Introducing AS IT IS RECORDS

Kogui presents three slices of acidic, deep house for new French label, A(s)I(t)I(s), with a remix from HH favourite Steven Tang.

The first two Kogui tracks are simple yet powerful experiments in 303 modulation, which find themselves paired with droning, melodic accompaniments and frenetic percussion elements. 'Afw' sees the smooth, acidic lines of 'Implied Reference' shaken to the core. These notes remain, but quiver all over the track as Kogui's tinny hats press matters forward.

'F88' is the final piece from Kogui. Keeping acid as the primary focus yet looking to explore murkier depths, the tempo slows, and the result is a brooding sub-aquatic affair that bubbles its way through the deep.

Implied Reference To Fundamental EP - Kogui [As It Is]

Emphasis Recordings boss and Smallville contributor Steven Tang lends his own breed of languorous house to 'Implied Reference' with a tidy 'Mixdown remix'. Here, the sting of Kogui's acid stabs is nullified slightly and instead of shuffling ceaselessly all over the place as in the original, Tang chooses to isolate a singular note and work his sound around that.

A strong start from both Kogui and As It Is - go check the release out at Juno.

Featuring HAPPY SKULL

The Kelly Twins really are great DJs and selectors, reaching for a wide range of choice acid and jaunty electro cuts. It's no surprise then that their label Happy Skull has been very well received with initial releases from Systems of Desire (Kowton and Hyetal) and Adjowa (with a gritty Funkineven remix).

Rhythmic Theory haven't strayed far Bristolian labels Brstl and Idle Hands, and fit nicely with Happy Skull's machine-funk aesthetic. A-side 'Decadence of Delay' features distorted drum machines and whispering synths, whilst B-side 'Endocrine Creatures' hits harder with a resolute acid line.

Decadence of Delay – Rhythmic Theory [Happy Skull]

All three releases are available now from Juno.

Introducing STELLAR OM SOURCE

The new album from Christelle Gualdi (AKA Stellar OM Source) entitled Joy One Mile is one that defies categorisation. It would be difficult to classify the album solely as techno in the traditional sense, as Gualdi's knack for programming and harmonic abstraction push the album into the realm of the experimental. This being said, most of the tracks do rely on steady rhythms to propel them forward, which places the album into a grey area between conventional dance and the avant-garde.

Joy One Mile (Preview) - Stellar Om Source [RVNG Internationl]


'Polarity' opens the album with a mixture of percussive elements and a throbbing bass synth. Kick drums chop in and out throughout the track, giving the track a wobbly unsteadiness, a theme that recurs throughout the album. 'Par Amour' then follows with its rave like synth stabs and a vocal that sounds like it could be from an old Inner City track. The heavy use of 909 and 303 sounds on this album nod to classic Detriot techno, as well as Chicago acid, but these elements are mutated through the abstractions in programming. 'The Range' provides listeners with what appears to be Gualdi's take on contemporary bass music, whilst 'Trackers' is a study in hyper synth arpeggio that eventually gives way to cool pads and 303 sounds towards the end of the record.

The single from album 'Elite Excel' stands to demonstrate the concept of the album best, constantly morphing, twisting and is really several small compositions in one track. 'Fascination' begins with an airy, cosmic synth line and a few percussive elements, before it gives way to a heavy, albeit stuttery, 4/4 bass kick. Almost every track on the album has some kind of redeeming quality, and also serves to push our own perceptions of what is and isn't right for use on the dance floor.

It should be noted that Gunnar Wendel (AKA Kassem Mosse) was a collaborator on the album and his remix of Elite Excel is included on the CD / digital version. If you decide to pick up the vinyl, which you can do from Juno, then it's advised you download the Kassem remix via the code included with the release.

1. Polarity
2. Par Amour
3. The Range
4. Trackers
5. Elite Excel
6. Fascination
7. Natives / Most Answers Never Unveiled
8. Elite Excel (Kassem Mosse Remix) (Bonus Track)

Digital is available for download from Bandcamp.

Featuring STEVEN TANG

Steven Tang has arrived with his first LP, 'Disconnect to Connect', filled to the brim with spaced-out jams and percussive house.

'Interstice' starts off the LP in a laid-back fashion, with sweeping deep chords joined by shuffling drums that echo throughout the rest of the record. Title track 'Disconnect to Connect' starts off similarly, the percussion creating a tough groove to contrast with the blissed-out synth and deep bass line - there's something otherworldly about this one.

'Some Solace', 'Heat Burst', and 'Sunspot' explore the acid side of things a bit more, although in different ways. 'Some Solace', very much in the same vain as 'Disconnect to Connect', is chilled-out and bursting with layer upon layer of atmosphere. 'Heat Burst' on the other hand takes acid head on, with Tang using complicated drum patterns and tight 303 programming to create a dark and intense stomper. 'Sunspot' lies somewhere in between the two, this time the percussion taking a bit more of a backseat, instead letting the deep, almost dubby kick do the talking.

Disconnect to Connect LP – Steven Tang [Smallville]

'It's Perceived as a Sound' is similar in ways to 'Interstice', this time the chords accompanied by a lazy but great sounding broken-beat. 'Potential Light' carries the LP rather nicely to 'Brink of Dawn', which rather fittingly rounds off the LP; bleached out and heady, this one is best left for the end of the night.

[SMALLVILLELP 07] will be available 15th July, from Juno.

Featuring MR BEATNICK

Massive remix from Mr Beatnick due out 20 May 2013 - order it here.

Pyramid (Mr Beatnick Remix) - Photek [Photek Productions]


Also check his 'Savannah EP' on Don't Be Afraid for some perfect summer lazing material.

Introducing AUTOMATIC TASTY

While still in winter's grips, it's time nonetheless to start looking forward to the upcoming festival season across the UK and Europe. Summer vibes, warmer locales and great music are all on the horizon. Automatic Tasty's recent release on Photic Fields, entitled The Joys Of Departure EP should put anyone into a warmer mindset.

Automatic Tasty has come into his own as a producer over the last few years and has quite a few EPs and full-length albums already under his belt. His music ranges from IDM and electro to acid house, and this recent release falls into the latter genre.

The opener of the EP 'Winetavern Street Romance' captures best the overarching laid-back analogue vibe of the record. Perfect stuff for chilling out in the afternoon or at a festival by the beach. 'The Long Road Home' is a slightly deeper affair but doesn't stray far from the chilled out acid sound established by the first track. The last two tracks on the EP 'Thinking Out Loud' and 'Living Vicariously Through My Own Body' round out the release to similar effect.

The Joys Of Departure EP - Automatic Tasty [Photic Fields]


This producer has found his own sound with these IDM and acid inflected house tracks, and certainly isn't trying to conform to any popular trend. The Joys Of Departure is sold out at Juno but you can still get it at Redeye for a reasonable price.

Introducing CLASSICWORKS

Last month saw the second release on Barcelona based label, Classicworks, which is run by Venezuelan and Argentinian producers Cardopusher and Nehuen, respectively. After a successful split EP, Split 01, it is Cardopusher who steps out alone with the So What U Want Me To Do EP.

It is fairly obvious from the get go that the inspiration behind this EP comes from all areas of the electronic music scene. The opener 'I Know U Will' is a piano driven house affair with enough energy behind it to get anyone on the dance floor with its thumping beat. This is followed up with a rough techno thumper rooted firmly 90s hardcore with an infectious vocal hook which has landed it in the record bags of everyone from Bok Bok to Doc Daneeka.



Up next is 'The Real Thing' which harnesses a classic US house vocal and takes it on a acid trip across the Atlantic, really pushing the synths to the limit. Lastly is the the acid house number, 'Hysteria' which really does sound like something you would hear coming out of Boddika or Scuba set. Lastly for good measure there is a remix of 'I Know U Will' by label cohort Nehuen which gives it a bit more of a 90's flavour but takes away none of the energy.

The So What U Want Me To Do and Split 01 EPs are available from Juno.

Introducing OXFORD MNGO

New York native Oxford Mngo has gone by many names but this is the one that seems to be sticking. As a full time student and university radio DJ, Jonathon Alcindor, quietly produces his own brand of acid infused techno.

Earlier this year he released his debut effort, Class Act, on Car Crash Set to a hugely positive response, setting the bar high for future releases. Until then enjoy his fantastic Late Nite Mix below, featuring tracks from some of our favourite artists right now.

Late Nite Mix - Oxford Mngo

HH MIX #034 - RECONDITE

rec·on·dite
abstruse - obscure - secret - deep

Plangent Records has been an outlet for the deep workings of Berlin's Recondite. The four limited melancholic white labels found their way into the bag of Scuba whose clearly a big fan, leading to a remix of 'The Hope'.

On Acid saw Recondite explore the deeper side of the 303 for an album on Absurd. There's no jarring resonant squeaks here, just subtle tweaks of the Roland machine that allows for a real journey into the sparse analog abyss. Remixes came from Scuba and fellow acid experimenter Tin Man.



The latest release on Scuba's Hotflush Recordings showcases the tracks 'DRGN' and 'Wist 365'. 'DRGN' features bit-crushed sweeps and a prominent warped LFO drone as it builds, before dropping into dark territory with its minimal bass-line and beat. You wouldn't think it's peak time dance floor material, but DJ's such as Boddika have been championing it in their sets. 'Wist 365' is a dreamy 9-minute long workout. Various percussive rhythms lead the track, whilst chimes glimmer to create a shadowy atmosphere. It's gloomy stuff, but Recondite manages to create abstract beauty for Hotflush's 25th outing.

DRGN/Wist 365 - Recondite [Hotflush Recordings]

Here we're proud to present no.34 in the series, and our 3rd all-own-productions mix. If you can make a mix that sounds this good from start to finish with all your own music then you're definitely doing something right. Quality from start to finish...

HH MIX #034 - Recondite [download]


01. Recondite - Haptic [Plangent]
02. Scuba - The Hope (Recondite Remix) [Hotflush]
03. Recondite - Backbone [Plangent]
04. Recondite - Jaded [Absurd/Acid Test]
05. Recondite - Harbinger [Absurd/Acid Test]
06. Recondite - Wist365 [Hotflush]
07. Recondite - Whenever [unreleased]
08. Recondite - Same [forthcoming Other Heights]
09. Recondite - Being [forthcoming Other Heights]
10. Recondite - Flip [unreleased
11. Recondite - Tepid [unreleased]

Get following on Soundcloud and Facebook to keep up to date.

Featuring TREVINO

Trading in drum & bass for twisted UK bass configurations has gone rather well for Marcus Intalex. Since April he’s churned out no less than three stand-out releases under his Trevino guise and his latest effort sees him scoring a fourth on Bristol's ever-reliable Apple Pips imprint.

'Indulge' continues his love of all things stateside, coming good with a serving of ice cold Detroit electro. It’s a slow-burning affair with a kicking 909 beat laying the groundwork for an impressive arsenal of vintage synth lines.

Indulge - Trevino [forthcoming Apple Pips]


Things get a bit darkside on the flip when 'Under Surveillance' trades in Drexciya for some dreadnaught DMZ stylings. There's still an acid tinge to proceedings but with the paranoia-inducing bass pressure of the best dubstep of yesteryear. Neither will raise the roof quite like Derelict or Lag, but both find Trevino exploring new sonic territory with the maturity you'd expect from a producer of his calibre.

Under Surveillance - Trevino [forthcoming Apple Pips]


Buy it now on vinyl and digital from Juno.

HH MIX #028 - MRSK

Another short break in the series but we return with this very special mix from one of Stockholm's finest - Martin Skogehall, better known as MRSK.

Martin first dropped onto our radar with the From Sweeden EP, his debut release on Rush Hour. 'Black Keith' and 'Close To Me' nailed the deep, crisp, rolling dubby Techno we were craving and the next EP, vinyl only on Skudge, featured 'Twirl' and 'Pinkman' - two hefty, acidic grooves which cemented our love for this man's productions.

Black Keith - MRSK [Rush Hour]


Twirl - MRSK [Skudge]


This mix follows suit and is certainly a highly recommended download if you like your tunes with a bit of energy and that elegant acidic touch.

DOWNLOAD

01. Lorn & Dolor - III - Quarters // Coupons [Wednesday Sound]
02. Legowelt - What Time Is It? [Signals]
03. Third Side - Andy [Restoration]
04. Kamikaze Space Programme - Black Lagoon [Deca Rhythm]
05. Mike Dehnert - Layer [Fachwerk Records]
06. Maan - Throw [Unknown]
07. Sei A - Flux (Martyn's Electromagnetic Mix) [Turbo Recordings]
08. Distal - Venom [Tectonic]
09. L-Vis 1990 - Hard Drive [Night Slugs]
10. October - Push [Skudge]
11. Sound Stream - 3rd Movement [Sound Stream]
12. Untold - Luminous [Hemlock Recordings]
13. L-Vis 1990 - Video Drone [Night Slugs]
14. Trevino - Derelict [Nakedlunch]
15. Ctrls - Socket [Token]
16. Distal - Temple People [Tectonic]
17. Actress - The Lords Graffiti [Honest Jon's Records]
18. M-A-E - 665 [Unknown]
19. Shifted - Leather [Mote-Evolver]
20. Bochum Welt - Radiopropulsive [Rephlex]
21. Fink - Perfect Darkness (Close Remix) [Unknown]

Featuring BODDIKA

Boddika returned strong this month with his first solo outing since last years Grand Prix for Naked Lunch. As much as this years earlier collaborations with Joy Orbison (Swims & Froth/Mercy) were well received, to put it mildly, it is nice to see some well anticipated solo stuff get a release.

'Acid Jackson' has a fair helping of Boddika's own acidic style and by his standards is pretty upbeat. Sprinkled with a fair helping of electro vibes and cowbell, this is definitely for moving your body to. However, it is the darker of the two tracks, 'Basement', that really catches the attention with some seriously bass heavy 808 beats.

Acid Jackson - Boddika [Swamp81]


This is just the beginning though, with a remix 12" of 'Soul What' - slated for release around the summer on Swamp81 - from Mickey Pearce, a forthcoming release on Naked Lunch and according to Loefah there also an apparent Boddika LP in the pipeline.

Until then Acid Jackson / Basement is vinyl only on Swamp81 from all good record stores.

Featuring LONE

As a pre-cursor to his upcoming album, Galaxy Garden, Matt Cutler - who is more commonly known as Lone - and the always influential R&S Records are treating us to a sample of things to come with a brand new 12".

Crystal Caverns 1991 is another fine release from Lone and in keeping with his style manages to produce something fresh that is unmistakably his. The title track is a high energy, synth-laden affair with plenty of funk to light up any dancefloor with its mash of Funky and early 90's Rave vibes. The flipside is 'Vulcan Mill Acid' which is as advertised - a funky, acid laden affair accompanied by some more energetic percussion.



If this release is anything to go by, the whole album should be another great Lone release and worthy of gracing the vaults of R&S. Crystal Caverns 1991 is out on wax on the 2nd of April followed by the digital release a week later and the album in May.

Trevino - Tweakonomics