Label boss and international mainstay Ryan Crosson returns for Visionquest 088 under his Theoretical Speed alias. For over two decades Crosson has been lighting up dance floors with his sets and productions, from his native Detroit to Berlin and back again.

The EP starts off hot with the aptly titled “Take Me to Bed and Mix Me Forever”. Tough analog drums break into a trademark VQ vocal with deep moving sub bass. Step and Swing is the name of the game. After an overdrive odyssey midway through, the track is polished off with beautiful, murky, submersed synths drifting in and out.

Next up is the title track, “Dusty Rugs” featuring the inimitable John Camp on keys. Lovely melodic pianos cascade into a sick bass line that perfectly bumps and swings with the percussion. As the piano irons itself out the bass twists into a new groove with a punctuating vocal stab. It perfectly serves up Detroit/Berlin magic clearly influenced by the likes of Thomas Melchior.

On the flip, the B side starts out with Silverlining’s “Swung Dub”. The UK underground veteran delivers a dope dubbed out version of the original. In this offering, the drums notch up the swing and consistency while the keys shimmer in and out of the foreground. A masterclass in restraint and depth.

H-Foundation, a duo that needs no introduction, put their signature stamp on another “Dusty Rugs” remix to round out the EP. File under infectious classic grooving dubby house. Shuffling drums bounce with underwater synth stabs in perfect syncopation, giving us a fantastic completion to another great cut of VQ wax. More

Visionquest is back for VQ X EP III their third installment of the epic acclaimed various artist anniversary series.

It kicks off with the sublime “The Serpent and the Jaguar” from a master producer who is constantly on the forefront of electronic music, Deadbeat. Perfect dubby bounce intertwines with wooden synth delays and murky deep low end to bring the listener the aural bliss he’s so well known for.

For A2, Berlin supergroup Triptease team up with frequent collaborator and highly regarded bass player Yonathan Levi on the track “Amniotic”. Robust upright bass leads the listener into a dreamy soundscape punctuated by crisp analog percussion. As the track picks up, icy keys and rolling pads move with beautiful walking bass that conjure up memories of classics like Bitches Brew.

The pace picks up on the B side with world renown house maestro Tuccillo. A long time label friend, collaborator and Ibiza stalwart. Tuccillo has been synonymous with quality for the past 20 years. Tucci comes in hot with a bumping house tune which may have come from “Outer Space”. The drums dip in and out of a breaks feel, oozing with subtle sophistication.

Rounding out the EP is the lovely “When Will We Meet Again” from the fantastic
Visionquest mainstay Wareika. Beautiful jazz steeped percussion and guitars segue into more clubby low end bringing the listener closer to the dancefloor but somehow remaining mysterious in form.

VQ087 is an amazing continuation of the boundary pushing series on a label that’s constantly moving on the cusp of modern electronic music. More

May 2020 sees Gianluca Pegoiani drop his Visionquest debut in the form of the "Fifth Room EP". Pegoiani has been collecting records, analog machines and hitting the clubs since the mid 90's, taking inspiration from the greats like Ricardo Villalobos, Richie Hawtin and Derrick May. He has lived all over the world and has worked as a promoter at Mazoom / Le Plaisir, Vice and Blok in Brescia, Italy. In addition to collaborating with duo Polydrum for Skream's "Of Unsound Mind" label he has also produced releases for NGtrax and Rebirth Records. The Fifth Room EP comes in hot with the fast paced A1, "One Room". Filling the space with rising and falling rhythmic sounds secured by a fat kick. Ethereal, almost choral pads emerge that give way to a skittery, chopped up vocal. In the second half of the track, the gate on the vocal opens up and the sound fills up with even more drenched pads. For the A2, Berlin staple and fellow Italian DJ and producer Hubble checks in with his take on "One Room". The remix enters with methodical kicks and shifting bass tones, as seemingly 'found sound' percussion scrapes through the dense bass. The vocal peers in from a distance as the back half of the track undulates between bass tones, vocal and metallic percussion. On the B2, "One Key", begins with reversed strings where u can almost hear the bow sliding back and forth. An indistinguishable vocal loop brings the listener back into the kick/snare and ricocheting percussion hits that bounce around the spectrum. New reversed strings jump in giving a nostalgia drenched Mediterranean vibe that somehow brings a tense energy. The tension continues to build until the end, leaving the listener excited and in anticipation for the the artists next offering. TRACK LISTING: A. One Room,, A2. One Room (Hubble Remix), B. The Key More

Triptease have steadfastly become a staple of the ever impressive Berlin electronic music scene. Comprised of four multitalented musicians, (Topper, Francesco , Jacopo and Hugo), they have become known for their marathon live performances that can sometimes reach 8 hrs in length and incorporate special guest musicians from around the world. Their home bases are the infamous Club der Visionaire and Hoppetosse, where they have honed their craft by bringing almost the entirety of their studio onto the dance floor for long range jams that contain a mixture of some prepared material and a hefty amount of total free form improvisation. Using guitars, synthesizers, drum machines, samplers and a vast array of efx pedals they create a soundscape completely fresh while retaining the signature sound of the city they call home. Their first full length LP and debut on the mighty Visionquest label perfectly displays a sound that they have crafted in diverse locations across the globe, including a week of recording in Tenerife, right under the Teide Volcano, the secret mountain of Guanche Mythology. The album title Mescaleros is, in their words, "a concept we like to use to indicate an approach to making music and art in general, inspired by spaghetti western aesthetics and 60’s lysergic emancipation put through the lens of modern technology and science fiction. We translate that approach into long improvisational jams where we try to feel music as something alive that can and must change from time to time and also within the same performance. A1. Drumses III, A2. Bobby Peru, B1. Tony Little Something, B2. Pseudomartyrs, C1. Duodular, C2. Lo Siento, D1. Song with No Name, D2. Teide featuring Greg Paulus
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Growing up in Southern Germany, DeWalta began playing french horn and taking cues from his grandfather's jazz record collection at an early age. He eventually transitioned to the saxophone and joined the esteemed Musikhachschule Hanns Eisler conservatory in Berlin. Soon after he immersed himself in electronic music, creating music for Vakant, Cynosure and his own label, Meander. Since then he has traveled the globe playing everywhere from Resolute in New York to Sunwaves in Romania. Mike Shannon hails from Ontario, but resides in Berlin and has established himself as a true pillar of the scene. A highly respected DJ and producer, he has released music on plus 8, Wagon Repair, Cynosure and a host of other top notch labels, including his own imprint, Haunt Music. Mike's impeccable DJ skills are only complimented by his ability to A&R and introduce the world to new artists. Upon meeting, the duo quickly forged a seminal production team and live act based in Berlin, which led to releasing multiple EP's. This record has that perfect Berlin bounce. That classy, sexy swing that keeps people dancing for hours. More

Lee Curtiss has been in the game since your mother bought her first techno record. An undeniable fixture of the scene, with a vast career that has brought him from Detroit to Berlin to LA, Curtiss has played the best festivals and clubs the world over and released on countless top labels such as Spectral, Get Physical, Wolf + Lamb, Classic Music Company and of course the label he co-runs, Visionquest. As part of that all-star crew he has released classic remixes for Tracey Thorn, David Lynch and the epic "Good Voodoo" by Kiki. Steingold grew up in Detroit listening to The Wizard, Jeff Mills on the radio and began honing his dj skills at Detroit fixtures like Alvin's, The Shelter and Motor. He moved to LA in the early 2000's, and formed Hard & Soul, during which he connected with Peanut Butter Wolf and toured with Common and Lupe Fiasco. Hard & Soul remixed Mayer Hawthorne's Tuxedo project for Stones Throw and Steingold went on to work with SPNCR and Curtiss thereafter, resulting in releases on Repopulate Mars and Soul Clap Records respectively. He currently tours all over the world with Mike D of The Beastie Boys, playing festivals ranging from Boston Calling to Primavera Festival in Barcelona. The duo start off the EP with "Dream Adjacent", which pops right in with snappy, sexy percussion and that lovely Roland descending airplane sound. The future 80's type sound is foreshadowed by a synth that sounds like it jumped out a certain old video game involving two cave men. When the synth comes back in full time it's perfectly complimented by a fat bassline and a dashing arpeggiated figure that dances around the spectrum. Add some synth strings to the mix and you've got a jam! Next up, full on legend Doc Martin turns in a remix of "Dream Adjacent". Staying true to the core base of the song, Martin jacks up the percussion, adding swirls, beeps, acid arps, a string pad and a sultry vocal that feeds into the breakdown. The EP finishes with "Talk", a bumpin' jam with a nasty bassline and a reverb and delay drenched vocal. There's plenty of space in the track, and that perfectly allows one to sop up as much of that bassline as you can get. Some reversed hats slide back and forth amongst the crispy forward pattern. A subtle, reverbed saw bass pops around the back half of the track, giving just the right amount of lift when it coincides with whooshing noise. It's a standout EP that rightly brings that future funk we all love so much More

For his sophomore effort with the Visionquest family, Bodj teams up with fellow Greek native and audio engineer, Roksi, to create the Weird Science EP. The four track EP starts with title track "Weird Science". The slow burner emerges with etherial pads, tight percussion and warm sub bass, as toms and a reverb drenched vocal emerges. Atonal synths pop in and squelch as the track drives forward, keeping the uptempo momentum high. A2, "Otis AX", keeps the tempo poppin', with beautiful chords dropping in, supported by a nice, round bass that bumps the pads along as synths enter and sprinkle away. The track stays bouncy with chopped arpeggiated synths, tactfully dipping their toe in the water. The B1, "Flowtec", indulges the listener in the dirtier, late night club vibe that we all enjoy so much, while minimal textures, murky vox and bleeps and synths stab in and out. Minor chord rhodes stabs pop in and out until deep pads fill out the sound in a luxurious way to finish out the track, without losing any of the steam it started with. "Tomodachi" rounds out the EP, keeping the vibes high and quick with another dope bassline. This offering stays true to the bassline and delayed chord stabs, and acts more as a bumping dj tool for the release, sure to keep the vibe going. One things for sure this standout release won't be putting anyone to bed! More

This June will see the release of Deadbeat's "Jacks and Slow Dances" EP on Visionquest Records. The EP kicks off with massive bass, big toms and cascading synths and effects that build with the "Boom Jack" vocal, until diving into a driving kick. The patient tension continues and the repeated synths rise and fall as the rhythm of the vocal becomes more frequent and more manic, sure to excite the dance floor. For the A2 Shaun Reeves' remix of "Keep On Dancing" drops a 4/4 kick on the track and adds a classic Berlin low slung bass line that bumps along with some added sub bass, while delayed keys drift across the top. It's perfect for summer sessions at Club Der Visionaire, which is a frequent haunt for both artists. The B side kicks off with the original mix of "Keep On Dancing", and sounds as though the listener is dropped into some remote jungle in the middle of the night. Monteith's beautiful and casual vocal arrives drenched in reverb while the minimal percussion accompanies his thoughts along the way. The song continues through the night as an arpeggiated bass synth leads the listener toward the 4/4 kick and the delightfully swung hi-hats that follow. The EP is rounded out by "VQ Infinity Dub, an uptempo jam that starts with his mature building of percussion and cascading synths and vocals that drive and pulsate the track forward. Foregoing the typical use of the big clap/snare, Montieth instead relies on the kick and shakers to keep the track moving and it just goes to show how effective his unique and unconventional his style can truly be. More

Many moons and stars have passed since VisionQuest co-founder Ryan Crosson last took to the controls on his own label for a full solo trip... ‘I Hope You Will’, his first EP on the label since 2015’s ‘On The Rise’ We’d say he was making up for lost time. Except the time was never lost in the first place. Ryan’s renowned for his creatively prolific output as a DJ and producer. Continually touring and working under a variety of aliases and collaborations, and releasing on the likes of Leftroom, Nervmusic and Number 19, Ryan refuses to sit still.... Just like his music. Forever in momentum and progression. This EP sums up where he’s at and where we can potentially be. Molten grooves with open dynamic agendas where anything can happen. Each track a transition from one place to another as Crosson introduces different elements, tones and grooves. ‘ITYC’ writhes with that sexy Detroit lucidity that makes eight minutes feel like 20 seconds thanks to its strong physical hypnosis, ‘Janet’ plays the ultimate switch up as we’re suddenly jacked from heads down tunnelling foggy, grainy techno to deep breathing, rolling house music at the flick of a snare while ‘Favogo’ provides the final bubbling adieu. Primed with drums so smooth and liquified they’re almost silky, iced with lingering melodic elements so atmospheric they feel like vapours, it’s the perfect way to bring another stark, singular and personal EP to a conclusion. Rest assured he’ll be back again. Who knows how many moons will pass meanwhile... More

A new year, a new VisionQuest excursion: rising Romanian Floog is our navigator for this mission and he’s coordinated a precision interstellar trip to ease us into a new season. The timing couldn’t be better. Momentum made via his debuts on the likes of Crossed Grooves and Atipic, ‘Suprapus’ is Floog’s boldest, furthest reaching EP to date as he continues to map his own name around the cosmos. ‘Suprapus’ takes the lead. Romanian for superimpose, it lives up to its title as layers weave with natural ebb and flow. The sense of timelessness is another strong superimposed weave as we’re immersed in a haze of foundation elements and a strong rolling funk while driven by future focused beatcraft and production. This theme is continued on ‘Staring At The Sun’. Another wistful piece that stares up with hope but runs with such groove hypnosis you lose any temporal senses, it’s both heads-down and shades-down as Floog rolls out into the centre of solar system. Finally ‘Premiza’ brings us back home. Darker, gruffer, trippier and relentlessly driving. There’s some serious noir magic at play on the tweaked drums, creepy arpeggios and overall sense of tension. Transition in 2019 complete, but don’t get too comfortable... Another VisionQuest excursion is awaiting imminently. More

Visionquest embark on a brand-new voyage as founding member Shaun Reeves takes the mantle once again. Reuniting with kindred spirit Tuccillo for another no-rules, boundary-blurring session, it’s their most explorative collab EP to date. Picking up where previous collaborations such as ‘Seclusions’ and ‘Smile’ left us, the lead track ‘Shade’ reminds us of the duo’s innate ability to lure you deep into their groove unwittingly. Misty, and pensive, this one’s deep coded with unmistakable Visionquest atmospherics as each element gradually unfolds. Elsewhere amid the ageless shadows we have the stark, sensual stripped-back struts of ‘Cavernous’, an uplifting piece where a restrained-yet-bumping groove is laced with garage style vocals and a sublime synth twist midway. Deeper again we strike more mystic noir…. ‘Superstitions’ rolls out over a stately 8+ minutes, building gradually with percussive hypnosis and the dark art of subtlety while ‘Tessera’ brings the EP to a close with strong levels of funk and feel good. A reference to their own collaborative project Shantu, it’s a devilish fusion of velvet android bass, evocative humanised textures and beat that draws you in but leaves more than enough room on this voyage to take in each perfectly considered and sculpted element. Enjoy the view… More

Fresh names to Visionquest, but certainly not new to the game; More Than Material is the promising new project between two bonafide French selector statesmen who collectively boast decades of dancefloor and studio science: Jedsa Soundorom and Gauthier DM. Launching their new alias earlier this year on Zingiber Audio, their signature has been tangible from the off; deep weighted grooves, warm dynamics and total immersion. ‘Intimate’ says it all; realising its title’s close connotations with a dubby, physical groove and a rollcall of soul rolling elements, it’s the sound of a crowd locking in en- mass. Low ceiling, heads down, lights low. ‘Godsa’ follows with similar moody momentum and another hypnotic weave. This time over much more of a stately techno noir soundscape as its persistent jack is laced with subtle acid details. Next, we hit ‘Doctor High’, an ageless deep house groove peppered with nuances of uplift, trippiness and a drum arrangement that taps deep into the foundations. Once again, the track relives its title’s implications. Finally, we sign out with a precision revision from Fuse resident Archie Hamilton who refixes the pace and density of ‘Doctor High’ with more of a driving peaktime aesthetic that remains fully respectful of the original’s weight and clarity. More Than Material by nature, spirit and name. More

2017 saw Cesar Merveille & Ryan Crosson deliver their second long player in the shape of ‘Cerulean’, drawing on their modern classical, jazz, ambient and abstract influences to create yet another unique listen featuring collaborations with a classical pianist, trumpet, guitar and double bass players. Here we see those original parts eschewed into something entirely fresh from friends and close associates of the duo. Leading on the release is Cadenza boss Luciano’s ‘Sous Le Sol’ interpretation of ‘ARP’, which twists and turns through the hypnotic chimes and emotive piano chords of the original whilst stirring in Lucien’s signature modulating and intricately evolving rhythmic style. Following is a collaborative rework from New York’s Phil Moffa and Seth Troxler which employs ethereal synth drones and stuttering vocal cuts alongside a bumpy percussive drive and pulsating subs. Perlon’s Bruno Pronsato steps up next to remix ‘Even Tides’, delivering his typically raw and emotive style via glitched out, mind-bending percussion, elongated bass drones and cleverly reshaped cuts of the original’s cinematic elements. L.A’s Clovis then closes the package with his remix of ‘Nordic Bummers’, employing shuffled hats, lumpy subs and crunchy claps at it’s core whilst horn swells and aiy atmospherics ebb and flow throughout. More

Berlin based co-founder of Visionquest Shaun Reeves has gradually carved out his unique take of raw, minimalistic house music over the years via releases on Dorian Paic’s Raum...musik, One Records, his new Shantu label alongside Tuccillo and of course his own Visionquest. Here we see him pairing up with Canadian duo Maher Daniel and Amir Javasoul who together as Creatures Of Habit have been picking up attention from the likes of Ricardo Villalobos, Zip, Raresh and Apollonia amongst others. Here marking the debut of their collaborative ‘Creatures Of Shaun’ guise the duo offer up their ‘Mind Over Matters’ EP, the title-track leads and lays down mind bending, modulating percussion and synth swirls alongside bumpy bass grooves and hypnotic atmospherics whilst stirring in a tripped-out spoken word vocal sample to further fuel the psychedelic house feel. ‘Blink’ follows and tips the focus over to resonant subs, stripped-back organic percussion and murky vocal swells, again resulting in something mesmerizing and groove-led before ‘Out Of Orbit’ reduces things even further to refined shuffled hats, minute rhythmic modulations and snaking bass flutters. More

Detroit duo Ataxia offer up their ‘Kodak Moment’ EP via Visionquest this March, accompanied by an edit from label co-founders Shaun Reeves and Ryan Crosson. Eric Ricker and Ted Krisko aka Ataxia have been at the forefront of the contemporary house and techno scene for some time, racking up releases on some of the leading labels across the globe such as Leftroom, Nervous, Culprit and Play It Say It, making the duo one of Detroit’s finest exports in recent years. Here we see them making their debut on Visionquest, the label of fellow Detroit natives Ryan Crosson, Shaun Reeves and Lee Curtiss. ‘VHS’ leads the package with murky synth swells, resonant synth sweeps and fluttering square wave bass tones at it’s core as shuffled drums carry the ever-evolving hypnotic groove along. The original mix of ‘Kodak Moment’ follows, shifting the focus over to snaking bass lines, mind-bending, modulating synth whirrs and dynamic, choppy percussion throughout. Reeves & Crosson’s ‘Edit’ of ‘Kodak Moment’ then rounds out the release, stripping things back to ethereal atmospherics and shuffled drums whilst subtly stirring in the original’s hooky bass groove as the interpretation unfolds. More

Merveille & Crosson return to Visionquest this October with their second long player, entitled ‘Cerulean’ and featuring nine original compositions from the duo.
2012 saw the release of Cesar Merveille & Ryan Crosson’s critically acclaimed inaugural long player ‘DRM’, seeing the pair veer their output into abstract realms and embrace a more eclectic left on centre production style. Here five years later the pair return with their second album ‘Cerulean’, again tipping the focus over to a modern classical, jazz, ambient and abstract aesthetic, featuring collaborations with Juliard trained classical pianist Julien Quinten, No Regular Play’s Greg Paulus on trumpet, Wareika’s Henrik Raabe on guitar, Yonathan Levi on double bass, Moritz Baumgartner adding additional drum work and Berlin’s Signum Saxophone Quartet.
Across the ‘Cerulean’ project Merveille, Crosson and all involved offer up an amalgamation of sounds and styles from the freeform jazz odyssey styles of ‘Even Tides’ and ‘Nordic Bummers’ to the ethereal ambience of ‘Intro (Almost Raw)’ and ‘MCYH’ whilst subtly nodding towards their minimal roots with ‘Acid Pal’ and ‘Qaudra’. The pair also radiantly display their love for the New Age modular synth style with ‘ARP’ and ‘Life In The 80’s’ with intricately programmed, dynamic melodies throughout, all in all resulting in a truly unique and forward thinking project from an array of talents. More

This September will see Visionquest return with Alexi Delano’s ‘Water Colors’ EP, accompanied by a remix from the Persuader aka Jesper Dahlba¨ck. Chilean born, Swedish raised, New York adopted and Amsterdam based producer and DJ Alexi Delano has an impressive back catalogue dating back over two decades and featuring releases on labels such as Laurent Garnier’s F Communications, Richie Hawtin & John Acquaviva’s Plus 8, Ghostly International’s Spectral Sound and M_Nus as well as Visionquest where he returns to here following his collaborative ‘The Breeze’ EP alongside label co-founder Shaun Reeves in 2013. Title-track ‘Water Colors’ opens the release, a smooth and gradually unfolding composition fuelled by an amalgamation deftly programmed multi-layered melodies which ebb and flow throughout the sturdy rhythmic foundation. Following is The Persuader’s take on ‘Water Colors’ which dubs things out to create a murky submerged feel in contrast, utilizing the original’s hypnotic melodies whilst subtly working in a rugged 303 line throughout. ‘Communicate’ then rounds out the package with a groove-led feel, bringing a squelching acid bass, hooky vocal chop and modulating synth flutters into the limelight as the shuffled dynamic drum machine workout carries things along. More

Long time friends Cesar Merveille and Ryan Crosson return to Visionquest to reignite their ‘Merveille & Crosson’ project in late May with three fresh, intricately programmed cuts. Visionquest boss Ryan Crosson and Parisian Cesar Merveille need no introductions, with the duo’s back catalogues featuring material on the likes of revered imprints Cadenza, Desolat, Little Helpers and MDRNTY. 2011 welcomed the introduction of their ‘Merveille & Crosson’ project, with their debut album ‘DRM’ on Visionquest gaining plaudits from industry heavyweights including Ricardo Villalobos, and after a five years absence here we see the duo return once again to deliver ‘Dream State’, a three track EP that oozes quality from the off. The A side is home to title cut ‘Dream State’, a production that tumbles and twists smoothly around meandering synths, crisp percussion shots and a bumping low ends, typical of the duos free flowing and evolving production styles. On the flip, ‘Guns’ sets to work through pitched down vocal loops, sweeping sonics and rich textures all reinforced by a driving bassline that carries plenty of groove, before ‘Time Contraints’ slowly unveils itself with a series of off-kilter gliches and pops, delicate pads and sophisticated sound arrangement, concluding yet another fluent and immersive offering from Merveille & Crosson, and an excellent addition to the Visionquest catalogue. More

2024 Repress!

Mystic Jungle makes a much-awaited return with Deviant Disco, a new 12” of sun-soaked groovers released through Periodica Records. A culmination of several years of writing, vibing, and influence mining, these compositions represent the producer’s most varied and expansive works yet, and to fully realize his vision, Mystic Jungle invited the entire West Hill Studio crew to contribute narcotizing layers of pop vocal mesmerism, and additional touches of guitar, bass, percussion, and synth.

Strains of Italo disco, balearic boogie, and freaky funk are interspersed amidst passages of Nigerian highlife, soft focus AOR, kinetic Hi-NRG, and exotic lover’s rock, resulting in a personalized voyage through a paradise of sound, one that is unmoored from the concerns of modernity, and celebrates instead a hedonistic naivety, and a desire to dance all day in spiritual ecstasy. 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

Swedens #1 techno legend The Source Experience aka Robert Leiner delivers this disturbingly fat acid techno 12" on Borft that gets into your ears and brain like a locomotive straight from the rave days. On the A-side a crushing stripped down funky repetitive acid stonker that will spank old and young ravers like they were one big ass. B1 continues in a similar fashion but with a almost electro-ish backbeat instead of straight 4/4 and strong hints of classic EBM in the bassline and percussions. The hairs on my arms were standing up at this point. B2 is a weird surprise ending with a downtempo, strangely harmonic, melodic and almost romantic track which somehow reminds me of the Frak classic "Uttoz gives a song". If you are into Acid in any form this 12" is a no brainer, a must have, a future classic. And make sure you have doubles so you can mix together A and B1 and extend them into eternity. 2024-01-18 Joakim Cosmo More

On this lovely deep house EP, Brad P teams up with producer and remixer BlaQsilva. Full of lush but chunky deep house tracks, you hear not only that swinging groove which makes a true deep house tune what it is, but you also hear well played jazz riffs and leads throughout most giving it another dimension from the standard deep house tune all together.

This well made and well-played EP is a must for all music collectors and deejays but in particular any deep house dj that wants not only that truly groove driven lush deep house sound, but also another level of emotive music played by musicians to top off as the icing on the cake. More

Hotspring is the alias of musician Scott Gailey.

Recent collaborative releases include a 2023 appearance on 0 Records’ 02 alongside C3D-E and Hashman, and a 2022 drop of three releases by loose Vancouver collective Kinda Green; past solo releases include 2019’s Polysensuality on Séance Centre and 2020’s Obit for Sunshade, also on Mood Hut.

The forthcoming Apodelia is Gailey’s second solo release on Canadian mainstay electronic label Mood Hut, and is partly a further exploration of song forms, studio techniques and instrumentation explored on 2020’s Obit for Sunshade. Apodelia explores lifting into revealing; scouring fidelities, playing with emotion, and improvising by night. More

Repress of this classic 4 track Claro Intelecto EP from 2003. More

Third chapter of the ‘Inside’ series of various artists eps selected by Neroli’s very own Volcov.
Fred P makes a welcome return on the label with a late night banger with heart warming strings entitled ‘Time Well Spent’. The rest symbol project [by Molinaro, Moreiya and Wendy Lavone] offers the blissful cinematic ‘Etius Motif’. On the flipside Hakim Murphy and G. Marcell team up as Resonating with the raw relentless ‘J707’ and Patrice Scott’s lush opus ‘Untitled’ from The First Circle [Neroli’s 20th anniversary] album appears here in a longer beat version.
As always curated and assembled with Love! More

"Something Scary" is probably one of the most representative examples of Belgian New Beat as the genre shifted to Hard Beat, by one of the key figures in the explosion of the early Belgian rave scene Rembert De Smet. Starting with the first few seconds of the track, the listener is presented with what could arguably be one of the most unforgettable New Beat acid bass lines to attack the human ear. Very much in your face, characteristic of a genre that emerges from studio experimentation during a time when Chicago Acid was establishing itself and already contaminating the UK. Although relatively simple in terms of production, the way De Smert employs all the elements at play is ingeniously effective, from the simple vocal sample placement to the bassline, propelling it timelessly throughout decades to follow as an iconic example of the Acid sound in Europe. Re-released with two new remixes by the masterful Anatolian Weapons. Remastered at Manmade Mastering in Berlin. More

Sheffield's hugely talented producer Hedge Maze lands on Selvamancer. Years in the making after a long search to decipher an unreleased tune from an unknown alter ego found online (title track Riding The Wave), we're excited to finally bring it to the masses. Morphed industrial violence, tearjerking post-dubstep-trap and the ruthless title track bounce off the walls. Let's commence! Face to the glass. "You use a mirror to see your face, you use a work of art to see your soul." G.B.Shaw... but if you stood with your breath appearing on the canvas what would you say to a Mane or a Rothko three inches away from it. As you push your nose up to the mirror of your soul, what to say to it in response. To listen to one's soul is to hear its depth, for it has many voices, but which voice to listen to. Fear be a man's best friend, he will accompany you should you wish. Forever on your coattails, a whisperer of half unseen truths: distorting perceptions. grief, illness, disappointment, pain, struggle, poverty, loss, terror, heartache, All to be feared. Yet, all features of a life lived! Courage then is simply to live and to live well, choose the voice that gives light. Throw the house out of the window so some say, throw yourself too, say I. Mark Warren. - written whilst listening to Strukku's Beat on Hedge Maze EP More

You can never really pin down what the excellent Emotional Repose label does and that is exactly the sinking behind the title of its superb All Trades show on NTS. The sheer eclecticism of that show is now reflected in this new two-part compilation, also called All Trades, which offers up little morsels of what they do, something like a sonic tasting menu at a fancy restaurant. There is chugging electronic dub from Apiento & Tepper, industrial clatter from Black Bones, cosmic ambient breakbeat from Paperclip Minimiser and blissed out dub from Yamila & SoFa Elsewhere amongst many more highlights. More