The ADVENT
Shiolas

Hard at work for over a decade now, EDND is one of those artists whose influence on her local scene rolls deep and yet feels subtle - she's been silently honing her craft surrounded by a healthy mix of VSTs, classic drum machines and second-hand synthesisers of all kinds in her home town of Portimão. She's also never stopped playing a part as an important cultural agitator in the south of Portugal and Lisbon alike, taking part in jam sessions or community-led parties in all sorts of DIY venues, as well as gracing established clubs and festivals with hers and her duo's Roundhouse Kick mesmerising live acts.For her first solo EP 'Rupture of Plane', EDND finds a fitting home at Paraíso, where she explores the border between inventive experimentation and dancefloor effectiveness. The opener 'Quartz Composer' layers a bouncy bassline with mystery-drenched melodies and carefully sound designed percussive elements while the sparse vocal inspires a state of loving ecstasy. The infectious rawness of 'Field Effects' follows; its visceral, playful kickdrum pacing a dizzyingly trippy synth and an enticing suggestion of the rougher side of acid. 'While Sleeping Watch' ensues, bringing an even moodier, industrial-leaning piece of top-form EBM and techno. Paraíso regular Photonz steps in for a powerful rework of Quartz Composer, infusing it with a tough, whole new broken electro groove and an addictive synth re-design.

'Intertwined', the first collaborative EP by Paraiso founders Maria Amor & Shcuro, is up next on the decade-old Lisbon label. This pair of syncopated, energized, immersive techno tracks comes with remixes by Tresor residents Fireground and DC's own Black Rave Culture, a trio composed of James Bangura, Amal, and Nativesun. 'Waves of Hope' opens the record in full force with a relentless beat that combines early 90s euphoric energy and jacked-up snares over a fat bassline, soulful pad progressions, technoid bleeps, dubby washes, and Maria Amor's own soothing cut-up vocals, elegantly touching several foundational club music sounds through an inspired lens. On the A2, 'Hotspring Love' brings levitating, airy textures and mixes them with subtle acid arpeggios, pure-hearted vocal melodies, and bouncy percussive accents. The rolling subwoofers of a proper techno party can practically be seen, the fast-paced kick perfectly perforating the bassline. Two remixes can be found on the B-side: first up is Berlin-based duo Fireground, who flip the original 'Waves of Hope' into a more concise take, exploring its dub influences and adding in cinematic, ravey chord progressions to a hypnotizing, ecstatic effect. The italian duo add a distinct dose of Neapolitan techno, carrying the textured intensity of that unmistakable sound. Black Rave Culture pick up 'Hotspring Love' and turn it into an ode to junglism, reappropriating the original pads in a classic DnB workframe with crisp breakbeats and an absolutely nasty bassline that no words can do justice to.

A bass rumble seems to rearrange your organs like a spiritual doctor, fast techno kicks and a funky as hell percussion line emerge - it's the lucky 13th release on Lisbon's Paraiso, this time by local mainstays Shcuro and Vil - the first, label co-founder, the second a longtime friend and impeccable DJ with a range that runs from dubstep to the hardest strains of techno and beyond. The opener track 'Rumble The Funk' evolves with infectious stabs and cut-up vocal and our legs can't seem to stand still. The groove continues on with the A2 'Recoil', a soulful, dubby, relentless ode to techno that feels authentic and purposeful. Emotional tones find their way in via a mysterious, melodic string, introduced in the breakdown. Dubbed out motifs, delay + feedback strokes make a welcome return on the appropriately titled 'Chime Dub' that opens the B side of the record: skippy rhythmic layers and a warm bassline complete the picture, string flourishes give us glimpses of radiant dancefloor revelations. On the B2 the duo's opener track gets the remix treatment by another exciting duo: Blasha & Allatt, who are the women behind the iconic queer techno raves Meat Free. They flip the original's melody into a rapid, dreamy affair, conveying an optimism that perfectly wraps up this solid record by continuing the celebration of collaborative work.

The Advent a.k.a. Cisco Ferreira has a firm footing in quality techno DJs' bags - as well as in dance music history - and today we announce a special treat for the heads: Paraiso is releasing three never before heard tracks, rescued from a DAT lost sometime in the 90s. Titled 'Passado Distante' - you probably guessed it, it means Distant Past - we're talking about a trio of no-frills yet creative and highly energetic technoid ammunition. Classics that never were but now are given a new chance to grace our dancefloors. Opening this record, 'Driven' gifts our ears with syncopated claps and percussion while relentless rushes of hi hats and snares create a steady rhythmic core, creating a funky as hell piece that has the original spirit of techno inscribed in it. Things remain fast-paced and to the bone in the following track 'Circulate', a rolling bassline supporting snare rolls and a cheeky, minimalistic bleep reminiscent of sci-fi worlds. Dense yet concise, like techno bangers ought to. Closing this triad is the irresistibly rhythmic 'Tres Trax', a geeky but powerful closing act that shows Cisco's early wide-eyed aura, blending complex percussion and a bassline so soaked in swing it will have your hips drawing rave sigils as they naturally learn the groove. Dubby details add mystery to this incredibly imaginative Detroit-tinged wonky banger. Cisco did it again.

Lisbon's purveyor of dance incantations Paraiso are back with an EP that packs a meeting of 3 legends of the local and global underground - a trio of fearless pioneers and cultural agitators from different eras. Yen Sung and Photonz have partnered up in 2020 to collaborate on new music and start a record label. Fast forward to today and this Paraiso EP is their third release, further exploring their mutual penchant for ethereal house music drenched in subtle but fiery grooves and acid basslines. Opener 'A Temperanca' taps into moody yet bouncy motifs, punctuated by crisp claps and an infectious 303 line in the vein of DJ Pierre's record 'What is House Music', their confessed influence for this track. Things get slower on the A2 where the title track gets reworked with alternative elements - aptly named Gravity Mix. The B side continues the metallic acid exploration via 'Akasha', twisting and turning like only expertly crafted basslines do before things blossom into a sunny house groover with enticing percussion and variegated hats. Legendary Angolan-Portuguese producer DJ Satelite steps in for remix duties, adding his iconic deep afro house edge to a wonderful effect, all blissful motifs and broken percussive sonics.

Lisbon continues to thrive musically and Violet is one of the city's most active artists. Paraíso is her natural habitat - she contributed to the first-ever record on the label and has remained in its inner circle.'New Visions' is Violet's testament of a love for ever-evolving sonic languages while doing a notable job in encapsulating her myriad influences. From the acid-tinged, moodier palette of the One Eyed Jacks days to the jungle-influenced sounds expressed in her latest works to the very early influence of 90s portuguese dance music, this EP embraces it all - and then some.The title track seems to speak of hope and resistance, layering oneiric arpeggiated bleeps with deconstructed breaks and a heavy sub that morphs into a drone wave, washing emotions anew. Kaos V, admittedly a homage to the sound of the iconic label Kaos that pioneered a local, stripped down dance sound in Lisbon, sounds like a mysterious prophecy, equal parts ancient and futuristic.Junqueira is a left-of-centre roller that resorts to metallic synths, raw drums and even a digi cello to manifest a sense of club unity. The record closes with the slower-paced syncopated groove of High In Forest Hill: a dancehall-referencing bass sits under acid modulations, eerie vocal synths and a snare drum that just won't stand still.