Sandwell District: End Beginnings (2LP-transparent blue vinyl) LP

District's "End Beginnings" - the group's first music since Juan Mendez (Silent Servant) tragically passed away in January 2024 - is a majestic coming together of cinematic techno and mind-bending dancefloor dynamism. The album marries Drexciya's idea of techno being an act of seditionary innovation to a sense of unbridled fun. "End Beginnings" is also a moving requiem. At the beginning of 2024, Mendez tragically died just as things were moving in the right direction for the collective. His stunning artwork and visuals were always a central pillar of Sandwell District. He was working on a piece of art entitled "End Beginnings" that was mooted to be the album cover. That work was never finished, but Karl O'Connor and David Sumner took the title to honour their friend's contribution. It remains a fitting tribute to the stop-start nature of this rebel alliance.