WORLD EXCLUDING GERMANY, SWITZERLAND, AUSTRIA (GSA) , AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND

Special remarks :

Lenticular-Cover
2x12" 180g black
Gatefold
2x printed Innersleeves
Dl-Card
D1 "Running" exclusive track - only available via album vinyl

Genre: Electronica/Dance

Tracklist 12":
A Side
1. Laura
2. The Prey
3. We Don´t Sleep
4. Harlem River

B Side
1. Into The Glow
2. Otherside
3. Don´t Hold Back

C Side
1. Falling
2. Under Dark
3. Reflections

D Side
1. Running
2. Regen (Interlude)
3. Take Me Away



Short Info:
Released in 2018, Monolink's debut album, Amniotic, has collected over 100 million combined streams to date. The project was largely supported through remixes from the titans of the modern house and techno scenes such as Patrice Bäumel, Tale Of Us, Rodriguez Jr, Ben Bohmer, Artbat, Adam Beyer and Nicole Moudaber. These remixes all went on to achieve Beatport Top 10 placings, with Artbat's remix of 'Return to Oz' reaching a staggering 43 million combined streams.
"Under Darkening Skies" will pick up where "Amniotic" ended.


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Benny Rodrigues seems to delight in confounding critics. Since making his debut alongside Darko Esser with 2007's Underwater Records-released 'Paradox', the Rotterdam-based DJ has surprised and excited at every turn, variously delivering woozy tech-house, rave revivalism, stripped-back minimal, 'jackin' acid, wide-eyed deep house and, under his occasional ROD alias, shirts-off warehouse techno. Along the way, he has released music on some of Europes most prestigious labels, including Desolat, Soma, EC Records, Be As One and Wolfskuil Records.

Here, he makes his debut for Tom Trago's Voyage Direct imprint with two undulating, hypnotic, heads-down tracks that blur the boundaries between house and techno. Rhythmically loose but impressively tough like all of
Rodrigues' best productions both cuts are built around mesmerising late night grooves and intoxicating chords.

'Master French' kicks things off, lacing nagging shakers, subtle synth strings and fluttering chords over a robust, shuffling tech-house groove. Rodrigues works the mix like a master, bringing elements to the fore before sliding them into the background. It's a simple, heads-down, 4am groove, but its executed brilliantly.

'Z', on the other hand, is an altogether breezier affair, with repetitive, new age-inspired synthesizer melodies seemingly drifting over a rock solid house groove. Notable ride cymbals and warm beats proper the track forward, giving it a humid, tropical feel. This is music to move the body, mind and soul.

Those who've followed Rodrigues' career to date won't be surprised by the quality, feel or execution of his belated Voyage Direct debut. As for newcomers, they'll be transfixed by his mastery of the groove.

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Next up on Tom Trago’s Voyage Direct series is Overlast. This Amsterdam based producer returns on Voyage Direct with two synth driven club tracks!

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All record labels have their own particular mission statement, but few boast quite as singular vision as Voyage Direct. This vision comes through loud and clear on the label’s first compilation, a collection that takes in both unreleased tracks and a hand-picked selection of classics from the imprint’s first five years.

Founded by DJ/producer Tom Trago in 2010, Voyage Direct was created with two key aims: to promote independent-minded Dutch house and techno, and to provide an outlet for music by young, talented producers from the Netherlands.

“I loved the music being made around me, and it wasn't getting released,” Trago explains. “I thought somebody had to get it all together and put it out on a label. There’s so much stuff happening here, for me it’s unnecessary to look elsewhere for good music. It’s a very personal thing. I know everybody I release music from personally, we hang out, they come with me to clubs, and we do parties together. It’s not just a label, but also a community.”

The label’s back catalogue, now over 20 releases deep, bears witness to this unique mission statement. Voyage Direct’s discography to date features a unique mix of tracks from long-established Dutch legends (Dexter, Aardvarck, Awanto 3, Boris Werner, Danny ‘Legowelt’ Wolfers under the House of Jezebel alias), and producers who are still earning their stripes (the likes of Maxi Mill, Elias Mazian, Magnesii, Interstellar Funk).

This latter aspect is particularly important to Trago, who understands the importance of being guided by those you respect within the local scene. During his early years as a budding DJ/producer in Amsterdam, he was fortunate to be supported and encouraged by a range of influential local DJs and producers, who freely gave their time to collaborate, listen to demos and offer advice.

“In some ways, what some young producers need is a mentor,” Trago says. “When I grew up in Amsterdam, a lot of older cats took me under their wing – Steven De Peven from Rednose Distrikt,, the guys from Rush Hour & KC the Funkaholic, who's an old school DJ. I was lucky to be mentored by all these older Amsterdam gurus, and now I want to share what I've learned through that, and my career, with young kids who are in a similar position to where I was when I was starting out. I believe this is the way to build a scene."

The musical make-up of Voyage Direct’s first compilation reflects Trago’s wish to look to the future of Dutch dance music. Although it features headline-grabbing contributions from House of Jezebel and Awanto 3 (the 12-minute house-goes- synth-funk epic “The Girl IsHot”), the vast majority of material comes from younger, lesser-known producers. In this category you’ll find familiar Voyage Direct artists – Maxi Mill, Overlast, Magnesii and William Kouam Djoko (whose twinkling, garage- influenced deep house jam “Hold Me Close” is a genuine highlight) – and label debutants.

It’s this aspect that gives Voyage Direct’s first compilation such vibrancy. Check, for example, the spacey deep house bliss of “The Slightly” by newcomers Efde and Tom Ruijg, the melodious, synthesizer-heavy “Raw Funk” from Melon, or the cascading sweetness of Ebokai’s “Metae”. These are contributions from artists unfamiliar to those not schooled in the intricacies of the Dutch scene, but whose talents are obvious. These are producers who represent the future of the Dutch scene, but whose influences from within the country are often obvious.

“People listen to each other a lot, and that's inspiring too,” Trago says. “With Voyage Direct, I want to join the dots between my history in Holland, and the future, trying to make a bigger story."

It is, then, a very personal collection, but one that offers a glimpse of the growing strength of left-of-centre electronic dance music in the Netherlands – and, of course, Voyage Direct itself. The collection is split into two parts: a selection of 11 previously unreleased tracks, which will be available on CD and a trio of 12” vinyl samplers, and an 11-track run down of label highlights to date. The latter will be made available as a download, for those who purchase the CD version.

Voyage Direct’s first compilation, then, is not only a celebration, but also a taste of what’s to come. The future looks very bright indeed.

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WORLD EXCLUDING GERMANY, SWITZERLAND, AUSTRIA (GSA), NEW ZEALAND.
2LP, Special remarks : Doppelvinyl im Gatefold + 180g + 2 printed Innersleeves + Downloadcode

Tracklist 2LP:
A1 Amniotic
A2 Black Day
A3 Sirens
B1 Rearrange My Mind
B2 Frozen
B3 Father Ocean
C1 Swallow
C2 Take Me Home
C3 Riverman
D1 Return To Oz
D2 Burning Sun


Short release info:
Berlin's own Steffen Linck, a multi-instrumentalist known as Monolink, announces his debut album Amniotic, due April 20th via Embassy of Music subsidy Embassy One.
It is the experiential nature of Monolink's music that defies the muddy definition of modern live electronic music. Armed with a singular blend of Berlin underground culture with the pop-leaning sensibility of American electronica, Steffen transports listeners into his own realm of sonic exploration. The music is pillared by emotive guitar tones, analog synth stabs and, for the first time, his own vocals - acting as a singular point of departure for this budding talent.

Amniotic stands as Monolink's first complete body of work, following his 2017 EP 'Burning Sun' via Sol Selectas, and 'The End', a collaborative record with Acid Pauli in 2015.



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It's rare to hear a debut 12'' single that really blows you away. That's hardly a controversial statement; in truth, most producers take time to find their feet, developing a distinct style over a period of years, rather than months.

Magnesii, then, is something special. Currently based in Amsterdam. The previously unheard of producer has delivered a stunning debut 12'' for Tom Trago's Voyage Direct label. Raw, fuzzy and in turns melancholic, spellbinding and intense, its' three tracks bubble and hiss to the distinct sound of vintage analogue hardware.

You see, the young Dutch producer tends to avoid modern computers. ''I often feel like those screens suck my soul away,'' he says. Instead, he jams out tunes on a tasteful selection of analogue gear, sequencing with either the Alesis MMT-8 or the Akai MPC2000 - a favourite toy of many of the Netherlands' best electronic producers - and adding basslines, beats, acid lines and melodies on obscure synths and drumcomputers'. His creations are then bounced down straight to 1/4" tape or cassette.

Some of these resultant jams, as showcased on this impressive debut, are nothing less than inspired. Acid lines rise and fall, machine drums rattle, and distinctive synth lines weave in and out of the mix. These are raw tracks for the dancefloor blessed with all the colour and warmth associated with vintage hardware.

''RZTB Tantra'' sets the tone, layering bubbling acid lines and dreamy chords over a relentlessly nagging bassline and punchy, scattergun drum machine percussion. ''Lava Jam'' is decidedly deeper, with woozy, emotive melodies and alien electronics tumbling over a dusty rhythm pattern and tactile acid bass.

Magnesii completes a sterling debut with ''Van Dyke Island Jam'', whose squidgy bassline and long, drawn-out M1 chords work in complete harmony with the crispy rhythm track and densely building percussion hits. Like its' predecessor, it too seems to be tinged with sadness, as if Magnesii's machines are shedding a tear for glories past.

Clearly, Magnesii is a name to look out for in future. For the time being, we'll have to make do with one of the most impressive debut 12'' singles of 2014 to date.

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