S.O.N.S
Seoul Forest EP

Autokinetic’s techno roots reach back to 1993 when Mike McClure and John Golden formed Auto K in Minneapolis, forming the vibrant MPLS rave scene alongside Freddy Fresh, Woody McBride, and DVS1. Auto K then changed their name to Auto Kinetic, and now Mike McClure is ripping hypnotic modular techno in hyperspace solo as Autokinetic. These tracks have been secret weapons in DVS1 sets for the past couple years. “great stuff as always” - Decoder“Very cool” - Justin Cudmore“It bangs!” - CMD“Really good” - 2Lanes“Great release!” - PlayPlay“Sounds great!!” - Golden Medusa“Big blend potential with these trax!” - Escaflowne
The A side consists of “Sidewinder” and the cheekily titled “Didgeradont”. Both of these are bonafide heady techno hits. I mean, the production on these…higher consciousness inducing dancefloor rolling mania. For the old ears and fresh feet alike. The B side opens up with “File003”, which has a robotic restraint and up-beat bassline to keep you locked in for the never ending tunnel ride of a track. “Wakeword” ends the EP with a proper, slightly acidic challenger to meet all late night crowds with taste. But no chin scratching here. This is techno at its tastiest. Mike is a pro who knows how to kick and punch with full peak euphoric power. He’s been in the game for three decades at this point, and is still pushing his craft and himself to new heights. 300 copies pressed worldwide. Not to be missed out on.Produced and performed by Mike McClure in MPLS, MN USAMastered by Dietrich Schoenemann. Design by Nick Owen. Distributed by One Eye Witness.

RAMZi is returning home with these eight sonic quests, reanimating the dormant FATi Records, Phoebé’s own label. Feu Follets (Fire Sprites) are fireflies, flickering balls of light dancing in the dark shadows, found in fields, forests, chaparral, and scrublands, the many different landscapes of RAMZi’s whimsical adventures.Including collaborative efforts with friends DJ Python (NY) - A2, anabasine (MTL) - B3 and CZ Wang (NY) - B4

SAISEI founder Junki Inoue continues his vital archival work uncovering the riches of Japan’s distinctive electronic music scene and bringing them to new audiences around the world.The PMA EP compiles four dynamic tracks recorded around 30 years ago by the duo of Shigeru Nakamura (drums/vocals) and Mikio Kato (synths) aka B-2DEP’T.Nakamura and Kato’s first album as B-2DEP’T, Products Plus, appeared on cassette in 1993 on Trigger Records, the predecessor label to Transonic (given a retrospective on SAIS004). Its bright yellow and blue retro-futurist artwork – which is echoed in the design for this reissue on SAISEI – matched the sounds held within: inventive, out-of-the-box dance music blending overseas influences with an idiosyncratic Japanese sensibility.Two tracks from Products Plus appear on this EP, All tracks re-edited by Junki Inoue and regular collaborator Yuzo Iwata for vinyl extended play and available now for the first time on vinyl. ‘Clockwork Giant Panda’ appearing in a version co-produced with Yoshinori Sunahara (ex - Denki Groove), merges a breezy US house groove and bassline with twinkling, almost parodic Japanese keys that act as a kind of meta commentary on Western perceptions of Japan (a concept pioneered by Yellow Magic Orchestra). The two parts of ‘BSMH’, or Body Sonic Mental Health from ‘Products Plus’, were originally remixed by Daishi Hisakawa of Tanzmuzik, who draws on darker sounds from Europe and the UK: restless Depeche Mode synth harmonies spiral above a pacy EBM pulse, with robot vocals intoning the titular slogan. The package is completed by the unreleased track ‘PMA’, whose driving, bass-heavy mood falls somewhere between Sheffield bleep and the ambient techno of early Biosphere.SAISEI is a Japanese word which translates to ‘reproduction’ and ‘to play’ (as in playing records). Japanese culture is widely known for its traditional nature just as much as it is for being forward into the future and this label’s concept does justice to exactly that. Having started digging for records as early as 16 years old, Inoue delved into productions from 1990s Japan to uncover these native gems. SAISEI’s core concept is to recapture and reintroduce unique pieces of Japanese electronic music onto vinyl, to an audience it never reached before as most of this music was only released in Japan.

Four new deep, rhythmic works from Lyon producer Vardae inaugurate new London imprint OODA, co-curated by Forest Drive West and localhost. The Kaipos EP drifts from ritualistic half tempo drums into deep warping techno and tripped out drones, illustrating Vardae's unique genre-breaking approach to crafting powerful percussive entrancers for headphones and dancefloor. A fitting prelude to the OODA project, conceived to explore polyrhythmic techno, bass and ambient experiments in all forms. Observe-Orient-Decide-Act.

Heading up the next outing on the sought after OPIA imprint is Argentine wonderkid, Richer. The Calypso Dream founder steers you on a journey of blissful progressive grooves, and classic house energy, uplifting as each track of the “Klub Kontrol” EP develops into a pure dance floor emotion.All of the tracks take a strong nod towards the sounds of years gone by, heavily influenced with the 90s heyday of house but containing a modern twist that Richer implements into his productions. Sincere emotion surrounds the whole of the EP urging your thoughts to wander to a dream like state of mind, capturing distinct love fuelled atmospheres from beginning to end. An essential record for the peak hours of the night.OPIA are setting up for a bright 2023 with the rising talent Richer delivering above and beyond, a dreamy follow on from the dynamite Man/ipulate EP last year.