“After the software hallucination of my last record Dreem Static we reboot back into the Metropolis underground: a never-ending computer simulation inhabited by freak machines and rogue algorithms,” says Quaid of his latest release. “Trawling through past and future frequencies to help process today’s hyper-reality.”

If this sounds loosely like the plot of a wild and exploratory sci-fi film then that’s because Quaid builds sonic worlds that mirror the breadth, scope and futuristic visions of such films. “Storytelling is a key part of my music making process,” he says. “I’m definitely channelling late 80s and early 90s sci-fi killers like Total Recall, Running Man, Robocop and maybe some Knight Rider in there too. But all respun for the post-pandemic hyper-real craziness of today.” The sci-fi element also fits into Quaid’s incredibly strong visual aesthetic, namely his futuristic and very distinct eye glasses. “The glasses are a Quaid trademark for sure,” he says. “I got the LED lights custom made by a guy in the US who worked on the Cylon outfits for the original Battlestar Galactica.” More

Having conjured up a virtual paradise in his last release ‘The Technological Afterlife’ Quaid’s third long player ‘Dreem Static’ takes us on a machine-funk odyssey to inner space:

“Every good story has a dream sequence. Where the narrative gets deep & surreal. This is mine. I made all the music through this lens. I wanted the tracks to be connected thematically More

After a short hiatus the ever-dependable Mark E returns to his own Merc label with three new tracks in his own inimitable style
Displaying a depth and flair for aural innovation like no other, Mark plots a course through a heady trio of beautifully constructed machine-funk jams. 'Twilight Fade' leads us seductively into a slowly unfurling Sound Signature style voyage through the soulful circuits. 'Quarttz' is a super deep, all enveloping synth-led workout, while 'First Thing' on the B, stretches a few simple ingredients into a sonic banquet of heady dancefloor bliss.
This one's super limited folks, so we encourage panic buying ! More

MERC return with the latest instalment in their celebrated E-Versions series. No. 8 is classic Mark E business, proven king, as he is, of the 'slow-burner' 'Train Tunnel' is a beautifully unhurried deconstruction of a Jazz classic, upright bass, piano flourishes and horns picked fresh from the speakeasy and popped in the slow-cooker for a deeper, mesmerising flavour On the flip 'Give It Time' is a glorious celestial and atmospheric workout, which - as the title would suggest - implores you to ignore the demands of accelerated culture and pace your journey to dancefloor nirvana accordingly. Merc to the future ! More

MERC is very proud to welcome Mark Seven as guest editor on E-Versions 7. It took a long time, a lot of telephone conversations, a lot of pleading, digging, sweat and tears to simply find out what TONY'S SLICE was after hearing it on Mark's Parkway Mastermix. Turns out its MKVIIs attempt at recreating a live mix by Tony Humphries he heard on Kiss cutting 2 copies of the phone conversation back and forward forever. With EV#7 looming we knew this would be a perfect opportunity to have a guest on the series, so we persisted and broke him down and he finally gave in to the pressure. In addition to TONYS SLICE, MKVII has turned in a superb acid work out in the form of CASE STUDY 9. "I WANT TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY PLANS FOR THIS WEEKEND" More

Merc return with the second in the next phase of E-Versions ! As ever, MARK E's best selling and precision club jams project delivers big things for discerning dancers Here we have a reload of easily one of Mark's finest moments. The Womack & Womack rework which made his name, certainly with the likes of Giles Peterson introducing a bright new star to a wider audience appears again here for the first time since its original release back in 2005. A bona fide classic !
Plastic People has never been available on vinyl (only as a bonus cut on his 2010 'Works' CD Comp) So it's a fitting addition to this majestic platter ! More

Merc return with the first in the next phase of E-Versions ! As ever, MARK E's best selling and precision club jams project delivers big things for discerning dancers We've witnessed first-hand the damage that A Side cut 'Horn Jam' visits on a sweaty dancefloor, with its insistent frug and layers of rising synths - a hypnotic bomb as only Mark can deliver On the flip Sanctified makes a meal out of a killer soul sample, working the arrangement into waves of subtle frenzy
A masterclass, as ever. Merc to the future ! More

Mark E makes a rapid return after the hugely successful E-Versions series, we now embark E-Work ! While E-Versions celebrated the full, dazzling shimmer of the Disco ball lit dancefloor, E-Work turns down the lights, and turns up the system for some pared down sonic sorcery Mark channels his years of experience, digging, DJing and producing to distill the essence of the Chicago House blueprint & divert into an altogether more 21st century destination
Emotive, muscular machine jams then, in Vocal and Instrumental versions Let's Work ! More

Number four in this much loved series & proof, if proof were needed that no one flips a track like Mark E ! Two more overlooked and underplayed staples get the E-Versions treatment, weaving an extended and irresistible groove that's tailor made to cause trouble One press - vinyl only More

Chicago Damn marks his second release on Merc ! Capturing the labels twisted house aesthetic with his own take on looped out house jams with 4 new workouts Sounding like a sonic sunset playlist, the EP drifts between Balearic beatdown, Chicago House & Brazillian Carnival but with added North Eastern England grit. The simplictiy of the continuous loop carved expertly across the whole release. Merc to the future !
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Two unreleased edits emerge from Mark E's Merc label starting the E-version series. Kahn turns a classic disco track into an expertly extended, peak-time puncher adding percussion and persistent loops. While Mingo stretches a drum laden ethnicity around its Techno foundations. Already being played by Gilles Peterson, Daniel Avery & Dixon. More

Mark E's collaborative PROJECT E series continues with the follow up to the excellent Megacity EP. On this 12, Mark teams up with Keyboardist Nat Woodcock & vocalist Greg Bird to piece together another excellent EP, combining the influences from both producers ranging through 80's synth pop, classical avant garde, Italo disco & detroit techno. A departure from previous MERC releases which have relied on sample heavy driven deep house, PROJECT E holds tight to the deep house direction but takes it into distinctive cosmic territory.
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Project E is Mark E's first collaboration since his Good Times release on Prins Thomas' Internasjonal label some 4 years ago with "Dragon" This time Mark teams up with Keyboardist Nat Woodcock. The result of this can be heard on the "MEGACITY" EP . A 3 track 12" combining the influences from both producers ranging through 80's synth pop, classical avant garde, Italo disco & detroit techno. A departure from previous MERC releases which have relied on sample heavy driven deep house, PROJECT E holds tight to the deep house direction but takes it into strange cosmic territory. The Megacity EP is the first in a series of releases due over the coming months. More

The artist formerly known as Edward returns to Merc for his second release. "Burning" burrows a deep distorted bongo led, deep disco march into you head for a day, topped with dramatic stabs keeping it other worldly. On the B-Side " Counterfeit Paradise " highlights the plight of South America's Rain forests with a Mark E deep house interpretation. More

MERC 009 sees another Mark E 2 tracker with SNOW WALKER & ENVIRONMENT. Snow walker combines an uptempo relentless percussive hard nosed rolling drum rhythm, running parallel with shimmering disco lights, synth blobs and a messed up yeti vocal nag, nestling comfortably somewhere between the black country and the black forest. Environment however pushes itself all deepness and glory with electronic female vox, looping sub bass boogie and a slow Sasquatch techno sensibility. More

Merc Music proudly presents new Artist "Edward", a new light emerging from the Black Country underground. Having passed Mark E a CD full of left field house music Maxa & Naxa finally make their way onto vinyl with Merc. Here lies deep distorted driving 4/4 beats and looped disco monotony, following in the vein of previous Merc releases this pushes the sound even further. More