For us, it could be yesterday when Amelie Lens decided to start her own Record Label (LENSKE) to support and expand her particular view in techno music, as well as her unique style of music that can be denoted in her sets. 

Overview. In May 2018, Belgium’s Amelie Lens launched LENSKE, the fruit of working on new music and collaborating with her peers. The aim was to create a platform to release her own and friend’s music that they use to tear apart dance floors around the globe. Less than two years after, LENSKE is putting out their 10th release and it’s evolved into something more than just a label, but a family.
During this relatively short time, the prolific crew formed by Amelie Lens, Farrago, Milo Spykers, AIROD and Ahl Iver have released a collection of contemporary anthems, storming techno cuts and acid weapons. The imprint’s catalogue illustrates their exploration for a shade of techno particularly focused on the hi-NRG factor. You can usually catch them at the Exhale showcases worldwide – at the likes of fabric London, Off Sonar in Barcelona and Dour in Belgium- testing their new productions that the crowd highly anticipate for their release.
For this fresh record, each artist contributes a track for a mini VA compilation showcasing the label’s sound. Belgian producer Milo Spykers opens up with ‘Traversing’, a heavy-hitting cut with a ravenous sound design. Hot on the heels of her recent compilation for the fabric presents series, Amelie Lens steps up with her brand new tune ‘The Future’ featuring energetic synth hooks with her signature vocals. AIROD goes ravey with ‘Divine Power’ introducing jungle elements, while on the other side, Farrago delivers a catchy vocal-led slammer with ‘Step Up’. Ahl Iver, the newest addition to the label, brings the final touch with the intoxicating ‘Night Creature’. The future is bright!

• Ale Granados
• Mariano Santolino
• Ramon
• SPACETRAVEL (Perlon, Cabaret Recordings)

Overview. Returning after a nearly two year hibernation period to establish a foothold in the underground world with a high quality forward thinking venue, SYSTEM comes back in a very special way with the first release not from label head Mike Gervais.
Moving Thoughts is a duo from the Netherlands who are no strangers to the futuristic style SYSTEM is known for, with releases across a gamut of labels such as Dynamic Reflections, Self Reflektion, and Konstruktiv, Kaj & Michiel showcase their versatility as well as production prowess on this four track buffet of beats.

Overview. Following his ‘Sila EP’ (MNTY005) featuring the track ‘Hunza’ which is included in Mixmag’s Top 100 Tracks of 2019, as well as his October released ‘Danu EP’ for EPM music, Bryan Chapman returns once again to his own Monotony label for this atmospheric techno and IDM four-tracker.
Delivering consistently high quality and thoughtfulness on his releases, Chapman’s ‘Rituals EP’ is no exception. The EP is bookended by two tracks which Bryan has called “some of my most personal work to date”, the earthly – both in name and feel – ‘Gaia’ which builds and turns like the planet spinning on its axis and ‘Lexa (Touch That Leather)’ with its breakbeat ambiance and sweeping approach. In-between are the pulsating ‘Yūgen’, a term taken from Japanese aesthetics to express a variety of concepts including profound and mysterious, alongside the striking ‘Banuk’ which is both insistent and tranquil in equal measure.
Released at the beginning of February, ‘Rituals EP’ opens Bryan’s 2020 schedule with a poeticism that commands your attention from start to finish, feeling more like a mini-album than an EP.

Overview. “Tides” is Joachim Spieth’s second longplayer which will be released on his own Affin imprint. The album is divided into 8 tracks, built by seemingly endless, sensitively interwoven surfaces and creates curves of tension between immersive, melancholic and euphoric moments. Layers of atmospheric sounds create a dense and engaging mood, flowing into a swirl of emotions. The release will be available as a double 12” and digital, mastered by Artefacts Mastering.

Overview. UMEK is a techno icon, who has made 2019 a landmark year in his already legendary career, and he closes the year in style with his new release “Dreams”.
2019 saw the relaunch of his label 1605 which has become a main outlet for UMEK’s own tracks including “Vibrancy” which charted No.1 on Beatport for many weeks.
He also boasted top selling tracks on other imprints such as Tronic and Filth on Acid, adding those to his extensive back catalogue that already includes the likes of Intec and Suara.
This new release by UMEK originally started life as an unofficial bootleg edit of Quench’s classic track "Dreams" that was released in 1993.
Made without any stems or remix samples, the first version of the edit was an unofficial labour of love made only for use in UMEK’s own DJ sets, but the overwhelming crowd response inspired the decision to make it an official release.
Hotly anticipated, this track needs little introduction to fans of UMEK, who have been desperate for a track ID ever since it was first played at his gigs.
Opening with the building suspense of the trademark chime and vocal taken from the original, this chunked up version produced by UMEK has fast-paced percussion and dark atmosphere augmented by ethereal pads.
It’s the main breakdown were the tech trance influenced lead synth takes hold in its original form, and delivers the trademark riff that had made the track so iconic.
No doubt, many of the younger generations are discovering Quench’s classic anthem for the first time via UMEK’s remix, which uses modern production to breathe new life into the track, whilst also staying true to the vibe of the 1993 original.

Overview. If you’ve come across Amelie Lens’ all-new fabric presents mix, then the name of Ahl Iver shall definitely ring a bell. In addition to a forthcoming appearance at the next Exhale party in Antwerp in February 2020, where he’ll get to share the stage with Richie Hawtin, Helena Hauff, Kobosil, Stephanie Sykes and the whole LENSKE family, new sensation Ahl Iver is undeniably on the cusp of big things, and his debut EP, ‘Haunted Patterns’, sets the tone in gutsy fashion.
The opening track ‘7AM’ features a punchy gabber kick and rush, hard-hitting drums and a healthy dose of slimy acid squelch to leave you dazed and confused for a while. Adding his ever efficient spin to the original, LENSKE mainstay Milo Spykers reworks the groove onto straightforward clubby railway as he sure knows well how to subdue the dancers through the most wildly enjoyable ankle-twisting/brain-melting manoeuvres.
As its name suggests the title-track ‘Haunted Patterns’ is a spooky dance floor affair. Allowing a 4/4 hell to break loose on the basement while enveloping it in further hypnotic synths and intense cosmic vibrations. Lovers of classic Altern-8 style hardcore shall find the perfect outlet to their headbanging fantasies in the euphoria-inducing ‘Rave Simulator’. With four cuts tailored to take clubs and dance floors by storm, Ahl Iver steps up for his debut record on LENSKE.

Overview. D-Knox (Donnell Knox), the man from Kalamazoo follows his December collaborative EP with Mark Hawkins (aka Marquis Hawkes) by digging into his DAT archives for ‘DAT Rips Vol. 1’.
The legendary Mr. Knox has been making music for over 25 years since growing up in Michigan’s Kalamazoo (halfway between Detroit and Chicago) to his current location in Poland’s capital city, Warsaw where he continues to run his seminal Sonic Mind label.
Delving into the vaults he came across some original DAT tapes featuring previously unreleased material that sounds as fresh today as the day it was made, leading to this first volume. So jump on board and explore D-Knox’s sonic mind…