I've been a huge fan of Bas Dobbelaer's concise but immaculate record of releases on AD 93, Appian, On Board Music, and his superb collaborations with Vand for Something Happening Somewhere, and I'm excited to welcome the Amsterdam-based artist to the podcast. The subtle rhythm and gentle beauty in Bas' music captures perfectly the spirit of what I'd like to hear when I'm back on the dance floor, yet accompanies a quiet moment just as well. Here Bas layers curtains of low morphing frequencies, cycling syncopation, and glacial tension, constantly skirting the edges of harmonic perception in a brilliant expansion of his own sonic palette. This particular mix has been a long time coming but it was certainly worth the wait, and has me looking forward to the days ahead. Thanks Bas!

@bas-dobbelaer

Artwork by Alyce Currier.

Sure Thing Mix 104: Bas Dobbelaer

A space to fall into again and again. A start that feels like an ending and an end that feels like a beginning. A wistful recollection of our motions, an invitation to share ourselves as we have before. A dawn letter written in a shade between sky and stars, echoing gently and begging to be whispered aloud.

From Sweden's @martinou3000 (Sewer Sender, UntilMyHeartStops, AD 93, Appian, Cong Burn), a perfect cadence. Thank you!

Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

Sure Thing Mix 105: Martinou

I'm thrilled to welcome Milo Bragg to the series, expert curator and founder of the Future Primitive label and Club Rooted mix series. We connected over a shared love of music occupying the space between genres and adjacent to the dance floor, and of tracing the paths these sounds have taken over the years. True to form, Milo's contribution is a lesson in atmospheric refinement, a spacious selection taking its cues from far corners and uncommon hours, at times paring to a single thread yet holding taut until its final note. It's a pleasure to share this one, elegant and elusive all at once. Thanks Milo!

Tracklist:
Klaus - Cry Tuff (Tanum)
Valentino Mora - Membrane (Spazio Disponibile)
Forest Drive West - Time (on 33RPM) (Whities)
Forest Drive West w/ Percussion by Lucky Pereira - Scorpion (Livity Sound)
natural/electronic.system. - Libeccio (Tikita)
Biosphere - Birds Fly By Flapping Their Wings (v2) (Biophon Records)
Black Merlin - MIEA (Bitta)
Panasonic - Untitled (Zoviet France remix) (Sähkö Recordings)
Terrence Dixon - Minimalism II (B1) (Background)
Thomas Brinkmann - Olga 2 (Ernst)
Closer Musik ‎– One Two Three (No Gravity) (Kompakt)
Steve O'Sullivan - Rubber Lover (Bluespirit)
Flexible - Emphasize (Offshoot)

More from Milo:
@clubrooted
@future-primitive-records

Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

Sure Thing Mix 108: Milo Bragg

MIST004 - Archivist - Psion (w/ Claudio PRC Remixes)
Release date: October 26, 2021 (12" & Digital)
Buy: surethingrec.bandcamp.com/album/psion

A1. Psion
A2. Psion (Claudio PRC Remix)
B1. Stone Eater
B2. Stone Eater (Claudio PRC Remix)

Sure Thing welcomes two new additions to the label with a long-distance collaboration between Seattle's Archivist and Berlin's Claudio PRC. Two original productions from Archivist recall dense, billowing fog and the gentle shimmer of waves, each re-imagined through Claudio PRC's exacting lens into novel forms that spiral with steady, monolithic intent. Brought together, an expansive double vision, an exploration of the compelling nature of movement and air each within the other.

Written and produced by Archivist.
Remixes by Claudio PRC.
Mastered by Neel at Enisslab.
Artwork by Sofia Hjortberg.

MIST004 - Archivist - Psion (w/ Claudio PRC Remixes)

Hyperreal sonic hallucinations and unsettled rhythmic pulsations from Vector Trancer, the talented producer and @mirrorzone affiliate who carries us across the threshold with this breathtaking hour of jagged, unbridled intensity. Stretching the observable world beyond its limits, a plasmic burn straight to the edge.

More from Vector Trancer:
@vectortrancer_aasudd

Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

Sure Thing Mix 109: Vector Trancer

I'm elated to welcome Hamburg's Space Drum Meditation to the series, whose gorgeous productions channel intricate, percussive techno while drawing cues from hazy, left-field psychedelia. Glowing at the edges, this thunderous and fiercely effective set from the duo occupies spirited territory and moves at steady pace, daring the sun to rise, compelling our bodies to flutter.

@spacedrummeditation

Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

Sure Thing Mix 110: Space Drum Meditation

A luminescent vision from London's o.utlier, whose meticulous and uncommon approach sets the stage for a new year of discovery. A sanguine moment recorded live among friends in Scotland, a scrying of shrouded futures, a promise cast beneath a clairvoyant sky.

@o-utlier

Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

Sure Thing Mix 111: o.utlier

MIST005 - Polygonia - Bloom (inc. Forest Drive West Remix)
Release Date: March 8, 2022 (12" & Digital)
Buy: https://surethingrec.bandcamp.com/album/bloom

A1. Dreaming Trees
A2. Bloom
B1. Coleus
B2. Dreaming Trees (Forest Drive West Remix)

Polygonia's deftly enchanting "Bloom" EP unravels with the melancholic blur of a waking dream. Conjuring the vivid echoes of a phantom forest, fluttering atmospheres swirl amidst shimmering voices as they compel the mind to wander. A remix from Forest Drive West deepens the spell, stretching the punctate rhythm of "Dreaming Trees" into a siren's call, a beguiling echo rippling beneath the flow of time.

Written and produced by Polygonia.
Remix by Forest Drive West.
Mastered by Neel at Enisslab.
Artwork by Sofia Hjortberg.

MIST005 - Polygonia - Bloom (w/ Forest Drive West Remix)

In collaboration with our friends at Mostra (@mostrabcn), our latest mix highlights a personal favorite from the upcoming festival's roster. New York's Vicki Siolos (@vickisiolos) is an eminently thoughtful curator whose mindfulness shines through in her deliberate, insightful track selections and the programming of her Bright Patterns show on The Lot Radio. In fact Vicki and I have been discussing this particular contribution for over two years now, and through that conversation it became clear how deeply Vicki's artistic expression ties into her lived experiences and the process of meaningful reflection. Vicki's timely contribution speaks volumes and simple truths: a gasp, an ache, a salve.

Vicki will be joining Patrick Russell & Ulla from the US at the first edition of Mostra, a new small-format festival taking place April 11-17 in Barcelona. The lineup hosts more than a few friends & favorites of the label, and the festival promises an experience that is local, inclusive, and sustainable. More here: www.mostra.barcelona/eng

Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

Sure Thing Mix 112: Vicki Siolos

An entropic and otherworldly episode from Taiwanese and London-based sound artist Jin [靜], whose contribution draws parallels between classic, exploratory electronica and modern hyper-sensory techno. Gathering like a humble storm, Jin's mix is compounding and ravenous in its accumulation of material energy, a distillation of sonic pressure, a volatile crush to the senses.

@jinsynth

Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

Sure Thing Mix 113: Jin [靜]

A serene and narrative vision from Georgia's HVL, key Bassiani resident and celebrated producer whose remarkable output is a universe unto itself. Both eloquent and understated, HVL re-frames the present in a parallax moment, a vast trembling stasis, one scene falling upon the next like settling snow.

@hvl

Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

Sure Thing Mix 114: HVL

We ease into a new season with Conna Haraway, co-founder of the immaculate INDEX:Records & Appendix.files catalogues.   Recorded in Glasgow alongside mutual favorite Perila, Conna's contribution astounds, filling the air with skin-soft static, awash with the flush of tender rebellion.

@connaharaway
@indexrecords
@appendixfiles

Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

Sure Thing Mix 115: Conna Haraway

With studied and meticulous elegance, Sa Pa summons a Dionysean tempest, a writ to harness the coming storm. It's humbling to share this and more so to listen, a fervent tour de force recorded live at Paral·lel Festival, a call to convergence under the boundless Catalonian sky.

@absurdlustre
@parallelfestival

Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

Sure Thing Mix 116: Sa Pa

An encounter with a wayward dragonfly formed the memory upon which London’s Amphybian (fka Harry) stitches this exploration of flight and form. Reliving the scene in its microscopic splendor, we find ourselves wandering along the living, breathing riverbed, set free amidst the realm of the naiad. Our ears attuned, we hear a divine flutter, discern the whisper of a living dream.

@amphybian

Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

Sure Thing Mix 117: Amphybian

Our final mix of the year welcomes Ute.Rec co-founder Marius Bø, whom I had the distinct pleasure of meeting in the Norwegian mountains this summer. Comprised entirely of unreleased material from the collective, Marius' composition is slow-burning alchemy, pure oneiric fire, unforgettable from first spark. "Space does not exist," instructs Louise Bourgeois, "it is just a metaphor for the structure of our existence." Listening, we dissolve, recalling the somatic wisdom of those who would sculpt the physical to capture the invisible.

@mariusbo
@ute-rec

Artwork by Kenny Kneefel.

Sure Thing Mix 118: Marius Bø

From Naarm's Zara, a seismic dawn to the new year. Halftime rhythms tremble, atmospheres kiss the wind, valleys of unbridled emotion nestle in-between. A colossal mix of sincere gravity, cleaving a path forward, brimming with new light. Thanks Zara!

@zaraolsen
@kinesis-recordings

Artwork by Angelina Nikolayeva.

Sure Thing Mix 119: Zara

Clear as spring water, the memory of Shoal's beautiful live set echoing through the Norwegian mountains, finally sharing the stage together at Monument (@monument-podcast) after meeting in Amsterdam several years ago. Those familiar with our dear friends at Harmony Rec (@harmony-rec) will be undoubtedly familiar with Kenny's impeccable body of work, and for the rest an eye-opening treat awaits. Here, Kenny gathers highlights from his recent live sets and newly recorded material, arranged and refined into a perfect contemplation of the crisp arboreal air, a vivid composition of body and sound entwined tightly beneath the earth. Thanks Kenny!

@shoall

Artwork by Angelina Nikolayeva.

Sure Thing Mix 120: Shoal

With purest delight, I'm so excited to welcome Pjenné of Passing Notes Radio & Companion (@companionmelb) for the latest episode in our series. Penny's curatorial expertise and long-standing dedication to the Naarm/Melbourne scene have established her as a pillar of the city's sonic landscape, and both her love of musical discovery and unmistakable influence are felt deeply from afar. 

Pjenné's mix is a enchanting trip through fields of wonder, equal parts honey and gossamer, moving and blissfully sublime. Tender hues paint the air while fervent warmth fills the aching heart. There are few selectors out there with a repertoire as consistently profound as Penny's, and yet one feels we've barely scratched the surface of what's to come. Thank you Penny!

@pjenne

Ikebana by Katherine Frazer
www.katherinefrazer.com

Sure Thing Mix 121: Pjenné

MIST006 - Various Artists - My Own Mirror To Stay
Release Date: March 6, 2023 (12" & Digital)
Buy: https://surethingrec.bandcamp.com/album/my-own-mirror-to-stay

A1 Lukas Urban - A Glass of Empty Rooms
A2 Soreab - The Boy And The Beast
A3 Sanguine - Fake Leaves
B1 McGregor - Clean Lines
B2 ENA - Arkadia Blue
B3 Will Alfred - Pattern Static

With its first label compilation, "My Own Mirror To Stay," Sure Thing invites six new voices into the fold. Each provides an acutely personal reflection of the dance floor suspended in a singular crystalline moment, from wide-eyed to weightless, together seeking new horizons inward and out.

Mastered by Neel at Enisslab
Artwork by Nicola Tirabasso
Additional design by Nathaniel Young

MIST006 - V/A - My Own Mirror To Stay

Our latest mix is a remarkable live set from The Hague-based producer Harald Uunk, who guides us through an exploration of the psyche from which we emerge anew. Harald calls upon self-made instruments, field recordings, and experimentation with hardware and software to reach the furthest limits of his sonic vision, and what we discover there is breathtaking. An immediate and compelling sense of urgency finds itself fractured, recomposed, and through the fragments we glimpse the primordial. I've been eager to hear more of Harald's work for quite some time, so the opportunity to share this set for the series feels truly special. Enjoy the journey, and thank you Harald!

@haralduunk

Artwork by Angelina Nikolayeva.

Sure Thing Mix 122: Harald Uunk

Honored to welcome UK-based Caldera to the series, a talented and multi-dimensional producer affiliated with several of our favorite labels along with his Well Street-associated Loop LF alias. Caldera's mix is volcanic, true to form, simmering and vaporous in its first half before igniting in thunderous bloom in the second. From headiness and haze to full-blown percussive workouts, an unparalleled sense of rhythm lies at its core, seismic in its swell. Thank you Caldera!

@caldera-caldera

Artwork by Angelina Nikolayeva.

Sure Thing Mix 123: Caldera

Warp drive techno from the Japanese master, and our last podcast of the year. Love and thanks to everyone who joined us on this journey through 2018. See you next year!

Cover art by Sofia Hjortberg.

Sure Thing Mix 65: Takaaki Itoh

Steady layering, infectious rhythms, and carefully manipulated energy comprise Alfred Czital’s contribution to our series, one we’ve been looking forward to for quite some time. An impeccably composed hour of brisk, organic techno from the @harmony-rec co-founder, @ankali resident, and Prague-based hometown hero.

More from Alfred:
@fred-czital

Photography by Jan Hrábek.

Sure Thing Mix 85: Alfred Czital

A warm and welcome contribution from Vancouver's Segue, mix 88 is a current of softly mirrored echoes and a flutter of fine, delicate rhythms. Don't miss "The Island" (Silent Season), the latest full-length work from the veteran producer whose fine output keeps us floating ever higher.

More from Segue:
@segueambient
www.segueambient.com
http://open.spotify.com/artist/6l64C1xRcgpmGszthSr4cf

Photography by Kenny Kneefel (Shoal).

Sure Thing Mix 88: Segue

Every so often we find ourselves lost in a mix that melts our surroundings away, pulling us straight back to our favorite memories from the dance floor. Enter London's Riccardo Villella, designer by trade and expert co-curator of the beloved Truants series, who deftly translates those rare, fleeting feelings into this blissful two-hour mix. Suffused with subtle euphoria, this set is a bittersweet ode to those beautifully hazy moments in the dance, and is one you'll want to queue up with friends near or far. Here's to the memories ahead.

@riccardovillella

Photography by Angelina Nikolayeva.

Alva Noto - Xerrox Isola [Raster-Noton]
Faki - Rainbow Delta (Ambient Mix) [Ostgut Ton] 
Shed - Estrange [Ostgut Ton] 
Daniele Baldelli DJ Rocca - Sky Dump (Cachu Remix) [Rogue Cat Sounds] 
Jamida - Wad II [Harmony Rec.] 
Bas Dobbelaer & Vand - Body Electric [Something Happening Somewhere] 
Joy O - Burn feat Infinite & Mansur Brown [Hinge Finger] 
Doctrina Natura - Rite Of Passage (Saphileaum's 5th Sky) [Aarden Records] 
Dycide - Sputia [Lowless] 
Claudio Prc - Segmento (Svreca & Blazej Malinowski Remix) [Semantica]
The Exaltics - Journey to Jupiter (Objekt Remix) [Solar One Music] 
Ruhig - Stillness [Midgar Records] 
Toma Kami - This Side Up (Forest Drive West Remix) [Oscillate Tracks]
Shlømo - Ivory [Taapion Records] 
Hydrangea - Lune&D [Dust Rec.]
His Master's Voice - Eve [Delsin] 
Wata Igarashi & Voiski - Pronom [Delsin] 
DJ Nobu - Wwww [No ‘Label’]
Plastikman - Are Friends Electrik? [M_nus]
2030 - Step Forward [Subosc] 
Forest On Stasys - Golden Scales [Danza Nativa] 
Laertes - Argonaut [Mental Modern] 
Vincent Vidal - A Ritual Scene (Antigone Remix) [ARTS] 
Ness - The Spaceship Of The Imagination [Informa Records] 
Axones - Psychic Lemons (Messiahwaits Remix) [Poincare Records] 
Evigt Mörker - Stigning [On The 5th Day
Agonis - Maschinenlogik (Marco Shuttle Remix) [Amenthia] 
Atomic Moog - Floating Motion [Lowless] 
Realitycheck - Modern Talk [Renascence] 
PRGM - Line Fault [Midgar] 
Dold - Eva [Arsenik] 
Neon Chambers - Cascade [Dekmantel] 
Quirke - Spinhaunt Coil [Whities]

Sure Thing

Sure Thing Mix 092: Riccardo Villella

MIST002 - PRG/M - Lenta Ginestra
Release date: Sept 10 2020 (12" Vinyl / Digital)

A1. Giardini e Palagi
A2. Ignea Bocca
A3. Flutto Rovente
B1. Lenta Ginestra (Acronym Remix)
B2. Marchesa Deserta
B3. Lenta Ginestra

Sure Thing’s second release sees Italian producer PRG/M join the label’s roster, following an acclaimed EP for Midgar Records and his ongoing work as a member of r²π. Departing from the soft edges of MIST001, the six-track EP contains multitudes, with looping arrangements that showcase PRG/M’s technical depth and breadth of vision. From the hypnotic, tightly percussive “Giardini e Palagi” to the intense, psychedelic “Flutto Rovente,” the EP captures a range of moods and textures and offers an exemplary example of precise, immersive techno.

The title, Lenta Ginestra, takes its name from a flowering species that grows slowly upon the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, the active volcano known for Pompeii’s destruction. The title is poetic and apt; throughout the EP there’s a sense of restrained patience amid chaos. Like the flower, the title track is delicate but tough, building tension and skillfully resisting catharsis. A remix from Stilla Ton’s Acronym is a dance-forward deconstruction that incites movement while nicely complementing PRG/M’s more charged productions. Despite the lush density of these tracks, groove is never sacrificed. It’s a commanding work, made for both dance floors and deep listening.

Written and produced by Pier Giuseppe Mariconda.
Remix by Acronym.
Mastered by Neel at Enisslab.
Artwork by Sofia Hjortberg.

MIST002 - PRG/M - Lenta Ginestra (w/ Acronym Remix)

It's my pleasure to welcome Yan to the podcast, co-founder of Harmony Rec. and beloved resident of Prague's Ankali. We finally crossed paths in Japan last fall, playing together in Shibuya in what became one of my favorite memories of the year before heading off to the one-and-only Labyrinth.

Having just celebrated their sixth anniversary and with six label releases now under their belt, the Harmony Rec. crew have a lot to celebrate. You can hear it in this mix, I think, buoyant and addictive in its dedication to the never-ending dance floor. Yan takes us right into the zone and keeps us there.

@yanmmxiv
@harmony-rec

Photography by Alyce Currier.

Sure Thing Mix 098: Yan

Many of you will need no introduction to the music of Primal Code, the Italian duo who have conjured up a storm of stunning releases on labels such as Hypnus, The Gods Planet, and Konstrukt in relatively short order. We first connected over their gorgeous, then-unreleased track "Morgana," and since then it's been a pleasure watching them develop their natural and introspective sound, each release as polished and inspiring as the last. I'm so happy to welcome them to the podcast and what they've sent is pure delight, an emerald  evocation of sun-pierced woods and the clearing of the morning mist. Enjoy!

@primalcodemusic

Photography by Angelina Nikolayeva.

Sure  Thing Mix 099: Primal Code

One last mix to end the year. When Svreca sent me this set, he could not have known what it would mean to me. I have spent so much time looking back lately, reliving old discussions and re-imagining moments passed, often lamenting how much was lost along the way. In just under three hours this mix communicates the flow of years. An archived recording from a special memory, it reminds me that the passage of time is beautiful even in what it fades away. Listening to it, I become lost completely, as though I am everywhere at once.

Thank you to everyone who listened this year, who sent warm messages and left comments, who supported us and kept us feeling connected. Thank you to the artists who continue to give their time and trust to the podcast and label, and keep us moving forward.

Finally, thank you Svreca for this gift and for being an inspiration from the very beginning. We're all here listening. Let's dive in.

@semantica-records

Artwork by Clara Cortes.

Sure Thing Mix 100: Svreca

A new season begins with a warm welcome to Joachim Spieth, founder of the Affin label. A true veteran of the scene, Joachim's first release dates back 1999 via Kompakt, and his own label narrates an impressive and storied history from 2007 onward. Recent years have seen quite the community grow around Affin's beloved output of ambient and techno, including recent stellar works from Einox and Toki Fuko, and last month's beautiful "Ousia" LP from Joachim himself.

This mix is blanketed by a calm, snow-bound serenity yet its nature is far from laid-back. As ethereal as it is energetic, this mix drives forth the clarity of Joachim's vision — a brisk inhale of the coming storm, an idyllic wind lifting us into the gale. Thanks Joachim!

@joachim-spieth
@Affin

Artwork by Danielle Kaidanow.

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