Igaxx – New Lights LP [ISLE-023]

12th Isle return to familiar downtempo, club-adjacent ambient and analogue house stylings with eight tracks from Japan’s sprawling metropolis. Tokyo based producer Igaxx lands on the label with his debut full length album. Influenced by leftfield electronic music from the 1990s such as releases on Elektrolux and Rising High, Igaxx (Shota Ikawa) works with multi-tracked hardware synthesizers manufactured throughout the 1990s and 2000s, embracing subtle variations and unexpected moments that emerge through performance. Allowing chance and unpredictability to become an integral part of the music, Ikawa’s process and sound design also speaks to the lighter side of vintage UK labels such as Irdial and Radioactive Lamb or the psychedelia-infused touch of the West Coast scene in the states. New Lights exists somewhere between the dancefloor and music for focused listening, carrying a sense of weightlessness and a quiet sense of humour, balancing immersive sonic environments and moments of sly unexpected detail and improvisation.

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Igaxx – New Lights LP [ISLE-023]

VA – The Jazz Avengers [VP010]

When you hear what Bryan Hervieu, the mastermind behind Vibes And Pepper Records, has assembled on the Jazz Avengers EP, you’ll surely be impressed. Igaxx and DJ Dreamboy start with sophisticated and elegant house tracks. Jarren continues with ethereal synth lines and analog drum sounds that evoke a late-night atmosphere. Hanna delivers one of his best tracks to date, “Prayin’”, which is both breezy and driving, with a touch of unique melancholy. Finally, Brazilian producer Zopelar concludes the EP with raw drums and deep chords, rounding off an irresistible collection.

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VA – The Jazz Avengers [VP010]