Quiet Dawn – Human Being: The Short Story Of A Reed [FW170]

February 25, 2018May 23, 2021 hipodromealbum, broken beat, experimental, first word records, house, quiet dawn, will gallandLeave a comment

First Word kicks off 2018 with the welcome return of Quiet Dawn, and a new EP, ‘Human Being: The Short Story of The Reed’. A suitably ice-thawing six-track opus to compliment the change of seasons, dedicated to the winter blooming plant’s desire to be human. Parisian Will Galland first appeared on the label in late 2014, releasing his debut album ‘The First Day’ the following year. Collaborations on that album and subsequent mixes since have included offerings from Oddisee, Miles Bonny, Eric Lau, Bastien Keb, Sauce81 (Eglo), Mayaka McCraven and Sarah Williams White. Evolving his music from a palette accumulated over the years of Hip Hop, Broken Beat and House, he has expanded his talents for arranging and composing, and now drafted in a wealth of musicians for this sublime new EP, his most ambitious yet. Strings glide effervescently atop of Quiet Dawn’s assorted analogue synths, and an array of percussive organics combine to build the tale of The Reed. In-places, the set transcends into the kind of grooves that saunter somewhere between the land of Bonobo and Quantic, and the cinematic library record craft of Alan Hawkshaw et al.

Eko – Funky Disco Music [ASVN052]

February 25, 2018August 30, 2023 hipodromeafrica seven records, african, album, disco, eko, eko roosevelt louis, funk, outernational, riccioLeave a comment

Eko Roosevelt Louis has had a music career spanning over forty years, born the grandson of a Kribi tribal chief, his musical persuasion beginning humbly with his village’s local church before his formal education at the Senegal conservatoire and Paris’ École Normale de Musique. EKO made a number of jazz funk and disco records in the mid seventies during a stint recording and touring in and around France before returning to Cameroon to take over his grandfather’s tribal chieftaincy, a role he still holds today. Alongside this position of office EKO has continued to work with music, performing, teaching and even leading Cameroon’s national orchestra. The tracks selected for this reissue are all taken from EKO’s third album, Funky Disco Music which was recorded in Paris and released on his own Dragon Phenix imprint. Sung in a combination of English and EKO’s native tongue we’ve lined up a real excursion in feel good afro-jazz, funk and soul made purely for dancing feet and boogying butts.

Maelstrom – Alph4 [CPU00111000]

February 23, 2018February 21, 2018 hipodromeacid, album, central processing unit, djedjotronic, electro, maelstromLeave a comment

French producer and RAAR co-founder Maelstrom makes his debut on CPU with ‘Alph4’, a seven track electro-leaning mini LP of one-take recordings. Maelstrom’s sound on Alph4 is comparable to Aphex Twin’s more restrained Analord output. Focussed, highly detailed production alongside an abundance of evocative synth melodies will ensure these tracks become firm favourites with forward thinking DJs and electronic music fans.

Frankie Knuckles – Ultimate Production [TX2018001]

February 19, 2018February 19, 2018 hipodromealbum, chicago house, dancer, frankie knuckles, jamie principle, kevin irving, trax recordsLeave a comment

An essential 2 x 12″ overview of some of the legendary Frankie Knuckles TRAX classics. What else needs to be said One of the godfathers of our scene, a true classic himself, Frankie behind the wheels or behind the boards was simply top shelf all the way down the line. A real original whose influence and touch can still be felt today. His releases on TRAX at the time were the hottest things ever and they still resonate on the dancefloor today with equal measure. Featured here are some of the best tracks fusing Frankie’s love of Disco, Euro-pop, Italo and more produced in his initial mid to late 80’s golden period. Cuts like ‘Baby wants to ride’, ‘Bad boy’ and more, featuring the unmistakable vocal talents of the equally legendary Jamie Principle. It’s all here. The perfect starting point for those who have recently discovered the man and his body of work, or equally as stimulating for those who wish to have some classics in their collection. Each track is a classic, each one stands up today and effortlessly rocks the club. Remastered in conjunction with TRAX, repressed from the finest audio sources available.

Nuances – Murmurs Of A Heavy Heart [TABR040]

February 18, 2018February 16, 2018 hipodromealbum, ambient, manni dee, nuances, tabernacle recordsLeave a comment

Manni Dee’s Nuances project joins the label with a mini-album recognizing splendor in feelings of somberness and isolation.

SIT – Invisibility Chapter I/II[SUSH045/SUSH046]

February 18, 2018September 12, 2018 hipodromealbum, cristi cons, deep house, deep techno, dub techno, minimal house, romanian, sideways invisibility theory, sit, sushitech records, vlad caia1 Comment

Sushitech Records presents ‘Invisibility’, the debut album from SIT aka Sideways Invisibility Theory. The DJ & producer duo is based in Bucharest and was formed in 2009 by Cristi Cons and Vlad Caia. Drawing from an early education in classical music, their influences range from ethereal jazz to experimental trip-hop.

part 1 / part 2 / full album

Basa Basa – Homowo [VV-001]

February 17, 2018August 30, 2023 hipodromeafrican, album, basa basa, disco, funk, outernational, re-release, reissue, vintage voodooLeave a comment

One of Ghana’s most sought-after LPs emerges from obscurity as a high quality reissue on the new Vintage Voudou label from the Netherlands. First released in Nigeria in 1979, this LP (also known as Basa Basa Experience – Together We Win) is a unique collaboration with Themba ‘T-fire’ Matebese, who propelled Basa Basa’s sound, inspired by Ghanaian traditional music, soul and afrobeat, into another dimension, adding disco elements, synthesizers and the production aesthetics of the next decade. The new Amsterdam based label Vintage Voudou focuses on re-releasing a carefully picked selection of rare tropical music on vinyl, paying special attention to sound quality and print work.

Wolf Muller & Niklas Wandt – Instrumentalmusik Von Der Mitte Der Welt [GBR013]

February 17, 2018August 23, 2018 hipodromealbum, disco, experimental, growing bin records, jan schulte, niklas wandt, outernational, wolf mullerLeave a comment

Growing Bin burst into 2018 with a bang, crash and symbol splash, uniting a premier pair of per-cussion obsessives for a supernatural mission into the heart of the rhythm. Dressed in the pitch black of Dusseldorf stands Wolf Muller, master of the tropical drums and seven time Salon Des Amateur breakdance champion. Repping Cologne and Berlin is Niklas Wandt, Germany’s funkiest drummer and a mixed musical artist as adept in experimental jazz as demen- ted Euro dance. Standing toe to toe in a no holds barred, no drum unstruck groove contest, these two titans will make you swing your pants like a Crash Bandicoot victory dance…so stretch out and step in to ‘Instrumentalmusik von der Mitte der World’.

Jaakko Eino Kalevi – Töölo Labyrinth [JEKS003]

February 11, 2018February 8, 2018 hipodromealbum, jaakko eino kalevi, jazz, jeks viihde, soundtrackLeave a comment

Jakko Eino Kalevi’s 2011 CD-only-album finally released on LP. From start til end, this highlights the song aspect of jazz with well written melodies, a traditional, softly executed & crafted musical approach. Produced & composed by Jaakko Eino Kalevi it features a solid stack of musicians as well as a variety of atmospheres, twist and turns.

Elektro-Dschungel – Kebab Und Andere Traume [ED001]

February 11, 2018August 30, 2023 hipodromealbum, edition dschungel, elektro-dschungel, experimental, new wave, outernational, psychedelic, re-release, reissue, turkishLeave a comment

The Official 30th anniversary vinyl reissue of Elektro-Dschungel – Kebab Und Andere Träume album from 1987. A divere blend of New Wave, Turkish Pop and Oriental-Rock, Funk & Soul, Hip-Hop but also Disco in a exotic way.

Volta Cab – Rise Again 2LP [BAP106]

February 7, 2018February 6, 2018 hipodromealbum, bordello a parigi, disco, electro, konstantyn isaev, synth wave, volta cabLeave a comment

Temperatures are dropping and we’re all feeling the effects. Bordello A Parigi is letting the cold winds of the north swirl inside its doors with Russia’s Volta Cab bringing a fresh 2LP to the table. A spread of influences come together for the eleven tracks of Rise Again. Take Emerald’s Phantasy, a piece built on layers of percussion that blends elements of disco with notes of techno. Dark Room is a different affair. Arctic chords are cut with electro and distant vocals for an unsettling treat. Kruger stomps to a terse beat before lush pads bloom in a work that builds to dizzying peaks. Warm blasts balance these colder moments, the rich grooves of Savage Fury, the floor filling funk of Board Scandinavia and the removed romance of Sweet Exorcist all show another shade to the Volta Cab sound and of course there’s more. Rise Again is an audio collection of vibrant colours and hues, tracks pitch from icy blues to autumnal ambers and fiery reds; a musical kaleidoscope that stretches across a spectrum of styles.

Luke Eargoggle – Stranger Destiny [BT27CHR01]

February 6, 2018February 5, 2018 hipodromealbum, brokntoys, electro, karl lukas petterson, luke eargoggle, technoLeave a comment

Karl Lukas Pettersson has searched through his vaults of DAT tapes to create a personal album of lost projects, ideas and forgotten gems. The album includes a remastered version of Professor Laphroaigh originally included on his Dr Lindh – Sounds Interesting EP for SCSI-AV.

mir.ON – A Dark Ambient Trip [SNDSPHR025] [FREE DOWNLOAD]

February 4, 2018February 1, 2018 hipodromealbum, experimental, free download, mir.on, miron ghiu, nava spatiala, noise, romanian, soundsphereLeave a comment

Miron Ghiu, once in his youth a winner at international philosophy competitions and a journalist specialized in music and new media, has been experimenting for almost 10 years in the field of sound art, both on his own and as a member of the ambient /drone/noise Nava Spațială duo. He finds his inspiration in Dada and deconstructivist techniques and he likes to play with chance and improvisation. He feels best in art galleries, where the audience actually listens to the surrounding ambient music without looking for beats to dance on, but also in music venues. He has created the sound design for a few theatre plays, peformed in various independent spaces as well as on the stage of a major Romanian theatre. He is also a DJ. Most of the music he composes, either ambient or noise, is available on several Soundcloud accounts and on several discs released in various parts of the world.

Jeff Mills – And Then There Was Light (Soundtrack) [AXCD052]

February 4, 2018February 1, 2018 hipodromealbum, ambient, axis records, jeff mills, soundtrack, tatsushi omoriLeave a comment

Last year, Jeff Mills provided the soundtrack for a curious Japanese film by Tatsushi Omori called And Then There Was Light. The movie was based on a novel called Hikari, which focuses on a teenager who kills his girlfriend’s other lover while mistaking their affair for sexual assault. The dark tone of both novel and film naturally shines through in Mills’ refreshingly electronic score, which flits between moments of quietly spacey ambience, creepy intensity, Reichian minimalism (see “Danger From Abroad”), icy soundscapes, industrial strength intensity (the panicked “The Players of Consequence” and “Lost Winners”) and, on the “Hikari Mix” of “The Hypnotists”, full-throttle Detroit techno with Giallo overtones.

Shawn Rudiman – Timespan [PGHTRXLP02]

February 2, 2018December 15, 2021 hipodromealbum, detroit techno, electro, pittsburgh tracks, shawn rudimanLeave a comment

Timespan is a carefully curated journey through almost 20 years of Shawn Rudiman’s music productions. The tracks collected here (the majority of which have not been heard outside of Shawn’s studio) showcase a producer with seldom matched knowledge of studio techniques, while also hinting at his world renowned live performances.

Marcello Giordani – Orrizonte [SLOMO037]

January 31, 2018January 30, 2018 hipodromealbum, disco, italo-disco, marcello giordani, slow motion recordsLeave a comment

This 6 tracks LP travel through again into the unique sound of the early 80’s Italo Disco built with spacey analog sounds, some cheesy atmospheres and a touch of primitive Trance chords. Marcello’s taste is very clear and specific when we speak about Electronic Disco and this LP is totally inspired by artists like Farina/Rago, Sangy, Alexander Robotnick, Alessandro Novaga, Doris Norton and also from his experience collecting and playing this shit during the last 20 years.

Intense Molecular Activity – I. M. A. [DE198]

January 30, 2018January 29, 2018 hipodromealbum, andy blinx, dark entries records, don hunerberg, electro, experimental, i.m.a., intense molecular activity, post punk, re-release, reissue, synth popLeave a comment

IMA (Intense Molecular Activity) is the duo of Don Hunerberg (synthesizers) and Andy Blinx (drums and percussion). Based in New York City and active between 1979 and 1982. Don, a studio Sound / music engineer and musician, Andy an electronic clothing designer, drummer and sound reinforcement engineer at downtown clubs like Max’s Kansas City, Mudd Club and CBGB. In between doing sessions at Radio City Music Hall Studios for groups such as Ramones, Richard Hell, Sonic Youth, Liquid Liquid, John Zorn, Glenn Branca and many others, IMA took advantage of off hours to create their own music. As far as influences go, Don’s background was in electronic music and Andy’s in prog rock. To produce the songs, Don used his own method of creating patterns from 2-track tape loops and then edited them together on to a 24-track recorder adding more tracks of overdubs, In a very similar way that sequencers are used today. By 1980 the duo honed their own unique sound and version of Post Punk and No-Wave with the tools of the trade of the early 80s. Situated above the proscenium of the Radio City Music Hall stage, the studio was outfitted with a variety of orchestral instruments (timpani, bells, xylophone, etc). They self-released a 4-song EP titled “IMA” on an 8” flexi-disc which was distributed by Ed Bahlman of 99 Records. The music bridges the wild psychedelic-rock of the 60s, the synth-punk of the late-70s and the elaborate constructions of progressive-rock. There are nods to the freak-outs of Chrome and the super neurosis of Suicide, but IMA takes a more clinical approach which also takes notice of Hawkwind and Pink Floyd’s interstellar overdrive.

Siekiera – Nowa Aleksandria [MNQ118]

January 30, 2018January 29, 2018 hipodromealbum, mannequin records, new wave, post punk, siekieraLeave a comment

Nowa Aleksandria was Siekiera’s debut album, which crept its way into the back-end of the post-punk scene back in 1986 – an important year which seems to have marked the step-change which later led to the early dawns of rave culture. Out originally on the fledgling Tonpress, it has been repackaged here from the excellent Mannequin, an imprint which is fast becoming the hype beast of post-punk reissuing. As expected, the sound here is moody and direct, verging on the EBM end of the scale; harsh beats weave their way through distorted guitar bass, analogue fuzz, and a crestfallen sort of aesthetic that has taken much knowledge from the likes of Joy Division et al.

Ekman – Primus Motor [SHIPLP08]

January 28, 2018January 26, 2018 hipodromealbum, ekman, electro, roel dijcks, shipwrec records, technoLeave a comment

“Primus Motor” sees Ekman return to many of the sounds that gained him a reputation as an artist on labels like Bunker and Berceuse Heroique. Although harsh bucking acid lines, pockmarked notes, brutal beats and eerie echo are all present, a new tone has been added to the caustic palette. A psychological nuance, an undercurrent of the inchoate has been investigated and exploited to chilling effect. Crippling psychoses. Debilitating neuroses. Physical pain. Suffering stalks this first full vinyl album. Sinister sounds encircle the eight offerings, hovering like vultures over inhospitable plains of ashen grey, jagged peaks and dark sweeping swamps. Hope is all but drawn away in this bleached audio landscape, drained by sheer synthlines and reduced renderings. Amidst the sorrow and strain there are pin pricks of joy, albeit bleak and pallid ones. An album that unnerves as it engages, a collection of icy radiance and industrial indifference from a dutch master.

Aleks – Pool Daze [OA005]

January 23, 2018January 23, 2018 hipodromealbum, aleks, detroit techno, electro, house, hvl, kiyadama, organic analogue recordsLeave a comment

Rising talent Aleks joins the Organic Analogue realm of spiritual sonic exploration. The Amsterdam-based producer has already made a name for himself in the past few years with his penchant for sci-fi imagery and impeccable hardware jams, hence he feels like a natural fit for OA. This double LP release provides the chance to hear some of the breadth in Aleks productions, from ambient submersions to Detroitian techno and sharp edged 303 resonance that skirts the divide between jacking club material and emotional content. HVL returns to OA with a frankly stunning remix of “Pool Daze” that steps up to the giants of early electronica. As an additional treat, the Georgian producer has also donned his Kiyadama guise for the eight-minute psych-out “Acid Expansion Remix” of “Void”. Capturing the foggy time-slip quality of the dancefloor with a sound that could just as easily come from the late morning, the Pool Daze LP is equally comfortable as another thread in the OA tapestry.