ambient
Boris Divider – Surface [DCOM015]
his release is the logical step after ”Aeon”, this time it evolves to a stage where old and new merge together, ”Surface” has the typical sequential synth lines inspired in the past by iconic groups such as Tangerine Dream but it has been added a good number of refreshing digital drones and textures, a little bit glitch background errors and cold wavetable pads, but at the end keeping the essential vision alive due to all the tracks were recorded live, playing synths and keyboards in realtime specially for this production…
KWC 92 – Dream Of The Walled City O.S.T. [LIES027]
L.I.E.S. present a conceptual O.S.T. LP about Kowloon City, Hong Kong produced by Samo DJ and Max Stenerudh.
Vercetti Technicolor – Hawaiian Dracula EP [GD00X]
Everybody needs vacations….even Dracula.
Barbiturates – Shades 10″ [LRR007]
Lost Race Records presents Shades 10” the new album from Barbiturates, featuring 8 synth-pop & new wave tracks.
Helm – Silencer [PAN043]
Helm’s Impossible Symmetry was one of PAN’s most far-out musical transmissions of 2012 – something that was no mean feat – and on Silencer, Luke Younger continues his exploration of sound’s darker corners with four equally as nuanced productions. The title track seems to tap into the similar rhythmic zone as Demdike Stare’s recent Testpressing releases, combining noisy textures with clattering rhythms, while “Mirrored Palms” creates something more meditative altogether, as a drawn out drone creates images of a scorched wasteland, and “Bergamo” and “The Haze” comes across as more elegiac in their approach, despite their lumbering Emptyset-style rhythms.
Donato Dozzy – Plays Bee Mask [SP029BLACK]
The prospect of Donato Dozzy reworking Bee Mask for the Spectrum Spool label is a mouth watering one and this double LP collection, entitled straightforwardly enough Donato Dozzy Plays Bee Mask more than lives up to it’s billing. Originally commissioned to turn in a remix of Bee Mask’s “Vaporware” track from last year’s LP for Room 40, Dozzy apparently felt the track’s inherent beauty merited more than just the one and sent over seven! This decision has resulted in a superb collection of reimaginations from the Voices Of The Lake producer, ranging from calming moments of serenity to bleepish, deep techno explorations.
Peter van Hoesen – Receiver 1/3 [T2XS101]
The ‘Receiver’ series presents six remixes of tracks from Peter Van Hoesen’s acclaimed ‘Perceiver’ album. The first Receiver release sees Donato Dozzy reworking Attribute 39. The Italian maestro steers the original into a blissfull, emotional domain. It is the perfect recipe for coming down after a long night on the dancefloor. Sigha also chooses an atmospheric approach to enhance the original of ‘Attack On The Reality Princicple’. He injects crackling electricity into the track, supported by a huge booming kick.
Dwig – Forget The Pink Elephant [GLGLP002]
Giegling homie Dwig presents his debut album and shows again his sampling art in all his facets. A very laid-back one.
Vita – The Ultimate Collapsing Remixes [FRMXS002]
We know it is spring and sunny and shit… but we got this new project going and yes,.. it’s cold.. it’s freezing cold. Loose them party shoes and grab those 40belows and don’t forget to put your insulation vest on. We got a remix pack for the Vita (infinity) project on a nice collectable limited colored vinyl 10”. Remixes are done by non other then Heinrich Mueller, Ovatow and Versalife as Hexagon. Also included on here is the beautiful and really deep Vita original ”The Ending” that will be exclusive for this release.
VA – Soundtracks For No Film Vol.1 [ACIDO012]
Soundtracks For No Film Vol. 1 is a rather charming mini album of outer-spatial, conceptual electronics from the always on point Acido Records label, seemingly tasking contributors to deliver arrangements worthy of soundtracking film. Madteo sets the tone with “Science Fiction” a haunting spectral cut with little regard for beat structures that could feasibly sit in alongside his brilliant LP for Sahko last year. Alongside this, the A Side features three short form productions, with 291out’s “Urania (Titoli Di Coda)” the highlight, sounding very much like the music you might hear during the end credits of a forgotten 80s sci-fi drama. Complementing this, sometime Sex Tags Mania artist Doc L Junior is given the whole of the B Side to draw out an expansive, epic synthscapes “Modul 2”.
Alexander Lewis – A Luminous Veil [BLACKEST014]
A Luminous Veil is the debut release by Alexander Lewis. Six tracks of heartsore modern industrial and S-M techno created using synth, microphone and pedals. Recorded in one take with minimal computer processing or post-production.
John Beltran – Amazing Things [98DSR]
John Beltran returns on Delsin with a brand new album entitled Amazing Things. As a life long pioneer of ambient soundscapes, blissful downbeat and stirring techno, Michigan born John Beltran already has his place in history assured with a bulging back catalogue that takes in influential releases on vital labels like Peacefrog and R&S. This new 17-track album sees the man draw on his lifetime in music to craft an immediately timeless body of work that’s stuffed with genuine musicality, pregnant with emotion and laden with organic blissfulness.
Polysick – Daydream LP [AUDIOMER011]
These last few years Rome based producer Egisto Sopor has been turning heads with a steady stream of most excellent releases. A cdr on Legowelt’s Strange Life Records, a tape on 100 % Silk, a double LP on Planet Mu and an evergrowing series of jams that are put on soundcloud or on his youtube channel. All of which offer atmospheric acid tinged techno laced with idiosyncratic touches. He has thus developed quite a cult following among lovers of lo fi electronic music who eagerly await his next grainy video, that feel like lost transmissions from an early nineties MTV broadcast. Polysick doesn’t get out much and keeps a low profile which adds to his rather enigmatic standing.With his new LP ‘Daydream’, Egisto has created the perfect soundtrack to a midnight trip through darkened cityscapes. Starting out like a confused jam session it slowly takes off and twists into uncanny shapes conjuring up images of a futuristic nightlife that plays out under neon lights, with a feeling of dread constantly lurking in the shadows. This is techno that tells a tale; a storyboard that comes pushing through in muffled flashes. A chase scene through deserted back alleys, executed while hunter and prey are both in a half-awake state, stuck in an infinite loop. And when the ambient synth twirls unravel and a 4/4 pulse kicks in and tears through the dreamy state of conciousness, it never signals a reassuring release of tension. You might dance to it, but not without anxiously looking over your shoulder.
Renato Figoli – Funkoholic [AMAM025CD]
‘Ladies and gentlemen, we are going through an area of turbulence, we ask all passengers to remain seated, with your seatbelts fastened…’ Anyone who’s ever experienced the treacherous descent to Cagliari airport will totally understand Renato Figoli’s fear of flying, but in contrast to the loudspeaker announcement that introduces Funkoholic, the Sardinian producer’s album is anything but turbulent – the smoothest of takeoffs, superb in-flight entertainment and controlled touchdown make it an early contender for one of 2013’s most rewarding listens. Funkoholic allowings Renato the scope to fully realize his potential while setting out a musical doctrine that merges deep techno, funk, dub, jazz and ambience in a truly idiosyncratic manner. The album consists of nine tracks, each linked by elegantly crafted ambient transitions that leave the listener in a state of suspended animation. This constant alternation between inner space and outer space is one of the album’s defining features, balancing style and content in equal measures.
Vita – ∞ (Infinity) [FRLP002]
Frustrated Funk present the stunning solo project by Victoria Lukas (Zerkalo fame) called Vita, featuring eleven ambient electronica tracks.
Healing Force Project – Hybrid Furrows [SEQ005]
Presented in two parts, “Hybrid Furrows” marks the second transmission of the mysterious Healing Force Project from Treviso, Italy. The first part is a dense, introspective overture. A ceaseless minor key drone lays the path for deep thrumming gong-like pulse and shuddering percussive textures. A song without a coda, a dream without resolution, it simply dissipates like fog—never revealing it’s center. The second part is similarly monolithic in nature, but crafted more for movement than meditation. It is vicious arpeggiated psychedelia, sharp enough to cut into the deepest recesses of your psyche.
Ian Martin – Swamp Modulator [PANZER1002-2]
Ian Martin delivers five brand new tracks of paranoid intensity and cruel insanity on Panzerkreuz Records with full-on dark ambient and sinister soundscapes.
Paul Mitchell – An Expedition [TABR016]
As a trusted source of high-grade leftfield analogue electronics, the Tabernacle label is at it again with the shimmering wares of Paul Mitchell. An Expedition explores various approaches to ambient and beatless compositions through decaying synthesisers, and it’s quite astounding just how well realised these pieces are. Moving ever forwards with a dynamism that seems suited to soundtrack work, the complexity and accomplishment of all four tracks of mournful machine soul is undeniable. From lingering pads to expressive arpeggios, this EP runs the gamut of engrossing classical electronica, all the while keeping you hooked on where the instrumental tale will head next.
Yagya – Rhythm Of Snow [SUBWAXBCNCD01]
Subwax Bcn is a new born record shop based in Barcelona and run by two swedish music lovers. To celebrate the opening of the new shop they here proudly presents Iceland’s finest ambient/dub producers Yagya! This album was originally released back in 2002 and has since then been a real collectors gemm. It features 10 stunning and timeless ambient/dub techno tracks, recorded in Reykjavik during the frozen summer of 2001.
The Hipodrome Of Music 