Mathematics Plus presents the second volume of Hieroglyphic Being’s “A Synthetic Life” featuring uptempo electronics & simmering circuit boards stamped with Chicago rhythm patterns.
001.Features
Linea Aspera – Preservation Bias [DE253]
Dark Entries continues celebrating our 10 year anniversary with ‘Preservation Bias’, a compilation of lost songs and rarities from Linea Aspera out June 28th. The group formed in London in November 2011 by Ryan Ambridge (Synths/Programming) and Alison Lewis (Vocals/Synths). Within the duo, Alison writes and performs all vocal elements, while Ryan is responsible for producing, recording and mixing the electronics. We released their debut self titled album in June 2012 that was followed by a posthumous vinyl reissue of their tour cassette “II” on Weyrd Son Records in 2013. For all recordings Ryan utilizes an analog synthesizer set up: Roland SH-09, Roland Juno 6, Vermona DRM MKiii, Korg Poly 800 and Analogue Solutions Semblance. Linea Aspera’s sound includes clear influences from 1980s electronic body music, synth-pop, industrial and noise. Lyrically the band incorporates the sciences of osteology, neuroscience, and anthropology weaving a new medical language around themes of desire, despair and renewal. Linea Aspera is the muscle attachment on the back of the femur and translates to ‘rough line’ in Latin. ‘Preservation Bias’ features all three songs from the limited ‘II’ tour cassette EP, four songs from the 2012 self-titled limited cassette EP and one song from the Desire Records 2013 compilation ‘And You Will Find Them In The Basement’. All songs have been mastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Each LP is housed in jacket designed by Niall Greaves and includes a double-sided insert with lyrics.
VA – Aleatory Chaos Second Chapter [OR58]
Aleatory Chaos compilation has been one of the most successful releases to date at Oráculo Records, both in sales and in pro press reviews. Now it’s time to reveal a new chapter including dark synth and dark guitar / post – punk future hymns by newcomers such as Etalon & Snem K, Dissident and Pindrops or by already known projects as Synths Versus Me or The Present Moment.
Hypnobeat – Forbidden Plant [AD005]
This latest collection for Artificial Dance comprises three freshly unearthed iterations coming from Hypnobeat. Spearheaded by James Dean Brown (also known from Perlon’s Narcotic Syntax) and Victor Sol, and featuring other rotating members, Hypnobeat is a true product of the open-ended spirit of DIY music that proliferated in the 1980s. The prescient project championed deft, machine-powered rhythm programming as its modus operandi long before the practice would become a dominant global cultural form. Since Hypnobeat was revived in 2012 with Helena Hauff joining JDB on stage for improvised live performances based on one 707 and three 808s, there have been a string of archival releases shining a light on the early and more recently recorded works of this forward-thinking venture.
Exhausted Modern – Moral Discourse [VEYL008]
After a brief appearance on the first edition of ‚Previously Undisclosed Rituals‘, Exhausted Modern is back on the label with ‘Moral Discourse’. 5 tracks of twisted, heavyweight, slow-motion electro filled to the brim with the producers’ trademark riffs.
Mr TC – Zeug EP [AFTRAX005]
Thomas Clarke returns to the wider Optimo Music family with his third offering as MR TC for us and his first on Against Fascism Trax. This collection of 4 tracks were recorded over the past couple of years in Clarke’s home studio and sees him diving deeper into the psychedelic dance explorations that you heard on ‘Soundtrack For Strangers’ and ‘Surf & Destroy’.
Aldorande – Aldorande [FVR152LP]
Ready for an adventure running parallel to their lives in common units, the quartet boarded a starship to set off on an astral expedition. The mission began perfectly, according to plan. From the very first measures, the travellers were released from the Earth’s gravity. Very quickly, their home planet appeared tiny and distant, before disappearing completely. Comets and novae lit the way through the fathomless depths of interstellar space. Their preliminary, in-depth studies of seventies jazz-funk were a great source of inspiration. Very early on, they knew that this sonic esthetic would allow them to travel even farther, navigating only with organic instruments and no digital backing or enhancements. Commander Virgile Raffaëlli’s bass lines guided their journey, offering a calm, yet vibrant foundation for the smoother phases and turning up the power to bring them through turbulence and meteor showers safe and sound. Like a compass, the bass indicated the direction and traced a groove that the loyal, valued crew could follow as their travels continued. Mathieu Edouard’s drums solidly locked down the rhythm to avoid any sudden jolts, working in tandem with Erwan Loeffel’s jet-propelled percussion. On the keyboards, Florian Pellissier drew harmonies and riffs from the synthesizers and electric pianos to oil the machinery and lighten the load when the ensemble needed to rise a few feet. The crew’s almost telepathic cohesion was key to their success, allowing them to express interior emotions with just a few notes.
Manu Dibango – African Voodoo [HC63]
Fantastic and rare album by Manu Dibango, the Afro Soul Maestro. These files were recorded in 1971 at Pathé-Marconi studio (Boulogne Billancourt) for professional sound illustration intended for the cinema, television and advertising. The jazzman experimenting with all genres was then beginning to convert solely to what soon to be called “Rare Groove” somewhere between Soul, Jazz and Afro-Funk, with a hint of Latin clave. In 2019, these tunes have not aged and the sound can be considered as “Huge” by many crate-diggers. These recordings were not supposed to reach the club or radio audience, it was more free sessions, a moment during they can open their imagination and test their “Afro something”, like Manu Dibango call it. Theses recording sessions included the best of the french soul scene at this time, Yvan Julien (Trumpet), Slim Pezin (Guitar), Jacques Bolognesi (Trombone), Lucien Dobat (Drums), Emile Boza (Percussions, Manfred (Bass) and the conductor himself at the vibraphone, marimba, saxophone, organ. This album is a wonderful return to the future and should satisfy the need of the Afro-Soul
aficionados.
Ebo Taylor & Pat Thomas – Disco Highlife Reedit Series [COMET087]
Comet presents the first release from the new Disco Highlife series, featuring remastered originals by Ghanaian legends Ebo Taylor and Pat Thomas and disco reedits by LeonxLeon and Leo Nanjo.
Camarão Orkestra – Nação África [FVR154]
Nação África is the new single by Camarão Orkestra, the most Brazilian of Parisian bands. Sinewy bass and battery pulsating, it’s stitched to the dancefloor that “Nação África” spreads its groove. And it’s with a variety of keyboards and synthesizers that the tight production maintains a level of constant motion, surrounded by the burning riffs of the brass section and Amanda Roldan’s refreshing vocals. Patchworks provide two remixes to close the record.
VA – Earth Plates Vol 1 [E00001P]
The first pressed 12” from Earth Plates comes from three newcomers #130E0A from Paris, dj LIFE from Melbourne and Louis // Louis from San Juan, plus non-newcomer Gnork from Budapest. The tunes are sweet and dreamy, contain lots of breaks, space sounds, pads and some dubbed out house and electro vibes.
Cold Front – Beyond The Beat [KH024/DZN01]
Founded in 1990 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Cold Front were what you’d call early adaptors, their music at the time of its inception an oddity. This fourpiece, consisting of spouses Ayanna and Cam Muata, Jon Jon Scott and Ron Clark, were far ahead of their time and faded just as rapidly as they entered the stage, only playing a handful of local shows in support of Nine Inch Nails, Meat Beat Manifesto and such, alongside several cameos during early house nights and techno events. Beyond the Beat will burst dancefloors soon. In collaboration with Paris’ recordshop Dizonord, Knekelhuis will close the summer of 2019 with this amazing gem.
Hugh Mane – Voodoo Questions [RB076]
Welcome to the deeper end of the Hugh Mane spectrum. Mane’s third outing on Running Back captures his love for the spirit of early Detroit techno, IDM’s ambient aspects, the philosophy of the acid house experience and a natural production flow. Emotions electric. Vintage voodoo with modern spells.
Iori – Tangerine Sky [MULE240]
Iori’s debut release on Mule with his trademark deep hypnotic house tune and b side is more dubby and psychedelic.
John Shima – The Lonely Machine [FS019]
Hailing from the heartland of British techno, Sheffield’s John Shima is one of the leading lights of UK electronics. Now Shima is returning to FireScope with his long awaiting debut album, The Lonely Machine. John Shima is a master melody weaver, with this first LP attesting to his deftness of touch. Celestial chords and star gazing synthwork permeate this ten track odyssey. The musical heritage of Shima’s hometown, the elegance, majesty and subtlety of British electronics, is invoked from the needle drop. A range of influences come to the fore in this 2LP. Skirting around the edges of astral ambience and tonal texture are nods to industrial history, the rasp and resonance of rhythms in “Empires”, with the inspiration of Detroit surfacing in the future funk of “Phase Distortion” and “Linear.” Dreamscapes are painted in delicate hues, the fragile movements of “Accepting”, with brooding works adopting thicker basslines and ruffled notes as with “Distrust.” Nevertheless, it is the incandescent brightness of Lonely Machine that truly shines. Radiant pieces of elating electronics, complex and joyful compositions that chime with unbridled hope and open-hearted optimism.
Versalife – Machine Life [VIS314]
Versalife aka Boris Bunnik is one of the most respected producers in electro. He now presents his debut release for 20/20 Vision as the label continues it’s path into the world of pure electronic music. ‘Machine Life’ immediately stood out as one of those rare killer club cuts that works it’s way into a wide range of DJ boxes, simple but massively effective. ‘M05’ returns to more classic sounding Versalife electro with complex layers of synths, strings and analogue squelch all held together by a solid bass hook. On the flip side Bunnik shows off his pedigree in producing Detroit influenced string laden beautiful music with the EP rounded off by ‘Axion’, a heavier trip to the dark side.
A Sagittariun – Return To Telepathic Heights [RBINC004LP]
A Sagittariun’s third album chronicles the journey back to Telepathic Heights; an expedition that encounters many obstacles along the way. The feuding parties of the two planets make for a journey of determination and self-discovery for our techno lone ranger that will ultimately deliver him to the sacred site on which Telepathic Heights stands. Conceived as a space western soundtrack to the cinematic interpretation of this tale, Return To Telepathic Heights delivers ten chapters that journal the ultimate mission to reach the imposing tower of Telepathic Heights, where dream telepathy has become the primary communicative tool amongst its peaceful and harmonious community who have opted out of the planetary war that continues to rage, seemingly with no armistice anytime soon. The score fittingly winds its way through the trials and tribulations of this journey, blending minimal and harmonic rhythms, industrial funk, dreamy synthwave and transcendental techno into the rich tapestry of music that documents the ‘Return To Telepathic Heights’. The album features original artwork by Johnny Bruck, fully licensed, and taken from the legendary German science fiction novel series, ‘Perry Rhodan’, which ran weekly from the early 1960s, and was the most successful sci-fi book series ever written.
JTC – FlightSTRENS2Rd / The Assembly [BOP08]
A group discovers a community of outsiders engaged in a ritual that invokes an inexplicable celestial event.
Perseus Traxx – How the Mighty Fell [SBOX009]
Perseus Traxx makes his Schrödinger’s Box debut with a 4-track EP of experiments forged in the depths of Northern England. Pristine plateaus and eerie sweeps cover the entire first side, a Perseus Traxx from 2090, shimmering in and out of phase within a murky acidic landscape. Introspective and thoughtful throughout. Timothy J Fairplay finishes off the final quarter with a summer-garden Techno banger.
The Hipodrome Of Music 