Leo Leal
Melodies From The Sky

Delicate Records delves into the swamp laden depths of heartbreak; inexplicable depth, darkness and twisted beauty with a 9 track full length debut from Saffron Bloom. The Iranian-American producer and performer; already prolific as Sepehr and known for his expertly raw and freaky sound, develops this alias to indulge the silver linings of agony. An illbient force of nature drawing on industrial atmospherics, trip hop flow and unbothered breakbeat influx. The record serves as an ode to the ever changing phases of lost love and grief, seasons of emotion weathering the passage of time each with their own ferocity and relation to the evolving cycle; one so personal yet universally understood.Intro, the infrastructure of aura laced throughout the record, builds around an ominous and evocative piano soundscape bleeding with delay, intruding barely human vocal cries and percussive injections. Dripping into the DNA of Dirge of the Lonely and Jealous Desire, there comes a yearning, cries from beyond the grave; mourning relationships lost with an eerie familiarity. This sinister sanctuary bred through low slung stripped back breaks, those that echo within the soul and tie themselves to an anchor of inconspicuous growling sub bass; a signature idiosyncrasy perfectly elevated with Saffron Bloom timbre.Quelling the urge to disintegrate, with power through distortion and commanding drumwork, corners of the B side like Curtain Call and Apathetic Rose reiterate a primal and hypnotic sonic discourse. At the heart of the LP and the artist’s ethos, it resonates through the mind and body in a psychedelic manner while remaining powerfully minimal. Time’s Up (It’s Over) featuring. Sam Weinberg feels like a fever dream, saxophone drenched and echoing throughout your brain, while album closer Ultimate Acceptance is named perfectly. A melancholic realization, soft in nature yet rich in complexity and beauty, a bittersweet conclusion.

Omni – meaning all-encompassing – is an apt title for celebrating over a decade of existence of Blue Hour Music. Marking the musical diversity and longevity of Blue Hour's imprint, the Omni V/A series brings together a wide range of artists from the full electronic music spectrum, plunging into a pool of techno, trance, breaks and everything in between.Approaching nearly 50 releases in vinyl and digital formats, remix series and sub-labels as well as limited edition merch, the imprint has swerved hypes, trends and fads throughout its long-running tenure. Platforming quality productions by artists worldwide, Blue Hour Music has forged a name of its own in a landscape that evolves with mercurial speed.Like Blue Hour's sound as an artist, it's impossible to classify the label's discography into a single category or genre. The two-part Omni compilations ebb and flow between hazy atmospheres and tougher, live-wire textures, colluding into a multi-coloured trip that encapsulates the lush world of Blue Hour Music.

Cafe Del Mar chill out classic classic from 1992. Tap into your subconscious and conquer anything with these 4 different mixes featuring the voice samples of new age hypnotist Barry Konicov, known for an outstanding proclivity towards not paying Federal Tax in the US, but also for being the founder of Potentials Unlimited, a self-help hypnotism program that became especially popular in some circles during the 80s and 90s. From beat less ambient excursions to rhythmic drum samples these mixes explore modern Balearic themes in different ways - take a trip.

Spincycle records presents the first imprint on their label - a two track EP from Mieka Du Franx and Mark Ambrose on 180g heavyweight vinyl.After meeting at a gig in LA, Mieka and Mark hit the studio together and recorded these tracks in 2016. The result - two club ready house tracks with deep, spun out vocal takes. Side A, Wake Me Up (Dreaming Dub) leads the way with floating pads, warm echoing vocals and a dubbed out, pulsating bassline. Big after hours tip if you’re feeling a little playful. Side B, Wake Me Up comes in heavy with wonky deep house chords and Mark's signature syncopation, a treat for the later hours. Mark Ambrose is a man that needs no introduction from us. A veteran and legend in the house and techno realm who is renowned for creating iconic and unique music. Mark has been instrumental in shaping the unmistakable sound of UK tech house and techno since the late 80s.Mark's love affair with house music was fueled by the beats of Chicago, New York, and Detroit and he quickly rose to fame in England's club scene. As his love for music deepened, he ventured into producing, birthing his label, CRAYON, in 1997, one of the most iconic labels in the tech house realm. Ambrose has also produced many tracks under the alias SKYMASTER, to showcase his heavier techno sound. So many of Mark’s productions are now underground classics, and many have been repressed and re-released in recent years, a testament to Mark’s talent, passion and the impact he’s had on the electronic music scene and its history. Originally hailing from the East Coast in the US, Mieka Du Franx, had a lifelong passion for rhythmic beats. Her journey started with ballet, jazz, and tap dance and eventually evolved into freestyle dancing, which exposed her to New York's vibrant Freestyle and House music scene where she began to explore underground dance music in the early 90s. Exploring the various clubs in New York eventually led her to the dj’s which then led her to working in the music industry. Mieka worked behind the scenes for many years, in record shops like the infamous Satellite Records, while also exploring her own productions and eventually started her own label Felinephonix Music in 2005. From its second release, Felinephonix Music was recognized by some of the world's leading DJs and publicised on BBC radio. The label became eponymous for house, tech-house and avant guard accents, with an emphasis on lyrical experimentation with Mieka's voice becoming the labels signature element. Mieka's dedication to working behind the scenes with her spectrum of many talents manifested many multi-media endeavours tinged with her unique flavour and also led her to grace the main stage at the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, Movement, alongside renowned artists like Francois Kevorkian, Carl Cox and Steve Bug. In 2016, Mark's path intersected with Mieka Du Franx at a gig in LA, leading to a remarkable collaboration. We are honoured to present these works between two veterans of the electronic music scene. This record embodies both of the artists unwavering passion for underground music and fuses both their unique sonic aesthetics. In loving memory of Mieka Du Franx.

Transylvania/Budapest based label, FIKTIV returns with their second release, bringing together a diverse group of boundary-pushing artists.X side kicks off with Charlou’s ‘Hidefaces’, a pulsating journey into the depths of acid and EBM, blending mysterious atmospheres and eerie vocals with a relentless groove.mar.c’s ‘Wentron’ is a captivating mixture of groove-driven rhythms, atmospheric textures, raw and edgy synth layers, while the echoing vocals drift in and out.On the Y axis, Lanzieri’s ‘Vogue’ is a gritty and dark track with a driving, acid-infused bassline, enigmatic synth lines and robotic vocal layers.Kvrk’s ‘Haunted Illusions’ closes the EP with trippy sequences and hypnotic stabs blended with a throbbing groove, while the alien vocals add a dystopian layer to the mix.

Limping on Clouds is an EP born from an in-depth collaboration between Polygonia and Shoal. The A-side features one carefully curated track by each artist, while the B-side is a true symbiosis of their work, evolving from a single element or layer loop into a complete mix and arrangement that was gradually developed over time and distance. Side A opens with Shoal's “Majola,” featuring layered breaks and a deep, slung bass, followed by Polygonia's “Repeat,” infused with kinetic energy, rhythmic elements, and euphonic vocal samples.The synergistic B-side unfolds with a subtle, organic rhythm. “Pendulum” overflows with lush ambiance, creating an ethereal mood that pervades the record. The EP concludes on a downtempo note with the track “Limping on Clouds.”