Best New Releases from January
by Irina Kotik
The new year has brought so many fresh albums, exciting releases, and impressive remixes that cover a wide range of underground house and techno music. We've hand picked our ten favorite tracks from January featuring such luminary producers as Quince, Patrice Bäumel, Adam Port, Aera, Lazaros, RVDS, Eduardo De La Calle, Isolée and Lake People.
Quince
‘Profeet’
Something Happening Somewhere
Following releases on Music Man, Kompakt’s Speicher series, and his track “Europe” on the “Somewhere” compilation, Quince comes back strong with a powerful four-track “killer no filler EP that oozes character out of every sweaty pore". Kompakt describes the opening track Profeet as follows: "Propheet hits you in the gut like nothing you’ve experienced before, like a smack in the face in the most positive way imaginable. It’s a raw driving electro cut, sounding like it could be coming from a long forgotten industrial era, with so much vibe that sweat starts dripping instantly. Think of it as traveling trough the wormhole and realizing you ended up in a dark nightmare of the soul.”
Cubicolor
‘Dead End Thrills’ (Patrice Bäumel Remix)
Anjunadeep
The versatile Dutch producer Patrice Bäumel starts off 2017 in style with a highly anticipated remix of Cubicolor’s ‘Dead End Thrills’, from their debut album ‘Brainsugar’. This vibrant and rhythmically intense version will fit perfectly in any DJ set. Here is how Patrice Bäumel described the process of creating this stunning rework in his interview to Creative Mindset Entertainment blog: “I wanted to pay respect to the song and stick relatively close to the original while creating the right dynamic that works in a club environment. Still, I am really surprised that it is getting such strong support from a wide variety of DJ’s. It gives me confidence in my work and I feel I am getting better and better at producing music as the years go by.”
Isolée
'Pisco'
Maeve
The Maeve imprint marks its tenth release with a powerful and elegant ‘Mangrove’ EP from a microhouse don Raiko Müeller, also known as Isolée. The multifaceted three-track package features a standout dancefloor destroyer ‘Pisco’, as well as the edgier and dubbier “L5 Syndrome” and “Mangrove” which are filled with twisted melodic elements and house grooves.
"Mangrove came about last summer when The Drifter happened to catch Isolée's live set at a festival in Switzerland. Instantly blown away by the A side "Pisco" he was determined to find out what it was and if it was to be released. After chatting, Isolée suggested that he would send "Pisco" along with a couple of other "demos" to Maeve and a few days later the EP was green-lighted.
"Isolée has created some of the most important and beautiful records of our generation, and has been a huge influence on what we do, thus we are incredibly excited and humbled to release his work,” described the label in the press release.
Aera
'Bibimbap'
Hivern Discs
The incredibly talented Berlin producer Aera is an unstoppable force. Following his recent releases on Dixon and Âme’s Innervisions and RePublik, Aera will debut his most diverse work to date on John Talabot’s stylish Hivern Discs imprint.
The variety and diversity of the four-track package make this EP an auspicious portrayal of this rising producer. “Bibimbap” starts things off by contrasting sparkling ambiences with caustic electro-infused sequences that keep meandering while a gauzy melody provides a mystifying counterpoint,” described the label. The 12’’ is housed in a sleeve designed by Barcelona-based designer Xavier Marín
Lazaros
'Under The Sun'
Sum Over Histories
Cologne producer Lazaros brings his cosmic synth, beautifully emotive melodies, and hypnotic groove to Frankey & Sandrino’s newly fledged "Sum Over Histories" imprint. The latest offering comes in the form of a four-track 'Visitors' EP, and includes the stand out groove, 'Under The Sun'. This stunning tune envelops the listener in a truly magical atmosphere that has depth, dynamic musical flow, and a gorgeous melody creating pristine dancefloor moments.
Nick Monaco
'Half Naked' (Adam Port Free Wifi Remix)
Crew Love Records
Following the success of his album, "Half Naked", the San Francisco based DJ/producer and Soul Clap's "secret weapon", Nick Monaco returns to Crew Love imprint with a collection of notable remixes contributed by Lee Curtis, Pillow Talk, SONNS, Adam Port, Severino, David Marston, Dan Izo and Insightful.
Adam Port further enhances his burgeoning reputation for exploring rhythms, melodies, and a wide spectrum of sounds. His remix of the "Half Naked" offers a slightly Balearic take on the tune with warm vocals and hypnotic elements that are blended in an elegant, slow burning style to produce a deep and timeless groove.
Lawrence
'Simmer' (Lake People remix)
Mule musiq
Toshiya Kawasaki's exquisite Mule musiq jumps straight out of the blocks in 2017 with a smashing "Yoyogi Park Remixed" EP. The remix package from Lawrence’s most recent “Yoyogi Park” album features excellent work from outstanding German producers such as Roman Flügel, Lake People and Giegling’s duo Kettenkarussell, who provided two versions of "Illuminated”.
Lake People delivers an astonishing display of musical power. His re-interpretation of "Simmer" reflects a slightly abstract electro-style. Pulsating rhythms, twisted synth lines and ambient soundscapes create a futuristic world brimming with timeless, magnetic vibes
Rampa
'528Hz'
Keinemusik
German producer Rampa delights his listeners again with "The Touch" EP. The gorgeous package comes with two infectiously groovy and spellbinding tracks.
The second tune on the EP, “528Hz”, is a mesmerizing, meditative musical journey with a gorgeous undulating synth melody playing side by side with a repetitive percussive drumbeat filled with tribal elements.
RVDS
'Tears'
It’s
The Hamburg-based producer Richard von der Schulenburg ( a.k.a RVDS) delivered his second multifaceted full-length album “Shadows” via his own ‘It’s' imprint. The impressive 12-track collection features a wide array of musical styles including deep house, acid, deep techno, ambient and a hint of jazz. One of the standout tracks on the album is "Tears". It instantly captivates the listener with its groovy bassline, subtle melody, and twisted modulated synth paired with driving tribal percussion.
Cumhur Jay
'7 Minutes' (Eduardo De La Calle)
High:Controla
Madrid’s prolific techno guru Eduardo De La Calle turned up the heat on the remix of Cumhur Jay’s dense and sophisticated "7 Minutes". The hypnotic and silky deep analog techno tour-de-force version is infectious in rhythm, increasingly intricate and relentless in its power. This mighty masterpiece is perfect for deep after-hours sessions.