quête:the haze

Having released on the label before (including a collaboration with Lake Haze last time out) Lisboa based producer IVVVO now returns to Creme Organization with a new three track solo EP. Showcasing his unique take on analogue house, here he conjures up his most unique work to date, Up first, 'Raised' is a dishevelled concoction that sees organic hand drums rattling over heady kicks, with groaning vocals, ghostly pads and afro mutterings all adding to the intoxicating brew. 'Our Journey' is then an acid flecked, lo fi techno rave up with car alarms, barking dogs and white noise textures that all come over like an urban soundtrack as much as anything else. It's captivating stuff that gets rounded out with '0000', a slurred, smeared bit of ambient with awkward key progressions, wordless vocals and tons of crunchy texture. Few people sound as idiosyncratic as IVVVO and this EP proves that in spades.

! Irreal, the fth long player from Chicago's Disappears, is another trip down the rabbit hole. The album plays out as a dream sequence - hazed dub landscapes give way to the group's most experimental and open music yet.



If their last album Era conrmed the fact that Disappears are on their own trip, then Irreal is where it kicks in. Eternalism, roboethics, identity - it's a Ballardian mix of imperfect melodies, half thoughts and good ol' dystopian modernity. It's a master class in texture, pace and control.



Produced by John Congleton at famed Chicago recording institution Electrical Audio, Irreal sits in the negative space where art rock and post punk collapse onto each other. It's the sound of Disappears reporting back from The Void.



track listing:

1.Interpretation 2. I _ O 3. Another Thought 4. Irreal 5. OUD 6. Halcyon Days 7. Mist Rites 8. Navigating the Void



press quotes for Era:



'On Era, Disappears begin to pave a path to transcendence that's a little more varied, grabbing the more anemic sounds of Clinic and Liars, while keeping the forward momentum of their most obvious influences Spacemen 3 and rough-edged Velvet Underground. They know they trade in the business of the past and work within confined musical language, but they play on, middle fingers scratching their eyebrows.' 7.3 Pitchfork



'For Chicago based quartet Disappears, time seems to move at a different, altogether more indeterminate pace. Era is a work of magic; a record you could lose days or even weeks in, without noticing at all.' Drowned in Sound



'It's an incredible mix of legitimately haunting energy and maturity that is really, really hard to nd, and even harder to nd in an exciting form that doesn't come off cynical or jaded.' The Talkhouse



'Era is truly a landmark album for this formidable foursome' -Brainwashed

The III Rivers juggernaut sets forth once again, release number 4 The Charivari EP, putting Voiceless in the cockpit and leading the charge.

Second Nature sets a dark, sultry and ominous tone as Voiceless deploys a plethora of sounds and moods that resonate with all the tense drama of the label's affiliated club night, Bohemian Grove.
Big laser beam synths dart through a thick pitch black haze while a factory line percussion section hammers on.

Always keeping a foot in the sonic warfare division, we get three locked grooves loaded and ready for battle, funky, electrified technoid wobblers that should fight off most opposition with ease.

Flip the disc and Opt-out opens with a controlled urgency as a barrage of kick drums sets the train in motion. Voiceless layers up rich, untreated piano chords against the backdrop of dark industrial chaos, percussion artefacts career around the mix and various elements are put through an aural meat grinder before the familiar and welcoming piano motif returns like a long lost friend, guiding us through the smoke hand-in-hand. A beautiful juxtaposition of soulful melancholy and cold, glacial machines.

Final track Charivari really hits the accelerator as a tough and mechanical rhythm jolts against blurred, radioactive pads and searing string lines before collapsing into a fractal breakdown introducing mystical, weaving high end leads. An eyes-down fist pumper of the highest order and one that commands excessive smoke & strobe light abuse late, late into the session.

One to close off one of their infamous soirees in style, hoards of mutant dancers leaving the industrial backdrop of the club's venue and crossing paths with the early morning dog walkers and Sunday strollers. Four releases in and we've lost none of the quality control, unique drive and free minded 'true spirit' (to quote Tresor's legendary catchphrase). The label goes from the strength to strength and with it, brings a whole new generation of techno shamans under their wing.

Well, the ìdeep, raw and realî series has come to an end with volume 4, but Quintessentials
keep these lovely compilations coming. The ìthank you freaksî series is about hot tunes from
hot producers. And part 1 is offering a lot of them: Andy Ash, Uncle Deep, Chicago Damn
and Marcos Cabral! Quite essential!

Panther Veil is the debut release on Dublin based Apartment Records. Over the 3 tracks London producer NCW explores various avenues of house music in a stripped back, unique fashion. Opening with the slowburning, Detroit-tinged swing of Veil, the flip serves up the bent out of shape jack of My Braindead Acid, while Panther's relentless late night groove rounds things off in a blurry haze.