Hippie Dance Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Since first popping up in 2009, Rebolledo and Aksel Schuaffer's Pachanga Boys project has attracted a lot of attention. Given the curious contents of this in turns zany, inspired and downright odd debut album, it's easy to see why. Split between silly skits featuring tongue-in-cheek female spoken word vocals and fully formed tracks, it's like a stripped back South American/German take on the formidably over the top musings of Mungolian Jetset. By and large, the rhythms are sparse but heavy, featuring fuzzy basslines, distorted drum machine grooves and curious electronic pulses. It's good fun, sitting somewhere between bonkers electronica, wonky house and camp leftfield silliness. Throughout, it's bursting with weird and wonderful ideas.

Review: Mexico's Rebolledo has played an important part in Comeme's development over the years, and his nutty strain of electronic dance music fit perfectly in line with the label's tone of voice. Never straight enough to be categorised as house but always too structured to be labelled simply as ambient, Rebolledo is one of the few artist's truly making 'outsider' music these days. This latest album, Mondo Alterado, is perfect for anyone wanting something deep and mystical but that still carries enough weight and shape to be played to other human beings. In fact, a big part of the tunes on this LP verge onto the 'dance' side of things, but the producer has a distinct knack for making that sound constantly surprising, a sort of perennial sonic morphing that steers clear of any concrete genres. TIP!

Review: The fifth chapter of Superpitcher's Golden Rave Days comes very quickly after the last outing and this makes us perk up with joy given just how special this material is. No jokes; this is Aksel Schaufler's best work in years, and perhaps even surpasses the man's extensive appearances for the likes of the mighty Kompakt imprint. Each one of these EPs has been different and explorative; this time "Bluesin" approaches a house flex through slow, tribal-like percussion and African vocals, ending up with a truly enchanting piece of mid-tempo dance music. Over on Side B, "Burkina" retains that subtle tribalism, and the mystical percussive pulse, except that here the mood is darker, more moving and just on the right side of eerie. Another fine addition to this increasingly pleasing series.

Review: Aksel Schaufler set out to release his new opus entitled Golden Ravedays throughout the entirety of 2017, two tracks at a time. Now up to its eighth volume, Hippie Dance (the label he runs with good buddy Rebolledo) presents the latest installment in this Superpitcher concept series. On the first side, prepare to tune in and drop out to the Balearic drifter "Tuesday Paris Texas" which like its name may suggest does have a Ry Cooder vibe about it; with its twangy bluesy country guitars over a chugging/skeletal metallic beat. All the the while assisted by Schaufler's nefarious whispers. On the flip there's another 15 minutes of glory in the form of "Mirage". This is a psychedelic epic much in the vein of the album's previous volumes, but with a more funky upbeat groove channelling his love of all things early 70s.

Review: Aksel Schaufler's roots homage continues with the third instalment of Golden Ravedays. Once again it's another luxurious extensive adventure on both sides. "1984" takes the A, sliding in at a modest 11 minute length wrapped up in warm, warped Jim Noir-esque organs, subtly developing into a breakbeat-driven wall of sound. "Pocket Love" takes a longer jaunt where the drums are the only constancy amid unpredictable ebbs and flows of synths lapping and overlapping with a slight hint of Holdenist chaos. Another golden chapter of two-sided immersion.

Review: Aksel Schaufler aka Superpitcher is not to be confused with some newcomer into the house and techno game; the artist has been active and operating at full steam since the 90s, and has been closely associated to the Cologne-based Kompakt sound of the 2000s. Nevertheless, the artist has continuously striven to reinvent himself at every turn, and this Golden Ravedays series is full proof of his wide-reaching talents behind the mixing desk. This being the fourth chapter of the series, Schaufler has opted for something a little moodier and more introspective, namely two absolutely spectacular slices of raw cold waves. "Blood & Berry" is any digger's dream, bridging together all the best elements of technoid post-punk and lo-fi balearica, while "Howl" offers a bumpy little jazz groove held in place by the man's natural tendency to step into the minimalistic zone. Excellent.

Review: Despite the warm glow of nostalgia promised by the title, The Golden Ravedays is not the weighty, thrill-a-minute voyage into hardcore revivalism some may expect. Instead, it sees veteran German producer Superpitcher deliver a pair of fireside-warm, loved-up outings that sit closer to Balearic pop than sweaty, warehouse-friendly club smashers. A-side "Little Raver" sees him singing a hazy song about a long-lost dancer over a rich, warm, evocative and decidedly lo-fi pop backing. B-side "Snow Blind" is an altogether sunnier affair, with cascading electronics, dreamy chords and tumbling melody lines wrapping themselves around a chugging, head-nodding dancefloor groove.