Wellington (NZ) based, Ben Stevens, launched his label, Strangelove, this year. Those of you who spent any time on the DJHistory.com forum might know Ben as Longboss. 

Strangelove`s first release was a double-A side from Portuguese singer, Lena D’Água. Mixing Funk and New Age ambience. Lined up up for 2018, the imprint has Iberian electronics, Ash-Ra-tinged Balearics, Australian Synthwave (with a remix by Shelter), and a compilation of homegrown odd Pop. 

Three Tracks For Dancing

Ruutu Poiss – E.P.

The whole E.P is oddball braindance music. Reminding me vaguely of Montezuma’s Rache, but with its own great vibe.

Trujillo feat Daniel Grau – Hola cómo estás

A little melancholic South American via Berlin number. Electrofied, Grau-afied late night special.

Bufiman & DJ Normal 4 – Dance Of The Toads

Yes!

Three Tracks For Chilling

Charlotte Adigery – 1,618

From the DEEWEE camp, with production reminiscent of Bullion.

Shelter – Banzawa

Hard to know whether to put this in Dance or Chill. Either way a favourite earworm from this year and a fanatstic update on a Desvarieux Zouk tune.

Uffe – I Can Show You High

Very very late to the party… cough…

Three Long Players

Tropical Hi-Fi – Oceania

Utterly beguiling combination of found sounds, Exotica and South Pacific mysticism. Music is so often about time, place and space, and this album makes for compelling listening at this end of the world.

Satoshi / Makoto – CZ5000 Sounds & Sequences

Surely one of the greatest sales pitches for a single piece of synth gear. Two Japanese brothers` life long love affair with a single Casio keyboard yields an album`s worth of wonderful bedroom melodies. Stunning!

Lord Echo – Harmonies

Just beautiful island music.

 Three Re-issues

Pussycat – Le Chat

About as Balearic as Italo gets, lush and rolling with FABULOUS production values. Hmmmm.

Bro. Valentino – Stay Up Zimbabwe

Post-Bob lets see what happens,,,stay up Zim!

Akis – Space, Time and Beyond

Transcendent, timeless music.

Three Compilations 

Stroom~

Fantastic run of releases from this year`s crucial reissue label. Jan Ven Den Broeke`s compilation of dreamy electronics was my favourite release of the year. Utterly sublime selection from Ziggy.

Andy Rantzen – I/66

Recent reissue of 00’s Oz material from the Efficient Space camp. Music that could have been produced yesterday. Sitting nicely with the Partial Records sounds. An eerie collision of humour, claustrophobia and melancholy. Essential!

Various – Crown Ruler Sound

Jeremy Spellacey throwing down a deep, deep afrocentric selection. Although my favourite tracks were those closest to home!