"I'm going to try not to gush too much about the fact that 'Me Me Me' has Raj Pannu's first ever record, but you have to understand that he's DJ royalty to someone from where I come from.
From his residencies in Newcastle in the Early 90s, touring all over Europe, playing with the likes of Gilles Peterson, Jazzanova and James Lavelle to his move into turntablism in the late 90s playing one on one with DJ Craze, A-Trak and Q-Bert.
All the way up to the last decade and his time spent touring the world for 5 years as part of Coldcut, working with institutions like the BBC and Ninja Tune, and just generally being an absolutely mind bending DJ playing with people from all over the spectrum, such as Richie Hawtin, DJ Kentaro, Jamie Lidell, Kode9 and more....
and now he's decided to release his first record... With Us!
As you can imagine for someone with such a varied musical background, FSOP is hard to pin down. I played it to a friend and they said it sounded like Photek covering Pink Floyd, which is the closest approximation I've heard of it, I guess.
It's techno, but steppy, and super musical, and dark, but uplifting. Above all, it's just really special.I couldn't not give the record a full side to itself, and for the remix we've found the perfect pairing with an interpretation from Cosmin TRG (who I met at a festival, and who I instantly hit it off with after finding our shared love of Guiness and Sarcasm).
Cosmin chokes out all of the light with a cut of raw, skittering Paranoid Techno. Providing the ideal balance for both sides of the record.
Raj has also provided us with a Dub Mix which we're releasing as a digital exclusive.
The dub narrows the dancefloor focus, without losing the drama of the OG.
Reading this, you can probably tell how excited I am about this record."
Our next release comes from David Gtronic & IULY.B, two outstanding sophisticated music producers known for creating DJ-friendly and groove-heavy records.
Visionen EP is a collection of four well curated tracks with forward thinking sounds, dynamic textures, and rolling baselines to satisfy the different moods the dance floor has to offer. Each track serves a definitive purpose as each producer contributed both solo and collaborative work for a well-balanced, intelligent piece of modern underground dance music today.
Here it is! the new installment of our vinyl series. This time signed by Texan artist Blixaboy delivering four classical electro tracks. Timeless music as we like in Fanzine.
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"After a concert of Kenyan singer Ogoya Nengo in Berlin in 2015 in a pleasant conversation Guillermo Lares told me about his father, Oswaldo Lares, a studied architect who, parallel with his professional activity, began to make field recordings of the traditional and indigenous Venezuelan music from the early 1960s onwards up until today.
His search and fascination for finding the musical roots of his country led Oswaldo Lares to visit the rural villages outside Caracas, investigating the many and varied musical cultures of the region and the complex relationship between Venezuelan folk music and its various origins, including the African (mu´sica afrodescendiente).
The vast amount of music documents in the form of sound recordings, photographs and videos accompanied by notes and studies reflect the scope of this entirely self- taught sound engineer's work and represent a passionate documentary, making his work today one of the most comprehensive and systematic that has ever been assembled by a single person in Venezuela. Oswaldo Lares as an ethnomusicologist remained an amateur in the most direct meaning of the word: amare. Whereas most studied ethnomusicologists travel around the world to explore far away continents and foreign cultures, Oswaldo began to devote much of his spare time to the generally overlooked folk traditions that existed right in his very neighbourhood.
Currently Guillermo Lares has started to promote his father's work through the Achivolares Foundation, turning it into a living archive that preserves an essential part of Venezuelan musical memory. It is a pleasure and honor of our label TAL to support the invaluable work of Oswaldo and Guillermo Lares with this album."
With his 3rd album Dear Stranger, Duesseldorf artist TG Mauss appeared 2013 for the first time on Berlins quality music label Karaoke Kalk. Proving once more his skills in meshing up folk pop with electronic music, he left a big mark at Hans Nieswandt (Whirlpool Productions), who now throws the track Ghosts into the club: a grooving funk bass played by Levent Canseven meets a rattling hi-hat and spacey soundeffects. Mauss voice makes the disco ball and our dancing hearts pause for a moment, just to explode on the dance floor. That's what you call state-of-remix-art.
Aketi Ray are an all-acoustic dub-jazz group, playing original compositions grounded in the instrumental music of post-independence Jamaica -ska, rocksteady, reggae, rockers, dub -but drawing inspiration and influence from Ethiopian and US jazz, west African percussion traditions, all with the mind set of UK steppas. An outernational sound: Kingston to Chicago to Addis Ababa to Dakar to London.The sound of "From Ever Since" draws on the vibes and heritage of pre-electr(on)ic music, but gives that traditional sound new power through the use of dub techniques of reverb, delay and EQ manipulation.The Aketi Ray sound Band leader 'Mikus' Gorecki explains: At the time I was listening to a lot of tuff digital dub tunes, and much as I love that sound still, I thought there was a lack of dubwise music getting made that had that live feel of the 60s and 70s. At the same time I didn't want to just rehash the past - the best you can do is come close to replicating that sound, you definitely won't beat it. So I decided to try something different, and bring in other connected jazz and African influences to the mix. 'Sometimes when people fuse different music traditions it can sound a bit of a collage, the elements are all there but they don't actually fuse together. I think we have our own sound, and it's greater than the sum of its parts.The compositions are forward-looking, form-pushing, and although there are no vocals, they are message-driven, concerned with conditions of modern life, spirituality and politics. Mikus says The music definitely has a message. Each track has a very clear subject in mind when writing it, but it's down to the listener to tune in to that and take from that what they will. I find you can say more with the abstract language of music than you can in words.'
Our second and last vinyl for this year comes from two boys from Vienna. As a regular part of the "Do easy records" crew Andy Catana & Daniel Kovac are important component of the ambitious underground music scene from Vienna. For their first EP on Valioso Recordings the boys got support by Funk E with an great Edit of their track "Yessanossa" and an great remix from BE9er and Valioso regulars Sedee.
Two years after ".... and The Casiotone Orchestra", Odessey & Oracle continue their speculative and colorful explorations through an adventurous sonic quest, mixing acoustic sonorities and classical instruments, using a pallet of analog specimens dating back to the 60s and 70s. Retro-futuristic music with sophisticated arrangements underlines unbridled songwriting with heterogenous influences (Brian Wilson, Caetano Veloso, White Noise, JS Bach, Moondog, Robert Wyatt...). The lyrics, in French, both surreal and utopian, serve as witness to the contradictions of our times and invite the listener to imagine a revolutionary love
Throughout its nearly 20year heroic label's journey, Turbo Recordings has fulfilled its pledge to 'keep on lookin' for the music' no matter where it takes them, working with artists from cultures as diverse as Sweden, Finland, England, Spain, Scotland, Mexico, Australia, France, Argentina, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Italy, the United States, Israel, Denmark and Toronto. We realize that certain parts of the world are still underrepresented, and are working hard to correct this. Our Antarctic A&R guy has been asleep at the wheel for far too long, and can expect a sternlyworded email any day now.All of which brings us to our newest core artist, Russia's Dimitri Veimar. We'd like to tell you we discovered him when he and his friends shot down our Eurasian Outreach Ableton Tutorial Helicopter for being 'too condescending,' but the truth is actually much simpler. Veimar is merely fluent in the universal language of floorfilling, one that transcends borders and skincrawling descriptions alike. It is a primal tongue describing a future where all communication is elevated to an endless loop of sweatdrenched clubgoers pressed tightly against the front of the stage, smiling at everything you do.
What attracts us to Chilean-born artist Ricardo Tobar is the notion of intersection, and although fusion is nothing new, as a concept it will always pull our heartstrings. Applying influence is amateur, we see this over and over again as we endure trend-driven appropriation of cultures the world over, but the epiphany when an artist finds true synergy between heritage and influence is a pivotal moment that the inspired will seek, even though it may take the length of one's career to behold. As pretentious as that may sound, it is precisely the hybrid born from that place of intersection that
excites us at the ESP Institute, the 'A plus B that equals 3'. We hear this in Ricardo's music — the Latin American instinct in his drums and percussion, sometimes tightly aligned with body movements and other times hauntingly mis-aligned and chaotic, intersects with his rock influence of ethereal (micro) melodies that slowly layer and layer until we're climbing a glorious (macro) wall of sound — but most importantly we hear where these different parts of his life come together to further create one unique voice. On both sides of his ESP Institute debut Liturgia, Tobar couples one pulsing dance-driven track with another atmospheric and immersive track, requiring we educate ourselves in the polarity of this language he's building, one that will expand to tell a broader story later this year with his debut album. We welcome Ricardo Tobar, another forward-thinking artist, to the ESP Institute, and are proud to support any direction his compass points from here, as we believe he'll never follow but will always lead.
Southern Italian sociologist, DJ and electronic music producer Simone Gatto is about to release his second album, 'Heaven Inside Your Frequencies', in December 2017. Recorded and produced between his motherland and other significant spaces and cities the Ionian coast and natural parks of Lecce, his second home Berlin, the Whitney Museum in New York City and other significant places 'Heaven Inside Your Frequencies' represents a complete excursus of his personal and professional paths combining Gatto's theoretical background with personal and artistic maturity, achieved in the last decade.
Formed in 1997, and inaugurated that year with a split 12' from new-comers and label founders, Solvent and Lowfish, this year Suction Records celebrates it's 20th anniversary with the re-introduction of their famed Snow Robots series of compilations. While originally started as a North American answer to UK electronix labels like Rephlex, Skam and Warp Records, a sound that is still a staple of the current Suction Records catalog, Suction's sound has also swerved into new territories, reflecting our love of dark '80s electronic music - synthpop, EBM, and beyond.... Snow Robots Volume 4 features an international array of artists, from Suction Records mainstays like Digital Poodle, June, Celldöd, and Ceramic Hello (with their much sought-after 1982 vocoder anthem), to label-favourites appearing on Suction Records for the first time: Beau Wanzer, Morah, and one of Skanfrom/Sleeparchive's lesser known aliases, Civil Defence Programme.
Osage (pronounced Oh-Sage) is the electronic music making alter ego of dj/producer lil'dave, a veteran DJ on the Philadelphia nightclub scene, a member of the highly respected dj crew Illvibe Collective and the co-host of the internationally known broadcast Eavesdrop Radio. As a recording artist, he has released music under various aliases for record labels such as BBE Records, Tru Thoughts, Record Breakin' Music, Soulspazm, and First Word Records and collaborated with and remixed a diverse range of artists such as RJD2, Lady Alma, Ty, Ryat, Captain Planet, Foremost Poets, and more.The Osage sound is an amalgamation of musical influences such as deep house, samba, African rhythms, futuristic r&b, boogie, uk garage, salsa, broken beat, and soul. Built from slightly unorthodox drum programming, and layers of synthesizers, the music is focused on bringing the soulfulness out of the machines he is working with. Over the years, he has been building a solid reputation by creating a catalog of clever dance floor edits, remixes, and original tracks which have been supported by notable tastemakers such Gilles Peterson. This 12" compiles 4 of our favorite moments from the 2 EPs that Osage has released thus far on Bastard Jazz. The record kicks off with the bubbling house vibes of "I Found You" featuring Dezeray Dawn on vocals, before moving into a deeper House dub of the track from Washington DC's Sol Power All-Stars. On the flip, "Last Call" is a late end of the night anthem with Osage himself offering words of inspiration, and the EP rounds off with the "Anyway", a sparse dance cut with syncopated claps, moody synths and heartfelt vocals from Yemi.
150 white copies!! What's the best thing we can do What our heart tells us, so finally we do it. Enough! Music starts a vinyl only limited series with collected fine musicians. The first outstanding release is by label owner himself Danilo Schneider, he presents his EP Take A Breath. The deep passion and focus on excellent productions is the result on this first release here.'Solidly' and 'Sunday' are two tracks full of rhythmic elements, percussions and a groovy dub drive. This harmony between a straight kick and a deep bassline along side the melodic attitudes are balm for your soul. Stay tuned and follow us on a journey full of exciting releases.
As we move forward, Corseque Records introduces a concept which we simply call Faction. A series of joint releases between artists from different corners of our beloved scene and label head Ascorbite. For the third vinyl we are pleased to have with us Berlin based producer Mike Wall (Wall Music/Wall Music Limited).
Since 2004, Moreno Visini aka The Spy from Cairo, has been sending out dub-based electronic music that has created quite a worldwide following. On his 3rd studio album, he switches his signature instrument, the classical Arabic Oud, to an electronic Oud which reflects a transition in his sound to a more cosmic & electronic dancefloor experience. Written, produced, performed & mixed himself, the album features some of his Brooklyn Gypsies bandmates Fatima Gozlar, Takuya Nakamura & Ilker Ciraci as well as Maalem and Ben Hassan Jaafer.
After the release of his brand new album, "Nothing New Under The Sun" - Wonderwheel has cut a VERY limited edition dub 7" with two of our favorite deep cuts off the album. Echocentric!
Genre blending and audience crossing drummer/percussionist Eric Thielemans is proud to present a brand new, exciting combo together with Rudy Trouvé , Mauro Pawlowski , Roman Hiele and Jean-Yves Evrard . With this eclectic band ET sets out to explore, or rather rub against the obscure repertoire by Jazz masters such as Ornette Coleman, Alice Coltrane, Sun Ra and Albert Ayler .Are The Mechanics a Jazz combo The Mechanics don't know. As of yet, The Mechanics have no real memory of their own. What they do know is that they are impatient to check out the mechanics behind those musics that tick their tock. They will do so as they are feathered. In colours, primal and expressive. And what better way to understand something than by breaking it and then trying to fix it .Tagging The Tag : The Ex, Liquid Liquid, Ornette Coleman, Sun Ra, James Chance, Alice Coltrane, Aphex Twin, Roland Kirk, John Cage, The Love Substitutes, Hiele, Evrard, Trouvé, Pawlowski & Thielemans.
Tag Away ! The Mechanics is an exciting new band operating out of Antwerp, home base to bands and musicians such as dEUS, Evil Superstars, Dead Man Ray, Chantal Acda, Tape Cuts Tape, Gruppo Di Pawlowski, The Love Substitutes, Kiss My Jazz, Mâäk's Spirit, The Mechanics bring together 2 generations of musicians out of the avant jazz, improv, rock, songwriter and electronics scenes. Mixed into an exciting cocktail of energies childishly bald and raw, maturely tender and constructive, spiritually curious and rocking loud with electronic burning sonic edges.
On EP5, legendary German musician Burnt Friedman makes his Dekmantel Records debut with 'Monsun'. The Berlin based artist, who built a reputation for himself through his explorations into obscure, finely-tuned, experimental dub through his label Nonplace, alongside his collaborative relationship with the late Can drummer Jaki Liebezeit, is one of the crucial, sonic manipulators of our time. 'Monsun' finds Friedman crafting flowing, percussive, dub techno that is both esoteric, and progressive. Befitting of a Dekmantel release. Alongside Friedman sits legendary Detroit act Ectomorph, aka. BMG & Erika, also making their Dekmantel inauguration, with a record that surmises' the group's anologue, style of Motor City beats.
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There would be no Dekmantel celebration without longtime family members, JuJu & Jordash. With three LPs and countless EPs released on the imprint to date, alongside a sleuth of festival, and party appearances, the improvisational duo have become masters of off-kilter, and poly-rhytmic electronic funk, of which 'Neon Swing' -a fast-paced and extremely invigorative cut- is of prime example. And then there's Dekmantel favourite Fatima Yamaha - an artist who has a keen ear for gentle, analogue hooks that have gone to become ample festival fodder. The Dutchman maintains an ear for the serene with the track 'Platforms', a sullen, yet beautiful ambient track, the drives deep into the emotive world of soft, tender, heartfelt music.
It's just over 3 years since we launched the Africa Seven label in Paris and London. Our first release back then (Airways One) is still our best seller and had to be repressed 4 times so far. Forty or so releases later it is time to take to the clouds again. Being the unimaginative bunch we are, the fourth installment of our African sky filled musical cornucopia is called African Airways Four (Disco Funk Touchdown - 1976 - 1983). This time around all tunes have the Disco flavour. As ever it's all about the music... the skies are wide and funky and the air is filled with musical goodness. Your flight is about to leave.
Your flight opens with a punchy disco funk assault from Paris based Cameroonian Tala AM. Here with his drive bass and guitar funk riff 1981 stomper "Get Up Tchmassi". Next up and staying with the Cameroonian connection is Eko with "Bowaa Mba Ngebe". The lyrics talk of accomplishing the things in life for your family and yourself. The sweeping strings and gloriously uplifting music matching the sentiments of the words perfectly. Uta Bella began singing in the 60's and by the time disco hit in the 70's she was already established a singer in her native Cameroon, here the locked on groove of "Nassa Nassa" is a perfect snapshot of the sound and the African disco times.
Charly Kingson (cousin of Manu Dibango) is next with his "Nimele Bolo". Recorded in Germany with the cream of Munich's session musicians the bass synth is out in force on this one. Punchy brass, rock solid grooves and jazzy Rhodes add all the right ingredients for a fine disco synth excursion. Next is the musical heavyweight from Cameroon cousin Manu with his 1978 Disco, jazz funk masterpiece "Sun Explosion".
Side two opens with a blast of Elvis Kemayo and his piano and guitar funk bomb "Biram". Next Momo Joseph gives us "Africain". Best known in France as an actor, this disco funk groover was released on his self pressed LP "War For Ground" in 1983. A true gem indeed. Nigerian, ex Funkees member Jake Sollo is next with "Tinni Yanana". Recorded in the UK in 83 its slick and smooth with a hint of "at the car wash" groove. Pierre Didy Tchakounte follows on with his soul funk 'golden years' style groover "Soul Magabe". Produced by one of our favourite Parisian producers Slim Pezin. We close off our journey with the tribal chant disco-funk special from the Monstars "Funny Saga".
Ladies and Gentleman, we have landed at your destination, please remain seated until the aircraft has reached the terminal. We look forward to welcoming you aboard Africa Airways again soon.
Idle Hands continues its quest to support new talent coming out of Bristol with a fresh 12" from local beatsmith Crump. Up to this point, he's been quietly slipping out razor sharp reduced house cuts on various artist releases for Extended Play and Banoffee Pies, but it's high time he had a 12" of his to truly showcase his sound.
The two tracks on this single tap into a consistent thread on Idle, fusing the minimal sensibilities of contemporary European house music with a swung, dub-weighted presence fit for soundsystem consumption in the fair city we call home. Much like previous releases from Leif, Christian Jay and Matt Karmil, this is a demonstration of stripped down music loaded with swagger.
"Ice & Spheres" pivots around an ear-snagging 2-step shuffle that cuts through any mix, but there's scores of subtlety woven in between the drums to reward the attentive listener. Snatches of vocal, distant field recordings, low-blowing synth licks and other unidentifiable sonic matter lurk quietly in the mix to cast a spell on the sleep-deprived twitcher and warm-up head-nodder alike.
Sporting a brighter disposition thanks to the sheen of its chords, "Mechanisms" provides a different vibe on the flip. The beat throws down with a rugged nod to West London broken styles while still tapping into that aforementioned continental 4/4 sensibility, injecting a refreshing variation into the densely populated minimal house landscape while maintaining the meditative qualities that keep the genre close to our hearts.
To progress towards a civilization which does not unconsciously perpetuate or aggravate inequality and poverty, we need to accept our many differences. For those who prefer uniformity or others who would rather avoid proximity, the celebration of diversity might sound ridiculous.
A certain measure of discomfort is required to reach compassion. But peace through diversity is no prophet's fantasy. It is no harder to imagine than the magical fact that we are alive right now.
The eternal act of dancing is one of the most active form of contemplation. Facing our own selves in the mirror of movement, we realize that we indeed are reflections of one another at all times. What will our own actions and thoughts feed around us
With over 30 years of combined dancefloor experience, Possible Futures have been witnesses to the wildest fauna and flora the great nocturnal jungle has to offer.
Sourcing their inspiration from the many shades of color that co-exist between black and white, it is through the open and eclectic selections of inspired and devoted luminaries that Possible Futures have found their manyfold sound: Frankie Knuckles, Larry Heard, Francois K, Carl Craig, Moritz von Oswald, DJ Harvey, Theo Parrish, Chez Damier, Ron Trent, DJ Deep or Moodymann, amongst so many others, have dedicated their lives to the flourishing of diversity on the dancefloor.
While the minds of Possible Futures float in the air with their bodies rotating behind the turntables, their feet are steadily rooted in reality, enabling their musical knowledge to unfold beyond the night. Through their own record label, Possible Futures share their therapeutic musical blends.
The first two cuts come from the grooves of Argentine old hand Leonel, a family friend of long date. 'Antares' and 'Bunda' drag their dusty trails across different genres, to be enjoyed at 45 rotations per minute. Curative properties guaranteed.
E.D.C wishes to explore electronic music through different universes where spaces, noises and textures are central to the creative process. His researches aim to experiment and think outside the box, allowing us to navigate through purposely-colored music and other worlds where Every Detail Counts.
In this first release, the reverberations in each track create a shaking outcome that warns about the upcoming epic adventure with the wind of indestructibility that the tracks blow in our direction.
Endless is the key to understanding the whole release. Electric from the first second, it explains the journey we are about to embark on. Dark and almost gloomy from the beginning, the break gives the impression of a light breakthrough, as if the way suddenly clears.
The City of Clones takes us to a heavy atmosphere, as if we were waiting in the middle of a fog for the untying of the plot, though the denouement remains uncertain.
When Nobody Cares is an experimental journey through unexplored landscapes, with the discoveries marching under our eyes, which contribute to create an experience of fullness.
Too Many Ifs reminds and completes the cycle. Chaotic on purpose, it unveils the encounter of an intriguing living shape.
Music composed by Felix Kubin, tracks A1+2 together with Milosz, Magda and Hubert.
The pieces are soundtracks to educational and industrial 16mm films dealing with the subject of "work".
They were commissioned by NDR das neue werk (North German Radio).
Recording engineer: Robert Migas, Black Kiss Studio, Warsaw
Mix: Tobias Levin, Electric Avenue Studio, Hamburg
Mastering: Rashad Becker, D&M, Berlin
Production: Felix Kubin
Film archive: Metropolis Kino, Hamburg
NDR editorial department: Dr. Richard Armbruster
Artwork: Stephen O'Malley
Originally developed as a film score "Takt der Arbeit" is inspired by a handful of industrial and instructional films from the early 1960's until the early 1990's that portrait different forms of work. Felix Kubin is translating these historic documents into a musical poem of conceptual depth. "Takt der Arbeit" - the beat of work - is not only serving as a title but also as constructive element in this endeavour.
Being hunted down by the ever accelerated pulse of our reality is an omnipresent issue in capitalist societies of the the Western world. Living in times of constant exhaustion, it's not only our bodies that have been disciplined by and synchronized to the rhythms of working processes, but also our minds that rage in the tempo of our surroundings. Following an almost analytical effort, Kubin and an ensemble of 3 percussionists are investigating the different qualities and intensities of time that are catalyzed in working processes. While picking up precise temporal and motoric motives of the films, condensing paces and excavating rhythmic patterns, the ensemble is mapping out an animist choreography, shifting from a time when labour was still relying on bodily efforts to a time when machines and ticking clocks seem to reign and model our perception. While Side A is dedicated to procedures that are still based on manual and mechanical movement, Side B is inspired by the digital age, marked by invisible processes and subcutaneous pulses that we internalize.
The result is a critical and poetic reflection on the rhythms of our daily life and yet another example of Felix Kubin's skills as a composer, placing him in the field of orchestral music.
recorded and produced by christina nemec in vienna and horner wald 2016
mastered and cut at dubplates & mastering, berlin 2017
artwork by susi klocker
On her latest release, chra aka Christina Nemec is sketching out a psychogeographical map, that guides you to the border of the internal and external world - 'on a fateful morning' lets you enter a sphere where the imaginary and the subliminal cross. Evoking abstract images that transcend reality, chra installs an autarchic time-and-space-continuum of vague, nocturnal beauty. Pastose bass drones, airy ambient synths and processed audio-samples form a hypnotic stream that lets you enter an altered state of mind. By subtly intertwining musical and non musical sounds chra is weaving an intensely atmospheric, poetic tableau of emptied spaces left to our imagination. It's the pulse of arcane memories that is filling these sonic landscapes, operating deep within our subconscious.
'on a fateful morning' is haunting music to play in the dark - conspirative, uncanny, with a dystopian smack.
Finnish visual artist and filmmaker Hannu Karjalainen's music draws inspiration from ambient, drone, modern classical and dream pop. His first album Worms In My Piano was released in 2007 on Osaka Records and the second album, Hintergarten in 2009 on Simon Scott's Kesh Recordings. A Handful Of Dust Is A Desert, his third album - and the first under his full given name - arrives after a prolonged break.
Hannu Karjalainen's association with Karaoke Kalk started with his remix of Dakota Suite's The End Of Trying Part III on The Night Just Keeps Coming In in 2009 which also featured remixes by the likes of Hauschka, Deaf Center, Loscil and many more. Now, luckily for all concerned, Hannu is releasing a full length album on the label in the form of the exquisite record A Handful Of Dust Is A Desert.
The album opens with the track Angel which is a truly heavenly composition reminiscent of Boards of Canada's finest work. The Emigrant makes effective use of sinister synth-lines and delicate glockenspiel patterns to invoke a kind of science-fiction soundtrack atmosphere. Throughout the record, our ears are graced with truly sublime sound-scapes and transcendent textures.
The title track is actually the shortest tune on the album, but in no way less evocative. It's looped piano melodies are comparable with Susumo Yokota's later recordings in their minimalism and poise. A Year In a Day continues to walk the fine line between ambient and electronica - which is one of the albums great virtues: it shows how lively and eventful ambient music can be. Certainly ambient music benefits from having a strong pulse as Karjalainen demonstrates in various tracks on the album. The song Love Is A Black Lion features a sample from the afore mentioned Dakota Suite tune The End Of Trying Part III, and therefore somehow closes a circle.
This powerfully contemplative album comes to a controlled landing with the majestic Breaks My Heart She Aria, another in a long line of mesmerizing drifts, with a floating choral voice delicately enveloped in strings and pitched percussion.
A Handful of Dust Is A Desert is instantly captivating and for lovers of ambient music, dream listening. As an artist who trained in photography and is mostly active in the world of visual art, Hannu Karjalainen clearly enjoys a great deal of creative freedom in his music. This is the kind of desert you won't mind getting lost in and even take pleasure in roaming through the expansive sonic landscapes and horizons it embodies.
he Copenhagen based pop wonders Blaue Blume return with a new EP - 'Sobs'. The band formed around 6 years ago in a provincial Danish town, drawn to each other's love for rich, playful music. Blaue Blume (blue flower) is the epitome of a romantic band, their songs are brimming with love and yearning. Now 'Sobs', the follow up to their 'Syzygy' album in 2015, continues to build their reputation as a best kept secret, about to find a whole new audience of devotees. All four tracks for the EP were recorded in late 2016 in a three story villa, formerly owned by a religious cult. The band used the weird space away from the city to create a framework for the lyrics and the music. The band explains: 'Blaue Blume has been our band for about 6 years. In a bigger provincial town we started playing right out of highschool. At the moment we live in Copenhagen and every day we play, write and work on sounds. It's sort of become a life project. In our heads we make music that is playful, rich in detail and popish or somewhat smiling. For some beautifully inexplicable reason we ended up doing music together. In a way it seems sacred or at least meaningful. Macabre is a happy song about being afraid of dying. Some of us find that even the best life can be lonely sometimes. We found it interesting to address this taboo within the frame of a song that people could potentially dance or sing along to.
There is no end to composer Peter Broderick's creative output, and so we present to you his new album titled All Together Again — available worldwide on November 17th 2017 via Erased Tapes.They say music takes you on a journey, and this collection of commissioned work by Peter quite literally does that. From a ferry boat ride in Istanbul, to walking down the aisle at a wedding, these songs were created for particular situations, yet Peter found a way to work without any sort of limitations and on his own erms. The result is an assortment of works from the past ten years, coming together as one: Peter's new album. Words from Peter, October 2017: Ever since I started releasing records in 2007 (10 years ago now!), people have contacted me periodically to ask if I'd be interested in making music to accompany their projects. Most of these projects have been things like films, dance pieces and theatre plays . . . but every so often I get the odd request for something a little different. Peter, would you write a song for my wedding My one year anniversary A ferry boat ride
In early 2015 I was asked to perform 12 minutes of music during a runway show as part of New York Fashion Week. I agreed and began composing a 12-minute piece which I could perform on my own with a few different instruments and some looping pedals. I made a recording of the piece and sent it over to my contacts at the fashion show . . . but a few days before I was to fly out to New York, they wrote back and told me they actually just wanted me to play a few older songs that they were already familiar with. Feeling slightly disappointed, I shelved the other piece, giving it the title If I Were A Runway Model.It is with great pleasure that I now present this piece in a collection of commissioned works spanning the last decade . . . it's All Together Again. This group of oddball works does indeed include a couple pieces written for weddings (Our Future In Wedlock and The Walk), and a song someone asked me to write as a gift for his wife on their first year wedding anniversary (Emily). And indeed, there's a 17-minute piece written to accompany a ferry boat ride in Istanbul (A Ride On The Bosphorus). A few of the pieces were written for films (Robbie's Song, Atlantic and Seeing Things), and one for a kind of interactive installation (Unsung Heroes).In my early days of recording, I took pride in playing all the different instruments myself and doing the recording myself as well. And then at some point I started branching out, working with other musicians and recording engineers. But this record is very dear to me in that it's a return to that original approach . . . playing all the different instruments myself, working with my limits on each one, and my own limits in recording and mixing. I've always held a broad curiosity for all different instruments and all different styles of music, and if nothing else I hope this record will portray that curiosity, and my pure love for this thing we call music. Can you dig it The cover art was made by Peter himself in his hometown of Portland, Oregon, by cutting and sticking different coloured paper fragments to depict the individuality of each track.
Today, we are glad to introduce you to our TONE SERIES Remix Series. One and a half years after the launch of the parent label, TONE SERIES has released five EPs (consisting of two tracks each), all composed by French musician David K. And almost halfway between the first release TS10 and the last one TS01 (TS06 came out at the beginning of September 2017), we thought it would be interesting to ask artists we like to reinterpret one of David's creations.
As a result, we're delighted to present you as 1st EP (TSRS01) of this TONE SERIES Remix Series: DIPE (TS09) re-drummed by French music composer and DJ Traumer as well as WINTER BELLS (TS06) remixed by Japanese artist Tomoki Tamura, both artists getting the ball rolling for this new soulful and colourful series.
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French psych duo The Limiñanas today released their new single 'Istanbul Is Sleepy' through Because Music. Featuring Anton Newcombe (The Brian Jonestown Massacre) and produced at his Berlin studio, the single is taken from their 'Istanbul Is Sleepy' EP out 17th November. The band, who are set to release a new album early next year, will play their debut London show at Oslo on 5th October. Directed by Jean Luc Moly, the moody, Sixties-inspired video to 'Istanbul Is Sleepy' premiered on Brooklyn Vegan: link here
Reflecting on the single and their collaboration with Newcombe, Lionel explained, "'Istanbul Is Sleepy' is like the classic dream where you become the hero, the Captain Blood or Midnight Sultan(). The one who rescues and seduces Maureen O'Hara or Ava Gardner. Anton is singing and playing guitar on the track. He was inspired, in particular, by The Cult during their 'Rain' period. Last year, Mojo magazine asked us to record a cover for a special Kinks tribute. We chose 'Two Sisters'. Marie and I were thinking for the vocal part it would be great to approach Anton Newcombe, having opened for The Brian Jonestown Massacre at Le Trianon in Paris. The work began like that. We had an album to record and we decided to finish it with him. During the Christmas week we took our demos, flew to Berlin and recorded at Anton's studio. Six days later we had a finished album".
One of France's most beloved treasures, The Limiñanas are Marie (drums/vocals) and Lionel (guitar, bass, keyboards and vocals). Hailing from Perpignan, the duo straddles the boundary between psych, shoegaze, and yé-yé. With hazy, reverb-laden hooks, combined at times with noisy distortion, and fronted by effortlessly cool vocals, reminiscent of Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot, the band is at once timeless and quintessentially French.
Hot off the back of "On Top" that featured on our "Deep Love 2017" compilation, Lorenz Rhode returns to the label with his debut full length EP "Risa". A gifted musician, known for his fierce take on funk, performance prowess on German TV show "NEO Magazin Royale" and as part of Detroit Swindle's live outfit, he's sent us a three-tracker packed full of vibe and musicality.
Opening the A-side "And I Said" is an uplifting, funked-up house jam. Exuberant and alive it's built around a Rhodes riff with a romantic twist, swelling stabs and straight forward percussion direct from Lorenz' collection of Roland machines. The following "Risa" is loaded with energy. A gritty analogue snare and raw drums punch as central synth lines and rippling arps ramp up the intensity to bursting.
On the B1 the mysterious Amsterdam based K.98 returns with his second ever remix! After the huge success of the "Thrilogy" remix for WOLF Music in 2015, we are extremely happy to see Lorenz' original turned into a blasting 909 frenzy, 100% guaranteed dance floor action on this one!
Closing we have "Xpandau", a feel-good indie/disco gem reminiscent of Lindstrøm and Röyksopp. The central lead that sounds like something sampled from a dusty African guitar recording, actually came from a vintage Oberheim Lorenz recently fell in love with. Warbling key melodies dance over the top along with tuned percussion, maintaining the light hearted, tropical tinged tone to the end.
For the 108th installment in the ever expanding planet rhythm catalog, a various artists effort has been planned with some of the label's usuals and some exciting names we have had our eye on for a while now. For the A-side, ARTS label owner Emmanual brings his much appreciated E100 to vinyl. Previously released digitally through his own imprint, this cut has been sought after for a while now. Second up is Eindhoven native Albert Van Abbe. Albert has been making a lot of waves for a long time now and we're very glad to welcome him to the PRRUK family. More to Ignore 04 is a funked out piece of machine music that will definitely turn some heads. The B side is opening with Elyas' The Hangman. The mysteryman that gained some infamy through his releases on Modularz and Olympian delivers a cutting edge Techno work-out. Closing down this VA 12'' is Mendy. Returning to PRRUK for the 2nd time, Mendy has come up with ''Elevation'' which is a chordy techno theme for peak hours.
Our POP AMBIENT compilation series returns for its 2018 instalment, with series curator Wolfgang Voigt presenting another batch of hand-picked recordings from genre veterans and newcomers alike. The more seasoned among this year's contributors are easily identified by their individual artistic sensibilities, ranging from the morphing, organic rhythms of THE ORB's sample collages (on SKY'S FALLING) to KAITO's ethereal, trance-infused soundscapes (TRAVELLED BETWEEN SOULS) and MIKKEL METAL's intimate ambient songwriting (SHAME).
They join the ranks of Pop Ambient scholars such as MAX WÜRDEN & THORE PFEIFFER (co-authoring the sparkling PANORAMA), Magazine's JENS-UWE BEYER (creating rich drama out of cinematic textures on ATHOS) or Adjunct's KENNETH JAMES GIBSON (who pairs soaring strings with bubbly percussion on DISINCLINED TO VACATE). Pfeiffer can also be found working with genre mainstay LEANDRO FRESCO on opener SPLINTER, crossing the growth rings of the Pop Ambient family tree with a subtle, atmospheric collaboration. Another welcome return to the roster, Jörg Burger dusts off his iconic TRIOLA project last heard on Pop Ambient 2013 (KOMPAKT 269 CD 103) with the floating, echo-drenched cut L'ATALANTE.
After making his Pop Ambient debut on last year's instalment (KOMPAKT 365 CD 135), YUI ONODERA continues his exploration of deep, intricate string sounds on PRISM and NINE CHAINS TO THE MOON (CD only) - it's compelling material that shows the Tokyo-based musician and architectural acoustic designer as a strong addition to the Pop Ambient talent pool. He's joined by the two latest recruits to the series, both well-established artists in their own right: techno provocateur T.RAUMSCHMIERE flexes his drone muscles on the elegiac ETERNA, while pedal steel guitar maestro CHUCK JOHNSON creates expanding sonic spaces on the meditative BRAHMI - a uniquely immersive cut that draws from the idiosyncratic country post-rock he established on his acclaimed 'Balsams' full-length released earlier this year.
(de) Unsere POP AMBIENT Compilation-Serie kehrt für 2018 ins Rampenlicht zurück, natürlich kuratiert von Wolfgang Voigt, der auch für die aktuelle Ausgabe eine handverlesene Auswahl an Genre-Veteranen und Neuzugängen präsentiert. Bereits vorhandene Erfahrung mit der Mission macht sich unter den diesjährigen Beiträgen schnell bemerkbar - dank individueller Künstlerperspektiven,
von den organisch-rhythmischen Samplecollagen THE ORBs (zu hören auf SKY'S FALLING) zu KAITOs ätherischen Trance-Klanglandschaften (TRAVELLED BETWEEN SOULS) und MIKKEL METALs intim wirkendem Ambient-Songwriting (SHAME).
Im 2018er Line-Up treffen sie auf die neue Pop-Ambient-Schule, vertreten durch MAX WÜRDEN & THORE PFEIFFER (die gemeinschaftlich für das glitzernde PANORAMA verantwortlich zeichnen), Magazine-Mitbetreiber JENS-UWE BEYER (der auf ATHOS reiche Dramatik aus Texturen zaubert) oder Adjunct-Boss KENNETH JAMES GIBSON (mit aufsteigenden Streichern und sprudelnder Percussion auf DISINCLINED TO VACATE unterwegs). Pfeiffer findet sich ausserdem auf dem Albumopener SPLINTER wieder, eine subtile, stimmungsvolle Aufnahme, die er zusammen mit Genre-Wegbereiter LEANDRO FRESCO produziert hat - gewissermassen generationsübergeifend über die Jahresringe des Pop-Ambient-Stammbaums hinweg. Als weiteres altvertrautes Gesicht der Serie entstaubt Jörg Burger sein beliebtes TRIOLA-Projekt, welches wir zuletzt auf Pop Ambient 2013 (KOMPAKT 269 CD 103) gehört haben, und legt das durch die Wellen gleitende, echogetränkte
L'ATALANTE vor.
Nach seinem Pop-Ambient-Debüt auf der letztjährigen Ausgabe (KOMPAKT 365 CD 135) führt YUI ONODERA seine Erkundung tiefer, vielschichtiger Streicherklänge mit PRISM und NINE CHAINS TO THE MOON fort - zwingendes Material, dass den in Tokyo ansässigen Musiker und Architektur-Klangdesigner als besonders überzeugenden Zuwachs zum Pop-Ambient-Talentpool kennzeichnet. Zu ihm gesellen sich zwei Serien-Neuzugänge, die bereits äusserst erfolgreich an anderen Fronten tätig waren: der Techno-Provokateur T.RAUMSCHMIERE lässt auf dem elegischen ETERNA seine Drone-Muskeln spielen, während der gefeierte Pedal-Steel-Gitarrist CHUCK JOHNSON mit dem meditativen BRAHMI stetig wachsende Klangräume erschafft - ein herausragender Track ganz im Stile des eigenwilligen Country Post-Rocks, den er auf dem zuvor in diesem Jahr erschienenen 'Balsams'-Langspieler verewigte.
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Ebo Taylor is a legendary guitarist, composer, arranger and producer from Accra, Ghana. A leading light of Ghanaian music since the 1960's, Taylor is still touring and recording, and at the age of 80 will be releasing a brand new studio album on Mr Bongo in 2018.
For this album, Ebo joined forces with 12-piece band 'The Pelikans' — from the Cape Coast region of Ghana — led by Bessa Simmona, with rhythm guitarist Fifi Orleans Lindsay. A genuine 'holy-grail' of Ghanaian music and one of Ebo's most saught-after.
The album was released on the small Abookyi label. Named after a nightclub they played in called PELIKANS, and sung in English and Fante, this was the first album where Ebo sang on tracks, such as the classic 'Come Along', on which he also plays keyboard. This song clearly defined a new direction in highlife and has become a Ghanaian funk anthem. 'Come Along' formed the basis of Sadat X's 'Remember That' hip hop jam from 2011.
This official Mr Bongo re-issue is packaged in our new & improved heavyweight 'tip-on' sleeves, printed in Japan, pressed on high quality vinyl, with label designs and artwork as per the original release. Ebo's forthcoming new studio album, 'MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS' is set for release in spring 2018, on Mr Bongo.
In 2017, the musical term electronic' is nearly obsolete given the ubiquity of computerized processes in producing music. Even so, the prevailing assumption is that musicians working under this broad umbrella must be inspired by concepts equally as electrified as their equipment. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith has demonstrated in her still-blooming discography that this notion couldn't be further from the truth, and that more often than not, rich worlds of synthesized
sound are born from deep reverence of the natural world. Smith (who by no coincidence, cites naturalist David Attenborough as a contemporary muse) has embodied such an appreciation on
The Kid in as direct and sincere a way as possible by sonically charting the phases of life itself.
The album, which punctually follows up her 2016 breakthrough EARS, chronicles four defining cognitive and emotional stages of the human lifespan across four sides of a double LP.
The first side takes us through the confused astonishment of a newborn, unaware of itself, existing in an unwitting nirvana. Smith's music has always woven a youthful thread befitting of the
aforementioned subject. Here she articulates it in signature fashion on the track An Intention,' which serves not only as a soaring spire on The Kid, but on her entire output. There is playfulness here, but it's elevated by an undertone of gravity into something compelling and majestic that is fast becoming Smith's watermark. The emotional focus of side two is the vital but underreported moment in early youth when we cross the threshold into self awareness. The subject is profound enough to fill an entire album, but rarely makes its way into a single track, indicating Smith's ambition to broach subtler and deeper subjects than the average composer. This side offers up another highlight in the form of In The World But Not Of The World' which serves its subject well with epiphanic, climbing strings and decidedly noisy textures over a near-Bollywood low end pulse.
Side three emphasizes a feeling of being confirmed enough in one's own identity to begin giving back to the formative forces of one's upbringing, which is arguably the duty that all great artists
aim to fulfill. This side ends with the exploratory album cut Who I Am & Why I Am Where I Am' recorded in a single take without overdubs on the rare EMS Synthi 100 synthesizer. This humble
piece of sound design serves as a contrast to side four's verdant orchestral moments, all written and arranged for the EU-based Stargaze quartet by Smith herself. This final side represents a
return to pure being, the kind of wisdom and peace that eludes most of us until the autumn of life. On To Feel Your Best' this concept is voiced in the bittersweet refrain one day I'll wake up
and you won't be there' which Smith intended to be a grateful acknowledgement of life rather than a melancholy resentment of loss. The song has both effects depending on the mood of the
listener, and both interpretations are equally moving.
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith belongs to an ilk of modern musicians who are defined by their commitment to creating experiential albums despite the singles-oriented habits of modern listeners,
and here she represents her kind proudly. The subjects on The Kid are not simple to convey, and yet through both emotional tone and lyrical content, Smith does just that. There is a similar
gravity to both birth and death, and rarely is that correlation as accurately and enthusiastically mapped as it is here.
Alan Watts, another logical inspiration of Smith's, once expounded that people record themselves to confirm their own existence, and as such, echoes and resonance are reminders that we are alive. You're not there unless you're recorded,' Watts muses, if you shout, and it doesn't come back and echo, it didn't happen.' The Kid speaks to this idea directly. As Kaitlyn Aurelia
Smith explores her existence through music, she guides us in gleefully contemplating our own.
Optimo Music is delighted to continue its fruitful relationship with The Golden Filter with the release of this fantastic 4-track 12' EP.
We always prefer our artists to speak for themselves and avoid bullshit PR hype so here is what they have to say about this EP -
We're quite agnostic, and unreligious, but if there is any vibes associated with the EP (and maybe all of our music) it is very Buddhist in its ideas. Mindful. Aware of impermanence.
The whole EP is about being with the one(s) you love when everything else around you breaks down. Looking inward, with pure love, in the hope to radiate outward, rather than pushing for a fight, or running away. Recorded, written, and produced in isolation by Stephen and Penelope on our own in East London Studio space.
The EP starts with the song 'End Of Times' which is a dramatic, Shangri-Las influenced take on feeling powerless in a chaotic world, but still high on love. Happiness can be found in analog reverb. This is followed by 'Serenity', a hard and tranquil meditation of past + future.
Side 2 leads with 'Heart Control', with a slight nod to Pink Floyd. A nine minute plea to ourselves to keep it all focused and under control... The EP closes with 'Darkness Falls'. The lyrics for this came from an apocalyptic dream that Penelope had, and wrote down in the morning. the music is 100% purely modular, er, except for the tiny bits of guitar at the end.
Optimo Trax presents a 4-track EP from Germany's Mathias Schober, head honcho of Berlin's Lossless label. As always we prefer to let our artists do the talking. Here's what Mathias has to say about this release -
The idea behind all tracks on the EP was a simple setup of drums and one synth that would do a main sequence/sound, yet there's a lot of detail in all of them. 'In A Certain Way' features a 808ish beat with a main sequence coming from a tiny monophon synth called Atmegatron - 8Bit love, it turned out being much more music than I thought it would be when I set everything up.
'But What Rules Are Made For' is the same setup but the sequence is a 101 and so are all the washed out fx synths. On 'Is To Break Them' I went a different route, I had the dub, delayed stabs synth first as I was messin' with my Moog and a Space Echo - which btw is used on every single track I release, if you haven't noticed yet.
So I was trying to build something around those stabs in order to fit the track to the others and so I ended up with another sequence coming from my Moog. As there was still space on the record, I decided to add an ambient version of 'Is To Break Them', I love the ambience on this track. I hope that my love for dub sounds is obvious enough on these tracks. Happy I found such an excellent home for the EP!
Bewitching Avant-Pop album from impromptu supergroup built around acclaimed Japanese duo, Tenniscoats. Featuring members of Notwist, Jam Money and Joasihno.
In these dark and uncertain times, there's an ever-growing collective of peaceful, loving types, bound together by an understanding of one peculiar word: Tenniscoats. Aside from being the name of an influential Tokyo-based duo, it represents fun, artistic freedom, experimentation and - perhaps most important of all - inclusivity.
A Tenniscoats gig is rarely the audience watching the performers. Instead, Saya and Takashi regularly shun the stage in favour of any particular spot that takes their fancy, whether it's an empty seat in the auditorium or the roof of a neighbouring cafe. In the world of Tenniscoats, music can happen anywhere, and everyone is invited to join in.
During the winter of 2016, the music happened in Munich. As a long-time fan, Markus Acher (Notwist) jumped at the chance not only to put Tenniscoats on the bill at the Alien Disko festival he was organising, but also to invite Saya & Takashi to a small apartment studio, together with Mat Fowler (Jam Money) and Cico Beck (Aloa Input, Notwist). This is where Spirit Fest was recorded over the following 14 days.
Tenniscoats are known for their collaborations - some of their finest work was done in conjunction with Tape, The Pastels, Jad Fair and many others - so making good use of the time and friends available was natural to them. For me, timing is important,' Saya said. We met in season, and the song flowers are now blooming!' Mat Fowler recalls the Spirit Fest sessions taking place in an idyllic, festive atmosphere. Every morning we'd all share breakfast, chat and learn about German Christmas customs. We'd catch the bus in the morning and walk home in the evening. The journey ran parallel to the beautiful flowing Isar River that bubbles, ebbs and flows right through the middle of Munich.'
While Tenniscoats sit at the heart of proceedings, it isn't their album alone. Markus, Mat and Cico also brought songs, providing a solid base on top of which the artistry could evolve. Mat explains that, a melody would begin, and slowly, each of us - in our own time - would find our way into the music.
Producer Tadklimp would sensitively set-up around us in this narrow window of time, so as to document that first and intuitive moment of collective discovery.' Nearly everything was recorded live,' agrees Markus, playing and singing together in one room with piano, guitars, percussion and some keyboards.' The collaborators came from Germany, Japan, the UK, Greece and beyond. That sense of inclusivity is palpable.
From the tender beauty of Markus's River River' and Saya's Mikan' to the electro-Merseybeat of Tenniscoat's Nambei' and the half-crazed pianica-reggae of Shuti Man', the resulting album is a testament to the manner of which these musicians are able to channel their songwriting through their spontaneity. It's also a snapshot of a gentle and intuitive moment in time - a beautiful meetup that expands this community, happily, even further.
Following on from our previous Gladys Knights & The Pips 12" ('Love Is Always On My Mind'/'Bourgie Bourgie' Cat No: DISCO115) it gives us great pleasure to re-issue her most expensive and in-demand 12" - the Canadian only Walter Gibbons remix of "It's A Better Than Good Time" backed with the full version of "Saved By The Grace Of Your Love".
This is a legendary and super-rare 12" which was only ever issued in Canada and has become something of a holy grail for serious dance music collectors over the years.
A decent condition copy will currently set you back £300+ and that's only if you're lucky enough to find one! it's a Gibbons master-class like you know he can.
Fully remastered on limited edition 180 gram heavyweight vinyl.
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HQ Gatefold, 3x12 140g Vinyl, black innersleeve, download code
EXTRAWELT are back! Although in fairness, they were never gone. On the contrary, since their first release on James Holden's Border Community Label dropped in 2005, Arne Schaffhausen and Wayan Raabe have been responsible for a plethora of classics including "Schöne Neue Extrawelt" and "In Aufruhr", their two seminal albums on Cocoon Recordings. The duo are one of the most booked live acts worldwide, commanding a huge fan base. Their performances are the stuff of legend, making them the absolute highlight at every club and festival they play. So it's with great pride and respect, that we can announce the release of Extrawelt's third album for Cocoon Recordings. "Fear Of An Extra Planet" completes the Cocoon trilogy and the excitement growing among their fans represents a new high in the history of EXTRAWELT!
Musically, of course, there's enormous pressure on EXTRAWELT to deliver, but this is dismissed with a playful disregard and they are clearly focused on the job in hand. The album title "Fear Of An Extra Planet" sounds cinematic, like some art-house science fiction film, without giving too much away.
However, from the first seconds of the opening track "Superposition", the album title makes 100% sense and sets the scene for the rest of the trip. We are immersed in wide open spaces and invited to explore dark and dusky worlds that transport us back to their Border Community years. Timeless and elegant, "Superposition" perfectly captures the epic, dream like quality that made James Holden's label so influential.
New Release Information Second up, "Gott ist Schrott" takes a much more minimalist approach with its retro 80s drum programming, monster bass lurking in the breaks and playful Rhodes/synth riffs that span the divide between early German techno and deep Detroit electro with a distinctive film soundtrack aesthetic. "Oddification" continues this theme, adding extra spice reminiscent of the techno-synth vibe of Detroit with a punchy, almost Prodigy-style breakbeat complete with shredded vocal samples that gives us a taste of what's in store. "Gentle Venom" then takes the breakbeat motif to the next stage. The main focus here is the classy sprinter of a bassline, peppered with a flurry of intricate and subtle effects and modulations, that immediately trigger an intense, movie-like 'in pursuit' feeling.
With - Das Grosse Flimmern" we cautiously approach the album's high point. It's still in keeping with the soundtrack aesthetics, but faster and with more urgency. Almost hypnotically, Extrawelt invade us with an energy and impetus that always radiates from their music. Next in line is "Silly Idol" and here Arne Schaffhausen and Wayan Raabe opt again for a more minimal tack, focusing even more intensely on the dance floor to reveal a pulsing, twisted heart to the album.
"Punch The Dragon" is the hidden gem of the collection, utilising and melting together the most bombastic and playful elements. This one is totally off the hook, a sensory overload in an acoustic widescreen format! Then we have the title track "Fear Of An Extra Planet" which perfectly sums up the album concept. It opens up like a film score, with minimal passages following dark sequences that morph into dreamy melodies, all grounded by cool, constantly alternating analogue drum patterns. If you're not listening closely, you might get the impression that three or four different titles are mixed together; such is the effortless flow of the album.
As we near our destination, "The Friendly Coroner" really does honour its name. The morbid charm of the title is captured by a fluid bassline and melodic arrangements that border on the absurd, until the funky drum beat finally drops. In our mind's eye we see a cheerful medical doctor removing his bloody gloves, hanging his smock in the closet and vibing out in his neon drenched workspace. And there we sit, glued to our cinema seat, submerged in the different textures EXTRAWELT have conjured up on "Fear Of An Extra Planet". Over the course of the last title, the strings usher in the final acknowledgments as the credits roll. The dramatic end of "2084" leaves us transfixed in front of a black screen in a large, dark room safe in the knowledge that we've just witnessed a science fiction epic.
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