Head Technician – Zones [E022LP]

July 19, 2016November 27, 2017 hipodromeacid, album, ecstatic recordings, martin jenkins, techno, the head technicianLeave a comment

Ecstatic label catch Martin Jenkins (Pye Corner Audio) in Head Technician garb for a slippery set of slow, plasmic acid workouts that were originally issued on a super-limited tape, and now sit heavy on wax. Over the years Jenkins has used the Head Technician alter ego as a sort of evil engineer Hyde analogous to his day-to-day Jekyll, a sort of hyperstitious studio partner in a time-honoured tradition of sleeve credits ghost chasing. Where Pye Corner Audio’s pieces may tend to be lustrous, optimistic, the Head Technician’s Zones LP hems to the shadows of the ‘floor with a furtive, noirish quality that works a treat in the right situations, whether soundtracking gaslamp-lit raves or midnight street patrols seeking out ne’erdowells and laudanum dealers.
Fired on a classic trinity of Roland TR-606 drum machine with an MC-202 (a beast to program, he admits) and TB-303 to sequence his baselines, it clearly makes explicit reference to the early days of Detroit techno and UK bleep ’n bass, but the vibe is more anachronistic, out-of-time, possibly thanks to his patented, lagging basslines and slowly unfolding arrangements, bridging that imaginary, dilated gap between fuzzy dancefloor head melt and curtains-drawn next day gouch out.

VA – #3 White LP [US012]

July 19, 2016July 19, 2016 hipodromebreakin moves, cofaxx, compilation, fetnat, house, kzip, moodcut, mutual attraction, nous disques, ruff degan, technoLeave a comment

3 Year Compilation LP. There’s something undeniably old-fashioned about this latest missive from hyped imprint Nous Disques. By gathering together seven unheard tracks on one slab of wax, they recall thoughts of classic compilations from early techno labels. Musically, it’s undeniably forward thinking, gathering together a range of dancefloor-friendly cuts from label artists old and new. Highlights are plentiful, from the flexible disco bass and new age chords of Mutual Attraction’s “Track 2”, to the stripped-back, drum machine thump of Moodcut’s “Sleep In 808”, via the cybernetic techno fizz of “Azoui” by Fetnat. Elsewhere, you’ll also find some fine Larry Heard style deep house revivalism from Breakin Moves, and a mid-tempo blast of colourful synthesizer love by Cofaxx.

Echo 106 – Shifting Multiverse EP [AF004]

July 19, 2016November 27, 2017 hipodromeacid, analogical force, bruno schnüriger, ceephax, ceephax acid crew, echo 106, hansruedi schnüriger, technoLeave a comment

Analogical Force is introducing Echo 106 to the family. The Swiss duo serves up more hard-wired fare for those who like their dance music intense and rugged. Opener “Frontal DN-2” sets the tone, layering ragged acid lines, psychedelic electronics and creepy chords atop a crispy TR-808 rhythm. There’s more 303 abuse to be found on the more electro flavoured “Shifting Multiverse” and “Myrtle Acid”, with the latter arguably being the pick of the bunch. Naturally, the most banging contribution to the EP comes from remixer Ceephax Acid Crew, who turns “Myrtle Acid” into a trippy stomper.

Palermo Disco Squad – Island Life [BAP064]

July 19, 2016September 17, 2022 hipodromebordello a parigi, disco, electro, innershades, palermo disco squad, thomas blanckaertLeave a comment

The undisputed one man army returns to Bordello A Parigi with the ultimate Sicilian holiday kit: an adventurous tour around his beloved island during the endless hot summer days. Palermo Disco Squad is Innershades aka the Belgian artist Thomas Blanckaert.

214 – Fuel Cells [CPU00100000]

July 18, 2016February 16, 2023 hipodrome214, central processing unit, chris roman, electro, technoLeave a comment

Seattle-based electro artist 214 (Two Fourteen) aka Chris Roman has made a welcome, if not inevitable debut on CPU, with 4 tracks of icy beats, bass and bleeps. He begins with the panicked electronics, bubbling synths and snappy rhythms of “Overbridge”, before diving deep into purist electro pastures on the funk-laden brilliance of “Fuel Cells”. Flip for the similarly funky 303 lines, intergalactic melodies and hissing electro beats of “Keep Right”, and the darker, spacier and punchier “Greenbelt”. If you’re on the hunt for some “proper electro”, look no further.

Lok44 – Bous [TRUST025]

July 18, 2016January 10, 2023 hipodromedan lodig, electro, lok44, techno, trustLeave a comment

Lost spaceship Lok44 returns to its home planet, and it has been mightily upgraded with alien bass technology since dropping ‘Ghetto of the Mind’ and ‘Derailed’ on TRUST over 10 years ago. ‘Bous’ is a vigorous comeback, touching on lean and mean electro funk, broken house, and hypnotic outer-orbit bleeps across its four tracks. Lucky owners of ‘Bous’s two highly sought-after precursors will recognise common stylistic threads spanning the decades, but just as before, Lok44 prefers to veer off on tangents, sketchily exploring unknown bass music quadrants. Second release in the ‘Covert Systems’ series, limited quantity.

CN – Obscure Fragments [SLPR003]

July 18, 2016June 29, 2022 hipodromecn, electro, house, sleepers, stian gjevik, technoLeave a comment

Wonderful, driving, Drexciya schooled Electro refreshment from CN aka Stian Gjevik on Sleepers.

Neud Photo – Dystopix [MSDN1204]

July 18, 2016October 21, 2021 hipodromeelectro, mysidian records, neud photo, nico nightingale, synth popLeave a comment

Dystopix comes 3 years after the last Neud Photo record and the wait was well worth it.T hings have gotten darker with this release. Elegant craftsmanship, subtle but effective vocals whisper throughout, and as always, it’s Cybotron influence is clear. The tracks flow with an eery cohesiveness, making it Neud Photo’s most well told story to date. The hard part is figuring out whether the story is fiction or (soon to be) reality. These 6 electro hits can easily be enjoyed either chapter by chapter (songs for the mix or dancefloor), or as a whole (for bedroom listening).

Vakula – Cyclicality Between Procyon And Gomeisa [DKMNTL040]

July 17, 2016May 13, 2025 hipodromealbum, ambient, dekmantel records, experimental, soundtrack, vakulaLeave a comment

Vakula has been a Dekmantel label member ever since the very early days. The Ukraine based producer now drops his album Cyclicality Between Procyon And Gomeisa on the label. ‘This album is about cycles, repetition and interaction’, says Vakula, whose Cyclicality between Procyon and Gomeisa is the third of a series of albums and reflects a dashing experimental record that evokes the endless and captivating potential of electronic music. It creates a mesmerizing journey through various music genres, exhibiting a singular sonic experience, whilst he works through a process of improvisation and refinement. Once again the mastermind proves to be capable of creating complex, yet diverse musical pieces beyond genres and trends. The result: an audio adaptation of his fascinating mind. ‘There are two parallel processes that come together in my work: me writing music and working on the sound I want to achieve, and the energy from outside that flows and transforms into thoughts, correlations, and actions.’ The track titles relate to the source of Vakula’s inspiration and connect the dots between his obsession for the vastness of our universe and electronic music. ”To wonder about the universe and to dig into mythology and scientific research discovering at least some of its secrets is what keeps me endlessly motivated as a producer.”

Fred P – Sound Destination [SPMBLP002]

July 17, 2016July 25, 2019 hipodromealbum, ambient, deep house, experimental, fred p, fred peterkin, soul people boards, soul people musicLeave a comment

Sound Destination is a project that crosses genre to find its own space. Soundscapes, downtempo, ambient, and house music all find a place in this aesthetically complete project. There’s a simmering, hovering quality about the whole album, as a pastoral ease settles over the listener. The record flows like a vague narrative, a non-specific sort-of journey album, a meditative jazz-house trip. Fred Peterkin shows yet another perspective of his expression. bursting out of the style-box, to draw you in to his own dimension.

B12 – Brokenunbroken [FS001]

July 17, 2016November 7, 2020 hipodromeambient techno, b12, b12 records, firescope records, michael golding, steven rutterLeave a comment

FireScope Records, the new sub label of the legendary B12 Record, is here to exist with the same ethos, quality music, quality packaging, without compromise and a product that will stand the test of time. The first release is by B12, the EP entitled BrokenUnBroken. A moody down tempo risky start for a first release on a new label, however its enigmatic beauty, sounds, artwork and themes make it the only natural choice.

Afrikan Sciences – Means & Ways [DBRV006LP]

July 16, 2016July 15, 2016 hipodromeafrikan sciences, album, deepblak recordings, eric douglas porter, experimental, house, jazzLeave a comment

Bursting out of Oakland into the ionosphere, a hot pocket of free jazz, house, blues, African & Latin rhythms, a fully shuffled deck of everything that might expand your head, all fed into the MPC, and hot-wired right into your heart. Some five years after it was released digitally, Aybee’s Deepblak label revisit the wonderful Afrikan Sciences LP Means &Ways to grant it a double LP vinyl edition. For those unfamiliar with the album, the 11-track set showed Eric Porter refusing to stand still, variously touching on polyrhythmic IDM, dusty jazz-hop, dense post-techno wonkiness, hard-to-pigeonhole madness (see “Alpha Male Syndrum”), sparkling aural experiments (“Ways & Means”), and pleasingly off-kilter dancefloor fare. Amongst this category you’ll find deliberately out-of-time deepness, slipped broken beat, and dense drum workouts (“NanoRock Skank”). As usual, Porter’s tunes are bizarre but brilliant.

Nat Birchall – Guiding Spirit [JMANLP089]

July 16, 2016October 7, 2020 hipodromealbum, gondwana records, jazz, jazzman records, nat birchallLeave a comment

Guiding Spirit was second album by Nat Birchall for the fledgling Manchester label Gondwana Records back in 2010. The follow-up to the remarkable debut of Akhenaten found him exploring different textures using percussion and instruments like the kora and the harp. It was also the first time Nat had recorded on the soprano saxophone, featured here on the songs Keep the Light Shining and Higher Regions. Nat reveals a concept on the instrument quite unlike most other contemporary players of the higher-pitched horn, his sound more akin to the keening tone of the Indian shenai master, Bismillah Khan, perfectly in keeping with the music’s more “Eastern” sounding leanings. The music here is firmly rooted in the modal jazz world of Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane and others who sought to expand upon the avenues of expression originally forged by John Coltrane in the heady days of the early 1960s. As has often been pointed out by commentators however, this is no pastiche or “re-make”. This is the real thing, played absolutely in the now, but played from and in the spirit of then. Originally released only in CD format, Jazzman Records are proud to make this music available on vinyl for the first time.

Nat Birchall – Akhenaten [JMANLP088]

July 16, 2016October 7, 2020 hipodromealbum, gondwana records, jazz, jazzman records, nat birchallLeave a comment

Akhenaten was the first album Nat Birchall released via the then brand-new Gondwana Records label in Manchester. Originally only released on CD this is the first time this classic recording has been made available on vinyl. The album on the whole features a quartet, and is expanded to a quintet on the title track where UK trumpet virtuoso Matthew Halsall joins in with a stunning solo. The album explores deep, hymn-like themes at length, finding much to say on the relatively simple melodies and arrangements. Nat and his fellow band members play here with the selfless motivation and focus that’s required to allow them to tap deep into the human psyche, producing music that is soulful and stately. Very different from most modern jazz styles played nowadays, the music has a timeless beauty that will stand the test of time.
listen

VA – Galaxy Vol.7 [GSC45007]

July 16, 2016July 15, 2016 hipodromefrankie seay, funk, galaxy sound co., lyn christopher, soul, the soul riders, thelonious gillespieLeave a comment

Galaxy Sound Co. know how to repackage lost and rare soul 7″s, and this new two-headed funk bullet from Thelonious Gillespie is just painfully on target. The first edit is of “Soul Food” by Frankie Seay & The Soul Riders, a moody, dusty percussion bomb brimming with breaks and a grainy guitar accompanied by fine brass waves. Lyn Christopher’s “Take Me With You” is pruned and reshaped into a glorious soul ballad with a hard edge, and a driving rhythm led by gliding electronic guitars and an inimitable bassline.

John Beltran – Israel [SR007]

July 15, 2016March 6, 2024 hipodromedetroit techno, john beltran, kirk degiorgio, soul researchLeave a comment

John Beltran returns on Soul Research with his melodic tunes. Techno which emanates emotions and breathes Detroit in and out in rhythmical arches. Israel is a journey to faraway lands, with both hypnotic and melodic tunes while Achva resounds ambient and techno filled with pathos. The long awaited Israel remix by historical Brit Kirk Degiorgio is a full re-interpretation of rhythm and movement that only the great can create.

Voiski – I’ll Be Your Maple Pecan Tonight [DKMNTLUFO3]

July 15, 2016December 13, 2017 hipodromedekmantel records, dekmantel ufo, techno, voiskiLeave a comment

Envisaging a trustworthy approach to sound, French DJ and producer Voiski has steadily built a name for himself in contemporary left-field dance music. He took a singular path in techno, oscillating between experimental projects and signature sound dance floor material. The Parisian brings his versatile skills together on the third installment of Dekmantel’s UFO series, serving up five completely different yet coherent sounding tracks. The beat lacking ambient synth jam ‘Go To A Mountain’ is a display of Voiski’s ear for mesmerizing soundscapes, while the pulsating, Nintendocore fuelled ‘Happy Piece’ and the dark, bass-heavy ‘Seriously No’ are two peak-time beasts. On the B-side, ‘Come Back’ gives you a glimpse of what the future of techno sounds like, whereas ‘Drama In the Futuristic Cabinet’ echoes Hi Tech Soul gone breakbeat.

Aubrey – The Reflection [THEMA045]

July 15, 2016July 14, 2023 hipodromeaubrey, detroit techno, thema recordingsLeave a comment

Thema is celebrating 10 years with a string of releases starting with this EP and going through to our 50th release with an all star line up ready for battle. UK mainstay Aubrey has been hitting this pinnacle for years through his releases. ‘The Reflection’ EP comes as no exception. Aubrey goes above and beyond to take the listener through a spectrum of moods that culminate in a rounded and complex experience. From the uplifting, fast paced pads in ‘Peligro 45’ to the disorienting rhythmic voodoo of ‘Roger Doger’ and peak energy drive of ‘Train To The Fire’ there is a sense of direction and otherworldly ambiance that will take any dance floor to the place it needs to be.

Savas Pascalidis – Full Dimension [RRR010]

July 15, 2016 hipodromeraw raw records, savas pascalidis, technoLeave a comment

Raw Raw Records presents 2nd vinyl release from Savas Pascalidis.

Bijou – Bienvenue A Bord [BAP065]

July 14, 2016October 24, 2023 hipodromebijou, bordello a parigi, disco, house, riviera discoLeave a comment

Bijou is back in the Bordello and ready to bring some cool to these hot summer nights. Sun countered by sea. Soothing synthlines, airy analogue tones and gentle currents characterise the two openers, Bijou calling on calming waves and peaceful percussion to begin. The Belgian producer allows the temperature to rise for ‘Reine Des Plages’, broad basslines and funk laden bars dancing late into the night. But those fresh breezes are ever present, closing in the beach bronzed beauty of ‘La Marée’.