As the wintry weather begins to creep into our lives, here’s our second melting-pot of both heavy and delicate, sensuous yet hard-knocked sonic madness to warm up your hearts. Let’s celebrate October’s finest tracks!
Below we’ve provided a brief summary for each track:
> PLAY TOP TRACKS ON YOUTUBE
There’s definitely nothing human in how the young Dutch producer drops this subtle piece of dark techno. A great opening for Lobster Theremin’s sister label Mörk. > Read news article
2. SOFT AS SNOW ‘GLASS BODY’ [HOUNDSTOOTH]
Soft as Snow couldn’t have opted for a more suitable name, melting together vocals a la Lykke-Li and a ’70s groove retro ambience in pure Glass Candy style…a sonic candy floss.
3. WEBSTARR ‘CLOCKED’ [MISTRY]
Webstarr’s first EP on Mistry is a straight up killer and is mad as a cuckoo clock ready to explode. Unleashing an obsessive, dam-busting overflow of percussions ticking like there’s no tomorrow. Jump on it.
4. STEVE SUMMERS ‘ANHEDONIA’ [RUSSIAN TORRENT VERSIONS]
Heavy mental material from the NYC producer, always top-quality. When Summer’s gone, Summers’ back.
5. SKEE MASK ‘CYLO’ [ILIAN TAPE]
An implacable broken-beat cavalcade boiled-down to its essential, stripped-back aesthetic. Bonkers.
6. HIEROGLYPHIC BEING ‘SPACE IS THE PLACE (BUT WE STUCK HERE ON EARTH)’ [+++]
Space is the place (but we’re stuck here on earth) may not be a new track, it still features on Jamal Moss’ compilation out this month on Planet Mu. An obliged heads up to one of today’s most daring producers…a magnificent, timeless tune.
7. HODGE ‘MIND GAMES’ [HOTLINE]
Hodge hits hard with this two-track platter for the excellent Hotline Recordings. Mind Games is a leg-crusher of the purest Bristolian class.
8. LUKID ‘NINE’ [LIBERATION TECHNOLOGIES]
With Crawlers, Lukid’s definitely stepped up his game and everyone else’s. Nine is a psychoactive, strident-driven hell of a tune for haunted dance floors. Halloween beats. > Read news article
The new L.I.E.S. signing delivers a brilliant platter of stomping techno that would totally find its place in any bassy set thanks to its double trigger groove and almighty kicks.
10. BARNT ‘HIS NAME’ [HINGE FINGER]
Hinge Finger never disappoints and seeing Magazine’s co-founder Barnt sign this 12″ on the label is definitely one of the most exciting pieces of news of the year. This time, the man goes in with a steely wrecking machine, brutal dance floor driller. Heavy.
11. PEV & KOWTON ‘END POINT (STENNY & ANDREA REMIX)’ [LIVITY SOUND]
The finest series of mix is still running at impressive pace and that new remix from Ilian Tapes’ affiliated Stenny & Andrea nails it once more. A must-hear.
Perhaps one of the most Krautrock-inflected tunes on the album, a total wonder when those obscure, droning pads take the track off to higher heights. > Read the IA review
13. MOODCUT ‘STUCK IN SOCKS’ [NOUS]
Stuck In Socks is easily one of the finest house tunes of the year. Perfectly balanced between its melancholic accents and forward-moving groove. A thing of beauty. > Read the IA review
14. BING & RUTH ‘REFLECTOR’ [RVNG INTL.]
Bing & Ruth’s wonderful piece of music at its best. Like having a walk with Erik Satie and Taylor Deupree…simply excellent. > Read news article
15. LAKKER ‘MOUNTAIN DIVIDE’ [R&S RECORDS]
The Irish duo are definitely taking their sound to droney-techno most extreme extents with this track. An intense crossover between Prurient and Clark. Dividing mountains is an easy task for those guys.
16. KARENN ‘NELLY’ [WORKS THE LONG NIGHTS]
There was Aphex Twin’s Elephant Song, then there was Mark Pritchard’s Elephant dub. Now, there’s Nelly. > Read news article
17. MELJA ‘STEADY MOBBIN’ [MISTER SATURDAY NIGHT]
Young French producer Melja drops his first EP for Mister Saturday Night and he doesn’t waver. Bouncing techno and straight-up dance floor melters. Serious business.
18. LAURENT ‘UNTITLED (A1)’ [GENE’S LIQUOR]
IVVVO aka Laurent is Gene’s Liquor shop first incursion into the label’s activity and what a big debut! Somehow reminiscent of Thomas Bangalter’s Roulé material…greatness.
19. THE EXALTICS ‘NEVER BE ENOUGH’ [CLONE WEST COAST SERIES]
The Exaltics are back in full effect. A softly melancholic space ride through a resonating forest of metallic elements. The kind of track that brings a dancefloor to boiling in both ethereal and muscular manner.
20. LNRDCROY ‘SUNRISE MARKET’ [PACIFIC RHYTHM]
The young Canadian producer keeps filling us with wonder. Smooth and dreamy, the perfect tune to bring some summer back in our winter lives.
Photography by Wim Wenders ‘Dusk in Coober Pedy’, South Australia, 1978
> PLAY TOP TRACK SEPTEMBER 2014 ON YOUTUBE
TRACKLIST
1. nthng ‘Human’ [Mork]
2. Soft As Snow ‘Glass Body’ [Houndstooth]
3. Webstarr ‘Clocked’ [Mistry]
4. Steve Summers ‘Anhedonia’ [Russian Torrent Versions]
5. Skee Mask ‘Cylo’ [Ilian Tape]
6. Hieroglyphic Being ‘Space Is The Place (But We Stuck Here On Earth)’ [+++]
7. Hodge ‘Mind Games’ [Hotline]
8. Lukid ‘Nine’ [Liberation Technologies]
9. Tzusing ‘1976’ [L.I.E.S]
10. Barnt ‘His Name’ [Hinge Finger]
11. Pev & Kowton ‘End Point (Stenny & Andrea Remix)’ [Livity Sound]
12. Objekt ‘Strays’ [PAN]
13. Moodcut ‘Stuck In Socks’ [Nous]
14. Bing & Ruth ‘Reflector’ [RVNG Intl.]
15. Lakker ‘Mountain Divide’ [R&S Records]
16. Karenn ‘Nelly’ [Works The Long Nights]
17. Melja ‘Steady Mobbin’ [Mister Saturday Night]
18. Laurent ‘Untitled (A1)’ [Gene’s Liquor]
19. The Exaltics ‘Never Be Enough’ [Clone West Coast Series]
20. Lnrdcroy ‘Sunrise Market’ [Pacific Rhythm]