Russian producer K.A.T.A. drops a dark slab of techno My House on his new EP. It has a subtle triplet feel without being too 'bouncy' and the timbre of that single note synth pattern varies enough to keep things interesting.
K.A.T.A. - My House is out now on Raversar Records [BUY]
I first heard of Die Jungle last year when I came across his Capricho EP and in particular the track Negro that has low key swagger in spades.
He returns with a new 4 track EP Trouble. While Capricho was dark and synth driven, Trouble takes those ideas but uses more organic sounds. Instead of filtered square waves, we have saturated guitar plucks. Instead of stuttering chords, we have patchworks of tuned percussion.
All four tracks progress gracefully over the EP and balance the experimental with the traditional but the opening track Mambo is probably my favorite. Die Jungle skillfully creates a mosaic from a disparate sonic palette (and I love that sly opening sample!). Listen out to that song's structure; I don't think any section of the track is ever repeated but each one works with the section before and the bass line keeps everything connected.
Die Jungle is a rising talent to watch.
Die Jungle - Trouble is out on Phisica on August 23 but it is available exclusively on Beatport now [BUY]
2018's Wonky Peace resurfaced this week after being re-released on Moveton. Russian producer Oblomov keep things dark and minimal - I love the groove and the ring-modded percussive main theme.
Oblomov - Wonky Peace is out now on Moveton [BUY]
Reverb tails and garbage can percussion swirl around each other in this low key house track from Danny Ocean. Each element is carefully placed creating a rolling groove that carries everything forward.
Originally released in 2018 on the Everything Happens 4 a Reason EP, El Olvido resurfaces on the Abound of Minimal compilation album.
Danny Ocean - El Olvido is out now on Abound [BUY]
From Beyond takes Joseeph's original minimal acid-tinged track and gives it a sprinkling of glossy house magic.
It's always interesting to see which parts of the original a remixer takes and develops. Here, From Beyond takes a synth-horn stab that happens once in the original and pulls it forward into the main motif.
Joseeph - Xone (From Beyond Remix) is out now in Nein Records [BUY]
ecnereveS (read it backwards) is a cut of minimal techno taken from the album Define Reflection Of An Echo on Montreal's D.M.T records. There is a great interview with the C.S.P.N where he talks about the idea of working with slower BPMs:
...you can feel the low beat as a fight against this furious speed of life we are living with no time for the message on music right now.
The whole album is a rewarding listen but ecnereveS stood out to me as being a little more dancefloor-focused with its driving bass, organic synth stabs and subtle layered percussion.
C.S.P.N. - ecnereveS is out now on D.M.T records [BUY]
This is kind of track I love finding! Noisy and industrial yet danceable, Auckland's Keepsakes blends a distorted arpeggiated synth with clanking percussion on Clobber which is released as part of an anthology album on Pls.UK.
Note the unconventional structure; after the breakdown washes out, say goodbye to that main synth because you aren't gonna hear it again!
Keepsakes - Clobber is out now on Pls.UK [BUY]
Robotstyle Records boss Zaidokhi drops their third release and the B-side Reef Madness is a winner for me. The slow attack on the bass synth really makes the track groove. Zaidokhi is known for sampling sounds from mundane objects and twisting them into unrecognizable artifacts (see Lock Conditioner that uses keys and an air conditioner) and half the fun is guessing what the original sound source might be. That constant alarm-like drone in the background? My guess: a pitched down wind chime.
Zaidokhi Reef Madness is out now on Robotstyle Records [BUY]
I love this off-beat dirty techno from French producer A-Sim. Wonder Walk's unconventional structure and refusal to use a four-to-the-floor kick is refreshing but it never strays too far from working on a dance floor.
A-Sim - Wonder Walk is out now on Merge Layers [BUY]
Keeping on the housier vibe of the last few finds, Russian producer Kinnison drops Long Night which keeps an understated groove with a gliding bassline and filtered percussion.
Kinnison - Long Night is out now on Print Screen Lab [BUY]
The opening track on the newest EP from prolific Greek producer Nick Miamis is a textural journey that rides the line between 'chill out' and dance floor. The kick and snappy bass drive the track forward but the noisy washes and staccato synths keep the energy in check for a great early-set selection.
Side Liner - This & That is out now on Cosmicleaf Records [BUY]
If you'll allow a moment of self-promotion, here is a new track from yours truly. I hid indoors (in DAWs?) on Independence Day and wrote this track instead. I wanted to explore the fine line between generative melodies and deliberate songwriting.
A 16th note randomizer was run for a few minutes through a synth and the output captured, then the phrases I liked the best were edited and the track was written around them.
Quick Like Bunnies - Dr Death is out now [FREE DOWNLOAD]