Parallel Connection Vinyl & CDs

Review: Obsidian is a French trio working in the shadows between London and Paris. This is their first ever outing on vinyl and they use to show off their well formed sound and it makes for a fantastic first release for the newly formed Parallel Connection label. Sounding with classic yet new at the same time, the EP kicks off with the spaced out cosmic brakes and techno of 'Crossing Over' which is colourful and tripped out. 'War Baby' is just as punchy and forward looking in its sci-fi melodies and slippery bass and 'Dystopia' brings the funk with more astral pads and interplanetary sounds of the highest order. 'Soleil Vert' closes out in tricked out electro fashion and makes this an instant buy.

Review: After launching last year via an arguably overlooked EP from Obsidian, Parallel Connection has made us wait a little while for the London label's second release. It comes courtesy of Sela, a 25-year-old French producer who apparently honed his soon to be trademark sound while living in the UK. There's much to enjoy across the four track missive, from the alien electronics, loose-limbed broken electro beats and chiming lead lines of '2020 Connection' and sub-heavy, acid-flecked stomp of 'Animal Kingdom', to the pitched-down electronica eccentricity of 'Really Get Fucked' and the psychedelic late-night tech-house hedonism of 'Mr Rabbit', which boasts bleeping melodies reminiscent of both mod-90s ambient techno and Yorkshire bleep and bass.