Review: Keith Tucker aka DJ K-1 is back with more of his stripped-back electro magic, complete with trademark vocoder flair. His 'My Name Is DJ K-1' is a six-tracker EP that is reminiscent of his classic K-1 Agenda era on Direct Beat. The original mix here leans into Kraftwerk-style futurism while DMX Krew's remix adds a darker, sample-heavy twist full of Motor City-style techno and bass brilliance. The 'Beat Mix' is pure looped funk so is perfect for seamless blends while the 'Detroit Jit Mi' offers a full vocal rap with local flavor. The goodness keeps on coming with the 'SPOCK Mix' and its eerie, spacey strings, and the 'NAVI Mix' is a hypnotic bonus beat version soaked in synth puddles and absorbing rhythmic tension. Irresistible stuff.
Review: Japanese talent DJ Koco aka Shimokita is a hardcore 45rpm devotee. They are his chosen tools as a beat-juggling DJ who can do logic-defying things with his grooves. He is a regal on Bloom and already dropped serious heat in January with 'World Famous'. This time he is back with a fresh take on 'Made In New York' which is a 1985 classic by renowned Brazilian funk and jazz pianist Tania Maria. He brings his signature hip-hop flair and creativity with his trusted crew, 45trio, and enlists the dynamic saxophonist King TJ (DA-Dee-MiX) to elevate things further.
Review: Swedish label Borft has been digging in its archives again to assemble another volume of what it sees as its most classic cuts. And we don't disagree with these, which are taken from releases that originally landed between 1998 and 1999. Egglady's- 'Prinsessan Och Agget 1' is well-swung and deftly dubbed out with lovely analogue drum sounds cutting through. Nikolas Rowland's 'Headspin' is another smooth one with molten chords and a firm low-end drive. 'Puffy Nipples' from Kord is a wonky number with an unhinged charm and stomping groove that will stand out in any set while Crinan closes with the classy and raw house, dub and tech fusion that is 'Suit 61'.
Review: The good early work of the Third Stream label carries on with this seventh missive and it's a various artists affair featuring some top talent. Alex Font gets things underway with 'Keep Moving', which is aloof, rolling minimal tech defined by a billowing lead which does what it wants. Kyle&Sam's 'Chapter 36' is an ice-cold and deft, steel-plated tech cut a la Melchior's best and Altarf & Backhauser -keep the synthetic, abstract aesthetic going with their occult machine whirs and loopy drum funk on 'Yeah.' Dumi & Nopau's 'Time Measurements' is like a long-lost Ricardo Villalobos cut from his most famous album.
Review: Techno tachyons Midi Mode, based in Ireland, provide a home for "warped and twisted" sounds and those who create them. After five vaporwave-tinged, reality-bending debut EPs from the likes of Ikeaboy and Power, they now present their very first selectors V/A EP on a gooey green wax edition. It's quite the assembly of Eireann techno royalty, with a host of seasoned players lead by probably the country's most esteemed DJ, Sunil Sharpe, as well as Kerrie and Wexford's Lee Holman. Quality is, naturally, at a consistently high label - with closer 'Phase-One' proving an especially computational, objectivist, mad, pitiless track.
Nordhouse (Luke Hess & Brian Kage Reference remix) (5:51)
Galaxian (Max Watts remix) (6:02)
Review: Detroit's Brian Kage is back with more Motor City goodness, this time as a remixer alongside a fine selection of peers. It is his Timeless Times album that gets reworked here and for his remix of 'Nordhouse' he works with fellow Detroiter and dub techno don Luke Hess to cook up a warm, shuffling sound. Elsewhere Delano Smith brings his signature smoky loops and plaintive keys to 'Detroit Techno City', Milton Jackson steps up with a buddy deep house roller and 'Galaxian' gets an electro remix from Max Watts to make this a classy, quality collection.
Review: Warsaw producer Kampinos delivers a knockout trio of tunes for GAMM here that collide soulful drum & bass with deep musical roots. The standout opener is 'Good Looking Pepe,' which flips Pepe Bradock's seminal house love-in 'Deep Burnt' into a lush, jazzy roller a la LTJ Bukem. On the B-side, 'Joi' explodes with gospel fervour and raw amen breaks to make for an irresistible jungle anthem built for dancefloor uplift. Rounding things off, Kampinos offers a rich, emotive refix of Little Simz's 'See You Glow' which is both warm and intense. This is rather unexpected yet effective outing for GAMM with a fine mix of soul and roughness.
Review: Still riding high from the success of his superb re-make of Manuel Gottsching on Test Pressing ('A Reference to E2-E4'), Alex Kassian returns to Pinchy & Friends - who released his similarly popular 2021 EP 'Leave Your Life' - after a three-year break. Beginning with the lusciously languid, Balearic, effects-laden and sonically layered title track ('Body Singer', where Jonny Nash style guitars and tumbling sax motifs rise above a sparse drum machine beat and shoegaze-esque aural textures), the Berlin-based producer offers up a loved-up mix of weightless ambient bliss (Kinship), kosmiche soundscapes (the sun-flecked 'Skinship'), revivalist Krautrock (the Can-after-several-spliffs headiness of 'Trippy Gas') and immersive, cinematic excusions (the gorgeous 'Mirror of the Heart').
Alex Kassian x Spooky - "Orange Coloured Liquid" (part I) (6:25)
Alex Kassian x Spooky - "Orange Coloured Liquid" (part II) (5:54)
Alex Kassian x Spooky - "Orange Coloured Liquid" (Placid Angles remix) (7:08)
Spooky - "Orange Coloured Liquid" (5:02)
Review: After last year's standout 'E2-E4' rework, in-form producer Alex Kassian returns to Test Pressing Records with the next instalment in the series i this time turning his attention to Spooky's 'Orange Coloured Liquid', taken from their 1993 debut album Gargantuam. Alongside acts like Underworld and Leftfield, UK duo Charlie May and Duncan Forbes helped shape the early 90s progressive house sound under their Spooky moniker. Now, decades later, Kassian delivers two versions designed to serve dancefloor and sunset respectively, with the rolling breaks of Part I beautifully complemented by the ambient swells of Part II. John Beltran dons his Placid Angles alias for a sumptuous remix pitched somewhere between the two, while the still-fresh original rounds out an essential EP i no surprise, given the calibre of those involved.
Review: Domingo Dark makes his solo vinyl debut as Kaxtelian with an EP that really finds him stretching his legs across a mix of electro, UK hardcore and techno with a smattering of Belgian influences and the authentic sound of Valencia also peeking through. Created between the ghettos of Albacete and Badalona, the release marks a fine new chapter in Dark's career. 'Hardcore Motherfucker' is just that with its blistering drum funk and acid brightness. 'Ghetto Cyberpunkers' has booming low ends and caustic synths and 'Hardcore Boys' is a dense melange of ghoulish vocals and synth intensity that rides a slamming electro-techno rhythm.
Keller - "That Kind Of Girl" (The Dukes original mix) (5:13)
Mark Funk - "Here To Stay" (5:48)
Danny Cruz - "Waiting (For You)" (6:55)
Makito - "Jackin With Millie" (6:31)
Review: If you're reading this you will probably already know that this Cruise Music series has been full of gold over the previous instalments. Whoever is in charge for curation has pulled it off again with four more funky and disco infused house gems. Keller's opener is a classy mix of filtered vocals and drum loops with an aching soul edge. Mark Funk offers a more party starting disco bumper with classic vocal hooks and Danny Cruz takes things onto a summer terrace with glorious horns and uplifting grooves. Makito shuts down with the dusty deep house shuffles and party atmospheres of 'Jackin With Millie.'
Review: Kessell (Spain's Valentin Corujo) returns with his new EP 'Savage Garden' on Polegroup. The EP's name is certainly not to be confuddled as a reference to the boyish queer-affirmative trip hop duo of the same name; the emphasis here is rather on a truncated techno paradise, with a five-horned satyr gracing a classically styled front cover. It marks but one of many pummeller techno releases put out by the artist since 2013, though it's only his second after 'Nothing Left To Say' (Pole, 2023) to surrealise academic or Renaissance cover art. 'Hidden Echoes' and 'Seeing Beyond' stand out as the main darkened, textural edenics to saturate this utter floor stressor of a record, as though a giant hydraulic press were menacing the crowd from above.
Review: For five years, Acid Jazz has been showcasing Kevin Fingier's productions with each one carrying his signature Latin flair. It all began with 'Latin Dynamite', which sold out 15 days before its release and was followed by 'Cocktail de Medianoche' and 'Why Don't You Go Home', which were both instant sellouts. The second pressing of 'Latin Dynamite' included a fiery Latin rendition of the r&b classic 'It's Your Voodoo Working'. When Fingier released 'Not Strictly Soul,' it featured the Latin gem 'El Popcorn' which is now available on 7" for the first time. These four Latin Soul anthems are now united in one explosive Boogaloo EP that arrives just in time for summer.
A top value for money opportunity here, as Moiss Music deliver the latest in their sweet and sticky Jam series of various artist 12" line ups, bringing you no less than six bubbling, vivacious disco triumphs from six artists. Khemir's 'Disco Bandit' kicks off proceedings, a production that sounds like it was made by a band of around 45 musicians, a proper cavalcade of strings, brass, brazen disco thump and beautifully bold vocals. Wurzelholz's 'Prince' goes for a bit more economy but with a slinky funk bassline like that - not to mention the occasional exclamation from the purple overlord himself - it's equally devastating in dancefloor terms. Among the other highlights, 'Golden' by I Gemin has the feel of a lost Daft Punk flip tune and Cosmocomics' 'Glamorous Garcon', boasting 70s-style synth bubbles that are as cute as they are retro. Tasty as ever.
Review: A little slice of rock history for RSD 2025, taken from the encore from US indie faves The Killers' encore at New York's Madison Square Garden on October 1, 2022, when a certain Mr Springsteen joined them to Boss proceedings. We get versions of two of Springsteen's calling cards - 'Badlands' from his Darkness on the Edge of Town album, often cited as a proto-punk classic - and the ubiquitous 'Born To Run', with The Killers' raucous 'Dustland', seemingly heading up and up in intensity without ever quite hitting the ceiling, as the meat in the musical sandwich. The clear parallels between both acts are laid bare, as is the spontaneity and excitement of a true one off moment.
Review: Returning with their second EP on their self-named label, the Kilotoni series is said to be the work of renowned techno artists, plucked from the archives, but whatever, it's a a fierce resurgence of headstrong acid techno that feels both classic and vital. Side-A opens with 'Track , a minimal yet powerful stormer driven by a thick, rolling acid bassline that commands the floor. 'Track 2' follows up with a heavier, more stomping affair i a dangerous, sci-fi-inflected ride where the acid line buzzes with an incessant, hypnotic edge, pushing the energy to the brink. Turn to Side-B and 'Track 3' hits with alien sound design and raw 90s acid techno energy. It's a slice of nostalgia, yet the strong modern production keeps it razor sharp and club-ready. Closing things out, 'Track 4' shifts gears into a groovy, fun techno jam that retains the otherworldly atmosphere but brings a lighter, more playful bounce to the mix. A heavyweight EP that perfectly captures acid techno's gritty essence while pushing it into new, futuristic spaces.
Review: System warmongers Moonshine Recordings brew their own methanol murder beats, this time enlisting master home brewer King DuBear and toaster/taster Junior Dread for an apocalyptic system smasher, of epidemic proportions. In characteristic throaty baritone, 'Keep The Faith' hears Dread caution his fellow youngers against folly - "stay away from they food and the lies dem a spread" - while snares and noir bubbles come ensnared in intense, pop-out reverb. The dub goes surprisingly in on Dread's vocals, hamming them up with extra preamp body.
Review: MessenJAH Movement is on a roll after its first three outings and this fourth is just as momentous as it explores conscious dub. The A-side showcases the unmistakable voice of King Lorenzo on 'Down Ya Inna Babylon', which is a heartfelt collaboration years in the making. It's backed by a militant yet soulful MessenJAH Movement riddim and a heavy dub version mixed in-house with stepping rhythms and shiny digital leads. On the flip, Black Swan marks a long-anticipated link-up between Locks MessenJAH and EverestDub, who has been a key figure in Bristol's dub scene since 2008. The track pays tribute to the roots and legacy of Bristol dub and is named after the iconic venue that shaped UK sound system culture.
Review: The Japanese label Black Liberation Sound System has made an impressive start to life over its first three outings. The fourth is another strictly vinyl-only 7" featuring vocalist King Stanley. His tones are buttery and full of yearning as he delivers gentle patois and well-articulated lyrics over a sleek, future-facing dub rhythm. Plenty of studio effects make for an absorbing atmosphere and on the flip is a dub that allows them more room to shine. Two killer tunes as sound system season fast approaches, and another big moment from this ever more essential label.
Review: American label Deep Bow makes a notable vinyl debut with this heavyweight 10" featuring King Stanley and Prince Jamo, both voicing over a thunderous riddim crafted by producer Dub Sev?. This roots-driven slab stars with King Stanley's passionate cries over sleek drums with shiny digital synths and neat guitar licks. It stays true to the deep, meditative spirit of sound system culture and becomes much more roomy and spaced out in the hands of Dub Seva. Prince Jamo's 'Joke' has a cleaner vocal and some natty keys, and also gets dubbed out by Dub Seva. A strong introduction from Deep Bow that showcases talent from both sides of the Atlantic.
Review: Culture Club legend and pop maverick Boy George makes a triumphant return for Record Store Day with an exclusive coloured 12" of a long-lost gem. Originally produced in the '90s and revived as a dancefloor hit in 2007, the wonderful 'You're Not The One' now receives its first proper vinyl release, having previously been CD only, with copies on second-hand markets fetching upwards of L450. Reimagined by original producer Kinky Roland, this version features standout remixes including a sleek Vocal and Dub version by house legend Eric Kupper and a genre-blurring rework by Grammy-nominated UK talent Paris Cesvette. Superb club-ready pop nostalgia.
Review: Konerytmi is mad prolific, as you probably know - as well as this EP, there is also one dropping on Bordello A Parigi this month - but quality levels always remain high. This 'Megapikseli EP' is a high-definition dive into electro-funk with vintage video game soul. Opener 'Kirsikka' delivers laser zaps and crisp 808s, while the title track brings fog-lit chords and mind-bending percussion, followed by Fleck ESC's cinematic, abstract remix. Side B begins with 'Mikropikseli,' a sun-soaked cosmic journey filled with playful effects and radiant leads, and closing track 'Puro' oozes late-night electrosoul, acid basslines and shimmering melodies perfect for anyone who likes groove-rich electro inspired by the golden age of gaming.
Review: Next up on Bordello A Parigi is the prolific Kirill Junolainen under his Konerytmi alias with a four-track EP bridging disco, Italo, synth pop and wave. The title track is an emotive analogue ride full of glittering synths and distant melancholy, and is followed by the icy electro of 'Klassikkoelokuva' with crisp claps and bending basslines. On the flip, 'Hirvijarvi' takes a slow, sci-fi-inspired journey through spacey synths and probing percussion. Closing cut 'Uusiaalto' blends computer chirps, soaring strings and fractured drums for a bold yet fragile finish. It makes for a colourful showcase of Konerytmi's breadth and is melodic, mysterious and unmistakably good.
Review: Bosq's take on Konkolo Orchestra's 'Le Secret' feels like the moment when an Afrobeat anthem gets suited up for the club. Infused with his trademark Latin disco edge, the remix blends the rich pulse of Afro rhythms with sleek, dancefloor-ready beats. It's clear Bosq's move to Colombia has added a fresh sense of urgency to the track: percussion snaps with precision, while lush, warm keys wrap around the groove. The instrumental mix on the B-side strips it back, leaving only the track's hypnotic beats and intricate textures to breathe perfect for DJs looking to build atmosphere. This is Bosq's take on Afrobeat, refracted through his own shimmering lens, and it's infectious.
Review: Koperblond is the owner of Prettemusic and here serves up the fledgling label's second outing. 'Make A Scene' leads off with chunky house drums and plenty of vivacious synth work while two heavyweight remixes from Dirty Dutch icon Chuckie and Finland's Skuwa serve up bubbling old-school vibes, while DJ Babatr delivers a thunderous Rraptor house version that is all tension and explosive energy. Koperblond teams up with AutoFlower and Beau de Wit then on 'Feel You' which is a feel-good piano house cut with an irresistible vocal hook. The closer, 'Plan B.' shifts gears into a deeper, more emotional space.
Review: Youssef Benjelloun aka Kosh may run Convergence out of his own Morocco studio, but this time he lends his talents to fellow patrons Syncrophone, for close to 20 minutes' worth of deep techno prowess. With its Ibizan chords and subtly varied sections, 'Lost In Change' proves the lability of techno over time; that slow phrasal evolution need not conflict with in-the-zone flow states. 'No Exit', our favourite track otherwise, brings absurdist Sartrean machinery to a sequenced hell on Earth, going relentless on the 909 toms and claps.
Review: Theo Kotts taps into some irresistible garage magic here on the cult Fuse label which has long been dominating the sound of the London underground. 'Dark At 3pm' is an urban sound with subtle nobs back top the original UKG sound with dark breaks and fizzing synths. 'Forward Motion' is a nice bouncy slammer with some balmy pads softening the edges and 'Glow' brings a little more heady melody to the fore, although the drums still cruise nicely. 'In Search Of' shows yet another side with crispy breaks and pitched up vocal hooks while 'Strides' slips into darkness once more.
Review: A sense of patient propulsion runs through this one, as Kozstum threads trance-adjacent synthwork through dubby, shuffling frameworks. 'Rasalhague' is all glowing pads and understated swing, while 'Tiaki' steps deeper into low-slung, post-tribal terrain, the drums barely rising above a whisper. 'Alien Agenda' ups the tension with its echo chamber atmospherics and slow acid seep, before 'Avior' opens out into a big-room closer i poised, melodic, and richly psychedelic. The German DJ's years behind the decks show in the pacing: each track keeps something in reserve, stretching the floor's energy rather than blowing it out.
Review: French producers, Kragg and RTR, split the difference between shadowy electro and jacked-up machine funk on this split release, each taking a side to show their teeth. Kragg opens with 'Shifton', a stomping cut with sizzling percussion and greyscale synth stabs, before veering into the eerie with 'Lazarus' i all twitchy arps and submerged bass i and the brittle shimmer of 'Midsummer Night Dream', which tugs the record into more introspective territory. Over on the flip, RTR brings a tauter, more acidic focus: 'Tipping-Point' spirals with tight 303 curls, while 'Npk Ending' builds an emotional weight out of melancholic pads and broken-beat rhythms. Closer 'Squer' cuts loose with thick, wet squelch and a rolling groove that sticks hard. It's a smartly sequenced release i raw, yes, but refined in structure i and a promising debut for this new label.
Review: Ukraine-born, New York-based Kurilo's latest release captures a period of deep personal reflection and movement. Drawing inspiration from his time in Berlin and his tours around Europe, the music balances the frenetic energy of big cities with moments of solitude. 'Clarify That' opens with a direct, no-nonsense groove, setting the tone for a release that doesn't linger on nostalgia but instead pushes forward. Tracks like 'Save Kit' work with subtler textures, allowing bass and percussion to breathe, while 'Hanging Around' and 'Slender Machine' explore more unconventional rhythms and sonic space. There's an honesty to the music that doesn't shy away from exploring different tempos and feels, capturing Kurilo's evolving sound and sense of placeiwithout falling into any easy or familiar narrative.
Review: Frankfurt's Kuyateh beams into the Minibarian universe with a playful but impactful new EP that brims with cosmic charm. The tunes here are all rooted in wobbly basslines and mischievous minimal grooves and come with a humid late-night funk that is equal parts interstellar and intimate. This welcome debut on Minibar fits in with the label's off-kilter, soulful minimal sound and starts with the chunky, marching drums of 'Crosstown' then takes in the mode bubbly 'Cloudwalking' which is underpinned with a meaning low end and 'Consistency' then brings more celestial melody and 'Terazza' works up a nice shuffling groove with plenty of swagger.
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