Piero Umiliani – L’uomo elettronico [FLIES50]

UMILIANI, Piero - L'uomo Elettronico: Cosmic Electronic Environments from an Italian Synth Music Maestro 1972-1983

Four Flies Records continues to explore the vast archives of synthesizer-loving cult Italian composer Piero Umiliani. This fine compilation focuses on the more cosmic and intergalactic side of his electronic work, drawing together a mixture of classic cuts, overlooked gems and previously unreleased material recorded between 1972 and ’83. There’s plenty of highlights to be found amongst the 16 tracks on show, with our picks including the echoing melodic motifs, spacey flourishes and chugging low-end of ‘Soundmaker Blues’, the deep space creepiness of ‘Fruitori’, the intergalactic minimalism of ‘Batticuori’, the Cold War-era spookiness of ‘Apocalisse Atomica’, and the gently funky ‘Eliogabulous’.

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Piero Umiliani – L’uomo elettronico [FLIES50]

VA – A Call Too Close

A Call Too Close is a digital compilation released by brokntoys to raise funds for Tottenham food banks. Music from Aldrich, Alex Jann, Barking, Constructive nature, Das Muster, Dez Williams, Eduardo, Isolated Material, Jauzas the Shining, Marco Bernardi, Poperttelli, Rings Around Saturn, Rugon, Sam Lowry, The Jaffa Kid, Timothy J. Fairplay and XY0815. All profit from the release will be donated in equal parts to the Selby Food Hub and Tottenham Food Bank.

VA – A Call Too Close

CV Vision – Tropical [SONLP005]

You could think of the collection of tracks here as a library record of sorts, and each track inhabits its own universe. Tropical fits various moods and situations, and it could soundtrack any number of activities at home or on a dancefloor – whether real, imaginary, or hallucinated. Strangely enough, it sounds like it could have been constructed from obscure Italian library breaks, when instead every instrument has been played and panned, several times over, across magnetic tape. The genesis of many of these tracks began when CV Vision moved to Berlin in 2014. His flat had a small chamber where he could fit a drum set, so he treated the walls with foam, and in true DIY style, dived headfirst into recording these tracks. It was the natural next step on an audio adventure that first began when CV Vision picked up the guitar in his teens, and a couple years later started recording with friends in his home town of Bayreuth. Fast forward ten years and here is his debut – a culmination of practising chops and learning instruments, mastering recording techniques and fine-tuning the CV Vision sound. It’s a sound that condenses elements of acid rock, psych soul, library funk and new wave oddities into a movie soundtrack for your mind. It’s a journey from ‘60s west coast LSD-drenched excursions to ‘80s synth and post-punk mutations. Tropical is a plunge into another time, another music you can simply swim around in and explore.

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CV Vision – Tropical [SONLP005]

Alina Kalancea – Impedance [IMPREC491]

KALANCEA, Alina - Impedance

Alina Kalancea’s Impedance is an entirely instrumental album spanning four sides, contains powerful rhythmic sequences, heart-beating frequencies and hypnotic loops that are paradoxically encapsulated in carefully crafted compositions which are full of secret passages and hidden doors. Kalancea’s work creates ungraspable sonic experiences, which overtakes you, immersing its listeners in powerful and mind-altering soundscapes. There’s no quick payoff on Impedance. This is the sound of new, patient electronic music, full of depth and substance. Alina Kalancea is a Romanian sound artist and composer based in Modena, Italy. She has studied sound design and synthesis with Enrico Cossimi and collaborated with producer Alex Gamez, and artists Julia Kent and Raven Bush.

vinyl / CD

Alina Kalancea – Impedance [IMPREC491]

Wolfgang Voigt – Rückverzauberung Exhibition [AI-22]

Long-time AI associate Wolfgang Voigt returns to the London label with his newalbum – Rückverzauberung Exhibition. The Exhibition reimagines the concept with renewed purpose, opening the gates to deliver an arresting 60-minute journey into the underworld. Dense soundscapes mutate with alchemic fluidity, unravelling with vast symphonic counterpoints and synesthetic textures. Intoxicating in its Mephistolean dissonances and ambitious sonic structure, the sprawling ”Rückverzauberung” itself becomes a nebulous organism shrouded in the seeping mist of the unknown.

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Wolfgang Voigt – Rückverzauberung Exhibition [AI-22]

Transient Visitor – TV1 [SUBEX00024]

TRANSIENT VISITOR - TV1

Transient Visitor are Alex Cargill and Martin Jensen. Formed in March 2020 when most of Europe was deep in lockdown due to Covid-19, Alex and Martin decided that the music should still flow, thus forming Transient Visitor and setting out on a mission to record a collaborative album together-apart in Kent, UK, and Luxembourg on the continent. TV1 is the first instalment from this process. Eight tracks unlocked and now being released into an uncertain world in the humble hope that it might help bring smiles to ears. TV1 is dedicated to Ray Cargill (1951-2020), Alex’s father who sadly fell victim to Covid-19 and passed away earlier in the year.

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Transient Visitor – TV1 [SUBEX00024]

Ultramarine – Folk [FMOAW001]

ULTRAMARINE - Folk

For their first outing, new London-based reissue label Foam On A Wave resurface the remarkable debut album from one of the UK’s foremost artists of ‘ambient techno’, Ultramarine’s ‘Folk’. Like the surrealist collage of the sleeve designed by Benoît Hennebert, Ultramarine weave together unique instrumentation and sonic influences into rich, ethereal soundscapes, now fully remastered for its 30th anniversary. Conceived at a time when technology began reshaping the process of recording and production, the band’s interest in fusing the organic and the electronic is apparent, and one that has remained with them throughout their career. ‘Folk’ both sits apart from and serves as a precursor to the ‘pastoral techno’ sound Ultramarine went on to pioneer.

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Ultramarine – Folk [FMOAW001]

VA – Dalmata Daniel x EXILES x Farbwechsel [DDC03/FARB037][FREE DOWNLOAD]

After a heavy year that shocked the music scene all over the world, three fellow labels, Dalmata Daniel, EXILES and Farbwechsel joined forces to kick off 2021 with a massive 43-track compilation album. Contributed by 12z, Adam Krasz, AGA2L, A I W A, Alley Catss, Alpár, Carla Under Water – Máté Tulipán, CT Kidobó, David Harleydson, Dj Faktor X, FOR., Grabosky, ICR, Imre Kiss, J. Mono, Jeremiah Soft, Kobanya3000, Kokum, LAU, MA’AM, Maks, Marcibagoly, Max Sinclair, Mike Nylons, Microbeat, n o a h s t a s, Nemerov, Normal Tamas, Norwell, obwigszyh, OOO, Palmovka, Panoramic Barrier, Prince Matt, qvirk, ritual abuse, Roh Yugen, S Olbricht, Saint Leidal The 2nd, Sematic4, SILF, Sipowicz, SVR101, Tsering, Új Bála, Új Látásmód Fúzió, Wedding Acid Group This bold selection of contemporary Hungarian electronic music producers represents the three labels’ roster, including their core members and latest signings, alongside with other crews’ members and independent artists. The compilation ranges from experimental and ambient compositions across industrial, electro and acid bangers through the current techno sound of Budapest.
The compilation is available for download as name-your-price on bandcamp.

VA – Dalmata Daniel x EXILES x Farbwechsel [DDC03/FARB037][FREE DOWNLOAD]

Mantris – Souvenirs From Imaginary Cities [SFIC001]

MANTRIS - Souvenirs From Imaginary Cities

It has been almost 30 years since Mantris, real name Dirk Eggermont, shared music with the world. A driving force of pioneering Belgian house outfits The Black Sun and Brown Hardware Inc, Mantris  had a productive music career forecasted, but he vanished into thin air and no more music was ever heard of him. Mantris is now transmitting again from his small apartment in Bombay, India. Completely insulated from hypes and scenes, these 10 rich, phantasy provoking cinematic jams are the inauguration for the Souvernirs From Imaginay Cities label, started by Kong DJ and Hill Men.

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Mantris – Souvenirs From Imaginary Cities [SFIC001]

Amandra x Mattheis – Lettre Ouverte [NOUSLP005]

AMANDRA/MATTHEIS - Lettre Ouverte

Two artists who have carved out their own niche in todays techno universe join forces for their first collaborative full length. Ten tracks across two vinyls demonstrate the unique synergy between these two friends. In their collaboration they each focus on their own expertise, combining best of both worlds. Amandra on drums and Mattheis on synths – creating overlapping, constantly shifting patterns, like an endlessly captivating moire effect as result.

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Amandra x Mattheis – Lettre Ouverte [NOUSLP005]

Biosphere – Angel’s Flight [WHYT037]

BIOSPHERE - Angel's Flight

Angel’s Flight is the new album from highly-acclaimed producer and composer Biosphere. It features twelve tracks based on Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 14 that deftly tread the peripheries of classical and electronic composition. Much of the music was initially composed for Uncoordinated Dog, a dance production by the Ingun Bjørnsgaard Prosjekt in 2019 that explored the personal, the ambiguous, exposure and beauty – which gives you a sense of what the album holds.

vinyl / CD

Biosphere – Angel’s Flight [WHYT037]

Anatolian Weapons / Linja – Split EP [SRNDS002]

ANATOLIAN WEAPONS/LINJA - Split EP

The second release by Serenades features a magical adventure created by two talented artists from Russia and Greece. Believe it or not, with LINJA’s beckoning modular foghorn, you will find yourself in a desert heading towards the ancient lighthouse castle, while Anatolian Weapons is helping you walk through the vast sand dunes with his electrical mantras and spells.

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Anatolian Weapons / Linja – Split EP [SRNDS002]

Baruch Williamson – Sagittarius A*

Baruch Williamson is the alter ego of Boris Willems, a Belgian artist member of a string of psychedelic rock acts like Aavon Durckheim, cosmic super weirdo, Hugs of the Sky and The Insect Soldiers Of The Sky. In 2019 he started to release a more electronic, experimental sound. ‘Sagittarius A*’ is his second album as Baruch Williamson (both release in 2020) and is inspired by metaphysical themes, a fierce experiment in pop composition and mixing. The album it’s released digitally by Wagonmaniac and on CD by Dream Museum Records.

Continue reading “Baruch Williamson – Sagittarius A*”

Baruch Williamson – Sagittarius A*

Smackos – Eden In A Sea Of Misery [NW027] FREE DOWNLOAD

Danny Wolfers striking another album at the Northsea Institute For The Overmind. This time is coming under the Smackos alias, providing a 11 track album free to download / name your price on his bandcamp.

Smackos – Eden In A Sea Of Misery [NW027] FREE DOWNLOAD

Don’t DJ & NWAQ – Fashion [MEA033]

DON'T DJ/NWAQ - Fashion

Ahead of the Meakusma Festival 2019, Don’t DJ and NWAQ did an artist residency developing new music together from scratch. Their resulting performance at the festival was a mesmerizing descent into the artistic perspectives of two singular artists active in off-kilter club music. Some of the eight tracks on this record were recorded live at the festival while others were recorded during the residency. All dwell in distorted and eccentric bliss and play around with rhythmic arrhythmic and post-rhythmic tension. There is happiness in dystopia although the subtle yet intense layering in the music hints at undercurrents that are far from bright. The joyousness of this record lies in the notable excitement Don’t DJ and NWAQ experience fusing their modi operandi coming up with a music that shines and distorts. As massive blocks of sound alternate with subtler disorienting parts repetitive vocals create an air of disparate acceptance. It uses club music’s template and pushes on.

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Don’t DJ & NWAQ – Fashion [MEA033]

Il Quadro Di Troisi – Il Quadro Di Troisi [R-M190-2]

IL QUADRO DI TROISI - Il Quadro Di Troisi

Raster presents Il Quadro di Trois, a project by Andrea Noce (Eva Geist) and Donato Scaramuzzi (Donato Dozzy). The record is a colorful ode of an Italian scented vision, overflowing of details and profound intensity. The contemporary world condition, the pandemic in Italy and around the world define ‘Il Quadro di Trois’ as a unique and right-on-time release. This record is a enigmatic collaboration between the two Italian natives Andrea Noce and Donato Scaramuzzi. Andrea Noce takes lead on the vocals, with Donato Scaramuzzi carving the dreamlike soundscapes of the record. The record was born with a correspondence between the two artists about the late actor and director Massimo Troisi, and this exchange soon became an inspirational source of identification. Andrea Noce’s lyrics are sensitive and multi-faceted, they perfectly cling to the musical phrases and flow like a filmic monologue from the oeuvre of that very Troisi. In a highly creative and confident manner, entire decades of national music history are comprehended and transformed into the here and now. The record takes its cue from the italo-disco, synth pop tradition corroborated by the contribution of artists such as the legendary Twilight Music co-founder, Paolo Micioni, as well as Stefano Di Trapani who wrote ‘L’ipotes’. With’Il Quadro di Trois’, Noce and Scaramuzzi prove their eclecticism, and passion for their home country.

vinyl / CD

Il Quadro Di Troisi – Il Quadro Di Troisi [R-M190-2]