{"title":"U-Trax","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"4rest-ep","title":"4Rest EP","description":"\u003cp\u003eAfrican Nightflight sees Dutch techno pioneer Arno Peeters from Utrecht team up with Nijmegen-based fellow sound scientist Bart Rovers. Back in 1996 they made five stunning tracks that are hard to define, let alone to categorize. 'Otherworldly' perhaps is a fair attempt.\nThe title track 4Rest for example, comes in two mixes (Dotted Version and Triplet Version), both uptempo and with a distinct Arabic sound and feel. They still work perfectly in any high-energy DJ set today.\n Brubaker goes in the opposite direction in terms of BPM: both Brubakers' Slide and Brubakers' Skank are heavy sci-fi dub tracks that evoke memories of the best On U-Sound dubworks.\n The EP is topped off with the wonderful and spacey sound adventure Make Up Your Mind (Thirst).\nThis was the first of the final three releases of U-TRAX in the 90s, together with EPs by Maarten \u0026amp; Tjeerd and Sonar Base, that heralded a new and quite deep form of electronic (dance) music. All three were released after the infamous collapse of the industry of Summer 1996, so none of them were sold out at the time, but they are all very dear to us.\nWhen this EP was originally released, it came with one of the patented corny U-TRAX press releases, in which a new airline service to the African continent was announced (Air U-TRAX), offering 'travelers' a one-way ticket to any place on the continent for just under 200 Dutch guilders (cheap in those pre-budget-airlines-days!). The only catch was that passengers were dropped off from the planes on a parachute, because \"landing was too risky\". Also, the airline only flew by night, to \"…reduce [the] risk of gunfire or rockets being aimed at the planes.\"\n The first 15.000 travelers received a free copy of this African Nightflight EP. Not surprisingly these all got lost or broken during the parachute jumps, making mint copies of the record a rather rare commodity.\nThe good news is that some original vinyl copies are now available again. Re-mastered digital versions of the tracks are available for downloading and streaming. Original release date: September 1996.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"U-Trax","offers":[{"title":"12\"","offer_id":50394697957707,"sku":"2055969","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_56ea16e4_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726445982"},{"product_id":"blackhole","title":"BlackHole+","description":"\u003cp\u003eDowntempo techno stars The Connection Machine return with stunning re-release, featuring unreleased tracks and Legowelt remix of classic Echoes From Tau Ceti. \n \n Four years after the re-release of their debut The Dream Tec Album on U-TRAX, the Dutch downtempo techno duo The Connection Machine returns with a second highly anticipated re-release. BlackHole+ contains remastered versions of most of the tracks on their original The Black Hole EP, released on U-TRAX in 1995, plus five tracks from their highly sought-after EPs on Tabernacle Records: Lost Connection and Lost Machine (with electro outfit Lost Trax on the flipside). \n \n The original Black Hole EP had black labels and all details of the release were added as a computer-spoken track on the b-side. For this re-release, this track was removed and a Legowelt remix was added of the still immensely popular track Echoes From Tau Ceti. \n \n The CD, cassette and digital versions will bring even more goodness in the form of two brand new tracks (Theorems, Theorems and Together), bringing the total number of tracks to eleven. As usual with U-TRAX releases, the cassette version boast yet another previously unreleased bonus track, Thinking Machine 23, plus the original 13 minute version of 8 Minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"U-Trax","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50395018821963,"sku":"2096973","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50395018658123,"sku":"2096956","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_fd3c2c3f_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726453275"},{"product_id":"blackhole-3","title":"BlackHole+","description":"\u003cp\u003eDowntempo techno stars The Connection Machine return with stunning re-release, featuring unreleased tracks and Legowelt remix of classic Echoes From Tau Ceti. \n \n Four years after the re-release of their debut The Dream Tec Album on U-TRAX, the Dutch downtempo techno duo The Connection Machine returns with a second highly anticipated re-release. BlackHole+ contains remastered versions of most of the tracks on their original The Black Hole EP, released on U-TRAX in 1995, plus five tracks from their highly sought-after EPs on Tabernacle Records: Lost Connection and Lost Machine (with electro outfit Lost Trax on the flipside). \n \n The original Black Hole EP had black labels and all details of the release were added as a computer-spoken track on the b-side. For this re-release, this track was removed and a Legowelt remix was added of the still immensely popular track Echoes From Tau Ceti. \n \n The CD, cassette and digital versions will bring even more goodness in the form of two brand new tracks (Theorems, Theorems and Together), bringing the total number of tracks to eleven. As usual with U-TRAX releases, the cassette version boast yet another previously unreleased bonus track, Thinking Machine 23, plus the original 13 minute version of 8 Minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"U-Trax","offers":[{"title":"Tape.","offer_id":50396474179915,"sku":"2167237","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_887b731c_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726482417"},{"product_id":"cosmic-noise","title":"Cosmic Noise","description":"\u003cp\u003eGrowing up in LA, Thavius Beck entered the hip-hop scene as member of Global Phlowtations, and released several solo albums under the Adlib moniker. In later years, he released five albums under his own name on labels like Mush, Big Dada and Plug Research, and also produced albums for artists like Saul Williams and K‑the‑I???, and did some remixing for amongst others Nine Inch Nails. Nowadays he combines making music with a career as a succesful certified Ableton and Bitwig trainer and as a music teacher at Berklee NYC.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe tracks vary in style a lot, but what they have in common is that they either are moody – in U-TRAX lingo: deep - or they are drum heavy. The common denominator would probably be 'experimental \/ instrumental hip-hop', reminiscent of producers like Flying Lotus. People have tried all sorts of comparisons to pinpoint Thavius' sound, ranging from 'between DJ Shadow and Orbital' and 'a mix of Massive Attack and The Orb'. None of these are spot on, yet quite a few of these tracks feel like a happy marriage between hip-hop beats and techno sounds.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite the fact that some tracks are 20 years old and have been made with widely different gear (one track was even made on a PlayStation 2), this selection sounds remarkably balanced, yet diverse.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom the irresistible single 'Lovesick\/Still Sick' to the dark and massive 'Birdsong' (that echoes the sound of his popular song 'Atmos'), and from the head-nodding 'Work!' to the soothing 'Reunited With The All' - if this collection showcases anything, it's Thavius' brilliant production and composing skills, as well as his wizard-level sampling techniques. The result is a luscious electronic music album with a broad appeal.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"U-Trax","offers":[{"title":"LP | x2","offer_id":50435747578187,"sku":"1140559","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50435746300235,"sku":"1140560","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/bea39058-c5ee-496f-b3b3-0f84cc575c65_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726907117"},{"product_id":"from-a-20th-century-box","title":"From A 20th Century Box","description":"\u003cp\u003eDutch pioneer Sp@sms returns to U-TRAX with \u003ci\u003eFrom A 20th Century Box \u003c\/i\u003eLP, backed with remixes from Bloody Mary and Cosmic Force\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn \u003ci\u003eFrom the 20th Century Box \u003c\/i\u003eArno Peeters, aka Sp@sms, returns to U-TRAX with his debut full-length album. Showcasing years of sonic exploration stemming from his time in various groups including Random XS and Voltage Control amongst others, the LP also draws from his experience studying and teaching music at the Centre for Electronic Music as well as his work in project-based sound design.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFilled to the brim with pulsating arpeggios, crunchy drums and dark, moody atmospheres, the LP is marked by a retro yet timeless feel. Inbetween its snaking, squelchy synth lines and old school electro grooves Sp@sms masterfully incorporates playful textures and elements from found recordings and unused projects, resulting in a vastly versatile and experimental album fusing all things techno, acid and EBM.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn expert lesson in sound design and composition taught by one of the Netherlands' most trusted and experienced artists, the LP also contains remixes from Dame Music's Bloody Mary and Utrecht electro stalwart Cosmic Force and arrives via heavyweight, colored double vinyl, digital, CD and cassette mediums.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs is typical for a U-TRAX release, each physical version has its own set of tracks. The vinyl and CD versions also come with a in-depth interview with Arno Peeters, as well as extensive background notes for each track (on the album's inner sleeves and a 24 page booklet, respectively).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"U-Trax","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP | x2","offer_id":50479441445195,"sku":"1158091","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/e7259256-cb26-4d37-a6da-6cfae5553d13_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727509324"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/de\/collections\/u-trax.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}