Review: MoBlack continues to champion the best Afro house with this latest drop from &friends, El Jay and Oluwadamvic. 'Ode Ireti' appears here in four different versions, leading in with the original mix which comes bathed in sultry piano and an understated rhythmic roll perfect for sundown moments. The 'Amapiano Edit' unsurprisingly refigures the groove for all your log drum needs, and then Nitefreak jumps in on the flip for a smouldering deep house version and then Deroos brings his own tracky energy and moody chords to the table to complete a highly workable track served four ways.
Review: Akira Arasawa opens up with psychedelic Balearic house on 'Panorama New Touch' while OR's 'Hammock Beats' is glitchy and low-slung downtempo. On the flip is the nine-minute head melter 'Liquidanz' with its rippling synth modulations and Hutte Sound System close down with the dreamy end of the night soother 'Fire Fly'. Thsi mproject sees Especial Specials joining forces ed up with Chillmountain Recordings - a label from Osaka, Japan - on a series of new EPs, this being the first of hopefully many. The idea is to show the world the talents the label has at its disposal. It's definitely a case of mission accomplished on this evidence.
Review: Stephen James Wilkinson aka Bibio has been a big part of Warp's revival since the mid 2000's, and it's no surprise given the fact that this guy is as multi-talented as he is productive behind the mixing desk. "Why So Serious" is a chilled out, hazy boogie monster with gorgeous synth accompaniment and Olivier St Louis on the vocals, while "Make Up" goes more soulful thanks to its slow beat and St Louis' sublime singing. "Stress Me Out" heads back to the LA Boulevard for a ride around with the convertible, and "Night Falls" provides the gentle sort of cool down that's perfect for a night drive. Another cracker from Wilkinson, and also from London's Warp stable.
Charlotte & Reinhard for WeCanDance - "To Be Free Again" (extended) (5:10)
Ollie Loudon - "LMT" (extended) (6:21)
Lily Ko - "Pure Rubber" (5:58)
Biancolato - "Resolution" (edit) (5:46)
Review: We're promised Mellow Magic and that's precisely what we get, across four tracks emerging from disparate corners of the globe but united in a common mission to provide beats that work on the more relaxed end of the dancefloor. Belgian duo Charlotte & Reinhard of Rheinzand fame kick things off with a slow motion Balearic version of a well known 80s MOR classic. Ollie Loudon's 'L.M.T.' finally makes it to vinyl after long being a secret weapon in Gratts' DJ sets, where handclaps and languid strumming meet a gentle but infectious groove. Flip it over for the more tracky affairs, as Japan's Lily Ko makes an impressive debut with 'Pure Rubber', an original mix of disco foundations and always snazzy but never showy 80s synth play. Melbourne's Biancolato finishes things off with understated deep house shuffling that adds just a touch jazzy keys and dreamy, wispy pads.
Review: Serenades continues its split release adventures with this exquisite five tracker from Dolphins and Odopt. If musicality, and a musical experience, are what you're after then consider this just what you've been looking for. Opening with the somewhat surprisingly dancefloor-friendly 'Kombination', a slow mo breaks number with retro futurist dressing, and although things sound quite leftfield it doesn't quite prepare you for how deep the rabbit hole goes.
From thereon in it's a question of being sucked further down into strange but incredible places. 'Commander' could almost be unreleased Sabres of Paradise stuff, 'Fear' hangs us on a knife-edge of warbles and broken beats, heads down and tense, 'Syntagma' cuts to the fours with a heavy, atmospheric chugger. We could go on, but you should be convinced already.
Ivano Fossati & Oscar Prudente - "Gil (Voglia Di Terra)" (3:22)
Review: Kenneth Bager's Music For Dreams label has been dishing out chillout and Balearic music for over ten years now, and summer 2015 wasn't exactly going to be an exception. For his latest outing, Bager has chosen Leo Mas to bring together a three-tracker representing the Balearic islands' charismatic sounds; "Dolce Luna (Part 1)" by Italy's Gianni Bella represents the A side with a funky disco beat reminiscent of Pino Daniele, while the B side is taken over by Moana Pozzi's "L'Ultima Notte", a slow and soulful kind of number, and "Gil (Voglia Di Terra)" by Ivano Fossati and Oscar Prudente, a lovely guitar and flute mashup over a subtle beat and gentle basslines.
Review: Following up last year's production with Baltimore techno legend Maurice Fulton on 'Jigoo', the next release on Gudu is the first of two songs by label boss Peggy Gou that she will release over the coming months. Her first single in over two years, it translates to 'Butterfly' and is another collaboration. This time with fellow Korean sensation OHHYUK who is the lead singer and guitarist in the band Hyukoh. 'Nabi' is a downtempo, pop-inflected number said to be inspired by '80s synth classics and '90s Korean songs that Gou's mother used to play at home during her childhood.
Once Again I Hear The Beautiful Vertigo... Luring Us To "Do Something, Somehow"
Who Would Have Thought This Callous Histiry Would Become My Skin
Only The Winding "Why" Expresses Anything Clearly
A New Radiance Springing Forth From Inside The Light
Even That Still Here & Unwanted Can You & I Love It? Just Like Us It Was Born Here Too
Now While It's Still Warm Let Us Pour In All The Mystery
Review: In the latest instalment of avant-garde studies for Black Truffle, Oren Ambarchi brings together his regular cohorts for some collaborative pieces that span a staggering range of styles without ever letting up on the uncompromising leftfield remit of the label. The first tracks deal in fragile, tense situations that work drone into an organic context through the haunting use of vocal, flute and found sound, before swerving into the calamity of noise rock squall at its finest. Coming on like a NY hardcore contingent, it's hard to believe it sits on the same release as the opening tracks, and makes the record as a whole all the more enjoyable to process.
Review: The sonic stars have finally aligned as the Horo Scope album looks far into the future, eschewing every notion of time and space. The second sampler from the LP unites Clarity, Kiyoko, Overlook and Hysee with four deep audio explorations. Highlights include the floating fusion of ambience and solemnity on "Something To Think About", the soft focus clicky riddim on "Passages", the dubbed out synth reflections on "Past Participle" and sub aquatic sub punishment of "Sombre". Rich in texture and dynamics, Scope is the key to a whole new universe
Review: Serial collaborator Rune Lindbaek has been working with studio partner Oyvind Blikstad since 2012, but this is the first time the duo has released a single together. "North" is arguably typically of Lindbaek's output over the last few years, sitting somewhere between rubbery, punk-funk influenced dub disco and gentle Balearica (think twinkling pianos, heavenly chords and shuffling acoustic guitars). Man of the moment Eddie C provides the flipside remix, emphasizing the beautiful and deep elements of the original while giving the track a little more bespoke disco swing. In some ways, it's typical of the Canadian's style, but more beguiling - and less percussive - than many of his outings.
Review: Ohm Series #10 continues to be a shining example of the remarkable work being done in the dub techno genre, consistently featuring top-tier producers who excel in their craft. On Side-1, Monomood kicks things off with 'Spring In Space,' a track that boasts deep sub-bass hits and long, blending chords. Its strong kick and clean production make it a powerful example of dub techno at its finest. Following this, Octal Industries delivers 'Rewind Repeat,' a piece that layers epic strings and a soaring melody over an abstract broken beat. Powerful and evocative! Side-2 opens with G-Prod and Taho's'"Light Forest,' an uptempo dub techno track with a techy edge. Its smooth production and dancefloor-ready vibe make it a seamless fusion of technical prowess and groove. Closing out the release is Gradient's 'Track 4,' which offers classic dub techno sounds. Gradient's exceptional craftsmanship is evident in this track, which epitomizes the lush textures and hypnotic rhythms that define the genre. Overall, Ohm Series #10 upholds its reputation by delivering high-quality dub techno that resonates with both purists and new listeners alike. This release is an ideal example to the innovative spirit of the genre.
Review: With this 12" Hey-O-Hansen conclude their series. Even now our afro alpine heroes find themselves moving ahead into new spaces opened up by developments in dubstep. Featuring Eirikur Orri from Iceland's Mum on space trumpet and Dirk von Lowtzow of Tocotronic/Phantom/Ghost on vocals, with lyrics drawn from Carl Gustav Jung's "Septem Sermones ad Mortuos" (1916). "Abraxas" is an interesting release on Hey Records.
Review: Nottingham duo O Uki Conjugate have been delivering their own particular brand of "dirty ambient" (as they put it) since way back in 1982. They're in a more immersive mood in the Artefacts EP, which brings together a quartet of alternately foreboding and intoxicating compositions that perfectly capture the ongoing dread of the last 12 months. Lengthy A-side suite 'Forgotten Summer II/Endless Heat' re-frames and repurposes a 2019 album track co-produced by Colin Potter, with the duo wrapping fluctuating, pulsing electronic motifs, dense chords and glistening guitar textures around an ever-evolving, hypnotic groove. Over on the flip you'll find 'Empire', a distant dark ambient chugger that's hallucinatory in tone, and the twisted textures and creeping k-hole chords of 'Debauchery'.
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