over hot skin.

The record from Laars has a precious message: when was the last time that you really let go and listened to the steady rise and fall of your own breath, or sank into the discomfort of not knowing, but continued anyway? The outcome is still the same: jump. More

The next phase of Cardiff-based label Haws’ metamorphosis emerges via four proggy, psychedelic cuts on their latest V/A offering, with three previous alumni making their returns and newcomer Maara landing her debut appearance on the imprint.

Kicking off the A-side is Adam Pits with the flickering ‘Swings & Roundabouts’, an opener akin to rolling headfirst down a rabbit hole and somehow finding yourself sailing above the clouds. Maara adds another dimension to the trip with ‘You’re So Delicious’, dimming the lights with dreamy synth-lines amidst brilliantly flashing melodies.

On the B-side, Guy Contact steps up to the wheel with ‘Initiate Sequence’ - an oozing, toe-tapping track that settles into romantic, purring manipulations and surrealist loops. Solar Suite rounds up the synaesthesia with ‘Greens Pool’, sliding through an internal soundscape of tension and release owed to the spectral guidance of horns, flutes, piano chords, against a soothing, steadfast bassline.

Close your eyes and step inside: the only journey is the one within. More

Run since the fall of 2012, Evanton is the italo/synthwave project of Greek electronic producer Evangelos Zacharopoulos (aka Binalog Frequency, Bionic Breaker etc.). With numerous releases under his belt over the years, Evanton has established himself as a leading force on the current new retrowave scene.

On this EP Evanton delivers 5 fresh, unreleased tracks, ranging from modern italo-disco and hi-NRG to 80s-style electrofunk and (surprisingly) downtempo 90s balearic-style sounds. This is definitely the most diverse release of this artist and surely an EP you just can't miss! More

Haws are 20 deep. No longer in their shy teens, just a real life sonic entity with (almost) no adolescent trappings and the requisite fortitude and experience to really unleash upon the world. Having said that, they truly have released some amazing music since their inception and the world can’t wait for the next one, and the many ones and twos after that.

The duo Laars and Cosmic G have proudly given them their milestone #20. The Belgradian boys have cooked up a storming 12” 4-tracker assembled with a production style eloquent of distinct perspicacity.

‘Flotation Agent’ is an accelerated, acid-enveloped pumper, combining the nostalgic and contemporary with an effortless design. Next is ‘Irregular Minds’, a more pensive, stunted concoction, emboldened by the continued and ever present acid permeation. Not one, but ‘5 Atoms’ brings the meditative, techno-aligned pace back, whilst echoic arpeggios arrive and dissipate within the cosmic milieu. Finally we reach ‘Equilibrium’, bridging the gap between its forebears and encapsulating the EP as part of a dancefloor equation.

Drawn from the depths of the infinite mind, Laars and Cosmic G’s creation is the sum of all its parts. So remember, no running in the Haws…… but dancing is fine! More

The 18th segment of Haws’ sonic anthology comes from a hot piece of artistic talent you will know as Anderson. The US-born producer featured on the labels Viral Syndicate digital compilation series back in 2020, and they’ve had him in the crosshairs for a full release ever since. Unsurprisingly, Anseron’s output has been prolific in the last two years, breeding fire for labels such as the force-majeure ‘Wex’, as well as Day By Day and Tresydos.

The A1, ‘Sunbeam’, is a new mix of the track originally released in 2020. It has been revisited and refined but the core remains the brilliant same; dynamic prog littered with acid squelches, iconic jungle samples and beautifully arpeggiated keys perforating the backdrop as the new sun rises. ‘It’s Time’ is your reminder to attend the party. Classic intoxicating house with crunchy breaks and doofing kicks. A vocal that never gets old, and is also a mantric verbal formula. Dance, chant and live by the words of the 90s.

Protoza kicks off the B-side, a trippin’ acid lowrider with a wonderfully body-wobbling percussive touch. Swampy synths, some rave-classic chords with a balearic feel, what more could your afters desire? Finally we have your Electrified Encounter. Unequivocally trancey elements have been painstakingly rebuilt and embedded into a magnetic creature at the top end of the chug-ometer. Throw in pulsing acid for good measure and the power is unparalleled. Use wisely to avoid a voltaic overload. More

Solar Suite has something to say about liminal spaces. It’s that eerily familiar transitory state between here and there, where a shift occurs and the thrill of the change perforates through the atmosphere like a dreamy fog. Some find this anticipatory realm uncomfortable, but some find it as the means for creative inspiration. For the 17th release on Welsh imprint Haws, Naarm-based DJ/producer Solar Suite explores the playful liminality of dusk and dawn, taking locked grooves and prog sounds as the tools to transform the strange into something exhilarating.

‘Clear Skies’, ‘Tasman Transmission’ and ‘Still Life’ comprise the record’s club-ready tracks. The EP’s opener is expansive and uplifting, with an elated stride and synths that roll away like sheets of clouds finally departing a new-born sky. Meanwhile, ‘Tasman Transmission’ and ‘Still Life’ sink into lower, stubborn grumbles, signalling the spontaneous bursts of energy for those who haven’t quite yet chosen to head to bed yet.

Balancing out the up-tempo rhythms, ‘Subtropique’ and ‘Contact’ deliver the slow chuggers of the release. The former heralds the wide-eyed expectancy of a memorable night ahead, while the closing track preserves the threshold moment where night and day make brief, electrifying contact for all but an instant.

Five tracks with dedicated circumstances to be plucked out from record bags and presented to a willing crowd. The only question left: what occasions personal to the selector will they rear their heads? More

Always open to experimentation, Welsh imprint Haws welcomes Wyatt to the family. Comprising five evocative, glossy cuts, the ‘Netherwood’ EP is a time capsule back to his hometown, turning memories into alchemical moments experienced under a blazing sun or by the light of a full moon.

The opening ‘Sewell’ sails through a sensory voyage of stripped-back breakbeat, travel intercom samples and earworm melodies. ‘Netherwood’ snakes into a trippy pace, carving an indefinable sculpture of synth melodies nestled between weightless ambient.

On the B-side, ‘Mousehold’ launches into a peak-time club number, its initial drive of drums and bass tempered down by emotive accents that feel like a coy dance between yin and yang. ‘Tombland’ slinks into a shadow-cast realm of melancholy and introspection, joining the hands of broken beat and synth lines into a melodic collaboration drunk on its private thoughts. To close, ‘Heathgate’ retreats into a hopeful murmur, reflecting its quiet, percussive optimism back at itself through tear-stained melodies and a glassy bass.

Sometimes, existential introspection happens through external movement. ‘Netherwood’ is a catalyst for those epiphanies. More

Pev swiftly follows up the Pulse EP with another four tracks of sprightly club gear that continue to shape out his current areas of exploration in the studio. As ever, there are no fixed concepts or approaches - just an instinct for energising, inventive tracks taking in a range of tempos and rhythms.

The first half of Pulse Modulation EP is marked out by linear rhythms which showcase the most techno aspects of Pev's sound. 'Pulse V' is charged with the kind of alien synth lines which could only come from his studio, but also draw a line to the hi-tech soul of foundational Detroit techno. 'Pulse VI' has a starker, bleep-led sound pitched towards tougher dancefloors.

'Pulse VII' strips things back in comparison, leaning in on a blanket of bass and keeping the drums sparse and to the point - a study in soundsystem pressure. Widening the spectrum of the record, 'Pulse VIII' sees Pev make a rare push up into 160+ territory - something normally reserved for his DJ sets. Swerving obvious break edits, his take on jungle is lean and crisp, delivering a fresh slant on the sound while maintaining the sharp focus of his current output.

Livity Sound is a label set up by Peverelist in 2011 as a vehicle for a raw and exploratory strain of UK techno, rooted in the heritage of UK dance music and sound system culture. It has since become one of the UK's foremost protagonists for cutting edge underground electronic music.
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The Brighton-based producer and creative mastermind, Caldera, lets us delve into his multi-faceted personality with his new EP, 5D Worlds. No VR set needed, Caldera follows the chant of the sirens and the shamanic incantations but never directly references them: a psychoactive journey without the psychedelics. Caldera’s 5D Worlds is a hyperreal ride, from his signature dubby grooves to his lesser known Tech-Trance whopper fantasies – As the BPM evolves, the sound designs morph and the gentle percussion give way to sonar-like synths and binary rhythms. Are you finally hearing the sirens ? Good, you have arrived at your destination. More

Dez Andres must have had a busy year in the studio because he has a few new joints dropping at the moment. Beretta Music has his latest and it comes in the form of a 7"to follow up his 'Back in My Space' from back in Spring. Once again here the Motor City native, former Slum Village DJ and house maestro dips into his more soulful side with some fresh breakbeat tunes that are sure to get the floor popping. Yelping vocals and some signature Andres basslines finish it in a fiery fashion. Fellow Detroit talent Brian Kage steps up with a booty-shaking remix that gets even heavier on the drums to make for another fine 7". More

Repress!

2x 12” 180g black vinyl
gatefold cover
mastered by Noel Summerville
original artwork by Theo Ellsworth.

A year on since the collaborative Mystic AM project in 2022, Rod Modell returns solo to Astral Industries with AI-35. The album - entitled 'Ghost Lights' - comes as a gatefold 2x vinyl LP, showcasing the latest epoch of Modell's signature soundscapes. Spread across four parts, 'Ghost Lights' draws out a wide, cinematic sound - with long arching contours, rippling textures and cavernous sound design.

Woven with layer upon layer of hidden fragments and supernal transmissions, each chapter takes the listener successively deeper into the twilight zone. Harking to dramatic off-world topographies and interstellar spaces, the work glistens with opulent sound treatment and monumental grandeur. Dense pulsations move with oceanic force, marked by washes of celestial light and subterranean drones. Exercising another side to Rod Modell's typically atmospheric productions, this album comes with an ambitious framework and a more assertive sound. Featuring some of Modell's most epic storytelling to date, 'Ghost Lights' delivers a powerful immersive experience.
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Inspired by the original release in 1997 by Paul Rayner and Scott Anderson – Volume 2 explores the original Speed Garage sound infamous with the period. This time, whilst working alongside Jason Ward (Conspiracy Dubs and formally Dubplate Pressure) this EP takes you back whilst helping the listener embrace the modern spin put on tracks by contemporary producers like Jason. More

‘My Noise is Nothing’ is the collaborative LP between Lord of The Isles and Scottish poet Ellen Renton, set for release on the 29th September 2023.

For the pair, both the poems and music came to them in a quick and concentrated period.

Renton's poems were written during 2020 and capture something of that time- that feeling of having no obstacles between ourselves and our emotions. Especially the feeling of anger, which is expressed by Renton as a feeling that is not wholly negative but complicated, necessary, unifying and even joyful.

Likewise, Lord Of The Isles’ dusky and unfurling production refuses obstacles- embracing experimental live recordings using pedals and vintage synths. It is warm and fuzzy, but most importantly organic, with all the imperfections and character of a living entity.

A1 - Let the Colours Flood In
A2 - A Discovery (feat. Ellen Renton)
A3 - For a Burning World (feat. Ellen Renton)
B1 - A Portrait (feat. Ellen Renton)
B2 - Last Day
B3 - Don’t You Ache (feat. Ellen Renton)
B4 - My Noise is Nothing (feat. Ellen Renton) More

We don't know who Your Ex is (lol) but what we do know is that they go beautifully deep here across a pair of jazz-tinged and seductive deep house delights. First up is 'Lima' which opens with swirling pads and steamy sax motifs that drift up top and mean love is in the air as the lush chords melt the soul. On the flip is 'Keep Shining' which is a more dynamic cut with a well-swung groove and the sort of rich piano chords that really hit home. Add in some crisp percussion and more mellifluous sax licks and you have a pair of timeless and truly musical house gems on a vital little 7". More

UK Garage producer located near Portland, Oregon is one of the new-age international producers of UK Garage. Tanyn brings a 4x4 vibe reminiscent of that of garage royalty MJ Cole, although developed and updated since original 90s releases. The name of the EP was inspired by the Cascadia movement, a bioregional independence movement based in the Cascadia bioregion of western North America. More

Balmat co-founders Philip Sherburne and Albert Salinas have been fans of Shy Layers’ lilting, Balearic pop for years, so when Shy Layers’ JD Walsh asked us to listen to a set of demos he was working up with fellow Atlanta multi-instrumentalist Jeff Crompton, we jumped at the chance. And once we heard their work in progress, the decision was almost immediate: We have to release this.

Together, Walsh and Crompton are Anagrams, and their debut album together, Blue Voices, might initially seem like a departure from Balmat’s habitually electronic terrain. It’s not ambient music, but it’s also not not ambient music, at least to listeners in the right frame of mind. The two musicians, who met when Walsh moved from Brooklyn to Atlanta in 2016 and began collaborating a few years later, see the music in similarly ambiguous terms. “I like it because it’s not jazz,” jokes Crompton, a veteran and credentialed jazz player. “And JD likes it because it’s jazz.”

Crompton is a musician (and former high-school band teacher) with deep roots in Georgia’s improvised and experimental music scenes; his credits include shows with Eugene Chadbourne, a guest appearance with Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and a collaboration with Duet for Theremin and Lap Steel’s 12-hour drone performance at Knoxville’s Big Ears. On Blue Voices he plays alto and tenor saxophone, clarinet, electric piano, and organ. Walsh has been releasing music as Shy Layers since 2015, when he started self-releasing on Bandcamp; the following year, Germany’s Growing Bin packaged his first two EPs as a self-titled album, and in 2018, Tim Sweeney’s Beats in Space label put out Shy Layers’ sophomore album, Midnight Marker. Where those records channeled Walsh’s playful harmonic instincts into wistful songwriting with tropical overtones, on Blue Voices he lets his experimental tendencies take the lead. Playing acoustic and electric guitars, electric lap steel, bass, Moog Matriarch, modular synth, and programmed drums, he concentrates his energies on richly textural layers and abstract assemblages of tone color.

Across the album’s 11 tracks, there are faint echoes of familiar touchstones: the atmospheric twang of Daniel Lanois’ pedal steel on Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks; the mercurial modal runs of Ethio- jazz; the late-summer calm of Fuubutsushi; the versatility of players and composers like Patrick Shiroishi and Sam Gendel, who are asking similar questions about where jazz ends and some other, nameless territory begins. Mostly, though, what Blue Voices captures is the quixotic sound of two restless musical imaginations making it up as they go along, two voices discovering a shared language in a hitherto unexplored shade of blue. More