Finding freedom with Brutalist's 'Movements'

The new single from Brutalist 'Movements'. Out now via Good Manners Records. Stream the track - lnk.to/brutalistmvmts Pre-save the EP Michael J Fox, out Sept...

After a four year hiatus, the Melbourne based production duo ‘Brutalist’ teases their new EP with the single ‘Movements’

Exploring new realms in expansive electronica, producers Lucianblokamp and John Hassell incorporate elements of classical, electronic and industrial to weave melancholic narratives of after hour enigmatic environments. With the two first meeting at a gig in 2015, their creative connection continued to grow despite Hassell returning to his home in the UK.

The duo’s debut release ‘Brutalist Mixtape’ made waves back in 2016, celebrated both for it’s cohesive sound and wide range of sonic environments across the 7 tracks. With the single ‘Strep’ serving as the the driving force of the release, the two felt that it perfectly represented their sound and creative direction. The track also featured a hypnotizing Tokyo-centric video filmed and directed by Australian filmmaker Rory Pearson.

With momentum building for their new EP ‘Michael J Fox’- two singles have already been unleashed for their fans listening pleasure. With the first single ‘South Street’ serving as a homage to the whimsical west London flat of Hassell, where he spent many a years collaborating with Lucian from the other side of the world. South street also features a computerized hybrid styled video from digital artist Yuma Burgess, further expanding on the sense of place both real and virtual explored in the single. The second single just released about a week ago, ‘Movements’ takes a slightly more melancholic and brooding approach exploring ideas of isolation and seclusion.

Hassell states; 'Movements came about after a very harsh English winter, where there was an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia. That desperate need to move despite everything telling you not to. It doesn't aim to provide hope or comfort, but rather an erratic desire to feel somewhat free.'

Brutalist’s new EP ‘Michael J Fox’ is our September 18th
Pre-order it on Bandcamp and stream the singles on Spotify

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Mechanical delicacy, Varsity Star brings out ’Headphones Kid’

Provided to YouTube by DistroKid Headphones Kid · Varsity Star Headphones Kid ℗ Star Player Sporting Goods Released on: 2020-06-30 Auto-generated by YouTube.

Varsity Star is an artist whose main habitat of operation is down in Brooklyn, although previous releases have demonstrated that the environment of music that he’s involved himself with is much more far reaching. His first full length release followed a move to Berlin, and his much more recent LP ‘Things Look Better from Far Away’ is evidence of the lasting effect that the travels in Europe had on his sound.

As promised, new tracks have followed the larger release, with the suggestion that things will build up to another extended collection of work. UK IDM still keeps a grip on the rhythmic construction and calm progression which form the core of Varsity Star’s music, with elements of glitch embraced to present electronic elements of raw, melodic quality.

Now with two tracks made public last month, Varsity Star continues his characteristic trend of electronic inclusion. ‘Slinky’ establishes itself with a loosely retrained bass line which grinds along tempered by the digital overtones which create an atmosphere of shimmering, machine light. Dropped this week, a more even-tempered approach has been taken with ‘Headphones Kid’, where the synth works to both facilitate a smooth flow and tilt the mood to something perceptibly off beat.

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Asta Hiroki brings textured hip hop to the Future Archive collaboration

Back in 2018, Future Archive Recordings started marking out their place in the electronic scene and supporting music in a way that suited them and the artists they worked with.  Skip ahead a couple of years and they’ve just released FUTURE ARCHIVE VOL 2 on May 29th, with Asta Hiroki heading up the collection of indie electronica.

Hiroki’s sound is affected by the UK resident’s work as an audio specialist for video games, contemporary dance and art installations, influences that find their way into the foundations of his ventures into experimental hip hop. There are aspects of lo-fi and glitch to be found in his tracks, as well as the occasional touch of soulful jazz.

The Future Archive collaboration album will be featuring Hiroki’s abstract hip hop track ‘You & Me’, a downtempo offering which builds upon a single melodic vocal sample repeated and re-edited to the point that it attains a hypnotic quality. ‘You & Me’ will be released alongside work from 14 other artists connected to the label, including Sun Glitters, Yppah and newer artists like Daily Bread. The compilation album is set to be ambitious, pulling in future garage, dark synth, downtempo, and future R&B. Asta Hiroki is relatively new to the label, but finds himself in good company.

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The individual approach of SigObrilllAndo – True Mental

"True Mental" es el primer single del nuevo álbum de SigObrilllAndo, "Cosmic Zoo". Siguiendo la línea experimental de sus últimos dos lanzamientos, Landini agrega nuevos ritmos de percusión latina, sintetizadores profundos y beats electrónicos. Descarga en: https://samsararcds.bandcamp.com/album/true-mental-single - Web: www.sigobrilllando.com - Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/sigobrilllando/sets - Instagram: www.instagram.com/sigobrilllando/ - Facebook: www.facebook.com/sigobrilllando/ Producido, mezclado y masterizado por José Cerda ( ESDLCP / Bruxista ) Samsara Records.

Unlike some of our submissions, True Mental by SigObrilllAndo is a track that’s been given time to spread its wings, reaching a little past six minutes. It’s not the most predictable of productions either. My expectations of a sudden, heavier pulse of bass taking advantage of the song’s build up took a while to recede, as I realised there was no incoming acceleration.

Personally, I tend to hear more songs that have sudden, dramatic changes in rhythm or style, designed to catch the listener and guide their perception. In contrast, there’s a unique kind of value in the way that True Mental seems much less concerned about the audience, and entirely at ease with the sound it delivers. The introductory hits of percussion were something I expected to be quickly discarded in favour of more impactful bass or synth, but instead SigObrilllAndo keeps the faith, letting the percussion roll through as the key player.

That’s not at all to say this is a song without variety. The track brings us through soft vocals, a pleasingly funky shift in the song, and some alien flicks of electronic. There are some moments of intensification, but instead of aggression the focus is on an overlap of the mellow levels developed within the track. Instead of searching for an effective way to make a distinguishable impact through breaks or crescendo the artist builds layers, each creative and confident.

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Tourist travels to new musical territory with upcoming album 'Wild'

UK-based producer and composer Tourist has been producing steadily in the pop-electronic arena for the better part of a decade, and throughout that time has also been evolving his sound with an ever-accelerating tempo — both literally and figuratively. Incredibly, his upcoming album ‘Wild’ will be his second of 2019 (yes, we’re still in summer), and for this particular release seems to be pushing the pace of his tracks as well.

The second single from Wild, titled ‘Bunny’, is a slow pop-house burner clocking in at around 117 bpm. It’s a bit of a departure from his traditional downtempo/synthpop space, but it fits in well with a number of other artists that have made the switch to 4x4 beats lately, most notably Bonobo with his Outlier concert series. The track has a straightforward rhythmic structure that’s easy to dance to, a subtle oldschool rave/dnb-style bassline, and surrounds itself with a hazy arpeggio that wraps you up like a warm blanket on a cool summer night. And of course, that’s exactly how many will listen to this track as festival season enters the home stretch and we all try to hold on to the magic for just a little while longer.

Stream ‘Bunny’ above, and look out for the full album ‘Wild’, dropping on Monday Records soon.

— review by autonomy

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Exploring Far Away Galaxies with Voyager II

Just as various elements continually mix throughout our solar system, London electronic jazz duo ‘Voyager II’ coalesce different sounds and styles into their own unique musical blend. With Eamon Foreman on Guitar and Sergiu Fanica on Drums, the duo take an organic and uncluttered approach to spacey electronica with hints of their jazz roots shining though.

’Falling’ harnesses the spontaneous energy of the duo featuring live takes of both drums and guitar to give the track a kind of natural and unedited energy. With a dynamic and smooth mixdown courtesy of Marcin Cichy, the track really breathes with a kind of coherence while just the right amount of drum saturation keeps the syncopated rhythms up front. It’s the kind of track that achieves that rare balance of technical and musical prowess and reminds us that perhaps it doesn’t take a spaceship to experience moments of weightlessness.

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Trentemøller aims for something different with 'Sleeper'

At this point in his career, what hasn’t Trentemøller accomplished? Throughout his ouvre, the Copenhagen-based musician has never failed to evolve his sound with each release, while at the same time maintaining the musical sensibilities that has made his sound his very own. That balance of exploring new forms and staying true to himself has only grown his fanbase over the years, as evidenced by a completely sold-out world tour in support of his last album. Today, we get a taste of his first original music since 2017 with the single, ‘Sleeper.’

As you may have guessed from the lush-yet-bleak video above, Sleeper lives far from the banner of ‘indie-electronic’ that has acted as a catch-all for Trentemøller’s various sounds thus far. While he has always had a preternatural knack for arranging compositions that build to satisfying crescendos, Sleeper also progresses in a decidedly orchestral manner. In fact, we don’t even hear a percussive element until halfway into the track, and even then, it is only minimally audible. But Trentemøller hallmarks are yet ever-present, from his signature detuned synths to his lush, harmonic atmospheres. All of these elements coalesce into a beautiful, if subtle, reflection that feels at once melancholic and nostalgic. In other words, it fits its title perfectly.

You can stream Sleeper over on Spotify, or download a copy for yourself on Trentemøller’s Bandcamp.

— review by autonomy

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Emancipator & 9 Theory stick together like buds on 'Cheeba Gold'

What happens when two of the most reliable stalwarts of the west coast indie beat scene come together for a collab? You find gold. Cheeba Gold, that is, the result of a 4-day studio session between Portland’s Emancipator and LA’s 9 Theory. The collab makes a lot of sense musically; these two have been pushing lush, organic, laid back beats for so long now that it’s become one of the signature sounds of electronic music in the PNW, gracing festival stages and outdoor events for over a decade.

On the EP Cheeba Gold, no doubt a product of the title’s slang allusion, the two musicians find effortless rhythms with rich percussive elements, and lush timbric harmonies that showcase both their sense of musicality and deft instrumental skills. These guys know exactly the kind of sound they want to make, and it’s clear on Cheeba Gold that they are operating in top form.

RIYL: Bonobo, Tycho, Thievery Corporation

Cheeba Gold is out now on digital platforms, and if you really like it, a 12” vinyl is available from Loci Records.

— review by autonomy

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