Maja S.K. Ratkje - Vannstand [Motvind Records 010]

Released on March 12th, 2k21 via the Norwegian imprint that is Motvind Records is "Vannstand", the latest album outing created by composer Maja S.K. Ratke who has taken influence and input from the pulse of the tidal shifts alongside the countrys seemingly endless jagged coastlines in terms of song- or better: score-writing for pieces which are in fact named after places in Norway's coastal regions which then are - drumroll and.... surprise! - interpreted by children only to be re-edited and mixed by Maja S.K. Ratke herself to be cast into a final form. Rolled out over the course of eight compositions and roughly 40 minutes total playtime the results of this fascinating approach vary widely in terms of their musical direction, from collage'esque, somewhat Plunderphonics-oriented pieces created from various vocal snippets and wind / air flow sounds generated by an array of seemingly fast moving, whirling tubes, pipes and hoses to inward-looking, calm, yet highly detailed experimental Jazz / Folk cuts to echoes of echoes of highly abstract Contemporary Classical music, elements of Fluxus, Chamber Music and other bits that make "Vannstand" an album predominantly speaking and applying to somewhat of an intellectual, avantgarde-informed audience.

Neumann / Gutvik / Haker Flaten / Nilssen-Love - New Dance [PNL Records 051]

Coming in with another live album these days is the famed PNL Records imprint who've been releasing "New Dance" as their cat.no. 051 on February 26th, 2k21 - a live performance by label founder Paal Nilssen-Love alongside Calle Neumann, Ketil Gutvik and double bass-player Ingebrigt Haker Flaten. The concert, somewhat of a sequel of a show that had taken place 20 years prior with a slightly different line up of artists, recorded at Oslo's Victoria Jazz Club in July of 2k20 and - like each and every album created these days - somewhat influenced by the ongoing pandemic situation sees the quartet on an intense, yet explorative journey through different realms and incarnations of Jazz, from the deep, tender and twangy acoustic guitar notes of "A Sa Et Fro" later accompanied by clattering drums and meandering alto sax lines to the complex rhythm signatures to be found in the in the nearly 31 minutes spanning main and title piece "New Dance" which partially dies off to near silence or even brooding, unsettling darkness before re-emerging in a truly experimental, improvisational FreeJazz fashion whereas the concluding "Dett Var Dett" caters an explosive eruption of hard hitting creativity showcased by a gazillion of improvised, yet masterly structured sonic events per second. One for the advanced connaisseur of the genre.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Desolat - Songs Of Love In The Age Of Anarchy [Bloodshed666 Records 020]

Released via the Austrian diy Punk Hardcore label and store Bloodshed666 Records in October of 2k20 is "Songs Of Love In The Age Of Anarchy" - a massive, and massively beautiful, five track picture disc by Desolat which is also the outfits second ever release. Coming in heavy with songs like "Nuclear Extinction To Human Civilisation" or "Dreams Of Slaughtered Yuppies Under Starlit Night Skies" and an attitude somewhere in between riff-heavy, slow motion Hardcore and Doom Metal, even sample-infused in the epic intro of "The Bureaucrat", Desolat are defo the ones able to bring the heat to sweaty full-contact moshpits and smog-fueled, strobe-lit Metal venues of doom with each and every one of the five pieces to be found on this one, including the anthemic title track "Songs Of Love In The Age Of Anarchy" as well as the high-octane fueled power cut that is "Waste Of Life". Highly recommended, both musically as well as for avid vinyl / picture disc collectors. Get!

M. Rösner - No Lasting Form [Room40 Promo]

Set for release via Australia's Room40 label on April 2nd, 2k21 is "No Lasting Form", the new album by M. Rösner which marks a remarkable return of an artist who has been one of the first people to ever release on Room40 ever and is also his first musical outing after being absent from the circuit for an extended period of time. Coming back with a total of eight brand new cuts rolled out over the course of 36 minutes and 36 seconds M. Rösner explores a tender, droning, yet multi-layered sonic universe from the very first moments of the calm, Ambient-leaning opener "Set Adrift" onwards which seems to incorporate altered, processed Field Recordings blown over from faraway construction sites as well as their mechanical processes, weighs in tender, emotionally touching and inward looking pianos in the subsequent piece that is "Celestial", drifts along the retrofuturism of computational processes and ever changing sinewave modulations in "Dead Reckoning" whilst carefully adding occasional piano notes to the mix before "Beneath The Breeze" indulges in full on minimalism and most beautiful atmospheric string works. Furthermore "Beacons" caters more minor scale pianos, this time in combination with vintage crackles and well ominous low end scrapings reminiscent of slowly grinding rocks, "Anchorage" is a blueprint for eerie late night Ambient for secluded, isolated listening sessions whilst "Three Sheets To The Wind" continues on a path of solemn piano composition and the concluding cut that is "Awash" introduces more of a glistening, brittle minimalism before crackly, dreamy vintage pianos once again provide the soundtrack for rainy autumn afternoons. Defo a timeless, well essential Ambient album and a most amazing comeback. Check!

Xotox - Forever [Infacted Recordings Promo]

Fresh on the digital circuit via Infacted Recordings is "Forever", the latest single / EP release by German producer Xotox who's been a staple in the hard and dark electronic music scene for more than 20 years now. Coming in with "The Price We Pay For Happiness" we see Xotox on a brutal, marching, yet surprisingly atmospheric path towards severe dancefloor destruction whilst catering a peaktime anthem for glowing cybergoth crowds at the same time whereas "WDYWMTKM" weighs in more of a percussive, highly futuristic and Abstract Tribal-leaning Techno vibe with its distorted electric guitar signature samples and vocal snippets which could possibly even work BigBeat / Breaks crowds to the max before "Hymn For The Undead (Interlude)" even seems to dabble with hard hitting Dubstep-influences alongside deep IDM atmospheres. Furthermore the title track "Forever (In Full Effect)" introduces complex, threatening polyrhythms and an overall feel of doom and desolation before the concluding "Für Immer (Reduziert)" takes stripped down, brooding BrokenTechno to a next level for 2k21 and therefore is our favorite cut on here. Check.

Syncopix - Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy *Euphonique Remix

SYNCOPIX · Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy (Euphonique Remix)

This is by far one of the most beautiful and cinematic Drum'n'Bass cuts we've heard in a long while. File under: Instant classic.

Merope - Salos [Granvat 021]

Put out on the circuit via the Granvat-imprint on February 24th, 2k21 is "Salos", the fourth full length album outing released by Merope, a collaborational project run by musicians from both Belgium and Lithuania which first appeared on the longplay circuit back in 2012. Now, with their latest creation Merope cater a total of seven songs, once again - like in the groups 2018-released album "Naktes" - fully reminiscent of and harking back to the naturalistic beauty and innocence of ancient Folk songs combined with tender electronic textures and - for a first - the multilayered, ever floating vocal power of the Vilnius Chamber Choir Jauna Muzika conducted by Vaclovas Augustinas which, alongside other contributing guest musicians, played an essential role in the creation of this album and its tender, soft and oftentimes touching re-interpretations of traditional, centuries old Lithuanian songs like the ever caressing, slightly Indietronica-leaning "Bitinelis", the ecclesiastiastically floating chorals of "Oi Toli", the angelic, yet slightly kitsch-driven Ambient elegies of "Alma" or the almost acoustic minimal guitar piece that is "Sakale" just to name a few. A most beautiful album, this.

DJ C ft. Electro Organic Sound System - Circe

Mashit · DJ C - Circe (ft. Electro Organic Sound System)

Our American buddy DJ C is back after what seemed to be a long time hiatus and he's back with a classy, polished, yet somewhat dubbed out jungalistic bang. We're in for this!

Hanzzo - Ziehharmonika [Klinik Room Recordings 340 Promo]

Fresh on the circuit via the Crotia-based imprint Klinik Room Recordings is "Ziehharmonika", the latest single outing crafted by German underground producer Hanzzo. Opening with the original take of "Ziehharmonika" we see Hanzzo on a heavy, brooding and well menacing peak time Techno tip, presenting deep atmospheric background droning, highly compressed drums and a truly braincell twisting main motif whereas the additional remix built by no-one less than The D3VI7 himself takes the tune to a new level, focusing on a more psyched out, bleepy Techno variation whilst taking your soul into a long dark and probably ketamine-infused tunnel with his space-time-dissolving rework.

User33885745203 - Untitled EP [User Recordings 026 Promo]

Another new one on the ever active imprint that is User Recordings is the labels cat.no. 026, the "Untitled EP" crafted by User33885745203. Opening with "Untitled 18-1" we're entering a realm of banging, highly compressed and well distorted Acid madness which would've been well suitable for 90s compilation albums like the legendary 'Rauschen 5' which represented the Force Inc. label at its absolute hardest followed by the subsequent cut named "Untitled 10-1" which is exploring a similar, yet even more brutal path causing ultimate devastation and carnage on smog-filled dancefloors. Heavy.

Norman Westberg & Jacek Mazurkiewicz - First Man In The Moon [Hallow Ground Promo]

Released on March 12th, 2k21 via Switzerland's ever active Hallow Ground-imprint is "First Man In The Moon", the first ever collaborational longplay effort by producer - and former Swans guitarist - Norman Westberg and Jacek Mazurkiewicz who's well known in the underground circuit of his Polish homeland for a gazillion of projects, collaborations and disguised solo productions released over the course of the past 15 years or so. Together, the two artists embark on a five tracks and roughly 37 minutes spanning, well explorative journey - all recorded over the course of two studio sessions taking place in Warsaw back in 2019. The result is rather spatial, yet not so much space-focused as the album title might suggest but rather evoking more of a feel of maritime melancholia, pairing touchingly deep Ambient tones with what seem to be creaky ropes in the opening tune that is "What Is Good For The Goose" whereas the subsequent follow up "That Was Then" weighs in glistening, slightly feedback-driven guitars somewhat meandering in between the likes of Fennesz and echoes of Post-PostRock / Post-DesertRock released on labels like Kranky the likes of. With the title track "First Man In The Moon" Norman Westberg and Jacek Mazurkiewicz cater a take of relaxed, inward-looking and guitar-driven Deep Listening Music , followed by the blurred, yet hypnotic loops and layers of  "Falsely Accused" which is a little too intense to be bordering the genre sometimes referred to as PopAmbient and the final cut that is "Oxnard" pairs slightly washed out electronics with twangy, slightly off-kilter guitar tones and somewhat brooding strings for a well unsettling farewell in dim twilight.

25.03.2021 baze.djunkiii presents Beyond TechHouse Volume 10 @ Radio Flouka / Paris (2100 GMT+1)

Return to the dancefloor, everyone. We're ready to roll. Opening with a contemporaty re-issue of Freddie Fresh's 1993 alltime AcidTrance classic „Return To Phantazia“ Radio Flouka-resident baze.djunkiii leads us into a realm that is truly „Beyond TechHouse“ for a reason. Mixing up dubbed out, hypnotic vibes with pumping vocal anthems, hefty House grooves and, of course, classic TechHouse tunes baze.djunkiii provides a proper 60 minutes soundtrack for your personal isolation in-house rave experience. Enjoy the ride.

decks: baze.djunkiii [Intrauterin Recordings]

file under: TechHouse / House / Techno

transmission time: 21oo - 22oo GMT+1

get locked via Radio Flouka
Paris

Skarbø Skulekorps - Dugnad [Hubro Music]

Another fresh one scheduled for release on March 26th, 2k21 is "Dugnad", the sophomore longplay effort created by the Øyvind Skarbø-led Skarbø Skulekorps. Once again released via the Norwegian imprint Hubro Music the multi-piece band which could be described as an allstar ensemble of sorts caters a menu of 14 tracks within 30 minutes, a short, yet intense and well varied journey informed and somewhat influenced by the mixtapes of Skarbø's youth. This said, the Skarbø Skulekorps weighs in classic late night Jazz / Easy Listening vibes as well as explosive, highly dramatic pieces somewhat reminiscent of 80s news anchors and production music in "Kassett", twangy electric guitar solos alongside deep FutureJazz in "Triple F", even heavy Rock influences in "F-Punk" whilst the brutal, stumbling rhythms of "PGA The Fruit" or "Aslan" evoke memories of bands like Dyse and pieces like "Elia" hark back to most trippy, highly comforting Space Age Easy Listening just to name a few. A highly recommended journey that feels way longer than an actual half hour only. Get!

Album artwork on Instagram!

P.T.B.S. & The D3VI7 - The Versus Series Vol. 03 [Afflicted In Techno / Bang Le Dex Recordings]

Fresh on the highly limited lathe cut circuit is this hand-manufactured 12" release which sees Uelsen-based producer P.T.B.S. teaming up with no-one less than The D3VI7 for a studio session. Whilst "Inner Voice" on the logo side of this disc provides quite a hefty take on proper Rave music with its hard stomping drums and spine-tingling (Dark)Trance basslines alongside a sweet, sparkling and well innocent melodic main motif "Let There Be Light" on the info side goes down a slightly deeper musical road with its precisely sculpted, more PsyTrance-leaning drums, masterfully arranged harmonic changes and an epic build-up finally leading to an emotional widescreen panorama of Trance layers for the wee hours of the night.

baze.djunkiii Chart Haul 03/2k21

Territoire - Etude De La Profondeur [Humo Internacional 026]

Scheduled for release on March 26th, 2k21 via Humo Internacional is "Etude De La Profondeur", the new and upcoming musical outing by French composer Olivier Arson who's once again employing his artistic nom de guerre Territoire for this one. With a total runtime of roughly 27 minutes and spanning two extended tracks only and therefore being more on the EP side of things this Territoire release explores the nature of objects falling through a vertical structure with physical data of these indivual falls translated into a graphical score and being fed into an array of granular synthesizers afterwards, a highly conceptual approach which finally results in a brooding, claustrophobic arrangement of granular, electrical buzzes in combination with cold, hostile athmospheres, heavily shifting sonic masses, shrieking Noize and an overall futuristic, Industrial Ambient-leaning feel, a soundtrack for doomed, post-apocalyptic ruins, sparsely lit by occasional bursts of flying sparks erupting from damaged powerlines and their unstable currents, interrupting the shades in which creepy survivors, dark deformities and unseen horrors from the underworld are pursuing whatever their shady, undisclosed business is all about. This is intense and defo not for the weak-heartened.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Bad Uok - Lateless [Trouble In The East Records 021]

Coming in via mail courtesy of Italian drummer Andrea Grillini only recently is "Lateless", the December 2k20 released sophomore album by Bad Uok, an all Italian quartet comprised of named Andrea Grillini alongside Andrea Cali, Leonardo Rizzi and Federico Pierantoni combining their musical weapons of choice - drums, piano, fender rhodes and trombone - to carve out and sculpt a new six track outing for all Jazz - and, partially, JazzFunk - connaisseurs out there. With all six pieces recorded a mere five years before they were released we see tunes like "105 Pt.3" building up from carefully arranged, yet stripped down opening sequences to a dramatic, fully fledged swing and heavy drum action whereas "Linea (First Approach)" provides more of a classical late night approach despite being based on a foundation of quite complex, fast paced and stumbling rhythm signatures, the title cut "Lateless" caters classy and tender piano movements before taking us out for a proper selected sip of bourbon and the final piece "Ein Glücklicher Zufall" provides a blueprint for deepest late night (Bar)Jazz in 2k21 for a closing just to name a few. Deep.

User78863085453 - HNW EP [User Recordings 030 Promo]

Released via the ever busy User Recordings imprint is the "HNW EP", the first ever digital two track outing  put on the circuit by User78863085453. Whilst the opening tune named "HNW" provides a mere four minutes of heavy, well overwhelming digital HarshNoize movements with a surprisingly warm and somewhat even comforting twist the second cut, "Zapata_UNO", digs deep into a short-looped, raw and hounded, highly hypnotic as well as heavily cowbell-infused Acid x Electro fusion for most underground ChicagoBasement sessions.

Tomoko Mukaiyama & Yannis Kyriakides - La Mode [Tomoko 0005]

Released on February 15th, 2k21 is "La Mode", the new collaborational album created by Dutch-Japanese performer x pianist x visual artist x director Tomoko Mukaiyama and composer Yannis Kyriakides which are presenting a second rendering of their 2016-performed work created for the opening of the National Theatre in Taichung / Taiwan. Recently revived for a live-stream concert throughout the first COVID-19 induced lockdown the hour long version recorded for this CD album, like the original stage performance for which the music was intended, deals with various highly conceptualized aspects of the fashion world and industry, weighing in a wide musical spectrum ranging from sparkling, ever cascading piano melodies, metallic scraping and unsettling low end movements to Aube'esque tonal qualities all to be found in the opener "Catwalk", touches base with Minimal Music in the subsequent piece that is "Nocturnal" whereas "Early Memory" combines a highly seductive, skeletal swing beat with sparse, hypnotic electronic loops and a focus on Mukaiyama's tender, emotionally touching (Neo)Classical / Contemporary Classical piano performance. Furthermore "Dress Code" strips things down even further to piano, silence and remnants of Mukaiyama's whispering voice whilst the concluding "Ito Rumba" goes deep into lively, yet somewhat quirky Electronica realms for a closing with a vibe that's able to set advanced dancefloors in motion, especially in a more intimate club setting in venues attended by a small but highly dedicated and well informed audience of musical connaisseurs. Defo our favorite cut on this album.

Album artwork on Instagram!

David Shea - The Thousand Buddha Caves [Room40 Promo]

Put on the circuit via Australia's ever active Room40-imprint on March 12th, 2k1 is "The Thousand Buddha Caves" which is the latest musical outing by David Shea who's been on the album circuit for almost 30 years now with his longplay debut being released in 1992. Driven by a basically life long interest in ancient trading routes between the East - a.k.a. Asia - and the rest of the world and intercultural exchange associated with trade and with guest contributions by the likes of Ictus Ensemble, Oren Ambarchi and others David Shea rolls out a ten tracks and 63 minutes spanning body of work rich in atmosphere and contemplative in nature, reflecting and recreating the sounds and a state of deep meditation whilst sonically recreating the environment of Asian temples and sanctuaries in a partially dark and brooding manner as showcased in "Ritual In The Sand" whereas a tune like "Falling Rice On The Guzheng" fuses intense drum eruptions with hypnotic background chants and a bustling overall vibe whilst pieces like "Mara's Daughters Seduce Buddha" or "Meditation" explore the general realm of so-called Minimal Music just to name a few. World Music (Not World Music) might be a term to describe this one in a well simplifying catch phrase.

David Granström - Empty Room [Hallow Ground Promo]

Scheduled for release via the mighty label that is Hallow Ground is "Empty Room", the latest five tracks and 40 minutes spanning album outing created by Swedish composer David Granström. Created throughout his residency at the infamous defunct iron ore mine known as Ställbergs Gruva Granström blends dreamy, floating and all comforting, slow moving guitar manipulations with his trademark take on droning Ambient cascades which are sporting a slightly (Neo)Cosmic / Berlin School / Synth twist in the almost celebratory opening tune that is "Obsidian" whereas the tender, brittle tonal explorations of the subsequent follow-up "Aeon" evoke memories of works by producer / guitarist Fennesz and the likes of. Furthermore "Sapphire Visions" indulge in an inward-looking take on Post-PostRock for fans of acts like Klimek or the Cologne-centered PopAmbient genre, "Occultations" weigh in super scenic, harmonic Synth Ambient movements for beauteous sunsets whereas the final cut that is "Transience" provides a twangy, minimal variation of Space PostRock in combination with spatial, slow and reverberating beats for an almost Pink Floyd'esque closing. Deep. Calm. Relaxed.

Eisold Camatta Degenhardt - Luxus Fluxus [Umland Records 040]

Put out on the circuit only recently via Essen's most active Umland Records label is "Luxus Fluxus", the first ever full on collaborational album recorded by the musical triumvirate comprised of Peter Eisold, Simon Camatta and Karl F. Degenhardt recording under the conjunctional, and shortened, moniker Eisold Camatta Degenhardt. Recorded and conceived throughout a two days session that took place in Mülheim An Der Ruhr / Germany the three musicians form their sound based on a foundation of percussion and drum sounds fused with 'objects' and electronics, boiling down the essence of their collaboration to an astounding 15 tracks rolled out over the course of only 41 minutes, sporting well tongue-in-cheek titles like "Tee Im Harem Des Epidemiologen", "Lineares Für Lineal" or "Die Glocken Der Harmonie" amongst many others whilst exploring a quite humorous sonic universe based on oftentimes stumbling, abstract and slightly clumsy, yet at the same time well funky rhythm signatures, sudden crescendoes, intricate, tender and highly detailed layerings, playful and friendly little motifs as well as free floating experimentation in tunes like the title track "Luxus Fluxus" or "Introducing The Triptydudes". Defo a new, and next, evolutionary step for the label in terms of redefining and further bending the boundaries of what Jazz is or can be in 2k21 whilst even speaking to those still remembering more electronic-leaning acts like Groenland Orchester with tunes like "Raven Raven" or even dabbling with dubbed out, minimalist Electronica vibes in "Postabstraktionismus Zwei [A, B, C]". Check.

Listen Again: baze.djunkiii presents Beyond TechHouse Vol. 12 @ CuttersChoiceRadio / London, UK (11.03.2021)

Sending a shout out to my man Benny Fonz for hosting this mix in his 2 1/2 hours show!

Stefan Römer - Decon Sound [Corvo Records 019 Promo]

Released only recently via the Berlin-based imprint that is Corvo Records is "Decon Sound", the latest two-track longplay outing shaped, conceived and created by German sound artist Stefan Römer who is catering two extended pieces on this one. Opening with the "Deconstructivist Sound For Conrad Schnitzler" Römer pays homage to one of Germany's electronic music pioneers through incorporating and re-arranging original cassette tapes from Schnitzler's archive, amongst a variety of other sound sources, in a dark, spine-tingling and full on monolithic electro-acoustic sound sculpture meandering in between Noize and a maelstrom of super intense Industrial music - think: Einstürzende Neubauten in their wildest, most excessive moments - whereas other segments of the 15 minute spanning composition are built on a foundation of filtered percussions alongside cut up Spoken Word recordings / recorded phone calls. Furthermore we see the follow up, the "Deconstructivist Sound For Syd Barrett", being a second homage, this time to the defunct and passed Pink Floyd member, most suitably starting out with an extended, slightly psychedelic sequence of pedal treated electric guitar feedbacks which slowly moves, warps and modulates over the tunes entire 22 minute runtime to a well hypnotic, intense and time dissolving effect. Proper good, this.

Gintas K - The Ways [GK Rec. 004]

Coming in all the way from Lithuania these days is "The Ways", the fourth album in four years released by Gintas Kraptavicius a.ka. Gintas K on his very own and self-run imprint GK Rec.. Spread out over ten tracks - all named in some or another way related to or including the word 'way' and a total playing time of 65 minutes the Lithuanian sound artist follows his usual approach of live recording with a set up of computer, midi keyboards and controller once again, creating a bleepy, glitched out and highly abstract, probably Max / MSP-infused sonic realm that defies any further categorization and exists in a secluded bubble beyond any genre, albeit things like Glitch and most abstract takes on Electronica come to mind, especially in clean, polished cuts like the opener "One Way #1" or the surprisingly rhythmic "Another Way #1" which show loose, decaying and ever changing patterns of repeating motifs whereas others like "One Way #3" as well as the albums 20 minutes spanning main piece "Both Ways. Longer", which btw is our main favorite on "The Ways" as well, do exist entirely on their own like shiny, highly detailed, probably encoded and chrome-resembling sculptures of sound flung back in time from a faraway future or an extraterrestrial or even interdimensional layer of the space time continuum whilst the final cut "Infinity Way" redefines Minimal Ambient as well as Minimal Music as an entire genre for 2k21. Fascinating.

User55886799000 - Raver EP [User Recordings 027 Promo]

A more recent release put out on the digital circuit via User Recordings is the "Raver EP", the latest two track outing crafted and shaped by the User55886799000. Opening with "I'm A Raver Baby *True Oldschool Mix" we see the elusive artist on a Happy Rave / Happy Breakbeat-induced tip for lovers of producers like Q-Bass or labels like Pengo, Rabbit City Records and the likes of before the subsequent follow up that is "Untitled 12-1" focuses on relentless and hyperbrutalist, well distorted Acid madness for the sickest, most underground squat raves in the history of electronic music, catering a hefty crescendo for mass braincell extinction.

Sascha Müller - Red Giant EP [Fresscode Records 009 Promo]

Scheduled for release via Fresscode Records this month - a.k.a. March, 2k21 - is the "Red Giant EP", the next digital single crafted by Uelsen's finest Sascha Müller. With the title track "Red Giant" the German producer explores a hard, lo-fi and slightly distorted TribalTechno realm somewhat reminiscent of Fabrice Lig's legendary "Interwaves E.P." put on the circuit back in 1994, "Savage" caters a flogging and relentless take on hypermonotonous, yet highly rave stab-infused ToolTechno which would've been associated with the Force Inc.-camp throughout the 90s whereas the "Secret Drop" gets down and dirty in terms of hypnotic, spiralling, stripped down and clap heavy HypnoTech ever building up towards an intense crescendo that never provides full relief but fully relies on the next tune in the set to do so. The likes of Daniel Bell, John Acquaviva and Richie Hawtin would've loved "Secret Drop" back in the golden days, we think.

Enduser - Collapse *2methyl Remix

2methyl · [DECAY0013] Enduser - Collapse (2methyl Remix)

The world needs more Drum'n'Bass like this. 100% vantablack atmospheric darkness for those who know. We dig.

ICP Septet + Joris Roelofs / Terrie Ex / Mara's Pianola - Komen & Gaan [Instant Composers Pool 066]

Put on the circuit as cat.no. 066 of the Instant Composers Pool label on February 15th, 2k21 is "Komen & Gaan", a sixteen track album composed on the spot - apart from one single track that is - when recorded at Le Brocope, a music venue located in the very north of Holland. As with a lot off so-called instant compositions and therefore improvised music the actual musical content is hard to grasp and to define in terms of musical genre drawers, yet the multi-piece set of composers / performers invlvd manages to build up an arc of tension from the very first opening seconds of "Lucht", which seems to be a first, carefully executed test for all wind and brass instruments invlvd in the ten piece line-up, progresses into a modern take on Jazz standards with the classy, comforting and somewhat 60s vintage sounding "De Linkerschoen, De Rechterschoen 1", weighs in a yearning, yet busy and hounded, slightly over the top bit of silent film score works in "MaGuTer", thundering, dramatic piano eruptions in "GuTer" which cites well known, recognizable microphrases alongside moments of full on improvisation whereas pieces like "Kroket" or "De Linkerschoen, De Rechterschoen 2" focus on deeper, more fragile and tender, partly even romantic moments in Jazz for advanced followers of the genre.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Chuck Johnson - The Cinder Grove [Glitterbeat Records]

Released via Glitterbeat Records on February 12th, 2k21 is "The Cinder Grove", the latest five track album outing created by Oakland, California-based artist Chuck Johnson. With his music described as 'Ambient Country' by magazines like The Guardian Johnson brings forth an unlikely amalgamation of pedal steel guitar, synthesizers, electronic organ and digital DAW treatments, accompanied by contributions of several guest musicians, resulting in a twangy, yet comforting and well washed out sonic realm from the first moments of the opening piece that is "Raz-De-Mare" onwards, a floating, hovering cloud of sound slowly meandering through a dimension beyond a linear progression of time, touching base with both Ambient and Instrumental Post-PostCountry, drawing influences from echoes of echoes of echoes of Shoegaze, introducing warm, all embracing bass pulses and supersoft pads in "Serotiny" whilst the "Red Branch Bell" adds several panoramic layers of string instruments to the equation to an emotionally touching, melancholia-infusing effect. A well balanced sonic padding for ChillOut floors and Balearic settings around the globe, preferrably steered and guided by artists and DJs like Mixmaster Morris on the decks.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Sascha Müller - Traxxx Vol. 34 [SM Traxxx 57-2021 Promo]

Scheduled for release on March 18th, 2k21 is "Traxxx Vol. 34", the next episode of Sascha Müller's ongoing series of monthly digital singles for the SM Traxxx label. Opening with "Track 67" we see the Uelsen-based producer on a captivating ClubTechno tip, catering subdued, muffled rave signals and a strangely metallic overall sound aesthetic somewhat reminiscent of the n-th cassette overdub copy of 90s rave radio recordings whereas the subsequent "Track 68" weighs in a gallopping, hollow and certainly lo-fi variation of cheesy, cheeky, uplifting and low key bedroom studio produced Happy Trance / Happy Rave for those who've been around in the early rave days.

Laibach - Brat Moj / My Brother (Official Laibach Revisited Video)

Laibach are the masters of dystopian storytelling and spine-tingling social criticism still.

Various Artists - Mali. The Art Of Griots Of Kela, 1978 - 2020. [Musee D'Ethnographie De Geneve / Archives Internationales De Musique Populaire 119 Testpress]

Coming in as a whitelabel testpress only recently is "Mali. The Art Of Griots Of Kela, 1978 - 2020.", the latest joint venture feature release put out on the circuit by the Ethnographical Museum of Geneva and its associated Archive for International Popular Music. Focusing on the music of Griots in the famed village of Kela which has been a hotspot and main hub for Griot musicians for generations this album collects a total of six recordings from the village, all captured in the same place the local Diabate family has been using as a studio space ever since. With three recordings from 1978 and three more from 2019, all with the traditional set up of main vocals accompanied by guitar and lute we're taken deep into the most undiluted heart and centre of deep - and to Western listeners oftentimes melancholia-infused - Griot music which hasn't changed much over the fourty years that lie in between these two recording sessions, probably hasn't changed much in many centuries before recording technology even existed and most probably won't change much in centuries to come. A document which presents traditional African music in its purest form for those keen to explore beyond the boundaries of so-called Western music.

Langham Research Centre - Tape Works Vol. 2 [Nonclassical 043 Promo]

Put on the circuit via Nonclassical on February 26th, 2k21 is "Tape Works Vol. 2", the aptly named second rendition of Langham Research Centre's 'Tape Works'-series after the first part being released back in 2k17. Shortly described in a quote by Carl Stone with the words 'Acousmopherics anyone?' in the additional press info sheet coming along with our promo copy we see the group project drifting through 46 minutes and six pieces of tape experimentation on this one, approaching things from a dark'ish, heavy and Industrial-leaning angle with manipulations and recordings of construction site equipment and cold, dystopian sci-fi atmospheres evoking memories of influential groups like Einstürzende Neubauten whilst further sound warpings bring to mind praised institutions like the BBC Radiophonic Workshop or the electro-acoustic experiments put out on the circuit by labels like Wachsender Prozess in their early days. And of course there's influences of brooding, spine-tingling Dark Ambient and nightly Minimal Music in pieces like "Accerezzo", the obvious conceptual weight of Musique Concrete, Found Sound, Collage and Field Recordings whilst a playful, slightly tongue-in-cheek take on score'esque retrofuturism makes cuts like "Nachholbedürfnis" or the dark, threatening atmospheres and metallic warpings of "Dinotiques" timeless, boundless and extremely fascinating pieces for repeated listening sessions, preferrably alone and in dim twilight for maximum focus and a most intense effect. Recommended.

Warped Dreamer - Live At Bimhuis [Consouling Sounds]

Released via the Belgium-based imprint Consouling Sounds on February 26th, 2k21 is "Live At Bimhuis", the new live album put on the circuit by Warped Dreamer - a four piece outing comprised of its members that are Arve Henriksen, Teun Verbruggen, Jozef Dumoulin and Stian Westerhus. Covering a 40 minutes performance at Amsterdam's legendary Bimhuis venue actually recorded back in June of 2016 we see the four musicians, 50% originating from Belgium whilst their counterparts being renowned names in the Jazz / Improv scene of Norway, on a highly explorative tip, pairing their long-standing experience in Jazz with a variety of electronic morphings and instruments, offering an intense ride from the deep, somewhat desert'esque and score-worthy opening tune "Ixwele" onwards to the slightly TexMex-leaning, polyrhythmic and highly detailed follow up "Golden Geek Award" with its ever brooding, tectonic low end whilst "Lights Out - Darkness" seems to focus even more on Industrial Ambient, intense sound shiftings and dystopian, post-apocalyptic darkness whilst building up towards a noisy, well overwhelming climax and therefore is our favorite cut on this album for a reason. Furthermore "Umgaba" provides free, improvised and clattering rhythm signatures in combination with brutalist, vantablack sci-fi atmospheres and echoes of claustrophobic DarkAmbient soundscapes originating from the depths of hell whereas the final cut that is "Camphor Bush" waves goodbye on a calm, more Ambient leaning tip whilst prominently featuring twanging electric guitars for, slightly romantic, late night relaxation. Highly recommended, this.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Kjetil Mulelid - Point of View (Live At Vigelandmuseet)

An equally intimate and fascinating solo piano performance by Norwegian pianist and composer Kjetil Mulelid who's playing a piece off of his new and forthcoming album "Piano" in this one.

Pauline Anna Strom - Angel Tears In Sunlight [RVNG Intl. Promo]

Put out on the circuit only recently on February 19th, 2k21 via the great RVNG Intl. imprint is "Angel Tears In Sunlight", the new album by pioneering composer Pauline Anna Strom which contains her first new musical works being released since the 80s. Still working on the same equipment located in the same flat she's always been working in Pauline Anna Strom carves and sculpts a menu of 10 tracks stretched out over a total playtime roughly 46 minutes, diving deep into a beautiful, unique and somewhat slightly esoteric Synth / Ambient / ChillOut realm from the very first seconds of the crystalline, time-dissolving opener "Tropical Convergence" onwards, provides heavenly, well uplifting morphings for formal dances of the far future with the most beautiful, emotionally touching follow up that is "Marking Time" and explores tender, score'esque, panoramic Ambient Synth layers for moments of ultimate relaxation in "I Still Hope". Furthermore the subsequent stroll through "Temple Gardens At Midnight" sees the artist closely examining tiniest sonic droplets and cute, yet abstract synth emulations of bird songs in the all embracing, comforting darkness of the night whilst weighing in echoes of echoes of somehow Asiatic sound aesthetics, "The Pulsation" introduces, well..., pulsating Tribal drums to Pauline Anna Strom's sonic universe whereas "The Eighteen Beautiful Memories" are harking back to most beautiful early morning Ambient for the few calm minutes before sunrise and an "Equatorial Sunrise" is equally playful, curious and rhythmic, providing a sweet little tune for tiny IDM-leaning dances in ChillOut areas around the world. Watching "Small Reptiles On The Forest Floor" Pauline Anna Strom works out the meaning of subaquatic, slowly moving streams of transdimensional, angelic energy, the "Tropical Rainforest" further explores the musical ecosystem laid out by its predecessor and the final bonus track that is "Words In Motion" has fully embraces floating, somewhat mythical Ambient rhythm signatures in combination with chimes, bells and other brittle, crystalline sound sources to the max for a tender and friendly closing. Excellent. Recommended. Beauteous.

Richard Haynes - Ghosts Of Motion [Cubus Records]

Put out on the circuit via the Switzerland-based imprint Cubus Records on January 15th, 2k21 is "Ghosts Of Motion", the most recent album outing by clarinet player Richard Haynes who specialized in and focused on a modernized variation of the 18th century favorite known as clarinet d'amore for this album which, in its entirety spanning roughly 55 minutes and a total of eight pieces, is covering compositions by the likes of Chris Dench, James Gardner, Matthias Renaud, Walter Feldmann, Samuel Andreyev, Jonah Haven and Sean Quinn who wrote or at least adapted their pieces for Haynes' clarinet d'amore whose intent is to re-introduce said instrument to the contemporary concert and composition circuit, showcasing its musical spectrum and special tone which provides a range from playful, lightweight, enchanted and somewhat even storytelling in the opening, title-bearing composition "Ghosts Of Motion", presents more solemn and minimalist-leaning tones in "Schattenlinie" or indulges in darker, subdued tonalities as to be found in the final "Incubation" just to pick a few examples here. Defo a recommended showcase and well comforting listening experience for fans of Contemporary Classical or Modern Classical composition.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Low Island - Don't Let The Light In (Official Video)

So Low Island mastered the art of creating Pop Art infused music videos to absolute perfection. We're well into this flow and colour scheme.

Prins & Simonis - Mothers Of Exit [Z6 Records]

Released on January 29th, 2k21 via Dutch label Z6 Records is "Mothers Of Exit", the first full length album collaboration between Gert-Jan Prins and Lukas Simonis which are fusing their musical arsenal including drums, radio electronics, modular synth, guitar, a well ominous thing called blippo box and more to create a seven tracks and 50 minutes spanning, limited to 200 copies debut under the shared name of Prins & Simonis. Opening on a highly experimental and avantgarde-leaning tip from the get go with a combination of super distorted guitar feedback Noize, brutalist Phonk and a combination of FoundSound, Cut-Up and Plunderphonics collage techniques all to be found in the warped, art-school'esque opener "Numb Lesson Stomp" which paves the way for things to come, be it the stripped down radio static improvisations of the subsequent follow up that is "Stories For The Babyface Ocean", the raw, untamed and ear piercing Metal guitar solos in the title track "Mothers Of Exit" or the doomed Noize meets muffled and subdued background drums apocalypse aptly named "Twilight Out Of Control" which are all interesting pieces providing moments of sonic joy when one has finally adjusted to the albums intent and aesthetics even though the far-far-out nature of these recordings does imply that a limitation to 200 copies worldwide was a well reasonable move. Not for the faint-hearted, though.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Listen Again: baze.djunkiii presents Booty. Volume 4 @ Radio Flouka / Paris, France (25.02.2k21)

Radio Flouka راديو فلوكة · Booty Volume 4 with Baze Djunkiii - 25/02/2021

User44995000000 - Zapata EP [User Recordings 025 Promo]

Released as cat.no. 025 of the ever busy imprint User Recordings is the "Zapata EP", the latest digital two track outing created by User44995000000. Opening with "Zapata_DUE" we see the quasi-anonymous producer leaning towards dry, highly abstract and cowbell-heavy Electro territories for fans of the most underground layers of the genre as well as for dedicated experimental Acid heads whereas the subsequent "Untitled" cut provides a beautifully floating take on deep, classic AcidTrance for super hypnotic late night or after hours sets and therefore is our favorite tune on this single for a reason.

Full Juno Records Preview: Sascha Müller - Beat Junkie / Dope Beatz [Intrauterin Recordings 008]

Available in stores and mailorders worldwide as well as on the Intrauterin Recordings Bandcamp page.

And as a side note - UK-based Funky Breaks purveyors The Allergies have featured our latest release in their most recent Juno Records Vinyl Charts for March, 2k21. Thank you!

Pas Musique - Psychedelic Talismans [Alrealon Musique Promo]

Released via the experimental and highly eclectic imprint that is Alrealon Musique on February 20th, 2k21 is "Psychedelic Talismans", the latest six tracks and roughly 32 minutes spanning album outing created by Pas Musique, at this point an artistic solo iteration and brainchild of the projects founder Rober L. Pepper. Embarking on a rather trippy and explorative journey with "Splash Of Red Touch" we're drawn into an ever meandering flow of drugged out, well psychedelia-infused temple music of sorts which potentially could've been created throughout one of the most esoterically enlightened moments of the KrautRock / Berlin School era whilst the subsequent cut "Collected Fictions Brightly" is pairing fast paced, yet somewhat pulsing and aimlessly wandering hollow drum modulations with wafting synth clouds, droning vintage atmospheres and washed out fragments of what might've been Field Recordings of random casual conversations to create a dreamlike sonic state before "In Likeness Of Me" veers off into unexplored lands of IDM and ChillOut where swampy low end morphings and inward looking dabblings on electric guitar blown over from afar meet to create a certainly solemn, somewhat ruminant sound foundation for deep state meditation. Furthermore the "ABC Of The Telephone" goes even further in explorations of electric guitar solos, this time in combination with organic, overwhelming and all embracing warm Dub / Crooklyn Dub / Illbient basslines, whirling feedbacks and echoes of a little oriental desert vibe whereas "The Hour" provides the probably cleanest take on stumbling Post-Dubtronica in combination with glittering, retrofuturist synth / modular bubblings on this entire album and "La Bas" weighs in an sweet amalgamation of early 90s Electronica live jams and fuzzed out, reverberating Desert Blues guitars for a closing. Highly intredasting stuff. Check.

baze.djunkiii Charts 03/2k21

01. Sascha Müller - Beat Junkie / Dope Beatz [Intrauterin Recordings 008]
See release announcement for details...

02. Against All Logic - 2017 - 2019 [Other People 053]
Nicolas Jaar presents the second full length album outing of his Against All Logic project and damn it's eclectic. From Industrial-leaning, Tribal-infused Indietronica to dreamy, vocal-driven off-kilter DeepHouse, from a killer Bass Music collab with Spoken World-legend Lydia Lunch to Broken Techno, glitched out Electronica and Digital Phonk and way beyond the musical range covered goes, making up one of the most fascinating triple vinyl sets released lately. Hot stuff.

03. Legowelt - Unconditional Contours [-ous 023 / Smem
See review for details...

04. Furney - Memories On Jazz / Eerie Indiana [OKBRON 014 Whitelabel]
The elusive Russian Drum'n'Bass whitelabel imprint known as OKBRON returns with a new contribution from Furney. Whilst the A-side tune "Memories of Jazz" is on a somewhat Bristolian, slightly too slow, jazzy and vocal-driven organic tip with its syncopated stepper beats which work best when pitch adjusted to +3/+4% on your decks, evoking memories of deepest cuts unleashed by labels like V Recordings back in the days whereas the flipside that is "Eerie Indiana" brings forth a floating, ever rolling vibe that especially connaisseurs of LTJ Bukem's work have missed in contemporary Drum'n'Bass for a long time.

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