Review: Under the Jaz alter-ego, John Zahl has been serving up laidback, Balaearic-minded edits of musical obscurities since the mid 2000s. Initially, that was for Claremont 56 offshoot Sixty Five, but in the last decade he's also appeared on Passport To Paradise, Rotating Souls and, most recently, Pinchy & Friends. Here he returns to the latter label with four more rubs of atmospheric cuts from the dusty corners of his record collection. He begins with the wonderfully throbbing, solo-heavy dancefloor synth-scape of 'Cloud Worship', before successfully tinkering with a tactile, semi-organic proto-house gem on 'Pick a Toy'. Over on side B, 'Puzzle' is a tidy revision of a cosmic-minded, French language Balearic synth-pop gem, while 'Friday Night' is an eccentric, off-kilter slab of new wave disco oddness.
Review: Almost 40 years after the acid sound was first accidentally stumbled across it is still providing artists with endless amounts of inspiration. This Dynamics of Acid label is another one dedicated to the cause and here Jonathan Hipgrave under his Jonny3snares alias explores six different and equally sublime sounds that will make your brain dance as much as your body. There is an inward sense of reflection to the opener 'Signal Drive', a deep melancholy to 'Recovery' then squelchy hyperactive rhythms define 'Scramble.' Three flipside cuts again pair meaningful synths with lithe drum programming to make for a fantastically futuristic EP.
Review: Allegedly one of the first ever records to make use of sampling, Jean-Michel Jarre's seventh album Zoolook brought with it a unique vibe, one well worth looking back on in light of its latest Sony reissue. In terms of notoriety, Zoolook pales in comparison to the electronic music crackerjack's 1976-8 heyday, which saw to both Oxygene and Equinoxe; but this is understandable, as Zoolook came much later, and sacrificed the grandiose mood of otherworldly space-awe for an eerier menage of playful factory hits and cacophonous dance hubbubery. Perhaps this sound - a jankier one that grew in popularity in the mid 80s - was driven by Jarre's use of the Fairlight CMI workstation and sampler, an example of a piece of gear that had the power to define an entire sound. We'd venture to say that the titular "Zoolook" is a kind of gaze that, by virtue of us living in a machine society, makes animals of us all.
Review: This is surely one of the most classic electronic albums of all time and an oft-referenced inspiration for countless new generations of electronic music producers. It remains a pioneering masterpiece almost 50 years after its original release in 1976 which is why it now gets reissued once more. The album's six interconnected tracks evoke themes of space, nature and environmental fragility which make it as emotionally stirring as it is sonically innovative. Highlights like 'Oxygene Part IV' showcase Jarre's ability to create timeless, hypnotic rhythms that transcend genres and make this a visionary work demonstrating the enduring power of minimalistic yet deeply atmospheric composition. A true landmark in the history of sound design.
Review: Arriving five years after his seminal Oxygene long player, Jean-Michel Jarre's Les Chants Magnetiques again showcases his mastery of synths and his innovative approach to electronic composition. The album's five tracks weave a tapestry of pulsating rhythms, shimmering melodies and experimental textures that reflect Jarre's fascination with the interplay of nature and technology. 'Magnetic Fields Part II' and its infectious sequencer-driven groove became a standout hit while other parts explore ambient and avant-garde realms. Looking back now, the album bridges the gap between the cosmic explorations of Oxygene and Equinoxe and the emerging digital soundscapes of the 80s.
Review: Nobody could accuse Spanish producer JASSS of being backwards and coming forwards on this, her Ostgut Ton debut. The Berlin-based label, Berghain's recorded outlet, usually conjures sonic images in line with the stereotypical soundtrack of the club's main hall, but anyone who has spent a reasonable amount of time in the imprint's back catalogue will know that's a reductive assumption. The crew regularly veer into all kinds of leftfield electronic avenues.
Even so, JASSS' arrival marks one of the wildest rides this platform has ever offered listeners. From the resoundingly emotional and joyous opening wide bands of synth, 'Birds You Can Name', to the euphoric industrialism of 'Busto' and the operatic, neo-tropical pop of 'A World of Service', this is benchmark-setting curveball stuff we cannot get enough of.
Review: Who doesn't love a good compilation? And a good compilation is exactly what we have here, as put together by the golf standard digger that is JD Twitch. Ever since he first head out to the land of the rising sun to DJ he has been bewitched by it. Sub-titled 'A Beginners Guide to Japan In The '80s' this assemblage of ambient, cosmic and electronic sounds is beautifully escapist, taking you right out the Far East in an instant with its curious melodies and gentle ear worms. There is a purity and beauty to the music that is utterly cleansing with all of Japan's most legendary names included.
Review: Swedish-British singer-songwriter Jay-Jay Johanson is now well known for his uniquely melancholic vocals and this new album Labyrinth is another fine example of that. The title track is airy and delicate, with his tender, spoke-sung vocals drifting over a gentle piano. 'The Maze' comes as a Tomas Nordmark Labyrinth Rework with swirling pads making for a churchy vibe as the voice of Johanson hangs poignantly in the air above. Elsewhere 'Paris 2' is a little fuller, with downtempo percussion and busier piano chords and 'The Girl with the Moog in Her Hair' has great retro synths for a subtle cosmic outing.
Review: Among that coterie of visionary artists who left their bands to fly solo on the cusp of abundant riches and fame, John Foxx flew from Ultravox in 1980 to pursue his own creative vision. He quickly cemented his own style with albums like Metamatic and The Garden, but arguably delivered the fullest iteration of his sound on this 1983 album. The Golden Section straddles synth-pop and pop rock with ease, and it stands shoulder to shoulder with the greatest of the era. From his former band to Duran Duran and even moire niche concerns like Freur, this is the sound of the new dawn for pop music in the UK as the vast possibilities of synthesis were finally being understood.
Review: Tsampikos Fronas is June, and on this fresh new LP for Artificial Dance he rather sips away from the dance sounds of his earlier career. The material here was recorded between 2018 and 2020 by the Berlin based innovator and it is an exploration of more sparse soundscapes than previously. It has a cyber punk feel and dystopian overtone with each track filled with tension and plenty of nods to sci-fi movie soundtracks. It is all crafted from analogue sequencers and analogue polyphonic synths as well as modular synthesizers which lend it an ice cold rhythm and haunting sense of futurism.
Review: 10 years after first starting out, June aka Tsampikos Fronas serves up a third full length on Mannequin Records that draws on all his years of musical exploration. The world that results is a dystopian one where machines have taken over and human life has long gone. Synths fizz with static electricity, drums and percussion automated by AI and the whole thing is like an exercise in cyber-transcendence. An arsenal of vintage analog synthesizers, drum machines and effect processors add retro-future textures that only serve to heighten the record overall.
Review: If you've ever fallen for the mythical Lewis album L'Amour, you'll probably get off on this. First thing's first, the two are very, very different records - Lewis' work is so soft and quiet at times it comes close to no longer existing, but the whole thing has this romantic, skin-on-skin by candlelight, whisper-in-ear quality to it that seems to go straight for the heart and make itself a home right there.
Junior Boys' Waiting Game isn't anything like L'Amour in terms of sounds, but that same sense of getting very close and very personal with what you're listening to, a record that's soon to be your lover, pervades everything here. Certainly more in the opening tracks, 'Night Walk''s warm, spring evening in Miami vibe, 'It Never Occurred To Me' and its strange, staccato use of vocoder'd lyrics and gliding refrains. Electro synth for the bedroom, no less.
Review: Hyperdrama is the fourth full length album from the French Duo Justice. Two songs have preceded the album's May release. 'One Night/All Night (featuring Tame Impala)' is destined to be a club hit with its catchy EDM pop appeal. The bombastic electro pulser 'Generator' will also have a strong club appeal to it and you can expect the rest of the album to be just as strong with a production job that's clean and the tracks are powerful. This version comes in a beautifully designed gatefold 2xLP that also includes a sticker.
Review: Minimal Wave is honored to present a reissue of Jyl's self-titled full-length album from 1984, originally released on Klaus Schulze's Inteam label. Born and raised in California, Jyl travelled to Europe in her twenties to dance and met several talented and like-minded collaborators along the way. She ended up in Germany, and worked with Ingo Werner, Angela Werner, and Klaus Schulze, on what would become one of the most important and forward thinking electronic albums of the time. Shortly after its release, the song "Computer Love" became a mini-hit along with the album's opening track "Mechanic Ballerina". The lyrics of "Silicon Valley" and "Computer Generation" are reflective of the times and have become even more relevant now, 36 years later. The production and song arrangement on the album is immaculate. The synthesizers, drum programming and vocal contributions complement Jyl's voice perfectly. The album contains an incredible depth beyond a regular dance album likely due to the spirit of the people behind it - the list of contributors add to its significance and near-mythological mystery.
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