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Gladstone Deluxe is one of the most exciting musicians in the US right now. They make futuristic, deep, percussive yet smooth techno, deep house and electro. They also play timbales in NYC queer and trans salsa band Las Mariquitas, and are a frequent collaborator with fellow East Coast sonic trailblazers Kiernan Laveaux, Johnny Zoloft, and Mira Mira. They have released on Black Techno Matters, Data Disk, Misc, Innocent Music, How Things Are Made, and now Fixed Rhythms is excited to add to the Gladstone lore with their new offering, “No Haterade EP”.

A1 “Cleanse” is zippy tech-y house…think groovy, up-beat, sexy, like something you’d hear in a Titonton Duvante set. A2 is a remix, “Teakup – Where’s My Snare (Gladstone Deluxe Remix)”. Now the EP takes a turn towards psychedelic electro. Spacey trippy vocal manipulations, swelling deep space gravitational waves swelling and resolving. The B side opens with the “No Haterade” track. Arpeggiated electro that slaps with swagger. The final track is a longer, 9 minute driving deep housey techno tune. A bass line that you never want to stop, luscious pads, brain-tingling pings, melodic percussive synth runs, and a touch of acid.

If Gladstone is not already on your radar, take heed! Big tunes here!

Grittier than their previous work, they take techno themes we know and love in a decidedly personal direction, emphatically divorced from current tropes. Each song clearly captures a vibe, some of which are recognisable love letters to the genre and several of which are unrecognisable in a
great way. Their first album show how Neotex have been informed by parts of electronic music which formed a strong impression and then chose with clarity of mind to break with those patterns and carve their own path

Lucy Duncombe and Feronia Wennborg compose a modern symphony for virtual choir on 'Joy, Oh I Missed You', muddling sound poetry with Nuno Canavarro and ‘Systemische'-style machine-damaged surrealism. Like a mashup of Lee Gamble's 'Models', Akira Rabelais' 'Spellewauerynsherde' and Robert Ashley's timeless 'Automatic Writing’ screwed to perfection.

Duncombe and Wennborg have been chewing over ‘Joy, Oh I Missed You’ for four long years, working their process until they were "queasily intimate" with their arsenal of artificial voice tools. Tracing the history of the technology, from voice synthesisers and chatbots to AI voice analysis tools, the duo experiment relentlessly to develop a digital-age response to IRL extended vocal technique - think François Dufrêne, Yoko Ono or Phew. Less interested in replicating human sounds exactly, they instead test how various tools might cough up their own idiosyncratic tics as they stretch and stutter through attempts to mimic their "fleshware" counterparts.

Duncombe's got prior form here, most recently re-synthesising her voice on the brilliantly oily 'Sunset, She Exclaims' 45 for Modern Love, following a stunner for 12th Isle in 2021. Wennborg brings along experience from her tenure as one half of microsound duo soft tissue, whose 2022 LP 'hi leaves' (Students of Decay) was a haptic treasure. These approaches mesh remarkably well on their first collaborative full-length, with Duncombe's eerie bio-electronic incantations providing the ideal foil for Wennborg's carbonated hardware processes. It's not completely clear where the human voice ends and the zeroes and ones begin on 'Your Lips, Covering Your Teeth', as rolling cyborg syllables tumble over OS-startup womps and surprisingly svelte outcroppings of glassy, synthetic glitches. The music is surprisingly mannered, a sonic reflection of the cover, where a mouth is pixellated until only colour swatches remain. Duncombe and Wennborg trace the gradual erosion of their voices, leaning into the chaos as their various tools veer off into unique patterns of failure.

What sounds like a far-off, ghosted folk rendition (we're reminded of the Icelandic laments that Rabelais chewed up on 'Spellewauerynsherde') is offset by gnarled, bitcrushed machine faults and pneumatic lip smacks on the brilliant 'Residue', and on 'Brushed My Hair', the duo massage the voice until it sounds like a flute. Assembling stutters and barks and sighs into a celestial chorus alongside time-stretched moans, they create a levitational atmosphere on 'Smell It', freezing the energy from bizarre pitch steps to configure a zonked vocal ensemble.

'Joy, Oh I Missed You’ is an album that, like its source material, constantly morphs, testing the boundaries of its concept repeatedly without bubbling over into conceptual goo. In fact, it's remarkably euphonious, even at its most theoretically abrasive; Duncombe and Wennborg wring out uniquely angelic formations through a process of trial and error that packs a surprising, hefty emotional punch.

»Reise der Schatten« (»Journey of Shadows«) is the soundtrack to the eponymous debut feature-length animation film by Swiss artist Yves Netzhammer. Composed by Anthony Pateras and released as a stand- alone album through Hallow Ground, the 29 pieces are based on »weird folk melodies ornamented with electro-acoustics to give the film a more fantastical, fairy-tale feeling,« as the composer puts it. His extensive international recording sessions with a slew of guest musicians results in a record imbued with a sense of mystical surrealism, otherworldly and haunting.

»Reise der Schatten« tells the abstracted story of a genderless being coming to terms with its identity and place in a world full of conflicts and systems of control. »The film was made with old animation software that only works on Mac OS 9. So already, we are in a very hermetic, unique space,« says Pateras. Having tried (and failed) to compose something »typically experimental,« he went for long walks in the Australian bushlands and came home with something else: the idea to create a soundtrack that would create »a kind of distance, or perceptual shift, but also a narrative drive and emotional context which is not always clear.«

While recording the album, the tētēma co-founder did not use digitally generated sound, instead workingwith live instrumentation whose sound palette was enriched by the use of feedback, tape delay, analogue synthesizers, and samples from vinyl records. Wanting to work primarily with acoustic instruments suchas the clarinet made Pateras embark on a complicated journey of his own. The initial recording sessions took place in Basel on metallophones that were designed by Domenico Melchiorre’s Lunason company and laid the foundation for everything that came after.

Pateras recorded with musicians such as guitarist Alexander Garsden, viola player Erkki Veltheim, clarinetist Aviva Endean, multi-instrumentalist Justin Marshall and Lizzy Welsh on the viola d’amore among other instruments. He recorded percussion and recorders with Rohan Rebeiro and Natasha Anderson in his hometown of Castlemaine, double bass with Benjamin Ward in Sydney, bass and flutes with Jon Heilbron and Rebecca Lane in Berlin, and electronics in Zürich with Netzhammer. »Reise der Schatten« was thus a literal journey, made with a »big, international electro-acoustic ensemble.«

As a stand-alone album, »Reise der Schatten« opens up a space of its own. Its stylistic diversity makes it atmospherically and emotionally multi-faceted. As its composer notes, »music for screen can be very virtuosic, sophisticated, and variegated!« His own work is a testament to that claim.

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The landscapes of Orlan 19 resembled the dream of a mad cartographer: cliffs were floating above the surface, horizons were bending and vanishing into infinity, and energy vortices were flaring up beneath their feet in psychedelic patterns. The familiar laws of physics didn’t apply here — gravity shifted chaotically, and time flew with unpredictable intensity. As Spacelunch, absorbed in thought, stroked the ground which distorted like a mirage under his touch, Cat’s grumbling echoed simultaneously from the past and future:

— Doc, don’t you think we’re just walking in circles?
— No wonder. That’s how inverse modelling works. Every action we take reshapes the surrounding space.
— Can you explain it in simpler terms? There’s only one genius here.
— Ever heard of the Philadelphia Experiment?
— Of course! You know how much I love sushi rolls!
— Well, I set myself up for this predicament… Back in my university days, we experimented with magnetic fields trying to program them by thought. You get where I’m going, don’t you? The planet is reacting to our intentions. So, focus on visualizing the portal.

The confusion on Cat’s face gave way to a mask of detachment. Clusters of matter began to tremble pulling the threads of reality to their breaking point before finally forming a vortex. Having devoured as much as it could, the vortex snapped shut with a loud pop and dissolved in a blinding flash.

As the scene began to take shape, silhouettes emerged under the soft glow of a desk lamp, evoking an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. A worn desk and a small bed stood by the wall adorned with faded photographs, while the floor let out a gentle creak underfoot. The clearer the interior came to be, the more paralyzing the realization, and the more elusive the explanation for what had happened became.

— Holy…! Cat, are we looking at the same thing?
— Yeah, but… This can’t be real.

Spacelunch slowly approached the window and froze still. A single thought raced through his mind: “The only force strong enough to pull me this far… was love.”

Life Elsewhere marks the striking debut of Catalan artist Oriol Cebrián, working under his Absent Corps alias. Known in underground circles for his razor-sharp ear and deep historical knowledge of electronic music, Oriol steps fully into the spotlight with an EP that both pays tribute to—and expands upon—the clubbing traditions of the late ’80s and early ’90s Valencia and Girona scenes: two epicenters of Spain’s most fervent and influential electronic underground. Crafted with a clear sense of purpose and sonic identity, Life Elsewhere is a masterclass in tension and rhythm—fusing hard- edged new beat with body-moving EBM, break-heavy trance detonations, and raw, unfiltered machine techno. All of it is filtered through a contemporary, uncompromising vision. Each track feels designed for the floor, yet refuses to fall into formula—constantly shifting between muscular propulsion and hypnotic detail. Presented in a truly limited ONE- OFF edition of 300 copies, lacquer-cut and pressed on 180g high-quality solid BLUE vinyl. All tracks have been specially remastered and mastered for vinyl.

Portuguese based Nørbak returns to Soma with his second single for the label, the Myelination EP. Nørbak is quickly making a name for himself in the global scene and has just completed his debut album to much critical acclaim. The young producer has built a wealth of knowledge on sound design and is clearly represented in his music which is deep and rich in sonic experiments whilst retaining dancefloor focus. This latest EP has Spanish techno maestro Oscar Mulero & fellow Portuguese talent Lewis Fautzi, deliver two fantastic remixes that perfectly compliment the originals.

Nørbak's "Myelination" starts the EP with driving percussive elements that propel the track from the opening. Swamped with light & ethereal FX, dark and droning sounds take the track down a ominous path. Lewis Fautzi steps up next with his remix of Myelination. With a more minimalistic interpretation he manages to continue the dark and direct momentum of the original. On the flip, Mirante rattle hards with steady and precise percussion, bolted together with heavy rolling kicks and sub and a perfectly muted rhythm throughout. Techno don Oscar Mulero closes the EP with his version of Mirante. He immediately ups the ante with driving 909 beats and huge atmospheric FX that guide the rhythms. Mulero always on point with his signature sound design and techno aesthetic.

Mastered By Conor Dalton @ Glowcast Mastering.

Drummer and Composer David Lee Jr.’s stunning and rare album Evolution (1974) blends the deep experimentalism of John Coltrane and Sun Ra with the pulsating second-line and parade rhythms of New Orleans to create a stunning sonic and rhythmical tour de force. In a lineage of incredible New Orleans drummers that includes James Black, Idris Muhammed, Zigaboo Modeliste of The Meters, and stretching back to Earl Palmer and Baby Dodds, David Lee Jr. stands out for his fire, experimentalism and an out-there-ness like no other. 'Evolution' is a super deep, ‘lost classic’ radical and groundbreaking deep spiritual jazz album. Originally released in New York in 1974 (400 copies only ever pressed!), ‘Evolution’ is an extraordinary one-off solo album, pressed on the artist’s own Supernal Records, a record company whose slogan ‘seeking creative progress’ and dedication ‘to peace and freedom’ clearly displayed artistic intent over any commercial or market-led forces. David Lee Jr was born in New Orleans and the deep experimental drum-compositions featured on ‘Evolution’ are as rooted in this southern city rhythmically as they are in the spiritual and metaphysical musical ideas of Afro-Futurist pioneers like Coltrane, Sun Ra and others. In the early 1970s Lee Jr. headed off to New York, playing in Roy Ayers’ Ubiquity and later immersing himself in the thriving loft deep jazz scene playing with Leon Thomas, Lonnie Liston Smith, Harold Alexander, Charles Rouse, and recording for a host of seminal deep jazz labels including Strata-East, India Navigation and Flying Dutchman. Today 'Evolution' remains one of the rarest and heaviest of all deep and spiritual jazz albums ever made. One-off super-limited edition magenta colour vinyl, newly digitally remastered, complete with new reproduction artwork, sleevenotes and download code.

Ode To Native Tongues” attempts to capture the feeling of coming of age between the years of 1989 -1993 (and beyond) while listening and witnessing the legendary Native Tongues crew releasing timeless classic albums and singles. Told through the experience of seeing the early episodes of “Yo! MTV Raps”, a friend sharing De La Soul’s first album, sharing that album with my cousin who in exchange shared Queen Latifah’s music or finding out about “Bonita Applebum” by Tribe at my high school’s homecoming dance. Evoking nostalgia as well as tell a story of how this music served as the soundtrack woven into the fabric of my youth, my coming of age, was the aim.

Everything’s For Sale” was inspired partly by a story of an elderly couple who went brokhaving to pay for their medicine.“Everything’s For Sale” speaks to how the value of money permeates all facets of this modern life, and as such it seemed only natural for it to reach into my creative world. This time however I wanted to make a song that cross examined how this super ficiality has affected music culture, let alone how it has rendered some in our society invisible -- a clear sign of a society void of compassion. The Platurn beat with a moving guitar riff pushed this song further, providing me the cover of a funky beat to dive into a topic that might not normally move an audience. Part cheat code for slipping in a conscious message to the audience without raising the alarm of the listener who may not be expecting anything more than entertainment.

Repress!

Sophomore release from the acclaimed trio of Inspectah Deck (Wu-Tang Clan) And 7L & Esoteric. Features MF Doom, GZA, Method Man, Large Professor, Juju Of The Beatnuts, Ra The Rugged Man, & Meyhem Lauren. Packaged in a 70+ Page Hardcover CD Casebook / 2LP on Clear vinyl with Lyrics & Cover Art From L'amour Supreme (Mishka NYC). Includes a comic, written by Esoteric with artwork by Gilberto Aguirre Mata (El Ultimo Codice) & L'Amour Supreme. CZARFACE - Wu-Tang founding MC Inspectah Deck and veteran Boston duo 7L & Esoteric - isn't concerned with the glitz and the B.S. that modern consumer culture is pushing. And neither are the group's fans. In 2013, the trio appeared relatively unassumingly with their self-titled debut, which was chiefly produced by DJ 7L and included guests ranging from Ghostface Killah and Cappadonna to Vinnie Paz, Action Bronson and Roc Marciano. The soon-to-be acclaimed group found out quickly that there was a groundswell of hip-hop fanatics thirsting for the lunchpail, lyrics-above-all-else rap they fell in love with in the '90s. Several pressings of the album on CD, 2-LP and even cassette later, they are back and ready to up the ante. This time around the group is the same, but it's fair to say that all three men have stepped up their game. We knew how we felt about the last album, but weren't sure how it would be received by listeners,' explains MC Esoteric. But people really responded to it, even more than we had hoped. That gave us the confidence to really spread our wings and let loose on this one. The chemistry is even tighter this time around. We know exactly what lanes we are cruising in and what weight class we are fighting in for Round 2.' Inspectah Deck adds, Czarface is like the Danger Room for the X-Men, I can use all my weapons on there. When I'm in Wu-Tang, I have to come a certain way because we have a certain style of fan, when I'm here doing the Czarface projects, it allows me to actually be an MC, it allows me to actually just spit...I love that. I love when i can just spit freely and just be an MC.' The fighting analogy - whether drawn from pugilism or '80s wrestling, both which figure into Every Hero Needs A Villain - is an apt one, considering the unrelenting lyrical attacks that Deck and Esoteric unleash on track after track, each trying to one-up the previous verse. Best of all, it is friendly camaraderie, based around a loose theme of renegade mutant MC talents running wild. DJ 7L explains, All three of us are influenced by comics, sci-fi movies, TV, wrestling. Czarface encompasses all of that, and it helps with the visuals as well.' On the production side, 7L shows yet again - as he did with the group's debut - that he remains a formidable yet underappreciated musical force, constantly providing hard, funky and alternatingly ominous backdrops for the assembled MCs to use as lyrical luge paths. If that wasn't enough, it's all iced with a ridiculously intricate and beefy 70-plus page, hardcover CD casebook with lyrics and extensive artwork by Gilberto Aguirre Mata (El Ultimo Codice) and L'amour Supreme, and with Death & Abduction,' a comic written by Esoteric, and an explosive, comic-book-inspired cover by L'amour Supreme (Mishka NYC).

01. Don The Armor
02. Czartacus
03. Lumberjack Match
04. Nightcrawler (Feat. Method Man)
05. World Premier (Feat. Large Professor)
06. The Great (Czar Guitar)
07. Red Alert
08. Junkyard Dogs (Feat. Juju Of The Beatnuts)
09. Sgt. Slaughter
10. When Gods Go Mad (Feat. Gza)
11. Ka-Bang! (Feat. Mf Doom)
12. Deadly Class (Feat. Meyhem Lauren)
13. Escape From Czarkham Asylum
14. Sinister
15. Good Villains Go Last (Feat. Ra The Rugged Man)

Kristoffer Eikrem Releases “Beneath the Sky and Moments Between” – A Journey into Ambient
Soundscapes

Mutual Intentions proudly presents Beneath the Sky and Moments Between, a 12-track ambient exploration by
Kristoffer Eikrem. Known as one of Norway’s leading jazz trumpeters and a skilled instrumental hip-hop producer,
Eikrem now debuts as a solo artist in the ambient genre, blending his musical heritage with serene, textural
soundscapes shaped by FM synthesis.
For fans of 80s-inspired ambient works like Hiroshi Yoshimura’s Music for Nine Postcards, or artists such as Gigi
Masin, Brian Eno, and Aphex Twin, this album offers an introspective experience. It captures fleeting moments
and expansive skies with minimalist elegance, balancing warm, organic tones and spacious sound design.
Having collaborated with artists like Ivan Ave and Fredfades—whose earlier ambient project with Eikrem hinted at
his potential in this space—Beneath the Sky and Moments Between stands as one of Eikrem’s most complete
artistic visions to date

20025 Repress
KEY Vinyl welcomes Brazil born and Berlin based power woman The Lady Machine for her debut on the label with Kudos, a no-nonsense showcase of tough, effective club techno. Rooted in old-school sensibilities yet charged with a forward-thinking edge, the EP offers four tracks engineered for the dancefloor, each distinct yet united by their raw energy.

We begin with Precursor, a big-room stomper that immediately commands attention. Its thick bassline and driving percussive thrust create an uplifting, high-impact sound that burns with intensity one for the peak time moments. Next up is Motto, a powerfully driven cut thatdoubles down on insistence and energy. Every element here feels deliberate and with a strong propulsion. Mantra follows with a massive groove and rhythm focused sound design. Open hi-hats, a sturdy bassline, and perfectly placed claps build a magnetic, suspenseful atmosphere. Oscillating synths add tension, while the sharpcomposition makes it clear why this one stands out: its a certified club hit and hip shaker. On closing duties is Abracadabra, defined by a returning thick bassline, pushing the tracks momentum to its limit. Pure, pounding techno at its core a fitting conclusion to an EP built for high-energy spaces and untamed dancefloor energy. With Kudos, The Lady Machine makes a bold first impression on KEY Vinyl, bringing a set of tough, dynamic and high-impact tracks.

The duo Spill Gold blends drums, synths and vocals into a sonic journey that invites listeners to explore realms of energy exchange. Nina de Jong on drums and Rosa Ronsdorf on vocals and synths joined forces in a collaboration that transcends genres. The music of Spill Gold serves as a woven tapestry of (unheard) voices, inviting you to lean in. The result is a fusion of psychedelic echoes, danceable rhythms, and intricate percussive layers. Their newest album is a result of a need for hope that longs for an anti-anthropocentric and non-patriarchal world. The duo's compositions navigate through cyclical patterns, echoing snakes biting their own skin, volcano's starting to errupt, witches fingers that crumble towers and birds of steel and feather. They invite you into a world where the concept of 'the first' or 'the best' fades away and to join them on their musical journey with no clear beginning or end.

2025 Repress
L.F.T. returns to Mechatronica with his unique, signature blend of new wave and breakbeat influenced electro for the mind, body and floor. Boldly shaped by distorted drum machines, gut-wrenching grooves and haunting vocal chops, the KeyGenerator EP comes backed by an explosive IMOGEN remix and an occult collaboration with Cardinal & Nun. A spellbinding record on its own, and another crystal clear testament to L.F.T.s razor sharp sonic vision and ability to generate new styles from the past, present and future.

Joe Bataan's extensive discography was expanded in 2022 with the release of some old recordings from the King of Latin Soul that had never been previously published. After the success of his album "Riot!" (1968), Bataan had easy access to a studio whenever inspiration struck to record a new song sketch or even a complete track. Sometimes, he would finish the recording entirely and offer it in its final version to Fania for release. This usually worked, although on some occasions, the song was rejected. In the case of 'Drug Story,' the track was recorded without a clear final purpose, even though Bataan hoped it would become part of an album. When the Fania executives heard the result, they immediately rejected it, thinking it promoted drug use. The tapes were filed away and lost in oblivion until they ended up in a thrift store in New York. From there, they were rescued by a Latin music specialist and later sold, eventually making their way to the Vampisoul archives. The song was finally released in its entirety in 2022 on the LP "Drug Story" by Now Again. It features a long, slow vocal intro that evolves into a more uptempo track with two very distinct parts, to the point that it almost feels like two different songs. It transports us to the best moment of Joe Bataan's career, with all of his classic ingredients, delivering a track as good as his most famous songs. Bataan himself takes on the lead vocals and piano, Bobby Rodríguez handles the flute, sax, and bass, Pete 'Choki' Quintero plays the drums, and William Howes Jr. plays the electric guitar with wah-wah effects. Vampisoul strongly believes that the song deserved to be released as a single as well, and that its structure was perfect for each side to have a separate identity. So here it is, for the first time on a 45, 'Drug Story,', parts one & two, the long lost track by Joe Bataan. Pure Latin soul, recorded at the peak of the artist's career!

SpaceWax is back with a full blast!
After a year in the making, the highly anticipated second release is finally here, and it’s well worth the wait.

Lithuanian DJ and producer Tourman is on board for this mission, delivering a four track EP that covers a wide spectrum of hypnotic and dancefloor ready sounds.

The A-side kicks off with 'Colourless Tasteless', a stellar bomb, an absolute floor destroyer packed with energy and mind bending soundscapes, followed by 'Yucatán', an acid infused roller designed for trippy dancefloor moments.

On the B-side, 'La Wamba' shifts the mood into a mix of hypnotic tech house, rolling synths and summer infused vibes, offering a versatile selection perfect for any set.
'Clear Sign' closes the EP with a blend of warm summer vibes and infectious rhythms.

With limited vinyl only availability, Yucatán EP is a must have for selectors looking to bring the Spacey vibes to the dancefloor.

Locked-In rises again through tumultuous times with its eleventh instalment, Peace Pack EP, the four track EP from FSK24, lands just in time to spread sonic sanity.

We only see clearly at the brink of change, and Peace Pack EP embodies that moment, with four bulletproof cuts that instill calm, carry you forward, and keep it locked on the dancefloor.

A1. A groovy roller, with crisp synth stabs and bouncy kicks, radiating timeless hypnotic allure, poised to energise the crowd

A2. Pure driving elegance, with psychedelic modular synth lines weaving through crisp hats and rolling bass, evoking the peak of a sunrise after hours

B1. Subterranean minimalism, layered with rich textures and cavernous bass, creating a late night delirium distilled into one track

B2. Cheeky funk meets squelching acid riffs in a sinister finale, lacing the floor with dark euphoria

Multi-instrumentalist, visual artist, and scene creator, Jonathan Uliel Saldanha, has been releasing music under various guises for two decades. With the successes of his moniker HHY (Nyege Nyege Tapes) whether in symbiosis with The Kampala Unit or the syncopationophilic big band of The Macumbas, Jonathan Uliel Saldanha's sonic signature continues to grow more and more singular. Ever synthetic and digital, Uliel Saldanha's work-ethic never eases—having recently started a label of his own, Horror Vector.

Surface Disorder sees the release of the music from Jonathan Uliel Saldanha's large-scale exhibition of the same name that occurred in Porto & Lisbon, (2024-25). As with much of his work, there is a Ballardian sense of a near-future in dystopia. And since we're already living the apocalypse, there's never a hidden moral to veer away from the torment. Instead, Uliel Saldanha dives into it and catalyzes it further.

Information from Angels feels like a cunty John Dee AI (credited as The Mouth) becoming an oracle of information overload, accompanied by an instrumental bidirectionally that splits into a lush harmonic layer of blissful punctuated pads and another that is a speedy but subdued melodic bassline. The Mouth intones a 15-minute fever dream that flows through themes that have occupied Uliel Saldanha for quite some time.

On Swarming the Pit, the intricacy of Jonathan Uliel Saldanha sonic wizardry is on full display. A constantly moving swarm of granulated particulates of sonic material morph into a variety of textures: coins or gunshell casings hit the floor, engines rev their monstrosity, rubber-like pulses are splayed into spectral blurs and pops. This is clearly an update on music conrète's obsessions.

The Mouth on the closing track, Wolf & Virus Dialogues, has a completely different texture from the first, alerting the listener to the uncanny nature of its genesis. Here the instrumental sounds are all triggered by the articulations of the voice: a weird unison, it serves as its own artificial accompaniment. The reiteration of a self-model (a rabid 'my') creates a greater tension between computational self-certainty and the terror of its inevitable actualization.

Spiritual Rhythms by Mix’Elle, the fourth release on Portuguese label angel, is particularly special for a couple of reasons: it’s the artist’s first record (a true triumph at that) plus she is a resident at the night series that originated the label itself. It’s truly an all-connected type of affair. This EP taps, in a personal and intentional way, into the very foundations of jungle and drum n bass, taking us on a soulful ride permeated by Mix’Elle’s influences while incorporating her artistic vision, one that was shaped through hours behind the decks in underground drum n bass parties for well over a decade.

The record opens with title track ‘Spiritual Rhythms’, a 174 bpm mantra-like roller clocking in at 6 minutes with the textured pads and the realness you could expect from a Rufige Kru classic. A fat sub underpins it, urgent spoken words remind us what we’re here for: ‘it comes from the drum. and the drum is something spiritual’ as congas play briskly into the groove.

Things slow down significantly for the second track, ‘Angel nights drop tha bass’ - a signature floaty pad and a drum break maintain a steady continuum. A hopeful chord progression is offset by the sharpness of the drums, the bass gluing it all together with the help of an archetypal stretched vocal. Everything is in its right place - a genre veteran is very clearly at work.

‘Touring’ features a mischievous low end, as if a jazzy double bass were played by a dub experimentalist. The funkiness is infectious, with off-tempo string stabs and a mutating filtered breakbeat that feels alive - a vocal pad chants throughout, adding a layer of wide-eyed enchantment.

Percussion never falls short in this record, and the closing track begins with nothing but a shaker, toms and congas - evolving to an elegant, dreamlike yet crisp piece, led by a prominent bassline, its washes and wobbles re-arranging our chakras. Spiritual Rhythms indeed.

angel is a label run out of Lisbon by Violet. A sister label to naive, angel tries to portray the party series of the same name - a bass-led, smoke-drenched celebration where the main room is dedicated to dnb and the second explores adjacent stylistic fringes like dubstep, trip hop, dub or jazz.