RW013

Recycling Wax is sorting records!

Robin Tasi
September 18, 2025

Hey there,

How are you doing? Hope your week has gotten off to a good start!

Today, we’re diving into a topic that affects all of us vinyl lovers: organizing our records. A few years ago, I set myself the task of finding a proper way to sort my collection, something that would stick for a lifetime. There’s no single “right” or “wrong” way to do it. But once you’ve committed to a system, it’s almost impossible to switch to another one.

And I have got a little surprise for you! I am giving away a Mystery Box of 10 Vinyl Records worth over $100 exclusively to one of my beloved newsletter subscribers!

To enter the raffle, simply refer 3 friends to subscribe to this newsletter using your unique link. Once 3 people sign up through your link, you will automatically be entered into the prize draw. The winner will be officially announced in the newsletter on October 16, 2025. Good luck, and be sure they confirm their subscription! t

As usual, let’s start with the most common way to sort:

Recent Cuts - Fresh vinyl and digital releases worth checking out.
Essential Oldschool - Records from the 90s and early 2000s that still matter today.
Behind the Booth - Personal stories, lessons, and perspectives from life as a DJ.
What’s in my Bag? - A peek into recent gig selections, new digs, and timeless records.
Top 5 by Me (YouTube Channels) - A handpicked selection, carefully curated each week by DJs.
Community Pick of the Week by Måtyrer - One favorite from the community.

1. Recent Cuts - Fresh vinyl and digital releases worth checking out.

#1 1Morning - Soul Patch: 1Morning is currently the absolute GOAT when it comes to funky basslines and synths. A mix somewhere between Funk D’Void, Dave Angel, and disco. I’d also classify the record as Tribal. No matter which track I put on, I instantly know the exact moment I’d play each one. This US-based producer keeps surprising me again and again. His DJ sets are nothing to sneeze at either. Absolute TIP!

#2 Polygon Window - Surfing On Sine Waves: What can I say? Polygon Window, aka Aphex Twin, knows exactly how to create atmosphere. An absolute genius of electronic music for the last 30+ years. I truly hope I’ll get to hear him one day at a festival or a club night somewhere. Close your eyes and just soak it all in. Hard to believe this already came out back in 1993!

CLONE
DECKS
JUNO

BANDCAMP
DECKS

#3 Various Artists - Black Pink: KAOS, the sublabel of OAKS (by the one and only Hector Oaks), is currently tearing it up when it comes to techno. Hard, soft, dark, bright: it pushes! And I’ve got to say it straight: DJ SWISHERMAN is dropping one banger after another on this label. Absolutely breathtaking what’s happening there right now. A total MUST-HAVE!

#4 Orbe - Ascender: Wow, I haven’t listened to Token releases in a while. Back in the mid-2010s, it was unthinkable not to play something from this label. But the Spaniard Orbe is bringing it back to life with a 4-track EP of the finest quality. Dark, hypnotic, fantastic. The B1 even reminds me of Mike Parker. Completely sold on this one. Straight into the shopping cart!

BANDCAMP
DECKS
DEEJAY

BANDCAMP
DECKS
HHV

#5 Subb-an - Love Tempo: Uff, Subb-an with a killer release! Proper acid, solid tracks, not too fast, perfect for setting the tone at the start of a club night. No more words needed. Just listen for yourself!

CLONE
DECKS
HHV

2. Essential Oldschool - Records from the 90s and early 2000s that still matter today.

#1 Kay D. Smith - Platform E.P.: Today’s Essential Oldschool deal: pounding techno. And you can’t possibly leave out Kay D. Smith. Whether it was Form Records, Jerk Records, or Construct Rhythm, this guy used to tear halls apart. Every side of the record shows just how dark and rough the early 2000s could sound alongside Tribal and Funky vibes. Perfect for those nights beneath the surface. Honestly, I’ve owned this record for ages but never really played it. And somehow, I regret that. Time to change it!

#2 Chris Liebing - The Biggest Ten Inches I Have Ever Seen: And here I realize again: those harder days are a little behind us. While 2017 to 2019 were packed with these sounds, you hardly come across them anymore. Time to bring those old memories back to life. Chris Liebing delivered a masterpiece here: driving, rhythmic, never boring. And always with that extra crunch in the grooves. It could be a commercial for cornflakes, but it isn’t. This is exactly how a kick should sound! An absolute MUST-HAVE!

DISCOGS

#3 Pounding Grooves - Pounding Grooves 06: Added into my discogs collection 7 years ago. Oh, how I love this record. I bought it back then at Record Loft in Berlin, and I don’t regret it one bit. Somehow it’s one of the less typical Pounding Grooves records, but definitely one of the hardest-hitting ones. Both sides basically stem from the same idea, but with a subtle difference. The B-side feels just a bit darker, especially with that snare that sounds more like a sharp, cold finger snap. Goes straight into your ears. Toward the end, the track really opens up, which makes mixing a challenge. Still, I’ve played it, and with a clean cut, you can transition out of it beautifully. Going from very open to very minimalistic can create a wicked switch in a set, simply because so much drops away. I’ll still be listening to this record in 20 years. A clear favorite!

#4 DJ Misjah & DJ Groovehead - Special Acid Edition: “Deeper inside myself!” That’s how Sven Väth began his legendary 1995 set in Schwalmstadt with X-Pact. In the mix, Sven grabbed the mic over the vocal track “Here I Am” and cheekily turned it into “Wir feiern” (Engl. We party). Absolutely hilarious. But the other tracks, especially the A-side, also pack a punch. The Special Acid Edition makes it crystal clear why DJ Misjah, especially together with DJ Groovehead aka Jeroen Search, was Holland’s number one when it came to 303-based techno. For me, simply a legend who keeps winning me over again and again.

DISCOGS

#5 Glenn Wilson - H2: Talking pounding techno without mentioning Glenn Wilson and his Heroes series would be a crime. I think I’d love to own every single one of these records, because they just slam so hard. Honestly, I’m left speechless listening to them. Techno can be so simple, even though, truth be told, nothing about this came about “simply”. Intruder is my absolute favorite.

DISCOGS

3. Behind the Booth - Personal stories, lessons, and perspectives from life as a DJ.

Let’s get to the important things in life: how do I sort my records best? It sounds simple, but for me, it was actually a big decision. Back in 2017, I was just tired of constantly reaching into my collection without knowing which record would come next. I wasted precious minutes every time trying to find the exact records I wanted to listen to or take with me to a gig. Sure, my collection wasn’t that big back then. But still, it annoyed me.

Over time, I started playing with the idea of sorting my records properly. At first, I looked into how I could practically separate them. In record stores, they always had those plastic dividers. So I searched online for them. Wait a sec, let me check again what they cost now… Yep, 25 black record dividers are going for €53.86. Honestly, that’s outrageous, way too much if you ask me. Sure, they’ll probably last forever, and you can re-label them as often as you like. But come on, that’s just too expensive. Even back then, I refused to pay that much.

So here’s what I did: I grabbed a box cutter and cut up the cardboard boxes my records were shipped in. From one box, I could usually get two large cardboard sheets. I labeled them and slipped them into plastic record sleeves. Since the sleeves would sometimes slide around (because some cardboard pieces weren’t tall enough), I taped the sleeves to the cardboard with packing tape. And just like that, I had DIY dividers for free. So here’s my tip: don’t throw away those cardboard boxes!

In the end, I had about 50 dividers that I could label however I wanted with a marker. But then came the real question: how should I actually sort my records? At the time, I had already cataloged my collection on Discogs, so I could see exactly what I owned. Mostly techno, lots of old 90s and 2000s records that sounded quite distinct from each other. A bit of newer stuff, some house, and a few “others.”

I decided to start by sorting them by era. So I had one section for the 90s and one for the 2000s. After that, I went with the classic approach: alphabetical order. I always used the first letter of the artist or release. For example: DJ HMC – Cum On is a 90s record, so it went under “D” in the 90s section. If I had the luck of owning more than three records by the same artist or label, I’d create a dedicated divider. For example, I had lots of Dance Mania records (mostly from the 90s), so I gave them their own section. I did the same with the 2000s records. Then I added dividers for House, Recent, and Others, since I didn’t have as many of those. The focus was clearly on Techno.

But here’s the weak spot of this system: for instance, my “Primate Recordings” divider is filed under 90s Techno. Back then, most of my Primate records were from the 90s. But as I collected more, I ended up with plenty from the early 2000s, too. And that’s where the problem came in: I didn’t want to split the label across two decades. So at some point, I asked myself: should I split it, or just leave the “flaw” in the system?

In the end, I got used to it. Off the top of my head, if I’m looking for Primate Recordings, Peacefrog, User, or Dance Mania, I know to check the 90s. The system is already more than 8 years old, so it’s second nature now. If I’m looking for Construct Rhythm, Heroes, or Marco Bailey, I head straight to the 2000s. Ultimately, it all comes down to how well you know your dividers. Because honestly, I don’t think there will ever be a truly perfect system. Your collection is always changing.

So, how do you sort your records? By genre, by mood, by color? I’d really love to know!

4. What’s in my Bag? - A peek into recent gig selections, new digs, and timeless records.

#1 Percy X - Gain EP: A record I just picked up recently. Honestly, I never really had Soma Records on my radar, apart from a few classics like Lifetimes or Envoy. But at Black Plastic Record Store in Dortmund, I stumbled upon a crate filled with Soma releases I had never listened to before. And what do you know: Soma is actually amazing (probably no surprise for many of you). Even a blind chicken finds a grain sometimes, haha! Percy X releases are often top-notch, so it doesn’t surprise me at all that Soma features some real gems from him. And I’ve always loved records with locked grooves. You can just sneak off to the toilet during a gig without worry! :-D

#2 Alessandro F. aka Al Ferox - Italian Style: Al Ferox has long been one of my favorites when it comes to EBM-influenced, hard-as-nails techno from Italy. There are hardly any releases from him that I don’t like. And Madonna Mia is definitely up there. Back in the day, we played that track to death, so much so that at one point, we couldn’t even hear it anymore because it was everywhere. But with some time and distance, the spirit came back. And now it’s popping up in my sets faster than I can blink! To be honest, I only recently got this on vinyl too, but it’s been on my USB stick for ages.

DISCOGS

#3 Trevor Rockcliffe Featuring Blake Baxter - Visions Of You Remixes Part 1: Oh yes, the remix by Samuel L Session. I’d been hunting for this one for what feels like forever. I actually stumbled across it recently while browsing through a Discogs seller’s listings. Almost every record was under €5, based in Berlin (meaning low shipping costs), so of course I went all in. And that’s how I found this gem. I listened once and instantly knew: “THIS IS THE ONE I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR”. No hesitation, straight purchase. Didn’t need to overthink it. Such a beautiful track to close out a set with!

#4 System 7 - Alpha Wave: And now to a record where, honestly, I only care about one track. And yes, you already know which one. It’s long, it’s perfect as an intro, and it’s remixed by none other than Richie Hawtin. I’m talking about the A-side: Alpha Wave (Plastikman Acid House Mix). How beautiful is this track? I once played it in a B2B with Ricardo E. in Wuppertal. There’s even a recording of it, which I’ll share with you here as a SoundCloud link.

DISCOGS

DISCOGS
SOUNDCLOUD

5. Top 5 by Me (YouTube Channels) - A handpicked selection, carefully curated each week.

#5 @2trancentral: The name says it all: the channel “2trancentral” stands for quality 90s trance, focusing heavily on dreamy vibes. It’s full of classics but also features extremely rare records you’d never have heard on YouTube before. The curation is super tight, one track better than the next. Of course, there’s more than just trance on the channel, but it’s mainly known for this genre, which sadly has fallen a bit out of favor lately. Definitely worth digging into, especially if you’re hunting for your next closing track!

#4 @DavidMoleon: Next up is David Moleon, one of the key Spanish producers who shaped and influenced the tribal scene in the early 2000s. On his channel, he regularly does reaction videos to DJs (he even reacted to me once, hahaha). The downside is that the channel is entirely in Spanish, which I don’t understand. I usually have to guess what he means from his facial expressions. Unfortunately, YouTube still doesn’t offer a translation tool with English subtitles for these. But whatever, the highlight is his channel “REACCIONANDO a mi colección de VINILOS” where he showcases his record collection, comments on the tracks, and explains what makes them so good. I’ve discovered quite a few records through that series that I didn’t know before. Killer taste from a true legend!

YOUTUBE

#3 Paradogs77 @paradogs7751: Now, let’s move on to one of the most underrated YouTube channels out there: Paradogs77. This channel uploads digitized tapes, and the gems you can find there are incredible. I’ve been following it since 2017, when I stumbled across it purely by chance. And honestly, what an insanely amazing decade the 1990s were! The cassette sound gives the mixes such a warm, fat feel. Sadly, the community on the channel is quite small, so you don’t see many track ID comments. That means it’s not the best tool for discovering new music, but it’s a joy to just listen. My recommendations: “[Tape 261] Reinbeckhalle Berlin-Schöneweide [side B]” and “[Tape 271] Michael Burkat @ der Club Augsburg 2001-12-31 [side A]”. Paradogs77 also has full 5-hour broadcasts of old Mayday 1995 VHS recordings from German TV channel VIVA. Pure bliss!

#2 DaveUnderground @DaveDK1984: Then there’s the channel that has helped me with more Dance Mania purchases than I can count: DaveUnderground. In my opinion, it’s one of the best-curated selections on YouTube. You’ll find tons of very rare records there. Whenever I’m previewing something on Discogs and see his profile picture in the YouTube results, I already know the record’s going to be good. Honestly, DaveUnderground is a seal of quality. Absolutely world-class selection. I’ve gone through his entire channel, and I’m just super grateful it exists!

YOUTUBE

#1 @marcou909: And finally, who else could be number one but marcou909. Just like DaveUnderground, he’s a trusted source, a guarantee of quality. Simply seeing his profile picture in my YouTube feed makes buying decisions so much easier. His true passion? Acid. Just like me. And here’s the brilliant part, the subtle but key difference from DaveUnderground: he actually adds the genre after the artist and track title. That makes searching incredibly easy. If I’m not in the mood for trance, I won’t even click. To be honest, I’ve already gone through his whole channel too. Marcou909, if you’re reading this, know that you’ve been a huge part of my digging history. Hats off to you and your excellent taste in music!

YOUTUBE

6. Community Pick of the Week by Måtyrer - One favorite from the community.

Ectomorph - Chromed Out: I’ll be honest with you all: I haven’t received any new community emails for this section. By now, I’ve used up every submission from the last 12 weeks. I’m writing this newsletter on a Tuesday and didn’t want to cut it short without a Community Pick of the Week. So, I pulled out my phone and scrolled through WhatsApp, looking for someone who could give me a pick on the spot. And I landed on Max…

Max, aka Måtyrer, is a longtime friend of mine from Cologne. We first met years ago in Essen, when he and his buddy Marlon, aka Dornen, played at a party hosted by my longtime friend Justin and his crew at Goethebunker. We clicked instantly. We already knew each other a bit from Facebook, and the connection was immediate. Max is a DJ, producer, and promoter, and to me, one of the most important people in Cologne when it comes to club culture and throwing absolute ragers. With Brutalism, he’s part of a team that has been consistently bringing quality techno to Cologne for years. His party, Research, affectionately dubbed “the Cologne Panorama Bar” by some regulars, has become an institution.

The only downside: the train ride from Dortmund to Cologne is painfully long, dragging through every single Ruhr Area city. Once you hit Düsseldorf, you think you’re almost there, but nope, it stretches out like chewing gum. Doesn’t matter if it’s ICE or Regionalbahn; the stops are basically the same. So we don’t see each other as often these days, but whenever we do, it’s always pure quality time.

Anyway, I’ll hand it over to Max, whom I called up spontaneously, and here’s what he shared with me (and now with us):

“It’s about the track ‘Ectomorph – Chromed Out’, which I want to share with you. I heard it recently at the Voodoo Floor at the Dekmantel Selectors Festival in Tisno, Croatia, which ran from August 21 to 25. On Thursday night, during the closing until 2 AM, Konduku (I’m pretty sure it was him) dropped this track. We were a crew of 41 (!!!) people from Cologne, with 20 of us on that floor. The track sent us into complete ecstasy. The whole set was flawless, and we absolutely lost our minds to that sound. I later found the track on Spotify thanks to the ‘Played @ Selectors’ playlist, and when I listened back, it instantly transported me to that festival moment again. Absolute banger!”

Thank you, Max, for your Community Pick of the Week! Stay just the way you are. Much love!

DISCOGS

And just like that, we’ve reached the end once again. What a ride through time! Are you still happy with the sections? Feel free to let me know in an email or down in the comments.

DON’T forget to enter the giveaway below!

And don’t forget: keep sending me your favorite track or record. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the one curating the next pick in the Community section.

Simply reply to this email or comment here with a link to your favorite E.P.

Catch you next week! Be ready to drop the needle on my next picks.

Keep it spinning,
Robin Tasi @ Recycling Wax

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