Subtext Vinyl & CDs

Review: Electronic music is meant to provide a release from the real world, but Medium, the latest missive by UK producer Emptyset, will bring anyone who hears it crashing back to the earth. Emptyset's approach makes nods to narratives from the past, taking influence from the tortured industrial noise of Throbbing Gristle, the eerie ambience of Regis and minimal techno at its most reductionist. On "Interstice", this latter trait manifests itself as dead paced beats and frost percussion disappear into nothingness only to re-appear a few seconds later. On "Other", Emptyset does more to reintroduce the spirit of industrial to contemporary electronic music than a shelf full of situationist techno releases; murderous sub-bass stabs provide the focus, but on the sidelines eerie sound scapes and textures are unfolding, accompanied by skittish percussion. "Mirror" meanwhile sees waves of white noise and static interference and a rave siren build over doubled-up death pace beats. These are the closest references to structured electronic music. "Divide" delivers a tapestry of detached sounds while on "Medium" itself, Emptyset wallows in menacing bass licks with background noise seething beneath the surface. This is music that matches the unparalleled dark age we are living through, and just this once, the Medium really is the message.

Review: Eric Holm's debut album, Andoya, was arguably one of the most impressive dark ambient releases of 2014. This follow-up, also released by Bristol-based purveyors of doom Subtext, is every bit as moody, atmospheric, bleak and otherworldly. Those inspired by electronic music's dark, damp corners will find much to enjoy, from the creepy, slowly unfurling drone textures of "Siebe" and melancholic dreaminess of "Enceladus", to the metallic iciness of "Nereus Vent", and the poignant, heart-aching wooziness of "AH-5". Given the album's construction and the slowly shifting nature of Holm's compositions, short clips really don't do it justice. It may not be a masterpiece, but it's hugely impressive nevertheless.

Review: Three years on from the release of her acclaimed debut album, "Epoch Sinus", on Hotflush, Sophie Schnell once more dons the PYUR alias for a follow-up on Subtext. The Bristol-based experimental label says that the set explores Schnell's fascination with "the space between life and death"; it's certainly an unearthly, unsettling and occasionally hallucinatory affair that fuses neo-classical style musical elements (strings, operatic vocals) with evocative electronic motifs, crunchy IDM style drums and cutting-edge production techniques. It's a genuinely unique and mind-altering affair, but one that thrills and excites at every turn. A triumph!