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SINGLE OF THE WEEK
Bielefeld Murder Boys – Englische Harte (Childsplay)
Before beginning our daily reviews, many of Juno Daily’s in-house critics enjoy a calming morning walk, exposing themselves to the sounds and styles they are to write about later. This is often done in pleasing combination with the morning sunlight, sure to awaken and revitalize.
On tuesday morning, this humble reviewer can attest to having done exactly that, as is to be expected from his now-settled routine. What couldn’t be foreseen, however, is that the usual experience of said walk – a tasteful fusion of urban tranquility, clean and quiet backstreets, and verdant local parks – would undergo such an upheaval on soundtracking by this first to-be-reviewed EP.
Forget fragrant floral scenes and midsummer bird-tweety loveliness. It’s time for some Bielefield Murder Boys, and their new morning-walk-ruining EP ‘Engische Harte’. The balaclava clad German hardcore techno trio have been teasing this EP for close to a month, and it’s been worth the wait. Eschewing their typical four-by-four hardstylistic pummel, this is, as indicated by the title, a fresh venture into ‘UK’ hardcore, breakcore, and the many faces of nu-skool breaks; scenes which flew under the radar almost criminally as they corrupt the mood of nice morning rambles.
But after about 10 seconds or so, the Murder Boys’ invasion of the local greenery feels welcome. In our case, idle tree-gazing became gun-fingering. The self-titled opener gives a dually impending sense of dread and humour, sampling Super Hans’ rave tutorial from Peep Show – “the longer the note, the more dread” – while a bed of infinite glitz synth and halfstep breaks precedes an impossible-to-prepare-for drop. Track 2, ‘Marvin Thru The Roof’, ups the tempo into a ringtoning, ceiling-wrecking mood (insiders know).
The B opens with ‘Vata Morgana’, the perfect intersection between nu-breakz and schranz, while the closer ‘Trip II Bielefield’ is the best of the lot; a repeated dub bass is reinterpreted into a bright buzz, whilst breaks wrestle with randomized flagellations of acid. Welcome to Bielefield; not just conquering the aforementioned morning walk, the Boys have conquered their own sound, putting out their best EP to date.
JIJ
Konduku – Parlama (Spazio Disponibile)
Ruben Üvez has had a stellar run for the past few years. He’s bedded in firmly with Nous’klaer Audio via two albums and a handful of EPs as well as landing on labels like Idle Hands, Disk and Delsin. That spread may make his sound a little tricky to pin-point, and he does certainly glide on his own plain as per many a unique artist these days, but it also feels logical he’s now touched down on Spazio Disponibile. While his fractured rhythmic sensibility is a shoe-in for Don’t DJ’s Disk aesthetic, there’s an all-encompassing meditation at work in his sound which sits comfortably amongst the current vanguard of deep techno explorers.
As is evident with this week’s other essential immersive tripper from Sindh (on Valentino Mora’s IDO label), in modern deep techno there’s less emphasis on the well-worn tropes of dance music. Instead, it’s the psychoactive elements that demand your attention, whether it be modulating leads, soporific pads or spatially splayed impressions shaping out the atmosphere. Konduku is no slouch with drums though – ‘Mantar Kaya’ moves with purpose, especially in the jittering hi hats that themselves become part of the psychedelic palette of the track. But largely, the drums are pushed back in the mix so the synths can stretch and fold as they please.
On ‘Parlama’, you’d barely notice the beats for the endless cascade of pinging chimes filling up the mix in a glorious technicolour cascade, while closing track ‘Yukari’ operates as its edgier counterbalance. ‘Sinopia’ also flies lower, using a minimal sound field and filling it with dislocated echoes and murmurations. What’s interesting is that, despite Üvez’s commitment to experimentation over functionality, this still moves like a techno record. As de rigeur four-to-the-floor loses its hegemonic grip, records like this point the way to a more interesting alternative future for techno, rendered in crystal clear tones and pulses that should move you in an altogether refreshing way.
OW
Various – 20 Years Of Sound Of Speed Records 2 (Sound of Speed)
Surviving and flourishing for 20 years when in the business of purveying nuanced shades of underground house music is nothing to be sniffed at, and here Japanese label Sound Of Speed celebrate their landmark achievement in suitably refined style. Now, it’s fair to presume that a prerequisite of surviving for as long as they have is to habitually maintain an extraordinarily high quality threshold, and this has been a defining attribute of Sound Of Speed throughout its existence. Born out of an event series of the same name back in 1997, the label manifested a few years later, and has since gone on to release impeccable sounds from subterranean luminaries including DJ Nature, Jimpster, Aybee, Luke Vibert, Lay-Far, and countless others.
The first episode of their 20-year anniversary release came out last year and included wonderful music from Project Pablo, Benedek, Ogawa & Tokoro, and Svetozar, and volume 2 welcomes back a trio of label mainstays along with a brand new recruit. Kuniyuki, Satoshi, and K 15 have all graced the SOS lineup on multiple occasions, while Manchester’s Hidden Spheres appears on the roster for the very first time, with each artist bringing something magical to the celebratory table. Opening track ‘Unconditional Positive Regard’ from K 15 sees a gorgeous jazzy synth solo glide playfully over rolling rhythms, e-piano chords and atmospheric strings for a gently body moving jam. Next, Hidden Spheres ‘Strangeways’ – possibly an abstract nod to the prison in his hometown – shares a similar sound palette, rich with jazz influence as spacey synths, Moog-ish bass and elegant xylophone hits create a beautifully immersive sonic universe. The tone shifts subtly on the flip, with Satoshi and Kuniyuki’s joint piece, ‘New Dawn’. Here, the Japanese maestro’s weave a delightfully celestial spell as aquatic synths elevate over sparse drums and reverb-soaked percussion, building majestically as the lead synths add gravity to the horizontal ambience. Finally, Sapporo’s finest Kuniyuki goes solo with the divine finisher ‘Golden’, displaying all of his sonic wizardry as breathtaking harmonic layers intertwine over splashing drums and deeply-rooted bass.
PC
Rambal Cochet – Volt Thrower (Aspecto Humano)
Perhaps not all of us have the privilege of saying they’ve been to Goa, but after listening to Rambal Cochet’s new EP ‘Volt Thrower’, you likely won’t have to feel that FOMO. This four-tracker is effectively a musical Goa trance-portation device. It consumes so much clairvoyant energy that it slows our perception of time to a chugging pace, converting all trancelike motifs to a new beaty plod, and casting its eye-spiralling vortex in a new light.
Rambal Cochet is Volta Cab, a longstanding Russian-based acid, house, trance and balearic powerhouse. Cab’s production credits extend back to at least 2011, but Rambal Cochet – his downtempo and EBM venture – now debuts for Barcelona label Aspecto Humano. ‘Volt Thrower’ follows Cochet’s same-year album release ‘Chaos Is Order Yet Undeciphered’ – “we are chaos but we love to produce order”, goes one of many quips to adorn its cassette sleeve – and cast this philosophy into a musical mould. But surprisingly, this new EP is much more chaotic to our ears, existing in a purely entropic state.
An eponymous tune leads the EP: its slow, energizing beatslinging and electric tops are like seismic charges, thunderclaps sent by Zeus. ‘Volt Thrower’ indeed! Having read our minds, a famous synthplod name, Kris Baha, follows up with a remix, delivering the expertly-made new wave banger we’d found ourselves wishing existed one track in.
‘Fatima Goes Wild’ is our highlight. It continues Baha’s pace, while a yogic lead synth melody strobes against our ears like sonic lights. Meanwhile, ‘Vlachs Dracs Romanians and & Vamps’ scoops out the low end, converting meaty snythpop kicks to 30 hertz pulses. By the end of the EP, we become aware of its allusions to the much-forgotten Valencia scene, and the ‘Ruta Destroy’ sound emerging from its infamous La Ruta club circuit. But that’s a contextual afterthought; the EP itself sounds like cartoon lightning, and that’s all we need to restart our club-goer’s hearts.
JIJ
Pillow Queen ft. Ruin – Calling Me EP (Isla)
It’s sometimes a bit tricky keeping up with all of Sophie Sweetland’s endeavours. As D. Tiffany, she teamed up with Vani-T as Pillow Queen and they debuted last year with singles on Radiant Love and Delicate Records. If you’re into the soundworld occupied by Sweetland and the kind of labels and artists she rolls with – think Roza Terenzi, Healion & Priori, Naff Records, and indeed Pillow Queen’s latest label Isla – then you know roughly what to expect. There’s an acute balance between the foundational tropes of 90s techno-trance-breakbeat-etc and modern, high-end production, all shot through with a mellow demeanour that sits very comfortably on the ears without diminishing the thrust of the groove.
The new Pillow Queen release finds the duo teaming up with Ruin, a vocalist, writer and sex worker, who imbues two of the tracks on this EP for Isla with a powerful, thought-provoking narrative. Her voice emerges from the sweat of the dancefloor like the strangers we slide between in thrall to the beat, challenging conceptions about consent, insecurity, physicality and body positivity amidst a heated, enchanting backdrop of wigged-out techno. There’s also space for the Queens to lay down a purely instrumental, elongated workout on ‘Calling Me’, at all times furthering the idea that dance music should be restorative rather than exhausting.
OW
The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army (The Glitch Mob Remix) (Third Man)
The White Stripes practically owned the early 2000 indie rock scene worldwide, before their shocking and saddening disbanding. Originally dropped in 2011, the mix of this 2003 hit from the band became famous once again with a game outside of the fanbase, Battlefield One, which many sought for so long to have in their collections. Many have been waiting for its released to own this either via digital download or physical form, something that’s evident in online communities and comment sections all over YouTube and the internet.
Starting off sound that’s slow, with an almost chopped and screwed quality, the track jumps in with vocals from Jack White before coming back within the original song’s tempo. Although many will hear a slight tone pitch difference at parts with the vocals, Jack still delivers. Glitch Mob incorporates a heavy dubstep sound which still keeps to the original formula and tune, while mixed with electronic beat drops which works rather well throughout. It’s not surprising many have jumped onto this track with its slightly darker sound than the original captivated. Well known for their darker, experimental trance-like tracks, Glitch Mob have done significantly well with this release and will go one to gain more fans from this mix alone. A track worth repeating daily.
AY
Adi / Walrus – For Playful Manners 01 (For Playful Manners)
Columbia’s Adi made a head-turning impression when her debut album Basic Moves 14 arrived last year in a glorious bloom of inventive beatdowns and imaginative hooks. For an opening statement, it sounded remarkably developed and rounded out, implying the producer had been working away for some time before making any of her music public. Clearly, she’s fostering a productive working relationship with Walrus’ Belgian record label Basic Moves, as they jointly launch a new sublabel called For Playful Manners.
There’s no specific concept or explanation behind this release, but clearly these are intended as club-focused 12”s. The tracks are pointedly not credited to any specific artist – somewhere in the mix Adi and Walrus have crafted four belters that reflect the creativity spilling out of their respective studios. The A side marches with a forthright, bashy impulse, ranging from the delirious off-key house upsurge of the A1 to the stripped back, tool-y A2, while on the flip a pair of snaking, broken beat sea creatures slip out of the mist with a wayward flair which calls to mind the more adventurous dimensions of Adi’s album. There’s a sparkling ingenuity to each of the tracks on offer here, promising a far more interesting dancefloor experience for the parties that get to feel them.
OW
Boka Records aren’t messing about. We can say this with confidence, because any outfit describable as a “UK dubstep label run since 2005” – and which namechecks the likes of Emalkay, Macabre Unit, DJ Madd and Skinnz as its releasees – is undoubtedly going to have a tight hold on the scene’s inner workings.
With such a powerful grip on things, we’re sure any decision Boka make release-wise is going to hit hard. Our point is proven absolutely right by their venturing across the pond to Portugal, liaising with 3WA: a next-gen dubstep artist whose muddy, spitty wonkstep cakes our ears like bile from a corrupt swamp.
After prior releases on Crucial Recordings and Foundation Audio, 3WA here delivers his defining split 12”, ‘Sea Witch / Whale’. Grasping the bare, sunny energy of Portugal’s burgeoning electronic scene, this two-tracker flaunts his ability to alchemically trasmute said energy into a dirty, plombing, accursed sound, earning him a contender spot for ‘boggiest dark dubstep producer’.
The A, ‘Sea Witch’, does what it says on the tin. Using wave-lapping ambiences, magical sonar hums, and snares that sound like tentacles cracking against mollusc shells, this track really does sound like the rallying call of an abyssal hag. It becomes immediately clear: 3WA has the uncanny ability to make watery themes sound paradoxically dry. Perhaps this ‘Sea Witch’ is a hellish Moses, using its dark steppers’ magick to part the seas around it; wringing the life out of the sea floor, drying it to the lifeless bone.
Track 2, ‘Whale’, follows in the recent vogue of wonky triplet dubstep darkness, a style made popular by Gantz’s Deep Medi classic ‘Spry Sinister’. On ‘Whale’, the dreaded water-crone’s curse persists. But here, its dry magick corrodes the stomach of a colossal whale, with each wobbling and ricocheting sound revealing the bouncy, bloody, biomechanic workings of its writhing, dying innards. Strange basses and rimshots abound. This track invents something of its own, genre-wise: like the endless speciating power of the sea, a double-time snare against a triplet backdrop renders it 3-step garage.
JIJ
Pugilist – Ayahuasca (Foundation Audio)
Bristol label Foundation Audio have been rolling out serious dubstep and roots-minded soundsystem business since 2013, with artists such as the legendary RSD sitting alongside new-school upstarts like Quasar and Zygos. Dubstep may have mutated in many ways since the early days of FWD>> and DMZ, but there are labels like Foundation Audio holding true to a particular strain of 140, and artists like Pugilist continuing to keep the genre vibrant and interesting. Hailing from Melbourne, Pugilist may be far from dubstep’s epicentre, but in these connected times that hardly matters. What’s important is the affinity he displays for the sound, which has previously appeared on labels like Green King Cuts, ZamZam Sounds, 3024 and Trule.
This Foundation 10” has a classic feel to it, with ‘Ayahuasca’ revelling in a minimalist step peppered with sparse, dubby FX splashes that ensure the lion’s share of emphasis is placed on the rolling sub line. On the flip, ‘Kindred Dub’ has a skippier demeanour which nods heavily to vintage DMZ in a no-nonsense manner that aims squarely at the dancefloor. Issued as a vinyl-only white label, limited in numbers and with a stern functionality at the core of the sound, this is the most quintessential dubstep record we’ve heard in a while.
OW
Means&3rd – Thought Contortion EP (Unveiled Nuance)
If you’re not from Manchester or North West England then it might not be clear just how much respect Means&3rd commands from the region’s techno community. The chap responsible for stocking shelves at world renowned store Eastern Bloc Records has long-since proved a tour de force in booths across the city, UK and Europe. Although best-known for solid, tough futurism, his sets regularly span seemingly disparate genres, connecting dots with seamless blends and expansive music knowledge.
For the first release on his own Unveiled Nuance label, though, he’s firmly in the techno driving seat. Established as a platform purely for his own productions, from the word go those who have heard his previous studio outings or full throttle club mixes will recognise the sounds here. ‘Thought Contortion’ is spiralling, propulsive goodness, smacking of sweat and subtle euphoria, melodies floating on ton-weight kick drums. A further two tracks are on offer, the sharp, metallic refrains and stabbed synths of ‘Aural Dissociative’, and the layered textures that define the step-pier ‘Fragility Perception’. A confident and intelligent way to open the scoring, not that we expected anything less from this producer on his first adventure as label boss.
MH
Lex/Locke – Pacifica EP (Samosa)
De Gama and Les Inferno’s Rome-based Samosa imprint has been doing great things since it sprang into funk-fuelled life in around 2017. Over the course of their lifespan, the label has presented generally house and disco-leaning music with a cultured edge from the likes of DJ Rocca, Al Kent, Hotmood, Lego Edit, and many other edit-inclined soundsmiths. All the while skirting the line between feel-good and sonic sophistication. The latest release sees a perhaps unlikely pairing of Athens-based Lex and German artist Locke combine to create something rather special on the three-track ‘Pacifica EP’.
One can fairly safely assume that Lex has spent a good deal of the pandemic-induced limbo safely locked in the studio, what with some exceptional outings appearing on Leng and B2 Recordings in recent months. Locke has been a little on the quiet side of late, having been busily releasing techno-themed tracks regularly throughout the early 2000s, both as a solo artist as well as with his younger brother, Matt Starr. Opening track ‘Balamba’ sees heavy bass, funky clavs and soaring lead synth blend magnificently over live drums and energetic percussion. ‘Cabo Pulmo’ again welcomes rich bass and spirited drum rhythms as emotive chords and guitar motifs fuse with organ licks and psychedelic synths for a starry-eyed joyride. On the flip, ‘Nine Palms’ journeys through 11 prog-heavy minutes of space-age jazz-funk, with cosmic synths, and blissed-out keys meandering with intoxicating intent, arguably stealing the show as part of a roundly impressive collection.
PC
Valentino Mora’s IDO label has a thoroughly considered quality to it. Since the Uruguayan artist left his French Fries alias to explore a new direction some five years ago, he’s taken his time releasing new music, whether his own or other people’s. The sound on IDO is absolutely aligned with labels like Spazio Disponibile and amenthia, scouring profound subterranean regions within the deepest techno, but as IDO grows through projects like last year’s excellent Transcendental Movements Vol. 1 compilation, its individual remit becomes clearer. Now, the label welcomes something entirely new from Sindh, a hitherto unknown artist who very naturally flows into the emergent IDO sound.
There’s a prevailing ambience on this record which feels very much aligned with Mora’s own approach – a subtly dissonant, microtonal bed of sound which instantly speaks to meditation and emotional ambiguity. It’s mildly disquieting, but also engrossing, and it sets the mood in a profound way for Sindh’s ecosystems of rhythm and blips. Pronounced patterns of percussion emerge on ‘Sidam’, but they’re light and playful, without a care for the danceable dogma of the kick. ‘Nun-Kun’ edges up the intensity of the drums, but still the emphasis here is on organic, overtone-rich beats that intone a powerful energy all their own. ‘Kalahari’ is the closest we get to conventional techno, and it’s a markedly stripped-down strain which would test even the most devout minimal DJ. In the end, it feels like dancing is not the priority here, but rather an internal response which responds to rhythm in a more subtle, remedial way.
OW