Downbeat | Electronica | Leftfield Vinyl 7 Inch Sale 33 Items

King Of Blue by Yes Indeed sees Laurie Tompkins and Otto Wilberg take their eclectic stance on cosmic jazz and electronics to further uncharted and dreamlike territory, encompassing a unique logic of what is harmoniously absurdist.

King of Blue by Yes Indeed sees members Laurie Tompkins and Otto Willberg further dive into their melismatic take on cosmic jazz and new electronics, by way of their highly eclectic and at times nonsensically sensical modus operandi. Their work is defined by an eloquent flurry of ideas, spheres, and signifiers, creating a musical universe of surprising longevity and depth. Treating musical convention with gentle disdain, Yes Indeed take on a variety of genres and moods and switch them around into a beautifully melismatic and dreamlike state of being. King Of Blue is a mini- album of fragmented beauty and warmth. It puts the illogical center stage and gives space to abruptly miniaturist musical ideas, allowing them to take on a meaning bigger than one would expect. It is cosmic music for modern times. A brazen descent into the execution of a fundamentally diversified musical stance.

'Yes Indeed' are Laurie Tompkins & Otto Willberg. Live, they play keys, bouncy bass and sing over tactile, emotive samples. Their music is epic and also somehow wrong, with space for delicacy, straight-up joy and soaring licks. Since 2022’s ‘Rotten Luck’ - their first proper album, on Bison - YI have played across the UK and Europe. Solo, Laurie co-ran the Slip label and has put out CDs on Entr’acte, 33-33 and Hyperdelia. Otto is a roaming bassist in groups like Historically Fucked and Abstract Concrete and his LP of “wildly singular, wickedly trippy and sensual set of fusion jams” (Boomkat) was recently out on Black Truffle.

‘Elite Controller’ c/w ‘Softness on the Other Side’ is the second 7” single containing two of four tracks produced by transcontinental duo ‘Gruuel’, featuring James Vinciguerra and Beau Wanzer, between 2019 and 2023. The duo appear here in an expanded form with third member and Vinciguerra ‘Act Now’ collaborator Tarquin Manek, heard as multi instrumentalist jack-of-all-trades performing guitar, bass guitar, synthesiser and bass clarinet to accompany Wanzer’s hazy drum machine patterns and Vinciguerra’s mutated vocals.

The single is the first release on Elations Recordings’ ‘Deviations’ imprint, focusing on the outer realms of experimentation and fringe expression. Two subterranean, science-non-fiction snapshots capturing the spirit of the forward looking art-experimental groups of the late 1970s and early 1980s that were lumped in with the punk movement.

The a-side ‘Elite Controller’ is the more immediate of the two tracks; a paranoid fever dream of raw, psychedelic guitars underpinned by dub bass and Vinciguerra’s deranged mutant vocals; while the b-side ‘Softness on the Other Side’ takes a more self-reflective turn. A passive, spoken word cautionary telling of the dangers while searching for personal nirvana accompanied by Manek’s tortured bass clarinet impressions. Recommended for fans of Chrome, Tuxedomoon or K. Leimer’s experimental “artificial” band ‘Savant’.

Organ of Corti, the trio of Joachim Nordwall (ideal Records, The Gagmen), Mattias Gustafsson (Altar of Flies) and Dan Johansson (Sewer Election, Enhet för Fri Musik) returns with another exercise in the slow-motion decay of analog sound. Usher, a minimal hypnotic track on side A reveals its subtle details after multiple listens while the claustrophobic Trauma on the flipside will grab your immediate attention. Machines that hum, sputter, and crackle while slowly moving forward. Vaguely familiar tape loops, spacious synths and crumbling electronics. A journey into the unknown.

The Swedish underground scene continues to deliver some of the best experimental acts and Organ of Corti firmly establish themselves as part of the foundation with a recent self-released cassette, another cd on New Forces and this new single. While their sound has clearly evolved, these alchemists are staying true to their original intention of forging fragments of surreal nightmares.

New out on Feral Child is a super limited 7” EP from Italian Kosmische | Library artist Alessio Bosco, under his 30 Door KEY moniker. A wonderful 5 trk 45 heavy on Hauntology vibes, samples, nods to minimal electronica and kosmische. With one foot firmly within the “long lost ‘70s supernatural TV themes” camp, the record is superbly and consistently fresh and ambitious- and comes hugely recommended to devotees of all the above, Trunk records heads and minimal synth, electronica nuts. It looks as cool as it sounds too; screened black board sleeves, with inserts galore and hand numbered to 187 copies on black wax.

Grand River and Sofie Birch are set to unveil their collaborative EP, titled “Our Circadian,” on November 24, through Melantónia.

The two-track release follows Grand River’s final release under the now-discontinued Editions Mego label earlier this year, and Sofie Birch’s two solo albums from 2022. Our Circadian represents the second collaborative release on Melantónia, a platform founded by Hanna Maria & Mattia Onori in 2021, dedicated to music for non-dance environments, featuring early contributions from artists like Polygonia, Plants Army Revolver, and Melantónia co-founders Hanna Maria & Mattia Onori themselves, amongst others.

“Our Circadian” was conceived remotely in 2021 during the lockdown, with the aim of encapsulating two distinct moments of those days – early morning and late afternoon – along with their subtle emotional nuances. The first track of the release – 7PM – conveys dreamy atmospheres that flow into colorful rhythms, recalling the electroacoustic nature of the label’s melancholic sounds. The gloomier 3AM, on the other side of a 7“ record, offers a timeless introspection of a gently intensifying synth sound’s fling.

Grand River, a composer and sound designer, brings her background in linguistics to her work. She draws inspiration from minimalism and ambient music, resulting in atmospheric and rhythmically intricate compositions. Her artistic pursuits traverse the realms of art and electronic music, exploring forms of communication that transcend language, often influenced by nature, scale, and movement. Grand River’s impressive portfolio includes sound installations at 4DSOUND/Monom and Terraforma’s Il Pianeta, as well as performances at prestigious venues like Barbican, Rewire, Mutek, Le Guess Who?, CTM, Draaimolen, and Atonal’s Kraftwerk. She has also worked on remixes for notable acts like Tangerine Dream. Since 2016, she has curated the label One Instrument, offering a unique creative challenge to artists: creating music using only a single instrument.

Sofie Birch, a celebrated sound artist and producer, is known for her lush ambient releases, art installations, live performances, DJ sets, and her NTS show “Ambient Abracadabra.” Her sonic creations can manipulate space, infuse it with a profound sense of calm, and invite listeners to engage in meditation and introspection through the healing qualities of sound and vibrations. Her music acts as a conduit for understanding the complexities of the mind and body through artistic expression, characterized by a distinct emphasis on stillness, suspension, and sustain. Sofie’s soundscapes open gateways to dream-like states of perception and heightened presence, providing a transcendental journey into an alchemical biosphere. Her extensive repertoire includes performances at renowned events such as Barbican, Roskilde Festival, Mutek, Unsound, CTM, Rewire, Monom, and Terraforma, as well as award-winning compositions for VR experiences and animated films, in collaboration with artists like Baum & Leahy and animation director Pernille Kjaer.

As Our Circadian takes its final form, it promises a narrative of resilience, creativity, and the indomitable human spirit guided by the artistic mastery of Grand River and Sofie Birch.

Born a french, fried in Belgium, Accou recently delivered on stage ecstatic dancefloor sets for the techno enthusiast.

Back to he intimacy of his studio, Antoine lets himself go to layered dreamy electronics with a warm loving feeling covered under six feet of snow. On the other side of the record, that noisy guitar sound coming straight out of the early nineties instantly catches the ear to an intense and joyful travel in time.

Lexi Disques is a maverick label based in Brussels since 2008 that explores the rich possibilities of the 7-inch record single. A welcoming home for experimental and adventurous musicians of diverse backgrounds, from fresh and vibrant faces to underground heroes, dwelling between the misty fields of psych-pop to the straight (and not so straight) roads of electronics.

Amy Douglas should need no introduction, having supplied song-writing and vocal duties for Horse Meat Disco, Róisín Murphy, Luke Solomon, Soul Clap, and worked with Joe Goddard on their Hard Feelings project, Here she teams up with Craig Bratley, who dusts off the analogue synths to produce something which clearly wears its influence on its sleeve, taking in elements of Balearic, Street Soul and early Sheffield Bleep. On the Ashigaru Dub, Craig explores these influences further, the result reminiscent of Mad Professors take on Massive Attack.

Following up his recent record on Naff, Cousin returns to the Moonshoe home front for his latest offering. Introspective and unbound sounds etched into the latest mini disc - delicately staunch cuts that may both pluck at your heart strings and rattle your bones. Recommended connection to the call as it phones home.

The debut release on Central Scientific with THE Valley AND THE Mountain (josh Dahlberg) and Detroit based producer JO RAD Silver. The A side is an expansive soundscape imbibed with skin tingling modulation. On the B side JO RAD Silver routes a guitar into a synth, strumming a twangy line accompanied by sporadic and timely chords and noisy drones to create soothing, meditative atmospherics.

Montel Palmer jump out of the plane with only a Hvw8 parachute for company and land squarely on Chlodwig roundabout. Nod to Roy Ayers, nod to secret ingredients, nod to all the auntys and uncles who know where to go when the sun goes down...and then comes back up again…

With the release of Piero Umiliani’s ‘Discomania (Jolly Mare Lifting)’ Four Flies launched Reloved, a vinyl series where contemporary DJs and producers rework tunes from Italian golden age soundtracks and library music.

The aim of the series is to spark a conversation between past, present and future, joining the dots between Italy’s great film and library-music tradition and a global scene of forward-thinking producers - the names confirmed so far include Dengue Dengue Dengue, Free The Robots, Jolly Mare, Koralle (feat. Illa J), Fratelli Malibu, Mounika, Oké aka Deda, Luke Beats, Ollie Teeba of The Herbaliser and Deca. First in line is the 7” ‘Autumn 2001 / Autumn 2021’, with an original track from Italian jazz pianist and electronic music pioneer Gianni Safred and a rework from musician, DJ and beat maker Free The Robots.

‘Autumn 2001’ comes from the 1978 Italian library LP Futuribile (The Life To Come), a retro-futuristic masterpiece by Gianni Safred, one of the great pioneers of Italian electronic music.

Chris Alfaro, aka Free the Robots, is a musician, beat maker and DJ known for his ability to jump in and out of different sonic worlds, creating a unique signature sound blending electronic, hip hop, jazz and psychedelia.

The word datasal paints inner pictures for most people growing up in Sweden during the 1990’s. The datasal (a classroom for computers) was an ordinary classroom with few changes to fit the school’s 10 newly leased computers. The room represented the change of times in Sweden during this period: the fixed institutions and the awaiting digital flood wave.

The music of Datasal sounds captures the feeling of printing a downloaded picture of your favorite hockey player or music artist or the expectations building up as you wait for the modem to log in to interact with the thousands of users of the internet in 1995. The two tracks on this release manifests the excitement but also the bit of fright you felt connecting to the world in the mid 90’s - a time when the internet still was fun.

The sound is built around repetitive sequencer loops and programmed beats where electric bass, electric guitar and flute improvise around a theme, creating a sound that is best described as cosmic flute house. Datasal is an harmonic reminder of a time where digital progress seemed less harmful than today.

Los Angeles' Zen 2000 returns with its third release, the third and final chapter in its kick-off string of 7-inches. For this episode, we once again dip into the deep and diverse well of local talent for a single from Tim Jones, a.k.a. Ex.Pontoon.

“Coming Back” is a slinky, off-kilter slow burn, a slinky vocal groove snaking through SoCal G-funk refashioned into a crackly reggae dub wobble. The other side is a delirious and psychedelic trip into the desert, the fiery sun scorching the earth below. Icy guitars and a cavernous arrangement turn the sonic horizon into a shimmering mirage. For the digital bonus, an instrumental version of the B-side, further revealing the nuanced and delicate composition of the piece.

The Second of these last PY 45s sees a lovely 5 track 7” EP from Irish minimal synth musician ph (Pete Hamilton), with 5 tracks from his (finally) acclaimed rich body of work in electronic music. From Dublin, Ireland, in 1982, ph emerged from the demise of the peridots (lower case p) that previously had arisen from the ashes of Modern Heirs, who first played live in 1978 with Pete Hamilton and ex-Radiators (from Space) Steve Rapid, sharing a bill with an early U2. The band line-ups in the small Dublin scene were fluid, as were the band names, becoming the peridots in 1981 with Steve Hamilton and Stan Erraught and during a brief period with drummer Pat Larkin (The Blades). In 1983 Steve would leave to form Stars of Heaven. Subsequently, ph was mostly Pete Hamilton with passing members Pat Larkin and Des O'Byrne. peridots released a single “Open Season”, on the Optional Good label in 1981. But it wasn’t until 2012 that peridots and ph appeared again on a vinyl release, on the compilation “Strange Passion: Explorations In Irish Post Punk DIY And Electronic Music 1980-1983”. In 2015, Manufactured Desire Records (Barcelona) began a series of limited releases on cassette, and very limited art editions on lathe cut vinyl, including ‘Slow Ballet’ (ph), ‘Precious Blood’ (peridots), ‘Chrome’ (ph), ‘Later that same day’ (peridots) and culminating in 2017 with a 5 cassette, 48 track, box set, “Pete Hamilton Anthology” described as a treasure-trove of classic minimal synth from early ‘80s Ireland, filled with growling analogue synths, hugely catchy melodies, striking punchlines and beautifully atmospheric minimal electronic music. Sadly, Hamilton gave it all up in 1984, overwhelmed by the underwhelming response from a public who would take many decades and a renewed interest in early 80’s minimal electronic music scene, before finally beginning to appreciate the beauty of his music. Polytechnic Youth hopes to do its bit in either furthering that rediscovery programme or perhaps act as a first time introduction to ph’s music. A pressing of 250 copies in PY’s BBC Library inspired tracing paper bags. Massively recommended to all minimal synth nuts, early mute, Transparent Illusion, Futurisk, Neural circus et al….

In spite of the odds, dreams sometimes do come true. And when they do, they feel like Fuga Ronto's remix of Choices. Sweet in composition, encouraging in ideas, and over quicker than you wanted them to be. Fuga Ronto's Choices remix is a perfect sundowner of a tune, a heater that oozes cool, relaxing, refreshing and rare as fuck. Hello island, bye bye city life.

Following her 2021 debut, ‘Save My Day’, remixed by DJ Python, Pytko returns to Phantasy with ‘Silent’, experimental and introspective electronic songwriting this time radically reworked by beloved pop-experimentalist, Bullion.

On ‘Silent’, Pytko invites listeners to lean in closer than before. Seemingly untangling the frustrations of a faltering love affair, it’s vulnerable lyrics arrive buried beneath a sophisticated arrangement that, with bit-crushed electronics and rumbling bass notes, seems to decay with haunting effect. In contrast, the austere ‘Orchids & Limes’ mines an equally original sound, a striking sort of cyber-balearica sculpted around Pytko’s intricate guitar work, conjuring an even darker sense of romance.

In radical contrast, Bullion proves a perfect fold to Pytko’s vision with his positively high-spirited flip of ‘Silent’. The man behind Deek Recordings and cult hits such as Blue Pedro keeps Pytko’s perspective front-and-centre, while performing an alchemy of magic and melancholy that results in one the most memorable remixes in Phantasy’s fifteen-year history.

First Word Records is very pleased to bring you more music from Werkha! Following on from his EP 'The Rigour' from early 2020, the Mancunian musician dropped a little taste of his new material late last year in the form of single 'Battered Mars Bar' and limited cassette 'Beat Tapestry'. Now we have a double aa-side single featuring two cuts from his forthcoming album 'All Werk Is Play'.

'Eterno Retorno' features the glorious Portuguese vocals of Moreiya, gliding across Werkha's uniquely skippy bruk vibes, with squelchy bass stabs and delicate guitar strums in tow.

'In Saint-Gilles' keeps the tempo up, cleverly switching between a 4/4 and a half-time rhythm. This one bringing more European vibes with the talents of Brussels-based DJ/Producer Le Motel also behind the boards.

Both tracks have already been shown support from the likes of AtJazz & DJ Paulette.

Werkha hails from Manchester and has been releasing music for a decade, collaborating and remixing artists such as Quantic, Bryony Jarman-Pinto, Marcos Valles and Andrew Ashong, and touring with Bonobo, Chet Faker and Mr Scruff.

Record Store Day Japan 2021 Drop 2 release. The first analog 7-inch version of the major debut single “One Night Carnival” released in 2002.

On the B side, “Every time the morning comes”, which was also recorded in the original single, is coupled.

Dan Mason's brand new single "Nothing Matters" is out now! Limited Edition 7" with bouns B-side is available to pre-order now!

Valance Drakes and Kero team up for their first collaborative endeavor. The EP, Abstract Thought is an evident fusion of both artist’s unique styles, bringing together elements of glitch, Hip hop, Detroit techno, and a whole lot of space vibes.
My hands float before my face, drifting in defiance of gravity, willfulness brought on by forces beyond my own. Things stop very abruptly with a crash the shakes my eyes in their very sockets, rattling reverberation pushing painfully through my skull.
One thousand days in space feels like nothing and everything all at once. Children grow, faces fill with wrinkles and I stay still.
Until my eyes begin to shake and everything turns to television static flashing somewhere inches behind vision. Is someone stepping on my throat?
I’ve crashed into something hard and barren. Is that electricity I see, clinging to my hands?
I spring across an earth or planet or meteorite that crumbles beneath my boots and sways in the air moving so swiftly about my body, dust flying up into the visor of the helmet that saves me, threatening cracks, ruckus.
I can hear my heartbeat in here. I wonder if this is what it sounds like in the womb. The rope connecting me to the ship is something like an umbilical cord. Is it not? Maybe it’s a vacuum. Maybe I’m not born yet after all.

Ursula 1000 returns to ESL Music with a brand new jam called "step Back" featuring London MC Sista Widey in a bashment/dancehall style. Flip it over for a skanking dub rocker from Jstar!

Record Store Day Japan 2021 Drop 2 release. Released in 2007, the 10th single is converted to analog 7". A song that represents Fujifabric, with a lyrical depiction of the scene of the end of summer.

/ harmonic study 1.3