This week it’s Matan’s turn to tell us his favourite five from the shop!
I met Rambadu in Rotterdam when I was 17 and lived with him in Melbourne, Australia, for a year. I can confidently say only a few people are this dedicated to sound! He has been crafting his own unique sound for as long as I have known him, and now he is finally getting the recognition he deserves!
Rambadu’s latest release “En Viron” aims to make you see life in a new light. He experimented with a unique tuning that holds a closer connection with our environments. We go through cycles each day, especially when we remove ourselves from urban areas; some of these natural patterns become very distinct.
“En Viron” represents the late afternoon when life is the most vibrant and lush. The sun is high in the sky and all plants emit a fluorescent green glow.
“Ruutan” – as the sun sets, the creatures of the night slowly take over, filling the calm darkness with high-pitched rattling noises that keep dancing in our inner ears.
“Zaouia” – when the morning comes the first birds will sing and almost sound like an alarm that announces a new sequence and day.
The sounds and colours of nature will always be present to guide us.
All sleeves are hand-made with love!
Ben Diggins and I connected for the first time during my ‘Birthday Rave’ in The Netherlands last year, and I’m glad I met this young talent, whom I’m sure we will hear a lot from in the future!
The first release of Clinical Records is here! This brand new label combines repressing old gems with newly produced tracks by upcoming producers inspired by the sound of the past that we all like!
The A side is originally from Sleepwalker, 1 out of 3 from the trio Boom Generation. Both of the tracks were originally release in 1992!
A1 – ‘Saying Hi’ – An energetic, upbeat track with a driving bassline that will get any party going.
A2 – ‘Fruitface’ comes with an infectious groove and old-school stabs which are perfect for any warmup set.
B1 – ‘Push Me Up’ is from new artist Ben Diggins and combines a heavy sub with groovy piano chords and a steady groove, one for the house heads!
B2 – ‘Loosduinseweg’ is from Boss Priester, an artist who is really making way for himself. He puts a new touch to old-school sounds with a groove to die for!
Davey Wolf, the owner of Smoke Screen Records, and I go way back. We both started our love for electronic music in an obscure little spot in Rotterdam called Bootleg DJ Café. It was a place where underground DJs in Rotterdam came together to play for hours on end when everything else in the city was closed— a proper after-hours.
Smoke Screen is an independent Rotterdam-based record label which started as an outlet for our creative ideas. A dark, moody & nostalgic sound arises from the smoke screen. Listeners must be warned, being exposed to our sound can put you in a state of trance hard to recover from.
Infinite Pleasure is a label founded by my good friend, amazing DJ and mentor, KRY. He is definitely one of the guys that inspired me to start learning more about the art of DJ-ing and of course… VINYL! Keep an eye out as I will be releasing some of my own music on here.
A debut release by the Rotterdam-based new kid on the block, Pettson. He showcases his versatile talent with a smashing 5-track EP named Satchidananda.
Skillfully blending intricate beats with profound melodies, it leaves no genre untouched. Breakbeat, Electro, Deep Dub, 2Step, and ambient—it’s all there, laced with a unique freshness.
Steven Pieters is another guy who has played a huge role in my journey as a DJ and Vinyl Collector. As a young teenager, I forced myself into the Triphouse Rotterdam Collective / Record Store / Movement, which he ran together with Khalil Ryahi, to learn as much as possible. Instrument of Change is his brainchild.
Instrument Of Change, the new label by Rotterdam’s underground veteran Steven Pieters, brings together four producers operating on house music’s fringes. Mattiik (London) draws you into the depths of his inner realm with the infectious “Shadow Of A Former Reality”. Nikolajev (Tallinn) showcases his unique aesthetic on “Speks” where he skillfully drowns the listener in vintage synth-heavy emotions. Label boss Steven Pieters turns it up a notch with “Gamayun”, accompanying a driving beat with shards of acid and uplifting strings. Chicago native Radius strips it to the bare essence on the spaced-out “Places Spaces (Solstice Dream Redux)”. Solid deepness for the true heads!
