The best new singles this week
Across the genre divide, the guide to the best wax this week

SINGLE OF THE WEEK
Myd – Whether The Weather (Because Music)
Lille-based artist Quentin ‘MYD’ Lepoutre has been enjoying abundant success in recent times. Following the popularity of his earworm Mac Demarco collaboration ‘Moving Men’, the Ed Banger regular saw the release of his debut long-player earlier this year. Here, a pair of tracks from the album receive single release treatment alongside remixes from a particularly assured set of hands. First up, electronic music pioneer, F Communications co-founder, and all-round hero of the dance Laurent Garnier steps up to serve his interpretation of ‘Whether The Weather’. Hot on the heels of his boldly adventurous ‘De Pelicula’ album collaboration with The Liminanas that landed earlier this month, Monsieur Garnier returns to Because Music to deliver a 10-minute epic of a remix. Blending the original’s emotive guitar melodies with fast-paced drums, driving disco bass and enlivening conga patterns, the music steadily builds before ushering in an almighty synth line, dramatic chord progressions and mood-enhancing breakdown. Sitting somewhere between nu-disco, techno and progressive house, this is a supremely well-constructed slice of club music and is sure to do requisite damage in any main rooms that remain open over the coming months. Next, the smokey loops of Myd’s original mix make an appearance: with its wildly hooky vocal breakdown, pounding drums and floor-focused arrangement rendering it a capable heads-down mover.
On the reverse, Quentin ‘Mad Rey’ Leroy shows up with an infectious rework of the recent album’s title track ‘Born A Loser’. Muffled bass, reverb-soaked vocals and hypnotic stabs interplay over pounding house drums, the deliciously low-fidelity feel endowing the track with an inescapably vintage charm. Finally, the original version of ‘Born A Loser’ enters the fray with all of its wonky appeal, with yearning soul vocals soaring over disorienting, loosely-pitched drones. The French underground routinely produces amiable crossover acts, and Myd intelligently carries the tradition of resident studio minds with one ear pointed in the direction of the clubs while the other is swivelled towards commercially tuned airwaves.
PC

Scotland is often thought a mystical place, be that for its potent mythology or its unique fauna (its northernmost tip is the only location on the British Isles where the rare white-tailed eagle can be spotted). At the same time, the country’s attunement to the underground always stays fresh – From Proc Fiskal’s alpine grime musings to 12th Isle’s biofuturist soundscapes, it’s no myth that experimental electronic music has now joined Scotland’s ancient folk music canon.
Away from the more obvious corners of Scottish underground music comes Few Crackles – a Glaswegian outfit whose newness to the game is far outshadowed by the quality of their output – and Bassae a “mysterious Russian producer” whose latest release now comes in the form of a second ‘Untitled’ EP. Following on from her dubious and misty tones on ‘Untitled’ 1 – which contained two tracks, A and B. Bassae here continues into the four tracks C, D, E and F.
This EP is a strange, ambient marrying of folk and urban genres. Said mood is immediately heard on the opener C, which touches on the femme post-drill stylings of Doon Kanda or Leïti Sene, with its shrill leprechaun vocals run through pastel vocoders. Each obscure word rests elusively on the mix, like Ghibilean soot sprites at ease. Following this ritual call comes the plodding dub jazz of D, which sounds like a Bohren & der Club of Gore song run through an alien spring.
E is drill-like again, with its main rhythmic line being a vocoded marimba-like bell in a pan-African rhythm, played in what sounds like a clandestine shrine room. A soprano vocal mantra repeats across its odd, wiccan time signature. We are left equally disturbed by D – which is like a Pan Sonic or Pole cut playing back on a tape machine in a fairytale dungeon, and overdubbed by auto-sensory whispers from Bassae herself.
JIJ

Various – ‘Inside Part 2 (Neroli)
Enrico ‘Voclov’ Crivellaro’s wonderful Neroli imprint is back in action with the second instalment of the various artists series, ‘Inside’. The first edition arrived all the way back in 2017 and featured a far-reaching line-up of purist purveyors, including Blaze and Abicah Soul. This time out, the Verona-based label play host to an exceptional cast of producers, including Domu, who – having stepped away from the music scene in 2009 – appears on wax for the first time in a decade. Previously available on CD only, his ‘Point Of Entry’ opener sets the scene for the varied delights contained within the unfolding grooves, with blissed out instrumentation and hypnotic swirls building over gently evolving drums before rapidly dissipating into silence.
Next, Chicago’s musical sage Jamal ‘Hieroglyphic Being’ Moss excels himself with his recognisable blend of raw yet soulful sonic profundity, with the 63rd incarnation of his ‘Black Hands Sound’ series. The prolific producer channels all of his inner wisdom to continue his personal quest to heal the world through music, as maniacal synths undulate over dusty drums and fiercely distorted rhythms. On the reverse, the edges are well and truly smoothed off with the joint production gloss of Patrick Gibin and Kaidi Tatham on ‘Don’t Read’. Here, lively drums, rolling congas and spirited funk bass combine for a feel-good dalliance into the magnificent territory between US house and broken beat. Finally, newcomer EDB shows breathtaking class on his jazz-funk-themed ride ‘You Bring Me Joy’. Featuring dazzling keys from Alberto Lincetto, and with NTS resident Marshmello supplying alluring vocal textures, the buoyant music explodes with the warmth of a late summer’s evening as it triumphantly ebbs and flows. Volcov once again shows superlative curation nous on this marvellously conceived collection, and with no sign of a digital release for the EP in sight, this is unquestionably a record worth owning.
PC

Gilb’r – En Danse Comme Des Fous (Remixes) (Versatile)
Some of our favourite collaborations span long distances. In this case, we’re rather taken by the choice of Gilbert Cohen (Glib’r) – founder of Paris’ Versatile Records, and member of the minimal outfit Chateau Flight – to enlist remix help from international artists of his latest LP ‘On Danse Comme Des Fous’.
It makes sense for such a well-travelled DJ and producer to look further afield. We’d expect as much, since he’s travelled the globe rubbing shoulders with everyone from DJ Sotofett to I:Cube to Daft Punk, and booking them all for his parties. Versatile’s home turf is Amsterdam, a city blessed with constant musical novelty and self-betterment. At the same time, ‘On Danse…’ was a curveball for Gilb’r, reaching into ambient, dub and balearic brushstrokes not hitherto found on his palette.
To the north, Cohen’s looked no further than Ireland’s Wino Wagon driver Davy Kehoe to lend vocals to the guttural instrumental of ‘Triangle Days’, named after Cohen’s red light district studio. The original track was swung 4×4, with watery bubble sounds and chromatic aquatics edging us from one Atlantean party room to the next. It’s a pleasant surprise to hear Kehoe’s vocal treatment, which sounds like a Connan Mockasin or Kevin Parker rerub. “Walk the streets at night… I’m waiting for the lights to change… I wanna feel like there is a part of this that’s real” – Kehoe dubiously sings, before a cinematic instrumental detour ensues.
To the east, Estonian producer Ruutu Poiss comes through with deliberate poise, with his reinterpretation of ‘Super Spreader’ being a clacking, blooping, balearic slow burn. And finally, we’re presented with a new track, ‘L’Inconscient Rebel’, a janky dub techno bit that sounds like the cistern of a mystical hedonist’s party yacht. In all its imperfections, this track shows off Cohen’s penchant for fetishising Luddite beliefs and reconciling them with electronic music – an ideal approach for a cantankerous old music geezer, with a well of DJ experience to boot.
JIJ

Sagat – Walking Dub (Lexi Disques)
Viktor Sagat is not to be confused with the 90s alias of rowdy hip-house maestro Faustin Lenon. Rather, this luminary of the experimental scene in Belgium has a more subtle approach which has slipped out via labels like Vlek and Bepotel. While his discography might be modest, it boasts a strong identity which revels in the kind of oddball pop melodics, quirky rhythms and grainy textures which embody much of the Belgian scene. I’m thinking of artists like Ssaliva, Lawrence Le Doux, Baleine 3000 and Sage Alyte, who all do their own idiosyncratic things but fit into the compelling puzzle of their musical community.
Taking a break from his usual outings on Vlek, Sagat now shores up on another fine Brussels-based label, Lexi Disques (run by Catherine Plenevaux). The strictly 7” catalogue to date intimates a private coterie of unusual artists, even by Belgian standards, and Sagat seems to nestle comfortably amongst it by offering up two tracks which are at turns some of his most immediate, borderline accessible, but also his most charming. It’s the sound of an artist playing for themselves, allowing in a little whimsy without losing the thread of their experimental tendencies.
‘Walking Back Dub’ rides on a weirdo tract which calls to mind Tapes’ approach to lo-fi dub, with a warm-hearted piano chord chop coursing through the centre and a delicately dusted beat clattering in the middle distance. It’s no trite nod to Jamaican music though – there’s a sincerity in Sagat’s approach which doesn’t rely on excessive reverb and delay, but deploys its FX with purpose and instead focuses on a fragile island boogie vibe like Compass Point on a big comedown after the glory days of the 80s. ‘Money Magic’ is the slippery foil to the sweet A side, with a sharper slant on the beat and a more cosmic quality to the melodics. It’s still an inviting, gentle affair though, showing Sagat’s sweet side in concise fashion on a perfectly formed 7”.
OW

Mark E – In The City EP (18357)
Birmingham’s Mark E drops three fresh new tracks oozing with soulfulness and infectious electronics, with the first side of the second piece of this double 12″ pack inhabited by an equally gorgeous Patrice Scott remix of lead track ‘Rain’. The original has a cheerfully chugging momentum, aided and abetted by cheeky bleeps that are half Shefileld, half Detroit, while the remix plays up the Sheffield half of that equation..
The remaining two E originals are a bit more laid back, with ‘Deepsystems’ seeming more spacious and airy, nevertheless striding along with plenty of confidence. This writer’s favourite, however, has to be the EP’s title track, which slows things down and combines the ingenious machine funk we’ve already been describing with the subtlest of disco twists via bongos and handclaps. We defy you not to get up on the floor to this. Versatile and yet run through with an instinctive sensibility for squeezing soul and funk out of his circuit boards, Mark E is on top form here. Or, as Billy Idol would have it – hot in the city tonight.
BW

Jambonne – Carpet Ride (Space Grapes)
The mysterious Space Grapes label may only be three releases deep into their catalogue, but since launching last year they’ve generated a truly spectacular amount of heat. Winning over an apparent army of quick-off-the-draw collectors, their titles rarely stay in the racks for long and have been known to change hands on the resale market for inflated sums. So far presenting a mix of feel-good disco, authentic Brit-funk and vintage soul-inspired grooves, it isn’t difficult to hear why their music has got sections of the digging community purring.
Following excellent outings packaged under secretive monikers Mad Honey and GALXTC, it’s now the turn of the equally enigmatic nom de plume, Jambonne, to take centre stage. ‘Carpet Ride’ is an unashamedly catchy number, with sugary vocals dancing over a gorgeously orchestrated backing track of twinkling keys, driving horns, life-affirming strings, live drums and powerful bass. ‘Touch Down’ is just a little more held down, replacing a little of the overt soul honey with a degree or two of late light sleaze thanks to its psychedelic synth lead and contagious bass licks. Quite who is responsible for the productions is one of the great wonders of the modern disco world. Whoever it may be, there’s absolutely no doubt that they know precisely how to carve out compelling, genuine sounding retrospective club jams. Best not to snooze on this tidy little 7”.
PC

Gantz – Pusher Acid (Innamind)
Gantz is probably the freakiest dubstep producer on the planet. Most experimental bass pushers from the last 10 years know his stuff, and that’s for the express reason that his talent for coarse and filthy sound design is rather unknowable, and difficult to reverse engineer. Hailing from Turkey, he’s not – as far as we know – proximally involved in the South London post-dubstep diaspora, but his tracks still effortlessly shred the market. He could easily be called a modern-day Muslimgauze, with influences from his native Turkish hip-hop and folk music somehow sifting into the cracks between his muddy transients.
And for god’s sake, just listen to ‘Tut Tut Situation’ – who else uses a cartoon apple bite sound effect as a dubstep snare drum?
Now the unspoken king of international dark dubstep, he follows his last releases on Deep Medi and Exit Records for his mainstay Innamind, a label committed to pushing dubstep into darker progressive territories – a swampy bass version of Delerium Records, if you will. ‘Pusher Acid’ is his most developed EP, spanning his trademark distorted ambiences and gut-punch woodblock rims, all while tracks like ‘Chiral’ and the title track shlep through new extremes of wonk. This EP is also novel, in that Gantz is now making music in more airy, chilled-out moods. ‘Sleepless Elite’ is more atmospheric than it is muddy, and the vinyl-only ‘Spineless’ sounds tastefully as much, eschewing bass for Skrillex-ed vocals, rattlesnake vibraslaps, and medieval pluck progressions.
JIJ

DJ Crisps – Music Is My Life (Time Is Now)
Thanks to tastemakers who actually know what they’re doing, UK garage’s second wave is finally finding its feet. Seemingly working backwards from garage’s trajectory out from so-solid grime, London’s new garage label Breaks N’ Pieces have sidestepped their endless collection of tricky 2-step “12s, now delivering a grime-singed “12 from sunny Rotterdam garage artist DJ Crisps.
Crisps’ music often has a jubilant vocal garage sound, often aided by his buddy Ell Murphy. But here on ‘Music Is My Life’, his sound has a harder, more clipped edge, not least via an effortless crunching of grime, UK funky, and unquantised breaks euphoria. From the outset of ‘Luvin U’, with all its one-shot Aaliyah wails and hoovering reeses, we’re refreshed at how quickly and easily Crisps has reconciled different subgenres into single tracks. This EP jankily touches on the straight beats of breakstep and piano rave, despite their sifting through the funkier 2-step and grime.
The acapella for Opus III’s ‘Fine Day’ might as well be in the public domain by now; ‘It’s A Dark Day’ continues the popular love for this vocal, melding it with a dark breaks-and-subs fishboning instrumental. ‘Music Is My Life’ also makes a well-known vocal dark, nabbing the belting melisma of Deborah Cooper’s ‘Keep It Comin’ vocal and shapeshifting it into a stark, edgy 2-stepper. But grime producer Mani Festo steals the show on its remix, seeming to channel everything from Filter Dread to Overmono in this watery, technoized version.
JIJ

English label Mukatsuku who love taking a trip down memory lane on soul classics, have now turned their attentions and decided to dip a toe into Colombian Latin Funk and Salsa, continues with volume three of the series with two tracks lifted again from the Disco Fuentes back catalogue and in an exclusive sleeve to match.
Heading back into the late 70s to mid 80s, the Barranquilla based group gained a wave of followers and went on to become one of Colombia’s leading salsa musicians. Reviving the fiery piano of Hugo Molinares with the monster guaguanco track ‘Sabroso Bacalao’ from Adolfo Echeverria Y Su Orquesta, those killer key led breakdowns entwined with rumbling drums and Timbales flourishes offset by punchy brass are a dancefloor call to arms like no other. Backed up with steel drums and rattling maracas, it’s music ready made for dancing immediately and to be enjoyed by all ages.
On the flip, Fruko, who had started in 1969, had their own degree of success, having recorded 42 albums in total in the duration of their career. Their success from 1973 if anything is owed after a change in singer to celebrity in his own right, Joe Arroyo. Slower in rhythm, and not as speedy as the first track, but Fruko’s record is more technical when it comes to use of instruments. Piano dominates the majority of this track with the help of brass instruments such as trombone and saxophone. This being their third appearance on Mukatsuku, overall the record kicks off with more of the same as the others – upfront piano notes, infectious vocals, funky percussion and brass stabs galore. If you can sit still to this then you are obviously tied to your chair. Limited to 500 hand-numbered copies, and not one to sleep on.
AY
This weeks reviewers: Patrizio Cavaliere, Oli Warwick, Martin Hewitt, Jude Iago James, Ava Yusuf, Ben Willmott.