Three track EP with deep driving techno tracks.
Robert Hood – Moveable Parts Chapter 1 [MPM024]
If one variation of confused blips and synths gurgles underpinned by a rock solid 909 beat by Robert Hood isn’t enough than indulge yourself in two. For this first chapter of the Moveable Parts EP series, Hood’s work here will please those after some more Monobox action as both “Untitled 1” and “Untitled 4” are discombobulated versions of each other. If you’re after a mutant version of the latter for the packed dancefloor however, Hood’s got you covered with “Untitled Sketch”.
Function – Synewave Reissues Part 1: 1995-97 [INF016]
Back when Dave Sumner relaunched his dormant Infrastructure New York label at the start of the year, vague allusions to some sort of planned retrospective were made as a means to tantalise and excite. With the label now fully up and running thanks to a series of great techno 12″s from Function, Campbell Irvine, Inland and a select reissue or two, it seems those plans for a retrospective are a lot firmer. Synewave Reissues Part I: 1995-97 is the first of two 12″s that will precede the release of the 28 track Recompiled: Various Works & Pseudonyms, 1995-2012 compilation in 2015 and draws from material Sumner committed to Damon Wild’s Synewave label. Both “F3” and “F4” are some of the earliest productions Sumner committed to tape as Function and are complemented by a new edit of “Shift F1” from his Infrastructure pardner Inland.
Mattia Trani – Over The Future [PM009]
Pushmaster Discs presents a remix collection from Gerald Mitchell, Claude Young and Orlando Voorn.
Visonia – Impossible Romance [TRAJECTORYLP001]
Following the release of the Visonia collaboration with the mighty Dopplereffekt that delivered ‘Die Reisen’ earlier this year, Visonia returns with the anticipated debut album release entitled, ‘Impossible Romance’. Commencing with ‘Juana de Arco’, which edges finely the fragile border between expectant angst and hopeful optimism, this opening piece pretty much sets the tone for the album. Undulating between the highs and lows of human emotion which beautifully encompasses Visonia’s own conception of art to hold hands and contribute to humanity; to give beauty, wisdom, or to simply open the listener’s mind in order to reflect and ask questions of one’s own self, one’s own existence; what we have here is at times a poetic soundscape of emotions, feelings, fears and positive expression. The album, in its double vinyl format includes the previously available collaboration with Dopplereffekt, namely ‘Die Reisen’, alongside an equally striking collab with New Wave/Synth Pop artist, Mad Moizel in the form of ‘Beat Frequencies’ and late addition to the album – the sleek, driving vision of ‘Between Lies and Real Looks’.
Jauzas The Shining & Victoria Lukas – Shadows [TRAJECTORY1018]
Collaboration project between Jauzas the Shining & Victoria Lukas featuring Ekman and Orgue Electronique. Lukas, drawing upon personal sensations, melds diary-like lyrics into dreamlike ambiance and textures, beautifully fusing with the infectious electro-pop grooves of Jauzas the Shining. Songs encapsulating lost love and longings for sensation, emotional stimulation and experiencing feelings through those of another are conveyed via vocal pieces, ‘Cold Sweat’ and ‘Coral Eyes’. Ekman contributes a driving, acidic groove version of ‘Cold Sweat’ more apt for the dancefloor, while Orgue Electronique pushes the electronic pop vibes into house territory.
VA – Royal Athlete Vol. 1 [RAD001]
Royal Athlete is a new venture from Berlin’s Hot Pony party, a well-loved excuse to play camp Italo, boogie and ’80s electro from former Bristol residents Vexkiddy and Antoni Maiovvi. Both offer up tracks on this debut 12″, with Vexkiddy’s bouncy synth funk throw-down “Robotic Understanding” – all squidgy melodies and darting rhythms – just edging out Maovvi’s italo-revivalism in the highlight stakes. Elsewhere, UK Italo royalty Bill Ambrose and Marika Gauchi join forces as The Dreamers’ for the deliciously camp “He’s My Man”, before Berlin newcomer Dimitri SoEmotional delivers “Unconditionally”, a chunk of deep modern boogie.
Diffuse Arc – E.P. Messiah [CAUW001]
Brilliant analogue space synth music on this small label from Spain. Including nicely crafted and designed covers. Wont be available for a long time to come.
Julia Pé – Una Vuelta Al Sol En Madrid Pt1
DMX Krew – 100 Tears [FR005]
Spanish label Fundamental come through with a ltd edition of their highly prized DMX Krew LP. Ed Upton’s been on prolific form this year for sure, with 100 Tears his fourth DMX Krew long player of 2014 following outings on Shipwrec, Mystic & Quantum and Luke Eargoggle’s Stilleben Records. The twelve tracks here really demonstrate that Upton is a grand master of electro whatever the tempo, and are apparently the result of him working with just a few synths and a drum machine as opposed to his full studio whilst in the midst of moving house. For most people this would be a stressful process, for Ed Upton the situation has resulted in a sublime, masterful album.
Mr. Velcro Fastener – TKU [CYBERDANCE017]
Finnish electro pioneers Mr Velcro Fastener return after a very long absence with this long-awaited and much-anticipated EP on Cyber Dance Records. Full of the same funked-out, quirky and fresh futuristic sounds that brought them instant recognition in the 90s electro underground the ‘TKU’ EP sounds like the innovative duo never went away, effortlessly picking up where they left off. ‘Brinkkala’ opens proceedings with their classic signature brand of Detroit-meets-Finland robotic funk jamming, while the next track ‘Bridge Over Nothing’ delivers harder and punchier rhythms deftly topped with layers of spaced-out chords and shimmering noises – and a relentless bassline that builds and progresses the grooves to alien dimensions of sheer electro brilliance. The sonic assault continues on Side B with ‘Ologrammed’, a pulsating monster of a track that pushes the Velcro Fastener sound into ethereal realms. The EP closes with ‘Johnny’s Wood’, a funked-up, jazzed-out and upbeat adventure over-brimming with robotic positivity and electronic optimism.
Alek Stark – Titan’s Cycle – 808 Syncs in C Minor [TH007]
The latest output from Alek Stark and featuring remixes by Heinrich Meuller. These tracks are simple experiments using the TR808 triggers with the Dot Com Modular, SH101, Oberheim Xpander, Roland System 100/101, Jupiter 6 Europa, Pro One and other vintage synths. All tracks recorded at real time. This EP include two versions of the main track Titan’s Cycle composed by Heinrich Mueller aka Gerald Donald, Arpanet, Dopplereffekt…
Jeremiah R. – Underwater Title [TABR028]
The somewhat mysterious Jeremiah R. is steadily earning a reputation for putting out quality electro. Having first surfaced on London label Organic Analogue, Jeremiah R now boosts his profile further with a seven-track mini-album on the supreme Tabernacle operation which shines further light on his Drexciyan inspirations. It’s not all deranged synths and brittle snares shots though, with tracks “Far Sight” and “Twin Paradox” suiting the Tabernacle mould of jacking, Chicago-themed house music.
Ulwhednar – 1520 [NE013]
Abdulla Rashim and Varg’s collaborative project are back for another quest in sonic experiments and northern tales. Even if they do release obscure drone from time to time Northern Electronics continues to up hold its reputation as record label worthy of the tag: ‘buy on sight’. That can definitely be said about Varg and Abdullah Rashim’s second full length as Ulwhednar. For some dirty Rashim loops look to “De 92 Vita Stenarna” while for some Nordic drone splashed with Varg’s trademark space echoes check out “Kattarens Dom”, and if you want to experience what the crash landing of Star Trek’s USS Enterprise sounds like there’s “Askan Fran Balet”.
Fluxion – Broadwalk Tales Remix EP [ECHOCORD062]
To date Fluxion, AKA Greek dub techno artist Konstantinos Soublis, has released three albums on Danish imprint Echocord, settling in nicely alongside the likes of Luke Hess, Deadbeat, STL, Conforce and XDB. Kenneth Christiansen’s label revisits the most recent Soublis long player, Broadwalk Tales which arrived back in April, for a remix 12″ packing some high calibre names in Deepchord and Joey Anderson. In the hands of the highly regarded Anderson, “You Don’t Know” is transformed from its vaporous origins into a slab of typically deep and jacking Jersey house, while Rod Modell naturally opts for fading resonance and cloudy white noise in his two DeepChord variations of “For You”.
Kobosil – RK1[RK001]
This latest record seems to mark Kobosil’s first self-released record. “Head” is an intriguing opener, eschewing rhythms for simmering modular pulses, which grow into the seasick metallic clutter of “1018818”. More conventional techno fare can be found on the finely tuned acid minimalism fo “A15” and the artificial marching sounds of “polyheme”, but even these are pleasingly strange in the manner we’ve come to expect from Kobosil.
Unbalance – Not Against People EP [RAWAX016]
Mike Servito @ No Way Back, Movement (Detroit) 25.05.2014
Iron Blu – Science Probe Vessel [FLR011]
Iron Blu is a UK producer and broadcaster on the mighty Intergalactic FM. His production career has spanned krautrock/cosmic, post-punk, electrofunk to what he does today. Stepping aside from managing and A&R for Flight Recorder, Iron Blu releases his second offering for the label. “Science Probe Vessel” is 12 inches of jackbeat and Detroit techno. A1 is a dub-tinged organ driven 909 jack. A2 is a bass-heavy 909 jack cut through with glacial strings. B1 is heavy Detroit techno. B2 is a deep groovin’ house workout fused with wobbly seesawing strings.
VA – RDY #17 (Ron Hardy Edits) [RDY017]
Santos – Beat The Knuckles, Fiona Franklyn – Busted Up On Love, Ron Hardy – Sensation (unreleased mix 1).
