Perlon Germany Vinyl & CDs

Review: Since debuting in 2016 Gaetano Caruan has only put out a handful of releases. While these EPs showed promise, there was always a feeling that the producer may be capable of hitting higher heights musically. Diaframma, Caruan's first outing on the mighty Perlon label, delivers on that early promise, offering up rhythmically interesting, off-kilter workouts that blend minimal techno chops with oddball electronics and plenty of smoky jazz influences. For proof, check 'Steps to Klapa', where wonky but weighty bass, fuzzy electronic stabs and chanted vocal snippets ride a killer rhythm, and the smooth, intergalactic micro-house hustle of 'Spalladium'. Elsewhere, 'Horns' is a sumptuous chunk of heady, morning-fresh electronic jazz and 'We Got The Swing' is an oddball, bass-heavy club workout full of hazy samples, bossa-influenced beats and creepy keys.

Review: Fumiya Tanaka is about as revered as minimal producers come. The Japanese cult hero has had a busy year too - he dropped an album One More Thing on this, his home label, only back in January, and is now back with another of his superb 12's. The title cut 'Deep One' is just that - the drums are snappy but hit down low, while menacing organ chords Ida muffled vocals are layered up top to make for a moody, churchy vibe. 'I'm Standing Beside You' is a classic minimal piece with detuned synths, those super low drum and bass rumbles and shapeshifting chords that draw you inwards forever.

Review: Originally formed in 2014 as a trio dedicated to blurring the boundaries, the Waves now exists as a solo project of one of the members: Berlin-based Maayan Nidam. Here she presents her long-promised debut album, 'Motorikherz', an atmospheric and off-kilter affair that confidently joins the dots between eyes-closed experimentalism, wonky post-punk-pop, minimal house, opioid electronica and stylish new wave pop. It's opaque and atmospheric in the extreme, with Nidam's evocative vocals rising above (or sometimes being buried beneath) sparse but warming analogue electronics, stripped-back rhythms, heavily processed instrumentation and inventive production trickery. As you can see, it's hard to describe, but it's adventurous, entertaining and - for the most part - surprisingly soothing.