Beats Vinyl New Releases - News

After his last release on Dirt Crew in 2017 we are more than delighted to bring back the talented Harry Wolfman.
With impressive records on labels like Phonica, Omena, Outplay and Toy Tonics in the last years he has drawn up a fine new selection of music that spans across many genres and moods. This is also the first release for us in the new year after a lil break and it continues to explore the more eclectic approach we are following for a while now since the outings of artists like Dampé, S3A and Dan Only.

Harry presents an exciting opener for his new EP, together with vocalist Christian Crow he has made the blissful and breaks laden “poppy” good feel tune “A Way You Come Home to Me” that shines a bright light in these darker months. Followed by the deeper club tune “Step by Step”, building around yet another vocal recording. This time it’s Harry sampling his own voice and looping it into a repetitive piece of good feel House music.

We are getting deeper on the B side with “Speaking Raman”, one of these signature Harry tunes, a playful dusty lo-fi piece of music build around a piano theme and embedded in deep bass and driving beats, his sound trademark on all of these more floor orientated tracks on the EP. To close out the record we added two of his cinematic, ambient electronica works that we personally love so much. The haunting “Always 3” is a deep sphere that sucks you in a meditational and soothing womb of sounds. Ending with the electroid cut “Green Trees”, it’s broken and fragile and gives this indie-tronica track a warm and gentle touch.

We hope you enjoy these tunes and that they may be your soundtrack to the upcoming warmer months.

Finally and just in time for Christmas 2020 Hastings of Malawi release their third LP - the antithesis of Christmas albums.

In this bleak vinyl mid winter the sleigh bells have been replaced with twelve handsaws, two motors and a dustbin, a duet between a walrus and an autistic child on an aeroplane, a chorus of pigs and Tasmanian devils, sounds from Japan, China, Africa, Italy, India and Hawaii, digital voice synthesis, sound sculptures, randomly generated music, geiger counters, free improvisation and a rocket engine.

As with their first two albums this record continues to explore themes of communication and communication breakdown.

Is communication possible? What is the message? What is sound? What is on the surface of a record? What is beneath the surface of a record? Hastings of Malawi provide the answer to these questions in the form of a 38 minute poem called Axial Incidents.

*repress*

Phonica Records welcome the latest addition to their ever-growing stable of talent, Pick A Piper! The brainchild of one Brad Weber, usually found behind the drum-kit at Caribou's live shows, Angus Fraser and Dan Roberts, Pick A Piper Combines dance-music structures, polyrhythmic percussion, atmospheric sound design, loopy melodies and a focus on electronics and production technique to create a sound poised between the organic and the synthetic and Phonica White have been blessed with two killer remixes to release on a limited stamped and numbered 12'.

On the A-side one half of Junior Boys and increasingly prolific producer in his own right, Jeremy Greenspan delivers his first ever solo remix! His reworking of 'Lucid In Fjords' is one of the most epic tracks we've heard in a while - clocking in high on the BPM scale, Jeremy pulls out all the stops with an acid-tinged and dubby remix complete with covert pan flute sample.

On the flip Phonica fave Dan Snaith, dons his Caribou alias for an uncharacteristically abstract remix of 'Once Were Leaves'. Moody and bass-heavy, it builds around two other-worldly vocal samples; one pitched down, one ethereal, working in tandem to create an atmospheric backdrop for Caribou's downbeat drum programming. This is Caribou showing off a different side to his productions, one we personally would like to hear more of!

Minimal Wave present the reissue of a rare self-released record by Plugpoint Music called ‘Last Chance’. Plugpoint Music was the minimal synth project of Reiner Ossmann, who recorded the 12 songs on this album in his home studio in Germany in 1987 and released them as an edition of 200 copies. This gem of a record was never properly distributed and so essentially disappeared until it began circulating amongst various collectors during the last 15 years. The sound has been compared to the likes of Mort Garson and Cluster. It’s a true minimal synth classic in all of its eccentricity and lack of self-consciousness. The record has been remastered and is pressed on 180-gram black vinyl as an edition of 500 copies along with a lyric insert sheet.

It's been six years since Starion's incredible "Mind Bender EP" (RL09) circulated our orbit - a masterpiece seemingly beamed from a utopic late nite discotheque on a far-away star cluster, and one that immediately promoted the then Manctalo rookie up the ranks of the Red Laser hierarchy.
Subsequently dropping primo synth sizzlers with Tron-like precision via the label's V/A EPs, the producer returns with four more particle-splitting bangers for our nocturnal delectation.

Quintessentially Manctalo, 'Altered States' captures the producer's Streford-based, garage-cum-studio humming with activity. Encircled with everlasting chord progressions, excitable drum patterns and a plethora of star-studded synthesizers, the tracks glide through Starion's humble quadrant with a deep, guided desire to touch our hearts and power positive interactions.

'Mind Funk', with its spark plug percussion and intense squelch washes euphoric, gated vox through its shadowy, amorphous, electro-charged circuitry; leading us with trepidation into the vast unknown. Key title track 'Altered States' ionizes its surroundings with a charged and uplifting synth array containing a whole multitude of messages and motifs to decipher in the dance.

In one inspired moment Starion explores the archetypal realms of electronic disco through a colossally robotic rendition of 'Spacer Woman' before 'Condo Cruise' finally, ensures that Red Laser devotees have a brand new, radium-studded dancefloor gem to digest when the discotheques are open once more, its heart-tickling sequences and end-of-era majesty showing us a positive path thru the New Normal...

Housed in a limited risograph sleeve designed by Manchester artist, DJ and musician Glen Cutwerk it's another carefully mined nugget of Manctalo heritage humans and their AI-upgraded incarnations will enjoy for many millennia to come.

Drum & Bass duo The Prototypes release their much anticipated debut album 'City of Gold' on Viper Recordings following hit singles such as 'Pale Blue Dot', 'Don't Let Me Go' and 'Pop It Off'.

Already one of the hottest acts in the UK Drum & Bass club scene having 3 out of the Top 10 best selling tracks of 2014 on Beatport, The Prototypes are reaching new heights with their debut LP which showcases their trademark club sound and vocal anthems.

Continuing on the thematic thread of soundtracking an imaginary short movie, label founder DJ Tennis aka Manfredi Romano, asks some of the greatest contemporary club producers to take on the task of interpreting this idea in their own unique style. Romano explains that 'the score is a translation of our imagination, memories and emotions into music, with no protocols.' Opening the soundtrack, Vatican Shadow swaps his thunderous techno for a more cosmic and gentle approach, setting the tone for an equally serene soundscape from London based DJ and producer Midland. Japanese Future Terror head honcho, DJ Nobu, layers dense cerebral textures exuding the punk spirit of Life and Death. A similar rule defying energy can be heard by Ninos De Brazil who fuse carnival percussions with straight up old school techno. Both Scuba and Uchi bring the futuristic synths of a space age tomorrow we've all been waiting for. German producer Isolee interprets the task with his minimal productions and Italian producer Cosmo closes the compilation with Psychedelic Soundscapes turning into a distorted gabber missile. As the decade edges closer to it's decade anniversary, Romano proves yet again that Life and Death is a label which evolves through each reincarnation of itself, never failing to impress.

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Private Parts: The Park
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Private Parts: The Backyard
Lovely Music presents a reissue of Robert Ashley's Private Parts, originally issued in 1978. This newly mastered LP release is a must-have for aficionados as well as a perfect introductory work to Ashley's oeuvre. Among Lovely Music's first six releases, it came to be known as "the yellow record". No one had ever heard anything like it; Ashley presented an unvarnished exposition of the inner workings of a man's mind. And on the other side, those of a woman. These two episodes were the foundation for Ashley's seven-part opera, Perfect Lives (LCD 4917CD, 2017), which was performed by his ensemble throughout the 1980s and was completed for television broadcast by Britain's Channel Four. New arrangements of Perfect Lives, notably Varispeed's site-specific version, continue to intrigue and enchant.

Recorded at the Center for Contemporary Music, Mills College, Oakland, California, July 1977, produced by Ashley. Personnel: Robert Ashley - voice; "Blue" Gene Tyranny - keyboards; Kris - tablas. 180 gram vinyl, Stoughton Old Style sleeve, includes libretto.

OK SPIRIT is the new label by N.I.B., Kilian Paterson and DJ Neewt. The Frankfurt trio kicks off with a wild range of contemporary dancefloor adventures. The titel track 'Voces De Humo' is an epochal 17min journey by Bear Bones, Lay Low accompanied by two stunning remixes from DJ Plead and TNC6.

Good UK Drum & Bass at a nice price... So what ?

DJH was 15 when he wrote his first EP back in 1993. That EP became a near mythic release within the hardcore vinyl collecting circles with a price tag of over £700 on Discogs! Vinyl Fanatiks tracked down Danny and organised its re-release back in 2019, with the release selling out rapidly.

Bringing his 2020 story to a gleaming crescendo with an exciting new
chapter of music, Keeno graces the world of drum & bass with his very first solo album on Hospital Records, following his three previous triumphant albums on sister-label Med School.
‘I Live, I Learn’ is a divine body of work that goes above and beyond Keeno’s previous repertoire with a fresh outlook on the distinct, classically-infused D+B style that he is loved for.
Album title-track ‘I Live, I Learn (feat. F Vie)’ kickstarts the journey with a majestically cinematic introduction where Keeno’s multi-instrumentalist training shines through as earnest pianos and strings are seamlessly intertwined, laying down the canvas for F Vie to decorate with her beautiful melodies and heartfelt lyrics.
‘Behind The Glass’ instils immense euphoria and inspiration with the vocals of Kate Wild which uplift and teach the important lesson of self-love. Sublime flourishes and a bassline crafted with sonic precision elevate the irresistibly feel-good track into a world of its own. A future favourite of those who had his ‘Sick Music 2020’ contribution ‘I Wonder’ on repeat.
Transcendent atmospherics and soulful guitar grooves set the scene on ‘Severn Summers’ before splashy Amen breaks and jazzy chords ignite into an explosion of musical brightness. Exquisitely executed vintage vocal samples add to the cut’s sublime flair. This is liquid drum & bass at its finest.
Teaming up with New Zealand based singer/songwriter, and no stranger to Hospital Records, Thomas Oliver brings his infectiously enlivening vibe to ‘Sunflowers’. Pulsing sub basses, crisp breaks and a warm piano pair perfectly with the blissful vocals of Thomas Oliver. Other notable collaborations on the album include Whiney & Ebson on ‘Unreachable’, Etherwood on the well-received single ‘Fall Beneath You’ and rising star Telomic on ‘Listen Close’.
Keeno’s dedication to crafting his own unique sound has not gone unnoticed.
His remarkable productions have been supported by esteemed tastemakers, including a ‘Self-Certified Selection’ from MistaJam on BBC Radio 1, plays from Rene LaVice and his music being aired across the UK airwaves from 1Xtra to 6Music. On top of this, Keeno also hosts his widely renowned ‘Bristol Mix Series’ streams showcasing the very best established and upcoming talent in drum & bass. The success of his ‘Bristol Mix Series’ has led to his very own biweekly residency at Basement 45 in Bristol, where you’ll be able to catch Keeno spinning the latest D+B to his socially-distanced devotees.

For those who have been following Laurent Garnier for a long time, know how multipurpose this artist is, how his status as "best DJ in the world" is only a shortcut used by default. It should be recognised that this man is gifted with an extraordinary sense of combat, and that he has been fighting for many years to impose good music on the public. Laurent Garnier has always refused chapels and privileged actions; he does not support repetition, even less compromises, and certainly no downtime.

Living legend Phew follows up her brilliant Light Sleep album with another masterwork - Voice Hardcore - comprised entirely of her iconic, instantly recognizable voice, twisted, folded and layered over six mesmerizing tracks.

Bay Sine Recordings, originally known as Bunkr Music, started as a project of music blog Playhous net. A year after it's founding, Bunkr separated from Playhous and the name has since been changed to Bay Sine Recordings. Bay Sine was officially launched December 7, 2016 with a party played by the one and only DJ N-Type.

The genre, electro (or electro-funk), is sometimes perceived to have a separate identity to hip-hop; however, this electronic cousin was integral to the early development of the hip-hop sound. Drawing on drum machines, such as the Roland TR-808, and influenced by funk, these two genres were intertwined and rode a parallel axis for a while, with rap, breakdance, and graffiti as pillars of the culture and community. The mechanical sound of electro would later go on to inspire a different set of producers and played its part in influencing contemporary electronic dance music. For this 7" release we are taking things back to 1984 and 1985 with a split single from The Egyptian Lover and Jamie Jupitor.

First up is a track from The Egyptian Lover, AKA Greg J. Broussard, the cult Los Angeles-based producer, vocalist and DJ, who is a true hip-hop / electro-fusion pioneer. 'Computer Love (Sweet Dreams)' is a seminal electro-fusion / machine-funk classic that saw a release on the iconic label Freak Beat Records (owned by Greg himself). The original 7" release is now very sought-after by collectors.

On the flip we have another electro jam from The Egyptian Lover disciple, Jamie Jupitor. 'Computer Power’ was additionally produced and arranged by The Egyptian Lover, and was released on Egyptian Empire Records (the label that evolved from Freak Beat Records). For this release we have opted for a special 7" unreleased radio edit, that has Greg kindly provided us with, which differs slightly in composition from the previously released versions. One for fans of Dãm Funk, electro and 80s funk.

Jack Workforce welcomes his first guest producers to the Must Make imprint, handing over three cuts from his Late Night Soundtrack project to three stellar remixers; Break, Tim Reaper and Halogenix. All three have delivered absolutely elite-level reimaginations of the Workforce cuts, spanning and encapsulating the entirety of the Drum & Bass genre; from Break’s straight-up reworking of ‘Overnight Express’, twisting the DNA of the original cut and crunching up the tones of SP:MC, to the legendary Tim Reaper’s jungle reworking of ‘Two Words’, which absolutely turns the original on it’s head, and finally to the detailed, brutal but emotive take on

As Bristol’s Phuture Shock Musik strides into its landmark tenth year in action and the next chapter of its journey, the sister arm of the label casts the net a little wider in both a geographic sense and genre wise for its latest vinyl-only compilation release -‘EXCURSIONS # 7’. Rallying up a dynamic force of global talent from as far and wide as South Korea to South Africa through to Europe and the United States, this instalment orbits a sonic dimension where modern, left-leaning strains of house, broken beat and future soul freely collide together across four exclusive cuts.

Icelandic composer ?lafur Arnalds set to release his first Hollywood film score. ?lafur Arnalds' original motion picture soundtrack for Sam Levinson's feature film debut 'Another Happy Day', starring Ellen Barkin and Demi Moore, will see a worldwide release via UK modern classical label Erased Tapes Records on February 27, 2012. In his own words: 'In mid-December 2010 I was on a holiday in China when I received an email from Sam Levinson about the film. We got on the phone at like 4 in the morning Beijing time and ended up talking all through the night, instantly connecting. He told me that they had been listening to my music while making the film, so the film was already very influenced by my music. However, it was not until Ellen Barkin ? the beautiful force that she is ? had pestered the producers for a week, calling them every day about how I am the right one for this film, that they finally gave in. The only catch was that it had to be done two weeks later, in the first week of January. So I ended up scoring nonstop all throughout Christmas, making my mother mad in the process.' ? ?lafur Arnalds Born in the suburban Icelandic town of Mosfellsb?r, a few kilometers outside of Reykjav?k, the 24-year old composer has always enjoyed pushing boundaries with both his studio work and his live-shows. Through relentless touring and determination this young artist has steadily gained recognition worldwide since his 2007 debut Eulogy for Evolution. ?lafur Arnalds' second full-length album ...and they have escaped the weight of darkness, continues his mission to lure an indie-generation of pop and rock fans into an emotive world of beguiling electronic chamber music and delicate classical arrangements. After recently having supported Ryuichi Sakamoto throughout Germany, ?lafur will return with a European 'Trio Tour' in spring 2012.

* The original sister label to Ram Records from the old Ram HQ studio in Essex, Liftin Spirit Records now celebrates its 25th year with a special ‘RELOADED’ limited vinyl series of remastered classics, alongside rare and previously unreleased tracks since the beginning in1992.

* DATs from artists such as Andy C, Ant Miles, Shimon, Joint Venture, Interrogator and Red One have been located in the archives. Also from the Ram & Liftin HQ came tracks for the Deep Seven label in 1993 and all these rare DAT masters have been located and now re-cut by Simon, the original Ram & Liftin vinyl masterer at ‘The Exchange’. Initially, Deep Seven remasters will present on a printed white label and unreleased tracks will have a black label.

* The 8th release on Deep Seven brought with it a new artist to the label in the form of ‘Aeon Flux’. An alias of Nigel Broad who had previously produced tracks under the artist name ‘Release’ in 1992. His Hardcore cuts such as ‘The Spirit of Space’ EP and Dance in Eden/Passion are now seminal classics and this release is no different. Remastered from the original DAT and presented on 180g heavy weight vinyl with the extra and longer mix of Reality that was not previously included on the original 12”

Peter Michael Hamel emerged from the 70s Krautrock scene dreaming of “the blue flower growing between the milestones on the road to a future world-music”. A truly visionary artist who worked and studied with John Cage, Morton Feldman and Terry Riley, his 1980 Colours of Time LP - an epic, sprawling, 22-minute saga - was described by the Guardian’s Rob Fitzpatrick as “an absolute masterpiece of skull-bursting, synth-led ambient minimalism”. 40 years on now, Wolfgang Voigt and Deepchord present Colours of Time, re-interpreted. Close the curtains, dim the lights, lie down and drift away on a neokraut trip deep into the depths of the forest. Original artwork by Theo Ellsworth and a massive thank you to Peter Michael Hamel and Eckart Rahn.

The name High Contrast needs no introduction any more…the Welsh wonder has smashed his way through the D+B scene and has become one of its iconic and much respected heroes.!

Welsh-born electronic musician, producer, DJ and remixer Lincoln Barrett AKA High Contrast is the master of melodic, melancholic jungle: hardcore with a harmonic core. He has been picked up by renowned publications such as Line of Best Fit, NME, DJ Mag and Clash Magazine.nHe received a Grammy nomination earlier this year for his remix of Jorja Smith’s ‘The One’ and has played old out shows in London including Electric Brixton, Electric Ballroom Camden and London Heaven. Now High Contrast is back with his sixth studio album ‘Notes From The Underground’

Loop LF's third EP on Well Street blurs the lines between proto dancehall and experimental techno with his trademark sound design and broken percussive layers

Map.ache's debut album on Giegling.

wieder können wir beruhigt sagen: wirklich tolle LP zwischen house, techno and listening. glückwunsch die platte fühlt sich im club sowie auch aufm heimischen Sofa sehr wohl. Das liebevoll handmade artwork bei der erstpressung rundet die ganze sache ab. Prädikat: Wertvoll

This EP produced by Noise Factory in 1993 expresses the emergence of jungle n how it had evolved is
very noticable in these tracks driven by 4/4 beats n thumbing basslines 2 shake the dancefloor.

A. Breakage 5 -This track produced by Noise Factory in 1993 has reggae samples plus the speeded up
vocals. Some banging drum pattern with nice piano stabs n thumping basslines.

AA. Ladies Choice - This track produced by Noise Factory has some heavy basslines sitting between the
crossovers of the house n rnb samples. A proppa ladies choon back then n got the place poppin.

AAA. Wheel Up - Produced back in 1993 by Noise Factory with its rolling drum patterns riding the hip
hop n reggae samples. Along with the speeded up vocals n that strong jungle feel n wicked basslines.

Icelandic contemporary composer Olafur Arnalds created and released a new song, one per day for one for one whole week during the month of October 2011. The songs were recorded and filmed live in the living room of his Reykjavik apartment and released instantly for free as streamed videos and mp3 downloads. Thousands of fans followed this exciting project online at: livingroomsongs.olafurarnalds Living Room Songs will now also be released on CD, Vinyl and as High Quality Downloads via Erased Tapes on December 5th, 2011. Following in the spirit of ?lafur Arnalds' critically acclaimed Found Songs (2009) where he wrote, recorded and released a free song every day for a week - now comes Living Room Songs. This time ?lafur takes the idea further and invites the audience into the comfort of his living room, where the songs were recorded live and the whole process filmed. The songs were instantly released in form of a free mp3 download and video stream- straight from ?lafur's Reykjavik apartment. In his own words: 'One night I was just playing my piano here in this apartment and I was writing a new song and I didn't have my phone on me which I usually use to record ideas. So I actually took out my MacBook and I didn't want to open like a proper recording program, so I just opened Photo Booth and recorded a video of myself playing the song so that I would remember the song. And I really liked the atmosphere of that video and that's when I thought I should do a series of songs in my living room...' ? ?lafur Arnalds

dark red marbled vinyl

Vernacular is all about loyalty and machines. The cycles of influences and ideals converge to a specific creative bulk. And so from Whole emerges Few, interlinking, telling its story.Stories that are all about dance and dreams need a common core. Vernacular Collective Sequence inks these and spreads them into the wastelands of club-music enthusiasm.

Radio play confirmed on Radio 6 Music, RTE Ireland, NTS

Support from:
Hot Chip/LCD Soundsystem’s Al Doyle - “This record but a big old smile on my face and kept it there.”
Cian Ó Cíobháin - “Onward Forward is like a bittersweet ‘
Fantastic Man. It’s such lovely LP’”

Automatic Tasty departs slightly from his pastoral acid sound and picks up the microphone for a collection of melancholic pop songs entitled 'A Farewell To Reason'.

From the side-eyed sarcasm of 'A Happy Town' to the reflective urgency of 'Wake Up Dead', the album traverses landscapes of sorrow and good humour - representing a stoic acceptance of the problems of modern life and a yearning for something different.

'Something special happened with these songs - I've never had a desire to sing or anything, but the words and melodies all kind of fell out of the cosmos fully formed'. While some pieces such as 'Ballad For A Modern Man' convey a certain urban sense of loneliness and isolation, others like 'Onward Forward' are more optimistic. 'These songs are my own attempt at navigating a certain melancholy which was hanging around me at the time I think. They're very dear to me'.

Deep down in the Sheffield underground lies the lair of DJ Steve, a subterranean studio fizzing with electricity. The 'Mainline' EP collects together otherwise forgotten demos from an unknown producer who reveals a deft talent for authentically made rave music. Clattering breakbeats and diva vocals sliced up within an inch of their lives sit next to sophisticated bleep 'n' bass and glassy-eyed pads. The inspiration of the Yorkshire dance music legacy and warehouse culture are obvious and leave the listener with only one question....when can I hear more?

The 12" EP A Momentary Convergence of Differently Paced Trajectories is a heterogenous dj-oriented release, prelude and companion of Maurizio Ravalico's first solo percussion album Nobody's Husband, Nobody's Dad, released in November 2018 with the Funkiwala label. It comes in 180gms vinyl on a hand-numbered run of 300 individually screen-printed 320gsm brown card sleeves.

THE MUSIC

Side A opens with a full-size batucada version of Fear of Mapping, one of the tracks from No Fiction Now!, the 2013 debut album of Maurizio's trio Fiium Shaarrk.

It is followed by a personal take on one of Collocutor's second album tracks, Here to There to Everywhere, arranged here as a spacey 5/4 drum'n'bass epic.

Side B contains an old-school jungle remix of Just Bring Your Toys, one of the tracks from Maurizio's forthcoming album, by the Italian d'n'b veteran Enjoy (Omni Music, Bustle Beats). The EP closes with an edited version of the same track: a taste of the album.

Despite being both loosely presented as remixes, neither of the two arrangements on side A makes use of samples from the respective releases, and any material not progammed or played anew by Maurizio comes from either unreleased off-cuts or preliminary demos.

"One of the finest avant-garde percussionists in the world. Maurizio Ravalico is incredible to watch and hear. Catch him live somewhere soon!"- Jean-Claude Thompson, IfMusic uk

"Creative, deep and intriguing. Percussion avantgarde at its best." - Vince Vella, Dj, producer, Havana Cultura

Italian-born visionary cross-genres percussionist Maurizio Ravalico has been one notably eclectic presence in the London music scene since his arrival in the UK, in 1991.

Regularily seen on stage and on releases with the like of Jamiroquai and the James Taylor Quartet throughout the nineties, as well as with virtually every salsa and Cuban-oriented projects to originate from London in the same period, he has subsequently collaborated on many of the projects of the experimental music label Not applicable (Icarus, Isambard Khroustaliov, Alex Bonney, Tom Arthurs) since 2005, and is now an established name in both the London and Berlin improv and experimental scene, having played with John Edwards, Oren Marshall, Steve Beresford, Pat Thomas, Frank Paul Schubert and many others.

Maurizio Ravalico's peculiar approach to percussion is one of the distinctive traits of Tamar Osborn's modal jazz 5-piece band Collocutor (On the Corner records) and of the pan-European trio Fiium Shaarrk (on BBC3 Late Junction's 12 Best Albums of 2017). Maurizio Ravalico also collaborates with the string quartet Phaedra Ensemble, the composer Fred Thomas and the French contemporary dance company Silenda.

Nadia Khan returns on Scissor and Thread for another sublime mini LP, Port Ana. Based in North Carolina, Khan first drew a lot of attention via a cassette release on Where To Now? Records in 2015.
Her sophomore statement was the beautiful In Gleam released in 2018 on Francis Harris’ Brooklyn-based label, which set the tone for these five tracks of meditative music. The title track Port Ana opens the journey - a gentle, droning soundscape with effortlessly bewitching glints of melody. Conversation follows on, drawing on loops and textures to create the background for a deep, pulsing kick drum. The sounds shift and evolve, leaving a hazy sense of movement to drift away to. Next up is Objects In Form which presents a fragile chord progression that barely holds itself together, surrounded by shifting pads and swathes of reverb. Rain Again is presented here in two versions. The original combines ethereal sounds, weightless and adrift, while the Lawrence remix firmly grounds the track with a hypnotic, deep groove. The Dial boss provides another remix for the digital release that further plays with the textures of the original to create something that works both for an open minded dancefloor and as a home listening experience.

Repress

Peter Michael Hamel emerged from the 70s Krautrock scene dreaming of 'the blue flower growing between the milestones on the road to a future world-music'. A truly visionary artist who worked and studied with John Cage, Morton Feldman and Terry Riley, his 1980 Colours of Time LP - an epic, sprawling, 22-minute saga - was hailed by The Guardian's Rob Fitzpatrick as 'an absolute masterpiece of skull-bursting, synth-led ambient minimalism'. Thirty six years on, Astral Industries reinterpret Hamel's original vision with remixes from two contemporary heavyweights - Wolfgang Voigt and Rod Modell (aka Deepchord). Each expansive interpretation invites you to step outside of reality and into an alternative imagination of Hamel's future world, spiralling into the colours and slowly out of time itself. Original artwork by Theo Ellsworth and a massive thanks to Peter Michael Hamel & Eckart Rahn.

Following 2019’s New Atlantis LP under his experimental techno alias Efdemin, Phillip Sollmann’s Monophonie is a project dedicated to uniting different strands of utopian music. His approach: combining and recontextualizing rare historical instruments of sonic research of Hermann von Helmholtz (19th century) with the self-designed, microtonal instruments of Harry Partch and metal sound sculptures of Harry Bertoia.
The result is a psychedelic investigation into just intonation – alternative tuning systems that create unique sets of harmonics not found in conventional scales. Monophonie recasts these sounds into new rhythmic environments where epic kosmische, polyrhythms, acoustic techno and microtonal glow are interwoven into a rare music.
Over nine tracks, the album explores multiple forms of minimalism, from unwavering repetition to paired-down chords and sparse sonic environments. But it also seeks to expand the sound spectrum of Partch’s custom built organs and melodic percussion instruments as well as Bertoia’s sonambient singing metal rods into a atmospheric otherworldliness.
Monophonie was first composed in 2016 and premiered at Berlin’s Volksbühne theatre in 2017, before it went on to the renowned Ruhrtriennale and Kampnagel in Hamburg. It was performed by one of Germany’s premier neue musik collectives Ensemble Musikfabrik together with Sollmann himself on von Helmholtz’s original double siren, with set design by Michael Kleine and wardrobe by Peter Kisur of Honeysuckle Company.