There’s no dancefloor here, no need to lock into a groove or deliver a drop. Instead, Paap is chasing sound for sound’s sake, pushing stereo dynamics, distorting drum loops until they fray, stretching reverbs until they fill entire rooms.
Author: J. Batista
SKSSS :: Exploraciones al Vacio (Aerial Sound)
Exploraciones Al Vacio works because it refuses to play nice. The field recordings, the layered textures, the deliberate pacing, it all adds up to something that feels purposeful rather than indulgent.
Ruben :: Chambers EP (Self Released)
What makes Chambers work is that it doesn’t feel like an experiment for the sake of it. The processing serves the music, not the other way around. It’s the kind of release that sneaks up on you, not flashy, but it sticks. By the time it’s over, you realize there’s more going on than you initially thought. This is a strong showing from Ruben, and for a limited run of 30 cassettes, it punches well above its weight.
V/A :: Unit Shifter Compilation 2 (Unit Shifter)
Unit Shifter has been quietly building a catalog that spans the breadth of contemporary electronic music, and Compilation 2 is a strong showcase of that vision. For a label ten years in, this is exactly the kind of release that reinforces their place in the scene, varied, charitable, and committed to curating music that actually takes you somewhere.
Icky Reels :: DL Poisons (Self Released)
The downtempo chug is still there, but it’s been processed through decades of IDM evolution, filtered through the same sensibility that informed Beans’ abstract hip-hop work and Schematic’s experimental roster. DL Poisons’ unsettling in the way that the best experimental electronic music should be, familiar enough to feel grounded, strange enough to keep you off balance.
Yu Su :: Foundry (Short Span)
Overall, Foundry has a lot of diversity in it. It leans toward ambient, but given Yu Su’s background as a DJ and her ability to move fluidly between genres, it makes sense. This is an interesting listen. It’s not as immediately accessible as Yellow River Blue, but it’s more cohesive in its vision. The collaborations add depth without overshadowing her voice, and the album feels like a natural progression rather than a lateral move. For a label like Short Span, which has been championing forward-thinking electronic music, this is a fitting release.
OdNu + Ümlaut :: Metamorphoses (Audiobulb) — Exclusive preview!
Metamorphoses is patient music. It doesn’t demand your attention, but it rewards it. For a label like Audiobulb, which has spent over two decades curating work that exists at the intersection of the electronic and the organic, this feels like a natural fit. Mazza and Düngfelder have found a shared language here, one where origin and response blur, where sound is continuously reshaped and reborn.
Ital Tek :: Mind Abandon (Planet Mu)
Alan Myson’s carved out his own corner, one where rhythm is secondary to texture, and where live instrumentation gets processed into something unrecognizable but still visceral. This is music that feels carved and three-dimensional, like the press notes say, but it’s also restless and uncomfortable in a way that keeps you engaged. It’s not an easy listen, but it’s a rewarding one.
Seefeel :: Sol.Hz (Warp)
Seefeel return with Sol.Hz, their first full-length in fifteen years. Mark Clifford and Sarah Peacock — the core duo that’s anchored the band since its formation in the early 1990s, are back, and they haven’t strayed far from the blueprint. Seefeel built their reputation on blurring the line between shoegaze and electronic music, fusing guitar-based textures with ambient techno and dub production techniques.
exm & Roel Funcken :: Cilcit (Touched Music)
Touched Music has been doing this for over a decade now, and they’ve built a reputation for curating compilations and releases that sit at the top tier of contemporary IDM. Cilcit is no exception. This is easily one of the most exciting and great releases of 2026 and an enjoyable listen for a lot of IDM fans.
Serge Geyzel :: The Way To Go (Pulse State)
The Way To Go is an album you must listen to closely in order to process all that it offers. It’s not background music. It’s intentional, detailed, and structured in a way that feels both loose and precise. For a label like Pulse State, which shares Touched Music’s commitment to quality and charity, The Way To Go is a strong addition to the catalog.
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Ruben :: Chambers EP (Self Released)
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V/A :: Unit Shifter Compilation 2 (Unit Shifter)
