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Review: Over the last couple of years, there's been plenty of obsessive online debate about the potential identity of the mysterious "90s Chicago producer" behind the T.B Arthur alias. While we may be no nearer finding out his (or her) identity, the previously unheard archive material continues to slip out. Psychedelic Relics inaugurates new T.B. Arthur label (312) and contains four more chunks of wild machine music, beginning with the trippy electronics, mind-bending riffs and intricate percussion of "Track 1". "Track 2" is a similarly out-there trip into intoxicated acid-meets-dark techno territory, while acid jam "Track 3" kicks like the proverbial mule. "Track 4" seems deep and woozy in comparison, but still hits like a weighty kick in the guts. Not for the faint hearted.

Review: Former Padded Cell and Bronx Dogs man Richard Sen has made some great records in his time, and "Songs of Pressure" is up there with the best of them. Joining the dots between murky dub disco, horror soundtracks and EBM, it layers spooky, delay-laden synthesizer motifs and wonky vocal samples atop a heavy dub rhythm and punchy machine drums. Pals Andrew Weatherall and Timothy J Fairplay deliver a bongo-laden, dubbed-out revision (part wayward exotica, part humid Balearic dub), while Acca strips the track down to its' nare bones for a ket-addled Dub.

Review: With the Bizarre Feeling EP laying the sound for the subsequent fist year of the label, it is right Jamie returns with EP#2 to move things forward with another twisted take on his unique mutoid-protoid-machine-funk-groove. Starting with Mad Obsession you would be forgiven for thinking you'll have Bizarre Feeling Part 2, with warped vocals - taken from late night, half asleep scribbled notes - and space echo haze, but let the percussion work-out trip you up and the stars in and before you know it things start going leftfild and then deeper with the Free Party Sound System bass line shuffl of Time Nearly Time. What he is on (about), no one knows. It is on the flp however that things take a darker turn. Beyond the confession booth, down sharp stairs and dripping ceiling to a red light lit room of latter day late night blues.

Review: Richard Sen's last outing on [Emotional] Especial - the bleep revival brilliance of "Songs of Pressure" - was something of a stone cold killer, so hopes are naturally high for this belated follow-up. The title track again digs deep for inspiration, doffing a cap to the starry futurism of Detroit, psychedelic acid and the drum-machine driven jack of early Chicago house. The flipside Dub of the same track takes it into uncharted territory, with hazy, drawn-out chords and post-production effects only serving to emphasize the heavy nature of Sen's vintage groove. Bonus "Shoc Horracore" explores similar territory, while offering a knowing wink towards obscure 1980s horror movie soundtracks and the bold synthesizer lines of Italo-disco.

Review: Especial welcomes one Alphonse to the label. A true missing in action, last seen by his crew dancing atop a bus, here literally forced him to give up the tape of Same For Me. A peane to his life? Possi bly. Mixing techno beats and (proto) rave breaks, all under his own unique and heartfelt message. Discovered on the outskirts of Letchlade, down the bottom of an abandoned traveller site in a delapidated caravan with just the clothes he was in, while clutching an armful of reel-to-reels masters, a pack of 20 B&H and 1 can of Strongbow, Alphonse's story is one of party obsessive gone AWOL. Mumbling periodically, words deciphered and names dropped. Frome, Stroud and whisper it, Castlemorton, led to rehabitlation, a bath, shave and slowly enticing is musical knowledge to share. With a few scraps appearing here and there, including a micro(dot) of disco editing knowhow given, here though he finally is able to share his experiences by looking back through making music of the future. Same For Me starts with Sterns intent, all hats, kick and fx to the max, a Fantazia of expression, before toms and 808 snap and the sermon begins. But wait, where is the bass? Boom! Subs squeeze ribs while flute lifts minds skywards. "A valuable tool in life. Concentrate on something makes you happy..." To bring this in to fold, the Junior family member is given the tapes to show what he can do. The most subtle start lulls you in to a sense of is that it? There must be more. Building. Building. Break and...hands to the sunrise. "...Thank you. Same For Me. Same For Me."

Review: To accompany the upcoming second [Emotional] Especial compilation, this Sampler 12" again focuses on some unreleased gems, unheard versions and a special remix. We start with a remix from Khidja and their own take on the very special "Masimbabele". Upon hearing a Remix EP was in the works, the duo begged for a go and rightly so, as here is possibly the best remix, with a dubby groover. This is followed by an unreleased cut by another, but not forgotten, combo. While C&A are M.I.A, here then is an extended rework of a stand out pop-ode taken from their underrated Migration album. On the flip is new member, Alphonse, taking his proto-rave-poem deep in to the echo chamber to create a unique dub that is very much for the smokers. Finally, Khidja offer the 'original' version of "Looki". An ambient version appeared in early 2015, but here, finally, with kick, bass and some wiggle, is their balearic masterpiece. Gracias Discos Especials !!

Review: It's fair to say Khijda's debut EP on Especial was one of the highlights of the label to date. Mustafa - in original form and remixed to distraction by Timothy J Fairplay - became the soundtrack for many a Summer party, while Abul was perfect for those deeper late night
afters.
This time though we present a stand alone 4 track EP of original music so that Khijda's sound can be full explored. Starting with the title cut, the duo aim right for the dance floor, mixing throbbing live bass, guitar and a touch of Eastern mystic vocals that twist and rise higher and higher.
This is followed by the deep dub vibes of Aura. Coming on as if the idjut Boys had relocated to Istanbul, the bass rumble and tripped out fx are overlaid with strings, xylophone and even a nice does of (more) cowbell that is full of funk and ass moving swing.
On the flip is where things take a warped turn with Indecis. It's incessant rhythm and
Eastern flavour, mixed with 80's style cut up vocals, take the sounds championed by Baris K and Acid Arab to new (and bazar) heights.
Finally then, the EP comes down with the beautiful 'Balearic' grooves of The Quiet And The Red Stop. With a nod to their roots Khidja again forge their own journey, creating and carving out a sound of their own that is unique and at the same time compelling. Watch the skies.

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: After releases for Discos Capablanca and Moon Glyth, Minneapolis collective Food Pyramid align with Especial for a remix EP based around "Oh Mercy", a track from their 2012 album Mango Sunrise. Apparently a long term favourite of label boss Stuart Leath, the warped breakbeat jam-fusion of the original is ripe for reinvention and gets the remix treatment from Especial in-house team Apophenia, Inhalt and Jamie Paton. It's the full on italo pumper remix from San Francisco's Inhalt that really impresses too, with Especial right to compare it to Timmy Regisford classic remix of "Rules To Survive" by NOIA.

Review: [Emotional] Especial is the new label from the Emotional Recordings stable. A sub label to Emotional Response, Especial is though squarely aimed at the floor rather than the head. In a similar vain to the limited 4 EPs-only label that was Emotional Relish, it will merge the sounds and styles that influence contemporary electronic producers, taking in new wave, new beat, EBM and proto-house to create something modern. Jamie Paton of Cage & Aviary helms the debut release with Bizarre Feeling. A youth soaking up punk, dub and new wave, the EP acts at times as a homage to the sounds of New Order, The The, Kraftwerk and the then other-worldly machine funk emanating out of mid-80s Chicago. With both Timothy J Fairplay and Scott Fraser aiding and abetting down in the Scrutton Street bunker studio, with keys, guitar and a heavy dose of space echo, plus hypnotic FX laden vocals from Jamie himself, all propel the EP beyond pastiche and make the perfect start to Especial.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: Especial is delighted to welcome Baris to the roster. Known for his edit series of obscure Turkish Psychedelic, Rock and Disco, here he takes the producer's chair to present "200". Working with musicians and singers to create a completely original production. The song's message for equality (of the sexes) highlights the bigotry and backward political and religious boundaries his country faces and acts as a siren to the current troubles. Handed to Emotional Recordings over 5 years ago but with no label to release it at that time, now we are delighted to be able to release 200's message. The original is backed with remixed from new production duo Khidja, as well as East London's finest, The Asphodells. Teaming up with guitarist Balabas, Romania's Khidja turn in a deep and introspective interpretation mixing their own heavy eastern influences, while the B-side sees Weatherall and Fairplay don their Asphodells mantle for two renditions that firmly lay it before the ALFOS alter. With artwork (by Jamie Paton) highlighting the struggle for fairness and freedom in his homeland, we hope the release can be seen as a support for their tribulations and highlight the talent that lays East.

Review: Friends for many years, Richard Sen and Scott Fraser come together with a dose of mutual admiration and back slapping by remixing each other on this 2 track EP. However, what makes this collaboration different is there are no original versions appearing, just these remixes. By completing an unfinished track of each the other, the pair have taken the respective unarranged music and gone back to their East London studios to, in essence, finish the other's songs in the form a "remix". Known for a myriad of deep electronic dubs in the last few years, Scott provides plenty of surprises with his remix of Richard's Night Navigator. A driving 10+ minutes 'piano-house' opus, the late 80s Italian / Balearic vibrations run straight through his interpretation of that classic Mediterranean sound. Not for long though, as firmly dragging things straight back to the dark and wet streets of Hackney, Richard takes Scott's Ask For Control and creates a tough, percussive, deep dub remix that would propel any basement dance floor through the early hours.

Review: Emotional Especial gathers pace with an eighth release from Richard Sen, a man whose cultured touch has had a hand in various strands of the UK underground for the past two decades. Graffiti artist, graphic designer, music curator, DJ and producer are all vocations Richard Sen has done at one point or another. Here he goes solo with the Ghost Train EP, a dark and brooding release of old school meets new school house jack that takes it's cues from '80s New York, Italian house and the nascent UK acid house that Sen himself documented with aplomb on a 2012 compilation for Strut. Naggingly familiar samples and a low slung box jam groove drive the spectral title cut forward, whilst Sen's mastery of delay is shown with aplomb on the Dub version that closes out the record. Nestled in between is the highlight however in "Meteor Shower" where discoid basslines merge with psychedelically charged keys and hollowed out steppers percussion.

Review: Following their acclaimed debut album, Migration, on Prins Thomas' Internasjonal label in 2012, Jamie Paton and Nigel Hoyle (aka Nigel Of Bermondsey) have seemed relatively quiet save for the odd remix here and there. Tucked away deep in their South East London base though, a series of remixes and solo projects have been steadily forming. With new C&A material planned for 2014, plus more to come from Jamie's new solo efforts, as well as Nigel making a long overdue reappearance in Maurice & Charles, now seems the right time to draw a line under their collective work to date. Here then are a collection of unreleased interpretations, including the sought after vocal remix of psychedelic darlings, in Goat's anthemic Run To Your Mama. This is followed by a late night dub of 80s pop duo Blancmange that mixes strings, guitar and some dub bass with a dose of space echo before bringing Neil Arthur's classically recognisable refrain shining through. To finish is a remix of Goat's label mates Teeth Of The Sea. FX-soundtrack vocal, bubbling 303 and 808 combine on a proper 3am dub that builds beyond some mere drug-chug.

Review: Having a debut that managed to possibly be the most regularly outed track by Andrew Weatherall as he dug deep to discover the sound that resonated as A Love From Outer Space, while at the same time seemingly slipping under the radar of practically everyone else and disappearing in to relative cult obscurity is some mean feat.
Unperturbed that the odd(disco)ball that was the acidic genius of Morodor In Milan was shamefully overlooked, Maurice & Charles have again taken time out from their daytime media and art enriched lives to hunker down and offer up another take on their twisted idea of what makes people groove. In Sofa Love, their ode to the marvels and pitfalls of the mega-city, bubbling 303 again underpins a twisted lyrical journey. Set against crashing percussion, this is their peaen to la Metropole. Ably supporting it is a driving, rhythmic workout from our own Jamie Paton, taking the original and stripping everything back to jack like it should. If that frightens off the less adventurous, then I,Carpenter will perhaps offer a respite. An off-kilter, acid-funk nod to the experimentations of Eno & Byrne, this quirky gem makes you wonder, why did no-one use that sample before? To end comes a solo debut from Soft Rock's Piers Harrison. His drum heavy remix straightens things up and lets the story unfold.

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: Emotional Especial is the new label from the people that brought you the Emotional Rescue, Emotional Response and the (limited shelf life) Emotional Relish. Emotional Especiale will focus on the sounds and styles that influenced contemporary disco producers, taking in new wave, new beat, EBM and proto house with a remit to span the 90-115BPM tempo range. Jamie Paton of Cage & Aviary fame helms the debut EE release with the Bizarre Feeling EP which features a titular homage to New Order as well as some rough punk funk for punks in disco pumps ("To The Light") and odd Compass Point style disco dub "Ju Know".

Review: The second release from the new "protoid" focussed Emotional Especial sees the welcome return of Baris K. The Turkish DJ and record digger is notable for many things (not least his BIS appearance that engendered an apoplectic response from Victor From Washington Heights) and his appearance on EE comes in the shape of "200" licensed from the killer Nation compilation The Modern Electronic Element Serie 2 released back in 2011. Romanian duo Kidja line the A Side with the rather poignant original whilst Weatherall and Fairplay don their Asphodells gear for two renditions on the flip

Review: [Emotional] Especial call time on their first series of releases and do so in style, taking a detour to San Francisco for a 12" that features reworks of latter-day synth experimentalists Inhalt. The specific focus here is Occupations, last year's EP for the killer Dark Entries label which showed a distinct progression in the Inhalt sound to capture a contemporary take on synth wave/cold wave/dark wave (delete as appropriate). Simulacra features reworks from Emotional experts Timothy J Fairplay and 'Glasgow's answer to Dopplereffekt' Scott Fraser along with their close ally Black Merlin, whilst US duo Valis offer a Stateside interpretation. The result is a remix EP that celebrates the ideas of Especial: to take influences of 80s New Wave, Synth Pop, Electro, Proto-House and the occasional touch of Disco and mold them into an up-to-date vision that respects but runs parallel to the modern obsession with all things House and forges it's own way.

Review: To accompany the release of Especial's compilation mix CD, "Eleccio" - offering of a
snapshot of the first 9 EPs on the label - a limited edition sampler EP is being released
featuring 4 unreleased remixes from the label's roster to date.
Ever since the first white labels appeared at the end of Summer 2013, [Emotional] Especial
has had a busy release schedule, putting out music that are a slightly warped take on club
music. Mixing the influences of dub, electro, disco, proto-house, house and techno, a feeling,
a sound, a vibe has appeared without any preordained plan.
With the release of EES10CD - a DJ meets studio compilation mix created by label mainstay
and handyman, Jamie Paton - to mark the end of first series of the label, it was decided to
included a couple of specal unreleased remixes to add a bit of new with the old in the mix.
To that end this limited edition vinyl sampler was created to include the two remixes, plus
the inclusion of another two gems that simply needed to see the light of day.
First is the alternative "Member" remix of Inhalt by Black Merlin - a strings meets leather
bar club-dub-out that takes things deeper and darker than before. This is followed by Jamie
delivering his own take of Khidja's massive Mustafa, with a warped, swamped out dub. Next
is another mix from Cage & Aviary of their pals, Blancemange. Brooding low-slung rerub dub
anyone? Finally there is a very special remix by Khidja of The Ganges Orchestra. Reissued
on Emotional Rescue in 2013, this special remix takes the vocal mantra of the original and
creates a balearic-raga tale that perfectly rounds off Especial to date.

Review: Former Padded Cell and Bronx Dogs man Richard Sen has made some great records in his time, and "Songs of Pressure" is up there with the best of them. Joining the dots between murky dub disco, horror soundtracks and EBM, it layers spooky, delay-laden synthesizer motifs and wonky vocal samples atop a heavy dub rhythm and punchy machine drums. Pals Andrew Weatherall and Timothy J Fairplay deliver a bongo-laden, dubbed-out revision (part wayward exotica, part humid Balearic dub), while Acca strips the track down to its' nare bones for a ket-addled Dub. It's a fantastic 12", and limited to just 99 copies. You snooze, you lose.

Review: Stuart Leath flexes his contacts book with an all-star cast of producers and respected scalpel artists called on to rework cuts from the recent Never Seen The Dunes EP by Khidja. Any 12" featuring the collective talents of Discodromo, In Flagranti, Red Axes and Selvy on mixing desk duties should get you excited and this crew bring the disco heat. "Never Seen The Dunes" is given the Discodromo treatment, adding pulsating bass, driving arpeggio, all while allowing the bump of the original to keeping pushing things on. This is followed by In Flagranti's inspired 'Autobahn' retake of the deeper vibes of "Aura" which is apparently a huge favourite of the label. A matured cruiser that keeps the swing, it all leads to those strings and Eastern flavours gliding over for the perfect finale. Things head darker on the reverse, with Tel Aviv's shinning stars Red Axes, manning the controls for the scatter bounce of "Indecis" for the stand out remix. Twisted vocals, brooding FX and reversed guitar all atop a mesmeric kick, things just keeps going higher and higher. Finally "The Quiet Before The Red Stop" is tweaked by Selvy of The Very Polish Cut Outs and Transatlantyk fame, adding some club bump to Khidja's Balearic original.

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: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Emotional Especial and Cocktail d'Amore Music enter 'cahoot-mode' once again with a second round of Sfire remixes that take proceedings down a deeper, more stripped-back path courtesy of the inimitable Timothy J Fairplay and Willie Burns. Two artists who need little introduction offer up two remixes each that take the unique original to new dance floor extremes. Timothy steps up first with his take on "Sfire 2" via differing vocal and instrumental versions. His trademark, echo laden rolling percussion and John Carpenter-style key lines take the original Synth-pop homage to the dark room. Adding Arps, a lifting, hedonistic breakdown and the scatter-stepper drums and claps found on the Instrumental version and this is pure COTF territory and the better for it. Mr Willie Burns meanwhile has long followed his own path for his take on "Sfire 3", offering one of his deepest remixes to date. Thudding kick, brooding pads and dark strings force the vocals to go down, way down for examination. The distorted vocals of Remix 1 are countered by Remix 2 letting the track shine via a seemingly endless 4/4 beat. Psychedelic, trance inducing, pulsating, this is an ever growing mind expanse.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: From the label: Especial starts its 3rd set of releases welcoming Frankfurt's Hotel Lauer for an EP of unadulterated uplifting club music. A meeting at the Garden festival finale in idyllic Croatia last summer along the lines of 'I love your records' / 'I love your label' came to the instant conclusion to bring Team Lauer to Especial. Things starts with the most club friendly and definitely head-rushing track ever on Especial, in "Tamzarian". Acid, tick. 909, tick. Piano, tick. The sound of the summer encapsulating in 6 and half pulsating minutes. The pace continues on "Sanger". A tougher beast, with a nod to Especial homeboys Mr Fairplay and Mr Sen, this is no pastiche, but takes classic Lauer production of water-tight percussion, snapped hats, layered loops, drops and lifts and brings it all together for the personal favourite of the EP. "Perry Patch" brings the 303 to the fore, arpeggios underpin, while trademark cut-up vocal stabs create a melody to swirl in your subconscious for days. Like a song you feel you've always known but never heard. Finally, the electro inspired "Klutzny" rounds this off. Kraftwerk keys, 1981 golden years TOTPs on the mind.

Review: Especial returns to its concept of taking music it loves - in this case Sfire's debut EP - and remixing them for a stand-alone release. Teaming up with Berlin's Cocktail d'Amore Music, mixing desk duties are taken by newcomer Kris Baha, as well as label mainstays Jamie Paton and INHALT and the esteemed Lauer.

Sfire's debut EP was one of those records that comes out to little fanfare but steadily becomes a sought after classic - something unique and until the recent repress was unsurprisingly going for casino money on the second hand market.

Following Discodromo's remix of Khidja (EES019) the EP was born with an aim to include all 3 originals in remixed form. Prime space is given to Melbourne / Berlin producer Kris Baha. With is Power Station label and parties now names to watch, plus releases upcoming on Kinfolk and Bahnsteig23, his version of Sfire 2 takes the original's prominent 80s' heartfelt influences and adds arpeggio's, shredded guitar and DMode keys on a bumping, throbbing journey down the Cosmic Hole.

Next Jamie Paton goes deep, with subdued arps, dubbed percussion and haunting bass refrain, all pulsing the vocals to a Distant Dreams meets Goodbye Horses sonnet.

This is backed with versions of Sfire 3. First San Fran's INHALT return with their unique modern Italo and West Coast Cold Wave mix, adding guitar and bass on a trip across the trans-peninne highway from Mancs to Sheffield and back with love.

Finally, Lauer's killer 303, electro reversion is the apt end. A remix that is more than a simple Synth-Pop retake, with 909s lifting the EP to finale. "You felt so close to me..."

Review: Richard Sen's last outing on [Emotional] Especial - the bleep revival brilliance of "Songs of Pressure" - was something of a stone cold killer, so hopes are naturally high for this belated follow-up. The title track again digs deep for inspiration, doffing a cap to the starry futurism of Detroit, psychedelic acid and the drum-machine driven jack of early Chicago house. The flipside Dub of the same track takes it into uncharted territory, with hazy, drawn-out chords and post-production effects only serving to emphasize the heavy nature of Sen's vintage groove. Bonus "Shoc Horracore" explores similar territory, while offering a knowing wink towards obscure 1980s horror movie soundtracks and the bold synthesizer lines of Italo-disco.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Record has very light surface marks/smudges, but otherwise in perfect working condition***


Strange happenings are going on down at Scrutton Street, EC1. With release after release cementing the names of those based or working out of the studio bunker, a desire for pushing the boundaries of electronic music is primary with little concern for what's hip. So if anyone can Tim can and here with his newly birthed pseudonym comes Junior Fairplay. With a one-sided release and remix to his name on Crimes Of The Future a glimpse has been offered of what's in store, but How Do You Like Me Now? gives it straight. Pioneering and back to the British techno of early Black Dog, Reload, Stasis and of course, the seminal "Selected Works" clearly inspires, but so too does one of those musical moments where genres clash, tear and stretch as something new is being born. It all starts with the uplifting House anthem of Classic Version, eschewing the oft-tasted horror stylings and aims direct for that 4am MDMA airfild rush, before the EP drops, locks and spins on it's axis, with 3 pure breaks cuts to overload the senses and say, now is the time! A voyage to another side to the mythical lost chord via a moment in time where open filds, abandoned warehouses, the kick of 4/4 house, hip hop breaks and the dub of sound system culture merged but for a short while. Not house, not rave or jungle. A proto sound born of blood, sweat and Rage.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


Stuart Leath flexes his contacts book with an all-star cast of producers and respected scalpel artists called on to rework cuts from the recent Never Seen The Dunes EP by Khidja. Any 12" featuring the collective talents of Discodromo, In Flagranti, Red Axes and Selvy on mixing desk duties should get you excited and this crew bring the disco heat. "Never Seen The Dunes" is given the Discodromo treatment, adding pulsating bass, driving arpeggio, all while allowing the bump of the original to keeping pushing things on. This is followed by In Flagranti's inspired 'Autobahn' retake of the deeper vibes of "Aura" which is apparently a huge favourite of the label. A matured cruiser that keeps the swing, it all leads to those strings and Eastern flavours gliding over for the perfect finale. Things head darker on the reverse, with Tel Aviv's shinning stars Red Axes, manning the controls for the scatter bounce of "Indecis" for the stand out remix. Twisted vocals, brooding FX and reversed guitar all atop a mesmeric kick, things just keeps going higher and higher. Finally "The Quiet Before The Red Stop" is tweaked by Selvy of The Very Polish Cut Outs and Transatlantyk fame, adding some club bump to Khidja's Balearic original.

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: 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: 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: 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: Strange happenings are going on down at Scrutton Street, EC1. With release after release cementing the names of those based or working out of the studio bunker, a desire for pushing the boundaries of electronic music is primary with little concern for what's hip. So if anyone can Tim can and here with his newly birthed pseudonym comes Junior Fairplay. With a one-sided release and remix to his name on Crimes Of The Future a glimpse has been offered of what's in store, but How Do You Like Me Now? gives it straight. Pioneering and back to the British techno of early Black Dog, Reload, Stasis and of course, the seminal "Selected Works" clearly inspires, but so too does one of those musical moments where genres clash, tear and stretch as something new is being born. It all starts with the uplifting House anthem of Classic Version, eschewing the oft-tasted horror stylings and aims direct for that 4am MDMA airfild rush, before the EP drops, locks and spins on it's axis, with 3 pure breaks cuts to overload the senses and say, now is the time! A voyage to another side to the mythical lost chord via a moment in time where open filds, abandoned warehouses, the kick of 4/4 house, hip hop breaks and the dub of sound system culture merged but for a short while. Not house, not rave or jungle. A proto sound born of blood, sweat and Rage.

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.