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New Album by Voyage Futur under a new alias.
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Iñigo Vontier delivers the third installment of his trilogy of Optimo Music Digital Danceforce EPs, arguably saving the best for last. This release showcases his signature Mexican psychedelic electronics, featuring deep, driving basslines, intricate percussion, and mesmerising synth patterns that create an immersive, almost otherworldly experience.
A DJ and producer from Guadalajara, Vontier is known for his eclectic blend of techno, disco, and psychedelic sounds. He has gained international recognition for his distinctive style, fusing tribal rhythms and cosmic elements to craft a truly unique sonic journey.
Romance by Fontaines D.C.
BUY
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Edition of 100 cassettes with clear shells. Packaged in Maltese cross-style packaging, printed inside and out.
Initially made available at the 9294 show in London, 22 February 2024.
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forms of minutiae presents Harkening Critters, the label’s second non-profit compilation of field recordings and soundscape compositions highlighting, this time, the incredible variety of animal signals.
Stemming from the archaic verb “harken” which means “to listen” or “to give respectful attention to”, indeed, this gathering of contributions from 32 field recordists and sound artists from across the world tunes in to the plethora of vocalizations, mechanical emanations, and any other acoustics phenomenon produced by animals.
Over the course of 4 hours, the compilation invites listeners to immerse themselves in non-human semantics and sonic traces, spanning from the little-known vibroscape of insects, the hiccuping calls of hammer-headed bats, the peculiar gurgles of rock ptarmigans, the eerie signals of ribbon seals, the formic attacks of ants, a detour to the rhythm of yeast, the rustles of pink river dolphins, to the whimsical cries of tropical frogs, and many more.
Yet, the title ‘harkening critters’ holds an ambiguity. Are the critters being listened to, or are they the ones listening? Who is who?
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Søren Skov Orbit’s debut album, “Adrift,” is at once subtle and profound. The Danish saxophonist and his collaborators have created something quite special and consistently deep. This record may not easily be classifiable, but the most interesting music creeps between the lines.
Tenor and soprano saxophonist Søren Skov (Debre Damo Dining Orchestra) and keyboardist Peder Vind co-founded the trippy quintet Søren Skov Orbit in 2016 to explore “more jazzy ideas,” as the saxophonist puts it. Joined by a rhythm section steeped in contemporary improvisation and psychedelia, bassist Casper Nyvang
Rask, drummer Rune Lohse and percussionist Ayi Solomon of the legendary 80’s Ghanaian roots/highlife band Classique Vibes, the Orbit belts out a richly focused helping of broadly African-inspired modern jazz with a hazy sheen.
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On the opening “Notifications of Nothingness,” Skov digs in his heels, a steely but languid unspooling of burnished tenor lines atop condensed, quavering piano and the thick footfalls of bass and percussion. As a tenor player, Skov has done his homework and has a kinship with Albert Ayler, Archie Shepp, J.R. Monterose, and the Dutchman Hans Dulfer, but he clearly has got his own robust phraseology and expressiveness. He also cites multi-reedists John Gilmore, Yusef Lateef, and Bilal
Abdurahman as, “some of the players I’ve been listening to the most for the last 10-15 years.”
A healthy dose of reverb is present throughout the album, echoing Alton Abraham’s studio wizardry with the Sun Ra Arkestra or the trance-inducing and compressed fidelity of certain Ethio-jazz and Mystic Revelations of Rastafari sessions. Skov notes that, “everything is recorded live at the same time in the same room. I wanted to
do it that way in order to catch the dynamics and authenticity of the music.” There is, in fact, a complex teeter-totter between crisp and hazy execution, achieved by a delicately balanced mix that keeps the group’s sound simultaneously advancing and receding. Vind’s phrasing is terse and introspective, a vibrating echo that nudges and reflects on Skov’s brusque tenor in a dance of sonic displacement.
“Orbiting” pits a chunky backbeat and the teetering, taut hand-rhythms of Solomon against an infectious, almost microtonal piano riff, while Skov’s arpeggios are clean and florid as he patiently rises up from under a carpet of funky loops. Following the freer “Reflections of Rif,” “Naration” lilts with a wink at “Footprints” and tugs between up-tempo polyrhythmic drive, clanging keyboard accents, and the innately
steadfast keenness of the bandleader. The coupling of Solomon and Lohse is a big part of the group’s detailed energy; as the leader puts it, “Ayi knows everything about regional differences in drum patterns. He is always listening and super responsive, and his and Rune’s dynamics are amazing.” The music both presents a “vibe” and keeps the door open for engaging well under the surface as repeated
listens will be extremely rewarding.
Released on Frederiksberg Records.
“20 Signs You Have A Thyroid Problem” is an incredible treasury of 20 unheard cues from Baron Mordant. Housed in a beautiful spot gloss sleeve and pressed up on heavyweight vinyl.
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“When I finally lowered the Mordant Music portcullis after 20 years of sauntering alongside the mainstream I signed off with an EMS-based album entitled Mark of the Mould several tracks from which I re-worked for a Sony/KPM online-only library music release entitled Synthi Spores…during the ensuing C-19 castaway phase I composed a further hefty batch of library-style tunes intended for a mooted album with Sony/KPM, which was looking distinctly likely until my contact there vamoosed and corporate ‘reshuffles’ left the music abandoned and huddled in a folder on my desktop – classic ‘industry’ fayre I’ve witnessed many times and KPM itself has now moved St. Elsewhere…enter CiS, who had also previously re-released the Dead Air album and an eMMplekz 12” , to resuscitate ’n’ rally my underscores ’n’ jingles with their renowned gusto…myself and Phil Heeks fashioned a classic KPM-style ‘1000 Series’ sleeve and a random web pop-up provided the ad-hoc title (I was searching for raw plugs at the time)…I’ve made untold library tracks over the years for firms such as Boosey & Hawkes, Cavendish, Universal and Pifco etc and these are certainly some of my favourites, running a gamut of dinky styles for adverts, film and Netflix, whatever that means these days…njoi/endure” IBM