Review: Italian talent Giuseppe steps up to Loft Records with a trip back to the 80s. He fuses everything from Italo house to post-punk, techno and synth pop into these warming grooves and does so with a fine array of hardware tools including the Yamaha DX7, Korg monologue and Behringer Crave, all of which lend their distinctive palettes. 'Flying Minds' is a musical techno opener with singing leads and crunchy beats, and that bright sense of melody also defines 'This Is My Show' and the playful, angular grooves of 'No More Dark Music'. 'Takinti' shuts down with the rawness of a proto-house cut and sugary synths of a classic Italo gem.
Review: Spain's Tensegrity Records makes its debut with a release that locks together rhythm and atmosphere like well-fitted joints in a wooden lattice. Founded by Babu, the label takes its name from the concept of tensegrityistructures held in equilibrium through tension and compression. That same principle underpins these five tracks, where restraint and release shape the groove. 'Tensegrity' sets the foundation, interlocking elements with a patient, tensile flow. 'Erase una vez' nods to electro and new wave, its synth lines tinged with nostalgia, while 'Meritocracia' stretches out into lush, contemplative territory. On the flip, 'Romi' leans into shadowy, percussive minimalism, its tribal pulse threading through negative space. 'Structural Stress' closes with a rawer energy, drawn from personal upheaval yet channelled into something direct and resolute. With only 200 copies pressed, this first transmission from Tensegrity Records feels not just meticulously crafted, but necessary.
Review: Ali Berger has long been known for crafting soulful, dynamic house music whether through his label Trackland or releases on Spectral Sound, Clave House, Firm Tracks, and FCR. He also performs solo or with Davis Galvin as Hits Only when his unique touch always remains evident. This new 12" features four tracks that blend uplifting and introspective house vibes and it oozes class. Opener 'Sun Rising On Harmony' boasts an infectious bass line and melody, while 'Inside,' offers a classic acid house feel. On the B-side, you have the lovely 'Thoughts Like Light Snow' which delivers an alluring electro twist, while 'Mint Leaf' closes with a rich bass line and intricate details.
Review: Brique and Babu step up for two tracks each on this nice and cosmic new tech house offering from the Quinoa Cuts label. Brique get first with a deft blend of silky synth designs and snappy tech house drums. It's both driving and physical but nice and heady at the same time. His 'Customer Service Meltdown' has more textural, fizzy synths snaking their way through the crispy tech beats, then Babu's 'Apollo' has an acid-laced sound and cyborg vocals piped in. Last of all is 'American War' with more tight, bobbing beats and electro-tinged rhythms.
Review: Sweat It Out Records kicks off their tasty Sweat Sampler series with their first volume, cutting niftily across four exceptionally sweaty bops, spanning tongue-in-cheek deep tech reworks and downtempo disco delights. First off is the dream team of Cid and Havoc & Lawn, whom together deliver a hilariously effective house version of America's 'A Horse With No Name'; this is shortly followed by Saturday Love, Kon and Furious's 'Come Out', a rejigged nu-disco samosa packed with some rare vocal spices; then there's 'Give It To Me' by Marco Lys and Ben Miller, a bass-driven bouncer unafraid of lasershot winddowns, injunctive vocals and risers; and finally, there's Set Mo's 'Could I Be', the anthem of the bunch, whose buildup and drop is alarming, affecting, cumulatively awe-striking.
Ora Che Non Ho Piu Te (Benny Benassi club mix) (5:01)
Ora Che Non Ho Piu Te (Deborah De Luca remix) (5:47)
Ora Che Non Ho Piu Te (DJ Ralf remix) (8:37)
Ora Che Non Ho Piu Te (Samuele Sartini - Nicola Zucchi remix) (4:41)
Review: Amasser of over 100 million streams in 2024, 'Ora che non ho piu te' ('Now I No Longer Have You') was one of Italy's top electropop hits of 2024. Attracting a panoply of remixers for use in their own DJ sets, Mondo Groove now commit four of the choicest of said redoings to a vinyl press, enlisting such first magnitude stars as Benny Benassi and DJ Ralf. Progressing through fine layers of burbling synth and cooing sentiment, we're most taken, however, by Samuele Sartini's closer, which the roar of crowds into descending synth beneficences, causing all heaven to break loose.
Review: Dagobert & Kalson deliver the third instalment of their serial Stellar Mode project, which sticks out like a rogue planet amid a sea of drab and unremarkable stylistic orbiters. This four-track cosmic fulguration consists of two tracks by each artist, and is notable for its ultra-glossy action-packed ambient breaks content; they've just done something wonderfully extra to the sound here, treating each element like exoplanetary objects of study and refinement. As Kraftwerkish sequences and ambient soundscapes collide with planetary ring systems of bass and plucksynth, what's not to love here?
Review: Black Key recruit the consistently excellent Dan Piu for their nineteenth vinyl release, laying out three tracks of sophisticated deep house. Opener, "Venus Agenda" (which Piu claims is one of his all-time favourites), builds with reverb-soaked claps and the faintest hint of acid in the bass line, before skipping hi hats and lush pads move us in a deeper direction, soon making way for a haunting, yet beautiful lead - this one really is a thing of wonder. "Mother's Love" immediately heads in a different direction, with sublime keys and a subtle, yet highly effective bass line, and a sparsely used vocal sample heightening the mood when it appears. Finally, "Altarf" again takes us to new territory, with the opening, pacey 45 seconds quickly making way for dreamy pads and a perfectly crafted bassline, underpinned by a broken beat kick and expertly programmed hi hats. This package firmly shows why Piu is in such high demand with some of the best labels in the business.
My Favourite Stranger (Boris Brejcha remix) (7:10)
My Favourite Stranger (Ela Minus remix) (3:46)
My Favourite Stranger (Lond Island Sound remix) (4:48)
Review: Much loved doom monger emo kids Depeche Mode have always been ripe for remixing by new generations of electronic music artists and so it is that there 'My Favourite Stranger' gets a series of re-rubs here on Columbia. Tech house mainstay Boris Brejcha remixes first and elongates the grooves with mournful pads up top. The Ela Minus remix of the same tune brings some extra textured and darker moods and the best is saved till the last if you ask us. The Lond Island Sound remix is high speed and tinged with electro synth work as the moody vocals echo about the mix to trippy effect.
Review: Ferrari's Terrooooir takes a more restrained approach to electronic music, with each track unfolding at its own pace. 'Terrooooir' kicks things off with steady percussion that forms a solid foundation, while the atmospheric synths gradually build tension without overwhelming the listener. 'Echoes of Silence' leans into ambient territory, the bassline providing a subtle drive beneath the delicate pads, creating a sense of calm. In contrast, 'Midnight Mirage' adds more bite with syncopated rhythms that bring a bit of urgency, though it never disrupts the EP's overall flow. Closing with 'Fading Light,' the track combines melancholy with an undercurrent of energy, leaving a lasting impression with its refined balance. Ferrari's ability to create space and movement within each track shows a strong command of electronic music's subtleties.
Review: SQNC's debut release on Sequence Records delivers an electrifying clash of styles. Hearthug's playful energy opens the A-side with 'Beep Blump Beep (Sex Mix)', a bouncy track that effortlessly commands the dancefloor. 'Moonrush (Original Mix)' follows, taking a more acidic approach while maintaining that signature groove that's undeniably infectious. On the B-side, Cybercafe - Adam Dirk'heim's brainchild - establishes its cybernetic identity. 'Hyperdrive' is an immersive experience with deep kicks and distorted synths, creating a pulsating rhythm that draws listeners in. 'Katorza' takes things further with a retro-futuristic edge, adding a hypnotic energy that makes it perfect for late-night sets. It's a dynamic fusion of playfulness and intensity, showcasing the unique approaches of both artists while setting the tone for Sequence Records' future. This release is full of depth and dancefloor potential, marking the start of something exciting for the label.
Review: What the fuck is this? It's the new record from that well known and more than exceptional artist, Jochen Heib. His puristic, sexy-cool funk beats are pure acid - without the 303. Music that is analogue and old school in the best of ways. Heib plays with references to history without coming across as being retro.
Review: Irish man down under JJ Fortune has been setting out his stall over the past few years as an intriguing new talent in the minimal tech house scene thanks largely to his releases on his own Rizzwax label. Time & Space features another four fresh productions that fold all manner of influences into fresh and fruity party starters. You'll hear breakbeat, bass and garage influences creeping in around the insistent thrust of the 4/4, making for another sure shot for anyone who likes spicing up their session with minimal which looks beyond the limitations of the genre.
Review: Juaan's debut on Kalahari Oyster Cult channels the Argentinian producer's ability to merge gritty, hypnotic house and electro with an unmistakable dark edge. With these four cuts, he expertly navigates a sonic landscape where urgency and allure coexist in perfect harmony. 'O Bianco O Negro' opens with a deep, rolling bassline, leading into acidic bursts and sharp percussive hits. It's a track that demands the dancefloor's attention, moody and relentless. 'Ladron' takes a slightly more sinister turn, with rumbling synths and a touch of tension, while still maintaining Juaan's fluid, dancefloor-driven momentum. Over on the B-side, 'Puntual' drops into an intricate mesh of stuttering rhythms and hypnotic arpeggios, perfect for those late-night sessions. Closing with 'Apego,' he draws the EP to a close with a darkly seductive groove, laced with eerie atmospheres and an unyielding forward motion. Informed by 90s influences but firmly grounded in the present, the EP delivers the kind of atmospheric, high-octane dancefloor heat that's made Juaan a standout talent in the underground scene. It's dark, sleek and perfectly calibrated for the dancefloorian intoxicating blend of funked-out futurism and dystopian allure.
Review: After his debut release with remixes from Arpanet and Mr Oizo, Kavinsky is back! Killed in a car crash back in 1986, Kavinsky is now a zombie in need of revenge. This record, released on Record Makers, is the story of his first steps in the world of the living dead. Three powerful and original tracks and a Sebastian remix. A bloody good one too.
Review: Who are the internet OGs, and who has a right to claim the internet as territory anyway? Present day acid house musician Rio Kawamoto queries us this in EP form, blasting us right on back to the era of static gif-laden webpages and firewall chinks, before platform-centric neoliberal whitewashing of the internet took hold. From 'Straight Outta GeoCities' to 'AOL' to 'Marathon 2', this is an extremely compelling time capsulate of the late nineties and noughts internet told through the lens of acid house. The EP makes deft use of noizy flat beats, farty cyberspatial sound design, and offbeat Kylie Minogue-ish organ hits for good measure (on Mogwaa Calle's version of 'Real Player'). The saying "you've got mail!" will never get old, not least when you find this one in package form on your doorstep.
Calypso Of House (Keytronics Ensemble original mix)
Review: After the success of Faze Action "In The Trees" Juno Records continue their 10th Anniversary series with the classic Balearic track "Calypso Of House". For this release Juno employ the skills of French deep house producer Julien Jabre who delivers a corking slice of peak time action - he said he had a lot of fun doing this remix and it definitely sounds like it. Also on the remix duties are Pearn & Bridges who had one of the biggest dance hits of last year with Bodyrox's "Yeah Yeah".
Review: Kitchen Plug is a Parisian trio that seeks to combine "the rebellious energy of punk and the synth-driven chaos of electro." This new EP on Chat Noir does bear that out with some playful and quirky cuts packed with fresh sound designs and charming vocals over some effective drum programming. 'A New Kind Of Peace' is a hooky opener with a carefree vibe, 'L'amante (feat Vica)' brings some disco licks and 'La Nuit' gets more raw and direct. 'Confusao' is a balmy and widescreen number that encourages you to daydream and 'Captain Nikouze' shuts down with some pixelated synth madness.
Review: It's 10 up for TVIR and to mark the occasion they have a fantastic five-track outing from Komponente. 'Gash' is a fizzing, dense and slow-motion cut with a grinding low end and some serious bounce in the drums and bass. It's both fun and menacing all at once and has real anthem potential once the vocals come in. 'Flowers' has a brighter melodic touch but also lashings of spiky acid and 'Sanctuary' is then a deft tech house workout with suspensory and angelic vocals. 'Mind Revolt' is an unhinged mix of ghoulish laughter and bright sine waves, then 'Veronika' shuts down with a meditative broken beat.
Review: A Klang Elektronik Release on top of the pop charts? Heiko MSO and Michael Laven between Kanye West and Rihanna on MTV?
Well...I have to admit, this scenario would be realistic in a world a little more righteous than the one we have here. But to say the truth,
'Reach', the new Laven & MSO single has deserved it for sure. After all the two Producers from Frankfurt put so much pop-appeal into
the vocal-mix feat. Malte (Does anybody remember Tiefschwarz's 'Schmetterlings¬flügel' or Losoul's 'You know'?), that colleagues like
Fischerspooner should prepare themselves. But: Don't get me wrong! Vaporise it to four or five minutes and you'll get a fine (electro)pop
hit. But the whole gorgeous ten minutes of 'Reach' have enough power to atomise every nightclub into dust. Everybody who can take
another one after this should listen to the b-side, 'Reach' as 'Alte Schule Acid Instrumental' (old-school acid instrumental - pretty self-
explanatory, isn't it?)
Review: "Underground dance music" got its name for a reason: the black market is where the good stuff is! The ninth release on the underground-allusive, daytime-elusive Undergroove label moot a congregation of sound spivs, turntablist tricksters, deep house dealers, and many other scraggly clientele, for a fresh and unregulated yield of homegrown Lyon talent. Said to have channelled electro house and garage house going in, lord knows what has come out the other side, but we can aver its dankness: Lazer Man and and Funktroid nod to twin moods of desperation and forbearance commonly seen in criminal underworlds, with the stoic grind of the street represented in unfazed, steely electro beats. Real fiends only let loose on the B-side, where Local DJ's 'Dreams Of Radio' and Aladdin's 'The Ali-ens' quell any residual fears through glitchy purples and ghostly tech backings.
Review: US only 12" from LCD Soundsystem on DFA, featuring tracks which were only on limited UK 7"S and 12"S - including 'North American Scum' Oananisyic dub mix.
Paradise City Breakers - "The Butterfly Man" (6:42)
Review: A quirky new ambient electro follow-up to the 'Quadrifonia' V/A from Positive Not Happy, with wicked contributions from The Lumens, AT, Floog and Paradise City Breakers. From the jump, we're hit with bursty bright arps and hard-hitting kicks on 'Transformazione'; gurgling, bitcrushed, yoying groundswells on 'Ga Ga'; lo-fi ruminative movements verging on speed garage with 'Deviate'; and creative, dynamic future swellups on 'The Butterfly Man'. Mostly breezy, hardly cheesy.
Review: Antoni Maiovvi returns to Cosmic Club with an EP destined for classic status. Drawing from 15 years of experience, his fusion of disco, synth beats, and Italo influences shines. 'Lucidario' opens with Moroder-esque grandeur, cinematic and mesmerising. 'Cenotaph' echoes Legowelt's spirit, blending pop sensibilities with intrigue. 'Cyberia' closes the Side-1, mysterious and alluring. On the Side-2, 'Ghosted Again' ignites the dancefloor with dark Italo-disco energy, while 'Levitation Technique' explores ethereal realms. 'Today Is Yes' brings a satisfying conclusion to the album in an impressive way. Each track is a sonic journey, showing Maiovvi's diverse influences woven into a coherent whole. His work resonates alongside Gesloten Cirkel and Dopplereffekt, solidifying his future classic status.
Review: In their native Australia, Midnight Juggernauts are the next big thing. The Melbournians sent ripples across the world with airplay on BBC1 and MTV2 UK/Europe, and back home on Triple J radio. For its first non-French release, Institubes couldn’t be prouder to release the Juggernauts' 'Road To Recovery'. They've remixed tracks for !!! (Chk Chk Chk), KIM, The Presets, Dragonette, Electric Six and Damn Arms, while Juggernauts' tracks have been remixed by Sebastian, Cut Copy, Popular Computer and The Presets. The lead single 'Road To Recovery' is a dizzying array of stomping disco beats, spiralling synths and effervescent guitars, a sonic mission through laser-soaked corridors and rainbow-lit roller derbies.
Review: This is New York-based, Florida native Anthony Naples' first EP since OTT/ZTL back in 2018. Produced right at the start of NYC's summer reopening, the five tracks on Club Pez 'express a state of optimism and excitement for club and dance experiences equal parts real and totally imaginary.' A bouncy bass plays centre stage while underpinned by Afro-house beats on the psychedelic dance of 'Bonk', before taking it down a couple of notches for the deep and minimal afterhours acid of 'Pez Anthem' as well as the elevating energy of 'Solero' on the flip.
Review: NND takes us deep into the heart of a warehouse party after dark with this powerful new EP for Extrude. He hails from Italy and is part of the new school with an equal mix of retro sounds and future ideals. This is a third solo EP from the artist and it kicks off with the acid lashings of 'Prototype', a slick tech cut with neon chords and bumpy bass. 'Nightmare Voyage' is a more cosmic trip with darker energy and heads-down dancing vibes and then 'Plutone' cuts loose with wild synth lens spraying about over raw drum work. 'Terrorist' shuts down with a haunting late-night vibe.
Review: Occibel cranks up the decibels on this new outing for the fledging label Playful. The artist taps into a fresh tech and minimal sound from the off with 'Behind The Walls' spinning out on disco stabs and phased basslines. The kinetic 'Look Around You' then pangs more prickly drum programming and spaced-out synth work with sensuous spoken words and 'Freak' layers up balmy pads and bright, shiny and sugar melodies for a nice colourful exploration. 'The Mess' shuts down with more menace thanks to its monstrous bassline and snappy drum hits.
Review: Attention banger alert! Parissior is a Spanish DJ producer who has been producing countless tracks for many years now. His style could be described as a mix of dark disco, indie dance, Italo, and trance, but personally we think it goes much further. He has a total mastery of the art of production (something we have rarely seen); it seems more like sound design it sounds so huge. He's managed the perfect EP - one that all the Italian indie dance producers, one that even the biggest names in the genre have thus far failed to create. There's nothing cheesy about it; we've been listening to his music non-stop since we received it, with no weariness in sight. This guy is monstrous. The 12" begins with the brilliant 'Antennae', which is the perfect mix of Italo new wave & trance, followed by 'Canes Venatici', which could've been created by Daft Punk if they'd chosen to be less commercial. and put their balls on the table instead of hiding behind masks. 'Ceres' and 'Alpha Apodis' follow the same line. This maxi is gigantic - a f%c$ing masterpiece.
Review: In 2013, Africaine 808 man Dirk Leyers joined forces with pal Mirko Hector under the Project01 alias. Two 12" singles appeared, before the duo parted company to work on other projects. Two years on, they return with a new 12" for Endless Flight. They begin with "Institution 01", an alluring blend of weighty acid house bass, loose drum machine rhythms, creepy electronics and fluttering deep house melodies. As you might expect, "Planet 01" sees the duo drag their sound further towards Motor City techno, whilst retaining the snappy drums and wiggling acid lines of Chicago. Closer "Pawnshop 01", meanwhile, is an altogether warmer and hazier proposition, with the winding synth melodies and baked bassline suggestion Balearic inspirations.
Review: Slovenian imprint phi hands controls over to Rub800 for this new EP Port Escape. The producer heads on to see on a wave of silky final grooves and aqueous pads that very much keep you afloat in to the wee hours. After the wispy neons and smeared chords of 'Port Escape' comes the hissing perc and winky bass tones of tripped out delight 'The Gate Keeper.' Weird and wonderful melodies and harmonic tones continues to define 'Home For More' as it bumps along in low key fashion and '4 Days' (Won't Stop mix) closes out with a stylish electro vibe.
Review: Tornado Wallace & Jamie Tiller's Basic Spirit (named after their popular party series in Berlin) returns with its sophomore effort, with Wallace flying solo on this one titled 'Dream Corner'. The title track is an absolutely euphoric offering, featuring emotive vocals, pan-pipes and contrasted by a sinister and lurking bassline. The hyperaware energy of the Speed Bump mix follows, while the loved-up sunrise breaks of B-side cut 'Sea Translation' comes with an ambient version.
Review: Who know what Ian Dury would make of this? Uabos delivers a robotic electro-techno interpretation of the Blockheads' very own 'Reasons To Be Cheerful'. On the new Loud Enough A1, 'The Future' translates Dury's quite reasonable refrain from "cheerful" to "dismal", and his admittedly imperfect list is replaced with a monotony of calculative and computational ends: to "calculate (our) own future", for example. Over-dutiful future planning is indeed perhaps the only reason at all to be dismal! The EP unfurls over two further mechanoid tracks, with 'I Need A Freak, Hear What I Say' intuitively likening bodily movement with Q-filtered modulars; both tracks are new favourites indeed.
Review: Auto Sound City have been building a fine head of steam over the last few years. A series of quality EPs on the likes of Chicago Bee, Weapons of Desire and 3am, have all established a rugged electro and techno sound that is big on drums. This double pack is their strongest statement yet. Cuts like 'This Is Me (feat Shoko Yoshida)' pair gallivanting drums with aloof vocals and bright synth stabs. 'Complete Madness' is more stripped back but just as muscular with its icy hi hats and lashings of synth while 'Fully Clothed & Standing' explores loopy and filtered disco house.
Chateau Flight - "Baltringue" (The Body Language remix)
Chateau Flight - "116 BPM Beat"
Ceramic Hello - "Sampling The Blast Furnage"
I Cube - "Prophetization" (demo mix)
Fox 'n' Wolf - "Claws Against Knives" (Todd Terje/Bl edit)
I Cube - "Pazuzu"
Brifo - "Mi Piano Rojo" (Alex Attias mixes - main & Percumix)
Syncom Data - "Beyond The Stars" (beats)
Westbam - "Monkey"
Smith N Hack - "Space Warrior"
Riz Ortolani - "Il Corpo Di Linda"
Poni Hoax - "Antibodies" (Chateau Flight remix)
Henrik Schwarz - "Jimis 2006"
Punto - "3 Tempo 3"
Review: Following acclaimed contributions from Mandy, DJ T, Dixon and Jesse Rose, the fifth instalment of Get Physical's "Body Language" mix series comes courtesy of Chateau Flight (aka Gilbert Cohen and Nicolas Chaix). "Body Language Vol. 5" is a discerning, rich and tasteful celebration of the best in disco, techno, electro and house in all it forms and it's a joy to listen to, from start to finish. This is one Get Physical chartered flight you should not miss.
Review: A quarter of a century on, Chemical Brothers' second studio album returns to stores in expanded form. The original album remains the high watermark of the (now often derided) big beat movement - a bolshy, thrill-a-minute ride that races between funk-fuelled, break-heavy hits ('Block-Rockin' Beats'), rock-tinged heaviness (the title track), fuzz-fuelled post-techno hedonism ('Electrobank'), La Funk Mob-influenced trip-hop ('Piku'), heady ambience ('Loft in the K-Hole') and riffs on the Beatles' 'Tomorrow Never Knows' ('Setting Sun' with Noel Gallagher and the incredible 'My Private Psychedelic Reel'). The second disc on this bonus edition boasts a quintet of previously unreleased tracks and alternate versions, with our highlights including the opioid pulse of 'Cylinders' and the slamming techno breathlessness of 'It Doesn't Matter (alternate mix)'.
Review: So, after all the hype, social media arguments and YouTube parodies, here it is: the most talked about dance album of 2013. By now you should all know the story: Daft Punk do old-fashioned disco-pop with the help of a legion of high profile guests and collaborators. So is Random Access Memories any good? Certainly, it's a fine pop album; lavishly produced fare with an authentic, organic swing that benefits enormously from Chic man Nile Rodgers' distinctive guitar work. At it's best, such as on the goodtime disco rush of "Get Lucky" and "Lose Yourself to Dance" (both featuring agorgeous vocals for Pharrell Williams), or the quirky but brilliant "Girorgio by Moroder", it's impeccable.
I Said (with Chris Lake - Michael Woods remix) (7:06)
Bad Selection (5:30)
Right This Second (7:50)
Raise Your Weapon (feat Greta Svabo Bech) (8:21)
One Trick Pony (feat SOFI) (3:53)
Everything Before (6:36)
Review: As part of a new reissues bundle of the work of Canadian dance music extraordinaire Deadmau5, the 2010 album 4x4=12 now gets an as-it-was reissue via EMI. Including some of the helmeted spectacle's most enduring contribution to the dance music world from the era - including 'Some Chords', 'Animal Rights' with Wolfgang Gartner, 'Sofi Needs A Ladder', and 'Raise Your Weapon' with Greta Svabo Bech - the overall 11 tracks here are a worthy blast from the past, documenting the juncture at which Zimmerman moved on from huge walls of emotive progressive house gush, and segwayed into a techier, more mathematical sound befitting of electro house verging on complextro.
The Veldt (feat Chris James - 8 Minute edit) (0:50)
Fn Pig (8:52)
Professional Griefers (feat Gerard Way) (4:06)
Maths (6:58)
There Might Be Coffee (7:01)
Take Care Of The Proper Paperwork (7:10)
Closer (7:09)
October (7:21)
Sleepless (4:13)
Failbait (feat Cypress Hill) (4:52)
Telemiscommunications (with Imogen Heap) (3:59)
Review: Originally released in 2012, '> album title goes here <' is the sixth studio album by Canadian electronic music producer & composer Deadmau5 (Joel Zimmerman). The 13-track album features a handful of Deadmau5' biggest hits, including but not limited to: 'The Veldt' with Chris James, 'Professional Griefers' with Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance, 'Channel 42' with Wolfgang Gartner, and 'Telemiscommunications' with Imogen Heap. Now reissued for an even-more contemporary audience, this latest coloured vinyl version provides a new window into the world of the helmeted muroid cynic, and the humorously updated progressive house sound he helped trailblaze.
Review: Hot Chip are back! The coolest dudes since Devo return like a monkey with a miniature cymbal with their seventh full length album. With vocoding effects layered over the sweet tone of Alexis Taylor's voice referencing all matter of contemporary and retro-active pop and trance sensibilities, this album once again sees Hot Chip at the front of pioneering, friendly and avant garde pop music. Produced by the late Philippe Zdar (one half of Cassius) - also responsible for applying award winning touches to albums by Phoenix and Cat Power, Domino is calling the record "a celebration of joy but recognises the struggle it can take to get to that point of happiness". Our tips: album opener "Melody Of Love" and the '80s trance-pop that is "Hungry Child".
Review: Hot Chip jumped ship yet again, releasing their fifth studio album In Our Heads via the esteemed UK imprint Domino Recordings. The eleven track album was self produced by the band members (along with some behind the boards help from respected studio engineer/producer Mark Ralph) and recorded in London, presumably in the spare time between the various band members other musical commitments that include 2 Bears, New Build and About Group. It stands up alongside their previous long players, with certified pop gems littered among a heady mix of synthy electo and downtempo romantic jams such as the irrepressible "Look At Where We Are".
Dirty Summer 2k6 (Greg Acess & Mafia Mike remix) (6:39)
Review: Another killer reissue here from the unrivalled team at ZYX who look back to the early 2000s for Dirty Summer, an energetic electronic album by Joy Kitikonti. This one very much captures the essence of summer nightlife and dancefloor thrills while fusing house, trance and euro-dance influences with big shiny beats and catchy melodies. Its uplifting sound is as infectious as a virus and the melodies are more sugary than a mountain of Haribo, all of which are designed to keep you moving and fill your hart with the sort of carefree fun that euro-dane is all about. It's an electrifying soundtrack for any party.
Review: Rabid Sweden are currently reissuing a number of The Knife's early records. Silent Shout is arguably the band's most famous. It was their second after the bubbly euro-dance delights of Deep Cuts and proved a marked change in sound and style. Gone were the bright arps, the happy-go lucky drums and upbeat dance songs, and instead came low slung bass, menacing and snaking guitar leads and tortured vocals. All these years later the album has stood the test of time and still very much stands out as a high point in the band's career. This special reissue comes on limited violet vinyl.
(What Did You Expect From) Sex With A Stranger (3:17)
Tennis Song (2:24)
I Feel Like Shit (2:52)
Room 116 (3:03)
Leviticus 18 (0:26)
Abomination (3:19)
Lucky (2:12)
Smalltalk (2:29)
Lynks Thinks (3:51)
Flash In The Pan (5:40)
Review: After a long emergence in and adjacent to the South London underground music scene, producer, singer, performer and outlandish mask donner Lynks returns to the fore with the announcement of their debut album, Abomination. Moving between the well-paired, current twinnings of post punk, art pop, and rubbery electronica, Lynks lays down a whopping debut full-length here, commenting on casual hookup culture and queer psychic contemporaneity amid a brash and ironically relentless weirdo rave faux-schlock.
Pretentious Friends (feat Busdriver - Call by Pillowtalk)
Shipwreck (with Thom Yorke)
Evil Twin (vocals by Otto Von Schirach)
German Clap
Berlin (feat Miss Platnum)
Grillwalker
Green Light Go (with PVT - additional synth by Siriusmo)
Humanized (feat Anti Pop Consortium)
This (with Thom Yorke)
War Cry (guitar by Sascha Ring of Apparat)
Review: Over the years, Modeselektor have forged a reputation as fearless innovators, neatly sidestepping genres and frequently confounding critics. Given their tireless touring schedule and the fact they run two prolific labels it's perhaps no surprise that it's been some four years since the last full-length Modeselektor album. Monkeytown flits effortlessly between skittish 140 BPM bass music, clandestine electronica, sludgy hip-hop and even warehouse-flavoured tropical rhythms (see "German Clap"). There are some real standouts, including a dreamy, slo-mo pop outing with PVT, two collaborations with Thom Yorke and a droning Anti-Pop Consortium hook-up. Must-check.
Review: The mysterious Medieval Man is joined by Thomass Jackson, Mytron & Ofofo and Barry Sunset on this new split EP from the fledgling Culted label. Their edit series tackles plenty of interesting dark disco source material with beguiling results. The freaky future sounds of Mytron & Ofofo's 'Machinenhimmel' opens up with phased bass and spooky leads. Barry Sunset's twisted sci-fi disco stomper 'Hit The Drums' then takes off to the cosmos and Thomass Jackson twists and turns on loose, jangling percussion that is underpinned by fat bottomed bass. The brilliantly entitled 'Humble Frodo' is a weird and wonderful closer.
John Rocca - "I Want It To Be Real" (instrumental) (5:12)
John Rocca - "Englishman In New York" (extended) (7:27)
John Rocca - "Move" (extended mix) (8:14)
John Rocca - "The Dream" (radio edit) (4:08)
Freeez - "IOU" (feat John Rocca - 7" version remastered) (3:51)
John Rocca - "I Want It To Be Real" (3:45)
Review: Freeez founder John Rocca made these cuts between London and New York City from 1982 to 1987. Once Upon A Time in N.Y.C is a pioneering compilation of proto-electro and house cuts that, for this reissue, come on nice splattered orange vinyl. As well as the six standouts on the original abut, there is also a bonus 7" with two extra cuts, one of which is the international hit 'I.O.U.' Elsewhere, jams like 'Englishman In New York', 'I Dub U' and 'I Want It To Be Real' all still bang as brilliantly now as they did almost 40 years ago.
Review: 70s space disco and laser-rock outfit Rockets started out life in Paris as Crystal. They later renamed and had singles such as 'Future Woman' and debut album 'Rockets' which helped establish them and win them a wider fan base. 1980 saw them record their Live album and offer up a cross section of their tracks in all their synth and futuristic glory. The aforementioned 'Future Woman' features along with the heavy sounds of 'Drum Solo' and Kerouac-referring 'On The Road Again' which is a jaunty disco groove with vocoder vocals.
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