Highlights: July
Lord Of The Isles - Irafas [Lone Romantic]
Lord of the Isles’ ‘Irafas' EP is a heady brew of sprawling synths, fluid rhythms and tactile bass. Wade on into a spacey soundscape of uncertainty as each track brings something new, so serene it is almost capable of transporting listeners up to the Scottish highlands themselves - natural source of Neil MacDonald’s musical influences. With a futuristic, sonic edge to it, this latest EP verges away from the earthy emotivity and minimalist harmonics that characterise his previous work; although these recent sounds are equally well-crafted and no less invigorating.
‘Irafas’ brings a warm mix of chattering bass punctured with bursts of sonic synths and sci-fi atmospherics. Assuringly, ‘Alpha’ progresses with a pokey pulse layered atop a meandering tempo. ‘Q-bit’ amasses a stir of synthetic emotion, where percussion and synth flirtatiously confront one another. ‘Three Times Eleven’ finishes off triumphantly, with an unexpectedly playful arpeggio over a subtle tinkering of dynamic percussion.
Intertwining ambient house and deep techno with enigmatic flair, 'Irafas' EP is further testament to LOTI’s seemingly ceaseless ability to deliver A-grade electronics. Hence, its addition into this month’s highlights is an absolute no-brainer.
Buy: Vinyl / Digital
Stream: Apple Music / Spotify
Sonny - Plastic World [Koldt Bord]
Sonny’s 'Plastic Worlds' EP illustrates the diversity of his production. He seamlessly mixes dream house sounds with moody vocal elements. The opener ‘Be 4 Me’ is made for a grand space. On A2 the eponymous track ‘Plastic Worlds’ is a journey into Balearic sounds, perfectly arriving in time for warm summer days. ‘Kropssprog’ elegantly references the masters of Italian dream house, with deep atmospheric soundscapes. The final track is the highlight, ‘Desert Days’, a moody crossover into electronic pop music, featuring Sonny's own vocals.
Buy: Vinyl
Stream: Apple Music / Spotify
E-Saggila - Dedicated To Sublimity [Bank Records NYC]
This month I have been listening repeatedly to E-Sagglia. I came across her on Discwoman and Physical Therapy’s charity collaborative album Physically Sick 2, (which is a mind-blowing listen start to finish), back in spring of this year. E-Sagglia’s track on that album, 'Carbon Snare', was darkly intriguing and drew me to want to keep tags on the Iraq-born, Toronto based producer. This month, she has come out with a stunning EP, 'Dedicated to Sublimity'. Returning to Entre Senestre’s label, Bank Records NYC, E- Sagglia’s first ever vinyl EP is relentless, transcendent and gritty.
From the stunningly atmospheric breakbeat track 'Strive For Action' to 'Viper’s rough, dark machine-like sound, E-Sagglia proves her exceptional versatility as a talented techno producer. My favourite track is 'Brunette Cistern', which is a heady, swag-filled foray into electronica. Personally, she reminds me of techno stalwarts such as Rrose, Umfang and Volvox, but she has also been compared to the likes of Underworld, and I can definitely hear the big-room 80’s techno influences in her thumping drum beats and zippy synths.
Despite the variety of the 6 tracks on this EP, a distinctive personality runs through the whole record. The consistency with which she strives for boldness, resolutely pushing audio boundaries, takes us on a journey which is epic, but with a down to earth fearlessness that prioritises experimentation. Slick, mature and well thought out, the E.P is an admirable progression for a producer who has already proved her creativity, imagination and lust for mind expansion, and has channelled these into a creation that is controlled and sophisticated, whilst retaining an unpredictable, off-the-cuff sound.
Buy: Vinyl / Digital
Stream: Apple Music / Spotify
FUGITIV - COMPOFOREST (PARDON MOI REMIX) [Nein Records]
Signed to Nein Records, Fugitiv is a Venezuelan electronic music band made up of Alejandro Molinari and Ignacio Itriago. Alejandro Molinari, a musician and electronic music producer, has released tracks with Blindetonation, Nein Records, Emerald & Doreen as well as other labels. With a background in classical rock, Ignacio Itriago complements the band with a collection of rare sounds. In the context of the Venezuela’s dictatorship and economic crisis, Ignacio Itriago began collecting vintage synthesizers from the 1970’s and 80’s, amassing a variety of analogue frequencies that define the band’s musical personality. Earlier this month Fugitiv released their single entitled 'Compoforest', a debut on Nein Records. Likened to a lost German 80’s cassette the original mix moves slowly, plodding.
Pardon Moi was given the rights to the remix duties. Based in Berlin, the duo made up of British producer James Brook and German songwriter Thomas Freudenthal, who goes by his surname when in the studio. They fuse modern electronics with 80’s new wave to create tracks that have gone down very well with many DJ’s. Italo Brutalo referenced one their tracks saying that it “will get some heavy rotation in his sets over the next few months”. Their take on the ‘Compoforest’ is made for the dancefloor and bridges gaps between musical eras, just as likely to have been played on a dark Florentine dancefloor in the 80’s as a modern day club.
Listen to the full release.
Buy: Digital
Stream: Apple Music / Spotify
Maya – Lait De Coco [Attic Salt Discs]
Recently re-immortalised by the (now) thinly veiled Good Plus 001 Coco/Jungle this repress of MAYA’s 'Lait De Coco' comes floating in on a summer breeze. The new release comes in 10” format with a postcard that you can sign to your friends while floating in your pool a la George Michael, bespeckled and white speedo-d at club tropicana.
'Lait de Coco' is the kind of track that makes you want to put down your Pret a Manger iced coffee, push off from your desk and head down to the beach with a Papa doble in hand (or a Pina Colada if that’s your thing). The kind of track that makes you say woah, hey man, I think it’s going to be alright. And so we’re thankful, Attic Salt Discs third reissue in three years has come just in time for the middle of summer. A track to cool you down during Heatwave Harvey and a stellar video that has to be seen to be believed.