Presenting their second release of the year, Antrim’s Or Two Strangers welcomes Sebastian Sellares back to the label for a new EP. The Cordoba resident has been one of the imprints core artists since first appearing in 2019, with five original productions released over the course of a prolific sixteen month stretch. UK behemoth Anjunadeep, Cid Inc’s Replug Records, GMJ and Matter's Meanwhile and US powerhouse Proton Music have also served as landing spots for the Argentine's mesmerizing productions, while progressive music tastemakers Hernan Cattaneo and Nick Warren continue to champion his sound. With the year being highlighted by the recently released Replug vehicle ‘Sky Above’, a joint EP project produced alongside fellow countryman Ezequiel Arias, Sebastian now returns to Or Two Strangers with a three track showcase entitled ‘Blizzard’.

EP opener and title selection ‘Blizzard’ finds Sebastian operating at the peak of his creative powers. Fuelled by tough driving beats and layers of hypnotic percussion; it’s Sebastian’s stirring melodies which ultimately shape the piece into a memorable dance floor slam. Colourful cascades emerge leading into the main break, sitting in an emotional headspace and bringing with them trails of balmy atmospherics and effervescent effects, before eventually breaking off into a drop of rebounding rhythms and heartwarming chord changes.

Selection two ‘Elements of Nature’ lands with an equally impressive display of craftsmanship. Sebastian re-affirms his ability to tip a late-night dance floor over the edge, with wobbly grooves and hip-swinging percussion laying the foundation for misty atmospheres and smoky instrumentation. Sitting comfortably in an ethereal yet thought provoking space, thumping beats rise out of a soulful strum-led break into an ever-evolving, free form finale.

The EP’s final selection ‘Hypnotica’ finds Sebastian continuing to diversify his portfolio with a whimsical creation that’s nicely dialled for the sunrise hours. Deeper in design and highly stylized in delivery, its beautifully contoured, funk-fuelled groove sets the course for incandescent melodies and otherworldly harmonics to create a panoramic musical skyline. Often celebrated for his ability to create emotional themes, Sebastian has ventured further with the ‘Blizzard’ collection, into a time of true innovation, traversing a multitude of realms and dimensions within the progressive spectrum, while excelling throughout.

Words by Release Promo
@or-two-strangers

Blizzard

Sebastian Sellares - Hypnotica (Original Mix) [Preview - LQ]

Forty Cats - Forest Beast (Berni Turletti Remix) [Sound Avenue]

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

Arctic Lake - Hesitate (Apocrypha AR Remix) Snippet

Following on from the February 2022 remixes, Meanwhile now returns to Alex O’Rion’s EP as “Echium Remixed, Pt. 2” continues with another trio of outstanding interpretations.

A legendary figure in the world of art, music and underground dance, Roger Martinez has been a central figure with his kaleidoscopic sound and spiritual influences. Music signed to Lost & Found, Replug and his own Higher States have confirmed this status while July 2020’s “Cosmic” was a further notable highlight on Meanwhile. Now returning to GMJ & Matter’s imprint, the Roger Martinez remix of “The Chase” is an uptempo offering that draws on his musical influences with a powerful beat and deep bass groove. Using pitched elements from Alex’s original, vocal cuts shift in stereo-panned glory and epic white-noise risers and infinite delays create a dense swirling atmosphere. Pausing at the breakdown to introduce additional melodic elements, the track then drops back into its hypnotic groove as new melodic motifs create the aptly titled “Interdimensional Remix”.

GMJ & Matter return to their flagship imprint with typical flair and aplomb. Able to point to a rich catalogue of original and remix work in both solo and collaborative guises throughout Meanwhile’s two-year reign at the top of the progressive house charts, the Melbourne based duo provide a powerful and dynamic rendition of the title track. GMJ & Matter have thus taken the effects fuelled “Echium” and transformed it into a dark seething progressive house monster that lurks beneath gently pulsing waves. Serene in its build, delayed synth phrases cascade over each other in endless delay while new melodies twinkle across the mid-range in trademark-soaked reverb and elegantly stratified sonic layers. Maintaining the aural themes sculpted by Alex O’Rion in the original, GMJ & Matter have successfully navigated a new and dynamic path through the beautiful “Echium”.

Imran Khan has cemented a reputation as one of the progressive house fraternity’s leading lights. Almost a double century of production credits has seen remix and original music land on the likes of Mango Alley, Proton Music and Clinique, since a 2016 debut for the latter. Moreover, 2021’s “Push Thru / Horizonz” and “Equinox” have delighted the Meanwhile faithful. Returning for a third remix, the Imran Khan reworking of “The Serpent” is a typically deep and atmospheric affair with huge thumping beat and cavernous bass groove dominating the low end. Capturing the flowing melodic phrasing of the original, pitched synths and pulsating white-noise risers create a thick soup of sound that evolves in bubbling sonic patterns with their origins in Alex O’Rion’s impressive production technique. The resulting marriage of two musical identities finds Imran Khan once again illustrating his impressive production credentials through trademark sound design.

Another musical triptych pays tribute to the sonic diversity found in Alex O’Rion’s music as Roger Martinez, GMJ & Matter and Imran Khan open up in full bloom through the towering “Echium”.

Alex O'Rion - The Chase (Roger Martinez Interdimensional Remix)

Review by Release Promo (@releasepromo)

The latest release from Deepwibe Underground finds Kostya Outta and Bodai presenting their first ever collaboration. Based in Belarus, it’s been an impressive year for Kostya with a string of well received projects for Deepwibe Underground and Mango Alley. Support from Nick Warren, Eelke Kleijn and a host of other progressuve music tastemakers have made Kostya one of the genre’s brightest new talents. Meanwhile, Argentinian artist/vocalist Bodai has been enjoying her best year to date with releases via Nick Warren’s The Soundgarden and her own AMITABHA imprint. Now, combining their extensive forces, Kostya and Bodai land on Deepwibe Underground with ‘Imagine’, alongside remixes from @dmitrymolosh and @thecobbmusic.

Full review, premiere + buy link 👉 https://progressiveastronaut.com/kostya-outta-bodai-imagine-deepwibe-underground

Buy on Beatport

Kostya Outta & Bodai - Imagine (The Cobb Remix)

Download & Stream / http://lnk.to/ALLEYAUG009

ALLEYAUG009
Augmented 009 / Ruben Karapetyan
MA Exclusive Compilation Series

001 maximo lasso - locals can be main too
002 laeandro caceres & facundo borras - give me more
003 ZAHNA - flavor
004 lio q - analog
005 marway - soulprint
006 fran garay - deductions
007 pablo pastor - mirrors of love
008 luis damora - waterfalls
009 nufects - mercy
010 mehmet akar - return of the elephant
011 ruben karapetyan - learn to smile through pain
012 fjl - ap668
013 lopa - golden travelers
014 juan buitrago & mati vaira - staccato
015 matias burna - ateon
016 rafa'EL - astara

/ compiled & mixed by Ruben Karapetyan
/ mastering by Cid Inc.

ALLEYAUG009 Augmented 009 / Ruben Karapetyan

Download & Stream

ZAHNA Flavors

Making his debut on the label, Clyve joins us with a classy double header. 

Hailing from the island of Malta, Clyve is no stranger to the sounds of electronic music. Breaking onto the scene at the turn of the century as a techno DJ, his tastes have matured in recent times towards a more melodic style. His productions have started to make waves on the scene since 2021, and he’s quickly found his footing with releases on Plattenbank, Mango Alley and more, proving that he’s an artist with a lot to say who lets the music do his talking.

His first EP on Sudbeat opens with ‘Lights at Night’. Deeply intricate and ultimately satisfying, much like his incendiary DJ sets, a considered build up and subtle melodics have made this a secret weapon in progressive house dance floors for many months already.

‘Mirage in a Cloud’ rallies to round out the pack with aplomb. Wildly danceable and more upbeat than its partner, the percussive underbelly acts as the perfect framework for orchestral lines, arps and vocal adlibs. A fitting end of the night rabble-rouser of a tune.

Lights at Night

Mirage in a Cloud

Get your copy!

SB224 | Clyve 'Mirage In A Cloud'

James Gill returns to the label starting his 2023 with an explosive package. 

New Jersey native, James has built a solid reputation for his unique groovy progressive style and over the past two decades his music has soundtracked parties across the globe.

Opening with the muted acid tones of title track ‘Sahara’, James wraps the listener up in his magical cape of melancholy and takes them on a sonic journey of discovery! Ebbing and flowing with consummate ease, the groove transports you in the best way before Vangelis-esque melody lines in the main break ramp up the energy for that pre-peak ride.

Next up, ‘Neon Skies Melt My Mind’ open with bubbly bass and a mind-altering airy pad. Growing slowly over the opening sections with light arps and hypnotic percussive lines, the main break washes over you before the big drop.

Rounding out the EP, ‘Nucleation’ strides a darker, late night path. Sombre and pacey, the energy grows more insistently and with an air of menace. One for the moments just before dawn.

Sahara

SB225 | James Gill 'Sahara'

Solis [US] - Katura (original mix)

Nae:Tek, Roman Ridder - Vault [Superordinate Dub Waves]

Positivo - Terra

meanwhile is the creative outlet & vision of GMJ & Matter.
Founded in 2020, we pride ourselves on releasing & showcasing only the finest in forward thinking deep & progressive music from around the globe.

Our label family is growing with resident DJ's including Olga Misty (Russia) amhain (Ireland / Australia), Paul Deep (AR), Sebastian Sellares (AR),  Forerunners (USA), DJ Ogawa (Japan), Imran Khan (UK), DJ Ruby (Malta) & Ricky Ryan (Argentina), Jiminy Hop (Russia)

Not currently accepting demos. ✌