POWDER Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Notorious Discodromo helmed session CockTail D'Amore celebrate their 10th birthday with a compilation that highlights many different aspects of the much loved and musically adventurous Berlin party. In the main room, you can expect the energy to be big and imposing, which Jonathan Kusuma clearly understands as he throws down the big bad thrust of "Energi Hall". Sleep D and Samo DJ bring something of a trancey mood to "No Mans Land" - all heavy drama and a strong sense of melody. Mascaras X Powder is a potent combination that builds up a kind of tribal intensity peppered with wild cosmic flourishes. DJ City's "Torreyson Drive" finishes things off with a startling jacker loaded with big synth lines and whipcrack drums.

Review: Having already dazzled with her initial appearances on ESP Institute and Born Free, Japanese artist Moko Shibata continues to flourish as a producer with this utterly essential EP on Cocktail D'Amore. As with her previous releases, the mood is one of flamboyance and inventive melodies throughout, not least on the mutant disco celebration of "Heart". There is still some tougher fare to enjoy as well, with "Hole" proving to be particularly grubby, but overall there is a distinct sense that Shibata was reaching for a more disco influenced sound on this record, but it's far from your average slice of re-edited nonsense.

Review: Powder enjoyed a fine debut year in 2015, first unfurling an EP of melodious, abstract deep house for ESP Institute, before following it up with the more tribal-tinged Spray on Born Free. Here, the mysterious producer returns to the latter imprint to showcase three more left-of-centre gems. "Afrorgan" is particularly potent, combining off-kilter Afro-tech drums with warm chord cycles, classic US garage organ stabs and twinkling, high-end melodies. "Random Ladder With 40" is a sparse and spacey affair, with sparkling synth lines backed by delay-laden bongo rhythms, while "Fridhemsplan" is a throbbing voyage into wonky, late night techno territory.

Review: Japanese newcomer Powder debuted in impressive fashion with the Spray 12" issued through Sling & Samo's Born Free label earlier this year consisting of diverse yet equally trippy dancefloor tools. We were not the only ones impressed, as Andrew Hogge has got his Lovefingers on some fresh Powder produce for the latest ESP Institute 12", the five track Highly. Again it's Powder's diversity and her knack for blending the functional with the trippy that really impresses here with opener "Lost Of Light" setting the tone. Glassy textures slip over the taut, minimal groove, with vocal effects drenched in all manner of delay - a most humid and intoxicating production. Tempos vary as the EP progresses, from the slow burning throb of "Manhole" to the cooing house delights of "Humid Wind", yet Powder's qualities remain undimmed throughout. The two briefer cuts that close out the record are quite delightful productions that seem perfectly tailored to opening and ending a mix.

Review: Stockholm imprint Born Free continues with its run of consistent quality. Following up releases by Baba Stiltz and Mighty Thor with this pearl by Japanese newcomer Powder featuring four tracks of sublime house to move you all the way through the afterhours. The Balearic vibe on the A side has some true delights in the form of "Spray" with its deep and sultry Latin vibe and "Kiwi Blue" which incorporates some truly tripped out elements lurking beneath the kalimbas! On the flip things pick up the tempo a bit with "Ma KI" and its dirty bass line, more solid rhythm section and summery vibe all round, whilst the tremendous "Alien" sounds like a slowed down take on lo-fi techno.

Review: Given the label's status as the offshoot of a celebrated weekly radio show, it seems fitting that Beats In Space has finally launched a mix series. The first volume comes from Moko Shibata AKA Powder, a Japanese DJ/producer renowned for the undeniably cosmic and otherworldly nature of her productions and performances. "Powder In Space" takes this dreamy, intergalactic approach as a base, with Shibata beatmatching and blending her way through an eclectic but interconnected mix of yearning electronica, deep tropical grooves, dreamy experimentalism, soft-focus grooves, seductive deep house, jazzy rollers, elastic techno and oddball ambient. It's one hell of a journey.

Review: Given the label's status as the offshoot of a celebrated weekly radio show, it seems fitting that Beats In Space has finally launched a mix series. The first volume comes from Moko Shibata AKA Powder, a Japanese DJ/producer renowned for the undeniably cosmic and otherworldly nature of her productions and performances. "Powder In Space" takes this dreamy, intergalactic approach as a base, with Shibata beatmatching and blending her way through an eclectic but interconnected mix of yearning electronica, deep tropical grooves, dreamy experimentalism, soft-focus grooves, seductive deep house, jazzy rollers, elastic techno and oddball ambient. It's one hell of a journey.