Best New Releases from May 2020
The season of resurgence and rejuvenation, spring brings an awakening, new life, new beginnings. Within the artistic realm, it is the time for fresh perspectives, inspirations, and new music to blossom in the underground electronic music world.
This month Forest Drive West inaugurates Delsin's Mantis series with outstanding deep and atmospheric techno packages respectively, Lord Of The Isles makes a timeless collaboration with Scottish poet Ellen Renton on Whities, Dial Records continues their 20th anniversary with a superb various artist compilation, Sebastian Mullaert brings his atmospheric techno minimalism as Wa Wu We to Konstrukt, and much more.
Forest Drive West
Radiance
Mantis
Delsin Records unveiled a new Mantis series with three tracks of deep and atmospheric techno from the Forest Drive West. With releases on Livity Sound, Whities, Delsin, Echocord, Appian Sounds, and Hidden Hawaii, the London-based producer consistently strives to create endless shapes of atmospheric techno and hazy ambiance for his listeners. Titled "Mantis 01", the elegant record is a seamless combination of smooth, fully immersive soundscapes underpinned by driving polymorphic rhythms.
"Radiance" melts the boundaries of atmospheric, shape-shifting techno and otherworldly ambiance that traverse a realm of sonic limbo.
Lord Of The Isles
Inheritance (feat. Ellen Renton)
Whities
Exhibiting an almost timeless quality, the latest release from Lord Of The Isles is a stunning collaboration with Scottish poet Ellen Renton. The result is the most beautiful sonic creation made with gorgeous instrumentals, delicately vibrating sounds reaching out its climax with poetic imaginary and mesmerizing harmony. "Whities 29" EP is "a reflective record that touches the themes related to climate change, both in the present and future."
Here is what Lord Of The Isles intends to say about this release:
"Ellen's poem' Passing' blew me away and I felt compelled to provide it with a musical accompaniment. I liked how Ellen's vocal recording sounded lo-fi, so I created an environment around it to make it feel cinematic."
The closing track "Inheritance" is a textured, soft-word spoken masterpiece that provides a unique listening experience and envelopes the listener in blissful melancholia.
Mary Yalex
Cosmic Garden
Dial Records
2020 is a big year for Lawerence and Carsten Jost's Dial Records as it turns 20 years old. The respected label celebrates their jubilee with outstanding releases, including albums from Roman Flugel, Soela, XBD, as well as an impressive three-part various artist compilation to commemorate the notable musical journey of Dial. "Today Dial is like an ongoing diary for us," explains the label, "documenting all these years across over a hundred releases, all the countless collaborations with artists and new friends we have made along the way."
The first part, "DIAL 2020 PT1." features exclusive contributions from artists like Lanoche, Molly, XDB, Joey Anderson, Mary Yalex, and DDrhode. The six-track collection is channeling an incredible talent with their distinctive blend of sophisticated ambient, house, and techno.
Having released on KANN Records, ADSR Collective, Dichotomy Records, Tamed Musiq, and her own Yalex Recording imprint, the Leipzig-based producer Mary Yalex has been impressing listeners lately with beautifully crafted deep and atmospheric soundscapes.
"Cosmic Garden" ventures into the most mystical corners of the imagination replete with warm panoramic textures, shifting rhythmic elements, and intricate sound arrangements.
Night Sea
Manila
Silent Season
Night Sea, the production duo of Johan Ismael & David Grunzweig, have revealed their first long-runner "Still" via the Canadian Silent Season imprint. "Still" LP features seven tracks that stretch out across a vast sonic spectrum, organically flowing through warm harmonic dubby, ambient, and techno sketches.
"The album," the label explains," is the culmination of a two-year journey playing with the relationship between sound, repetition, and impermanence. The slowly evolving musical landscapes of Still are an invitation to slow down and explore."
The closing composition "Manila" evokes images of distant landscapes carved by the deep dub-techno rhythms embedded in layers of shifting, smoky ambiance.
Lack
Rrrush
Livity Sound
Following releases on the UK label Cong Burn and Blank Mind, Manchester's young producer Lack continues expanding Livity Sound’s aesthetic with the 'Inside' EP. The mighty four-track "12 package designed with various influences ranging from minimalistic house to deep techno to dubby breakbeat rhythms.
Brimming with raw energy, "Rrrush" maintains an irresistible blend of broken UK rhythms and deep dub techno of the B-side with gritty percussive elements and dubby atmospherics.
Molly
Undue Dazzle
RDV Music
Parisian DJ, producer, and Rècit De Voyage label boss Molly curate the third edition in the label's annual various artist compilation series. "Rècit De Voyage - Volume 3" is a collection of eight exclusive tracks that continues an original musical approach with label affiliates making an appearance alongside the introduction of newer artists. The compilation boasts artists such as Orion, Alexkid, Aspetuck, Ilyas & Gauvain, Molly, among other artists.
Following a stunning contribution to Dial Record's "DIAL 2020 PT1." compilation released this month, Molly also contributes to her own imprint with a gorgeous, breakbeat-driven "Undue Dazzle." It begins with a subtle ambiance that borders on long melancholic pads before delving into a brooding atmosphere accented by breakbeat rhythms that move effortlessly across the soundscape.
Mattheis
Prism1 (Tidal Fields Version)
Nous'klaer Audio
Rotterdam-based imprint Nous'klaer Audio is proud to present its second edition of Paerels. Entitled "Paerels II," an extensive twelve-track collection is "a refreshing splash of sounds not bound to a genre. A combination of deep listening pieces with slightly more cheeky cuts. Some from the vault, some hot off the fire. A bit of everything really, just the way we like it," explains the label. As with its first volume, 2017's "Paerels I," the follow up compilation features the label affiliates, including Matteis, upsammy, Konduku, and Melatonin Man, as well as some new rising artists in the likes of Amandra, Eversines, Lawrence Le Doux, Philou Louzolo, and Ben Buitendijk.
"Prism1 (Tidal Fields Version)" by Rotterdam producer Mattheis draws upon the producer's signature combination of synth-driven multidimensional soundscapes and rich holographic textures creating a colorful sound palette of electronic music.
Wa Wu We
Inwezubel
Konstrukt
The 12th release on Amsterdam-based Konstrukt label comes in the shape of a split EP from the established producers Tobias., Neel, and Sebastian Muellaert under his Wa Wu We moniker. "Tobias. | Neel | Wa Wu We - Konstrukt 12" features three tracks from each artist showcasing high-quality artistic work.
The legendary Swedish sound architect, an accomplished musician, visionary, live performer, and a creative mastermind behind the Circle Of Life project Sebastian Mullaert brings his reflective of nature, hypnotic electricism on "Inwezubel." During the 13-minute journey, the artist is painting a multifaceted sonic canvas of deep and atmospheric techno-minimalism.
Tetelepta
Sassoon
Indigo Aera (ÆX)
After a short hiatus, Dutch imprint Indigo Aera (AEX) returns with its 11th edition of the AEX various artist compilation series of "hand-stamped white labels raised from friendship and family, a collection of like-minded artists having fun in their shared studio spaces in Amsterdam and around. "ÆX011" introduces an impressive showcase of local talent featuring Tetelepta, Roger Gerressen, Daniel Jaques, and Selfsoul.
Atmospheric, mysterious, and dark "Vespero" by the Dutch producer and label affiliate Ivano Tetelepta launches its listeners on a hypnotic journey delving into the depth of dystopian sounds of deep techno infused with delicately colored washes of ambient tranquility.
Ineffekt
Solaris
Intercept
Ineffekt is the next artist to grace the Coloray's Intercept Records with an impressive debut EP titled "Broken Dreams / Solaris."
"If you'd find yourself wandering around the forests of Breda, a city in the south of The Netherlands," describes the label, "there's a good chance you would bump into Ineffekt, an 18-year-old, Utrecht-born DJ and producer. Ineffekt's first exposition as DJ was in Utrecht, where he gained recognition for his gloomy and trippy sets and soon he began to pick up more gigs around The Netherlands (Basis in Utrecht, Bret, and Radion in Amsterdam and Doornroosje in Nijmegen among others) and developed a broader interest in combining different musical forms, a fascination that never ends for him."
The young producer's debut record is brimming with energy, and bracing breakbeat-driven rhythms sprinkled with a euphoric ambiance.
Enveloped in a dreamy swirl of balmy synth sequences, soft pads, and driving breakbeat groove, "Solaris" lavishes its listeners with layers of the pure sublime atmosphere, perfect for a timeless sun-kissed journey.