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Johannes Kolter has moved away from his DJOKO alias to deliver the inaugural release on fledgling label PILOT under his KOLTER moniker. Went Too Far sees the Cologne producer explore a broad swath of sound between UK garage and breakbeat. It releases in vinyl format March 26th.

The title track leads the effort in with a futuristic, electro-tinged breakbeat groover. “Get Into It” and “Selectoor” each infuse hip-hop flair into dance floor-ready garage rhythms, the latter track especially standing out for its sublimely smooth bass line. “Illumination” closes the effort out on an introspective note with tranquil pads and vocals ringing out over a broken beat.

Johannes Who?

Johannes Kolter’s debut release as DJOKO was the 2016 EP Solace Rhythm on which he collaborated with Luca Secco. His first few offerings exuded the same throwback sensibility of Went Too Far, but the project eventually settled into a Perlon-esque minimal house sound.

He introduced KOLTER with two tracks on last year’s Doppelleben EP on Talman Records, which also included entries credited to DJOKO. The former alias would appear to be a return to the original sound that he championed in the early years of the latter.

Went Too Far is available for preorder in 12-inch vinyl record format via deejay.de.

Seb Zito has spent the past decade refining his signature sound through consistent releases on Enzo Siragusa‘s FUSE London imprint. For his first longform work, though, he’s reached much further back. The U.K. DJ and producer will release Truth In My Steps on April 9th, distilling influences from his wide range of music experiences into an 11-track album.

Ahead of the release, Zito has shared two entries of the tracklist: “2am Lover” featuring Black Coco and “Bad Bwoy.” The former single incorporates fresh sounds into the classic U.K. garage formula along with a haunting yet infectious vocal sample. The latter song, meanwhile, encapsulates a minimal-leaning DJ tool with perhaps more accessible dance floor utility.

“All of my experiences are portrayed in this album, from pirate radio to some of the biggest clubs in the world, from raver to DJ,” said Seb Zito of the album. “They represent what’s great about both U.K. club culture and the U.K. sound. I think the U.K. is the pulsating heart of electronic music, you only have to look at what’s come from here… hardcore, jungle, garage, dubstep and grime. I wanted to incorporate all of these sounds to tell my story… The Truth In My Steps.”

Stream or purchase “2am Lover” and “Bad Bwoy” in digital format across platforms here.

Bristol clothing brand and diligent UK garage excavators Dr Banana have unearthed yet another treasure trove. The latest edition of their AGAIN series, DRBAGAIN10, comprises gems by Robin EE and RA Project originally released on the former’s EE-FICIANCY imprint between 1996-98. After supply chain delays, it released June 28th, 2020.

Robin EE’s soulful brand of UK garage is on full display in “I Try” and “Keep On,” with “Alright Dub” encapsulating a more muted iteration of his sound. RA Project’s contribution is a departure from the rest – albeit a welcome one. A more house-leaning cut, it tastefully incorporates elements of world music into its inventive arrangement.

Dr Banana are diligent in their efforts to re-release forgotten house and UK garage classics. They obtained the A side of the next installment of their AGAIN series, for instance, by calling a phone number printed on a white label from 2000.

Order DRBAGAIN10 on vinyl from the Dr Banana website.