ILLUM SPHERE 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: Ryan Hunn AKA Illum Sphere has impressively grown and matured as a producer since making his debut on Fat City back in 2009. His 2014 debut album, Ghosts of Then & Now, was something of a watershed moment, tempering his experimental, bass-heavy dancefloor compositions with a newfound love of cinematic sounds. Glass arguably moves further in the latter direction. While there are some nods towards his club-ready past - see the 4/4 shuffle of "Fall Into Water", or the moody electro bounce of "Fuel The Fire" - it's not the beats that dominate, but rather his evocative chord progressions and IDM style melodies. In fact, it's the more sanguine, ambient inspired cuts, of which there are numerous, that really stand out.

Review: Ryan Hunn AKA Illum Sphere has impressively grown and matured as a producer since making his debut on Fat City back in 2009. His 2014 debut album, Ghosts of Then & Now, was something of a watershed moment, tempering his experimental, bass-heavy dancefloor compositions with a newfound love of cinematic sounds. Glass arguably moves further in the latter direction. While there are some nods towards his club-ready past - see the 4/4 shuffle of "Fall Into Water", or the moody electro bounce of "Fuel The Fire" - it's not the beats that dominate, but rather his evocative chord progressions and IDM style melodies. In fact, it's the more sanguine, ambient inspired cuts, of which there are numerous, that really stand out.

Review: First making his name as a producer on local Manc operation Fat City, Hoya Hoya resident Illum Sphere has quite the cultured discography with high profile labels like Tectonic, Monkeytown, 3024 and Ninja Tune in his locker. It was with the latter that Illum Sphere released his debut album Ghosts Of Then and Now in 2014, and the music has slowed down since then, with just a RSD released Spectre Vexd doublepack arriving later that year. The wait is over however, as Illum Sphere confidently strides forward with this club-ready Second Sight 12" for Ninja Tune with both the title track and B-side "Ritual" apparently "reflective of a shift to a more machine-sounding approach" from the producer and bodes well for future Illum Sphere music. This is a less formulaic, and more highly resonant Illum Sphere and comes highly recommended.

Review: The latest release from Illum Sphere on Ninja Tune comes bolstered with so many remixes they actually come in before the original material on the tracklisting. Legowelt leads the charge with a superlative version of "Embryonic" heavy on bleeps and keyboard choir tones, before Lone delivers a sugar-sweet drum & bass interpretation. "Spectre Vex" meanwhile finds Illum Sphere exploring fulsome synth tones with a coldwave leaning, which leads neatly into the JTC and Charles Manier versions of "The Road" with their varied 80s stylings. Let's not overlook the charms of the Zed Bias version of "Sleeprunner" not to mention the other original material on the EP. It's a veritable feast of electronic ideas for those with eclectic palates.

Review: It's been five years since Manchester's Ryan Hunn made his debut under the now familiar Illum Sphere alias. This debut album for scene titans Ninja Tune has been a long time coming. So, is it any good? First and foremost, it's a lot smoother and melodic than his wonkier early work. While there are off-kilter rhythms paired with futuristic electronics (see "It'll Be Over Soon" and string-laden "Ghosts of Then & Now"), these moments largely play second fiddle to woozy, James Blake-ish soundscapes and tactile downtempo moments. It's a curious move, perhaps, but one that suits the album format. Certainly, when he really nails it - such as the distinctly Balearic "One Letter From Death" - it's nothing less than sublime.

Review: Ninja Tune's album schedule this year is shaping up to be it's most intriguing for some years, with this debut LP from Illum Sphere arriving after that Actress LP, a Junglist set from Lee Bannon and perhaps most surprisingly, there is a new LP from Kelis (yes that Kelis) due on the label. Part of Manchester's famed Hoya:Hoya collective, former RBMA academy graduate Illum Sphere has been producing his uniquely skewed brand of bass-fuelled experimental dance music since 2009 for a number of labels, including 3024, Brownswood and Tectonic, with last year's Birthday single on Young Turks providing his most high profile release until this debut album. Entitled Ghosts Of Then And Now, the thirteen track set is heavily cinematic in the way it unfurls and feels like IIlum Sphere was trying to craft a real album as opposed to a bunch of tracks.

Review: Part of the Hoya Hoya collective along with Lone and Krystal Kleer, as well as gracing the likes of Brownswood, 3024 and Tectonic in his short career, Illum Sphere has made a name for himself with his individual brand of music that runs the gamut between garage, funk, and smudged out techno. This new single for the esteemed Young Turks should ensure his status continues to ascend; opening with an atmospheric intro that calls to mind the textured electronics of Young Echo member Vessel, "Birthday" soon gives way to a combination of warped vocal samples, decayed house strings and elastic bass, while the brilliantly named "H808er" is a superb slice of dark arpeggiated techno which switches from its unfiltered rasp into a melodic piece of melancholic pastoral electronica.

Review: If as the title of this Illum Sphere EP suggests and The Plan Is Dead, then long live the plan as the Mancunian producer adds credence to the ethos he's one to watch next year with some gloriously forward thinking beat dynamics entrenched in rich colours and melancholic textures. Breath cannot help but be taken away with the opening heavenly tones of "One For Dimlite" with sumptuous guitar refrains swinging in hippy motion with joyous piano flourishes and vocal harmonies. "Diablo Day Out" twists hypnagogic electric synth lines and dramatic orchestral flourishes around a crescendo of loose drum crashes amidst of dense fog of murky dystopian frequencies, a sensation that seeps into the hissing half step head nod of "Supercharged". On the flip "An Old Escape (Kill Them Kill)" provides the jaw drop moment, kicking down the doors to your ear drums with a monumental mass of Martyn-esque bass movements meets Demdike Stare menace. More big moves from Hoya Hoya!

Review: Red Bull Music Academy participant Illum Sphere - aka Mancunian producer Ryan Hunn - drops the Titan EP on Martyn's 3024 imprint. To have an EP on the Dutchman's label is an accolade in itself - he's only the second producer other than Martyn to release on it - and it lives up to all expectations. It's genre bending, leftfield stuff, ranging from the rave cave mayhem of "Titan" to the meandering deepness "Technopolis", which brings to mind Floating Points. Highly recommended.

Review: Illum Sphere steps up to represent Manchester crew Hoya:Hoya on this enlightening mix for Fabric's long running Fabriclive series. If you've not had the chance to catch Hoya:Hoya at the Farringdon club or in Manchester, this weighty 24 track selection is the perfect introduction, veering from dub to primitive electronics and Minimal Wave via spectral Lancastrian ambience and prime slabs of Midwestern Jakbeat. There's plenty of neat little touches throughout, like playing Grauzone at the wrong speed or dicing between the spiky "Fizz" from Powell and Carl Meek's dancehall banger "Danger" which lend the mix an element of personality lacking in many Ableton mixed sets these days. Major props to Illum Sphere for making space for Charles Manier, Streetwalker and Demdike Stare, and for the inclusion of the spell binding "Cast Reflections" by Vazz.

Review: Ahead of the full Modeselektion 3 compilation (which looks to be the most diverse collection thus far) Monkeytown offer a 12" taste of what to expect featuring contributions from Night Slugger L Vis 1990, Schlachthofbronx, Illum Sphere and French Fries. Calling shotgun, L Vis 1990 lays down what can only be described as a not-messing-about-mate marker in the shape of the awesomely surreal industrial/ghetto house hybrid "Funk 4D", German Disko B regulars Schlachthofbronx also turn up with Buraka Som Systema for the totally out there detuned grind "Volumen". Illum Sphere lays down some brisk, taut percussive styles on "Bullet" whilst ClekClekBoomer French Fries reps Paris with the Mike Parker gone electro vibes of "Shift".