MUSIC

DECEMBER ON THE DANCEFLOOR This month’s tracks played out p. 92

GO LONG! The long-players listened to p. 108

WILD COMBINATION The most crucial compilations p. 113 Cooked In The Lab Dark, techy d&b trio Ivy Lab break bad on LP p.108

djmag.com 091 HOUSE REVIEWS BEN ARNOLD [email protected] melancholy pianos, ‘A Fading Glance’ is a lovely, swelling thing, QUICKIES gorgeously understated. ‘Mayflies’ is brimming with moody, building La Fleur Fred P atmospherics, minor chord pads Make A Move Modern Architect and Burial-esque snatches of vo- Watergate Energy Of Sound cal. ‘Whenever I Try To Leave’ winds 9.0 8.5 it up, a wash of echoing percus- The first lady of Berlin’s A most generous six sion, deep, unctuous vibrations Watergate unleashes tracks from the superb and gently soothing pianos chords. three tracks of Fred Peterkin. It’s all This could lead Sawyer somewhere unrivalled firmness. If great, but ‘Tokyo To special. ‘Make A Move’’s hoover Chiba’, ‘Don’t Be Afraid’, bass doesn’t get you, with Minako on vocals, Hexxy/Andy Butler ‘Result’’s emotive vibes and ‘Memory P’ stand Edging/Bewm Chawqk will. Lovely. out. Get involved. Mr. Intl 7. 5 Various Shift Work A statuesque release from Andy Hudd Traxx Now & Document II ‘Hercules & Love Affair’ Butler’s Mr. Then Houndstooth Intl label. Hexxy is his new project Hudd Traxx 7. 5 with DJ Nark, founder of the excel- 7. 5 Fine work in the lent ‘aural gallery’ site Bottom Part four of four in this hinterland between Forty and Nark magazine. Debut celebration of 10 years house and techno from track ‘Edging’ rattles and hums of Hudd Traxx. Two new Shift Work on Fabric’s through a taut five minutes, a dark, tracks — from Ekkohaus Hounndstooth label. electronic disco workout thick with and Mihai Popoviciu ‘Abandoned Hands’ is Kask Disclosure harsh hats and some old school vo- — blaze, plus there’s a live and vital, while the Periferia Jaded (Lone Remix) cal action. On the flip, it’s Butler in repress of JT Donald- Factory Floor mix of X-Kalay PMR/Island solo form on ‘Bewm Chawq’, laden son’s spectacular ‘Just ‘SBFM’ is sublime. 8.5 with snappy block percussion and Bounce’. 9.0 This third single to emerge from snapshots from Sandee’s classic Everything about this release Disclosure’s second album ‘Cara- ‘Notice Me’ adorning a bubbling is exciting. Estonian producer cal’ has had extensive re-tools 303 bassline. Vee nice. Andreas Kask let loose some from the likes of Boy Better Know’s blazing work on Legendary Jammer and Dense & Pika, the lat- Soul Of Hex Sound Research in 2013, and ter being a dark, brooding techno Sleep Mistakes then again a month or so back, workout. But it’s this version from CVMR and this comes as the inau- Nottingham’s Lone which scores, 8.0 gural release on new London all delivered in a lean, mean five The superb Soul Of Hex — aka label X-Kalay. Plus mastering minutes. Warm Detroit synths Mexico’s 4004 and Sebastian duties have been taken care prepare the way for pulsing stabs Vorhaus — are on fire at the mo- of by veteran Clone Records and a rattling loop, retaining ment. There’s another excellent affiliate Alden Tyrell. ‘Periferia’ Howard Lawrence’s vocals. It’s an release for Freerange this month is a huge, encompassing slab end of night anthem if ever we’ve too (‘The Muth EP’, also very much of emotive house music with heard one. worth checking). This for Mexican chords to soothe the soul. imprint CVMR is loaded with a ‘Orion Cloud Complex’ brings Greg Beato skippy groove and laden with the wonky party vibes, percus- When Monkeys Attack spine-tingling pianos on ‘Intro’. sive like a drum kit being Apron ‘Sleep Mistakes’, meanwhile, kicked down the stairs. It’s a 8.0 features Albert Vogt on vocals in huge track. ‘Untitled’ is just Blazing work from this 20-year-old a low-slung deep disco groove RED AXES CROSSTOWN REBELS joyous, with a demented mix from Miami, showing far more that’s just irresistible. The equally from Ajukaja. Don’t miss out. dancefloor savvy than he has any hot Glenn Astro busts beats with 01. SIMPLE SYMMETRY ‘Mimino’ Low Budget Family “Ace track, killing it every time.” right to. The frantic ‘When Mon- a stuttering remix, while ‘Ink’ keys Attack’ is somehow mastered is a super-slick party starter par 02. FAT WHITE FAMILY ‘Cream Of The Young (Medicine 8 Re- mix) Trashmouth Records Baba Stiltz to sound like you’re listening to excellence. “Sexysadhappytrip, nice clubby version for this great song.” Cherry it on a dodgy car radio coming UTTU back from an illegal rave in 1989. Dinamo Azari 03. PATRICK COWLEY ‘Somebody To Love Tonight’ Dark Entries Records 9.0 ‘El Dinero Falla’ skips, bumps and Victim “Amazing jam from one of a kind.” ‘Cherry’ is like an early ‘90s house grinds in the best New Jersey The Vinyl Factory 04. RED AXES FEAT ABRAO ‘SABOR’ Crosstown Rebels jam, but made just weird enough style, jammed with off-kilter 8.5 “New track from us, featuring our good friend and inspiration Abrao.” to make the whole thing feel really synths. ‘Sadati’, meanwhile, with a He of Azari & III fame, Toronto’s 05. NADUVE ‘No Good News’ Cocktail d’Amore quite unsettling. In a brilliant way, merciless bassline and reverb you very own Dinamo Azari drops “Late-nighter bomb from great Tel Aviv musician Naduve.” of course. Studio Barnhus cohort could get lost in, pumps without a this blinder for London’s Vinyl Baba Stiltz, also hailing from break for six minutes. It’s a girth- Factory imprint, a squelching, 06. AUNTIE FLO FEAT. ANBULEY ‘Mandla In Space’ Huntleys + Palmers Stockholm, unleashes bass-loaded some workout indeed. Massively glacial workout with vocals from “Some mad jungle vibes from Auntie Flo.” madness for the ever-reliable promising. Fritz Helder and Starving Yet Full, 07. YOVAV ‘Botanical Garden’ Malka Tuti Unknown To The Unknown. With who also assisted him on the Azari “Euphoric adventure in Tel Aviv with the brilliant Yovav.” its chipmunk vocals and stabbing Greg Sawyer & III material before the group pianos, in other hands ‘Cherry’ Whenever I Try To Leave disbanded in 2013. This is the first 08. THE MAGHREBAN ‘Wonder Woman’ Versatile Records “Dancefloor danger! Killer tune!” would almost certainly sound Falk Recordings single to drop from his forthcom- thoroughly obvious and derivative 8.0 ing solo album — ‘Estranged’ — a 09. KING KRAK ‘Medusa’ Invisible, Inc. given the vogue for such things. Tenth Circle label boss Greg Sawyer most enticing proposition if this is “Beautiful guitars and atmosphere.” This doesn’t at all. Augmented steps behind the software on this any indication of what’s to come. 10. RED AXES ‘Shem’ I’m A Cliche “From our latest release ‘Shem Vol 2’ on I’m A Cliche, the theme song of the with a driving Legowelt mix, this is polished three-tracker for Bristol’s It’s out on 180g vinyl, in case you sierra.” essential. Falk Recordings. With its layered, needed further encouragement.

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DJ Mag page template.indd 1 16/11/2015 15:28 REVIEWS TECHNO RICHARD BROPHY, [email protected] producers, and ‘Institute’ is no exception. The title track is a typical QUICKIES Wolfers affair, with the Dutch producer chopping up female vocals Various Artists Shinra over warbling acid lines and an Trust XV-111 Ball & Chain EP understated rhythm, while eerie Trust Null & Void synths soak the arrangement in a 8.5 7. 5 mysterious fog. The remix by One The seminal Austrian Shinra launches this new Eyed Jacks boss Photonz isn’t bad, electro label’s 20th label with four high- but his tough drums and frosty riffs anniversary celebrations quality electro tracks. don’t carry the same weight as the continue with this The spirit and sound of original. excellent release. UR is never too far away, Micromega delivers the and the title track has Fast Eddie dreamy, bleep-heavy echoes of ‘Final Frontier’. My Melody ‘Halcyon Days’, while However, Shinra shows Super Rhythm Trax Adapta weighs in with the enough flair to ensure 8.5 heavy, distorted ‘Black these are not carbon Previously available only on a Orpheus’. Meanwhile, copies and in particular, limited pressing that sells for up to The Exaltics and Plant the swinging bass of £100, this reissue of ‘My Melody’ is 43 impress with bleak ‘Chills’ and the warbling greatly welcome. The track’s fusion but curiously uplifting acid on ‘Thin ice’ impress. Gesloten Cirkel of breezy piano-lines, tweaked metallic electro-funk Murder Capital 11 & 12 acid and understated, hissing soundtracks for late-night Daze Murder Capital hats is in stark contrast to some urban journeys. Longhorn EP of Fast Eddie’s biggest tracks, e.g. Lobster Theremin Black 9.5 ‘Acid Thunder’, and it succeeds in Steve Simpson Label Last year’s Submit X album saw bringing together Chicago’s esoteric ND 7. 0 Gesloten Cirkel bring the gritty and primal influences. The reissue 10 Pills Mate Daze offers no quarter sound of Hague electro and also contains typical Fast Eddie 8.0 here with a heavy techno techno to a wider audience. tracks like the acid-heavy pulses, If you ignore the puerile three-tracker. From the These two follow-up EPs, a year kettle drums and hip-hop scratching label name and the fact distorted stomp of ‘Oil Rig’ later, see the mysterious Russian on 'Keep on Dancing' and ‘Clap that Steven Simpson to the shrieking horns on producer refine and re-focus Your Hands’, but it’s all about the is barely old enough the title track to the tough his sound. Gone are the electro tantalizingly rare title track. to legally enjoy a pint, kicks and ferocious Robert influences, replaced almost in between Versalife’s ponderous this is a very promising Armani-esque snares of their entirety by grungy, acid- electro and the deep techno of his Unknown Artist release. ‘Untitled Acid’ is ‘Tool’, this is as unforgiven laced workouts. From the new, Conforce records, both 'Induce' and Bill Killed a rough 707 workout, but as the sun-scorched 303-heavy version of ‘Stakan’ the title track resonate to rumbling White Label more interesting are the outback. from Submit X — now simply bass tones and frosty synth-lines. 8.5 deeper musical ‘ND’ and called ‘Acid Stakan’ — to the epic, However, this release isn’t just a re- It’s not everyday that Jamal Moss’ ‘Chicagoacid’ analogue lumbering groove of 'The Real hash of Bunnik’s existing projects. tangled, noisy I.B.M. project takes jams. Melbourne House' to the tough The rhythms on ‘Fake Profile’ and on a dancefloor form, but this is industrial rhythm of 'Chasing ‘Dropping Faces’ are loose and exactly what has happened on ‘Bill Away The Night', this is proper rumbling and, coupled with frazzled Killed’. The work of an unknown sewer techno, and rank as the acid lines, sound fresh and different, producer, this edit turns the original most important records of 2015. but also deeply unsettling. ‘Kill Bill’ into a stomping track led by apocalyptic horns, bursts of Marshall Applewhite chain-mail percussion and pounding Pearson Sound Crunching/Cheddar Bae kick-drums. Available only on Thaw Cycle Yo Sucka! single-sided vinyl, it’s one of the Pearson Sound 8.0 most effective edits of 2015 — grab 8.0 The talented Marshall Applewhite it before it disappears. The dividing lines between techno kick-starts Yo Sucka’s new seven- DJ STINGRAY BARBA and bass are at their most on inch (remember them?) series with Sunil Sharpe ‘Freeze Cycle’, the B-side to Pearson two great releases. 'Crunching' is On The Hoof 1 01. ALIEN REVOLUTION ‘Alien Revolution’ unknown Sound’s new record. There, the UK rave madness as hands-in-the-air On The Hoof “Hi-tech bass and percussion from the ‘D’!” producer’s swung rhythm merges pianos coalesce with burning acid 8.0 02. HERVA ‘Spotlight’ Delsin with the kind of precise, metallic over crisp breakbeats. By contrast, Sunil Sharpe launches a new “Hard-hitting techno from young Herva.” percussion that Robert Hood is the tracky ‘Knock It Off’ sounds limited edition label in riotous 03. FEMALE ‘Angel Plague’ Downwards known for. However, it feels like somewhat pedestrian. On the form. Pounding drums merge with “21st century hypnotic breakbeats.” something is missing from the second seven-inch, Applewhite distorted walls of bass, electronic 04. RUTHERFORD ‘Learn Leave’ Brokntoys equation, that it’s too clinical. On showcases a very different side to riffs constantly teeter on the edge “Straight-to-the-point track to repair your drone by.” the title track, those crucial missing his musical personality; ‘Cheddar of a meltdown, and thunder-claps 05. ALIEN FM ‘Large Mechanics’ Puzzlebox elements are audible; the groove is Bae’ is buzzing bass-heavy electro power each track on to a hair-raising “Fibre-optics straight from Detroit.” stepping, the drums more organic with a creepy pitch-bent vocal, while climax. While 'Owecha', with its 06. CHRISTOPHET JOESEPH ‘History’ Flexxxseal sounding, and the way they pan in ‘Mouthwork’ is like a slowed down militaristic stomp, demonstrate “Starts off no-nonsense and finishes in the same manner.” and out as a psychedelic organ plays version of ghetto techno, replete Sharpe’s hard techno credentials, 07. KAMIKAZE SPACE PROGRAMME ‘Leyland DAF 45’ WNCL sounds, ultimately, more human. with suggestive vocals. Excellent the release also contains some “Heavy industrial speaker-filler.” work. surprises. This is most audible on 'Gickna', where a pulsing, hypnotic 08. BONER M ‘Kopkokop EP’ Pennyroyal Vernon Felicity “Play this and let them know you mean business.” Running Late Legowelt groove coated in an industrial shell M Institute Of The Overmind suggests that the Blacknecks project 09. HELIX ‘Club Constructions Vol 4’ Night Slugs “Glitch and bass done correctly.” 8.0 Unknown To The Unknown has found a successor. Boris Bunnik showcases one of 7. 0 10. B CALLOWAY ‘Jit Beat 2’ Electro Funk “Do a net search on the Detroit Jit and this track will answer any remaining his lesser-known projects, Vernon The prolific Legowelt has a higher questions.” Felicity. Coming across like a cross strike-rate than most other

094 djmag.com REVIEWS LEON CLARKSON [email protected] TECH-HOUSE Ashworth QUICKIES Braun EP Posterboy Records Jori Hulkkonnen Paul C & Paolo 8.0 Quick To Judge, Slow Martini Ashworth’s ascent during 2015 To Execute (Balcazar Striptease EP is testament to his inventive & Sordo Remix) Gruuv production. This was typified once My Favourite Robot 7. 5 the sophisticated 'Grain' LP dropped, 8.0 This pair continue to an essential dance music collector's Syncopating bass and provide the goods, and piece. For this EP on Posterboy low-punching percussion the 'Striptease EP' is full Records, title track ‘Braun’ offers provide a serious groove of non-stop bass rhythms upright and soulful deep house, to get down too. Eerie — and tripping percussion whilst ‘Plinth’ stirs and rolls with a atmospherics and a is their forte. This Gruuv little more tech-house sensibility, haunting vocal offer a brief outing is worth your time. yet keeps its cool. ‘Lizard’ is where, and well-timed respite you could say, Ashworth lets loose. before heading back for Dusky The angst and searching bass rhythm more. An infectious tune! Infinite Libido fires off on every two-bars under 17 Steps an embryonic synth and percussion Vidaloca & Piem 8.5 ensemble. Don't let this pass you by. Lullaby The UK duo release on Lost Records their 17 Steps imprint, Jägerverb 7. 0 the awesome ‘Lydia EP’, Baseliner Lost Records continue with but it’s the driving, muted Safer At Night Various their relentless release cowbell percussion — it’s 7. 5 10 Years Of Leftroom scheduling with another a good thing, honest — of Jägerverb's 'Baseliner EP' on Safer At Leftroom Records bold tech-house EP. Josh ‘Infinite Libido’ that light Night Records marks his return from Butler and Max Chapman this one up. a lengthy hiatus, and it's a record 9.0 both turn in useful remixes. of delicate manoeuvres — a stark Leftroom celebrates ten years contrast to his usual electro-filled way of the enchanting keyed/pad top- strong with this part-forward techy house. In fact, the contrast is line and works a treat over Okain’s thinking and part re-jigged such that synth-wrapped ‘Flowyk’ infectious, upfront bottom-end retrospective. Three fresh Matt is all but void of any percussion groove. Solid beginnings for Talman. Tolfrey collaborations kick and almost emulsifies into the things off; his and Route 94's Chemical Brothers' ‘Star Guitar’. Moodtrap funk-edged and swinging ‘Get The slower, broken-beating ‘Amber’ Make It Better EP Down’; the insanely peculiar and uses a birdsong-like synth combo Lower East bass-heaving ‘Can You Control that wouldn’t seem out of place in a 8.0 It’ with Heartthrob; and onto Shaolin monastery. ‘Baseliner’ ups After being drafted into the Lower the altered state atmospherics the pace with a brooding, plucked East five year V/A a few months back, on ‘Infizero’, with Guit. The self- and progressive looped synth that will they grab themselves a whole EP in revised Audiojack track ‘Robot’ is a work wonders on the dancefloor. 'Make It Better' — and, better, it is. reminder of just how much dance The grooving and airy 'Make It Better' music — for the UK underground, Locked Groove receives a re-working from Gerd, who at least — has been refined. In 'End/Scherzo' offers rough-edged warehouse-ready fact, the same can be said for Locked Groove Records filtered stabs for his thumping dub Tolfrey/Simko's sharper 2015 mix 8.0 mix. Cozzy D’s includes a deep rolling of ‘Go On Then’, compared to the Since his debut in 2012, Locked bassline, adding 909 percussion to laid-back original. Jay Haze, Laura Groove's on-point productions have good effect for another expert remix, Jones, Jasper James and Signal matched his frequency of output. whilst ‘Ethos Of Love’, which exudes Flow round this superb collection ‘End/Scherzo’ is no different, a certain '80s/‘French Kiss’ quality, is up. Ten years is a remarkable and although ‘End’ is a little more deep, techy and bumping. achievement, and this is as good as progressive techno for its inclusion any V/A out at the moment. LOST RECORDS LEFTWING & KODY here, ‘Scherzo’ just about shapes Kuo Climax up to make the cut. Employing a 01. ART DEPARTMENT ‘Crazy (Jamie Jones Remix)’ No.19 Work “Been closing most sets with this since we got it — absolutely in love with it.” beautifully mutating hi-hat line to Solid Grooves Records Danny Serrano control the energy, it allows for an 8.0 Paragraphy EP 02. 12 STORIES ‘Night Obscure’ Hot Creations “This track goes OFFFF, the synth-line kills it.” emerging atmospheric synth-loop to Kuo Climax and his impressive 'Phase Intec Digital build tension, all the while plotting EP' is yet further evidence of the 8.5 03. MAX CHAPMAN ‘How We Work’ Snatch “Max back on form with this, works every time we play it.” some serious bottom-end goodness exciting A&R going on behind SGR. Following on from his (fantastic) down below. It's all about ‘Work’ and its insatiable album release during the summer, 04. “LEFTWING, KODY & CERA ALBA ‘I Got One Way’ Hot Creations “Our debut on the mighty Hot Creations, really proud of this record — made bassline groove. A sound steeped in ‘Paragraphy’ is an excitable return to with a good friend.” Okain house music's pioneering era during form for Danny Serrano. This is big Forward the '80s, and a progression that room tech-house at its best, offering 05. ROSS EVANS ‘Superskanks (Cuatero Remix)’ Saved “Proper roller from Cuatero, works a treat.” Talman Records audaciously keeps on rolling. This is intricate percussion structures, 7. 5 hands-in-the-air peak time — the trippy — not sing-a-long — vocals 06. VIDALOCA & PIEM ‘Lullaby (Josh Butler Remix)’ Lost Records “Solid remix from Josh, this one is a club banger, for sure.” Here's a quality, no-frills debut DJ needs a tune to represent the and inventive arrangement. It’s release with crosshairs aimed straight previous 15 minutes of set-building, clap-happy... but it's classily done. 07. WALKER & ROYCE ‘Seventeen’ Pets Recordings “Love the glitchy vibe on this tuff track.” on the dancefloor, arriving via Okain’s otherwise this will have all been for The zonal and bass resonating ‘Seven newly-formed Talman Records. The nothing — fun. The EP concludes Notes’ is a welcome counterweight 08. LEFTWING & KODY ‘What You Do To Me’ ViVA Music “A new one from us that’s out on the ‘3 Point 0 EP’ on ViVA.” ‘Forward EP’ offers up the deeply nicely with 'Badboy' (including Okain on the EP, but it loses points for the hooky Kerri Chandler-style organ remix), and 'Jump'. incessant, dry, square wave stabs 09. ALEXIS RAPHAEL ‘Helter Skelter’ Hot Creations line on ‘Delta Street’ to the bounding throughout ‘Everytime’, sending an “Old school rave brought bang up to date.” bassline-led and percussion roller, inky shiver down the page. Two out of 10. GEDDES & ELI ‘On The Street’ Truesoul ‘Southampton'. Title track ‘Forward' three is good enough for us, though. “Love what Richy’s done to this monster.” nods to 808 State's ‘Pacific State’ by

djmag.com 095 ELECTRO / PROGRESSIVE REVIEWS ANGUS THOMAS PATERSON [email protected] Tale Of Us North Star/Silent Space QUICKIES R&S 7. 5 Andrew Bayer Marsh feat. Jesse The description of Tale Of Us’ Celestial Bullitt debut release on R&S Records as Anjunabeats You & I "dramatic widescreen club music" 7. 0 Silk is apt enough. The Italian duo After a string of releases 7. 0 masterfully blend a modern techno courting the EDM big A divine deep, melodic aesthetic with melodic grandeur, rooms, studio maestro record from the but more than anything, they’re Andrew Bayer makes exceptional Silk stable channelling the spirit of dirty a welcome return to a that’s essentially progressive house. ‘North Star’ more progressive focus, lush progressive balances its melodic flourishes with while still injecting masquerading as deep sharp stabs of dirty sound, while enough trance-tastic house. ‘You & I’ stands ‘Silent Space’ builds with tribal appeal to grant it out with its extravagant percussion towards sudden, shock function in the big level of polish. explosions of industrial noise. rooms.

Jaytech feat. Kailin Shenoda Rex The Dog Visions If I Could You Are A Blade Positronic Aus Kompakt 8.0 7. 5 7. 0 A powerhouse offering from the ‘If I Could’ is unbeatable Kompakt takes things new ‘Awakening’ album from proof that the classic in a decidedly quirky electro/prog stalwart Jaytech, deep stables like Aus direction with the latest ‘Visions’ draws on all the different don’t mind venturing from Rex The Dog, a elements, and gets the balance into progressive techno charming oddity of an just right. The vocals and melodies territory occasionally. electro record that’s in its opening breakdown preps it more than happy to fuck for the EDM main stages, though with your expectations the polished electro clatter that a little. Blusoul slams in after the drop signals a Modular Memories tougher vibe. There’s a nice tension Lost & Found between the sweet and the strong, 9.0 and Jaytech has a proper hero anthem on his hands here. Lost & Found boss Guy J has been dropping this glistening Lane 8 feat. Matthew Henrik Zuberstein progressive trance gem in his Dear Morning Struggle sets for months, and it’s a record Undercover (Yotto Remix) Sudbeat that’s perfectly crafted for one Anjunadeep 8.5 of his peak-time sets. Steeped 8.0 All the old prog-heads just assumed in classic progressive vibes, Rising Finnish star Yotto churns they’d never hear records as epic shimmering ambience and out another progressive banger as this ever again, but we’ve finally deep basslines, there’s a floaty, like he’s doing it in his sleep. come full circle, and Sudbeat boss trancey energy to ‘Modular ‘Undercover’ is one of the year’s Hernan Cattaneo hasn’t hesitated PROXY SOTTO VOCE Memories’. Blusoul grounds it more memorable vocal records, to wield weapons like this in his sets 01. PROXY ‘Nemezis’ Sotto Voce all with some sexy percussion, with the earthy charms of Lane 8’s this year. ‘Morning Struggle’ builds “I’m on the Dark Side with this one. Light sabre is my primary weapon here!” and the chords he weaves into production matched by emotive slowly around its shimmering 02. VEGA22 ‘Ghetto22’ Mako the groove are just sublime, vocals from Matthew Dear. Yotto melodies before that heaving “Strong. Heavy. Aggressive. Love almost every track by this dude! There’s while that haunting vocal that simply takes all this goodness bassline slams in, grounding it as always a place in my DJ mix for his tunes.” lingers mysteriously means and turbo-charges it, gifting his a slammer of a peak-time record. 03. TINLICKER ‘The Space In Between’ Sotto Voce this is a sumptuous, luxuriously remix a soaring main room drive No one on the dancefloor will see “Really love the pads in this one. Very deep and a bit sad, but at the same time a very peaceful atmosphere in here.” lush record that pretty much that did the requisite damage for that epic trance breakdown coming has it all. Lane 8 in his warm-up set at Above though. 04. FAT FREDDY’S DROP ‘Bohannon’ The Drop “This one has a very interesting old spacey vibe, which I think is best for & Beyond’s ‘Group Therapy 150’ car listening.” party. PROFF 05. FLIP CLOCK ‘Acid Clock’ Mako Mark Knight & Adrian Losing My Mind “Such a strange track, he did a great job using a minimum of sounds. It’s Hour feat. Indiana Proxy feat. Sen Dog Zerothree definitely something different.” Dance On My Heart Mad Dog 10000 8.0 06. POLYMORPHIC ‘Follow Me’ Mako Toolroom Sotto Voce Russian electro-progressive “A track from my old friend and label mate. It’s the drums that make this 8.0 8.0 maestro PROFF is prolific enough one, it pumps a lot!” Mark Knight’s collaboration with Proxy reworks the brash electro with his releases, though there’s 07. TIGA ‘Don’t Break My Heart’ Counter “The maestro Tiga with a record in his old-school style, using just a few his Toolroom protégé Adrian Hour is thrills of his ‘1000’ record from a certain sass and sex appeal that sounds but with such a massive groove and focused elements.” a big room progressive anthem with last year by throwing a rather seems to grow and grow in his all the ingredients of a Beatport unexpected element into the mix. records (rare as diamonds for big 08. RENE LAVICE FEAT. BULLYSONGS ‘Part Of Me’ RAM “Stadium rock and drum & bass. What can be better? I love this absolute smash — guest Indiana channeling Namely, an acapella from Sen room music). Venturing beyond his banger of a tune.” the transcendental charm of one of Dog of Cypress Hill fame, which usual Intricate stable for a release 09. OCTANE & DLR FEAT. SCRIPT ‘Set Up The Set’ Dispatch the classic 2000s-era progressive actually fuses seamlessly with the on Zerothree here, dirty electro Records vocalists. ‘Dance On My Heart’ is framework and the original, and rumbles meet brash percussive “Continuing the d&b vibe here. The sub-bass in here is huge, as always a great job from Dispatch Records!” every bit geared for the big rooms, adds a welcome dose of hip-hop flourishes in ‘Losing My Mind’, and in this late-stage digital era aggression. Proxy conjures a smart with its thoroughly slamming 10. X AMBASSADORS, JAMIE N COMMONS ‘Jungle’ KIDina- KORNER/Interscope when the true club anthems don’t balance of electro menace and house groove leading into a proper “And this is the other side of Proxy. I’m actually collecting this type of music seem to exist anymore, Knight and party vibes here. progressive trance breakdown. all the time, it has such a huge ghetto atmosphere.” Hour give it a good shot here. Impressive.

096 djmag.com DISCO REVIEWS JONATHAN BURNIP [email protected] QUICKIES NTEIBINT feat. Wolfram Rush Midnight United 707 By Your Side Firehouse Eskimo Recordings 9.5 8.5 Alluring disco/pop Sublime dream-pop oddity arrives on Kim backed with a giddy, Ann Foxman's Firehouse Balearic spin from Greek imprint and gets a full producer, NTEIBINT. remix makeover from the Features former Twin likes of Simoncino and Shadow band member, Legowelt. Rush Midnight. Various Artists Sinchi Music The Classic Music Coin Operated Love Company presents Night Noise Music Nouveau Chicago 7. 5 Classic Mid-paced EBM workout 8.5 from this Amsterdam- Killer EP of new Chi-Town based label. Includes talent. With disco and the coldest remixes from house music from the France-based FLVN and ever-excellent The Spanish production unit, Black Madonna, Shaun Modernphase. J Wright, Chrissy and a Rahaan edit thrown in. J.G.Wilkes Morgan Geist I’m A Cliche, the Tel Aviv-based duo Jaxon EP Megaprojects One find themselves in a much more The Vinyl Factory Environ playful mood for Crosstown Rebels 10 9.0 — a vocal from Brazilian singer Following up on his electro/ Abrao and a variety of colourful Amiable Jonnie Wilkes, of the freestyle collaboration with Jessy percussive touches, their sound equally amiable Optimo duo, Lanza, ‘Calling Card’ (as The is no less idiosyncratic, however. steps out alone on this EP of Galleria), the NYC production wiz Their style remains as unusual and stuttering no-wave music and wraps up another versatile release compelling and ‘Sabor’ may have industrial ambience. The title for his Environ label. Cramming in just landed them the attention that track, ‘Jaxon’ takes an imaginary threads of old school house and they deserve. As a bonus, there's an trip into the dystopian, sci-fi electronic disco, ‘Megaprojects One’ excellent, rubbery house music fix realm of Ballard obsessives Ike recalls some classic Metro Area- from the don, Isoleé. Yard, experimenting with primi- style moments; working the elastic tive rhythm and crude melody basslines, infectious melodies and Iko & Gibb — inviting the imaginative Barnt dextrous Roland drum machine Paradiscoball (inc. Rodion & to work one of his more ex- patterns. Demian Remixes) perimental productions. Wilkes Tici Taci teams up with James Savage as Patrick Cowley 7. 5 Naum Gabo to remix ‘Useful Tool’ LA MVERTE HER MAJESTY’S SHIP Kickin' In Rex Club regular, Maxime Iko, meets into a tougher, electro-style Honey Soundsystem/Dark Entries 01. KHIDJA Drolls House Bahnsteig with synth-head Markus Gibb on render and, lest we forget, the “Great edit, weird post-punk/haunting vibe. As pleasing for playing as 9.5 listening to at home.” this robust Hi-NRG track for Tici beautifully poised ambience of San Franciscan DJ collective, Taci. Just as punchy and as sleazy as ‘Bathing Beauty’. Lush. 02. CUTE HEELS ‘Nepotism Structures (Club Mix)’ Schrodinger’s Honey Soundsystem, have come a Black Strobe tune, the galloping Box “Sexual groove, dark vocals and hypnotic synths — the perfect alchemy into possession of this previously ‘Paradiscoball’ is paired with to me.” unreleased gem from Hi-NRG remixes from Rodion and Demian. Terry-style vocal hooks, reminiscent 03. L&O ‘Even Now’ Target Records pioneer, Patrick Cowley. Recorded The former stands out as the release of Mike Dunn’s classic ‘Magic Feet’. “Have been playing this new beat track for a while and can’t get bored of it. around 1978, ‘Kickin’ In’ explores highlight with a minimal version Pure class. The track calls The Residents for a subterranean dance, and makes me want to be part of it.” twelve minutes of rousing strings, of the original, while the latter a “Feel it kicking in” mantra and wields trance-like synths as a heady Toby Tobias 04. FIEDEL ‘Probe 806’ Ostgut Ton “Fast-paced techno with retro flavor, ideal for giving the last death blow.” bubbling arpeggios — oddly counterpoint. Love Affair/Slo Flava reminiscent of Moroder’s ‘Chase’. (Remixes) 05. TANNHAUSER GATE ‘Pulse’ DKA Records Delusions Of Grandeur “All-in tension, great atmosphere for this dark groove.” Notably, two earlier productions Hexxy/Andy Butler accompany, both produced between Edging/Bewm Chawqk 8.5 06. CACHETTE A BRANLETTE ‘Zakazany’ Serendip Lab 1975-77, featuring Cowley narrating Mr.Intl First single lifted from his second “Oddball French dark disco with a twisted vocoder, all I have ever liked!” erotic gay sex fantasies inspired by 8.5 LP finds Versatile’s I:Cube and 07. LA MVERTE & ALEJANDRO PAZ ‘Show Me The Law (La San Francisco’s leather bars, ‘back Straight-to-the-point double- Delusions Of Grandeur’s own Mverte Diversion)’ Her Majesty’s Ship rooms’ and bathhouses of the time. header from Hercules & Love Session Victim getting in amongst “Very happy with the whole EP, but I have seen myself playing this one a bit more.” Layers of guitar and synthesizer Affair’s Andy Butler, plus his new the Balearic disco. First up, I:Cube reveal a much sleazier side to project with Seattle’s DJ Nark for adjusts the tender ‘Love Affair’ to 08. HYSTERIC ‘Arabian 02’ Public Possession “A true guilty pleasure: synthetic disco with a great bassline, industrial Cowley’s adroit production. their debut as Hexxy. The propulsive a pacy house tempo, keeping the percussions and an outdated italo-disco vocal.” ‘Edging’ licks acid touches over panoramic '80s-style pads intact. 09. DIE WILDE JAGD ‘Wah Wah Wallenstein (Etienne Jaumet Red Axes stinging hi-hats and a loaded, old Similarly, Session Victim ramps up Remix)’ Bureau B Sabor feat. Abrao school-style vocal; bridging cool the bpms, flipping Tobias’ crawling “Loved the original. Etienne’s remix brings it a discoïd flavour and a very new Crosstown Rebels tension while keeping its natural energy.” proto-house rhythm with the raw original into an Italo-house 8.5 end of disco. The intriguingly titled homage, evocative of those classic, 10. MR TC ‘This Is A Dance Hit’ Optimo Music “The track’s title says it all!” With previous releases for ‘Bewm Chawqk’ employs bouncier early '90s Don Carlos releases. Correspondant, Hivern Discs and acid sequences over snappy Todd

djmag.com 097 DRUM & BASS REVIEWS WHISKY KICKS [email protected] Liz-E Memories QUICKIES Shogun Audio 8.5 Jaydrop was designed for. An The only thing we love more True Sound absolute smasher. than a smooth, vocal, liquid 31 Records tear-jerker is one that’s enrobed 8.0 DJ Hybrid in a brutal shroud of darkness. A moody, slow-building Midgar A mix of classic breaks, reversed minimal stepper with a Audio Addict chords and a low understated hauntingly eerie vibe 7. 5 sub complete the backbone which draws heavy 'Midgar' is the first of ‘Memories’. The nostalgic influence from Jay’s track off DJ Hybrid's samples not only compliment early days producing completely 360 the lyrical content but work to dubstep and grime. album, which leaves send any seasoned junglist on a no corner of the d&b journey to nights past. Beautiful James Mavel universe unexplored. work from Shogun’s leading Elephants Rolling jungle breaks lady. Audio Porn set against sweeping 9.0 synths and floating Ed Rush & Optical Twisted, dark and pads. Calming Sunday Automation intoxicatingly track. Virus Recordings bouncy, this is a type 8.5 of track the reload I couldn’t possibly be that long — six years since Ed Rush & Optical last released an EP together? The names are synonymous with one another and it seems nigh-on impossible that it’s been over half a decade since their last Icicle & Safire joint outing. Complimenting Suction Cup the huge 'FabricLive 82' comes Plasma Audio this nuerofunk gem. Relentless 9.0 in pace and weight, with its ghostly vocal, crisp snares and Plasma Audio is an Amoss & Arkaik rumbling sub, it's one for the integral part of the Plasma Sinkhole dirtiest of floors. Collaborative, an Australian Horizons Music powerhouse of art, music 8.0 TC feat Jakes and digital media. Their Building up with an atmospheric Rep first release, just last year, intro, clean, crisp snares cut Don't Play featured a remix from the through a cloud of blurred 7. 5 mighty Icicle, and now for noise. The drop reveals a This is a dirty little roller with their seventh release he’s twisted demonic bassline, a late-noughties vibe from the back for his second label which is accompanied by gritty, synonymous pair, darker than outing and collaborating techy metallics and swathes of expected with a killer bassline. with Safire. As expected, drawn swords, and scrapes of As much as we love him (and the it's a razor-sharp industrial sharpening blades. The track good old green stuff for that cut, complete with glitchy has a violent, malicious edge, matter), Jakes may have slightly scuttles and a violently which is lightened by the pure lost the plot with the lyrics at VOLTAGE LOW DOWN DEEP stabbing bassline, with clarity of the drums throughout the end of this one, repeatedly 01. LOGAN D & DOMINATOR ‘Jump (Serum & Voltage Re- intense energy throughout. and the odd shimmering, icy stating the names of a couple mix)’ Low Down Deep twinkle towards the end of the of varieties of bud... we’re not “A new remix we have done, has been working really well as a set-starter.” track. quite convinced this passes 02. VOLTAGE ‘Respect Due’ Low Down Deep Fade as bars. A great track which is “Forthcoming on my debut album ‘More Than Luck’. Enjoy playing this as it has lots of energy.” Tanio Boyan & Boyer slightly overpowered by the Boundless Beatz Be Right Here vocal. 03. VOLTAGE ‘Takin’ Over’ Low Down Deep 8.5 Formation Records “Another track off my debut album, dark gritty stripped-back vibes.” From Germany’s alternative 7. 5 Gydra 04. SERUM ‘Fly Paper’ Low Down Deep boomtown Leipzig (or ‘Hypezig’ The track opens with soft piano Psycho “It’s the ultimate party tune for me — crowds go nuts for this!” Eat Brain as it’s apparently, affectionately chords which melt eloquently 05. MAJISTRATE ‘Pick ‘Em Out’ Low Down Deep dubbed by locals) comes into the drop of rolling amens, 8.0 “Such an unexpected vibe from Majistrate, wicked vibes. Gonna stay in my relatively tiny label Boundless decorated with a haunting Neuro as a sub-genre is so harsh box for a while.” Beatz, who are making all the vocal. The low-end is smooth and relentless that it can be a 06. DELTA HEAVY ‘Ghost’ Ram Records right noises loud and clear and brings a melancholic tone daunting prospect, and when “Love this.” enough to be noticed in the to lyrics which are fraught with the track’s called ‘Psycho’ on 07. SERUM ‘Dark Clouds’ Dub depths of UK jungle. ‘Tanio''s an almost desperate optimism a label called Eat Brain... well, “Heavy roller, been playing it every set, love the stabs.” backbone hums subtly giving for returning love. ‘Be Right you can take it as a warning 08. PLEASURE ‘Draw’ Dub the eerie, brooding vibe, with Here’ is the first track off a label that it’s gonna be nasty. The “Pleasure is one of my favourite producers, every time I play this tune you can feel the energy in the rave lift.” layers of sci-fi effects creating a compilation album and sets beats are fast, the synth has a narrative, and sections painted the bar for some soul-soothing paranoid vibe and the bass is 09. VOLTAGE ‘Turn It Up’ Low Down Deep “Also on my album, my go-to tune at the moment to switch the vibes from in a fuzzy distortion of white sonic scapes, but a short scroll soul-crushingly heavy — there’s rolling to energy.” noise, really creating a feeling drown the tracklist shows we’re a desperate panic which cloaks 10. BLADERUNNER ‘Pulsar’ Dub of cataclysm. in for a total 360 ride. the entire track. Evilly educated, “Great mixing tune, and typical Bladerunner club-destroying bass.” witty lyrics from MC Coppa

098 djmag.com BREAKBEAT/BASS MUSIC REVIEWS BEN CHILD, [email protected] Funkystepz QUICKIES Pirate Material/Copyright Four40 Records Ahahadream feat with skilfully cut-up 8.5 Olivia Louise & amens, abstract bass Here's a spiky little double-tracker Scrufizzer drops and superb use of from the London-based UK funky/ Pray For You (Murder well-worn but eternally grime trio. 'Pirate Material' is a He Wrote Remix) serviceable ragga vocal classy two-step roller with plenty Four40 Records snatches. The space in of rudeboy b-line energy, while 7. 5 the mix here is gorgeous. 'Copyright' sends down a 4x4 sub Laidback two-step remix and percussion workout with a sick of the 4x4 original from Jason Laidback little sample about ploughing your the Brighton-based Playin' On The Juno own musical furrow and making sure producer. Classy pad (Laidback's 106 Mix) no-one else steals your shit. The hits and washes make Nightprowl Stepz' formula is one plenty of up this one a rugged little 8.5 and coming producers would do well reverie. Former Slyde man Jason to emulate. Laidback loves his old Fish school references, and Negativ Calling this one is a tight little Vision/Infinite/Dosage Saucy Records breakbeat number Saucy Records 8.5 featuring a rap all about 8.5 Doctor Jeep's excellent the joys of the famous Negativ are two Polish producers remix of 'Calling' made synth — and of course, living in London and Warsaw, last month's issue, but some keyboardwork to though UK bass sounds seem to the pure vibes of the show off the Laidback have influenced this killer little EP. original also deserve one's own skills. My favourite here is 'Vision', which recognition. Farnham's lulls the listener into a false sense Daniel Fisher has turned of security with lilting dystopian out a sick little jungle- synth-work before dropping into a grime hybrid, repleat cultured darkcore breakbeat that beautifully splices sampled and programmed drums. Also included is 4x4/garage hybrid 'Infinite', which ploughs a similarly techy furrow to decent effect, and the rather weaker 'Tethys', a glitchy collab with Dosage that recalls old school Fuel Records beats. MONEY SHOT! Leeroy Thornhill Burn The House Down Freerange DJs Lucent Menu Music Bad At Parties Fully Fledged/Giving It Raw 8.5 In Beat We Trust Low Pitched Records Former Prodigy man Leeroy sends 8.0 down a ravey noisenik number West Country trio Freerange DJs 9.5 that splices in sirens, horns and embark on a fresh new sound, Liverpudlian producer Lucent "Burn the house down" samples ploughing a musical furrow way has already released tracks with for a chugging, festival-friendly closer to the current UK bass vibe AC Slater and recorded material noughties-vibed effort. On the than previous efforts. And it suits for the likes of Trouble & Bass, remix, Jason Laidback reworks the them. 'Bad At Parties' has fun Saucy Records and Tumble Audio, 4x4 original into a skippy Zinc-esque sampling some of the darker bits but this new EP on DJ Spookz's breakbeat garage number with from the first season of HBO's Low Pitched Records has to be DJ SPOOKZ & SPEKKTRUM LOW PITCHED typically sick ravestab synth-work. True Detective, and while the tune his biggest release yet. 'Fully rather runs out of steam by the Fledged' combines a pitched- 01. SPEKKTRUM ‘1986’ Low Pitched Records “Straight fire bass with this one.” DJ Spookz end, there's enough grimey badboy down Jersey Club-style vocal with Activate energy here to herald a promising teched-out breakbeats and b-line 02. FISH ‘Quiver’ Low Pitched Records Low Pitched Records “Big-up man like Fish going in with the Rodigan sample, alongside some future. drops to send the bodies flying heaviest darkest basslines.” 9.0 round the room, while 'Giving It 03. LUCENT ‘Giving It Raw’ Low Pitched Records If you're a lover of syncopated Plump DJs Raw' adds garagey female vocals, “Loving the rave feel with the vox fx and skippy-beat beating.” freshness, DJ Spookz is throwing Spheres rudeboy distorted 808 bass hits 04. NINA WILDE & ABEYANCE ‘Nose Up’ Low Pitched Records down some seriously bespoke Grand Hotel and some wicked little wobble “Straight-up dancefloor killer from these two.” riddims right now. 'Activate' blends 9.0 sub-licks for another absolute 05. JOEDAN ‘Narr Riddim’ Low Pitched Records trappy brass-style synth-work with Icons of eclectronic music they may dancehall killer. If the furrow- “Joedan has created that UK funky bass vibe perfectly with the percussion and bass on this one.” slamming grime beats, rugged hip- be, but the Plump DJs aren't sitting browed sound of the current bass hop vocal snatches and destructive back on their old material. 'Spheres' scene can often seem a little 06. CHAMPION ‘Execution VIP’ Formula Records “The original was tasty but this is a bass hybrid grime monster.” bass drops, while 'So Good' opts for has to be one of their most exciting moody to the uneducated, here's lush chords and diva vocals before new singles in years. The beats are a firing brace of absolute bangers 07. DJ SPOOKZ ‘Invasion’ Tumble Audio “Sci-fi bass vibes on this one.” segueing into rinsing low-end solidly 4x4, but the rhythms playing to bring the underground to the 08. SKREAM ‘Burning Up (Abstract & Logic Remix)’ White pressure and tight kick and clap off the main beat are intelligent masses. “Straight pull-up shut-down vibes.” beat-work. Finally, 'Transmitter' and taut with energy, the glittering, 09. DJ SPOOKZ ‘British Are Ready’ Low Pitched Records takes a trip to the dodgiest tower ravey synth-work and pitched-up “4x4 bassline cru this one, with an absolute banger of a remix from Killjoy.” block in sarf London, hangs up a vocal sample are sumptuous and full 10. MOONY ‘Balling (Dr Cryptic UK Funky Remix)’ Project All Out pirate radio signal and broadcasts of flavour, and the track's gnarly “Very funky hard-driving bassline and a catchy vocal — perfect for the dancefloor.” pure fyah from the 23rd floor. These backbone will have 'em moving like are totally essential cuts. there's no tomorrow.

djmag.com 099 BASS REVIEWS OLI MARLOW, [email protected] QUICKIES Broshuda Shinra Outlines Ball & Chain Sonic Router null+void 8.0 8.0 After discovering him The inaugural release when he collaborated with on the null+void label B£AMS, I waited some displays both Shinra and time to get a proper demo the label’s heavy penchant from Broshuda, but it for colourful electro proved to be the perfect music. Delivering a very storm of texture, drone danceable shot to the arm and trippy beat work that of the long established sounds like Call Super in template, the four tracks MONEY parts, but nothing like him have bags of groove, poise Max Graef & SHOT! in others. and promise. Glenn Astro Magic Johnson DJ Mitsu the Beats Physical Therapy Ninja Tune Beat Installments Hit The Breaks 9.0 The Maghreban Aymeric De Tapol Vol. 3 - Rhodes Liberation Technology Dynamite Les Horizons Special 7. 5 After I overlooked the delight Zoot VLEK Jazzy Sport A bunch of us industry that was his debut album, I was 9.0 6.5 7. 5 types have been in-joking determined never again to sleep As a beatmaker who’s long had me A complex patchwork of Jazzy Sport’s long had a that it would only be a on Glenn Astro and that would in all sorts of awe, I’m smiley happy monochrome drones and pulsing rep for releasing incredibly matter of time until break- also appear to be a concern for to report that The Maghreban’s synth-work, 'Les Horizons' is the well-made, head nod beat came back around but Ninja Tune, who have signed this latest 12”, due early December, is second EP by Aymeric De Tapol for the fodder beat music and DJ Physical Therapy goes way wonderfully wayward two-tracker a wonderful and welcome return Belgian label, VLEK and it’scertainly Mitsu The Beats latest EP, beyond that snark with from Astro and Max Graef. ‘Magic to his brand of awkward stumbling quite... engrossing. Like a lot of his 'Rhodes Special', does jams like ‘Clean Slate’ mak- Johnson’ bristles at pace with ride lolloping 4/4 — or at least the B-side more ambient focused ‘mood’ pieces a lot for that style and fan- ing tracks that just fucking heavy jazz drums and playful bass ‘Calypso Christmas’ is. ‘Dynamite’ the EP’s major strength lies is in its tastically well. Especially bump hard. work while ‘Tape Johnson’ feels is a bit more straight-forward, if evolution and the way the tracks on a cut like ‘Forest Hill’. like it’s dubbed accompaniment, your idea of ‘straight-forward’ is all allow themselves to seem rather all solid drums, laser effects and marching power kicks, shuddering simplistic on the surface but steadily faraway hints of synthesized basslines and crunch presented unfurl out into something much summer shimmer. in stereo with added B-movie more through their own internal production values. repetition.

Lurka/Bruce/O$VMV$M Various Artists Nevermen Creta Kano Versions BOXED001 Tough Towns Happy Skull Boxed LEX/Ipecac 8.5 8.5 8.0 With a hit rate that’ll be pretty much The first physical release from the I’m loathed to use the term impossible to match, The Kelly Twins’ London instrumental grime crew ‘supergroup’ at the best of times but Happy Skull label follows up their Boxed lines up work from resident a combination of Anticon-associate recent release from Creta Kano with DJ Slackk and sonic constant Dullah Doseone, Mr. Bungle and Faith No a 12” that collects re-works of Kano’s Beatz, Lloyd SB and Spokes alongside More’s emphatic frontman Mike work from Bristolian talents Lurka, a remix of Geeneus’ ‘Old Skool Patton and Tunde Adebimpe from Bruce and the awesome partnership 2’ by Trends. Slackk and Dullah’s TV on the Radio couldn’t ever be behind O$VMV$M (who all but steal ‘Forest Walk’ steals the show with considered as anything but. ‘Tough the show with their crawling version its unyielding high-pitch riff riding Towns’ is the first taste of their of ‘Skyway 81’). This 12" is a potent clipped drum lines on top of the type forthcoming LP as Nevermen and it’s BROSHUDA SONIC ROUTER and furtive example of exactly why of hollow bass notes that typify the exactly the kind of sonically layered, 01. ANDREW PEKLER ‘Sentimental Favourites’ Dekorder Bristol and Happy Skull deserve more movement. All four tracks surmise triple voiced, part hip-hop, part “My copy of this is one of my most cherished possessions.” plaudits like this one. the club night's character brillianty. choral rock odyssey I was hoping for. 02. O$VMV$M ‘Memoryz Ov U’ No Corner “As a long time fan of the whole Young Echo crew, this one strikes a real Wen feat. Riko Dan Dean Grenier & Hej Fund DJ Q nerve.” Play Your Corner Remixes Grist EP Rocky/Posion 03. 1991 ‘1991’ Astro:Dynamics Keysound Sister City Local Action “Simply put, an instant classic.” 9.0 6.5 7. 0 04. ACTRESS ‘Machine And Voice’ Nonplus+ “‘Und U Boat’ still is one of my favorite tracks of all time.” Kahn & Neek’s retooling of Wen and There’s a weird fusion on the 'Grist' You know how I wrote about Kahn 05. STRAY ‘Spooky Dub’ 20/20 LDN Riko Dan’s moody, gundem chat EP’s opening track, ‘Sheffer Stroke', & Neek encapsulating a certain “Can’t say too much about this one but trust. It’s an absolutely killer!” anthem is actually one of the most between that sort of harpsichord approach to grime earlier? Well perfect things I’ve heard in ages. sounding circular riff and the this 12” from DJ Q is precisely that 06. THE HERS ‘Tough Cunt’ Sex Lies Magnetic Tape “I’m still all about ‘Tony’ whenever I feel the need to feel frozen inside.” Flipping from those layers of playfully bubbling, bouyant, almost too simple too, only for the sound of bassline 07. THEO BURT ‘Gloss’ Presto!? warped samples into that wob and bass-work that really lulls you into a house. ‘Rocky’ jiggles about a lot, “This tickles my brain in all the right places. Multi-vitamin hypergloss.” string pressure with gusto, it’s the false impression of Dean Grenier & playing with and editing the Rocky 08. SIM HUTCHINS & KLAAR ‘Ecology Tapes Vol.1’ Ecology Tapes meshing of those melodic switches Hej Fund’s debut collaboration. The theme-tune before dropping into “This in my tape deck whenever I’m fixing up something to eat.” with Riko’s verses that positively rest of it is… for the lack of a better the signature, heavily LFOed alien 09. SSALIVA ‘Be Me’ Ekster screams excellence. The Manchester- word: much harder and their brand bass sound of the Niche club's staple “If Kanye West had any idea he’d get Ssaliva and Dynooo to produce his based producer Walton’s remix is of low-end driven techno really does sound. ‘Poison’ turns a similar trick next LP.” tough too like, but Kahn & Neek just manage to find a stride by the four in terms of its mid-range, coming on 10. JOHN T. GAST ‘Exile’ Men Scryfa “I play this every time somebody let’s me trick them into me playing a vinyl encapsulate a sideways approach to tracker’s closer ‘Dauphin Arms’. inconceivably nutty. set.” grime, executing it fantastically.

100 djmag.com DUBSTEP REVIEWS MARKLE [email protected] QUICKIES Fish Laktic Move Ya Body EP Awakening EP Four Three Six Cut Music 7. 5 8.0 A four-track hype assault Nice four-track EP from from the Bristol producer, Estonian producer with support from Toddla T channelling serious and Marcus Nasty, you get dubwise coda inna Rhythm the vibe; bashy, bass-driven & Sound style. Solid as an dancefloor gear with 18-inch scoop! personality.

FeroX The latter just about nicks it over Wen feat Riko Cannibal the Afro-centric footwork ménage Play Your Corner (Remixes) Black Acre free download from the Italian producer, providing Keysound 7. 0 a moody, synth-heavy bass hug of 9.0 COMPA DEEP MEDI Those lovely and very seasonal imps a remix with just the right amount at Black Acre have popped out a of grit. One of the standout tracks from 01. KAHN, COMMODO & GANTZ ‘Crystal Collect’ Deep Medi Musik “Hard-as-nails dubstep/grime crossover, the atmosphere in this one is sick suitably creepy number in time for last Wen’s 2014 album on Martin and the second drop is as dangerous as they come.” month's Halloween festivities. FeroX Various Artists Clark’s Keysound imprint gets a 02. MALA ‘Changuito’ Brownswood dons his Scream mask and tears about Boxed 001 couple of monstrous remixes. First “This one’s never left my record bag. Love when the pads creep in and the the house scaring the shit out of Boxed up is Bristol’s Kahn & Neek, who percussion builds halfway through and it breaks down and takes you into a completely different world.” Courtney Cox to a cranking footwork 9.0 together provide a superb grime- roller. No trick, just a treat. A sonic representation of the laden slant with distressed strings, 03. COMPA ‘Noctule’ Deep Medi “As dark and haunting as it gets. Built for a dark room with a powerful Boxed club-night hosted by tortured keys and clattering claps. soundsystem. Hear it on one, and in the right place, and you’ll just get it.” Rockwell Mr Mitch, Oil Gang, Slackk and But it’s Manchester’s Walton who 04. DAYZERO ‘Allca’ Dubplate Please, Please, Please Logos, who have been presenting kills it dead, supreme darkside “One of the heaviest, rawest dubplates in my record bag. This one’s been Shogun Audio their uncompromising vision of vibes, getting super shelly with the secretly smashing all the shows I’ve played it at, no-one has any idea what it is or who it’s by.” 7. 5 instrumental grime to the faithful pneumatic drums. Shutdown. Taking more from footwork and across London and beyond for the 05. GOTH-TRAD ‘Sun Beam VIP’ Deep Medi “I didn’t think it could get better than the original but Goth-Trad has lost his old rave, both Rockwell’s ‘Please, last two-and-a-half years. Here, marbles on this. A dark, haunting atmosphere, crisp and very original drums, Please, Please’ and the short ‘Dizzle’ four tracks from Slackk & Dullah packed with weighty dubstep-centric it’s just perfect.” are abrasive little beasts, but not in Beats, Lloyd SB, Trends & Spokes fare — DJ Madd and Moresounds 06. AXH ‘D-Lux’ Tempa their sound, more in the attitude; no are proffered like an aural business drop dub-inflected cuts, while Danny “Razor-sharp and absolutely on-point. Wherever I am in the world, every time I play this, and the synth-line comes in, people just react instantly.” nonsense, blunt, and more than a card — but one that slaps you across Scrilla shows his light and dark side little obnoxious to the current d&b the face with a Nike golf-gloved hand with the shuddering ‘Riddim’ and the 07. DJ MADD ‘One Spliff’ 1Drop “Everything by DJ Madd is gold, but his remix of ‘One Spliff’ is ridiculous. The status quo. Pretty refreshing. smelling strongly of weed. Essential ethereal ‘Rigel 7’. For quirky madness haunting pads and atmophere in the beginning lead up to a chest-shattering stuff. check Sully’s 8-bit junglism on drop, the bassline is just right. Untouchable.” Moresounds ‘Wagonist Riddim’. But check the Loxy 08. SKREAM ‘Filth (Turner Remix)’ Dubplate The Outer Spaces EP Various Artists & Resound remix of Unit’s ‘Spiritwerk’ “I don’t think I’ll ever stop playing this, it gets a pull-up every single time.” Original Cultures Om Unit presents Cosmology and the bosses’ collab with Distance 09. TRUTH ‘30,000 Feet’ Deep Medi Musik 7. 5 Vol 2 for the gems. “I absolutely love dark, haunting rollers like this one. Seriously, is there a Cosmic Bridge kind of dubstep these two haven’t got down to a tee?” Whilst most of this lovely little EP is instrumental hip-hop and gorgeous 8.0 10. BLADERUNNER ‘Pulsar’ Dub fuzzy envelopes of downtempo A 10-track showcase for the “Great mixing tune, and typical Bladerunner club-destroying bass.” nonchalance, head straight to the label’s roster, you get a little bit of remixes from Clap! Clap! and Fracture. everything here. The first half is

djmag.com 101 HARD DANCE / HARDCORE REVIEWS DJ KUTSKI [email protected] QUICKIES

Pherato Uplifting hard trance On My Way elements with hardstyle Scantraxx Silver productions and kicks. 7. 0 This up and coming hard- Scott Brown style duo from France Control Your Body have been making waves Evolution in the hardstyle scene 8.0 — here delivering an The Scottish hardcore epic, well produced and legend is back with constructed euphoric another high-energy track. euphoric banger, remi- niscent of his trademark Wasted Penguinz & sounds whilst staying Rebourne fresh to the current UK Univerze hardcore scene. Dirty Works Gunz For Hire 8.0 The Prophet This Is LA Rebourne has brought Reverse Bass Roughstate his own take on uplifting Scantraxx hardstyle to the very 8.0 10 forefront of the scene, The godfather of The masked hardstyle henchmen and this new collabora- hardstyle goes back to are back with another rough tion with Scandinavian the old skool on this one, and raw track to terrify clubbers duo Wasted Penguinz bringing us edited rap the world over. The G4H project another high-energy euphoric De Staat makes for another hit samples and classic kick from Ran D and Adaro has track with a nu skool twist. The Witch Doctor (The Pitcher & under his belt. Another and bass. toured the world with one hard house scene has become Zany ReWitch) of the biggest international somewhat stale, with the old Fusion fan-bases across all hard music, guard focusing on recapturing 9.0 and with this latest track it’s the vibe of the past, whereas Zany heads back to his raw not hard to see why. 'This Is Max’s open influences across roots for this remix alongside LA' has their trademark bounce all modern styles of electronic label colleague The Pitcher for yet also a brutal trap influence music clearly shines through this hard-hitting release. This with rolling 808s and off-beat here with a fresh exciting is rawstyle stripped back to vocal one-shot to get the sound. its elements with a simple but hands waving, but don’t let very effective rhyming vocal, this lull you into a false sense Dr Rude & MC DL heavy kicks and nasty powerful of security because when the The Way I Follow raw drops — made simply for beats come, few go harder! The Dirty Workz dancefloors with more emphasis current rawstyle sound can be 9.0 on the drops than the breaks! a little overwhelming for some, This guy always features in my but G4H always get the perfect playlists, he’s dropping hit Endymion balance of remaining super-hard after hit. Having introduced Sweet Insanity UNEXIST UNEXIST AUDIO and credible whist keeping an the ‘hard drop ‘sound into the A2 Records essence of fun. hardstyle scene, which is now 8.0 01. UNEXIST ‘Underground Existence’ Unexist Audio “This was the first single taken from my ‘Unexistence’ album, and I have a being emulated by others, this Endymion have proved the very special connection with it.” showcases his trademark sound haters wrong by conquering the 02. DJ MAD DOG ‘Not My Tempo’ Traxtorm Records Argy with superb vocal skills by MC raw style scene with a barrage “In my opinion, this is one of the best tracks of the last couple of years.” Control Centre DL. There are uplifting melodies of top quality releases over the Kontaminated in the break and it drops with past 12 months on their Night 03. UNEXIST & CRISIS FEAT TOOMS ‘Music Is My Weapon’ Indus- trial Strength Records 8.0 immense power without the Breed label. This new release on “From my point of view, this is what pure hardcore should sound like. Heavy Welsh tech wizard Argy is melodies, throwing in a cheeky A2 fuses rock metal vocals with kicks, aggressive vocals and pure sonic violence.” back with a tough and tech trap break for good measure. an epically twisted melody and 04. NOIZE SUPPRESSOR FEAT. THE MYSTERY MC ‘Party dancefloor thumper. Argy has powerful drops, keeping things Animal’ Noize Records “Amazing track from Noize Suppressor — great kick, great melody, and been a firm favourite within Stephanie on the more commercial edge of fantastic vocal from The Mystery MC.” the sub-ground movement, Sicknight (Devil Wild Remix) the raw scene. Scantraxx 05. FAIL2COMPLY ‘Bullet In My Teeth’ Unexist Audio and is refining his sound with “Pure madness with this crossover between hardcore and heavy metal. New every release. 'Control Centre' 8.0 T Tone project together with Tooms Malke and OGM909.” is dark and minimal, perfect for Hardstyle’s leading female Sunshine 06. UNEXIST FEAT.SATRONICA ‘Fuck The System (Angerfist Subground that underground warehouse talent, DJ Stephanie releases Remix)’ Industrial Strength vibe, warm-up within the a three track remix EP of her 8.5 “The man in the mask did his magic again — what an absolute banger.” hardstyle scene, or a peak-time biggest hits, reworked by some With the infamous Qult brand 07. DJ MAD DOG FEAT MC NOLZ & MC SYCO ‘The Apocalypse techno banger! Great crossover of the brightest new talents on coming to a close, it’s good (Unity Anthem)’ Traxtorm Records potential. the hardstyle scene. My pick to see the originators of the “Another bomb from the master himself, DJ Mad Dog — what a tune.” of the bunch is Scantraxx’s subground sound are still 08. N VITRAL ‘Crispy Bass Drum’ The Third Movement new uplifting star Devin Wild’s pushing on to prove that it’s “This guy in my opinion is the best thing that happened in the last couple of Max Mozart years to hardcore, and this is one of his many bangers.” Walk Away remix of 'Sick Night', taking not over yet for the subground Hard the original vibe of this track movement. This new release 09. OGM909 VS AKRIV ‘The Sound Of The Drum’ Unexist Audio “Keep an eye out for these two talented new producers. This is the first of 9.0 and updating the melodies and fuses together the sounds of many kick-ass tunes.” One of the young talents in breakdown for 2015 — adding uplifting trance, hardstyle and 10. DESTRUCTIVE TENDENCIES ‘Do You Bleed’ Hardcore Blasters the UK hard dance scene at his own dimensions to this with electro together into one beast “Dark, grand business from the craziest UK trio at my favourite tempo.” the moment, Max delivers a lot of attention to detail. of a release.

102 djmag.com TIM STARK [email protected] TRANCE REVIEWS Airwave QUICKIES Sadness In Black And White J00F Recordings Tommy Conway Now, after a half-decade, 8.0 Connected In Rhythm Transwave’s been reborn, The intro’s thundery drums, Full Tilt Recordings and on this EP’s evidence, looming bass, echoing percussion 7. 0 in somewhat spectacular and portentously tolling church More green shoots from fashion. bells divine much about the ether F.T.R. here, this time of ‘Sadness’. Late in the day, the sprouting from one half of BigTopo pads rise from its depths, in parallel Full Tilt themselves. Deep, Aragon/Osca with its strings and lead-line chime. hypnotic and sub-bass- Beating Records What Airwave’s latest lacks in chest- boomy down below, lean, 8.0 swell it more than compensates for linear and punchy higher Tonally, an EP of two in steeped, potent atmosphere. up — this one’s a 7am distinct halves... Signum- special. style, ‘Aragon’ beefily Empirikal charts the mid-range, Psy Spy EP Transwave neither understating nor TIP Records Destiny/No Regrets overcooking the more 7. 5 J00F Recordings distinct of its elements. Three-track sign-in from this 8.5 Tough-trance through and new, much heralded TIP Recs Fair to say that French- through. ‘Osca’ meanwhile artist. Tempo on the EP’s title originating Goa trance is the EP’s pitch-bending, track is well up to pace, but the existed and expired with distortion-heavy rager! tone is leaner and more minimal Christof Drouillet and (neither adjective a psy-trance Frédéric Holyszewski. ‘regular’). It does though give its decent composites greater room to establish themselves. ‘Psy Spy’, MONEY which follows, is busier, more robust SHOT! and, yes, more psychedelically mind-bubbling, while ‘Changa’'s Lange vs Gareth Emery feel comes off more industrial. Another You Another Me (Paul Thomas & Chris Markus Schulz pres. Bekker Remix) Dakota Station’ itself is extraordinary. VANDIT Records Cathedral (Montreal) Tough, chunky, higher-tempo Coldharbour Recordings progressive-trance, it adds a 9.5 8.5 fresh impressive sound, sequence On their intro of 'A.Y.A.M.', After dropping ‘Markus Schulz or FX flicker every 20 seconds Bekker & Thomas play the Presents…’ on 2014’s lower-key throughout. When its lead-pad long game, eyes on a prize ‘CLXXV’, ‘Cathedral’ sees the prefix sunbursts into the break, you’ll very still minutes away. Even come (significantly perhaps) restored. likely experience ‘that moment’. the break, and the pair’s cool The Montreal stopover for 2015’s Whatever you do this month, don’t revision of the original’s synthy- ‘City Series’, the track’s a dark, let this one slip by. poppy hook-line, it’s all still vast, roaming affair, which delights atypically low-key. Lying in wait in its own murk. Lower-end Ahmed Romel though are not one but two post- frequencies induce polygraph-like Paradisium break riff ‘gotchas’. Arriving, GAI BARONE PURE TRANCE/AFTERGLOW levels of tension, while break- Future Sound Of Egypt catalytically, within 30 seconds 01. SOLARSTONE & GAI BARONE ‘Fata Morgana’ Pure Trance Progres- side, its ominous, analogue, John 8.0 of each other, they deliver a sive Carpenter-like synth bursts further Ahmed’s second for FSOE trance-level-high rarely equalled “This has everything you need on the floor. Harmony, rhythm and a stellar melody!” amplify the theme. punctuates an out-and-out convoy this year. of multi-label releases over the 02. WELLENRAUSCH ‘Die Maschine In Mir’ Afterglow “Wellenrausch always deliver! This time it’s something darker than their usual, last three years. Industrious is and a perfect intro for ‘Pure Trance Vol. 4’.” Maor Levi Mercury one thing, but when it comes meanwhile have the same tonal 03. SLAM DUCK ‘Leaving Places’ Pure Trance Recordings Anjunabeats paired with the level of originality approach for ‘Jackhammer’, but “Love the ‘80s feeling that comes with Slam Duck’s gear. His retro style always takes me back into that golden age.” 8.0 ‘Paradisium‘ displays, well that’s apply a repetitive, nagging hook Somehow we didn’t even need the quite another. Its exotic, highly that sonically evolves throughout 04. LUCA BALLERINI ‘Impressions Of A Dawn (Alba In 4/4 Mix)’ Cocoon “Warm and deep; an exceptional tune that I usually play in my earlier ses- press release to tell us that this was original strings endear before and never wears out its welcome. sions.” Levi back from his two-year stylistic dovetailing smartly into its 05. GAI BARONE ‘Blank Pages’ Pure Trance Recordings fieldtrip. His return to Anjuna-land extremely well structured and Nûgen “I really believe this track will be one of your favourites in the next few months! It’s definitely one of my best.” said it all. Flush from its outset delivered top-of-the-drop. Deliverance with Maor’s hallmark prog-trance Touchstone Recordings 06. JASON VAN WYK. STEPHEN J. KROSS AND JPL ‘The Sun Is 8.0 Rising’ Pure Trance Recordings nuance, ‘Mercury’ should quickly Various Artists “Three amazing producers on one superb track. Everything a real progressive trance track should be.” restore the faith. As ever the finer Hijackers/Jackhammer Originally doing the rounds details are left understated in its Lange Recordings on Cyber, ten or so years back, 07. MARK FOUND ‘Stellar Spectrum’ Pure Trance Recordings 8.0 “One of my favourite producers, a real talent. ‘Stellar Spectrum’ sounds incred- milieu. That’s always been what’s Touchstone has done the decent ible and works perfectly in my sessions.” made his releases the click-repeat Interesting concept for Lange and picked up and re-mastered numbers they are, though. Recordings’ 200th release… Six ‘Deliverance’. Nûgen was Emilie 08. GEORGE FITZGERALD ‘Call It Love (Scuba’s Angel Dust Mix)’ Double Six Records artists/label regulars, divided into de Fouchécour and there’s every “A blend of house and melodic techno and one of my favourite tunes at the moment. It creates such an intimate atmosphere on the dancefloor and it’s so Alex Kraig two ‘squads’, going head-to-head in reason to believe that she was far from trends.” Power Station a locking-of-the-production-horns. behind, not just its knob-turning, VANDIT Records 09. JAMIE BAGGOTS ‘New Wave’ CD-R Squeezed into the driver’s seat for but the allure of its harmonic vocal “What a banger from the rising talent Jamie. I’m sure we’ll hear a lot more from him in the future.” 8.5 the squally, enjoyably tough-trance hook too. Forerunners’ reverentially This appears to be Kraig’s workout of ‘Hijackers’ are Johnny deep, spacey and absorbing rework 10. FORERUNNERS ‘Lost In Translation’ Pure Trance Recordings “Definitely no boundaries here. Forerunners are always able to take you to debut single, which would be Yono, Monoverse & Somna. Lange, makes this recall all the more valid. another planet.” extraordinary because ‘Power Tempo Giusto & Stephen Kirkwood

djmag.com 103 HIP-HOP REVIEWS NEIL KULKARNI, [email protected] god, it's utterly fantastic. As you'd expect perhaps from talent like QUICKIES Tesla's Ghost, M9, Ray Vendetta, Iron Braydz and Cyrus Malachi but Skuff Res One the detonation they wreak in your Ghost Dog International resistance is just breathtaking — Audio Danger Traveller 'Solid Armour' if you want recalls 8.0 Sektion Red early horrorcore, the gloomiest None-more lo-fi but all 7. 5 Show&AG side of NYC golden-age the more on-the-level, Great stuff as ever from rap. But only if you push it that understandable and the Split Prophets camp. way — better to hear it as a livid, thrilling for it. Leaf Dog This single, lifted from living true testament from the on the decks so you the recently-released UK's finest hip hop talent. Thing KNOW this is going to be 'Delph Efficacy' album, is is — shit is bleak out there. Shit boombap gold, but love mixed up a treat by Hozay is dark. And getting darker. Hear Skuff's unmannered, — filled with atmospheric this track, and the album it’s from, honest delivery here, jazzy horns and a as the perfect soundtrack for the recorded with some thumping bass-heavy shortening days and the end of real analogue grit to backbeat that thwacks times. Superb. accentuate the ruffness this firmly into your it’s riding. The album's cortex. Catchy as fuck. Dead Players called 'Level' and will Infinite Limousine Pile Up drop soon, keep 'em High Focus peeled. 8.5 “Heading for the Peak District... Sheek Louch pleasingly artificial, absolutely it's not far!" No-names isn't the feat. Pusha T bereft of the gritty breakbeat only Foreign Beggar gone AWOL Bang Bang nature the Premo credit might this month — Orifice Vulgatron Tommy Boy suggest. Without a doubt one of crops up on this alongside Sox, the blockbusters of the hip-hop Ocean Wisdom, Illaman as well 9.5 year but not the yawnfest that as Jam Baxter, Dabbla and Instant classic, not just normally promises — the album Ghosttown who make up Dead down to Pusha T being Pusha sounds purposeful, and so does Players and who, by the time you T but also thanks to the this single. Surprisingly sweet. read this, will have dropped the insane production — at once mighty 'Freshly Skeletal' LP on propulsive and immediate and White Boiz High Focus. Buzzing with bass, yet partly obscuring the strange Main St. bristling with attitude, bruising dungeon-esque shit going on in Stones Throw of all bodily entrances and exits if the background. Ice-cold ESG- 7. 5 turned up loud enough, 'Infinite style noise loops riding a beat White Boiz are Krondon and Limousine Pile Up' is part-grime, that tumbles down the stairs Shafiq Husayn. The collaboration part-rap, all fantastic. And fan every time it steps up, lovers- between the Strong Arm Steady mah brow — STUPENDOUS rhymes rock vocal cut-ups hitting a MC and Sa-Ra producer has given from all involved, but Dabbla beautifully dissonant note. And us one of 2015's unsung gems in kills it in particular. "Don't be though Pusha will doubtless get the 'Neighborhood Wonderful' a plonker, don't be a prat." GET his usual brickbats from idiots LP, and this single lifted from it THIS. If nothing else, you'll dig the for 'repeating himself', I really is a doozie. Weird-stepping beat harpsichord. Essential. couldn't give a fuck when he's ridden by noodling guitar and bass still such a compelling presence and stereo-phase that suddenly Nonames and sound. The kind of record absconds to be replaced by a Shallow you want to push loud until it jumping thrum of sparkly funk, Par Excellence hurts, and your new favourite crepuscular heavily-chorused 9.0 single of the year. Only play psyche-plucking, sharp yet ruff Oh please, oh please, oh please, through big BIG speakers. 'n' rugged rhymes and all kinds let this be a hit. Foreign Beggar DJ DANCE2/BOOT RECORDS of P-funk-style vocal wibblery. goes solo on this joint with Marger JAZZ T

As close as hip-hop is getting & D.Ablo and man, this is driving 01. STIG OF THE DUMP ‘All In A Blind’ Lewis right now to the kind of diseased music. I mean, late at night, rain “Dope bars over killa Billy Brimstone production.” The Game machine jazz-funk of Swindle. smearing the neon, pedestrian 02. JOKER STARR FEAT DURRTY GOODZ ‘Don’t Watch Man’ Fluke- The Documentary 2 That's a recommendation I don't shadows moonwalking backwards beat Music “UK legend spits fire alongside Durrty Goodz over an ill Micall Parknsun beat.” Blood Money Entertainment give out lightly. as you glide by. DRIVING music 7. 0 — I'm playing it next to a lot of 03. JAZZ T FEAT J-ZONE ‘French Diss’ Boot Records “Boot tour story from the ‘Run The Changes’ LP.” Have to admit, against my better Triple Darkness Deep Medi stuff and it's making 04. DIRTY DIKE ‘Malery & Josephine’ High Focus judgement I’m enjoying the Solid Armour the same kind of unsettling, dark, “Dike smashes it over a classic Boot beat.” long-awaited 'Documentary 2' King Underground delicious sense. Lovely to have a 05. GUILTY SIMPSON ‘Money’ Stones Throw album — far more than I did its 9.0 track with remixes that take things “Fat breaks and sick cuts!” prequel. The title track, like much Every month I promise to stop elsewhere as well — Linden Jay's 06. CAPPO ‘Still Me’ King Underground of the rest of the album, doesn't supping from the deeply retro re-rub roboticises things a little, “Raw cut from the ‘Rebel Base’ album produced by Nappa.” do anything new but does what yet addictively brackish brew of threads little shards of electric life 07. STRANGE U ‘Hank Henshaw ((Unreleased)’ N/A it can with gusto and verve and so much UK rap — every month over the heavy bass. Spaceplant's “Fuckin’ dopest track I’ve heard this year.” punch. Premo’s production is something comes along that reimagining widens the eye and 08. JAZZ T FEAT RAMSON BADBONEZ ‘Legends Of The Decks’ Boot a little more wide-screen and transcends notions of datedness stirs some sharp dub into the swirl. Records cinematic than usual, slathered and just exists in its own space and Gonna let this soundtrack the early “Another ruff joint from the new Jazz T LP.” with piano arpeggios and strings time, and pulls on your own time dark nights and the queasy dawns. 09. MICALL PARKNSUN ‘Practice (Unreleased)’ N/A a little cleaner than you might like a black hole. Triple Darkness' All the freaks come out at night. “Absolute banger yet to be released!” expect, strapped onto an old-skool first double-album 'Darker Than One day a real rain's gonna come... 10. SEAN PRICE ‘Fei Long’ Duck Down “RIP to the legend.” drum-machine beat that sounds Black' is out right now and my

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DJ Mag page template.indd 1 16/11/2015 14:57 LEFTFIELD REVIEWS FOUND SOUNDS, PO Box 20437, London, SW16 2YJ

of Marvin Gaye’s ‘Funky Space Reincarnation’ about him. With QUICKIES the Ranking up there with the best of the new funk sound, it's Sufjan Stevens Rodinia one to hunt down. Get digging! Blue Bucket Of Gold Drumside/Dreamside (Remix) Stones Throw Spiritual South Asthmatic Kitty 8.5 Brazilika Unmixed 7. 5 Pretty heavyweight Far Out One of the standouts kraut-inspired 8.0 of the recent ‘Carrie & drone work from JJ Littered amongst the ‘Brazilika Lowell’ LP gets a revisit Whitefield (Poets Of Unmixed’ comp — released earlier from the man himself. Rhythm) and Johannes this year — were six exclusive Euphoric pop of the Schleiermache. Lock up and unreleased reworks from highest order. your kids, it's getting dancefloor merchants Spiritual dark. South. Thankfully, those generous Quantic souls at Far Out have decided Nordeste Jeb Loy Nichols to bring them all together and Tru Thoughts Ya Smell Me release them on one super-useful 8.5 City Country City Records little EP. Needless to say this is It’s a great record, this. 8.5 one of those ‘do it all’ records On the one hand you The prolific Nichols that’s likely to remain at the back have the beautiful, rich, follows his seven-inch of the bag/box for some time to gentile jazz of ‘Latitude’ series with this 10-inch come. and on the other a offering. Crisp southern stunning 4/4-driven fried production across Bandits On Mars rework of ‘Nordeste’ via six tracks with blue-eyed Calibro 35 David Montoya. soul appeal. Lush. Souleance Record Kicks Tartare 8.5 First Word Records Possibly the fattest natural bassline we’ve heard in some 8.5 moment. It’s hard to keep up. time, this single — lifted from Proving why they're an asset to No complaints here though, Bandits On Mars' fifth LP — is a First Word, Souleance pull all there are worse predicaments super-lean slice of cosmic funk the rabbits out of the musical to be in! Anyway, next in line is that has been trimmed of all fat, hat with this fully-fledged this brilliant re-issue sampler been supercharged with heavy eight-track EP. Crossing all featuring the work of Nigerian rising analogue synths and led out manner of musical boundaries flautist, saxophonist and by a tough-as-nails electric guitar and styles, like the previously sometimes bandleader Eli Oyewole riff. This could have easily turned witnessed carnival stylings whose super-funky, horn-heavy up as the B-side to some '70s fuzz of ‘Secoue’, there’s also the brand of Highlife re-surfaces once psych rarity. Awesome. horn-tinged acid disco of again for a whole new generation ‘Ratatouille’ and the lo-end to enjoy. Floating Points funk squelch of ‘Hustle’ to Peroration Six ROSS ALLEN CITY COUNTRY/MELTDOWN MUSIC contend with. Cracking stuff via Hot Chip Pluto Ed Banger and Soulist. Dancing In The Dark 9.0 01. TIRZAH ‘Make it Happen (Meltdown Greco Dub)’ Greco Roman Domino “After getting the amazing original, I felt it needed extending. I called Greco. Yet another musical masterstroke Joe, Dom and I went in, extended it and wigged it out a bit. Future, dubbed 5.0 from the prodigious talent that electronic funk, anyone? It’s here.” I know it’s the job of a good is Sam Shepherd, who unveils Willie West 02. JEB LOY NICHOLS ‘That’s All I Wanted’ City Country City I’m Still A Man (Lord Have reviewer to make clear and another stunning treat from “My favourite track from his recent run of seven-inches. Think Air meets Tony Joe White in Paris, Texas.” Mercy) concise calls on records. Every long-play ‘Elaenia’ here. It's hard Timmion once in a while though, a record to know where to start — such 03. THE ARCS ‘Chains Of Love’ Nonesuch LP 9.0 “A genius, happy, soul/rock gem tucked away on Dan Auerbachs new project. comes along that kind of throws is the detail, depth, complexity Smiley music for now, with a hint of then!” Chances are, if you are a soul/ you off balance! We all know taste and sophistication of his music. funk fan you will have come across is an arbitrary and subjective By definition Peroration is the 04. PRINCE ‘1000 Xs & 0s’ NPG “The genius is back to his ‘Sign o’ The Times’ best on this amazing piece of the beautiful voice of Willie West thing... one man's treasure “concluding part of a speech, digital funk that I can’t stop playing. Shame it’s only available on Tidal/CD before. Part of the rich and deeply and all that. But this is a weird typically intended to inspire or my MixCloud.” brilliant New Orleans funk scene one. Part of me bloody hates enthusiasm in the audience”. 05. FRACTURE ‘Making Hot Tracks’ Exit “Forthcoming funky-as-fuck hip-hop/footwork/jungle as only Fracture knows in the '60s/'70s — which included it and thinks it sounds like a Mission accomplished. Stunning! how. Big in the DANCE!” the likes of Allen Toussaint, Eddie cheap, ill-conceived attempt at a Bo, The Meters etc — West was Springsteen cover, and the other 06. KDA FEAT. NATALIE WILLIAMS ‘I’ve Had Enough’ Dubplate Arandel “Dubplate action from the No.1 producer. Less famous people, more SOUL. one of those characters who half is intrigued and just wants to Umbrapellis Massive on the show!” never quite found the mainstream press play again. I am confused. Infine Records 07. MATTHEW HALSELL Badder Weather feat Josephine Oniy- success of his counterparts. Help! 8.0 ama Gondwana God knows why. This graceful, Arandel adds to one of Europe’s “Beautiful music by beautiful people. I have loved Josephine’s voice for years. This is the perfect backdrop. Jazz, folk, soul. An amazing album to relax to, heartfelt and beautiful missive Boca 45 feat Louis Baker leading electronic art house and the start of Matthew Halsall’s ascent to popular recognition.” is absolute proof of what an Soul On labels, a set that consumes 45Live 08. MOIRE ‘STFN’ R&S underrated soul legend he is. all of the relevant electronic “I have known Moire since he was a visual artist for Carl Craig and Goldie. His 8.5 touch-points like Edgar Froese, music gets better and better. The new school of electronic funk with a killer EP on R&S. Signed by me when I worked there... for a minute!” Eli Oyewole A super-hot break-fest from Boca Roedelius, Cluster, Eno, Vangelis Charity Begins At Home 45, who springs his seven-inch- et al and builds a symphonic 09. CRISS VOGT & PATRICK JEREMIC ‘After All It’s You (Shield Sampler only label into action onto the journey that cuts through the Re-Edit)’ Shield “Beautiful music, with a sunshine feel. Deep and groovin’.” BBE unsuspecting masses. Only 300 usual ambient bullshit. Its 8.5 pressed (natch), it features the Achilles heel? Ironically, when 10. DAS KOMPLEX ‘Kaczence’ Fasrat “Funky 110bpm bubbler with an off-key funk. Different music that you can Quality releases are coming soulful refrains of Kiwi Louis Baker it crosses into 4/4 territory on dance to, and a warm-up tune of the highest order.” thick and fast from BBE at the who has more than a shadow ‘Section 6’. Great EP.

106 djmag.com DJ Mag page template.indd 1 16/11/2015 15:23 ALBUM REVIEWS

Die Verboten Die Verboten 2007

8.5 Mutant guitar disco SINGERS, DJs, producers, multi-instrumentalists it back in 2007. Collaborators Fergus Purcell and track ‘Nacht Winkel’ the LP’s standout. But — there’s little doubt the Dewaele brothers Henry Riton join the Belgian brothers on the you better be quick — with the album’s first have got many strings to their bow. One of their now-resurrected project — it’s a loose and funky single currently stacking up at over £100 on lesser-known projects, that’s been somewhat jam-out on a range of analogue kit accompanied Discogs, ‘2007’ looks set to be yet another dwarfed by the stratospheric success of both by slapping bass and a clattering drum-kit. sell-out success for the multi-talented siblings. their indie-rock outfit, Soulwax, and DJ project, At only six tracks it’s a small but mighty offering CHARLOTTE LUCY CIJFFERS 2ManyDJs, is Die Verboten — a musical fling from the foursome, cycling influences from which they’ve only just returned to after shelving Krautrock, indie and mutant disco, with fourth

9.0 8.0 8.0 8.0 Ivy Lab The Shoes Anthony Child Rockwell Ivy Lab Chemicals Electronic Recordings from Obsolete Medium 20/20 Ldn Recordings Green United Music Maui Jungle Vol. 1 Shogun Future-proof bass business Well heeled Editions Mego LP justice Rumble in the Jungle A shifting collective formed by three Following getting a remix on a perfume The London d&b producer consolidates producers on the fringes of d&b advert, persuading Jake Gyllenhall to play Anthony Child’s latest album was recorded five years of dancefloor bombs with an (Halogenix, Sabre and Stray), it’s as futile a serial killer in one of their videos, and a in the rainforest of the Hawaiian island attempt to actually craft an album that’s to try and pin down Ivy Lab’s sound or remix of Pharrell’s ‘Happy’ that sounded Maui. That environment is evoked both more than just a few different EPs hastily precise line-up (any number of members more like it was sitting in quaffing cough explicitly and implicitly by Child, better thrown together. The fact that Rockwell contribute to different tracks) as it is mixture than skipping down the street, for known for his work as techno producer has literally been talking about what to try to sum up their uncompromising, their second album French duo The Shoes Surgeon. Throughout the record, the turned out to be ‘Obsolete Medium’ for insightful and rather awesome debut move away from the bright lights to skulk ambience of the jungle occasionally years (and the duration of his career) album. in the same corners of clubland as their seeps through: the psychedelic drones of would suggest it’s a pursuit he’s taken The DNA of dark, techy d&b pulses through debut LP ‘Crack My Bones’. A bit like Jamie ‘Midnight Train’ gradually fade away to seriously. A few of the album’s vocal skits the record, but there are also flashes of xx’s ‘In Colour’, it has a roll-call of guest reveal the sounds of a downpour in the refer to this odyssey in a less than subtle footwork, dubstep, instrumental grime, vocalists — in this case including Esser background. But Child’s production also fashion. fractured techno, spooky hip-hop (in the and Mystery Jets’ Blaine Harrison — and taps into our imagination, conjuring up The inherent dancefloor nature of d&b mischievous ‘Microwave’) and other low- plunders liberally from house, trip-hop, the tropical setting through his modular does work against Rockwell, and it holds frequency experimentation. indie, electro and breakbeat. But the main synth compositions. The undercurrent of ‘Obsolete Medium’ back from greatness. Opener ‘Rorschah’ growls its way into your connection is that even though there’s rumbling bass on opener ‘Bypass Default However, it’s crystal clear he’s worked brain, followed by the brilliantly unsettling plenty of big choruses and beats here, Mode Network’ echoes the background hard to deliver a diverse and well-rounded ‘Shamrock’, before the quivering bassline ‘Chemicals’ still feels introspective and hum of environment’s fauna. While long-player, whether you’re talking upbeat of ‘Third World Cop’ reveals a playful side – bittersweet, as if clubbing for The Shoes ‘Down In The Gulch’, with its maddening vocal numbers like ‘Faces’, grimy drumstep then there’s the relentless bass assault of is more about going deeper into than discordant blips, transforms the idyllic menace like ‘Guts/Blood/Sex/Drugs’, ‘No Answer’… And so the fun continues for getting out of their heads. Paul Clarke surroundings into a trippy nightmare. The wild percussive excursions like ‘Macbook 16 tracks, pretty much every one dealing a album’s Maui backdrop could well have Jungle Crew’, or a dash of tear-out new killer blow. Tristan Parker been an empty conceit but in Child’s hands aggression with ‘Bait’. Rockwell covers all the environment leaves a fascinating the bases. Angus Paterson impression on his production. Adam B

108 djmag.com ALBUM REVIEWS

7. 0 7. 0 8.0 7. 5 Simbiosi Garry Todd Rival Consoles Arca Elements Nora Lilian Howl Mutant Werkdiscs BPitch Control Erased Tapes Mute Nocturnal noise Nan’s house Allied sounds Hybrid sounds

Italian duo Simbiosi’s debut on Werkdiscs Named after his late grandma — who Sonic worlds collide and layer over If Arca’s second album is a ‘Mutant’, it’s is an entirely nocturnal creation. appears on the album cover and as a each other with hushed complexity on one that seems to be in a constant state “Everything sounds better at night,” result on the front page of local paper, The London-based Ryan Lee West’s third of transformation. The Venezuelan-born explain the producers in the album’s Sunderland Echo, with the slogan ‘How A album as Rival Consoles. The electronic producer’s follow-up to last year’s ‘Xen’ is press release. ‘Elements’ is certainly dark Nan Became A Techno Star’ — ‘Nora Lilian’ producer’s early rock roots as a guitarist a shapeshifter: unpredictably morphing enough to evoke the feeling that it was is the debut LP from nascent tech-house make their presence known throughout from abrasive, splintering noise to elegiac, produced in pitch-black surroundings. talent Garry Todd, snapped up Ellen the LP in the way that the tracks are ambient instrumentation, sometimes Throughout, the pair’s minimal Allien’s Bpitch label. And it’s easy to hear structured somewhere between more in the space of a track. When ‘Mutant’’s percussion is engulfed by a blanket of why. Head of his Contemporary Scarecrow fluid dancefloor-material, and more harsher textures occasionally give way, heavy distortion; the bassline of ‘Call Frm imprint, the Mackem music man has a very traditional songwriting undulations they reveal an undercurrent of classical 2’, for example, is warped to the point specific aesthetic that lends itself easily with traces of verses, choruses and instrumentation such as the reverberating of sounding like a buzzsaw. ‘Diamond to a long-player. Opener ‘Time Goes On’ breaks. There’s also a strong sense of strings of ‘Sever’ or the melancholic piano Ac’ submerges breakbeats in a fug of sets the tone; dirtied diva vocals from Nat organic warmth permeating Howl’s chords of ‘Else’. Those quieter moments, degraded bass till all that’s audible is the Page, redolent of Kim Ann Foxman, echo haunting atmospherics; largely due to the however, can be just as unsettling; Arca shrill detuned snare. At times, the veneer through scattered percussion and woozy producer’s choice to eschew samples in describes “softness as a weapon” in the of noise can feel like a disguise for an sirens, while ‘What’s The Difference’, with favour of recording all of the LP’s sounds album’s press release. While ‘Xen’ suffered uninventive concept: the dull, pounding its bulbous bottom line, is also bogged either himself or in collaboration with slightly for its disjointedness, individual kick-drum of ‘A245’ trudges along and down with a cascade of swampy hi-hats. other live musicians. The hiss of guitar tracks felt like self-contained experiments, grows tiring even when subjected to the Things take a spacier turn later on. ‘4 2 pedals and tape delay add extra nostalgic, ‘Mutant’, by comparison, has some duo’s effects. But there’s enough variation Nite’ is closer to ‘Ambient Works’ and ‘Pula’ emotional depth over subtle drum abiding structure: the borders between across ‘Elements’’s 14 tracks that such boldly takes on steely Detroit deepness. A machine programming; all of the elements tracks are often porous and certain moments are rare in what is an otherwise brave, varied effort that tackles the dance of this LP ebb and flow in synchronicity motifs run through the album. That said, confident and promising debut. Adam B LP format head-on with aplomb — not bad with each other from start to finish. Zara ‘Mutant’ is still a jarring, fragmented and at all! Adam Saville Wladawsky overwhelming album. Adam B

Joey Anderson Invisible Switch Dekmantel

4.0 Somewhat disappointing

NEW JERSEY’S much-celebrated Joey Anderson of artists who are ‘out there’. But they can wrangle and ones. But they have complete mastery of melody, follows his 2014 debut long-player, ‘After Forever’, melody and make it work. Dipping into his back and that’s why it works. Tracks like ‘Blind Light’ find also released through Amsterdam’s feted Dekmantel catalogue, you have to wonder whether it’s within Anderson vamping in directionless, unedited fashion. label, in pretty swift style with ‘Invisible Switch’. The Anderson’s gift to do so. It’s like the modern artist This isn’t free jazz, it’s just out of key. By its clamorous former club dancer, cohort of fellow Jersey don DJ Qu who can hurl paint at a canvas, but can they paint a conclusion, ‘Tell Us Where’ is a mess of discord, of and label owner (Inimeg Recordings) mines a deep decent portrait? Free jazz might be unlistenable for melodies and keys which really have no business being seam, one which has earned him much acclaim. His is some, but you know that while the practitioners might thrown together and have gone unchecked. There are ‘abstract’ house music, and there’s much to be said be deep in masturbatory improvisation, they could moments of clarity. ‘Reset’ has a dark foreboding vibe, for doing things your own way in a scene dominated probably play ‘Freddie Freeloader’, note-for-note, invigorating with its skittering percussion. ‘Amama’ by music which frequently breaks no boundaries at all. at the drop of a hat. Does it matter? For some yes, just about gets away with its random arpeggios But whether the meanderings of ‘Invisible Switch’ are others, no. Take Caribou or Four Tet. They’re out there, because it’s rough, elemental techno. Maybe we’re actually any good is open to debate. There are plenty unquantized, working gleefully outside the zeroes totally missing the point? BEN ARNOLD

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8.0 8.5 Acre Hieroglyphic Being Better Strangers The Acid Documents Carnage DJ Khalab & Baba Cubenx Tectonic Recordings Soul Jazz Records Papi Gordo Sissoko Elegiac Get to know Windy City avant-stomp Ultra Music Khalab & Baba LP Infine Music 7. 0 Wonderwheel Recordings 8.0 Manchester’s Acre may be just be releasing Chicago’s Jamal Moss is one of electronic Hip-hop for the EDM 9.0 YouCube his debut album now, but he’s been music’s more prolific artists today, which generation African headcharge lurking in the fringes of UK bass music is largely due in part to his improvisational Mexico’s Cesar Urbina and pushing its boundaries further out and raw approach to music-making With US festivals split Italian Afro-futurist DJ has been in the minimal since 2013 with a string of releases on and recording. ‘The Acid Documents’ between EDM and trap, Khalab (who’s previously tech banger game for Tectonic sister label Cold Recordings, is a proper release of a super-limited Carnage is a producer stepped out on Black Acre) some time, but his second Visionist and PAN’s collab imprint and his homemade CDR that Moss made for who resourcefully has locks horns with Mali’s LP to date sees him own Project 13 MCR label — born out of London’s legendary Sound Of The Universe managed to master both, revered Baba Sissoko crafting songs rather than his equally forward-thinking club-night record shop just over a year ago. The LP and this is showcased to for a whirlwind ride of straight-up floor weapons of the same name. ‘Better Strangers’ features Moss’s singular Afro-futurist the hilt on ‘Papi Gordo’, experimental African on the mighty Infine, sits in that enjoyable, disconcerting, blend of the acid house legacy his home a smorgasbord of excess electronic sounds. Deep with the help of some nebulous territory where it’s not purely city is steeped in alongside more radical, that dishes out brash lashings of bass, tribal Mexican and Lebanese dancefloor material, but is way more avant-garde leanings a la Sun Ra with EDM and party hip-hop drums and heady vocals vocalists. A proper lesson than purely headphone fodder. Tracks flecks of EBM mixed in. It’s sensual and in equal measure. As are the order of the day on expert dancefloor like the infectiously catchy ‘Jouska’, even meandering in its softer moments, throwaway as it might be, here, with the result minimalism. Felicity woozy sample-led ‘Holding Hands’ and but remains propulsively jacking it’s hard not to admire his being a truly hypnotic Martin the dynamically stuttering ‘Spiral’ sound throughout. Highlights like the gritty, audacity. Angus Paterson LP. Felicity Martin great no matter what context they’re percussive ‘Dualism’ and the grinding, digested in. Acre is forging new and weird hypnotic ‘Illuminates Of Thaneteros’ paths across UK dance music that’s fresh, conjure up 4am dancefloor feelings while exciting and doesn’t quite exist in any the acidic squelches of ‘Aurum Solis’ and ‘E particular boxes or spaces -- and that’s Clampus Vitus’ are pure filth and fire -- in pretty awesome. Zara Wladawsky the best of ways. Zara Wladawsky

Kyodai Mueran Humanos Dawn Mok Kyodai Reworks Mistress Eternal Love Local Talk ATP Recordings Dial Records 8.0 7. 0 8.0 Do or Kyodai! Art school cool Compelling curveball

9.0 8.0 ‘Kyodai Reworks’ follows This Berlin duo — made up Dial has always on from HNNY’s excellent of Carmen Burguess and championed away from Petre Inspirescu Prequel Tapes selection of re-edits on Tomás Nochteff — serve the dancefloor sounds Vin Ploile Inner Systems his label and, as such, up a second art school and now they do so again Mule Musiq R’COUP’D opens with a bumping album of indie leaning, with a ghostly debut Headphone perfection Memory Lane re-edit of the latter’s post-industrial-tinged album from a collective ‘Nothing’. Rather than electronics that features of formally trained Romanian Petre Inspirescu has been at the Shrouded in mystery, Germany’s Prequel conceptual artist album, nine wholly timeless musicians from around centre of his own micro-scene for years. Tapes apparently was born out of him/her it’s a collection of strong tracks. With its retro the world. Full of tender With countrymen [a:rpia:r] he has become finding old DAT tapes from a bygone era dancefloor-ready tools synth-lines, whispered vocals, sombre chords synonymous with intricate minimal, gypsy of teenaged sonic experimentation — full but that’s not a problem vocals and gentle drums, and delicate electronics, melodies and chamber music aesthetics of walks through the woods munching in the slightest. These two ‘Mistress’ sounds like it’s an intimate and that have made them cult favourites. His on magic fungi, stockpiling old samplers German brothers like it Gary Numan and The xx original affair. Well worth finest showcase of that was a Fabric CD and drum machines and obsessing chunky and robust, with jamming on a lazy Sunday investigating. Kristan back in 2013, and now he transports those over Northern England’s industrial plenty of soul. Adam afternoon. This is a good J Caryl same aesthetics into a beatless, ambient experimentalists like Clock DVA. Eventually Saville thing. Kristan J Caryl after-hours album with not a kick-drum techno took over and a move to the big in sight. city happened along with faster creative And it is a triumph of elegant design, processes full of plug-ins and computers, REPEAT THE LPS WE CAN’T LEAVE ALONE... of absorbing detail and of suspensory but ‘Inner Systems’ is a time travelling atmosphere that all come with a clear device back to those psychedelic jam and classically informed understanding sessions in parents’ basements in the of music. Jazz keys drift by like clouds, vignetted hinterland of teendom. Silence plucked strings dangle in the air and and noise ebb and flow throughout the LP subtle shakers add surreptitious rhythm at a glacial pace, full of analogue warmth Floating Points Auntie Flo Wbeeza to the modulated synth-lines, all in all and dripping with the deep nostalgia Elaenia Theory Of Flo Expressions Of Love Pluto Huntleys & Palmers Third Ear making this a beautifully delicate and and innocence of an adolescence as an 8.5 9.0 9.5 dynamic proposition for late-night zone- outsider music-lover recaptured. Zara outs. Kristan J Caryl Wladawsky Sam Shepherd has Brian d’Souza and crew South London’s deep finally released a long- conjure up one of the house don drops a player and it’s exquisite. albums of the year! delicious sophomore LP.

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Fela Kuti Various The 2 Bears Six Individual Vinyl LPs Greg Wilson presents The Night Is Young Various Knitting Factory Records/ Super Weird Substance Remixed Once Upon A Time In PIAS Super Weird Substance Southern Fried Records 10 8.0 7. 0 Japan Such a Kuti Weird and wonderful Honey trap Les Disques Mystiques & Six individual records Celebrating 40 years Everything from classy Jazzy Couscous from the king of Afrobeat behind the decks in deep house to jazzy have been re-issued on 2015, walking disco broken beat via Afro- vinyl by Knitting Factory encyclopedia Greg Wilson inflected bass music 9.5 records, featuring ‘70s has compiled an unmixed and gorgeous Balearic Sushi-tech high-life classics such catalogue from his Super epics are covered by the as ‘Fear Not Man’ and Weird Substance label, remixers who’ve got their IN RECENT MONTHS, there’s been a is every bit as blissful as the Detroit ‘Everything Scatter’ some bonus material — paws on The 2 Bears’ notable glut of excellent house music or Italo house from the same era. alongside ‘89’s ‘Beasts Of including a super slick brilliant second album. A emerging from Japan. But this is ‘Chichichi Eye Kannon’ (thanks Google) No Nation’, complete with Walter Ego remix — and a couple maybe take the fun no new phenomenon. French-born, by The Ecstasy Boys has nearly three Lemi Ghariokwu’s iconic mix from the man himself. out of the originals a bit, Leeds-residing producer Brawther and minutes of jangling pianos before it artwork. African music And, as you’d expect, but no-one makes a dog’s sidekick Alixkun have been evangelists kicks in. And oh, does it kick in. YPF’s has arguably never been it’s pretty goddamn dinner out of the teddy of eastern house music for some time, ‘Trance Of Love’ and ‘Sunset By Violets’ more in vogue, you need wicked! Adam Saville bears’ picnic. Paul Clarke and this painstakingly curated album are all Mr Fingers slo-mo soul. Yukihiro this! Adam Saville (there’s a documentary film in the Fukutomi’s ‘It’s Gonna Be Alright’ works too) sheds light on some of the minces up Sterling Void’s house classic rare and overlooked gems. Diligent to devastating effect, while Fake’s crate-digging has uncovered classics ‘Square’ goes with tough, electro vibes. that never were, like the Hiroshi dub Made with love, this collection is a of T.P.O.’s ‘Punk Inc’ from 1989, which thing of rare beauty. Ben Arnold

Various Various Various Fer-De-Lance KX2015 Ten Years Of Leftroom Electronical Reeds Kompakt Leftroom 7. 5 8.0 7. 0 I dream of deep International flavours Minimal bliss

Once the home of Sasha, Exclusive mail order Matt Tolfrey’s ever- 8.0 7. 0 Stephan Bodzin, Laurent imprint KX returns with reliable tech-house label Garnier et al, Belgian a brand new compilation celebrates a decade Various Scuba label Electronical Reeds of bluesy techno and of refined beats. It’s Brazil Gets Physical Claustrophobia Remixes welcomes next-gen wobbly house. Featuring stripped-back-central all Get Physical Hotflush talents including Michal up-and-comers from the way here, with plenty Belters from Brazil Dive right in! Schwa, Nick West and Israel, Greece, Germany, of highlights and a roster Max Dake to take their Hungary, Sweden that includes Kate Simko, Many have tried and failed to inject Apart from serving to remind us of an place — with predictably and more, it’s a tasty Jay Haze, Jasper James colour into their dance tracks with paint- almost forgettable album, Hotflush have deep and delicious results. international buffet of the and Guti, who contributes by-numbers samba, but Get Physical lined up an intimidating list of top techno This is definitely worth highest quality. Charlotte a seriously — deliciously — get typically smart on their Brazilian talent for ‘Claustrophobia Remixes’ and, checking out. Charlotte Lucy Cijffers off-kilter house apparition compilation, recruiting São Paulo DJ Davis by doing so, they pretty much pulled it off. Lucy Cijffers with Tolfrey. Tristan Genuino. The result is a choice selection Remix albums are rarely cohesive, all too Parker split between two mixes – day (dia) and often feel contrived, and this one is no night (noite) – featuring label affiliates exception. However, as individual tracks, and a few Brazilian names. they do work. Function’s re-formatting The dia mix is largely a sunny — of ‘Why You Feel So Low’, as perhaps occasionally even acoustic — affair, with you’d expect, is a brooding slab of sooty, THE PICK OF OUR LATEST uplifting sounds from M.A.N.D.Y. and a pitch-black techno. Mr Tophat & Art Alfie’s ON THE PODPODCASTS & EXCLUSIVE MIXES beautifully hazy Vondelpark jam, plus version of ‘Drift’ is chunkier, with waves djmag.com | soundcloud.com/djmag some headier flavours via an acid-tinged of thick, bubbling acid. Radio Slave gets number from the aptly named Chicago tribal and wistful on ‘All I Think About Is Jim. Rather than submitting to full Death’ and Len Faki’s redux of ‘Black On dancefloor pelt, the noite mix plays the Black’ is druggy, nose-bleed stuff made long game, with colourful house from for tunnels. Young Marco, a haunting, techy Radio The money shot, however, is Tuff City Kids’ DJ MAG RADIO: DJ MAG PODCAST: FRESH KICKS: Slave Midland remix and some wonderful ‘Transcience’; a dense slice of wholesome INTER FM897 JAPAN Blonde Jacky wonk from Cowboy Rhythmbox and a Detroit deepness from Lauer and Gerd — hosted by Frank Joakim remix of Love International. Janson. Adam Saville McWeeny A superb soundtrack for a trip to Brazil — or anywhere else, in fact. Tristan Parker

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