Sascha Müller [Supersix Records Extra 067]

Fresh on the digital circuit is Sascha Müller's most recent digital album release, once again an untitled longplayer released via Supersix Records. Bringing forth a serving of eleven new track the Uelsen-based artist presents "Kommando" as an opener, an 11+ minutes journey into hypertense Ambient, fusing what could be the background atmosphere of a banging mid-90s HardTrance tune with swampy, hyperminimalist IDM beats whereas "Kompakt" makes our heads nod using some Phonk-infused Downtempo magic reminiscent of Fauna Flash's seminal three track EP released as cat.no. 015 of the Compost Records label. With "Kopfgeld" we see Sascha Müller go down a different route with dry, minimal, technoid beats and scraping rhythm signatures, "Krach" indulges in banging 90s Techno with flogging snares and screaming, ear-piercing synth twists and "Living On A Highway" goes hand-in-hand with living high speed and interesting percussion filter movements for a stripped down, yet highly exciting trip to raveland. The subsequent "Lock Down" is more of a raw, slo-motion affair trying to amalgamate soft, trancey arrangements and echoes of Chicago jack, "Machine-Made" takes us into an Ambient dream state of sorts with its slow moving, swampy early 90s vibe which surprisingly evolves into a percussive HypnoTrance cut after five minutes in before "Maria Himmelfahrt" showcases a jumpy, gooey approach to Techno reminiscent of many Italian productions around 1993/94 due to its unprocessed vibe, sharp driving hi-hats and overly distorted bassdrums. Furthermore "Medusas Child" brings forth more gooey, slightly distorted AcidTrance accompanied by classic ClubTechno stabs, "Metabolism" relies on dry, clean cut drums, hypnotic, tripping background atmospheres alongside classy House stabs and an overly exciting main melody to bring back original Trance vibes and the final cut "Metal Forces" is built on a raw slo-mo stomp, ever spiralling yet minimalist Acid lines and various layers of mechanical, metallic percussion sounds somehow evoking memories of Depeche Mode's "People Are People" phase when the band were sampling various percussion sounds from their Field Recording trips.

Ice-T. - Feds In My Rearview (Official Video)

The man is back with some straight up classic GangstaRap shit. Define: Pure dope.

Mirco Magnani & Lukasz Trzcinski - Lumiraum [Undogmatisch Promo]

Released via the Undogmatisch label on June 24th, 2k19 is "Lumiraum", the new collaborational mini album by Mirco Magnani and Lukasz Trczcinski which is put on the circuit in a highly limited quantity of 200 vinyl copies and 100 CD albums. Sporting five tracks and a runtime of approx. 25 minutes we see the two artists engage in what can be described as a kind of EthnoAmbient of sorts, fusing slow droning bass movements with natural, unprocessed wind instruments and naturalistic melodies referring to spiritualism and a state of deep relaxation which reminds us of mid-90s ChillOut floors in a PsyTrance context and, somehow, of the oftentimes organic vibes of the early 'Buddha Bar' compilation series which was directly related to the Paris-based venue of the same name. If names like Ravin, Raphael Marionneau or the more widely known Mixmaster Morris immediately resonate with your musical taste this might be one EP to check out for sure.

75 Dollar Bill - I Was Real [Tak:Til / Glitterbeat Promo]

Another new release on the Glitterbeat Records sister label Tak:Til is "I Was Real" by the New York City-based band outfit known as 75 Dollar Bill which has been making waves on the circuit since about 2013. Based on a slightly varying line-up and a range of contributing guest musicians the band created a crafty array of nine new songs over a four year period... and in four different studios which sounds like quite a bit of an effort to us. Over the course of more than an hour the well known NYC locals present a deep, defo down-to-earth approach to PostRock, Desert Rock and Americana on this longplay piece, adding both traditional American as well as seemingly Irish elements to the mix and instrumentation and even embarks on dancefloor filling - sic!- excursions into the lands of Psychedelia meets Rock'n'Roll in tunes like "Tetuzi Akiyama" or provides an epic take on deep, instrumental DesertBlues meditation in the nearly 17 minutes spanning title track "I Was Real" whilst tackling droning Ambient structures alongside inward looking guitar meditations in the three part piece "New New / Worm / Like Laundry Suite". Interesting stuff.

13.07.2019 baze.djunkiii In The Mix @ Neu Jersey Radio / Rutherford, NJ - USA

It's time for some radio action again and this time we're going international. baze.djunkiii has partnered with the rising Rutherford / New Jersey-based web radio station Neu Jersey Radio to present a new bi-weekly saturdays DJ radio show named "baze.djunkiii In The Mix" which will be streamed worldwide via the stations website and via Mixlr.

With the stations head offices being located only a few miles from Manhattan / New York this is the first time baze.djunkiii enters the American broadcasting market with a regular show, which is especially exciting in one of the most densely populated areas of the United States.

Musically baze.djunkiii is about to employ a more experimental / freestyle approach for the first few shows with a stylistic range focusing on Downtempo / TripHop / Dope Beats / Electronica / Ambient and beyond for a start but is well ready to steer into a variety of more club and dancefloor focused territories as well as time progresses. Tune in!


decks:
baze.djunkiii [Intrauterin Recordings / Combat Dubs]

file under: Downtempo / Freestyle

transmission starts:

19oo EST saturday - New Jersey / USA local time
01oo CET sunday   - Germany & Europe

Tune in to the stream here!

Park Jiha - Philos [Tak:Til / Glitterbeat Promo]

Put on the circuit via the Glitterbeat Records offspring Tak:Til on June 14th, 2k19 is "Philos", the new album release by South Korean composer Park Jiha. Providing a menu of eight brand new tracks on this longplayer she, like on her 2018-debut "Communion", employs the sound of traditional Korean instruments once again only to fuse them with deep and floating electronic textures more related to the Western world and its traditions. Especially the opening tune "Arrival" exemplifies this approach in a thrilling way, presenting an intense, captivating composition somewhat meandering in between Post-PostRock, score and most pure naturalism whereas the follow up "Thunder Shower" employs more of a looped, folksy feel in its multilayered, slightly off kilter and somewhat baroque-reminiscing structure. "Easy" digs deep into the world of Spoken World with a poem written and read by Lebanese poet Dina El Sayed, "Pause" weighs in tender, intimate piano romanticisms over the course of 129 seconds and the title track "Philos" provides a hypnotic, trance inducing flow for all lovers of PostRock and Indietronica alike. Furthermore we see Park Jiha refer to urban environments with the title named "Walker: In Seoul" even though the music presented feels more like a late summer afternoon stroll at the ocean shore in its super melancholic attitude, "When I Think Of Her" slightly touches on (Neo)Classical composition and dramatic, and also kitsch-oriented, Ambient for being that one slightly questionable track on the whole album before "On Water" follows on a similarly peaceful path and gives us a dreamy, minimalistic, yet beauteous xylophone line as a main motif to follow into the land of dreams.

Hüma Utku - Gnosis [Karlrecords 068]

Released via Karlrecords on July 5th, 2k19 is "Gnosis", the debut album by Istanbul-born, Berlin-based producer Hüma Utku employing her real full name for a musical project after releasing under the name of R.A.N. / Roads At Night prior to this longplayer. With six tracks on this album, most of them incorporating Field Recordings of sorts, the opening cut "Vulnerary" embarks on a journey into clean, sterile and desolate Cold Ambient atmospheres accompanied by echoes of outerworldly background choirs and a regular pulse of well rounded, yet brooding sinewave bass signals which are seamlessly progressing into the follow up "Black Water Red" where they're met by atmospheric crackles, scraping Future Tribal signatures and most importantly masterly sculpted Industrial Electronica beats which could've found their way onto signature releases on the Hymen / Ant-Zen empire in the past before the follow up tune "Truth From The Deepest Source" indulges in ancient (african) rhythms and cold blasting space winds for an intro leading into lively polyrhythmic action  and threatening low end transmissions from the earths deepest vaults, or the place where your inner monsters reside. The subsequent "All The Universe Conspires" caters a more minimalist, heavenly approach to slightly scraping Ambient vibes in conjunction with tribalistic, bass-heavy, slow motion Electronica to fit the needs of all Illbient heads at their darkest out there, "A Gift From The Dark Ages" is more a gift from the Cold Ambient ages and the concluding "All-one" provides some sterile, unsettling electric background buzzes as well as steadily shifting sonic plates as a foundation for a calm, sci-fi-infused setting - a tune that defo should be considered to be included in some futuristic space horror movie score due to its imminent tension and spine-tingling attitude. Check.

Rafael Anton Irisarri - Solastalgia (Suite One) / Agitas Al Sol (Suite Two) [Room 40 Promo]

Put on the circuit via Room40 on June 21st, 2k19 is "Solastalgia (Suite One)", the latest album outing created by New York-based composer Rafael Anton Irisarri which is accompanied by the additional limited cassette tape release of "Agitas Al Sol (Suite Two)". With the first album we see Rafael Anton Irisarri exploring realms of darkish Ambient over the course of six tracks, with the opening piece "Decay Waves" combining a seemingly reprocessed ocean swell with beautiful, yet doleful string arrangements followed by a "Coastal Trapped Disturbance" a.k.a. a trip into deep Ambient melancholia whereas "Chrysalism" explores a calmer, more comforting variation of the genre. Being "Visible Through The Shroud" results in a tender, slowly evolving atmospheric stream of sound that leads into an intense, steady swell of panoramic quality, "Kiss All The Pretty Snakes Goodbye" introduces washed out, reverberating piano tones and seemingly field recorded crackles to the overall mix for the first time whereas "Black Pitch" isn't as dark and threatening as its title but waves goodbye in a soothing, fully relaxed and slightly mystical manner. Furthermore the two tracks of "Agitas Al Sol (Suite Two)", "Atrial" and "Cloak", are merged into a 38 minutes long fusion on our CD-r promo version of the two combined albums, bringing forth an epic journey into atmospheric Dark Ambient which, regarding its compositional value, might also be appreciated by lovers of ethereal, reprocessed (Neo)Classical music for a reason.

Anatolian Weapons Feat. Seirios Savvaidis - To The Mother Of Gods [Beats In Space Promo]

Fresh on the renowned imprint that is Beats In Space is "To The Mother Of Gods", the new album release by Aggelos Baltas a.k.a. Anatolian Weapons which fuses the electronic aspect of Baltas' previous works with the musical direction of Greek Folk musician Seirios Savvaidis... or at least stems of his songs which have been slightly re-arranged by Baltas throughout the production process of the album. The result of this combination is a deep, well psychedelic and time dissolving experience based on varied electronic, mostly Ambient textures as a foundation for organic, Trance-inducing ChillOut structures including the epic 8+ minutes spanning "Ofiodaimon" which evokes memories of infamous 90s projects like Technova or Loop Guru whereas "Chaire Eos" brings in a certain, and well fascinating, Americana / Desert Rock vibe paired with, of course, Greek vocals whilst "Limnothalassa" indulges in dramatic, ever meandering instrumental Folk / Indietronica with a muscular twist just to name a few of the eight songs featured on this longplayer. Defo sth. well unexpected from the Beats In Space-camp, this.

Ghostface Killah - Conditioning (Official Video)

When a music video is way more than HipHop but a fucking short film... . Dope shit!

baze.djunkiii Chart Haul 07/2019

Heiner Rennebaum Doppelquartett - Live [Umland Records 023]

Fresh on the circuit via the ever active Umland Records label is "Live", the first release by the Heiner Rennebaum Doppelquartett which is aiming towards the amalgamation of both Jazz and Classical influences within the setting of a live performance, with the Jazz section of the group providing the foundation and the Classical string quartet weighing in complementing elements, melodies and sequences. This combination results in quite interesting textures over the course of the album for sure, providing a feeling of twisted and warped DesertBlues / Desert PostRock in the opening tune "RFC" whereas the "Mäandertaler" indulges in what could be described as tenderly floating, slightly krautsy PostRock for real genre connaisseurs and "IFAS" weighs in echoes of oriental / arab music to create a subtle, captivating groove monster for hot and steamy summer nights. With "Ja Klar" we see the Heiner Rennebaum Doppelquartett explore a realm of deeply relaxing, smoky late night Jazz melancholia, "Solitut" weighs in a soft, continuous stream of tender, twangy and inward looking experimentalism as well as a touch of - again! - DesertBlues before drifting off into a more free floating Jazz approach bordering on Improv / FreeJazz at times whereas "Pianavia", the last track on this live recorded album, brings forth a short scenic vibe accompanied by well dramatic string swells and imminent tension for a thrilling closure. Good stuff!

Yair Etziony - Ingress [False Industries 025 Promo]

Put on the circuit as CD and MC - yes, cassette tape! - via the False Industries label on May 3rd, 2k19 is "Ingress", the latest full on album outing by Israeli artist and producer Yair Etziony which is now based in the German capital of Berlin. Presenting a total of five compositions over the course of approx. 57 minutes playtime, all shaped and sculpted throughout a period of serious illness, the album opener "Throbbing Coldness" brings forth a calm, minimalistic take on Isolationist Ambient which defo feels a bit frosty but neither hostile nor deadly whereas "A Residue Of Optimism" is more of a static, slowly evolving drone fest for deep meditation before turning into something a little more dramatic vibewise and the title track "Ingress" follows on a deep, solemn and slightly melancholia-inducing Ambient path that is best to be explored throughout a cold winter night. Furthermore we see Yair Etziony floating along a calm, comforting stream of sonic waves with "Katajonkka" and the concluding trip to "Station 61" leads into a realm of dreamy twilight, sparsely populated by haunted souls drifting over from a parallel world, an acoustic upside down of sorts in which the perception of time and its progress starts to blur and fade within minutes.

Andrew Poppy - Hoarse Songs [Field Radio]

Soon to be released via the label known as Field Radio is Andrew Poppy's brand new album "Hoarse Songs", a conceptual longplay piece revolving around piano, electronic music, orchestral textures - and vocal performances in general, fusing several styles and variations, bringing together fusions of previously unheard qualities and dabbling with the idea of a multeity of artistic entities bouncing their individual ideas on, and off, any given track on the album, creating a creative cascade of sorts. Opening with "Song Tide (Interrupted)" we're lead into a world of Pop-infused (Neo)Classical/ Contemporary Classical piano lines presenting a certain drive and friendly playfulness for a start before "Rainy Must Kiss Everybody" changes course towards a neon 80s vision of stripped down, minimalistic ElectroPop / SynthPop of Yellow'esque qualities whereas "Wave Machine (Endless Parting)" incorporates opera-reminiscent vocals, dramatic pianos and ever spiralling (Neo)Cosmic / Synth in one single composition. With "Downside Up" Andrew Poppy combines a certain swing, Dub-influenced basslines and looped Future Jazz, "What Alice Said" branches out into scenic, ballad'esque Broadway Pop, "Riderless" combines formal baroque dance and lo-fi electronics with a tongue-in-cheek twist over the course of 9+ minutes and "What Is This Place" could well be placed within a dramatic modern opera for many a reason. Furthermore the "Cyber Spark" brings forth what can be described as dark'ish, brooding undertones to the drama it presents, the "XY Song" unfolds its crystalline, retrofuturist magic and hypermelancholia - the latter evoking memories of Cosmic Baby's 90s Techno Opera "Futura" for some reason - atop a foundation of intense, raw and hypnotic electronic pulses before "Hoarse" harks back to dreamlike piano purism for a calm and peaceful closing. We'd be curious how this diverse conceptual and widerangeged musical approach would translate as an actual stage play.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Dize 7 - Mechanical Systems EP [Psychocandies 078]

Put out on the digital circuit via the ever active imprint that is Psychocandies is the "Mechanical Systems EP", a new four track single crafted by Finnish producer Dize 7 who's appeared on the label on a regular throughout the past years. Opening with "Rate Parameter" we're getting hit straight in the face by a stomping brutal Rave excess on the brink of Gabba whereas "Two Specifications" result in an evident space-time-error, massively warped, multi-layered melodic signals and more relentless bassdrum assaults. Furthermore "Initial Time" fully embarks on a cut-up Gabba tip whilst not even thinking about taking any prisoners on the dancefloor and the final cut "Mean And Variance" presents Dize 7's home country Finland in full on preparation for battle and hypersonic warfare, ready to fight until the very last bassbin is about to fail. In yer face musick!

Xtort - Nothing Is Real [DA Records]

Incoming only recently from the Dutch / German Industrial meets Wave and PostPunk outfit Xtort is their latest longplay outing "Nothing Is Real" which is, like most of their work, put on the circuit via DA Records, short for Dildo Action Records according to discogs. Stretched out over roughly 46 minutes the band, which is a successor of the long defunct Industrial Metal outfit HOER, presents a total of eleven new cuts on this longplayer, building a bridge between CyberPunk and FuturePop with the epic, yet dystopian opener "Truth" which is followed by the merciless and stomping, yet still melodic banger "Fire" and the more Industrial-flavored "Die Stadt", a tune leaning toward cold string arrangements, brutal vocalisms and robotic background vocoders. With these three opening cuts Xtort are presenting a rough layout for further things to come, like the grinding slo-mo brutality meets (Neo)Cosmic synth melancholia found in "Devil", the raw SynthPop / SynthWave flavours found in "No Passion" or the full on lo-fi (Neo)Cosmic meets ItaloDisco vibe in "Escape" which could've found a welcoming home on the now defunct Berlin-based imprint Das Drehmoment whilst the title track "Nothing Is Real" brings forth more stomping, uptempo Rave / EBM brutalisms with a tongue-in-cheek twist for absolute peaktime abuse. Furthermore "Waiting" sees the multinational band project surprisingly fuse classic, a little over the top Rock vocals with an easy, and well cheesy, ElectroPop foundation, "Like A Knife" brings back the CyberGoth / FuturePop drive of earlier tracks whereas following "Dangerous Impulses" might lead straight into the wee hours of Future Industrial underground parties and the abuse of echoing voices and warped space synths right before "Dieses Leben (Acoustic)" adds a surprising twist for a closing, entering a quick slice of German Rock music which surely isn't expected after 40+ minutes of cyberreal dancefloor focus.

Maps And Diagrams - Azurescens [False Industries / Handstitched Promo]

Put on the circuit on April 19th, 2k19 as a limited joint venture release between the labels False Industries and Handstitched is "Azurescens" which is issued as CD album and cassette respectively. Opening with "Chiba" we see Maps And Diagrams, a duo consisting of the label heads Tim Diagram and Yair Etziony, paving the way for things to come with an 8+ minutes journey into twisted, Psychedelia-infused Ambient layering accompanied by what seem to be modular bleeps, abstract ChillOut percussions and an overall dreamlike, spaced out atmosphere which is a main theme throughout all eleven tracks on this longplayer, be it within the electrical, droning buzz of "Kubensis" which additionally dabbles in scraping, electroacoustic rhythm signatures whereas tunes like "Spore" indulge in fully fledged (Neo)Cosmic synth beauty and a cascading, playful sonic vision and the follow up "Bohemica" is a blueprint for hovering overall calmness and classic Space Age Ambient for sure. With the subsequent "Ohmic" the duo provides an ebb and flow movement of well scenic synthesizer pads, "Sola" brings forth more of a warped and droning space time effect reminiscent of how time dilation is depicted in old sci-fi movies and "Amarra" amalgamates the sparkly joy of jumping fish and flowing water in a creek with a blurred out panoramic Ambient drone to a massive widescreen effect. Furthermore "Shiro" combines scraping surface noises, isolationist winds, clean, partly even sterile atmospheric layers and an unsettling, brooding low end, "Odora" harks back to classic by the book Ambient beauty before "Helvella" enters fever'ish, ritualistic terrain whilst being the first rhythm driven cut on the album and leading our braincells towards a hell'ish, intense pre-climax state whereas the final cut that is "Vesca" waves farewell in a soft, organic and all embracing peaceful manner. Nice one.

Antwood - Delphi [Planet Mu Promo]

Scheduled for release via Planet Mu as soon as July 19th, 2k19 is Tristan Douglas' third album for the label employing his artistic alias and nom de guerre that is Antwood. Building this longplayer around the fictional lovelorn character "Delphi", namesake for the album and so is the ancient Greek city of the same name, which he developed alongside his girlfriend Olivia Dreisinger he creates a sonic journey spanning thirteen chapters / tracks and around 45 minutes total playtime. Musically the realm revolving around "Delphi" is comprised of cut-up, ravey, experimental HyperPhonk meets ElectroBreaks in tunes like the highly captivating "Club Dread" which is quite a challenge to all club DJ's out there due to it's fucked up, filtered nature and extended, warped breakdown sequences whereas the title track indulges in a scintillating, cascading fusion of modernist Bass Music and shiny neon Vaporwave before unleashing brutalist, Electronic Metal-resembling sonic terror for a while. With "A Hostile Message" things get really psycho and evil for about 45 seconds, the "Healing Laybrinth" reveals unexpected beauty in an innocent piano miniature and the "Portal" leads into a wildly spiralling maelstrom of high speed synthesizer madness before dark choirs and twisted, brooding experimentalisms take over. Hunting the "Cave Moth" we see Antwood bringing on a sound reminiscent to Neil Landstrumm's bass excursions on albums like "Bambaataa Eats His Breakfast" whereas the "Ecstatic Dance" amalgamates beauteous (Neo)Classical string sections, angelic backgroud choirs and sweet electroid uptempo beats infused by the UK Bass scene for a captivating unique dancefloor experience just to pick a few of our favorite cuts from the album. As futurist and neon-oozing as electronic dance music can be. Get.

Sascha Müller - Traxxx Vol. 14 [SM Traxxx 37-2019]

Scheduled for release via the SM Traxxx label on July 18th, 2k19 is "Traxxx Vol. 14", the latest digital two track single by Uelsen's Sascha Müller. Opening with "Track 27" the ever active producer caters a serving of spiralling, raw, hypnotic and storming Acid for wild, strobe-lit underground parties whilst the following "Track 28" is a massive AcidRave jump fest for all you oldskool ravers and early 90s fanatics out there. Proper!

baze.djunkiii Charts 07/2019

01. NO MORE - Love, Noise & Paranoia (1979 - 2019) [Rent A Dog]
See review for details...

02. A Sagittariun - Return To Telepathic Heights [Running Back Incantations]
Finally it's here. The long awaited third album by A Sagittariun and probably his best release after his 2013 longplay debut "Dream Ritual" presents a thrilling collection of ten tracks which sees the well-secluded producer explore new musical territories somewhat in between classic Electro / Phonk with a certain retrofuturist twang, great crystalline synth lines mixed with sweet Intelligent Techno, highly advanced BrokenBeat / BassMusic and even echoes of Proto HipHop / B-Boy Breaks for those who know. Recommended!

03. Etch / Nico Lindsay [Sneaker Social Club]
Quite a surprise this brand new three tracker on the Sneaker Social Club label is. Etch and Nico Lindsay are taking Grime and Grime riddims to a next level, adding a certain complexity to the breaks that seemed to be lost since the days of Broken Beat / West London Phusion on the A-side whilst the flip is operating on a dry, minimalistic level. Highly interesting cuts for all them advanced DJ's out there.

04. P.T.B.S. & Sascha Müller - Rebels [Urbangrooves Records]
See review for details...

05. Ruby My Dear - Phlegm EP [Analogical Force 022]
Coloured vinyl seems to be the shit these days and therefore Ruby My Dear delivers his fresh EP release on a limited purple print run, bringing forth a selection of five hyper excellent cuts meandering in between IDM, GlitchRave, Electronica and twisted Breakcore that will make you forget the majority of Aphex Twin / AFX releases of the past two decades within seconds. This is pure musical genius and a must have addition for every advanced collection of electronic music.

06. Various Artists [Destroy Oh Boy 003]
Sum, Supa Ape and Aaron Spectre make up the listing for this excellent four track 12" on blue vinyl which surely covers the whole spectrum of the genre from raw, classic GangstaJungle referencing tunes to high speed breaks and rugged DarkJungle for the darkest hours on the dancefloor.

07. Sandy B - Qhum Qhaks [Vumbuka Records]
South African Kwaito legend Sandy B teams up with Danish producer Simon Lundsgaard for a new album release and it's a massive one. The seven tracks on here fully reveal the magic of classic Kwaito with all its deep lo-fidelity, ClubHouse referencing bass synths, stripped down, yet seductive downtempo 4/4 grooves and interesting vocalisms meandering between singing and a twisted form of local rapping that  make up for a perfect introduction to a genre still widely unrecognized in Western countries.

08. Jimmy J & Cru-L-T - Six Days Remixes [Remix Records]
Happy Hardcore? Yes, please! Jimmy J & Cru-L-T's "Six Days" has been one of the big anthems back in 1994 and still didn't lose any of it's fascination for an oldskool raver like me. A proper banger, this, with the so-called 'Al Storms 1999 Remix' being our favorite cut on this 12". 

09. Kedr Livanskiy - Your Need [2MR]
See review for details...

10. Monsta - III [Opa Loka Records 019]
See review for details...

Babymetal feat. F. Hero - Pa Pa Ya!! (Official Video)

A certified Kawaii Metal banger, this.

NO MORE - Love, Noise & Paranoia (1979 - 2019) [Rent A Dog]

Ten years in the business is a long time for a band. Twenty years is a dream most of them never even can aspire to reach. Double that and you'll get to an astounding four decades on stage, an impressive achievement that our Kronshagen-based friends of NO MORE are celebrating in 2019 with the release of their new album "Love, Noise & Paranoia (1979 - 2019)",  a compilation piece which caters a selection of 13 tracks spanning their entire musical career to their fanbase - their monster hit "Suicide Commando" included amongst previously unreleased material and re-recordings of beloved classics. Whilst the collage'esque opener "Inside 1979" feels like a dark, brooding time capsule perfectly depicting the intense, greyscale atmosphere the band was born into in the late 70s  / early 80s which is also reflected in songs of this era like the raw "So Unreal" and "Our Dreams" whereas "It Feels Like 1925" indulges in a certain take on melancholia meets JazzNoir. On the other hand recent re-recordings of pieces like the highly dramatic "Istanbul", the krautsy "Teenage Years" or the tense, dancefloor smashing "Do You Dream Of Angels In This Big City?" provide a careful touch up for songs well known and appreciated by NO MORE's fanbase and previously unreleased cuts "What About Us", another thundering peaktime affair, and the dark'ish PostPunk ballad "A Different Kind Of Woman" defo prove why the band's signature sound still remains relevant up to this day and after all these years. Defo an impressive collection of songs, this. Highly recommended.

øjeRum - Alting Falder I Samme Rum [Sound In Silence 065]

A new addition to the roster of the Greek Ambient imprint Sound In Silence is the Copenhagen-based artist named Paw Grabowski who's operating under the guise of øjeRum since 2007, with a highly increased output volume since 2014. With the album named "Alting Falder I Samme Rum" consisting of seven numbered tracks of the same name we see the Danish artist building a sonic landscape of warm, organic and highly comforting, repetetively bubbling synth melodies reminiscent of early 90s ChillOut floors and IDM of this specifically explorative era, immediately evoking memories of long gone scene staples like Berlin's Interference Records in their overall friendliness whilst adding soft, beautifully lush string works and rich, well calming pads to the sonic recipe to provide nothing but pure relaxation and a classic Ambient blueprint that should be included in every electronic music lovers collection - although only 200 hand-numbered copies of this masterpiece are available worldwide. Top notch. Get.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Wabi Experience - Wabi Experience [Mikroton Recordings 074]

Coming in without further detailed press information from the Russian label Mikroton Recordings is the same titled album by Wabi Experience on which, according to the notes on the CD cover, 'no musical instruments were used during making of this album'. This approach seems to be true for the eleven tracks presented over the course of 41 minutes, although executive producer and designer Kurt Liedwart alongside the sampling and sequencing duo Federsel & Tarnovski manage to create a lively, slightly nervous and well fascinating artificial sonic realm which seems to either depict a far flung future or the musical creations of a an entity existing in a simulation within a simulation, fusing Phonk-driven Electronica with Ambient sequences in cuts like the opening tune "Never Mind" whilst bringing forth an amalgamation of dry, creepy, digital Illbient and beautiful pads as well as isolationist guitar tones in "Breaking Thumbs" whereas cuts like the "Outsider Tango" are even referencing genres like glitched out Dub in conjunction with Clicks'n'Cuts, "November Is Gone" combines atmospheric DarkAmbient and elements of ritualistic FutureTribal and "The Fourth Floor Of Sadness" brings forth a super dark, dystopian sci-fi vibe of score'esque quality just to name a few. Good stuff, this. Check.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Xposed 4Heads - Stuck In Orbit (Official Video)

Our statewise friends from Milwaukee take space themes to new extremes with a catchy little song here that's about to evolve into a big time SynthWave / WavePop banger as soon as it hits dancefloors all over the globe.

Traxman - 4 Da Lyfe

A killer Juke / Footwork cut taken off of the new forthcoming Traxman album "Tekvision Volume 2" which is about to be released on July 2nd, 2k19.

Ken Vandermark & Terrie Ex - Scaffolding [Terp Records 030]

Released via the Dutch Terp Records-imprint on May 10th, 2k19 is "Scaffolding", the new full on collaboration album forged by Terrie Ex and Ken Vandermark who've shared stages and recording experiences numerous times over the years and have been performing as a distinct duo since 2014. With their recent longplayer the pair caters a menu of ten impressive improvisation pieces stretched over the course of 34 minutes, fusing and forcing their instruments - tenor saxophone, clarinet and guitar - into a turbulent, brutalist maelstrom of jumpy sonic freestyle and total musical freedom, redefining the boundaries of and between music and pure noise even for experienced listeners whilst catering an alarming, intense crescendo that's defo not one for the faint-hearted but a recommendation for all listeners who like to search for extremes in whatever genre. Even though tunes like "Instant Extant" unveil a deeper, intimiate and more Post-PostRock related side of the duos work as well. File under: Free Improv for the headstrong.

Album artwork on Instragram!

Arovane & Porya Hatami - C.H.R.O.N.O.S. [Karlrecords 067 Promo]

Released on April 26th, 2k19 via Karlrecords is "C.H.R.O.N.O.S.", the third collaborational album effort created by electronic music staple Arovane alongside Porya Hatami which consists of a total of five new tracks opening with "Ellipsoid", a nearly ten minutes spanning excursion into scraping, atmospheric Ambient territories with a well calming, meditative twist reminiscent of early Oval works alongside faded piano tones whereas the follow up "Cycloid" slowly revolves around a steady flow of super soft pads and subtle panoramic strings accompanied by vintage surface crackles and a certain, well obvious melancholia. Furthermore we see "Catenoid" providing a beautiful blueprint for slowly evolving Ambient music in 2019, "Helicoid" caters a warm, yearning and organic vibe with a little maritime twist and the final cut "Cissoid" harks back to all embracing Oval'esque goodness again for a well intimate, hyper calm closing. Ambient for lovers.

Sascha Müller [Supersix Records Extra 086]

Fresh on the circuit via the unstoppable, ever busy imprint Supersix Records is Sascha Müller's new untitled twelve track album which sees the Uelsen-based producer embark on another journey into quality electronic music. Opening with a "Homage An Dr. Böhm's Hobbyton" we're drawn straight onto the dancefloor by a positive, playful take on lo-fi Electro, "Hypnoticum" provides a droning, spiralling and, well, hypnotizing Techno / AcidTechno affair for dark psychedelic dancefloor experiences whereas "I Have Seen The Earth For 2 Minutes" brings back a fusion of dubbed out Ambient pads and spaced out ChillOut Electro once highly popular in legendary TV shows like the infamous HR3 Space Night whereas "Induktorspule" will resonate with friends of raw, dark ToolTechno and underground oldskool bunker parties for a reason. Furthermore "Interference Muster" kills punters brains within seconds, providing a well trippy variation of spiralling Acid garnished with interesting clap rhythms and bouncy background beats, "Jack Me" deals with stripped down to the bone electroid MinimalTechno and an impressive, fluttering low-end, "Jack My Radio" comes across like a love child of Robin Rimbaud's Scanner project and, again, bouncy, loop-oriented Minimal Techno and the "Japanese Gameroom 2" brings forth a rare glimpse into Sascha Müller's vision of athmospheric Intelligent Drum'n'Bass for the oldskool heads. With "Kernkraft" the German producer presents a sweet minimal synth melody atop of raw, slightly distorted and merciless Rave Techno, "Klangformung" is on a jumpy, jacking and well positive Acid trip, "Klostermesse" uses ecclesiastical choirs as a backdrop for busy Electro structures and bouncy 4/4 beats to form a Rave anthem par excellance and the final cut named "Kommerz Epos" drifts off into beauteous vintage Ambient territories backed up by decent electroid breakbeats for a warm, all embracing closing. Great stuff.

Soft Grid - Agency [Antime 025 Promo]

Put on the circuit via the Berlin-based Antime-imprint is "Agency", the sophomore album release by Soft Grid and their first full length release after their 2016 debut "Corolla". Spread out over 38 minutes playtime the trio brings us five new cuts on this longplay piece, opening with "PPPY CNNN", which starts as a tense, yet dream-like take on naturalistic DesertIndie before thundering, complex drums provide quite a bit of a drive alongside krautsy basslines and meandering synth figures whereas the follow up that is "Airplane" weighs in a rocky, muscular attitude fusing (Neo)Cosmic vibes with bits of Psychedelia, proper BluesRock and killer vocals meant to be stuck in your eardrums for now and ever. Furthermore the subsequent "Mother Tongue" goes deep into banging Indietronica realms, providing a well thought out electronic drum foundation, intricate melodies and beautiful widescreen choruses that are about to resonate with followers of labels like Anticon. as well, "A Century Behind" brings forth a well epic synth intro reminiscent of large scale FuturePop only to take a surprising, and massive, turn towards stripped down Indie / PostRock fusion meandering  in between Downbeat sequences and thundering stadium rockisms before the final title track "Agency" weighs in brutal military drums and a sweet contrast provided by the bands vocal harmonies as well as large scale electric guitar solos for a bit of an extra thrill before coming to a well peaceful and even slightly folksy conclusion with super soft pianos and echoes of echoes of a jazzy vibe.

Synaesthesis - Another Point Of View: Lithuanian Art Music [Music Information Centre Lithuania]

Put on the circuit recently via the cultural institution that is the Music Information Centre Lithuania is "Another Point Of View: Lithuanian Art Music" which sees the ensemble Synaesthesis play, perform and interpret a variety of seven compositions stemming straight from the heart of the countries art music scene. Led by renowned pianist Marta Finkelstein the group openes with "Cell", a work composed by Ricardas Kabelis in 1992 which presents itself as a hypnotic, meandering and ever spiralling piece of (Neo)Classical music with an undeniably tense and score'esque quality before "State Of Mind (Observance)" written by Julius Aglinskas brings forth a beautiful, dramatic and piano-driven Ambient vibe as our favorite piece on the longplayer whereas Ramunas Motiekaitis' "After Sunset Cycles" indulges in tender prepared piano minimalisms evolving into curious, light-hearted intermingling structures over the course of 8+ minutes. Furthermore the "Canon Mensurabilis" by Rytis Mazulis sees Synaesthesis perform thrilling, intense, trance-inducing serial repetitions of a well psychedelic nature, "From Another Point Of View" by Dominykas Digimas brings forth dark'ish, vibrating string arrangements and a certain ruminant vibe whilst Rita Maciliunate's "Koan" incorporates elements of Jazz Noir / Score Noir into a tight, stripped down and outerworldly compositional approach and the final cut "ASMR", composed by Andrius Arutiunian, introduces a tender Spoken Word piece accompanied by a full on score of ever changing elements ranging from Post-PostRock and Desert Blues to dreamy pianos and way beyond. Recommended.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Niklas Adam - Undulate [Sofa Music]

Released on May 31st, 2k19 via the ever active imprint Sofa Music is "Undulate", the label debut for Oslo-based, 1986-born composer Niklas Adam who is presenting two well-extended compositions on this longplayer. Opening with the nearly 16 minutes spanning "Gestures, Percussion Solo, Jungle" we see explore Niklas Adam a specific take on percussion-focused minimal composition in which the empty, silent space between the short sonic outbursts seems to be even more important than the sonic information itself, providing a regular yet non-regular sequence of sonic events, each of these similar yet different to its specific precursor. Later on throughout the course of the track we 're even facing retrofuturist, electroacoustic or modular bleeps with a certain computational tongue-in-cheek twist and an undeniable sense for captivating low end sweeps. The follow up, the 19+ minutes long "Other Solutions And Mimicking Object A" brings forth a more Clicks'n'Cuts-oriented approach to composition, fusing highly detailed and perfectly sculpted digital tones with what seem to be Field Recordings and respiratory sounds, more modular sweepings as well quirky reprocessed vocalisms which come in as an unexpected, full-on surprise and immediately turn this already great track into a winning one even before epic organ emulating synths weigh in an extra portion of fully fledged gravitas for a closing. Highly recommended, this.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Visible Cloaks, Yoshio Ojima & Satsuki Shibano - FRKWYS Vol. 15: Serenitatem [RVNG Intl. / FRKWYS Promo]

Put out on the circuit on April 5th, 2k19 via the RVNG Intl. sister-imprint FRKWYS is "FRKYWYS Vol. 15: Serenitatem", a collaborational effort put together by Portlands Visible Cloaks in conjunction with Japanese avantgarde musicians and vocalists Yoshio Ojima and Satsuki Shibano who've been active on the scene since the 80s and took part in experimental radio transmissions throughout the early 90s. Opening the nine track journey which came to fruition after an initial meeting in Tokyo and unfolded via sending files back and forth as well as through  the use of generative music production software with "Toi" the collaborating artists provide a deep, spatial and spaced out take on minimalist Ambient music which harks back to early electronic music composition and a certain retrofuturist feel which is followed by "Anata", a combination of heavenly pad beauty and slightly modulated Spoken Word readings whereas "You" brings forth an Ambient vision of crystalline (Neo)Classical synthesizer composition surely influenced by traditional Asian aesthetics. The subsequent "Atelier" presents a beautiful, non-disturbing and ultra chill take on the Ambient genre, "S'Amours Ne Fait Par Sa Grace Adoucir (Ballade 1)" indulges in elegic organ emulations and the follow up "Lapis Lazuli"  opens up a deep sleep dream world built of beauteous parts and hypnotic vocals, a combination somehow evoking memories of Jam & Spoon's legendary Ambient Dance albums "Trip-o-matic Fairytales 2001 / 2002" for seasoned ravers. Furthermore "Stratum" fuses deep, piano'esque meditations and incoming message notification sounds to a calming, yet well intredasting effect, "Canzona Per Sonare No. 4" amalgamates sinewave test pulses and widely unprocessed (Neo)Classical pianos and the final "Toi (Tokyo Mix)" concludes the album on a scenic, tender panorama vibe that puts many contemporary Ambient and Balearic tunes to shame in terms of soft perfection and caressing sound aesthetics. Define: hyper chill.

Kasper Skullerud Vaerges & Andreas Wildhagen - Troposgrafien [Nakama Records 015]

Put on the circuit via the Norwegian label Nakama Records just recently is "Troposgrafien", the most recent longplay outing by the performing drums / percussion meets saxophone duo Kasper Skullerud Vaerges & Andreas Wildhagen. Recorded throughout times of rehearsal back in 2016 their new album presents a whole of five compositions stretched out over roughly 44 minutes, presenting a somewhat minimalist, acoustic interplay between the two artists ranging from intimate, more classical Jazz episodes to raw thundering excesses of FreeJazz and pure improvisation, at times both featured within one tune or, as it appearingly seems to be, switching seemingly seamlessly from the opener "Jord Og Muld" to the subsequent "Magma", which is the most violent and excessive cut on this album whereas "Ødet" seems to indulge in deep, heartfelt melancholia and a certain yen to see distant places of sorts. Furthermore "Skysoveren" engages in a more lively take on hyperintimate Jazz before the thundering craze starts once again, weighing in a hint of oriental vibes at times and the final "Grus Gjennom Luft" provides a mere 14 minutes of fully fledged FreeJazz for those who can take a hefty, yet meandering overdose of sonic events per second. Defo a specialists release for die-hard Jazz fans, this.

Crossed out album artwork on Instagram!

Ensemble Du Verre - Jet-Black Notebook (Live At Batterieraum)

A fascinating intimate live take of the first single taken off of Ensemble Du Verre's new album "Jet-Black Notebook".

Apologies...

...to all those who tried to tune in to my planned guest set at the Knospt. radioshow which was meant to take place from 10pm - midnight on the Hamburg-based station FSK / Freies Sender Kombinat last night.

Unfortunately and unexpectedly the station experienced technical difficulties and therefore the live broadcast couldn't take place as planned. Interestingly these kind of technical difficulties, amongst other factors, were one of the main reasons I decided to stop broadcasting my beloved show "Die Nachtschwestern" on the station 14 years ago - a show that still seems to be held in high regard by many of Hamburg's electronic music lovers as people hit me up up to this day to talk about the long defunct broadcasts of mine - and it is sad to see the FSK / Freies Sender Kombinat still being in the same desolate state as it used to be more than a decade ago.

Therefore I still feel my decision to leave the station was right and I won't return again, not even for a guest set.

Sascha Müller [Supersix Records Extra 085]

Recently released via his own Supersix Records-imprint is Sascha Müller's latest untitled twelve track album, the labels cat.no. 085, which opens with "Earthlander", a floating ca. 1994 take on melodic Trance in its original form whereas the follow up "Fresh Killed Landfield" presents a bubbly take on hypnotic AcidTrance for psychedelic journeys through time and space before "Future Punk Part 01" brings forth a killer variation of driving, cut up AcidPhonk garnished by a well eerie and cold vocal loop that drills a desolate hole right in the heart of your soul. Next up, "Future Punk Part 02" keeps up with the Phonk vibe yet presents a more electroid attitude and warm, 'troity IDM-pads reminiscent of a very Trance classic instead of wild modulated rides, the "Gefahrenzone" is more of a hounded, uptempo Electro affair accompanied by gooey IDM modulations that seem to run on halftime speed compared to the fast beat and "Geistige Aktivitäten" gets down with a dry, well-phonky Techno vibe, off-beat snares and an uber seductive electroid main motif for those who know, combining the best of many styles within one tune. Furthermore "Geprüft Und Abgesegnet" is more of a raw, chunky, unprocessed (Acid)Techno affair for the tool lovers out there, "Gesellschaftsspiele" gets every House floor to go down with deep killer pads and a classic, yet rarely heard, Breakbeat-based groove foundation that seems to be coming straight from the 90s whilst "Götterdämmerung" relies on dark'ish low frequency movements and hypnotic Acid lines atop a slow, electroid antigroove foundation for the most experimental DJ-sets out there. Progressing into "Haare Schneiden" we see Sascha Müller exploring dry, stripped down MinimalTechno once again, "Handyman" keeps things minimal, yet on a way more funky level and with a sweet, trancey touch becoming more and more evident as the tune slowly builds up over the course of 8+ minutes and the final cut "Holodeck Warrior" sets dancefloors ablaze with a classic, spiralling and well-hypnotic variation of storming, yet psychoactive AcidTechno for a final sonic meltdown. Good stuff.

HIN - Warmer Weather EP [Sound In Silence 064]

Released via the Greek Ambient imprint Sound In Silence on May 29th, 2k19 is the "Warmer Weather EP", the well suitably titled debut by the duo HIN which consists of Jerome Alexander and Justin Lee Radford. Put on the circuit as a limited, hand-numbered run of 300 copies their firstling opens with "The Lower Heat", a deep, organic, yet advanced dancefloor friendly take on tender Indietronica with a slight affinity for DreamPop whereas the follow up "Blue In Alkali" stays on a DreamPop-infused path whilst crossing even further into Indie-territories vibewise whilst still relying on a foundation of intricate electronic beat structures and even elements of Post Dubstep and Glitch in terms of production, building up into what could be named an anthem for lovers for a reason. Furthermore "Beneath The Lake" provides more of slightly off-kilter romantic uber-tenderness and is a little too sweet and sugary for our tastes, the "Red Sun" sonically shines through intimate piano tones and detailed, glitched out rhythm signatures that might be referred to as a more uplifting, sunnier and well Pop-friendly take on a Boards Of Canada-influenced sound and the final cut "Home"surely is about to resonate with followers of the SlowHouse / Romantic House movement for a reason. This is maybe the liveliest, beat-focused release on Sound In Silence so far and defo an interesting twist in the labels catalogue.

Various Artists - Groundzero Teknocamp 004: Jackerz C90 [Groundzero Teknocamp 004]

Put on the circuit via the underground imprint, as well as real life event series, Groundzero Teknocamp as a limited to 150 copies cassette tape album is "Groundzero Teknocamp 004: Jackerz C90" which brings forth a very special approach towards an album release in capturing two very special live joints for the audience. On the A-side we're thrown back more than two decades with Null Object "Live At Fuzz Box - 18th Of December 1998", a wild session opening with one of the loveliest Techno bootlegs we've ever come across before progressing into raw, merciless Acid, HardAcid and distorted, stomping Techno jams which, although carefully remastered, seem to lack a little subbass - maybe due to the age and medium of the original recording. On the B-side we see the American Techno- / Acid- / electronic music-legend Freddy Fresh present "The Yaya23 Sessions" in which he's switching to dark'ish, hypnotic uptempo AcidTechno gears from the very first minute, bringing forth a hounded, raw underground attitude that will be well received by lovers of TribeTekno and Teknival culture as well as by the regular Rave- and Acidhead for a reason.

Cassette artwork on Instagram!

Adrian Corker - Music For Lock Grooves [SN Variations 005 Promo]

Scheduled for release via SN Variations on July 5th, 2k19 as the labels cat.no. 005 is Adrian Corker's "Music For Lock Grooves", an interesting take on using locked grooves cut on real acetates - yes, dubplates that is! - being played back as a foundation for musical composition. Interesting, not only because of the limited loop / cycle length yet also because of the progressing decay occuring throughout the playback and recording process as acetates tend to wear out and break down easily when played repeatedly, even more so when used as a very limited locked groove. Split over six sub-parts the promotional CD version contains only one track of roughly 20 minutes total playtime which provides a quite enthralling sonic landcape of spiralling, ever meandering nature, weighing in elements of Ambient, Electronica, electro-acoustic composition and Musique Concrete, seemingly - and maybe due to their repetetive, yet still alway varying nature - opening communication channels with ones inner self, the subsurface layers of the unconscious, touching on ancient grounds and therefore is recommended to all collectors and lovers of experimental electronic music for a series of highly focused listening sessions. Fascinating.

The Crystal Apes - The Hunt

It took a while until this piece came together but now Hamburg's The Crystal Apes are finally back with a new song, still on a unique and continuous hunt to explore songwriting and arrangements beyond any beaten path.

P.T.B.S. & Sascha Müller - Rebels [Urbangroove Records 013]

Put on the circuit via the Italian label Urbangroove Records as their cat.no. 013 is the new "Rebels" single crafted by the production team of P.T.B.S., better known as Ufuk Özbayar to his friends and parents, and longtime electronic music staple Sascha Müller. Released as a digital single and a limited to 7 - !!! - hand-numbered copies run of hand-cut 12" vinyl the duo is opening with "Leblebi" which offers a highly functional take on proper spaced out Techno with excellent high frequency filter works and masterly crafted breakdowns whereas "Androids" on the flipside focuses on a groove a little more stripped down and mechanical that's about to resonate with both followers of classic driving MinimalTechno - think Robert Hood et al. here - as well as with those who've been brought up on the stomping HardHouse / Techno fusion that used to be popular amongst DJ's and punters around the mid-90s due to it's highly effective dancefloor attitude. Good stuff.

Vinyl artwork on Instagram!

Dr. NoiseM - The Love God [Dr. NoiseM Tapes]

Coming up as a limited edition of 20 clean pink'ish tape copies worldwide, all individually wrapped in a folded A4 cover poster featuring some lovely vintage porn cut-outs, is "The Love God", the new album outing by semi-legendary German experimental music producer Dr. NoiseM. Released without a proper accompanying tracklist we're confronted with a massive, one-side spanning maelstrom of raw grinding HarshNoize on the A-side which easily alters and destroys our perception of space and time with an overdose of sonic events per microsecond whereas the flipside indulges in ear-piercing midrange modulations, rhythmic Noize pulses and an even more brutalist approach to the genre, weighing in elements of Break- and GlitchCore, catering soul-sucking DeathNoize and haunting ColdAmbient sequences layered on top of low frequency havoc and turmoil, pure overwhelming Noize outings and more harsh goodness for true lovers of one of the most underground genres of electronic music around.

Ensemble Du Verre - Jet-Black Notebook [Batterie Records 027]

Fresh on the circuit via Sönke Düwer's Batterie Records-imprint is "Jet-Black Notebook", the latest album release by the label masterminds long-time running project Ensemble Du Verre which caters a menu of eight new tracks and reveals a slight musical shift away from the 2016-released longplayer "Rooms". Unlike its predecessor which defo had a thing going for minimalism and melancholia touched by a slightly vintage atmosphere we see Ensemble Du Verre approach the songwriting process from another angle, heading towards a more Pop - yet, far from commercial - vibe present from the intimate, tender and romantic opener "Flawless" onwards, brings in a surprisingly bass-heavy take on FutureSoul with the subsequent "No Money Can't Buy" featuring Jan-Philipp Kelber on vocals duties, harks back to the deep vibe of "Rooms" with "Consciousness" whilst dabbling with a combination of autotuned vocals and an intimate, minimalist Jazz-infused backing and provides a massive JazzPop hit with Nora Becker on vocal duties when it comes to the title track "Jet-Black Notebook". On the flip Ensemble Du Verre picks up on a similar note, yet provides more of Downtempo / TripHop / Dope Beats vibe for advanced and musically well schooled dancefloors with "A Case Like Our's" whilst the "Song Of Songs" combines a tender, yet seemingly raw and unprocessed beat foundation with quite a complex vocal performance which, at some points, seems to be a little incoherent, slightly off-tempo and meandering in comparison to the rest of the album, "For Someone" brings forth a ballad'esque late night feel with interesting electronic background works, beautiful mid-track breakdown and more digital vocal tuning for a contemporary approach on voice processing before the final cut "Out Of Sync" is more like in sync with its minimalist piano melody, rumbling bass and sparse, yet distinct Downtempo beat arrangements as a foundation for a well-thought out closing that surely will sit well with fans of the ever developing musical outfit that is Ensemble Du Verre.