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Johan Skugge :: Skyddsnisch EP (Thinner, MP3)
If dub-tinged, laid-back minimal clickhouse is the
preferred poison playing at your favorite haunt, be it
a club or coffeehouse, then chances are its origins
may involve the German netlabel Thinner. Johan
Skugge’s first 4-track EP for Thinner, Skyddsnisch, is
a prime example of this wickedly infectious sound to
this former deep house DJ’s ears. From the skewed
funk of “Voodoo Version” to the aptly named “Stupid
Fresh,” Skugge makes it evident he is no stranger to a
packed sweaty dancefloor nor an intimate
climate-controlled chill room. “Buddha Time” and
“Barceloneta” both respectively maintain this image as
well. His tracks flirt with an exacting, structured
awareness that acts as a fastening to the baggy house
grooves swimming through the assorted reverbed pads,
bass and clicks that flood them. And all while
maintaining interest in the throbbing repetitive
nature that is at the core of house. It’s this
interest that makes me want to re-experience the
positive response of the fickle masses populating my
old hole in the wall club hearing OM tracks mixed in
with their treasured screeching diva house in between
top-shelf DJ sets for the first time all over again.
Skyddsnisch is out now on Thinner.
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T-Polar :: Tonal Soul EP (Thinner, MP3)
The initial info for T-Polar’s Tonal Soul EP describes
it as “Booty Splatterhouze from Northern Ireland,”
which, oddly enough depicts this release flawlessly.
The bouncy, playful grooves heard throughout the four
tracks are all brewed in a myriad of sources ranging
from micro-disco to full on funky house, with a twist. “Global Animal Dub” proudly showcases this diversity
in the 7 minutes it occupies without a missed beat.
The clicky “Slugs,” with its processed loops of
dialogue, reveals a translation to a secret language
that may perhaps reveal that we’re all fooled by the
unhurried creatures. Missing from the title track is
the signature component of any brand of house – a
throbbing kick drum. T-Polar instead chooses to keep
things interesting and keep us on our feet by
concocting a groove that is wealthy with loops of
mutated snares and hand claps interspersed with clever
hi-hats, cut-up scats and attractive keyboard riffs.
“Wracket Shield Fleet” wraps up the set with the
missing throbs of the kick drum, back from a quick
smoke break, resurfacing to the forefront of the mix
for a concluding look at what exactly “Booty
Splatterhouze from Northern Ireland” sounds like:
another masterpiece from Thinner.
Tonal Soul is out now on Thinner.
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Konrad Bayer :: Songs For Sunhi (Summer Rain) EP (Autoplate, MP3)
Konrad Bayer continues his series of reflections on
the 4 seasons begun with the Dreams Of Leaving CD on
Genesungswerk, representing the arrival of Autumn and
continued on the Shall We Go To The Park? EP, also on
Autoplate, representing the crisp breezes of Spring.
Now with Songs For Sunhi (Summer Rain), Summer gets
the Konrad Bayer treatment that has inspired me to
fill up my bathtub with coconut-lime-verbena soap and
relax when I get the chance. This is fragile,
intricate and engaging music, resembling a guitar
player running through familiar chords alongside his
on-the-fritz Atari 5200 on an enclosed porch some
overcast Summer day. Beautiful acoustic guitar loops
weave in and out of light piano, hushed blips and
field recordings of city and countryside clatter on
nearly every track. The tracks “Kites”, “Stay” and
“Glassmoon 2” introduce minimal beats to this mix,
with pleasing results I wouldn’t have expected from
digital-folk music. At 8 tracks and 23 minutes long,
I wonder if this release is criminally cut short or
just enough to tide me over. Until the release
representing Winter finds its way onto my hard drive,
I wait patiently to let the hot water run.
Songs For Sunhi (Summer Rain) EP is out now on Autoplate.
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