Figure Electronic & Dance 31 Items

An abundant EP of Charlotte de Witte, presenting four carefully crafted tunes, both for peak time and beyond. Title track Vision is on the prowl, baring its gnarly teeth only for flashes at a time. Even more menacing seems Out of Balance‘ a haunting tempest forming and ready to break loose at any moment. Kangding Ray surprises on the flip, his tribal stomping remix drawing a whirling vortex, breaking into realms of celestial and colorful trance. Unthoughtful reveals de Witte‘s emotive side, the cinematic stepper perfectly closing out her first release for Figure.

Dropping as the second standalone EP ahead of Len Faki’s highly anticipated debut album Fusion (due out later this year), this release provides a new outlook on the producer’s sounds, going far beyond the confines of techno that he previously has been known and lauded for.

Opening the record in bold yet sensible style, Gamma subtly transcends the dancefloor functionality by anchoring its driving momentum in a wistful and enigmatic melody; a regular of Berghain, Faki also occasionally plays the upstairs room - where the bumping house of his own It's Time (to Move Your Body) could well go down as the highlight of a long night, whizzing with of colourful synths and anthemic vocals. Yantra then is a reminder of the powerful, loopy and trippy techno, which Faki (amongst all the newfound sonic explorations) has still not lost his appetite and knack for. A genuine counterpart, Shri Yantra then picks up elements of its predecessor, reframed in an enveloping breakbeat journey through time and space.

Going past the constraints of his previous work, Faki’s signature style is still very much audible on this EP, while also showing how there are still endless possibilities to develop. Stay tuned for one more special EP (x35) before the final release of the Fusion double album!

Announcing the release of Len Faki’s extended debut album, Figure x34 is the first in a series of special EPs that give a glimpse into the body of work which the label head has put together as Fusion over the course of the last two years. Using the double album format, Faki finally found himself free to explore the whole breadth of electronic club culture, inspired by decades worth of his own experiences as a DJ and clubgoer.

Don’t be Stupid Day, centered around the namesake vocal, is a slow-burning, deep techno roller, while Hymn (In The Name of Fantasy) contrasts a dreamy, wisp-like melody with heavy punches of broken up bass. Both cleverly represent the wide variety of sounds found on the more ambient and house-leaning disc 2 of the album.
Disc 1 is a contemporary take on the techno that has defined Faki’s life and career since the 90s. Hymn (In The Name Of Freedom) borrows on the trancey lead synths and booming bass from those early days, making for an unusually euphoric and uplifting Faki track. Finally, Tempel aligns with his reputation as a DJ, steadily layering mechanic percussion for an ever-increasing sense of rhythmic urgency.

A bold introductory statement, Figure x34 already gives an exciting taster of what is to be expected on the full double LP Fusion coming later this year.
Watch out for two more special EPs (x35 / x37) to be released ahead of the final album drop!

London based Biri has long been a part of the extended Figure family, first releasing on Figure Jams in 2019, appearing again on the electronica compilation series Open Space. With Figurex36 we finally get his first full solo EP, and it’s a proper statement of his artistic breadth as an accomplished techno producer.

Proving his club-readiness, opener Point Zero comes with all the right assets: functional, fast and equipped a propulsive bass-charge that ramps the velocity alongside grooving slabs of synth for a searing finale. A beautifully intertwined web of chopped up amens and cascading arps is Upward Spiral, showcasing Biri’s gathered influences from living in both London and Berlin. On the flip there’s Clarity, an atmospheric roller of booming bassline, brooding trance stabs and no-nonsense rhythmics. Towards the end Biri takes things deeper, blending bleeping melodies on Rotation Of Consciousness to slowly build up an icy intensity, which surges until it pervades all of space around the stomping beat. Bonus track Rather See My Heart Turn Crystal comes only on the digital release, telling a story of melancholy and longing through swelling synths and broken percussion.

Kristian is a new anonymous project on Figure Music, exploring a different kind of sound that is based on subtly nuanced live jams and oriented towards a slightly more raw house and dubby-related style.

Opener Doubtful makes a strong first impression as Kristian weaves together lush, cheerful chords with a tight yet rolling bass momentum, carrying the track forward effortlessly. In stark contrast, Dry Dub is groove reduced to its bare essence. A straight-up drum track made of sparse elements that confidently unfold their subliminal power over time.

The flip holds cuts that really want to spring to life. Swirly, dubbed-out sounds create a colorful and dynamic palette, rapidly changing in movement and direction. Insider riffs on heavily animated, filtered synth action, while closing track Worthiness goes deep and spacey, oozing with warm machine charm, squelching acid, and bubbly bass.

Open Space Vol. 2 A year after its first edition, the Open Space series returns in order to keep exploring what ambient music might mean nowadays. A breadth of fresh artists, some new to the label and others renowned for their more dance-centric works, the compilation aims to give each individual artist their creative freedom to explore the space. Techno producers such as Arthur Robert or label head Len Faki himself keep the beats present but this time focus on evoking states of introspection rather than the shuffle of dancefloors. On the other end of the spectrum, we find seasoned multi-instrumentalist Laraaji, who has been crafting deeply meditative soundscapes since the 80’s. Using the special opportunity, the label reaches outside its usual sphere, inviting artists like the modular synth expert Jeremy Wentorth or Jimmy LaValle’s band project The Album Leaf. All while still featuring some well known veteran producers the likes of John Beltran or Exos. No matter their respective scene or background, all artists are using their unique approach to display something deeply emotive. Be it the warm, expansive electro of Future Beat Alliance or a bubbly cosmic arpride by Hamburg Duo Can Love Be Synth. Truly living up to its name, the Open Space series aims to open up possibilities for artists to freely pursue their creativity in a completely undefined area, a space for exploration and connection. Artwork by Anna Rupprecht

Adiel slowly emerged from the Rome underground onto international dancefloors, from local residencies to renowned festival stages. Following a steady slew of quality releases for her own label, the Italian producer now signs with Figure to show just how far she’s gotten. Right out the gate, Adiel proves her versatility. Method is an intricate, moody stepper, harking back to early Burial with its grimey atmosphere and skeletal breakbeats, complete with ghostly vocals and a cascading synth line, which ties it all together. Showing Adiel’s love for analog drum machines, Mad builds on a dry but lively pattern, with swelling acid arps slowly creeping in until it all breaks down in a sea of squelches, only to emerge again with full force. The B-side goes deep and fast, panning percussion setting the bleak scene for a vividly arp-driven ride beneath a starry sky. Slowing things down to a half-time measure, the final composition leaves lots of room for the finely measured details such as bubbling acid, raw drums, and trippy voices to merge in one last soothing swirl of sound. With such a strong repertoire at her fingertips, Figure X27 shows Adiel as a promising producer who has found her unique voice and is sure to make her way in the years to come.

Dutch mainstay Jeroen Search is a true genius of building linear grooves, either subtly breathing or powerfully bouncing. His Figure release following the 2018 LP Monism reflects this aptly once more. Minimalistic, hypnotic loops simply introduce the varied 5-track EP, followed up some by some heavyweight acid-house punchlines. The flip makes its name, changing course again in order to head deeper for a more heads-down exploration of the bleep-space nebula. Sitting firmly nestled in the center of the record, Magnet Tapes is that endless loop suspended in time and space, slowly working its way into one’s consciousness with every repetition.

In a year of global shift and continuous changes, Figure takes a leap of faith and extends its catalog by introducing a completely new compilation series to the label. The Open Space series will feature forward-thinking Electronica and Ambient from a well-curated list of seasoned producers. Compositions that invite to let the mind wander, weaving stories, and conjuring up emotions. While these softer genres have already played a respected role in former Figure releases, for the first time in the label’s history they are now being given the center stage.

Kangding Ray consistently fascinates the scene with his unique style that is bridging the dance floor and abstract electronic composition, talking equally to the mind and the body. His first record for Figure spans exactly that arc, introducing to the label something both for headphones as it is built for the big clubs. The tracks on X13 feel as intimate as the artist‘s work on other long players but are focused clearly on impacting the physical realm. Teeming with ideas, he first lets his modular synths sway and turn loosely before switching it to a more bassy and propulsive approach on the flip. Balancing cinematic strings against stepping rhythms, the EP‘s closing track is another prime example of this producer‘s skill to craft something which holds up as an abstract piece of art as much as it does yield a lot of emotional tension.

UBX127 signs back in with Figure for an EP that is maybe his most intricate as to date. Four groovy alien transmissions, sent in directly from his headquarters somewhere in the outer rims of Saturn. Seemingly effortless these creatures build their momentum, treating the theme of miniscule power to the maximum effect. The tracks have an elegant air to them, each moving gently at its own pace. Whether through ticks and bleeps, finely plucked 303s or swaying dub chords; all the sounds on display know how to work their magic for some stellar listening experience.

Kirilik is back with another load of modular emissions, this time pressed into an EP bursting with ideas, sounding as fresh and playful as ever. Whether it‘s the full-on assault of relentless opener Quad, seemingly designed soley to make you go bonkers, or a more nuanced arrangement like Reversible that balances high-paced percussion with booming bass of the subbiest kind in order to create an usual yet irresistible dubbed-out groove. The flip generously gives a chance to catch some breath, floating gracefully shrouded in ethereal choirs atop the cosmic nebulae. Kirilik then goes out with a bang, the vivid colours of Distant Call zooming by in an instant. It‘s an elated headrush of the most gratifying kind, rounding out an EP showing once again Strahil Velchev‘s unique potential as a producer.

One year after its original release, the Placid Angles album Touch The Earth is being remixed by an impressive array of artists from the extended Figure family. With John Beltran being a distinct voice within the electronic music scene for over thirty years now, Figure is thrilled to reveal a whole LP’s worth of reinterpretations, including two works by the original artist himself.

Opening up is Marcel Dettmann, who seamlessly has integrated the lush soundscapes of the original album into a beat-driven but equally serene journey. Picking up on the LP’s underlying dark garage tropes, Planet Mu headmaster M-ziq infuses his rework with even more rolling drums and ethereal vocal chops. The also inherent IDM roots of Touch The Earth have been kept close by Warp-veterans Plaid who deliver a shuffling flurry full of horns, synths and syncopated rhythms. More straightforward interpretations include Dauwd’s dazzling piece of feathery, fast, atmospheric techno; a gorgeous melodic house remix by Baltra and Cassy who turns in a rigid UK stomper.

Amidst all the reworks, John Beltran himself makes two appearances across the record. As Placid Angles he adds another heads-down percussive/ambient swirl, which represents exactly what the producer has been hailed for since more than three decades now. His own remix finishes the record on an epic note, with an organic drum track that celebrates life and the necessity for communal gathering in order to dance. Beltran’s own additions to this LP are like the essential glue that makes it all bind together, forging the old and the new into something equally exciting as already intimately familar.

Part two of Arthur Robert’s most recent EP package showcases his atmospheric style of dubby, strong rhythms and rich, detailed sound design. On this EP Robert explores his mastery of mesmerizing machines, looping bleepy signals into trance-inducing patterns on Abundance, Watchful and Homecoming. A welcome brief respite from the madness, delicate ambient interlude You Cannot Hurt Me twinkles soothingly, as does the warmth offered by subdued hazy chords on the almost housy Tunnelvision. Such versatility not only further establishes Arthur Robert as one of current Techno’s most promising producers but also makes this EP package a strong contender for one of the year’s defining releases.

A year from his latest release on Figure, Arthur Robert clocks back in with two full EPs. The first one is a jam-packed 5-tracker, sporting full-on peak time thrill rides such as electrifying elated opener Mastermind or its more brawny brother, the bellowing beast that is stab-driven roller Relentless. But x31 features also Robert’s more introspective side, be it the glowing experimental excursion of What We Do With Our Time or the dreamy half-time stepper Cosmic Traveler. Fans of his more hypnotic techno productions will find joy in the modular magic of Rising, hinting at what’s to come on x32.

Mixed & programmed by Matthew Puffett Future Beat Alliance

Coming off the back of his critically acclaimed Indigo LP, Icelandic Techno producer Exos drops a fresh EP full of his organic electronic grooves. A1 harks back to the days of a simple, driving and addictive acid tracks, followed by some deeply hypnotic, icy rhythms on A2. The flipside’s B1 introduces a spiraling synth motif, its climatic effect another prime example of Exos’ unparalleled skill of pairing the sublime with the straight-forward. Slowing things down quite a bit, the vinyl’s last track balances between atmospheric details and gorgeous basslines, conjuring up a mystical downbeat scenery. Fashioned in much the same kind of organic texture, the digital bonus track builds upon the enchanted vibes for another percussive excursion into unchartered psychedelic territory.

His sixth EP on the Figure label catalogue, Brain Mechanix, finds the Stockholm producer Ubx127 once again in top form. Enhancing the proven formula, Ubx127 combines outer-space atmospherics with heavy slabs of techno that will shake up any soundsystem. Revolving around a dusky vocal, opener Freek sets a hazy mood with chugging rhythms and some massive bass. Bastun then builds its eerie character on steady drums and squelching tones, before a hypnotic synth finally takes over. A perfect example of finely trimmed minimalism, soothing B1 Likstroem carries itself by the presence of its rising and falling dub chords alone. Marking the culmination of the vinyl release, Teleport Into Space combines all of Ubx127’ core qualities into a lengthy, albeit deeply rewarding ride throughout the stratosphere.

Ever effervescent producer Kangding Ray continues to connect experimentalism and dancefloor, hitting home hard on his newest EP on Figure. Storming out of the gate, Doppler Shift packs the momentum to take off, its dry-thumping arp-ride raising the levels from zero to hero. Meditating on murky sounds, Branches displays the producer’s extraordinary skills at splicing together seemingly disparate DNA of sounds to create otherworldly but compelling tapestries of rhythm. Turning things for the flip, from colourful dub chords emerges Terra, a driving tune reminiscent of the 90’s spacey chill-out-rooms of. Taking it a notch deeper, Robust builds its lively groove around modular experimentations, the machines ultimately becoming an extension of the artist himself. A special bonus for the digital version, final track Deeper begins unassumingly beatless, only to pick up the pace for a blissfully trancey journey.

Vinyl with a couple of light scuffs, close to VG+

When the first Placid Angels album dropped in 1997, Jon Beltran was already an established force within dance music’s then-emerging scene. He had a knack for both the melodic side as well as intricately designed rhythmic programming. A signature style that went for his early records in the 1990s as much as it does for this new installment of the Placid Angles series. The blissful synths, Aphex Twin-era IDM and loose percussive patterns take you right back to where it all began when genres didn’t mean anything and Beltran was just starting out to experiment with any sound that would elevate your consciousness. The Michigan-born artist since has spanned a career of nearly four decades, remaining relevant all the while, by playing the music he found himself most drawn to express. By working with artists like Detroit veteran Carl Craig, labels such as R&S or more recently his LPs for Delsin or his joint work with Four Tet. Whether it be his more Techno-leaning or New Wave-inspired works, his takes on Ambient, or the more Latin-influenced productions - he has always stayed active and re-invented himself while painting his records with a clearly own palette that is full of beautiful melodies and a timeless sound-design. The album Touch The Earth itself comes as diverse as the artist’s own legacy, ranging from skittish, colorful UKG to proper pulsing sub-basslines as it progresses deeper into intelligent drum programming and further into the melodic ventures of what’s at the core of Beltran’s work.

What better way to start the new year than with New Dawn, the Figure premiere of Japanese techno exporter and groove connaisseur Wata Igarashi. His psychedelic grooves are currently some of the most sought after material out there, shimmering with life, richly laden with crystalline arps and swirling synth lines. On his first outing for Figure hi finely detailed compositions merge into a sound that is equally dense as it becomes wildly mesmerizing. Loops stacked on top of each other for maximum effect, building a sense of depth and connection, and developing their captivatingness over each track’s full runtime. Igarashi uses strict linear progression and a set of vibrant ideas in order to create four hypnotic pieces that range from rumbling low-end bass to propulsive and driving acid to rattling percussion and finally round out the package with some trippy off-kilter rhythms.

Benjamin Damage reports back for a fresh slice of his singular strain of modern-day Techno.

Straight from the confines of her chosen Berlin home, Starlight impresses with an update of her singular, machine-driven techno. Ranging from banging to introspective, this record shows the artist at her most versatile yet, pairing her signature bone-dry analogue output with emotive atmospherics and playful vibrancy. Starting out deep, A1 contrasts uptempo acid licks with grand layers of strings, followed by the slowly building, equally vibey A2. Panoramic washes create an ambience of space, the elastic kick steadily holding down the floor until a late swash of percussion seals the deal. The flip carries one of Starlight’s most abrasive moments, featuring rave-style sirens right out the gate, treated to some crazy live filtering with epic acidic effects. Mysterious grooves on the last track, its offbeat synth swaying an electric tension, restrained yet powerful.

Antigone, Efdemin, Margaret Dygas, Echoplex Soleil Remixes. Roman Poncet’s 2018 debut LP stands an impressive work in its own right. Now Figure has invited a group of artists to contribute new takes on standout album cuts. Some clearly for the floor, some nestling on its verges. But all adding to the unique Gypsophila-vibe.

After his debut last year, The Eskapist re-appears from the shadows for another double-episode of the story.

All things come from and return to the same source – such is the theory of Monism; an ancient philosophy, but also accounting for the music of Jeroen Search. Dictated by an ethos of exclusively recording live takes and the only ever editing happening while a tune is being created, each finished track is imbued with that unique magic of the moment. Such too is the nature of Monism, Search‘s first LP in over two decades of electronic explorations and personal as well as artistic growth. As with any of his music that has been released so far, the tracks on here hold a timeless quality, existing within their own frame of reference than – that is their immediate experience. Across a carefully arranged course, the album naturally unravels its many ideas, ranging from moments of pensive ambient pieces to thick washes of dub echo and layers of modulated synths, all while providing an endless array of hypnotizing bare-bone grooves in the process. A true Figure mainstay, Jeroen Search upholds his artistic relevancy without any reinventing or switching up the formula – rather by simply keeping true to his accomplished craft.

A download code is included. Setaoc Mass, Juxta Position, Roman Poncet, Viers, Nocow, Kirilik, Lady Starlight, UBX127, Len Faki, Pablo Mateo, Shlomi Aber, Truncate, Lewis Fautzi, Jeroen Search, Amotik, Setaoc Mass. elebrating its 15th anniversary as well as the monolithic catalogue 100, Figure releases a gem-packed compilation featuring 15 artists who are shaping the current sound of the label. Ranging from machine-driven stompers courtesy of Juxta Position, Kirilik or Lady Starlight, to punchy electro by Viers and UBX127, to Nocow‘s signature style wavey melancho-electronics, or the straight-up high-voltage-techno of Shlomi Aber, Lewis Fautzi and captain Len Faki himself, all adequately framed by Setaoc Mass‘ beautiful ambient pieces – this 4 LP-set encompasses everything Figure both past, present and future. Arriving in a unique gatefolded sleeve that carries the exclusive handmade visual art by Munich artist Julia Schewalie. Whether long time fan or newly recruited follower, this one is a must-have entry in every techno-lover‘s collection.

Zemlya (earth), the final installment of Nocow‘s three-part EP-series for Figure unearths the artist‘s maybe most drastic work to date. While opener Libbi still sprouts gently into crystalline arteries of ambiance, the incessant arps of Synchronicity loom ominously. Equally challenging, yet offering conciliation in form of string-led soothing is Rave Button, after which the record finds closure in the seemingly open-ended sound spiral of Troubles Will Be Miles Away.

incl. Sigha Remix

A year after his extremely versatile debut EP for Figure, Viers comes out with another batch of tunes that again set him apart from his peers both in production value and creativeness. Touching on the tropes of classic detroit techno, Saxton presents a beautifully delicate opening track, rife with life from within the machines while still steadily thumping ahead. It’s the mix of this vital momentum together with a certain restraint, allowing each element to breath. So much that even the slightest adjuments cause maximum effectmetro, as felt on suitably titled stomper “Nothing Changed” where everything hits in exactly the right place. Same goes for the incessant dialogue of tones on “Zehn", which Sigha expands into a pensive piece, layering soothing washes of synths. Not only an exceptional EP in its own right, Figure 85 further cements Viers as a skilled craftsman with seemingly endless imagination.