argot starts out 2014 with the help of pittsburghs chase smith and his new single, stay. following releases for w.t. records and pittsburgh tracks, the up-and-coming producer hits new songwriting heights with *stay*, an impassioned modern disco tune featuring lauren ojanpas smouldering vocals and a live bass line courtesy of karl ojanpa. smith also provides the swift charge of *27 summers*, a rave-influenced house jam whose banged out piano chords and brass fanfare will stir the dance floor.

vinyl-only ep with tracks taken from debut album, discovery in the atomic garden - previously releasing as community corporation on argot and crisis urbana recordings. like changing the channel, changes in one’s life can suddenly bring about a new perspective. after moving from detroit to seattle, producer taylor hawkins suddenly found himself on flora fm. previously recording as community corporation, this fresh beginning in emerald city brought new sounds into hawkins’ repertoire. where he was once surrounded by cheap boogie and disco records in detroit, seattle’s used bins were full of uk imports, early 90s ambient techno records and the idm that followed. these new influences injected judicious breakbeats and top notch electro sensibilities into his already adventurous midwest techno aesthetic. it’s as if his music has come alive, each song a new sound world abuzz with fluttering synths, nimble percussion, and soaring melodies. recorded as single live takes using an mpc to control his drum machines and synthesizers, the flora fm music flowed quickly from hawkins and needed only gentle edits. the eight tracks on his digital debut album, discovery in the atomic garden, document his experience finding his way in seattle and in life, all through the lens of a fantastic and somehow futuristic musical viewpoint. the vinyl-only ep atomic garden includes four of the album’s most danceable tracks, all wrapped in gorgeous artwork by patrick savile

to celebrate argot s fifth year of releases, we re launching a series of compilations boldly entitled american dance music. argot s first ever various artists compilation continues its mission of showcasing homegrown talents, assembling a cast of familiar faces and welcome compatriots for the inaugural edition. american dance music vol. 1 features the long anticipated return of the black madonna, who debuts her new collaborative project with rupert murray, throwing shapes. you ll recognize argot stalwarts savile, olin, todd osborn, maxine & cleo, and hippie priest on the tracklist. we ve also invited friends noncompliant and alex falk to the fold. with future volumes we aspire to look even further afield and cast the spotlight on many diverse talents who make up american dance music. much of american dance music vol 1. is aimed squarely at the dance floor, whether it s todd osborn s smooth and playful romp, 80s are here (part 2), or noncompliant s acid tweaked ode to girls everywhere, femslash. throwing shapes comes bursting from the gates with the raving stomp of heatstroke, channeling midwest raves as much as the thomas bangalter tunes inspired by them. savile offers the growling stepper, reality is a sound (share power mix), while alex falks vines provides an effervescent vocal moment. olin and maxine & cleo double down on hypnotic motifs: the former s 2d rhythm whips snare riffs off the walls of a late night jam, the latters imagine yrself catches dancers in a lockstep house groove with stimulating vocals as its key. the compilation concludes on hippie priests dream machine, whose melancholic melodies and cinematic scale twiddle heartstrings with a deft hand.

tape / cassette incl dl code, ltd to 100!
hippie priest returns to argot to release his second album, see it through. having made great strides at dialing in his production and strengthening his songwriting since the release of gaia variants in 2016, the young champaign-based producer focuses his sophomore longplayer around a narrative approach. see it through is a day in the life of a lioness, says hippie priest, beginning with the soft ambience of waking up in the morning, leading up to an intense hunt in the middle, and into evening revelry and eventual slumber. the albums 11 tracks cover a large stretch of sonic ground to tell this story. its glowing opener, umbrella keeper gives way to widescreen stompers thorn and quicksand that clear the way for more contemplative moments like crystal or cherry blossom. one cant help but imagine a dramatic hunt while listening to are you okay? or carnivorous displays on desire. even tender scenes are possible with closers tanuki and tired lioness, gorgeous movements in which hippie priests melodic profficiencies shine brightest. second album from the up-and-coming young producer from central illinois.

it is our distinct honor and pleasure to welcome todd osborn to the argot family with his stunning new single, elastic 68. this double a sider came together over the last three years thanks to regular communication between the michigan-based savant and label founder steve mizek. its two tracks exemplify argot’s musical direction and check a major item off the label’s bucket list of releasing a record by todd. with nearly mythical finesse, the title track finds osborn presides over a marriage of sassy, gleaming motifs and invigorating acid lines. its assertive bass line grabs dancers by the scruff before the unleashing a torrent of churning acid riffs that could stir even the most jaded chin-scratcher. “authorized dealer” is tougher and even more acid-forward, stomping and squelching as it drags the dancefloor into the dungeon for beating it won’t soon forget. supported by kornel kovacs, midland, xxxy - releases on running back, ghostly/spectral sound, 7777

o2 returns to argot just behind the release of her 3rd album. pointed at dancefloors while simultaneously speaking to her songwriting capabilities, w/the a being smooth & spacey, & the b at first pensive, before flowering into a floor filler.

argot excavates an unexplored corner of chicago house history. lab work 91-96 collects the work of chris ike and john kardaras, two chicago producers with few records to their names but a wealth of compelling unreleased material waiting in their archives. the compilation highlights the pair’s particular vision and musical breadth across 14 tracks, drawn from a cd-r given to steve mizek in 2010 that was recently rediscovered. lab work was remastered in it’s entirety by dietrich schoenemann, sounding much at home today yet intimately connected to a formative time in chicago house history.

following releases on ndatl & 2mr, the man of the moment delivers 2 originals & a drum track that are dance music lifted by curiosity and refined by gut instinct.

amir alexander makes his triumphant return to argot with an exceptional and enigmatic new record, the butterfly. since providing the label’s inaugural release in 2012 with his gutter flex ep, alexander’s music has graced the catalogues of respected labels like secretsundaze, finale sessions, and hype_ltd, and expanded his vanguard sounds and anunnaki cartel imprints. the butterfly finds alexander picking up the conversation where gutter flex left off, but now he s speaking it in a new language.

policy returns to argot with a mature and joyful record entitled the disconekt ep. this time around the new york-based producer integrates an array of organic sounds into his refined palette, adding further depth to meticulously written tunes. plucked guitars pop out of the cinematic * we are connected* rotund floor tom beats set the pace for charmingly interwoven melodies on * moleskine* and closer * his meaningful breath* is flügel-esque in its zig-zagging synth leads and deliberate pace. the records varied, confident nature makes it a pleasure to enjoy at home and then pop in your bag for that nights dj gig

long await repress 2016 ...chicago-based producers most fully realized work to date, weaving live orchestration & irresistible synth lines through tough percussive frames. a great leap forward from the sample-clad disco house of her previous records.

philadelphia-based producer maxine & cleo joins the argot fold with his mad blanc ep. the follow up to his “pendergast ep” for material image sprung from a few weeks of feverish production during the spring of 2014 and represents the duality of the kansas native’s sound. side a is full of gifts for djs in the form of “flynn rhythm”’s relentlessly jacking house grooves and the blurry-eyed deep house pleasures of the title track. flipping the record reveals the more fragile side of maxine & cleo, courting home listeners and after hours crowds on the spirit-conjuring spectral house cut “mind is spinnin” and the dreamy “proto”, gliding on thrumming pads and gilded with vocal slivers.

enigmatic producer makes his argot debut following 4 scene-stealing, acid-fed eps via hard wax. focusing on meticulous percussion work with judicious use of delay & reverb, it manages to be his most dj-friendly record to date.

argot is excited to welcome john barera & will martin to the label with their spectacular ep, 1.2,3 (feels right). still aglow after the warm reception to their dolly-released debut album, *grace*, the boston/nyc duo deliver a versatile record whose four house cuts burn no matter where you put the needle down. john and will flex their skills on anthemic hardware jams like the title track and *high tide*, the rhythmic whirlwind of *spin cycle*, and sublime deep house groove, *the bog*.

feel the drum beat of uneasy change in the eager hand drums, bass throbs, and stalking synth stabs turning up the tension like rents in a hip neighborhood. terrence parker goes more optimistic turn on the remix. hand stamped vinyl only rsd.

olin returns to argot with fellow smart bar resident savile in tow. vinyl only original mix + dubbed out floor-filler & suffocating bass, massive kicks, and relentless drum programming, on the remixes.

argot releases this deluxe, 4 tracker, from the detroit producer, for the benefit of all clublands residents. it provides djs and home listeners a diverse selection of musical amenities.

brooklyn-based producer & 1/2 of the mister saturday night duo offers a saber-toothed, bass-heavy take on techno with an unexpected tender side. flip for a trance-like stomper sporting stirring strings.

it is the first single he has released on a label besides 100% silk, the home of his two full-lengths and three eps. this shift is embodied in the tracks, too, as octo octa sharpens his effervescent sound to a harder, more floor-focused edge.

nyc denizen arrives fresh off a stunning, singular album for l.i.e.s to deliver 3 tracks showcasing his swift growth as a producer. widescreen techno, stern, cracking percussion & feel good house all figure in.

argots fifth release calls upon elizabeth merrick-jefferson, an enigmatic lady lurking in the shadows of detroit, to reveal her three track debut record. on urban off road, her muscular take on techno dashes across dancefloors bearing a distinct twinge of vulnerability, courtesy of the gorgeous bell melodies nestled between heartburning bass lines, brisk piano chords, and precisely arranged cascades of vintage percussion.

following the release of *everything hits*, his debut album for rush hour recordings, this eps three tracks are among the most unique and charming expressions of policys already eccentric aesthetic. let the title track prowl through soundsystems, stabbed with cavernous horns and dogged by the most infectious woodblock in recent memory. employ the ebullient *walk up* to add some fizz with dizzy organ riffs and jaunty brass notes. or perhaps conjure a reflective mood with the tensely plucked bass lines, bittersweet melodies, and live percussion of *thick nostalgia*.

if you thought pittsburgh track authoritys production prowess stopped with techno and house, you were wrong. here the trio dives into luminous, pulse quickening 2-step on the title track and booty bumping, aquamarine electro.

argots second release is the finally single by chicago-based producer olin discovery, wazi wazi, forem. splashed with exultant synth stabs and nudged along by a persistent bass line and hooked vocals, the title track is well placed to kick a party into next gear. b-side tomorrows news is unabashedly playful, creating a space where dotted melodies chase after each other and dancers rush the booth to figure out whats playing