Nikitch & Kuna Maze mix genres masterfully for their 'Mush EP'

You would be forgiven for thinking, upon first hearing Nikitch & Kuna Maze’s ‘JPS’, that the duo hailed from the PNW; indeed, the track begins with a taste of that easy rolling house sound that’s become a signature of the area. But no sooner than when you start to get comfortable with that opening, the French duo flips the script and break the track wide open with a bright, syncopated synth line that propels you in new energetic directions, ultimately culminating into a satisfying downtempo crescendo.

But give the rest of the EP a listen, titled ‘Mush’, and you’ll see that switching things up is less a surprise than a central theme for these artists. No two tracks have the same tempo, the genre influences are blurry and indistinct. There’s a seamless blend of syncopated instrumentation, beautiful synth programming, and crisp polyrhythmic beats; and yet, each track is also undeniably equal parts jazz, funk, and soul. It’s no wonder, then, that acid jazz pioneer Gilles Peterson has already been supporting this release. It catches the spirit of acid jazz, and places it squarely in a context that could only exist right now. Stream JPS above, and you’ll see why.

You can find the entirety of Nikitch & Kuna Maze’s Mush EP on Bandcamp, as well as on Tru Thoughts Records.

— review by autonomy

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Interstellar Art pop from LA's Death Hags

Earthbound is about the feeling of coming back to life. It's that moment when you overcome grief to see the world with new eyes -- grief over what the earth is going through, the inevitability and the scale of it, but also personal trauma.

French born, LA based composer / vocalist Lola Jean aka ‘Death Hags’ delivers a synth driven space journey with her latest single ‘Earthbound’. The music video is an homage to the sci-fi cult classic The Man Who Fell to Earth, but unlike the character played by David Bowie in the film, the cosmonaut in the video rediscovers a connection to the earth and himself.

Jean describes the track:
"Earthbound is the feeling of coming back to life. It's that moment when you overcome grief to see the world with new eyes -- grief over what the earth is going through, the inevitability and the scale of it, but also personal trauma, because they are linked… We can still heal regardless of the damage and we are still beautiful, sometimes more beautiful with the damage. The only constant is change."

The track dazzles not only in it’s conceptual depth but also vocal delivery and production. Jean’s effortless vocals seem weightless amongst a backdrop of rich synths and tape-tinged percussion. The whole track glides with a smooth mixdown and tasteful amount of reverb and effects. If you are a fan of catchy riffs, infectious vocals and spacey synth lines then Death Hags is definitely one to put in your orbit.

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Pianist Alexandra Stréliski Explores Moments of Vulnerability with INSCAPE

Listen / Buy Alexandra Stréliski's new album INSCAPE here: http://smarturl.it/Inscape Purchase the sheet music here: https://www.secretcityrecords.com/shop/inscape Concept by Édith Jorisch, Bien à vous studio Director : Édith Jorisch Producer : Guillaume Vasseur Starring : Isabelle Burgos- Adair Director of photography : Ménad Kesraoui Artistic Direction : Jeanne Joly, Patricia Lanoie

“A piano, on its own, is a very vulnerable thing, and I want to share this moment with the listener.” 

This honest confession coming from Montreal-based pianist and composer Alexandra Stréliski, commenting on her latest release, and second full length album, INSCAPE. A work that is largely characterized by vulnerability, sincerity and honesty, not only in the medium but also in it’s inspiration and delivery.

The creative medium itself, a piano laid bare, carries with it a kind of intrinsic sincerity. Nothing to hide behind, no overbearing production, nothing competing for your attention. Simply and naturally, Stréliski and her piano.

The inspiration for the album as well carries with it a kind of honest vulnerability.
“To me,” says Stréliski, “Inscape was an existential crisis. A year where everything capsized and I had to go through various interior landscapes – hectic, beautiful and painful at the same time. I found myself in a space filled with grey areas that I didn’t know how to escape.”

The album is a collection of fleeting moments which are as much an internal dialogue as they are meant for a larger audience. Coming to terms with unanswered questions and loose ends, INSCAPE is one part melancholic masterpiece and one part triumphant metamorphosis. A delicate butterfly of rare authenticity within the contemporary music landscape.

Out now from Montreal label ‘Secret City Records’
Grab the release on their website

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Genre-defying idm from French producer- bplrxxiii

i made this track with an elastick in my mounth and a nice bear hybridation panda Download for free on The Artist Union

Claes Frowein, aka bplrxxiii, is a French musician currently residing and creating in Quebec, Canada. Inspired by the techno movement that swept France, Claes started producing electronic music around 2010. 

Upon moving to Canada, Frowein started experimenting with new sounds and styles. Incorporating elements of idm, broken beat and juke into his productions, the inquisitive artist blended up his own unique brand of electronic music. 

In 2015 he released his debut EP 'La Terre est Bleue' on Montreal's On the Stick Records. The release featured 4 tracks of experimental field recordings, jittery beats, and error inducing atmospheres. Following up that release with another EP and several singles on another Montreal imprint, Full Con Records, Claes was quickly fitting right into the experimental, eclectic landscape of French Canada. 

His recent track '11panda' features a plethora of unique samples nestled against a backdrop of detailed sound design. With an unpredictable, infectious beat stumbling the track forward, the entire piece leaves us wondering what sonic treat will be hurled next at the unsuspecting listener?

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