New rave resurgence label Tone Drop celebrates its eleventh instalment, welcoming back Samuel Padden and XOTR, plus first collaboration release on Tone Dropout from label head honcho Sween and good friend Alphonse; plus an absolute banger from firm Dropout fave Kostas G.

The record kicks off with an uplifting breakbeat smasher called “Downfall (Epic Mix)”, from Sween and Alphonse. Lots of echo drenched synth shards, big bass plumes, samples scratches and a loose construction making this sound quite retro in its approach. XOTR’s “Oddessey” ditches the breaks for a 4/4 groove. It’s a deep throbbing warehouse banger with big bleeps, enveloping pads and proggy niggles that drift in and outta the mix. Perfect for those 4AM moments in the smoke!

Side B starts with Samuel Padden and brill electro / bleep bass track called “Teslas Still Alive”, before finally Kostas G tears it up with an absolute hardcore classic, “Spectrum” which sounds like an authentic Bowlers lost anthem, ‘cept its brand new and kickin’ for 2023. Get your whistles and air horns primed for this one folks! 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: UK rave resurgence label Tone Dropout drop another V/A instalment. Bound to get Salford's DJ Absolutely Shit back in the barracks conjuring up some return fire! Nice selection of 4/4 and more breaks-y numbers for your extended warehouse forays.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Sween & Alphonse - Downfall (Epic)
A2. XOTR - Odyssey T3D
B1. Samuel Padden - Teslas Still Alive
B2. Kostas G - Spectrum 

Natural Sciences marks its 60th release with a split 12" from Beau Wanzer and Hieroglyphic Being: two cult names from Chicago's underground releasing on record for the first time! With Wanzer's hybrid industrial rap alongside Jamal's wired space ritual this is as suitably gritty & sonically challenging as we've come to expect from the label. 

Wanzer spews up mainframe phlegm whilst mechanized cogs churn and whir. Jamal dials his celestial engagement knob up to +11 and fills the mix with his peppered perx, metallic screaches and forebodding tones; destroying any chakra allignent you were building on for a ground zero, leveling down of the ego.

4 Dysfunctional Psychotic Release & Sonic Reprogramming Purposes Only!! Recommended. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: A real coup for Natural Sciences getting these two underground stars on board to mark the 60th release on this landmark MCR hub. Forever uncompromising, always innovative and often challenging the status quo - it's a typically Manchester mindset championed by Alex Hall's label. Big ups!

TRACK LISTING

A. Beau Wanzer - The Table Scrap
B. Hieroglyphic Being - This Is The Right Time In Human History 2 Be Stupid 

Shed is back with his EQD alias, hard-edged, face-punching bass-techno killers from this master speaker tweaker. Side A adopts a fierce Berghain vibe - boxy, rumbling, highly syncopated hits and smashes all working within a 4/4 framework with a rising energy throughout. B side offers up a shuffled and skewed circular bass number with ricocheting beats, taut synthline and deep farting sub for a cavernous slice of dungeon bass that all the mutants are gonna shed their skin too. No other producer captures that sense or dark urgency like Shed. 10 / 10 - most recommended.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Proper Berghain tackle from Shed. Pitch black, militant bass techno that makes you feel like a crab in a barrel. Brilliant!

TRACK LISTING

A
B

For the first time on vinyl, here are the most celebrated bangers and anthems from the Colombian label TraTraTrax, including last summer's hit 'Xtasis' by Nick León, DJ Babatr and Pearson Sound. Gotta say - I'm sure the hook of that "Xtasis" track has been used by some reality TV show! Anyway, it's a hard-edged, high energy Colombian dance classic which Pearson Sound galvanzes further on his remix
. 
Ecuador's Nicola Cruz continues to push the boundaries of electronic music with his ancenstral and exotic tropes rushing through "Se Pone Caliente" - all gated to bugger giving it a very hollographic feel.  

Finally "Metal Parce" is remixed by Badsista and sounds like a mix of UKF snares, tumbling cumbia rhythms and a tribal mentality. Sure to get hammered by everyone from Ben UFO to Bradley Zero. Big tip on this record folks!

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Tasty global dance record which is hard to categorize but easy to enjoy.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Nick León Feat. DJ Babatr - Xtasis
A2. Nick León Feat. DJ Babatr - Xtasis (Pearson Sound Remix)
B1. Nicola Cruz - Se Pone Caliente
B2. Luca Durán Feat. Parco Palaz - Metal Parce (Badsista Remix)

The Mothership has come! It has arrived in the form of the strictly limited collection box “Music Is The Healing Force Of The Universe”, containing all singles released on the label between 2019 and 2021. The Höga Nord – galaxy resounds of all good between strict electro and loose jams, fluffy krautrock and moist world music to underwater techno and space funk. Although, what it is that defines the Höga Nord sound is not genres, instead it is, to cite Mathias Nilsson, founder of and boss for the label, music “strongly connected to fantasy, to the creative world.” Creativity over profit!

The collection is an overview on Gothenburg’s underground music and on an international scene that breathes similar air as the local Swedish acts that Höga Nord Rekords has chosen to highlight. The kinship between Jesse’s 80’s varnish sports car-electro and Purple Desert Rain God’s more traditional mountain sound can appear distant but the artists come together in their free spirited approach to their own productions – what all acts on this collection has in common is that they move toward something new, something beyond the genre they are in.

“Music Is The Healing Force Of The Universe ” mark the closer for Höga Nords first run. The 2010s are over and the 2020s lies open for further investigation of the cream of the Swedish and international of underground scenes!

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Cosmic, EBM, DnB, drug-chug... it's all there in this 3rd crucial, catch-all collection from our Gothenburg buddies. One of our favourite labels of recent times - the DIY aesthetic and stylistic direction is some of the strongest around and their roster, varied, innovative and highly creative! In short, an imperative and beautiful release - not least because of the sexy silk scarf that you get alongside the records!

TRACK LISTING

Record 1 - A. Global Tracks - Hither Green
Record 1 - B. GlobalTracks - Shelley
Record 2 - A. Kanot - Bottenmannen
Record 2 - B. Kanot - La Danse Des Corneilles
Record 3 - A. Tecwaa - Cï
Record 3 - B. Tecwaa - Xentæh
Record 4 - A. Dame Bonnet - Portamento
Record 4 - B. Dame Bonett - Dark, Slow
Record 5 - A. Birds - Transcendental Phases
Record 5 - B. Birds - Tunnel Vision
Record 6 - A. Purple Desert Rain God - Invisible Matter
Record 6 - B. Purple Desert Rain God - Bridge To Nowhere
Record 7 - A. Jesse - Possibilities
Record 7 - B. Jesse - Shazzy
Record 8 - A. The Exorcist GBG - Stonerdisco
Record 8 - B. The Exorcist GBG - Superstandard
Record 9 - A. Timothy J. Fairplay - Pathfinder Theme
Record 9 - B. Timothy J. Fairplay - UFOs Over China
Record 10 - A. Pink Skull - Taki Chrome
Record 10 - B. Pink Skull - Strummer Maxx