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Hans Appelquist :: The Xiao Fang EP (Mjäll)
The sixth ten-incher from Swedish label Mjäll is pressed on good looking transparent cyan vinyl. The A side confuses with a spanish-sounding acoustic guitar, superdistorted electric guitar and Chinese voices in reverse. This and the almost Timbalandesque rhythm elements combines into a highly interesting unit, very good. The tinkling piano and recorded Chinese conversations on the slow B side creates a nice atmosphere, but yet it feel a bit anti-climatic.
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Electromagnetic Beam :: King vs Queen EP (Lecitin)
Electromagnetic Beam’s second EP is more in-your-face, not to mention danceable, than the nice but perhaps a bit timid first (The Arne Sand EP on Mjäll). Hard to define, it’s electronic and funky and is perhaps most similar to what the Dot label used to release, albeit more playful. And it contains a ragga remix. Makes your body move.
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Giardini di Miro vs Pimmon :: (Fiction.friction/2.nd rec)
Another transparent ten-inch: What do you get if you mix postrock with electronic experiments? Giardini di Miro and Pimmon share an EP, one or two tracks from each and two more collaborative efforts. The Giardini di Miro trio delivers some rather good postrock, which is nicely accentuated when they bring in sounds from Pimmon. Pimmon’s own tracks mostly consists of drab loops that aren’t going anywhere,
noise without direction.
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Plankton :: Y (Digital Kranky)
Plankton debuts with a very attractively packaged 7″ EP. Printed on white vinyl and encased in embossed black paper, it comes with five different images for the front cover. Unfortunately the music is far less interesting. Five short tracks of energetic electronic listening music that feels oversimplified and lacks depth.
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Isan :: Salle d’Isan (Morr)
Isan continues to explore old analog boxes on their new EP. A few attractively heavy synth sounds, but lacking in ideas otherwise. Four tracks and two extra bits, none of which stick to mind. Wait for the soon-to-be-released album instead.
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