Back catalogue: Experimental/Electronic

Review: An about-face is a complete and utter change in direction; it's this sonic capriciousness that the producer, whose namesake is drawn from the word, finds solace in, and wishes to welcome. Following a period of exploring theta wave and hemi-sync techniques - don't ask us, we're still not sure - the artist also known as Le Sculpteur d'Esprit (the Mind Sculptor) is said to have touched down in this dimension with the ambition to transport listeners through at least four portals of altered consciousness; each of these are intended as thought-worlds in which interactive sculptures, evoked through sound alone, are revealed in the listeners' collective mind. From opener 'Le Tournesol (The Sunflower)' to closer 'L'il De L'elephant ('The Elephant Eye'), these are thoroughly well-sound-designed sonic lemni-scapes, bringing complex sets of progressive builds and electro-spirituals to an awestruck form; immaculately experimental, the record would sound well at home on an Invisible Inc. or Cascine tape.

Review: Tristan Arp returns to Wisdom Teeth with his second album, 'a pool, a portal', blending modular synths, cello, found sounds, and spoken word. The LP, crafted between Mexico City and New York, continues where his debut 'Sculpturegardening' left off, creating an ambient soundscape where nature and machines co-exist. Featuring a collaboration with Guatemalan cellist Mabe Fratti, this record is a journey into a future where humanity and technology evolve together. The artwork, like the music, blurs the line between the natural and the digital.

Review: Italian musician, producer, composer, and instrument builder Alessandro Cortini unveils his latest release, NATI INFINITI, via Mute. Following up on 2021's Scuro Chiaro, NATI INFINITI is a forty-minute piece split into five movements, based on an immersive audio installation that Cortini originally created for the Sonar Lisboa festival in 2022, where it was presented across four floors of the Museu de Lisboa's Moagem. Marked by intense bouts of airy, tubular ambiences; and yet more sawwing tones counterposed with stark, angelic highs, giving rise to intensely beautiful arp sequenes, Cortini's latest is a real distillation of the sublime.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


Kevin Drum is often cryptic in his work and that didn't change here on OG23, a record on Streamline that after a long wait for fans now arrives, at last, on vinyl. It features just two pieces of music, one on each side, and both are isolated soundscapes from deep under the surface of the sea. The Chicago artist layers up subtle drones and spaced-out electro signifiers, otherworldly ambiance and deft sound designs that all empty your mind and allow a little paranoid to seep in, such is the creepiness of their atmosphere. It's a magnificent work of quiet artists that is stuffed with evocative sonic imagery.

Review: Bristolian Nick Edwards had an excellent run of things during the 2010s, releasing cuts on Planet Mu, Mordant Music, Punch Drunk, Perc Trax and WNCL, among others. He also established himself as a highlight on the European live electronic circuit. Then things quietened off, making the personal choice to avoid getting caught up in the circus of dance music and club culture at arguably the most perilous point in its history - ethically speaking. After five years in the wilderness, Edwards is back as Eoplekz with an eight-track mini-album for Selvamancer. Straddling acid warbles, dub tech, dirty squelching weirds, subtle hints of reggae and a resolute commitment to futurism, we're not sure exactly how to label Dirtbokz, but that's exactly the point. Lo-fi analogue adventures through the wormhole, and back again.

Review: Renowned composer Simon Fisher Turner's new album Instability of the Signal comes on limited edition black vinyl with extensive sleeve notes. It was produced with Francine Perry and across 13 tracks it delves into sound exploration inspired by Breda Beban, Hrvoje Horvatic, and poet Harold Pinter, whose works appear on the record. The artist integrates four elements: slivers, sounds, strings, and Singing where 'slivers" are brief audio snippets from Salford Electronics reimagined into track foundations. The album also features string arrangements by the Elysian Collective and overall the record reflects Fisher Turner's rich career as it blends experience with introspective soundscapes and personal expression.

Review: This gatefold green vinyl record captures a rare and electrifying live performance from the pioneering electronic music legends. Recorded at their 1997 Tribal Gathering festival headline, it's a showcase of the band's iconic sound that blends groundbreaking synth-driven melodies with hypnotic rhythms and futuristic themes. Performing classics like 'Autobahn,' 'The Robots' and 'Computer World,' Kraftwerk delivered a spellbinding experience that bridged their innovative past and continued influence on modern music all set against the historic backdrop of Luton Hoo Estate. It features plenty of their classics from the time, as well as - shockingly - a new track, titled 'Tribal Gathering' (and also sometimes referred to as 'Luton') that was written especially for the gig, never recorded in the studio and only ever played a handful of times. A great nostalgic trip.

Review: Maelstrom returns to Central Processing Unit for his fourth outing, and this time he's dropping his longest release yet. French electro mainstay Joan-Mael Peneau, known to many as Maelstrom, has been a fixture on the scene since the early 2000s, and he brings every ounce of that experience to his new LP, The FM Tapes. Spanning 11 tracks, this album is a masterclass in precision, confidence, and control. From the opening moments of 'Ondes Courtes', Maelstrom makes it clear that he's not here to mess around. The track offers a dark, brooding take on electro, with tight, shuffling beats and expertly layered synth work that sets the tone for what's to come. Tracks like 'Alt50ser' follow, pushing forward with mechanical rhythms and a frenetic energy that could only come from an artist with such a seasoned hand. 'La Vie Sociale Des Sons' showcases his knack for combining complex soundscapes with raw, dancefloor-ready energy, blending heavy basslines with shimmering top-end details. The album's centrepiece, 'Res 06 (feat. Fasme)', serves as a standout, bringing in an almost cinematic quality. The beats remain hard and driving, but there's a subtle elegance in the way Maelstrom weaves textures around them, creating something that feels both intense and intricate. Yet, despite all the technical wizardry, The FM Tapes never feels cold or clinical. There's a warmth to tracks like 'My Digitone', where the rhythms are precise but still leave room for playfulness and experimentation. It's this balance of meticulous craftsmanship and spontaneous energy that defines the LP and makes it feel so vital.

Review: Daniel Miller and Gareth Jones head back into the studio and fire up the Eurorack modular synth for a third adventure into the great unknown of sounds and noises seemingly once heard in another dimension before being brought back to planet Earth with the hope of recreating whatever the rumbling or bleeping was. Electronic Music Improvisations Vol.3 is exactly that, building on the self-imposed musical parameters that guided the preceding two parts. Deep, otherworldly, vast, and unique, the beauty of Miller and Jones' Sunroof project is how it's also the opposite of all those words. Sparse, pared back, familiar, very much born of manmade machines, since these endeavours began we've crossed through the looking glass into a world that often feels like it's spinning out of human control, not least with the advent of music entirely made by AI. Here's proof people can still take complete charge of their creative process.

Review: Albert Van Abbe impresses with his new full-length Olodumare Who Is which is an exploration of deep, hypnotic techno with profound spiritual undertones. Drawing inspiration from his diverse cultural background and the Yoruba religion, the album blends dark, atmospheric soundscapes with intricate rhythms and deep basslines while Van Abbe's meticulous approach to production makes for a mysterious journey where each track weaves together minimalist percussion, tribal influences and eerie melodies. The result is an immersive sonic experience that evokes a sense of both tension and release while fusing ancient traditions with modern techno.

Review: Yetsuby is a solo project of South Korean artist Yejin Jang and a prolific one at that with six albums, seven EPs, and numerous singles to her name since 2019. Her recent album My Star, My Planet Earth won "Best Electronic Album of 2023" at the Korean Music Awards and now the NTS host follows up with a debut on Seb Wilblood's All My Thoughts label, which is a heartfelt mini album that explores deep emotions with real sonic alchemy. The six tracks range from the mesmerising opener 'Who Swallowed the Chimes at the Random Place' to the soothing 'The Sublime Embrace - Losing Our Way Is Not Wrong'. Both blend intricate rhythms with lush vocals and elegant brass to create celestial, immersive sound worlds.