Diggin’ In The Crates

Between 1994 and ’96, Takuya Sugimoto AKA Web released a trio of now hard-to-find albums featuring an inspired mix of techno, ambient and IDM, as well as a now sought-after EP on FatCat Records. The latter is a favourite of Dynamo Dresden, who tracked down Sugimoto and was offered the chance to release this surprise album of previously unheard tracks recorded way back in 1996. There’s much to admire throughout, from the whistling melodies, off-kilter drums and ultra-deep chords of “Interaction With Equipment”, and the organ-rich, lo-fi deep house bliss of “Math & Dance”, to the ultra-deep techno trip that is ghostly record two opener “The Temptation of the Pyramid”, to the alien-sounding intoxication of closing cut “Papyrus”.

New Special Editions Edits from Magic Wand label 4 heavy duty disco reworks from Mind Fair.

On his last two singles on Soopastole, mash-up maestro DJ Soopasoul smashed together elements of Stevie Wonder and Redman/Method Man, and James Brown and Crooklyn Dodgers. For his latest trick he’s decided to pepper an edited version of “People All Over The World” by Philadelphia Soul legends MFSB, with raps from a stone cold classic Beastie Boys tune. It’s the sort of thing that shouldn’t work, but the Beasties’ flows work perfectly over the flanged guitars, undulating bass and unfussy 4-to-the-floor Philly Soul grooves of the MFSB track. You can hear his instrumental rework of that track on the flip; it’s so good that it’s arguably worth the entrance price on its own.

Berlin-based, Dutch-born Steffi possesses near-boundless prowess. As a DJ, she’s proved her effortless mastery of disco, house, electro, and techno; as helm of labels Klakson and Dolly, she’s long maintained her status as tastemaker; as a producer, she has graced us with three solo LPs and numerous 12″s. Dark Entries is now honored to unveil the debut of her project Crushed Soul, a moniker she had used only once in 2013 for an Ostgut Ton compilation track. The mutual esteem of Steffi and DE has been previously fruitful, with Steffi providing a remix for Cute Heels’ 2016 EP on DE, but this is their first full-length collaboration. The Family of Waves EP represents both familiar and novel pastures for Steffi. While her love of electro and classic Detroit techno have been oft-evident, here we witness the darker shades of new wave and industrial creep to the forefront. This turn for the twisted feels not just natural, but predestined, an inevitable succumbing to morbid forces. But Steffi also views Family as “a playful association…a mix of my past and new modern waves”. There is a kernel of whimsy, even joy, lurking within the record’s temporal jumblings. The A-side opens with “Gravitational Field”, which juxtaposes its gnarled bassline with unearthly percussives and a recurrent resonant gong. The wild sonic palette speaks Steffi’s singular voice. “Scalar Property” continues the paranoid propulsion with an unhealthy dose of what can only be described as Metroid-funk, its staccato bass jabs interlaced with ghastly vocal pads. The B-side contains a diptych of slower tracks that juggle reference points both retro and futurist. In “Family of Waves”, a churning EBM-esque bassline battles acerbic yelps. On this track, the collision of past and present is most pronounced, as if A Split Second were covering Mike Parker. “Diffusion of Heat” closes the EP with what feels like a perfect synthesis of Steffi’s musical passions: funky, warbling chord stabs; intricate rhythmic diversions; the ecstasy of repetition. Here, disco, new wave, and techno marry harmoniously, if only to inform us of the disharmony of our present. All songs have been mastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. The sleeve and accompanying postcard were designed by Eloise Leigh using video art stills by Goldenliustra.

Chicago deknician Traxx delivers an epic 17:00 minute excursion into the world of “proto rhythm” Here we have a blueprint 80s style mastermix which touches upon tracks that may be considered “proto-house” material from a forgotten time when studio experimentation and creativity with the machines were the norm. When producers made music for the djs and the two were all intertwined in the process working hand in hand (we can think about Larry Levan’s “Night Dubbling” album with Imagination as reference”. This 17 minute trip is Traxx’s take on the early sound of New York, some of the records played then and some of the techniques used to “spice up” the records shall we say. Strictly limited one time pressing, No digital. Picture sleeve artwork by Steele Bonus.

2 years after his remarkable EP The Anticlimax, Label Boss Driss Bennis is back in stores on Casa Voyager CSV06 with a massive 6 tracker under his now classic moniker OCB. The A-side opens with a smashing peak time track containing classic breakbeats and a vicious bassline, while A2 and A3 are neat electro beats, the label’s trademark. On the flip side, the music dive in a more emotional landscape but still has a predominant club esthetic. Tested and Approved. Catch the train.

On its initial release in 1994, “Sceneries Not Songs” became deep house legend Larry Heard’s first solo album under his given name. At the time, it caused quite a stir on the electronic underground, in part because it saw the Chicago veteran showcase the depth and variety of his musical personality whilst retaining the emotive dreaminess and jazzy inflections that had always been a big part of his work. As this much-needed vinyl reissue proves, it remains a stunning album. Highlights include the sparkling synthesizers, slo-mo grooves and twinkling pianos of “Tahiti Dusk”, the classic Heard deep house warmth of “Midnight Movement”, the head-nodding trip-hop-goes-ambient jazz flex of “Summertime Breeze” and the luscious beauty of bonus cut “Question of Time”.

Super limited and in demand dubstep cut coming out on the new IMX label from Headland. Nothing but big bass weight tunes ready for the sound systems.

uno exclusive hand -numbered to 299 only copies dinked limited white vinyl edition 7 inch with an additional branded wooden 45 adapter.By now, you should know Devon Russell’s sought-after 1984 cover of Curtis Mayfield classic “Move On Up”, a incredible, post-disco era reggae-soul revision that just oozes sun-splashed positivity. It’s virtually impossible to pick up the original 45 so this dinked reissue from Mukatsuku Records is most welcome and has been lovingly remastered. The seven-inch is also notable for including another overlooked gem from Russell’s even lesser-known 1993 album of Mayfield covers, “Darker Than Blue”. His rendition of “Give Me Your Love” here presented for the very first time in a 45 format is blissfully glassy-eyed, colourful and hazy, giving the Mayfield classic a decidedly Balearic reggae feel via head-nodding grooves, fluid synthesizer lines and jazzy guitar solos. In a word: brilliant.Supported so far by DJ Koco & DJ Muro from Japan and Craig Charles BBC 6 Music, The Allergies,Mr Thing, Andy Smith & Boca 45 from the uk….