Various
RKOD-40

The Humanoids are back in action with more music from the vibrant Liverpool scene, in the shape of a tasty EP from the in-demand Aerofunk.On the A-side, “Call Me” sets the vibe in style, weaving a big bass with hypnotic synths and an irresistible vocal sample that does the business on the dancefloor. “F.O.U.” follows up with a punch, its bassline bobbing and weaving around a crunchy beat with power.Over on the B-side, “Bumpin” keeps up the energy in naughty fashion, whilst “Hugh Mungus” gives a nod towards a more electro sound with relentless drum and synth work to round off a high energy EP full of bombs.

The Don is back to round off the series with maybe his most sought after release, Remember EP.

Luis Malon, dropping a super groovy track with a heavy kick, bass variations, and killer melodies perfect for the dance floor. His second track brings darker vibes, break dance variations, and well-crafted bass and melodies.For the flip side of the record, Omar (UY), who's already dropped some heat on the label, is back with two tracks. The first one hits you with some bass variations and hypnotic vocals, plus some slick drum work and background melodies. The second one is a tool track with dark sounds.

Those lockdown silver linings continue to reveal themselves when we least expect it… As proved, once again, by the inimitable Amsterdam techno HQ Deeptrax as they present this stunning analog exploration from scene stalwart Mark Peeters AKA Caim. Inspired, created and sculpted during those strange times when none of us could rave, Caim simply describes the moment by saying the “clubs were closed, but creativity kept on floating”… Now that floatation is bequeathed to us through these warm, rolling and wide-armed frequencies. Tapping into a spirit that goes right back to Detroit and Chicago, there’s an understated groovemanship at play as Calm jams out on the same instruments house and techno forefathers used to sculpt this culture. Music to get lost inside of, music to take away the stresses of the day, music that’s a joy to mix, weave and tell stories with… Caim has created another timeless collection of grooves that could resonate with or relate to any period in the last 35 years of dance music culture. From the warm, opening rumbles of ‘Nepi’ to closing rippling dubwise echoes of ‘Kapura’, very few stones are left unturned as Caim tells a tale of the ages that we can all float to. Here’s to silver linings.

Through 35 hedonistic highlights stretched across three volumes, Music For The Radical Xenomaniac delivers the first ever deep dive into The Netherlands’ colourful house sound of the 90s and the under-celebrated producers and record labels whose music soundtracked a countrywide cultural movement.Plenty of books and documentaries have celebrated the riotous raves, legendary clubs, high profile DJs and promoters who shaped The Netherlands’ hedonistic house scene throughout the 90s. Music For The Radical Xenomaniac dares to challenge these narratives by shining a light, for the first time, on those who created the scene’s kaleidoscopic, game-changing and globally influential soundtrack.Leading the charge were a disparate group of key creators who not only forged links with their counterparts in Detroit, Chicago, New York, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom, but also became celebrated figures on the worldwide electronic underground (Eric Nouhan, Aad De Mooy, Orlando Voorn, Stefan Robbers and Steve Rachmad). Alongside key underground imprints (Stealth Records, Basic Energy, ESP, Prime and Outland Records included) and lesser-known producers, these pioneers gave flavour to a radical musical movement via open-mindedness, unheard-of creativity and a genuinely futuristic ethos. All of these artists and labels are represented throughout the series.So, what defined this hedonistic house sound from The Netherlands? Stylistically, it was varied – as the series so emphatically proves – but was defined by a set of distinctive sonic characteristics: emotive musical motifs, high-frequency synth sounds, mellow basslines, pulsating rhythms and more than a touch of hallucinatory intent.Volume 1 boasts a wealth of notable tracks and slept-on gems. There’s ‘No Strings Attached (Freedom of the Soul Work)’ by Marionette, a magical spell of percussion-rich fairy-tale house from 1991 courtesy of R.o.X.Y Amsterdam resident DJ Dimitri and mellow pioneer Eric Nouhan, and the sole single by Eindhoven techno producer MAX404 as Faceless Techno Bastards, the rushing excellence of ‘Go Mellow’.Other highlights include Rachmad Project’s ‘Summer Breeze’, a chirpy house masterpiece from foundational producer Steve Rachmad that first appeared on Outland Records offshoot Spiritual Records, a genuine oddball obscurity from John Krengiëlczak as Land of Fantasy, Tales And Myths (‘And They Lived Happily Ever After’), and a seriously sought-after cut from Rotterdam duo Space Trax, 1992’s ‘Aura’.Packed full of forward-thinking 90s gems remastered for today’s dance floors by Alden Tyrell, Music For The Radical Xenomaniac Volume 1 is a life-affirming celebration of a distinctly Dutch musical movement, whose rich textures and melodies are still inspiring new generations of DJs and dancers today.

Rotterdam-based Beyun returns to Vault Wax with four deep cuts of Detroit-meets-UK influenced breaks and electro with lush pads, emotive strings, and cosmic acid lines.