Lobster Theremin debut yet another young Berlin talent in the form of the electro and new wave future-son Privacy. Drawing on a rich heritage of Detroit and Dutch staggered soundworks and beat engineering, Privacy’s debut is a spectral reminder of the power of the swung beat with roaring synthesizer mechanics and industrial leanings all present and correct.
The increasingly impressive Lobster Theremin label seems to be developing close ties to Hungary’s emerging electronic music scene. Having previously released a superb EP from Budapest-based Imre Kiss, they’ve now turned to one of the country’s more established names, S. Olbricht (an alias of producer Martin Mikolai). There’s much to admire on this intoxicating four-tracker, from the alien electonics and hustling drums of leftfield techno opener “Fi”, to the crackling, off-kilter rhythms and ghostly chords of “RPSTS”. Elsewhere, Mikolai demonstrates his deep house nous on the warming “IIX1”, and fuses twinkling melodies, creepy chords and a throbbing low-end groove on the similarly impressive “Veuns”.
The second Lobster Theremin white label comes from the mysterious Australian producer, Daze. Making his release debut with four original tracks, Daze covers varying strains of tough melodic house, ferocious acid and old school breakbeat, taking us on an experiential journey into the heart of British rave culture via Detroit-influenced electro and rough and ready tape jams.
Lobster Theremin release the vinyl debut of yet another artist in the form of Budapest cosmic explorer Imre Kiss. The ‘Raw Energy EP’ sees Imre on schizoid form, shifting from drugged-out proto-ambient works such as ‘Stellar 0102’ and the super-slo house jams of ‘Spellbound’ and ‘Belief’, to the Hague-inspired ‘Non’ and a rip-roaring arpeggio-driven techno epic on ‘Raw Energy (ARPOS Session)’.
Detroit young gun Rawaat finally steps up with his debut vinyl release for Lobster Theremin. Five journeyed tracks at the overlap between ambient, house, techno and beats with a good dose of left-field, tape-saturated aesthetic and a Huerco S. remix. Classic rave tropes, early Warp influences and psychedelic ambient composition elements are all throw into the pan. This is a wildly varied and startlingly accomplished EP.
Budapest producer Route 8 follows up his exceptional debut EP for Nous with an excursion into the depths of his private production world on ‘Dry Thoughts EP’. Hazy summer pads drift over tight, rhythmic drum patterns and crystal synth lines with skittering rhythms and jacking interludes providing a further study into his analogue, machine-led style.
Steve Murphy turns in a rough and raw four-tracker featuring the blazing piano cut ‘Eyes Behind The Door’ knocking knees with deep house/techno banger ‘Relax’ on the A-side. The B-side sees Steve operate on two different levels – ‘Tram’ takes a very Shari Vari-esque drum beat and loads it with a buzzing electro synth-line and shattered hat explosions, while ‘Try It’ plunges the depths of the soul on a seriously trippy deep house excursion.
Berlin-based producer Palms Trax offers up the inaugural release for new imprint Lobster Theremin with three slices of Detroit and Chicago-inspired house. Palms Trax and label chief Jimmy Asquith first met at London club night Streets Of Beige, forming a partnership based on a shared affinity for vintage US sounds, analogue workouts, and rough-edged intersections of house and techno. What began as an experiment in pad-driven Detroit workouts soon became Palms Trax’ calling card, the young producer building valve-heated, dust-treated slabs of house in his home studio, shot through with melodic synths and smooth, undulating drum patterns. Cheeky, groove-heavy “Late Jam”, referencing the randier sides of Miami boogie and glitter funk, “Equation”, an original Detroit cut, and “Houses In Motion”, a percussive, balearic-tinged jam, comprise the EP’s three original tracks. Willie Burns turns in a spacey remix of the EP’s opener that hits like an early 80’s drum jam, flipping between off-kilter, warped synths and stripped-down, hammering Chicago house.
The Hipodrome Of Music 