A New Reality

A New Reality (Radio Edit)

Ivy Leaves

Since their inception in 2018, Talking Drums have provided some of the most inventive, quietly sophisticated and all round highly sought-after dancefloor cuts on vinyl, providing an “a home for poorly executed dance moves, misjudged vibes and narcotic bravery.” Emanating from Manchester’s musical centre, and blurring the boundaries between edits and otherwise, Phantasy are delighted to have the minds behind jump from wax and into our long-running mix series…

“We took a break from our full time hobby inventing increasingly idiotic DJ names to lay down a little bit of cosmic wobble, wormhole funk, daft disco and TD XXXclusives. Illicit edits, remixes for friends and a little OG energy suitable for all ages and most situations. Many thanks to the marvellous folks at Phantasy Sound for inviting us into their orbit.”

PHANTASYMIX 48: Talking Drums

The first edition of PHANTASYMIX in 2025 arrives courtesy of London’s much-loved Ariane V, a DJ and radio host who represents a new vanguard of generous selectors with an audible appreciation for dance music with depth and character. Beginning with a three-year stint building her taste and record collection from behind the counter at Phonica Records, Ariane’s knowledge and instincts for a great record have only deepened in the decade since. as exemplified not only by a tour schedule that has taken from London to Paris, Berlin and Barcelona, but weekly to Peckham, where her previous residency for Balaami FM saw her sharing the decks and the mic in conversation with DJs including Wallace, Colleen Cosmo Murphy, Mr. Ho and Moxie. 

Taking keen cue from Phantasy’s undercurrent of a ‘psychedelic sensibility’, Ariane V’s PHANTASYMIX blends the likes of Prince, CC:DISCO, Josh Caffe, Hardway Bros and more.

Photo credit: Alex Rimmer

PHANTASYMIX 49: Ariane V

The fiftieth edition of PHANTASYMIX arrives courtesy of our most recent signing, Factory Floor. Mixed and curated by both Nik Colk Void alongside long-term label associate Gabe Gurnsey, as well as new member Joe Ward, this momentous contribution to the label’s long-running series captures and combines many of the cult British band’s core influences, spanning New Order to Dean Blunt, Sandwell District, Drexciya and The Fall. Loaded with the band’s experimental, outsider spirit it’s a fine hour of physical, potent outsider music, including their recent single on Phantasy, ‘Between You’.

“We’re happy to share with you a mix of our favourite current listening and inspiration ! A mix of our love for electronic and acoustic live performance and collaboration, past and contemporary. We hope you enjoy the journey!” - Factory Floor

PHANTASYMIX 50: Factory Floor

With character and a refreshing light-heartedness, DJ City has built a strong following on European dancefloors over the last few years. Drawing from both old school Chicago, Italo, and contemporary producers, he playfully navigates the elements that make up a well-constructed dance floor. After a string of releases on labels such as Public Possession, he now also runs BAD DAD, his own party in Berlin, within which he cultivates, experiments, and plays around with the fundamentals of what it is to be a DJ. For the 51st edition of PHANTASYMIX, he's on hand to present a contemporary but classic vista of the timeless four-to-the-floor sound:

"There’s a lot happening in house music at the moment so I wanted to focus on recent releases for this mix. At the same time, you’ll hear a lot of grooves and moods that you'll instantly recognize and be familiar with. I love how House music always is referencing and pointing back in history. It constructs narratives and relationships that span time and space, something that feels extra important to me right now." DJ City

PHANTASYMIX 51: DJ City

Phantasy’s long-running mix series continues apace with a contribution from a key figure in London’s electronic and alternative underground, Casper Clark. Perhaps best known under his former Volte-Face alias, this wide-ranging hour finds Clark reigniting his fundamentally eclectic sensibility, seamlessly blending records from Black Merlin, Idjut Boys and The Parallax Corporation, spanning twenty-five years of music at the authentic margins.

 PHANTASYMIX 52 by Casper Clark is available to stream now from Apple Music and on Soundcloud, alongside dozens of mixes from the label archive.

“I started DJing nearly 20 years ago, at least partially inspired by the way Erol used to play at Trash and later Bugged Out and beyond. I was lucky enough to book him over the years at our Adventures In The Beetroot Field parties as well as Field Day and even the Lock Tavern, which I used to programme back then. As I drifted more towards exploring techno under my Volte-Face moniker, our paths diverged somewhat, and a few years went by when I didn't bump into him or see him play all that often. So this mix feels like a homecoming of sorts, and an expression of a rekindled musical freedom and a cherished friendship. I even managed to squeeze in a track by Tiga, who was another formative influence for me. I hope it's as fun to listen to the mix as it was to make it.” - Casper Clark

PHANTASYMIX 52: Casper Clark

As a member of W.H. Lung, Tom Sharkett has provided electronics for one of the best bands in the UK, including on their most recent, critically acclaimed LP, ‘Every Inch of Earth Pulsates’. These DIY, indie-oriented experimentations have slowly led Sharkett to unexpected places as a solo artist in club culture, via the portal of Manchester’s legendary venue, The White Hotel, where he was inspired by inspired by cult nights such as Red Lazer and Wet Play, 

Sharkett has since collaborated with artists such as System Olympia and Raf Rundell, as well as appearing on Optimo Music and Okay Nature Records. His subtle, spirited edit of LCD Soundsystem’s ‘Home’, released as a bootleg in early 2025, has recently re-emerged on DFA Records as an official release, just in time to become an unusual wistful summer anthem. 

Sharkett captures this fruitful moment in a contribution to Phantasy’s long-running mix series, which features a smattering of currently unreleased material, while bridging Cabaret Voltaire, Slowdive, Eden Burns and even Chappel Roan. True to the eclectic philosophy of Sharkett’s DJ and production trip so far, PHANTASYMIX 53 is a rare trip.

PHANTASYMIX 53: Tom Sharkett

A collision of rave outsiders: Morris’s unlikely pop mystique meets Gramrcy and Loveless on the FWD dancefloor… lnk.to/GJLPH149

In Berlin where the bassweight bubbles bright, Lived Gramrcy and John Loveless, deviant and polite, They stirred a pressure-cooker full of electroclash stew, With ISDN-line scramble and a hint of something new.

“Oh!” cried Tony Morris (former teacher, taxi man), “I’ll hypnotize with repetitions, catch me if you can! I’m Scotland’s most unlikely pop sensation, don’t you see? A cult figure cabaret, as deviant as can be!”

They mixed it up on Phantasy Sound with textural delight, The earworming anchor bobbed and bounced all through the night, From FWD-era gumption to the disco esoteric, They created ‘Lucid’ madness, quite atmospheric!

The festival-rupturing Highdive had ruptured long before, Now ‘Feel So’ tipped the scales toward the ecstatic dance floor, With post-punk percussion prancing, hi-NRG in tow, From Chicago down to Rimini, watch the bassline grow!

Said Peggy Gou and Daniel Avery, “What a splendid sound!” While 2ManyDJs spun it ’round and ’round and ’round, And Moschino’s models strutted to the supreme release, As rave outsiders intersected in their bubbling masterpiece!

So if you seek the throbbing beat of something deeply odd, Find Gramrcy and John Loveless – that peculiar duo’s squad With Tony Morris chanting in his late-sixties prime, Making lucid nonsense music, one earworm at a time!

Three years after their all conquering ‘Highdive’, Gramrcy and John Loveless return to Phantasy with ‘Lucid’, a pressure-cooker of FWD-era bassweight and electroclash scramble anchored by the hypnotic vocals of Tony Morris.

Listen below, pre order here: https://lnk.to/GJLPH149

PREMIERE: Gramrcy & John Loveless  - Lucid feat. Tony Morris [Phantasy Sound]

Back in September, Erol Alkan joined us for a one-off OffBeat at Pikes, marking his debut in Freddies. Listen back to an hour from the night — Erol in his element, recorded live in one of Ibiza’s most iconic rooms.

Erol Alkan - Live @ OffBeat, Pikes Ibiza (04/09/2025)

Public Display of Affection consists of Jonah Considine and Tam Tam, the core DJs, residents and organisers of Berlin soiree PDA, whose truly underground and headturning parties in the city act as a celebration of alternative dance culture. Optimo, Babyschon, Curses, John Loveless, Boys’ Shorts and our very own Erol Alkan are all artists who have guested at PDA, offering their take on PDA’s core sounds of disco, Italo, raw house and EBM sounds, a musical faultline that splinters out as far as London, Leeds, Brussels and Chicago.

Public Display of Affection’s own marathon DJ sets regularly keep dancers rooted to the floor well into the following afternoon, an unpredictable, energetic and generous style captured in Considine and Tam Tam’s collaborative mix for Phantasy’s long-running series, featuring favourites and propulsive obscurities from DJ Hell, Michael Prince and Zillas on Acid. As per PDA’s slogan, “it’s not for the faint hearted.”

“This mix is our interpretation of the Phantasy sonics. A selection of our favourite tripped-out records that capture the essence of our Progressive Disco Aciiiiiid sound.” - Public Display of Affection


Ivy Leaves

klaxons

Related tracks