Kimochi US 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: Bluets' debut on Kimochi Sound seamlessly integrates into the label's well established and distinctive style. This one, with a hand-sprayed sleeve as always, opens with "if you can imagine," a confident bit of microhouse that mixes rich melodies and a lively bassline. 'Action Potential' echoes RDMA's aesthetic with its precise beats and on the B-side you will find a vaporous melody that weaves through sparse downbeat house grooves to make for a dreamlike atmosphere. Closing the EP, 'Buong Bilog' features distorted IDM rhythms and a poignant refrain that balances twitchy textures with melancholic tones. This carefully crafted release bridges home-listening electronics with dancefloor clout.

Review: Following his acclaimed collaboration with Sw., Dreamlogicc is back on Kimochi, this time having his work remixed by some tasteful producers from across the electric spectrum. K-rAd is first up with a sharp, punchy rework of 'Fleetingly Jazzis' which then also gets reworked by Brendon Moeller & Todd Gys with their Eho Kates project. It's a gritty, stomping house cut and on the flip, Merix (formerly Midnight Circuitry) delivers a deconstructed breaks interpretation, while Shielding crafts a hypnotic re-edit of 'I'll Hausen You'. Shine Grooves wraps up with a slinky dub house remix which is perfect for early evening warm ups or late night wig outs.

Review: Dreamlogicc and SW are two standouts in the outlier world of leftfield house music, and they find a perfect home on the equally out-there label that is Kimochi. This is the first time they have been on the same bit of wax (though both have been here many times as solo artists) and hopefully, it won't be the last. There is plenty of unusual rhythm work here with wonky grooves that are enriched with a world of superbly futuristic sound designs. All of these hard to define cuts are serious curveballs that bring a great element of WTF to any set, so do not sleep and add them to your arsenal ASAP.

Review: Kimochi Sound welcomes back regular artist Shielding for another standout entry into the label's catalogue, this time on wax with a lovely hand-sprayed sleeve. It's a deep exploration of supple rhythm here with 'Ceiling Licker' mix up diffuse ambient arps and organic sounds from the great outdoors with a bubbling bassline. 'Hundred' is a trippy late night cut with a ghostly atmosphere and muted bells and chords drifting into earshot from way off in the distance. 'Kvadrat' is a late-night collaboration with Maeteriet from Sewer Sender Records that overlays a rubbery minimal rhythm with deft synth details and curious hooks to make for dark but ultimately charming listening.

Review: Originally hailing from The Isle of Wight but now based in West Norwood, South London, Vertical Cat has been releasing tunes since 2001 on imprints like Smallfish, Vice and his own rather wonderfully named Achingly Responsive, but now finds himself delivering seven varied creations for Chicago's Kimochi Sound to issue via the kind of hand-numbered, limited edition run that's sure to get trainspotters salivating like Pavlov's dogs. From the jazz-inflected phrasing, subtle phasing and jiggly sub-bass of 'Go Willy-nilly' to the Mills-esque thumpfunk of 'Oh You Mucky Bugger!', there's a bit of everything here, but every last moment is delivered with quality and clearly perceptible personality. You've also got to love outro track 'I'm Leaving', which soundtracks an awkward call to HR with some nicely cheeky, perky exotica.