Knopfler-Sagittarius A*

Rapa Nui - Since97(Original Mix)

‘Camargue’ gets a fresh treatment on Drumcode, as a handful of techno’s finest give new life to an R&S classic. 

Coming from the studio of CJ Bolland and Portuguese journeyman The Advent, the track was born out of a golden age of Belgium dance music and first released in 1992. It stands as one of the most treasured pieces of vinyl in Adam Beyer’s collection and this six-part compilation of remixes and remakes marks a highpoint in Drumcode’s history. 

The package consists of a punchy pin-sharp 2019 version of the original, as CJ Bolland and The Advent polish the edges of their time-honoured rave favourite. Maceo Plex makes his return to DC after 2014’s ‘Conjure Dreams’ and his is a bustling industrial take, with distorted vox that gives way to sheaths of stirring melody, before the spine-tingling chords enter the fore and the cut drops into broken beats. Vintage Maceo. Enrico Sangiuliano delivers a trademark cosmic rework underlined by tribal bass stabs and twisted synth lines to accompany the famous riff. It’s an outstanding remake that’s already a big summer favourite for the Drumcode crew. Adam Beyer and Layton Giordani team up with their own groove-injected, future-focused adaption, all the while never losing sight of the misty-eyed spirit of the original. In contrast to the peak-time prowess of the other respective versions, rising Dutch talent Keith Carnal moulds a liquid smooth interpretation heavy on hypnosis and sparse drums. The Advent rounds out the package with his own fresh version, a whip-smart cut that chops and changes between pounding drums, dreamy synth interludes and warbled effects. 

“Camargue is one of my favourite tracks of all-time and has been part of my life for 25 years. To put it out on Drumcode with fresh remixes is a dream come true.” – Adam Beyer

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CJ Bolland & The Advent — Camargue 2019 (The Advent Remix) — Drumcode — DC210

DC109 - Roberto Capuano -- New Chapter -- Drumcode

Drumcode storms into 2013 after releasing some superb tracks in 2012 which included celebrating their 100th release with an outstanding EP from Adam Beyer and Ida Engberg. Also releasing some exceptional tracks from artists such as Alan Fitzpatrick, Jay Lumen and Gary Beck, Joseph Capriati, Gregor Tresher, Sam Paganini, Nicole Moudaber and Ben Sims. Heading into 2013 Drumcode are keeping up the refined techno that they have displayed and are making sure that they continue to keep up this form throughout the coming year.
Roberto Capuano is a name heard before at Drumcode, releasing his debut release on the 15 year anniversary compilation with his track ‘Oblique’. Gaining support as a producer, Roberto has released on record labels such as Analytic Trail, Phobique, MKT, Monique Musique and Suara. He has gained a lot of support from Adam Beyer, Richie Hawtin, Joseph Capriati, Umek, Carl Cox and Alex Under amongst others. Roberto has also been Djing around the world at venues in Europe including the famous, “Old River Park” amongst others.
‘Vertigo’ is the A side on this four track EP by Roberto Capuano that uses reverberated kick drum’s and piano chords to create a groove that was designed for peak-time play. The second track, ‘Inversion’ uses rising and filtering synths with the use of space and influxes of pitched hi hats and percussion loops to create a 5am track that will keep people rooted to their spot. ‘New Chapter’ uses a repetitive percussion-like stab to keep the deep atmospheric sounds together over the industrial techno drums.The final track ‘Earth’ uses phased sporadic stabs to create an interesting groove that compliments the driving drums that are ever present.

Roberto Capuano - New Chapter [Drumcode]

Christian Smith returns for his first solo release on Drumcode since 2016, re-contextualising a classic vocal work. 

The Sweden-born journeyman has been friends with Adam Beyer since dot one. In the rare instances he has released outside his own label Tronic, Drumcode has received the fruits of his studio labour. Besides the recent contribution to this year’s A-Sides Vol.9 compilation, we haven’t seen a stand-alone Drumcode release from Smith in four years, when his excellent ‘Force Majeure’ stood as one of the year’s label highlights.

‘Your Lovin’’ is his fifth release on DC, taking inspiration from a ‘90s D&B classic. Driven by a Minimoog bassline and hypnotic arpeggios, Smith, a renowned perfectionist, made six versions before settling on the final cuts. The original is stripped back and searing, perfect for late night moments as restrained vocal grabs add colour to the techno palette. The ‘Ombi Dub’ is a straight-up propulsive tool that hits you straight between the eyes.

Christian Smith — Your Lovin' (Dub) — Drumcode — DC233

A rare treat for Drumcode faithful: A-Sides Vol.10 is set to drop in December, the second edition of the beloved series to come in 2020.

Fuelled by the extra time and space to be creative during lockdown, Drumcode’s collective of artists have stepped up. Across 17 contributions, the producers have gone deeper into their sonic repertoire, crafting powerful, yet reflective works that capture the range of the label’s sound.

Jay Lumen leads the way with a rousing riff-driven weapon, ‘Galactic Rainbow’, while Ramon Tapia brings us the muscular gem ‘Drum Control’, mixing up ruffneck techno with a barrage of synapse-tickling synths in the second half. Both rousing highlights of the compilation.
Victor Ruiz, Drumcode’s most prolific contributor in 2020, dishes up ‘Love Story’, led by a huge vocal lead. Zimmz also returns with ‘Tension’, which deftly combines deep squelchy grooves with a silky synth interlude. Thomas Hoffknecht follows up his debut on Vol.9 with ‘Escape’, keeping listeners on their toes with dynamic, choppy shifts throughout. Veerus joins with another stirring addition ‘I Know’, reinforcing why Beyer rates him so highly.

Elsewhere a string of debutants feature: buzzy newcomer Lilly Palmer gives us ‘Amnesie’, a brilliantly pummelling and eerie cut; Alex Lentini & Stomp Boxx serve up ‘Expanders’ mixing up drone effects, trippy vocals and an unsettling melody line; and Patrik Berg’s ‘Activated’ is full-bodied techno that drops down into funky rhythms.

Long-time DC family member Bart Skils brings his A-game with the thrilling no-nonsense ‘Solid State’ that hits like a steam train. Likewise, Alan Fitzpatrick who brings a momentous slab of techno energy with ‘Rochus’, while Thomas Schumacher, now feeling like a regular on the imprint, crafts another dark techno opus, this time in collaboration with CAITLIN.

There’s even a special appearance by the chief Adam Beyer, who makes a welcome return with the progressive-tinged ‘Changes’, driven by organic tones and spacey atmospherics. The track stands as his first original contribution to A-Sides since 2017.

Alan Fitzpatrick — Rochus — Drumcode — DC235

A rising German talent steps up for his Drumcode EP debut.

We got the first taste of Thomas Hoffknecht’s gritty Detroit-inspired sound in 2020, with ‘Code-1’ and ‘Escaping’, both impressive contributions to the recent A-Sides compilations. In a year with few highlights, the producer’s induction into the Drumcode fold marked a distinct positive.

Inspired by visits to the Planetarium in his hometown of Hamburg, Hoffknecht’s ‘Antaris’ EP is an immersive five-track work that charts the breadth of his raw, yet captivating style. The title track is driven by a catchy organ-driven riff and marching percussion and is awash with atmospheric intensity. ‘Comet’ is propelled by energetic stabs and shuffling beats. ‘Sirius’ makes its mark with a shimmering synth-line and spoken word vocal, which adds to the track’s dream-like texture. ‘Wega’ is a low-end rattler that comes up for air thanks to a piercing vox sample that smacks of ‘90s rave flavour. ‘Regulus’ is cosmic techno at its finest, as swirls of intergalactic melody radiate a halcyon spirit.

Antaris

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Thomas Hoffknecht - Regulus - Drumcode - DC238

Independent record label owned by Adam Beyer.