Utopia Records uncovers the work of Alex Kassian the Kyoto born Berlin based producer and DJ whose work as Opal Sunn and Al Kassian has been turning heads and shifting feet in recent times.
Over the last decade Kassian hosted word of mouth dances in London and Berlin where he gained a reputation as one of Europe's most promising artists.
Kassian's recent output has been primarily composing scores for contemporary dance and theatre in Berlin, an approach he brings here to this 6 track EP 'Hidden Tropics'.
Kassian inspired by other Utopia Records artists such as Lars Bartkuhn and Vangelis Katsoulis delves deeper into his compositional scope for a sound that joins the dots between ambient, world music to spiritual house in parts inspired by his homeland of Japan as heard on 'Bells of Ukyo' and the 80's Sakamoto-esque 'Olson Waters'.
The title track is a breakthrough in contemporary house music, sure to be picked up on by the tastemakers from New York to Johannesburg to Berlin to Amsterdam to Tokyo and beyond.
Cover image of 'Tsuwaono Sagimai' by Makoto Furukawa, Shimane, Japan. More

The Avant Garde movement largely influenced Katsoulis’ early compositions. After which, he turned to minimalism, applying elements of jazz and rock into that genre. Since the 80s, the use of technology became gradually apparent in his compositions, whist not diminishing the importance of the human factor and the creative involvement of the performer. Today, he is striving for simplicity, trying to express the most, using the least, providing the context for this release. From the subtle ambience of title track “If Not Now When”, to the intense and confronting sound on “All The Blue Skies”, Katsoulis and his accompanying musicians deliver a diverse and contemporary work with a level of sophistication that will challenge the current electronic musical landscape. The purity of sound in stand out track ‘Tore’ is juxtaposed by the dark and gritty “Grand Delusions”, a remarkably modern composition which sounds like it has been composed for a Berlin Techno club, from a man we suspect has never been to one. ‘Slipping Beauties’, the most revered of Katsoulis’ back catalogue (recently remixed by Young Marco) is given an organic and intelligent reinterpretation for 2016. The haunting and provocative vocal performance by Anna Linardou on ‘Zarrin’ leads the record down an even more emotive and provocative path. More

The Avant Garde movement largely influenced Katsoulis’ early compositions. After which, he turned to minimalism, applying elements of jazz and rock into that genre. Since the 80s, the use of technology became gradually apparent in his compositions, whist not diminishing the importance of the human factor and the creative involvement of the performer. Today, he is striving for simplicity, trying to express the most, using the least, providing the context for this release. From the subtle ambience of title track “If Not Now When”, to the intense and confronting sound on “All The Blue Skies”, Katsoulis and his accompanying musicians deliver a diverse and contemporary work with a level of sophistication that will challenge the current electronic musical landscape. The purity of sound in stand out track ‘Tore’ is juxtaposed by the dark and gritty “Grand Delusions”, a remarkably modern composition which sounds like it has been composed for a Berlin Techno club, from a man we suspect has never been to one. ‘Slipping Beauties’, the most revered of Katsoulis’ back catalogue (recently remixed by Young Marco) is given an organic and intelligent reinterpretation for 2016. The haunting and provocative vocal performance by Anna Linardou on ‘Zarrin’ leads the record down an even more emotive and provocative path. More

Following on from his return to dance orientated music on Neroli records with the lush and endearing 'Music for The Golden Age', multi album artist Lars Bartkuhn (Sonar Collective & Needs) brings contrasting sides of his musical character for Alex Bradley's burgeoning Utopia Records, touching on Detroit, Jazz Fusion and Ambient. Tokyo Burning is a youthful and stripped back electronic club track harking back to the Detroit house heyday of Galaxy to Galaxy and Happy Records but with a modernist approach and Bartkuhn's unique musicality for what has all the hallmarks of a peak-time club classic. In contrast title track Nomad brings the full spectrum of Bartkuhn's musical range with a more organic and rhythmic dance composition. A fusion of afro percussion, his own emotive vocal hook, melodic keys, joyful flute playing, bound together with the guitar playing that has had many compare Bartkuhn to the likes of Jazz master Pat Metheny. The track builds into a breakdown that is perhaps best described by Anthony Nicholson as; 'a combination of truth, inspiration and cosmic energy'. Rounding out the EP a gentle acoustic reprise, a deeper introspective piece for ambient music lovers. All pressed to impress on 180 vinyl with full artwork to round out a quality release on Utopia with more to come from Bartkuhn on the label as he reaches the 'Needs' heights that made him (along with his residency in the early days of Robert Johnson) an inspiration to a generation of Deep House DJ's and producers. More