Berlin-based label and party series Hot Concept releases ‘Hot Compilation Vol. 2’, a fifteen-track digital compilation featuring original music from The Field, Aasthma, Karen Gwyer, Discovery Zone, William Doyle, Gramrcy and many more. Following on from 2022’s first edition, this new, expanded collection is available exclusively on Bandcamp with all proceeds going to ​​habibi.works, an on-the-ground charity assisting refugees in Greece by providing spaces to use and exchange skills, as well as Doctors Without Borders, currently focused on the humanitarian crisis ongoing in Gaza.

Blending internationally recognised and upcoming musicians alike, Hot Compilation Volume II begins with ‘Be Confident’, the first original track from The Field since 2018’s LP ‘Infinite Moment’, and finds Axel Willner’s influential project in stellar, hypnotic form. Also reemergent is Karen Gwyer, whose ‘A Cause de la Frange’ enchants with a gloriously smudgy trip of psychedelic electronics. Such skygazing moods are complemented by an original piece from Friendly Fires founding member and modular enthusiast Jack Savidge, whose ‘Generated Waveforms For World Peace’ concludes the journey with a wide-eyed sense of hope.

From the communal edge of UK indie culture, beloved Merseyside band Stealing Sheep offer ‘Whistle’, spacious electronic pop songwriting featuring Ukranian artist HELLEROID and arrangement from the Liverpool Philharmonic Strings. Former Mercury-nominee William Doyle existentially prods a sitcom finale on ‘A Brief Millenium’, while London-based, Polish-born Phantasy Sound artist PYTKO opens another portal to her vortex of bespoke sound design.

This fresh volume also features the debut of original music from O.N.A, the alias of Manchester-born Cameroonian sound artist and curator Oscar Ngu Atanga, whose ‘If Only For A Moment’ reveals a musical passage of calm from the Refuge Worldwide resident. Joining him from the Berlin station is Ady Toledano, following up his 2022 Hot Concept tape with the weightless, soothing electro of ‘Sky Is The Limit’, alongside respected house music mastermind Olin, whose deliciously zingy ‘DC11’ sets off the dance.

Also returning to the label, Teplice, pays further yearning, dreamlike dividends with the soft-pop of ‘Waiting’. Having guested on the first volume, Discovery Zone presents an alternate take on her recent ‘Mall Of Luv’ single with an ‘E.T. remix’, and additional playing from underground saxophone legend, Linda Fox.

More direct dancefloor material is well represented; Gramrcy reunites with Hot Concept’s founder John Loveless for their first track since 2022’s festival barnstormer Highdive, once again toggling with the sublime and the ridiculous on ‘Tremolo Trouble’. Moving Still continues to move bodies and connect his Saudi heritage and the Dublin club scene on the pumping ‘Sajayer’, while Beigean cooks up another Bollywood-tinted hi-NRG banger from the Leicestershire suburbs. Finally, Stockholm’s recently Grammi nominated dream team of Peder Mannerfelt and Par Grindvik come ‘Together’ once more as Aasthma in transcendent, tuneful techno form.

Hot Concept was founded in 2019 by DJ, producer and writer John Loveless, who maintains long-running residencies on the Berlin stations Cashmere Radio and Refuge Worldwide. As well as Hot Concept, he is creatively involved with both Phantasy Sound and CWPT (Cooking With Palms Trax)

This compilation has been produced with the mastering assistance of Rupert Clervaux, alongside artwork from Lauren Perchard.

Located beside the Katsikas refugee camp in Greece, Habibi.Works is an open, intercultural makerspace and platform for empowerment, education and community. Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) offers medical humanitarian assistance to people based solely on need, irrespective of race, religion, gender, or political affiliation.