(Emotional) Especial レコード& CD

Review: The always adventurous Especial label is back on its world travels once more for another cultured EP, this time from Jonne Lyden aka 53X. This is a widescreen bass exploration with trance-tinged steppas looking firmly to the future from the Finnish-born artist. He has a background in punk bands but a trip to Berlin turned his ear and now he makes experimental fusions that draw on everything from industrial to Berghain to Detroit for inspiration. His tunes are mostly started out as live jams and then edited into what we have here - club-ready sounds, rich atmospherics, acid, breaks and hypnotic rhythms.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: Travelling both space and time with his constructions, Alphonse Rozel makes a welcome return on [Emotional] Especial after the Same For Me EP released last year. The incisive hit of the disco beat on "Smokey" is hard to ignore, while the booming toms and African chant lines feed into a perfect slice of dancefloor dynamite from an unspecified era. Meanwhile The Pilotwings take to the track with glee, whipping out some crisp breaks to drop over the proceedings in a pleasingly early '90s manner. "Glint AM" is quite the foil to the A side, leaning on some uplifting synth chords to provide the magic around the crafty drum programming.

Review: Kris Baha had a big year in 2019 with the release of his debut album on CockTail d'Amore and an EP on Pinkman, and now the Australian body music man in Berlin is back with a high-pressure heater for [Emotional] Especial. "Barely Alive" is the kind of sinewy proto-industrial cut that will appeal to fans of Ministry's earlier work, when the synths reigned supreme and there was pop to match the noir. Especial then call on a cast of remixers to interpret the track in different ways, from Timothy J Fairplay amping up the dystopian disco tropes to Das Ding creating a sleek electro-funk twist with the original's gothic undertones intact.

Review: (Emotional) Especial looks to the emergent producer that is Chez De Milo for a new EP that collides the energy of Glastonbury, historic echoes of the free party scene and the psychedelic electronics of Bristol and the West Country into four fresh new cuts here. 'Et Al' is a mystic late-night house cut with crisp hits and spooky synths keeping you on edge, while 'Gieser' is dark and paranoid as the churning beats and snaking leads tempt you into the shadows. 'Kremer' keeps you locked in a synth-heavy and transcendental suspense at the heart of the dancefloor with Egyptian folk samples and ethnic grooves and 'Thus One' is a razor-sharp electro closer.

Review: Kim Ann Foxman takes a break from her own Self:Timer label to pop up on [Emotional] Especial. Her track "Blood Moon" hinges around rolling breaks and a globular monosynth bassline, but it's Foxman's vocals that give the track an electric, mystical energy that will cast a spell over the dance. Roza Terenzi takes the original and jacks it up, sharpening the focus of the rhythm section without losing the crunchy breaks. Dawl and Sween channel some bleeps n' breaks vibes of their own with a version that keeps things darkside and wiggy for the old-skool crew. Rounding things off, Violet's remix emphasises the acid as it plunges into the depths of the dungeon in a hooky, hard-edged style.

Review: (Emotional) Especial and Giraffi Dog join forces once more to offer up the second installment of their concept EP series. It is focussed on live and studio collaborations and this one comes in two halves: the first half kicks off with '6th Chakra' (feat DJ Deflektorschild) - a fully live deep house and hi-tek soul exploration with mind-expanding synths and Detroit drum sounds. 'King OTN' is a jack dup acid cut ripped with cosmic synth details and 'DX Metero' has sheet metal synths lashing about next to ethereal synths and busted drum breaks. 'Starfather' is a star-facing closer with elegant piano notes dancing over serene grooves. A vital showcase of this essential live artist.

Review: Ever since the first white labels appeared at the end of Summer 2013, [Emotional] Especial has been putting out music that is slightly left of (club music) centre. Influenced as much by and including dub, electro, disco, proto-house, house and techno, guided more by a feeling than a sound.

This thinking has been that exemplified by every 10th release being a label sampler - a showcase of unreleased tracks or remixes of what has come before, plus the odd one off cut by an artist to watch. Some 4 years since the last Sampler, the label's 40th release presents new label heads Giraffi Dog, returning after their recent "live" Multiverse EPs, here teaming up with GF Rich for a breaks anthem. Sub bass rising, the persistent build leads to piano before drop and Acid mayhem ensues, highlight why G Dog are such a producer to watch.

Label mainstay Alphonse returns, with White Pepper from the "Stolen Sunrise EP", here remixed by House stalwart Toby Tobias. Having released for a who's who of labels including REKIDS, ESP Institute, Delusions Of Grandeur and Futureboogie, the illusion these past years of who is Alphonse can finally revealed as Toby himself. The remix of his alter ego takes the 'Balearics' of the original and adds breaks and 303, all retaining a laid back feeling for summers return.

On the flip, the label welcomes rising star, Remotif. With a series of EPs showcasing a growing talent, his recent Coymix release sealed the deal. Here, his comedically titled Beam Me Up Softwoiii belies a party anthem, where breaks and arps rise in unison before an Aphex sunrise burst, drops and heads down in pure dance.

Akio Nagase returns to close with another of his Japanese folk meets lilting 303 Acid House. An Okinawa traditional folk song, conveying a life lesson, here to Hosenka flower is laid across slo-mo acid bubbles to quirkily and perfectly complete another 10th release of the Especial path.

Review: It's been a hot minute since Timothy J. Fairplay slipped on his Junior Fairplay guise, but he's done just that for this bleep-tastic new 12" on (Emotional) Especial. "End Of Love" is unabashed in its embrace of early Yorkshire techno tones, making a fine job of resurrecting the bleep spectre and letting it shake up the dance once more. Roy Of The Ravers is a smart choice of remixer, and he brings an off-kilter acid rub to the table in his idiosyncratic, braindance-inflected style. The B-side is equal laden with purposefully dusty dance grooves transplanted from the late 80s / early 90s, with "Faxes From The Future" hitting a particularly sharp point in its lazy breakbeat roll and the clanging harmonies of the stabs.

Review: ** REPRESS ALERT ** Emotional Especial return with a release from Romanian duo Khidja that comes packing some excellent remixes from senor Fairplay and Juju & Jordash! Brought to the attention of EE thanks to Hardway Brother Sean Johnston, who returned from a Bucharest DJ gig singing the praises of two young DJs, Khidja's productions are as impressive as their selections on the evidence here. "Mustafa" is more immediate with shuffle percussion, swirling sirens and acid bubbles leading to a perfect horn break. In the hands of Mr Fairplay, the track takes on anthemic qualities; the stabbing bass and build have allegedly seen howls of appreciation when it's dropped at A Love From Outer Space. "Abdul" finds Khidja in a more calming mood reminiscent of Art of Noise, though the kick and bass ensure there is plenty of rhythmic emphasis, whilst the Juju & Jordash remix edges towards a Balearic digidub vibe.

Review: DJ/producer Philip Lauer from Frankfurt has teamed up with Berlin vocalist Dena to create a modern take on Julie Stapleton's soulful house classic, containing multiple versions. Lauer's Hotel Lauer EP on Especial in 2016 cemented his position in the scene, with albums for Permanent Vacation and Running Back. Dena, born in Bulgaria and raised in Berlin, has released electronic dance-pop stylings on Kitsune Music and K7. The EP features a Club Mix, a Demo Mix, a deep tech remix by DJ Slyngshot, and a drifting Balearic version for late summer nights and dawn.

Review: Here's something bubbly and beautiful from [Emotional] Especial, hipping the world to the wonderful sound of Akio Nagase. Throughout the 00s, Nagase released a string of dub-themed records, but this record comes seemingly out of nowhere after a considerable spell of silence. The title Global Acid actually tells you pretty much all you need to know about this record, which takes the 303 on a joyous journey around the world, touching on different musical cultures with a tender, loving gaze and creating upbeat and open-hearted dance tracks with an acid focus. If you're an acid nut who craves fresh and distinctive takes on the tradition, this is exactly the kind of record you should be copping.

Review: Odopt have been responsible for some serious, sinewy heaters on labels like Born Free, 777 and Discos Capablanca. That should give you some idea of the kind of sonic sphere they operate in - rugged hardware house with a wavey bite and a playful instinct. It makes total sense then to see them sidle up to [Emotional] Especial with this four-tracker of surefooted deviant dance. 'A14' opens up proceedings on an ominous bassline and plenty of mechanical grind, while 'Keylat' jacks things up a smidge while resolutely wallowing in the muck of Odopt's studio practices. 'Sample Commerce Shot' is the catchiest cut on the record, riding a slinky beat and featuring a powerful lead hook that sounds beamed in from somewhere in a distant galaxy. 'Holy Motor$' finishes the record off on another brooding, death disco groover, bringing things full circle with the nocturnal offerings of 'A14'.

Review: Previously spotted on Emotional [Especial] with the fantastic Love Is Enough 12", Plus Instruments get the remix treatment in a classic '80s style with the Dub Is Enough single. The producers tasked with delivering versions vary wildly, but they make for a strong combination. Jamie Paton's "Cloudy Dub-Out" is masterful, simmering the elements down to a sensual bassline and delicate ripples on top, while Luke Solomon brings his bumpy, off-kilter house style to the table. Khidja has a more dramatic, synth laden approach and Alphonse creates a dusty, funky roller out of that killer bassline groove.

Review: Originally operating in the 80s industrial scene, Plus Instruments have recently found a new lease of life. (Emotional) Especial are just the kind of label to jump on such deviant club fare, and on this package "Love Is Enough" gets a variety of remixes that all embrace the groups seedy ambience. Richard Sen brings a muscular thrust to the track, while Khidja takes a more delicate approach. Luke Solomon meanwhile casts his years of experience in oddball house on his steady grooving version, and then Jamie Paton taps into the industrial vein to finish the package off in fine style.

Review: The pairing of Jeffrey Sfire with Samuel Long (aka PC Music producer Sophie) produced some discoid synth-pop manna for the CockTail d'Amore label when it first appeared back in 2013. Now the duo have been handed over to [Emotional] Especial, who have tasked two choice remixers with turning out some fresh versions of the tracks from the original EP. Timothy J. Fairplay keeps the wave dark and cold on his remix of "Sfire 2", using noirish synth lines to interplay with Sfire's on-point vocal. Meanwhile Willie Burns ramps up the atmospherics with some heavyweight pads on his first remix of "Sfire 3" before turning the original into a cheeky peak time burner for his second.

Review: Especial is proud to announce a special release with 2 official remixes of the seminal afro-cosmic classic. With a nod to both the future and past, remixes come from NYC's drum-loop champ, Justin Van Der Volgen and is backed perfectly with Dusseldorf's mysterious tribal exponents, The Durian Brothers. Harking the original in many ways, Van Der Volgen's remix is a perfect homage. A crucial key change, plus subtle loops and arrangement make the right moves, allowing the instruments to build and build to the infamous horns and scat vocals interplay and on to crescendo. For their version, The Durian Brother eschewed simple remix in favour of a live jam which merges the Brothers poly-rhythmic percussion with the African influenced swing, guitar chops and horn stabs of the original. A perfect jam between the bands, but some 3 decades apart. Hope you enjoy.

Review: Especial is proud to announce a special release with 2 official remixes of the seminal afro-cosmic classic. With a nod to both the future and past, remixes come from NYC's drum-loop champ, Justin Van Der Volgen and is backed perfectly with Dusseldorf's mysterious tribal exponents, The Durian Brothers. When given the original masters by founder member Stefan Krachten, the conundrum was how to handle music that is a timeless classic. Most associated with the afro-cosmic scene, Masimbabele has actually been staple of DJs across the globe, so the remixes should look forward not not just back. Added to this, the recent sad passing of both Stefan and vocalist Reebop Kwaku Baah and the project has added poignancy. Therefore, the two artists asked to do 2015 remix updates were personal favourites of the label and also, capable of doing justice some 30 years after it was recorded. As a DJ, producer and remixer wunderkind, Justin Van Der Volgen's releases on the likes of Golf Channel, ESP Institute and TBD, plus killer remixes of !!!, Soft Rocks and most recently his doubleheader Todd Terje reworks, meant it was a must to have him involved on this project. Harking the original in many ways, his remix is a perfect homage. A crucial key change, plus subtle loops and arrangment make the right moves, allowing the instruments to build and build to the infamous horns and scat vocals interplay and on to crescendo. As a double A side, bringing The Durian Brothers in was the perfect foil. An art-music project, the band has released a series of EPs on their own Diskant label to cult appreciation. A big influence on how parent label Emotional Response was formed, the secretive trio have been drawn out to work with on their only ever remix, for a song that is an influential and important song in their own make up. To this end the band wanted to create a version that sees them jamming live with the original musicians, including a young Dominik Von Senger on guitar. Eschewing the vocals, the remix merges the Brothers poly-rhythmic percussion with the African influenced swing, guitar chops and horn stabs of the original. A perfect jam between the bands, but some 3 decades apart. Hope you enjoy.

Review: Bamboo Room lands on (Emotional) Especial in a fit of 80s grooves as you would expect to find on the label, but this is in fact the handiwork of debutant duo Duncan Thornley and Laurence Horstman. As Weird Weather they're exploring the fertile hinterland between proto-house, dub abstractions and worldly sounds - they may not be the first to do so, but they sound like complete naturals in this curious bubble. "Sequence 5" is a driving beatdown peppered with space-shaping delays and reverbs, while "Trash Dolphin" takes a cooler approach with some delicate percussive tones and chimes. "Bamboo Room" is a stark, stern beat track fit for a mid 80s cop thriller soundtrack, and the "Ormus Mix" that follows shrugs off most of the drums and heads into satin-lined ambient territory.