Monday, July 31, 2023

baze.djunkiii Charts 08/2k23

01. Nightcrawlers - Push The Feeling On [Groovin Recordings]
Welcome back to 1992. One of the biggest House hits of this specific year and one that will forever be engrained in the DNA of yours truly who, then a still very young dedicated teenage raver, danced many a night away to this tune in the years to follow. Highly seductive and super catchy ClubHouse which is back on the circuit thanks to the Italian label Groovin Recordings which has been responsible for quite a bunch of classic reissues lately.

02. Mayurashka - Guidance To The Sennou [Animals Dancing 011 Test Pressing]
See review for details....

03. Nikki Nair - Cant't Wait [Studio Barnhus 084]
Another fresh 7" release from the Studio Barnhus camp which seemingly employ the format for their more experimental output. Whilst the original version of "Can't Wait" pairs trippy SlowHouse x NuDisco with a twisted Lo-Fi Pop-leaning attitude and an ode to afterwork drinking and aclohol in general in the age of capitalism the Peder Mannerfelt rework on the flip caters banging, highly functional Techno goodness for heaving peaktime dancefloors.

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Sunday, July 30, 2023

Cement Tea - Lava Spring [self-released Promo]

Put out on the digital circuit via the hyperactive Brazilian producer Cement Tea on July 5th, 2k23 as a self-released album is "Lava Spring", a large scale 30 track affair x remix compilation which once again showcases the full spectrum of the, probably ADHD-ridden, underground artist who's been flooding Bandcamp and other platforms with a gazillion of tracks over the course of the past five years or so. So with too many tracks to mention the sonic range the original cuts and remixes on "Lava Spring" provide reaches from raw, reverberating Hardcore to bleepy Techno experimentalism, doomed Mangacore x Lolicore, ultra heavy and psyched out Industrial Phonk with seductive lyric fragments ("Pick In Me"), atmospheric Breakcore ("Storp"), tripping AcidTekno ("The Minimal Should Be Done *Sascha Müller's Acid Is Done Remix") and even some rolling atmospheric Drum'n'Bass as well as many others we unfortunately cannot listen to as the second half of the CD-r promo double pack that was sent to us is basically dysfunctional and not playable on any of our devices. But still, if you're looking for something deeply underground floating around digitally this might be one for you.

Saturday, July 29, 2023

Fredrik Rasten - Lineaments [Sofa Music]

Released via the ever active Norwegian imprint Sofa Music on June 16th, 2k23 is "Lineaments", the latest album by guitar player x composer x improviser Fredrik Rasten who caters two long form pieces - aptly and subsequently named "Lineament I" and "Lineament II" - spread out over a total runtime of roughly 43 minutes on this one. Following the concept of building deeply chill and relaxing pieces off of a foundation of repetetive, yet ever slightly meandering and evolving plucked guitar motifs layered with droning sinewaves and electronic overtones, at times even tender non-vocalisms, Fredrik Rasten creates an all embracing, organic, dreamy and highly comforting stream of sound which will surely and deeply resonate with all dedicated collectors of time-dissolving ChillOut, PopAmbient and Post-PostRock related music out there. Beautiful like an extended walk through open meadows on a warm summer evening. Go check.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Friday, July 28, 2023

Out Today: XOTOX - Ich funktioniere *Polar Vortex Mix by baze​.​djunkiii



As the brand new XOTOX album "Ich Bin Da / Ich Funktioniere" is officially released via Infacted Recordings today on July 28th, 2k23 we're happy to announce that baze.djunkiii has provided a signature Death Ambient rework for one of the main title cuts of the longplayer which is prominently featured as the final closing tune of the CD version of the album.

XOTOX's "Ich Bin Da / Ich Funktioniere" is digitally available on Bandcamp and on all streaming platforms whilst the limited edition CD version can be copped at all major outlets and dedicated Goth x Industrial focused mailorder shops including:

Braincorp / Denmark
infrarot.de
jpc.de
Media Markt
Out Of Line Shop
poponaut.de
Saturn
WOM / World Of Music

Thursday, July 27, 2023

The Intergalactic Space Phonk - Moon Phonk [Sockett Records Promo]

Put out on the digital circuit on January 10th, 2k23 via the US-based Sockett Records imprint is "Moon Phonk", the four track debut release by a new project dubbed The Intergalactic Space Phonk. Opening with "Sundown" The Intergalactic Space Phonk provides a fascinating take on bouncy, Acid-infused ElectroPhonk sporting killer midtempo Breakbeats whereas "Astral Projection" follows on a similar, yet more BigBeat-leaning path for phonkdefied dancefloor action. Furthermore we see "Moon Funk" cater chunky low-end action and more bubbly Acid lines accompanied by hard hitting Chemical Breaks with a late 90s Proto-NuSkoolbreaks attitude before "The Mission" finally ends on a hard hitting, muscular Acid x BigBeat tip with drums in a slightly distorted overdrive mode. Recommended.

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Mike Cooper - Black Flamingo [Room40 Promo]

Released via Australia's ever active Room40 imprint on May 18th, 2k23 is "Black Flamingo", the latest album by British Blues guitarist x singer Mike Cooper who's been active on the album circuit since the late 1960s. Cooper, who might seem to be a quite leftfield and unusual artist to be signed to the label at first glance, caters a 15 pieces strong and 51 minutes spanning longplay outing conceived, like many others, throughout the Covid-19 induced pandemic lockdown period, following the simple premise of 'collaboration, improvisation, innovation', virtually teaming up with a long list of renowned contributors and collaborators to create, and simply create for the whole purpose of creation. The result is a vastly varied and oftentimes surprising one with cuts like "Black Flamingo" fusing Desert PostRock, FreeJazz and repetetive ritualistic patterns whilst at the same dabbling with twangy Psychedelia, dubbed out echoes of echoes of echoes of what is called 'dream time' by the indigenous people of Australis, "The Possibility Of Rain" is fusing jazzy and folksy Improv elements whereas "A Lemon Fell" indulges in subaquatic guitar dubs and otherworldly voice experiments, "The Numbers" pairs more twangy guitars and a polyphony of different African dialects counting to the exact number of 26 whilst the "Trancendence Dub" once again harks back to hypnotic tribalism and "Sun Ra Sulks, And A B Flat Hat VI" amalgamates a variety of Field Recordings from unscathed nature with slightly unsettling low end rumbles just to name a few. If you've been following the Room40 label mainly for its purist Ambient approach so far you might be in for a surprise with this one.

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Vasco Trilla - A Constellation Of Anomaly [Thanatosis Produktion 026]

Put out on the circuit via Thanatosis Produktion on June 2nd, 2k23 is "A Constellation Of Anomaly", the latest solo album by Spanish drummer x percussionist Vasco Trilla. With his sixth solo outing - and an additional gazillion of collaborational releases under his belt - Trilla caters a total of ten brand new cuts rolled out over the course of 43 minutes whilst approaching his instruments from a rather unusual angle rather than the one which would be described as 'percussive' usually. Starting from a point of whirling metallic sweeps only to progress into cavernous realms of reverberating Industrial Ambient "A Constellation Of Anomaly" further caters episodes of uncanny and desolate Dark Ambient accompanied by yearning squeals of loneliness as well as hyperbleak Death Ambient in tracks like "Circulation Of the Circular" whereas the subsequent "Polyphony Of Self Worlds" reveals slightly ritualistic, meditative qualities whilst working its way up to a mind numbing, thundering and ever mounting sci-fi-infused intensity and "The Shaking Hand That Leaves A Mark '#2" presents a chiming, innocent, floating and more positive sonic outlook just to name a few. File under: Avantgarde Music.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Monday, July 24, 2023

Hyunhye Seo - Eel [Room40 Promo]

Released via Australia's buzzing Room40 label on July 14th, 2k23 is "Eel", the second solo outing by Berlin-based Korean American composer Hyunhye Seo. Presenting a set of two works aptly named "Eel I" and "Eel II" over a total of 33 minutes playtime Hyunhye Seo's first iteration of "Eel" summons demons of Noize, tension and brittle atmospheric suspense from the marine depths of the Sargasso sea where these mysterious creatures breed whilst pairing this sonic approach with a dramatic, yet slightly off-kilter piano performance and a whirling maelstrom of sonic chaos and ever growing intensity whereas "Eel II" approaches things from a more static, slowly evolving perspective, catering a warm, comforting and droning environment touching base with both Industrial-infused Noize as well as panoramic DarkAmbient x Death Ambient of a well spatial, reverberating and partially fluttering nature, probably tapping into frequencies which have probably been floating back and forth through the known universe - and beyond - since the very beginning of time and therefore make up of our favorite track on this longplayer.

Sunday, July 23, 2023

Christian Bouchard - IV [Empreintes Digitales]

Released on July 1st, 2k23 via the long standing label Empreintes Digitales which saw its first release popping up on the circuit all the way back in 1990 is "IV", the - obviously - fourth full length album outing cooked up for the imprint by Quebec-born composer Christian Bouchard. Presenting a total of five extended pieces over the course of roughly 69 minutes Bouchard covers compositions conceived over a period spanning from 2014 to 2022, opening with the spatial unsettling pulses of "Birdscape" which combine playful Electronica blips and chirps, elements of Noize-informed Industrial Electronics and lo-fi data transmissions in a well fascinating, almost sci-fi-leaning manner whereas "Portrait Montreal" focuses on vantablack tectonic shifts, tense atmospheres and a collage of cut-up radio communication samples reminiscent of Robin Rimbaud's Scanner project as well as heavy sonic bursts of Musique Concrete x Plunderphonics. The subsequent "UHF-Complex" brings forth a brittle, slightly nervous and stripped down fusion of Ambient, Deep Listening Music and Clicks'n'Cuts-referencing glitches - think early Oval works here - alongside irregular low end rumbles, "Montreal-mafia" fully focuses on collage-techniques, reprocessed Field Recordings and similar electronic interventions whilst the final cut named "Nombres Et Silences" pairs ever shifting scrapes and crackles with reverberating electronic textures seemingly resembling the deepest and most threatening subsurface vaults to be found on icy, hostile exoplanets located somewhere in a galaxy far far away. Good stuff.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Saturday, July 22, 2023

Zark - 4 [Zarkon Records 004 Promo]

Released on the artist run label Zarkon Records on April 11th, 2k23 is "4", the imprints cat.no. 004 and the fourth single outing by the mysterious Zark project. Opening with "4.1" we see Zark exploring a deep and hypnotic, somewhat Trance-inducing Intelligent Techno realm garnished with carefully sculpted, ever spiralling Acid modulations whilst "4.2" takes us straight to the center of the dancefloor with its bouncy, pumping, yet stripped down and highly seductive HardHouse vibes accompanied by a nicely filtered vocoder sample. Good stuff.

Friday, July 21, 2023

Anders Lauge Meldgaard - The Art Of Playing The Fantasia [Sun Ark Records / Ar & Dag Promo]

Put out on the circuit as a collaborational effort set up by Sun Ark Records and Ar & Dag on June 28th, 2k23 is "The Art Of Playing The Fantasia", the latest mini album showcase cooked up by Copenhagen-based composer Anders Lauge Meldgaard. Catering a total of six, partly extended, pieces over the course of roughly half an hour total playtime Meldgaard mainly focuses on free-format studies on the EWI Electronic Wind Instrument which range from a quirky combination of twangy, lo-fi and quasi Classical melodic sequences contrasted by randomized retrofuturist blips and kitschy (Neo)Cosmic synth pads to curious, spaced out and playful melodic explorations which take the listener straight into a trippy dreamsphere that's occasionally interrupted by heavy swells of static noise and distortion, dense, intertwined layerings of cascading electronic and piano motifs somewhat inspired by Classical music as well as romantic and intimate solo piano elegies to be found in the concluding "Den Richtigen, Stein Finden, Spannung Lösen". Quite a unique album which on one day might appear as an excellent choice for hyperchromatic Novelty Listening but might get on your nerves within seconds on the next because the ADHD randomness of layered sonic and melodic events are way more than your stressed brain can or is willing to handle at a specific point in time. Handle with care.

Thursday, July 20, 2023

Rozwod - Gold [Fonoradar 018]

Released via the Poland-based label Fonoradar as their cat.no. 018 on March 22nd, 2k22 is "Gold", the sophomore album by the self-proclaimed electro-acoustic trio that is Rozwod. Presenting a total of seven new compositions rolled out over a total playtime of roughly 39 minutes we see Rozwod opening on a washed out, brittle and somewhat decaying tip reminescent of an amalgamation of padded, Hainbach'esque Ambient tape loops and slowed down drums taken off an experimental Jazz Improv session before turning towards a raw, machine-like and ever stomping interpretation of Industrial Noise Rock with "Hantel V2", entering dancefloors with the quirky, yet captivating and muscular lo-fi Techno meets Artschool PostRock power fusion that is "Diesel" whereas "E", probably our favorite cut on this album, fully indulges in dreamlike, yet slightly distorted and psychedelic PostRock waters whilst working its way up to a screaming climax before the final cut "Goodbye" even touches base with mind-numbing Illbient vibes just to name a few. Intredasting.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Ogives - La Memoire Des Orages [Sub Rosa 544]

Released via the long standing experimental imprint that is Sub Rosa as their cat.no 544 - !!! - on April 21st, 2k23 is "La Memoire Des Orages", the debut album by Ogives - an experimental and avantgarde-informed octet led and headed by composer Pavel Tchikov and drummer x poet Alexis Van Dooselaere which is drawing influences from a wide range of musical styles and periods contemporary and ancient, even harking back to Byzantine and Old Roman musical traditions whilst also employing modernist electronic textures, fever'ish episodes and muscular (Post)Rock riffs over the course of eight pieces and a total playtime of 75+ minutes. These, at first glance contradicting, influences provide a journey and musical ark that takes us from a solemn, almost ecclesiastical and sacred setting straight to a minimalist moshpit of doom, provide ease with echoes of tender rural and unscathed (Nordic)Folk songs of yore, fuse an inward-looking songwriter-attitude with DarkJazz whilst touching base with psychedelic Stoner x DoomRock x SludgeMetal in songs like "Black Furrows" whereas "Patience" seems to indulge in raw, captivating, slightly Jazz-infused DesertRock before unleashing a thunderstorm of hefty Chemical Beats as foundation for more heavy riff action just to present a rough layout of the musical contents and curveballs this album holds. This being said we feel that "La Memoire Des Orages" wouldn't necessarily be an album that resonates with the typical longtime fan and follower of Sub Rosa as a label and seems to be quite a deviation from the imprints ever meandering sonic path which probably would've been a better fit for outlets like Ipecac Recordings or Southern Lord and the likes of.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

baze.djunkiii Chart Haul 07/2k23

EURO-LATAM Techno Alliance - Nuke Vol. 16 [Nuke The Planet 016 Promo]

Released on the digital circuit via Nuke The Planet on March 23rd, 2k23 is "Nuke Vol. 16", the first ever outing by the transcontinental duo project that is the EURO-LATAM Techno Alliance. Serving one single track as their debut the duo presents a heavy and well uncompromising take on banging, tool-oriented Hardcore x Gabber turning into doomed, primordial Speedcore'esque barrage fire for postapocalyptic battlefields after a raw, somewhat psychotic breakdown.

Monday, July 17, 2023

Mayurashka - Guidance To The Sennou [Animals Dancing 011 Test Pressing]

It's been a while since the Australian label Animals Dancing released their last 12" single but now they're about to come back with their cat.no. 011 which is scheduled for release on August 11th, 2k23. With Mayurashka's "Guidance To The Sennou" we see a new addition to the labels roster weighing in three tracks of well uplifting and positive, yet also somewhat mystic TechHouse with a well psychedelic and trance-inducing twist as well as a trippy, organic and Tribal-informed ChillOut cut for a closing which should become a staple on Ambient-focused festival floors for a reason. Go check.

Sunday, July 16, 2023

Ky - Power Is The Pharmacy [Constellation Records 172]

Released va Montreal's long-standing Constellation Records imprint on May 12th, 2k23 is "Power Is The Pharmacy", the first full length solo album by Ky Brooks a.k.a. Ky, an ever active staple within the Canadian Art Punk x Outsider Music scene with roots in and connections to a plethora of experimental bands and projects. With "Power Is The Pharmacy" Ky offers a menu of nine pieces rolled out over the course of roughly 45 minutes, all self-written, -composed and -recorded, yet brought to life and finalized with the help of a plethora of guest artists and friends from the mostly Montreal-based underground scene, fusing intense, oftentimes distorted and warped SpokenWord poetry and soft, hypothetically Future R'n'B-informed off-kilter vocals with stripped down, looped electronic textures and echoes of PostRock x Indietronica abstractions which might well resonate with fans of early Kelela in tunes like "All The Sad And Loving People" whereas "The Dancer" indulges in scintillating, highly dramatic and hyperfuturist Bass Music for fans of the infamous Night Slugs label, the mesmerizing "Revolving Door" sonically taps into Ritual x Apocalyptic Folk, the dark and muscular cut "Dragons" summons ancient, primordial powers which usually arise from their vaults attracted by witchcraft and demonic rituals whilst the concluding "The Replacement" takes a surprising turn into longing, classy late night Jazz accompanied by beautiful vocal melancholia and touching, almost overwhelming bass waves for a closing. Excellent. Go check.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Saturday, July 15, 2023

Dr. NoiseM - Studio Works 36 [Dr. NoiseM Tapes Promo]

Put out on the digital circuit on February 16th, 2k23 is "Studio Works 36", the latest album outing by the ever busy experimental electronic producer that is Dr. NoiseM, released via his self-run imprint Dr. NoiseM Tapes. Starting with "Acid Metal" the doctor offers a weird and highly randomized CutUp x Plunderphonics experiment for those willing to go to great lengths in terms of listening to non-structured Avantgarde music which finds it immediate continuation in the ingeniously named "Es War Der Bossa Nova" which basically employs a similar technique of making a turntables needle randomly skip, this time with at least one Easy Listening record involved. Furthermore "Büro" is an creepy, ASMR'esque satire about sharpening a gazillion of lead pencils in an office environment which is about to turn your sweetest dreams into absolute nightmares, the "Road To Shit" presents sickening, claustrophobic and highly disorienting UnAmbient sound warps for psychotic episodes, "The Clown" brings forth raw, distorted and Noize-infused Industrial(Techno) barrage fire for illegal peaktime basement raves before "Envelope 2" sees Dr. NoiseM finally returning to his trademark minimalist ColdAmbient X DarkAmbient sound he excessively featured on his highly limited 'The CDr A-B-C' album series a few years ago for well over 40 minutes for a grand extended finale. One album for the seasoned die-hard fan of experimental electronic music, this one is.

Adrenochrome - Plan 9 [Ghostfloppy Recordings 003]

Released on April 14th, 2k23 via the LoBit-focused imprint that is Ghostflopyp Recordings as their cat.no. 003 is Adrenochrome's "Plan 9", a one track limited edition Floppy Disk release which starts out on a dark'ish, stripped down and slightly shuffled TechHouse tip before introducing a subtle, yet undeniable uplifting synth motif which causes a positive sonic mood swing for enchanted late night crowds.

Friday, July 14, 2023

Jerome Noetinger - Outside Supercolor [Room40 Promo]

Released via the ever active Room40 label on June 23rd, 2k23 is Jerome Noetinger's "Outside Supercolor", the latest two track album outing by the French artist who, for this one, draws inspiration from his previous and ongoing collaboration with film maker Lionel Palun in terms of their artistic practice of directly connecting sound to video equipment and vice versa in anticipation of unexpected or new results. This being said, the opening tune "TV Eye On Me" presents an extended exercise in minimalist electric buzzing working towards a noisy, grinding, irregularly pulsating climax whilst being backed by cold and hostile, slowly wafting background atmospheres whereas the subsequent cut named "Les Attracteurs De Particules" employs tempo shifting, nervously chirping and rasping textures alongside overwhelming sinewave bass attacks before a gazillion strong swarm of buzzing insectobots attacks, drowning the listeners consciousness in quasi-metallic sci-fi noise and precisely sculpted laser fire of death. This is intense and not for the weak-hearted.

Thursday, July 13, 2023

The Necks - Travel [Northern Spy 158]

Released via Brooklyn's Northern Spy label on february 24th, 2k23 is "Travel", the latest studio album by long standing Australian Improv trio The Necks which have been making a mark on the longplay circuit since the release of their debut all the way back in 1989. With four pieces covering a total playtime of 77 minutes the group offers a fascinating take on tender, organic, slightly krautsy and ever meandering late night Piano Jazz x Future Jazz with the opening cut "Signal" followed by the deep, nocturnal melancholia of "Foming" which evokes echoes of echoes of ancient rural life with its almost folksy, yet certainly Nordic feel. Furthermore "Imprinting" indulges even further in solemn, introspective Nordic Jazz territories whereas the concluding "Bloodstream" even seems to touch on sacral (Neo)Cosmic x Ambient vibes built on a foundation of comforting vintage bass drones and atmospheric crackles before turning into a thundering DarkJazz climax for a closing. Deep.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Wednesday, July 12, 2023

Test Card - Channels [Sound In Silence 102]

Put out on the circuit on May 1st, 2k23 via the Athens-based Sound In Silence imprint is "Channels", the latest album outing conceived by Vancouver's Lee Nicholson under the artistic alias that is Test Card. Being his fifth longplay outing under this name Nicholson caters a menu of 10 brand new pieces rolled out over the course of 44 minutes on this one, allegedly influenced and informed by the diy-approach and sound of the 90s 7" lo-fi and PostRock scene. This being said we see the albums opener "The Blank Code R-Write" paving the way for things to come with an undeniably raw, yet charming take on washed out, melodic and well cute Indietronica x Electronica which harks back to the early Morr Music years or long time defunct labels like Digital Kranky, Moonbunny and the likes of whereas the subsequent "Into Through Exit Wormhole" presents filtered, ever meandering quasi PostRock romanticisms for rainy Sunday afternoons and "Timbre Trees In Analog Gardens" brings forth a captivating take on Ambient Rave with its lovely vintage synth lines. Furthermore "We Game Us Play Our Sound" introduces dubbed out Downbeat x TripHop structures for lovers of The Irresistible Force, further down the line "Polybeat Five" weighs in cute, lovely and playful Electronica for small, advanced and adventurous ChillOut floors whilst "The Graphic Murmur Check" goes full on vintage Space Ambient and "On Beating Landless Wings" finally introduces uplifting atmospheres and classic text-to-speech samples for a proper retro feel just to name a few. If you've got a thing for quality IDM x ChillOut sounds with a nice 90s touch this limited edition album is one to check out for sure. Lovely.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Werner Dafeldecker - Neural [Room40 Promo]

Released via the Australian label Room40 on June 7th, 2k23 is "Neural", the latest full length album effort created and conceived by Austrian composer Werner Dafeldecker. Presenting a total of two extended works rolled out over a total playtime of 56 minutes on this longplayer we see the title track "Neural" combining the sounds of two cellos and two double basses to create a warm, comforting, yet melancholic and maritime stream of ever so slightly changing and intensifying DarkAmbient drones for those familiar with classic works of Tarkatak, Kallabris and the likes of. Furthermore, the concluding piece "Tape 231" fuses bass clarinet, electronic and gongs alongside and atop recordings of a longtime forgotten cassette tape unearthed from the composers archive, following a minimalist, brittle and well eerie path into a realm of Ambient x Deep Listening Music with soft, somewhat psychedelic and spaced out pads and layers spreading out over ghostly, irregular and decaying quasi-percussions of unclear and therefore essentially unsettling nature to a spine-tingling effect and therefore might be our favorite cut on this album for a reason. Recommended. Go check.

Monday, July 10, 2023

Alessandro Sgobbio - Piano Music 2 [Amp Music & Records]

Scheduled for release via Amp Music & Records on September 22nd, 2k23 - pretty much exactly a year after his solo debut "Piano Music" - is Alessandro Sgobbio's follow up "Piano Music 2", a nine compositions and roughly 35 minutes spanning body of work for solo piano alongside sparse live electronic interventions, with each single piece dedicated to a topic, place or person the Paris-based Italian feels personally connected to. With all the pieces on this album once again performed on a Pianoforte Fazioli F278 Sgobbio effortlessly picks up where he left us with his firstling, diving deep into the tender, diminished, yet dramatic melancholia of the opening piece "Keys And Returns" whereas "Modular Circles" indulges in minimalist, quasi-singular tones of crystalline quality accompanied by swirling modular backings before culminating in a dramatic, thundering climax, the short interlude "Fondamente De La Tana" brings forth a tender, deep, all embracing, somewhat joyful take on romanticism whilst "Ilot Chalon" presents cascading Modern Classical motifs of an overwhelmingly touching quality and the concluding "Einhausung" takes us back to rainy vintage Sunday autumn afternoons just to name a few. One beautiful album for the dedicated lover of Modern and Contemporary Classical music, this.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Sunday, July 09, 2023

Notstandskomitee - The Doomsday Layout [Block4]

Released via the long-standing experimental music outfit that is Block 4 on June 2nd, 2k23 is "The Doomsday Layout", the latest longplay workout cooked up by the labels head honcho Malte Steiner under his artistic nom de guerre Notstandskomitee which first appeared on the album circuit all the way back in 1992. Now back with a menu of 16 tracks rolled out over a total runtime of roughly 74 minutes Mr. Steiner presents a wide-ranged selection of music produced between 2009 and 2023, partly created on self-built or at least modified synthesizers as well self-developed software which are a big part of Notstandskomitee's trademark sound. Opening with the surprisingly melodic, yet deeply bass driven and well complex cut "The Writing On The Wall" we're drawn right in to the center of advanced, Electro-, IDM- and Bass Music-informed late night dancefloors whereas the subsequent "Umspannwerk" leads the way into fascinatingly raw The Hague-style Electro goodness. Furthermore cuts like "Threat Actor" bring forth a sci-fi-leaning take on futuristic, glitched out ElectroPhonk for adventurous DJs, "The Logic Of War"'s gnarly sawtooth vibes hit art on Industrial x Rhythm Industrial dancefloors, "Alarmierende Zustände" explores the grey area between MinimalTechno and WonkyTechno, the ingeniously titled "Watch People Reacting To The Music Of Notstandskomitee" presents expertly arranged layerings of fast-paced, futuristic and carefully sculpted mid-range polyrhythms alongside a brooding, unsettling low end whereas "Weltmarktführer" brings on warped and twisted Industrial music for an imminent apocalypse, accompanied by fragile, yet somewhat hopeful atmospheric synth pads just to name a few. Good stuff. Recommended.

Saturday, July 08, 2023

The Overview Effect - Geography And Geometry [Fonoradar 026]

Released on April 28th, 2k23 via the Polish label Fonoradar is "Geography And Geometry", the sophomore full length CD album by the ensemble x group that is The Overview Effect. Catering a total of seven tracks over the course of a 36 minutes playtime we see The Overview Effect exploring a sonic realm of classic, well uplifting AfroFunk garnished with vintage rhodes and synth lines from the very beginning of the opening tune "Astana" onwards which immediately sets genre specific dancefloors in motion within seconds whereas cuts like "Kyoto-shi" rely on a slightly Tribal-infused backbeat and relaxed Easy Listening x Exotica vibes for hot summer days and tropical nights, "Baltimore" dives deep into laid back territories and even hints a classic EthioJazz grooves at times whilst "Nowa Huta" aims at dancefloors with beautiful longing sax workouts and a certain, highly seductive swing just to name a few. If you're a dedicated Jazz x Funk x AfroFunk connaisseur this one deserves a place in your collection for sure.

Friday, July 07, 2023

Thermal - Ice In A Hot World [Unsounds 078]

Released via the Dutch experimental outfit Unsounds on March 25th, 2k23 is "Ice In A Hot World", the first album by the trio of John Butcher, Andy Moor and Thomas Lehn operating under the conjunctional alias that is Thermal in 20 years. Now back with a bang the group caters a total of five brand new pieces over a total playtime of 56 minutes, live recorded in Avignon, France in early 2020. Pairing saxophones, guitar and analogue synthesizers we see Thermal getting to work immediately after opening on a fragile, almost tender, atmospheric and somewhat folksy note, breaking up the tentative intro sequence of "Dreams Are Fraying" with off kilter electric guitars, distortions and playful sax rides, followed by uncanny bass movements and atmospheric crackles as a pathway to both shrieking, intense eruptions of improvisational nature as well as minimalist repetitions, episodes of rather classic Jazz and x or SpaceJazz, retrofuturist zaps and bleeps, infernal FreeJazz x FreeImprov madness, eerie and stripped down DarkJazz for horror scores and other well creepy cinematic works of art whereas the concluding title track even seems to summon ghosts from the outerworld in an in situ Improv ritual rolling up towards an unfulfilled climax. Avantgarde as things can get.

Album artwork on Instagram!

Thursday, July 06, 2023

Sascha Müller vs. Lai La Pool - Strandläufer [La Bomba Recordings 012 Promo]

Put out on the digital circuit as cat.no. 012 of the label named La Bomba Recordings is "Strandläufer", the March 30th, 2k23 released collaboration between Uelsen's finest Sascha Müller and Lai La Pool. Opening with "Strandläufer *Vocal Mix" the duo caters a bouncy and playful TechHouse cut with ever rolling percussive synths, a minimalist, yet well hypnotic main motif, soft rising DeepHouse pads and slightly ElectroPop-oriented German lyrics for mainstream festival daytime crowds whereas "Strandläufer *Lazy Mix" caters a slightly more muscular alternative backed by a sweet little Acid modulation situated in the very back of the mix. We'd love to see an instrumental version of this one popping up at some point, though.

Wednesday, July 05, 2023

Prochno - P3 [Gusstaff Records Promo]

Released via the famed and ever active Polish label Gusstaff Records on June 30th, 2k23 is "P3", the third full length album on the imprint - and ever recorded... - by the trio that is Prochno. Still comprised of its founding members Marcel Gawinecki, Bartosz Lesniewski and Artur Sofinski in 2k23 the group caters a seven tracks and roughly 33 minutes spanning sonic menu which perfectly compliments the sound of their 2019 debut studio album in terms of hard-hitting bleakness and desolate, yet hypnotic repetetiveness from the very first moments of the opening cut "Zmierzch" onwards subsequently followed by the raw and intense tribal war drums of "Idzie Postac" as well as the animalistic wall-of-noise excess that is "To Nie Ja". Furthermore we see "Spluwa" bringing forth a new take on highly creepy Vault Metal from an ork infested part of the upside down, the short interlude that is "Nikt Nie Jest Winny" offers nothing but bleak atmospheric textures whereas "Oredzie" sees the band in full on washed out Doom Hardcore mode before the concluding cut "Powtarzam" ultimately harks back to the concept of apocalyptic war music. This is heavy shit. Do not play to children or other weak-hearted folks for more than one reason.

Tuesday, July 04, 2023

06.07.2023 baze.djunkiii presents Further Explorations In Sound Volume 2 @ Radio Flouka / Paris, France

„Further Explorations In Sound“ - Ambient musings and things far beyond. Hamburg-based Radio Flouka-resident baze.djunkiii presents a 60 minute deep dive into floating, for the most part beatless, ChillOut and Deep Listening Music exclusively dug up for this mix from his more than three decades spanning vinyl archive whilst branching out into the realm of Minimal Music and experimental collage works even as well as blurred Future Electronics and twisted, decaying echoes of neon hyperfuturism for those who know. This is a trip.

decks: baze.djunkiii [Intrauterin Recordings / The Absence Of Light]

file under: Deep Listening Music / Ambient / ChillOut

transmission time: 22oo - 23oo GMT+1

get locked via Radio Flouka
Paris

Monday, July 03, 2023

baze.djunkiii Charts 07/2k23

01. Dave Angel - Original Man [Something Happening, Somewhere 036]
What a major re-issue this is. Originally put out on the circuit a mere three decades ago Dave Angel's "Original Man" is one of the essential blueprints of Intelligent Techno out of the UK with its 'troity waves of melancholia, trippy Broken Techno foundation and ever comforting late night dancefloor attitude whereas the two cuts on the flip showcase the mans ability in terms of straightforward, hypnotic and uptempo Techno functionality as well as deeper, slightly playful Tech affairs. Excellent artwork, too.

02. X-Coast - XTC (The Lost Scrolls) [XTCW 001]
Is it the 90s again? This one is a fairly recent release but it sounds like a long lost gem from the golden age of electronic music, catering everything from killer early 90s ClubHouse x Balearic Trance x ProtoTrance vibes with killer vocal samples to high energy peaktime Trance as well as deep and groovy midtempo Breakbeats for intimate red light venues and their dedicated, music-loving regulars.

03. THX 1971 - Minimal Ist Meine Wahl [Block4]
See review for details...

04. Sascha Müller - High Contrast [Proper Cuts Recordings 001]
See review for details...

05. Matisa - Wonder [Steel City Dance Discs 035]
This seemingly slightly or even massively delayed on the self-declared and formerly Australia-based working class imprint that is Steel City Dance Discs caters quite a melange of playful, UK Hardcore-referencing midtempo Breakbeats, uplifting Breakbeat-infused Techno sporting melodic sequences larger than life and obvious Rave vibes for heaving club crowds. Well proper.

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Sunday, July 02, 2023

Xposed 4Heads - Flash Cube (Official Video)



Our Milwaukee-based friends of the Xposed 4Heads have cooked up quite a funky little tune here. Stuck in your ears once it might never ever leave.

Lingua Cosmica - Temper [Eyes Wide Open Records 003]

Released digitally via Eyes Wide Open Records as the labels cat.no. 003 on March 09th, 2k23 is "Temper", the very first single outing by the new project that is Lingua Cosmica. Opening with the title track "Temper" Lingua Cosmica are weighing in a slightly dubbed out, yet still highly dancefloor functional Minimal Techno cut for pumping late night dancefloors before the shorter, subsequent cut "Radio Frequencies Are Open" aims for pure Ambient beauty which is irregularly disturbed by interferences, sweeps, atmospheric crackling and even song fragments randomly blended and cut in, probably live, from various points on the radio spectrum to a slightly adverse effect.

Saturday, July 01, 2023

Laibach - The Coming Race *Concert Version (Official Audio)