Noton Germany

Review: Back in 2008, noted experimentalist Alva Noto began a sporadic series of albums that were far more focused on dancefloor-inspired rhythms than his usual eccentric and inspiring fare. Unieqav is the third and, we're told, final part of the series. The album is apparently meant to be a sonic representation of an underwater dive, a conceptual theme which manifests itself through the storied producer's use of deep and atmospheric chords, fluid and occasionally glistening electronics, and rhythms that evoke images of ever-deeper dives into the dark, cold depths. Rhytmically, there are nods to electro, IDM, dub techno and Autechre, though the mood remains laidback and intoxicated throughout.

Review: When he launched the "Xerrox" series way back in 2007, Alva Noto intended it to run to five volumes. Here he presents the fourth volume, which largely eschews "external samples" of everyday sounds - the series was inspired by the idea of creating new musical motifs from "copies of copies" - in favour of greater warmth, emotion and musical dexterity. There's much to enjoy throughout, from the appealing, slow-burn haziness of deep ambient opener "Xerrox Kirlian" and the distinctly cinematic, Angelo Badalamenti-in-"Twin Peaks"-mode beauty of "Xerrox Voyage", to the Radiophonic Workshop style creepiness of "Xerrox Cosmos" and the melancholic, string-laden swell of "Xerrox Canaux".

Review: Italian sound designer and producer Saele Valese has been operating around the fringes of minimalistic electronic music for some time, though this outing on Noton is still his debut full-length excursion. Named in honour of his alternative production alias, IVIC, the set does a great job in showcasing his now trademark sound: a hushed, atmospheric and enveloping blend of creeping drone tones, softly swelling ambient noise, occasional sub-bass tones and sparse, pared-back electronic rhythms. For the most part the tone is clandestine and mildly unsettling, with periods of decaying beauty interspersed with strangely hypnotic outings and genuinely chilling musical moments.