Favorite Releases from February 2021
“Winter comes without a sound...
and it comes with many.
The wind howls in every language
and the windows rattle.. “ - Kevin Henkes
February went on to inspire the underground electronic music world with outstanding releases, albums, and remixes featuring Amandra and Karim, Bas Dobbelaer and Vand, Shielding, Jurango, Kaito, Vril and His Masters Voice as Adderall, Aki Himanen and Aleksi Kinnunen, Polygonia, Pablo Bolivar and Sergio Vidal as Pulshar, 59 Perlen, and Ripperton.
Amandra and Karim
Sqala 3 (Forest Drive West remix)
Tikita
Amandra continues the hot streak of releases on Casablanca's Tikita imprint. February sees the French artist releasing a solo EP through AD 93 (formerly known as Whities ), a collaborative full-length album with Mattheis via Nois'klaer Audio, and a double EP in partnership with Tikita's label boss Karim.
'Sqala' marks the debut collaboration between Karim and his close friend and label affiliate Amandra. To complement the original, the label reached out to their favorite producers Forest Drive West, Donato Dozzi, Dorisburg, and natural/electronic.system to contribute remixes for this project.
Composed two years ago in Casablanca, the primary sonic influences are the thrilling percussion-dominated rhythms and harmonies that reveal varied sound worlds highlighting fresh facets with each new listen.
The London-based producer Forest Drive West debuts on the label with a dark and twisted rework of 'Sqala 3.' Paying homage to the true nature of the original, he creates a layered atmospheric soundscape formed by sophisticated rhythms with a hazy edge of darkness.
Bas Dobbelaer and Vand
Runner
Something Happening Somewhere
Following on last year's successful Laren" EP, Dutch producers Bas Dobbelaer and Vand join up with SoHaSo to release a well-crafted deep and introspective techno. "ZL2", like its predecessor, deploys the evocative mixture of techno-utopian rhythms and textures across four tracks, morphing them into a highly imaginative journey.
Bringing together intrinsic elements of dark undertones and eerie pads resonating atop the forward-moving rhythms wrapped in the opaque sonic landscape, the concluding track "Runner" strikes a balance between being intelligent, vibrant, and dynamic.
Shielding
Fläder
Kimochi Sound
Swedish producer Shielding makes a welcome return to Chicago-based Kimochi Sound with a new "Ense" EP. The second outing on the label is a shape-shifting blend of textured rhythmic elements layered into shuddering polyrhythms, delivered in five tracks.
Equally focused on percussive rhythms and subtly emotive melodic structures, "Fläder" creates an evocative, somewhat hypnotic mood.
Jurango
Retreat Ites
Livity Sound
Livity Sound releases the next installment in their Reverse series featuring a new producer in Bristol's electronic music scene Jurango. He debuts on Livity Sounds with a mighty four-track "Retreat Ites" EP adding a contemporary dance floor feel to the techno and drum 'n' bass sounds. Here is what the label intended to say about the release:
"From the paranoid echo of the title track to the dark mutant dancehall of 'Theeves" Jurango crafts heavyweight ice-cold drum and bass rhythms exploring the outer reaches of soundsystem music in true school Bristol fashion, placing him amongst peers such as Laksa, Batu, and Lurka."
The euphoria-fused "Retreat Ites" is filled with rhythmically frenetic energy engulfed in dystopian indulgences, haunting vocal samples, and intense instrumentals.
Kaito
A Life That Can Only Dream Now (Drone + Beats)
Cosmic Signatures
Tokyo-based prolific producer, musician, and traveling man of many monikers Hiroshi Watanabe created a new "A life that can only dream now" EP as Kaito. One of the leading Japanese electronic music producers behind the thriving electronic music, a creative mastermind behind Kaito, Tread, Quadra, and Hiroshi Watanabe brings four different versions of a poetically beautiful original to his own imprint Cosmic Signatures. In the artist's own words: "A life that can only dream That's the sound I made. This track was recorded with a lot of variations. The original and beatless version, an organic version that transforms into a neoclassical mood, and a drone and beat only version. And a drone only take. The original is my favorite, but you can listen to all of them and choose which one you prefer."
Between beautiful morphine moments and cinematic percussive grooves, the drone and beat version of the original composition gradually unveils into a tapestry of dreamy soundscapes and the beat-driven ethereal elegance. This dazzling track is another example of Kaito's rich musicianship and musical magnetism.
Iron Curtis
Werc Werc Werc (Ripperton's New Space Mix)
Tamed Musiq
Tamed Musiq marks its 10th anniversary with the release of "Ripperton presents Tamed Musiq The Remixes 2011-2021", a 19-track compilation featuring music from various label affiliates, a roster brimming with exceptional talent. Curated by the label head Ripperton, the outstanding collection gives a retrospective look at the remixes released through the decade.
The following producers brought their talent to the compilation, such as Bicep, Deetron, Iron Curtis, Crowdpleaser, North Lake, Ron Basejam, Lo Shea, Gerd, Agnès, Margaret Dygas, Baikal, Andy Hart, Ghostek, and Ripperton himself.
Ripperton's reinterpretation of "Werc Werc Werc," a lead track from Iron Curtis' 2018 album "Upstream Color," is exclusive to the compilation. Filled with blooming kaleidoscopic sounds, he breathes a new spark of life into the original, capturing the mood and melancholic sense of beauty.
Pulshar
Accept Fate
Avantroots
Barcelona-based Avantroots has unveiled the second 12" EP from its sophomore installment of Espectrum II, the two-part various artist compilation from the "The Avantroots Dub Techno Compilation" series. The first 12" EP was released back in 2020, featuring original recordings by Beat Pharmacy, Segue, Toki Fuko, and Sibling feat Drhamer. The follow-up record presents four tracks by label heads Pulshar, a production duo of Pablo Bolivar and Sergio Vidal, Heavenchord, Biodub, and Julian Perez.
Pulshar finally releases new music after a five-year hiatus. Pablo Bolivar and Sergio Vidal composed the atmospherically dreamy track "Accept Fate “ where intricate and introspective synth melodies juxtaposed with effusive beauty muted with the dub effect and elegant ambiance.
Vril and His Master’s Voice as Adderall
Cryosleep
Turnland
German imprint Turnland released an extensive various artists compilation, "Solidarity is a Weapon ." With proceeds dedicated to the organization "Rote Hilfe E.V." that provides the financial and legal support of left activists who face repression in Germany and helps antifascists searching for political refuge, this collaboration brings together local artists and label friends. The collection of 19 tracks features contributions from Lauer, Johannes Albert, Bad News, Memoryboy, Duda, Vril, and His Masters Voice as Adderall, among others. It also covers the broad range of sounds from "weird ambient-spheres, stompy club hymns, dolphin-trance, to classic piano-house and even some dub-grooves."
The German production tandem of Vril and His Masters Voice inaugurates their new project Adderall with the "Cryosleep" showcasing a perfect union of sound in their artistic work.
We at Delayed were delighted to premiere this powerful debut. Read a complete article by Slava Malkin
Aki Himanen & Aleksi Kinnunen
Dawn Drops (Polygonia Remix)
Jazz-O-Tech
The latest release, 'Dawn Drops' EP from Berlin-based imprint Jazz-o-Tech, comes as a collaboration between two Finnish artists Aki Himanen and Aleksi Kinnunen. Both Himanen and Kinnunen are jazz musicians and techno producers, so this project found a perfect home in Jazz-o-Tech. Jazz-o-Tech is a label that draws on the rich heritage of two of the most visionary and experimental genres in music: jazz and techno. Taking inspiration from the freeform creative nature of those two musical worlds, artists on the label mix tradition with modernity, improvisation with experimentation, and create a new sound known as techno-jazz.
Two originals on the releases are accompanied by dark, driving remixes by PEG and Polygonia. Polygonia's remix of 'Dawn Drops' brings a rumbling groove, haunting mysticism of elusive pads, and trippy floating trumpet, which create an incredibly calming atmosphere that will do wonders on dance floors during after hours.
59 Perlen
Five Six Seven Eight
Shady Ridge Records
Switzerland-based producer Matthias Rosenkranz, better known as 59 Perlen, delivers his second album through Shady Ridge Records. Entitled "When Left Alone," the five-track mini-album is a perfect continuation of the hardware-based raw and minimal house sounds found on his 2020 album "Dawless."
"Five Six Seven Eight" is a delicately-constructed spacey house excursion pierced by a deep dubby bassline and balanced with the warm and hazy tweaked minimalism.