Review: Hamburg's relatively new Space Drum Mediatation label's sixth release continues its tradition of deep, immersive soundscapes, blending ambient and drone elements with a wide-ranging sonic depth. This latest offering unfolds like a journey through ancient and futuristic landscapes, each track carrying its own distinct energy and atmosphere. Side-A opens with 'Yarra', a hypnotic piece driven by tribal drums and chant-like motifs, evoking a primal, meditative state. 'Water Sirens' follows, weaving hedonistic, jungle-infused textures that feel both untamed and ritualistic, transporting the listener into a lush, mysterious realm. On Side-B, the tempo shifts with 'Yacu', a pulsating, Goa-trance-inspired track that surges with momentum, its fast-paced rhythms pulling towards a euphoric edge. The release closes with 'Sun Bleed', a deeply spiritual, spacey composition laced with acid-tinged echoes and an expansive mysticism. Its reverberations stretch into the unknown, leaving an afterglow of cosmic introspection. Balancing organic and electronic elements, this release stands as another example to the label's dedication to quality and sonic exploration. It's a seamless fusion of tribal resonance, trance propulsion and ambient depthiperfect for deep listeners and adventurous sonic explorers alike.
Review: As Detroit techno spread across the world and inspired a generation, Scotsman in London Jonah Sharp took up the mantle Space Time Continuum and crossed the Atlantic to shore up in San Francisco with a cutting edge sound steeped in the language of advanced chill-out room machine soul. His label Reflective kicked off with Flurescence, an EP of exquisite, dreamy trips which has since become a rare and prized piece within the buoyant deep techno scene. Musique Pour La Danse are all over this kind of stuff, and it's good to know the reissue of such a seminal work is being handled by the best in the business.
Emma Wild & Whale (DJ Sotofett Overdubble mix) (3:29)
Seance Of A Kondalike (DJ Sotofett Newseance mix) (5:26)
Out Of The Dark Into The Dawn (DJ Sotofett Lite Drum mix) (6:04)
Melting Grey (DJ Sotofett Grey Room mix) (4:55)
A Dead Rose (DJ Sotofett extended mix) (3:27)
Review: The words 'DJ Sotofett Remakes' is like catnip to lovers of obscure electric sounds. And here is the Allchival label with no fewer than six of them as the left-of-centre maestro adds his take to originals by Stano. His club mix of 'Room' is all spaced out and cosmic, then goes super slow and psychedelic with his snaking bass sounds on an Overdubble mix of 'Emma Wild & Whale' before Seance Of A Kondalike" (DJ Sotofett Newseance mix) picks up the pace but remains utterly psyched-out and intoxicating. There is still time for snaking dub techno and warped electronics on the remaining three sides.
Review: Akte is the Cologne-based event series rooted in timeless ambient, minimal and techno sounds and here it launches its own record label with a debut 12" EP by founder Philipp Stoffel. Featuring four original tracks and a signature remix by dub-techno icon VRIL, these sounds are less about cooking up direct dancefloor tools, more about immersive storytelling. The EP channels dub textures and deep sound design that compresses the emotional depth of an LP into a tight, cohesive selection. With mastering by the legendary Stefan Betke aka Pole, it's a top draw package with vision and substance aplenty.
Dreaming About Rollercoasters (Jakojako remix) (4:58)
Organic (Om Unit remix)
Feroit (Julia Gjertsen remix)
Review: Nadia Struiwigh's Pax Aurora was a standout ambient techno LP in 2022, and now Nous Klaer Audio have returned to the project to commission a grip of remixes which respond to the source material in distinctive ways. DJ Nobu takes a delicate, mesmerising approach to 'Nana', while Jakojako plumbs the depths of immersive, feathery techno. With Om Unit and Julia Gjertsen representing with equally hypnotic, elegant versions on the flip as well, this is the perfect example of a remix EP which truly adds weight to the original release.
Review: Italian label Suoni Incisi launched in 2020 with a mission to offer up hugely emotional electronic music that fuses experimentation with multi-genre explorations. The boss that gave their name to the label takes charge of this third transmission and it is a deep techno journey into sustained chords, mysterious pads and the sort of muttered vocals that add real atmosphere. 'Track 2' on the flipside is similar in make-up with liquid rhythms, cavernous and dubby bass and subtle musings, this time with some eerie flute melodies drifting up top.
Review: Harlem & Irving label partner Brian Kelly assumes his Supplement alias here for a new and limited edition 12" that features two of his tasteful and challenging sounds. Kelly is always out to disrupt and subvert and does so with aplomb here as the a-side title track starts with a whisper but soon grows with layers of found sound, piano, percussion, and ethereal voices. It then collapses before reemerging with melodic and tonal guitars and pulses. On the flip, the same tune comes 'Revisioned' but is much more cold and distorted, edgy and urgent.
Review: Spanish mainstay Sverca is one of those techno producers who very much has his own signature sound. You probably already know that if you're reading this, and the latest on his Semantica label finds some top talents all adding their own remix spin on his originals. Stanslav Tolkachev goes first with the booming, loopy kicks of 'AW08' and searching synth blips. Felix K flips 'Utero' into a rumbling bit of lurching deep techno that echoes through empty industrial spaces and after the original comes a CONCEPTUAL remix of 'Seda Muerta' that sounds like a train on a track pushing on through a stiff wind. Another version is also included that is more physical and Sverca's 'Jade' closes with warm and tense ambient winds.
Review: In typical Music From Memory fashion, their latest archival release shines a light on one of the UK's lesser-known bands of the early 1980s. The System released a lone single in 1981, followed by a now incredibly rare debut album, Logic, in 1983. Three of the cuts here are taken from that set, including the dreamy, downbeat Balearic-pop opener "Almost Grown" - a wonderfully evocative six minutes, all told - and the far-sighted, spacey, proto-techno shuffler "Vampirella". This EP also includes one previously unreleased track, "Find It In Your Eyes", which was rescued from long-forgotten master tapes during the licensing process.
Review: Phonogramme Recordings compere five sweet but breathy jam-house bits from producer Taelue, overseeing the highly anticipated new EP that is 'Dark Worlds'. From the opening, downcast kicks and singing wine glasses of 'Wistful' - full of wist - to the nominal sequel 'Wistful (An Abacus Story)', a much trickier, more swung version of the prior track, to which only more considered listens reveal a relation, we find ourselves already in for a moody yet relaxing treat. The B-side ekes a jam-packed marrow from the A-sides otherwise fleshy bone, erring more on lo-fi; 'Deviancy' and 'Scythe' echo Delroy Edwards with their twin skittish, muted movements, whilst the B3 reprise of 'Wistful' homes in on the lone backing for the establishing number.
Review: The late Edgar Froese-fronted German band Tangerine Dream are cult heroes to those of us who enjoy proto-electronic sounds. From kosmisch to prog, new age to kraut, they did it all and then some and were still going by 2011 when they released Mona Da Vinci. The album showcases the band's signature mystical soundscapes and was created by Froese before his passing with a mix of ambient, electronic and cinematic elements and plenty of his pioneering synth work. The album remains a standout in the band's vast catalogue and has been remastered for this release so its ethereal textures and evocative melodies sound superb and stand as a testament to Froese's enduring influence.
Review: Commissioned by Meow Wolf for their Omega Mart immersive art experience in Las Vegas, Amon Tobin delivers the kind of horizon-expanding epic you would hope for from one of the world's most respected living electronic music visionaries. Running at 20 minutes, give or take 40 seconds, this collection of movements worthy of an odyssey may have been designed for a specific context, but they don't have to be trapped there forever. While nothing will compare to diving headfirst into Meow Wolf's critically acclaimed installation piece, a kind of sci-fi takedown of advanced capitalism and blind consumerism in a morally bankrupt world, separating sounds from space still makes a big impact. Noises from the future, soundscapes from the depths of a truly astounding mind, this is nothing if not captivating.
Review: Spclnch kicks off a brand new sub-series here with Toki Fuko at the helm. It comes with a conceptual back story that says in 2045, MindTech researchers discovered a phenomenon in neural networks called "Phantom Scripts." These glitches occur when a person sleeps or closes their eyes, causing the brain to generate images and phrases in response to internal impulses from the neuro-interface. Musically this is full-fat ambient with cinematic and evocative sounds packed into the slowly snaking rhythms. It's creepy, unsettling, but deeply absorbing.
Review: In remembrance of Pete Birch, AKA Woosh, AKA The Peaceful Ones and founder of Spirit Wrestlers. Four ambient pieces, three of which were released as part of Pete's 52 Card Trick series on the Spirit Wrestlers Bandcamp site, plus another piece which was a favourite of Pete's but was never finished in time.
Collected together on vinyl for the first time, all profits from the sale of this record will be donated to the Spirit Wrestlers Foundation. Set up after Pete's passing, the Foundation promotes the belief that ""Music is the Healing Force of the Universe"", that ""Love Is the Most Important Thing"" and helps causes that were close to his heart. Nx
Review: The rather enigmatic Tonearm is back with a new transmission that is clearly inspired by the ambient innovations of AFX. Innocent synth modulations, naive keys and thinking patterns all bring futuristic AI visions of peaceful utopia to life on 'Minerva', which is a beatless delight. 'Luminance' has a deeply buried rhythm and sustained chords that hum up top, then 'Isko' has cascading melodic rain and hurried rhythm suggestions way off in the distance. 'Ilthat' allows a moment of hope and joy with its brighter synth colours deftly looped and ever shape shifting. A quiet, impressive future sound full of nostalgia.
Review: For the second release on New York City's Peace Anthem Records, Annie Garlid
Aka UCC Harlo - a viola player and singer from Connecticut, living in Berlin - joins NY Graffiti for what the label so eloquently described itself as 'Ketamine-paced grooves, baroque miniatures, hazy-humid sonics, and dub inflections'. On the A side, you've got UCC Harlo serving up the minimal atmospherics of 'Let's See' awash in shimmering FM synth aesthetics, followed over on the flip by the evocative breaks of 'UN' by NY Graffiti, not to mention each of them delivering a remix of the other's track.
Review: Repping Sugar Records and Tanum Sounds, Winsome comes through with three really interesting perspectives. 'Tab' is a unique and highly springy piece of work as it works and wriggles its away around some well sculpted table drum hits and sub plunges. '24gb' takes us down a much dreamier pathway, sitting somewhere between Indian Ropeman and Chicken Lips. Finally 'Who' closes this stunning EP with a faraway drone. Intense.
Pan Sonic Youth (Thee Church Ov Acid House Balearic mix) (7:05)
Pan Sonic Youth (Sampledica dub) (3:29)
Review: The legendary German producer behind such mythical techno names like Acid Jesus and Alter Ego delivers an eclectic exploration of electro and acid with 'Pan Sonic Youth'. This release shows his ability to create genre-bending soundscapes and analogue textures, each of the four mixes offering a unique perspective on the original. Side-1 starts with the acid version which is a deep, addictive dive into heavily drenched acid sounds. Harnessing the spirit of 80s electro, its bold, immersive energy demands attention. The original version follows, delivering strong electro rhythms and a sharp, immediate impact. Both versions are sure to wow any listener. Side-2 opens with the drone version, where heavily processed analogue tones create a dense, experimental atmosphere. Jorn's 'Thee Church Ov Acid House Balearic Mix' reimagines the track as a chill-out anthem, blending beachy vibes and lounge influences while retaining the original's spirit. Closing the release, the 'Sampledica Dub' deconstructs the original into abstract fragments, offering a more avant-garde, interpretive take. Wuttke's ability to create so many different versions of one track is truly amazing in itself, and add the extra demension that a true veteran brings and you have one unmissable piece of vinyl.
Review: Yu Su's eclectic, organic sound is one that has been perfected over every consecutive release, and reaches its yetmost peak with 'I Want An Earth'. As if to make a defiant cry for a habitable planet, this one contains four tracks inspired by the artist's time spent in the deserts of Ojai, California, and the coastal areas of British Columbia, presenting a deeply pad-driven, warm and modular sound to match. A dazzling work of odd-timed cosmickery and varied sonics.
Review: Lina Filipovich's Music for an imaginary dancefloor is an exploration of the boundary between club music and the abstract, guided by analogue synthesizers and a vivid imagination. Composed from improvisations between June and December 2022, the LP delves into ethereal realms with nervous energy and atmospheric textures that evoke imagery of surreal landscapes and otherworldly experiences. Unlike her previous works which focused on deconstructing existing sounds, Filipovich collaborates with the machines themselves in this album, allowing their aesthetics to intertwine with her creative vision. The result is a collection of tracks that pulse with intensity, drawing listeners into a dreamlike state where reality blurs with fantasy. The album's sonic landscape is rich with atonal drones and intricate delays, creating a sense of unease and wonderment. It's as if the music is speaking a language of spirits, beckoning listeners to explore the allure of the dark and the unknown. Miles Whittaker of Demdike Stare lends his mastering and additional mixing expertise to enhance the album's sonic depth, further immersing listeners in its hypnotic embrace. Overall, Music for an imaginary dancefloor is a stunning trip that defies traditional categorisation. It invites listeners to step into a realm where the boundaries of reality dissolve, leaving only the pulsating rhythms and haunting melodies to guide them through the darkness. Lina Filipovich's vision is realised with remarkable clarity and depth, making this album a standout release in the realm of experimental electronic music.
Review: Reimer Eising, aka Kettel, and Lennard van der Last, aka Secede, had already been lifelong friends by the time they began working on When Can. The Dutch producers wanted to create a seamless listening experience that would unfold and develop as a film does, using cinematic-leaning sounds to achieve their big idea. The whole thing feels like a narrative, a beginning-middle-end, which is doubly impressive when you learn there was no grand plan to begin with. Just two pals exploring what might come next. Originally released in 2012 - hark!, those heady, innocent days - what's perhaps even more astounding than the picturesque, immersive soundscapes here, is the fact this is the first time When Can has made it onto vinyl. Having said that, 12 years ago was another time and place, not least in terms of music sales, so let's not dwell on what everyone was thinking by not bringing this out on wax sooner. Instead, savour every moment of the rich, dreamy electronica.
Review: Rings Around Saturn (Rory McPike) returns for his latest full-length album after 2018's self-titled brokntoys debut, moving on from self-definition to explore a new concept, that of 'All Things Shining'. The LP touches on ambient, electroacoustic studies and filmic/VGM composition, but outside of these references, it stands as a beautiful suite of songs, effortlessly evoking a palette that seems to burst and ooze with a mood of jubilance and hope. Fans of hedonic calculators like Barker will similarly pleased at its use of trance dispositifs, but which are yet lent a glossier, rainmaking vibe ('Sphereology'), while later cuts go on to evoke idyllic Hellenic hallways and walled paradisiacal gardens, with a vocal-angelic edge.
Michel - "The Sun Changed To Rain" (feat Shine Grooves) (3:49)
Psor - "Smelless" (2:33)
Jon'Smu - "Muy Fragil" (4:54)
Ryabina - "Fabrika" (3:26)
Ronin - "Kwas" (3:13)
Phoboz - "Lionwave" (4:45)
X343 - "Runout" (2:01)
Review: Hanagasumi has assembled a crew of its close-label friends for this delightful new album, Hanagasumi Friends I. Many of these artists are new to us but we shall certainly be keeping an eye on them going forwards. Between them, they explore a grown-up world of ambient laced deep house that is as much for dreaming as it is dancing. There is an elegance and grace to these sounds which take you up amongst heavenly clouds and back-lit celestial worlds. Some lean on electro, others are bubbly beatless cuts and some are superb slow dub delights. A beautiful record, for sure.
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