O. Xander – From Antartica With Love [US010]

When he made his debut on Nous Disques last year, there was much discussion about whether O.Xander – AKA DJ Rei Ayanami – was actually from Antarctica, as his sparse Soundcloud profile claimed. Either way, he’s decided to roll with the theme on this fine follow-up, From Antarctica With Love. The EP’s five tracks variously touch on icy electro (“Snowspeeder Blues”), windswept acid (“Thru Our Veins”), glacial electronica (“A Perfect Balance”), and clanking, mechanical techno (the deep but metallic “Full Spectrum”). The latter track is also featured in Juniper Dub form, with the Smallville and meandyou duo excelling at combining cut-up melody snippets with rolling, drum machine rhythms.

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O. Xander – From Antartica With Love [US010]

O. Xander – Less Is More [US007]

O Xander’s debut for the Berlin-based Nous imprint is opening with “Lovers Theme” wrapping ghostly chords and woozy, electronic bass around an ’80s electro-influenced deep house groove. The electro influence continues on the drum machine handclap-heavy “Jupiter Jam”, while “Integrity & Intensity” and “Dirac Sea” both sound like the handiwork of Legowelt. Opal Tapes type Karen Gwyer remixes the latter cut, delivering a brilliant fusion of stuttering drum machine rhythms, drifting chords and fizzing electronics.

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O. Xander – Less Is More [US007]