Acclaimed musician, sound designer and creative Max Cooper announces his first new music of 2023.

As he continues to cut a unique and noteworthy path, the intensely explorative Motif EP see’s the London based audio-visual artist breathe impressive life in multiple directions, and requests our own imagination to see the full picture.

Released on his own Mesh platform, Motif EP is composed by a producer capable of dismantling genres to render them brighter, bolder and ultimately more personal, demonstrating the rich purity of his craft and how his music can be expressed as both a flagrant and elegant listening experience at once.

The first single "Vertebrae / Forgotten Places” featuring Australian singer/songwriter Kathrin deBoer, also known for fronting electro-soul outfit Belleruche demonstrating remarkable control and detail in her haunting voice set amidst a transfixing blend of glitchy electronica and uncompromising drum and bass.

While the presence of integrated thinking around releasing music has long distinguished Max Cooper, it is the notion of performance and entertainment grafted into his style which really admits Max to charge into new territory.

A collection of his influences and a set of motifs from a life in electronic music, Motif EP is equipped with purpose and emotional intimacy. Far from a dark moment of introspection but a diverse collection of audio-visual ideas, each playing a particular role in his live shows which traverse all of his musical passions combined with being alive at this time; immersed in shared history and experience.

Six impressively contemplative and powerful songs that oscillate between Max’s calm, heartfelt reminiscences and youthful remnants of 90’s rave, and a playful precision of dancefloor spirit as he incorporates the sounds of breakbeat, drum and bass and techno.

Reassuringly direct and familiar, fans will recognise signature sound motifs from over a decade of producing, performing and DJing. But more distinctively, Cooper seems disinterested in solely capturing the present and is more concerned with investigating his music's history and investing in crafting its future.

“The mixture of genres on this record might make more sense looking at my life in electronic music. Beginning in the 90’s with an upbringing on classic synth pop and classical music, then my first tape “Prodigy Experience”, and first night out at their Breathe Tour ahead of a delve deep into the Trance, Techno and remnants of Rave of the late 90’s in Northern Ireland and Ibiza. I then moved to Nottingham in ‘99 and went to my first Drum and Bass night at the Marcus Garvey Ballroom, after which I started integrating those records into my collection”
Max Cooper

Playing on the idea of motifs, the cover art was created by Mykola Haleta and features the graphic artist's distinctive textile patterning design.

There is a fresh utilitarian layer to the new EP as it experiments with the interplay between rolled melodies that form a loose web of pensive sound around a more aggressive club-driven production and performance-led frequencies.

Whether serving as an empathetic foil to his new immersive 3D/AV shows or a reinterpretation of his own musical education, Max Cooper’s bold electronic compositions feel excited and increasingly like part of a longer, more timeless story. More

MAX COOPER announces new album Unspoken Words, released 25th March on Mesh. Today he shares lead single "Everything" and its accompanying video.

"Everything" is an excitable expression of freedom and joy, an explosion of colour referencing classic synth sounds from Max Cooper’s formative years and the golden era of idealism in music and popular culture of the '80 and '90s.

“I love feeling that anything is possible. It feels like I’m bursting and need to find some expression," says Cooper. "The synths seemed to carry the hope of everything I could imagine, condensed into the simple chord progression, improvised pads and layers of distortion. It was a lot of fun to work with, and spending time in that creative mindset generated lots of ideas which could be shot down later under less manic conditions.”

As an audio-visual artist, Cooper often goes to the medium of video to enhance his music and the ideas and stories which inspire and inform his work. "Everything" is one of 13 short films combined into Unspoken Words and the metanarrative which will be released as a film on Blu-ray to accompany the album on 25th March.

Cooper developed the visual story for ‘Everything’ with long term collaborator Nick Cobby and photographer Andrey Prokhorov, who has a huge library of imagery from around the world.

About Unspoken Words

“I’ve always struggled with words.

"Trying to communicate anything meaningful about my internal state, in any way which seems to do it justice, has always been beyond me.

"But music bypasses language. It is my means of expression, which is why I make a lot of it - I’m compelled to create.”

- Max Cooper, January 2022

Unspoken Words is Max Cooper’s most revealing work to date, leading the listener through experiences of escapism and connection with personal stories of reflection, acceptance, grappling, idealism and rejection.

The raw expression of Cooper’s own mental state illuminates the universal experience of being human. Unspoken Words offers common ground, a unifying space for anyone who faces internal discordance and feels the need for greater connection and greater expression.

Speaking about the process of writing Unspoken Words, Max continued: “I find existing inside my mind to be a sometimes beautiful, sometimes intense, sometimes abrasive, messy, baffling, relentless experience, and I’ve tried to put as much of that feeling and form as I could into the album.”

The deftly mixed audio is accompanied by a visual story which unfolds through 13 short films by a range of visual artists commissioned and directed by Max Cooper, and mixed in Dolby Atmos surround sound.

Unspoken Words will be released on Mesh on 25th March on Blu-Ray + CD, vinyl and digital.

Tracklist:
A1. Unspoken Words
A2. Inanimate to Animate feat. Kotomi
A3. A Model of Reality feat. Kotomi
B1. Ascent
B2. Spectrum
B3. Symphony in Acid
C1. Pulse at the Centre of Being
C2. Exotic Contents
C3. Broken Machines Broken Dreams
D1. Small Window on the Cosmos
D2. Everything
D3. Solace in Structure
D4. Stream of Thought More

***WHITE LABEL 12"*** The second of two remix EPs for Max Cooper's debut album Human - this one bringing one of the album's most talked about tracks Impacts for the first time, with an acid rework by Pitchfork favourites Factory Floor and Perc's insane, obtuse and uncompromising abstract version. This is also the first release of Harvey McKay's version of an earlier Max track, Von der Klippe Fallen - one long grinding techno beat that opens to the dramatic piano of frequent Max's collaborator Tom Hodge. More

The new Max Cooper is a very nice crowdpleaser in it's best way. We expect this 12" to do very nice in clubs. More

Max Cooper's new release the "Egomodal EP" comes in its vinyl version as a 4 tracks EP. Once again it focuses on dynamics and tangents, along with the concept of complexity and simplicity. Ê The "Egomodal EP" stays true to Max Cooper's approach to link a mathematical structure with a simple one. We are happy to say he has succeeded to fuse complexity with variations by still finding time to focus on details and keeping up that nice randomness which makes his music so appealing also for clubbers and DJs. Ê This release is extremely diverse in styles and offers in its vinyl version everything from the dark Detroit electro styled techno piece "Epitaphy" that evokes old Detroit days… to the melodically trembling "Autumn Haze" that is a huge track because its flow is superbly programmed... to Ripperton's mighty house hymn of a remix, ending in the basseline monster "Raw" which looses its teeth towards the end. The second part of the release features the beautifully melodic "Micron" and the abstract piece of electronica with the name of Ê"Simplicity" that has its cut up vocals dancing like flames around a campfire. The second part of the release also features a remix from Rone who has recently remixed Dominik Eulberg's track "Der Tanz der Glühwuermchen" for Traum. Rone has chosen "Simplicity" to work it in a lyrical and build up… stream like fashion. More

2CD TRACKLIST (+ DL CONTINUOUS MIX)

CD1
01. Charles Webster & Ursula Rucker – Begin Anew (Quivver & Dave Seaman Beginapella)
02. DJ Counselling – Sun God
03. Quivver & Dave Seaman – The Water’s Edge
04. Quivver – Fever
05. Murat Uncuoglu – Magico
06. Enamour – Merge with Dust
w/ Carlos Barbero & Dom Fricot – Closer to Closure (accapella)
07. Four Candles – On the Fence
08. Kamilo Sanclemente – Horizons
w/ Anthony Pappa x Jamie Stevens x Alice Rose – Nothing to Hide (accapella)
09. Aikon – Hurricane
10. Stas Drive – Bipolar
11. Einmusik – Walensee
12. Quivver & Dave Seaman – Mushroom Embargo
13. Ben Archbold – Psychedelic Halo
14. Quivver & Dave Seaman – Make This Disappear
15. Robert Babicz – Mystik
16. Just Her – Lifted

CD2
01. Quivver & Dave Seaman – Go with The Flo
02. Paul (AR) & Capri – Push
03. pølaroit – Apart (Timo Maas Remix)
04. Dave Seaman – YoHo (James Harcourt remix)
05. Gai Barone – Thinking Together
06. Dee Montero – Sensei
w/ Quivver x Dave Seaman feat. Brianna Price – Rockets & Rainbows (accapella)
07. Quivver & Dave Seaman – Operation Magpie
08. Jamie Stevens – The Peace Machine
09. Jepe – Dream State
10. Stas Drive – Hold Me Tight
11. Axel Giova & Larrosa – Conditional
12. Floormagnet – Other Sounds (Original mix w/ Circulation remix)
13. Underworld – Low Burn (Dave Seaman remix)
14. Jamie Stevens & Kasey Taylor – Verlaine
15. Chicola – Dust Coins
16. Ron Flatter – Ovid


Following 2023's acclaimed, chart-topping mixes from Henry Saiz, and Tim Green, Balance have enlisted the services of two masters of their craft in Dave Seaman and Quivver, to curate their next mix compilation release. Style and substance joined at the hip.



With Balance presents Dave Seaman & Quivver, both artists have reached out far and wide to their producer friends to pull off a real coup. Every track is exclusive to this release - not one track has previously been released. If that's not enough, the pair have added five exclusive collaborative productions, making this release is a perfect snapshot of where Dave Seaman & Quivver are musically right now.

The lead single from the album, ‘Make This Disappear’ features experienced vocalist Quivver on lead vocals...and even has Dave Seaman making his debut behind the mic contributing backing vocals. A first after more than three decades of making music.

There is also particular excitement about Dave Seaman's highly sought after, previously unreleased remix of Underworld's ‘Low Burn’, which gets its long overdue release here. Exclusive tracks come from some of the hottest electronic music producers, from the fabulous Einmusik, through to Robert Babicz, Gai Barone, Dee Montero, Timo Maas, and the wonderful Just Her, amongst many other quality artists.

Quivver explains: "With DJ Mixes two-a-penny these days online, we really wanted to create something special that would stand out from the crowd and stand the test of time."

Dave Seaman adds: "Much of modern music culture is so disposable in today's digital era, so when we were offered the opportunity to hark back to the halcyon days of the mix compilation and make an album as a physical product again, we jumped at the chance. The Balance Mix series is one of the most respected out there, so it's an honour to become part of their 20-year history. It was a true labour of love which we hope comes across when you press play."




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3LP in gatefold sleeve + download code including the full mix. Created over the span of two years, Balance 032 marks a creative high point in the career of Madrid-based artist Henry Saiz, and this marks his third appearance for the hallowed compilation series.

TRACKLISTING


A1. Hal Incandenza - I Know What You Are
A2. Guillermo Medín & Henry Saiz - In Jeopardy
A3. Robert Feltman - About Gravity
A4. Karmon - Continuum
B1. Royksopp - This Time, This Place (Henry Saiz Downtempo Egodeath Version)
B2. Genius of Time - Sungswell (Henry Saiz's Cuban Acid Trip Remix)

C1. Milio - Dew
C2. Henry Saiz - Entre Dos Mundos
C3. Brassica - Celestial Suspension
D1. Marshall White & Henry Saiz - Stargazer
D2. Henry Saiz & Imalgi - Kickboxer
D3. Moonlight Wolves - All I Need (Third Son Remix)

E1. NVSBL - Purple Dawn
E2. Henry Saiz - Mindtrap
E3. Polygonia - Implosion of the Known (Henry Saiz Remix)
F1. Moonlight Wolves - Mantra (Henry Saiz Remix)
F2. Somfay & Henry Saiz - To Steal a Star From the Night
F3. H. Haze - La Fuerza



INFO

Created over the span of two years, Balance 032 marks a creative high point in the career of Madrid-based artist Henry Saiz, and this marks his third appearance for the hallowed compilation series. Spread over an expansive three discs, it has given him the space to curate a truly stunning odyssey of creative expression-one influenced by everything from AI to his recent ADHD diagnosis.

As ever, he has gone above and beyond to ensure that the mix is crammed full of exclusive, unreleased material-nearly 75% of the music included-both from himself and many of his favourite producers and collaborators, from unknowns through to household names like Röyksopp.

"Since I've done two Balance compilations already, I didn't want to repeat myself" he says. "My first, 'Balance 19', was very important for my career and I knew people would be comparing it with this new one, so I put a lot of effort into it to make it more attractive and to be able to gain more control in the final product sound-wise." - Henry Saiz

Created in Ableton, which he uses for his DJ sets due to its unlimited creative functionality and precision ("I get bored easily with CDJs"), the mix makes great use of many effects, layerings, and production techniques to enhance the beautiful sounds that lie within.

The first part takes a freestyle approach to find a sweet spot between home listening and club warm-up vibes, all woven together through a narrative about the connection between the past, the future, the reinterpretation of old concepts and AI.

"I used a lot of AI techniques to add creativity to the songs, from cloning vocals to generate atmospheres, to creating grooves using text-to-music always like a tool in order to add to, and not to replace human creativity. Ideally, we will work with AI as a co-pilot also in the studio to make boring technical process faster and focus more on what really matters: ideas to bring our human experience into the music form." - Henry Saiz

Packed with symbols and messages, its changing tempos span the creepy vaporwave intro of Hal Incandenza's 'I Know What You Are' - setting the tone perfectly with an AI voice telling a human "I know what you are, I know where you come from" - through to chugging electronica, dubby grooves, Indian rhythm, Balearic spoken word, sparkly breakbeats and teases of the clubbier sounds that await in the next disc. The euphoric climax of Saiz's rework of Swedish duo Genius of Time's recent release 'Sunswell' is the perfect bridge into Disc 2, a whirling firework of pretty melody and spine-tingling arpeggiation. The breadth and surprises of this first disc would have made it a standout piece of work on its own, but of course that's never enough for Saiz...

The second part leans towards the sounds of Henry Saiz in club mode, beginning with the warm blanket of sumptuous Milio's 'Dew', building gradually and flitting between the deep and the soaring. From lush progressive house to the heavenly breaks of Brassica's epic 'Celestial Suspension' through some truly staggering new psychedelically tinged material from Saiz, it's a mix packed with magical melody. The disc crescendos with the scintillating riffs of Henry Saiz & Imalgi's 'Kickboxer', where synths are made to weep digital tears, and the stunning liquid breaks and heartfelt vocals of Moonlight Wolves 'All I Need (Third Son Remix)'. As ever, all is not what it seems in his sets, with heavy editing making these truly unique versions.

"People try to Shazam my sets and usually don't get the ID because of all the heavy editing I do while I play. Lately I learned this hyperactivity and need for challenging projects that motivates me comes from my ADHD. So, I guess the DNA of my sets would be coherent eclecticism but also a melodic journey that changes and evolves straight to a climax." - Henry Saiz

The final chapter of this sprawling compilation explores the increasing tempos of the current era, expanding Saiz's DNA into new territory while maintaining all the classy elements of his sound.

"The current vogue for faster tempos may be due to the constant stimulation we get from technology and how we process information nowadays. My DJ style has become faster because the world is going faster. My DJ sets are now moving through 110 to 140 bpm territories. I didn't enjoy much music with faster BPMs a few years ago because it felt very overwhelming and had too many elements, but now people are producing music that works great at faster speeds because they have less elements and a groove that works that way. As long as the track takes you somewhere and makes you feel something through melody, that's what counts for me." - Henry Saiz

A deep and spacey feel early on with plenty of dubby touches gives way to meatier sounds, psychedelic tones woven into the heavier rhythms as the tempos gradually creep upwards and elements of trance abound through a flurry of Saiz exclusives. A grandstand finish is guaranteed by way of his incredible chugging-based rework of Moonlight Wolves' 'Mantra', the light dreamy beauty of Henry Saiz & Somfay's 'To Steal a Star from The Night' and the intense synth overload of H. Haze's 'La Fuerza'. A perfect end to a truly remarkable body of work. More

Influenced by the music of Basic Channel and Detroit Techno's generation of Italian-influence Electronic musicians , Roberto Bosco has been able to successfully launch his career in only five years. With releases on many international labels, such as Night Vision, Be As One Imprint, Applied Rhythmic Technology (ART) and the Wave Music, a platform created and managed by house music pioneer Francois K. Now, Boscocomes to Balance with an exclusive project, "Introspective", engaging with more tech-house inspired sounds than any of his previous releases. The first song from this project is "When the Rain Comes Down", a collaboration with Jenifa Mayanja that offers a smooth deep tech production with spoken vocals and a hook of eternal qualities. Also included in this project is a remix by up and coming young Italian producer Peter JD, who brings more of a club-ready vocal to the table. Side B is deeper, mind-tingling techno, consisting of two tracks called Untitled. These offering are only available on this vinyl release and will not be included on the album, nor will these tracks be available digitally. The first is an appropriately introspective affair, offering hypnotic tribal drums that burn slowly amongst haunting synths chords. A real slow burner, it undulates slowly and subtley whilst unfurling delicate and complex percussion. Never quite committing itself to the club, Untitled (1) finds its only forceful moments in robotic string stabs that recall Drexciya's early work, alongside an overarching aesthetic of being in the water. Untitled (2) is appropriately analogue in its sound for this vinyl only release, shrouded in tape hiss and driven by cascading percussion. Dull and sharp drums bounce off each other against an orchestral melody that brings to mind the work of Kyle Hall. But Boscohas an exceptional ability to handle simple elements lovingly, and pushes the tone of Untitled (2) towards the euphoria of 5am sunrises over stark industrial settings. Simply put, there is much to be indulged in here, with a rhythmic complexity well suited to repeat listening.
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