Midnight Shift Singapore 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: Singaporean imprint Midnight Shift readies up another release, this time by Voitax co-head Paal. The Hamburg-based producer is now handed the reins for full creative curation over the course of six tracks on Soothing Songs For A Cultural Affair: from the contorted breakneck jungle of fierce opener 'Peace Keeper', to the body bashing bass onslaught of 'Problem with Privilege' to the mellowed subterranean breaks of 'Red Sky At Night' (featuring British producer Cressida) and the dystopian slow burner 'Bon Voyage' closing out proceedings.

Review: Four tracks of typically heavy-browed breakbeat pessimism from the dark lord Cristoph De Babalon, alternating between pummelling, shellshocked beatdowns and more expansive, misty-eyed catharsis, like a hellish train ride in and out of worming tunnel networks. 'Backward Gallop' is a particularly juicy cut, with surgically spliced breakbeat shrapnel superimposed on washy, pensive pads and snarling FM subs. Track three, 'Die Taufe Der Zombies' - that's the christening of zombies to you and I - is a similarly loose and compelling affair, with churchy murmurings and droopy sub hits coming like a far mardier, more twisted version of T Power's 'Indigo'. Fuego.