Buscar:hard fi

Nach seinem erfolgreichen Coveralbum UNLEARNED (2013) erscheint mit dem neuen Longplayer A SMALL CONDUIT OF GREAT AFFAIRS jetzt endlich eine Zugabe. Wieder hat Scott Matthew eine breite Auswahl seiner persönlichen Lieblingslieder adaptiert. Hits und weniger bekannte Songs aus den verschiedensten Genres hat er dafür in seiner typisch akustischen Instrumentierung neu aufgenommen und mit seiner ergreifenden Stimme vertont. Darunter finden sich unter anderem "All The Lovers" von Kylie Minogue und "Live It Up" von Mental As Anything.

Die Londoner Band Famous hat im Laufe von zwei sehr unterschiedlichen und hochgelobten EPs (2019 ,England" und 2021 ,The Valley") ihren eigenen, unnachahmlichen Sound geschmiedet. Himmlische Melodien, verzweifelte Elektronik, die auf wärmende Akustik trifft, und schillernde Songstrukturen - all das ist die einzigartige kreative Vision von Jack Merrett - Famous' Sänger, Texter, Haupt-Songwriter und einziges konstantes Mitglied -, die nun in ihrem bevorstehenden Debüt "Party Album" einen spektakulären Ausdruck findet. Als Teil der gefeierten South-Londoner Brixton Windmill-Szene neben Black Country, New Road und Black Midi wurde die Gruppe schnell für ihren grenzüberschreitenden Post-Punk-Sound bekannt. Jack Saunders von BBC Radio One bezeichnete Famous als ,die originellste Band im Vereinigten Königreich", Während Famous die Muster ihrer Musik herausarbeiteten, die mit jedem Song und jeder neuen Besetzung breiter und tiefer wurden, wuchs ihre Mystik - etwas, das Merrett mit den musikalischen Helden seiner Jugend identifiziert, wie er lachend, aber mit ungeheuchelter Aufrichtigkeit erklärt: ,Mein ganzes Leben lang hatte ich eine bestimmte Vorstellung von Rockmusik.". Mary-Anne Hobbs, BBC 6 Music: ,Wenn du auf Slint stehst, wenn du das magere Ende des Hardcore magst und vielleicht nur eine Prise Jim Morrison, dann wirst du das hier lieben. Recht alleinstehend, recht einzigartig.

Die Londoner Band Famous hat im Laufe von zwei sehr unterschiedlichen und hochgelobten EPs (2019 ,England" und 2021 ,The Valley") ihren eigenen, unnachahmlichen Sound geschmiedet. Himmlische Melodien, verzweifelte Elektronik, die auf wärmende Akustik trifft, und schillernde Songstrukturen - all das ist die einzigartige kreative Vision von Jack Merrett - Famous' Sänger, Texter, Haupt-Songwriter und einziges konstantes Mitglied -, die nun in ihrem bevorstehenden Debüt "Party Album" einen spektakulären Ausdruck findet. Als Teil der gefeierten South-Londoner Brixton Windmill-Szene neben Black Country, New Road und Black Midi wurde die Gruppe schnell für ihren grenzüberschreitenden Post-Punk-Sound bekannt. Jack Saunders von BBC Radio One bezeichnete Famous als ,die originellste Band im Vereinigten Königreich", Während Famous die Muster ihrer Musik herausarbeiteten, die mit jedem Song und jeder neuen Besetzung breiter und tiefer wurden, wuchs ihre Mystik - etwas, das Merrett mit den musikalischen Helden seiner Jugend identifiziert, wie er lachend, aber mit ungeheuchelter Aufrichtigkeit erklärt: ,Mein ganzes Leben lang hatte ich eine bestimmte Vorstellung von Rockmusik.". Mary-Anne Hobbs, BBC 6 Music: ,Wenn du auf Slint stehst, wenn du das magere Ende des Hardcore magst und vielleicht nur eine Prise Jim Morrison, dann wirst du das hier lieben. Recht alleinstehend, recht einzigartig.

Spiral In A Straight Line ist das sechste Studioalbum der beliebten Post-Hardcore-Band Touché Amoré.
Produziert von Ross Robinson (Korn, Glassjaw, Slipknot) und mit Features von Lou Barlow und Julien
Baker.
Leadsänger Jeremy Bolm sagt, dies sei eine „Platte über Vorwärtsbewegung, während alles um einen herum
destabilisiert wird.“

Spiral In A Straight Line ist das sechste Studioalbum der beliebten Post-Hardcore-Band Touché Amoré.
Produziert von Ross Robinson (Korn, Glassjaw, Slipknot) und mit Features von Lou Barlow und Julien
Baker.
Leadsänger Jeremy Bolm sagt, dies sei eine „Platte über Vorwärtsbewegung, während alles um einen herum
destabilisiert wird.“

* After the stunning success of their critically-acclaimed third album Sharpener, which reached number 3 in the jazz charts and number 14 in the independent music charts, London’s brass juggernauts Hackney Colliery Band blaze back onto the scene with their first collaborative album, ushering in a whole new era for the band.

* Featuring collaborations with a host of key names in jazz and world music including amongst others the father of Ethio-jazz Mulatu Astatke, British jazz funk legend James Taylor, trombonist Dennis Rollins, UK saxophonist Pete Wareham and Beninese singer-songwriter and Grammy Award-winner Angélique Kidjo, Hackney Colliery Band have effortlessly transformed their explosive live energy into 11 original recordings that push the groove and form in an accomplished manner.

*On ‘Collaborations: Volume One’, writers Steve Pretty, Olly Blackman and Luke Christie have between them penned the outfit's most dynamic material to date. ‘Mm Mm’ (feat. Angélique Kidjo and Roundhouse Choir) merges Beninese grooves with wah pedal trumpet textures, and the rousing call-and-response between Kidjo’s soaring vocal and the exhilarating choir adds a richness and depth to the composition.

*On ‘Snowfire’, innovative Norwegian pianist Bugge Wesseltoft brings a euro/nu-jazz feel to the album, while Dennis 'Funkybone' Rollins adds his trademark virtuoso trombone to the carnival-flavoured ‘Ricochet’.

*There’s an energy, respect for tradition and the exuberance of London in Hackney Colliery Band’s work, best exemplified in the evocative and downright thrilling James Taylor collaboration ‘Hypothetical’, with Taylor’s Hammond organ recalling the Acid Jazz era in which he made his name.
*New single ‘Netsanet’ (feat. Mulatu Astatke) is a deep exploration of Mulatu's trademark Ethio-jazz, while ‘Crushing Lactic’, composed by Tom Rogerson (fresh from a recent collaboration with Brian Eno) has a frenzied flow, with big horns and driving rhythm section.

*Elsewhere, Pete Wareham (stalwart of the London jazz revival) lends his free-flowing sax to ‘What’s Gone Before’, leading us into a powerful communion of jazz and brass as Mulatu Astatke’s ‘Derashe’ takes the listener down a vibrating rhythmic path while accompanied by blasts of horns and Mulatu’s trademark vibraphone.

*Two spoken word compositions (‘Why Yellow’ and ‘Climbing Up My Own Life Until I Die’) featuring York born writer and comedian Rob Auton lend an introspective voice to ‘Collaborations: Volume One’.

*A band never content to rest on its laurels, Hackney Colliery Band already have a number of collaborations in the works for ‘Volume Two’, and with further live shows planned for 2019, including the album launch at the famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, 2019 looks set to be HCB’s biggest year yet, both live and on record.

* Steve Pretty, the band’s frontman said: “It’s hard to believe that 2019 is our tenth anniversary, but now we’re ten years older it felt like the right time to get back to our jazz roots. It’s been such a privilege to work with so many of our musical inspirations both old and new on this record, and we’re super excited to be ushering in the next ten years with this new collaborative spirit: this is called ‘Volume One’ for a reason…”

The thirteenth drop from Curtis Electronix comes courtesy of veteran of the electronic music scene. Edward Upton has been producing music since 1994 and much has changed since he unveiled his debut release under the DMX Krew alias. Warp Zone LP showcases the great mastery of his studio, his technical expertise and his exceptional ability to create monolithic soundscapes using very few elements. Each layer contributes to a rich, immersive experience, each element resonates with depth, highlighting his deep understanding of club music, sonic texture and space.

Mit The Hard Quartet hat sich eine Band zusammengetan, der man mit Blick auf ihre Mitglieder wohl den ein oder anderen Superlativ zuschreiben kann. Immerhin tummeln sich hier mit Stephen Malkmus, Matt Sweeney, Emmett Kelly und Jim White vier Musiker und Songwriter, die mit prägenden Größen des Indierocks assoziiert werden: Pavement, Chavez, Ty Segall, The Cairo Gang, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Guided By Voices, Cat Power, Dirty Three und Bill Callahan sind nur ein Bruchteil der musikalischen Institutionen, bei denen die vier ihre Finger (und Stimmen) im Spiel haben. Über das selbstbetitelte Debüt von The Hard Quartet wird m Netz schon seit Bekanntwerden der Gründung der Band angeregt spekuliert: "Es ist einfach ein vertrauensvolles Umfeld, in dem alle bereit sind zu sagen: Komm wir werfen unseren ganzen Kram in einen Topf und machen daraus etwas Größeres", so die Band dazu. Dass es trotz der getrennten musikalischen Biographien so gut läuft, ist aber sicher auch der Tatsache zu verdanken, dass sich die Wege der Vier schon zuvor immer wieder gekreuzt hatten. "Ich habe eine geradezu vorzeitliche Geschichte mit Stephen und Jim", so Matt Sweeney. "Nun, zumindest reicht sie bis in die Neunziger. In jüngerer Vergangenheit war es dann Emmett, der einen wirklich tiefen Eindruck bei mir hinterlassen hat. So sehr, dass es die Art verändert hat, wie ich übers Spielen denke." Das Album vereint die Stärken von Malkmus, Sweeney, Kelly und White, oszilliert zwischen sonnigem Slacker-Rock und Noise-Experimenten und dürfte alle mit einem Faible für die goldene Ära des US-Indierock begeistern.

»Chromacolor« is one of those records that immediately feels like home even though it is hard to locate stylistically. Written and recorded by Hanno Leichtmann in Berlin and Madeira between 2020 and 2022, it draws on rhythmic minimalism as a guiding principle and might call to mind organic, instrument-based ambient music, but also incorporates jazzy moments as well as Annie Garlids multi-layered vocals that permeate through these nine pieces.

The foundation for Leichtmann’s Chromacolor project was laid when the prolific Berlin-based producer, musician, and drummer borrowed a vibraphone and a Fender Rhodes from two friends. Combining their unique sonic affordances with those of a Guitaret, an electric lamellophone, he further expanded his sound palette by inviting other musicians—Anthea Caddy, Sabine Vogel, Tobias Delius, Els Vandeweyer, Sabine Ercklentz, Mike Majkowski, Andrei Ladeishchikov, Oona Farchy, Gonçalo Caboz as well as Rafael and Hugo Andrade—to play small but vital parts in the production of the album.

The opener »Kisses and Wine« masterfully sets the tone for an album that is as inviting as it is challenging. Working with relaxed repetitive rhythms, Garlid’s anthemic vocals and a sprinkle of saxophone and flute tones courtesy of Delius and Vogel, respectively, as well as tender piano notes played by Leichtmann, it evokes a lot with only few means: a certain melancholy, but also an elevated atmosphere that feels both exuberant and restrained.

Leichtmann’s elegant study of the power of repetition, minute rhythmic shifts and subtle use of melodic and harmonic elements creates ambiguities and polyvalences like these throughout the entire record, up until its understated finale, aptly titled »A Beautiful Day«—a drone-jazz piece, if you will, both longing and joyful.

As an album, »Chromacolor« is hard to pigeonhole, but rich and rewarding. All it takes is immersing yourself in it.

Readers of encyclopedic tomes are obviously familiar with exploding animals – there are numerous reports of torn-apart toads (even in Hamburg, Germany!), actual ants exploding altruistically – but humans that decide to jointly detonate, and with no harm done, that’s rare: Kobe’s own o'summer vacation are unique (and volatile) like that, and they’re back to light the fuse for the second time, presenting 13 more musical quarter sticks that have already blown up venues in Europe and Japan.

“Keep it lean, keep it mean,” they say, and that’s what this band loves to take to the extreme: breakneck concision and collective combustion meet freeform noise punk hazards on o'summer vacation's second (not quite) full-length – as the Kobe-based three-piece’s “Electronic Eye” is set to arrive on October 11, 2024. Following a bunch of trips to Berlin, Munich etc., the Japanese fire starters have found a new home with Alien Transistor, and it’s the perfect launch pad for their latest set of guitarless pyrotechnics. Going right for max q (maximum dynamic pressure), “Electronic Eye” is (unlike those Starships) actually supposed to explode right after lift-off ;)

Even though there have been some line-up changes since the group recorded its sophomore album, the energy caught by producer Shinji Masuko (DMBQ, Boredoms) is still unmatched: a very physical and hard-knocking barrage of mosh-inducing madness that leaves you speechless + inevitably twitching towards the pit. Mastering was done by Masaki Oshima aka Watchman (Melt-Banana).

Opening with sizzling hi-hats and heavy ripples of breathless bass, singer Ami presents a non-sequitur kind of lullaby over the math rock-style interlocutions of “宿痾 (Shuku - A)” – which at 6+ minutes makes up more than a quarter of the album. A shapeshifting frenzy of voice (Ami), unbridled, pedal-powered bassline insanity (Mikkki, formerly Mikiiiii), and hot-blooded drums (Manu, meanwhile replaced by Karry), the album features mosh-inducing blows (previously released “Luna,” “Anti Christ 大体 Super Star”), 30-sec mini noise punk anthems (“竦(shou)”, “Days Go By Fast”), and continues to surf at breakneck pace up and down scales (“@ The”), which often feels like catharsis served with a hammer (“Ultra”). Whereas some tracks are bigger more song-y than others (“Song#2,” that full-throttle “Poodle”), “Vs I” is on time like Tierra Whack (exactly 60 seconds of pick-grinding action), and “Rage” indeed feels like Zack is about to join the party – only to see Ami wipe the floor with pure onomatopoetic fire. Finally, “Aloooooone” and “Humming” (that opening lilt!) are sure going to be live favorites, shifting up and down via hardcore speeds and various break-downs.

Quite hotheaded and terminating things on a high note, o'summer vacation point out that the quick-fire lyrics of their “songs have no meaning. It’s called onomatopoeia in English. Ami, our vocalist, does not like to communicate her thoughts through her music.” Although she considers her contribution “a part of the instrumentation,” they still have strong messages and concerns (unrest, discontent, willingness to shake, wake up, enliven anyone near the audible bomb crater): “That doesn’t mean we don’t have a point of view, but we choose to express ourselves through sound rather than words. Generally, but not exclusively, we are anti-racism, anti-war, gender-free, angry at the companies we work for and their bosses, etc., which are very common sentiments held by so-called rock bands.”

It’s only three ingredients, just like sonic gunpowder: bass, drums, voice – but they tend to explode a few bars into each new track. In a perfect world, there’d be giant colorful clouds of dust gracing the sky over each venue they descend upon.

Xylitol is the alias of Catherine Backhouse, producer and DJ under the name DJ Bunnyhausen. She was a resident DJ at Kosmische, the now dormant Krautrock club and is a fan of jungle and hardcore. She currently co-hosts the radio show Slav To The Rhythm, which focuses on vintage central and eastern European pop and electronica and she's also co-writing a book on Yugoslavian pop culture. 'Anemones' is a total project from the cover to the music. Backhouse is fascinated by early botanical illustrations of anemones and other aquatic fauna, and how the act of taxonomy reveals as much about human psychology, desire and sublimation as it does about the organic specimen as a thing in itself. Each track is a microcosm of this 'other life', an allegory for the extraordinary potential latent within bodies that the dancefloor has the power to activate. Using early jungle and garage as starting points to connect dots and open up contrasts between dance music and vintage electronics, Backhouse finds a sweet spot which, in her words "feels like something that's simultaneously still and ancient yet propulsive and ecstatic." Not afraid of letting the the hiss and flutter of the music show, 'Anemones' holds attention with ancient bubbling synths and gracefully drifting arpeggiations, occasionally brought to heel by charming melodies, all accompanied by breakbeats that explode like fireworks. 'Anemones' has a lively and unpolished aesthetic that's a kindred spirit to Nondi_'s 2023 album of smeary, water-damaged footwork, 'Flood City Trax'. 'Moebius' pits the spaced out neon chords of the track's namesake against absolutely tearing breaks, allowing time for this almost overwhelming combination to become near enough transcendental, while the bleeping melody and sad slavic chorus motif in 'Okko' feels like an artifact from an alternative future. The Drexciya meets 2-step garage of 'Dobro Jutro' creates a welcome respite at the album's midpoint before the flow builds up again to 'Daša' with its glassy sounds from a lost radiophonic workshop miniature meeting bruising kicks and snares. Meanwhile 'Iskria' has purring synth chords and 8-bit melodies evoking the cosmonaut age. The subliminal influence of the Yugo era is felt in DIY synthesis and Mitteleuropean melody and seen in song titles such as 'Jelena', 'Miha', 'Daša' (named after novelist Daša Drndič) and 'Iskria' (taken from the fictitious Balkan region in Ottessa Moshfegh's bleak fable 'Lapvona'). 'Anemones' very effectively folds experimental genres from different times and places into a very enjoyable new sound.

Remixers: SLS aka Samuel L. Session, Petru KSS and Mica (UK) “Deepsomnia proudly presents Sipa, the debut vinyl release from Filipino DJ/producer Alinep. The EP’s title, “Sipa,” meaning “kick” in Filipino, is a fitting name for this powerful techno anthem. Alinep’s original mix is moody and fast-paced, setting the tone for the release. Accompanying the track are three dynamic remixes: a hypnotic take by techno legend Samuel L Session (SLS), a hard-edged version by live electronic artist Petru KSS, and a melodic, driving rendition by UK minimal talent Mica. This EP showcases the diversity of modern techno, with each remix bringing a fresh perspective.” “Sipa”, the Filipino term for “kick” and is the first vinyl release of Deepsomnia. This EP features an original masterpiece by label honcho, Alinep with different interpretations from techno legend SLS (Samuel L Session), live electronic extraordinaire Petru KSS and the very talented minimal freak, Mica (UK).

'a masterclass in hardcore dancefloor and bittersweet feeling...Alex Crossan is both acclaimed and not feted enough' **** The Observer

Available on his own Pond Recordings, Curve 1 is a love-letter to club spaces, and the music and people who fill them.

Mura Masa’s forth album is a full-circle moment. Departing from the pop-leaning narrative and who’s-who guestlist of his most recent records, Curve 1 heads back down the rabbit-hole of club music that’s alternately euphoric, introspective, nostalgic and future-facing. Full of tension and release, ambiguity and playfulness, the significance of Curve 1 is left up to the individual: whether enjoyed solo or in the sweat of a packed room, here is music as enigmatic and layered as its author.

Mura Masa himself introduces Curve 1 as 'a manifestation of an attitude I’ve been cultivating in my personal life; ignore everything. All the content, all of the attention economy, all of it. In doing that, the really meaningful and vital parts of what’s around you make themselves known and unignorable, demanding your energy. It’s my first offering as an independent artist through my own record label, and as such I wanted it to be as free and anti-narrative as possible. Impressionistic. Music as entertainment has in many cases, to me, become very advertorial and excessively sentimental in terms of creating narrative around albums and artists. I wanted to strip this away as much as possible to leave room for the music to create its own meaning in the lives of people who form connections with it. It's hard for me not to explain away the intricacies and ideas contained within these records after having theorised and tolled and executed them over the course of nearly three years, but I think it’s far more fitting of the album’s intent to say simply: listen to it in the dark.'

Curve 1 pulls Mura Masa into focus as one of this generation’s most influential figures. Aptly reflecting his rare standing at the heart of youth culture, Mura Masa recently co-wrote long standing collaborator PinkPantheress’ single ‘Turn It Up’, as well as creating a series of remixes for Troye Sivan’s ‘Honey’. From producing global hits like ‘Boy’s a liar Pt.2’ to seminal records like Shygirl’s Mercury-nominated Nymph, it’s a juncture that has also seen Mura Masa embark on a new chapter of his own. He has set up his label and a creative hub and arts space - The Pond - in Peckham as a base for emerging artists and likeminded creatives, which will launch officially next year. Across his three critically-acclaimed solo albums, Mura Masa has built an audience who will follow wherever his genre-defying work goes next; with 2 billion streams, headline festival sets around the world, and live shows ranging from Alexandra Palace to Warehouse Project.

Curve 1 marks a back-to-your-roots approach whilst also highlighting the trailblazing young star’s recurring theme: to capture ‘that’ curvature in pop culture, to make it Mura Masa’s own, and to push things forward.

'Curve 1 has a club focus, no f—ks attitude and production that’s mature, lush — simply put, it’s just cool.' billboard

'a scintillating love letter to club culture and sounds' Wonderland

'the Grammy-winning producer throws a total curveball. Ditching his usual dreamy pop, Mura goes full hardcore dance. From techno to vintage rave' **** The Mirror

'Get sweaty as Mura makes it messy' **** The Sunday Express

'a total curveball...intense but full of hooks' **** The Daily Star

'Mura Masa has always been ahead of the creative curve, but with his new album, the tenured producer is consciously forging a path inspired by his newfound independence.'

'a grab-bag of sounds from a brilliantly restless mind' Rolling Stone

Citirax's next outing takes the form of a debut album from Los Angeles-based duo OP-ART. This pair, like so much great music of recent times, is born out of the creative isolation of lockdown and features Andrew Clinco, who you may know for his work with Drab Majesty. The alias they have adopted is an acronym of "Oblique Pleasures Amidst Rough Times" which they say reflected the challenges of their formation. Musically the duo is inspired by the 1960s visual art movement so embraces layered, psychedelic soundscapes with a minimalist approach and takes cues from New Wave artists like John Foxx and early OMD. OP-ART in particular focuses on analogue synthesis and gear like the Arp Odyssey and Moog Rogue while exploring time, romance, and existential themes with real emotional depth.

Speckled Dragon Egg Color Vinyl. Being Dead knows how to make an entrance - within the first several seconds of EELS, the duo's new record, the bright, hard-strummed guitar line on "Godzilla Rises" conjures cinematic immediacy, a creature emerging from the depths of the ocean in campy, freaky stop motion, fittingly so. Being Dead's records are mosaics, technicolor incantations, each song its own self-contained little universe. And while the dreamlike EELS probes further into the depths of the duo Being Dead's psyche, it is, most importantly, in the year of our lord 2024, a 16-track record that is genuinely unpredictable from one track to the next: a joyous and unexpected trip helmed by two true-blue freak bitch besties holed up in a lil' house in the heart of Austin, Texas. They decamped to Los Angeles for two weeks to record with GRAMMY-winning producer John Congleton, writing songs for the record until days before they left. The radical shift in process was welcome - a good balance and a challenge, Congleton helping them find new ways to work and helping peel back the layers on the core of their songwriting. Being Dead has grown from a duo to a trio live, including bassist Ricky Motto (who is immortalized finally on record here, particularly in the giggles on "Rock n' Roll Hurts") The resulting EELS is a darker record, tapped more into the devilishness within, but it's also a more raucous, rougher ride sonically. There's heartbreak, excitement, enchantment, dancing - we move through it all at a high-octane pace. Falcon Bitch and Smoofy never want to do the same thing twice on any song, and they don't. From the pummeling garage rock distortion of "Firefighters" to "Dragons II," which appears in its demo form taped on a hand recorder, it's unexpected but intuitive, and, most importantly, singularly Being Dead. Like its animal namesake suggests, the songs on EELS are malleable, the record like slithering through murky waters or strange half dreams, mysterious and beautiful in how it moves, reflective in a wavering sheen. Dipping into each song feels like uncovering a new cavern, plunging into depths unknown but fully open to what will be revealed. On the album artwork, an illustration by the artist Julia Soboleva, there are some weird disparate spectral creatures, a stark glimmer against a cloudy darkness. It's a fitting encapsulation of Being Dead, exuding a welcoming, playful energy even if something foreboding lurks just beyond the pale - more out of frame that's left to uncover, no path unexplored, strange and beautiful in the light.

After recent explorations into ambient and pop under his full name, Sacha Renkas switches back to his Antenna moniker for ALT013. The Kiev-born, longtime Rotterdam-based artist uses a rough-around-the-edges, hiss-laden palette to construct his intricate, pensive club tracks. Often recording on the fly, he embraces the limitations and quirks of the hardware he works with, curating the happy accidents that come with them and that help make his music feel as alive as it does. It is emotional and imaginative in spirit, yet raw, almost instinctive in its rendering. Renkas cites the new wave and synth-pop from his youth and the sounds coming from Chicago and Detroit, as well as the Dutch West Coast he encountered later on, as inspirations. The sensitivity and hands-on approach associated with these are also tenets throughout his work. The ''Another Wave EP,'' a selection of tracks created over nearly a decade, further substantiates this approach. Made on multiple MPCs, Juno synthesizers, and an Akai S900, and mixed on a Mackie 16-channel mixer, it blends, among others, elements of first-wave techno and European proto-trance. Opener ''Alisa'' stacks angular sine melodies and formant basslines one upon another yet flows like silk, its balance immaculately kept in check. On ''Everyone M1,'' the bass organ patch from which the track derives its title finds itself amidst a lo-fi flux of capricious arpeggiators, ethereal pads, and decocted drums. ''Another Wave'' is a carefully sculpted slow burner, collected in its unfolding. Wisps of melody, gated pads, and whisper seem to wind between its drum patterns; the tension looming beneath this patchwork never entirely reveals itself. ''Quasar'' blends signature dramatic chords and off-rhythm bells with a creeping acid bassline and more kaleidoscopic drum patterns. It closes an EP distilled in its form, confident in its intent, and nowhere too bothered by genre boundaries or other formal constraints.

Lenske's 23rd release is a comeback by the undeniably talented Milo Spykers. With his fifth release on the label, the Belgian producer and DJ solidifies his strong presence within the Lenske family. This EP features his distinctive blend of harder techno and psy-elements, delivering an electrifying package and his most mature to date.

This four-track EP is a testament to Spykers' unique style and innovative approach, perfect for the sweaty dancefloor. It kicks off with the title track 'Thunderworld', bringing a stomping kick and a hard, rolling groove. The bouncing lead, reminiscent of a thunderstorm, paired with cinematic alien sound design, creates an intense atmosphere. A breakbeat section provides a contrasting element, heightening tension during the break. Following, 'Ghostrider' features metallic percussion resonating throughout the track, with a rolling bassline and a catchy groove that keeps listeners anchored to the dancefloor. The rising dark bassline adds an intimate
vibe, building suspense and intensity.

With a bouncy groove and a trancy bassline, 'Warp Drive' takes listeners on a mind-bending journey. The synth seems to rise from the underworld, pushed by a distorted bass evoking the sensation of racing through a neon-lit tunnel, akin to a Blade Runner-esque landscape. Closing the EP, 'Croton' showcases Spykers' producer-skills once again, delivering a rolling distorted bassline and saturated percussion that the Belgian producer is best known for. Dark leads dominate the scene, merging seamlessly with the fast-paced, aggressive cut, while delayed leads on the downbeat add color and atmospheric pads unify the composition, introducing a touch of darkness.

SUNANDBASS ambassador FD returns for his latest EP to guide you back to the familiar shores of our annual celebration in Sardinia. Rich and expressive music that works on the dancefloor can be hard to find but FD brings the goodness once again, with this diverse three-tracker.

“All Yours” hits the sweet spot straight away, with dusky vocals and tight beats. Deft guitar licks keep the funk fluid, wrapping around an essential groove, whilst crystal keys shimmer in the heat haze. An ace opener to any set, this track strikes a rare balance between rhythm and elegance.

Flipping the script with an ice-cold intro, “Second Villain” creeps up close and personal before dropping a murderous bassline on your chest. Produced alongside one of Switzerland’s most respected DJs, Ryck, the ‘Villain’ encompasses and embraces influences from Jungle and Drum & Bass alike.

Finalising the ninth release on SUNANDBASS Recordings is “Wah Wah Track”, which puts the music first to prove that the medium really is the message here. Melodic layers rise and fall like waves on this classy and uplifting piece of future soul music.

The musical odyssey of the mighty Ketiov continues as he returns for the fifth edition of his self titled
label with the ‘F/G’ EP. In contrast to his well received ambient and downbeat ‘King Of Hypocrisy' LP
released back in spring 2019 Ketiov is right back on the dance floor bringing a broad range of tempos
and styles, demonstrating yet again his ability to effortlessly blend his unique sound and production
style into many genres.
From the quick-paced loose percussive disco grooves of ‘Another Mindset’ to ‘Loca’ taking us back to
the electro-house era in its finest days and to the lazy mid tempo gem of ‘Number One’ this EP is once
again packed with musical goodness for the discerning dance floor and home listener alike...
Meanwhile outside the studio Ketiov has also been hard at work on another project and making a mark
on the Madrid club scene with his night CARBS, as you would expect from Ketiov delivering an
eclectic range of music including disco, boogie, funk, house and modern electronic in an open-minded
‘label free’ space for the LGBTQ+ crowd and anyone else who loves good music. As the man himself
puts it, “you do you, we do the rest…”

Mit The Hard Quartet hat sich eine Band zusammengetan, der man mit Blick auf ihre Mitglieder wohl den ein oder anderen Superlativ zuschreiben kann. Immerhin tummeln sich hier mit Stephen Malkmus, Matt Sweeney, Emmett Kelly und Jim White vier Musiker und Songwriter, die mit prägenden Größen des Indierocks assoziiert werden: Pavement, Chavez, Ty Segall, The Cairo Gang, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Guided By Voices, Cat Power, Dirty Three und Bill Callahan sind nur ein Bruchteil der musikalischen Institutionen, bei denen die vier ihre Finger (und Stimmen) im Spiel haben. Über das selbstbetitelte Debüt von The Hard Quartet wird m Netz schon seit Bekanntwerden der Gründung der Band angeregt spekuliert: "Es ist einfach ein vertrauensvolles Umfeld, in dem alle bereit sind zu sagen: Komm wir werfen unseren ganzen Kram in einen Topf und machen daraus etwas Größeres", so die Band dazu. Dass es trotz der getrennten musikalischen Biographien so gut läuft, ist aber sicher auch der Tatsache zu verdanken, dass sich die Wege der Vier schon zuvor immer wieder gekreuzt hatten. "Ich habe eine geradezu vorzeitliche Geschichte mit Stephen und Jim", so Matt Sweeney. "Nun, zumindest reicht sie bis in die Neunziger. In jüngerer Vergangenheit war es dann Emmett, der einen wirklich tiefen Eindruck bei mir hinterlassen hat. So sehr, dass es die Art verändert hat, wie ich übers Spielen denke." Das Album vereint die Stärken von Malkmus, Sweeney, Kelly und White, oszilliert zwischen sonnigem Slacker-Rock und Noise-Experimenten und dürfte alle mit einem Faible für die goldene Ära des US-Indierock begeistern.