The D3VI7 - The Raven Traxx Vol. 01 [Dancefloor Socialism 011 Promo]
Put out on the circuit via the ever active digital imprint that is Dancefloor Socialism on November 13th, 2k21 is The D3VI7's most recent single on the label named "The Raven Traxx Vol. 01". Opening with "8 Miles High" the two tracker starts on a dry jackin' and bouncy BrokenTechno tip featuring minimal, yet joyful Acid blips and a most uplifting little main motif whilst "Dimension" takes us on a slightly ominous and gooey TechnoTrance trip with its elastic, midrange modulations and brooding, danger inducing hoover signals as well as a good portion of intrinsic DarkRave madness. Good stuff.
Another fresh one put out on the circuit via Essen's famed Umland Records label on October 25th, 2k21 is "Protest Possible", the latest full length album effort created by the multi-artist collective known as The Dorf which sees group venturing in to new territories - protest songs, obviously, but even moreso the use of lyrics and lyricism in general which hasn't been part of The Dorf's sonic spectrum before. With lyrics especially written for this album as well as excerpts from press articles and features embedded in certain pieces the 53 minutes and nine compositions spanning body of work covers a surprisingly wide spectrum from riff-heavy Rock Music which evokes faint memories of avantgarde groups like Bitch Band No. I to fascinatingly robotic P-Funk ("Selbständig"), spaced out, wafting Ambient soundscapes paired with Balearic guitars leading into what could be described as an abstract interpretation of the former Arbeiterlied ('workers song') genre found in "Sag Warum", more demanding, highly dramatic Cut-Up / Leftfield Pop fusion tunes as well as surprisingly emotional German Soul x Pop ballads ("Du, Du, Du"), frolicking Jazz x Chanson pieces and more. Quite an unusual release for The Dorf and the Umland Records imprint but defo one that might well exceed the projects usual circles and audience, probably stirring up both controversy as well as fruitful discussions amongst those listening to the albums lyrics closely and attentively.
Another fresh one released via Chicago-based imprint Bang Le Dex is Afflicted's "Vikings EP" which hit all stores on the digital circuit on November 13th, 2k21. With "Ready To Roll" the prolific German underground duo caters a dry, robotic take on almost Breakdance-infused Electro accompanied by deep, tender pad layers instead of focusing on their banging trademark Techno, followed by the title track "Vikings" which weighs in a fast, uplifting Electro x ElectroPhonk variation as well as uplifting, positive and almost Trance-like arrangements for maximum dancefloor pleasure partly reminiscent of acts like Elektrosmog as well as the short-lived Technolectro movement of the late 90s. Lovely.
User33338859021 - Active EP [User Recordings 036 Promo]
Released on July 5th, 2k21 via the ever active, yet still mysterious User Recordings imprint is the "Active EP", the latest digital single put on the circuit by User33338859021. Opening with the title track that is "Active" we're drawn into a well hypnotic realm of rather slow, yet pumping and ever modulating crossover of Techno and AcidTrance-related grooves accompanied by haunted reverse stabs of ever growing intensity whereas the subsequent cut "Player One" opens with intense, hard hitting and highly reverberating war drums only to fall back to an extended, hypnotic and ever meandering AcidTechno buildup which is about to send real underground headz off into a new dimension.
Moritz Anthes - Von Einem Der Viele [Umland Records 047]
Incoming from Essen's ever active Jazz- & Avantgarde-imprint Umland Records only recently is "Von Einem Der Viele", the December 19th, 2k21 released album by trombone player Moritz Anthes who's presenting a new and innovative conceptual approach to his instrument. To achieve and follow through with this goal and approach we see Moritz Anthes splitting the album in two parts with the first seven pieces being solo works - both composed and improvised - performed by the artist himself, offering a sonic angle on his instrument of choice ranging from repetetive, yet continuously shifting variations of a certain tonal sequence in "Tans" to captivating dronings in "Lop" whilst "Flatt" opens with a sequence of unexpectedly noisy eruptions and alarming, partly microtonal outbursts to accompany the imminent apocalypse and "Bien-Larm" fully enters the realm of microtonal x close up recordings with its near field crackles and icy air flows just to name a few. The second part of the album, also comprised of seven pieces, features a array of remixes created by the likes of Achim Zepezauer, Julia Brüssel, Kai Niggemann and others which are using the raw material of Anthes' recordings to create new re-imagined works of spaced out, retrofuturist qualities ("Tans Remix Final 1.2."), dabble with nightly Dark Ambient x Electronica fusion pieces ("Hekk Remix"), turn Mr. Anthes' solo works into thrilling layers of computational bleeps ("Platt_Remix_V2") probably created with the help of a modular x eurorack system, bring forth dramatic reverberating Jazz arangemenets of score'esque qualities ("Moritz-Remix-Studd") as well as heavy, Field Recording- meets Industrial Noize-leaning workouts to be found in "Bien-Larm Remix" amongst others with the last mentioned probably being our favorite pieces on the album for a reason. Good stuff, this. Also recommended to fans and collectors of Lovecraft'ian horrors for its artwork, too.
Put out on the digital circuit via the artist run imprint 2020 Records is "2", the second full length album release by 2020 - a well known and respected artist who wishes to remain anonymous and hidden behind this alias. Within a total of nine tracks and 58 minutes playtime we see 2020 covering a sonic range from deep, hypnotic bass pulses accompanied by a wide variety of atmospheric crackles and radio feedbacks in pieces like "Brain Music 2" which is located in the grey area between Ambient and IDM whereas the subsequent "City Limit" caters icy, yet harmonic and beautifully relaxing ColdAmbient vibes and "Drop The Records" provides a brutal contrast, piercing ones eardrums with warped HarshNoize and painful feedbacks which are defo not for the faint-hearted. Furthermore using a "Laser Weapon" results in fast and futuristic Drone Ambient pulses of increasing tension and energy, the "Needle Drama" sticks with a futurist theme albeit a much more intense and threatening one, relying on screaming high frequency torture whilst "The Creature Is Here" presents wafting fumes of hollow and soul-eating Death Ambient reminiscent of works produced by artists like Dr. NoiseM in the past. With "The World Is Not Enough" 2020 follows on a similarly desolate sonic path, "Where No One Has Gone Before" is the warped and twisted soundtrack of otherworldly nightmares, the sound of unspeakable Lovecraft'ian horrors slowly penetrating the thin barrier between dimensions and the final cut that is "Wobani" once again harks back to cold futurism for a short while. File under: Cold and frosty soundscapes for those who know.
30.12.2021 baze.djunkiii presents Nachtfahrt Volume 2 @ Radio Flouka / Paris (2200 GMT+1)
Imagine a lonely highway. At night. In the middle of nowhere. A straight line of asphalt stretching for hundreds of miles. It is hot, no clouds disturb the view into a boundless universe. It's just you, the stars, your car and whatever your destination is. This is exactly the vibe Hamburg-based Radio Flouka resident baze.djunkiii sets with his final mix for 2k21, a 100% vinyl selection building providing a musical journey connecting contemporary (Neo)Trance-infused, partially dubbed out TechHouse, original Trance classics and driving Techno cuts as well as beloved underground Tribal and Intelligent Techno favorites, all carefully fused into a seamless blend for your personal night drive adventure. Enjoy the ride.
And now we're in for a treat. Self-released in early December of 2k21 by Kiel-based Goth- / Wave- / PostPunk-legends NO MORE is "The Box", a special extended CD-r box set predominantly aiming at the fans and collectors of the bands early works, making two of their early albums available once again - and for the first time in CD-r format with additional tracklists, artwork and gadgets. Talking "Laughter In The Wings" and "Hysteria" here, released in 1985 and 1987 respectively on two different labels from Bochum / Germany, all tracks were retrieved and salvaged from original master tapes of the time, bringing forth dramatic, haunted and massively spooked out big hair Goth bang0rz like "I Still Bear The Scars" or the even more uptempo "Kalo" which still causes havoc on Batcave floors after all these years whereas the theatrical, slightly oriental-infused "Salome" might in hindsight be seen as a parallel development to bands like X-Mal Deutschland, "Laughter In The Wings" presents a, given the time and context of its production, quite unusual take on cascading joy and even a certain funkiness not necessarily prevalent in other Goth outfits of this era just to pick a few takes from the first album featured in here. Furthermore we see "Hysteria" providing a next step in the bands sonic evolution leading towards a deeper, inward-looking approach with the opening skit "The Golden Heart" which evokes distant memories of bands like Eyeless In Gaza before "Secrets" takes every PostPunk dancefloor by storm with its relentless forward attitude and dramatic vocal performance whereas NO MORE's variation of "Venus In Furs" pays homage to one of music history's all time greats, both "Arabesque" and "Bouree" sonically point to a fever'ish dancefloor delirium and the whirling rituals of shamanic dervish people whereas "Seven Years" brings forth a darker, psyched out and desolate variation of more minimalist, 4/4-based PostPunk before the concluding "(Suicide C.) - Last Waltz" makes for a most experimental outro just to name a few. A highly recommended journey back in time. Treat yourself with a copy.
Scheduled for release via the Swiss imprint that is Everest Records on January 14th, 2k22 is "Hypernormal", the new and forthcoming album release crafted by Pless, a duo formed by Leo Matkovic and Philip Thöni who, before embarking on a collaborative electronic path with this project, had already been bandmates in the Metal- / Metalcore-leaning band Unhold before. With "Hypernormal" Pless do embark on a seven tracks and roughly 43 minutes spanning journey which combines slow, yet undeniably Rock-influenced drums and dramatic, ever changing (Neo)Cosmic synth movements which are putting even early Synth masters to shame in their epic, sheer cinematic scope and emotional range covering longing melancholia, cascading joy, naturalist innocence as well as brooding, danger heralding darkness and, in hard contrast to this, even episodes of inward looking contemplation in cuts like "Ante Finem" whilst "Fog City" presents dry Downtempo Electronica excursions paired with ominous vocal samples and "Hot God" even weighs in some hot, abstract grooves and bubbling Acid modulations for late night sets on hyperadvanced dancefloors just to name a few favorites here. Good stuff.
User66788884902 - The Face EP [User Recordings 035 Promo]
Another digital two track single released via User Recordings on July 5th, 2k21 is "The Face EP", the label debut crafted and created by User66788884902. Whilst the opening cut named "The Face Of Destruction" weighs in a dark, distorted and well distinct Doom Rave attitude for an extended 9+ minutes of total playtime alongside ever tripping, spiralling Acid modulation madness we see "Untitled 9-1" diving deep into the realms of Propulsion 285-inspired, well distorted brutalist HardAcid on maximum overdrive and we're well certain that todays club P.A.'s cannot handle wild shit like that anymore without giving out within seconds. Bomb.
Francesco Baiguera - Post Jazz Chamber Music [Aut Records 078]
The next fresh album release put out on the circuit via the Italian Aut Records imprint on December 13th, 2k21 is "Post Jazz Chamber Music", the pretty much self-descriptive x self-explanatory longplay piece thought up by composer Francesco Baiguera. Recorded and realized with the help of fellow musicians Massimiliano Milesi, Daniele Richiedei and Giulio Corini the seven tracks and 38 minutes spanning journey into "Post Jazz Chamber Music" explores a muscial realm defined by electric guitar, tenor sax, violin and drums as well as a well intimate recording approach which brings forward a beautiful approach to melancholia and Jazz Noir prevalent in the albums opener "Heavy Blue" which sets the tone for all things to come like the most tender "Beauty Through Clouds", the decent, twangy Swing of "Never So Close" or the repeated classy variations of a classic Jazz main motif brought forward atop a decent minimalist rhythm signature in "Intermezzo". Furthermore "Abstract Thoughts" provides more emotionally touching late night melancholia garnished with intimate romanticism whereas "Istantanea" is following on a similar, yet more dynamic - and dramatic - path before the final cut that is "Postlude" amalgamates a certain yen and sadness for a closing. If deep, somewhat spiritual Contemporary Jazz is your thing this album might well speak to you.
Ghedalia Tazartes - Gospel Et Le Rateau [Bisou Records 014]
Scheduled for release on January 4th, 2k22, nearly one year after his passing, is "Gospel Et le Rateau", the new and final album by French artist and singer Ghedalia Tazartes which will hit the stores via Bisou Records . Finished and almost finalized at the time of his untimely decease in February the 17 tracks spread out over approximately 40 minutes are a testament to Tazartes' four decades spanning career, a selection of formerly unpublished songs and compositions hand-picked and selected over the course of almost 2 years, musically drifting from Avantgarde-leaning, almost collage'esque arrangements, sometimes paired with beautiful piano melancholia, to intense Spoken Word performances accompanied by brutal guitar riffing, twisted and filtered Indie / SingerSongwriter efforts and even Punk- / Industrial- / Plunderphonics-infused cuts which are falling together, even though they touch base with a super eclectic range of styles and genres, in a surprisingly coherent, thrilling and spine-tingling manner which makes "Gospel Et Le Rateau" an essential addition for everyone who seeks out a sonic experience that simply denies and defies any genre-related boundaries, drawers or attempts of musical pidgeonholing. Eclectic? Yes. In the most exciting way one can even think of.
480 & The D3VI7 - The YPS CD Engraver [Bang Le Dex 045 Promo]
Released only recently on the Chicago-based digital imprint Bang Le Dex as their cat.no. 045 is "The YPS CD Engraver", a collaborational five track EP crafted by The D3VI7 and the mysterious production force named 480. With all tracks subsequently titled "The YPS CD Engraver 01 - 05" the two producers are paying homage to a former German childrens and youth magazine named YPS with the title which usually came with all sorts of weird gimmicks alongside each issue, covering musical grounds ranging from raw and stripped down, yet not necessarily minimalist cuts sitting smack bang in the middle between pumping House and banging Techno, fiddling with scraping filter banks and huge overwhelming low end harmonics, hyperfunctional ClubTechno x HardHouse hybrids and even echoes of early 90s Trance and Rave cuts coming out of Italy at the time. We're all in for this due to its unpolished and energetic attitude.
User44856009320 - System EP [User Recordings 034 Promo]
Another one released by the digital imprint that is User Recordings on May 1st, 2k21 is the "System EP", a two track single crafted in the studio setting of User44856009320. Whilst the opening cut named "Missile System" brings forth a pumping, highly seductive crossover between TechHouse and ElectroHouse paired with a trancey, melodic twist and harmonic Clonk basslines the subsequent closing cut "The Big Manner" is shifting gears to reach maximum speed, presenting a banging, heavily compressed take on hyperfunctional peak time Techno accompanied by shrieking synth modulations setting out to slowly deconstruct your innermost consciousness before epic BigRoom Trance pads come to save your soul - at least throughout the tunes' large scale breakdown sequences. Bang.
Christian Rønn - Swimming In Empty Pool [Clang 071 Promo]
Another fresh one put out on the circuit via Clang as their cat.no. 071 on December 3rd, 2k21 is "Swimming In Empty Pool", the latest retrospective compilation album dealing with the musical output of Danish composer and organ player Christian Rønn over the five year period spanning from 2016 to 2021, covering a range of seven tracks in total rolled out over the course of roughly 42 minutes. Opening with the tender chiming atmospheric Ambient of "Bending Glass" which evokes faint memories of works like Aube's "Deglaze" for longtime fans and followers of electroacoustic music before glitched out distortion signals begin to break and disturb the continous stream of sonic calmness Rønn paves the way for things to come like the subsequent, beautifully floating "Beyond" which pairs plinkering synth tones with 90s IDM / ChillOut vibes and what seem to be plucked and reprocessed harp strings before "Diesel" drifts off into scraping, highly detailed hyperdigital granular MicroNoize territories paired with ghostly unrecognizable swooshes able to send cold shivers down your spine - especially if you're susceptible to ASMR stimulation. Furthermore "Synker Med Robot" deals with uncanny multilayered and phase-shifting tonal movements which come across as distorted transmissions from a distant dimension sifting through the barriers of space and time, later accompanied by an intense shamanic vocal performance, the "Time Farm" is fed by harmonic, yet somewhat futuristic and sci-fi leaning metallic vibrations and their overall spatial movement whereas "Evolve" has electronic computational bleeps, modular blips and layers of swampy microbubbles slowly falling into place to form an abstract rhythm signature and the concluding cut named "Electrons" is following on a similar path into a realm of harmonic micropatterns before performing a 180 degree turn towards reprocesses Jazz loops and fragmented Field Recordings for a closing. Lovely.
Fresh on the digital circuit is the new Ambient- / ChillOut-leaning imprint Fullmoon Records which released its cat.no. 001 on October 21st, 2k21 which is the "Moon 1" album by the labels head honcho Fullmoon. Opening with "Space Station" we're drawn into a realm of ever floating, hyperharmonic pads in combination with multilayered rhythm signatures and an overall IDM vibe evoking memories of the classic 'Artificial Intelligence' series whereas "Humanity" drifts along the lines of deep Acid-infused Intelligent Techno and therefore takes us back to the heydays of labels like XXC3 and the likes of for those who know. Furthermore "Arabian Summer" presents an epic, cascading take on beautiful arranged SpaceAmbient , "Sagittarius" sees a slightly kitsch-infused, (Neo)Cosmic synth motif frolicking through untouched meadows whilst deep, Dub-leaning subs provide a sound low end foundation and the subsequent closing cut "Creatures On Planet E" weighs in a variation of dubbed out TripHop x Downbeats in combination with moving, mystical string arrangements and ethereal non-vocalisms for an epic closing which makes this one our favorite cut on this album by far.
Günter "Baby" Sommer / Fabrizio Puglisi - Elements [Aut Records 076]
Another fresh one released via the Italian avantgarde imprint that is Aut Records on November 29th, 2k21 is "Elements", the first full on collaboration album carved out by Günter "Baby" Sommer and Fabrizio Puglisi after numerous live encounters and on stage performances over the course of the better part of the past decade. Based on a foundation of drums and percussion laid out by Sommer with additional layers of piano, toys and objects brought into the mix by Fabrizio Puglisi the duo creates a total of 12 new pieces within roughly 59 minutes playtime which are covering a sonic spectrum reaching from raw, primordial and Tribal-infused like the opener "Elements: Air" to the swinging, lightweight, yet complex Piano Jazz vibes of the subsequent "Pannonica / Bemsha Swing / Off Minor" and a playful approach to longing, yet tongue-in-cheek minimalism to be found in "Hitu" whereas the following block of "Fünf Miniaturen" caters an array of five short miniatures / sketches ranging from deep and atmospheric to highly playful, frolicking and even giddy ("#2") explorations. Furthermore "Elemens: Water" stretches the definition of Jazz into the realm of close-up x near-field Field Recordings and haunted, scraping minimalist textures whereas "Elements: Earth", the final one of the title trilogy, takes the stripped down, somewhat ominous approach of its predecessor to a fever'ish, slightly Tribal level which makes it a suitable soundtrack for certain rituals and the attempt to summon ancient demons whilst "White Christmas" starts out on a tender and festive note only to tip off into a dramatic, highly dynamic exercise in Improv / FreeJazz madness and the concluding "Passion Flower" rounds things off with an extended trip into late night Piano Jazz for a closing before speeding things up once again in what seems to be a hidden track. A well varied album, this.
Put out on the circuit via the ever active Polish underground staple that is Gusstaff Records on November 19th, 2k21 is "Folwark", the first full length album release for the label by Wroclaw-based trio Mlyn. Rolled out over the course of six tracks and a total playtime of roughly 40 minutes the group comprised of Sebastian Milewski, Cezary Rosinski and Michal Wdowikowski explores a surely psychoactive realm infused by Jazz, b-movie film scores as well as loads of 70s Psychedelia, elements of Exotica / Easy Listening and spaced out early electronic music production which, in combination of all these, fall together as a seductive, highly fascinating and coherent sonic cosmos which is as monolithic as it is unique, complex and groovy, standing strong and powerful, yet fully detached from whatever contemporary scene there might be today, a relict of a retrofuturist future to be, a homage to musical mastership, the ongoing, yet successful search for a distinct musical language and an album that, for many a reason, could only be thought up in Eastern Europe in its current form. A well essential masterpiece refusing any further categorization. You need to hear this, especially if you've come across artists like Oleg Kostrow, Species Of Fishes or Messer Chups at some point in your life.
Released via the South African label Sneja Recordings on September 21st, 2k21 is the "Colibri EP", a digital five track single cooked up in the studio by the French duo that is Inhum'Awz. Opening with the title track "Colibri" the two producers explore a realm of well functional, slightly (Neo)Trance-infused TechHouse sprinkled with a bit of a mystical notion whereas the subsequent remix crafted by noone less than The D3VI7 takes things to another level, introducing a heavy, bubbling 90s-leaning Acid line to the mix which is as hypnotic and dark as classic productions by the Brotherhood Of Structure. Furthermore "Ginko" sees the frenchmen amalgamating carefully sculpted, yet hard pumping drums with intricate, floating complex string works, prominent snares and cut-up vocal samples for the late night (Tech)House crew, "Ara Hyacinthe" is as tropical as its title might sound with its novelty Reggae offbeat meets TechHouse approach and ever moving filters whereas the concluding cut named "Bacchus" weighs in an ultimately sexy House groove topped by spiralling, ever so slightly shifting synth organs for an intro sequence before replacing the original bassdrum with a sharper, more prominent one and adding loads of MinimalTechno-inspired elements which unfortunately water down the original cuts fascination. One track which would've better split into two different ones, this.
Andreas Røysum Ensemble - Fredsfanatisme [Motvind Records]
Put out on the circuit via the Norwegian imprint that is Motvind Records on December 3rd, 2k21 is "Fredsfanatisme", the second full length album by the multi artist collaboration known as Andreas Røysum Ensemble which, amongst many others, includes prolific members like Christian Meeas Svendsen, Hans P. Kjorstad and Signe Emmeluth which might be names well familiar to regular readers of these pages. With their new album the quasi supergroup caters a menu of nine brand new compositions rolled out over the course of roughly 76 minutes, starting from a point of hyperdense, complex and well demanding, lugubrious Spiritual Jazz with the opening tune that is "Til Tell Teigen", stepping forward towards a slightly more swinging, yet ever meandering attitude with "Lalibela" whilst "Sawakura" presents a well unexpected exercise in tender, romantic MinimalJazz meets Deep Listening Music which later sets off into FreeJazz-infused territories whereas "Keine LSD Blues" evokes faint memories of so-called EthioJazz paired with more Contemporary Swing elements just to name a few. One for the advanced Deep Jazz connaisseurs, this, and not necessarily an album you want to start to explore the realms of Jazz with due to its partly overwhelming and deeply intertwined, multi-layered nature.
Sascha Müller - Das Spiel EP [Dancefloor Socialism 010 Promo]
Another one put out on the digital circuit via Dancefloor Socialism on April 10th, 2k21 as the labels cat.no. 010 is Sascha Müller's "Das Spiel EP". Whilst the title track, aptly named "Das Spiel Ist Aus", rolls out a gritty, pumping variation of technoid minimalism - not: Minimal Techno! - accompanied by slightly distorted synth modulations we see the follow up that is "Admira" on a jacking, brutally unprocessed oldskool Chicago House tip accompanied by shimmering ProtoTrance pad works. We're in for that.
Luca Perciballi / Organic Gestures - Approximately Grids With A Plan [Aut Records 077]
Put out on the circuit via the Italian avantgarde imprint Aut Records on December 6th, 2k21 is "Approximately Grids With A Plan", the new seven track album release by Luca Perciballi-led trio project Organic Gestures. Comprised of Mr. Perciballi himself alongside Andrea Grossi on double bass and percussionist Andrea Grillini on drums the roughly 51 minutes spanning longplayer follows a meta conceptual approach referred to as 'organic action' in the accompanying promo sheet, drawing inspiration from natures innate architecture of things as well as the mathematical concept of fractals which, in combination, result in a complex, non-linear array of thundering, ever developing drum rolls and patterns to be found in the opening cut "Poiesis I" whereas the free floating effect of continuous variations shifts towards tender drifting guitar loops in all three iterations of the "Breeding Cycle" which are partially accompanied by well gritty backings and occasional PostRock references whereas pieces like the 13+ minutes spanning "Eating Lichens (To Luigi Ghirri)" are starting from a point of what seem to be randomly scattered Field Recordings, move over to slightly Jazz-infused guitar improvisations before taking an unexpected turn towards nightly, yet danger heralding and spine-tingling atmospheres in which electronic drones and signals emulate howling wolves and a truly outerworldy presence. Furthermore "Breeding Cycles III" provides a journey into heavy, somewhat Psychedelic Rock-driven FreeJazz before "Molecular Mobiles II" combines intense strumming and complex lo-fi Indietronica vibes cumulating in a noisy climax whereas "Poiesis II" rounds thing off in a most tender, romantic and melancholia-inducing manner, weighing in panoramic, almost Modern Classic-leaning string works alongside the projects trademark drums hidden deep in the back of the overall mix. Well demanding, this.
User77856934351 - Game EP [User Recordings 033 Promo]
Put out on the digital circuit on April 24th, 2k21 via User Recordings is the "Game EP", a two track single crafted by User77856934351. Opening with "End Game" we see the quasi-anonymous producer bringing forth a clean, futuristic take on hammering, highly functional sci-fi Techno accompanied by hypnotic Acid modulations whereas "Alante", the subsequent second cut on this one, dabbles with stripped down layers of percussive antigrooves and floating ethereal pads which finally all fall into place to form a timeless, minimalist Techno tool that keeps heaving dancefloors moving for an extended playtime of more than ten minutes. Good stuff.
Philip Samartzis & Eugene Ughetti - Polar Force [Room40 Promo]
Released via Australia's ever active Room40 imprint on October 22nd, 2k21 is "Polar Force", the latest collaborational album effort created by Field Recording specialist Philip Samartzis and percussionist Eugene Ughetti. Drawing artistic inspiration from Samartzis' experience of actually two Australian Antarctic Division residencies which are paired with an extended experimental take on what percussion actually is and can be in 2k21 the ten tracks stretched over roughly 61 minutes to make up "Polar Force" are as captivating as they are minimal at the same time, starting off from a point of calmly flowing water accompanied by occasionally colliding pieces of wood, progressing forward into crackly Clicks'n'Cuts, later adding various renditions of flowing air as well as tender, ever present bass drones alongside bleeping whistles and chirps to the mix whilst sequentially raising to alarming air raid intensity and even presenting complex, yet hyper minimal rhythm signatures in pieces like "Metal Fatigue" which, partly due to its ever increasing polyrhythmicity, is our personal favorite cut on this intriguing, well recommended longplayer alongside the cold, brittle and crackling Ambient movements of the "Frozen Lake" and the raw electroacoustic hollow wooden clonks presented by "Blizzard". Check.
Jessica Moss - Phosphenes [Constellation Records 161]
Released via the long standing imprint that is Constellation Records on November 19th, 2k21 is "Phosphenes", the third solo album crafted by composer x violin player Jessica Moss for the label. Within six tracks and an overall runtime of roughly 41 minutes the former member of Thee Silver Mt. Zion and Black Ox Orchestra explores a musical realm located in between Modern Classical x Contempory Classical composition and deep Ambient romanticism especially prevalent in the touching opening trilogy "Contemplation I - III" which is as inward looking and timeless as it is beautiful and filled with a certain mystique whereas "Let Down" caters a darker, more dramatic and somewhat brooding, partially even (post)apocalyptic approach towards an amalgamation of DarkAmbient and widescreen panoramic (Neo)Classical music, "Distortion Harbour" weighs in a combination of both naturalistic violins of yore and heavy, distorted electronic pulses providing a slow rhythmic foundation of a somewhat fever'ish, ritualistic nature in the very background of the mix before the concluding cut that is "Memorizing & Forgetting" pairs stripped down piano miniatures, elegic violins and non-vocal choirs and provides a melancholia inducing piece suitable for cold winter nights for a closing.
Put out on the circuit via the Norwegian staple that is the Hubro Music imprint on December 3rd, 2k21 is "Speaksome", the first full on solo album effort created and written by composer and piano player Christian Wallumrød since his 2014-released longplay piece "Pianokammer". Now back with a new body of work focusing predominantly on solo piano studies accompanied by synthesizers, autoharp and minimal drum machine interventions Christian Wallumrød presents a 7 tracks and 35 minutes spanning journey meandering between intimate Jazz improvisation and close up recorded sequences reminiscent of Nordic Folk, echoes of echoes of sparse Electronica signatures paired with tender piano tones to be found in the title cut "Speaksome", smokey, cascading late night etudes in pieces like "Nölen Und Laden" and even gravitates towards slightly ominous, spine tingling minor scale minimalisms in the most beautiful "Treeline" which not only evokes dusty memories of Spacer's 1996 Minimal TripHop classic "Atlas Earth" but also is our personal favorite on this album just to name a few. A most intimate half hour to spend listening to this.
Milosz Pekala - 8 Pieces In Different Tempos [Gusstaff Records]
Put on the circuit via Polish experimental x avantgarde imprint Gusstaff Records on November 19th, 2k21 is the latest, eight tracks and 35 minutes spanning album crafted and conceived by producer and vibraphone player Milosz Pekala. Aptly named "8 Pieces In Different Tempos" we see the Pekala mixing up his instrument of choice with his love for programming both analogue synths and lo-fi devices like the the classic Gameboy to create a beautifully spaced out, Psychedelia-infused sonic trip starting with the seductive chiming sino grooves of "International Karate" followed by a sweet cover version of "Juju" taken off of Mouse on Mars' seminal 1997 album "Autoditacker" which seems to be based on somewhat shortened, slightly off-kilter loop sequencing. With "Game #1" Pekala explores a hollow MicroHouse-leaning, 4-2-the-floor rhythm signature as a foundation for an overwhelming, ever present low end and cascading 8bit motifs for retro computer game nerds , "Slow #1" presents a floating exercise in timeless Space Ambient / Easy Listening whereas "Contra" brings forth one of the most uplifting takes on Micromusic we've heard in a long time and can therefore be named as a candidate for a potential hit single on this longplayer. Furthermore "Slow #2" follows the path taken by its predecessor into an enchanted sonic wonderland, "Plateau" takes SlowHouse / Romantic House to a chiming new and most tender piano-led level and the concluding variant that is "Slow #3" waves goodbye on a comforting Ambient tip once again. One album highly recommended for all fans of friendly, curious and playful oldskool Electronica, this.
The D3VI7 - Electro EP [Dancefloor Socialism 009 Promo]
Another one put out on the digital circuit via Dancefloor Socialism as the labels cat.no. 009 on January 1st, 2k21 is the "Electro EP", crafted by no-one less than The D3VI7 himself in his hell'ish studio. Whilst the dark, vary-speed Phonk heavy opener "Electrodreck" has been previously released on a split EP on Field Effect Records the second tune on this single, "Electroschreck", keeps going strong on a raw, ultra-brutalist Industrial Phonk tip for all those having fond memories of Uwe Schmidt's former nom de guerre Lassigue Bendthaus which employed a very similar approach to ultimate dancefloor destruction. Recommended for a reason.
Mario Bajardi - Lux: Theatre Works [self-released]
Set to be released on December 8th, 2k21 is "Lux: Theatre Works", the latest album outing created by Italian composer x multimedia artist Mario Bajardi who took it upon himself to go through the entire process of indepently releasing the longplayer on his own without the help of a label. The result is a ten tracks and 49 minutes spanning body of work comprised of individual works conceived for theatre score use which traverses a realm, a sonic landscape incorporating chiming ethereal and naturalistic Ambient and Deep Listening Music turning into dreamy Modern Classical piano motifs in the opening piece "Abside" as well as tender, yet frosty romanticisms in cuts like "Cascada", ethereal, solemn and festive choir passages in "S.Orsola" subsequently followed by majestic large scale panorama arrangements with a (Neo)Classical-touch ("Solce") or even a multilayered, well emotional excursion into the genre recognized as RomanticHouse in "Drift" just to name a few. One to check for all dedicated score collectors out there.
User22200994846 - Control EP [User Recordings 032 Promo]
Put out on the circuit via the mysterious digital imprint that is User Recordings on April 6th, 2k21 is the "Control EP" crafted in the studio by the quasi-anonymous User22200994846. Opening with "Can't Control It" we're taken on a well hypnotic trip fired up by deep, hypnotic and dubbed out, trance-inducing structures accompanied by large scale low end signals and quirky, ever twisted vocoder loops reminiscent of early Daft Punk productions whereas the follow up named "Cannonball Fever" provides more of a floating, timeless, yet somewhat 90s-leaning take on most beautiful Intelligent Techno leaning string and pad arrangements paired up with well intense, hammering bassdrums and ever mounting tension for those who loved the now legendary "X-Mix-3 - Enter: Digital Reality!" compilation put together by Richie Hawtin and John Acquaviva way back in 1994 and therefore is one tune that shall not be slept upon for a reason.
P.T.B.S. & The D3VI7 - In Paradise [Urbangroove Records 033 Promo]
Going back in time to September, 2k20 with this review of "In Paradise", another collaboration of German underground producers P.T.B.S. and The D3VI7 released on the digital circuit via the Italian imprint that is Urbangroove Records. Whilst the the opening cut "In Paradise" brings forth a stripped down, yet unapologetic peaktime groove infused with swampy darkside modulation sequences for all tool focused main floor DJs out there we see the subsequent tune named "Fly Away" on a more panoramic, beautiful, yet slightly kitsch-leaning (Neo)Trance tip for extended early morning sunrise sets.
01. Marmion - Berlin EP [Superstition Records]
The return of a classic. Originally released in 1993 the "Berlin EP", crafted by Marcos Lopez and Mijk Van Dijk under their conjunctional - and now legendary - moniker Marmion is making a huge return in 2k21 - remastered, with its original tracklist, housed in an original recreated Superstition label sleeve and, most importantly and interestingly from a historical point of view, even featuring the original shoutouts and credits from back in the day which hopefully will send a lot of today's way younger rave generation, most of them possibly unborn in 1993, down history lane in terms of context research and all that. And of course there's the music. "T-Dancer" being a well complex precursor to what should become HardTrance in the years after, "Marmions Island Part 1" represents timelessly floating Ambient in all its glory whilst "Schöneberg" doesn't need an introduction as one of the biggest Trance anthems of all times whereas the closing cut named "The Secret Plant" follows a similar, yet slightly darker and more percussive path into tranceland. Essential.
02. Hunger - Wollufos [self-released]
See review for details...
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