Kjell Bjørgeengen & Chris Cogburn - Fear Of The Object [Sofa Music 587 / True Blanking 001]

Scheduled for release via Sofa Music in collaboration with the freshly launched imprint True Blanking on May 5th, 2k23 is "Fear Of The Object", the probably most extended and elaborate release the label has put out on the circuit so far, with the more than 260 minutes spanning 4CD set housed in a special 20 x 16 x 2.5cm box, each one tucked away in a special format slip sleeve, with additional artist notes, fold out art print etc. which, in itself, makes this one a precious collectible object in itself. Sonically, and with each of the CDs - "Madrid" / "Coyoacan" / "Oslo" / "Mexico City" - recorded in a different location, the album covers an ongoing three year collaboration of Bjørgeengen and Cogburn, focusing on an elaborate concept which includes the use of audio signals as raw video voltages amongst other intricate technicalities. The result of this research, further augmented by contributions by the likes of Ingar Zach, Aimee Theriot-Ramos, Juan Garcia and Judith Hamann, is an extended examination of physical space and conditions, evolved and shaped through the experience of many musical failures in the context of live performances and other sonic experimentations, finally finding its form and shape in the creation of buzzing electrical drones of varying intensity, evolving constantly in terms of dynamic changes, oscillating pulses as well as bringing forth mind numbing, dystopian and time-defying sequences of near static, glacial low frequency transmissions, indulging in cold, exo-galactic sci-fi atmospheres, drawing inspiration from Minimal Music and emitting rasping, metallic screams for extended periods of time. Furthermore the experienced fan and follower of experimental electronic music production might draw parallels to the Clicks'n'Cuts genre at times, find surprisingly calm, tender and to a certain degree even romantic moments in pieces like "Coyoacan - Track 2" as well brooding, dystopian vibes accompanied by quasi-atmospheric interference and crackling, phase-shifting Deep Listening Music of tectonic qualities, well ominous scrapings of indifferent origin, probably coming from atonal double bass bowing and more buzzing sci-fi drones in parts evoking memories of artists like Muslimgauze or Aube for those in the know. Highly recommended. Get.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Lagowski - Teratology Rarities 89-92 (Fill-Lex Records)

Fill-Lex Records · FLR-06 Lagowski- Teratology Rarities 89-92 2LP

Classic Lagowski tunes made available again.

Devin Gray - Most Definitely [Rataplan Records]

Scheduled for release via NYC- / Berlin-based Rataplan Records on June 9th, 2k23 is "Most Definitely", the latest album outing by Jazz-informed drummer x composer Devin Gray who is presenting an extended solo vision with this one which caters a menu of 23 pieces in total rolled out over a playtime of almost 73 minutes which, in this day and age, basically equals two fully fledged albums for many other artists. Being cited as being '...obsessed with music at an early age through the power of non-tonal percussion...' it isn't surprising that Gray's pieces, many of them short sketches and experimental skits, exceed the boundaries of a convential drum album with tunes like "Pull To Refresh" drawing inspiration from militant, filtered IDM / Drill'n'Bass one would possibly rather associate with the likes of Luke Vibert and their hyper detailed drum programming whereas cuts like "Tailgate Lunches" provide nightmare-inducing Industrial rhythms from the depths of paranoid hell, "Blackwell Magic" dabbles with subdued, feverish Future Tribal for sacred, yet forbidden rituals, "Digital Nomads" provides a thundering barrage fire of a gazillion of percussive events per second putting even the hardest and most violent Metal / Hardcore drummers to shame whereas "Doom Scrolling" is bordering the fringes of subaquatic (Dark) Ambient minimalisms, the 15+ minutes exceeding "Solder On, Milford" evokes spooky and spine-tingling memories of past supernatural experiences and therefore would be a well suitable addition to the score of any 'The Entity'-like movie, "Jack De Blues" brings out well accentuated snare and hi-hat works for fans and followers of advanced Jazz drumming before "Vone It In" rounds things off with short, heavy and abruptly ending drum inferno just to name a few. One for the experienced listener, this.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Amamix 16: baze.djunkiii

𝙰𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚒 · Amamix 16 - baze.djunkiii

A little deeper something yours truly put together for the Berlin-based Amatori Music crew. 100% vinyl, ofc.

Jason Kahn / Frantz Loriot / Christian Wolfahrth - Köln [Editions 013 Promo]

Put out on the circuit via Jason Kahn's self-run Editions label on March 24th, 2k23 is "Köln", a 34 minutes spanning one track album which sees the Zurich-based artist performing in collaboration with Frantz Loriot and Christian Wolfahrt on viola and percussion respectively. Released as a limited edition of 200 copies with hand-painted covers the extended piece, recorded live in Cologne in October, 2k22, sees the triumvirate of artists embark on a journey into the realms of freeform Improvisation including non-linear percussion, irregular and unusual treatment of the viola strings from unhinged plucking to brutal, creaky bowing accompanied by probably modular retrofuturist background space bleeps, brittle high frequency emissions, minimalist atmospheres as well as upswelling Noize, indistinct scrapings, swirlings and occasional rhythmic patterns, all falling in place in a somewhat field recorded-fashion which leaves the listener as a close by, near field observer of both chance and communication prevalent within the intimate interaction of the three participants. One for a limited avantgarde aware audience, this.

Matt Elliott - The End Of Days [Ici D'Ailleurs 158 Promo]

Released via the Nancy-based label Ici D'Ailleurs as their cat.no. 158 on March 31st, 2k23 is "The End Of Days", the latest longplay outing conceived by Bristol resident Matt Elliott who's been out on the album circuit for two decades by now. Presenting a total of six brand new pieces rolled out over the course of 46 minutes and still somewhat under the influence of the post-pandemic situation that is Elliott embarks on a quiet and inward looking journey with this one, combining a stripped down approach to a Jazz-infused, somewhat mediterranean and surely melancholia inducing amalgamation of Folk and traditional singer-/songwriter vibes, even bordering at dark'ish Current 93'esque Apocalyptic Folk with the "Song Of Consolation" whilst surprisingly sliding into well kitsch'y romanticisms and Italian (...or rather Greek?) cliches with the subsequent "Healing A Wound Will Often Begin With A Bruise", an approach which finds its continuation, albeit accompanied by the artists exceptionally soft low register vocals, in the follow up named "Flowers For Bea" just to name a few. Not necessarily our favorite cup of tea nor the best Ici D'Ailleurs album we've come across but an appropriate album to listen to throughout a warm and intimate summer night for couples in love - or those to be.

The D3VI7 - Der Mantel Der Nacht [Psychocandies 101 Promo]

Released digitally via the Psychocandies imprint as their cat.no. 101 on January 2nd, 2k23 is "Der Mantel Der Nacht", a fast-paced and HardTrance x AcidTrance-leaning peaktime tribute to the seminal Time Modem classic of the same name produced by noone less than the German underground force known as The D3VI7, whereas the subsequent "Live In Berlin" caters a banging 10+ minutes lasting Acid jam spiralling on to screaming, ecstatic heights for all the trueskool Acid ravers out there. This one's massive.

Romain Perrot & Quentin Rollet - Le Vieux Fusible / The Singles [Reqords 010]

Released via the Reqords label on March 15th, 2k23 is "Le Vieux Fusible / The Singles", the sophomore album collaboration cooked up and conceived by the ever active composer, sax player and improviser Quentin Rollet alongside probably lesser known but not less busy (anti)musical multi-activist Romain Perrot. Coming at us with a roughly 106 minutes spanning 2CD containing the eight track album "Le Vieux Fusible" as a main piece as well as a compilation bonus bundling six tracks from previous short run, limited edition underground releases plus a live recorded 20+ minutes performance featuring additional contributions by Richard Frances on synth Perrot and Rollet provide a spine-tingling approach towards total musical freedom, going from gnarly, yet surprisingly harmonic analogue Noize to retrofuturist bleeps and washed out, intrinsincly psychedelia-infused melodies to sequences of Jazz romanticisms paired with electronic interventions, bring out crackly Cold War Ambient in "Revendeur A La Soviet" before going all out Dark Synth in the spatial atmospheric Electronica minimalisms of "Le Souper Des Litieres" whilst bits like "Lightning Pylone Dislocation" hark back to ultra lo-fi Rhythm Industrial, "Brain" reveals unspoken of psychotic horrors and might not be played to infants, children and the emotionally unstable whereas "Anrchie" amalgamates subdued, yearning sax tones, freeform metallic rhythms and an ever thickening maelstrom of crackly atmospheric Noize just to name a few. This is intense.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Hausverbot Bei Ulla Popken - s/t [Raketenbasis Haberlandstrasse 117]

We've heard of many a thing that inspired an artist to start a new project but being frustrated about not being able to find x buy proper clothes is a new one, even for us. But seemingly this is what caused Andreas Davids of Xotox-fame to launch Hausverbot Bei Ulla Popken, a new musical offshoot which comes at us with a limited single tape and two tracks - "Grosse Grössen" and "Ulla Popken Let Me Down - Twice" - which are rolled out over the A and B side respectively adding up to a total playtime of roughly 11 minutes. Opening with heavy electric buzzing, dark Rhythm Industrial and psychotic, dubbed out vocals the A-side evokes faint memories of Fred Bigot's early works, albeit on a maximum PCP overdose, whereas the flipside dabbles in a mixture of grainy, Noize-infused Dark Ambient, collage techniques and Musique Concrete to provide a different, defo not dancefloor-friendly sonic angle for a change.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Sakina Abdou - Goodbye Ground [Relative Pitch Records]

Released via Relative Pitch Records on December 22nd, 2k22 is "Goodbye Ground", the latest full on solo album by French saxophone player Sakina Abdou who caters the pieces "The Day I Became A Floor", "Goodbye Ground" as well as the five part composition "Planting Chairs (Part 1-5)" over the course of roughly 43 minutes playtime on this one. Solely recorded on alto and teno saxophone Sakina Abdou caters a menu of jazzed out, yet well accessible solo improvisations as a flawless showcase of her musical sensitivity, be it through the corresponding tonal shifts and somewhat cheeky harmonic exercises in the opening piece or the intense, gnarly and somewhat unnerving FreeJazz of the nearly 12 minutes spanning title track. Furthermore especially "Planting Chairs Pt. 3" reveals a slighly more playful and somewhat tender side of Abdou's sonic spectrum whereas "Planting Chairs Pt. 5" digs deep into nocturnal and yearning Jazz experimentalisms for a closing just to name a few. One to grab the attention of dedicated Jazz purists for sure.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Lagowski - Storms [Fill-Lex Records]

Industrial Complexx · Premiere: Lagowski - Storms [Fill-Lex Records]

Ken Ikeda - Sparse Memory [Room40 Promo]

Released via the Australian label Room40 on April 21st, 2k23 is Ken Ikeda's "Sparse Memory", the latest album by the Tokyo-born Japanese artist who made his longplay debut a staggering 23 years ago on the highly praised Touch imprint. Inspired by Claude Levi-Strauss' text 'Savage Mind' "Sparse Memory" caters a proper ten tracks and roughly 63 minutes spanning journey which starts on a chiming and dreamy, well naturalistic and organic note when it comes to the opener "Hear Say", moves forward into what seem to be subaquatic tape loop experiments in the subsequent "Breathing" whilst playful, lively, curious and dancey Indietronica vibes are highly prevalent in the title track "Sparse Memory", "Norarikurari" dives deep into wobbly, unstable percussive Ambient x ChillOut dream states which find their even more spiritual continuation in the well psychedelic "The Sound Of Waves" whereas the aptly named tune "The Destination Of The Blue Whale" brings forth a stream of cascading, sonic liquids for a calm and peaceful closing just to name a few. If washed out, time defying Ambient is your jam put this one on repeat.

Bitterfeld - Death Is Coming EP [Dancefloor Socialism 018 Promo]

Released via the Dancefloor Socialism imprint as their cat.no. 018 on April 6th, 2k23 is the "Death Is Coming EP", the first ever outing by the new project that is Bitterfeld. Opening with the titled cut that is "Death Is Coming" Bitterfeld provides relentlessy marching bass drums as well as a bleepy little 90s UK Techno-informed melody before going down a major Mainfloor Rave x Hardstyle route whereas the subsequent "I V Reaction" brings forth a slower and groovier, obviously FilterHouse-informed late night Trance approach with its washed out and subdued pad progressions and ever spiralling, well hypnotizing arrangements which make this one our favorite cut on this digital single.

Listen Again: baze.djunkiii presents JDB. Volume 13 @ Radio Flouka / Paris (06.04.2023)

Radio Flouka راديو فلوكة · baze.djunkiii presents JDB. Volume 13 - 06/04/2023

Lucaslavia - Furnace [Macro 070]

Scheduled for release on April 21st, 2k23 is Lucaslavia's "Furnace", a new project alias conceived by the ever active experimentalist Stefan Goldmann which, in the accompanying press sheet, is described as resembling '...a field recording from the sixth circle of hell...'. This gets us intrigued, naturally, especially as the term Death Ambient comes up in there as well. Over the course of eleven pieces and a total play time of roughly 39 minutes Stefan Goldmann offers a menu of highly exaggerated artificial eerieness including white noise pulses, somewhat theatrical demonic voices and brittle, atmospheric high pitch frequencies slowly fading away into nothingness, static Ambient minimalisms, pseudo DarkAmbient sequences, tectonic low end rumbles and wafting audio fumes of unclear, yet surely toxic origin as well as threatening near silence suddenly interrupted by heavy Noize bursts and other forms of highly washed out sonic ultraviolence which might be considered shocking and edgy by the intellectual x art crowd Stefan Goldmann's work is oftentimes aimed at, yet doesn't hit anything near close to home for the experienced fan of harsh, heavy and brutal electronic music at all, neither does it for those gravitating to the realm of Dark Ambient x Death Ambient as well. Pretentious, sterile and mediocre at best, unfortunately.

Album artwork on Instagram!

We're Not Afraid Of The Dark - Glossolalia [Room40 Promo]

Another fresh album put out on the circuit via Australia's ever active Room40 imprint on April 14th, 2k23 is "Glossolalia", the new conceptual album release by We're Not Afraid Of The Dark, a project comprised of long time musical collaborators Matt Warren and Gail Priest. Containing four pieces rolled out over the course of roughly 37 minutes the entire album was recorded live on June 19th, 2k22 with the opening tunes "Corridor Signals" and "Toned Tongues" being performed as solo pieces by Warren and Priest respectively whereas the subsequent cuts "Communiques Across The Threshold" and "Presaged Messages" being true duo cuts. This being said, the entirety of "Glossolalia" presents itself as a well consistent journey first gravitating towards the depths of spatial electroacoustic minimalisms evoking a feel of unease reminiscent of lovecraftian horrors, introducing sole ringing gong tones accompanied by icy winds and intense electric buzzing which slowly progresses into a captivating, ever repeating melodic motif of spine-tingling lo-fi beauty garnished with angelic non-vocalisms and dense atmospheres followed by intricately layered collage techniques and most intriguing harmonic progressions which provide a well epic, widescreen panoramic closing for this recommended longplayer. Go check.

Thomas Köner - Daikan [Mille Plateaux 049]

Re-issued via the once again resurrected Mille Plateaux imprint earlier in 2k23 is Thomas Köner's "Daikan", originally put out by the label in 2002 and now complemented by the previously unreleased soundtrack to "Banlieue Du Vide" - an audio-visual work dealing with time-lapse observations of abandoned streets in the Finnish arctic circle. This being said and, like many of Thomas Köner's works, being highly influenced by the artists fascination with permanently frozen environments the musical contents of this album once again operate within glacial, hyperminimalist parameters, with tectonic low end rumbles oftentimes bordering the limits of the audible spectrum and icy winds wafting over endless white plains, accompanied by sustained drones and almost overwhelmingly frosty atmospheres as a true sonic depiction of one of the most fragile, yet most hostile to life environments to be found on our planet - with only a few rising and falling pulses of more organic bass frequencies in "Daikan B" providing a bit of warmth, and probably hope, in a state of time-dissolving desolation. Recommended to all fans and dedicated followers of all things DarkAmbient and Deep Listening Music.

Album artwork in Instagram!

Schokomoko - Tea Time EP [Monokrak Records 271 Promo]

Put out on the digital circuit via Geneva's Monokrak Records on January 7th, 2k23 is the "Tea Time EP", the very first outing by the newly formed duo that is Schokomoko. Opening with "Käse Sahne Schnitte" the project takes dancefloors hostage with a minimalist, yet super hypnotic variation of grinding, gallopping underground MonoAcid whereas the subsequent "Vanilleraspel" follows on the laid out path with muffled bassdrums, sliced vocal microsamples and a trippy little main motif which lures punters even deeper into unexplored depths of time-dissolving Techno voids.

Duncan Pinhas & Yerri-Gaspar Hummel - Voyage Initiatique [Lab'ut 005 Promo]

Put out on the circuit via the still young Lab'ut label as their cat.no. 005 on February 24th, 2k23 is "Voyage Initiatique", the latest collaboration album crafted and conceived by Duncan Pinhas and Yerri-Gaspar Hummel. Combining their instruments of choice - guitar and saxophone respectively - for a 63 minutes spanning journey split up in 14 tracks with foreboding titles like "Voodoo", "Rupture" "Wild", "Haze", "Schwarzwald" and others the duo's sonic approach evolves from sustained, gnarly and klaxon'esque drone layerings to deep, sometimes a little kitschy guitar solos taking both inspiration from psychedelia-infused Progressive Rock and Berlin School Space Ambient, playful FreeJazz improvisations, cinematic Deep Listening Music which evokes faint memories of artists like Fennesz, outerworldly off-kilter siren songs, elegic late night Jazz melancholia and way beyond, including most intriguing layers of brooding DarkJazz x DoomJazz to be found in "Awakening" just to pick out one personal favorite here alongside the also highly recommended maelstrom of feedback noise and jazzed out melodies of the concluding and aptly titled "Lava". Well interesting stuff, this.

Don Malfon - Mutable [Relative Pitch Records]

Put out on the circuit via the ever busy Relative Pitch Records imprint on December 16th, 2k22 is "Mutable", a new full on solo album by saxophone player Don Malfon. Exploring and expanding the sound of both alto and baritone saxophones over the course of eight subsequently numbered cuts - "Mutable 1 - 8" - and a total of 41 minutes playtime Don Malfon presents himself in total, and all out acoustic, sync with his instruments of choice, catering a sonic menu including gnarly high speed fluttering and an almost militant percussive attitude, quasi-electrical buzzing and sounds rather reminiscent of electro-acoustic production techniques and early results of experimental electronic music production than an actual FreeJazz x Avantgarde Jazz x FreeImprov exercise whereas pieces like "Mutable 3" indulge in longing, sustained and melancholia inducing tones, "Mutable 7" brings forth the highest, most spine-tingling and explosive urgency out of all cuts on this longplay piece before "Mutable 8" ends on a still experimental and improvisational, yet more peaceful and comforting nocturnal note just to name a few. Quite a trip, this.

Album artwork on Instagram!

baze.djunkiii Chart Haul 04/2k23

Tørrfall - s/t [Den Pene Inngang 001]

Released via the fresh Norwegian label that is Den Pene Inngang as their cat.no. 001 on March 21st, 2k23 is Tørrfall's self-titled debut album, a 44 minutes spanning four tracker conceived and created by Nils Erga, Kristoffer Riis and Thore Warland in a trio setting. Opening with a track once again named "Tørrfall" the group enters scenic and spine-tingling, yet somewhat reduced PostRock territories characterized by both a panoramic ebb-and-flow of strings, vibrant bass tones and a certain, almost morricone'esque overall atmosphere whereas the subsequent "Baskerland" caters a quite minimalist and repetetive sonic depiction of flying over endless icy plains hit by glistening sunlight before "Du Hviler Ved Din Mors Bryts" sees the group telling a slightly more aggressive, muscular and brooding musical story despite focusing on the hypnotic repetition of one essential guitar chord accompanied by tender strings and gnarly electronic low end movements whilst the final cut that is "Jeg Vaker I Ørkenen" finally introduces ever rolling, somewhat krautsy drums to an ever densifiying sonic tapestry that is about to sit well with lovers of PostRock, Krautrock, Ambient and large scale panoramic movie scores alike. Recommended.

Push For Night & Jon Mueller - Lapsed Gasps [Room40 Promo]

Another one set for release on April 21st, 2k23 via the ever active Australian staple that is the Room40 label is "Lapsed Gasps", the first ever quasi collaboration album between the duo that is Push For Night, comprised of James Elliott and Oliver Chapoy, and percussionist Jon Mueller. A quasi-collaboration in this regard that all six pieces on this roughly 53 minutes spanning album are based on an unreleased CDr simply named "Gong / Snare" which Jon Mueller handed over to James Elliott more than fifteen years ago and which popped up in Elliott's archives once again over the course of the pandemic years. With this source material at hand the duo began a process of reworking, tweaking and reprocessing whilst Jon Mueller provided additional, and more recent, recordings of drum kit and lawn sprinkler to be included in the final mix, resulting in a spine-tingling set of tunes ranging from frosty Cold Ambient to highly unsettling non-linear sci-fi atmospheres paired with glistening, hopeful, ever emerging string patterns whereas cuts like "Do You Believe In Ghost" provide tender electronic minimalisms, eerie crackles and outerworldly, somewhat retrofuturist melodic constructs seeping through from the Upside Down, obscured voices and communication attempts included, whilst the title track "Lapsed Gasps" brings forth an ever brooding apocalyptic maelstrom of darkness as well as obscured, field recorded chirps of digital bird drones providing the backdrop for steps walking towards the vast nothingness that lies beneath the projected matrix of our reality, sonically depicted by the low end heavy droning of the subsequent cut that is "One Last Deposit" just to name a few. Recommended, yet not for the faint hearted and paranoid among us.

Various Artists - Les Espaces Electroacoustiques III [Col Legno]

"Les Espaces Electroacoustiques III: Masterpieces Of Electroacoustic Music - Presented In 5.1 Surround And Stereo" - this is the full title of this March 17th, 2k23 released 2CD compilation album on the Vienna-based label Col Legno which presents a total of nine extended pieces of avantgarde x experimental music conceived in the thirty years period between 1986 and 2016. Rolled out over a total playtime of roughly 135 minutes these pieces, composed by the likes of Kaija Saariaho, Hans Tutschku, Georg Friedrich Haas, Jose Manuel Lopez Lopez and others, provide a curated glimpse into the world of academia with Thomas Kessler's "Flute Control" for flute and computer being an explorative insight into fluttering, nervous instrumental techniques paired with an increasing influx of eerie computer generated, sometimes mechanical sound sources within the boundaries of so-called Minimal Music whereas Hans Tuschku's "Pressure-Divided", a piece for violoncello and 8-channel live electronics, brings forth a combination of brooding and spatial-electroacoustic atmospheres and dramatic, slightly off-kilter string works which are, in the compositions second half, gravitating towards Modern Classical x Chamber Music. Furthermore Jose Manuel Lopez Lopez' "Sottovoce" for vocal quartet and informatic system amalgamates electronic space strings and ethereal choir non-vocalisms to an outerworldy and braincell-clouding effect, partially reminiscent of vintage Opera and monochromatic b-movies of yore whilst Peter Ablinger fully indulges in extended, washed out and time-dissolving Drone and Noize arrangements almost burying fragile acoustic string works with the albums final cut that is "Instrumente Und ElektroAkustisch Ortsbezogene Verdichtung ('Das Blaue Vom Himmel')" for violoncello and live electronics which therefore turns out to be our favorite cut on this monumental compilation just to name a few. One extended journey for the seasoned fan and follower of avantgarde composition and music.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Blaz Svagan - Sound In Time [Aut Records 093]

Coming in as a surprise from the mostly Berlin-based Aut Records camp is "Sound In Time", the seemingly first ever full length album by tenor saxophone player Blaz Svagan who is accompanied by Nazareno Caputo, Miha Koren and Matheus Jardim on this one whilst trumpetist Boris Majcen makes a sole guest appearance on the piece "13th Warrior". Set up as a multi-national ensemble the group presents a total of nine cuts rolled out over 43 minutes on this longplayer which is set for release on April 20th, 2k23 as the first Aut Records vinyl outing in nine (!!!) years, starting from a point of classic, swinging and free floating sax exercises and intricate vibraphone melodies, progressing into ethereal Space Age Ambient interludes, corresponding and interwoven layers of brass interplay with stripped down tunes like "Defiant Steps" providing deep melancholia spread out over subdued late night rhythms whilst presenting a more playful attitude in cuts like "The Interval", indulging in dreamy top-drawer BarJazz oceans with "Esperanza" before rounding things off with the longing, romantic beauty of the ingeniously named closing tune that is "Quantum Insomnia". If deep Jazz is your go to section of your record collection these days make sure this album is finding a home in your crates soon.

Anthony Tan - Susurrus [Gengseng Records 004]

Put out on the circuit as cat.no. 004 of the relatively fresh imprint Gengseng Records is "Susurrus", the latest musical outing by Canadian composer Anthony Tan. Released on March 3rd, 2k23 the 25 minutes spanning mini-album contains two new pieces - "Endlessnessnessness" and "Sublime Subliminal Sublimate" -, both derived from the piano and its tonal as well as mechanical sounds as a source, yet transformed, looped and reprocessed to extend the original means of the instrument with "Endlessnessnessness" providing glistening glacial athmospheres and sprinkled singular key notes atop a repetetive rhythm reminiscent of an ongoing train ride, all falling together to a calming, well Ambient x Deep Listening Music leaning effect whereas the lo-fi processing of "Sublime Subliminal Sublimate" brings forth a more dramatic, edgier and in parts even thundering side of Anthony Tan 's musical work, sitting right in between Modern Classical and Indietronica albeit with a brooding and nocturnal Dark Ambient twist. Fascinating.

Album cover on Instagram!

Paul Baran - Pan Global Riot [Fang Bomb 030]

Scheduled for release via the Fang Bomb label as their cat.no. 030 on April 14th, 2k23 is "Pan Global Riot", the latest extended album effort conceived by Scottish composer and electro-acoustic researcher Paul Baran which, over the course of two CD's, 17 pieces and a staggering total of 132 minutes of playtime and alongside a vast array of collaborating and contributing guests, tackles both experimental composition techniques and politics on this longplayer, be it through the combination of the distorted, warbled voice of a Donald Trump speech and cold Industrial sci-fi electronics, through lo-fi P-Funk x KrautDisco outings as well as Modern Classical- and even Opera-informed Ambient pieces, Illbient-infused Piano Downbeat, collage works, dancefloor-oriented Minimal x EBM tracks, abstract Future Tribal miniatures and more, with the deep electroid, yet jazzy "Zero-Sum Game" probably being our personal favorite whereas the chiming, enchanted and hovering "Mandelstam (Speak Truth To Power)" explores the realm of Ambient and Minimal Music over an extended ark of roughly 14 minutes to a spine-tingling effect before "English Pastoral" provides a killer collgae of dreamy pianos, interview footage and Electronica x Phonk beats just to name a few. Quite a monumental and varied release, this one is.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Primitive Motion - Portrait Of An Atmosphere [A Guide To Saints 032 Promo]

Put out on the vinyl circuit via A Guide To Saints on March 17th, 2k23 as the labels cat.no. 032 is "Portrait Of An Atmosphere", the latest album effort by the duo Primitive Motion comprised of Sandra Selig and Leighton Craig which have been active on the scene under this shared moniker since 2011. With four tracks subsequently named "Portrait I - IV" and the follow up that is "Trenches Of Time" spanning a combined total duration of roughly 37 minutes the two Brisbane-based artists start from an angle of tender and touching minimalist Folk(tronica) improvisations, progress into mythical, ancient and flute-focused melodies of a well enchanting character as well as into uncanny Jazz territories before wandering the valleys of CutUp and Plunderphonics only to discover deeply maritime tonalities and touching, Modern Classical-informed piano etudes to finally end up on a, still somewhat maritime, yet chiming, DarkAmbient tip for a closing. Quite a trip, this.

E.N.D.E. - G.U.T. [Umland Records 061]

E.N.D.E. (german: end). Here used as abbreviation for the Essener Noise Dub Ensemble, a new formed group of musicians comprised of Max Wehner, Este Kirchhoff, Simon Camatta and Moritz Anthes which made their album debut on March 18th, 2k23 via Umland Records with "G.U.T.", a six tracks and roughly 53 minutes spanning longplay piece which - according to the accompanying press release - draws inspiration from Dub, hand-made Techno, Jungle, Drum'n'Bass and other electronic, bass-oriented music. With the track titles in their particular order forming the line "Four" / "People" / "Falling" / "Deep" / "Into A" / "K-Hole" and therefore channeling expectations towards the dark side of the sonic spectrum we see the quartet starting the journey on a classic, classy and deeply melancholic Roots Dub tip before slowly progressing into more contemporary, probably slightly Downtempo / TripHop informed territories, even pushing forward into what once was referred to as Crooklyn Dub by members of the famed, yet criminally underrated WordSound label, referencing BrokenBeat x Phusion albeit with unusual heavy bass and FX ridden guitar sequences before switching into uptempo live Drum'n'Bass mode and finally ending up on a Skweee-infused Dub note and, once again, dreamy Roots x Future Dub minimalisms. Defo a thrilling journey for all bass music headz out there. Highly recommended!

2020 - 6 [2020 Records Promo]

Put out on the digital circuit via the still somewhat mysterious artist-run label 2020 Records is "6", the - obviously... - sixth subsequent album cooked up by the well anonymous artist behind the 2020 moniker. Rolled out over a total of ten tracks and a playtime of nearly 90 minutes the December 2nd, 2k22 released album provides a musical ark spanning from the washed out, droning Ambient streams of "War Of The Worlds" to the subsequent "The Day After" which indulges in minimalist, time-dissolving Cold Ambient whereas "The Silence" follows on a trip into a full on Ambient white out. With "No Mercy" 2020 explores the hypnotic effects of subdued white noise pulses, "Emergency" dives deeply into spatial, unsettling Death Ambient drones before "The Secret" emulates neverending curtains of rain falling on a cold and greyscale'ish November day and "Looting" once again harks back to icy planes and frosty fogs in a totally comforting, yet highly disorientating manner. Furthermore "You Will Die" intensifies the sonic load, switching gears from relaxing to an almost threatening and defo uncanny mode, "Crematoria" brings forth an array of Ambient nothingness and the final "Death Of Mankind" oozes a mixture of toxic fumes wafting along soundscapes shaped by ever pulsing subsonic frequencies for a closing. Defo one for fans of hyperminimalist Ambient textures.

Manuel Mota - XIX [Room40 Promo]

Scheduled for release on April 21st, 2k23 via the Australian Room40 imprint is "XIX", the latest four track album by Portuguese improvisational guitar player Manuel Mota who's catering a menu of four extended pieces over the course of roughly 35 minutes on this one. Named "Folha 18", "Folha 7", "Folha 19" and "Folha 38" in exactly this specific non-numerical order the four compositions on this longplayer see Moha on a deep and nocturnal, highly explorative tip, turning the sounds originating from his instrument of choice into a ruminant, timeless and steady ebb-and-flow of brooding ambience with a scenic, slightly (Neo)Classical touch with especially "Folha 7" expressing the artists affinity for minimalist composition techniques whereas the off-kilter harmonic progressions in "Folha 19" evoke memories of early Synth / Berlin School before the final cut "Folha 3" finally provides a comforting stream of Dark Ambient melancholia for a closing. Check.

06.04.2023 baze.djunkiii presents JDB. Volume 13 @ Radio Flouka / Paris, France

Are you ready for some real ruffneck business? Hamburg-based Radio Flouka-resident baze.djunkiii is back for 60 minutes of uncompromising dancefloor destruction, causing havoc with a massive selection of twisted, ever mutated Drum'n'Bass and hard hitting DarkJungle tunes, for the most part dug up from the deepest underground and released by oftentimes overlooked and highly underrated labels over the course of roughly two decades, combining the old with the new, creating an ever evolving ark of tension for all die-hard bass headz out there.

decks: baze.djunkiii [Intrauterin Recordings / Freebreakz.FWD]

file under: Drum'n'Bass / DarkJungle

transmission time: 22oo - 23oo GMT+1

get locked via Radio Flouka
Paris

Francesca Naibo - So Much Time [Ramble Records 108]

Coming in from Australia's Ramble Records these days is "So Much Time", the November 2nd, 2k22 released album outing by Italian guitar improviser Francesa Naibo. Presenting a total of nine brand new cuts rolled out over roughly half an hours playtime the Italian guitarist indulges in the ongoing process of exceeding the sonic, and probably physical, limits of her instrument, employing intense, grinding, plucking and squelching treatments resulting in a rather extreme and violent soundscapes accompanied by her trademark primordial non-vocal vocal techniques oftentimes bordering a sonic framework one would expect to be found in a classic madhouse whereas, oftentimes in stark contrast, tracks also tend to break down into fragile episodes of intimately plucked strings bordering near silence or, in extreme cases like "E Se Poi Te Ne Penti?", even explode into heavy and distorted riff deconstructions which might even resonate with fans of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal before falling apart into granular pieces. Furthermore most dreamy cuts like "Voi La Ricordate Da Piccola, Ma Adesso E Cresciuta" drift into territories oftentimes described as Pop Ambient x Post-PostRock within electronic circles before "Al Mio 3 Spingi" presents itself as a quasi polar opposite with multi-layered off kilter melodies embedded in a maelstrom of braincell crunching feedback Noize and echoes and echoes of ancient ceremonial choirs whereas the dark'ish, introspective "Non Sarebbe Meglio Se Tu Vernissi Al Posto Mio?" arranges a string of singular, slowly fading chords in a most beautiful and romantic manner and therefore might be our favorite composition on this album for a reason, just to name a few.