The mysterious Italian producer 2030 is back on CLFT. Here – with these four tracks – comes another deep and refreshing breath, still full of these unique retro-futur-rhythms.
Author: hipodrome
Xenogears – Second Room EP [PM014]
Machine soul Hi-techno funk rooted cuts from the Berlin based Analogue Cops as Xenogears. Included a space acid solid remix by Mattia Trani.
Inter Gritty – Islands [RINO001LP]
Album debut from Inter Gritty. This island-hopping adventure takes us from the quirky depths of Ictis through the 303 workout of Stac Lee and the brutal pounding of Swona, to the lush electronics of Cijin. The Norrköping, Sweden-based producer has taken his sound one step further from his previous EPs and painted a bigger picture, covering an archipelago of sound that offers both rough seas, jagged cliffs and serene forests.
Aiken – Boundary [TL002]
After a successful launch of his own imprint last year, label owner Aiken is now back with the second EP. His first release of 2016 and the second release on the Timelime imprint counts four four-to-the-floor techno bangers in his own signature style. Warehouse proof peaktime.
Psyk – Origin / Wire [NON022]
Madrid-based producer Manuel Anós returns on his own Non Series imprint to release a new EP. Psyk brings now to ‘Origin’, 2 tracks in the Manuel’s most basic and stripped down aesthetics to explore his sonic origins through loops and wires.
Drafted – Frames From The Lake EP [BALANS020]
The first installment of Balans Records in 2016 brings the debut of young, talented Italian artist, Drafted, to the Dutch label. Beautifully opening the EP, ‘Frames from the Lake’ fills the air with a thick suspense, reminiscent of a mystical fairytale before ‘Frequency Graven’ dives straight into a persistent kick and coordinated with fluttering chords. On the flip side, ‘Shaded Impacted’ delivers a deeper bass which introduces a progression into a climax of heavenly dissonance and relentless hi-hats. ‘Vortex Empire’ on the other hand features contradictory rhythms which dance atop stirring atmospheres. Each track is able to emphasize that naturally opposites do attract as the confronting rhythms compliment any dark dance floor.
Mick Wills @ We Are Monsters, Monarch (San Francisco) 12.03.2016
Marvin & Guy @ Gewölbe (Cologne) 16.04.2016
S Olbricht – For Perfect Beings [LT022]
Having broken the barrier for murky skewed house with his 2014 white label ‘A Place Called Ballacid’, Hungarian scene founder S Olbricht returns with a full album on Lobster Theremin that channels his distinct brand of thumping, sludgy techno, weaving through repetitive drone-laden ambient and Hague-esque escape soundtrack house. ‘For Perfect Beings’ is a sound-palette tour de force, picking ‘n’ mixing tempos and tonal balances that shift throughout each track and side of vinyl. Which strangely starts on a 12″ LP slab and ends with a pseudo ‘bonus’ 10″ two track experiment.
Juan Atkins & Moritz von Oswald present Borderland – Transport [TRESOR285]
To coincide with the twenty-fifth anniversary of Berlin club Tresor, Juan Atkins and Moritz Von Oswald have released a second Borderland album together. It begins in ominous mode, with the title track’s brooding bass tones casting a long, dark shadow, but the pair soon find a way to break away from the gloom with the mesmerising chords and heavy rhythm of “Lightyears” and the wonderfully spacey Detroit techno of “Riod”. Both “Odyssey” and “Merkur” push the tempo back down but keep an emphasis on hypnotic, woozy textures, snappy drums and jazzy tones, while “2600” shows that Van Oswald hasn’t lost his ability to craft dub-heavy, dreamy techno.
Andy Stott – Too Many Voices [LOVE101]
Andy Stott rarely gets it wrong. To date, he’s release a trio of fine full-lengths on Modern Love, each of which has arrived perfectly formed. It’s a similar story on fourth album Too Many Voices. Rich, spacious and melodious, it draws on both classic and contemporary sounds, channeling Yellow Magic Orchestra, James Blake, Boards Of Canada, Autechre and clap-happy drum machine funk, before twisting these varied inspirations into thrilling new shapes. For all the high-minded experimentalism, Stott’s greatest gift is an ability to create music that’s inspired and entertaining, achieving a balance between boundary-pushing and old-fashioned melodiousness. When he gets it right, as on Too Many Voices, few can really compete.
VA – Cosmos #1 [SVS009]
Martin Heimann – Salto [CO008]
Frankfurt based producer, DJ and music lover Martin Heimann presents his debut single Salto’ on Carry On 008. Remaining faithful to its name, the small label puts out another piece of limited wax every once in a long while. Enrooted in the soundscapes of 80s proto house the original version of Salto’ is a thriving piece of octave liberation. Consistent changes between harmonics break up the repetitive structure, while FM pads and the 303 are performing a little duet. The release is ennobled by two proper remixes from Moon B (Peoples Potential Unlimited) and Jex Opolis (Good Timin’). While Moon B keeps it bubblin’ with some extra analogue funk bounce and subtle Italo dance floor energy, the B-Side is Jexi-fied with some embellishment to the cords, change in the bassline and a nice 808 snap. On top Mr. Opolis adds some mysterious but cheesy vocals samples that match perfect with the moody 80s orchestral stabs.
Faze Action – Mangwana [FAR029]
Faze Action return with a brand new 12”, teaming up with Zimbabwean born Zeke Manyika to create ”Mangwana”. Sung in Zeke’s native Shona, and taking influences from Mory Kante, South African Kwaito to early house, Faze Action manage to create a record that harks back yet still has a modern and contemporary feel and is set to be the soundtrack to countless festivals and outdoor parties this summer. The title track is followed by the stunning ”Chiiko”, featuring Zeke’s vocals enriched by Rob’s ‘cello’s with African rhythms floating you away to another tropical world. A Vision of Panorama turns up the dial with a stunning mix on the flip side. A new bass line adds to some quality keyboard work. Finally the brothers deliver are more stripped out dub ”Paradise ’89 Mix” tailored for the peak time.
VA – RDY #30 (Ron Hardy Edits) [RDY030]
Four monstrous tracks straight from the basement featuring one of the original house music creator Ron Hardy.
Marge & The Marvellous – A Distant Dance [NMP002]
The second release of No More Pop features an obscure sideproject of the famous dutch minimal synth group “Ensemble Pittoresque”. Originally released on a promo compilation for local bands in 1984 called “De Wassenaarse Slag”, the single “A Distant Dance” is a truly unique journey into dutch synth wave. The composer and producer Ton Willekes and Paulus Wieland teamed up with Marga Visser for the vocals for their last creation before the final end of Ensemble Pittoresque. Besides the original version the record also features a special rework of the original Ensemble Pittoresque Demo of “A Distant Dance”, produced by Murphy Jax. On the remix front, the silvery Celina S resang the vocals for both Keen’s and Flemming Dalum’s remixes, which are shining due to their unique , dreamy and melancholic mood.
Intergalactic Gary – Dekmantel Selectors Podcast 002
UFOCUS – Guidance For The Puzzled [NW009LP]
Danny Wolfers aka Legowelt with a new project UFOCUS on his own label Nightwind Records. 11 Tracks with a mix of electronix and more club ready tracks, typical Legowelt style. A double-album set that explores the paranormal themes that were once a major part of the early ’90s ambient techno scene. Musically, much of Guidance For The Puzzled recalls those halcyon days, with Danny’s drawing inspiration from a mixture of classic Detroit techno, intergalactic electronica, intelligent techno, stargazing ambient house and – on the fine “Archetypes & Myths” – dreamy deep house/acid house fusion.
Marcello Napoletano – The Neroli EP [NERO031T]
Marcello Napoletano is an artist gifted with a special raw energy and his talent is shown on this debut EP for Neroli. Four tracks with that ‘Music Box’ swing only few producer have. The Neroli track in particular is set to jack hard any dancefloor.
Mr. Lee – I Can’t Forget [TX137]
One of the early big records in the UK that preceded the acid house mania that followed in 1988 and Mr. Lee’s first in a string of releases on Trax.
