The usual suspects Assembler Code and Jensen Interceptor join the LKR Records artist roster. Flexing three tracks of stripped back raw electro, sprinkles of acid and bleeps blend sit perfectly over hard hitting rhythms. Also featured is an unexpected remix from bass bleep Roza Terenzi, lightening the mood with her unique sound but retaining some of the toughness of the original track.
Simply a hard-hitting and smashing debut EP. Leroy Se Meurt from France is a duo with a background in electronics and in punk music, which is very evident in their sound. Old school EBM, fused with fierce elektro with true punk attitude and energy that is always there.
Lena Platonos is a Greek musician, pianist and music composer. Her third solo album, ‘Lepidoptera’ was produced in 1986 and reissued by Dark Entries in 2018. Inspired by a scientific book on butterflies she found in a trashcan one day, the compositions follow minimalistic motifs and carefully-staged soundscapes. Lena narrates each song in deadpan fashion, skillfully reciting her surreal Greek poetry. Now Dark Entries recruited 4 contemporary Greek producers to remix their favorite tracks from ‘Lepidoptera’. First up is ‘Cyaniris’ remixed by Anatolian Weapons who delivers an enchanted late-night journey through the New Wave forest. Next is ‘Araschnia Levana’ remixed by Pasiphae who speeds up the pace with machine driven melodic electro pulses. On the B-side we have June remixing ‘Cyaniris’ twirling the track into a complex deep sea dive with lush drum kicks and pads. Closing out the EP is a remix of ‘a Gee´a ´ Aporia Maturna’ by Morah who leads us to the underworld of Hades via sinister squelches and full-on apocalyptic rave breakdown.
Space Dimension Controller catches everyone by surprise with the release of ‘Redemption Of The Cryonauts’, a new 13 tracks double-LP out of nowhere that lands on no label and little is really known about this release.
This Animistic Beliefs & Legowelt collaboration tape started out as a scene in Anna Bogomolova’& Dammes Kieft’s upcoming full length ‘Stroboscopes & Smokemachines’ documentary – a film in which they research the Dutch West Coast electronic music landscape. The scene however soon morphed into its own mini film – documenting the entire process on how this tape was conceived. Packed with Animistic Beliefs & Twilight Moose style electro, amateur space jazz ambient with a touch of G-funk and a very intense trip-infused hypnotic techno track. Written and produced by Linh Luu, Marvin Lalihatu and Danny Wolfers at the North Sea Institute For The Overmind.
Mojuba’s sublabel a.r.t.less presents the debut release by Vivian Koch. Electro synthesizer dreams for days.
Despite sounding like an 80’s cassette only wave outfit La Stèle des Pleurs is a contemporary band from the north parisian suburbs. They’re mostly inspired by the underground tape scene of this period and use a 100% analogue set from synth and drums machines to tape recorders according to their unkwnown masters. The 7 tracks of this mini-LP are only instrumentals somewhere between the melancholia of Enno Velthuys and the heady sound of Stratis. Their music seems untouched by contemporary world and influences, recorded in order to compose their own enigmatic but familiar universe. Gloomy landscapes and feelings may appear but surrounded by a glimpse of hope.
Klakson presents a reissue release featuring four valuable electro remastered tracks by The Hacker.
Nocta Numerica announce the arrival of Luxus Varta on the label. “Plastic Time” is a 5-track EP that fuses electro and melancholic sonorities. The release includes a special appearance by Paris The Black FU (Detroit Grand Pubahs) on the track “Stilnox”.
Umwelt is the latest to join the Voitax catalogue with his EP ‘Ecopoiesis’. The French producer had a strong 2018 and follows suit this year offering up five slices of electro-imbued fire-power.
Willie Burns and Ron Morelli got together over a weekend or so in Paris a at the end of 2015 and busted this one out. The record includes a sonic journey, mosh pit techno, and drum circle mixing tools. This is the debut release on Burnett’s new label,”Verge of Tears”. The label will focus on his personal and collaborative output.
Hot off the heels of MonoTrax Volume 1, Monotone is not letting up with this vinyl only compilation of what could be considered some of the best Electro has to offer. Banging Electro from The Hacker, Larry McCormick, Cosmic Force & DeFeKT.
This release features KVETCH X, the unknown electronic wizard hailing from within the reaches of the smog of Manchester’s industrial city. The Voltmeter EP features 3 machine/synth driven tracks which each take you on a different journey from an underground rave bunker to the reaches of outer space. Only you can be the judge, so climb on board & see where it takes you.
20/20 Vision starts the new year with a testament to true talent that Carl Finlow shows with such explosive, forward thinking music. The title track ‘Electronic’ delivers trademark Finlow vocoder work over hard hitting electro beats and immaculate synths. ‘Side Effects’ is a no holes barred journey into the dark side of EBM while ‘Vortices’ creates a trip for the dance floor. The EP is finished with ‘Flaw’ complete with beats that would make the late great Prince proud while firmly rooted with layers of electronic trickery.
Private Selection’s first full length LP comes in blistering form from Santiago Leyba. Recorded in L.A. and his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico, the songs on ‘Western Vices’ are a reaction to some of the bleaker circumstances that exist in these places. Not unlike Santiago’s past work, this music reflects the paranoid and altered states that some people live in as a result of their surroundings. It lies in contrast to escapism and revels in dreadful realities to bring to life a highly rhythmic, woozy and disenchanted collection of tracks. The 12 songs are named after characters, landmarks and phrases associated with L.A. and Albuquerque, acting as reference points for the dialogue of sounds that hold them together. Santiago Leyba has been producing music as a solo artist and in collaborative affairs since 2010. Raised in New Mexico, he currently lives and works in New York City. Leyba has recorded and performed most recently as Santiago (Unknown Precept, Private Selection Records), Western Versions (Pastel Voids), and U.S. Hard (Pastel Voids, Blankstairs).
Soldiers march through the rain and enter the war zone to the sound of Lokier’s dystopian, electrifying body music and acid. Her sound aesthetic perfectly complements that of Pinkman Records, so it was only a matter of time until the Mexico-born, Berlin-based producer joined the label’s roster of artists.
The Hipodrome Of Music 