Cosmin TRG – III EP [FIZIC003]

Cosmin TRG’s Fizic label release its third EP, and a second missive for 2015. Once again it comes from the Romanian label owner and ever evolving producer, and this time features four more fierce cuts that take abstract inspiration from musique concrete or Ballard’s High Rise novel. Opener ‘Sever’ is an expertly stripped back bit of concrete basement funk with scurrying alien sounds, frosted lo-fi textures and firmly rooted, propulsive kick drums driving the whole thing along. It’s an absorbing affair full of distant menace, and then comes ‘Redus’, a hunched over, forceful dub track again riddled with abstract lifeforms, distorted radio frequencies and muffled sirens that all bristle and brim with sonic debris. ‘Sirena’ is once more built upon thudding, firm kicks but here synths howl and spray about like a UFO in a storm, a harmonic hook rocks back and forth and modulated lines add life and depth to the burrowing groove. Lastly, ‘Motoric’ goes arctic, with cavernous chambers of sound full of echo and reverb as kicks thump out a groove. It’s a fourth and final bit of physical music informed by the musical and visual noir undertones of Under the Skin, cementing a robust alliance between form and function. Music and artwork by Cosmin Nicolae Mastered by Matt Colton.

listen

Cosmin TRG – III EP [FIZIC003]

Imaginary Forces – Shift Work [BDN006]

Elegies-in-waiting to the monotonous dread of exploitative labour, dosed with elliptical distortion, industrial noise and ear-crushing bass. Vexd veteran Roly Porter drops by with a sci-fi reinvention of Council Flat, trading in IFs mogadon footwork and megaton polyrhythms for a less apocalyptic, more introspective blend of modern classical, dark ambient and dirty stinking breakbeat.

listen

Imaginary Forces – Shift Work [BDN006]

Red Ferish – A Derangement Of Synapses [MR054]

Medical Records presents a hand-picked selection of home recorded demos from Stoke, UK’s Red Fetish. Armed with a Korg 770, Yamaha CS10, Korg Rhythm 55, a guitar here and there and a Teac 244 four track recorder, the band consisted of Neale James Potts and Mike Richardson. These tracks were recorded in 1982-83 and all culled from various cassettes that the band recorded. The songs are built from very minimal and sparse synth lines yet the overall feel is interestingly dense and warm. Standout tracks include the playful and futuristic “Modern Age” and “The Last Man”. A few of these tracks were previously released (different version) on a 7″ on Anna Logue (Germany) but most have been largely unheard until now. Sprinkled in amongst the catchy vocal pop songs are quite a few very warm and synth heavy instrumentals as well such as “The Immortals” and “Blaze”. This collection will absolutely be another piece of the highly intriguing and ever-deep well of minimal synth acts such as other contemporaries Oppenheimer Analysis, Twilight Ritual, Iron Curtain, and the like. Certainly fans of early Human League (especially The Future), early cassette culture wave and similar will enjoy this collection immensely.

listen

Red Ferish – A Derangement Of Synapses [MR054]

Effetto Joule – Roberspierre [MNQ068]

Mannequin Records presents the rare dark italo 12” ‘Robespierre’ by the italo wave trio Effetto Joule. Originally released in 1989 on Top Sound Records, the reissue comes with extra demo tape material from their ‘Ultraviolet’ tapes and with a killer Flemming Dalum remix of the title track. Effetto Joule formed in Modena during the second part of the 80’s. The pulsating heart of the band were the brothers Flavio and Valerio Biagi with the collaboration of Valerio Tassinari. Deeply influenced by the British synth pop heroes like Tubeway Army and Depeche Mode, the Biagi brothers were able to merge that kind of epic sounds with the more romantic Italian vision of the electronic dark wave.

listen

Effetto Joule – Roberspierre [MNQ068]

The Wall / The Stallion – Fire / Hope (M.W. edit) [PREGO002]

This latest release of Prego (a division of Vielspass records) comes up with two epic tracks reshaped by Mick Wills. The Wall – Fire on the A side is a bright disco-ish wave hymn raised with the M.W. style. The Stallion – Hope on the B side is a hypnotic floor killer with haunting lyrics and atmosphere.

listen

The Wall / The Stallion – Fire / Hope (M.W. edit) [PREGO002]

ADMX-71 – Coherent Abstractions [LIES067]

Adam X is back with his third album release under his industrial guise, ADMX-71. Adam returns to the L.I.E.S. front with Coherent Abstractions, a brand new album of singular experiments that pull from every corner of electronic music’s landscape into a comprehensive and propulsive full-length. Coherent Abstractions pulsates with fractured rhythms, vacillating melodies and mesmerizing compositions that showcase Adam’s impressive history working in all aspects of the underbelly of electronic music. Noise and industrial elements seep into the album’s 11 songs, churning the cold and abrasive into feverish new territory. Though Coherent Abstractions operates primarily in sounds of solitude, guest vocalist Janina joins Bound and Broken for a rare vocal collaboration on an ADMX-71 track.

listen

ADMX-71 – Coherent Abstractions [LIES067]

Refracted – Through The Spirit Realm [SSV008]

REFRACTED - Through The Spirit Realm

Through The Spirit Realm is Refracted’s first LP to date, and it comes Canada’s excellent Silent Season. “Enter The Jungle” quickly gives a picture of what’s to come thanks to the track’s abstract blend of animal sounds, a myriad of noises which is swallowed up the warm and dubby swings of “The Jungle Is Thick”. The whole LP follows a similar string of thought, one that binds stripped back techno together with deep ambience and slow-moving plates of drone; “The Ritual Begins” is simply hypnotic and we could keep it on for hours on loop. It’s tribalism at its most cutting-edge, and an altogether fantastic debut performance from this growing techno personality.

listen

Refracted – Through The Spirit Realm [SSV008]

ASC – Beneath The Surface [SSV009]

Long-serving Brit in San Diego James Clements dons his familiar ASC guise once more, for a typically atmospheric trip into deep, ambient-influenced abstract techno for Canada’s Silent Season imprint. As usual, there’s much to admire, from the sparse percussion, glacial electronics and icy melodies of “Deep Freeze”, to the minimalist, modular-sounding hum of closer “Raging Seas”. Arguably best of all, though, is “Immersion”, which sees Clements expertly combine early ’90s style dreamy ambient chords, textures and melodies – think Pete Namlook or early Irresistible Force – with scraped metal textures and impeccable IDM beats.

listen

ASC – Beneath The Surface [SSV009]

Powell – Insomniac / Should’ve Been A Drummer [XLT730]

New Powell (Diagonal) single continues to blur the lines between contemporary club music, punk and forward-thinking computer acid. Describing the music is a challenging prospect, but dancing to it isnt.

listen

Powell – Insomniac / Should’ve Been A Drummer [XLT730]

Devianza – Tabvla Rasa [KPT002]

Tabvla Rasa is the second vinyl release for the new London based label Kapvt Mvndi Records, a Blackwater Label project about Techno. An experimental and post techno EP based on the historical events of the Second World War. The first track CXIX is about the days of Bombs in London during the War. The second track CMXI is about the connection between the indian Swastica and the esoteric symbolism used by the Nazists in the same period.

listen

Devianza – Tabvla Rasa [KPT002]

N/O/T/A – None Of The Above [2MR007]

None of the Above aka N/O/T/A is an escape from reality plan. Made in between London and Toronto, it joins Dinamo Azari (AZARI & III) and Mixhell’s Laima Leyton and Iggor Cavalera (SEPULTURA). Eager to collaborate and make music in a non compromised way, the trio brought together live and electronic drum beats, strong bass lines, unexpected samples and dark synths to an unknown place. It is none of the genres we are listening to nowadays but it still brings together a live feeling of techno, industrial and acid.

listen

N/O/T/A – None Of The Above [2MR007]

Hieroglyphic Being & The Truth Theory Trio – Keep Your Mind Open [BDN007]

The Bedouin imprint continues on with its quest for the sublime and exotic in modern techno and house music. Jamal Moss aka Hieroglyphic Being & The Truth Theory Trio delivers more of his signature dusty lo fi electronics but gets an industrial tinged stomp on with “Keep Your Mind Open” and it’s absolutely killer. On the flip is “That Is The Name Of The African God” which is an analogue jam that sounds more like the Hieroglyphic Being we know.

listen

Hieroglyphic Being & The Truth Theory Trio – Keep Your Mind Open [BDN007]

Cute Heels – Nepotism [SBOX002]

Cute Heels screamed onto the scene with his debut album on Dark Entries. The Colombian’s blend of EBM and minimal synth with driving rhythms electrified interest with Juan Atkins describing him as “the new blood and spirit for the next step in techno music.” Tough words to live up to, but this talented artist has done Atkins proud with his excellent five tracker, Nepotism EP. Measured and thoughtful the EP is packed with eclipsed wave and bold beats. Future classics shine from the drop. “Nepotism Structure”, with its blackened chords and stark chords, is brimming with a primal energy. “Madame Counsellor” ups the tempo, adding some extra squalor with wretched 303 writhe. Cute Heels refuses to sit in one genre, electro coming to a head in the shimmering mechanics of “Cabaret Literal.” “The Pulse (Sex Drive)” closes in a seedy blur of neon lights and showing synthlines.

listen

Cute Heels – Nepotism [SBOX002]

DMX Krew – Abstract Forms Synth Funk Vol 3: Tha Bump! [SYFUNK003]

Abstract Forms new Synth Funk offshoot presents the third release of DMX Krew. Ladies and Gentleman the man with the magic fingers gives you Tha Bump!

listen

DMX Krew – Abstract Forms Synth Funk Vol 3: Tha Bump! [SYFUNK003]

Der Zyklus – Axonometric EP [VF173]

Legendary electronic pioneer Gerald Donald of Dopplereffekt and Drexciya returns with an incredible four track EP under his Der Zyklus guise. It is fair to say Donald is an electro pioneer, godfather and leading figure in electronic music. The Detroit artist, who took inspiration from the likes of Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic Orchestra went on to form his own uniquely experimental sound and would inspire a generation of techno and electro producers with his boundary pushing attitude.

listen

Der Zyklus – Axonometric EP [VF173]

Cygnus – Radical User Interfaces [CPU00011000]

Dallas based artist Cygnus returns to Central Processing Unit with his fourth release for the Sheffield based future facing electro imprint with his Radical User Interfaces EP. Invoking scenes from possible intergalactic situations Cygnus runs the four track offering off bit crunched funk, machinic constructs and glistening synth work.

listen

Cygnus – Radical User Interfaces [CPU00011000]

Deep Space Orchestra – Memory LP [UOWLP001]

Deep Space Orchestra is Chris Barker and Simon Murray, a pair of mature music lovers who have been DJing and making music for years. When together they conjure up emotive soundscapes full of lithe and rubbery bass, rich synth patterns and authentic real world textures. Never repeating the same trick twice, they conjure up original moods and grooves that don’t rely on trends of the day nor obvious sample pack sounds. ‘Memory’ is a complete piece of work that has been cooked up over the last three years and has largely been born from a collection of gear they bought with a view to starting to play live. As such it finds them experiment with all manner of new sounds and techniques, and the results are triumphant indeed.

listen

Deep Space Orchestra – Memory LP [UOWLP001]

Toby Tobias – Rising Son [DOGLP005]

Toby Tobias is ready to drop his second album. Clearly a labour of love, Rising Son touches on many of his now-familiar influences – the futurist synth sounds of Detroit techno, deep house, Chicago jack, Balearica, leftfield boogie, Italo-disco – whilst focusing on a predominantly hardware-based sound that allows his lovingly produced melodies and gorgeous chords due room to breathe. As a result, the album sparkles, with highlights – both dancefloor-focused, such as recent single “Wonder”, and more downtempo – cropping up on each of the double-album’s four sides. It’s actually the more atmospheric downbeat moments, such as the brilliant “Sending Signals” and IDM weird-out “Broken Computer” – that really shine.

listen

Toby Tobias – Rising Son [DOGLP005]