Review: Following a surprisingly extended hiatus of three years, the admirable Earthly Measures imprint is ready to unleash the fourth volume in their Earthly Tapes series. This time round, they've not only chosen to showcase the work of more female artists, but also producers and musicians with "native roots connected to five countries in South America and Europe". Musically, it furthers the label's "electronica plus nature" ethos, flitting between deliciously dubbed-out ambient chuggers (Manu Ela), Latin-tinged slow motion dub disco (Barda), percussion-rich wooziness (Shigara), locked-in low-slung house hypnotism (Sahale & Samarana), tropical house sunshine (Carla Velenti) and chugging Balearic dreaminess (NoN Project).
Tomoko Kina - "Tie Island" (No Man's Island mix) (5:08)
Review: Japan's Fourth Wave Record Factory sure does know how to serve up brilliantly beguiling sounds that ate you well out of your here and now. Next up is this, 'Dondon Bushi' 7" by Shoukichi Kina, Champloo and Tomoko Kina that explores a mix of Okinawan traditional sounds and modern grooves. The Mbira dance mix of the A-side jam is a bubbly rhythm with worldly percussion and soulful melodies that echo folk majesty and are topped with a wonderful weird vocal from Shoukichi Kina. On the flip, there is a more lazy and downtempo style dub rhythm, 'Tie Island' (No Man's Island mix) which is another worldly trip.
Review: Journeys through melodic electronica by blending new material with club-ready reworks like the Radio 2-supported (!!) 'Love Love Love - Here I Come.' True to Chicane's aesthetic, the album is rich in atmosphere, optimism and nostalgia and is great for both relaxation and dancefloor workouts. The 2025 vinyl release for Record Store Day marks the first time these mixes and extended versions have appeared in physical format. With a global tour, club shows, and a Royal Albert Hall orchestral concert on the horizon, Trampolines kicks off another great chapter for Chicane.
Review: The third LP in the Chypho series from Jahbulon Records, Episodes in Oceanography, features striking cover art that helps make it another collector's gem. Chypho hails from Huntsville, Alabama and the music here does what it says not he tine - profiles an underwater world in painterly and immersive ambient tones. There are plenty of microscopic details that drift by, shimmering sun rays that piece the surface and implied rhythms that sway to and fro like the shifting sands of the ocean floor. It's a real soother for the soul but a great bit of nourishment for the mind.
Review: Chypho is on a roll with this super trio of albums on Jahbulon Records. The second album in the Episodes in Oceanography series, is another must-cop for ambient lovers and it is enhanced by striking cover art and great mastering. Hailing from Huntsville, Alabama, Chypho's music vividly explores an underwater world through immersive ambient tones and this edition captures subtle, microscopic details in deft melodies, with bright keys breaking the surface and supple rhythms swaying like ocean currents. It's a soothing journey for the soul, offering both relaxation and nourishment for the mind, and is a tranquil, yet thought-provoking place to get lost. Very nice indeed.
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