Beethoven / Mitterer - Nine In One [Col Legno]

Fusing Classical music and electronics is a risky business and has always been, oftentimes settling for compromise and not necessarily pleasing the one or other audience right. With "Nine In One", released on Col Legno on July 13th, 2k18, we see Wolfgang Mitterer going even further, boiling the overall body of work of one of Classical music alltime greats down to nine pieces, blending all of his work together into one big composition, a condensed body of approx. 56 minutes total runtime that aims to prove that Beethoven is actually listenable / consumable in this modern day and age. An adventurous approach which finally results in a wild collage, a massive mix and blend, a rollercoaster of cut-ups which might cause 'heureka!'-moments or wild eruptions of hate for those familiar with classical music but fully fails for us on many levels - a lack of knowledge, a deep disinterest in the standards of classical music as well as a lack of access to any of the genres classics, Beethoven's back catalogue or any one person that might be a good reference to learn more about Classical music in general if we had to. Therefore this is a only maelstrom of a collage to us in which we're simply unable to specify which parts / samples / sequences have been taken form what composition or what has been re-arranged in what matter to meet the ideas of Wolfgang Mitterer for a reason. Therefore we're simply not qualified to reasonably review this at any given point in time.  

Album artwork on Instagram!

Jonas Kasper Jensen - Within The Temporal Experience [Clang Promo]

To be released way down the line in early fall, actually on September 28th, 2k18, is Jonas Kasper Jensen's new album on Clang, a six track piece in which the Danish artist goes sets out to work on the reprocessed recordings of string instruments. Opening with "An Indeterminancy Of Silence" we see him embark on an intense, slightly unnerving journey meandering in between Ambient pads and obviously distorted, off kilter midrange droning, "A Shape Within A Material" gravitates towards classic Ambient structures and "Silence Within The Sound" brings forth more warm pads and drones for genre lovers, with the occasional beautiful piano sound engrained in the slowly moving sonic flow. Furthermore "Eternity Within Finitude" caters well eternal droning pleasure dissolving space-time-perceptions once again, "From The One To The Other" - our favorite tune on the album - provides warm, autumnal melancholia for lost spaces of the heart and the final cut "The Passing By" adds a little bit of an eerie, haunting aspect to the Ambient genre, employing large scale production value and a remarkably spatial approach that surely qualifies this one to be used as a score piece in an epic feature film for a reason. Good stuff.

Konstrukt & Keiji Haino - A Philosophy Warping, Little By Little That Way Lies A Quagmire [Karlrecords 052 Promo]

Scheduled for release on August  31st, 2k18 via Karlrecords is the album "A Philosophy Warping, Little By Little That Way Lies A Quagmire" created by the Turkish FreeJazz duo that is Konstrukt in collaboration with Japanese Noize producer Keiji Haino. Featuring two lengthy compositions both exceeding the 20 minutes mark we see the albums opener "Into A Trap Surely So Elaborately Laid Air Has Entered And A Splendid, Beautiful Monster Now Swims" provide a wild ride into dusted, smoky 70s FreeJazz Psychedelia mixed with thundering drums and quirky vintage synth bleeps as well as a tense, more scenic second half of the cut whereas the second piece "Excess + Analysis = Courage" starts out with yearning sax and beautiful, hard hitting pianos before employing a more chaotic, multilayered approach incorporating wild, untamed guitar improvisations, loads of 80s sounding drums and a few eerily calm, atmospheric breakdowns and Santana'eque solos as well as Tarantino'esque guitar licks sending shivers down our spines. One for the hardcore FreeJazz audience for sure which, according to the audience noise captured on this live recordings, really enjoyed the performances for sure.

aniYo kore - Termination Agreement (Official Video)

Dortmund's aniYo kore are fusing raw, melancholic Americana with trademark, galopping beat structures on this one. Check!

A Lily - Id-Dar Tal-Missier [Blank Editions Promo]

To be released via Blank Editions on August 31st, 2k18 is "Id-Dar Tal-Missier", the new album created by James Vella employing his artistic moniker of A Lily for this one. Mainly based on guitar  and voice, accompanied by a long list of further instruments, Vella caters a menu of six tracks which come down to an extended EP in terms of total playtime, starting with "Banana Moth", a fragile take on tender Ambient Folk, followed by the beautifully swinging "Paint Me With Your Blood Again" whilst  "I Heard The Well Rope Sing" presents a wonderful, slightly distorted bass wall and off kilter-modulations as a foundation for James Vella's levitating vocals which are sitting way back in the overall mixdown. Furthermore "A Swimming Shoal" is led by obvious backward loops and more muscular vintage bass synths as well as crashing drums presenting a thrilling balance between inward looking Shoegaze and the urge to brock out on the dancefloor, "Mbira Heart" relies on panorama Ambient layers again for a highly calming effect  and the final cut "It's Getting Late, You Know" caters a set of full on, on point romanticism for lovers only. We're in for this.

Sascha Müller - Yo Body *Jack Yo Body 2k18 Acid Mix [SMSM 023]

Scheduled for release on August 08th, 2k18 is Sascha Müller's latest digital single which brings us "Yo Body *Jack Yo Body 2k18 Acid Mix" as a main tune that provides loads of pumping uptempo LatinHouse heat and screaming Acid madness for this worlds peak time floors whereas the tunes so-called 'Original Mix' is on more of a swinging, slightly Jazz-infused tip, providing sweet filtered stabs and ecstatic vocal bits for the oldskool crowd. Great stuff!

Various Artists - Serge Gamesbourg presents Boston Goes Disco! [BBE Records]

Set for release on July 27th, 2k18 via BBE Records is the labels latest compilation album "Serge Gamesbourg presents Boston Goes Disco!" which is, as the title clearly suggests, focusing on the Disco sound bound to the city of Boston throughout the genres heydays in the 70s and 80s, especially the local underground scene that existed beyond the megaselling hits coming out of the city around the time. Digging up thirteen rare and hard to find tracks from this era and putting his personal touch on them in form a reworks and re-edits we see Boston-based digger, selector and DJ Serge Gamesbourg unearth quite a few gems, presenting them both as a thrilling non-stop DJ-mix on the albums first CD whilst the second half of the album caters all the edits unmixed and in their original length plus adding another CD-only gem with Carrie Mims, Herb Lee & White River Junction's "I'm Gonna Get You (Meeow) (Original 7" Version Spliced Parts 1 & 2)" to the table filled not only with great, and mostly unknown, music but also an extended knowledge base in the albums liner notes. Our recommended picks from the album: The sweet, emotional and light-hearted 70's Pop opener that is The Chris Rhodes Band's "Wait Until Dark", Wildlife feat. Vi Taylor's "All In Good Time (Serge Gamesbourg Edit)" which is a lovely example of epic string sections and soulful vocal grandesse within the Disco genre, "No More Games (Serge Gamesbourg Edit)" by Larry Wedgeworth And Clique presents more large scale arrangements and big time drama, the "Cop Bop (Serge Gamesbourg Edit)" by Portable Patrol feat. The Disco Cop employs hard Funk and Proto-Rap vibes for the massive whereas Christopher Michael Band's "You Make Me Happy (Serge Gamesbourg Slight Edit)" brings forth thrilling breakbeats, fever'ish drums and a captivating take on TexMex brass for all the breakers and fly girls out there. Highly recommended.

Bart Van Dongen & Richard Van Kruysdijk - One Two Three Four Five [Opa Loka Records]

Set for release via Opa Loka Records on July 13th, 2k18 is "One Two Three Four Five", the new collaborational album effort created by prolific composers Bart Van Dongen & Richard Van Kruysdijk who are focusing on the musical possibilities the piano provides as an instrument within five subsequently named tracks with "One" providing a romantic, tender and slightly kitsch-dripping approach in terms of its overall feel accompanied by a few vintage, atmospheric crackles whereas "Two" presents a tender take on floating, carefully arranged Piano Ambient with a little bit of additional drama and "Three" brings forth 146 seconds of late fall melancholia nicely contrasted by a maelstrom of intense background droning. With "Four" we see the pair of composers explore eerie, crackling abstract territories, mixing seemingly digitally created and modular atmospheres of a dark, threatening sci-fi future with plucked and manipulated piano strings to a well-thrilling effect before the concluding "Five" takes a combination of minimalism and melancholia to the the next level, yet not without the occasional dramatic outburst and a touch of naturalistic Folk vibe coming into play over the course of the albums runtime. Deep!

Album artwork on Instagram!

Trondheim Voices & Asle Karstad - Rooms & Rituals [Grappa Musikkforlag]

To be released via the Norwegian Grappa Musikkforlag on August 24, 2k18 is "Rooms & Rituals", a collaborational effort created by the female choir project known as Trondheim Voices in conjunction with sound designer Asle Karstad. Based on an array of unique, voice-controlling and -altering instruments named maccatrols in combination with electronic live processing the project presents a selection of twelve takes taken from several of the groups unique and oftentimes location specific live performances which, according to the sound presented on this album, is deep, Ambient-related, filled with mystique and mystery, borrowing aspects from hypermodern theatre and abstract opera, bringing on multilayered non-vocalisms, slow Electronica pulses, modular twists and other unusual proceedings which all fall into place to create an album like, taking and flipping a phrase from the press promo sheet "... no album you ever heard". Also interesting for Dark Ambient lovers and score-heads for a reason.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Cyberchump - Swell (Official Video)

Sparse, highly stripped down Deep Listening Music in combination with eerie video footage sends shivers down or spine for a reason. Excellent!

The Bamboos - Night Time People [Pacific Theatre]

Put on the circuit via the Pacific Theatre-imprint on July 06th, 2k18 is "Night Time People", the most recent album outing by the Australian Funk / Soul powerhouse internationally known and appreciated as The Bamboos which have been featured on these pages with the video for their album opener "Lit Up" earlier this year. Together, the nine-piece outfit creates a hefty, seductive and muscular thirteen track journey with the last three tracks being variations and versions on "Broken" featuring different vocalists like J-Live, Urthboy or Teesy on microphone lead duties, the only guest appearances on the album which is consistently focusing on lead singer Kylie Auldist over its whole course, a clear alteration in comparison to the bands former, oftentime guest appearance-heavy longplay outings. With "Stranded" we see The Bamboos drive off into lands of everlasting sunshine Pop reminiscent of the notorious "Like Ice In The Sunshine" vibewise, getting a "Golden Ticket" for spreading nothing but deep love whilst performing "Salvage Rites" on a Disco-led, slightly psychedelic and dreamy tip. "Pony Up" sees the band bringing some hard hitting Funk breaks to the table which surely are about to be resampled by HipHop producers soons, the albums title track comes across as a well funky uptempo jam for packed dancefloors, "Backfired" caters smokey, muscular Soul vibes and epic brass section sequences for bourbon-fueled late night crowds and the "War Story" tells unexpected musical tales from a sunnier side of life, spreading nothing but good vibes and positivity. Furthermore "You Should've Been Mine" gets into panoramic broadway mood, "San Junipero" is the only instrumental cut on the album, presenting more of a laid back, tropical beach vibe before the three takes on "Broken" fuse HipHop, Soul / Funk and one of the most beautiful piano lines we've heard in ages and therefore stand out as our favorite cuts on this one, especially the J-Live version. Check!

Sascha Müller - Acid Acapella Vol.2 [Psychocandies 069]

Scheduled for release via Psychocandies on July 26th, 2k18 is Sascha Müller's "Acid Acapella Vol. 2", the second Acid line tool collection brought to us by the Meppen-based underground artist. Weighing in seven raw, beat- and percussionless Acid modulations spread out over approx. 35 minutes this one is defo made for adventurous DJ's and genre purists, catering a wide stylistic range covering screaming, nerve-wrecking modulations, bubbly movements like in "Acid Acapella 9" or ravey, Emmanuel Top-like classicisms as to be found in "Acid Acapella 10". Proper.

Moskus - Mirakler [Hubro Music Promo]

Set for release on August 31st, 2k18 is Moskus' "Mirakler", a new album outing created by the Norwegian trio which, once again, is about to be put on the circuit via the buzzing Hubro Music label. Bringing forth an overall count of thirteen tracks the album starts on an intimate, naturalistic flow with "Anslag", provides folksy dance tunes like "Irsk Setter" and drifts off into loopy, piano-driven melancholia with "Sang Til C", even gets into synth driven sci-fi retrofuturisms on an Easy Listening tip with "Voyager", mixes up minimalist, fever'ish tribalisms with what seems to be accordeon-emulating melancholia and jazzy organs. More and bits of 70s Psychedelia are to be found in the 78 seconds of "Min Venns Skaperverk", "Jailhouse Art Music" comes across as a score'esque take on Jazz Noir whilst the short skit that is the cryptically titled  ""," is an eerie piano rondo coming in from outerworldly realms. Pure as snow, this is.

Album artwork on Instagram!

baze.djunkiii Chart Haul 07/2018

14.07.2018 WAX UNLIMITED @ Beat Boutique / Hamburg

decks: baze.djunkiii [Intrauterin Recordings]

file under: TechHouse / NeoTrance /Minimal

doors open: 10 pm

Beat Boutique
Max-Brauer-Allee 219
22765 Hamburg
Germany

Claudio F Baroni - Motum [Unsounds]

Returning to the Netherlands-based Unsounds label with his  new album "Motum" these days is Claudio F Baroni who is bringing forth an hour long dive into three brand new compositions, starting out with "in CirCles II" which is split into four distinct movements / sections, each of eight to nine minutes length and presenting a minimalist, yet beautiful take on Ambient, crystalline droning and harmonic perfection as well as distinct piano tones for true genre connaisseurs whereas "Solo VIII - Air" relies on the slow and continuous manipulation of organ registration knobs, pedals and manual keys which results in a faraway, blurred on subdued feel of organ tones, honking cars and the sound of large vibrating metal plates being blown over by the wind from an unknown source, creating an all embracing, yet mysterious and mystic feel in flux, like the remains of a dream dreamt seconds before one wakes up. Finally we see "Perpetuo Motum" drift off into slightly off tune, siren'esque territories, presenting a multilayered arrangement of varying, intertwining drones and string instruments of outerworldly quality, seductively triggering ones mind to start a journey that might end up in madness and mania if one is not carefully watching his or her own pathways. 

Album artwork on Instagram!

Lybes Dimem - Tachy (Official Video)

When Digital Noize meets grinding Rhythm Industrial and cold, visual, sci-fi futurism you're about to experience a take from Lybes Dimem latest album cut "Syncleft Chronem".

Krumble - EZ (Free Download)

Another weapon of mass destruction from the French Drum'n'Bass master Krumble. Tunage!

Okzharp & Mante Ribane - Closer Apart [Hyperdub Promo]

Scheduled for release via Hyperdub on July 5th, 2k18 is "Closer Apart", the first full collaborational album by South African-artists Okzharp & Mante Ribane which have been appearing on the label with two successful EP's prior to this longplayer. Produced over a long distance with not much time actually spent together as Okzharp is residing in London and Mante Ribane being in Johannesburg we see the two catering a thirteen track menu starting with the geniously titled "W U @", a blurry, dreamlike interpretation of sparse Future Soul with a well catchy twist followed by "Make U Blue", another sweet banger for advanced dancefloor redefining the term Urban musically for 2k18 and so does the epic third tune "Why U In Way". And it's this triplet of tunes that paves the way for and perfectly summarizes all things to come - a deeply touching, heartfelt array of contemporary slow jams for lovers, highly advanced dancefloors and followers of the latest developments in general bass music. A future classic, unique, outstanding and yet not on a novelty tip that everyone needs in their collection - especially for killer cuts like "Zagga", the uptempo Funk-infused "Never Thought", the billowing, cyrstalline and captivating Ambient / Spoken Word piece that is "Time Machine" or the seemingly Ska-influenced Afro cut that is "Theletsa". Highly recommended!

baze.djunkiii Charts 07/2018

01. Freddie Fresh - Return To Phantazia [Toolbox Killerz 030]
The return of two epic Trance / ProtoTrance classics. Released in 1993 and 1995 we see Freddie Fresh's legendary tunes "Return To Phantazia" and "Fantazia" being reissued on this limited to 500 copies clear vinyl 2x12", presenting a full on flashback for all those who've been raving in this era with soft, floating pads, spiralling Aicd lines and an overwhelming sense of electronic beauty that is still outstanding up to this day. Features three additional remixes including a massive Breakbeat smash by the Monstaphunkaz on the second vinyl but were all and mainly in for the original cuts.

02. Brain Killers / Family Of Intelligence - Border Line [3rd Party / Kemet]
What a banger for all oldskool Jungle headz! Three of the genres most beloved and important classics on one single 12" - "Champion Of Champions", "Screwface" and "Jungle Love" are some some of the defining tunes of Gangster Jungle / Darkside Jungle and therefore not to be missed on this re-issue for sure.

03. Various Artists [Innate 001]
With tunes from Owain K, Gilbert, Mark Hand and Lerosa we see the first 12" of the new UK label Innate presenting a selection of four exquisite tunes representing a high quality spectrum of Armchair / Intelligent Techno, DeepHouse and Detroit-influences for those who know.

04. Steve Paradise feat. Dele Sosimi - Zultan [Solido Etichetta Italiana 001]
Tribal- / LatinHouse with a twist. Pablo Fierro presents a dark and fever'ish take on the style, killing dancefloors with well seductive, ravey and ecstatic stabs remixwise and presents the main cut of this magic 12" on the A1 position whilst the 'Steve Paradise Mix' plays along the lines of being slightly influenced by DubTechno and the two additional cuts on the flipside gravitate towards the jazzy, soulful end of the House music spectrum.

05. Thomas Schumacher - Dances On Wood / Wake Up [Electric Ballroom 015]
What a surprise coming from the German producer Thomas Schumacher which I honestly haven't been following in ages. Checked this out at the recordstore out  of curiosity and was cold floored by the banging intensity of these two tunes effortlessly fusing hard hitting Techno with elements of large scale Rave and AcidTrance. Massive.

06. Proc Fiskal - Insula [Hyperdub]
After only one 12" on Hyperdub Proc Fiskal returns to the label in full on album mode, bringing forth a fifteen track take on Grime / SinoGrime which is, compared to his prior single, a little slowed down and seemingly more adjusted to the 140 bpm whilst remaining highly detailed, weighing a few short MC samples every now and then, referencing pirate radio and also in parts focusing on the producers more Ambient- / Electronica-driven side in terms of production. Check!

07. Terrence Parker - Remixes [BEER 003]
Two obviously unofficial remixes / edits created by House master Terrence Parker for tracks originally released on the ever active Local Talk imprint. The A-side sees in on remix duty for Jamie 3:26 & Masalo's "Testify", presenting a Disco-bassline driven take on Piano- / PreacherHouse whereas his variation on "I Just Can't (Get Over It)" by Art Of Tones touches more on the deeper, even more spiritual side of things whilst a hefty basslines provides a seductive, immediate drive on the dancefloor.

08. The XX - On Hold *Remixes [Young Turks]
Two interesting remix variations on The XX, brought to us by Jamie XX himself as well as by in demand producer Four Tet. Both tracks are meandering somehow in between uptempo TechHouse and (Neo)Trance musically whilst providing a blurry, dreamlike atmosphere that's able to captivate crowds easily although it needs a perfectly tuned and well-maintained club PA to make those tunes sound really excellent on the dancefloor as their overall mixdown is below par compared to other productions in this specific niche of electronic club music.

09. Natura Est - Natura Est [Ant-Zen]
See review for details...

10. David Newlyn - Collected Fictions [Sound In Silence 050]
See review for details...

Jana Rush - Homicidal Ideation

Jana Rush providing absolute beat madness on this one. Killer cut.

[aniYo kore] - Truth

Our favorite Dortmund-based band outfit goes up a more score'esque, PostRock- / Indietronica-infused alleyway with their latest instrumental cut here.

Sascha Müller - Traxxx Vol. 2 [SM Traxxx 25-2018]

Coming up next on SM Traxxx is Sascha Müller's new digital two track single named "Traxxx Vol. 2" which is scheduled for release on July 19th, 2k18. Opening with "Track 03" we're exposed to some banging, hypnotic ClubTechno with a twist of Acid for wild, spiralling rides towards the next plateaux of ecstatic pleasure whereas "Track 04" keeps up with the energy levels and caters even more punch and an array of whipping claps alongside a gooey, killer low end figure that provides a hypnotic, oldskoolish quality for all trueskool ravers who've been vibing along to great compilations like Force Inc.'s "Rauschen 5" in the 90s. Good stuff.

Shy Layers - No Road (Official Video)

When Space Funk meets Kraut... defo a great video cut for one of the remarkable tracks featured on the groups most recent album "Midnight Markers".

Yair Etzony - Microcosmos

A beautiful Ambient preview for Yair Etzony's forthcoming album "As Above So Below" which is about to hit the stores in late August, 2k18.

05.07.2018 baze.djunkiii presents: OUR HOUSE @ Beat Boutique / Hamburg

decks: baze.djunkiii [Intrauterin Recordings]

file under: DeepHouse / House / ChicagoHouse

doors open: 9 pm

Beat Boutique
Max-Brauer-Allee 219
22765 Hamburg
Germany

Uruk - Mysterium Coniunctionis [Ici D'Ailleurs / Mind Travels]

Put on the circuit as a conjunctional effort between the labels Ici D'Ailleurs and Mind Travels on June 22nd, 2k18 is "Mysterium Coniunctionis", the latest album effort created by the group Uruk, a duo formed by long-time Coil collaborator Thighpaulsandra and Massimo Pupillo which are presenting two tracks on the longplay piece, both of them just about hitting the 20 minutes mark. Opening is "Spagyria", a brooding, apocalyptic and danger-heralding take on beautifully minimalist Dark Ambient characterized by a sequence of time-dissolving bass pulses as a foundation for quite an array of spatial, eerie sounds and ghostly warps announcing the presence of otherworldly entities in a spine-tingling, score'esque manner before "Solve Et Coagula" captivates our alerted senses with waves of spiralling distortion, a dark'ish, even noir'esque Post-PostRock attitude somehow evoking memories of the likes of John Carpenter whilst drifting off into humongous, vantablack underground vaults when exploring stripped down, futuristic Cold Ambient-realms before touching down in the lands of creeping, grinding twisted Rhythm Industrial on a slow motion tip towards the tracks' very end. Highly recommended, this!

Album artwork on Instagram!

Carl Stone - Electronic Music From The Eighties And Nineties [Unseen Worlds 020]

Scheduled for release via Unseen Worlds on July 13th, 2k18 is the second collection of previously unreleased Carl Stone works on the label, this time incorporating - as the title suggests - "Electronic Music From The Eighties And Nineties". Offering four compositions with a playtime between 14 and 24 minutes the album opens with "Banteay Srey", a dreamlike, repetetive yet ever evolving set of vintage Ambient composition and mysterious familiarity whereas the follow up "Sonali" walks up a positive, playful alley and finds itself frolicking through summer meadows whilst employing classically infused melodic structures alongside cut up vocal microsampling, distorted glitching and panoramic, widescreen synthesizer pads. With "Woo Lae Oak" we see Carl Stone weighing in a nervous, oscillating approach to string instruments layered with long soothing flute tones meandering through the stereo field before the concluding 23+ minutes of "Mae Yao" drift of into glitch-driven, Oval'esque territories whilst also referencing artists like Ekkehard Ehlers - think of "Betrieb" here - or long gone imprints like Orthlorng Musork musically. We like this.

Norman Westberg - After Vacation [Room40 Promo]

Another one to be released via the Australian Room40-imprint in July, 2k18 is Norman Westberg's most recent album "After Vacation" which sees the Swans-guitarist exploring the sonic worlds and possibilities of his outboard processed instrument over the course of six tracks spread over a playtime of roughly 38 minutes. With the opening tune "Soothe The String" we see Norman Westberg dive deep into the realms of scenic Ambient / Deep Listening Music, melancholia and a well-minimalist approach when it comes to the occasional plucked single string sequence for those following the Post-PostRock movement whereas the following "Drops In A Bucket" is more of a floating, droning affair and "Sliding Sledding" provides a classical, yet solemn and dreamlike take on Ambient music for genre connaisseurs. Furthermore "Norman Seen As An Infant" seems to be like a fragile echo from a darker past, "Levitation" floats and levitates endlessly and beautifully over its full course of 12 minutes playtime and the concluding title track one again brings on large scale panoramic efforts, this time alongside a playful, innocent and surely Country-referencing take on acoustic guitar works, providing nothing but a peaceful and collected attitude at the very end of a long hard day. Beautiful stuff.

Toshimaru Nakamura - Re-Verbed (No-Input Mixing Board 9) [Room 40 Promo]

To be released on July 6th, 2k18 via the ever active Australian imprint Room 40 is "Re-Verbed (No-Input Mixing Board 9)" by Tokyo-based artist Toshimaru Nakamura, a pioneer and advocate of the instrument named in the albums title. Serving a new eight track, approx. 38 minutes spanning approach to employing the mixing boards internal feedback for sound production and composition we see the Japanese artist meandering through an intersecting set of styles including Noize, Clicks'n'Cuts, Rhythm Industrial, Ambient and Electronica to create distinct, yet not beat bound rhythm signatures whilst using Dub-referencing techniques to emphasize on spatial, atmospheric qualities and overall deepness within single tracks, sculpting tonal events into a timeless, time-dissolving flow that's specifically evident in the beatless reverb efforts of the post-Pole'esque "nimb #53" whilst "nimb #54" weighs in more of a distrupted, grinding and repetetive take on atmospheric distortions whereas "nimb #55" evokes memories of an aesthetic pushed forward by the great, yet defunct Audio.NL label or partly even Raster Noton back in the day. Interesting stuff, this.

29.06.2018 WAX UNLIMITED @ Beat Boutique / Hamburg

decks: baze.djunkiii [Intrauterin Recordings]

file under: TechHouse / DubTechno /Minimal

doors open: 10 pm

Beat Boutique
Max-Brauer-Allee 219
22765 Hamburg
Germany

Sascha Müller - 12345678 (2k18) [SMSM 020]

Scheduled for release on the digital circuit on July 11th, 2k18 is Sascha Müller's new two track single which caters an update on his original tune "12345678" for this year. With "12345678 (2k18)" the Meppen-based producer weighs in a gooey, raw and unprocessed take on bouncy HardHouse, sharp hi-hat shuffle and cut-up Jazz microsamples whereas the so-called 'Original Mix' employs a super fast-paced over the top Rave attitude for heavy strobelight, fog and laser attacks enthusiastically welcomed by the spikey hair and whistles crew.

Shy Layers - Midnight Marker [Beats In Space 034]

Put on the circuit via the ever busy Beats In Space-imprint on May 25th, 2k18 is "Midnight Marker", the sophomore album by JD Walsh using the artistic nom de guerre Shy Layers. Inspired by a move from NYC to Atlanta as well as modular synthesis as a production technique this albums sees Walsh employing a well open minded approach in terms of inviting vocalists he had never met in person before to perform on the album. The result is a ten track, 41 minutes spanning longplay piece opening with the title track "Midnight Marker", a friendly, playful take on floating Electronica that would've been filed under IDM or even Intelligent Techno in the early 90s, followed by "Gateway" which brings on a sweet, Exotica-infused and well erotic Bedroom Funk before "Test Pattern" provides a certain dope swing for Downtempo lovers and the "Lover's Code" reveals a deep love for Dub-influences, 80s vocoder FX and panoramic arrangements for a reason. "The Keeper" sees Shy Layers explore  more Easy Listening-vibes and outerworldy vocoder sequences alongside a sweet, hillbilly'esque banjo / guitar line and a well soulful vibe, "Tomorrow" sounds like the intro sequence for an 80s cop series taken to spaced out extremes whilst "No Road" digs further into Space Funk, trademark vocoders and a little krautsy YachtRock feel alongside cliche Asia- / Sino-vibe included. Furthermore the "Tropical Storm" follows on a very laid back, Dub-referencing level, "15 And 4" brings on a Country / slide guitar twang alongside cutting snares and easy vintage electronic grooves whereas the final cut "Draw The Shades" drifts off into 4/4-led slo-mo melancholia on a yearning lo-fi 80s tip again. This is great. In capital letters.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Ben Rath - Anything Is Possible [Sound In Silence 051]

Put on the circuit via the Greek Sound In Silence-label only recently is "Anything Is Possible", the second album produced for the imprint by Manchester's prolific Ben Rath. Opening the 43 minutes journey with "It Was Always Inside" Ben Rath presents us with some of the deepest, most fragile Ambient pads ever arranged, his "Flow Of Creation" follows up on a similar path for lovers of genre classicisms whilst "Innate Value" provides a slow moving, yet distinct Piano motif and blurred string chords and "All Part Of One" weighs in a little more melancholia for rainy autumnal afternoons. Turning into "Sacred" things Ben Rath's music becomes solemn and maestoso for sure, expressing "Joy" sees him introduce a frolicking, multi-layered melodic approach, "Give Up Trying" gets into slightly off-kilter distortions without stepping away from the overall Ambient feel provided on the album and the final title track "Anything Is Possible" goes all in when it comes to beautiful sonic haze, near static movements and an overall feel of time extended, stretched to very max, emulating a warm, organic eternity that is comforting the listeners brain for now and ever. Recommended!

Album artwork on Instagram!

Hilde Marie Holsen - Lazuli [Hubro Music]

Scheduled for later this summer is "Lazuli", the fresh album effort by Norwegian trumpet-player Hilde Marie Holsen which she created for the highly acclaimed Hubro Music-imprint. With four tracks employing an amalgamation of trumpet and electronic soundscapes Holsen caters a menu of four compositions accumulating a total playtime of roughly 35 minutes, starting with the barely three minutes spanning "Orpiment", bringing forth an innocent, cineastic fusion of naturalistic trumpet scapes atop a brooding, slighty DarkAmbient reminiscing background whereas "Eskolaite" opens with a sudden, harsh eruption of noise and continues on a background foundation of scraping, crackling, swampy unrest over which the manipulated, echoing soft trumped floats like rays of sunlight over calm summer shores in the very early hours of the day, providing a dubbed out Future Jazz feel we all loved on records like "The Showroom Recording Series Vol. 1" a good two decades ago. With "Lapis", the third track on this longplay piece, we see the artist offering a pure, unaltered approach to her instrument, focusing on a simply, longing and beautiful melodic structure carefully morphed by a slight use of echoes and other sound FX before a dark'ish bass drone and several brooding modular works come into play whereas the albums final and main piece "Lazuli" stretches out over 16+ minutes, employing a darker, distorted feel bordering, yet not entering DarkAmbient realms while sending shivers down our spine with spontaneous warps and swamp glitches and a feel of an imminent, climaxing crescendo that actually never happens, leaving our senses on full alert over the tunes play time albeit drifting off into Ambient Trance-spheres around midway through, and full on melancholia and modular experimentation later. Great stuff.

Album artwork on Instagram!

RP Boo - I'll Tell You What! [Planet Mu Promo]

Scheduled for release on July 6th, 2k18 via Planet Mu is "I'll Tell You What!", the latest - and most contemporary - album effort by Chicago originator RP 'RecordPlayer' Boo who is one of the oftentimes overlooked figures in the creation of GhettoHouse, Juke and Footwork although he's been active for decades, literally. Presenting his new longplay piece he unleashes a dozen tracks on the scene, most of them created quite recently in comparison to tunes found on albums like "Legacy", starting with the brooding, warped, Soul-sampling, multi-layered halftime joint that is "No Body", progresses into "Back To The Future" which is a stripped down, yet complex GhettoHouse joint seemingly influenced by takes on UK Bass music whereas "At War" brings on a dystopian, sci-fi take on Juke whilst piercing ears with his trademark, super sharp hi-hats and snares and "Cloudy Back Yard" caters to those looking for a mixture of Jazz, spaced out atmospheres and a more mechanical take on the genre. "U-Don't No" surprises listeners with a romantic approach, sweet piano and Soul samples in contrast to RP Boo's slightly harsh vocals which are, like many of his samples as well, put too much in the forefront of the mix for our liking, "Earth's Battle Dance" is the first real anthem on this, bringing on a brutal, yet cool vibe to the circle, "Work The Flow!" follows the anthemic route and might be our favorite track on the album before "Bounty" fully takes us into space, sci-fi and video game mode with its distinct synth works as well as vocal HipHop references and "Flight 1235", a collaboration with DJ Phil & Crossfire, weighs in quite a raw and aggressive approach, crossing over between Juke and unprocessed GhettoHouse in a unprecedented way. Furthermore "U Belong 2 Me" kills GhettoTech / GhettoBass crowds with heavily distorted claps and well speed up vocal samples reminiscing of oldskool Jungle days, "Wicked' Bu" kills things with fascinating, Trance-inducing and surely spiralling synths and flute samples before the final cut "Deep Sole" employs some of our favorite Disco- and Soul-samples ever for a grande finale. One for the die-hard fans of the genre although surely not our most favorite Juke / Footwork release ever.