Reviews:17

                                                             

Sean Danke

‘Breath/ Leeks’

Something Different Records

Always good to start at the beginning as Jesus Pablo and Di Riviera celebrate their brand new imprint with this from Sean Danke. A name no doubt many of you are familiar with as the Reykjavik resident delivers what could suggestively be called techno at a strident tempo to match. However there’s something particularly infectious about the repeatedly disturbing voices and their accompanying syncopation as generated by Breath, can’t quite put my finger on exactly why but then that’s part of the appeal. Martijn remixes with typical flair and imaginatively pitches down the mood, although as it turns out with no less intensity with plenty of funky sequences on offer. Leeks, feels lighter in comparison, the piano helps, and spans nine minutes of invigorating danceable music. Philipp Ort then remixes the piano with added sparkle and layers of chords into warmer atmospheres to finish off round one. 8

release: 25 Oct 2011

http://www.facebook.com/somethingdifferentrecords

 

 

Tracey Thorn

‘Night Time E.P’

Strange Feeling Records

Night Time made perfect sense the second time I played it. Firstly because it’s an XX cover and secondly as Tracey Thorns consistently distinctive voice sounds so very right on this version, which also features a certain Ben watt on guitar and backing vocals alongside Ewan Pearson’s tasteful production. Next, Swimming gets reworked via an excellent re-tweaking of Visionquest’s remix from last year by Pearson. You know you’re in the company of future genius here as this sublime arrangement of fizzing electronic melody sits stunningly with the vocals, and the pay-off is well worth waiting for.  Emotive sounds and swirling atmospheres continue to compete for your attention on Charles Webster’s versions, which both hit the mark just as you would expect from him. 9

 release: 31 Oct 2011

http://www.strangefeelingrecords.com/

 

Darkness Falls

‘Alive In Us’

hfn music/ Fake Diamond Records

This band – there are two of them – have been appearing on the radar since their debut e.p was released last March. Danish duo Josephine Philip and Ina Lindgreen make the kind of noises which you could argue fit autumn like a glove, with pleasantly melancholy songs and sixties musical references – slightly Velvet Underground – floating in a certain direction on the first half of the playlist. You can picture the accompanying film and the scenes therein, which like reading books is just what you want. Produced by Trentemøller tracks such as The Void have the guitars feeling big and twanging while the electronics are wired into swirling moods and so on, conversely tracks like Josephine feel entirely haunting and epic. Paradise Trilogy II sees playful toms and chorus-like vocals combine with searing string sounds that are eerily reminiscent of one Ennio Morricone  – the finishing version III has whistling too . Timeline lifts the sense of melody into dirtier, funkier territory and proves to be one of the best tracks on the album, which as time plays on both the tempo and intensity lift into jumping up and down moments ending up at Hey! This may be a taste you might like to acquire. 7

release: 24 Oct 2011

http://www.myspace.com/darknessfallsmusic