Further excursions of one of the most dedicated producers of Vancouver in the early 90s: Pilgrims Of The Mind. Three tracks coming out of the sweet sonic brew that was cooking on the West Coast at the time: elements of techno, ethno, downtempo and general smoked-out trippyness abound.
New Syncrophone Recordings release by Trinidadian Deep immersed in organics, obsessed with percussion, sounds. Real Deep.
Since the first time Childhood Intelligence connected to Darren, they could hear a very unique energy in his music, an almost healing Spirit. They are very happy to Welcome him with his Debut 2×12 Album “A Clear Vision Of A Distant Future” – to the Childhood family and celebrate Childhood Intelligence’s 10th Official Release.
Appearing on Echovolt for the very first time, Vancouver-based producer Wolfey offers up a four-track excursion that draws direct inspiration from the often-rainy climate of his sleepy home city. “Powell St. Blues” E.P. is a dance record of rare emotional depth that sees the Canadian bring out an impressive amount of warmth and soul from the machines he uses to make music. Drawing inspiration from early house and techno producers out of Chicago, NY and Detroit, Wolfey likes to work with a small selection of synthesizers, drum machines and outboard effects processors – only using the computer to record, edit and mix-down long multi-track takes and improvised jams. The resultant tracks bristle with vivid detail and texture while evoking distinctly hypnotic and alluring atmospheres.
FILIPP (co-founder of kosmogonik) appers on the Geodesic series with his epic EP “Miletus”. Miletus, the ancient city of Ionia, was FILIPP’s source of inspiration for this musical épos. Having been the place of birth for 3 great thinkers of the Presocratic era (Thales, Anaximenes & Anaximander), Miletus symbolizes both the origin of thought & the birth of the universe. The Milesians placed great importance on natural elements like water, fire or air in their cosmogonies, elements that were depicted very well in FILIPP’s choice of sounds on this release.
Life Notes returns with its 3rd transmission and presents the Mentality EP. After starting the label under his Motion Process moniker, Life Recorder is welcoming on board 2 of his favorite producers with the Birmingham UK based producer, Jayson Wynters and Taelue. Guided by a natural artistic and human being connection, the 3 producers and dj’s are sharing the wax here to present their vision of deep, meditative house/techno speaking to the mind and the dancefloor.
A fine slice of deep tech-house runnings from the turn of the millennium, Subfunk & Mac & Rudedog’s ‘Untitled’ EP is a thing of intensity! 4 cuts of that wiry machine funk that sounds like it dropped out of the sky only yesterday. It’s all here, for your ears, tripped out minimalism, dubbed out drum programming, lithe chord patterns and basslines to die for. There was certainly something in the water back then, records like this capture the era perfectly and that’s why they are so sought after. A rare record, the ‘Untitled’ EP manages to bridge the eras, and will undoubtedly find a place along your favorite UR / Motor-city records, they’re all forging out the same sonic territory.
Rekids offshoot Stranger in The Night welcomes underground mainstay Fred P for a release complete with his signature depth. ‘Turn Up’ is built on immovable kick drums that roll and roll beneath a dark nebula of synths and pads. There is the atmospheric feel of factory floor automation in the groove and it never lets up. The lush ‘Alphabet City’ is less heavy, with more bright and cosmic pads lighting up a track that is airy and filled with a subtle sense of funk. ‘Construction’ takes things late into the night once more, with an edgy lead that is unsettling and paranoid as it pans about over a rooted kick drum that will lock the floor into a state of hypnosis. ‘For The Dome’ closes this fantastically compelling release with jittery, percussive drums that are softened by celestial synth work. In harmony, they make for perfectly escapist listening.
From the chaos of our rapidly changing world, Swiftness was born to provide a constant in our lives: timeless agile music from the hidden corners of Bucharest’s electronic scene. Swiftness’ first release is Stuffz – the debut EP of rising local talent FILIPP. Comprised of 3 spacey house tracks, Stuffz will make any turtle put on its fastest dance moves in no time.
US Born, Marseille based house producer and DJ, Grant returns to Lobster Theremin, with ‘Fantasy Blues’, a 9 track album brimming with warm, melodic, deep house cuts. Opener, Ephemeral Chase signals a cosmic journey, driven with four to the floor motive. Mind Space is spaced out, modern deep-house at it’s best. On the flip, Zarenzeit joins Grant on Amaranthine Profundity, while Finite Elements chugs into an ethereal, vocal cut. Blurred Harmony picks up the pace, note a welcome homage to London town. Previous collaborator, Dan Piu features on stripped-back roller, Boundless. Joining forces on Invisible Skills, Brooklyn based composer Emil Abramyan injects otherworldly influences to the album, followed by Melancholic wiggler, Lucent Eyes. The Road In Front Of Me rounds out the release on soulful, classic tip, with velvet vocals courtesy of Jenifa Mayanja.
Since 2015 Reedale Rise’s refined strand of electro and techno has quickly established him as one of the most inventive artists operating in the current crop of machine manipulators coming out of the UK underground. Liverpool-based producer Simon Keat has released a prolific body of work under the alias in a short space of time, notching up appearances on crucial labels such as Frustrated Funk, Hizou, Where We Met and many more besides. With a sound indebted to the early wave of UK techno artists like B12, the electro experimentation of Silicon Scally as well as Detroit forefathers such as Drexciya and Model 500, it’s not hard to see why Reedale Rise makes perfect sense on Ornate. Technically astounding and emotionally charged, across all three tracks ORN027 marries shimmering, hi-def synth lines with crisp rhythms spanning 2-step shuffle, broken beats and understated techno propulsion.
Childhood Intelligence new release coming in form of a 2×12 Various Artist vinyl. The 8th release representing some of Planet Earths finest electronic producers. Sounds with no boundaries that unite Old School & New School as the Space Samurai’z. Global connectivity on the next level, ready to take on some serious Galactic Space Adventures. Born in 2019, made for eternity.
Here is some proper deep dishes of electro and techno finely served with tasteful nods to the old school straight from Propersound Italy and Reedale Rise, from Liverpool.
For over five years, Canadian artist Patrick Holland has developed an inimitable perspective on melodic, freewheeling house music. And the myriad tracks he writes as Project Pablo have come to embody both the sensibilities of the producer and the environs of his Montreal home. Inside Unsolved, Project Pablo’s dynamic four-tracker for Spectral, specifically looks to Holland’s local clubs and Canada’s dance music past for inspiration. The old records of labels such as Steel City and Map Music course through the lush synths of emotional roller “Pressure No Impact” and the light-footed swing of “Big Room Delusion.” While standing on the dancefloor at MUTEK two years ago, Holland dreamt up “Pill” in all of its billowy, percussive charms. Lead track “The Solution” cooly and confidently kicks things off with the kinds of earworm synthlines, rich atmospheres, and effortless grooves now synonymous with Project Pablo. Inside Unsolved is yet another classy and classic record from an unstoppable force of quality dance music.
Derek Carr re-launches his own label Trident Recordings with Reset EP. Four house tracks in his signature style.
Stump Valley now pop up on Dekmantel. The committed Berlin based studio outfit head into new areas after their previous work on Uzuri, Off Minor, Dopeness Galore and No ‘Label ( that already had them jumping around styles and influences). The label say ”Stylistic, enigmatic, and effortless. Stump Valley’s Dekmantel debut EP is a smooth melange of glossy soul, jazz, and serene house. Produced by the mysterious, and ultimately under-the-radar duo, the extended EP breezes through tropes of balearic analogue, warm Chicago sounds, yet remaining ultimately Italian. The duo, originally from Turin, prove their skills as true alchemists, as their forge hypnotic house and tropical flare through their array of drum machines, synths, and informed artistry derived from their deep stockpile of assorted records. Debuting they may be, but the Italian duo are no strangers to Dekmantel, having played at Dekmantel Festival, Selectors, and Lente Kabinet. Having released groove tracks across a whole spectrum of labels, Stump Valley’s reputation even precedes them. Throughout the EP, their sound echoes that of Prins Thomas, Larry Heard, and other select funk-driven Italian live producers that are making waves in the current scene. It’s a sound that’s permanently upbeat, radiant, and filled with joy. Berlin based vocalist and Max Graef collaborator Wayne Snow collaborates on vocal opener ‘Natural Race’, creating a slow groove, and funk-driven tempo. The music then veers into equatorial territory, as the duos’ uses of classic 707 and LinnDrum sounds evoke a sense of sunset grooves; the sound of Theo Parrish slowly winding through an Adriatic cocktail party. Further on and ‘Proletarians In Space’ reflects the producers’ more Detroit-like influences, with oscillating machine music. ‘Zoo Planet X’ takes the sound further, with dubby pads, and old-school kicks and hats, that transport the Turin-based artists across the Atlantic with their out-of-time sonic aesthetic.”
Sushitech’s sub label Pariter presents the Romanian group Lisiere Collectif. “Unknown Credentials” is a project of 5 tracks released on 2 single records. A sides on both parts are absolutely massive, acid lines and hypnotic chords peak time tracks that will shake any proper sound system with some serious bass extension! B sides are deeper and have more modern, fresh electroish vibe that we love!
Leopoldo Rosa AKA Lerosa has been fighting against lazy categorization for years, offering up tracks that go way beyond the deep house sound he cultivated in the early years of his career. Those who still think he makes records like that should definitely check “Bucket Of Eggs”, his long-awaited second album, because it’s far more thrillingly wayward, off-kilter and alien-sounding than anything he’s released before. It’s rooted in house music – and twisted acid house, in particular – but also doffs a cap towards Rephlex style mutant electronica, turn-of-the-90s Bleep and Bass (the superbly weighty and spacey “Sheffield”), skewed electro (“Subterfuge”) and even deep space electronica (killer closing cut “Don’t Worry”). In a word: essential.
