S.H.
FXWL 24A

Balmat is a new label with a cloudy outline.Jointly shepherded by Philip Sherburne and Albert Salinas, two friends living in Cardedeu, Catalonia, and on the Balearic island of Menorca, Balmat grew out of Lapsus Radio, a weekly show on Spain’s Radio 3. Balmat’s mission is simple: to foster new ideas, expand upon personal obsessions, and put enveloping sounds out into the world.“Balmat” means “empty” or “void” in Catalan. But quite apart from any negative connotations, we prefer to think of it in terms of possibility: a space waiting to be filled.Balmat’s first release comes from Luke Sanger, a Norwich, UK-based artist whose two decades of electronic music making have encompassed a range of tools and techniques, from MaxMSP to modular synthesis. Along the way he has built an extensive catalog encompassing ambient atmospheres, abstract soundscaping, and more. With Languid Gongue, he puts multiple approaches into play. Experiments in microtonal composition balance out pieces in standard tunings, while esoteric electronic machines merge with familiar acoustic treatments and microphone techniques.The result is a constellation of his signature sounds: freeform new-age fantasia; spring-loaded toytronic arpeggios; quartz-driven braindance clockworks. Drifting between consonant, almost lyrical compositions and shape-shifting textural sketches, the album drifts with the nonchalance of a sky-high cirrus cloud, and it glows as if illuminated from within. When we heard the material, we knew that it was the perfect choice to launch the label. To us, it sounds like a roadmap for points unknown.

After a successful reintroduction for The Don earlier on in the year, Marvyn returns with another reissue of an underground UK tech house special. Three rolling tech-house cuts fit for any occasion. 300 copies.

UK veteran The Dexorcist debuts on Traditions with his trademark hardcore & rave infused electro , 5 killer cuts for quirky dancefloors ...

Following a string of releases on a who’s who of top labels such as Planet Euphorique, Salt Mines, Haws and Craigie Knowes, prog-trance pioneer Lisene drops a full-length LP on his On Rotation imprint. With 8 hyper-detailed tracks ranging from club-focused techno, progressive and electro to slo-mo downtempo, Lisene brings his A-game to an album sure to cement his place as one of the most exciting producers and DJs in the UK’s underground music scene. Created over several years with a perfectionist’s attention to detail, “Science Friction” flits between moods and sonic environments with ease while retaining the cohesion of Lisene’s inimitable production style. Despite being an album, this is still very much a record for the DJs, featuring heads-down club tracks and bass-heavy electro crafted with precision and a cinematic sense of scale. For the home listeners, expansive slo-mo soundscapes and cerebral synth odysseys float high above the clouds, with widescreen details revealing themselves ever further with each re-play.“This album has been 15 years in the making and represents a culmination of everything I’ve worked towards in defining my own sound and style without letting myself be pigeonholed. I’m immensely proud of each track - it really reflects where I was at musically while making this, while giving a glimpse into my future sound. This is a record that deserves to be played on the finest sound systems and hi-fis, and I couldn’t be more happy with how it’s turned out. Dive in and enjoy!” Combining influences from across the spectrum of dance music with a cinematic sense of psychedelia and his own inimitable production skills, “Science Friction” is sure to see a lot of airtime across the festivals, after-parties and living rooms of the world this summer and beyond.On Rotation is a Leeds based label, event & mix series run by Chris I’Anson, Lisene & Adam Pits. Artwork illustrated and designed by Patch D Keyes.

The First Second Label family return for 2021 with Housebreaker, the highly anticipated return of ELLLL following her much loved Febreeze EP from 2019. Comes with an ace Slo’ Motion refix from Parris!Haunted, scattered breaks loom over the title track, a modern apocalyptic Hardcore journey where rave sirens puncture the feverous rinse-out tension throughout. The Alantis Dub flips the script, doubling down on the atmosphere while upping the tempo to screw-face the chaos within its experimental D’n’B fever dream. Both tracks showcase ELLLL’s exceptional production chops with its nuanced textural trickery & immersive sound design skills. London’s Parris then rewires the OG, simmering the tempo down low to 110bpm for a sinister nocturnal skank for the night fiends who thrive when entering into first light.

Quoth is the brainchild of Alex Egan (Utter) and Mike Smaczylo (Half Edge). Singular in focus, this newly minted (sub)label harnesses the pair’s diverse and expansive tastes in weird and hallucinatory sonics, aimed squarely at the dancefloor. We're very proud to present ‘Barney’s Maze’, a four-track EP of twisted techno, drawing influence from IDM, bass, and older strains of textural music.