07.06.2018 baze.djunkiii presents: OUR HOUSE @ Beat Boutique / Hamburg

decks: baze.djunkiii [Intrauterin Recordings / Liquid Sky Berlin]

file under: DeepHouse / House / ChicagoHouse

doors open: 9 pm

Beat Boutique
Max-Brauer-Allee 219
22765 Hamburg
Germany

Sascha Müller - Untitled [Psychocandies SMSM 1.02]

Sitting in our postbox only recently was this highly limited vinyl gem coming from the man Sascha Müller and his highly active Psychocandies-label. Put on the circuit as an edition 100 hand-numbered copies worldwide, all housed in an 8" floppy disk sleeve we see the longtime producer provide three untitled tunes on this 7" single, starting with a gooey, yet fascinatingly melodic, multi-layered, ever spiralling Acid workout on the A-side whilst the flip provides both fast-paced, jumpy ElectroAcid as well as an interesting, hypnotic antigroove take on the genre for  a second cut. One for the collectors and Acid addicts worldwide!

Belp - Hippopotamus [SVS Records / Jahmoni Music]

To be released as a conjunctional album effort between Munich-based labels Jahmoni Music and SVS Records is Belp's new album named "Hippopotamus" in which the prolific head of  Jahmoni Music delivers an assortement of ten fresh tracks, reflecting both on the artists oftentimes well eclectic DJ sets as well as his widespread musical background that goes well beyond electronic club culture. From Dub- / DubTechno-infused, dreamy outings like "Travelling Thru Galaxies", to atmospheric (Neo)Cosmic meets Future Tribal meets highly experimental Drum'n'Bass excursions like "Potential Noise" the story goes, weighs in more IDM vs. D'n'B in "Clinging To A Cloud", receives a mysterious "Transmission" equally consisting of both ethereal Ambient elements as well scraping, atmospheric surface noise of unknown origin before the short skit "By Beauteous Softness" provides a closure for the albums A-Side, harking back to the art of opera in a quite unexpected and surprising way. Furthermore the flipside opens with "Neocosmic Space Dub", a quite self-explanatory title this is for a Dubstep-infused tune covered in crystalline layers of vintage synth beauty, progresses with "Off Ending" into more skippy Future Tribal / Bass Music-territories for dark bunker sessions whilst "Slow" is the exact opposite of its title presenting beautiful piano chords, ever morphing basslines of doom plus an arrangement of beats on hyperspeed for highly advanced dancefloors. Finally, "Time And Time Again" gravitates towards a deeper, more Jazz-infused approach surely informed by Dub whilst the closing tune "Lost Candidates" dabbles with BrokenTechno structurewise whilst drawing influences from late night Funk and Skweee for its overall aesthetics. File under: Full on eclecticism.

Andreas Davids - Landscapes [Inner Demons Records 022]

Put on the collectors circuit via the US-based imprint Inner Demons Records earlier this year is Andreas Davids' limited to 42 hand-numbered CDr EP named "Landscapes" which is surely a hard to find offering by the longtime producer and, most prominently, Xotox founder. Opening with "Mountains" we see the Paderborn-based producer bring on a meandering, ever changing Ambient padding unfolding over a metallic, surely Industrial-informed Electronica foundation building up into well complex, multilayered slow-motion breakbeats, the "Sea" comes across as a defo more dangerous and intense sonic territory, holding imminent threats for those crossing droning waters whilst the "Coast" is meandering in between dry Rhythm Industrial and Gescom'esque Phonk for highly advanced dancefloors and the final "Underwater" excursion takes us deep into the blackest of all subaquatic vaults, moving slowly like a creeping giant from an unspoken of past, somewhat meandering the line in between slow motion Electronica and echoes of Illbient with tones of an overwhelming presence whereas grinding, maelstrom-like noises are filling the background voids, presenting us with a mirror of our most innerself abyss. Track this down for a reason!

EP artwork on Instagram!

Ammar 808 - Maghreb United [Glitterbeat Records Promo]

To be released on June 15th, 2k18 via Glitterbeat Records is "Maghreb United", the new project by Sofyann Ben Youssef employing his Ammar 808 moniker for this album, aiming to put the well-diverted Maghreb region and all its recent problems on the map musically. Gathering a triplet of singers from various countries - Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia to be more specific - around his 808-based programming to perform a variety of ten traditional songs, all of them part of the overall ancient North African heritage, on this debut album we see Sofyann Ben Youssef merge age old traditions embedded into generations of people from this region with a radical dancefloor approach, fusing the obviously busy, highy complex western boom of the 808 for open minded, multicultural dancefloors, weighing in thrilling flutes and electronic distortions in high octane anthems like the captivating "Ain Essouda", the hard hitting 4/4 foundation coming into play in "Layli", with the latter causing massive dancefloor excess for a reason, or even the kinda crossing over to the Carribbean with the slightly Dancehall / Reggaeton-reminiscing uptempo closer that is "Zine Ezzine". Defo an interesting and worthwhile addition to the bass music spectrum, this.

Okzharp & Manthe Ribane - Dun

Is Tribal Grime / Tribal Funky to be the big next thing on bass heavy dancefloors?

Cuts - Exist [Village Green Recordings]

Brought to us via Village Green Recordings in late April, 2k18 is "Exist", the new album by Anthony Tombling Jr employing his artistic moniker Cuts to release the music used in his experimental film of the same name. Inspired by an H.P. Lovecraft-poem and Tombling's own experiences with sleep paralysis the album starts with "Dream Voyager", reminiscent of classic Tangerine Dream-material at first before turning into epic, slightly kitsch-dripping panorama Ambient bringing on echoing voices  and hard hitting, dramatic drums whereas "The Dead Beast Returns" comes across as a racing drum affair cutting off for a surprisingly crystalline breakdown introducing both elements of (Neo)Cosmic and trancey Leftfield Pop. Facing "Damages" we're confronted with nearly 9 minutes of droning Ambient turning into deep, grooving Electronica with a dubbed out twist, once again slightly gravitating towards Pop'd out territories with its dreamy female vocal arrangements, "Nemesis" provides spiralling, ever morphing rays of light for a journey into other worlds and the rhythmically complex tune "Body Parts" fully lives up to the score'esque nature of Cuts' compositions, slowly unfolding a whole universe of emotional landscapes within a little less than seven minutes. Furthermore "The Visitor" unravels a pounding take on pad covered heavy Electronics, "Bunsen Burner (Original Version)" plays around with lovely, all embracing and warm vintage Synth arrangements and the concluding "Bunser Burner Rdx" is well, waving goodbye on a slightly more reduced level, yet keeping things on par with the warmth and retro feel of the original cut.

Yann Novak & Rebecca Bruno - Nothing Ever Transcends Its Immediate Environment (Official Video)

Yann Novak & Rebecca Bruno — Nothing Ever Transcends its Immediate Environment from Yann Novak on Vimeo.

Calming, solemn Drone Ambient for those head over heels in love with the genre. Great stuff.

Sascha Müller [Sascha Müller Music 1000028]

Scheduled for release on June 7th, 2k18 is Sascha Müller's new digital two track single to be put on the circuit via his very own imprint Sascha Müller Music. Whilst the opening cut "Bus Transfer" sees the producer exploring more of a tool'ish TechHouse vs. MicroHouse approach for those appreciating the vibe brought to dancefloors by labels like Perlon and the likes of the second cut named "Train Transfer" stays on a stripped down MinimalTechno tip whilst introducing some tripped out, echoing Rave signals from outer space, winning the race for the 'go to' tune of this fresh release. Sweet.

Zonk't - Banburismus [Sound On Probation 018 Promo]

Out on the circuit since April 17th, 2k18 is "Banburismus", the latest album by frenchman Laurent Perrier under his artistic moniker that is Zonk't. Released via the Sound On Probation-imprint we see the 37 minutes spanning four track album open with its main piece "Square", providing 18+ minutes of droning ambience contrasted by quirky backward-looped vocal bits and glitchy, dubbed out echoes before progressing further into deep, sparse Electronica realms, sonicly at home in any highly advanced ChillOut room to be found around the world. Furthermore "Chronogyre" presents an echo-heavy approach somewhere in between the realms of Clicks'n'Cuts and Electronica Dub, "Colossus" gravitates more towards classic Dub structures, building up tension and suspense from early on whilst the final cut named "Conditional Probability" provides more of a laid back approach in undeniably electronic Dub music for eclectic sunset sets and endless groove sessions. Dubbed out music is dubbed out.

JFDR - Somewhere (String Version)

Most beautiful Folk from Island, brought to us by Jófríður Ákadóttir, one half of the amazing duo Pascal Pinon.

Andreas Davids - Die Erinnerungen Meines Vaters [self-released tape]

Coming at us as a hand-numbered, limited to 50 cassette singles edition is Andreas Davids' latest - and self-released - tape release named "Die Erinnerungen Meines Vaters" which is only available as a free giveaweay from the artist himself and not distributed officially via regular channels. Described by Davids as his most personal release so far we see the title track on the A-side combine a very personal Spoken Word attitude with intense, spine-tingling (Neo)Cosmic-infused Dark Ambient whereas the flipside "Der Leere Raum" presents a thrilling instrumental take on deep, multi-layered Future Tribal meets Electronica meets sci-fi Techno for all those advanced bass music dancefloors out there. Lovely!

Tape artwork on Instagram!

Xotox - Essentials [Pro Noize]

Going back to the year 2016 with a closer look on "Essentials", a massive 35 track 'best of...' compilation album which arrived at our offices only recently with a sweet little letter from Paderborn's Andreas Davids a.k.a. Xotox. Described as an ultimate collection of Xotox tracks, the essence of  - back then - 18 years in the business we see the highly acclaimed Industrial / EBM / HardTechno /  Rhythm Industrial / Hardcore producer cater a massive 120+ minutes take on raw brutal beat invocation, featuring well known anthems like "Eisenkiller", "Nasse Wände", the 2013 album main theme "Schwanengesang" or the threatening ultrablack darkness of "Please Don't Encourage Me Anymore", the deep Ambient Industrial Techno attitude of "Verlust" as well as a big portion of unreleased demo cuts from the early noughties like the heavy, yet melodic "Im Kreuz Ist Heil", "Eisenwald", "Grenzdebil" or the 2002 "Eisenkiller *Ambient Mix" which reveals a deeper, beatless, horrifying and yet goosebump-inducing, well-unexpected aspect of the tune. Apart from these previously uncovered gems which are not only interesting for die-hard fans but many dark souls dancing their ass off to the most uncomprising music they're able to find out there we're catered with a bunch of "Essentials"-exclusive remixes as well - "D-Day 2001 *Aehm Remix" weighing in a harsh, heavily distorted Unformatted Techno attitude, "Notwehr *Embrionyc Remix" brings on highly compressed, dystopian futurism and ultraviolence whereas Denny Engler's rework of  "Sla Tillbaka" gravitates towards a highly energetic peaktime Techno vibe for those appreciating the works of Terrence Fixmer, Thomas P. Heckmann and the likes of for a proper dancefloor workout. Good stuff, this!

Laibach At The End Of The World (Official Video)

A lovely reuse of their monster hit "The Whistleblowers" and amazing pictures from their northernmost show ever.

Various Artists - Karl Marx's 200th! [Karlrecords 058]

When you look at a compilation album and you know it's gonna be a slightly controversial one just due to its conceptual approach and standpoint alone... . This is the surely case when it comes to "Karl Marx's 200th!", a various artists compilation celebrating the 200th anniversary of the economist and philosopher with a total of 28 tracks spread out over two CD's. But no matter how your lookout on Marx and his theories are - putting together a massive album like this, with 28 participating artists all contributing tracks for free, following the idea that all proceeds of this album are to be donated is a massive effort, a line-up including a variety of acts like Kammerflimmer Kollektief, AGF, Frank Bretschneider, Caspar Brötzmann, Philippe Petit, Schneider TM, Guido Möbius and many others looks well interesting and so this celebratory album to be released on June 8th, 2k18 via Karlrecords might be one to check out even for those not deeply familiar with, or even agreeing on, Marx' overall work. With a musical range including thrillingly atmospheric, glitched out Ambient / Electronica delivered by Natalie Berizde in her tune "Mapping Debris Pattern", lovely droning Ambient served by Aidan Baker's "Sommerhaus", PostRock-infused Indietronics to be found in Jasmine Guffond's "Niche Service", well-thrilling cut-ups in Nicolas Wiese's "The Revolution Will Have Been Youtubed #2", Aube-reminiscent Deep Listening Music catered by Hans Castrup's "Produktiv.Kräfte" or thundering, feedback heavy guitar-based Noize in Caspar Brötzmann's "Marx Crash" on CD1 whereas CD2 brings on great tunes like the thrilling Future Tribal-reminiscing drum cut "Karlstag" by Alexandre Babel, beautiful Glitch Ambient by Marc Weiser weighing in his cut "Kapital", ethereal Post-PostRock brought to us by Jens Pauly in "Erinnern_Rework", hypnotic multilayered vocalism in Dominika Jerkic's "Form - Auflösung Des Bestehenden" or highly melancholic, yearning and experimental MinimalTechno as in Wi Tiarks "Circusization" just to name a few this two hours serving has quite a lot to offer. No matter if you're into Marx or not - if quality electronic music is your thing you need to check on this one for a reason..

Album artwork on Instagram!

Sami Baha feat. Dimzy - Discreet

One of the big tunes taken off Sami Baha's recently released album we've praised on these pages earlier this month. Killer street music.

Glyn Bigga Bush - Sunken Foal Stories [Jahmoni Music / Lion Head Recordings]

Coming in with a thing a little outside his usual box is Glyn Bigga Bush, one half of the legendary Dub / Rockers outfit Rockers Hi Fi, with his most recent longplay release "Sunken Foal Stories" which has been put on the circuit as a collaborational joint between Munich's Jahmoni Music and Lion Head Recordings. With 21 tracks spread over a roughly 30 minutes playtime, partly intricately interweaving and inspired by audio experimentation driven by irregular loops, specific samples and accidental juxtapositions rather than proper bass music or any dancefloor related functionality at all we're taken into a totally secluded universe, a realm of experimentation and sonic science in which occasional beats are present, yet only just another piece of a musical puzzle of jingle length compositions, presenting a feel of dreamlike Psychedelia as well as bits and bops of Jazz, echoes of legendary projects like the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, cut-up techniques, Plunderphonics, collage, text-to-speech programming and many more influences, aiming at no specific target but leaving the listener confronted with a monolithic, unprecedented body of work that opens up more questions than presenting answers, especially for fans of Glyn Bigga Bush's work up to this date. One release to explore and to discover undiscovered little details in with every new listening session. Intredasting.

Yair Etzony - Deliverance [False Industries 023]

Released via his very own label False Industries in early March, 2k18 is Yair Etziony's sixth and most recent album "Deliverance", the first one since the Israeli composer relocated from Tel Aviv to Berlin. Providing a six track effort spanning approx. 40 minutes playtime available both as cassette and as digital download the artist takes us into a world ruled by eternal darkness with the opener "Justice", presenting droning bass layers alongside eerie atmospheres as well as a super slow moving feel of creeping Illbient, evoking pictures of gargantuan ancient creatures wandering subsurface realms of a destroyed planet before a surprisingly lively, yet haunting synth motif spreads even more tension and horror whilst "Am Aller Ecke" dives deep into minimalist Cold Ambient seas and "Gesundbrunnen Ghosts" seemingly are more friendly, calm and curious creatures, populating interdimensional fractures found in Germany's capital city. "Unheimlich", the tune to follow up is as eerie and haunting as its German translation, bringing forth slowly morphing, raw bass figures, more creeping Illbient beat structures and dystopian, sci-fi atmospheres whilst the path towards the "Unterwelt" follows a steady midrange drone, passes cataclysmic flutterings and contrasting ethereal pulses of growing intensity before the concluding title track provides an excellent an most thrilling fusion of minimalistic tribalisms and stripped down Future Dub, following the traditions of Shackleton's MythStep in a well thrilling, saving the very best musical outing of this recommended album for its final minutes. Good stuff.

Owain K - Pixeled Scenery

Our man Owain K. a.k.a. Owain Kimber brings back the 'deep' into DeepHouse. Most beautiful, this.

Mick Sussman - The Rosenberg Algorithmic Music Generator: Selected Works, Vol. 1 [The Sublunar Society 053]

Released via The Sublunar Society on May 11th, 2k18 is Mick Sussman's new longplay effort named "The Rosenberg Algorithmic Music Generator: Selected Works, Vol. 1" which sees the American avantgarde composer delivering an album fully created by Rosenberg, a software device created by Sussman himself which automatically and independently creates music based on a sequence of randomized processes which are in detail described in the albums booklet. In employing this algorithm for the composition of the album as a whole Sussman does not only touch on the philosophical question on the authorship of the 19 tracks presented and if he, as creator of the software, is also responsible for or owning of any of its creative output but also creates a new music in itself, fully artificial yet also wondrously relatable in its polyrhythmicity, an amalgamation of Glitch and Electronica coming together with what can be identified as Tribal patterns and elements of repetetive, ritual music from all over the world - an impression coming to mind after going through the first 15 minutes of the whole album, having experienced several compositional tempos and becoming accustomed to the unusual sonic landscape brought on by Rosenberg software which seems to rely on an acoustic midrange more than on the low end of the spectrum for a reason. Quite an interesting take on computerized music, computer music, art music for an audience obsessed with artificial intelligence and similar themes although also suitable for advanced, very open minded sound explorers beyond that specific target group.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Babymetal - Distortion (Official Video)

A massive, fast-paced fantasy dream .

Death In Paradise - Nuke Vol.1 [Nuke THE Planet 001]

Scheduled for lift off on June 1st, 2k18 is the new digital imprint Nuke The Planet which brings us "Nuke Vol. 1" by Death In Paradise as its very first musical offering. Put on the circuit as a straight forward one track single we see Death In Paradise aim at a no-nonsense audience with their tune, bordering Gabba and gravitating towards grinding in-your-face Hardcore with accelerating tempos, mad ass filters and a brutal attitude we've once found on labels like B.E.A.S.T. Records or Napalm Records when Hardcore as a scene was at its peak for sure. No fuckery invlvd here. Simple as that.

Distant Animals - Lines (Excerpt)

A dark, intense seven minutes excerpt from the new Distant Animals album we recently reviewed on these pages a few days prior to this post.

Johann Schwengel - Techno Love EP [Fresscode Records 003]

Announced for May 31st, 2k18 is Johann Schwengel's "Techno Love EP" which is gonna be the third release for the relatively new imprint Fresscode Records. Opening with "Love" we see the underground producer show a lot of exactly this for pounding bassdrums and repetetive vocal samples alongside wildly filtered and processed rave stabs for the high energy posse whereas "Solo Talent" gravitates more towards dry, tool'ish underground Techno and the final cut "Steppin Out" is just proper, raw massive cannon fodder for your next illegal Techno set to be played in some lost underground bombshelter in the countryside. Boom.

Samba Touré - Goy Boyro (Official Video)

Heartfelt African Blues music for those who know. We're loving this!

Bodega - Endless Scroll [What's Your Rupture? Promo]

To be released via What's You Rupture? on June 1st, 2k18 is the "Endless Scroll", the very first album outing by Brooklyn's so-called Art Rock outfit named Bodega. Catering 14 songs within 33 minutes we see the quintuple set of Ben Hozie, Nikki Belfiglio, Montana Simone, Madison Velding-Vandam and Heather Elle provide a whirlwind of an album that is unquestionably Rock'n'Roll in its very essence, yet incorporates elements of teen angst SkatePunk, UK Indie and bits of raw PostPunk, bringing on desolate anthems like "Bodega Birth", super seductive basslines, minimal instrumentation and an interesting shout'n'speak approach vocalwise in "Name Escape", angry street cred bits like "Can't Knock The Hustle" or raw Artschool Garage skits like "Warhol". An album to be loved by the teenagers of late capitalism for a reason.

µ-Ziq feat. Kazumi - Challenge Me Foolish

The title track of µ-Ziq's massive album smash of the same name. One cannot not love this.

Extra Large Unit - More Fun, Please! [PNL Records 040]

Put on the circuit only recently via Paal Nilssen-Love's PNL Records is "More Fun, Please!" by Extra Large Unit - an extended 27 musician including version of his already large scale FreeJazz band project Large Unit. Performed live at Oslo's Only Connect Festival back in 2k17 this album is a 33 minutes spanning one take recording of the ensembles show, a thrilling, spine-tingling, yet highly demanding tour de force through its musical abilities and technical versatility, catering stripped down elements of Future Jazz, thundering chaos and havoc, classic, yet experimental bits of Jazz Noir, hectic, score'esque interludes of epic qualities as well as references to the genres early greats, more down to earth Desert Rock- / Delta Blues-inspired bass sequences and much more, all written and conducted by Paal Nilssen-Love himself with additional on stage improvisation and intervention from the ensemble. A hard to grasp, yet intense ride for all those looking for something special and surely intellectually challenging that, at the same time, can be experienced by instinct only as well. We like. 

Album artwork on Instagram!

Kali Malone - Cast Of Mind

The well intense title track from Kali Malone's recently reviewed album of the same name - as deep and minimalistic as beautiful.

E Ruscha V - Who Are You [Beats In Space Promo]

Put on the circuit in early March, 2k18 via Beats In Space is "Who Are You", the latest musical outing by Eddie Ruscha using his artistic guise E Ruscha V for this longplay effort which is grouping a whole of nine tracks within a total running time of 35 minutes. Presenting a dreamy, ever floating musical vision the opening tune "The Hostess" fuses crystalline Ambient movements with a twangy, Hawaiian slide guitar twist whereas the albums title track "Who Are You" seems to reference a well thought out and highly fascinating take on Space Reggae / Space Dub before "Gravity Waves" redefines laid back, dreamlike, beach-focused Electronica Dub for 2k18 and "Lights Passing By" fully falls back into psychedelic pillows of wafting Ambient soundscapes. The following cut "In The Woods" caters a beautiful take on mellow, percussive Indietronica meets Future Jazz before we're "Carried Away" by floating, off-kilter Easy Listening, 80s drum kits and big time piano romanticism. Entering the lands of "Roots And Branches" we're greeted by an overall feel of ultra-organic loveliness, experiencing an "Endless Sunday" comes down to listening to highly touching, romantic and vocoder driven Exotica / Future Jazz freestyles - whilst discovering a future classic in its own right - before "All Of A Sudden" this album comes to an end too soon, waving goodbye on another dreamy Psychedelia tip to be appreciated by those in the know. Get this, quick!

baze.djunkiii - In These Swamps... Where Jedi Lurk

Possibly baze.djunkiii's most minimal take on Drone and Death Ambient so far - released via Dr. NoiseM Tapes as a limited to 14 copies floppy disk split back in 2k17. 

The Third Eye Foundation - Wake The Dead [Ici D'Ailleurs Promo]

Put on the circuit via Ici D'Ailleurs on March 30th, 2k18 is "Wake The Dead", the latest album outing by Matt Elliott under his legendary guise known as The Third Eye Foundation. Clinging to their intransigent, unapologetic attitude we see Elliott and his partners in crime David Chalmin, Raphael Seguinier and Gaspar Claus cater a full body of six tracks spanning 45 minutes, starting into their journey into darkness with the albums title track, a both bass heavy yet angelic affair clearly drawing inspiration from Illbient, Dub and other types of bass music albeit following a more abstract and ritualistic path before the "Procession For Eric" is fully caught in polyrhythmic, Tribal-infused Illbient, post-apocalyptic string phrases and sickening low end movements whereas the ruins of "The Blasted Tower" are shimmering through a heavy dust fallout, structures of interestingly cut up Downtempo beats, occasional scratch sequences all covered in droning atmospheres, more strings and mysteriously layered non-vocalisms from various, yet  unidentifiable sources. Following up is a "Controlled Demolition", opening with heavy distortions, more deadly, dubbed sub waves and lively, well interesting drum cycles for Illbient-lovers which are accompanied by thrilling vintage synth chords for an additional kick, "That's Why"  is on a sweet pingpong swing beatwise whilst sampling and deconstructing vocal bits straight from the ghetto, creating a massive dancefloor smash reminiscent of the long forgotten niche of Baltimore Bounce and the final cut recommends to "Do The Crawl", creeping up on you like a giant  Illbient Dub monster, stripped down to the very bone, yet dark, deadly and fascinating like a living fossil, humungous and unfazed by the fast movements of today's civilization and lifestyle. What a closing, this is!

The Ex - Soon All Cities (Official Video)

Quite a catchy little tune from The Ex' most  recent album "27 Passports".

Sascha Müller - Too Late [SMSM 019]

Scheduled for May 27th, 2k18 is the release of Sascha Müller's new digital single "Too Late" which sees the Meppen-based producer delivering a crystalline take on highly melodic TechHouse / (Neo)Trance for a floating, young audience of neon ravers who can take a massive EuroDance-infused breakdown that doesn't go that smoothly in the so-called 'Vocal Mix' version whereas the 'Instrumental Cut', obviously leaving out the vocals for a reason, provides the better choice, setting punters adrift throughout this years festival season for sure.

Pest Modern - Rock'n'Roll Station [Meidosem Records / Cleopatra Records Promo]

To be released on June 14th, 2k18 as a conjunctional split effort between Meidosem Records and Cleopatra Records is "Rock'n'Roll Station", a collaborational album created by visual artist Joel Haubaut and his musician son Emmanuel Haubaut employing their shared nom de guerre Pest Modern for this longplayer. Based on the idea of covering the 1970s song of the same name as the album, a tune admittedly unbeknownst to us, the two artists did not only create the cover they've intended, featuring as title number five on here but a whole body of work consisting of nine original tracks which are accompanied by ten - !!! - additional remixes by artists like Mimetic, Grandchaos, Dear Deer, Ober Panizza and many more. With their original creations we see Pest Modern create a very unique, French meets German vocal take on Wave meets Rock'n'Roll meets ElectrClash meets PunkRock meets Industrial Surf / Road Movie that could well accompany some of Tarantino's movies soundwise whereas the remixes catered provide a musical range from slow moving, meandering Industrial Rave Techno, more harsh ElectroClash cut-ups, experimental Ambient fusion or even proper, fast-paced Future Trance for spikey hair ravers and cybergoths. Quite a trip, this package is.

Christopher Chaplin - Paradise Lost (Official Album Video)

A quite intense, yet highly mysterious and unrevealing album teaser for the new Fabrique Records release.

Distant Animals - Lines [Hallow Ground Promo]

Put on the circuit via the experimental music outfit Hallow Ground on May 15th, 2k18 is "Lines", the most recent album by UK-based artist Daniel Alexander Hignell who's using his artistic moniker Distant Animals for this two track longplay release. Following a well-intricate concept based on Hignell's work in the field of social studies and theory his musical result comes out as the A-side track "Pure Drone" which indeed is a slowly moving, minimalist bass drone affair turning into more of a pulsating entity which exists purely on its own, a confined sonic realm which, as part of the albums magic as well as conceptual approach, can be imputed to several sources one might recognize from his or her everyday life. On the flip we find "Line Made By Walking", the second tune on this album which follows a more eerie and dystopian path, weighing in a desolate ColdAmbient transmission from a faraway future, interrupted by swampy echoes, unexplicable clicks and various, highly distorted electrial buzzes, flickering like broken street lights in a dead end alley whilst the last functional robotic devices emit the occasional bleeps and beeps before fading into the brooding, everlasting silence that is eternity. Intense!

Carlo Domenico Valyum - Cronovisione Italiana [Undogmatisch Promo]

Put on the circuit back in late February, 2k18 via Undogmatisch is "Cronovisione Italiana" by the mysterious Italian artist and composer Carlo Domenico Valyum, a blurry, hard  to get hold of figure in the history of electronic music and experimentation who, supposedly, was able to intercept anomalies in audio and video-based electromagnetic wave transmissions and therefore recorded programs from the future, exceeding the boundaries of space time in his work. Curated by Mirco Magnani and Valentina Bardazzi we see "Cronovisione Italiana" showcasing nine pieces of Valyum's work, opening with the blurry, yet dramatic (Neo)Classicisms of "Eurovision" which will surely be loved by followers of the GAS project albeit being driven by Electronica-infused rhythm signatures whereas "Check Up" touches borders of Isolationist Ambient whilst adding echoes of field recordings, intense drones and lonely pianos to the picture before the outerworldly "Estrazioni Del Lotto", a take we've featured on these pages before, unfolds in a haunting, spine-tingling manner giving us the chills for a reason. Bringing forth "Oretredici" we see Carlo Domenico Valyum dig deeper in the field of solemn Dark Ambient with an eerie, partially even sacred twist, "Almanacco", albeit atmosphieric in its own right, adumbrates forthcoming horror and bloodshed in a quite unsettling way whilst "Fantagerundio" combines doomed sub movements with angelic, non-vocal background choirs, clean, scientific click patterns and what seems to be bits of distorted radiotraffic from another dimension or reality. Furthermore "Carosello" takes things to a way more conciliatory level Ambient-wise, "Oggi Al Parlamento" brings on ancient transmissions from the deepest subsurface vaults imaginable and "Bumper 77" is on a peaceful tip, amalgamating an ebb-and-flow of soft, moving pads with clicking background Electronica rhythms to a slightly psychedelic, dreamlike and sleep inducing effect. Whether or not these are transmissions from the future - this album is one to check out for sure.

Park Jiha - Communion [Glitterbeat / Tak:Til Promo]

Released in early March, 2k18 via the Glitterbeat Records sister label Tak:Til is "Communion", the latest album by Korean musician Park Jiha who is fusing the magic of Korean Folk and its traditional instruments like piri, saenghwang and yanggeum with Western influences and instrumentation in her music. Catering a menu of seven tracks within the albums 48 minutes playtime she, alongside fellow musicians Kim Oki, John Bell and Kang Tekhyun on the Western side of the instrument spectrum, creates a musical fairytale which surely incorporates both worlds musically, yet turning this amalgamation into something new and unique, opening with the timeless, ancient romanticism of "Throughout The Night", bringing on an innocent, folksy vibe with the "Accumulation Of Time" which builds up to a multilayered crescendo over time before falling back to pure yanggeum minimalism whilst the title track "Communion" is weighing in loads of obvious, spiralling Jazz influences and the following "Sounds Heard From The Moon" brings forth hammering vibraphone of varied dynamics and intensity accompanied by various crackles, faraway winds and a seemingly minor scale yanggeum motif for a calmer, solemn addition that transforms into another intense climax around minute five approx.. Furthermore "The Longing Of The Yawning Divide" tells tales of untouched meadows and ancient, folkloristic lifestyles of sorts in its overall Ambient-reminiscing structure, "All Souls Day" lives of an ever repeating harmonic pattern of meandering beauty and tenderness as well as its FreeJazz tendencies and the sax-infused final cut "The First Time I Sat Across From You" combines both the straightforward vibraphone approach as well as a calm, in parts even romantic yanggeum motif for a sweet closure. This is way beyond what one probably might refer to as World Music due to Park Jiha's provenance.

Frode Haltli - Avant Folk [Hubro Music]

Scheduled for release via Norway's Hubro Music on June 15th, 2k18 is "Avant Folk", the new five track album effort by the 1975 born Norwegian composer Frode Haltli and his accompanying band. Opening with "Hug" we see Frode Haltli gravitating towards a dancey, Hardanger fiddle- and accordion-led approach with a theatrical twist, mixing up a naturalistic overall feel with a modernist Jazz vibe, "Trio" seems to thrive of mediterranean melancholia of sorts and the nearly 11 minutes spanning "Kingo" keeps on a melancholia-infused tip, yet serves fever'ish, ritualistic drums and an intense midrange drone heralding forthcoming dangers and a battle to be fought in the future whilst a twangy electric guitar provides us with an extraordinary solo swing. Furthermore, with "Gratar'n" the band is exploring a darker, brooding and way more experimental approach towards composition which is most fitting for score works from our point of view whilst being the most interesting and demanding tune on "Avant Folk" before the closing tune "Neid" unfolds over 13+ minutes and indulges deeply in what can be described as ultra-maritime Seafarer's Blues, a feeling familiar only to those who've been growing up at the ocean shores of the western world. Well interesting and another musical extension for the musical spectrum of the Hubro Music label for sure.

Album artwork on Instagram!

20.05.2018 Le Wünderwelt @ Beat Boutique / Hamburg

decks: baze.djunkiii [Intrauterin Recordings]

file under: long lost, rare and / or obscure music.

doors open: 9 pm

Beat Boutique
Max-Brauer-Allee 219
22765 Hamburg
Germany

Oker - Husene Vare Er Museer [Sofa Music]

Released on April 20th, 2k18 via the Norwegian Sofa Music label is Oker's debut album "Husene Vare Er Museer", the first ever musical outing crafted and recorded by the improv-focused quartet consisting of Adrian Fiskum Myhr, Jan Martin Gismervik, Torstein Lavik Larsen and Fredrik Rasten. With an instrumentation set of bass, drums, trumpet and guitar the four musicians approach their sound off the experience of collective music making and unfold their palette over the course of seven fully acoustic tracks, opening with "Drivved", a thundering, nervous and mostly percussive affair meandering in between the borders of chaos and a fairly avantgarde take on FreeJazz before suddenly turning into an intimate, minimalist Folk tune, "Furer" explores a spine-tingling set of polyrhythmic pulses whereas "Kortbølge" amalgamates the innocence of naturalistic, folksy guitar works with a more freaky attitude brought on by various scrapings and strange respiratory sounds functioning as interrupting, irritating and obscuring element ever present through both parts of this composition which is more fever'ish, dreamlike and well psychedelic in its second half. With "Nesler" we see the quartet cater a more innocent and positive, yet abstract musical vision, "Utsyn" provides a peaceful take on Future Jazz Noir for rainy Sunday afternoons, "Soldugg" lets full on natural melancholia unfold and the final "Ekvator" fuses klaxon'esque trumpet sounds with busy background percussions, resembling a score for a timelapse of a well futuristic beehive in terms of depicting both a natural flow and life circle as well as fast-paced, antsy activity at the same time. Check!

Album artwork on Instagram!

Ketan Bhatti - Nodding Terms [Col Legno]

How to fuse New Contemporary Music with a groove and proper club references? This fusion is exactly what Ketan Bhatti aimed to create on his new album, employing both the German-Icelandic Ensemble Adapter as well as Paul Frick and Jan Brauer from the famed Brandt Brauer Frick-outfit for this journey which resulted in "Nodding Terms", a full on 13 track album released via Col Legno on May 18th, 2k18. The result of this collaborational attempt to transfer Ketan Bhatti's vision into sound brings us Jazz / Future Jazz-infused slow grooves like the opener "Insel Vor Tounisbuurg", the lively, uptempo and danger-annunciating attitude of "Modul 5" which defo would be a great contribution to the score of a spy flic noir which as well should be a proper dancefloor smash for advanced Dancefloor Jazz audiences, the demanding, yet hypnotic Future Jazz of the 9+ minutes spanning super thrill that is "Laughter Leading" or the calmer, noir'esque, tongue-in-cheek experimentalisms of "Ferntendenz" which also has been remixed by Paul Frick in a well respectful, borderline Ambient House meets NuJazz manner reminiscent of remix works by the likes of Bugge Wesseltoft throughout his 'New Conceptions Of Jazz'-phase in the early noughties. Furthermore we see the title track "Nodding Terms" emulate creepy, tense Electronica in a fascinating, yet slightly unsettling, spine-tingling manner, "Umziehaktion" gets down on a percussive tip with hammering pianos and seductive brass going polyrhythmic whilst the so-called 'Brauers Rumpelkammer Remix' take on the same tune gives us more of a Matthew Herbert-resembling feel and is the only tune on this whole album we can really imagine to be fully functional at least on advanced electronic club floors. Anyway, an interesting approach for sure and defo one of the better organic adaptations of electronic music in general.

Album artwork on Instagram!

The Pitch & Splitter Orchester - Frozen Orchestra (Splitter) [Mikroton Recordings 061]

Released only recently via Mikroton Recordings is "Frozen Orchestra (Splitter)" the first ever album fusion by the 24-piece Splitter Orchester teaming up with The Pitch, a quartet consisting of three quarters Splitter Orchester members as well. Together, both groups create an exactly 60 minutes spanning one track album focusing on slowly shifting harmonic relationships between musicians, amalgamating electroacoustics and real instruments within a preassigned field of conceptual parameters. Under the regime of these parameters an intense, touching yet also well calming droning structure or flow unfolds which easily dissolves the listeners space-time perception whilst single, minor scale piano chords alongside sweet vintage surface crackles on top of this ever changing Drone field add up a deep, beautiful melancholia only tender souls might feel on a lazy, rainy late October afternoon, staring out of steamy windows into a diffuse, all ensheathing cloud of mist that supposedly is about to stay... forever. Great stuff. Highly recommended not only for die-hard Ambient lovers.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Sascha Müller - Dreamer [SMSM 020]

In the pipe for release on May 17th, 2k18 is Sascha Müller's new digital single named "Dreamer" which features two fresh tracks from his archives. With "Take Your Dreams" we see the Meppen-based artist explore a proper oldskool'ish take on multilayered Jungle breaks accompanied by a nice, seemingly organically played bassline and lovely crystalline, dreamy and floating synths for the Future Jungle / 160 posse whereas his "City Lights" provide joy on a harsh, dry and heavily distorted ElectroPhonk note which is paired with sweet hovering modulations which would've been well fitting for a release on the longtime defunct Anodyne imprint in the past or to be played as a follow up to Chick With Dick's legendary tune "Wurst" back in the days. Check!

Sami Baha - Free For All [Planet Mu 398 Promo]

Scheduled for release on June 1st, 2k18 on the long time running and ever creative Planet Mu imprint is the first longplay outing of the London-based Turkish producer Sami Baha who made a musical world debut on the same label with his "Mavericks EP" back in 2k16. Coming from a background of HipHop, especially being a rapper he moved onto production and surely made a step beyond his original realms with this musical outing, opening with "Cash Rain" which fuses crystalline melodies with elements of PostTrap and a general take on urban (bass) music, employs UK Drill vocalist Dimzy for a heavy gangsta stint with "Discreet", hunts down "Aliens" with a sparse, spaced out and dreamy musical composition and brings on a very playful, uplifting "Gambit" which will cause some havoc on both Trap and Grime floors for sure. "Thugs" is featuring the legendary DJ Nate on vocal duties, a collabo resulting in a massive Trap banger, the title track "Free For All" fuses heavy 808 works and seductive bassline waves with SinoGrime / Oriental influences for all the wave gods out there, "NAH" is fusing epic string layers, a sweet, tender main motif and slo-mo HipHop / Grime beats to a great late night effect whereas Yung Lean's vocal performance on "When The Sun's Gone" brings on a big smile to everyone's faces, transforming the tune into a big time party anthem for those who know. Furthermore we see a "Path Riot" cause dancefloor havoc with distorted horror basslines and twisted elements of Phonk, "Glory", a collab with Kufura, is a love space smash for the 140 ravers whilst "Ahl El M8na" featuring Dawsha and Abanob caters a quite dope Oriental / Arab HipHop vibe that one doesn't come across on a regular. Finally "Limbo" weighs in quite a bit of dope ass darkness before the closing "Cold Pursuit" caters a well surprising, slightly Tarantino'esque western / road movie attitude for those travelling long and dusty roads... alone.

Kali Malone - Cast Of Mind [Hallow Ground Promo]

Set for release on May 15th, 2k18 via the Hallow Ground-imprint is "Cast Of Mind", the sophomore album release of the America-born and Stockholm-based artist Kali Malone who is combining acoustic woodwind and brass instruments with the modular magic of a Buchla 200 synthesizer for her second longplay outing. Opening the album with its nearly 13 minutes spanning title track and a massive klaxon-like brass section we see tension build from the very first note, sending tingles down your spine when the high pitch of the Buchla tunes in with the every present, hypnotic low end of the brass set in its entirety whereas the following "Bondage To Formula" keeps on to progress on a similar path when it comes to its hypnotic pulses yet gravitates towards a softer, more Ambient-bound tonal attitude. With "Arched In Hysteria" Kali Malone gets deep under our skin with brooding, intense pulses of sawtooth synth bass accompanied by droning signals from the acoustic section before "Empty The Belief" finally provides a more buzzing, scientific and electrical take on the Ambient genre whilst at the same adding a hint of restlessness to its overall feel, mostly caused by thrilling, meandering tonal shifts in the tunes background. Quality stuff, this.

Grabek - Day One [Gustaff Records Promo]

Scheduled for release on May 18th, 2k18 via the Polish imprint Gustaff Records is "Day One", the third solo album put on the circuit by Wojtek Grabek. Presenting a bunch of nine tracks which are described by the producer as his most personal music he ever created he is digging deep into genres like (Neo)Classical and Ambient music, starting his journey with "Dawn", a scenic fusion of Synth-heavy, soft Ambient structures and nervous, experimental violin outings, followed by "Gravity" which brings on the most tender, romantic take on Piano Ambient meets stripped down rhythm signatures we've heard in a while before "Rain" is wandering even further into heartfelt romanticism and "Hide" is fusing (Neo)Classical arrangements with more floating synth figures and an intimate, yet longing vocal performance able to not only cross over between multiple audiences but also heal broken to smashed hearts and heavy heartache over the course of nearly 6 minutes. Roaming "Earth" we see Grabek discover a lively, yet minor chord piano motif of repetetive nature which pairs up nicely with an interesting Electronica background and synths of a crystalline, retrofuturist kind, "Heat" weighs in more of an intense, once again piano and violin driven vibe surely not lacking of melancholia before a more glitchy approach comes into play beatwise as well whereas "Run" provides more of a plangent touch, "Wave" seems to be on a dancier, yet complex and multilayered twist with a tongue-in-cheek note in terms of its well positive sub-structures and the final "Dusk" waves goodbye on a stripped down, inward looking tip like a stunning sunset at the shores of the vast oceans. You need this album in your life!

Eau Rouge - Jupiter Drive *Live (Marble Hall Session - 4k Video)

Simply marvellous, this. And an amazing location to shoot a live video for sure.

Lybes Dimem - Syncleft Chronem [SVS Records 012 Promo]

Released on April 27th, 2k18 via Munich's SVS Records is "Syncleft Chronem", the first album by visual artist / musician Lukas Rehm using his artistic moniker of Lybes Dimem. Following an intricate conceptual pattern we see Rehm create a complex, highly digital body of sonic work incorporating elements of glitch heavy Noize patterns, grinding Electronica, Illbient and even Rhythm Industrial, exploring realms of pitch black darkness, subfrequency unrest and post-apocalyptic warfare inhabited by those yearning for more musical output by artists like Scorn, Mathhead, Techno Animal, The Bug or Vex'd as well as the likes of Alec Empire in his 'Iceland Sessions'-phase or followers of labels like Mille Plateaux, Hymen, Ant-Zen or Ad Noiseam, bringing on a highly recommended, masterly crafted soundtrack for a cold, dystopian future - on earth and in war-ridden outer space. Check!

baze.djunkiii Chart Haul 05/2018

Venetian Snares X Daniel Lanois [Timesig 008 Promo]

Fresh on Venetian Snares' very own Timesig label is his same titled collaborational album effort with Daniel Lanois which caters a whole of eight new tunes the two artists produced together, starting with "Mag11 P82" which is fusing plangent vintage synthesizer romanticism with glitching Breakcore, with the two elements following totally different time signatures whereas the follow up "HPSHK5050 P127" weighs in elements of a twangy Space Western sound, "United P92" is going down a similar path, amalgamating the large scale romanticism of a huge red sundown with minimalist Glitch structures over the course of 9+ minutes, although this fusion never fully works out - a fact that goes for most of the albums tracks - before "Bernard Revisit P81" is more on a score'esque, retrofuturist sci-fi tip soundwise, providing the most interesting sonic landscape of this shortplay album. With "Best P54" there's more twangy Glitchtronica, "Mothors Pressroll P131" presents hyperactive Melodic Breakcore for lovers, "Night MXCMPV1 P74" gets back into the romantic, hawaiian twang vibe and "Ophelius 1STP118" explores psychedelic Exotica-ridden soft Ambient /  Easy Listening vibes for those who like to chill out in kinda weird spots. A weird album this is.

Fred Lonberg-Holm / Simon Camatta - Crazy Notions [Umland Records 017]

Coming in from the label offices of Essen's Umland Records is "Crazy Notions", the latest collaborational album effort by label head Simon Camatta and Chicago's Fred Lonberg-Holm. Recorded after a short tour allover Germany we see Camatta on drums and Lonberg-Holm on cello cater a six track, one hour journey into their very own universe of Jazz-infused improvisation, starting with "Night Is Here" sporting super loose, abstract drum signatures from which structures slowly emerge, evoking memories of thundering Candomble rituals at times whilst the cello performs slightly fever'ish stunts to pave the way for things to come over the course of this longplayer, "Again, Baby" sees the two musicians provide more of a longing, siren'esque soundscape which, for some unknown and well quirky reasons, projects scenes of buzzing, timelapsed Italian streets and kitchen scenes in the 1930s or 40s onto the screen of our inner minds cinema, "Stretched Out Of My Bed" rather focuses on the cello's string treatment - plucking included - whilst the abstract percussion works of Simon Camatta provide only a bit of an additional thunder and squeak every now and then before the albums main piece, the 21+ minutes spanning "Seeing All Kinds Of Crazy Notions", explores the most fever'ish, wild and untamed (non)musical visions one could ever think of, again bringing up ritualistic notions for the headstrong, providing spine-tingling sequences of unsettling calmness only to get lost in a hefty, flickering climax of tilt mode madness again after a few more minutes. Furthermore the two artists are "Running Around", chasing a creaky sonic vision of an abstract kind one might associate with ancient, mechanical Field Recordings whilst the concluding journey "Through My Head" is a calm and relaxing one, relying mostly on the magic of plucked strings and rattling, yet tender metallic sounds progressing into more nervous, thundering sequences from Camatta's drum kit. Quite a lot to take in for unexperienced listeners, demanding even for those in the know, but defo a rewarding one for those indulging deep in genres like FreeJazz and FreeImprov.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Mamas Gun - Golden Days [Legere Recordings Promo]

Put on the circuit via Hamburg's Legere Recordings in late February, 2k18 is "Golden Days", the fourth album by the praised 21st Century Soul outing Mamas Gun who've been scoring top charts positions all over the globe, kicked Madonna off the #1 airplay position in Japan and played festivals and acclaimed shows all around. With their latest longplay piece we see Mamas Gun cater a slick and polished, multi-harmonic longplay piece, presenting a modernist, albeit 70s-infused vibe for intimate moments in cosy, reddish nightclubs and velvet bedrooms, getting ppl in the mood for things to go down and we're defo down for that, especially when listening to great musical outings like "Diamond In The Bell Jar" or the more uptempo dancefloor Soul smash "London Girls" as well as the tender, yet dope jam that is "We", a perfect tune for the late, romantic hours out there on the dancefloor. Check.

Joana Gama / Luis Fernandes - At The Still Point Of The Turning World [Room40 Promo]

Released via the Australian imprint Room40 on April 5th, 2k18 is "At The Still Point Of The Turning World", the first ever collaborational album effort by Joana Gama and Luis Fernandes. Created in a period of mutual loss the two artists came up with a six track-spanning longplayer that starts with the abstract and muffled slo-mo rhythms of "Neither Flesh Nor Fleshless" which are the dry, alienated foundation for a set of intense, haunting synth waves whilst the "Perpetual Possibility" is characterized by plucked guitar string abstractions, vibrating violins of (Neo)Classical origin, a deeply melancholic three tone piano motif and large scale atmospheric build-ups whereas "The Pattern Is Movement" caters to the needs of a cold, sci-fi Drone audience although elements of Synth and (Neo)Cosmic are defo present in this tune as well, adding a bit of light and mystique to the slowly meandering soundscape which dissolves into heavenly beauty throughout its course. The hyperintense next tune "Through The Vibrant Air" has been featured on these pages a few weeks ago and can be listened to in its entirety on this blog, "Lucid Stillness" relies on piercing single piano tones, highly digital clicks and a minimalistic, steady background atmosphere to create a most hypnotic sonic vision that suddenly shifts into (Neo)Classical experimentalism and the final cut "Shaft Of Sunlight" sticks with the plangent piano but gravitates towards a calmer overall note musically.

Thembi Soddel - Love Songs [Room40 Promo]

Another new one on Australia's Room40, released on April 12th, 2k18, is "Love Songs" by the Australian sound artist and electroacoustic producer Thembi Soddell, well-known and appreciated for representing the darker edge of the lands electronic music scene. To those unfamiliar with her work the 'why' becomes clear with the opening title that is "Object (Im)Permanence" slowly emerging from an intro of near silence, building up buzzing electrical tension until becoming a grinding maelstrom of overwhelming mid-frequency static and noise, eradicating braincells like an icey storm of alien, metallic bees whereas the follow up "Erasure" caters deadly DeathAmbient disturbed by one surprising, highly dynamic eruption of digital HarshNoize lasting for only a fraction of a second and "Repetition Compulsion" returns to the illusion of one being attacked by swarming alien insects once again. With "Who Is To Blame?" Thembi Soddell starts on an extremely low volume level, serving some abstract, possibly field recorded scraping and bubbling whilst treating our ears badly with harsh dynamic changes into sudden eruptions of Noize before the final "Epilogue" goes from a minute+ of silence into an immense block of mid-frequency Noize without any warning and therefore shall not be consumed using headphones for a reason. Interesting stuff, yet hard to take in due to the hefty dynamic changes.

Mean Teeth Ft. Kerizma - Gutterfunk *Krispy Remix

A huge, stripped down Drum'n'Bass cut  for all the real headz out there. Tunage detected!

Sascha Müller [Super Six Records Extra 066]

Coming straight at us with another fourteen track album on his very own Super Six Records-imprint is Germany's underground production machine that is Sascha Müller, inviting us into a new journey into his world with the intro tune "Gong 05", presenting more fragile, ritualistic Gong Ambient before "My Mother" leads straight towards the centre of the dancefloor, using pounding, Rave-infused Techno magic and a gooey, bass synth as a weapon of mass seduction whilst "Played Dead" stays on a similar path, crossing borders towards early Hardcore territories with its foundation of overly compressed bassdrums, flogging claps and raw, hoover'esque signals. The "Telecaster" is the next one, weighing in a deep, hypnotic Tech attitude, a wafting sub line and razor sharp percussion bits alongside a screaming, distinct yet minimalist main motif that might perfectly be mixed with classic likes Laurent Garnier's "Astral Dreams" and others, "773" caters some rhythmic, sci-fi transmissions and dubbed out chords from the IDM side of the spectrum, "Ambient 2" provides a sweet, playful and Plaid'esque take on the genre, "High Wire" returns to dry, fast-paced and clap-heavy Techno and "774" gravitates towards deepest, bass-induced Illbient Dub when one thinks of classics like Alec Empire's "Low On Ice" or the WordSound-label here. Furthermore "Ambient 3" continues on the beaten path of playfulness, seemingly influenced by (Neo)Classical structures, "Daddy Rip It Up" sets underground dancefloors on fire with a super stripped down MonoAcid approach, "775" fuses abstract Jungle beats and morphing, dubbed out basslines in super slow motion to a great, mind-boggling effect whilst "Ambient 4" brings forth memories of courtly dances in its polyrhythmicity. Finally the "Analog Snake Part 01" winds up to more bubbly, dry Acid madness and "776" provides exactly 100 seconds of experimental, bass-heavy Sci-Fi Ambient for a futuristic closing. Highly recommended.

Handsome Couple - Handsome Couple [Umland Records 016]

Another one put on the circuit via Essen's Umland Records is the same-titled album by Handsome Couple which is the collaborational force of label head Simon Carmatta on drums and St. Kirchhoff on banjo. Whilst working on instrumental HipHop cuts for a theatre play in Bremen the pair of musicians started to develop their stage skits into real tracks, building a dope foundation for any rapper to jump on in terms of proper freestyles. With the exceptional "Afterhour" we see the Handsome Couple provide a super solid, slightly TexMex-infused organic banger for all fans of the classic BoomBap sound, "Noon" is a haunting uptempo anthem for the b-boys, b-girls and body lockers out there, "Goetheplatz" is more of a chill affair for those who can also relate to genres like TripHop / Downbeat and "Ein Paar" experiments with  Reggae / Dub-influences and characteristic off-beat vibes as well as bowed strings for a change. "WG" once again is an intense b-boy skit for all them breakers, seamlessly progressing into "Espresso", another captivating, dangerous uptempo cut incorporating elements of Dancehall, Moombahton as well as BigBeat, a perfect combination for a potential spy flic score at some point in the future. Following up is "Intercity", a great, complex and slightly Tarantino'esque excursion which will also be well appreciated by fans of Cypress Hill, "Ladidadi" harks back to the raw and very early days of HipHop rhythmwise and the "Easy Way Out" fully lives up to its title, weighing in an easy, laid back vibe for a sweet closure. Proper good stuff, this.

baze.djunkiii Charts 05/2018

01. µ-Ziq - Challenge Me Foolish [Planet Mu 400]
See review for details...

02. Robert Görl - The Paris Tapes [Grönland]
DAF's Robert Görl on a solo tip on the only relevant release that came out on Record Store Day 2k18. Built exclusively on an ESQ-1 synthesizer these instrumental, yet beautiful skits were crafted as a musical outlet for Robert Görl after the DAF split in 1986 when he moved to Paris to deal with his faith, pain and sorrow. Whilst the melodic, and highly melancholic, aspects of these nine tunes generally gravitate towards SynthPop there's evident influences of ProtoElectro and possibly echoes of NuBeat in here that make these raw and unfinished skeletal drafts both seductive as well as fascinating in their own right.

03. Posthuman - Metrojak One EP [Chiwax]
Raw, oldskool-reminiscing stuff from Posthuman on Chiwax. Providing anything from jackin' underground Techno to banging Acid and spiralling modulation sequences these tracks are made to keep dancefloors in motion, now and forever.

04. Various Artists - Appendix Double Mixpack E.P. [Fiedel II]
Techno for purists. Eight minimalistic Techno tunes by the likes of Noncompliant, Fiedel, Ron Albrecht, Ausgang and more sum up the essence of the genre in a tool'ish, in parts 'troity, stripped down manner, with each track carvin out its individual character and niche, bringing back what seemed to be a raw, long lost, yet fascinating aspect of Techno as a genre. Highly recommended stuff.

05. DJ Technician / DJ Overdose [Rotterhague Records 001]
Electro for those in the know. Raw, storming and unpolished tunes, two of them provided by DJ Technician, two by DJ Overdose on this relatively fresh label which is bringing back a melodic, abstract and well Phonk-infused take on the subaquatic side of the genre and therefore come together in one of the best Electro records we've come across in quite a while.

06. Trou - Nebelsturm [Depressive Illusions Records]
See review for details...

07. Trou - To The Death [Hallucination Tapes]
See review for details...

08. Evelien Van Den Broek - False Memories [EVDB 001]
See review for details...

09. -

10. -

House Of Blondes - Time Trip [Alrealon Musique 083 Promo]

Released via the statewise experimental imprint Alrealon Musique on April 20th, 2k18 and sitting in our postbox without any further information only recently was "Time Trip" which is the latest longplay effort by House Of Blondes. Going into this journey with "Discovery #1" we see House Of Blondes provides a positive, playful approach on vintage synth driven Electronica / ChillOut with a beautiful (Neo)Cosmic twist, continues with a beautifully floating slow-motion Electro- / Ambient Trance-fusion named "Time Trip (Main Theme)" followed by the calm, relaxing pads of "Modern Clock" and the droning, dark'ish multilayered Cosmic Synth of "Mean Solar Time" which is evoking memories of acts like Tangerine Dream or Klaus Schulze for a reason. With "The Rise Of The Equal Hour" the project is digging deeper into calm Piano Ambient territories, "Why It Happened In The West" combines kitsch-dripping pads with lively Future Tribal rhythms for balearic sunset sets and "Intimate Seconds" provides some brooding futurism paired with melodic beauty, a thing that has been done to great effect by projects like Future Sound Of London in the very past and therefore might appeal to fans of them as well. Furthermore we see "The Tilted Earth" once again indulging in sugary synthesizer overdose before the final cut "Slow Games" provides an approximately three minutes stretch of piano-led beauty for lovers. We're loving this!

JStar feat. Dark Angel - Warrior

Massive vibes for slayin' dancefloor murderation from our man JStar!

Canine [Polydor / Universal Music France]

Coming in from mysterious sources via mail only recently is this untitled four track EP by Canine which are seemingly coming out with new stuff on Polydor / Universal Music France these days. With their opening tune "Saturday" we see the band provide ethereal Indie vibes atop of blurry, slightly glitch-infused beat structures that might be well resonating with fans of James Blake and the likes of, bringing on a vernal, positive vibe whilst "Twin Shadow" and its high pitched vocal aim more at an audience keen of hypermodernistic Funk, big time drama and Indie (Not Indie) for urban audiences. Furthermore their song "Temps" drifts into romantic spheres, being the French ballad it is before surprisingly taking a u-turn towards electronic uptempo dancefloors accompanied by dramatic string sections fans of I'm Not A Band will love for sure and the concluding "Could We" waves goodbye on a solemn, beautiful and nightly Pop tip for lovers whilst firing up late night dancefloors with AfroWave influences beatwise every now and then. Sweet stuff.

Traxman - Twist Da Party Out (Official Video)

Hardcore Ghetto House for those in the know. Instant classic. Full on anthem mode. Large up.

Sascha Müller [Sascha Müller Music 1000027]

Scheduled for May 3rd, 2k18 is this one, Sascha Müller's latest digital two track single on his very own Sascha Müller Music-imprint. With the opener "Deliver" the Meppen-based producer brings on a playful, 'troity and slightly B12-influenced vibe when it comes to top notch, Phonk-infused ElectroTechno whilst "Opossum", the second take on this single weighs in a deeper take on dancefloor functional, hi-hat ridden Intelligent Techno that takes us back to the genres heydays and provides a well hypnotic, floating dancefloor experience for advanced underground crowds. Great stuff!

Arovane & Porya Hatami - Organism_evolution [Karlrecords Promo]

Put on the circuit via Karlrecords in April 2k18 is "Organism_evolution", the new collaborational album effort created by Berlin's Uwe Zahn a.k.a. Arovane and the Iranian underground artist Porya Hatami. Churning out 23 tracks in only 55 minutes playtime, many of them under the mark of two minutes, they're providing a next evolutionary step in the aesthetics of last years "Organism" album, focus on techniques of granular and/or modular synthesis, spectral processing and others to create a spatial, clean, futuristic and sci-fi sound field that is surely fascinating in terms of its highly developed production value and, in parts, a re-evolution of the Clicks'n'Cuts genre e.g. in tracks like "Creature_015", yet fail to deliver a coherent theme or at least a few outstanding trademark tunes throughout the whole album which, due to this lack of structural coherency, seems to be like a study in sound design in 23 parts rather than an unmitigated body of work and therefore leaves us with a bit of a hollow, unsatisfied feel after an extended listening session.