Not much to say on this one, Mattias Ostling aka Rolando Simmons is back on AF. You should know what you're in for: undeniably beautiful acid stuff, somewhere between propulsive and melancholy, lush but fidgety 4/4 beats...'Terrestrial Ultra-Doula EP' is a 4-track adventure that deftly dabbles in rave, IDM, techno and beyond in classic RS style. In his own words "Every completed project is the failure of an original idea and the triumph of a successful adaptation. These tracks were inspired by a dream and my subsequent reflections on it. Playing music for others is an act of alchemy that can alter thought patterns and life paths to varying degrees. It is a formidable power to wield." Ostling is one of those artists who works in a specific continuum but adds his own touch here and there--and when it comes to reverb-drenched, acid-lashed, wound-up IDM pitter-patter, not many can do it as well, or as elegantly, as this. Word, you're gonna need this one. More

Rolando Simmons - a revered name in certain acidic circles - joins Utter for the 'Human Remains' EP, a wildly inventive 8-track adventure that deftly dabbles in rave, IDM, Techno and beyond in classic RS style. The project is the creative brainchild of Mattias Östling, who has been on a prolific production streak since the late 2000s, firstly under the name Trackermatte before settling into work under his current moniker.

This particular release is a missing puzzle-piece of sorts, compiled and sequenced by Utter's Alex Egan from a self-released digital collection titled 'Human Touch' which initially surfaced on Bandcamp during the producer's golden 2016 'Walk On Strawberries' and 'World Building' era.

'Human Touch' was a curious selection of unmastered oddities - the first Östling made using audio signal processing environment Cecilia5 - which remained largely overlooked due to its digital limbo. The tracklist itself shifted, with bonus tracks appearing then disappearing. While the excellent Dutch label 030303 cherry-picked the original version of the title track for a 2019 2xLP of the same name, the rest of the material remained frustratingly unavailable on vinyl and elsewhere, including the elusive bonus track which prompted Egan to reach out to Östling in the first place, the stunning 'sq1_mc4_iloveu03a_149unedit'.

That track is firmly at the core of this new EP, under its new title 'Nueva Traditional', as well as the alternative CV Beszállás edit of 'Human Touch'. They are surrounded by every other un-pilfered gem that originally appeared alongside them - however briefly - with all material freshly mastered and cut by Anne Taegert at D&M. The artwork and large fold-out poster (included with the 12") were designed by the Timpani Mystique Agency.

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In the dimly lit corners of a nondescript basement party, amidst the cacophony of laughter and clinking glasses, a pulsating beat cuts through the haze of alcohol-induced euphoria. It's a track that none have heard before, yet it feels instantly familiar, echoing the electrifying energy of Underworld's iconic 'Born Slippy'. The song, discovered by accident during a drunken deep-dive into the depths of an online music platform, becomes the unexpected anthem of the night. Titled "Macht over het Stuur", this track is an odyssey of sound, blending relentless techno rhythms with haunting, ethereal vocals that seem to drift in from another world. The opening notes are a siren call, drawing listeners into a whirlpool of synths and beats that mimic the heartbeat of the city at night. It's music that doesn't just want to be heard; it demands to be felt, pulsating through the veins and igniting a fire in the soul. As "Macht over het Stuur" unfolds, it weaves a narrative without words, telling tales of fleeting connections, electric glances, and the raw, unfiltered essence of human emotion. It captures the spirit of those who chase the dawn, those who find beauty in the blur of lights as they speed past on their way to nowhere. The track is a paradox, both a celebration of the present moment and a longing for something just out of reach, a sound that encapsulates the feeling of being utterly lost yet exactly where you're supposed to be. The discovery of "Macht over het Stuur" on that drunken night feels like unearthing a treasure, a secret shared among friends that would soon ripple out to captivate a wider audience. As word of the track spreads, it becomes more than just a song; it's a movement, a collective memory etched into the minds of those who experienced it firsthand. It stands as a testament to the power of music to unite, to transform an ordinary night into something magical, a reminder that sometimes, the most unforgettable moments are those we never see coming. More

Follow up of the Polysynthesis pt. 1. More

Mysterious Argentinian Deep Spectrum delivers an EP with synthpop and italo influenced music for the pool/porn movie set/dance floor/living room. Yes that's right, this is universal music, suitable for all kinds of situations. Forever Free could be an instrumental b-side of a Soft Cell or Vicious Pink record while Para?so Fiscal (fiscal paradise) holds the middle ground between an 80s soundtrack and an underground italo jam. Punch Line on the flip is a smooth dance track where this talented new artist takes it to an even more sensual level. Fans of sleazy electronic futurism and early Legowelt should not sleep on this release! More

030303 Records taught us a lot about the many faces of acid throughout the 18 years of its existence. The label has specialised in all substyles of the genre, whether that's tracks inspired by early 80s proto acid, Chicago house, braindance or the eerie melancholy of Polygon Window. Good thing is, they haven't stopped getting better at it. Most 030 releases are now out of print and severely sought after and, with so many instant classics featured on it, this fifth compilation will be no exception. Caramel Chameleon kicks off with an epic cut, one that will appeal to fans of Roy of the Ravers. Perseus Traxx, Raving Kid and RAG aka Steven Brunsmann follow suit with acid on a deeper tip, with the latter adding a heavenly soulful touch to it. And how great it is to see American producer Korr? return to the label with a wonderfully spaced out introspective cut. Also standing out is Endfest's heavy electro/acid take on one of the most obscure mysteries ever to come out of Detroit: Shari Vari. Dwaalgast and De Beer Uit Allekmaar aka Cosmic Force deliver the last track before the lights go on - the aptly named A Wave Goodbye has a distinctive, bouncy westcoast-sound-of-Holland feel to it. An excellent compilation and a huge tip! More

030303 co-founder Freek Fabricius made this record in honour of his friend Floris Bovee who passed away early in 2020. For the EP, Freek took some of Floris' musical ideas and reworked them - together with samples of Floris' voice - into four excellent mid-tempo tracks for the emotional dance floor. Expect dense and organic harmonies on this record, which really feels like a mini album and is among some of the most heartfelt and poetic electronic music we have come across as of late. More

A compilation of atmospheric live recordings on a double 12 inch pack. Twelve serene ambient and IDM tracks by German producer Rave Angst, who let his modular system and Roland TB-303 on the loose. The vibe is moody and production is crisp with lots going on to keep your brain busy. It really feels like we're entering Rave Angst's soul - he definitely did not hold back as this is deeply emotional and - let's face it - often apocalyptic sounding music. The unsettling melodies on the album are strangely held together by metallic sounding rhythms but only just... Rave Angst really challenges the listener on this album. It's all high quality stuff with 1994, Sunday Morning Self-Medication Acid and Paralyzed (Dub) being our personal favorites. Exist is a massive recommendation for anyone into mid 90s Aphex Twin and early Plastikman. Essential stuff. More

Bristol based producer Gilbert steps into the time machine with this wonderful EP that sonically and spiritually connects to the early works of Warp pioneers such as B12, LFO and Speedy J. First track Ylem starts with a strong kick but is nevertheless a subtle builder that directs you straight to deep space. Shift the Focus, the opener on the flip, may well be the EP's most suitable track for the (dreamy) dance floor - the cut's dense melodies and subtle 303 flavours work well with Gilbert's rhythm section and would slowly but surely draw you into a psychedelic swamp when played in a club. The tracks Lucid Dream and Are We Alone are even a bit more otherworldly and fitted for an armchair listen. A big tip for anyone into layered, mind bending UK techno! More

First one for 030303 by Daniel Pringle aka The Jaffa Kid. Over the course of six tracks, the Newcastle based producer smoothly blends Detroit and UK informed techno with breakbeat vibes. Highlights include Noon - a deep melancholic techno cut with a subtle optimistic melody line keeping it all together, Zap Ting II - a rich ambient take on deconstructed jungle and acid and Izire Baes, where fast paced breaks are oddly slowed down by deep sonic drones. It's definitely a journey into another world, this one and a big recommendation for anyone keen to escape reality.

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Tibor Kocsis doesn't take a minute to introduce himself on his first EP for 030303 records; he presents himself with a slap in your face from the very first second. Title track Delta Ophiuchi is heavy duty dancefloor material... reminiscing of the very best of K Alexi Shelby's early works, just a little more focused and to the point maybe - an instant rush and an instant classic! Second track Nekorb is a little sweeter and more for the after hours. The remaining 3 tracks keep that same flow; a wonderful blend of Chicago, psychedelic British acid house and electronic minimal wave. More

British producer Jonathan Hipgrave aka Jonny3snareS hits the right snare - as the Dutch say - with his brand new Parasol EP on Utrecht's 030303 Records. With plenty of off-tone melodies from another galaxy and hard hitting and impatient snare drum compositions, this is braindance at its very best. Upon reading track names like Custard Rollneck, Milk on Sofa and Pond Life, you expect to hear acid heavy, euphoric and sometimes slightly uneasy dancefloor nostalgia in the best Rephlex tradition and that is exactly what you get. Big tip for fans of Cornish acid! More

Dublin's Splitradix delivers an EP of intense and melancholic acid / braindance with plenty of "light in darkness" to quote Yellow Magic Orchestra. Opener Laplace Formal is a moody, hyper melodic piece for a dreamy dance floor. The oddly titled second track, The Dry Canal, is the centerpiece of the EP. Dry, deep and stomping acid taking you through a tunnel of sound - the two dark droney melody lines slowly but surely turn the piece into something truly epic and unforgettable... Opening the flipside, Empty Sea 1000 is a slow, lazy acid cut from another dimension, very nice! Lucan 303 Distribution Service is heavy on the kick. Basic at first, it later turns into a wonderfully melodic Rephlex-like cut. Last one, Laplace Formal (Navs' No Jacket Required Remix) is a laidback and more euphoric version of the EP's opening track. More

A unique release with four tracks, each by a different 030303 member from the first hour. B?hm kicks off with Tranquility, a moody and atmospheric acid electro track; hard hitting snares, 303 bubbles and and a dark cloud of gloomy drone. Freek Fabricius' track Druk op een Knop is part built up by samples taken from an obscure gaming device for small children. The result is a bizarre and spooky track, loosely held together by a messy Roland melody. Geel Acidvarken's excellent contribution is one to listen to again and again and reminds a little of Plastikman's Consumed project; lots of dreamy reverb effects on the warm bleeps with persistent snares and rattling rim shots added to the spaciness. Piepiep's System 100 is a brilliant funky beast, hectic and crystal clear at once with lots happening yet a dedicated focus on the floor. A very strong 12" and a big tip! More

An outsider in the Detroit scene, Jared Wilson's meandering acid jams have always sounded more Cornish than American. His brand new EP for the Netherlands' 030303 Records continues on that spacey tip. Sea Friends starts warm, bassy and laidback with upbeat and frenetic melodies taking over later on, lifting the tune to another level. Seeing is Forgetting is a melancholic, beatless acid trip, drenched in a strange field recordings setting with waves, vocal snippets and bird sounds all present. Potentially referring to Detroit's legendary record label and distribution company is Submerge the Ship, the most layered and mesmerizing jam on this twelve, a track that truly sends you off to the depths of the deep sea. Closing track Yogacamp is the fastest one on the record and with various eerie melodies battling for dominance, a great once for the darker dance floors. More

What a wonderful outlier on Holland's 030303 label, this one! Lush breaks, with hints of UK hardcore and classic bleep house inhabit this wonderful EP. The EP kicks of with the track 'Animal Samba' is more housey with memories of 808 State, UR and Reese springing to mind. A2 is called 'Junglitter' and with a tempo so low, the track is perfect for slow raving; this is Goldie abusing the hand break...Breaks are at its heaviest on the first track of the flipside: 'Musiphon' keeps rolling on a brilliant formula of a dominant bass line rolling at mid tempo while an LFO-esque melodie fights for a second position. The last one 'Vedelius' -like the artist- a four/four track accompanied with breaks with the quirky melody in the bass and nightmarish screams taking over. This is possibly the track most suitable for the dance floor, not a cozy one though...These are the best hardcore breaks since, Zomby's "Where were you in '92", get them while they're shit hot! More

John Heckle's first one for 030303 starts off deliciously with "Translate" being a moody and melodic and bouncer that caters to a twisted dance floor. "Terix", the opener on the B-side is a beautiful reminder of Derrick May's Detroit, Rhythm is Rhythm's "Kao-Tic Harmony" in particular. The end of this record then, is like the end of most nights: with lots of melodies going on and a stomping rhythm "Hear Me" is by far the most mind bending track of this excellent 12". More

The 030303 crew come with a brand new various artist package in a beautifully designed sleeve to celebrate their 10th anniversary. While not all featured artist are new to 030303, the label mainly sticks to what it does best: digging up exciting new names from the raving underground. The smooth electronic tracks on the comp hold the middle ground between acid, IDM, braindance, early 1990s 808 State-esque UK acid house and Detroit techno. Among the highlights are Echo 106's eerie after hour acid jam 'Phosphor', 'Damp Patch' by Marco Bernardi which reminds us of classic Surgeon-style UK techno, Forma's 'Sailor" (reminiscent of Charanjit Singh's 'Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat'). Look no further if a versatile, subtle and beautiful acid compilation is what you're after.

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Never a dull moment with Ceephax! The Unstoppable Phax Machine is in many ways characteristic of the wonderful world of Andy Jenkinson (brother of Squarepusher). Ecstatic and moody at once, ‘South Bank’ is a piece of rough, bouncing electronic beauty that’ll make you feel like you’re a slave to the rhythm like in the old days, only better! Come down with ‘Testing Ground’ – a peaceful synth-jam ­– after which Jenkinson gets you in the piano-breakbeat mood with ‘Nigel Ringtone’; you’d be forgiven to think it’s a co-production with A Guy Called Gerald. ‘Refresher’ opens the flipside to remind us of Ceephax’s love for ghetto-bass. His version of the dirty genre is brought to life with melodies that seem to flow out of a local pub in Drexciya’s Bubble Metropolis. With the final track, Ceephax drops us back into the future with ‘Russia’ a Krafwerkian dancef loor killer. What a way to go… Drop everything else for one of the strongest Ceephax releases to date!

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