Destronauts - Observatory Love EP (Honeywax Records)

Frustrated at the rigid nature of computer-based production, Destronauts spent the past two years working on a more organic, hardware-focused approach to making music. After completely rebuilding his process and studio, the release hiatus is over and Destronauts now kicks off the new year with three tracks made during this development. These deep and evocative techno cuts exhibit the exciting progression of the Brooklyn-based project and its darkly enigmatic style. Included are "Observatory Love" with an intertwining, pendular bass line and percussive shuffles anchoring frenetic 303 riffs; the pensive "Transit" which builds in a hypnotic fashion; and the crawling slow burn "Incommunicado". Mysterious and moody, Destronauts deliver these electronic slices to fill dimly lit spaces.

Laurent Garnier - "I absolutely love this."
Jacques Renault - "'Transit' sounds good to me … I will definitely test it out."
Stacey Pullen - "This is cool."
Reka (Tresor / Deejay Gigolos) - "'Observatory Love' is my favorite. 'Incommunicado' is also cool."
Larry Tee - "I love this."
Phonogenic (Moodmusic / Turbo) - "'Transit' is deep yet slamming, just the way I like it."
Massimiliano Pagliara (Live At Robert Johnson) - "Nice tunes!"
Leigh Morgan (Fancy Human / Urban Torque) - "Cool acid house vibes here. 'Observatory Love' is the one for me."
Vanilla Ace - "Cool grooves."
Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit Recordings) - "Lovely three tracker … 'Transit' has the right groove."
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle Radio Show) - "This is excellent … 'Observatory Love' is my favorite. I love the 303 action."
Hober Mallow (Excursions / Mighty Reel Radio Show) - "The tempo of 'Incommunicado' is probably closer to where I'm at right now but the whole thing is great techno. Strong stuff."

Available now from Beatport, Juno Download, and iTunes.

Myxzlplix - Man Woman + Child (Honeywax Records)

Brooklyn-based imprint Honeywax Records presents the latest deep house single from Myxzlplix. Don’t let the quirky name fool you … he takes his craft very seriously with a dedication that has earned him the title of a “DJ’s DJ” as he regularly plays sets alongside the likes of Mark Farina, amongst others. With recent productions (Sound Vessel, Spring Strut), remixes, and hosting duties on the acclaimed Subdivisions Global Radio show as benchmarks, Myxzlplix is more than prepared to make his moves and make them count.

Man Woman + Child shows Myxzlplix maneuvering through a maze of deep twists and turns. The title track is an atmospheric cut that uses disco-inspired claps and a low sub bass groove sure to stir heads to the dance floor. The vocals are run through a vocoder effect lending the track a cool, subtle retro-futuristic funk. “Insomnia" has all the trappings of a late night treat. Dub techno chords lay the foundation for Detroit-inspired synth work that comes to the foreground when the track reaches full swing. 

Tensnake - “Groovy stuff!”
Nick Holder - “Nice and deep!”
Chris Fortier - “Hot.”
Tyler Stadius - “Sweet warm-up tracks here.”
Alexander Robotnick - “Nice!”
Severino (Horse Meat Disco) - “Pretty cool … deep.”
Stereo 77 (Plimsoll Records) - “Very, very nice. These will receive a lot of play.”
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - “Very cool release … both cuts are excellent, with the slightly more moody ‘Insomnia’ being the fave here. Some really strong mood-setting deepness.”
Ulysses (Neurotic Drum Band) - “Two solid tunes here.”
Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit Recordings) - “Nice, smooth, classy, and groovy. Both tracks work pretty well.”
Richard Hardcastle (Solid State / All Out War) - “Solid tracks. These would kick hard in the midst of a deep, late night session and sound great.”
Deepshizzol (MyHouse-YourHouse) - “‘Insomnia’ is the one for me … a deep, punchy slice of tech house.”
Joan Ribas (Ibiza Soulstice Music / Cafe del Mar) - “Serious deep vibes.”
Marcia Carr (Mi-Soul Radio / Ladyz) - “These are both gorgeous cuts with the sub bass kick offs, beefy drums, and sweet chords flips … for the house dancer in me.”
Sam Hopkins (AccuRadio, Chicago) - “‘Man Woman + Child’ is a stunner … the organ-work is dope and the deep-down vibe permeates the track.”

Available now from Beatport and Juno Download.

Destronauts - Endangered Species EP (Honeywax Records)

Brooklyn-based imprint Honeywax Records presents the latest release from Destronauts, the Endangered Species EP. Destronauts draw on a long history of DJ’ing, specializing in ‘liquid’ drum n’ bass and headier house music sounds with DC’s renowned 2Tuff crew and residencies with Eighteenth Street Lounge in the beginning of the last decade. After a move to Italy, and then a final relocation to Brooklyn, Destronauts officially formed as a duo exploring spacier electronic and indie rock sounds before settling on a cosmic, disco-inspired house style as a solo project. Destronauts can be defined by lush pads, deep stabs, pulsing kicks, old sounds, 808’s, and a steady beat that pushes through the night.

The tracks on the Endangered Species EP were directly inspired by experiences in illegal warehouse parties circa 1992. Destronauts strove to capture the sense of danger amidst the security of being surrounded by like minded people wanting to hear new sounds and dance. A modern, after hours techno sound permeates the EP along with an underlying theme of mankind and its effects on other men and animals. Destronauts see the EP as a unique opportunity to tell a story through the vessels of house and techno music. Bass lines, synths, and hi-hats became voices of determination, suspense, and tension.

Within the EP are three tracks: “Sentient Beings,” with its ominous rhythms and pads offset by a smooth vocal conveying the desperation to free one’s mind with a night of celebratory dance, the acid-inflected “Endangered Species” that effectively transmits the tension and risk of an illegal warehouse party, and the cinematic, Italo-flavored “Exit Strategy” meant as a soundtrack to a scene of animals in captivity planning escape. There’s also an instrumental and radio edit of “Sentient Beings” rounding out the package. It’s an ambitious offering from Destronauts and Honeywax Records, certainly worthy of attention.

Laurent Garnier - “This is definitely for me … yes yes yes!”
Eric Duncan (Dr. Dunks / Still Going) - “Excellent release!”
Alexander Robotnick - “I like this … it reminds me of things like Suicide or Yello.”
Sleazy McQueen - “They’ve certainly nailed the early ’90s warehouse vibe without cliche.”
Severino (Horse Meat Disco) - “Yes … this is strong!”
Ulysses (Neurotic Drum Band) - “A real nice Chicago feel … every track is a keeper.”
Fine Cut Bodies - “Some nice dirty techno like it’s from the ’90s … nice time travel!”
Chrissy Murderbot (Planet Mu) - “This is large.”
Stereo 77 - “‘Sentient Beings’ is a dope track.”
HiFi Brown (Bell Biv Laevoe) - “‘Sentient Beings’ has a nice vibe … I like the fierce deep style. ‘Endangered Species’ is old school and on point. Great EP!“
Merlyn Martin (Subdivisions Radio Show) - ”‘Sentient Beings’ is sexy Detroit-style goodness.“
Dr. Best (Headz Radio Show, Germany) - ”Exit Strategy’ and the instrumental of ‘Sentient Beings’ are my favorites … both are fantastic!”
Corbin Dooley (Electric Feel Radio Show) - “Terrific all around … stellar release.”
Rob Warner (Ibiza Voice) - “Awesome … dubby, rough, techy grooves!”

Available now from Juno Download and Beatport.

Golden Sails - Glider / Suspension (Honeywax Records)

Brooklyn’s Honeywax Records unveils the latest single from Golden Sails, the project of former Eighteenth Street Lounge resident Michael Hirst. Hirst’s background as guitarist for DC psyche-rock staples (The Sounds Of) Kaleidoscope ran alongside his DJ residency and explorations into electronic music production. Soon Hirst was producing on his own as Golden Sails, combining elements of boogie, deep house, and cosmic disco to build dance floor tunes with an emphasis on the psychedelic aspect he honed with his aforementioned band.

This ‘double A-side single’ is another warm weather trip into Balearic beats, deep house, and moody techno from Golden Sails. The lead track, “Glider,” has a slow, beach-side vibe with obvious New Wave overtones and a subtle, groovy Afro-beat foundation. “Suspension” heads into liquid house territory with a deep ambient core, subby kick, and a swinging hi-hat to keep things moving. It’s pleasingly reminiscent of a mid ’90s Guidance Records vibe. This one’s for the heads that aren’t afraid to take things deep.

Sunshine Jones (Dubtribe) - “This is breathtaking. I love this. Amazing.”
Nick Warren - “Two great tracks … full support.”
Chris Coco (Melodica) - “Good music for the beach!”
Tensnake - “Summer is close and Balearic tunes like these could be important during the next four months.”
Sleazy McQueen - “These are lush and lovely.”
Pete Herbert - “Both tracks are brilliant.”
Q-Burns Abstract Message - “‘Suspension’ is total dream fuel. Love the vibe and the slinky spaciness.”
Ant Plate (Rhythm Plate / YSE) - “Warm and grooving, disco electronica … very nice!”
Severino (Horse Meat Disco) - “Pretty spacey vibe!”
DJ Schwa (Shades of Gray) - “Wicked music! ‘Glider’ is nice.”
Makossa & Megablast - “Great cosmic vibes.”
OOFT! - “Nice vibes on ‘Suspension.’”
Erik Rug - “I’m loving the vibe in ‘Glider!’”
Leigh Morgan (Urban Torque) - “Lovely little EP … nice grooves on both tracks, good for the summer ahead.”
Will SumSuch (DeepWit / Etoka) - “What a stunning brace of tracks, just in time for the summer.”
Andy Wilson (Ibiza Sonica FM) - “Lush and lovely, perfect for summer beach sets in Ibiza.” Deadbeat Disco Radio Show - “Stunning. Both cuts are really outstanding; the atmospherics, the beats, the bass, the vibe … what else can we say? Superb.”
Russell Deeks (This Is Why We Dance) - “Cool mellow vibes … would be perfect for afternoon poolside sets n’ such.”
Milton Welch (Soul Reflector Blog) - “Some music is all about the atmosphere that it creates, and this is a perfect example. I love the cascading, icy synths synths of ‘Glider,’ but ‘Suspension’ has some serious groove and could be a brilliant dance floor opener.”

Available now from Juno Download and Beatport.