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Legendary Los Hermanos member Santiago Salazar's album 'Aspirations For Young Xol' is given a vinyl release courtesy of Rekids.

A heartfelt dedication to his son Isaias, 'Aspirations for Young Xol' takes us through the life of a pillar in the electronic music community - Santiago Salazar. From his formative years spent in California to his connection with Detroit and the passing of a childhood friend, the long-player's tracks signpost the musician's significant experiences, both positive and negative. This meaningful body of work was released digitally on Pastel Voids and now Rekids release the album on wax.

'Saturated Fear' sets a deep tone for the LP, flanging melodies and echoing claps float through the composition before the album's title track 'Aspirations for Young Xol' offers haunting arpeggios with occasional acidic overtones which are cleverly offset by beautifully designed lead synth transitions. 'Bloodlines' follows a similar musical vein with delayed bass riffs that are suspended above shimmering hihats and a weighted kick.

Santiago provides three beatless pieces throughout, which digress into more emotional territory whilst offering brief respite from his heavier drum work. 'Xol's Pain' combines orchestral strings and swelling synthesisers which build tension with a subtly complex, evolving motif. Both 'Dark Matter' and 'Ode to Stinson' use arresting atmospheres, warped arpeggios and ethereal pads which lull the listener into a retrospective mood.

An intensity builds in the later tracks, a gritty but powerful low end provides a solid foundation in 'Orange Blossom Thump', eventually making way for a hectic and elastic lead synth before 'Pachuco Dub' displays drones that build a dissonant pressure in which the complex tom rhythms and rolling hi hats can grow. 'Sarah Rivera' hypnotises with its delectable chord progressions and complimentary melodies which seem to float above a rigid drum composition to close the album with style.

Anthone and Katsunori Sawa team up again under their BOKEH alias delivering a 12" single on The Weevil Neighbourhood.

On A side "Lancashire", BOKEH explore the realms of Drum & Bass tempo challenging the how-low-can-you-go with extremely deep subs while "Fast Fiver" on the B side doubles up on your regular 4/4 while on a heavy dub chord's leash.

The release comes on black vinyl. The center label artwork is done by Lee Noble (No Kings Records/ Bathetic).

It´s quite some years after Starburst , the first record on Internasjonal the japanese duo Traks Boys, consisting of Kawasaki based producers and Djs Crystal and K404 did for us. But a short 7 Years down the road the magic is still there. "Be With you" and "Weekend Lights" are mesmerizing, sparkling with creativity and beauty. "Be With you" is modern disco cut up of the finest while Weekend Lights is a hypnotic stringinfected warm groover that we can´t get enough of. Finally Weekend (Light) Lover and Friend of the House Axel Boman takes it all home in the biggest of ways.
Reduced with care and then build up again to one the neatest breaks that we heard this year.

- Chris Difford's place in the pantheon of great English songwriters is assured - surely nearly everyone can sing along to at
least one Squeeze song.
- So in anticipation of the new Squeeze album The Knowledge' (and extensiveUK and US tours this autumn), and following
Chris's autobiography and demos album as well as Edsel's CD box set of Difford's three solo albums (I DIDN'T GET WHERE
I AM (2002), THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIS (2008) and CASHMERE IF YOU CAN (2011)), we now present all three albums on vinyl, with outer and inner sleeves, gathered together in a handsome rigid slipcase.
- Of these only the first album has appeared briefly on LP before - The Last Temptation...' and Cashmere...' make their
vinyl debuts.
- The inner sleeves feature all thealbum lyrics, track-by-track sleevenotes and brand new notes by Chris about the writing
and recording of each album.

Rauch is a sonic interpretation of the work of photographer Friederike von Rauch, composed collaboratively by Berlin-based producers Felix K, Marcel Dettmann, Sa Pa and Simon Hoffmann. Arranged and mixed by Marcel Dettmann, the recording stands in dialogue with von Rauch's architectural images of post-World War II European monasteries, including La Tourette by Le Corbusier and Iannis Xenakis near Lyon, Roosenberg Abbey near Ghent and Maria Regina Martyrum in Berlin. The images were first exhibited together with the music on this LP as part
of an installation for von Rauch's solo show insgeheim ('in secret'), held at the Goethe-Institut Paris during the international Paris Photo art fair in November 2017.
While the complimentary relationship between the sounds of Rauch ('smoke') and the images exhibited in Paris invites interpretation, both can also be experienced as separate artistic entities. On the 42-minute-long LP, drones, modulating harmonic soundscapes and implied rhythms maintain an abstract emotional core while occasionally taking on vaporous, amorphous qualities. Similarly, von Rauch's images - often borderline abstract in composition - resist being identified by location or spatial context. Nevertheless, they also hint at their spiritual origin.
Rauch is part of an ongoing artistic collaboration between Marcel Dettmann and Friederike von Rauch, which includes 2011's Ash installation and three photographic works for Dettmann releases on Ostgut Ton.
(de) Rauch, geschrieben und produziert im Kollektiv von den Berliner Producern Felix K., Marcel Dettmann, Sa Pa und Simon Hoffmann, zusammengestellt und abgemischt von Marcel Dettmann, ist als ku¨nstlerische Anna¨herung und Dialog zu den Fotografien von Friederike von Rauch zu verstehen. In ihrer Ausstellung insgeheim im Goethe-Institut Paris, anla¨sslich der Paris Photo 2017, zeigt die Ku¨nstlerin Arbeiten, die in verschiedenen Klo¨stern der Nachkriegsmoderne - von La Tourette von Le Corbusier entworfen u¨ber Roosenberg Abbey nahe Gent zur Klosterkirche Maria Regina Martyrum in Berlin - entstanden sind und klanglich untermalt werden durch die Musik von Rauch.
Die Musik und die Bilder menschenleerer Ra¨ume stehen in unmittelbarem Bezug zueinander, suchen die Auseinandersetzung durch Begleitung und Interpretation. So entstand die 42-minu¨tige Komposition modulierender Klangschleifen und angedeuteter Rhythmik, den Namen von Rauchs beim Worte nehmend, musikalisch abstrahierend und doch im Detail ergreifend. Die Arbeiten Friederike von Rauchs lassen dabei kaum Ru¨ckschlu¨sse zu, welcher Ort sich dem Betrachter offenbart, der ra¨umliche Kontext bleibt verborgen und dennoch transportieren die konzentrierten und beinahe abstrakten Kompositionen, etwas von ihrem spirituellen Ursprung.
Rauch ist auch die Fortsetzung der ku¨nstlerischen
Kollaboration zwischen Marcel Dettmann und
Friederike von Rauch. Die beiden in Berlin
lebenden Ku¨nstler arbeiten hier nach Ash (2011)
zum zweiten Mal an der Schnittstelle Fotografie-Musik, daru¨berhinaus pra¨gten Friederike von Rauchs Fotografien drei Dettmann-Vero¨ffentlichungen auf Ostgut Ton.

A great strong man with a brush in his hand once said: everything you can imagine is real and art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. So is making music just another form of keeping a diary In terms of Ana Helder, the Argentinian girl with the special twist, the answer is: maybe. More than two years after her last release on Co´meme she is back with a hand full of tracks. Five to be precise. She got more, but this is what the Mu¨stique's received. They are mean, dirty, harmful, amorevolous, seductive and addictive. Surrender tunes from a producer and DJ that does not think in boxes. Her three Eps El Groove De Tu Corazo´n', Fiebre De Marte' and Beating PC' mark some warped grooving heights in the edgy catalogue of Matias Aguayo's label Co´meme. Also on the French label Astro Lab she already dropped the 12inch Soy Canalla' with a playful psyche tune, that additionally got remixed by folks like Les Disques De La Mort seducer Ivan Smagghe or the mysterious West-German ghost-(w)rid(t)er Frank West. Furthermore, she re-tuned tunes from Chilean friends like Alejandro Paz or Mama- cita and sang on songs of colleagues. For Mu¨stique she now looked into her always-growing production crate and found some post-punk waving funk odes, which want more than just to dance this mess around. They bring soulful LSD-melodies for Jazz lovers with techno legs that like to get high on Liquid Liquid. They are electronic but yet so organic. And they move deeply while spreading the feel of a meditative rest. When Diagnose heard them first, he came to the idea of writing a script for a flick that tells the story of a music-making machine, which has more to offer than answers. It forms sound with no traces of reality, but is so human that humans fear it. Why did he think that way Only because of what Ana Helder recently got to say Well, let the music play...

DOUBLE LP Printed Sleeves - LIMITED 200 copies

One live set on 2 Eps ! Last year this live-set was played at the Paris Tecknival in May 2016... A bloody surprise far far far from the usual Teknival style people normaly expect. This live set is recorded in 4 parts A side is the first part, and C side is the second part... so you can mix themall together.

Tracks from Audioflow and some from Platane as well. all mixed live by Audioflow.

The very best Intraveneuse so far !

Experimental Dancefloor music, unformated and still ... exploring sweet and sour... First tune, called Oppression is a Revered techno kick Doom tune. Secodn track is a sweet shy volumed kick at 220 BPM still...And third A side track, Lobotomie Croissante is an obsessional Industrial broke npsychedelic track, a bit in the Olschool little 7'' witch i cant remember the name of^^ B side opens on Mutation, a 170 BPM speed techno/trie dark tune very new wavy ambiance... Special and precise ! Then comes an ambient dark indus tune called Ondes Robotiques. Terminal is a break electronica hard tune, in a AFX Ant-zenized style. Terminal is the name... good anme to close this EP. A record in a rare style nawadays , offering a real variety of unformated sounds, not so hard but still hard enough to be dancefloor ! MASTERPIECE !!

Everybody who knows Connaisseur, will probably be aware of the fact that we simply love the concept of remixes. To fnd the right person for a specifc track in order to turn an already amazing original into a new direction, is always an exciting challenge. Of course, there is always some wishful thinking on our side about what it will turn out to be like. Usually, we are completely wrong, which however doesn't mean that we are not happy with the result. Usually, we love the result even more than our own brainchild. In April, we released Of Norway's sophomore album
"The Loneliest Man In Space", a diverse masterpiece.
Since then, we have been searching for remixers whom we personally really like and of whom we are sure they can turn the track into a direction we can't even imagine. It was a bit of a journey, but now after the product ist completed, we are more than happy that we were able to bring such a group of remixers
together on one product.
As every remixer has delivered such a great interpretation, we decided to give each of themenough space to be discovered, which is why we will be releasing one remix per week over the course of two months. A selection of these remixes can be found
on a 12" extract. One extra remix is exclusively for radio and streaming.
For the vinyl extract we picked the interpretations by Lauer, Panthera Krause, Legowelt, Davis & Zopelar and Roy Of The Ravers.

The sound is short and dry, like a fist colliding with leather or other flesh, but the repetition and reverberation transcend such violence and lead the listener to a heightened state by the time the parade is cancelled. A point of consideration. Stick around because at least a few folks will still march and it could be a gorgeously lonely thing to witness...
This Make Noise Records release was Digitally Mastered by Shawn Hatfield at Audible Oddities
Analog Mastered and Cut by DC at PLUSH/
Pressed to 12" Clear (140gm) vinyl and inserted into a black inner dust sleeve and Matte Jacket w/ photography by Moe Espinosa and layout by Sean Curtis Patrick..

It is time to discuss fundamentals. For his second appearance on Laut & Luise Constantijn Lange shows his interpretation of human mannerisms that contrast so much while being closely entangled. Able to deliver both pain and satisfaction alike, its apparent simplicty may deliver the purest bliss while the complexity of its impact can at times feel devestating: Power & Love. For the first part of this pair Onosizo stands by to passionately proclaim and address the true nature and dangers of power. In contrast the second part of this EP is a musical dedication to all the light hearted and emphatic moments, a chance to brighten up and an invitation to feel untroubled, if only for a few minutes. Just like a mapleseed rhino would do.

On EP5, legendary German musician Burnt Friedman makes his Dekmantel Records debut with 'Monsun'. The Berlin based artist, who built a reputation for himself through his explorations into obscure, finely-tuned, experimental dub through his label Nonplace, alongside his collaborative relationship with the late Can drummer Jaki Liebezeit, is one of the crucial, sonic manipulators of our time. 'Monsun' finds Friedman crafting flowing, percussive, dub techno that is both esoteric, and progressive. Befitting of a Dekmantel release. Alongside Friedman sits legendary Detroit act Ectomorph, aka. BMG & Erika, also making their Dekmantel inauguration, with a record that surmises' the group's anologue, style of Motor City beats.
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There would be no Dekmantel celebration without longtime family members, JuJu & Jordash. With three LPs and countless EPs released on the imprint to date, alongside a sleuth of festival, and party appearances, the improvisational duo have become masters of off-kilter, and poly-rhytmic electronic funk, of which 'Neon Swing' -a fast-paced and extremely invigorative cut- is of prime example. And then there's Dekmantel favourite Fatima Yamaha - an artist who has a keen ear for gentle, analogue hooks that have gone to become ample festival fodder. The Dutchman maintains an ear for the serene with the track 'Platforms', a sullen, yet beautiful ambient track, the drives deep into the emotive world of soft, tender, heartfelt music.

Acts like Legion & Logam have been pivotal for bringing the Ram Records sound transatlantic. Becoming the first US act into break their renowned roster, the trio have time and time again delivered hard-driving riddims and melodic rollers for Ram's sought after compilation series and their genre defining sister labelProgram. However, this time they've recieved their first standalone single on Ram, which is set to establish them as an even more integral part of drum & basses expansion throughout America. From the tearaway success of 'House of Cards', their first single on Program, to the release of 'Coming Home / When Stars Fall' on Ram Records, Legion & Logam are continuing their meteoric ascent. Following the same carefully strung melodies and voice overtures which has become a signature for the production outfit, 'Coming Home' takes you on a heartfelt journey underpinned by its tightly knit composition. A wavering bassline pitches between each signature of eight, helping to create a more driving force perfect for the dancefloor and bolstering the mix, whilst keeping its softer touch with 'House of Cards' Adam Wrightreturning on vocals.

On the flipside 'When Stars Fall' featuring Wendy Johnson follows the same vibe, with intricately layered instrumentals helping to set out a journey which flips between more percussive elements and well-orchestrated breakdowns. Each segment builds on the next until you're once again left with a record which exemplifies the producers' stellar song writing ability. Together both tracks help to pedestal an act whose versatility can be seen across each addition to Program, and now Ram's, vast back catalogue. Legion & Logam's story on Ram has only just begun - with more releases scheduled for the coming year, it's an exciting time for US drum & bass and its growth.

With its sixth release NEW YORK TRAX continues the mission of highlighting the jewels of the New York underground. Liquid Asset is a Philadelphia-born Brooklyn-based hardware virtuoso who has made a name for herself by virtue of appearances on labels such as E-Saggila's Summer Isle Brooklyn's own Primitive Languages
Jacktone and Acid Etch where she has recently delivered a furious 7' split with Isabella. Liquid Asset built her own 808 and 303 clones by hand. The modified 303 is particularly audible in the opening track of the record Ephemeral Nights' where she did not waste time on an intro and went straight to creating a sonic pandemonium by blending an airhorn sound with frenzy acid basslines and a hardcore-leaning 909 kick. Contact' is a merciless creature of the night with its relentless dark groove building up throughout this composition cannot easily be classified as a representation of any particular genre. Controlperception' opens the B side. Here Liquid Asset plays with a cheerful acid line over a dreamy landscape often punctured with bleeping sounds. Finally in Forgetmenot' two opposite sounding basslines intertwine creating a minimal yet very capturing composition to close this one of a kind record.

Four slow-burning bombs that perfectly encapsulate how far that Slow Motion, slo-mo sound can be stretched. Featuring artists old as Alien Alien (Rodion & Hugo Sanchez) and Lerosa and new as Stoned Immaculate (Leo Mas & Fabrice and Max Essa) and Kassiel, Slow Motion drop the energy down a notch or two but not the emotion. Just as suitable for an early morning run as they are for a Balearic sunset, this four tracker has got essential written all over it.

Finnish visual artist and filmmaker Hannu Karjalainen's music draws inspiration from ambient, drone, modern classical and dream pop. His first album Worms In My Piano was released in 2007 on Osaka Records and the second album, Hintergarten in 2009 on Simon Scott's Kesh Recordings. A Handful Of Dust Is A Desert, his third album - and the first under his full given name - arrives after a prolonged break.

Hannu Karjalainen's association with Karaoke Kalk started with his remix of Dakota Suite's The End Of Trying Part III on The Night Just Keeps Coming In in 2009 which also featured remixes by the likes of Hauschka, Deaf Center, Loscil and many more. Now, luckily for all concerned, Hannu is releasing a full length album on the label in the form of the exquisite record A Handful Of Dust Is A Desert.

The album opens with the track Angel which is a truly heavenly composition reminiscent of Boards of Canada's finest work. The Emigrant makes effective use of sinister synth-lines and delicate glockenspiel patterns to invoke a kind of science-fiction soundtrack atmosphere. Throughout the record, our ears are graced with truly sublime sound-scapes and transcendent textures.

The title track is actually the shortest tune on the album, but in no way less evocative. It's looped piano melodies are comparable with Susumo Yokota's later recordings in their minimalism and poise. A Year In a Day continues to walk the fine line between ambient and electronica - which is one of the albums great virtues: it shows how lively and eventful ambient music can be. Certainly ambient music benefits from having a strong pulse as Karjalainen demonstrates in various tracks on the album. The song Love Is A Black Lion features a sample from the afore mentioned Dakota Suite tune The End Of Trying Part III, and therefore somehow closes a circle.

This powerfully contemplative album comes to a controlled landing with the majestic Breaks My Heart She Aria, another in a long line of mesmerizing drifts, with a floating choral voice delicately enveloped in strings and pitched percussion.

A Handful of Dust Is A Desert is instantly captivating and for lovers of ambient music, dream listening. As an artist who trained in photography and is mostly active in the world of visual art, Hannu Karjalainen clearly enjoys a great deal of creative freedom in his music. This is the kind of desert you won't mind getting lost in and even take pleasure in roaming through the expansive sonic landscapes and horizons it embodies.

Unbroken Dub gives his debut on DUBWAX!

The wait is finally over. The greatest living female voice in African music, Oumou Sangare releases a new album "Mogoya" (meaning "people today") on a new record label with an all-new production team and a wonderful new set of songs.

The power of Oumou's voice and the potency of her message remain as strong as ever and, while her sound is rooted deep in the continuity of Malian tradition, Mogoya has a strong new sound. Co-produced by Andreas Unge in Stockholm and by the French production collective A.l.b.e.r.t. (who have worked with among others Air, Tony Allen, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Beck, Franz Ferdinand) in Paris, it draws on a rich musical heritage whilst also looking to the future.

"We wanted to emphasise the raw power of Oumou's voice and songs. We wanted to find a new modernity" says co-producer Ludovic Bruni, one of the three members of A.l.b.e.r.t. with Vincent Taurelle and Vincent Taeger.

On the album, traditional African instruments - the kamele n'goni (harp), karignan (metal scraper) and calabash percussion - are augmented by electric guitar, bass, keyboards and synths with Tony Allen on drums. As Oumou puts it, "This time round I wanted to go for more of a modern sound, to satisfy young people in Mali but being careful, all the while, to respect my culture and tradition".

The songs describe what Oumou knows best human relationships. She addresses difficult topics with incredible frankness - jealousy, ingratitude and betrayal never afraid to sing about the day-to-day problems faced by African society, particularly women.

Oumou has a high international profile, touring all over the world, collaborating with artists such as Alicia Keys, Tracy Chapman, Bela Fleck and Dee Dee Bridgewater and featuring on the soundtrack of Toni Morrison's Beloved. She is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation and has three businesses in Mali a range of SUVs called 'Oum-Sang', a hotel in Bamako and 'Oumou Sangare 769, Rice', grown in her own fields.

She has released six albums on the World Circuit label: Moussolou, meaning "women"(1990), Ko Sira (1993), Worotan (1996), Oumou (2003), Seya (2009) and Kounadi (2012).

Music is at the absolute centre of Oumou's life: "without it I'm nothing and nothing can take it from me" and Mogoya represents an exciting new chapter in her career, something which she approaches with a mixture of boldness, humility and confidence."It was new for me because my music has never had this kind of arrangement and sound before. I've been totally in the tradition for years now so to get out of that and have a look around elsewhere was a total pleasure," Oumou Sangare.

Tenderlonious lays down his fute for this LP and goes back to the MPC, with help from the illusive Dennis Ayler. Comprised of ten cuts 'Brick City' takes the listener on a journey through Afro-House, Funk, Jazz, Rare Groove, Boogie and Broken Beat - something for everyone here! Brick City (4am)' and Buterfy' groove efortlessly whilst synth leads interject over tasty chords, all the while being supported by solid bass lines - these two
will undoubtedly set a strong pace on the dancefoor. 'Funky Booda' does exactly what it says on the tn, it's a straight Funk classic! Its infectous groove and soaring leads are sure to have you clapping your hands and stomping your feet. 'Be Ur Friend' is a fery Afro-House number - reminiscent of one of Tenderlonious's early releases 'Bob's Riddim.' There's also more hip-hop inspired selectons like 'Brick City (4pm)' or 'Pepe's Walk,' which bump hard and have strong traces of Sa-Ra and J Dilla infuence.
The record comes complete with quirky skits like 'Bootsy' and 'Ferndale Gateaux,' which blend in and out between the other tunes allowing the record to fow efortlessly from beginning to end. There is something for everyone on this album. It's the kind of record you can play at home from start to fnish or take out to the club as an essental dancefoor fller.

he Copenhagen based pop wonders Blaue Blume return with a new EP - 'Sobs'. The band formed around 6 years ago in a provincial Danish town, drawn to each other's love for rich, playful music. Blaue Blume (blue flower) is the epitome of a romantic band, their songs are brimming with love and yearning. Now 'Sobs', the follow up to their 'Syzygy' album in 2015, continues to build their reputation as a best kept secret, about to find a whole new audience of devotees. All four tracks for the EP were recorded in late 2016 in a three story villa, formerly owned by a religious cult. The band used the weird space away from the city to create a framework for the lyrics and the music. The band explains: 'Blaue Blume has been our band for about 6 years. In a bigger provincial town we started playing right out of highschool. At the moment we live in Copenhagen and every day we play, write and work on sounds. It's sort of become a life project. In our heads we make music that is playful, rich in detail and popish or somewhat smiling. For some beautifully inexplicable reason we ended up doing music together. In a way it seems sacred or at least meaningful. Macabre is a happy song about being afraid of dying. Some of us find that even the best life can be lonely sometimes. We found it interesting to address this taboo within the frame of a song that people could potentially dance or sing along to.

There is no end to composer Peter Broderick's creative output, and so we present to you his new album titled All Together Again — available worldwide on November 17th 2017 via Erased Tapes.They say music takes you on a journey, and this collection of commissioned work by Peter quite literally does that. From a ferry boat ride in Istanbul, to walking down the aisle at a wedding, these songs were created for particular situations, yet Peter found a way to work without any sort of limitations and on his own erms. The result is an assortment of works from the past ten years, coming together as one: Peter's new album. Words from Peter, October 2017: Ever since I started releasing records in 2007 (10 years ago now!), people have contacted me periodically to ask if I'd be interested in making music to accompany their projects. Most of these projects have been things like films, dance pieces and theatre plays . . . but every so often I get the odd request for something a little different. Peter, would you write a song for my wedding My one year anniversary A ferry boat ride
In early 2015 I was asked to perform 12 minutes of music during a runway show as part of New York Fashion Week. I agreed and began composing a 12-minute piece which I could perform on my own with a few different instruments and some looping pedals. I made a recording of the piece and sent it over to my contacts at the fashion show . . . but a few days before I was to fly out to New York, they wrote back and told me they actually just wanted me to play a few older songs that they were already familiar with. Feeling slightly disappointed, I shelved the other piece, giving it the title If I Were A Runway Model.It is with great pleasure that I now present this piece in a collection of commissioned works spanning the last decade . . . it's All Together Again. This group of oddball works does indeed include a couple pieces written for weddings (Our Future In Wedlock and The Walk), and a song someone asked me to write as a gift for his wife on their first year wedding anniversary (Emily). And indeed, there's a 17-minute piece written to accompany a ferry boat ride in Istanbul (A Ride On The Bosphorus). A few of the pieces were written for films (Robbie's Song, Atlantic and Seeing Things), and one for a kind of interactive installation (Unsung Heroes).In my early days of recording, I took pride in playing all the different instruments myself and doing the recording myself as well. And then at some point I started branching out, working with other musicians and recording engineers. But this record is very dear to me in that it's a return to that original approach . . . playing all the different instruments myself, working with my limits on each one, and my own limits in recording and mixing. I've always held a broad curiosity for all different instruments and all different styles of music, and if nothing else I hope this record will portray that curiosity, and my pure love for this thing we call music. Can you dig it The cover art was made by Peter himself in his hometown of Portland, Oregon, by cutting and sticking different coloured paper fragments to depict the individuality of each track.

Betino's Records proudly presents its third release: an EP by the very sharp collective The Big Hustle. The band founded in 2014 by bass player and composer Sébastien Levanneur, brings
together 70's old school funk with the hippest actual sound with influences spanning from Steely Dan to Snarky Puppy, from Mandrill to Lettuce and from Herbie Hancock (Manchild era) to Soulive.
With mighty horn players, a rock and funky rhythm section, and percussions added to it, The Big Hustle's music has a very large variety of sound landscapes. Still, the music never loses the groove and always stays close to the funk.
The A side opens with "Afrorever", a tribute to African culture and music. The guest of honor on this song is legendary Malian musician Cheick Tidiane Seck, longtime partner of Salif Keita, and collaborator of Joe Zawinul, Carlos Santana and Damon Albarn to name a few. After Cheick's introduction, the songs jumps into a typical afrobeat vibe featuring a tight and powerful horn section, suddenly breaks into an electro funk groove and ends in a furious percussive party.
Second track on the A side is "Faure is the Magic Number". It is dedicated to Thomas Faure (co-composer of the track) and François Faure (both featured on this song on tenor sax and keyboards respectively). This piece displays the band's ability to blend jazz-funk groove with a heavy hip-hop beat. Kind of DJ Premier meets Steely Dan.
The B side starts with "Afrorever (Sun's Up Mix)". Through this mix, one can acknowledge instantly Olivier Portal's touch. From the very first chords, he conveys us into his realm blending warm and melancholy keyboards with an old school deep-house rhythm pattern.
The fourth track is called 1, 2, 1, 2'. It is a purely improvised moment in the studio while the band was sound checking before recording with special guest rapper Raashan Ahmad. Nicolas Gueguen had the good idea to press the R button and what you hear is basically what happened afterwards.

Enjoy!

2022 Repress

Our POP AMBIENT compilation series returns for its 2018 instalment, with series curator Wolfgang Voigt presenting another batch of hand-picked recordings from genre veterans and newcomers alike. The more seasoned among this year's contributors are easily identified by their individual artistic sensibilities, ranging from the morphing, organic rhythms of THE ORB's sample collages (on SKY'S FALLING) to KAITO's ethereal, trance-infused soundscapes (TRAVELLED BETWEEN SOULS) and MIKKEL METAL's intimate ambient songwriting (SHAME).
They join the ranks of Pop Ambient scholars such as MAX WÜRDEN & THORE PFEIFFER (co-authoring the sparkling PANORAMA), Magazine's JENS-UWE BEYER (creating rich drama out of cinematic textures on ATHOS) or Adjunct's KENNETH JAMES GIBSON (who pairs soaring strings with bubbly percussion on DISINCLINED TO VACATE). Pfeiffer can also be found working with genre mainstay LEANDRO FRESCO on opener SPLINTER, crossing the growth rings of the Pop Ambient family tree with a subtle, atmospheric collaboration. Another welcome return to the roster, Jörg Burger dusts off his iconic TRIOLA project last heard on Pop Ambient 2013 (KOMPAKT 269 CD 103) with the floating, echo-drenched cut L'ATALANTE.
After making his Pop Ambient debut on last year's instalment (KOMPAKT 365 CD 135), YUI ONODERA continues his exploration of deep, intricate string sounds on PRISM and NINE CHAINS TO THE MOON (CD only) - it's compelling material that shows the Tokyo-based musician and architectural acoustic designer as a strong addition to the Pop Ambient talent pool. He's joined by the two latest recruits to the series, both well-established artists in their own right: techno provocateur T.RAUMSCHMIERE flexes his drone muscles on the elegiac ETERNA, while pedal steel guitar maestro CHUCK JOHNSON creates expanding sonic spaces on the meditative BRAHMI - a uniquely immersive cut that draws from the idiosyncratic country post-rock he established on his acclaimed 'Balsams' full-length released earlier this year.
(de) Unsere POP AMBIENT Compilation-Serie kehrt für 2018 ins Rampenlicht zurück, natürlich kuratiert von Wolfgang Voigt, der auch für die aktuelle Ausgabe eine handverlesene Auswahl an Genre-Veteranen und Neuzugängen präsentiert. Bereits vorhandene Erfahrung mit der Mission macht sich unter den diesjährigen Beiträgen schnell bemerkbar - dank individueller Künstlerperspektiven,

von den organisch-rhythmischen Samplecollagen THE ORBs (zu hören auf SKY'S FALLING) zu KAITOs ätherischen Trance-Klanglandschaften (TRAVELLED BETWEEN SOULS) und MIKKEL METALs intim wirkendem Ambient-Songwriting (SHAME).
Im 2018er Line-Up treffen sie auf die neue Pop-Ambient-Schule, vertreten durch MAX WÜRDEN & THORE PFEIFFER (die gemeinschaftlich für das glitzernde PANORAMA verantwortlich zeichnen), Magazine-Mitbetreiber JENS-UWE BEYER (der auf ATHOS reiche Dramatik aus Texturen zaubert) oder Adjunct-Boss KENNETH JAMES GIBSON (mit aufsteigenden Streichern und sprudelnder Percussion auf DISINCLINED TO VACATE unterwegs). Pfeiffer findet sich ausserdem auf dem Albumopener SPLINTER wieder, eine subtile, stimmungsvolle Aufnahme, die er zusammen mit Genre-Wegbereiter LEANDRO FRESCO produziert hat - gewissermassen generationsübergeifend über die Jahresringe des Pop-Ambient-Stammbaums hinweg. Als weiteres altvertrautes Gesicht der Serie entstaubt Jörg Burger sein beliebtes TRIOLA-Projekt, welches wir zuletzt auf Pop Ambient 2013 (KOMPAKT 269 CD 103) gehört haben, und legt das durch die Wellen gleitende, echogetränkte

L'ATALANTE vor.
Nach seinem Pop-Ambient-Debüt auf der letztjährigen Ausgabe (KOMPAKT 365 CD 135) führt YUI ONODERA seine Erkundung tiefer, vielschichtiger Streicherklänge mit PRISM und NINE CHAINS TO THE MOON fort - zwingendes Material, dass den in Tokyo ansässigen Musiker und Architektur-Klangdesigner als besonders überzeugenden Zuwachs zum Pop-Ambient-Talentpool kennzeichnet. Zu ihm gesellen sich zwei Serien-Neuzugänge, die bereits äusserst erfolgreich an anderen Fronten tätig waren: der Techno-Provokateur T.RAUMSCHMIERE lässt auf dem elegischen ETERNA seine Drone-Muskeln spielen, während der gefeierte Pedal-Steel-Gitarrist CHUCK JOHNSON mit dem meditativen BRAHMI stetig wachsende Klangräume erschafft - ein herausragender Track ganz im Stile des eigenwilligen Country Post-Rocks, den er auf dem zuvor in diesem Jahr erschienenen 'Balsams'-Langspieler verewigte.

Ike Yard recombine their music looking across decades of post punk, electronic, soundtracks and come out with some of their best yet and enough to last the next 20-30 years (in Ike Yard´s very own words). Originally founded in 1979 New York City, members Michael Diekmann (keyboard, guitar, vocals), Kenneth Compton (programming drums, synths arrangements, bass, guitar, vocals) and Stuart Argabright (programming drums, synths arrangements, distortion bass, keyboards, metal perc) reformed the band once in 2007 and again in 2010. Each time different and with new ambitions. This time 'Sacred Machine' EP is defined by detailed drum layers supported by multiple basses and keyboards, some off-timing beat patterns that turn in a second of synchrony into a straight four on the floor kick and first time vocal collaborations.

Composition wise 'Sacred Machine' EP is recorded as a 'rehearsal'. As for Ike Yard songs would not be done so very many times in their existence, all threw in on each piece as they came into being. It sounds like a group that could have been doing records in Anthony Burgess and Stanley Kubrick´s 'A Clockwork Orange'. 'Night Klub' revisits Ike Yard´s original 'Night After Night' from 1981 EP. 'Sacred Machine' might be familiar to those who caught Ike Yard dates in Europe between 2007-2014 as one of the extended jams prepared for the dark ambient shows. 'Tear Drop' night airport music with sweet vocals by Camella Lobo of Tropic Of Cancer is followed by 'Spit' that explores Ike Yard NCR style with jittery beats, clomping, stomping cross cut beats. 'Slaves Of Janet' featuring Erica Belle brings to mind scenes in an S&M parlour with unused lyrics from the Factory America LP recordings.

Distant Images is D.K.'s fourth release on Antinote and we can say quite safely that Dang Khoa Chau fueled a few identifiable obsessions over the years - for those familiar with his work, it probably won't feel like uncharted territory when they'll hear a somehow well-known guitar in the background of the title-track.
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What time spent collaborating with D.K. also showed us is how much his sound magnified itself and its textures sharpened for the past three years. We now know for sure that his music only seems versatile on the surface as Distant Images confirms that the Paris-based musician has been, in fact, digging deeper in the same direction, each new record working like a diaphragm, always more precisely adjusted to capture his inner vision. It feels, for instance, like D.K.'s music is constantly trying to reach a higher level of evanescence from one record to an other, a process which possibly accelerated after a visit from Suzanne Kraft - who he recorded an album with, earlier this year (coming out on Melody As Truth).

With Distant Images, D.K.'s sound also took a step further into reality - the most attentive ears will hear seagulls on Distant Images while rain is softly falling on Leaving - and slightly departed from the digital universes that his previous records seemed to set in motion. From the most abstract songs - like the Steve Reich-ian Shaker Loops

- to the most evocative ones, the five compositions on Distant Images are like stained glass, gently filtering natural light. It is therefore no coincidence if, of all the senses, the titles of the songs mostly refer to Sight: close your eyes while listening to the cinematographic Days Of Steam and visions of an industrious city might appearbefore you.

The beauty that emanates from Distant Images is of a diaphanous kind and the record a collection of kaleidoscopic moments.

Durban's 23 year-old producer Emo Kid has announced he is to release eight-track debut EP, 'Gqomtera', through Gqom Oh! on September 22nd. Although titled 'Gqomtera', which Emo Kid explains is a slang term he and others use for the music, the record actually explores Sgubhu — another strain of South African dance music that shares many stylistic parallels with Gqom, though is always written with a 4x4 beat. Like DJ Lag before him, an artist widely considered the king of Gqom, Emo Kid is also considered a pioneer in Durban; 'Some people call me the Sgubhu king, but I'm just happy they're enjoying my music', he says. Based in Inanda, in the Etafuleni area township in Durban, Emo Kid's house looks out over an area called Isandlwana — the spot where the Zulu army famously defeated the British Army in the Battle Of Isandlwana in 1879. It is from this backdrop that he has written the majority of his music over the last few years, including new record 'Gqomtera'. At eight tracks long, 'Gqomtera' provides a comprehensive overview of the Sgubhu sound, with the aim of taking the listener on their own 'Durban Journey'. 'I wanted to show the uniqueness of my own style which I would describe as more musical', Emo Kid explains, 'you can feel the music when you listen but it still hits hard with that Gqom flavour.' That Gqom flavour, powered by hard, fast, uncompromising drums, provides a solid core from which everything else functions. Bright, shimmering trance synths feature on 'Futuristic Gqom', while on 'Enkwarini' — 'another word for a party or fantastic get together' — vocalist Fawell skips over light, playful Sgubhu rhythms. There's also space for harder, deeper cuts like 'Ground Shaker', cut with a twinkling melody line, the charging pace and power of 'Insimbi Yase Dubane' and the anthemic 'Asbambeki' featuring local crew TLC Fam, translating loosely to being unstoppable; 'It means you can't catch us basically', Emo Kid says proudly, 'On the dance floor, you can't touch us, we're on fire.' Capturing the raw, street sounds of his city, Emo Kid is the latest Durban artist to take the music global and with 'Gqomtera', put Sgubhu firmly on the map.

Sublime compilation of long-lost Australian indie-pop, acoustic jangle and beat happenings gathered by Melbourne-based collector and DJ Bayu and label head Moopie. Twelve tracks of singular vision spanning up- and downbeat pop, post-punk and minimal synth rarities recorded between 1982 and now. Australian twee pop royalty the Cat's Miaow shares the stage with the Cannanes and the Particles; Ya Ya Choral with Sarah Records' own Even As We Speak. Included is the previously unreleased 'Dot', by Mutant Sounds cult band Maestros and Dipsos. Full colour reverse-card sleeve with printed insert and lyrics sheet.

Canoe 004, Nyra is back wearing nothing but swimming trunks, don't paddle about, jump and shout.

For the fourth release on 6dimensions, Steve Bicknell has delved into the catalogue of the Lost Recordings series on his previous imprint; Cosmic.Steve Bicknell's Awakening The Past feature three tracks from Why And For Whom, the first of Bicknell's Lost Recordings releases. Originally released in 1996, Why And For Whom Has been named one of the best UK Techno records of all time with Bicknell being billed as a 'criminally underrated producer'.With the re-release of these tracks in 2017, it is clear to see that the tracks have stood the test of time. All four-tracks on Awakening The Past were previously untitled but have been renamed with a focus on the human condition. With the 6dimensions label being founded on the principles of the 'human mind's natural make-up' it seems a natural decision to rename the tracks to suite the label ethos. Although one quarter of Awakening The Past was released 20 years ago, Bicknell's focus on mood shows coherence between his work then and now. The era of production can be distinguished in the EP, however, this is only eminent through a difference in recording technique. More importantly, the mood of older and newer productions are indistinguishable from each other and display Bicknell's unrelenting dedication to his own focus on concept of aesthetic. Physical Life' opens the EP with a rawness that is carried through the EP. With tape hiss underpinning the track, Bicknell's signature bass grumbles hold together hi-hats which progressively filter in and out over the course of the track. Bicknell's use of filters carries through onto the second track of EP, 'Natural Vibrations' boasts an erratic and high-pitched 303 sequence that shows a bit of experimentalism before the EP steps back into Bicknell's more familiar techno odysseys. 'Fearing The Minds Fears' paints a tense atmosphere, lashings of motoric modular synth are added with little fuss as the track title confirms its significance. Finally, 'Conscious Awakening' drives the EP to a close with dizzying pace: it's here that Bicknell's ability to control the emotion of the listener is really evident.

DOMINIK might be known as a resident DJ of the CLUB SCHWARZES SCHAF in his hometown AUGSBURG. There he started throwing parties alongside DANIEL BORTZ anddeveloped his style of DJing. Over the past years DOMINIK released music on labels like PASTAMUSIK, SUOL, LIEBE DETAIL and O*RS. He is also part of YANDOM ( a project together with YANNICK LABBÉ).
DOMINIK's productions are influenced by various kinds of music, let it be techno, house, disco or electronica - a mixture you can hear on his recent TRYADS EP on &ND MUSIC.
A sound already loved and played by the likes of SBTH, BARNT, MARVIN & GUY, AERA andmany more.
At the moment DOMINIK is working on EPs following his EP on &ND MUSIC, both solo and
as YANDOM.

Optimo Music is delighted to continue its fruitful relationship with The Golden Filter with the release of this fantastic 4-track 12' EP.
We always prefer our artists to speak for themselves and avoid bullshit PR hype so here is what they have to say about this EP -
We're quite agnostic, and unreligious, but if there is any vibes associated with the EP (and maybe all of our music) it is very Buddhist in its ideas. Mindful. Aware of impermanence.
The whole EP is about being with the one(s) you love when everything else around you breaks down. Looking inward, with pure love, in the hope to radiate outward, rather than pushing for a fight, or running away. Recorded, written, and produced in isolation by Stephen and Penelope on our own in East London Studio space.
The EP starts with the song 'End Of Times' which is a dramatic, Shangri-Las influenced take on feeling powerless in a chaotic world, but still high on love. Happiness can be found in analog reverb. This is followed by 'Serenity', a hard and tranquil meditation of past + future.
Side 2 leads with 'Heart Control', with a slight nod to Pink Floyd. A nine minute plea to ourselves to keep it all focused and under control... The EP closes with 'Darkness Falls'. The lyrics for this came from an apocalyptic dream that Penelope had, and wrote down in the morning. the music is 100% purely modular, er, except for the tiny bits of guitar at the end.

Between the end of the 70's and the early 80's, a new sound appeared in London and its surroundings, a unique mix of Funk, Jazz-Funk and Disco labelled as Britfunk. Characterized by its raw energy that can put the needle In The Red, this up-tempo sound was a match for the UK's dancers and Jazz-Funk clubs.

This first release by French label Chuwanaga features some of the most exciting, rare and powerful tracks from that era compiled by the Parisian DJ and activist Saint-James, with bands such as Equa, Potion, Inch by Inch, Congress, Index and Spookey. It features also an insert with an in-depth focus on this musical era.

These young British musicians were equally inspired by the American Jazz-Funk productions and by Dub music and Reggae pushed by the Afro-Caribbean community who were at the heart of Britfunk's development. They gave Funk a unique British flavor. However, more than just a music genre or an enclosed expression of black Britishness, it was part of a genuine musical and social movement with its own dedicated labels, fashion sense and most importantly its own set of values that fueled the whole scene. Britfunk built itself within a multicultural evolution: black people, white people, straight and queer, all dancing in the same room to the same loud sound.

Bewitching Avant-Pop album from impromptu supergroup built around acclaimed Japanese duo, Tenniscoats. Featuring members of Notwist, Jam Money and Joasihno.

In these dark and uncertain times, there's an ever-growing collective of peaceful, loving types, bound together by an understanding of one peculiar word: Tenniscoats. Aside from being the name of an influential Tokyo-based duo, it represents fun, artistic freedom, experimentation and - perhaps most important of all - inclusivity.

A Tenniscoats gig is rarely the audience watching the performers. Instead, Saya and Takashi regularly shun the stage in favour of any particular spot that takes their fancy, whether it's an empty seat in the auditorium or the roof of a neighbouring cafe. In the world of Tenniscoats, music can happen anywhere, and everyone is invited to join in.

During the winter of 2016, the music happened in Munich. As a long-time fan, Markus Acher (Notwist) jumped at the chance not only to put Tenniscoats on the bill at the Alien Disko festival he was organising, but also to invite Saya & Takashi to a small apartment studio, together with Mat Fowler (Jam Money) and Cico Beck (Aloa Input, Notwist). This is where Spirit Fest was recorded over the following 14 days.

Tenniscoats are known for their collaborations - some of their finest work was done in conjunction with Tape, The Pastels, Jad Fair and many others - so making good use of the time and friends available was natural to them. For me, timing is important,' Saya said. We met in season, and the song flowers are now blooming!' Mat Fowler recalls the Spirit Fest sessions taking place in an idyllic, festive atmosphere. Every morning we'd all share breakfast, chat and learn about German Christmas customs. We'd catch the bus in the morning and walk home in the evening. The journey ran parallel to the beautiful flowing Isar River that bubbles, ebbs and flows right through the middle of Munich.'

While Tenniscoats sit at the heart of proceedings, it isn't their album alone. Markus, Mat and Cico also brought songs, providing a solid base on top of which the artistry could evolve. Mat explains that, a melody would begin, and slowly, each of us - in our own time - would find our way into the music.

Producer Tadklimp would sensitively set-up around us in this narrow window of time, so as to document that first and intuitive moment of collective discovery.' Nearly everything was recorded live,' agrees Markus, playing and singing together in one room with piano, guitars, percussion and some keyboards.' The collaborators came from Germany, Japan, the UK, Greece and beyond. That sense of inclusivity is palpable.

From the tender beauty of Markus's River River' and Saya's Mikan' to the electro-Merseybeat of Tenniscoat's Nambei' and the half-crazed pianica-reggae of Shuti Man', the resulting album is a testament to the manner of which these musicians are able to channel their songwriting through their spontaneity. It's also a snapshot of a gentle and intuitive moment in time - a beautiful meetup that expands this community, happily, even further.

Jon Willks (Grizzly Folk)

The new EP by rRoxymore signals another audacious step forward for one of the most daring artists in the electronic music diaspora. 'Thoughts Of An Introvert Part 1' is born out of introspection, out of the necessity to disconnect from the frenzy of crowds and to create a soundtrack to an inner landscape which exists beyond the reach of government and dogma. In the words of the artist, "it is a sonic diary of sorts, cataloguing the events of a world which has not yet been invented, in the form of three mesmerizing dance tracks free of nostalgia and the expectations of style."

The spatial afro futurist funk of 'Prodrome' finds rRoxymore balancing darkness and optimism as only she can. The title track, 'Thoughts Of An Introvert' is instantly familiar and carries a soothing utopian spirit, so needed today. Mycetozoa, the closing track is bouncing, drum driven and mad, a celebration of rRoxymore's complex musical mind, offset by irresistibly banging toms and rolling rimshot patterns. It is a track which is at once melancholic, happy, vulnerable, and full of hope. Everything seems possible on the dancefloor this music was written for.

Cryosleep is the debut album from Null + Void, the alias of prolific New York producer Kurt Uenala. It's an album of contrasts and tension, where darkness is pierced by blinding light, and where moody new wave bleeds into stark electronics. In one moment, joyful memories give way to isolation and regret, and in the next, Cryosleep explores the catharsis of crowded dancefloors. Throughout the record, Uenala matches his dynamic production with incredible vocalists-from Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan and the inimitable Shannon Funchess, to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The Big Pink. Null + Void's take on dark pop meshes with his love for Detroit electro, poignant synth melodies, and cold atmospheres. With the cinematic opener 'Falling Down' and brooding instrumentals like 'Come To Me", Cryosleep can feel like the soundtrack to a lost space epic. No doubt, the album evokes Blade Runner, dystopian landscapes, and the splendor of far-off galaxies. As Uenala puts it, Cryosleep is inspired by 'classic sci-fi stuff,' images of futuristic machines sustaining humans frozen in a dreamstate. The melancholy 'Foreverness' explores what they might be thinking: 'A collection of fragments, memories of a life lived-preserved, but incomplete and jumbled.' Meanwhile, 'Into The Void' paints a peaceful, otherworldly picture, 'like soaring towards a white light.'

Clergy returns for its 9th instalment with a club ready EP of serious weapons from label mainstay, and one half of Works Unit, Reflec. The four track release opens with 'Acid Response', in which Reflec has combined a tough rhythm section with a growling 303 to create a high energy roller guaranteed to keep the dance floor moving. Continuing on this trend of heavy hitting rollers, 'Osmosis' is a drum track through and through, which incorporates dark and sweeping atmospherics into the groove true to Reflec's form.

The B side see's host to 'Canyon', a peak time Clergy anthem with heavy, driving drums complimented with a spacey and emotional pad on the breakdown. Clergy 009 is rounded off by a broken edit of 'Canyon' which exchanges the driving kicks for a fragmented rhythmic style, a nod to the UK roots of Reflec's musical style. .

The Hushlamb Label Project is a label run out of Montreal, Canada by Alicia Hush and Sarah Lamb. Born out of a shared desire to create platforms for the music that moves us; in the hope it will move you too..

Marco Bailey's 5th full-length album, one that he personally claims to be the best overall representation of his sound. With seventeen tracks comprising almost an hour and a half of music, he has ample room to stretch out and to give listeners an excellent portable version of his potent live show.

By maintaining a consistently high-quality output that does not merely ride the wave of current trends, multi-faceted producer Marco Bailey has managed to survive through decades of mercilessly shifting adjustments to popular taste in dance music. From his beginnings in the late '80s spinning eclectic sets comprised of everything from punk to old school hip-hop, to his present interest in pure unadulterated techno, the Belgium-based DJ and producer has won over audiences with his keen knowledge of how to squeeze the greatest physical and emotional impact out of a few well-placed elements, along with his instinct for seeking out the most innovative and resilient kindred spirits (his impressive number of professional friendships includes artists as diverse as Markus Suckut, Jonas Kopp, Alex Bau, Edit Select, Speedy J, Steve Rachmad and many more). These combined talents have led to his formation of several different labels: MB Electronics in 2001, the 'limited edition' label MBR in 2013, and lastly the new Materia Music label begun last year. His similiarly named event series, Materia, has also been a truly worldwide 'state of the art' summit for advanced techno artists.



The full-length personal releases by Marco Bailey, which stretch back to his mid-'90s period as a trance producer, have been gracefully arcing and anthemic affairs composed of individual tracks that follow that same blueprint. He is now about to drop his 5th full-length album overall, one that he personally claims to be the best overall representation of his sound. With seventeen tracks comprising almost an hour and a half of music, he has ample room to stretch out and to give listeners an excellent portable version of his potent live show. Of course, an epic running time alone is not the marker of a great audio experience, but an epic running time in which one loses track of time completely is - Bailey accomplishes this feat by never rushing the payoff; by organically building up each track until listeners are fully immersed in his alternate universe.



This skill can be heard on banging, sweat-saturated tracks like 'Ash', 'Genetix' and 'Hasai,' but also on comparitively gentle pieces like 'Klauth' (which straddles the line between disciplined electro and something more dreamlike and weightless), or the blissed out 'Suoh,' which feels like a fresh snowfall in audio form. Low-key cuts like 'Rex,' driven by echo FX and other windswept sounds, form natural counterparts to busier tracks like 'Ruth,' with its spring-loaded sequencer attacks, or 'Reboot That Device,' which is ingeniously driven by a psychedelic organ whose sound evolves with various filter settings. Minimalist vocals are occasionally injected into the mix - i.e. on the 'The Darkness' - to impart a subtle message of constant, ongoing expansion into unexplored galaxies without and within. It's as good a definition of the artist's musical mission as any.