Tammo Hesselink
Silicon

The first release of the Apolo records label marks the grand debut of the Scienza X duo composed by Portuguese talents Nuno Carneiro and Rowan. First word of advice: don’t be fooled by the debut stamp, Rowan is a celebrated producer and Nuno has been doing the rounds behind the wheels of steel from Europe to Latin America for a long, long time, and this is clear from the outset. Both “Evil Laugh” and “17” have their distinct identities. The first track harnesses an energy not far from the sounds of Uruguay made popular by artists like Z@P, Nicholas Lutz and DJ Koolt. As for 17, it’s certainly no filler, either a reflective opener or a closer to entwine the audience (this is a dance record!) on their way out of an early morning in Café Barges or Ibiza. The mixes are a blessing overall for the record, each adding layers and use cases that make this a something of a buy-on-sight tool. From Dan Ghenacia’s full on dancefloor-driven interpretation of 17 to Snad’s thumping version of Evil Laugh to Wareika’s… well… how do you describe his sound? If you know, you know. This debut on the label named after his first son was conceived with a lot of work, lets just hope that if he’s going to father any more projects in the future, they sound this good.

Split Ep between Mainrecords & C-LektroLimited to 250 copies.

A dynamic configuration of rhythms plus melodies, overlaid with musings on repetitive neverlands: R.i.O. welcomes KXB, aka Sam Gill and Wes Holland, a duo that, as they put it, “was born and baptised on the balcony at Robert Johnson in 2019, while Wes lived in London and Sam in Melbourne.” “Areas of Uncertainty” is their first musical outcome. It carries a rhythmic show bag, that circumnavigates streamlined track architecture. From Can-ish live drumming submitted by guest rhythmist Graeme Pogson to sequenced synth spheres, the three multilayered groove landscapes of the Australian duo punch severely arcane. Sometimes techno frankness messes with the big bad dub universe. Or Hacienda- Breakbeats cut tellingly through looped vocal waters, sanctified sung in by “Thrush”, one third of the Melbourne based Aussie/Deutsch swamp beat trio Concentration. Additionally, their buddy Richard Fearless added a remix for the premiere, fishing in dark dub zones, bringing in anxious cosmic tones. All recorded in a deeper shade of space somewhere in Melbourne, Berlin, and Fearless’ Metal Box studio in London, while diving into an avalanche of infinitely hyperlinked cadences.

Fathers & Sons Productions is back in the game! After several years on hiatus, the Spanish label has returned with a freshly baked record entitled "FAS012+1". The catalog number undoubtedly holds significance for some, and the release is being led by none other than Julian Perez himself. So you know it's gonna be extra special! The album comprises three original tracks and a powerful edit of an iconic Spanish group from the late 80s and early 90s linked to Ibiza, taking us back to the original source, back to where it all started.

SUZI returns after the beautiful EP by Downstairs J with a new power compilation, including contributions by Beta Librae, Flørist, Dashiell, and Alfredo 92. This VA record explores modern takes on tech dimensions driven by catchy grooves.The record debuts with an essential dancefloor killer by Dashiell, a talented musician based in Naarm/Melbourne. "Beep Beep" has a slick badass attitude driven by its frenetic core melody, accompanied by a spooky cosmic atmosphere, and makes this track an instant hit for dancefloors.The second contribution, "Listening to the ants," comes from Beta Librae, one of NYC's most unique exports in recent years. Her signature contemporary deep-bleep-groovy sound can also be found in this composition, which has a slow and dubby feel filled with small insect-like details. A perfect symbiosis between organic and digital worlds.On the flip side, we find "Dot Matrix," a groover by Berlin-based Flørist. Breaky tech-house with MPC-like swingy shakers channeling a balance between minimalistic details and slightly scratchy sound design. The bass-line, one of the key elements here, comes and goes over and over again, creating superb tension from beginning to end.The final track "Bora" of the record comes from Copenhagen, by Alfredo 92. What makes this track so special is its propulsive drive without any kick drum in it. The association of wind-like groove elements combined with a subtle melody makes this beautifully crafted sonic tempest.Curation and design by Cleveland. Mastering by Marco Pellegrino at Analog Cut. Distribution & production by One Eye Witness.