Barcelona's Max Guardans reveals more gems from his Tibi Dabo project. Meticulously crafted tech house movements with a real musicality and depth, the producer is making serious waves across the global dance village.

"Isla" opens up with the title track - an intricately and delicately arranged track which reveals the symbiosis between the various elements as the encapsulating pad and bass progression slowly envelops the track. "Mothball" is an even gentler excursion into deep tech house abandon. Perfectly placed bleeps and vox riding a soft groove and deeeep bass. Almost reminds me of vintage Matthew Herbert but there's shed loads of the producer's own personality at show here.

"Brain The Cut" keeps to the now established formula of wrapping sexy vocal cuts and intricate perx in highly stimulating pads and atmospheres; making for a very transcendental experience. This one in particular shows off the producer's expert sound design and rhythmic prowess. Finally, "Arp 8" reduces the BPMS and works with a broken beat groove; glassy synth shards dripping down the track as another warm bass and emotive vox smother the track in soul and feeling. Most recommended shizzle from this Crosstown Rebels star. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Crosstown Rebel's Tibi Dabo should please fans of Four Tet, Dj Koze, Craig Richards and Carl Craig. A beautiful handle on electronic production. One to watch.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Isla
A2. Mothball
B1. Brain The Cut
B2. Arp 8 

Tibi Dabo unveils his long-awaited full-length ‘Vista’ on Crosstown Rebels, with the kaleidoscopic nine-track album showcasing his diverse and rich sound palette.

‘Vista’ is a perfect fusion of futuristic synths and compelling house grooves, all of which are masterfully designed and full of character. Following three well-received singles, the full-length is a complete sonic statement that explores deep house, leftfield sonics and widescreen cosmic vistas.

Opener ‘Water Is’ layers up fresh sound sources and playful melodies on nimble basslines that soon make you move. ‘Somewhere Beach’ is then a silky groove layered up with diffuse pads and aching synths that convey real romance, while ‘Licht’ is another masterful display of original drum programming with bursts of cosmic synth and elastic bass. ‘Useless Ideas’ then gets deeper on more low-key drums and bass. Instead, the focus is on the deft percussion and well-treated vocals that swirl and smudge around the mix to a woozy late-night effect.

The elegant ‘Mundo’ channels the machine soul of early Detroit techno, before ‘Mangabeira Manifesto’ featuring Dudu Bongo layers up wonky drums and bass with curling, soft acid sounds and a playful vocal line. ‘Triple Frontier’ picks up the pace and heads out on a high-speed cosmic house journey, all before ‘Overture’, another far-sighted astral trip with starry melodies and rich, rubbery bass, closes the package in fine style.

An expressive and adventurous yet coherent long player with a range of moods, feelings and grooves taking you to all corners of the house world, ‘Vista’ showcases Dabo’s most in-depth project to date and an album which provides the perfect platform for him to display his rich sonic universe.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Water Is
A2. Somewhere Beach
B1. Licht
B2. Useless Ideas
C1. Mundo
C2. Mangabeira Manifesto Ft. Dudu Bongo
D1. Triple Frontier
D2. Overture 

Oceanvs Orientalis reveals the second single from his forthcoming album on Crosstown Rebels with ‘Heart Pieces’ feat. Idil Mese, accompanied by remixes from Mustafa Ismaeel and Nightmares On Wax.

A producer, live performer and solo act whose productions merge influences spanning Turkish, Kurdish, Armenian and Arabic sonics and beyond, Safak Oz Kutle, aka Oceanvs Orientalis, has crafted a sound that is entirely his own ever since making his debut back in 2014. Following on from his impressive debut appearance on the imprint with ‘Il Lupo’ alongside Italian talent Tooker, revealing the first single from his forthcoming album, the Istanbul-based talent is back on Crosstown Rebels with another gem taken from the project as he reunites with singer-songwriter Idil Mese for the excellent ‘Heart Pieces’ - with remixes from Crosstown and Rebellion regular Mustafa Ismaael, and legendary house talent and Warp favourite Nightmares On Wax.

Slow-blooming and resonant throughout, guided by Mese’s soulful and emotive vocals, vibrant sax melodies and trippy background samples, ‘Heart Pieces’ is a dazzling slice of laid-back, jazz-infused house music full of subtle elements. Remixing the record, Mustafa Ismaeel leans towards late-night hours with a remix drenched in rolling percussion and sweeping leads, while Nightmares On Wax takes the track in two directions - opting for loose drums, hazy tones and chugging grooves across his first take before laying the focus solely on the musical elements with his ‘Club Dub’.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Came for the bass-bugging Nightmares On Wax remix. Stayed for the terrace-friendly Mustafa Ismael remix. Strong package from Crosstown and co.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Heart Pieces 
A2. Heart Pieces (Mustafa Ismaeel Remix) 
B1. Heart Pieces (Nightmares On Wax Remix) 
B2. Heart Pieces (Nightmares On Wax Club Dub) 

Damian Lazarus presents the sixth volume of his Crosstown Rebels 'Spirits' compilation series, boasting an impressive lineup of Lauren Lane, Cristina Lazic, AJ Christou, TMPLE and more.

London-based talent Cameron Jack kicks off what looks set to be a breakout year with ‘The Vision’, a bubbly and tribal cut with cosmic synths and loose, jumbled rhythms. Chris Bowl then brings his emotional style to the deep, rolling beats and moody bleeps of ‘Silent Plain’, while NY-born, LA-based house tastemaker Lauren Lane layers in smoky pads and tender whispers to her sublime deep house cut, ‘Fair Game.’ Next, German talent and Degree Records head Marc Lenz brings darker vibes to his track ‘People Are People’, while Rebellion artist Cristina Lazic and previous Lazarus collaborator Leia Contois combine for the alluring vocal soul and gritty minimal drums of ‘So Deep’.

Mexican Iñigo Vontier is a pioneer in his homeland after crafting a global reputation and his twisted synths, shiny textures and steely drums on ‘That Trippy Sound’ provides that kinda fun and wild Elrow spirit into one peak time package. Next is influential Manchester-based DJ/producer AJ Christou, who has released on the likes of Hot Creations and Cuttin’ Headz. His track ‘Back & Forth’ brings an infectious groove with plenty of flair and catchy drum funk, before TMPLE shuts things down with the deft, new disco grooves and solid bass of ‘The Girl In The Room’, complete with its tender male vocals, warm piano chords and playful synth flurries.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Check that AJ Christou track!! Of course - it's a Manchester ting! But he sits amongst a tasty collection of slick, stylish house music which Damian Lazarus has been spearheading for near twenty years now.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Cameron Jack - The Vision
A2. Chris Bowl - Silent Plain
B1. Lauren Lane - Fair Game
B2. Marc Lenz - People Are People
C1. Cristina Lazic & Leia Contois - So Deep
C2. Innigo Vontier - That Trippy Sound
D1. AJ Christou - Back & Forth
D2. TMPLE - The Girl In The Room 

Tibi Dabo returns with ‘Overture’, from his forthcoming Crosstown Rebels album, with remixes from Map.ache and Aline Umber.

A label favourite having dropped his ‘Isla’ EP on Crosstown Rebels back in 2022, ahead of his much-anticipated debut LP comes this third superb taster from it. The superb ‘Overture’ is an eight-minute gem with super smooth percussion and elastic grooves, with wispy sci-fi chords and gentle synth modulations. It’s full of future feels and catchy drum funk that is sophisticated and smartly detailed with chopped-up vocal fragments.

First to remix is Leipzig’s Map.ache, co-founder of Kann Records and member of the Giegling family. His take builds with fatter drums that are just as infectious, while rippling synth loops weave in and out as flashy basslines cut loose and balmy pads add extra cosmic absence to a hypnotic mix of the heady and the physical.

Aline Umber, a collaborative live project from French composers, producers and DJs Aline Brooklyn and Aman Umber, are second to remix. They run the Airfunk label and are no stranger to playing cult spots like Rex Club in Paris. Their ‘23% Eventide’ mix is a blissed-out and synth-laced trip with subtle, smeared chords and starry-eyed keys that have you gazing off into the distance as you get lost in the warm drums.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Techy excellence from this Barcelona-born upstart, otherwise known as DJ Max Guardans. Deeply grooving, with beautifully weighted bass; a proper deep house sound system rumbler. Full marks from me!

TRACK LISTING

A. Overture
B1. Overture (Map.ache Remix)
B2. Overture (Aline Umber '23% Eventide Mix') 

Electronic duo Pale Blue returns to Crosstown Rebels with their long-awaited sophomore album ‘Maria’, revealing a spellbinding eight-track trip across electronic spheres.

After forming their critically acclaimed Pale Blue project with their debut album ‘The Past We Leave Behind’ in 2015, Mike Simonetti (Italians Do It Better) and Elizabeth Wight (Silver Hands) have only furthered intrigue and interest in the years since, uniting for a series of expansive EPs on Simonetti’s own 2MR imprint exploring dancefloor-focused acid through to gripping electronica. Having already offered a first look and preview into their long-awaited album return via three singles on the label, with remixes provided by DJ Tennis, Kölsch, Fort Romeau and Perel, mid-May sees Simonetti, and Wight finally reveal their sophomore album ‘Maria’ on Damian Lazarus’ Crosstown Rebels - offering a uniquely raw yet seamlessly polished trip into their idiosyncratic world.

“‘Maria’ is an album of love songs - the good, the bad, and the ugly… The album is written entirely in Elizabeth’s voice. These are all her words - her thoughts, based on her personal experience. When writing this record I took inspiration from classic rock LP sequencing, and tried to dial in on a coherent concept, a natural flow. Although these are clearly techno tracks, one would argue they have more in common with rock music than dance music. I wanted to try make something a little different, verse/chorus/verse tracks but still heavy enough for the club, full of melody and emotion… poppy but not THAT kind of poppy. Pale Blue has been known to take on political subject matter in the past, but the politics of love is something we can all relate to.” - Mike Simonetti.

Opening with the slow-blooming and beautifully crafted dreamlike melodies of the aptly titled ‘Spells’, the eight-track long-player navigates and traverses the broader realms of electronica through to lighter pop-influenced touches and sonics for an absorbing and compelling dive. ‘Dive’, the first single from the project, provides a hazy but resonant web of polyrhythms and textures guided by Wight’s captivating vocals, while ‘Laura’ reaches for sparkling leads synths amongst sweeping tones and moments of bliss. Offering up change to the aesthetic ‘Ice Is Falling’ is a stripped-back and haunting production as Wight’s vocals carry eerie tones and pockets of space for a hair-raising effort.

The second half of the project welcomes second and third singles ‘No Words’ and ‘Together Alone’, with the playful tones of the former complementing the wistful and floaty soundscapes of the latter for two tracks to keep listeners in a trance. Closing out the package, ‘The New Year’ is a delightfully worked pop-leaning gem built on electronic foundations with a slinking acid-tinged bassline snaking through the mix, before shaping things up with the anthemic and rosy glow of final track ‘The Last Song’.

Further emphasising Simonetti and Wight’s innate connection and bond when creating and crafting music, ‘Maria’ is an exemplary display of the two at their best across a collection of eight productions straddling the electronic-pop border with poise and aplomb.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Spells 
A2. Dive 
B1. Laura 
B2. Ice Is Falling 
C1. No Words 
C2. The New Year
D1. Together Alone 
D2. The Last Song 

After the phenomenal Acid Pauli 'Get Lost V' album, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs has mixed the next in the DJ mix series, 'Get Lost VI'. TEED delivers a fantastic sonic collage over a double CD, including a new exclusive track by TEED and Eats Everything. Programed over two CDs (or unmixed double vinyl) the first CD features the more eclectic side of Orlando’s DJ style whilst CD2 is more club orientated DJ mix.

The album is full of rare and illusive sonic nuggets that have been lovingly compiled here by TEED including Richard H. Kirk, Kenny Glasgow and Kevin Harrison all on vinyl for the first time ever! A great compilation including the esoteric gems ‘Honey Drips’ by fLako, ground-breaking early 80s German electronica from Deutsche Wertarbeit, seminal British bleep from LFO, Japan exoticism from Asa Chang and Junray floor-filling barnstormers from Italy’s Visnadi and Detroit’s DJ Bone, along with the piano anthems from Future Four and Separate Minds. Quite simply an essential package!

TRACK LISTING

CD1:
1. Flako – Honey Drips
2. Keith Harrison – All Night Long
3. Valentina – Wolves (Roman Flugel Remix)
4. Alex Bowman - Kilnsman
5. Jorge Velez - Floo
6. Christophe – Comeback (Casino Times Remix)
7. Matthias Zimmerman - Vicente
8. Dave Aju - Anyway
9. Millennium - ICU
10. Kenny Glasgow Dance 2 Da House
11. Traumprinz - Eachstep
12. Pitto – Mono Desire
13. Gold Panda – Burnt Out Car In A Forest
14. LFO – Track 4
15. Albinos - Bakatribe
16. Asa-Chang & Junray- Hana

CD2
1. Deutsche Wertarbeit – Auf Engelsfluegeln
2. Underground Resistance – Base Alpha 808
3. Richard H. Kirk – I Want More
4. Visnadi – Hunt’s Up
5. Trus’me – It’s Slow
6. Breach & Dark Sky – The Click
7. Eats Everything & TEED – Lion, The Lion
8. Tiga – Plush (Ame Remix)
9. DJ Bone – Thursday Night
10. Future Four – Into Orbit
11. Jamie Jones – Tonight In Tokyo (Breach Remix)
12. Subb-an & Tom Trago Ft. Seth Troxler - Time
13. Bernard Badie – Time Reveals
14. Hayden Andre Project – Tribal Life
15. Mathew Jonson – Automaton
16. Separate Minds – Troubled World

LP Tracklisting:


A1. Flako - Honey Drips
A2. Kevin Harrison - All Night Long
B1. Jorge Velez - Floo
B2. Kenny Glasgow - Dance 2 Da House
C1. LFO - Track Four
C2. Asa Chang & Junray - Hana
D1. Deutsche Wertarbeit - Auf Engelsflugeln
D2. Richard H Kirk - I Want More
E1. Visnadi - Hunt's Up
E2. DJ Bone - Thursday Night
F1. Future Four - Into Orbit
F2. Seperate Minds - Troubled World