After a recent, acclaimed EP on Madrid’s Analogical Force label, Suction Records is thrilled to announce “Grey With Breaks,” the 8th full-length album by Lowfish. The electro veteran, who’s been programming 808s since the early ‘90s, returns to Suction Records, the label he co-founded and debuted on in 1997. “Grey With Breaks” is an electro record, with thick analog basslines and TR-808 boom tschak front & centre, but Lowfish’s electro-style stands out from the pack. Not only is the LP devoid of the Drexciya/Dopplereffekt worship that permeates the scene these days, it also rarely hits above 110bpm, oozing with melancholic melody.

LP / CD / Digital Album

2022 marks the 25th anniversary of Suction Records, the Toronto-based electro/IDM label founded in 1997 by two emerging producers, Lowfish (aka Gregory De Rocher) and Solvent (aka Jason Amm), the latter still overseeing the label to this day. The label’s inaugural release was a split Lowfish/Solvent 12”, marking both artists’ debut vinyl appearance.

Gregory and Jason had known each other since high-school, but a deeper friendship was forged during their university years, after Gregory introduced Jason to early Rephlex releases by Aphex Twin and µ-Ziq. Gregory had been making electronic music in his bedroom for more than a decade, but it was those Rephlex releases that ignited Jason’s passion to do the same. After several years of obsessive gear buying, music making, and playing tracks for each other, Lowfish and Solvent had hit their stride, and their demos even attracted the interest of legendary early IDM labels labels Skam (for Lowfish), and Isophlux (for Solvent). But things were slow-moving in those days — letters, faxes, phone calls… nothing was panning out. So that’s when they decided to start their own label, and put out 300 copies of this 12”, suction001.

The label was heavily inspired by contemporary artists like AFX, Autechre, and Panasonic, but on suction001, those influences collided with their ‘80s synth-pop and industrial roots to create something unique. 25 years later, it still sounds fresh, and like nothing else out there. On suction001, 808 drum machines are run through distortion and breakbeats are chopped and mangled, contrasting with melodic OMD-style leads and catchy synth-pop basslines — a sound the label would refer to as ‘distortion pedal new wave.’

Over the past 25 years, Suction’s sound has morphed and evolved, but in recent years has shifted back to it’s original Rephlex-inspired roots. That makes 2022 the perfect year to revisit this wild, 1997 debut, now reissued in a new, expanded edition for it’s 25th anniversary. The reissue adds 2 bonus tracks — a 1999 remix by Detroit electro-punk duo ADULT., along with a previously-unreleased version of Lowfish’s A1 cut, and also features new and improved artwork, including an insert with full label discography.

12″ EP / Digital Album

Here’s a split with Dmitry Distant, the founder of the Electronic Leatherette label from Latvia, and Lowfish, an electronic music producer from Toronto, Canada, who has been active since 1996.

7″ / Digital Album

Lowfish is back! The electro veteran, who’s been programming 808s since the early ‘90s, returns to Suction Records, the label he co-founded and debuted on in 1997, for his first release since 2011. This is suction046 – the “Hypersensitivity” EP. It’s been a while, but as the sprinkling of Lowfish compilation appearances – on labels like Analogical Force and Fundamental Records – over the intervening years have shown, Lowfish isn’t interested in radical changes; it’s all about quality and consistency. Flawlessly produced 808 drums, meticulously processed for maximum slam, combine with Lowfish’s trademark synthesizer melodies and heavily-manipulated dialogue samples… best heard on standout cuts “Apr294ms” – a melodic techno/electro dancefloor killer – and “Favourable Reports” – a slice of 808 synthpop with melodic nods to vintage OMD and Gary Numan.

EP / Digital Album