After their debut release by Xosar, the Belgian club night imprint ”Ensemble” returns with a 12” by ”de Ambassade”, a collective term for ambassadors Ben Sun, Xan Xoda, Raw Sketches and Sisterhood. Four strong house tracks.
001.Features
Drvg Cvltvre – American Psychosis [Part Two] [SHIP023.2]
Shipwrec serve up a second instalment of the American Psychosis project by pioneering Dutch producer Drvg Cvltvre. He is known for his experimental and boundary pushing sounds and it’s no different here, on either track. The first, ‘March into Nothingness’ is a truly bleak and foreboding affair with serrated synths and thick, dense fog hanging in the air above slow and purposeful drums. Like a post apocalyptic industrial estate it is a raw and arresting place to be. ‘Drown Into The Eternal Twilight’ is then an even harder edge techno stomper with angry synth lines, tough drums and tons of white noise darkening the foreboding airwaves.
Popsimonova & Zarkoff – Die Brucke [JAMTRAXXSP003]
Ideally in transit between yesterday and today, between adolescence and maturity, between an arcadian dimension and a more actual reality made of mirrors and metal, here it is the sonic trip for these two singular characters, Zarkoff and Popsimonova, a taste of sci-fi retro comics, as the bridge of hyena plisskinn in Carpenter ‘1997 escape from ny’ or the characters of the bridge of William Gibson, the master of cyberpunk american literature. The minimal futurstic attitude is deformed, exagerated, distorted, in some case it becomes just a cold expressionism, violent sintetic colors as the sky of Munch, but the scream this time is purely electronic… The bridge, this eternal symbol of passage, the union of opposite realities, in this case reflected itself in the music, with deep roots that lie in the past (for the analog instrumentation) and then leap into the future, materialized from essential and modernist musical structures. Each human being builds its own bridge, a piece at a time, and so it happens the magic of communication, it takes place. In Die Brucke it happens in the ideal musical dialog between this two singular characters, with their composite way to write songs. Including two L.A.S.’s Crime Remixes.
Solitude FX – SFX [ENFANT025]
Solitude FX is no stranger to Enfant Terrible. This German Duo has been present on the great Dutch label since the first compilation from 2006. This new album consists of 10 super melancholy lo-fi minimal synth tunes for the true new wave fan…
Live Island – King [ADHD001]
Born from the depths of a basement show and raised on the hallowed, unrelenting beauty of the Kentucky countryside, the artist known as Live Island proves not all hope is lost in world. In fact: just the opposite. “King” is effective music for a disaffected people; transmitted by the Philosopher King guiding us into the coming Ice Age. Harboring hope with its timeless synthetic beauty, “King” promises only the shift in perspective you’ll need to survive what’s to come. Its sibling, the “Home Dub”, is an etude of broken minimalism, born of dank basements but not alien to the terrains of the dance floor.
Monobox aka Robert Hood – Film / Rectangle [MPM022]
As part of M-Plant’s 20th Anniversary, it’s the perfect time for Robert Hood to re-visit one of his other decisive monikers, Monobox. The deep and melodious tones of ‘Film’ are beautifully offset by the tougher machine groove of ‘Rectangle’, with both tracks conveying the hypnotic minimalist approach of Hood’s otherworldly Monobox sound.
SDX – Reference 05 [REF005]
Astronomical Telegram – Naked Index 05 [NI005]
Horizontal Ground sub-label Naked Index introduces a new name from Columbia: Astronomical Telegram. The grungy feel of Regis’ early work can be heard throughout the entire EP, meaning this will appeal to the staunch techno heads. Higher frequencies seem to be a defining difference between “Optical Observation V1” and “Optical Observation V2”, with the latter really jamming its foot on the pedal when it comes to the harsher sonics and frenetic percussion. “Tool Part 2” by and large does away with those pesky hi-hats and lays down a heavy groove of gruelling techno.
Lee Holman – The Forgotten EP [BRH001]
Here begins the journey for Birth which will lead to the discovery of different facets of the techno world. First stage of the trip is Ireland … The eclectic producer Lee Holman brings out The Forgotten EP.
The Noisemaker – Travelers EP [RWXS004]
The fourth EP from Raw Waxes includes two tracks from The Noisemaker.. Both original tracks have got a delightful groovy soul, amplified by a dark arpeggio, which drives strong energy in stomach and legs of the listeners. The sounds he chose are captivating, dynamic, and push feelings to an high vitality. The deepness of the original tracks is perfectly interpreted by the remixers, who kept his mood and added a personal touch to it. On the A side, Mike Parker keeps a sinister atmosphere and beautifies it with noisy and raw sounds, which coherently distinguish his productions from many others. On the B side, Haiku develops mostly the dance floor mood of the original track with an upbeat based production going through mind trip breaks and industrial pads, giving to the entire release a summer breathe.
Auden – Auden EP [HFT034]
A fresh voice in UK techno arrives on Hotflush with a four-track debut that brandishes range and dynamics. Unsullied atmospherics, large-scale techno, acid, dub and two-step comprise the story arc here; disparate elements woven through by the coherence of a singular vision. This is Auden.
VA – Let’s Go Into Space III [369.020SILVER]
The compilation series which collects the rarest and most obscure and cool disco collector items ever. Tracks by: OZO, Tonica & Dominante, Comet,…
Jordan Fields & Leandre – Trax [V1DDD82]
Special Re-Issue of Voulezvous V1 features Leandre’s “Musique Touche” & Rare Disco’s “Unreleased” edited by Jordan Fields. B-side has 3 mysterious disco dubs edited by Tony Bozak.
The Problems – Moustache Italo Anthem [MST023]
Well known in the clubscene a classic italo track from this underground dark wave italo band from Holland. Track played by David Vunk on numerous parties for more than 6 years already, so it took some time but here it is, including a remix made by David Vunk with pumping basskick and super sharp clubby tr-909 hats.
Jordan – Divison Point [FS023]
Finale Sessions brings to the family a new producer from the rising cast of New York underground. Jordan is a special producer bringing a vibe like no other with his mix of house and techno attributes . ‘Night Mask’ is a nasty raw down to the ground dance track with sub like kicks and percussions and its flawless arching synth give this track its basis to move like no other. ‘Division Point’ is part deep and raw and it gives the EP its depth that it needs to transpire on different dance floors everywhere with its floating pads and it deep drums . ‘Return’ has that peek time feel to it with its techno undertones and its great drum programming which really sets this track apart from all other.
MGUN – Wideye [FIT011]
Manuel Gonzales aka MGUN, steps up to the plate for Fit Sound with an EP that is equal parts diverse, epic and raw. From the basement techno of “Wide Eye”, to the scuffling acidic “Debit, and finally onto the melodic/ melancholic sound of “M.S.C.”, Essential music from the underground for the underground.
VA – Corndogs #2 [CORNDOGS002]
Strong sounds from the Sly Fox Records camp. ‘Corn Dogs’ is their compilation 12′ released for the 2013 Movement festival in Detroit.
VA – Ethos Series [OS001]
Cult label Nous with a mystery release… tracks from the NOUS catalog you might recognise re-flipped by producers you most certainly would.
Kettenkarussell – Easy Listening [GLGLP004]
In times where a rave feels pretty much like a funfair, the chairoplane is still the nicest ride. Thinking of Kettenkarussell some might remember one of those gathered moments in a low summer night under the clear sky when things made sense for a while. But those memories fade away quite fast or seem really strange a few years later on youtube. So what is it that is left behind? After 10 years of collaboration the couple decided to do an album that might challenge the comfort zone of those who try to keep up that easy living. It’s a record full of holes. And still this is what keeps them together. In pain we trust… and yes i believe you and me will make love forever…
Actress – Xoul [WDNT012]
Outta nowhere Actress projects four mystic visions inna black label style. It’s some of his sweetest, darkest, psychoactive gear, flitting from the electronic gremlins and piquant melancholy of ‘Xoul’ to its inverse image, ‘Xoul Dark Chamber’ and the contemplative, effervescent keys of ‘Xoul Particles’, which sees the introduction of some haunting digital synth strokes that also colour the slanted swagger and reverse loops of the EP’s most beguiling piece, ‘Pharoah Moon Rising’.
