—Release: 01 January 1998 (Precision Breakbeat Research / EMI / Intercord)

Drum & Bass project Makai‘s longplayer „Millennium“ features one of the rare tracks of the genre building on vocals (the opener „Beneath the Mask“ is based on a sample from the theme of anime classic „Ghost in the Shell“). The whole record feels like a liquid chrome-mercury blend. Shiny, dark, venomous, uncanny, cloudy, razor sharp, super tight, full of pathetic, megalomaniac urbanism. The cover illustration may suggest some kind of extraterrestrial sci-fi killer robot music, but don’t be mislead. This is more Planet Earth than you may want to know, there could be a lot of (sad) truth in it, and in that sense you may call this album dystopian.
However. It is musical brutalism executed in the most beautiful way imaginable, and „Omen“ swings like a superhuman. Still love it.
(Album available on Spotify)

Photo: promo

—Release: 19 June 2020 (Warp Records / Rough Trade)

Darkstar´s upcoming album “Civic Jams” is like a bale of cotton, fluffy to the touch, heavy to lift. I always had the impression as if I wasn’t listening via headphones, but loudspeakers. It´s like there´s clouds, unreachable, yet embracing like clouds around the mountain top you´re standing on. As you may figure, I´m quite impressed by how this album sounds. Music-wise my first association was Stevie B… Which is slightly unfair, but the grooves of this record are very 1990ies. All in all nice to listen to. Not more, not less.

(EDIT: now available on Spotify)

Photo: promo

—Release: digital 05 June 2020 (Awal) / CD + LP 19 June 2020 (Awal / Rough Trade)

Not sure about the title of Bruno Majors upcoming album. To me it sounds somewhat sad, although the record is not. Maybe a bit melancholic, but I wouldn´t even go that far. I really like the record, it´s bloody well done music, and it sounds like some classic, even timeless, salon music in parts, while being very contemporary at the same time. Very nice.

(EDIT: now available on Spotify)

Photo: promo

—Release: 12 June 2020 (Hylas Records / Indigo)

I must admit I wasn´t aware of dutch musician Thomas Azier. His upcoming album “Love, Disorderly” to me sounds kinda like Ry X shaved his beard and got off on a jet-black motorcycle . I´m totally loving this record.

(EDIT: album now available on Spotify)

Photo: promo

—Release: 29 May 2020 (Warp Records / Rough Trade)

Flying Lotus releases an instrumental of his Flamagra album. Right now, I´m having trouble writing anything meaningful about it, yet I like it. You may want to call it weird, but, I mean, in the most nicest of ways.

(EDIT: a Deluxe Edition of the album including the instrumentals is now available on Spotify)

Photo: promo

—Release: 29 May 2020  (Record Makers / Rough Trade)

Today, the video of Sébastien Telliers “Stuck in a Summer Love” is released. The song is the first single to his upcoming album “Domesticated”. Which is a totally french sounding record (think Daft Punk, Cassius, and, well, Sébastien Tellier…). It also sounds as if Giorgio Moroder was involved (which he wasn´t). Admittingly I am not Telliers biggest fan, but I like the record.
(“Stuck in a Summer Love” on YouTube)

(EDIT: album now available on Spotify)

Photo: promo