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Vesna :: Mone/Aesde (n5MD)
The Debut 7″ on n5MD features Russian artists
Vesna – a duo of Alex Gaponenko and Dimitri Tchernjak.
The A-side “Mone” moves at quite a brisk pace featuring Chiastic
Slide era jitter-beats and brooding precise synth leads. “Aesde” on
the flipside continues in a similar vein with a more defined beat
structure and minimal dark synth phrases. Both of these tracks
skillfully combine gritty hip-hop backdrops with dark / melancholy
synth leads.
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Goto80 :: Papaya EP (Bleepstreet)
This 7″ is pretty much completely produced on a Commodore64
SID chip, and the results are damn inspiring. A delicious mix of
quirkiness and also abstract dub on this first single from Goto8o.
The title track uses vocodered vocals placed over the top of an
ass-wiggly Commodore64 calypso workout! Also on the A-side we
have “Blox” – an uptempo ditty that would be perfect for the title screen
to a Commodore64 game conversion of a movie like Beverly Hills Cop –
all tight jeans and neatly groomed moustaches!
On the B-side we are treated to “Clark O” – which sports a
chunky, dub friendly bassline and haunting melodies abound.
Next up is “Papaya Dub” – which kicks off with abstract filtered
disjointed dub and then proceeds to jump to sweet calypso chord stabs,
this tune perfectly introduces the SID chip into the year 2002!
This 7″ is one not to miss!
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Hrvatski :: Raume (Tonschacht)
A-Side “Bad Raum” is a rhythmic hyper programmed piece that recalls
the percussion programming of Hrvatski’s previous LP Oiuseux. Minor
key vacuum cleaner chords are paired with nice warm bass line and
filtered kitchen cupboard door creaking percussion rushes.
The B-Side continues in the kitchen sounds vein – with “Eintrag Raum”
consisting of microwave beeps and blender drones mixed with mixing
bowl hits and other assorted kitchen implements. This track flows into
“Kochen Raum” which builds some simple synth arpeggios over the
aforementioned kitchen drum collages. Overall a very interesting 7″
from Hrvatski and on lovely 180 gram black vinyl! Also keep an ear out
for his Planet Mu album soon.
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Jonathan Svard :: 1,2,3 (Irritant)
This clear vinyl single opens with somber church organ tones that give way
to filtered staccato beats and tinkering piano accompaniment. A more biting
almost distorted beat arises and then more organ musings are sprinkled over
the mix – the side concludes with an overdriven chord sequence with more
piano tinkerings.
The flip-side is an energetic piece with micro sample distorto beat workout with
evil musicbox chiming melodies layered ontop. The track unfolds with almost square wave leads and manic micro hi hats. This side closes with an 8-bit console gone haywire static beat piece , almost like Mario had one too many bad mushrooms.
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Abfahrt Hinwill :: Programm 2 (Toytronic)
Firstly just a comment to say that the press for this 7″ is a little deceiving — as this single has obviously been marketed as being made by ‘Chris Cunningham’
as though the famous video director was responsible – when in reality he is just
a Toytronic chap with the same name! Well it fooled me into buying it anyways.
A-side “Triology” is an example clean cut electronica, with all the blips in the right places, but still something isn’t quite right. This track is moulded around the classic Warp AI sound of the early nineties. Whilst sounding very rounded and produced, it leaves the listener feeling as though they have just experienced something almost a little too well formed.
“Tech10” on the B-side fits the same category – reminding me alot of Icunabula period Autechre, with “Basscadet” beats and stereo panned synched delays. “Radiowellen” on the same side however is nice little arpeggiating interlude, that builds with electrical current zaps and taps. A skillfully constructed set of tracks, this 7″ suffers slightly from dabbling in a style that has possibly past it’s best by date.
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Bauri :: Morning Dew (English Muffin)
Signature haywire 8-bit video game blips from Mr. Bauri (aka Martin Abrahamsson), meshed with
electro tinged beat work outs and layered warm synth pads on the A-side
“Morgondagg”. The flipside “Solvind” is a much mellower piece with chirpy
micro percussion and a majestic Boards of Canada nostalgic ‘childhood
Flashback’ melody. Lovely work.
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Bokatsu & Pliant :: 1UP (Systorm)
Bokatsu’s re-working if the Mario theme honours
the integrity of the original melody and structure ,
whilst adding smatterings of digital debris.
Systorm Technologies CEO Pliant’s rewiring of the Zelda
Windmill theme is a more clean cut affair with more defined
square wave work outs. This single is a classic and lovers of
retro video games and all things 8-bit should snap this up
pronto!
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Stendec :: (Expanding)
B-side “Feint” – First of all it must be said that the grey expanding 7″s
are on the thickest and nicest sounding vinyl I have heard in a
very long time. A-side has quite sparse rhythmic backdrop of
shuffles and taps with sporadic melody overlaid on top of drawn
out synth pads. Although quite relaxing and serene, this track
seems to be on ‘IDM cruise control’, failing to really elevate
itself above pedestrian pad washes amongst blippy beats.
The A-Side “Avro” kicks off with a lovely disjointed loop of soft rhodes type
keys and then builds to a more standard quasi hip-hop beat with random
vox samples scattered in the mix. As with the B-side, this track seems to
reach its peak in the first minute or so, and then just plod along without
any dynamics.
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Eu :: V-era/Bant (Isonauta)
French label Isonauta brings us two new tracks from Russian artists Eu.
A-Side “V-era” features their brand of complex electronics as well as
drifting female vocal textures and manipulations. Fractured synth pads
float around as well as a phasing bassline. This track doesn’t seem to
move in any particular direction, and my attention waned after the first
minute or so.
B-Side “Bant” is a more subdued affair with standard hip hop flavoured beats
and nice soft keys placed amongst warbling analogue sounding pads. This
track sounds like Plone if they were more into hip hip. A nice track that
slumbers along to a solid dub tinged bassline. This 7″ is a worthy addition
to your Eu collection.
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Geiom / M.Caney :: Split 7″ (City Centre Offices)
M. Caney’s track “Blanket” on the A-side is a lovely wash of subtle synth motifs
that is complemented by a restrained and quaint bassline a few minutes in.
A very delicate and beautifully programmed track, that evokes images of lonely
astronauts en route to distant planets, such is the other worldly charm of the track.
Geiom’s contribution “Four Fifty Five” is a brooding mood piece, with a chiming
melody dualled with itself at half-speed. Eventually some dub elements creep up in the form of a rolling bassline and some delicious lazy rhythms. The track then steps up with clickety hi hats and additional delayed synth patterns forming.
A lovely 7″ all round – essential for lovers of laid back and mellow electronics.
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