Contra009. Embark on an auditory voyage through the heart of Detroit's finest dusty crates with "The Vault Vol. 1," a compilation of beats and melodies meticulously crafted by esteemed producer Reggie Dokes.

Dokes unveils a treasure trove of his finest deep house creations, never before released on vinyl. Delve into the hypnotic rhythms, lush harmonies, and pulsating basslines that define Dokes' signature sound, as he seamlessly blends elements of house and soul to create an immersive sonic experience. With "The Vault Vol. 1," Reggie Dokes invites listeners to rediscover the essence of soulful electronic music.

This anthology also features two mesmerizing tracks from his acclaimed 'Napi Hedz' collaboration with Pirahnahead, adding an extra layer of depth and complexity to an already stellar collection. More

Detroit native Reggie Dokes has been a mainstay of We Play House Recordings since the very early years. The reason for that is simple: his music keeps on moving the mind and soul of WPH boss Red D.

For his latest outing Reggie digs deep into his African heritage, inspired by the godfather or Afro Beat Fela Kuti. Original rhythms, killer stabs and a proud display of his blackness make this E.P. into something that takes house music to a whole other level. Just immerse yourself into this one, no questions asked. More

Without question, Reggie Dokes is a soldier of Deep House. Touches of jazz and otherworldliness find there way on his latest EP with Contrafact Records. Three tracks ranging from the sultry to the beyond, putting the listener into a blissful state. A must have for the fans of Deep House. More

With 'Universe Speaks', Reggie Dokes is at the helm of the third release for Still Techno. He is one of the best (and one of our favorite) producers to come out of Detroit and his discography is as massive as his own legendary label Psychostasia Recordings. It is rare for Reggie to drop 4 deep techno tracks on one serving but here we are. All tracks featured on 'Universe Speaks' are an ode to the dancefoor and Detroit, where melodies, jazz, percussions and real electronic music collide to create a new and subtile soundscape. More

Detroit’s own Reggie Dokes lands on Shift Imprint for the third cut of the label with “My Soul Reaches Up” EP, a beautifully crafted record with a remix from the Finnish house head, Arttu! More

On this joint EP with Reggie Dokes, Gari explores the world of deepness without hesitation. He takes us on an intergalactic mind trip, while keeping it true to the dancefloor. More

It?s been some 7 years since Reggie Dokes was last seen & heard on a WPH release, so safe to say this one is long overdue. Our Detroit hero took a bit of a hiatus from music production in recent years, but he is back and has been cooking up some serious heat. More

Reggie Dokes returns on his own Psychostasia label with three fresh Detroit house cuts. More

Kick starting the new year, Cinematic’s latest release comes from label debutant Reggie Dokes in the form of “Child of The Sun EP”. An inspired artist hailing from Detroit, Reggie spoils us with three funk fuelled cuts via the motor city! An inspired artist through his association with Derrick May and Transmat, Reggie is one of the unsung heroes from Detroit who’s sole purpose has always been to concentrate on the music. His Psychotasia record label has been an outlet for releasing his signature sound of soul inspired deep house and techno that has gained him plaudits all over Europe. Recent guest appearances have seen Reggie release on esteemed labels such as Royal Oak, Kuumba and We Play House. The first track “Child of the sun” is a slow Techno burner fuelled with funk and electronic rhythms that builds, envoking vibrancy and colour before the bassline sets the tone in pummelling throughout the track. The second track aptly titled “Funk Below” further signifies Reggies versatility this time with a deeper mindset giving us the feeling of intimate night spots that are smoke filled with llow ceilings. Think browns and deep reds when listening to this and funk below that radar. Make Believe compliments the release thats a little leftfield but not to be ignored. Synth laden and downtempo, the hi hats whip away providing energy climaxing with clever arrangement of strings before the whole thing gets stripped down for a more heads down moment.

More

Reggie Dokes returns to his second home... Clone Royal Oak, with 3 amazing tracks. Emotional and passioned house tracks that come straight from the heart! Raw, unpolished music... just as we like it! Title track Once Again has received a remix treatment by two young dutch producers called Morning Factory. These guys show the same passion for their productions as Reggie, and they delivered a great edit version that added some extra energy to the original mix (which is not on this record... might come later). a combination send from heaven! Another Clone Royal Oak that will stay in the box for a loooong time!

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

Contra009. Embark on an auditory voyage through the heart of Detroit's finest dusty crates with "The Vault Vol. 1," a compilation of beats and melodies meticulously crafted by esteemed producer Reggie Dokes.

Dokes unveils a treasure trove of his finest deep house creations, never before released on vinyl. Delve into the hypnotic rhythms, lush harmonies, and pulsating basslines that define Dokes' signature sound, as he seamlessly blends elements of house and soul to create an immersive sonic experience. With "The Vault Vol. 1," Reggie Dokes invites listeners to rediscover the essence of soulful electronic music.

This anthology also features two mesmerizing tracks from his acclaimed 'Napi Hedz' collaboration with Pirahnahead, adding an extra layer of depth and complexity to an already stellar collection. More

Contra008. Contrafact are proud to present the new EP 'Chicago Knights' from veteren producer Andrew Haines. Andrew Haines aka Merix is primarily an outlet for deeper House and Techno sounds with an experimental twist. A love for cutting edge 80s and 90s moody, soulful and raw electronic club music sounds produced from the hardware of those years lies at the heart of these productions.

However a forward thinking and modern experimentation with these boundaries is also intended to be loosely employed with these production parameters.

All audio production by Merix runs alongside the Ae2 Multimedia project. Ae2 Multimedia was created by Andrew Haines in 2010 as a fusion of various artistic endeavours. Andrew Haines has been creating works of fine art, DJing and producing electronic music since the mid 1990's. Over the past 20 years Andrew Haines has also been engaged in creating works of analogue film photography, researching folklore, practising spirituality, exploring herbalism and world travel.

As an artist Merix is currently based between Galway in western Ireland, the hills of northern Cymru and Long Island, New York State in USA. More

The Dutch icon Orlando Voorn is releasing his second album for Deeptrax Records sublabel Contrafact! Having started his career in the early 80s with major influences of Parliament, Kraftwerk, Motown and P funk, he is now widely recognized as an ingenious (Detroit) house and techno producer with former releases on Juan Atkins’ Metroplex records and Kevin Saunderson’s KMS. "The Master 2" is an album that is heavily influenced by the deeper sounds of soul and funk.. Orlando Voorn has used aliases in the past to present and release various styles of music without limiting himself and is one of the most versatile producers out there. We are proud to team up with Voorn and release this album that captures soulful jazz, funk rhythms and perfectly fused with passionate vocals in a real jazzy Detroit vein. More

Without question, Reggie Dokes is a soldier of Deep House. Touches of jazz and otherworldliness find there way on his latest EP with Contrafact Records. Three tracks ranging from the sultry to the beyond, putting the listener into a blissful state. A must have for the fans of Deep House. More

Having soothing melodies go hand in hand with catchy rhythms is an achievement in and of its own. But to make them memorable and something to come back to time and time again is something else entirely! Still, Hanna – alias of Warren Harris – does it again. After the release of Love All, Contrafact Records proudly welcomes him back with the Skate and Flow EP. It demonstrates the artist’s tremendous skill and the basis for his continuous popularity within the Detroit House Scene, in which Harris is deeply rooted.

Hanna’s groovy melodies gently kick in. Especially of note here is a masterly smooth collaboration with Jeru the Damaja! Together, the three tracks on this record form a perfect – should we say crucial? - ingredient to moments of total relaxation.

Wherever and whenever you are, Hanna’s Skate and Flow EP’s got your back! More

Mr Gene Hunt is already in the game since the early 80s and is considered a true Chicago legend. After dozens of albums and EP’s on labels as Moods & Grooves, Nite Life Collective and L.A. Club Resource, he now comes with a heavy hitting 3 tracker on the fresh sublabel of Deeptrax Records; Contrafact.

Gene serves you the perfect mixture of nostalgic Paradise Garage vocal house moods with deep growing and shuffling classic grooves for peak time happiness! Soulful house at level 10 is very hard to find these days, so make sure to tune in because this is massive! More

Fresh yet nostalgic, melodious yet deep; that's what newcomer from Chicago, Emil Gayles has brought us with his new EP as a second installment of our Contrafact label aiming on deeper house from the windy city.

Seduction will stomp your mind, body and soul straight into space with superb percussions, a never ending bass groove and melodramatic chords. Spirit Dance on A2 adds foam to the milky way with a jolly high tone bass line and clutching high hats, shaking up your mind.

Instant lift off with the atmospherical Fly Birdy on the B1 side, whilst Monlade hitchhikes you from Saturn to Jupiter. More

Kompakt is proud to announce, finally, a reissue of the first, self-titled GAS album. Originally released on electronica imprint Mille Plateaux back in 1996, it’s been unavailable in its original form ever since – the version of GAS included in 2008’s Nah Und Fern box featured several different tracks. Here, however, GAS is restored in all its glory, the debut full-length from Wolfgang Voigt’s most enigmatic, quixotic project.

There had, of course, been signs of what was to come. Back in 1995, Voigt essayed the first GAS release, a slender, yet remarkable four-track EP, Modern. Its centre label featured a reduced symbol – an overhead or lamp light, switched on, its glow radiating outwards in four bold black lines – a perfect representation of the tight, stylised ambient electronic pop contained on that 12”. A few curious compilation tracks were floating around, too, for Mille Plateaux’s Modulation & Transformation and Electric Ladyland series. If you were attentive enough, you could tell something was up.

But nothing quite prepared us for the languorous, effervescing loops and regular-like-clockwork beats that Voigt folded together on GAS. Its six long tracks, all untitled, neither begin nor end but hazily fade into earshot, vibrate majestically in your cochlea for fifteen-or-so minutes – some a bit shorter, some longer – and then meander away, reading the mise-en-scène for the next example of Voigt’s drift and dream logic to unfold. The material is referential in the most distant way, and you can sense only the most evanescent of ghostly presences, haunting these six compositions.

GAS feels, also, like a more pliable hint at what’s to come, as the GAS concept really solidified on its successor, 1997’s Zauberberg, and reach its apotheosis on Königsforst and Pop. Those three albums share a very similar palette – blurred, hazy samples, often of classical music, stacked and cross-thatched across a muted 4/4 thud. GAS, then, is an outlier of sorts: it’s more expansive in its remit, lighter in its mood, perhaps more fleet of foot. This, of course, is part of its charm.

In clearing space for Voigt, by preparing the terrain, GAS sits both at the edge of the forest, and at the verge of an expansive, wide-eyed future; one where GAS would become truly eternal.

Text by Jonathan Dale More

The link up between Mantra and Vivek goes back to 2013 when Mantra used to frequent his System nights at The Dome. Both share similar values in grafting hard, focusing on the music and not getting distracted by the noise surrounding the culture. This EP has been in the making for over 2 years and we’re proud to finally be releasing Mantra’s debut SYSTEM EP. 4 cuts spanning different corners of electronic music - from broken beat, garage, and jungle, all with a heavy dub influence. Chopped up breaks, carefully programmed hits, dub baselines, heavenly pads - this release is raw, weighty & System to the core! More

Repress!

OKTEMBER is the second EP release under Wolfgang Voigt’s mythical GAS project (it follows "Modern“ on Profan, 1995). The 2 compositions were originally released in 1999 on Mille Plateaux, and then reissued partially in 2016 on GAS “BOX”. OKTEMBER is finally released on Voigt's own label KOMPAKT, pressed on 180 gram vinyl in its original artwork.

This reissue features “Tal ‘90“ (instead of the original A side) – a predecessor to the GAS project originally recorded in 1990 under the alias TAL, it was released as a part of the Pop Ambient 2002 collection. With its sampled strings, horns and guitars, "Tal 90” soundtracks a more uplifting side to what is typically accustomed to being the sound of GAS. The title track “Oktember” is a dense, hypnotic affair that conjures a unique vision of dub techno that few have been able to replicate.

A monumental soundtrack to uncertain times. More

Fixate, a core artist of Exit Records, is proud to present Conundrum, a dynamic mini LP. Spanning a variety of tempos, this collection showcases Fixate’s love for house and techno, blending loop-driven beats with dancefloor energy. In his own words, “I made these tracks to fit into my own DJ sets, bridging the gap between tempos when playing out." More

“After releasing my album 'ÖÐRUVÍSI,' which was a very personal and emotionally challenging project, I felt the need to make something weird and energetic for the club. I’m really into tunes that feel both slow and fast simultaneously. The first track on the EP, 'Let’s be Havin u,' was initially hard to place genre-wise, i ended up sending it to Darren, who loved it and wanted to sign it. Releasing on Exit kinda feels like earning a black belt as a producer hah. I never imagined that a decade after buying Exit 12”s in 2014, I’d be releasing my own music on the label. When I started making the EP, I had just begun performing again. I often saw people on the dance floor, too out of it to enjoy the music and often some of them having to be carried by their friends to backstage. This made me wanna make tunes for the dance floor as a bit of a statement on this. I first tested 'Let’s be Havin u' at Prikið in Reykjavik, sounded mad on the little old funktion one. The moment I knew that I was onto something with the EP was when I was Performing in Bristol at Thekla for my friend Boofy. It was wild, the ceiling started leaking during the show. I Love Bristol, feels like home to me. Most of the percussion and hats on the EP are made with an Elektron Model Cycles, and the synths and pads are from a 80s Yamaha hybrid FM/sample synth I found at a thrift store. It doesn’t have MIDI, so I have to record perfect takes for chords and melodies. I often use pedals afterwards or resample the sounds for more tonal control. I enjoy digging for records with unique breaks to sample, as I feel this is lacking nowadays. I usually make all my drums from scratch but when I use breaks I like it to be something I haven’t heard before. The alien percussion sound in the last track is actually me biting my teeth together, resampled repeatedly and ran through pedals and interfaces. I also recorded myself chewing gum for the second track to give it that hand on the hip feel. Most of the EP is made with hardware, outboard gear, or real-life recordings. I’m not concerned about the EP fitting a specific genre or playlist. Too many artists play it safe by focusing on their Spotify stats and abandoning projects that don’t work instantly. I think also Obsessive nostalgia stifles innovation, keeping things stuck in a loop by replicating to the tee, tunes from 2 decades ago. I get it, but there has to be a middle ground sometimes. More

Repress!

3xLP+CD Artbook

In the body of work of Cologne artist Wolfgang Voigt – who, like few others, has informed, shaped and influenced the world of electronic music with countless different projects since the early 1990s -, GAS stands out in particular as a saturnine sound cosmos based on heavily condensed classic sequences. Even after nearly 20 years, the sound of GAS doesn’t seem to have lost any of its luster, as shown by the commanding success of Kompakt’s fall 2016 re-release of the essential back catalogue as a 10xLP/4xCD box set.

The overwhelming feedback from a loyal international fan community and worldwide media outlets attests once again to the sheer timelessness of GAS. Which is why it will feel like hardly a day has passed since the release of the last official album “Pop” nearly two decades ago, when Wolfgang Voigt resumes this specific creative path with the upcoming new full-length NARKOPOP.

Even in the here and now, the unmistakable vibe of GAS immediately hits home, taking the listener on an otherworldly journey with the very first sounds, drawing him or her into an impervious sonic thicket, down to the depths of rapture and reverie. From wafts of dense symphonic mist emerges a floating and whirling feeling of weightlessness, before the listener steps into an eerily beautiful forest of fantasy, pulled in by the allure of a narcotic bass drum.

While earlier GAS tracks were often based on the hypnotic effects of looping techniques, the 10 new pieces on NARKOPOP unfold their magic in a more entwined manner, sometimes with the sonic might of an entire philharmonic orchestra, sometimes as subtle and fragile as the most delicate branch of a tree with many. A main characteristic of Voigt’s oeuvre, the coalescence of seemingly contradictory stylistic aspects such as harmonious and atonal, concrete and abstract, light and heavy, near and far is also a decisive feature of NARKOPOP.

In accordance with the transgressive spirit of his collective work, Voigt carries the aesthetic conceptions of his music over to the realm of the visual. Based on his abstract forest pictures, the GAS artwork addresses Voigt’s artistic affinity to romanticism and the forest as a place of yearning. For the first time, a closer look at the cover of NARKOPOP reveals signs of architectural fragments which hint at another, maybe parallel world behind Voigt’s forest. Truth is the prettiest illusion. More

Exit Records proudly heralds a monumental achievement in its legacy with the advent of EXIT 100 - a celebration of innovation and creativity. Following the success of Part 1, we are proud to present Part 2 of our 4-part album series. This instalment features a diverse array of tracks from both established and emerging artists. Their contributions not only redefine our sound but also embody the future trajectory of Exit Records. Thank you for being a part of our journe More

Repress!

POP – the album that has become widely recognized as the defining moment in which Wolfgang Voigt brought us into a clearing of his deep, psychedelic forest. A landmark release in the GAS odyssey that drew international attention, POP was originally released in 2000 on the iconic Frankfurt imprint MILLE PLATEAUX. POP was heralded by Pitchfork at the time of release as being “an exercise in sonic texture… pure sonic velvet, the layered drone radiating a palpable warmth.”

POP has since been reissued in 2016 as a part of GAS “BOX” (now out of print) and finally now, POP is released on KOMPAKT – for the first time in its original artwork. More

Repress!

KÖNIGSFORST – following the 1997 release of ZAUBERBERG (KOMPAKT 370.1), Wolfgang Voigt’s GAS project returned with KÖNIGSFORST, a full length that has stood the test of time as a template for introducing fundamentals of 90’s techno into the principles of contemporary electronic music.

Originally released in 1998 on the iconic Frankfurt imprint Mille Plateaux, and then reissued in 2016 as a part of GAS “BOX”, KÖNIGSFORST is now released on his own label KOMPAKT on 180 gram 3LP vinyl in its original artwork.

KÖNIGSFORST brings glimmers of light into Voigt’s dark, magnificent forest. Melodic strings and brass are added to his signature layers of ominous intensity. The forest path is laid out by muffled kick drums as classical music loops incessantly swirl with no direction. More

dBridge - "So here we have it: the final plate of the Exit 100 series. I’ve been immensely proud of this project, and I believe this release is a fitting way to conclude it. We’ve curated a collection full of great music from artists I love, and I’m pleased that we’ve created a project that represents Exit’s future rather than its past." More