LP

GENRE/S: Electronica, Trip Hop, Dub Techno, Ambient

TRACKLIST:
A1 Prologue
A2 CineStill
A3 Buena Vista Social Dub
A4 Monika
B1 Mirror
B2 Eastman
B3 Winter Light
B4 Tiffen

SHORT INFO:
Braulio Lam's Close-Up is a captivating soundscape that blurs the lines between music and photography. Hailing from the border region between San Diego and Tijuana, Lam's inspiration stems from the vibrant cultural exchange and diverse musical traditions of the area. His creativity as a music producer and photographer converges seamlessly into this album, where he manipulates images and sounds, using light as a catalyst for his sonic experiments.
The album's eight tracks showcase Lam's eclectic sonic palette, ranging from electronica and dub techno to ambient and trip hop. The opening track, "Prologue," sets the stage with a haunting guitar echo and a spacious, downtempo beat. Angelic vocals float ethereal over the sonic backdrop, creating a sense of scenic grandeur. "Cinestill" immerses listeners in a sub-aquatic realm with its slow-pulsing beat and cavernous ambiance. "Buena Vista Social Dub" captivates with its sensual vocals, echoing drums, and hypnotic melody. "Monika" evokes a sense of beachy tranquility with its electric guitar and ambient soundscapes, while "Mirror" transports listeners into an atmospheric swirl of broken beats and ambient textures. "Eastman" delves into the depths of dub techno, its hypnotic chords and airy soundscapes creating an otherworldly atmosphere. "Winter Light," showcases Lam's mastery of minimalism. Field recordings of natural sounds, sparse guitar plucks, and evocative imagery paint a stark but beautiful soundscape that lingers long after the
music has faded. "Tiffen" closes the album on a serene note, its gentle island rhythms and floaty textures inviting listeners to relax and unwind.
Overall, Close-Up is a testament to Braulio Lam's boundless creativity and artistry. Its unique fusion of musical styles, experimental sonic textures, and evocative imagery makes it an immersive and captivating listening experience that transports listeners to a realm where the senses intertwine. More

LP

GENRE/S: Deep, Dub Techno

TRACKLISTS:
A1 Boundary
A2 Surfacing
A3 Bubble ring
B1 Deep Sea Exploration
B2 Abyss Light
B3 Traitor

SHORT INFO:

The sea has long been central to Japanese culture, symbolizing both sustenance and spiritual
depth. Charles A.D.'s Deep Diver draws inspiration from this, channeling the ancient traditions
of diving and fishing into his music. Historically, the sea has influenced everything from Shinto
rituals to the livelihoods of coastal communities. In Deep Diver, this reverence flows through
aquatic soundscapes, where rhythmic waves of 90s house and Detroit techno meet Japanese
minimal production techniques, New Age and Pacific Jazz. Like the tides, the album ebbs and
flows, creating a serene yet dynamic homage to the timeless connection between Japan and
the sea.
The opening track 'Deep Diver' plunges into the depths, its abstract sound design capturing the
sensation of deep-sea propulsion. Rhythmic bubbles pulse gently alongside slow-moving
chords, creating an otherworldly atmosphere. The textures are lush yet restrained, setting a
tranquil stage that pulls the listener into a submerged world. 'Underwater Ruins' builds on this
aquatic theme, introducing rhythmic layers and bass-heavy notes reminiscent of mid-90s
Japanese ambient techno. The smooth, melodic flow nods to pioneers like Mr.YT and Susumu
Yokota, while subtly incorporating the Detroit techno influence through soulful, deep basslines.
The track feels like a fusion of ambient and techno, balancing serene tones with a rolling
groove, emblematic of Japanese techno soul. As the album progresses into 'Bubble Ring', it
becomes clear that Charles A.D. is a master of minimalism. The production is timeless, leaning
on analog techniques where echo-drenched chords and carefully layered soundscapes take on
an addictive, hypnotic quality. The simplicity of the composition is deceptive, as each element
carries weight, drawing the listener deeper into the rhythm and space between the notes.
'Merperson' is where organic rhythms truly come into play. Charles A.D. gently evolves the
patterns, allowing each percussive hit to flow naturally into the next. Soothing melodies emerge
from within the track’s structure, eventually reaching an emotional peak without ever feeling
forced. The organic nature of the arrangement creates an effortless progression that feels
deeply connected to the natural movement of water.Starting the second half with 'Deep Exploration', the theme of underwater excursions becomes
even more pronounced. Light, steady drumming anchors the track, allowing the melodic layers
to develop gradually. It unfolds with a calm, measured pace, before ending softly, almost as if
the sounds are drifting off into the oceanic depths. 'Diffuse Reflection' stands out as the most
dub house-influenced on the album, with rolling rhythms and hypnotic elements reminiscent of
Maurizio's deep, pulsing sound. Yet here, the production feels submerged, with aquatic effects
swirling around the rhythmic core, blending dub house with a fluid, oceanic touch. 'Traitors'
delves even deeper into dub-inspired territory. Deep, resonant bass hits combine with wooden
drums, while static-like sounds evoke the image of a radio tuning through static to find clarity.
Chords shimmer briefly before fading back into the liquid depths, evoking the ebb and flow of
the tide. The final track on Deep Diver 'Levitation', is a fitting conclusion, as the rhythms merge
and overlap like waves gently lapping the shore. The minimalistic arrangement allows each
element to blend effortlessly into the next, creating a sense of unity and closure. The sounds
move with the gentle grace of water, ending the album in a way that feels both complete and
open-ended, like the infinite motion of the sea. More

LP

GENRE/S: Electronica, Trip Hop, Dub Techno, Ambient

TRACKLIST:
A1 Prologue
A2 CineStill
A3 Buena Vista Social Dub
A4 Monika
B1 Mirror
B2 Eastman
B3 Winter Light
B4 Tiffen

SHORT INFO:
Braulio Lam's Close-Up is a captivating soundscape that blurs the lines between music and photography. Hailing from the border region between San Diego and Tijuana, Lam's inspiration stems from the vibrant cultural exchange and diverse musical traditions of the area. His creativity as a music producer and photographer converges seamlessly into this album, where he manipulates images and sounds, using light as a catalyst for his sonic experiments.
The album's eight tracks showcase Lam's eclectic sonic palette, ranging from electronica and dub techno to ambient and trip hop. The opening track, "Prologue," sets the stage with a haunting guitar echo and a spacious, downtempo beat. Angelic vocals float ethereal over the sonic backdrop, creating a sense of scenic grandeur. "Cinestill" immerses listeners in a sub-aquatic realm with its slow-pulsing beat and cavernous ambiance. "Buena Vista Social Dub" captivates with its sensual vocals, echoing drums, and hypnotic melody. "Monika" evokes a sense of beachy tranquility with its electric guitar and ambient soundscapes, while "Mirror" transports listeners into an atmospheric swirl of broken beats and ambient textures. "Eastman" delves into the depths of dub techno, its hypnotic chords and airy soundscapes creating an otherworldly atmosphere. "Winter Light," showcases Lam's mastery of minimalism. Field recordings of natural sounds, sparse guitar plucks, and evocative imagery paint a stark but beautiful soundscape that lingers long after the
music has faded. "Tiffen" closes the album on a serene note, its gentle island rhythms and floaty textures inviting listeners to relax and unwind.
Overall, Close-Up is a testament to Braulio Lam's boundless creativity and artistry. Its unique fusion of musical styles, experimental sonic textures, and evocative imagery makes it an immersive and captivating listening experience that transports listeners to a realm where the senses intertwine. More

12"

GENRE/S: Dub Techno, Electronica
TRACKLISTS:
1. Deepchord ft. Linval Thompson
2.Pulshar ft. Linval Thompson
3.Deepnaut ft. Linval Thompson
4.Braulio Lam ft. Linval Thompson

SHORT INFO:
Avantroots is one of the leading dub related labels in recent years taking the genre to its furthest and freshest
perspectives while still respecting the history and the figures inside it. One of those historical figures is the legendary
Linval Thompson who's credits and list of those he influenced are pages long.
To have Linval be the lead on this project truly makes this a unique and special release. 'World Crisis' is Linval's
message and it is as definitive as ever. There is a lot of thought put into each step and portion of this project. The overall
traditional dub concept is to feature different voices over the same instrumental where this, flips the script and each
version has a different electronic music producer add their talents to create their own signature account. The result is an
extraordinary and well composed EP. Deepchord, Deepnaut, Pulshar and Braulio Lam were specifically chosen to head
up this treasured task of taking 'World Crisis' into their realms.
The Deepnaut version is a true essence of the future of a more mature island late night cultured dub techno sound. The
track shimmers in a euphoric glow that covers you like a sun on the beach in summer. Linval's voice is front and center
and one could say this may be the most single oriented as it uses the most vocals of any of the renditions here. Braulio
Lam's submission has all the makings of a classic styled dub track. While the beat is transcendent, everything else is
processed in a new school way. And the technique is next level to be clear. Next is Deepchord's version. To say this is
the deepest and most techno might not be much of a surprise. The groove is addictive and the chords sampled into the
rhythm while the melody ebbs and flows are pure magic. Lastly, Pulshar breaks things down to the starkest of the
choices and one of the most hypnotic. Pablo Bolivar and Sergio Sainz Vidal from Pulshar have a knack for injective some
serious island vibes to the electronic scene.
The artwork is also special here. It respects the history of dub culture while advancing the application as it uses AI
generated images combined with human elements. The pictures support the message of the 'World Crisis' speaks on by
Linval Thompson. This is a special release no doubt. Avant-Roots are very happy with the variety offered by the artists of
their label and this release. They shined when it came to harnessing the essence of this track and infusing it into their
particular version of electronic dub. More

[2LP Gatefold]

“Music that came from some intimate and deeply ethereal place that effortlessly bridged the gap between the dance
floor and the home-listening environment. Pulshar is a unique dub-heavy, soulful, psychedelic journey.”
Vladimir Ivkovic.
“A crossover sound that the deepest electronic heads and mainstream music fans can equally enjoy. The energy in their
music is universal, and moves all who are exposed to it. One of my all-time favorites”
Rod Modell ( Deepchord / Echospace )


GENRE/S: Dub, Electronica, Deep House

TRACKLISTS:
A1 Down by the river
A2 Mr. Money man
A3 Maerdream
A4 ACT 2
B1 Better than tears
B2 S.T.A.R.S
B3 Da Creator
B4 Montparnasse 2am
B5 ACT 1
C1 Jungle fever
C2 Nospheratu
C3 Sacrifice of love
C4 Dream when it's wrong
D1 The price you pay
D2 California state of mind
D3 Stepping stones
D4 Marathon man

SHORT INFO:
A double vinyl compilation that perfectly captures Pulshar’s sound: an elegant mixture of Dub, Techno, R&B &
Ambient. Contains 12 tracks previously unreleased on vinyl.
This release was certainly not meant to be a 'Best of' compilation but it is a collection of special moments that Sergio and
Pablo wanted to capture and share on one definitive release.This is an opportunity to look back on Pulshar's career in a
retrospective and reflect about how their background and influences have led to the complete sound of the act.
UMBRA / LUX (title based on their production technique that naturally blends dark and light aesthetics) contains 17
tracks that traverse the gamut of their sound with an impeccable level of quality.

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