baze.djunkiii Charts 08/2k24

01. The Overlords - Organic? [Mecanica 081]
The Polish Mechanica label brings back another highly influential album from the early 90s and re-introduces the originally 1991-released longplayer "Organic?" by the Danish project The Overlords to a new audience which includes the epic Industrial SynthPop anthem that is the title track, the influential ProtoTrance of their "Sundown" including a couple of remixes and versions, banging EBM variations, a killer cover version of Dead Kennedy's "Holiday In Cambodia" and further goodness that is essential for lovers of NuBeat, Agreppo, early Techno and many a style beyond.

02. DJ Jedi - Dance The Night Away / Let The Music [Return Of The Vibe 006]
So it is the early 90s again? DJ Jedi makes us feel this way and weighs in two expertly executed uplifting Happy Breakbeat piano bang0rs for the whistle crew which perfectly blend in with all the beloved Oldskool classics we all have been raving to in our formative years. Defo a future classic, this one.

03. Sorog - Alba 180 [Gentrified Underground 005]
The Swiss label Gentrified Underground presents a - literally! - super heavy four track vinyl release by Sorog who's all in for a major amalgamation of IDM, DarkJungle, Glitch, Breakcore and even banging 4-2-the-floor Hardcore which surely is something we haven't heard on wax in quite a while and would love to see more of in the future as we're defo in for more anarchic, freeform and experimental uptempo vibes on the dancefloor.

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Fullmoon - Moon 3 [Fullmoon Records 003 Promo]

Put out on the digital circuit via the artist run label that is Fullmoon Records on April 9th, 2k24 is "Moon 3", the third consecutive album on the imprint crafted by the still quite mysterious entity that is Fullmoon. With a total of six tracks rolled out over a duration of approx. 90 minutes Fullmoon explores a realm of eerie, warped, twisted, glitched and somewhat otherworldy Ambient, or how this genre would sound in the infamous mirror universe referred to as the Upside Down, in "Northern City" whereas "Reykjavik" pairs glacial Drone Ambient with what seem to be field recorded sounds of running water before "A Source" once again is back to interdimensional flutterings and retrofuturist Deep Listening Music x score work for roughly 23 minutes. Furthermore we see "Heliosphere" as an offering of classic space and time defying Ambient backed by rumbling thunder for true genre connaisseurs, "Nice Days" even provides whirling swells of (Neo)Cosmic and early Synth psychedelia and the concluding "Organs In The Sky" evokes a certain kind of immediate alertness within the listener which is quite astounding for what could be described as an extended journey into the lands of ColdAmbient or even UnAmbient if one will, the latter especially because of the ever emerging tectonic low end shifts which could turn out to be earth shaking and wall cracking when played at maximum volume on a massive soundsystem in front of an audience. Good stuff.

Sascha Müller - Pain Is Temporary [Psychocandies 117 Promo]

Released on the digital circuit as cat.no. 117 of the long standing Psychocandies label on April 16th, 2k24 is "Pain Is Temporary", another fresh two tracker cooked up by Mr. Sascha Müller in his Uelsen-based laboratories. Opening with the title track "Pain Is Temporary" Sascha Müller caters a pumping, tense and ever so slightly evolving take on top notch 90s Club Acid for strobe-lit underground dancefloors whereas the subsequent follow up named "Glory" dives deep into tripped out AcidTrance realms with a slightly psychedelic twist and therefore provides fodder for those DJs loving their late night sets - and the dedicated late night crowds that come with those... - for a reason.

Laurent Pernice / Jacques Barberi / Dominique Beven - Nine Tales Of The Winds [Psychofon Records 062]

Released via the German Psychofon Records label on July 7th, 2k24 is "Nine Tales Of The Winds", the latest collaborational album effort conceived and cooked up by the musical triumvirate of Laurent Pernice, Jacques Barberi and Dominique Beven. Based upon the concept of pairing original and modified wind instruments from all over the globe with electronic textures and post-production the trio caters a nine tracks and 54 minutes spanning longplayer which opens on a surprisingly groovy and captivating Contemporary Jazz x Future vibe with "Le Silence La Nuit" which might even become a very late night favorite on intimate and musically advanced dancefloors for a reason whereas the subsequent "Ghost Mountains" provides a rather dark, solemn and droning variation of what probably could be best described as Desert Jazz, marking an early favorite on the album, followed by the somewhat arabic x oriental sounding klaxon'esque off-kilter pulses of "Sandanapale" which immediately put the listeners senses in a high alert mode for a reason. Furthermore "Apres le Feu, Tout Resplendit" drifts off into Dark Ambient-leaning melancholia with a rather deep and slightly maritime twist, "Zombies" follows up with intricate harmonic layers of what sound like sustained bagpipe tones even though bagpipes seemingly weren't part of the instrumental setting in the first place before surprisingly turning into a psychotic maelstrom of rumbling tectonic low end shiftings and eerie transmissions from the outerworld whilst "Voices Of Canopee" serves an array of mystical elusive and ever busy flutterings whizzing and bouncing around like small magical creatures from ancient folklore. With the 15+ minutes spanning "Lost Angels" the three musicians cater an amalgamation of tender, fragile rhythms of a well hypnotic, time-dissolving nature and ethereal Ambient atmospheres which provide an excellent match for ChillOut rooms and late night radio transmissions, "Une Pluie Vague Apres La Nuit" brings forth a rather deep ebb and flow of beauteous, enchanted, yet slightly melancholic and (Neo)Cosmic- x Synth-informed Ambient waves whereas the closing cut that is "Les Petits Canards" offers a surprising collage of retrofuturist electronic bleeps, cut-up vocal snippets, echoes of Electronica and Field Recorded bird song for a well curious finale. Quite an intriguing and therefore highly recommended album, this.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Luca Perciballi - Sacred Habits [Kohlhaas Records]

Put out on the circuit on June 7th, 2k24 via the Italian label Kohlhaas Records is "Sacred Habits", the latest album outing by prolific guitarist x composer Luca Perciballi who, over the course of roughly 44 minutes and eleven consecutively numbered pieces named "Sacred Habits I - XI", explores a sonic realm of what is described as a combination of augmented guitar and foot percussion in the accompanying press sheet. The results of this exploration are as raw and stripped down as things can get, presenting a spatial landscape of oftentimes off-kilter harmonics, amplified and and slightly distorted guitar miniatures, electronically processed and somewhat surreal sounding melodies probably most suitably filed under the flag of digital Post-PostRock meets Indietronica, even touching base with elements of Dark Ambient and score'esque Deep Listening Music evolving towards washed out, vintage-sounding Ambient in pieces like "Sacred Habits IV" whereas the subsequent "Sacred Habits V" seems to sonically depict eerie mechanical movements of undisclosed origin, "Sacred Habits VII" brings forth an offering of harmonic Noize in combination with sacred ceremonial drum hits, "Sacred Habits VIII" even evokes memories of ritualistic Metal solos whereas the slow and shimmering cascades of "Sacred Habits X" provide a sense of long lost rural mythicality of yore just to name a few. Quite an interesting and oftentimes unexpected take on various aspects of what the guitar as a solo instrument has to offer and therefore recommended not only to dedicated purists. Go check.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Xotox - The Dark [Infacted Recordings Promo]

Put out on the digital circuit via Infacted Recordings on July 19th, 2k24 is "The Dark", the latest single outing by Industrial x EBM x Hard Techno staple Xotox. Opening with "The Dark *Rebuilt Version 2k24" Xotox provides an updated version of the 2002 classic, focusing on groovy, probably even Electroclash-compatible ElectroTechno garnished with a catchy synth bass motif and raw EBM vocals whereas the subsequent, 2002-released original version of the title track brings forth a heavier, untamed, hyper compressed and well aggressive sonic approach more suitable for peak time (Rhythm) Industrial dancefloors and therefore remains our favorite version of this tune. Furthermore "Mechanische Unruhe *Remix by <1979>" caters more of a brutalist, heavily distorted HardTechno variation reminiscent of early releases on the infamous Zhark Recordings label throughout the late 90s whilst the final "(Xo)toxic *Remix by Frequen-C" rounds things off with a braincell wrecking mixture of Noize, shrieking, subdued rave signals and marching bass drums which can only be described as the twisted lovechild of early Gabber and perverted Industrial Techno music. This is war music foreshadowing nothing but doom and apocalypse. Period.

Promo artwork on Instagram!

Stone Music - July 15, 2022 [Room40 Promo]

Released via the long-standing Australian Room40 imprint on July 15th, 2k24 is "July 15, 2022", the first ever longplay live album by Stone Music - a quasi-, yet not fully official successor project to the Taj Mahal Travellers whom released their first ever album on July 15th, 1972. Initiated by original TMT members Tokio Hasegawa and Seiji Nagai, the only still active members of the former group of six, as a celebration of the 50th recordings anniversary of the first TMT album a group of perfomers gathered by Hasegawa and Nagai came together on the exact same day the TMT original was recorded to perform and improvise live in an intimate setting, bringing together the sound of electronics, electric percussion, bamboo, stone, shadow, gorilla voices and other instruments. The result of this celebratory effort is a 34 minutes spanning album divided into three individual pieces which opens with a rather deep and spatial fusion of electronics based Deep Listening Music in combination with whirling, spiralling Free Jazz saxophones and slow tectonic low end pulses evolving into somewhat spiritual and comforting Ambient music with a singing voice, probably performing some traditional music, buried deep within the mix whereas the second part, still backed by deep electronics, provides a livelier and more intense emphasis on highly expressive Free Jazz before "July 15, 2022" culminates in screaming, high-pitched, yet rather more 'traditional' sax improvisations of a rather noisy and psychedelia-infused nature before this vibe dissipates in a slightly experimental, yet also somewhat retrofuturist manner. Quite a journey and a one of a kind album which is probably both suitable for fans of Modern Improv as well as trippy and beyond far out Psychedelic (Rock) experiments of many a decade ago.

Zark - 13 [Zarkon Records 013 Promo]

Released via the artist run Zarkon Records label on April 25th, 2k24 is "13", the thirteenth consecutive digital two track single crafted by the elusive artist that is Zark. Opening with "13.1" we see the labels head honcho exploring a raw and experimental, rather jam like realm which uses and abuses widely unprocessed snare drum (un)grooves as a foundation for bleepy, lo-fi Acid modulations with the subsequent "13.2" following on a similarly dry and experimental (Mono)Acid path whilst being more likely to move punters on rather advanced and out there underground dancefloors due to the actual presence of, albeit weirdly sculpted bass drums and an actual hint of late night Oldskool AcidHouse groove. One for a limited, yet well dedicated audience.

Melaine Dalibert - Eden, Fall [Ici D'Ailleurs / Mind Travels Series 020]

Released via Mind Travels Series, the sub x sister imprint of Ici D'Ailleurs, on May 24th, 2k24 is "Eden, Fall", the latest album outing conceived by composer x producer Melaine Dalibert. Rolled out over a total playtime of 55 minutes, of which the major part is occupied by the 37 minutes spanning opener "Eden", Dalibert brings forth tender Ambient dronings, faint echoes of what seems to be field recorded bird song and, most important of all, repetetive piano figures of pure, harmonic and unscathed, dreamy and unaltered nature, followed by the relatively short interim piece "Jeu De Vagues" which offers frolicking cascades of sparkling Modern Classical piano whilst the concluding "Fall" brings forth hammered fast-paced high pitch repetitions and therefore brings to mind what was originally called Minimal Music when modern composition techniques first emerged with the advent of the likes Steve Reich and fellow contemporaries which makes the closing piece our favorite cut on this album.

Album artwork on Instagram!

David Fennessy - Caruso [Unsounds 080]

Put out on the album circuit via the long standing Unsounds label on April 19th, 2k24 is "Caruso", the latest longplay effort conceived by Irish composer David Fennessy. With four pieces rolled out over the course of 57 minutes the opening main piece "Caruso" draws inspiration - and a lot of short samples as a source material - from gramophone recordings of famed Italian tenor Enrico Caruso, looped and layered to create an ever thickenig, slightly Plunderphonics-referencing atmospheric backdrop for stripped down and hypnotic Postrock x PostPostrock-informed, ever meandering guitar movements hovering above and beyond regular measures and transporting the deep and attentive listener into a realm exceeding our standard perception of space and time and therefore marks our favorite composition on the album for more than one single reason. Furthermore the subsequent "Nox" offers a combination of tender, longing viola drones and fragmented Spoken Word sequences which surely will speak to all fans and followers of Ambient and Deep Listening Music out there despite its mainly Contemporary Classical nature, "Hauptstimme" sees a dramatic fight unfolding between a noisy, partially disharmonic large scale ensemble and an oftentimes subdued and buried solo viola trying to wiggle and wind its way to the forefront of the mix whereas the final "Nebenstimme" waves goodbye on a deeply solemn and tremendously beautiful tip, pairing chiming crystalline celesta sounds and tender viola performance in a rather enchanted and mythical manner. Recommended.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Specio - Specio [Prohibited Records 068]

Put out on the circuit via Prohibited Records on May 10th, 2k24 is "Specio", the latest self-titled album outing cooked up by the duo comprised of Nicolas Laureau and Sasha Andres which, as a joint venture studio force, operate under the same name as well. Over the course of eight pieces and a total duration of approx. 39 minutes we see Andres vocal performances hover above and embed in the soundscapes created by Laureau, creating a wide-angled spectrum ranging from whispered Spoken Words and tender guitar backings to tunes like "Flux" which present a slightly darker, hypnotic and almost brooding, in parts even claustrophobic feel whilst the frolicking and playful "Va Jouer!" even touches base with a folksy attitude and certain elements of Leftfield Pop, "Birds Nest" seems to be slightly influenced by both Indian Raga and so-called Ethno ChillOut of the 90s and might be one to consider for one of the next compilations issued by the Parisian Buddha Bar, "Ouvrir" offers lively, slightly dramatic and Jazz-infused piano backings for Andres' tender vocals and "Vertical Janus" surprisingly even enters uncharted Synth x Cosmic territories just to name a few. Defo one album about to reveal its deeper layers over a series of focused listening sessions.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Spyros Polychronopoulos & Jannis Anastasakis - Nyfida [Room 40 Promo]

Another fresh release on the Australian Room 40 imprint, this time put out on the circuit on July 12th, 2k24, is "Nyfida", the 39 minutes spanning four part result of an extended collaborational effort between Greek artists, producers and composers Spyros Polychronopoulus and Jannis Anastasakis. Recorded in the abandoned village of Nyfida in the summer of 2021 in an empty house once owned and inhabited by Polychronopolous' grandparents "Nyfida" takes us on a journey into slowly evolving Ambient structures and sub-based Deep Listening Music backed by echoes of Field Recordings, haunted sounds and eerie rhythm signatures of unclear origin, garnished with what seem to be slightly off-harmonic high pitched whistle tones, probably produced on native x tribal instruments, ever spiralling, well dark'ish and buzzing synth drones, echoes of vibrating nocturnal Dark Ambient as well as an ever shifting and meandering stream of layered experimental sounds which make this album a well interesting affair for all fans and followers of various forms of Deep Listening Music out there. Go check.

You & Me - Instinct [La Bomba Recordings 020 Promo]

Put out on the digital circuit via La Bomba Recordings on March 12th, 2k24 is "Instinct" which marks the single debut for a new project named You & Me. Opening with the title track "Instinct" we see You & Me on an extremely tight, well bouncy and surely jacking Tech tip based on two corresponding synth motifs, clever percussive builds as well as a slightly filtered vocal snippet hidden deep within the mix whereas "Feel It", the second cut on this two tracker, weighs in a deeper, more Techno-leaning approach and therefore evokes faint memories of the late Poker Flat Recordings label throughout their last phase of regularly releasing 12" vinyl singles which probably ended around a decade ago before the label vanished into rather digital obscurity.

Uman - Ame Soeur [Utopique 013]

Put out on the circuit on May 27th, 2k24 via the French Utopique label is "Ame Soeur", the latest album carefully crafted by Danielle and Didier Jean under their joint musical alias that is Uman. After releases on imprints like Buda Musique and the reknowned Six Degrees Records in the 90s the sixth full length outing by the duo serves a full on 14 tracks journey rolled out over the course of a whopping 71 minutes total playtime, exploring a deep and deeply unique take on what could be described as mystical and electronically backed Leftfield Pop of sorts - paired with real life instruments, sometimes playful, curious and tongue-in-cheek sounds whizzing by like an elusive fairy, all garnished and glued together by Danielle Jean's hovering ethereal vocal performance who handles Ambient-informed beatlessness as well as organic Downbeat rhythms, lively New Age-leaning structures, tender JazzPop and angelic incantations paired with Spoken Word snippets in ever so floating crystalline perfection. A kind of music we haven't heard in quite a while and didn't realize it still existed after the second half of the 80s and probably early 90s saw a rise and minor peak of what could be described as New Age Ethno Pop due to the lack of a more suitable term. One to check out is "You Go On An Adventure" which sees Uman go into satnav / video game mode to our surprise. Interesting.

Album artwork on Instagram!

4ZZZ1 - Armadillo EP [Psychocandies 116 Promo]

Put out on the digital circuit via the ever active Psychocandies label on April 4th, 2k24 is the "Armadillo EP" by 4ZZZ1 who's been a long time contributor to the labels catalogue over the past twelve years or so. Opening with the title track that is "Armadillo" 4ZZZ1 caters an absolute uber-bomb in terms of driving, gooey and elastic Acid madness garnished with major grooves which are about to make every dancefloor jack whereas the subsequent follow up "Bad Brains" pairs tribal'esque Oliver Ho-like Broken Techno signatures with driving straight bassdrums and screaming peaktime Acid modulations and therefore provides a major peak time weapon for each and every experienced Techno DJ out there. Essential.

Symbolist - The Age Of Bronze [Creative Sources]

Put out on the circuit via Creative Sources on June 28th, 2k24 is "The Age Of Bronze", the full length album debut by a transnational trio named Symbolist which is comprised of Stephen Flinn, Guilherme Rodrigues and Roy Caroll. Fusing the sounds of percussion, cello and what is described as electroacoustic media in the accompanying press sheet the group presents an extended, roughly 29 minutes spanning composition on their firstling which opens on a slowly changing, ever so droning nocturnal Ambient note backed by hypersparse, slowly emerging rhythm signatures and electronic textures which pave the way for ever thickening layers of slightly off-kilter string interventions, scraping and well unsettling UnAmbient sequences evoking distant memories of Musique Concrete as well as electroacoustic sound processing, moments of near silence and distant movements of heavy or at least clanging objects in a distance, screaming and squealing sheet metal and other near field recordings of unidentified percussive movements which, at least in terms of their dynamics, provide a short, yet distinct climax for this fascinating piece of Deep Listening Music which might reveal even more layers and subtle depths in future listening sessions to come. Go check.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Zark - 12 [Zarkon Records 012 Promo]

Released via the artist run imprint that is Zarkon Records on April 2nd, 2k24 is "12", the twelfth subsequent single outing on the label by Zark. Once again following a strict naming and numbering policy the opener "12.1" sees Zark on a deep, somewhat brittle, tender and hypnotic ElectroTrance tip which evokes distant memories of beloved classics once produced by acts like Electrosmog on the Dutch Djax-Up-Beats label whilst "12.2", the second cut on this digital two tracker, brings forth a dry, subdued, yet wildly ecstatic lo-fi Acid ride suitable for both dedicated genre heads as well as fans and followers of The Hagues Electro and Techno scenes for a reason.

Salter Ensemble - Tri Dela [Zavod Sploh / Bruit Editions]

Once again put out on the circuit as a collaborational effort between Zavod Sploh and Bruit Editions is "Tri Dela", the May 3rd, 2k24 released sophomore album by the multinational electro-acoustic joint venture that is the Salter Ensemble which, according to the accompanying press sheet, operates within the realms of both Free Improv and composition. With three pieces rolled out over the course of a 50 minutes total the ensemble employs a plethora of interesting, oftentimes leftfield instruments including electronics, objects, hurdy gurdy and augmented percussion alongside more traditionalist ones, opening with sharp, almost militaristic snare figures in "My Wish Is Your Command" which pave the way for ecstatic, hyper-urgent rhythmic elements nicely contrasted by deep, stripped down and Improv driven sequences which oftentimes display a sense for a grotesque, almost tongue-in-cheek arrangement and sparkling piano interventions which certainly would qualify these specific parts for use and abuse in underground movie scores for a reason before drifting off into the lands of full on madness and fast-paced FreeJazz terrorism for a climax. With the subsequent "Interstices / Interferences" the Salter Ensemble presents a more minimalist, moody and at times even DarkJazz-infused sonic approach whilst the concluding "Sum II" indulges even deeper in minimalism and operates at the fringes of the audible spectrum, providing only a bit of experimental ambience mixed with eerie Spoken Word fragments for a few minutes only to slowly add and build up an ever thickening labyrinth of playful, tentative yet perfectly executed instrumental layers and hyperexpressive vocalizations which probably turn this one into a favorite for fans of improvised Avantgarde Jazz for a reason. Defo a niche release, yet one that dedicated genre - or non-genre... - followers should probably be aware of.

Album artwork on Instagram!

baze.djunkiii Chart Haul 07/2k24

Olivier Cong - Tropical Church [Someone Good Promo]

Scheduled for release on July 19th, 2k24 via Someone Good, sub- / sister-label of the Australian Room40 imprint, is "Tropical Church", the latest full length album outing cooked up Hongkong-based producer Olivier Cong who, inspired by a tropical rainshower he sheltered from in a local church, set out to produce an album which reflects the soundcapes of his hometown and -state, reconstructing and drawing inspiration from the cities overall ambience whilst sculpting a soundscape from electronics, piano, Spoken Word layers and a plethora of traditional Chinese instruments. With the end result being a thirteen tracks and 54 minutes spanning album Cong's sonic vision incorporates organic Ambient structures as well as somewhat futuristic bass pulses to be found in tunes like "Solace" whereas cuts like the subsequent "They Don't Sleep On The Beach Anymore" evoke memories of floating, almost crystalline and time defying New Age music, "Burning" is as calm, rural and intimate as near field recordings of wind instruments might ever get whereas "Solitude Study" seems to hark back to twangy, slide guitar Desert Blues, "When The Labour Is For Love" adds some washed out misty melancholia with an autumnal twist to the mix whilst the "Solid Sun" provides an excellent blueprint for atmospheric nocturnal minimalism mixed with what seem to be FoundSounds or Field Recordings in 2k24 just to name a few. Quite a comforting album, this.

Dun-Dun Band - Pita Parka Pt. 1: Xam Egdub [Ansible Editions 007 Promo]

Released on May 3rd, 2k24 via the Canadian Ansible Editions label as their cat.no. 007 is "Pita Parka Pt. 1: Xam Egdub", the first full length vinyl release by the Dun-Dun Band formed by and around Toronto's underground staple that is Craig Dunsmuir. With three extended pieces rolled out over the entire albums total length of 38 minutes we see the somewhat large scale band x ensemble explore an ever meandering, somewhat krautsy sonic landscape driven by tender percussions echoing slow moving tribalisms which are providing the organic backdrop for corresponding, intertwined sax and clarinet lines leading up to a jazzed out climax in the aptly named "No. 1", subsequently followed by "No. 20 (Once Raw The Aging G)" which continues on a similar, yet more easy and probably more traditionally Jazz- x BarJazz-leaning path before providing variation in repetition, harking back to arrangement techniques oftentimes employed in so-called Minimal Music only to suddenly focus on tender, almost Indietronica x PostRock-informed guitars leading into a final sequence of full on Improv x FreeJazz. Furthermore "No. 7 (Nilan)" provides a closure informed by deep, ever meandering EthioJazz-influences and solemn, peaceful late night listening sessions. Intredasting.

Computer 4000 - Computer 4000 [Gastric Acid 034 Promo]

Put out on the digital circuit via the Australian Gastric Acid imprint on April 18th, 2k24 is "Computer 4000", the self-titled debut EP by the project of the same name which serves a menu of six tracks named "Untitled 120", "Untitled 125", "Untitled 127", "Untitled 135", "Untitled 122" and "Untitled 124" in exactly this non-sequential order, catering a musical ark spanning from slow, slightly tribal x latino-infused House vibes garnished with subdued Acid lines to raw underground jam cuts emulating classic Oldskool HardHouse vibes from the early 90s, heavy synth-bass driven groove affairs which surprisingly slow down to almost zero before coming to a close, elastic Minimal Techno with a playful and friendly (Neo)Trance-infused attitude, curious Modular Ambient cascades as well as intense sub-heavy Phonk minimalisms reminiscent of all time favorites released on labels like Hollis Haus and therefore positively stick out in today's environment of quickly disposable tracks and releases for a reason or two. Interesting stuff.

John Kameel Farah & Nick Fraser - Farahser [Elastic Recordings 010]

Released on May 17th, 2k24 via the Toronto-based imprint that is Elastic Recordings is "Farahser", the new, first and 45 minutes and eight tracks spanning collaborational album effort conceived by John Kameel Farah and Nick Fraser. With its title being a made up composite of the participants last names we experience Fraser on drums whilst Farah takes care of piano, synthesizers and electronics - the latter mentioned oftentimes in addition to an initial foundation laid down in a piano x drum duet setting. Following this practice and workflow the duo creates a sonic landscape shaped by dreamy, yet slightly haunted and score'esque FutureJazz in tunes like the opening Flatland" whilst the highly detailed "Insect Mountain" is quite a tender Jazz improv piece, yet as buzzing and lively as its titel suggests, "Dirge" brings forth a more moody and deeply nocturnal take on stripped down, skeletal DarkJazz followed by the rather mechanical sounding rhythm signatures of "Baby Birds" whilst "Elevator" rounds things off as a slightly meandering almost predominantly solo piano piece which, in a way, gives way to playful romanticisms for a closing.

Listen Again: baze.djunkiii presents Rave Age Volume 6 @ Radio Flouka / Paris (04.07.2024)

Radio Flouka راديو فلوكة · baze.djunkiii presents Rave Age Volume 6 - 04/07/2024

Joel Chadabe - Emergence [Intelligent Arts / Arts Subtilior]

Released on May 31st, 2k24 as a collaborational joint venture between Intelligent Arts and Ars Subtilior is "Emergence", the latest in a series of retrospective compilation albums covering works of composer x electronic music pioneer Joel Chadabe who passed away in 2021. Spanning a musical ark from all the way back in 1967 to quasi-contemporary pieces written and realized in 2k20 over the course of 79 minutes this fifth part of an ongoing werkschau showcases Chadabe's distinct outlook on composition as laying out a series of what he refers to as 'activities' - a.k.a. a series of tonal events which leave room for decisions and determinations to be assessed by the individual performer - which are in parts assisted by or responded to by (early) electronic music systems, an idea which appeared very early in his works and studies of and in this field. Despite this theoretical and quite conceptual background pieces like the opener "Diversion" from 1967 offer a fascinating and dynamic tension in their contrast of near silence and cascading pianos whereas the subsequent "Prelude To Naples" evokes memories of experimental score compositions in the early days of cinema and "Street Scene" brings forth a fascinating, danger-heralding form of urban melancholia paired with Lawrence Ferlinghetti's poetry. Furthermore we see 1976s "Settings For Spirituals" exploring the expansion of the vocal spectrum by electronic x computerized means to a fascinating, yet outerworldly effect, 1978s "Playthings" probably is the closest to what resembles ethereal Synth / Cosmic / ProtoAmbient on this album in terms of its floating nature and predominantly electronic soundscapes, the four sub-sets of "Rhythms For Computer & Percussion" provide an interesting contrast between solemn and meditative as well as uplifting and playful rhythm signatures whereas the closing "One World 2 (Excerpt)" even incorporates multiple layers of Field Recordings in which both tender piano melodies as well as electronic treatments are embedded just to name a few. Quite a complex and deep journey in more than five decades of an artists extended body of work, this is.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Zark - The Remixes EP [Dancefloor Socialism 026 Promo]

This is a first. Released via Dancefloor Socialism on March 28th, 2k24 is "The Remixes EP" by Zark which marks the first time ever the mysterious figure behind Zarkon Recordings puts out a digital two track single on another label than his (or her) very own. With "10.2 *Atheist Remix" we're drawn straight to the heart of the dancefloor by a well fascinating amalgamation of stripped down, slightly metallic sci-fi percussions, huge reverberating bass drums and quite obvious DubTechno infusions which pave the way for the tunes ever repeating main motif whereas the subsequent "10.2 *Sascha Müller Peace Mix", our favorite cut on this one, indulges in an ever rolling, slightly TechTrance-infused Techno vision which surely will speak to fans and followers of labels like the legendary US-imprint Black Nation Records even though the remix evolves more towards a dreamy high quality AcidTrance vibe over the course of its runtime. Go check.

Wolfgang Seidel - Friendly Electrons [Karlrecords 114]

Released via the ever growing Karlrecords label on May 17th, 2k24 is "Friendly Electrons", the latest full length electronic album by Wolfgang Seidel, original drummer of the famed German band Ton Steine Scherben as well as friend and musical collaborator of electronic music pioneer Conrad Schnitzler. Over the course of 18 compositions conceived, revisited and x or at least fully completed throughout the pandemic era and a total duration of 71 minutes Seidel draws inspiration from both his own experiences in improvisation, especially with his Buchla synthesizer, and collage techniques oftentimes employed by Schnitzler, staying true to curious electro-acoustic experimentation and the characteristic sound and aesthetics of what could be described as the earliest years of electronic music production with all its playful bleeps and beeps and sometimes alienating spatial elements alongside gnarly and studio shaking sawtooth signals, yet at times gravitating towards skeletal echoes of IDM / Electronica and minimalist Deep Listening Music that's not really to be called Ambient, all driven by an innate curiousity and a will to explore non-repetetive and free-floating non-linear structures within the electronic music realm which also results in partly score'esque, partly retrofuturist pieces like "Organic Music", "ICC Berlin" and the swampy tones of "EMS #1" whilst "Film Noir" or "Streets Of L.A." hark back to Classical score and highly dramatic collage techniques in use throughout the early days of cinematic history, "EMS #2" provides a rare amalgamation of piano-driven DarkJazz and spatial Dark Ambient and the sparkling and enchanted "Organic Music No. 2" even features recognizable echoes of the so-called Kosmische Musik at times just to name a few. Quite a journey, this album is.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Peder Simonsen & Jo David Meyer Lysne - Spektralmaskin [Sofa Music]

Put out on the circuit via the infamous Norwegian Sofa Music label on May 31st, 2k24 is "Spektralmaskin", the new, 34 minutes spanning three part album crafted and conceived by Peder Simonsen and Jo David Meyer Lysne who are following their experimental instincts, pairing experimental slow motion e-bow techniques, the sound of microtonal tuba, modular synthesis, sine waves, guitars, vibrating speakers and more unaltered real life instruments to form a distinct sonic landscape which, in the case of the opening piece "I" unfolds in the form of beautiful, slowly evolving and almost rural Ambient meadows moving towards layers of harmonic melancholia and all embracing low frequency movements emerging after roughly two thirds of the compositions total playtime. Furthermore we see "II" embarking on a journey into the lands of slightly off-harmonic nocturnal DarkAmbient backed by bass drone pulses and sustained, ghostly, longing, weeping and yearning tonal movements seamlessly blending into the subsequent composition that is "III" which provides a calm, almost solemn and all embracing Ambient closure for an album that's about to end up in many a genre collectors racks and needs to be heard at least once by fans and followers of contemporary Deep Listening Music - and probably by fans of the Cologne-based school of so-called Pop Ambient as well. File under: Beautiful music.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Jon Rose - Aeolian Tendency [Room40 Promo]

Scheduled for release via the ever expanding Australian imprint that is Room40 is "Aeolian Tendency", the latest rather conceptual album conceived by composer and inventor of many unique instruments Jon Rose who's been active in this specific field for 45+ years now. With "Aeolian Tendency" Rose presents a set of four direct live recordings of his instruments exposed to Australian winds - three of the Monolith 2023 and one of the Tube 2022 - rolled out over the course of rougly 39 minutes and recorded via means of so-called contact microphones. The results of these recordings tonally vary from the hovering, ever shifting and somewhat electrical Ambient tonalities of "First Tendency: The Monolith recorded 10.11.2022" to the somewhat more subtle, yet also bleak and brooding drones of "Second Tendency: The Monolith recorded 13.1.2023" which, vibewise, would probably provide a suitable backdrop to the Field x Telecommunications Recordings inherent to early works by Robin Rimbaud a.k.a. Scanner whereas the calm pulses of "Third Tendency: The Tube recorded 15.1.2022" cater an almost scientific retrofuturist quality transforming into tender brittle and certainly slowly waning Ambient tones before "Fourth Tendency: The Monolith recorded 2.11.2022", the most 'agitated' amongst these four recordings, brings forward constantly shifting and intertwining frequencies of a subdued, yet innately highly dynamic nature for a closing. A lovely take on conceptual experimentalism, this.

Optimal - Rolling Stock [Rope Worm 003]

Released via the Warsaw-based Rope Worm label on June 14th, 2k24 as their cat.no. 003 is Rolling Stock, the first full length CD album by Polish producer Pawel Starzec a.k.a. Optimal which not only marks the first non-reissue on the label but also its first venture into the beat-laden lands of what is described in the accompanying press sheet as a mixture and blend of Drum'n'Bass, Breakcore and Illbient - genres that always held a special place in our hearts anyway. From the very beginning of this thirteen tracks spanning journey rolled out over a total playtime of 56 minutes we're entering a realm of heavy, slightly washed out and highly atmospheric Drum'n'Bass x DarkJungle reminiscent of classic underground labels like Penny Black, Fear Records or Jungle Voodoo Recordings which immediately come to mind within seconds after the opening cut "No Future Yes Past" started whereas the subsequent "Get Paranoid" incorporates elastic Tribal elements as well as subdued 4-2-the-floor bassdrums in its overall aesthetics and "Chemical Warfare" takes us all the way back to early releases by the likes of Alec Empire on labels like Riot Beats or Sonic Subjunkies on Digital Hardcore Recordings. With these three opening track setting the pace for things to come cuts like the beatless "Please Let Me Sleep" explore eerie Cold Ambient atmospheres of a space-faring future followed by the brutal, yet surprisingly slow Breakcore x DarkJungle of "Take Care Of The Machine" which suggests that this care-taking might be executed in some kind of ultraviolent and revolution sparking manner which is even topped by the peak-time amen choppage provided by the title track "Rolling Stock" whereas "5AM " brings forth heavy Illbient Phonk for fans and followers of classic projects like Techno Animal or Saoulaterre, the "Snare Buzz" seems to be leaning more towards rumbling, bass-heavy ElectroPhonk mutations and the final cut "Methylphenidate" digs deep into raw unprocessed Industrial Sci-Fi Drum'n'Bass for a closing just to name a few. That's one excellent album which evokes a lot of great musical memories for us. Get!

baze.djunkiii Charts 07/2k24

01. Jürgen Paape - Allein [Kompakt 470]
What an epic 10" release. Jürgen Paape flips an ethereal sample taken from Ina Martell's unreleased 1967 song "Ich War Allein" of which only a TV recording exists, pairs this with beautiful electronic Dub sequences and "Moments In Love" resembling background strings to create the most beautiful melancholia-inducing Schlager Dub tune of all time - and therefore probably single-handedly launches an entire genre - whilst the flipside "Allein In Italien" focuses on a more dancefloor-friendly approach, flirting with an uplifting mixture of Pop Minimal, atmospheric TechHouse and NuDisco which spreads positivie vibes all over the place.

02. Anatoly Grinberg & Andreas Davids - Inspired By A Tragedy [Ant-zen 453]
See review for details...

03. Sven Väth - L'Esperanza [Cocoon Recordings]
Sven Väth's "L'Esperanza" is without a doubt one of the biggest Baleric x Downtempo classics ever to be released on a German label and therefore makes a well deserved picture disc comeback these days with its dreamy string arrangements and dubbed out Breakbeat grooves which made it a favourite on ChillOut floors worldwide as well. On the flip we see Techno master Len Faki on a remix tip with his so-called 'Hardspace Mix' which provides a major peak time Trance anthem for all dedicated ravers out there and therefore an essential addition to every DJs collection these days.

04. Zed Bias x Shumba Youth - London Town *UKG Remixes [IFG Records]
UK Garage legend Zed Bias is back on track with a set of remixes for his "London Town" collaboration with Shumba Youth, bringing forth two heavy Niche X Bassline x Speed Garage iterations on the A-side whereas the 'Jeftus UKG Mix' is on a slightly complex, heavily syncopated and surely Dark Garage- x Sublow-infused tip and Zed Bias' very own '2 Step Mix' is one bouncy affair for all fans and followers of the original UK Garage sound.

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