Favorite Releases from May 2021
"The river freed from the clutches of ice. The music of bees pollinates the light. The future hangs on the rolls of a dice. The whisper of trees gives voice to the night." - Sam Roberts.
Spring has come, and as everything comes back to life after the winter months, the electronic music world emerged from long winter hibernation with new albums, remixes, and releases. The month of May features Artefakt, Atom TM, Simon Ferdinand, Nueen, Aspetuck, ABSIS, Vodor L Zeck, Roman Flügel, Reagenz, and Khotin releasing music on Delsin Records, Spazio Disponibile, Polycarp Records, Running Black, Hivern Discs, XLR8R+, Good Morning Tapes, Enbeezee, and Khotin Industries.
Artefakt
Cambium
Delsin Records
Following their 2019 debut album 'Monsoon’ on Semantica Records, Dutch electronic music producers Nick Lapien and Robin Koek combine forces to present their third full-length album, 'Days Bygone' Artefakt. The second album, through Delsin Records, collides the worlds of atmospheric techno and ambient electronica, a fusion that simultaneously echoes an immersive sonic palette making both genres coexist in equilibrium.
"Days Bygone finds Artefakt leaning even further away from standard structures to create an album steeped in mystery," the record label describes in the press release. "It's not a formless ambiance they've conjured up, though - pronounced patterns are still prevalent to propel Artefakt's productions, but there's less emphasis on percussion and more time spent shaping soundworlds with nimble arps and gliding pads."
The opening track 'Cambium' is composed through a polyrhythmic midtempo sequencer floating over melancholic pads and clouds of warm, evocative harmony interspersed with enigmatic ambiance.
Atom TM
Metacycle
Spazio Disponibile
Italian record label Spazio Disponibile unveiled their first physical compilation release, 'Primavera.'
The label founders Donato Dozzy and Neel bring fresh Spring vibes with this collaborative record featuring their productions and exclusive contributions from their close friends Atom TM and Grand River. Merging sizzling ambiance with intricate textured elements, the
four-track collection of atmospheric rhythms and evolving soundscapes challenging moods ranging from meditative to haunting and beyond.
AtmomTM's 'Metacycle' is a journey in the realms of uncanny darkness and ominous rhythms, enriched with opaque textures and undertones that unfurl with nuanced tranquility.
Simon Ferdinand
Circus Doomed
Polycarp Records
Hamburg-based DJ and producer Simon Ferdinand, the founder of Polycarp Records, released the third installment of the series, "Wie lange noch." Entitled "Schilleroper" EP, this edition narrated by Hamburg Schilleroper, is about the beautiful historic landmark building demolished in Hamburg. The four tracks on the record encompass a vast array of musical elements that range from brooding electronic soundscapes, groovy rhythms, and jazzy intricacies that top off with the raw edge.
The closing track "Circus Doomed" unfolds with vibrancy, slowly building tension through warm pads and rides-driven infectious rhythms.
ABSIS
Floating Around
Hivern Discs
John Talabot's Hivern Discs welcomes Spanish producer Salvador Coromina, also known as ABSIS or mouseDown, who makes his debut solo EP following two contributions on Laura BCR's On-Board Music charity compilations. A five-track indulgence of deep and languid sound exploration full of reflective and meditative nuance, "Found Ritual" delves into the deepest realms of techno, drone, and atmosphere.
The opening track "Floating Around" unfurls gradually with droning feedback harnessing a haunting spirit that combines moments of dark psychedelia laced with sheer introspection.
Aspetuck
Itchy
XLR8R+
The online music platform XLR8R presents its thirties edition of the 'XLR8R+‘series, which supports independent music and journalism. "It's been more than a year and a half since we launched XLR8R+, hoping to give a platform to independent artists, and we're so happy to be seeing see our community growing as each day passes," the music platform explains. "Whether you're coming for the exclusive tracks, the submissions, or the editorial, we appreciate your continued support. In line with this project's ethos, we're using this month's edition to shine a spotlight on rising talents, while also capturing artists at the top of their game."
The exploration of techno, house and downtempo sounds, this month's installment features exclusive contributions from Titonton Duvante, Merrin Karras, and Aspetuck.
The rising DJ and producer from Vermont, northeastern United States, Griff Fulton, better known as Aspetuck, has released records on This Is Our Time, A Friend In Need, and Lagaffe Tales. He contributes two tracks to" XLR8R+30" floating in deep rivers of textural ambiance and atmospheric techno rhythms.
Reflective of the internal dissonance, "Itchy" is cloaked in an aura of an eerie beauty with trippy rhythms and soft harmonies that float upon the shimmering haze, obscuring its menacing tonalities on the verge of ambient techno.
Roman Flügel
Magic Briefcase
Running Back
German veteran electronic music producer Roman Flugel returns to Gerd Jansen's Running Back with a long-overdue album after releasing "Anima" EP, a precursor to his new record. "Eating Darkness" LP is the artist's fifth studio album following his all-ambient full-length album "Themes I-XII" released in 2018 via ESP Institute. Across its nine tracks, Roman Flugel builds a vintage ambient and experimental electronica album that is distinctive and cohesive.
The album-opening "Magic Briefcase" touches the soft edges of ambiance with emotive lyricism. Evocative moods of deep reflection conjured through introspective synth melodies and IDM-driven rhythms.
Vodor L Zeck
Motimorn
Enbeezee
May brings the release of the first compilation of exclusive materials from various artists compiled by
Hamburg via Berlin producer Han Duo and Istanbul-based producer Fluctuosa for Hamburg's imprint Enbeezee. The twelve-track collection offers a vibrant mixture of detailed and sophisticated electronic glitch, IDM pieces, breaks, instrumental electronica, acid-tinged rhythms, and leftfield microsound from around the globe.
Here is what the label says about this release:
"This package is a wild combination of tracks from artists between Berlin, Istanbul, Brooklyn, Karlsruhe, and Rio de Janeiro. The idea started in the half-year, Vincent aka. Han Duo spent in Istanbul, where he met Dogukhan aka. Fluctuosa, who introduced him to the underground scene of the city. As Covid hit right after the stay in Istanbul, the Comp aims to share profits between all artists equally to support one another in the pandemic. Putting together such an international and decentralized curation tries to give a sense of international solidarity for artists in the underground music scene. The label share is also waved for this."
Berlin-based electronic music producer and Zanderhythm label manager Vodor L Zeck brings intricate jazzy vibes with" Motimorn." The track swims smoothly within the introspective groove laced with evocative melodies and polymorphic spheres of ambient electronica.
Nueen
Time=Feel
Good Morning Tapes
Mallorca-based producer Nacho Bianco Pezzati, better known as Nueen, debuts the ever-reliable French imprint Good Morning Tapes with a gorgeous debut "Nova Llum" LP. The nine tracks capture the essence of the sun-kissed introspective realms of ambient and electronica and encompass Balearic-influenced sonic creations, each with its unique mysterious personality and mood.
"Time=Feel" is a kaleidoscopic tapestry of a sophisticated electronic sound that blends soft celestial melodies, lush arrangements, and electronica-infused rhythms, evoking the feeling of infinite bliss that comes with a long, balmy summer.
Reagenz
Long Leaves
Mental Groove Records / Musique Pour La Danse
Musique Pour La Danse delivers a gorgeous addition to its discography, the reissue of the iconic self-titled album by the legendary duo Reagenz, the house producer David Moufang (a.k.a. Move D), and Jonah Sharp (Spacetime Continuum). Released initially on Reflective Records / Source Records, the collaborative album "rEAGENZ" remastered for 2021 and available on double vinyl for the first time since its original release in 1994. The timeless eight-track record is a beautiful display of the luminous ambient soundscapes, introspective techno rhythms, and sophisticated IDM structures.
"Long Leaves" swaddles the listener in beautiful gauzy folds of impressionistic textures brimming with ambient and dreamy atmospheres filled with abstract sonic intricacies.
Khotin
A Loving Blue
Khotin Industries
Khotin's two downtempo tracks were granted a reissue treatment by the Canadian producer's label Khotin Industries. Originally released in Japan on CD-R as bonus tracks to "New Tab" Japanese edition CD released by Scent (2017) and "Finds You Well" Japanese edition CD released by Plancha (2020), both tracks allow fans to hear the musician's ambient sounds once again.
"A Loving Blue "emerged from a haze of mallet-infused ambient electronica with Khotin's signature unhurried, exquisitely delicate melodicism and style, giving this spacey and atmospheric composition a truly melancholic feel