Review: A aka Mika Vainio's 'Fermionit' is a significant release from the late Finnish producer, who passed away in 2017. Originally featured in a Belgium Detuned 6x12 boxset just before his death, the track received critical acclaim from collectors and fans. Now, it returns to Mika's own Sahko label for a well-deserved 12" release. 'Fermionit' embodies the essence of Finnish techno with its minimalistic, cold and stark sound. The track's passive-aggressive edge showcases Vainio's signature style, blending raw, unfiltered textures with a profound sense of depth. This release not only honors Vainio's legacy but also offers a chance for new listeners to experience the pure DNA of Finnish techno. An essential listen for fans of minimalist and avant-garde electronic music.
Review: The original 'Subterraneans', composed by David Bowie from their 1977 album 'Low', was an emotionally striking piece that illustrated the struggles of withdrawal. German legend Alva Noto teams up with Depeche Mode's Martin Gore and ambient wizard William Basinski to transform the piece into an ephemeral, ghostly number that is almost even more chilling - with ambient synths and vocal echoing that conjure being lost in a deep cave, something almost supernatural at every turn. A truly haunting, yet aurally astounding, cover.
Review: "I resynthesized some vocals that almost sounded human, but not quite. That's why I decided to name the track after a monkey." Depeche Mode mainstay, and one of the UK's finest modern musicians and songwriters, on his website Martin Gore cuts to the quick in explaining his latest solo release, which takes its name directly from Jared Diamond's book about the similarities between animal and human behaviour, The Third Chimpanzee.
It's certainly a pretty wild experience. Like the preceding lone wolf album, MG, here MG the guy gives us five tracks of synth goodness made on modular consoles. Visiting post-ambient, IDM and industrial noise, or rather luring those elements out of their natural comfort zones and into an atmosphere that almost feels as though you're lost in nature, it's a real opportunity for escapism at a time when many of us have never needed one more.
Sanderson Dear - "A Place For Totems" (extended version) (6:10)
Review: Sanderson Dear's Stasis Recordings released the original Time Capsule compilation in 2020 - a 20-track exploration of ten different ambient techno artists exploring two ideas each in compact form for a box set of 7"s. Now the label has revisited some of the project's standout moments and offered a chance to enjoy extended versions gathered on a single 12". From Maps Of Hyperspace shaping out atmospheric halls of synth work on 'Beta' to Glo Phase offering some gorgeous, sparkling grooves on 'Fire Flies', there's plenty of ground covered on this release. Of course the mighty John Beltran is a big drawer too, and his typically stellar 'The Descendent' doesn't disappoint in its full extended version.
Review: The limited 7" edition of Marine Eyes' latest full-length ambient record 'To Belong' hears a distilling of the original fourteen-track record down to just four selections. Though every track on the digital version of the album works in its own right, the choice on offer here - 'Hushed', 'Of The West', 'Bluest' and 'Call & Answer' - are particularly deserving of the study on wax. Something static, nigh time-crystalline is achieved on the B2, with its held root note evincing something of the quality of an infinite dream; the A1 recalls some mix of DJ Healer, Malibu or David Motion with its three note tenor-pad lilt; the A2 gets at the best of both worlds, sounding like a paradisiacal bathhouse vision set in slow motion; the B1 is the tensest, opting for a moodier key, but its reversed guitar taps and sustained choir-synth working in a no less lachrymose aesthetic.
Review: Quinoa Cuts's fourth release combines some smart nostalgia with plenty of modern innovation. Side A opens with two analogue-driven tracks reminiscent of the 80s synth-wave era, so rich with electro-inspired nuances that evoke a bittersweet and rather romantic atmosphere. It transports you to a dreamlike, neon-lit past then Side B takes a darker, more introspective turn by exploring shadowy, progressive sounds. These haunting tracks come with deep, emotional layers and show Marvin to be quite the producer.
Review: Polytechnic Youth has been in hibernation for years and now is back with a run of killer releases. This limited 7" comes with fine artwork inspired by 70s era BBC design and is the latest offering from Masonic Kitchen, the solo project of Chris Walker. The music is sci-fi inspired experimental electronica with minimal synth boxes, sequences and drum machines all featuring to lend it a nice frayed hardware aesthetic. Human League and Cabaret Voltaire fans will surely find lots to love.
Review: Martin Matiske was discovered by DJ Hell as something of a child prodigy already deeply immersed in the history and present moment of electro and synth-pop, and by 2012 he had already released his debut album Robotermusik. This release on Bordello A Parigi revives one of the tracks from that album, 'Dimension Phantasy', and gives it a standalone release with some interesting remixes. Captain Mustache does a fine job of threading extra arpeggio sparkle into the track without derailing it, while Play Paul turns the track into his own bombastic synth-pop anthem which appears in vocal and instrumental versions.
Review: German artist Martin Matiske's musical journey began under the mentorship of DJ Hell, who introduced him to the decks at Gigolo label nights in Munich in 1999. Inspired by pioneers like Kraftwerk and Jean Michel Jarre, Matiske started producing for International Deejay Gigolo Records and later for Frustrated Funk, Bordello A Parigi, and the Central Processing Unit. His new EP has already had support from Dave Clarke and Helena Hauff, including for the standout track 'Moments', which blends ice-cold snares with celestial pads and retro-future synths. Legowelt's remix of 'Moments' adds an astral electro vibe, while 'Dimensional Space Travel' and 'Analogue Being' explore cinematic electro with nostalgic, playful tones.
Review: Dynamite Cuts' current reissuing efforts once more focus on the legacy of the classic library label De Wolfe Music, this time selecting three choice songs from Frank McDonald and Chris Rea, two esteemed musicians who together debuted these cuts while forming a part of the in-house De Wolfe label ensemble, Patchwork. All three numbers are nighttime alleyway slinkers, recalling, in their finger-snapping funk palette, a slick combo of flared trousers, leather jackets, sunshaded visages and strange bumps in the night.
Review: The Mesmerisers' debut 7" record is a Shaolin Morricone production that draws listeners into a world of exotic allure and sonic mystery. This enigmatic trio, shrouded in secrecy, deliver a musical experience that feels like it has been resurrected from the vaults of a long-forgotten studio, the record's sultry grooves transporting you to a golden age of music where boundaries dissolve and imagination reigns. The Mesmerisers craft lush melodies and seductive rhythms that evoke a timeless charm, their sound seemingly channeled from another era. The trio's mysterious identity only heightens the intrigue, as these compositions seem to have lingered in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to captivate discerning ears. With this vinyl treasure, The Mesmerisers invite you to explore a realm where the past and present merge, creating a soundscape that is both nostalgic and refreshingly unique.
Review: Brooklyn based Mighty Eye welcomes the Michael Leonhart Orchestra - which features some 20+ musicians - for their first single since 2018, although the collective has put out three albums in that time. These two cuts on this 45rpm are the first and second movements in Michael Leonhart's The Normyn Suite #1, which is a soundtrack to the five stages of grieving and is both a celebration and a requiem. The soundtrack is inspired by the death of an old dog and first appeared on The Normyn Suites album. Here it is expanded with the original brass, woodwinds, and strings now siting with choir and found percussion as well as gritty breakbeats from Nick Movshon.
Review: Outlier experimental label Eating Music brings back more for us to chew on here in the form of a varied four tracker from various artists. It is Mindexxx that opens with 'Track 1' which layers up snaking synths and deeply buried dark bass that grows in intensity and washes over you like a Tsunami. Laughing Ears then cuts back to a tender mood with soft piano chords and slowly unfolding rhythms that are warm and lithe. Gooooose's 'The Dusk Of Digital Age' is a churchy affair with textured drones shot through with beams of synth light and Knopha's 'Off-Peak Season Tourists' layers up choral vocals and jumbled drum sounds into something hypnotic and escapist.
Review: Local Talk hits the rather significant catalogue number of 100 with a forward thinking EP that stays true to its MO over the last few years. It finds MLiR aka Modern Life Is Rubbish joined by Arnau Obiols to serve up a brace of brilliant tunes that blur the lines between a myriad different dance styles. "Lajbans" is a playful, fun tune with tooting arps and cosmic melodies all married to a chugging beat that Todd Terje would be proud of. The Bellaterra dub on the flip reworks it with plenty of space echo, knob twirling effects and sci-fi atmospheres. A tidy little package.
Review: New York-based minimal electronica artist Brendon Moeller takes cues from drum & bass and lowercase on his latest record for ESP Institute. Like a sonic Hockney painting, just six generous tracks span a curtly two sides on 12", as classy deluges marry with designer percs, conspiring to make a large but radially controlled splash. Every experiential stylistic base Moeller has passed so far, such as IDM or ambient dub, is revisited and checked off, and combined to form a wet emulsion here. 'Vibrations', the highlight of ours, pays special attention to fricative, stimulant audio-exploits in the sound design, with its synthetic mid-claves and potent rubber basses sounding like the reflex responses it predicts and expects from us. No wonder ESP liken the entire record to one big tingling sensation.
Review: Zach Murray is a fast-rising London producer who makes a great impression here with an ambitious and ultimately accomplished double pack on Oscuro. The title track 'Pieces Of The Puzzle' opens with sweeping ambient before 'Chill Pill' explores as glistening melodic world of futuristic tech and 'Can't Stop The Rain' has an old-school energy to its marching drums and rave stabs. There are also forays into acidic electro like on 'Keep Chasin'' and rugged breaks on 'Phase Me', elastic house sounds on 'Dubmotions' and cosmic turbulence in the trippy 'Dreams,' all of which show off this producer's versatility in style.
Review: Lost In Translation's debut release, Anthroposcene, is a vital coming together of various artists each with their own take on ambient. It is all airy soundscapes and lo-fi pads to start with from Saphileaum's 'Prologue' while Alfred Czital & Moon Patrol bring in some silky broken beats and warped electronics on 'Act I.' Human Space Machines's 'Act II' is deep rolling techno bliss and on the flip, we get everything from cavernous underwater soundscapes to Orca Silent's edgy dub 'Act IV' and Martinou's soothing closer 'Epilogue.'
Review: Berlin Atonal returned two years ago from a long hiatus, 23 years to be exact. After three tremendous festivals this decade, they now present us with their first recordings since 1984. These particular ones from the 2014 edition. Cabaret Voltaire (in this incarnation featuring only Richard H Kirk) was a true highlight and contributes "Microscopic Flesh Fragment" and "Universal Energy". One half of Demdike Stare Miles Whitaker went solo, presenting his truly unique take on techno, and the slow burning attitude of "Vagabond No. 7" is evidence of this. New Zealand's Fis also appears; rather uncategorisable as always on "Dist CL (Atonal Version)." On the third disc we have Northern Electronics main man and modern auteur Abdulla Rashim presenting two commissions from his captivating atmospheric set that year. Limited to 700 copies.
Review: Originally released in 1998, Mixmaster Morris & Jonah Sharp's Quiet Logic surprisingly flew under the radar when it came out.- perhaps because of the huge amount of electronic music being released at the time. The pair have some of the most important albums and tracks in their respected genres and are arguably two of the most important figures in the electronic music chill out scene from the 90s, and when you add the input of Haruomi Hosono from Yellow Magic Orchestra on two tracks, it becomes an even more essential listen. Chill out heads unite!
Review: Back in the 1990s, the combination of Mixmaster Morris, Jonah Sharp (he of Spacetime Continuum fame) and Haruomi Hosono was the closest thing you got to an ambient supergroup (the Orb's collaboration with Robert Fripp and Thomas Fehlmann as FFWD not withstanding). The trio only recorded one album together, the sublime Quiet Logic, but it's an absolute doozy - as this timely reissue proves. For one reason or another, it was only ever released in Japan at the time, meaning this is the first time it has been available worldwide. As you'd expect with such masters of the art form at the helm, it is genuinely superb - a slowly evolving opus that moves between unfurling, dub-fired ambient techno ('Waraitake') to ambient jazz eccentricity ('Dr Gauss/Yakan Hiko (Night Flight)'), via deep ambient d&b ('Uchu Yuei (Night Swimming)') and deep space ambient.
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: Following up great efforts by the likes of Van Bonn & Luis Baltes, Unknown and Shadow-Area, here is the debut LP from Hamburg's Achim Maerz on Berlin-based Freund der Familie. Relief features a wide selections of moods and grooves; from the cavernous and glacial deep house of 'Black Hole', the contemplative ambient journey of 'Dream', plus there's more deepness of the emotive variety offered up on 'Changing Weather', the understated late night mood of 'Memories' and the mesmerising closer 'On The Way' awash in dazzling layers of rich synth tones in the vein of classic Chicago sounds. Mastering by Sven Weisemann.
Review: Lisbon's Rui Maia has turned his hand to many different styles over a long and winding career, shoring up on Bear Funk, Optimus Discos and Belong over the years and also recording as Mirror People, Noise Reduction and X-Wife. After a few years silence, he re-emerged on the Groovement Organic Series label last year, and makes a swift return with another illustrious set of plaintive electronics for mellow reflection and headphone reveries. From the sombre refrains of 'Metade' to the strafing arps and sprightly chimes of 'Okino', there's vintage warmth rubbed into every inch of this release, but it doesn't feel disposably retro. Rather, Maia creates a space out of time for you to recline in, surrounded by dulcet synth shapes and the occasional tickle of a drum machine. Is there any better place to be?
Review: In a commendable bid to musically relive and recapture the philosopher Plato's infamous cave allegory, explorer, researcher, paleorganologist, composer and multi-instrumentalist Walter Maioli makes a welcome return on the Black Sweat label. Here the Italian polymath keeps it simple in sound but expansive in concept; his specialism in the musicology of ancient societies resounds especially on this calming release, which investigates the secret dialogue between the trickling of pond waters and the faint percussive reverberations of stalagmites and stalagtites, all through the resonant chimes of mallet instruments such as tubular organs, Tibetan bells, glockenspiels, xylophones or stone marimbas. With seemingly every ding and bong sound at his disposal, Caverne Sonore makes for one of the most relaxing yet also the most engaging records of the year, one that admittedly beckons us further into the cave.
Review: If you're keyed into the modern classical stretch of the contemporary ambient world, you'll have likely discovered Kali Malone before. Her works have been largely focused on the organ, which she has pushed into all manner of experimental realms as a vessel for life-affirming drones, but don't be misled into thinking that's the only tool in her kit. Malone is a constantly evolving, inquisitive artist and her new album All Life Long confirms this with specific pieces for voice and brass performed by Macadam Ensemble and Anima Brass. Rewarding the patient listener and breaking new ground in her compelling, studious approach to music, this is another firm reminder of Malone's formidable presence in contemporary experimental music circles.
Welcome To Lunar Industries (Three Year Stretch) (9:40)
Review: Soundtrack heavyweight Clint Mansell was the perfect choice to score 2009 film Moon, in which Sam Rockwell goes through a brilliantly off-beat adventure while working a solo stint on a base on the dark side of our nearest celestial object. It's an artful, subtly eerie film with a score to match, and Mansell perfectly conveys the isolation of Rockwell's character while evoking the sense of wonder a sci-fi film demands. For the first time since its original release, the Moon OST is available once more on vinyl, appropriately enough pressed up in lunar white.
Review: Larry Manteca's Zombie Mandingo album arrived back in 2013 and in the danced plus has only ever been available digitally. Now it makes its debut on wax and remains a bold listen that was devised as a soundtrack to a non-existent exploitation film. It fuses funk, jazz, and Afrobeat influences with plenty of niche cinematic references such as the zombies in Lucio Fulci's horrors and Umberto Lenzi's cannibalistic adventures. The resulting mash up is beguiling to say the least with horror-tinged exotica next to Fela Kuti rhythms and elements of Italian Library music and colourful psychedelia. A boundary pushing work to say the least.
Review: This is the first-ever reissue of Gianni Marchetti's 1978 LP Solstitium, which was originally released as part of RCA's "Original Cast" series in limited promo copies and has long been considered one of the most rare and enigmatic pieces of Italian library music. Library music was primarily created for television, radio and film but often yielded hidden gems that fused jazz, lounge and soul into storytelling vignettes of sounds. Marchetti's wonderful Solstitium is a prime example of innovation within this space which rightly remains a classic in the history of Italian music.
Radiohead - "Reckoner" (Maribou State remix) (7:13)
Maribou State - "Strange Habits" (feat Youssef Dayes) (4:45)
Shire Tea - "Gentlemen's Whistle Club" (5:27)
Hailu Mergia - "Yefkir Engurguro" (6:15)
Review: Their famous mix series might be gone but fabric continue to offer fantastic physical products in the form of their own Presents serve. It is Maribou State who take care of this one and are a fine fit having plated the club many times in their early years. They use it as a chance to serve up a sweaty, peak time mix that draws on sounds you might not necessarily hear in the club itself. It features some of their own new music in the form of "Mother", "Strange Habits" and a rework of Radiohead's "Reckoner".
Review: The Electro Maloya Experiments of Jako Maron is a first ever collection of Maron's updated take on the traditional folk music of the tiny island of Reunion, which is off the coast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Its roots can be chased back to African slaves and Indian workers and it is stripped down to compelling rhythms made from the drums and bows. The vocals are in a call and response style which lends it a ritualistic feel and also sometimes it took on the powers that be as protest music. Jako recorded these in 2018 with drum machines and modular synths.
Review: A new drone collaboration for the ages comes in the form of a heads-on collision between Kevin Martin (aka. The Bug) and Joseph Kamaru (The Bug). Firmly rooted in the esoteric, nigh chthonic drones of which both are now more than adept in evincing - Martin in tandem with his many collaborative efforts with the likes of Earth, and KMRU across the likes of recent albums such as Logue - this is a six track mesmeriser whose titles recall everything from apocalypses to hidden histories, and with each piece spanning anywhere between four to eleven minutes a pop. Beginning on a slow, soil-caked march and moving further into a land of serener incantations, on which KMRU submits his vocals, Disconnect is a haunting (yet equally, it could be said, calming) record for arrested epochs.
Review: Non-Stop Healing Frequency is music designed to soothe you. It is the second album from Ruth Mascelli, aka one quarter of Special Interest, and is a progression from their debut album in that it is a "carefully constructed sequence of electronic mood pieces, tender ballads, kosmische disco tracks and industrial symphonies" Using synth, drum machine and piano, as well as Mascelli's own voice, these 11 pieces explore themes like new age and self-help scams, gnostic mysticism and different ways of working through grief. It's an exploration of how we all get through life, basically, and by listening to you will, in fact, get through life a little easier.
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