Ending the year on a high having witnessed a plethora of musical highlights, Meanwhile has been a shining beacon for progressive house throughout 2021. Now, Australian, Mike Rish, becomes the latest debutant to showcase his talents on GMJ & Matter’s blossoming imprint with the 3-track “Beyond” EP.

From his home on Australia’s south-eastern coast, Mike Rish has witnessed an impressive rise to notoriety, courtesy of a clutch of high-profile releases on an exclusive set of blue-chip labels. Not wanting to flood the progressive house scene with a swathe of formulaic dance music, the Melbourne resident’s “selective output” is based on a carefully thought-out commitment to “keep people engaged, but also wanting more”. Thus, Rish’s work for the likes of Colorize, Serendeep and Juicebox Music, has seen the Australian carve out a sizeable niche for himself, further enhanced by March 2021’s 12-track “Interlinked” album for UGENIUS Music.

Opening his Meanwhile account with the “Beyond” title track, a chunky beat and cavernous bass groove sit tightly against off-beat hats and snare. Filtering into sonic range, an elegant arpeggio provides glorious melodic interplay as white-noise washes and meandering pads pulse gently across the near 10-minute piece. Full of spine-tingling atmosphere, additional melodic phrasing is introduced at the breakdown before extending into the third movement with ease, combined with a raft of effects and masterful touches.

A bouncing bass groove immediately finds “Mindgame” oozing with hypnotic force and low-end menace. Sat perfectly in between deep kick and ticking hats, a flowing melodic line ripples across proceedings as it rises and falls with filtered dynamism. Twisted vocal cuts and acetylene-edged synth effects pitch with glissando range adding to the aural collage in a track full of dark and mesmerising beauty.

Closing the EP, “Here For You” is characterised by an intricate percussive arrangement that introduces a subtle melodic backdrop. Effects and textured pads span the stereo stage in modulated glory as a pulsating lead melody enters the fray in the second movement. Building steadily before revealing itself fully in the stripped back breakdown, the second half blossoms in commanding fashion with a pulsating confluence of rhythm and melody. The result is a track that illustrates Mike Rish’s unique talent and technique.

A musical triptych full of innovation and sonic narrative, Mike Rish has gone above and “Beyond” with a glittering display of production prowess.

Mike Rish - Here For You (Original Mix)

For more info: https://balancemusic.com.au
@luka-sambe @zankee-gulati

Sydney-based Luka Sambe has created an impressive portfolio with his organic progressive house sensibilities. Here he joins forces with another Sydneysider, Zankee Gulati, to deliver a three track EP that's impressive in scope and highly engaging.

7 Days

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Luka Sambe - 7 Days

Resistance

Custodian (Original Mix)

As sister label to the Meanwhile behemoth, the Horizons offshoot continues to expose listeners to a dynamic and varied sonic portfolio. Heralding a new release that captures the essence of the Meanwhile Horizons sound, Weird Sounding Dude now delivers “Passing Thoughts”, a sparkling musical narrative that navigates a clear path through the serene blue waters of glistening melody and rolling rhythmic waves.

A best-selling artist who regularly finds himself in the upper echelons of the Organic and Progressive House charts, Weird Sounding Dude is a favourite on esteemed imprints including Hernan Cattaneo’s Sudbeat Music, Nick Warren’s The Soundgarden and Armen Miran’s Hoomidaas.

Making his Meanwhile Horizons debut, “Passing Thoughts” encapsulates the Bangalore based artist’s penchant for chunky grooves and rich melodic layers. Evolving over a smooth 8-minutes, a syncopated melody sits snugly against the percussive top-line and 8th note bassline. Elegant chord progressions drift enticingly across proceedings, exposed fully at the beatless breakdown before the title track hits its stride once more in the latter stages.

“Doorway to Amatsu” continues the melodic and rhythmic foundation as an arpeggiated sequence sits perfectly atop ticking hit-hat percussion and powerful metronomic beat. Breaking up the mesmerising repeated motif, white-noise swells and beautifully constructed pads pulsate gently in sonic waves, particularly at the stripped back mid-point before the tracks picks up the pace once more in the second half.

The final track sees “Explorer To Mars” entice listeners with a smorgasbord of elegantly sculpted counterpoint melodies that captivate with a stunning and effortless vibrancy. A clicking percussive groove provides dynamism as it sits in exquisite harmony with shaker urgency and swung groove. White-noise risers add layers of atmosphere as another sonic marvel becomes a timeless classic.

A musical triptych flows with serene splendour as Weird Sounding Dude voices his “Passing Thoughts” to new Meanwhile Horizons.

Weird Sounding Dude - Explorer To Mars (Original Mix)

Surface

Surface (Sebastian Haas Remix)

Full .wav track: https://apocryphaar.bandcamp.com/track/artic-lake-hesitate-apocrypha-ar-remix

Arctic Lake - Hesitate (Apocrypha AR Remix) Snippet

Relic

Alex O'Rion - Drift [Movement Recordings]

Graziano Raffa returns to the label with a sensational three tracker - Masquerade EP.

Italian-born DJ, producer and Hernan's partner at Sudbeat, Graziano's roots are varied and interesting. From DJing the globe at venues such as Warung, Ministry of Sound and Thuishaven to releasing music for Tale & Tone, Plattenbank and Balance, he's as invaluable to us as he is to every party he's rocked.

Opening with title track, 'Masquerade' powers into life with a carnival percussion underbelly supporting a gnarly Reese bass of such gargantuan proportions you'll only be able to play in outdoors! Marrying techy stylings with old skool progressive chunk, this track sits up perfectly for those pre-peak moments with consummate ease.

Tough drums and a gritty bassline set 'Depolarized' apart. Growing over the opening bars, plucky chords breathe life into this early set chugger with bags of personality. Adding to it's musicality in the second half, this becomes one wild ride. Rounding out the EP, 'Marginal Value' goes a little deeper. Delicate synths juxtapose the tough, sparse drumwork with more than a touch of deep house crossover, before analogue synths take over midway and inject some late night funk.

Masquerade

Depolarized

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SB221 | Graziano Raffa 'Depolarized'

Dive into the hypnotic pulse of "Rhythm of the Deep" by Tom Lysar, a journey through immersive Deep Techno grooves fused with subtle Ambient House textures. This track blends rolling basslines, atmospheric pads, and intricate percussive layers to create a soundscape that feels both expansive and intimate. Perfect for late-night sets, mindful listening, or deep club moments.

Let the rhythmic tides carry you into uncharted sonic depths.

Tags:
#DeepTechno #AmbientHouse #MelodicTechno #DeepHouse #TechnoHouseFusion #BerlinSound #AtmosphericTechno #UndergroundElectronic #ProgressiveDeep #MinimalDeepTech



Rhythm of the Deep

Frail [Minimal Groove Concept]

Druve [Minimal Groove Concept]

We are in the midst of a progressive house renaissance; of that there is no doubt. And at the same time as this rebirth, a new star has been born. That star is Dmitry Molosh and he is rocketing high into the stratosphere at an astonishing speed.

Dmitry is famous for his inimitable progressive sound and excellent taste in music, DJ and producer Dmitry Molosh represents his country far beyond its borders as one of the most forward thinking electronic music artists in the world.

Dmitry’s sound is a powerful, melodic progressive sound. His music is epic and deep with driving, hypnotic rhythms and an unmistakeable chunky groove. It is music that is potent with emotion, it induces euphoria, it has an infectious, rhythmic energy and it sets dancefloors alight.

In the space of a just a few years, Dmitry’s productions have become ubiquitous in the sets of legendary DJs who seek out his work, knowing that it is a byword for quality. He is regularly supported by industry giants such as Hernan Cattaneo, Nick Warren, Guy J, Guy Mantzur, Khen, Armin van Buuren, Cid Inc, Matt Darey, Eric Prydz, Markus Schulz, Darin Epsilon, Max Graham and many more.

Top quality progressive house and melodic techno is his hallmark and his strong work ethic and attention to detail have brought him releases on prestigious labels such as Hope, Sudbeat, Plattenbank, Proportion, Proton and Replug.