Various Artists
Interzone
Zone Records
TBR: 1st June


Highlighting the luminous talent roster associated with Zone Records, the French electronic music label releases 16 tracks of pure class. Touching base with the old guard and putting the new-comers on a platform they deserve and have earned, this album offers a spectrum of sound that introduces us to over a dozen hot names in the underground scene.


It begins on an intro track by Kittin. It welcomes us to the anniversary release of Zone's latest records. It rings like Enigma who also had a similar introduction. Next a chunky bass riff enters with a kick and snare driving the rhythm. Synthesiser bass spans out, increasing its scope of reach with the waveforms. Progressive sound growth brings out layers and aspects that mix like fitting jigsaw blocks. Vocal whispers top the cake as they repeat and chant with close-up vibes. Alessandro Adriani offers up the WSB Vocal mix of Control Machine.


The Hacker is next with Nano Technology. Sounds like a cryptocurrency I collect. It begins on spooky synthesisers and cracking digital drums that spark with attack. Electronic crunch sounds begin to scale the cliffs of rhythm as the beats continue to hammer down. Banging sub-bass meets garbled upper notes that dance in circles around a tight drumbeat. This is followed by a scratchy rubber style synthesiser melody that reverberates and scouts around a sunken rhythm. Slow moving tempo doubles up with hats and snare mixing with synthesise that pulses in a continual progression. Maelstrom with Est grows gracefully across digital beats and exploratory sounds that build from the solid rhythmic foundation.


A banging rhythm comes after, it booms with heavy kick and electronic bass. Drums smash down a heavy dance rhythm as hats and shakers bring out a crumbled top layer. We are the cream and we pour over the pudding with moves of our own design. A constant one-two pulse pushes the symphonic mixtures of synthesiser into hypnotic phrases. Slow Heal by Cardopusher has a kinetic power that wants to keep going. A strange track by The Populists follows. UltraViolet begins on a digital distortion and an oddly skewed melody. Zaps and beeps fill out the rhythm and slapping snares and continual kicks rage through the digital jungle. Chimes and melodic motifs work together underneath the driving percussion. As it progresses, the bass elevates and the drums gather pace and energy until it's brought to the boil


In Aeternam Vale brings us Milky Way. A funky melodious bass rhythm unfurls that brings out a sensation of 80s disco. Tappety hats roll and bounce in a constant flow of percussion as the steady bass brings on the dance. Synth harmony builds gradually from within, reaching out to the sides and lifting itself up onto the ledge of bass. It jostles for space within the notes and deciphers its own perception of the energy within the track. Next, a series of blips echo into the void as a whining synth scans the horizon. Kick then begins, a fast pace is injected and provides a backbone for a scattered progression of notes. Robotic and digital sounds jangle on strings tied to a marching machine. Flash Burst by Commuter takes us into computerised forums of flow.


Digging synth bass and scatterings of zap open and a vocal-line begins to chant. A mix of mashed-up beats and notes roll over each other as the voice pushes down a tempo on the drums. Electronic sounds fizz and hum as the distortion and voltage combine in sonic discoveries. Gesaffelstein offers Icia. It is abstract and intense with a solid rhythm all the way through. At the half-way mark it breaks down into synth chords that resonate like church organs. The voice-over begins to take on a haunting atmosphere. Followed by a high-end dancing pulse beat, electro hats and toms pop alongside crack snare and room-sized reverb. Then, a choppy synthesiser melody begins to repeat to the drum. Bass in the keys brings the music into the middle and floats on low density bubbles. Screeching slippery sounds occasionally reach up as rhythms grow and merge with flowing breaks and interludes. Jensen Interceptor & Kris Baha bring Out There On The Ice .


Djedjotronic is next with Zonorama. A deep and aerated bass full of power surges like electricity in slow wavering rhythm. As soon as we've adjusted, a series of drums and synthesisers fall into place. Heavy kick and repeating melodies allow an industrial sound that rumbles and creaks under mechanical energy. Staggered keyboards shoot machine-gun like barrages of notes into the flow and the casual dynamic simply absorbs them and carries them away. Underground warbles of synthesiser swell up from the silence left behind. A vocal cries out, drums begin and their body of sound builds into the full kit. After the introduction, a forward-facing upbeat dance energy ensues as the bars carry through. The vocal repeats and changes, it's a live addition and not a sample. Extra layers of synthesiser begin to swell and boil in neat patterns around the non-stop beat. Zone by Kittin repeats the word over and over.


We get to hear the space-launch again as the new number starts. We have lift off! A bass and drum section begins and the famous words continue. The excitement and radio static combined bring out a sense of the 20th century. Synthesisers bash out rhythmic pounds on the percussion as deep and digging bass-drums and toms flow in a regular wave. Snare lifts the track into a retro melodic section where synthesisers combine in all-kinds of tune and rhythmic layer. David Carretta hits home with Nuit Panic. The next one starts on floppy bass that slobbers over the kick. A gradual increase in amplitude brings on a vocal, We Live We Die is the title and it's by DJ Hell. Dirty and slime ridden bass continues to groove in dingy lines while quick and snappy drums clasp for handholds on the wall. Odd skewered inflections crisp the edges of the main melody as the heart-beat like rhythm pushes onward.


Neowave is next. This track by Millimetric begins on a rummaging rhythm that breaks and folds into a forest of electronic zaps. A pulsing rhythm pushes the sides as space is made for the addition of new drum layers. A heady set of percussive instruments fill the void, a smash and pound style power-kit seeps into digital realms. The final number is calm to begin with. Silky synthesiser streaks across the virtual space as electronic potential fizzes and broods on the cathode. As it builds, a cyberstep rhythm begins to chatter in alien phonics that rhythmically match the drums. The joining of sounds on each beat pulse creates a staggering and towered form that glows with synthesised radiance. Hyperstellar by Monarchy ends the album with a slow and deep drive through subatomic sounds.


You can find out more by visiting Zone Records online


Find the music on Bandcamp
​

Odd Oswald & Stephen Barnem
Horror Haus
Science Cult Records
TBR: 28th May


This premier in the brand new picture disk series, Science Cult present another huge EP from Odd Oswald and Stephen Barnem. Entitled Horror Haus, this record has been made to represent the horror genre of film. Video nasties have evolved over the years but the basic formula has remained the same. Some people are scary and always have been. By designing characters that tick all the boxes for what people shouldn't be like we can conjure up all manner of villains. This soundtrack style release puts those feelings into music as we all know that it's the composition that makes the scene.


With a throbbing chunky bass-line, it begins on The Stalker. A thumping kick that's roughed up on the edges adds tempo to the thundering bass. New synthesiser adds even more dimension to the low zone as it twangs with bouncing rubber. Shrill zaps and chalk-board scratches start to regulate the upper area of sound. Piercing and unnerving harmonics line the corridors like watching eyes under shadowy hats. Drum fills and breaks then tumble through like unaware and happy people minding their own business. A vocal sample starts, insisting and frightening, a scream, then a frenzy of synth, bass, and drum.


A melodic sludge bass begins the next number. Smooth drumming begins on the ramps, sliding and grooving to the pull of sticky ground. Eerie chorus sounds begin to sing in wavering drones overhead while drums and synths build in complexity. More melody knits itself around the skeleton, wandering tones describe subtle shifts in the landscape. Nightmare progresses gently, an ever present tension lingers as the rhythm gradually rises and pulls us into the torrential weather. This is followed by an Elm Street Slumber Party Remix by Jensen Interceptor. It sounds completely different. Looped vocal samples break over scattered drums that slap and slam with fast rhythms. A chunky distorted bass begins to pound on the floorboards as an exciting and terrible atmosphere is kindled and set on fire.


When you flip the disk over you get Hammer. It begins with a robotic voice sample that repeats across a thumping kick. A oscillation bass adds another layer to the deep dance function of this track. The repeating motif continues to vibe as extra percussion gets slanted into the flow of rhythm. As everything builds from the basic and steady kick-drum and vocal sample, extra beats and breaking fills ripple and inflate the pulse. Synthesiser adds a subtle layering of harmony to the progressing bars as the fuelled and pumped sensation of motivation continues to thrive.


The final number starts with scratchy beats that rumble and bounce in an enclosed space. Synthesiser begins to drill a pitch through the body of rhythm before strange voice begins to trip over the first phoneme. Siren like notes swell and coil across the head-space before drums start banging and tapping with rapid breaks laced with cymbals and snare. This manic build of drums and resonant bass draws us into a thundering roll of drums that breaks free into a dancing pulse full of bass. Pink Nails stops and starts a few times yet manages to continue on an upward journey.


Find out more by visiting Science Cult online


Visit Odd Oswald on Soundcloud


and Facebook


Listen to Stephen Barnem on Spotify


and visit on Facebook


Get the album on Bandcamp

​

Various Artists
Blue Scream Compilation
Werra Foxma Records
TBR: June 4th


Pre-orders can be taken from the 7th of May so look into that, this record is directly raising money for the Warminster Community Radio Project. Their outdated systems need a complete renovation and the staff all deserve a hot meal. The record is comprised of interesting and intelligent indie electro from across the board. If it's on the Werra Foxma radar then it's on the album. Seventeen hearty pieces of computer and keyboard music populate this fantastic selection from the talented underground scene. When you don't have the financial backing to make you look cool in front of millions then it truly is only about the quality of the sound itself. Let's get to know some artists.


A mashed computer sound garbles a melodic language of intermittent data as a drumbeat builds within. A crash of symbol brings on a synthesiser string that harmonises and drags through the water like a surfboard. The twinkling of digital noise merges beautifully with the progressive build of bass, rhythm, and tune. Eonlake brings us Windows and Walls and it starts the album wonderfully.


The Central Office Of Information are next with Windows Over Warminster. Drunken trombone sounds curl over a melodic phrase that bounces like a balloon filled with water. Drums and bass crawl in, the slow and meaningful pace draws us in as the synthesiser melody mutates and evolves while carrying the same basic form. The tone shifts from low to high and distortive areas of the wave are moved to kiss various sections. A throbbing bass continues to push a tempered rhythm onwards as meandering notes carry through.


Next, a scattering of hisses and beats unravels into a chunky rumbling sensation. New percussion lands like a helicopter on the rattling and shifting drums. Heavy electronic effects seriously warp the sounds to bring out a mechanical and engineered feel to the beats. These suddenly drop and a gradual humming buzz continues through the silence. Bam, the beats return, bass collapsing the peace with thumps of fizzy depth. Rei Nakatani's Body Movements and Vibrations sounds like something by Autechre with an extra level of aggression.


Next is Bombing Around Lost Pond Not Giving A Shit by Kieran Mahon. It shimmers into being on the radiant waves of multi-tone synthesiser. Streaks of energy fizz and saw as wobbly strings waver in harmonising phrases. Switches are pushed and the tones begin to change, loops and bends in the notes snake around until a wandering bass begins to dabble with the energy. Scattered synthesiser rises in an ever increasing mash-up of sensations and feelings described by note selections and types of synthesiser sound.


A gated synthesiser roars from the silence left behind. It grows in intensity and extra synthesiser tones spiral from the crevices. Rhythm opens, toms and bass work with snare and cymbal to match the flow of paced sonic delivery. A techno feel with a slowed down element works into the sound like a massage as bass and tone thump in a graceful ballet of beats. Untitled by Simon Klee throws the moves while hypnotising with layers of harmony and progressive build.


Runcorn New Town Development Plan by Warrington howls with atmosphere and scope. A stereoscopic sphere of synthesiser chants in slow swishes of fluttering sound. Chimes echo through the haze, deep scratching bass edges fill the trenches of groove as the lighting flashes with charming harmony. Electric lights at night shine with a glare that produces a glow that shines with straight lines that follow as we move. Their angles flicker and catch us as we avert our eyes to turn a corner.


A hissing fizz like a radio gradually finds a station and melodic phrases hum out through the crackling sound. Beats and bass follow, they dig through and calmly assert a feral yet safe energy. Sampled voices chatter in distant phone-calls and it's only our heightened hearing that lets us know. Dripping wet bass describes a cartography of contour that sweeps us along on long roads of sparsely used adventures. Something Larger Than Oneself by Bendu carries us on a smooth wave of heartfelt direction.


Crash Dog Whimpers opens with a windswept expanse, bass and mid range sounds whip through open armed carvers that lead into oblivion. A voice murmurs through the patchwork of moving air and all it carries. Loops and echo work in unison to invigorate the sound with a continually growing presence. Autumna's track moves slowly through the branches, peering through one branch at a time as it draws nearer to the scene. Around half-way, a drum score begins. It suddenly pricks the ears and, with a low-bit feel, begins to add energy to the flow.


A choral voice calls out over the landscape and tweeting birds chirrup nearby. The sun comes out as a sound rolls into a huge wave of synthesiser that shines over every aspect. Blinded by the high-intensity brightness, the sound of the voice carries through in a capsule of protection. Dogs Versus Shadows brings us Reader of Dust, it comes and goes with sudden surges of intoxicating energy.


A high-pitched exploration of oddity ensues as a fat bass pumps the air in hot. We get to sit back a Steve Hadfield outlays Breakbeak. Ambient melodics scamper like woodland mammals through the undergrowth as long stretches of powerful energy float through the treetops. Roots dig down and form handheld connections through the tightly compressed soil. The music progresses, a synthesiser lead takes a wander through the scenery and admires various structures. As the horizon stretches again the whole orchestration adds its dynamic to the dreamy ensemble. It shifts again, this time a whole array of breakbeats and atmospheric curdling sensations top the layer.


A slow a self-reflective tune is plucked from the darkness as reverb follows behind like ducklings on a dark river. A telephone voice with a deep nostalgia falls into place with grace. We're taken back to dream-worlds where the world seems so infinite. Perhaps the world feels closed now because our grown-up selves sense our own mortality thus defining a period of time to base all measurements on. The music takes us through a cheery yet gloomy juxtaposition between uplifting melodies and deep and meaningful lows. Letters From Mouse gives us Chain Of Flowers. To be 6 again and making daisy chains. My fingers are too big now, I've tried.


A staircase of tone unfolds and we go up and down in a fun loop. Then a vocal sample opens a can of intrigue and rhythms start to coalesce. A shift in pitch allows a growth into more vocal sample, an instructional video perhaps. More drums then roll in, they thump and crash with cymbal, bass, snare, and tappety hats. Strange harmonies grow like ice crystals from tree branches in repeating phrases of sound. The Natural Scientist by Soul Flask reverberates with windswept colours.


Meditation VII begins. This slow-burner by Forest Robots shimmers through stalks of glowing illumination. Humming back-drops flow from piece to piece across bars that glisten with dew and morning reflections. Droplet notes twinkle like juicy ripe bells that shake with condensation as the tones are sounded.


A lively mixture of tones begins to dance like bouncing raindrop. Drums start to rattle and tap with wooden sounds as cymbals grow to meet the organic bass. A deeper kick then falls in, it rumbles with a subtle kick that pushes all else to the side. Gentle flowing notes drape the snowy roadside as moving vehicles crush the ice shapes that have appeared overnight. 1 By Tayus has been remixed by Mike K Smith.


A smooth and ethereal long-distance chime begins to strike abstract melody as a deep bass looms in from beneath. A swoosh of power helps more ghosts to rise from the churning waters that froth and ripple at our feet. More pounding rhythm delicately places new layers down that radiate with a surge of emotion. The Train by Star Madman progresses in a smooth and slow dance towards us with flashing eyes and kung-fu footprints.


String and Rings by Apta opens with a humming and warmth that joins in with plucked notes. Sleepless drones keep an interesting harmony as warm and breathy keyboards rise in sentimental lines. Deep harmony reveals in keyboards that dig and reinforce the delicate steps of child-like introspection. Slow and thoughtful arpeggios scale the distances as dreaming images shine down upon us.


The final number begins on an abstract rumble and deep chime. A marching band rhythm begins to flare the outskirts while the central spongy texture continues to unwind. The rattling snares continue to strike their tempo until everything stops. A brief moment lapses until it begins again with an addition of playful synth that repeats with layers and harmony building over each pass. Inster (Part1) by Darrg is an artistic and experimental drive through old fashioned 2D scenery.


You can follow Werra Foxma Records on Facebook


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Find all the music on Bandcamp

Feiertag
Time To Recover LP
Sonar Kollectiv Records
TBR: 28th May


When Feiertag released his inaugural production back in 2015, his name and sound quickly took to the electronica scene. Meant to be together, this multi-talented musician took his professional drumming experience into the electronic circuit via clever technology and extra-intellectual rhythms. Now with 2 best-selling EP releases and a whole run of successful singles, Time To Recover offers us a rich polygon of music.


It begins on dusty looped guitar that shimmers in a hip-hop drive. Funky bass-driven drums crack open the rhythm section and sloshy cymbals knit the tones together. Tonal chords strum and bounce around the relaxed yet energetic rhythm. A trip-hop atmosphere pins the poster to the wall. Flurries of synth and string break like waves over a beach of bass. Stranger To One glows with anticipation. Yearn is next, featuring Oli Hannaford and Tessa Rose Jackson. It begins on rattling bass and drum as melodic vocal chants a tempo with words. It begins with Oli and shifts to Tessa as pianos and bass rise and fall in choppy bars. Silken song drifts like loosely windswept banners from tall towers of sound. Plunging rhythms hit home as gut-felt lyrics about not wanting to leave play out.


A whisking sound sampled over drum loops begins with a small section of stereo. This fans out with the addition of bass and melodic bells. Tones repeat and loop around a spiral of snare, kick, and hat. Synthesiser samples are thrown into dub effects that echo and fade with each passing wave. Strings rise from harmonising lakes as drifting notes escape into the clouds. Solidity defines the space between hard surface and all its temporary parts. A punch of tone rings out on a red carpet of bass and laid-back drumming. Tessa Rose Jackson returns in Follow. On form, her smooth delivery crafts and crumbles over deep and sensual beats. Synthesiser calls out through triumphant rhythms that crawl in deep and seductive dances. A verse chorus progression twirls on the turn-tables as the progressive pressure gradually rises in the adaptation of the composition.


Rhythmic synthesiser rings over sticks of tempered beats that grow into thick forests of percussion across a section of bars. Chords resonate and vibe across bass and snare that reach through the thickness of sound. Melodic tune is stitched in on a patchwork quilt of soft and comfortable vibrancy. Memoir rises and falls with orchestral clarity, folds of percussive flow trace the patterns onto new forms of structure and harmony. Funky bass collapses into drums and vocal as the mingled sound throws verses into a silken atmosphere. Featuring James Alexander Bright, Alright pounds with classic disco sensations and flowers of hand-picked transition. Uplifting bass chunks and breezy vocals telling us it's okay really does feel like it was needed deeply.


Riptide follows and has the brilliant Tessa Rose Jackson as the singer. Sleek guitar and drums work together in parcels of flow. Tessa progresses the vocal line as the music grows in lush outcrops of sculpted craft. Moreish verses unwrap choruses that use hooks and one-liners to keep the energy in full flux. Rolls on snare and staggered kick drum bring a jiggle of tempo that snugly fits a jazzical mannequin that postures and peers in symbolic gestures. A crackle of snare and kick-drum breaks open the egg with cymbal rising to greet them. Voice curls from the seed, it reaches into loose topsoil and finds the light-source. Gradual growth to the pulse of nature's clock sees a birth of electric guitar and warm reverberations. The voice sample in Remote Island rides on a short wave until the surf washes up into the next track.


Melodic keys create a circular muffled and emotive melody as strings and drum add new perspectives into the layering. Breaks define sectional briefs in the composition that shift like self-made landscapes obeying the pressures of change. Yucca smoothly decorates the airwaves with choppy and dream-inspiring tones. Pretend joins in. A repeating bell chime begins to drift into softened tones. More notes join the repeating phrase which begin to describe something deeper and more story unfolds. Drums crash through the barrier and begin to rhythmically adjust the harmonising flow. New elements of tempo rise into grasping hands of composition. Bursts of colour flow from gaps held together by crashes of drum and lingering synthesiser.


A jangle of hand-claps and spiralling tones fill the air. Rhythm opens further as bass and shakers fill the spaces followed by cymbals and a casual break. Keyboard tones and stringed bass begin to jam along the lines of pulsing synthesiser and character-laden drumming. Effects top the piece with various twinges of loops and reverb that mash together in a sonic celebration of funky grooves. Saccharine 374 flows from the spoon like golden syrup onto tart summer fruits. Msafiri Zawose lends a vocal to the next track. An African vibe calls through spacious synthesiser and marching percussion. Pitches of tone repeat in harmonising rivers of sound as the layers build and loop. Rhythms and compositions flow to the sound of the vocal sample that builds with the ever progressing drum-score. Trepidation is upbeat and euphoric yet continues to surprise with new and exciting changes.


A Spanish guitar leans in, Bilbao riffs with drums and chord forms picked at double-speed. Strings begin to harmonise as the tuba-like bass section wobbles from left to right. A graceful build is kept rolling by a progressive slump through hot and dreamy days. A rumbled crackle opens out with wavering bass. With GOSTO on the mic, Stronger reveals a soft and sensual inside. Deep and soulful builds of tone dress the drums with flowing garbs definitive of evening low-light relaxation. Raise a glass and sit back as the toast to the future wishes us all well. It builds into a static and energy infused delve into dancing frenzies.


Shining tones reflect from rippling lakesides as vinyl like crackle fluff and warm the crevices. A resonant bass launches into the warm stillness as a long stretch of stringed resonance flows outward into yonder horizons. Panorama is the penultimate track and a short breather before we hit the marvellous Where We Are Now. Featuring the beautiful voice of Pete Josef, husky and crisp vocals harmonise with the smooth progression of bass and string. Sombre drums strike a mellow percussive streak which grows as the chorus builds with a heavy push of harmony. With orchestrations and cinema-like atmospheric engineering the music drifts like a loose flag let go of its fastening and allowed to flutter into the unknown. If we look carefully, it's a symbol of a rich human heart.


Get to know Sonar Kollectiv online


Follow them on Twitter


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You can find Feiertag on Soundcloud


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Facebook


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Kempes
She Has Powers / For The First Time In My Life
Passarella Records
TBR: May 21st


Since the popularity of Sentimental Idiot, the high-flying debut that saw Kempes sought after by a number of labels, a new double-A release is headed for the streaming sites. One half of Kempes is Passarella Death Squad's Danny Passarella and the other is Tom Wegg-Prosser from We Have Band. Released on his home-grown label, the Passarella brand has already seen signings from The Future Has A Silver Lining, Perc, and Oliver Ho. Created alongside Darryl Davis, who was instrumental in the formation of Ruthless Records, the imprint is an ideal foundation to stand new material.


She Has Powers begins with a tone of synthesiser that pulses with subtle hats and snares. Melody reaches from the synthesiser across the decorative beats. Bass then layers in on a thundercloud and new drums rise with an amplitude within the mix. Extra harmonisations prickle the scenery with tension and drive as a fun and morish tempo pounds with simple yet effective drums. More melody unravels, a progression is clear as a techno feel stitches the modern selection of sounds.


Next, a thumping bass rhythm opens. Tube sounds resonate with breezy pitches that hum along vibrating fronts. Bass and new drums begin, they churn and drone in hanging beams of percussive drive. A dream-like transition of notes and harmony styles allows forms of sculpted sound to join in mid-air collisions between wavefronts. New pulsing rhythmic synthesiser is layered on, the delivery sections the bass into chunks that move in steps which match the drums. With a strong sense for imagery and dramatic fills that sweep the sound, For The First Time In My Life soars with pouncing joy.


Find out more on the Passarella Records website


Find the music on Bandcamp

Steve Hadfield
Bangers and Mash
Bricolage Records
TBR: 30th April


Disintegration State front-man Steve Hadfield takes a trip to Bricolage to produce some experimental and stand-out material. Known for crafting dreamy and ambient electronica, Bangers and Mash is set to go the opposite way. A devastating surge through emotions and sensations, this new record harnesses chaos itself in order to soar through the nightmarish and intense arenas that live on the other side of the coin.


It begins with 808 deflate. A thump of bass and cymbal rumbles through, then a series of taps and rolling percussive sounds slide across. Synthesiser rises from the fizz and looping breaks begin to churn and chatter within. A droning melody that drips with lush sound design hangs behind wandering bass and digested beats. After a brief pause of melody, drums play out and tease a new compositional section from the pie. Scaling melodics jump and move in aerobic climbs as the snare and bass continue to strike in fractional delivery.


A damp and electronic sounding bass squelches out as more breakbeats rip through a series of progressions. Oscillating melodies start to chime and harmonise like digital bells. Insectish motions of tune frolic and bounce in motions that symbolise leaping and strange thoughts. Odd notes coalesce with harmony and fast runs of experimentation leave the listener baffled as persistent catchy riffs pound on the drums. LS19 Boogie is fast and frantic and full of drama.


Belly Bop opens on a bass that sinks and digs as it loops through a melodic phrase. Drums then begin to add tempo elevation to its striking pulse and new synthesiser sounds join to further invigorate the melody. The surging bass continues to curl and waver in its repeating journey through space. Eerie additives make the progression strange yet interesting as minor chord formations creep in the shadows behind the pump of rhythm.


Sunny light chords shine down and drums begin to crackle and snap in quick digital speed-runs. A heavy bass then begin to plod and rummage through the rustling illumination. Odd rubbery sounds begin to bend and grow in temporal dreams that mirror and reflect then vanish. Sparkling lanterns of harmony describe a forthcoming charm that hides within cacophonous mixtures. Bungle Is Passive, according to this one.


Scattery bass ranges out in thumping bars. Hard Normal Babby sounds like an homage to early Squarepusher. New pounding deeper thump-kicks begin to separate the bass further. A warbling sensation of sound fritters across the top as middle noises start drawing ambient and abstract lines. A rumbling undercarriage keeps a continual surge of energy as the intermediary composition rises into a splash of twinkling lights and foraging scales. Cymbals start to smash and peak the mountain of sound while individual grasps of drapery form folded patterns across the internal structure.


Plunges of horror saw find creepy bass-lines in a bubbling cauldron of effervescent sonics. A higher ranger of droning chord buzzes through in a dragging yet progressive rhythm. Speed in the drums enlivens the gloopy mixture of psyche-sounds as warbled and garbled formulations gather in conversational snippets. More melodic introduction brings yet more dimension to the number, thrilling imagery streaks across the mix of unnerving compositions. Murmur On The Dancefloor is stitched like Frankenstein's monster yet functions with expert design.


You can listen to Steve Hadfield on Spotify


and Soundcloud


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Buy the music on Bandcamp

Dance Club
Various Artists
Future Disco Records
TBR: 21st May


Future Disco return with their 14th various artists issue. This award-winning run of headline acts continues to distribute the cream of the crop to global music fans in consistent bouts. As always, the release is billed as a celebration of unity and togetherness through the medium of fun and exciting electronic dance. So many people have been forced away from their favourite late-night communities recently. With wide-spread closures meaning we have to stay at home, the dance club atmosphere has been sorely missed. That's why this latest number goes direct to the pain-point and relieves us with a full-length blend of talent.


It begins with a Yuksek remix of Can't Get Enough by Dimitri From Paris & Aeroplane featuring Leela. Cowbell like tones reverberate against a growing layer of toms and bongos. A funky guitar begins to strum in the offbeat as a fruity bass adds a kicking line to the flow. A foray of vocals and synths build through the driving beat as the layers merge and flow into one slick groove. A break in the mix gives rise to a sudden burst of energy as the kick-drum asserts a tension that slips like a tapestry thread through each part.


A high-pitch tingle resonates and opens the door for a sturdy funk-bass that slaps and twangs to a hand-clap beat. Kick-drum finds the tempo and the composition of the bass-line suddenly jumps to a lower key. Vocal samples repeat in catchy melodies that bounce from the consistent punchy rhythm. Piano chords are added, they sit with the bass to flow in a groovy sway that defines the entire production. Titeknots with On My Mind churns around and around with chewy and memorable rhythms.


Ron Basejam offers a smooth and uplifting remix of Feel for You by Black Hawks Of Panama featuring Bisi. Piano soars with waves of scale that ripple through pitches and distinctive choppy motifs. Drums then kick in, bass, snare, cymbal, and foot stamps all provide a huge river of rhythm that suddenly gushes across the music. Vocals from both male and female voice sample decorate the flow with emotive inflections of groove. Keyboards add backdrop like harmonies with exquisite synth tones that seem to compliment the feel of the music perfectly.


Muffled quick-step beats rumble into earshot. Funky synth licks revolve on a groovy sixpence and bring the drumming into full scan. The constant percussive pressure is elevated by soft trumpets and wavering synthesiser. Vocal opens out, a 1970s atmosphere is mentioned and everything makes sense. This is disco and we're wearing bell-bottom trousers. A definitive modern angle takes the euphalgia of memories we don't necessarily have and puts us in the picture. Theo Kottis' Future Disco edit of Seventies does exactly what it's supposed to.


Sleek silky tones revolve around a growing amplitude of bass and drum. Heaviness enters and a wholesome field of sonic delivery unfolds. Quick snare and bass led kick beats pierce a swaying atmosphere of repeating chord tones, played one by one in a short arpeggio. A vocal line layers like soft blankets and guitars give a new dimension with jiggling strums of funky inflections. The repetitive dancing pace is pushed through a changing landscape of uplifting and smooth melodicious sweeps. All I Wanna Do Is Love You by Chevals takes everything kinetic from the disco scene, condenses it, then makes a funky dance track.


A Vocal Edit of Glances by New World begins with chiming synthesiser that resembles droplets of water falling from hanging icicles. Chunky bass pumps a melody that's bumped up by vibrant keyboards that whizz and vibrate on the beat. Smooth female vocals chant a verse-line as heavy and evocative synthesiser flashes with runs of bell and stab. Fully driven by a consistent funk bass that grooves along a selection of distinctive composed lines, the repeating layers of synthesiser give us a dreamy and cinematic experience.


A smooth droning synth tone smothers the silence as a heady bass kick begins to slice through a cymbal run. Twinkling synthesiser scales a stairway into the cosmos as snare begins to punch extra holes in the formula. The bass twangs in groovy tonic bursts that rhythmically massage the tempo. A voice repeats and sits it in centre of the production, then piano chords start pushing forward a delicate yet techno style rhythm. COEO brings us I Can Never Be Yours, and it delivers a great drive with hedonistic flavours.


Next is ANTENNA! With L'atellier. It begins on a one-two drumbeat that sits comfortably in the room. A seriously chunky bass then pushes into the queue carrying overflowing buckets of gloopy rhythm. As the figure waddles to the flow, splashes of overflow dance in the vibrating air. A flux of layering revolves around catchy hooks and under-chords that elevate and compliment with supplementary harmony. Retro feels glisten on the choices of synthesiser that find neat an appropriate melody within the driving amalgam of pumping funk.


Funky synthesiser rolls out the red carpet as drums bash a steady walking pace beat. Vibe synths swell in harmonising swooshes of sound as bass and melody pounce on the atmosphere. Suddenly, a thunderous bass plunges in. This digs a trench in the sound as deep sonics give rise to a new layer of exploratory notes. The regular thump of digital depth continues as the background sound changes and shifts like stage curtains setting depicted scenes. A key-change takes us by surprise, a swift gust of air forms updraught that elevates the entire track's energy. Listen To The Band by Jex Opolis carries the retro funk feel through with a catchy and space-age orchestration.


Kahwe is next with All Day. Sunny tones bounce from a drilling bass that spirals down. A piercing tension rises from the continual pressure of high-tone that punches on the bar. This is matched by tonal scales that penetrate with a vocal coat. An intense number, the shrill addition stops and lets the bass begin to drive the vehicle. It's deep and quick, runs on funk scales are adjusted and repeated to bring out a dancing feel. The drums roll back in from a silent reprieve, snare and cymbal add function to the steady kick that has continually kept the track moving.


Tom-toms and snare work alongside a kick-drum and a chorus of choir-girls that offer rhythmic vocal lines. A bass begins to kick the mood and a laid-back yet confident swagger ensues. More womanly voice enjoys a liberal freedom with inflections and emotive sounds. Then, the RnB style verse adds a new direction. A chorus like a disco track pumps to the throbbing percussion that continually offers a danceable rhythm. Dr Packer's remix of Final by Hustler's Convention rides on the strong vocal line while funky beats splash and bounce in a river of backing.


A repeating spliced vocal line breaks open the next number. Never Saw Never from Gerd Janson & Jacques Renault begins to form a repeating verse line that brings out a tuneful drum. With a little dance, the bass, guitar, and synthesiser join in. Smooth and summery vibes float in and bounce on the vibrant energy of the tempo. Vocal harmonies work magic alongside funky and expressive licks simultaneously played out on guitar and keyboard. A spiral of voice and drum drifts in the flux of pushing synthesiser tones that offer a breezy warmth to the whole piece.


A swinging cow-bell rhythm plays out with lots of bass soon following. A choppy two-step bass-line brings out a dance feel immediately as the percussion rises with layers of break and extra instruments. A repeating groove pushes along the surface until it greets piano. The chords begin spanning the stereo in bursts of chorded rhythm as extra fills leap from the composition. The More Joy Edit of The Showfa's Joy takes all the major key mania and makes it even more impressive. It culminates on a splash of vocal that adds party themed elements to the slow burning yet motivational music.


A simple snappy snare rhythm begins Red Light Runner by Mix & Fairbanks. It draws on the image of a car going too fast to stop when the signal requests it. Maybe a late-night track to play when the lights are about to be switched on and the shutters on the bar have already been pulled half-way down. Whistling tones break free from the drums before a thick helping of shiny bass begins to throb in groovy digs of movement.


Janson's remix of Tommy Farrow's Let's Just begins on a thumping kick led beat. Twangy bass synthesiser then flies across with groovy phonics that speak to the soul. Another layer of dancing tones finds a middle ground. They flutter like paper and plastic on windy corridor currents. Cymbal strikes keep an interesting high end with variations on their inflective insertions. As chords and bass find their footholds, vocals add yet more glisten to the upbeat and enchanting flow of music.


Wooden bass and snare meets whispered voice as a woody subtle bass adds extra pumps. This elevates in amplitude and pushes to the front as the vocal and drum continue with a sable rendition of pulse. New synth is given space, it breathes in an accordion like quick-step that never gives enough to truly sound yet subtly snores with sneaky harmonies. Vocal then washes over the top, chunky bass continues to drive the form through gusts of air and energetic layers of synthesiser. Catz n Dogz & Gerd Janson give us Modern Romance.


Catchy snare and synth beats open the penultimate track. A barrage of bass and synth then takes over, powering the track with extra energy. The new layers overpower the initial melody which is amplified and synchronised on new instruments. Extra frills of composition scatter the bars as repeating and dreamy motifs revolve on adjusting effects. L.E.V.E.L. By Emil Rottmayer is simple with a uniform melody driving the piece, yet with continual shifts on various dials, the delivery is never quite the same.


It ends on Wendy's Yard by Ekkah remixed by Gilligan Moss. RnB female led vocals begin the number, they assert a particular energy and vibe that the rest of the track fills in to compliment. Funky vocals with short sentences share memorable lines like hooks one after the other. Delicate yet affirmative synthesiser adapts to match the drumming in a simple translation of note to beat. More longer lasting harmonies gather and assemble across bars in major key composition. Fun and smooth, laid-back and dream-inspiring, this is a perfect number to invite us to press play again.


Find out more by visiting Future Disco online


Find the music on Bandcamp

Elninodiablo
Dreamweaving EP
Elninodiablomusic
TBR: April 16th


Recorded in Berlin during April 2020 as the first lock-down hit home, this record balances the darker side of January's inaugural ShadowPlay. The artwork has once again been skilfully designed by Tobias Jacobsen. This time the composer takes us through sparkling and dreamy electronica that raises the level of the listener's consciousness. This second record will be the mortar to the masonry that Elninodiablo has already laid down.


It begins on a spongy wave sound that feels like a hot summer day. Rattling noises fill the background, rolling balls and clicking peripheries add body to the melodious flow. Odd energies fly and squiggle in moments of artistic flare, bells and chimes float like jellyfish among glistening tranquillity. Bass and drum then flow through in their central layer. Heavy thump and resonant harmony fills the foundation with solid torsion that holds across the circular direction. Vocal sings out, a sample that raises the intention grasps us by the imagination. A flux of tangible bass then bubbles through to the backdrop of dappling piano. This abstraction forms a divot in the mix before new meanders of tone rise to smooth the music out again. Dorothea's Rainbow changes and shifts into various shapes before it then relaxes back into its traditional form knitted from the start.


Next is D-Louche. The music begins on wooden drums that resonate with melodic timbre. Jungle noises break forward from the humming amalgam. Trill voices and birdsong scatters across canopies defined by harmonious chimes and tones. Chatter in the drumming keeps a level of drama present in the ambient sound-drop of nature and relaxing rhythms. Synthesiser enters, chords push like tidal waters against choppy beaches as vocal samples reach and cling to the vibrating tensions. More chords unravel and float outward in large surface areas of shimmering notation. Bass continues to throb against sculptures of percussion. Organic sounds grow from the damp and living tropics, guitar, voice, and trumpet all glow like skylights within the humid and drenching sounds.


The final number creeps in on disparate percussion strikes that sit among silent spaces. Broken rhythms find their companions over slow bars. Synthesiser rises, it warms and hums with an eerie and resonant tone. Dual notes collapse in on each other across the stereo composition as the rhythmic sounds continue to piece themselves together. Dithering Heights begins to drone with wholesome and intriguing pads, decorated by odd hats and snare springs. A bass end is amplified, it holds on to the ground and shakes with mighty passion as crackles and rhythms merge within gelatinous mixing. Emptiness framed by random introspection begins to revolve with a pottery of percussion. Melodic rhythms take over, plunging the atmosphere into cold water and letting the host of bubbles rise to the surface.


Find out more by visiting Elninodiablo online


You can listen to Elninodiablo on Soundcloud


Elninodiablo is on Bandcamp

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​Herrmann Kristoffersen
Gone Gold
Bytes Records
TBR: 23rd April


This second release from the collaboration project between Kristina Kristoffersen and Flug 8's Daniel Herrmann is inspired by Need For Speed. This foundational racing game didn't have a proper soundtrack so the producers decided to make one. Taking their opaque electro and kosmische techno fusion to new levels of playability, the acceleration inspired sounds will take us on exciting digital journeys. Named after a term in gaming in which a store quality gold pressed CD is released, from the days when all CDs of store quality were made using gold, this was a benchmark for game designers to aspire to. Made during lockdown across Denmark and Frankfurt, each track is named after a specific gaming term. Rather than tell you what they all mean, why not see if you can answer in the comments.


It opens with 1LC, twinkling synths glitter along the lines of a deep horizon. Drums enter, snare and kick bounce from bar to bar as cymbal aligns the amplitudes. A new layer of tone falls into place, distinctive jangling harmony pumps up the bodywork with a hungry and resonant progression. The fill builds with gradual incline until it begins to overpower the rest of the reverberations. Branches of melody then waver out in dancing spirals that leap and detach from the main function off sound.


Next, an ambient cavernous drip melody opens out. This is then joined by a plucky bassline that flies open and illuminates the drum-score. A steady minimal kick and snare loop frames a punching rhythm that focusses yet leaves room for imagination. Funky drive pushes the track forward in a continual dream-state. Mud continues, it then adds whistle tones and ambient backdrops to the motion. Then, a synthesiser scale begins to revolve on a sixpence right in the centre of the track. It adds a hypnotic and euphoric culmination to the progression.


PVE starts with a distorted chime that rings out in a slow tempo along a subtle vibrating bass. This continues, the pitch changes and suddenly a new dimension of sound is revealed. Strange harmonies chirp in shifting patterns around the steady but wavering bell tone. Glitches and volume jumps decorate the motion of notes which continue to whip around the slow and mournful chime. A cymbal tap breaks the relative silence, it sounds once before disappearing again. Slight changes in the mix bring out ghostly shapes from the now familiar repetition of enchanting similarities.


With a shudder of waking and jingles of digital tones the next track begins. Bass pushes the rhythm forward, it kicks and sticks with a fast breathing rate, a perfect tempo for aerobics perhaps, or over taking first place on the final lap. Strange drones form like hedgerows in the periphery and buzzing sensations begin to rise and form resonating thunder within the rhythm. 4X progresses in mirrored avenues, the original flow becoming a tributary to the new and greater sound from which it manifests.


An energetic electronic kick opens. Then, graceful and meandering tones wobble into chords that bounce like sunshine on tarmac. Crowds of spectators in the distance stand in anticipation for what is to break forward. A drumming layer keeps time while spanning synths glisten and warp in slow moving swooshes. The repeating chords begin to take on a form of their own as their persistence pays off. These become a framework for more ephemeral harmonies that shine out from the melody. AFK is an upbeat and dreamy number that brings home a sense of completion.


Gone Gold is next. It starts with clicks and bass that bounce from spongy textures. A chirping radial synthesiser tone begins to throw notes in repeating tangents as a warming under-layer grows like fluffy carpet. Long notes explore deep areas of sound as the glittering overhead lights maintain a constant source of illumination. Horn sounds start to evaporate from the deep chasms and echo through chambers of ever-increasing difficulty.


The final number grows on a tree of fast bass clicks. Thumping kick resonates with wooden chunks in a seamless flow of percussion. Then, a euphoria of synthesiser flows through a silken opening and opens like poured cream over the foundation. The drums disappear while elegant draperies continue to glow with sheen. A new rhythm is added, the layer sits in the centre of multi-tonal atmospheres which hang gently in low density clouds above.


You can find Herrmann Kristoffersen on Bandcamp


Listen to Herrmann Kristoffersen on Soundcloud


And Spotify


Follow Herrmann Kristoffersen on Facebook

Steve Roach & Serena Gabriel
Temple Of The Melting Dawn
Ancient Waves Music
Out 2nd April


Steve Roach and Serena Gabriel are no strangers. For this third collaboration album, the pair aimed high. This album is designed to assist divinatory experiences, meaning it can help people who want to reach spiritual levels of consciousness. To bring about this sensation, the artists themselves used their own divinatory experiences to influence their composition. By elevating their consciousness into realms of otherwise unreachable intuition, Steve Roach and Serena Gabriel were able to bridge the void by use of ancient and modern musical instruments.


It begins with Glow Of Light. Ephemeral tones scale and dance into abstraction as whistling elements rise to the plunge of resonance. Graceful and breezy waves of rippling tone forms draperies across what begins to protrude. Sonic plonk drums start to chime in pottery like vibratory atmospheres as the wash of uplifting arpeggio inspired ocean continues. Melody is unearthed from the expanse of progressive percussion. Hypnotic rises and falls in the drum brings out a slow and dreamy horn lead. This floats on currents of metaphysical intention that kiss the moment with imagery. Bells begins to sparkle in adjacent ceilings of sound that mirror the unseen.


A radiant burst of orchestral flow showers the silence with an electric atmosphere. Plucked notes begin to describe a seductive enchantment that wants to defocus the mind. Splinters of light vibrate like metallic tinsel as gusty sensations sweep from under our feet. A journey of sound begins as the harmonising composition bounces from an ad-lib feel that runs through the exploring notes. Visions Of Delphi sways with a warm energy that lifts up through the ground and into the distant sky. We stand within the currents as empowerment and balance transcend the material border.


Next, melodious sensations rise like vapour from a simmering broth. Floral essences mirror evocative feelings as tangents of aroma combine in beautiful polygons. Whispers of harmony shine in a heat of cello that soars through low trees and stretching hill-tops. Slow and meaningful motions of sound dance like ballerinas through streamers and wind-swept ribbons. A gentle walk through ambient surroundings keeps the pace through a subtle evolution and progress that creeps along the stillness of music. Stillwind Ways holds the moment and captures a timescale through the soft compression of mindful presence.


Ethereal shimmers breathe light into the darkness for a moment before shadow becomes present once more. A balance between light and shade ensues, as each force of nature projects its abilities in a reversal of capacity. Much like the forces of life within the awareness, mirror images reveal strange dances of intent and agenda. Slow and gliding atmospheric tones wash like a river lapping against a bridleway. At the speed of gravity, Somna's progressive fluctuations in the cosmos create momentary universes encapsulated in the dream.


In Another Time opens gently. A subtle build of unison tones resolve through distorted silence. Chimes and air-bass move in serpentine manoeuvres along distilled lay-lines of sonic clarity. The tension grows with the curdling of harmony and a mixing of vibrational quality. Crystalline shapes resonate and reflect with distinct emotions as distant forces craft vast networks within open voids. Expansive feelings writhe in warm and eternal waters while candle flames flicker against water-carved interiors.


Deep resonant tones rumble then bloom with harmonious currents. Speckles of jumping timbre pour through funnels of groaning sound. Drawn out and gently contoured mixtures of synthesiser roll like passing hills beneath the ply of sunny clouds. Shimmering lantern like streaks dance across three-dimensional spaces as twinges of amplitude bring out extra sounds in the composition. Spaces In Between drifts through carefree harmonies and cream textured synths.


The final track, Heaven And Earth, opens with a choir like bell resonance that reaches with hidden magnetism. Voices mix with chimes and ambient synthesiser to form a luxury of sewn fabrics. Strange tangents grow from the body of lush sound that reach into the black notes, leaving space for the imagination to plant roots. Cavernous echoes bounce in softened backdrops as the minimal melody grasps at handholds occulted by the division of light.


You can get your copy of this huge and enchanting album on Bandcamp.


Visit Steve Roach online


Visit Serena Gabriel online


Temple of the Melting Dawn is on Spotify
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