Kalahari Oyster Cult Vinyl & CDs

Review: Brussels' Cleveland has made a name for himself with excellent, left of centre drops on ESP Institute, Hivern Discs and others in the past. Now he's up on Kalahari Oyster Cult with more adventurous freakery that deals in outsider grooves and playful synth acrobatics that positively demand your attention. "Gamma" comes on with a steady broken beat that carries some wild lead hooks that show off Cleveland's confidence with his kit. "Ora" is equally marked out by dazzling analogue brushstrokes and expertly crafted percussion to send body and mind whirling. Then on the flip Piezo and Beta Librae both remix "Gamma", veering from tough, bass-led drum funk to cosmic incantations respectively.

Review: Having spent many a year drifting around labels like ESP Institute, Batti Batti and Hivern Discs, Cleveland's Andrea Mancini has more recently found a steady, reliable home with Kalahari Oyster Cult. Delivering his third EP for the label, Mancini is comfortably continuing the trend of exploratory rhythms with a discernible groove, a healthy dose of tempo agnosticism and all kinds of sonic surprises. 'Tempo Oro' is a beautiful, patient EP opener which seems primed for those hazy, early afternoon outdoor festival sets when the dappled sun creeps through a canopy of trees. 'Rand' is a much more nocturnal creature riding on a 2-step beat and revelling in dynamic pings and pongs. 'Pryd' heads further up the scale with some taut broken techno for the 130 crew and then 'Mano' delivers some of the minimalist techno-trance surrealism you might well find on amenthia and other such labels.

Review: Reissue of this rave classic - Indians & Aliens and Great Spirit - 2 tracks packed with tribal rhythms, breaks and acid lines by West Coast pioneers DJ Trance & Darwin Chamber. Straight from the DATS, remastered by Alden Tyrell and cut at The Exchange London, what else could you ask for? 2 fire remixes by D. Tiffany & Roza Terenzi, you say?

Review: "Digital native. Noun. A person born or brought up during the age of digital technology and so familiar with computers and the Internet from an early age." Prime handler of comet powder-fuelled floor heroics for the sun-dazed hours, Melbourne's Escape Artist made quite the impression with his previous pair of EPs for Salt Mines and much enticing debut tape album for Couch Acid Recordings. Turning up on Kalahari Oyster Cult with his anticipated third outing, 'Digital Natives', the Aussie producer pulls out a quartet of old-school ravey pumpers, rife with the usual pack of patented Escape Artist tropes. Kalahari's 19th oyster is sure to get dancers wading knee-deep in their own sweat as EA takes care of whooshing us off to dreamier Utopian heights in one smooth movement.

Review: Kalahari Oyster Cult heads down under for a new EP from Furious Frank. The Australian 303-connoisseur serves up a trio of subtle and supple joints designed to pump any floor. The first is a melancholic but hopeful trip with purposeful drums and more pensive pads, while 'Artificial Simulation' gets more raw and ragged with its corrugated bass and prickly acid sounds. 'Trip 2 Fantasy' is a blunt tool with heavy reverb, stomping drum funk and more molten acid and rounding out the EP is Ludwig AF with a Worldwide Dancefloor Destruction mix that is deep, pulsing, and hypnotic.

Review: While much of Volodymyr Gnatenko's album was produced during the worst points of the ongoing global pandemic, it sounds scarily contemporary - not least because the Ukranian producer's love of poignant chords, melancholic melodies and heart-aching aural textures are as emotionally resonant as the horrors currently unfolding in his homeland. Rainalice, his debut album, is undoubtedly a triumph: a thrillingly retro-futurist collection of IDM, electro and ambient techno excursions completed in his Kyiv studio (where he now shelters during air raids), that inadvertently offer a reminder of the vibrancy of the pre-war electronic music scene in Ukraine whilst sonically transporting listeners to some distant plant or galaxy.

Review: Colin Volvert's Kalahari Oyster Cult label continues to feed our minds with devilishly decent dance music that joyously grapples with classic rave tropes while bringing an undeniable freshness. Following a recent single from Nathan Melija and the excellent Systems E.P. 1 various artists 12", they're welcoming Hame DJ to the label for some tripped-out, trance-speckled breakbeat rollers from the surrealist dimension. "On 1" is a taut and punchy workout with loom bird samples, sharp chord stabs and sensual atmospherics, while "Zoot" takes things in a classic chill-out room direction with dubby bass and pinging synth modulations cascading through a sparse rhythmic terrain. "Nightlife" is a lusher strain of ambient techno with a smattering of acid, and "Erosion" rides a slow breakbeat and amps up the moody meditations to get the chuggy crowd going even deeper inside.

Review: Following a couple of low-key - but quietly impressive - EPs on Dote, Gladoors founder Neil McDermott brings his June project to Kalahari Oyster Cult for the very first time. In keeping with much of his previous output, the four tracks on offer tend towards the intergalactic end of the techno spectrum, with numerous nods to the authentically spacey early UK tech-house sound of the late 1990s. This is particularly evident on opener 'Witching Hour' - all creepy, chiming lead lines, glacial pads, bubbly bass and skittish drums - but can also be heard on bleeping rollers 'Vessel' and 'Shifting Sands' (the latter of which also boasts some lusciously warming chords). Central's remix of the latter track, a kind of deep house/futurist techno hybrid, is also hugely enjoyable.

Review: It's been a while since we've heard from Moroccan breakbeat favourite and Convergence Records founder Kosh, but he's back with a bang on none other than everybody's favourite Atlantean, underwater-breathing, acid trance house everything kru - Kalahari Oyster Cult. 'The Chopper' EP spans everything from Drexciyan kitsch-lectro to to floaty tech house trance to sillily verbatim breakbeat, ending on a hilarious high note with the timestretching, disc-scratching, stadium-ready rave rampage 'Come On'.

Review: Liquid Earth is another alias for the cult underground house beat maker Urulu and here he lands on Kalahari Oyster Cult with another fine bit of futurist house. 'Scope Zone' is a great meeting point between cosmic synth work, spaced out breaks and retro house action. It's got a fat bassline that powers it onwards and some mice subtle prog melody. On the reverse is a Youandewan remix from the Berlin based Brit who is in superb form right now. He smooths things out, keeps the bounce and heads for the stars. A tidy two tracker for sure.

Review: Canadian artist Maara takes us on a hedonistic club trip with this new outing. It carries on his usual way with trance-inducing dance sounds that mesmerise and titillate in equal measure. 'Can't Slo Down' comes on fats with thick bass and synths intertwining to mind-melting effect while eerie pads detail the space up top. The hyper-speed 'Highrollerz' is like riding on a laser through space, until that is some jungle breaks arrive to switch things up. 'Princess Express' is cyborg techno funk that is fast but full of depth and warmth and 'Rude, Crude & Out Of Control' cuts loose on a flurry of drums and warped synth lines.

Review: Kalahari Oyster Cult releases music as wonderfully unique as the label's own name. This one is pounding techno from Maara with a distinctly equine theme - and not just in the title and artwork. The opener has neighing horse sounds bursting out of the mix at various points as the high speed drums canter along with a warm, rich, deep but captivating sense of pace. 'Juicy Tracksuit' keeps up the quickness with buffed metal kick bouncing beneath psychoactive chords and slurred vocals. There is more pent up and kinetic energy with 'God Save The Bender'. 'Sheela Na Gig' - absolutely no relation to the famous PJ Harvey track of the same name - is a final uptempo, steamy and sweaty techno throbber.

Review: French producer Nathan Melja has amassed a spotless discography on the likes of Mister Saturday Night, Antinote and Opal Tapes, and now debuts on Kalahari Oyster Cult with another terrific offering. "Synesthesia" is futuristic sci-fi techno with shiny synth lines and a hurried kick pattern that gets you on your toes while the bassline burrows deep. TTT affiliate and Incienso co-founder Anthony Naples steps up with the first remix. His version is more dreamy thanks to the array of background pads, then closing things out is Pariah with a punch groove that leaves the original's prying lead intact. Essential stuff.

Review: The intriguingly named Kalahari Oyster Cult deals in music that is just as interesting and this new album from OK EG is no exception to that. Rivulets manages to be both perfectly designed for an indelible impact in the club, but is also nuanced and detailed enough to work in headphones in a range of other settings. It's minimal in design but never cold and abstract - the synths are warm, the drums rubbery, the rhythms lovely and compelling. 'Circular Arc' for example is bumpy and bouncy with a killer bassline, 'Matched Grip' is melon-twisting halftime brilliance and 'Endless River' is a super deep and silky jungle workout drenched in soulful vocal swirls.

Review: After appearing on a run of compilation releases, Olsvanger makes a fully-fledged EP outing with MYKI for this classy split 12" on Kalahari Oyster Cult. Of course the label carries a certain weight in its vibe, so you should have some idea of what to expect - that productive seam where deep tech house and trance crossover so everyone can let their limbs get nice and loose around the speaker stacks. Olsvanger's tracks veer from the sleek, techy chord pulses of 'The Triss' to the quirky, playfully dark 'Darkroom Dubz', while MYKI brings all kinds of trippy signal processing to the sounds inhabiting 'Jammonia!' and keeps the tempo up in the process. 'Vermountia' is no slouch either, clearly geared towards those who want their wiggy trance gear fast but elegant, which is not always the easiest combination to find.

Review: Next up on Kalahari Oyster Cult is Aarhus scene stalwart and Regelbau chief Natal Zaks (aka Central) under the Picture alias, with some soulful techno expressions on the Metric EP. The hypnotic chords on opening cut "Rul" are underpinned by slamming peak time beats, while the following track "Silke" takes its cues from Detroit's style of hi-tech soul for this emotive journey. Over on the flip, Zaks goes deep on the late night mood music of "Forskudt", followed by the lo-slung groove of "Targil".

Review: If deep, atmospheric and off-kilter techno is your thing, we'd recommend checking out this Kalahari Oyster Cult outing from Hypnus Records' regulars Primal Code. The Italy-based duo's work has long been hard to pigeonhole and the four tracks on show here typically blur the boundaries between sounds and styles. Opener 'AI Calculator', for example, peppers a minimalistic, sub-heavy polyrhythmic techno groove with turn-of-the-90s bleeps and creepy aural textures, while 'Autopilot' adds subtly evolving TB-303 acid lines and psychedelic electronics to a sparse, stripped-back rhythm track. The pair cannily combines elements of Villalobos style minimalism with IDM and "brain-dance" on 'Mainframe', while Priori's rework of 'AI Calculator' is foreboding, hypnotic and intoxicating in equal measure.

Review: Kalahari Oyster Cult have been thumbing through their back catalogue and return to a past gem for some renewed attention. 2017 saw the release of Erell Ranson's Hand in Hand, a quintet of beautifully crafted machine music. Two tracks have been chosen from the EP and remixed with stunning results.

First up is Dj Normal 4's "Sealife Safari MixX" of "If We Never Try." The sweet, shimmering melody of the original, the bubbling bass and subtle notes, are transformed in this remake. Silvery chords morph into bold and daring new forms under the tutelage of Tim Schumacher, neon streaked patterns coalescing with broken and cracked percussion for a superbly uplifting piece.

Pariah follows with his rework of "Hand in Hand." A deep dreamscape intricately woven with heady notes, birdsong and endless possibilities.

The final odyssey comes care of SW (Stefan Wust) of SUED fame. The Berlin based musician delivers his reimagined idea of "If We Never Try" with Ranson's version being washed over by lapping lines and gentle currents to create a smooth rounded finale. A trio of unique perspectives from three true talents of electronic music.

Review: Kalahari Oyster Cult tends to prioritize new music, though when boss man Colin Volvert does unearth an overlooked gem he has no hesitation in reissuing it. The "Systems EP", a multi-artist extravaganza that launched obscure Denver label Terraform Records way back in 1995, is one such gem. The A-side boasts a trio of varied but consistently good cuts from ambient techno explorer Red Shift (think acid-fired electro psychedelia, drowsy early morning bliss and picturesque downtempo goodness), while the flipside boasts a track apiece from three different producers. Ether's "Detonator" sounds like peak Meat Beat Manifesto (all razor-sharp acid lines, heavy bass and infectious breaks), Escape Artist's "Rain Eternal" is a languid electronica treat, and Constants Of Nature's "Slow Symmetry Breaking" is a woozy drift through outer space ambient.

Review: After launching his own label, Spray, to reissue hallucinatory, progressive dancefloor music from the 1990s, Tiarnam McCorrow decided to teach himself to produce and now releases similarly inlined music using the alias. His first outing on Kalahari Oyster Cult, which follows a well-received 12" on Craigie Knowes, does a good job in showcasing his mid-90s-inspired sound. Title track 'VT Trad' sees him pepper a squelchy, progressive trance style bassline with psychedelic electronics, glassy-eyed spoken word snippets and intergalactic chords, while 'Q3projz' is a TB-303-sporting tribute to formative German trance tracks from the early '90s. Elsewhere, 'Zippychrer' sees him pay tribute to Jaydee in fine fashion, and 'Slipped' is a trippy, sub-heavy stomp tailor made for dark basements and sweat-soaked warehouses.

Review: SUED co-pilot SW offers up a six track MyDefinition of techno on Kalahari Oyster Cult that is utterly fresh. He starts with dubbed out rhythms and percolating percussion before getting tripped out and break-y on 'Moonnewso On', with its alien effects and squelchy bass. 'Goiossee' is another slow motion braindance the 'Massless' recalls the early work of Two Loneswordsmen. There are hectic rhythms and wild detuned chords tumbling all over the place on 'J JustMUST4y' before closing salvo 'VFXpeaksTWIN' is an ambient piece pairing church chords with breaking waves. Weird and wonderful.

Review: Kalahari Oyster Cult serve up a three-way split here, but all of the different alases are the same artists. That man is Dominic Glynn aka Syzygy (a duo with Justin McKay) who is also Fluid and Luke Warmwater. He has been hiding in the shadows for a few years until now but makes a welcome return with two unreleased tracks and another two enhanced re-edits. Each one shows his knack for hi speed, glistening techno that is riddled with acid lines, bright chords and a sense of machine soul normally associated with the Motor City.

Review: DJ soFa continues his Elsewhere compilation series on Kalahari Oyster Cult with a superb sixth instalment that showcases a load of exciting and hybrid electronic styles. These are tunes that are ripe for club play but are rooted in odd-pop, synth-punk, DIY and post-kraut styles. The artists hail from all over the globe and include the twisted funk of Seytan Tuyu's 'Anita,' hall of melodic mirrors that is Cilin's 'An Abhainn Mhor' and Mytron & A Von F's soot-black and gritty motorik thriller 'Confiture.' This series has been going since 2017 and this proves, it is still as strong as ever.