LE MOTEL Vinyl & CDs

Review: .Oh wow. Brussels-based Maloca label boss Le Motel has created something really beautiful here. Utilising musique concrete principles, and a renowned ear for pianos and contemporary classical, experimental electronica, ambient and the like, Odd Numbers / S? L? is an odyssey in all senses of the word. Made from time on roads less traveled and the people and places encountered en route, it also feels like an aural adventure in its own right. Catalysed by time spent in Vietnam, arriving into the sprawling colonial districts of Hanoi, then venturing out to Hmong communities in mountainous areas close to the Chinese border, those he met and engaged with have been directly involved in the final album here - making this a vast exercise in collaboration. Noisy kitchens, quiet fields, personal conversations, the laughter of a village square on a weekend morning, meet beats, bass, heavy future cuts, serenity, and bliss. 1000% yes.

Review: Le Motel, le hotel, les Holiday Inns. Wherever you choose to stay after your raving trip, be sure to pack this wonderful collection from the innovative Belgian craftsman Le Motel. Delivered by the ever-impressive Yuku collective, the whole EP flexes the spectrum in terms of tempos and influences. From the deep ploughman techno swing of 'Raving Crew' to the electroid funk and percussive fire of 'Helix' via the cumbia-inspired and turns of the minimal head-bender '429 Too Many Requests', this is an exceptional journey into the more esoteric side of breaks and club music. Essential.