Featuring on Meanwhile for a first collaborative outing, Buenos Aires' Juan Deminicis and La Plata producer, Casnik, join forces on "Inner Glow / Phasebreaker", a two-track tour de force where established credibility meets rising promise.\n\nA Buenos Aires mainstay whose progressive house grounding stretches back two decades, Juan Deminicis began producing genre-defining Progressive House in the late-2000s, refining his craft with the support of the industry's A-list tastemakers. Prolific and celebrated, a 2010 victory in a remix competition for Cid Inc.'s "Filaments" saw a release on Replug, opening the door to a catalogue that now spans Guy J's Lost & Found, Hernán Cattaneo's Sudbeat, Guy Mantzur's Plattenbank, Eelke Kleijn's Outside The Box and Carl Cox's Global Underground, alongside a raft of releases on Proton Music, UV Noir, and Mango Alley. His own Soulsynth imprint has since become a further outlet for that prolific streak. A regular alongside Guy J, Guy Mantzur, Jody Wisternoff, Darin Epsilon and Roy Rosenfeld among others on the global club circuit, Juan made his first appearance on Meanwhile courtesy of EANP's 2024 outing "The Other Side", while a guest turn that now becomes a full collaborative twin-track EP.\n\nCity Bell, La Plata-raised producer, Nicolás Castillo, has created a significant stir under his Casnik moniker with a journey from the DJ booth to the studio moving swiftly since 2018. A shift toward Progressive and Melodic House from 2020 focused his energy, and a 2021 relocation to Tulum placed him inside one of dance music's more storied creative cities. Continuing to DJ in the famous clubs of the area, production work in tandem saw releases on Mango's Mango Alley, Forty Cats' PURRFECTION and Roger Martinez's HIGHER STATES. Casnik and Juan Deminicis are no strangers to each other's studios, having already teamed up on Soulsynth's "03" in November 2024 as the duo now mark their collaborative debut.\n\n"Inner Glow" is full of the hallmark rhythmic prowess that has become such a central pillar in the Juan Deminicis production playbook. A deeply resonant and bouncing bassline provides dancefloor sensibility while diaphanous pads create a pulsating sonic atmosphere. A more powerful lead line is introduced at the mid-point and through the flowing breakdown to reach a satisfying denouement, before the bouncing groove and searing melodic effects gain a foothold in the third movement to a dramatic conclusion.\n\nThe percussive intricacy of "Phasebreaker" is apparent from the outset with a meticulously programmed rhythmic backdrop forming the basis for beautifully cadenced synth stabs to add to the panoply of layers. A delicious vocal enters the fray in the second movement, accompanied by a serenely imagined combination of melodic flair and dramatic bassline. Pulsating white noise waves make their presence felt at the breakdown alongside the rich melodic phrasing before dropping back into the hefty bass groove and lead motif that cuts through the mix with ease. The result is an enthralling sonic masterclass. \n\nTwo producers with South American sonic roots, Juan Deminicis and Casnik burn brightly with "Inner Glow / Phasebreaker" on Meanwhile.\n\nDirected by GMJ & Matter\nMastered by Cid Inc.\nDesign by Matter\nText by James Warren

An artist of continually rising reputation, Maze 28 is another welcome returnee to the Meanwhile imprint. With a debut solo EP to showcase, the reptilian "Iguana / Cobra / Komodo" takes centre stage. Under his Maze 28 moniker, Durrës-born Mario Zefi has become a leading figure in the underground dance fraternity with a plethora of Progressive House hits and occasional forays into Melodic Techno and Electronica arenas. Debuting in 2020 at eighteen, the Albanian star transitioned fully into the Progressive House arena with 2023's "Redux/Flux" on the Beatport number one selling Mango Alley. Since then, Balance Music, UV, Anjunadeep and Alex O'Rion's Solis Records have all featured the Maze 28 sound – including a return to Mango Alley in late 2025 for the"Leave the World Behind" album – as Albania's leading progressive export continues to go from strength to strength. Having thrilled with "Superbloom" on "Meanwhile Excursions, Vol. 4" in September 2024, "Iguana" sees Maze 28 open proceedings with a thumping rhythmic powerhouse that provides dancefloor vibrancy courtesy of a rapid-fire percussive top line. A swung 16th note bassline ups the pace further as layers of effects and subtle melodics evolve with ease. Replete with white-noise risers at the breakdown, the track explodes into the second half with a sliced vocal cut as the rhythmic intensity of earlier phases continues. "Cobra" continues the dark and unwavering bassline intensity of its predecessor as hefty beat and head-shaking hats create club-friendly fervour. Metronomic intensity continues as a pitched vocal phrase adds gravitas. Elegant melodic flourishes create further intrigue as does a siren-effect at the breakdown, reaching a powerful zenith before finding its way back to the beat-laden intensity. The final track reveals an oriental-themed percussion element that develops hypnotically across "Komodo". Flooded with spine-tingling chord progressions, the rhythmic force of partner tracks is replicated here but a glorious breakdown of free-flowing motif and dizzying pads and risers creates a devastating platform for additional elements to extend into the second half in glorious dance-friendly technicolour. Shape-shifting with ease across a landscape of reptilian-themed music, Maze 28 is lizard-king extraordinaire. Directed by GMJ & Matter Mastered by Cid Inc. Design by Matter Text by James Warren

A rapidly rising favourite on both the flagship and sister labels, Fran Garay returns to Meanwhile with another deep dynamic EP, enlisting the help of Diego R, as "A Ruined World / Closed Feelings" provides another twin-track offering of the highest calibre.\n\nAn Argentinean artist of rising pedigree, Fran Garay has quickly become a favourite on a variety of blue-chip labels after a 2020 debut on 3rd Avenue. Since then, a growing number of releases have found their way onto such leading imprints as Solis Records, PURRFECTION and the recent "Augmented 018 / FGA" on the best-selling Mango Alley.\n\nThe Meanwhile family has also seen a clutch of high-profile releases after an initial outing on 2024's "Meanwhile Excursions, Vol. 4", while the "Restored / Irresponsible / I'll Be Better" EP arrived on the flagship imprint a year later. 2026 continued to show a deeper, more considered side to the Fran Garay production style with "Gero's Melody" on Meanwhile Horizons, at the start of the year, as Fran now returns with a stunning twin track affair.\n\n"A Ruined World" opens with a chugging rhythmic backdrop, full of heft and gravitas. A deep sub-bass adds to the weight as a subtly arpeggiated melody floats into sonic range. Delicately building courtesy of steam-powered white noise risers, a stripped breakdown allows the central melody to breathe before it blossoms with counterpoint addition in the second half.\n\nJoining forces with a fellow countryman on "Closed Feelings", Diego R has been a regular across the clubs of his Buenos Aires home while a production career has taken in stops on The Soundgarden, AH Digital and Proton Music along the way. Now making his Meanwhile debut alongside Fran Garay, "Closed Feelings" is another thumping rhythmic gem that provides measured dancefloor power. A stuttered vocal effect produces an intelligent melodic line as it pans the left-right spectrum before being showcased fully at the beatless mid-point. Hitting its straps once more in the third movement, a dizzying, buzzing lead effect adds sonic inventiveness to deliver a magical offering that displays the Argentine pair's craftsmanship.\n\nMaking a further name for himself, Fran Garay lights up "A Ruined World" with Diego R opening the doors to creative freedom courtesy of the co-produced "Closed Feelings".\n\nDirected by GMJ & Matter\nMastered by Fran Garay, Cid Inc.\nDesign by Matter\nText by James Warren