your electronic music reference
Artist: Bastian Bux
Title: Transition EP
Remixer: [Wex 10] Label: Terminal M
Cat. #: TERM180
Release Date: 16.04.2020
Tracklist:
A1: Bastian Bux – Transition
A2: Bastian Bux – Monad ([Wex 10] Remix)
B1: Bastian Bux – Monad (Original)
B2: Bastian Bux – Duality
Terminal M welcomes Bastian Bux and [Wex 10]! The combination of Bastian’s grooving tracks and the banging remix of [Wex 10] delivers great tunes for every moment on the dancefloor.
Artist: Phaeleh
Title: Embers
Label: Undertow
Cat. #: UNDRTW007/UNDRTW12007
Format: Vinyl & Digital
Release Date: 3rd April 2020
Tracklist:
Long-time Bristol innovator Phaeleh is back with more of his genre-blurring sounds, once again on his own Undertow label.
Since his debut release in 2008, Phaeleh aka Matt Preston has developed an inimitable style of cinematic electronic music, which floats between the shifting tempos and timbres of dubstep, garage, electronica and house music. Phaeleh’s large catalogue of epic releases have cemented his position as one of the most exciting and consistent producers to emerge from his current hometown, Bristol. Phaeleh has a busy touring schedule seeing him DJ and playing live all over Europe and North America in addition to releasing various long players and singles on his Undertow imprint.
Opener ‘Moving On’ is a deep and moody piece of ambient laced but rhythmic bass music. The synths are gorgeous and the keys celestial as you float through the cosmos on a wave of subtle joy. ‘Spellbound’ has the angelic vocals of Amy Kirkpatrick drifting above Phaeleh’s brilliantly weightless drums and deft synth motifs, while ‘Unity’ is a more propulsive track with a skeletal garage beat, humid atmosphere and distant pads all getting you into a dream state while you dance.
Kirkpatrick reappears on ‘Floods’ with more of her sensuous vocal whispers. A rugged arp props up the track, which rolls at an invitingly slow tempo and pulls you deep into the mix. ‘When You Left’ gets dark, with organic drum sounds and sombre chord sweeps all making for an emotionally heavy mood, but ‘Halo’ then lifts your spirits with its harmonic hang drum sounds casting you afloat once again. Closer ‘Solace in Tomorrow’ layers up twinkling keys with gentle synth washes that are contemplative and beautiful in equal measure.
Artist: Mind Against
Title: Walking Away
Label: Afterlife Recordings
Cat. #: AL035
Format: 12″ vinyl and digital
Release Date: 13-3-2020
Tracklist
A Walking Away
B Bloom
Mind Against are back on Afterlife with two emotive, dancefloor masterpieces. ‘Walking Away’, featuring the deeply-affecting vocals of Port St. Willow, centers around uplifting harmonic elements and a resonant drum pattern. It strikes that special balance of light and dark which makes Mind Against’s tracks uniquely cathartic. ‘Bloom’ is more a melancholy, downtempo interpretation of their vision. The percussion is restrained and sits deep below atmospheric pads and piano chords, eventually arriving at a gradual and subtle peak. Mind Against reach euphoric heights once again, though this time by a patient and reflective path.
Artist: Alan Hides
Title: Sylence
Remixer: Scott Kemp
Label: Music Related
Cat. # : MRR059
Format: Digital
Release Date: 06/04/2020
Tracklist:
A1. Sylence
A2. Blue Sunday
B1. Twosouls
B2: Sylence (Scott Kemp Remix)
After his first release on Whoyostro, Alan focused much more on creating something even more personal, which defines himself for the artist he is.
The EP contains three different moods, “Sylence” the first and main track, is an energetic rhythm made by recording different drum machines and swinging percussion. The emotional pieces of breakdowns characterize a lot of this track, in short a track to let the dancefloor be carried away. The second track is “Blue Sunday ”, which is characterized by shuffling drums, crunchy stabs, pads and a warm female voice. The name of this track is given by the fact that Sunday is the day he feels really comfortable to produce, he said “all people are happy, it’s weekend, no stress… and out it’s a sunny sunday, this thing influence me and my creativity and my music much more” The last track is “Twosouls” he chose it because it fits perfectly to close this music journey, characterized by ambient pads in the background, but at the same time has a taste of the 90’s dance music mold, can be deduced from the vocal characterizing it in the second breakdown of the song.
A promising young talent from Italy on a blossoming UK label.
Artist: Manolo Bronson & Zoka
Title: Mostly Blue
Label: Stripped Down
Cat. #: STRD012
Release Date: 27th March 2020
Tracklist:
1. Mostly Blue
2. Bezimena
3. Mostly Blue (Re.You Remix)
4. Bezimena (Elias (GER) Remix)
Stripped down welcome the dual talents of Manolo Bronson & Zoka for two new tracks that come with remixes from Berlin favourites Re.You and Elias (GER).
Over the last two decades, Manolo Bronson and Zoka have been brought together through mutual musical development. Whilst Manolo came from jazz music and played bass in bands, Zoka was a DJ, producer and party host. As of the early 2000s they both met in an artist collective and started to play and work together and soon founded the record label Bespmusic. Besides there, they have released on imprints like Exploited Records, Parquet Recordings and Sinnmusik,
They kick off this excellent EP with ‘Mostly Blue’, a deep house track with lush chord riffs that keep you in suspense as the grooves travel onwards and upwards. ‘Bezimena’ is another warm and supple groove with mystery in the lead synth lines that drift way up top. Meanwhile, the organic drums keep you rooted to the floor and locked in the magical moment.
First remixer Re.You is Marius Maier, who is in charge of his own Younion label and continues to innovate with his edgy house and tech productions on labels like Mobilee and Moon Harbour. His take on ‘Mostly Blue’ has vocals added and the leads drawn out over a breakdown so that when the drums drop, hands will go in the air.
Elias hails from Thuringia, Germany and leans heavily on the power of the voice, real drums, percussion and African sounds on labels like Get Physical, MoBlack and Connected. His version of ‘Bezimena’ is excellently subtle and slowly casts a spell with its prickly percussion and lush synth work.
This is another fantastic four tracker of emotive, musical house.
Artist: Mihai Popoviciu
Title: Somehow
Label: Gruuv
Cat. #: GRU103
Format: Digital
Release Date: 27th March 2020
Tracklist
Audiojack welcome back Mihai Popoviciu to Gruuv as he delivers ‘Somehow’ to close March.
Romania’s Mihai Popoviciu is a name synonymous within the musical worlds of house and minimal across the globe, with his slick blend of restrained yet impactful productions combined with an effortless style within the booth taking him from notable venues including S.A.S.H in Sydney to fabric in London and Kater Blau, Berlin in the past few months alone. A regular on the likes of Poker Flat, Inermu and Bondage Music, whilst also releasing a string of stand-out EP’s via his own Cyclic Records, Popoviciu now delivers his first full EP on Gruuv having featured on the label in late-2018 to remix fellow house-favourite James Dexter as he reveals his latest three track EP entitled ‘Somehow’.
Title cut ‘Somehow’ gets things moving as Popoviciu goes to work fusing simmering acid lines with infectious vocal hooks and trademark slinking rhythms, whilst ‘Dublearic Rhythm’ takes a more paired-back approach utisiling dubbed out chords and slick percussion arrangements throughout. Closing, ‘Right Side’ pairs further impressive chord work with bumping sub-bass to shape up yet another quality outing on Gruuv from one of Romania’s finest house talents.
Artist: Various
Tracks by: Josh Butler, Demuir, Flashmob, Michel de Hey & JPA
Title: This Is ORIGINS, Vol. 1
Label: ORIGINS RCRDS
Cat. #: ORIGINS024
Format: Digital
Release Date: 20th March 2020
Tracklist
ORIGINS RCRDS unveils a brand-new series this March entitled ‘This Is ORIGINS’ as label boss Josh Butler welcomes Demuir, Flashmob, Michel de Hey and JPA for Volume 1.
Founded in late-2016, Josh Butler’s ORIGINS RCRDS imprint continues to go from strength to strength as one of house music’s most consistent and impressive growing labels, welcoming the likes of Kerri Chandler, Groove Armada and Richy Ahmed through to rising talents including ANOTR, Ben Rau and Dennis Quin across the catalogue to date. Having closed the year with the debut of Butler’s own Timezones series, early 2020 will also welcome a second new addition to the label’s output as we see the launch of a new various artist series entitled ‘This Is ORIGINS’, with the first instalment welcoming a debut collaboration between Demuir and Butler himself, plus three label debuts from Flashmob, Michel de Hey and JPA.
Butler kicks things off alongside rising Toronto talent Demuir as they deliver the slick ‘Tropicana’, a slinking house cut guided by blossoming melodies, bumping bass licks and icy hats throughout. Next, Flashmob delivers the first of three label debuts with ‘The Island’, a driving production armed with crisp snares and distorted vocal snippets, whilst Michael de Hey’s lively ‘Garyamoi’ sees the introduction of rich chord stabs atop of rolling organic percussion to great effect. To close, rising Melbourne talent JPA reveals his contribution ‘Here Now’ – a dubby closer fusing bright synth lines and further resonant vocals to wrap things up in impressive fashion.
Artist: Christian Patti
Title: Sequences EP
Label: Amber Recordings
Cat. #: AR057
Release Date: 2020-03-23
Tracklist:
Sequences (Original Mix)
Passenger (Original Mix)
Drone (Original Mix)
He was one of the first artists ever on Amber Recordings and has always found his way with his productions on our lovely Imprint. Now he is with a new EP at the start and it has absolutely in itself.
While “Sequences” is a real melodic techno bomb, the other two Trackz are more in the genre “Electronica”. Also indicative that Amber is not afraid to go new ways and for those who are in Breakbeat or Downtempo Beatz, these two productions are definitely an absolute must
Nice that he has found his way back to Amber and he will surely increase his fanbase with this EP. In this sense welcome back: Christian Patti
Artist: Anil Aras
Title: The Lost Projects EP
Label: Madhouse Records
Cat. #: KCTDL1194
Format: Digital
Release Date: 13th March 2020
Tracklist
1. Mad Houz
2. Need da Bass
3. Free Your Mind
4. Adara
Anil Aras debuts on Madhouse Records this March as he unveils his new EP, ‘The Lost Projects’.
Netherlands based DJ and producer Anil Aras has been gaining recognition for his Phreaks of Visions project over the last year alongside musical partner Lockland, but is probably best known for his stellar solo material on labels such as Hot Haus, SlapFunk Records and Beste Freunde. As a DJ he has played across the globe alongside key sets within Amsterdam at the likes of Shelter, BRET and Thuishaven, as well as featuring as a regular at both ANOTR’s No Art events and as a key member of the SlapFunk family. He now debuts on Madhouse Records with a standout four track EP entitled ‘The Lost Projects’ featuring his own unique take on house music.
Appropriately titled lead cut ‘Mad Houz’ opens proceedings with a heads-down, rolling groove that perfectly sets the tone, before ‘Need Da Bass’ journeys into classic deep house territories with a rough and raw rhythm track lifted by loose percussion, subtle keys and soulful vocal snippets. Next, ‘Free Your Mind’ is a deep and smooth house affair fueled by soothing chords and a spoken word vocal refrain, leading into the EP closer ‘Adara’ – a stripped back production that marries delicate synth lines with icy snares to great effect.
Artist: Various
Title: Default Position Associates Vol 1
Tracks by : Sebastian Mullaert, Charlie Thorstenson, El Choop & Tim Gee, Monophona, Zirni Joseph S Joyce, Daniel[i], Altone, Vidno, Skwirl, Deepcut and Gilberto
Label: Default Position
Format: Digital
Release Date: March 20, 2020
Default Position releases new VA compilation “Default Position Associates Vol 1.” Featuring: Sebastian Mullaert, Charlie Thorstenson, El Choop & Tim Gee, Monophona, Zirni Joseph S Joyce, Daniel[i], Altone, Vidno, Skwirl, Deepcut and Gilberto.
Across the compilation, you will hear a broad cross-section of emotive dance music, from classic dub techno, through to deep house and downbeat electronica; crafted by some of the label’s best-loved constellations.
Default Position has been running as a label for a few years now. Over that time a beautiful collective of artists has developed within the roster. Most of these artists know each other and are often inspired by one another’s work. The ‘Default Position Associates Vol. 1’ compilation is a perfect vehicle with which to share the natural collaboration and creativity of these individuals and bring them together under one release.