In rotation for the past several weeks/months, this multi-view reveals the latest sonic landscape from several talented musicians. Plenty of brittle, glitch, abstract, noisy, mechanical and bass-infused sounds with releases/tracks by Carbinax, Renraku various artists, exm, Katabatik various artists, Recue, Rico Casazza, and Yaporigami.
Carbinax :: Flex (Self-Released)
Carbinax is back once again, the prolific mastermind simply can’t keep still. We’re always excited to hear where he’ll take his sound next and with Flex (featuring 20 explosive tracks) we see similar IDM and experimental electronic activity. This time focused on elevated melodies and modular madness meshed with thickened blips and bleeps, there are well-oiled rhythms that fans of early Brothomstates, Plaid, and Bitstream will easily digest. Somehow I can’t help but wonder if Flex could have been broken up into two releases as its avalanche of heavy breaks, bass, techno, acid, and busted electronics is a dizzying array that while standing perfectly upright, could have been split in two with just the same amount of energy. Nonetheless, each track ebbs and flows with a nostalgic viscosity that can’t be ignored. Some tracks are polished to a higher luster than others and peppered vocals make an entrance rounding the sonic machinery. Ultimately, Carbinax nails with a heavy hammer—a vivid and intense collision of electronics that maintains its own inertia as another massive self-released highlight.
V/A :: Communication Themes Volume 9 (Renraku)
Renraku continue to muster up robust electronic music from across the globe. This being the ninth installment in their Communication Themes series—four artists provide ricocheting beats, bass, and glitch sheets running parallel to tectonic plates that scrape past each other. Pulseye offers heavy low-end buzzing and gritty two-step explosions while Galva tapers it down slightly—rolling melodic bursts sidelined by downtempo and lively percussion eventually busts wide open. HNGIN & .Kage present a more soundtrack driven eclipse of mutating electrical distortion while DFNKT & Vhsceral eradicate form and function with a pulsing ground swell of broken beats meshed with dark corrosive breaks in just under three minutes. CTV9 is a byte sized morsel of bustling and eroded electronics that doesn’t let up. Volume 9 is a behemoth of abstract electronics, even if only spread across four tracks.
exm :: LS16 EP (Touched Revolutions)
One of our favorites of the past several years, exm can’t do any wrong. Each time we see a release by the Netherlands-based producer, we know it’ll be special. Offering highly contagious abstract electronics this time for Touched Music’s Revolutions imprint, you’ll always find extended time pieces (like the 14-minute title track) expand into leftfield peaks and valleys while maintaining an acrobatic, movement based structure. “Hope(e)nd” flows through similar water albeit with a more repetitive stream of consciousness—hypnotic, simmering, and darker in nature, here we see exm in full force. The use semi-complex notes and interweaving pitter-patter beats is both calming and surreal just as “2334137” takes a left turn through turbulent and mechanical electronics—a myriad of found sounds converge in this dizzying array of oscillating debris and extraterrestrial landscapes. The leTol remix of “LoT-E” drifts and fades into dust, its rhythmic approach and downtempo melodic groove twists and turns with a subtle clicks’n cuts flare. Yet another expansive and mind boggling EP from a true sonic craftsman that manages to push ahead with nostalgic IDM of yesteryear, teasing us with Autechre-laden sub-structures that push, pull, and deform all sense of time.
V/A :: Kollektion 7 (Katabatik)
Kollektion 7—a 23 track compilation series spreads its wings far and wide with a veritable selection of next-level breaks, bass, acid, breakcore, techno, noise, beats, and mangled electronic artillery. Opener Exillon delves into old-school breaks and acid-tinged IDM with a smattering of low-end thuds. Zygopetalum administers harsh industrial ambient noise with tricked-out beats ricocheting from all sides. Kollektion 7 and the Katabatik crew don’t hold back—the infusion of abstract, raw, and DIY electronic mayhem is forward thinking and highly creative in its construct. Unleashing the bass, Conniptor reveals perhaps the heaviest of the heavies—slithering dark brokenbeats and sci-fi rhythms abound just as Only Now & Identity Theft merge their sonic forces for a gritty, glitch-bass smorgasbord that bounces off the walls with its mechanized fury. Jon Carr takes a smoldering hard-techno firm-hold on the situation with sonic shadows and subdued acid. To think that Kollektion 7 is only tangled beats and distortion would incorrect—Matreya traverses an atmospheric drone-scape of textured fizz fuzz noises and light drumming for an encapsulating and cavernous trip. Another highlight takes shape with Ring Body’s contribution—the surreal dosage of abstraction and strange flute sounds on “Chest Stones” eventually exposes its charcoal texture and expansive bass drops among strange vocal strands floating above the sonic debris. A dense foray into DIY old-school braindance and dark electronics for the next generation.
Recue :: Fathoms & Akrasia single (MethLab)
A solid return to form for the Finnish sound sculptor Recue—Fathoms & Akrasia is a venture through dense electronics filled with light and dark hues that fans of Clark will easily enjoy. A two track (teaser) for a forthcoming release, Recue sharpens his skills. “Fathoms” is a bustling synthesizer-drenched assortment of emotive glitch, bass, and downtempo sonic flurries that merits repeated listening as it expands and contracts with its colorful sonic kaleidoscope. “Akrasia” is a distant twin reminiscent of Atiq & Enk—scribbling beats, bass, and merging modular machinery with a heartbeat, this track is a creative behemoth of texture, soul, and finesse. A memorable exp-electronics trip that simply doesn’t fade. January saw the release of Fathoms & Akrasia – Deconstructed featuring tempered remixes by Desto and Pixelord, also recommended and bit heavier too.
Rico Casazza :: Purplewave EP (Dionysian Mysteries)
Purplewave is the latest from Rico Casazza, a 6-track EP featuring four originals and two remixes by No Moon and Silicon Scally. While a flurry of techno manifests itself on “Enada Mello,” it’s the fluid (acidic) energy and dark undertones that stand firm here. “Rainmaker” dives into old-school breaks and robust electro with a darker veil—Casazza warms up his modular machines for a traverse across black holes in outer space. “Supercluster” unleashes itself as a roughened electro-techno powerhouse meant for the largest of bass bins. The title track, perhaps the most emotive of the lot, treads across synthesizer-infused tones and drones while its melodic flurry and guitar strands stand out as truly engaged. No Moon takes the title track through a softer electro passage, its ebb and flow just as intriguing while Silicon Scally applies his signature downtempo-electro trajectory to the title track—its subdued melodic bursts simmer above crisp rhythmic notes. A perfect extended player of symphonic electro-techno with soul.
Yaporigami :: Decoded Sphere (Virgin Babylon)
The multi-talented Yaporigami (aka Yu Miyashita) returns with perhaps his finest album to date, Decoded Sphere is a ten track album that signals a return to IDM, breakcore, and drill’n bass of yesteryear. The entire album surges with uplifting melodic splurges intermixed with a visceral percussive onslaught (ie. “Movers and Shakers”). Recalling to mind artists like Muziq and Squarepusher, Yaporigami manages to elevate his sound sculptures to the next level. Have a listen to the gorgeous “Esherian Rhythm” that breaks into hundreds of shades as “Windows X” tugs at the heartstrings with its emotive harmony blurred by flickering beats—a highlight to these ears. Elsewhere you’ll find video-game motifs and robust poly-rhythms on tracks like “Language” and “Music Makers” that simply transcend time and space. Decoded Sphere is a solid foray into high tensile-strength electronics, broken beats, and cascading melodies meant to take you to another plain.
