Blank Nurse / No Light - HIV 1994 [Forking Paths 015]

Put on the circuit as cassette tape on October 5th, 2k18 via Forking Paths is "HIV 1994", the new album project by writer / composer Evan Davies who is employing his experimental alias Blank Nurse / No Light for this seven track album. Dealing with the topics of depression and OCD the Canadian artist opens the journey with "Blood Fiction", a piece that fuses a beautiful, simple harp or guitar motif with Spoken Word, Electronica and Field Recordings whereas "Mocking The Ghost Of Crybaby Cobain" turns towards elements of Synth ultranoise paired up with screaming, destructive Black Metal and the "Flu Breather" explores unsettling, droning sawtooth basslines and an overall feel of warped, psyched out horror even though some melodic structures are shimmering through and a hounded lo-fi drum machine beat calls for movement on satanic dancefloors. "Outside The Clinic Is A Hungry Black Void Of Nothingness" is another call for celebration on Goth / SynthWave-infused festivities, "No Ecstasy" fuses echoes of Broken Beat with large scale Synth harmonies and EBM-reminiscing vocals whereas "Under The Vomit Moon" harks back to the art of IDM proper whilst also employing a layer of dark, desperate vocals and "TonyaHardingOJSimpsonNAFTASuicideCult Lullaby" - yes, it is spelled this way! - waves goodbye in a quite extreme manner, amalgamating crystalline, stripped down sequences and noisy, horror'esque SynthMetal parts within one track. Interesting!

P.T.B.S. & Sascha Müller - Split E.P. [Psychocandies]

Soon to be released as 12" vinyl on the Psychocandies-imprint is the labels latest  "Split E.P.", a collaboration between the companies head honcho Sascha Müller and Meppen-based underground producer Ufuk Özbayar a.k.a. P.T.B.S. . Opening with "Absolut Bond (Sascha Müller My Name Is Acid Mix)" the pairs first collaboration effort weighs in a deep, hypnotic take on spiralling Acid music for strobe-lit underground raves whereas their second conjunctional joint "What I Mean (Great Evening Mix)" brings forth a darker, more pumping and minimalist approach whilst employing a creepy little motif that gets under your skin like the main theme from your favorite horror flic. On the flip we see Sascha Müller going on a double solo tip with "Work My 303", another masterly crafted Acid piece harking back to the finest twisted clubbing moments of the 90s, before the final cut "Generator Man" explores grinding, distorted Broken Techno / Wonky Techno realms, sucking each and every listener into a cold dystopian, post-apocalyptic future within seconds. Get this.

Streifenjunko - Like Driving [Sofa Music]

Back with their third album on the Norwegian Sofa Music label are Espen Reinertsen and Eivind Lønning, better known amongst followers of contemporary experimental music by employing their conjunctional alias Streifenjunko musically. Originally coming from a background of saxophone and trumpet the band has turned towards electronic influences with this album, delivering Ambient-infused start-and-stop aesthetics with the opener "Everything We Touch Is Electric", a piece also defined by short digital cuts and glitches alongside a melancholia-inducing, klaxon'esque layering of seemingly reprocessed plays on the aforementioned instruments whilst "Astronaut Peace" fully goes down a droning, atmospheric Ambient lane which causes mental unrest rather than a soothing feel due to its cold nature and slowly meandering sci-fi swell. Finally the title track "Like Driving", also the third piece featured on this album, indulges in full on melancholia, combining the attitude of both its predecessors in a deep, yet beautiful 19 minutes journey into the fascinating, emotional FutureJazz world of Streifenjunko. Recommended.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Fofoulah - Daega Rek [Glitterbeat Promo]

Pushed on the circuit on November 9th, 2k18 via the tirelessly working Glitterbeat-label is "Daega Rek", the sophomore album by London's AfroDub duo Fofoulah which is heavily influenced by the duos extensive tour experience after the release of their self-titled debut back in 2014. Opening with the tense, short instrumental cut that is "Nyari Garong" the pair paves the way for things to come, a polyrhythmic sensory overload of sorts which is fusing traditional African Tribal percussion patterns with muffled, Sherwood'esque Dub-aesthetics, intense vocal performances in a West African language called Wolof alongside echoes of experimental PostPunk, hints of Future Jazz in overdrive mode, beats in parts infused by various forms of urban bass music and the inherent madness of musical geniouses like Matthew Herbert, Jimi Tenor and the likes of, all falling together in fascinating, highly energetic and unique fashion to make this album surely a standout piece amongst everything roughly identified as World Music / Non-Western Music these days. Get.

Katharina Ernst - Extrametric [Ventil Records 011]

Released via Austria's Ventil Records as their cat.no. 011 is "Extrametric" by multidisciplinary drummer and artist Katharina Ernst, her solo album and a seven track effort of diving deep into the realms of polyrhythmic performance and multi-patterned grooves both generated through the use of drum machines and synthesizers as well as through an arsenal of live played, or sampled, percussion instruments. The results of these experimental meditations on rhythm are subsequently named "X_01" - "X_07", covering a spectrum from thrilling technoid antigrooves to complex, Drone-infested DarkJazz-related episodes via playful, melodic Dope Beats for advanced BrokenHouse / Phusion-floors - check "X_03" / "X_04" for this specific vibe - to Cold / Death Ambient and even minimalist sci-fi scorescapes as well as inward-looking, shoegazing Psychedelia towards the end. Defo a great variety and a highly interesting, unique approach towards personal rhythm science that hopefully shall be experienced by each and every vinyl collector out there. Check.

Sascha Müller [Supersix Records Extra 072]

Fresh on the circuit via Sascha Müller's very own Supersix Records imprint is the labels cat.no. 072, a new twelve track collection representing the tireless studio efforts of the Uelsen-based producer. Opening with "Natural Fluid" we're drawn into a world of strange, robotic MinimalTechno for exoterrestrial sci-fi raves, "Closer To The NDS Part 04" stays on a similar raw and minimalist lane  before the "Crazy Agent" adds a rolling, abstract and discoid bassline and crisp echoes to a MicroHouse-vibe similar to tunes once released on labels like Perlon or Ladomat back in the days. Getting "Closer To The NDS Part 05" we're confronted with a gooey, spaced out take on pumping underground Techno with a motor city twist, "Daylight" brings forth some unexpected Ambient beauty slightly obscured by random digital clicks and clippings whereas "Tempelrotation" reveals a screaming Acid Techno tune that only has been available as limited 7" vinyl only release so far. The next up is "Alpha",  a sparse crystalline variation on Ambient / IDM as joyful and innocent as childrens laughter, "Closer To The NDS Part 06" is another uber-groove in terms of twisted, acidic MinimalTechno with a distinct pump whilst "Beta" picks up on playful, Björk'esque IDM-melodies once again over the course of 12+ minutes. The next chapter, "Closer To The NDS Part 07", pairs up pumping Minimal Techno with a sweet as a nut Acid line, the "Dog Hunt" weighs in a cold, isolationist, dystopian atmosphere alongside multilayered, mechanical and highly abstract rhythm signatures before the final cut that is "Closer To The NDS Part 08" harks back to groovy MinimalHouse once again, focusing on spine-tingling sawtooth synth vibrations and stripped down melodies with an abstract, yet undeniably jazzy twist. Sweet stuff.

baze.djunkiii Chart Haul 11/2018

Ruben Machtelinckx / Frederik Leroux - When The Shade Is Stretched [Aspen Edities 003]

Released about a year ago in November 2k17 via the Belgian label Aspen Edities is "When The Shade Is Stretched", the imprints first artist split release which is a collaborational effort between the creative force that is Ruben Machtelinckx and Jazz / Improvisation talent Frederik Leroux in which both of the artists provide a showcase of their solo performance abilities and individual approach towards structured, yet improvised music. Whilst Machtelinckx, responsible for the first seven tracks on the longplay piece, employs a tender, multi-layered and oftentimes repetetive approach towards warm, summerly and partly even Folk-infused variations on Indietronica, acoustic guitar and banjo play and Post-PostRock we see Frederik Leroux bringing forth more of a stripped down, slightly more vibrant and experimental attitude, providing a scintillating flow of psychedelic, dreamlike nature entering the deepest realms of our subconscious, inducing flashing, illuminated periods in our REM-sleep and beyond.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Scanner - Mass Observation (Expanded) [Room40 Promo]

Another one track album released recently, this time via Australia's Room40 on October 5th, 2k18, is Scanner's "Mass Observation (Expanded)", a re-visit of Robin Rimbaud's legendary, seminal "Mass Observation" album once put on the circuit via Ash International a good 24 years ago back in 1994. Not only is this one of our favorite releases of all time which pushed the boundaries of Ambient / IDM to new levels, amalgamating electronic soundscapes with eerie, yet real life-related and presumably mostly illegal recordings from various sources, all taken off the kinda wire-tapped air surrounding Mr. Rimbaud at the time and leaving the listener behind with a dystopian unrest of ever present surveillance and an apocalyptic echo of what is '1984' as a movie having become real. Now, nearly a quarter of the century later, a new, previously unreleased variation on "Mass Observation" appears on the surface, stretched out over 53 minutes, slightly differing from the original cut, obviously noisier, more digital and yet oozing with unease, slightly sped up and therefore lacking quite a bit of depth in comparison to the originally released cut we all used to love and appreciate so much back in the day. But still, an interesting alternative cut this.

Book Of Air Vvolk - Se (In) De Bos [Sub Rosa 444]

Released via Sub Rosa on October 26th, 2k18 is "Se (In) De Bos", the new album by the conceptual Book Of Air-project, composed by Stijn Cools and this time performed by the 18 musicians group Vvolk. Following up to the 2016 Book Of Air album also entitled "Vvolk" this one is a straight up one-track album of 60 minutes length, slowly moving forward through billowing Ambient landscapes of sheer untouched beauty, seamlessly undergoing careful transformations and providing a blueprint for the genre in 2018 despite being - in opposite to the vast majority of Ambient albums out there - performed on real life instruments in one recording session, a fact that is stunning and highly fascinating as even experts on the genre won't be able to make out much of a difference due to the albums soothing, calm and dreamlike high end quality. Recommended.

Album artwork on Instagram!

M. Geddes Gengras - Light Pipe [Room40 Promo]

Put on the circuit as a 2xCD album via the ever busy Room40-imprint on October 12th, 2k18 is "Light Pipe", the new ten track album effort produced by M. Geddes Gengras which happens to be his tenth solo longplay recording as well. Going into the first disc subtitled 'Interiors' we see the opening track "Mirrors" provide a deep 14+ minutes journey going way beyond the Ambient realm into a broader sense of classic ChillOut before the "Subway" makes a short stop and seamless transition into dreamy pad structures somehow evoking memories of early IDM-heroes like Future Sound Of London whilst the subsequent "Nave" brings forth a beautiful, yet longing and lonely take on haunted Isolationist Ambient, later on garnished with soft layers of manipulated guitars. With "Chancel", the 26 minutes main piece featured on the first disc, we're drawn into a world of classic pad-built Ambient soundscapes accompanied by buzzing electric background circuits and more Cosmic sounds whereas "Water Study" represents the cheesier, over-the-top side of the genre throughout its extended runtime. Inspecting the 'Exteriors' on the second disc we first see "Cherise" employing a twangy, slightly cheesy Post-PostRock / Guitar Ambient approach, followed by "Irwin" weighing in elements of classic 80s Synth / Cosmic mixed with the occasional World Music vibe every now and then. Progressing further the "Pinnacle" explores the magic of reprocessed organic instruments, the "Vulture" seems to be a surprisingly positive, curious and playful creature and the final cut "Cherise (Return)" and its mixture of Post-PostRock / Pop Ambient and lo-fi bleeps brings back memories of the well-beloved self-titled Aosuke album once released as a musical exception from their regular layout on Hamburg's Audiolith-imprint years ago.

Lewi B - Zeze / Suck Your Mum (Instrumental)

Things are getting deep on this one. Tune!

The Streets ft. Chip & Grim Sickers - Call Me In The Morning (Official Video)

This has to be the biggest chorus of urban music history. And btw - The effin Streets is back! Big ting!

Vera Sola - Shades [Spectraphonic Records]

Put on the circuit via the new label Spectraphonic Records on November 9th, 2k18 and already announced on these pages with video features for both its songs "Small Minds" and "The Cage" earlier this year is "Shades", the new album by Danielle Aykroyd a.k.a. Vera Sola, American-based artist and daughter of the famed Canadian actor Dan Aykroyd. Besides the two aforementioned songs the longplay piece, all produced and recorded by Vera Sola on her own, features eight more tunes, starting with the deeply dramatic, slightly Country'esque vibe of "Virgil's Flowers", followed by the more uplifting, positive, theatrical and surely PostPunk-infused "The Colony" whilst "Circles" is on a eerie, tense and inward-looking tip of minimalist, stripped down quality for late night listening sessions and "For" gravitates more towards an ethereal, yet emotional Folk vibe that surely sends shivers down everyones spine for a reason. Furthermore "Black Rhino Enterprises" employs a touching, seductive Dark Country attitude for those who know, "Loving, Loving" is as ballad'esque and of fragile beauty as its title suggests, partly evoking memories of ballads performed by German PostPunk- / Dark Pop-outfit NO MORE whilst "By Mothlight" could be a perfect melancholia-inducing post breakup song before "New Nights" finally gets deep into the realms of sparse, spatial, yet climaxing piano ballads, showcasing Vera Sola's stunning vocal abilities to the max. Well remarkable, this.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Jan Nemecek - Recurrences [Ous Promo]

To be released via Ous on November 30th, 2k18 is "Recurrences", the new eight track album created by the ever active sound and recording artist known as Jan Nemecek. Opening with "Alone" Nemecek sets the course for things to come with a crackly, blurred, misty approach towards the Ambient genre, bringing on a multiple layers of cold, clean and frosty sounds whereas the follow-up "Feel Safe" combines dreamy piano and guitar sections with drifty, slightly distorted harmonies and "I Pretend" brings forth more tender, yet shaky guitar works alongside reprocessed vocals, seemingly modular bleeps, more blurry athmospheres, experimental string works and DubTechno inspired echoes. With "Organs" we see Jan Nemecek going deep into slow moving, spatial Ambient territories, "Incidents I - II" caters a darker, more sci-fi related take on the genre bordering unsetttling Electronica and "Saws (Beats)" provides a weird, distorted variation of Classical Synth attitude - think Wendy Carlos' "Switched On Back" in full on experimental mode, kind of - before drifting off into a bass heavy stop-and-go Electronica realm. With "Foreverness" Jan Nemecek makes a return to cold'ish, piano-led vibes introduced at the beginning of the album which are slowly progressing into a warmer, all embracing tonality before "Sums" provides a final variation of nervous UnAmbient slightly reminiscent of Marcus Popp's early works as Oval back in the 90s.

Unknown War Heads - Timebomb EP [Psychocandies 073]

Upcoming on the Psychocandies imprint on November 22nd, 2k18 is the "Timebomb EP" by the Unknown Warheads project  which is delivering a set of three highly nuclear fueled tunes to all dancefloors out there. Opening with "Daddys Riders" the journey starts with pure mental destruction in terms of gooey, psychodistorted MonoAcid reminiscent of the former Mainz-based Labworks Germany label whilst "Kalium" brings forth a deep, highly seductive bass groove for an ultimate mind trip whilst the tracks' main motif keeps harking back to spaced out ProtoTrance and maximum beauty for all lovers of classic Intelligent Techno before the final cut "Patty Pinku" provides more of a raw, unprocessed Tribal Acid Techno experience. A future classic, this.

Shadowbanned On Instagram?

Yes, sometimes one has to deal with social media myths and unfortunately this one here seems to be very real - the mysterious shadow ban. Affecting both baze.djunkiii's Instagram account to be found at https://www.instagram.com/baze.djunkiii/ as well as the hashtag #nitestylez on the platform and seemingly effective after this post from November 15th, 2k18 putting a new pile of incoming promos on display we've seen issues in terms of organic reach, like- as well as overall interaction rates plummeting from an estimated 26+ likes per post average to < 10 likes / interactions, all coming exclusively from followers of the channel and seemingly not reaching anyone beyond this group. Furthermore searching for #nitestylez on the platform reveals a message reading

'Recent posts from #nitestylez are currently hidden because the community has reported some content that may not meet Instagram's community guidelines'

which obviously does not apply for anything put on display on baze.djunkiii's channel as the aforementioned post as well as all others do follow the guidelines, the content strategy on this channel hasn't changed from the very beginning nor have we ever employed hashtag spam or any form of bot-led or paid channel growth manipulation. Therefore we presume that either someone used #nitestylez for posting inappropriate content on Instagram or the 'report content' functionality has been willingly abused to render baze.djunkiii's Instagram account close to useless for a certain amount of time. No matter what, we've reported the problem to Instagram by now, several times, will continue posting and hope to be fully back on track soon - no matter what the restrictions might be for now. To make sure to miss any of the content please follow  https://www.instagram.com/baze.djunkiii/ directly and as well report a problem to the Instagram team if the posts arenot popping up in your subscription feed at all. Thank you!

Philip Corner - Extreemizms: Early & Late [Unseen Worlds 021 Promo]

Put on the circuit via the Unseen Worlds-imprint on October 12th, 2k18 are Philip Corner's "Extreemizms: Early & Late", a collection of nine compositions created by the American artist that harks back to the year 1958 whilst also presenting more recent works, meaning those have been written in 2015/2016. Dedicated to a life of extremes that also is reflected in his musical works we see Mr. Corner take things to different levels with the short, but highly thrilling and dramatic string duo opener "wHoly Trinitye, A Duality Ov Duos - First" before "2 Extreemizms" take a hard stylistic turn in terms of exploring a fragile, tender take on organic Ambient performed by, once again, string instruments that will also apply to the tastes of those following the paths and inherent mystique of naturalistic Nordic Folk despite being not related to Folk at all - this is before a full on experimental, improvised and chaotic outbreak happens for a closing after minute 11 or so. Following up is the 1958-composed triplet of "Two-part Monologue No. 1 - 3" catering towards a (Neo)Classical / Contemporary Classical audience despite employing a nervous, unsettling background atmosphere of score'esque quality throughout the whole set whereas "wHoly Trinitye, A Duality Ov Duos - Second" gets down with more buzzing, dark'ish drama within 49 seconds only. Furthermore "Finale - Violin, Cello, Piano" is an exercise in calm, yet brooding minimalism with an emphasis on piano noir, "wHoly Trinitye, For A 'Free-Togethering'" sees witches perform unholy rituals whilst dark angels create apocalyptic layerings on string instruments and "wHoly Trinitye, Another Duet, Just One" brings forth a final 107 seconds of oscillating longing and vibes from the darker side of the spectrum for both Contemporary Classical aficionados as well as the occasional score head out there.

Sascha Müller [Supersix Records Extra 071]

And here it is - another new twelve track album on Sascha Müller's very own Supersix Records imprint, bringing us more previously unreleased music form the artists bottomless archive vaults. Opening with "Phase Shifter" we're entering a dark, subsurface world of desolate Illbient and wapred vocal transmissions, "Closer To The NDS Part 01" caters to those longing for weird lo-fi bleepouts and the "Evil Monotron 1" tackles a similar route, yet focusing on a twisted, mind-bending, repetetive bassline motif alongside characteristic and possibly modular bleeps before "The Space Is Our Friend" brings forth dreamy, angelic Ambient structures and ethereal non-vocalisms over the course of its 10+ minutes runtime whilst turning from calming and beautiful into strange, unsettling, cut-up and glitched out. Following up is "A Stage Of Drones", surprisingly rather indulging in the genre known as Clicks'n'Cuts rather than in drones, "Closer To The NDS Part 02" is slow, raw Oldschool Techno reminiscent of the Italian scene in the early 90s whilst "Evil Monotron 2" brings forth more twisted experimentalism and so does the follow-up that is "Evil Monotron 3". Dealing with "Interactive Warlords" we see Sascha Müller exploring a sci-fi'esque take on electroid, well dancefloor-functional MinimalTechno with a noisy, digital twist, "Closer To The NDS Part 03" provides a hypnotic, braincell breaking take on lo-fi Space Techno, "Halbtet" is a raw, unprocessed piece of fascinating, tongue-in-cheek Intelligent Techno and the final cut "Artektika" takes the genres vibe even further, introducing a kind of Tribal-influenced heat alongside hard-hitting percussions to strobe-lit peaktime underground dancefloors.

Re-listen: Stay Ok @ StayFM / Augsburg (25.10.2018)

A two hours live radioshow on StayFM / Augsburg - thx for having me!

Veder - Evergreen [Aspen Edities 002]

Going back to October 2017 with a review on Veder's "Evergreen" we're taking a closer look at the second release of the Belgium-based label that is known under the name of Aspen Edities, providing an outlet for Niels Van Heertum's acoustic quartet comprised by himself alongside Ruben Machtelinckx, Joachim Badenhorst and Eivind Lønning. With a full acoustic instrumentation of euphonium, guitar, clarinet, saxophone and trumpet the four musicians create a deep atmospheric setting with opening tune "Fern" which is as rural and untouched as things can get, evoking memories of the beloved "Die Fünfte Dengelophonie" by Harald 'Sack' Ziegler and Frank Schültge 'Blumm' which is one of our favorite classics in terms of Ambient PostRock / Post-PostRock whereas the following "Hemlock" follows a calm, stripped down yet more Jazz-infused path before "Sedum" fully unfolds like an impressive widescreen panoramic view of a sunset over the Alps mountain range on a clear late autumns day. With "Klauwier" the four musicians cater a sweet and touching take on stripped down Post-PostRock with a little nod to romantic, yet slightly off-kilter Jazz harmonies, "Doven" follows the tender romanticism of its predecessor whilst gravitating towards a classy BarJazz attitude, "Die Immergrüne" is on a slightly experimental Jazz Noir-tip with a score'esque attitude and the final cut "Lage Zwaluw" once again harks back to innocent, naturalistic beauty and closes a circle as the albums opener provided a similarly touching feel. Recommended!

Album artwork on Instagram!

Andreas O. Hirsch - Early Carbophonics [Makiphon 005 Promo]

Scheduled for release on December 7th, 2k18 via the Makiphon label as 10" vinyl album are the "Early Carbophonics" produced by Andreas Oskar Hirsch, his first recorded take on his self-developed instrument named the Carbophone. The plucking instrument which can be seen as a modernist, electro-acoustic evolution of traditional African instruments like Kalimba or Mbira is the foundation of the eight untitled, partially blended tunes to be found on this mini-album which combines a playful feel of time- and locationless subaquatic tribalisms with bits of Ambient and leftfield Indietronica, bringing forth a dreamlike, slightly psychedelic feel over the course of its total runtime of 26 minutes, getting especially trippy and fascinating in its fourth track which makes us wonder if these takes would be even greater if experienced throughout a live performance in a small intimate microclub setting for a maximum of 50-80 spectators. Interesting stuff, this and maybe one of the 2018-blueprints for the Future Tribal-genre as well.

Camila Fuchs - Heart Pressed Between Stones [ATP Recordings Promo]

Already released via ATP Recordings on September 7th, 2k18 was "Heart Pressed Between Stones", the latest album put on the the circuit by Camila Fuchs as a follow up to their 2016 debut "Singing From Fixed Rung". Still comprised of Camila De Laborde and Daniel Hermann-Collini we see the duo deliver a body of six tracks starting with the misty atmospheres of "One On One", bringing forth a hypnotic, raw and ritualistic beat structure, morphing IDM synths and a distinct vibe harking back to 90s works provided by the Icelandic queen of everything whereas "Heatwave (Coming Towards You)" presents an even more fragile attitude when it comes to the dreamlike interaction between vocals and backing atmospheres whilst being also the tune responsible for naming the album within its lyrics before "My Body" takes on an eerie, haunting variation of fascinating Post-PostRock mixed with echoes of Apocalyptic Folk, being the soundtrack to your darkest and wildest dreams. With "Direct Truth" Camila Fuchs cater more of a mysterious, billowing Ambient Folk vibe, entering the "Battlefield" we're taken back to the heydays of early IDM musicwise with a captivating, Future Sound Of London-resembling feel of brooding sci-fi doom and the final cut "For All Stable Appearances, He Was Wild" digs deeper into dark, apocalyptic realms of the future, even weighing in more tribal drums alongside its vantablack musical backdrop. Highly unique. Check!

Metric - Art Of Doubt [MMI / Crystal Math Music / BMG]

Released on September 21st, 2k18 via MMI / Crystal Math Music / BMG is "Art Of Doubt" , the seventh full length album outing created by Toronto's Metric who've recently been touring the states alongside Smashing Pumpkins and are set and ready to conquer Europe this fall. With their tune "Dressed To Suppress" already being featured on these pages videowise the bands opens their new release with the single "Dark Saturday", a muscular take on Indie / Rock paired with a fragile, yet powerful vocal performance by Emily Haines that makes this tune a killer future anthem for all Indie floors for sure followed by the highly seductive powerhouse that is "Love You Back" and the 80s synth driven Pop ballad "Die Happy" which evokes sweet nostalgia for everyone listening to this masterpiece on daytime radio. "Now Or Never Now" introduces more playful, 80s-driven synth greatness paired up with a proper neon dancefloor vibe, the title track "Art of Doubt" brings forth a floating, ethereal feel that might even appeal to a Power Metal audience for a reason, "Underline The Black" takes a innocent Alternative Pop turn whereas "Risk" brings back innocent, reverb-heavy Indie Pop for peak time dancefloors in love before "Seven Rules" dreams away in the most beautiful slow-jam manner possible and will even get Taylor Swift-fans excited with its '...out of the woods, out of the woods...' repetition brought on in the first verse. "Holding Out" for Metric means touching on College / Alternative Rock territories with a sweet, light-hearted twist, "Anticipate" unveils a panoramic, big scale production and once again synth-led appeal for neon city lights and the final take on "No Lights On The Horizon" comes as a surprise with its classic drummachine rythm and soft electronic backing for a closing. Highly recommended!

Album artwork on Instagram!

RY X - Untold (Official Audio)

Tender, intimate Indietronics meet echoes of Future Garage as a first glimpse of the forthcoming RY X album "Unfurl" which is about to be released via Infectious in mid-February 2k19. Lovely.

Wargirl - Wargirl [Clouds Hill]

Following up to their "Arbolita" EP which made some distinct waves this summer we see Wargirl now coming up with a full self-titled album, once again released via the Hamburg-based imprint Clouds Hill which did quite a lot to push the band over the course of the past months. Opening with "Poison" and "Sass Girl" from the limited 7" whitelabel release we've already featured extensively in our 'baze.djunkiii Charts 10/2018' post in early October the band makes a great start followed by "Mess Around", a seductive swing piece for sexy moments on the dancefloor whereas the "Voice Of The Mountain" harks back to African uptempo rhythms and a great, uplifting lo-fi attitude slightly touched by 70s Psychedelia for those who know. With "No Difference" Wargirl stay in the same lane albeit adding a little bit of seductive Soul eroticism to the mix, "Streets" is a high class sing-a-long anthem infused by Reggae- / Dub-offbeats and defo a hit on each and every dancefloor and "How You Feel" caters to those loving smokey bars, hot nights out and having a dance to raw big time vintage Soul that's able to smash even the most distinct Northern Soul nights and prestigious venues to pieces within less than a rewind. "I Know I" harks back to the laid back Reggae-infused side of the bands musical work, "Make Believe" reveals unexpected dreamy romanticism brought to us with super soft pads and twangy guitars and the final cut "Last Time" brings on a brooding, fever'ish yet super seductive take on PostPunk and Jazz for an epic closing. Essential. Get.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Fxbip - Burning Mad

This is retrofuturist Space Electro on a next level. Busy, buzzing, great.

Ten Fe - Won’t Happen (Official Video)

Sweet, innocent and uplifting Indie with a hint of Americana mixed in - a frist preview for the new Ten Fe-album release "Future Perfect, Present Tense" which is about to hit the stores in early March, 2k19.

Zeno Van Den Broek & Gagi Petrovic - Sound Of The Young Avant-Garde Volume 02, 2018: Ob-Literate [Gaudeamus / Unsounds]

The second instalment of the new 'Sound of The young Avant-Garde'-series brought to life by the two Dutch labels Gaudeamus and Unsounds is "Ob-literate", a commissioned compositional project of electroacoustic nature for organ, vocal ensemble, electronic and custom built performative objects utilised in the works world premier at Utrecht's Nicolaikerk in March, 2k16. Together, the two artists create a 42 minutes long journey split into five pieces of up to 18+ minutes length, tampering with a dark sonic dystopia mostly comprised of cold electrical droning of varying, yet always scientific and almost sterile intensity paired with multiple vocal layers, both cut-up and spoken as well as sung - a combination that brings artists like Robin Rimbaud / Scanner to mind for a reason -, whereas the sounds provided by organ and performative objects add up a solemn, yet haunting atmospheric vibe as if one was watching an alien, or alienating, cult of the future performing inscrutable rituals, worshipping outerworldly beings whose multidimensional entities one cannot conceive at any point in life. This is great.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Sharon Van Etten - Comeback Kid (Official Video)

Wake up, these are the 80s! And they've made a full on comeback in 2018.

Sascha Müller - Traxxx Vol. 6 [SM Traxxx 29-2018]

To be released on November 15th, 2k18 via SM Traxxx is Sascha Müllers next digital two track single which brings us raw, fast-paced, oldskool'ish and quite tool-oriented Techno stuff for peak time dancefloors with "Track 11" whilst the second shot, "Track 12", caters towards an underground audience longing for muffled, slightly distorted Techno sounds in combination with gooey, viscous sawtooth Acid lines and an overall braincell crushing effect.

Shohei Amimori - Pata Music [Noble Label 225 Promo]

Scheduled for release via the experimental imprint known as Noble Label on November 21st, 2k18 is "Pata Music", the latest album outing created and produced by Tokyo-based sound artist Shohei Amimori who has been active in the fields of Classical / Contemporary Classical, Pop and experimental electronics before. Presenting a body of work consisting of eleven tracks on this one we see the Japaneses artist starting the journey with "Climb Downhill 1", an undeniably seductive homage to 80s theme and Library Music undergoing quite a few unexpected tempo changes and progressing into what might be best described as Space Exotica later on before tales of a "Decadent Utopia" follow the latter path, adding some tongue-in-cheek moments as well as echoing, cut-up memories of the so-called Japanese Club Pop movement to the menu as Shohei Amimori takes on microphone duties on this cut as well. With "Now Forever" the artist enters advanced, yet highly groove-oriented club floors bringing forth loads of killer pianos alongside a cute, highly dense backdrop provided by both electronics and seemingly a whole bunch of scampering toy instruments reminiscent of Jean-Jacques Perrey & David Chazam's 1998-released "Eclektronics" album as well as very early Jeans Team-singles or stuff put out via the long gone German Stora imprint, "ReCircle" explores a deeper, melancholia-laden vibe which defo shows off the artists abilities in terms of Classical - or better score'esque - arrangements with its touching strings and pianos, "Ajabollamente" brings forth high end drama and a buzzing maelstrom of highly fascinating sonic events and killer melodies whereas "Climb Downhill 2" is more of a modular take on glitched out, retrofuturist computational sounds and therefore turns out to be our personal favorite on the album, subsequently followed by "Biennale" which starts out as a solemn, maybe even ritualistic Ambient piece and progresses into a spiralling, calm and friendly IDM / Electronica vibe before the "Coincidental Planet" totally re-enters the Japanese Club Pop realm to a great effect. Furthermore the "Washer" is a crossover between full on Glitch / Cut-Up and organic harmonies, presenting a sweet, funny aspect of Shohei Amimori's work, especially when his vocals are splintered, the "Fence Of Bats" caters a combination of psychoacoustic background noise modulations and ballad'esque Pop vibes with a specific twang and the final cut "Pata" enters the deep end of calm, multilayered chaos for a start before breaking off into different territories all of a sudden only to return to chaotic structures within seconds. Recommended!

Jessica Sligter & Wilbert Bulsink - Sounds Of The Young Avant-Garde Vol. 01, 2018: Untitled #2 (The Mute) [Gaudeamus / Unsounds 062]

Released as a collaborational effort between the Dutch labels Gaudeamus and Unsounds on November 1st, 2k18 is "Untitled #2 (The Mute)" the new album created by Jessica Bligter and Wilbert Bulsink as the first ever volume of the freshly installed 'Sound Of The Young Avant-Garde'-series. Premiered live on November 8th, 2k16 in Den Bosch / Netherlands the five pieces on the 41 minutes spanning longplayer are subsequently named "A" to "F", exploring the tension between non-vocal resonance and fragile, spine-tingling high pitch viola and violin works of Hitchcock'esque qualities in the opening tune whilst the follow up "B" provides 103 seconds of pure atmospheric ambiance, for the most part sticking to near silence before "C" enters with a bang, or better a short eruptive chord leading towards meandering, hypnotizing string works and intense vocal performance by Jessica Sligter. With the albums main piece "D" stretched out over 16 minutes the group fuses Cold Ambient atmospheres and hyperfragile, oscillating strings as well as ever modulating drones alongside beautiful, mysterious vocals once again performed by Jessica Sligter in an almost theatrical manner not only in the tunes' ultimate climax of madness before the final closing piece "E" is an overall unsettling combination of alarming strings, haunting whispers and dark, beatless electronic tones of mostly buzzing, electric and apocalyptic nature. Intense.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Venta Protesix - Post-Masturbatory Suicide [Hirntrust Grind Media / Hirnplatzt]

Freshly released via the Austrian Hirntrust Grind Media-camp in conjunction with their associated Hirnplatzt Magazine is the latest, one sided 7" vinyl outing by Venta Protesix named "Post Masturbatory Suicide" which comes to us as a limited edition of 100 white copies alongside an underground comic magazine delivering a dark'ish and well macabre back story explaining the releases title to all of you gore- and brutalism-headz out there. Musically the single track contained on this record is dealing with a dithering amalgamation of brutal, yet blurred Noize and more washed out ethereal background atmospheres creating a surprisingly embracing, nearly Ambient-flavored take on the genre despite delivering a clear sonic information overload in terms of sonic density. Is Ambient Noize a thing yet stylewise? If not, this one makes up for a blueprint able to turn beginners and curious souls towards darker and harsher territories in the future in terms of being a (non)musical gateway drug.

Vera Sola - The Cage (Official Video)

A stunning take on minimalist PostPunk which makes us even more keen to review her new album "Shades" that has been released on November 9th, 2k18. Watch out!

Alpines - Full Bloom [Alpines Music / The Orchard]

To be released via Alpines Music / The Orchard on November 16th, 2k18 is "Full Bloom", the sophomore album outing produced by the British band outfit known as Alpines after their 2014-debut "Oasis". With their massive tune "Out Of View" already being featured on these pages in September expectations are high for the rest of the album which opens with the title track "Full Bloom" which  fuses a decent 4/4 club beat with a distinct late 80s / early 90s Soul attitude whilst "Alright" brings on a deep, dramatic piano line, slow, dubbed out Downbeats and ethereal vocals for a hell of a Pop song that should be aired on daytime radio each and every hour for now and forever whereas "Heavy Metal" is a lovely, highly emotional Future Soul slow jam with beats heavily influenced by the UK Urban scene whilst bringing on a single electric guitar sequence paying homage to the tunes title and "Human" comes across as a large scale, Piano-led power ballad for intimitate hours albeit being built on a muscular, seemingly live recorded drum foundation. With "Too Young" we see Alpines going back big time to classic early 90s Soul, "Ghosts" employs a large scale Future Soul attitude slightly influenced by blurred Future Soul / Post Garage whilst bringing forth panoramic chords and strings for maximum dancefloor impact,"Be Yours" is the over the top, kitsch-dripping love song that somehow is to be found on each and every Soul- / Pop-related album ever and "Summer Rain" is a definitive swirling dancefloor killer for advanced Freestyle parties all over the world. With "Eyes Open" we experience another soulful slow-jam excursion harking back to the 90s, "3D" surprisingly puts a proper UK Garage / Future Garage tune to the table that will surely find its way to a lot of DJ cases and therefore dancefloors over the course of the next months and the final cut named "Archangel" closes out on a intimate bedroom vibe for a needed time out with a loved one. Defo a proper addition to each and every record collection, this. Get.

Interfaces - Jazz Meets Electronics [Ravello Records]

Put on the circuit via Ravello Records on October 12th, 2k18 and sent to us straight from Texas by Jeff Morris only recently was "Jazz Meets Electronics", the latest album outing created by the Interfaces project consisting of Mr. Morris himself alongside collaborators Karl Berger and Joe Hertenstein. Aiming to fuse computer technology and the aesthetics of a modern Jazz ensemble we see Morris employ various glitch and looping techniques to handle samples recorded from his co-musicians, turning the opener "Upzy" into a grand exploration of processed backward percussions, mesmerizing, dramatic pianos and intricate, complex Jazz drumming whilst sporting surprising breakdowns and unexpected shifts in the tunes structure whereas the following "A Solo Is The Nth Melody" almost touches the boarders of (Future) BarJazz standards and classy, smoke filled atmospheres without too much electronic / digital interference getting in the way before "In Which" goes deep into minimalist Piano Ambient territories of sorts for a start before progressing into buzzing, yet stripped down FreeJazz later on. With "Rondo" we see the Interfaces project once again connect backward glitching and a deep melancholia, "Into" explores more of a playful vibe seemingly drawing inspiration from Minimal Music, Jazz as well as Neoclassical formalisms alongside its tongue-in-cheek electronic preparation leading into a crackling climax of sonic decay, "Three At One" employs a sweet, and this time dancefloor-suitable, Future Jazz vibe for advanced club floors and "Unwind" brings on 127 seconds of highly experimental chaos and Illbient / UnAmbient for those digging deep into the depths of the genre. Listening to what the "Clocksays" - sic - we're confronted with maybe the most light-hearted composition of the entire "Jazz Meets Electronics" album, "Inderneath" provides a spaced out variation on retrofuturism and classic B-movie scores within the Interfaces spectrum which makes this one our favorite track out of these ten and the concluding cut "Dot (Dot Dot)" comes full circle with its mostly organic, uninterfered, yet fever'ish drums and ecstatic climax. Highly advanced music for Jazz afficionados and an audience way beyond.
 

Colin Self - Stay With The Trouble (For Donna) (Official Video)

This is the most disturbing Mainstyle / Gabba video you will see in a long time. Check.

Sascha Müller [Super Six Records Extra 070]

The next full length album piece by Uelsen's Sascha Müller on Super Six Records brings on eight new tracks from his studio vault, opening with the 33 minutes spanning "Radiowaves" which is a massively stretched out take on swampy, decaying Ambient / Electronica modulations and intensely beautiful minor chord synth pads mixed with a variety of obscure Field Recordings and randomized samples whereas the following "Tron" explores the glitchier, digital realms of the Ambient genre and "Funkstar" fuses crackling Clicks'n'Cuts with a superminimal take on DubTechno / Dubtronica. "The Broken Space Invaders On Planet Chocron" provide 14+ minutes of massive, grinding tectonic shifts in combination with desolate, melodic background melancholia which makes us think about how Ennio Morricone would've handled low budget sci-fi scores in terms of composition before mixing in some random recordings from sports, presumably soccer, broadcastings whilst "Plug 03" presents a sweet, glitched out variation on super dry Minimal House for those who know. Furthermore "Monotron" brings forth a hard hitting, yet highly experimental attitude somewhat reminiscent of certain Lassigue Bendthaus releases of the mid-90s, "Second" fuses sweet, soft, panoramic pads with a banging UK Techno attitude and the final cut "The Scottish Highlanders On Dope" is full-on Novelty weirdness for all those not coming down from their trips in the very near future.

Feldermelder - Another Place (Official Video)

Capturing the horrors that are hidden beneath the surface of the sea - sonically and visually.

Le Crabe & Optimis GFN - EP [Hirntrust Grind Media / Amertume / Urgence Disk Records / Et Mon Cul C'Est Du Tofu? / BRK / Bruits De Fond / Ccrecordz / I Feel Good Records / Sweat Lodge]

A multiple label effort and collaboration brings forth and results in the first collaborational single-sided - sic !!! - four track 12" created by French producer Le Crabe and originally US-based but world travelling Experimental / Mutant HipHop artist Optimis GFN which we've met in person earlier this year when he did a show at Hamburg's Goldener Salon @ Hafenklang. Opening the musical journey with "Majin Buu" we see the two artists explore 808-heavy Mutant HipHop-realms evoking memories of genre greats like Dälek or Le Trolls throughout their heydays with its warped, mind-bending bassline attacks whilst "Tetsuo Headaches" feat. K.The.I??? provides a direct, yet slightly more ass kicking sequel for all Illbient headz out there. Furthermore "S.A.H.D" brings forth a sparse, more traditional HipHop-approach with a minimal, yet spine-tingling melodic sequence that would mix perfectly with Coldcut's banger named "Only Heaven" and the final cut "Onyx Heart" comes on with the intensity of your favorite horror flic, killing everyone and everything alive with its super massive sinewave bass. Excellent.

baze.djunkiii Charts 11/2018

01. Various Artists - Diggin In The Carts: A Collection Of Pioneering Japanese Video Game Music [Hyperdub]
We've been waiting for this to be released on vinyl for way too long after we've reviewed the promotional CD copy of this amazing compilation album that arrived at our offices in late 2017. Sic.

02. Jubei & Tyrone - The Arcane EP [Metalheadz]
The Metalheadz-camp has always been a source for quality and this doesn't change with this four track EP which once again comes back to the 'long black tunnel' oftentimes cited as a well suitable description for what Drum'n'Bass is and sounds like in the genres early days. Despite employing some uplifting pads and melodic elements every now and then the masterfully shaped foundation of each tune is clean, stepping, stripped down and fueled by deepest subs for heaving floors and Drum'n'Bass purists like us. Excellent. Timeless. Get. Especially for the deadly monsters that are "The Saboteur" and "Hoppers Theme", both to be found on the B-side of this record.

03. Aphex Twin - Collapse EP [Warp Records 423]
Oh well, Aphex Twin. Praised by many for being the ultimate genious and saviour overlord of electronic music that guy named Richard D James is an interesting character for sure but hasn't been able to convince us to purchase any of his music ever since the release of his "Smojphace EP" which has been put out on the circuit back in 2003, a good 15 years ago. But now he's back at the height of his game, bringing forth four variations of Glitch-infused IDM sporting hints of Electro, Phonk as well as Drill'n'Bass / Breakcore whilst never going over the top in terms of the use of decent, friendly, playful, yet touching melodic sequences of alien origin. A future classic for highly advanced dancefloors, this.

04. Commodo - Dyrge E.P. [Black Acre 074]
What a surprise this one is as releases from the Acre- / Black Acre-camp never really resonated with us prior to this one. But the mixture of classic, yet dark'ish TripHop influences, cut-up samples, echoes of Illbient and contemporary bass music is quite thrilling and oftentimes similar to Ivy Lab's "Death Don't Always Taste Good" album whilst the B1 tune "Leeroy" provides the most excellent, spine-tingling swamp bassline we've heard in contemporary Dubstep for years and makes this hell of expensive 2x10" release worth every hard earned penny .

05. Inushini - Organisierte Ruhestörung [Alphacute / Minor Obscur / Ohm 52 / Phantomnoise / Scrotum Records]
A multi-label collaboration brings us this highly limited 4-track 7" release by underground Breakcore master Inushini who's bringing the raw, brutal tracker aesthetics of the genre back with this one whilst also crossing over into noisy Hardcore- / Speedcore-realms at times. Especially the A1 tune "Verhetzung Der Jugend" is a big hit and worth alone buying this one from your local underground vinyl vendor.

06. Yamaoka - Knuckle Ball [Minor Aqua]
One that has been sitting on my personal wantlist for quite a while. The Japanese producer Kenichi Oka a.k.a. Yamaoka brings forth two variations of hounded, yet powerful and peaktime-focused 90s Techno for strobe- and laser-lit underground raves and smoked out warehouses. Great stuff.

07. PS Stamps Back - Beyond Lies The Wub / Dyl & Paragon - Unstable [False Move Rec. 001]
Leipzig's Minor Label and the Greek Tilt Recordings joined forces for a new conjunctional label effort resulting in the first release of the new False Move Rec.-imprint. Whilst PS Stamps Back seems to explore a trippy, spaced out realm somewhat in between Electronica / IDM, Armchair Techno and influences of contemporary bass music with "Beyond Lies The Wub" we see the studio force of Dyl & Paragon bring on a hefty take on Drum'n'Bass referencing the more advanced of he genre brought forward by producers like Amit or D-Bridge's 'Club Autonomic' podcast series with the bass heavy tune that is "Unstable". Proper.

08. DJ Madd - Can't Test We [Dubwise Revolution 002]
It seems like these are interesting times for any kind of bass music again, especially after Dubstep and Grime both went through a phase of streamlining and stagnation. With this one-sided, excellently stamped 10" whitelabel release we see DJ Madd fuse the best of sparse, classic Dubstep vibes with a modern take on contemporary Jungle that defo should be striking a chord with every fan of bass heavy music for a reason.

09. Numa Crew & Killa's Army - We Nuh Tek Talk [Numa Recordings 001]
As said before, these days are interesting days for bass music and this one surely is proof for this assumption. Fusing a classic, uplifting and heavily Reggae-infused Dubstep foundation with Grime-related vocal vibes this 12" brings on pure vibes and positivity to any bass-focused dancefloor.

10. La Lune Noir - Dictator [Svinx Records]
See review for details...

Moon Relay - #`_`_`__ (Official Video)

Intense, hypermodernist PostPunk-Techno for lovers.

Koazoamo - Synapskollaps [... 001]

Coming in straight from the deepest underground of the East German city of Leipzig is the first ever release of the newly established ...-imprint, a two track 7" released produced by Koazoamo who is also known under the name of Kid Kozmoe. With the title track "Synapskollaps" we're taken into a realm of lo-fi 4/4 based dancefloor music for 8bit lovers, bringing on a certain bassdrum swing, unprocessed 80s keyboard pads and, most notably, multiple layers of raw, bleepy madness evoking memories of the wild, mostly jam-like moments of producers like Hieroglyphic Being and similar minded figures. On the flip there's "Nervenkitzel", a tune similarly raw albeit gravitating more towards classic Electro and Detroit aesthetics both in beats and arrangement which are well suitable for IDM, advanced ChillOut and SpaceNight sets for a reason and therefore win the race for our favorite track out of these two presented here.

Linus + Økland / Van Heertum / Zach - Mono No Aware [Aspen Edities 001]

Already released back in September, 2k17 and incoming alongside a bunch of other albums put on the circuit via the Belgium-based imprint Aspen Edities is "Mono No Aware", the first collaborational album effort created by the musical quintuple that is Linus + Økland / Van Heertum / Zach. Based on a musical setup including instruments like Hardanger fiddle, euphonium, banjo, guitar and several brass pieces the album opens with "Islander", a tender and fragile musical journey meandering in between (Neo)Classical and melancholia-driven, naturalistic Nordic Folk as an opener whilst the subsequent "Truth" goes a little deeper, fusing intertwined guitar and euphonium progressions with oscillating strings, a calm swell and some remnants of FreeJazz sax before "Stir" takes us back to ancient, often romanticized times and life in untouched woods and landscapes and "Surge" is bringing on intense, klaxon'esque drones and fever'ish multi-layers telling tales of dangers and monstrosities hiding around the corners of the known territories. With "Dewy" we see the group returning to undisturbed naturalistic beauty and innocence whilst employing echoes of panoramic Jazz, "Fairbanks" comes as a surprise with its lively banjo lines and "Snakes And Ladders" brings on the collected aesthetics and strict movements of a formal medieval dance for a reason. Finally we see "Still" gravitating towards an Ambient-like experience of quietness and minimal movements before the concluding "Stray" introduces the first final electronic backings on this album, fusing Ambient-related pads with longing, yet lonesome fiddles and crystalline synth tones. One for the purists, this.

09.11.2018 Schön & Voll - Tuntenball 2018 @ Fabrique / Hamburg

Fabrique Ballroom - Mainfloor

performance:
Die Traurigsten Cheerleader Der Welt & Hildegard Von Binge Drinking

decks:
DJ Wuchtbrumme
DJ I Will Do It Again

Fabrique Basement - Glitter-/ElectroHouse & Techno

decks:
baze.djunkiii [Intrauterin Recordings]
Brian Dino [Maschine Brennt]
Niik & Pony [Gay In Die Gänge]

doors: 9pm - basement floor opens at midnight.

Flyer artwork on Instagram!

Fabrique
Gängeviertel
Valentinskamp 34
Hamburg
Germany

Jason Forrest - Subdivision (Official Video)

Breakcore god Jason Forrest takes DiscoHouse to new extremes.

Rhytm Police - Debaser [In Gute Hände 001]

Going back to the year 2012 with this album which was given to us in Augsburg lately we're examining the first ever release of the local imprint In Gute Haende, the "Debaser" album by Rhytm Police. Comprised of the two members Leroy Schlimm, known as Leroy on Munich's Schamoni Music label, and Mycrotom the duo caters a set of seven tracks on this one, starting with the deep Electronica Blues cut that is "Gotta Lotta Low" before "Cecillia" draws influences from heavy Dancehall and UK Bass music in general beatwise whilst sending out all embracing low end signals as a deep ass foundation for yearning, and slightly broken vocals whereas "Partners In Crime" employs an isolationist, desolate P-Funk / PostPunk-Disco vibe and "Cobra Royal" weighs in a suprisingly big portion of Hi-NRG Disco overdrive. On the flip we've got "Sign" with its seductive, yet tongue-in-cheek electronic swing, distinct background offbeats and playful late night night vibe, "TV Killer" offers more mimimalistic swing for hormone-driven (No)Wave- / ElectroClash-dancefloors and the concluding "Cool Again" takes us deep into the beautiful, calm spheres of stripped down Indietronica evoking memories of labels like Digital Kranky or the early Morr Music years. One to check if you're on a journey into the deepest realms of the German underground music scene for sure.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Shohei Amimori - Now Forever

Is this the epic return of Japanese ClubPop?

La Lune Noire - Dictator [Svinx Records]

Incoming from the Netherlands only recently was "Dictator", the latest album outing by the Dutch outfit La Lune Noir. Put on the circuit via Svinx Records on October 20th, 2k18 the band is - at least according to the press info coming with the album - paying homage to Charlie Chaplin and his closing speech in "The Great Dictator" titlewise, opening the ride with "We Have Lost The Way" which can be described as balancing the line between epic FuturePop and modernistic, Trance-infused EBM employing panoramic synths and heavy riffing, "Hate" employs a similar formular, yet bringing forth more drama and pathos before "This Empty Room" evokes musical memories of the large scale, yet still 4/4 SynthPop production approach once brought forward by genre masters like the Pet Shop Boys throughout their "Go West" era, although La Lune Noir's vocals are clearly catering towards a more Goth-leaning audience. With "Fake News" the band touches down on ProtoTrance in combination with ethereal female vocal backings and the very first samples of president Trump we've ever heard in an electronic music context, the rocking "Nudes" will be loved by Laibach-fans of late, "Wired To The Screen" indulges in deep technological nostalgia with samples of old telephones and data sets evoking a string-driven, retrofuturist 80s vibe for NuBeat- and ProtoTechno-dancefloors and "I Have A Dream" transfers the sample of legends into a thrilling FuturePop context for your wildest, yet blackest night out. Furthermore "Cowboys And Indians" serves a sweet, seductive bass motif for those loving deep electronic (Synth)Pop ballads, "Shots Are Fired" is on a slightly kitschy tip musically and the final cut "Neglected And Torn" presents an intro of playful electronic bleeps leading into a powerhouse of a closing tune that we defo want to listen to on a large scale live p.a. for a reason. Great stuff although we think there could've been more of a dynamic range and a punchier bass section brought forward within the mixing and mastering process of the whole album.

Bloom Offering - Venus Shrugged

Heartfelt, melancholia driven SynthWave to be released via the great The Helen Scarsdale Agency in late November, 2k18.