Phonica Records

Musique Pour La Danse co-founder Ed Isar joins us for the 25th edition of the Off The Record Mix Series. Enjoy!

Our next Mix Series guest is a man who requires very little introduction. One of Detroit’s most iconic figures, Kenny Larkin has been at the very forefront of the electronic music scene for more than three decades.

Best known for his soulful approach to techno, Larkin’s timeless productions have been released via such mammoth labels as Warp Records, Peacefrog, Planet E, Rush Hour, KMS and Transmat, not forgetting his own label Art Of Dance, of course.

Following a recent string of classic Larkin reissues and represses, such as the Azimuth and Metaphor LPs, we reached out to Kenny to see if he would be interested in putting together a mix for our series. The result is a particularly unique one - it's a 1 hour and 15-minute recording taken from a live DJ set he did in LA on Saturday 4th September 2021.

Enjoy the raw energy!

Phonica AM is a new imprint curated by staff member Luther Vine focusing on a more ‘after hours’ sound. Think tripped-out Techno, Minimal, Electro and every shade in between.

Voodoos and Taboos are up first with the ‘If We Were’ 12”, a four track EP drawing on strains of Tech- House, 90s Breaks and Techno/Electro. The mysterious duo follow up a string of high calibre releases on their own imprint which have gained substantial hype both upon release and on the second-hand market, with Discogs prices skyrocketing.

A1 ‘Doorway’ is a nuanced, spacey Techno banger with intricate synth licks, underpinned by a pumping groove. Title track ‘If We Were’ is a rich and emotive track, blooming pads, euphoric motifs, fortified by a futuristic jacking groove.

On the flip, ‘Witch House’ is wonky, bassline driven Tech-House with a hefty splash of acid. Final track ‘Holyday’ is a refined modern homage to 90s rave, all swinging break beats and slick vocal fragmenta- tion.

Phonica AM is a new imprint curated by staff member Luther Vine focusing on a more ‘after hours’ sound. Think tripped-out Techno, Minimal, Electro and every shade in between.

Voodoos and Taboos are up first with the ‘If We Were’ 12”, a four track EP drawing on strains of Tech- House, 90s Breaks and Techno/Electro. The mysterious duo follow up a string of high calibre releases on their own imprint which have gained substantial hype both upon release and on the second-hand market, with Discogs prices skyrocketing.

A1 ‘Doorway’ is a nuanced, spacey Techno banger with intricate synth licks, underpinned by a pumping groove. Title track ‘If We Were’ is a rich and emotive track, blooming pads, euphoric motifs, fortified by a futuristic jacking groove.

On the flip, ‘Witch House’ is wonky, bassline driven Tech-House with a hefty splash of acid. Final track ‘Holyday’ is a refined modern homage to 90s rave, all swinging break beats and slick vocal fragmenta- tion.

Head of the E2-E8 record label and radio show Luca joins us for the 24th edition of the Off The Record Mix Series. Full feature with interview and tracklist coming soon. Check back!

Ahead of their forthcoming EP on our brand new sub-label, Phonica A.M., we asked the mysterious Voodoos and Taboos to piece together a recording for our ever-eclectic Mix Series.

The duo first came to our attention back in 2019 when the first release in their vinyl-only series landed at the shop. Their unique, spooked-out house, tech-house, garage and breakbeat inspired sound resonated with us, and when the idea of a new, more after-hours focused label was floated we knew exactly who to get in touch with for the debut release.

Their one hour and fifteen minute long mix is online now. Check out the full feature here! 🙌 bit.ly/phonicamix86

Full feature and interview coming soon. Please check back!

Joining us for the 5th edition of the Phonica Friends & Family Mix Series we have Ukrainian DJ and producer Bohdan.

Bohdan is one-half of the Kyiv-based electronic music duo Asyncronous. These guys first came to our attention with their critically acclaimed debut release ‘The Art of Fighting In A Dream’ on Berlin-based label Slow Life. The release was a firm favourite of ours over here at Phonica, it provided the soundtrack to many days in the shop throughout the year and we went on to include it in our top ten ‘Best Singles of 2019’ feature. In fact, we liked it so much that we reached out to the pair to see if they would be interested in putting together an EP for our own label. The result was the excellent ‘Pangaea Nova’ EP, which is comprised of six deeply atmospheric techno and ambient soundscapes, each packed with scattering drums, dubbed-out synths and syncopated basslines.

Bohdan’s artistic career blossomed during the mid-2000s. He initially started out as a Drum & Bass DJ and organiser of many significant events around Kyiv. Several years ago he delved into the world of music production, with a focus on “atmospheric, mental techno and its various manifestations” as he describes it.

His DJ sets, as well as his own productions, cover many bases – from organic atmospheres and spatial sound landscapes to functional, intense, and hypnotic techno cuts. Bohdan’s 2-hour long mix recording below reflects this perfectly. Enjoy!

Full feature and interview coming soon... check back!

Introducing CWPT - the brand new label from Berlin-based, British DJ and producer Palms Trax.

For the label’s maiden voyage, Palms Trax teams up with South African vocalist Nonku Phiri for the soulful, Afropop-inspired disco groover ‘Petu’.

The hawk-eyed amongst you may recognise the dub version of ‘Petu’ from Palms Trax’s set at The Music Locker as part of Grand Theft Auto Online, but it’s the supercharged remix from Amsterdam-based producer Masalo that gets our pick for the premiere. Enjoy!

Pre-order your copy here: bit.ly/cwpt_petu