Kim Ann Foxman
It’s You That Drives Me Wild EP
Firehouse
Next in line from Kim Ann Foxman’s joint Firehouse/ The Vinyl Factory production house comes this superlative, dark somewhat sleazy yet ecstasy saturated release. The aptly titled, It’s You That Drives Me Wild title track joins dots between House Music of 80’s and todays fiery infusion of sounds. It also boasts a striking arrangement that effortlessly ignites the tension care-off of Foxman’s captivating vocals which are accompanied by a series of brutal beats plus an array of captivating sound effects. Maya Jane Coles provides the remix in her own inimitable style with deeper, chiming tones underpinning the voice. Second originals, Give It All You Got and the break beat fuelled Magic Window complete the picture in compelling style.
Moodymanc
Black Paint (Lenny Middles’ Acid Reprise)
Well Cut Records
Originally released on Tsuba records back in 2011 and as you can’t keep a good thing down Moodymanc’s notable Well Cut label revisits the Larry Heard remixed gem charged with a sense of wild Acid abandon – the clue’s in the title after all. What can I say about this apart from the excellent, simmering 303 styled tension sounds just as compelling as it ever did, while suitably accompanied by Lenny Middles faultless production prowess alongside finely tuned percussion seeing this journey into the electronic heart of the matter. Two mixes on offer. One with the compelling smoky voice-over, one without.
Label boss Joachim Spieth returns with two tracks for his Berlin based imprint. But while, Evaporate didn’t quite grab me on first listen the rush of emotionally charged ambience on Decelerate certainly did. Which, in turn led me back to the title track as the very same swirling atmosphere’s make their presence felt conversely over pounding drums that all of a sudden ignite your senses in unexpected ways. Whichever way round you like it this is impressive music.
Subb-an & Adam Shelton’s One Records are about to release their finest moment to date. Anthea’s sublime yet slightly distressing production bears all the hallmarks of a classic in the making, with its sizzling electronic rhythms feeling heavy-duty and inescapably funky. Although, perhaps what’s most enticing here are the deliciously sleazy sounding vocals intoning, ‘I can’t dance when you’re next to me’ – hence the records title. First remix comes from Dan Ghenacia who reliably adds some extra juice to arrangement with more insistent bass, swinging hi-hats and haunting keys. The second is by Subb-an whose apt 5am Remix again delves deeper with throbbing basslines, more revealing vocals, and a masterly Murk feel that always sounds killer.
The second release from London’s Disco Bloodbath is even better than the first. In fact, it’s an excellent piece of music. Combining the talents of the imprints own Ben Pistor and one half of Maxxi Soundsystem Sam Watts this swirling exploration of synthetic sounds feels like a trip through a myriad of influences, which define the finer point s of electronic music, from somewhere in the eighties until now. Love the sense of melancholy melody too as Gone Ghost isn’t shy of exploring a rollercoaster of emotions, then Jamie Blanco’s Acid Rework dives head first into 1988 with Acid enhancing the already expansive chords. The stunning, Arpy finishes in a blaze of intensity, complete with nasty sounds and grandiose Nu Beat references – this is nothing short of epic.
release: 8th August 2011 (Vinyl) / 21st August (Digital)
fabric continue their pioneering journey through sound with number 65 occupied by Matthias Tanzmann. The words deep, dark and soulful all crop up when listening to this extraordinary blend of engaging music that begins with the strange jazz of Minimono’s ‘Venus’, passes through Monkey Maffia’s supremely funky ‘Sources From The Past’, via twist and turns from Maya Jane Coles and Davide Squillace. Also featured is his own superlative reworking of Silicone Soul ‘Right On, Right On’ plus Alexis Cabrera’s bizarrely groovy ‘Everything’, which you’ll find in amongst any number of other not so hidden gems. You could also use the words stunning and stylish.
Love the Wipe Out Remix of this track from the recent Tides Of Mind album, as it combines sleazy hi-nrg syncopation along with dead-pan, somewhat camp vocals from Miss Kittin extolling the virtues of being a ‘housewife’. Joy. Powered by a huge Kick drum and a bunch of eighties references this sounds like a fun place to be at. An Extended version of the Original also appears (see below) with remixes from Society of Silence who treat it with a much more intense Techno edge, while Yannick Baudino takes it deeper with pulsating beats and atmospheric synths.
Following on from XXX Jimmy Edgar begins Majenta with a bang, and then keeps on banging. From the opening Kraftwerk referencing, Too Shy you’re immediately captured by the sheer funkiness of it all but with the arrival of Punk attitude declaring itself: This One’s For The Children, all hell breaks loose. Tempos continue to lift and drop as the machine-funk proceeds to probe different moods and agendas, feeling sometimes dangerously sleazy, sometimes joyus and uplifting. The one thing that is patently apparent is that this simply gets better with each consecutive listen. And so to highlight the diversity the warmth generated by R&B flavoured, Touch Yr Body and Hrt Real Good is equally offset by the cosmic discotheque of Heartkey. While the albums finale: In Deep draws together such a far reaching set of musical ideas that they are probably too long to list here, but which combine – like everything else – to feel very much like, Jimmy Edgar. 8
Geddes presents Mulletover: The Story So Far 2004-2012
Murmur
You could say: hotly anticipated, but then that would be somewhat of an understatement. And even if you haven’t made it to London’s premier installation, then the story so far plays like the best excuse to indulge yourself in Geddes first rate selection of deeply involving music. Featuring productions that expand the possibilities from Maya Jane Coles stunning, Dubchild through to Delusions Of Grandeur’s quietly immense, Don’t Sleep the party never seems to end. That realization of course also comes care off Okain’s very sublime, Scream and via the Murk classic, If You Really Love Someone. The journey through the timeline smoothly twists together the lows and highs of everything worthwhile, yet feels every bit about the here and now. 9
Deniz Kurtel & The Marcy All-Stars
The Way We Live – The singles
Wolf + Lamb
Just ahead of the June release of, The Way We Live album alongside The Marcy All-Stars comes this stunning set of three singles. Worked in collaboration, with firstly, Tanner Ross on the very divine, I Knew This Would Happen featuring Pillow Talk, which sequences together gorgeously haunting pads and expertly played bass along with Jazzy attitudes and heavenly treated voices to produce what is simply sublime music. The Jazzy notation follows on, The Beat Drops with Tanner Ross again and Jules Born developing a Saxophone theme across pulsating electro-beats and moody vocals. Leaving, Thunder Clap complete with thunderous fx and Voices Of Black to deliver P-Funk inspired funkiness to entice you further into the cosmos. 9
Featuring features two tracks: Harder (with Jaw) and Timeline (with Francesco Tristano). The former works Jaw’s detuned vocal over bubbling synthesisers and consequently feels tastefully sinister yet bizarrely funky. Reaching almost twelve minutes long the arrangement delivers aural surprises along the way, not least of all the way the bassline climaxes the into a fizzy contortion. Timeless, is almost conventional in comparison, although while acclaimed pianist Francesco Tristano challenges you with abrupt, improvised notes it never-the-less makes sense via the engaging technological rhythm section and its familiarizing repetition. 7
You get the feeling that you don’t know where this is going to end up – which I like – as the opening title track unnerves you with its brooding beats and dark electronics, despite LK’s unsettling voice telling you to conversely relax in the process. Never less than interesting this creative production always holds your attention even right down to the very ending at almost eleven minutes. What Where, continues in a similar vein though rewards you funkier percussion and bass, with the tINI remix of Lonber Attract sounding excellent with imaginative drum programming and further carefully- crafted hypnotic atmospheres. 8
Nikola Gala’s relentless production doesn’t indulge much in the way of subtlties but does dive headlong into pulverizing beats coupled with classic House stabs and vocal edits for quality measure. Indeed, the kick drum is soo harsh it makes everything else seem like light relief - which I guess of course is the whole point – with the resulting experience being uplifting almost despite itself. Ryan Elliot plays with an altogether different beat and indulges in mood enhancing pads and funky hi-hat fuelled percussion to provide a sassy alternative. 7
Kim Ann Foxman
Moodymanc
Joachim Spieth
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