R.I.P. Mark Bell

I'm really sad to announce that Mark Bell has passed away due to complications from surgery. An electronic pioneer with his work as one half of LFO, his genre bending of house with techno was ahead of the game, and he was one of my favorite album producers of the 90's. Bjork has kept him aboard since he produced her "Homogenic" album. He will be soreley missed.

And...well, Fucking LFO, y'all!!!

Demdike Stare - The Weight of Culture (Self-released, 2013) CS

One of the finest architects of modern experimental music, the duo of Miles Whittaker and Sean Canty, offers a sampling of crate digging tastes and its even far better than you'd expect.





http://www.discogs.com/Demdike-Stare-The-Weight-Of-Culture/release/4295738

Call Super - Depicta / Acephale II (Houndstooth, 2014)

JR Seaton is back with a couple of serious burners. Side A is a finely honed kick in the ribs of a groove, one that is getting straight to the dancefloor with no bullshit. Side B is a bit spacey and organic but it's not wasting too much time fucking around either. I'm really feeling both.

"Call Super comes back to Fabric X Rob Booth's Houndstooth label with two melancholic, uniquely textured techno drivers. 'Depicta' turns out a tuffened 4/4 groove rent with finely layered harmonics and bristling with atomised electronic structures bound to sound amazing on a big rig. 'Acephale II' is a shade deeper, riding clipped, muffled kicks and fizzing percussion into blue, atmospheric synth zones recalling '90s classics from The Connection Machine or early PAS and The Black Dog." -Boomkat

Kuedo - Severant (Planet Mu, 2011)

I really don't know how I missed this one until today. When it came out in 2011, I was obsessing over Daniel Lopatin's research into obscure 80's new age and computer music videos on his Sunset Corps Youtube Channel. His own sample based music, Oneohtrix Point Never, is currently my favorite art project. The nostalgia and sensory overload of my own childhood memories are tapped into each time I listen to his material. It causes a flood of near synesthesia. One that I welcome whole-heartedly.

Kuedo, which naturally makes me think of Kodo, has a similar aesthetic but is driving and is an IDM of sorts. Its as if Vangelis is making experimental trap, synth house and future garage. In fact, Kuedo even samples from the Bladerunner soundtrack. There is nothing special or innovative here, but if you grew up in the 80's, were a fan of any new age at the time, and are into contemporary UK dance music, I guarantee you'll dig this.

Actress - Ghettoville (Werk Discs, 2014)

"The machines have turned to stone, data reads like an obituary to its user." This was the press release accompanying this latest and supposedly final album from the brilliant mind of Darren Cunningham. And from the reaction of most fans and critics, the end has come none too soon.

 'Ghettoville' is a bit of a departure from the fun yet avant garde outings of 'Splazsh' and 'R.I.P.' His self-described 'R&B Concrete' as well as his heady lo-fi house jams have been replaced with stark, bleak, and utterly dystopian codes. Some nearly beatless, these intentionally numb melodies are held together by the thread of a drum. This is a laudanum funk, with its soul buried lazily beneath minimal breaks and lackadaisical samples. The dancefloor is still represented. Several four on the floor tracks are present. But this time they feel like a specter. The dust and sweat have long since settled, the dj standing in the booth reminiscing that final night. Ultimately, this just feels like something that would have been cozier over at Modern Love.At first listen, I wondered if Cunningham had a love child with Leyland Kirby and it was just still on the downlow.

 I'm opposed to the critics on this one. Here we have a good final document. Cunningham warned us that Actress was dead. Its possible that after being hailed as a golden child for eight years, Actress has been dead longer than we thought. Though, it didn't seem like it when I saw him perform last year. He killed it, enthusiastically stunning everyone in the crowd. The oh so exhausted one could have fooled me. He seemed to be having the time of his life. Then again, his moniker is / was 'Actress'.

   

Anton Zap - Water (Apollo Records, 2013)

This compilation showcases the Moscow deep house producer's meditative leanings from the bulk of the past decade. It begins with an ambient breaks number, then closes in on the dancefloor with a more accessible house mood. Things shift gears completely with a beatless drone piece, then stun with a new one that is essentially a downtempo 80's funk jam. This one makes me want to add a second 'P' to the end of his last name. Rounding out the album with some cosmic exploration, we get the closest three tracks to his classic sound.

Essentially this is a collection of singles from other compilations on Ethereal Sound, Soul People and Underground Quality. Its always nice to see the other side of an artist, and this one works for me.




Here is a good example of his standard dj mix:

Young Echo - Nexus (Ramp, 2013)

This is another record I regret slipping past me in 2013. The Bristol collective Young Echo is comprised of several artists with stellar output in the past couple years. Vessel's 'Order of Noise' made my best of 2012, Zhou makes meditative drone, Khan is a respected dubstep producer and the other members, El Kid, Jabu, Neek, Manomars and Ishan Sound have managed to make names for themselves.

Its no coincidence that this album has the Wild Bunch scenario, given that these kids obvious work in that Tricky / Massive Attack tradition. The general aesthetic is the blunted downtempo of their metropolitan mentors. However, Young Echo is deconstructivist. The dancefloor is broken. Beats are fodder for cutups. The hip hop and bass are buried beneath drones, spoken work, ethereal female vocals and frequencies on par with a Raster Noton album. The ghosts of Nurse with Wound and Boyd Rice are here, remixing for some cerebral nonexistent club, a place where sci-fi 2-step co-mingles with dub and introspective pop.

Elements collide, float together, fall apart and fade away, but ultimately, and surprisingly, cohesion is victorious.

Demdike Stare - Post-collapse (DDS, 2013)

Well they've outdone themselves again. Here's a new mixtape you absolutely must have. They are the kings of crate digging. From cosmic jazz to proto-club jams, drum edits to field recordings, you will never have a clue what these tracks are. Cuz they ninja.



Buy this at Boomkat.

Virgo Four - Resurrection (Rush Hour, 2011)

This compilation of unreleased original tracks from 1984-1990 showcases the brilliance of Chicago deep house producers Eric Lewis and Merl Saunders.

In opposition to the jacked house of the time, Virgo Four's beats and bass were more ethereal and they incorporated ambient sounds, all the while keeping it minimal and grasping at the negative space. Many of the parts were played by hand, which makes it warmer and also works well with the borrowed krautrock vibes.

They could've been huge but Stricltly Rhythm didn't have the faith to sign them. This is really impressive stuff except for some of the attempts at lyrics. The vocals are a bit silly. Also check out their first release Virgo Four EP.

Get it Here