Sunday, December 30, 2012

Season's Greetings

1.Heathered Pearls - Beach Shelter, Loscil's Grind Remix / Ghostly International
2.Barker And Baumecker - Sektor / Ostgut Ton
3.Francis Harris - Pharoah In The Morning, Black Light Smoke Under The Pyramid Mix / Scissor & Thread
4.Monkey Maffia - Kinky Talk / Freude Am Tanzen Recordings
5.Ben Pearce - What I Might Do, Club Edit / MTA Records
6.Karmon - Feel It / Diynamic
7.Luca Bacchetti - A Night In Nassau, A Late Night Mix / Culprit
8.Сhristian Burkhardt - Delight / Oslo
9.Marc Houle - Oo Oo / Wet Your Self Recordings
10.Damian Lazarus, Shaun Reeves, Art Department, BLUD - Robot Heart, Instrumental Mix / No.19 Music
11.Hardage - Theres Enough For All Of Us feat Michael Franti, Deniz Kurtel 12 Remix / Vibe Me
1.Heathered Pearls - Beach Shelter, Loscil's Grind Remix / Ghostly International

Unlike some ambient music, Loyal, Jakub Alexander's release under the Heathered Pearls moniker, embraces the idea of melody with understated but distinct sounds emerging from the loops Alexander uses to construct his tracks. "I wanted to find a world that was built on repetition, erosion and melody because making these songs was about recreating soothing environments." The album's roots lie in a very utilitarian idea: "I started writing what now has become Loyal as a mental break from my personal anxieties," Alexander says. A study in the hypnotic, calming qualities of music, Loyal is also a tribute to Alexander's mother and Aunt (featured on the cover) who were crucial in instilling the taste and aesthetics so key to his music. "My mom introduced me to my first ambient record over 10 years ago. Loyal is a response to this." This is a record that's full of delicate beauty; it embraces fragility and lightness, sounding entirely natural despite being created electronically. Tracks ebb and flow into the mix and the songs themselves wash into your headphones like waves receding slowly into silence. The music is unabashedly beautiful with gentle currents of low level tones and gleaming sparkles of synth loops that build and decay.

Shop This www.ghostly.com

2.Barker And Baumecker - Sektor / Ostgut Ton

In order to provide our Berghain- and Panorama Bar residents with an artistic and social home, Ostgut Ton has been launched as a label at the end of 2005. Immediately, the interaction of club and label has proven to be a very fruitful combination. The unique sound architecture of Berghain especially, has directly left a mark on productions by Ben Klock, Marcel Fengler, Len Faki and Marcel Dettmann. The club serves as a permant linchpin for everyone involved. Here, all new tracks and records get their first test, the club is the reference. Over the last few years, this constellation brought forward a signature sound, which fortunately didn’t pick up on any recent trends dominating dance music. This sound can best be paradoxically described as an utterly unnostalgic take on Techno, which has been produced with the experience of Techno’s heyday during the 90s still in mind. Although the tempo has been slowed down, it still oozes with vitality. Of course this doesn’t mean that every Ostgut Ton sounds the same. On the contrary; It should just be clear that Len Faki’s „Rainbow Delta/Mekong Delta“ EP is the other, ravier side to Marcel Dettmann’s and Ben Klock’s coin. „Rainbow Delta“ has been voted ‚best track“ by the readers of german Groove magazine in 2007. As if this wasn’t enough, Len Faki also made best producer and best newcomer in the same poll.

With releases by Prosumer &Murat Tepeli, Tama Sumo, Nick Höppner and MyMy, the label also caters for the different shades of House music represented by all the Djs at Panorama Bar. Wether it’s a very personal take on Chicago’s oldschool sound as on Prosumer & Murat Tepeli’s debut album „Serenity“, or wether it’s MyMy’s contemporary style tailor made for dancefloors, Ostgut Ton hardly knows stylistic boundaries, as long the music meets the label’s quality standards. With all sleeves designed by friendly artists, there’s a visual counterpart to the club’s and label’s concept.

On the mix cds by André Galluzzi, Cassy and Marcel Dettmann released so far on Ostgut Ton, the focus lies on capturing immediate, authentic moments. None of the mixes went thorugh digital postproduction, as in our opinion nothing is more boring than flawless perfection. Especially Marcel Dettmann’s mix „Berghain 02“ has won wide spread, critical acclaim. It contains unreleased material by artists like tobias., Norman Nodge and Shed. On the occasion of its release, german Goove magazine dedicated a cover story to Marcel as well as Ben Klock. „Berghain 02“ has also just been voted ‚best compilation in 2008’ at Resident Advisor. The influential and highly frequented website also voted Ostgut Ton ‚best label 2008’ and made Shed’s debut album „Shedding The Past“ on Ostgut Ton their favourite album of the year. In just a few years, Ostgut Ton managed to foster an idiosyncratic style with an uncompromising and coherent release policy. It is no exaggeration to say that the label has become one of the most influential platforms for Techno and House of today, of which a lot may be expected in the future. We are looking foward to it.

Shop This www.ostgut.de

3.Francis Harris - Pharoah In The Morning, Black Light Smoke Under The Pyramid Mix / Scissor & Thread

Scissor and Thread is proud to present "Leland" the debut album by Francis Harris, better known as "Adultnapper." This long anticipated LP is a requiem to the artist's father, released to coincide with the second anniversary of his passing. The album, Harris' most expansive work to date, features Danish vocalist Gry on three tracks including "lostfound," the first single and video which was remixed by Mathew Herbert. Also featured throughout are Emil Abramyan, whose poignant performance on cello evokes comparison to Arthur Russell, and Greg Paulus (No Regular Play/Matthew Dear Band), whose improvisational free jazz inspired trumpet accents converse thoughtfully with Harris' own tonal melodies performed on piano and guitar. Leland was recorded and mixed by Francis Harris and Jordan Lieb on an SSL at JSM Studios, NYC. The album was mastered by Joe Lambert.

Shop This www.soundcloud.com/scissorandthread
4.Monkey Maffia - Kinky Talk / Freude Am Tanzen Recordings

The most club swarms usually receive Sören Bodner aka Monkey Maffia as half of the DJ-duo, which for 17 years brought the most eclectic exaltations to the dancers of the world. The Wighnom-y-lotion of classy techno is History! One is the magic number!

As an operator of the Freude am Tanzen/Musikkrause workshop and record store founder (Fatplastics) he loves the luminosity of the coarse and fevered dance music in every cubic centimeter of his soul. Vinyl is his daily bread, what pumps in his veins. Monkey belongs to the early 90’s as one of the tireless torch carriers whom bass drums provided the pace for his free spirit-sidekick the most club abstract. Peppered with a grotesque, lovely madness with a wink of the eye included.

Essentially he is an anarchistic selector with a sharp sense for the particular and distinguished note of a genre which has no name. Drilling through with his genre straddling style the borders of house and techno. Thereby he detected the often strict formalism of many a dance floor with a joyful stringency for surprise pickled with intensity with a dash of dramatics. Sounds seasoned as a real beat cuisine.

Monkey Maffia – A real cosmopolitan with a deep love for his home, a gentleman in a bear suit, and a free thinker as opposed to a drone is known as one of the most creative distribution centers of electronic music. Tirelessly he spins on the controllers as if they were wheels, thereby a determined focus on the dance floor is brought forth which is then unfolded. A richness of ideas yes, obsessive compulsive no – here the life is lived, not compelled!

Shop This www.freude-am-tanzen.com
5.Ben Pearce - What I Might Do, Club Edit / MTA Records

Shop This www.mtarecords.co.uk
6.Karmon - Feel It / Diynamic

Diynamic's recent member from the Netherlands released his first whole EP on the Hamburg based label. His debut shows that his production skills have evolved enourmously in the last few months which justifies his constant appearance on Diynamic. The opener is a dreamy track which literally takes you by the hand and leads you throughcold winter days. The huge power of its warm melody and the supporting vocals by Terry Shand embrace all kinds of music tastes.Also the dub version of "Take My Hand" shows that Karmon's productions are nothing but pure beat and sound facility. With "When Dark Becomes Night" Karmon creates a very connecting atmosphere between the name and the track itself. Its relaxed pianotunes and the short but veryintense acoustical break unite wonderfully with the melodic basslines. The melody of that track gives you a typical Diynamic earworm, we all love so much. The second b side track "Feel It" is a beautiful composition of both free heavenly melodiesand wonderfully arranged synth & basslines, giving its listeners a feeling of total clarity and inner consciousness. - WE FEEL IT!de features Dub Versions of both tracks.

www.diynamic.com

7. Luca Bacchetti - A Night In Nassau, A Late Night Mix / Culprit

Not unhumorously hailing from the small Tuscan town of Lucca, Luca Bacchetti is one of the foremost proponents of the seminal swing sound coming from the peninsula and abroad. Currently residing in Barcelona, the DJ, producer makes swift business of spreading his signature twists and musical turns through myriad productions and remixes released on Wagon Repair, Ovum Recordings, Crosstown Rebels, Culprit LA, Saved, Be As One, Defected, Sci+Tec, Hideout, Supernature and his brand new label Endless. Additionally, he’s accrued a host of accolades including a nod for Beatport’s best artist in 2008 that confirms Luca’s status as an industry leader. As a DJ, Bacchetti’s style is incomparable, showcasing his unique ear for selection and rare ‘voice’ to which he adds a sexiness uncommon amongst his peers.Equally versed at moving a dark basement club to fits of revelry as he is to casting a deep shadow across a sunny beach party, the breadth and depth of sources from which Luca culls his sets astounds constantly. It is this duality of emotion that interests the DJ and inspires the work on many releases. The contrasting shades of Luca’s sound have not been lost on the world’s clubbing masses. Worldwide venues like Womb, Fabric, Circoloco DC10, Cielo, Watergate, Arma 17, La Huaka, D-Edge have hosted the DJ to untempered excitement and have been converted to the light of the darker and brighter sides of his sound…

Culprit Records is the imprint of Los Angeles party organizers Droog. Culprit has previously only had digital releases, from Hot Natured, Lee Foss, Matt Tolfrey & Kenny Gibson.

Shop This www.lucabacchetti.com

8.Сhristian Burkhardt - Delight / Oslo

Releasing steadily since 2007 on labels like Raum, Oslo and Cocoon, Christian Burkhardt is no amateur. He now offers Offenbach, his first solo album (after his work Revolver LP with Einzelkind). Christian blends all the best of Funk, Hip-Hop and House with his very own Oslo style. 'Come On' is a chilled piece with dub-y chords and a funk feel. House energy percussion, hip hop vibes and an active bassline propel 'Delight'. A throwback to the golden days when House and Hip-Hop weren't that different. 'Jackson' holds a heavy kick and lets the bass groove fade in before a crafty break causes us to question our position then drops back onto the dancefloor with rhythm and bass. The vocal cuts provide the perfect ambient backdrop for the track, completing the full picture of 'Jackson'. 'Jondal' moves in with a similar groove to 'Jackson'. Stepping up and falling down, the jazz inspired bassline carries the groove. The title track 'Offenbach' reveals classic House percussion with the kick edging in with bass in tow. A dirty bassline attracting the groove and radiating the dancefloor vibes like there was no tomorrow. Piano keys cut in as the bass fade, revealing a classy, moody side of Christian. 'Pianissimo' and 'Use To Do It' take a darker, deeper path. Heavy kicks and deep ambience pour out and provide solid additions to the record. All in all, Christian offers variety in Offenbach, melting together many styles to create something new in his own flavor.

Shop This www.oslorecords.com

 9.Marc Houle - Oo Oo / Wet Your Self Recordings

Marc Houle grew up in Windsor, Canada with Detroit as his mid-90’s backyard party playground – as a kid he had a love for obscure new wave & analog synths, so it was just a matter of time before he started making music of his own. Ask any of his friends, and they’ll tell you the same: the guy is a prolific music-making-machinist, dedicated to quality, but quantity as well – with nearly 1,000 tracks to his credit (most of which are tucked away on his hard drive as super secret weapons). Now taking the reigns alongside his A&R partners Magda & Troy Pierce, Marc Houle has resurrected their label Items & Things, breaking it free from its former Minus sub-label status. Spanning electronic genres in a variety of forms… from disco tech to experimental to techno, to bring their eclectic tastes together as an outlet for music they discover on their travels & a home for their own releases. Marc Houle’s current sound can be described in cityscapes – somewhere between Chicago & Detroit, with a new-wave underbelly. His live performances are always diverse & genre-bending reigns supreme. No two sets are ever the same, except perhaps, their ability to impress the crowd. He’s travelled a long way from his 1997 residency at Richie Hawtin’s club “13 Below” in Detroit, to being asked to join the legendary Minus label, now making Berlin his home & continuing to show his diverse musical roots on his productions. In February 2012 Marc Houle released his heavy-hitting, second album and single “Undercover” on Items & Things, with more releases in the making.

www.marchoule.net

WetYourSelf! is the Sunday night party at fabric London.

On a weekly basis, the artistic force behind the phenomenon, DJs and producers Jacob Husley, Peter Pixzel and Cormac, pour their energy into a packed dancefloor. Their frequent 3-way back to back sessions are legendary, with the crowd feeding off their obvious child-like excitement for the musical journey they are at the helm of.

Their desire to create serious dance floor hedonism, yet present quality music in an unpretentious way, has irrevocably changed Sunday nights in London.

Their club guests have included luminaries from around the globe:

Alex Under, Argy, Ben Klock, Chris Liebing, DJ Hell, Ellen Allien, Gaiser, Kiki, Marc Houle, Marcel Dettman, Martinez, Miss Kittin , Oxia, Sascha Funke, Sebastien Leger, SMD, Stephan Bodzin and Style Of Eye to name a few

It’s little wonder that WYS! has become the most loved underground techno and house night in London and they are now spreading their gospel with regular parties in Europe including 6 summer dates at Space Ibiza.

The recently launched WYS! Recordings are avialable on vinyl and digital and have showcased music and remixes from Alex Under, Chris Liebing, David Keno, Kanio, Lopazz, Mathias Mesteno, Miss Kittin and Pig & Dan.

Shop This www.wetyourself.co.uk

10.Damian Lazarus, Shaun Reeves, Art Department, BLUD - Robot Heart, Instrumental Mix / No.19 Music

Shop This www.no19music.com
11.Hardage - Theres Enough For All Of Us feat Michael Franti, Deniz Kurtel 12 Remix / Vibe Me

Deniz developed a deep love and connection to the sentiments of electronic music during her studies in the USA. Growing up with constant exposure to art from her mother, an influential art initiator in Turkey, and years of intensive classical piano training left her with a professional work ethic and a passion for art. An accomplished interactive sculptor, she quickly made a name for herself in the experimental art scene combining the use of sophisticated computerized LED arrays and mirrors. Her work has been the centerpiece of countless Wolf + Lamb parties in Brooklyn, and has appeared in various art festivals and exhibitions such as Burningman, Communikey, Horizons, Love's Secret Domain, and Rabbit Hole.

www.denizkurtel.com

Brand new deep and nu'house label. Dry and straight housy groove, hypnotic vocal cut, involving melodies... this is the vibe to reinterpret the real club culture. On Vinyl 12" and Digital

distribution by Intergroove.de and Decks.de

w/ MUSSEN, DENIZ KURTEL, JORDAN PEAK, KRIS WADSWORTH, DAPAYK, SOMEONE ELSE, ALAN FITZPATRICK, BUTANE, DEEPCHILD, RAFAEL KAKUDO, HUGO, MARCOS IN DUB, ANDREA DI ROCCO, SISHI ROSCH, DUSTIN PHIL, FABIO ALAMPI, ADRIAN RODD, KISK, SARP YILMAZ, FRANCESCO BONORA, MACIT KIMYACI, SO INAGAWA, WHIM-EE

Shop This www.vibemerecord.com