Serialism Vinyl & CDs

Review: Fans of Romanian tech-house and minimalist techno should be well aware of the work of Vlad Arapasu. Since 2017 he's released a wealth of high-quality, club-ready material on the likes of Eastenderz, Kontent and Atapic. Here he makes his bow on Serialism with a typically tight, gently mind-altering three-tracker. The Bucharest-based producer sets his stall out on 'Crazy 88', a deliciously trippy number in which squiggly, acid-style electronics and spooky chords ride a percussively layered rhythm track and deep, bubbly bassline. 'Hemisphere' is pairs another typically glitchy, wonky rhythm track with hazy late-night stabs and metallic electronics, while 'Blind Sequence' peppers a shuffling minimal house groove with more mind-mangling electronic motifs and warming chords.

Review: Hot on the heels of the successful introductory EP on Serialism comes the second installment on the label: 'Unaesthetic Gossips EP' which once again offers some delightful grooves that will be appreciated both by the dance floor crowd and home listeners. Nicely starting off the EP is Berlin based Greek producer Ekkohaus - on his second tune for the label with a very Detroit-influenced track, massive elements of Groove and Funk, exploding half-way through and teasing the listener as the snare/clap comes in on the half beat. This tune will be largely enjoyed by both techno and house fanatics. Next one on the list is Italian Marco Shuttle, offering a slightly different approach with his deep, long & repetitive journey of soft synth chords and elegant elements that remind us of Cadenza releases, providing a perfect tune for the after-hours or stylish warm up. On the flip we find ourselves with a huge tune from Queen Atom, perfect for the peak time hours in those big packed club rooms: a combination of Detroit-esque Funk, with trippy back melodies and percussive 909 toms waving through the atmosphere, resulting in a dark yet groovy slow-tempo techno piece. Strikingly finishing off the EP is Argentinean artist Rudolf, already known for his previous releases on STHLM, who delivers an enormous experimental track with intensely layered vocal melodies: Eerie, ghostly and combined with many industrial aspects, the result is an immense bubbly, watery track that will indisputably drive clubbers insane throughout the globe.

Review: Loquace is back with his first release in four years, which is on Cesare vs Disorder's Serialism label. The Eternal Sunset EP sees the Frenchman remain centered in the minimal/tech house sound; whether it's the swing-fuelled shuffle of the title track on the sunny, minimal roller 'Side Effects' on the A side, to B side cuts going for UK vibe like 'Not Anymore' with its 2-step beat and, the new school nu-skool breaks of 'Bail Bresson'.

Review: New offshoot to the Mean record label Serialism Records - combining avant-garde sounds with a seasoned technique for all things minimal. In this case Dried Lubricant EP is an example of quality which doesn’t follow the common flow. On this 4 tracker, the classic breed of techno is harmonically mixed up with the quirkiness of our time; a various artist EP which doesn’t leave space for misunderstandings. On the A side young Frenchman Cesar Merveille and his obscure melodies and liquid bass lines takes us on moody journey followed by Italian Rico Casazza who plays ironically with our heads in a more funked up style. On the B side Ekkohaus opens up the dancefloor with heavy breaks and chorused rim shots while the fourth track from the brainchild of techno producer Grimes Adhesif delivers an industrial 909 style loopy piece. Grimes is the label owner of Mind Your Head Records, and has produced tracks which have received much recognition from major DJs and artists such as Ricardo Villalobos.

Review: With releases on an eclectic range of house and techno labels to his name - think Rawax, Meander and Morning People, for starters - Stefan Nicu AKA Sublee is one of the most decorated minimalist producers of recent years. You can hear all that experience on the strictly vinyl only Waiting EP, which marks the Romanian's return to Serialism Records after four years away. There's plenty to enjoy across the four tracks, from the rumbling sub-bass, crispy drums, immersive ambient chords and booming sub-bass of opener 'Ramrock', to the wild acid motifs, pots-and-pans percussion and squelchy TB-303 bass of out-there closing cut 'Waiting'. Sandwiched in between you'll find the deep-tech wooziness of 'Hip Top' and the subtly melodic warmth of '210'.