Apron Vinyl & CDs

Review: Since he last appeared on Apron in 2014, Adam "Ex-Terrestrial" Feingold has put out impressive material on 1080p, L.P.C and Temple. This return to Steven Julien's imprint is every bit as essential. A-side cut "Ascension" is particularly thrilling, fusing as it does his love of dreamy, rave-era chord progressions, intelligent techno style psychedelic electronics, and the kind of clanking, bombastic machine drums so often found at the heart of Apron releases. As if keen to give dancers a bit of a breather, flipside "Inner Zone" is an altogether deeper and dreamier affair, with squidgy acid bass, fluctuating cymbal lines and horizontal chords stretching out over a head-nodding kick-drum pattern.

Review: .Crown is the long-awaited reunion of Kyle Hall and Steven Julien (Funkineven), two soulful visionaries who bridge the gap between Detroit and London. The LP showcases their unique blend of raw and organic beats, cosmic synths, and expressive vocals. From the hypnotic opener 'Page 1' to the understated late night deepness of 'Page 4' and the evocative blunted beats of closer 'Page 5' (Reggie B SciFonk Mix), Crown is a journey through the diverse and dynamic realms of electronic music. Fans of Hall's previous work and Julien's Funkinevil project will not be disappointed by this masterful collaboration that celebrates the essence of soul.

Review: Space Ghost has most recently been spotted dropping excellent albums "Aquarium Nightclub" and "Endless Light" on Tartelet, but now he's made a swerve for Funkineven's Apron Records to drop this sultry collection of jams that match bittersweet keys with rubbery bass and plenty of crooked funk that calls to mind broken beat and boogie as much as house music. From the swanging funk of "Prayer For U" to the slow jam New Jack Swing of "Mystery Angel", this is an album that champions some great eras of black music very much in the vein of Apron overall, but still says its own thing. Soulful at every turn and finished with an '80s digital veneer so slick you could trip on it.