An ear-shattering assemblage with heavy emphasis on rolling rhythms, raw machinery, and modular finesse. One of the top compilations of 2018, and a benefit release (for World Animal Protection) that supports a great cause allowing each musical frequency to inhabit a space of its own. Listen to three streaming exclusive premiere’s today!
Earthlings Volume 2 (a charity compilation for World Animal Protection) is about to be unleashed June 21st, 2018—a massive 75-track collection of predominantly electro, bass, and techno sound designs from creative sculptors spread across this pale blue dot. Curated by none other than ADJ for his Pyramid Transmissions imprint, and working alongside Veronica Gudmundson, this is an ear-shattering assemblage with heavy emphasis on rolling rhythms, raw machinery, and modular finesse. Most all of the artists included on Earthlings 2 created these pieces specifically for this release, and the quality of the submissions is staggering. There are just so many highlights that it’s difficult to pin down any one in particular! The imprints’ aim has been met (again) — to bring “quality electronic music across the spectrum of electronica, techno, acid, glitch hop, electro, and IDM.”
Seriously though, as I sift through the onslaught of rugged low-end bass punches and subtle melodic strands—hints of Detroit, UK, and British influences seep from the edges. To offer a brushstroke on a few tracks, a thorough listening to Earthlings 2 must be experienced to gather its far-reaching sonic foothold. Such is the case with Rico Casazza’s “Suspence Crescendo” bubbling with beat-heavy electro, tantalizing “Strings Of Life” intonations, and a ever-expanding field-recording buzz of activity lurking in the background. Roel Funcken’s glides by with chopped beatwork, shuffling clips, and an effervescent ambience on “Zaine Teerax” delving further into the beauty that can be found buried just beneath verdant landscapes. Karsten Pflum blasts from all canons with Aphex Twin-like precision, broken percussion sliced and diced with acidic blips dancing about. Electro, breaks, and chugging rhythms are scorched to no end—as is the case with contributions by Jade One, Ben Milstein, Trichome, Senor Frio, Hatch, Velocs, Wee DJs, Logreybeam, EVAC, B0t23, A”, Carl Finlow, Camino Acid, Errorbeauty, N-TER, Veronica Green, ADJ and Serge Geyzel (many others, but just too many to list).
There are also many artists that inhabit the outer edges of our atmosphere, their prime audio selections resting in the ambient-electronic zone (with some slight post-industrial washes) courtesy of Una K, epitomeZero, Huron, Flint Kids, Uexkull, Steven Rutter, Min-Y-Llan (aka Martin Boulton, head of Touched Music For Macmillan Cancer Support, another fantastic charity label out of the UK.) Gravity tugging glitch-electrons also drift by on Earthlings 2. Artists like Ebertbrothers, Ion Driver, EXM & Mitoma, J Frank, C Mantle vs Badrich, and Fleck ESC create vast and expansive sound-escapes for another dimension. Plaid provides remix support on Emma Catnip’s “Ruins”—a brutally gorgeous, breaks-infested revision that is both emotional and powerful. Spekulant’s “Tum Tam One” is a mind-bending exploratory and instrumental powerhouse that elevates itself to epic scale, its looping synth line, curious melodic hook, and funky musical spine is utter perfection.
In all, Earthlings 2 is an expertly choreographed collection of electronic music that spans many genres leaving quite the impression on the senses. One of the top compilations of 2018, and a benefit release that supports a great cause allowing each musical frequency to inhabit a space of its own.
Earthlings 2 is available on Pyramid Transmissions June 21, 2018.
https://youtu.be/UXqTOlY5JQc
