Mount Kimbie - Crooks & Lovers [2010, PROMO, hotflush recordings]

19 july 2010

lbl: Hotflush Recordings

electronic

dubstep, downtempo, uk-garage, techno, acoustic

320kbps

01. Tunnelvision

02. Would Know

03. Before I Move Off

04. Blind Night Errand

05. Adriatic

06. Ruby

07. Carbonated

08. Ode to Bear

09. Field

10. Mayor

Dominic Maker & Kai Campos 

note: Adding a percussive and experimental edge to the current class of post-dubstep pioneers, Mount Kimbie, the duo of Dominic Maker and Kai Campos – are set to release their highly anticipated debut album ‘Crooks & Lovers’ on Scuba’s Hotflush label in July.

Mount Kimbie’s first two EPs – ‘Maybes’ and ‘Sketch On Glass’ – seemed like explorations of spaces so private that all within earshot were instantly turned into voyeurs. The experience was less like listening to music and more like eavesdropping on the machinations of a lone mind – albeit a lone mind surrounded by and retreating from millions of other minds.

Difficult to categorise, the lush EPs caused a commotion when released last year with ‘Sketch On Glass’ recently undergoing reworks from the likes of Falty DL, SCB (Scuba’s darker techno alias) and their sometime collaborator James Blake. With their own remixes (Foals and The xx) becoming hot property, Mount Kimbie have been a core part of the growing scene in London often associated with labels like Hyperdub and Hessle Audio.

Dom and Kai met whilst at Southbank University, pushed together in a student halls that was previously a mental asylum – where the ceilings were still ridiculously high to stop patients hanging themselves: “a cold, joyless, concrete building – the sort of building where you’d drop a pen and the sound would just go on and on in an echo.”

Armed with found sound snips and a siege mentality, Kai and Dom set about turning London’s ambience into rhythm, its chaos into coherence. Traces of influence remain – the hard-earned spaces of Burial and The Bug vie with the berserk melodrama of Xiu Xiu and Grouper’s sad-eyed glow, D’Angelo’s pervert soul gets cleansed in the intimacy of Phil Elvrum’s Microphones, Angelo Badalamenti’s swollen ‘Twin Peaks’ atmospheres find a cradle in Madlib’s lax lope.

The band’s sound and response to the dubstep moment is very much their own. Sceneless and untethered from etiquette and genre codes, ‘Crooks & Lovers’ floats through dubstep and hip-hop, jazz, techno and ambient, post-rock, UK garage and film scores to startling effect." - ST Holdings.

[7.3]

DOWNLOAD
[22 november 2016]

& buy it here.

[Sound Of The Universe, £ 8.99]

Oval - Oh [2010, vinyl, thrill jockey]

15 june 2010

lbl : Thrill Jockey

#: THRILL1244

electronic, acoustic

electroacoustic

320kbps

01. hey

02. hmmm

03. grrr

04. oh!

05. kastell

06. sediment

07. featurette

08. saas fairy

09. kastell 4

10. kasko

11. homesick

12. tricot

13. locria

14. nonfiction

15. happyend 2

note: "Markus Popp's first "Oval" release after almost a decade of silence is a spectacular departure from the deconstructivist electronica that made him a laptop legend. Instead, and totally out of nowhere, the 15-track "Oh" EP establishes Popp as an accomplished musician, who is delivering a glimpse of his very own exciting flavor of "free" music in the best sense of the word.

The most important paradigm for the new sound was that everything should be done the exact opposite way from how it was done in the past.  Popp exclusively used (cheap) commercially available software and plug-ins instead of programming his own.  He utilized one (four years old at that) $500 stock PC instead of several high-end Macs.  All the virtual instruments are played with his own hands.  And last but certainly not least, scales, harmonics, and melody are the foundation of this music instead of theory and meta-discourse." - brainwashed.

birds on another guitar

& out of stock :P

Kenny Larkin - Glob Remixes [2010, file, planet e]

28 may 2010

lbl: Planet E

#: PLE653173

electronic

techno

320kbps

1. Glob (Claude Von Stroke Remix)

2. Glob (Kenny Larkin Remix)

3. Glob (Ben Klock Remix 1)

4. Glob (Ben Klock Remix 2)

note: "An outrageously good remix package courtesy of Carl Craig legendary deep techno imprint Planet E! Claude Von Stroke's remix is excellent a slow burning workout and just builds and builds! Don't expect the sound snippets to do this marathon track as much justice! On the flip Kenny Larkin gives us an alternative remix and Ben Klock finishes the 12" with  bass heavy Detroit esque 4/4 bassline, shuffling drums and some delicate Maryn-style keys." - sounds of the universe.

[8.0]

sky church

& buy:

Interstellar Sounds

Sounds Of The Universe

Phonica Records

Rush Hour Store NL

Son.sine - Upekah [2000, vinyl, nurture]

2000

lbl: Nurture

#: NUR05

electronic

dub techno

A. Upekah

B1. Karuna

B2. Mudita

note: "Just a quick update about this record. Really tricky to come by and absolutely beautiful, it's a heartfelt and totaly fluid selection of the finest deep techno. If you missed it when it came out in 2001 you really should investigate it immediately. Finally, number five on this awesome label comes in. 3 beautifully produced, laidback, deep, slightly dubby house influenced techno tracks that you have to hear to really appreciate. Quite simply brilliant." - smallfish.

[8.0]

großartige Widerspiegelung 

& buy it here. [discogs]

Information - Biomekano [2002, cd, rune grammofon]

4 march 2002

lbl: Rune Grammofon

#: RCD2024

electronic

dub techno, glitch, minimal, experimental, ambient

320kbps

1. Plot Ratio (Replug)

2. Tropical Investigation (Leisure Recycled)

3. Every Possible Artificial Condition

4. Higher Densities / Maximum Choice

5. Stacking Of Different Natures

6. Sufficient Sunlight

7. A Radical Co-ordination 

8. This Low-rise City

9. Center By Celebrating The Loop

10. Biomechanics By Accident

Jørgen Knudsen & Per Henrik Svalastog

note: "Third and easily the best album from these veterans of arctic ambient electronica. A beautiful and razorsharp production with plenty of depth and detail, this is an album that should most definitely appeal to Biosphere fans.

On "Biomekano", they have combined the Arctic ambience of their debut with the glitch excursions of their sophomore effort in a beautiful, warm suite which both deepens my admiration for this duo and takes me to places I didn't know existed previously. Surely one of the finest products thus far released on the already excellent Rune Grammofon label. Motion (UK)

An extremely exclusive selection of tracks that like the rest of Tromso´s electronica scene touches upon an arctic element. We have rarely heard such a crystal clear album when it comes to combining certain basic elements. It redefines the rules regarding how music like this can be presented, and it´s done in a beautiful, intelligent and lasting way. Dagsavisen (NO)

Melodic, sometimes rhythm based and sometimes more experimental. It´s far between albums this great in the already overcrowded jungle of Norwegian electronica. 5/6. Scooter (NO)

Electronica of the dark, melodic kind, A beautiful surface with a strong undertow. Arctic? Perhaps, but at the same time with a warm sound that proves that machinebased music not necessarily needs to be cold and without emotions. The best track, "Tropical Investigation", is among the most beautiful I´ve heard from the Norwegian electronica scene, a track Boards of Canada would sell their mixing desk for. An album for repeated listening. Warmly recommended. 5/6. Spot (NO)

"Biomekano" is a strong album of experimental ambient electronica that brings the Norwegian duo Information back to their roots after a sidestepping journey in experimental CD composition. The textures are constantly clever, relevant and subsumed to the enjoyment of the tune. All Music Guide (US)

"Biomekano" is Information's third album, and has found a perfect home on the exceptional Rune Grammofon label. The Biosphere references are quite obvious in the duo's construction of arctic atmospheres through an active exploration into the rich tonal colors of ambient washes; yet Information's music is far from pure ambience as they provide a greater intensity to their music through the throbbing micro-techno pulsations often associated with Vladislav Delay and Thomas Jirku. Aquarius (US)"

[9.0]

paraphrasing dub techno

& buy it:

CD Universe,

amazon,

Gustaff,

CD Market,

hbdirect

Fischerle - Płyny EP [2010, not on label, file]

may 2010

electronic

dub techno, experimental idm

320kbps

1. podglądałem jak sikałaś

2. po wódce wyzywam znajomych od kurew

note: co powiecie na mieszankę polskiej tradycji z eksperymentalką ala oni ayhun [in 'chillmode']?

liquids double up

Kyle Hall - The Water Is Fine EP [2008/10, vinyl, moods & grooves]

2008 - may 2010 [reissue]

lbl: Moods & Grooves

#: MG-045

electronic

deep house

320kbps

A. Create Your Own Existence

B1. Tomorrow Is The Day

B2. One Ribbon

note: "Scrolling back a few years, Mood & Grooves present one of the very earliest (and digital only) Kyle Hall releases for the first time 'pon wax. 'The Water Is Fine' was produced roughly around the same time as his FXHE debut so what you're hearing is a lovely snapshot of a producer in near-embryonic form. 'Create Your Existence' makes a cautious start, taking its time to warm up with silken chords before dropping a thick house beat and sparkling keys. 'Tomorrow Is The Day' is nothing short of a stunning house track, the sort of gear you'd expect to hear from Shake in his prime (when in fact this guy was 17 when he wrote it!), and finally 'One Ribbon' sails home on a kinked shuffle of raw percussion and head-melting interstellar jazz keys." - boomkat.

[8.0]


yt preview:

atac de jazz!

& buy it:

clone.nl, € 8.99

rush hour nl

boomkat, £8.99

picadilly records, £8.99

Arcanoid - Synchronization [2010, vinyl, semantica]

28 february 2010

lbl: Semantica Records

#: SEMANTICA Y

electronic

electro, idm, breaks, oldschool

320kbps

A1. Intro

A2. Hydroxide

A3. Isonoe

B1. Hormone

B2. Symphony Of Horror

note: "Arcanoid continues where he left after his first outing on Semantica. Five extremely atmospheric, emotional and well produced tracks make sure this is yet another release that shouldn't be missed! Of course this mini-LP is brought to you in the classic Semantica style with hand made details on the sleeve, and is limited to just 100 copies." - clone.nl.

duża przyjemność z banalnych oldschool breaków.
[7.8]

robot packs full of emotion

& buy it here.

[semantica records, € 14.99]

Ramadanman - Glut / Tempest [2010, vinyl, hemlock recordings]

april 2010

lbl: Hemlock Recordings

#: HEK008

electronic

dubstep [hypnagogic dubstep? hehe]

320kbps

A. Glut

B. Tempest

note: "Hey, look, it’s Ramadanman and he’s releasing more really good music.

‘Tempest’ first appeared on Scuba’s Sub:stance mix for Ostgut-Ton label earlier this year, and filters Ramadanman’s trademark, woodblock-heavy production through a kind of subterranean after party aesthetic, drum hits being pulled in weird, different ways. Ikonika, Gemmy and more talk about making synths sing, but on ‘Tempest’, it’s the drums that add variation to the straight-forward main pulse and ambient flutters. They’re almost virtuoso.

If ‘Tempest’ draws comparisons with Ramadanman’s 2009 single under his Pearson Sound name, ‘Wad’, then ‘Glut’ finds kinship in his future 12” for Swamp 81, ‘Work Them’, not to mention ghetto-house with its stripped down drum machine beat and R’n’B samples that are almost jarring when they first come in. Of course, this is Ramadanman, and the track doesn’t take long to become mournful with a nostalgic synthline. Which is followed by some serious sub hits and an old school breakdown, in case I’m making this sound like it’s anything other than a dancefloor killer." - Tom Lea, FACT Mag.

atmosferyczny, gęsty step, taki fragmencik przesłodkiego 'selected ambient works' po dubstepowemu.

[7.3]


yt preview:

space glut

& buy it here or maybe...

[Rush Hour Store NL, €9.50 ; Rubadub,  £5.99]

Sigha - Shake [2010, vinyl, hotflush recordings]

24 may 2010

lbl: Hotflush Recordings

#: HFT011  

electronic

dub techno, ambient

320kbps

01. Shake                                               

02. Shapes                                              

03. Light Swells (In A Distant Space)  

note: The music of London producer Sigha has always felt incongruous with its surroundings, too laid back and dubby to fit in with British techno, but certainly not dubstep either with its stubborn 4/4 pulse. With the Shake EP, his first of 2010 and the follow-up to the unfortunately slept on Rawww EP from last year (both on Scuba’s Hotflush Recordings), he mines a more inviting style that could be outright pretty if it had a little meat on its bones.

Made up of tiny, barely audible sounds, Sigha’s techno is clearly influenced by the micro-house and minimal techno that ruled much of the last decade, but he moulds it into a form more fitting to the currently dominant Berlin scene. Where producers such as Shed (under his various white label aliases) construct skeletal tools out of basic elements, the music here is bewilderingly dense and complex, always something sounding off in some distant corner.

The title track rumbles to a start with murmurs and hums until Sigha drops an almost frustratingly simple hi-hat over it, completely dominating the mix and lending the track a stubborn rigidity, forcing the rubbery, wiggly tune upright. With so much going on underneath that hi-hat, it’s hard to tell what’s what beyond the ear-splitting high frequencies — the kick sounds like it’s dancing around every beat, far from the simple thump that might be expected.

The shorter ‘Shapes’ is a quintessential Hotflush tune, a beat built out of curiously organic sounds and strapped with deep, drilling subterranean bass and noises pinging away like echolocation in a dark manmade cavern. The hi-hat is hinted at, teased, but never allowed to fully emerge as Sigha sneakily weaves in more elements until the cavern is transformed into a sweaty, throbbing mess. And still that hi-hat slyly winks as you patiently await for it to finally take flight. But it never does.

It’s the last track that might be a bit of a curveball. The rather dramatically-titled ‘Light Swells (In A Distant Space)’ – the ambient wash that memorably opened Scuba’s mix CD for Ostgut-Ton earlier this year — is a beatless astral soundscape, the world spinning around as it stands stationary. Sigha hasn’t reinvented ambient music, but it’s a gorgeous way to end the EP, staring wide-eyed off into the distance, as deep, relaxing breaths are coaxed in and out. He’s still finding his own sound, but his meshing of London’s bass music and Berlin seems bound to reach that golden ratio eventually, and Shake is just one baby step closer.

Andrew Ryce" - FACT Mag.   

[7.0]

hi-hat techno

& buy it here. 

[Boomkat, £5.99]

Blawan - Fram [2010, vinyl, hessle audio]

6 may 2010

lbl: Hessle Audio

#: HES013

electronic

dubstep, post-garage

320kbps

A. Fram

B. Iddy

note: "Hessle Audio has made its name on its stable of garage / dubstep artists that lean heavily on the former half of that designation, boasting names such as Pangaea, Untold, Ramadanman and TRG, names that I admittedly have had trouble engaging in the past. This week sees Hessle releasing a 12" by mysterious producer Blawan, an anonymous DJ. There seem to be more and more of those these days - Burial attempted to stay anonymous for awhile, Zomby's a prominent producer that's currently behind a mask - and there's something to be said about how it's a reaction to the "celebrification" of dance music and DJ culture that even fans of awful, awful trance music dislike. There's probably a blog post to be written about that. I'm pretty sure there have been several. I think I may have read about it in some prominent net rag, so I'm not going to go into it.

But it serves a practical purpose, this anonymity, does it not? A prominent DJ can release new songs and not have them be tested against his other material. When we get something like Fram / Iddy, we can only really engage the music on its own terms (you might be able to compare it to other Hessle Audio releases, but I'm not prepared to do that).

  

 So yes, this is "post-garage", or "future garage", or whatever you want to call it. "Fram" leads off the single with understated bass (at least, compared to most dubstep these days) and queasy, gloomy techno synths lurching and slithering around its propulsive garage rhythm, a barely audible whisper sample looping throughout. Halfway into the song the synth moves a bit farther to the front of the mix and gets a little more elastic, pulsing and inflating and deflating. It's dark and weird, and you can dance to it. Naturally, I love it.

"Iddy", the b-side, starts off with barebones percussion clicking away while a gloomy organ sound creeps up, but it's a fake-out - the rhythm kicks in, and can I just say how much I love the sound of the kits on this track? It's the best, most dynamic and funky use of minimal drum sounds I've heard in some months, a standard to which so many so-called Garage acts seem to be incapable of meeting. I was sold on the song before Blawan's techno/jungle synths made their appearance, rising and falling like the call of some strange bird and forming a simple chord melody towards the end of the song.

Aren't the greatest entertainments the surprises? Hessle Audio is an imprint I have a lot of respect for even if their releases aren't the ones I immediately gravitate towards when I'm sitting down next to my turntable. A few more releases like this and I might have to rethink the distance to which I hold them. Sublime stuff." - description found on the pop stalinist.

potężna fuzja specyfiki hessle audio i kaskaderskich ewolucji perkusyjnych.
[8.0]


yt preview:

evacuation from uk's analgesia

[ORON]

buy it here.

[Phonica Records, £ 5.99]