Damian Lazarus At Juno Download

Review: It's fair to say that melancholic house peddlers Art Department are on a roll right now. So much so in fact, that they have been invited to write the first official theme for the internationally acclaimed Robot Heart parties at Burning Man. Daunted by the task, the guys set about scoring a piece that would truly reflect the party's unique atmosphere. They've come up with an extraordinary eight-minute epic that pumps along under austere vocals by Damian Lazarus, before expanding into a fountain of sinister John Carpenter-esque synth work. If you fancy a sparser version, then BLUD's lean, mean houser is the one for you.

Review: Crosstown Rebels head honcho, Damien Lazarus, has taken it upon himself (and his crew) to mark the "cosmically significant" date of December 21 with a 24-hour megaparty in Mexico. For those of us unable to attend in person, this accompanying compilation is the next best thing. Beginning with Pier Bucci's fittingly titled, and deliciously trippy, "Mayans", we get the exotic and trancey "The Prophecy" by Quenum, Matthew Jonson's sinister tech-houser "In Search Of A New Planet With Oxygen", the sublime "Cosmic Dancer" by Francesca Lombardo, the urgent menace of "Greed Insanity" by Fur Coat and the haunting, end-of-the-world vibes of "2012" by Jay Haze.