Rights: World excluding France, UK & Eire, EAN: 5060555212650

Special Remarks:
- 2LP heavyweight 180g vinyl edition in gatefold sleeve, printed with a metallic pantone. Printed inner-sleeves.
Complete 2019 Remaster of all the original Tracks,
Sticker for Download card included with 29-Track Download Card includes the complete full length 3 CD album Incl. NEW remixes from Demonz [Gremlinz & Jesta Remix] Demonz [Martyn's Full Circle Mix] Crystal Clear [DjRUM Remix] Crystal Clear [HLZ Remix] , Dragonfly [Dengue Dengue Dengue Remix] as well as 2019 Remastered RMX´s by Grooverider, Optical, DJ Muggs, MJ Cole, VIP, Belief System and more!

Tracklist:

Vinyl:
A1. I'll Be There For You / A2. Chico - Death Of A Rockstar / B1. Fury - The Origin / B2. Crystal Clear
C1. Demonz / C2. Digital / C3. Temper Temper / D1. Letter Of Fate / D2. Truth / D3. Dragonfly

Short info:

"Timeless", Goldie's first album in 1995, changed the face of the musical culture in England by democratizing the drum & bass scene, conscripting Goldie as a local star. But not only: with the
enthusiastic support from artists such as David Bowie, he crossed the Channel and the Atlantic.
However, while everyone was waiting impatiently the following of "Timeless", Goldie had other plans: with "Saturnz Return" (1998) he came back with a concept album of 150 minutes (in its CD version), innovative, experimental and cleavable.
21 years later, his radical and innovative vision was taken up and adapted by many artists, from Carl Craig to Pete Tong. For the first time, thanks to London Music Stream label, "Saturnz Return" is finally ready to receive the critical reception it should have received when it was released. The avant-garde has become a reference.



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21 exclusive tracks.

5x12" Klapp-Box Set MMLP 003, colored vinyl, incl. download code, “30 Jahre Muna” Poster, “10 Jahre Muna Musik” Poster, stickers

- blue marbled vinyl - LP1 (Side A/AA)
- green marbled vinyl - LP2 (Side B/BB)
- yellow marbled vinyl - LP3 (Side C/CC)
- pink marbled vinyl - LP4 (Side D/DD)
- gold marbled vinyl - LP5 (Side E/EE)

Special remarks: limited to 300 copies, hand numbered,
Genre: Electronic/DeepHouse/Jungle

Tracklist:
A1: Super Flu - Nos Crub (05:36)
A2: Marco Resmann - Zero In (04:52)
AA1: Sarah Wild - Night Shift (04:39)
AA2: Sierra - Dirty Thirty (06:40)
B1: Mathias Kaden - Muna 1994 (06:17)
B2: Douglas Greed - Sleeping In Shifts (05:32)
BB1: Kristin Velvet - Katamaran (06:46)
BB2: Norman Weber feat. JuKa - Fabulous Muna (05:15)
C1: Robag Wruhme - Trip This (05:54)
C2: Thomas Stieler - Meet You At Foyer (06:23)
CC1: Daniel Stefanik - In Search Of Slowly (06:34)
CC2: TKR - Anymore (04:08)
D1: Matthias Tanzmann - You Just (05:57)
D2: youANDme - All Fine (06:31)
DD1: Leeni & Danilo Kupfernagel - Vida Única (06:43)
DD2: 2HundredEight feat. Matti - Pretend (04:52)
E1: Luna City Express feat. Kenneth Avera - 30Yrs of Muna (06:17)
E2: Click Click & Defex feat. Leah Raider - Raw Cutz 6.1 (06:00)
EE1: Langstrumpf - Drop Out (05:20)
EE2: TimBrix - Sound Invasion (04:08)
EE3: Politone - Thirty Prayers (04:41)

A1. Super Flu – Nos Crub
"Nos Crub" is another work by the Halle-based tech house export Super Flu that lands on our 30 years of Muna sampler. In typical Super Flu style, there is a harmonious composition with a synthesizer theme, subtly spiced strings and piano tracks, as well as a psychedelic-tinged vocal. The whole thing is based on a bassline that is absolutely suitable for clubs and goes wonderfully with everything from a club to a huge open air venue.
A2. Marco Resmann - Zero In
There is also a contribution from Marco Resmann to our 30 years of Muna compilation. "Zero In" is a beautiful piece of house music, starts atmospherically, builds up with added instrumental tracks and a kind of psychedelic vocal to create a beautifully saucy listening experience, far from prime time mass-produced algorithm optimized house! Category: Morning hours, recommendation: listen on repeat!
AA1. Sarah Wild – Night Shift
Sarah Wild adds "Night Shift" to our 30 years of Muna compilation. The driving piece starts with some break beats in the first few seconds, builds up nicely with some electronica elements and a spherical synth pattern and stands on a stable base of a club-friendly bassline!
AA2. Sierra – Dirty Thirty
Our local hero Sierra contributed the piece called "Dirty Thirty" with a wink to our 30 years of Muna compilation. A clean house piece with a bassline that could be described as well-fed. A subtle vocal, little acid and some synth sounds finish the tune wonderfully.
B1. Mathias Kaden – Muna 1994
With Mathias Kaden an artist who truly and undoubtedly belongs to the DNA of Muna also delivers a work to our 30 years of Muna compilation. With "Muna 1994" the title itself is a homage to the club and in 6:16 minutes it accurately describes what happens here regularly in the hall and foyer - driving powerhouse with a typical Mathias Kaden sound! An energetic bassline mixes with hi hat and clap, along with harmoniously arranged synth themes and vocals that come in at exactly the right time.
B2. Douglas Greed – Sleeping in Shifts
A song by the Berlin based Douglas Greed, “Sleeping in Shifts,” also ends up on our 30 years of Muna compilation. A wonderfully complex and melodic piece of electronic dance music. Spherical sounds, synths or vocals, the individual tracks begin smoothly and are arranged in a melancholic mood with an almost instrumental like drum loop. As usual from him, much more than just a dance floor tool!
BB1. Kristin Velvet – Katamaran
Kristin Velvet's "Katamaran" is part of our 30 years of Muna compilation. A beautiful, slightly twisted house piece that fits perfectly with the first rays of sunshine on an open air floor in summer. A dominant synth theme runs through the entire tune, varies very pleasantly and
increases the atmosphere in the tune until a break in the last third. The danceability of the bassline remains constant.
BB2. Norman Weber feat JuKa – Fabulous Muna
We'll take that as a compliment! With "Fabulous Muna", a tune by Norman Weber also appears on our 30 years of Muna compilation. Together with JuKa, he serves up a wonderfully soulful piece of house. Percussion, kick drum and a wavy bass track form the basis, plus there are subtle synth sounds, pads and vocals. Diverse, Latin-like and groove in its DNA! This Sound fits the Muna like photo dumps in the timelines of people under 30 and really makes you want to dance!
C1. Robag Wruhme – Trip-This
As an artist and person also part of the history and present of the Muna club - with "Trip This" there is also a piece of music on our 30 years of Muna sampler created by Robag Wruhme. The connoisseur can certainly name the artist and year of production after the first 15 seconds. The typical floating Robag Wruhme bassline can also be found here. After all the elements are introduced in the first half, a break is followed by a wonderful marriage of all tracks to a deep, melancholic finale of this tune!
C2. Thomas Stieler – Meet You At Foyer
Full-time nice guy and Munich resident by choice Thomas Stieler also sends us a tune for our 30 years of Muna compilation. “Meet you at the Foyer” can and should be understood as an invitation to visit us! The modern, clean piece of house music grooves excellently and arranges all tracks wonderfully equally and without any hecticness. The wobbly bassline creates an energetic and danceable base to this great produced song.
CC1. Daniel Stefanik – In Search of Slowly
Daniel Stefanik from Leipzig, a Muna veteran, has also created a tune for our 30 years of Muna long player "In Search of Slowly" is a wonderfully slightly swirly, deep piece of house music. The powerful bassline, together with a surface sound in the background, frames a dominant, spacey synth theme. A tune for the early hours of the morning, not packed, just right and with a lot of pressure from the subs!
CC2. TKR – Anymore
Muna stands for diversity since its birth! So our 30 years of Muna compilation also includes broken beats, which have always been part of Muna. With "Anymore", Jena based drum'n bass veteran TKR contributes a wonderfully melancholic liquid DnB tune. Surfaces that are reminiscent of early Chase & Status works, a smooth and very subtle piano and a never intrusive.
D1. Matthias Tanzmann – You Just
With "You Just" there is a piece of house music by Matthias Tanzmann that practically screams for the dance floor on our 30 years of Muna compilation. The first few seconds of crisp hi-hats get you dancing straight away, and the beat that starts after makes it clear. What follows is an energetic interplay of percussion, deep synth sounds and a very subtle vocal, all that in a harmonic way. Makes you want to go to Ibiza, whether it's a club or a beach party!
D2. youANDme – All Fine
In addition to a calendar jam-packed with international gigs and productions for many other labels, youANDme also contributes a tune to our 30 Years of Muna sampler with "All Fine". The deep, atmospheric piece of house music comes minimally from the speakers, but feels absolutely complete. The deep bassline is complemented by slightly broken percussions, a minimalistic piano sound and is crowned by a subtle vocal.
DD1. Leeni & Danilo Kupfernagel – Vida Única
With "Vida Única", a fresh piece of House Music by Leeni & Danilo Kupfernagel also lands on our 30 years of Muna record. What comes along as a classic house stomper in the first few seconds develops into a beautifully melodic, atmospheric tune through the spherical surface that starts as smooth as peach skin after 30 seconds. It slowly builds up over the next 4 minutes, always leaving room for the absolutely danceable bass line.
DD2. 2HundredEight feat Matti – Pretend
Electronic dance music has also included broken beats since the end of the 80s. It's all the better that we have included some of these tunes on the 30 Years of Muna sampler as well. "Pretend" is contributed by 2HundredEight, who brings in the otherwise guitar-experienced singer MATTI and creates a wonderfully melancholic piece of work. A minimalist piano sample, a broken DnB beat and an ever-present deep bassline, all spiced up with the powerful, bright vocals of the Leipzig based singer. Great cross-genre work!
E1. Luna City Express feat. Kenneth Avera – 30 YRS of Muna
Luna City Express were a little uncreative when it came to choosing a name, but "30 YRS of Muna" with Kenneth Avera is a piece of music bursting with positive energy that ends up on our 30 Years of Muna compilation. After a standard house intro with a powerful kick drum, a very present hi-hat and clap, there are synth sounds, vocals and a saxophone track. The whole thing comes together to form an energetic tune that leads to an shaking musculoskeletal system and simply puts you in a good mood!
E2. Click Click & Defex feat. Leah Raider – Raw Cutz 6.1
With “Raw Cutz 6.1” Click Click & Defex feat. Leah Raider contribute a piece to the 30 years of Muna compilation too. A house kind club tool with a slightly overdriven, snotty bassline an acid pattern and a subtle, breathy vocal. Definitely gets in your leg and leads to acute dance movements!
EE1. Langstrumpf – Drop Out
Langstrumpf also insisted on serving up a song for our 30 years of Muna compilation. "Drop That" comes with a powerful bassline, flanked by an acid-like sound, and the whole thing is spiced up with playful, choral sounds. It fits from warm-up to the morning, builds up nicely and pushes!
EE2. TimBrix – Sound Invasion
With "Sound Invasion" TimBrix also delivers a drum'n bass tune for our 30 years of Muna LP. This thing can easily do 20 pull-ups, pushes 174 kilos and combines an energetic bassline suitable for prime time with a clear vocal and razor-sharp synth sounds that are slightly
reminiscent of neurofunk. All of this is served on a typical DnB drum pattern that seems to scream: Go ahead mate!
EE3. Politone – Thirty Prayers
Politone, one of our residents, also contributes a piece to the 30 Years of Muna sampler. With "Thirty Prayers", he has created a minimalistic but absolutely well-trained house record. The few tracks complement each other and blend together very smooth. The symbiosis of the synth theme and the slightly reggae-like echo vocal go perfectly with the powerful kick drum and can lead to stomping dance moves at any time of day or night.

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Exclusive 4x12” vinyl box set with glossy Spot UV finish

Tracklisting:

CORLP058 Vinyl 1

1. (A1) Sven Väth – Ritual Of Life (Adam Port 108 Mix) (DE-Q20-15-01361)
2. (B1) Sven Väth – Ballet-Fusion (Speedy J Remix) (DE-Q20-95-01244)
3. (B2) Metal Master – Spectrum (Bart Skills & Weska Reinterpretation) (DE-Q20-22-00022)


CORLP058 Vinyl 2

4. (A1) Sven Väth – The Beauty And The Beast (Eric Prydz Re-edit) (DE-Q20-08-00033)
5. (A2) OFF Feat. Sven Väth – Electrica Salsa (Roman Flügel Remix) (DE-Q20-16-01485)
6. (B1) Sven Väth – Cala Llonga (DE-Q20-02-01236)
7. (B2) Sven Väth – Sounds Control Your Mind (DE-Q20-98-01216)


CORLP058 Vinyl 3

8. (A1) Sven Väth – Dein Schweiss (DE-Q20-00-01221)
9. (A2) Sven Väth – Robot (Kölsch Remix) (DE-Q20-16-01471)
10. (B1) Sven Väth – L’Esperanza (Hardspace Mix) (DE-Q20-24-00010)
11. (B2) Sven Väth – Privado (DE-Q20-00-01227)


CORLP058 Vinyl 4

12. (A1) Sven Väth – Mind Games (Roman Flügel Remix) (DE-Q20-25-00001)
13. (A2) Sven Väth – Face It (DE-Q20-98-01214)
14. (B1) Astral Pilot – The Day After (DE-Q20-08-00068)




Cocoon Recordings presents: Sven Väth - Retrospective

This retrospective is not merely a celebration—it’s a legacy. Sven Väth’s unparalleled life and pioneering spirit, as well as the defining moments that inspired an entire generation, are distilled into a profound tribute. A musical retrospective that captures the evolution of a visionary whose art has defined, inspired, and reimagined electronic music culture and retells it with zeitgeist.

Sven Väth is more than a DJ, he is a force of nature. A trailblazer whose work is not just music, it’s a philosophy of life: ecstasy, freedom, and a fearless pursuit of creativity, all wrapped in a knowing wink of craziness and rebellion.

Spanning over three decades, this carefully curated collection invites listeners to trace special moments of Sven’s musical work. From his electrifying beginnings to modern interpretations that pulse, This collection is a tribute to a life dedicated to music, every beat a moment frozen in time. Beyond the timeless anthems lies an unreleased treasure—a hidden gem by Roman Flügel that promises to surprise even the most ardent followers.

Alongside Sven’s timeless originals, this release showcases visionary remixes by some of the most revered names in electronic music. Beginning with Adam Port’s hypnotic reimagining of Ritual Of Life to Eric Prydz’s cinematic take on The Beauty and the Beast and Roman Flügel’s unique interpretations, each remix pays homage to Sven’s legacy while channeling a bold, contemporary edge. Speedy J, Bart Skils & Weska, and Kölsch further elevate the collection, showcasing the influence of Sven’s work across generations and styles.

More than a retrospective, this is a living contemporary document that makes techno and club culture tangible. It’s a sonic time capsule for those who lived through the golden nights when Sven set dancefloors ablaze - a musical legacy that connects past, present, and future in a shared pulse that transcends boundaries.

For those who want to experience Sven Väth's incomparable energy and passion over and over again. The perfect opportunity to rediscover Sven Väth's legacy in music history or perhaps even experience it for the first time.

It's more than just a look back - it's an experience. A celebration of nights without end, of passion without limits, and Sven himself, of course.

Coming on February 20th, 2025 —a monument of sound, a story etched in rhythm, and an invitation to lose yourself once more in the magic of Sven Väth. Don’t just listen. Live it.



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Genre: Alternative Pop / Elektronika / New Wave /Italo

Born in Zary and currently based in Poznan, Julia Rover is a singer, songwriter, and DJ. She has been active on the music scene for several years. She has recorded several tracks, performed numerous concerts, and collaborated on productions with other artists. All this inevitably led to what has just happened-her debut EP.
"Co z Toba" ("What's happening with you?" ) is the first entirely new and original (no samples!;) release in the label's catalog, simultaneously inaugurating the series The Very Polish Originals.
This record tells a story on multiple levels. The lyrics reflect tales of relationships. Of emotions. Of questions. Of dilemmas. Of disappointments. Of hopes. Of cold breakups and passionate reunions. The musical layer is also a kind of storytelling, only expressed through different means. Each track musically corresponds with the lyrics, the singing style, and the interpretation.The music complements the lyrics, embedding them in a mood-appropriate "setting."
The EP opener "Co z Tob??" moves within the climate of coldwave basslines. After that comes "Sen" (Dream), veering into territories closer to '80s synth-pop. As it fades, we catch our "Oddech" (Breath) at a slower tempo reminiscent of italo or rather neo-italo styles. We remain 3-4 decades behind. However, this journey does not feel regressive. Instead, it's reinterpretative. Constantly immersed in the DNA of the label, which has been bringing the best of musical history to light for years. The fourth and final track on the record slows down almost into a dark, psychedelic, leftfield ballad, slowly floating towards the '90s. It carries.
And that's almost everything. But it's worth getting here. Because at the end, as a sort of postscript, the title track "Co z Tob??" reappears in a danceable version. So, as it began, so it ends. Just more acid-like.

Tracklist:

A1. Co z toba?
A2. Sen
A3. Nic

B1. Oddech
B2. Dub minionych dni
B3. Co z toba? (remix)



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12"

Track order :
A1 . GREGOR TRESHER - BONEGRINDER (8’12”)
A2 - WORKS OF INTENT & VOLTAIRE - CASCADE RIPS (6’37”)
B1 - MARCO BAILEY - ARCANE (4’26”)
B2- TOM HADES & SOREN AALBERG - PERDITAE (6’04”)


T H E E L E K T R O N I K Z O O
F E S T I VA L J O U R N E Y VA . E P

The new various artists compilation launches with a seismic opener from none other than Gregor Tresher, a true legend whose influence has shaped the sound of techno for decades—"Bonegrinder" is a raw, hypnotic masterstroke. Following is Marco Bailey, our iconic label founder and relentless force in the scene, delivering a bold Electro cut with "Arcane". The journey continues with deep melodic trips from Works of Intent & Voltaire and Tom Hades & Soren Aalberg, gritty Electro from Ian O’Donovan, raw techno heat from Eddie Merced, and ethereal Electronica by Alienna—each artist contributing their unique voice to this powerhouse compilation.




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2LP

Tracklist EP (Vinyl + Digital):

A1 Presto

A2 Auburnia

B1 Strobe Enhanced

B2 Beep Twist

C1 Visionary World

C2 Fadeless

D1 Melting Point

D2 Awakening

Short Info:

FREQ002 introduces a vinyl repress of the "Future in Light" album by Ken Ishii, a legendary producer from Japan known for his releases on labels like R&S Records. Ishii, a techno pioneer, has an inherent connection to anime, with iconic video clips directed by Koji Morimoto, famous for his work on "Akira" and "Memories." The FREQ team has reinterpreted the original cover and remastered those tracks while staying true to its original aesthetics. This album showcases Ishii's blend of techno and house, and even as a repress, it continues to point to the future with the intriguing sound designs featured on this LP.


FREQ Records is the record label accompanying the manga "FREQ," created by Nicola Kazimir, illustrated by goodnewsforbadguys, and written by the legendary Dai Sato, who has written scripts for Ergo Proxy, Eureka Seven, Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, among many others.

The setting of Freq's lore unfolds in a futuristic realm where the influence of sound frequencies governs all aspects of life. In this world,everything from traffic and AR visuals to electricity, warfare, and of course, music, is orchestrated through the manipulation and extraction of sound frequencies. The narrative unfolds within the sprawling expanse of Rephlex, a vast city featuring diverse districts, factions,and social classes.







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Limited Edition, includes
- 4 x 12” with full cover artwork
- exclusive Bonus-10” with new remixes from Amirali and REZarin
- printed Energy 52 biography leaflet
- handnumbered

GENRE/S:
Progressive House, Techno, Trance, Breaks

TRACKLISTS:
A. Café Del Mar (DJ Kid Paul Mix 30 years anniversary Vinyl Remaster)
B. Café Del Mar (Three ’N One Remix 30 years anniversary Vinyl Remaster)
C. Café Del Mar (Nalin & Kane Remix)
D. Café Del Mar (Deadmau5 Remix)
E. Café Del Mar (Tale Of Us Renaissance Remix)
F. Café Del Mar (Paul van Dyk’s XOXO Remix)
G. Café Del Mar (Orbital Remix)
H. Café Del Mar (Michael Mayer Remix)
I. Cafe Del Mar (Amirali Extended Remix)
J. Cafe Del Mar (REZarin Extended Remix)

SHORT INFO:
Energy 52's Café Del Mar is one of the most iconic tracks in dance music. Over the years, Café Del Mar has achieved legendary status, regularly featuring in lists of the greatest dance tracks of all time. To put it simply, Café Del Mar is a cultural phenomenon, encapsulating the spirit of an era and influencing generations of artists and fans alike.
Superstition Records appreciates the 30th anniversary of the legendary track with a limited box set release consisting of four 12”es and an exclusive Bonus-10”.
The original version (DJ Kid Paul Mix) and the Three ‘N One remix appear in remastered, vinyl only versions alongside new classic remixes from Nalin & Kane, deadmau5 and Tale Of Us. The newer remixes include Paul Van Dyk’s XOXO remix as well as reworks from Orbital and Michael Mayer. The package also includes a Bonus-10” featuring new, exclusive remixes from UK producer Amirali and Latvian DJ REZarin.








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(15th Anniversary Edition - 2024 Recut)
[Limited Edition - deluxe 3xLP set, pressed on transparent Neon Yellow, Orange, and Red vinyl]



To celebrate the 15th anniversary of DJ Hell's groundbreaking album Teufelswerk, this limited anniversary edition brings back the legendary release in a deluxe 3xLP set, pressed on transparent Neon Yellow, Orange, and Red vinyl. Included is an exclusive poster featuring the original vinyl front cover, along with a special hype sticker for collectors. Originally released in 2009, Teufelswerk remains a milestone in electronic music, seamlessly blending techno, ambient, and experimental elements. The album features collaborations with the likes of Bryan Ferry, exploring the duality of Day and Night-contrasting euphoric club tracks with deep, cinematic soundscapes.

Upon its original release, Teufelswerk peaked Top50 in the german charts and was highly acclaimed by international music critics:
- Pitchfork (USA): "Outstanding"
- The Guardian (UK): "Epic"
- Resident Advisor: "Enormous"
- Groove (Germany): "His most fascinating and unlikely journey through the giant redwood of pop history yet."
This highly collectible 2024 recut anniversary edition is a must-have for fans, offering a fresh take on a timeless classic.

Tracklist:
A - HELL FEAT. BRYAN FERRY - U Can Dance
B - HELL - The DJ
C - HELL - Electronic Germany
D - HELL - Bodyfarm 2
E - HELL - Wonderland
F - HELL - Friday, Saturday, Sunday

artworkdesign: @laurentfetis.com


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LP 180g Heavyweight vinyl, Remastered, with original track-list available on vinyl for the first time

"Ken Ishii has risen to be one of techno's biggest names" Bandcamp Daily

"A pivotal moment in the history of techno, ambient and electronic music from Japan. An important milestone in a journey to explore the endless possibilities of music and a precious result of our passion and adventure at the time" Manabu Yamazaki (Sublime Records)


GENRE: Techno, Ambient


Tracklist:

1. Into The Inside (2024 Remaster)
2. Fading Sky (2024 Remaster)
3. Non Essential (2024 Remaster)

Side B

1. Finite Time (2024 Remaster)
2. Interjection (2024 Remaster)
3. Scene One (2024 Remaster)


New liner notes by Martyn Pepperell

The musician and DJ Ken Ishii sits right at the pinnacle of techno's most noteworthy, but although a game changer for the artist personally - and for Japanese electronic music in general - his 1994 album 'Reference to Difference' is something of an unsung gem today.

Now reissued and remastered, released to mark the 30th anniversary of Musicmine / Sublime Records, and available on vinyl with its original track-list for the first time, this stunning, lesser-known classic is ripe for rediscovery.

Born 1970 in Sapporo, Ishii was introduced to electronic music at a young age through arcade games, and Japanese and German pioneers like Yellow Magic Orchestra, Isao Tomita and Kraftwerk. During his teens, he absorbed new wave, synth-pop, EBM and industrial, before making a life-changing discovery of Detroit techno in the late 80s.

As the 1990s dawned, so did his introduction to Black Dog Productions and Warp Records' Artificial Intelligence compilations. Blown away by the emerging British and American IDM, braindance, and ambient techno movements, he quickly folded their influence into his still-developing but cultivated aesthetic.

A futuristic confluence of unplaceable ambient atmospheres, space age techno, IDM and minimalist composition, 'Reference To Difference' unfolds as an effortless series of exercises in pristine synth textures, robust man/machine rhythm and understated melodies. It teleports the listener back to a golden moment in the mid-1990s, when a dedicated generation rose out of Tokyo's storied clubs and took the innovation, energy, and creativity of Japan's unique techno culture to the world.

Opened in 1993, Maniac Love was a new nightclub where Manabu Yamazaki aka DJ Yama promoted the Sublime parties, which soon became a crucial hub within the burgeoning Tokyo underground. It was here where Yamazaki rubbed shoulders with peers including Ishii and Susumu Yokota, and the trio's future became intertwined.

Much like Ishii, the late Susumu Yokota began his musical career by reaching out to Europe. Not long before Ishii released his debut longplayer 'Garden On The Palm' through Belgium's R&S, Yokota released his debut LP 'The Frankfurt-Tokyo Connection' through Harthouse, the German label co-founded by Sven Väth. In the wake of both records' overseas success, Ishii and Yokota set a benchmark for techno in Japan.

By 1993, as they both became in-demand producers and DJs, it felt like their dreams were coming true. Through talking with Ishii and Yokota, Yamazaki became emboldened to transform Sublime into a record label.

Soon after, Yamazaki partnered with Hideoki Amano, who was on the verge of founding Musicmine, a now respected and longstanding independent Japanese music company. As Yamazaki tells it, Amano helped him turn his dream into a reality: Sublime Records.

For Musicmine and Sublime Records' inaugural album releases, Yamazaki and Amano approached both Ishii and Yokota, resulting in the simultaneous drop of 'Reference To Difference' and 'Acid Mt. Fuji' respectively, on June 29th 1994.

Yamazaki remembered 'Reference To Difference' being well received by DJs, listeners, record store buyers and journalists, stating "people were excited by this new wave of music coming out of Japan, and had high praise for its unique sound."

With the pair of LPs further stamping Japan on the contemporary musical globe, the scene was beginning to boom at home too. Specialist record stores, and club music magazines like Ele-King and Loud spread the word, and in the wake of Maniac Love's impact, new nightclubs like the legendary Liquid Room were opening up, bringing a steady stream of world-famous DJs to the Japanese capital.

"Without a doubt, I think the arrival of Ken Ishii was a major turning point for the Japanese music industry in the 1990s," Amano reflected. "Nowadays, the Western club music scene is rediscovering Japanese techno from the 1990s, and digging our music is a common sight, but before Ken Ishii, no Japanese DJ was in sync with the global club music scene. He was the catalyst."

"Looking back, I can tell it was meaningful that this was one of the first techno albums by a Japanese artist that was released on a Japanese label," Ishii reflects. "Maybe I did something that bridged between old school Japanese electronic music and 'new school' techno in line with the Detroit sound with this record" he adds, in modest understatement.
The new liner notes were written Martyn Pepperell, a well-regarded music journalist who has covered Susumu Yokota for Wax Poetics and Midori Takada for Dazed, amongst numerous other articles.

Ken Ishi DJ dates:

Fri 14 June Tokyo, Japan : MUSICMINE 30th Anniversary @ WWW
Sat 15 June Nagano Pref, Japan : Re:birth Festival 2024 @ Kurumayama-Kogen Skypark Resort
Sat 22 June Tbilisi, Georgia : Tbilisi Open Air (Khidi Stage) @ Lisi Wonderland
Fri 12 July Tokyo, Japan : TECHNOH LAB. @ Suigian (*Non+techno performance with Manjiro Tatsumi)
Fri 12 July Tokyo, Japan : @ Vent
Fri 26 July Tokyo, Japan : @ Shinjuku Loft
Sun 28 July Naeba, Japan : @ Fuji Rock Festival
Sat 31 August Amsterdam, The Netherlands : Wooferland 2024 @ Houtrak Halfweg



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25th Anniversary Vinyl Reissue (May 2025)
A sonic time capsule wrapped in summer grooves

When Since Then first arrived in 2000, it felt like opening a window to somewhere sun-drenched and far away—a place where gentle Brazilian rhythms danced effortlessly with the pulse of deep house. Now, a quarter-century later, the album returns to vinyl for the first time, not as a relic, but as a timeless companion.

This reissue spins more than just music—it breathes new life into a moment when sound, place, and feeling merged into something unforgettable. Pooley was ahead of his time, weaving breezy South American textures into club-ready arrangements. Tracks like “900 Degrees” and “Balmes (A Better Life)” still shimmer with warmth and clarity, their melodies floating with an ease that refuses to age.

Tracklist:

A1 Since Then
A2 Bay Of Plenty
A3 Venasque
B1 Coração Tambor
B2 Balmes
C1 Visions
C2 Spicy Snapper
D1 900 Degrees
D2 Sundowner

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More