Wishlist tips and overlooked gems
So much music, so little time..
First up, the new Stillhead album Copenhagen, which is actually released tomorrow, even though it's been on heavy rotation for weeks! (I received an early copy as a backer of his Indiegogo campaign). Deep, dubby vibes, beautiful songwriting and a bunch of excellent remixes to boot.
The beauty of Bandcamp is that the folk you follow invariably guide you towards the good stuff, and that's how I found Spells, the second album from young US producer KJ. If you like The Caretaker, Talbot Fade and other soothing Ambient sounds, then you'll soon fall in love with this music.
The last Fluxion EP Upsides & Sideways (on Echocord) is simply three tracks of the finest Dub Techno.
Relaxation​.​Tape II from Sienna_Sleep (aka Niko Zaglaras) is another Bandcamp follower-find: nine tracks of deeply chilled Ambient Techno. The pulsing beat is so muffled and buried deep in the mix it proves to be the perfect bedtime music.
The last Synkro EP Hand in Hand saw Joe McBride produce some lovely BOC-inspired moments, particularly the opening track Vanishing Point.
From one of my favourite labels, brokntoys, the Hellenistic Thoughts EP from Exhausted Modern is well worth some investigation if you like your Electronic music skewered with Electro.
And for more of the same you can bag the whole brokntoys discography for just £22.40! Includes a lot of top-notch stuff from the likes of Crystal Maze, Marco Bernardi and Pip Williams. Get onto it ASAP.
This self-titled album from JTC (aka Dabrye) has been on my wishlist since its release in June 2016! Yes, I picked it up eventually... enough said.
It was mainly for Atari Queen, the b-side of this two track EP from the Acid worriers Posthuman, that made me go back and buy this one; the elements of BOC merged with their own distinctive Acid blend hits all the right notes. Mind you, the a-side Hoogland isn't too shabby either.
Sheet Pan from IVVY is some pounding Techno shot through with all the right elements: texture, emotion and melody.
All Melody, the seventh album from Nils Frahm has been out for a month but I'm now so familiar with it I'm happy to recommend it. It took many listens to fully appreciate it though, the track sequencing in particular being the main challenge, what with really quiet, piano-led tracks interspersed throughout a generally upbeat electronic album.
Self described as "ambient-leaning existential house music", this six-tracker from someone who calls themselves //// (four forward slashes) is pretty sweet.
Another one that came out last summer and it's taken me this long to pick it up, but I'm so glad I did. Voices Bloom from James Place is beautiful, downtempo electronic music. Great samples on the opening track Courage to Ask.
Wild Palms from Iguana Moonlight was another pointer from someone I follow on Bandcamp, and is more downtempo electronic music for bedtime reading.
Electronic music with wind and string instruments = Jazzy electronic music? APR 70 from Dictaphone proves to be quietly meditative while gently uplifting.
Lesser Mysteries is another brokntoys release, this time a five track EP with five contributing artists... all gold.
Released on Solar One Music, home of The Exaltics, ERP, Luxus Varta and various guises of Heinrich Mueller, is Sinuous Gullie, the debut EP from a Dutch duo Animistic Beliefs. Fine melodic Electro.
As described on the Bandcamp release page, Protest EP from Kaltès & Nene H. is "gnarly techno with a stormy industrial underbelly", out on Eotrax, the label run by Eomac, one half of Lakker.
Finally, an oldie from Not Not Fun, another favourite label of mine. Babylon by Magic Eye is all filtered guitars, threadbare vocals and oriental melodies. At 22 minutes it's a brief but beautiful escape.