It’s Belgium vs. Malta for the second split EP on Gated, with Datawave’s tough take on electro kicking off on the A side and Sound Synthesis’s cosmic machine music on the B. Hypnotic pure electro crafted through wiggly electronics and sharp percussion.
Four years after launching his last EP, Lugo-based artist, Synth Alien, makes a comeback to lead the fourth release of Noise To Meet You. Six Electro tracks, under the wings of a 100% hardware set up that has allowed his sound to reach a step up.
Detroit’s Terrence Dixon and Amsterdam based Jordan GCZ (of Juju & Jordash fame) team up for a unique combination of talents. Last September 2019 the two spent a week together in the studio and ”Outnumbered” is the first harvested from the sessions. Here we are treated to two stretched-out electronic soundscapes.
The Underwater Island is a collection of four tracks from Grenoble based producer Denis Morin. Philosopher, gardener, father and sonic explorer. For ISLE009, Vague Imaginaires gifts us with autobiographical field recordings, FM synthesis and skilled sound design inspired by the ocean and the Drac river which flows through the mountains of his city. Harmonising natural sound sources with digital realms, he navigates through minimalism, ambient techno and flashes of dub inspiration. Morin combines these musical ideas with Roland TR-8, 303 emulations, hydrophone recordings and vocal fragments from Tunisia, Morocco and Vercors Massif.
DEAD CERT. Records is a label linked to the deathtechno.com website ran by Jack! Who? in the UK. The second installment features individual tracks from a selection of handpicked artists. Featuring known and established artists, but also those breaking into the industry. This EP contains quality cuts from Marco Effe in Berlin, Arnaud Le Texier in London, William Arist from Uruguay and QphoriQ who is based in Russia.
Magnonic Signals presents the first of a various artists EP series, Neuromorphic Engineering Vol. 1. Kicking things off master of deep electro Reedale Rise delivers a sublime immersive machine funk workout with ‘Anatalia’ oozing class from start to finish. Next up is Darren Nye with ‘Beyond The Stars’ a 90’s techno and electro at its core with just the right amount of intergalactic magic. On the flip we welcome back Mihail P with ‘Past Lives’, a slice of pure Detroit inspired brilliance from our man in North Macedonia. To close the EP label co-head Spin Fidelity sets the machines to warp dive with ‘To Tha Outta Limits’ a driving techno track perfect for that 3am boost of high octane energy.
EYA Records marks its 10th release with a solo work from French producer Master Flashhh. The opening track “Too Big to fail” is stripped back yet energetic, driven by 909 drums,atmospheric pads and drifting vocals. A2 “Beat Boxxx” is catchy electro workout with vocal samples from a Dominican Republic radio and 303 acid lines. On the B side “Boulevard Mystere’ is an ode to Boulevard Barbes in Paris, the track is characterised by haunting melodies and a warm analogue bass. B2 is a dreamy and evocative number with the use of Juno 106 spacey sounds and 808 drum patterns.Enigma EP is contemplative, audacious and imaginative.
‘The third edition of the Exit Planet Earth vinyl series features four more exclusive intergalactic selections from Ralph Lawson. First up is a true legend of the UK electro scene, Keith Tenniswood aka ‘Radioactive Man’, who creates a constantly evolving sonic trip called ‘One Out’. Sharing the A side is the Spanish producer Annie Hall, creating melodic landscapes, layered with intricate string orchestration driven by deep bass. On the flip side Helsinki-based Sunny Seppa aka Sansibar shows exactly why he is fast becoming hot property following his immense debut album on FTP – ‘Targeted Individuals’. Sansibar brings the record back to the 4/4 with a flowing yet subtle working of synths and pads. Also based in Finland yet hailing from Holland is VC-118A, delivers some deep space dub with expertly crafted production centring on low end theory.
Libertine Records welcomes David Carretta for the next LIbertine 15. The electroclash pioneer delivers five sick cuts between Italo, EBM and Electro.
Mukatsuku presents the second volume of killer Ghanaian Highlife / Afrofunk monsters, this time focusing on two artists legendary in the genre. First up first time on a 45 from 1980 is ”What Is Life” from the Ebo Taylor & Uhuru Yenzu album ”Conflict Nkru!”. Amazing brass, flute and afrocentric rhythms lay the path for the track once heard never forgotten. On the flip first time ever on a 45 Pat Thomas who features on volume 1 of the series comes correct with possibly the best version (and there are a few ) of ”Gyae Su”. With its jangly African guitar licks and infectious chorus lines the feel good factor is set to maximum.
The relationship between Calypso and Vilnius is quite strong. This is why this time they invited local talent Plot Pilot to share a release with label boss Thomass Jackson. The A side is Jackson’s time to deliver his two edits. First one is a bongo driven, afro robotic vocals, breakish trance extravaganza. While the second one goes straight for the chin with it’s vocals who command you to work work work! The Lithuanian boys, Plot Pilot, deliver a cosmic bomb full of psychedelic guitars and bleepy noises on their first one and for the second one the pay tribute with a to the Lithuanian seaside where every summer the famous Ant Bangos festival takes place.
A treasure trove of edit wonders from none other than the Turkish master and esteemed digger’s digger, Jonny Rock, released on the ever-dependable Orange Tree Edits. Four cuts, taking you on whistle-stop tour around the inner workings of Rock’s mind, from electro to new wave, with a slice of Serbian soft rock in there for good measure.
Exhausted Modern’s debut full-length titled The Year of the Rat is a proof of the thought-provocation that author’s name generates. Released on his own Endless Illusion imprint, the album doesn’t have all the answers, it simply offers Exhausted Modern’s perception of the modern times and also the energy to do something with them. The title, borrowed from the Chinese zodiac calendar, doesn’t slip to mere esoteric prognosis, it fittingly and provocatively comments on broken mechanics of society, capitalistic hierarchisation and emotional frustration of its victims. Despite the dystopian character of Exhausted Modern’s sound, which ranges from fast melancholia through suspicious calmness to slowly bubbling rage, it doesn’t feel like the end of the world. It’s critical artistic statement of a person who despite seeing all the darkness, also sees the way out of it.
L.I.E.S. Records Various Artists compilation “How Sick Do You Get When You Look At Yourself?” with tracks from 51717, Bad News, Beau Wanzer, Chupacabras, Daniel Holt, December, Delroy Edwards, Entro Senestre, Innsyter, JT Whitfield, Krikor, S. English, Teste, TV.OUT and Willie Burns.
Hypnotic Connection presents the latest release which features artists from Mexico, Sweden, Israel, Germany, Holland, US and Russia. In this compilation you will hear bouncing techno and acid, some slomo synth grumbling and a banger electro & breakbeat tracks.
Marcos Cabral returns to L.I.E.S. with a new six track mini LP after a run of cult releases for The Trilogy Tapes as Chemotex. Here we get Cabral in top form falling somewhere in-between his last works for L.I.E.S. and Chemotex tracks. Through the record we get a rough yet refined style moving from metallic gnarled electro to melodic IDM and/or destructive the electronics as heard on “Secret Air”. Our favorite being the introspective closer “Wearing Petrichor”.
The Hipodrome Of Music 