Keeping time with Börft Records

Börft is one of the premiere platforms for out-there and interesting electronics. Some twenty five years since its first release and still singing to its own tune, fair play.

In the last two years Börft Records has skyrocketed. The Swedish label has grown and grown. New talent, established names, fresh sounds and an ever expanding fanbase. The Scandinavian has always focused on musicians from their own neck of the woods, and recent times have been no exception. But, it can be hard to keep up with this ultra-productive imprint. To help you out, here’s a little overview of some choice cuts of late.

Peel MD immediately caught my attention with his first 12”, Grip. Juggernaut is this mysterious artist’s second EP and has all the bare faced Chicago cheek of his first. Funk is fused with an underground attitude. Factory floor power is served up in tracks like “Skraplard” but late night jack is also on the table. I recently witnessed sweat hitting the dancefloor as “Ufribbl” poured from speaker.

Ü aka Joel Brindefalk has been part of the collective for more than two decades. Over his twenty plus year Brindefalk carved out hardened Techno, chilling Electro and horned House. Sadly this talent musician passed away in 2013 but his sounds are still being released posthumously. Doobedoo Dub E Dope brings together a tripped out duo, dubbed deep, industrial shadowed and Caribbean brightened electronics. Dense and dark trips down, and beyond, the garden path.

Hakan Fridlund returns after an eleven year absence. Back under his Garroneman guise Fridlund offered up the strung out, playful electronics of Bingo Nights back last year. The lines between Electro and House are re-written, or simply just jumped over. Bars and synth bend under bellow under the knife of claps and snare as tracks refuse to be pigeonholed.

Villa Abo has been displaying his diversity with the stretched and synth-rich of Love Surrender. Four, count-em, extremely varied remixes of the title piece are on offer. From grime smeared reinterpretations, spooked out House and on to bubbly Electro retrofit.

Very few, and I mean very few, labels can boast the range of styles explored by Börft . But the Swedish imprint is not just foraging for audio delights, Börft is one of thepremiere platforms for out-there and interesting electronics. Some twenty five years since its first release and still singing to its own tune, fair play.

For more about about Börft, visit their website at www.borft.com.