Tracklist
A1. île Flottante
A2. Central Park
A3. Crystal Snowflakes
A4. Katamaran
B1. Low Tide
B2. Cedar Sunset
B3. Ocean Spray
B4. Dance Of The Dolphin

Île Flottante is Mr. Beatnick´s 5th album, following 2023’s Joy In Variation (including the notorious cover of Love on a Real Train) and his well-received off-beat collaboration with London-based avant-garde agitator Richard Greenan – Coasty – this is his first contribution to the International Feel trademark. Probably best known for some big deep house revivalist tunes circa 2013 on the now dormant Don’t Be Afraid record label, Beatnick now converts that aural quality and dimensionality into the Balearic system.
Île Flottante takes its name from the tastiest French pudding of Mr. Beatnick’s childhood holidays. The name, also a jeux de mots - floating island - hinting at the album’s inspirations and sense of identity, as a danceable soundtrack to a fictional island. Explored with high intensity and over a yearlong process, the sounds of the well-worn, but never failing Balearic universes were a mind expanding influence. Think of genre staples like Software, Manuel Goettsching, Mark Barrott, Len Leise, Don Carlos, Gaussian Curve, Joan Bibiloni or Yasuaki Shimuzu.
„I spent a year listening to a lot of synthesized island music, and marveling at the many twinkling wonders of the Balearic musical universe. Struck by a sense of belonging that had often eluded me on my musical journey thus far, as the weirdo at the back of the club who had orbited many scenes for 20 years, but never felt like I fitted in, I found music that made me feel like I had come home. The songs that came out of this process are presented in the order that they were written - an open book of ocean hymns, honest and spoken from the heart.“
Île Flottante tries its very hardest to avoid being any one thing in particular. At one point, it is a gentle beach walk accompanied by polyrhythmic drum plod and flourishes of Guzheng. At another, the infamous James Yancey septuplet swing is repurposed against a marimba melody that wouldn’t be out of place in one of Link’s forest adventures.
Elsewhere, there are the bellows of distant whales, touches of Italian dream house and a splash of vintage madchester, all working to create a space that feels both familiar and loaded with well worn tropes, but with its own quirky sense of personality, facets which are often attributed to Mr. Beatnick’s holistic b-boy approach. This is his understanding of a Balearic (b-boy) stance. Just with a float instead of a freeze.


Short:
Île Flottante is Mr. Beatnick´s 5th album and first contribution the Balearic system of International Feel. Full of ocean hymns and forest adventures, it includes marimba melodies, the bellows of distant whales, touches of Italian dream house and a splash of vintage madchester, all working to create a space that feels both familiar and loaded with well worn tropes, but with its own quirky sense of personality. This is his understanding of a Balearic (b-boy) stance. Just with a float instead of a freeze. For fans of: Software, Manuel Goettsching, Mark Barrott, Len Leise, Don Carlos, Gaussian Curve, Joan Bibiloni or Yasuaki Shimuzu.






More

Tracklist:

A1. Edwin Schimscheimer – Bon Nuit Michelle
A2. Dancing Fantasy – Mystery Voice
A3. Peak Of Normal – Hava
A4. Christian Ch. Kneisel – Jungle Connection

B1. Beau Michael – Move Away (Extended)
B2. Summer Vee – Judas
B3. Patrick Jahn & Erobique – Moonlight Shuffle
B4. Ikee Largo – After The Storm



This whole text about a compilation of legit chill slippers could be over with one quote of drummer Aaron Sterling. The John Mayer band member and studio guru called Basso (our compiler) the „ECM of chill wave“.

As we all know, even if some words may be hollow, good quotes help to tell a story. And that is definitely a great quote and if someone has a good story to tell, it is Basso.

Best known for his label Growing Bin and probably even more so for the online record shop of the same name, he is one of those miraculous figures in music or record culture who can be called a true believer.

Helplessly addicted to collecting music nonstop (hence Growing Bin) from all corners of the spectrum and with an uncanny knack of finding precious little diamonds, where others only assume slop, his shop features everything from original trance tapes to fake reggae and plain private press folly. Much to the pleasure of his devoted customers and even more so to the nickel nursers who use his website for window shopping and go bargain hunting in the dusty canyons and wide plains of the internet. Unfair, you might think, because knowledge like that comes with a commitment. A commitment that is not only financial in nature, but also involves time, dedication, thrift store and flea market visits and hardships (lacerated cuticles especially).

Sitting in Trees for International Feel is a sampling demonstration of this commitment. Devotees of his previous compiling efforts Proper Sunburn (Music For Dreams) and Lucky Are Those Who Hear The Birds Sing (Growing Bin), know what to expect: some of the best songs you have never heard before, some you would probably never hear without this and even some that you did not know you would even like. Even self-proclaimed record diggers might not recognize more than Mystery Voice by smooth jazz new agers Dancing Fantasy. It is a world of merry music that pretty much is boundary- and genre-free and includes sunshine stepper like Beau Michael’s Move Away. Patrick Jahn’s and Erobique’s previously unreleased Moonlight Shuffle (the soundtrack to a lost Schimanski Tatort) and Christian Ch. Kneisel’s impossible-to-find Balearic digi gem Jungle Connection.
All contextualized, explained and wonderfully described with meticulous liner notes by the king
of record descriptions himself: Basso. But what else would you expect from a DJ turned trip-hop-producer turned artiste turned record sommelier? Magic moments galore that won’t make you move away!



Short: Legit chill slippers by the „ECM of chill wave“ by Growing Bin boss and record collector sommelier Basso. A world of merry music, precious little diamonds and impossible to find records. File under Balearic beats, smooth hardcore jazz, new age ambient or fake reggae.






More

Tracklist

A1. Casita Más Alta
B1. Cala Vedella
B2. Las Cicadas
B3. Niu Blau

Ruffy's back with a new four track EP Casita Más Alta and it's a love letter to Ibiza -
as he takes us on an alternative tour of his favourite parts of the pine-covered
island.

The title track opens slowly, spaced out with motifs and pads washing in like an
incoming tide, before charging headlong to the beach with a thumping kick and
distorted keyboard solo. In contrast, we get a more sundown feel with Cala Vedella,
soaking up the forest breeze and sounding like The Art of Noise but fed through a
modulator and left to float in the iciest pitcher of 7Up.

Meanwhile, the rolling congas and percussive synths of Las Cicadas take us deep
into tribal territory, Lost Woods style. The EP closes out with Niu Blau, built on
beautifully optimistic choir pads and steel pan sounds, and the evening could just
go on forever, especially if you've taken any of those power ups. It might be an
homage to Ibiza and the Balearics, but seen through the Ruf Dug prism, there's
always something new to discover.





More

Tracklist

A1. About Time
A2. Zwang!
B1. Anyway, Music
B2. Lost In The Forest
B3. Where’s The Fifty?

Release Info:
Marco Vella and Anth Wendt step up to International Feel with a five-track EP of Balearic-tinged bliss for their first collaborative release as Other Mother.

There’s definitely something in the air round the Adelaide Hills. Longtime friends Marco (aka Body Corp) and Anth (aka Oisima) finally got together in Anth’s studio after the pandemic and the result is Numero Uno an EP of laidback synth guitar and drum machine workouts mixing 303 riffs and sunsets for a supremely low-slung vibe.

After cruising around the Hills in the day the pair worked on tracks by night and their carefree days soaking up the sun shines through. Opening track About Time sets a steady pace with its lush delayed guitars slow-rising acid melody and hefty sub perfect for Sunday pub garden appreciation. A side closer Zwang! drops the tempo but brings the percussion into focus for another masterclass in tension and release with interwoven 303s and dub feedback.

Side B keeps the beach-side atmos flowing with guitar licks working around sumptuous synth chords for Anyway Music - a song that’s the ultimate soundtrack understated parts fitting together seamlessly in service to the feeling and belying the technique required. Lost In The Forest makes use of expansive ambient pads synth riffs and shakers to evoke a sense of wonder sunlight coming through the trees.

The EP concludes with Where’s The Fifty a dreamy piece of drum synth phrases and 303 interplay that perfectly characterizes Marco and Anth’s collaboration - two musicians and producers playing to serve the song. They write elements that combine for a harmonious whole greater than the sum of its parts. This is the underlying feel of Other Mother and Numero Uno - we’re all in this together - and by working collaboratively a brighter future might just be around the corner.








More

Tracklist:

A1. Pulsar Diaries
A2. Delphic Expanse
A3. Blackburn Tales
B1. Fourth Amendment
B2. Farewell Theme
B2. Ursa Major

Release Info:

The Croatian production powerhouse and disco boogie impresario steps up to International Feel, and takes a left turn into deep space with a new six track LP Pulsar Diaries.

Ilija’s discography stretches back to 2003, and over those 20 years he’s packed it full with albums, versions, remixes and singles. His releases are often perfectly-penned love letters to ‘80s boogie, electro and disco, and like postcards from an old flame, they’ve landed in an array of record label catalogs, from Bear Funk, Rong, and Electric Minds, to Is It Balearic? as well as his own Red Music and Imogen Recordings. He’s long-been an active voice on the underground club scene, and if you’ve been out dancing in Zagreb, Berlin or even Tisno beach, chances are you’ve gotten down to one of his beautifully blended sets of cosmic-tinged electro funk and disco dubs.

On Pulsar Diaries, Ilija delivers a panoramic collection of spaced-out synths and drum machine grooves, dedicated to the planet and our place in the universe. The A side opens up with the blissful, weightless pads of the title track, before it breaks out into filtered stabs over a minimal b-boy bounce. Delphic Expanse ebbs and flows like a lunar eclipse, sounding like a futuristic version of Key-Matic’s Breaking In Space, all uprock rhythms and syrupy synth horns as it spins off beyond the asteroid belt. Side A closes out with Blackburn Tales, a suspenseful and spacious electro rhythm packed with strings and 303 squelch, which you might call anti-gravity acid, if you were so inclined.

Side B picks up the tempo with Fourth Amendment, perfect for the space station discotheque with its sweeping bass filters and ice-cold synth melodies hovering in orbit. Farewell Theme takes an introspective moment, slowing the pace to a cosmic 90 bpm and inviting a certain cinematic feel to proceedings. This feeling applies not just to the vivid landscapes we travel through, but also wider thoughts about humankind: as we pause for a breath and look around, we find ourselves in Ilija’s space, considering human motivations, like the pursuit of happiness, or the eternal struggle with the self.

Every journey begins with a goodbye, and so the last track of the album feels like the arrival at a new destination: Ursa Major is ablaze with cascading drum fills, bubble-wrapped bass riffs and bright synth chords that sparkle like city lights underneath a re-orbiting satellite.

With Pulsar Diaries, Ilija Rudman has created a rare artifact: an album that straddles several worlds at once. Part soundtrack to space travel, part meditation on the human condition, part deep-burning dancefloor dynamo - whether in the club surrounded by friends or at home by yourself, this is a record that expands the mind and lets the imagination soar.







More

Tracklist

A1. Subtle Body
A2. Nightfall (Instrumental)
B1. The Light Of Jesus
B2. Room ’96 (Recorded live at Room Nightclub, Hull)

Release Info:
Hot on the heels of last year’s Mermaids reissue retrospective, Hull’s deep listening house forerunners return: this time revisiting a pair of originals as well as previously unreleased versions.

It’s testament to the depth of feeling that Steve Cobby and David McSherry can conjure, that these tracks sound as potent and impactful as they did when they first came out - and not just for the dance. Throughout their 30+ years, the Yorkshire duo have produced ten albums amid many more collaborations, and transformed the remix into an artform, putting their fingerprints on everyone from Busta Rhymes to The Orb to Radiohead.

This EP collection finds them at the full scope of their powers: from disembodied mood music, to tripped-out dubby beats and raw house sessions for the club. The title track Subtle Body sounds like it drifted in through the window in the middle of a snowy night. Its layered chimes, looped delay feedback and floaty chords (played on a Wurlitzer Electronic Piano that Steve bought from Bill Nelson), mark it out as an enduring piece of ambient music, and a favorite for film-makers, able to soundtrack both haunted memories and afterparty comedowns with finesse. It precedes an unreleased instrumental version of Nightfall from Fila Brazillia’s 2002 album Jump Leads (named Mixmag’s chill album of the year), and as an instrumental, the chunky electro bass and mix of ephemeral tones and bird-like chirrups are brought clearly into focus. The attention to detail is what makes Fila Brazillia’s sound palette so rich, and Nightfall a certified smokers’ anthem.

On the B side, the tempo and temperature rises, and we’re treated to The Light Of Jesus, a favorite from Fila Brazillia’s 1994 debut LP Old Codes: New Chaos. Atop a bumping house groove, the song weaves together smooth organ pads and electrified guitar licks with syrupy bass and gospel-tinged exaltations from Charles Bukowski. The EP rounds out with Room ‘96, a live house jam from Hull’s Room nightclub, and a veritable time capsule back to the halcyon ‘90s rave days, when the lights were still on, everyone was home, and anything seemed possible.

The songs here on Subtle Body might be a window into a time long past, but they remain in the present: and as long as bodies seek pleasure, and dancers want to keep going til sunrise, Fila Brazillia will endure, and soundtrack those moments for us all to get lost in.




More

Tracklist:

A1. Coding
A2. Positive People
B1. Expensive Zeit
B2. Decline All Cookies

Info:
Running Back regular Feater aka Daniel Meuzard puts his newly-transplanted studio through its paces for the first time since relocating from Vienna, swapping out the bustle of the city for the fresh mountain breeze of the West Alps. The Positive People EP proves that a change is as good as a rest, as the wide open nature not only had some rejuvenating effects on the creative process - it also gave Feater some room in his head to ponder questions about nature, nurture, and whether our inner morality is externally programmed.

The taut jazz funk of opening track Coding springs into action like the montage music of a lost ‘70s TV show, while the title track Positive People plays on the ambiguity of its title, with cascading synth notes, tastefully dubby 303 stabs, and an afro-cuban drum figure that forms the foundation for a spaced-out dancefloor workout. It's a combo of tracks that should appeal to chat room moderators and serotonin programmers alike.

Expensive Zeit kicks off sounding like grime maverick XTC had been brought up on Murder Capital electro rather than East London garage - before it morphs into a bumpin electrofunk and percussion session, with its sights set firmly on an aquatic worm hole. The EP rounds out with Decline All Cookies, which breaks out of a flanged-out half-time drum 'n' effects intro to reveal a lush chord progression, flipping a soul jazz piano mood into a trippy slice of modern instrumental funk.


Can man be the master of his own destiny? It seems with this change of location and musical direction, Feater might just have figured out the answer.



More

Tracklist

A1. Don’t Give In (Street Soul Vocal Version)
A2. Don’t Give In (Street Soul Instrumental Version)

B1. Don’t Give In (Reggae Vocal Version)
B2. Don’t Give In (Reggae Instrumental Version)


Release Info:
Manchester’s balearic synth provocateur Ruf Dug teams up with Private Joy for a sizzling slice of laidback street soul - if the streets were lined with palm trees, that is. Ruffy admits to not having any recollection of making the beat, which adds to the sundrenched, day-dream quality. Modulated pads evaporate in the heat haze, while a synth saxophone riff dances on the breeze, all setting the scene for a tropically-tinged marimba and a piano solo that respectfully nods to Vladimir Cosma’s Sentimental Walk. When Gerd enquired about a possible vocal, Ruffy reached out to Private Joy, who sings like the fate of the track was entwined with her own, and it elevates the track to a whole other soulful level. In true ‘90s tradition, Ruffy delivers an alternate reggae mix for the flip, putting an off-beat bump to the track, while the instrumental versions shine a light on Ruffy’s pitch-perfect production, and provide plenty of ammunition for acapellas of all sorts.



More

LP

Tracklist:

A1 Capitolo 1 Consacrazione
A2 Cities
A3 Drum Talk
A4 Congiuzioni

B1 Capitolo 2 Coscienza
B2 Time Spirals
B3 Giallo assoluto
B4 Ritorno al domani
B5 Capitolo 3 Terra

Release Info:
Rome’s own disco wizard L.U.C.A. aka Francesco De Bellis is back for his second LP Terra, hot on the heels of his Venus 12” EP earlier this year. In this far-reaching album, the Edizioni Mondo founder explores the deteriorating relationship between Man and Nature, and the dire consequences. The album is split into two themes - part one is Consacrazione (Consecration) and side two is Coscienza (Conscience) - as L.U.C.A. charts a trip through mankind’s psychic universe, and imagines worlds beyond our physical dimension.

The opening composition Cities is an uptempo number that slowly comes into focus, as dreamy drum machines emerge from the urban bustle, before settling into a soulful groove as keyboard, upright bass and guitar figures dance across bright percussion. As it builds up a head of steam, the piece gives way to an ambient, tribal breakdown, which is also echoed in the following song, Drum Talk. This second tune sets up in a fourth world dreamscape of drums, synths, and abstracted echo effects, and is peppered with word fragments from the bush of ghosts. By the time we’ve reached the third track, Congiunzione sounds like travelling at singularity speed, beaming in from a future where human consciousness and gaia can finally dance on a cosmic plain.

Part two of Terra details how revelation of the spirit can guide the mind, as Time Spirals rises out of a drum motif with a nod to classic ragas, as a disembodied voice asks questions on the nature of corporeality. The sound design is just as front and centre as the sitar and fretless bass, and the song gives way to a richly-layered soup that sounds like the vast space between atoms. It’s this shift from composition to ambience that is the dynamic core of Terra, giving L.U.C.A. plenty of space to showcase his next-level audio and arranging skills. Midway through part two, Giallo Assoluto begins with reverb tails and choral voices before expanding in brightness and texture until the audio field is practically levitating your hi-fi speakers, vibrating them with drones, twinkling keys and shards of digital noise. The closing composition Ritorno al Domani is a perfect balance of optimism and mystery. Tension and release collapse in on themselves as waves of ambient pads crescendo and then break over stretched-out sonic turbulence, before reversed synths bring the listener to a closing door, and the end of the journey.

It’s a mind-expanding musical exploration of other worlds and parallel universes which are surely all around us, and in many ways serve to remind us of the marvel that is our own planet.






More

Format: 7”

Tracklist

A1. Manctalo Beach - Original
B1. Manctalo Beach - Version


Info:

Manchester producer, DJ and dancefloor spirit guide Ruf Dug gets fruity on his Korg DW8000, for this homage to Manctalo pioneers Red Laser Disco who have revitalised the Italo sound over the last decade. Given that Ruffy lives on the same street as Red Laser head honcho “Il Bosco” it’s unsurprising that his latest release is heavily influenced by his noisy neighbour’s antics.

Manctalo Beach has gone through several versions over the years to arrive, like a chilled Bianco, at the crisp beauty you hear today. Packed with chunky bass arpeggios, pixelated pitch-bent melodies and freeze-frame drum fills, the A-side conjures images of coastline sunsets and waterski waves. Meanwhile on the flip, the bonus beats proceed in a more dubbed disco direction, with acres more space, cascading delays and tripped-out breakdowns. One for your speedboat!




More

Tracklist

A1. Nebula
A2. Optical Bells
B1. Luce Eterna ai Sognatori
B2. Templum Dub


Info:


With the two-part EP Mediterranean Dreams, Perugia producer and composer Feel Fly revisits his musical roots and pays tribute to the sounds and ‘sun-kissed nostalgia’ that informed his style.


Mediterranean Dreams Part 1 collected four tracks, and added that Feel Fly touch of emotive chord progressions and layered production onto cosmic disco grooves to powerful dancefloor effect. Now with Mediterranean Dream Part 2, Feel Fly switches the tempo both up and down, to fully demonstrate his affinity for club moments of all shapes and sizes.


Nebula flies out the gate with full intent, recalling classic Detroit techno while pushing the vibe even more wide-screen - it’s driving, melodic dance music that delivers on the fine details as much as it does on the life-affirming, big picture sentiment.


Optical Bells opens in meditative style, not unlike a new dawn in a Tibetan monastery, before each element of the track slowly reveals itself and assumes its place. It’s an arrangement technique that Feel Fly employs masterfully, and gives the impression of a camera lens moving into focus, or a storyteller setting the scene. The revolving chord changes pull you in and while whisking you away, you’re compelled to engage with the moment - like being asked to dance by a mysterious stranger.


The B side kicks off with Luce Eterna Ai Sognatori, still keeping the tempo high while cherry-picking disco house drum patterns and piano synths with a slight Italo flavor to create an irresistible slice of dancefloor dessert. This is a soundtrack for Sognatori, in whose dreams anything is possible.


The EP finishes up with a superb cut of echoey balearic dub in the form of Templum Dub. Putting the drums through its mixing desk paces, Feel Fly reanimates the drum kit with delays, phasers and flangers, and wraps it up in hazy drifting pads that could accompany any moment of contemplation - from that morning espresso to a midnight phone call.


Mediterranean Dreams Part 2 acts as the perfect compliment to its prequel Part 1, and shows a producer at the height of his powers, reimagining his musical roots and composing a love letter to the sounds and stories of his youth.



More

Tracklist

A1. Onironauta
A2. Grace In Space
B1. Mediterranean Dreams
B2. Becalmed


Info:
Perugia producer, synth collector and linchpin of the underground scene Feel Fly pokes his head above the trenches to deliver a consummate four track EP Mediterranean Dreams - Part 1.

Onironauta rolls up all the best bits of spaced-out disco and italo house into an expansive dancefloor soundtrack that would sound equally at home in a Den Haag squat as by an Ibizan hillside pool. Sounding in turns both futuristic and nostalgic, it sets the tone for the dream-like timezone in which this EP resides.

Meanwhile slowed-down 303 chugger Grace In Space sounds perfect for Room 2 - that is, if the room is on an orbiting space station and someone adjusted the gravity settings. The track concludes the side with timeless balearic drift and a dash of kosmiche afro percussion sprinkled on top.

Flip the 12” over and the title track Mediterranean Dreams seeps through, with more than a slight nod to the summer of ‘88, like a faded photograph. The revolving chord progression and melodic synth phrases that weave through the groove fit together sweeter than the cogs in a swiss watch.

EP closer Becalmed rounds proceedings out in fine cosmic disco style, firing more 16th note lasers through the dry ice than KITT, as melancholic pads float over the rhythm section like a négligée. It’s a stylish way to sign off a collection of tracks that are equal parts fond memory, hopeful optimism, and hazy dance-fuelled hedonism.


More

Tracklist

Dunkler Sonnenaufgang
Erinnerungen
Wüstensonne
Schweben
Wenn Der Tiefe Schlaf
Am Wasserfall
Sonnentanz
Spähren Am Strand
Übergang
Ein Neuer Anfang
War Alles Nur Ein Traum

Info:

Studiogruppe1

Not much is known about the German session musician ensemble Studiogruppe 1 from the ‘70s and ‘80s. It’s believed that the grandfather of one member, known only as V.S., originally soundtracked silent films in theatres - although that hasn’t been proved. Studiogruppe1 never rose to prominence in the heyday of studio groups and library records, but it certainly wasn’t due to lack of trying.

Although it’s unknown who the individual members of Studiogruppe1 were, it’s clear they could find a groove within the machines. It appears the sessions were also engineered by V.S., and there’s plenty of space between the notes, which lends a heady atmosphere of anticipation to the music. Just close your eyes and you will find that the music triggers many scenes from the movies in your mind.

Take the opener Dunkler Sonnenaufgang, for example. Waves lap on the shore line of an alternate Coney Island, while the sound system of an abandoned amusement park plays arpeggios in the distance. Errinungen could complement expansive panoramic time-lapses of natural cycles and rolling clouds. The track Wenn Der Tiefe Schlaf Kommt, might accompany a documentary on REM dream cycles and flotation tanks. Sonnentanz raises the temperature, as act III in every movie narrative should, as protagonists rush to overcome their challenges. Ein Neuer Anfang would perfectly soundtrack the plot twist of any number of thrillers, film noirs, or sci-fi mysteries. Album closer War Alles Nur Ein Traum could supplement slow-motion shots of dawning realization, foreshadowing a betrayal or a cliffhanger.

V.S. and Studiogruppe1 have condensed the evocative sounds of the ’80s into something of an art form. Bringing to mind the lilting melodies and melancholy chord movements of Tangerine Dream, Vangelis or Manuel Göttsching, Studiogruppe1 manage to capture widescreen emotional flash points without the need for celluloid, or barely any visual aid, for that matter. These tracks work just as well in the furnace of your imagination or a dark room filled with dry ice and lasers.

(Short version)

Not much is known about the German session musician ensemble Studiogruppe 1 from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. They never rose to prominence in the heyday of big studios and library records, but it’s clear they could find a groove within the machines. Just close your eyes and you will find that the music triggers many scenes from the movies in your mind.

This collection of tracks could accompany a whole host of scenes, from the plot-twist of a sci-fi noir, to widescreen timelapses, or the slow-motion foreshadowing of a cliffhanger. Studiogruppe1 have condensed the evocative sounds of the ’80s into something of an art form. Bringing to mind the lilting melodies and melancholic chord movements of Tangerine Dream, Vangelis and Manuel Göttsching, Studiogruppe 1 manages to capture emotional flash points without the need for celluloid. These tracks work just as well in the furnace of your imagination or a dark room filled with dry ice and lasers.





More

Tracklist:

Longboat
Stormfront
Changing Tides
Spirit Walk
Unknown Caller
New Dawn
Valley


Info:
Hypernatural, comprises of Dan Whitford, better known as one of the pillars of Melbourne heavyweights Cut Copy, Mirko Vogel, the engineer extraordinaire who has recorded for Modular and Room40, and Mike Gamwell, also known as Knightlife, who’s racked up several releases on Cut Copy’s own Cutters Records. You could say their roots are in Melbourne, Australia, but it seems unfair to pinpoint the trio to any specific location.

That’s because their sound lies somewhere deep in misty forests, or half-remembered dreams and subconscious wells of ancestral emotion. The transformative power of these 7 tracks was no accident however. The music was pieced together during two trips - one to the remote Swedish coast and another to the Scottish highlands. The three producers used a set of guidelines that allowed each of them to compose and arrange tracks separately yet collectively, like a connected Oblique Strategy. They took inspiration from the stark beauty of their natural surroundings, which had a huge effect on the music they were making.

The resulting tracks inhabit a world of their own, full of shimmering arpeggios and drifting pads, taut drums and sound effects. The opening track Longboat cruises into view with white noise washes and galley master rhythms, conjuring Old Norse battleships and a sense of sailing the open sea, destination unknown. The single Stormfront is a depth-charged deep house burner, bristling with atmospheric energy and rolling like thunder. With its cascading synth arpeggios and weighty drops, it swells like moody clouds on the horizon and releases tension like the first rain of a summer storm.

Hypernatural particularly succeeds in its world-building, and there’s a cohesion to the tracks despite their many differences in tempo and style. Spirit Walk joins marimbas with modular pulses, as well as slide guitar and snappy shakers, to bring out some Ry Cooder swagger. Unknown Caller taps into the phone line at the speed of 5G, sending breakbeats down the wire on a cold calling mission to recruit ravers for the next after hours. But there are also tracks nodding to blissed-out comedowns and daydreams. Both Changing Tides and New Dawn slow down time to an introspective moment, a catch of the breath, the witness to a beautiful moment. Album closer Valley harks back to classic rave-era ambient, an avalanche of optimism down a majestic mountainside.

Hypernatural evokes panoramic vistas and serene countryside, and you could certainly imagine it soundtracking a hike along coastal hills, or a field at a festival. But it also resides beyond the pastoral, finding a home in airport departure lounges and autobahn service stations, until it eventually settles down inside us - even without the headphones on.

Stormfront
Hypernatural’s single Stormfront is a depth-charged house-tempo burner, bristling with atmospheric energy and rolling like thunder. With its cascading synth arpeggios, raindance incantation and weighty drops, it swells like moody clouds on the horizon, and releases tension like the first rain of a summer storm.

Credits:
All songs written, produced and mixed by Hypernatural.
Recorded near Simrishamn, Sweden and Loch Monar, Scotland.
Mastered by Ben Feggans at Studios301 Sydney.
Vinyl Cut at Schallplatten Schneid Technik.
Artwork By Dan Whitford. © 2022 International Feel.
Manufactured By RAND Muzik.




More

Tracklist
1. Sabbia Bianca
2. Anatema
3. L’Età Dell’Oro
4. Gaul Tanz
5. Vivo
6. Il Capriccio
7. Epsilon



Info: International Feel welcomes Jolly Mare. Hailing from Italy and being a well-versed producer. Multi-instrumentalist and passionate DJ, his first release on the rekindled label sees him delving deep into the mystical and magical realms of vintage synthesizers, drum machines and effect units (please see back sleeve or below for a full instrument list). Sounding like a one-man band from the late Seventies conferring with a studio wizard from the 2020s, it has all the components of a cosmic or balearic master thesis: traces of Krautrock, Italian pop sensibilities, dance rhythms, cosmic curveballs and capturing chants. The single Vivo melds those ingredients and is just the first bite in an extraordinary Omakase.



More

Tracklist
1. Charly
2. Nothing Here But You and Me
3. Say It’s Gold
4. Save Us feat. Mapei
5. Venice Chocolate
6. Hill St
7. Frosty feat. Julimar Santos
8. New Hall
9. Lorena feat. Mapei
10. Run


Info:
The International Feel label is back from an extended meditation. Well-rested and with a cornucopia of new ideas and records, IFeel is happy to announce the debut album from Charlie Charlie as the starting shot. „Little Things“ is the brainchild of Gabriella Borbély alias Bella Boo and Jens Resch better known as Chords. Born on a beach in Southern California instead of their hometown Stockholm, it is exactly what you would hope for such a record to be: pop music that is informed by hippie or counter culture and by a Balearic ethos (hence the International Feel address) that is free of blinkered definitions. In equal parts, the duo’s ten songs take the listener through honey dripping r&b, while respelling that certain Californian recording studio sound aesthetic, revisit vintage yacht rock and pop tropes as well as they are reflecting dance music influences in a broken, yet gold framed mirror. Most of all, it’s like a day dream that you don’t want to end. To quote our Italian friends from Edizioni Mondo: good listening experience!



Band info:
Charlie is Gabriella Borbély – also known as Stockholm's deep house virtuoso Bella Boo. Charlie is Jens Resch – also known as prodigious producer/musician Chords. The two Charlies met on a beach in Southern California and immediately decided to write a song together.
That first track was built on the sampled sounds of a rusty drainpipe. Charlie fired up a dusty ARP Odyssey and played a woozy solo over the drainpipe beats, then the other Charlie did the same, using that same legendary 70's analogue synth. When they realized the two separately recorded solos played together in perfect harmony, they knew they had to keep heading down their newly found, shared musical path.
Charlie & Charlie have since continued making music together, describing their common process as liberating, free-flowing, genre-less. "Little Things", their debut album, is made up of tracks recorded in Los Angeles and Stockholm, using that very same ARP as well as pianos, electric guitars and machines like the Prophet 6, the Juno-106 and the Syncussion SY-1. Vocal contributions come from the Charlies themselves as well as friends like Mapei and Julimar Santos.

"Little Things" is released 09.07.2021 through International Feel.


More

Tracklist
A1. Save Us feat. Mapei
B1. Charly


Info:
The 71st release on International Feel is not only the wake-up-call from the label’s well-deserved lull, but also the constitution of Charlie Charlie.Consisting of Gabriella Borbély alias Bella Boo and Jens Resch better known as Chords, their genesis didn’t happen in their home port Stockholm, but on a beach in Southern California – and the music kid of gives it away, too. „Save Us“ takes a sun bath in pop melodies with infectious vocals of Mapei and a cabriolet ride on the proverbial highway, while „Charly“ is its instrumental counterpart that would sound good on any beach on this planet and was to be expected on a label like International Feel. Balearic on a meta-level and soon to be experienced in full album mode. Hey Charlie!

More

12" vinyl with full cover print

TRACKLIST:

A1 Halide Part 1
A2 Make Me Scream

B1 Tor 8
B2 Astra


INFO:

When writing his album Fusion, Len Faki never quite knew where the creative process would take him. Eventually it transported his sound into an all new realm, where he could show 360 degrees his talents and styles. Finally finding completion as a mighty double LP, the Figure x37 EP takes four of the album's new cuts to be presented in this special format ahead of the official release of Fusion.

An important corner stone of the album, the Halide tracks were made in remembrance of Faki's late mother, who passed away during the last production stage of the LP. These delicate tracks, which both feature the voice of Halide, capture the intense sadness Faki was feeling at the time and helped him to process his grief and eventually finish off the album. Part 1 is a softly mourning, melancholic breakbeat ballad, musically reminiscent of the chillout rooms Faki found himself spending a lot of time at going out to clubs throughout the 90s. The much darker second part,
echoing the hopeless bleeps of a heart rate monitor, will only be released on the full album.

Next to this very personal track are more examples of Faki's versatility as an artist, who has seen it all and now uses the album format to work without any constraints or expectations.

A gentle yet gritty electro homage, Make Me Scream is a take on the classic breakbeat from days long gone, with hollow drums and a mysteriously sweet vocal lurking underneath the track's soothing pads and lively synth riffs.

On Tor 8 Faki combines his driving techno and strong melodic elements, subdued chords rising to create an atmosphere of euphoria, while a classic bleep keeps things on track.

Astra (taken from Fusion's more straight-laced disc one) is the most punchy outing of the record, but it still comes with a myriad of detailed sounds to explore amongst its tight-knit rhythmic corset. Twinkly synths slowly rise to make the track bloom into its full, exuberantly colourful form.

With x37 readied, it's only a few weeks until the final release of the Fusion double-album. Here at Figure we can't wait to let you explore the full range of the singular sound that Len Faki has created.

More

Territories: World excl. UK + North America

FORMAT FORMAT 2LP, 180g vinyl, silverpantone printed sleeve w/ UV spot varnish, incl. download code with digital bonus tracks

Tracklist 2LP:
A1 Intro: Temple Of Dos De Agua 01:00
A2 Andreaen Sand Dunes 06:15
A3 Running Out Of Space 01:54
A4 Universal Element 01:55
B1 Habitat 'O' Negative 05:16
B2 Funk Release Valve 03:06
B3 Organic Hydropoly Spores 02:07
B4 Draining Of The Tanks 02:43
C1 Surface Terrestrial Colonization 06:56
C2 Oxyplasmic Gyration Beam 04:17
D1 Triangular Hydrogen Strain 03:55
D2 Bottom Feeders 03:25
D3 C To The Power Of X + C To The Power Of X=MM=Unknown 02:35

Release Info:
Tresor Records is proud to announce forthcoming special editions of its entire catalogue of Drexciya and related projects. 2022 marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of James Stinson and the releases of the Transllusion and Shifted Phases albums. In recognition, the rightsholders, their families, and the label have commissioned Detroit-based contemporary artist Matthew Angelo Harrison to re-conceptualize the covers of Tresor's Drexciya-related catalogue. These editions will be released sequentially, bimonthly, starting early-September 2022.

The series starts with Neptune's Lair, first released in 1999, with the Hydro Doorways single arriving shortly after. In November, Harnessed The Storm and Digital Tsunami are coming. In 2023 comes the release of Transllusion in February. The series is completed by the long-awaited re-release of Shifted Phases - The Cosmic Memoirs Of The Late Great Rupert J. Rosinthrope - at the end of March.

These records, individually and as a catalogue, represent some of the most crucial moments in the Tresor label history, with the sound and mythic world of Drexciya undoubtedly inspiring generations.
More

Genre: Techno


Tracklist 12":
A1 Introversion – Hard Feelings
A2 Introversion - Dreamcore
B1 Introversion - Backrooms
B2 Introversion – Picsmics4



Short Info: raw 90s driven techno cuts

Mastering & lacquer cut by Kassian Troyer at Dubplates & Mastering Berlin

More

Format Notes: 2024 first-time 12" reissue pairing of previously hyper-rare tracks, 140g vinyl, mastered by Simon Francis


Track List:

A1 Falling In Love
B1 Happy (Love Mix)

Release Notes:

Two seminal 12" mixes of a pair of enormous tracks from Surface. Housed in the super-rare and - until now - French-only picture sleeve of the eternal "Falling In Love", we've backed that classic with Be With's favourite deconstructed mix of the swirling electronic soul / synth-driven slow jam "Happy". These sought-after versions have never been paired on the same record before. This fresh Be With edition ensures these legendary tracks now sound, looks and feel as sensational as they deserve to. You know what to do...

American post-disco/R&B trio Surface were a New Jersey vocal group made up of Bernard Jackson, David Townsend and David Conley. The majesty of boogie ballad "Falling In Love" was their first single, released in 1983 on Salsoul Records. The mellow magic of this track is loved the world over; it's a feel-good smooth boogie jam that's forever coveted. The slick, crystal clear beat, the legendary minimoog bassline, the melody, Karen Copeland's superb vocal, the great flute solo (referenced on the cover) all of it is literally perfect and beautifully encapsulates that mid 80s international club vibe. This here is the original Shep Pettibone mix in its entirety - it's the only one you really need.

Flip for the legendary "Love Mix" of 1987 hit single “Happy". You all know the original. At least, you *should* all know it. But the "Love Mix" is a deconstructed, boldly produced mix which is the one the heads have turned to for so long. Yet, in our opinion, its hypnotic groove has flown under the radar for too many years. This killer remix begins with Jackson's spine-tingling isolated vocal, cleverly subverting expectations by actually delivering the first words of the original's second verse "You must be Heaven sent...Sent into my life...And I compliment you baby...Baby" before a heavy 808 drum kicks hard with echoey handclaps. It's super sparse and a dubbed out slow-mo boogie banger like no other. The synth bass, atmospheric synth pads and synthesized flute glide in and out with effortless style and the whole thing is a wonder to behold.

It's a slow jam, for sure, but crafted in the straight up funk tradition, using the digital tools of the day and this sparser than sparse version almost sounds like a precursor to UK Street Soul. A unique combination of undeniable funk, electro beats and an earnest, youthful tenor; it should be slamming out of every jeep forevermore.

Simon Francis remastered the original audio for both tracks and Cicely Balston's precise cut for Alchemy at AIR Studios ensures this 12" well and truly slaps. The immaculate Record Industry pressing will ensure this incredibly sought-after treasure finds a home in many more collections, this and every year. Simply flawless.
More

FORMAT 12” 180g, T30 Obi Strip, full printed sleeve, incl. Download Code

TRACKLIST

1./A1 Free Your Body 5:58
2./A2 Mr Kinney 6:05
3./B1 Bipolar 5:46
4./B2 Life 5:00
5./B3 7000 Miles 4:45

Release Note:

Ignore expectations and Free Your Body.
Travel a new path and Free Your Body.
Accept the limitations and Free Your Body.
Free your mind then Free Your Body.
Move to the beat and Free Your Body.
We encourage you to Free Your Body.
More

12” vinyl with full cover print

TRACKLIST:

A1 Mastermind
A2 What We Do With Our Time
A3 Relentless
B1 Rising
B2 Cosmic Traveler


INFO:

A year from his latest release on Figure, Arthur Robert clocks back in with two full EPs.

The first one is a jam-packed 5-tracker, sporting full-on peak time thrill rides such as electrifying elated opener Mastermind or its more brawny brother, the bellowing beast that is stab-driven roller Relentless. But x31 features also Robert’s more introspective side, be it the glowing experimental excursion of What We Do With Our Time or the dreamy half-time stepper Cosmic Traveler. Fans of his more hypnotic techno productions will find joy in the modular magic of Rising, hinting at what’s to come on x32…











More

Genre: Techno, Tech-House, Trance


Tracklist 12":

A1 – Endless Summer (08:11)


Info:

A surprising, timeless summer anthem by Rico Puestel like it was born on Ibiza!

More

Genre: Deep House

Track list:

A1 That Rhythm
A2 Maceo
B Clive by Night

Release Info:

Clive From Accounts is finally back on Dirt Crew Recordings! After some excellent contributions and remixes for the highly acclaimed New York based “Razor-N-Tape” imprint, he graced us again with three new gems that show the great diversity in his productions. Since his first “Cooking the Books EP” in 2021 and the follow up “Pearls EP” in 2022 he has continued to build a strong following of fans, so we know for sure a lot of you have been waiting on new tracks by him.

The uplifting opener “That Rhythm” is a smooth deep house roller with chopped up dusty samples, inspired by the US and French masters but with a heavy UK sub bass added. Following up is the wonderfully crafted “Maceo”, a groovy instrumental jazz funk workout built around the genius of The JBs legends Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker.

Closing out this new EP is the acid laden and also title track “Clive by Night”, deep and lush house music that we love him for since his first release on our label, here he’s finding joy in deep evolving repetition, it’s an ode to the 303 and Xpander. Best played at night.

Get in these 3 new hitters from Clive now, we are looking forward to hear these played out in dark clubs and wide open fields this late summer and golden fall. Enjoy!

All tracks mastered by Salz Mastering in Cologne. Photography & Art by Break 3000.



More

2x 12” colored vinyl with full cover print

TRACKLIST:

A1 Sound Stream – Love Jam (Hardspace Mix)

B1 Kenny Larkin x Alex Reece – Loop 2 (Hardspace Mix)
B2 Andrei Morant – Simple Addition (Hardspace Mix)

C1 Russian Roulette – I Believe (Hardspace Mix)

D1 DJ Rush – Don’t You Love Me (Hardspace Mix)
D2 Damon Wild – Gearbox (Hardspace Mix)


INFO:

Len Faki returns as Hardspace for part three of his new remix-series, giving his favorite tunes a new life on the dancefloor.

An unusual pairing at first glance, Hardspace takes up Soundstream’s anthem Love Jam from 2006, the kind of Detroit-tinged disco edit to drop in the peak moment of techno set.

Then it’s rewind time to another decade, when DnB-Veteran Alex Reece was remixing Motorcity icon Kenny Larkin. Hardspace’s mix of Loop 2 retains the playful jazzy notes and growling bassline of the original and turns its oldschool breakbeats into a snappy 4x4-groove.

The deadly effective tool that is Andrei Morant’s Simple Addition makes for a perfect base to build upon for Faki’s signature editing style, emphasizing the plastic shuffle of grooving percussive elements while adding some booming low-end.

DJ Rush features with two vocal-heavy cuts on this release: first up the Russian Roulette-hymn I Believe, which sounds even trippier in the stripped-back Hardspace version; then a creepy while sexy mix of Don’t You Love Me that steadily builds tension for minutes before slowly giving way to a seductive beat.

Closing out with a bang, Damon Wild’s Gearbox from 1995 gets a rework: the full power acid-riff is still working its magic but now sounding much more punchy and to the point in this tidied up Hardspace edit.



More