Sound Metaphors Germany Schallplatten & CDs

Review: 80s synthpop stars Anti Time laid down 'Dream Baby/Free Recipe' first off in 1982, sadly rendering them one of many acts from the time who'd only ever release once single. But that doesn't mean we'll forget about them, no sir/madam: the 7" now comes reissued via Sound Metaphors, and slaps us around the ears with its jam-packed samples, industrial textures and sex-iconic whispers. Like the original, the weirdos' favourites 'Delkom Free Beats' and 'Target' also feature.

Review: Marco Calderoni seems to have released just one thing and that was his How to Use The World Volume 2 EP back in 1991. Sound Metaphors Records has now remastered it and recompiled it for this all new pressing which sends you deep into his mix of ambient, house and Balearic across six sublime cuts. '7 Heavens' is the glistening opener with nice deep analogue beats, and 'Exploring The Unknown' carries on the same vibe before 'How 2 Use The Sky' is like a perfect post rave comedown. The second half is another scintillating mix of silvery, shiny synth lines and dusty analogue drums that sounds like little else before or since.

Review: Tom Chasteen is an LA-born mega-musician who is widely credited for helping to spurn the San Francisco rave movement of the 1990s, not least by founding the Exist Dance label. Masquerading under various monikers such as Eden Transmission, High Lonesome Sound System and Voodoo Transmission, many of his tracks are cemented in the rave music canon as some of the most pivotal, thanks to their pushing of a rather psychedelic sound. Suitable for the looking-back era of the 2020s, the new EP by Tom, 'Selected Productions', zooms out of that era and into the present, re-homing in on some of that artist's later works when the SanFran heyday was over. Downtempo, full of international influences, and retaining that scratchy 'lifted from vinyl and remastered' sound, this is spiritual lyrical miziricle music for the dancing astral traveller.

Review: 'Waiting For The Lights' was first released in 1992, and is a breakbeat heartbreaker in mono, marrying stuttering leads and bleepazoid melodies into a hissing stew. Mandalay's mix is a heavyweight remix, not shy of indulging in 'tribal' additions such as marimba and djembe. By far the best remix is the Thai Mix, adding the perfect amount of weight with a rollicking acid line. We'll only say this about 'Waiting For Champion Sound', the B4: it deserved to be more of a hit.

Review: Manchester born drummer Morgan King is behind these all consuming and dubbed out, tribal-tinged breakbeats. He dropped them first back in '91 and now they get a reissue right when this sort of sound is back in fashion. They have been remastered for the occasion and are perfect for head down and soot-black floors in the dead of night. 'Brother This' (Techno Om mix) is a 12 minute trip with snaking bass and real menace. 'Brother That' (Tribal Om mix) gets more stoned and zoned out and 'Brother That (Om beats)' is a final piece of this well-crafted puzzle.

Review: First released in 1992 on Muzak, an Italian label headed up by Leo Mas, Fabrizio Lazzari, and Andrea Gemolotto, this crucial 12" played a pivotal role in shaping Italy's dancefloor electronic scene of the early 90s. Infused with influences from Detroit and New York, it forged a unique sound that is still fresh today. Now, it sees an official reissue with a great remix of 'Futureless' by Berlin-based Trent. This revamped version strips away the breakbeat elements, infusing the track with a new acid vibe. The reissue breathes new life into a timeless classic, bridging the gap between past and present electronic landscapes.

Review: Highly sought after tracks by Dutch legends Unit Moebius, the godfathers of the Hague's techno sound, have been reissued here by Berlin's Sound Metaphors on SM23. All cuts like the dirty and cracking industrial of 'Sensor' and the contorted IDM of 'Radar' are taken from their 1996 Untitled EP on Spiral Tribe's Network23 imprint - which goes for large amounts on the secondhand market. Over on the flip, the mental overdrive of 'Antenna' or the minimal tool 'Probe' sound like something that Donato Dozzy or Mike Parker would play in their DJ sets. Essential!