Featuring unsung heroes of acid house and distorted funk, past and present, Stealth Mission a new project focused on raw, warehouse music. The label’s first release sees Mark Ambrose, Andreas Gehm, Naked Eye People and Ben Sims’ sought after edit of Donnie Tempo.
A prolific producer from an underground punk DIY background, Vincent Koreman aka Drvg Cvltvre was previously known for his experimental techno releases as RA- X in the ’90s, on labels such as Bunker and KK Records. Stepping up to the new Omnidisc imprint, he delivers an EP packed with uniquely gritty, yet melodic techno weapons.
Rich with analog ideas, Matrixxman shows his interests in deep Chicago moods with techno futurism. StuxNet follows the futuristic path Matrixxman has carved out with two new acid-leaning cuts: StuxNet I and StuxNet II paired with two Amulet EP stand-outs, Venetian Mask and The Caravan, remixed by Hieroglyphic Being and Silent Servant.
Australia’s one-man storm of tropical funk Tornado Wallace returns to Beats In Space Records with the acid-flecked two-tracker, Kangaroo Ground / Ferntree Gully. “Kangaroo Ground” shares the buoyancy of its spirit animal namesake, but grinds in high-gear with a shredded 303 line and monstrous groove more akin to a possessed croc. The record’s flip, “Ferntree Gully,” sheds its scaly acid skin for softer sines and sirens signaling Italo productions past and built to last.
Regal is fully welcomed to Figure with his first EP. Showing off his ear for a twisted Acid line or two, Regal provides three tracks.The rising tension of ‘Monomyth’ is classic 90s acid, accented by the ear of a young man who is very much living in the present. Refined and tracky, Regal draws out every last drop of energy from a mere handful of well tuned ingredients, peaking his acid line sky high. The snaking, heads-down ‘Symbol’ fits very much with Figure’s 2014 manifesto – driving, precise modern techno, with clever arrangements that simple beg repeat listening and club play. The tweaking, after-hours vibes of ‘Pointillism’ continue this with a totally playable, bubbling minimalist killer.
Berlin-based artist Gaja runs Ophism, a label oriented to raw industrial inspired techno. Modern urban and suburban views are composed by monotonous, repetitive sequences and simple elements, focused on the mechanical landscape of factories, warehouses and assembly lines. Concept behind could be the translation of the urban sprawl in music. Gaja provides full improvisation and finally the new protagonists are the machines: their cold steady rhythms, their screeching metallic noises, their symphony of inarticulate patterns.
Drvg Cvltvre is now back with a full EP of his own on Dutch label COS_MOS. Since 2009, Vincent Koreman a.k.a. Drvg Cvltvre has been churning out his own acid, no wave and experimental house and now kicks off the new year in style with three more inventive offerings. ‘New Earth Army’ is a slow, heavyweight and coarse track with rattling chords, angry percussion and elastic drums that manages to be physical and tough yet groovy and playful at the same time. ‘We Have Become The Filth of the Universe’ is a big, fat, heavy wedge of slow motion techno with monstrous drums and wild acid lines all spraying about wildly for the duration. It’s a warehouse sized track that will reduce the ‘floor to a writhing mess and finally ‘Possessed’ is a sci-fi riddled track with lots of spacey synths, filtered analogue lines and paranoid sirens all making for a turbulent brew of dark and otherworldly energy.
Archetypal Detroit electro techno taken to the next level by Mr. Bernardi on Burek sub label Barba. Bernardi delivers a double album worth of ideas, spread among 2 releases. The first half of the release is very much in the robots-having-an-argument rather than the peaceful-cosmic-journey vein. The tracks feature abrupt changes, stabbing asymmetrical rhythms, multiple layers of sound and a darker moodier feel.
Two shadowy figures, Cause and Effect Men present a Pynchonian mystery-weapon with rolling, growling 303 and 909 machinations, tumbling to the edge of chaos. Comes with a remix from LA-4A.
Glasgow’s Clan Destine Records present the fourth volume of the essential Dark Acid series. As you’d expect, the included material is as trippy, intense and left-of-centre as you’d expect. Canadian producer Khotin kicks things off with “Tsoi”, a deep, psychedelic acid shuffler that builds incessantly towards a breathless climax. Varg’s “Ultra Acid” takes things up further via ghetto-tech inspired beats and icy melodies, before Kid Who drops a twisted chunk of midtempo acid chug (the delightfully claustrophonic “Gap Related Injury”). Finally, Becoming Real’s Toby Ridler and Golden Teacher/General Ludd man Richard McMaster join forces for “Terminator”, as intense an acid track as you’re likely to find.
An inestimably valuable and definitive collection of 1988 Belgium club classics anthems produced by Rembert De Smet including hard-to-find, unreleased and rare materials. Two black vinyl sleeved into a reversed silkscreened cardboard, including a CD version.
The Hipodrome Of Music 