ASC HHV Records 30 Items

Four years on from the release of Astral Projection, ASC's last LP for Horo, a re-listen reveals a body of work that still sounds prescient and current, mapping out a simmering landscape that stood proudly on it's own in the crowded world of electronica.

Hiding in Plain Sight takes the musical baton left by Astral Projection and expands the environment. The two opening tracks (No Mask, A Whisper In Your Ghost) are sumptuous palette cleansers that paint the walls with bliss. As we continue on, mesmerising waves of melancholy wash over Grey Area themed constructions, sometimes jagged (No Mask, Dying Star, Centrifuge, Galaxies), other times propulsive (Dreadnought, Surface Encounters). Pensive, frozen constructions that come off as soundtracks to movies only James has seen pepper the LP (Overscan, Dying Star, Mirrored Sequence) while the centrepiece of the LP soars unbound over stuttered, sculpted breaks (Orbiting Neptune).

ASC's great gift is his ability to create worlds of music that are densely layered and complex and yet project a sense of perfect effortlessness while they assimilate into your psyche.

Hiding In Plain Sight is not so much a journey, as a destination. A rich, full bodied alien planet intricately designed to envelop your senses.

Colours Of Absence is the follow up to Original Soundtrack. Both albums were written during the 2020 pandemic lockdown, which was no doubt a phase of experimentation and pushing boundaries, as producers found themselves with a lot of time and no dancefloors.

This saw ASC pushing himself creatively and focusing on instrumentation within his ambient music, and in the case of both Original Soundtrack and Colours Of Absence, this meant the piano. The piano focus is a little less obvious in Colours Of Absence though, as this album attempts to strike a balance between ASC's 'traditional' beloved ambient work, and the aforementioned Original Soundtrack. 9 tracks spread over two slices of clear vinyl that will take your emotions on a journey like no other. Sit back and absorb Colours Of Absence.

The Waves is the first of a series of ASC's Silent Season LP's to be pressed on vinyl for the first time. Blissful and essential.

Limited Edition Repress - Marbled 12" in Spatial Sleeve

Kicking off the release in style, ASC serves up a thunderous atmospheric amen break assault with The Arcane. A calming intro with clean breaks and swirling fx, welcome eerie keys before heavy kicks thrust the track into life with crisp weighty amens snatching your attention. The undertone bass complements the break work perfectly, and the atmosphere gradually ratchets up over a subtle backdrop of effects and pads. A true aural statement.

Dreamy synth-work, lush pads and an understated bassline punctuate State Of Mind, before the apache takes centre stage amidst mournful melodies and echoed snares, setting an unforgettably melancholic tone. A subtle but bliss love-letter to yesteryear.

An impeccable, ever-building composition up next, as stabbing breaks and synths introduce Force Majeure. A moody bassline sets the tone, before 'whooshing' soundscapes flood the senses. Myriads of elements are frequently added into the mix, as the atmosphere envelopes relentlessly throughout, resulting in a production masterclass.

Closing the EP is the cleverly titled Threeform. A chilled-out treat dialling back the intensity with a luscious calming vibe over freestyle 3/4 time signature jazz breaks. Infused with relaxing brass samples and laidback approach, ASC provides yet another example of his production skills.

Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

Blissful atmospherics wash behind heavy amens on Spacewalk, tightly constructed old school style breaks thump along with subtle effects create a vibe that will take you to a world beyond ours.

A distinctive crisp unorthodox beat pattern opens Oceans and sets the tone for this beautiful composition of smooth pads and earthy bass-lines, a dreamy treat which builds the vibe as the track progresses.

Messages from Space opens with a mellow, eerie intro that washes in before the Spectrum breaks - heavy on the ride cymbals - take centre stage in this lunar-inspired composition.

Energetic rapid-fire break work punctuates Quiet Storm with drum funk vibes that sound immense at this BPM - playfully filtered, surrounded by delicate atmospherics and an understated vocal sample - a treat for the breaks fans.

Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

Limited Edition Repress - Marbled 12" in Spatial Sleeve

A thundering take on the classic Hot Pants break leads in eerie synth work, developing a powerful haunting atmosphere. An intense driving bassline intertwines with the beats & hats, challenging the balance between the headphones and the dancefloor.

A deceptively simple break expertly programmed with ASC's trademark punch is layered with dreamy 808 bass and long, swirling pads & synths, creating a luscious smooth vibe to the aptly titled Cosmic Energy.

Expertly programmed yet understated breakwork punctuates Stargate with an unforgettable kick-cymbal-kick-cymbal sequence, laden with room-filling sub bass, a collage of effects and "that" whale sample used so effectively it feels fresh again in 2022.

Prophecy effortlessly combines a plethora of samples and effects you'll recognise from classic atmospheric drum & bass spanning the 90's and beyond to create a true "old school brand new" vibe set to a variety pack of jungly breaks and occasional vocal hits, with a lush tonal transition towards the latter stages.

Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

First ever vinyl pressing. Mastered and cut by Andy Miles at Star Delta Audio Mastering.

First ever vinyl press. Mastered and cut for Vinyl by Andy Miles at Star Delta Audio Mastering.

Only a week or two after dropping the second of two ambient albums in 2022, masterful sound sculptor ASC is back with another release. This one finds him embracing drum & bass on limited Colored Vinyl for Past Inside The Present. The majestic Eye Of The Storm is a suspensory trip through the heavens with delicate drum & bass rhythms and lush swathes of synths. 'Reflection' is just as awash with smeared synth beauty over the floating drum breaks, then 'Low Tide' is a lo-fi workout from the depths, a vibe that continues on the more busy and dark 'Life Cycle.' Another exceptional bit of work form the one and only ASC.

‘An Increase In Entropy’ is the third and final triumphant piece in the trilogy of the 90’s Jungle / Drum and Bass flavoured releases from ASC for Samurai Music.

An Exact Science is a fantasy of long time ASC fans have had for many years (ourselves included) come to life with results that surpass our imagined results.

ASC is an integrated artist in our label, for many of us he is a big inspiration with each release, each record, and each track. If you put enough smart people together in one space, good things happen. this is our theory, and this artist is definitely one of them that can even lead us musically and technically, this is 'Chaos Thory' the new work of our man ASC.

One of the unexpected silver linings of our planet being plunged into the grips of a pandemic has been ASC’s return to Jungle / DnB. Drawing stunned reviews from all corners of the DnB spectrum, the ‘An Exact Science’ EP on Samurai marked the first of a trio of releases in this style. Initially meant only as a one off EP, the creation of ‘An Exact Science’ turned on a spark in ASC that propelled him into a new phase of inspiration in his heavily equipped studio. Once an LP project was agreed to, the tunes came rapidly to the point of overflow (hence part 3 of the trilogy set for 2021).

The genesis of the tracks on the Defiance LP [horoex38] came directly in the aftermath of the Space Echo EP by ASC for Samurai Red Seal. At the time, James made remixes of some of the tracks from this EP in an updated style for use on his last European tour. Two of these remixes make up the Defiance: Prelude release. Space Echo gets rebuilt into a more sinuous, ethereal soundscape, and Reveal is also refined into a graceful flotation device with sprinkles of air from the ether.

Coloured Vinyl Repress

In 2019, ASC decided it was time to return to the music that he grew up on. With a gentle nudge from Presha, the breakbeats were back in the mix and a slew of mid 90’s-inspired drum & bass ensued. The majority of the heavier break-oriented and edit-ladened were set aside for projects with Samurai, however, there were a grip of tracks that were more at home with the older atmospheric / intelligent styles of drum & bass from the mid 90’s. Ideasthesia is the culmination of that work. Four tracks of atmospheric drum & bass in its most unadulterated form. No drum machines at work here, just sped up breakbeats, heavy 808 bass, blissful pads, and ethereal textures. Ideasthesia is a true love letter to a golden age of music which sadly seems long forgotten.

An Exact Science is a fantasy of long time ASC fans have had for many years (ourselves included) come to life with results that surpass our imagined results.

Marbled vinyl.

‘An Increase In Entropy’ is the third and final triumphant piece in the trilogy of the 90’s Jungle / Drum and Bass flavoured releases from ASC for Samurai Music.

A good old fashioned amen banger opens up Quantum State, as Howling Winds takes it back to that classic break sliced and chopped expertly as you'd expect from ASC, with a solemn, almost mournful melodic backdrop.

A tense, moody vibe awaits you with Nectar, ominous pad work and Hot Pants breaks craft an uncomfortable, brooding atmosphere you won't forget.

Flashback lives up to its name with classic jungle break work and effects, taking you right back to the 90's with a purposeful yet sombre oceanic backdrop. Towards the back end of the track the mood shifts skyward somewhat as if reaching its goal. Delightful.

Minimal breaks punctuate Hindsight with spaced-out kicks and jittery cymbals, smooth pads and that classic deep 808 bass wind and weave through a relaxing sonic landscape.

Words by Chris Hayes (Red Mist/Spatial)

The 25th release on Auxiliary is a remix 12" by ASC. Featuring four remixes of the EP of the same name, released in 2014, Return Of The Emissary Remixes is an inventive and creative re-imagining of the original tracks.

Inverse Ratio is transformed into a more uptempo Grey Area affair, while Fenris gets a heavier workout on its remix. Flipside sees a sparser approach to Zoning, while Night Clouds notches up the intensity somewhat. A statement of intent from Auxiliary and ASC.

The relentlessly prolific ASC has proven himself to be versatile over the years while reliably pushing a steely, immersive sound that has largely defined the 'grey area' movement between Autonomic D&B, dubstep and techno. Even if he's embraced ambient as part of that arc, you won't have heard him approach an album project quite like this before. Stripping his process back and zeroing in on the piano as the instrument of choice, this is ASC on a completely different flex for A Strangely Isolated Place. Across eight plaintive pieces, we hear him explore minimalism and reflection on a trajectory away from his past work, but also intrinsically linked to it (not least in the blooms of reverb tails and melancholic composition). A must for lovers of moving piano works as much as ASC's own fanbase.

The genesis of the tracks on the Defiance LP [horoex38] came directly in the aftermath of the Space Echo EP by ASC for Samurai Red Seal. At the time, James made remixes of some of the tracks from this EP in an updated style for use on his last European tour. Two of these remixes make up the Defiance: Prelude release. Space Echo gets rebuilt into a more sinuous, ethereal soundscape, and Reveal is also refined into a graceful flotation device with sprinkles of air from the ether.

2022 repress

ASC work is consistent and inspiring, the artist is back in full form on our Transparent section with a full masterpiece served on yellow marbled vinyl.

Trauma Collective returns with four cuts of decidedly hypnotic and abstract techno from ever-prolific ASC. Rounding out the last decade with a string of stand-out releases on his own imprint, Auxiliary, the San Diego producer brings his cerebral sonic aesthetic to the fledgling Madrid label. "Loop Research" showcases a singular artist unbound by tempo and at the top of their game.

ASC is back on the label, now stronger than ever, this time orbiting the Gallery section, and show us how elegantly he is able to take textures and techno to the next level. There is no exaggeration when we say that this artist is a pillar in our label and the way he is able to show us how techno can have infinite beautiful layers on each listen is outstanding.

We welcome James Clements aka ASC to our record collection with this varied and open styled 'Against the tide' vinyl. Four cuts of modern and precise techno, with the solid beats of Trident and the groovy infused Monochrome sharing the A side completed with the deep and slow paced Scattered Disc and the electrified Tenebra on the flip. Solid tracks, made only with the strictly necessary elements, proving the maturity of this well seasoned producer.

Next stop in our Journey on Transparent is ASC, is quite impossible to describe his immense skills, to really know more you have to search for it. After 16 Years of music this artist comes to our label to guide us on another level of Sonic Spectrum.
'Internal Software' is one of the most charming sound design on a 4/4 scale we have ever experienced ever on the label.
Take your time and immerse yourself into his world. All on Transparent Green 12".