Raoul Sinier - Dreams From The Assembly Line [self-released]

It's always a great thing to see artists trust their own work x art enough to go fully independent and relase their music under their own terms and conditions without assenting to any of the constraints and restrictions which might come along with working with and signing their music over to a label. This is exactly what Paris-based artist Raoul Sinier has done recently with his February 10th, 2k23-released album "Dreams From The Assembly Line", an eleven songs and 47 minutes spanning longplay effort which provides a fascinating, hyperchromatic take on IndieElectro x Leftfield Pop starting out with the shimmering quasi-falsetto drama served by the opening tune that is "Unfortunate Pair" whereas the subsequent "Human Field" is built upon a foundation of raw, brooding Dope Beats and dense, washed out electronics partly somewhat reminiscent of late Depeche Mode as well as early Tricky vibewise before "Let Me In" enters Hardcore x Emo territories musically even though Raoul Sinier's vocal performance is curiously gravitating towards a large scale 80s feel - think: Alphaville. Furthermore "The Storm Inside" fuses this dramatic attitude with captivating elements of IndustrialRock, the "Timeless Room" fully indulges in scintillating, yet hypnotic Leftfield Pop x SynthPop with a somewhat radio friendly edge whilst "Red, White & Pink" drifts from a heavy intro to a widescreen panoramic, almost Fantasy Metal (Not Fantasy Metal)-emulating attitude followed by "Fantastic Crash", the atmospherically densest and most intense cut on this album once again topped by Mr. Sinier's trademark vocals. Subsequently the "Surreal Trail Of Mayhem" might be classified as a spaced out maelstrom of Doom Pop / Alternative Doom by some, "The Weird Snakes" once again harks back to the Dope Beat-driven Alphaville'esque vibes mentioned previously whereas "Unmistakable Fragments" caters a dreamy, slightly spaced out 90s Alternative x Leftfield Pop sound which evokes faint and distant memories of acts like Babylon Zoon before the final "Assembly Line" rounds things off with dark and droning riffs, ethereal synth atmospheres and partially cut up vocals. As non-conformist as an album can be. Interesting.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Remont Pomp / Mikolaj Trzaska / Adam Zuchowski - Sam Jestes Pomp Vol. 1 [Gusstaff Records / Kilogram Records Promo]

Another album released by the ever buzzing Poland-based imprint that is Gusstaff Records on January 27th, 2k23 is "Sam Jestes Pomp Vol. 1", a ten tracks and 40 minutes spanning longplay effort recorded by band outfit Remont Pomp in collaboration with well renowned artists Mikolaj Trzaska on sax and clarinet as well as Adam Zuchowski on double bass. With Remont Pomp being a currently nine-piece group inspired by African Music, performed on traditional ethnic instruments by musicians with intellectual disabilities, with two previously released albums and international tours under their belt the sound of their third long form outing provides a muscular fusion of widely complex polyrhythmic percussion patterns and bold repetetive sax motifs with a well jazzy twist which contain elements of Eastern European melancholia especially prevalent in tunes like "Grota" whereas the series of tunes subsequently named "Free Pompy 1-5" caters tender, free-floating interludes and bridges, "Swieta Proznia" serves a deeply melancholia-inducing, yet caressing take on ethereal late night Jazz and "Pompujemy Krew" is coming full circle in terms of combination of Jazz meets Tribal polyrhythms just to name a few. Defo a well interesting listening experience for all fans of non-conformist Jazz, this.

Album artwork on Instagram!

02.03.2023 baze.djunkiii presents BETA-ZERFALL Volume 2 @ Radio Flouka / Paris, France

It's the return of the mighty BETA-ZERFALL and the second tribute to baze.djunkiii's groundbreaking, pioneering event series of the same name which has been building bridges between classic PostPunk, (No)Wave, SynthPop, Industrial, EBM and more contemporary styles like Indie, ElectroPunk, (Neo)Cosmic and KrautDisco over the course of more than a decade now, with irregular BETA-ZERFALL events taking place in various locations in Hamburg as well as the North German city of Kiel.

Following the series sonic approach equipped with the technical knowledge of being an electronic club music DJ for a quarter of a century Hamburg-based Radio Flouka-resident baze.djunkiii presents an eclectic 60 minutes journey covering both established BETA-ZERFALL classics as well as most obscure and dubbed out cuts of highly advanced underground dancefloor music for all those creatures of the night whose mission is to serve the dark side of the force.

decks: baze.djunkiii [Intrauterin Recordings / The Absence Of Light]

file under: PostPunk / (No)Wave / Indieelectro / ElectroPunk / SynthPop / Industrial

transmission time: 22oo - 23oo GMT+1

get locked via Radio Flouka
Paris

Alex Reviriego - Leukolenos [Crystal Mine]

Released via the Spanish label that is Crystal Mine on January 26th, 2k23 is "Leukolenos", the latest full length tape album effort cooked up by Barcelona's Alex Reviriego. Rolled out over the course of a C48 cassette and a total of seven brand new tracks we see the Spaniard embarking on a journey into a sonic realm characterized both by droning, glacial Ambient athmospheres of a slowly progressing nature accompanied by floating, somewhat enchanted minimalist melodies as well as spatial experimentalisms reminiscent of early electronic music production studios - think of the legendary WDR Studio Für Elektronische Musik in Cologne etc. - whereas other cuts present a spacetime-defying, angelic take on Deep Listening Music and even brooding DarkAmbient which is especially prevalent in tunes like "Artemis" which, in its extended glory, evokes beloved memories of genre master pieces once created by Tarkatak, Scanner or even Christoph De Babalon and therefore turns out to be our favorite cut on this highly recommended, yet already sold out cassette tape album. Lovely.

Lionel Marchetti & Decibel - Inland Lake (Le Lac Interieur) [Room40 Promo]

Put out on the circuit via Room40 on January 20th, 2k23 is "Inland Lake (Le Lac Interieur)", the latest two piece collaboration album shaped and conceived by Australian chamber ensemble Decibel in conjunction with French composer Lionel Marchetti. Opening with the title track "Inland Lake (Le Lac Interieur)", recorded over the internet due to pandemic restrictions and later re-arranged by Marchetti, we see glacial Ambient atmospheres paired with wafts of carefully layered, slightly off-kilter string instruments, emerging crystalline sine tones of generally tender, calming and almost brittle nature over the course of almost 36 minutes whereas the subsequent, and with less than three minutes total playtime significantly shorter, "La Patience" provides a chiming glimpse into a solemn, almost meditative sonic realm of enchanted, yet brooding and low-end heavy qualities before coming to a slightly abrupt halt prematurely. Quite an interesting contrast, this.

The D3VI7 - Nuke Vol. 15 [Nuke The Planet 015 Promo]

It's a war going on outside no-one is safe from. And exactly that's why the hyper-independent and ultra-violent imprint named Nuke The Planet launched another digital missile on December 25th, 2k22. Cooked up and configurated by The D3VI7 himself "Nuke Vol. 15" caters a twisted, tongue-in-cheek, yet uncompromising Gabba x Hardcore assault built around a well warped 'hallelujah' choir sample as well as clunky high speed breakbeat which are about to send your food-comatose brain straight into a downward spiral towards a mind melting festive breakdown. And that's what we all need, right?

R. Iwanski - Transformations I [Gusstaff Records]

So this is a first for the ever more eclectic Polish imprint Gustaff Records. Released on February 17th, 2k23 is Rafal Iwanski's "Transformations I", a nine tracks and roughly 64 minutes spanning longplay effort aimed at the goal of composing electroacoustic music based on ethnic instruments of African heritage, an angle we surely haven't come across before - neither on Gustaff Records nor on any other label, at least as far as our memory goes. Backed by a bunch of cultural organizations Iwanski, also employing the musical guise of X-Navi:Et at times, embarks on a journey of highly specialized electroacoustic treatments with a set focus on instruments from the lamellophone family starting with a tender, caressing and beautiful two-tone motif in the opening tune "Forma X" which develops quite unsettling, cavernous background movements over time whereas the subsequent "Zanzaphonie" leads the listener into an inward-looking quasi-Ambient dreamstate and "KalimbAfrica" presents a steady flow of washed out repetetive pads and floating esoteric atmospheres which will sit well with all die-hard Ambient lovers out there. With "Technosis 3.0" Rafal Iwanski presents a surprisingly jazzed out and percussive variation which could be well derived from microtonal syrinx' if the albums focus wasn't on African instruments, "Solastalgia" caters another series of enchanted and carefully layered loops with a slightly kitschy and esoteric, albeit time-defying touch before "Pre-Post" fully indulges in chiming, fragile and almost glassy slow motion cascades and spaced out polyrhythms. Furthermore we see "Syntaxis" provide peaceful, yet almost clumsy and robotic rhythmic studies which interestingly never reach a full on climax, the "Hyper-Continuum" presents us with a similarly complex and chiming sci-fi feel before everything blends and fuses into a beauteous stream of droning Ambient Noize after more than ten minutes whilst the concluding "Virtual Paradisum" rounds things off on a calm, solemn and inward looking note for a closing. Quite an interesting release which needs to find a home in every sophisticated ChillOut collection.

User88745774467 - Bravados EP [User Recordings 044 Promo]

Put out on the digital circuit on October 18th, 2k22 via the well mysterious imprint that is User Recordings is the "Bravados EP", the very first outing by the quasi anonymous User88745774467. Opening with "Untitlted 3-1" we're entering a realm of raw, yet trance-inducing and ever spiralling peak time underground Acid madness whereas the subsequent cut named "Untitled 4-1" provides a proper dose of hefty, well distorted HardAcid, garnished with tense stop-and-go breaks, slapping snares and hyper-brutalist bassdrum madness for all real Acid headz out there. Top drawer. Check.

baze.djunkiii Chart Haul 02/2k23

Carlo Maria Nartoni - Ellitica [Aut Records 088]

Released on January 12th, 2k23 via the ever active Aut Records label as their cat.no. 088 is Carlo Maria Nartoni's "Ellittica" - an extended, almost hour long improvisational trio effort in two parts, captured in early February of 2k21 by Nartoni alongside fellow musicians Danilo Gallo and Filippo Sala. Bringing together a sonic arrangement of piano, prepared piano, double bass, drums percussions and not clearly defined objects the trio caters a tender, late night-leaning journey into the realm of free floating, improvised and always uplifting - or better: positive - Jazz music with a slightly vintage tone, defined by ever meandering piano melodies which are focused on a certain simplicity and the beauty lying within whereas the busy, yet oftentimes subdued backdrop of ever changing bass and drum motifs for the most part provides a well agitated and busy foundation, yet leaves enough room for extended passages of Jazz minimalism as well as waves of thundering drama, playful, fast paced excercises and even echoes of what could be described as Contemporary Classical piano composition shimmering through at certain points. Defo one album for solemn, introspective late night listening sessions, preferrably lit by flickering candle lights or an open fire.

The D3VI7 - The Sequencer *Original Mix [Ghostfloppy Recordings 001]

Put out on the circuit via the freshly launched LoBit x floppy disk imprint Ghostfloppy Recordings as their cat.no. 001 is "The Sequencer *Original Mix", the latest musical outing by the mysterious Techno force known as The D3VI7 which provides an ever rolling and club functional take on contemporary TechTrance goodness well reminiscent of late Superstition Recordings releases with its tense atmospheres, slow, continuous build ups and distinct stabs, yet providing a well uncanny, hollow and muffled feel due to the obviously rendered down nature of what the LoBit scene is all about - a.k.a. fitting tracks on 1.44mb floppy disks instead of granting them their full sonic potential. One for the real freaks out there.

Andreas Davids & Sven Phalanx feat. Utopiae - Schachmatt [Infacted Recordings Promo]

Scheduled for release on the digital circuit via Infacted Recordings on February 24th, 2k23 is "Schachmatt", the next creative collaboration cooked up in the studio by Andreas Davids & Sven Phalanx in conjunction with Konrad Schubert a.k.a. Utopiae who provides both lyrics and his voice for this single. With the original mix of "Schachmatt" we see the artists involved entering a dark and brooding EBM x CyberRave hybrid realm meant to function as a spine-tingling foundation for a captivating, highly emotional vocal performance whereas the subsequent instrumental cut is about to cause premium havoc on slighty Rave-leaning Techno floors for a reason. Quite a bang0r, this. Check.

Marianne Svasek - Marwa [Thanatosis Produktion 021]

Released on February 3rd, 2k23 via the ever active Swedish imprint that is Thanatosis Produktion is "Marwa", the new one piece album by Dutch artist Marianne Svasek who dedicated her life to studies of Indian, Hindustani and other traditional music from this geographical realm. With "Marwa" Marianne Svasek caters a roughly 37 minutes spanning one track piece, an extended Hindustani Dhrupad Raga performed solely on vocals and two tanpura instruments, one of them played by Vilhelm Bromander. Accompanied by extensive liner notes and remarks on the Raga as a music itself written by Prof. Joep Bor Marianne Svasek's musical performance and execution provides a fascinating insight into the beauty of the genre for avid followers of World Music and Hindustani Classical in particular as well as for fans of Ethno Ambient and Deep Listening Music in general and even for the completely untrained, yet open minded listener in its slow, subtle progression from calm, meandering and time-defying drones accompanied by syllabic vocals to ethereal, a state of trance-inducing all embracing tonal wafts surely able to bring peace to even the busiest and most troubled of minds. Fascinating.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Mirek Coutigny - Through Empty Landscapes And New Beginnings [Icarus Records / Consouling Sounds]

Put out on the circuit as a collaborational effort between the two Belgium-based labels Icarus Records and Consouling Sounds on February 10th, 2k23 is "Through Empty Landscapes And New Beginnings", the second full length album release by also Belgian composer x artist Mirek Coutigny. Composed, conceived and captured over course of the pandemia-induced 2020 lockdown Mr. Coutigny, alongside his co-musicians and band members Jolien Deley, Jonathan Bonny and Klaas Tomme, recorded a widescreen panoramic sonic journey rolled out over the course of 11 pieces and a total of 40 minutes total playtime, referencing both (Neo)Classical x Contemporary Classical music as well as echoes of (Neo)Cosmic and, of course, Ambient whilst presumably also taking inspiration from dramatic, highly emotional and, at least in parts, slightly kitschy movie and film scores, with cuts like the thundering "No More" harking back to the space futurism vibe employed by early, yet commercially and critically acclaimed Synth pioneers whereas "We Want To Be Remembered" and "Snow Continued To Fall" wholeheartedly dive into romantic elegies whilst "Survival Is Insufficient" even opens on a sonically enchanted tip before fully immersing in overwhelmingly harmonic waves and, once again, quite a good portion of sugarcoatedness that might possibly, yet probably unintendedly, resonate with a more mainstream-leaning audience for a reason before "New World" provides an epic, yet fully unexpected turn towards monumental song structures just to name a few. Quality, yet at times a little too slick and streamlined for our personal taste to enter the realms of higher echelon.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Molto Brutto - II [Growing Bin Records 034]

Going back to both the years 2k21 and 1987 simultaneously with this review we're taking a closer look at "II", the aptly named sophomore - and final - album created by the long-time defunct Austrian band outfit Molto Brutto. Originally released on Golfdish Music and re-issued via Hamburg's ever more eclectic Growing Bin Records Molto Brutto are catering a total of ten pieces on this one, exploring a sonic realm surely influenced by the mostly Berlin-based Ingenious Dilettantes movement, including hypnotic lo-fi exercises in quasi Cosmic repetition like the opening cut "Chant", exploring stripped down drum machine rhythms and quirky Synthesizer Funk in the subsequent "Sadman" in which echoes of 1983's Detroit and the music Cybotron seem to be reflected in a certain, and certainly unique, way whereas "Black" fully indulges in deep MinimalWave x Synthwave melancholia, "Time" even provides a surprisingly catchy, yet totally off the beaten path attitude, "Secret Life" serves a spine-tingling Miami crime scene vibe and tension, flickering neon lights and shady alleyways included, and "Go Ahead Goldfish" brings forth a rather extended, almost Blues-infused lo-fi minimalism just to name a few. One for the true connaisseur of advanced experimental underground music re-emerging from the long lost vaults of 80s.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Julia Strzalek & Cornelia Nilsson - Scenery Somewhere [Frim Records 005]

Scheduled for release via Frim Records on February 24th, 2k23 is "Scenery Somewhere" the very first album effort created by the German-Swedish duo of Julia Strzalek and Cornelia Nilsson which lay down a roughly 27 minutes spanning one track piece here. Based on alto sax and drums the two artists recorded the title bearing piece "Scenery Somewhere" as - and at - their first time ever duo performance, an improvised moment in time starting out on a foundation of thundering, rumbling background drums as a backbone for tentative, throughtful sax improvisations which make room for a subdued, jazzy and stripped down percussion solo to unfold, followed by shimmering, vibrant melodic sequences and even microtonal recordings of the air streaming through the instrument only to end up in deep sax romanticisms accompanied and nicely contrasted by nervous, fast paced and once again subdued drum excessses for all fans of pure unprocessed Jazz Improv out there.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Listen Again: baze.djunkiii presents Further Explorations In Sound Volume 1 @ Radio Flouka / Paris (02.02.2023)

Radio Flouka راديو فلوكة · baze.djunkiii presents Further Explorations In Sound Volume 1 - 02/02/2023

Dr. NoiseM - Studio Works 35 [Dr. NoiseM Tapes Promo]

Finally he's back. The mighty and ever uncompromising Dr. NoiseM sent in "Studio Works 35", the most recent and indeed 35th part of his ever ongoing series of 'Studio Works' albums which was launched about a decade ago. Opening with "Alternative Stream" the Noize doctor caters a grinding, scraping, buzzing and ever intensifying stream of surprisingly droning and somewhat harmonic midrange Noize whereas the subsequent "Coma" employs a more steady, yet more intense, futuristic and certainly abrasive approach towards time-defying Digital Noize. Following up is "Monster", a cold, unsettling and somewhat dubbed out variation of Cold Ambient / Industrial Ambient garnished with vast, spatial atmospheres, spine-tingling rhythmic patterns and intense vocal processing which might make this one our favorite cut on this album whilst "Nitrogene" employs a buzzing, electric maelstrom of low frequency-leaning Noize to pulverize one's final braincells before the final cut aptly named "Noise Is My Meditation" gravitates more towards the sonic aura of an ever pulsating, friendly and benevolent ancient alien organism slowly seeping through from the interdimensional outerworld than towards pure Noize and therefore should become a staple on all dedicated Ambient floors worldwide.

Andreas Davids & Sven Phalanx feat. Different Souls - Warm/Letherette [Infacted Recordings Promo]

Now that's something new. Put out on the digital circuit via Infacted Recordings on February 10th, 2k23 is this version of an unmatched classic - namely The Normal's "Warm Letherette". Crafted by the production team of Andreas Davids and Sven Phalanx alongside Joachim Müller of Different Souls-fame the contemporary remake of the 1978 released song keeps up with the breakneck tempo of the original tune, replaces the intense main synth line with a chromatic, multi-layered and defo spaced out approach whereas the vocals, seemingly performed in a call-and-reponse manner by two different vocalists, receive a massive reverb treatment as well as, at least partly, a step up in terms of aggressive response vibes to keep todays EBM x Industrial youngsters at bay on the dancefloor which might also response well to the additional instrumental cut on here due to its sheer production power and value. Proper.

Centrul Isteric / Michiu - Split [Preston Capes (Tapes) 008]

Put out on the circuit via the UK-based label Preston Capes (Tapes) on January 21st, 2k23 is this limited to 60 copes split-cassette album featuring two extended works crafted by Gili Mocanu a.k.a. Somnoroase Pasarele under his artistic guise that is Centrul Isteric and Bucharest-based graphic artist x musician Dan Michiu a.k.a Michiu. On the A-side we see Centrul Isteric exploring a tender melange of Deep Listening Music x FreeImprov with "KISI", opening with explorative Avantgarde Jazz-leaning piano tones, atmospheric pads alongside varied percussive elements of unclear origin as well as both electronic and electro-acoustic sound manipulations becoming denser and more present as the extended composition progresses even though longing Jazz tones, Field Recordings of chirping birds and even cascading guitars are occasionally shimmering through, dominating the mix for a short while. On the flip Michiu's "Dynacord" opens from an angle of hyperdense, droning and glacial Cold Ambient only to move forward into a maelstrom of warbling, ever filtered Feedback Noize sprinkled with alarming sinewave transmissions, flickering, processed and somewhat enchanted nervous guitar miniatures alongside echoes of vintage sci-fi sounds, a combination which makes this one quite a thrilling listening experience for everyone well versed in highly avantgarde and experimental music. Recommended.

Album artwork on Instagram!

The D3VI7 - Expander [Avaken Records 123 Promo]

Put out on the digital circuit via the Czech label Avaken Records on November 11th, 2k22 is "Expander", another new three track single released by the dark Techno force known as The D3VI7. Opening with "Emergency" the ever active producer brings forth a prominent, obviously EBM-infused synth bass alongside sci-fi vocal samples as well as a thrilling hybrid attitude balancing the thin line between Techno club and Industrial-leaning dancefloors before "Storm Chaser" provides a proper, precise and well greased Techno machine, fueling dancefloors with an expertly sculpted muscular pump as well as a sneaky Acid motif drilling deep down into your innermost core of consciousness. Furthermore the concluding title track rounds things off with an ever banging, yet stripped down Techno vibe incorporating a highly seductive and slighty Detroit-infused main motif set out to stimulate punters minds with its timeless, ever increasing funkiness and therefore turns out to be our favorite cut on this one. ClubTechno for the masses.

Knarz Maschine - Rolling Knarz [Bang Le Dex 054 Promo]

Put out on the digital circuit via Bang Le Dex as their cat.no. 054 on October 21st, 2k22 is "Rolling Knarz", a new single release by the mysterious Knarz Maschine. With "Rolling Knarz *Original Mix" Knarz Maschine provides a raw, slightly muffled amalgamation of hypnotic, ever spiralling MonoAcid and uplifting, motor city-infused ClubTechno ever pushing forward whilst the subsequent "Rolling Knarz *DJ Nightnoise Remix" sees the Flensburg-based producer DJ Nightnoise on one of his trademark excursions into deep and trippy, surely Psychedelic-informed realms crafted for at least semi-legal open air dancefloors hidden deep within the woods of the so-called German hinterland.

Kasper Agnas - Grain Live [Frim Records 004]

Scheduled for release via the Swedish label Frim Records on February 17th, 2k23 is "Grain Live", the March 18th, 2k21-recorded album by Kasper Agnas who - over the course of three extended pieces and roughly 37 minutes picks up on ideas and compositions from his previous solo album "Grain" and extends x develops them in front of a live audience. Opening with "1992" Kasper Agnas starts from a point at which his instrument of choice, the guitar, presents a hectic, nervous, warbled and more percussively droning tonality, partially even evoking memories of extremely misty, washed out Shoegaze experimentalism whereas the follow up "Mirrored Memories" opens on a deeply comforting and nocturnal Ambient tip somewhat reminiscent of slowly cascading, low frequency church organ harmonies before progressing into shaper, metallic and slightly off-kilter territories . Furthermore, the final, 18+ minutes spanning "Far Away, Closer" sees the artist exploring a realm of distant guitar strokes slowly fading to near silence in a beautifully calm manner, building a bridge between Post-PostRock harmonies and what could be described as a sort of organic PopAmbient before abruptly spiralling towards an intense climax followed by a slightly arhythmic aftermath and digital glitches accompanied by, once again, droning low frequencies. As avantgarde as a solo guitar performance might get.

Album artwork on Instagram!

This Immortal Coil - The World Ended A Long Time Ago [Ici D'Ailleurs 152 Promo]

Released on December 9th, 2k22 via the ever active French label Ici D'Ailleurs is "The World Ended A Long Time Ago", the second - and well extended... - full length album effort created by This Immortal Coil, the Stephane Gregoire-led multi artist project once initiated after the passing of Coil's Jhonn Balance. Still dedicated and focused on the concept of covering Coil songs in a Classical fashion the latest release features a total of ten cuts, plus more on the extended 5LP box set edition, providing a spine-tingling, well nocturnal combination of Dark Ambient and Contemporary Classical / Modern Classical music sprinkled with a solemn Spoken Word-approach towards the original lyrics with tunes like "Titan Arch" providing a dramatic, almost theatrical or Opera-like approach for big stages and large scale emotional response whereas cuts like "Cold Cell" and even more so "A White Rainbow" are touching base with ethereal, ballad'esque and inward looking Leftfield Pop, "Christmas Is Now Drawing Near" is harking back to big dramatic arks once again and the insanely infectious "Fire Of The Mind" brings back memories of ancient, immortal and somewhat maritime Folk song of yore just to name a few. Deep.

Adam Gottlieb / Victoria Stolz / Aviva Endean / Jim Denley - In Weather Volume 1: The Hidden Valley [Splitrec 031]

Put out on the circuit as cat.no. 031 of the Australian Splitrec. imprint on December 12th, 2k22 is "In Weather Volume 1: The Hidden Valley", a new a quadruple artist collaboration project harking back to Jim Denley's ongoing, roughly four decades spanning practice of recording and playing music, especially referred to as: musicking, within The Hidden Valley in Australia's Budawang Mountains. With slightly esoteric terms like 'Gaia songs' or 'geo music' popping up as somewhat descriptive vocabulary in the accompanying press sheet the album presents a selection of four, partly well extended pieces covering a total playtime of roughly 43 minutes, all of which are captured with the help of portable recording equipment in their raw, unprocessed and most probably improvised form, performed on flute and clarinet as well as a gazillion of objects like found stones against an ever present backdrop of nature, with birds and bugs and flowing water moving through the field of sonic perception all falling together in a certain kind of fully acoustic, Field Recording-infused EcoAmbient probably not too far off of what our early ancestors experienced when first discovering musical practices in the days before the days of yore. Quite an interesting concept, this.

Somnoroase Pasarele - AGONAL [Submarine Broadcasting Company]

Coming in via mail from Moldova recently is "Agonal", one of the most recent tape releases by 1971-born composer Gili Mocanu conceived under his musical alias that is Somnoroase Pasarele. Put out on the circuit via the Submarine Broadcasting Company on September 30th, 2k22 the six track cassette embarks on a journey into a realm of beautiful, touching and minimalist, almost organ-like Ambient movements as well as deeply retrofuturist sci-fi score sounds especially prevalent in cuts like "AG" whereas the subsequent "AGO" presents dramatic, powerful vintage synth bass tones and cascading space harmonies which are even more present and yearning in the ever climaxing "AGON", the first cut on the flipside of the tape, before "AGONA" presents intense, washed out and slowly degrading Cold Ambient x UnAmbient layers reminiscent of toxic gas clouds on hostile, life-defying exoplanets whilst the final extended cut that is "AGONAL" pairs unsettling warped, ever morphing suction sounds with a background layer of brittle, nervously vibrating Minimal Ambient for a closing. Spine-tingling stuff for all cassette collectors out there.

Simon Scott - Long Drove [Room40 Promo]

Released on January 20th, 2k23 via Australia's ever buzzing Room40 label is "Long Drove", the very first album crafted for the imprint by British composer Simon Scott who, over the course of roughly 49 minutes total playtime, presents an array of five new pieces inspired by an extended nature reserve project located nearby the artists residency. Characterized as a site-specific sound study according to the accompanying press sheet Simon Scott merges electronic treatments, soft pads and crackly, decaying tape loop techniques with, oftentimes deeply buried, on site Field Recordings of both nature sounds as well as his own manipulations on steel structures and brigdes located within the named area to create an overall warm and comforting Ambient feel with the "Holme Fen Posts I-III" triple of tracks slightly gravitating towards droning, sub-frequent Dark Ambient, even incorporating subaquatic-sounding percussion bits in "Holme Fen Posts III", and therefore marking our personal highlight of this longplayer before "The Whistling Wires" even introduces futuristic static noise and a well unsettling feel to otherwise soft Ambient structures. Go check.

Out Today: COMBAT DUBS - COMBAT DUBS II *Limited Edition 2023 Dirt Vinyl Repress [Intrauterin Recordings 007 ]

Back by popular demand! First repress ever on specially marbled vinyl which looks as raw, dirty and grimey as the streets these basslines are made for. 100% underground shit.

J. Wlsn - 1993 [Room40 Promo]

Another relatively fresh album put out on the circuit via Australia's ever active Room40-imprint is "1993", the latest album by Jonathan Wilson conceived under his J. Wlsn alias - the next eight tracks and 40 minutes spanning journey crafted throughout an extended period of time spent at home with his family due to the Covid-19 pandemic induced lockdowns in Australia's NSW area. Based upon a foundation of tape loops sourced from a bunch of random 80s Pop cassettes found in wild by his six year old son which also took part in the actual creation of these loops later J. Wlsn creates a deep, somewhat blurred and washed out sonic landscape comprised of wobbly, yet deeply Ambient-leaning FoundSound / Plunderphonics accompanied by crackly decaying vintage piano melodies in the opening piece "All My Friends And Family" whereas the subsequent cut "Brood" indulges in warm, all embracing nocturnal Dark Ambient, "Brief Association" caters a combination of tense, spine-tingling atmospheres and minimalist percussive sequences before the title track "1993" brings forth glacial harmonies falling apart in a well unsettling state of heavy decay. Furthermore "We Should Be Kind, While There Is Still Time" introduces unignorable tape wobble in combination with soft, wafting - and now off-kilter - Ambient pads, "Walking With Stilts" is as calm and tender as any dreamy Piano Ambient tune could ever get whilst "Ring It In" provides minimalist electro-acoustic treatments for chiming bells and the final cut that is "Counting To 10" once again harks back to deep, dronic Dark Ambient x Deep Listening Music for a spine-tingling finale. Most beautiful. Recommended.

baze.djunkiii Charts 02/2k23

01. Carl Erdmann - Bizarrophytes [Morning Trip 012]
What a beautiful gem this album is. Not necessarily as bizarre as its title implies the ten pieces featured on this re-released, formerly obscure and sought after private press album from back in 1980 were conceived, played and recorded by self-tought sitar player Carl Erdmann throughout the late 70s in the back of his pick up truck whilst working as a geologist in an oil field in Roswell, New Mexico. Fusing a totally free floating attitude to making music mainly for himself Carl Erdmann is meandering between tender, intimate and dreamy instrumental HippieFolk and influences of Raga whilst also indulging - presumably unbeknowingly - in drifting Krautrock-resemblances in cuts like filtered, flanging "Holobizarre" and others to a timeless and most beautiful effect that holds up beautifully even more than 40 years after its initial recording and release. Call it Acid Folk, call it outsider music. This one is a must.

02. Loxy & Ink - Irrelevant [Metalheadz 086]
Certified Drum'n'Bass rollers. The famed production team Loxy & Ink finally makes a return to the Metalheadz camp with "Irrelevant" on the A-side of this 12" whilst teaming up with producer Resound for "Token" on the flip. Whilst both tunes are highly focused on classic, rolling functionality we see "Irrelevant" deliver a well interesting, somewhat unusual and highly dynamic drum foundation upon which deep tension unfolds, once again emphasizing on the decades old vision of the long dark tunnel once used to describe the main vibe and feeling of Darkside Drum'n'Bass whereas "Resound" on the flip follows a similar path despite being more in a slightly nervous stepper mode beatwise.

03. Kerri Chandler - Spaces And Places: Album Sampler Part 1 [Kaoz Theory]
Kerri Chandler is one of the true dons of original Housemusic and the two tracks featured on the first teaser 12" for his most recent album "Spaces And Places" prove this evalution one again. Both "Never Thought" as well as "You Get Lost In It" are featured as epic vocal mixes as well as slightly stripped down instrumentals, ticking all the boxes for timeless future classics to be with their captivating, yet simple and functional deepness, on point melodies and uplifting stab motifs.

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