Search results: Totem

Review: Norwegian composer and producer Erik Wollo has a many sided musical approach which has produced a steady stream of music since the early 80s, with a generous tilt towards ambient pastures and jazz experimentation. Having made an impressive debut in 1983, he was already well into the rhythm of recording and releasing when he delivered Traces in 1985, but still this record marked a more sizeable leap forward as Wollo embraced the possibilities of MIDI to create a spectacular ambient electronic excursion. Rendered in crisp, gleaming tones and full of spellbinding charm, it's redolent of the era and yet also transcend the trap of sounding dated to truly become a record for the ages, now lovingly reissued by Abstracke.

Review: Lee Morgan's The Sidewinder LP is actually a comeback record from one of Blue NOte's most regular and esteemed artists. A famously good hard bop trumpeter, he was a real master of his instrument who played with the Jazz Messengers as well as on his own, often as a tie man on various other fine Blue Note albums. This album came after he retuned to New York in late 1963 and was recorded with the up-and-coming Joe Henderson. It was an outlier to the rest of his catalogue and was a leftfield hit that was also used on a high-profile automobile ad campaign, thus helping to save the cash strapped Blue Note label itself.

Review: Gang of Duck's co-founder Sabla dropped one of our favourite albums of the year way back in January. Now this collaboration with DK gets a prop vinyl run having before only been available on tape in limited quantities. It is smoky and moon-lit dub that tumbles and unfurls with a cerebral quality. Dusty pads are offset by brighter melodies, lurching drum beats softened by luminous chords. It's immersive music for mind, body and soul that brings a new perspective to the world of trip-hop, illbient and ambient beats.

Review: Darker Than Wax welcomes back Malik Hendricks for a new EP that was recorded in Brooklyn in 2020 and 2021 by the American-born, Lisbon-based producer. And it marks something of a shift in his musical journey as he moves away from the sample-heavy sound he is known for and towards more organic grooves with hints of Midwest funk and techno. There is an electro flavour to the opener, sleazy ghetto house flourish to 'Fiyahverkx' and broken beat minimalism to 'Totem.' On the flip comes 'The Money Dance' which is the best of the lot - a soul-drenched and elastic house jam with quality chords and keys.

Review: Sanderson Dear's Stasis Recordings released the original Time Capsule compilation in 2020 - a 20-track exploration of ten different ambient techno artists exploring two ideas each in compact form for a box set of 7"s. Now the label has revisited some of the project's standout moments and offered a chance to enjoy extended versions gathered on a single 12". From Maps Of Hyperspace shaping out atmospheric halls of synth work on 'Beta' to Glo Phase offering some gorgeous, sparkling grooves on 'Fire Flies', there's plenty of ground covered on this release. Of course the mighty John Beltran is a big drawer too, and his typically stellar 'The Descendent' doesn't disappoint in its full extended version.

Review: It's been a while since we last heard from Kinfolk, but the broad-sweeping label with cosmic chuggery in its bones is back with this powerful dose from Ess O Ess and Saulrichards. "Totem" is an epic track that rolls around in the muck somewhere between shoegaze extravagance, post-rock heaviness and psyched-out electronics. The "Swamp Crawl" version of the track keeps the guitars bedded deep within the mix, but there's space for more expressive synth work. Hardway Brothers take the track on a similarly rockist journey, but take their time building up to a climax. Otologic wrap things up with a deadly dub that will have low tempo trippers rubbing their hands with delight.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Torn sleeve & record has light surface marks/scratches, otherwise in excellent working condition***


It's been a while since we last heard from Kinfolk, but the broad-sweeping label with cosmic chuggery in its bones is back with this powerful dose from Ess O Ess and Saulrichards. "Totem" is an epic track that rolls around in the muck somewhere between shoegaze extravagance, post-rock heaviness and psyched-out electronics. The "Swamp Crawl" version of the track keeps the guitars bedded deep within the mix, but there's space for more expressive synth work. Hardway Brothers take the track on a similarly rockist journey, but take their time building up to a climax. Otologic wrap things up with a deadly dub that will have low tempo trippers rubbing their hands with delight.