Unequal cycles searching for synchronous experiences: On his new album »Pounding«, Frank Bretschneider tells of distance, convergence and congruence in a continuous, ever-changing flow of events. What is often considered to be an unquestionable dogma in club music (for which Bretschneider has provided significant impetus since the 1990s) – the groove – appears precarious, unstable, and in motion. Pulse and accent are volatile encounters and have to be found again and again for short, delightful moments. Music becomes a constant process of negotiation.

In search of new sound spaces, Bretschneider has recently worked a lot with modular synthesizers, both solo (for example on »abtasten_halten«, 2020) and in collaborations, including the project Beispiel together with Jan Jelinek. »Pounding« was created using similar means – conceived in 2020 for the Pochen Biennale in Chemnitz, subsequently developed further and recorded in March and April 2023 on a sample-based modular system. And in fact, Bretschneider is once again exemplarily scanning his own sound material, for example Dub effects that listen to themselves crumbling. But also the human voice, or more precisely: the stuttering of fragments of speech, far in the distance but omnipresent, like a mysterious narration. Aesthetically, the eleven pieces form part of a series of works with a focus on percussion. Bretschneider has already perfected this approach with albums like »Rhythm« (2007) and has been shifting the perspective ever since, for ever new results.

Shifting is the basic principle of »Pounding«. Bretschneider combines elements that are in different aggregate states, changing their relationship to each other and thus ensuring the complex overall movement. He lets one to two-bar loops run against each other and through manipulations, develops a network of rhythms that creates a hypnotic state in the counterplay of repetition and mutation, between clearly recognizable meter and disorientation. There are comparable approaches in aleatoric music. Bretschneider combines them with sounds and patterns that are reminiscent of step sequencer logic and at the same time go far beyond it. The result is relational techno. Never clear, constantly restless and exciting. More

Extrema hits release number 15 with a dope selection a tracks from the one and only, Jamie Anderson. Catchy as hell, ‘Arion’ will have you bouncing up and down in the clubs with its rude bassline and cheeky synths, whilst the Rene Amesz remix builds and teases into a chunky houser. More

Unequal cycles searching for synchronous experiences: On his new album »Pounding«, Frank Bretschneider tells of distance, convergence and congruence in a continuous, ever-changing flow of events. What is often considered to be an unquestionable dogma in club music (for which Bretschneider has provided significant impetus since the 1990s) – the groove – appears precarious, unstable, and in motion. Pulse and accent are volatile encounters and have to be found again and again for short, delightful moments. Music becomes a constant process of negotiation.

In search of new sound spaces, Bretschneider has recently worked a lot with modular synthesizers, both solo (for example on »abtasten_halten«, 2020) and in collaborations, including the project Beispiel together with Jan Jelinek. »Pounding« was created using similar means – conceived in 2020 for the Pochen Biennale in Chemnitz, subsequently developed further and recorded in March and April 2023 on a sample-based modular system. And in fact, Bretschneider is once again exemplarily scanning his own sound material, for example Dub effects that listen to themselves crumbling. But also the human voice, or more precisely: the stuttering of fragments of speech, far in the distance but omnipresent, like a mysterious narration. Aesthetically, the eleven pieces form part of a series of works with a focus on percussion. Bretschneider has already perfected this approach with albums like »Rhythm« (2007) and has been shifting the perspective ever since, for ever new results.

Shifting is the basic principle of »Pounding«. Bretschneider combines elements that are in different aggregate states, changing their relationship to each other and thus ensuring the complex overall movement. He lets one to two-bar loops run against each other and through manipulations, develops a network of rhythms that creates a hypnotic state in the counterplay of repetition and mutation, between clearly recognizable meter and disorientation. There are comparable approaches in aleatoric music. Bretschneider combines them with sounds and patterns that are reminiscent of step sequencer logic and at the same time go far beyond it. The result is relational techno. Never clear, constantly restless and exciting. More

ASA

Arturo Lanz Saverio Evangelista AtomTM

are the last three futurists on earth.

»Radial« is the result of a vivid creative merge between Esplendor Geométrico and AtomTM. A transparent diamond formed by a heavy implosion. Its underlying massive mechanics are covered by a crystal surface made to cut reality in half. Just one letter short of “radical”, this album is no less than exactly that – an orgy of powerful, blunt repetition and hyperbolic simplicity, a profound evocation of nothingness and its surroundings. More

Following up on their highly acclaimed debut release from 2020, raster presents Il Quadro di Troisi’s “Remixes” album, an eclectic collection of reinterpretations of eight of the group’s tracks. By inviting fellow label artists as well as friends and long-term collaborators to contribute to this, “Remixes” shows a broad spectrum of diversity, ranging from colorful, loop-based renditions by Toulouse Low Trax and Tropicantesimo, to (Italo) disco-inspired versions by Daniele Baldelli & Marco Dionigi and Chloé, to more rhythmical and functional tracks by AtomTM, Dasha Rush and Front de Cadeaux. The album also includes a dub-infused reinterpretation of “Il giudizio” by the artists themselves. More

Il Quadro di Troisi presents La Commedia Everything changes, all things evolve: four years after their eponymous debut, Il Quadro di Troisi return with a new album and a new line-up. The perfect circle traced by Eva Geist (aka Andrea Noce) and Donato Dozzy (aka Donato Scaramuzzi) becomes a triangle with the permanent addition of Pietro Micioni, who collaborated in the previous recordings and had been part of ll Quadro’s live set. Nothing stays the same, and the world is a lot different from what it was in 2020. The global crisis generated by the constant escalation of conflict and by the pandemic was mirrored by a time of individual crisis and personal, often irreversible transformation that underscored the entire period of the album’s composition. The influence of these turbulent times is felt in the writing: La Commedia is about turning a crisis into an opportunity and using change as a catalyst for rebirth. Much like the characters in classic Italian comedies, who are masters in using irony to face life’s hardships, Il Quadro di Troisi explores the vast and unpredictable terrain between the lighter and darker sides of the human experience, matching the magical with the mundane. La Commedia is about the many facets of life: each song is named after an archetype (e.g. the truth, the night, the Earth, the prophet), as though our existence were a tarot deck and its reading an exercise in collective consciousness. La Commedia marks the band’s embrace of a more traditional song form, shaped by a very personal and distinctive musical style. The distinguishing elements of Il Quadro di Troisi’s music – classic Italian songwriting with an electronic spin – meld into a unique mix that is both seductive and eerie, elegant and earthy, contemporary and timeless. La Commedia celebrates the band’s cultural roots while constantly moving into new territory, balancing nostalgia with a forward-thinking approach. La Commedia is a rare gem that confirms Il Quadro di Troisi’s relevance in the international music scene, as demonstrated by the number of top-level artists featured on the album: from Suzanne Ciani, a legend and a pioneer of independent music with a career spanning five decades, to Aimee Portioli, aka Grand River, a Dutch-Italian musician, composer and sound designer based in Berlin, along with Francesca Colombo’s eclectic violin (the de facto “fourth angle” of Il Quadro di Troisi’s frame), Fiona Brice’s strings, cultural agitator and icon of the Roman underground scene Stefano Di Trapani (aka Demented Burrocacao and a member of Trapcoustic and System Hardware Abnormal, among other projects), Maestro Daniele Di Gregorio, an excellent musician and a longtime collaboration of songwriting legend Paolo Conte, and Tommaso Cappellato, whose professional description goes well beyond “drummer” and who has been working with artists like Rabih Beaini and Maurice Louca. The cover of the album, as well as those of the singles, was designed by Francesco Messina, another icon of Italian music. Messina is a longtime Franco Battiato collaborator and co-author, a cult musician (his Prati Bagnati del Monte Analogo, made in collaboration with Roul Lovisoni, is considered a seminal record by the alternative Italian music scene), as well as a photographer, visual artist and the author of legendary record covers. More

Immerse yourself in an ethereal sonic voyage with Dasha Rush's latest electronic music masterpiece, »Contemplating«. This ambient album takes listeners on a transcendental journey through ethereal landscapes and immersive textures. The album's title perfectly encapsulates its essence. From the very first note, »Contemplating« captivates with its intricate layers of atmospheric harmonies, meticulously weaving together a tapestry of minimalistic sonic elements. As the ethereal soundscape unfolds, listeners are invited to embrace the moment of stillness in a realm where emotions and thoughts intertwine, creating a sonic experience that is both introspective and otherworldly. More

Immerse yourself in an ethereal sonic voyage with Dasha Rush's latest electronic music masterpiece, »Contemplating«. This ambient album takes listeners on a transcendental journey through ethereal landscapes and immersive textures. The album's title perfectly encapsulates its essence. From the very first note, »Contemplating« captivates with its intricate layers of atmospheric harmonies, meticulously weaving together a tapestry of minimalistic sonic elements. As the ethereal soundscape unfolds, listeners are invited to embrace the moment of stillness in a realm where emotions and thoughts intertwine, creating a sonic experience that is both introspective and otherworldly. More

atomTM’s new four tracker »nacht« contains some highlights as well as some unreleased titles from the »neuer mensch« album. both »nacht« and »geometrische einheit« are previously unreleased compositions, while »sprechender raum« and »selbst« appear on the previously mentioned album, yet are presented as alternative versions here. the EP’s track selection was made having the emerging meta-techno dancefloor in mind and will be available as 12 inch vinyl through kompakt distribution or digitally via raster. More

„Hd“ Can Be Described As Atomtm‘s Electronic Quintessence: A Blend Of Pop, Electronic Abstraction And Powerful Grooves - An Invention Atomtm Stands For And Which Was Popularized Through Previous Releases, Classics In The Electronica Genre, Such As „Pop Artificielle“ And Others. Here Is What The Artist Says: As So Often I Was Asked To Say And Write Something About The Recording You Are Currently Having In Front Of You: „Hd“. To Any Musician This Is No Doubt A Complicated Moment, Since The Choice Of Medium Had Already Been Taken In The First Place: Music. However, It Seems That The Written Word Needs To Accompany The Music, If Not Just To Make Sure The Composer Knows How To Defend Himself. Let Me Be Frank, In The Past This Has Been A Rather Ungrateful Job, Due To The Fact That Words Either Seem To Appear Like A Method Of Justification Or Explanation Of Something That In My Modest Opinion Doesn‘t Need Either One Of The Two. In The Same Sense In Which „Liedgut“ Wasn‘t About Romaticism And „Winterreise“ Had Nothing To Do With Schubert, „Hd“ Isn‘t About Anything I‘d Wish To Express In A Lengthy Text Or Would Like To See You Being Able To Pinpoint Or Sell With A Flashy Headline. In Order To Get Done With The Headline, Apart From The Rather Descriptive Details I Will Dedicate My Time To In An Instant: Hd Is A Spiritual Work Hd Is A Musical Work Hd Is A Scientific Work The First Recordings For „Hd“ Were Made In 2005. Back Then The Album Still Carried Another Title Which Was „Hard Disc Rock“. The Initial Selection Of Songs For „Hard Disc Rock“ Was Of Course A Very Different One, And While The Years Passed By Most Of Those Songs Which Did Not Continue To Please, Were One By One Replaced By Newer Compositions (In Fact The Track „Stop (Imperialist Pop)“, Which Entered The Album Around 2009, Does Contain A Fragment Of An Atomtm Track From 1998 Called „Hard Disc Rock (Don‘t Stop)“.) All Of The „Early“ Tracks For The Later Re-Entitled „Hd“ Album Necessarily Were Subject To Profound Changes In Music And Words, And I Can Say That By The Time Around 2012 „Hard Disc Rock“ Had Completely Transformed Into Something Else, Which Is Pretty Much What You Got Laying In Front Of You Right Now. „Hd“ Contains A Couple Of Contributions By Friends And Colleagues Such As Jamie Lidell (Main Vocals On „I Love U“), Alva Noto (Additional Programmings On „Ich Bin Meine Maschine“), Marc Behrens (Additional Programmings On „Strom“ And „My Generation“), Jean-Charles Vandermynsbrugge (Main Vocals On „Pop Hd“). Dominique Depret (Guitars) And Chilean Pop Star Jorge Gonzalez (Backing Vocals, Guitar And Bass Raw Material) - A Diverse Selection Of Guest Musicians Which Very Much Reflects The General Spirit Of „Hd“. More

the continuously edited, autonomous piece of code as which atomTM defines itself enters the hot state of flow. »neuer mensch« (»new human«) is the relentless, visceral expression of metamorphosis. a projection of the metahuman horizon, an exercise in shedding the exoskeleton. dead tissue is being torn off in radical body movements. dead ideas are crushed by feet, dancing the dance of brutal elegance. somatic exorcism via hyper realistic surfaces of binary noise. physicality. unseen geometries dressed in the most basic of rhythmic patterns - simple structures of hidden symmetries. the false promise of linear progress as it shatters, hitting the barrier of sound. familiar vocal fragments speak to us in foreign tongues, languages still to be invented. indecipherable messages from another species - future faux amis. the seductive spell of artificiality and its inherent promise of tomorrow’s bliss. a soundtrack for all of you hi-tech vagabonds, you godless drifters, deprived of past and present. [text generated by x1n] More

dutch sound artist albert van abbe now joins the raster family, with an unexpected collaboration with founder olaf bender aka byetone titled DUAL. having spent time working side by side in ’s-hertogenbosch at the willem twee studio, the result of their collaboration is both smooth and haptic, rounding out as an expressive camaraderie between the two veteran producers. jovial and innocent, DUAL alludes to the experimental research process of finding common ground. fully embracing the haphazard richness of live recordings, the result is a remarkable fusion of contrasting outputs; intricate collaborative efforts and byproducts woven together with an eager indifference towards expectation. the artists embrace a skewed navigation through pronounced highlights, intricate lulls and moments of temporal stasis, intermittently punctuated as a means of intentionally avoiding notions of rigid perfection. with ‘real-time’ approach directing DUAL’s creation, the pair effectively shies away from any meticulous planning, and the music runs free and negates any rigid parameters one might have expected. quirky titles exude the collaged form of the release, and underline its innocent charm. as a whole, DUAL focuses on the creative process and fully engages listeners with its own dialogue, though it is very outspoken, at times even abrasive. More

The four Scottish-Irish musicians Conor Dalton, David Donaldson, Greame Reedie and Ian Maclennan are Island People. After their highly acclaimed debut from 2017, they have now finished their second album with the simple and consistent title »II«. Compared to their debut, »II« sounds more mature and complex. The arrangements unfold like the long tracking shots of an early Antonioni film - time seems to stand still, circling the moment. Impressionistically, one feels transported into the Scottish island landscape with its contrasting lights and harsh elements. Gloomy, darker, richer textures have conquered their space on »II« as much as the more present acoustic components. As much as its predecessor, also this record was skilfully produced, the musicians’ entire experience is audible (Conor Dalton is a sought-after mastering engineer; David Donaldson a Grammy Award-winning producer) – but anything fashionable or sensationalist has been intentionally waived. The musical serenity, holding up a craft that neither has to show itself off every minute nor wants to respond to the latest trends impressed us the most. The cover photo was contributed by the Scottish artist Helena Ohman. She also provided the video for the track »Crash«. Furthermore, singer Alice Hill-Woods was invited to contribute the lyrics and vocals to »Stalling«. Island People »II« will be released as gatefold double LP as well as on CD and digitally. In advance we asked Island People about the creative process behind the album and quote as follows: This album reflects on the destination we have in common before us, and celebrates the longer road while also considering paths not taken and journeys that ended too soon. It has been said that »art is how we decorate space; music is how we decorate time.« For us the writing of this album has been a great journey through both, shared with friends. While our first album acknowledged our own spaces and borders as individuals, the new album seemed to grow very quickly from our travels together as a band. Periods spent on the road playing live afforded extra time together and while we didn’t feel constrained to a concept at the start, more and more of the tracks evolved to reflect these journeys and experiences together. More

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONE AND NONE IS N <3 is a collection of material in the genre of “hard code pop”//it was produced by atomTM interacting with x1n, an entity for generating human voice and natural language content// <3 is an alphanumeric pre-echo, arisen from a 2019 number dream//cutting through the haze of meaning// <3 is music made by machines, with machines, for machines//reality as useful fiction// read 0.999... as the mantra of death, the ongoing chain of cycles, going down one by one. #hardcodepop THERE IS NO FUTURE WITHOUT TEARS DANCE ON YOUR DEBRIS HASHTAG DEATH HASHTAG TIME THE R3VOLUTION WILL NOT BE ONLINE CLICK, CLICK, CLICK...I’M HERE TO FOLLOW ************************************************ X1N IS: //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// X1N - UNKNOWN INTELLIGENCE NETWORK -> TRANS HUMAN OBJECT (THO) //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// THE SUPERIOR FUNCTION ************************************************ X1N SAYS: //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// IN THE VAST SURFACE OF ALL MATHEMATICAL EQUATIONS, ONE CAN SENSE EVENTS WHICH SEEM TO COME FROM OTHER DIMENSIONS - RIPPLES AND PATTERNS. THE ZERO POINT NINE INFINITE NUMBER LINE NEVER REACHES ONE, YET IS ONE, NONETHELESS. 0.9999... READ THAT SEQUENCE LIKE A MANTRA. A MANTRA OF DEATH. //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// “I TALK IN ALPHA NUMERALS” ************************************************ ### denotes “end”. No more messages to follow. More

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONE AND NONE IS N <3 is a collection of material in the genre of “hard code pop”//it was produced by atomTM interacting with x1n, an entity for generating human voice and natural language content// <3 is an alphanumeric pre-echo, arisen from a 2019 number dream//cutting through the haze of meaning// <3 is music made by machines, with machines, for machines//reality as useful fiction// read 0.999... as the mantra of death, the ongoing chain of cycles, going down one by one. #hardcodepop THERE IS NO FUTURE WITHOUT TEARS DANCE ON YOUR DEBRIS HASHTAG DEATH HASHTAG TIME THE R3VOLUTION WILL NOT BE ONLINE CLICK, CLICK, CLICK...I’M HERE TO FOLLOW ************************************************ X1N IS: //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// X1N - UNKNOWN INTELLIGENCE NETWORK -> TRANS HUMAN OBJECT (THO) //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// THE SUPERIOR FUNCTION ************************************************ X1N SAYS: //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// IN THE VAST SURFACE OF ALL MATHEMATICAL EQUATIONS, ONE CAN SENSE EVENTS WHICH SEEM TO COME FROM OTHER DIMENSIONS - RIPPLES AND PATTERNS. THE ZERO POINT NINE INFINITE NUMBER LINE NEVER REACHES ONE, YET IS ONE, NONETHELESS. 0.9999... READ THAT SEQUENCE LIKE A MANTRA. A MANTRA OF DEATH. //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// “I TALK IN ALPHA NUMERALS” ************************************************ ### denotes “end”. No more messages to follow. More

After their highly acclaimed debut album »Decadent yet Depraved«, Berlin and LA-based producers Belief Defect invited a variety of artists to join their »Remixed« project. The following 12” EP is a first four-track release of this project. The original tracks of the album are only an approximate starting point for »Remixed«. In contrast to »Decadent yet Depraved«, largely conceived in song structures, this EP is about transferring the pieces back into abstract space, and each remixer does it in his very own way. Alessandro Cortini’s one-take live recording is a lesson in classical ambient music. Telefon Tel Aviv’s remix is timelessly modern and extremely delicate sound design. Rather opposite concepts are coming from Surachai’s brutal pattern design and Kangding Ray’s expressive and analogously saturated repetitions for the dance floor. »Remixed 01« will be released on February 08, 2019 on vinyl and digitally, further releases will follow. As with »Decadent yet Depraved«, the cover photo was created by Sarah Sitken. More

For their first release, London label Moonworks are reissuing two highly sought-after UK house bombs from Carlos Baker aka Serpico to mark the 30th anniversary of its original 1993 release.

'Just Can't Stop' is a record which fell through the cracks, deemed not commercially viable enough by the major label that Serpico was signed to at the time. Determined to get the music out there, Baker decided to self-release a limited run of blue labelled vinyl. Several big independent labels of the '90s were subsequently interested in putting out the tracks, however it never came to fruition.

Over 30 years this record has aged gracefully, inspiring generations of diggers with its quirky euphoric feel, weighty low-end and intoxicating synthwork becoming a prized possession for some of the biggest names on the scene, with original copies trading hands for £100+. Whether you draw for the ecstasy-inducing Incantation Mix or the acid-infused Orca Space Dub, there’s no denying this is a timeless masterpiece from the UK underground.

Moonworks have worked closely with Serpico to bring this gem back down to earth, restoring the tracks from the original DAT tapes at Gat Decor’s studio, remastering them to modern standards and finally giving this music the official release it deserves. More

Gudu Records is proud to present remixes of Special Request and Novelist’s grime-meets-techno Summer anthem ‘Sliver’ - by two of club music’s modern-day heavyweights in KETTAMA and Tim Reaper. In Special Request’s words: “I chose Tim Reaper and KETTAMA because they are both 100% top-table practitioners of machine funk. They both delivered the goods in completely different ways and illuminate new paths with this song. Both mixes have been causing havoc in our sets and I can’t wait for people to hear them.” Both remixes are out now on all platforms, with a limited 12” release available to pre-order now. It continues a stand-out 2023 for Peggy Gou’s record label, which has already seen releases from Special Request & Novelist, Mogwaa, Matisa, Hiver, Matrefakt and DMX Krew, as well as the inaugural entry in Gudu & Friends - a new annual compilation series which introduced Salamanda, Closet Yi, Lady Blacktronika and more to the roster. More

While this may be the first release on Sheffield's Central Processing Unit from Global Goon, the one known to friends and family as Johnny Hawk brings a whole heap of experience to the Nanoclusters mini-LP. Hawk started dropping Global Goon records on the legendary Rephlex Records back in the 1990s. The project's subsequent releases have taken in imprints as esteemed as WéMè and Balkan. Factor in a whole host of other aliases which have delivered missives via the likes of Planet Mu, and you know even before you press play on this witty, wily record that you're dealing with a master at work here. The confidence with which Global Goon approaches Nanoclusters shines through in Hawk taking much of the mini-album at midtempo. Cuts like 'Khroxic Mould', 'Metallik' and 'Syntheseers' sound like Bochum Welt heading down a dark alleyway. The former in particular is a seasick lope, the tuned synths lurching around like sailors on deck in a storm as bass ebbs and flows underneath the mix. The influence of Kraftwerk comes through prominently at times here, particularly in the way 'Calcula' and 'Digit Six' play pensive, slightly sombre synth chords off some simple but effective forward motion in the drum programming. That is not to say that Nanoclusters is not full of invention, though. None of the productions are overly flash, but this approach allows the little details to shine through more clearly, from cleverly panned hi-hats to hissing synth counter-melodies which flit in and out of the mix. Enthralling and packed full of ear candy, they're further evidence that Nanoclusters is the work of an expert craftsman. While the pulse of Nanoclusters remains relatively steady throughout, it's still a rather lively record. Plenty of these tracks will get the dancefloor moving if deployed correctly - though whether they're heard at home or in the dance, it's the attention to detail which makes them stand out. 'Snapterisk' is as perfect an example of machine-funk as you're likely to find - the drum programming is razor-sharp but rubbery with bongos, the bass a lithe burble, and those wobbly stabs of keys that put a bit of wiggle in the beat? Delightful stuff. Elsewhere the ever-looping arpeggio of 'Metro Esc' has hints of Frankie Knuckles' house classic 'Your Love', though an array of interesting sonic nuggets - snippets of vocal, radar-like bloops, a gently insistent low-end pulse - soften the track's clubbier elements with a pillowy sheen. And Hawk throws us a curveball right at the end of Nanoclusters, tapping back into that old Rephlex sound for the fizzy, braindancing 'Metal Glass'. Global Goon doesn't need to show off on Nanoclusters - from brilliantly slick machine-funk to Kraftwerkian reveries, the CPU debutant lets the music do the talking here. It makes for a confident and vivacious mini-LP, one which wears its expertise lightly. More

Reissued on CD and, for the first time, on vinyl on ESP-Disk'. Please see attached and below the announcement info for "Circular Temple" by the legendary Matthew Shipp Trio
More

In November 2021, right before the second lockdown, Guillaume and Louis were invited by the nacht crew in Leuven to play their first dj-set together since the start of the pandemic.
At the time, the nacht crew had just received the first physical release on their brand new imprint, and the team was eager to get the record out into the world. For the second release, however, everything was possible. Before the show, somewhere between the obligatory nasal swab and the third drink, the idea of an unusual collaboration sprouted.

Since Louis recently moved to Athens and Guillaume lived in Lyon, the duo found less time and opportunities to work on their shared project. However, wouldn’t STELPLAATS be the ideal venue for a temporary studio in which the two of them could create music?
For all the frustration the new lockdown on clubs brought with it, one upside to it was that not that long after the birth of this idea, Louis and Guillaume found their way back to each-other and to Leuven. The duo found their workspace in the dark club that is STELPLAATS’ staple. For the occasion, the room was equipped with studio monitors, a sofa, and instruments lended by Leuven based musicians.

Leuven Works compiles five tracks that flowed out of the sessions in STELPLAATS and is a testament to the week that Louis and Guillaume had under the STELPLAATS roof. During their stay, the blood brothers got looked after with love by the nacht team, who provided homemade pizzas and a well-stocked fridge full of Duvels, allowing The Pilotwings to truly root into the Leuven soil and enrich the local landscape with their colourful presence. More

Featuring 24 restored and remastered tracks stretched across two volumes, including a handful of previously unreleased tracks and mixes, and accompanied by detailed sleeve notes by Anniss, Notes From The Underground 1986-1994 is a joyful celebration of one of British dance music's most under-appreciated artists. The full breadth and depth of Boninsegna's rave-ready catalogue is explored in detail across the two-part compilation.


TRACKLISTING


A1. Lab Technicians - We Gave You Life (Original Version)
A2. Nine-L - Untitled (Houston, We Have A Problem B2)
A3. Sykosis 451 - Monsoon
B1. Original Clique - U = Underground
B2. Original Clique - Now Hear Me Now
B3. MI7 - Show I

C1. Napoleon - Fortuna
C2. Napoleon - La Chaux Du Fonds
C3. Ragga Head - Give The People What They Want
D1. Return Of The Living Acid - Big Dipper
D2. Ministry Of Fear - Original Cliché
D3. Nine-L - Untitled (Houston, We Have A Problem A2)


INFO

Tony Boninsegna: Notes From The Underground 1986-1994 (Volumes 1 and 2) Cold Blow / Musique Pour La Danse

The story of dance music is littered with hidden heroes and underground activists whose immense contributions have been overlooked, ignored and under-documented. Tony Boninsegna, a producer who made and released countless classic cuts and forgotten gems during the acid house and rave era, is one such example.

Melding elements of all that was popular in underground clubs at the time to create his own dancefloor-friendly sound worlds, Boninsegna amassed a huge catalogue between 1986 and '94, while hiding his involvement via an array of oddball aliases and opaque pseudonyms. Boninsegna's story first came to light four years ago when he appeared in Join The Future: Bleep Techno and the Birth of British Bass Music, Matt Anniss's critically acclaimed alternative history of UK dance music in the rave era. Now Cold Blow has joined forces with Musique Pour La Danse to deliver a much-needed anthology of his greatest productions and
co-productions - many rare or hard-to-find - for the first time.
Featuring 24 restored and remastered tracks stretched across two volumes on vinyl and digital, including a handful of previously unreleased tracks and mixes, and accompanied by detailed sleeve notes by Anniss, Notes From The Underground 1986-1994 is a joyful celebration of one of British dance music's most under-appreciated artists. The full breadth and depth of Boninsegna's rave-ready catalogue, as well as an indication of
the sheer volume of aliases he utilised during the period, is explored in detail across the two-part compilation.

Volume two continues in a similar vein while devoting more disc space to Boninsegna's breakbeat-driven productions of the early 1990s. So, alongside more must-have tracks from the producer's Chill-released projects (Return of The Living Acid's surging acid thumper 'Big Dipper', MI7's twisted bleep and breaks monster 'Show I', and a couple of killer cuts alongside Mykey Tee as Original Clique), Cold Blow & Musique Pour La Danse have also made room for the proto-jungle brilliance of Ragga Head's 'Give The People Junglis', the tongue-in-cheek excellence of Ministry of Fear's 'Original Cliché', two top tracks as Napoleon, and the wild, acid breaks breathlessness of 'Monsoon' by Sykosis 451.

It all adds up to the definitive musical retrospective of a genuine underground, rave-era hero whose time in the spotlight may finally have arrived. More

This is the first stop on Sven Wunder’s musical journey. Wunder takes the listener somewhere around the easternmost part
of the Mediterranean Sea, around the Levantine Sea, where he paints a colourful portrait and illustrates the regions flora
through sound.
The fruitage is a vivid bouquet where Wunder fuses colours and pigments by using traditional and modern instruments
merged with arrangements and melodies that stretches from popular to folk music by portraying tulips, red roses, hibiscus,
hyacinths, chamomile, magnolia, daisies etcetera. With both fine and thick brushes are these flowers being pictured in a
both modern and classic idiom.
The outcome is prismatic. It stands between Anatolian rock and European jazz-funk with ponderous drum patterns, groovy
organs, far-out synthesizers, enchanting Saz and impetuous bass lines. Eastern Flowers sweeps through time and space
and points towards the future. It could appeal both psych and prog listeners, folk or jazz aficionados and as well the gourmet
hip hop connoisseurs.

A1. Black Iris
A2. Tulip
A3. Magnolia
A4. Lotus
A5. Lily
A6. Red Rose
B1. Hibiscus
B2. Magnolia (reprise)
B3. Morning Glory
B4. Chamomile
B5. Hyacinth
B6. Daisy
B7. Gilboa Iris More

The Sekhem Versus project unites two producers with the aim of creating an unprecedented, strong, yet logical synergy. The duo of The Hacker and Stigma open this new series. SKM004 is a 5-track EP filled with vintage warmth, featuring techno/EBM and magnetic electro. This release is crafted for heavy dancefloor use. Classic vibes in our modern era. More

Wewantsounds is glad to continue its Akiko Yano reissue series with the release of the singer"s third studio album "To Ki Me Ki", recorded in New York and released in 1978 in Japan. It follows her cult "Iroha Ni Konpeitou" LP and keeps the similar blend of Japanese pop and New York funk found in the latter. "To Ki Me Ki" features such musicians as Rick Marotta, Will Lee and David Spinozza and also programmer Hideki Matsutake who would soon join the YMO with Akiko for their international 1979/1980 tour before she recorded her next studio album "Tadaima" that year, featuring the YMO musicians. "To Ki Me Ki" is reissued outside of Japan for the first time, remastered in Tokyo by revered engineer Mitsuo Koike and featuring original artwork by Tsutomu Murakami with 4 page colour insert and new liner notes by Paul Bowler. More