Back catalogue: All genres

Review: ***B-STOCK: Torn sleeve otherwise in excellent condition***


Grand River's always-illuminating One Instrument label reawakens with a new album from Martin Sander and Michel Isorinne's Bandhagens Musikforening project. Having previously appeared on Northern Electronics and Semantica, now these two advanced synthesists place all their attention on a select few studio pieces to see how far they can take them. First up is the Roland System 100, which affords them plenty of tonal possibilities for the pulsing, kinetic 'Nedgravd I Naturen'. With the Yamaha DX-7 they create a towering ambient piece of FM synthesis, while the Roland SH-101 gets applied to a dense and detailed slice of obtuse leftfield techno. The Oberheim Matrix 6R becomes a vehicle for cinematic melancholy, and the Waldorf Microwave teases out an immersive swirl of ambience as you might well expect from the One Instrument series.

Review: Following the critical success of last years mini-LP The Last Tortuga, Black Deer is back on Emotional Response with a 4 track remix EP featuring friends and alumni Nacho Patrol, Luke Wyatt, Sad City and Valet. William Burnett returns to the label in the form of a remixes EP that takes his original productions and hands it to a broad selection of today's finest electronic producers, plus a rare outing from one of the label's favourite pyschedelic experimentalists. While Danny Wolfer's Legowelt project needs little introduction, it was only right that his inclusion on the label came from a more cosmic outlook. With must have EPs and a long player offered, his afro-infused Nacho Patrol moniker is a must check. In Circle Dance the original is taken by the hand down to an afro-tech-funk'n'breaks basement for one of his best remixes to date and rightly so for one of his old buds. Luke Wyatt follows with an uplifting and warped retake on Meditation. The kraut influence of the original is built on with fuzz guitar and a solo that builds across the track to a higher peak. Play this at sunrise for reaffirmation of life itself. Next is a big favourite of the label, catching the ear from his first release on Underwater Peoples
and a lush follow up for Phonica. His pure ambience of a remix strips everything back and lets the 4th World shine. With a 2nd EP due on Phonica, look out for something on this label soon. Finally, one of the main influences on the label when it started a few years back. Valet aka Portland multi-instrumentalist and mum, Honey Owens offers a deep, beautiful and haunting retake, adding whispers, drones, guitar, toms, keys and intonations to swallow you whole.

Review: Boy Pablo continues his mission to make us all nostalgic for our younger years with a track taken from this year's bubblegum album, Wachito Rico. 'Leave Me Alone' is enough to tell newcomers what they can expect from the full length release. Uptempo, melodic and polished to a fault, it's a timeless, chart-friendly, indie pop sound that has won over a huge following with its unabashed positivity, albeit the sentiments are apparently tied to the feeling disappointment when his parents suddenly making him leave a birthday party early.

Flip it and you find the laidback, smooth, R&B vibes of 'Be With Me', a song that didn't make it onto the LP itself but certainly would not have sounded out of place if it had. Cascading guitar harmonies and a stepping, shuffling beat, it owes plenty to the lo-fi electronic sexiness that has been pervading downtempo beats for years, but is far from a cheap knock-off.