Catalog Advanced Search

Beatrice M's amusingly entitled Bait label has in fact become exactly that - very desirable to those who know. Its latest is a four tracker that serves as a taster of a forthcoming digital album by Trois-Quarts Taxi System. Behind the moniker is Eloi Petillon, a versatile producer, DJ and live act who has a knack for blurring genre lines. On this one, they mix up elements of dubstep, techno and d&b into soundscapes that are cerebral, hypnotic and psychedelic. Each one is made from futuristic sound design, field recordings and intricate polyrhythms: 'Metamorphism' warped, linear, deft and brilliant deep techno. 'Coma' is more busy, 'Fraction' has wispy synths and a sparse soundscape and 'Spectre' is a fizzy, skeletal sound that tickles the brain. Learn More

The Birgan project is all about melding diverse musical words - ambient, techno and Afro-inspired polyrhythms - into something that is utterly unique. Many artists set out with this intention but few achieve it as successfully as this one, as this sensational EP shows. It is an immersive and escapist five-track work of stunning sound designs and inventive rhythm that feels both organic and natural yet synthetic and futuristic. The tracks explore deep, mysterious sonic landscapes that are both tranquil yet complex and make for an immersive, thought-provoking listen from the dubscapes of 'Beats Of The Congo Cosmos' to the more psychedelic realms of 'Subaquatic Sonic Voyage'. Learn More

REPRESS ALERT!: Burnski's Constant Black label puts out constantly good sounds for all those of a minimal and tech house persuasion. This 33rd such outing comes from Per Hammar who offers a trio of irresistible grooves. 'Everybody hz' kicks off with rubbery drums and bass intertwining with each other while wonky synths up top add some tripped-out feels. A Varhat adds a little extra bounce and urgency to this silky late-night hypnotiser and then it's back to Hammar for 'The Danish URL'. It's a hooky groove with warped pads rippling up top while closer 'Arkivo' is a more textural and abstract affair with a nice dubby undercurrent. Learn More

Connoisseurs of the European underground will be well-tuned to the sounds of quality operator Nico Lahs. And as for house operations over in the States, they don't come much finer than Kai Alce's NDATL Muzik, which means this a superb coming together. And so it proves with 'Over Me', offering slouchy, low-slung deep house beats with nice aloof, soulful samples. 'Searching' has a zoned-out late-night feel with swirling pads and a super smooth groove, then 'Overcome' brings a little more percussion and jazzy key work which Alce flips into one of signature and smoky shufflers. Learn More

DOPE! Learn More

Berghain resident and co-founder of the Leisure System label, Berlin's Barker's latest work takes a sharp turn into unpredictability, shaping a sound that's as much about process as it is about outcome. What you hear feels like an unfolding, with each track veering off course, far from its initial intentions. 'Reframing' opens with a brittle tension before unwinding into unfamiliar territories. The tracks build, evolve and drift, embracing the chaos that Barker himself navigated in recent yearsibe it the creative uncertainty or the shifts in the world around him. There's an almost mechanical precision to the rhythm in 'Fluid Mechanics' that contrasts with the organic quality of the melodies, while 'Cosmic Microwave' delivers a hazy, expansive soundscape that echoes the unpredictable journey the music itself takes. The mood across these tracks feels alive with change, an exploration of sound and ideas that never quite resolvesiconstantly shifting, constantly evolving. Learn More