ARKAJO Schallplatten & CDs

Review: 'Finally In Orbit' is the cathartic new three-track EP from Aniara Records mainstay Arkajo. A technoized ode to the unobservable universe, our first listens to the project hear us plunged into an informative yet sinister lecture (presumably sampled from a Carl Sagan talk, given the title 'Sagan'), backed by quirky cosmic knocks and lower undulations - like infrasonic waves transmitted across the galaxy. Follow-uppers 'Mostly Harmless' and 'Finally I'm In Orbit' carry a similar mood of stoic wonder, with the latter in particular being the most textural and hypnotic.

Review: Aniara's white label number four delivers more techno goodness direct to the dance floor. The A-side features two of Arkajo's most compelling dance-floor tracks, with both offering a propulsive groove and warped and dubbed-out basslines. On the flip side, Dorisburg and Efraim Kent (who are here making their debut on Aniara) present the darker vibes of 'Data Smuggler' which rides on broken beats and has real menace in the airwaves. It complements the A-side with a more deep mood and hypnotic rhythm that will be pure dancing bait.