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Funckarma - Vell Vagranz - 11-Jan-09 12:40 PM
What strikes me about this album lies in the composition. The Fucnken brothers blend dubstep with IDM quite eloquently. For people expecting the deep bass warbles of dubstep artists like Benga and Skream, you may be in for a surprise as the dub styles are more in line with Burial and trip hop genres, although you may find something you like on tracks like Woodfaced. Overtop of the dark and spooky dub lines lie everything from glitchy IDM (Kinnex, Vell Vagranz) to ethereal transcendent choirs (Ketayseam). The brilliant union of simple and complex, dark and happy speak to the talent of the two performers who make Funckarma.

Heartsrevolution - Switchblade EP - 07-Jan-09 03:50 PM
Heartsrevolution made their debut in late 2007 and as a fairly green band they demonstrate a pretty solid start with Switchblade ep featuring five dance-floor ready tracks. While their sound isn't revolutionary, I'm glad to hear more stuff like this. I can't help being reminded of Alec Empire's label Digital Hardcore Recordings and his work with Atari Teenage Riot with the supremely clipped vocals and punk feeling output on Switchblade ep's first two tracks (at least) and on the title of track 3 "Digital Suicide". I also hear a lot of similarity to Crystal Castles. That whole nerd-is-cool feel comes out of every seam and lies wide open over every four on the floor beat, not to mention the screaming girl vocals are dead similar (they did release a split with Crystal Castles, let's not forget). Basically I am saying Heartsrevolution is another 8-bit atari-computers-are-going-to-take-over electro/dance band.

Overall, the album is a cute blend of banger and dance-punk genres (think Ed Banger meets Dfa Records and let's not forget their good friend Kitsune).

Luomo - Convivial - 07-Jan-09 03:04 PM
Luomo's Convival presents nothing new for the genre of house music as it follows the same sort of beats and production styles used for tens of years. The melodic down-tempo house beat drums on with sultry and sumptuous effects applied to instruments and voices to give just the right amount of sensuality to the grooves. Even though the production and mix is on par, even skillfully done, there lacks any quality to really set this album apart from any other house music album released in the past 25 or so years

That said, I do feel the vast array of guests providing lyrics and vocals help the album. Guests include Cassy Britton, Sascha Ring, Jake Shears, Sue-C, Johanna Iivanainen, Robert Owens and Chubbs. I could take or leave the breathy and trembling female vocals (thanks, but I've heard it to death). What stands out to me appears on "Love You All" (track 2). Sascha Ring (aka. Apparat, a peer of Ellen Allien and BPitch Records) provides a beautiful and simple voice - masculine and plain in a Thom Yorke style - enough to set the track apart from "typical" house music.

Lamya - Learning From Falling - 07-Dec-08 09:10 PM
Learning From Falling shows off Soul II Soul's leading lady Lamya in a new light with her first and only album. Lamya's vocals bring an undeniable brilliance to this album. The songs themselves touch on issues from ethnic equality, women's rights and the ever-changing world. Lamya belts out these moving themes on top of minimal electronic jazz. The single from this album, "Empires" has an amazingly deep percussion that is as haunting as it is energizing. The other single "Black Mona Lisa" is a more gentle and chill track with just as strong a message as the album.

Plaid - P-Brane EP - 13-Jul-08 04:57 PM
A huge attraction to this EP has nothing to do with the music, but the experience of playing the vinyl. The last track, Mfaus is printed in an irregular groove pattern that makes the needle jitter along as it plays, instead of the usual smooth glide in the groove.

As far as the auditory content goes each song creates a remarkably different ambience. Starting with Coat, Plaid gradually envelop the listener in refined glitch that is simple but not without subtle complexity. Diddymousedid picks up where Coat leaves off. It's slightly more uptempo with a humourously fun beat and playful high-pitched notes scattered perfectly all through the soundscape. Flip the record over and discover a more dark and foreboding atmosphere. The samples are more industrial than side A, transporting the listener to depths of outerspace and outertime. But even on this sound journey there are times of lightness, stepped into with seamless transition. Mfaus ends the EP off with a fast ditty that focuses on the glitchy monotonous beat.

Overall this album provides one of many examples of the refined sound of the twenty-first century's IDM and glitch music. Plaid demonstrate their aptitude at building something remarably complex and beautiful from a simple start with an astounding subtelty. Even in the complex moments, the sound is drawn-back providing excellent ambient music for the home of the future.