Best New Releases from December 2019
Last month of the year we focused on voting for our favorite albums, mixes, and the most memorable tracks, discussing the biggest surprises, controversies and standout moments in dance music... It is fair to say that 2019 was another excellent year for the electronic musical landscape; and December, in particular, had been an outstanding month for releases, closing the year and decade on a high note.
The last ten favorite tracks of 2019 featuring Arkajo, Atish, Dorisburg, Donato Dozzy, Gacha Bakradze, His Master's Voice, Lawrence, Prins Thomas, Map.ache, Human Space Machine, and Kris Baha released via Aniara Records, Manjumasi, Horoom, Palinoia, Smalltown Supersound Norway, Indigo Aera, Delsin Records, and Cocktail D'Amore.
Map.ache
Fallen (Underground Soul Revival Mix)
Giegling
Weimar’s techno collective Giegling just in time for Christmas quietly unveiled the “Giegling Various Artists 2019” compilation to mark a sensational decade for the underground record label. It includes four tracks from the label affiliates Leafar Legov, Edward, Map.ache and mysterious artist Ernst, all of which delve into the most intricate sophisticated facets of house and techno. “Various Giegling- 2019” (alternate?) version of the compilation has also appeared.
An essential member of the Giegling family, veteran resident DJ at Leipzieg's Conne Island, one-half of the Manamana duo and KANN Records label co-founder, Map.ache brings his trademark emotion-inducing melodies with a beautiful house gem “Fallen”. Following on his 2018 album “Vom Ende Bis Zum Anfang”, deep and hypnotic “Fallen” masterfully blends classic deep house elements with contemporary aesthetics.
Arkajo
Untitled (Run Away With Me)
Aniara Records
Swedish sonic architect, producer, musician, live-performer, and one half of Genius Of Time duo - Nils Krogh, also known as Arkajo, returns to Aniara Records with another striking EP. The funk-fused “Untitled (Run Away With Me)” offers powerful vibrations of the breakbeat infused euphoria, bass-driven twisted rhythm, and seductive vocal samples.
Donato Dozzy
Aquatica
Palinoia
Eric Cloutier’s Palinoia Records unveiled a concept record “Palinoia LTD 001” EP, featuring tracks by Donato Dozzy and Eric Cloutier, who . Eric Cloutier provided an insight said about the release: “Kicking off a new concept for Palinoia, I'm presenting a previously unreleased Donato Dozzy track that I first heard in his infamous "DDKH" mix from many moons ago. I regularly harassed Dozzy about this in hopes he had plans for it but after almost a decade of being questioned he told me to just put it out myself, provided I was doing a track for the B-side...”
Having refined his craft for many years, Italian ambient techno sculptor Donato Dozzy seamlessly delivers an exuberant, richly textured dark and haunting atmosphere.
Gacha Bakradze
Elevate
Horoom
At the forefront of the Georgian underground music scene since 2012, Gacha Bakradze brings his talent to BASSIANI’s sub-label Horoom with the “Extensions” EP. The four-track package is drawing influences from 90s IDM, electro, and breakbeat while immersing in the new dimensions of sound.
Hinged around breakbeat-driven rhythms, the opening track "Elevate" is morphing dreamy dubby pads into a sensible, sophisticated mood.
His Master's Voice
Fire Red
Delsin Records
Enigmatic German producer His Master's Voice emerged once again from the ether to release his second solo project on Delsin Records, following his "Sirius Incident" EP on Schleifen and "Oma" on the KANN's Banana Split compilation. The three tracks package is full of ambiance, delicate dissonance, and subtle melodicism. The record also features a remix “Transitions” from the German producer Vril.
Soft but exquisitely detailed “Fire Red” opens the A-side with a hypnotic percussive groove and unique, mood evoking instrumentation.
Atish
Abyss (Dorisburg Remix)
Manjumasi
San Francisco imprint Manjumasi released their twentieth installment, "Warbel" EP by label co-founder Atish. The two original tracks showcasing his unique tendencies towards the dark and mesmerizing sound. Backing up the originals are three equally impressive and diverse remixes made by Rodriguez Jr, Dorisburg and Fort Romeau.
Dorisburg’s spin on “Abyss” is a magnetic 8-minute arrangement of opaque soundscapes, hazy synths, and mystical bassline.
Human Space Machine
Rebirth
Indigo Aera (AEX)
Dutch imprint Indigo Aera presents the 10th edition of its AEX compilation series of “hand-stamped white labels raised from friendship and family, a collection of like-minded artists having fun in their shared studio spaces in Amsterdam and around.“ “AEX10” is an exciting collection of five tracks created by De Lichting stalwarts Human Space Machine, Kaap, and Nathan Surreal, ESHU’s Tetelepta and Dutch producer Denote.
Human Space Machine’s “Rebirth” brings contagious energy with contrasting rhythms and melancholic undertones, transforming modulated synth lines into dancing marionettes.
Prins Thomas
Urmannen (12" version by Prins Thomas)
Smalltown Supersound
Norwegian disco-maestro Prins Thomas closes the decade with a two-part remix package from his most recent album. Released in April, "Ambitions" was Prins Thomas’ 6th album and his second solo album for Smalltown Supersound (plus two duo albums with Bjørn Torske and Bugge Wesseltoft).
Now, Smalltown Supersound releases two 12"s with remixes contributed by Japan's producers DJ Nobu and Synth Sisters, German electronic producer Isolée and new versions of album tracks "Ambitions" and "Urmannen" by Prins Thomas.
The legendary artist brings a new life into “Urmannen” by stripping graceful disco flourishes and putting at the forefront a tightly-woven sequencing.
Lawrence
Moonlight
Giegling
German electronic musician Peter Kersten, better known as Lawrence, adds another gorgeous work to his prolific catalog with “Moonlight” EP debuted on the cult Giegling label - a hypnotizing journey through the shadowy underworld.
The title track is a peculiar blend of tranquil pastoralism and abstraction, all balanced into a distinctive flavor of pulsating dub, ambient, and deep house influences.
Kris Baha
Parallelled
Cocktail D'Amore
Infamous Cocktail D'Amore celebrates the 10th anniversary with a new record compilation and retrospective charity book. The German duo Discodromo and Berghain resident DJ Boris have been running the Berlin Cocktail D'Amore party with a "focus on bringing quality music into the alternative culture in Berlin" since 2009. Two years later it matured into a record label reflective of the unique Cocktail experience. This December sees the release of a three-part vinyl-only compilation named after their dance floors: Main Room, Garden, and Cosmic Hole. The Nothing Matters When We’re Dancing Vol.10 compilation features Bell Towers, Tornado Wallace, Jonathan Kusuma, DJ City, Sleep D & Samo DJ, Mascaras & Powder.
The label affiliate Kris Baha makes an exciting contribution to the third-part, Cosmic Hole, a room dedicated to downtempo psychedelia. Influenced by post-punk and darkwave, "Parallelled" is filled with intergalactic energy engulfed in hypnotic rhythms and sync-noir melodies.