Citronade (A Martin Denev Project) - Hopenotica (Issa'min)

The Hopenotica EP brings five new tracks of groovy chill-out bliss from Bali-by-way-of-Bulgaria producer Martin Denev, courtesy of his evocative Citronade project. As the previous Citronade EP, Ezeh, drew upon South East Asian influences, Hopenotica brings in flavors of North Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. It's a delicious stew specially made for early doors, the classiest of lounges, and delirious back-to-mine stereo sessions.

"Desert Cat" epitomizes the sound with exotic flutes, funky guitar, and spacious atmospheres traveling over a midtempo four-on-the-floor beat. The title track introduces an impeccable bass line hook right up front, guiding layers of sparkling sound-flourishes and a crisp drum machine groove. A subtle, laid-back disco vibe permeates "Cruizinho," joined by some seriously lovely piano playing. "Sandy Toes" meshes a rhythmic island vibe with dream-time treatments and subdued, jazzy keyboard riffs. The Hopenotica EP finishes with "May and June," feeling like an '80s funk/R&B jam swirled through the Ibizan blender — uplifting, synthy, and filled with a healthy dose of sunshine magic.

Jon Fugler (Fluke) – “Hitting all the right poolside notes with this splendid summer selection. May and June definitely winning the extra cherry and mini umbrella for me.”
Still Rob G (Om Records) – “Desert Cat is super nice. Also digging Cruizinho and Sandy Toes.”
Andreas Kinzl (Aromabar) – “Perfect vibes for the sundowner.”
Dr. Best (Radio Z, Neuremberg) – “Nice summer vibes from Citronade.”
DJ Morpheus (Lysergic Factory radio show) – “Very nice loungey stuff. I dig Desert Cat and May and June the most.”
DJ Osric (Black and Blue Show) – “What a stunning release. Love every bit of this. #playlisted”.

Available Now From: Beatport, Traxsource, Apple Music, And Spotify.

PointBender - Violaceous (Harmonious Discord)

Music creation is not all hype and roses, and few understand that as deeply as Harmonious Discord owner and synthesizer composer Sean Anderson aka PointBender. His fourth artist album is a two-and-a-half-year journey into a growing studio discipline formed by a worldwide pandemic. In a time when humans felt so lost, the importance of being close to music and the artist community was a healing force that was ever-powerful. Calm, almost serene at times, to points approaching mania. Sean encompasses the entirety of the spectrum of human emotion in sound.

Violaceous is a journey through deeply moody ambient, heady electro, and boundary-bending house and techno music. Creative concertos process moments of joy, grief, and experimentation. This stand-alone album offers a musical listening experience all its own. From the ambient and melodic beginnings of "Conflict" and "SY35" — which feature live clarinet instrumentation, experimental synth applications, and manipulated field recordings — to the deeply textured electro offering "CBD." For "Agent of Peace," we see PointBender partner with longtime collaborator KiloWatts for beautifully constructed ivory implantations that elevate the bliss factor. "Plastic Cities" is an homage to the early Plastic City sound, featuring the vocals of Suza Kanon who originally released recordings with Sean on the Guidance and Fair Park imprints. Shifting powers to more playful arenas is "Mistakes Are OK," a fun and bass-centric smooth mover that progresses into haunting overtones. Keeping it light, the undeniable weightlessness of "The Bells Found Me Motionless" collides staggered bells, growing pad tension, and sonically special drums into a growing cacophony of layers. Capping off our ascent is "Altocumulus," an homage to early hard techno composed on all hardware and recorded linearly in real-time with friend Harmon Giddles. The final descent offers a sonic reminder of forgiveness and understanding channeled through a synth-driven ambient outro.

Violaceous, a collection of creative curiosities, aims to please the ears and at times tickle the cerebrum, a familiar formula from PointBender.

Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit Recordings) – “Plenty to play here. Lovely release. Will support on my radio show.”
Michael de Hey (Circle Records) – “Excellent release, thanks!”
Tony H (Late Night Munchies) – “Lovin’ the vibes of Mistakes are OK.”
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle radio show) – “Great work again from PointBender. Plastic Cities in particular is a gem.”
Jon Fugler (XLNT radio show) – “Sy35 is such a lovely piece it had to be the fave. Some great tracks jostling for the coveted silver.”
Jon Barnes (Airpusher) – “yes! Funky, spacey, original. Mistakes are OK and CBD are the ones for me.”

Available Now From: Beatport, Bandcamp, Apple Music, And Spotify.

Adam Nathan - Hyacinth (Viva Recordings)

Adam Nathan is a London-born, Toronto-raised DJ and producer quickly making a name for himself on the global deep house scene. Previously collaborating under various monikers and part of Toronto’s influential Release Records crew, Adam is now unveiling potent solo tracks under his name. This new EP for Viva Recordings, titled Hyacinth, is his second for the label, and has the well-honed sound of a studio veteran, with a smooth, warm sound and emotive passages. Adam’s roots as a drummer come through with the stripped down emphasis on rhythm, while melodic flourishes and dynamic builds play masterfully on top.

The EP opens with ”Hyacinth”, featuring dramatic strings and a fine, pulsating kick drum. The cut builds in a mesmerizing fashion, like the beautiful unfolding of this flower in Spring. “Soul Council” gets into even deeper territory, with deep and melodic inspirations, echoing some of the earlier work on the label. “Wave Hands Like Clouds”, finishes the EP off with dreamlike touches. Synth stabs, percussion that rolls, and the blissful strings will have you soaring. Float away on these deep vibes.

Rory Cochrane (Deep Site Recordings) – “Wow wow wow. Loving all 3 cuts here, the finest deep house grooves and a great sequel on VIVA by Adam. Great stuff!”
Tom Lown (Lucky Sun Recordings) – “Really nice. Quality production. Subtle yet warm flavors.”
Eric Davenport (Mind Loop Music) – “Top notch tracks with everything written for a purpose.”
Dr. Best (Radio Z, Germany) – “A fantastic release. Three great tunes.”
Zack Hill (Triberadio Podcast) – “Deep, dark and driving. I’m feeling this.”
DJ P-REZ (The Session Worldwide Week) – “Wow! This is a proper deep house record. This is also a testament as to why I’ve been such a supporter of Viva for over 20 years!”

Available Now From: Traxsource, Bandcamp, Beatport, And Apple Music.

Ransel - Islands (Beatservice Records)

Beatservice Records is thrilled to announce the *Islands EP from Ransel – an intriguing new project birthed from the inspired mind of Øivind A Sjøvoll, better known as Kohib.

The Islands EP sees Sjøvoll adopt a floor-focused sound for the all-new moniker, serving two typically finessed compositions that each exude the distinguished quality of production we've come to expect from the skilled sonic craftsman. Having released scores of well-regarded titles on some of the world's most revered underground labels, his latest project is a perfect fit for his familiar Beatservice home.

Both tracks on the EP feature bewitching vocals performed by Charlotte Qamaniq and Kathleen Merrit, who spent time visiting his Tromsø hometown back in 2018. Embellishing the music with a delightfully mysterious charm, their traditional throat singing lends itself perfectly to Sjøvoll's profound sound signature. The opening track "Qimmiq" unfolds over a hypnotic midtempo rhythm, with the unforgettable vocals echoing over a bed of immaculately formed synth textures as thick waves of percussion add endless depth to the groove. Undulating over a deeply immersive arrangement, the music mesmerizes as it effortlessly builds. Nudging the tempo while delicately upping the energy levels, the propulsive strut of "Islands" is equally atmospheric. Rugged drums and infectious percussion provide the club-ready power before the almighty bass hook adds infinite weight to the groove. Purposefully ebbing and flowing over a full-bodied arrangement, saucer-eyed synths and loose-limbed congas swirl over the grainy vocal chants, combining to create a gloriously enigmatic moment of dance-focused abandon.

Striking, original, and overflowing with class, this is yet more impressive work from Sjøvoll, leaving us waiting with bated breath to hear more music crafted under his fascinating new Ransel alter-ego.

Peter Kruder (Kruder & Dorfmeister) – “Islands is great! Thank you.”
Flash Atkins (Paper Recordings) – “Pure heat from Kohib. Loving the murky, swampy Islands.”
Trent Banks / Citrus Age (Reflect) – “Wow! What a deep, visceral project. This will take people to other places.”
Sean Johnston (Hardway Bros) – “Both of these tracks are excellent.”
MGiK (Sofa Surfing) – “On air a must!”
Quincy Jointz (Ibiza Global Radio) – “I like ‘Qimmiq’. Also, I can imagin playing ‘Islands’ with it’s heavy percussion in my DJ sets at the right time.”

Available Now From: Beatport, Bandcamp, Apple Music, And Spotify.