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Deepak Sharma ‘Bedlam’

Artist: Deepak Sharma
Title: Bedlam
Remixer: NX1
Label: Hidden Recordings
Cat. #: [043HR] Release Date: 16th March 2020
Format: Vinyl & Digital
Tracklist:
1. Bedlam
2. Bedlam (NX1 Remix)
3. Psychosis
4. Mania

Deepak Sharma unleashes his most intense work to date on Hidden Recordings: Bedlam is a forceful, punishing and sinister EP with a remix from NX1.

This EP marks Hidden boss Deepak’s most ambitious material to date as he continues to find his voice as a producer, and his interpretation of dark techno, stripped down, powerfully effective grooves through stark minimalism. Over his career he has always been known for a cerebral approach to music, as well as his thrilling sets alongside the likes of Ben Klock, Ben Sims, DVS1, Oscar Mulero and SNTS, amongst many others.

Side A here begins with the brilliant ‘Bedlam’ prodding the senses through coarse textures, distorted tones and a steadfast groove to keep energy at a feverish pace and propel the mind into hysteria. NX1 is one of Sharma’s favourite producers and came to the international techno scene with the release of their first record on their own label in late 2011. It led to demand for more on Semantica, Modularz and M_Rec. Ltd with support from Oscar Mulero, Kirk Degiorgio and Terence Fixmer. Their live sessions display a wide variety of styles and this remix is savage anarchy, shocking the body into madness and raw anger. Listen closely and you’ll hear the wails for help trying to escape the harrowing chamber of torment and terror.

Side B begins with ‘Psychosis’ which manoeuvres through stark minimalism with subtle fluctuations of perpetual motion liberating the mind from captivity. The excellent ‘Mania’ uses pounding grooves to occupy a cavernous space, evoking wild images of inmates conquering an asylum with no rules nor restrictions in conflict; aggressive in rebellion with nothing to lose and ominous consequences.

 

 

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HYTE debuts in Düsseldorf in May

HYTE DEBUTS IN DÜSSELDORF
Fresh from the success of its flagship HYTE NYE event, the Berlin-based underground events crew prepares for its first-ever Düsseldorf event on May 2nd, 2020. Charlotte De Witte, Kobosil, Josh Wink, and Anfisa Letyago are amongst the first to be announced for an event to take place at Stahlwerk, one of the most iconic inner-city industrial locations that Düsseldorf has to offer.
HYTE doesn’t do things in halves, so its debut Düsseldorf event is pulling out all the stops. This starts with the assortment of artists, with the organizers assembling one of its trademark, carefully-curated lineups that bring the underground elite together with hyped newcomers.
Belgian techno titan Charlotte De Witte will be welcomed back after her tremendous closing set at HYTE NYE Berlin, while established favorites like Josh Wink and Anfisa Letyago shall also ensure that unmistakable HYTE energy makes its way to Düsseldorf.
Meanwhile, one of techno’s fastest-rising stars Kobosil is set for his anticipated debut for the HYTEcrew. Expect many more of techno’s finest, with a full lineup announcement coming soon.
Location wise, HYTE has selected a location that’s played a crucial role in the city’s underground nightlife since the early days of rave. A huge inner-city venue that sports the same industrial flair that defines the formidable Shedhalle that hosts HYTE NYE in Berlin, the Düsseldorf event takes place across an indoor warehouse and a gorgeous open-air space. It’s set to kick-off while the sun is shining, it’ll extend well into the night in proper HYTE style.
HYTE DÜSSELDORF
Saturday May 2nd 2020, 14:00
Stahlwerk Düsseldorf, Ronsdorfer Str. 134, 40233 Düsseldorf, Germany
Line Up Phase 1: Charlotte De Witte, Kobosil, Josh Wink, Anfisa Letyago
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Tableland ‘My Dreams Are Slowly Dying’

Artist: Tableland
Title: My Dreams Are Slowly Dying
Label: Tableland
Cat. #: TABLELAND02
Format: Vinyl & Digital
Release Date: 13th March 2020
Tracklist:

  1. My Dreams Are Slowly Dying
  2. Pyramid Scheme
  3. Charlie + Suzie
  4. This Must Be The Place
  5. Wormwood

The man behind The Girls of the Internet returns to his techno-leaning alias with five resounding cuts entitled ‘My Dreams Are Slowly Dying’.

Following Tableland’s debut release at the end of the decade that picked up support from the likes of DJ Bone, Danny Daze, Laurent Garnier, Jon Hester and Nemone on BBC 6 Music, the Girls of the Internet producer re-joins his self-titled imprint in 2020. The Girls Of The Internet continue to feed their superb reputation of delivering funk-fuelled electronics that draws inspiration from a variety of electronic music styles from the last 40 years.

‘My Dreams Are Slowly Dying’ kicks things off with pulsating kicks, undulant euphoria in the form of dreamy leads and stabbing melodies that fluctuate throughout. ‘Pyramid Scheme’ surges into squeaky modulations, jazzy tones and funky atmospherics that rolls with vibrant energy while ‘Charlie + Suzie’ offers up shuffling rhythms, subdued yet emotive synths underneath clattering highs and snares that get introduced in the latter stages.

Flowing grooves, a sultry sax line and inviting soulful elements take the focus in ‘This Must Be The Place’ before ‘Wormwood’ rounds off the enchanting EP with a calming house cut harmonising together exquisite keys, deep bass vibrations and uplifting oscillations which carry you away until the end.

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Concourse At Depot new names

CONCOURSE AT DEPOT, MAYFIELD ANNOUNCE AVA x ZUTEKH AND CHARLOTTE DE WITTE SHOWS FOR THEIR 2020 SERIES CLOSING PARTIES
Concourse At Depot, Mayfield closes down its impressive run of shows with three massive announcements.
Irish party starters AVA join forces with Manchester’s very own Zutekh for an unmissable night featuring Motor City Drum Ensemble, Young Marco, Chaos In The CBD, Marion Hawkes and more on 3rd April, whilst Belgian superstar Charlotte De Witte takes over the hallowed Concourse stage on 11th April.
Also announced are dynamic trio Mason Collective , flanked by wAFF, Rich NXT, Rossi. and Reme + Renko, for a night of high-energy house music and infectious grooves on 10th April.
Concourse At Depot
Depot has provided Manchester with countless musical moments and highlights throughout the last WHP season, with one of the stand out new stages being Concourse at Depot.
The Concourse room will be home to a number of intimate ‘Concourse Only’ club shows that are running from 29th January until Easter weekend. This period is a limited run of shows from the most forward-thinking promoters around the city.
This series will feature a number of showcases, extended sets and artist curated line-ups with more shows set to be announced.
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Tickets and info:
 AVA x Zutekh – http://bit.ly/2T1H9aG
Charlotte De Witte – http://bit.ly/2I3Z8qo
Mason Collective – http://bit.ly/388kZYl
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ADE gears up for 25th edition

Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), the world’s leading conference and festival for electronic music and its associated industries, is gearing up for its 25th anniversary edition which will take place from 21st to 25th October 2020. As part of the celebration, the organisation is taking the ADE Pro conference back to its “home base”, Felix Meritis on the Amsterdam canals.

Between 1999 and 2016, eighteen editions of the ADE conference were hosted at Felix Meritis. While the venue was closed to undergo major renovations, the organisation found a temporary home in DeLaMar Theater near the popular Leidseplein.

“Felix Meritis is one of the most iconic cultural landmarks on the Amsterdam canals. Hosting ADE at such a location has made it possible for the event to develop and grow into the gathering it is today” states Meindert Kennis, director of ADE. “The result of Felix’s renovation is absolutely spectacular and its re-opening couldn’t come at a better moment. It enables us to return to our “home base” for our 25th birthday, which makes this edition extra special” adds co-director Jan-Willem van de Ven.

Since its start in 1996, Amsterdam Dance Event has grown into the leading global gathering for electronic music minds, artists, industry leaders, academics, upcoming talent and fans. Where it once began as a conference in one venue attended by 300 delegates and 30 performing DJs spread over three locations, ADE currently attracts over 400,000 people and features an extensive day and night programme of over 1,000 events, showcasing 2,500 artists and 600 speakers across 200 venues. During ADE the city of Amsterdam lives and breathes electronic music for five days.

Early Bird ADE Pro Passes giving access to the complete day & night program of ADE’s 25th edition are now available here: www.amsterdam-dance-event.nl/en/tickets

More news about ADE’s Conference and Festival program, confirmed speakers and artists will follow soon. In the meantime you can find all ADE updates here: www.amsterdam-dance-event.nl/en/news

About ADE Pro Conference
ADE Pro is the annual business gathering for the global electronic music industry. The three-day conference for music professionals runs from Wednesday through Friday and features dedicated programming covering subjects from marketing, publishing and bookings to sustainability, social change and mental health. The additional ADE Beats & ADE Green tracks serve as a focused enrichment to the conference program, and an abundance of networking opportunities with fellow ADE delegates and industry leaders provides an advantageous base for dealmaking and career advancement.

About ADE
The Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), an initiative of Buma, has grown into the world’s largest and most influential club-based festival and conference for electronic music. The event continues to grow and develop each year, with last year’s edition featuring over 2,500 artists and 600 speakers in almost 200 venues. The five-day event attracts visitors from over 146 countries and features every conceivable aspect of electronic music culture, with dedicated conference programming, an extensive arts & culture program, live music and DJ/artist performances, all spread across the city of Amsterdam. More information about ADE can be found here.

ADE – Electronic Music Gathers Here
The Amsterdam Dance Event is organized by The Amsterdam Dance Event Foundation.
Founding partner: Buma
Main partners: Heineken 0.0 | Desperados

HE ‘Sometimes + / Sometimes x’

Artist: HE
Title: Sometimes + / Sometimes x
Label: Blumoog Codec
Cat. #: Blugcodec 011

HE appears with his 1st released EP in Blumoog. This release is a story about his life and his mind. HE is trying to fight for better world by music. All his music is focused on acid from several sources, connected by loads of harmony. “Sometimes +” and “Sometimes x” are tracks about hard working, sometimes fast, sometimes slow. With multiple beliefs. These tracks are acidic stories about giving an energy from the Earth to heaven and taking it back where the world needs it. Something like a circulation. “Better World” is a happy and strong result of this work. The results that HE reads in newspapers and weather forecasts every day. And also this is his favourite tune from this EP. “After work” is a lovely, lazy, housy, melodic with some crazy and chaotic, sweetie notes. Perfect before going sleep. Like a lullaby. Because Jesus was communist, politicians are not so smart and green is a new red.

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Alexander Church ‘Exploring Fear & Sadness Part 1’

Artist: Alexander Church
Title: Exploring Fear & Sadness Part 1
Remixer: James Welsh
Label: Configurations of Self
Cat. #: Config 006
Release Date: 10th March 2020
Tracklist:
1. Grief & Loss
2. Grief & Loss (James Welsh Version)
3. Conditions Of Worth
4. Conditions Of Worth (James Welsh Version)

Alexander Church continues to establish his vital Configurations of Self label with a new collaborative project with James Welsh.

Church is an adventurous artist who has been in the scene since the mid-nineties. He has made everything from melodic soundscapes to industrial techno under a range of aliases and always draws inspiration from his own deep thinking and desire to tell a personal story. This new project is an introduction to a series of collaborations between Church and Welsh. This is Part 1, with Part 2 coming a month later and two further EPs later in 2020 which will aim to highlight PTSD through music and a VR experience.

“Each track in this series aims to propel the listener into different thoughts and experiences aimed at exploring our own fears and sadness” says Church

The EP opens with ‘Grief & Loss’, a superb piece of elegant techno with lithe synths, cosmic chord sweeps and the sort of late night energy that defines early Detroit sounds. It is musical techno of the highest order.

James Welsh has been making inventive electronic sounds on labels like Phantasy Sounds, among others for many years. He always layers up enveloping bass and skyward synths into highly intoxicating and avant garde tracks. Here he reworks ‘Grief & Loss’ into a cosmic techno adventure with hi-tek soul and intricately layered synths all soaring and gliding.

‘Conditions Of Worth’ then builds up bleeping synth sounds into molten layers of Millsian techno that will carry you deep in on yourself to ruminate. It’s timeless techno that oozes class. Welsh’s version is more uptempo, with skittish lines shooting about the mix over cantering, rubbery drums that get you into a real state of hypnosis.

Once again here, Configurations of Self offers up thought-provoking techno from the very sharp end.

 

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Slam ‘Inversions EP’

Artist: Slam
Title: Inversions EP
Label: Soma Records
Cat. #: SOMA570
Date: 9th March 2020
Tracklist:
1. Inversion
2. Primative Shift
3. Container
4. Zero Dip

Slam return to Soma in overwhelmingly top form with their latest release, the Inversion EP. After the release and finalisation of their Archive Edits project at the tail end of 2019, the dynamic Glaswegian duo set about working on new, original material, culminating in this expertly produced 4 track EP in which the pair really work through their peak time Techno material.
Title track Inversion has them with the foot firmly on the gas as relentless percussion drives atop a warping and tripped out synth hook. Primitive Shift edges more on an acid tip as a jacked up 909 beat thunders behind a pulsating 303 sound. Container continues the jacked up feeling with the pair really working up the distortion on the 909 beats, this time increasing the overall pace of the track with a turbo charged, rave powered sequence. Closing out the EP, Zero Dip doesn’t have the duo letting up on intensity as a more industrial vibe is prevalent throughout, created by searing drones and tough atmospherics moving across pounding drums.

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Dennis Quin ‘House Is Love EP’

Artist: Dennis Quin
Title: House Is Love EP
Label: ORIGINS RCRDS
Cat. #: ORIGINS023
Format: Digital
Release Date: 28th February 2020
Tracklist:
1. House Is Love
2. Busted
3. Village Groove
4. Duna

Dennis Quin debuts on ORIGINS RCRDS to open the label’s 2020 schedule with ‘House Is Love’.

As we enter into a new decade, 2020 looks set welcome a big twelve months for rising talent Dennis Quin, with a string of notable releases and high-profile collaborations on the horizon for the Amsterdam based DJ and producer. A regular on Kerri Chandler’s Madhouse imprint, and with further material on the likes of Snatch!, Circus Recordings and Rejected, the Dutch talent looks set to build on previous support from the likes of Joris Voorn and Groove Armada to Laurent Garnier and Catz ‘n Dogz, and start the year in style as he touches down on Josh Butler’s ORIGINS RCRDS for the very first time with a fresh four-tracker entitled ‘House Is Love’ to close February.

Title cut ‘House Is Love’ opens proceedings in silky slick fashion as Quin works rich chords, skipping hats and soulful vocals to reveal a bright and lively slice of house music, before ‘Busted’ switches things up and introduces jacking drums and buming bass licks underneath off-kilter bleeps and sporadic samples throughout. Next up, ‘Village Groove’ sees slick percussion arrangements alongside jazz-tinged lead melodies and further vocal work, with the up-front ‘Duna’ closing the package in style via a series of snaking basslines and soaring synths.

 

 

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Le Croque ‘Melancholia’

Artist: Le Croque
Title: Melancholia
Remixer: Themba
Label: Connected
Cat. #: connected050
Format: vinyl, digital
Release Date: 28th February 2020
Tracklist:
1. Melancholia feat. HRRSN
2. Melancholia feat. HRRSN (Dub)
3. Melancholia feat. HRRSN (Themba Remix)

As a long-time friend of the Connected label, Le Croque makes his debut with a superb single that comes with a remix from Themba.

At the forefront of the ever-growing Greek afro-house scene and part of The Madorasindahouse team, Le Croque has also released on Open Bar Music and King Street, and DJed alongside such legends as Black Coffee, Adam Port and &Me. For this release he teams up with Berlin via Munich vocalist HRRSN who came to electronic music from soul and R&B and has released on such labels as Stil Vor Talent, Suol and Noir Music.

This latest partnership leads to a beautiful deep slice of electronic hypnosis on ‘Melancholia.’ The track has a driving rhythm that is sparse and simple, with lush keyboard refrains and vocals soaring in the drop. It is the sort of majestic and melodic offering that will make for a fantastic high point in any set, while the dub keeps things even deeper for more intimate moments.

Remixer Themba has swiftly risen to prominence over the last few years and is at the forefront of the South African house scene. Here he delivers a sharp and striding groove that is joined by stabbing bass, with fading, string-like notes and dubbed vocal refrains taking things to another level as HRRSN comes into the spotlight and delivers a message from the heart.

This is a subtle but celebratory house package packed with plenty of emotion.