Поиск:hypnotic sounds

Best known for his work with CL Smooth, and his remixes for Public Enemy, House of Pain, Mary J Blige and Mick Jagger to mention a few. Hailing from the little town of Mt. Vernon, NY, right next to the Bronx, Pete Rock & CL Smooth pretty much got together in their local high school when Pete noticed CLs dope and unique voice. After high school, Pete hooked up a weekend hip-hop show on WBLS-FM and was considered one of NYs premier DJs during his four year stint on the show. All Souled Out was Pete & CLs debut EP, it was the phenomenal production by Pete Rock which really drew people to this EP. If the legendary DJ Mark The 45 King was the first producer to incorporate horns, Pete Rock was the first to really perfect this new style of production with his trademark echoing horns laced throughout his music. This was done very nicely on two of the cuts off the EP, Creator and Mecca & The Soul Brother, and people were taking notice in a big way.
After the solid Mecca/Creator 12 inch, the duo unleashed one of those all-time classic LPs every MC dreams of having, Mecca & The Soul Brother featuring the monumental: They Reminisce Over You, Straighten It Out, Ghettos Of The Mind, and Lots Of Lovin. Songs to make you cry - damn, they were playing TROY at funerals everywhere. One of the greatest hip hop records ever made ...it never leads my box man...- (Tim Westwood)

Pete Rock on hip hop: Hip hop to me today is still important but we are going through a phase right now. Hip Hop as been injected by a virus, and right now weve got to find a cure to this. Which brings along myself. (Frank 151)

The Press ...from downtempo, funkdified sounds to hypnotic hip-hop beats, this is a wonderfully crafted album - (BPM July 2001)
This hypnotic ... album represents hip hops incredible ability to morph and manipulate a hodgepodge of sounds to create something unique...although the sound is now industrial, electronic and everything but natural Pete's version of hip hop will remain a classy affair that merges the elements of an orchestra, the roots of black music and the cacophony of the streets. - (Mass Appeal July 2001)

Anfisa Letyago has established herself as one of techno's key players. An intrepid selector with a positive attitude, and an infectious smile, the Napoli based starlet has been making seismic waves within the industry for several years. Her own imprint - N:S:DA has been a home for her own dark-brooding style of techno, but it welcomes a brand new project to kick off 2022, with the first of 3 remix packs featuring a host of very special artists and artwork designed exclusively by Sergio Fermariello.

DJ Rush, a master of hard techno and wicked percussive elements, he's committed himself to the art of rhythm and drums. A Chi-town hero whose music transcends continental boundaries now takes his hand to "Rising Sun". Staunch and unrelenting, the barrage of bass drums keeps momentum at a hauntingly steady pace through the entirety of the track. A true drum-machine wizard who said "It was a pleasure to put my stamp on Anfisa's release. I felt her vibe and wanted to keep the traditional feel to the song but give it that Rush bump".

Adiel has graced the stages of some of the industry's most accredited venues, Panorama Bar, Dekmantel, DC10 and Concrete. She continues to bring her unique take on techno and doesn't disappoint with her kaleidoscopic iteration of "Orizzonte". Renowned for her ability to manipulate crowds with her mind-bending DJ sets and mosaic-like track selection, Adiel twists the original mix into a living techno organism of sorts, evolving and shifting through a deep palette of atmospheric sounds and vocal cuts. "It was a lot of fun to remix 'Orizzonte', it's maybe one of my best remixes and I am really happy about it" - adds Adiel.

Boston 168 leads us deep into an acid laboratory for this reinterpretation of "Gravity", masters of sound design and reformation of classic drum machines like the Roland 909, 808 and 707, the psychedelic and twisting nature of this Italian duo's tracks is unmatched. Currently residing in one of techno's capital party cities - Tbilisi, the pair hold down a residency at the legendary Khidi. "Gravity is the track that inspired us the most with its deep vocal, so we merged this with our cosmic sound" add the duo.

Very few producers have rode the pinnacles of techno as it unfolds through the decades, Chris Liebing is one such figurehead. Revered for his energetic, seize-the-moment style of DJing and music production Liebing is forever finding new ways to innovate within the booth. "Remixing 'Not There' was a huge pleasure, and the production process was very organic. I tried to take it in a little less melodic direction by just hinting it in the break". Says Chris Liebing.

This Germanic trailblazer continues to ignite dancefloors internationally between running his label CLR and juggling family life. Liebing steps up to the plate with his own take on "Not There" to conclude the pack. Instantly drawing your attention with his trademark grit laden kick drums and sweeping dubbed-out vocal shots, along with a hypnotic and body-jolting start to a literal Pandora's box of remix material.

"Someone like Anfisa, with such a high spirit and a smile that lights up any room deserves to have that same representation to her music. Good music will always put a smile on your face" adds DJ Rush.

House and techno purveyor Ejeca delivers with a high-octane release, ‘Keep Climbing EP’ on Needwant Records, which celebrates 100 releases. The four-tracker is available on a limited run of vinyl.

From its inception, Needwant has focussed on pioneering the sounds of tomorrow, developing exciting artists in the world of crossover dance and electronic music including lau.ra, Kiwi, and Ejeca, who first released on the label in 2013.

The title track kicks off the EP with serious force; heavy kicks and a glitchy melody loops hypnotically before making way for the track’s commanding vocal which is equally entrancing. Like its title, ‘Keep Climbing’ builds and builds, generating full-throttle energy that is finally erupted after a euphoric piano breakdown. ‘Vader’ reduces the pace and deepens the mood with a deep humming bassline, twinkling chords, and eerie strings. A breakdown follows with Ejaca’s signature ravey piano-lines in combination with hooky top-line vocals that seamlessly takes the track into peak-time party territory. The track is dynamic, enthralling, and highlights the depth to Ejeca’s production.

‘Won’t Beat Me’ is colourfully uplifting from the offset with bright piano and arpeggiating pads shimmering in tandem. The vocal is contagiously catchy, topping the instrumentation with positive energy which is present throughout the track’s duration. ‘Won’t Beat Me’ is a peak-time club big-hitter. Rounding off the EP is ‘Zyfer’ which boasts uncompromisingly chunky kicks and raw industrial echoes, before cleverly switching to a contrasting sonic soundscape in true Ejeca style. 8-bit arpeggiating chords bubble before warping into a driving club melody which dances on top of the heavy-hitting kicks and groovy percussion.

The EP perfectly captures the ethos of Needwant; forward-thinking music with innovative ideas from an artist who contributed to the label in its early stages. 100 releases on and Needwant continues to push the sounds of tomorrow in slick style.

Red Vinyl pressing
Goldie – “These guys are at the top of their game”
Break – “One of the best labels in dnb, very happy to be involved”

Our next venture into the world of Utopia comes with new momentum gained from Elliot Garvey aka Quartz, who has delivered the incredible “Thorns” EP.

Rolling with the punches from his immense Resident Advisor podcast and the successful releases on Metalheadz, Samurai and Rupture, we’re proud to put his next body of work out into the world. This brilliant four-tracker has it all: deep soundscapes, crunchy breakbeats, hypnotic grooves, haunting samples and an intense dose of powerful sub bass weight. Support from: Break, DLR, Djinn, Doc Scott, Double O, Flight, Goldie, Hydro, Loxy, Mantra, Noisia and many more.

Mako: "Quartz is one of those rare producers who can make any genre of music incredibly well. He chose drum and bass and I am thankful he did. I don't hear much I like these days but every tune he sends me I rate in one way or another. These 4 tunes are special though and I’m very lucky to call him a peer, a brother and a Utopia artist."

• Press / Promotion: In house campaign from Utopia. Editorial sought in all UK music and dance titles (Mixmag (single of the month), DJ Mag review, Faye Magazine, Bassrush, Your EDM Resident Advisor) as well as national, online and regional daily and weekly press titles for review. Third party uploads on Youtube channels of over 100k subscribers (Drum & Bass Arena, District Bass, Most Addictive)

• Radio / Internet: Utopia Podcast - Award-winning podcast with over 10,000 subscribers, 15k+ individual downloads, YouTube - Utopia YouTube channel, Social Networking - Facebook: Mako/Utopia Music = 12k+, Soundcloud 9k+. Rene LaVice radio premiere on BBC Radio 1; Bassdrive – world’s largest internet drum & bass radio station.

After the 2020 album "Lieder Für Geometrische Stunden", Sankt Otten finally make us happy again with a new release at the beginning of 2022. "Symmetrie Und Wahnsinn" (Symmetry and madness) fits here skillfully, both creatively and musically, in an album series with geometric context.

The album starts unusually buoyant with "Hymne Der Melancholischen Programmierer" (Hymn for sentimental programmers). A Kraut-Pop pearl, which could go on forever with its Motorik swing and with its catchy melody the track doesn't come across as melancholic as the song title predicts. You have to listen twice to not succumb to the illusion that it was composed in Düsseldorf at the end of the seventies. Here (and on the track "Sei Symmetrisch Zu Mir"), Sankt Otten were supported in the studio by drummer friend DIRK PELLMANN.

The drum machine in rumbling funky mode. "Die Glücklichen Unglücklichen", the secret hit of the album? They bend the beat into geometric shapes, let the bass play in circles and cover the song with ghostly choirs. The echo of a spinett-like sound overlays the sound, spitting out a deceptively cuddly dream world.

The 10 minute long "Die Ordnung Des Lärms" could be called an Ambient-Kraut symphony without hesitation. An enormous swelling to ecstasy, a guitar sings distantly in the background. Silence. Synthetic strings pave the way and are supported by choirs. A crackle that suggests a rhythm until it is taken over by a drum computer in the main part of the track. Bombastic mountains of synthesizers pile up and yet a catchy melody finds its way through this mishmash of hypnotic electronics. Fourth movement - Kosmische-choirs in suspension over a bass synth and an Ebow guitar. Is this already Prog-Rock? The question doesn't arise, in the end everything merges into reverb. "Luftspiegelung Der Sentimentalitäten" begins cautiously with a gentle sequence and a discreet kick drum. The mini-Moog sounds like a guitar. Anyway. A surface floats by and returns, layers and shapes build up. At last, everything melts into perfect harmony with a plaintive-sounding synth. This track was composed as a stripped back reprise of the first track from the last album "Sentimentale Sequenzen". A hypnotic Motorik-beat of an 808 that encourages head nodding and could almost be danceable. True to style with warm analog 80s electronic sounds and a loose echo guitar. This is "Angekommen In Der letzten Reihe". Man and machine hand in hand as a homogeneous musical unit and the connection of tradition and vision.

Sankt Otten like images of infinity. In the religious sense of meditative mantras, or also in the mathematical sense of an elongated curve that eventually returns to its starting point. "Bis Das Helle Licht Uns Holt" goes exactly in this direction with its classical use of sequencers and a sound carpet of choirs. Sound worlds that, through a clever repetitiveness, barely noticeably guard the constant changes in the compositional mesh like a secret and only reveal what is to be discovered by listening closely and letting it be seen. Such a thing is probably called Berlin School?

The Osnabrück duo Sankt Otten, founded in 1999, has been releasing on Denovali since 2009. With their now 12th album they give us again a gem of timeless instrumental music. The holy trinity of Krautrock, Ambient and contemporary Electronics, but always stylistically confident and unmistakable Sankt Otten. For the mastering New York based RAFAEL ANTON IRISARRI could be won. Also with the cover layout again good taste is proven. As part two of a cover series, this extraordinary die-cut cover artwork was again created by designer DANIEL CASTREJÓN.

There is a tendency within modern electronica to pigeonhole and categorise, to package music into easily digestible formulae. In direct revolt comes Dutch artist Satori and his new album Dreamin’ Colours, released globally April 22nd, 2022, on renowned imprint Crosstown Rebels. Recorded at the esteemed Sonic Vista Studios in Ibiza, the nine-track LP has been greatly anticipated off the back of its proceeding’s singles: Yellow Blue Bus ft. Laska, Lalai ft. Ariana Vafadari and most recently Gin Song.

An ethereal, swirling body of work, Dreamin’ Colours is rich in texture, colour and imagination. Satori stretches himself out through languorous, mystical explorations of both the digital and the analogue elements of music, the result a beautifully conspired collection of world music, steeped in electronic and Balkan roots, and straddling a multitude of genres from blues and indie electronic to opera, folk and beyond.

Colourful Dream begins proceedings, taking the form of a gently-building opener. From the pluck of a guitar string to hypnotic flute-like elements, we soon arrive at the enchanting world of Lalai ft. Ariana Vafadari. Recorded in a four-hundred-year-old water well, it showcases the transcendent sound with which Satori has become best known, meandering through rustling hats and tribal-like drum patterns whilst the dulcet tones of Ariana shimmer softly throughout.

Tuti ft. Kalima takes on a harder edge, with gritty drum patterns opening into melancholic chords early on. Kalima’s vocals add an emotive touch to the piece, paving the way for Moj Dilbere: a euphoric cut that feels tribal and reflective in one.

We land at a similarly ethereal soundscape on The Gin Song ft. Mybaby, as star-like synths pulse alongside punchy percussion before Yellow Blue Bus ft. Laska takes its place. It begins with real-life ambience, made up of sounds recorded live in Ibiza as a bus passes and birds chirp merrily in the background. This swiftly gives way to a guitar-flecked bassline, opening neatly into the vocal offerings of both Satori and Laska.

Troublemaker ft. El Mundo retains an inherent melodic quality, progressing through poignant strings and whispering kick-hat combos. Powerful and poignant, the mesmeric sounds of Ora Dea and Moshe meander subtly into Lonely Boy (Redux) ft. Hugo Oak. The closing saga brings things to a wonderfully subdued finish, rounding off the album on a wholeheartedly calming note.

Although raised in the Netherlands, where commercial electronic music is of course king, on Dreamin’ Colours it is undeniably Satori’s Balkan heritage that layers his production with dreamy, ethereal, Eastern European influences. The album’s overriding voice lies in his exultant celebration of Eastern European music, weaving vibrant threads of its earthy, melodic, rhythmic sounds into his thick musical tapestry. Written during the pandemic and driven by the ache of separated love, the album is, Satori says, his most personal yet.

From holding down an eighteen-month residency at Heart, Ibiza to having nearly four-hundred-thousand listeners on Spotify each month, Satori is a truly worldwide artist in today’s electronic music scene. Having been championed by Damian Lazarus early on in his career, he has emerged as a must-see live act for fans from all corners of the globe. November 2021 marked the start of his USA tour, where his Maktub concept adorned some of the country’s most iconic clubbing institutions, whilst his discography speaks for itself, with a plethora of acclaimed releases on labels including Crosstown Rebels, Sol Selectas and DGTL Records to name a few. As Dreamin’ Colours introduces him to an ever-growing audience, Satori remains one of the most exhilarating, untamed and truly authentic forces in music.

DJ Stingray 313's highly-praised FTNWO LP returns to heed its sonic warnings and powerful messages on his own label, Micron Audio. Originally released on WeMe Records in 2012, FTNWO displays the high-tempo, ever forward production DJ Stingray 313 is known world around for. DJ Stingray 313 says "FTNWO was conceptually centered on conspiracy theory, science, prepper doomsday preparation / survivalism and social commentary," and the foreboding introduction of "Evil Agenda" sonically explains just what lies ahead for the listener. The stark warning leads into DJ Stingray 313's stomping "Dark Arts", beginning the FTNWO experience. "Room Clearance" gets straight to business with raw, gritty and true-to-the-art Detroit electro sounds, along with a heavy, quivering lead to piece the track together.

FTNWO's cyber-explorations continue with "Denial Of Service". "I NEED a computer!" shouts a destitute voice throughout the track, as a hypnotic siren lead weaves through pounding 808s. The uptempo onslaught continues with "Interest Rate" - pads that give a feeling of falling accompany samples lamenting the realities of debt in modern society. These statements in the samples permeating the aptly titled track eerily foretell many present-day situations in 2022, as well as prove testament to DJ Stingray 313's ahead-of-the-curve production techniques. "No Knock" also carries on with arpeggiated square waves and dissonant FM stabs laced intricately over thundering drums. "Outsourced" has a call and response feel, with lush, bright tiny synths talking with each other over a thundering rhythm akin to a drum & bass arrangement.

DJ Stingray 313's sound also stretches to more melodic planes, as "Reverse Engineering" displays. Brooding pads and icy percussion engage in a sonic dance. In the same on "Image Search", cold drums and riffs intertwine the warmer layering pads and leads. Both create two powerful compositions on FTNWO that move unlike any other. "Remote Viewing" only moves lower in tempo compared to the rest of FTNWO, DJ Stingray 313's keen ear to melody still burning brightly. F.T.N.W.O. remains an ageless album - an ominous piece from a near-distant past, back again as part of the Micron Audio catalog to soundtrack the new and uncertain times we live in.

Gondwana Records sign LA bassist and composer Seth Ford-Young's Phi-Psonics project and announce a remastered deluxe-edition of The Cradle featuring bonus material

Phi-Psonics is a meditative, immersive instrumental group from Los Angeles, led by bassist Seth Ford-Young and featuring Sylvain Carton on woodwinds, Mitchell Yoshida on electric piano, and Josh Collazo on drums. Their deeply soulfulmusic draws on jazz and classical influences together with Ford-Young's own musical experiences, relationships, and his introduction to spirituality, yoga and philosophy at a young age, to create something uniquely its own. Phi-Psonics' name and ultimate aim is to find 'Phi' – the golden mean – in art, nature and self. Ford-Young explains:

"It's a bit of a cliché, but music saved my life many times and instilled in me a belief in the great power of healing through art. It is my hope and intention that this music provides healing to someone somewhere."

Originally from Washington DC area, Ford-Young moved to California in the early 90s and fell in love with the deep sounds of the upright bass and the music of Charles Mingus, John and Alice Coltrane, and Duke Ellington along with Bach, Chopin, Pärt, and Satie. He immersed himself deeply in music and keen to learn combinedintense personal study with collaborations, tours, and recordings with artists such as Tom Waits, Beats Antique, and John Vanderslice. In 2010 he moved from the San-Francisco Bay area to the Los Angeles hills and continued his explorations. But great music is rarely just about music and Ford-Young's meditative, soulful music draws on more than just the twin wellsprings of jazz and classical music:

"My mother was a yoga teacher from the early 70's until recently and taught me yoga and meditation at an early age, my stepfather is an Aikido instructor and student of the teachings of Gurdjieff. Those were all early areas of study that I came back to many times throughout my life. Phi-Psonics has been a project that unapologetically synthesizes some of these ideas into our music".

It's this mixture of influences, musical and extramusical, that gives the music of Phi-Psonics it's immersive quality and quiet power. Revealingly the music that would becomeThe Cradle, wasn't written specifically for an album, originally Ford-Young was just writing down what was coming through. As time went by and the album began to take shape, the world situation seemed to be getting darker and his compositions aim to offer hope as a response to the negative influences that abound today. Remarkably for such a beautiful sounding record, it was recorded at the composer's home, rather than in a studio, but the relaxed nature of this process gives the music an airy lightness that propels the music to some magical spaces.

Originally self-released on vinyl in a limited run just as the world went into lockdown, The Cradle reached Matthew Halsall (founder of Gondwana Records) when he aws looking for music for his Worldwide FM show and he was blown away, hearing a kindred spirit at work. Halsall explains:

"Phi-Psonics make beautiful, humble and honest music, it's not showy, but it has a deep vibe that will elevate your mind and soul if you let it. When we heard The Cradle we reached out and are really super delighted to welcome Seth and his band to our label". Whereas for Ford Young: "Connecting with Matthew and the Gondwana records family has been a light in the darkness of the last years - to have my music make connections even as we are more isolated."

Ford-Young is currently putting the finishing touches to the second Phi-Psonics record, but aware that only a select few had heard The Cradle, let alone had the chance to buy a copy, and entranced by its deceptive simplicity and elevating energy, Halsall suggested that Gondwana present the album as a remastered 'deluxe edition' with an extended running time featuring extra tracks and new artwork from Daniel Halsall.

The Cradle starts with First Step, perfectly setting the tone for the whole album, it is a beautiful, soulful slice of musical calm gently propelled by Ford-Young's resonant bass and elevated by sublime flute and Wurlitzer electric piano solos. The seductive title track The Cradle was written way back in 2011 during a time of great personal change that led the composer to a feeling of newness and nurture. The magical, winsome Desert Ride is inspired by many rides through the grandly cinematic Mojave Desert. You can experience how incredibly full of life it's harsh landscape is if you slow down to its tempo. The gentle, sublime Mama is a tribute to mothers of all kinds, beautiful and heroic. Drum Talk was largely improvised, Ford-Young and the band agreed on a topic and recorded their conversation. Choosing their notes based on how Josh's drums were tuned. Like Glass is named for the special properties of Glass. Like some music, glass is delicate, yet has structure. The first of the two bonus tracks Still Dancing was written during the early days of 2020 in response to the challenges we all were facing then. It's a reminder that the figurative dance continues and that real dancing is essential. And the second, The Searcher, also written as a response to 2020, is a gently hypnotic song about the introspection and growth that can spring from a difficult situation.

This then is The Cradle, a quiet self-contained masterpiece, life-affirming and elevating in equal measure and the first offering from a wonderful new voice in spiritual jazz and the latest members of the global Gondwana Records family.

Tammo Hesselink inaugurates his newly launched imprint Rear View Memory, intended for occasional dumps of personal works. On this first release the Dutch producer combines his rhythmic side with his modern hypnotic techno approach. The A side contains two UK techno inspired tracks that lie between soundsystem-ready dj tools and atmospheric floaters. The B side contains a percussive techno-not-techno roller and a halftime drum & bass workout in collaboration with Romanian producer DYL.

Single LP w/ printed inner sleeve + DL. Sophomore solo album from Emma Ruth Rundle, (Marriages (Lead Vocals/Guitar) and Red Sparowes (Guitar)). “…a sophomore effort of Cat Power-like tenderness and PJ Harvey-level intensity” The Fader / "...a sort of old-souled wisdom, conjuring the vastness of a sea." – Pitchfork // Emma Ruth Rundle’s 2nd solo album, Marked for Death, mines feelings of loss, defeat, heartache and self-destructiveness to emerge with the most honest and compelling accomplishment of an already prolific career. She shapes vast, evocative landscapes of sound, combining them with lyrics of devastating candor. Self-determination and resiliency, disguised in this case as coming to terms with overwhelming defeat, are key aspects of her personality. Transforming pain into works of great beauty makes her the compelling artist she is. A more adventurous production than her solo debut Some Heavy Ocean (2014, Sargent House), the eight compositions on Marked for Death, helmed by engineer/co-producer Sonny DiPerri, emphasize dynamics and vocal melodies, variable tuning, and a dense layering and texturing of guitars. Nevertheless, fear and self-doubt linger in the shadows of Rundle’s mind, providing an incessant counterpoint to her ambitious talent and sultry, albeit de-emphasized, allure. Exemplified by the candid, unglamorous cover portrait, Marked For Death takes a persuasive argument for its creator’s utter helplessness in the shadow of defeat. And through a potent dose of dark, hypnotic rock every bit as satisfying as her work with Marriages and Red Sparowes, Marked for Death’s most resonant element is Emma Ruth Rundle herself, settling in to her role as singer/songwriter. Her rich voice, alternately jostled and cradled by the sounds conjured from her guitar, feels more present, perhaps even more deliberate, than ever before. // UK publicity Silver PR - Early press support/features already confirmed with Pitchfork, The Fader, The Independent, Interview, VISIONS, Music Radar, New Noise, BBC and MUCH more tbc.

Gondwana Records sign LA bassist and composer Seth Ford-Young's Phi-Psonics project and announce a remastered deluxe-edition of The Cradle featuring bonus material

Phi-Psonics is a meditative, immersive instrumental group from Los Angeles, led by bassist Seth Ford-Young and featuring Sylvain Carton on woodwinds, Mitchell Yoshida on electric piano, and Josh Collazo on drums. Their deeply soulfulmusic draws on jazz and classical influences together with Ford-Young's own musical experiences, relationships, and his introduction to spirituality, yoga and philosophy at a young age, to create something uniquely its own. Phi-Psonics' name and ultimate aim is to find 'Phi' – the golden mean – in art, nature and self. Ford-Young explains:

"It's a bit of a cliché, but music saved my life many times and instilled in me a belief in the great power of healing through art. It is my hope and intention that this music provides healing to someone somewhere."

Originally from Washington DC area, Ford-Young moved to California in the early 90s and fell in love with the deep sounds of the upright bass and the music of Charles Mingus, John and Alice Coltrane, and Duke Ellington along with Bach, Chopin, Pärt, and Satie. He immersed himself deeply in music and keen to learn combinedintense personal study with collaborations, tours, and recordings with artists such as Tom Waits, Beats Antique, and John Vanderslice. In 2010 he moved from the San-Francisco Bay area to the Los Angeles hills and continued his explorations. But great music is rarely just about music and Ford-Young's meditative, soulful music draws on more than just the twin wellsprings of jazz and classical music:

"My mother was a yoga teacher from the early 70's until recently and taught me yoga and meditation at an early age, my stepfather is an Aikido instructor and student of the teachings of Gurdjieff. Those were all early areas of study that I came back to many times throughout my life. Phi-Psonics has been a project that unapologetically synthesizes some of these ideas into our music".

It's this mixture of influences, musical and extramusical, that gives the music of Phi-Psonics it's immersive quality and quiet power. Revealingly the music that would becomeThe Cradle, wasn't written specifically for an album, originally Ford-Young was just writing down what was coming through. As time went by and the album began to take shape, the world situation seemed to be getting darker and his compositions aim to offer hope as a response to the negative influences that abound today. Remarkably for such a beautiful sounding record, it was recorded at the composer's home, rather than in a studio, but the relaxed nature of this process gives the music an airy lightness that propels the music to some magical spaces.

Originally self-released on vinyl in a limited run just as the world went into lockdown, The Cradle reached Matthew Halsall (founder of Gondwana Records) when he aws looking for music for his Worldwide FM show and he was blown away, hearing a kindred spirit at work. Halsall explains:

"Phi-Psonics make beautiful, humble and honest music, it's not showy, but it has a deep vibe that will elevate your mind and soul if you let it. When we heard The Cradle we reached out and are really super delighted to welcome Seth and his band to our label". Whereas for Ford Young: "Connecting with Matthew and the Gondwana records family has been a light in the darkness of the last years - to have my music make connections even as we are more isolated."

Ford-Young is currently putting the finishing touches to the second Phi-Psonics record, but aware that only a select few had heard The Cradle, let alone had the chance to buy a copy, and entranced by its deceptive simplicity and elevating energy, Halsall suggested that Gondwana present the album as a remastered 'deluxe edition' with an extended running time featuring extra tracks and new artwork from Daniel Halsall.

The Cradle starts with First Step, perfectly setting the tone for the whole album, it is a beautiful, soulful slice of musical calm gently propelled by Ford-Young's resonant bass and elevated by sublime flute and Wurlitzer electric piano solos. The seductive title track The Cradle was written way back in 2011 during a time of great personal change that led the composer to a feeling of newness and nurture. The magical, winsome Desert Ride is inspired by many rides through the grandly cinematic Mojave Desert. You can experience how incredibly full of life it's harsh landscape is if you slow down to its tempo. The gentle, sublime Mama is a tribute to mothers of all kinds, beautiful and heroic. Drum Talk was largely improvised, Ford-Young and the band agreed on a topic and recorded their conversation. Choosing their notes based on how Josh's drums were tuned. Like Glass is named for the special properties of Glass. Like some music, glass is delicate, yet has structure. The first of the two bonus tracks Still Dancing was written during the early days of 2020 in response to the challenges we all were facing then. It's a reminder that the figurative dance continues and that real dancing is essential. And the second, The Searcher, also written as a response to 2020, is a gently hypnotic song about the introspection and growth that can spring from a difficult situation.

This then is The Cradle, a quiet self-contained masterpiece, life-affirming and elevating in equal measure and the first offering from a wonderful new voice in spiritual jazz and the latest members of the global Gondwana Records family.

'Agua de Jamaica' is the first collaborative project between producer,
multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger Sly5thAve and pianist and composer Roberto Verástegui

Recorded during lockdown in Mexico, the LP is built from a passionate and comprehensive understanding of Jazz, a love of Hip Hop and Mexico City's evervibrant artistic culture, Latin flavours, and the African roots from which these sounds grew. At the heart of 'Agua de Jamaica' is the title track; the moment Sly5thAve and Roberto realised they had something to pursue. The pair originally met whilst
studying Jazz in Texas and began piecing together the release on Sly5thAve's first visit to Mexico, over a drink of Agua de Jamaica. Thought of by both Sly5thAve and Roberto as the fullest collaboration on the release, "Agua de Jamaica" considers the constant artistic and cultural exchange between the US and Mexico, despite the politically differences. It draws the listener in with looping Hip Hop groove intertwined with hypnotic vocals from local artist Silvana Estrada.
Having moved to Mexico City at the beginning of 2020, Sly5thAve stayed with Roberto and his wife Yuki during the first Covid-19 lockdown. This time allowed for the pair to build on their ideas and explorations of different sounds and places centred around Jazz. Continuing in the Jazz traditions, 'Agua de Jamaica' is littered with signature Sly5thAve interludes, weaved together like a symphony
using album outtakes; "it's my favourite thing about making a record – making a complete piece from start to finish".

Tape

Lucia H. Chung is a Taiwanese experimental artist based in London. She performs and releases music under the alias 'en creux'.

Under this alias, Lucia is interested in the underlying structures of what we call noise and is examining the effects of human interventions into its complex web of tones. Repetition and chance operations are fundamental to Lucia‘s music. It is not built on the dionysian maximalism and symbolic harshness of lots of noise artists; catharsis is not reached via an explosion of sound, but via concentration on sound phenomena and small changes, which, not unlike some minimal disco night your usual mind-altering drone ritual, sucks you in more with every tiny alteration. This music is as intense as it is sensitive.

„The Liberated Mind“, in Lucia‘s own words, „is a sort of split release between two no-input configurations“. For „Wyldside“, she tuned two different feedback mixers with identical routings as close possible, as much as tuning is possible at all on these highly volatile instruments. „The two channels naturally phased in and out from each other. I guess the process was actually akin to Steve Reich's tape techniques on Come Out and It's Gonna Rain. The whole release extrapolated from that point onwards...“ Finding and replicating similar routings/settings on no input mixing desks is the nightmare of every control freak and a task doomed to failure, but in letting go and embracing these failures, patterns emerge. And thanks to Lucia‘s careful work, these patterns become hypnotic as she carves out the essence of each feedback loop, or, as she puts it: „Actually, I did remember the setting for the final track „Earthrise“, but for whatever reasons, I just cannot reproduce the sounds and it's forever lost (at least for this point in time, maybe when the conditions are primed again for the machine, the same sounds will emerge again...). I guess that's really the essences of improvised NIMB setup. Every single sound was the effect of the previous iteration and the cause of the next iteration... (Wait... isn't it just like a Blockchain? Ha!)“

A collection of no-input studio sessions improvised with Mackie 1202-VLZ Pro, TAPCO MIX260FX, MXR Phase 90 and Electro-Harmonix Bad Stone Phase Shifter. All tracks recorded live, no overdubs. Recorded in London in February 2020. Mastered by causeandcondition

Lucia also works as independent curator, producer and broadcaster at Happened. Check out Lucia‘s other albums on Hard Return, Falt and SM-LL.

With previous releases on Delusions of Grandeur, Voyeurythm and more, UK producer Ben Sun delivers a gorgeous blend of deep textures that hearken back to the golden era of NY and Chicago with his Distant Messenger EP on Razor-N-Tape.

On the A-side, Transmission has all the vibey goodness of an early Strictly Rhythm record, while Sable Sun scuba dives into Larry Heard territory with lush pad swells and squelching acid lines.

On the flip, the emotive motion of Tremors builds through hypnotic arpeggiated synths, a slow-rolling bassline and crystalline melodies, and the record finishes in proto-house territory with the Peech Boys era Larry Levan-inspired Red Light. This EP may wear its influences on its sleeve, but it looks (and sounds) classy as hell.

Stelios Vassiloudis enters an inspiring new phase as he unveils his sophomore LP All Else Fails available March 25th via Balance Music.

Hailing from Athens, Greece, Stelios Vassiloudis poses a triple threat as a composer, producer and DJ. Having been active in the electronic music scene since the early 2000s he has cultivated his own brand of distinctive ambience reflective of his rich and diverse musical background; transcending the dance floor via an emotional narrative of complex soundscapes, intricate harmonies and hypnotic rhythms. Over the past decade Stelios has released music under various other monikers, yet this new endeavour is his most diligent to date - allowing him to rediscover his love for making music during the process, "I'm more hopeful, inspired and determined than ever before."

Ten years on from the release of his debut LP, Stelios' detail-oriented offerings remain incomprehensibly thought-provoking and thorough with this new album. Noticeably dissimilar to any previous efforts, Stelios consciously took a step back from the pressure of maintaining a steadily flowing supply of functional, club-oriented music and as the world stood still amidst the pandemic, he embraced the opportunity to reconnect and express himself with a broader musical vocabulary. He admits that: "with the world around us seemingly on the fast track to Armageddon, the music ended up being very much reflective of the sadness and helplessness I felt."

All Else Fails is a stimulating odyssey to anyone listening. Harmonically dense, arcadian glistens seep throughout the ten tracks, each complementary to the next. Bask in the wistful iridescence and you won't be disappointed.

Stelios carved his way into electronic music by traversing around the globe as a DJ and performer - performing at intimate underground bars in Beirut, festivals in Miami, after-hours in Tokyo, beaches in Goa and mega clubs in Argentina. Having developed a formidable discography on esteemed labels such as Bedrock, Poker Flat, Ovum, Constant Sound and Darkroom Dubs, among others, Stelios' studio prowess and coveted productions cemented his reputation as a versatile and acclaimed artist. His intense passion and drive for innovation in music serves as the fuel to keep him inspired and relevant, qualities that no doubt ensure his reputation as an artist of the highest calibre, will endure.

"_Acid blues punk meets freeform drone raag transcendentalism" JONNY HALIFAX is an untutored aleatoric free blues outsider. His new collection of sound is an instrumental departure into godless raag brut improvisations, layered, manipulated and sculpted into heavily immersive feral sonic collages. Invocations of an hallucinatory apocalyptic near future. Previously the creator of junkshop blues skronk one man band HONKEYFINGER, which then mutated into the gospel fuzz psych of Julian Cope endorsed JONNY HALIFAX & THE HOWLING TRUTH with their ""slitherin' electro -programmed slide guitar driven mung worship", alongside the ambient drone metal noisescapes of DEATHENTEREDINERROR, now THE JONNY HALIFAX INVOCATION channel heavy meditations on the present into an uncompromising free blues transcendentalism that burn raga-shaped holes into your chakra with searing psychedelic intensity. Inspired by Henry Flynt's avant bluegrass experiments fusing country blues with eastern acoustic musical stylings, Spacemen 3's contemporary sitar music, and the monolithic drone doom immersion of Sunn 0))), THE JONNY HALIFAX INVOCATION build hypnotic instrumental soundscapes using lap steel and homemade slide guitars, harmonica and alto sax. Underpinned by layers of acoustic and electronic drone instruments and fed through an arsenal of pedalboard electronics that would make Dave Gilmour weep. The blues are transmogrified, unhinged, reduced and re-imagined as intoxicating, trance-inducing, feedback-drenched noise paintings. AÇID BLÜÜS RÄÄGS Volume 1 plays like a psychedelic western movie soundtrack, frenzied electric lap steel guitar suites play to melting cowboy minds. Flaming tumbleweeds blow in slow motion across wide open concrete vistas. Jodorowsky's El Topo meets Ballard's High Rise in an apocalyptic knife edge disintegrating urban landscape. Shut your eyes and conjure the best nightmares you've never had. The JONNY HALIFAX musical CV also includes studio contributions to releases by Andrew Weatherall's TWO LONE SWORDSMEN, UK metal behemoths ORANGE GOBLIN, hardcore thrash upstarts HECK (formerly BABY GODZILLA), and pan european psych noise titans MELTING HAND.

A repress here of 2019's under the radar 'Box EP by The enigmatic British producer JS Zeiter, who executed more greyscale dub techno excursions of a typically high caliber on this one. After some spookily sensual ASMR action on intro 'The Code' he continues to build the suspense on the beatless Subarctic Soundscape of 'Darkness Falls' before dropping the power on the cavernous and glacial beats of 'On The Moor'. Flip over and take on more of the frozen seascape on the deeply hypnotic groove of "Empty" before one more emotional ambient outro in the form of 'Endgame'.

"Rush to Riot" is the 3rd EP to be released in mid of July 2021 on the Berlin Techno Label INHERIT. After dropping the first Inherit selection IHT S01 back in May 2021 with tracks by Bacch, Geerson, CLTX and many others we are more than happy to announce that this remarkable journey continues - not only with two more original tracks by the co-founders of Inherit, Daniel Heinrich & Disguised, but rather with two exceptional remixed bangers by Hadone & Hioll on IHT 003.

"Rush to Riot" is definitely one of the most ambitious & remarkable tracks ever published on INHERIT so far. The noteworthy collaboration between the co-founders Disguised & Daniel Heinrich brings together what belongs together: trancey basslines and melodic vibrant tunes captivating you on every dancefloor around the world.

Hadone is one of the most exciting Techno artists from France these days and without any doubt his remix of Rush to Riot adds an unique & outstanding layer to IHT 003. His well-known evocative melodies propped up on pounding kicks unite with a more forward-driven interpretation of the original track that brings so much energy to the EP.

"Against the Current" is the 2nd original track on IHT 003 by cofounder Daniel Heinrich with a remix by Hioll, one of the rising stars within the Cuban electronic music scene. While the original track with the progressive baseline by Daniel Heinrich sounds like a famous club banger already Hioll created with his remix a new and distinctive sound, hypnotic techno supported by industrial elements lifting the original track to a new level.

IHT 003 leaves us with the feeling how hard we crave for the clubs to reopen again soon. Until then enjoy your catchy four track compilation by Daniel Heinrich, Disguised, Hadone & Hioll.

International musicgroup SexJudas feat.Ricky returns to Optimo Music this Winter with a new album: Night Songs. The eight track LP draws inspiration from the night and features Malian percussionist Sidiki Camara,jazz clarinetist Andreas Røysum and noise rocker Linn Nystadnes. Making their own blend of disco, post punk and African music.

“It’s the return of Sex Judas feat.Ricky, this time as a six piece in fully fledged band mode. We’re here to take you on a journey through suburban psychedelia, forming our own brew of postpunk, disco and electronic, as well as traditional music from Mali. Night Songs is a meditation on the night time. The excess, the dreams, the highs and lows of night time activity.”-Sex Judas feat. Ricky.

“Black Cat In A Black Room” begins proceedings, taking the form of a psychedelic six-minute offering packed full of tribal drums and desert-like percussion. “A Man Without Purpose” comes next with its African-inspired vocal, before “Hab Mich Lieb” soon arrives. The six-minute cut is hypnotic, trippy and relaxing all in one, as is “Slow Down” feat. Linn Nystadnes. Taking on more of a funk-rock feel, there’s plenty of groove in the guitar-laced bassline, whilst in “Cold Clementine”, Sex Judas tells the sad tale of rave casualty over a dark and funky groove.

We’re taken down a spiritual path on The Light You Saw Was Not For Real, as Andreas Røysum’s clarinet solos sit underneath shamanic vocal offerings that open neatly into The Night Within The Night. Aslow-burning cut, riffs and hats serenade us before When You Wake Up Everything Will Be Fine brings proceedings to a close. Dream-like chords wrap us in a warm and glowing hue, with the harp-like sounds from Sidiki’s Ngoni, leaving us in a starry-eyed state to finish.

The calming nature of the album is a nod to the band’s influences: they were inspired by the great meditative records of the past, setting off on a musical trip that saw them record the whole release at legendary Norwegian studio Athletic Sound. This happened during lockdown and whilst the LP was never meant to be comment on the pandemic, there remains a brooding intensity to each track because of it. Sex Judas feat. Ricky originally began life as the solo project of Tore Gjedrem (from electronic duo Ost & Kjex), but has since grown into a steady six piece involving the talents of Sidiki Camara (djembe/ngoni/balafon), Ivar Winther (guitar/keys), Tracee Meyn (vocals), Tore Brevik (drums/percussion) and Kristian Edvardsen (bass). Centre stage is also illustrator and comic artist Sindre Goksøyr, this time portraying each character as they paddle their way into the sunset and uncharted territories.

Malian-born, Norwegian-based percussionist Sidiki Camara has played a pivotal role in promoting “Night Songs” to world music circles. Having lived in Norway since 2006, he has helped bring WestAfrican rhythms into the country’s wider jazz scene.

Tropicantesimo is a music ritual extended over time and a celebration of sound and dance. It all started 10 years ago at the Fanfulla club in Rome. Nothing more than a party that over the years has transformed into a collective listening experience out of time and space. Meanwhile the collective animated by DJ Hugo Sanchez, Lola Kola, Rocco Bartucci, Gabor and Egeeno moved to a new club called Pescheria, and opened up to spontaneous live jams and collaborations with musicians and DJs from various backgrounds. Rhythms are incessant while the BPM is slow and hypnotic. Vocals flow between songs, messages and pure sound, while music is an organism which produces energy. The fruit of all this lives through extensive production work based on recordings collected over the years.

"Tropicantesimo Session 2" is the second of a series of three EPs presented as anticipations of the Tropicantesimo Gitania album release.

Like the first EP, this new chapter contains three songs recorded and mixed at Pescheria, the Tropicantesimo laboratory. "Perfidia" is a jazz and easy listening "classic" from the 1940s, re-sung on a recent techno dub track produced by Donato Dozzy and slowed down to become a new, sexy and enchanting tune. Egeeno's fluidity gives new soul to the piece and projects it right into the future. This is one of those pieces born during live sessions, even though the recorded version reflects the truth of the moment in which it was recorded. An Instant classic! ‘Oro Rosso’ comes from a summer session in which we decided to work on a song by a raw garage band called Gli Offesi. This is a song about submission, sexism, racism and eventually revenge, even though Lola Kola's singing opens up further interpreta ve scenarios. As for most of Pescheria sessions, guests can be very unpredictable, and here we have Maria Violenza the Punk queen. 'Bolla Napoli' is a journey through timeless sounds and feelings. From Neapolitan storytellers to the sublime world of Erik Satie with Lola Kola and Egeeno joining in a jam inspired by two classic songs "Maruzzella" and "Anema e core" both combined with the unpredictable sound texture of the backing track.