Blackmoon77 – Phormix Podcast #176
VA – L’Embrasse: Amsterdam Arcane Tape Recordings 1987 [E-M03]
L’Embrasse is a compilation originally released in 1987, less than 50 copies were distributed at the time through local shops and it is a portrayal of a unique and very little known scene, generated in the deep underground milieu of Amsterdam. None of the tracks presented on this album has ever been re-released after the ultra-limited original edition on cassette format appeared. At the time, a dozen different acts were featured: Menko (S.M. Nurse founder), Robbie Horsfall, Peter Van Garderen (Nine Circles founder), Der Rudi, Antonia (Tonny Timmermans), No Honey From These, Incredible Coöp (S.M. Nurse members), Tranquil Eyes, Beatnik Love Affair, Cheiron, Spin & Kokkie and The Male Ego.
Interstellar Funk & Robert Valera – Devil’s Juice [AD010]
Interstellar Funk & Robert Valera roll out a wealth of EBM, darkwave and acid leaning electronics in a new instalment for Olf van Elden’s (Interstellar Funk) label Artificial Dance. Devil’s Juice is a split twelve and the result of two analog recording sessions that took place in New York and Amsterdam in 2019. Van Elden and Valera met each other through mutual friends, sharing a love for deep and twisted bassline explorations, visceral melodies and analog machine funk. Robert Valera is a seasoned live performer but this will be his first release. Devil’s Juice is a testament of Van Elden’s and Varela’s fascination for analog instruments and how they are able to communicate in spontaneous and unpredictable ways.
Rødhåd – MOOD [WSNWGBTZ001] FREE DOWNLOAD
RØDHÅD has continuously pushed the boundaries of modern techno to new hypnotic and theatrical heights on his Dystopian party-turned-label imprint, where he released his debut Anxious back in 2017. This time, RØDHÅD tunes into a place of reflection and reformation on his most avant-garde project to date: WSNWG – BACK TO ZERO. Intended to provide a space for solo releases, the imprint comes at a crucial turning point, as society circles in on itself during the pandemic. RØDHÅD christens the label with MOOD, his first ambient experimentalist release, comprised of his own solo archival material mostly from 2017/2018, working on a plane of spontaneity, devoid of set structures. The result is a life-giving, intimate and solipsistic work. Awash with field recordings, droning loops and subtle granulations, the sparse soundscapes on the 18- track album are deeply profound and satisfying. Crafting emotive textures through detailed layering of ethereal pads and simple synth melodies on ‘When They Returned After Midnight’ reflects the producer’s meditative sensibilities, whilst more beat-driven tracks such as ‘He Didn’t Seem The Kind of Guy Who Would Just Talk To A Stranger’ and ‘Pigeons Dancing On The Roof’ employ trip-hop beats atop washed synths and textural loops for a more downtempo affair. The album often has the dynamics of a sci-fi film score; the slow-building distortion on ‘A Huge Plume of Ash Rose From a Volcano’ carries a profound weight and substance, whilst the eerie ‘Like Sleepwalkers Ghosting Through A Dream’ breathes as if it had a life of its own.
CPR – Cyber Punk Romance [MKV1/369.004]
Weird shapes emerge from the darkness, illuminated only by muted street lamps and neon signs. The CPR album sifts through the shadows of night life decadence, influenced dimly lit romantic and mysteries that lurk on the streets in the early hours of the morning. CPR is a collaboration of a mysterious Berlin duo of lovers, Alexandra Ismalone and Tobias Lisius. Together they conjure a sound that paradoxically traverses darkness and brightness – diving into the depht of the unconsciousness leading to a hypnotic, transportive and psychedelic state done within a dark, intriguing and mysterious way.
VA – Africa Airways Six (Mile High Funk 1974 – 1981) [ASVN060]
This is the sixth journey with the Africa Airways. The flight opens with the punchy horns, afro rhythms & groovy bass of Eko Roosevelt’s “Ndolo Embe Mulema”. Keeping the tempo high we usher in fellow Cameroonians JM Tim & Foty for another punch of brass with the funky “More And More (Ye-Male)”. We stay in Cameroon with Ngalle Jojo, here he lays down another funktastic bass heavy stomper with “Ngigna Loko”. Jude Bondeze hails from Bangui, Central African Republic and is probably best known for his more traditional Tene Sango album. Next up, Nigerian Vicky Edimo gets his thumb out and lays down some glorious slabs of deep funk… along with a rather splendid bass solo! JK Mandengue played bass off & on for the British Afrobeat band “Osibisa”, playing on the uber funky “Super Fly TNT” Motion Picture Soundtrack album.. Certainly putting him on a path to the Wahahwah’tastic “Kosa Mba” taken from his 1979 self-titled album. Slow percussive classic raw street funk from Nigeria’s Akwassa, who’s line up is the same as “Heads Funk Band”, are up next. Another outing for Vicky Edimo on this 1978 beauty from Mike Kounou. Also on guitar duties for Mike Kounou is Francois Amadou Corea, who’s funky chops can be heard on “Ngigna Loko” & “Njonjo Mukambe”. Hi-Octane funk from Airto Fogo, percussion, rhodes & horns aplenty on this 1974 instrumental cut “Black Soul”. As we prepare to start our decent Francois Misse Ngoh drops in some filth with this 1980 bass face monster “Njonjo Mukambe”… head nodding isn’t essential, but it’s best to brace yourself for impact.
Nico Gomez & His Afro Percussion Inc. – Baila Chibiquiban [MSR019]
”Joseph Van Het Groenewoud”, who would later become known as ”Nico Gomez”, was a musician & composer from the Netherlands. He spent his youth in the Antilles, Cuba and other islands of the Caribbean, which had an unmistakable influence on his music. As a passionate musician and skilled guitarist he was familiar with the typical rhythms and melodies of this region. Later he returned to the Netherlands, before fleeing from there to Belgium in 1946 to escape from serving in the Dutch army in Indonesia. From then on he called himself ”Nico Ooms”. It’s said that he was so obsessed with Cuban music that he changed his name to ”Nico Gomez” – in any case, the name fit better with the Latin American music he brought to the stage. ”Baila Chibiquiban” is a killer cut, which is now finally available again on 7” single. The original version is complemented by a great edit by Frenchman ”Tonton Boom” (aka ”Mr. Boom”).
VA – CAREBOT$ (raising money for the NHS and Médecins Sans Frontières)
“The international electro and techno producer community has come together to raise money for two charities doing vital health work during the Covid-19 crisis – NHS Charities Together and Médecins Sans Frontières. The project began in April this year. The resulting release is an essential compendium of techno and electro featuring some of the most respected creators working in the genre including The Hacker, Radioactive Man, Anthony Rother, Delta Funktionen, John Selway, Carl Finlow, Kronos Device, and more than 120 more!”
VA – Electronic Emergencies selected by I-Robots
Early 2020, while the Covid-19 crisis was taking over the world, I-Robots was introduced to Electronic Emergencies. Calling it a magical parallel world, I-Robots immediately fell in love with the retro electro and disco noir feel of the label from Rotterdam. It was a nice surprise to discover that the guys of Electronic Emergencies have been fans of I-Robots since the early days. I-Robots and Electronic Emergencies have found each other in their eclectic taste in electronic music. While their friendship evolved, they started discussing ideas on how to collaborate. As a first step in this collaboration, I-Robots has curated this digital compilation of 14 of his favourite Electronic Emergencies tracks. These reflect the deep melodic eighties atmosphere of the label and the elaborate and sophisticated taste of I-Robots.
The Intergalactic FM Streaming Festival of 2020
“As you know the physical festival has been cancelled for the weekend of May 21st. But since we’re one of the web’s oldest streaming organizations we came up with an alternative and asked everybody who was supposed to come (and more) to record a special performance for this alternative festival.
A new low in social distancing!
The response has been insane and we expect at least 75+ hours of special content from electronic rockers from all over the galaxy!”
The line-up is truly a dream come true and you can keep track of it via this site: https://www.intergalactic.fm/ifmfestvisitors2020/
Millsart – Every Dog Has Its Day Part 6 [AX086]
Jeff Mills continues the Every Dog Has Its Day series under his Millsart moniker with his second edition of 2020. Vol. 6 is a double LP set with nine tracks. Every track has a story behind. This collection of Electronic Music by Jeff Mills is uniquely crafted to ease restlessness, soothe impatience and at the same time build high life expectations while opening the passages to a better understanding of what you are searching for.
Galaxy Lane – Later That Night [LR016]
If Galaxy Lane’s first EP didn’t send the portals of time and space upside down, then the second EP will throw you down a vortex of hypnotic grooves juxtaposed with eerily erratic rhythms built in outer space. The first of two EP’s to be trusted in the hands of Lone Romantic, ‘Night’ and ‘Later That Night’ will explore the concept of capturing moments in time. Side 2 sets off on an exploration of wild eyed boundary flexing in the shape of ‘Enter The Light’. Pushing the machines to near breaking point whilst just hanging on, it’s a track that shows what can be done when the spaceship is left to drive itself, you can do nothing more than go with it and and see what happens. ‘Snow Day’ is perhaps the perfect way to round us back in. A more calmer, smoother ride, it’s unmistakable polyrhythms soothing the soul and setting us up for the next chapter…
Galaxy Lane – The Night [LR015]
If Galaxy Lane’s first EP didn’t send the portals of time and space upside down, then the second EP will throw you down a vortex of hypnotic grooves juxtaposed with eerily erratic rhythms built in outer space. The first of two EP’s to be trusted in the hands of Lone Romantic, ‘Night’ and ‘Later That Night’ will explore the concept of capturing moments in time. ‘The Night’ will propel the listener into ethereal textures layered over rough and raw beats, as outlined on opening track ‘Deep Space Nine’. If that sets you up for thinking this will be a dreamy ride, ‘Communication’ hits hard at the rear of the spaceship, coming at you with intergalactic bleeps, zaps and back cracking rhythms made for getting down.
VA – Machine Funk Is Our Game Volume 4 [KJ047]
The fourth volume of Kraftjerkz’s quintessential compilation series Machine Funk is Our Game is a master class in unapologetic electro. This cohesive comp offers a range of material, from minimal, expressive electro to hard-hitting cuts ideal for peak time floors. “Volume 4″ showcases a vibrant range of artists both fresh and seasoned, including the prolific Serotonin Records labelhead BPMF and Brooklyn-based, Miami-raised Alonzo, who consistently brings his roots and the soul of electro to the foreground. From the sultry, deep, melancholic electro of AFQ and Martial Canterel to the raw, slapping cuts of BPMF, Alonzo and Succisa, this comp delivers on multiple fronts. If you’re a fan of body-oriented machine funk, this one’s a no-brainer.”
Lok44 – 44problems [TRUST038]
Four tracks of jacking outsider electro have escaped Lok44’s petri dish and make up ’44problems’, the artist’s fourth EP for TRUST. Known for his inventive style ever since his sought-after 2003 debut ‘Ghetto Of The Mind’, Lok44 continues to defy conventions – from infectiously twitching opener ‘Spandex’, across acid-tinged electric funk bangers ‘Volta’ and ‘Dexta’, to the contemplative bass manoeuvres of ‘She’s In’.
Jensen Interceptor – Strings Of Fear [PNKMN36]
Strings of Fear is a glance into a damaged, yet ubiquitous beauty fetishism, when succumbing to the collective consciousness means walking a thin line between vanity, sanity and self-loathing. The four-tracker ties into a journey through fear, confusion, anger, desire and loathing, all fitted into one shot of adrenaline in a form of an EP.
Chupacabras – S/T [LIES153]
London via NYC Chupacabras has been making a name for himself through the years as a pillar of the underground. The story starts in Barcelona during the early-2000s DJing and becoming a resident at the famed Nitza Club, it’s here Chupacabras came into contact with the likes of I-F, Legowelt, and Marco Passarani among others thus immersing himself in the sounds of Hague electro, Chicago House, Italo, and Detroit Techno. An integral part of the early L.I.E.S. Records crew we are pleased to release his latest ep, a four track Hague influenced affair. Slammin drums, raw acid lines and razor sharp synths and electro beats prevail through the ep, a must for the floor.
Zanias @ HÖR (Berlin) 13.05.2020
Elmer Davy – NB Podcast 067
The Hipodrome Of Music 