Hello,
The new year's release schedule reaches a fever pitch with a barrage of huge albums and essential singles. BPitch Control's 'Werkschau' compilation surely stands tall among the rest, presenting unreleased material by the label's entire line-up of illustrious artists. Kompakt's 'Pop Ambient 2011' is another heavyweight, as are new artist albums by Hercules & Love Affair, Seefeel, Fujiya & Miyagi, and Maceo Plex.
January has been a great month for dancefloor-ready singles as well however, with a number of zero" exclusives leading the way: Lopazz and Alex Cortex joining forces as Bad Cop Bad Cop on Pomelo, US producer Brooks Mosher debuting on Steffi's Dolly label with an excellent EP, and Seventh Sign reissuing G Strings' Chicago house classic, 'The Land of Dreams'. |
FEATURED RELEASE
Twelve years and counting - Ellen Allien has been steering her BPitch Control vessel across the rough seas of the music industry for well over a decade now, exploring and defining a playful, pop-oriented side of Berlin techno with an unerring sense of direction.
The programmatically titled 'Werkschau' is first and foremost a statement - the BPitch Control imprint has withstood all changes and transitions, and its current roster of artists, from mainstays like Sascha Funke and Zander VT to new talents like We Love and Aérea Negrot, is perhaps the most coherent and homogeneous one in the label's history.
The compilation opens with newcomer Cormac's 'The Present', a classic BPitch track in its combination of melodic house music and slightly absurd vocals. Ellen Allien follows this up with her own contribution, the organ-grinding 'The Kiss', which should easily prove one of the album's DJ favourites.
Further highlights include Sascha Funke's deep and moody 'Hiddensee' and Paul Kalkbrenner's sentimental folk techno contribution, 'Plätscher'. DJs will be drawn to deep club-ready tracks by Chaim, Mark Broom, and Thomas Muller, while BPitch's more adventurous side is covered by AGF/Delay and Jahcoozi.
Offering 17 unreleased tracks by some of electronic music's finest artists, 'Werkschau' is a remarkable display of creative prowess and shouldn't be missed at any cost.
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TECHNO / HOUSE ESSENTIALS
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Eric Estornel (aka Maetrik)'s house guise has already shown its undeniable deep and soulful properties with his slammer anthem 'Vibe Your Love'. Resonating warmth from the blissful groove in 'You & Me' to the keys and bass of 'Dexter's Flight', with funk-laden 'Love U Mama' on the way. Pure vibing.
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German techno veteran Robert Babicz releases the first full-length on his new Babiczstyle imprint. 'Volume 1' compiles five new tracks and previous vinyl-only material, showcasing his stylistic breadth, from dreamy house to crowd-pleasing techno, and the impeccable production qualities of this experienced player. Solid.
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Compilation released 17-01-2011 on Kompakt
Spanning over a decade, Robag Wruhme's selection for his latest mix CD chimes with his familiar expertise. An impeccable collection with tender moments and glimmering minimal textures, constantly shifting without pushing, it's a gorgeous mix which begs to be put on repeat. Outstanding.
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Excellent retrospective scanning almost 10 years of definitive productions by Kompakt's elusive label co-owner. From the crystalline pop perfection of his unforgettable 'So Weit Wie Noch Nie' to the superior dancefloor precision of 'Nord' and 'We Love' and his recent gem 'So Wird Die Zeit Gemacht'. Timeless.
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7th Sign unearth this brilliantly obscure house music gem from 1990, one of only two releases (presumably) recorded by Gregory Sims and Jennifer Hampton under the G Strings name. Four rough and gritty, yet indescribably funky chitech pearls in the vein of Ron Trent's 'Altered States'. Essential!
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EP released 21-01-2011 on Pomelo
Bad Cop Bad Cop are Heidelberg techno veterans Lopazz and Alex Cortex, and listening to their 'Bad Reputation EP' it seems like they had a lot of fun creating this set of tracks: Both are pure and energetic analogue techno with 'Cherry Tea' riding a nerve-wrecking saw-tooth hook, and 'Life On Stage' being a great bleepy jacker. Recommended!
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EP released 21-01-2011 on Dolly
Another great release on Steffi's Dolly imprint, which is currently on a roll. On the heels of Jacob Korn and Tyrez follows yet another fresh talent, US producer Brooks Mosher, who delivers a stunning four-track EP of deep Detroit-inspired techno and house. Highly recommended throughout!
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The twisted experimental dance sounds of Leipzig's Kassem Mosse just keep getting more brilliant. With his minimalist precision he interjects shuffles and slithers of rhythms gently weaving latest dance mutations from UK, LA & Chicago into a heady dream. Understated as ever, yet extremely deadly!
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'Nature Makes A Mistake' first appeared in 1984 on a cassette compilation of French new wave label Bain Total, and the always great Running Back imprint rightfully resurrected this amazing electro tune! Contemporary remixes come from Jack Plug and Âme, who absolutely kill it with their version. Don't miss!
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Maxi-Single released 31-01-2011 on RAR
'So Wird Die Zeit Gemacht' off Jürgen Paape's recent 'Kompilation' gets a well-deserved single release, its smooth melodic house flow offset by its characteristic German vocals as well as the addition a slamming acid-rave remix of Paape's classic 'Take That' by Volfgang Voigt and Jörg Burger. Hit!
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EP released 25-01-2011 on !K7
Extracting the sexual energy from his 'XXX' album last year, electro-funkomatic 'New Touch' gets thrice reworked. Jimmy Edgar's own version leaves only seething hard edges, whilst one-to-watch Jacques Greene serves up a killer smooth remix and Axiom Crux cranks up a dangerous bass. Suave.
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Champions of dystopic techno, James Ruskin and Regis, have like-minded individual Ben Klock remix their recent outing, 'Post Traumatic Son'. The Ostgut resident delivers three distinct versions of the track - a dogmatic, loopy 'Techno Mix', a 'Wave Mix' adding ambling synths, and the filtered down 'Vibe Mix'. Class.
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Former UR-cohort Rolando graces Berlin's Ostgut Ton with the heavy-duty 'De Cago', utterly commanding with its thumping kicks, dripping metallics and drifting out-of-reach decrees. On the other side, 'Junie' a harrowing glacial ambient jam, which closed Ben Klock's Berghain 04 mix. Weighty.
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Setting the mood for Isolée's full album next week, DJ Koze's Pampa label releases this split single featuring Robag Wruhme. Isolée's 'Taktell' is a quirky, detuned micro-house piece that hits its organ-backed stride at minute three, while Wruhme's 'Thora Vukk' fuses minimal grooves with subtle electronica touches. Excellent.
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Maxi-Single released 31-01-2011 on Protest
Treading the 4/4 kick again albeit in his characteristically innovative and visionary way, Voigt again uses Profan sub-label Protest as his outlet. With sounds from bass to highs eminating from the tuba, his creation is infused with brassy depth in a wonderously unpredictable jazz-folk-techno. For enchanting dancefloors.
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Amazing set of tracks by Arto Mwambe's Phillip Lauer: 'H.R. Boss' is nicely chilled, melodic house track, combining old school beats with uplifting harmonies. For DJs it's all about 'Banned' however - pure hands-in-the-air house music with a high-energy bassline and a monster breakdown. Hit!
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Paul Frick (of Brandt Brauer Frick fame) teams up with British singer Emika for a great piece of idiosyncratic house music with allusions to glitch techno, swing, and UK funky. Dollkraut, Akufen and Finchhatten on remix duties. Recommended.
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Maxi-Single released 21-01-2011 on Telrae
Two perfect dub techno workouts on new Traum sub-label Telrae: Deepchild lives up to his name this time with his deep and echoed dub of his own track, 'Backroom', followed by Stefan Gubatz (Sanomat, DJ.Ungle Fever), who nails it with his version of Tremsch & Metzler's '20 Toes'. Very much recommended.
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Four delightful leftovers of Jay Haze's now demolished Ultradope Syndrome studios in Berlin Mitte where many an honoured guest stepped by. Villalobos' melodic shuffle, slick beats with Reboot, ill Chicago vibes with DJ Sneak and Brett Johnson's bustling percussion, jams with Jay gave masterful results.
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EP released 24-01-2011 on Dial
Pawel aka Paul Kominek's sublime debut album on Dial last year gets some fine reworks. Patrice Scott embellishes a thick warm bass in 'Crillon', Osunlade fills out the energetic 'Panamerican' with a tropical shuffle and John Roberts gives 'Kramnik' his very special glowing bronze touch. Ace remixes.
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Thesongsays label-head Bruno Prosato drops 'Anybody But You', exemplifying his labels approach of minimalistic organic house music with an abstract, lofty jazz groover, not entirely unlike some of Matthew Herbert's productions. 'Feel Right' takes the same line, albeit with a slightly more explicit house beat.
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Copenhagen's Resoe releases his debut full-length on Echocord and his years of mastery are more than apparent. From the snappier 'Nachhall' and 'Mutation' to the smoldering dubbed out 'Demoon' of the forerunner EP and the deep luscious 'Syntax Error', the album gels a perfect balance. Mighty.
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Better known perhaps as half of the 303-mad Acid Junkies, Stefan Robbers releases his third album under his Terrace moniker. As Terrace things are tendentially more spacious and the album sees his melodic techno flourish with rich, warm details. A quality album which feels brilliantly effortless.
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EP released 14-01-2011 on Ware
Mathias Schaffhäuser's excellent live album spawns this EP of select cuts and remixes. Alongside the original live cut from the Ware founder, a stunning reinterpretation by Cologne's wonder-instrumental trio Brandt Brauer Frick appears as well as fine deep reworks from Paulice and Pedramovich. Ace.
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Tiga's 'Love Don't Dance Here Anymore' has this distinct Paperclip People beat that just begged to be remixed by Carl Craig. The Detroit techno maestro heeded the call, and his two epic (12 and 13 minute) wildpitch techno takes are backed by a welcome instrumental of the Moroderish original. Bomb.
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Maxi-Single released 16-01-2011 on Rekids
Once again two dancefloor bombs by Matt Edwards, whose 'Let It Rain' and 'Suffa Groove' each work short, filtered disco loops into drawn out techno arrangements. Reminiscent of the ebb and flow of DJ Duke's original NY tech-house style, this pair of tracks is destined for the dancefloor.
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Maxi-Single released 23-01-2011 on Soma
Named after a little after-hours warehouse venue in Glasgow, Harvey McKay pays his respects to the city's rich techno heritage. 'B Class' thumps along with a classily sculpted directness, hardened a notch with the Jon Virtue remix whilst 'Mind Frame' engulfs with thick staunchy chords. Blinder.
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The third and final single to drop from dOP's 'Greatest Hits' features the daggered jazzy fusion of 'No More Daddy' at the head. Appearing alongside 'Talk Show' and 'U R' from the album is an Âme remix, whose stealthy pulsating rework sees the original vocals held hostage against perky hihats. Nice!
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Maxi-Single released 28-01-2011 on Story
The fifth volume of the anonymous Story series starts out with 'Feel About', a classic house slammer with a minimalistic organ hook and crunchy 909 beats. 'Guteaussichten' has a similarly upfront house beat give way to string opulence, and 'Return' wraps up the EP with a fidgety, shuffling snare groove. Nice one.
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EP released 24-01-2011 on Cómeme
Argentine producer Ana Helder drops her debut EP via the fine Cómeme imprint. Six rough and dirty tracks taking inspiration from 1990s underground Chicago jacks, and featuring an additional remix by Cómeme label director, Matias Aguayo. Nice one!
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Toronto-based James Teej serves up this smooth and satisfying EP on Composite. With breathy, hypnotic vocals over the cosmic bending synths of the title track to a deep groover remix from Jef K & Gwen Maze and ending on the pensive, wondering layers of 'Lost it all', it's an all round sweet fix.
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Glasgow's Gary Beck (Soma, Edit Select) steps up the intensity with his absurdly energetic 'Yes!'. The track's incessantly pounding drum rolls should suffice to drive any dancefloor into submission, while Yousef (Cocoon, Renaissance) provides a more playful remix. Big tune.
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EP released 09-01-2011 on Rekids
Nina Kraviz's impeccable second single on Rekids sees 'I'm Week' a wholly tempting dreamy house groove lapping around a midnight vocal and 'Tanya' a hushed swirling tech-bumper. Digital release is graced with six remixes of her previous single, attaining deep and delicious layers. Spot on.
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Vienna-based Joyce Muniz dishes out deeper house vibes for her latest EP on Exploited. The original is awash with a dreamy teasing house groove and honeyed cut-up vocals which is lusciously disco-dazzled by Mr. Ho and superbly broken up with a flawless Cosmin TRG treatment. Recommended!
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Ahead of his debut album 'Alive', Chaim releases this bittersweet atmospheric house single on BPitch. Title track 'U & Eye' grooves mysteriously with an eerie hovering vocal, whilst 'Don't Shout' and 'Everything' utilise rising and falling rave emotions, oozing deep Chicago soul. Excellent.
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Maxi-Single released 07-01-2011 on Aim
Following up his outstanding debut album on Smallville, Christopher Rau releases this exquisite three-tracker on Aim. The haunted jazzy groove of 'Stockings' is grounded by the sultry shimmy of a collaboration with Jacques Bon 'Anita Niesz' and the deep percussive energy of 'Hollywood Flu'. Divine.
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London-based techno veteran Kirk Degiorgio continues his long-practiced proficiency for earnest, enduring techno. The three original tracks do this masterfully with the remix by Abstract Souls stepping up industrial intensity and Conforce forming a squashy dub-inflected treat. Quality.
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DUBSTEP / HIP HOP / 2STEP ESSENTIALS
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EP released 31-01-2011 on OBJEKT
Dark and feisty release from a mysterious Objekt. 'The Goose That Got Away' sees a delicious bouncing bass toed to the line by agile 808s whilst 'Tinderbox' drives cavernously deeper with a thunderous bass and spine-tingling synth arpeggios ideal for quaking dancefloors. Epic forward-thinking bass music.
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Two extraordinary tracks by current hotshot xxxy on Doc Daneeka's Ten Thousand Yen imprint: 'You Always Start It' and 'Ordinary Things' build on Joy Orbison's euphoric dubstep formula, with straightened beats, spluttering synths, and lush pads lending a unique and truly anthemic quality to them both. Recommended.
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In preparation of his forthcoming album Siriusmo drops this huge single: 'Feromonikon' is a massive banger, much in the vein of his buddies Modeselektor's 'Black Block', while 'Signal' highlights Siriusmo's more melodic side with a sugar-sweet snare-roll anthem. Check!
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Alix Perez steps into his Arp.101 guise for this fresh offering of neon-coloured downbeat experiments. Title track 'Flush' contrasts a dubstep rhythm with arpeggiated chiptune sounds, 'Korg-A-Tron' has a massive bass gel together a stumbling groove, and 'Ac!d' introduces electro-funk stabs atop a wobbly bassline. Fresh.
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Debut release of Montreal's bright young bass talent Lunice explodes with dynamic hip-hop derived beats and driving synth-lines. Guest appearance from Troy Dunnit (of Obscure Disorder), a mega-slaying remix by Rustie and fine effort from Barcelona-based Noaipre complete. Blistering.
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Up and coming Leeds-based producer Jamie Grind presents his own take on Chicago's footworking styles. Across the EP's four tracks - including a collab with fellow hotshot Hackman - Grind contrasts his uptempo bassdrum breaks with classic house chords, funky licks and soulful garage vocals. Fresh and recommended.
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EP released 11-01-2011 on BBE
Hard-hitting new single from South African bass enigma and former Sweat.X frontman Spoek Mathambo featuring Canadian singer Zaki Ibrahim. The slick and sexy neo-dub party groove with Spoek's virtuoso MC talents is given several prime reworks, Scratcha DVA's absolutely ripping it. Peak!
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Maxi-Single released 17-01-2011 on PTN
With a full album on the way, Ben Hackman forges ahead with another sturdy funky and UKG infused house gem on PTN. 'Made Up My Mind' smacks it with a dangerously mobilising bassline contouring funky rhythms and 'Bam Bam' winds with mesmerising vocals, bristling sensual synth washes. Class.
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ELECTRONICA / AMBIENT ESSENTIALS
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Seminal UK electronic act Seefeel return fifteen years after their last LP with Mark Clifford and Sarah Peacock joined by Shigeru Ishihara (DJ Scotch Egg) on bass and E-Da (Boredoms) on drums. Their definitive luscious sound reaches new terrain with the new members. Lusciously complex and a very fine album.
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Compilation released 31-01-2011 on Kompakt
Kompakt's annual Pop Ambient compilation appears with many of the usual suspects and a few newcomers this year. Highlight tracks include a collaboration between Carsten Nicolai and Blixa Bargeld, a dreamy excursion by Bhutan Tiger Rescue (Ewan Pearson & October) and an elusive Crato. Divine.
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One of the stand out tracks of Luke Abbot's 'Holkham Drones' album sees a single release, including remixes by RocketNumberNine and DFA's Gavin Russom. Abbott fans will be further pleased by the inclusion of a new track, the grouchy dancefloor stomper 'A Caucus Race'.
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Elusive heroes of audio engineering nsi aka Tobias Freund and Max Loderbauer release the follow up to 2007's 'Plays Non Standards'. Their minimalist approach, accentuating the minutest nuances of their chosen analogue gear throughout the 24 tracks produces beautifully organic results. Awe-inspiring.
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A massive 30 track retrospective of 10 years of Ghostly's diverse output featuring all label mainstays like Matthew Dear, Gold Panda and Shigeto, as well as two sweet new cuts - by newcomer Com Truise and a Daniel Wang remix by Diskjokke.
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Maxi-Single released 31-01-2011 on Profan
Continually surprising his fans with his experimental output, Mr Voigt's latest single shows two contrasting faces. The delicate orchestral and ambient soundscape of 'Ruckverzauberung' is abstracted and magical whilst 'Du Musst Nichts Sagen' blends pneumatic electronics with a war-like symphonic build up.
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Brilliant new EP by Mika Vainio with a solemn 17-minute exploration of feedbacked guitar notes as its title track. 'Anksiolyytti' and 'Hikari' are more canonical Vainio compositions of sine pulses and polychromatic harmonies, while 'Ensimmäinen Valo' evokes beatless Detroit techno. Amazing release.
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Album released 14-01-2011 on Lidar
Starkly beautiful album by UK's Chris Hooson aka Dakota Suite and Italy's Emanuele Errante. Simple and honest, yet tender and profound pieces which masterfully weave piano, guitar and string fragments to create a stunning and emotive album.
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Ghostly remaster and reissue the much hyped first EP of New Jersey bedroom producer Seth Haley a.k.a. Com Truise. Beefed up with four bonus tracks, 'Cyanide Sisters' is an impressive album of slow-motion synth funk, with influences raging from gristly electronica to 1980s wave pop. Recommended.
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Neo Ouija returns with the third album of Berlin-based coposer and sound designer Tilman Ehrhorn, eight years after his debut, 'Task', for Mille Plateux. Ten tracks of exquisite instrumental glitch hop, with lush, laid-back pads betraying Ehrhorn's background as a jazz saxophonist. Recommended.
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Canadian Mark Templeton further explores his glorius soundscapes with his latest EP, fusing plucked guitar motifs and hazy electronic effects. Alongside three tracks taken from his 'Inland' album, the three new tracks elaborate in exquisitely disparate directions. Dreamy.
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The Viennese Duo 505 Bernhard Fleischmann and Herbert Weixelbaum asked themselves the question 'Waltz or not?' and appeared with this highly enjoyable electronic and instrumental fusion, extrapolating far from the Roland-505 in their name. Intricate and evocative with an opulent improvisational feel.
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Rotterdam's Roswell Return provide the soundtrack to 'Roadworkers', an narrationless documentary on the daily work of Dutch roadmen. Roswell Return's drexciyan techno dub and Debbie Kleijn' beautifully filmed images come together as a unique work of realistic art. This video edition includes both the movie and the full album.
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ALTERNATIVE / POP / DISCO ESSENTIALS
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British art-rock four-piece Fujiya & Miyagi release their fourth full-length, 'Ventriloquizing', a tight blend of post-krautrock and dance pop influences, with Suicide-inspired organ fuzz lending a lush texture to songs like 'Yoyo' and 'Tinsel & Glitter'. Fine album.
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One of this winter's most peculiar releases was certainly David Lynch's foray into vocoded electro pop with 'Good Day Today'. Backed by the more Lynchian slo-mo grunge of 'I Know', both tracks receive an all-star remix treatment by the likes of Underworld, Sasha, Boys Noize, Diskjokke, Skream, and Jon Hopkins.
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Brighton collective The Go! Team's fusion of hip hop, funk, soul, noise pop and garage rock spawns a third album, and as could be expected it is as eclectic as it can get, with party-starting tracks like the Beasty Boy-esque 'T.O.R.N.A.D.O' alternating with psych-pop like 'Ready To Go Steady' and soul anthems like 'Bust-Out Brigade'.
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DMX Krew joins the Permanent Vacation camp for 'The Game', an unashamed reverence of 1980s synth-pop and proto acid house. The title track's two mixes are complemented by the Moroderesque 'Disco Theme' and the electro-funk of 'Taking Your Own Advice'. Sugar sweet and candy-coated.
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The dreamy Finnish electro-pop duo get remixed on Tiga's Turbo label. The piano-led 'Running On' is drowned in dynamic thumping electro by Kebacid (Jesper Dahlbäck & Jori Hulkkonen), whilst Hulkkonen takes on the italo-esque 'All The Days' and imbues it with soaring synth deepness. Awe-some.
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Digging even further into their famous crates, Honest Jon's pull out this stunning collection of tracks to compliment the recent 'Something Is Wrong' release of songs from East Africa. Hailing from even earlier, these recordings are rawer and even more shrouded in mystery. Exquisite.
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