Deep, hypnotic techno shaped by the beauty and harmony of nature.
Founded by Vladw and Dhant, Thama Series is a techno label based in Buenos Aires and Barcelona. Its releases draw on the elements of earth, water and air, balancing minimalism and clarity with depth and complexity.
“Occultation” is the first Thama Series release distributed by N.E.W.S. This four-track Various Artists release moves through different shades of deep and mental techno across two sides of vinyl, with hypnosis, movement and a precise approach to sound design running throughout.
Tracklist A1. Na Nich – Bark Eater A2. Forest on Stasys – Elemento B1. Translate – Zero Axis B2. Save your Atoll & Gabriele Santucci – Traiettoria
Thama Series will release “Occultation” on October 2, 2026
Fred Nasen’s label gave the dark, hypnotic sound of London’s early 2000s tech-house scene a home in the Benelux. Now, five vinyl samplers bring sought-after tracks from the Visitor Records catalogue back into circulation.
At the turn of the millennium, Terry Francis, Nathan Coles and Mr. C were shaping a sound at nights like Wiggle and The End, where techno’s darker pulse met the soul of house. Belgium had few outlets for it, but Fred Nasen was listening.
Working as import manager at N.E.W.S., Nasen had a front-row seat to the records arriving from London. He was convinced the sound deserved a platform closer to home. With Kozzmozz among the few local parties willing to champion it, and N.E.W.S. giving him carte blanche, Visitor Records was born.
The label released around 41 records before its run ended in 2006. Almost 25 years later, five vinyl samplers revisit some of its most sought-after tracks, none of which has been repressed since its original release.
It is a chance to rediscover the sound Nasen believed in from the start, and a chapter of Belgian club music that still belongs on a dance floor.
Lefto Early Bird shines a light on the next generation of Belgian jazz talent on the fourth instalment of the acclaimed compilation series on Sdban Ultra.
Jazz Cats Volume 4 puts you back in the front row of what Belgium’s jazz landscape has to offer right now. Curated by Belgian tastemaker, DJ and broadcaster Lefto Early Bird, the series keeps doing what it does best: uncovering hidden gems long before the wider world catches on.
Across fourteen tracks, jazz, hip-hop, electronic music, afrobeat, spiritual jazz and experimental sounds coexist effortlessly. Brussels-based Irreversible Entanglements member Aquiles Navarro opens things up alongside Ola Tunji and Helena Casella, while Lupo Spaccaro and Kunde (feat. Fred Gata) lean into hip-hop and beat culture. KVR and Bread For Pigeons bring the experimentation, Gaiko and Vliegwerk the immersive soundscapes, and Ragini Trio and Foutloos the pulsating low-end grooves. Lucid Lucia, Slagader and Kuna Maze close things out on a jazz-funk high.
The result: a compilation that feels remarkably cohesive despite its diversity, a portrait of a scene that keeps reinventing itself through curiosity and collaboration.
Tracklist
A1. Aquiles Navarro – ii A2. Ola Tunji – Sun Meditation A3. Helena Casella – Undefined Borderline B1. Lupo Spaccaro – Shrunk B2. KVR – Koto B3. GAIKO – Cocoon B4. Lucid Lucia – Contextual Being C1. Kunde feat. Fred Gata – BITTERSWEET C2. Foutloos – Gevaarluk C3. BREAD FOR PIGEONS – Bobby D1. VLIEGWERK – Auster D2. Ragini Trio – Abheri D3. SLAGADER – Hey D4. Kuna Maze – Hazy Day
Sdban Ultra will release Lefto presents Jazz Cats Volume 4 on September, 4.
Founded by James Ruskin and Richard Polson in 1996, the influential label has spent three decades documenting uncompromising techno through releases from the likes of Rommek, Kr!z, Truncate, and many more, with ‘Further Design‘ originally landing in 1998.
James Ruskin has been a constant presence in techno for over three decades. He defined the sound of British techno through his DJ sets, productions, and the releases on his influential Blueprint label. His stripped-back, functional, and forward-thinking sound has remained utterly uncompromising, with performances at clubs and festivals around the world while never straying from underground ideals. Substance over trends has always been his MO, through a catalogue spanning Blueprint, Tresor, and numerous collaborations that remain timeless.
The purposeful titles of the tracks on this essential album hint at the minimalist approach to sound.
It is testament to Ruskin’s original vision that ‘Further Design’ remains as evocative today as it was upon its release, full of otherworldly imagery and grooves that continue to move dance floors around the world.
Tracklist
A1. James Ruskin – Enter (Remaster) A2. James Ruskin – Indirect World (Remaster) A3. James Ruskin – Internal (Remaster) B1. James Ruskin – Beginnings (Remaster) B2. James Ruskin – The Divide (Remaster) C1. James Ruskin – Time & Place (Remaster) C2. James Ruskin – Form (Remaster) C3. James Ruskin – Unknown Destination (Remaster) D1. James Ruskin – Work (Remaster) D2. James Ruskin – Below (Remaster)
Blueprint will release Further Design on September, 4
Amelie Lens presents her debut album AURA, out via her own label EXHALE. The eleven-track record, including one feature with Belgian star singer Angèle, traces her journey from small local clubs to festival main stages, motherhood and building EXHALE into a global imprint. Available as a gatefold double 12″ on blue/transparent vinyl.
Musically, AURA moves between the euphoric festival peak-time energy the Belgian star stands for globally and the trippier sound of the sets she plays at her more intimate EXHALE raves. It’s emotional and powerful, uplifting and raw in equal measure. Anticipated by the four singles ‘falling into acid dreams’, ‘whatever you do’, ‘our frequency’ and the collab with Angèle ‘run’, AURA is the perfect representation of Lens’ artistic bandwidth.
Amelie Lens is one of techno’s defining names, a regular headliner at Awakenings, Tomorrowland, Sonar and Creamfields, and founder of the renowned techno label EXHALE. AURA marks her first full-length album after a decade of relentless touring, razor-sharp production and an unfiltered commitment to the dancefloor.
Tracklist A1. Amelie Lens – aura_v4_final_intro.wav A2. Amelie Lens – our frequency A3. Amelie Lens feat. Angèle – run B1. Amelie Lens – the only one B2. Amelie Lens – 4am at RSO B3. Amelie Lens – drift away C1. Amelie Lens – a track at 150bpm C2. Amelie Lens – falling into acid dreams D1. Amelie Lens – come closer D2. Amelie Lens – the energy is us D3. Amelie Lens – whatever you do
Throughout this year the Perpetual Masters series has been dropping one track per week, digitally, from Hood’s extensive catalogue with remastering by legendary German producer, Thomas Heckmann. A whole wave of these remastered tracks are also being reissued on vinyl.
“Psychic / Pole Position” is a classic which features his stripped-back minimal techno style that helped define the sound in the late ’90s. Both tracks are built around hypnotic rhythms and sparse, precise grooves characteristic of Hood’s influential production ethos. Originally released in 1999, the EP reflects Hood’s focus on minimalist electronic structures and dance floor functionality, and has remained a sought-after piece among fans of the genre.
Originally released in 1999 on the Duet imprint, “Sophisticcato” stands as a concise but potent example of his late-’90s minimal techno philosophy. Built around four tracks, including the title cut, “The First Night” and two versions of “Cobra Seed”, the record features his signature approach with stripped-back drum patterns and hypnotic loops that prioritise rhythm over unnecessary embellishment. Lean and functional, with subtle shifts, it represents Hood’s belief that minimal elements, precisely arranged, can achieve maximum impact on the dance floor.
His “Spectra” EP, originally released in 2001, stands as a defining example of his stripped-back, conceptual approach to techno. It sees Robert Hood operating at his most stripped-down and hypnotic, built from tightly looped drum patterns and shadowy synth fragments that slowly evolve. Hood’s precision is evident in every detail, as he balances repetition with crisp percussion and a tightly controlled groove.
“Invincible“, originally released in 2001, stands as another defining example of his stripped-back, approach to Techno while still radiating tough funk and groove. Released during a period when Hood was refining the minimalist aesthetic he helped pioneer, the record balances mechanical precision with emotional intensity. The tracks unfold through subtle shifts in percussion, looping synth patterns and driving bass lines, to create a meditative momentum that sounds just as fresh today. “Invincible” draws its power from restraint, demonstrating Hood’s belief that minimal elements can produce maximum impact on the dance floor.
More deep, immersive and hard-hitting minimal techno from the master coming soon!
