Erdmann
Synesthesia

Secretsundaze marks a new chapter in the institution’s storied history with the foundation of imprint 9FINITY. Stemming from founder James Priestley’s daughter Ludo’s toddler-speak of ‘9FINITY’ to define something massive or huge, the label aims to run with this descriptor through no-nonsense, discerning dance records from artists at the vanguard of modern club music.The label makes a statement with its maiden release, a V/A compiled with the considered curation synonymous with the Secretsundaze name.9FINITY001 brings together the talents of Eoin DJ, DJ Life, Luca Attanasio, Coffintexts and E-Talking across 5 tracks and digital bonus that act as a distillation of the label’s sonic vision.The EP kicks off with Eoin DJ’s ‘Red Rubber Roses’ (Rhythm Dub). A deep, yet driving affair that melds a subtle break with an organ bass line. Think Junior Vasquez meets Radiant Love and you’re getting close. Joining Eoin DJ on the A-side is Naarm production wizard DJ Life with ‘Aberration’. A true headspinner, Life pulls out all the stops on this one, brooding D n’ B style low end, his trademark psychedelic flourishes and a mid-track pace change for good measure. A statement of intent for the imprint on its opening stanza.The flip opens with exciting newcomer Luca Attanasio’s ‘I Like You Mind’. Straight up intelligent modern house music to kick start the B-side with moody keys and sensual vocal samples juxtaposing a rising bassline that emphasizes groove. Next is Coffintexts’ percussive ‘Make U Sweat’. Doing exactly what is says on the tin, a bold club track with a heavy Latinx vibe that implores the listener to move. Last but certainly not least, E-Talking closes out an impressive opening outing for 9FINITY with the balearic tinged, progressive ‘Party’.The EP also has an exclusive, Bandcamp only digital bonus with Coffintexts providing a dub wise, 140 version of ‘Make U Sweat’.

With The Hidden Beauty Of Dutch House '94-'98, Anacalypto Records dug deep into the electronic archives of The Netherlands. Continuing their audio archaeology, their second release breathes new life into a true gem. Closer is the first and last appearance of Luc Wächerlin aka Luca. Originally released in 1998, the four tracker was one of the final EPs to come out on Orlando Voorn’s ephemeral Slamdunk Records. The twenty-five-year-old press release describes the 12” as a collection of “beautiful, elongated, shimmering, Detroit style trancers for the morning after the night before.” Accurate words. The four works on offer are from the heyday of Techno, where flourishes of Detroit combine with the deeper currents of Sheffield for something energising and immersive. From the liquid synthwork and floating choral lines of the title piece, the listener is bathed in throbbing radiance and warmth. Echoes of “the night before” comes through in “Indian Summer.” A steady kick is the bedrock from which spirals of piano flow, fluid key changes providing a groove that roots this track firmly to the floor. Cascading chords introduce “Ultramarine”, subtle drum patterns giving way to acid scented bass and gentle currents of string. The quartet comes to a close with “Proxima.” Rich textured percussion supports drifting notes and silken chords, a touch of the otherworldly seeping through in tumbling 303 trills. Closer is years beyond its time. Soulful compositions that belong to the burgeoning sound of Techno that was developing across the globe in the 1990s. Four works of beautiful machine music lovingly restored for a new audience.

The brainchild of two lifelong friends, HOTBOX presents its sonic manifesto through a debut VA compilation. In Sonic Sauna, the two label heads Maikee & Nathan Boost pair up with Mtty & Pistaccio and deliver four sonic concoctions to hot your box from side A to B. Each artist has its own take on the HOTBOX. From the adventurous A-side brimming with emphatic melodies, to the more eerie B-side where ominous basslines take center stage. Nestled within the confines of the HOTBOX, the sanctum of relaxation unfolds in the form of an exquisite sonic sauna, a veritable haven where the symphony of rejuvenation orchestrates an intimate dance with the senses.

The producer shows again how prolific he is at the moment with a mini LP composed as a tribute to Need For Speed.

After recent explorations into ambient and pop under his full name, Sacha Renkas switches back to his Antenna moniker for ALT013. The Kiev-born, longtime Rotterdam-based artist uses a rough-around-the-edges, hiss-laden palette to construct his intricate, pensive club tracks. Often recording on the fly, he embraces the limitations and quirks of the hardware he works with, curating the happy accidents that come with them and that help make his music feel as alive as it does. It is emotional and imaginative in spirit, yet raw, almost instinctive in its rendering. Renkas cites the new wave and synth-pop from his youth and the sounds coming from Chicago and Detroit, as well as the Dutch West Coast he encountered later on, as inspirations. The sensitivity and hands-on approach associated with these are also tenets throughout his work. The ''Another Wave EP,'' a selection of tracks created over nearly a decade, further substantiates this approach. Made on multiple MPCs, Juno synthesizers, and an Akai S900, and mixed on a Mackie 16-channel mixer, it blends, among others, elements of first-wave techno and European proto-trance. Opener ''Alisa'' stacks angular sine melodies and formant basslines one upon another yet flows like silk, its balance immaculately kept in check. On ''Everyone M1,'' the bass organ patch from which the track derives its title finds itself amidst a lo-fi flux of capricious arpeggiators, ethereal pads, and decocted drums. ''Another Wave'' is a carefully sculpted slow burner, collected in its unfolding. Wisps of melody, gated pads, and whisper seem to wind between its drum patterns; the tension looming beneath this patchwork never entirely reveals itself. ''Quasar'' blends signature dramatic chords and off-rhythm bells with a creeping acid bassline and more kaleidoscopic drum patterns. It closes an EP distilled in its form, confident in its intent, and nowhere too bothered by genre boundaries or other formal constraints.