The mind is the subject in which ideas inhere. Inhere is a collective of like-minded artists based in Bucharest, Romania with sound inspired by analog, nature and geometry of spaces.
001.Features
International Music System – Nonline [MD31804]
Mr Assister – Mambala / Bebny [BEAM03]
After the uneventful resolution of a labour dispute at Assistance HQ, the resident pencil-pushers turn their tempo dial to a leisurely 105bpm, at long last serving up lukewarm plates of BEAM-03 to the more sluggish peak-time massive. In ‘Mambala’, the now-obligatory bongo jostles with squelchy synths, whilst echoed claps and ominous bells should see even the most hesitant rabbit dragged down the hole. ‘Bebny’ experiments with low pH levels, metallic clutter, and some surprise horn cameos.
King Sporty & The Ex Tras – Rock Attack [ERC059]
The King Sporty reissue series continues with the lesser known, but no less worthy, Rock Attack. This first time release of the song under the King Sporty name – having previously only been released as by the vocalist in The Ex Tras, Johnny Griffin – brings in to focus the breadth of music, numerous alias and versions used by Noel Williams on his Konduko label. This is backed with another specially crated Discomix done in fine style by discoid duo, Faze Action.
VA – Five Years Of Tears Vol. 1 [PNKMN5Y1]
Pinkman records presents Five Years of Tears: A string of releases dedicated to celebrate the 5th birth year of the label. The first volume features contributions by 3 of the labels usual suspects, as well as newcomer Randstad. Ernestas Sadau’s powerful, raw and menacing cut starts sets the scene for Alessandro Parisi to delve deep into his synthesizer toolkit. What comes out is a highly emotional production, infused with sirens and melodies that may cause tearful mourning on the dancefloors. On the B side Identified Patient provides yet another one of his notoriously slow and filthy underground creepers, while Randstad delivers another burst of energy that celebrates raw percussion, gloomy pads and haunting vocal samples.
Maenad Veyl – The Acceptance Ov Not Knowing [VEYL001]
After his storming debut on Pinkman and Oliver Ho’s Death & Leisure at the beginning of the year, Maenad Veyl returns with ‘The Acceptance ov Not Knowing’, six tracks hovering above techno, EBM, noise and power electronics. VEYL is the new label by Thomas Feriero (Maenad Veyl, Avatism, CW/A) and Alex Knoblauch (Vakant, Parachute).
Volition Immanent – Volition Immanent [MINDLP005]
Since first joining forces in 2014, hardware freak Parrish Smith and former punk activist Mark van de Maat (founder of Amsterdam’s admirable Knekelhuis label) have earned a reputation for delivering the kind of incendiary live shows that were once the preserve of British multi-media mavericks such as Cabaret Voltaire and Throbbing Gristle. Mutilating and manipulating their songs on the fly, Volition Immanent takes no prisoners in pursuit of artistic expression.
Jaures – Lafcadio Champsai [ORKL-W-02]
Kufuki – Dodome EP [LEJ001EP]
Les Editions Japonais, is a new label to showcase Japanese artists new and old, the first release is by Tokyo based band Kufuki. Kufuki, was formed in 2010 by Ryuichiro Konno (electronics), Motomasa Saito (electronics), Tosimasa Matsumoto (vocals), and Yudai Nobunaga Kogawa (vocals,VJ, electronics), hailing from various musical genres, ranging from techno, rock, blues and hip-hop. Tired of formulaic club music, they set out to create their own electronic ethnic music, firstly taking influences from places they had travelled, but more recently concentrating on electrifying minyo, or traditional Japanese folk music.
Juju & Jordash – Slack Trax Vol.1 [SLACKTRAX01]
Juju & Jordash have announced a new label called Slack Trax, an outlet that focuses solely on material focusing firmly on the dance floor. The first release, from the pair themselves, is entitled Slack Trax Vol. 1 and includes three no nonsense dance-floor oriented techno slayers.
Transcendence – Concepts of Higher Dimension [STR003]
Ron Allen’s label with another worthy re-issue. Strobe gave us that deep, emotive machine-funk that exemplified the early to mid 90’s sound. ‘Concepts Of Higher Dimension’ came out in 1991 remarkably, and it still sounds fresh today, produced by Ron Allen under his Transcendence pseudonym and featuring 3 stellar tracks of bass-heavy warehouse jams. ‘Frenzy’ opens proceedings and with a title like that you’d expect some sort of drum machine beatdown, instead we’re treated to a super smoothed-out deep house cut that oozes blissed out synth pads & pan-pipe like flourishes. A true early hours gem. ‘Luv ‘N’ Happiness (Chapter 1)’ is next, stepping up the energy levels a little and utilising a well known Disco vocal sample to maximum effect. This one’s a definite nod to Chicago but done in Ron Allen’s signature style. Essential. Finishing off the EP is ‘Magique Noir’ a tough, bleeps and bassline monster that sounds like it could have dropped in Sheffield at the tail end of the late 80’s, absolutely monstrous. This jam will test your speakers no end.
Cardopusher – Mental Jobs [SRTX021]
Super Rhythm Trax welcomes back Cardopusher for his second appearance on the label. This EP showcases a range of styles including his trademark jackin’ acid trax but also widens the net to include the New York Freestyle of ‘Never Fade Away’ and the Nu Groove-esque ‘Mental Jobs’ .
Umwelt – Abandon In Place [NF20]
To celebrate New Flesh Records 20th release to date, French veteran DJ Umwelt returns to his own label with a new LP. Built like the soundtrack of a dystopian movie where main characters evolve in a hopeless future, Sci-Fi ‘Abandon In Place’ delivers no less than height cinematic masterpieces half-way between electro and ambient registers. From the menacing sirens of opener ‘Void Of Nothingness’ to the melancholic synths of closing ‘Galactic Wreck’, passing through the Blade Runnerish vision of ‘Celestial Matter’, this soulful album depicts nothing but the extinction of mankind in a ending world. Besides its terrific message, ‘Abandon In Place’ showcases the unlimited talent and incredible versatility of Umwelt, a mighty producer able to split from the most cutting edge music on New Flesh Records to a more radical, straight to the dancefloor approach on Rave Or Die. A gloomy journey through apocalyptic tones, slow yet deep basslines, industrial touches, cold and un- compromising emotions. Umwelt’s most forward thinking opus to date sum up in once sentence: “By the end of the day, all is dust”.
VC-118A – Permutation [FR041]
Lowlandish transmissions from the land of a thousand lakes. It’s been 18 months since Samuel Van Dijk last donned the VC-118 alias. Back then, he was releasing sophomore album Shift Register on Tabernacle. Here, he resurfaces on Frustrated Funk with a five-track EP that tends towards the introspective and melancholy. Of course, there are still notable dancefloor moments – see the locked-in analogue house beats, dubbed-out electronics and held-note bass of “Permutation” and the mid-tempo electro swing of “Verdictia” – but for the most part the EP is a laidback and poignant affair. It’s a side of Van Dijk that we don’t see that often, but one that he really should explore more. Certainly, the ghostly “Enter” and sorrowful “Sequence” are among the most memorable tracks in his already impressive catalogue.
Mr. Ho – Tales from Bao’An County [WRECKS017]
Klasse co-boss Mr. Ho steps up to the plate and knocks it out of the park with a new EP of brand new and original material. Inspired by listening to various library music and funk records found whilst digging in Asia, the Hong Kong based artist lays down three tracks of boogie-disco and funk inspired House music. Funky walking basslines, eerie 1980’s synthetics and spacey snares make for a total tip.
DJ Oil – Telephunk [DLM017]
The new release on Les Disques De La Mort is coming from DJ Oil aka Lionel Corsini. ‘Telephunk’ is nothing else than a monster breakbeat funk. If ‘Paresseis’ its twin dark sister, locking electro in its black music roots whilst remaining strangely ‘European’, then ‘Fall’ is its downer baggy brother.
Phase Fatale/Silent Servant – Confess [BITE01]
Phase Fatale (Hayden Payne) and Silent Servant (Juan Mendez) started their collaboration in 2016 performing together live at several Jealous God showcases across Europe, such as Berlin Atonal, and then working together on Payne’s Redeemer Extended Mix 12′ from his album on Hospital Productions last year. The Confess EP on BITE is a studio documentation of those aforementioned live performances and harnesses the cathartic energy of the stage into a physical medium.
Cosmin Nicolae – Semnal [OPAL116]
Over the last decade the work of Cosmin Nicolae has been a cresting force of forward thinking electronic music. His TRG alias formed the inaugurate release on the peerless Hessle Audio. In essence he forms an important part of the story of the cross pollination of UK bass’ music with techno and his hard work and craft has seen him maintain his fixture as a sought after talent, both producing and as a DJ. One element which always amplified his work beyond that of many other peers is Cosmin’s dedication to crafting interesting sound from scratch, a process which precedes his production and has it roots in home-brewed experimentation with instruments, electro-acoustic process and improvisation. With this debut release under his actual name, Opal Tapes has provided a space for Cosmin to have free reign to display another, looser and more experimental side of his repertoire. In many ways, an impossible album to classify, it feels as if it’s creating itself a points. The ideas therein are the genesis of so many fully functional’ songs but hearing them like this brings us so much closer to someone else’s mind and fingertips.
Vakulism – Edelweiss Reflection [BANDURA007]
Vakulism – here’s Vakula in the continuation of his metaphorical ideas embodied in a new alter ego and unifying combination of different genres which makes Vakula as always unique.
Ceephax – Camelot Arcade [WEME046]
Camelot Arcade is the new triple LP from Ceephax Acid Crew on WeMe Records. 13 tracks of Camelot goodness with all the feeling and melodies we’ve come to expect from Ceephax and his collection of classic electronic hardware. The tracks range from the easy listening sound of Phraxby to the baroque dancefloor pump of Camelot Escalator, to the trap-esque cyber feel of Yodecahedron and the Detroit moodiness of The Green Night. Creon Happy and Trusthouse Forte have an upbeat classical feel (backed up of course by Ceephax’s favourite Roland drum machines.) While Path to the None and Shadowphax Part I&II are more dark in spirit. A lot of the tracks such as Life Started Tomorrow and The Great Greatsby were born randomly of quick jams with live keyboard playing and the album has an organic feel to it which a lot of the more formulaic electronic music lacks. All in all Camelot Arcade is a wonderful breath of fresh air and is sure to go down in history as one of Ceephax’s best.
The Hipodrome Of Music 