Hello,
As if to salute the northern hemisphere's arrival of Spring, our virtual shelves have been filled to the brim with fantastic music this month, culminating in today's 100+ new releases.
For our star-studded Essentials we've done our best to narrow down the selection, and while it's hard to single out any one of them, we just have to point you towards the outstanding new albums of Lauer, Atom TM, Manuel Tur, John Daly, Shifted, Distal, Dean Blunt & Inga Copeland, and of course, Actress.
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FEATURED RELEASE
Many where surprised when in 2010 London's 'world music' institution Honest Jon's signed experimental techno artist Darren Cunningham a.k.a. Actress. Cunningham went on to deliver one of the most idiosyncratic and universally acclaimed electronic music experiences of recent times with his genre-bending debut for the label, 'Splazsh'.
Now Cunningham gives us 'R.I.P.', his third Actress album, and it's one that makes Actress and Honest Jon's seem an even more logical pairing. The follow-up to 'Splazsh' is rawer, wilder and more abstract than anything we've heard from Actress so far.
Dance-floor conventions are given less consideration than ever - the album's first half is largely devoid of discernible house or techno beats - and yet this is not a cerebral or theoretical album, but one of great immediacy. 'R.I.P.' gracefully side-steps electronic music traditions in favour of Actress' very own style of techno primitivism. It sounds convincingly like ethnographic recordings time-warped back from the future, documenting the tribal sounds of a people of high-tech shamans - mystical, alien, and intense. One of the best albums of the year so far.
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TECHNO / HOUSE ESSENTIALS
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Half of two high-respected duos, Arte Mwambe and Tuff City Kids, Phillip Lauer releases his debut solo full-length just in time with the incoming summer vibe. Lush, maxed out disco-tinged house, shimmering synths with a sturdy retro-kick. All killer no filler, highly recommended album.
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Album released 16-04-2012 on !K7
Promising young UK house talent MJC takes on the legendary DJ-KiCKS series, showcasing her darker tech-house taste as well as an exclusive new track and one under her Nocturnal Sunshine moniker showing her dubstep side. From warmer vocal house to stripped techno, a grooving and diverse mix.
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Hotly anticipated, Levon Vincent makes his mark on the esteemed Fabric series, mixing roughly half of his own tracks in with those of DJ Qu, Jus-Ed, Joey Anderson & Black Jazz Consortium. Bringing NY-house nearer to Berghain techno, his supreme tact makes this banging yet heartfelt mix unmissable. Exquisite!
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BPitch head Ellen Allien never seems to take a break and appears with new material from her upcoming album, this time co-produced by labelmates Skinnerbox. 'Take Me Out' is a pretty standard electro-pop affair, whereas 'Need' delights injecting house strings and quirky vox over unusually perky funky beats. Fun.
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Shed assumes a new identity for his latest release on Ostgut Ton: The Traveller's 'A 100 EP' is unmistakably Shed's work though, combining his crunchy, pumping techno beats with warm pads and washes of his signature chord sounds. Excellent and highly recommended.
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Manuel Tur, who has long outgrown his reputation as Germany's #1 house music prodigy, delivers an accomplished second album. 'Back To Me' might constitute a slightly shallow opener, but from there on it's all smooth sailing with a flawless blend of sophistication and danceability, both elating and deep. Excellent.
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Innervisions' sound philosophers Âme prove their floor-rocking talent with a live recorded EP, which sees the German duo not only reworking their own 'Enoi' from 2007 in epic fashion, but also two tracks by Underworld and UNKLE - bombastic jacker 'Crocodile' and subtle electro pop swinger, 'Hold My Hand'.
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Irish deep house virtuoso John Daly returns to Drumpoet Community with a full-length album that's cut out as a score for long, lakeside sunrises. 'Sunburst' strikes a finely tuned balance between melodic old-school flavours and contemporary, chord-led deepness. Excellent album.
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Maxi-Single released 30-04-2012 on BLKRTZ
Deadbeat teams up with Danuel Tate for a smooth electronic dub session that features Cobblestone Jazz style vocoders and a flip side that has Deadbeat turn the track upside down for a timeless and floor-ready piece of Basic Channel techno. Outstanding.
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Anonymous techno artist Shifted takes a stab at the long format, and 'Crossed Paths' does a remarkable job at interspersing its dark and spacious, Berghain-ready techno with more electronica-influenced listening moments. Whoever's behind Shifted certainly knows what he/she is doing.
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We liked TJ Kong & Modular K's recent single 'End-game' a lot, and the duo continues in this vein on their 'Dream Cargoes' full-length released on Poker Flat: Ten tracks blend dubby house vibes with Detroit-style funkiness and the expansive, melodic and cinematic sound-scapes of Eindhoven techno. Recommended.
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His debut album upcoming, Dutchman San Proper gets graced with the ingenious touch of Villalobos. The near 15-minute 'Animal in Dub' roams and winds ephemerally, spine-tingling details utterly hypnotic, the club-version teases in the kick keeping the atmosphere of a thickly humid jungle hallucination. Wow.
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Harry Aguis, better known as Midland releases his first in 2012 once more on Aus Music. As usual his warm and densely layered touch have a melting quality, slow-burning grooving heady house with 'Placement's angular synth motif weaving hypnotically. Perfect for dancefloors with sunsets.
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Maxi-Single released 27-04-2012 on AR
Hrdvsion follows up Ada on Areal related imprint AR with a house-flavoured two-track single: Both 'Solve' and 'Haunted Rush (Burning House Mix)' showcase Nathan Jonson's love for analogue drum machines (TR-707s in this case) and melodic synth jams, which don't get in the way of effective arrangements. Ace.
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One of the tracks from their recent 'Dring' album on Get Physical, the Circus Company duo recruit two remixes of 'When Tiger Smoked'. The acclaimed Cologne trio Brandt Brauer Frick splice original samples around their trademark instrumental-rhythmical finery, BPitch's Smash TV primes it for the dancefloor. Nice.
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EP released 16-04-2012 on Simple
Aus Music subsidiary Simple gets a fresh boost with October's 'String Theory EP': Two tracks of modern house with a retro touch, even coming close Soul Clap levels of pop appeal with the vocal hook of 'Tension Point'. Side B introduces a change of mood with two excellent Legowelt mixes of the title track.
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Maceo Plex getting frisky with the bitter-sweet title track, confidently deploying vocoders and melancholic pads. 'Sex Appeal' on the flip heads in a more funky direction, infusing his unrivaled electro-disco style with a robotic acid touch. Perfect as always from Eric Estornel.
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Two raw and super deep techno tracks by Albert van Abbe, one straight and minimalistic, one dubby and electrified. Conforce almost steals the show however with a swinging Detroit-style remix that balances its echoing depths with just the right amount of funky shuffling. Recommended.
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EP released 23-04-2012 on Pomelo
Alex Cortex in disguise let's his housey side reign on this EP for Austro-Spanish imprint Pomelo. 'Warehouse Dew 1' is the sunniest of the three tracks on offer, complete with piano licks and an acidic disco feel. 'Warehouse Dew 2' strikes a deeper chord, and #3 is a classic NYC-house stomper. Recommended!
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After appearing on Uncanny Valley's very first release, Break SL dishes out his first full EP maintaining the flawless quality of the label's output to date. His raw dark house prowling on form in 'Desert Flight', 'Amorphed Limits's punchy rhythms and 'Beercase' a sprawling soul-jazz spoken word outro.
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The duo behind Trackman Lafonte & Bon Qui Qui is Danny 'Legowelt' Wolfers and Xosar (of recent L.I.E.S and Rush Hour fame), teaming up for a great EP of hypnotic, deep and raw Chicago jacks. Fans of DJ Sprinkles, Virgo or Larry Heard mustn't miss this!
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EP released 18-04-2012 on Dolly
Aroy Dee's M>O>S project lands of Steffi's Dolly label with its 'Lost Digits EP'. Three analogue and emotional techno stompers, complemented by an excellent remix by Ostgut's Marcel Fengler that's subtly shuffling and mercilessly pumping in equal measure. Highly recommended.
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Bill Youngman's second release for Berlin's Killekill imprint once again blends Sandwell District style techno ('Shadent') with a classic electro vibe ('Centrumcircuit'), and a stumbling crossover going on between the two ('Wespe'). Nice one.
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The fifth and final installment of Dekmantel's cream of the crop fifth anniversary series. First up, the masked man Redshape, 'Flexx' sees his eerie techno bathed in a warm but biting rolling house groove, Scotsman Fudge Fingas serves up a stripped down, softly padded house boogie. A delish finale - don't miss!
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Gene Hunt takes a classic theme of 'May The Funk Be With You' and boldly imbues it with a studiously jackin' house beat complete with blistering disco-lasers. The Theo Parrish remix righteously injects a glisteningly warm groove, embracing and enrapturing with purest bliss. Essential for the house-heads!
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One of Germany's most idiosyncratic and prolific producers, Stephan 'STL' Laubner is known to amble between sonic experimentalism and raw Chicago house. 'STL and his Quest for Sound', first released in 2010, comes down on the side of the latter - a jacking, bouncing, and swinging masterpiece. Must have.
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DUBSTEP / HIP-HOP / ELECTRO ESSENTIALS
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The sophomore album of the Lazer Sword duo since 2010's self-titled debut, their sound has developed from the hip-hop neon electro palette of then to the more spacious, bumping juke, r'n'b and techno fusions. Guest appearances from Jimmy Edgar and Machinedrum seal the deal on this album, don't miss!
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Atlanta's Distal is one of the few US artists that have earned their place among the UK's bass music elite. His hotly anticipated debut full-length drops via Pinch's Tectonic imprint, and covering diverse (post-)dubstep and ghetto house styles over the course of its 13 tracks it's a powerhouse of an album. Don't miss.
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Following up the excellent 'Dispel Dances' album late last year, one-man dancefloor offensive Anstam returns. The broodier mood has lifted somewhat, 'Intuit's playful woozy synths over kicking stern beats, 'Feed The Pigs' a loose meandering broken ditty and 'Whiskey' a drunken tropical fairground excursion. Badass!
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The reclusive enigma of Siriusmo returns with a sign of life, after a period of silence since 2011's flurry of releases. 'Rantanplant' wriggles with a choppy exotic ragga-electroid groove, 'Doctor Beak' beats and synths plonk with hyperactivity and 'Plastic Hips' winds it hiphop dutty, Siriusmo-style!
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His album upcoming on R&S, Manchester's Matt Cutler taster single shows a lick of acid and jungle is in order to dance - 'Crystal Caverns 1991' juggles his bleary synths with a darkly raving core sounding like a delirious dream from UK dance history, 'Vulcan Mill Acid' squidges its way appropriately forth. Wicked.
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Hot off the back of Doc Daneeka & Benjamin Damage's brilliant 'They!Live' album, 'Tobyjug' lets the emotions do the talking with Abigail Wyles' vocals over Doc Daneeka's minimalistic percussive approach in this new project. Lando Kal reworks it from the ground, injecting it with a shivering dance-infectious energy - ace!
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ELECTRONICA / AMBIENT ESSENTIALS
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San Francisco's oOoOO appears two years after his genre-defining EP on Tri Angle with his next, this time accompanied by Berlin-based vocalist Butterclock. Gut-striking beats against floating vocals, those beat-led haunting dark emotions see some abstractions from hip-hop and psychedelia, hitting the spot every time.
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Presented as a sequel to 2009's 'Liedgut', the multi-monikered Uwe Schmidt references the Romanticism of Schubert's forlorn journey. Icily carved melodies and achingly detailed textures, sampled piano reworked with his skilled electronics but the delicate, emotional atmosphere remains - very beautiful stuff.
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Album released 23-04-2012 on Kompakt
Two giants of the Kompakt world Wolfgang Voigt and Jörg Bürger embark on a new project, Voigt's radicalism crossing The Modernist's impeccably polished dancefloor precision. Blunt, dense textures similar to GAS, yet touching on cosmic, dubby planets, with even a darker, industrial edge. Pretty damn epic.
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More than ten years since his debut album hit Warp records, Chris Clark's approach is as eclectic yet even more coherent than ever. Less of the synths and thick beats of his earlier work, soft vocals, acoustic instruments and ambient textures show a gentler, folkier leaning within his usual electronic craft. Strong album.
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Following 2011's impressive 'Gloss Drop' album, the Brooklyn trio have recruited an equally impressive range of remix artists - Kode9's rhythmic vibrant rework is the standout one, with Silent Servant, Hud-Mo, Qluster, The Alchemist, The Field and Gang Gang Dance eclectically bringing their own flavours. Recommended.
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Currently going from strength to strength, 'Rückverzauberung 6' is Wolfgang Voigt's contribution to the likewise excellent Magazine label - 27 minutes of eerily artificial opera choirs and vocal drones culminating in a techno-fied finale. Killer material.
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Originally commissioned for the Johnny Mnemonic film and a Neuromancer audiobook, Black Rain's 'Soundtracks' combine cinematic breadth, industrial grit and a SP23-style proto-techno vibe for a fitting release on Blackest Ever Black. Intense.
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This much-talked about collaboration between Peter Van Hoesen and Yves De Mey departs somewhat from their previous singles of stern techno. 'Geotope' in its dark shadows is atmospherically near, yet sonically a restrained minimalistic approach of acute electronics akin to Raster Noton or emptyset. Recommended.
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Mika Vainio's second single for Viennese imprint comfortzone continues in the doomtronica fashion that defined his 2011 album, 'Life (...it Eats You Up)': Distorted, grumbling synth assaults over lo-fi drum computer patterns. Intense!
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Two poster boys of modern classical music team up for a three-track EP. On 'Stare' Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm underpin their compositions with a surprising amount of electronic sequencing. Blissful ambient on side A and more sombre moods on side B provide perfect Sunday listening pleasures.
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Squarepusher's first single following his d'Demonstrator side project, 'Dark Steering' sticks to his recent Ed Banger influence with distorted grime beats, Daft Punk flanges and a massively inflated breakdown getting ruptured by Jenkinson's trademark bass runs and beat collages. Full album 'Ufabulum' coming soon.
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A collection of recordings from acclaimed super-formation of Christian Fennesz, Jim O'Rourke and Peter Rehberg from their 2010 Japan tour. Incredible vastness of textures tipping between darkly ambient, complex noise and occasional melodic relief, a fine addition to their catalogue.
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Album released 09-04-2012 on Dial
Recorded at Hamburg's Laiszhalle Philharmony 'True Life / In Flames' follows up on Christian Naujoks' debut album from 2009, and this time around Dial's cherished composer relinquish all electronic instrumentation for an authentic and intimate chamber music sound. Recommended.
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ALTERNATIVE / POP / DISCO ESSENTIALS
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Album released 16-04-2012 on Marble
Surkin's recent album gets remade by an all-star cast including the likes of Brodinski, Feadz, Rustie, Bok Bok & L-vis 1990, A-Trak, Para-one, and Jackson & His Computer Band, who conspire to unleash a firework of disco and pop-infused contemporary electro styles. Quality.
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The much anticipated third album from France's Guillaume Grasso & Jeremy Duval, certainly less hyperactive than their debut and more akin to the wandering synthscapes of 2007's 'Lazare'. Chunky synth melodies equal parts cosmic and psychedelic, luscious electronic journeys from beginning to end. Recommended!
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Album released 23-04-2012 on Carpark
Collecting songs recorded before 'Causers Of This' and exploring eclectic and psychedelic song-writing styles, 'June 2009' is alternately silly, bold and touching, largely confining electronics to special moments such as the excellent 'Sad Arms' and the raw 'Talamak (First Version)'. Check.
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After a five year hiatus, Bristol-based Nick Talbot returns to Warp with a new album. From gentle songs of acoustic guitars and whispered vocals, to grandiose folk-strings of 'The Prize' and shoegazing atmospheres of 'Islands', its understatedness is its strength. Good for a relaxing Sunday afternoon.
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Giardini Di Mirò return to City Centre Offices for their eighth studio album (if we count correctly). 'Good Luck' is a confident display of skill with its eight songs heading off into widely different song-writing directions, held together by the Italian post-punk outfit's charismatic style. Recommended.
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Aril Brikha on an electro pop tip! The Swedish techno veteran remixes 'Tough Love' of fellow countrymen Sailor & I, resulting in a sharp and crisp take that reminds us not only of the Junior Boys, but also of Morgan Geist and Vince Clarke's famously fat modular synth arpeggios. Lush and lovely.
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Clone gets on a disco funk vibe once again as 'Dancing Hard' off Tom Noble' debut EP 'In Liger Vision' is revisited. First by like-minded Brit Al Kent, who energizes the track with his live band overdubs, second by Tom Noble himself, who adds a a sweet and seductive remix. Nice one.
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Australia's Sneaky Sound System ride a late 80s vibe with the pumping pop electro of 'Really Want To See You Again', the third single from their third album, 'From Here to Anywhere'. Remixes are provided by Kink and Azari & III, who both did an admirable job. Fun.
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AU is the project of classically-trained pianist Luke Wyland, whose polychromatic post-rock symphonies bring to mind Animal Collective and Efterklang, at times scoring even higher on the insanity meter when 'Both Lights' shifts from psychedelic folk-punk to classical piano ballads and back. Check.
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Berlin's Staatsakt label continues to mix up the city's avant-pop scene with Mittekill's 'All But Bored, Weak And Old', a hypereclectic, hyperactive effort that effortlessly shifts between punk and techno, German and English, urban philosophy and prankish irony. Slightly overwhelming, yet recommended.
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London's Ism Recordings presents this fun volume of low-slung boogie cuts and mellow disco edits. Name artists on the bill include Ajello, Yam Who?, Sleazy McQueen and Drop Out Orchestra, making 'Midnight Riot' a recommended investment for sophisticated lounge DJs and discerning disco heads.
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Album released 16-04-2012 on Strut
Ghanaian high-life legend Ebo Taylor returns for a brand new studio album recorded with Berlin-based Afrobeat Academy band and guest such as Tony Allen. Crossing afrobeat, high-life and rootsy funk, Ebo still has the groove, and provides genuinely touching moments with stripped-down vocal-and-guitar pieces. Recommended.
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