ESHU Records hits release number ten with a new EP. ‘Fraktur’ features six tracks of stripped back house and techno that are all atmospheric and heady. Opener ‘Winter Track’ is a smooth and rolling dub techno number that is grainy and economical yet hugely absorbing thanks to its circling synth details and woody drums. ‘Creating Moods’ is even more expansive and spacious, with gently swirling pads enveloping a soft, broken rubber kick drum. The title track is another expertly distilled, dry and heady groove with its frayed edges and warm analogue feel, then ‘Hello’ really flips the script with over driven Jeff Mills kicks and intergalactic synths bring a spooky sci-fi feel to proceedings. ‘Yorubaland’ is then a cosmic ambient interlude with fax tones bleeping and blipping as lazy pads smear out in the background and last of all ‘Core’ comes on strong with more quick and slick intergalactic techno carrying you off to some distant planet.
eshu records
Ben Buitendijk / Tom Liem – Split 01 EP [ESHU009]
Dutch collaborative label ESHU Records is back with more inventive techno, this time from Tom Liem and Ben Buitendijk on their ‘Split 01 EP’. Opener ‘Equilibrium Two’ from Buitendijk is a perfectly streamlined and serene bit of spaced out, hypnotic techno. Gentle synth pulses roam about the airwaves, left and right, up and down, as ethereal pads glow behind. It’s heady dancing music, whilst Liem’s ‘Contact’ is also perfectly aimed at both head and heel. It is full of lick synth pulses that bubble and boil as watery droplets and ticking hits also colour the most subliminal groove. Closer ‘This Is All You Need’ is a more textured, frazzled cut with frosty lines and rickety pads working you into a trance. Rich drums and clever bass filtration add dynamics and tension and so like everything else here the end result is hugely captivating.
SYS – Bad Signal EP [ESHU008]
After a short period of contemplation ESHU Records is back with fresh beats from their kindred spirits: SYS, they return to their native record label with another quality release from Nijmegen NL. Analog, deep and distorted cuts to be found in this package, warehouse and space material.
J&L – Ramayana Chant EP [ESHU007]
ESHU Records with the seventh release. Debut by Dutch new techno act J&L including a great remix by Abdulla Rashim.
Eshu – Chlore EP [ESHU006]
The ESHU label waste little time in matching their 2013 output, issuing a sixth 12″ that sees Roger Gerressen, Jocelyn Abell, Daniel Lekatompessy and Ivano Tetelepta working together under the titular banner across four tracks. Taking a particularly Millsian approach to proceedings, there’s a sense of focus demonstrated that hints the Eshu collective is only getting stronger. The mood varies too with the A Side split evenly between the stripped back and alien on “Cesium” and the creeping and hypnotic “Sulfur” whilst on the flip “Mercury” is one track you could imagine the likes of Dettmann or Rodhad pulling for. The title track closes out the EP on a more downbeat note, with crawling textures offering the minimal amount of forward momentum amidst a foggy coating of static.
VA – Elements EP [ESHU005]
ESHU Records returns with another various artists EP. 4 tracks by Aepiel, Hakimonu, Albert van Abbe & Counterpart, ranging from ambient to more straight forward techno.
Eshu – Timeless EP [ESHU003]
The Eshu people return on their own imprint with the ‘Timeless ep’, a trippy and funky techno release for the after hours. The A-side gives us MM, a 10 minute long funk experience full of summery vibes. A slowbuilding beat gently moves on while beautiful chords start to grow and evolve out of nothing. The ‘Echologist Dub’ by Brendon Moeller takes the original and adds some thought out drum patterns, lush chord stabs and tight percussion. ‘Timeless’ is all about getting in the right mood. All it takes is a steady beat, some sharp hats and a couple of hypnotic layered tones and chords to do the work, this is one is for the afterhours.
VA – Pallette EP [ESHU002]
ESHU Records returns with a 4 track EP that shows the many sides of the techno spectrum ESHU Records admires. An excellent selection with tracks from Mattias Fridell, Tomas Rubeck, Myles Sergé and Imugem Orihasam. Smoking techno tracks with influences from Detroit techno, dubby Berlin sounds and more straight forward club bangers.