
Our favorite albums from 2022 compiled in chronological order.
Continue reading “2022 Best Albums”Cyrk with some fierce ruling electro tracks on Cultivated Electronics. The title track Attack of the Blow Up Dolls is a robotic electro cut, while the other three tunes are smooth and at times remind us of some of the classic I-f releases with bubbly analogue basslines, frantic synths and relentless electro beats.
Client_03 comes to Cultivated Electronics with more of that razor sharp electro-bugging business, hyper-detailed soundscapes to inspire vivid sci-fi reveries in the midst of the dance. From the tuned up cybernetic pressure of ‘Sense Combiner’ to the slow and tense Sync 24 collab ‘Counterfactual Interaction History’, the quality is as unrelenting as the intricate fusions of drum machines and squelchy synths.
Matti Turunen with a new EP on Cultivated Electronics vinyl-only series, Cultivated Electronics Ltd. For his ‘Radau’ EP on CE Ltd he turns up the Electro-funk to the max with lush arrangements, dulcet melodies and gritty beats – there’s a warmth in the machines.
A new EP by UK DJ / producer Controlled Weirdness lands on Cultivated Electronics Ltd (CE’s vinyl only sister label). On ‘In The Shadows’ he delivers 4 earthy and raw Electro cuts with exciting electronics, tough beats and wonky acid.
Sync 24’s Cultivated Electronics label presents a double-pack by Alonzo, aptly named ‘They Come In Twos’. Originally from Miami and now based in New York, Alonzo has previously released on W.T. Records, Zement, RotterHague, Phormix, Kraftjerkz, and Lost Soul Enterprises. He’s also known as Lithium Parasites alongside bandmate, Vidrio. Alonzo’s uncompromising approach draws influence from bleak urban landscapes, old city ruins, kinematics and all things bass which he finely represents across these 8 new tracks.
‘Murder is The Number’ is dynArec’s with his first full EP for Cultivated Electronics label. He brings his seminal craftsmanship to Cultivated Electronics over four new tracks from the imposing ‘Stop and Stall’ via the electronic funk of ‘First in Motion’ and deeply grooving ‘ Specialized In Anything’, to the twinkling closer, ‘ Lowest Perceived Legitimacy’.
The next release on Cultivated Electronics Ltd shines a light on some of the fresh talent emerging from within the Electro scene across this double-vinyl 12″. Eight tracks from Imogen, Armec, Sergey Timoshov, Obzerv, Cyphon, Khalilian, Fazak and Lindsay Green.
‘Inside The Microbeat’ is the long-awaited debut album by Sync 24. London’s Phil Bolland, known as Sync 24 has been flying the electro flag for over two decades via his popular Scand parties and beloved Cultivated Electronics label which he launched in 2007 as a direct response to the dwindling electro scene in the UK at the time. The label has gone on to feature many of his own releases, his collaborations with the likes of Silicon Scally (Carl Finlow), DMX Krew (they collaborate as MMT-8), The Exaltics and Morphology as well as playing host to many of electro’s leading lights, eventually becoming instrumental to the scene’s resurgence in more recent years. Now it’s time to turn the spotlight firmly on his solo work. Across it’s eleven tracks ‘Inside The Microbeat’ is not just a collection of 12”s although tracks like the album’s name sake, ‘Oriental Sunset’, ‘Drunk on Delays’ and ‘Lightwire’ are firmly primed for the dance floor, there’s also more experimental beat-work like ‘Inspired Law’ and ‘Sluper Smashed’, or retro electronica like ‘Haunt Times’ and ‘Spatial Racing’, as Bolland drives you through his own intimately constructed landscape.
Fellow Frenchmen The Hacker and Commuter take their inspiration from the TV series, Chernobyl to create an imaginary soundtrack for their collaborative EP on Cultivated Electronics. They deliver three new punchy electro tracks that convey their love of vintage electronics and machine funk, but with a modern touch that will hit all the right notes for electro fans, with names like ‘Roentgen’ (a unit of measurement for the exposure of X-rays and gamma rays) and ‘RBMK’ (Chernobyl’s nuclear power reactor). The EP includes the added treat of a remix by MMT-8, otherwise known as Ed Upton (DMX Krew) and label head Phil Bolland (Sync 24) who deliver an escalated reworking of ‘RBMK’.
Morphology return to Cultivated Electronics with the follow up to their 2017 EP ‘Mind Stealers’ (CE023). ‘The Dark Wheel EP’ marks their fourth EP for Sync 24’s label. Morphology are Finnish duo Michael Diekmann and Matti Turunen. Formed in 2009, Morphology fuse early electro sounds with haunting melodies to create a deep blend of atmospheric future funk, and their new EP ‘The Dark Wheel’ is no exception, as they deliver four tracks of faultless production technique, warm synths and crisp drum-work.
London Modular Alliance make their CE debut with the ‘Stray EP’ for Cultivated Electronics Ltd. The EP includes three intricately crafted modular Electro tracks, featuring soaring melodies and dappled beats that manage to extract depth and soul out of machines, alongside a punchy remix by Sync 24 that delivers a tough metallic groove to close the release.
Coming next on Cultivated Electronics Ltd (CE’s limited vinyl offshoot) is a V/A EP entitled ‘Onderwereld’ which takes its name from a former atomic bunker based in The Hague (Netherlands) that housed music studios, offices and the Intergalactic FM station, Onderwereld Radio. The building had to be vacated last year, but the amalgamation of some of those artists and their creative resources lives on. Together, they encapsulate the new underground sound of The Hague. Opening the A-side is a track by Crave Festival organiser, Cosmox who delivers tough staccato Electro-funk on ‘Electrostress’, before 543ff (a regular player on the Dutch Electro scene who’s released on ?X and has a forthcoming album on Diffuse Reality) brings stripped-back beats and layers of melody on ‘Easy’. Keeping the Onderwereld collaborative ethos alive, 543ff joins forces with Star-kid (Bunker Records) and Gamma Intel (Brokntoys / Pinkman) on the B-side, for ‘Three City Firm’. Their original version is dark and bristling, while 543ff’s remix takes the track on a galactic ride.
The Advent (Cisco Ferreira) delivers his first full-length Electro album in 17 years. Released on Sync 24’s burgeoning Cultivated Electronics label, ‘Life Cycles’ finds the past meeting the future. Because, to get a truer feel for this new long-player, we should head back even further to a 1995 classic – The Advent’s debut album, ‘Elements Of Life’. In fact, fans will recognise a nod to the original artwork of that seminal release, as ‘Life Cycles’ takes us full circle, containing unreleased Electro gems from the ’90s, available for the first time. “I have been making electro music for nearly 3 decades now and excited to see that it is in demand with this new wave of talented producers out there. ‘Life Cycles’ is an album where I explore my older past and connect with the future, 2020 and this new electro generation,” says Cisco.
214 back on Cultivated Electronics with his first full release for the label. 4 tracks of heavy hitting electro delivered with the style on finesse this bastion of the scene is known for.
Cultivated Electronics continues it’s output from excellent Dutch producers right now. CE LTD 002 comes from heavy weight Boris Bunnik under his Versalife alias. Haunting melodies and crispy digital beats make this some of Versalife’s darkest work to date. Out on limited run, vinyl only, hand stamped wax.
Cultivated Electronics announce the new release from long standing Dutch electronics purveyor and Tresor resident Delta Funktionen. Four tracks of deep and heady electro goodness that sit perfectly in the CE camp.
New Cultivated Electronics sub label with a limited run vinyl only. The first release comes from Dutch artist Ekman, featuring 4 tracks of spooky oddball electronics on hand stamped white label wax.
Rotterdam’s finest new analogue electro technicians Animistic Beliefs start 2019 running with a full EP on Cultivated Electronics. Four tracks of pure machine funk electro with a remix from Solar One head honcho and CE regular The Exaltics.