The third release on U-TRAX in 1993 was also a third debut, this time by Natasja Hagemeier and Jeroen Brandjes. Early in their career, they used several artist names, but became most commonly known as The Connection Machine. With their debut mini-album The Dream Tec Album they more or less described their style: dreamy techno. It became an instant Dutch techno classic and U-TRAX is proud and delighted to offer a fully remastered re-release, including three never before released bonus tracks (one of which is digital-only). More

The third release on U-TRAX in 1993 was also a third debut, this time by Natasja Hagemeier and Jeroen Brandjes. Early in their career, they used several artist names, but became most commonly known as The Connection Machine. With their debut mini-album The Dream Tec Album they more or less described their style: dreamy techno. It became an instant Dutch techno classic and U-TRAX is proud and delighted to offer a fully remastered re-release, including three never before released bonus tracks (one of which is digital-only). More

The Connection Machine is Natasja Hagemeier and Jeroen Brandjes. The CD-only original release from 2004 has been re-mastered and features nine tracks for this first-time vinyl version of the album. The Down Low label is a vital US resource for deeply personal electronic music that works both in bedrooms and DJ booths. It's a label that put out celebrated albums and EPs by the likes of Convexion, E.R.P and Dan Curtin, and played a key role during its first lifetime. Ten years after their last release they return with this double 180g vinyl version of the Painless album by The Connection Machine. It is an album made up of material made in the nineties that never saw the light of day and is full of achingly deep moods, dreamy acid house, down tempo electronics, ambient, and Detroit techno, all of which make it a lost classic from the Dutch techno scene. This is a vital reissue that not only re-introduces this forgotten classic to a whole new audience, but also the Down Low Music label itself. More

We are excited to finally announce and share 'Presentiment', the second Long Player from The Connection Machine. This release is particularly special for us as it will be the first time in over 20 years that Jeroen and Natasja have put an album out on vinyl. Despite having a string of aliased releases in the '90s on the mighty U-Trax, a 12" during the early days of Carl Craig's Planet E, a remarkable album 'Painless' on Down Low Music, and most recently a series of in demand E.P.s with Lost Trax on Tabernacle, their output has remained tantalisingly infrequent. With 12 tracks that capture their unique and awe-inspiring sound, 'Presentiment' opens you up to a world that only The Connection Machine have access to.
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Debut album by Dutch producer w1b0, who passed away in August, to be released in November on U-TRAX. Wibo Lammerts' sudden death on August 15th shocked the worldwide electro community, and also left the record label, that had been working on the debut album with the artist known as w1b0 for the past two years, dumbfounded and in grief. Wibo had jokingly always called his upcoming debut album 'his legacy', which now sadly has become a painful truth.. W1b0 made quite a name for himself with heavy electro tracks that he released on labels like Bass Agenda, Hilltown Disco and Discos Antónicos. Standing at 202 meters, and combined with a cheerful character, most people remember him as the gentle giant of electro. For this album, Wibo wanted to steer away from the dark and heavy electro he mostly made until then. The idea of having a platform to create delicate electronic music in different styles, and make it a showcase of his versatility, was very appealing to him. And that is where he and U-TRAX found each other.
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Dutch pioneer Sp@sms returns to U-TRAX with 'From A 20th Century Box' LP, backed with remixes from Bloody Mary and Cosmic Force On 'From the 20th Century Box' Arno Peeters, aka Sp@sms, returns to U-TRAX with his debut full-length album. Showcasing years of sonic exploration stemming from his time in various groups including Random XS and Voltage Control amongst others, the LP also draws from his experience studying and teaching music at the Centre for Electronic Music as well as his work in project-based sound design. Filled to the brim with pulsating arpeggios, crunchy drums and dark, moody atmospheres, the LP is marked by a retro yet timeless feel. Inbetween its snaking, squelchy synth lines and old school electro grooves Sp@sms masterfully incorporates playful textures and elements from found recordings and unused projects, resulting in a vastly versatile and experimental album fusing all things techno, acid and EBM. An expert lesson in sound design and composition taught by one of the Netherlands' most trusted and experienced artists, the LP also contains remixes from Dame Music's Bloody Mary and Utrecht electro stalwart Cosmic Force and arrives via heavyweight, colored double vinyl, More

Comprising Marco Simioni, Matteo Mazreku, and Francesco Pio Nitti, Qualia are a group of Italian producers who have never met in person. Due to the covid pandemic, they had to colaborate in the cloud, resulting in some exquisite ambient braindance. Having previously released records on Detroit Underground and fellow Utrecht label 030303 between them, they arrive on U-Trax in April 2022 with their eponymous EP of four deep tracks taking in?uence from a range of genres, including acid-techno, ambient, noise, and beyond. Leading the release, 'Perception' brings beautiful strings, funky 808 drums and acid tones for a deep and moving opener. The track clearly reveals the inspiration Qualia got for this release from the early Gescom releases. Stretched across the A2 is the ambient bliss of 'VV Cephei A', which brings Boards of Canada-esque drones and tones. On the ?ip, the title track 'Qualia' brings a headsy dose of braindance to the mix, recalling the early experiments of Aphex Twin with merciless 303 squelches and distant reverberations. Closing track 'Until I Break Apart' leads with dark, moody strings before a pounding kick introduces a stark tempo shift before deep ambient atmospheres engulf the ?nal minutes. Vinyl release comes with 30x30 cm insert, designed by the artists. More

Hailing from downtown Los Angeles, Nuklear Prophet, aka Erik Villalpando, is heavily in?uenced by West Coast Hip Hop and Electro. Winning multiple DJ awards, including 3x World Records DJ Competition under his DJ Dope-E alias, Villalpando cites his inspiration as coming from some of the most in?uential Los Angeles DJs of his childhood, including Tony G, DJ Joe Cooley, Julio G, and DJ Aladdin. With releases on Urban Connections, Abseits Recordings, Di?use Reality and Bass Agenda Recordings as Nuklear Prophet, the LA-based DJ/producer readies his full-length album 'Prophecies 11:21' for Utrecht-based U-Trax. Formed of an eclectic and energetic collection of gems mined from his overwhelming archive, the album takes in genres such as Electro, Hip Hop, Footwork, Juke, and beyond. Leading the release is the 808 luminary Egyptian Lover's remix of 'L.A. Rockz', featured on the recently released 'L.A. Rockz' EP, kicking o? the LP with his trademark 808-infused sound. A nod to Detroit-?avoured Electro is presented via the dark and brooding tracks 'Nuklear Prophet' and 'Compton', with the lighter atmospherics of the genre covered on 'Solar Winds'. The pounding electro killer '808 Plague' sounds like it came straight from the sewers of The Hague. 'Everlastin' Bass', 'Back Up O? My Tip', and 'The Train Ride To Coconino' o?er Footwork inspired bangers, with the latter previously featured on the Legowelt curated U-Trax compilation 'U R Here!' earlier this year. Moving across a spectrum of tempos, styles, and moods across the album, exempli?ed on the sluggish trip-hop of 'The Mars Goblin', Nuklear Prophet expertly touches on a range of bass-driven genres, displaying his widespread in?uences and knack for hard-hitting production throughout. More

Since our first contact with NYC based producer Thavius Beck in 2018, he sent us over 100 unreleased tracks, or beats, as he calls them. 25 of them have been selected for releases on U-TRAX, good for over 2 hours of music, across this album and the Lovesick EP. Growing up in LA, Thavius Beck entered the hip-hop scene as member of Global Phlowtations, and released several solo albums under the Adlib moniker. In later years, he released five albums under his own name on labels like Mush, Big Dada and Plug Research, and also produced albums for artists like Saul Williams and K-the-I???, and did some remixing for amongst others Nine Inch Nails. Nowadays he combines making music with a career as a succesful certified Ableton and Bitwig trainer and as a music teacher at Berklee NYC. The tracks vary in style a lot, but what they have in common is that they either are moody – in U-TRAX lingo: deep - or they are drum heavy. The common denominator would probably be 'experimental/instrumental hip-hop', reminiscent of producers like Flying Lotus. People have tried all sorts of comparisons to pinpoint Thavius' sound, ranging from 'between DJ Shadow and Orbital' and 'a mix of Massive Attack and The Orb'. None of these are spot on, yet quite a few of these tracks feel like a happy marriage between hip-hop beats and techno sounds. Despite the fact that some tracks are 20 years old and have been made with widely different gear (one track was even made on a PlayStation 2), this selection sounds remarkably balanced, yet diverse. From the irresistible single 'Lovesick/Still Sick' to the dark and massive 'Birdsong' (that echoes the sound of his popular song 'Atmos'), and from the head-nodding 'Work!' to the soothing 'Reunited With The All' - if this collection showcases anything, it's Thavius' brilliant production and composing skills, as well as his wizard-level sampling techniques. The result is a luscious electronic music album with a broad appeal. Available on double 180 grams colored vinyl vinyl, comes in gatefold picture sleeve. More

Utrecht label U-Trax welcomes 90s legend P.A. Presents for an enhanced re-release of his first two releases on this label, namely "Salicylic Acid" and "Flight Simulator".

Ironically P.A. Presents aka Peter Aarsman is the only artist on U-TRAX that actually is born and bred in the city of Utrecht. Even more irony lies in the fact that he hasn't lived in the city for 25 years and has only recently returned home. He was an early player in the hip hop and boogie scenes and long before house landed in Europe he was playing disco and Italo which helped establish him as a truly vital DJ talent. The two reissue EPs presented here marked his production debut back in 1993, both of which are hugely sought after and pricey techno records on second hand markets. In 2019 he returned to the music scene with two new EPs on U-Trax in the the form of Swirling Gas and Sax Madness and new releases are planned for 2020.

The release kicks off with 'Mesopmorph', an effervescent, nostalgic cut with a deeply buried techno rhythm that eventually takes over in tribal style. 'Pop' is a brilliantly tense and dense track wired up with fizzing synths, chattering claps and haunting effects as well as pending drums, then 'Theme' is cosmic industrial, with powerful hits and metallic sounds married to searching laser synths.

'Vera S' is classic 90s techno with mad vocal sounds and frantic synth lines darting about the mix, then things grow deeper and more heady on the stripped back intergalactic journey that is 'Flight Simulator.' The timelessness continues on the dancing analogue drums and hi hats of the classic Detroit styled 'Experiental' and 'A Gasp' before 'Vexillum' brings more warm solar winds and molten techno grooves whist 'Long Metal' closes out with pounding kicks, skewed synths and real sense of space travel.

These are essential early techno tracks that sound as fresh and relevant now as ever and come with remastering and restoration from Thee J Johanz.
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The second new release this year by Utrecht DJ/producer P.A. Presents (Peter Aarsman) is a highly varied EP, offering a house, techno, acid and electro track. And just like his Swirling Gas EP that was released in February, these tracks are all conceived in the 90s, and still sound fresh as a Spring morning at the top of the Dom tower.
he housey title track "Sax Madness" is a rather atypical track for Peter, who usually focuses on techno. But don't let the piano or breakbeats fool you, it still has the energy that we are accustomed to from P.A.'s productions. No saxophones have been harmed during the production of this track.
Talking about energy: "Zero P" is filled to the brim with that! Pumping, driving techno beats that remind us of Kevin Saunderson's productions, will get anyone moving. Funky stuff!
The flip side sees P.A. team up with Dazzlinj, aka his long term music buddy Jeroen Lazeroms, also from Utrecht. With "Protrack 1" the two deliver a fresh and at the same time somewhat oldschool acid tune, with the 303/808 duo taking center stage.
They close off this EP with the powerful electro banger "Creators". High paced electro beats are accompanied by hypnotizing strings, vocoder lyrics and a 303 for an acidic touch. Guaranteed to get crowd going!
Peter knew he wanted to be a DJ since he was ten years old, in a time when this was still a very unusual career to dream about. Long before house music had landed in Europe, Peter was fiddling around with disco and Italo 12"-es and all those years of training is what made him the skilled DJ that he still is today. While the era of house of techno of the late 80s and the 90s brought him countless DJ gigs, his reputation didn't cross the city borders much, until he bought his first gear and started producing techno music himself. His DJ background proved helpful with producing his tracks, as most of his them are dancefloor orientated and usually have an impeccable timing. Peter debuted with the mini-album "Salicylic Acid" on U-TRAX in 1993, followed by the "Flight Stimulator EP" a year later. Both are classics today, but neither brought him the fame that his 12" "Entangled" did on fellow Utrecht record label Deviate, which made it to many charts and compilation albums.
All tracks have been revamped and edited into more current lengths by DJ Zero One, blessed by DJ White Delight and mastered by Thee J Johanz. Label art by Bonk Artwork.
The EP is available for download and streaming and in black and limited edition gold vinyl from December 6, 2019 More

African Nightflight sees Dutch techno pioneer Arno Peeters from Utrecht team up with Nijmegen-based fellow sound scientist Bart Rovers. Back in 1996 they made five stunning tracks that are hard to define, let alone to categorize. "Otherworldly" perhaps is a fair attempt. The title track "4Rest" for example, comes in two mixes (Dotted Version and Triplet Version), both uptempo and with a distinct Arabic sound and feel. They still work perfectly in any high-energy DJ set today. "Brubaker" goes in the opposite direction in terms of BPM: both "Brubakers' Slide" and "Brubakers' Skank" are heavy sci-fi dub tracks that evoke memories of the best On U-Sound dubworks. The EP is topped off with the wonderful and spacey sound adventure "Make Up Your Mind (Thirst)."
This was the first of the final three releases of U-TRAX in the 90s, together with EPs by Maarten & Tjeerd and Sonar Base, that heralded a new and quite deep form electronic (dance) music. All three were released after the infamous collapse of the industry of Summer 1996, so none of them were sold out at the time, but they are all very dear to us.
When this EP was originally released, it came with one of the patented corny U-TRAX press releases, in which a new airline service to the African continent was announced (Air U-TRAX), offering "travelers" a one-way ticket to any place on the continent for just under 200 Dutch guilders (cheap in those pre-budget-airlines-days!). The only catch was that passengers were dropped off from the planes on a parachute, because "landing was too risky". Also, the airline only flew by night, to "...reduce [the] risk of gunfire or rockets being aimed at the planes."
The first 15.000 travelers received a free copy of this African Nightflight EP. Not surprisingly these all got lost or broken during the parachute jumps, making mint copies of the record a rather rare commodity.
The good news is that some original vinyl copies are now available again through Triple Vision Distribution as of November 22, 2019. Re-mastered digital versions of the tracks are available for downloading and streaming on the same day.
Original release date: September 1996. More

What is probably the weirdest U-TRAX release ever, is now available again on original heavy weight vinyl and has been remastered for digital download and streaming.
Jo-I is Johan Sagel and nine of the drumtracks he made in the 90s with his quite un-hip Roland R-70 drumcomputer ended up on this heavyweight vinyl EP. Label boss DJ White Delight also abused Johan's R-70 together with DJ Zero One, adding a trancey acid re-interpretation of the Jo-I tracks to the EP.
Back in 1995, Johan was a young advertising professional, originating from the far Northern part of Holland, where only potatoes grow and very few people live. He later moved to the city of Groningen and became very active in the scene there, that included Thee J Johanz, of Bally Hoo fame. Johan teamed up with Reyer Caderius van Veen, who released a 12" as Lynx on the U-TRAX sublabel Phoq U Phonogrammen. Together they performed and recorded as Live Acid Performance (L.A.P.) 01 in the 90s.
Original release date: March 1995.
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SP@SMS - Titanic EP (U-TRAX - 8 UTR QDM5)
With his first release as EBM outfit Voltage Control on Antler Subway in 1989, Utrecht-based Arno Peeters can easily be considered one of the Dutch Dance pioneers.
Influenced by hip hop, electro and acid house, and his uncontrollable urge to experiment, he moved on to produce techno. Disappointed by the genre s conventions, he rather suddenly stopped with dance music altogether around 1995, letting a wealth of DATs with unreleased material collect dust in his studio.
To our great pleasure, U-TRAX was allowed to pick some nuggets from these archives, resulting in this Titanic EP and an album later this year.
Arno started experimenting with sound at very young age, resulting in his first cassette releases with experimental soundscapes in 1983. In 1986 he joined the notable Centre for Electronic Music (CEM), where he was able to take his experiments to a new level in a professional studio-environment.
In his techno episode , he recorded several 12 -es and CDs as Sp@sms and The Implant, and as part of Random XS, Urban Electro, African Nightflight and The AWAX Foundation, with most of his records being released on the famous DJAX label.
After turning his back on techno, he applied himself to more experimental music again. In 1996, he created AeroSon, a 40-minute sound collage that won him the first prize in the category Composers Under 30 at a high-brow international contest for electro-acoustic music. This piece was later released on the prestigious Mille Plateaux label.
Since then, his focus has shifted away from releasing music, towards working more project-based: on remixes, compilations and interactive (installations, video, sound design), building himself a successful career as radio maker, teacher and engineer, contributing to several award-winning documentaries and podcasts.
This EP is a nice cross section of Arno s dance productions, serving you some acid, techno and electro.
Titanic V1 was originally created to be a Random XS track, the techno band he formed in 1991 with Sander Friedeman. It was performed during their live set at one of the G.U.R.U. parties, organized by U-TRAX label boss DJ White Delight and label artist P.A. Presents.
This acid track was remixed into a techno monster when Friedeman replaced the 303 with a 101 and added a ton of delay on the bass drums, resulting in the woofer destroying Titanic (Underwater Dub).
The flipside sees a rare post-1995 recording by Arno: CEM Traxx 1. As the title suggests, this melancholic electro gem was created using the intricate machinery of the CEM Studio. Originally created as one half of a two-part composition for some project in 2003, it was never released before.
The EP closes with a typical Arno brainchild, the tongue-in-cheek acid banger XD5 Acid Master, from 1994. Tracks like this happen if you leave Arno unattended with a rather un-hip machine like the Kawai XD-5: he turns it inside out and uses it for things it was never intended for. Buckle up!
All tracks have been produced by Arno Peeters and mastered by Ruud Lekx. Label art by Botterman Ontwerp.
The EP is available for download and streaming on virtually all platforms and in black and limited edition iceberg colored vinyl from October 11, 2019. More

When this record was first released back in 1996, it came with an hilarious press release that had something to do with a hidden data track featuring the voice controlled web browser U-Scape. As outdated this nonsense is now, the music still sounds fresh like with most U-TRAX original releases from the 90s. Created by Dutch techno veterans Maarten van der Vleuten and Tjeerd Verbeek, this is one of the three last U-TRAX releases of the 90s; releases that marked a new, more intense musical direction for the label and that are all very dear to us personally.
The title of the 5-track EP is inspired by the area in Utrecht where Tjeerd and U-TRAX label boss DJ White Delight used to live in. Tjeerd then was very successful as Trance Induction and Pyrex Detox, and had just founded his own record-label Desert Rose Industries. Maarten's collected works include hundreds of tracks, using 40+ aliases, like Major Malfunction, In Existence and Flux. He too had then just started his own record-label, named Signum Recordings. Like U-TRAX, both producers
have been releasing new material on their old labels in recent years.
Maarten and Tjeerd at one point got together and composed some soothing, yet dark and deep techno-tracks with an ambient feel to them. "MT34" makes you feel you're walking across an Indian marketplace, with snake charmers playing their characteristic sounds, backed by some jumpy 909-rhythms, while "Winter" sounds like the darkest Icelandic winter storm you can imagine. "101" was singled out in the infamous 1996 press release as the data-track containing the U-Scape browser. Coincidentally, it is quite pleasant to listen to! It sounds like an experimental track with crispy clear ultra-low and extremely high pitched sounds. The flipside brings you the melancholic and gripping Ice and the old-school and tranquilizing ambient track "Fusion".

Original release date: November 1996.
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The third release on U-TRAX in 1993 was also a third debut, this time by Natasja Hagemeier and Jeroen Brandjes. Early in their career, they used several artist names, but became most commonly known as The Connection Machine. With their debut mini-album The Dream Tec Album they more or less described their style: dreamy techno. It became an instant Dutch techno classic and U-TRAX is proud and delighted to offer a fully remastered re-release, including three never before released bonus tracks (one of which is digital-only). More

The third release on U-TRAX in 1993 was also a third debut, this time by Natasja Hagemeier and Jeroen Brandjes. Early in their career, they used several artist names, but became most commonly known as The Connection Machine. With their debut mini-album The Dream Tec Album they more or less described their style: dreamy techno. It became an instant Dutch techno classic and U-TRAX is proud and delighted to offer a fully remastered re-release, including three never before released bonus tracks (one of which is digital-only). More

Legendary Utrecht DJ and producer P.A. Presents (Peter Aarsman) returns with his first new release since 2000 with this vintage techno stunner, Swirling Gas. This EP also marks the first new music on U-TRAX in more than 21 years, kicking the label s comeback into a higher gear.
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Legendary Utrecht DJ and producer P.A. Presents (Peter Aarsman) returns with his first new release since 2000 with this vintage techno stunner, Swirling Gas. This EP also marks the first new music on U-TRAX in more than 21 years, kicking the label s comeback into a higher gear.
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The second release in January to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Frank de Groodt s career as a recording artist is a re-press of his legendary Sonar Bases 4 10 double 12 . Exactly 21 years ago, in January 1997, Frank elevated to electro stardom with this astonishing combination of dark electronica and electro beats. More

Exactly 25 years ago, in January 1994, U-TRAX released an EP from a new young talent from the Utrecht area. His name: Frank de Groodt, who's debut Missin' You EP immediately established his name as a techno and electro phenomenon. This re-release of the original techno beauty is the first of two releases that U-TRAX will put out in January 2019 to celebrate Frank's 25th anniversary as a recording artist.
Frank at the time lived in Hoevelaken, a small town outside the city of Amersfoort, which is where he was born and lives again these days, some 30 minutes northwest of Utrecht. For his first release he picked the rather unusual moniker Pieces of a Pensive State of Mind as his artist name. Later in 1994, he released his first 12"-es on Djax records as The Optic Crux, and he continued to keep making up artists names in the following 25 years: Sonar Bass, Fastgraph and The Operator. He is also one half of the live outfit Random XS (together with U-TRAX veteran DJ Zero One), collaborated with Arno Peeters (a.k.a. Spasms) as Urban Electro and with Detroit's Dennis Richardson as Ultradyne. And that's not even all of his alter egos.
All four tracks on this re-press have been remastered for maximum impact, including two versions of the title track.
Like all beautiful art, Missin' You is inspired by heartache, referring to a lost love. This track appeared a year prior on the notorious Drome Tapes cassette label, the predecessor of U-TRAX. The Awax Reorganisation is a remix by U-TRAX label boss DJ White Delight, with the help of DJ Zero One and Frank himself, transforming it into a long ambient-ish technotrip. The flipside is where things get even more exciting, with the funky Detroit-techno style Echoic, still a favorite of popular modern-day DJs like Hunee. We have to issue a small warning regarding the closing track: the bassdrums are deformed by a flanger and reverb and the combination with the latest record cutting technology makes Channel Pressure not only a freaky and pumping track, the disorienting sound can also make the audience on the dancefloor a little nauseous!
Original release date: January 1994.
Re-release scheduled for January 11, 2019.
This special 25th Anniversary Release will be available in digital form for purchase and streaming, on black vinyl and limited edition silver vinyl. More

So you thought U-TRAX was all about fancy, state-of-the-art, absolutely undanceable, hard-to-understand, semi-intelligent techno? Well, you're absolutely right, but this U-TRAX-release is just not! Produced by German Heinrich Tillack, these TICK TRAX VOLUME 1 are just the good old way of making techno. Raw & uncomplicated, in the tradition of the Chicago underground.
Heinrich is a bit of an enigma. Having released some 12"s on Detroit's Plus 8 Records (as Sysex), Force Inc. Music Works (as Absolute) and Disko B (as Festival) and his own label Jakpot (both as Festival, as well as Co-Jack, together with Olivier Bondzio aka Hardfloor), he more or less disappeared from the face of the earth. It is said that he is a developer of children's apps for mobile phones nowadays.
The 5 tracks on this 12" are centered mostly around the 909 drum machine and the 303 bassline synthesizer. While two bulky techno tracks feature on side A, the flipside is completely dominated by acid tracks, most of them receiving high praise when they hit the dance floors in the mid 90s.
More recent techno heroes also know how to appreciate these vintage tracks, like Dutchman Danny Wolfers, aka Legowelt, who had this to say about 'Pump Track' on his Facebook page: "Such a fun track, how it stops and starts, almost falls apart. It's mentally challenged simplicity with a giant hall rave vibe... total dance floor control track. On the super cult U-TRAX, one of the coolest Dutch labels from the 90s!"
Original release date: Fall 1994. More

(180gr vinyl, printed innersleeve)

TRACKLISTING

A. Robert Hood & Femi Kuti - Variations (Side A - 18min 54sec)
B. Robert Hood & Femi Kuti - Variations (Side B - 15min 43sec)



INFO

Robert Hood's techno and Femi Kuti's Afrobeat intertwine in a new form where jazz-grooves reign supreme. For the fourth season of La Compagnie des Indes & Sourdoreille "Variations" live series of creations for France TV, the duo were united around the singer and producer James Brown, performing a tribute to the legendary Godfather of Soul who passed away in 2006. This "Variations" album is the live recording of this unique collaboration and performance, capturing a very special moment in time.

The evening witnessed a meeting of two icons in their own genres: one with synths and drum machines, the other on saxophone: Robert Hood and Femi Kuti embody excellence in their respective fields and the pair combined to make something truly unique, soulful, funky and spontaneous. Recorded in one 30+ minute take, "Variations" is embellished by Femi's exquisitely free-flowing yet restrained saxophone, whilst Hood anchors the groove with layers of pads and kicks with the long-time mastery of a true DJ.

Alongside Jeff Mills and Mad Mike, Hood is one of the original members of Detroit techno group Underground Resistance. His style is characterised by minimalist and experimental tones with an assertive groove. Throughout the '90s, he helped pave the way for techno to flourish - giving birth to minimal techno with his seminal album "Minimal Nation". Since then, he has been consistently forwarding electronic music culture with ground-breaking productions, sensational performances and his M-Plant label.

Alongside him, Femi Kuti takes on every musical style with his saxophone, which he plays with a virtuoso touch: pop, soul, electronic music and Afrobeat, of which he is one of the leading exponents. The son of Afrobeat singer and political activist Fela Kuti, he has inherited his father's zeal for both music and activism, where he continues to highlight the plight of most Nigerians living conditions in the oil rich state.

With "Variations" the duo capture an explosive combination on a special night in Paris 4 years ago, November 2019, filmed at the ADP Group headquarters (Paris Aéroport - Charles de Gaulle (CDG) - Roissy).

"It is so amazing when a vision comes to fruition. I enjoyed collaborating with the legendary Femi Kuti for this special project." [Robert Hood] More

Daniel 2000 brings the chaos from Catalan to Mutual Please and the world via this trunk bumpin, booty dumpin and sexy humpin six track ep that is puttin nothing but smiles on your dials. It's ghetto inspired sexi house with a twist of Catalan freakiness. More

Revered UK label, tastemaker and authority Renaissance, the label that has not only been at the forefront of the electronic DJ scene but documented its navigation into popular culture have honored a landmark 25 years by inviting Hamburg based DJ and super producer Solomun to rework a timeless classic - one of a number of tracks that shaped the labels early years. The timeless classic Jam & Spoon Watch Out For Stella Mix is featured on the B Side. A constant innovator, Solomun; whom himself has played an equally major role in redefining European house music spoke of the challenge when faced with the prestigious role of reworking one of the most influential tracks in electronic music, for a new generation. Solomun’s enormous and poignant remix has already been a key track for selected DJ’s over the last few months including Tale of Us, Dubfire, Maceo Plex, Sasha and Pete Tong whom made it last weeks coveted Essential New Tune. 'Renaissance The ReMix Collection'. Is a concept focused on introducing new ears to seminal tracks that have remained significant and iconic to Renaissance for over two decades. True to form Renaissance highly collectable vinyl products will be beautifully packaged and presented in box set form and available as limited editions.
The series celebrates Renaissance’s musical legacy and firmly establishes its future place in the electronic music landscape.

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T4T LUV NRG presents “Name It”, the latest album by Oakland’s Bored Lord, aka DJ Daria. The internationally beloved producer and DJ has created a truly stunning album of impeccably produced and mixed work, each song an enticing chapter in a complexly woven story about love. This album of uninhibited, hook-laden tracks conveys a narrative of love that is not only romantic and personal, but also communal and familial— a love that refuses to limit itself to just two people, but instead spills forth into the world, embracing everyone open to its power. With her emotive, tenacious album, Bored Lord reminds us that to truly allow yourself to be enveloped in desire, you have to endure the pain that comes alongside it. You have to adapt and stretch yourself in order to experience the immense growth love has to offer. You have to believe there's more to this world than suffering and isolation. You have to look within and accept whatever you find, even if it is ugly or difficult. Love is the peace you find amidst the chaos of living, and it doesn't just fall into your lap. You have to want it. You have to be ready for it. And if you are ready, you have to name it. As a producer known in no small part for her edits, Bored Lord presents “Name It” as a work undeniable in its artistry, completely authentic in its messaging, and absent of the industrial notion of production. The songs on “Name It” have instant hooks and each is deeply inspired by the genres Bored Lord loves—broken beat, drum n’ bass, jungle, UK bass, Florida breaks and house among them—but rather than simply reproducing, these tracks expand each genre beautifully. Daria’s technique is decidedly hardcore, with samplers, romplers and a bone dry aesthetic, each song and sound all her own. In the artist's own words “I want the industry people to be confused while the ravers understand the very moment they press play. I want to challenge everyone to name it.” And we expect that indeed they will, play after play after play. Now, close your eyes and believe there is more, more, more…. More

DIM KELLY returns to Lee Burridge’s All Day I Dream imprint to release his newest EP Pianologic. On the heels of two highly celebrated EPs released on the label - Nocturna Animal in 2021, and Mangrove in 2022, DIM KELLY is back once again, delivering a masterful body of work which graciously toes the line between more joyous, light compositions and darker melancholic soundscapes. More

Tracklisting
A1 Kolter - DX7 Together
A2 Kolter feat. Leo Pol - Please Come To My Show
B1 Kolter - Up in the Sky
B2 Kolter - Up in the Sky (Cinthie remix)

Sales Note
Shall Not Fade regular Kolter returns to the label for his fourth EP, continuing with the luscious warm sounds that house fans from all around the world have become accustomed to. This time Kolter welcomes the incredibely talented Leo Pol on track 'Please Come To My Show' where Leo co-produces and also sings on. The B-SIDE also features a deadly remix from the amazing Cinthie!

Please Come To My Show EP drops November 24th via Shall Not Fade. More

Yes, after a hiatus of 15 months, The ReMix Collection makes a highly anticipated return as Yotto steps up to take on the Shakra Mix of Power Circle’s ‘Garden Of Peace’. Originally released in 1993, the track was an immediate Renaissance anthem, finding favour with all their key DJs. However, it became synonymous with one man in particular, namely, John Digweed, who cemented the track’s legendary status when he included it on his Journeys By DJ compilation the following year. Even today he’s been known to slide it into the mix, most recently episode 10 of his legendary Bunker streams. And the track has other contemporary fans too; a certain Mr. Plex was heard dropping it in 2020. In short, it’s one of those records that’s stood the test of time and grown in stature year on year. Now, its evolution takes yet another step as it joins the ranks of Renaissance’ flagship ReMix Collection series. Yotto’s modern interpretation is a high-octane juxtaposition of thunderous bass, rising pads and THAT vocal. ”Garden Of Peace is a record I missed first time around as a kid and had only heard on a mix, never knowing what it was, so when Renaissance approached me about a remix there was a strange sense of familiarity,” he explains, “The original is full of classic progressive house mystery and, while I took the whole thing apart, I wanted to keep that emotion with my interpretation.” On the B-side there’s a re-mastered cut of the original Shakra Mix, which isn’t released digitally and remains exclusive to vinyl only. More

The undeniable flagship of Renaissance Records, a ReMix Collection is always an event when it lands; so, as festival season begins, and we turn the corner into summer, what musical news could be better? And it really is news. In keeping with the ReMix Collection ethos of inviting the biggest and best to rework undeniable Renaissance classics, which to date has included Solomun, Tale Of Us, Adam Beyer, Nicole Moudaber, Patrice Bäumel and Yotto, the label were delighted to secure the services of Gorgon City to provide their take on one of the earliest, most immediate classics - Mephisto’s ‘State Of Mind’. Released in 1992, ’State Of Mind (Quiet Mix)’ was a standout during Renaissance formative years at their legendary Venue 44 home in Mansfield. Its classic status was further compounded 18 months later when Sasha and John Digweed included it on the ‘Mix Collection Vol.1’ and introduced it to the ears of the wider world. It was, and is, an Italian house classic, which stands out through its deft piano riff, wobbly female vox and THAT spoken word - ‘music with more muscles’. Gorgon City’s Renaissance Remix wastes no time with its update. Continuing the style and sound Kye and Matt established with ‘Somebody to Love’ and ‘Ahora Todo Va’, the track is a deep, peak time monster that injects bass, an unforgettable acid mid and deep horns to dramatic effect.
“We’ve been fans of the ReMix Collection so didn’t hesitate to take ‘State Of Mind’”, they confirm, “the signature parts of the track are legendary. We had real fun knitting them into a tougher, contemporary sound.” More

T4T LUV NRG presents “The Last Illusion,” an ep of four bass-heavy and powerfully emotional tracks by Oakland-based artist Bored Lord. All of these songs are proper hardcore house tracks in her unique style, pressed loud and built out of love between queer and trans people...the same love we use to survive. The label fell in love with Bored Lord’s work after Eris and Maya (Octo Octa) played with her at a queer warehouse rave in L.A. What they saw in this unique artist was an energetic sibling, a DJ with the ability to use music and magic (“illusion” here an ecstatic technique) to set bodies free. The first song “Everyday 2gether” conveys the triumph of togetherness with airy stabs and cutting breaks that make dancers drill down hard while they sway. The second song “GNC NRG” is a tunnel of an acid track, meant for building GNC energy on dancefloors and in those bodies ready to receive the message. “Woman’s Wisdom”, the third song, is a full-on psychedelic banger cast from Bored Lord’s lived-experience of using chaos to both destroy and create. The e.p.’s closing song “So In Luv” revels in love’s intoxication with its hard mid-tempo breaks and gorgeously lifting pads. The cover art by Periwinkle Lamb and the title of the ep are inspired by the book “The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions” along with its accompanying illustrations. (L. Mitchell, ill. N. Asta 1977). “The Last Illusion” is available on 12” vinyl and for digital download from the label’s Bandcamp and at fine music stores. More