Miles Mercer
Counting to Eight

Adam Pits is back with his second album on Leeds based On Rotation ‘Synthetic Serenity’ represents the next evolutionary step of Adam’s sound design and direction. In stark contrast to his first album, ‘A Recurring Nature’, this new release moves out of the forest and into the digital landscape, capturing the sound of a future world over 8 varied tracks. Adam Pits talks about the inspiration behind the new album:“It’s hard to put into words how much of an impact 2022 had on my life. I could talk for hours about the highs and lows, the journeys, both inside and out of my body. Or I could just make an album. Having delved into the deeper reaches of techno and ambient, I wanted to show my appreciation for these genres on the record. Atmosphere, clarity and warmth became the pillars of my new sonic exploration, with stress falling on my signature ‘journeying’ style. The album describes the idea of being at peace with machines and being open to the idea that in the future we will find ourselves more and more involved with one another. ‘Synthetic Serenity’ is a product of a big energy release. It’s a testament to my acceptance of change in life and I believe it’s a true sign of my sonic evolution”

The sounds of Cleveland seem to grow increasingly abstract with each passing release and a third Kalahari outing is no exception. Manipulating house and techno templates into newly mutated forms, ‘Lola Ran’ is a testament to a producer always playing fast and loose with concepts of genre. It’s possibly his most probing set of productions thus far.Where predecessors came bearing remixes, it's strictly originals for the duration here. ‘Rand’ and ‘PrideBRK’ are direct but decidedly off-kilter; at once modern and faintly retro in their approach to breaks and deep-dwelling techno. ‘Lola Ran’, ‘Mano’ and ’Temp Oro’, on the other hand, shift gear into opiated, rhythmelodic territory. There are no doubt traces of Detroit-style sci-fi but the Brussels-based producer terraforms an alien microcosm unto itself.

London's Portal Recs open up and suck us into their world with standout Interplanetary sounds by manlike KOS. Featuring four original rollers stacked with hard hitting bass lines and repeating catchy hooks it's an opening release to savour. Timeless grooves from your favourite dormant record label.

Its been five years since Belgium's WeMe Records lovingly selected the first ever collection of Heinrich Mueller's (Drexciya/Doppleffekt) best remixes/remodels for a new generation of listeners that won't have to pay collector prices to have them on vinyl. Volume 2 of False Vacuum is now with us and still has riches to choose from. These 13 rare and hard to find tracks (3 of which make their vinyl debut) all deliver in different ways as he systematically reinvents each one. Beginning with his raw and now classic remix of Ultradyne's 'Clones', the hard-edged dance-floor friendly 'Woman's Scent' by Cisco Ferreira (The Advent), the more laidback and futuristic sounding 'Bohrium 274' by Jauzas the Shining and Victoria Lukas, the slow and mysterious and first time on vinyl 'Somehow' by Rough Days For Diamond Trade, reinventing the darkest of dance-floors on 'Rytumtraks 0002' by Albert van Abbe, the moody masterpiece and first time on vinyl 'Now We Continue' by White Car, Duplex's 'Autoslug' sounding like its been rearranged inside a black-hole, a balancing act between the light and darkness on Fasenuova 'Cachito Turulo', an insistent rise and falling workout for As One's 'Where Did He Go and Why', a tightly wound and almost meditative 'The Truth' by The Exaltics, an angular stomping march of the robots 'Longwang' by 6D22, a jumpy fidgety groove for first time on vinyl 'Forty Eight Hours' by Yan Wagner and perhaps one of his most sublime pieces is kept for last with 'So Long For A Small Storm' by Dollska.

Australian live hardware-based duo Hybrid Man join On Rotation for a 4 track EP - ‘Overgrown Echos’ exploring their signature dreamy acid-tinged sound. Fusing dub-style mixing and effects with technical finesse, their complex blend of sonic ingredients draw from ambient soundscapes, IDM, 90s trance, dubbed-out house, techno and more. Sprinkled amongst the immersive grooves, left-field sonic artifacts, environmental recordings and live improvised melodies provide filigree sonic detail, with each subsequent listen revealing new layers.Hybrid Man are a special live act to witness and have already released some incredible records on Butter Sessions, Paper-Cuts & Wax'o Paradiso. 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.