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Sounds

Baychimo – Magical Keygen

Brilliant piece from Danish artist Baychimo (Frederik Meyer), from his latest full-length Personality Computer. The album is an ode to the optimism of nascent Y2K internet culture, its atmosphere of exploratory hopefulness, and lack of cynicism. Specifically, this song pays tribute to the often gorgeous — but anonymous and completely ephemeral — songs that accompanied software keygens, which were presumably made by the crackers themselves or their friends. While this doesn’t incorporate the 8-bit elements that regularly dominated keygen music, it nevertheless captures the swelling dream-like quality of many of those forgotten bits. The album covers a lot of territory, and doesn’t just focus on the small tertiary joys of piracy, but I am also including one more that manages to capture another side of that sort of keygen music (with a title that also implies as much). It evokes the more frenetic stuff that accompanied some keygens, the sort that had you quickly reaching for the little white knob on your Altec Lansings so you wouldn’t wake up your parents. Meyer was generous enough to let me share the mp3 for one of these with you here (fair to expect that, given the subject matter), but do grab the rest of the album on bandcamp, or find it for streaming all over.

Baychimo – “Magical Keygen”

Baychimo – “E-Shoplifting”

Fangstar Forever – W8

Up next, a weird, impossible-to-define, sort of magical tune from Guatamalan artist Fangstar Forever. It feels like some sort of incantation, the kind of surreal thing that one might experience in a DMT trip, out of time and space. That may be a hyperbolic description, but sometimes a song feels to me like it is just pure flow, the product of an autotelic experience where — in Csikszentmihalyi’s terms — the process itself was the artist’s reward, not the eventual result. That’s not to say the result isn’t valuable; it most certainly can be for the listener, as is the case here. This feels like the raw ego of youth, self-important in a pure and unfiltered way, unshaped by social expectations, or at least a confident middle finger in the face of those expectations. I know nothing about this guy, but I envy his access to his own water source. Fangstar Forver has kindly let me share the mp3 with you here, but you can find this and his other two releases on bandcamp for pay-what-you-wish (or for streaming all over).

Fangstar Forever – “W8”

ERRx – ether

Two more lovely ambient dnb / jungle / breakcore tunes from anonymous artist ERRx, who I’ve covered several times before. The first, “ether,” is far too short at just over a minute long, led by a pining, sweetly melodramatic melody atop resampled pads and straightforward resequenced breakbeats. This is the blueprint for this kind of thing these days, and it works swimmingly well. The second, “rebirth,” uses slightly grittier percussion and relies more on choppy chords, but maintains the aesthetic well. These are both prerelease singles from ERRx’s upcoming Chaotic Digital full-length, out next month, but you can grab each on bandcamp now (or stream wherever).

ERRx – “ether”

ERRx – “rebirth”

APOTEK – Just you and I

First up on another night full of tidy UKG-adjacent stuff is this lovely warm bit from Brussels-based Italian producer Elisa Di Riccio, aka APOTEK. It’s been a demanding few months for me — mostly, work has been a bear, but also because raising two young children is such a constant challenge. In a way, the common thread is how hard management is. The role of the middle manager probably gets even less societal respect than the role of parent, but both really deserve a few more flowers. Handling people is fucking daunting, regardless of the context in which it occurs. I say all this because I’m so incredibly excited for the vacation I’m about to go on, and the sentiment and vibe of this song is timed just right. A ghostly spectral voice repeats ad nauseum over the lull of a buttery bassline and phantom pads: I can hardly wait. I feel kinship with that disembodied figure. I just keep repeating to myself — and anyone who will listen — how much I need to get away from this face-melting grind, into a few weeks of mild northern European weather (cross your fingers for that), and into the comfort of my family, immediate and extended alike. Grab this on bandcamp or find it streaming at all the usual outlets.

APOTEK – “Just you and I”

HAELIUM – Levitate

Next up, Parisian producer HAELIUM (Gabriel Kadiri) delivers a gentle 2-step ditty full of only nice and round sounds; soft edges only here, nothing harsh for miles. Since I’m about to embark on that vacation, this will hopefully set the right tone for lifting off and softly breaching the clouds — maybe not quite levitating, as the title might suggest is possible, but the closest most humans can get. I’m also posting another one from Kadiri, from his New Era EP, released late last year. It’s a touch heavier than the new one, but with a great gospel-ish sample that makes it equally transcendent. You can grab both of these on bandcamp, or find them for streaming all over.

HAELIUM – “Levitate”
HAELIUM – “Cherish The Peace”

Voka – P’s and Q’s

Last up before I leave, anothe run UKG cut, this time from Canadian producer Voka (Hayden Gullins). As the vocal directs the listener to be, this is a well-mannered track: clean, minimalist production, no sound out-of-place or offensive. But while there aren’t any risks taken here, Voka pushes the buttons right, and delivers a nice little late night snack. Apropos, I learned recently that the origin of phrase “mind your Ps and Qs” isn’t settled, and there are a few theories. The historical theories relate to typesetting and bartending: early typesetters had to be careful not to confuse the mirrored lower-case letters ‘p’ and ‘q’; bartenders had to be careful not to confuse pints and quarts. There are several others, but my favorite is that ‘P’ is shorthand for please and ‘Q’ for thank you. Mind your manners this summer, friends; see you in a month or so. No bandcamp here, but you can find this for streaming anywhere you do that sort of thing.

Voka – “P’s and Q’s”

DMG – Live the Dream

Skittering glitchy rave from Daniel McGurty, aka DMG, now based in Edinburgh but a native of Blackburn. McGurty is painting with a delicate brush here, sketching around an absence of overt dancefloor kick/bass spine, but these two tracks from his upcoming album Live the Dream nonetheless evoke plenty of nostalgia for UK hardcore and rave. Blackburn was the epicenter of illegal raving in the UK in the late 80s and early 90s. Kids making great use of all the abandoned mills and factories that followed Thatcher’s hollowing-out of the industrial core of Northern English society is the perfect historic encapsulation of how and why raving was birthed as a response to economic insecurity and the chaotic approach of a post-industrial world. That large-scale raving has now become hijacked by tertiary and quinary sector corporate interests — a product to be delivered by hospitality and media companies, owned by the very sorts of global capital firms that pulled the plug on Western manufacturing in the first place — is ironic, or at least paradoxical. But where stadium-sized, glossy, befeathered spectacles are not much more than parody — and the music designed for them tends to be too — McGurty is instead paying sincere and affectionate homage to the history of his community here, without doing something retro. The album is out July 23rd, but you can grab the first two singles on bandcamp now (or find them for streaming)

DMG – “Live the Dream”
DMG – “The Rebirth Continues”

Self Tape – London Baby

In keeping with loving tributes to UK dance music culture, next up is a romantic ode to late nights in London by Sydney’s Self Tape (Stuart McNair), whose music I’ve featured a couple of times previously. As has been my experience with all of McNair’s music, he manages to coax something atypical out of all of his songs, many of which at first blush could appear to be straightforward emotional dance music or “cry music” as I’ve increasingly seen that sort of thing described (who thought of that term? it’s not good). Much of this sort of emotional house stuff really doesn’t ask much of the listener — four to the floor with some shuffle and a nice sentimental chord progression can take you pretty far, and I’m not totally against picking that kind of low-hanging fruit sometimes; it’s fair enough. But McNair manages to consistently take an initial simple idea like that, and stretch it a bit further, whether through surprising sound design, unexpected arrangement, or some kind of calculated risk. He’s a step above a lot of the folks pulling these easy wins. No bandcamp for this, unfortunately, but McNair was nice enough to let me post the mp3 for you all here. You can find the release streaming at all the usual spots.

Self Tape – “London Baby”

Heitech & LUI – Rise with the Lark

Last up tonight, a quirky, psychedelic bit of 2-step, honoring the impressive songflights of the lark. Male larks spiral high into the air — sometimes hundreds of feet — singing continuously for minutes to mark their territory and attract potential mates. We should all be so dilligent in our dedication to our musical craft. This is from Heitech (Hamburg-based Heiko Bader), along with LUI (Marcus Lowtrap, also from Germany). While it’s tongue-in-cheek, it’s also totally satisfying stuff, blending sugary synth work and pleasantly distorted rhythm with weird new age jazz and self-help music. Can’t be too mad at that. Not to mention, the b-side of this honors the most famous bird in dance music history, the loon. Grab these on bandcamp or find them for streaming.

Heitech & LUI – “Rise with the Lark”
Heitech & LUI – “Dawn by the Loon”

Lowdoses – La Calavera

Up first tonight, a shadowy bit of contemplative drum n bass from El Paso, TX-based Lowdoses (real name Samuel Molina). Calavera translates to skull, including in reference to the sorts of celebratory skulls decorated for Día de Muertos to honor ancestors. Where those skulls are usually brightly colored and joyous, I’d guess the skull reference here is a more somber one. The whole EP of which this is a part, Smelter Town, is sinister minimalist stuff — meant to reflect life in an industrial border town. An enormous copper and lead plant operated for over 100 years in El Paso, with an residential village for the workers called Smeltertown immediately adjacent, a proximity that led to the poisoning of several generations of Mexican and Mexican-American kids. In many ways, this is mournful music, but at the same time, there’s affection evident here for that setting. That kind of place can steel and strengthen too. Grab Smelter Town on bandcamp or find it for streaming anywhere.

Lowdoses – “La Calavera”

Crimson Child – Untethered

Kinetic leftfield downtempo from Vancouver native Yashar Tafazoli, aka Crimson Child. This is the eponymous single from the Tafazoli’s upcoming EP. As uliginous as the rhythm is on this new single, its bassline would slice through any amount of sludge; it almost sounds more like the propeller on a swamp boat than it does a bassline — and it moves the air enough to leave just enough room for a delicate, tender, little melody. I’m also posting a track from Tafazoli’s Floating, Falling EP, which came out early this year. Where the new one saws through the tree sap, this older one delicately dances atop it on tiptoes. No bandcamp for any of this, unfortunately, but you can find Crimson Child records for streaming all over.

Crimson Child – “Untethered”

Crimson Child – “Hale”

Josspoop – Ordinary Hurdles

Last up, a lovely cut from Austrian producer Josspoop (Leon Kügler). I’ve often remarked that with the right basic combination of elements and a hooky lead, less is almost always the most. Such is the case here — a largely unprocessed 1/8th note wobble bass undergirds a totally gratifying set of melodies, creating a perfectly pleasing earworm. Add to that a nice, shuffling breakbeat and a few well-chosen drum hits, and you’ve got it all in place. Go any further with a track like this, and you risk losing whatever magic glue is holding it all together so nicely; Kügler resists the temptation to overwork this, and has a real winner as a result. This is from Josspoop’s latest album Slow Compile, out now on bandcamp or for streaming–Kügler was also kind enough to let me share the mp3 with you here.

Josspoop – “Ordinary Hurdles”

Ghost Cartridge / Mantrakid – looking into people’s windows

First up tonight, on a night when I’m seeking a semblance of harmony amidst the roar of preparation for a long vacation with a toddler and a preschooler, are three songs from Mantrakid (Nate Schmold) of Canadian duo Ghost Cartridge. These are from an upcoming album, looking into people’s windows, composed of several snapshots of an evening stroll around a residential neighborhood, each piece a voyeuristic still of a private human moment. All three of these vignettes are compelling, but the opener, ‘a loving couple talks about their future together,’ is my favorite. I easily slip back to a memory of lying in an unmade bed on the first night in an apartment I had rented with my now wife, together on an adventure, living in a new place where we knew no one but each other, following our noses, hand in hand. This is music that seeks cooperation between your temporal and occipital lobes; it’s picture music. The album is out on June 29th for streaming or on bandcamp.

Ghost Cartridge – “a loving couple talks about their future together”
Ghost Cartridge – “family dinner”
Ghost Cartridge – “bugs all over me”

Vijunns – 1991/Void

Vijunns is LA-based producer and art director Jeremy Raskin. His latest record takes inspiration from Warp’s beloved Artificial Intelligence compilation series from the early 90s, music billed at the time as electronic listening music. ‘1991’ hits that mark pretty masterfully — the song’s pleading 303 and wistful pads absolutely sound like a young Speedy J could have programmed them, and the drums feel a bit like a modernized higher-res take on some of Darrel Fitton’s earlier Skam releases as Bola. This is elegant pastiche at its best – a talented artist conjuring new material out of a cherished but overlooked space in the ether. It’s out now for streaming or on bandcamp.

Vijunns – “1991”

Domy Castellano – Near the Creek

Finally tonight, another lovely piece of unabashedly pure nature-infused ambient released by Canadian label Signal Alchemy, which seems to have a located a vein of this stuff from which to mine. This piece — which feels to me like the color of the sun through one’s eyelids -— is by Italian artist Domy Castellano. Castellano makes heavy use of field recordings and takes an aleatoric approach to writing music, allowing a degree of indeterminism to dictate his compositions. No bandcamp for this or anything from Signal Alchemy, unfortunately, but the label was generous enough to let me share the mp3 with you here, and you can find it simmering on ambient playlists all over the streamers.

Domy Castellano – “Near the Creek”

DOS – Future Paradise

Crystalline modern electro from Austrian producer DOS (real name Noah Gorbach). The drums are ace here, but it’s hard to focus on anything but that enormous mid-90s ROMpler piano riff. This is what it would have sounded like had Robert Miles decided to produce electro instead of radio trance, and gosh, I really wish he had. As someone who finds classic machine funk rhythms deeply irresistable and infectious, I often wish more producers of the genre would stray a bit from the arpeggio basses, robot vocals, and bleep boops. I love all that, but there’s so much more gold to be mined here. DOS does that with flying colors here; can’t get enough of this one. No bandcamp, unfortunately, but you can find this for streaming or buy the vinyl direct from the label. (Maybe it’s also on places like beatport?)

DOS – “Future Paradise”

Gliesse – Metadata

OK, now regardless of what I was saying before, I still do totally get down with some proper robotic machine funk. As much as I meant what I said about the untapped potential of the genre to explore other melodic avenues, there’s still plenty to be said for metallic percussion, bubbling synthetic basslines, and disembodied mechanoid vocals. Case in point, this track from Moscow-based producer Gliesse (Ilya Chunakov). This warbles its way up and down your Ethernet cables, knocking down any trojan horses in its path, eating all your cookies along the way. Mean stuff in the best way. Grab this on bandcamp or find it for streaming all over.

Gliesse – “Metadata”

Majorvoid – Ether

I learned recently that temperature affects the way we perceive sound. There are obviously more factors at play than I can list here, but generally speaking, at higher ground temperatures, sound waves tend to move upward and outward, whereas when ground temperatures are lower than the air above, soundwaves bend back toward the ground, allowing them to be heard from farther away. That’s apparently the reason why we can hear distant sounds better on crisp, cool mornings and cold nights than we can on hot days; it’s not just perception but rather a real physical phenomenon. All this to say, Majorvoid (Ofir Marcovich) is an artist who claims to live in Antarctica. I won’t question the veracity of his claim; it’s just fun to imagine that maybe the jungle he makes, inspired by early 2000s console games, sounds totally different aired across the continent’s vast ice sheets. Or maybe he’s broadcasting it on McMurdo Station pirate radio. This track doesn’t give icy vibes, though; it reminds me more of the music from a tropical level in Sonic Adventure 2 on Dreamcast. I suppose if you’re freezing on the South Pole, you would be inclined to make aspirationally warm music. No bandcamp for this, but Marcovich was kind enough to let me post the mp3 for y’all here. Streaming all over, too.

Majorvoid – “Ether”

BGDN – do what the fk you like

All dark 2-step for you tonight. First up, from BGDN (Bogdan Bobrov), a producer from Los Angeles. True to its title, this track has a rakish, devil-may-care quality that’s immediately disarming. It’s hard to say whether the track’s impeccable balance is a happy accident achieved in flow state or the result of meticulous care, but whatever bred this, I can’t get enough of that big perc hit that comes somewhere just off the 2 in each bar. It sounds sort of like dropping a box full of rusty metal baking sheets. That sound in particular, but really the whole energy of the track, makes me think about cheekily peering over the edge of a great height, stumbling, and then catching oneself right before slipping over the edge; like cocky foolishness followed by dumb luck. No bandcamp for this one, but Bobrov generously let me share the mp3 for this (and another new one) here, and you can always find these on streaming too.

BGDN – “do what the fk you like”
BGDN – “srry”

LOWT – Rattle The Saxo

Next up, a neatly packaged inky little club tool from Scottish producer LOWT (Louis W T Buick). While disappointingly brief at just over two-and-a-half minutes, this nonetheless manages to be a journey. I would have liked another minute or two, but the track does really say all it needs to — succinct and direct, this is a trip in a matte black, tuned-up Elantra, reverberating through tunnels and under bridges, ending with cyclones outside the warehouse, trunk rattling enough to compete with the rave’s sound system. Sharp as a tack, this. You can grab this on bandcamp or find it for streaming, but Buick kindly let me post the mp3 for you here too.

LOWT – “Rattle The Saxo”

Roscoe Strill – Knocked Out

Finally tonight, Drill meets mutant-UKG on this bizarre one by Roscoe Strill, the alter ego of professional bassist Will Strickler. The track started as a joke among friends, using a voice memo of bird calls as its basis, set to the sounds Strickler has been exposed to since moving to the UK from Ohio. That humor lingers in the finished track, but it hits hard nonetheless, and those bird calls end up functioning as pleasantly unnerving ear candy to balance it all out. And really, so much good music starts as inside jokes and friends just fucking around, so it’s no surprise this joke led to something substantive. Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Strickler has a mysterious dog named Subwoofy who is a talented sound designer, but all his work is in the 30khz – 47khz, so humans can’t hear it. But you can bet your dog would tilt his head waaay to the side if he heard Subwoofy’s work. No bandcamp here, but Strickler was a gent and let me post the mp3 for you below; you can also find it for streaming, of course.

Roscoe Strill – “Knocked Out”

Psychic Driving – This Devil Ship

First up tonight, rage bathed in tranquility — or maybe more accurately, a representation of the sort-of relieved quality that resignation can sometimes take on. This song by Scottish producer Psychic Driving (real name Ross Drummond) centers around the final transmissions from Vladimir Komarov, the Soviet cosmonaut who boarded Soyuz 1 despite knowing it was critically compromised, irate at the people who sent him to his death (his was the first in-flight death in the history of spaceflight). While Komarov’s words were apparently furious (he is said to have fumed, “This devil ship! Nothing I lay my hands on works properly”), Drummond frames them in celestial and hauntological beauty, a pining for an unrealized future, the merging of space-age optimism against the corporeality and tangible quality of facing one’s death. You can grab this on bandcamp or find it for streaming, but Drummond was also nice enough to let me post the mp3 for you below.

Psychic Driving – “This Devil Ship”

You Are Here – Hover

For me, so much of the experience of listening to ambient music is down to setting. I’ve been pretty averse to gentle ambient soundscapes lately. It’s likely a result of feeling deeply stressed and overwhelmed at work and having two very young children and not enough money, and those feelings have me gravitating towards music that propels me forward. But I happened to listen to this song by Texas-based composer You Are Here (real name Tyler Martin) while drinking cranberry juice at dusk in my backyard, and in that setting, this hit just the right notes at the right moment. Maybe it will for you too (I recommend it with a cool drink on a warm night). You can grab this on bandcamp or find it for streaming all over.

You Are Here – “Hover”

Sun Echo – Echoes in the Dark

In the same vein as the previous track, this ambient piece by Sun Echo, Toronto-based composer Rob McAllister, embodies setting. The song centers around a field recording McAllister captured on a summer night on the banks of a babbling stream, crickets peacefully chirping away. That recording alone communicates plenty, but add to it some soft, angelic chords and a few subtle interwoven melodies, and you can rest your head on a pillow of sound. This was released by Canadian label Signal Alchemy, which releases loads of serene organic ambient music. If you like this sort of thing, their catalog is a treasure trove. No bandcamp, unfortunately, but you can find this for streaming anywhere, and the label was kind enough to let me share the mp3 with you here.

Sun Echo – “Echoes in the Dark”

Anna Lysis & F. Sonore – Smashed Sweetness

Isn’t it nice that we’ve gotten away from that 90s and 2000s thing where anyone singing in English would put on an American accent? Part of what makes the vocals so nice in this track by French artists Anna Lysis & F. Sonore is how much Lysis’s French accent comes through in her delivery — and not in the ironic or too-cool-for-school way often heard in mid-naughties French electro. Lysis’s lyrics and delivery are earnest — naive almost — sailing, self-assured, and natural. Atop propulsive drums and loosely layered plucked instruments coproduced with F. Sonore, the whole song has this great unencumbered quality to it; the two aren’t concerned with precision and perfection here– it’s just about wide-eyed fun. This is from Lysis’s recent EP, Blossom, which is out now on the streamers. No bandcamp, unfortunately, but she was kind enough to let me post the mp3 for you here.

Anna Lysis & F. Sonore – “Smashed Sweetness”

Syncia x Cash Only x Eljé – Something Something

Next up is a collaboration between producers Syncia and Cash Only, with vocals from Eljé — all three from the UK. There really isn’t much I can say about this–it’s perfectly crafted main room dance music. It’s house music, I guess, in the way that smoothing out all the edges of UKG turns it back into the house music it was always rooted in, but this is a track where subgenre discussion is really pointless. Eljé’s vocals are as radio-ready as anything and a killer earworm; the bass is round enough at the top and bottom to work just as well in the cab on the way to the club as it will on the dancefloor. Just an undeniable winner here. No bandcamp unfortunately, but you can find this for streaming at all the usual outlets.

Syncia x Cash Only x Eljé – “Something Something”

Self Tape – Feelings In The Way

Last up tonight is a lovely track from Sydney-based Self Tape (Stuart McNair), whose music I covered a couple of years ago. This is the first single from his upcoming sophomore album. I said something similar last time I wrote about him, but in a rising sea of so-called emotional club producers, McNair manages to float to the surface. It’s not just that the music is well executed — these days so much mediocre music is actually really well produced — it’s that McNair has a knack for drawing out real character from otherwise pretty in-your-face sounds. Specifically, the bass and lead sounds here are not particularly gentle or warm in and of themselves, but he gets them to hum and purr in a way that really soothes the nerves– and without numbing them out with syrup. It’s an excellent trick, and he’s been able to repeat it, so I expect the album will be something special. No bandcamp for this one either, I’m afraid (that’s 0 for 3 tonight), but McNair was generous enough to let me post the mp3 below. You can find the release at all the usual spots here.

Self Tape – “Feelings In The Way”

Jake Back – keep it simple/rytm start

New music from Jake Back, the LA-based artist I covered a few months ago. I hesitate to call these two new ones from Back part of the subgenre ‘outsider house’ — partly because the term was always reductive, but also because these are really more in the world of the subsubgenre ‘lofi house’ with their shared focus on bleached chords, romantic vocal bits, and comparatively clean drums. But I have a hard time using that term either; don’t get me wrong, I do love when sound gets distressed and weathered, but ‘lofi’ feels too ambiguous at this point (and the lofi girl kinda ruined it, right?). Really, these are best described as deep house, but talk about a once-wonderful subgenre becoming associated with so much schlock. So we can’t call it outsider, we can’t call it lofi or deep either–let’s just describe it: both of these are warm, well-composed, and supremely pleasant. Maybe that just makes them effective house tunes in the grand old tradition. Grab these on bandcamp or find them for streaming all over.

Jake Back – “keep it simple”
Jake Back & Sabbia – “rytm start”

Zach from sales – Want u back

Speaking of good house music, we’re blessed by yet another new one from Dutch producer Zach from sales. This might possibly also suffer from the subgenre syndrome I described above, so let’s not rehash that again; instead, let’s learn from our mistakes and just describe the damn thing. Crisp piano stabs, a warning refrain (is it a threat?), a perfectly staggered 4th kick drum to keep you on your toes. This has gotta be my favorite bit from Zach thus far — so much so that I’ll even dispense with the ironic corporate speak this time — and that’s saying something, because I’ve really loved the prior ones I’ve covered over the past few months. Zach was kind enough to let me share the mp3 with you all here again, but you can also support him by grabbing this on bandcamp, or help him rack up the pennies on your streamer of choice.

Zach from sales – “Want u back”

never leave – Colour

Finally tonight, we leave the realm of four to the floor for something a bit more ambiguous stylistically and shuffled rhythmically. Exactly two minutes of tightly packed, amorphous, and emotive bedrooom club music from Danish duo never leave (Leo Peter Larsen & Benjamin Konge Henriksen), this is full of accessible melodic character and enough mildly glitchy ear candy to fill a track twice as long. But none of us have super healthy attention spans these days, do we? Besides, 2:00 is the new 3:30. Kidding aside, this really is a nice one–a deservingly captivating finisher for an evening full of overwhelmingly hyggelig dance music. No bandcamp, unfortunately, but the duo was nice enough to let me post the mp3 for you here (you can also stream it in the usual places).

never leave – “Colour”

Hominid – Wind Chime

First up tonight, this is from Play Fighting, the new EP by Hominid (Benny Jennings), an artist based in Te Whanganui a Tara, NZ. “Wind Chime” marries brick and glass — the fuzz of a blown speaker cabinet reverberating against an untreated room sits beneath glittering crystal tones. These give way to a brief moment of clarinet-driven serenity, and then a swift return of windchimes against the clang of industry. The rest of the EP is similarly concerned with fusing disparate elements into something greater than the sum of its parts. Very worth a listen. Grab the EP on bandcamp or find it for streaming wherever you do that sort of thing.

Hominid – “Wind Chime”
Hominid – “Moon Weight”

SUUNCAAT – bite

Next up is a track for dancing on cement floors. SUUNCAAT — real name Fanny Brouillard, an artist from Montreal — delivers detached near-whisper vocals atop sludgy donks, digital squelch, and hoover stabs. Where her previous work sat more in the realm of effervescent hyperpop (though that genre name turns out to have been re-coined for the modern era by an in-house Spotify curator, so let’s not use it), this song is decidedly more bloodshot. I came for the beat not beam tourisms, she murmurs; It’s about going to the club solo, and attempting to become invisible amidst the crowd, avoiding the social elements and engaging only the music. That used to be one of my favorite activities, and the music captures it vividly. Grab this on bandcamp or find it for streaming all over.

SUUNCAAT – “bite”

sofiee – .pryr

Finally this evening is a song that reminds me of that moment in the early aughts when indie artists all seemed to decide to buy korgs and samplers, and the result was this endearing breed of butchered, twee indietronica chaos. Though definitely drawing on the legacy of that era, this track from sofiee (Sofie Clarke) is a bit more refined than were most of the products of that time, probably owing to her competency as a producer. She explains that the song is an attempt to draw a thread between her own experience navigating psychosis and the group-dissociation we’re all experiencing in the face of crumbling political systems, the loss of objective measures of reality, and internet-driven apathy. Instead, the song suggests we should seek to recapture our own innocence, embracing “radical earnestness,” to ward off the “collapse of meaning.” I absolutely endorse this approach; nothing feels more like a stab in the heart than watching my young daughter slowly develop self-conciousness. I would give my left arm if it meant she could maintain her innate sense of confident playfulness forever, and remain unafraid of showing the world every side of her mind without compromise. No bandcamp for this song unfortunately, but sofiee was kind enough to let me share the mp3 with your below, and you can also find it for streaming.

sofiee – “.pryr”

asteraceae – apparitions

Tonight’s mailbox roundup is focused entirely on succinct cuts of online jungle–the type of thing I keep finding my way back to, most of which is less homage to the East London forebears than it is an embodiment of internetcore and perpetual ode to WipEout 2097. First up is two minutes of celestial pads and breakbeats that are as much phaser as they are drum. This is honestly a bit more refined than most of the neo-jungle/neo-breakcore I encounter, and genuinely affecting. It’s from Atlanta-based asteraceae, the only other things about whom I know is that their name is Steph Bayes–and that their bandcamp is full of gems like this. Grab this one on bandcamp or find it for streaming — asteraceae was also kind enough to let me post the mp3 here for you all.

asteraceae – “apparitions”

i9incher – Menu Racer

Second up is a track that isn’t just an example of jungle inspired by gaming culture, but is in fact from the soundtrack of an upcoming racing game (called Neo Kinetic)–as song’s the title no doubt alludes to. The track does a lovely job of actually sticking to the more traditional jungle building blocks, without straying into the chaos of breakcore and syrup of re-re-resampled pads (not that those things aren’t fun). Instead it fuses jungle with some acid flourishes–perhaps evincing an understanding on the producer’s part that jungle was born not just of the wellspring of soundsystem culture and dub, but also of rave and hardcore. The track is from i9incher (aka Justin Franklin), a producer from Kansas City. No bandcamp for this one, but you can grab it below or find it for streaming all over.

i9incher – “Menu Racer”

Ovcharka DJ – Dreams

Last up tonight is a one that strays a bit further, edging out of the world of jungle and into the world of jazzy liquid 160, with more tightly gated crispy breakbeats, Rhodes chords, and multi-oscillator bass stabs instead of pure sinewave subs. The song is from Tbilisi, Georgia’s Ovcharka DJ (Vladimir Sivolovskii), whose artist name is a reference to the Caucasian Ovcharka, a magnificent breed of livestock guard dog native to the Caucasus (including Georgia). The track is really enjoyable stuff, but honestly, now I’m going down a rabbit hole of learning more about this gorgeous dog breed; respect to a DJ whose whole outward identity is dog-focused. Dogs are such good dogs. No bandcamp for this one either, but you can grab the file below, or find the track for streaming wherever you do that.

Ovcharka DJ – “Dreams”

Big Dope P – FDBU

Monster 160 g-tech tune from longtime Palms Out favorite Big Dope P, the prolific French producer based in London. This man is the definition of grind–he seems to produce and release nonstop and runs one of the most stylistically consistent labels of the past two decades (next year is the 20-year anniversary of this classic). I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing him DJ, but I imagine he brings a lot of fun to the floor. This is from his upcoming six-track EP, Life Hits Hard But These Traxx Hit Harder, out July 16, and up for preorder now.

Big Dope P – “FDBU”

Sensu & Eloq – Ur Way

Speaking of Palms Out favorites, here’s a new one from old friend ELOQ (August Fenger), whose very first EP came out on Palms Out way back in 2011. Produced in collaboration with Swiss producer Sensu (Jasmin Peterhans), this track really crystalizes the energy of so many contemporary dancefloors: open [again] to syncopation and genre fusion, obsessed with hitempo 2 step/UKG shuffle, and not averse to some bubblegum synths. The press release references Hed Kandi when describing the synth sound here, and that’s definitely on the money, but I also hear plenty of naughties Dutch house and a bit of “Exceeder” in there. I’m here for it. This is out now for streaming, but Sensu and ELOQ were kind enough to let me share the mp3 with you all here.

Sensu & ELOQ – “Ur Way”

Ekforce – Chiaroscuro

Last but not least tonight, two tracks from French artist Ekorce (Kyrian Nicolay-Kritter), whose name I had not run across before now. When I heard these, it was evident there was some deep technical talent behind them–but I had no idea where to place these musically. Not that categorizing music does anyone much good, but I find it difficult not to do so automatically when I hear something–but I lacked the right references here. It isn’t that any of this sounds particularly unfamiliar–it’s plasticky, rubbery, twangy downtempo electronic music, all really pleasant sonic qualities in my book, but it just doesn’t quite sound like anything I’ve heard before. Ekorces’s bio describes it “oscillating between Psybass, Psydub, and Psychill,” which admittedly are all genres I’ve essentially never heard of (I assume they’re all from the Psytrance family?). The closest reference point I have that gives a little idea is Vapor Twitch, or whatever Cashmere Cat and his friends were making in the mid-2010s (I think it got called “Future Bass” which is among the most reductive and meaningless genre names ever coined), but neither of those quite fit either, because Ekorces’ album is much more varied than those references would imply–and at times quite restrained and deep. Whatever this is, it’s really good. It makes me feel a little like I’m inside one of my daughters’ bouncing balls. Both of these songs are taken from Ekorce’s newest LP, Chiaroscuro, which you can grab on bandcamp; you can also download one of the tracks below, or find it all for streaming.

Ekorce – “Blur”
Ekorce – “Page Blanche”

9ms – M€mo

Wading slightly into the world of experimental dub and Krautrock, first up tonight is this strange and wonderful song by Munich-based drummer-duo 9ms (Simon Popp & Florian König). The second single from their just-released third album Lunch–most of which is almost exclusively percussive–this song is an outlier, and draws its melodies from the drums themselves with really clever use of a drum resonator. The melodic result is elusive, as if the melody were a few milliseconds (9?) ahead of or behind the percussion, creating a sense of a sort of slow-motion chase between them. It’s an almost unnerving feeling to experience the drums and melody in this way, but ultimately becomes soothingly hypnotic. Popp and König are machine enthusiasts and build unique custom rigs to allow them to interact with their gear in atypical ways. They describe having the goal of “becoming one with their mystic machinery”; on Lunch, they used infrared and magnetic field sensors to translate their movement into control voltage, which they used as synth and effects triggers. The whole album is really worth checking–you can grab it on bandcamp or for streaming, but Popp and König were also kind enough to let me share with you the mp3 of this song below.

9ms – “M€mo”

Old Owl & Wings of Time – Wisdom is Drums

I’ve taken a bit of a left turn tonight, stylistically. A leap further, next up is this perfect bit of authentic roots dub from Swiss artist Jah Bast aka Old Owl aka Wings of Time. I don’t cover proper dub very often, but I love it deeply, so it’s nice to have the opportunity. All of Jah Bast’s work is as authentically crafted as it gets–he’s essentially a one man band; playing most everything himself, recording everything to tape, doing all the dubs and fx by hand, and releasing 7″s–the way this kind of music should be made. That dedication to the original form definitely shows; all his records are warm and forgiving, but this instrumental he sent me recently is the standout. Unfortunately the 7″ is sold out, but you can grab the file on bandcamp or find it for streaming.

Old Owl & Wings of Time – “Wisdom is Drums”

aeoni – Blossom

Last but not least tonight is a new album from Greek artist-physicist aeoni (Ioanna Theofilakou), whose last record Lifetime I reviewed back in January. That record aimed to map each stage of life in music. This new one, Blossom, appears similarly concept-driven, with each song named for a species of flower–but also for each flower’s corresponding figure in Greek mythology. The album as a whole is hard to characterize. Theofilakou doesn’t seem to see the flower as something delicate, but rather treats it as something robust and weighty–most songs are heavy in their melancholy, grounded in plodding rhythms. That weight, however, may be meant to convey tragedy, which in itself may be somewhat of an acknowledgment of the fragility–or at least the duality–of a blossom (and us). The album’s other concept-layer makes this more explicit. As an example, my favorite song from the album, “Hyacinth,” is inspired by Hyacinthus, Apollo’s beautiful young lover. In Ovid’s version of the myth, Apollo mistakenly kills and desperately tries to save Hyacinthus, to no avail; Apollo then creates a flower from the boy’s blood in remembrance and inscribes alas on its petals. Theofilakou’s music is serious, but not overwrought. She clearly uses her mind first to make her music, but she doesn’t seem to overthink it; it ends up direct and personal in form and layered in intent. You can grab Blossom on bandcamp, or find it for streaming all over.

Leaches – Turbulence

Beautifully carved metallic left-field techno three-tracker from London’s Leaches (real name Jack Reardon). This EP is an example of where a hardware rig can really take techno into more captivating territory. It’s a cliché to say that getting out-of-the-box makes music more “organic”–plenty of artists are capable of gorgeous, vibrant texture in a DAW–but there’s something to be said for the way machines (or instruments) invite both expression and experimentation. Maybe it’s the limitations they present versus the choice paralysis of working on the computer, or maybe it’s just simply that they force you to use a different part of your brain while working. In any event, Reardon seems to be benefiting from the machine spell. For as rigid as this is at first blush, it’s also delightfully liberated; it doesn’t give me that gauzy, sinus-plugging sensation that so much modern dark techno does. It doesn’t feel like navel-gazing techno, it feels free. No streaming here (for a change), but the EP is available on bandcamp on Power Station (a great label). I’m also including a track from Reardon’s previous self titled EP that I love; perfectly glitchy broken-beat techno.

Leaches – “Turbulence”
Leaches – “Mammoth”

1oftheothers – come and get it

In what’s shaping up to be a gritty edition of this feature, here’s a really fun bit of hi-NRG dark breakbeat from 1oftheothers, the new passion project from Danish electrohouse producer Mike Hawkins, who’s put out a ton of big records, but is probably best known for his collaborations with David Guetta (one of which earned him a Grammy nomination). But this project is totally different from his past work–it feels more like police getaway music, or what the soundtrack of a new Midnight Club game might sound like, or music that would fit the bloodstorm club scene in Blade (I think I reference that scene at least a few times a year on this blog). Whatever it is, it’s vital and rejuvenating. No bandcamp, but Hawkins was kind enough to let me post the mp3 here–you can find it for streaming wherever you do that.

1oftheothers – “come and get it”

Forbes Barclay Jr – Let’s Pop

More buzzy breakbeat up next, this time from Forbes Barclay Jr., a West London producer whose pseudonym is either an ironic wink at the growing corporate dominance in dance music over the past two decades or a bare exercise in manifesting success–maybe both? Probably more the former, but no shame either way, we all gotta make a living. His name aside, the track insists on the listener’s attention, with a near-constant buzz that sounds like the harmonics of the 50/60 Hz hum that generate when you touch the end of a TRS cable over a PA. The tone is so insistent it manages to become almost meditative at times, especially under dub sirens and ear candy that litter the track’s turnarounds. It took me a few listens, but I really came to like this one. No bandcamp for this either, so you’ll have to suffice with streaming, or this 192kbps mp3.

Forbes Barclay Jr – “Let’s Pop”

NESYA – PUT THE FRIES IN THE BAG.

The intention of an artist like NESYA is not to create pure pop music. The daughter of a Nebraskan preacher and subjected to religious and sexual trauma, her aesthetic is wholeheartedly goth, punk, and a little vampiric–she even has a video that borrows liberally from that famous scene in Blade that I love so much. But even though her vibe is dark, I can’t help but get the same thrill from this song as I would from stuck-in-your-hair bubblegum pop. It’s catchy as fuck and reminds me of the electro pop I posted so much on this blog back in the early aughts, when it was at its peak. It hasn’t gone unnoticed over here that there seems to be a resurgence of that sound lately, and it’s not just (or even primarily) about bloghouse nostalgia. I’m not convinced anyone is really that nostalgic for most of that stuff, but there was an underlying freedom about the crassness of that sound and aesthetic that I think is naturally working its way back into the collective consciousness. It was just fun, and so is this. This is the first single from a forthcoming album; no bandcamp, unfortunately, but you can grab the track below, or find it on all the usual outlets.

NESYA – “PUT THE FRIES IN THE BAG.”

So Durand – Downforce / Corners

It’s been a minute since I covered Ottawan producer So Durand (Simon Robichaud-Durand). Too long, in fact; he’s always got something good up his sleeve, and this is no exception. His latest is a two-tracker on Something Public Records that sees him reworking two of the tracks on his Downforce EP from last year. Where the originals were club-focused 4×4 and breakbeat, these reimaginings take the songs far deeper and darker, exploring the peripheries of dub techno, 2000s garage, cumbia, and a bit of everything in between. Durand’s stuff is always correct, but it turns out he shines brightest when he gets a bit weird with it. These are out now on bandcamp, or available for streaming.

So Durand – “Downforce” (Slow Mix)
So Durand – “Corners” (Closing Mix)

SIDELINES – Just Say Yes

Speaking of getting a bit weird in the club, this track from Dublin’s SIDELINES (Jay Childs) is the result of letting your nose (or ears, as the case may be) lead you to whatever works. Created around a voicemail his kids left him unknowingly while having an argument with each other, Childs hummed in a bassline and programmed the rest of the song around that. The result is something simultaneously unsettling and liberated. I suppose it captures well the experience of parenting young children–awe of their visceral abandon and mild terror at the unpredictability of their motivations. Being a young kid is like slipping in and out of an LSD trip every 15 minutes, so a big part of parent’s role is just to ride that wave with them as best one can. I’ve also included Childs’s previous single, which is a little more straightforward but still shows his knack for letting a good sound or sample lead the song-writing process. No bandcamp for these, unfortunately, but you can grab the most recent one below and find both for streaming all over.

SIDELINES – “Just Say Yes”
SIDELINES – “Broken Harp”

Jacana People & Vraell – Paper Thin

A pristine slice of organic electronica from UK duo Jacana People, with vocals and guitar by Vraell (Alessio Scozzaro). This is sunshine on a cold spring morning, melting the frost, and turning dew to vapor. I’ve also included their previous single–bouncier but still pillowey and soft around the edges–it lands more as a modern take on what might have been a B-side of an off-album Orbital 12″. Both songs are from Jacana People’s upcoming EP, Breaker, out June 26, but you can grab them both on bandcamp now or find them on the streamers.

Jacana People & Vraell – “Paper Thin”
Jacana People – “Nudge”

Gryr – Hymn

I wrote about Gryr (Jonatan Josefsson) just a few weeks ago, sharing the first two songs from his Hymn EP. He just released the title track to that EP. While I described the last two songs he shared as trancelike and perfect for driving across the tundra, this last one lives up to its name, abandoning most of the rhythmic pulse in favor of elemental spiritualism and tranquility. Instead of a cool, long-sighted view across the horizon, this feels more like the ripple of spring water passing through your fingers. No bandcamp for this, unfortunately, but Josefsson graciously let me share with you the mp3 here; you can also find this for streaming all over.

Gryr – “Hymn”

Symbol World – The Door

Finally tonight is a track from Symbol World (Justin Gohl), a Detroit-area producer I don’t know much about–which may be due to the fact that he seems to have just recently started to release music. This is another one that at first seems like it wouldn’t be out-of-place on a late 90s Orbital or Underworld record. Creamy FM pads, gentle synthetic Karplus-Strong bell strikes, buried snare fill risers–all wonderfully referential. But three quarters of the way through the song, just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, there’s a sudden pseudo-drop that takes it into distinctly modern territory. Promising stuff here. You can grab this on bandcamp or find it for streaming, but Gohl was also kind enough to let me upload the mp3 for you here.

Symbol World – “The Door”

Alex Zhang Hungtai – Mother

These two pieces from Alex Zhang Hungtai (of Dirty Beaches, among other projects) are alchemical. From his upcoming double album Orion/Mother, Zhang describes the music as “like something that was dormant is starting to awaken.” True to its title, the second disc’s second track indeed feels as if it is being wrenched from the primordial soup, Zhang’s trumpet sounding sustained, exhausted birth calls over halting percussive clatter, as if marking the last stretch of marathon labor. The albums were formed from a collage of years-old improvised rehearsal sessions recorded with an ad-hoc group of New York musicians and then restitched in the present by Zhang, using his trumpet as thread. Orion/Mother is out June 19, but these two songs are available now on bandcamp.

Alex Zhang Hungtai – “Mother”
Alex Zhang Hungtai – “Sidewinder”

Absorver – “Phantasmagoria”

Lacelike, coffee-stained IDM from Slovakian artist Absorver (Adam Mészáros). These are from his recent EP, Phantasmagoria (a term that originally referred to a 19th-century form of horror theater that used hidden lanterns to project spooky images onto a screen). Both songs speak to that concept: they are full of eerie sound design, ephemeral melody, and worn and rusted percussion–haunting, but comforting in the way horror somehow often manages to be. You can find the EP on bandcamp or for streaming.

Absorver – “Interloper”
Absorver – “Phantasmagoria”

Bodo Bifroest – Fading

More nostalgic downtempo electronica tonight, this time from German artist Bodo Bifroest (Felix Gerlach), whose pseudonym is a reference to Nordic mythology, where Bifröst is the burning tri-color bridge between heaven and earth. Tender and frank, “Fading” is meant to represent identity loss and perseverance. Gerlach spent years away from music amidst a long-term illness; the song communicates both the fragility of that time and his will to return to himself. I relate to that, having set down my musical pen for years to pursue something more concrete, eventually returning to it at the margins of my life. Making art your identity creates such profound vulnerability that can be as rewarding as it can be devastating. “Fading” is available on bandcamp or for streaming, but Gerlach was also generous enough to let me post the mp3 for you here.

Bodo Bifroest – “Fading”

PUR100 – Nobody Can

Ice-cold and club-ready cut from Parisian producer PUR100 (Florian Jozefowicz). This is one of those tracks that could work just as well as a transition tool as it could as a peak time roller. Falling somewhere between midtempo throwback UK hardcore and breakbeat-driven electro, this has all the puzzle pieces in their right place: sharp drums, gritty reese, minor-key synth melodies, and nicely detached vocal sample. Big choon here. PUR100 was kind enough to offer this up here as a free download, but if you’re enjoying this, consider throwing him a few bucks on bandcamp (it’s also available on the streamers).

PUR100 – “Nobody Can”

SLEEPYLYCHEE – Deep Bongo

More music tuned for the club, these are from New York’s SLEEPYLYCHEE (Yuwei Shang), who sent over two dubby bits of left-field techno a few weeks ago. I don’t know much about SLEEPYLYCHEE, but apart from producing and DJing, she curates common.wavs, a collective and party series with a monthly on bedcrumb show. Their next event is May 20th at Mood Ring. If SLEEPYLYCHEE’s own productions are an indication, I expect the music there will be really good, and the party absolutely worth checking out. You can find both of these tracks on bandcamp or for streaming, but SLEEPYLYCHEE was also kind enough to let me share with you one of the mp3s below.

SLEEPYLYCHEE – “Deep Bongo”
SLEEPYLYCHEE – “Hard Miracle”

cupsy – code_ex

Finally is a new one from cupsy (Reese Rose), a Colorado Springs-based artist whom I’ve written about a couple of times before, the last time in 2023. In the time since, she’s really refined her production–edging away from manic breakcore and online jungle into a realm of precision-programmed micro drum and bass. This track still has the pleasant freneticism of breakcore, but it’s been buffed into something hyperclean, with only whispers remaining of the source breakbeats amidst a barrage of darting sequenced drums. The melodic content, though definitely enjoyable, is almost superflous; the song means to draw all attention to the drums’ serpentine paths. No bandcamp here, but you can find this on streamers, or grab the mp3 below.

cupsy – “code_ex”

Valfi – elsi.Hasht

More micro-tonal perfection from Berlin’s Valfi, who describes his music as crafted for three settings: on the metro, in the club, or while ignoring texts. Built around darbuka drums, Arabic maqamat, and samples from pre-revolutionary Iranian commercials, my impression of this brilliant new one is that it might well work in any of the three aforementioned settings. As crisp as the drums are here, though, it would probably take a special club night to lend itself well to the intricacy of Valfi’s programming on this, so I’d probably lean toward enjoying this in headphones. But that’s just me; I get the sense that Valfi’s label out of Istanbul, Bounce, puts on some really fun nights there that might be perfect settings to dance to this properly. “elsi.Hasht” is out now on bandcamp or for streaming.

Valfi – “elsi.Hasht”

Chase.:R – Be Here Now

Next up is a succinct bit of IDM from Seattle’s Chase.:R (Chase Richman). “Be Here Now” is playful, personal, and full of ear candy (including the intermittent and fun use of a camera flash charge sample); this is just the kind of thing that I enjoy listening to these days. It comes from Richman’s latest long player, Crushed Orchid, which is out on Leipzig’s 110100100.global label. The whole album is full of concise ideas that nicely balance healthy doses of stuttering glitch with simple and accessible melody; I’ve included a couple of other good examples below as well. Grab the album on bandcamp, or find it for streaming at all the usual outlets.

Chase.:R – “Be Here Now”
Chase.:R – “Terra Firma”
Chase.:R – “Dreamscape”

Diverse – Haunted

Soothing in its overloaded qualities, this is a lovely cut of emotive, bassy 2-step from Swiss producer Diverse (Gabriel Barta); probably the most club-focused track today. Though still a teenager, Barta has been prolific in recent years, already releasing dozens of songs since he started putting his stuff out in 2022. This is the latest release on androids dungeon radio, which released that fabulous Starkey record a couple of months ago, and has become a real hidden gem worthy of more attention. Grab “Haunted” on bandcamp or for streaming.

Diverse – “Haunted”

Casha Mour – Toluca

I wrote about London’s Casha Mour (real name Daniel Alan Smith) a couple of years ago. The song I featured then had this wonderful, drunken, meandering quality to it; I remarked at the time that under that comforting tilt seemed to be lurking something sorrowful. In the time since, getting to know Casha Mour’s music, that sorrow rises to the surface. The first of these two new singles he sent over a few weeks ago, “Toluca” reminds less of the pleasant warmth of the first brown shot descending through your esophagus than it does the long, unfocused stare of someone considering a transformation into a barley-mood. (I always assume the mean drunks are actually the ones with deep-seated repressed sadness.) It’s no worse for it; the song is sparse and strict, but nonetheless deeply hypnotizing in a shoegazing kind of way. The second single, “thirteen” is a warmer, yearning, tune; this time it’s taking home the charming and handsome sad drunk, but finding he really just wants a bosom on which to rest his head. Both of these are available on bandcamp and on the streamers, but Smith was also kind enough to let me post the mp3s here.

Casha Mour – “Toluca”
Casha Mour – “thirteen”

Ocean Hope – Τώρα Δε Με Νοιάζει

Sublime modern pop from Ocean Hope, Greek brother-sister duo Angeliki Tsotsoni and Serafim Tsotsonis. “Τώρα Δε Με Νοιάζει” (translated to “Now I Don’t Care”) is a view over the Corinthian coast at dusk–the last group of kids running around; relaxed in their joy, eager to get in as much play as possible before being called home for dinner. Where much of Ocean Hope’s previous work resides somewhere in the periphery of synthpop (and what they refer to as “chamber pop”), this song integrates Angeliki’s near-naive and leisurely vocal style into deeper electronic territory. Serafim also sent over a recent solo piece, a magnificently ambitious 14min+ ambient voyage; a score to a film that lives only in his occipital lobe. Both songs are exquisite. Grab the Ocean Hope single below or on bandcamp, and Serafim’s solo piece below, or on bandcamp as well.

Ocean Hope – “Τώρα Δε Με Νοιάζει” (Now I Don’t Care)
Serafim Tsotsonis – “Waves Unseen”

Drifting in Silence – Moving Forward Into

Finally, tonight is a dulcet piece of ambient by Drifting in Silence, the longstanding ambient project from composer Derrick Stembridge, out of Raleigh, NC. This captures the moment of serenity when you slip into a warm bath; it would be a perfectly fine replacement for Epsom salts and magnesium to calm one’s nerves. Everything in this song is round–even the rimshot–there’s not a sharp edge in sight, just curves and waves and temperatures just a touch below body temp. Not much more needs to be said about this; just have a dip. Grab this on bandcamp or find it for streaming all over.

Drifting in Silence – “Moving Forward Into”

Zach from sales – Party next door

After a long day at the office synergizing and level-setting, I need to leverage some low-hanging fruit: house music. Per my last post about him, Zach from sales and I are always on the same page. He’s motivated; he always gets the ball rolling, never forgets to circle back, and his music always moves the needle. I don’t have the bandwidth for a bigger brain dump on this, so I’ll put a pin in it there. You can grab this on bandcamp or find it for streaming. You can also grab the mp3 directly below.

Zach from sales – “Party next door”

Just Geo – INTO/THE/VOID

Next up is a new one from London’s Just Geo (George Thomas). I’ve followed him for a minute, but have yet to write about him. He’s a say no more type guy, so I won’t belabor this with too many explanations. He’s a family man who makes lovely, balanced dance music in a fusion of styles, as is often the case with his countrymen. His stuff is straightforward but tends to have plenty of shuffle and crack– and also has enough tenderness to evince that he’s probably a pretty well-adjusted and emotive guy. He sent over this new one that I like a lot, and I’m also sharing an older one from his last long player that I found quite nice but neglected to post at the time. Grab his stuff on bandcamp or for streaming. He was also kind enough to let me post for you the mp3 of his latest track; if you like it, go support him on bandcamp.

Just Geo – “INTO/THE/VOID”
Just Geo – “IN/ESSENCE”

Rony Rex & Mayela – Switch Off

Last up tonight is a pair of high-energy collaborations from Rony Rex (Rony Vartio), a fixture of Helsinki’s dance music scene for the past decade. Vartio is known in Finland for his radio show on national radio–but also for lighthearted antics like taking a cold plunge in the middle of a DJ set (the only thing that could make that any more patriotic would be if he finished the set from the Sauna), and setting up a b2b with a reindeer (don’t ask me to explain). He recently sent over his newest single, a collaboration with Venzuelan vocalist Mayela, which is a sharp marching romp that falls somewhere in the realm between Latincore and midtempo 4×4 rave. I’m also including a single he released last year with Australian artist LÂLKA, a technicolor, breaksy heater that I also really like. Vartio was kind enough to let me share with you the mp3s of both below, but show him some love on bandcamp, or find his catalog for streaming all over.

Rony Rex & Mayela – “Switch Off”
Rony Rex & LÂLKA – “Dopamine”

Tone Ranger – Confluence

Tone Ranger (Alex Simon) is an artist from Santa Fe, NM who’s current with a new album, Confluence. My sister lived for years in Taos, and this record does really crystalize many of my experiences out there. As Simon’s pseudonym reflects, it’s absolutely still the Wild West. And it’s not just the landscape; it’s impressively thin in terms of population density, and the stark divide between wealth and poverty reminds me of old Westerns where everyone in town is suffering except the evil Mayor/local oil baron. But northern New Mexico is also a place that inspires psychedelia in an almost primordial way. That is partly the landscape itself, and the people the high desert has attracted for generations. Simon’s music no doubt reflects this. Confluence is quintessential modern desert music; it’s mostly ambient and produced mostly electronically–but also feels authentic in its reverence of the region’s musical history. There’s a certain clear-eyed quality about most of the album that makes it feel thoughtful and personal, but with enough tongue-in-cheek self-referentialism so it avoids becoming pretentious or excessively serious. Really refreshing. Grab the album on bandcamp or find it for streaming.

Tone Ranger – “Elk”
Tone Ranger – “Channel” ft. Elena Shelton
Tone Ranger – “Wonder”

alcnoir – another picture

There was a period (maybe still) where people–myself included–were using the term “post-dubstep” largely to describe music inspired by Burial. Now I think the operative popular term I see is “future garage.” Neither of these really gets at the point. I’ve written about this before, but a more accurate term would simply be “post-Burial,” as macabre as that sounds out-of-context. Why not say it like it is: the guy synthesized (hah) the feelings of a generation of young urbanites, inviting them to romanticize the dystopian qualities of their undermaintained post-industrial cities. A lot of these kinds of tributes miss the aesthetic point, but some come from artists with their own clarity of vision, just borrowing a style or two for exercise’s sake. The latter is the case for alcnoir (Alessandro Pio Caruso), an Italian artist who quite literally describes his music as “for polluted cities.” He sent this pair of tracks recently; the first is a heartrending, knives-clattering take on the post-Burial sound; the second is just as dystopian but rhythmically somewhere closer to the kind of dubby downtempo you might hear on a Lorn record. Both of these are available on bandcamp, along with so much more work–alcnoir is prolific. You can also find his catalog on streaming services.

alcnoir – “another picture”
alcnoir – “i felt seen”

Half-Ass Astronaut – I Like Pretty Things

Speaking of music written in homage: I’ve frequently written about music written in direct admiration of late 90s and early aughts-era Warp artists. With the likely imminent return of Boards of Canada, we’re sure to see a new wave of that soon. I’m not mad at it–we all pay tribute to what we love in one way or another, and those tributes only really represent our own feelings, ultimately divorced in all real terms from the subject they may honor. Neil Burkdoll, an American living in Germany, who makes music under the name Half-Ass Astronaut is paying that sort of tribute. After not recording music since the late nineties, he’s current with a charming album that doesn’t shy away from its influences. It’s his alone, but there’s no mistaking who he reveres; nothing wrong with that. I Like Pretty Things is out on bandcamp or for streaming, and Burkdoll was kind enough to let me share with you a couple of the songs below.

Half-Ass Astronaut – “Aye Eye”
Half-Ass Astronaut – “Loom”

Gryr – Drift

Cloudy electronica from Gothenburg-based Gryr (Jonatan Josefsson). The A-side, “Drift,” is music perfect for driving through foggy tundric expanses—it evolves deliberately, its rhythm and chords cruising steadily in a trance. The B-side, “Sand,” is slightly more propulsive but no less aerial– its lilting melodies tumbling through many of the same lofty spaces as the first one, but with a touch of low-end tug. These are the first set of singles from Gryr’s upcoming Hymn EP. No bandcamp for these, unfortunately, but you can grab them below or find them for streaming all over.

Gryr – “Drift”
Gryr – “Sand”

Brecon – Angular

Following a similar thread is a new song from Brecon (Will Brown), the Welsh artist whose excellent collaboration with Verity Standen I covered last month–and which has been a real favorite of mine in the time since. As was the case with that one, this new one marries a gentle, reflective introductory melody with an eruptive peak: cascading, theatrical melodies set against a wall of synth and drums. Gorgeous stuff. No bandcamp for this yet, but Brown was kind enough to let me share with you the mp3 below. You can also find this for streaming.

Brecon – “Angular”

ERRx – golden hour

Finally today is a new one from ERRx, the nameless artist whose work I’ve covered a couple of times before–including in the first post in which I coined the lazy term online jungle to describe the breakcore-adjacent microgenre of frenetic, melancholy, short-form songs, all heavy with breakbeats and drenched in big pads. This new song from ERRx takes that same formula and notches up the optimism for sunny day walks and thinking about your crush. The beautiful Windows critical error sound is there too. I’ve also included a song I’ve posted in the past, with a new housier remix by ERRx themselves (together with an artist I can’t find any information about, WALKDONTRUN). I know I describe this stuff as within a microgenre, but as is often the case with online subcultures, they have a way of infiltrating the mainstream. The original of this has generated over 100m views and plays and has been included in ad campaigns by the likes of Fanta. You can grab all these on bandcamp, or find them for streaming. ERRx was also kind enough to let me post the mp3s of a couple of these below.

ERRx – “golden hour”
ERRx – “breaking down”
ERRx – “breaking down” (Remix)

sander777 – life reprise

First up today, a pair of tracks from LA’s sander777 (Sander Bryce), both from his recent LP the Real, named for the Lacanian concept of a state of unknowable objective existence, outside the limits of representation and symbolism, separate and distinct from any ontological state of being. It’s hard to imagine more difficult subject matter for a creative work, given “the real”‘s definitional quality as beyond depiction or portrayal, but Bryce addresses this nicely himself, saying that because the music on the record came together serendipitously, its process itself became representative of the unrepresentable, allowing the music to serve as a way to call attention to the “magical space that exists between the emotional intent and what ends up [as] the final product.” At risk of being reductive, it’s worth also noting that Bryce primarily plays in the general realms of ambient and footwork on the album, the latter of which is often underappreciated as a vehicle for true flow-state experimentation. Fitting for an attempt to capture something so illusive. Grab the album on bandcamp or for streaming all over.

sander777 – “life reprise”
sander777 – “poolrooms (no ladders)”

Zach from sales – All gettin out

Next up, a pair of nice curvy house tracks from Dutch producer Zach from sales, half of production duo not yes, whom I featured in this column a couple of years ago. Zach from sales is a sales professional delivering tailored solutions that drive business growth, so you know he’s not fuckin’ around when it comes to house music. The first song here is from his upcoming Resume EP; the second from last year’s Off the books EP. You can grab both from on bandcamp, or find them for streaming wherever. Like the good teamplayer he is, Zach was also nice enough to let me post both for you here.

Zach from sales – “All gettin out”
Zach from sales – “Talk to me”

Savnko – imdone

Last but not least is this brief cut of twitchy electronica from Milanese producer Savnko (Davide Gilli). This is from Savnko’s recent EP DONE; it’s an original, but it makes liberal use of the acappella from the Wale and LaTocha track “Complicated.” It’s one of those tracks that rides a constant crescendo without ever quite resolving–but it’s kind of better for it. Life often feels like a lot of preparation without enough finality, so why shouldn’t music reflect that sometimes? And while the song never quite resolves its instability musically, lyrically it ties a nice clean knot at the end, declaring in the last refrain, “I’m done.” No bandcamp for this, I’m afraid, but Gilli has generously let me post the mp3 below. You can also find it for streaming at your preferred outlet

Savnko – “imdone”

Dro Carey & Pinz – Hellish Plasma

Sharp-as-nails breakbeat-meets-punk from Sydney’s Dro Carey (Eugene Ward), in collaboration with fellow Sydneysider Pinz (producer and vocalist Andy Lowe). I first became aware of Dro Carey’s work a little over a decade ago via his collaborations with the late genius Napolian (Ian Evans), whose unfairly limited catalog I hold incredibly dear. This track is the first single from Ward’s latest album, Denim Iron, which is blistering, kinetic stuff–and which actually features a lost collaboration with Evans from 2013, lovingly completed in 2025 by Ward alone, in Evans’ absence. The whole album is absolutely worth your time, but this first single is without doubt among its high points. Grab Denim Iron on bandcamp or find it for streaming all over. I was also kindly permitted to share with you the mp3 of the single below.

Dro Carey & Pinz – “Hellish Plasma”

Feadz – Mecanic

It was really fun to see a song from French legend Feadz (Fabien Pianta) in my mailbox last week. For those who may not remember (or whose consciousness had yet to emerge 20 years ago), Pianta was a central member of the Ed Banger crew in the early 2000s, notably producing almost all of Uffie’s early work. Before that, he released a series of great records on Ellen Alien’s BPitch Control imprint. Always one to defy genre boundaries, this latest three-tracker–the Mizuno EP, released on the ever-consistent Moveltraxx–finds Pianta stuffing everything from acid, footwork, 80s hiphop, rave, and turntablism into a single petite parcel. As he was always adept at doing, Pianta manages here to subvert expectations and deliver something supremely fun and unpretentious. Grab this on bandcamp or for streaming via the usual outlets.

Feadz – “Mecanic”

Nectax – Cool Runnings

Last up today is an excellent new two-tracker from Newcastle-born, Naarm-based Nectax (Oliver Underhill). The A-side here is a refreshingly controlled mid-90s-style jungle workout, orbiting the Goldilocks zone between throwback and innovation. The B-side finds the modern-day legend Fracture (whose Astrophonica imprint consistently ranks among my favorites of the past decade) delivering a remix that does what he is wont to do: push the envelope, morphing the track into a restrained four-to-the-floor/jungle hybrid. Grab the record on bandcamp from Milan’s Beat Machine Records, or find it for streaming.

Nectax – “Cool Runnings”
Nectax – “Cool Runnings” (Fracture Remix)

PS. Apropos of the above song title, did you know that the famous 1988 Jamaican bobsleigh team was financed by disgraced late commodities trader Marc Rich after a decade of making shady oil and alumina deals with the Jamaican government? There’s a good Freakonomics episode about it that I can recommend.

Departure – Around Me

As I lie here continuing to recover from abdominal surgery, it’s no mystery why music like this would be especially appealing to me. This piece of buoyant electronica from Columbia’s Departure (Camilo Toston) is as invigorating as it is therapeutic. It’s a dip in a cool stream on a hot day, which sounds better than just about anything else right now. No bandcamp for this, unfortunately, but you can find this for streaming or on soundcloud.

Departure – “Around Me”

Skies Up – Small Gifts

Next up is a rich, poignant piece from Edinburgh’s Skies Up (Helen Bayett), featuring spoken-word reflections by Isolde Lachlan. The song explores survival while mourning: how challenging it is to meet one’s practical obligations and maintain one’s relationships while navigating grief’s tangle. It’s a touching reminder that none of us are spared this challenge but that we all deserve some grace during that process. We all deserve the chance to fuck up while feeling fucked up; if we’re lucky, the people and structures around us will be flexible enough to support us while we waver. Grab this on bandcamp or find it for streaming all over. Bayett was also generous enough to let me share with you the mp3 below.

Skies Up – “Small Gifts”

Junior Simba & Wayward – Don’t Say You Love Me

To close out today is another slice of soulful dance music, this one from Leeds’ Junior Simba and London duo Wayward. This is high-quality stuff that fits neatly in that now-large niche of inspirational and hopeful club music that dominates many big rooms (ala Fred Again.., etc.). It makes sense that many young people need their club music to be uplifting right now, given how grim generational prospects are. This was essentially also true when I was coming of age in the late 90s and early 2000s, but then, the euphoria of trance and liquid dnb seemed to have more of a sexual bliss angle than analogous stuff does now. This cohort seems more intent on promoting collective optimism and emotional reassurance. Whatever the kids need though, dance music can and should deliver; this does. Grab this on bandcamp or for streaming; the label was also kind enough to let me share with you the mp3 below.

Junior Simba & Wayward – “Don’t Say You Love Me”

Taroug – Najet

Spellbinding and hypnotic new work from German-Tunisian composer Taroug. I’m currently recovering after minor abdominal surgery, and this is exactly the kind of thing I need right now: music that feels soulful and intelligent, presenting just enough of a challenge for the listener to keep me alert from under the veil of opiates, but nonetheless soothing enough to salve the persistent pain I’m in. Both of these songs are from Taroug’s new album Chott, named after the Chott El Djerid, a vast salt lake in southern Tunisia. These work best in the context of the album as a whole, so give it try on bandcamp, or find it for streaming. Also, don’t miss the absolutely gorgeous video treatment I posted the other day for Taroug’s track “Cicada.”

Taroug – “Najet”
Taroug – “Mides”

Yuri Ginzburg – In the Field

Next up, another track perfect for the state I’m currently in. This one is from Serbian artist Yuri Ginzburg, whose work I was unfamiliar with until he sent this to me a few weeks ago. I could listen to this all day, and I have been. It’s two-and-a-half minutes of clouds overhead, lilting windmills, and swaying grass. I can smell the fresh air from my bedroom. No bandcamp for this, unfortunately, but Yuri was kind enough to let me post the mp3 below, and you can find this on all the usual streaming outlets.

Yuri Ginzburg – “In the Field”

Pavel Doronin – Dill 35

Last up today is an intimate set of ambient pieces from UK-based Pavel Doronin. Written following a moment of olfactory nostalgia in which the smell of freshly-chopped dill pulled him back into his mother’s kitchen, Doronin patched this record together using fragments of found-sound, tactile texture, and vintage synths. There’s no doubt that because smell bypasses the thalamus and travels directly to the amygdala and hippocampus, it has a unique ability to conjure memories–especially emotional ones–but seeking to do the same with music is a noble quest nonetheless. When done well, records like this can be transportive. Grab Dill on bandcamp, or finding it for streaming.

Pavel Doronin – “Dill 35”
Pavel Doronin – “Dill 53”
Pavel Doronin – “Dill 8”

Mikos Da Gawd – Rock the Hot Hot

Some chic, uptempo, summertime house music to warm up a stubbornly chilly spring evening here. This is from Bay Area-bred and Soulection-associated Mikos Da Gawd (Miles Douglas), who’s better known for his hiphop production for and with the likes of Anderson .Paak and Mr. Carmack. I usually brace myself when hiphop producers decide they want to pivot to house music (see, e.g., my hero Timbaland’s recent misstep in that direction 😬). But in this case, I actually think Mikos Da Gawd’s house records may outshine his bread-and-butter work, which is already good to begin with. You can find this for streaming wherever you do that sort of thing, or grab it on bandcamp.

Mikos Da Gawd – “Rock the Hot Hot”

Winter Games – Chills

High tempos tonight. A step up now–this time from Winter Games, the Finnish duo I covered a couple of months ago. Where that former track was sharp minimalist 2-step, this one they sent over recently is enormous, maximalist, hi-NRG house. The duo explains that like most of their tracks, this was written in a winter cabin lockdown session, but you’d never really guess it. I suppose the measured Scandinavian refinement still manages to slip through a little bit, but this is really just peak-time rave, hands-in-the-air fun. Out now on Winter Games’ own label, Polar Dance. You can find it for streaming or on bandcamp.

Winter Games – “Chills”

Klo – Hold Back

Last up this evening is a bit of sub-heavy, minimalist, double-time 140 from LA-based Klo (Kaitlyn Clinard). I don’t usually go for OTT, DC-offset type basslines much anymore, but in this case, Klo manages to frame the grinding wobbles in an elegantly restrained way, bathing them in just enough reverb to take them back in the mix a touch. She gives an otherwise very earthly bass a sort of ghostly quality. Solid work here. No bandcamp for this unfortunately, so I don’t know where to point DJs, but anyone else can find this for streaming.

Klo – “Hold Back”

Venture Silk – Control Your Mind

Two razor-cut slices of electro from Venture Silk (Ruslan Shyshniak), a Ukrainian ex-pat based in the Netherlands. I will absolutely never tire of well-executed Detroit-style electro. When done well–as is the case here–it’s the ideal vehicle for Roland/vintage synth fetishism. Some may idolize the 909s of 4×4 techno and 303s of acid house (I love those too), but nothing quite does it for me like 808s and 606s doing the syncopated robot step. Shyshniak hits that mark very well here, keeping the essential historical structural elements intact, but still allowing the tracks the benefit of modern production techniques and aesthetic variation. Both of these are available for streaming or on bandcamp — or you can grab them below. The first is from the artist’s recent Venturing Into the Unknown EP, the second is an older one-off release from 2023.

Venture Silk – “Control Your Mind” (mp3)
Venture Silk – “Sabotage” (mp3)

Akage Design Co – Gatekeeper

Next up this evening are two more lovely tunes from Akage Design Co (Phillip Conley), whom I wrote about last month. Conley is from Pittsburgh, but I keep wanting say he’s from Portland of the early aughts. His style feels like it would have fit perfectly into the scene they had there then, in which artists like Copy and brothers E*Rock and E*Vax (of Audiodregs Recordings) were cultivating seemingly naive and plastic whimsical sounds into blooms of tenderness and depth. Conley is definitely carrying that torch. These two are from Akage Design Co’s recent album, Lightt, which you can grab on bandcamp or find for streaming.

Akage Design Co – “Gatekeeper” (mp3)
Akage Design Co – “Ginger Paw” (mp3)

Jake Back – i looked back and saw nothing

Finally tonight are four submissions from Jake Back, a Los Angeles-based artist–from his recent EP, i looked back and saw nothing. I’m not sure how best to categorize these. Based on the EP’s and songs’ titles, Back is clearly into conceptual work, and all four of these songs speak to that inclination. They’re all subtly unconventional, but still totally accessible. There’s a clear undercurrent of emotionality here, especially in the album’s closer, “i woke up today” which is my favorite of the bunch. But there’s humor and charm here too; the record also sees Back injecting fragments of sunny-day funk and stoned warm-evening riffing. It all makes for something personal and connected–I don’t really know anything else concrete about Back, but I feel like this record helps you get to know him nonetheless. You can grab the record on bandcamp or find it for streaming all over.

Jake Back – “i woke up today” (bc)
Jake Back – “i looked at it but then it started yelling at me” (bc)
Jake Back – “i just came across this” (bc)
Jake Back – “i lost it all but i found myself” (bc)