No Moon blends electro, breaks, acid and UK bass into a forward-thinking club EP for the 7th release from Berlin based collective, Mechatronica. Opening with ‘Sirens’, the A-side plunges straight into deep and breaky sub-domains, before sliding on to the brighter and melodic, but equally heavy workout, ‘Bathtub Dub’. On the flip, electro and UK bass come together on gloomy tool ‘Where Am I’, before ‘Acid IX’ finishes off the record with a blissful, distorted acid frenzy for the floor.
Solar and Brother Nebula invade your earthly ears with some proper cosmic, throbbing electronics on the latest from Legwork featuring Savile on the remix front.
Emile Facey (Plant43) has been at the forefront of electronic for more than twelve years. During that time the British producer has released on a host of seminal labels, expanding his style and sound in new directions. Although Plant43 is typically classified as a purveyor of electro, behind those driving rhythms and steely percussion a tenderness has always been present, an emotion expressed in lilting melodies and complex harmonies. It is these melodies and harmonies that come into focus on Plant43’s debut ambient album. On “From Deep Streams” is a rich and textured tapestry of synth work, a soundtrack that organically unfurls from nightime woodland walks and city stargazing to mindful solitude. The eight tracks offer the listener a calming journey into stillness, an excursion through gentle audio currents and a moment to pause and take in an inspiring vista of sound. Recorded over the space of 3 months, this album gives the quiet, the subtle and the sometimes underappreciated centre stage whilst casting light on yet another side of Emile Facey’s ever-evolving music.
Vactrol Park continue surprising, this time with a full LP in the shape of ‘Music from the Luminous Void’. The album sees them delve much deeper into more atmospheric realms. Using modular synths and unexpected drum machine sequencing they leave the 4X4 beats behind in favor of off-world rhythms and ever growing bass.
Following the release of the ”Audio Track 5” EP, electronic producer and musician Darren Cunningham AKA Actress and the London Contemporary Orchestra (LCO) are to release a full album of their collaboration entitled ”LAGEOS”.
Echocord launchs the sub-label Echo Echo with the ‘Dream Observer’ EP from Grad_U. The release opens with ‘Jacob’s Dream’, fifteen minutes of release date: subtly modulating synth glitches, ethereal synth drones, sweeping atmospherics and dubby echoes creating a hypnotic, ever-unfolding composition. ‘Observing The Night Sky’ then follows on the flip side with thunderous kick drums, rumbling low-end pulses, wandering dub chords and bubbling glitches all subtly nuanced throughout the tracks ten-minute duration.
Early Sounds announce, in collaboration with NG Rec, first volume of Napoli Segreta, a meticulous selection of the rarest and most sought after compositions of the 70’s and 80’s Napolitan disco and funk scene.” Everybody is haunting for the essence of the city and its sound. Such a haunting is so cruel that originality risks the extinction within the goat of fake authenticities, being them musical, cultural or artistic authenticities. Enough is enough! It is time to react. It is time to give back to the city what somebody wish to be steel forever. Time before samplers colonized the global acoustic imagery, here, in Naples, for Naples, throughout its metropolitan spaces and rhythms, such beautiful tracks have been recorded that once you listen to them they remain indelible. And after years spent following the footprints of legendary characters beneath a urban underground that crawls with anecdotes and passion, immersed in bloody quests into oceans of vinyl records, dusty tapes, in the midst of emotional vicissitudes, parties, sea, recording studios and seagulls…
Continuing Ostinato’s series of Cape Verde 45s showcasing diasporan bands that are staples in Europe’s Cape Verdean communities, Ostinato Records presents timeless dance music for the summer by Conjunto Jovens Africanos, founded by Ze Orlando, a respected producer originally from São Tomé. Formed and originally based in Lisbon, the band fused raw Funaná rhythms from the Cape Verdean island of Santiago with syncopated electric guitars, raucous synthesizers, relentless percussion, and addictive vocals that kept their compatriots on their feet across little known Krioulu nightclubs in Europe’s major cities. First released in 1984, Conjuntos Jovens Africanos’ ”Nhu Jhon” and ”Volta Pa Terra” are stellar representations of modernized Funaná’s endless energy.
Miss Kittin & The Hacker are the electro duo of Caroline Hervé and Michel Amato from Grenoble, France. The pair met during the early 90s at a rave and soon after bought turntables and began DJing. In 1996, they started writing music heavily influenced by 1980s synthpop and post-punk bands, as well as Italo Disco. Lost Tracks Vol. 2′ contains 4 previously unreleased demos recorded between 1997 and 1999. The duo fused 80’s European New Wave/Italo Disco with 90’s Detroit Electro, by utilizing verse-chorus structures, they playfully shook up the loop based hard techno and electro that was popular at the time. The songs are direct, spontaneous, seemingly improvised in places. Miss Kittin sings about falling in love in the new millennium, snuff movies and controlling the unknown trip to death, all in her cheekily derisive French accent.
Death in Vegas return with the single ‘Honey’, its second collaboration with Sasha Grey. ‘Honey’ is a slow, seductive serenade, with an organic, psychedelic tone: dreamy and dripping with intensity. The B -side features ‘Witchdance Dub’, Richard Fearless’ long-held remix Of ‘Witchdance’ Off Trans-love Energies, featuring the haunting vocals of Katie Stelmanis from Austra. This track is effortless, minimal dance music imbued with Fearless’ unique production sound.
A message to all listening: #DontjusttalkaboutitbeAboutIt. Jamal Moss aka Hieroglyphic Being invokes his JAI/MAHL alias with a message in the music. Reprogramming club consciousness with 4 transdimensional sonic incantations and rhythmic transgressions of the highest order.
X-Kalay hit up the land down under once again, this time bringing some pensive, intergalactic electro and house flavours from Sydney native E Davd. The self-styled Cosmic Healer turns in an EP of similar flavor to his first effort; ice cold pads, hypnotic 303 basslines and liberal use of that 707 rim shot combine to create a record shot through with reflection and melancholy.
Two Berlin underdogs and a Detroit ravemaster. ADSX aka Andre Fischer might sound new to many but has been an active part of the underground electronic movement for the last 30 years. Benji DF aka Hanoben is no newbie to the scene either and might have soundtracked your night if you were to be found at clubs like Tresor or Snax in the late 90s. Together they recorded an ode to aural sex, its acid counterpart, and a genius sketch of a club banger. When label honcho Capablanca heard the latter had little doubts about commissioning an extended mix to Motor City’s Special Forces Gen. Sharif Laffrey delivers an unstoppable 12 minute dancefloor annihilator.
The second volume of machine funk features the world famous Luke Eargoggle as well as the A.I. being, KROM3, Philadelphia’s Speaking Parts, and New York’s Heidi Sabertooth. Classic electro/techno tracks. Speaking Parts sounds like an industrial version of mid-80s LA electro. Sabertooth brings the funk with a detailed track which evolves as it plays.
Lisière Collectif returns on their own label with LSR No. 02 EP, a collection of tracks following 3 different ideas and a rework from finish duo called Morpohology.
French duo Too Many Cars are launching their own label Too Many Cars Records in order to release the finest House, Italo, Breakbeat and Acid music. Side A is all about House and Breakbeat stuff while Side B shows off Italo’s huge comeback in modern DJ culture.
Articulat is the new artist name of Ovidiu Stanciu, a Romanian dj/producer living in Rotterdam. Under the moniker Manikin, he worked on several concept albums with titles like Popular Mechanics, Taxim and Grandma’s Attic Revival over the last couple of years. The A-side includes three thriving and pounding slow-beat bangers, while the B-side shows a Articulat’s more versatile style. Expect experimental electronic songs inspired by themes like Steampunk and Romanian folklore, very precisely engineered to experience storytelling in the most physical way.
The undisputed one man army returns to Bordello A Parigi with an adventurous tour through the history of his beloved sports club. Palermo Disco Squad is Innershades aka the Belgian artist Thomas Blanckaert.
Arcane electronic duo Violence, from Quebec, Canada, show their dark side on the four track 10-inch Le Flux de la Nature. Their underground spirit of new wave, French vocals, opaque and sometimes disturbing electronics reflect the complex rhythm of nature and intense human relationships.
