CD Album Recommendations October 2015

Review: Given the deep, dreamy and luscious sound of his productions, it's perhaps unsurprising that Brawther has been a regular contributor to Chez Damier and Ron Trent's Balance imprint. As Endless neatly proves, the Parisian producer has provided the label with some tremendous music since 2009, much of which could pass as authentic Damier material. The latter makes an appearance on the wonderful title track, but his trademark sound - fluid, quietly soulful, bumpin', hazy and dancefloor friendly - can be heard throughout this essential retrospective. Naturally, there's more than a little Trent flavour to some of the cuts, too - in particular the enveloping pads and twinkling pianos of "VXVXVX" - making this a sublime collection of sumptuous, ultra-deep house.

Review: While Larry Heard only ever produced two 12" singles under the Gherkin Jerks alias, the ragged acid tracks featured in those EPs have been hugely influential. Certainly, they made a lasting impression on Jamal Moss, who earlier this year decided to record a bunch of tracks inspired by Heard's infamous blend of rugged drum machine rhythms, twisted acid lines, and heart-aching deep house touches. 4 This Is My Gherkin Life Volume 3 continues where installments one and two left off, delivering eight more killer machine jams which temper Moss's usual balls-out approach to Chicagoan acid with a few melancholic, melodious touches. The result is another impressive set of analogue box jams, from the bass-heavy bounce of the intoxicating "Track 8", to the spacey electronics and Detroit drums of "Track 5".

Review: German label Dial was probably not the most obvious choice for DJ Richard to release his debut album on, but it turns out that Grind is a perfect fit. Tracks like "No Balance" and "Waiting for the Green Flash" are eerie, atmospheric compositions and capture the often times sangfroid sound (and design) of the Hamburg imprint. Elsewhere, there are nods to the classic deep house and techno, especially on the winding, stop-start bleep groove of "Savage Coast" and the fragile, sublime melodies of closing track "Vampire (dub)". However, if there is one track that really consolidates the Dial-DJ Richard relationship, it's the staccato beats and sonorous bass of "I-Mir", an arrangement that perfectly captures the label's wintry escape from the daily grind.

Review: Golden Pudel's number one DJ-turned-producer, Helena Hauff, returns to Actress's Werkdiscs with her debut LP, marking a fine start to the September release downpour! Compared to her last effort for the label and her banger of an EP on Lux, Discreet Desires spans across much vaster landscapes, and while we knew that she was heavily into Detroit electro, the album is heavily focused on fast, broken beats brimming with synths. "Spur" and "Funereal Morality", for example, are a pair of Drexcyian bombshells, while "Piece Of Pleasure" clearly takes inspiration from Kraftwerk and the resulting synth pop wave. Instead, "Silver Sands & Boxes Of Mould" showcases her more experimental side thanks to its cinematic soundscapes and sparse beats, along with the beatless sway of "Dreams In Color". A fine debut LP that cements Hauff's position at the vanguard of current electronics.

Review: On previous full-length outings, Vagon Brei has successfully joined the dots between bombastic acid house, Drexcitan electro, atmospheric techno, shimmering IDM and becalmed ambience. On this ultra limited-edition full length for Dutch imprint Photic Fields, the Spanish producer concentrates more on the melodious side of his output. The Pleasure of Finding Things Out is, without doubt, his most positive and ear-pleasing set to date, sitting somewhere between the sprightly electro-meets-IDM of Vector Lovers, classic '90s ambient - think Spacetime Continuum or early Irresistible Force - and rolling, Italo-influenced chuggers (the skittish beats, throbbing synthesizers and sparkling melodies of "Feynman Theme"). While the whole album sparkles, it's the ambient moments - particularly the melancholic "Challenger Disaster" - that hit home hardest.

Review: The 21st Century has been quiet thus far for New Order, with only two full albums to date, and only an out-takes compilation in the last decade. Moreover, 'Music Complete' marks their first album to date without founding bassist Peter Hook, and the return of Gillian Gilbert to the ranks. Yet from this turbulence and inertia they've somehow managed to create a collection of songs that rank as their strongest set since 'Technique' in 1989. VIbrant, upbeat and colourful, yet driven by the same mix of electronic experimentation and effortless pop suss that characterised their '80s heyday, 'Music Complete' is the sound of a timeless and unique force newly revitalised.

Review: Dam-Funk recently took to Twitter to bemoan the disparity between the positive feedback he gets from listeners, and the largely disappointing reviews from music critics. It's certainly odd that critics have been sniffy about Invite The Light, his fourth solo full-length for Stones Throw, because it's arguably his most varied, accessible and attractive album to date. Packed full of proper songs, cheeky dancefloor workouts, and high profile collaborations - pals Q-Tip, Snoop Dogg, Computer Jay, Jody Whatley and Nite Jewel all lend a hand - it's an album that still sounds hugely futuristic, despite Dam-Funk's reliance on vintage synthesizers, drum machines, and '80s soul, funk and boogie influences.

Review: Brothers Disclosure bring the sound of house and more to the mainstream in incredible fashion, merging poppy vocals with basslines inspired by the likes of the Windy City's Mr Fingers and RP Boo. Furthermore there's splashes of UK styles like garage and dubstep in tracks like "Superego" and "Moving Mountains" and there's even smatterings of footwork in "Echoes". There's Ibiza-charged hits like "Nocturnal" to the skipping beats of "Holding On" that will make you think Daniel Bedingfield's made a comeback had Gregory Porter's lyrics not been there. And for some sublime club fodder check out "Hourglass".

Review: It's fitting that Benjamin Damage is the last artist to release an album on 50 Weapons. Apart from owners Modeselektor, he was also one of the first to feature on the label. Obsidian sees Damage straddle a fine line between the melodic and the atmospheric, the dance floor-heavy and the visceral. This is audible on the title track, where spacey chords are introduced over a rolling rhythm and on "Monolith", an arrangement that sees Damage fuse tribal beats with fragile, angelic hooks. Even though much of the album revolves around this interplay, there are also moments when the balance tips in the favour of the esoteric, and the lithe break beats and sensuous ambience of "Pulse Width" and "Shimmer" bring an end to Damage's relationship with the label in fine, introspective style.

Review: Manchester's Synkro duo, who have previously landed on everything from Z Audio to R&S, and their Smokin Sessions household, return to the Belgian leviathan Apollo (R&S) with a stunning album made up of ethereal ambient scapes and glitchy, scientific IDM. Sounding like a hybrid of Autechre and James Blake, the pair are masters of suspense, creating tunes which contain the drive and guts of many late 90's electronica acts, but that also verge on calmer and more peaceful territories thanks to their injection of bittersweet vocals. "Changes" itself is a perfect example of their versatility and also of what they do best: moody electronic jams with a twist of pop and r&b. A smacker.

Review: If the first half of Jori Hulkkonen's two-decade career focused on purist techno and beguiling ambience, the second half has been all about his synth-pop and Italo-disco influences. Oh But I Am, his first solo album since 2009's Man From Earth outing on Turbo, further explores this side of his work, whilst throwing in some lesser-explored deep, classic and tech-house sounds. Predictably, it's a fine set, with the veteran Finn showcasing his innate ability to write both catchy songs and superb instrumentals. The sound palette is spot-on, too, leading to a spate of memorable highlights. These include the heartfelt, yearning house of "Waiting Is All We Have", the slo-mo electro dreamscape "Black Books", and the throbbing, synthesizer-heavy electronic disco of "Italian Love Affair".

Review: Sam 'Binga' Simpson has always been a keen collaborator. In fact, his debut solo album - released under his previous Baobinga alias back in 2011 - was entitled Joint Ventures, and was entirely made up of co-productions. Wasted Days, the belated follow-up, is similarly minded, with the Bristol-based Hull exile being joined by an impressive roster of guest vocalists - Slick Don, TT The Artist, Rider Shafique and Warrior Queen amongst them - with old pals Om Unit and Chimpo also lending a hand. Impressive as it is, the genius of Wasted Days is in its' unique blend of bass music influences, with Simpson impressively fusing classic jungle, experimental D&B, footwork, ragga, dancehall, grime, IDM, smack-house and dubstep to create thrilling new hybrid workouts.

Review: Amazingly, it's been some eight years since Stefan Betke's last full-length outing under his familiar Pole alias. While much has changed musically since then, Betke's commitment to the bass-heavy pulse of experimental dub, electronica and techno fusions remains intact. While Wald could hardly be described as revolutionary, it's hugely enjoyable - the audio equivalent of slipping back into a cherished pair of comfortable old shoes. There's naturally much to admire, from the yearning, table-laden sweetness of "Moos (Live)" and skittish ambient dub workout "Myzel", to the twisted, glitchy dub shuffle of "Kafer", and the closing wonkiness of "Eichehaher", the album's most densely layered and out-there composition.

Review: Since first pricking the collective consciousness with their debut 12" in 2012, Canadian duo Bob Moses has been on a fast track to the top. With their evocative vocals and love of bittersweet lyrics, the duo's trademark sound feels like an outsider house-meets-melancholic pop take on fellow Canadians Junior Boys. Certainly, that's the impression given by this much anticipated debut album on Domino. Drowsy, atmospheric and often downbeat, Days Gone By combines their typically hazy take on radio-friendly pop - see the decidedly downbeat but weirdly poignant "Keeping Me Alive" - with more upbeat fare variously influenced by deep house, two-step garage (see "Nothing At All") and classic trip-hop ("Before I Fall").

Review: Finally! We'd been waiting for Carter Tutti Void's follow-up to 2012's Transverse live recording, and hear it is, the trio's first official studio album in their familiarly distorted and cutting-edge style - and it's as sublime as you'd expect. After all, we are talking about a collaboration between Throbbing Gristle Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti, and Factory Floor's Nick Void, a rather sublime line-up in our books and exactly the sort of fresh air that the electronic / pseudo techno pool needs at the moment. F(x) is a wide-eyed view of techno and all its offshoots; the beats flutter and stir across waves of broken guitar riffs and foreboding vocals, a cold image of the world rendered warmer by the outfit's choice of instruments. This LP embobies the true spirit of both techno and industrial music as a whole, cutting out all the club-centred bull and getting straight to the point: dance, sex, and decadence. Highly recommended, of course.

Review: Having first joined forces last year to lend a hand of Massimo Pagliara's collaborative With One Another full-length, Benedikt Frey and Nadia D'Olo present their debut full-length under the Init alias. It's a thoroughly atmospheric, clandestine affair, with the duo delivering a dark-wave opus that tips a hat to early Depeche Mode, minimal wave, Detroit techno and the ambient soundscapes of Brian Eno. D'Olo provides the vocals, though for much of the time they're utilized as textures, rather than the central focus of the duo's shuffling, slowly evolving synth-scapes. As an album, Two Pole Resonance is initially attractive - albeit in a stylized, late night kind of way - but really comes into its' own after repeat listens. It is, though, definitely worth the effort.

Review: RVNG come up trumps once again, delving much deeper into the Kerry Leimer archive for a most compelling collection of works the Seattle based musician released under the Savant banner during the rich 1980s period. Calling on a cast of local musicians, Leimer created Savant as an 'artificial band' if you will, using the project as an outlet to explore a wilder style of music to the loop-based minimalism he was focusing on in solitude. Some 14 tracks deep, Artificial Dance is a most compelling listen, with a series of odd percussive sketches and strange new age compositions that will leave a similar impression as the Byrne-Eno classic My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts. A must if you enjoyed the Leimer retrospective on RVNG last year. One wonders what other Leimer-shaped treats the label has in store?

Review: James Young and Aiden Whalley return for another album of sublime electronic pop on Warp Records. There's the dreamy and sublime trip hop of "Inherent In The Fibre" featuring the smooth vocals of Jamie Woon and also the dreamy deep house of "Stoke The Fire" which is a great way to start off an album already. And of course by now we've all heard the stunning single "Pin Secure" getting on its futuristic R&B tip so damn well and featuring Whalley's vocals. "Through The Motions" is another nice track on here with its catchy hook and overall pristine production. This will definitely be one of the year's most anticipated albums.

Review: Heavyweight MC and Madlib associate Guilty Simpson returns with his first album in two years, the Katalyst produced Detroit's Son. The Australian producer's dark, moody, imaginative and often rock-laced beats suit Simpson's gruff, straight-up delivery, with occasional quirky organ and synthesizer flourishes adding to the blazed, paranoid mood. Simpson's lyrics and distinctive delivery are thus given space to breathe, and on both counts he excels. His themes - Detroit life, personal trauma, the disappointment of ghetto life, and so on - are tried-and-tested, but he still finds new way to express the paranoia and frustrations of 21st century life.

Review: Given the astounding level of productivity in the ambient scene, where many producers release a number of albums every year, the three years it's taken Steve Hauschildt to put together Where All Is Fled seems like an eternity. Clearly, it was time well spent, though, because it's a wonderfully expressive, evocative and emotion-rich set. Full of sweeping strings, Namlook-like synthesizer refrains, bubbling electronics and becalmed chords, it's 14 tracks flit between intense beauty, drifting poignancy, and horizontal dreaminess. Highlights are plentiful, from the twinkling, Nils Frahm style piano motifs of the title track, to the spacey, ambient house era pulse of "Aequus".

Review: Much has changed in the world of Nero since they delivered their 2005 debut 12" on Reformed. In recent years, they've largely abandoned the growling drum & bass with which they made their name, instead replacing it with a radio-friendly blend of loopy EDM, bass-heavy trap grooves, electro-influenced post-dubstep rhythms, trance-influenced riffs and woozy, contemporary pop vocals. It's perhaps unsurprising that this has made them big stars with chart credentials, and explains the undeniably big, accessible and car stereo-friendly sound of this sophomore set. Between II Worlds, then, is a very modern dance-pop album, and one that should sell by the skip-load.

Review: It's been a turbulent four-year period leading up to the release of 'No No No' for Zach Condon, including a divorce, a breakdown and a period in hospital in Australia for exhaustion. Yet surprisingly, he appears to have arrived at the other side with what may be his most uplifting and direct record to date. Far from the orchestrated, nostalgic laments of his earlier work, 'No No No' evolved from songs written as a piano-led trio, and is a short and sweet work dominated by understated '70s pop style arrangements, representing a reinvention that strips back to the radiant melody that was always at the heart of his music.