Review: Two decades deep into his career and still pushing forward, this seasoned German DJ delivers something that feels both timeless and fresh. The original version of 'Kingston Riddim' is a smooth, sun-soaked affair. Drawing from island dub but built with a crisp, modern hand, the track is full of warm organic textures and laid-back swing. The chords are clean and expressive without feeling too polished. There's a breezy confidence to the groove that makes it feel effortless. It's the kind of track that could slip into any set and feel right at home. Sato's interpretation dives into deeper territory. The bass rolls in thick and heavy while the chords get more tangled and echo-laced. There's a submerged quality here, like the track has been dragged through deeper waters. It's moodier than the original but still carries that same rooted sense of rhythm. This is one of those rare records where both sides hit in different but equally effective ways.
Review: South Africa-born, United States-based Brendon Weller is one of dub techno's finest modern day practitioners. he has been endlessly exploring the form for years but never falls short of fresh ideas. Here he offers up his latest 12" on EchoLTD. It begins with 'Rescue Me' which is smoky, deep and atmospheric with rattling hits and chords submerging you way beneath the surface.A'YassQueen' then taps into an orignal dub ethos with rumbling bass and heady harmonica sounds floating amongst wispy pads. 'Scorching' stays fully horizontal and is a vast empty space with patient bass and drums and 'How Love Is Your Deep' ends with another heady exploration of empty space and slow motion rhythm.
Review: Ambient Classics From Japan on Mukatsuku features two lush filled classics from the label Form@ Record label from the land of the rising sun....First up, Shuichiro Nakazawa under the guise of Modern Living from 1998 - initially taken from the CD only Art Form 2 compilation although it also popped up on Music From Memory's excellent Virtual Dreams collection - now gets a whole side on loud cut 180 gram vinyl to itself. On the flipside comes Virgo aka Yasutaka Sato with his gorgeous deep techno ambient gem 'System For Zodiac piece, taken from the Landform Code CD, of which only 30 copies were ever made and has never seen light of day to vinyl until now. No repress hand numbered to 300 copies and first 100 come with Japanese Origami paper crane + sticker.
Review: Trip-hop pioneers Morcheeba return in full force with a stunning 11th studio album, Escape The Chaos. Lead member Ross Godfrey says of the record: "this whole record is a process of trying to reconnect with what really matters, whether it's what in your heart, or with the world, putting your feet on grass and feeling the earth beneath you" says Ross Godfrey. Skye Edwards adds: "In a way, it's a homage to the thirty years of being in Morcheeba, which is 60% of my existence." Since forming in London in 1995, they've sold over 10 million albums, from their platinum-selling Big Calm to collaborations with David Byrne and film work with Steven Soderbergh; now 30 years in, their presence within trip-hop is felt again, with forerunning single 'We Live And Die' providing buzzing hugs of electric bass and clear, haute beats, as Edwards muses on the counterbalancing ups and downs of life.
Review: Formed in 1995, Morcheeba - Skye Edwards and brothers Paul and Ross Godfrey - have spent nearly three decades darning their organic trip-hop to the wider global music fabric, with ear-catching success. The London trio are now raring to contrast their debut statements Fragments of Freedom (2000) and Charango (2002) with a stylistic evolution and a paean to human peace of mind. Escape The Chaos comes after many a solo project, film score, and lineup change, all of which have heard Morcheeba relocate themselves on the popular music map, with far-Eastern instrumental echoes and cinematic sublimes once again bridging divides between classic and contemporary trip hop.
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