DEXT Recordings is a brand new label kicking off with an EP from dubspeeka complete with remixes from Apple Pips boss Appleblim and Aus artist Komon and it's a bit of a Bristol affair. dubspeeka, the elusive Bristol based producer who has released on Oliver Huntemann's Ideal Audio, Waveform and has remixed for Evolution, is sure to become big news in 2014, especially once the world gets to hear this new EP. Opening track 'Leaving Home' is a dark and broody affair with thick basslines, eerie pitch shifted voices lurking in shadows and plenty of spangled synths wrapping around it from start to finish. 'Special Occasion' is then a fulsome, swaggering house track. The drums are bulky, the percussion is crisp and the chords rattle with plenty of menace.
Next up, 'Creature Funk' again fuses elements of house and bass into a skipping track that sways to and fro as siren like tones survey the bleak horizon. It's arresting, strangely funky stuff that sound like little else. Komon & Appleblim have teamed up many times before now, for both remixes and originals, and here the pair refix 'Creature Funk' into a nimble, supple bit of grainy but bulky techno that skips and scrapes with a real late night and underground swagger. Komon then remixes 'Leaving Home' on his own and turns it into a reflective and pensive bit of house with nicely shaped synths off in the distance as infectious percussive slices churn out a pattern in the foreground. dubspeeka's production is fresh and filled with plenty of personality and all three tracks here are likely to become seriously highly rated weapons for DJs in the know in the coming months. More

Suns out, guns out: Darkroom Dubs ease into 2018 slowly with a new addition to their limited vinyl series courtesy of Madrid analogue scientist Eduardo De La Calle. Last spotted on Planet E and boasting a 15 year back-cat on the likes of Cadenza, Biologic, Just This, Hivern Discs and Mule Muziq, Eduardo is a man you’re already well acquainted with. And you’re going to want to get even closer once you’ve digested these four straight-to-business stripped-back traxx. Each cut designed for deep mix tailoring that you can really bend minds with. More

Two years we've had to wait for the second in Skinnerbox's Edits series on Silicone Soul's Darkroom Dubs, but as the saying goes... All good things... Having wow'd us with their bravery in taking on Coltrane's 'A Love Supreme' on #1 - a track that's still receiving airplay from Gilles Peterson - the German duo turn their attentions from Jazz to Rock, with a brand new brace of respectful reworks. On the A we have Skinnerbox's edit of "Bela Lugosi's Dead" by English post-punk band Bauhaus. The song was the band's first single, released on 6 August 1979 by record label Small Wonder. Often considered the first gothic rock record, many see it as a seminal classic that went on to influence the later Goth scene. The B-side plays host to Skinnerbox's edit of “Gouge Away” by American alternative rock band, Pixies. The original features on their classic album “Doolittle” from ’89, a massive indie success in the UK. The band hugely influenced the grunge scene. Delicate and respectful edits from the duo, that see these two classic tracks expertly tailored for the dancefloor.
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After a slew of acclaimed 12" EPs and a string of CD compilations and albums, Darkroom Dubs prepare to cut their first LP to wax, which comes from Portuguese newcomer Pedro Aguiar. Brimful of spectral intensity, Aguiar’s ‘Landscapes and Heartbreaks’ is an uninhibited package of field recordings and otherworldly tones that stay close to the aesthetic Darkroom Dubs fans hold dear and also inaugurate the label’s landmark step into the world of Long Play records. Just as the title suggests, the LP sonically explores the topography of an often- mournful setting and kicks off with the deeply cinematic ‘Western Digital’ before the cold, mechanical character of ‘The Ceremony’ layers bit-crushed textures with metallic, atonal drones. Hypnagogia then sets a rich and busy groove stuttering inside a cloudy cavern before ‘Black Palm’ spreads rich, undulating sweeps over sheets of liquid and delayed percussive knocks that are gently propelled by a low- passed thud. The lucent, minor key tones of ‘Redemption’ are then spread out before the ticking percussion of ‘Sacred Ritual’ patiently ferries the listener toward solace. ‘Helios’ then recalls the work of Keith Kenniff as rubbery, synthetic pops are contrasted against a soft melodic sheet before ‘Fadio Vadio’ rolls out a steady, chugging drum pattern and coarse, granular sweeps. ‘Orizaba’ and ‘Lost In You’ then inject some swooning synth tones, which work to round off a cohesive anthology of emotions that mark the first step for an extremely auspicious talent. More

A new edits series from Darkroom Dubs sees Skinnerbox kick proceedings off. Strictly vinyl only! More

Silicone Soul's Craig Morrison and Graeme Reedie have lined up a succession of exciting releases and events to mark ten years since their subterranean parallel project and label, Darkroom Dubs first unleashed its idiosyncratic take on house music. Charged with the purest distillation of the edgy early hours spirit from which house music was originally forged, Darkroom Dubs has become renowned for Silicone Soul's walks on the dark side and for showcasing likeminded producers, drawn to mining the deepest substratas with a freedom to explore in; the ultimate bastion of deep electronic dance music. The culmination is 'A Ten Day Weekend' (A Decade Of Darkroom Dubs) featuring ten exclusive new tracks from Gary Beck, Freska, Jairo Catelo, Of Norway, Ryan Crosson, Jozif, Antonio Olivieri, Simon Garcia, Uner and Silicone Soul. A short video collage of still-startling silent movie surrealism has been produced to mark the tenth anniversary, further underlining their ethos that the deep, the weird and the timelessly cool have been co-existing with organic ferocity over the last decade, now ready to explode into the next ten years, as a higher-profile declaration and direction for Darkroom Dubs.
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Busking really is next-level in Berlin, with the acoustic guitar replaced by the laptop, drum machine and Minimoog, all powered by a car battery. It was this thrown together setup that first introduced the world to Skinnerbox as Iftah Gabbai and Olaf Hilgenfeld took their leftfield, jazzy attitude and improvised genre-bridging music to the streets of Berlin for impromptu jam sessions. It wasn't long before Skinnerbox were rocking the floors of Ritter Butzke and Wilde Renate and getting their music pressed to the black gold was surely the next step. Releases on TonKind, Neopren and Bar25 Records followed before the guys were signed to Bpitch Control with their single, Anapol. 2012 saw the release of this follow-up single for the label, God Is Fading and in January of this year the guys lent their remix talents to The Silence Kills by fellow Bpitch artist, Dillon. Today Skinnerbox make their Darkroom Dubs debut with Fertile Invalids. They have described their own music as infusing soul, breaking house, hard-edged techno, jazz and ambient electronica futurism. This three track ep encompasses all of the above and more and proves just what an exciting addition this live act are to the DRD roster.

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Silicone Soul's Craig Morrison and Graeme Reedie have lined up a succession of exciting releases and events to mark ten years since their subterranean parallel project and label, Darkroom Dubs first unleashed its uniquely idiosyncratic take on house music. Charged with the purest distillation of the edgy early hours spirit from which house music was originally forged, Darkroom Dubs has become renowned for Silicone Soul's walks on the dark side and for showcasing likeminded producers, drawn to mining the deepest substratas with a freedom to explore in; the ultimate bastion of deep electronic dance music. The first of the labels celebratory releases comes from Sebo & Madmotormiquel. The duo have been reigning supreme in the deeper download charts over the past few months and their 'Don't Eat' (Katermukke) track was a dancefloor favourite last year. The URSL label bosses recently saw two of their latest productions, 'Everything Will Change' & 'Slow', feature on John Digweed's 'Live In London' 5CD mix on Bedrock. Their 'Don't Wanna Go To' EP features three deep and warmly textured productions. The title track is a creeper with its spoken vocal and popping synth work. 'Take One Step Back' matches smooth rhodes keys with sumptuous acoustic guitar and goosebump-inducing vocal. Final Cut 'Honey Bomb' steps up the tempo and increases the funk. Twisted electric riffs and echoing chimes working brilliantly together to create a dancefloor gem. Feedback: Sasha - "some great tracks thanks!" Hernan Cattaneo – “Very cool stuff again from Sebo & Madmotormiquel, especially Take One Step Back!” Jozif – “OH MY DAYS, this is absolutely unreal! What a bleeding fantastically beautiful EP!!!” Hot Since 82 – “Take One Step Back is a wicked record!!!” Cosmonauts – “Wicked deepness from these guys - will enjoy playing Honey Bomb!!” UNER – “Super tracks! Love the feelings, vocals and harmonies! Good job guys!” Nick Warren – “This is a brilliant release, three cracking tracks, full support fellas. Honey Bomb my fav.” Oliver Schories – “Honey Bomb is GREAT record!!!” X-Press 2 – “Great package. Big support from X-Press 2 as always. Will play at club and radio.” AFFKT – “Superb release from these guys! Big up for Darkroom Dubs!!" Eelke Kleijn – “Really nice work on Honey Bomb guys, like it!!” Martin Eyerer – “Nice and deep stuff on this ep. Will play something from here for sure!” Jody Wisternoff – “Feeling Take One Step Back, looking forward to supporting this in my sets. Thanks mates!” Hector Romero – “Oh yes - wicked little groove on the lead track - nice one!” More