R&S 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: Given that it's called "Coloured" and appears on shocking pink vinyl, you'd expect Adam Longman Parker's debut album as Afriqua to be a decidedly vibrant and kaleidoscopic affair. It is, of course, with Longman Parker offering up tracks that mix tropical-sounding electronics, glassy-eyed synthesizer motifs, processed vocal sounds and evocative musical flourishes with jaunty, interesting rhythms that neatly sidestep conventional genre rules. It's a mixture that makes for hugely enjoyable listening, with highlights coming thick and fast. These include - though are by no means limited to - the densely layered dancefloor cheekiness of "Shout", the minimalist ambient bliss of "Noir", the hypnotic, intergalactic oddness of "Native Sun" and the bubbly club warmth of "Jumpteenth".

Review: Lone debuts on the R&S imprint with this packed double twelve inch release that demonstrates a growing maturity in the new sound the Nottingham based producer unveiled on last winter's impressive Emerald Fantasy Tracks. Shy of that mini LP by only three tracks, the six productions that form Echolocations tighten the focus to 90s Detroit and Chicago, though the distinctive melodic stabs that characterised EFT remain - something that's apparent as soon as the huge drop in "Coreshine Voodoo" arrives! Elsewhere "Dolphin" delights via the vast swathes of melodies that wash over the intricate layers of percussion that build and drop with expertise whilst "Approaching Rainbow" is perhaps Lone at his most rhythmically rigid, with mellow bursts of colour and texture arising from the rasping Strafe-esque drums.

Review: A new Lone album from Matt Cutler represents an about turn away from the more mellow tones found on 2014's Reality Testing back in favour for the rave tropes that characterised his output circa Pineapple Crush. The nine tracks on Levitate are rife with the energetic fervour of hardcore and jungle, blending peppy tempos and nimble drum licks with the trademark graceful melodies one would expect from a Lone record. You should be familiar with "Backtail Was Heavy," already been premiered via a phone line service and "Vapour Trail" which formally announced Levitate and the other seven cuts from Lone show Cutler is at the top of his game.

Review: Much was written about The Gamble, the debut album from the Nils Frahm-helmed experimental electronica trio, Nonkeen. While that set took almost 10 years to come to fruition, this follow-up appears a few short months after its' acclaimed predecessor. As you might expect, it explores similar musical territory, blending experimental elements (backwards loops, crackly textures, found sound etc.) with off-kilter jazz breaks, hazy Rhodes solos, trippy ambient interludes, occasional blasts of military percussion, and grandiose, post-Balearic mood-scapes. While hard to pin down stylistically, there's a hazy, freshly baked vibe throughout, with the trio's desire to blend live instrumentation and electronics being a particularly consistent presence.

Review: In the space of two brilliant EPs and a digital-only album. All released within the last 18 months.Space Dimension Controller has become one of the most talked about artists in electronic music. This six-track EP for R&S Records looks set to cement his reputation as one of electronic music's most distinctive talents.


'Temporary Thrillz' is his most epic release to date, both in terms of scope and scale. It expands on themes previously explored, effortlessly joining the dots between deep house, Detroit techno, 80s soul, P-funk, space disco, IDM and classic 90s ambient house. Hamill's genius is moulding his disparate influences into something truly unique. For example 'Kaleidoscopic Ecstasy' sounds like an MDMA-influenced P-funk slow-jam as played by love-struck robots with a passion for Detroit Beatdown.. Even Hamill's most 'traditional' sounding house/techno cuts. See the title track and 'Transatlantic Landing Bay' feel like they come from another planet. Believe the hype: this is truly something very special indeed.

Review: ** R&S REPRESS **Ever since his early releases on Kinnego and Royal Oak, Jack Hamill has been earmarked as a serious talent. Certainly, his work as Space Dimension Controller - in-tune with modern trends but seemingly beamed down from another planet - has rarely been anything less than inspired. This much awaited full-length album is similarly thrilling. Soaked through with his usual intergalactic sounds, heart-tugging melodies and warming chords, it's a much warmer and involving set than his previous work for R&S. Crucially, it also drifts off in disparate directions, offering a nod and a wink to Tangerine Dream, George Clinton, Model 500 and '80s soul along the way.

Review: This is the most emotional and honest album from Space Dimension Controller so far. It comes after a turbulent time in which he battled addiction with the help of his partner and follows in his signature style of sci-fi musical storytelling. This time though his synths are softer and more tender, with good natured robots popping up next to cosmic funk, future retro downbeat and gorgeous astral ambient. It's a true album in that it really takes you to another world, miles away from your own, and leaves you wishing you could stay there forever.

Review: Having first joined forces to DJ together under the Taloboman tag some years back, Axel Boman and John Talabot first got together in the studio for 2014's Sideral 12". Three years on, the experienced duo has finally recorded a debut album. It's naturally imaginative, eclectic and atmospheric in tone, effortlessly gliding between humid, Afro-influenced deepness ("Midnattsol"), dark and spacey dancefloor moods ("Samsa"), fuzzy epics ("Six Million Ways"), hushed tech-house ("The Ghosts Hood"), stretched-out wonkiness (the hypnotic "Dins El Lit"), and a variety of intriguing downtempo explorations. It's largely left-of-centre and mostly not focused on the club, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Certainly, it's a fine collection of music.

Review: For the uninitiated, Maarten van der Vleuten is one of the Dutch techno scene's longest serving artists. He's been active since the late 1980s, delivering techno and electro material under a dizzying array of aliases. This fine double-pack gathers together tracks from the Dutchman's short-lived Integrity project, specifically two 1992 EPs originally released by forgotten R&S offshoot Outrage Recordings. It's a fine collection, all told, boasting largely timeless techno tracks that tend towards the melodious and futurist (think classic Detroit techno fused with elements of British intelligent techno/IDM). Interestingly, it also includes a couple of early collaborations with fellow Dutch veteran Aardvarck (AKA Mike Kivits), who was then in the very early stages of his production career.

Review: Since their rebirth a few years ago, R&S have been at the forefront of a new wave of exciting dance music, instrumental in pushing names like James Blake, Blawan and Space Dimension Controller into the collective consciousness. This compilation sees them revive their long running In Order To Dance series, with a monster 2CD and 3LP pack; the first CD contains selected highlights from the last 18 months of R&S releases, with modern classics such as James Blake's "CMYK", Untold's "Stereo Freeze" and Space Dimension Controller's "Transatlantic Landing Bay" all receiving pride of place. But it's the unreleased tracks, spread across three 12"s that will excite most, with contributions from the whole roster spread across the wax. There are numerous highlights; the piano riff of Lone's "Cobra" is as deadly as that on any of his previous productions, The Chain's "Suffer For Your Art" evokes the Detroit masters of the original days of R&S and Pariah's "Left Unsaid" sees the young producer move away from the UK garage inspired Safehouses EP to explore dense, claustrophobic textures. In a word: essential.

Review: In Order To Dance 4.0 is along, long overdue follow up to the Belgian label's last legendary entry into this series many decades ago. In the years since, the prancing horse logo has become synonymous with cutting edge techno and electronic music from names as revered as Aphex Twin, Derrick May and Joey Beltram. This instalment shows that label founder Renaat Vandepapeliere's curation skills remain as sharp as ever, with a mix of new school names and enduring pioneers all contributing fresh sounds. Hyphen's 'Winter Sky' opens in lush melodic fashion, veteran Dino Lenny impresses with his 'Did This' and Dharma's 'Structured Chaos' is a more soulful moment of chord-led calm.