Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Monday, June 16, 2025
Sunday, June 15, 2025
Saturday, June 14, 2025
Friday, June 13, 2025
Thursday, June 12, 2025
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Yokoo & Haider Uppal Held-EP (Satya)
Title: Held EP
Artist: Yokoo & Haider Uppal
Label: Satya
Cat Number: SATYADGTL0022
Genre: Deep House
1: Held
2: Held (Mihai Popoviciu Remix)
3: Whatever She Wants
4: Whatever She Wants (YokoO Afterhours Love Mix)
A double-header of originals and remixes eh? So let’s dive in. ‘Held’ in its original form is characterised mainly by its respiratory beat pattern, along with a wistful vocal that drives it into a world of synth washes and airiness. Having said that, it retains a muscular drive and funky edge. Mihai Popoviciu’s remix is smoother and, therefore, more conditioned to the rigours of the minimal/trance crossover. ‘Whatever She Wants’ deploys beats of a similar intensity to ‘Held’, and again makes good use of a vocal. It’s a more dramatic tune than ‘Held’, however. Yoko0’s remix sacrifices none of the original’s potency, pounding its way along its almost ten minute length with admirable ferocity, making strategic use of breakdowns in the process.
MJSB - 5 Rhythms (Create Define Release)
Title: 5 Rhythms
Artist: MJSB
Label: Create Define Release
Cat Number: CDR005
Genre: Techno
1: Install
2: Connect
3: Movement Meditation
4: One Last Thing
5: Movement Meditation (Detroit City Remix)
MJSB’s ‘5 Rhythms’ is just that. Four original tracks that utilise a shifting percussive pattern at various junctures, topped off with a Terrence Dixon remix of what is perhaps the heaviest of the four, ‘Movement Meditation.’ Both ‘Install’ and ‘Connect’ come in at similar points. The former paving the way for the more limber latter with its slightly more studied approach. Both tracks make imaginative use of a subtle sub bass and space feels more abundant the further one gets to the end of each. ‘Movement Meditation’ takes things deeper by virtue of its weightier beats, vocal sample and vital tribal embellishments. It’s high is really hit, however, with the addition of the keys, which quickly become a sonic g spot. ‘One Last Thing’ is crisper than its precedent, but with a similar degree of emphasis and drama. While Terrence Dixon evokes the spirit of mid nineties French trip hop to get things started with his remix. It’s a feeling that continues throughout the track, thanks to the whispering voice and the key stab, stretched to its limit as far as bpms are concerned, it’s by no means linear, nosebleed techno, using as it does a completely different range of abstract harmonic flourishes to gather its momentum.
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Monday, June 09, 2025
Sunday, June 08, 2025
Saturday, June 07, 2025
Friday, June 06, 2025
Wednesday, June 04, 2025
Tuesday, June 03, 2025
The Advent - Passado Distante (Paraiso)
Title: Passado Distante
Artist: The Advent
Label: Paraiso
Cat Number: paraiso016
Genre: Techno
1: Driven
2: Circulate
3: Tres Trax
I can’t remember when I bought my first Advent record, sometime in the mid nineties for sure. Back then tracks on Internal, and later on Kombination Research were an uncompromising mix of heads down techno and often quite brutal electro. Anyway, I generalise to an extent her, and it’s the former that gets a rinse on this new EP for Paraiso, a Portuguese label that I’ve had the pleasure to review a few times on these pages. I have to say that I’m really not feeling this latest release from Cisco Ferreira though. Three formulaic, functional panel beater techno tracks which are largely anonymous and lack variety. There’s no doubt that as far as this approach is concerned, then these three tracks hit the nail squarely on the head. However, they lack distinction and are largely anonymous as a consequence.
Monday, June 02, 2025
JWS - My Mylar Lungs (Multidim Records)
Title: My Mylar Lungs
Artist: JWS
Label: Multidim Records
Cat Number:
Genre: Minimal Folk Techno/Ambient
1: leaf blowr
2: gardn
3: sunbathr
4: 92’ point shoos
5: 92’ tutoo
6: flying buttrss
7: glu jemz
Although I have no idea what “minimal folk techno” is, I’m all for looking into its proclivities if pointed in the right direction. I suppose its an idea that’s been bubbling under for some time now. A lot of the music I’ve been sent over the past few years has had a pastoral veneer, existing within an inner landscape reared and nurtured in a rural environment. Up until now though, all of this bucolic hauntology has originated from Britain, particularly the south of England. ‘My Mylar Lungs’ - a title that feels very much at odds with its contents - comes from the US and is the work of Jeffrey Wentworth Stevens, aka JWS. And the impression it makes is a recognisable one, but also something that is difficult to categorise. Having said that, it broadly straddles the ambient/dubby divide. Perking up tonally 5 tracks in with ‘92’ tutoo’, a track which is brought into sharper relief by ‘flying buttrss’, only to dissipate into textural bliss in the shape of ‘ glu jemz’; the collectio0n starts with ‘leaf blowr’. A deceptively complex piece of deep, dawn of time beat – driven ambience, sounding not unlike an imaginary soundtrack accompanying the boat down the river Styx. On ‘gardn’ and ‘sunbathr’ there is development, with the former climbing down tonally from its predecessor, preparing the ground for the more bottom – heavy approach of what follows. In short, it undulates before the nursery rhyme fragility of ‘92’ point shoos’. Do I know what I’m talking about? Probably. Do these impressions have the slightest relevance to what I’m describing? Absolutely. Have I done this collection justice? God knows. I like it very much though, and really feel the effort and thought that has gone into its creation. It resonates with me, which is what really matters.
Sunday, June 01, 2025
Saturday, May 31, 2025
Friday, May 30, 2025
Thursday, May 29, 2025
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Various Artists - Astral Projections (Alien Communications)
Title: Astral Projections
Artist: Various
Label: Alien Communications
Cat Number: AC016
Genre: Electro
1: ERP – Telenovela
2: Reptant – A Glimpse From Inside The Vortex
3: Moy – Pale Nimbus
4: Client_03 – Transonicdelta_a5
5: Plant43 – Tectonic Lakes
6: Abduction – Dyas/Hours
7: Carl Finlow – Woven
8: Trasparent Sound – Nervous Sounds
9: Radioactive Man – Space Junk
10: Domenic Cappello – Underwater Lights
11: Fasme – Underneath
12: DMX Crew – New Blue Goo
“a labour of love and a long time in the making, astral projections is a comprehensive and educational trip that tells you just about everything you need to know about electro past, present and future”
So sayeth the press release. Although a bold statement, looking at the artists featured it may well be accurate. ERP, Plant43, Carl Finlow, Radioactive Man and DMX Crew are the names that one notices first, with Reptant and Transparent Sound bringing up the rear. That’s not to sat that the other names aren’t any good, it’s just that they don’t all carry the same weight. Anyway, subjective innit. And it’s by no means an exhaustive list, with a list of those not present being as long as those that are. Not to worry. No one lets themselves down here, but picking favourites isn’t easy. I’m a little underwhelmed by ERP’s ‘Telenovela’, mainly because of the incredibly high standards that have been set thus far. It’s still a great track though but doesn’t give those that follow too much to live up to, which is nice. Reptant and Moy both layer the 303 on top of their respective templates and make quite similar tracks as a consequence, the distinguishing factor being who manages to sound the sleaziest. Carl Finlow out does both of them on that score though, with ‘Woven’ sounding like some sort of frictional, electronic swamp funk. ‘Space Junk’ by Radioactive Man has a great undulating bass which sound like something from a Resident’s track. It’s a twitchy track apart from this and, as such, is very different to what follows. ‘Underwater Lights’ harkens back to the golden age of what is still occasionally referred to as IDM, shorthand for deep, synthetic emotional emissions. Others in a similar vein are Fasme’s ‘Underneath’ and ‘Transparent Sound’s ‘Nervous Smiles’. Plant43’s ‘Tectonic Lakes’ takes a minimal route, its subtlety being its strength. ‘TranSonicDelta_A5’ from Client_03 has, along with ‘Hours/Days’, a capacious feel which in emphasised by their respective spoken word samples,. The latter setting itself apart from the former by its sinister synth swirls and added sense of foreboding. All tracks here deserve to be rinsed to within an inch of their lives. Some more than others, but that’s up to you.
Monday, May 26, 2025
Saturday, May 24, 2025
Friday, May 23, 2025
Thursday, May 22, 2025
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Silver Y - In The Depths (Bytes)
Title: In The Depths
Artist: Silver Y
Label: Bytes
Cat Number: BYTES31
Genre: Ambient, Analog Shoegaze
1: Stupor
2: Rest Home
3: Shadow
4: Sopor
5: Self
6: In The Depths
7: Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
Silver Y, aka Laura Caviglia, is “a self-taught multi-instrumentalist from Sicily” who, with ‘In The Depths’, conceptually maps out “the themes of identity loss, coma and death.” Of course I’ve been reading the press release because where I to have listened to this album without any reference, I doubt I would have made the connections. That, in itself, is no bad thing as such subjects can elicit negativity and despondency when the truth is that listening to this collection really doesn’t induce such feelings at all. Having said that, it’s no walk in the park. The album fluctuates on a lateral line of undulating, respiratory bass, handclaps and diaphanous vocals. In some cases, ‘Self’, for example, it surrenders itself to, for the most part, beatless tones and textures. There is more shape in the first part of the album, with Stupor’ to ‘Sopor’ feeling concrete in comparison to the beatless tones and textures Self’, which represents a peak of sorts. ‘In The Depths’ reestablishes a veneer of matter that further solidifies around the tempered euphoria of ‘Nam Myoho Renge Kyo’. It’s not for me to say whether I get this or not. What is apparent though, is a steady progression through various levels of psychedelic consciousness, culminating in a shimmering, uplifting crystallisation of electronic spirituality.
Monday, May 19, 2025
Sunday, May 18, 2025
Saturday, May 17, 2025
Friday, May 16, 2025
Thursday, May 15, 2025
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Reel By Real - Surkit - Remixed & Remastered (EPM/Yoyaku)
Title: Surkit – Remixed & Remastered
Artist: Reel By Real
Label: EPM Music/Yoyaku
Cat Number: EPMYYKV2501
Genre: Techno
1: 1990 Original Version (Remastered 2025)
2: Keith Tucker v Strand ‘Circuitry” Remix
3: Keith Tucker v Strand ‘DIODE Reprise’ Remix
4: Calibre Remix
5: Ben Long & Oliver Way feat. Jon Dixon Remix
6: 1991 I-102 Version (Remastered 2025)
7: Keith Tucker v Strand ‘Surkit’ Reprise (Digital Only)
Anyone who is familiar with the original will know what a great piece of work it is. Having said that, not that many people are. ‘Surkit’ being something of a lost classic that hasn’t been on a lot of radars since its release. Why? God knows. Reel By Real, aka Marty Bonds, has hardly been prolific over the years and ‘Surkit’ is just as famous for LTJ Bukem’s use of it as a sample in his ‘Atlantis’ as anythingn else. It’s an intricate piece of unmistakeably Detroit techno whose chord progressions are encased in filigrees of electronic synapse flashes. A very deep take on Detroit techno in which it is possible to glimpse all possible worlds. As far as the remixes are concerned well, both of the Keith Tucker v Strand efforts don’t sacrifice much of the original. They also sound remarkably similar to each other. I mean they’re both good, if you like one you’ll definitely like the other. The track is slowed down and more muscle is given to the kick. I listened to them both consecutively and wasn’t aware of any big difference. Calibre’s remix is all airy break beats, which retains the main synth motif, but speeded up, and the Ben Long & Oliver Way feat. Jon Dixon Remix does something similar, but with more intensity. The 1991 I-102 Version is possibly that which remains truest to the source material, deploying more body and density to it, while the Keith Tucker v Strand ‘Surkit’ Reprise (Digital Only) version is a woozy take that, for me, is by far the most interesting interpretation on offer, apart from the peerless original. A worthwhile release inasuch as it will shine a light on a Detroit classic, but none of the new bits really grab the attention, apart from the ‘Surkit’ reprise.
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SAD PROM - Phormat 77/Miss Italia Techno Party (SAD PROM)
Title: Phormat 77/Miss Italia Techno Party
Artist: SAD PROM
Label: SAD PROM
Cat Number:
Genre: Techno
1: Phormat 77 (Dubplate Mix)
2: Miss Italia Techno Party
Follwing on from his ‘SP001’ release towards the end of last year, SAD PROM endows us with two cuts of raw, analogue techno which, if played on the right system (not an Apple Homepod), should cause fault lines to emerge even in the most stable strata. ‘Phormat 77 (Dubplate Mix)’ reminds me of Shed,, particularly ‘Untitled B WAX 10001’. The high end spikes and the low end percolates. Thankfully, it doesn’t race along at breakneck speed so the funk remains intact. ‘Miss Italia Techno Party’, (I’m sure I went to one of those after a memorable night out at Voodoo bitd), is a techier, more detailed composition, in which the percussion plays a starring role and layes of sonic irritation are collaged over it. It’s all downhill from here.
