Unovidual & M.NOMIZED – Saunetic Fraction [PMT001C]

August 12, 2019August 9, 2019 hipodromealbum, cassette, henk wallays, m.nomized, michel madrange, minimal synth, peripheral minimal, unovidualLeave a comment

Originally released in 1985, “Saunetic Fraction” finally gets a reissue. A collaboration of France’s M.NOMIZED (aka Michel Madrange of No Unauthorized) and Belgium’s UNOVIDUAL (aka Henk Wallays of Micrart Group / co-founder of the 3rio tape label with Magisch theater and Dirk Ivens of Absolute Body control) . The 18-track album is a diverse beast, but affirms itself among the grandees of Minimal Synth and Electropunk, whilst maintaining a unique twist. At times coming across as the French / Belgian version of Chris & Cosey, there are also elements of the early cut-up Dadaist experimental oddness of Cabaret Voltaire. A much sort after tape, that was originally released in a ludicrously small edition, on Unovidual’s own label.

Shakti – Verboden Dromen [STREP-028]

August 12, 2019August 9, 2019 hipodromealbum, chris inger, new beat, praga khan, shakti, stroom, synth popLeave a comment

Before becoming Belgian new beat and techno titans, Praga Khan and Chris Inger were collaborators in a new wave influenced band called Shakti. “Verboden Dromen” gathers together the best of the outfit’s work recorded between 1987 and 1990, offering up tracks that join the dots between intoxicating synth-pop, moody new wave, hypnotic grooves and dark and sleazy dancefloor moments. All of the tracks have stood the test of time remarkably well, with highlights including the humid and exotic chug of “Kamasutra”, the hallucination-inducing tropical fever of “Demonic Forces” and “Shanah”, and the bustling, club-ready bounce of “The Awakening”, which sounds like the Thompson Twins after one too many tabs of acid.

Lost Souls Of Saturn – Lost Souls Of Saturn [RS1909]

August 4, 2019August 2, 2019 hipodromealbum, ambient, drone, experimental, lost souls of saturn, phil moffa, r&s records, seth troxlerLeave a comment

R&S present the eponymous, debut, full length album transmission from Lost Souls Of Saturn, an epic in scope, time and space, multidimensional mind trip. This ambient house masterpiece combines flavours gathered from across the galaxy, stewing them up into a delicious primordial soup. Old sci-fi soundtracks, acid, free jazz, avant garde, musique concrete, world music and more all whirl around an underground-dance-music axis. Primarily Lost Souls Of Saturn are Seth Troxler and Phil Moffa, plus further opaque participants congregating to combine music, imagery, and storytelling into an inextricably linked whole, all wrapped-up in a philosophy of their own making.

Mister Water Wet – Bought The Farm [OUEST095]

August 4, 2019August 2, 2019 hipodromealbum, ambient, experimental, jazz, mister water wet, west mineral ltd.Leave a comment

Huerco S’ West Mineral Ltd. return in 2019 to mine a rich seam of ambient jazz sampledelia by Mister Water Wet; a Puerto Rican artist with a gift for conveying in-between, gently altered states of mind and the logic of the natural world.‘Bought The Farm’ yields an elementally cool and breezy spirit guided by a first thought, best thought intuition through 55 minutes of crackly, hand-built music riddled with ephemeral soul. In terms of texture and structure, it’s a sound maybe best compared with Jan Jelinek at his most frayed and slompy, or even a pastoral inversion of Kelman Duran’s rugged chop ’n paste arrangements, essentially rendering a distinctive style that hovers between heavy-lidded, Afro-Latinate jazz, sampled indigenous instrumentation, and strains of gently bucolic, ambient introspection.

Myele Manzanza – A Love Requited [FW201]

August 3, 2019May 23, 2021 hipodromealbum, first word records, jazz, myele manzanza, ross mchenryLeave a comment

Drummer / producer / composer Myele Manzanza presents his third album ‘A Love Requited’ on First Word Records Produced with award winning Australian bassist & long time musical collaborator Ross McHenry and featuring a plethora of New Zealand and Australia’s finest young instrumentalists, ‘A Love Requited’ is as much a musical journey as it is an attempt to process, work through and come to terms with the life around him. ”The music on this record was written often as a place of psychological refuge from the tensions of an ultimately failed relationship at home, as well as an attempt to come to grips with thought patterns and personal history that caused an often problematic relationship to music itself. Meditating on themes of love, fear, family, anger, death, ego and acceptance has helped create a narrative arc that grounds the album as well as a mode of therapy to begin working through these issues for myself. ‘A Love Requited’ is easily my most personal work to date and my hope is that beyond the music itself it may be of help to others, if only to say that your not alone in your struggle to make sense of the world”.

Moon B – Udaya [HOOP001]

August 2, 2019August 1, 2019 hipodromealbum, funk, hoop sound, house, moon b, sean sandersLeave a comment

Moon B takes a step out of his comfort zone with ”Udaya”, giving a lesson on how it isn’t the tools at your disposal, but rather how you use them. A stalwart of vintage analogue gear under normal circumstances, he’s harnessed the full power of his iPad to conjure up 8 cuts of slick, lo-fi boogie that emanate with a smoky warmth. Gone are the genre-hopping sensibilities of earlier releases, replaced with a renewed focus on what really counts: the funk.

The Anti Group ‎- 4 X 12 [PM27]

July 31, 2019August 9, 2019 hipodromeadi newton, album, experimental, jacques beloeil, minimal wave records, peripheral minimal, reissue, the anti groupLeave a comment

Following the original dissolution of legendary Sheffield industrial funk outfit Clock DVA in 1984, founder member Adi Newton struck out on his own with The Anti-Group: an experimental project in which he could explore a variety of sonic worlds with the aid of a revolving cast of likeminded Steel City stalwarts (Richard H Kirk, Stephen Mallinder, Martyn Ware and Warp co-founder Robert Gordon included). “4×12″ is a retrospective of sorts, gathering together tracks from three 12” singles (“Ha-Zulu”, “Big Sex”, “Broadcast Test”) and one mini-album (“ShT”). Musically, it veers from collage style sample patchworks and dark ambient soundscapes to rubbery industrial funk, twisted post synth-pop, EBM-influenced workouts and madcap experimental escapades.

The Lewis Express – Clap Your Hands [ATA016]

July 28, 2019July 26, 2019 hipodromealbum, ata records, jazz, the lewis expressLeave a comment

Primarily based in Leeds, The Lewis Express is comprised of many of the musicians that have graced previous ATA releases: George Cooper, Piano (Abstract Orchestra) Neil Innes, Bass (The Sorcerers, The Magnificent Tape Band, Tony Burkill), Sam Hobbs, Drums (Dread Supreme, Tony Burkill, Matthew Bourne) and Pete Williams, Percussion (The Sorcerers, The Magnificent Tape Band, Tony Burkill). Recorded over an intense two-day session, ‘Clap Your Hands’ is heavily influenced by the classic soul jazz recordings of The Young Holt Trio / Young Holt Unlimited, and Ramsey Lewis, from who this group take their name. As with many of the classic Ramsey Lewis cuts this album was recorded live, capturing the rich inter-relationship between the players and leaving in some of that chunky room noise. The band’s intention was to produce an album of dancefloor friendly, uplifting, funky soul-jazz with a stripped back line up of Piano, Bass, Drums and Percussion. ‘Clap your hands’ builds on the template set by their eponymous debut album and further explores the 60’s soul-jazz of Ramsey lewis, Young-Holt and Ray Charles as well as the latin boogaloo of Eddie Cano and Pete Terrace.

The Strictly Jaz Unit – The Tempest [SJUDLP1]

July 27, 2019December 4, 2020 hipodromealbum, boo williams, deep house, glenn underground, strictly jaz unit muzic, the strictly jaz unitLeave a comment

Astonishingly, 23 years have passed since Glenn Underground and Boo Williams established the Strictly Jaz Unit project, a fluid collective of underground Chicago deep house producers. These days, SJU mainly operates as a duo, and it was this stripped-back line-up that produced “The Tempest”, a rare album-length outing bristling with quality cuts. Every track is naturally dynamic with sonic rich musicality & keyboard melodies. As a whole, the album is far more intergalactic, electronic and sci-fi sounding than either man’s solo productions, with just a few hints of the luscious instrumentation and swinging grooves associated with their previous work. There’s no dip in quality, though, with the dubbed-out deep house hypnotism of “Heard Syndrome”, the Patrick Cowley/Giorgio Moroder influenced “The Struggle”, the Chicago-goes-Yorkshire bleep flex of “Time of Speed, Not Day” and acid-fired gorgeousness of “The Flat (London Projects)” standing out.

Sandro Brugnolini / Alessandro Alessandroni / Teimar ‎– Akriliko [CMT44]

July 23, 2019July 23, 2019 hipodromealbum, alessandro alessandroni, cometa edizioni musicali, disco, sandro brugnolini, soundtrack, teimarLeave a comment

1975/1979 rare music from the Cometa Library Vaults containing unpublished music of the 70’s composed by: Sandro Brugnolini, Alessandro Alessandroni and Teimar.

Jeff Mills – Moon – The Area Of Influence [AX081]

July 21, 2019July 19, 2019 hipodromealbum, ambient techno, axis records, detroit techno, jeff mills, minimal technoLeave a comment

”Commemorating 50th Anniversary of the Moon landing (July 20 2019) Axis Records is pleased to announce the release of the album by Jeff Mills on his interpretations of Earth’s Moon. ”There are influences of the Moon we can detect, measure and document as scientific facts. If these are perceived as rational explanations, then it should raise questions about the possibility of other unseen mental and metaphysical connections humans have, not just with the Moon but with all other celestial bodies in and outside this Solar System. On the flipside, as we recognize that our Sun gives us light and a lifespan, what does an even greater force in the Cosmos, perhaps the darkness [or absence of anything] affects us. If we look at the Moon as a component in a vast configuration of integral connected parts, then an intuitive sense might lead us to a wider understanding about how deeply our relationship lies. This album and the imagination that helped to produce it should be considered as a proposition with open-endedness and no foreseeable conclusion. It is a chemistry of facts and feelings based on then, now and forever”. Jeff Mills”

John Beltran – Hallo Androiden [DSR/D5]

July 21, 2019July 19, 2019 hipodromealbum, ambient techno, delsin records, john beltranLeave a comment

Celebrated Detroit composer, producer, sound designer and ambient pioneer John Beltran keeps up a busy 2019 with an expansive new LP on Delsin. The nine tracker takes you on a trip though his typically serene and beautiful world right form the off. ‘Alle Kinder’ floats on gentle drums with beautiful synth melodies making for a heavenly atmosphere. The journey commutes through the calming pads and glistening arpeggios of ‘A Different Dream’, uplifting joys of the ‘Himmelszelt’ with its mellifluous harmonies and achingly perfect ambiance of ‘The Coming Home’. ‘One of Those Mornings’ washes over you like the sun through a breaking cloud and the brain cleansing, pulse soothing goodness continues though ‘It’s Because of Her’ and the elegant Detroit techno bliss of ‘Perfect In Every Way’. The final two tracks close things down with a sense of classy contentedness, subtle celebration and inner joy that Beltran conveys better than anyone.

Ron Morelli – Man Walks The Earth [CM007]

July 21, 2019July 19, 2019 hipodromealbum, ambient, collapsing market, ron morelliLeave a comment

L.I.E.S. Records founder Ron Morelli departs the club to investigate atavistic ambient themes in his
4th solo LP and debut for the Paris-based Collapsing Market. Morelli mostly mutes his drum track channels and allows his sounds to freely float in imagined air. In the process he crisply reveals a latent, introspective side to his music that’s been missing or occluded by noise in his clutch of grubby sores issued by Hospital Productions since 2013 – back when he changed his address from Brooklyn, NYC to the heart of the Parisian electronic music scene. As such the 8 bony diffusions of ‘Man Walks The Earth’ mark distance traveled from the gobs of 2013’s ‘Spit’, documenting a change of mindset from grizzled
and paranoid to a more soberly contemplative and drily poetic expression of self. Composed during 2015-2018, the 8 liminal zones of ‘Man Walks the Earth’ see Morelli switch out immediacy and brashness for a more considered longview of electronic music.

Move D – Building Bridges [AUSLP010]

July 15, 2019July 15, 2019 hipodromealbum, aus music, benjamin brunn, david moufang, deep house, fred p, juju & jordash, magic mountain high, move d, reagenz, thomas fehlmannLeave a comment

Move D’s ‘Building Bridges’ is David Moufang’s latest studio album. Close friends and long time collaborators, Thomas Fehlmann, Fred P, Juju & Jordash, D-Man & rEAGENZ all feature alongside Benjamin Brunn. Building Bridges was recorded at reSource, Heidelberg between 1999-2019 except “One Small Step…” which was recorded at Thomas Fehlman’s Space in Berlin. This album initially started out as an entry for the Inside Out series on Aus – based around the idea of collaborations with his nearest and dearest but when David sent me the music and wrote a few new tracks there was such a cohesive, timeless feel to it as a body of work I decided that it had to be a stand alone artist album. These tracks have been written over a twenty year period and involve 6 people but it sounds like it was written in one sitting. This is testament to David’s creative aesthetic and the closeness of the relationship with his collaborators as a common feeling of warmth and smudged soul oozes out of every poor of this record.

Gladio – Means To Freedom [LIES142]

July 9, 2019July 23, 2019 hipodromealbum, danny wolfers, gladio, house, l.i.e.s., legowelt, long island electrical systems, technoLeave a comment

Resurrected from the dark underworld after years of domancy, L.I.E.S. announce a new seven track LP from one of the most cult alias’s in Legowelt’s extensive catalog, Gladio. Back to basics jackin house and electro cuts direct from the depths of the Hague dungeon. ‘Means to Freedom’ is a return to the classic Legowelt sound, taking the roots of old school Chicago and Detroit and running it through the smacked out vision of Gladio’s machine world. Absolutely unmissable jacking, soaring, and stomping jams for that the modern floor has been missing.

Rod Modell – Captagon [TRESOR312]

July 7, 2019July 4, 2019 hipodromealbum, ambient techno, dub techno, rod modell, techno, tresor recordsLeave a comment

Tresor Records welcomes Rod Modell to its catalogue, with the release of his new album Captagon.
Rod Modell needs no introduction, his various projects render him a master of techno. In repetition and barely noticeable change, Modell resculptures perceptions. His sound-design echoes cinematic ethereality, where ferric artefacts slam against percussion, rusty delays filter observation – the resulting web is a complex, radiating ambience that etches a natural ebb and flow.

Linea Aspera – Preservation Bias [DE253]

July 2, 2019December 9, 2019 hipodromealbum, alison lewis, dark entries records, electro, industrial, linea aspera, minimal synth, re-release, reissue, ryan ambridge, synth popLeave a comment

Dark Entries continues celebrating our 10 year anniversary with ‘Preservation Bias’, a compilation of lost songs and rarities from Linea Aspera out June 28th. The group formed in London in November 2011 by Ryan Ambridge (Synths/Programming) and Alison Lewis (Vocals/Synths). Within the duo, Alison writes and performs all vocal elements, while Ryan is responsible for producing, recording and mixing the electronics. We released their debut self titled album in June 2012 that was followed by a posthumous vinyl reissue of their tour cassette “II” on Weyrd Son Records in 2013. For all recordings Ryan utilizes an analog synthesizer set up: Roland SH-09, Roland Juno 6, Vermona DRM MKiii, Korg Poly 800 and Analogue Solutions Semblance. Linea Aspera’s sound includes clear influences from 1980s electronic body music, synth-pop, industrial and noise. Lyrically the band incorporates the sciences of osteology, neuroscience, and anthropology weaving a new medical language around themes of desire, despair and renewal. Linea Aspera is the muscle attachment on the back of the femur and translates to ‘rough line’ in Latin. ‘Preservation Bias’ features all three songs from the limited ‘II’ tour cassette EP, four songs from the 2012 self-titled limited cassette EP and one song from the Desire Records 2013 compilation ‘And You Will Find Them In The Basement’. All songs have been mastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Each LP is housed in jacket designed by Niall Greaves and includes a double-sided insert with lyrics.

Aldorande – Aldorande [FVR152LP]

June 30, 2019June 29, 2019 hipodromealbum, aldorande, favorite recordings, funk, jazz, soulLeave a comment

Ready for an adventure running parallel to their lives in common units, the quartet boarded a starship to set off on an astral expedition. The mission began perfectly, according to plan. From the very first measures, the travellers were released from the Earth’s gravity. Very quickly, their home planet appeared tiny and distant, before disappearing completely. Comets and novae lit the way through the fathomless depths of interstellar space. Their preliminary, in-depth studies of seventies jazz-funk were a great source of inspiration. Very early on, they knew that this sonic esthetic would allow them to travel even farther, navigating only with organic instruments and no digital backing or enhancements. Commander Virgile Raffaëlli’s bass lines guided their journey, offering a calm, yet vibrant foundation for the smoother phases and turning up the power to bring them through turbulence and meteor showers safe and sound. Like a compass, the bass indicated the direction and traced a groove that the loyal, valued crew could follow as their travels continued. Mathieu Edouard’s drums solidly locked down the rhythm to avoid any sudden jolts, working in tandem with Erwan Loeffel’s jet-propelled percussion. On the keyboards, Florian Pellissier drew harmonies and riffs from the synthesizers and electric pianos to oil the machinery and lighten the load when the ensemble needed to rise a few feet. The crew’s almost telepathic cohesion was key to their success, allowing them to express interior emotions with just a few notes.

Manu Dibango – African Voodoo [HC63]

June 30, 2019August 30, 2023 hipodromeafrican, album, funk, hot casa records, jazz, manu dibango, outernational, soulLeave a comment

Fantastic and rare album by Manu Dibango, the Afro Soul Maestro. These files were recorded in 1971 at Pathé-Marconi studio (Boulogne Billancourt) for professional sound illustration intended for the cinema, television and advertising. The jazzman experimenting with all genres was then beginning to convert solely to what soon to be called “Rare Groove” somewhere between Soul, Jazz and Afro-Funk, with a hint of Latin clave. In 2019, these tunes have not aged and the sound can be considered as “Huge” by many crate-diggers. These recordings were not supposed to reach the club or radio audience, it was more free sessions, a moment during they can open their imagination and test their “Afro something”, like Manu Dibango call it. Theses recording sessions included the best of the french soul scene at this time, Yvan Julien (Trumpet), Slim Pezin (Guitar), Jacques Bolognesi (Trombone), Lucien Dobat (Drums), Emile Boza (Percussions, Manfred (Bass) and the conductor himself at the vibraphone, marimba, saxophone, organ. This album is a wonderful return to the future and should satisfy the need of the Afro-Soul
aficionados.

John Shima – The Lonely Machine [FS019]

June 28, 2019November 7, 2020 hipodromealbum, b12 records, deep techno, detroit techno, electro, firescope records, john shimaLeave a comment

Hailing from the heartland of British techno, Sheffield’s John Shima is one of the leading lights of UK electronics. Now Shima is returning to FireScope with his long awaiting debut album, The Lonely Machine. John Shima is a master melody weaver, with this first LP attesting to his deftness of touch. Celestial chords and star gazing synthwork permeate this ten track odyssey. The musical heritage of Shima’s hometown, the elegance, majesty and subtlety of British electronics, is invoked from the needle drop. A range of influences come to the fore in this 2LP. Skirting around the edges of astral ambience and tonal texture are nods to industrial history, the rasp and resonance of rhythms in “Empires”, with the inspiration of Detroit surfacing in the future funk of “Phase Distortion” and “Linear.” Dreamscapes are painted in delicate hues, the fragile movements of “Accepting”, with brooding works adopting thicker basslines and ruffled notes as with “Distrust.” Nevertheless, it is the incandescent brightness of Lonely Machine that truly shines. Radiant pieces of elating electronics, complex and joyful compositions that chime with unbridled hope and open-hearted optimism.