Julian Perez
FAS012+1

COWBOY FAMILY, led by Wada Yosuke, is a DJ collective active in Tokyo’s burgeoning underground scene. Launching an imprint in 2024, COWBOY FAMILY RECORDS, the label opened proceedings with Cowboy Family Business – a limited issue V/A pressing featuring Mr. Ho, Takashi Himeoka and Rio Kawamoto.In quick succession, the label proudly introduces its second offering: Internet O.G.s, by Rio Kawamoto. Sporting nostalgic, computer-inspired track titles, the EP references the sounds that characterised Rio’s youth in the early 2000s; old-school electro, electroclash, and raw-textured house music.The release also includes a remix from Seoul-based DJ and producer Mogwaa, furthering COWBOY FAMILY’s ties with the broader Asian electronic music scene

Círculo Cerrado presents its second album “Circular Economy”, 4 tracks that span a wide range of textures with the common denominator of atemporality.A1. Rindeau, the Argentinian illustrator and music artist from Strain Collective, presents“Machine soul”, intelligently crafted with the best combination of electro-techno and EBM.A2. Galdar’s breed Aniano materializes another mind-blowing track with “Encadenado a la Realidad”, a house tune with funk overtones and psychedelic undertones.B1. Javier Carballo and Aniano aka HDZ brings a darker engine “ La Furnia ”, trailblazing from breaks, IDM to acid house for full voltage.B2. Frenchman Tom Joyce, owner of Sounds Benefit label, captures in “ Good Game“ a hypnotic and minimalistic track with hints of tripping on top of 909 drums.

Gated kick off 2023 with a corker of a remix package, featuring an epic electro workout from Radioactive Man and lo-fi deep house from Max Wheeler of Anushka fame.Marcela Dias Sindaco’s breathy Portuguese vocals always lent themselves to remixes and these five cuts use them to great effect.Keith Tenniswood’s storming version of Missao Controle kicks off the EP, with a near-8-minute bass-heavy acid monster that retains the original’s funky elements but pushes them way into the future.German upstarts not even noticed take Extincao nice and deep for those loved-up dancefloor moments, again bringing in melodic elements from the original, but twisting them just enough to flow into a dreamy acidic breakdown.Flip to the B and Anushka’s Max Wheeler goes it alone, with a deep and crackly analogue house version of Dois Lados. Injected with just a smidgeon of jazz, this is definitely one for the heads.Next up, longtime Gated collaborator Dip Shim, whose debut album only just dropped, brings a straight-up electro jam version of Pro Meu Bem, with haunting pads and insistent arpeggios.Rounding off the EP is Perseus Traxx’s deeper than deep take on Missao Controle, a tripped out reverby journey laden with his signature hardware sound.