J. Albert - Dance Slow

Even if you dip into parts of their work only some of the time, some artists never leave your radar. The prolific-yet-elusive Brooklynite J. Albert is amongst them. Each time I interact with his contemplative, wildly varied work, it strikes a chord. Albert popped onto the scene back in the mid-2010s through releases on Vancouver’s all-important 1080p, Hypercolour and the like, but his more recent work is ace too. You shouldn’t miss out on the brilliant I want to be good so bad album, for example.

After wantlisting his Dance Slow EP ten years ago, I finally happened upon it at Sistergroove’s ADE record fair (his Discogs store is a must check). Never imagined that by the time I got my hands on it we’d have co-founded a collective called slow dance. But hey, here we are.

Digital via Bandcamp.

Eden Aurelius - Entre Nous

Whether it’s Picture, K Wata, Mammo, Yu Su, Sa Pa, Mr. YT or Miles, Sheffield’s Short Span has been on an amazing run in its relatively, well, short lifespan. Most of their first pressings sell out within a few days, and Eden Aurelius’ staggeringly beautiful Entre Nous is no exception. Rightly so. The lush EP is an outstanding exercise in ambient. Spacious and warm, like, as someone on Bandcamp aptly put it, “getting wrapped in the softest cashmere blanket”. Especially blissful outings like Ion have us yearning for a lingering summer just as autumn sets in.

Digital via Bandcamp or vinyl via Rush Hour.

ex_libris - 004

Speaking of streaks: if one artist has a run for the ages, it’s Dave Huismans as ex_libris. The artist formerly known as 2562 resurfaced under the brand-new moniker last year after nearly 8 years of silence, and all his output since has been on point.

ex_libris is a more off-beatgrid, meandering evolution of his later work as A Made Up Sound, although that descriptor doesn’t do it nearly enough justice. Check out everything happening around the 4x4 in 2016’s Peace Offering to hear what we mean.

Whether it’s an intentional step away from his earlier work or a next step in the evolution of his style is hard to tell. The idea that the ex_libris productions have moved away from more traditional song arrangements speaks volumes about Dave Huismans’ ability as a producer, while ‘Mirage’ is unmistakably building on older 2562/A Made Up Sound productions.

Huismans debuted ex_libris - 004 together with Rush Hour on ADE Saturday in a small warehouse in Amsterdam North, as part of a line-up that would rival any ADE party (Mammo, Alia and Livwutang). An honourable mention goes to Bernie van Vlijmen, who created the artwork for the series. Like the sonic language, the visual side is now slowly showing itself to us too.

Digital via Bandcamp, vinyl (still available as we write this) via Phonica or wait for a repress.

Christian AB - Audiotronix

Wherever you’re reading this, you’ll either have to travel to Rotterdam to hear it for yourself, buy it in-store at stockists like Juno or Redeye, or check out clone.nl to hear the snippets. (We were lucky enough to snatch a special marbled yellow ADE pressing at Clone’s Bar Theo pop-up last week.) Christian AB’s entry in Clone’s Store Only Series is one of those records you won’t often hear, but it leaves a lasting impact when you do - especially the opener and the closer.

Grab yours in-store somewhere.

Gerald Mitchell - Groove Within The Groove

Ok, so winning streaks being a bit of a theme here, we couldn’t not write up an entry on the mighty RAWAX. As a friend put it recently, the label has been spitting out nine-darters lately, whether it’s the most adventurous parts of Ricardo Villalobos’ discography, Swayzak gems, Orlando Voorn as Basic Bastard, or Gerald Mitchell’s entrancing Groove Within The Groove. A third of Los Hermanos Detroit, Mitchell delivered an EP back in 1999 that does exactly what it says on the tin, reminiscent of On Another Level at its most infectious.

Digital via Bandcamp, vinyl via Clone

In the gift shop of Palais de Tokyo I came across a book that felt vaguely familiar: ‘Last Night a DJ Saved My Life’ by Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton. If I were to ever write a book on music (sub)culture, this certainly wouldn’t be my choice of title, nor would I know where to start such a monumental effort. Luckily, I’m not writing a book on music (sub)culture, so the aforementioned issues are purely hypothetical to me. They do provide interesting food for thought, however, because of the absolute mess you’re getting yourself into when aspiring to write a full historical account of the origins of DJ’ing.

In short, Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton’s book paints a brief history of modern dance music culture and the kaleidoscope of influences rooted in society’s underrepresented and marginalised. And it does it very well. It touches upon, among other things, ‘60s Northern Soul digger culture in England, sound system culture in Jamaica, the dawn of disco, Grandmaster Flash and the invention of turntablism (shouts to Eris Drew, Octa Octa and Djrum) and golden-era hip-hop in the early ‘90s, along with all the cross-pollination in between.

What stands out are the anecdotes and colorful portraits of night owls, live wires, free spirits, druggies and larger-than-life figures. I won’t spoil much more, but for anyone passionate about music and history, or anyone who visits a dance floor regularly, I’d consider it a mandatory read. Published in 1999, the book later got a much-needed, belated and still incomplete update on key female figures.

A theme that challenged me to listen more carefully is the origin of - and semantics around - (re)mixing an existing piece of music. The many influences Brewster and Broughton present certainly help with this, and the authors offer an outstanding view on the practice and all its incarnations throughout dance music’s history. It stands in stark contrast with the online discourse and its inevitable descent into snobbery, something I’m sometimes guilty of too and needed a break from. With this fresh perspective in mind, I wanted to select a couple of my favourite (re)mixes and add some context for a deeper listen.

The Golden Palominos – Gun/Little Suicides (Brown Stain Walls, Red Jelly Corners/Terre Thaemlitz remix)

Much has been said about Terre Thaemlitz (she) aka DJ Sprinkles (he). If you’re unfamiliar with her work, I highly recommend reading the artist profile on the Comatonse website.

For me, Terre Thaemlitz has always been way ahead of the curve: musically, artistically, on matters around gender and sexuality, and in political discourse. Her remixes are no exception, and this early tune just hits the spot for me. What’s intriguing about this ‘remix’ is that she fuses Gun and Little Suicides from the excellent ‘Pure’ album by the Golden Palominos into a psychedelic, tribal IDM cut. By rearranging elements of two album songs, Thaemlitz, provocative as ever, challenges our understanding of what a remix can be or do. Does one rearrange a song, fuse two tracks, or simply rearrange part of an album?

A Discogs user, writing about this release from more than 30 years ago(!), puts it as follows:

‘The remix by Terre foreshadowed the depth and cavernous bass of his [her is preferred for Terre, ed.] future work. Loops repeating dervish-like in the thick ambient soup that was early 90’s idm. Based on the price of this record on Discogs, the genius of this remix has yet to be fully revealed to the current generation of spelunking audio archeologists. Enjoy till then.’

LA Synthesis – Agraphobia (Nuw Idol Remix)

Ambience, euphoria, breaks, and chants all appear in the (extended) 12-minute space without the track losing coherence or sounding overproduced. It was originally released on the UK cult label Plink Plonk and has a more dance-floor-friendly Kenny Larkin remix on the flip side. I guess most people gravitate towards the Larkin remix, and I don’t blame them. Since you’re on Discogs anyway, why not make use of this excellent opportunity to check out the other Plink Plonk releases? The label harbours a vast catalogue of early-’90s UK electronics, bridging techno, trance, IDM and everything in between.

Dresvn – First Voyage (DJ Sotofett’s Extended Mix)

Back to the dance floor. Or the afterparty, for that matter. Given the atmosphere, length and percussion, you might have guessed something from the SUED/Sex Tags stable, and that’s exactly what this is. Sotofett does an excellent job extending the Dresvn instrumentation of ‘Sleepy Bay’ into a leftfield afterparty cut.

An excerpt from the Discogs comment section, written by Dresvn:

‘all Instruments are by dresvn, besides the rainstick and a few chims towards the end , sotofett made our track longer, thats why ist called EXTENDED mix and not REMIX !!!’

I like the meandering synths that pop up around the four-minute mark, adding a more contemplative edge to the track. Perfect for zoning out from the hamster wheel/algorithm-driven hype train that we call life.

Professor Genius - Times of the Assassins (Steve Moore Remix) | L.I.E.S., 2013

As a big electronica head at the time, I encountered one of those rare, magical nights, first witnessing multi-instrumental virtuoso Nils Frahm at Paradiso, followed by a live set by Jon Hopkins at Trouw. Nuno Dos Santos and Patrice Bäumel then had the challenging task of closing the night with a DJ set. The event was in its final stages when we sat down on the stairs at the back of Trouw’s main room, watching the crowd and reminiscing about the musically perfect evening, night, and eventually morning we’d just experienced. Then, the final record of the night came on. Played in full, the main synth line started slowly humming through Trouw’s sound system. From the first note, I knew we were in for a special final treat. It was quite the epiphany for me, opening up a new love for those sludgy slow burners.

(You can buy it on Bandcamp)

INIT - Talking About Talking | Hivern Discs, 2015

Years later, when I started living with a new housemate, we figured out we had some musical taste in common right off the bat. Mainly the darker side of Ostgut Ton techno, which was a big thing at the time. At some point, we started knocking on each other’s doors to ID what track we heard coming from each other’s rooms. One day, he played me something completely different from what we usually listened to: a mesmerising, weird, synth-heavy track with a haunting vocal by Benedikt Frey and Nadia D’Alò.

And as much as I get tired of the pop-edit trend of the past years, check out their more recent Sugababes - Overload cover as well. Sorry, not sorry.

Palmbomen II – Samuel Aboah | Beats in Space, 2015

I discovered Palmbomen as a band project through YouTube, back when the algorithm still seemed genuinely helpful for finding new music. When Palmbomen went on to develop his solo lo-fi electronics project as Palmbomen II, I was immediately hooked. This track in particular, with its grittier side, felt like the point where my techno-techno-techno! mindset and growing interest in slower tempos really came together. It’s one of those tracks from that era where the lo-fi production aged particularly well.

Patricia Kokett - Mmuo Trance | Knekelhuis, 2018

When checking out at the record shop, the lady behind the counter got all hyped up because she was clearly a big fan of Patricia Kokett. But she also immediately asked me what speed I played it at. Turns out we both initially made the same mistake, playing it at 45 RPM (109–114 BPM), instead of the correct speed of 33 RPM (80–85 BPM). Oops. The record as a whole combines more melodic, punky and experimental tracks, and the fact that they work in completely different ways at both speeds makes it one of the most versatile records to bring when diving deep and slow.

With 19.6k followers, 44k monthly listeners, a slew of record labels, a hundred+ releases and just about fifty aliases (that I can find), it’s hard to argue that Steve Mensink (real name) goes unnoticed. Back home in the Netherlands, he feels oddly underrated though. The man who churns out a great EP every week or so rarely shows up on a lineup or in online media. Since that afternoon at De School in late 2023, he’s been booked in the Netherlands just a handful of times, which to me is near-blasphemous. Although I don’t know whether the studio dweller himself minds all that much.

After the hyper-prolific Mensink moved to a Spanish hillside during the early pandemic years, he went on to introduce a sort of musical Fritsie-verse to serve as an outlet for his creative whims. There, seemingly everything, down to the artists, the artwork designers and the management, appears to be a nom de plume of sorts.

The excellent Bobby Donny ACE Series, launched in 2023, alone produced 34 releases in just about three years, most of them Mensink under one of his metric shit-ton of different monikers. Add to that ten Ottagone releases, seven Pearly Soundsystem EPs, the same number of UK-heavy Posh Defects, Clone Royal Oak, Wolf Records, and all his excellent work with Malin Genie, and you start to get a sense of just how sprawling the whole thing has become. More on Malin later by the way; producers should check out their sample pack in the meantime.

For all those different guises - which can range from bone-shattering techno to joyful house - the common denominators are plenty. They usually consist of vertigo-inducing kicks, a slightly off-grid groove, drunk organs, fuzzy textures, a cheeky vocal here and there, and a modular sensibility that feels just right.

As Mensink’s work gets played more heavily each month, my sense is that the drought back home is about to end. For the past three years, almost every Bandcamp roundup email featuring purchases by DJs I follow has included at least one of his releases. That frequency exploded over the summer, with support from the likes of Call Super, Ben UFO, Daphni, Cinnaman, Oceanic and pretty much anyone in between. The same goes for the dancefloor. While Ottagone’s richly textured techno tools are hard to miss, they somehow still keep ending up in my Shazam haul after a party.

So, where to start when you want to spotlight such a wildly productive artist? Frits Wentink? Yaleesa Hall? Ottagone? Wim Waldo? Prince Palmer? Will & Ink? Urkelle? Felix Lenferink, for those who go way back? At risk of missing his best work, here are 12 tracks I keep coming back to.

Maybe it is me getting older, but over the past years I have really grown to love the pipe organ. I still have a dislike towards the keyboard-like organ (like the one in The Doors – Light My Fire… iehhh… that is a Vox Continental organ, for those who want to look that up).

No, my love goes out to the massive church organs. Being raised without religion, I only visited churches on a tourist basis or for art history purposes, where I always saw them as quite a scary thing. However, when I was properly introduced to the instrument at De Oude Kerk in Amsterdam, I realised it doesn’t have to be as haunting as I once thought it was.

There are many musicians making very contemporary, ambient-like music on these archaic giants. The sound is beautiful. It creates a parallel world in my brain when I listen to it. I am showered in its tones and enveloped in its sound. I don’t think I just like it, it called to me, singing: “Just close your eyes, let me hypnotise you”.

It might have really started for me when I attended a Silence concert in De Oude Kerk, a very special edition, the 50th anniversary (thank you Bram), where Charlemagne Palestine played. He presented the instrument as the first-ever synthesiser. And yes, that’s exactly what it is. Just more. Bigger. Better.

I was lucky enough to see Maxime Denuc playing the big pipe organ in De Oude Kerk, where some people, including me, cried. This instrument is incredible and when hooked up to Maxime Denuc’s keyboards and timbres via a computer, it becomes a beautiful, drone‑ish but melodic dream. Papillons, from the epic Nachthorn album, is a surprisingly light track, where you really get a sense of wings fluttering.

Emil Mark’s debut album popped up in a Bandcamp rabbit hole a few months ago while searching for more contemporary organ music. By the looks of his profile picture, he is very young, so yes, also very new musicians are making music for the pipe organ. His debut album is receiving the good reviews it deserves. My favourite track is I Vinden, which means “in the wind” in Danish. I wonder whether that is about the wind that flows through the pipes, or just his hometown of Copenhagen being a windy city.

Kali Malone is a composer known for her minimalist, slowly unfolding works for pipe organ. I saw part of her performance at de Grote Kerk in Den Haag during the Rewire festival 2025. But because I just witnessed an overwhelming performance before coming to see hers, it was hard to take in anything else after that. I hope to catch her at a better time someday.

Another Bandcamp find, though I knew some works of Lawrence English already, this album was new for me and different from his other works. I am talking about the album Chroma by Loscil & Lawrence English. Loscil & Lawrence English are both key figures in contemporary ambient and experimental music. Loscil (Scott Morgan, Canada) is known for warm, layered, meditative soundscapes, while Lawrence English (Australia) often explores themes of space, environment, and resonance.

On Chroma, Lawrence English plays the pipe organ, which is then processed and shaped alongside Loscil into rich, slow-moving compositions. The album merges the physical power of the organ with electronic atmospheres, making it feel both ancient and completely modern.

Every track on the album is named after a natural pigment. I find it hard to pick a favourite, as the album is listened to as a whole. From Ultramarine onward, I was really locked into it.

Additionally, last June, I saw two artists perform in Het Orgelpark: Claire M Singer and Sarah Davachi. Both very hypnotic experiences. (Don’t let the Orgelpark’s website keep you from checking out their very interesting program. They program pipe-organ music in Amsterdam for all levels of listeners!)

I am a dancefloor person and I like the darker side of sound, tones in minor, not the happy stuff. These pipe organ musicians let you really be inside the sound, like we are on our favourite dance floors. I think that might be why the organ grabbed my attention, and maybe it will take yours too.

David

Susumu Yokota - The Boy And The Tree (Skintone Edition)

Inspired by a 7,000-year-old Jōmon Sugi tree on an island in southern Japan, this ambient masterpiece takes you on a dreamily cinematic journey. It floats between butoh-inspired passages, raga-like vocals, gamelan textures and darker vocals, making it a one-of-a-kind album in Susumu’s already exquisite catalogue.

Digital via Bandcamp, vinyl via Clone

Medicinal Drum EP - Low Earth

Experimental dub from Copenhagen’s Low Earth on the recently started label Healing Potions. Medicinal Drum EP was recorded live, with echo, reverb, modular experiments and minimal percussion as its core ingredients. Diving deep while comfortingly warm pads sway around, hearing the track Surplus Strong on a crystal clear sound system should bring you to that other dimension.

Digital via Bandcamp

Pianeti Sintetici - Exoverse

If you love high-definition organic sounds, intergalactic journeys and 170 BPM tracks, this is the gem you’re looking for. His first release on Samurai once again showcases Davide Perrone’s production skills, this time packaged in his Pianeti Sintetici project (which aptly translates to “synthetic planets” in Italian).

Digital via Bandcamp, vinyl via Clone

Rik

Minimal Man - Treatment Feel (Soul Capsule’s Joy Mix)

As a relatively recent convert to Baby Ford-anity, I’ve been finding his fingerprints in many a credit I didn’t expect (as tends to happen with converts). I first heard Tammo Hesselink play Minimal Man’s Treatment Feel to devastating effect in the waning days of De School. Aggressive and sharp-toothed, it didn’t sound like anything I could pinpoint as Adshead’s at the time.

It wasn’t like I recognised the sultry “feeeeel so good” vocal either, by the way, when fellow slow dancer Salo slung it during our recent back-to-back at Copenhagen’s Jolene - even after rinsing it for years. Soul Capsule’s remix, another seminal Adshead project, does contain all Baby F’s hallmarks though. And the previously unreleased version has been firmly lodged between the ears since.

Digital via Bandcamp

Sub Basics & Henry Greenleaf - Distraction

The same earworm quality is all over Sub Basics & Henry Greenleaf’s Distraction too. The three know their way around the UK’s murkier club corners, but this weightless gem feels like something between an aquatic daydream on a sun-drenched beach and being tucked under a dubby blanky.

Digital via Bandcamp

Satoshi & Makoto - Slow Dissolution

Speaking of weightlessness: the scorching summer days currently engulfing Europe are ripe for the kind of floaty songs that feel like a refreshing morning walk just after dawn. Casio evangelists Satoshi and Makoto, identical twins from Kawasaki, seem to draw inspiration from this kind of palette (do check out their CZ-5000 Sounds & Sequences on Safe Trip) and will time and again treat you to something of the sort.

Digital via Bandcamp

Swayzak - Bueno (Unrealeased Live Short Version)

There are some tracks that you could live in. Generally, you’ll know when you’ve hit repeat for the fifth consecutive time, especially when it concerns a 31-minute live jam. Swayzak’s Bueno fits the bill for me, in all its various edits, mixes, and versions. An ambient techno roller at heart, and summer digest at its finest.

Digital via Bandcamp

Could you introduce yourself?
My name is Vladislava. I’m currently based in Berlin and have been involved in Stockholm’s electronic scene for the past 5 to 6 years, mainly as a DJ and through various creative and event-related projects. I was also part of the team behind club NEU, where I worked as a booker, promoter, and night manager for 2 years. I recently graduated from my first year of the Music Production program at BIMM University Berlin and plan to continue my studies in both music production and business. I’m also doing an internship in Event Operations at one of Berlin’s oldest and most internationally recognised techno clubs, an opportunity I’m very grateful for.

What is your favourite destination?
Somewhere I haven’t been before, though I would love to go back to Morocco, Greece, Italy and Portugal again. I usually enjoy destinations with a sub-tropical climate.

Which record or moment started your musical journey?
In general, I’ve always listened to a lot of different music and still do: jazz, indie, old-school hip-hop, the classical music as I was schooled in this, and the Phil Collins and Sting tracks I grew up with as well. The Strokes came in during my teenage years, so did house music, techno and even psytrance as well from when I was 16. That was also when I started to go to raves and enjoy electronic music.

But the deeper dive into the kind of techno and house I feel aligned with today happened around the pandemic, through parties and raves in Stockholm, where people were playing vinyl from the electronic underground. From there, my taste kept moving towards more experimental, cinematic sounds and textures. These days, I appreciate complexity in sound while keeping a groove. And although I am quite specific about what I collect and play, I also believe a set should take freedom and not only follow one strict thread.

To answer your question: several moments in my life brought me to play behind the decks. It was an outcome of practising classical piano for many years, having musical knowledge, and enjoying the rave scene, which was a completely different world. I started collecting tracks when I was 20, trying to figure out where I would get energy and emotions from, and analysing which sounds I liked and didn’t in productions.

DJ-wise, it all started at Time Bar in Hornstull, Stockholm, where I had my first gig thanks to a dear friend of mine who unfortunately passed away a few years ago. He was a booker there back then and gave me a slot one evening. My curiosity is probably what kept me coming back. How events work, how people gather around sound, how they socialise, and how the energy gives something back to you. It’s quite therapeutic.

What is the best album you discovered recently?
I got introduced to the album ‘Open’ by The Necks, an Australian trio improvising minimal jazz. It’s amazing to listen through.

What was the mood when you created this mix?
It was very much a Berlin mood, haha, strolling in the streets while listening to some of these tracks and processing life events. I created this mix in my living room in Neukölln. I feel it tells a bit about a daydream, yet reminds me of being present in the moment, if that makes sense?

Is there a specific drink you prefer when dj-ing?
Pure vodka in a glass, no ice. No, I’m joking. I don’t drink too much alcohol nowadays, maybe one or two shots of something fun before playing, like an Italian liqueur or a classic Berliner Luft. During a set, I’d probably go for an Amaretto sour or something I haven’t tried from the house cocktail menu, but honestly, I’m just as happy with water or juice. If anything, no vodka in my drink, haha.

Is there one track in this set that holds a special story or that you would like to highlight and why?

There are two:

Cobblestone Jazz - Who’s Future?
First of all, great production, chords and melodies. This track gives me pure pleasure and it makes me think of positive things. It marks Berlin spring for me, when the weather turns warmer, the sun is out and there is more life on the streets. I took many walks after my work and classes just listening to this track and observing my environment.

DJ Spinna - All Niter
Same reason when it comes to the melody and the chords here, as well as the selected sounds. It gives room for dreaming a bit and to go along with the melodies when listening to this one. It tells a story and gives me an old school Berlin vibe, haha. I bet this one has been played a lot at clubs. I played it at Golden Gate once during my after-hours set; it was a lot of fun.

What are your favourite clubs in your new home, Berlin?
Sisyphos, Heideglühen, Berghain and Tresor. What I love most is the energy, the people, and how uniquely different each place feels. Sisyphos and Heideglühen both have that open, festival-like vibe, where people feel free and genuinely happy. Sisyphos is amazing because of its multiple dance floors and outdoor areas. You can move between completely different moods during the night and never get bored.

Heideglühen has this pure, old-school Chicago house vibe and a lovely atmosphere. It’s a great venue with a lot of nice decorations and details. There is always good music and I just love being there. The outdoor spaces are such a vibe in the summer, as well as they have great food in the kiosk!

Berghain is, of course, iconic, and it’s a very impressive venue. It’s a huge space and always fun to hang out in. The sound is great, the variety with the 2 different floors and the Garten is lovely too, and people are nice.

Tresor and the concert venue Kraftwerk are also amazing. I love the bunker downstairs at Tresor. And the Globus floor has amazing sound, for real. Kraftwerk is a large former power plant, which makes it a super interesting place to be around. It has this raw, industrial feeling, similar to Berghain, that I really like.

What would you like to do differently in the music industry?
Make sure that new and upcoming artists are treated better by major labels, and most importantly, paid fairly for their work and given proper credit. I’d definitely change how streaming platforms operate and create better regulations for what major labels are allowed to do.

Many independent artists grow by building audiences on social platforms, and that independent distribution is much easier today. At the same time, it forces some people onto those platforms, which can rob them of their time and creativity. I believe it can have a devastating effect when you put too much effort into the wrong thing and don’t enjoy it - when you have to chase crazy algorithms to succeed in the business instead of actually making music, progressing and developing your art. For some, though, it’s not a problem.

I also want to highlight that we always need to work towards a safer club culture, and create new experiences and creative concepts where people involved or attending can contribute somehow. Clubs should not only be spaces for consumption, but also places for people to experiment, connect through new ideas and interactive activities, and have new experiences.

Some clubs are still keeping full these days, and I’ve seen what makes them work so well. It’s the way the venue is built, the details, the entertainment, and what else you can do there. It’s also the people from the community who come together in these places and create a unique environment. The reputation, the word of mouth, a place that lets you be in the music and connect with others. The quality of the music matters too. You know what you get when you go there. The same goes for the sound, especially when people spend time and effort on creating a good soundsystem and a beautiful design. When a place is built with heart and passion, it shows in the result. I believe these are the main reasons why some places stay full.

We see many clubs becoming emptier these days. Beyond the economic conditions, we might also be lacking some of the original mentality and purpose behind club culture. Looking back historically, scenes have grown through experimentation, community and people organising around a shared vision. Even if times are different today, many of the same challenges remain.

Where can we experiment with new solutions? What resources are needed? What is interesting to us?

Personally, I try to make sure that the art I create and release makes a positive difference in our surrounding environment. I’m still figuring out how I can have a positive effect and what I can do or contribute - alone or with a community - while taking my own limitations into consideration for now. Either way, I make sure to stay involved and up to date, supporting other artists and cultural projects as much as I can.

Tracklist

Kenneth Graham - Sunburn
Kings of Brazil - Dig a Dub
RDS - Slappy Whappy Dub
Earth Deuley - Black House
Cobblestone Jazz - Who’s Future?
zvukbroda - wozy
Luna Ludmila - Vibe Thang
Electronic Data Processing - Dancing In The Woods
D’Julz - Dusty Groove
Falko Brocksieper - Covert Action
DJ Spinna - All Niter
Route 8 - Modify Your Music
2D.NAME - RMBL
Shadowpeople - Intimacy
Len Lewis - King Kong
stbr x Davy - Hello [at]

Since that otherwise mostly forgotten holiday, Darren Emerson’s GU015: Uruguay never quite left me. Neither did his patient, layered style of DJing. After his follow-up GU020: Singapore also hit me square in the head I was hooked, long before I ever knew what actually happens inside a club.

By the time I was old enough to legally step onto a dancefloor, it was minimal-o’clock in the Netherlands. The propulsive turn-of-the-century tech house had mostly faded into the margins. It took ages for me to find that rolling UK sound that ruled the dawn of the new millennium on Amsterdam’s more underground dancefloors.

Fast-forward twenty-two years. Mid-summer again, in Dekmantel’s forest on the edge of Amsterdam. I was smiling ear to ear, having found myself dancing to not one, but five tracks Emerson had etched into my brain all those years ago (thanks to DJs like Victor & Casper Tielrooij, Dustin, and Shanti Celeste - if memory serves).

In a sense, this first contact with proper electronic music put my life on its current trajectory. So, to kick slow dance off on my end, here’s to the man who started it all for me. Emerson’s name rarely comes up in conversations about electronic music today - mine at least - but his tenure with Underworld throughout the nineties alone earned him legendary status. His Global Underground mixes capture something special about that late-nineties, early-zeroes sound. Quite genre-diffuse, gritty yet smooth, frivolous and severe. Always aiming for long arcs, preferably filled with a never-ending groove that carries you away to some frictionless dreamscape.

Two+ decades later, it still carries me there. These are the five tracks that brought it all back.

Speedy J - Rise

Thee Cat In Da Hat - Thee Rush

Genetic Grooves - Cloud 99

Inland Knights - Back Again

DJ Sneak - Wickedy Sounds

Dubtribe Sound System - Sunshine’s Theme (Sunshine’s Remix)

A 90’s downtempo gem from re-released on the Virtual Dreams compilation on the infamous Music From Memory label. Trippy textures and a bassline that hits deep, it’s been a favourite of mine since it came out and it still never misses.

GIGI FM - Shelter of time

GiGi FM is back, and she brings summer with her new EP. The first jungle EP on her own label, Sea-rènes is liquid drum & bass at its finest. Classy, sophisticated, addictive.

Radioactive Man - Be All And End All

A veteran East London underground electronic music label, Cartulis is one label to keep an eye on (and their events at FOLD in London - the very, very best). This release celebrates 15 years of existence, and they didn’t take it lightly: a 15-track compilation documenting 15 years of dance floor featuring some serious names. Each track brings a different touch, which makes it hard to pick only one. Be All and End All is a head nodder from start to finish, the kind of downtempo track that draws you in and doesn’t let go. The compilation itself is sold out, but they sell separate EPs at some fav record stores.

Deep Space Organism - Outer Moment

Some tracks just pull you in and refuse to let go. This is one of them. Deep, hypnotic and progressive, with a bassline unlike anything else (yes, mind melter tune!) Released in 2001, it was just reissued on Glossy Mistakes, a Madrid-based label. I can’t wait to hear this one tearing in a proper sound system this summer. And guess what, the other side is equally good (if not even better).

VA - Solar Alliance

It’s an album/compilation of the year for me. It’s been on heavy rotation since discovering it (big up Maarten!). The album is filled with so much quality and different stories. Each track flows with the others perfectly and takes us on a beautiful, fascinating journey. Deep, mystic and proggy - this album reminds me why I love music so much! Digital-only, but you can buy the album on Bandcamp.

glob deejay - glob

NAFF has been steadily putting out top-grade releases. Label owners Priori and Adam Feingold seem to have a consistent knack for unearthing talent in their native Canada. (You’ll find quality Canadian electronics are somewhat of a theme here while snooping around our Substack.) Their latest release, glob deejay’s floaty glob EP, is hardly an exception. On it, London-based Stone Burletson aims his lush trip-hoppy textures at the dancefloor, stripping them bare and placing them atop blissful pads that are reminiscent of Shinichi Atobe, Loidis and Cousin.

Digital via Bandcamp (contains an extra track) or vinyl via Clone.

Themis - Early 1

Thinking of an artist’s full body of work, it’s quite astonishing what a lifetime of churning out music can achieve. It meanders, wandering from decade to decade past tempos, tastes and sensibilities. But the core tenet is still intact. It’s easily recognisable in Neil Tolliday’s discography, too. Just listen to Themis’ Close Your Eyes from ’96 and put it side by side with Early 1, produced thirty-odd years later, and you’ll hear what I mean.

The latter club tool comes from his newly released EP – brilliantly named ‘EP’ – on House Fire Records and comfortably sits among his best work. The Final Tear is another standout by the way, inducing a longing for an indeterminate sunrise over an equally indeterminate festival field.

Digital via Bandcamp.

Pugilist - Found Sound

“Trippin’ off the beat kinda, drippin’ off the meat grinder. Borderline schizo, sort of fine…” As MF DOOM exhales his iconic Meat Grinder bars, Pugilist neatly places them between Timeline’s tumbling arpeggios and bleep-bloop bleeps –to irresistable effect. Right on the heels of the stellar Maternal EP, The Melbourne artist released what might be his greatest achievement yet in the shape of Found Sound. His wildly varied debut album that darts between broken beats, irresistible dubby dancefloor goodness and, yes, a didgeridoo, all while delving into his ‘inner monologue’. Big tip, front to back.

Digital & vinyl via Bandcamp.

Malin Genie - Shadow Fleet 2

Many of us paying attention (yes, alright, Shazamming) to what is being played in their regular club haunts will have noticed an uptick in Malin Genie-affiliated finds. No wonder. Nick Putman, as he’s known to his parents, is one of the most prolific and talented producers in the Lowlands, with a Bandcamp page overflowing with top-tier club tracks. His Hedonic Setpoint series is a treasure trove, and the brand-new Shadow Fleet series is no different. These slightly more experimental hardware jams can take you anywhere from Koopa Beach to Guy Tavares’ acid bunker, but they come highly recommended all the same.

Digital via Bandcamp.

Sam Goku - Explorations 03

Robin Wang, aka Sam Goku, has been carving out his own niche in contemporary dance music via releases on Dekmantel, the mighty Atomnation, and Permanent Vacation. Last month, Wang returned to the latter with Explorations 03, though the title feels more like an understatement. ‘x-plor09 (much to give)’ builds around two vocal loops (”so much to give”) that evoke memories of good ol’ Traumprinz, and will resonate on any dancefloor. However, his best work on this EP is where the vocal work takes a back seat and he lets the strong production speak for itself. ‘x-plor10 (lush life)’ has everything that makes us gravitate to ’90s West Coast deep house, just a tad more club-ready. x-plor11 (triptool), as the name suggests, has been stripped of distractions, while x-plor12 (silver sky) is a trippier cut that works on dancers and people hanging on your couch equally well.

Like what you’re hearing? Keep your eyes peeled for his upcoming release on Dekmantel, or just skip back to Explorations 01 and 02 (which I, admittedly, slept on HARD).

Digital and vinyl via Bandcamp.

Dona vs DJ Plant Texture - Mistress18 & 18.5

Dilla-inspired beats, jacking Chicago tracks, loopy (Detroit-tinged) house and techno cuts heavy on Detroit synths. DJ Plant Texture aka Dona aka Donato Basile delivers 12 tracks spread over two back-to-back releases on DVS1’s Mistress Recordings. Basile has been jamming his MPC for over 20 years, once again underscoring the endless potential of the machine. Juxtaposed with some 808 and 303 work, the release is a beautiful homage to Midwestern musical heritage.

Digital via Bandcamp (018 & 18.5) and vinyl via Clone (018 & 18.5)

The Inhabitants - Mistaken Identity

A 2026 repress of the out-of-print ‘Mistaken Identity ‘ on Evasive Records will land soon: The Inhabitants’ EP hasn’t aged a bit, and juggles an irresistible groove with short synth and vocal stabs. The flip side holds two (deep) house cuts that lean more heavily on synth progression. Big tip from our friend Dan, aka Sistergroove: go check out the whole Evasive Records back catalogue on Discogs. Label boss Pearson has been (occasionally) reissuing some of the label’s biggest releases, which tempers prices a bit (if you’re in the market for a second-hand copy). Or perhaps some patience, as Pearson might just reissue your fav back catalogue cut…

Vinyl (pre-order) via One Eyed Witness.

Can you introduce yourself?

I’m David (35) - and the second David on here. Born in Costa Rica, I grew up in Rotterdam from the age of 4 and moved to Amsterdam (16 years ago) for theater school at the Amsterdam University of the Arts. As a side project/hobby, I am running a small community radio station from a wine shop Chenin Chenin, called Radio Chenin. Mainly focused on listening music, not club related. There are so many people with great taste in music who aren’t necessarily DJs. This is a kind of radio by friends and acquaintances for friends and acquaintances.

Where are you currently based?
Amsterdam.

Which record or moment started your musical journey?

I wish I could tell you some romantic story about the one record or magical club moment that started it all… but honestly, it just kind of happened naturally. I started going out when I was 16 and went through a lot of different music genres over the years, from cheesy dirty house at 17 and cringy jumpstyle to the electronic music I love today. When I was 18, I went to the festival I Love Techno in Ghent with a lineup featuring electro house DJs like Boys Noize, Justice, Crookers, but also artists like Underworld, Dave Clarke, and Marcel Dettmann. Maybe that gave me the first real glimpse but I was too high on pills to fully realize it at the time, lol. But moving to Amsterdam and discovering Trouw was really defining for my 'musical journey’.

Funny story: The first time I heard Shanti Celeste live was at her first performance at school, hosted by Elias Mazian, this was back in 2016, before she blew up. I was so impressed seeing her play only vinyl that I bought my first Technics turntables two weeks later from a hardstyle-hardcore guy in the south of the Netherlands. It took another eight years before I finally did something with them, lol.

How would you describe your relationship with music right now?

Funny enough, I asked myself this exact question a few weeks ago. It made me reflect on my own musical journey, and honestly, it’s a pretty personal answer. Since reshaping my life after turning 30, my connection with music feels more genuine. It’s less about just going out and more about discovery, deep-diving, and collecting. Back in the day, I mostly cared about the party. Sure, I loved the music and there were certain artists I liked, but sometimes it was also just a side thing, I wasn’t exactly curating or collecting a personal library of music or exploring it deeply.

NTS has played a huge role in all of this during corona, when clubs were closed, I’m not joking when I say it’s basically part of my identity now, haha. I listen to it every day. The morning shows by Spirit Blue, Jack Rollo, and Maria Somerville on NTS, for example, took me on proper ambient and alternative music journeys, and that calm, slow-morning energy shaped the music I like to listen to daily. It’s the vibe I look for in most of the records I collect and buy as well. By listening to and discovering other kinds of music, I’ve also started to re-approach club music differently and more authentically.

What was the specific mood or environment you were in when you created this mix?

I went to Empordà (Catalonia) in December to visit a winemaker I work with (I run a wineshop), mostly just to chill out and escape the pre-Christmas chaos at work. His vineyard sits on the slopes of the Pyrenees, an incredible, peaceful setting. I went on a four-day hike on the Spanish side of the mountains and brought a selection of ambient music with me. I wanted the hike itself to inspire the set, letting the landscapes, surrounding the walking pace, the climate and the quiet of the mountains guide the mood. I only encountered four people during the whole hike so yeah, it was peaceful, introspective and meditative.

Is there one track in this set that holds a special story or that you would like to highlight and why?

Antarctica by Windy & Carl is the track I’d highlight. The first time I heard it, time seemed to slow, and it’s the perfect tune for introspection; it’s meditative. You can get completely absorbed in it or even zone out entirely, and then it gently pulls you back into the present. It’s a bit like hiking: a slow, immersive journey. The track itself is 22 minutes long, and I used about 15 minutes of it in the set.. haha, it’s a proper ride. It floats somewhere between space-rock, drone, and ambient music, with most of its sounds coming from guitar.

What is your favourite soundsystem, and why?

I’m not really an expert when it comes to sound systems, but it’s always nice to see something like Kantorian Sound or Addit Audio in a space. At the end of the day, as long as it sounds good, I’m happy.

What defines the underground music scene right now for you?

Honestly, I’m not sure there’s really an underground scene left in Amsterdam. The city has a huge electronic music scene and consumption, which is great in some ways, but it also means people often stick to the more popular parties and clubs. A lot of events that started underground, even as raves, are now fully established. So is it really underground anymore? I went to a Club Cohesie party at the end of January just for 2 hours (it was from 1 PM to 11 PM), and for the first time in a while, it gave me those true underground vibes. Kind of what no.clubs used to feel like before they became more popular. Pos.Studio is another one which brings interesting initiatives and focuses on sounds that are less represented, like dub. And Kantorian Sound does cool listening sessions and occasional parties that I’d still call reasonably underground.

What would you like to do differently in the music industry?

Diversity is and will always be important on the dancefloor, in the organization and in line-ups! A lot of progress has been made, but there’s still room for improvement. Affordability is another big one. Going out is becoming a luxury, and unfortunately, that makes the scene less diverse. Club music originally came from resistance, pushing back against the (political) establishment, so it’s a shame when it starts to feel exclusive. I’d also love to see more cultural programs around club culture and its history, helping people connect with where the music comes from and why it matters.

What does ‘slow dance’ mean to you?

Slow dance, for me, is all about connection, with the music, the people, the moment and yourself. It’s literally about slowing down, reflecting, forgetting and just letting the music guide you. No rushing to the next thing, sometimes you just sit with it, like a 22-minute track, taking the time to really observe and absorb. And on the dance floor? It’s about lowering the BPM sometimes and feeling just how sexy it can be.

Tracklist

Elijah Jamal Asani - Goodnight in Muav
Enotea - Move
Windy & Carl - Forest Trails
Porya Tatami - Field
Sean McCann - Our days of generosity are over/arden
Aaron Martin & Machinefabriek - Cello Drowning
BJ Nilsen - Finisterre
Biosphere - Uva-Ursi
Windy & Carl - Antartica
Biosphere - Kyle
Biosphere - Sphere of No-Form
Demdike Stare - Matilda’s Dream

SnP500 - Shine

Early morning mind melters, hypnotic and stripped to the bone. After Vancouver’s sound of the Canadian Rivièra we’ve found our way to Montreál minimal - mostly thanks to following PLO Man in pretty much everything he does. We’re all here for it. Sentena’s latest is another Doo-release you’ll want to grab asap, as they’ve already disappeared from most shelves we frequent and usually are a strictly ‘one-per-customer’ affair.

Digital via Bandcamp or vinyl via Juno (if you’re in luck)

Flørist - B2

As mentioned, we’re leaning heavily into everything that came out of the extended Mood Hut universe 10 years ago (still are, by the way). Flørist is another one of Vancouver’s exponents who keeps surprising us a decade later. His latest Pavilion release with Jay Tripwire is on heavy rotation.

Vinyl via Yoyaku.

2562 - In Reverse

As far as slow dance is concerned, it’s been Dave Huismans o’clock for the past 18 months The venerated producer has returned to form through his stellar ex_libris triptych and his equally amazing In Transit. Still can’t get enough of his old 2562 work though, and the recently unearthed Lost Dubs 2006-09 is just as essential.

Digital & vinyl via Bandcamp.

Erik Luebs - Acetic

Non Series is easily one of southern Europe’s most interesting labels. The insanely prolific Erik Luebs’ latest, Sharpened Teeth, is as piercing as the name implies. Grooves that cut through like a chainsaw. Much recommended.

Digital via Bandcamp or vinyl via Clone.

Pettson - Source

A recommendation from our friend Bart, who discovered this one through unsung hero Matikk as he dropped it at 10AM in Garage Noord. Pettson, a ‘versatile producer from Rotterdam’ as his Discogs puts it, is a young head associated with Offbeat Records. He’s created an enchanting track that feels way beyond his years in Source, and the whole EP is banging, to be frank. Big tip.

Digital and vinyl via Bandcamp.

Could you introduce yourself? Where are you currently based?
I’m Stan, 34 and based in Den Bosch.

What is your go-to holiday country?
I wouldn’t say there’s a go-to country per se, but it has to be Asia. I knew the minute I set foot in Bangkok Airport it was love at first sight. And it indeed endured. But if I’d have to pick: Japan takes the crown.

Which record or moment started your musical journey?
The real start was probably listening to Sum 41 and Blink 182 on my mp3-player while skateboarding. I guess this started somewhere at the end of primary school. Halfway through high-school I gradually shifted towards electronic music. Vato Gonzalez’ Dirty House Mixtapes really kicked things off.

Any albums you discovered recently?
Blue Music by Jamie Anderson; broad spectrum tech-house from the early 2000s. Listening to albums (and pretty much anything non-electronic) isn’t really my thing. It’s always sets and stuff from machines that’s playing. Although I do think I’d make a good jazz enthusiast. There’s just too much good music.

What was the mood and environment you were in when you created this mix?
Playing always means navigating a tightrope between thinking and feeling the music. I can’t really work with playlists, genre tags or star ratings (trying notes on Post-its as we speak). Although I might group tracks that really do work well together, it feels forced most of the time. The spontaneity evaporates - especially with no crowd to bounce off of. At least, that’s what I presume (said Mr. no-gigs here). What follows is something that to me is as predictable as it is unavoidable: I cascade into getting in my head, overanalyze, and with a bit of bad luck, I’ll start trying my hardest to emulate others. It never works. The groove is not in the mind. It’s in the heart. Pun not really intended.

Trying to plan out this mix - I quite quickly found myself hitting a wall. I texted one of slow dance’s conceivers (Rik) asking him: “would it be okay if I write some words to accompany the set”’ That became the starting point for this mix. The cerebral part was condemned to paper - and what was left was applied to the turntables. In the end, writing and playing music are both about storytelling. Laying down the foundation for the set on paper, allowed me to really just be there with the music when I pressed the record button.

I knew I wanted the set to convey something about myself and cherished memories. I also take pride in being able to blend a large variety of genres. But if I’m being honest, 9 times out of 1, I end up taking a very maximalist approach which just makes things incoherent and dodgy. It makes me appreciate the absolute craftsmanship of the likes of Lord Joseph Richmond-Seaton and Sir Benjamin Thomson all the more.

For some years, the minimal bug has started to grab hold of me. I know, quite late to the (after)party, right? Though at times I can still find it boring-ish, it has taught me a lot about the common denominator in great sets. What is it that enthralls me in these sets that are really BIG or feel quite small? I think it’s not so much about playing the right records. It’s about the records you don’t play. In the end, I’m very happy with the selection. It’s music that means a lot to me, but I feel I’ve managed to not pick the most obvious cuts.

Is there one track in this set that holds a special story or that you would like to highlight?
This set is a reflection of my full music journey and all kinds of memories connected to it. If I had to pick one record, it’s the record that I’m most unlikely to play: the Tale of Us remix that defines my first party and festival experiences. But even moreso, it’s a tribute to a friend that tragically lost his life way too young. There’s music by those who started the music journey off for me, meaning Surgeon definitely got a play. Konduku couldn’t be left out, seeing as we worked behind the same bar for years. We even played some records at my place a couple of times. I don’t think I could even beatmatch back then. I remember thinking: damn, this guy is good. He even played me some of his own productions. Honestly, I didn’t quite get them (at all).

Turns out he already had a full release schedule laid out on a soon-to-be-born Nous’Klaer sublabel. There’s Moodymann - the man responsible for me meeting two of my best friends (shout out Noir & Haze - Around [Solomun Vox Mix] for those who know). I think this recording is also the first time I played one of my Traumprinz records. Although some friends are trusted Giegling devotees, I simply just sharked those records for Discogs gains back in the day. It wasn’t until I saw Dustin (b2b Fred P) for the first time at Dekmantel ’25 that it hit me: these guys were onto something all along. There’s a Chez & Trent white label that Antal put in my hands at the Utrecht Record Fair. And of course the ID I got from PLO Man after sending him a fangirl love letter after his Dekmantel set in ’23.

What is your favourite festival?
Any guesses based on the above? Right, it’s Dekmantel. I’ve been to the Amsterdamse Bos every year since its conception (alright, maybe I just missed 1, including the most legendary set ever (BS x PSS)). It’s a yearly gathering of friends. A group that has grown each year through the love of music. It’s the line-ups. It’s the best stage in the world (Selectors). That tree will never not be etched into my mind. It’s cycling through the rain. It’s the feeling of coming home.

What would you like to do differently in the music industry?
I guess I’d love for everyone to experience music more as a continuous experience than singular dopamine rushes. Less hype, more slow dance. Less talking on the floor, more talking about music with your friends off the floor. More finds. More sharing. More collective joy in the silly simple perfection that electronic music can be.

What does slow dance mean to you?
Slow dance for me doesn’t mean delving into an archive of jazz, acoustic music or drawing inspiration from my dad’s huge classical music collection. To me, it’s been a chance to connect musical memories, genres and friends in a set that challenged me to condense some 15 odd years in just a bit over 2.5 hours. But mostly… It’s an absolute honor to have been asked by these friends to contribute the first mix to this series.

Tracklist

Mammo - Absorb
Savvas Ysatis - Alright (Surgeon’s Keith 4 Nat Mix)
Konduku - Kenar
Noah Pred - Converge
Point G - Land 2
Moodymann - On My Way Home
DJ QU - In Trance
Audri - Background Radiation
Routine - RTN-01 B1
Detroit Grand Pubahs - Dr. Bootygrabber
Truss feat. MPIA3 - Auden
Simple Elements - R-E-C
MBC - Quality
Gemini - Where Do I Go (1997 Mix)
Calibre - Break That
Pinch - Qawwali
Mano Le Tough - Primative People (Tale Of Us Remix)
No Photosynthesis - Just Wanna
Chez N Trent - Morning Factory
Argy - Love Dose
Steve O’Sullivan - Interchangeable Patterns II (B2)
Exos - Áttfalt (ft. Octal)
Franco Cangelli - Taking The Next Cloud (Sven’s Taking Back Mix)
Ricardo Villalobos - Que Bel Epoque 2006 (Original Mix)
Marco Zenker - Woble (Original Mix)
A_A (Satoshi Tomiie) - Vert
Yaleesa Hall x Malin Genie - Coronal Loop
Boris Werner - Whooos In Control
Chris Sattinger - Patience Is The Antidote
Mental Overdrive - You Gotta Believe (Original Mix)
Circulation - Green (Mix B)
Ralph Session - I Know You Can
Burnski - The Way (Original Mix)
Jamie Anderson - Rebel Sound
Objekt - Unglued
Traumprinz - Say Or Do
Kraftwerk - Tour De France (2009 Remastered Version)
M.I.S.T. - Outer Space