New releases last two weeks: Psy/Goa Trance

Review: Norwegian producer Ekkel, co-founder of Ute Records, returns with four sharply drawn tracks for Seismic's third release. His blend of 90s-indebted progressive textures and rhythm-forward minimalism remains intact, though with new, more interior inflections. 'Hradec Fog Fever' is the steadiest of the lot-clean, rolling percussion and tight low-end restraint-but it's 'Owl Foot' that lingers, pairing whispered vocal snippets with eerie atmospheres and subtle motion. On the B-side, 'Drum Ring' builds unease through gritty kicks and unresolved phrases, echoing trance motifs without ever fully revealing them. 'Endphase' teases a moment of release via distant melodies, but soon undercuts it with brittle, clipped drums. This is dance music in a minor key-focused, evocative, and unusually meditative. A smart addition to Seismic's emerging catalogue, and a compelling statement from one of Norway's most consistently interesting underground names.