Luxus Varta – Aquamarine Puzzle [SHIP049]

September 28, 2017December 14, 2022 hipodromeelectro, emeric di paolo, luxus varta, paris the black fu, shipwrec records, technoLeave a comment

Aquamarine Puzzle marks a new step in the sound of Luxus Varta. Six paths are etched for this journey into time, space and the machine. A spectrum of sound is allowed to roam, to wander into strange worlds of galvanised synthlines, serrating snares and soulful strings. The 12″ is perfectly balanced, astral melodies countered by crisp and precise rhythms, distant harmonies tethered to absorbing bass. A renewed partnership with machinist in arms Paris The Black FU of Detroit Grand Pubahs is formed for the mechanical dreamscape that is “Globb.” A complex and utterly compelling encounter with the Luxus Varta nebula.

Ekman – Sturm Und Drang [SHIP051]

July 10, 2017December 14, 2022 hipodromeekman, electro, industrial, roel dijcks, shipwrec records, technoLeave a comment

Roel Dijcks, better known as Ekman, is no stranger to Shipwrec. Following his Heimwee EP and Synaptic Feedback Loops comes a two tracker of serious proportions. “Sturm un Drang” gets the ball rolling. A rasping beat cuts into thick bass. A pool of liquified notes shimmers as an isolated world unfolds, a tactile world of arcing strings and clean complexity. If “Sturm un Drang” is a glimpse into an alien realm, “First Mover” is surely the beast that inhabits it. Bulbous bars trudge through a swamp of static, distortion drips from cymbals leaving melodies buried in the marshland.

Hexagon – Counter Utopia [SHIP046]

May 13, 2017November 8, 2022 hipodromeboris bunnik, electro, hexagon, shipwrec records, technoLeave a comment

Boris Bunnik dons his Hexagon scuba gear before diving into electronic abstraction and aquatic electricity. Counter Utopia brings together three works of machine textures. “Cerebral Trauma” is submerged in a simmering liquor of smelted metal, molten melodies bubbling to the surface as ball bearings fizz and rattle. Industrial experimentation undercuts the entire EP. Soulful chords are stretched, contracted and contorted against the clean percussion lines of “Utopia.” Machines echo in the finale. Gears groan against a backdrop of soaring synths and pulsations in the depths of “Paranormal.”

Metamatics – Bodypop EP [SHIP048]

March 2, 2017December 14, 2022 hipodromeelectro, lee norris, metamatics, neo ouija, shipwrec recordsLeave a comment

It seemed like Neo Ouija, a Norfolk based IDM imprint, had closed up shop. Four years of silence suggested that founder Lee Norris, aka Metamatics, had decided to call it a day. But looks can be deceiving. 2016 saw the boss release a CD album of fluid acid, squelching electro and heartfelt electronics. Shipwrec are now bringing four choice cuts from Bodypop to the vinyl faithful. Proudly sitting on the “difficult to define” shelf, Norris seamlessly shifts from frigid winter moods to warming autumnal sunshine. Old-school sounds are rewired, softened by delicate keys and steady beats. Machine music morphs into organic matter. Acid coils, echoed bleeps and clicks grow and blossom into vivid audio vistas with Metamatics, once again, proving his musical mastery.

Plant43 – Grid Connection [SHIP044]

January 26, 2017December 6, 2021 hipodromeelectro, emile facey, plant43, shipwrec records, technoLeave a comment

PLANT43 - Grid Connection

Emile Facey aka Plant43 is back on terra Shipwrec. On skeletal rhythm supports strings and bass intertwine, link and disappear. Facey performs audio alchemy, transforming cold chords into organic warmth, transfiguring electrical impulses into palpable emotion. Frigid currents flow through bright bars, ephemeral percussion snap at heels of soaring keys as Plant 43 draws you deeper and deeper into the bare and beautiful brilliance of Grid Connection.

Composite Profuse – Unalaska Ice Files [SHIP039]

October 11, 2016January 19, 2022 hipodromecomposite profuse, electro, heinrich dressel, shipwrec records, teslasonic, the exaltics, valerio lombardozziLeave a comment

COMPOSITE PROFUSE - Unalaska Ice Files

Composite Profuse, aka Valerio Lombardozzi aka Heinrich Dressel, breaks radio silence after seven years in the shadows. Cold winds curl and otherworldly atmospheres abound for Unalaska Ice Files. Arctic tundra and ice are the inspiration, frozen vistas dappled with warming light, subtle shifts and sinister shades. Teslasonic take on the title track, injecting electrical pulses and an underhanded edge. Shipwrec stalwart, Robert Witschakowski aka The Exaltics, gives his own icicle encrusted interpretation, one of stark percussion and expansive horizons.

214 – I See What You Did There [SSPS003]

June 21, 2016December 14, 2022 hipodrome214, chris roman, electro, house, shipwrec records, technoLeave a comment

Following his acclaimed North Bend album of 2015, Chris Roman, known as 214, is back on Shipwrec with the third in their series of single sided odysseys. A haze of bass descends for “I See What You Did There”, a clipped drizzle of percussion falls before thick acid bars tremble into position. Echoes, reverb and decay merge, groan and bend as the preconceptions of ambient, electro and techno are pulled apart. In one breath dense and complex, the next grooving and future funk dipped. An epic example of 214’s talent. Single sided 12″ with a silkscreen printed B side.

Versalife – Singularity EP [SHIP034]

May 20, 2016November 8, 2022 hipodromeboris bunnik, electro, shipwrec records, techno, versalifeLeave a comment

It’s fair to say that Boris Bunnik has made an impact in his short career. In less than a decade this dutch man, under monikers like Conforce and Versalife, has scaled Electro and Techno with subtle ambient touches and IDM echoes. And that’s exactly what he’s doing for the Singularity EP. Lush pads and flowing bars punctuated by crisp percussion, “Shine Eye” sets the scene. “Autobots” adopts those same brittle beats, this time using them to send dreaming strings skyward. Northern winds swirl around the colder chords of “MILnet”, chords that dawn into absorbing swirls of “Transgenics.” Masterful machine music.

Umwelt – State Of Matter [SHPRMX1]

April 27, 2016October 17, 2022 hipodromeacid, ekman, electro, eomac, shipwrec records, techno, the exaltics, umweltLeave a comment

Shipwrec rolls out its new remix series with a serious slab of electro red meat. The main course is served by a machine music master, Umwelt. And what else would the serving be but the rawest of electro, coarsened by surging acid and slicing snares. Accompanying the original are a triumvirate of talent: Ekman, The Exaltics and Eomac.

Telkhin – Poseidon Wave EP [SHIP033]

April 16, 2016December 14, 2022 hipodromedetroit, electro, shipwrec records, telkhinLeave a comment

From the depths of the dark net come Telkhin, the latest addition to the Shipwrec roster. The Argentine project is debuting on vinyl with five tracks of off-world electronics. The chilling atmospherics of “Body Container” meet the needle before an electro iciness takes hold. Spiking snares and echoed radiowaves orbit the moody “Walk In”, that same frosted futurism central to “Level Above Human”. Telkhin melts man and machine, giving the computer age a humanoid form. Processors whirr in the bassy bleeps and residues of “Brithomber” before the final statement. Leaving the human world behind “Flight 19” is a fast and future funk driven piece of 2050 music.

Lost Trax – Flatliner [SHIP038]

March 31, 2016December 14, 2022 hipodromeacid, electro, lost trax, shipwrec records, technoLeave a comment

Lost Trax embody the idea of underground techno. The shadowy group, members unknown, began their music careers over 20 years ago. Output may be low, but quality is high; the style being no compromise techno brilliance. And that’s what’s on show here. Kick drums and squirming acid bars are at the core of “Faith”, a track where soaring strings shift and reshape. The chiselled claps and barbed bass of “Flatliner” follows, taking its cue from the heyday of Detroit. A watery world of analogue abstraction greets the listener on the flip, “Lost” being an atmospheric journey into to the squelching swamps of the TB303. Sniping beats introduce the lush tones of “Renderer.” Blurring the lines of electro and techno the track is an elegant end to an EP of deep and dense layers.

Galaxian X Stingray313 – NU-1000 [SHIP036]

March 23, 2016August 19, 2022 hipodromeelectro, galaxian, mark kastner, sherard ingram, shipwrec records, stingray313, technoLeave a comment

An Atlantic crossover brings together Detroit’s Stingray313 and Glasgow’s Galaxian for a very special 12″. More collaboration than split, the EP sees each artist fly solo as well as combining their admirable analogue abilities. Pressures are high from the outset, Galaxian twists and teases patterns in the reverbing reverence of “Storm Coming.” BPMs surge as the two merge for the cold “NU-1000.” Lilting notes ghost between rasping rhythms. And it is around such racing drums that warmth flows, as in the meandering softness of “Graphene.” Beats don’t abate as Stingray takes the helm for the blistering bass of “Dopant.”

The Exaltics – The Girl & The Chameleon [SHIPLP004]

January 22, 2016October 17, 2022 hipodromeacid, album, electro, robert witschakowski, shipwrec records, techno, the exalticsLeave a comment

“The Girl and the Chameleon” will probably fall under the genre tags of acid, electro and techno but it is so much more. Robert Witschkowski has been responsible for exemplary electronics throughout his career and this latest is undeniably some of his best. The album sees The Exaltics don a dust mask. Warehouse parties, strobe lights and fog machines and the 90s underground acid scene are definite influences. But there’s more. Across thirteen tracks and two slabs of wax the Jena artist takes you on a journey into his world. Gnarled and clinical grooves, caustic 303 encounters, depraved dancefloor destroyers and soothing machine music. A sonic trek through tough and taut textures with touches of tenderness. An album that shows a depth of ability, an enviable talent and a knowledge of how to break floorboards.

Random XS – The Return [SHIP032]

December 21, 2015December 14, 2022 hipodromeacid house, binaural, lost trax, random xs, shipwrec records, technoLeave a comment

Here’s something of a surprise treat for techno fans: a first 12″ in 20 years from legendary Dutch acid techno combo Random XS. The two tracks featured were originally recorded, but never released, in the ’90s, and have been brought back to life by Random XS in collaboration with other producers. “Errant”, which was co-produced by fellow Djax-Up Beats graduate Binaural, is a spacey affair, with undulating acid lines working in tandem with woozy chords, bubbling electronic melodies and clattering analogue percussion. Lost Trax lends a hand on flipside cut “Truant”, which explores deeper techno territory via relentless rhythms, percussive builds, darkly ambient chords and deep space electronics.

Delta Funktionen – A New Planet [SSPS2]

December 15, 2015December 14, 2022 hipodromeacid, delta funktionen, electro, niels luinenburg, shipwrec records, technoLeave a comment

2015 looks to be Delta Funktionen’s year. Following the terrifically dark and deep Wasteland series comes “A New Planet”. Cruel acid chords and mean percussion piercing through the fog. “A New Planet” is of that same sinister ilk. A cold electro beat is the bedrock from which a corrupting and corrosive 303 coil grows. But even with this caustic foundation, moments of salvation are to be found. A second techno moon dawns midway, frostier percussion giving way to warmer rhythms. Full and flowing bars fall and rise behind the squawk, allowing a new and brighter element to bloom. A track that is at once atmospheric and club centric from an artist at the top of his game.

Silent Harbour – Hinterland [DSCLP001]

November 22, 2015November 8, 2022 hipodromealbum, ambient techno, boris bunnik, deep sound channel, deep techno, shipwrec records, silent harbourLeave a comment

Once again the dutchman from the north Boris Bunnik (who actually resides in Rotterdam now, but that aside) is showcasing his magic fingers, this time on Shipwrec’s deep techno offshoot Deep Sound Channel. ‘Hinterland’ is a topnotch ice-cold but heartwarming submarine electro/techno album with distant hints of IDM, in other words the perfect soundtrack for the long midwinter nights to come.

Ekman – Synaptic Feedback Loops [SHIP031]

October 26, 2015December 14, 2022 hipodromeacid, ekman, electro, roel dijcks, shipwrec records, technoLeave a comment

Nijmegen electro imprint Shipwrec shows us how its done yet again, with Roel Dijcks aka Ekman keeping the Dutch west coast spirit alive with 4 dramatic and haunting acid voodoo tracks certain to draw a new generation to the beauty of the dark side.. “Autapse” begins proceedings in haunting fashion; spooky church organs provide the backdrop for an epic, soaring acid lead while “Uncertainty Principle” is sub-aquatic, Drexciyan electro for freaks. On the flip is the title track; keeping on like before but with a four to the floor beat for added dancefloor dynamics. Finally “Antinomy” delves into deeper terrain; its razor sharp and morphing synth line leading you further into the darkness of the abyss.

Dez Williams – Sleight Of Hand [SHIP028]

October 2, 2015December 14, 2022 hipodromedetroit techno, dez williams, electro, shipwrec recordsLeave a comment

Killler techno/electro hybrids by longtime electronic UK warrior Dez Williams, bringing five deep yet merciless pieces of mutant electrofunk and under-the-radar hypno techno. Exceptional dj tool and again a very strong ep on the mighty Shipwrec label.

214 – North Bend [SHIPLP003]

July 13, 2015December 14, 2022 hipodrome214, album, chris roman, electro, frustrated funk, kenneth roman, shipwrec recordsLeave a comment

Cultured Dutch label Shipwrec is to team up with Frustrated Funk to release ”North Bend”, a new album by 214 aka Chris Roman. The album features atmospheric techno ambient with scattered beats, lush electro that is filled with true electronic soul and cosmic soundscapes that come from another world. This album is furthering Roman’s own signature sound as well as a new and subtly evolved brand of electro that builds on a rich history of electronica. It’s another fine statement that reminds us just why Roman, the Frustrated Funk and Shipwrec families, are such puristic minds that push music from the heart.

Mohlao – Neurowaves [DSC007]

March 15, 2015December 14, 2022 hipodromedeep sound channel, dub techno, mohlao, samuel van dijk, shipwrec recordsLeave a comment

Dutch producer Mohlao is next up on Shipwrec offshoot Deep Sound Channel with a four track EP that showcases his specialist dub techno style. This four track EP kicks off with ‘Cladistic Mutation’, a sparse underwater soundtrack with only the gentlest suggestion of rhythm, lots of reverb and tiny little details that float by like micro-bacterial debris. ‘M2’ is a more beat driven dub track but is still way below the surface: the kicks are smooth and hunched over, the chords are smeared out in all directions and the atmosphere is lo-fi and grainy. On the flip, ‘Grain’ gets even more energetic, with firm techno kick drums setting a stern tempo as all sorts of aqueous details and spacious effects pepper the groove. ‘Neurowaves’ closes things down in blissfully dubbed out and horizontal fashion, with large sweeping pads, tweaked filters and evocative little details all placing you firmly under water.