EYE is a project from Laurène Exposito from Rennes (France), where she runs the intimate label Waving Hands. EYE’s debut album ‘Sabine’ takes us into Laurène’s silk-covered dreamworld, at once mad and serene, sounding like a breeze and a blast at the same time. Bedtime stories or lucid nightmares? You decide…
Sign Bit Zero strides onwards with a set of punishing dancefloor interpretations of forgotten industrial gems handpicked by Hamburg’s Wosto and label head honcho, Kilian Krings. While Wosto’s previous output as half of Fallbeil is as much informed by Chicago house as EBM, his contributions to SBZ002 focus on the C90 experimentation which roughens the edges of the duo’s past efforts for Contort Yourself and New York Haunted. Kilian Krings explores his passion for Neue Deutsche Welle and its various offshoots in his edits here, setting a bold statement for the future of both his own and Sign Bit Zero’s no-compromise approach. SBZ002 sheds light on crucial yet often overlooked aspects of 1980s industrial experimentation. Wosto and Kilian Krings morph their discoveries into club-ready headspinners, assured to prove a highlight of any adventurous DJ set.
Following a couple of strong releases on labels such as Russian Torrent Versions, Dog in The Night and Wilson Records, Fabio Monesi finally makes his debut on his own Hardmoon London imprint in which he released his music, since 2014, under his alias Hissman.
Two compositions, scored for trio: Papyrus is excursive and melancholic, with giveaway distorted kicks; the flip is more hard-hitting and propulsive, with an industrial intensity lifted by simple piano motifs.
Jackmaster Hater presents Jeremy Williams with four jackin Chicago tracks on K-Starke Records.
IXVLF is back at it again following the Language Of mini-album released earlier this year as part of our ongoing tape series. Pushing it further from where we last left off, Connor Clasen’s vinyl debut reflects our ever growing desire to re-interpret club music in its most primitive and cartilaginous nature. While cleverly obscuring any reference to a specific period of time, Involuntary Movement shows a sense of the American-based producer stretching disorienting imagery over the existing landscape of proto-industrial — matching the visual interpretation of Ailsa Ogden undertaking the artwork by way of a new collaboration to be expanded over a handful of releases — where unpolished synthesizers and rhythm machines collide and bawl in a controlled crash. It is an exercise of existing in various states of detachment; a fixation on mechanical repetition and unpredictable behaviors through the haze of helium laughter. Definitely one for the animals.
FR Fels is making his debut on Ortloff Records with a four track journey through analogue mindscapes. Record and sleeve are provided with a phosphorescent silkscreen print.
JASSS debuts on Mannequin Records for the “Death Of The Machines” series with a killer 3 track mix of ebm/industrial & wave on this heavy 12”. Perfect for the most abrasive dancefloors.
Known for his diverse releases on labels such as Bunker, Panzerkreuz, Further or Shimmering Moods Ian Martin has developed his very unique own brand of electronic music. To categorize his music is difficult which adds an immense appeal to his approch on his releases. Clairvoyant is no exception to this. It is an uplifting and beautiful album based around three of Ian’s favourite synthesizers: Waldorf Microwave I, Ensoniq ESQ-1 and Korg M1. Ian describes this album as an emotional collection of tracks with a lot of fantasy.
Originally released on Echocord on 27 August 2012. Transcendent Records finally releases this much wanted ambient techno album by Conforce aka Silent Harbour, completely remastered for vinyl. Boris Bunnik expresses “music for an imaginary deep mental abstract excursion” under the Silent Harbour moniker for Transcendent/Echocord. As his multifarious operations have shown, Boris is a dab hand in the studio, and Silent Harbour is the place to find those machine emissions which would never quite reach the ‘floor. Operating on the cusp of ambient Techno and electro-acoustic music, he shapes sheer scapes from elemental source material, rendering his sounds diffuse until we glimpse hallucinatory tones in the gloaming dissonance. 4/4 anchored rhythms are fractured, percussions sent to scout the perimeters while the vast space between becomes playground to radiant metallic timbres and strafing electronic apparitions. Music for Techno heads to fall into when the kicks are too much.
Geruis Uit Somberdorp’ (Rustlings from Somberville) is a concert for Harmonium, Mixtur Trautonium & Synthesizer, originally commissioned for the dutch classical Concertzender broadcast corporation in early 2016. Zandvoort & Uilenbal are Danny Wolfers and Jimi Hellinga.
Ron Trent brings back the ”Dance Floor Boogie Delites” tag for 2 tasty cuts featuring similar flavors to previous releases on Prescription and Future Vision. The artwork is appropriate as ”Boogie Down” will make you want to break out your rollerskates and ”In The Light” is a nod to early Prince. Out on Ron’s own Music and Power imprint.
South London favorites Chaos in the CBD come back to Rhythm Section International one year after their breakthrough EP ‘Midnight in Peckham’. The original EP captured a moment in time in a way few songs can manage. It was hailed as a masterpiece, capturing the attention of all who listened, as evidenced by the unquenchable demand for the 12”.
Smallpeople and Moomin are two pillars of the contemporary deep house game, and the Closer label from Germany is the perfect spot for them to unleash their singular beats on. “Lack Of Lighters” is a tightly packed house gem that strays onto a delightful off-kilter mode thanks its wobbling bassline, while “Secret Elevator” is much dubbier and focussed on the low-end.
Benjamin Brunn’s follow up to his highly regarded A Sun Life album on Third Ear. The Plastic Album is, like it’s predecessor once again bursting with fat, glistening, gorgeous sounds. Brunn’s sound is instantly recognizable; the Nord Modular synth and Roland 808 which feature on all his performances. Yet, he’s sounding as fresh, as enigmatic and as soulful as ever.
Orbis with a slipt EP. On A-side Binny is ramping it up, once again. “Resistance” & “Infinite Ratio” has a brilliant hypnotic tension to it. Simply Binny, UK tension building up and excellent for playing 3 decks. Excellent DJ tools. On the B-side, the veteran Lee Holman takes it to the raw side of analogue techno with two no-nonsense raw material, the way Lee likes to build up his tracks. Straight forward. No compromises. Plain old good techno.
Marcus ‘Intalex’ Kaye marks his first notch as Trevino on the Hotflush bedpost with a plucky four-track EP, wearing all the stripes that an artist of his experience and versatility has earned. Kaye’s four-to-the-floor productions as Trevino have always possessed a latent sheen from the dynamic world of drum and bass where he first made his name. Here it’s evident in the impeccably balanced mix of lead track, ‘Slide Away’, where forlorn melody is driven as much by bass as it is by liquid chords. The tempo is upped on ‘Mosaic’ – a techno record that follows an uplifting path – and on Desecrate it’s in fifth gear with a bass line that rolls and grows and bangs and rolls. The high-speed, echo chamber dub of ‘Jungle Love’ rounds off an EP of notable range.
Matthew Styles is by no means prolific – just 12 releases in 10 years – but still manages to bring a distinctive touch to each production. In this instance, Styles’ first EP for Ostgut following an appearance on one of the Panorama Bar samplers, there’s a rough and bleary feel to each composition. This sensibility manifests itself in different ways; the title track is a stepping, broken beat affair laced with acid, while the contemplative “Wave 6” sounds like it was created by the Mike Huckaby-loved synth. The only out and out dance floor track, “Border”, is also notable thanks to its shimmering, sleek chords and rolling house beats.
Delroy Edwards has come a long way. 2012 marked his Introduction into the world of Dance Music via Ron Morelli’s Imprint LIES. After offering up essential dance floor singles like ‘4 Club Use Only’ and ‘Heart and Soul’ Edwards’ established himself as a producer with a unique touch and style. With a growing desire to control his own output and make a more significant statement, Delroy set off to start his own imprint, L.A. Club Resource. Creatively directing his own imprint became a platform for him and over the course of two years L.A.C.R. created one of the most palpable musical experiences in the field. The label released music in a range of styles from a span of generations, the only constant was the high output and stellar art direction. Many releases produced by the label head himself, Delroy’s production were lauded for their piercing simplicity, grace and attitude. In his first LP for the label, Edwards’ has arranged a sincerely personal moment. The 30-track effort marks a special moment in his growth blending current interests in punk and electronics into an outsider narrative like no other.
The Hipodrome Of Music 