After ‘RAIN’, album released by the German Circle Music early this year on April 2010, the Italo Parisian ‘SLOK’ delivers his second collection of original productions: ‘THE FAT PASTA GROOVES’. Now, enjoy this tasty Italian Fat Pasta dish…but please, don’t speak during your meal! Buon Appetito dear old school music lovers! ;)

This is peak time, main room and the revolution and revenge of Disco House. Feel-good vocals chopped
up and filtered to perfection and spread over 2 mixed CDs featuring the likes of Gramophonedzie,
Hatiras, Louis La Roche, Olav Basoski and Hostage to name a few. Inspired by Studio54, the sunshine and
legends who put a smile on our faces at the turn of the millennium such as Daft Punk, Cassius and Fred
Falke, this is a cutting edge take on two parts of Hed Kandi’s fundamental DNA – Disco and House!

With over 200 Hed Kandi events this summer extending across all corners of the globe, this release
encapsulates all the delectable feel-good moments and latest floor-fillers specially selected for the
hottest Kandi dancefloors worldwide.

We’ve held the keys to the gates of Heaven for some time now and we’re opening the gates once more
inviting you to join us as we launch the brand new-looking Disco Heaven and celebrate Hed Kandi’s 101st
release, ushering in a new era of Kandi!

One of the most prolific brands in the world, Pacha is renowned for its glamorous clubbing experiences, hosting some of the world’s biggest clubnights and DJs on a daily basis throughout the season. From David Guetta’s ‘F**ck Me I’m Famous’ party through to this season’s planned Cadenza party on the Sunday with the legendary Luciano, Pacha has its finger on the electronic pulse. Attracting a wide range of partygoers from the superstar jet set to the trendy student clubber, Pacha is the mecca for dance lovers worldwide.

Pacha Ibiza Classics perfectly illustrates the success the club has achieved over the last two decades, providing the perfect summer soundtrack filled with sexy, feel good tunes. Mixed by Pacha residents in the know John Jaconsen, Josef Bamba and Peter Brown, the three discs draw on a selection of bona fide club anthems, clubland killers and new reworks of classic tracks. From peak time dancefloor destroyers through to blissed out Balearic beats, it’s a perfect collection to take you dancing from dusk till’ dawn.

Highlights include Jamiroquai’s Space Cowboy (David Morales Remix), Guru Josh Project Infinity (Klaas Remix), Shapeshifters Lola’s Theme, Bodyrockers I Like The Way, Groove Armada I See U Baby (Fatboy Slim Remix), Robin S Show Me Love, The Source You Got The Love, through to modern day anthems such as Gramophonedzie Why Don’t You, Deadmau5 & Kaskade I Remember plus David Guetta & Kelly Rowland’s When Love Takes Over.

Pacha Ibiza Classics comes in a luxury 3xCD wallet with gold foil Pacha logo and a must-have, gorgeous golden glitter look. Whether you are a seasoned clubber or have visited one of Pacha’s legendary parties in the past, Pacha Ibiza Classics is a ‘must-have’ compilation and will transport you back to the white isle in no time.

Harmonic Motion is an album of genius and perfection in this new era where trance has come to encompass everything and anything; a synchronization of melody and groove.

Where Better Late Than Never was an experiment in sound, this album is a confident representation of trance in its multitude of forms, taking a spectrum of influences, counting among them working alongside some of the most talented and innovative song writers within and from outside the genre. The result is a perfectly flowing but dynamic album, ranging from blissful chill to pounding tech; perfect for home listening but also ready to grip the clubs.

The album will be released in physical and digital format on 5th July on Maelstrom | Lange Recordings and supported by the obligatory world tour where each spectacular event will feature an exciting extended set from Lange, one of the key headline Djs in the trance scene; bespoke tour visuals and the option to hear some of these stunning vocalists live in action.

The beautifully crafted Harmonic Motion Minisite is also launched today! Head over to
http://harmonicmotion.djlange.com and check it out! The site will gradually be updated with album information, tour dates, singles and remixes, the vocalists, competitions, merchandise and more! Keep checking the social networks for update announcements!

Previously: It has been almost 3 years since Markus Schulz rocked the electronic dance planet to its core with ‘Progression’ – his critically-acclaimed sophomore album. Since its 2007 release he has smashed countless clubs with his kinetic, captivating DJ sets (breaking into the world’s top 10 ranks in the process), examined the musical make-up of cities with his compilation series and explored his darker, housier side with Dakota.

Now, in mid-2010, after 18 months of studio production sessions and an unrelenting pursuit of the perfect ‘Progression’ follow-up, he returns with ‘Do You Dream?’

Since the earliest days of his Coldharbour label, fans and critics alike have seen Schulz as both the leading-light pioneer and ultimate standard-bearer of trance’s new wave. The album instantly absorbs the listener back into that world, delivering a masterful start-to-finish audio experience.

Inducing the trancelike condition Markus wanted to stimulate for the album, D.Y.D. overtures with the beatless shimmered finery of ‘Alpha State’ (the phase the brain enters in order to dream). From that start-point it charts a tightly-plotted and uniquely Schulz course, embracing housey percussion, swirling atmospheric prog, drum & bass-ish b-lines, stunningly-cultivated vibrant trance riffs and a myriad of other sounds, effects and minutiae styles.

Vocals form just as much of a key constituent to Markus’ music as ever… Sir Adrian – who was first introduced to the electronic dance world when he lent the massive Schulz-created mash-up ‘The

Perspective Space’ its vocal – is back to bestow ‘Away’ with addictive, hook-laden lyrics & vocals. Once heard, near impossible to forget, the production’s deeper, techier tangent continues paving the album multifarious feel.

During ‘Do You Dream’s production, Markus spent many in-studio and on-flight hours listening through show-reels to find the right singers to balance the production tracks. In two key cases though, they were camped out remarkably close to home. Showing a diverse, adaptable range, Khaz (who first appeared on the radar in early-2009 as a Coldharbour artist) positively blazes on two of its tracks. Bringing (the most recent single) ‘Dark Heart Waiting’ a transfixing, uplifting edge, he also radiates the poignancy of ‘Last Man Standing’s slow-motion, piano-tinged drama. Likewise Angelique Bergere was discovered in home-base Miami and makes her EDM debut on the chilled, echoing serenity to ‘Lightwave’ and adds mesmerizing pathos to ‘Lifted’.

Elsewhere at the female end, the multitalented all-singing, all-spinning Jennifer Rene imbues ‘Not The Same’ with its melancholic, yet subtly purposeful vocal tone. Backed by a Schulz’s star-gazing soundscape, Dutch singer Ana Criado adds yet more celestial transcendence to ‘Surreal’. Whilst on ‘Unsaid’, Susana (who broke through vocalling Coldharbour release ‘Nothing At All’) creates one of the most vocally uplifting (not to mention infectiously catchy) moments on the album.

If indeed they are needed, those seeking instant jump-in/recognition points for the album won’t have to look or listen far. Released over the last 12 months, the singles ‘The New World’ and title track ‘Do You Dream?’ have had nitrous-injection-like impacts on Schulz’s career, mushrooming the fan-base further and have acted as anticipation-level igniters for the long-player itself.

The same can very much be said for ‘Perception – a track that to the card-carrying Schulz fans needs little in the way of introduction to… In its original Cass & Slide version, it’s a tune he turned into his Gallery residency anthem, and one whose impact on him that stretches as far back as his days as a clubber on the floors of Turnmills. Having his own version to spin has been on his mind ever since it became a standout moment (and a talking point) of his 2008 Essential Mix. To do it justice he enlisted one of the scene’s greatest vocalists, Justine Suissa who delivers a perfectly judged, dazzlingly-executed vocal performance to set off Markus’ ‘Perception’ remap.

Bringing ‘Do You Dream’ to both its creative and very real climax is the only collaboration on the album. Markus’ and Max Graham had long discussed teaming up in the studio… When the time came they drafted in Texan singer/songwriter Jessica Riddle (whose ‘I Know You’re Gone’ previously featured on his Miami ’05 compilation) for the fittingly-titled album closer, ‘Goodbye’.

Those looking for real range in an electronic dance album will find that, from the ultra-chilled beat-free transcendence of ‘Lightwave’ to all-consuming, speaker-pounding ’65.4hz’, D.Y.D. has each and every angle covered. It’s a sixteen-strong, padding-free artist long-player that will, once again, underscore Schulz’s position as one of the foremost trance province producers.

It’s out on the 12th of June 2010 through Armada Music.

Lucky for you, we have three copies to give away. This album will make a great addition to your collection and improve your summer whether you’re home or away!

We don’t like to complicate things, so if you want to be in with a chance of winning, simply complete the form and answer the easy question!

Competition is now closed – winners will be notified by email

Competition closes 18/06/2010 – Items will ship within 28 days. UK residents need only apply.

Everyone who has ever taken an Ibiza-bound flight has been influenced and inspired in some way by the island. Few though have felt its magnetic pull to quite the same degree as Shah. Musically every move he’s made in the last 5 years has stemmed from his attachment to the great White Isle and his expedition to capture musically as much of its essence as possible continues with his new compilation album.

Vol. 3 again brings 160 minutes of previously unheard music, all entirely exclusive to the album. Mixed together in super-immersive fashion by Roger, each disc moves through a sound arc, from the daytime trappings of sun, beach and bar, and on (with perfect tone & tempo progression) into the night… and into the clubs.

Magic Island aficionados will know that Shah uses these albums as the first listen-in points for the tracks he’ll be using as his prime dance-floor rockers during his round-the-world-and-back summer season.

Following the runaway success of his ‘Lost’ track, Roger has re-teamed with Zara Taylor to deliver ‘Found’ – its beatific, luminous sequel. To the doubtless delight of fans (‘Lost’ was after all the no.1 track on the no.1 trance radio show in 2008) ‘Found’ will become the first track to spin off as a single from the album. Also on the re-collaboration tip, Roger has made a speedy return to the studio with Signum’s Ronald Hagen. After their Beatport chart-busting ‘Healesville Sanctuary’, the pair are back with another well-primed piece of floor-artillery in the shape of ‘Ancient World’. Another of Roger’s most renowned pseudonyms kicks off MI:3 second disc. Co-crewed by Ralph ‘Fridge’ Fritsch, Black Pearl sets sail again (following up ‘Bounty Island’, ‘Coral Sea’ and ‘Java’) with the mellifluous, halcyon ‘Discovery’. Already the subject of fairly intense fan speculation (with Roger using the track to open his ASOT450 set in NYC), it was met by a flurry of ID request..

On the compilation Roger is also exploring new collaboration routes. ‘Eden’ is his debut team-up with Dutch DJ & producer Leon Bolier and the latter’s ‘trance with twist’ effect can clearly be heard on the moody atmosphere-laden number. At the opposite end of the scale ‘Lay Down’ (don’t let the title fool you!) is a peak-time vocal number with Ross Lara on co-production duties and Todd Wright on vocals.

The album also contains a number of solo outings from Roger; included among them are ‘Over and Over’ which on-the-ball fans will recognize from his Songbook long-player. Roger has given the Nadja Nooijen sung track a more club-energizing feel on his 2010 remix and it will quickly follow ‘Found’ out of the gate as a single. This summer Roger will undertake his first ever solo show, which will take place on ‘Guaba Beach in Cyprus. ‘Guaba Beach’ the track will naturally enough become the anthem for the event!

Aside from all Shah-fired audio attractions there are also white-hot new tracks spread across the melodic-thru-euphoric trance range to look out for from young guns like Nuera, Walsh & Mcauley, Pedro del Mar & The Ridgewalkers, Semantica, Dimension… the list goes on.

The Magic Island albums are a million light years away from the typical throwaway Ibiza compilation that haunts download stores and CD racks come summer. Each one is every inch a serious endeavour by Roger to capture the spirit and quintessence of the island through exclusive, relatable quality music. They are now becoming the last box-ticks on the to-do list of clued-up clubbers & beach lovers from around the world before they jump onboard airplanes and head Evissa-bound. Pt 3 should prove no different.

It’s out on June 28th 2010.

The album kicks off with the sunrise disc and dives straight into upfront material from Strictly Rhythm stars; Daniel Bovie and Roy Rox with their remix of South Street Player’s (who?) Keeps Changing Your Mind. In a nod to the record’s crossover success, the remix looses none of the original lyrical power but the atmosphere is upped with brand new strings and keys. Man of the hour Dennis Ferrer features with a track from his 2009 catalogue, but Afterlife pitch it up slightly and bring it right down onto the beach with their reworking, switching the minimal melody line of the original with a much bouncier hook and of course, sundrenched percussion. Joris Voorn features with remix of Nalin and Kane’s Beachball, a track that has had its fair share of hysteria surrounding it this year and the godfather of House, Frankie Knuckles, teams up with main room junkies, The Shapeshifters, resulting in ‘The Ones You Love’, an infectious beach anthem headed straight for the biggest clubs.

Now the sunshine offering as CD2 assumes its status with a selection of Beach House classics, expertly mixed together and ready to serve! This CD features the quintessential tracks from Beach House history plus a few that just couldn’t be overlooked. Kandi favourites Fred Falke, Miguel Migs, Julien Jabre (with the unforgettable ‘Swimming Places’), Wez Clarke and Louis Vega all feature plus stunning material from Masters At Work, Moloko and the immortal Octave One with their hypnotic ‘Black Water’. So often, especially in the House sphere, the addition of a third disc can signify overindulgence, but not in this case. With an astounding amount of material to choose from, everything on this classics collection is carefully considered, with just the right amount of what’s recognisable interlaced with undisputed gems at their grooving best, this is the perfect set to start a party!

CD3 takes on the persona of the sunset disc and touches on a whole host of material from artists making their Hed Kandi debut. This is disc is nothing if not exciting and is testament to Hed Kandi’s shrewd ear fixed firmly on the global dancefloor. From Brooklyn to Berlin, the scene is rich with a deeper sound and these records are firmly rooted in soulful ancestry, transporting them effortlessly onto Beach House. First up, Crazy P transform Reboot’s ‘Enjoy Music’ into and effortlessly cool party number with the addition of an awesome breakbeat and Lisa Shaw provides stunning vocals on ‘Can You See Him’. Zev Eisenburg and Gadi Mizrahi from the eponymous Wolf and Lamb label both feature material. Zev’s track features the rejoiceful and powerful vocals of Beckford whilst Gadi’s track delivers striking piano progression and a vocal sample worthy of the gospel hall of fame. Hed Kandi’s very own Dean Rigg recycles Jamie Jones’ 2009 WMC bomb ‘Summertime’ with fantastic results, injecting momentum and reams of beach attitude with sundrenched marimba percussion. No Regular Play’s Smiling Faces features another unforgettable vocal with Soul Clap on the edit and the London based jozif works two tracks onto the compilation, first the carnival laced ‘Tiger Tiger’ and then Matt Playford’s mix of the hauntingly good Chicago. While this is further into the obscure than Hed Kandi have ventured recently, it definitely serves as a snapshot of Hed Kandi at its thought-provoking best!

LABEL: HED KANDI
RELEASE DATE: 1st June 2010
CAT. NO: HEDK100
FORMAT: 3CD / DOWNLOAD

With the success and support of volumes I, II and III, Soma couldn’t resist the opportunity to peruse the back catalogues again. This instalment of the series has a beautifully thoughtful feeling to it, with some dark, powerful and introspective tracks placed alongside some playful, inquisitive and really rather moving pieces… and, some down-right out-there works, just to keep you on your toes. Included in the comilation are 3 exclusive tracks from label stalwarts Slam & Silicone Soul.

SOMA COMA Vol. 4 opens with Alex Smoke’s Paradolia Intro setting the scene for a dark, challenging yet gratifying journey through the depths of the Soma catalogue. Pablo then takes the reins with an orchestral track, Journey’s End, taken from his acclaimed 2009 album, Turntable Technology. The Black Dog’s Digital Poacher, introduces the first beats of the album, but keeps it murky. Neon Rain Sky from Vector Lovers brings a touch emotion to table, with wonderful production and feeling combined with deep bass and intelligent chord structures. Silicone Soul deliver a brand new and as-yet unheard re-edit of their classic 3am, taken from their 2006 album, Save Our Souls. Another exclusive is the deep and bass heavy, B Movie from Slam. The Black Dog bring their second track onto this edition of the Coma series with the cerebral sound-scape and brilliantly titled, Kissing Someone Else’s D.O.G.

Funk D’Void brings a different angle to the compilation with the jazz tinged Sketch of Spain, followed by the entirely mental Worship from Let’s Go Outside’s second album Conversations with My Invisible Friends. Worship plays on old, distorting organs and incredible use of fx to take the track in a direction no-one else could have. Vector Lovers then treats us to Long Wave, a track that could easily be the soundtrack to the end of a trip, with its rubbery synth and bass tones oscillating back and forth, this brings a slight dizziness to the album. Pablo’s Music Maestro take us back in time and drops us in-amongst some 1960’s millionaire’s playground action, sipping cocktails and enjoying life as one ought to. Following, Silicone Soul’s Dub 4 Toots shows the flip. Heavy and melancholic trumpets preach of lost friends, while mammoth spring reverbs and echoes float in and out, alongside some skanking guitar and suitably southern-hemisphere bass.

Jay Haze’s remix of OK is a tripped out slab of electronic. At an epic 12 and a half minutes long, it meanders through Haze’s head on a dark trip at an upbeat BPM. Continuing with the raised tempo, Slam offer Memoir, a retrospective piece that reminisces of Slam’s yesteryear. Funk D’Void’s screaming Odessa, with its big, bold and brassy synths leaping out from the opening of this track bring you back from the cusp. Classic FDV styling oozes from this track. The Black Dog’s Riphead (v9) brings us back down to the underworld with drones and tones and headaches. Pulsing sounds and swelling textures welcome The Black Dog back in the room. LGO’s You In My Life tinkles and sways its way through its brief 40 seconds existence. Nuance’s sleazy beats and strings keep things cloudy and despondent, typical of Smoke, and introduce the dream-like Hush Now from Vector Lovers. The album is rounded off by Pablo’s The Cuatro Track – a quaint and quirky guitar piece with Puerto Rico’s national instrument.

Label: SOMA
Release: COMA 4
Catalog: Soma CD84

It is the year 2010 and the advent and widespread use of technology, the internet and unlimited exchange and circulation of information has rendered the classical model of the “music industry” archaic and obsolete. In this rapidly shifting and changing state of flux, artists and labels rise and fall, struggle for relevance and compete for credibility-presenting, marketing and releasing their music onto the masses.

Sidestepping the recent trend for re-invention and/or some ill-advised attempt at a concept album aimed at a wider audience, production powerhouse and overall techno stalwart, Umek, steps up to the plate and delivers his second long-player, entitled “Responding to Dynamic”. It is a simple yet bold statement by the seasoned producer and although it may not be a direct “response” to anything in particular, it is a firm indication of what Umek is about, what he plays and what he makes-something ever expanding and fanatical fan base has come to expect.

For the uninitiated, Umek has been one of the leading players in the international techno scene, his barnstorming productions and remixes being hammered in every corner of the world by a hugely diverse and stellar cast of DJ’s while he himself as a DJ has grown by leaps and bounds, inexorably and unequivocally developing into the respected and acclaimed persona that he is today. His evolution and maturity into the sound he is responsible tells an interesting tale, littered with accolades and highlights from releases on the world’s most reputable labels, to establishing and running wildly popular club nights and notably, erecting mighty record labels to offer platforms and forums for his and his likeminded cohorts to release music through!

It is these platforms and this unquenchable appetite for new music that has led him to Sixteenofive, his latest venture and the prime focus of his musical activities in recent times. Besides being a highly successful record label in its own right, it is a steadfast statement of how he chooses to write, release and envisions his music-minus any compromise.

This is the spirit that characterizes “Responding to Dynamic”. In a way it is a summation of the Sixteenofive aesthetic: futuristic, pounding, groovy, eccentric, particular, inventive, meticulous… techno! One could go to great lengths to write about the tracks and their various qualities or how Umek has subverted expectations by delivering a classic, dancefloor-friendly album rather than shifting gears and going into more “experimental” or “diverse” directions for his album. But that’s not what we’re going to do here. This is not what Sixteenofive lovers want. Umek’s 2nd album is everything you have been expecting. Listen. Enjoy. Repeat.