Various
Point A

SAISEI founder Junki Inoue continues his vital archival work uncovering the riches of Japan’s distinctive electronic music scene and bringing them to new audiences around the world. The Sounds Of Transonic compiles six tracks recorded in Tokyo between 1991 and 1995 and released by the pioneering Transonic label, founded in 1994 by Kazunao Nagata and active until 2004.Transonic’s catalogue is a glittering roll call of the scene’s major players, whose inventive and genre-blending work established forward-thinking house and techno in Japan in a way that would shape the country’s electronic sound for years to come. Transonic was instrumental in giving exposure to the work of these artists with its emblematic series of CD compilations, released over a short couple of years in the mid 90s. Beginning with 970-1450km/h, Feedback and Range, the series also included The Roots Of Transonic, featuring music from parent label Trigger. Alongside these compilations came much sought-after solo albums each packaged with striking cover art that makes the discs a visual treat for collectors to this day.The Sounds Of Transonic brings together six tracks from the catalogue into one breath-taking package. The influence of hi-tech jazz and machine funk from Detroit is undeniable in ‘Dream Trance’ (Mind Design) and ‘Blasting Soul’ (Interferon), while ‘Under The Ground’ (Palomatic) and ‘Chelsea’ (Suzukiski) are permeated by the artificial intelligence and trip hop emanating from the UK at the time. The compilation is bookended by two tracks by Nagata himself (as Organization): ‘Space Ball’, a Model 500-worthy chase through the cosmos, and ‘Call’, an eerie echo of Kraftwerk’s telephone, transmitting expectantly out into the void and, finally, receiving its celestial answer.With The Sounds Of Transonic these formative pieces of music will now be available internationally and, for the first time, on vinyl.SAISEI is a Japanese word which translates to ‘reproduction’ and ‘to play’ (as in playing records). Japanese culture is widely known for its traditional nature just as much as it is for being forward into the future and this label’s concept does justice to exactly that. Having started digging for records as early as 16 years old, Inoue delved into productions from 1990s Japan to uncover these native gems. SAISEI’s core concept is to recapture and reintroduce unique pieces of Japanese electronic music onto vinyl, to an audience it never reached before as most of this music was only released in Japan.

The second single-artist EP on Nuances de Nuit comes courtesy of the ever impressive Velvet Velour, releasing four intricately-produced, enchanting pieces of electronic music out into the universe.

One year on from the passing of label co-founder and artist Alex Smith, Flash as a Rat returns with its 6th instalment. Digby, co-founder and brother to Alex, continues the siblings' form for emotionally intelligent and sound focussed minimal. 'Briefmacken' bumps through waves of kicks and glitches to arrive at moments of peaceful clarity, whilst 'Constantly' swings with off kilter hisses and pops around a metallic organ sequence, making it's claustrophobic way towards a beautifully layered string section at the crescendo. The typically pared back artwork this time inverts the colour scheme from the brothers' first ever release on their own label, marking the record simultaneously the ending of one chapter and the beginning of the next.

Our exploration of Ballet Mechanique’s old DAT archives, stack full of unreleased material from the 90’s era, continues with our sixth release and materializes into the third volume of the “1992-1999 Collection” series. Like the previous two volumes of the series did, also this EP brings to lights the diverse and varied approach of Jeroen’s productions: an A side featuring more “ravey” and uplifting tunes, and a B side focused on funk fuelled electro and IDM.

In a secret laboratory in an unknown location, two lifeforms not of this world were at work.Based on previous experiments, it was understood that when the two life forms were left alone together, they could create various elements from nothing, somehow communicating with each other what was needed through a sophisticated type of Internal Transmission.As scientists watched and took notes, the lifeforms sat on the floor across from each other. They did not talk. They did not move. They simply sat, doing the impossible. The atmosphere began to transform and one lifeform produced Gold, Arsenic, Carbon, and Radium. Almost simultaneously, the other conjured up Oxygen, Mercury, Nitrogen, and Neon.The elements swirled in the air until they finally combined. The result was astonishing. It was the exact same compound the lifeforms had been discovered with when they crash landed on Earth some 22 months before. A compound never seen before.