Jack Smooth & Chicago Loop
Effusion 7075 EP

For their 4th venture, AGT Records presents the cosmic sounds of George T and his solar-sound-system explorations. Responsible for a multitude of club ready releases in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, you can find George Thomson’s aliases in the catalogues of legendary labels such as NRK Sound Division, Stickman Records and Glasgow Underground. Thomson’s sound is a warped fusion of disco, electro and tech-house, splicing together influences from the US tribal and UK tech house scenes that were prevalent in that golden era of electronic dance music.This is on display with ‘Some Lunar Pursuits’, as across the EP you find driving, jet-fuelled basslines that lift the tracks off the ground, while ‘Baby’ and ‘Silver’ throw about snappy percussion and dubby, reverb-drenched vocals that bring you back down to Earth and back onto the dancefloor. ‘Bass Chase’ provides a stripped-back bass heavy weapon to switch up the vibe, and title track ‘Lunar Pursuits’ is made for the afters as nostalgic synth lines float around alien house stabs, sending you back into the skies and beyond.AGT Records is putting this one back into the stratosphere, all in good time.

After debuting on Flippen Disks in 2018 and a follow-up track on Bradley Zero’s Rhythm Section, PTDD is back on Flippen Disks with this debut solo-EP called „Sizipin“.
 Melting PTDD’s signature minimalist sound with a welcoming harmonic world in Hoe Je Het Snijdt, taking a wide array of influences from UK-bass and broken beat in Sizipin to HipHop in N Btj Blvn Dnsn or more progressive club sounds in Kajuit, this EP is a clear big step in PTDD’s development as a producer. 
 „Sizipin“, a made-up term for an adaptor that you don’t know the use for anymore, it’s a rather fitting name considering the circumstances of the creation go this EP. A connector for quitting his day-job to focus fully on audio and music work, building his studio in deep pandemic lockdown-Utrecht and most importantly becoming a father. Also features a vocal performance of PTDD’s son Olivier. Can you find it?

Panic Mode EP by Frequency on Repetitive Rhythm Research.

With this release the label celebrates the return to the ranks of the founder Worg. A triumphant homecoming comparable to that of Jason, the main character of the Argonautica, who travelled in search of the Golden Fleece (Il Vello d'Oro) aboard the ship Argo. After many vicissitudes, the hero returned to Iolco, his homeland, to reclaim the throne usurped by his half-brother Pelias.This new chapter in the Lykos saga focuses on the deeds of Jason and the Argonauts, but also on a key figure who was indispensable to the success of this quest, Medea. Thanks to her and her magical skills, the fellowship of heroes succeeded in grabbing the Golden Fleece. Through careful sound design, hinted melodic cells and complex rhythms, Il Piano di Medea by Worg, sums up details and facts related to this extraordinary legend. Starting from the prophecies of the Oracles, to the tragic and bloody ending of the epic poem, which took place with the death of King Pelias by his own daughters, hypnotized and manipulated by Medea's magic.The narrative begins with the track Oracolo, characterized by a syncopated groove, nebulous atmospheres and the presence of a dark anthropomorphic synth, which alludes to the solemn, grave and authoritative voice of an entity. A prophetic spirit that warns the listener of the dangers that lurk for those who dare to enter this new sonic adventure. In order to foretell the future and to spread their word, the gods took possession of the bodies of priests who had fallen into ecstasy, using them as intermediaries. In his reinterpretation of Oracolo Neel, the grand Maestro of techno, in a similar way uses musical elements such as a harsh and acid bass line or a tight rhythm to lead the listener into a psychic state of suspension and mystical elevation.In the music piece Il Vello d'Oro, Worg draws attention to the rare preciousness of this magical relic, rumored to have the power to heal all wounds and for this reason longed by Jason. To evoke the purity of the golden mantle, the artist uses shimmering percussion, radiant textures and the omnipresence of an FM synth bass, full of brilliant harmonics. All enhanced by sound details scattered throughout the arrangement.Eryx, the record's final track, has a fluid and sinuous flow, with sound elements that recall water, a natural element, protagonist of the Argonauts' journey to the remote Colchis. A melody echoes in the distance, disappears and resurfaces to then collide, like waves on the rocks, with the complex and jagged rhythms that mark the gradual evolution of the track.

North Phase and ADR share duties on this four track split EP, each dropping two tracks, although all four of them are firm dancefloor-filling candidates. North Face's 'Breaks Away' adds a few retro rave flourishes to a beat that's a distant cousin of Zinc's '138 Trek' and a bouncy, bumping bass holding the whole thing together. 'Sound Connection' has a hypnotic charm that nods to Fluke and early Underworld, although choppier and less linear in rhythmic approach. Aside from being probably the best named track we've come across in 2023 so far, ADR's 'Ned Flanders Hot Chocolate' is skippy enough to be 4x4 garage but with its scratched asides and cheeky, funky b-line has a unique personality, while 'Comet Relief' nods to the progressive house of the early 90s with an unexpected xylophone-like twist. It's all good, as they used to say.

R.A.N.D. Muzik Recordings welcomes a joint record by Sascha Funke & Niklas Wandt to the label with their take on House, IDM and Balearic.