Techno News

Heady, deep dive into techno's more psychedelic spaces, true to form, "Dimensions Doors" EP kicks off with the rolling kicks of "Portal Opening", a trippy exploration of shifting ambiances and rhythmic noise, punctuated by a siren tone. AWB steps up with a broken beat remix of "Portal Opening", layering Clotur's ambiances over low-slung percussion. "Hyperspace Travel" brings up the energy with galloping kicks and rippling resonant synths. BLNDR follows up with a pounding remix, building Clotur's sweeping textures into trippy loops circling over a monolithic kick. "Irregular Frequencies" pulls even further into the portal, with a relentless, rubbery synth squelching along over driving, percussion. Clotur lays a gentle, but uneasy atmosphere over this trippy tool. He brings us back down with "Forbidden Level", another complex rhythmic track featuring glitchy percs and robotic warping over a tough low-end workout.

Alberto Garralón Spanish guitar player and producer made a cassette 30 years ago...

Large doses of imagination, passion, heart, and with influences of contemporary classical music on the strings, pianos and winds and also a folk touch on the guitars with a mix of ethnic music in his percussions made Baila, Claridad! the first work in his career an unique collector's piece of the famous Spanish movement "Nuevas Músicas"

Here is the return remastered in LP format by Discómanos Records.
12". Limited Edition to 300 Copies.

The sound of MARTIN MERZ is a scenario of gloomy soundscapes and analogue bass figures, paired with elements from Industrial and EBM which takes the listener into the abyss of an urban future.
For his electronic compositions MARTIN MERZ isn’t only fishing in technowaters as he also lets his listeners glide through ambient landscapes which transform into pumping organic shapes of groove and synth melodies.
It’s those bubbly basslines making love to space-filling spheric sounds and tribal drums that turn everything into a timeless and dancy work of art.

The clergy is pleased to introduce you to a new initiate: Birds ov Paradise. This highly anticipated Hypnus debut comes split into three separate EP's which will be released one each full moon starting October.

Some of you may be acquainted with the music of Birds ov Paradise already as he's put out two stellar records on Jens and Aniara Recordings in 2016-2017, as well as making a contribution to our podcast series The Memoir where his sound was put on a grand display. Those of you who are new to the fantastic dream world of this very talented artist will quickly get lost in the flowing rhythms that drives his magical deep techno sound.

Early support from Etapp Kyle, Ness, Slam, Iori, Refracted, Svreca, Cio D'Or and Dorisburg to name a few.

No Exit Records is pleased to present Hektor's debut release, 'Rituals'. Four tracks of lush electronica, Hektor gives us a highly textural, romantic record where field recordings, analogue synths, drum machines and samples are woven together to dramatic effect. With this palette of sounds in hand, the classically trained artist takes us on deft and unexpected journey, exploring unconventional arrangements in a wholly immersive listening experience. Exciting sounds from the newcomer.

Cabaret Voltaire is Richard H. Kirk and ‘Shadow of
Fear’ was the band’s first studio album in 26 years,
released in 2020 to critical acclaim.
‘Dekadrone’ delves deeper into Cabaret Voltaire’s
arsenal of “harsh rhythms and threatening
detonations” (Classic Pop).
A brand-new drone album on CD packaged in a
gatefold card pack and white double vinyl in a
gatefold sleeve with full colour inner bags and high
definition audio download. (‘Dekadrone’ is
presented across the double LP as four ‘Phases’.)
“‘Shadow of Fear’ is a brash and confident
rebirth… Richard H. Kirk has chosen a good time to
revive the Cabs’ ominous industrial funk” - Uncut
(8*)
“Masterclass in shapeshifting disco… clinches these
industrial shadow-dwellers’ influence” - Mojo (4/5)
“Kirk is intent on pushing forward, ensuring that
the hints of familiarity never come with an
accompanying tang of comforting nostalgia.” - The
Guardian (4/5)
“A lot has changed in the past 26 years, but what
hasn’t altered is Cabaret Voltaire’s knack for eerie
but danceable post-punk.” - NME

You Know What It's Like is an album for inbetween days, and occupies inbetween states: plain-speaking pop, disorientated by dub. Psychedelic folk delivered with (post-)punk economy. Drifting in space while still tethered to the ground. Astral tones blurred with earth sounds: wood, bone, breath, skin, dirt. Ending and beginning, dying and becoming. Longing for adventure and an unquiet life. Struggling to get out of bed.

This is Carla dal Forno's debut solo album, following time in cult Melbourne group Mole House and an earlier association with Blackest Ever Black as a member of F ingers and Tarcar. Her voice is an extraordinary instrument: both disarmingly conversational and glacially detached. It has something of the bedsit urbanity of Anna Domino, Marine Girls, Antena, or Helen Johnstone - stoned and deadpan - but it can also summon a gothic intensity that Nico or Kendra Smith would approve of. This voice is the perfect embodiment of dal Forno's emotionally ambiguous songs: their lyrics rooted in the everyday, observing and exposing a series of uncomfortable truths. This voice asks difficult questions of singer, subject, and sung-to.

And of course there are no simple answers. Singles 'Fast Moving Cars' and 'What You Gonna Do Now' weigh up claustrophobia against loneliness, inertia against acceleration, doubling down versus taking off, the title track acknowledges the provisional nature of love and real' intimacy, then decides to brave it anyway. By the time we arrive at the startlingly sparse 'The Same Reply', the impermanence of all things is something that can no longer be tolerated, and the sense of dejection is absolute.

The vocal-led pieces are interspersed with richly evocative instrumentals, like Eno's Another Green World reimagined in shades of brown and blue. Smothered in tape-hiss and reverb, the seasick synthesizer miniatures 'Italian Cinema' and 'Dragon Breath' channel the twilit DIY whimsy of Flaming Tunes and Call Back The Giants. 'DB Rip''s drum machine and bassline are pure Chicago house, but then its dark choral drones nod to Dalis Car's dreams of blood-spattered Cornwall stone. 'Dry The Rain' drinks from a stream of eldritch, home-brewed moon musick that runs through Coil, In Gowan Ring, Third Ear Band, even the Raincoats' Odyshape, and into the woods.

Wondering and wandering. Wounding and consoling. Looking forward, looking back. Saying it like it is, making it up as we go along. It can't last forever. You can't have it all. You know what it's like

Venturing off course from his Post-Punk / Dark Wave project,The Soft Moon, LosAngeles born composer and multi-instrumentalist Luis Vasquez, embarks intonew territory withA BodyOf Errors,a bold reimagining of the soundtrack genre.With this album, Vasquez felt the urgency to break away fromTheSoftMoonrealm and deliver an even more intimate, self-reflecting body of work,while further unveiling inner demons & vulnerability. He continues to explore hisnotorious angst and visceral pain, but places them in the context of his ownphysical being, creating the deeply personal, yet relatable and compelling odditythat isA Body Of Errors,which Vasquez describes as a collection of themes toliving in the human body.

Opening track “Interno” with its crushing synthesizers, is a blast off into theabyss of self. Sinister gasps introduce “Poison Mouth” stomping you withrelentless torment before spiraling into oblivion. Halfway, we reach themechanized rhythms and throbbing cardiac pulse of “Surgery” expressingVasquez’s phobia with the body itself. “No Longer Human” with its hallucinogenicflutter and distant cries, imagines a fantastic universe beyond, with a nod to David Lynch’sTwin Peaks. The only lyrical appearance onABody Of Errorsis“Used To Be” a gut-wrenching wall-of-sound ballad romanticizing the strugglebetween one'sgood side & bad side. Pulling you into armageddon,A Body OfErrorscloses with “World On Fire” an epic post-apocalyptic battle-storm paintedvividly through symphonic devastation.

Sublunar Records, the label run by Sciahri and Dagdrom, starts 2019 with his tenth re- lease.

'Corpora' is a new trilogy project whose elements will see the light throughout the year.

Part I involves Nuel, known for his collaboration with Donato Dozzy on the Aquaplano project and author of for two genre defining album on Further Records.
His contribution 'Intarsia' is a polyrhythmic mixture of ascending synth spirals where every element is tuned for maximum clarity and impact.
Then Sam KDC, an integral part of ASC's cutting edge Auxiliary label and regular on Geoff Presha's Samurai and Samurai Horo, comes in with 'Skirmish', a ritualistic experience where a memorable melodic figure is surrounded by delicate drum patterns. On the B side co-founder Sciahri releases all the tension with 'Linfa', pushing his signature sound into heavy atmospheric disturbances where distorted grooves bounce among skittering bits of percussion.

Repress

When I was 22 I managed to acquire Techno Animal’s Demonoid 12” at a local record store, Rocking Horse Records. I can still recall the intensities of sound that marked the first moments of listening to it. The sense of bass as a tactile surface, that rolling groove and the howling sine waves and dub sirens that scorched with a type of sonic burning sensation that to this day makes my hairs stand on end. A year later I heard Ice’s Bad Blood, from there I discovered The Bug through a release on Wordsound, a band called God, a sound movement called isolationism and much more; all of these projects had one nexus point - Kevin Richard Martin.

In 2015, Kevin and I book-ended a series of concerts at Berghain for CTM festival. For his performance, Kevin debuted a new work I’d heard very little about called ’Sirens’. I remember two things distinctly about the performance. The first thing is he opened the set with a blazing passage of bass and dub sirens that instantly transported me back to those initial moments of encountering his work. The second was the feeling of absolute, crushing bass. Not before, or since, have I felt a sense of sound pressure like this. Unlike his other work with The Bug for example, the consistent bass carrying in the space was literally breathtaking and there were moments when it seemed difficult to see clearly as my eye sockets were vibrating in a way I’d never experienced.

Sirens, which documents the intensities surrounding the delivery and early days of his first child, carries in it a sense of deep affect. The album, unlike the live work, traces out a dynamic sound world that is both tender and caustic. It charts the emotional rollercoaster that is the arrival of parenthood, heightened through the complex circumstances of his wife's emergency procedures during the birth and two further life threatening operations for his son, in the first month of the child's life. Within each piece, microcosms of sensation unfold, Kevin clearly and deftly manoeuvres us through the tumultuous journey. Seconds become hours, and hours become seconds; Sirens somehow creates a sense of time that is without anchor and is foggy in a way that is profoundly unique (and frankly pleasurable).

Kevin Richard Martin has remained a point of constant inspiration for me over several decades now. To have the opportunity to share his first ever solo recording, one that arguably opens an entirely new side of his practice, brings me the utmost pride. His work has impacted so very much on me at various points and I know I am not alone in this situation. His new work, Sirens is a life journey transposed into sound that is truly personal, but effortlessly universal. It is the start of a new chapter for Kevin and one that I know will only strengthen his place as one of the critical voices in contemporary electronic music.

- Lawrence English, March 2019

Heavy Psych Sounds is really proud to announce a brand new series of split albums that will be called DOOM SESSIONS. We are going to release a bunch of compilations with doom bands from Heavy Psych Sounds roster featuring some of the heaviest bands of the world doom scene. Each volume will host two bands. This record you are holding is VOL. 2 - a split album with our heavy doom bands 1782 and Acid Mammoth. 1782 is premiering three brand new tracks "Bloody Ritual", "Hey Satan" and "Witch Death Cult". Acid Mammoth is releaasing three new tracks too: "Black Wedding", "Sleepless Malice" and "Cosmic Pyres".

I was initially intrigued by the artwork for Mark's New Routes out of Innerland. It felt so familiar. I had to have a listen. Upon hearing it I was shocked to find out how much I loved the music. It was a beautiful blend of the things I loved about ambient music and what my partner calls "Space Rock". I had never heard Innerland and I was already taking New Routes out of it I needed to buy Innerland. So I did some research - found out Mark was on Sonic Cathedral label and contacted Nat over there who ended up being super helpful and friendly. I was able to get Innerland and A journey through Ambient Innerland in vinyl. It is no wonder I was drawn to the music, a frequent collaborator with Ulrich Schnauss, Mark's work is at once blues, ambient and psychedelic.

Ai Yamamoto is a Japanese born and Melbourne, Australia based artist who has been making music since the early 2000's. With her first album on PITP, 'Love me Tender,' Ai composes free structured songs, brushed with gentle melodies using piano, strings, wind instruments, and various textures. Created over the span of 2018-2020, Ai's careful focus on the mixing process give the tracks a spacious yet intimate sound through mindful cultivation. Dedicating this album to family, friends and her children who have given her their hearts, 'Love me Tender' feels much like a love letter, whispering that we can always choose to find a way to be filled with hope (Kibou) and find ourselves again.-- PAST INSIDE THE PRESENT

zake box II is a collection of six previously out-of-print cassettes housed in a clear poly box. Two cassettes are vertically stacked on the left and right, and two cassettes sit in the center flip tray. Each cassette in this collection are loaded with FerroMaster C256 super ferric, ultra-high performance type-1 music grade analog tape.

Previously performing as The Greatest Hoax, Washington, D.C.-based composer T.R. Jordan debuts a new album of contemporary classical and ambient music with Past Inside the Present. Entitled Just for You, Jordan presents an album focused on the evolution of personal relationships and the paths they take.Produced and mixed by Rafael Anton Irisarri (The Sight Below, Ghostly International) and mastered by Taylor Deupree (12K Mastering). Recollections Suite, the companion cassette, is a long form classical piece featuring a string quartet led by cellist Mark Bridges (High Planes/Loscil, Kranky Ltd).

Crazy right Mike Parker on Float Records. With two originals he steals the show. Known for his iconic sound which is much imitated, never bettered. Just listen and enjoy both pieces of craftsmanship. On the flip side we have our well known Cirkle. With two successful releases on Float so far he now gets the chance to present himself on the magic black wax next to his personal hero Mike Parker.

The magnetic trail of her previous collab with dub techno wizard Donato Dozzy has merely had time to cool off that Adiel's already set for a new joint exploration of the dancers' deep-buried collective subconscious. This time heading for boreal territories with 'Raso EP', the Roman producer joins forces with Anthony Linell - a producer so often marvelled-at for the unique shine of his angular compositions, part programmatic 4/4 brutalism, part space-&-time abolishing atmospherics.

For the 3rd instalment of Die Orangen’s Saft series on MT, we have invited dear friends Full Circle once again, this time remix- ing the track Krautback off DO’s album Zwei Orangen. Joakim & Alexis took a different turn from their proto-no-goa sound, with more than a nod to the late (and sadly missed) mr. Weatherall, and the result is a DUB. Another duo we are huge fans of, Smagghe & Cross, took the song Zwei and reshaped it into a minimalistic psychedelic tonal symphony, echoing the original song's voices and fx. On the B-side, after 3 years of working on it, we have finally brought together again the mighty duo Mungolian Jetset to re- work bits and pieces from the whole LP. Its a midtempo cosmic disco/house banger that keeps on giving. a pure outdoor festival gem... Last but not least, we are releasing as B2, for the first time on Vinyl, Die Orangen's collaboration with artist Eva Geist ( self-re- leased digitally earlier this year by the ginger boys themselves) ..... A perfect collaboration, bringing out the more sunny side of the D.O. duo......

The clergy is pleased to introduce you to a new initiate: Birds ov Paradise. This highly anticipated Hypnus debut comes split into three separate EP's which will be released one each full moon starting October.

Some of you may be acquainted with the music of Birds ov Paradise already as he's put out two stellar records on Jens and Aniara Recordings in 2016-2017, as well as making a contribution to our podcast series The Memoir where his sound was put on a grand display. Those of you who are new to the fantastic dream world of this very talented artist will quickly get lost in the flowing rhythms that drives his magical deep techno sound.

Early support from Etapp Kyle, Ness, Slam, Iori, Refracted, Svreca, Cio D'Or and Dorisburg to name a few.

Two artists that have previously released works on Past Inside the Present come together for this anonymous split album. With this record we want listeners to go in blind, without ego or expectation, with the sole focus on what truly matters: the music. The artists will remain anonymous until the vinyl sells out and then we will reveal all.

'Holographic Prism' is the final chapter of The Sky Trilogy by Purl - a three chapter volume of works, exploring collective dreams of celestial origin. features mixes from SVLBRD, Lav, Slow Dancing Society, Coppice Halifax, Warmth, Deflektion, Innesti, & Svartholtet.

ORBE is no stranger to the hypnotic side of techno, and his newest release on Eric Cloutier's recently created Palinoia label properly allows the Spanish artist to do what he does best. Four tracks of deep, psychedelic techno, all slightly twisted and quirky in their own way, the entire EP is perfect for those headsdown nights deep in to the morning on the dancefloor of your favorite darkened club.

'The Other Side of Darkness' is a collaborative album from 36 and awakened souls. The project began with James (awakened souls) sending Dennis (36) a few bass loops he made and quickly evolved into a collaborative project with Cynthia (awakened souls) as well.

Brainwaltzera returns to FILM. The shrouded producer continues to demonstrate a breadth of skill as both a musician and engineer, with another collection of deep and textured recordings for the FILM label, intended as an Epi-Log' to the artist's debut album Poly-Ana. Continuing the exploration of crystalline IDM, proto-Electro, Ambient and other curious strains of left-field music, Brainwaltzera looks out across a colourful and varied sonic landscape, drawing on a wealth of classic influences all the while maintaining that unique and instantly recognisable finish. Low slung 4/4 opener Triangulate Dither (fairytall Version) hinges on fathoms deep synth work, moving about a playful hook that operates in stark contrast to the track's heavy, tape distorted finish. Laif Of Smit touches on new territory - a nod to contemporary Beats production, complete with pitch shifted vocal and heady, warping bassline - before beatless recording (take 2) brings the listener back into a more familiar space: a beautiful ambient segue reminiscent of the producer's earlier productions on the label. Countdempops showcases Brainwaltzera's simple yet effective drum work - a perfectly executed, emotive cut centred around a dusty break. Bad Endgar focuses more on the high frequencies - a crisp, clean Electro production, featuring those signature sliding synths now a characteristic of the producer's music. Uptempo closer Dropp on Gminor rounds off the EP with a kind of Folk meets Footwork piece that lifts the record's final notes into a tentatively more euphoric state. Heavy on atmosphere, rich in inherent musicality and beautifully executed - the Brainwaltzera journey continues with another solid offering on the FILM label.

Geistform, also known as Raffael Espinosa, is the producer behind Pi Electronics record number 10.

After almost three decades of music making, he delivers a 5 track-EP fusing influences from techno, electro and '90s IDM. Four of the tracks can be found in the vinyl edition, while the 5th is a Bandcamp digital exclusive. Listen now to Geistform's multifaceted characteristic production style: from breakbeat informed dark percussion and his unique 'radioactive' riffs, to his very own Detroit techno drive, dressed in rhythmic noise aesthetics. PI10.5 is a slower burner with emphasis in the chaos brought by its distorted baseline themes - to be found only on the Pi Electronics Bandcamp page.

Vril returns to Delsin with a huge cinematic ambient score. Backed with a remix pack of close friends featuring Voiski's driving dub-techno, rattling breaks by His Master's Voice and a thumping 808 electro take in collaboration with Marcel Dettmann.

Secretsundaze return with a second volume of their new mixtape series. After the success of the Joe Claussell tape they turn to Carista for another introspective mix aimed at a relaxed home-listening session.

In May 2018, Carista performed one of her first international gigs at Secretsundaze in London and went on to play 2 other shows for them that year. A year later, she has become a mainstay on the European club & festival circuit, playing to an ever growing, passionate and loyal fanbase week in week out, already playing shows that most DJs would only dream of, including closing a stage at Lowlands festival to an audience of 10000. No wonder a recent Mixmag article crowned her as "A DJ star in the making".

Her residencies on NTS and Red Light Radio showcase her love of house, boogie, broken beat, disco, funk and beyond. Her DJ gigs can also see her explore further into house and techno but this mixtape showcases a different, softer side of Carista blending ambient soundscapes, jazz, dub and soul as well as some poignant words from Nina Simone.

Yellow Vinyl

Shadow Acid follows up breakbeat debut Timescape with The Shadow Acid Files EP.

The mysterious Shadow Acid figure comes back at the end the year to present more of his sound with four new tracks, a remix from Hamburg based duo Extrawelt and a heady resource of locked grooves for vinylist DJs.

Shadow Acid’s sound marries acid futurism and references to the 90s rave, anything goes ethos of the past. It’s a sound that has rightfully earned the enthusiasm of a wave of music fans and DJs across the summer and has been played across BBC6 Music, Rinse FM and the streaming platforms around the world.

For those who missed the highly desirable promo 12” an EP version of the track ‘Timescape’ is included here and an extraordinary Extrawelt remix develops the mechanics of the breakbeat and drops the bass down even to deeper levels than on the driving force of the original. Across new tracks Brainforest, Diode Ladder, Another Chance and Seahawk, Braindance acid is melded with bass, ultimately made with dancing at their core.

In a year of global shift and continuous changes, Figure takes a leap of faith and extends its catalog by introducing a completely new compilation series to the label. The Open Space series will feature forward-thinking Electronica and Ambient from a well-curated list of seasoned producers. Compositions that invite to let the mind wander, weaving stories, and conjuring up emotions.
While these softer genres have already played a respected role in former Figure releases, for the first time in the label’s history they are now being given the center stage. Volume 1 sets the mark by providing producers whom we’ve come to love for their dancefloor-centric output with an open space to showcase another side of their skillset. Open Space remains open to various strains of Electronica and Ambient, ranging from the introspective synth-monologues (Sebastian Muellaert / Kirilik), drony dub-experimentalism (Moritz Von Oswald), alive and breathing takes on the genre (JakoJako), to singular compositions which slowly build their own lasting narrative and thus develop a genuine, emotive quality (John Beltran / Tin Man ). Len Faki himself proves the artistic breadth of Open Space, sharing a powerful and conscious message through a rare and delicate moment of him exploring the form of spoken words. Other contributions include Jesper Dahlbäck as The Persuader, Luke Slater as 7th Plain, or Ralf Hildenbeutel - a former production partner of Sven Väth and now a successful composer of film soundtracks. Unfairly reduced to background music, it is not the kind of Ambient featured on the Open Space series. It is an engaging body of music, bonded by its contemplative, enveloping nature. Open Space bands together an array of fascinatingly skilled producers, finally given the opportunity to present some of their most creative and emotional material yet to date.

There are few things in design (both sound and art) that are more subjective-or more important-than the use of color. 'Color Language' takes the listener through various characteristics of four different colors. Cultural differences can have different reactions to color. A color that cultivates joy may be depressing or melancholic in another culture. The phonic output of Color Language may reveal similar characteristics that leave the listener to decide how the react to each arrangement.

After his releases on the label HANDS, Geistform debuts on SNTS' label Sacred Court with a four-track EP of EBM and Cyber techno.

ARTSBOX001 - Five years in the making, label boss Emmanuel aimed to deliver what for him was the very best selection of artists and people he could ever imagine under one single roof.

Arts has now passed the landmark number of 100. But the reality is that we divided all the records into different categories, which makes the total number way bigger. Nevertheless, the label has become synonymous with quality and consistency with a wide range of timeless sounds from Techno, House, Dub Techno, Electro, championing some of the most respected names in the scene and pushing the youth and putting this same youth at the very top of the chain, the label philosophy keeps rotating on a different level of orbits trying to reach always the best result and never be influenced by anything in the scene.

The Box is a meticulous work of one entire year, every artist of the 20 selected delivered something that connects deeply with the label and the reason why they are part of it. The study goes beyond when artists get different colors of palettes and a different surface to paint, their known soundscapes come with something freer than the usual approach that they did in their singles. This is a pinnacle for a label that always placed Music in front of everything but kept the design and the aesthetics on a top level each release, each year. ARTS V is here.

For a year, in 2015, Matthew Sage (aka M. Sage) cataloged near-daily recordings made with a very narrow creative constraint; electric guitar and a few pedals, all recorded and mixed directly to cassette 4-track. Eschewing the often complex studio gadgetry and computer editing that he relies on for his primary project, Free Dust became a respite that offered room for technique to fall away and for pure expression to surface. He collected and released more than two-and-a-half hours of this material throughout the year as quarterly digital downloads; this body of work was then re-released as a double-CD in 2019 on his now-defunct label Patient Sounds. Now, Past Inside the Present presents a new collection of Free Dust material, the first proper LP for this project.

Torn Relics, the latest project from Rommek + Aimee Mullen, debut their first EP on Sacred Court. Expect a tribalistic mix of cyber-punk electronics and doom-laden soundscapes. Together, they utilise a range of vocals with classical and electronic instruments to create a rich and twisted sound pallet. Label owner SNTS also contributes a heavy impact remix.

To wrap up the label's first year of existence, Animalia continues to shine light on artists exploring Melbourne's deeper side. Prismatic Spring is the new release from OK EG. Over 4 tracks, the Melbourne duo further refine their deep and expansive sound. Acidic excursions that combine bold rhythms, organic textures and evaporating pads to uplifting effect. A lockdown record that imagines light and space, built to be heard and felt on the dance floor.

First album in 8 years from legendary Dearborn duo . Windy and Carl have been crafting inner space electric guitar and bass vistas for nearly three decades now, but their latest feels as vital and vaporous as any peak opus in their vast catalog. Written and recorded across six years, the songs swirl between shoegaze minimalism and stargaze drift, over which Windy Weber whispers veiled poetic narratives of transformation, isolation, and escape. Allegiance and Conviction is their first album since 2012's We Will Always Be. The six compositions are something of outlier in their catalog, shorter in nature than most on their previous releases. All of the tracks are saturated with Hultgren's signature guitar work, intimate constructions of murmurs, drones and his trademark layered filigree, gently amassed into alternately lighter and heavier than air atmospheres. Despite being their first full-length in more than half a decade,the album fully belongs to the bewitching galaxy of sound Windy and Carl innovated and within which they remain the sole occupants: music of thresholds and peripheries and eternities. Allegiance and Conviction is the multifaceted, contemporary take on their sound.

'Pathways' is a collection of four stunning loops created by the artist during an introspective period of his life. These majestic, consonant arrangements breathe slowly as fleetingly beautiful melodies; a gorgeous account of ebb and flow repetition.