Back catalogue: Experimental/Electronic

Review: Back in 2002, the Detroit Electronic Musical Festival concluded with something rather special: a rare live performance from the Aux Men - an expanded and upgraded version of legendary Motor City electro outfit Aux88. This must-have CD presents that performance, complete with the original introduction from Eddie Fowlkes and DJ Bone, from start to finish. Full of spacey synth sounds, heavy beats, weighty bass, it's effectively a whirlwind trip through the history of both electro and Detroit's contribution to electronic music history. Thus, we get killer versions of 'Planet Rock', 'Shari-Vari', YMO's 'Computer Games', tons of Kraftwerk classics, a breathtaking interpretation of Art of Noise's 'Moments in Love' and rip-roaring takes on foundational tunes by Cybotron and Funkadelic..

Review: Floppy haired indie techno wizard Daniel Avery has become one of the genre's most notable craftsmen. He has done fine projects with Nine Inch Nails's synth player Alessandro Cortini already recently but now is back with a superb new solo album for his home label Phantasy Sound. The 11-track work is composed entirely of piece he made for his London show Together in Static. It The socially distanced show took place at the recently restored Hackney Church which no doubt influenced the gothic sounds and shadowy drones that define the album.

Review: Daniel Avery is one of electronic music's most talented artist right now. Whatever he doe sis worth hearing, even if it is an unlikely partnership with Alessandro Cortini, the Nine Inch Nails synth artist. This is their debut work together and is a fascinating coming toter of their own respective worlds - the ethereal pads of Cortini and more rugged electronic drones and textures of Avery. It was all done remotely, with no real concept, over many years, and is a delicate yet hugely powerful album of absorbingly bleak ambient, occasionally frosty textures and moments of true synth beauty.

Review: Los Angeles based ambient husband and wife duo, awakened souls join with Reunion Island native, From Overseas to create Keep The Orange Sun. After hearing each other's individual music, a deeper conversation started about shared musical influences and inspiration leading to the creation of this album. Keep The Orange Sun guides the listener on a thoughtfully curated path. Starting with the certainty of life's changes (Certainty of Tides) to arising self-doubt (Release/Adapt) and celebrating immersion in the present moment as the gateway to deeper connection with nature and one's life (Keep The Orange Sun). The instrumentation present in each track channels elements of electronic, shoegaze & ambient with each artist's distinct musical fingerprint highlighted.

Review: If you're looking for rousing music to get you going in the morning let's make it clear right now - Be Earth Now ain't it. If you've been looking for a recording of Joanna Macy and Anita Barrow's translation of Rainer Maria Rilke's 1899 poem, 'The Book of Hours', then you, friend, are very much in the right place. The prose itself is as deep as they come, touching on mysticism, the depth of emotions humans are capable of, our loss of connection to the planet (well ahead of its time, then), and ideas around achieving some degree of spiritual satisfaction. Made at a time when industrialisation had already transformed Europe and increasingly large swathes of the US, in many ways the sentiments expressed are just as relevant now, at a point in time when the journey to modernism is pretty much complete across the world, and the repercussions of that are only just starting to be acknowledged.

Review: Minamo (Keiichi Sugimoto and Tetsuro Yasunaga) returns to 12k following 2020's Superstition where they paried up with singer/songwriter Moskitoo. On Tail of Diffraction the duo joins long-time friend Asuna. A new name to 12k but not to the world of ambient and experimental music where Asuna's 100 Keyboards has toured stages around the world. Minamo and Asuna have shared the stage many times in concerts and tours over years, however, this is their first recording together. These artists are well known for their mix of electronic and acoustic instruments. Minamo often employs guitars, melodicas and small percussion instruments and Asuna's recordings with toy keyboards and reed organs are phenomenal. But on Tail of Diffraction they exchanged instruments for each song and played those they weren't familiar with, approaching each one with a naivete that spawned new discoveries. The familiarity of playing live together combined with surprising new instrument combinations resulted in a freshness and excitement much needed to them in a world that has been so shuttered. There is a soaring, almost optimistic quality to Tail of Diffraction. The timbres are very present and alive. The pads arc through sunlight with glittering gold edges and the guitars are tactile and seem to be exploring hidden possibilities. The final track features Reiko Seizo with a flickering vocal performance that further feeds the idea that this album is a ray of hope. Visual artist Michiko Fujita, whose work with silk thread that expresses delicate light and shadow, provided the artwork for the album which encompasses both the playfulness and desire to search that Tail of Diffraction so beautifully embodies.