Best New Releases From January 2020
Welcome to 2020! The dawn of a new decade brings with it so many exciting albums, releases and remixes that went under the radar. Essential records from January feature talented producers such is Forest Drive West, Recondite, Avancera, Escape Artist, map.ache, Mattheis, Tom Trago, natural/electronic.system, Marco Shuttle, Yoshinori Hayashi, Yansima and Prins Thomas releasing on Echochord, Ghostly International, Kalahari Oyster Cult, Tikita, R&S, Spazio Disponibile, ://about blank, Smalltown Supersound, Nous’klaer Audio, and Jong Nederland.
Mattheis
Woodlands
Nous’klaer Audio
Dutch producer Mattheis continues his relationship with the Rotterdam-based Nous’klaer Audio with the release of a new EP. Comprising of three tracks, “A Falcon’s Eyrie“ is a trance-inducing techno record with a distinctive futuristic edge.
The kaleidoscopic haze of synth modulations and overpowering soundscapes, the second track “Woodlands” is a mesmerizing musical journey radiating raw energy with intricacy and precision.
Forest Drive West
Parallel Space
Echocord
The latest installment from Copenhagen's Echocord comes courtesy of the London based DJ and producer Forest Drive West. Following his recent remix of Babe Roots on the imprint, Forest Drive West makes a return to the label with a hauntingly beautiful "Parallel Space" EP backed with a remix by the Dutch techno producer Conforce. The three-track continues his extensive discography, which can be traced to some of the most exciting labels, such as Livity Sound, Whities, Hidden Hawaii, Neighboughood, and Midgar.
The B-side opens with a title track "Parallel Space," where gently arranged percussive rhythms, a slow-burning ambiance, and hazy, futuristic sounds traverse a realm of sonic limbo.
Tom Trago
Whisper
Jong Nederland
The Bergen-based veteran producer, musician, and mastermind behind Voyage Direct Tom Trago presents his new record label Jong Nederland with a new "JNL01" EP.
“The first release is produced and recorded in the attic studio of the historic building the label is named after,” the artist describes via his FB page. "It’s in this setting of daily music-making sessions, with a limited range of hardware and electronic instruments, the desire grew to capture the vibrancy of the moment. These limitations inspired me to keep it basic and offer up raw, straight-to-tape tracks.
Created with no musical rules other than the effort to reflect the eclecticism of the productions. In its immediacy and diversity".
The "JNL01" EP kicks off with two new originals from Tom Trago, brimming with fresh sonic ideas and energy imbued by the artist during creative recording sessions.
Anchored by bubbling electronics, "Whisper" continuously morphs into an ethereal ride through waves of gauzy synth, brittle rhythm, and dreamy motifs.
Escape Artist
Another World
Kalahari Oyster Cult
Escape Artist has been gradually carving a name for himself in the Melbourne underground electronic music scene. With releases on Salt Mines and Couch Acid Recordings, he returns to the Amsterdam-based Kalahari Oyster Cult for the third EP. Marking the label’s first release of 2020, “Digital Natives” EP sees the Aussie DJ, producer, and live performer continues developing his signature sound diverging from techno to ambient, and breakbeat to jungle sounds. The EP features four original tracks, including a remix from Canadian techno producer Flørist.
The title track gives off an air of fathoming tropical acid funk, coupling an immersive breakbeat with dreamy pads and scorching acid basslines.
Jessamine
Flutes (map.ache remix)
://about blank
The co-founder of popular ‘Blank Generation’ parties at Berlin’s cult nightclub ://about blank, Jessamine released the EP which includes remixes by two legendary German producers, Workshop’s Kassem Mosse and KANN’s map.ache.
While Kassem Mosse supplies a louche ‘Still Floeten Mix’ of ‘Flutes’ stretched out to nearly 9 minutes of simmering hi-hats and synths, map.ache decides to take a bit more melodic approach and takes a listener to a ‘feel-good’ ride with uplifting arp recognizable house groove.
natural/electronic.system
Maestrale
Tikita
January signals the arrival of natural/electronic system’s second solo outing on Casablanca’s Tikita imprint. For this release, the Italian duo of Antonio Giova and Valerio Gomes De Ayala brings a diverse four-track EP called “Mediterranea”. With each track named after a different wind pattern native to the Mediterranean Sea, natural/electronic.system explores a broad spectrum of tempos and moods shaped for a crowded nightclub.
Titled after the refreshing summer wind of the Adriatic, the closing track “Maestral” effortlessly bubbles with a vibrant, percussion-dominated rhythm injected with a vibe of endless summer.
Recondite
Moon Pearl
Ghostly International
The electronic musician and live-performer Lorenz Brunner, better known as Recondite, returns to Ghostly International with a new full-length album “Dwell”. Recondite’s return marks his sixth studio album and his first in five years, following up 2013 LP “Hinterland” oin Ghostly. “Dwell” evokes a continuation of the same impulse towards emotive, melodic sounds, “a further study of shapes, the modes, and the structures Brunner has trademarked,” the label explains.
“I am coherent with what I do, even if I am not reinventing myself,” Brunner says. “It’s like when you are on a hike, and you stop and look at the scenery; you may know which path you want to go next, but right now, you are dwelling.”
Marco Shuttle
Ritmo Elegante
Spazio Disponibile
The Italian producer and Eerie record label boss Marco Shuttle etches out a unique space in the landscape of introspective techno with his latest offering on Spazio Disponibile. Following on from his Systhema album and a string of EPs in partnership with Donato Dozzy and Neel, in recent years, Marco Shuttle returns to the label with “Ritmo Elegante” EP. Spanning across four tracks, it touches on ambient, jungle, and techno.
The opening title track “Ritmo Elegante” is a slowly-shifting tapestry of multifaceted atmospheric soundscapes and dubby ambiance.
Yoshinori Hayashi
0208 (Prins Thomas Remix)
Smalltown Supersound
Yoshinori Hayashi’s versatile LP “Ambivalence” gets a remix treatment from Bjorn Torske and Prins Thomas through Smalltown Supersound. Each artist added their unique taste and formed their idea of the “Geckos” and “0208” respectively.
“0208” is transformed into an electrified futuristic house by the creative mind of the Norwegian disco maestro Prins Thomas. He keeps the core elements of the original but adds layers of textured sound and throbbing acid bassline to a hypnotic effect.
Yansima
La Kappa
R&S
R&S welcomes Ukrainian Ilya Pokazieiev AKA Yansima, for a three track EP of hypnagogic techno rhythms. After a number of tracks and vinyl only EPs for underground labels Yansima now arrives on R&S with a stunning three track EP.
Emerging from the vibrant underground scene in Ukraine, Pokazieiev is a sound designer, DJ, musician and vocalist with an masterful sense of rhythm and groove, drawing fertile inspiration from the lysergic energies of Romanian minimal techno and the breakbeats and low slung bass of UK Garage.
Our pick ‘La Kappa’ is a driving breakbeat journey, spiced with guitar riff and trippy sequence.