The landmark hundredth single on Phantasy, Erol Alkan’s ‘Automatic’ accompanied with two remixes that further take the London DJ and producer’s psychedelic club vision in distinct directions. The original 12" pressing, limited to 100 and hand-numbered, sold out in less than an hour.
Palms Trax builds on the sensual reverie of Alkan’s production with an electrifying rework full of touches both French and personal. Throwing out a gloriously chic bassline, the Berlin-based producer sprinkles carefully considered sweeps, stabs and filters on a trip to timeless house euphoria. Mirroring the first ever artist to release on Phantasy in 2007 where Alkan remixed 'Engine', LA Priest proves a perfect candidate to reconstruct the label’s centenary single, a task he approaches with typically esoteric nous. Coaxing a heavenly aura from the original’s glorious loops, Sam Eastgate’s collection of reengineered and self-made analogue equipment soon progresses to melt Automatic’s rhythm into sticky cosmic bliss. More

Originally written and produced as the centrepiece to his 2014 FabricLive compilation, Erol Alkan’s ‘Sub Conscious' arrives on 12” vinyl and to streaming platforms for the first time, accompanied by two charismatic remixes from Manfredas. Shimmering and undulating, the original cut of ‘Sub Conscious’ was designed with Fabric’s cavernous main room in mind, taking full advantage of any finely tuned soundsystem with a patient, rhythmic trip. Remastered here, the track evolves out of hazy darkness towards halcyon euphoria in a uniquely Alkan style. Resident at Opium Club in Vilnius, cult DJ and producer Manfredas provides two hugely creative and alternative takes on ‘Sub Conscious’. The first works hallucinatory magic with a supple bassline and much of Alkan’s original stretched and repurposed around vampish oscillations and a westward vocal sample. On the contrary, the ‘Stream Of Consciousness' mix sees Manfredas pitch down and strum the bones of ‘Sub Conscious’, unexpectedly delivering a lovingly lethargic, bottom-heavy jam that’s pure dub-side pleasure. TRACK LISTING: A. Sub Conscious, B1. Sub Conscious (Manfredas Remix), B2. Sub Conscious (Manfredas Stream of Consciousness) More

Paul Woolford’s hardcore and rave-indebted Special Request project continues its industrious hot streak, delivering two sublime, peak-time reworks of Erol Alkan’s unstoppable ‘Spectrum’. Since itsrelease in late 2017, Alkan’s hit has been as ubiquitous as Woolford himself, gaining momentum as astaple in the sets of DJs such as Andrew Weatherall, Sven Vath and Mano Le Tough. Beginning with the ‘Kaleidoscopic Mix’, SR strips back the high-energy reverie of Alkan’s original into something truly vast, building to an unmistakable and flawless acid bassline, from which emerge abrooding and dystopian network of melodies. Balancing tension and melancholy without ever losing grip of its enormous bass weight, the ‘Kaleidoscopic Mix’ delivers ten-minutes of compelling euphoria. On the flip, the ‘Double Vision’ mix takes much of the same structure but places Spectrum’s original, glorious riff front-and-centre once more, as if stretching its fizzy, inherent energy out of a warehouse and towards the fields at sunrise. More

Erol Alkan invites two much-loved talents work their own familiar magic on ‘Spectrum’. Mano Le Tough takes the track on a blissful trip through deep space, finding wormholes of sonic pleasure around an elastic bassline, waving bells and Moroder-esque synth. Finally, Istanbul's premier edit-master and renowned crate-digger Baris K takes the krautrock drums that drove Alkan's original track and engineers a dense, understated remix that utilises sounds inspired by the equally innovative heritage of Turkish rock and disco. More

Erol Alkan invites two of electronic music's most exciting producers to expand on both sides of his first solo single in five years, ‘Spectrum’ and 'Silver Echoes'. Techno-mastermind Matrixxman adds serious pressure to 'Spectrum' on his remix, upping the tempo and utilising the original’s halcyon synth line to create a high-energy version with moments of pure sensation. One of the most original and promising underground producers of the last few years, Machine Woman delivers two contrasting reimaginings. Going deep and psychedelic on the ‘Minimal Machine Woman Remix’ of ‘Silver Echoes’, and then on the ‘True Machine Woman Remix' reversing the tempo entirely, reinventing the melancholy cut as a erratic freakout. More

Erol Alkan returns to Phantasy with 'Spectrum' and 'Silver Echoes', his first original solo material in five years; two pure dancefloor cuts which perfectly embody Alkan's charismatic, psychedelia tinged and singular approach to DJing and production. 'Spectrum' opens with shattering live drums in the spirit of his celebrated band production work and culture as founder and resident of seminal London club, Trash, before his equally striking synthesis rises into the mix, building towards a pulsing, blissful acid house reveal. Maintaining an irresistible rhythm, Alkan interweaves between tension and release, physical raw percussion and driving analogue modulation. On 'Silver Echoes', Alkan bridges melancholia with the natural euphoria at the heart of some of his finest reworks and productions to stunning effect. Diving immediately into the heart of a powerful melody that gradually flourishes, the track unfolds waves of blissful electro, each revealing subtle details. More

'Sub Concious' was originally conceived as the exclusive track for Erol Alkan's 'FabricLive 77' mix, which was released to major critical acclaim back in August. A highlight track within the mix, 'Sub Conscious' has now been remixed by Tin Man and new Phantasy signing Kamera. Over the last decade Tin Man has explored an ever-evolving sound palette that touches on house, techno and ambient. His tracks have been laced with slow and subtly shifting patterns that are infused with a very real machine soul and captivating warmth. In his remix of ‘Sub Conscious’, Tin Man drapes Alkan's celestial strings and piano stabs over his own bassline to blissful, rousing effect. Kamera’s rich sonic space was part born in rural Yorkshire and eventually came to fruition in the wintry Majorca sunshine, his soundinfluenced by artists such as Sunn o))), Fugazi, Autechre and Sabres of Paradise. Kamera takes the track’s acidic origins and threatens to overpower with layers of stunning feedback that drag the listener in further still. Stay tuned for an EP from Kamera on Phantasy in early 2015.
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After the success of Erol Alkan's debut 'Illumination EP', Phantasy is proud to present the second remix 12". 'Bang' gets another outing with Emperor Machine's stunning 8 minute extended remix, bringing the crystalline synth to the forefront, and Rush Hour's house maestro Tom Trago completes the 12" with a rolling intergalactic take on 'A Hold On Love', titled his 'Tokyo Mix'. More

After the success of Erol Alkan's debut 'Illumination EP', Phantasy is proud to present the first remix 12". Man Make Music's U - delivers a psychedelic freakbeat version of ‘Check Out Your Mind’, while Chicago producer and recent L.I.E.S. signing Beau Wanzer offers a mesmerizingly propulsive, mechanical rework of ‘Bang’. More

With six years of covetable releases under its belt it's safe to say that Erol Alkan's flourishing Phantasy label is well on its way to establishing itself as the UK's preeminent purveyor of independent music. 2013 has been a particularly golden year with Daniel Avery's critically acclaimed debut LP dropping in early October, São Paulo wunderkind Babe, Terror's BTU project with Man Make Music's 'U', recent collaborations with Emperor Machine's Andy Meecham as Future Four and disco mavericks In Flagranti and a slice of perfect summer pop from Nadia Ksaiba, not to mention Connan Mockasin's upcoming sophomore opus Caramel and the debut release from mysterious new signing Ghost Culture. With such a packed release schedule and a DJ career that takes him all over the globe it's a wonder that Alkan finds any time to make music himself, but find time he did, as next month sees him offer up his first ever solo release - that's right, first ever! - following various collaborations, a regular residency on BBC 6Music (the first show in the new run airs on November 15th), two much-loved Bugged Out Mix compilations, production credits including Late Of The Pier and Kindness and recent remixes for the likes of Metronomy, Tame Impala and Justice. Erol is one of the most sonically diverse selectors in the game - this is the man who regularly played Trash and Bugged Out within the same week - and his inimitable brand of mutant techno electro disco and the spirit of curation fostered in his genre spanning DJ sets is one of the reasons he has enjoyed such a long and successful career. It's this spirit that more than shines through in his forthcoming 'Illumination' EP, set for release on December 2nd through Phantasy. The 3 track release opens with 'A Hold On Love', a subtly building arms aloft slice of shimmering house that is as at home in Panorama Bar as they open the shutters as it is at your next summer festival. 'Bang' recalls the style and power of one of Erol's favourite DJs Ron Hardy, a stripped out acid and drum machine workout coming to a sweaty basement rave near you. The EP draws to a close with 'Check Out Your Mind' which begins with chopped percussion before dissolving into a modern day acid psych freak out; calling to mind Erol's love of psychedelia and his Beyond The Wizards Sleeve project. Catch Erol Alkan headlining Bugged Out at XOYO on November 2nd with Ewan Pearson, Trevor Jackson and more, and playing Red Bull Revolutions in Sound on the London Eye on November 14th. Erol can also be found at Manchester's Warehouse Project on November 8th for a Phantasy special alongside label alumni Daniel Avery, Nadia Ksaiba, Connan Mockasin and Ghost Culture, and again on December 6th with The Chemical Brothers. More

One of electronic music’s most prolific and beloved figures, Roman Flügel checks in to Phantasy for his debut single on Erol Alkan’s equally storied London label, presenting ‘Hotel Karthago / Energies’, two contrasting dancefloor tracks that capture distinct shades of Flügel’s boundless creativity.

Arranged with energy front and centre, ‘Hotel Karthago’ promises to be an essential addition to Flügel’s peerless back catalogue of club classics. Bolting with the requisite tempo of contemporary dance floors, and accelerated by a joyous piano line, this particular property balances the elegance of vintage house with analogue machines operating at their most energetic.

In keen contrast. ‘Energies’ expertly pours a measure of melancholy, teasing out a twinkling melody that recalls the warmth and wistful moods of his classic LPs such as Fatty Folders and Happiness Is Happening. Illuminating and then unravelling with ease, ‘Energies’ concludes in underscoring the Frankfurt-to-Berlin producer’s skill as a composer, as well as a trusted rave alchemist. More

One of the longest-serving and most consistently intriguing artists within the fold of Phantasy, U returns to the label with another two-track trip of sonic mystery and erratic magic, ‘Parade/Watchers’.

Presented on limited-pressing 12” vinyl with a sleeve riso printed by U with London's Error Press.

With the texture and earthy promise of a psychedelic mulch, ‘Parade’ presents a glorious timelapse of acid-inflected minimalism. Unfolding defiantly at nearly fifteen minutes, U’s driving but subtle composition transports from guttural, electronic uncertainty to a wide-eyed denouement in one illusionary transition.

With inverse effect but no less power, ‘Watchers’ unexpectedly drops listeners into a rough wash of digital hardcore, spinning it’s initial warehouse chords into a collage of decay and regrowth, a nephilim-scaled journey and arguably U’s most ambitious production to date. More

Needing no introduction, The Chemical Brothers make a very special appearance on Phantasy with a limited-edition vinyl pressing of Erol Alkan’s triumphant remix of ‘Goodbye’, a highlight from their recent, Grammy-nominated album, ‘For That Beautiful Feeling’. Masterfully bridging soulful vocals and widescreen techno with their typical psychedelic edge, Alkan’s interpretation demonstrates his unique brotherhood with Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. Across a near ten-minute journey, Alkan pushes the Brothers’ irresistible synth line further into dissonant analogue bliss, which coupled with celestial breakdowns, already counts as a personal favourite in the London DJ and producer’s diverse, enviable back catalogue of reworks. The other side of the record includes Alkan's previously unreleased instrumental. More

Phantasy is proud to present the first ever solo single from celebrated DJ, curator and producer CC:DISCO!, ‘Chez Moi (Waiting For You)’, featuring Confidence Man. Already a summer anthem in the playlists of DJs including DJ Harvey, Palms Trax, Job Jobse and Shanti Celeste, ‘Chez Moi’ stays true to the roots of house, disco and balearic styles across CC:DISCO’S much-admired record collection. Now arriving on limited-edition red, transparent 12” vinyl and accompanied by the tough but sensual ‘Out Of Your Mind’ on the flip, ‘Chez Moi (Waiting For You)’ is a sublime tribute to the heritage of classic New York dance floors like Sound Factory and Danceteria. It’s waiting for you… More

Terr’s debut LP 'Consciousness As A State Of Matter’ arrives on green and orange split double-vinyl, limited to a pressing of just 400 copies, housed in a sleeve of hallucinatory artwork from designer Sebastian Ofuszak. Across eleven tracks, Terr continues a long, fulfilling journey in electronic music with a visceral, vulnerable full-length statement inspired by tireless and timeless innovators in the history of electronic music such as Giorgio Moroder, Wendy Carlos and Phil Oakey. Achieving a delicate, wide-eyed chemistry between the catharsis of the dancefloor and the ever-renewing promise of pop, 'Consciousness As A State Of Matter’ includes and expands upon the vision of singles ‘Only For Tonight’, ‘Tale of Devotion’ and ‘Layers’. More

Two key figures in electronic music pay tribute to the legacy of a major influence, as pioneering producer Chris Carter remixes ‘Lone Swordsman’, Daniel Avery’s seminal tribute to friend and mentor, Andrew Weatherall. More

Red Axes return to Phantasy with a double A sided single that captures and expands on the creative relationship forged between the cult Israeli duo and Erol Alkan’s highly regarded London label. The single arrives in tandem with a new compilation ‘The Phantasy Collection (Part 1)’, collecting an enviable run of EPs between 2018 that have resulted in Niz Arzi and Dori Sadnovil’s deserved prominence in DJ sets spanning genres. Carving a hypnotic path against the maximalism currently au-fait in club culture, ‘The Phone Calr’ is as peculiar as it is powerfully effective, a stripped back groove serving as the backdrop to the Axes’ playful deconstruction of an obscure broadcast concerning telephone area codes. A lesser staple of club culture, Sardnovik and Azri transform archival public information into club disorder, stretching a short burst of dialogue to absurd limits before releasing the tension with vampish pianos. ‘Sound Text XoX’ meanwhile finds the pair delivering a surprising alternative take on the lead track from their 2019 EP, retaining its central escalating countdown but adding a powerful, dystopian acid line. The resulting track transforms an already beloved club tool into a frenetic powerhouse More

Returning to Phantasy for a triumphant fourth single, ahead of a debut album to be released later in 2023, Josh Caffe dons ‘Meine Lederjeans’ for a gloriously tight squeeze of electro-funk, accompanied by an unapologetically gritty, stroboscopic remix from Caffe’s frequent collaborators, Paranoid London. Dialing the tempo down from the frenetic club play of previous releases ‘According To Jacqueline’ and ‘Do You Want To Take Me Home?’, ‘Meine Lederjeans’ finds the British-Ugandan DJ and performer melting into a hedonistic slow jam of Prince-indebted grooves driven by drum machines oozing Chicago spirit with additional playing from Alex White of cult groups Fat White Family and Saint Leonard. Celebrating and subverting queer tropes in double measures, ‘Meine Lederjeans’ is an exquisite blend of soul and sexuality. Paranoid London, the duo of Gerardo Delgagdo and Quinn Whalley (Caffe’s principal studio partner, and producer of ‘Meine Lederjeans’) deliver a characteristically merciless remix of Caffe’s original, looping their vocalist into an acid-soaked stupor. Throbbing, insistent, maximal yet minimal, this is PL in particularly raw form. More

Red Axes continue their long-term dancefloor relationship with Phantasy and boldly embark down the ‘Rhythm Passage’, another triple-hitter of charismatic, out-there club music delivered only as they can. Beginning with the title track, ‘Rhythm Passage’ all but guarantees slowly escalating madness in disco spaces both vast and discreet. Weaponizing hypnotic percussion, dusty samples from rave eras gone by and all manner of classic Axes studio trickery, this seductive banger slowly, shrewdly unveils a visceral synth-pop melody that touches the heavens, before being quickly absorbed back into the bowels of the club.? In the hands of Red Axes, even a relative DJ tool is a cosmic journey, as demonstrated on the escalating ‘Oh My Arp’, which finds a collection of the finest analogue musical machinery in electronic music conspiring to fry synapses, with traditional Tel Aviv musicality unexpectedly emerging from deep in the mix. Finally, ‘20Min’ sees the pair turn their attention to both percussive control and their penchant for suspense, using relatively minimal elements to conjure a liquified roller full of dense, subtle drum play and distinctly psychedelic touches. More

Introducing Josh Caffe’s second single on Phantasy, ‘Do You Wanna Take Me Home?’ is a sensual yet gritty return, a keen document of just one of the many stories of desire always occurring in the shadows, just beyond the strobes. Produced in collaboration with Quinn Whalley, one half of Paranoid London, ‘Do You Wanna Take Me Home?’ also features a headsy interpretation from Steffi & Virginia, marking their first ever collaborative remix. Inspired by the rawest shades of early Chicago house music, ‘Do You Wanna Take Me Home?’ finds Caffe in thirsty pursuit of pleasure and recognition, eyes locked on an unidentified but all-too enticing individual in the club. Whereas previous single ‘According To Jacqueline’ turned the heads of dancers with it’s outrageous sexuality, Caffe’s follow-up finds him switched by a different strain of lust, head down in a blend of analogue jack and vocal vulnerability. Steffi & Virginia have long since established themselves as distinct individual forces in contemporary dance music. Here, reunited in the studio together in the first instance since 2019’s ‘Work A Change’ EP on Ostgut Ton, the duo transplant Caffe’s yearning invitation into a sensuous reverie that touches on the deeper, tripper ends of their house and techno heritage. Driven by creeping organ chords and a powerful shuffling bassline, the result is a sophisticated reimagining primed for the heat of the function. More

Phantasy are proud to present the vinyl re-issue of Mystery Jets’ seminal 2008 album ’Twenty One’. Produced by Erol Alkan, the beloved LP includes hit singles ‘Young Love’ and ’Two Doors Down'. The LP reissue is available to pre-order now! “Of all the messages we’ve received from our fans over the intervening years, the single question that has come up more than any other, is ‘When will Twenty One will be released on vinyl again?’. Much to our frustration, our response has never been anything more than a helpless, resounding shrug. That is, until now. The year being 2021, and all the band being firm believers in the powers of numerology, we felt there would be no better time of telling you that for the first time since its release, Twenty One will finally be available to own on vinyl again. As well as reissuing the original album, we have also dug through the archives and compiled a special selection of never-heard-before outtakes, demos and rarities from that era to accompany the deluxe version of the album. We are delighted to be reissuing the record via Phantasy, the label founded by Erol Alkan, who produced Twenty One and mentored us to make an album we’re still immensely proud of. This is the record you have been asking for, and the one we always wanted you to hear. More

Following on from his 2021 debut on Phantasy, ‘Qué Sientes’ ft. Tee Amara, Cromby returns with another release that’s long been a secret weapon in his high-energy DJ sets everywhere from Berlin to his home city of Belfast, accompanied by an expertly-executed remix from Head High. Once again, Cromby provides one of his own sublime paintings as the artwork for 'Loving'. Distinctly playable as either high-velocity house or pure rave with a refreshing streak of suspense, ‘Loving’ fires out the gate with inspired wonkiness, tripping on hardcore chords and a vocal sample manipulated to lunacy. Cromby reaffirms his instinctive ability to tip a dancefloor over the edge, planting multiple explosions of serotonin, the sort of drops that might shatter the windows of his beloved Panorama Bar, then confidently returning to a timeless groove. Given the material, Head High, the alias of René Pawlowitz (AKA, Shed), proves a sublime choice to take on ‘Loving’. Delivering his first remix in a number of years, Pawlowitz induces a different kind of pressure, once again indulging in his lifelong devotion to classic organ chords, timeless breakbeats and the kind of chemically enhanced atmosphere bottled firsthand on the Frankfurt rave scene of the early nineties. Complimenting the valleys of energy previously sculpted, Cromby winds things tighter on the rolling ‘Acid Trifle’, weaving percussive passages that speak for a reverence to Latin-House rhythms amid an undulating acid journey. More

Reuniting on record for the first time since 2015, The Rhythm Odyssey & Dr. Dunks arrive on Phantasy with a double-barrel delivery of legitimate weirdo disco, ‘El Cid’. Comprising of Chicken Lips’ own Dean Meredith and crate-digging DJ extraordinaire, Eric Duncan, both tracks come complete with additional playing from Andy Meecham, AKA, The Emperor Machine. Initially rolling like an eighties-era cop show theme, ‘El Cid’ gradually prises open a wormhole of rubbery machine funk, unleashing an electromagnetic weapon that seemingly triggers each and every drum machine and synth in the duo's respective studios. The resulting jam, comprising patches of wonky key work, frenetic percussion and an anything-goes approach to FX, is a nail-biting, hip-shaking showdown between collaborative chaos and dancefloor (dis)order. In response, the hide of ‘Fast Leather Jacket’ arrives stitched with a parallel patchwork of sonic pleasures. Cosmic and tropical in even measure, this is hard-wearing club apparel tailored with a deliciously catchy melody and guaranteed protection from musical tedium, subtly shapeshifting from is-it-balearic charms to a delightfully mixable freestyle conclusion. More

Already a well-established presence on the outlandish fringes of experimental, alternative and dance music, celebrated Israeli duo Red Axes make a surprise left-turn onto Phantasy with a three-track 12”, ‘Sipoor’. Unsurprisingly, the results are as pleasingly out-there as the occasion requires. Following on from last year’s self-released LP, ‘The Beach Goths’, ‘Sipoor’ immediately announces the Axes’ uncompromising return to the front and centre of the dancefloor with the raw, provocative ‘Bad Time Story’. Brazen, brash acid triggers this particular tale, as Red Axes briskly modulate their way through a ruff, tuff but never less than musical landscape of 303s and 808s. ‘Sipoor’ takes a more gradual approach to building offbeat rave tension, featuring an unknown male using his native tongue to request some kind of house, some kind of techno and some sort of release. His wish (and we hope, yours) is the Axes’ command, as the music goes deep before seamlessly unfolds around a throbbing bassline and a playful, familiar keyboard sample, beckoning feet to the dancefloor and perhaps tongues ever so slightly to cheeks. Concluding the 12”, ‘Teroof’ takes each of Red Axes’ signature ingredients - deeply rhythmic EBM-inspired drums, spiralling electronics, unapologetically odd vocal distortions - and reconstructs them amid what sounds like the Monaco Grand Prix, as high-velocity motors speed past the soundscape, kicking up some serious dust. More

Following their hugely well-received, refreshingly outlandish debut EP for Phantasy, Israeli club outsiders Red Axes return to the label with another three-track delight of leftfield dance entitled ‘Sound Test’. Debuting on Phantasy in 2018, ‘Sipoor’ by Red Axes was massive. The release received critical acclaim, not to mention heavy support within the club realm from DJs like Call Super, Jennifer Cardini, Ewan Pearson, Fort Romeau, Massimiliano Pagliara, Chloe, and many more. Highly soughtafter by those who’ve heard Erol Alkan unleash it in recent months, ‘Sound Test’ kickstarts Phantasy Sound’s 2019 - a rolling tool for a dance floor sliding into another dimension, constructed around a dramatic, numeric countdown. A minimal, skeletal build builds (and builds!) throughout to one of the most out-there breakdowns in recent rave-blotted memory, as the Axes slowly but surely rebuild their house to even more outlandish new proportions. Ten, nine, eight, seven... ‘Shabak Shalom’ quickly snatches the record back from outer space and drags it deep into the basement, zoning in on the gritter, strobe-ready sound that defines the duo’s most club-ready work. All of the Axes’ weapons of choice are deployed as unusually as per usual; militant drums, battered electronics, fucked- frequencies, wiry post-punk guitar lines and lovingly drowned traditional instruments blend to create their own special, slightly-menacing interpretation of hi-NRG. Finally, on the unapologetically sprawling and immediately effective closing number, ‘Kookoo Pa-pa’, Red Axes demonstrate their inherent talent, if proof were ever needed, of conjuring rolling, simmering tension in otherworldly shades. Those who enjoyed the cartoonish motor FX of ‘Teroof’ will be delighted to find themselves found into an even wackier race this time round, hitting on the origins of Chicago jack, acid meltdowns and screeching no-wave. More

Red Axes make a triumphant return to Phantasy with a further trio of expertly-crafted leftfield club tracks. Having produced several of the label’s best-loved club moments such as ‘Sipoor’ and ‘Sound Test’, the Israeli duo easily surpass their charismatic reputation across ‘Some Lights’. ‘Some Lights’ stomps forward to reveal the footprints of a rave giant, yet, even Red Axes at their most anthemic unfold the unexpected. Bleary-eyed chords stretch wistfully into the far-distance, as a male voice compounds the mood; “Sunrise”. Suddenly, the Axes pull the rug and reveal the howling club wolf hidden behind the sheep’s dress code, plunging dancers into a heavy trip of vintage rave chords and EBM-drum play. The more psychedelically inclined will meanwhile find plenty to embrace in the wide, kaleidoscopic canyons of ‘Skulls’, a deeper-still groove machine that conjures up images of untamed sonic plains, Morricone-esque chords unexpectedly synthesised with psychobilin. Finally, ‘Professor Grasstov’ finds the duo loosening up into more playful form still, dragging the good name of this notable academic on a loose, breaks'y trip full of baggy energy (and complete with audible liquid experiments). More

Repress!

Harmonies is the new long player from underground super-producer Lord Echo. Hotly anticipated for the last few years by his growing entourage of fans, many were frustrated by his descent into obscurity in the industrial backwaters of New Zealand where he lived alone and went completely insane trying to complete the record. But those frustrations are finally at an end, and the wait was worth it - for fans at least.

The new album solidifies his already distinctive mutations of reggae and rock steady with disco, African soul, techno and spiritual jazz. In other words, the Lord has returned from the wilderness with a bounty for his followers. Eat of the bread of life and enjoy access to his crazy World of Sound.

Quotes:

“Lord Echo thoughtfully incorporates dub reggae rhythms and a production aesthetic redo- lent of the ‘60s into an expansive pool of sounds that draws from 1970s West African clubs, quiet storm-era Motown, Caribbean disco, and more.” Pitchfork

“... a DJ-friendly sound using ’60s production techniques, once again joining up imaginary and unforeseen dots between reggae, disco, soul, African and Latin elements.” Vinyl Factory


FOR FANS OF... THE BLACK SEEDS, FAT FREDDY’S DROP, ELECTRIC WIRE HUSTLE. More

Invigorating Stomping Chakra Grounding More

A continuation of the extensive research project initiated last year between Sound Metaphors, Transmigration and surviving eye-witness/historian Ray Castle. An in depth analysis of the dancefloor landscape that developed in Goa during the 80s' and early 90's well before "Trance" became the unfortunate dirty word it is today. Before "trance" was even a genre, Goa was brewing a scene with unparalleled aesthetics, with a constant influx of dedicated collectors and DJs coming and going to this tropical underground dancefloor haven, filtering through vast amounts of emerging electronic music of the times and distilling only the finest of "Special Goa Music". Here is another compilation of our chosen most impactful tracks that would have been soundtrack to a very special and pure moment of freedom in dancefloor culture before the bastardisation of what we now know as "Goa Trance". A highly sought after selection of New Beat, Proto Techno, early Progressive/Trance, Industrial, EBM and House Music. Featuring photographs of the events presented in a double LP gatefold with poster and liner notes by Ray Castle himself. Re-mastered at Manmade mastering in Berlin. A generous body of research essential to any well rounded record collection. More

“Balearic Breakfast doesn't give into clichés, and it's not a purely sunlit affair. Instead, it's sonic escapism that seems unwilling to be beholden to any one locale. The entry requirements are simple: the more transportative the sounds, the more likely they are to slot into Colleen's vision of Balearic.” Resident Advisor

“The biggest heroes of the underground typically wouldn’t describe themselves as such. Frankie Knuckles, Kelli Hand, Andrew Weatherall… all possessed a humility that made them even more honourable and endearing, and they went about their business with little regard for fame and a distaste for industry bullshit. Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy falls firmly into this category.” The Vinyl Factory

Ask anyone to define Balearic music nowadays and you’re guaranteed to get a different answer each time. Since the concept flew from its original Ibizan home and become a global concern, it has become almost impossible to pigeonhole. Now it’s more of a vibe than a musical style; more a reflection of wide open skies and sunshine on the brain than any particular rhythm track or sonic inflection.

That said, if you were after a definitive answer there’s probably no one better placed to give it right now than DJ and broadcaster Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy who has just put together the third volume of her peerless Balearic Breakfast compilation series. This latest collection flies the flag high for that most hazy and hard-to-pin-down genre, gathering up the very best genre-fitting music from around the world, whether from Copenhagen or California, or from the high plains of the desert to deep down in the land of Oz.

Each track may sound completely different from the one it follows, but the same sun kissed spirit runs deep through them all, whether in Cosmo’s own take on Jacob Gurevitsch’s gentle Spanish guitar picking or in the throbbing dub disco of a long lost Andrew Weatherall remix for Primal Scream from 2008. The ten tracks on Balearic Breakfast Volume 3 all add up to create the perfect mixtape for the summer, whatever weather we end up with, whatever time you chose to listen to it. After all, why wait ’til breakfast?

As with each of the other volumes in this essential compilation series, many of the tracks on Balearic Breakfast Volume 3 are previously unavailable on vinyl and others are long since out of print and rarely seen outside of the dustier corners of Discogs. And as with each of the previous albums, numbers are strictly limited (the first two volumes sold out quickly and are now selling for high prices on Discogs).

•••

A true music obsessive, Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy’s standing in the global dance music community has arguably never been higher. Whether she’s presenting, remixing, hosting or DJing, her belief in music’s redemptive properties shines through. And rather than downplay her eclecticism she wears her versatility as a badge of honour, ensuring she is constantly fulfilled creatively.

“I’m a music lover, a music curator and a music educator,” she concludes. “It’s about trying to transcend everyday life through music. When people say Balearic Breakfast got them through the pandemic, I think that’s because music has a healing quality. When people are on the dancefloor, I want them to forget about their everyday life. And similarly with Classic Album Sundays, when people are fully immersed listening to an album, it brings them out somewhere else. Those experiences have been very important to me.

“The quest is never-ending and that is what motivates me. I never set out to intentionally do any of this – it just happened because of my passion. One thing led to another which fed into another which fed into another. I will never stop discovering music. You always have to be looking ahead, expanding your horizons.” More

Sold on preorder - repress coming in 4 weeks!

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Sound Metaphors and Transmigration explore the early underground Goa party scene with a 2x12” compilation.

A collection of Techno, Italian-House, New Beat and Post Punk all heard on the same dancefloors amongst Goa's tropical beaches during the late 80's and early 90's. What is now understood as Goa Trance was once preceded by an amalgamation of many different genres smuggled to Goa in tape format by true music devotees that filtered through all that was being produced in the West shaping a unique dancefloor sound that could only pertain to the “Special Goa Music” genre. Sound Metaphors teams up with Transmigration and journalist, DJ and first hand witness of the scene at hand - Ray Castle – to present a meticulous body of research into the sound signature of that unique scene. 11 highly sought after tracks presented in a double LP gatefold format with an A1 poster insert and insightful liner notes by Ray Castle. A tracklist so lush, your discogs wantlists will forever be grateful – buy on sight.

“Everything about the Goa counterculture was illicit. The music from vinyl was bought with black market money and bootlegged onto cassettes and backpacked to India. Collectors and DJs would swap, dub and edit it, for free parties. The music was disseminated tape-to-tape by a clandestine traveller clique of ragtag party makers. This highly coveted ‘Special Goa Music’ contained a vibe—a brain-infesting vibe—capable of triggering apotheosis-like states for dosed up dancefloors, only possible for sunrise Goa parties in nature, in India.” - Ray Castle More