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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: ** 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: 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: 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: 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.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: (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: 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: (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: With previous appearances from talents such as D. Tiffany, Iron Curtis and Priori, Canadian label 00:AM bring you their fourth various artists compilation. On the A side of 00AM 004, they roped in two artists that they've have had the pleasure of hosting in Montreal over the past couple years: the inimitable DJ Fett Burger, who gives Copenhagen's Alfredo92 (Axces) a woozy slo-mo acid rework of his 'Tente Hjul' (XB3711 F3 Remix). This one is perfect tackle for getting weird at the afterhours. On the flip it's clearly more of a dub techno affair, and where this EP really got us moving and grooving: Vancouver's Elan Benaroch aka ESB with the rolling and hypnotic "Sequential Dub", followed by the glacial and cavernous thump of "Immune" by 2wo2imes taking you deeper into the Quebec winter frost.

Review: In 1735, Swedish scientist Carl Linneaus theorised the hierarchical classes of the natural world, paving the way for modern taxonomy as we know it. In tributary fashion, 012 Records, hailing from Berlin, present the second edition of 'Systema Naturae II', an EP series dedicated to Linnaeus and nature. Dub techno tropes, bioorganic ambient tones and knocks and delays abound.

Review: Claudio PRC is back on his own 012 label and once again it is a fresh collaborate EP. This time he links up with Blazej Malinowski for three searing techno work outs. 'Future Retro I' ride son a way of fixing synths and rolling drums that are designed to very much to get you into a zoned out state of mind. 'Future Retro II' is deeper, headier, more smooth and otherworldly with its swirling pads and dubby drums. Last of all, 'Future Retro III' shows another side with lush ambient design, only the most suggestive of pulsing rhythms and a cosmic atmosphere that casts your mind free to dream.

Review: Deep and cerebral techno vibes abound on this one, by two Italian experts in the art, no less. Roman producer Luigi Tozzi teams up with Sardinian veteran Claudio Porceddu for the latest edition in the latter's new 012 imprint. Lyra is an entirely sublime affair: from the droned-out mental overdrive of the two A side tracks, with B1 being a more fast-paced extension of the one before. Over on the B side is a more groove oriented tribal trance workout, which is exactly the kind of tackle you would hear Donato Dozzy or Nuel play out in the AM hours - tip!

Review: Here is the third and final chapter of the 'Systema Naturae' series on Berlin-based 012, with fresh deep techno visions from newcomers such as Daniel(i) from Belgium (Whispering Signals) who ventures into foreboding and murky territory on the off-kilter journey of 'Carabus', and there's the return of Greek producer Alex Tomb who gets into some hypnotic minimal techno on 'Paradisaea'. Elsewhere, Leipzig-based Kontinum pushes into full mental overdrive on the strobing cut 'Octandria' and finally you have the collaboration between Mary Yuzovskaya and label head Claudio PRC titled 'Marmor' which perfectly nails that ethereal Sound Of Rome vibe.

Review: The mysterious Al Tone returns with another edition of crisp editcraft but this time on their own brand new label 020312. Business as usual in the groove department, though... "Remember Me" is a sultry disco funk jam, "Beggar" has a touch of Lagos late 70s about it with its fizzy guitar work and loose but firm strut while "Heaven" lives up to its name with full falsetto charm. Finally we close this monumental party with "Long Journey" an outrageously funky gospel jam that will have your floor asunder by the first slap bass twang and happy slappy piano roll. These numbers stack up.

Review: Stormzy has risen up from being one of the baddest underground mic men on the streets of London to pretty much being a national treasure all before he is thirty. He is a grime pin-up who has helped establish the genre on the world stage but who has also moved on from it in recent times. He has proven himself to be as able to open his heart and sing tender tones as spit about spats with Wiley. His dazzling wordsmithery, unrestrained attacks on the British government and support from disadvantaged young Black people have made him the voice of a generation and we are lucky to have him. This new album finds him opening his heart and being more honest and vulnerable than ever.

Review: The fifth release from Dutch acid junkies 030303 sees the debut of mystery producer Fah, and gets off to a superlative start with "Fine Space" which is a tripped-out electro excursion that uses subtle hints of the 303, whilst melancholic female vocals are taken apart by dripping effects. Fah ups the tempo with "Bonus Orbits" and the results fall somewhere between Legowelt and Aphex Twin on a happy day, whilst "Sixears" demonstrates this unknown quantity's talent for dabbling in smudgey textures. The title track "Galaxy Dust" opens the flip, focusing on a more broken rhythmic approach which allows the space for sharp claps and hi-hats to fire frantically between menacing rave sounds and sci-fi melodies. The tempo shifts again on the final track "Sad Acid" where Fah creates a beautifully slow, chugging groove with hints of hip hop influence that forms the backdrop to a fine arrangement of warm acidic chords and beats.

Review: After what has seemed like a long hiatus, Roger Van Lunteren has returned to the studio. And what a comeback, courtesy of Utrecht's 030303 imprint. First up "Hills I Want You" is a lovely classic house jam that takes you back to the Hacienda in this unashamedly retro homage. More nineties influences come courtesy of "Zeroz On (Forbidden Colours Of edit) and the Underground Resistance tribute "The Broke". Finally "In Sight Out" balances the relentless 303 melody with a smooth deep house beat and soothing Rhodes Piano melody. This is indeed return to form from Van Lunteren.

Review: There's been much debate over the years about the effect of environment on artists, and particularly musicians. Perhaps we're reading too much into Signals on the Double, the first 12" from Norwegian producer Retape, but we can definitely hear the reflected beauty of his home city of Trondheim, a relatively sleeping place built around a wide fjord. There's certainly a picturesque feel to the glistening ambience of "Rotation", the woozy Scandolearic disco of "Moving Down", and the Behaviour-era Pet Shop Boys style melancholy of "Coir". The EP's crowning moments, though, are less obviously influenced by Retape's surroundings. "EMN" is a spiraling chunk of Reflex-style "braindance", while "Signals on the Double" surges from the speakers like the best Detroit techno.

Review: Since making his debut on the first EP from blog-turned-record label Innate back in 2018, Tom Gilbert has quietly amassed a small but perfectly formed discography. The Bristol-based producer specialises in sci-fi techno and deep, melodious electro of the kind that moves the heart and head just as much as the feet. His first outing for Dutch imprint 030303 naturally swims in similar sonic waters, moving between the gorgeously emotive and immersive techno futurism of 'Ylem', the bleeping and bass-heavy sci-fi electro of 'Lucid Dream', where star-fall synth sounds catch the ear, the melody-rich soundscape stomp of 'Shift The Focus' and the vintage IDM-tinged electro brilliance of closing cut 'Are We Alone'.

Review: Netherlands-based 030303 Records is back with a fifth installment in its various artists series. As with the previous four editions, this is high-class electronic music pure and simple. Caramel Chameleon kicks off with a good time mix of cheery melodies and chattery drums, then Perseus Traxx brings his signature analogue murkiness to the lo-fi house trudge that is 'Something More Than This.' Elsewhere you will find quietly optimistic cuts like Raving Kid' restless 'Edgware Acid' or the dream house reveries of Kreggo's 'Hearthpulse' amongst many other varied treasures.

Review: Dutch label 030303 is, unsurprisingly given the name, all about acid sounds in various different contexts. This time out they line up four artists and set them free with their Rolands. Freek Fabricius opens up with a portal to another dimension where bight harmonies and shattered melodies, computer game sound effects and bust bass all happily coexist. Geel Acidvarken's 'Birdhood Acid' is a more slow and meandering acid meditation. Bohm gets busy on a nice electro trip and Piepiep's 'System 100' is a nice tripped out wander through downbeat electro bliss.

Review: Aside from occasional appearances on Moisture Records, much of Francesco Pio Nitti's work as Caramel Chameleon has been self-released. He's put out some great music though, so it's heartening to see that fast-rising Dutch imprint 030303 has decided to hand him his first ever vinyl release. There's much to admire across the five-track set, from the sun-bright, life-affirming, synth-pop-influenced techno positivity of 'Solitario' and the 'New Order goes Balearic on the moon' vibes of 'Dronacid (Phaserinterlude Mix)', to the cheery, vocoder sporting electro bounce of 'Peanut Butter', and the Boards of Canada style IDM melodiousness of quality closing cut 'Barocco CC'.

Review: Zesty goodness... Daniel Pringle dons his Jaffa cap and digs through his last few years of prolific dispatches for this special wax outing. Besides the fluttering jungle dream 'Zap Ting II', all of these have been cooked up since 2020 but can now be felt with all the weight of the machines Jaffa baked them on. With vibes ranging from the twinkling cosmic 'Noon' to the much direct and dubby four-to-the-floor moment, these six grooves capture his tasty range and wholesome futurism. More than your recommended five-a-day.

Review: The elusive Splitradix returns, not much is known of him other than that he's a bloke called Stephen from Dublin. This release is for Dutch acid life hedonists 030303 with the fascinating title of Philatelic Diethylamide, which the label best describes as a "melancholic acid / braindance with plenty of light in darkness". From the sublime four to the floor electro of "Laplace Normal" (and the glassy eyed rework by Nav over on the flip) to the euphoric 303 wiggle of 'The Dry Canal' and 'Lucan 303 Distribution Service' - it is one of this week's standout releases for sure

Review: Rave Angst is an alias of German producer Alexander Potthof. He invites us deep into his soul here with a superb double pack of deeply atmospheric sonics that features food for the mind, body and soul. Plenty of these cuts will challenge you as a listener but then reward you in equal measure. They are deeply emotional even when rather apocalyptic sounding and there is plenty to love here for those who enjoy the sounds of Aphex Twin and early Plastikman as metallic rhythms suck you into Potthof's unique sound world.

Review: World renowned Tokyo club WOMB's resident Drum & Bass party "06S" is now undertaking a new musical imprint with an original Tokyo style. 06S, probably the most well-established Drum & Bass party in Japan, are now set to launch a new label, 06S RECORDS. The label's purpose will be to present the outlook of the world of 06S by the releasing of their music and visuals on display at the parties. The main label artist is ES9 (ES-NINE), led by Japan's premier Drum & Bass DJ, DJ Aki, and his production partners Takeo and Yuuki, but the label is also tending towards introducing new/up & coming Japanese producers, as well as 06S-supportive international artists. The label's first 12" inch release is "FREE YOUR MIND" by ES9. This cut has been very well received on the 06S dance floor, as well as other dance floors around Japan. The track is definitely illustrative of the concept of 06S with its driving, energetic sound, detailed rhythmic elements and a distinctive vocal mantra. On the flip side, for a truly exquisite sound D-Bridge (Exit Records) is featured as remixer of "FREE YOUR MIND". D-Bridge has been a 'family' member of the 06S collective since day one, and his contribution to the launch of this new label serves as a sign of the family's bond! His inimitable production style, sophisticated in its balance of depth and musicality, delivers a different interpretation and vibe to the harder-styled original. The spacious breaks and ominous bassline set a simplistic and sinister mood, added later by his almost signature triangles and an intricate layering of synth melodies. The label launching tour is now scheduled for 5 main cities in Japan (Fukuoka, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kyoto, and Tokyo) in May 2006 alongside D-Bridge, and this particular release and the tour will definitely be a milestone for the history of the Drum & Bass scene in Japan. ES9 is formed by DJ Aki, Takeo & Yuuki with the objective of leading the Japanese Drum & Bass scene in a new direction. Aki has been recognized for quite some time as the leading Drum & Bass DJ in Asia. ES9 contributed 3 original tracks for his first mix CD, produced by WOMB RECORDINGS in 2004, and these tracks have played a part in delivering a new style and maybe even a future sound for Tokyo Drum & Bass. Aki has played at two of South America's big dance festivals, the BRASILIA MUSIC FESTIVAL and also SKOL BEATS in 2004 and 2005 respectively. This has helped him to gain greater recognition from a global standpoint. Not only producing music, ES9 have been tackling the challenge of synchronizing their music with originally created visuals, making their live performance a more complete Audiovisual experience, utilising a multitude of cutting edge technologies. They have been recently performing live showcases internationally, including Frankfurt's most established COCOON CLUB and Sao Paulo's LUST CLUB as well as their home venue WOMB. ES9 is also a core member of DUBLAB PRODUCTIONS (dlp) in Tokyo, who manage the WOMB club, and their contributions towards the proliferation of the dance music scene, and for their representation of fresh urban culture have been well respected by many club goers in Japan.

Review: Tokyo based O6S RECORDS brings you their much anticipated second installment, courtesy of leading DJ's DJ Aki, Takeo and Yuuki. Collectively known as ES9 (es-nine). 'Let It Go' had been tearing up the clubs in Japan for some time now, both in DJ sets and, more recently, their remarkable audiovisual live set, which sees Yuuki taking the mic alongside the DJ skills of DJ Aki and the technical wizardry of Takeo. This tune is a remarkable little bubbler, one that perfectly treads the fine line between dancefloor chunkiness and beautiful, melodic sweetness-not an easy feat by any means! It will take you on a ride from the hypnotic reversed pianos and infectious synth riffs of the intro to the driving bass that falls into place so satisfyingly at the drop. This one just rolls and rolls.... On the flipside we find the remix by none other than the mighty Futurebound, head honcho of Viper Recordings-the Liverpool producer who, although a stalwart of the scene for many years, is reaching his peak, especially with his recent collaborations with the likes of Matrix. Futurebound has taken the essence of the original and distilled it into his inimitable dancefloor form. His mix is bass heavy, driving and altogether massive-sounding, complete with subliminal trip-out bleepy synths familiar to anyone who's heard his recent music. To fans of tracks such as the massive remix of 'American Beauty', this is a buy-on-sight purchase. Both tracks are receiving great support from the biggest names within the scene, such as Andy C, Bad Company UK, Sonic etc, and this release is sure to further cement the growing reputation of these talented Japanese producers. This is a big release for ES9, and it's a name you'll hear again and again in the future-welcome to the attack of the Tokyo Evolution Move.

Review: 1 Life returns to its "Keep It Deep" series with another sizzling slab of feel good party wares designed to blow the clouds away. First up, Vincent Inc remixes Julian Sanza's "Starduster" with the slickest kind of '80s funk - like a Level 42 deep cut on steroids. Rune Lindbaek and Frisvold get deep in the mangroves with their swampy version of "Sunset On Punta Paloma" by Incarnations. Cosmic master Danielle Baldelli and Dionigi bring some slick Italo vibes and subtly psychedelic flourishes to their original production "Prepare To Energize", while Jorge Savoretti shakes up Mateo & Matos' "Vibe" and turns it into a snapping, clacking deep house workout par excellence.

Review: Experimental, drum & bass and breakcore.

Review: It's been a while since the last fresh outing of James Blake material, and he surfaces on his plenty active 1-800 Dinosaur imprint with some typically esoteric material that confirms he still exists in his own unique sound world. "200 Press" is a track that evolves with elegance, with an electro thread powering the track while around drift wild bass notes, displaced vocals and occasional chimes, and still it grows into a spellbinding crescendo infected with ghetto swagger. "200 Pressure" takes a more obscure and yet bombastic approach with strange punk inflections, lurid synth intervals and a lot of found sound disturbance. "Building It Still" by way of comparison lets a little of the more classical musicianship sneak in, leaving odd poem "Words That We Both Know" to round off the EP on an ambiguous but personal note.

Review: The process of a club night turning into a fully fledged label is one that's happened many times before with London crew Night Slugs perhaps the template on how to make the expansion a success. 1-800 Dinosaur sees James Blake and a few friends try to make this transition too, with an irregular anything goes club night spread across London, Paris and Barcelona morphing into a label with Blake himself at the helm for the debut release. Leading proceedings is a dub version of "Voyeur", Blake's most overtly house based production thus far and a highlight of his recent second album Overgrown. This stripped back take sees the spiralling intricacies of his original production come to the fore and it's complemented by the hazy bed of gurgling, foggy textures that is B-Side cut "And Holy Ghost". Given who else is involved in 1-800 Dinosaur it will be intriguing to see where the label goes from here.

Review: The debut album from 1-800 Dinosaur sees a wealth of producers associated with the collective provide behind the buttons support for grime MC Trim. That means across the ten tracks, Trim spits over bars from James Blake, Airhead, Happa, Klaus, Bullion, Boothroyd and Dan Foat. Blake and Trim have plenty of form of course, with the producer delivering killer Harmonimixs of the MC back in 2012. A recent Trim 12" on 1-800 Dinosaur set the tone nicely for this album, and Happa's colourful bassline and shuddering drums on "Before I Lied" provides an early highlight as does "Man Like Me." This cut sees Trim trading blows with a super, stripped down production from Airhead, whilst Jim Blake's production on "RPG" recalls his dizzying early work for Hessle and Hemlock. Full marks to the whole crew!

Review: James Blake temporarily downs tools as a melancholic sub-pop crooner to pick up close to where he left off with releases on Hemlock and Hessle Audio back in the day. For his own 1800 Dinosaur label he invites Javan St. Prix, aka grime MC Trim, to spit rhymes like "I surf waves most men drown in" over Blake-made digital vibraphone tones and syncopated, computer game basslines. On the flip, Trim, who's appeared on Keysound, Butterz and R&S in the past, dons the gloves for a second round called "Man Like Me", this time produced by Airhead who strips the melodies back for shuddering beats and strange, jingling percussion. Fresh.

Review: 10 Germany seem to get it bang-on each and every time! For a label who has released the likes of Ancient Methods, Perc and Matthew Herbert, among other legends, we'd expect nothing less than the spectacular and this is exactly what we got with this latest collaborative effort by Italy's Daniele Brusachetto, Jansky Noise, Human Larvae and Damaskin. Brusachetto's "Grigi Ma" is weird and wonderful pop tune set against a backdrop of cavernous percussion rattles, while Janksy Noise's "Black Night" is a full-on drone monster. Over on the flip, "Ruined" by Human Larvae is a fuzzy, noise-fuelled scorcher, and "Apocalypse" sees Damaskin produce the EP's only shred of rigidity thanks to its consistent 4/4 kick...accompanied by some rather gnarly power electronics, of course.

Review: This second transmission from Kyoto-based 10 Label proves to be every bit as compelling and finely curated as last year's inaugural release which brought the talents of French sound artist Anne-James Chaton to the attention of the Juno review squad, as well as featuring contributions from Ancient Methods, Sawlin and label heads Steven Porter. The latter pairing of Katsunori Sawa and Yuji Kondo feature once more, here surrounded by a high quality cast of acts in Perc, Matthew Herbert and Dalhous. Unreleased material is the theme of the day on the Replay EP, with Ali Wells in quite straightforward mood on "Overbite" which is characterised by the Chewbacca-esque snarl of static that ripples over an insistent stepping rhythm. The frosted "Subject Of The Stenographic Figure" finds Dalhous in typically poised and atmospheric mood, whilst conversely, Matthew Herbert has put aside his usual socio-political intentions on "Tax Returns" which is the producer at his most floor-friendly and lopsided. Finally, Steven Porter trudge through sludgy sample heavy instrumental hip-hop on "Fundamental Belief".

Review: This may only be his third EP, but already Rove Ranger is looking like a techno titan in the making. There's something unnaturally heavy - and that's a good thing - about the track that opens his new EP on Ten Pills Mate, "If You Say So". Loopy, jacking and insatiably bass-heavy, it consists of little more than a spacey, two-note melody over the most thunderous of techno grooves. This weight and intensity continues on the slower, groovier throb of "Rave Memories", where warehouse-ready riffs occasionally break the kick-drum driven grooves. Elsewhere, "Introspective" is a more melodious - but also strangely panic-inducing - chunk of mid-tempo techno, while closing cut "You Want Both So I Gave You Both" sounds like Joey Beltram's bleep-era Mental Mayhem project.

Review: Think of Andrew Red Hand as the Romanian extension of Detroit. The mysterious techno figure has released on widely acclaimed labels like Detroit Techno Militia, he's put together several podcasts for the Underground Resistance radio, and even delivered an EP on the excellent Matrix label. He's up on the Lobster Theremin-affiliated 10 PILLS MATE this time, fulling some energy through the label for their fourth outing. "Symphony Nr 303" is an orchestral acid number with some supremely raw percussion, and an inimitable hypnotic edge. On the flipside, "Deranged" is a pure warehouse number with all guns blazing in what is a veritable inferno of a groove, whereas "Militant Acid" shoots 303 bullets from all angles with its menacing beat flex. Nice ol' tip, right here!

Review: 10 PILLS MATE is on one hell of a roll in closing the year off; after Andrew Red Hand's absolute killers, here comes six more techno bruisers from newbie Faur. The young chap is in no mood to mess around, and it's clear that he means business given the raw jungle power of the opening "Track 1", and the jacking, tooled-up techno of "Track 2" and "Track 3", the latter of which slips steadily into a nightmarish wormhole of hypnotics and pure dread. "Track 4" is a loose, distorted arrangement while, on the flip, "Track 5" is totally dancefloor-bound with its stealthy techno slither, and "Track 6" ties this magnetic EP off with a rugged beat flex that reminds us of the golden days of the DJAX label. BAD-ASS.