MUSIC

SONGS OF PRAISE Which tracks to worship this month p.130

LONG TING Breaking down April’s albums p.152

COMPILATION EDUCATION All the comps you need to know p.156

MIDNIGHT SNACKS John Talabot and Axel Boman unite for an expansive, genre- blending journey through ‘The Night Land’... p.152

djmag.com 135 Untitled-1 1 16/03/2017 16:43 HOUSE

Anthony Naples QUICKIES Us Mix EP Proibito James Curd 9.0 Cause You're Too Chi Chi New York's Anthony Naples James Apollo clatters his 'Us Mix EP' out of the 8.0 park, via his own Proibito imprint. "Beats on acid, they beat the rest/ Girls on acid, 'Sky Flowers' is pure Balearic they move the best,” reckons James Curd's MC joy, languid in its bpm count but Likasto. He might be onto something. Four tracks of high as a kite, complete with proper boompty gear. Go. pulsing pads and rippling bass. 'At Ease' drops dusty piano chords [email protected] ARNOLD DJ Octopus over a shuffling groove, while The House Of Pain EP 'Seeloo', with its ravey stabs, is Metal Position Records a delight. 'Us Mix', underscoring 8.0 this supremely skilful selection, Earthy, old school bleepery from DJ Octopus on hangs high strings in the air for his new Metal Position label. It's all good, but the drama, and creates dancefloor mucky, rolling dub vibes of ‘Praha’ really are choice. devastation with the simple introduction of a single off-beat Caucasian Boy snare. Superb. Force Of One Rhythm Graffiti Trooko 8.0 True Work EP Crispin J. Glover returns from the attic, having Reptile Dysfunction dusted off his Caucasian Boy alias. 'Force Of One' is 9.0 the result — a murky acid bombshell. A dusty, shuffling, thoroughly inspiring groove from Doorly's Marquis Hawkes new Reptile Dysfunction imprint Sweet Temptation EP from LA's Trooko. It's only the Aus Music label's second release, but the bar 8.0 appears to be being set perilously MONEY 'Sweet Temptation' from the man Marquis works high. 'Don't Work' melds filtered SHOT! out some classic Loleatta Holloway over driving chords, soul-soothing guitars, percussion, but elsewhere the euphoric piano distant vocals into a 21st century 'Biospan' is deep space-funk, Terrence anthem wins the day. disco anthem. It's superbly good. while 'Minimal Violence' ups the Parker Over, ‘True To Myself' jacks its pace with a pounding rework. Gratiot Avenue Piano way to glory, staying very much Local Talk DOORLY REPTILE DYSFUNCTION the right side of wonky. Doorly's Nhar 9.5 sturdy re-rub isn't too shabby Surface Detroit legend Terrence either. Darkroom Dubs Parker delivers a stone-cold 8.5 masterclass here for Mad Mats Javi Bora & IAAM Anyone who's a sucker for and Tooli's Local Talk. There Where Is The Tape the emotive pad will find a lot are organs. There are earthy Music For Freaks to love in this latest journey 909 drums. And yes, as the 8.5 into blissfulness from French title might suggest (a tribute Blazing work from Space resident producer Nhar (his 2011 stunner to the once-grand trunkline in Javi Bora and the enigmatic Carlos ‘Innerplace’ scarcely leaves the downtown Detroit), there are Aguilar, aka IAAM. Boarding box). Finding fans in the likes of rip-your-shirt-off pianos. This Justin Harris and Luke Solomon's Ripperton and Kölsch, ‘Surface’ is not 'vintage house' music. 01. TROOKO ‘Don’t Work’ Reptile Dysfunction “Trooko is a new signing to my label Reptile Dysfunction and a big priority this veteran Music For Freaks imprint, will have you reaching for the Simply house music executed year. This kid is the future, watch this space!” this lean two-tracker boasts the lasers and professing love for precisely as it should be. On 02. JUSTIN MARTIN & CHRISTIAN MARTIN ‘Midnight (Doorly glorious 'Where's The Tape', an all mankind come the mid-point the flip, 'Unconditional' is a Remix)’ Dirtybird airy, understatedly funk-laden chord change. Over, 'Sentience' is loose, vibe-heavy groove that's “The second I heard this track I called Justin and begged him to let me get my grubby little hands on the stems. It’s such a lovely piece of liquid voyage into the deep. On the flip, equally weighed down with trance- impossible to resist. The utmost d&b-inspired house.” there's 'Willy Is On The Groove', house music feels. One to drop as respect is due. a sturdy, slightly wild trance- the dawn comes pouring through 03. TEE MANGO ‘Enjoy What We Have’ Millionhands “Sweet-ass Moodymann vibes. This is my fave track from his album, inducing freak out, complete with the windows. ‘Imperfections’.” some pleasingly acidic ramblings Parker Madicine 04. DOORLY ‘Tramp’ Cajual and sweet Detroit rides. Gertcha. Nightdrivers Voices & Drums EP “Back once again on my favourite label, Cajmere’s Cajual Records. I’ve got a Heist few EPs lined up for him already for this year, this one is nice and fun.” A Funny Thang Space Dimension Holic Trax 8.0 05. FREDDY BE & SAVI LEON ‘Lovin’ Under No Illusion Controller A new signing from Italy, Milan's “Great to see my LA pal Freddy Be making moves internationally. This will be a 8.0 heater for Ibiza this season.” Exostack Gibraltar's Mass Prod and Rufus Parker Madicine makes his debut R&S Two hit the leftfield for Tomoki on Detroit Swindle's Heist imprint, 06. DIGWAH ‘Somethin Else’ Digwah “The second release in this mysteriously wicked vinyl-only series, rumoured 8.5 Tamura's essential Holic Trax. 'A and what an entrance it is. Usually to be from the Fuse camp. Banging, dark-room 5am fodder. The inimitable Jack Hamill tips up Funny Thang', with its off-kilter spotted on his own Ct-Hi label, 07. JODY FINGERS FINCH ‘Short Fat Skinny Tall (Brian Heath on his long-standing label home bleeps, strange flutes and this three-tracker humps and Remix)’ Let Puppies US R&S, dropping deep vibrations disorientating vocal snatches is bleeps in all the right places. “Route one Chicago boompty-boomp action!” on the Metro Area tip. 'Exostack' super-weird, but all the better 'Heartbreaker' busts out the

08. PBR STREETGANG ‘Opal Skies’ Lost Property is a groove-heavy delight, but for it. 'Stressedout' rips up Faith boogie-synth stabs likes it's '85 “The jolly nice PBR boys have started a super on-point vinyl-only disco edits its Studio Barnhus don Kornel Evans (via A Tribe Called Quest), again, with 'Zawinul' soothing series.” Kovacs' version which dominates; ushering in warms pads, while the soul, all pulsing electric 09. BORIS PUPUL ‘Teknow’ Deewee intelligent without being boring, 'Rising' is a quivering mass piano chords and twinkling arps. “Another absolutely weird and wonderful gem from the 2ManyDJs/Soulwax label Deewee. It’s always fun opening promos from these guys.” intricate without losing its of disco, sliced up to oddball 'Placebo', meanwhile, is just a joy dancefloor creds. Hats rattle, perfection. 'Funny Dub Ya Know' to be around, and its Byron The 10. ROUTE 94 ‘House & Pressure’ White “This is going to be a HUGE record this summer when it drops.” distant vocals call out, chords ebb dubs out the title track with Aquarius remix isn't too shabby and flow. It's masterful. Over, aplomb. either.

djmag.com 137 TECHNO RICHARD BROPHY

sees label owner Luke Standing deliver a new take on his '90s QUICKIES techno-inspired sound. The trademark hyper-speed rhythms Flexure

are replaced with greatly Shadow Puppets [email protected] reduced tempos, but the same Bastardo Electrico dreamy, musical textures are 7. 5 present. Both ‘Lost Illusions’ Bastardo Electrico resident Jamie Behan gets and ‘Aura 96 (Kino Mix)’ rumble together with Stephen Mahoney for a rough techno along to mid-tempo drums, but release. ‘703 39flr’ is a relatively straight affair, the stand-out track is ‘Gaia’s but the cluttered, noisy 'Callmecrazeey' and the Requiem’ itself, a string-filled, cranium-melting ‘Blizz’ draw on the legacy of Neil expansive ambient composition. Landstrumm and Cristian Vogel.

Steve Stoll Evigt Morker New York Trax 4 Helmet Of Bones New York Trax Semantica 8.0 7. 0 In these times of uncertainty, Svreca’s label releases so much material that it who better to deliver the latest proves difficult staying up to date, but this release New York Trax release than by Evigt Morker stands out. Tough, metallic rhythms Steve Stoll? The US producer provide a backdrop for chants, effects and textures is a master at delivering tough that are more mesmerising than a TV evangelist in but cleverly executed techno, full flow. and this is no exception. ‘No Questions Please’ is all grinding Fiero riffs over a hard rhythm while Modus Operandi ‘She Rises Up’ sees him deliver Giallo Disco a relentless, EBM-fuelled 8.0 workout. Best of all, on ‘Train Daniel Olarte delivers a killer release for Giallo Of Thought’ he returns to the Disco. From the doom disco of ‘M-19' and ‘Rite Of grainy, gritty minimalism that Purity’ through the nightmare soundtrack of ‘La characterised his releases on Cathedral’ and the paranoid EBM of ‘The Siege’, Synewave. Hard music for hard 'Modus Operandi’ is a deliciously nocturnal affair. times. MONEY Plant 43 BINNY TORTURED Exhausted SHOT! Grid Connection Modern Shipwrec Hellenistic Thoughts 8.0 Eidetic predatory bass and tough Like the pylons that adorn its 9.0 kick-drums. On 'Echoman', cover, ‘Connection’ tingles and The people behind Brokntoys Kyo deploys abrasive acid, and fizzes with energy. The title have set up a sub-label, and even the soaring guitar-line track sees Emile Facey deliver ‘Thoughts’ is its first release. It on ‘Wrong Way’ cannot detract an individualistic take on makes for an impressive start. from the fact that ‘Evanescence’ deep techno. Both ‘Gathering ‘Absence Of Divine Principle’ is a raucous record. Storms’ and ‘Cirriform Surface’ comes from the darkest recesses are slower and resonate to of the mind, resounding to The Modulator kettle drums and menacing bass acidic pirouettes and a dense, Edges — and on the latter, a breezy oppressive bass. ‘Free From Electric Music Foundation synth. However, the release Possessions’ isn’t quite as 8.0 highlight is ‘Wire Wound’, which 01. STERAC ‘Scorp’ Token “Steve Rachmad’s ‘Scorp’ tracks have been a mainstay in my record bag for moody — thanks to a catchy Freddie Fresh has revived his sees Facey delve into the kind of many years and this recent re-release was a very nice surprise indeed!” electronic bass and opaque '90s Modulator project — and mysterious, multi-dimensional 02. GEORGE TOUNISIDIS ‘Three Clicks Left’ Symbolism synth washes — but like each there have been a number of electro sound that ERP explores. “Brilliant track with clear Robert Hood influences, and I personally love track on this release, there is sightings in recent years. The anything in that style.” a sense that no matter what US producer’s latest release Conforce 03. PHANTOM PLANET OUTLAWS ‘Muscles From Outer Space direction Exhausted Modern under this alias is ‘Edges’, where Kernel Of Truth/Oasis EP’ Boss Tracks turns, a sulphuric cloak follows the raw techno title track leads Deep Sound Channel “Our first EP on our new label, which I hope will be the first of many.” him. Just check the mutant the listener on a ride through 7.5 04. ENDLEC ‘New Age Dystopia’ Mord vision of Chicago house on a metallic tunnel populated by Boris Bunnik makes his debut “If ever I need anything truly mental with underlying funk, Endlec is my go-to ‘The One’ in case you are in any glitches, blips and unexpected on Deep Sound Channel with guy and this LP is no exception.” doubt. turns. ‘Talk Phazing’ is also two very different tracks. 05. JOHN HECKLE ‘Tone To Voice’ Tabernacle built around a similarly rough, ‘Kernel’ is a tough dancefloor “An absolutely stunning album which is as diverse as it is soulful.”

stop-start rhythm, but this time track, led by booming kicks, 06. MARK FORSHAW ‘Further’ Midnight Shift Daniel Kyo its abrasive groove is deep-fried acid blips and sharp chord “303 riffs and emotive strings make this an absolutely perfect record to change the mood on any dancefloor.” Evanescence in some frazzled, unmistakable stabs. On the flip, ‘Oasis’ Bordello A Parigi Midwest acid. No one makes provides a stark contrast; led by 07. NEZ NAN ‘Knap’ Float “A tune of two distinct halves, with some superb old-school drum machine 7.5 techno anymore like Freddie lithe electro drums, it evolves action.” Daniel Kyo is a Spanish Fresh. to mysterious synths and a 08. PSI-DOM ‘Ars Nature Ministra’ Falling Ethics producer and on ‘Evanescence’ Biosphere-esque hint of cold “The driving bassline and hypnotic riffs mean this track will probably be in my he provides a fresh take on Tracing Xircles menace. This release proves yet record bag for years to come.” Bordello A Parigi’s sound. Gaia's Requiem again that the Dutchman is one 09. MARSHALL APPLEWHITE ‘Go Home’ Yo Sucka! While the title track contains an Blue Hour of the most diversely talented “Tongue-in-cheek booty techno vocals and one of the toughest house beats infectious melody and ‘Beyond 7.5 modern techno artists. I’ve heard in a long time make this a sure-fire winner for me.” The Consciousness’ resounds to 'Gaia's Requiem' is the first 10. DOMENICO CRISCI ‘Issue No. 12’ Jealous God an epic synth-line, the backing in a series of collaborations “Raw, tough and effective dancefloor techno — something which I can never get enough of.” tracks consist of throbbing, between Blue Hour and A-JX. It

138 djmag.com GRIME

Blay Vision QUICKIES Gone Mad Lit City Trax Various 8.5 BS005 Somehow Tottenham MC and Banana Stand Sound producer Blay Vision has been 6.5 slipping under the radar for some Here we have a pack of four instrumentals — time now. Having recently dropped dubstep weight from OH91, a balls-out banger from one of the most interesting Aerotonin & Nights, a cashmere-soft R&G-er from records we’ve heard in some time, TryTryDieDown, and Crix Saiz’s industrial roller that instrumental album ‘The Vision’ diligently mines the low-end. on J Cush’s Lit City Trax, he’s taken one of the sinogrime LP cuts and Preditah stuck a finely autotuned vocal over

FELICITY MARTIN [email protected] Blank Canvas Vol.1 it. The result, ‘Gone Mad’, is an Circles Recordings addictive slow-burner that grows 8.0 more haunted with each listen. Preditah returns after a quiet 18-month spell to inaugurate his own label, Circles Recordings, with Logos five weighty, club-destined bangers. The producer Glass (Boylan Devils Mix) shows us how it’s done with those signature on- DEVILS point stabs, and it feels like he never left. 7.0 Well this is exciting: a brand new DPower Diesle feat. Footsie sub-label from Mumdance and Shelly Logos’ Different Circles — DEVILS. E.B Records The ‘devil mix’, a concept originally 7.0 pioneered by Wiley, removed the What do you get when you pair up two East London drums from grime instrumentals grime vets? Maximum shelling, apparently, and here to allow for greater focus on the Footsie’s production adds a sinister flair to DPower’s melody and bass. Which is exactly gruff vocal. what Boxed mainstay Boylan has done to Logos’ ‘Glass’, shining a light on the Metalheadz-esque BIG ZUU RADAR RADIO rave aesthetic for a no-fucks-given feel.

Syer B & Kid D Dangerous Phrases EP 2 Easy Records 8.0 MONEY Sure, it’s a bit of a cliche to describe someone as underrated, SHOT! but it’s no word of a lie when talking about ex-Roll Deeper Stormzy Syer B/Syer Barz. On this EP, the Gang Signs & Prayer producer and MC has gone head to name would suggest, young), but #Merky Records head with producer Kid D (of the sometimes a track speaks louder 9.0 recent incredible ‘Dun Ya Dance’ than years of experience in the We had basically no idea what EP) to spit over some heavy- game. And this one’s hard. Over Big Mike’s long-awaited debut hitting beats. In his own words, a merciless drill beat that has hi- was gonna sound like, but “Syer’s got bars”, and the last few hats going at 100mph, Lewisham’s happily he’s nailed it, going of ‘Flash Back’ are a must-listen; to Yizzy links up with Vision Crew’s above and beyond the scope hear him namecheck the crème de Tuckz for ‘Big Man’. Don’t do any of the ‘grime album’. With la crème of grime. sleeping on this guy. production from Sir Spyro 01. STORMZY ‘Big For Your Boots’ #Merky Records “Stormzy returned to the game with a bang; a grime banger that can stand (‘Return Of The Rucksack’), strong in the mainstream.” Big Zuu feat. Drifter Milli Major crooning from Stormz himself Aint No Joke Phone Call (‘Velvet’), a cameo from his 02. AJ TRACEY ‘Luke Cage’ My Team Paid “Filmed in America, and was even tweeted by the official Luke Cage page.” My Team Paid Star Work Music mum (‘100 Bags’) as well as 7.5 6.5 Crazy Titch(!) phoning in from 03. CAPO LEE ‘Stop Talk’ FLOOR SIXX “Capo and Spyro combine for the lead single of his new EP. Definite banger.” Big Zuu is a big personality in The phone has always been a HMP, ‘Gang Signs & Prayer’ grime, but ‘Aint No Joke’ sees the staple object in grime narratives, can truly be heralded as both 04. P MONEY ‘Keeping It Real feat. Stormzy’ Rinse MC want to be taken a bit more and here North London MC and a banger-laden LP and a true “One of my favourite songs off P Money’s album — zone out to this one.” seriously in this industry: “No Bloodline member Milli Major sign that you don’t need to be joke, I ain’t on no clown ting/ revels in some dread-ridden signed to a major to get your 05. MANGA SAINT HILARE ‘Different Pattern feat. Jme & Presi- dent T’ Self-Released No joke, I ain’t no comedian,” he strings, bring-bring noises and work all the way to the top— ie. “Love the old school game-inspired video, and the chorus is a vibe.” says, as he takes aim at his critics. soulless voicemail recordings. The No.1... Over a strung-out beat produced beat, produced by Masro, lays the 06. PRESIDENT T ‘Ending Careers’ Star Work Music “President T showing Trump there is only one President T!” by Scam, Drifter joins Zuu on groundwork for a chant-a-long mic duty, stirring up a chorus of chorus from Milli that should have creaming their pants, it does make 07. TUCKZ ‘Headtop’ Trapdoor Records YouTube commenters stating that the track going off in clubs just you wonder why Solo dropped this “Coming from the Vision Crew, Tuckz has got one of the coldest flows.” this track is gonna blow. like his Nokia. in the depths of winter and not 08. D DOUBLE E ‘How I Like It’ Bluku Music right before the sunny months. “All I have to say is that’s how I like it.” Young Yizzy X Tuckz Solo 45 feat. Jme Especially since the video has Big Man Higher him in a tank-top, flying around 09. JEVON ‘River Cry’ Unreleased “Love the instrumental, and the vocals on this are so clean.” Samurai Sound Island Records on a jet-ski and name-checking 9.0 6.5 Magaluf. Throw in a sung chorus 10. LYRICAL STRALLY ‘Rumour’ Future Follower Records Young Yizzy hasn’t been around This one’s a bit curious — with a and Jme, and you’ve got yourself a “Strally coming with bars as always, I mean lyrical is in his name…” for all that long (and is, like his beat that’ll have jungle/d&b heads sure-fire festival banger.

djmag.com 139 ELECTRO/PROGRESSIVE ANGUS THOMAS PATERSON [email protected] Shenoda Burn QUICKIES Aus Music 8.0 Notaker The latest from Shenoda on Shimmer Aus packs a mighty lot of Monstercat thunder for a deep record. 7. 0 Its extravagant melodic hook Another gifted weave of melodic electro/ blooms amongst a grittier progressive from Notaker, where the sparkly layout of analogue percussion, melodies are elegantly intertwined with driven before it all flips for a looped percussion and the legit sense of musicality the vocal sample that really brings US producer brings to his records. Main-room the fury in the second half. progressive executed with confidence.

Eelke Kleijn Pirupa Home Fleshy Beep DAYS like NIGHTS Monaberry 8.0 7. 5 The debut release for Kleijn’s A tech-house weapon cybernetically enhanced own DAYS like NIGHTS with synthetic progressive, the functional grooves represents one of the Dutch hard-wired with a robotic energy that patches into a producer’s more joyful peaktime particularly monstrous breakdown. moments. Balancing its MONEY whimsical string sections, piano André Sobota twinkles and tribal percussion Concluded SHOT! with the heavy rumble of its Proton progressive house bassline, 7. 5 Sasha feat. Poliça there’s a stronger musicality The ever-versatile Sobota in dreamy, deep Out Of Time injected into what’s essentially progressive mode, brimming with his typically Kompakt an upbeat summery house luxuriant melodies and production flourishes that 9.5 record, characterised by the always bring his records to life. Anyone who thought Sasha vocal sample cheers scattered didn’t have any weapons left throughout the mix that in his record box are in for a channel the emotion. EELKE KLEIJN DAYS LIKE NIGHTS pleasant surprise. Due to drop at the end of April, ‘Out Of recent trancier sensibilities with Dusty Kid Time’ sees Sasha tapping into the lush attention-to-detail of Kéia EP a certain ‘90s Manchester vibe his earlier work. Suara that harks back to acid house 9.0 days of yore; though more so, Quivver Italian producer Dusty Kid’s new its uniqueness comes from Mumbo Jumbo three-shot EP doesn’t pull its collaborating with synth-pop Bedrock punches, with every one of its five-piece Poliça. The fact that 8.0 tracks representing a beastly Sasha ventured outside his own A new offering from Quivver melodic anthem that’s poised Last Night On Earth label to that continues his long- for peak-time drama. It’s his 01. EELKE KLEIJN ‘Home’ DAYS like NIGHTS release on Kompakt is suitably standing tradition of crafting same trademark sound, imbued “The first release on my new label DAYS like NIGHTS has been my biggest track reflective of its “special” factor. bangers for the peak of a John with the same melancholy for the past half-year. I closed every gig of my last Argentina tour with it, and every time the place exploded!” Opening on ravey drum breaks Digweed set. ‘Mumbo Jumbo’ is and depth, except this time that are peppered throughout definitely situated on the more he’s streamlined for maximum 02. MAX COOPER ‘Organa (Patrice Bäumel Remix)’ Mesh “Fantastic remix by Patrice Bäumel. It builds in such a good way with the bass the record, it settles into a four- pumping end of the Bedrock impact. ‘Istmo’ drops into a only coming in halfway through, but boy does it work!” four groove and some excellent spectrum, though it’s no less dramatic breakdown before vocals from Poliça, before its accomplished from a slick we’re even a minute in, while 03. GABRIEL ANANDA & REINIER ZONNEVELD ‘Got Me’ Filth On Acid hands-in-the-air organ synths production perspective. After the steelier stomp of ‘Sysma’ “Reinier just launched his label Filth On Acid, and this is one of the tracks on the first release. Big fan of him and Gabriel Ananda as well, so I’m glad the two build to take centre-stage in the laying down some sexy grooves, gives way to a decadent flourish of them decided to team up.” second half of the record. Pure Quivver makes a surprise sharp of strings and a melodic hook sweaty 3am euphoria. steer towards some noisy that could have been plucked 04. SÉBASTIEN LÉGER ‘Umbrella’ Sudbeat “Sébastien’s latest offering on Hernan Cattaneo’s label. Both tracks on this EP tangents in the second half that straight from a late ‘90s trance are equally good, but I especially love how ‘Umbrella’ builds up with the main interlock nicely with the driving record. ‘Feelers’ deals in even melody only emerging after five or six minutes.” Jaytech energy of the record. more bombast. Dusty Kid fans — 05. AMTRAC ‘Never Lost’ Super Music Group “’Never Lost’ comes from the ‘Lost In Motion EP’. To be honest, the entire EP is Tachyon prepare for something “big”. incredible. It’s really rare that I like all four songs on one EP...” Positronic Max Cooper Organa (Patrice Bäumel Remix) Spencer Brown 06. AFFKT ‘Sunset Riders’ Noir 8.0 “Big fan of AFFKT and ‘Sunset Riders’ is a typical AFFKT record, with throbbing ‘Tacyon’ comes across as Mesh Vernal bass, catchy melodies and a really good groove all over. This has been really every bit the labour of love 8.5 Anjunabeats big in all of my recent sets.” from Jaytech, an epic on its Bäumel counts among a 8.0 07. DEEPARTURE ‘Purcer’ Weiter own terms within the electro/ cast of suitably intelligent A standout record forged in “This is Deeparture’s first release on Olivier Weiter’s label. Somehow they’ve managed to create an instant classic for me. I’m a sucker for melodies, and this progressive niche he’s carving producers recruited to add a crossover electro/progressive one, combined with the great vocals, is just really, really good.” out with his Positronic label. dancefloor edge to Max Cooper’s energy that’s featured on the 08. GROJ ‘World Is Round’ Traum Opening on a lush bed of ‘Emergence’ album. His ‘Organa’ new 'Anjunabeats Vol. 8' comp, “I have been a fan of Groj ever since his ‘Love You Do’ EP that I played every- where. His new song on Traum is equally good. I always love it when artists sound that’s been evocatively remix keeps consistent with tactically deployed by Above combine conventional instrumentals like guitar with electronic music.” embellished with all manner of the introspective vibe of & Beyond to help steer their sonic sparkles, the raw drum the original, yet allows the mix towards trancier climes. 09. JOAL FEAT. PIERMARIA CHAPUS ‘The Magician’ Selador “The vocals in this record really do it for me. I remember the first time I played break that kicks in with the drop emotions to really unleash when Spencer Brown nails things it, as my opening record at House Of Yes in New York. I got goosebumps all signals the arrival of a more the melody and bassline finally down with a driving house over, and seeing the crowd react similarly, it’s been on my playlist ever since!” club-focused energy, though kick in; though they’re kept groove, which he circles with 10. THE GROUND ‘Raise Your Glass (David Morales Red Zone it’s equally imbued with plenty suitably on a leash for nearly a bubbling melody that builds Instrumental)’ Suara “Fantastic remix of Florian Kruse and Hendrik Burkhard’s new project, The of electro noise. ‘Tacyon’ sees half of the record’s six-minute to seductive fruition in the Ground. The original is good, but David Morales takes it to the next level. It’s Jaytech beginning to fuse his running time. breakdown. Irresistible results. got this classic house record feel to it that I really love.”

140 djmag.com TECH-HOUSE QUICKIES David Herrero The Wold Is Not The Same Blackflag Recordings 9.0 An impressive trio of pumping tech-house numbers that groove, hypnotise and energise.

Masaya Bordeline EP Chapter 24 Records 9.0 Beautifully tense, melodic techno from Masaya with the awesome remixes. One very epic trip from Johannes Brecht; an equally awesome but slightly LEON CLARKSON [email protected] tighter construction from Patrice Baumel, with Neil Flynn completing what is a very dramatic and elegant selection.

S.E.T. You're Not Leaving EP MONEY Secret Music SHOT! 8.5 This is one seriously enjoyable slab of tripped-out and techy house from trio, S.E.T.. The remixes are Mihai Popoviciu equally as good, but combined make for a top, top- Andre Salmon origins of tech-house. A real Fiction EP sounding EP. The Return Of Mykee Jacksee underground style as opposed to Poker Flat Recordings Leftroom LTD just a term for brash house and/ 9.5 9.0 or slowish techno that aren't Mihai began 2017 with SUPERNOVA LAPSUS MUSIC Andre supplies Leftroom LTD with quite either. Ryan Crosson is a 'Insomnis', a collaboration the meanest low-end bubbling modern day originator of this with Markus Homm on Still tech-house across both the unsettled sub-genre and this Hot, but here on the 'Fiction originals, 'The Return Of Mykee latest offering on new label, EP' he's flying solo with an Jacksee' and 'The 93 feat. Mr Monologue, is absolutely killer. outstanding offering on Bud', feeling as though the Guti's mesmerising 'Summer Mix' one of his closest labels. 'I remit was to recreate something goes further down the rabbit hole. Should' bubbles along with a deep and straight out of east It's archetypal tech-house from deep bass groove, syncopated London, circa 2006-08, the type the pair and somewhat of a coup synth stab and seductive vocal of stuff that Jamie Jones et al was as the label debut. musings; 'Twisted' rolling renowned for during his rise to along from sunrise to sundown; the big leagues. Whether or not Bontan showstopping, 'Fiction', a the case, the results of this EP are The First Time melodic, subdued and tense incredibly absorbing, with Alex Hot Creations building blocks approach Arnout's remix of 'The 93' a trip 8.0 shows his delicate touch; whilst all of itself, and it all makes for Bontan regularly releases tracks 'Interconnected' draws upon one of Leftroom LTD's most potent on some of the most notable Chicago-inspired sounds and releases yet. dance music record labels. This acid flourishes to make for a time he touches down on Hot truly special, heartfelt seven Burnski Creations with his label debut, minutes of house music. Get DNA Remixes 'The First Time', the eponymous involved, people. Constant Sound lead single with scuttling high-end 9.5 percussion and a bass groove that Deserves hella' high-praise this bounce in unison. It's as satisfying impactful, more atmospheric, but 01. FREDERIK & KUSSE ‘Ms Jackson’ Lapsus Music “Playing this one every gig lately. Perfect balance between house sounds month — the remix package to as it is chart-topping focused. a perfectly astute counterbalance and raw beats.” Burnski's debut album, 'DNA'. The flip, 'Personal Question' is to finish off the EP.

02. 2 SIDES OF SOUL ‘Next Trip’ Lapsus Music Inventive reconstructions of more akin to the Hot Creations “Really feeling 2 Sides Of Soul’s latest stuff, this one is really hot.” 'Cosmic Warfare' and 'I Like You' sound; driving, unrelenting bass, Dan Ghenacia & Chris come from Diego Krause and deft arrangement but punchy Carrier 03. SUPERNOVA ‘The Wild Weekend’ 8bit Records “Been testing this one for months, and every time we play it it always gets Laura Jones respectively. The percussion. Not smooth, but all The Blue EP the dancefloor crazy.” show-stealer comes from Mandar the better for it. Apollonia Music 04. DARIUS SYROSSIAN ‘Disko Drop’ Kaluki Musik (S.A.M., Malin Genie and Lazare 8.0 “Feeling the raw disco vibes of this floor-filler”. Hoche) who take the speedy, Black Girl/White Girl This is the Parisian pair's fourth

05. CHANNEL X ‘Under Pressure’ Lapsus Music straight-grooving funk of 'Another Red Giant collaboration together over the “Love the arpeggiator progression and bassline of this track.” Source' — the original featuring New Violence Records last year and sequel on Apollonia in this package too — and turn in Music, though their peak 06. KI CREIGHTON & MAKANAN ‘Trivial’ Elrow Music 8.5 “These guys have made fat beats here. Elrow Music is on-point.” a sub-low, garage groove-swung, This upcoming duo have had a concoction was the first ('Sweet nod-to-the-early-'90s, ethereal fertile year with their brand of Heart EP'). A minimalist exterior 07. SUPERNOVA ‘Nightclub Bollywood’ Stereo Productions “Tested this at the BPM Festival, went out great.” and acid masterpiece. high-octane deep house and and funky interior on all three bass-heavy tech house. 'Red tracks with insatiable grooves 08. NATHAN BARATO ‘Freak Of The Industry’ Hot Creations “Really cool one from our good friend Nathan.” Ryan Crosson Giant' melds a chubby lead bass laid down on 'The Blue Grass' and What State I'm In feat. Cari hook, flittering vocal licks and a 'Blue Stick', and slick sampling 09. LUNA CITY EXPRESS ‘Victims Of The Funk (Dario D’Attis Golden tough drum groove to make for a on 'Kind Of Blues'. Another great Dubby Dub)’ Lapsus Music Monologue “Luna City and Dario is a great combination. They never disappoint.” main room crowdpleaser. Andrew release on Apollonia’s label. 9.0 Beat strips down the original for 10. SUPERNOVA ‘Get Hot’ Elrow Music “One of the tracks we have played the most off our latest ‘City Lights EP’ on It's easy to forget the hypnotic, a typical beat-focused no frills Elrow Music.” driving and groove-centric frenzy, whilst '9 Souls' is less

djmag.com 141 Untitled-1 1 16/03/2017 16:40 DISCO QUICKIES Danced Til Midnight She Can’t Love You Thylacine Sounds 7. 5 Compressed, Daft Punk-style disco/pop tune backed with an old school electro fix from the Egyptian Lover. Should keep you going past 1am, at least.

Tensnake Machines EP True Romance 8.0 JONATHAN BURNIP [email protected] Nicely produced proggy, disco-trance music from Tensnake. The filtered groove of ‘1975’ and the MONEY rubbery ‘All In All’ stand out. SHOT! Lena d'Água The Neon Judgement Jardim Zoológico Cockerill-Sombre EP Strangelove Dark Entries 10 10 New Zealand-based label, "New edition of this classic release from EBM Strangelove opens with pioneers, The Neon Judgement. More excellent an expanded 12” reissue reissue work from the peerless Dark Entries crew!" of an obscure 45 from cult Harvey Sutherland & remix from Moscoman and Portuguese singer and AMOR Bermuda Rodion (operating under their bandleader, Lena d'Água. Paradise Expectations Claydermans guise). Borrowing Plotting a course through the Night School Clarity Recordings elements from Italo, new-wave early '80s with her avant-pop 9.0 7. 5 and primitive techno, this troupe, Salada de Frutas, it Another fantastic addition to the Night School With his band in tow, the galloping modern disco tune was not until 1983 that d'Água catalogue with a no-wave/mutant disco gem from Australian producer returns to partners with its kosmische found herself composing the Golden Teacher and Franz Ferdinand-affiliates, his own label with six new tracks anthem, ‘Guns Of Rixdorf Master’, more leftfield and experimental AMOR. of extended play. Does it live up making the Claydermans remix ‘Jardim Zoológico’ — a tune to the, err, expectations since feel a little unnecessary. Though that mixed elements of dub, their debut? Quite possibly, but that big hollow, FM bassline new wave and post-punk into OTTO RIITA ROCK TO THE BEAT the production is smoother and adds quite a modern twist to this a chromatic, disco-not-disco less gritty than Sutherland’s brilliantly retro-style release. classic. Balearic music fans solo efforts. However, these will no doubt revel in the more floaty disco tunes brim with Richard Ashcroft meditative, new-age mood ‘Tao’ fetching melody and hooks; Out Of My Body (Remixes) on the B-side. Essential reissue. from weightless Balearic tribute Righteous Phonographic Association through to tough disco-funk. 6.0 Highlights include the creamy, The former Verve frontman and doubt that Cardopusher’s tunes Rhodes piano-led ‘Clarity’ and '90s Brit-rock icon attempted a have stood out from the pack. the meditative beatless mood of comeback with his album ‘These This EP for The Hacker’s Zone ‘Spiders’. People’ in 2016. The remains of label finds Luis Garbàn’s music his effort (sadly, not meeting the tipping towards more darkwave/ Simple Symmetry expectations of the critics) can be EBM forms, with tracks like the Plane Goes East heard here in this latest single, crushing, Liaisons Dangereuses- Disco Halal cloaked by remixes from the likes style throb of ‘Blast Cut’ and 9.0 of Time & Space Machine, Mirwais the scorching Armando homage Russian duo Simple Symmetry and Lunarce. As usual Richard ‘Trouble With Thinking Too Much furbish Moscoman’s Disco Halal Norris’ Time & Space Machine Acid’ taking the lead. Shockingly 01. HARRY THUMANN ‘Sphinx’ CBS “Vocoder, slap-bass solo, and the same gimmick as in Knight Rider… What label with some exotic, opulent- comes up with an inventive idea; good! else do you need?” sounding disco. Heavy on the his kosmische overhaul sounds melodrama and Byzantine/ fresh, but is spoiled by Ashcroft’s Pete Herbert 02. DINOSAUR L ‘You’re Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean’ Sleeping Bag Records Far Eastern themes (at times vocal and an instrumental really Hypnotize “Arthur Russel = all-time inspiration.” reminding me a little of the wouldn’t go amiss. Lunarce Follentez 03. STU PHILLIPS ‘Jelly Belly (Electronic Music from Buck Rogers spiraling ‘acid’ on that fantastic and Mirwais’ mixes are both 8.5 In The 25th Century)’ Intrada Charanjit Singh album), the pair’s respectively lacklustre electronic Nu-disco survivor Pete Herbert “Stu Phillips… Knight Rider… Buck Rogers… Mucho love-o in da disco.” ‘Plane Goes East’ is quite a fun and trip-hop productions. reappears with another sizzling 04. GEORGE ISSAKIDIS ‘Cherry Red’ Kill The DJ release that, thankfully, doesn’t electronic disco offering. This “A rather recent classic… Hot as hell.” seem to take itself too seriously Cardopusher mid-tempo Italo-inspired tune

05. KANO ‘It’s A War’ Emergency Records and will no doubt cast a mood Nothing Left To Believe In functions like its namesake with “It’s a war… We know you know…” of agitated joy on those losing Zone dramatic stabs and bubbling, themselves to it. 9.0 electronic bass. A remix from 06. BORUSIADE ‘Feeling Of Entropy’ Correspondant “A haunting tribute to horror disco.” Over the years, we’ve heard the another mainstay of the genre, Franz Matthews excellent Cardopusher forge some Max Essa of Is It Balearic? and 07. SUPERMAX ‘Love Machine’ Atlantic “This track is a love machine.” Ostkreuz of the more interesting, oddball Aficionado Recordings, rings out Days Of Being Wild club tracks. Whether they’ve had with dubby touches, stripping the 08. FIERO ‘Modus Operandi EP’ Giallo Disco “Best old new sound heard recently.” 8.0 that 8-bit crunch for Hyperdub lead to a minimum; and tropical Solo effort from Berliner, Franz and Kid606’s Tigerbeat label or the adjustments from the likes of 09. BENEDIKT FREY FEAT. JAVOLENUS ‘Out Of Here’ Hivern Disc Matthews, on London-based sleek, propulsive techno sheen for Sebastien Fauvel and Bangbang “Benedikt Frey: more cowbell please.” DOBW, working some hi-octane, Boys Noize or the synapse-frying add some extra spice to the bold 10. LIZZY MERCIER DESCLOUX ‘Funky Stuff’ Philips/ZE Records propulsive, technodisco muscle; braindance for the likes of Planet production. “We love her!” helped along with a heavyweight Mu and Rephlex — there’s no

djmag.com 143 DRUM & BASS WHISKY KICKS QUICKIES Duban

Listen [email protected] Asbo Records 8.0 Dark modern jungle that will tear down the dance instantly. Loud, aggressive and full of attitude, a relentless and ongoing bassline will barely leave you time to breathe while you pour over the nods to the past.

Document One 7th Dimension Technique Recordings MONEY 8.0 Nice little techy roller, which switches up with the SHOT! breakdown to reveal some of its funkier elements. Quirky vocals make this one stand out from the Emperor crowd. Shadow Neosignal Recordings Loadstar 9.5 I Need The Night A release on Neosignal brings Ram Records a harder, more ferocious 8.0 'Emperor' than we’ve grown Existing effortlessly between the authentic and the accustomed to, and we love commercial, Loadstar exquisitely execute uplifting it! ‘Shadow’ is a pounding, chords and a dark and brooding undertone, swathing call to arms, there creating perfect balance. We are really felling the are distinct sections to this distortions, powerful, organic- disgustingly dark track that vocal on this one too. track, each with their own sounding drums and a creepy makes you screw up your face into vibe; a calming, meditative spoken sample. unfathomable shapes and throw intersection separates, giving your shoes into the DJ booth. The breathing space between the Submorphics pattern is simple and repetitive, POLA & BRYSON SHOGUN AUDIO next onslaught of brutality. The Without You it's pounding to the point of relentless throbbing at the end Shogun Audio feeling like a physical presence of the track is devastatingly 7. 5 is captivating you, forcing you to good, and we’re left desperate Submorphics himself describes contort in the dancefloor. Full of for more. Amazing EP! this EP as “four slices of synthetic glitches and sci-fi nods and switch- soul”, and we don’t think we ups, keeping the track engaging could have found a more perfect throughout. Deuce & Charger description. Melodic, warm liquid Labyrinth drum & bass has a way of soul- Dead Man’s Chest In Charge Recordings searching, cleansing your spirit Tears (Fantazia Version) 7. 5 and refreshing you entirel. This Ingredients These guys always come with track uses classic amens, light, 8.5 the fun, it’s their light-hearted floating synths and an emotional If you’re a fan of Dead Man’s Chest, take on drum & bass which vocal to work its magic. It’s a this isn’t an EP to be missed. The 01. ALIX PEREZ ‘The Raven’ 1985 Music always makes us thoroughly release which fits the Shogun- release contains six brand-new “There’s no one way to describe this track; it’s so simple yet so memorable; it’s enjoy D&C productions. This shaped whole exactly and will tracks but also comes with a so dark, yet fits seamleslly into a liquid set. It’s just perfection.”

track of course starts with and sound even better in the sunshine. mixtape cassette including all the 02. SKELETON & SILENCE GROOVE ‘Showtime’ Fokuz Recordings continues to be laced with their EPs released so far on Ingredients. “This entire EP is full to the brim with those classic High Contrast vibes, an amazing throwback to the time period in which we fell in love with this genre signature bubblegum vibe, which Raid ‘Tears’ is an amazingly nostalgic in the first place.” lends itself nicely to the land of Feel From You trip, with super-sharp bass and Sliced Note Recordings 03. POLA & BRYSON ‘Monument’ Shogun Audio commercialism. However, for us a collection of jungle breaks, “We began this track as a big atmospheric cinematic piece originally. It had this release has really cranked the vocal is reminiscent of ‘90s such an epic feel to it, we had to transform it into a d&b track and we’ve been 8.0 starting our sets with it for months.” the trio up to the next level — the This is a track from a new artist R&B queens and the samples of overall feel is heavier, with a nod who is apparently still working on Fantazia mixtapes bring back all 04. VANDERA FEAT. ANASTASIA ‘Hearts Rhythm’ Galaxy Records “This track perfectly encapsulates everything we love about Liquid — beautiful to the twisted, techy depths of his mixdowns. If this is the vibe the memories you could hope for. chorded melodies, outstanding vocal talent and pure vibes from start to neuro. Great vocal as always. Raid can create while he's still finish.”

cutting his teeth, we are excited Dub Head 05. HUGH HARDIE ‘SoundSystem Dub’ Hospital Records Black Sun Empire feat. to hear what his future holds. This Cepheid “We always find ourselves falling in love with every bit of music from Hugh, this track is no exception. We cannot wait for his debut album later this year.” Noisia is understated dancefloor stuff, Dispatch Recordings Veil nothing is too much, each element 8.0 06. DATA 3 ‘Something Strange’ Addictive Behaviour Blackout Music “Hands down my (Pola) favourite track from Bryson and his two pals Dan and is balanced perfectly. A gently We’ve seen the name cropping up Alex that make up Data 3. This one’s a serious hurter!” 9.0 wobbling bassline, with cool at the Dispatch camp before on 07. SILENCE GROOVE ‘Fate’ Fokuz Recordings Very soon Black Sun Empire will tropical touches and occasional a collab single and then on the “Much darker than his usual stuff but this one really rolls on a soundsystem. be unveiling their new album, squelches of dirtiness — for us 100th release, but now we hear A proper stomper.” but first we welcome this beast though, what makes this track is his debut EP as a solo artist for 08. LENZMAN ‘Walk On By’ The North Quarter of a track featuring Noisia. It’s the vocal. the imprint. It’s a soft and warm, “Lenzman never disappoints, both his recent EPs on his own imprint, The as intense as expected, with an slightly blurry drop of liquid, with North Quarter, are incredible and ‘Walk On By’ is our personal favourite.” incredibly cinematic atmosphere, Skeptical & Alix Perez subtle twists and hints to a darker 09. GLXY ‘Overwatch’ Limitless Records “This is a technical highlight for us over the past few months. Such a brilliantly it feels as if you’re being immersed Without A Trace undertone. Not usually the type of produced and mixed track with a great lot of energy and vibes as always.” into the role of protagonist in a Exit Records track you might associate with the dystopian, sci-fi thriller. Layers label, but a refreshing burst which 10. ULTERIOR MOTIVE ‘The Real feat. Ben Verse’ Shogun Audio 9.0 “Hearing that Ulterior Motive were returning to Shogun Audio with this EP got and layers of energetic sound with This is dark. This is disgustingly lifts the the rest of the techy, us really excited and of course, we weren’t disapointed. ‘The Real’ is without a a barrage of sudden twists and dark. This is the kind of gritty release. doubt another stand-out track from these guys.”

144 djmag.com BREAKS & BASS QUICKIES Jubley Ye Olde (Strange Rollerz remix) Future Followers [email protected] 9.0 Strange Rollers is fast becoming the go-to guy for these minimalistic brooding rhythm work-outs.

BEN CHILD Here he throws the original through a mean and moody broken beat filter — all kicks, claps, percussion hits and nonchalant low-end— for a seriously rude reworking. MONEY Inkline SHOT! Sonar Saucy Records 8.5 Stanton Warriors X Inkline may hail from the leafy backwater of Forest Jay Robinson Row, East Sussex, but his sound is as London as it Bang feat. Them & Us comes. 'Sonar' blends killa tuned percussion with Punks Music garage-influenced breakbeats and snatches of half- 9.0 heard vocal for an offbeat scattershot of urban cool. If the Angel Gabriel got busy No wonder the likes of My Nu Leng (on their recent in the studio with Satan, Essential Mix) have been digging into this sound. Mephistopheles and Beelzebub, Hypho & Squane Stanton Warriors X the result might well sound a Cosella & Vanilla Ace Way Beyond Boundaries EP Hybrid Theory lot like 'Bang'. Here, perennial Funk To The Brain (Marten Hørger Remix) 877 Records Under The Lights breakbeat heroes Stanton Punks Music 8.5 Punks Music Warriors team up with Night 8.5 Getting in the studio must be 9.0 Bass's Jay Robinson to deliver In which hairy German bass behemoth Hørger hard when one of you resides Here's another collaboration trappy bass vibes from the tears Canada-based crew Cosella & Vanilla Ace a in Manchester, the other in LA. from the suddenly prolific seventh layer of Hades, while new sphincter with the kind of booming groove But Hypho and Squane have Stantons, this time with the heavenly vocal action comes that nobody else is producing right now. Ravey and achieved a certain stylistic Brummie bass heroes and from London-based duo Them weirdly funky at the same time. unity with this six-track EP that Four40 Records kingpins & Us. In short, this means the sees the pair collaborate on Hybrid Theory joining the duo drop booms with raucously 'Way Beyond Boundaries' and in the studio. Once again it's evil b-line energy, while the KEITH MACKENZIE ILLEVEN ELEVEN 'Neurological System' before a blend of no-nonsense UK splendid breakdowns are like each dropping a solo effort and bass throwdown and super- sinking into an enormous remixing the other's offering. commercial breakdowns, this sugary blancmange, haunting The title track is a strung-out time mixing up strident diva vocals and lissom keys leaving blend of dubby atmospherics, vocals with shimmering keys one more hyped up on the grimey junglism and wiggy and splendid electric piano resulting sugar rush than a 303 mayhem, both artists' chords. Expect to hear it three-year-old who's stolen all idiosyncrasies shining through dropped at lots of festival shows the goodie bags. in the blend. Further standout over the summer. efforts include Hypho's original mix of 'Hope', pitched around Stanton Warriors low-end fighting it out for a single atonal percussion loop, Feel This Way space with glitched-out garagey and his American partner-in- Punks Music vocal stylings and mellow keys, 01. CLB ‘MYB’ Illeven Eleven crime's own off-kilter breakbeat 9.0 while 'Lust' offers up a gnarly “Classic Chicago vibes on this one, reinterpreted on a bouncy break tip.” reworking of the same track. No messing about here. The blend of industrial bass motifs, 02. STANTON WARRIORS ‘Shake It Up (Keith MacKenzie and Fixx Stantons are right back in ravey piano and a haunting Remix)’ Punks Music Koba full-on mid-noughties anthemic "Wanna be with you" vocal “The original is a personal favourite from the Stantons’ back catalogue, so of course Fixx and I jumped at the opportunity to put our own spin on it.” Daybreak EP mode, and anyone who doesn’t refrain. Finally, 'Not Alone' Hot Cakes react to ‘Feel This Way’’s lays down an early '90s house 03. FLINCH X FRANK ROYAL ‘Rotate’ Illeven Eleven gorgeous blend of sumptuous vibe, settling into a soulful “Cavernous low pitched vocal samples mixed with big horn stabs and an 7.5 almost electro-feeling percussive break. Dope groove on this.” Something completely different piano-rave euphoria, blissed piano and vocal combo before here from Canadian artist out female vocal and blistering spinning into a drop to melt 04. STANTON WARRIORS & JAY ROBINSON ‘Bang feat. Them & Us’ Punks Music Koba, aka Jason Osborne, who arpeggios clearly needs their your cerebellum. “Lush vocals from Them & Us make way for a tight shuffling drop with a cooks up an unusual soundset ears tested. For those slightly masterfully-controlled contorting bassline.” of rugged bass flavours and unsettled by the unashamed Aaron K 05. DEEKLINE AND KEITH MACKENZIE ‘Faith’ Hot Cakes tightly programmed breakbeats, sideswipe into brazen Bassline Skanker/Seek Asylum “We were going for maximum contrast on this one between the big ‘feelgood’ Hot Cakes Bass vocal and atmospherics and a party-style booty breaks drop.” combined with wistful synth- commercial territory, there’s a work and leftfield vocal samples rolling 808 drop to keep them 7.5 06. WUKI FEAT. PRXZM ‘Let Me Go’ Spinnin on lead track 'Asphalt'. Next up moving in front of the bassbins. Thames Valley-based producer “A tropical house vibe but set against a tight breakbeat. Perfect for that sunrise-on-Miami-Beach set.” is 'DayGlo', which plumps for a Aaron K drops a brace of raw whimsically mellow electro vibe Tuff Culture underground rollers. The rude 07. BIG DADDY’S ‘Booty Sweat (Keith MacKenzie & Fixx Flip)’ Il- leven Eleven before hitting us with heavy, Synthesis EP atmospheric breakbeat garage “I was instantly hooked when I heard the original ‘Booty Sweat’...” heavy bass and percussion Four40 Records of 'Bassline Skanker' is a classy combos on the drop. Finally, late-night jam for the back 08. GLADEZ ‘Ghetto Bird’ Free download 9.0 “Modern booty ammunition, combining classic bass elements with 808 'Wussup' comes across as the When it comes to balancing rooms and hidden festival breaks, dirty bass stabs and just a little trap sprinkled on top.” most dancefloor-orientated blitzkrieg bass with sparkling stages, while 'Seek Asylum' 09. EPTIC ‘Eat My Dust’ Spinnin effort, going in hard with melodies, there are few (featuring Hobaps) opts for “I’ve become familiar with Eptic’s top-notch work at the 140-160 tempo, but was pleasantly surprised when he dropped this slower breakbeat gem.” a beefy blend of heavy rap producers out there more a full speed-rap vocal on a samples, massive kicks and capable than Birmingham's modern urban life is rubbish 10. SMOOKIE ILLSON ‘F2TB (Round2 Remix)’ Ill At Will gnarly b-line pressure. Tuff Culture. Here, lead track tip, over tight drumwork and “As fans of Round 2’s recent output, we asked him to put his stamp on the latest release on our sister bass label, and he delivered!” 'Easy' is a maelstrom of rugged bruising low-end.

djmag.com 145 Untitled-1 1 17/03/2017 13:42 Top 100 Thank you UK-2.indd 1 3/17/17 6:39 PM HIP-HOP & TRAP

Dutch Mob QUICKIES Clouded Thoughts Split Prophets Thundercat feat. Kendrick Lamarr 8.0 Walk On By "I hope you enjoy the Brainfeeder formaldehyde in your chocolate 8.0 brownie." The first drop from the Like one of the weirder sections of an Earth Wind forthcoming 'Passport' EP points [email protected] & Fire tune that never actually finds a hook or to great things as ever from the anything approaching a normal song at any point. Split Prophets stable, here helped Unsettlingly unhinged but shot through with by blazing cameos from Datkid and some utterly gorgeous melodies and harmonies. JMan and choice scratches from Kendrick's verse is ace yup. If you ain't got the Simiah. Illinformed on the mix and

NEIL KULKARNI album, remedy immediately. a hypnotic and spellbinding head- nodder emerges akin in its supra- Mista Spyce aka Billie Splyff stoned oddity to Morriarchi/Trellion Ain't Ready but animated by a sense of menace NA and propulsion that's unique — 7. 5 like autopilot stoned driving in Holy hell — THAT Mista Spyce? From Brotherhood? a car that becomes increasingly MONEY Yes, THAT Brotherhood, the ones who in driverless as you approach the SHOT! 'Elementalz' released perhaps THEE greatest, realisation you have no destination. most underrated UK rap record of all time? It A heavy, heavy track. Westside Gunn would seem so. Here he hooks up with Spanish The Almighty producer Santonio to drop a wicked little reggae- Leaf Dog Daupe! tinged banger that reminds me of Louie Rankine/ My Scene soulful backing, flickered over with 9.0 Supercat's hardest and heaviest moments. Great to High Focus exquisite touches of ‘70s soul/ Another limited edition slab hear from Spyce again, hope he gets an album out 7. 0 funk texture, Sonny as ever both of vinyl in various colours and soon. Leaf Dog's first solo release in six icey and simmering with tension, again with only about 500 being years serves as a tasty preview Quelle Chris delivering a fantastic made, this is an essential slice of his long-awaited 'Dyslexic cameo on a track that uncannily of genius from one of the most SONNYJIM DAUPE! Disciple' album. Only 500 copies matches the kind of sweet exciting MCs in the game right of the limited 7" vinyl, so get on soulfulness he conjures on his new now. 'Hitler Wears Hermes 4' it (HF swear down there will be album. Fantastic stuff as ever from will have been tickling your no repressings!) if it's not too Sonnyjim — I'm getting kind of naughty bits since November late. LD's typically engrossing tired of calling him underrated, last year so you'll know what throughout both the lead-off he should be MAJORLY rated by a gnarly, gritty, lush yet track and 'Today' on the flip but anyone into rap music. If you don't lurid thrill 'The Almighty' is. the real joy of 'My Scene' is the know, get to know immediately. Westside is a king at rapping production by Naive — slathered over beatless tracks — here the with a plethora of New Orleans/ Da Flyy Hooligan whole is held together with

01. LATER X CASISDEAD ‘Before This’ Soundcloud Kingston horns and bumping with Pinrolls some pulsing widescreen jazz “A welcome departure from the dark and straight into some ‘80s synth sound- confidence and hints of summer Gourmet Deluxxx hints and whispers, John Barry- scapes provided by LATER (a duo made up of London producer Drive Me Home and Norwegian singer Linn).” parties. A little shot of sunshine you 8.0 esque strings and reverbed should get a fix of soon as. Welcome Holy fuck, the Bad Company soul peals adding to the sense 02. ROC MARCIANO ‘Here I Am’ Decon Records “Anyone who raps ‘I put that on my gold Rolex, who knows what’s next/ I’m back, Dog. production on this is downright of claustrophobic desperation. here with moguls sniffin’ coke on the desk’ is obviously doing something right. fucking DANK — like smeared Startling hardcore, keeping it Roc Marciano’s pimp game strong as ever. The self-produced ‘Here I Am’ sam- ples Stanley Cowell’s song of the same title and is taken from the ‘Rosebudds Stinkin Slumrok X orange neon encrusting on unreal like all the best hardcore Revenge’ LP, the whole album is packed full of quotables.” Morriarchi cobblestones, a sound that could does. Essential. 03. MILKAVELLI ‘Sacre Bleu’ Cult Mountain Indacity come from nowhere but the UK, “Cult Mountain’s Milkavelli just dropped the ‘616 God’ EP, and ‘Sacre Bleu’ is Blah! Records the first song off the project, ‘Milk’ gets busy over the bare bones production slow-motioning somewhere provided by Sumgii. Go check the video too, complete with Lee Scott sign 8.5 between dub and hip-hop, the language. Easy like a TV dinner.” Morriarchi is creating some of the delay-drenched ragga vox and down your neck in dribbly lysergic 04. QUELLE CHRIS ‘Birthdaze’ Mello Music Group most spellbinding productions in all rudebwoy hollers swirling into quaffs, you waster. “Quelle Chris just released the brilliant ‘Being You Is Great, I Wish I Could Be You More Often’ LP. ‘Birthdaze’ is its second single and sees Chris celebrating UK music right now and this is one the track’s centre and getting with his signature stylings to a wavy Swarvy production.” of the highlights from his incredible swallowed by the blackhole beat. Hus Kingpin & Smoovth 'Morrstinkin' set. Amazing verses Stunning. From the latest 'FLPM' Colours Of A Butterfly 05. J.COLE ‘Neighbors’ Dreamville “Now let’s not get it twisted, J.Cole is shit. However, I can’t front, I checked from Bisk and Slumrok suit the set — man, this is making me hold Lowtech Records the album out and I really like this song.” wasted vibe perfectly — Bisk tight for the 'SCUM' LP that drops 8.5 06. LOYLE CARNER ‘Isle Of Arran’ AMF/Universal perfecting those moves between soon. No, not cheery. No music The label's Austrian but the duo “The lead single from Loyle’s debut album ‘Yesterdays Gone’. ‘Isle Of Arran’ are from Hempstead, Long Island, sees producer The Purist flipping a rare as hen’s teeth gospel sample into a stoned-wonder and comedown- should be cheery right now. grand hip-hop sermon with Loyle putting down his signature introspective aggression, the whole track coming and they paid blazing tribute to flows all over the track. UK hip-hop, but not as you know it.” on like that moment at 6am when HappyPPL Prodigy's classic 'HNIC' set with 07. THE LOX ‘Move Forward’ D-Blockk the back of your eyeballs start Heart Shaped U their own 'Hempstead Niggas In “The Lox and Premier back at it again. Preemo coming with the goods like he Cult Mountain used to, cutting up the hook on some classic New York rap shit. All three Lox itching and the peripheries of your Charge' album in November last members do the track dirty, personally I think Jadakiss got this one — I mean, vision get lit with reverse-lightning. 9.0 year. Similar to Westside Gunn, he said his Bentley truck is the same colour as Merlot, so he wins.” Come on—- we've all been there, HappyPPL are Lee Scott and Conway and the whole Griselda 08. YOUNG THUG ‘Wyclef Jean’ 300 Entertainment/Atlantic right? Drink deep from this brackish Trellion, so you can imagine gang in that they're reanimating “There’s no denying he’s bringing some new, new, new ting. The stupidly titled ‘Wyclef Jean’ is the latest single taken from his ‘Jeffery’ LP, this one brew. precisely what this sounds '90s East Coast tropes and sounds, see Thugger’s signature rap singing sing-songy slurring all over this smooth like — FUCKED UP. Mindblowing but a whole lot less harsh, more instrumental. I like it. And the video is top-notch too!” Sonnyjim feat. Quelle widescreen synths burning out subtle, more measured. 'Colours Of 09. CAPPO ‘Air’ YNR Productions Chris over slo-mo shattering grooves, A Butterfly' is for me the highlight, “Second single taken from Cappo’s ‘Dramatic Change Of Fortune’ LP. This sees Capps goes off on a self-produced abstract collage of sounds. Leftfield, experi- Dorchester hilarity ensuing inbetween every a strange almost Turkish psyche- mental but still that raw Notts sound that he has honing for many years.” Daupe! other Trelly line. From a soon-drop groove over which little is added

10. ALCHEMIST X MACH HOMMY ‘Brand Name’ Griselda 8.5 new Cult Mountain project called bar HK and Smoovth's compelling “Some classic Alan The Chemist production here providing the backdrop for For the the stone-cold red-hot 'Things To Do In Happy Land When rhymes of bereavement and Griselda Records newcomer Mach Hommy to throw some darts on, ‘Brand Name’ is the latest in a string of 7” vinyl releases appropriately titled ‘Craft highlight of the stunning 'Mud Ur Dead' that you KNOW is going to hopelessness. Essential. Singles’, and they’re all fire.” In My Malbec' set. A gorgeous be one of 2017's essentials. Get it

djmag.com 147 BASS OLI MARLOW QUICKIES

Sepia [email protected] Pay Attention EP White Peach 5.0 Taking a deeper, more introspective turn with this four-track EP, Sepia plays things softer and affords his constructs a lot more space. It’s an interesting idea, inverting the pomp and aggression of grime but it does come across a bit too ‘chill dubstep’.

SMBD Message 045 MONEY Lo Recordings Ivy Lab SHOT! 7. 0 Peninsula EP One of London’s most truly unsung, Simbad drops Critical Music four varied tracks on Lo. If you squint, ‘Backstreet’ 9.0 sounds a little like vintage 2562, which is kinda Ivy Lab’s first drop of 2017 funny, because Huismans was undoubtedly is an astonishing peach; a influenced by the broken beat SMBD was making four-track EP that delivers back when. a real cross-section of their sound and their associated Piezo influences. Still working The Bug vs Earth of unsettling distorted air on Lume with a sound palette that’s Snakes vs Rats ‘Walking Off’ leading you into the Idle Hands rooted a little more in Ninja Tune bruised bumble of the bastardised 8.0 the digital horrorscape of 7. 0 garage on ‘System I’. An arty The primo cut taken from Piezo’s first EP for the contemporary drum & bass If you’ve been following and approach that deftly unites two Bristolian Idle Hands label, ‘Lume’ is a slow stutter (growling basslines and appreciating the glut of weirdo, passions. of a thing. It’s lethargic beat just trundles on choked percussion heave curveball tape releases that Ninja regardless of the switch-ups and sprawling drones away in between the half-time Tune have been Andy Dufresne-ing Special Request that season its backdrop. hip-hop drums), on tracks like all over the internet lately then Stairfoot Lane Bunker ‘Magikess’ and ‘Eyes Down’ the another round of punishing, slow- Houndstooth trio are exemplifying a sound blossoming, I-don’t-know what- 8.0 SPATIAL INFRASONICS that’s completely their own. the-hell-else-to-call-it music from Two parts rollocking hardcore, a The Bug and Dylan Carson of Earth couple slices of eerie ambience should be right up your strasse. and one dash of serenely pointed Shades It’s a domineering and distorted electro make it overtly evident Night The Dreadless Angel partnership that’s already that the Special Request formula 1985 Music delivered a couple of sharp slices can be applied to pretty much 9.0 of brutalism, but the ominous any style. From the jagged speak Throughout the relatively short ‘Snakes vs Rats’ is preceding a full & spell electronics of ‘Redrum’ lifespan of Alix Perez and EPROM’s album of it. to the balls-out jungle rollage SHADES project, the emphasis has of ‘Replicant’ and the unsettling been all about making a loud and Maniac droned fug of ‘Telepathic Dog’, you unignorable impact. And although Homecoming EP feel that Paul Woolford is simply EPROM’s music has long worked Earth 616 content to be experimenting in the same vein, the pair’s hip- 7. 0 rather than hitting the reset. hop-focused music as SHADES has After an enforced hiatus at Her even more emphatically hauled Majesty’s Pleasure, the grime Glowing Palms ass. These four new cuts are huge, producer Maniac has returned to Kiki/Asteroidz lurching guttersnipes of tunes the boards in 2017 with a beat Blip Discs that seem to beat their grooves on Wiley’s pivotal ‘Godfather’ 7. 0 01. KABLAM ‘Nu Metal’ Janus out directly on the inside of your album and this, his four-track EP The fifth release from the ever- “I’m in love with the choral refrain on this tune.” eardrums. for Logan Sama’s Earth 616 label. burgeoning Blip Discs comes from 02. JK FLESH ‘Tunnel’ Electric Delux The bizarre-o cut ‘Track & Field’ Glowing Palms, a Manchester- “Utter dirge, like wading through after-party floor scum.” Nochexxx shows that he’s still very much based producer who seems to have Planet Bangs got the knack for making oddball a knack for writing earworms and 03. RENICK BELL ‘Trying To Control The Four Winds’ UIQ “Live coding done very right!” Alien Jams productions considering its mess a penchant for brittle-sounding 8.0 of scattershot percussion and percussion. ‘Kiki’ and ‘Asteroidz’ 04. KILLAWATT ‘Livewire’ Derelicht The first cut lifted from the booming bass, but ‘Go’, ‘Victoria are lovely and weird, and delivered “The sound inside the machines.” clandestine don Nochexxx’s new Park’ and ‘Quadratic’ all bang too. (one assumes) with a wry smile 05. YILAN ‘Regression’ dub “I’m a sucker for that driving percussive FM arpeggio and gradually distorting six-tracker for Alien Jams is an and a big old shot of coffee Patron. kick.” ode devoted to Lewisham, an Spatial area of south-east London that is A Music Of Soundsystems Gondwana 06. ZUIR ‘Lilith’ Infinite Machine “The beat stutters nicely around catchy cute Japanese phrasing.” currently in complete flux. I’m not Infrasonics Miccaotli just talking about the misshapen 8.0 Opal Tapes 07. SIETE CATORCE ‘Ciudad’ Enchufada “The DNA of Latin American rhythm is audible but it’s deconstructed into mess they’ve made of the The slow closing pincer of 7. 0 staccato polyrhythms.” Lewisham roundabout here either, swathing musique concrete Gondwana’s ‘Miccaotli’ is mental. 08. V/A ‘Mambos Levis D’Outro Mundo’ Príncipe Discos I’m more broadly commenting and sharp-stepping rhythms is As a long-player it makes no bones “Some of the most forward-thinking global club sounds straight out of on gentrification and societal something that the London-based about being a very awkward and Lisbon.” issues that have no real relevance Spatial has been hinting at uniting unpredictable listen, constantly 09. ORPHAX ‘The Empty Room’ Broken 20 to the music; which is a melee of for a very long time. And on his fusing maddening micro-edited “Stunning lowercase minimalism.” absolutely distinguished, bruising, debut LP those dual outlooks do drum styles with these elegantly 10. LOKUA ‘Headhunt’ Boom Ting Recordings acid-flecked, tape-saturated become one combined vision, loopy lead lines and challenging “More trance-inducing arpeggios over a driving sub.” wonder. so you’ll get the droning puffs reverb trails.

148 djmag.com HARD

Bass Modulators QUICKIES Mantra Scantrax Adrenalize 8.0 Wherever The Light Is The Modulators are back with Scantraxx another festival anthem! 7.5 ‘Mantra’ has a distinct Eastern Sing-along vocal hardstyle here from Adrenalize influence in the breakdown combining a great well sung male vocal with before the arrival of the more DJ KUTSKI [email protected] euphoric melodies for a peak-time anthem here, familiar Bass Modulators-style which isn’t changing the rule book but when the melody. The track builds and vocal is this good, its doesn’t need to. drops with the melody and pitched kick, which is actually a Steve Hill & Organ Donors refreshing change in amongst Lose Control all the anti-climax drops in the RVS BSS scene of recent years. A good 7.0 solid peak-time, hands-in-the- The Bournemouth brothers return with a more air affair. uptempo reverse bass stomper, collaborating with Aussie legend Steve Hill. Add in some old Coone skool house pianos in the break and you have a Monster (Fanatics Remix) real party track on your hands. Dirty Workz 8.5 Acti With the hardstyle scene Dender growing to the next level now in Subground Australia, having recently sold 8.0 out stadium-sized events there Great to see Acti continuing to push the with local brands, it’s great to boundaries of the sub ground sound after the see so much local talent coming mass exodus of producers on the scene over through the ranks. Fanatics the past 12 months. This track is a dark and are one such talent to keep an moody track with heavy early techno and trance eye on for 2017 and this remix influences. of Coone’s classic ‘Monster’ proves why, with sinister raw beats, distorted stabs and a ANDY THE CORE BRUTALE dark synth-heavy 2017 updated melody driving this track through the main break.

Atmozfears MONEY Age Of Gods Scantraxx Caine & SHOT! 9.0 John Harris Without a doubt the leader No Mercy of the next generation Outlaw Brothers Theracords of hardstyle artists. With Frequency 9.5 impeccable production skills Hard Progress Sporting one of the finest 01. THE SICKEST SQUAD ‘Zombie’ Brutale “Classic tune! This is one of the most emotional tracks I’ve ever played and that are respected by the likes 8.0 beards in the whole of dance heard in my career. Huge work on this one!” of Hardwell as well as all his Keeping the subground sound music, Scottish raw-style peers in the hardstyle scene, very much alive, the Outlaw producer Caine has been 02. ART OF FIGHTERS ‘Your Poison (United Hardcore Forces Anthem)’ Traxtorm Atmozfears can turn his hand Brothers are back with another flying up the scene over the “For me he’s one of the best producers in this scene. ‘Your Poison’ is the true to any sound in hardstyle and hard, pounding sub-driven past 12 months with his meltdown of his style, pure mainstream hardcore. I love it!” this new release showcases this, monster on Italian label High trademark ‘kick rollin’ hard 03. THE MELODYST ‘Sky High’ Traxtorm with a melody reminiscent of Progress. It covers the lower beats. Vocalist John Harris “This duo know how to bring their new style to the next level. ‘Sky High’ is the result of that, goosebumps on the first play!” early hardstyle sounds brought bpm range of the harder styles has previously featured on up-to-date — creating ground- with EDM-influenced detuned more euphoric tracks, so 04. ANDY THE CORE ‘Killsomebody’ Brutale breaking euphoric hardstyle shuffled stabs, hard kick-drums this title alone caught my “It’s one of the ‘slowest’ tracks I’ve ever produced, 185bpm, but the reaction of the crowd is always like, ‘Damn, I know this tune and I want to smash that breaks the mould in a genre and euphoric trance lead attention. Bizarrely, these everything’. It’s track No.1 off my new album, and I really love it.” which can be a little too generic breakdowns, with an extra contrasting styles seem to for its own good. bouncy offbeat sub coming in at bring the best out of both 05. BRUTALE ‘Brutale’ Brutale “This is the true anthem of the brutal side of hardcore music. 200bpm of times to give it that extra lift. artists, as despite the kicks unstoppable energy. Every time I drop this one, I already know what kind of Restrained Great set-opener this one! being as brutally hard as you reaction I will get — disorder on the dancefloor!” How I Roll would expect, there is a real 06. THE SICKEST SQUAD VS TIEUM FEAT. KRAKEN ‘Swing- Neophyte Dr Rude anthemic quality to the track, beat’ Brutale 8.5 It’s War whilst the darker theme gives “The first notes of the piano catch you in two seconds, and it features one of Dirty Workz the hardest drops in hardcore. Love to play this as much as I can.” Here’s one that is certainly not John Harris the opportunity for the faint-hearted! Dark, 9.0 to export a darker side to 07. ANDY THE CORE ‘Brutal Intentions’ Brutale sinister raps and minor melodies Our favourite doctor is back, his songwriting! Such an “One of my favourite tunes. I can really feel my vision of hardcore in it.” accompany the crunchy 909s in delivering fresh freestyle beats interesting track, but also — 08. REEVOID ‘The Rush’ Traxtorm true Dutch hardcore style, but in the style only he knows how most importantly — a great “This is a modern tune with a touch of old school vibe. Reevoid is new on the despite all this aggression the with infectious catchy melodies, one for the dancfloors! Seek scene but with this tune he really put his mark on his future style.” three-four time signature of frantic builds and heavy, hard it out. 09. THE MELODYST & ANDY THE CORE ‘Partycrasher’ Traxtorm the track keeps things bouncy, drops built around a very catchy “Me and the Melodyst decided to work on this like three years ago and it was released in 2016. It’s a hit for the dancefloor, 190bpm of true vibes!” meaning it shouldn’t be too and well put-together vocal offensive on the dancefloors rhymes. This, combined with the before dropping with infinite 10. TOMMYKNOCKER & ART OF FIGHTERS ‘Your Betrayal’ for the uninitiated. If you like supreme melodies, gives you power and the catchy melody Traxtorm “The first time I heard this one, I was shocked. These two legends made your hardcore, don’t overlook one of those ‘arm hairs stand all at once. Serious dancefloor something insane.” this one. up’ moments in the breakdown fodder!

djmag.com 149 TRANCE TIM STARK [email protected]

and tougher, hardier runs allows ‘Remember’ plenty of floor grip. QUICKIES Sneijder & Christina Novelli Max Graham & Estiva Love Of My Control (Sam Jones Remix) Generation Who’s Afraid Of 138?! Cycles 8.0 8.0 Decent take on ‘Love Of My Control’ from Sam After all his standout work of Jones here. His mix manages to significantly late, something Estiva-attached tech-toughen it, without losing the essence that I can hate on some. (namely Christina’s vocal) that made it click in ‘Generation’ has a distorted, the first place. ravey line at its midpoint that, frankly, isn’t amazing. That aside Guto Putti pres. Amazon it’s straight back (snore) to the Albatross goosebump-inducing excellence. Azura/HTE In almost complete contrast to 7.5 the aforementioned element, Under his own name and that of his Aevus alias, everything else in the track is São Paulo’s Guto Putti has been putting out either cursive and aerodynamic, or some very fine trance. Spanning the relatively emotionally cutting pad ‘n’ chord thin line between melodic and uplifting, perfection. ‘Albatross’ could be his finest to date.

MONEY Radion 6 Lostly SHOT! Cycle Of Life Nothing Left Pure NRG Armind Outburst Records Prophecy (Istoria 2017 8.0 8.0 Anthem) Released around this time last year Lostly again delivers one of the month’s more Black Hole Recordings on Armind, Radion 6’s ‘Hope’ was creative outings. Running psy-trance bass, cool 9.0 an effective little number. With melody development and some deep, boomy, This isn’t just the best Pure ‘Cycle Of Life’, however, matters spacier sounds in the break all contribute to a NRG production yet, it’s their Unsurprisingly, after the cross- have stepped up significantly. track that’s more complex than it first appears. best by a country mile (and party reception that ‘Tiger’, The track has the same general that’s including last month’s ‘Reflection’ et al received, tonally, feel and layout, but sports even impressive ‘Schöneberg’ ‘Fiction’ doesn’t change much up. cleaner, tighter production. The JOHN 00 FLEMING JOOF rework). ‘Prophecy’ comes off It’s the same linearly entrancing, structuring of the drop is skilled the blocks with so much vigour techno-edged fare, with masses of and it’s hard to imagine even that initially, energy is all you’ll emphasis on its percussion. When an ounce more tension being hear. Where it performs best its strings arrive, they’re coyly extracted. Post-break, a couple (and most satisfyingly) though occasional, oddly emotional and of electrifying key changes mean is with its repeat play nuances. have a certain early Detroit feel that the uplifting news just keeps With each subsequent spin, one about them. coming. enhancing sub-melody after another comes to the fore, and Andrew Bayer & Ilan Relaunch that, ladies and gentlemen, is Bluestone Funny Place Called Life Lost Language 01. THE DIGITAL BLONDE ‘Wishmaster’ JOOF where its stock really starts to Destiny (Original Mix) “Taken from his number one album, ‘The Witches’. For me personally this is climb. Anjunabeats the true essence of trance. Emotional, epic and brings tears to your eyes.His 8.0 album is full of this stuff. A legend.” 9.0 Lost Language’s first single in a If you’re still imagining what Bayer year finds Germany’s Relaunch 02. TIM PENNER ‘The Temptress’ JOOF Aura “There’s a nice story behind this track. I called Tim Penner to give him some John 00 Fleming & Bluestone’s debut collaboration (who dropped the ‘One Love’ inspiration, playing him some very emotional ambient music in order to guide Spirit Awaking/This Restless sounds like, I doubt you’d pick it EP through the label in 2014) him to make a track for JOOF Aura. A few days later ‘The Temptress’ was born.”

Planet out in a set. With none of Andrew’s in strong form. If someone had 03. JEROME ISMA-AE, ALASTOR ‘Reflection’ Jee Productions JOOF Recordings grit, nor Ilan’s more exultant been making music with Blade “This is a monster of a track. Today this style is called progressive house, but to me it will always be progressive trance. Deep, dark yet laden with outstanding 8.0 inclination, ‘Destiny’ already has Runner muted in the background, trancey melodies.” ‘Spirit Awaking’ is many things, surprise on its side. At nine- I wouldn’t be that surprised. 04. MATT HOLLIDAY ‘Multiuniverse’ Coherent Mathematical Systems long, shadowy and tonally minutes long, its Intro Mix (the There’s a faintly Morodor-ish pulse “I’ve enjoyed watching the progress of Matt grow and mature as a producer, ominous to name a few. Primarily pick) is awash with charismatic to its bass, lots of nice analogue- I’ve always known he’ll grow into one of the greatest producers of the next generation. This single is testament to this”. though, it’s tribal with a capital strings, phased, shuttling pads emulating synths to complement T, making masterful use of and harmonic splendour. This and an abiding sci-fi milieu 05. STEVE BIRCH ‘The Journey’ JOOF Mantra “It’s psy-trance but not as you know it. Psy has got a little stuck recently, mournful hunting horns and is confident, authentic music throughout. almost sounding a bit same-ish for a while. The thing I like about Steve Birch timbered percussion to fashion its making, which achieves much is that he’s a rule breaker and has forged his own unique take on the scene”.

atmospheric sequences. Initially without appearing to try too hard. Vincent de Moor 06. MAX GRAHAM & ESTIVA ‘Generation’ Cycles lighter, but only by a few degrees Fly Away (Mark Sixma Presents “On paper this should be a strange collaboration, but Max has brought the dark side of Estiva out. Combined with Max’s forward thinking, it’s created is ‘This Restless Planet’. As it Divisional Phrase M6 Remix) something completely fresh and unique. Exactly what the trance world needs”. progresses though, it opens up I Still Remember Who’s Afraid Of 138?! Maelstrom 07. MANU RIGA & MANDY JONES ‘Disconnected’ Bonzai further, adding a flintier edge 8.0 Progressive to its foreground synths, more 8.0 ‘Fly Away’ has come to the “It’s rare to find non-generic vocal tracks these days, especially with lyrics that touch you. This is one of those rare beasts, and I can see it staying in my groove to its bass and backbone to Sometimes they come back, and remix attentions of Mark Sixma, playlists for a very long time — very haunting and emotional”. its mainline. for once we’re talking labels determining once again that 08. JOHN 00 FLEMING ‘Spirit Awaking’ JOOF rather than producers. ‘I Still WAO138?! is the most dependable “I always feel guilty adding one of my own tracks into my top 10 charts, but I Jerome Isma-Ae & Remember’ shakes the dust sheets of Armin’s trance imprints. A have such a strong connection to this one. I love it when the worlds of techno and trance meet. It takes me back to when trance was born in the early ‘90s. Alastor from Maelstrom Records, for their lethal rework, he retells the once This is what gave me inspiration for this track”. Fiction first release in four years (and euphoric ‘Fly Away’ as a spikily Jee Productions 09. NANOPLEX ‘The Droog (Hedflux Remix)’ Nano Records their first trance offering in a tough trancer. Referentially lo-fi “The psy-trance scene today seems to be known for just one sound, but in good few more). In both tempo percussion fills and just enough fact it’s a much bigger world of many flavours, as this breaks track testifies. 8.0 Powerful, dirty and classy. Amazing.” There’s a noticeable buzz and nature, Denmark’s Divisional melody to sate the classicists are circulating around what Jerome Phrase keeps things moving combined with a well-calibrated 10. DANIEL LESDEN ‘Arrival’ Digital Om “‘Arrival’ is taken from Daniel Lesden’s new album released via Digital Om. and Alastor have been up to nicely. Good separation between build to create a pleasingly fine Another producer that has created his own sound. I love especially that he’s over the last 12 or so months. its well-written melodic sequences update. taken some hints of Goa for it.”

150 djmag.com LEFTFIELD

Childish Gambino QUICKIES Me And Your Mama Glassnote Records Richard Ashcroft 9.0 Out Of My Body (Time & Space Machine Remix) Neatly channeling the spirits Cooking Vinyl of Prince, Sly Stone, Hendrix 7.5 and The Temptations into one Beautiful little finger piano re-rub on the beautifully distilled six-minute ‘Percussive’ mix. Could do with a dub on the track, this latest nugget from vocal, though. A very heavy dub indeed. the multi-talented, all-rounder Donald Glover just goes to Clark show the risk averse naysayers Peak Magnetic that you can have your cake Warp and eat it. Shapeshifting from FOUND SOUNDS [email protected] 8.5 chocolate box lullabies and First track off the forthcoming ‘Death Peak’ sweet saccharine soul through LP. Glacial synths, reverbed drums, and fully low-slung funk-rock and dirty cloaked in fuzzy mystery. Sweet. psychedelic soul, this is quite simply the bee’s knees. Animal Collective Painters EP Modified Man Domino Thorns 7.0 Albert’s Favourites Recorded during the same session as last year’s 8.0 ‘Painting With’ LP, this latest set of idiosyncratic At the time of going to press bits and pieces finds Animal Collective in lead track ‘Thorns’ was the only decidedly pop-friendly, accessible form. Not cut available from this release, sure about the ‘Jimmy Mack’ cover though! but you know what? That’s enough. Picking up from where Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra last year’s ‘Modifications: Set I’ Vendetta feat. Arthur Verocai (Al Kent Remix) EP left off, ‘Thorns’ reveals yet Far Out more synth-based brilliance. 8.0 From humble beginnings — Al Kent turns his subtle yet formidable hand to swirling patterns, filtered the work of Far Out’s Brazilian disco super- arpeggios, lasers and general group’s latest offering. sci-fi atmospherics — the track MONEY develops into a super-tough, SHOT! breakbeat-driven gem. The kind The Comet TOSCA (RICHARD DORFMEISTER) !K7 which Black Devil Disco Club or Is Coming The Emperor Machine would be Death To The Planet proud of. yet another fine example of The Leaf Label his mastery. What’s more, this 9.0 Earlham Mystics beautiful and rhythmically If there’s one track you Truth EP inventive track was recorded should have in your sights Notown Records in one take. There’s a couple of from this RSD release from 8.5 nice remixes to boot as well. Leaf, then gun straight for It’s been a while since the ‘Start Running’. Mixing up release of Luke Abbott’s 2014’s The Orb early Nucleus vibes with a ‘Wysing Forest’. Thankfully the The Cow Remixes — Sin In Space John Carpenter sense of Norfolk experimentalist is back Part 3 foreboding, it’s a deep and with the same investigative Kompakt mystical groove. Rest of the 01. CAN ‘One More Night’ Spoon spirit and inventive gusto, 8.5 set? Head for the jazz-techno “One of my all-time classics and still sounds fresh today…” but this time it’s under new A really solid set of mixes here, and tumbling drums of ‘March 02. AMERICA ‘Tin Man (Richard Dorfmeister & Stefan Obermaier guise, Earlham Mystics. Lead but then the source material Of The Rising Sun’. Look Remix)’ Compost track ‘Stolen Hearts’ is by was always going to provide rich forward to seeing this live. “I’ve always been into the smooth sounds of America, it was a pleasure to work with Stefan on this.” Abbott’s own admission: “Me pickings — The Orb can make trying to make a pop track such intricately latered tracks. 03. KRAAK + SMAAK ‘Stumble (Richard Dorfmeister Remix)’ Jala- peno but not really being able to Jorg Burger tops the pile here melancholia in his work. The “A little mix I did for the K+S guys, I just wanted to support them here…” do it properly.” One listen and with his light and dark shaded result is what we simply used to you’ll kind of understand, as remix that’s one-part 5am call ‘electronica’. 04. DINO LENNY & DOORLY ‘The Magic Room’ Fine Human Records “A really good track to start a set off with — excellent!” off-kilter harmonics and woozy backroom vibe, spliced against electronics collide to create a 6am Mediterranean sunrise. Dayme Arocena 05. DJUMA SOUNDSYSTEM ‘Koma Kobache’ Get Physical “This one both rocks the floor and is deep at the same time...” this beautifully cohesive yet Great strength in depth though, It’s Not Going To Be Forever ultimately bizarre brand of with The Field and Leandro Brownswood 06. NICK MONACO ‘Half Naked (Adam_Port Free Wifi Remix)’ Crew uneasy listening. Fresco all in contention. Love 9.0 “Everything that comes from out of the Soul Clap environment is simply Could this be the crossover year brilliant!” Manu Delago Erik Luebs for Arocena? With an album 07. PILOTS ON DOPE ‘Tem de Ser (Richard Dorfmeister Uhhlalala Freeze Wasteland under her belt and a fistful of Dub Version)’ Verve/Universal Tru Thoughts Perfect Touch credible live performances to “An Afro-Brazilian infused remix I did for the Pilots On Dope crew out of Vienna...” 8.0 8.0 her name, this track epitomizes I suspect I’m just a bit of a Released on his own Perfect her ability to flex with 08. MATTHEW E. WHITE ‘One Of These Days’ Domino “Probably the best leftfield vocalist around, check the album he did with Flo sucker for the sound of the Touch label, what warrants its contemporary and classic Cuban Morissey.” Hang drum. Truth be told, I position here on the page is styles. With a call and response think I am. Its unique warmth, Luebs’ desire to play with given vocal, infectious ivories and 09. BILL EVANS ‘Peace Peace’ Wax Time “Some deep piano vibes here!” tone and melodic timbre just tech blueprints; re-position of course Arocena’s soul-jazz seem to draw me in. That said, alternative arrangements, off- accent, it’s all shaping up for a 10. FLAMING LIPS ‘There Should Be Unicorns’ Bella Union “An excellent weird listening album and an eccentric live show too — druggy Manu Delago certainly knows beat patterns and a propensity glistening career ahead. and cool!” how to play it and ‘Freeze’ is to explore the outer reaches of

djmag.com 151 ALBUMS

UNLESS YOU’VE been the hazy, blissed-out gait living under a rock the of Boman’s productions past few years, you’re merge effortlessly with probably familiar with Talabot’s propulsive the music of Spain’s John dancefloor introspection. Talabot and Sweden’s Axel Vaguely sitting under Boman. The two producers the house umbrella, ‘The have separately had great Night Land’ also contains success with their music; lo-fi psychedelic improv, their respective sounds disco and latin percussive existing in close parallel breaks and plenty of realms that traverse samples throughout. The modern electronic music in two chugging club tracks emotive, exploratory ways ‘Samsa’ and ‘The Ghosts that don’t neatly fit within Hood’ (sic) are deftly put the convention of dance together and will no doubt genres. After meeting be fixtures in many DJ sets on tour and recording this year. ‘Safe Changes’ together, the duo released has a strong Kosmiche the infectious synth jam vibe, and closer ‘Dins El ‘Sideral’ in 2014 with the Llit’ evokes some of the intent of a full album to meditative minimalism eventually follow. of early Kompakt. All the A few years on and many songs take root in familiar air miles later frequenting sonic territory, and each other’s studios, ‘The further conveys the open, Night Land’ is coming out unpretentious and sincere on R&S Records. This epic relationship between Talaboman endeavour features eight Boman and Talabot. The Night Land collaborative tracks that Metaphorically, the LP flow like fully-formed sounds like a summer’s R&S conversations between sunrise with a couple of the two producers with your best mates and all a decidedly live feel. It’s the feels. Don’t read into 9.0 no wonder that every bit it too much, cherish it of recording was done for how good it is in the Talabo-collabo with the two of them in moment. Zara Wladawsky the same room. Here,

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Art Alfie Booka Shade Mr Mitch Teengirl Fantasy Reveries Of Art Alfie Galvany Street Devout 8AM Studio Barnhus Blaufield Music Planet Mu Planet Mu Snuggly Swedish sounds Let’s go outside Deep devotion Comedown corker

Going it alone after breaking through “We want to go out of the club. It’s not Miles Mitchell has always gone against the New Yorkers Logan Takahashi and Nick with Mr Tophat, Art Alfie decides to show something that makes sense for us grain. Largely labelled a ‘grime’ producer, Weiss, as Teengirl Fantasy, created some off his solo skills on a debut full-length anymore.” These were the unambiguous his compositions in reality have always justified hype with their first two albums for Studio Barnhus. And the Swedish label words from Booka Shade last year while expanded beyond those limits; carving ‘7AM’ (for Merok) and ‘Tracer’ (for R&S), is a fitting home for his incidental house, promoting ‘Movements 10’, a release out otherworldly, ambient instrumentals plus a load of singles, but have been which is warm and frayed, romantic and celebrating the legacy of a momentous and delicate pieces of future-facing quiet since 2014. This new record is dreamy right from the off. album that a decade ago was so successful pop. ‘Devout’, his second album, deals the best thing they’ve done. The title is Making use of field recordings and that it became somewhat of a creative with the theme of fatherhood and the apt. Loaded with somnolent synths and carefully dug-out samples, archival albatross around their necks. Its re- responsibilities that come with that, with gurgling analogue bass, ‘8AM’ is halfway material and newer grooves are all thrown release and tour allowed them to politely Mitch’s son Milo even guesting on one dream-state, halfway in the corporeal into the mixing pot and what results is a close the door on that era, and ‘Galvany track. Another unexpected cameo comes world, cloaked in fuzzy afterglow. It’s personal and intimate musical portrait. Street’ represents the album they wanted in the form of P Money on ‘Priority’, which a balm for post-club minds. Reference Tracks variously unfold like an optimism- to make. It’s the sound of a band far is not the type of track you’d expect to points are to modern electronic R&B (in fuelled spring day, come on like a slow less concerned with making a splashy see the heavy spitter on at all — but it’s the beats of ‘We Out’ and in the auto- train and sweep you off your feet or get impression than realising their own gorgeous. The undisputed highlight is tuned vocals of Khalif Jones on ‘Seeds’), you dreaming of red-hot summer days creative impulses, situated somewhere ‘Our Love’, a flute-led slow-burner that to ambient house (on the gorgeous and joints in the park. between the mellow synth-pop that’s could even be described as a pop tune, ‘Rise’), though these producers turn a Always atmospheric and cinematic, this is always been a part of their work as well as while ‘Black Tide’ hints at some classic compound of influences into something homely house music for the head, heart a broader indie-dance singer/songwriting grime tropes over a beatless edit. ‘Devout’ unique. Largely a downtempo affair (bar and soul as much as for the heel. Get crossover aesthetic. Production-wise, is a truly beautiful record; another the explosive electro cut ‘Wet Eyes & involved. Kristan J Caryl Booka Shade are still sounding mighty example of an outward-looking producer Exhilaration’), this is a new ambient work crisp. Angus Thomas Paterson who refuses to be confined in any shape you’ve got to hear. Ben Murphy or form. Felicity Martin

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8.0 8.0 9.0 8.0 Thundercat Shobaleader One Goldfrapp Joe Goddard Drunk Elektrac Silver Eye Electric Lines Brainfeeder Warp Mute Greco-Roman A funny, funky drunk Pushing the envelope Electronic adventurists Erasure meets Jamie xx

It’s maybe not surprising that an artist Breakcore wizard, avant-jazz hero, IDM Goldfrapp made direct reference when Hot Chip band member, one half of The 2 named after a cartoon has a sense of guru, bass guitar boss... Squarepusher announcing ‘Silver Eye’ to the difficulties Bears and co-founder of the exemplary humour, but bass virtuoso Stephen wears all these hats, and many more. Most of finding an “interesting path” when Greco-Roman label; Joe Goddard comes Bruner’s weird and wicked wit shines would be content with that, but not Tom you’re a band already in existence for 15 in many guises. His track history is through on his third album: “I wanna be Jenkinson. The live band Shobaleader years. However, it’s crystal clear they’re not short of monumental already, his a cat… Meow, meow, meow,” he softly One is another string to his considerable out to still make “interesting” music, and remixes having received Grammy award croons on ‘A Fan’s Mail’. bow. On ‘Elektrac’, the group (with Tom on their posse of studio collaborators here nominations and his singles have climbed But ‘Drunk’ is no laughing matter, mainly bass, naturally) interpret a succession of stands them in particularly good stead. the UK Official Charts. because it’s probably the funkiest thing Squarepusher classics with the precision Indie-rock producer John Congleton ‘Electric Lines’ is an album that showcases you’ll hear in 2017. and wild playing of an on-fire ‘70s fusion really helps draw out some excellent all the elements of electronic music Bruner’s musical chops (including bass act. ‘Coopers World’ intensifies the funky performances from Alison Goldfrapp, that he adores. The first single ‘Music workouts that would make Squarepusher cop thriller vibe; ‘Squarepusher Theme’ who’s daring enough to eschew big Is The Answer’ features London singer/ sweat — check ‘Uh Uh’) are outstanding, is cranked up, with electric guitars and choruses for their own sake. Meanwhile, songwriter Jess Mills, an electronic ballad and melodies in tracks like radio-rinsed gobsmacking live drums tackling the multi-instrumentalist Haxan Cloak helps completed by a rendition of the Danny ‘Them Changes’ and galactic discofied d&b rhythm of the original; ‘Journey To flesh out some particularly thrilling Tenaglia classic for the hook. ‘Truth ‘Friend Zone’ are magical. Reedham’ allows the electro melody room musical arrangements, as dense as they Is The Light’ brings 2-step beats back The seemingly effortless, eclectic funk to breathe, lending it a poignancy not are realised, which again sees them in a melodic fashion, with hints of MJ that results (alongside screwball slow- present in the original (at least until the eschewing obvious thrills in exchange for Cole and Ed Case. ‘Electric Lines’ tells a jams and woozy R&B) salutes other off- wild drums enter the picture). ‘Megazine’ something more compelling. Definitive love story of hardware across 808-style kilter maestros like Prince, Frank Zappa is like some wild grunge funk hybrid but though was the choice to recruit ambient drums. ‘Lasers’ is dancefloor fodder — and Flying Lotus — who guests on ‘Drunk’, far stranger than those words allow. It’s composer Leo Abrahams to add his own breakbeat sensibilities with electrical along with Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell and a wild ride that Squarepusher fans will go assortment of “abstract guitar textures” modular pulses. This is a gem that will Wiz Khalifa. This cat really did get the bananas for. Ben Murphy to the album. A sonically hypnotic no doubt resonate on the airwaves and cream. Tristan Parker effort. Angus Thomas Paterson beyond. Anna Wall

SLOW, HYPNOTIC oscillations. Coarse, malfunctioning, roboticized vocals. The faint chatter of former Conservative Prime Minister, David Cameron. A warm welcome to an album these things do not make, but coming from Ali Wells — aka industrial techno titan, Perc — that’s hardly unexpected (or unwanted). Particularly when the appropriately titled ‘Bitter Music’ LP was written to reflect not only inner turmoil, but the utter capsizing of UK and Perc global politics last year. What Bitter Music follows is daunting to say the least. Perc Trax Switching back and forth between the juggernaut techno Wells is most famous for, and unsettling 8.5 electro-acoustic soundscapes, ‘Bitter Music’ is an album of uncertainty and Distorting Perc-eptions anxiety. Yet it’s also inescapable. The brittle, horror film piano of ‘Wax Apple’ grips with shadowy claws. The out-of-phase, repetitive vocal on ‘I Just Can’t Win’ locks the impenetrable bars of introversion around the mind. ‘Spit’ is crafted from pure nightmare — tortured screams and a hammering, distorted double-time kick bore away, leaving nowhere to hide. And everywhere, unnerving instrumentation or samples niggle and prod and poke at the senses. It isn’t one for the faint of heart but as social commentary, it’s brilliant. Ben Hindle

djmag.com 153 ALBUMS QUICKIES

8.0 7. 5 Mental Overdrive Herva Joakim Marc Romboy Alexis Taylor Hardware Hyper-Flux Samurai Voyage de la Planète Listen With(out) Piano Ploink Planet Mu Tigersushi Hyperharmonic Moshi Moshi Proper ‘ard Bright spark 7. 0 9.5 7. 5 Double-edged sword A journey Ivory tickling Cutting his teeth on R&S during its first Apparently, alongside producing 12”s for decade, the wonderfully monikered labels like Delsin and albums for Planet A neo-leftfield ‘80s Marc Romboy returns to In a slightly mind- Mental Overdrive — aka Per Martinsen — Mu over the past few years, Herva has affair owing as much the album format for an bending concept, this has kept his head down and pedal to the also been studying electrical engineering. to Kraftwerk and Jaco astounding 10-track LP is a companion piece to floor for almost 30 years now, serving as Well, if his approach to that is anything Pastorius as hazy new age on his newly launched the Hot Chip frontman’s undoubtedly one of Norwegian techno’s like his approach to music, you’d be wary and Japanese synth-pop, Hyperharmonic. Although album ‘Piano’, which most unsung heroes. of letting the Italian producer so much ‘Numb’ is broodily sleazy not a unique concept, the saw him stripped down Like the producer, nothing on ‘Hardware’ as change a lightbulb, given that in the slap-bass murmurs, album unifies classical to just vocals and piano is vying for the spotlight, and all the studio he gleefully disregards the manual ‘Cannibale Pastorale’ music with electronic accompaniment. These better for it. ‘Swagger’ is a wet and hard to pull apart dance music’s conventional bangs like Major Lazer music to forge an entirely new versions of the tracks grower — all pumping low-ends and wiring and connect things like techno circa 1986, while ‘Jocho’ new sound, more like a (with input from the elastic distortions. The subtle chords and and hip-hop in ways that make them pop pulls back to bare chimes film score. A staggering likes of Green Gartside pendulum hook of ‘In Flight’ — as close and burn. The opening and closing tracks and eerie twitches. A listening experience that’s from Scritti Politi) can be to sonar equipment as you could want — of his fifth album actually sound like handmade version of adult enchanting from start to listened to independently, give a basic track stacks of personality. smoking circuitboards, and in between ‘80s pop. Sunil Chauhan finish. Leon Clarkson or layered over the album. The demented bleeps, relentless whirs Herva piles in metallic percussion, lo-fi Lovely. Ben Arnold and snappy percussion on ‘Gone Wrong’ house, fuzzed-up guitar and electronic creates more tension than Berghain’s jazz, often in the same track. It coarses queue. Interspersed with otherworldly with the same maverick energy as soundscapes, and awkward clanging Hieroglyphic Being, and although it noises, attention-seekers take note: occasionally can’t handle the overload longevity seldom partners with the of ideas, ‘Hyper-Flux’ does buzz with the overblown, hence why this album gets our shock of the new. Paul Clarke props. Martin Guttridge-Hewitt A/T/O/S HLLW Slugabed Outboxed Restitution Inherit The Earth Deep Medi Lobster Theremin Anticon 6.0 8.0 7. 5 Blue noise Hashtag murky Ground control

Dubstep in a blue-grey Released on an achingly As someone who once mood, A/T/O/S producer trendy triple seven-inch released an EP as a Truenoys delivers a slick vinyl format (and digital, beach towel, Gregory Bristolian backing, but of course), Danish Feldwick isn’t one to take 9.0 8.5 in slipping from neo-soul producer HLLW straddles the normal approach insouciance to harried the gamut of fragile to anything. ‘Inherit Sigha Mr C steeliness, transferring ambience, skeletal electro The Earth’ is packed Metabolism Incidents dubstep’s tension from vibrations and forceful, with oddball, weirdo Token Superfreq beats to the vocals, singer distorted techno, with a moments and pleasant Total absorption Curious ‘Incidents’ Amos proves it can be as confident swagger, never plinky-plonks over much a female medium more thrillingly than on trap-house rhythms that Though he has provided plenty of primo ‘Incidents’ is a rare thing in 2017 — as a boys’ club. Sunil album closer ‘Generate’, means there’s never a dancefloor moments in the last five years, invoking sadly lost eras, it packs genuine Chauhan a murky, noisy excursion dull moment on Planet Sigha’s cavernous techno sound is also variety rather than different takes on for dark dancefloors. Ben Slugabed. Felicity Martin hugely suited to the long-player format. what is fundamentally the same. It also Arnold Making his way to Token for a first LP after has much to say — ‘Stand Up’ being an his standout effort on Hotflush in 2012, angry breaks assault on licensing laws his loopy minimalism and misty sense of and the Great British Sell Off of a culture REPEAT THE LPS WE CAN’T LEAVE ALONE... atmosphere are still very much intact on Mr C helped nurture and bring into the ‘Metabolism’. mainstream via The Shamen. Paced perfectly throughout, things move Ironically, while overt politics threatens from urgent and intergalactic rollers to to date the record it’s actually refreshing, spacious and sparse passages of ambiance and there’s more to praise. Like any good with ease. The drum programming is sleek session, we’re offered a collage of sound, and frictionless throughout. Lingering with some working better than others. pads add an almost celestial backlight Friendly, bouncy tech (‘Disco Rebellion’) Nathan Fake Blanck Mass Kelly Lee Owens to many tracks, and all 12 parts of the meets old school electro (‘Entry Search’, Providence World Eater Kelly Lee Owens bleak — but beautiful — story are coated ‘Acid Fever’, ‘Raid’); proggy techno Ninja Tune Sacred Bones Smalltown Supersound in a warm, lo-fi and grainy hum that (‘Ripple Effect’) precedes a final cut 8.0 8.0 9.0 makes the whole experience feel that bit which, in that great rave tradition, is both It’s not the beats that give It’s a record like nothing A perfect marriage of more dreamlike. Mournful and sombre euphoric and melancholic (‘Quick Exit’). this album its power, but else that doesn’t need glistening electronica, throughout, this is sure to prove one Brave, and probably not for everyone, the feeling of someone words to tell us the state considered synth-pop and of the year’s most absorbing techno but maybe that’s the point. Martin surfing a flood of creativity we’re in. subtle dance grooves. workouts. Kristan J Caryl Guttridge-Hewitt to a new high.

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Untitled-1 1 16/03/2017 16:37 COMPILATIONS QUICKIES

Various Planetary Assault SHDW & Obscure Defected Presents Systems Shape House Masters — The Light Years Version 004.1 & Special Request Junior Jack Reworks Version 004.2 Fabriclive 91 Defected Mote-Evolver From Another Mind Fabric Records 8.0 8.0 7. 5 House history Remix wishlist Geometric 9.0 Special delivery Belgian-Italian veteran If you’re drawing up Trance-inducing darkroom Junior Jack is a deserving names to remix your techno for heads as SHDW PAUL WOOLFORD HAS NEVER been spectrum for the better part of two entrant to this series, tunes, Function, Octave & Obscure Shape receive average, especially when it comes to decades, he steps into his Fabriclive which is known for One, Marcel Fengler all-star remixes. James his break-wielding, rave revivalist mix with two tracks of foreboding chronicling the key and Slam isn’t a bad Ruskin (‘Nachtblende’), alias, Special Request. When he ambience. Catching the listener off figures in house music. start — but then these Tale Of Us and Rødhåd first unleashed the moniker upon guard is key to his game throughout: His remit is broad: he can are some of PAS’ (aka UK (‘Wenn Die Masken the world back in 2012, it seemed from the first punchy kicks of Caustic do banging tribal drums techno don Luke Slater) Fallen’) feature, as do like everybody and their nan had Window’s ‘Cordialatron’, to the as well as garage-flecked finest tunes we’re talking Shlomo and Konstantin his signature “Spe-Cial-Re-Quest” sudden, filthy electro of ‘No More’ by dub-house jams, and with about. Moody, engulfing, Sibold. Heaviness served, sample on the tip of their tongues. Dexter, the way his first foray into 30 of them included here, blitzing reworks all- until Inland follows And throughout the years, each jungle (Dillinja’s ‘Deadly Deep Subs you’d be a fool not to round, from some true Ryan James Ford’s epic release has gone straight in the (Remix)’) is preceded by a beatless delve in. Kristan J Caryl heavyweights. Tristan atmospheres with blissed- record bag, even if the hype has harbinger-of-doom in the form of Parker out brokens. Martin quelled a tad — let’s face it, ‘new’ ‘Enlightenment’ by Shapednoise, and Guttridge-Hewitt always takes precedent. However, then after a brutal break-led assault, it’s behind the decks that Woolford he drops back into four ambient excels more than anywhere else. tracks from the likes of ASC and Carl Commanding the natural eclecticism Craig. Next time you see Special of a man who’s been deeply Request on a line-up, you should embedded across the dance music buying a fucking ticket. Ben Hindle

Various Various Various Inna De Yard: The Soul The Red Collection OBJECT: RESISTANCE Of Jamaica Eskimo Recordings Objects Limited Chapter Two Records 8.0 9.5 8.0 Full spectrum Irresistible Wisdom of ages No.6 in Eskimo’s colours Objects Limited draws 8.0 9.0 Unplugging their series, this selection of on its talented roster instruments and switching unreleased tracks from the of prominent female- Space Continuum + Juju & Call Super themselves off from any venerable Belgian label identifying/non-binary Jordash Fabric 92 musical developments and some of its friends electronic producers Air Texture Volume V Fabric Records of the last 40 years, the and family is a joyous for a stunning comp Air Texture …super ‘Inna De Yard’ project thing indeed. NTEIBINT’s that’s donating all Dream-like diversity features vintage Jamaican ‘Love’ and Max Essa’s ‘Your proceeds to Black Lives Call Super delivers his first Fabric mix, artists like The Viceroys Cathedrals Re-Imagined’ Matter and the Albert The Air Texture concept is all about intended to display the kind of eclectic and Ken Boothe singing are shimmering examples Kennedy Trust. From bringing together music from the late-hours sounds he might play in the beautiful acoustic versions of low-slung galactic the woozy soundscapes leftfield, ambient and experimental side club during those heady, late mornings. of classic ‘70s roots songs, disco, while Blue Motel’s to confrontational club of life — all unreleased and unmixed, Easing in with searching sounds and alongside newer artists ‘LWTK’ should be best tracks, this essential picked by two artists for each side of the ambience to begin, a solid groove is like Var and Derajah who experienced with sand release spans the forefront LP. The idea is clearly effective as the eventually found with the optimistic sound just as venerable as underfoot and an expanse of experimental electronic compilation has unearthed some hidden low-end dredge of Dresvn’s ‘Untitled their elders. Paul Clarke of sky above. Ben Arnold music. Zara Wladawsky treasures. For the latest instalment, B1’. Manoeuvring through broken drum they’ve called upon Space Continuum and patterns and dynamic ambience and Juju & Jordash, and what a finely suited melodic rhythms, the eclecticism grows THE PICK OF OUR LATEST match they make — if you add in Move but Call Super’s skill in selection, mix ON THE POD PODCASTS & EXCLUSIVE MIXES D to the equation, it equals their new blending and cutting ensures the journey djmag.com | soundcloud.com/djmag analogue project The Mulholland Free remains engaging and fun. With energy Clinic. The connections are clear as they high and the mix nearing the end, listen reveal some of their new masterpieces out for the swift combination mix of plus Fred P, AYBEE and Patrice Scott. delicately layered instrumental tracks Techno figurehead Claude Young delivers a that end with the Walter Brown acapella. divine intervention with ‘Fukui Morning’, Definitely the icing on the cake here. a string-laden classical score that begs to All in all a seriously enjoyable mix from be performed with a live orchestra. The selection to style, and a worthy addition soft pads on Anto’s ‘Untitled’ simply take to the revered series. Leon Clarkson you into a dream-like state. A goldmine of EXCLUSIVE MIX: FRESH KICKS: DJ MAG PODCAST: FRANCESCA LOMBARDO DEEP’A & BIRI DE SLUWE VOS diverse sounds. Anna Wall

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