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Rafael Anton Irisarri: Sirimiri

Shrouded in melancholic vapours and forlorn harmonics, Irisarri’s new album for Umor Rex presents four majestic extended cuts as so many viewpoints on an untouched phantasmal valley. Drawing its name from the Basque word for ‘drizzle’ – which makes absolute sense given the fine-grained, caressingly fresh nature of its sound design, ‘Sirimiri’ offers sensations in their purest essence, primitively symbolic yet actively contemplative.

Sonniku: Diamond Dust

With ambient often falling into one of two camps – aural representations of Jupiter or the unsettling tones of a cheese grater orchestra – Sonniku has hit upon an inspired niche. If your childhood was spent contemplating hit points and there is a little circular indent on your thumbprint that has never faded away, there may just be something here for you.

Kilchhofer: The Book Room

‘The Book Room’, Kilchhofer’s new collection of modular synth jams, takes us through dreamy panoramas of tropical exotica, alpine warmth and moonlit glades with plenty of highlights to spare along the way. Over a monolithic 74 minutes and 20 songs, this ecocentric debut album demands an immersive, uninterrupted listen.

Job Sifre: Bestaan

Out via Mark van de Maat’s ever dependable Knekelhuis label, Job Sifre second EP ‘Bestaan’ does better than live up to expectations, it further establishes the young Red Light Radio and De School resident as a new vital player in town. Stream ‘Zodiak’ inside.

Lone: Ambivert Tools Volume Three

This third volume sees Lone in a mood that draws comparisons to Bicep’s award stealing album from last year. Where the Belfast born duo explored early 90’s progressive edged vibes through a crystalline lens, ‘Ambivert Tools Volume 3’ goes widescreen in its approach.

Dedekind Cut: Tahoe

Fred Welton Warmsley III, is still working as hard as ever, and continuing to produce under new monikers Barrio Sur, and namely Dedekind Cut for his latest release…’Tahoe’ is saying no to the now, it’s therapeutic in it’s own blooming, where Lee Gamble left off, Dedekind Cut drones over in ethereal sombre.

Nathan Fake: Sunder

There is much to be said for not over producing and recording live to tape – yet regardless of the work process, it’s the final outcome that matters most and in this case it has served “Sunder” and our ears magnificently.

Paper Dollhouse: The Sky Looks Different Here

Paper Dollhouse latest album ‘The Sky Looks Different Here’ conjures both ethereal escapism and cold reality. The album feels haunted by monolithic structures, yet it strives to amplify the cracks of light shining through

Ripperton: Sight Seeing

Although there is a rising sentiment that everyone and their dog is now listening to ambient, Ripperton’s ‘Sight Seeing’ LP on ESP Institute has been a constant companion for myself over the past couple of months. In a high volume, high consumption world, an album being as tenacious as ‘Sight Seeing’ is something to truly value.

James Zabiela: Balance 029

Commissioned mixes have been through their driest 12 months in recent memory, creating a palpable appetite for something fresh and lavish. James Zabiela’s ‘Balance 029’ is beyond a marker for a brand new year, it is a brand new star in the most exclusive of constellations.

Deeat Palace: Deeat Palace

Fresh off an excellent split of AFX-indebted electro and chopped-and-screwed rap courtesy of Crave and Lieu Noir, Parisian label Mind Records returns with Deeat Palace’s self-titled debut, serving up a pair of blustery mind-benders, harnessing the power of convulsive noise strata and rogue synth waves rising from the abysses. Not for the faint of heart.

Anenon: Tongue

Start to finish, from the chord changes to the building rhythms, the field recordings to the trickle of keys, Anenon is giving us something here that’s elevated, personal, raw… Tongue is regenerative.

Ingleton Falls: Champagne In Mozambique

Responsible for just a pair of confidential releases between 1993 and 1994, Ingleton Falls mainly made a mark with their now highly sought-after tape, ‘Champagne In Mozambique’ – a five-track EP that Isle Of Jura first re-released back in October last year on cassette format and have now pressed onto black plastic for the first time ever.

L’Amour Fou: Dujuan

Dujuan is not a surprise nor is it a revolution. Instead it offers the kind of well-crafted and beautiful spins on deep house we’ve been waiting for quite some time, whilst the genre seems to have reached a through as of late.