Atipic Romania Schallplatten & CDs

Review: The Atipic catalogue has certainly grown exponentially in the last couple of years, with some particularly fantastic releases coming from Rominimal scene heroes like Vincentiulian, Vlad Arapasu and Cosmijn. The latest addition comes from Bucharest-based newcomer Florin Serban aka Aparte, who label boss Priku has chosen to present a smashing debut here on "ATIPICLAB 007". Teaming up with fellow debutante Dan Blatov on the sparse and hypnotic Sunday morning vibe of "Guidance", before going solo on the flip with the moody bass-driven groove of "Distant Thunder".

Review: Usually one half of Dubsons, Vlad Arapasu has gone on to produce some of his best music since he started flying solo a couple of years ago. Following up last year's appearance on Priku's Atipic (one of the 2018's highlights) he's back with the fifth edition for the label's Lab series. Arapasu goes deeper into the night in more abstract fashion for these three moody backroom dubs. From the rolling hi-octane groove of "Basic Moves" which is aimed squarely at Tent 3 at this year's edition of Sunwaves, to the moody and glacial dub techno workout of "Vandab" and the moody yet sultry afterhours groove of "Pitch Mode".

Review: Romanian stalwart Vlad Arapsu has been producing as one half of duo Dubsons (with Robert Apetrei) for some time now, but struck out on his own in impressive fashion with the Artificial Moves EP on Germany's Subtil last year. His sophomore effort comes courtesy of Adrian Niculae aka Priku's Atipic imprint. Starting as an outlet for the more avant-garde strains of minimal techno (as heard on previously efforts by Niculae and Vincentiulian), the label has become increasingly more dancefloor oriented as heard on local star Andu Simion and Argentinian veteran Jorge Savoretti's efforts last year. ATIPIC 005 features three dancefloor weapons that wonderfully display the current sounds emanating from the vibrant Romanian scene: from the tough rolling hypnotic funk on the A side, through to the first cut on the B side which employs a razor sharp, bass driven bounce that will sound great under the strobe light and perfect to lead into the peak time.

Review: Priku has really ramped up the output of his Atipic imprint in the last couple of years. While its past output seemed to focus on more experimental stuff by himself (as Adrian Niculae) and Vincentiulian, the last few releases by Vlad Arapasu, Arapu, Faster and Romar sees the label's sound now aimed squarely at main room dancefloors. The latest offering comes from ardb aka Bogdan Ardeleanu. ATIPIC 008 maintains the same level of quality you've come to expect from the label. On the A side we have some sublime minimal house tackle, properly tried out on the dancefloors of Bucharest's acclaimed afterhours scene - no doubt. On the flip, "008.3" is a smooth and sensual deep house groove, followed by the glacial introversion of dub techno influenced journey "008.4".

Review: Ardeleanu Bogdan first appeared on Atipic back in 2019, and now the up and coming producer returns with another four exercises in dub techno informed minimal which should go down a storm in long-form DJ sets where there's time to stretch out and get a little psychedelic. The opening track on the record creates a vibrant soundscape teeming with movement from interwoven arps and space age pads, while the A2 locks into an elegant strain of electro capped off with hi-tech jazz flourishes. The B-side kicks off with driving machine soul doused in mellow, melodically-rich synth shapes, then the closing track completes the picture in a mellifluous blur of squidgy leads and undulating low end.

Review: Priku's Atipic imprint is back with a new one by Berlin-based Argentinian Alexis Cabrera this week. ATIPIC 014 features four tracks firmly entrenched in the minimal sound; the off-kilter, low slung breaks of '014.1' kicks off the EP featuring some sensual vocals by The Magic Olives, before the playful groove of '014.2' comes next that's reminiscent of late-noughties sounds on Minus or Oslo. On the second side, you've got the trippy microhouse bleep fest of '014.3' and ending with the experimental, piano-led downbeat piece '014.4'.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Priku's Atipic imprint is back with a new one by Berlin-based Argentinian Alexis Cabrera this week. ATIPIC 014 features four tracks firmly entrenched in the minimal sound; the off-kilter, low slung breaks of '014.1' kicks off the EP featuring some sensual vocals by The Magic Olives, before the playful groove of '014.2' comes next that's reminiscent of late-noughties sounds on Minus or Oslo. On the second side, you've got the trippy microhouse bleep fest of '014.3' and ending with the experimental, piano-led downbeat piece '014.4'.

Review: Following up some great efforts by the likes of Dumitrescu and Lizz, for its eleventh edition Priku's Atipic imprint goes beyond the 'Rominimal' sphere. Instead it looks to Argentina for this release, courtesy of scene veteran Franco Cinelli in conjunction with newcomers Esteban Gutierrez and Lux Z. Hypnotic late night mood music awaits on A side cut '011.1' a deep groove with Robert Hood style synth bleeps against a backdrop of lean minimalist drum beats. On the flip, the heady stomp of '011.2' lets the clipped yet very intricate rhythm programming do all the talking - polyrhythmic afterhours bliss if we have ever heard it.

Review: Priku's Atipic Lab turns to local Romanian artist Cosmjn who returns in a fine vein of form. He makes no bones about his intentions and influences on the opener 'The 90's Generation' which is a dark, stark, cold tech beat that is albeit inviting. The hi hats spin endlessly and the bass is blippy and bleepy. 'Cold Touch' then heads off into the cosmos with roomy pads and an airy groove that is tinged with electro goodness. Both of these are timeless cuts that will work on a wide range of dance floors.

Review: After a prolific period in which he released seven 12" singles in less than two years, Cosmin Natasa AKA Cosmjn has been all but silent - in terms of releasing new music, at least - since the tail end of 2017. This return to action is therefore long overdue. The Romanian starlet hits the ground running with epic A-side "See The Sun", where fuzzy riffs and sparkling, dubbed-out synthesizer flourishes rise above a swinging tech-house groove and drowsy chords that mimic the haziness of a mountain-side sunrise in mid-summer. If it's a loved-up vibe you're after, look no further. Over on side B, "Heberg" is similarly war and woozy, with whistling lead lines jauntily dancing atop dreamy chords and liquid drums.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing on outer sleeve, also the record has light surface marks/smudges, but otherwise in excellent working condition***


After a prolific period in which he released seven 12" singles in less than two years, Cosmin Natasa AKA Cosmjn has been all but silent - in terms of releasing new music, at least - since the tail end of 2017. This return to action is therefore long overdue. The Romanian starlet hits the ground running with epic A-side "See The Sun", where fuzzy riffs and sparkling, dubbed-out synthesizer flourishes rise above a swinging tech-house groove and drowsy chords that mimic the haziness of a mountain-side sunrise in mid-summer. If it's a loved-up vibe you're after, look no further. Over on side B, "Heberg" is similarly war and woozy, with whistling lead lines jauntily dancing atop dreamy chords and liquid drums.

Review: New school Romanian minimal connoisseurs Atipic welcome Costin Robert Popescu aka Bucharest beatsmith Costin RP for their next outing. It starts off with joyous melodies and modulated synth lines lifting spirits of sleep drums and then gets a little more freaky with the coiled tech funk of 'Track 2'. 'Track 3' brings a more dreamy vibe with echoing dub feels and rasping leads up top before this most cathartic and zoned out of trips is completed with 'Track 4' and its far-sighted cosmic rays. Lovely.

Review: Since launching two years ago, Atipic's "LAB" series of EPs has played host to some of Romania's finest minimal and tech-house talents, including Cosmjn, Arapu and Floog. The latest to showcase his wares via an EP on the series is Direkt, a rising star on the Romanian underground with previous releases on Botanic Minds, Vivus and Abduction to his name. A-side "JJJ" is probably the pick of a pretty strong bunch. Hypnotic, groovy and blessed with an inherent sense of movement, the track includes some particularly punchy percussion, spacey motifs and the most subtle of background acid lines. Elsewhere, "Liquid" is a brighter and breezier chunk of ear-catching tech-house funk, while "End Credits" is deeper, woozier and clearly best appreciated in dark rooms at six in the morning.

Review: After some great releases by the likes of Direkt, label boss Adrian Niculae and Dinu, next up on Atipic is newcomer Calin-Horia Dumitriescu. He's from Constanta, and after quite a few promising digital releases made available on his Bandcamp now makes his debut on vinyl. There are hypnotic vibes abound on ATIPICLAB 010, from the entrancing electro trip of A side cut "Lunar Eclipse", to the blissed-out tunnel vision of "Electrinsekta" on the flip - which would make even the likes of Cally and Sublee stand up and notice.

Review: George Gavanescu (Floog) re-commands our attention with a new EP on Atipic, topping up their 'Lab' series with only the most experimental entheogenic vials and super-strength sonic serums. Bleepy, clippy and dealing only in near-impossible sound design, 'Enyo' and Priku's remix of 'Love Poem' are our highlights; unlike much tech house, every sound seems to have been plucked from an otherworldly panacea of sound, their snares and melodies sounding unusually contagious.

Review: Romanian minimal maestros Atipic roll out another stylish and stripped back offering here from Cesar Lazar. The A-side is an epic one that unfurls over two minutes of real machine soul. '017 1' is built on shimmering snares and deft drum loops while a churchy architecture means you're gazing into a wide open abyss. '017 2' gets a little more mechanical in its grooves with grinding drums and percussive loops bringing some texture before closer '017 3' brings more upright chord vamps and slippery minimal rhythms,

Review: The eleventh instalment of Atipic's ongoing Lab series offers up a first label appearance from sometime Rawax, Desolat and Tier twosome Livio & Roby. The Bucharest-based duo provide two typically tactile, atmospheric and otherworldly excursions for those who like their tech-house deep and hypnotic. Up first is 'Reki', an eight-minute chunk of deep, locked-in tech-house haziness in which wonky, off-kilter synthesizer riffs and sci-fi chords drift away atop a chunky, glitchy groove. 'Re Viens' is bolder and even more intoxicating thanks to an alluring combination of deep, weighty, dub techno style sub-bass, swinging drums, echoing electronics and cascading, soft-touch melodic elements.

Review: If the name sounds familiar, you're not far off: he's otherwise known as Priku. The Romanian minimal techno hero appears under his own name for the first time since the album Fundamental, released on his other more established label Motif in 2014. Now he launches his new one; Atipic and it's a strong release you can be sure. On the A side is "001.1" which sees Niculae forging a new path with his sound. This one bleeps away in minor with a sense of funk and as always: carried by a well rolled groove. On the flip is "001.2" whose darkly serious arpeggios are supported by some sinister and clinical sound design while a restrained kick drum gives the track momentum. Brilliant stuff from a talented producer making a new transition with his sound.

Review: Sometime Brachtune and Polen man Andu Simion is the latest producer to join the Atipic revolution. The Romanian producer is in fine form throughout, beginning with the typically tech-tinged deep house dreaminess of "003.1". The track that follows, predictably titled "003.2", is a little more spacey in feel, with Simion expertly combining trademark Motor City techno sounds with a bustling, bass-heavy tech-house rhythm. Flip the record and you'll find the rubbery, Chicago-influenced bounce of "003.3" and the pleasingly eccentric "003.4", where quirky vocal samples, fluttering synth lines and a wiggly bassline cluster around an electro-influenced machine groove.

Review: Priku's new diffusion series Atipic Lab has brought us some killer material of late, by some right heroes of the Rominimal scene such as Arapu, Vlad Arapasu and Cosmijn. The latest edition comes from the ever reliable Vincentiulian, who first appeared on the label back in 2016 with the brilliant Atipic 002 - which we consider a modern classic. Expectations are high, then, for ATIPICLAB 006 and he certainly didn't let us down. From the obtuse yet mesmerising bounce of A side cut "Agera", to the more straight ahead B side cuts such as "I Don't Wonder" which shows off Vincent's knack for crafty and infectious rhythm programming, and the funky afterhours groove of "Ultrak" with its smooth rolling bass.

Review: Romania's Vincentlulian is a modern day tech-house legend in the making. Unlike some of his other peers, the producer likes to arrange tracks in his own way, sticking to less replicated formulas and, instead, constructing minimalistic house through a fresh and provocative lens. This new single for Adrian Niculae's Atipic label is pure class form start to finish; the opener "002.1" feels like a Ricardo Villalobos tune with a funky, African edge, while "002.2" focusses more heavily on wispy harmonics around its locked groove, and "002.3" heads way down into the wormhole, landing in a territory that sits somewhere between minimal and electronica. Lovely stuff, and warmly recommended.