Downbeat | Electronica | Leftfield 290 Items

SIM Card Hã˜lder is not a band. It is the hybrid child of Ian Bruner, Drone Operatør and Gajek. It's procreation date is hard to pin down, but it started 2020 with an Insta chat and one of Ian's piano improvisations recorded in his Colorado living room. From there the album grew in separated covid lockdown wombs at three different locations in Germany. Ian's shadowy instrumentation of light piano and heavily layered and long believed to be dead soundscapes were digested, replanted and grown-over by Drone Operatør's and Gajek's uncompromising and individual sense for song structures and sounds. When finally all body parts were assembled in early 2021 the baby was already fluent in different languages.

Sim Card Hølder grows slowly while meandering through dense and open fields. It switches from calm and dreamy moods to wild fractured outbursts without fragmenting into the arbitrary. A raw spiritual power keeps every part connected and in perfect motion. Each song is a portal into multiple universes that suck you in on thick piano carpets, sharp saxophone spikes and buzzing quadcopter wings, warming insect intestines, blasting raw drums and slow healing winds, screeching synth rhymes, dissonant orchestral tales and floating blue melodies. It's a demanding ride but thoroughly deeply relaxing. The perfect soundtrack to rewind your mind.

Grains is the debut album by Numinos on Mille Plateaux. The Cologne-based producer, DJ, author and lecturer has been writing the tech-reviews in “Groove” for many years, tests equipment for various specialist magazines and teaches at the Institute for Pop Music (ifpom) and Institute for Computer Music and Electronic Media (icem) of the Folkwang University.In his current creative phase, he conceptually deals with the topic of “granular synthesis". A “grain” is thus, to a certain extent, a tiny spectral snapshot from a larger musical context - an infinitely expandable, flowing intermediate state. This is also where the connection to the cover motif is found that shows the negative of a photograph of a wild field and has been taken Bernd Adamek-Schyma: The negative as an eternal intermediate state between the motif and the developed image. And despite the fact that “Numinos” has a fully equipped studio with a wide range of instruments, the 20 Euro iPad app “Borderlands Granular” turned out to be the creative catalyst that enabled the trained pianist to implement his sound ideas with direct haptic influence.The app gives the Cologne-based sound artist the opportunity to extract tiny fragments from the sample based on their specific tonality, to recontextualize them and thus work out structures that are not audible at the original tempo. The results are polyrhythmic sound scenes that appear harsh, artificial and strange in a moment, only to transform into contemplative, warm and familiar frequency stratification minutes later. Numinos deceives the listener in many ways. Above all with the supposed rhythm that does not exist.

Kalabrese lets it rumpel. The third album by the Swiss all-round musician is - as always - relaxed, comes straight from the heart, and is showing his typically own approach to melt disco, blues and club music into a wunderbar overall performance.

to the friends it may concern of the rollin' rumpelmusig revue i’m finally laying down the carpet again, but this time as a double-pack. part one will be released in the fall of 2021 and part two in spring 2022.

finally rumpelmusig is back! kalabrese enrolls himself out off a red carpet made of corona soup onto your quilted carpet at your home. eleven fave songs outta the kitchen of haute cuisine rumpelchef. and on top of that: for the upcoming spring, a second album in the «let love rumpel» circle will be released (part 2). two times double vinyl. two times favorite songs. two times bustling life. four vinyls as a contemporary witness about what kind of creativity such a pandemic can awaken in an artist. in one song it says «you take the l train». it's obvious that the meaning of this l is love. kala is a rolling stone. wherever he lays his beat, is his home.

Director David Lynch once said "I long for a kind of quiet where I can just drift and dream. I always say getting inspiration is like fishing. If you're quiet and sitting there and you have the right bait, you're going to catch a fish eventually. Ideas are sort of like that. You never know when they're going to hit you." Inspired by this quote in both name and spirit, Hollie Kenniff's The Quiet Drift is an ambient gallery of cloudlike synths, seraphic strings, echoing guitars, and other celestial textures guided to cohesion by Hollie's own wordless singing. Though the album certainly creates (and originates from) the kind of space where Lynch's proverbial "fish" can be caught, The Quiet Drift is a fitting title for Hollie's own history, both recent and distant. During the course of the album's creation, Hollie and her family moved cross-country from an island in Washington state, to an island in Maine before ultimately relocating to Canada. "As a child I visited Ontario year-round," she explains in her own words. She continues "More than any other landscape, I think the lake, rivers, and woods there left the most enduring impression on me. The landscape and pace of life of these places will always stay with me." But the reverberant spaces Hollie crafts need no physical headquarters. Instead of conjuring views of nature at the ground level, her sound more readily evokes a top-down perspective, with the distinct features of the land shrinking underfoot as the listener becomes untethered from geography altogether. The Quiet Drift belongs more to the liminal spaces between life and afterlife, memory and fantasy, landscape and dreamscape, than any mappable locale. Describing her formative years, Hollie says "As a dual US/Canadian citizen who spent my childhood in a rural town-- one that I haven't returned to in many years - I have a sense of not entirely belonging anywhere. When I was a teenager my close friends were male musicians, so I was also an outsider to the degree that they were wild and anarchic in a way that I wasn't. I was a quiet book reader and avid music listener who enjoyed being around a creative group. I was also a radio DJ for alternative and punk music throughout high school." In this light, The Quiet Drift attests that creativity is placeless, and calls into question the stereotype of artists as scene-centric city dwellers. Having come of age in the absence of metropolitan sensory overload, Hollie learned to spot the muse in nature, and within herself, instead of the echo chamber of a frenzied peer group. On The Quiet Drift Hollie Kenniff wholly escapes from such pop-culture feedback loops into transcendent, shimmering realms, and she brings the listener along with her. In this age in which we have all been called to reevaluate our relationship to indoor spaces, and seek refuge in the great outdoors, The Quiet Drift provides an apt soundtrack for such rebalancing.

Edition of 200, printed sleeve. This album started as a laying-to-rest of the old Mxlx sound, all the big synths and noises. Wanted to move on. What happened in reality was something else. i just started recording the vocals and we got burgled, they took my laptop, with all the music on it. I was devastated. I found it by googling my phone, and along with some help, away from the dirty dirty cops, I managed to get it back. Finishing the thing was revenge enough. It's a big one for me. I sincerely hope it hits you as hard as it all hit me. Peace. Mxlx xx xx

New Mini LP featuring 5 hyper-textured earthy pieces from Priori. The music flows and breathes, recounting stories from the perspective of a little flower. ''First we all grow in a row. But as the land expands and the hills rise, we take pleasure in chaos... and covet the unknown''

‘Feed Me Weird Things’ was Squarepusher’s debut album. Released on 3rd June 1996 by Rephlex Records (jointly run by Richard D James and Grant Wilson Claridge). Tom had previously released the Conumber EP (as Squarepusher) and Alroy Road Tracks (as the Duke of Harringay) on the newly formed Spymania label the year before. The album was preceded by the Squarepusher Plays EP in May of 1996 also on Rephlex. The extra tracks from this EP not on the original album made up the Japanese bonus tracks when it was released there and will be included in our reissue.

The album was a key release for Rephlex and has gone on to be regarded as one of Squarepusher’s best. It marked a time of strong influence and although they wouldn’t have used the term, led to the sub-genre of Drill n Bass.

Tom’s strong jazz influences and virtuoso bass playing come to the fore on this album setting it apart from his contemporaries.

The album including all bonus tracks has been remastered by Matt Coulton at Alchemy.

This will also be the first time the album is available on streaming services.

New release by Boston-based songwriter and instrumentalist Judd Stone and vocalist Jayde Lee.

Botany Department' is an analogue voyage made of a cohesive collection of instrumental textures and sounds, an LP full of originality. Rui Maia is a musician and producer of kaleidoscopic ranges. Based in Lisbon, he's also internationally known under the Mirror People cover, having released on labels such as Bear Funk or Permanent Vacation.

Jpeg is the 4th album from German legends Digitalism, released on their own label “Magnetism". The Hamburg-based electronic music duo formed in Hamburg in 2004, consisting of Jens “Jence” Moelle and ?smail “Isi” Tüfekçi. Digitalism has released records on labels such as Gerd Jansons Running Back Records, Kitsune, Virgin, Dynamic Records, Boys Noize Records, Astralwerks and Pias and has throughout the years played all over the world at famous venues, clubs and festivals. They are also highly regarded for their remixes for acts such as Daft Punk ,Depeche Mode, Superorganism, Mø and many more. Digitalism have became synonymous with unique electronic productions, a crossover sound with roots in both indie, techno and pop. Digitalisms music also appears in countless video games and syncs (Recent campaigns Nissan Leaf, past campaigns Vodafone, Fifa, Gran Turismo and many more).

The fifth album by Rhys Celeste aka Microlith on Fundamental. "We always tried to release all the tracks Rhys sent to us as best as possible and this new album follows the same concept, design and the same quality standards, the best." Fundamental Records has the authorization and full support of the Rhys family to release this album and also the previous albums that Rhys composed during the years 2015 and 2016, albums that never were released on vinyl before. "We can proudly say we did all we can to keep the music of Rhys alive and available on vinyl in the best possible quality. All tracks have been thoroughly mastered for the best possible sound quality." This is the last project that will be released under the Fundamental Records label. As you can imagine they wanted to say good bye with something really special. Limited to 300 copies. No re-press.

The fourth album by Rhys Celeste aka Microlith on Fundamental. "We always tried to release all the tracks Rhys sent to us as best as possible and this new album follows the same concept, design and the same quality standards, the best." Fundamental Records has the authorization and full support of the Rhys family to release this album and also the previous albums that Rhys composed during the years 2015 and 2016, albums that never were released on vinyl before. "We can proudly say we did all we can to keep the music of Rhys alive and available on vinyl in the best possible quality. All tracks have been thoroughly mastered for the best possible sound quality." This is the last project that will be released under the Fundamental Records label. As you can imagine they wanted to say good bye with something really special. Limited to 300 copies. No re-press.

This new album is the third album Fundamental Records release from Rhys Celeste aka Microlith in last three years. "We always tried to release all the tracks Rhys sent to us as best as possible and this new album follows the same concept, design and the same quality standards, the best." Fundamental Records has the authorization and full support of the Rhys family to release this third album on Fundamental Records and also the first three albums that Rhys composed during the years 2015 and 2016, three albums that never were released in vinyl format before. "We can proudly say we made all we can to keep the music of Rhys alive and available in vinyl record format at the best possible quality. All tracks for the four albums have been thoroughly mastered for the best possible sound in vinyl record format." This is the last project that will be released under the Fundamental Records label. As you can imagine they wanted to say good bye with something really special. Limited to 300 copies. No re-press.

El Hal / The Feeling by Electric Jalaba

Share / Embed Wishlist supported by Thom D thumbnail David Wagstaff thumbnail dickbonham thumbnail kosmicanimal thumbnail Michael Anthony thumbnail Samuel Vonäsch thumbnail Sarapuaj thumbnail eddystone thumbnail albondiga thumbnail wfryco thumbnail Jason Boon thumbnail Dietmar Petschl thumbnail zrankfappa thumbnail npmarsden thumbnail calico jack thumbnail duncanamhp thumbnail Pedb thumbnail Daniel Patrick thumbnail mongeese thumbnail almo182 thumbnail silentlistener thumbnail Fulan 00:00 / 04:50 Digital Album Streaming + Download Pre-order of El Hal / The Feeling. You get 3 tracks now (streaming via the free Bandcamp app and also available as a high-quality download in MP3, Flac and more), plus the complete album the moment it’s released. releases March 19, 2021 Pre-order Digital Album €11 EUR or more Send as Gift El Hal / The Feeling (lp) Record/Vinyl + Digital Album package image Includes digital pre-order of El Hal / The Feeling. You get 3 tracks now (streaming via the free Bandcamp app and also available as a high-quality download in MP3, Flac and more), plus the complete album the moment it’s released. digital album releases March 19, 2021 item ships out within 3 days Pre-order Record/Vinyl €18 EUR Send as Gift El Hal / The Feeling (cd) Compact Disc (cd) + Digital Album package image Includes digital pre-order of El Hal / The Feeling. You get 3 tracks now (streaming via the free Bandcamp app and also available as a high-quality download in MP3, Flac and more), plus the complete album the moment it’s released. digital album releases March 19, 2021 item ships out within 3 days Pre-order Compact Disc €12 EUR or more Send as Gift 1. Tora Tora 2. Cubaili Ba 03:50 3. Agia Hausa 4. Daimla 03:56 video 5. Fulan 04:50 6. Shabakru 7. Briando 8. Tugra 9. Hindewu 10. Lagmami about Electric Jalaba comprises six accomplished musicians with an empathy that feels telepathic and a groove that immerses. In Arabic, the mother tongue of Moroccan-born singer and guimbri player Simo Lagnawi, a leading practitioner of Gnawa music in Britain, they call this indefinable quality, “El Hal” – “The feeling”. “It’s the feeling that comes when we’re playing and totally forgetting where we are,” says producer and bassist Olly Keen. “The feeling of being grabbed by the music and lost in the groove.”

El Hal is the new third album from Electric Jalaba and their first release in five years. It’s a multi-faceted work that finds the band tighter than ever, deploying a vast cache of influences across nine tracks improvised and developed in their south London studio then deftly produced by Keen. Some tracks pay homage to the origins of Gnawa music, whose repertoire of Arabic-language praise songs contains remnants of West African dialects – Bambara from Mali, Fulani and Hausa from the Sahel region – that point to a centuries-old migration.

“The trance-inducing effect of Gnawa was what hit us first. It was visceral, heart stopping,” continues Olly, whose siblings – producer/keys player Henry Keen, guitarist/ multi-instrumentalist Nathaniel Keen and singer/multi-instrumentalist Barnaby Keen – make up Electric Jalaba alongside revered Anglo-Italian kit drummer Dave De Rose and Simo on vocals, krakeb and guimbri. “Simo selected the chant from the traditional song suites and, as a band, we extended these short pieces of ceremonial music and experimented with sound and structure,” explains Olly.

Tracks include the funky single ‘Cubaili Ba’ featuring the disco-fied patterns of a Juno synth and the drumming of De Rose; ‘Agia Hausa’ is a multi-layered wig-out that partly takes its inspiration from Senegal’s fiercely percussive mbalax rhythms and ‘Daimla’ is a gloriously dubby ode to Allah and iconic maalems including the late Mahmoud Guinea. “There’s a very strong rhythmic element within the band but because of our different perspectives but the melodic components are really unique as well,” says Henry. That feeling of being outside of yourself but totally within yourself at the same time… That’s what all of us, collectively, are striving for.”

"Do you feel what I feel too?" Brijean Murphy floats the question at the start of Feelings, the full-length Ghostly International debut from Brijean, her collaborative project with Doug Stuart. Guided by a lush mix of charismatic keyboard chords, grooving bass lines, and radiant bongo-driven rhythms, the "Day Dreaming" lyric doubles as an invitation and a statement of intention. Brijean want you to move, physically, mentally, dimensionally; this is dance music for the mind, body, and soul. With Feelings, they've manifested a gentle collective space for respite, for self-reflection, for self-care, for uninhibited imagination and new possibilities. The album cultivates a specific vibe, a softness Murphy has come to call "romancing the psyche." Growing up in a family immersed in jazz, Latin and soul music, Murphy would become an accomplished DJ, session and live player in Oakland's diverse music scene and one of indie's most in-demand percussionists (Poolside, Toro Y Moi, U.S. Girls). In 2018, she began recording songs with multi-instrumentalist and producer Doug Stuart, who shares a background in jazz and pop in bands such as Bells Atlas, Meernaa, and Luke Temple. Following their first sessions, which resulted in the mini-album Walkie Talkie (released in 2019 on Native Cat Recordings), the duo continued freeform hangs in Oakland, inviting friends Chaz Bear, Tony Peppers, and Hamir Atwal. "We improvised on different feels for hours," says Murphy. "Nothing quite developed at first but we had seeds. We re-opened the sessions a couple months later, after returning from tours, and spent a month developing the songs in a little 400 square foot cottage." Aforementioned album opener "Day Dreaming" is a dynamic celebration of newness: the excitement in finding deeper understandings of yourself as you get to know someone, something, or somewhere new. "Wifi Beach" drops a pin in pure psych-pop exotica. With Atwal on drums, Stuart on bass, Peppers on keys, and Bear engineering, the group improvised the track's intro sequence based on the vision of a lavish 1970s pool party. Establishing the scene is a mid-frequency drum kit disco shuffle augmented by tight congas and timbale effect, as Murphy sings in spurts: "I want to be / Deep in love / I want to be / Say you love me too / I want to be / Honey." The stanzas cut between "reflective moments of wants and being overwhelmed by feelings of the present," she explains. "A lot of the `love songs' I write are to my psyche, self-reflections on how to encourage tender perspectives and make more time for the sweet stuff." Though there is a loose, dance-oriented motif throughout, the material gives way to somnolent turns. On "Ocean," Brijean's anodyne lyrics, reminiscent of Astrud Gilberto's airy croon, float atop a brushed drum pattern, sparkling rhodes lines, and pittering and softly funky woodblock bops. The opening line sets up the rest, "In this gentle space we lay" _ among the album's propensity for movement, tracks like "Ocean" stand out by leaning back for momentary sways of blissful introspection. Murphy calls the charming "Hey Boy" a "psychedelic guide _ the exploration of finding what feels good _ through sorrow, anxiety, apathy." This mentality applies to Feelings on the whole: in these nebulous and verdant worlds of hazy melodies, feathery hooks, and percussive details, the songs simply want us to feel alive. They radiate in wonderful abandon and with a sense of devotion to the self. Riyl: Stereolab, Astrud Gilberto, Air, Little Dragon, Broadcast, Khruangbin, Poolside.

Somewhere Between: Mutant Pop, Electronic Minimalism & Shadow Sounds of Japan 1980–1988 hovers vibe–wise between two distinct poles within Light In The Attic’s acclaimed Japan Archival Series—Kankyō Ongaku: Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980–1990 and Pacific Breeze: Japanese City Pop, AOR & Boogie 1976–1986. All three albums showcase recordings produced during Japan’s soaring bubble economy of the 1980s, an era in which aesthetic visions and consumerism merged. Music echoed the nation’s prosperity and with financial abundance came the luxury to dream.

Sonically, Somewhere Between mines the midpoint between Kankyō Ongaku’s sparkling atmospherics and Pacific Breeze’s metropolitan boogie. The compilation encompasses ambient pop, underground electronics, liminal minimalism and shadow sounds—all descriptors emphasizing the hazy nature of the nebula. Out–of–focus rhythms wear ethereal accoutrements, ballads are shrouded in static, and angular drums snake skyward on transcendent tones. From the Avant–minimalism of Mkwaju Ensemble and Yoshio Ojima, to the leftfield techno-pop of Mishio Ogawa and Noriko Miyamoto (featuring members of Ymo), and highlights from the groundbreaking Osaka underground label Vanity Records, these are blurry constellations defying collective categorization.

These tracks also exist in a space of transition when the major label grip on the Japanese recording market began to give way to the escalation of independents. Thanks to the idyllic economic climate and innovations in domestically–manufactured music gear, creators on the edges were empowered to focus on satisfying their artistic visions in the open headspace of home studios. While labels like Warner Music and Nippon Columbia explored new sounds through traditional channels, it was possible for Vanity, Balcony and other indie labels, not to mention self–released artists like Ojima and Naoki Asai, to publish their work via affordable media such as cassettes, 7" vinyl, and flexi–discs.

Expertly curated by Yosuke Kitazawa and Mark “Frosty” McNeill (dublab), Somewhere Between is a collection of music, much of it released for the first time outside Japan, that is bound more by energetic vibration than shared history, genre or scene. They are the sounds of transition and searching—a celebration of the freedom found in floating.

Note: The track “Days Man” by Yoshio Ojima is only available on the LP and Cassette versions.

Design - Ed Bidgood Produced and Written by - Matthew James Brewer Mixed by – Matthew James Brewer and Gareth Metcalf Mastered by - Matt Colton @ Metropolis Studios

Safe In The Steep Cliffs' represents the tightest, most unique, most organic beats I've made in the last three years. This album has a new palette of sounds and samples from around the world, including more original recordings (guitar/violin/mandolin/banjo) and new guest artists including Japanese jazz musician Uyama Hiroto. It's ominous and overgrown, dense and ethereal. And epic. Always epic.

Music From Memory is delighted to be turning 50 with a special release: Mfm050 - V/A - Virtual Dreams: Ambient Explorations In The House & Techno Age, 1993-1997 (3xLP/2xCD). The first in a series of compilations, alongside more in depth artist-focused releases, Virtual Dreams will delve into music produced during the 1990’s that redefined the boundaries of ‘Ambient’. This was music that explored the possibilities of Ambient music within a new setting, created often by House & Techno music producers for a world beyond dance floors but made very much with the pre and post-clubbing listener in mind. When House and Techno exploded out of America in the mid 1980s a whole generation was redefined not only musically but also culturally and chemically speaking. Peaking, quite literally, with a second ‘Summer of Love’ in 1988, millions of young people across the world would experience the life-changing ups of a brave new world but with it of course came the downs; enter the concept of a ‘Chill-out’ room. Whilst early Chill-out rooms lacked a specific sound and were often soundtracked by music such as reggae and soul, slowly young Techno and House producers themselves would become increasingly interested in developing a futuristic ‘Ambient’ soundtrack to a world beyond the thud of the main room. ‘Ambient’ in this new age now though had sharper teeth than in Brian Eno's key text for ‘Music for Airports’, instead here the sounds were the mode of transport rather than the backdrop. While the melodies were pretty, the soundscape steered away from the pastoral, dreaming of outer-space and technology as opening up exciting new dimensions. Much like in the first Summer Of Love; the musicians were again exploring psychedelic, mind-altering and transcendental possibilities of music. And also much as in the first Summer Of Love, a psychedelic visual language would accompany the music. Though now the tracks could be accompanied by music videos, utilising early CGI techniques, they would look almost entirely to the future: envisioning technology, nature and humanity intertwined in a new Utopian future. Virtual Dreams of a better world. From Ambient and early Chill-out classics, to lesser known one-off projects, as well as Ambient deviations by some of House and Techno’s leading producers, Volume One of Virtual Dreams features tracks by Bedouin Ascent, LA Synthesis, LFO, Marc Hollander, Mark Pritchard & Kirsty Hawkshaw, Richard H. Kirk and more. To celebrate our 50th release the first 1000 copies include a holographic 'Virtual Dreams' sticker plus a special insert poster with artwork by Victoria Pacheco and design by Steele Bonus.

On 11 October 2010, Brainfeeder released the debut album by a 23 year old ex-skater, painter and music producer from Chino Hills called Teebs (real name Mtendere Mandowa). The title 'Ardour' means great enthusiasm, love or passion and was a fitting descriptor for his inherently warm, lushly textured beats. It’s an undisputed classic in the Brainfeeder canon and more widely considered an essential chapter in the ever-evolving puzzle of the global “beat scene”.

Brainfeeder and Teebs are celebrating the 10th anniversary with a limited special edition reissue of this landmark record. Pressed on deep pink 2LP and housed in a beautiful gatefold sleeve with artwork by Teebs himself, the new edition features six previously unreleased bonus tracks.

With roots at the ‘My Hollow Drum’ collective, Dublab and Low End Theory, Teebs has been a staple in Los Angeles music. “My creative family in LA is so important,” he explains. “It’s a part of who I am when I step outside and how others in LA view me. I love the feeling of community and trying to understand how I can be useful in it.”

Following 'Ardour' (2010), Teebs released 'Collections' (2011), 'Estara' (2014) and, after a 5 year hiatus, his most recent album 'Anicca' in 2019, with the help of a host of musical friends including Panda Bear (Animal Collective), Sudan Archives, Ringgo Ancheta aka MNDSGN, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and Anna Wise. Universally acclaimed, Pitchfork gave 'Anicca' a glowing 7.8 review hailing Mandowa’s “effortless, shape-shifting tracks that make time stand still.” Meanwhile, FADER described the record as “deeply atmospheric... cool-headed and uncanny.”

Out of print on CD for almost two decades, Cold Spring are proud to announce the official reissue of a much sought after 'Best Of' set by the acclaimed esoteric experimental pioneers Coil, with 'A Guide For Beginners - The Voice Of Silver' and 'A Guide For Finishers - A Hair Of Gold' being made available together in one deluxe set.

This edition includes an art print only available at HHV. One copy per customer.

Ever since Actress hinted at a new album back in May 2019, we have been waiting with open ears and arms, for Karma & Desire to arrive. With a single 49-minute track '88' uploaded on Bandcamp earlier this year, it was a palette cleanser for what is to come. For this new record, we see Darren Cunningham returning in true Actress form, alongside the now revealed list of mystery collaborators - Mercury Prize winner Sampha, singer and songwriter Zsela, Aura T-09, pianist and conductor Vanessa Benelli Mosell and vocalist Rebekah Christel.

Several of the tracks on Karma & Desire find Darren Cunningham leaning into the sort of hazy, slightly hypnagogic synthscapes which have cropped up repeatedly throughout his output as Actress. Cuts such as ‘Gliding Squares’ have a quality about them which is pitched between dreamy reverie and something more unsettling. It is a sound which means that Karma & Desire can count both Dean Blunt and David Lynch as points of reference. When house and techno beats enter the fray they almost emerge out of these synthetic fogs - even the more lively joints still crackle and hiss with an alluring softness. In this manner, Karma & Desire harks back to previous Actress LPs such as AZD, though there is often a wintry quality to the more beat-driven tracks here which mark them out as unique to this LP.

There are several moments on Karma & Desire where Actress follows his nose to end up in electronic terrain that is difficult to name. The rhythms on ‘Loose’, for instance, draw from juke and ‘Pulse X’-era Eskibeat, but the way in which strange clouds of sound are created from keyboards and Rebekah Cristel’s faraway vocals means that the track is only really comparable to the experiments of Inga Copeland. Furthermore, the points where the piano is played, frequently deliver some of the most beautiful moments here, be they the sparse ‘Public Life (feat. Vanessa Benelli Mosell)’ or the soulful lilt of ‘Walking Flames (feat. Sampha)’.

Karma & Desire brings a surreal beauty to Actress’ typically innovative brand of electronic composition.

After scoring one of the most critically acclaimed film scores of recent history Uncut Gems in 2019, artist and producer Daniel Lopatin is back with his new album Magic Oneohtrix Point Never.

Named as a reference to a misheard play on words of Boston’s Magic 106, it is a nostalgic reference to radio landscapes. Loosely structured on radio's journey from day into night, it is interspersed with digital hallucinations that appear as ghosts between the dials. Collaging together "archival recordings of various American FM station’s “format flips”, in which detourned DJ sign-offs collide with advertisements and self-help mantras to form darkly humorous reflections on American music culture."

The album’s opening ‘DRIVE TIME SUITE’ is Magic Oneohtrix Point Never’s appeal in microcosm. Curtain-raising vignette ‘Cross Talk I’ crams hypnagogic infomercial sounds and uncanny, Holly Herndon-esque vocal manipulations into a mere twenty-two seconds, its sharp aural left-turns prefiguring the FM radio-style shifts which periodically break up Magic Oneohtrix Point Never. ‘Auto & Allo’ subsequently expands this aesthetic, its halcyon electronics and twisted echoes of baroque-pop landing somewhere between Sophie and Actress. The balladic elements which lurk in ‘Auto & Allo’ are brought out further still on the following number ‘Long Road Home’, a track where Lopatin’s robotified vocals are accompanied by Caroline Polachek and set against a hyperreal chamber-pop instrumental.

Magic Oneohtrix Point Never is another thrilling, boundary-pushing record of electronic compositions from this multi-faceted artist. It amalgamates his rich history of production work, his chamber-pop songwriting of his previous albums and his earlier explorations of plunderphonics, into a record that is as much of a reference to the artist's past, as Lopatin dialling inwards into his sonic world of 0PN, creating a parallel universe for the listener to exist in, during these tumultuous times.

Artwork by Robert Beatty