RECORD OF THE WEEK: Amelie Lens - Let It Go EP [Second State Audio]

Amelie Lens has only cropped up on the scene since earlier this year with her debut release on Italian Lyase Recordings, from that Berlin based duo Pan-Pot reached out to Amelie to recruit her for their label, Second State Audio. ‘Let It Go’ EP is the result and she has certainly made her mark with a moody, sinister four track package. ‘The Finest Hour’ is the highlight with its thunderous tone and general techno swag. Pan-Pot are expecting big things things to come from the young Belgium and so are we.

Released 19th August.

3.7/5

Buy: Digital

Words by Ben C

MIX OF THE MOMENT: RA.530 Motor City Drum Ensemble vs Jeremy Underground

An MCDE b2b Jeremy Underground set is always a treat, but over 8 hours of it, now that's special! After their heroics closing Dimensions last summer I had high expectations of this mix and it's fair to say it didn't disappoint. 

This is two true selectors at their very best; in typical fashion swinging from disco, to 80's 4x4 house, to Detroit techno all with the occasional touch of African and Latin American influences and typically upholding a feel good vibe throughout. Classics such as 'Over and Over' by Sylvester, 'Shoes of Joe' by Moodyman, 'My People' by Dwayne Jensen and the newly acclaimed Laurence Guy feature throughout. However, the highlight for me has to be 'If Only' by German, Leim, this track Underground said was the best house record produced last year!

You know you're a crate digger when you provide 8 hours worth of glory, and even the most knowledgeable of enthusiasts wouldn't be able to recognise half of the tracks in here. Download the mix, treat yourself and listen to the whole thing, it's magic...

Words by Nick C

RECORD OF THE WEEK: Benjamin Fröhlich - Holloway [Permanent Vacation]

Benjamin Fröhlich brings us Holloway, a cut from his ‘Rude Movements’ EP which was released on the 5th of August. This track thumps, thanks to that iconic kick, snare and side stick of the 808 booming throughout. The Munich native layers arpeggiated synths and baselines as well as a subtle vocoder to create something really special. Rude Movements is Benjamin Fröhlich’ second release, although you’ll see his production credits all over Permanent Vacation’s other releases. If Holloway was anything to go by then we’re in for a treat with the rest of ‘Rude Movements’.

4.5/5

Listen to the full EP

Buy: Vinyl / Digital

Words by Tobias

Talking production with PBR Streetgang

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Can you talk us through how you go about making your music - what is the creative process and what hardware/software do you use to make it on?

Well we make music on a combination of hardware and software, but everything gets recorded into Ableton. I have a a small collection of synths classic stuff like a Juno 106, old stuff like a JEN SX1000 and new stuff like the bass station. Also a couple of out board compressors and effects units.

When it comes to the creative process its different every time, we tend to approach things from the start of the idea , be it a bassline, drum pattern, a sample, or something more abstract. But however it evolves a lot of the time the medium used to get ideas down is through Ableton push. Its has really sped up my workflow on the creative side of things. 
 

Do you have a particular piece of kit in the studio you couldn’t do without?

Well the Mac really .. as unsexy and dull as it is its the truth .. I have a greater fondness for for my synths and my outboard gear but, if it came down to it Ableton or Logic and a Mac and I'd still be able to make music..  


Being a duo do you produce your music 50/50 together or is one of you more the DJ and the other more the producer for PBR?

We both started out as DJ’s decades ago and thats how we met, so thats always been a 50/50 thing. 
In the studio I guess I’m more hands on and more of technical person too, but the creative process is a 50/50 thing, or else it wouldn’t work, we have to put in as much effort as each other.  
 

Any productions you can talk about coming up over the rest of the year?

Yes we have our first EP for Crosstown Rebels coming out on September 23rd, with an amazing remix from I:cube. 
Also some limited vinyl only pressings of some weird and wonderful stuff in October .. I can’t say any more about that or they’ll kill me, just be on the lookout for them .. 

Words by Ben C

MY TIME @ GOTTWOOD | INC. THOUGHTS FROM MOVE D, ROMAN FLÜGEL, BRADLEY ZERO & AXEL BOMAN | TYSON FURY IN THE DANCE...

"... it was perfect from A-Z" - Move D | READ MORE

RECORD OF THE WEEK: Tuff City Kids - Labyrinth [Permanent Vacation]

Gerd Janson & Phillip Lauer aka Tuff City Kids first released a track under the alias in 2012 on Berlin label, Unterton and since have released remixes on Hotflush, International Feel, 20/20 Vision, Systematic, Spectral Sound and originals on Berghain owners Ostgut Ton, Live at Robert Johsnon, Delsin, Potion, Cold Tonic, Permanent Vacation and its the latter that they're back releasing on with some serious goods!

Labyrinth is a four track track EP with two remixes, one by American Morgan Geist and the other by DJ Oyster, and then two mixes by TCK of Labyrinth. It's the club mix which brings home the bacon for me, a euphoric, groove driven stomper completed with sensational vocals from Annie. Check out this video of Dixon closing off Dekmantel last night with the club mix and go grab it from the link below - there is a limited amount of copies available!

Listen to the preview here

4.8/5

Buy: Vinyl

Words by Ben C

MIX OF THE MOMENT: Truancy Volume 151: Resom

Our latest MOTM comes from celebrated ://about blank resident Resom, who has gained an almost cult-like following within Berlin club culture for her bewildering track selection, fluid technicality and distinctive style. 

The mix was recorded specifically for UK music blog Truants. It is beautifully meditative curation of percussive, bleepy, tripped-out techno. Nadine speaks of the track selection saying she wanted tracks where the melody works as a layover, where “a bass-line or a hi-hat melody which tells a story on it’s own.” Prepare for an excursion of rattling drums, IDM tracks, spookey acid lines and melodic high-hats. There’s new Lobster Theremin from Snow Bone, accompanied by tracks from Voiski, Ø, DJ Jus Ed. The mix phases out with a couple of soothers from Geigling. Standout track: Ken Ishi – Cocoa Mousse. 

Read up on the in-depth interview here, where Nadine opens up on the philosophy of radio shows, queers scenes, and club politics.

Words by Fred

RECORD OF THE WEEK: Feingold - Coast2 [L.P.C. Music]

L.P.C. returns almost two years after their first release with another double split EP, this time with tracks coming from Eric Fraser and Adam Feingold respectively. The Zurich based label again unearths yet more talent from Canada with two brilliant electro-tinged house cuts. The B side is a more euphoric and spacey affair, but the pick for me is the flip with a beautifully crafted, fast-paced number. Feingold, acting under his Ex-Terrestrial alias on 1080p, is already responsible for one of this year's best releases and is definitely one to keep an eye on in the future.

3.9/5

Listen to the full release

Buy: Vinyl 

Words by Tom G

MY TIME @ Dalston Roof Park w/ Church

Amidst the tower blocks of concrete in Dalston lies a green oasis propped up for dancing, drinking and evenings of better times. High above the canopy of grey rock is a garden bouncing with energy and good vibrations. Being my first time to the venue I was taken aback by the views and well designed rooftop terrace; it was the perfect place to go and see Seb Wildblood and co. lay down some of their work. The contrasting sight of Canary Wharf to some lively jazz house sounds like a miss match but on the night it worked. The Madrid-like weather has to be mentioned as the heat really contributed to the memory of that evening. Without which the mood might not have been so laid back – it truly felt European.

As I arrived Apes was already up and easing the crowd into things. Though most of the people were on the bean bags around the edge as Moomin’s ‘Woman To Woman’ came on you could see people rising in order to get their groove on. Young and beautiful people were swaying their arms to the carefree sound that Church so brilliantly produce. Suzanne Kraft’s ‘Skype’ put me in an especially good place as the sun was beginning to disappear over the horizon. Regular trips to the bar were stress free. The staff were incredibly friendly and well organised leading to short queue times, yet another factor that made the event run so smoothly. 

AS APES CAME TO A CLOSE IT WAS NOW UP TO ISHMAEL TO PERFORM HIS LIVE SET. WITH THE VOLUME NOTICEABLY GROWING THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT THIS WAS THE ACT THAT PEOPLE WERE MOST ENGAGED WITH. IT COMES TO NO SURPRISE AS ISHMAEL IS A BUNDLE OF TALENT. SIMULTANEOUSLY WORKING ALL OF HIS EQUIPMENT AND PLAYING THE SAX, HIS SET DEMANDED PEOPLE’S ATTENTION. AND THOUGH THE ATMOSPHERE HAD BECOME MORE CONCENTRATED, I ONLY FELT MORE JOY AS HIS EUPHORIC HARMONIES TOOK OVER.

HAVING REFUELLED AFTER EATING ONE OF THE VENUE’S DELICIOUS BURGERS WE SET BASE FRONT LEFT FOR THE REMAINING TWO HOURS. THE GAFFER WAS NOW UP AND IN FULL SWING PLAYING MUCH OF THE LABELS HOTTEST RELEASES FROM MALL GRAB, FYI CHRIS AND LAURENCE GUY. SEB ALSO WHACKED ON PROJECT PABLO’S ‘CLOSER’ WHICH GOT A LOT OF SMILES ALL AROUND. THE LAST HALF AN HOUR SAW APES JOIN HIM FOR A B2B THAT REALLY PUT THE TERRACE IN TOP GEAR. THERE WAS NEVER A QUESTION OVER THE LABEL’S QUALITY IN PRODUCTION, AND YET AGAIN THEY HAVE PROVED THAT THEY CAN THROW A PARTY TOO. THE ROOFPARK SERVED AS THE PERFECT VENUE FOR WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO. YOU PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS AND YOU’RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THANK GOD IT DID NOT RAIN!

 

Words by Ben S

RECORD OF THE WEEK: Shahrokh Sound Of K. - Physiology (Musumeci & Olderic Special Edit) [Compost Records]

This track immediately caught my attention with it’s warm and groovy baseline that is almost verging on a slight hint of chug. With soft instrumental in the background and the tug and string slide of a base guitar the tracks grows and grows subtly with every beat. The keyboard over the top when stripped back could be apart of a movie soundtrack. 

These two Italian DJ’s are both heavyweights on there but as a combo they are quite the partnership. This edit was made along with others all in aid of there black label compost mix, which is an exceptionally constructed mix with plenty more of there own edits thrown in there as well. You may not here this track pon da dancefloor all that much but will no doubt be appearing in many mixes throughout the year. Lets just hope these two stay in partnership and keep on pushing dance music forward in a mature and educated fashion. 

4.2/5

Listen to the full release

Buy: Vinyl / Digital

Words by Barney

PREMIERE :: daWad & Mokic - Neu [Days Of Being Wild]

After his acclaimed debut on London based 'Days Of Being Wild' earlier this year, daWad returns with fellow Marseille based producer Mokic for the dark, elegant “Atlas” EP.

'Neu', 'Atlas' and 'Asphalte' are sweaty, raw cuts, all dressed up in freaky vocals and oblique melancholy. The kind of late night basement music you'd wish to hear more often, capturing the essence of Marseille's nightlife perfectly. In addition to these three gems, Sid Le Rock turns in a fast, mean reimagining of “Atlas”. Drenched in cosmic arpeggios and dense, frantic atmosphere, this one is guaranteed to shake dance floors all around the world this summer.

Listen to the full EP

RECORD OF THE WEEK: Acronym - Guadalquivir [Northern Electronics]

This week’s ROTW feature sees a turn to the darker, more experimental side of electronic music with weird, psychedelic techno from Stockholm’s Acronym. 

Since 2014, Swedish label Northern Electronics has risen to prominence within underground techno scenes right across Europe and Russia; label figure Abdullah Rashim has even recently been booked to play in the US. Since in founding, the label has developed its own recognizable broody, atmospheric analogue sound which lies suited between dark hypnotic club settings and home listening. Think of sparse, wintery Scandinavian landscapes… now, have that picture converted into sound. 

Acronym, like Rashim, remains another allusive Swedish producer creating shadowy drone techno within the isolated northern realms of Europe. Guadalquivir comes out as one of his weirdest, perhaps even more upbeat releases, and is focused more towards syncopated beats.

‘Purity’ is a twisted, high-energy track going full way with skipping rhythms: a whirl storm carrying any dancefloor into frenzied hypnosis. It’s branded with slippery sub-aquatic waves of reverbed synth cords. A subtly building high-octane drone attacks mid way through to add another entrancing layer, which takes the track to its peak. This is a track for trapping heads in the echo chamber. ‘Floating’ is another weirdo, mind twisting cut. This time layering broken up beats, over a crokey, fluctuating bassline. There’s not much progression, but it definitely stays as the most playful track on the EP. Play this out in the graveyard set to test how out-of-it your crowd is.

‘Constant Flow’ is the most dubbed out track. Again, more distorted acid squelches. With its rattling computed rhythms it recalls Acronym’s characteristic hypnotic style (like his ‘Red River Gum’ EP on NE). The EP finishes with ‘Cleansed in Fire’, an atmospheric ambient track to settle the mind from the disarray it’s so far led to… Light syncopated snares blended with emotional chords almost allow you to almost shed a tear, before it changes into a jittering rhythmic roller. Yet, in the cleansing fashion intended, time to breathe is given as the track closes.

3.8/5

Buy: Vinyl / Digital

 

Words by Fred

MIX OF THE MOMENT: Fluidnation - Oppo Chill Classics Pt. 2

Ben Mynott aka Fluidnation, or should I say the Fluidnation movement, is a key player in the down-tempo/chillout field. Previously he has had a number of award-winning albums, mostly under the pseudonym of Fragile State , a production duo that formed in 2002 and split two years later, but it's safe to say they made the most of those two years together having produced an array of gems, not to mention the chart damage caused. Having only recently stumbled across Fragile State I would recommend digging in, if you're into your down-tempo/chillout music and of course, haven't yet.  

Ben has also made a name for himself as a DJ and radio presenter receiving acclaim for his works and it's his Fluidnation show on a fantastic radio station called, Chill (DAB) why he's featured as the MOTM this week. Since 2007 Ben has been bringing his Fluidnation sounds to Chill and his show is one of the most listened to every week and my personal favourite; lucky for us he has an hours slot every week day with an extended two hour slot on Friday night. Part 2 of the Oppo Chill Classics Mix features tracks from William Orbit, Ralph Myerz, Nightmares On Wax, Boards Of Canada, Stuph, Massive Attack, Groove Armada and ofcourse Fragile State, among others. Simply top selections from a top selector - enjoy!

Words by Ben C

RECORD OF THE WEEK: Andrés - Mighty Tribe [La Vida]

Three perfect house cuts from Andrés AKA, DJ Dez. The Detroit man's hip-hop background shines through in his fourth EP on La Vida, which focuses on sample-based music.

Andrés packs in some big basslines and dusty drums which, in this EP, transports you to downtown somewhere.

The title track couldn't be more on the money, a rising and falling piano makes the bones of the melody with vocal stabs spotted around the track too.

'Chevy Status' does exactly what it says on the tin - more mid-tempo than the other tracks but just as funked up.

The B2, 'Plucked Up' will surely be one of those early-evening weapons that brings the dancers around. Andrés again shows his aptitude for arrangement and again, elements of his hip-hop roots emerge throughout this song.

This is a great addition to La Vida's catalogue - timeless and sophisticated dance music done by a true legend.

3.9/5

Buy: Vinyl

Words Matt B

WHAT'S ON | JULY

RECORD OF THE WEEK: Clavis - Cydalise [Freerange Records]

June 2016 marks the 20th Anniversary for Freerange Records. Run by Jamie Odell (Jimpster) and Tom Roberts, Freerange has seen the likes of House music titans Detroit Swindle, Manuel Tur, Shur-I-Khan, Stimming and of course, Jimpster, pass through its doors. To celebrate the occasion, they’ve put together a 20 track box set showcasing exclusive new music from Freerange rookies and veterans.

Enter Clavis – the collaboration between German producers Manuel Tur and Adrian Hoffman who are fresh off the back of a recent EP. Called “Alcine”, it’s a testament to their distinctly different, yet superbly complementary styles of production. The EP’s signature track, “Alcine”, is a combination of Hoffman’s chugging German techno and a rolling, multi-chord melody that is signature Tur. With productions like this, it’s no surprise Freerange chose their new track “Cydalise” to feature in their anniversary segment.

Showcasing the quality of sound that Freerange has become synonymous with, “Cydalise” begins with a beautiful, groovy xylophone melody that floats over a classic deep house rhythm and an almost “rain-stick-esque” kick. With the layering and production depth that epitomises Manuel Tur’s signature deep house and the wider quality of Freerange’s music as a whole, the song develops a warm, steady house synth that is glued together by a simple bassline that allows the other components of the song to flourish.

The song peaks in the build up to the 2nd breakdown, where the bass is removed and replaced by an almost Robert-Delong-esque manipulation of melody, and the maintenance of atmospheric background layers that would make Sigur Ros proud. The result is a busy, beautiful and swirling cacophony of sounds that produce an ethereal atmosphere. The 2nd breakdown arrives triumphantly as the layers all piece back together, resulting in a powerful 3am track designed to take the crowd to its apogee and carry them home until sunrise. Happy 20th Anniversary Freerange Records! Keep ‘em coming. 

3.7/5

Buy: Vinyl / Digital

Listen to the full '20 Years of Freerange' LP below

Words by Nick D