Dope techno by a Rotterdam originated producer on a Rotterdam based imprint.
Dust – Moth On Fire [2MR004]
DUST is an international, amorphous, conceptual techno project known for futuristic acid compositions and noisy, immersive live performances. Perhaps the most notable element of the live aspect is Greem Jellyfish, whose heavily processed screaming and flamboyant costumes often erupt crowds into techno riots.
CHPTR – CHPTR 001 [CHPTR001]
The anonymous entity CHPTR derived from undefined controlled sequences progressing into endless alienated narratives, all live recorded and captured on the eponymous label, CHPTR.
Floating Points – Elaenia [PLUTO001]
For the past ten years, all roads Shepherd has followed have been slowly leading to ‘Elaenia’ – an album with roots deep in his formative years, and one that draws upon everything Shepherd has done so far. An album that provides context to the music that Shepherd has been making to date. Every DJ set he’s performed, every talent he has produced, every composition he has written are thought of as precursors to ‘Elaenia’ – a dazzling score which puts Shepherd in the spotlight as a composer who has produced an album that bridges the gap between his rapturous dance music and formative classical roots. Drawing inspiration from classical, jazz, electronic music, soul and even Brazilian popular music, ‘Elaenia’ – named after the bird of the same name – is the epitome of the forward-thinking Floating Points vision in 2015.
Varg – Story Of K [NE023]
Jonas Ronnberg aka Varg with a mini album themed around dominance and glamour. This is the statement of Penthouse Electronics.
Oliver Ho & Danny Passarella – Multi [PASS002]
Oliver Ho produces music on the axes of techno and noise. Danny Passarella works with synthesisers, but also designs clothes. Together they’ve made Multi, a conceptual EP on the subject of gender (non-)binaries. Four tracks of thoughtful synth-scapes and reverbed techno. 12” release on Passarella’s self-titled label.
Shinichi Atobe – Ship Scope [DDS014]
Hugely sought-after techno classic – the precedent to ‘Butterfly Effect’, originally released on Berlin’s legendary Chain reaction and out-of-print for 15 years, now newly remastered from vinyl by Matt Colton at Alchemy. A massive personal favourite of Demdike Stare’s, Shinichi Atobe’s ‘Ship Scope’ was Chain Reaction’s penultimate release in 2001 and, with the benefit of hindsight, also one of the legendary label’s most sublime offerings.
Subversive – Domestique [VRV005]
Subversive delivers a follow-up to last season’s VRV release, ‘Chainbreaker’, this time with two measured explorations of atmosphere and movement. The title track, ‘Domestique’ builds its drama around delayed stabs, crafting a wash delayed environment that keeps a strong pace. ‘Corosync’ emerges from a similar approach but intensifies the drum programming and strips away melodic layers. VRV label bosses, Raíz, rework ‘Corosync’ with emphasis on thicker beat construction and synthesized psychedelia.
Hipodrome Podcast 019 – adub
adub aka Adrian Ban, is a known character in Sibiu, both on the clubbing scene, where he is present for years, and on the indie scene, Adi is the drummer of some Sibiu bands like I’m The Trip and Guilty Lemon. Since last summer he and Toygun form the DJ duo called Disconnected, a project where they mix and also produce together and organize parties.
adub is making his debut on the hipodrome in a few weeks, at a party in The Shelter from Cluj. Here is a taste of what to expect.
Celldöd – Mekaniskt Gränsland [SUCTION033]
Suction Records is pleased to present “Mekaniskt Gränsland,” the debut full-length release by Sweden’s Celldöd. Celldöd’s Anders Karlsson is a seasoned EBM musician and fanatic, a member of bands including The Pain Machinery and Bunkersex. “Mekaniskt Gränsland” (translation: Mechanical Twilight) is dirty, electronic dance floor music, hardware driven, mostly instrumental, and stripped to the bare bone. The album was made during long, late-night sessions, working with semi-functioning gear from the past (analogue synths and drum machines, cassette decks, old tape delays and spring reverbs) as well as new, small and inexpensive machines. Karlsson’s modus operandi for Celldöd is to keep the grit and the rough edges in the production, submitting to the beauty and power of imperfection.
Dexter – Troubles [KLAKSON023]
Steffi and Dexter announce the re-lauch of Klakson, the legendary electro/techno label. Klakson was one of the major west coast labels during the second wave of Dutch electro/techno heydays at the beginning of the century, releasing several classics such as Dexter’s ‘I Don’t Care’ or Fastgraph’s ‘Systematic’. Now the time is right and a return in style it is… Without mercy Dexter drops four of his trademark razor-sharp sci-fi electro p-funk bombs that will make dancefloors explode worldwide.
VA – Trust XV-III [TRUSTXV-III]
The final chapter in the Trust XV trilogy once again brings together an elite crew of electro programmers. Tracks by The Exaltics, Plant43, Adapta, and Epy x Micromega conclude the fate of interstellar mining outpost 61 Cygnus e.
Cold Colors – The Horizon & Beyond [NN002]
Cold Colors mixes warmth and melancholia, an obvious homage to Italo, Cold and New Wave, by blending todays electronic music with the melodic sounds of yesterday.
October – Black Body Radiation [SKUDGEWLP002]
Bristol based Julian Smith aka October returns to Skudge Records with the full length Black Body Radiation. Sounding like the soundtrack for a long lost dystopic Anime movie. Action packed, intense, fast-moving. Body music from the future.
Legowelt – Dark Days 1992-1997 [BAKKDD001]
Those familiar with the Strange Life label operated by Danny Wolfers will know it’s rife with CDr material worthy of the vinyl format. Whilst our personal favourite (the bizarre Portopia by Wolfers alias Satomi Taniyama) remains looked over by labels, Berceuse Heroique were responsible for a quite sumptuous double LP edition of Smackos album The Age Of Candy Candy earlier this year. Now local Den Haag crew BAKK have got their hands on 2004 Strange Life album Dark Days for an equally classy triple LP edition. Wolfers fans not familiar with this album will immediately fall in love with Dark Days, thanks to the signature blend of goofy track titles (“Lego Resistance”, “An Obnoxious Affair On Tape”) and music that veers from soaring, synth vistas to grotty techno via cold, primitive electronics and more.
Greg Beato – When Monkeys Attack [APRON019]
Greg Beato returns to Funkineven’s Apron imprin, serving up three more chunks of woozy machine music. Beato sets the tone on “When Monkeys Attack”, which expertly fuses booming bass, fizzing drum machine hits and dreamy, hypnotic synthesizer motifs. There’s a hazier deep house feel to “El Dinero Falla”, which despite its’ inherent beauty is also notably tough and more than a little wonky. Another excellent outing closes with the clanking drum machine cowbells, Syclops-goes-rave riffs and furious percussion programming of the more techno-leaning “Sadati”.
Dream Weapons – Reach Dystopia [MRT003]
Athens reminds us of Berlin right after the Wall. Gritty, chaotic, dirty, and partying like there’s no future. Dream Weapons is a reflection of these confused greek days. With limited means and a DIY attitude he builds harsh, lysergic, electronic dreams on the ruins of a once splendid empire. MRT is the perfect place to do so. We believe in total failure.
B.Baran & Chino live @ Unsound Festival 2015
B.Baran & Chino improvisation live recorded at Unsound 2015 Surprise.
Voiski – Breaths Written Outside Gloom [DSR/C5]
Delsin release a new EP from Voiski entitled ‘Breaths Written Outside Gloom’ that features four cuts of the Frenchman’s trademark techno. Opener ‘Downhearted Holidays’ is all about a menacing bassline that looms large below jostling metal percussion and frazzled synth lines. It’s spare and absorbing, inhuman and bleak in the most inviting way. ‘Galaxy Call’ is a more energetic affair with squeaking, pixelated and high pitched melodies squealing over a gloomy and gloopy bass line. Militant snares are upright and driven and the result is a track that sounds like the machines are taking over. ‘Mathematical Park’ is about mid tempo drums, paranoid synth drones and desolate urban soundscapes all run through with a sense of dark futurism and finally ‘Answer Silently’ is the slowest and swampiest of the lot. A growing sense of darkness permeates slithering synths, icy hi hats and lazy drums and there is a real air of foreboding through this and all the cuts here that make it perfect night time music.
Octave One – Foundation EP [4W240]
Killer EP from 1993 from Detroit pioneers Octave One. One of their releases that never got a lot of attention, never was a hit record, but now proven to be one of their timeless records that should be available for the next generation. All 3 wonderful deep tracks firmly steeped in motor city history.
The Hipodrome Of Music 