1. Neil MacLeod – Curer (Second Self Remix) [Particle Recordings]

2. Fantastic Man – Nebula Nights [Superconscious Records]

A digital-only bonus track from the second installment of his Visions Of Dance series, “Nebula Nights” is a low-slung, psychedelic trip. Fantastic Man deftly weaves together euphoric chords, wonky bleeps, and warm bass together, all underpinned by a steady breakbeat loop.

3. Scotch Rolex & Shackleton – Shattered [Silver Triplet]

Death by Tickling by Scotch Rolex and Shackleton

New label Silver Triplet storms out the gates with a collaboration between Scotch Rolex and Shackleton, two of electronic music’s most fearless mavericks. “Shattered” takes the recognisable sonic palettes of each artist and mashes them together into a off-kilter mixture of tribal drums, gnarly echoes, experimental sound design, and unpredictable rhythm changes.

4. Adolpho & Franky – Red District Ballade (Zillas On Acid Remix) [Folklor Nation]

Folklor Nation bosses Adolpho & Franky land on their fledgling imprint with “Red District Ballade,” a chuggy, mid-tempo house track full of attitude. Zillas On Acid add some extra grit in their remix with an undulating, acid-tinged bassline and skippy drums, peppering the groove with the original’s tripped-out vocal hits.

5. Amy Kisnorbo – Squidge [Pineapple]

A rapidly rising talent in the bass music scene, Amy Kisnorbo is making a name for herself as a forward-thinking artist who combines elements of grime, breakbeat, jungle, and electro. On “Squidge,” she adds ghetto-tech to the mix, delivering an up-tempo, snappy, and unabashedly fun dance floor burner.

6. Men From The Nile Feat. Peven Everett – Watch Them Come [Undaground Therapy Muzik]

Legendary label Undaground Therapy Muzik, originally launched in 1996 by Roy Davis Jr. and Odell Brazier, is re-releasing their entire back catalogue digitally, starting with their biggest hit “Watch Them Come.”  A collaboration between Roy Davis Jr., Jay Juniel, and Peven Everett, it’s a classic deep house cut with an instantly recognizable vocal refrain and a quirky, future-jazz lead synth.

7. Angus Mills – Herbert St [Moonshoe]

Taken from Angus Mills‘ debut release on Moonshoe, “Herbert St” is deep, meditative electronica with tasteful nods to dub and psybient with its swirling reverb washes and hypnotic sine sequences. This one fits perfectly in the space between the dance floor and the after party couch.

8. Forest On Stasys – Ritmica Natural [Danza Nativa]

Forest On Stasys cement their position amongst the upper echelon of artists producing heady, intricate, and spacious techno with “Ritmica Natural.” Stripped-down, organic drums and wispy, echoed atmospherics give the track an eerie atmosphere only amplified by the French spoken word passage that sits on top.

9. Peter van Hoesen – Imposter [Time To Express]

A Swing Is Not A Throw by Peter Van Hoesen

Constructed from just a fragment of the countless hours of individual sounds he has been using on-the-fly during his live shows over the past 12 months, “Imposter” is quintessential Peter Van Hoesen. Tunneling, sharp-focussed hypnotic techno with a gnarly, worm-like lead synth.

10. Pugilist & Tamen – Lithium (Dwarde & Tim Reaper Remix) [DEXT Recordings]

An absolute dream team come together for all-out breakbeat hardcore madness. Contemporary dons of drum break manipulation Tim Reaper and Dwarde remix regular collaborators Pugilist and Tamen‘s “Lithium,” turning it from a deep, atmospheric jungle cut into an assault of chopped-and-screwed breaks, rave-ready synths, classic vocal samples, and massive sub bass.

The Breakdown aired on the station on January 1st and 2nd. The show features numerous influential Irish artists discussing their careers and most successful tracks. Each episode runs around 50 minutes and is produced by Irish radio producer Hugh Fowler. It begins with discussion of the Irish acid house scene in the early ’90s and goes on to chart the evolution of the scene from there.

Included in the series is producer and DJ duo Bicep. Formed in 2009 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Bicep has toured extensively around the globe. On the show, they talk about their 2017 breakout hit, Glue, and how they got their start. They’re currently set to headline the AVA Festival in Belfast.

Also included in the broadcast is artist Orlagh Dooley A.K.A. Or:la. Last month, Dooley won Best DJ at DJ Mag‘s Best of British Awards. She is the cover artist for the January 2022 edition of DJ Mag.

Founded in 1979, RTÉ 2fm is currently the second most popular radio station in Ireland. They specialize in chart hits and pop music. Anyone interested in listening to all four episodes of the series can head here.

The classes will take place in Brixton, south London beginning on January 10th. Beginners are welcome as no experience is required. According to Deaf Rave, they will be the U.K.’s very first series of DJ workshops for the Deaf and hard of hearing.

The workshops are receiving support and funding from Arts Council England, a U.K. government-backed organization dedicated to supporting all forms of art. Classes are also supported by Groove School, which is a charity aimed at helping young people engage with music.

Started by Troi ‘DJ Chinaman’ Lee, Deaf Rave was founded as a place for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing to display their love of music. The organization provides signing services for songs as well as visual performances of pieces. They work to engage Deaf and hard-of-hearing fans through techniques such as feeling the vibrations of stage monitors. The organization has thrown parties at Fabric, Latitude Festival, and Glastonbury.

Those interested in signing up for the class can contact Deaf Rave via their Instagram account here. More information about the organization can also be found on their Facebook page here.

First eligible for induction in 1996, the group didn’t make it onto the ballot until 2003. They were included on the ballot five more times but did not receive enough votes to be inducted. That all changed on Saturday, October 30th at the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony when the group was finally inducted as part of the “Early Influences” category.

Music producer and Kraftwerk fan Pharrell Williams gave the induction speech. In a recorded video, Williams said, “I’m going to suggest that we create a new hall within the Hall, reserved for artists who invented their genre, because Kraftwerk belongs there.”

He went on to list the many ways Kraftwerk inspired popular artists such as Afrika Bambaata. He also expressed gratitude for being able to meet the late Florian Schneider, who passed away in April of 2020. Schneider was one of the founding members of the group and performed with them until his departure in 2008.

Founded in Dusseldorf, Germany in 1969, Kraftwerk were one of the first acts to popularize electronic music. They began as part of West Germany’s experimental “Krautrock” scene before fully embracing electronic instruments such as drum machines, vocoders, and synthesizers.

Schneider, along with bandmates Karl Bartos, Wolfgang Flür, and Ralf Hütter, were inducted as part of the ceremony.

While tracklists and further details are still to come, listeners can expect the ambient, low-tempo, melodic soundscapes on which Mills has centered the Every Dog Has Its Day EPs. The series began back in 2000, though it took a hiatus after Vol. 4 in 2003 until Mills resumed with Vol. 5 in January 2020.

Jeff Mills Over The Years

Mills’ musical trajectory began in the ‘80s. He was dubbed “The Wizard” for his DJ tricks and technical mixing on Detroit radio stations WDRQ and WJLB. Most notably, Mills pushed the envelope on second-wave Detroit techno, and co-founded DJ collective Underground Resistance, a group greatly responsible for techno’s legacy as protest music.

In the three decades since, Mills has arguably contributed a great deal to the abstract philosophy around the techno genre. To this day, he uses his platform to take a stance on social issues. Most recently, after Black Lives Matter protests erupted across the world in the wake of George Floyd‘s death in Minneapolis, his social media presence underwent a noticeable shift.

Axis Records has also recently given a home to Ambrosia by Byron The Aquarius.

Mall Grab (whose real name is Jordon Alexander) debuted the EP’s lead single, “Liverpool Street In The Rain,” in his BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix last year. The song’s antiquated production values and simplistic melody liken it to the releases of lo-fi artists like Ross From Friends and DJ Seinfeld.

The other three tracks on How The Dogs Chill, Vol.1 serve to broaden the horizons of the genre, however. “Bust” and “Get Impetuous” exhibit almost grime-like influences, each concept hinging around samples of gritty hip-hop verses. “Looking For Trouble,” on the other hand, is underscored by a syncopated drum pattern that – when coupled with the nostalgic production values – hints at ’80s electro.

In the context of Mall Grab’s discography and the greater lo-fi genre alike, How The Dogs Chill, Vol.1 is a step forward. Music fans who fetishize the sonic flaws of old recordings will delight in its calculated imperfections, but it successfully avoids rehashing the concepts delivered by similar artists.

How The Dogs Chill, Vol.1 by Mall Grab arrived by way of Looking For Trouble on September 21st. Download the digital album or purchase a limited edition 12″ vinyl record via Bandcamp.

Source: Mixmag

The Italian duo themselves kicked the effort off with “Nova,” which they teased out two days ago as the lead single. While not poorly produced, its slow-building melodies don’t shy away from sonic clichés that also dilute plenty of other entries in the album. “Paradigm” and “Nuits Fauves” by Agents Of Time and Ovend, respectively, lean on similarly overused Moog Mother-32 synths (assuming they weren’t hastily pulled from Beatport‘s Deep House Visionary sample pack).

A handful of tracks carry the compilation. The clearest standout is “Motion” by Recondite and Henrik Schwarz, whose tasteful disharmony creates a simultaneously soothing and suspenseful mood. Sterac‘s “Universum” and Edit Select‘s “Phase In” encapsulate an ambient-infused style of deep techno that, although popular as of late, hasn’t totally run its course.

Although the selective listener may not not enjoy the entire Realm Of Consciousness Pt. III tracklist, it bears mention that nearly every entry maintains some measure of dance floor utility. More passive enjoyers may still find much of merit in the compilation.

June 29th marks the official release of Realm Of Consciousness Pt. III on Afterlife. Find the album’s tracklist below, and pre-order it via Beatport.

1. “Nova” by Tale Of Us
2. “Paradigm” by Agents Of Time
3. “Motion” by Henrik Schwarz and Recondite
4. “Nuits Fauves” by Ovend
5. “Portal” by Mind Against
6. “Lotus” by Fideles
7. “Tide Slide” by SCB
8. “Quantic” by Øostil
9. “Universum” by Sterac
10. “Phase In” by Edit Select
11. “Subterrel + Ex Funzione” by Antonio Ruscito and Luigi Tozzi
12. “Cyclone” by Kosme and Konstantin Sibold
13. “Changing Weather” by Hunter/Game
14. “Magoa” by Kevin de Vries
15. “Ibn Sina” by Tone Depth

Butch, Argy and Billy Turner have delivered remixes for “All I See,” “Got Me With A Bang,” and “Shadows,” respectively. The label has offered up the latter cut ahead of the release. Driven by a droning buzz that gives way to atmospheric layers, Turner’s contribution stands out as the most experimental of the three.

Leading Up to the SoMe Remix EP

Three months before the arrival of SoMe Anja Schneider had announced her split from Mobilee Records, an imprint she founded 12 years prior. She left it in the hands of DJ and producer Ralf Kollman while announcing that SoMe would arrive later in the year.

Prior to the SoMe remix EP, Schneider also released a single titled “Prosperity” two months ago. As with “Signs” on the flip, it encapsulates the serene sort of deep techno for which she has garnered worldwide renown.

Preview or preorder each entry of SoMe Remixes on Beatport and find the EP’s tracklist below.

Anja Schneider – Shadows (Billy Turner’s Obscurity Mix)
Anja Schneider – All I See (Butch Dub)
Anja Schneider – Got Me With A Bang (Argy Remix)

Source: Data Transmission

For how few creative liberties either artist took, “Back 2 Jack” fits well within the context of Cox’s recent tech house discography. The source material’s nostalgic production values may have been lost to the update’s modern sound design and re-recorded vocal, but its central motif ultimately remains intact.

Full Circle

“Time To Jack” has symbolized a bond between Carl Cox and Chip E (real name Irwin Larry Eberhart II) since long before the track’s rework was a glimmer in either artist’s eye. Cox has cited it as the first acid house record he ever purchased, although early Detroit techno by the likes of Derrick May would shape his aesthetic during the years when he reached international stardom.

Eberhart refers to Cox as one of his best friends, and the two have toured together extensively. Cox founded Intec Digital in 1999, and following a four-year hiatus the label has also provided a platform for such household names as Umek, Boris and Frankie Bones.

“Back 2 Jack” by Carl Cox and Chip E arrived by way of Intec Digital on May 18th. Download both versions of the track via Beatport.

Source: Data Transmission

Much of Pred’s discography exists in a curiously colorful grey area where ambient, dub techno, deep house and electro blend together. Although each entry on the tracklist of Homeward consists of familiar elements, they’re arranged in such a way that they cannot be as easily categorized. The Stephan Bodzin-style synths in “Rogue Blossom” and squelching 303s underscoring “In Black Robes” punctuate longer, more experimental loops than those of any of his other soundscapes.

The album as a whole also exhibits a cohesion of concept uncommon to contemporary electronic music. Tension builds with each subsequent track, resolving at “Ashes To The Sea” without yielding a predictable degree of closure to the listener.

According to Pred himself, the loss of a loved one inspired the effort. “Homeward was born from a promise to my mother, made in the weeks before she left this realm,” he explained in a statement. “In the end, it didn’t seem right to simply collect existing projects, or even to work within my usual constraints: I wanted to devote myself to creating something as unique as she was.”

By and large, his latest effort makes just such a genuine and and solemn statement. Borne of integrity and executed with Pred’s signature attention to detail, it demonstrates what compelling material can result from an artist’s vulnerability.

Homeward by Noah Pred arrives by way of Modularfield on June 15th. Find the album artwork below and stream or preorder it via Bandcamp.