Repress!
New label by Innershades, presenting banging house tracks with a raw edge! More

After recent explorations into ambient and pop under his full name, Sacha Renkas switches back to his Antenna moniker for ALT013. The Kiev-born, longtime Rotterdam-based artist uses a rough-around-the-edges, hiss-laden palette to construct his intricate, pensive club tracks. Often recording on the fly, he embraces the limitations and quirks of the hardware he works with, curating the happy accidents that come with them and that help make his music feel as alive as it does. It is emotional and imaginative in spirit, yet raw, almost instinctive in its rendering. Renkas cites the new wave and synth-pop from his youth and the sounds coming from Chicago and Detroit, as well as the Dutch West Coast he encountered later on, as inspirations. The sensitivity and hands-on approach associated with these are also tenets throughout his work. The "Another Wave EP," a selection of tracks created over nearly a decade, further substantiates this approach. Made on multiple MPCs, Juno synthesizers, and an Akai S900, and mixed on a Mackie 16-channel mixer, it blends, among others, elements of first-wave techno and European proto-trance. Opener "Alisa" stacks angular sine melodies and formant basslines one upon another yet flows like silk, its balance immaculately kept in check. On "Everyone M1," the bass organ patch from which the track derives its title finds itself amidst a lo-fi flux of capricious arpeggiators, ethereal pads, and decocted drums. "Another Wave" is a carefully sculpted slow burner, collected in its unfolding. Wisps of melody, gated pads, and whisper seem to wind between its drum patterns; the tension looming beneath this patchwork never entirely reveals itself. "Quasar" blends signature dramatic chords and off-rhythm bells with a creeping acid bassline and more kaleidoscopic drum patterns. It closes an EP distilled in its form, confident in its intent, and nowhere too bothered by genre boundaries or other formal constraints. More

Two years after the release of the Polarius EP Inner Voices Of A Clown, Danny Wolfers returns to Altered Circuits, this time under his best-known alias Legowelt, for Ruins Of Cracktopolis: a collection of "hymns to survive the dystopian circus of today's techno scene" in the artist's own words. On Do You Know Who You Never Be, a short staccato lead and dark chords revolve around a monolithic kick drum pattern that takes care of the cadence and bass. A mysterious vocoder and a laser sequence that gets torn and twisted to the max join, but the track never loses its steady pace - it gets help from shakers so much mixed to the front they could be lifted from a B'more track. Amidst the effervescing 303 lines and bold drum sequences of In A Trance Dance All Night" Wolfers finds a canvas for a stretched synthesizer jam with eighties breaking allure. This melody, together with the pads and vocal, are drenched in reverb - they float like mist ascending from the The Hague dunes. Throughout Ruins Of Cracktopolis, more vintage Dutch West Coast, the hiss-laden broken beat that guides the bass sequences and ominous blippy synth patterns switches to a 4/4 structure and back. These make for captivating shifts in pace while the minor progressions continue unfolding. Like Twin Peaks targets prime energy once the arpeggiator sequence present from the start lowers an octave. The track runs smooth like a pomade slick-back; it's only tempered slightly when the crunchy kick and tom change place for a moody chord sequence break. Even if these four tracks target the club, they are equally suited for - quoting Wolfers again - "leisurely home listening". Their greatest strengths are, as so often, their melodic aspects. The artist is known to be a synthesizer aficionado, but his unique personal touch immediately shines through no matter which gear he works with. The machines never seem to dominate the composing process; quite the opposite: it's as if he isn't programming or registering as much as trying to teach them his take on electronic music. More

B.AI has been quickly rising to prominence within contemporary electronic music, and, arguably, one of her most enticing feats is her ability to make the minimal, electro and tech house genres she navigates her own by injecting them with a unique sense of melody. On "The Best EP", the Chengdu based artist shows she can not only write memorable hooks but can do so while covering a broad array of registers. "Nightdreaming" is a moody builder: although new, sturdily patched layers keep being introduced and the pace never slows down, a sense of restraint remains. This atmosphere quickly changes on "Satisfy", which, with its tapestry of indeterminate arpeggios and EBM-evoking vocals, takes a nervous turn. "The Best" on the B-side is a slab of vigor tailored for the peak time. Set to an effective bass groove, modulated chords, white noise sweeps, delicately mixed moans and bright pads nearly trip one over another. On "Crash Landing On Nimas" B.AI , together with Diego Santana, unleashes a batch of detuned and portamento heavy square wave patterns. The EP, diverse yet balanced, ends on a note so ominous... the contrast with how bright we imagine the future for this maverick talent could not be starker. More

Repress from Innershades & Betonkust's 2018 NEW BEAT superhit Forever In Boccaccio! Comes fully remastered and in a new sleeve. Limited to 300 copies. More

- coming soon - More

"bio coming soon" More

Altered Circuits' next release comes by way of Bologna-to-Berlin transplant Jacopo Latini. On the Motherboard EP he combines stubby drums and sultry, efficient basslines with richly hued synth work. Once the cuts get going, a tapestry of melody reveals itself: gated leads are accompanied by burbling arpeggios, momentous chord progressions and bright pads that crawl in and out. The patches often incline to the bright and dreamy but are deployed with restraint; in the same vein, concealed and aloof vocal samples get sprinkled in. These techniques - staples for the artist - add an inscrutable quality to his work's mood. It is dance music that feels direct on the surface yet hides more ambiguous emotions underneath. Being a DJ was Latini's first approach to the electronic genres, and it arguably still is his main inspiration - it even occurs he writes tracks with a specific venue in mind. Since starting over a decade ago, and having meanwhile swapped the local Italian stages for the international ones, he has amassed a ton of analogue gear to help him do so. On this occasion, he plugged in his Roland D-50, Moog Sub 37 and microKorg XL, among other favorites, to take on progressive, trance and tech house. "Motherboard", "High Voltage", "It Comes In The Morning", and "Dual Effect" make for a diverse selection but have indeed the same objective: the club floor. More

Paolo Mosca makes intricate, multi-layered electronic music. Inspired by the early club sound pushed by the pioneers from his home region Veneto, he fuses house, trance and ambient - and moves forward. The Metaphysics EP displays the artist's passion and ingenuity, unfolding technical skill that makes clear his studio clock is set to 2023 and not 1993. On "Luciddreams" a statically charged beat and organ bass work up a groove. Accompanied by a misty pad and a slow, pensive arpeggiator, it pulses towards the break: there an acid line emerges, finds its spot in the mix, and refuels the track. "Energia" draws from a bolder, more euphoric range. Hand drums, a glittering lead and airy yet restrained chords float soaked in reverb and delay. A lean bass sequence tightly keeps the rhythm as flanged claps and subtly positioned sweeps create extra movement. The second side's opener, "Under the sea" features a formant filter lead meandering within the sweaty framework of heavily gated choir pads and a frugal bassline that eventually gets layered with an M1. Modulated vocals and strokes of additional melody ensure the stereo field again gets used to its full capacity. "Acqua" is a fitting coda. Some familiar patches are deployed over a tumbling beat that takes charge of the pace from the get-go. The palette might seem bright and blissful, but as always, the track's latticework contains enough contrast for a slight feeling of melancholy to keep simmering beneath. Mosca cited his meditation routine, how it helps him materialize ideas and thoughts, as a main drive upon finishing this record. The Metaphysics EP is a ruminative work. Comprised of four explorations in deftly manipulating energy with due attention to balance and momentum, it easily flows between genres, details darting in and out, showing the artist's understanding of composition and dance music history. It is a deep-dive selection of club-oriented cuts we are excited to release on Altered Circuits. More

Altered Circuits dives deeper in the world of playful and versatile club music with roots in the early 90's! There's an obvious parallel between Ildec's DJ performances and his own music. Part of a scene with a focus on extended, broad-minded sets, the Ibiza-based artist lets his yearning to unearth and play obscure gems flood into his production process. The "Ahora Si EP" is testament to this adventurous spirit as it tackles a wide array of tempos, styles and moods. Opener "El Principio" and closer "Grt Plschr" display Ildec's fondness of hazy, recondite atmospherics. With its sustained ambient chord, delay-washed newsreader samples and manipulated themes, the former sounds like a fever dream radio bulletin. On the latter, a broody motif meanders alongside loosely played drums, while a buried bass guitar occasionally reveals itself. "El Break Del Dia" furtherly explores some of these elements, but this time with the dance floor front of mind. Languidly morphing bass sequences and staccato synth salvos build up anticipation. When a slowly emerging, ceaselessly arpeggiating organ lead finally materialises, the track explodes. Natural flow is partly traded for sturdier form on the remainder of the EP. "El Break De La Noche" lets an ever-modulating lead groove alongside rigid, dry drum beats. Descending tom fills, truncated squeaks and a top layer LFO gone haywire complete this sparse yet exciting cut. "La Nueva Version" has a similarly efficient bassline as its bedrock. An interplay of zaps, risers, transposed percussion, and other dusty cartridge samples pulls it left and right while subtle disorienting hints of speech thicken the mix. On "Modificacion", Ildec moulds his take on progressive and tech house into its toughest shape. A druggy, bleepy lead twirls in and out of the track, carried by the road-tested combo of a taut drum pattern and a piercing backbeat bass. Ominous chords and equally menacing vocals mark its aim: to create tension in the club. It is a standout on a diverse, daring EP we are delighted to present as the fifth release on our label. More

Over the last years a rehabilitation of the New Beat genre has taken place. Short-lived it succumbed under its own immense popularity at the beginning of the nineties, watered down once producers with an eye for commercial success - and not quality control - joined in on its seemingly easy recipe. Below the surface a lot of highly original tracks remain to be enjoyed however: the sound, with its unique mix of amongst others Chicago acid house and Belgian EBM, reveals itself to be an essential node in electronic music's Trans-Atlantic trajectory. Innershades has been a longtime enthusiast of the genre and made it a focal point of attention on "Heritage Vol. 1", the first part of a series that celebrates his inspirations and influences. Rather than making a selection of style exercises, he opts to subtly inject his tech and progressive productions with some of its tropes. It is a blend that comes naturally as menacing melodies and throbbing pulses are vital to his sound. Monolithic drum sequences, consisting of propulsive four to the flour kick drums and gated snares, run throughout the EP. On "This Is Belgium" this clear-cut rhythm structure leaves ample space for the bassline to glide and glint against the frantic SH-101 leads, while a deadpan vocal points out the release's theme. In a similar way a 303 runs havoc on "Eternal Voices". Hazy pads and understated dashes of melody furtherly infuse the track with a sense of emotive call and response. Just like most of its source material, it aims for high NRG via a low BPM. "The After Hours Club" lets a gnarled square bass line and a resonance intensive lead interplay until they get interrupted by a possibly familiar sounding news bulletin sample. "Rave Signal" finally combines an ever-modulating, hypnoid lead, silky string layers and a slab of trusty solid bass. The energetic track epitomizes Innershades's contemporary palette - it is a fitting conclusion to a record that renders regard for its precursors into current day dancefloor fervor. More

DMX Krew has been turning out electronic music from his analog-laden studio since 1994. He has built a discography nothing short of prolific. He mixes tech savvy with a firm understanding of club music and a penchant for catchy and clever hooks. The Powerplay EP forms a great display of this, and we are elated to offer it as our third release. On the A-side, "House Twerp" works up the sparks as a gentle bassline, bubbly synths and bright chords rub against one another. "I love Kevin" continues along the opener's groovy tone, but with the tempo pitched up a notch, a cheerful brass lead and vintage transposed vocal samples, it full on targets the floor. It is a slab of feel-good machine funk, ideal for brightening a room that is far from having its lights turned on. "Masked Man" on the B-side is the most bare-bones club track of the collection. The twitchy lead is modulated left and right: set to a subtly crushed drum track, its tension is continuously building and falling backwards. Closer and title track "Powerplay" is a sparse and subtle slow-builder. Flanged percussion, menacing chords and a classic roving bass sequence are the central ingredients for this muggy and eerie house cut. ALT003 provides a diverse selection, entirely in correspondence with the artist's ability to create within a wide array - from rude electro to synth pop and a lot of the space in between. Ed DMX never really cared much about how his music is categorized, though. And rightfully so, as, even if it indeed tackles many genres, in the end it only sounds like him. More

After a 20 year hiatus, Polarius a.k.a Legowelt is back with 5 banging house/techno tracks! More

2024 Repress!

Michael Gray’s ‘The Weekend’ has become more than just a seminal clubbing anthem. ‘The Weekend’ has become a soundtrack for many a night out, an evergreen, life anthem for a whole generation, a record that has stayed popular since the naughties through its sheer brilliance and been brought back to the attention to a new generation through social media like TikTok.

Now the worldwide dance hit has had new life breathed into it new live strings/dance version from Michael himself.

As Michael goes on to say in his own words:

“I have been working with live strings and horn sections a lot recently and it occurred to me to try ‘The Weekend’ as a totally different concept while keeping the integrity of the original…and it worked!

I got chills when I first heard Stephen Hussey’s (Soul to Soul) arrangement. I think it makes Shena’s lead vocal (and Xavier’s backing vocals ) sound so good!

When I made the record back in 2004 I didn’t realize how much this record would endure and appeal to younger and younger generations in its original form alone. I still get a buzz, particularly when I see DJ’s such as Claptone and Low Steppa playing it to huge crowds. Radio play has been amazing over the years too.

It makes me smile that there are thousands of TikTok videos to it as well! More

Two great Der Zyklus tracks finally available on vinyl again after being out of print for a long time. Heinrich Mueller (Dopplereffekt, Arpanet, Drexciya) in top form. More

The last Drexciyan storm... 6 Drexciya tracks for the life aquatic. Essential!!! More

12" WHITE VINYL OFFICIAL REISSUE More

The harsh Martian winter has begun. Survival is not guaranteed, even to the most prepared. Rhythmic sound is essential for body functionality. More

Belgrade-based Laars marks his first solo vinyl release over a sensual 4-track tale honouring the merits of faith, discipline, and the satisfaction of taking your sweet time. Drawing from the vibrant sounds of the 90s and 00s progressive trance and house scenes, he discovered a kindredship with those who have since then primed and perfected their own modern takes on the definitive genres.

The proggy trance/house opener “Breath Control” sighs into existence, emerging like the head-rush of euphoria that accompanies surfing the sadistic tease between suspense and bliss. High resonance and acid sounds punctuate the track, supplying a dominant bodily cue amidst the melodies, gated vocals and loops. “What If You Fly” observes the void below and decides to jump anyway, finding its faith rewarded in a free-fall through chords and synths that knit into a dark, groovy soundscape - soaring over an underscore of conga drums as though caught in exhilarating flight.

On the B-side, “Concur” looks up from the void back into the ether, embracing the danger of the pale blank space above. At 135BPM it glitches and dances through a cyclone of atmospheric synths, pads and cult sci-fi film samples, grinding like a serrated blade under a soft-focus lens. For the close, “Delight” flirts with the comfort of another, tantalising its approach before erupting in slow-motion from its amniotic state. It blisters, bubbles and gasps - and then takes a roll-eyed descent into breakbeats and arps that glide like menacingly slow fingertips over hot skin.

The record from Laars has a precious message: when was the last time that you really let go and listened to the steady rise and fall of your own breath, or sank into the discomfort of not knowing, but continued anyway? The outcome is still the same: jump. More

Repress!
Alternate mixes of two seminal Drexciya tracks. A longer version of Black Sea and a different mix for Wavejumper (without the infamous 'skip'). And an Unknown Journey for good measures.

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Remastered reissue of the second landmark EP for Plus 8 Records by Speedy J. Again expanding on the emerging sounds of Techno Speedy J took it further into euphoric, minimal lofi and bleepy territory with ''Rise'', ''Tresor'' and ''De-orbit''. All while effectively stripping it down to the bare bones rocking only a 909 and a vocal sample on ''Something For Your Mind''. This release and in particular ''Something For Your Mind'' was there at the forefront of techno as we know it these days with a harder, raw and no-nonsense approach and all its variations such as Gabber that grew out of that in Rotterdam the following year. More

Repress coming 1st of November!

A true Detroit Techno masterpiece gets a well overdue re-master and re-press!
Los Hermanos ‘On Another Level’, originally released on Submerge in 2005, is an unmissable collection of the most soulful spiritual techno ever made.
Here with a new tracklisting including anthems like ‘Birth of 3000’, ‘Quetzal’ and ‘Resurrection’! More

Those buried in the soil of the red planet dance forever in the afterlife. You can hear their rhythm in the dust storms at night More