After more than three decades of shaping the sound of British techno, Dave Angel has returned to R&S Records with A Time And Place, his first full-length album for the seminal Belgian label. Released 35 years after Dave Angel first became part of the R&S family, the album reconnects one of the UK’s defining electronic music voices with the imprint that helped launch his career.
The relationship between Dave Angel and R&S Records began in 1991, when label founder Renaat Vandepapeliere discovered Angel’s Rolling Thunder project and invited the young London producer to Belgium. Vandepapeliere personally welcomed him into the R&S family alongside a new generation of forward-thinking electronic artists, leading to the release of the landmark 1st Voyage EP.
That introduction quickly developed into an influential creative partnership. Releases including Stairway To Heaven and 3rd Voyage, along with appearances on the influential In Order To Dance compilation series and releases through sister imprint Apollo, helped establish Dave Angel as one of British techno’s distinctive voices while contributing to the broader evolution of the UK scene.
Now, 35 years after that first chapter, A Time And Place approaches the relationship from an entirely different point in Angel’s artistic journey. Rather than looking backward, the album reflects an artist continuing to explore his musical identity, resulting in what he presents as his most personal and expansive statement to date.
Across 15 compositions, A Time And Place moves beyond the traditional boundaries of techno. Dave Angel draws from jazz, soul, improvisation, and richly textured electronic production, combining rhythmic precision with melody, warmth, and emotional depth. Themes surrounding family, heritage, nature, and the communities that have influenced his life are woven throughout the record, giving the album an intimate foundation while maintaining a broad musical scope.
Collaboration is another important part of the album’s character. Acclaimed trumpeter Steve Waterman appears on “Réflexion” and “The Yellow Butterfly,” bringing a lyrical, Miles Davis-inspired approach to the compositions. Angel was first drawn to Waterman through his work on Paul Hazel’s Out Of This World.
The album also features legendary Chicago vocalist Robert Owens on “Harmony Serenade,” while guitarist Merv Carswell and vocalist Aurii Sky, Angel’s daughter, contribute additional layers to a record built around musicianship and shared expression.
Although Dave Angel’s influence on electronic music is firmly established, A Time And Place also reflects musical foundations that predate his career in techno. Raised in a household immersed in live music and jazz culture, Angel has spent decades absorbing sounds outside the club environment. Those influences now emerge naturally across an album that favors exploration over convention.
For R&S Records, the release represents the renewal of a partnership that dates back to the label’s formative years. For Dave Angel, it is both a reflection on the journey so far and a continuation of an artistic path that has never stopped moving forward.
From 1st Voyage in 1991 to A Time And Place today, the connection between Dave Angel and R&S Records has endured because neither artist nor label has remained creatively static. Thirty-five years later, their latest collaboration carries the same forward-looking spirit that brought them together in the first place.
A Time And Place by Dave Angel is out now on R&S Records across 3LP and digital formats.
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