Experimental/Electronic preorders

Review: Veteran northern duo Autechre, long associated with the most fractured corners of electronic music, offer something unexpectedly generous and inviting here. It's a new release that feels looser, more exploratory i less about total deconstruction and more about spontaneous sketching. Tracks are shorter, often playful, but never throwaway. 'Altibzz' and 'Rale' shimmer with impressionistic calm, while the stuttering mechanics of 'The Plc' and 'Tankakern' reveal a groove-minded touch that leans into early hip-hop and electro without ever mimicking it. There's real warmth to the sequencing too. Ideas emerge, recede and reappear with fluidity, allowing moments like 'Paralel Suns' or 'Notwo' to hit with emotional weight on repeat listens. For a group known for density and abstraction, this feels unusually personal. The production is still meticulous, of course: fine-grained details in the percussion, depth in the spatial design, layers that unfold slowly over time. Autechre haven't gone soft i they've just made space. And in doing so, they've created something genuinely moving. It's a joy to hear two artists so synonymous with machine complexity turn towards something more human, more intuitive and arguably more lasting.

Review: No Format! Remixed 2004-2024 offers a captivating selection of reimagined tracks from the French label's eclectic roster. Melissa Laveaux's 'Kouzen' (Melanie Charles Remix) sets the tone with a soulful depth, while Msaki x Tubatsi's 'Zibonakalise' (Vigro Deep Remix) introduces a pulsating, hypnotic groove. Catu Diosis' remix of Mamani Keita's 'Nenibali' adds a bold, electronic energy, and Hagan's 'Youwile' remix brings atmospheric elegance. With each track, the compilation celebrates musical fusion and innovation, offering fresh perspectives on familiar sounds and reaffirming No Format's commitment to boundary-pushing artistry.