ASC レコード& CD

Review: Covert operator ASC continues his astral travels for his current series of intergalactic breakbeat explorations with 'Star Cluster'. Following 'Isometric Projection' and 'Cause & Effect', this EP once again reaches to the heavens for its essence and rolls out with shimmering, emotional charm and more than its fair share of heavy drum punches. The dreamy vocal calls and slamming breaks of 'Solyaris' and the tightly coiled spring groove of 'Oblivion' are both major highs on this trip.

Review: If you don't love ASC, do you even like electronic music? The master studio technician never makes anything less than thrilling sounding whether exploring ambient, jungle, or in-between worlds. Both characterise this new EP on Spatial which comes on lovely splattered vinyl 12". 'Synergy' pairs busy Amen breaks with lush pad work, 'Suspended Animation' is an icy and deft jungle workout in the farthest reaches of deep space and 'Repetition' is a super chill, slick and emotive excursion to the stars. 'Pharaoh' is another pristine production with infectious drum funk at its core.

Review: Samurai sign out of 2023 with this stunning expedition from longstanding craftsman ASC. One of the deepest to do it, here on 'House Of Leaves' he whips up a beguiling sense of atmosphere as we gradually ramp up the intensity from the tense and stretched out title track opener to the savage cymbal slaps of the finale 'Exploration #4'. In between we find our souls soothed by the relentless drumfunk of 'The Navidson Record' and our brains shattered by the cosmic turbo zaps of 'The 5 1/2 Minute Hallway'. Far out.

Review: ASC can't really do any wrong if you ask us, whether crafting suspensory ambient or laying down killer jungle cuts. It's the latter which he does here for the Spatial label in the form of this great looking multi-colour splatter vinyl. 'Infinity' has you adrift in the cosmos on dusty amen breaks, then '2097' is a tight and kinetic number with mystic lead and yelping vocal fragments. There is yet more deep space mystery to the melodies of 'What Lies Beneath' then humid closer 'Rainforest' has watery droplets falling down physical drum breaks that make you move your hole body.

Review: You'd be hard pushed to keep up with everything ASC puts out on his own Auxiliary and Spatial labels, let alone what crops up elsewhere, but at least you can be sure wherever you check in, the quality will be unerringly high. On this latest 12" for Spatial, we get whisked away on a cloud of atmospheric d&b finery with 'Dreamcatcher' before plummeting to earth with the hard-knocking drum science of 'Tranquility'. 'Drifting Thru' pairs rough amens with epic pads and then 'Floatation' explores more acutely angled breaks and an immersive pool of melodic composition, holding true to the Spatial remit as an outlet for the deeper end of the junglist spectrum.

Review: Space jungle extraordinaire ASC is as prolific as they come, and this week he's back again with 'Sphere Of Influence', a synth-heavy present-day take on the dreamy origins of his chosen sound. Beginning with 'The Arcane', we're most struck with ASC's emphasis on atmospherics and synthwork - they come first compared to his relatively functional breakscience, which are like godlike apparatuses guiding us through heavily nuanced, heavenly vistas. That functionality goes out of the window with 'Threeform', though - an unusually sound-designed number which introduces suddenly-huge variation in the breaks, in what is said to be ¾ time.

Review: James Clements continues his explorations into the depths of the grey zone as ASC with The Farthest Reaches double pack on Auxiliary. Samurai Music's Presha has excitedly called these four tracks "a definitive musical statement from one of the most important electronic musicians of our era," and who are we to argue with him? Making full usage of the format and available space, this is ASC in exploratory mode across a quartet of deep ten minute plus productions that have it all; sound design, atmosphere, groove, bass weight. To simply call these epic is selling The Farthest Reaches short!

Review: Instra:mental's Nonplus imprint are set to unleash US based producer ASC's debut album, Nothing Is Certain next month but first deliver a three track taster of this highly anticipated LP. "Phobos" sets industrial noises and sparse, dramatic tones as its backdrop but entwines electronic grooves and micro samples over the top to create his unusual but wholly captivating sound. "Oort Cloud" drops out into some cosmic, downtempo atmospheres of weightless space before "Matter of Time" explores wind-like sounds and melodies, deep oceans of bass and his intriguing use of Oriental sounding percussion. Once listen to this will have you holding your breath for July's LP.

Review: Another Interstellar Transmission incoming! ASC and Aural Imbalance reunite once again on Spatial with this sublime four track atmospheric jungle adventure - 'The Other Side'. Four cuts deep, across the release the two old friends take us on a gently dynamic tip from deep ambient d&b ('Continuum') to full-on militant drumfunk ('Distant Orbit') by way of dreamy jazzy breakbeat ('Cold Front') and cosmic, hypnotic steppery ('Depth Perception') The result speak for themselves.

Review: Past Inside the Present's 'Pulse' series is an investigation into ambient tech and beat-driven ambient sounds. Who better for the job on this second edition than master craftsmen ASC and Joachim Spieth? ASC opens up with 'Tidal Disruption Event', an understated, underwater rhythm with jittery percussive patterns and bright shards of melodic light piercing through the mix as more coarse soundwaves break over the top. Spieth's 'Subtle' is just as artful and delicate a mix of persuasive rhythm and melodic beauty. A classy Nitechord remix closes out this fascinating EP.