Review: Japanese ambient dub maestro 7FO creates his very own niche brand of ambient, dub, and experimental music, his mastery of which has thoroughly justified in this latest 7" vinyl release. Just two new tracks adorn its twin sides, 'Healing Sword' and 'Snake (Live)'. The former track sounds like a malleted plod through a surreal Christmas market, backed up by electro-reggae instrumentation at a dancehall tempo, plus haunting vocal fly-bys. The B is equally weird, like a wintry paean for a swords-and-sorcery fantasies and the healing power of escaping into them.
Review: Afrorack is a Ugandan producer whose self-built modular synthesis approach to making music has lent him much credo over the years, but perhaps none will lend him so much as The Afrorack, which comes as the latest and least deniable expression of his sound to date. Four tracks of traditional African rhythmatics merge with live sound synthesis and ghost-powered CV noodlings, producing an incredible foray into avant-garde electronics few could argue has ever been heard before. Whether it be caused by the trance-intoned 'Inspired' to the grit-covered 'Bass', Hakuna Kulala must be chuffed to have Afrorack form part of their catalogue, as his music is certainly among their best for representing the lesser-trodden and most criminally unsung corners of African electronic music.
Review: Irene Bianco's debut solo album, Kronblade, is a quietly mesmerising exploration of sound that encapsulates the essence of everyday life. Released on the wxmen-led label Permanent Draft, founded by Valentina Magaletti and Fanny Chiarello, the album reflects Bianco's commitment to highlighting the subtle intricacies of sound. Utilising a unique blend of idiophonic instrumentsisuch as metal objects, bells, shakers, and vibraphoneialong with wind-up toys, zither strings, and field recordings, Bianco captures the delicate interplay of ambient soundscapes. Each of the six tracks unfolds like a poetic narrative, weaving through the realms of lo-fi improvisation, ambient textures, and chamber-like classical elements. Standout pieces like 'Sussulti' and 'Hvid' invite listeners on a dreamy auditory journey, while the final track, 'Op, Ned', shows her impressive restraint, merging piano motifs with water sounds and resonant dub elements. Kronblade is a profound example to the beauty of spontaneity and whimsy, reflecting Bianco's artistic vision and her ability to evoke emotions through intricate layers of sound.
Review: Caribou shares his latest record, this time for City Slang, Honey. The timely follow-up to 2020's Suddenly, Honey comes preceded by the forerunning singles 'Broke My Heart', 'Volume' and 'Honey'. Caribou aka. Dan Snaith has more than proven his mettle as a multifarious artist, with the toweringly popular Odessa album only scratching the surface of what could otherwise be described as a much more experimental, tricky and salubriously varied discography. Honey plays up the pop-oriented capabilities of Snaith's many-tentacled sound, circling the intentionally mystified identity of the artist himself; 'Come Find Me' asks the listener to come find Snaith, while its corresponding music video features a childlike figure in a Brave New World-style jumpsuit, dancing to the song, as if to suggest a coquettish playfulness, poking through the swellingly progressive, end-of-summer house track. Adding to the pangram of bright and hopeful post-folktronica hits, Honey is sure to attract all the late-summer dance bees.
Review: Italian musician, producer, composer, and instrument builder Alessandro Cortini unveils his latest release, NATI INFINITI, via Mute. Following up on 2021's Scuro Chiaro, NATI INFINITI is a forty-minute piece split into five movements, based on an immersive audio installation that Cortini originally created for the Sonar Lisboa festival in 2022, where it was presented across four floors of the Museu de Lisboa's Moagem. Marked by intense bouts of airy, tubular ambiences; and yet more sawwing tones counterposed with stark, angelic highs, giving rise to intensely beautiful arp sequenes, Cortini's latest is a real distillation of the sublime.
Review: Craven Faults' 'Bounds' is the latest EP-length project to be outputted by the otherwise elusive Northern English artist. Once again building on his admirable, psycho-terrestrial approach - in which the artist embarks on long, restless trans-Anglican journeys as creative fuel for the alluvial fire - 'Bounds' hears the otherwise anonymous Faults trace the fault lines of the Black Country's pastoral-industrial contradiction, beginning said journey "less than 20 miles North-West of the city", and with no further elaboration than that. Side A traipses through three heat-hazed, ground-dwelling, humid humuses - the vague scrapes of heavy metallic industry looming over each mix, straddling both back and foreground - and only 'Lampses Mosse' permits much respite from the trek, via a tremblingly, relievingly spread synth bell. 'Waste & Demesne' is the B-side's epitaph for England's feudal legacy, its drawn-out basses and quavering pedal notes congregating to mourn the natural losses resulting from centuries' worth of exploitation.
Review: The fledgling Detach label continues to show it means business with a new 12" in a lovely screen-printed sleeve. Romanian artist Dyl is the one in charge and has been serving up consistently excellent and innovative sounds now for serval years. All of these cuts mix up great sound design with languid rhythms - the first is eerie, with watery droplets and glassy tinkles hanging in the air, while 'Glasshouse 2' has a percolating rhythm down low. 'Glasshouse 3' gets a little more dynamic with a shimmering low end and freaky abstract life forms and 'Glasshouse 4' layers in more intense and ever-shifting synth lines while the closer sounds like it's roaming through a deserted factory long after it shut down.
Review: Never heard of Zoroastrianism? Nothing to do with Zorro, this ancient religion is still practiced by a comparatively small number of people today, and has its roots on the Iranian plateau. Hugely overlooked in the modern world, not least given its incredible influence over may of the tropes we associate with recognisable creeds - heaven, hell, good, evil - here M Geddes Gengras and Psychic Reality pay homage to the history of what might be Western Asia's most mythologised and yet misunderstood nation, while also introducing modern sonic elements and effects.
The result is something that's unarguably original. Ambient work that is vivid and transportive, it's highly rhythmic stuff from start to finish, with tracks like 'The Incremental Spirit' taking that format to the nth degree, while the likes of 'Wilde Pastures' break with a more abstract idea of what these sounds can be.
Review: When it comes to heavy chug, Multi Culti has always known exactly where to strike to make the most memorable or - more accurately - inescapable impact. Thomas Jackson's 'Slow Train' is just the latest case in point, then, drawing dancers and listeners alike in with its warm-hued, hypnotic synth lines, stabs and warbles in all the right places to ensure that while not that much happens, you'll be stomping about like everything was going on at once. Far from a one-track-wonder, Calypso Cult II is the label setting out all its stalls with aplomb. 'Jungle Tungle' is a strange, somewhat shrill, constantly building and percussively dominated workout that's tough and yet not actually that tough. 'Big Plastic Room' is peak time acid meets Kraut oddness, while 'Hipocampos' brings things to a beautiful close with beguiling, downtempo sludge.
Review: A titanic one-off clash LP between Japan's head brain David Sylvian and electroacoustic extraordinaire Stephan Mathieu, Wandermude is a slow and sublime classic for real ambient heads. Reissued for the first time since its release in 2012, the album charts a wealth of mutual interest between both artists; the pair both collaborated first as part of a dual live performance at Noway's Punkt festival, during which Mathieu performed a live remix of Sylvian's song 'Plight And Premonition'. This LP is the result of the same creative thread - whooshing, mysterious and full of raw instrumental material translated into audacious oddities.
You Look Certain (I'm Not So Sure) (feat Andrea Balency)
Poison
We Go Home Together (feat James Blake)
Delta
TAMED
How We Got By (feat James Blake)
Review: Since first emerging on Hotflush at the tail end of the last decade, Mount Kimbie has navigated the post-dubstep landscape better than almost any other act. It says something about their transformation into hard-to-define electronica heavyweights that Love What Survives, their third full-length and second for Warp manages to be both surprising (there are subtle nods towards titans of post-punk pop and rock, for starters) and exactly what you'd expect. They're masters of fusing disparate styles, sounds, textures and beat patterns into beautiful hybrid shapes, and this kind of 21st century fusion is evident throughout. Naturally, there are a few notable guest appearances dotted throughout, with James Blake's two contributions amongst the album's many highlights.
Review: Following up the runaway success of Crooks & Lovers was always going to be a daunting task for Mount Kimbie, and they've wisely taken their time to come back with a step forwards from a sound which gave rise to the more folky strains of the dubstep aftermath. Sounding fresh and invigorated on their LP for Warp, Kai Campos and Dominic Maker have built on their love of shoegaze indie and brought their component parts into a clearer vision where they used to hide them behind heavy editing and microsampling. There are plenty of reminders that this is a Kimbie record, not least in the winsome melodies that shape the LP, but the duo have succeeded in shearing away their self-conscious trickery to write full-bodied songs that hit on first listen, rather than ten spins down the line.
Review: This reissued version of Muslimgauze's 'Emia Bakia' is a long out-of-print and hard to find album from 1994. It is one of the most unique in the late, great producer's vast catalogue. The set's uniqueness lies in the surprising shape and focus of the rhythms that Muslimgauze utilised on the album; while as percussion-rich as ever, and often cloaked in his usual dark ambient sounds, dub-influenced basslines and Eastern exoticism, the beats are regularly far more dancefloor-focused than you'd expect. This isn't otherworldly ambient dub, but rather some mind-altering mutation of psychedelic house music that still sounds like nothing else around.
Review: Although best known for the quality of their reissues, the Rain & Shine Records crew does put out stunningly good new music now and then. This is one of those occasions. "The Watcher" is the debut EP from 21 year-old New Zealander Arjuna Oakes, a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer and vocalist who's happy to forge his own path through the worlds of jazz-funk, soul and reggae. It's the kind of warm, woozy and effortlessly soulful musical fusion that has long been associated with artists from New Zealand, though it's fair to say that Oakes does it better than most. In fact, as debuts go it's an absolute stunner.
Review: On 2013's History of The Future, Alex Paterson looked back at The Orb's most productive and critically acclaimed period, between the ever-changing band's formation in 1989 and the end of their 'major label adventure' at the tail end of the '90s. This second instalment - released ahead of a new album in the summer - brings the story bang up to date, gathering together Paterson and company's best productions since the turn of the millennium. For the most part, it's business as usual, with the former Killing Joke roadie and longtime production partner Thomas Fehlman joining the dots between sample-heavy downtempo grooves, dub, melodious techno and '90s style ambient house (the second disc, which focuses mostly on this style, is particularly enjoyable).
L'ange-feu Danse En Six Parties (Chiffre 6) (4:58)
Epreuve Des Flammes (Chiffre 7) (7:16)
Paradis Terrestre - Beatrice (Chiffre 8) (2:07)
Transparence (Chiffre 9) (9:38)
Figure Superieure (Chiffre 10) (0:51)
Paradis (21:13)
Review: Divine Comedie stands as a remarkable collaboration between Bernard Parmegiani and Francois Bayle, released by Recollection GRM as a comprehensive four-LP set, complete with a poster. This ambitious work draws inspiration from Dante's epic, offering a sonic journey through hell, purgatory, and paradise. Parmegiani's segment, representing Inferno, is an intense exploration of anguish and contradiction. Composed between 1971 and 1972, it features piercing synth whirs, haunting vocal chants and insect-like sounds that evoke a sense of despair. His careful manipulation of Michel Hermon's voice serves to anchor the chaotic soundscape while simultaneously distorting the narrative. This approach results in a chilling audio experience that combines surreal sound design with an almost theatrical presentation. In contrast, Bayle's Purgatory embraces a minimalist aesthetic, employing Hermon's voice with a sense of clarity amidst an intricate layering of abstract sounds. His composition reveals a bleak serenity, punctuated by flickers of hope that emerge from a rich mixture of drones and organic instrumentation. The final album, Paradis, is a collaborative effort that gradually leads listeners toward illumination. Stripped of narration, this 22-minute piece unfolds slowly, interweaving delicate electronics with celestial vibes and vibrant accordion melodies, culminating in an ethereal crescendo. Together, Parmegiani and Bayle create an audio experience that challenges conventional boundaries, transforming Dante's vision into a wonderful exploration of sound and emotion, making Divine Comedie a significant addition to the genre of musique concrete.
Review: Sevdaliza comes back with a seance album that capitalises on the critical reception of her first, exploring notions of good and evil through complex songwriting and enigmatic lyrics. Her stylised vocals are front and centre of each tune, with sombre chords and aching piano a consistent accompaniment throughout. She explores many shades of night and packs in plenty of very real emotion, despite the delicate nature of many songs. The gothic synths and post-trip hop beats are a fine vehicle for her musical messages, making this another vital record.
Review: The 20th-anniversary edition of Squarepusher's Ultravisitor showcases Tom Jenkinson's groundbreaking blend of live and studio recordings, remastered for new depths of sound. Spanning frenetic breakbeats, jazz-funk explorations and atmospheric fusion, this album captures the complexity and eclecticism of Jenkinson's work. Tracks like 'Iambic 9 Poetry' deliver sunlit jazz tones, while 'Tommib Help Buss' brings serene electronic bliss. Although Ultravisitor might feel overlong at nearly 80 minutes, its sprawling length doesn't diminish its innovation. The title track encapsulates Squarepusher's signature drum-n-electro-pop, while pieces like 'Circlewave' and 'I Fulcrum' balance virtuosity with thematic exploration. Jenkinson's improvisational drumming and bass solos, such as on 'I Fulcrum', demonstrate his command over both instruments and composition. Jenkinson's eccentricity shines through, making Ultravisitor an essential listen for both long-time fans and newcomers. This edition reaffirms Squarepusher's pioneering role in electronic music, blending technical brilliance with intriguing, if at times chaotic, compositions. It's a record that intrigues and impresses, pushing the boundaries of beat-driven electronic music.
Review: Vangelis is one of the most celebrated composers of our time. Beaubourg was his fourth album and came in 1978, featuring just two nearly twenty minute long suites, with one taking up either side of this vinyl. It is a difficult and challenging work, even the artist himself admitted, and is an avant-garde concept piece inspired by the "architecture of the homonymous complex area," specifically Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. Showing a different side to the producer, the record went on to sell well but still proved his last for RCA. It leaves heavily on the use of a ring modulator and improvised playing on the Yamaha CS-80.
Porter Brook - "Three Things You Can Watch Forever" (5:58)
Ayu - "Light & Reflection" (4:51)
Atavic - "Subconscious" (5:30)
Tammo Hesselink & DYL - "Accent Award" (5:10)
Plebeian - "Gowanus" (5:05)
Review: Aaron J's Sure Thing kicks on towards its tenth release with a superb new 12" packed with fresh techno jams. Myriad different mods, grooves and tempos are on offer here starting with the puling rhythmic depths of Vardae's 'Pahlevan' then moving on to Kick21's 'Bright Interface', a dark and haunting low-end wobbler. Atavic's 'Subconscious' is a heady one with ambient cosmic pads over deeply hurried, supple rhythms then while Tammo Hesselink & DYL combine to mesmeric effect on the carefully curated broken beat brilliance of 'Accent Award.' A forward-thinking EP for sure.
Review: Marking its first decade of activity, Blume returns with the first ever vinyl reissue of the seminal New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media, from 1977, the third and final instalment in a suite of releases that includes James Tenney's Postal Pieces and Ben Vida's Vocal Trio. Distinctly a standout compilation in the feminist avant-garde hall of fame, New Music For Electronic & Recorded Media compiles individual pieces from the likes of Johanna M. Beyer, Annea Lockwood, Pauline Oliveros, Laurie Spiegel, Megan Roberts, Ruth Anderson, and Laurie Anderson. Centring on the Ptolemaic turn towards female inclusivity, amidst the Copernican metastases of aleatory and generative music in the 1970s, the various sonic effluvia here range from buzzing pulse wave gallops through abstracted Northeastern American fields (Spiegel's 'Appalachian Grove I') through to primal minimalist abreactions (Megan Roberts' 'I Could Sit Here All Day') and pitch-whacked, satirical, musical-saw-backed anti-performances (Anderson's 'New York Social Life').
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