Hello,
Here come our summery picks for the month of August, including impressive artist albums by Matthew Dear, Holy Other, Jon Convex, and Conforce's new electronica project, Silent Harbour.
Those looking for something with a little more dance-floor punch should check Robag Wruhme's superb 'Olgamikks', Theo Parrish's 'Hand Made EP', as well as our exclusive singles this month from the TRUST and Historia y Violencia labels. |
FEATURED RELEASE
Kieran Hebden is one of the most consistently brilliant producers of the past decade, and every new Four Tet album is met with quite a bit of excitement from pundits and the press alike. This time it's no different, and 'Pink' is fully deserving of the hype: While it might not qualify as a major work in the Four Tet oeuvre - for the most part it's a compilation of recent single releases - it is a fantastic set of tracks in its own right.
With the exception of the previously unreleased and utterly beautiful ambient track 'Peace For Earth' and mellow grooving opener 'Locked' it is a selection that comes down firmly on the dance-floor side of things.
Second exclusive track 'Lion' sets the pace with a percussive house groove and vibrant pads. 'Jupiters' and 'Ocoras' follow up on this with more nimble beat constructs and subtle arrangements that bring to mind the finest moments in Âme or Henrik Schwarz's body of work, yet never sacrificing Four Tet's jazz-inspired idiosyncrasies for pure dance-floor efficiency. Outstanding.
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FEATURED EXCLUSIVES
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EP released 31-08-2012 on Trust
Dutch producer Samuel van Dijk (Mohlao, Multicast Dynamics) follows up his dub techno releases on Meanwhile and Field Records with a new project on Austrian electro imprint TRUST. As VC-118A he crosses over deep and bleepy, Sandwell-compatible techno with Carl Finlow style futuristic electro funk. zero" exclusive!
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Contrasting vibes from two producer generations on LA's Historia y Violencia. John Tejada's blissfully formed muted techno melodies on the A-side in beautiful disharmony as Truncate appears with some help from Silent Servant to serve a dusky, shifting and ominous techno cut. Both quality tracks.
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TECHNO / HOUSE ESSENTIALS
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Germany's quirky minimal techno maestro Robag Wruhme releases his 'Olgamikks' album, comprising of remix works for artists such as Modeselektor, Dntel or Claude VonStroke, alongside a handful of original tracks. Truly Robag, and as always: unmissable!
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Three awesome lo-fi techno jams by grandmaster Theo Parrish for Running Back: Sparse and grumbling opener 'Black Mist', exuberantly swinging 'Pop Off', and crazy Chicago jacker 'Wild Out', which recalls early DJ Rush productions as well as Dance Mania and Relief's most experimental output. Don't miss!
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Recondite's second in the ‘Plan‘ series continues in its understated techno fashion. 'Haptic' a lulling, melodic track structured excellently in the bass regions, 'Backbone' throws a moodier kick and shuffle with a stripped-down approach and 'Yield' gazes far into the distance with rounded housey touches.
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Album released 27-08-2012 on Soma
Rod Modell's second album for Soma after last year's 'Hash-Bar Loops' re-ups our supply of deep and smokey, effect-heavy techno cuts, the intricate production detail and hypnotic intensity of which more than make up for the album's slight lack of surprises. Essential release for dub tech fans.
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Long-standing underground duo Terranova arrived back on the scene with their 'Hotel Amour' album earlier this year. This extensive remix album sees the likes of Gui Boratto, Tiefschwarz, KiNK, Rampa, TORB and others adding twists and taking the tracks to contrasting dance tangents.
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Copenhagen-based Tartelet Records have daringly pursued the elusive 'now' with this 10 track compilation. From dashing disco house of Kenton Slash Demon, tactile percussion-driven delights from James Braun and Brandt Brauer Frick, soulful Acid Woman and a killer haunting track from Mikkel Metal. Top notch!
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Album released 13-08-2012 on Infiné
The ever-tasteful Lyon label Infiné release this compilation of exclusive remixes. From Ben Klock's tactile re-weaving Francesco Tristano's Idiosynkrasia, to dOP smearing Clara Moto's 'Deer & Fox' into a lush haze, Max Cooper on Agoria, Gordon Shumway on Oxia - eclectic sounds in the utmost style.
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Maxi-Single released 06-08-2012 on Desolat
With a tracklist reading like a handbook on domestic violence, we can be assured the only thing DJ Sneak is hitting hard are relentless house grooves. Infectious tracks with twisted hints of funk and disco, with 'Assault on You (Poundin Mix)' jacked to the max and 'Beat Some Sense Into You' a pulsating euphoric workout.
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Following a number of remixes Gerd Janson and Phillip Lauer's Tuff City Kids release their first EP proper on Ostgut sub Unterton, and it's a killer 12: Much in the way of Shed's Head High and WK7 projects, 'Sfs' and 'Begger' combine pumping 909 drums with anthemic old-school chords. Überhit!
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Album released 24-08-2012 on Phil e
Former Stuttgart DJ Gigolo Mick Wills surfaces on his home town label Phil E with 'Space Probe VII'. It's a single track release, and there's a reason for this: 'Space Probe VII' is a mercilessly jacking Detroit-meets-The-Hague techno banger that simply needs no B-side. Cold killer!
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Moon Harbour founder Matthias Tanzmann delivers a mix for London's legendary club. Starting out atmospheric, he slowly but surely works a dance-ready tech-house mix with Maya Jane Coles' 'Not Listening' from her DJ-KiCKS and cuts by Silicone Soul, Guido Schneider and Florian Schirmacher.
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Album released 17-08-2012 on Robsoul
Parisian house label Robsoul Recordings release their DJ Sneak edition of their recent Best of Robsoul compilations. Nine fine, funking and fiesty tracks from DJ Sneak, for a producer with a back catalogue as huge as Sneak's, there's always some surprises to be found. Guaranteed to lead itchy feet to the dancefloor.
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Some might still regard Cologne's Boxer Recordings as an underdog in the German techno circuit, but their second set of anniversary tracks has them on top of their game: All-exclusives by Rodriguez Jr., Frank Martiniq, Robert Babicz, Christian Prommer, and Lexy & Shades of Grey will surely prove their bite on the dance-floor. Woof!
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DUBSTEP / HIP-HOP / ELECTRO ESSENTIALS
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Idiosyncratic Berlin bass music producer Robot Koch follows up on his excellent 2011 LP 'The Other Side' with this new mini-album: Eight tracks with an introspective edge, stylistically located between deep and subtle dubstep and tripped-out instrumental hip-hop.
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Italian producer and visual artist Federico Leocata graces Holland's Frustrated Funk. After a slow, synth-twinkering intro, Leocata explores darker and more heavenly cosmic planes. Sub-tempo slanting stabs and far-out funk motifs in a timewarp bent haze, for electro-heritage souls blissfully trapped in the twilight zone.
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Young London talent Ossie returns on 2020 Visions sub-label Midnight Visions with vocalists from his Black Orange Juice project. His knack for a functional simplicity rides like a charm bouncing between house and UKG, his style not as eccentric as some of his previous offerings, yet leanly cut for the dancefloor.
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The elusive Bambounou drops this mean EP ahead of an upcoming album. 'Chrome' stretches and snaps elastic bass and conjures busy but spacious beats, 'Mass' splices and dices a vocal over a choice kick and metalic swoop whilst 'Deepstaria' pulsates twilight synths. All deadly tracks, check.
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Tempo is a new drum'n bass imprint with ties to Rotterdam's Clone family, setting a high standard with its first release: Dutch artist PRPLX combines a wealth of influences, from Footwerks to Detroit, jungle and electronica, into four deep, melodic, yet energetic d'n'b cuts. Recommended.
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ELECTRONICA / AMBIENT ESSENTIALS
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Possibly our favourite Tri Angle act, Holy Other, drops his debut full-length, and 'Held' pretty much lives up to the well-deserved hype, exploring an idiosyncratic universe of slow-motion pop with nine moody tracks that slowly drift, stumble and dance their way around layered vocal fragments and revolving drones. Awesome!
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Boris Bunnik launches yet another project in addition to his Conforce and Versalife guises: Silent Harbour's debut album oscillates between the poles of 'broken' dub techno and drone electronica, with adding touches of funk and electronica contributing to a mesmerizing and dramatically flowing album. Highly recommended!
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Maxi-Single released 27-08-2012 on Kompakt
Burger and Voigt put the trance back into techno with remixes of their own recent ambient project, Mohn. Wolfgang Voigt's 'Trance Atlantic XS' mix takes us back to the days of his legendary early 90s label, while Terranova add a touch of contemporary pop house. Check.
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Maxi-Single released 27-08-2012 on Pole
Stefan Betke continues his 'Waldgeschichten' series with another set of astounding tracks. 'Lurch' evokes a subtle dub atmosphere with choir-like sounds and a warm sub-bass, while 'Moos' offsets a slightly more edgy bassline with warm pads and surprising percussion patterns. Pure joy to listen to.
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Album released 07-08-2012 on LuckyMe
Vienna's Cid Rim becomes Glasgow LuckyMe's latest signing with this micro-album. His jazz drummer background lays foundations for darting rhythms and tightly spun synth pads, a freefalling nimble energy closing with a remix from his buddy Dorian Concept. An experimental and refined tangent to the Glasgow sound.
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Album released 20-08-2012 on Melodic
British electronica producer Minotaur Shock releases his first album in three years, 'Orchard', complementing a wide array of string instruments - synthetic and real - with an equally versatile set of rhythms, from jazz to disco. A bit overly polished at times, but there are some great tracks to be found on here.
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British production legend and industrial dub pioneer Adrian Sherwood releases a new solo album: 'Survival & Resistance' comprises of ten melancholy dubs, intricately instrumented together with long-time collaborator Skip McDonald and a wealth of guests. Recommended.
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ALTERNATIVE / POP / DISCO ESSENTIALS
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'Beams' is Matthew Dear's fourth solo album and completes his metamorphosis from techno producer to versatile pop singer. Covering an range from Talking-Heads-inspired wave funk to indie disco and pop ballads it's nevertheless a cohesive and mature album that should only disappoint his most puristic Audion fans. Recommended.
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Ahead of a rumoured album, the supergroup of Thom Yorke, Chili Peppers' Flea and Radiohead's "sixth member" Nigel Godrich unveil new material. 'Other Side', intriguingly ebbing and achey with rolling percussion and shadowy vocals and a remix of American band Other Lives, imbuing it with a striking atmosphere.
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Having found a home on Permanent Vacation Roisin Murphy's 'Simulation' is a collaboration of the former Moloko singer with Richard Barratt, known as Richard H. Kirk's partner in legendary Sheffield bleep project, Sweet Exorcist. 12 minutes of slow, hypnotic retro-disco plus a fine remix by Mano Le Tough!
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Miami wildcard Otto Von Schirach reinvents himself as Supermeng, a superhero defending the earth against the immanent reptilian takeover. A riot of breaks, booty bass, freaky bleeps and beats, electro punk, robot funk and hypertension hiphop, his humorous all-in-approach doing what it does best. Full throttle.
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Surkin on a roll: hot on the heels of his recent album 'USA' he's collaborating with US house superstar Todd Edwards on 'I Want You Back', a track that combines Edward's house sensibilities with the young Frenchman's trademark boogielectro beats. Two more jacking cuts and an instrumental round off the package.
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Tiga and Zombie Nation's collaborative project as ZZT produced some well-aimed party electro in their debut album 'Partys Over Earth'. Now this remix package invites various Turbo affiliates to take their shot, Julio Bashmores a clear front runner, with Clouds, Gesaffelstein, Justice and Erol Alkan delivering goods too.
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Album released 27-08-2012 on LOaF
Surprisingly punk-rocking compilation from the Lo Recordings camp, featuring veterans such as Mark Stewart and the Buzzcocks amidst a staggering line-up of up-and-coming bands. Check if you like punk rock.
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