Jonas Kopps returns to Tresor with a powerful and club-oriented EP, ”HHH”. Over the past 10 years Kopp has explored and found himself confortable in many genres of music ranging from housey beats to hypnotic techno. This particular release finds itself comfortably in the middle of a dark and dusty dance floor.
P.E.A.R.L. surges through with an emanating soundscape of near, far and leftfield embodiment of energy. Abrasive and dancefloor-focused “Desolation” is no stranger to the harder sounds of percussion. With a subtle ghost, and ever tense, this track rides through red traffic lights, and begins at the end of your comfort zone.
Already featuring on two earlier Planet Rhythm samplers and on the digital imprint, it was just a matter of time for his 12″ solo-debut to come; Von Grall presents his “No Contact EP” on the Planet Rhythm Black imprint.
The third installment of Attic Music Hurricane Series. Here Fabrizio Lapiana returns with three melodic techno cuts, a mix of dark and calm vibes on the b-side, where a vibrant chord defines a melancholic atmosphere in “Leading Nowhere”. A corrosive bass line snakes the ground in the ambient-techno’s “Water Smoke”, a track that express the hypnotic and peaceful concept behind the series.
Token are back with their very own Indigo Kennedy, and he’s brought along a squadron of remixers to transform his recent “Requiem” tune. First up is Dial’s Efdemin, who quickly adds his signature brand of freeform deep house – sinister pads all around – followed by Kangding Ray and his slo-mo version, a truly chuggy affair in all sense of the word. The flip sees Downwards master and UK techno legend Regis inject his deep and menacing style onto the framework, and Full Panda’s Dasha Rush takes the straight-ahead techno approach but proceeds to surround the beats with gorgeous swirls of instrumentation.
Berlin Atonal is proud to pick up on a tradition begun in 1984 with the publication of two volumes of live recordings from the 1983 edition of the festival. Those records bore witness to the most inventive, adventurous sounds of the festival. Berlin Atonal Vol. 3 carries this custom forward three decades with selections from four of the standout performances of Berlin Atonal 2014. Of course Cabaret Voltaires lauded and historical first show in over 20 years is featured, Richard H Kirk’s no-nostalgia and machinery driven set firmly putting the Cabaret Voltaire project in a future-facing direction. Miles Whittaker’s surprising and muscular live performance also contributes a cut, as does festival favourite Fis with his characteristically lumpy, textural soundscapes. Finally, two selections from Abdulla Rashims memorable session gesture toward a possible future for synthesised music.
The A-side starts with one nasty UK-influenced techno banger by Kuno which is followed by Spaceinvasion’s pure raw acid onslaught. On the flip side Fallbeil deliver another distorted acid bomb with brutal vocals and Neuspotter NS465 finishs off with some synth-driven madness.
Pater Noster unleash their first 12”. Overdriven hardware excursions sprinkled with a dose of distortion and red lining their way to completion. An incredibly mature first release composed of five tracks from separate artists, all seamlessly channeling the same curiously destructive vibe.
This is the second release of the ‘Obscure Cuts’ series, curated by Berlin’s Oscillator party resident Beppe Loda. This EP sets us off on a magic carpet ride of Middle-Eastern-influenced Italian obscure disco gems from the 70’s. This release is a great ambassador for the Oscillator parties from which the label originates.
Solar One Music presents the follow up to The Exaltics retrospective “The Truth 2008 – 2013” released early this year. Five of The Exaltics best tracks are revisit by ERP, Gosub, Dopplereffekt, Objekt, and Ultradyne. On the A side, E.R.P. aka Convextion turns the opener “My Language” into an emotive electro rework where sweet drums combine to soft synth layers. Followed by Ultradyne’s disturbing “Compressed Thoughts” remix, expect experimental electro beats and distorted modulations straight from Detroit. On the flipside, a SOM regular signature, Gosub injects on “IMOEH” a serious dose of electrofunk vibes. His classy remix gives a breath of fresh air while “Journey To Jupiter” reworked by Objekt propels you in orbit after an epic trip though space. Merging electro beats to groovy lines and contemporary synths colors, Dopplereffekt keeps the pressure: “Instinct” signs here a masterly conclusion to the EP.
Third release from Diffuse Arc on Caustica Waveform, excellent synth-heavy electro, real singular sound from the Madrid-based label and superb artwork as always.
New label Odio emerge with a real statement of intent for their debut release which finds Diffuse Arc and Arcanoid sharing sides on a 12″ with some excellent sleeve art. Diffuse Arc handles the A side with eleven minute modular epic “Acto 1 Origen” which swells from its initial almost-silence into a far sighted monster that will have you pulling the needle back time and time again. Semantica and Tabernacle affiliate Arcanoid provides two tracks with “Acto 2 Esencia Del Drama” a classicist take on Drexciyan electro complemented by the more abstract sounds of “Acto 3 Conclusion”.
If you are going to do Acid it better be a uncompromising slab of raw Acid House. Four jackers from Japan’s duo Takeshi Kouzuki & Mituo Shiomi.
Chicago’s Marcus Mixx return to Unknown to the Unknown. The salaciously named Rub It Don’t Go Fast is a welcome return, and the producer’s unhinged urges remain wonderfully undimmed as the title track attests. It’s dark acid house with redlining bass, a monstrous kick drum and a clear sense of perverse humour. “Rub it in French…” On the flip, Mixx lays down two swerving takes on breakbeat house flex out “Do U Luv 2 Dance”.
Music For Dreams continues to roll out the Balearic goodies with this superb new mini album from Golden Ivy. Golden Ivy aka Ivar Lantz is a Malm based composer, producer and founder (along with Prins Emanuel and Gucci Jehova) of esteemed Swedish record label Fasaan.
French duo Unouzbeck & Venturi make their vinyl debut with a pair of psychedelic disco groovers for the Östra Discos imprint.
Synthesizer enthusiast Bezier drops a surprise 12″ for the affiliated Honey Soundsystem. As usual, her has his sights set on mining the past for inspiration. “Mina (Everyone)” begins in typical fashion – all spacey synthesizers and twinkling melodies – before morphing into a relentless chunk of dirty, Italo-and-EBM inspired house. The pleasingly sunny “Serengeti Drive” is more of a stripped-back Italo-disco bubbler (admittedly with dream-wave flourishes), while “Mysteries of the Deep” offers an intergalactic romp through cold-wave pastures with only cheap old synths and drum machines for company.
Next on Delsin’s deep and house leaning series of releases is Artefakt with a new three track affair entitled The Fifth Planet EP. The Dutch duo are experts at conjuring up atmospheric grooves that seduce your soul. Opener ‘Transit’ is a thick, heavy and heady track with rubbery kicks tunnelling deep. Above it, smeared, sombre synths gets stretched and skewed into trippy forms and the whole thing has you as a slave to the groove. ‘From Our Minds To Yours’ is quicker and more overkill, but is again rooted in rolling rubbery kicks. Hypnotic once again, the synths here are lighter, more airy and more uplifting and induce trance like states of mind. Lastly, ‘The Fifth Planet’ steps it up another gear, with celestial melodic patterns, heavy synth daubs and spine tingling pads all expanding around a ticking techno groove. This is expertly crafted, serene and supple stuff that will sound perfect in the dead of night on some intimate and spaced out dancefloor.
The Hipodrome Of Music 