not waving

VA – Air Texture Vol.7 [AIR007LP]

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Since launching in 2011, James Healy’s Air Texture label and compilation series has become something of an institution within the ambient scene. As with its predecessors, the seventh volume in the series has been jointly compiled by two artists with an existing musical relationship, in this case Rrose and Silent Servant. Their selections are on point, drowsily drifting between academic ambient compositions (see Rrose and James Fei’s “For Bass Clarinet 8.97 (Rrose Version)”, uncomfortable electronic explorations (Ron Morelli, Anthony Child), modular movements (Not Waving), jazz-flecked deep space soundscapes (Luke Slater), horror-influenced throb-jobs (Phase Fatale, June & An-i) and 1990s style ambient electronica (Octa Octa, Function).

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VA – Air Texture Vol.7 [AIR007LP]

Not Waving – Futuro (Music For The Waldorf Project) [ELP040]

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‘Futuro’ is Not Waving’s sublime synth/ambient soundtrack to one of the world’s most intense art/theatre experiences: Sean Rogg’s radical immersive artwork ‘The Waldorf Project’ – fusing choreography, spatial design, music and performance into a cohesive experience.

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Not Waving – Futuro (Music For The Waldorf Project) [ELP040]

VA – Waves Of The Future [MNQ100]

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Mannequin’s 100th – a compilation looking forward featuring an international and serious cast. The modern synthwave scene would be significantly poorer without the keen ear and tireless efforts of the Mannequin label run by Alessandro Adriani. Mannequin continues to go on exploratory missions to find the best and most relevant aspects of genres like acid, industrial, EBM, post-punk, coldwave and still more. Which brings us to Mannequin’s newest project and 100th release overall: the Waves of the Future double LP compilation, which itself is not a conventional retrospective collection. Case in point – none of the artists appearing on this collection have put out their own releases on Mannequin yet, despite acting as Mannequin’s unofficial ambassadors (via DJ sets and other means). This makes the set even more compelling rather than less so, since it shows how Mannequin fits into a larger picture that includes other scene leaders and label owners including Beau Wanzer, Willie Burns, Silent Servant and Ron Morelli.

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VA – Waves Of The Future [MNQ100]

Mannequin announces 10-year compilation for 100th release

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The modern synthwave scene would be significantly poorer without the keen ear and tireless efforts of the Mannequin label run by Alessandro Adriani.  Adriani says it best when claiming that “there is no such thing as ‘old’ or ‘new’ music…only the music of now”. With this cogent statement of intent, Mannequin continues to go on exploratory missions to find the best and most relevant aspects of genres like acid, industrial, EBM, post-punk, coldwave and still more.

Mannequin announces its 10 year anniversary with a compilation of tracks from the labels closest friends for its 100th release, called Waves Of The Future.

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Mannequin announces 10-year compilation for 100th release

Not Wawing – Redacted [ELP023]

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Forever a label willing to revisit previous tape-only wares if the demand is there, Sam Willis and Ale Natalizia’s Ecstatic turn their gaze to one of the latter’s earliest Not Waving documents. Originally issued on highly limited, gold cassette way back in 2012, Redacted was produced during Walls downtime by Natalizia and expanded on the “classified” themes of his Remote Viewing-inspired debut LP Umwelt. Fans of the most recent Diagonal-released Not Waving LP, Animals, should be thrilled to see how far Natalizia’s project has developed in just four years with the prevailing mood on Redacted a sort of murky and brutish EBM that is wholly satisfying.

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Not Wawing – Redacted [ELP023]

Not Waving – Animals [DIAG025]

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In interviews, Alessio Natalazia has freely stated his next album would be “very different” and “very intense”. That album, his first for Powell’s Diagonal stable, has finally arrived, and it’s as ballsy, robust and full-throttle as he promised. While it contains nods to the woozy, shoegaze and ambient influenced soundscapes that have been a feature of his previous full-length excursions, these are well hidden behind clandestine fusions of techno and industrial, surging EBM-influenced workouts, post punk-goes-post rock explorations and atmospheric analogue electronics. For those well versed in his back catalogue, Animals makes for arresting listening.

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Not Waving – Animals [DIAG025]

Not Waving – Get Serious [DIAG026]

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Not Waving aka Alessio Natalizia lands his Diagonal debut in rowdy fashion with this one track 12″ Get Serious, ahead of a full album next year. There’s been a sense of continual shift in sound across all of Natalizia’s work as Not Waving, and he seems increasingly seduced by the idea of making people lose their shit on the dancefloor with this pummelling cut.

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Not Waving – Get Serious [DIAG026]

Not Wawing – Voices [NW004]

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Alessio Natalizia’s Not Waving moniker goes from strength to strength, even since ending his collaboration with Sam Willis in the highly regarded Walls project. Now focusing on the textured, modular workouts and cinematic synth journeys seen on the brilliant two previous albums Umwelt and Human Capabilities, he returns with his most ambitious outing yet. This double LP gathers together all the material Natalizia issued on the cassette series of the same name and is a must for those who like their electronics immersive to the max. From the retro futurism of “Witzelsucht” and “It Needs No Medication” to the brazen industrial attitude of “The Behaviourist Approach” and “Creating Capabilities” there are many moods of his musical identity that he explores here. But for most part its the beauty in the soulful mechanical soundscapes that he creates on this imaginary soundtrack, particularly on “Part of Thought”, “Dangerously Well” and “Negative Reinforcement”.

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Not Wawing – Voices [NW004]

Pye Corner Audio / Not Waving – Intercepts [ELP006LP]

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Intercepts is a split album between Pye Corner Audio and Not Waving. Drawing inspiration from the shadowy world of espionage both producers embark on a voyage of forward thinking yet backwards compatible, cosmic tinged, techno excursions. Pye Corner Audio leads off with ‘Perfect Secrecy Forever’, centering on a progressive, doddering synth pattern paired against muted thuds whereas Not Waving opts for something a little more direct with ‘Protecting The Revolution’ oozing with dark, italo disco vibes owing to it’s dominating, feral arpeggio. The clandestine spirits permeate these eight tracks of dreamlike industrial techno, impressionist synth burbles, fragmented post-modern ambient and cosmic sci-fi adventure.

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Pye Corner Audio / Not Waving – Intercepts [ELP006LP]