San Jose slowcore/space rock outfit Duster returns with surprise album "In Dreams," continuing their of inclination of sonically capturing an open-ended question. These thirteen tracks hone in on their trademark dark, droning guitar tones, dialed back percussion, and alluring hard-panned vocals while expanding and exploring synth-heavy and drum machine avenues.

it's the fifth duster album, ok
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Aqua Tofana Colourless Vinyl!

San Jose slowcore/space rock outfit Duster returns with surprise album "In Dreams," continuing their of inclination of sonically capturing an open-ended question. These thirteen tracks hone in on their trademark dark, droning guitar tones, dialed back percussion, and alluring hard-panned vocals while expanding and exploring synth-heavy and drum machine avenues.

it's the fifth duster album, ok
More

Tracklisting
A1 iO Mulen - Rock like This
A2 iO Mulen - Your Space
B1 iO Mulen - How Do You Say
B2 iO Mulen - Emergency
C1 iO Mulen - Come With Me
C2 iO Mulen - Bass for Love
D1 iO Mulen - Trance Mission
D2 iO Mulen - I'm Waiting For More

Tracklisting
A1 Steve Bicknell - Basic questions
A2 Steve Bicknell - Magnitude of such
B1 Steve Bicknell - Construction of thousands
B2 Steve Bicknell - Mobile terminals
C1 Steve Bicknell - A single process
C2 Steve Bicknell - Accelerating others
D1 Steve Bicknell - They speak
D2 Steve Bicknell - Adverse effects

Sales Note
RE-ISSUE / RE-MASTERED / RE-PRESSED
Steve Bicknell - Lost Recordings 1

This is a seminal double LP consisting of 8 tracks by Steve Bicknell (originally released in 1996)
from one of UK's most influential techno / electronic labels Cosmic Records - to introduce the incredible series LOST RECORDINGS

Rich, raw and unpredictable - every single one of these tracks sounds FRESH as ever!

In the 90/00's in London, Steve Bicknell was at the forefront of techno as a producer and DJ but also as a promoter (of the event series LOST) More

RAWAX proudly presents the 3rd release by Ricardo Villalobos non his own series!
This time we have the honor to unveil "HEIKE", originally released on LOFI Stereo in 1998. This gem will be available only on Vinyl! More

Alta Ripa signifies a seismic shift in Ben Lukas Boysen's artistic journey. It revisits the foundational impulses of his youth, shaped amidst the serene beauty of rural Germany—a bucolic backdrop where his creative palette flourished. However, it was his move to Berlin in the early 2000s that electrified his sound, infusing it with the city’s pulsating energy and diverse cultural influences. Alta Ripa captures this transformative experience, blending the introspective melodies of his rural beginnings with the bold, experimental tones born from Berlin’s vibrant electronic music scene. This album is a testament to Boysen’s evolution, showcasing how geographical shifts can profoundly shape artistic expression.

Boysen’s fourth studio album under his own name, Alta Ripa is a nod to his beginnings as much as a hint to his future, and as a work, it’s almost contradictory in its boldness and humility. He invites the listener on a journey of self-discovery; both for himself and for them, describing the music as “something the 15-year-old in me would have liked to hear but only the grown-up version of myself can write.”

Boysen doesn’t consider himself to be part of any one musical tradition, due to the eclecticism of his own tastes, and because he’s never really been part of any specific scene. It’s not so much a lack of consistency as it is an appreciation for a wide range of different approaches – he’s constantly challenging himself to evolve musically.

Take for example his early origins in noise music under the moniker Hecq, where he explores inspirations from a variety of genres like left-field electronica, break-core and techno. Later, he began to work in parallel under his own name, focussing on writing more structured and textured electronic music, incorporating acoustic instrumentation. Boysen has also worked extensively as a composer for film, TV, video games, multimedia installations and fashion designers including Alexander McQueen.

His last two albums involved working closely with other musicians, including cellist Anne Müller, flugelhorn player Steffen Zimmer, and drummer Achim Färber. However, inspired in part by a recent return to live performance, Alta Ripa sees Boysen circling back to his passion for pure computer music. As he explains:

“After nearly 20 years in Berlin, I’ve had countless exchanges and encounters with wonderful artists that have reflected on my work and albums. But this little town Altrip – that I in some ways have never really left – with its distant memories, kept moving back to the front of my mind and encouraged me to take everything that I’ve learned and that I am today "back home” so to speak. I wanted to artistically return to the place that formed and inspired me before life got too complicated, and tap back into that world with today's experiences. Somehow going back and starting from scratch at the same time, to write an album that is simultaneously my oldest and newest record.”

For Boysen, the return to his youthful musical language marks a major turning point in his career. It represents a departure from his roots in classical music – his mother was an opera singer and his father an actor with an appreciation for Wagner, Arvo Pärt, Keith Jarrett, and Stockhausen. Although these are still important influences, Alta Ripa encapsulates a new, exploratory interplay between Boysen’s careful craft and his ability to let go of some of the process.

The album’s title comes from the original Roman name of the town that Boysen grew up in, Altrip, where he lived until his early twenties. This formative period is central to the ideas behind this album, from Boysen’s parental ‘schooling’ in classical music through to his sonic journeys through drum and bass, Aphex Twin, and Autechre — all of which changed his idea of what music could be. The extreme energy of tracks like ‘Acperience 1’ by Hardfloor, ‘Tracks & Fragment’ by Cari Lekebusch, ‘Focus2 Implan’ by Jiri.Ceiver, and ‘Low On Ice’ by Alec Empire are also pivotal influences.

For Boysen, this time of his musical development also involved knocking down the pillars that he previously thought had carried his world. A key moment for Boysen was being given a precious (pre-internet) club cassette at school that featured artists like Source Direct, Photek and Goldie. Excited by this new discovery, he introduced his father to the song ‘Dred Bass’ by Dead Dred. After the song finished, Boysen Sr. turned off the tape and proclaimed it was “the end of all music”. This heated exchange sparked a new, and more mature dialogue between the two that involved them sharing and discussing music on a regular basis.

Boysen’s classical and jazz music upbringing might not be easily noticeable from the electronic palette that he uses. But it can be found in its bones; the structure of the tracks and their dynamic shifts. On Alta Ripa, he intentionally embraces a spirit of controlled chaos, churning out sonic ideas to see what sticks. While this isn’t a straight-up Jackson Pollock approach, his use of modular analogue synths means he is forced to let go of some of his responsibility for the end result because each pattern created is distinctive and unique every time. With the help of this modular setup, he’s learned how to create the foundations for new ideas to blossom, somehow both nostalgic and new at once.

One of Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategy cards contains the phrase “gardening, not architecture”, and the trajectory of Boysen’s creative path reflects this metaphor. In much of his previous work he followed a sort of Brutalist architect’s approach; here, he was fully responsible for the tracks’ austere structures and planned them with deliberate care. But by sacrificing some of that control on Alta Ripa, he sets the right conditions for a dark and unpredictable, organic growth. It’s a push forward into a new world. More

Repress!

On Back Up: Mexican Tecno Pop, Dark Entries brings us 10 divergent tracks of Mexican electronics from 1980-1989, full of skittering analog drum boxes and saucy synthesizer hooks. 8 of these songs were culled from the 2005 CD-only compilation Backup: Expediente Tecno Pop on AT-AT records. Also included are two previously unreleased cuts. This release marks the first time many of these songs will have appeared on vinyl; it is also the first ever vinyl compilation of Mexican New Wave and post-punk.

While synth pop and obscure electronics from Europe and the United States have been extensively documented, much less attention has been paid to such offerings from the periphery. Back Up serves as a vital document of Mexico’s flourishing DIY scene in the 1980’s, surveying a wide range of styles and moods. By using home recording techniques, the bands featured here were able to circumvent relying on the expensive studios of the era. Tracks by Avant Garde, Vandana, and Silueta Pálida mine the kind of dreary-but-infectious wave that long-time Dark Entries fans will celebrate. Meanwhile, Volti and Artefacto offer a floor-ready pop sound that has echoes of NY freestyle, with Latin percussion and boxy beats. But darker turns are present as well, with Década 2’s New Beat-inflections and electro experiments of Syntoma and their side project Escuadrón Del Ritmo.

Back Up: Mexican Tecno Pop was remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. The sleeve is a neon retro-futurist design by Gwenaël Rattke. Also included is a 12-page booklet printed on neon green, pink, and orange paper, which features photographs, band biographies, lyrics, and liner notes. More

Dark Entries returns to Mexico with Back Up Dos: Mexican Tecno Pop 1982-1989. Following 2021’s Back Up compilation, Back Up Dos delivers 10 more tracks of synth-pop and New Beat, 7 of which have never before appeared on vinyl. From mutant drum machine beats to irresistible synthesizer hooks, fans of the fringes of the 80s will find songs to stir their cold, dark hearts. But Back Up Dos does more than mine retro kitsch; it documents the development of a rich DIY music scene that is still underexplored. As affordable samplers and digital synths spread throughout the decade, post-punk and new wave gave way to more aggressive EBM and cyberpunk sounds. The scene also developed in opposition to the political climate of the times: the rise of the drug cartels and a reactionary turn in national politics. Using home recording techniques, these bands took cues from the electronic wizardry of the Human League and Wax Trax Records while reflecting the vibrant and chaotic Mexican cultural landscape of the era. On Back Up Dos, impeccable pop anthems from Casino Shanghai and Los Agentes Secretos sit alongside gnarled obscurities from Ford Proco and María Bonita, showcasing a decade of sly deviance and enthusiastic experimentation. This album comes housed in an 80s-inflected neon sleeve designed by Gwenael Rattke and includes a 12-page booklet with photographs, lyrics, and notes. Back Up Dos compiles synthetic music produced in Mexico at the crossroads from Tecno Pop to Post-Industrial, nourished by culture shock and stories of dystopian worlds. More

Z Records proudly presents Vol.3 in its 90’s House & Garage compilation series, this time presented by Jeremy Underground, a man who should need no introduction when it comes to all things House & Garage. Jeremy is a passionate record collector, DJ, music lover whose collection and knowledge surpasses his years of collecting and he’s made it his personal mission to bring the warm vibes of this sound back and showcase the spirit of this golden era in House. His third ever House music compilation and much like the previous two in this series, the compiler digs deep into his collection to select tracks that haven’t been re-released digitally and, in one case, never released at all! Meaning a lot of the tracks included here are being digitised for the very first time. Sourcing material from the original DAT tapes of the artists or in some cases painstakingly transferred from Vinyl, cleaned and treated to the highest professional standards of today. Split over two parts on Gatefold Double 12” Vinyl, Double CD or Digital/Streaming for the first time, this is a very carefully curated album, showcasing a deep love & understanding for the sound represented here, from what is a definitive decade for House & Garage. Featuring tracks and remixes from the likes of Kerri Chandler, Murk & 95 North…
Tracklist Under Embargo More

Contrafact continue their mission to deliver high-quality, groundbreaking electronic music with the release of seminal Dutch electronic producer Orlando Voorn’s ‘Power Of Beauty EP’.

Recognized as one of the pioneers of Dutch techno who forged a significant connection between Detroit and Amsterdam in the 90s, in his early days he was a scratch master competing at a high level in the DMC World championships. Producing music over the years under many monikers, that led on to a collab with another techno pioneer Juan Atkins. Voorn recorded for KMS and Kevin Saunderson under the alias ‘Fix’, for Derrick May's Fragile imprint as ‘Complex’, and with his later album In My World out on Rush Hour. Voorn had more weighty collaborations like his album Frequency vs. Juan Atkins on OUTER Records. He put out on Jeff Mills Axis, and on Kompakt all the time demonstrating his production brilliance and versatility across the genres.

This new deep house masterpiece features four original tracks and a remix from the mighty DJ QU. The New Jersey producer and DJ earned this title ‘The Dancers DJ’ in Resident Advisor’s feature on the US East Coast house renaissance. He has consistently lived up to this reputation with a series of rhythmic, dark, and stripped-down productions on his own imprint Strength Music, Rekids, Desolat, and Mule Musiq. Renowned for his leftfield style, QU reimagines ‘Sound of Now’ with a deeper, more hypnotic edge, infusing the track with his signature rhythmic complexity

The title cut delivers a deep, soulful groove that combines lush melodies with intricate rhythms, encapsulating the essence of beauty in sound. ‘Sound of Now’ is a sonic journey through contemporary deep house, blending rich textures with a driving beat that captures the pulse of the present. ‘Leftfield Essence’ pushes the boundaries of deep house with its experimental elements, creating a soundscape that is both intriguing and immersive. Closer ‘Peach Town’ offers a more mellow vibe, perfect for those laid-back moments on the dance floor.eady stellar collection. More

Mighty Vertebrate is the International Anthem debut from Anna Butterss. The Adelaide born bassist / composer has been a first call for LA tour and studio work since relocating there in 2014 – racking up credits with notables across the experimental, jazz, and pop worlds alike – but their most notable contributions to the burgeoning LA scene have been as a member of both Jeff Parker’s ETA IVtet and rising proto-trance supergroup SML, who Pitchfork says “represents the thrilling next phase of a vibrant L.A. community.”

“I had just gotten off of a bunch of touring at the end of 2022 and just wanted to write music,” says Butterss. “The best way for me to do that, I’ve found, is to set myself a discreet and focused task."

I’m going to make a song where the bass doesn’t function in the role of a bass.
I’m going to work on this for an hour and then I’m going to stop.
I’m going to make a song that uses groups of three-bar phrasing.
I want to sample something and make it into a song.
I’m going to start with a drum machine.

The music itself reflects that structure beautifully, with the material being tightly
composed and melodically realized by Butterss well in advance of production concerns. Here they reconvene a group of trusted longtime collaborators to bring their compositions to fruition: Ben Lumsdaine (drums, guitar, production), Josh Johnson (sax), and Gregory Uhlmann (guitar), plus a smoking guest appearance from Jeff Parker. The breadth and scope of the results might have been difficult to achieve otherwise. From the Robbie-Shakespeare-in-groove-mode intro to the album opener “Bishop” to the spacious cinematic doom of “Seeing You”, there is a lot to wrangle into one cohesive concept. On Mighty Vertebrate, Butterss and crew do just that. More

Mini-LP!

Part 3 in Legowelt's latest project "Hermit in a Rave Cave". Even lower slung house tracks with a twist from the unpredictable and unparalleled brain that roams the dunes of the Hague. Also responsible for Salamandos, Squadra Blanco, Polarius and a swath of other mysterious aliases. More

Z Records proudly presents Vol.3 in its 90’s House & Garage compilation series, this time presented by Jeremy Underground, a man who should need no introduction when it comes to all things House & Garage. Jeremy is a passionate record collector, DJ, music lover whose collection and knowledge surpasses his years of collecting and he’s made it his personal mission to bring the warm vibes of this sound back and showcase the spirit of this golden era in House. His third ever House music compilation and much like the previous two in this series, the compiler digs deep into his collection to select tracks that haven’t been re-released digitally and, in one case, never released at all! Meaning a lot of the tracks included here are being digitised for the very first time. Sourcing material from the original DAT tapes of the artists or in some cases painstakingly transferred from Vinyl, cleaned and treated to the highest professional standards of today. Split over two parts on Gatefold Double 12” Vinyl, Double CD or Digital/Streaming for the first time, this is a very carefully curated album, showcasing a deep love & understanding for the sound represented here, from what is a definitive decade for House & Garage. Featuring tracks and remixes from the likes of Kerri Chandler, Murk & 95 North…
Tracklist Under Embargo More