Cerca:d lay

"We find ourselves venturing into the depths of a rugged terrain. In our hands, we hold stones and minerals, each possessing its own distinct texture, weight, and sonic potential. It is through the artistic touch and through the musical instruments that these earthly treasures, once dormant, are awaken to life." — Sara Oswald + Feldermelder

The 3rd collaboration of prolific cellist Sara Oswald and electronic musician Feldermelder evokes captivating sensations that oscillate between impending doom and hope. The albums' sonic journey is highly immersive, transporting the listener from one cerebral landscape to another. The transformative nature of metallic elements being integrated in sustained orchestral tones weaves the sonic tapestry, resulting in a captivating experience for the listeners. The organic sounding — reminiscent of minerals' timbres — brings a touch of brightness and a distinctive edge, while the orchestral harmonic structures lend a sense of grandeur and continuity. The origins of this music remain enigmatic, while the tracks of the album gradually unveil concealed aspects and the hidden truth.
One can step into a realm where melodies are reborn, as Sara Oswald's cello spins tales and emotions burst forth. Nature's eternal splendor intertwines with the essence of music, as she infuses harmonies with the soul of mountains. Vibrant hues come alive with delicate strokes, and cascading notes resonate with a select few. Feldermelder conjures profound echoes that swirl like ancient whispers of the earth's primordial past. He sculpts textures, from fragmented glitches to expansive atmospheres, that warp the fabric of reality. The two musicians merge together harmoniously, blending the acoustic and electronic worlds into a transcendent unity. This fusion of contrasting elements adds a unique and intriguing quality to the music. The cello's warmth merges with pulsating electronic beats, creating a symphony of contrasts and sonic upheaval. Each composition is woven in intricate layers, combining electroacoustic architecture with delicate precision. A subtle balance of chaos and control permeates the music as it meanders through the labyrinth of the mind. The soundscape unfolds like a grand tapestry, distant echoes murmuring like grains of sand.

Trained in baroque cello and advocating improvised music, Sara Oswald is the perfect match for sound artist and electronic musician Feldermelder. She plays solo, composes for film and theatre and collaborates with musicians like The Young Gods, Pascal Auberson, Sophie Hunger and Julian Sartorius. Feldermelder is a polymathic creative whose artistry spans composition, sound design, installation and code. He is co-founders of -OUS and part of Encor.studio, a collective of artists who specialise in creating immersive audio-visual installations. Through his work, he explores the idea of secrecy and its impact on our lives, using music and sound to create a thought-provoking and immersive experience for his audience.

2023 repress !

After his debut on PoleGroup last year with a track 'Hate' selected for the compilation release Unknown Landscapes - EP 1, Kwartz makes a proper return to the label with Form and Void EP. Hailing from Madrid, DJ and producer Kwartz started his career in 2011 and within fairly a short time he has developed and refined his own hypnotic, dark and enveloping techno. Amongst notable releases to date is his first vinyl EP Fenomen (2013), a joint release with Pole Group artist Exium on their Nheoma imprint.

Form and Void EP features two strong originals and two equally powerful remix supports from the label mates and core members of Pole Group, Reeko and Exium. The title track 'Form and Void' kicks off with straight forward 4/4 rhythmic groove that gradually builds up layer by layer in to the darker shade to meet the mysterious break, followed by heavy brooding bass tones slashing through the kick drums, deepening the atmosphere with the hollowing echoes. Reeko's remix elevates the dark mood of original while pumping in even more energy with rolling kick/hat combo and psychedelic swirling chaos of synth that intensifies throughout the entire length of the track.

'Breakage' on the flip side possess much more hardened groove, pounding out the drums packed with blinding force. Exium's remix takes the tension-filled doomsday feel of original to another level and gives a new dimension to the heavy merciless percussion by adding haunting howling echoes that growls like that of ghosts combined with more muted drums and subtle layers of stabs of kicks and effects.

Kwartz holds nothing back with Form and Void EP, delving in to the darkest and deepest realm of subterranean pulses that fit perfectly for the dance floor with dimmed light and big sound system.

Crackazat & Heist present: “Senses”. A stunning mini album that sees the artist deliver a heartwarming perspective on contemporary electronic music
On “Senses”, we see the pure talent of Crackazat come to life like never before. We’ve all danced to “Alfa” or his most recent hit on Heist “Demucha” and have heard his venture into the more poppy side of things with his 2022 album ‘Evergreen’ on Freerange. “Senses” however, is on another level. Crackazat takes you on a sonic journey exploring his musical personality with live keys, vocals, bass and production all coming from his studio in Uppsala, Sweden. The
jazzy horns that are featured throughout are recorded by Adeev and Ezra Potash, better known as the Potash twins. The duo took a sidestep from their recordings with John Legend, Robert Glasper and even Diplo to dive into this project with Crackazat and help him deliver arguably his best work to date.
The 6-track album starts off with the low-slung groove of ‘I need to know’. The whole atmosphere is warm, dreamy and seems to be written to lift your spirits, no matter where you are in life. Plucked strings, arpeggios and long horn notes give this song its energy, which is subtly supported by lo-fi drums and sparse bass licks.
“Do you think about me”, keeps the energy tight with a lovely drum groove and a sparse bass section. From the first note of the track, you get the feeling like the energy could change any moment. Halfway through this is exactly what happens, when uplifting keys and a buzzing lead take control of the track. The string arrangement is subtle enough to never overshadow the other instrumentation, but simply adds a beautiful layer to a track that’s already filled with
emotion. It’s all smiles when the energy of this track is set loose!
If “Do you think about me” is Crackazat in pop mode, “Freddie’s Groove” is Crackazat in full-on jazz mode. The nod to Freddie Hubbard is clear, and Crackazat cleverly takes ideas from both the jazz legend and his legendary French sampler, Pepe Bradock for this track. The horns are deep and moody, the groove is jazz-house at its best and Crackazat’s soft vocals have the perfect amount of fragility to fit the groove. The changeover into a stabby synth section
halfway through the track is a subtle reminder from the skilled producer that – even with all these musical elements – he can direct you to the front of the dancefloor with the twist of a note.
“Phantom” sees Crackazat move into a shuffling Latin-dance vibe. Here, the song reaches its full potential through the horn section, so it’s only fitting that this is the feature track for the Potash Twins. The Latin rhythms are lush, the key progression is on point and the energy on this track just keeps on going with layers and layers of horns, powerful vocal chops, and subtle but effective percussion changeovers.
“Endless life” is a track that feels like it’s building up momentum with every repetition. Whether it’s the broken beat groove, the offbeat keys or the sparse horn hits, chord hits or leads, there’s a certain energy in this track that takes a hold of you and simply doesn’t let go.
The outro “When we last met” is built around vibey drunk keys and a downtempo hip-hop groove. There’s a hint of old school D’angelo in this track and you can clearly hear the artist feels at ease with the path he’s taking the listener on. It’s a perfect ending to a record that showcases the beautiful world that Crackazat has crafted through his compositions and one thing is for sure: This is an album we will all keep coming back to for a long time to come.
Yours Sincerely,
Maarten & Lars

A1 - Continuum

Teaming up once again the original Spatial production duo open their latest EP serving up a thumping onslaught of amen goodness with Continuum, a track which takes the classic Demon's Theme break and carves it to bits unreservedly with a myriad of chops, cuts & edits. We are treated to some delicious filter work later in the track over a shimmering backdrop of synthwork, glazed with a bunch of micro melodies, bleeps and FX.

A2 - Depth Perception

Meticulously constructed vintage breakbeats immediately set a brisk tone with Depth Perception before a blissful early interlude reminds us to sit back and take a breath, before our breaks return - blanketed with an introspective layer of serene synths & keys which somehow combine perfectly, resulting in a tonal mosaic only ASC & Aural Imbalance can conjure up with their combined skillset.

AA1 - Distant Orbit

Nest up an unsettling, melancholic intro tenuously launches classic atmospheric breaks delivered with that crisp, old school brand new punch we have come to love from the distinctive style of drum n bass Spatial is showcasingand developing with each release. Powered with a lively bassline, it's easy to lose yourself in this piece as the track lives up to its title and sends the listener far beyond the confines of their speaker.

AA2 - Cold Front

An intriguing, inquisitive energy opens Cold Front with an assortment of breakbeats woven together exquisitely in a collage format, DJ-friendly yet mellow at once . The dialed-back airy backdrops showcase a glorious intricacy to the breaks, so detailed with umatched clarity - they almost possess an ASMR-like quality, offering new discoveries to the ear each time on repeated listens.

We’re starved for two-sided 12”s in the world of ambient music, but Chris Madak aka. Bee Mask has refreshingly graced us with one this week.

It should be said that there’s Skee Mask and then there’s Bee Mask; the latter is far more unsung, undeservingly so. Madak’s music is abstract and cerebral enough to have lent him credo enough to have released on the likes of Weird Forest, Spectrum Spools and Room40.

But this latest reissue, ‘Versailles Is Not Too Large Or Infinity Too Long’, hears him plunge the aethereal heights for the US label Unifactor. Originally released on cassette on Chondritic Sound in 2008, these pieces deserve the renewed attention and the fresh laying to wax, since they’re not “regular ole” ambient cuts in the slightest.

Unafraid of indulging the high end freqs, Bee Mask fleshes out a mood of uncertain, urgent bliss - sizzling, crunching and soaring the drone, as if its maker were a modern Icarus flying too close to the sun.

Janaka Stucky is a poet, performer, and author of two poetry collections published by Third Man Books & Records. Janaka’s poems are at once incantatory, mystic, and epigrammatic.

His esoteric & occult influences, combined with a mesmeric approach to performance, create an almost ecstatic presence on stage. Of his live shows, VICE writes, “Janaka Stucky performs poetry readings like he's part fire-and-brimstone preacher, part doom-metal frontman … For him, lighting incense, dropping acid, and creating some of the most ecstatic lines of verse you’ve ever read is just another day at the office.”

Praised by Jimmy Page as “riveting,” Janaka Stucky’s book length poem, Ascend Ascend, published by Jack White’s Third Man Books in 2019, gets a mesmerizing treatment on this album by the same name, accompanied by experimental cellist Lori Goldston. Goldston, known for her work with a number of acts—including Nirvana, Cat Power, and Earth—provides otherworldly layers of distortion and natural reverb over Stucky’s dirge-like vocal performance.
Recorded at the All Pilgrims Church in Seattle while Stucky was on a 7-city tour produced by Atlas Obscura in 2019, the performance is served well by the room’s ambiance and was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Mell Dettmer—who has engineered albums for acts such as Earth, Sunn O))), Master Musicians of Bukkake, and Wolves in the Throne Room.

Aptly named, Tranquilizer is a potent, six track EP from Brazilian producer Felix. As part of Piratao Records; a label that merges everything from baile funk, to electro and techno, Mutual Pleasure is a fitting home for the electric nature of Felix’s sound; something that is fully exercised in this EP.

Tranquilizer is a mind-expanding selection of dynamic tracks. Unrelenting, with a deeply contagious energy that acts as the engine to this project. It is entirely soaked with acid, and layered with a plethora of squelching basslines, manipulated Brazilian Vocals and trance-infused synths and melodies.

Felix coordinates a masterful blend of dark, gruelling tones, with funk-fuelled flavours of his native Brazil: an electrifying and devastating marriage that sets this Ep in motion. While tracks like Alpha Helix bring forward a more trance-ladened side to his sound, the devious breakbeat and infectious vocals of Ta Pegando Fogo bring a cutting edge to his undefinable sound.

Within this searing melting pot of genres and influences, Felix traverses from dark dubstep, to four-to-the-floor techno, and everywhere in between. It is a suitably devilish project, and a statement of his ever-evolving musical personality.

repress !

First vinyl slice of the year and a brand new act onboard: El Joven Prisionero. We have been told that this project is made by two well known experts: Oscar Mulero and Another Machines.

About the music, three cuts on vinyl and four on digital, all named in Spanish to add more confusion for the non speakers.

El Joven Prisionero opens the EP in a gymnastic mode, solid kicks, an energized raw sequence setting things up and a mutant structure. A proper bullet for the post restricted dancefloors when ready.

Agitate incides directly on the most sensible parts of your mind and sound receivers, hysterical synth lines running over a shuffled beat and random resonant bleeps. Another physical exercise of abstract dancefloor weaponry.

Extrano Mundo follows, an elastic beat runs alone on the first bars, soon joined by martian and asymmetrical sequences growing from below. Additional percussive layers complete the equation, that as always is wisely administered on an intelligent arrangement.

Emotive sweetness from the one they call Gratts, coming correct via those ever-reliable purveyors of all things house, WOLF Music. Two dream-state gems from the Belgian-born, Australia-based DJ and producer, complete with a signature, deep and delectable remix from one of Dublin’s finest exports Glenn Davis.

On the A, ‘Pretty Lights’ is a bittersweet saunter beachside, sun setting in the distance, bass striding beside as keys dance across the horizon. A melancholic narrative over a blissful groove, Brandon Markell Holmes’ heavenly vocals add an undeniable elegance to proceedings, combined with Leïto’s deft touch on the keys. Subtle house music with soul from a producer that’s been toiling away for nearly 25 years.

Flip it to find ‘Polaroids’, a late-night trip across the underground with Tee Amara leading the way. Her sublime vocals are laid over a bumping, piano-laden beat, bit-crushed synths and all. A track that keeps that distinct soulful thread, yet laces it with a club-ready dose of the good stuff.

Glenn Davis then rounds off the package laying down a remix of ‘Polaroids’ that hits in all the right spots. A deeper journey, that sees Davis reworking the drums, dousing it in ethereal pads and dreamy synthwork, elevating Amara’s vocals to stratospheric heights. One for the dancers and romancers.

A blistering single 'Make You Freak' marks a welcome return to Drumcode for Eli Brown.

The Bristolian artist debuted on Drumcode in September last year with ‘Deep Down’, a summer highlight for Adam Beyer's label. His return 'Make You Freak' is five minutes of pure mechanoid techno, imbued with layers of acid, Brown's pin-sharp drums and a famous vocal sample. It's a thrilling cut that’s highlighted Drumcode's Warehouse Project party, Fabrik in Madrid and all across Eli Brown's 'Believe Tour' in 2022. ''This is a track I’m really excited about'' he shares. ''It features a sample of an iconic club classic in LFO's 'Freak', which I've been hammering in my sets for a while now. I think this could be the biggest techno track I've released yet and I couldn't be happier to be signing it to Drumcode.”