Legendary master drummer Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti teams up with Brazilian producer Grassmass on two experimental funk monsters of the highest order that perfectly illustrate the Azymuth founding member’s constant desire to push his signature sound towards the future. Recife born/São Paulo based bass player, producer and founder of experimental label UIVO Records Rodrigo Coelho aka grassmass is not only a long time collaborator with influential names like Naná Vasconcelos, Arto Lindsay and Ivan Conti “Mamão”, but also hosts projects with some of today’s brazilian edgiest talents Negro Leo and Thiago Nassif. Advanced Brazilian music on Rush Hour’s sister label New Dawn.
First in the TRUST XY recombination series. DL/MS, Keith Tucker, The Exaltics, and Privacy remix original tracks by DJ Glow, Microthol, DJ Stingray, and VC-118A.
Gladio Operations is back with a new release from the Spanish duo, UHF. The pack opens with the track “Fact Or Fiction?” and where UHF gifts us with a steamroller of a track, with vertiginous drops and well accompanied by a masterful remix by the Romanian producer Andrew Red Hand, which converts it into a more emotional piece and highly influenced by the Detroit sound. On the B side we encounter “Morning Glory”, a more atmospheric and enveloping cut, accompanied by a fantastic 303-scented bass line. This track comes with another great remix, this time by the French producer Jauzas The Shining, where he unveils a darker and deeper vision than the original cut. The EP ends with “Like Bad At Things” a theme similar to IDM style, with an effective mix of dark textures and melancholic melodies.
Dark Vektor is the new signing for the Madrid label Industrias Mekanikas. “Siegas Las Cadenas”, is the name with which the Catalan artist, presents this new work, a title that undoubtedly carries a very direct message about the times of repression and bias of freedoms that we came today. This new work presents 6 tracks, three original tracks of Dark Vektor, along with three remixes, of the hand of some of giants of the international electro scene. Assembler Code, Cosmic Force and Cestrian, are in charge of finishing off this incredible reference, full of pure power in each beat, demolishing bass, and hypnotic sequences and above all a message of vindication that is the common thread of the whole EP.
Krakow’s duo Olivia and Chino join Pinkman with their live project Radiation 30376. Both belonging to the generation that has seen decay turn into liberation, together they tint raw industrial soundscapes with the feelings of freedom and nostalgia. Their debut ep Arka consists of 4 uncompromised electro mutants, rich with the atmosphere of the 90s and the sound design of the future.
Ebi was a pseudonym used by Susumu Yokota who was a Japanese techno and ambient composer, producer and house music DJ. Transmigration presents now a one double LP of 2 previously re-issued EPs by the Japanese artist. This is Susumu Yokota’s vision of techno – house, lovingly collected in collaboration with Space Teddy and the Yokota family.
Assortment of 3 trippy chugger downtempo would-be-cosmic-hole anthems beautifully produced by Parisian scene Don Yousef Debbihi. Coming in through the clutch for this summers’ hopeful re-openings with Rec23 – what could have been the soundtrack to a new Akira sequel. Following with a never ending tribal K-hole trip. Ending with a beautiful atmospheric excursion on the B side, perfect for cleansing and setting up a dancefloor.
Larry Tee’s early work originally released in 1988 featuring mutated HiNRG Proto House sounds. Serious business faster borderline HiNRG on the A side with Pleasure Seekers, and then starting off the B side with slower fun samples sprinkled over solid 4 on the floor drum machine. Closing credits with a slower drama drenched urban soap opera ballad. One to keep in the bag all summer.?Original artwork by New York’s Tabboo!
Melodic Motion sees Martin Matiske use his machines in a new way. Across four tracks, the German musician inspires. Melodic Motion sees Martin Matiske use his machines in a new way. Across four tracks, the German musician inspires. “Digital Emotion” is built on crisp drum patterns, patterns from which Matiske arcs rich analogue notes. Vocals, employed almost like samples, give a human quality to this future-world vision. Technology is a central theme of the EP. Human qualities melt in robotic currents in “Computer Dance,” colder electro tones merging with warm and cheer-filled videogame echoes. “Information Product” maintains some of the electro character of its predecessor. Yet this is far from a dark piece, its uplifting piano keys surging with optimism. The icier tones of “Transmission” closes. Warm arpeggios rise against a front of crystalline chords in this final foray into this ever-so-close world of tomorrow.
2021 Official 12″ release featuring two big anthems by 80’s german synth-pop duo The Twins featured Sven Dohrow and guitarist and drummer Ronnie Schreinzer. They knocked out a load of albums in the very early 80s and amongst many big club tunes came they rmost weeks known ‘Face To Face – Heart To Heart.’ It’s a tune that has been covered many times in the years since but you can’t really beat the original. Here it gets served up as a Special dance version with its retro-future arps and glistening Casino chords making for a nice stomping synth-disco vibe. On the flip is a long version of ‘Ballet Dancer’ that is even more camp and euro-centric.
The fifth part of the Wave Earplug series brigs minimal synth pop, electro, new beat, old school EBM, dark wave and more. Input by artists from USA, Canada, Spain, The Netherlands, Slovakia, Sweden, Germany and Hungary.
In 1986, the young Rickard Karlsson, Magnus Jönsson and Fredrik Bergman formed the all-synth band Etage Neun in Ystad, Sweden. Admittedly influenced by Depeche Mode and right in the middle of the Cold War, their lyrics were often dark, about human conflicts and the nuclear threat. In May 88 they self-released their first album “War And Emotions” in cassette format only. This album has been impossible to find for decades and has become a must have for synthpop fans all over the world. Time has proved that Etage Neun should have gained more recognition back then, but at least we have the opportunity now to listen to this synth masterpiece with far superior sound quality than ever before.
Stroom bring to our attention this naïve overlooked New Beat / New Age project from 1989. Sometimes in life, a certain incentive is needed to convert talent into productivity. As for the case of MKS, the enigmatic and musical disguise of Nicolas Aubard, it was a merely coincidental encounter at the end of the 80s that set the stone rolling.
Lorenzo Fortino continues his journey arriving at the fifth vinyl of his Futop Musica label. 4 tracks always between techno and ambient with different moods and bpm.
Jochem Peteri comes drifting back into earshot with some new NWAQ tackle in tow. He’s minting a new label with three pieces that embellish the NWAQ soundworld with a fresh slant. ‘Above II’ is a crystal clear beam of light strapped to a kick that trips over itself with grace and poise. It’s forthright and yet wholly untethered, a pre-echo for the anchorless expanse of ‘Above I’, which buries some heavy bass ruminations very far down in the mix. That leaves it to ‘Dume’ to come staggering out all bleary-eyed, caked in last night’s distortion and yet still exuding a cracked beauty that stands up to the first light of dawn. The artwork which adorns this record is by environment sculpting internet artist Jan-Robert Leegte. NWAQ has always stood for a kind of environmental immersion, and this new emission compounds that idea in three distinct, refreshing ways.
Kizen Records presents a 4-tracks EP written & produced by Tom Huthwohl aka BLNDR, inspired by the majestic landscape and the atmosphere of Santiago de Chile.
Ukrainian don Stanislav Tolkachev resurfaces with his debut solo four-tracker for Reclaim Your City. Not quite swerving from the sonic pathway his name has become synonymous with over the years, ever so alien and transporting, Tolkachev’s latest boasts the very exact qualities that have made his sound stand out from others, earning him a constantly growing crowd of heirs and imitators along the way. Breaking the trip in, ‘Up The Steel Stairway’ sets the tone for the EP without further ado. Sniping hails of steadily frantic, arpeggiated synth chords and puncturing kick drums that’ll have you dancing like one rolls with the punches, Tolkachev sails into the eye of the cyclone all guns blazing. Lacking no pounding heft either, ‘The Less You Know’ slits a way open into your head through a carefully dissonant symbiosis of corrosive synth lines and octave-shifting bass gone astray. On-the-edge techno at its rowdiest, most mentally challenging. Flip the coin and here comes the deranged, trouble-brewing ‘One More To Go’. Cranking the mind-bogglingness a notch further, this one bulldozers its way past all sanity thresholds without blinking. Final number ‘The Way To The After’ tops it off in more straightforward but equally immersive fashion. Plunging us in a submerged chamber of sorts, where heavily verbed-out synth flexions entangle along tranquilly ascending pads, progressively dissolving in inert pools of FX-charged bleach and slo-dripping dub venom.
The Hipodrome Of Music 