The Scissor and Thread's „Classics of the week“ playlist captures the label's lasting legacy, offering key moments and unforgettable tracks. Each track in this playlist carries the label’s unmistakable imprint: subtle, immersive, and built to last. From deep, meditative grooves to warm and welcoming sounds, these records continue to resonate beyond their release. A carefully handpicked collection of past catalogues, all in one place.

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Scissor and Thread: Classics

Lightbluemover - No Cliché feat. Jason Poranski showcases the sound of the Scissor & Thread aesthetic in its early days. The song remains spacious and stripped down, with a nod to tension and minimalism. The vocals are drifting alongside the deep bass tones, making the whole song a delight to listen to. The vocals are catchy and will stick in your head. Dynamics provide a laid back vibe, but the perscussion set and overall groove still make the song danceable and captivating. 

Released in 2012, this EP is still a great snapshot of the label's fresh roots, making it a perfect choice for our classic of the week.

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Classic of the week: Lightbluemover - No Cliché feat. Jason Poranski

Scissor & Thread

Francis Harris Playlist

Scissorandthread -Classic Of The Week

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More about the world has changed than not in the decade since dance production dyad Frank & Tony released their last full-length record, 2014’s You Go Girl. Despite, or perhaps in spite of, this shifting landscape, house music has managed to stay fundamentally reliable (either a bug or its greatest feature, depending on who you ask). Where previously, Frank & Tony have been celebrated for their contemplative, studious approach to the genre, with 2024’s Ethos, the Brooklyn/Biarritz-based duo return amidst metastatic cultural upheaval to prove out those scholarly credentials — with an album that serves to remind listeners why dancefloors and liberatory politics consistently share the language of movements and revolutions. 
"House music has always been an expression of political desire as it often was the only safe space for communities to come together in ways that society at large disallowed,” Harris enthuses. “The same energy in the ‘90s could be found in parts of the punk & hardcore scene. Countercultures exist to create temporary autonomous zones of desire outside of dominant narratives that are roadblocks to creation. We have always been inspired by these countercultural movements and the Frank & Tony project is deeply influenced by it."
Though the project originates from the relationship between house legends Francis Harris and Anthony Collins, the titular Frank & Tony were born of a fictional, happenstance meeting inspired by Harris’s experiences in the more liminal, amorphous dance and punk scenes of the late ‘90s/early 2000s (as exemplified in the early works of photographer Anouk Schneider, whose photographs feature on the duo’s first releases). In a world beyond dialectic, where bodies are simultaneously revered and decentered, Frank & Tony connect for one night on an imaginary dancefloor, vowing to make work together in the future; however, having exchanged no information, and with classic club kid garb obscuring any common identifying characteristics, they turn to the internet in hopes of reconnecting for a collaboration.
This origin myth hones in on the crucial history of the dancefloor as a stage whereupon individuals, regardless of background, enact political and socioeconomic desire to scale, highlighting such locations as the tertiary factor present in intimate relationships of all kinds, brought about when two individuals unite and produce that mysterious third thing that was never really possible without blurring the lines of identity so that collaborative creation can happen. 

In practice, it sounds like the record needed by fans of the genre, full of the lightness and space in rooms full of fellow revelators. “We’re only able to make house music because of the vast legacy of producers from New York, Detroit and Chicago who laid the foundation for what we do today,” Collins divulges. “In many ways it can never really live up to that legacy as our art is born out of privilege rather than necessity to create spaces of political desire in the face of marginalization. So what does this mean? We take that legacy very seriously and we want our stamp on this history to resonate with current and future generations as a bridge to the real history behind it."

Undoubtedly, Ethos is tremendously influenced by the multitude of projects originating from, and supported by, the duo and their label in the decade since You Go Girl– releasing records from a vast diversity of artists (including Nadia Khan, Gry, Villete, Darand Land, Alex Albrecht, Dj Sprinkles and CCL), and Harris becoming curatorial voice of Brooklyn’s premiere venue for audiophiles, Public Records, where he continues to amplify work across a global diaspora (and where the duo maintain a residency of wide praise).

Ethos

Cecile (with Eliana Glass)

Frank & Tony - Cecile (with Eliana Glass)

Ethos (with DaRand Land)

Frank & Tony - Ethos (with DaRand Land)

Alex Albrecht returns with Aurora - a pristine followup to his Blue Caves transmission via Scissor and Thread in 2018. 

The Melbourne based composer and sound designer Albrecht has leans into his predilection for woozy, affecting melodies intertwined with skittering drums and snaking grooves, and Aurora brings that to the fore with six tracks of shimmering beauty. 

Spring Orchard opens the record, effortlessly merging deeply buried keys with washes of dreamlike synths, and dubby effects. 
Wildflower Walk is a melancholic affair, underpinned with a restless groove. 
The title track Aurora treads a similar path, but with a more driving approach, while an interplay between piano, guitar, and synths drenched in reverb offer a warm, enveloping atmosphere. 


Aurora is also shared here as a remix by Roza Terenzi, who entirely reworks the track with her signature club ready grooves . 

Kennett River exhibits a kind of smudged, cinematic hip hop feel, while closing track Morning Piazza showcases Albrecht’s sense of drama and pacing, producing a sublime ending to this deeply affecting collection.

Aurora

Alex Albrecht - Aurora

Artist: @soelaela
Stream/Buy: www.linktr.ee/scissorandthread

Soela is the DJ and production alias of Elina Shorokhova, a Russia-born Berlin-based experienced pianist and vocalist who has made a hugely impactful transition into electronic music.

Having released material on such labels as Kompakt, Dial, Shall Not Fade, Lost Palms, E-Beamz, Red Ember Records, Sushitech, and others, Soela joins the ranks of Scissor & Thread for this exquisite album - Dark Portrait. 

The album opens in a typically understated manner with Unsuitable - a melancholic trip-hop adjacent track that sets the tone for the next 8 pieces. As Soela explains, “I was dealing with some very complex feelings, so I came up with this album, which helped me not to despair, to work on myself, to grow internally, and to start listening to myself. It helped me to keep sane when my country invaded Ukraine with a full scale war. It absolutely broke my heart, and music was one of my main salvations.” 

This complex mix of emotions plays out across the album with tracks that utilize her beautiful musicality (Through the Windows feat. Francis Harris and Philipp Priebe, Drowning feat. Module One) and ear for details with skittering beats, ambient soundscapes (Spirits, Lost In The Fog) and lose-yourself dancefloor moments such as the collaboration with Lawrence on February Is Not Going To Be Forever. The title track Dark Portrait combines dubby elements with affecting pads and melodic touches, while the lead single Even If I Ask You Stay delves into multiple feelings around escaping toxic situations, and battling depression. It features a powerful vocal from Soela supported by a deeply affecting arrangement. The closing track The Darkest Hour Before Sunrise brings a sense of hope and light, balancing subdued keys and strings with ethereal tones and atmospheres

Dark Portrait

Soela - Unsuitable

Stream/Vinyl: www.linktr.ee/scissorandthread

DaRand Land, who hails from the post industrial confines of Buffalo, NY was one of the leading figures of Deep4Life, a cult label known for submersible oriented, yet dancefloor-friendly productions. With ambient synth-driven tones and heavy funk basslines being at the center of his sound, DaRand Land’s music often evokes an introspective quality, without losing its groove fundamental.

Following on from a number of releases on Pulp, Downbeat, Urban Imagery and the “Discover You” EP on Scissor & Thread, here is Nature Of Reality, the single taken from DaRand Land’s second album Wander Being, released on Scissor & Thread in late November 2024. 





“In particular, the single, The Nature of Reality”, says DaRand, “was written to convey a sense of what it feels like to be in a state of suspended animation. There is a natural tension introduced via the organic, swirling pad progression juxtaposed against endless vocal echoes and the low-end groove of the bassline. Thematically, I wanted to carry this forward through the entirety of the album.”

The Nature Of Reality

Stream/Vinyl

DaRand Land - The Nature Of Reality

Stream/Vinyl: www.linktr.ee/scissorandthread

DaRand Land, who hails from the post industrial confines of Buffalo, NY was one of the leading figures of Deep4Life, a cult label known for submersible oriented, yet dancefloor-friendly productions. With ambient synth-driven tones and heavy funk basslines being at the center of his sound, DaRand Land’s music often evokes an introspective quality, without losing its groove fundamental. DaRand’s works, which span decades on deep house labels such as Downbeat, Confluence and Pulp have been described as “uncompromising” and has afforded him a passionate following of listeners who seek a more emotive, thought-provoking brand of underground music.

Teaming up once again with Scissors and Thread - the perfect fit for his sound - DaRand Land drops an album full of crafty, trippy house for the heads. Wander Being contains 10 tracks on the double vinyl release with a pair of additional tracks for the digital release. The vibe is deep and sleek, with a rough, bumping edge. The title track sets the tone, a smattering of percussion accompanying a thick, round kick drum and Rhodes chords, giving off a classic Detroit feel. Tracks like Turn to The Music ramp up the energy somewhat, but overall the tracks sit in the sweet spot between dancefloor burners and soulful, jazzy, deep cuts. 

Noticeable is the space given to each element across the tracks - the hi-hats sparkle, the snare snaps, and the basslines roll and rumble. Add to this the magic melodic flourishes provided by the pads and synths, reminiscent of the late Mike Huckaby in places, made this whole album a thoughtful, joyful experience.

„The genesis for the Wander Being LP”, says DaRand “was a desire to return to the essence of some of my original Deep4Life productions. How was this accomplished? Principally, through the exclusive use of hardware components, minimalist arrangement, and a minds-eye approach to source the musical elements. In particular, the single, The Nature of Reality was written to convey a sense of what it feels like to be in a state of suspended animation. There is a natural tension introduced via the organic, swirling pad progression juxtaposed against endless vocal echoes and the low-end groove of the bassline. Thematically, I wanted to carry this forward through the entirety of the album.

Wander Being

In The Meadow

DaRand Land - In The Meadow

My remix of Portishead's Nylon Smile, made in 2008.

Portishead -Nylon Smile (Black Light Smoke Remix 2008) [DOWNLOAD]

Black Light Smoke’s Lovework EP, released on Scissor & Thread in 2012, channels raw emotion through dusted grooves and analog grit. Jordan Lieb fuses lo-fi house with post-punk attitude, letting tape hiss, saturated drums, and fractured rhythms guide the way. From the warped pulse of the title track to the dark energy of “Nasty Dirty Freaky Love,” each cut feels unpolished in the best way. It’s music with scars, intimate, distorted, and unforgettable.

Lovework EP

stream/vinyl/more

black light smoke -  Nasty Dirty Freaky Love (Original)

Black Light Smoke’s Lovework EP, released on Scissor & Thread in 2012, channels raw emotion through dusted grooves and analog grit. Jordan Lieb fuses lo-fi house with post punk attitude, letting tape hiss, saturated drums, and fractured rhythms guide the way. From the warped pulse of the title track to the dark energy of “Nasty Dirty Freaky Love,” each cut feels unpolished in the best way. It’s music with scars, intimate, distorted, and unforgettable.

Lovework (DJ T. Rемiх)

black light smoke - Lovework (DJ T. Rемiх)

No Cliché / Poppa’s Bag shows two sides of the Scissor & Thread aesthetic in its early days. Lightbluemover’s No Cliché stays spacious and controlled, leaning into tension and minimalism. On the flip, Black Light Smoke’s Poppa’s Bagis looser and rougher around the edges, built from dusty samples and a beat that sounds intentionally unstable.

Released in 2012 this EP still stands out as a snapshot of the label’s rawer beginnings.

No Cliché / Poppa's Bag

No Cliché w/ Jason Poranski (Original)

Released in March 2012, “Leland Remixes Volume 1” brought two of Francis Harris album tracks back into focus. Kate Simko takes “Living Lips” into new depths, rich with detail, while Bruno Pronsato turns “Close Air” into an unfolding drift. Together they show why Scissor & Thread’s early catalog still feels timeless.

Leland Remixes Vol. 1

stream/buy

Living Lips (Kate Simko Rемiх)

Leland kept finding new life. This second set of remixes moves the album into new directions. Matthew Herbert takes “Lostfound” apart and rebuilds it twice over, Black Light Smoke lights a fire under it with restless sounds and Steve Bug changing it into a deep tune. 

Leland Remixes Vol. 2

Pensum (Steve Bug Rемiх)

Tracklist:
1. Willis Anne - Momentum
2. Hidden Spheres - Upsn Down
3. Meterius Johnson feat. Menphis - Love Town (Ekkohaus Remix)
4. Troy Gunner - Playin
5. Gui Boratto - 22
6. Liro - Tripulantes
7. Steve Kasper - Helms Klamm
8. Art Crime - Intention
9. Willis Anne - Seconds
10. Frank & Tony - Call Me Rain
11. Norken - Shoot the Sun (DWIG Remix)
12. Hidden Spheres - Waiting
13. Nils Ohrmann - Take It Easy
14. Romare - Rainbow (Club)
15. Thomas Fröhlich - Home
16. Laurence Guy - Kojak
17. Heathered Pearls - Abandoned Mall Utopia (ft. Shigeto)
18. Jimpster - Solitude
19. Soft Cell - So

On Scissor and Thread’s fourth release of 2016, newcomer Villete takes a turn in the spotlight on their deep house stunner, ‘Girl Next Door’. The A-side opens with the swelling pads and earnest hi-hat of “Dreams”. A distant voice declares “everyone is devoted to their emotion, it’s me and my imagination” before a springy bass line drops in, ushering in the mantra “never be afraid to dream”. A brassy synth further envelops the listener into the track’s warm embrace as layers of percussion skitter in and out of focus. “September” takes a turn for the cerebral with its’ skipping hi-hats and airy pads. A springy bass line is accompanied by celestial synths that envelop the senses, making this psychedelic cut primed for after hours devastation. Villete goes even more cerebral on their introspective title cut, dialing back on the BPM, but keeping the energy high. A hushed bass and thudding kick take the backseat, allowing the hypnotizing, submerged pads and swirling, reverbed synths to take center stage, transporting dancers into eye-closed euphoria. The EP closes with the murky drum tones of “Rillia”. Droning pads, delicate claps, and a shy, skittering shaker keep things bubbling and light above the track’s thicker than molasses kicks. Deep house maestro Darand Land takes his turn on the aforementioned track, lifting it out of the murk and straight up to the heavens and drenching it in his sun-kissed, euphoric style.

Girl Next Door

September

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DJ Aakmael 
Take It Back EP 

Scissor & Thread ramp up the heat with the debut release by Virginia’s deep house don, DJ Aakmael (@dj-aakmael).

Known for his infectious grooves and deep and intricate instrumentation for more than two decades, this four track EP is in no short supply of teased out, peak time, classic deep house.

The titular track wastes no time on the A-side with its hard hitting kick and springy bass holding court, while a hypnotic serpentine synth snakes along.

The A2, What Iz Deep House, is a lesson for those who don’t know what true deep house is. Woozy, edgy chords take the spotlight as a dissociated voice slurs, “what is deep house?” A relentlessly thick kick, along with sharp as razors hi-hats and snaps, throttle the track into peak time territory.

On the flip, Sands is an aquatic affair, with its reverb laden pads and piano chord stabs submerging the floor in pelagic atmosphere. The persistent, euphoric bassline bump effortlessly slides its hooks into the listeners ears before a celestial piano melody pierces through the depths.

Frank & Tony take things even deeper with their late night Breakaway Dub, applying their signature bass line touch and hi-hat shuffle in what may be their best remix to date.

sat033
17 Nov 2017

A1. Take It Back
A2. What Iz Deep House
B1. Sand
B2. Sand (Frank & Tony’s Breakaway Dub)

Take It Back

What Iz Deep House

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Francis Harris is a founding member of the Scissor & Thread label - a Brooklyn-based imprint established 2011 as an outlet for deeper, more personal sounds, as well as music from a range of associated artists including black light smoke, Bob Moses, Frank & Tony, DJ Aakmael, Desert Sound Colony and Aris Kindt, to name a few.

Harris’ own output has gone from tightly wound tech house cuts as Adultnapper in the early days, sublime deep house
as Frank & Tony, intricate and expressive musical journeys as evident in his two solo-albums 'Leland' and 'Minutes Of Sleep', and ambient shoegaze with two Aris Kindt albums, co-produced with Gabe Hedrick. Most recently Harris branched out with a new label - Kingdoms - a home for his love of a more adventurous sound.

Now we are proud to present his new solo single, the frst since the release of 'Minutes of Sleep', 'Minor Forms' which includes two remarkable remixes by Valentino Mora.

'More We Cannot Do' is a perfect example of Harris‘ feel for depth and dynamics - a track that feels submerged in a warm amniotic fluid cocooning the listener in a thick subby bassline, providing much of the groove, with skittering percussion on top and intricate fragments of melody throughout leading to a wonderful moment with live vibraphone provided by New York player Will Shore.

'Minor Forms', the EP’s title track is cut from similar cloth - emerging from a subtly distant place to inhabit a melancholic, beautifully evocative space - somewhere between ambient, jazz and the dancefloor. Joining Harris is Greg Paulus on Trumpet, a long time friend and collaborator adding his signature touch to an already moving piece.

Valentino Mora offers up two exquisite reworks of 'Minor Forms' to complete the EP. Mora, the Berlin based Uruguayan producer, brings his own layer of depth to Harris‘ originals - the Underwater Rephrase version adds a propulsive kick and manages to shimmer and shake in subtle unexpected ways providing a purely late night dancefloor take on the original.

The Cosmic Trans Rephrase is somehow even deeper - a bubbling bass pulse anchors the track while pads drift in and out, adding to the blissful, meditative whole.

sat034
23 Feb 2018

Tracklisting:
A1. More We Cannot Do
A2. Minor Forms
B1. Minor Forms (Valentino Mora Underwater Rephase) 
B2. Minor Forms (Valentino Mora Cosmic Trans Rephase)

Minor Forms

Francis Harris - Minor Forms (Valentino Mora Underwater Rephase)

Serge Devant - Thinking Of You Ft. Camille Safiya (Serge Devants Floor Cut

We are back again, this time with local lad @interplanetary-criminal issuing a huge summer time UKG EP! 5 brand new tracks to keep you moving across this sunny season. Keep an ear out on the B side as well, as label favourite @breakaleeds slices up a massive remix of Sensational… 

Huge tip for festival season approaching!

Bandcamp: bit.ly/2ImfsEf
Phonica: bit.ly/2IXBKLw
Juno: bit.ly/2WL2W4P
Deejay.de: bit.ly/2RjkmVa
Hardwax: bit.ly/31a8vMT
Lobster: bit.ly/2SYvrvC
Sounds Of The Universe: bit.ly/2KoPZK9
Redeye: bit.ly/2F9r9fp
Coldcuts: bit.ly/2Ik00s1

OUT NOW! 

Pre-order: 17.06.19
Release Date: 05.07.19

DSD014

Buy 12"

[DSD014] Interplanetary Criminal - Confused EP (w/ Breaka Remix)

Ketapop’s finest @ninze from Leipzig is dropping his first solo vinyl on limited Feines Tier colored double vinyl. Comode 01 is a selection of productions in a comfy bpm and mood. 
Draped by diverse styled remixes of long term friends @dwig @nicolacruz @philipp_fein and @schleppgeist

Exclusive distribution by @kompakt