Maelstrom returns to Central Processing Unit for the fourth time, and it's the one born Joan-Mael Péneau's lengthiest drop on the Sheffield label yet. The French artist has been a mainstay in the European electro game since the 2000s, and Malestrom brings that experience to bear on new LP The FM Tapes. He goes about this album with the assurance of a seasoned pro, combining his mastery of electro production techniques with a trademark guile to craft an expertly-paced eleven-track affair. The first section of The FM Tapes sets out the album's stall with style and aplomb - listeners are in store for a rich feast of off-kilter machine-funk which will feature no shortage of intriguing detours. On opener 'Ondes Courtes' the mix throbs with all manner of strange electronic gristle: a distorted bass hum rattles the monitors; wisps of distortion float across the mix; eerily pretty keys wax and wane before giving way to a radar pulse. 'Ondes Courtes' is an ominous slouch of a scene-setter, and it lines things up perfectly for following cut 'Alt50ser' to lock in. This track's churning, gurgling mid-tempo rattle brings to mind the wacky insistence of Modeselektor. Maelstrom repeats the slow-fast one-two again directly afterwards - 'La Vie Sociale Des', a strange nugget that sounds like an early Eski instrumental stripped for parts and blasted into the cosmos, is an ideal prelude to the twitchy space-funk of 'My Digitone'. Maelstrom's staying power in the electro world comes, in no small part, from his ability to apply his delightfully idiosyncratic choices to some of the genre's staple production tropes. On The FM Tapes, he marks himself out once more as a pleasingly unorthodox talent by taking tracks in unexpected directions to produce surprising - and often rather moving - results. More

Repress!
Veteran French producer, Maelstrom made his Cultivated Electronics debut in 2018 with 'ECZO EP'. Now more than two years later and following a new album on RAAR, he returns with another EP, this time for CE's vinyl-only subsidiary, Cultivated Electronics Ltd. Joan-Mael Peneau has been making music for over fifteen years, with a history of aliases and side projects, illegal raves thrown in warehouses, fields and basements, but he soon came into his own under his Maelstrom moniker, releasing music on the likes of RAAR (the label he co-founded with Louisahhh in 2015), Cultivated Electronics, Central Processing Unit, Mechatronica, Private Persons and Discos Atonicos. Though his name suggests chaos, Maelstrom's music delivers intention, focus and precision that are evident on his 'Expression Directe' EP, which features four new tracks of deep and expressive electro-funk. More

Maelstrom returns to Mechatronica in full force with a magnetic set of productions, building a hypersonic vortex of speedy IDM dips, sinister electro and picturesque ambience on his second EP for the Berlin based record label and collective. More

Maelstrom links up with DeFeKT and Berlin syndicate Mechatronica, to deliver four bloodcurdling electro and techno cuts for the floor, forcefully designed to activate bodies and transport minds. Not for the faint hearted. More

Maelstrom is the latest artist to feature on the new Craigie Knowes offshoot 'C-KNOW-EVIL'. As expected the record is raw and intense with the full force of P?neau's production on display across both sides of this record. It comes in the same format as the first C-KNOW-EVIL release with 2 tracks pressed to 10" and slipped inside a sleeve design by Scottish graffiti artist, Rakem. More

RAAR is deeply proud to present the first full length album from label co- founder Maelstrom, entitled "Her Empty Eyes". Both an evolution of the producer's rich history and an intellectual departure from everything that has preceded it, "Her Empty Eyes" is a work that is uncanny, challenging and meditative.
Continuing upon the cross-media mission of RAAR, the LP is in fact the outline of a sonic novel More

Róisín Murphy shares “The Rumble / World’s Crazy”, the final pair of tracks in a series of 12” singles which have been released across 2018 to unanimous acclaim from critics and fans alike. Created in collaboration with Baltimore maverick musician/producer/DJ Maurice Fulton and released through The Vinyl Factory, Murphy gone and made some of the most hip-twitching, pleasure-centre-stimulating music of her life. The lyrics are intense, exploratory and probing – all the while working on the immediate, endorphin-stimulating dancefloor level too – and her voice is finer, richer, more expressive than ever.We pick up where “Jacuzzi Rollercoaster / Can’t Hang On” left off, and “The Rumble” may well be Murphy’s most life affirming track to date, a euphoric declaration which melds and morphs, grows and swells, anchored by Murphy as a maven for our troubled times. In her own words; “The Rumble was written with Maurice and Mim Suleiman. Mim is amazing with infectious energy. I needed help as it’s a mammoth track, like two songs in one the second half is a vamp in which Maurice Instructed me to preach! Preaching was not a natural stance for me but he insisted I try, now I can’t stop testifying, the process has changed me a little.” More

As the title suggests, Joakim recorded this new album last year at Studio Venezia, the installation/sculptural ensemble/recording studio created by Xavier Veilhan for the prestigious 2017 Venice Art Biennale. Built inside the French Pavilion & inspired by the grotto-like Merzbau by Kurt Schwitters, Studio Venezia had dozens of artists create and record there over the 6 months of the Biennale (from Chassol to Brian Eno, from Joakim to Sebastien Tellier), invited by Xavier Veilhan himself with the help of co-curator Christian Marclay. With an impressive collection of rare instruments from medieval horns to rare modular synths (Baschet crystals and percussions, a Buchla, a clavinet...), Studio Venezia was an amazing creative playground for the adventurous musician. Those instruments were captured by a team of sound engineers in the best possible way thanks to Nigel Godrich’s (Beck, Radiohead...) mobile studio loaded with state of the art vintage recording gear.In terms of influences, Joakim tried to channel the spirit of proto-ambient German heroes Cluster, 60s and 70s modal jazz, Japanese evocative minimalism and drone composers’ hypnotic transcendence.

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“We’re going to have Forever carrying us through our morning commute, drifting through the last hours of sunlight in the afternoon and soundtracking our nights” – Wonderland Magazine
“Alluring, Beautiful, and Packed With Lust” – Noisey
“A soulful and spectral collection of airy, softly glimmering slow-jams” – Gorilla vs. Bear
After a successful string of festival appearances in North America including SXSW and POPMontreal plus a show at Berlin’s infamous Berghain with ABRA, Forever’s single ‘Heaven’s Mouth’ shot into the Spotify Viral 50 charts at #29. The track was premiered by Phil Taggart on BBC Radio 1 and has been streamed over 300,000 times on Spotify. More

NON Worldwide co-founder Chino Amobi makes his vinyl debut with the soundtrack to choreographer Ligia Lewis’ minor matter, a performance piece that deftly articulates an argument for minoritarian politics. Most of the material is newly commissioned but one of the tracks, ‘Locus of Control’, is lifted from Amobi’s provocative Airport Music For Queer Black and Brown Folk album, in which he follows Brian Eno in inducing the atmosphere of an airport terminal. But through the eyes of a black man and with 2016 realism, it’s a different story; where Eno invites lullaby, Chino unshackles nightmare. Founded by Chino Amobi, Nkisi, and Angel-Ho, the NON collective, whose multifaceted, holistic campaign of critique has quickly achieved widespread recognition over its two years of existence, groups together artists and producers from Africa and the international African diaspora into an independent digital nation state. More

The Motionless Present is a collection of unreleased poems and soundscapes by the Philadelphia-based artist and activist Camae Ayewa, who performs as Moor Mother. Reverberating and rumbling through the thoracic cavity, few records spoke to the contemporary black American experience quite like Moor Mother’s 2016 protest album Fetish Bones. Her first new material since that visceral and political work,The Motionless Present is a statement towards understanding the disconnect between humanity and injustice. The release features various new collaborations and previews of upcoming projects: Black Quantum Futurism, Moor Jewelry, Mental Jewelry, 700 Bliss and more. The Motionless Present was created in collaboration with The Vinyl Factory ahead of Moor Mother’s CTM festival performance at Berghain. Artwork designed by BCMH using the collage artwork of Grassi. More

For their next release, Zone Records welcome legendary French producer, remixer, singer, songwriter and emblematic musical star Arnaud Rebotini for a fascinating four track EP. Alongside the standout music, the artwork for the EP is a photo of a suitably impressive sculpture of Arnaud that the label have had specially commissioned for the release. Arnaud Rebotini has done it all, from pioneering electronic works to teaming up with chamber orchestras. A real synth wizard and mesmeric live performer who has remixed everyone from Depeche Mode to Nitzer Ebb, Bloc Party to Rammstein, he is an award winning musician who also started the seminal Black Strobe group and has had his music used on a number of films such as The Wolf of Wall Street. As such, from experimental pop to death metal, electro to soundtracks, he has done it all. Now he returns to his good friends at Zone Music for another sterling EP. Opener ‘Danger Zone’ is a frazzled electro house cut with whirring machines, pixelated synths and blasts of bass that are physical and menacing. Muffled robot vocals lend it a dehumanised feel and sheet metal textures and rushing pads all ensure it goes off with a bang.
The writhing ‘Freudian Slip’ is a comparatively deeper cut, with sombre chords adding a sense of finality to chattering snares, gurgling bass and loopy kicks. It’s a fulsome track for making people move whilst ‘Seeking Happiness’ is a vocal led jam with punky drums, twanging synths and oodles of attitude in the crashing hits. It’s dark yet uplifting and makes for a nice change of pace to the EP. Lastly, ‘Forza Maradonna’ is a chugging, cosmic disco delight with slick drums and retro-future synths all fleshed out with fat bass, filter sweeps and raining melodies. This is a varied and vital EP that is full of the unique machine made charm that has ensured Arnaud Rebotini is one of the key electronic proponents of his day. More

From the sweating walls of a warehouse rave to the intimate chambers of a rogue heart, RAAR's third release resonates boldly in sonic overtures from French techno supergroup, W.LV.S, and Bristol's prolific JoeFarr. Electric Rescue (Möd3rn, Skryptön, Cocoon, F Communications) and The Driver (aka Manu Le Malin, undisputed godfather of French Hardcore) go head to head as W.LV.S. 'With L' is a no-holds-barred future classic in two flavors: 'Aubervilliers' seething and ragged while 'Chaumont' exchanges rave synth for a demonic horn section to become entirely unhinged. JoeFarr (BLOC, Turbo, Leisure System) is swiftly becoming one of the most exciting names in modern techno. 'For the Essence' is at once feral and emotive, raw percussion stomping headlong into distorted chords. 'No Secret' continues this trend as melancholy melodies sweep throughout; bottom heavy broken beats buckle the knees. We are thrilled to present what is perhaps our most 'club friendly' warrior music yet. It is our greatest hope that this work inspires and liberates its listeners. RAAR003 will be available on 180 gram heavyweight vinyl via The Vinyl Factory. As always, free digital download + bonus materials at RAAR.FR. More

Dinamo Azari is an artist revitalized. Extending into new waters, rich with promise, the Montreal-born, Toronto-based musician-producer behind the global phenomenon Azari & III returns with new solo album ‘Estranged’, released on February 16th 2016 on The Vinyl Factory.

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Infamous for his part in Glasgow’s DJ duo Optimo and the production partnership Naum Gabo (Speicher / Kompakt Extra), J.G. Wilkes is an esteemed music producer with a catalogue that has been building since the turn of the century. The ‘Jaxon’ EP is J.G. Wilkes’ first widely available solo 12” release containing four exquisite cuts exploring the ethereal boundaries of electronica. Taken from a limited edition mini album box set entitled ‘German Pizza Party’ (VF111), J.G. Wilkes’ ‘Jaxon’ is the only track from that collection aimed anywhere near a dancefloor, in which rich and potent rhythms collide with foreboding frequencies. Cologne’s Barnt isn’t afraid to let the elegance of space and chaos into his heartfelt rework, solidly cementing the Koln-Glasgow freundschaft. The EP features two further productions from Wilkes; the melancholic, beatless and occasionally ruthless ‘Bathing Beauty’ in its original form and ‘Useful Tool’, given a turbulent rework by Naum Gabo. More

The Vinyl Factory celebrates Jeremy Deller's widely acclaimed 2013 British Pavilion at this year's Venice Biennale with the release of a dancefloor-orientated remix of his cover version of A Guy Called Gerald's acid house classic 'Voodoo Ray'.The Vinyl Factory collaborated with Deller on the musical soundtrack to his film work exhibited in Venice, the soundtrack to which is composed on three cover versions of classic British songs - 'Voodoo Ray', 'The Man Who Sold The World' (by David Bowie) and 'Symphony in D Minor' (by Ralph Vaughan Williams) - by the Melodians Steel Orchestra, an English/Trinidadian steel band, produced by Deller and recorded at Abbey Road. The Melodians Steel Orchestra performed at both the pavilion's official inauguration on the 29th May and later that evening at now legendary The Vinyl Factory & British Council party on the Isla Vignole, Venice, alongside Scottish DJ/duo Optimo, long-time friends and collaborators with Deller.Inspired by this party, JD Twitch from Optimo has now remixed 'Voodoo Ray' into a joyous piano-house stomper in a vein similar to the now hard-to-find Frankie Knuckles re-work from back in the day, with vocals from the Melodians.Featuring cover artwork by Deller and pressed on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl, the 12" will be released by The Vinyl Factory on November 4th. A digital release will follow two weeks later. More

Winning critical acclaim alongside rapturous responses from live crowds, Rudimental are a collective with strong musical heart (in the shape of Piers Aggett, Amir Amor, Kesi Dryden and Leon Rolle) who, like Soul II Soul, Massive Attack or Basement Jaxx before have come together to strike musical gold with a unique identity: sound- clashing live instruments, beats and soulful voices. Rudimental release their debut album Home , through Asylum Records on April 29th. . It follows the blaze lit by previous singles - the chart-topping ‘Feel The Love’, ‘Not Giving In’, with its empowering message for hard times, and the bittersweet street record ‘Hell Could Freeze’ - with New York rapper Angel Haze. The new song brings the summer festival season fast forward a few months – with a huge sing-along chorus seamlessly on top of a rolling D&B beat and the band’s signature brass and Hammond organ. More

Little Boots aka Victoria Hesketh became one of the most talked about new pop stars around when she arrived with her Gold-selling debut album Hands in 2009, going on to achieve worldwide success and widespread critical acclaim. Now the dance-pop songstress returns with her highly-anticipated sophomore studio album, Nocturnes, released by The Vinyl Factory and her newly launched On Repeat Records imprint as a double gatefold vinyl limited to 1000 copies worldwide. A powerful record of irresistible hooks and stunning songwriting that celebrates 90s house, seventies disco and futuristic electronics while maintaining the magic of classic pop, Noctunes was written and recorded all around the world (Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Stockholm) and produced by DFA Records co-founder Tim Goldsworthy, with other key contributions from Simian Mobile Disco's James Ford and Hercules and Love Affair's Andy Butler. More

SHINING are Morgan Zarate and Acyde, a production/DJ duo who decided to put the sum of their musicianship and influences together. Theresult is hip-hop influenced beats, with sound-system inspired vocals, the sound of after hours partying, the thrill of dark clubs and the blues ofthe morning after. 'WHEEL' is their second self released single, a follow up to their acclaimed debut 'HEY YOU' which came out on Young Turks in 2012 More

Little Boots releases her highly anticipated sophomore album, Nocturnes, on May 6th but before this comes a special edition vinyl only release on April 20th to coincide with and celebrate the 6th annual Record Store Day. Released through The Vinyl Factory and limited to 500 copies worldwide, Nocturnal Versions features extended edits of two tracks found on her forthcoming record, including one of Broken Record, the hypnotic, disco-indebted lead single. Nocturnal Versions will be available to purchase on April 20th exclusively via participating Record Store Day retailers, a list of who can be found via the official Record Store Day website http://recordstoreday.co.uk Nocturnes, which was produced by DFA Records co-founder Tim Goldsworthy, and features other key contributions from Simian Mobile Disco's James Ford and Hercules and Love Affair's Andy Butler, further cements Little Boots as one of the most exciting artists creating music at the moment. It will be supported with a tour which takes Little Boots across the globe, More

Created by Massive Attack’s 3D aka Robert Del Naja, Battle Box fuses music, art and discourse across one-off live events, exhibitions and exclusive vinyl releases. Produced by Robert Del Naja and featuring Guy Garvey from Elbow, Battle Box 001 also includes a remix by Guy Andrews, whose productions for Hemlock and Hotflush have signalled the arrival of a breakthrough new talent. Hand crafted by The Vinyl Factory, the two-track 12” has been pressed on 180-gram heavyweight white vinyl, with hand-stamped labels. Battle Box will return in March 2013.
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