The invasion from outer space continues. Timothy J. Fairplay’s new EP “Why Are They Here?” is the follow-up to “Chariots In The Sky” on Archaic Future Sounds. Cosmic, cinematic Electro and Acid House produced only with synthesizers and drum machines.
Raw collection of remixes by Chicago’s Houz Mon of the classic Acid tracks from Armando (Confusion & Downfall Remixes), Spank Spank and Set Me Free on BeatBoys Records from Chicago.
Alley Version presents the third installment of the series ‘Tracks From The Alley’, a V.A. 4-tracker compilation, kicking off with a new track by the Japanese machines wizard Takeshi Kouzuki, ‘PaganParadise’, where Chicago style acidelic beats meets immersive gloomy pads and tiny dripping melodies. The Italian duo FLML complete the A side with ‘Analog Jerky Thing’, a tape recorded jam driven by a hypnotic proto-acid style touching bassline. Greek cult producer DimDj open the B side with the intricate ‘Apo Pou Eisai’, a track made of rarefied jack-beats into dub echoes, mutating in acid attacks. Closes the e.p. Chris Mitchell, U.S. based producer-DJ and label boss of Feral Colony, with ‘Tru1’, a raw impact complex textured acid-techno track.
Heko Records welcomes Innershades to the fore for a new “dreamatic” house music EP that refreshes the style for the present, with heaters like ‘Summer Love’ seeming to take direct inspiration from the aforementioned track, while adding a modern flair. Things slowly get more bloopy and hard, as ‘Mutant’ squelches and hat-scratches away against a bed of yet more pads, while ‘909 Voices’ similarly lulls us into a hypnotic state with a slow tapering-off into ravier territories. Summer vibes guaranteed.
Snuff Trax is back on wax, after a loooooong forced break full of exhausting twists and turns. Snuff Trax 20, the „Twilight E.P.“ by Moralez, including dope remixes by the great Etcher.
More low slung house tracks with a twist from the unpredictable and unparalleled brain that roams the dunes of the Hague. Also responsible for Salamandos, Squadra Blanco, Polarius and a swath of other mysterious aliases. Part 2 in Legowelt’s latest project ”Hermit in a Rave Cave”.
Detroit’s Marcellus Pittman returns to Acid Test following his Unknown Species track featured on the ’10 Years of Acid Test’ compilation. H|e’s back with his debut EP for the label. Juddering mechanical beats, layered percussion and gurgling 303 basslines are on the menu, from one of Detroit’s finest.
030303 Records presents the fifth Various artist compilation, featuring a variety of acid sounds that transcend the boundaries of genres. Sounds inspired by Chicago, West coast The Hague, Malta acid and/or Cornwall UK. Caramel Chameleon kicks off with an epic cut, one that will appeal to fans of Roy of the Ravers. Perseus Traxx, Raving Kid and RAG aka Steven Brunsmann follow suit with acid on a deeper tip, with the latter adding a heavenly soulful touch to it. And how great it is to see American producer Korre return to the label with a wonderfully spaced out introspective cut. Also standing out is Endfest’s heavy electro/acid take on one of the most obscure mysteries ever to come out of Detroit: Shari Vari. Dwaalgast & De Beer Uit Allekmaar aka Cosmic Force deliver the last track before the lights go on – the aptly named A Wave Goodbye has a distinctive, bouncy westcoast-sound-of-Holland feel to it.
Delkom’s only known previously released album. Originally released in 1990 by the wonder duo consisting of Saba Komossa and Gabi Delgado. The album is released as a continuous mix with each track delineated on the grooves. Imagine Berlin in 1990, the wall is about to come down, no social media, no CDJs, new drugs are being standardized and this is the soundtrack to your night out in this debaucherous capital, exploding with energies that anthropology PhD students still haven’t been able to fully describe. The entire record sounds like a dub mix that almost wasn’t allowed to be released by the record label, unorthodox in its methods, too experimental for most studios yet highly effective on the best of dancefloors. Sexually charged lyrics, driving percussive rawness over heftily synthesized bass lines, all boxes are checked for total club mayhem. Pioneers in their own right, clearly marking their territory in Berlin dancefloor culture from its early post reunification days. Powerfully tasteful and unique sounds from a golden age.
Over the last years a rehabilitation of the New Beat genre has taken place. Short-lived it succumbed under its own immense popularity at the beginning of the nineties, watered down once producers with an eye for commercial success – and not quality control – joined in on its seemingly easy recipe. Below the surface a lot of highly original tracks remain to be enjoyed however: the sound, with its unique mix of amongst others Chicago acid house and Belgian EBM, reveals itself to be an essential node in electronic music’s Trans-Atlantic trajectory. Innershades has been a longtime enthusiast of the genre and made it a focal point of attention on ”Heritage Vol. 1”, the first part of a series that celebrates his inspirations and influences. Rather than making a selection of style exercises, he opts to subtly inject his tech and progressive productions with some of its tropes. It is a blend that comes naturally as menacing melodies and throbbing pulses are vital to his sound.
Michael Robinson’s (aka iNFO) vinyl debut on Ozone Recordings takes you right back to those early 90’s Sheffield bleepy subscaping nights. 4 purist polished electronic cuts for the warehouse vibe connoisseur.
Originally hailing from Japan but currently living Berlin, SJ Tequilla is known far and wide for his Teknobuskers project, a hardware DIY dance party hosted with friends and held regularly in ‘Max-Koch-Passage’, Berlin. The energy from these dance parties can be felt and lived through his latest ep, ‘GG Allien’. SJT’s skillful use of mind melting background tape textures and moody pads provide the encapsulating canvas for otherworldly acid lines, driving hardware percussion and enlightening melodies. An EP primed to transcend the listener to a place of communal acidic dance appreciation.