The tree of good and evil knows no morality in this garden. You took a bite of the forbidden fruit -- but nothing happened. But you do feel the taste of the apple on your tongue, an abundance of amazing and fresh flavor. You look around the garden and see others partaking in whatever pursuit their heart desires. Joy, pain, love, wonder and death. Everywhere you look is a new presence, a new moment of bliss, dystopia and truth. You realize that this garden is your playground, and your destiny can be shaped like clay. Play in the garden, laugh in the garden, fight, die and love in the garden. More

Pomegranate Skies is a new album from Sepehr exploring sonic themes of heaven and hell, dualities, split identities, and chaos. The music in this album is a reflection of the ever-constant existential chaos in his mind, reflecting a musical journey through all the different influences and inspirations of genres and electronic music eras throughout his life but also a nod to the amorphous weight of divine weirdness that inspires his music. Music that is reflecting a split identity, music in between cultures. Music that is both good and evil, both sensical and non sensical, both angelic and hellish, secular and divine. Music to give you visions of geographic wonders that don’t really exist. The absurdism of everything from Earth but also of Heaven. Music that doesn’t follow tropes but also sounds familiar. It makes you want to laugh and cry; the in betweenness of everything. Music that makes you want to reach up and taste the pomegranates growing in the skies. More

The rattle of drums, scattered along the beaten track, hypnotically guiding you to a place not yet visited; yet all too familiar. Whispers and forgotten chants in surround sound luring an inner urge to surrender, to drink from Sepehr’s Diaspora Cocktail. The 5 track EP finds dwelling on Planet Euphorique for its historical 20th release, emitting a vibration of deeper dance and intriguing electronia the label is notorious for. The first sip opens your ears to the Iranian-American’s sonic sphere, rooted in live freakouts that may or may not be fuelled by his potent audio elixr, a signature special of hedonistic heat. Intoxicated by fragments of percussive EBM, tweaked out dungeon techno and sexy electro, the liquid drips and the delicious potions are stirred and shaken for your pleasure. More

For it’s inaugural release, label boss Sepehr provides the first electrified soundtrack for Shaytoon records with “Crown Jewel”. Listeners should expect visions of monoliths, obsidian mountains underneath blood-red soaked skies and freaky soundwaves while listening. “Crown Jewel” EP should be listened to while hitchhiking across the country with only a bottle of wine in a knapsack, dreaming of dancing to the drum. Do not go gently More

We are proud to welcome back San Francisco based DJ and producer Sepehr Alimagham for his debut album ‘Shaytoon’. Drenched in nostalgia from his upbringing, ‘Shaytoon’ pays homage to 1970s Iranian albums that were on rotation throughout his youth. Eight tracks of twisted acid, left-of center electro, sludgy psychedelia, and things-you-can-maybe-call-techno are a few of the sonic elements found within. Regular listeners will find Sepehr’s signature perspiratory dance-floor vibe, but some songs also showcase a low-slung, cerebral approach. Sepehr's unique sonic palette carves an interesting space in the dance music world by harnessing the spirit of his cultural ancestors. The artwork pays tribute to ‘70s Iranian pop and funk albums with bold Farsi calligraphy and portraits by Sahra Jajarmikhayat. In relation to the music, the album cover creates a dichotomy much like Throbbing Gristle's ’20 Funk Jazz Greats’. Berakhs (Dance).
More

UK DJ/producer A-Future has launched new imprint EON, an output for broadcasting a new wave of predominantly electro, leftfield and ambient sounds. With a string of releases planned throughout this year and a label launch party at London’s Pickle Factory on March 1st, the first EON drop is a four-tracker with three original cuts courtesy of San Francisco based live act, DJ and producer Sepehr with the full release mastered by Keith Tenniswood aka Radioactive Man. Known for his versatile sets which range from psychedelic techno through to classic acid, and with previous releases on respected labels Dark Entries and Titonton Duvante’s Residual, Sepehr continues to become one of the west coasts most exciting talents. EON head A-Future and long-time afflilate UK producer Stratowerx who heads up his Caught London Sleeping imprint round of the EP with a collaborative remix of ‘Thinking of You’ More

BLACK CATALOGUE is proud to announce its newest artist, San Francisco-based DJ/producer, SEPEHR. On the A side is a D'MARC CANTU mix along with the acidic original mix of the title track "STEP ONE". On the flip is "CAUGHT IN A FUNK", which lives up to its name. Limited hand-stamped white label. More

Dekmantel Festival in box. 7x12” vinyl box with download code. Limited Edition.

"Dekmantel Ten is a mirror of Dekmantel Festival. The 7x12" boxset includes seven records that mirror the seven stages to be found at the 2024 event, their 10th edition since 2013. The tracklisting isn't rigid — some of the musicians gathered here have in fact played at most of the available stages — but like a Möbius strip looping round, or a cat-and-mouse game, it's not hard to discern a symbiotic relationship. Split seven ways, DKMNTL100 is a testament to the art of curation and the importance of quality control.

At artist level, Dekmantel Ten finds room for several artists — including Karenn, Jeff Mills and Marcel Dettmann — who played at the very first Dekmantel Festival in 2013, and are by now impossible to detach. The Loop's disc contains names whose stories have dovetailed alongside the festival, concluding in memorable headline moments: Young Marco, Palms Trax and Alchemical Sisters, aka Eris Drew and Octo Octa.

Widen the lens and you'll find history from across the landscape: the laboratories of professorial techno (Dasha Rush, Steve Rachmad, DJ Nobu) and gilded halls of house (Steffi, Luca Lozano, Bufiman); varied soundsystem icons (Kode9, Adrian Sherwood, DVS1) meeting limelights of contemporary Amsterdam (upsammy, Identified Patient, Zohar); as well as the modern conduits channelling decades of outernational vibrations (Nick León, BADSISTA, Animistic Beliefs, Veracco and a great many more).

All 44 artists presenting exclusive material are indispensable into the Dekmantel story to date, and no doubt make up future developments over the horizon. That goes for the areas, too: Because while the seven stages found at Dekmantel Festival are individually resonant enough that they could become splinter festivals in their own right, it's that union which lends the core festival its strength. More

The Knife’s Olof Dreijer introduces Colombian - Swedish percussionist and DJ Diva Cruz with a new collaborative EP on Dekmantel Records. The 'Brujas' EP follows the debut of their exciting hybrid live show at Sonár Istanbul and ahead of upcoming performances at Sónar Barcelona, Dekmantel, and Øya Festival. Together, opposing patriarchy, racism, colonialism, capitalism, and immigrant challenges, they joined forces in Olof's studio, resulting in the creation of the ‘Brujas’ EP, where Diva debuts her voice. The 'Brujas' single and the entire EP, meaning "Witches" seeks to inspire us to find that powerful ancient energy within ourselves.

"I dream to empower everyone who feels outside the box with my lyrics. It is so sad to see children singing and dancing to music made by male artists whose lyrics degrade women, and on top of that, they win prestigious awards while doing so. I dream for a better world and especially Latin America, which needs to change the macho perspective and work together for a better world for everyone," says Diva Cruz.

As a percussionist Diva brings a combination of fierce live percussion together with a rhythmic blend of tunes from all over the world during her energetic DJ-sets. She has also been the lead percussionist for both Fever Ray and Robyn on their world tours.

Olof quote: I’m very excited about sharing this music with the world especially since it’s been a few years in the making. I’m very grateful to work with Diva. She has shown me a new world of music and I feel like I keep evolving and learning new things all the time, especially with our new live show when playing percussion together. More

Building on the buzz around his dynamic techno releases of the past few years, Sam Goku makes a welcome debut on Dekmantel with four striking set pieces which subvert the rules of the average floor fodder.

Through his steady stream of output on the likes of Atomnation Berlin-based Robin Wang has established himself as a must-check artist with an instinct for the unconventional. That comes through in jaw-dropping fashion on Radiants’ opening cut ‘Tides (Under The Moonlight)’, a swirling, mystical thumper which rises with graceful restraint to a thunderous peak. By way of contrast ‘Tanggu FM’ brings things up close and claustrophobic, using slippery sound design and stuttering vocals to create a different kind of maverick energy on top of the rugged low end. Even when he does reach for anthemic hooks on the EP’s title track, there’s a fundamental otherness to the sparkling chords and a toughness to the beat which edges out the competition.

This is just a snapshot of the versatility at work across Radiants, a record which will cement Goku’s position as a standout producer taking a less obvious path to truly distinctive, devastatingly original showstoppers. More

After a five year hiatus Luke Slater reanimates his L.B. Dub Corp alias for a dynamic, vocal-led ode to the club featuring Robert Owens, Paul St. Hilaire, Miss Kittin and more. The LP is set to release on 10th May 2024

Since his first forays into DJing, Luke Slater has been pursuing different streams of inspiration to wind up with some of the most enduring electronic music of the past 30 years. From the grandiose ambient techno of The 7th Plain to the trailblazing machine funk of Planetary Assault Systems, he’s gifted a lot of music to the world. His L.B. Dub Corp alias first emerged in 2006, and has since been a vessel for a looser approach to club music compared to the steely big room energy of P.A.S. At times it’s housier, elsewhere dubbier, but still logically attached to Slater’s overall arc as an artist and music lover.

On his new album, which marks his first appearance on Dekmantel, Slater wanted to celebrate the unique cultural intake which set him on his path. It starts with his earliest memories marvelling at the beats in his father’s big band and jazz funk records until he was old enough to be drumming himself. The drums have remained a source of fascination despite his years entangled in machine music, and for the first time Slater uses his own live drumming on Saturn to Home.

The subtle imperfections of human rhythm are a big draw - Slater has always shied away from anything too ‘perfect’. From the rough and ready advent of drum machines and synths in early 80s pop, disco and electro to the breakthrough years of house music, Slater started to get a handle on how the sounds were made by identifying with the DIY, anything-goes spirit of the era. These are the touchstones which were on his mind as he started to work on Saturn to Home, not seeking to create carbon copies or overtly retro tracks, but rather to keep the verve and open-ended attitude of that music on his mind as made the album throughout 2022.

Beyond the drums, the vocals are the other vital ingredient which Slater knew he needed for this record. His own voice appears sporadically, but he also very intentionally reached out to artists such as legendary deep house original Robert Owens and dub techno crooner Paul St. Hilaire. Iconic French electro provocateur Miss Kittin also makes an appearance. Alex is the solo alias for Alexandra Grübler of Baal & Mortimer, who lends her freewheeling approach to ‘Golden Star’ in a style Slater compares to Liz Fraser in Cocteau Twins.

Behind ‘Only The Good Times’ lies the story of fabled Eindhoven street character Arnol Kox, who passed away in 2020, whose philosophical proclamations had become local legend. Slater managed to record Kox shouting the Dutch equivalent of the track title, which had become his sole mantra after years preaching to folk in the city centre, creating a heartfelt tribute to someone who embodied the misfit individuality Slater feels most at home around, not least in the club.

It’s this lattice of sounds, stories and feelings which give Saturn to Home its electric, diaristic energy. Whether it’s the feverish passion of ‘Your Love’s infectious chord stabs or the smoky soundsystem tendrils of ‘Golden Star’, the elastic drums and mutant synth funk of ‘Krank’ or the star-scraping breakbeat techno of ‘Only The Good Times’, Slater tells the story of his life in music, which means his life overall, without ever being stuck in the past. More

Barcelona’s Tunik follows up on last year’s A New Dawn with a distinct turn to the dark side as he pays tribute to the iconic, vampiric creature of the night, Nosferatu.

The horror theme on the title track is a natural fit with the Argentinian artist’s schlocky strain of EBM-styled electro-techno, but the music is no joke. Boxy drum machine jack and a suite of darkly seductive synth lines strike the perfect note between vintage flair and modernist impact, and the macabre mood lingers over the rest of this trip through gothic club music.

Whether it’s the Twilight Zone creep around the edges of ‘Slave’, acid blood raining down on ‘W72’ or the undead getting busy with the grungy bass and dry snare hits on ‘Sorrow’, Tunik has got exactly what you need to send a shiver down the dance floor’s spine and raise the temperature in the room, all in the same heartbeat. More

Theo Kottis arrives on Dekmantel with an EP of snappy, melodically-charged house, techno and electro with a distinct 90s edge. Lighthouse marks a shift in focus for the London-based Scottish producer — the result of a self-imposed creative reset which has seen him honing a more mature sound both in the studio and on the decks. The EP’s title track has been on heavy rotation this summer from the likes of Ben UFO, Francesco Del Garda & Palms Trax, and it’s not hard to work out why. ‘Lighthouse’ draws on all the best elements of club music and moulds them into a deadly, effective whole. From the driving low-end of the Reese bassline to the razor-sharp attack of the 4/4 drums, the swoon of the Motor City pads to the tweaked acid line, it’s a hybrid techno workout of the highest order. Following the inspirational flash point of ‘Lighthouse’ Kottis built out the rest of the EP in a similar vein of characterful, impactful club tracks driven by iconic 90s sounds wielded with precision. ‘Warp’ brings the 303 further to the forefront while ‘Take Control’ digs into deliciously dirty lead lines and ‘Distance’ takes a more explicit electro direction. He might be exploring a revitalised sound, but Kottis holds true to his flair for ear-snagging anthems evidenced on past releases for Permanent Vacation, Space Dust and DGTL amongst many others. As Kottis’ impact on the scene continues to grow, it’s a true pleasure to present some of his fiercest tracks to date on his continued upward trajectory. More

Celebrating the interconnected strands of head-tripping electronica she holds dear, Nadia Struiwigh arrives on Dekmantel with her fourth album of widescreen machine soul. Birds Of Paradise joins the dots between electro, techno, ambient and jungle as a reflection of the symbiotic relationship between the contrasting elements which drive all life on earth - the inescapable and chaotic forces of cause and effect. Echoing the free-spirited approach of electronic music in the mid-90s, it’s an album which rejects absolutes in favour of emotionally honest expression, true to Struiwigh’s deeply felt passion for the sounds and styles which defined her own journey into music. Since first emerging in the wider scene, Struiwigh has ably demonstrated her instinct for different sonic approaches across her accomplished career, whether exploring expansive ambience on album projects or holding down the physical intensity of a residency at Berlin techno temple Tresor. Her 2017 debut album Lenticular on Central Processing Unit most closely resembles the approach on Birds Of Paradise, where introspective beat constructions and nuanced sound design folded into a natural, flowing whole unbound by perceived rules around genre. The narrative flow uses contrasting energies to glide though distinctive spaces, unfolding with the considered pace of a truly immersive listening experience.

From the rich, undulating beatless pastures of ‘JSF48’ to the intricate mechanics of ‘02nd’, the dubby downtempo of ‘cmmn cmmn’ to the crunchy beatdown of ‘Dreamsynth’, the spaces Struiwigh defines on Birds Of Paradise are brilliantly vivid and bound together by an affinity for emotionally-charged ambience. At times the effect is nostalgic, calling to mind the exotic ecosystems of Future Sound Of London or Higher Intelligence Agency, but even these passages are charged with a restless futurism informed by the imagined vistas of science fiction as a comment on the realities of the here and now.

Widely recognised for her expertise in a multitude of production processes (not least her extensive knowledge of outboard gear), Birds Of Paradise pools Struiwigh’s devotion to her craft into an exquisite instant-classic to be savoured and absorbed in the same fashion as so many iconic electronica albums which have come before. More

Tunik lands on Dekmantel with his distinctive strain of jacking drum machine electro-techno. The Barcelona-based, Argentina-born artist first emerged in 2020 with a standout EP and collaborative spot for Nicolas Lutz’s My Own Jupiter label before notching up a release with Furthur Electronix, and now his emotionally-charged sound spreads its wings once more.

A New Dawn lands somewhere between original 80s synth-pop, the noirish allure of early 00s electro and sleek modern techno, using a full spectrum of synths to draw out harmonically rich tunes that pack in the feels while holding enough mystery to keep a dancefloor enthralled. From the melancholic chimes of 'New Dawn Fades' to the electro lament of 'The Aeon', 'Electro 01's punchy, bass-warping rave energy to 'Third Eye Connection's acidic introspection, it’s an EP which cements Tunik’s highly developed expression through his array of studio tools, all strapped to finely honed club structures for maximum dancefloor impact. More

*2022 Repress* Profondo Nero compiled by Cinema Royale

Profondo Nero narrates a storyline that goes beyond the borders of Italy’s musical legacy. Cutting across the face of Italo disco’s leftfield musicians between the early and late ‘80s, Profondo Nero champions a multi-faceted sound that nods to the blueprint of Italo disco but tries to dig deeper. The music is unmistakably Italo disco but moves away from the familiar classic sound. Amsterdam based collector Cinema Royale stitches together eleven tracks from 1983 – 1989, celebrating a sound he fittingly describes as ‘leftfield Italo’.

The compilation connects the dots between soulful disco (Louise Freeman – Mirage), synth-pop (Mark – Dreamland), electro-rap (Loukas Thanos – Jazzburger), breaks (Santoro – Lover Message), 80s dub disco (Jet Set – Love Break), Balearic (Isamar & Compan~ia ?- No Estas), boogie (Tom Hooker – Talk With Your Body) and proto-house (International Music System - An English ’93).

Profondo Nero’s title salutes the legendary oeuvre of Italian horror director Dario Argento. His Profondo Rosso (1975) is a classic example of exquisite cinematic storytelling, boasting courageous colors, expressionist camera angles and an unforgettable Goblin score forming the ingredients for an intriguing piece of art. Profondo Rosso’s music, created the spark for a new Dekmantel Records endeavor led by Amsterdam based experimental film score connoisseur, record collector and DJ Cinema Royale.

For those in the know of underground Amsterdam music culture, Arne Visser aka Cinema Royale is among the city’s longest standing record collectors. Born to an Italian mother and Dutch father, Arne was brought up on a diet of Italo disco in the 80s. Cinema Royale explains: ‘For Profondo Nero I took a plunge into the lesser known fringes of Italo disco. From there I tried to connect, among others, San Francisco boogie, Balearic, Japanese late era Italo-electro and synth-pop funk. I hope you can hear what I had in mind: an infectious showcase of my take on traditional Italo disco that will hopefully get a lot of listeners itching for a spin. It’s fair to say that lately this particular sound has seen a reappraisal and renewed interest.

As a party-starting collection for entry-level connoisseurs or suave but lazy types, I hope Profondo Nero can be an education. I’m not claiming I’m the first DJ or collector to do so, but I did try do present something special by digging deep.’ It wasn’t my goal to unearth the most obscure tracks, instead I wanted to compose a compilation that takes you on a journey.
‘In my opinion the best DJs create something extraordinary out of illogical selections by combining music against all odds and showing different kind of moods along the way. There’s a certain amount of arrogance involved: you take the music out of its original context. But by doing so in a very conscious way, you might be able to enhance the power of the individual records. Hopefully each song on Profondo Nero provides an intimate and memorable experience.’ More

Nearly 10 years on since his last solo LP, Berlin techno icon Marcel Dettmann arrives on Dekmantel with an expansive album captured in a flash of inspiration.

In many ways Fear Of Programming is a reflection on the artistic process – the critical hurdles one has to overcome, the constant strive for originality, the ability to capture inspiration in its pure moment of inception. Bar the closing title track (and we all know Marcel loves a surprise closing), these 13 tracks came together during a period in which our hirsute host was able to immerse himself in studio practice and set the intention to record an album’s worth of material every single day. From the resulting mass of work there were many options to choose from, and Fear Of Programming stood out as one of the most complete statements on Dettmann’s approach in the here and now.

Unconcerned with an overarching concept, it was the work in the studio which drove the musical direction. No labouring over knotty arrangements, no painstaking mix downs – just honest expression, a moment caught, a groove locked, a stroke of synth sent pirouetting over a cavernous bed of texture. The results are varied, and while you might well hear plenty of bruising machinations in line with the techno Dettmann has made his name on, there are plenty of other shades expressed across the album.

Ambient sojourns, beatless epics and angular electronica have equal footing with strident, floor-friendly workouts. Standout piece ‘Water’ offers an icy ballet of swinging minimal and drip-drop melodics fronted by Ryan Elliott on lesser-spotted vocal duties, urging, ‘give me a sign, just a little something to let me know that you’re mine’. It’s playful, but still underpinned with the sincerity that comes with Dettmann’s work.

Running on instinct, Dettmann presents an honest version of himself in the here and now, speaking through the sonics and not over-thinking the results. His decades of experience helming a thousand techno parties speak for themselves, while his evolution as a musical entity through collaboration and his own BAD MANNERS label demonstrate his appetite for change. Indeed, the working method which resulted in the album also spurred him on to create a live set beyond his well-established DJ practice. Without resorting to a conceited overhaul, Fear Of Programming opens up the idea of what Dettmann represents in the modern techno landscape. More

Welcome to Dazion’s Grooveboxxx – a maxi-sized love letter to The Hague’s 80s and 90s club scene crafted with minimal tools and loaded with vibe. It’s no coincidence it arrives on Dekmantel, a label with its own roots in the same Dutch city’s electronic music culture.

Dazion is The Hague’s Cris Kuhlen, previously spotted releasing on Second Circle, Safe Trip and Animals Dancing. He cut his teeth clubbing and working at long-since closed clubs like Eau, described in Kuhlen’s own words as, “clubs with blocks to dance on, lazers, decorations, crazy extravert [sic] parties.”

In capturing the spirit of Eau and the other formative parties of his youth, Kuhlen limited himself to just one machine to make his longest work to date – the Roland MC-303 Groovebox. While these entry level units from the mid-90s had stripped down functionality in the wider spectrum of studio gear, they contained all the iconic Roland sounds in a Rompler style, giving the user access to everything necessary to make raw, immediate club tracks without requiring an entire studio’s worth of hardware.

The brash gear of choice set the tone for a record of rough, ready and playful jams which end up more sophisticated than you’d expect from such limited means. ‘La DS’ jacks with a freaky, bleep techno intensity, while ‘Kimberly & Nance Backstage Rehearsal’ rides an angular groove tooled to inspire the weirdest dance moves of the night. Every track is named in reference to a particular nightspot, a hazy memory or moment from Kuhlen’s formative raving years.

This is the sound of Dazion having the time of his life. You might well hear a nod to the odd rock totem being given a re-version in irreverent new beat style or some gnarly US acid breaks vibes riding underneath helium rap licks. But for all the cheekiness, the tracks stand up both as nods to halcyon days and relevant workouts for the sweatiest parties in the here and now. As MC Paul T says in dramatic style heralding the intro of Grooveboxxx, “This movement will live on forever.” More

Canadian born, Berlin based producer Aquarian debuts on Dekmantel Records’ UFO imprint with Mutations I & II, a series of two EPs following his debut album The Snake That Eats Itself and his collaborative records as AQXDM. The series marks his return to club focused solo material for the first time since 2017.

Originally written as inflection points for his typically boisterous and genre collapsing dj sets, Mutations deftly splices the foundational DNA of his earliest productions — electro, hardcore and broken beat techno – with new and vital influences.

Mutations I: Death, Taxes and Hanger finds Aquarian gleefully contorting mid-2000s dnb tearouts, wrong footed IDM and progressive trance euphoria into thrilling new shapes. Fast techno, hi-tek jazz, amphetamine-addled filter house and breakcore join the fray in Mutations II: Delicious Intent as he pushes intensity levels past breaking point. Whichever the touchstone, the results are clear: distinctly modern, highly-propulsive body music with an unapologetically emotive core. More

Light, Cruel & Vain

Label Text

"Parrish Smith is never one to let you breathe easy. As a globally renowned DJ, he’s become synonymous with high-velocity sets that cut and collide through his distinct array of obscure sounds. Meanwhile, however, the artist has been carefully constructing his own musical idiom. Manoeuvring his most delicate and most defiant feelings, Light Cruel & Vain (Dekmantel Records, 2022) is the first fruit of that painstaking process. A compilation of ‘imperfect music’, the record is shrouded in the artist’s characteristic veil of mystery. As always, his sound cuts and chokes – sometimes cruelly, sometimes soothingly – yet this record offers a new, longer, lighter gulp of air. Here, Parrish Smith bares his most private process so far: one of personal transformation and becoming a better version of oneself.

Light Cruel & Vain was developed over the course of nearly three years, following nearly a decade of individual experimentation. Where on the one hand, LC&V reflects an inward pilgrimage (aka Parrish Smith facing the world and Parrish Smith facing Parrish Smith), the project simultaneously reflects the birth and growth of a band. Each track on the record is originally based on a solo idea, moulded and fine-tuned in conversation with contributing musicians Sofiane Brahmi and Javier Vivancos, then finalized by the producer. The collaborative process brought together niches that wouldn’t typically share territory or sound, allowing music to emerge that transcends each of their boundaries. In the making of LC&V no conventional studio sessions occurred; due to covid-19, the full collaboration process was a remote affair of sharing snippets, (re)working recordings and, most of all, exchanging thoughts and feelings.

Those who know Parrish Smith a little, know his long-standing mantra: ‘No elitism, no prejudices, no genre. Hypnotic, tense, comprehensible – a state of mind.’ It’s this dictum that best describes the LC&V sound(s). Tapping into all irreverent niches close to his heart – noise, punk, industrial, electronic, and even pop – Parrish Smith refuses to foreground one influence over another, instead layering and warping his personal interpretations of each. To categorize his seeking sound would be to limit the artist who, more than anything, thrives in limbo. ‘You could call it a concept album because the sounds are so far apart. But perhaps that’s not a concept, perhaps that’s just me…’

Parallel to his extensive musical experimentation, the past years have allowed Parrish Smith to zoom in on his writing. The resulting fragments form the foundation of LC&V’s collage-like, soul-searching lyrics. Never, however, does the artist take his words to the front of stage; instead treating his voice as a malleable instrument, just one of many shifting layers in a bigger picture. The distorted lyrics, as such, are an statement: ‘It’s alright to be insecure about some of your qualities. In fact, the key is to embrace just that, to take matters into your own hands.’" More

2x12" vinyl with printed innersleeves.

"Interstellar Funk has crafted a raw, yet simultaneously hauntingly beautiful and endlessly intricate record. Layers of blended harmonies and melodies form the basis for jettisons into leftfield experimentation, heavily processed drums and oscillating frequencies. The result is as infectious as it is pensive; a transcendental journey into a synth-laden landscape.

A stalwart name on our Dekmantel line-ups and with prior releases on the likes of Rush Hour, Berceuse Heroique and L.I.E.S., Interstellar Funk is synonymous with the more brooding side of Dutch electronica. Akin to his DJ sets, which also glide effortlessly between genre, tempo and sound, Into the Echo is daringly eclectic, combining sung-spoken iterations with hypnotic samples and machinic industrial. The release will be supported by a hardware based live-show tour later in 2022.

Ethereal voices haunt the album, a spectral presence emanating both on the titular track and its eponymous twin, 'Octave Echoes.' The latter is built up around breathy reverberations partnered with steely chords and dissected drumbeats. While 'Crickets at Night,' featuring fellow Amsterdam-based producer Loradeniz, switches pace from ghostly ambient to a pulsating, metronome's tick, clockwork rhythms and eerily looped vocals.

Channelling introspective atmospheres, Into the Echo nevertheless holds steadfast to a club- ready beat and momentous bass. 'Northern Winds,' composed with JASSS, edges along the hardcore continuum, exploding with spiraling percussion and flashes of the pair's shared affinity for electro's gyrating-circuitry and dub's ominous dread. And, ionised by piercing synth and bolts of acid, 'Psycho Panner's occultist refrain climbs to an otherworldly crux.

A homage to the potency of analogue machinery and experimental electronica, Into the Echo fluctuates with organic life, often melding synthetic and acoustic instruments together. Guitar riffs flutter on 'Dreamers' before pattering out into warbling, glacial fragments and 'Last Piece of the Puzzle' features a glockenspiel-esque rhythmic element rising to a harmonic crescendo.

Sleeve Photograpy by Bea1991. " More

The label say "Canadian born, Berlin based producer Aquarian debuts on Dekmantel Records’ UFO imprint with Mutations I & II, a series of two EPs following his debut album The Snake That Eats Itself and his collaborative records as AQXDM. The series marks his return to club focused solo material for the first time since 2017.

Originally written as inflection points for his typically boisterous and genre collapsing dj sets, Mutations deftly splices the foundational DNA of his earliest productions — electro, hardcore and broken beat techno – with new and vital influences.

Mutations I: Death, Taxes and Hanger finds Aquarian gleefully contorting mid-2000s dnb tearouts, wrong footed IDM and progressive trance euphoria into thrilling new shapes. Fast techno, hi-tek jazz, amphetamine-addled filter house and breakcore join the fray in Mutations II: Delicious Intent as he pushes intensity levels past breaking point. Whichever the touchstone, the results are clear: distinctly modern, highly-propulsive body music with an unapologetically emotive core." More

??From ecstatic highs and sinister textures to sprawling breaks, tight drum programming and bass-heavy undercurrents, Suikerplein EP is the BSS project touching home base. Though by no means a new face to Dekmantel, it marks the debut of BSS on the Dekmantel Records imprint, following a sonically varied string of releases on labels like Hivern Discs, Kitjen, Church and Honey Soundsystem Records. Mastermind behind BSS is Luigi Vittorio Jansen, initially one half of the long-standing musical project formerly known as Beesmunt Soundsystem. The formation slimmed down from two to one, but Luigi’s drive and creative impulse is brimming with energy — this debut EP from BSS as a one-man venture can only serve as a testament of that. In a sound that has been typically evolving throughout an almost decade-spanning catalog, BSS is more than ever crystallising the distinctive palette that forms the BSS microcosm as we step in today.

This hypnotic, mind-melting realm can feel wonderfully strange and extraterrestrial, yet Suikerplein spirals back close to home: the city of Amsterdam, where Luigi grew up and where the whole Beesmunt journey began. The track titles refer to various pinpoints from Luigi’s youth, from the Spaarndammer neighbourhood and the Westerpark to an oddly intriguing statue of a Dutch social anarchist that’s also found somewhere in Amsterdam’s westside. BSS’s journey may have crossed many physical borders and brought them to DJ booths and record players across the world, Suikerplein reaches back at the cradle of both the project and Luigi himself.

The blissful suspense of ‘Westerpark’ is where things are kicked in motion: spacious, slowly menacing breaks push forward while a deeply resonating bass contrasts the gleaming synths that are draped on top. The suspense is quickly redeemed by the tight, electrifying drum workout of ‘Domela’ — a high-voltage, electrifying crawler with sparks spattering throughout. It leads to a foray into the mesmerising melancholia the ‘Spaarndammerplantsoen’, an emotive joint that hovers between fatalistic and hopeful. On the flip, we return with ‘Box’: a not-to-be-messed-with, metallic-sounding sizzler with roughed-out laser-beam textures and jarring breaks. The curtain call comes from ‘Scannen’, a near spiritual closing with a synthetic chant. It recapitulates the heavily textured, break-filled character of the Suikerplein EP as a whole, and concludes it with a thoroughly cathartic comedown. More

Spiralling through the space-time continuum, Alberta Balsam's debut EP amalgamates clipped breakbeat with lithe IDM and sawtooth electro. Inspired by the visionary author Ursula K. Le Guin, the vinyl is presented by Dekmantel Records together with a transcendental sci-fi narrative. Printed on a poster-inlay designed by British artist Alex Morgan, the story tells of a quest for survival on a planet ravaged by ecological collapse.

In a bid to rescue all lifeforms from impending destruction, a lone holobot frantically consults her neurobiological interface. Humans can no longer subsist on Earth: waterways are contaminated, and the unbreathable atmosphere has taken on a toxic purple, almost holographic hue. Faced with environmental apocalypse, she turns skyward, to take root among the stars. With nods to the utopian futurism, attunement to nature and alien visions of pioneering electronic artists such as Drexciya and Delia Derbyshire, Alberta transmutes a synergy that's entirely her own. Higher Dreams journeys elsewhere on a passage that's equal parts intergalactic and introspective, questioning how, on the brink of the abyss, we can find hope.

Blasting off the A-side with 'Atuan Tombs' – a reference to Le Guin's masterful Tales From Earthsea series – a cyborg voice narrates plundering through the skeletal remains of an urban landscape. Hollowed out kick-drums thunder in 'Cascade;' glitched-out beats that shatter into incandescent, intricate melodies. On the B-side, the titular track crescendos, it’s biblical vocals conveying the gravitas of an approaching dystopia. Yet Higher Dreams is far from doom-inducing – the EP closes off with ‘Suspended in the Manifold,' the vibrant Roland TR-808 rhythm fuelled by the colossal power of a solar flare.

Renowned for her live hardware-based sets, Alberta flexes her immeasurable skill as a tech-savvy producer adept at constructing danceable, yet simultaneously lush and expansive interludes. Having trained as an epidemiologist, the theme of care reverberates through her music. Crucially, she regards dance as medicine – a primordial remedy to sustain our interconnected existence. More

Jondo's Little Princess EP sees Cologne's finest producer/DJ debut Dekmantel with a 4-track set of expansive atmospheres and reconstructed club tunes, alongside double bassist Maxwell Sterling and Australian producer DJ Plead.
Each track draws elements from the bass music trajectory, but effortlessly reassembles them in song-like arrangements that work just as fine in any headphone or home listening scenario.

The A-side has Jondo and Sterling team up for two dynamic pieces called "Dunkelziffer I" and "Dunkelziffer II". Whereas A1 serves drumless, RPG-like atmospheres reminiscent of Sterling's long-time collaborator James Ferraro, A2 is a full-on club joint packed with icy synths and complex rhythms that slowly eases into comforting ambient. On the B-side's "Whowhuwho", Jondo creates a powerful piece of instrumental-grime-turned-quasi-jungle with DJ Plead. For his remix, Russian techno prodigy Moa Pillar warps the already minimalist lead synth into an even more sparse yet effective dancefloor weapon.

Just as his celebrated DJ sets, the Little Princess EP proudly exhibits all of Jondo's musical roots – but instead of sticking with one style, tempo or formula, he innately trusts the music to let it take us into unexpected territories, time and time again. More

Tracklist

A1. Avision – Hold No Groove
A2. Deetron – Pulse
A3. DJ Deep – Transition

B1. DJ Deep – What's Going On
B2. Deetron – Corazon
B3. Avision – Talk Is Cheap

In March this year COD3 QR delivered a digital threesome from DJ Deep, Avision and Deetron. Now, twice as much is coming in June for the label's first vinyl-only release, with each artist bringing a second track to the platter. As usual the tracks have been selected by Laurent Garnier for the label whose ethos is: Music diversity is our strength!

Fortunate to grow up around the rich club culture of NYC and influenced by the sounds around him, Avision started young on the turntables at the age of 12, gained his first residency at 15, and hasn't looked back since. Around that time, he also began to hone his production skills and developed a distinctly New York-flavoured techno and house sound which is evident on "Hold No Groove" and "Talk Is Cheap". It's the recognisable sound he's previously brought to the likes of Cocoon, Ellum, Drumcode and Hardgroove.

Having been involved with making and playing music for over 20 years, Deetron is an artist who is assured in his ambitions and a skilled performer, maintaining a high level of quality in every aspect of his career: from mind-boggling three-deck DJ sets to his special touch on remixes or his diverse range of productions. In 2014 he launched his own imprint, Character. But has also graced the likes of Axis, Music Man, Subject Detroit, Running Back, Rekids and more. Here he brings the original techno sound of "Pulse", alongside the deeper "Corazon".

DJ Deep got the party started with "What's Going On". It's now accompanied by the hypnotic "Transition". So, it's no surprise to hear he started playing at clubs and raves in Paris in the late '80s / early '90s, including Laurent's renowned Wake Up at Rex. The respected and versatile DJ, producer, label-boss and party curator is just at home helming the decks at major venues as well as mixing radio shows for Gilles Peterson's Worldwide FM. As a producer his critically acclaimed appearances on Rekids, Kaoz Theory and Tresor, not to mention his own Deeply Rooted, have demonstrated his imaginative approach to house and techno.
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Feedasoul Records’ mainstay Soul Groove, returns to the label with a four-track vinyl masterpiece that doubles down on his Jazz and Soulful roots while delivering infectious Deep House cuts. This release is a testament to Soul Groove’s evolution as a serious up-and-comer in the electronic scene, showcasing his unique, smooth sound that has become synonymous with Feedasoul Records. More

Tracklist

A1. Emulate
A2. Developer

B1. Pulsation
B2. Survival Instinct

Mathys Lenne is no stranger to the hypnotic side of techno, and his newest release on ORBE's well known Orbe records label properly allows the French artist to do what he does best. Four tracks of deep, psychedelic techno, all slightly twisted and quirky in their own way, the entire EP is perfect for those headsdown nights deep in to the morning on the dancefloor of your favorite darkened club.
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Following his 2021 debut on the reverse label with Retreat Ites EP and a spot on the Molten Mirrors compilation, Jurango is back on Livity Sound with another four tracks of low-slung soundsystem pressure.

On An Amorphous Mass EP Jurango presents a particularly focused sound which draws on halftime D&B, dancehall and broken techno all filtered through the meditative pulse of low tempo club music. The measured pace of the tracks doesn't detract from their weight, whether it manifests in the heavy roll of murky opener 'Big Saver', 'Inner Seam's mutant dembow rhythm or the heady breakbeat chops of the title track. The stripped-back subs and fractured percussion of 'Muni Ce Boa' close the record in potent yet understated style, proving minimal music doesn't have to compromise on impact for the dance.

Livity Sound is a label set up by Peverelist in 2011 as a vehicle for a raw and exploratory strain of UK techno, rooted in the heritage of UK dance music and sound system culture. It has since become one of the UK's foremost protagonists for cutting edge underground electronic music.
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SamOne seamlessly picks up where his first EP left off and starts another chapter filled with broken and cheeky sounds! “Breakz N Harmony Pt. 2” is a 4 track heavy record carefully pressed, handmade packed and sprayed. Just like the first one, the sample-oriented intuitive style prevails,
spanning across Breaks and Electro. Bold and rough drums, harmonized with organic basslines and iconic vocals, dominate both sides A and B.

Tune in, Shake Well! More

NIX is back with 'My Friend Was Eaten by a Modular Rack', a fresh release from Ocirala. Hailed for his hugely popular release ‘I Want To Lick Your Brains’, Ocirala now returns with a four tracker that veers away from his earlier vocal-driven work while maintaining his naughty style. 'My Friend Was Eaten by a Modular Rack', a year in the making, captures a collection of those odd yet perfectly cohesive tracks. The A-side delivers high-energy, club-ready tunes, while the B-side, though perfect for after-hours, retains the power to electrify any big system setup, all confirming Ocirala's talent for impeccable sound design. Wild synths, haunting atmospheres, driving drums and twitchy kicks, there is something for everyone. More

Sugar Honey Iced Tea! is the highly anticipated debut album from musclecars, set for a May 2024 release on BBE Music. Having already established their presence in the club scene, from the joyous atmosphere of their Coloring Lessons parties to their residency at Nowadays in NYC, and with genre-bending performances worldwide, musclecars are eager to unveil this new world they've intentionally crafted.

This forthcoming album comprises 13 tracks that sonically come together to offer a profound lens into the Afro-American experience. Themes range from joy, to loss, intimacy, helplessness, perseverance, and all the facets that lie in between. From the very first tune, musclecars set the tone with an exploration of afro-dystopia, carrying listeners through the entire album whilst creating imaginary futures born out of self-preservation and self-discovery.

Through their practice of sonic storytelling, native New Yorkers Brandon Weems and Craig Handfield use this album to speak to the nuances of their daily lives and their environment. Join them on this musical journey as they delve into a collection that captures the essence of the black experience with authenticity, emotion, and rhythm. This album stands as one of their favorite bodies of work in recent memory, and they're so excited to share it with you. More

Tracklisting
A1 Obstructor - Taboo
A2 Obstructor - Meursault
B1 Obstructor - Delirium
B2 Obstructor - Letting Loose

Sales Note
Clever sonics, elegant chords, and dazzling color painted in broad strokes on Obstructor's Taboo. More

Tracklisting
A1 El Joven Prisionero - Tactel Kid
A2 El Joven Prisionero - Kinki
B1 El Joven Prisionero - Anti tu
B2 El Joven Prisionero - La Raya

Sales Note
For our release number 073 we go hard and strong with the mysterious combo El Joven Prisionero. They come back home, ten releases after their Sesiones Mercurio EP. The formula is again direct to the floor with no roundabouts, strong percussive elements and direct sonic aggresion provided at a high tempo rate.

Tactel opens fire with an enourmous bass drum spiced with stereo panned high frequencies, shuffled hats add tenstion to the equation while micro drones and processed textures do the rest. A perfect shot to demolish some club roofs around the globe.

Second bullet is Kinki, hypnosis is the key here, starting with the whole groove from bar one, then growing in intensity with different sound layers all served in a continuous and progressive arrangement. This one is for the mind and the body.

Anti Tu combines scifi vibes with heavy duty drums in an elastic tool for skilled mixers out therem setting the pace to the next exercise, La Raya where asymmetric Fm sequences bring the funk, again over a superb drum programming workout.

Digital bonus is Sin el Groove, drastically reducing the BPM rate, using Fm synths again for the sequences, closing this aerobic session in an exhausted mood.

This release is going to be a limited one with 200 numbered copies pressed on red vinyl before another standard edition with different artwork and classic black wax. More

Phonogramme presents Sascha Dive’s inaugural EP, “My Definition of House.” This 4-track gem features the legendary Mr. V and arrives in a limited-edition marbled vinyl format. Dive’s deep understanding of house music merges seamlessly with Mr. V’s soulful touch, resulting in a captivating blend of classic grooves and modern flair. From infectious rhythms to rich, soul-stirring soundscapes, each track takes listeners on a unique journey through the essence of house. More

Istanbul-born, Berlin-based duo Bärtaub is queueing up next on the prestigious Paris imprint of Yoyaku.

Following successful releases on Butch’s Otherside label and legendary R&S records, Bärtaub brings a fresh sonic exploration to the Yoyaku imprint.

“Nominal Attraction” delves into the magnetic forces of music, where objects are drawn to each other within the same genre nominally, skilfully ensuring that each piece maintains a distinct identity, providing a set of unique spaces for each track.

The release presents a seamless blend of breaks and house music, united under the flag of Minimal Techno, evolving within a sharp sound organically to create an immersive and dangerously danceable experience that transcends traditional boundaries of the genres.

The A side showcases a powerful introduction as well as a deeper, breaded cut as the duo is joined by Brick.
The B side opens up on a more incisive interpretation of Deep Breaks with the title track of the EP, to finish off on an inevitable piece designed to warm even the coldest floors of the planet, under the name of Chord Shift Space. More

Tracklisting
A1 Calibre - Trust
B1 Calibre - Waiting

Sales Note
The third release on Calibre's label remastered for 2024 with new label artwork. More