Flatland Frequencies
Four jacking house numbers that revisit themes laid out in Chicago clubs during the late 80s. New skool house producers Gettoblaster team with the OG Deeon and collaboratively stay true to the blueprints, utilising a minimal toolkit to good dance floor effect. Synth riff, drum machine and a vocal sample is really all that’s needed for an effective club track and there are four good examples here, keeping the patterns varied and to-the-point.
“When material interacts with light, properties of that material are stamped on the light. This stamp is like a specific fingerprint for each element and molecule. By examining the intensity of light in each color, scientist can work backward to infer the properties of the material that touched the light along the way.” – HubbleSite.Org
Originally released on vinyl last year 20/20 Vision’s Exit Planet Earth series is now be released on digital. Part one is out now, part two is due in August with other the parts to follow. Each EP is named after a different element that is commonly found on earth and is accompanied by a corresponding spectroscopy image. An essential series of modern classics.
Consistently quality, LDI records deliver the goods once again. Solid electronics and concepts across six tracks. This time featuring label owner Lloyd Stellar and Detroit’s Francois Dillinger. Atmospheric as well as body moving.
Two collaborative compositions between Kenneth Kirschner & Joseph Branciforte, focusing on applying “software-based compositional techniques — including algorithmic processes, generative systems, and indeterminacy — to the creation of new music for acoustic instruments.”
The result being two long form, detailed and hypnotic acoustic recordings. Originally entirely composed and produced within the Max/MSP modular software environment, then painstakingly reverse engineered, scored and performed with double-bass, cello, viola, and violin.
“The roentgen or röntgen (/ˈrɜːntɡən/; symbol R) is a legacy unit of measurement for the exposure of X-rays and gamma rays, and is defined as the electric charge freed by such radiation in a specified volume of air divided by the mass of that air (statcoulomb per kilogram). It is named after the German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen, who discovered X-rays.” – Wikipedia
Taking their inspiration from the HBO TV series, Chernobyl. The Hacker and Commuter create an imaginary soundtrack accompaniment for this outstanding EP on the super-strong Cultivated Electronics label.
Included are remixes by MMT-8, otherwise known as Ed Upton (DMX Krew) and label head Phil Bolland (Sync 24).
Pre-order via Clone
After the recent and rather excellent anthologies of experimental music from China and Peru, Unexplained Sounds Group introduces a new series called Portraits, focusing on electronic and electro-acoustic music composers.
This first volume is dedicated to three emerging experimental Italian musicians: Gabriele Gasparotti, Daniele Ciullini, and Mario Lino Stancati. With Ciullini having a long history of producing music in the post-industrial underground scene.
The general vibe works up from the opening dark and crunchy, saturated soundscapes of Gasparotti, to the lighter, guitar peppered airy drones from Stancati. The third section of the CD showcasing some really interesting patterns from Ciullini, who introduces abrupt tonal changes and wide ranging textures, that shift from long reaching deep ambience, to near field digital glitches and found sounds.
Split cassette featuring two long form jams from drone duo The Transcendance Orchestra (aka Daniel Bean and Anthony Child) and label owner Ali Wade.
The A-Side features five melded movements: entrance, acceleration, abstraction, revelation and obliteration. Which range from contemplative tones, to hyper spatial widescreen drones. Flipping for Demon’s and Wade goes on an off-grid excursion, visiting some varied and impeccably produced textures, from clean and shiny, to the soft and clouded.
Looks like this is already sold out, that was quick. Digi still available on their Bandcamp.
It’s hard to keep up with all the amazing DIY labels these days. Woodford Halse is one particularly prolific outfit, releasing a couple of tapes and CDs every month. Here’s a quick round up of what to expect in June/July 2021.
As usual, lots of music from the label features in our monthly radio show. Pick of the bunch for me is the Xylitol tape ‘Inside a Stone of Cream there is a Language’, with bubbling resonant synth tracks like Popcorn evoking some serious Raymond Scott vibes and mellow library-esque moments with Business Direct.
Consider this post a heads up, as generally these releases sell out on pre-orders, so stay frosty people and keep an eye on their Bandcamp.
Since free market reforms and opening up to foreign trade in the late 1970s, China has been among the world’s fastest-growing economies. Along with pulling 800 million people out of poverty, it has also become the world’s largest economy and with it a growing cultural and arts scene.
China’s experimental music and sound art scene began to take shape in the post-Tiananmen era in the late 1990s. A few musicians from the mainland’s underground music scene started to experiment with new ways of making music while the music industry co-opted the once revolutionary and independent rock music scene.
This particular collection of pieces runs the gamut of experimental styles, from music concrete to drones, arpeggiated synth pieces to field recordings. All achieved in a pure and focused dedication to the sound. A really stunning anthology musically and excellent curation from the label.
Recommended.
Previously only available in Japan on a CD released in 1999. These six tracks are an evocative collection of hidden gems from the heyday of electronic music. Recording artist Takuya Sugimoto European breakthrough came when the former UK record store responsible for promoting the deeper techno sound, Fatcat Records, decided to make their first release an EP recorded by him under the alias of EVA. This re-released EP, which was never available in the UK, is very much of that sound and era. Think UK deep techno of the likes of B12 and Stasis but with a more quirky temperament. A sound that will always be close to our hearts.
Releases 7th June 2021 on SAISEI records. Pre-orders here