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Heavy 180g black vinyl. First time on vinyl. 350gsm Gatefold, interior sleeve printed. Half Speed Mastering. 45 rpm.

The Threshold HouseBoys Choir was a project by Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson. Operating out of Bangkok, Thailand, the Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV founding member started this audio and visual endeavour following Coil's end. File under COIL Forever, Erotic Trance, Religious IDM, Ecstatic Classical, Post Ethnic Industrial Exotica and best album ever heard.

Jonathan Fitoussi is a French composer that explores an electronic music versed in futuristic tones that
evokes the vision of the future as it was perceived in the 60s or 70s, mixed with the perception of a unique,
utopic world, yet to be reached, yet to be build. On top of two live recordings, several collaborations and music
for movies, this is his fifth solo album, and his first for Transversales Disques, a label he co-founded.
Leading the electronic aesthetic of its writer towards more rhythmic, hypnotic tracks, this album is also a new
step in the ever growing discography of this musician.
In Plein Soleil, Jonathan Fitoussi explores the continent of his electronic instruments, watching them move
along with him on his journey, like uncharted territories, beyond what’s already been said, done, composed
and played. In these tracks, or should we say, between them, something new unfurls. Where, in the past,
musical mechanism, melodic shades were shaped by atmospheric frames, reluctant to choose between
amniotic and repetition, what’s at play here is of a different nature, more rhythmic, all made of vibrating
percussion, of synthetic sparkles that bump into each other and reverberate. The hypnosis of the percussion,
the trance of the desiring-machines, the synthesizers immanence, dreaming themselves as bongos, as bass,
vibraphones, marimbas, while floating high above, or sometimes far below, timid waves, drones, threads
connects the beats together.
This is not a dance record, but this a record that’ll caught you dancing, dreaming inside of these tracks leading
to other places that at first only exist because of the power of the spirit: “Rayons solaires”, “Vents
magnétiques”, “Soleil de minuit”, “Continent blanc”, “Amazonie”…

Another uncovering arrives from Astral Industries by the name of The Humble Bee. The alias of industrious, multi-talented UK artist Craig Tattersall, The Humble Bee’s ‘A Miscellany For the Quiet Hours’ was the inaugural release on Tattersall’s now discontinued Cotton Goods imprint. This beautifully intimate work resurfaces after more than a decade since its initial release, now available on vinyl for the first time. 

Constructed entirely of tape loops, fragile tapestries of forgotten artefacts canter with teetering rhythmic pulses. Melodic counterpoints drift in soft bucolic reverie, as hazy recollections of undefined pasts seep out in blurs of nostalgic colour. The album is imbued with a close tactile quality, lovingly crafted as a result of both manned and unmanned decay experiments. Undeniably tender yet wilfully introspective, something speaks immediately of those magic sonic moments, illuminated by the quiver of late night candlelight.

Following her debut album, I'll Look for You in Others (Past Inside the Present), Patricia Wolf joins Spain's Balmat label with See-Through, her second album. See Through finds the Portland, Oregon musician and field recordist continuing to develop her signature style of ambient, balancing radiant soundscaping with a carefully expressive sensibility. But the new album is also marked by an important difference. Where I'll Look for You in Others was largely written in response to the death of a loved one, See-Through represents a kind of rebirth.

German Army is a duo from the San Gabriel Valley. Born between Sydney Possuelo and Paulo Freire, this project is as prolific and productive as it is shrouded in mystery.

Characterised by a certain amount of experimentation aimed at sound collage, the most industrial plunderphonics and the darkest noises, the enigmatic Californian collective has accustomed us to a certain variability of musical genres, but also, without a doubt, to an unquestionably high level of quality and a perennial dark emotional component, which reveals itself in an exquisitely overbearing manner in their work.

the 2nd chapter "zwischenraum"of the "raum"-trilogy by dominik grenzler aka an moku and stefan schmidt. finely crafted ambient / soundscapes using stringed instruments, synthesizer, electronics and field recordings.

when dominik grenzler aka an moku, a sound artist and bass player based in zurich, approached stefan schmidt (guitarist, composer and improviser from baden-baden) with the idea of collaborating, it turned out the initial spark for a fruitful process and artistic exchange. within just a couple of weeks they not only managed to craft "raum" (the german word for room / space), the duo also realized there was still a plethora of ideas to explore and that this first album wouldn't be their last – rather, they conceived a full "raum"-trilogy, named after and inspired by a sentence grenzler had read in david foster wallace's unconventional bestseller novel "infinite jest": "die echte welt ist nur ein raum." ("the real world is just a room.").

on "zwischenraum", grenzler and schmidt continue their sonic trip into abstract voids, crafted by finely processed sounds of different origins like cello, field recordings and a vast array of electronic equipment. From the opener "yama" with its indian drone to the closer "sediment" the atmosphere is dark and alien, with references to hauntology and musique concrète, and yet organic, even harmonic. The future may be bleak, but there is still life.

the musicians::

dominik grenzler (born 1977) is a sound artist and bass guitar player with a spot for experimental and ambient soundscapes. In 2008, after years of playing e-bass in several bands or being hired for concert tours, he began with the initial recording sessions for an moku. the literal translation of the japanese word "anmoku" is "tacit, unsaid, implicit" conveying that an idea or thought cannot be put into words but is subconsciously understood. inspired and animated, with this approach, dominik's abstract, cinematic music gives the listener room for imagination and interpretation. his approach to ambient is highly personal, as he manages to generate tension with a hidden musicality, drowned in a miasma of organic, yet manipulated sounds.dominik's primary interests lie in simplicity, repetition and the relationship between sound and art.

privately, dominik grenzler lives and works in his adopted hometown of zurich where he co-owns a café with an artisan cake bakery section.

stefan schmidt (born 1974) is a guitarist, composer, improviser and teacher. he gathered his first musical experiences as a member of various punk bands and later studied classical guitar at the hochschule für musik trossingen with professor andreas higi and at the conservatorio juan josé castro in buenos aires with victor villadangos.

while early projects (e.g. farang) and several collaborations put focus on distorted sounds and rhythms, recent works center on slowly evolving structures, sound design and free improvisation, giving more emphasis on his main instrument, the classical guitar, and the exploration of other stringed instruments such as tenor ukulele, fretless bass ukulele, fretless classical guitar, electric guitar,dronin & ronin, stringed psalter, cello and baroque lute.

credits::

all tracks composed and produced by an moku and stefan schmidt

mastered by weldroid

cover artwork by stefan schmidt

synthesizer, tape recorder, electromagnetic microphones by an moku

field recordings, synthesizer, cello, fretless guitar by stefan schmidt

double bass on schwere see by adriano orrù

Ryuichi Sakamoto and Christian Fennesz blend the unstructured and imaginative qualities of improvisation with the satisfying sculpture of composition. Sakamoto's piano, his style reminiscent of Debussy and Satie, perfectly complements Fennesz with his powerful blend of shimmering guitar and passionate electronics. Cendre was recorded between 2004 and 2006, Fennesz would send Sakamoto a guitar or electronic track and Sakamoto would compose his piano piece. Vice versa - Sakamoto initiating a track with a piano composition and Fennesz responding. Meanwhile they met for live shows, or communicated via digital means to compare notes, swap ideas and develop themes.. the cyclical process continued right up until they met up for the final mix in New York City February of 2006. Together they have combined to create 11 tracks of satisfying and challenging possibilities...

After releasing their aptly titled first three LPs (I, II & III) GODTET concluded their triptych with the idea of a 'clean slate'. To allow the universe of GODTET to grow the band hit reset somewhat. Returning to their original conception of the band; Hitting record in the studio without preconceived thought or discussion on the outcome.

After recording Meditations GODTET were asked to pay homage to the great John Coltrane at The Sydney Opera House during their lockdown web series in 2020. To celebrate the 50 year anniversary of 'Giant Steps' GODTET reimagined the seminal body of work into one long set. The band collaborated with local artists Chris Cooper & Sam Whickham who designed the audio visual aspect of the show. And after an astounding reception, decided to utilise the two artists to build upon Meditations.

The 'Suite' EP (which features on the B side of 'Meditations') is the amalgamation of the earlier GODTET LP sounds and Godriguez's produced albums, through-composed as a 15 minute suite. To be true to the long-form, through-composed piece, the band recorded this release live; one take, no over-dubs and straight to tape much like the 'Meditations' sessions, but composed.

The cathartic opening of 'Suite' awakens the gods with a sombre Welsh men's choir. Their vibrato ripples across the ocean as the second movement lands the listener in the Solomon Islands where bamboo sticks are tapped against rock. As the band nods to 'Struck Bamboo Pipes' from their last LP. Dub Horns blaze out of the calming movements, fractured polyrhythmic, post-dub-step energy takes hold. 'The sounds bleed into a neighbouring Trinidadian street festival as they march across the Atlantic. The end is nigh, Moroccan percussion and vocals dance as Godriguez's roots shine bright. What it all a dream? A Ghanian 'Women's Choir' lulls back consciousness. The 5-piece bids us farewell, sounds of the forked harp and Baoule men singing is all that remains. And just like that, the trip is over.

Bringing together therapeutic frequencies, forest bathing
(shinrin-yoku) and binaural sound, Hinako Omori's ‘a journey...’
combines inner healing and natural landscapes into in an
immersive cartography of the mind in ambient electronics. The
album progresses not track by track but as a continuous
journey, a stream of consciousness tracing hills and valleys with
the warmth of analogue synthesis and Omori’s voice always
close at hand. Omori detuned oscillators to create binaural
beats, syncing to the Hz of our brainwaves so that listeners
might further find themselves calmed by and immersed in these
soundscapes
 ‘a journey...’ was recorded at Omori’s home studio and Real
World Studios, when Omori was an invited to perform at the
immersive online festival WOMAD At Home. Spatial 3D
recordings are woven throughout the album, and situate each
track in different environments, from waterways to forests in and
around the Mendip Hills.
 It is Hinako’s work in sound engineering that provides the
bedrock of skills that manifest her vision for ‘a journey...’,
articulating a whole world in binaural field recordings, analogue
synthesisers, and augmented vocals.
 The album sits within a rich lineage of electronic musicians who
have looked to music for its healing properties, from
Venezuelan musician Miguel Noya to Pauline Anna Strom’s
ambient soundscapes; Pauline Oliveros’ deep listening
meditations and the augmented field recordings of Irv Teibel’s
‘Environments’ series.
 Mastered and cut by Matt Colton at Metropolis.
 LP pressed on white vinyl.

Joona Toivanen Trio makes their We Jazz Records debut with their new album "Both Only", out 25 Feb 2022. A landmark work for the long standing group, the album showcases a new sound for the band, trekking deep into new ideas for an acoustic jazz piano trio. Since their formation as teenagers in mid-1990's, the trio of pianist Joona Toivanen, bassist Tapani Toivanen and drummer Olavi Louhivuori (of Superposition, Ilmiliekki Quartet and Linda Fredriksson "Juniper") has developed their remarkably coherent band sound step by step, touring the world over. Nowadays, the trio is geographically split between Gothenburg, Sweden (Joona), Copenhagen, Denmark (Tapani), and Helsinki, Finland (Olavi), but the unit has never sounded so together as one, and as adventurous as on "Both Only".

"Both Only" by Joona Toivanen Trio is a cocoon, a welcoming shelter of sound that opens up naturally for the listener to inhabit. The album is moody and introspective, even dark at times, but by the time you get to the closing track, "This and This", you'll likely notice something hopeful brewing up. This is not music dealing with nostalgia or a world lost. Instead, it's a body of work with delicate dynamics, taking a minute just to listen and to look inwards to learn something, to move forward.

The first single "Enlightened" is perhaps the most traditional piece on the album, yet it flows like a vessel beyond genre, conveying a mood, a feeling and an idea. Listen to how the piano, bass and drums discuss, how the groove moves with the instruments having their clear roles but also supporting each other and documenting a musical aging process exactly as that of a quality bottle of red wine. As a song like "Direction" proves, the melody is there all the way, yet there is nothing obvious about how it's carried by the trio. Things remain surprising, fresh and moving at all times. "Except For" keeps its intensity, while nearly erupting into a full on 4-to-the-floor banger. Nearly! The key here is how the energy sustains itself, building the intensity within the music.

"Both Only" is a powerful statement from a band ready to renew itself time and again, and one willing to do it slowly, outside of the hype. This process makes the impact enduring, nuanced and lovely.

WJLP37 Joona Toivanen Trio "Both Only" is available on vinyl as a black vinyl edition and as a LP+7" bundle also including WJ0716 "Except For (7" Edit)" / "Keyboard Study No. 2".

“More excellent poetic soundscapes from We Jazz! Love the flow through the tracks here – textural pieces moving into more rhythmic jazz abstractions. Beautifully recorded too.”
Quinton Scott — Worldwide FM

“Following on from the excellent Linda Fredriksson album We Jazz extend the journey with this innovative Joona Toivanen Trio set.”
Paul Bradshaw — Straight No Chaser

“You’ll look in vain here for extravagant splashes of color or bright swathes of sound, but what you will discover are a finely-chiselled set of compositions that make the most of the trio’s limited palette: flint-sharp melodies hewn from the ice, crisp and crackling rhythms.”
Cal Gibson — Ban Ban Ton Ton

“Incredible album from Joona Toivanen Trio and a strong start to the new year from We Jazz.”
Kerem Gokmen — Dubmission

“Encapsulating a new movement in jazz.”
Jay Scarlett — Sounds Supreme

“Interesting listen on the shortest day of the year. They have a very definite and saturated style.”
John Chacona — All About Jazz

“Airplayed the track”
Tom Ravenscroft — BBC6 Music

“Jazz album of the year released already in February?”
Ralf Sandell — Hufvudstadsbladet

“★★★★★”
Iida Simes — Voima Magazine

Joona Toivanen Trio makes their We Jazz Records debut with their new album "Both Only", out 25 Feb 2022. A landmark work for the long standing group, the album showcases a new sound for the band, trekking deep into new ideas for an acoustic jazz piano trio. Since their formation as teenagers in mid-1990's, the trio of pianist Joona Toivanen, bassist Tapani Toivanen and drummer Olavi Louhivuori (of Superposition, Ilmiliekki Quartet and Linda Fredriksson "Juniper") has developed their remarkably coherent band sound step by step, touring the world over. Nowadays, the trio is geographically split between Gothenburg, Sweden (Joona), Copenhagen, Denmark (Tapani), and Helsinki, Finland (Olavi), but the unit has never sounded so together as one, and as adventurous as on "Both Only".

"Both Only" by Joona Toivanen Trio is a cocoon, a welcoming shelter of sound that opens up naturally for the listener to inhabit. The album is moody and introspective, even dark at times, but by the time you get to the closing track, "This and This", you'll likely notice something hopeful brewing up. This is not music dealing with nostalgia or a world lost. Instead, it's a body of work with delicate dynamics, taking a minute just to listen and to look inwards to learn something, to move forward.

The first single "Enlightened" is perhaps the most traditional piece on the album, yet it flows like a vessel beyond genre, conveying a mood, a feeling and an idea. Listen to how the piano, bass and drums discuss, how the groove moves with the instruments having their clear roles but also supporting each other and documenting a musical aging process exactly as that of a quality bottle of red wine. As a song like "Direction" proves, the melody is there all the way, yet there is nothing obvious about how it's carried by the trio. Things remain surprising, fresh and moving at all times. "Except For" keeps its intensity, while nearly erupting into a full on 4-to-the-floor banger. Nearly! The key here is how the energy sustains itself, building the intensity within the music.

"Both Only" is a powerful statement from a band ready to renew itself time and again, and one willing to do it slowly, outside of the hype. This process makes the impact enduring, nuanced and lovely.

WJLP37 Joona Toivanen Trio "Both Only" is available on vinyl as a black vinyl edition and as a LP+7" bundle also including WJ0716 "Except For (7" Edit)" / "Keyboard Study No. 2".

“More excellent poetic soundscapes from We Jazz! Love the flow through the tracks here – textural pieces moving into more rhythmic jazz abstractions. Beautifully recorded too.”
Quinton Scott — Worldwide FM

“Following on from the excellent Linda Fredriksson album We Jazz extend the journey with this innovative Joona Toivanen Trio set.”
Paul Bradshaw — Straight No Chaser

“You’ll look in vain here for extravagant splashes of color or bright swathes of sound, but what you will discover are a finely-chiselled set of compositions that make the most of the trio’s limited palette: flint-sharp melodies hewn from the ice, crisp and crackling rhythms.”
Cal Gibson — Ban Ban Ton Ton

“Incredible album from Joona Toivanen Trio and a strong start to the new year from We Jazz.”
Kerem Gokmen — Dubmission

“Encapsulating a new movement in jazz.”
Jay Scarlett — Sounds Supreme

“Interesting listen on the shortest day of the year. They have a very definite and saturated style.”
John Chacona — All About Jazz

“Airplayed the track”
Tom Ravenscroft — BBC6 Music

“Jazz album of the year released already in February?”
Ralf Sandell — Hufvudstadsbladet

“★★★★★”
Iida Simes — Voima Magazine

France pianist Vanessa Wagner continues her exploration of the minimalist repertoire by introducing her audience to pieces, many rare or unpublished, by acclaimed composers, young pianists, and genre-bending personalities from the ambient and electronic scenes. In France or even Europe, Vanessa Wagner is practically the only "classical" pianist to tackle this contemporary and timeless repertoire. Study of The Invisible features interpretations of pieces by a spectrum of composers that includes Suzanne Ciani, Harold Budd, David Lang, Bryce Dessner and Phillip Glass.

Described by Le Monde as ‘the most delightfully singular pianist of her generation’, and by Libération as ‘one of the most curious and captivating pianists on the French scene, Vanessa Wagner is able to balance parallel careers. As well as performing a classic solo, chamber and concert repertoire on stages all over the world, through her output on InFiné she is continuously exploring paths that are equally personal, but perhaps more intimate. Study Of The Invisible sees her breaking new ground in a musical tradition, in a way that no other ‘classical’ pianist in France and Europe currently does. Often described as ‘minimalist’, it’s a musical tradition that covers a multitude of singular styles and musical personalities and that spans generations.

Study Of The Invisible seeks out the mysterious world that lives behind the score, the imperceptible links that unite these silences and harmonies, but also the inner resources that this music can bring to light. With this record and this journey, whose apparent melancholy ultimately proves to be powerfully comforting, Vanessa Wagner continues to give a new scale to a music which proves to be above all radiant and luminous.

*are Vinyl exclusive tracks

Three years after Stroom TV released his debut album Modified Perspectives, Kolàr released, Loops & Pieces, a documentation of sounds he has been working on in the period 2017-2020. According to Kolàr, this tape, also his first release for Dauw, was full of vaporous drafts transforming into solid forms with the help of time and distance. Compared to his previous work, the music on Loops & Pieces is much more stripped down and minimal, yet the dreamy character remained.

On Liquid Rhythm, we see Kolàr combining approaches of both albums. Using synths and acoustic instruments, he created 10 songs reflecting his typical playful yet melancholic aesthetics.

The 4th full-length by Tokyo Metropolis electronica entity UNKNOWN ME, Bishintai, is a sublime synthetic suite of cosmic wellness transmissions exploring “the unknown beauty of your mind and body,” appropriately named for a kanji compound meaning “beauty, mind, body.” Crafted with software, synthesizer, steel drum, rhythm boxes, and robotic voice by the core quartet of Yakenohara, P-RUFF, H. Takahashi, and Osawa Yudai, the album unfolds like a holographic guided meditation, soothing but cybernetic, framed by subways and sky malls. Latticework electronics flicker with texture, glitch, wobble, and mirage, themed around sensory perception and body parts.

A diverse cast of collaborators assist in actualizing the collection's uniquely urban expression of new age ambient, from psychedelic footwork riddler foodman to multi-instrumentalist institution Jim O'Rourke to Japanese underground shape-shifters MC.Sirafu and Lisa Nakagawa. Although the group cites a therapeutic muse (“made for the maintenance of the minds of city dwellers”), Bishintai shimmers with an alien strangeness, too, like decentralized relaxation systems obeying sentient circuits. This is music of utopia and nowhere, channeling worlds within worlds, birthed from a sonic ethos as simple as it is sacred: “in pursuit of beautiful tones.”

Perfect Location Records in close collaboration with Cherushii’s family is proud to present Nobody’s Fool, Starlight Express, and Manic on vinyl for the first time as 3 EPs. Originally released by Cherushii on her Bandcamp in 2015 and 2016, these 3 EPs encompass the radiant love, fluent creativity, and unapologetic joviality of not only the musical world of Cherushii, but also the person behind the music.

The hand-drawn artwork, which has become iconically synonymous with the Cherushii sound, are original creations by Cherushii’s sister, Sabrina Fox. With this reissue, we offer a continuation of the same visual candy with a new front cover by Sabrina: the nudibranch pattern. Chosen by Sabrina after a dream visitation, the nudibranch is a curious, resilient creature which harnesses its profound coloration to flourish in the oceanic infinity. It can only do so, however, once it sheds its shell.

Inside of 3 EPs you will find the original covers belonging to Nobody’s Fool, Starlight Express, and Manic as gloss sleeves for the respective EP.

3 EPs also features some of Cherushii’s talented friends and mentors, from her production with Golden Donna, lyrics by her longtime friend Kara Marie, and an appearance by her childhood music teacher Marcia Miget, to remixes by 100% SILK all-stars Bobby Browser and Magic Touch.

It is our hope that this vinyl reissue, with its beautiful, large gloss prints of Sabrina’s artwork, will further disseminate the legacy of Cherushii while contributing to the posthumous archive of a musical mastermind, viciously devoted and missed friend, and beloved sister.

In loving memory of Chelsea Faith 1983-2016









i F1 Manic (Magic Touch Mix feat. Colored Craig) Vinyl Edit









i F1 Manic (Magic Touch Mix feat. Colored Craig) Vinyl Edit

Remembrance follows a similar formula found on zake's previous effort, Geneva (released on Past Inside the Present, 2020). He produced eight short phonic motifs and then invited artists to collaborate, rework, and expand upon the source material resulting in a new, unique creation. The album consists of eight short vignettes by zake, six collaborative pieces, and eight completely reworked tracks. The track titles and overall theme of these works are based off the gorgeous poetic narrative "Remembrance" written Julia Frizzell.

The renowned Best Available Technology drops a masterclass on Accidental Meetings, a 10 track album that showcases his full repertoire!

Kevin Palmer aka Best Available Technology has been making waves for the last decade, releasing on labels such as 12th Isle, Opal Tapes & Further Records. This album is some of his best work to date, his unique style and process glistening throughout. 

It's built upon raw live jams, layered tones, hazy drones & foggy pads. An introspective listen from start to close, it touches on avant-garde, dub-techno, experimental & ambient. The music speaks for itself on this one, enough words - just dig in. 


The mix features an introduction by Wesley Joseph and exclusive tracks from friends and collaborators Skee Mask, Or:la, Gaunt, Avon Blume and Ehua as well as the playful and energetic new track from Vynehall himself 'Sugar Slip (The Lick)'.

Vynehall effortlessly traverses across genres from spoken word and ambient, to breakbeat, gqom and afro-house.

"The output of fabric's label holds a special place for me. During my teens into early twenties the musical landscape I was exposed to broadened, and my taste diversified greatly; going to shows, making music, and swapping new finds with friends. fabric had a huge part to play in shaping what I heard and was exposed to via their mix & compilation series. The first two I heard were Swayzak's 'fabric 11', and James Murphy & Pat Mahoney's 'FABRICLIVE 36'. Both these CDs helped open the door to a wider palette of sounds. Not only did I delve deeper into the compilations post & prior, but I learned about what I enjoyed when it comes to DJing - dynamics. That was the aim of my entry into the fabric discography. A dynamic mix with a cohesive sonic narrative running through it with the club in mind. I feel incredibly lucky to be putting forward my take on something that helped to shape how I approach what I do when I DJ."

Leon Vynehall will be taking over fabric for a personally curated night of live music and DJs on Friday 8th April 2022.

Desiderii Marginis, Troum, Martin Bladh & Karolina Urbaniak and Anemone Tube, who have gathered to pay homage to the first four novels of British writer J.G. Ballard: »The Wind from Nowhere«, »The Drowned World«, »The Drought and The Crystal World«, which are often seen as disaster novels. Each of the four projects presents a very unique take on the chosen work, using the respective text as a starting point to offer sonic representations of and (further) perspectives on these books, using drones, field recordings, words and much more to create evocative and richly layered soundscapes.

Adorned by a painting of German artist Alex Tennigkeit depicting a sphinx-like hybrid creature, a phoenix rising from the ashes of our civilization, the double album also includes an in-depth essay by Michael Göttert (African Paper) on Ballard's works in which he argues that the novels can best be understood as texts of transformation, as well as texts by the sound artists.

The double album starts with Desiderii Marginis' track “The Wind From Nowhere”, on which field recordings and intense drones suck the listener into a stormy vortex. Troum interpret The Drowned World, and their two dynamic tracks illustrate both the changes happening to the (outer) landscape and the (inner) world of the protagonists. Martin Bladh & Karolina Urbaniak make use of sound and words on “The Poisoned Well”, their interpretation of The Drought, referring to Shakespeare, the Bible and scorched earth policy amongst other points of reference. The album closes with Anemone Tube's take on The Crystal World, using field recordings made in Japan’s Mount Fuji forest. “Sea Of Trees” aims to show a devolutionary process, in which man gains access to his actual spiritual home – a primordial wisdom, which lets him discover an internal non-dual space, allowing to ultimately becoming one with the earth as body-being consciousness – the ‘perfect dream’ landscape.

Repress

Ben Bondy blesses Special Guest DJ’s Experiences Ltd with a near-fathomless solo debut of sensual, low key electronics and intimate nocturnes following a pair of peaches from from Ulla and Folder. This one’s all fizzing warm and loved up, highly recommended listening if you’re into anything from Newworldaquarium/154 to Harold Budd.
Like his split with Exael for Huerco S.’ West Mineral, ’Sibling’ sees Bondy return to a seductively gauzy midground sound that over the course of 15 tracks lulls and lists with a minimalist patience, allowing forms to emerge and evaporate in constantly shifty transitions and weathered plays of light according to an immersive eco-logic. Those liminal traces of sound and influence are almost imperceptible, pulling you into a protective amniotic sound-world thats evocative and comforting.
The album actually started out as a single LP but the mood spilled over into something twice as long and deep with it, creating what he describes as “kinda two parts to one being. kinda like the way the bonds of friendship/siblinghood work”. This fraternal pathos percolates throughout the album, knitting together gently windswept permutations of thizzing pads and frayed rhythms under a smudged and slowly turning kaleidoscopic lens. It’s pretty much the definition of hypnagogic, likely to draw your eyelids to half-mast andyour mind to blissed-out dream states.

Repress

Exael Debuts On Huerco S' West Mineral Ltd With 'collex', A Deep, Impressionistic Album Of Ambient Soundscaping Recorded Between Chicago And Berlin, Following An Excellent Split Ep With Likeminded Producer, Ryan Fall A.k.a. Uon, As Well As A Number Of Compilation Appearances With Allergy Season/discwoman, Physical Therapy And Carpet Group Recordings, The Latter Of Whom Coincidentally Issued Exael's Self-titled 2017 Album Under The Naemi Alias.
Crafted Over The Two Years Since Their First Album, 'collex' Finds Exael Mining A Finer And More Elusive Variant Of Ambient Music, Connecting Dots Between Classic Vapor-trail Dub And Hyper-Modern Inversions You'd More Readily Associate With 0pn Or Kara-lis Coverdale. With A Richly Refractive, Iridescent Quality, It Marks The Inward/outward Distance Travelled Between Concrète And Electronic Textures And Spatial Parameters, Manipulating Notions Of Stasis And Kinesis With An
Unfathomable, Gaseous Quality That Also Reminds Us Of Classic Vladislav Delay And Robert Henke's Site-specific Work.
From The Milky Plumes Of 'into Deep', Thru The Scudding Subaquatic Electro-dub Of 'split', To The Bristling Gunk Of 'choeo3' And The Wanda Group-like Subsidence Of 'cart', To The Lushly Fractious Flux Of 'glass In Plastic (with Arad Acid)' And 'anc Alt', Exael Maintains A Cool Head Despite The
Disorienting G-force And Upended Context, Elaborating A Form Of Simulacra That Uncannily Reflects The Real World's Realigned Ideas About Gender, Mental Health, And Emotional Wealth.Offering A Modernist Re-vision Of Classic Chain Reaction And Early 00's Dub Inversions, It's An Uncanny Reminder Of A Relatively Recent Era In Electronic Music That Seems Far Out Of Reach In The Present Climate, A Perfect Accompaniment To That Brilliant Pendant Album That Kicked This Fine Label
Off Earlier This Year.

Repress

Leading lights of the neo ambient rhizome alongside Huerco S’ West Mineral label, Experiences Ltd has already amassed a cult following after just one release - ULLA’s ‘Tumbling Towards A Wall’, now returning to relay a sublime, probing debut of crackling, cross-continental communications from mdo, Ultrafog, and Nikolay Kozlov, aka Folder.
Weft from dematerialised ambient tropes spooled between their respective bases in Kansas City, Tokyo, and Samara in Russia, ‘New Path’ slots fuzzily into an expanding prism of contemporary ambient music which echoes the purpose and effect of the original thing via traces of ‘90s/‘00s experimental techno and minimalist rhythms. Their sound effectively recalls K. Leimer’s systems music as much as the Pole’s eerie dub malfunctions; running a lushly frayed and decentralised style that embraces a gently psychedelic sort of chaos and lysergic, hallucinatory vision in an up-to-the-moment way shared by the likes of Huerco. S and uon.
If original ambient was analogous to THC and LSD, and in the ‘90s MDMA, then the effect of Folder’s music, and that of their peers, adds the putative, lushly dissociative effect and non-linearity of Ketamine and psilocybin to that formula. As such ‘New Path’ attempts to follow new routes through your neurons, sparking at new junctures of style and form that better reflect and counter a current psychic state of stasis and anxious anticipation.
Coming from the label behind those cult ‘bblisss’ volumes of 2016-2018, listeners can trust their needs for relaxation and otherworldly curiosity will be sated by ’New Path’, as it courses from iridescent ambient noise in the titular opener, to the laminal diffractions of ‘Plasma’, and soothing textural abstraction of ‘Reset’, shoring up in ‘Node’ as though oceanic ambient currents have individually lead them to this bobbing buoy inthe middle of a noumenal ocean.

Brian Leeds a.k.a. Huerco S' West Mineral label present a groggy Midwestern ambient doozy with Chat, the first collaborative release by Pontiac Streator and Ulla Straus
Pontiac Streator previously appeared as a guest on the first West Mineral LTD release, Pendant's Make Me Know You Sweet, while Ulla Straus is perhaps best known for her part on the cultishly adored bblisss compilation tape which introduced Huerco S.'s Pendant alias to the world at large.
Their first album together is a bedroom-crafted confection where drowsy blues and raga smudge with lounging exotica themes in a blunted style to properly heavy-lidded effect.
Chat was recorded on July 5th in Pilsen, Chicago on Ulla's bed after a long week spent dancing with friends, staying up all night typing in chatrooms, and hate-watching Fox news. The results channel that experience into four lop-sided creations that feel satisfyingly burned out and immersive, like the murmur of zonked chat between close friends.
In four parts; Chat One thru Chat Four, the record unfurls with a muggy mid-fi tension between its illusive fidelities, kindling a smoky atmosphere that colours listening spaces with seductive smells
and a muggy, keening tension that recalls the minutes before sundown
This balmy feel of the surreal comes out in a sylvan patina of sweetened cicadas and curling pads urged along by a stream of wooden drums, variously recalling Spencer Clark on some kind of
Aguirre soundtrack mission in the tropics, a heatsick Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement piece, or, in the dream-pop drift of the last part, like Leven Signs smudged by Muslimgauze.
Coolly serving to expand West Mineral LTD's remit after that spellbinding Pendant album and a 12" of ectoplasmic dubs from uon, the flux of arid/fluid textures and para-dimensional fidelities in
Chat feels somehow calming yet fraught with a somnambulant appeal that's dangerously easy to

Silver Vinyl Repress


Huerco S' West Mineral Label Follow Pendant's Sublime Make Me Know You Sweet Album With Uon's Wholly Absorbing Study In Brownian Motion And Isolation Tank Ambience. It's The 2nd Release From The Enigmatic Project Whose Debut 12's In 2017 Was Among The Year's Finest.
On This Extended Player, Uon Poetically Describes Three Different Behaviours Of Water And Its Amorphous States Through A Gently Elemental Push-and-pull Of Forces Best Considered In The Vein Of Basic Channel, Wolfgang Voigt's Gas Or The Shimmering Convections Of Ross 154. Beautifully Elusive But Crucially Watermarked With A Sense Of Originality In Personalized Style, Solaris Opens With The 17 Minute Title Cut - A Seemingly Infinite Journey Through Swells Of Diffracted Chords And Silty Filters, Simultaneously Connoting Sensations Of Opiated Amniotic Safety And Oceanic Infinity.
Where The A-side Feels Like Floating In A Lush Mass, The Bass-heavy Articulation Of His B-side's J May Well Urge Listeners Onto The 'floor With The Same, Inexorable Traction Of Classic Vainqueur Records, And In A Way Smartly Reflects Uon's Mutable Dj Style, Before The Aqueous Qualities Of His Final Track Bus Soothes To A Deeper Blue State Of Loved-up Introspection Which, Like Solaris, Could Have Have Easily Taken Up A Side To Itself.
Bliss.

Swedens sound art, noise and experimental main-stayer Carl Michael von Hausswolff with a two part sound piece from installations at Pierogi Gallery (Brooklyn), Museo Rufino Tamayo (Mexico City) and ZKM (Karlsruhe). Mainly recorded between 2001-03 this is a trademark, and maybe traditional, sonic landscape from the Nordic region of Europe's sonic art movement post 2000. Harsh, but always elegant. Consistent and with little traces of our current society.

Tempered, deep and precise from Norwegian/Danish Oblivion Dip with first cut carrying Danish obscure vocals fitting atmospherically and effortlessly well. The "Skeletonmix" targets the pure, rhythmic and spaceous sides of title the track while DJ Sotofett's remix detours electro, cold balearic and harmonising progressions. Absolute finalum with the almost jazzy acidic and speedy but beautiful lightness of "Panning".

TEN WALLS RELEASING A LIVE ALBUM 'SYMPHONY' PERFORMED WITH FULL ORCHESTRA

A celebrated Lithuanian producer and performer Ten Walls (Marijus Adomaitis) is about to put the first live album to his discography. Featuring the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra and a handful of distinguished collaborators, the album 'Symphony' comes in double vinyl.

The wildly successful live performance recorded and pressed on the vinyl took place in the summer of 2019. Almost a hundred musicians participated in the event, including piano virtuoso Petras Geniušas, hugely popular Lithuanian singer Daddy Was A Milkman, Swedish singer and producer Jonatan Bäckelie and the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, conducted by its founder and multi-award winner maestro Gintaras Rinkevičius.

'Symphony' is a unique opportunity to experience the signature Ten Walls sound with that extra dimension that only full symphonic orchestra is able to create. It adds a certain depth to the tracks that are on the lyrical side of the emotional spectrum, while dance bangers become even more powerful with string and brass sections giving it an additional punch.

Being a classically trained musician himself, Marijus has long dreamed of performing his music with the orchestra. It took several years for the idea to mature, during which his work received global recognition, his work being covered by world-class musicians.

Credits:

Written and produced by: Marijus 'Ten Walls' Adomaitis
Arrangement by: Jievaras Jasinskis, Marijus Adomaitis
Mixing and mastering by: Marijus Adomaitis
Performers:
Conductor: Gintaras Rinkevičius
The Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra
Vocalists: Daddy Was A Milkman ( C5, C6 ), Jonatan Bäckelie ( A4, B4 )
Bass guitar: Domas Aleksa ( A3 )
Synthesizer / drum machine: Ten Walls
Piano: Petras Geniušas
Bass guitar and synthesizer: Julius Valančauskas
Electric drums: Jonas Gliaudelis

The artist name of Inre Kretsen Grupp (translates to ‘Inner Circle Group’) was conceived as a humorous homage towards the curious lingo of private press loners & multi-instrumentalists padding out their image with fantasy band members. For Martin Blomberg, the man behind the name, it was also the mental safe zone of someone breaking out into a solo career after decades of playing in bands. Through the social melting pot of the now defunct Wildlife record shop operating out of Malmö, Martin was introduced to the Fasaan Records crew, who released his debut solo EP Dorisk Ordning in 2019. Bonding over mutual goals in music and ergonomic footwear for men, Martin would soon join the label as co-conspirator. This full length album grew out of the live-sets Martin devised around that first EP. Sifting through these after a number of concerts, he brought them back to the studio for an arduous process of finding the right sound. With a kind of gritty and minimalistic new wave in mind, he has gone out of his way to find the right balance without falling for tropes and clichés. But however far he steers the controls for the leftfield, there is always a pop sensibility to his productions. Emerging through ambient textures and echoes, opening track “Arpa” sprawls out over a curious soundscape, dragging a rusty guitar loop around mysterious samples and dazed synth pads. The following “Buffo” is an entirely different story, kicking off with a dry motorik rhythm and haunting arpeggios that sets the stage for some epic chords. The same kind of epic pop chords that will resurface later on title track “Raoul”. The recipe for kosmische repetitions continues on with “Habo” but sets off on a more wobbly path, landing in a sinisterly funky bassline and brooding gothic synthwork. Its closest relative is found later on in “Svit” - which also seems to have been conjured in the same dark universe as Joel Graham’s rediscovered masterpiece “Night”. While the drum machines are hard at work throughout, it’s on “Vyn” where the drum beat truly gets to speak - and it does - in a crunchy, head-nodding late 80’s New Beat fashion banging with reverb and pierced with staccato synth stabs of the pseudo-Jamaican variety. Most tracks here chugs away on a steady groove, coupled with firm yet dreamy melodies. One can sense the lingering scent of the Factory Records catalogue imbued in the machinery of the album, yet there is also a crisp Nordic ambiance that demands its rightful space here. Perhaps it’s the presence of fellow label runner Ivar “Golden Ivy” Lantz providing his stark trademark violin as guest musician on “Bonum”, or simply the cold temperatures of Sweden coupled with cheap and badly insulated recording spaces in the industrial areas of Malmö. Whatever the case, get ready for some cold waves ahead.

Stelios Vassiloudis enters an inspiring new phase as he unveils his sophomore LP All Else Fails available March 25th via Balance Music.

Hailing from Athens, Greece, Stelios Vassiloudis poses a triple threat as a composer, producer and DJ. Having been active in the electronic music scene since the early 2000s he has cultivated his own brand of distinctive ambience reflective of his rich and diverse musical background; transcending the dance floor via an emotional narrative of complex soundscapes, intricate harmonies and hypnotic rhythms. Over the past decade Stelios has released music under various other monikers, yet this new endeavour is his most diligent to date - allowing him to rediscover his love for making music during the process, "I'm more hopeful, inspired and determined than ever before."

Ten years on from the release of his debut LP, Stelios' detail-oriented offerings remain incomprehensibly thought-provoking and thorough with this new album. Noticeably dissimilar to any previous efforts, Stelios consciously took a step back from the pressure of maintaining a steadily flowing supply of functional, club-oriented music and as the world stood still amidst the pandemic, he embraced the opportunity to reconnect and express himself with a broader musical vocabulary. He admits that: "with the world around us seemingly on the fast track to Armageddon, the music ended up being very much reflective of the sadness and helplessness I felt."

All Else Fails is a stimulating odyssey to anyone listening. Harmonically dense, arcadian glistens seep throughout the ten tracks, each complementary to the next. Bask in the wistful iridescence and you won't be disappointed.

Stelios carved his way into electronic music by traversing around the globe as a DJ and performer - performing at intimate underground bars in Beirut, festivals in Miami, after-hours in Tokyo, beaches in Goa and mega clubs in Argentina. Having developed a formidable discography on esteemed labels such as Bedrock, Poker Flat, Ovum, Constant Sound and Darkroom Dubs, among others, Stelios' studio prowess and coveted productions cemented his reputation as a versatile and acclaimed artist. His intense passion and drive for innovation in music serves as the fuel to keep him inspired and relevant, qualities that no doubt ensure his reputation as an artist of the highest calibre, will endure.

Voltaje Raizal is the first album of the tropical futurist music project Rizomagic, an electronic music duo, that consists of Diego Manrique, director of the avant-garde cumbia orchestra Niño Pueblo, and Edgar Marun, director of the ethno-afrobeat ensemble Dorado Kandua; Two outstanding projects from Bogota's new thriving alternative psychedelic scene.

The sounds of the album are rooted in the Afro-Caribbean musical tradition, in the mixed ancestry that defines Colombian culture, and IDM. The melodic construction of the album takes inspiration from variouscultures, including Indigenous chants from Colombia’s Embera people, the traditional scales from Mali’s Bambara ethnic group, and the Ghanian palm wine guitar interpreted by a Caribbean millo flute. The mix and mastering carried out by Eblis Alvarez (Meridian Brothers, Pirañas, Chupame el Dedo) and Camilo Manchego offered the final touches that make Voltaje Raizal a fresh proposal to Colombia’s futurist tropical scene. "Rizomagic set out to recontextualize their sources. It’s no coincidence that their name comes from rhizomatic, the botanically derived term for a subterranean, horizontal network of roots".

Tristan Disco was an ephemeral Japanese project led by Takayuki Shiraishi (BGM, MLD) focused on making dubbish Post-Punk.
In 1982 they elaborate a no-wave full of unrehearsed breaks and cavernous vocals. Boundless dark jamming sessions through shades, effects and reverbs always submerged by a tense nervous bassline.

On the B side Krikor delivers a hard-hitting Industrial reconstruction of "Social Dance" perfect to shatter your brain.
Retakes from the mysterious ambient artist Civilistjävel! are more brooding.
Introspection and faded horizons are the main purposes here but a glimpse of hope still glow.

Sam Paganini is back with the brand a new album “Light + Shadow”. The fantastic 12 track concept is his fourth full length after 2020's Reflections and is split into two halves, Light and Shadow, with each showcasing different sides to his sound. This innovative format is a way for the artist to dig even deeper and cook up different moods and grooves for different settings.

“Out of Our Hands” brings together Alvin Lucier and Jordan Dykstra who, through the hands of Ordinary Affects, have created debut recordings of two new compositions.

These companion pieces have similar orbits as they were not only both composed in Middletown, CT (where Alvin and Jordan lived for a number of years), but are about Middletown, at least from a starting point. Alvin’s piece — a homage to the location of the house in which he recorded “I am sitting in a room” back in 1969 — continues his study into slow-moving glissandi and carefully crafted beating patters by interweaving three string players within a minor third (voiced by two vibraphonists). The result is entrancing, almost psychedelic, and opens space where one didn’t expect. Like much of his previous work, it is conceptual and process-based; once the wheels get turning they go on and on, giving the listener time to approach the piece, sit with it, and then move back inward.

On the other hand, Dykstra’s piece “32 Middle Tones” (a pun on his Middletown street address and the harmonic microtonality utilized in the composition) is a very textural work. His piece asks the cellist to sustain pitches for extended durations — at times quietly singing in close proximity to the stopped pitch coming from the cello — while the rest of the ensemble (violin, viola, and 2 percussion) voice a sequence of chords separated by notated silences. The cello voice is sometimes alone, but never for too long as it finds itself supported from both the top and bottom in a harmonic embrace. This supportive structure involves a percussion section which colors the seemingly simple chords (major 6th, inverted minor 7th, inverted minor 2nd, etc.) with a non-traditional toolkit of bowed singing bowls, stone sheets, harmonicas, and even leaves.

This is music that gently gives the listener a sense of predictability but always in an unexpected (and subtly indeterminate) shade. Speaking of shade, the album’s cover photo was taken in 2019 in Alvin’s backyard in Middletown. Alvin and Jordan sit with similar demeanors in front of his favorite tree — a crooked aspen which early on looked to be doomed — but which he would often saunter over to spend time with, giving it whispers of blessings and encouraging words.The world was blessed with Alvin’s presence and hopefully this album will whisper to you and yours.

Artist statement:
“With Alvin’s recent passing I was overwhelmed with messages and calls from friends, collaborators, and his former students. Everyone had a heavy heart, no doubt, but were grateful for the memories and their gift to be around Alvin during his lifetime of prolific dedication to the arts, his fascination with poetic storytelling through scientifically-inspired minimalism, and his calm and warmhearted spirit. In his last few years on earth, Alvin was busier than ever — brainstorming new ideas, creating new pieces, and planning big things. While he was here, he was alive, and may his music — and spirit — live on forever, spreading from his corner of Church and High (where he recorded his seminal piece I am sitting in a room) to every corner, concert hall, and loudspeaker in the world.”

The Equations Collective is an experimental sound project formed by a multi-disciplinary group of artists, active in the fields of music, photography, sound design & software development.

In 2018, the collective set up a temporary outdoor recording studio, 1130 meters above sea level, on the slopes of Mount Helicon in Greece, with the ambition of recording their work in a natural environment. A 'mobile and modular' construction, fully powered by solar panels, the design of the studio showcases the possibilities of a progressive, environmentally sustainable future through renewable energy.

Embodying ecological incentives, and representing an immersive engagement with the landscape, the 'Helicon Sessions' document this extraordinary residency, capturing a profound dialogue with the eponymous mountain region.

Situated in Boeotia, Central Greece, Mount Helicon has a prominent archaic significance. A historic location where stories of sacred springs and the epic origins of the Muses and Narcissus converge. Steeped in the heritage of ancient narratives, Helicon is seen as a principal symbol of poetic inspiration.

On the 'Helicon Sessions' the collective draw upon the inspiring topography and fabled mythological resonances of the area, unfurling an expansive, hypnotic suite of abstract electronics. Liberated by an open-ended, improvisational dynamic, the collective move through a mysterious, elemental cycle that mirrors the imposing scale and dramatic atmospheres of the setting.

Across an entrancing, fluid sequence of five designated 'cuts', the collective traverse the borderlands of drone, techno, dub, and acid, amplifying the acoustic traces of Helicon by integrating field recordings collected at the site into this arresting body of work. With these recordings, the collective delineate an odyssey of subverted 303s, sputtering drum machines and formidable, oscillating low end that drifts and coalesces like an amorphous mirage; a spellbinding sound world of clarity and shadow.

The 'Helicon Sessions' signify a symbiosis (between the terrestrial and the engineered, between wildlife and futurism, between the intrinsic and the synthetic, between the innate and the manmade) And with their conception of a portable, eco-friendly studio The Equations Collective focalize valuable ideas centred on ingenuity and evolution. The outcome of this project illustrates a unique collaborative exchange which acknowledges the deep nuances of environment and the enduring echoes of history.

The Equations Collective is a collaboration between Artefakt, Aroma Pitch, Aphelion and Sphera De Noumenon across Berlin, Amsterdam, Cologne and Hamburg. Together they have established an all night long live event in Berlin, starting at Sameheads and Acud Macht Neu, which eventually lead to their residency at OHM (Tresor).

For this format they have collaborated with the following artists: Alex The Fairy, Anna Z, D-IX, Eliad Wagner, Jón Friđgeir Sigurđsson, Orson Wells, Phillip Jondo, Philipp Matalla, PRSMC, Rabih Beaini, Sabrina Gricourt, Sébastien Robert, and Vida Vojić.

The respective members of The Equations Collective have released a range of output on the likes of Field Records, Delsin, Semantica Records, De Stijl, & Soul People Music.

Since 2018 their visual identity has been shaped by Elias Hanzer.

The 'Helicon Sessions' is their debut release.

Thirty minutes of dark Ambient, drone and experimentation by Kastil owner of Soul Notes. The album is seven tracks in length and contains ambient, experimental, and noise music recorded through modular synthesizers and FX pedal. Limited edition of 70 copies with special golden packaging, smell of luck and two tacks. Black tape with golden case.

Forty minutes of dark atmospheres in an evocative mix of dark ambient, ritual, darkwave, drone, industrial and noise by the head of Donations Project, with a remix by J. Mardaras member of Amor Eterno. The album is presented in a limited edition cassette of 20 numbered copies under a careful presentation in a silk-screened cardboard box.

Thirty-sixth Eclectic Reactions Records reference signed by Rama. "FRTHCMNG_NZ?" is the title of the album presented by this artist from Bizkaia from the mining area on the left bank of the Nervión. Over the course of forty minutes, in a total of three songs plus a remix, Rama develops a wisely refined drone with industrial passages and dark ambient melodies, seasoned with film fragments in a suggestive, hypnotic, rhythmic and beautiful result. As a counterpoint, the artist Fernando Carvalho offers a remix in the form of Industrial Dub and marvelous Breakbeat. The album is presented in a limited edition of 20 hand-numbered copies under a careful presentation in a silk-screened black cardboard box.

Batsaykhan is the rebirth of the first project to ever release on Favela Discos, only a few hours after the label’s blogspot was put online back in 2013. Formerly known as Batsaykhantuul, Batsaykhan is not only one of Nuno Oliveira’s alter-egos but also something between a science fiction character and an ancestral spirit doomed to wander the earth in an apparently human physical manifestation.

The first album, Maestro Ir Noras, is a small and simple collection of tracks featuring only guitars and other stringed instruments, the second, being even smaller (only a single track) already seemed to lead us on through the psychedelic desert that would define the sound of the project.

After a long hiatus, Batsaykhan finally emerged from the drawer, or maybe it was from the desert, only to reveal that he had shape-shifted, now taking the form of a trio. With the help of André Azevedo and Tito Silva, Nuno started working on old demos of unpublished compositions and adapting them to the new formation. The trio started the process of refining the songs and the sound of the record, using only a strict selection of synths, percussions, bass and guitar.

They ended up settling down on a terrain of moving sands for those who feel the need to define their sound, between a forest of psychedelia, a river of ambient and the obvious desert that has buried the guitars under its “western” sand.

Batsaykhan’s self-titled release, and the project’s first long play will finally unveil itself on the last day of February, digitally and on 12’’ vinyl, with design and artwork by Rita Laranja.

Kali Malone and Maria W. Horn's XKatedral label deliver an incredible album of empyrean chimes and subterranean drones from out-musick duo Tongue Depressor. It’s an in-depth exploration of tuned percussion and just intoned drone that comes highly recommended if you’re into the work of Tony Conrad, C.C. Hennix, John Cage, Philip Corner and Michael Ranta - or if you’re into church bells, gamelan, or Popol Vuh's earliest meditations. Floored.

With a mesmerising grasp of rhythmelodic delicacy and skin-shivering microtonal tunings, ‘Burnish’ makes for a memorable introduction, where needed, to the remarkably attuned intuitions of Tongue Depressor, aka Zach Rowden (aluminium bowls, organ) and Henry Birdsey (orchestral bells, lap steel guitar). Recording and performing together since 2017, with some 20 tape and LP releases to their name, the New Haven, Connecticut pairing are one-take artists whose familiarity with each other’s style results in a such a closely shared musical system or language that it effectively blurs distinctions between improvisation and composition. On ‘Burnish’ they explore aspects of a chiming sublime and its phantasmic, doomier inverse with utterly compelling results.

Both pieces of ‘Burnish’ were recorded in 2019 and feel like long rituals, played with a patience and rigour that effortlessly seduces to their sounds’ liminal, tip-of-tongue appeal. Typically laid to 1⁄4” tape on a reel-to-reel machine, the results create absorbing landscapes from their struck objects and sonorous resonances; rendering haptic gestures with an air-bending magic rooted in millennia of microtonal practice, done to instantly gratifying effect that only becomes enhanced with durational immersion.

The A-side’s ‘Graver’s Block’ spellbinds with its suspenseful lattice of lissom timbral cadence and plasmic rhythmic diffractions hinting at Michael Ranta’s eastern fixations played in Harry Bertoia’s Sonambient barn. It trades strings for bells, with Birdsey on an orchestral set and Rowden playing hand-cast aluminium bowls. They were influenced by change ringing, a style of bell ringing usually found in British churches that uses a set of tuned bells played in often non-repeating mathematical sequences, but repurposed here to take on a completely new form that conjures the spirit of Gamelan as chimes rattle and phase past scraped metallic clangs.

Side B’s ‘Monocline’ however locks into a treacly thick, just intoned drone of molten metal ooze recalling KTL via Tony Conrad and C.C. Hennix’s shark-eyed focus, layering organ and lap steel in an attempt to reference both 20th century minimalism and American folk music. They nail it too, slipping into a sacred mode that harmonises with Popol Vuh's "In den Gärten Pharaos" - all light-headed organ nausea and tense, wavering tones that seem to mimic ancient incantations.

Together, these two long pieces are the audio equivalent of lighting a thurible and suspending yourself in holy devotion. Just masterful business.