AKSK – Things We Do [RBINC006LP]

AKSK is the collaborative effort of Adda Kaleh and Suzanne Kraft. Recorded over the course of almost seven years and despite local separation or virtual realities, it sums up the magic that already inhered in their debut song „Breaking“ for Gerd Janson’s „Musik for Autobahns“ compilation on Rush Hour. An eight track LP of crystalline chansons and pastels pop that features the skills of The Coober Pedy University Band aka CPUB (Tornado Wallace and William Paxton) on dub duties to complete the magical musical mysteries of AKSK.

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AKSK – Things We Do [RBINC006LP]

Siegmar Fricke – Time Compression EP [ILG005]

FRICKE, Siegmar - Time Compression EP

Siegmar Fricke has made a name for himself in the tape culture since 1981 – with a mixture of Musique-Concrète and Post-Industrial. As a former label owner of “Bestattungsinstitut” he released numerous works that went beyond EBM, Electro, Techno and Ambient. In the heyday of the netlabels he focused mainly on his own productions, which he then made available as free downloads. Since 2002 Siegmar has been active with clinical sound experiments under the pseudonym “Pharmakustik”. In 2005 he started his collaboration with Maurizio Bianchi from Milan, who has dedicated himself to “industrial decomposition” since 1979. For his Time Compression EP on Infoline, Siegmar Fricke has unearthed compositions from the period 1992-1994 and curated them anew. A phase in which he listened to the radio day and night and connected his sampler to the stereo to record material around the clock. He listened to many radio shows from England or Holland, which often broadcasted techno, trance and acid. At that time those sounds were new territory for him. He recorded inspiring sequences at first go, edited them and then let them flow into his own productions. The result was “future-pop collages mixed with sequencer-controlled trance and sampled voices”, to put it in the words of Siegmar Fricke.

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Siegmar Fricke – Time Compression EP [ILG005]

Purple Desert Rain God – Invisible Matter / Bridge To Nowhere [HNR036]

PURPLE DESERT RAIN GOD - Invisible Matter

The psychedelia of Purple Desert Rain God is playful and innovative in a way that brings early Pink Floyd to mind, where classic blues elements were mixed with tape loops and tremolo/feedback guitars. But more than 50 years has passed since Barret’s trip through universe was caught on tape and the comparison stops there: Purple Desert Rain God is a new take on acid rock. Purple Desert Rain God is nature music and transcendental dance music and they overlap between genuine psychedelia and electronic music with filter sweeps on guitars and drums. Sudden bursts of drum fills brakes the monotonous groove and amplifies the feeling of lost control and the band often balances on what is considered a beat that is on time. However, they keep momentum and hammers the pulse on your eardrums, into your mind.

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Purple Desert Rain God – Invisible Matter / Bridge To Nowhere [HNR036]

Nehuen – Psyops Part One [LR017]

NEHUEN - Psyops Part One

Nehuen is an Argentinian born but Barcelona based artist who is notorious for his abrasive dance floor workouts on I Love Acid, BNR Trax and the Classicworks label he co-owns with Cardopusher. Nehuen’s Psyops kicks off with the excellent title track, which contorts acid and electro into a writhing monster filled with dark energy. The visceral ‘Toxic’ is built on slapping hits and spangled basslines that will tie you in knots as the bumping drums drive things forward. The late-night menace continues on ‘Bailar’, with tight synth arps layered up in robotic forms over clunky drums that are industrial and futuristic in equal measure. Last but not least, the eerie ‘Desire’ strikes a more twisted note with double kicks juddering beneath echoing hits. It’s pure, filthy, brilliant body music.

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Nehuen – Psyops Part One [LR017]

Plant43 – Density Wave [PLANT43001]

PLANT43 - Density Wave

The first release on Emile Facey’s Plant43 Recordings sets the tone for his new label with a showcase of his trademark shimmering, melodic electro. The three tracks take the listener through an array of deeply emotional soundscapes while keeping the electro-funk beats to the fore, another outstanding display of a unique style nurtured through over 20 years of production. A co-founder of London’s Bleep43 crew, Facey has been promoting underground electro and techno since the late 90’s. As a producer he’s been releasing records since 2005 with a string of releases on respected scene favourites such as Central Processing Unit, Frustrated Funk, Semantica, Shipwrec and Cultivated Electronics, among others.

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Plant43 – Density Wave [PLANT43001]

Alastair Galbraith – Seconds Mark III [ACOLOUR028]

Alastair Galbraith is considered nothing less than a genius around these parts. A New Zealand underground legend active since the ’80s, his solo works have seen release on Siltbreeze, MIE, Emperor Jones and Grapefruit Records while his own labels, Xpressway and Next Best Way have released the likes of The Dead C and Damo Suzuki. His list of collaborators reads like a who’s who of freeform musicianship: Peter Jefferies, Bruce Russell, Robert Scott (The Clean; Flying Nun) and Maxine Funke to name but a few. Seconds Mark III is Galbraith’s first solo album since Mass (2010) and is a collage of pensive, longing and almost forgotten pieces stitched in his inimitable style. A thrilling addition to A Colourful Storm’s ever-expansive catalogue. 21-track LP

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Alastair Galbraith – Seconds Mark III [ACOLOUR028]

The Beneficiaries – The Crystal City Is Alive [AX087]

BENEFICIARIES, The - The Crystal City Is Alive

In 2018, the idea was introduced by Jeff Mills to address the lack of artistic collaborations within and from the city of Detroit/USA. The city had always been an engine of new innovative ideas related to music, art, dance, poetry and all other arts. It was thought of as a way to demonstrate the commonality people possess from various art forms and that by mixing ideas visions and perspectives together are might produce unexpected and often provocative results. The project started when Mills reached out to one of Detroit Techno’s founder and legendary DJ/Producer Eddie Fowlkes. Though the two are known and connected to Detroit Techno and knew each other for decades, they never worked together so the first few meetings and conversations were marked with finding all the common links that have built both of their careers. During this time, Mills wanted to find a third person for the project, one that was from Detroit, but not a musician. His idea and theory was that by engaging two other creative thinkers would most likely produce something unique as emotions would become linked together to find that common, but higher level. While browsing the web, Mills discovered a post that featured the Detroit-born poet Jessica Care Moore. Struck by her words and the energy she mastered to say them, Mills knew immediately that she would be the perfect artist to approach for this creative venture. As with most artists that grew up in Detroit, they immediately opened up the links in their past, present and future outlook. He presented the case and explained to her how he thought it might work. She liked the idea and agree to join. “The Crystal City Is Alive” (A phrase extracted from Moore’s words), puts the Detroit, America and the World on notice. The alarm has sounded and it is now time to mobilize all creative units to the frontline.

vinyl / CD

The Beneficiaries – The Crystal City Is Alive [AX087]

O-Wells – Ebecs [ORKL14]

O WELLS - Ebecs

Lennard Poschmann returns to Oliver Hafenbauer’s Die Orakel label with a brand-new EP under his O-Wells alias. ‘Ebecs’ showcases the Robert Johnson resident’s subtle, distinct approach to Detroit-ish, IDM & ambient-influenced electronic music. Opening track ‘Ectid’ is a free-floating introduction revealing a glorious acid undercurrent. ‘Bbmore’ demonstrates a different kind of approach with the same wistful ingredients, unravelling a tightly wound drum structure from the inside. On ‘Exolite’, the inverse unfolds, as Wells blends experimental textures and introduces stabs of cathartic and deep bass. Introducing the other half of the release, ‘Culling Virus’ is Wells’ take on simmering, paranoid electro. On the pairing of LL0P 1 and LL0P 2, he provides an intermission with two tense locked grooves before concluding the release with the cascading and dense ‘Shnuck’, a psychedelic transmission of complex layered sound design.

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O-Wells – Ebecs [ORKL14]

Leo James – Big Pressure [BL005]

JAMES, Leo - Big Pressure

Big Pressure – the fifth release for Body Language – sees Leo James combine elements of dub, ambient and industrial to create a record that is stark, tough and emotional. Though drawing on disparate influences, the music is unified by textures and timbre, repurposed vocal samples, and inhabits an atmosphere entirely of its own making.

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Leo James – Big Pressure [BL005]

John Shima – Space Cadet EP [SUBWAXE-X-C-BLUE]

SHIMA, John - Space Cadet EP

John Shima with 4 tracks of deep & warm Detroit vibes. He’s in fine form on this surprise outing for Subwax’s Excursions series, effortlessly moving between the emotive, melodic bliss of “Evergreen”, where lilting lead lines spar with dreamy chords and a hybrid electro/deep sci-fi techno groove, the poignant, pitched-down deep electro beauty of “Moodswing”, the deep space breakdowns and tactile chords of “Space Cadet”, and the intergalactic electrofunk haziness of enveloping closing cut “Street Soul”.

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John Shima – Space Cadet EP [SUBWAXE-X-C-BLUE]

Legowelt – Pancakes With Mist [NW025] [FREE DOWNLOAD]

Legowelt with another free offering on his Nightwind Records. Written, performed and produced by Danny Wolfers at the North Sea Institute For the Overmind Scheveningen Holland. Across the ten tracks, you will find shades of house, electro, techno and Italo but what most notably ties them all together is Legowelt’s signature use of distortion. The album is dripping in Lo-Fi tactics and features plenty of vocal work throughout.

vinyl

Legowelt – Pancakes With Mist [NW025] [FREE DOWNLOAD]

Chiara – Rec / Studio Line [BAP137]

The summer sun is high in the sky. A cocktail in hand. The soundtrack: Chiara. Steeped in Latin rhythms, produced with the golden touch of Francesco de Bellis (Francisco), this two-tracker is set to a serious groove. Beats chatter and mingle in the evening heat of “Rec”. Bass smoothness and brassy blasts are sweetened by Chiara’s vocals before dramatic strings flash like lightning, igniting this already energy-packed encounter. “Studio Line” continues that theatrical touch. Bold keys, echoing the cinematic grandeur of Italy, are supported by dynamic drum patterns as a vocal sample circles. Styles spin and spiral, the track twirling between genre tags refusing to be pigeonholed. Elements of East and West glide and pirouette hand in hand across this stunning 7”, Chiara offering the perfect soundtrack to dance from dusk to dawn.

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Chiara – Rec / Studio Line [BAP137]

Galaxy II Orchestra – Acid Rain [THANKYOU006]

GALAXY II ORCHESTRA - Acid Rain (reissue)

Forgotten side project production from 1986, by Grammy award winning sound engineer Chris Lord Alge. Two versions of an oddball leftfield electro downtempo chugger and one previously unreleased patriotic monologue acompanied by heroic emotional piano – to be served with a sense of sarcasm.

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Galaxy II Orchestra – Acid Rain [THANKYOU006]

Serial Error – Afro Gothic EP [RAT18]

SERIAL ERROR - Afro Gothic EP

Serial Error was founded as a New Beat project when Jacob Korn was asked for a submission to the ‘Our Beat Is Still New’ compilation series on the Belgian We Play House label in late 2014. Knowing the retro-experienced skills of his label mates from Uncanny Valley, he teamed up with Credit 00 & Sneaker and they produced Drum Abuse, a track that finally became the cue for their first full 12” maxi single in 2018 on Rat Life Records; a label curated by Credit 00. Now they keep on malfunctioning with a 4-tracker featuring the bizarre title Afro Gothic. The eponymous track was the first shot when they got together for a second EP in Jacob’s studio in now demolished premises (the typical daily Rat Life). The slow, steamy roller captures the amateurish live percussion skills of Credit 00, while – on the other hand – he played one of the manuals of Jacob’s ‘Son of GX’ organ along with Sneaker playing the other manual of the leading voice synth. On top, they added a classic acapella – a sudden strike of genius – ‘perfectly matching the solemn vibe’ (in their opinion; artist quote). A2 ‘Unter den Helmen’ is ripping off the same organ’s preset drum patterns run through a brutal EQ. Talking of the 70s – a duet by two anti-nuclear activists from the German Sponti movement of the time became the theme of this politically charged protest song! Oh yeah, somewhere I had to paste the striking fact that all is mastered & sent via reel-to-reel at our TailOut studio. Check! B1 and B2 are two versions of the same song who share their lyrics drawn from school days. To be precise from the tacky Dresden art academy they both – Sneaker and Credit 00 – visited. The B2 of ‘Art Academy Talk’ features the typical Sneaker vocals on a 4/4 beat, while – due to Credit 00’s lean towards electro – the B1 got the vocoder treatment while Jacob and Sneaker went for lunch. As Jacob came up with the bass riff on his Chroma Polaris, Credit fiddled the knobs of his Ensoniq ESQ1 like a rusty raver. The freaked out FX-sounds we can cherish thanks to the Pearl DRX drum machine; modded and played by Jacob Korn. Due to the odd look also fondly nick-named ‘the VCR’. The Pearl, of course, not Jacob.

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Serial Error – Afro Gothic EP [RAT18]

Cute Heels – Beyond The War [SBOX011]

Five years ago, Cute Heels brought his unique blend to Schrödinger’s Box with Nepotism. The Colombian now returns to the Glasgow label, this time with a mini-LP packed to the rim with stone cold quality. Steady kicks give way to juddering bass and epic strings in the dynamic changeling that is “Beyond The War.” Shadows are cast by the EBM stained “Er Ist Nitch Du” and the smoky “Present Images” under the alias of Syndikat Komando Klub 98. Yet, despite these darker shades, the 12” is filled with brighter tones also. As Victor M Lenis R, “Breath of Freedom” beams with synth-disco laden lines. “Strange Forces” takes a similar path, chords shimmering against aquatic pads that bask in warmth. An italo streak enters with the playful melody and sun- soaked keys of “The Awake (Mexico City Mix), radiant notes countered by strong pulsing percussion. Beyond The War is a record as diverse as its creator. Traversing a spread of styles, Cute Heels has created a 12” that blurs perceived genres whilst maintaining the energy and zeal of the club.

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Cute Heels – Beyond The War [SBOX011]

Lausen – Glorius Box Dates [FE037]

LAUSEN - Glorius Box Days

Furthur Electronix brings back an essential analog acid album by Lausen. Released in 1995 on Drop Bass Network, includes remastered versions of ”Dry Ray” and ”Acid Inhaler” from the ”Anti Static EP’.

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Lausen – Glorius Box Dates [FE037]