Antinote France Vinyl & CDs

Review: With releases on Mister Saturday Night, Technicolour, Black Opal and Dream Real to his name, Nathan Melja could hardly be considered a fresh-faced newcomer. Even so, "Karibuni Music" - his first EP for Antinote - still feels like the start of a new chapter in his career. He's rarely made anything quite so striking as opener "Deadrums", a fiendishly bass-heavy chunk of tribal deep house rich in rumbling sub-bass, starry chords, snappy machine drums and layer upon layer of African style hand percussion. Happily, the standard remains similarly high elsewhere across the EP; there's the heavy dub bass, skittish post-electro drums and rush-inducing synthesizer melodies of weighty workout "Angels", and not to mention the punchy, stab-happy heaviness of exotic closing cut "Candy".

Review: Nico Motte is intrinsic to the story of Antinote Records, having designed the majority of the French label's sleeves through his Check Morris agency as well as recording an LP and EP in the past. Favouring the allure of vintage synth gear and that slightly hauntological vibe which sometimes finds a home on Antinote, he returns with a new LP which paints vivid scenes in warmly hued shades, heavy on the synthesis and turning to a variety of highly visual moods. The move from the blissful sundown serenity of 'Brain Freeze' to the subtly spooky creep of 'Wew Nave' is a perfect case in point, bringing to mind all kinds of scenarios to match the music. If you appreciate the library music of days gone by and stylish, imaginative uses of classic synth sounds, you're going to love this album from the first beat to the last.

Review: Parisian imprint Antinote has long been an eclectic outlet for left-of-centre dance music and carved out a musical lane truly of its own. It celebrates its 10 year anniversary with this well curated compilation featuring new music by the label's graphic designer Nico Motte on the low slung acid boogie of 'All The Money In The World', Domenique Dumount appears with the dubby underground pop of 'La Dolce Vita', local producer Low Jack pursuing his typically relentless sound on the off-kilter 'Feel' and sometime collaborator (and LIES Records chief) Ron Morelli getting those classic Detroit vibes of old in effect on 'Tribute' among many more.