The month in music, March
The month in music, February
February 28, 2024
An Ode to Wire: Club Closures and Cultural Loss
May 1, 2024
Four new releases that have piqued our interest this month.
Move D
Something 'Bout The D EP
Move D’s Source Records is a canonical label. Three decades (and one hiatus) on from its inception, David Moufang continues to make the masses exceedingly happy with this latest release. Something ‘Bout The D sees Moufang collects three gems from his discography, previously found on VAs, and packages them together into 12 inches of deep and spacey goodness.
For those who spend unhealthy amounts of time staring at Discogs and bemoaning EU shipping costs, Marshmellow Boots is the real gem here. It’s a cosmic trip, beginning with a delicate motif and soon unfolding into a rich combination of dubbed out chords, dramatic pads and soaring strings. There’s a real sense of scale and atmosphere here, perhaps typical of the sound to be found on labels like Out To Lunch (upon which this tune was first released) and Workshop in the mid- to late-2000s.
Elsewhere on the record Aspiration 2010 brings more dubby pressure, this time accompanied by a rolling 303 line and some of the crunchiest snares this side of Detroit. It’s another track that effortlessly raises the temperature over 7+ minutes and is as captivating for home listening as it likely is on the dancefloor. Finally, Something ‘Bout The D provides ladles of deep and sexy House flavour, all splashy hi-hats and hip-shaking cowbells. All in all, this record brings together 3 varied cuts that offer a fitting testament to one of the finest oeuvres in electronic music.
LT
Verb-0 EP
The best electronic music often strikes an emotional chord. It pairs ethereal soundscapes with unwavering groove, drawing out head bops alongside a feeling of euphoric ease. Tracks that fall into this descriptive category, like Verb-Z, taken from LT’s Verb-0 EP, are hard to come by. Digging them out all too often leads to a bit of a rinse and repeat approach and this particular tune is becoming one of our most played in 2024. With it’s harmonic, deep chord progression, it’s dubbed out drum programming and earth-ending laser-like whizzes and zaps this is music to get lost in, at home or in the club.
Ilija Rudman
Unbound Gravel EP
Aside from an increasingly impressive output of new music through its main label, Binary Sound also maintains the ability to unearth 00s gems through its repress sub label Arpanet.
Arpanet’s latest offering comes from Croatian dance music heavyweight Ilija Rudman. The EP has 4 tracks which are a mixture of lesser known and unreleased numbers from the late 2000s era. All carrying distinct markings of French groove coming out during this time, Unbound Gravel EP offers an effective contrast of playfulness with dirty electro bass.
‘You Know’, probably the most known of the EP, delivers infectious groove through a raw analog bassline which serves as the core of what is in essence an incredibly fun and euphoric song. Accompanied with manipulated vocals and a vast array of jolly synths, the exuberance on display could get even the most miserable Scrooge tapping their toes.
The EP follows suit with a very similar format from here. Fine lines and slight nods to a range of genres including Italo and Nu-Disco (to name a couple) all contribute to what is an incredibly cohesive collection of music. It’s the type of record you can shamelessly play front to back in a set whilst feeling no faux pas guilt whatsoever.
You can preorder the record here.
Various Artists
Deciphered Mysteries EP
Curated by Youtube channel legend CMYK and Pekkuliar, Barcelona-based Kommuna have been dishing out an eclectic mix of celestial offerings for almost a decade. Their latest VA Deciphered Mysteries follows in suitably cosmic style.
Tibahuult kicks things off on the A-side with a cheeky slice of electro-pop that fits neatly into the burgeoning retro-futura sound. All the trademark components are here; robotic vocals, 80’s chord stabs and a pulsating low-end. Cue the languid forearm swings and contented smirks.
Tokyo Heist is a pitched down garage number which entwines dramatic strings and a tight arrangement of kicks and snares. Paired with playful samples such as “I don’t have time for verbal volleyball” this one is chocka with mischief.
Groenogen’s April Diversion well and truly takes the cake however. Fusing together choppy percussion, woozy synths and a boisterous bassline straight out of the Slapfunk playbook, this has raucous dancefloor potential.
Rounding the EP off on a softer note is Claat’s Neptune Concept, a real intergalactic cruiser of a tune. Delicate shakers & snares mingle with a flanged out 303 to blissful effect. All this is buoyed by interjections of floaty low-end and an instructive set of interstellar vocals.
Get yourself signed up for the vinyl waitlist here.
