Jorge Velez returns to L.I.E.S. with his first effort since 2012’s Hassan LP. Through this six track LP we see the ultra versatile Velez weave seamlessly through numerous strains of electronics. From menacing drones to EBM influenced floor tracks to Sakamoto-esque melodic experiments, he creates an atmosphere equally suitable for home listening or adventurous club play. All of this very much reminding us of the days when Mute, Factory, Cherry Red, or Fetish Records were at their best.
Raw, analogue-drenched album by Syncom Data. Ranging from deep and dubby to detroit-inspired electro and industrial-influenced bass music.
This is the second release and second album for the Gilga series which seems to be proliferating on Felix K’s Hidden Hawaii label. The first LP came from Legowelt, last year’s uber-rare and slept-on Gilga 1, and for all we know Gilga 2 could come from the Dutchman too if we base our findings on the Danny Wolfers-esque track names. Synths and musicality play a big role right across Gilga 2 with dubsteppy drums and other elements effecting tracks like “Reversed Shell” and “These Are My Thoughts”, while there’s a Livity Sound-feel to “Purple Jude”. For something a littler deeper and rhythmic check out “Maschine Series” and “Slow Depression”, while “Harmony Korine (Happy Jungle mix)” ends the LP on a trippy note. Gilga 2 is intriguing machine-made music to say the least.
Psychic 9-5 Club marks the beginning of a new chapter for HTRK. It’s an album that looks back on a time of sadness and struggle, and within that struggle they find hope and humour and love. It’s Jonnine Standish and Nigel Yang’s first album recorded entirely as a duo. Though the record is instantly recognizable as HTRK—Standish’s vocal delivery remains central to the band’s sound, while the productions are typically lean and dubby—they’ve found ample room for exploration within this framework. Of all the themes that run through Psychic 9-5 Club, love is the most central. The word is laced throughout the album in lyrics and titles—love as a distraction, loving yourself, loving others. Standish’s lyrics explore the complexities of sexuality and the body’s reaction to personal loss, though there’s room for wry humour—a constant through much of the best experimental Australian music of the past few decades.
For those who have been following Macadam Mambo from the beginning, you must have noticed that eclecticism and craziness are definitively the main lines of the label. Well, this new release by Nation’s Traxx and Npnk will prove it once again. They have prepared 4 stunning edits, exploring Industrial, Minimal Synth Pop, EBM, Post Punk.
Nation starts off the year with brand new artists to the family from San Francisco from 2 ladies on a mission is to present the most emotional and artistic music that brings many moods and colors that equals timeless avant-garde paintings of sound. Abstract darkness from San Francisco. Red Light started as a pact between Kerri LeBon and Rachel Aiello in early 2013,though neither of them had any prior musical experience, they both were determined to dive head first into creating their first recordings…their music being generally angst and moody, the two girls sought to beautify their suffering through sound.
Dial regular Efdemin returns with a third album of a respected career, with the autumnal theme of Decay inspired by the German producer’s three-month artist residency in Kyoto, Japan. Sollmann immersed himself in the local culture while in Kyoto, attending ceremonies with monks at temples and visiting local instrument makers. This results in a ten track set that canvasses the sort of poignant, introverted house music that’s characterized much of Phillip Sollmann’s work as Efdemin to date. There are however a few stylistic surprises along the way – the stripped back, jacking “Transducer” or the fusion of jazzy licks and noisy bursts of percussion that makes up the title track – but overall you’d be hard pushed to think of a better label to house Decay than Dial.
Dimi Angelis & Jeroen Search continue on their very own imprint A&S with an outspaced and hypnotic 4 tracker.
Excellent techno gear on Bunker New York. Voices From The Lake are Donato Dozzy and Neel, a duo that has redefined techno in both the live arena and the album format. In July of 2012, Voices From The Lake came from Rome to Brooklyn to present a special night of music at The Bunker in the back room of Public Assembly. This was one of the greatest nights of music in the history of The Bunker. Their tremendous sixhour set consisted of two separate live sets, and back-to-back DJ sets. None of the music from the either of the hour-long live sets had been released, so the label immediately got on them about their plans for the tracks. They agreed on their favorite segments, and they produced live studio tracks based on those excerpts. A few Voices From The Lake tracks have come out since the album, but this is their first full release since 2012.
Two deep tripping techno tracks. DVS1 revitalize his own imprint HUSH with his second release focused only on his own tracks and his love for deep and purist techno.
Ron Maney aka DJ Skull lived in the Southside of Chicago. His musical career started during the summer of 1986, DJing first at basement parties, building his reputation to go on to larger events such as loft and hotel parties, and eventually the infamous Music Box and Power Plant clubs. At the age of fifteen Ron shopped his first demo at Trax Records. There he first met Chicago’s legendary DJ Ron Hardy, working as A&R for Trax Records. Two years, and a new alias later (DJ Skull) later while at the Power Plant, Chicago’s own Steve Poindexter heard a DJ playing one of Rons tracks, and met Ron. Steve was now A&R at Saber Records and invited Ron to release some tracks. So in October of 1991 DJ Skull’s first record ”N.R.G. Music” was released. In 1993, he released the EP ”The Stomping Grounds” on Djax-Up-Beats, which was more noted than the first one. Over the years that followed DJ Skull released lots of EP’s on several labels. He has become well-respected producer and DJ in the Techno industry.
Kel, aka Elias Landberg of Skudge, with 3 analogue techno cuts for the 6th release on 7777. Sci-fi acid from the future or the past?
Motech Records, DJ 3000’s label heads to another new signing with two tracks by Lionel Weets, taken from his forthcoming debut album, `Stellar Orchestra’. Techno and house producer, Lionel Weets hails from Belgium and yet his style is clearly influenced by Detroit Techno with its deep, soulful and melodic sound, plus that additional funky touch.
