Ben Vida – Reducing The Tempo To Zero – Shelter Press

The word here is breath-taking. Literally. Expanding time to a total of four hours this undulating landscape of motion is bliss unfolded. Eloquently exploring the far reaches of stereo movements evolve in meditative ways over each of the four parts, defining a series of works spanning four years in creation by Ben Vida. Again this may clash with convention as neither drums nor melody are employed in the process and yet feels all the more free for it. Your imagination is paramount here and is left to find its own path as synthesized sound feels at once peacefully poignant, while contrasted by being forcefully robust. There is nothing remotely lightweight about this experience. Perhaps, this will be the most challenging situation you may find yourself in as the completing moments of part four seek out the past, rooted firmly in the future.

Mastered by Stephan Mathieu

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Frederick – Take My Hand EP – Lazy Day Recordings

It can be painfully apparent when music is this good as it transcends the dullness of everything else around it. Peter Oakden aka Frederick has produced something that is both soulful (in the real sense of the word) and yet challenging, vibrant. Understated drums and the gentle roll of keys create a questioning atmosphere for Take My Hand with which the emotive vocals fit perfectly in. The wonderful 6th Borough Project version then adds heavier kicks alongside Detroit flavoured basslines, all of which provide a warmer glow to the arrangement while retaining the essential essence. The chiming resonance of Looponic follows with deeper moods explored via the first-rate All Is Well edit, leaving the rigorous rhythms of Ruled By Fire to complete with a heady sequence of flashing keys and uplifting moments care of Selina Campbell’s soaring vocals.

Release: December 13

https://www.facebook.com/frederickofficial
http://lzdrecordings.com

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Manuel De Lorenzi – Obsession – Moss Co.

Obsession isn’t about subtlety but then neither is the subject. Obsessively fiery drums, smouldering basslines plus the addictive hint of voices all work up a dancefloor sweat, though unusually these days a sense of melody isn’t far away given the introduction of slightly warped, hedonistic keys. The excellent Cappuccino follows feeling deeper, more introspective as waves of instrumentation wash over the intense percussion, throbbing bass and tripped out vocals. The Djebali Remix adds a sense of space to the occasion via imaginatively placed, punctuating synth lines and taught drums.

Release: December 13

buy https://www.beatport.com/release/obsession/2778424

https://www.facebook.com/manueldelorenzidj
https://www.instagram.com/manueldelorenzidj
https://www.facebook.com/mosscorecords
https://www.instagram.com/moscowrecordsmossco

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Carlo – Perfect Plan – Classic Music Company

In one sense you already know this record intimately. It bears all the requisite hallmarks of soulful good fortune alongside an affirmation that, despite the sense of underlying heartache, just about everything is going to be alright. Reflecting a distant past the bittersweet melodies featured here are the perfect foil to what’s going on today and served as it is with such resolutely intent drums, robust bass and the swirling sting of strings this proves a perfect storm of sound and imagination.

Release: December 6

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Demuir – An Artists Thinketh EP – Heist Recordings

Once upon a time records that sounded as exciting at this one populated dancefloors all over everywhere. Typifying and exciting the reasons why House Music, in the more fashionable part of the 1990’s, was so supremely wonderful to experience. Demuir has redefined that expectation with his delicious Werq. Feel. Gruv. Vogue. which succeeds in capturing your attention so intently that it reinforces all that was once significant about the genre. I can’t get enough of it! The rigours rhythms employed capture that essence as insanely sassy keys plus rolling bass and drums all work the tension up to fever-pitch, leaving the fierce vocals to ice the cake. Remaining numbers have the pumping, brash chords of The 3nity Returneth and the slinky, breezy refrains of Philippine Sunrise complete the release, though not before time to relish Lady Blacktronika’s intense reworking of the latter.

Release: December 2

Buy https://www.juno.co.uk/products/demuir-an-artist-thinketh-ep/755087-01/

https://store.detroitswindle.com
https://www.facebook.com/DemuirBeats

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James Welsh – Sitting – Phantasy Sound

This is brilliant. Like all great pieces of music it captures your attention immediately, drawing you seductively into its own defined way of thinking. It’s like a dark, religious experience all rolled into one sermon as its downtown combination of fuzzy low-end and brutal, dazzling architectures of sound feds your imagination with the luxury of possibility. Sitting, is centred on words plus an arrays of tantalising synthesizers which colour perspectives of light, and even some shade, climaxing in a rush of sparkling arpeggios. Rubber Dog then examines the technological aspects of electricity in ways that don’t leave too much to the imagination.

Release: December 13

https://www.facebook.com/jameswelshofficial
https://shop.phantasysound.co.uk

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Rich NxT – NXT006 – NxT Records

Like living life in the fast lane Rich Nxt’s stream of consciousness fires ideas in such quick succession it’s almost hard to keep up. This next release sees the producer aim squarely at the dancefloor via tough, rugged drums that are once again imaginatively offset via a dazzling array of sounds and signatures on the undulating Sauna De Plastico. Argy delivers an excellent, true to form remix with pulsating beats and sleazy bass working up to fever pitch, while still feeling supremely funky care off punctuating congo. Malin Genie remixes the more probing rhythms of Attery as insistent basslines tear up the stereo injecting a release of defiant energy. Number six is yet another killer release of forward-thinking ideas from Nxt Records.

Release: December 13

https://www.facebook.com/nxtrecs
https://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/richnxt
https://www.facebook.com/richnxt

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Mihai Popoviciu – Sleepwalking – Poker Flat Recordings

It’s almost all in the way the bassline grooves and moves you in inevitable ways when something smoulders as much as this does. Driven by punchy drums the unfolding sensation of drama soon gathers pace with the addition of grainy synthesisers capturing the ever evolving sense of adventure. Apart from occasional vocal touches it’s pretty much all down to the addictive rhythms, and they are certainly irresistible. Francesca Lombardo then adds sparkle into the remix with punctuating keys bouncing off Acid attitude and effervescent melodies.

Release: November 22

https://www.facebook.com/mihaipopoviciu1
https://www.francesca-lombardo.com
https://www.pokerflat-recordings.com

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Butch & C.Vogt – Vogue – Freerange Records

This very much feels like a lot of classic Acid moments all rolled into one. You can hear it in the Chicago/ Detroit inspired bassline as much as you can in the keys adding soul and melody to the equation. Those jazzy American influences shine through too and all the while Vogue is simply a very fine piece of music. The Bonus Butch Edit adds a slice of drumming intensity into an alternative arrangement, while Jimpster’s remix sequences tribal flair to the beats alongside a psychedelic wash of vocals and heady rush of punchy arpeggios. The playful percussion, warm brushes of organ plus harmonious synth lines of Windeck then complete this standout, celebratory release from the label.

Release: November 29

buy https://freerangerecords.bandcamp.com/album/butch-c-vogt-vogue-ep

http://www.cometobutch.com
https://www.facebook.com/cvogtmusic
https://www.freerangerecords.co.uk

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FURTHER PERSPECTIVES & DISTORTIONS An Encyclopaedia Of British Experimental and Avant-Garde Music 1976-1984 – Close To The Noise Floor/ Cherry Red Records

Close To The Noise Floor embark on this invaluable project to highlight and expose the wealth of British Experimental and Avant-Garde Music between 1976-1984. Years in which you had the existence of Fleetwood Mac on one side of the Atlantic, while Duran Duran populated the other. Perhaps what is so cutting about this selection of pieces is how on-edge some of it is – although, perhaps more realistically, it all is. Opening with Trail Of Traps by Alterations is quite frankly on unnerving experience which jolts you when least expected (especially LOUD). The journey through the unexpected is then blissfully realised via the weird and wonderful as experimental sounds and ideas are rigorously developed, ever mutating into another world of riotous potential. What also exists here is an invigorating, breathless combination of hints and persuasions of every colour and rhythm from Classical input, through to dangerous explosions of sound, to free Jazz and more. So much so that its almost hard to take in all in one go. I’m not actually sure, at this stage, whether such a thing as standout tracks do exist as they all play a part in forming a document of the unconventional. But, as life progresses in ever more uncertain ways, releases such as this, play an ever more important role in cataloguing the unorthodox as it now feels entirely normal.

Further Perspectives & Distortion – An Encyclopedia Of British Experimental And Avante-Garde Music 1976-1984, Various Artists, 3CD BoxsetVarious Artists
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