Skam レコード& CD

Review: Boom! Finally another reissue of Boards Of Canada's seminal Hi Scores LP from 1996! Along with the likes of Aphex Twin, LFO and Squarepusher, these guys have helped to define how we see electronic music today and this particular LP is arguably their most complete when it comes to the dancefloor. The title track is a twisted, floaty bindle of breaks and beats, but it doesn't end there. Tracks like "Nlogax" are inherently Detroitian in nature thanks to the bleepy drum machines inside, and all we can say is that if you haven't laid hands on this album yet, you shouldn't miss the opportunity to cop it now. It's still so relevant and contemporary, it hurts.

Review: As solo artists, James Ruskin and Mark Broom are celebrated for the uncompromising nature of their techno tracks. Yet when they come together as The Fear Ratio, the resulting off-kilter electronic music is much more akin to the angular, electro-influenced IDM work of fellow Skam associates Autechre, Gescom and Freeform. "They Can't Be Saved", their first full-length for five years, continues in this vein, delivering a distorted, mind-altering fusion of clanking, left-of-centre drum machine rhythms, otherworldly aural textures, alien electronics, ghostly chords and cybernetic melodies that more often that not skittishly race across the soundscape. Its impressive stuff all told and should appeal to all of those who appreciate the more skewed and unearthly end of the electronic spectrum.

Review: Mark Broom and James Ruskin re-ignite as The Fear Ratio, with their third appearance on British IDM imprint Skam. Under this alias, the pair of techno figureheads explore styles outside of their usual techno trajectory - pushing their sonic repertoire into the realms of extreme electronics and UK derived splintered beat explorations. Featuring exclusive versions of tracks taken from their last album Refuge of A Twisted Soul, and made in preparation for their live sets. The industrial strength breaks of "GBA" can match anything by fellow brethren British Murder Boys, "Onefiveoooh" is as much hyperware as it is completely contorted, while the deep and atmospheric slow burner "Era" allows you a moment to come up for air.

Review: It's been a while since mysterious noisenik Mr 716X dropped an album on longtime home Skam; in fact, he most recent full-length dropped way back in 2007. Those who've been missing his intense, brain-melting fusions of ragging acid, break core, jungle, techno and concrete-hard IDM are in for a treat, though, as Experiment Four is as breathlessly uncompromising as ever. While there are brief moments of fluid positivity - see the bubbling "Pod", Squarepusher-ish circuit board jazz of "W4l23z" and chiming, Aphex-ish "Arabic Acid" - for the most part Mr 716X keeps it consciously off-beat and challenging. Yet for all the clattering, titanium-coated beats and overloaded computer freakery on show, there's a strange beauty throughout - not least on the frankly bonkers "Lectric Landlady".

Review: After a break of almost a decade, one of Skam's most mysterious artists is back in action. Since debuting in 2001, North Manc Beds has steadfastly refused to reveal their identities, preferring instead to let their music stand on its own two feet. Helpfully, their standards remain high 18 years after they made their bow. Beginning with the dystopian, string-drenched dark ambient of "MoKo", the publicity-shy outfit saunters between off-kilter industrial rhythm tracks ("Jussbassoneandone"), murky IDM ("FRBounces") and creepy post-apocalyptic soundscapes (the odd field recordings, elongated tones and sparse beats of "Safebliss 53 Cond P455"). There's also a rather fine bonus remix in the shape of the Nabz & Cluff version of "Stelcore2", which sounds like a dancehall riddim conjured up by Autechre.

Review: Ever since the label's formation in 1991, Skam has strived to support innovative artists based around it's home in North West England. VHS Head - AKA Ade Blacow - fits into this category rather well; not only does he hail from Blackpool, but he also sources the majority of his sounds from old VHS tapes. This second album follows some four years after the VHS Head debut set Trademark Ribbons of Gold arrived and is a thoroughly enjoyable listen, delivering a quirky but attractive blend of cut-up electronic funk, bespoke IDM rhythms, vintage synth melodies and wayward electronics. If Dam Funk, Funkineven, Autechre and Boards of Canada got down in the studio together, it would probably sound like this.