Artist: Jean Jacques Title: Clutter EP Label: Polychrome Audio Cat. #: pa002 Format: Digital, vinyl Release Date: 03.02.2023 Tracklist: A1 Dubhypno A2 Ode to the Floor B1 Thalys B2 Clutter
Jean Jacques’s debut release ‘Clutter EP’ (on Polychrome Audio) is an explorative and deeply engaging sound opera. Its four productions range in the A side into catchy grooves and rave inspired motifs, keeping a high quality and clearity of the whole sound. On the flip the mood goes profound, the rhythms are broken and the pressure drops. The EP is already available on both vinyl and digital formats.
HDDNSYMBLS drops a three-track dark and dystopian techno release made in collaboration by Orly Gal and Sleepy Cat.
Orly Gal is an American artist from Los Angeles who has built a reputation for having a driving style of hypnotic techno with industrial undertones. Already well-known within her home city’s techno scene, she has been reaching a global audience with her productions on record labels ranging from Kaiserdisco’s KD RAW to Ushuaia Music.
Sleepy Cat is another Los Angeles based DJ and producer who is well-known within the city’s underground club scene. He has an eclectic style ranging from soulful house to raw and hypnotic techno. This release showcases the dark and driving side of his sound.
All three tracks have fast-paced percussion layered with atmospheric pads and analogue synth lines.
“Money Breaks” opens the release with the distorted sound of an ominous synth line that spirals with rippling modulation, while the rhythms of the high-velocity percussion propel the track forwards.
“Sahara” has a thumping kick drum and eerie pads fused with rattling hi-hats. It unfolds with building intensity as the dramatic synth swells burst forth from the percussive framework.
“Confusion” closes out the release with its swirling and juddering percussion layered with fizzing hi-hats and rumbling sub-bass. It’s a raw and distorted track with brutal energy.
Talking about the release, Orly Gal said: “Sleepy and I are passionate advocates of a real-time approach to music production, we wanted to capture the energy and essence of these moments in a live recording.”
Ken aka Sleepy Cat adds: “Bringing this project to life in real-time was a crucial objective. It was vital for us to experience the interplay of elements and their interaction with the environment in order to effectively communicate our message.”
Dsnt Matter makes an essential but captivating and envolving production: that’s the case of his ‘How You Feel’ single to be out soon on the enterprising Future House Music label. The strength points of this track are the simple but effective vocal, the rolling bassline, the synth arpeggios and finally the crescendo structured in the main drop.
Lyrics: I don’t wanna love ya Just say how you feel
Experienced dj and producer Nausica debuts on Toolroom Records with the single ‘Tomalo’, a juicy and memorable production which calls back her dancefloor inspired composition collection. This production starts quietly but just after the intro it lets loose a catchy instrumental, which features an infectious vocal and a tribal inspired percussion pattern. During the main breakdown all the sounds aim carefully, so them can hit properly.
Straight from the Netherland the underground label TH±Tar Hallow presents its brand new release signed by the Arkvs duo, who deliver an outstanding four tracker. The listening experience is overhelming and full of bass: ‘Rise And Fall’ and ‘A-110 X 303’ represent the best tracks of the whole EP, thanks to unique warehouse and rave inspired instrumentals. Sometimes it feels like these Arkvs production are neverending and stucked into a loop, this thing suggests a potential usage of these creations also as tools for intricate dj sets.
Band&Dos duo opt for a remix challenge: their interpretation of ‘Virak &TCKS – Siento Libre’ which will be out soon on Adesso Music reveals a great piece of music. Their interpretation is coherent with the original theme, it recalls the atmosphere evoked by the vocal and the instrumental isn’t so different, the bassline is smoother and the piano chords dulls the overall tension. Once again tribal inspired motifs share warm and hopeful vibes which play an increasingly important role in everyday life.
Artist: Marco Bruno Title: Threads EP Label: Hardgroove Cat. #: HARDGROOVEDIGI019 Format: Digital Release Date: 17th March 2023 Tracklist: 01 Trademark 02 Interstellar 03 Stepback 04 Circle Of Life (Ben Sims Edit)
Marco Bruno drops ‘Thread EP’ featuring a Ben Sims edit.
After output on sister imprint Symbolism, Italy’s Marco Bruno returns to Ben Sims’ Hardgroove imprint with four powerful slices of machine funk.
‘Trademark’ opens the ‘Thread EP’ with a racing heartbeat. Tempered with hypnotic stabs and tiny melodic flourishes, ‘Trademark’ manages a pacy intensity with just enough restraint, something that continues into track two, ‘Interstellar’. Upping the complexity, both in terms of melody and arrangement, ‘Interstellar’ throws the doors open to the second half of the EP, where the unabashed epic sounds of ‘Stepback’ and Sims’ warm, heady edit of ‘Circle of Life’ round things out with peak time joy.
With releases for Sims’ labels, Earwiggle and his Evighet winning critical and club support, Marco Bruno is becoming a bankable name in the sea of new techno artists, and his ‘Thread EP’ on Hardgroove will only push that further.
Gorje Hewek gets released on Watergate with another collaborative EP: ‘Earth’ features a pack of six ingenious and well produced tracks. The typical Watergate style perfectly engages with these progressive house alike sonorities, expanding both the artist and label’s musical heritage, and finally allowing space for evolution and reasonable innovation. While playing all the productions it’s perceivable a genuinely dancefloor adaptation of the all song themes, which give to them an added value.
MasterSounds and Union Audio continue their award-winning partnership with the creation of the new MK2 version of their flagship Valve range of hand-made esoteric DJ Mixers. Released today and marking 15 Years of MasterSounds, the Valve MK2 range is now available to purchase.
Valve MK2 encompasses the true spirit of its predecessor, with its esoteric principles of sound and simplicity, and now includes added playability with a VariableQ high pass filter per channel, a re-designed 3-band EQ and RIAA Input stage, plus Innofader as standard.
Designed by Union Audio’s founder Andy Rigby Jones who has been at the forefront of analogue DJ mixer design for over 25 years and MasterSounds’ founder Ryan Shaw, whose history in DJ and audio has pioneered an incredible and revered line of high-fidelity audio products from DJ mixers, FX units, turntable weights and more, each Valve MK2 unit is hand-crafted in small numbers by Union Audio in Cornwall, England.
“We are so very proud of Valve, and the addition of the new features in our MK2 model elevates the DJ mixer’s playability for discerning DJs, from club and bar owners to home DJ’s, Valves club standard feature set and beautiful open, dynamic & transparent sound is a real gem to experience” – Ryan Shaw (MasterSounds, Founder, Director)
“It’s hard to believe that five years have passed since we launched the original FourValve, but it’s a fitting anniversary on which to launch the new MK2! The addition of VariableQ high-pass filters and an all-new EQ adds another level of playability and audio manipulation. The new MK2 comes fitted with an Innofader as standard and a revised RIAA preamplifier, which along with all the other changes makes this a significant update on the previous model” – Andy Rigby Jones (Union Audio, Founder. MasterSounds MK2 Valve Series, Product Designer)
MK2 Valve is available in both 2 and 4-channel options, in MasterSounds classic black and silver finishes.
Priced at £1895 for the Radius Two Valve and £2695 for the Four Valve model (minus VAT for buyers outside the UK).
MasterSounds make premium quality DJ mixers, audio accessories and high-fidelity audio systems, with skill, care and attention to detail in the United Kingdom.
Artist: The Spirit Project & Starving Yet Full Title: Find Your Way (Sparrow & Barbossa Remix) Label: Déepalma Records Remixer: Sparrow & Barbossa Cat. #: DPLM150R Format: Digital Release Date: 03.03.2023 Tracklist: Find Your Way (Sparrow & Barbossa Extended Remix) Find Your Way (Sparrow & Barbossa Radio Remix)
Sparrow & Barbossa get into the reinterpretation of ‘The Spirit Project & Starving Yet Full – Find Your Way’, just released on the cool Deepalma Records. Their remix recall the emotions and sensations aroused in the original, elevating the sensualism started by the tribal intrumental and by the vocals. As result the reinforced drums make the whole song a place which is full of hope and with a vibrant vision of the future.
