Cultivated Electronics has been unwavering in its aim of pushing electro. The UK imprint, since day one, has sought talent and given a vinyl base to those seeking the colder edge of the machine, the UK imprint is still doing this and doing it like few others. These latest two releases are emblematic of the CE sound and clear evidence of how Sync 24 continues to grow, expand and cultivate an iconic platform.
It’s not that easy keeping up to date with music. Work. Life. Love. The day to day minutia that stop us from getting some solid headphone time. The above, and more, meant the last Cultivated Electronics 12” escaped my notice. But now, with a little bit more time at my disposal, I’m on catch up while a new EP comes fresh from the plant.
You’d be forgiven for thinking Jenson Interceptor was a new figure in the world of electronics. From seemingly nowhere, well Sydney, Australia, this machinist arrived with slashing rhythms and cryogenically carved chords. In fact Jensen Interceptor has been releasing music for the best part of a decade and is only now garnering the attention he deserves. For Hyper Reality the Aussie is teaming up with his mysterious sometimes partner-in-crime Assembler Code. Aggression pulses through the needle from the get-go. “5050” is a driving piece of cold and clinical music. Beats are driven into a scramble of sound by kick drums, a lonesome and lingering line haunting. “Battery Assault” follows, and with a title like that this could only go one way. A barrage of aluminum drums rains from above before corrosive notes infect. Pure liquid metal, ever element rinsed in thick alloys to remove all humanity and leave a superbly chilling work. Interestingly, the title piece is introduced by Sync 24 with the CE boss remixing. In his tried and tested form, the delivery is dark, robotic and pleasurably punishing. Through a blend of rasping rhythms, punchy basslines, lost samples and breaks a weapon of lethal proportions is forged. In comparison, the original “Hyper Reality” is a more laid back affair but that’s not saying you’re in for an easy ride. Teeth rattling percussion is veiled in light keys, a translucent smoke hangs over the entire track giving it a distant dream-like quality.
Maelstrom, a cracking electro moniker if there ever was one, is an interesting entity. After more than ten years of production this French artist is beginning to build up a head of steam. A favorite of imprints such as Zone and RAAR, Maelstrom recently released on the ever trailblazing Central Processing Unit. Now this multitalented musician is headed for Cultivated Electronics. Softer tones from past outings are dipped and soaked in a metallic alloy to produce the sheer and sharp ECZO. From the outset beats are biting. “Smoker” sets the scene with tight rhythms and rumbling bass. Hi-hats rain as a world of long shadows and cold computations unfolds. The track simply refuses to relent. It neither waivers nor does it intensify, instead the sinister sci-fi sounds smoulder. Those same textures and tones make up the looming title piece. Glass and steel clank and rattle against a bulwark of bass, bleeps ballooning under shifts in time and pressure as Maelstrom steadily maneuvers and manipulates. “Confidential” is the most “straight-up” piece of electro on the 12”. A head bobbing groove is fixed to cutting percussion. Through this frame a range of filters are applied, forcing elements and restricting others to build a bold work of machine funk. Sync 24 turns his galvanized hand to “Smoker” with terrific results. The label boss leans into the original, persuading it with a diet of red meat and ball bearings to bare its teeth and let the reptile out.
Cultivated Electronics has been unwavering in its aim of pushing electro. The UK imprint, since day one, has sought talent and given a vinyl base to those seeking the colder edge of the machine, the UK imprint is still doing this and doing it like few others. These latest two releases are emblematic of the CE sound and clear evidence of how Sync 24 continues to grow, expand and cultivate an iconic platform.
Hyper Reality and ECZO are available on Cultivated Electronics.
