Avenue 66 US レコード& CD

Review: Like many electronic musicians, Stefan "SW" Wust has kept himself busy during the ongoing global pandemic. Here he presents the first fruits of his lockdown labours, a brand-new full-length excursion via Acid Test offshoot Avenue 66. It's a typically eccentric affair, mixing rave-igniting, retro-futurist heaviness with deeper, slower and jazzier cuts informed by the 1990s chill-out movement. Club-focused highlights include twisted, dubbed-out and acid-fired opener 'ELEctreC', the sub-heavy post-D&B skittishness of 'meanDreaMbeam' and the mutant hardcore breakbeat quirkiness of 'radeDARKpaid', while those seeking more horizontal fare should take a gander at luscious ambient closing cut 'ambienTRAND', the soothing and seductive 'JAZZmassLESS' and the immersive, Pete Namlook-influenced 'esCAPEdeepCREEP'.

Review: SW is a rather elusive character but not if you are the Avenue 66 label. This, OkALGORYTHM, is his third album for them and it is another intriguing musical wondering and wandering. The production is as ever with this artist rather sublime, as it brings imaginative sounds to life that are all inspired by all-night electronic radio shows of the '90s. 'WHAtADAYray' kicks off with smudged, knotted synth sounds that never resolve, there are serene techno moments like 'StepCLASSixMOtor' and rhythmically inventive cuts like the scuffed loops, metallic shimmer and lo-fi textures of 'TROPyCALLhystrIA.'