Out now on Rebellion: lnk.to/RBL080

Damian Lazarus’ Rebellion continues its release schedule this April with the launch of a new various artists series. Rebellion presents SOULS Vol.1 acts as the maiden edition and sees Tim Engelhardt, Senzala, Cancellieri and Asevenes inaugurate proceedings. 

Label founder Damian Lazarus had this to say on the release: "With so much incredible new music being created in the world, I noticed that I was finding new sonic connections between a number of up and coming producers. Fresh souls, speaking a fresh new sonic language directed at the dancefloors in our minds. Welcome to the new Souls.”

Tim Engelhardt’s Ionized feat. Hannah Noelle gets the VA underway, as shimmering pads cosy up next to Hannah’s emotive vocal offerings. Gentle piano rolls converge on a warming backbone throughout to form a poignant opening cut. Senzala’s Slow Burn soon ups the tempo, pairing tribal drum patterns with resonant percussion and stripped-back kick-hat combos before Relayion by Cancellieri soon arrives. Featuring echoing synths and a dubby underlying bassline, the near seven-minute piece feels both surreal and touching in one, leading serenely into Asevenes’ Blue Ride. A punchy, late night number, driving kicks marry up next to ethereal synth tones before whispering hats transport us to a world far removed from ours.

Hailing from the thriving musical output of Cologne, Tim Engelhardt is one of Germany’s brightest young talents with releases on labels like Stil Vor Talent, Cityfox, Innervisions and Fryhide. Based in London, Senzala is no stranger to contemporary house’s leading labels. Cutting his teeth on Art Department’s No.19 as well as Dubfire’s Sci + Tec, his collaborations with both Richy Ahmed and Jansons received widespread industry acclaim. Originally releasing under various pseudonyms, Italy’s Cancellieri is quickly establishing his presence in the scene. Having found a home on the prestigious Margot Recordings in recent times, his debut on Rebellion now marks a pivotal career moment. First coming to prominence in 2019 with the four-track Now Now Now 03 on Man Power’s Me Me Me, Asevenes’ appearance on Rebellion presents SOULS Vol.1 marks his second ever release, a testament to his keen-ear for production.

Various Artists

Relayion

Cancellieri - Relayion

Out now on Crosstown Rebels: lnk.to/CRMLP046

Escapism is a theme that runs through the very heart of music. We listen to be transported, removing ourselves from our immediate surroundings as our senses relax and the sonic experience washes over us. During times of hardship, such a sensation is naturally magnified. Music gifts us a way out from our challenges, allowing us to choose how we feel in response to the sounds we hear. This theme has been explored meticulously by Audiojack over the past four years, resulting in the release of their second album, Surface Tension, on Crosstown Rebels this April. 

The pair described the meaning behind the album, encapsulating what inspired them to pursue the four-year project: “In the modern world our attention has become so fragmented with technological distractions. We wanted to create a piece of music that could be an escape from that, where someone can close their eyes and let their imaginations fill in the gaps that the other senses have left behind.” 

The journey sets off with Subterranea, a futuristic breaks-inspired cut that features shimmering female vocals throughout. It feels both euphoric and spacious, taking us to a world far removed from ours. The first collaborative effort comes next in the form of Under Your Skin. Released as the album’s lead single in February, Kevin Knapp’s weighty lyrical offering takes no prisoners, paving the way for the track’s punchy, percussion-heavy backbone. 

The American producer and vocalist is no stranger to the label, having collaborated with Audiojack previously on Implications as well as releasing Flipped on Crosstown’s sister imprint Rebellion. Binaural Dreaming soon arrives, plunging us into a sensory experience thanks to an array of worldwide field recordings, which simulate the experience of a dream. 925 Shift ups the pace, pairing resonant kick-hat combos against a myriad of robot-like synths whilst gentle keys chime softly in the background. 

Surreal yet familiar in one, it opens smoothly into Easy Rider, a groove-led, minimal laced dance number that transports us to brighter days with upbeat piano rolls and dream-like chords. Psychoactive pt. 1 continues the warming theme, delving further into tropical realms. Ethereal pads blend into pulses of acid to form an immersive auditory piece.

Audiojackft. Kevin Knapp

Under Your Skin

Audiojack ft. Kevin Knapp  - Under Your Skin

Daniel Bortz lends his seasoned touch to 'Dancing in Your Eyes' in a rendition that retains the original's vast melodic soundscapes and adds layers of nostalgia with a pulsating jungle breakbeat.

@danielbortz
@soulofexistence
@annenofficial

Beatport

Souls Of Existence, ANNEN - Dancing In Your Eyes (Daniel Bortz Version) Snippet

MBR449: D-Compost Feat. Terry Roberts - Protheus

Bringing in crisp sounds and deft arrangements to the fore, D-Compost debuts on MoBlack, showcasing his agility as a well-versed player in music production of wide ranges. His two-track ‘Proteus’ escalates deep and far from the get-go, starting off with a collaboration featuring Terry Roberts’ vocals at the crux. MBR 449’s title track is esoteric and incisive, poignant and rhythmic, enveloping organic percussion with dystopic synths and celestial gradients. Luring Roberts’ penetrating lyrics with ebullient beats and driving progressions,’Protheus’ makes its way home to a gratifying repose. Clinching the EP, ‘Spectrum’ navigates a cascade of acoustic wavelengths, unveiling a saturnalia of dynamic sound patterns and sonic pleasures. Daubing elusive inflections, vivid chromesthesia and altruistic riffs on an aural canvas, this finale is a twilight zone to transcend in, on any dancefloor.

Press by Marie J Floro
Artwork by Kriart.world
Mastered by Daniele Mattiuzzi - Wave Life

MBR449 - D-Compost Feat. Terry Roberts - Protheus (Original Mix)

Say My Name

Mitch Oliver & Tyler Mesa feat. Keilimei

Chão de Axé is a minimalist tribal house journey rooted in rhythm, presence, and the raw connection between body and ground. Built on deep percussive grooves and organic pulses, the track unfolds like a ritual on the dancefloor — slow, hypnotic, and intentional.

Rather than telling a story, Chão de Axé invites feeling. Subtle Portuguese vocal fragments, whispered mantras, and earthy chants blend into the rhythm, becoming part of the groove itself. Each beat reinforces a sense of grounding, where movement replaces thought and the present moment takes over.

Designed for late-night beach clubs and immersive dance spaces, the track balances spirituality and sensuality with restraint and elegance. It’s not about faith or symbolism — it’s about energy, repetition, and the collective trance that happens when rhythm leads and the body follows.

Chão de Axé is a reminder that sometimes, the floor speaks back — and all you need to do is dance.

CHAO DE AXE

Since its launch in 2010, Alex Niggemann’s passionately curated label has steadily established itself as a crucial platform for the finest talented artists. Always focused on searching out exceptional musical gems, it is this quality over quantity approach that has enabled the careful development of Soulfooled's own distinctive style. Over the past ten years several settled names released on the imprint, such as Raxon, Nick Warren, Echonomist, Dave Seaman, BOg, Matthias Meyer, Rodriguez Jr., Audiofly, Vince Watson, Zoo Brazil, Smash TV and of course Alex Niggemann himself.

To make sure Soulfooled’s comeback does not go unnoticed, the label re-releases the best tracks of the past ten years in this compilation. A month later, the new material will be available worldwide.

Refreshed, reinvigorated and set to unveil more wonderful sonic innovation, Soulfooled returns to the forefront of electronic dance music.

10 Years of Soulfooled

Boujuma (Matthias Meyer Remix)

04. Alex Niggemann - Boujuma (Matthias Meyer Remix)

Buy / Stream: https://ffm.to/aiwaskaatnight

Early feedback in by Black Coffee, DJ Harvey, Claptone, Hyenah, Doctor Dru, Gorgon City, Chris Duckenfield, Alinka, Wahm, Justin Strauss...

AIWASKA @ At Night:
https://youtu.be/4TTZGTvANNo

The man behind the mask Aiwaska is back with possibly his hottest release for Exploited so far. Following in the footsteps of massive releases like ‘Medicine’ and ‘Darkness’, ‘At Night’ had its work cut out but has delivered in some style.
Taking a little flavour from the world of afro house but infusing it with more of a rolling groove than a tribal, drum-focused rhythm, it’s a track that’s dying to be heard at festivals and open-air dancefloors. Centred around a hypnotic African vocal refrain by Idd Aziz, the track builds in beautifully gradual fashion, with nods to early ‘90s ambient house in its atmospheric collage of sounds.
A stuttering synth rhythm sets the tone over a chunky beat as the track begins, with the vocal soon teased in looping fashion and adding a heady feel. The infectiously rolling bassline groove soon gets down to business. Subtle percussive additions build the groove, as do shimmering, morphing electronic motifs that weave in and out of the track. The vocal begins to reveal more of itself, and the arrangement strips back down to just kick, bass, vocals and synth with a real intensity. The vocals become more incessant and insistent as the track begins to slowly build again until we’re at a dizzying fever pitch.
No big hooks; no overblown theatrics; just a very well-crafted, slow-burning journey of a track. Aiwaska, we salute you!

If you're looking to livestream this release please let us know so we can whitelist the record for you.

Early Feedback:
DJ Harvey: Thank you!
Black Coffee: Thanks!
Gorgon City: The funk! Love this! 
Hyenah: Thanks for the good music.
Chris Duckenfield: Shades of Yeke Yeke - love it!
Claptone: Thanks.
Doctor Dru: Yeah!
Alinka: Nice one. 
Justin Strauss: Sounds good.
Annie Nightingale/BBC Radio 1: Will consider. 
Sasha: Big tune!
Wahm: Great release, Aziz always delivers. 

Artist: Aiwaska Feat. Idd Aziz
Release: At Night
Label: Exploited Ghetto
Cat: EXP95
LC: 48629
Publisher: Exploited Ghetto Music Publishing
Releasedate Beatport & Streaming: 07.05.21
Releasedate Global Download: 21.05.21

At Night

At Night (Radio Edit)

Aiwaska, Idd Aziz - At Night (Radio Edit) I Exploited Ghetto

Buy / Stream https://ffm.to/aiwaskaatnight

Early feedback in by Black Coffee, DJ Harvey, Claptone, Hyenah, Doctor Dru, Gorgon City, Chris Duckenfield, Alinka, Wahm, Justin Strauss...

AIWASKA @ At Night:
https://youtu.be/4TTZGTvANNo

The man behind the mask Aiwaska is back with possibly his hottest release for Exploited so far. Following in the footsteps of massive releases like ‘Medicine’ and ‘Darkness’, ‘At Night’ had its work cut out but has delivered in some style.
Taking a little flavour from the world of afro house but infusing it with more of a rolling groove than a tribal, drum-focused rhythm, it’s a track that’s dying to be heard at festivals and open-air dancefloors. Centred around a hypnotic African vocal refrain by Idd Aziz, the track builds in beautifully gradual fashion, with nods to early ‘90s ambient house in its atmospheric collage of sounds.
A stuttering synth rhythm sets the tone over a chunky beat as the track begins, with the vocal soon teased in looping fashion and adding a heady feel. The infectiously rolling bassline groove soon gets down to business. Subtle percussive additions build the groove, as do shimmering, morphing electronic motifs that weave in and out of the track. The vocal begins to reveal more of itself, and the arrangement strips back down to just kick, bass, vocals and synth with a real intensity. The vocals become more incessant and insistent as the track begins to slowly build again until we’re at a dizzying fever pitch.
No big hooks; no overblown theatrics; just a very well-crafted, slow-burning journey of a track. Aiwaska, we salute you!

If you're looking to livestream this release please let us know so we can whitelist the record for you.

Early Feedback:
DJ Harvey: Thank you!
Black Coffee: Thanks!
Gorgon City: The funk! Love this! 
Hyenah: Thanks for the good music.
Chris Duckenfield: Shades of Yeke Yeke - love it!
Claptone: Thanks.
Doctor Dru: Yeah!
Alinka: Nice one. 
Justin Strauss: Sounds good.
Annie Nightingale/BBC Radio 1: Will consider. 
Sasha: Big tune!
Wahm: Great release, Aziz always delivers. 

Artist: Aiwaska Feat. Idd Aziz
Release: At Night
Label: Exploited Ghetto
Cat: EXP95
LC: 48629
Publisher: Exploited Ghetto Music Publishing
Releasedate Beatport & Streaming: 07.05.21
Releasedate Global Download: 21.05.21

At Night(Instrumental)

Buy / Stream

Aiwaska, Idd Aziz - At Night (Instrumental) I Exploited Ghetto

Buy / Stream: https://ffm.to/igotsomethingforyou

You can always count on Kotelett to serve up some vibrant melodic monsters, and the follow-up to his acclaimed ‘Lifted’ EP for Exploited Ghetto is now here. Three new gems. Three new weapons for your crate.
‘I Got Something For You’ typifies his less-is-more approach, taking just a few key elements and squeezing every last drop of energy from them. The focal point is the pumping arpeggiated bassline which could be equally at home in an electro or psy trance banger. Its rising melodic progression gives the track a feel that’s somewhere between euphoric and dark, and with the pitter-patter of his shuffling hi-hats and succinct synth hooks including cute 8-bit blasts supporting the weight of the b-line, he concocts a sleek dancefloor juggernaut.
‘La Metta’ thrusts along at a more urgent pace, with heavenly ‘80s synth pads building the vibe over an incessant bassline melody. The retro feel is continued by a sprightly detuned lead line and a cute percussive, pitch-bending riff, but the rug is yanked from under our feet by an intensely atmospheric, tense, dramatic breakdown. This moment of intensity breaks up the track beautifully, giving the lead line a renewed intensity upon its return.
The EP is completed by the electro-disco bounce of ‘Prism’, complete with cheeky cowbell and synth-tom fills. The bouncing bassline is complemented by ascending and descending melodic scales, and a breakdown that sounds like R2D2 malfunctioning in rhythmic fashion. The elastic groove keeps you nodding your head throughout and a sparse percussive arrangement lets the synth magic intensify from all angles.

Early Feedback:
Rampa: Thanks. Will check.
Frankey & Sandrino: Love the vibe of I Got Something For You.
Jonas Rathsman: Prism is gold!
The Drifter: Nice. Thanks.
Sasha: I love Koteletts music so much! These are hot.
Doctor Dru: Nice ones! 
Tone Of Arc: I Got Something is dope.
Peter Kruder: I Got Something For You is awesome ! Love it ! Thanks! 
Baikal: Nice groover. 
Kiki: I Got Something For You is cool as an icebear.
Carly Foxx: Will play on Future Disco radio.
DJ Mag France: I Got Something For You is very nice!
Eelke Klein: Love it.
Wahm: Very very nice. 

Artist: Kotelett
Release: I Got Something For You
Label: Exploited Ghetto
Cat: EXP98
LC: 48629
Publisher: Exploited Ghetto Music Publishing
Releasedate Beatport & Streaming: 09.07.2021
Releasedate Global Download: 23.07.21

I Got Something for You

La Metta

Kotelett - La Metta I Exploited Ghetto

Send demos here: https://www.tstack.link/exploited-GBaXdMGvJLHubDbFJtn9O
Exploited Rec promises to strip the wallpaper from the walls of your home stereo.
Shir Khan started Exploited in 2007. Exploited Rec now plays host to some wide-ranging and innovative electronic talent - including Adana Twins, Claptone, Budakid, Joyce Muniz, James Curd, Shir Khan (to name a few) - and its artists have been receiving numerous supportive spins from the likes of Solomun, Pete Tong, Soul Clap, Wolf&Lamb, Azari&III, Jesse Rose, Axel Boman and A-Trak.
This is serious dance music at it's most cutting edge with all the juice to really get you going. It's totally contemporary, innovative and has a chunky dirty feel. "Exploited" take you on an invigorating roller coaster ride back to your youth when you first listened to dance music with all the thrills and spills you so enjoyed about clubbing. It's heavy, exciting and special.
'"Exploited Records" is a seamless melting pot of varied styles that simply can't fail to please even the most discerning ears. Highlights here are plentyful. Not to be missed at any cost.' (Clash)
'Musical hybrids are truly the flavour of today, but few have managed to capture the atmosphere of an unpredictable microcosm of a night out on a recordlabel - until now. Shir Khan's label "Exploited" bottles the zeitgeist's giddy thrills with plenty of style and substance. This is dance music hybridism in all its most glorious forms, and Shir Khan is an expert at making square pegs fit round holes.' (DJ-Mag)
'"Exploited Records" boss Shir Khan has been gaining a lot of acclaim recently, and deservedly so - as he has shown us the high quality, diversity and forward-thinking nature of his label. Engaging, riveting and diverse.' (Data Transmission)