Excellent Remix Package with beautiful Remixes from Risung Sun and Convextion... Lit Clear Vinyl, For Those Who Knows More

Repress!

Forest Drive West delivers the ‘Parallel Space’ EP via Copenhagen’s Echocord this December, backed with a remix from Conforce.

London’s Forest Drive West has gained widespread recognition as a purveyor of raw and emotive techno over the past few years, releasing material on the likes of Livity Sound, Hidden Hawaii, Neighbourhood and Whities. Here though see him returning to Echocord following his recent remix of Babe Roots on the imprint earlier this year. ‘Creation Dub’ leads, fusing echoing dub chords and off-kilter drums with cavernous atmospherics and pulsating low-end tones before ‘Drift’ edges into darker territories with murky synth textures, glitched out percussion and tension building drones creating a hypnotic and subtly nuanced six and a half minutes. Title-track ‘Parallel Space’ then opens the B-Side, bring the rhythmic aspects into the spotlight this time as bumpy broken drums, a rounded sub line and oscillating percussion ebb and flow amongst hazy pads, fluttering echoes and expansive reverbs. Conforce’s take on ‘Parallel Space’ rounds out the package next and the Delsin regular delivers a typically classy interpretation with choppy bass stabs dynamically driving the composition as snippets of the original’s ethereal textures and spiralling percussion are weaved within.
Downloads

More

Repress!

Forest Drive West makes a welcome return to Echocord this February with the ‘Recursion’ EP, featuring one solo cut and two collaborations with DB1 and Localhost. London’s Forest Drive West has been steadily releasing his left of centre take on techno over the past five years on the likes of Livity Sound, Hidden Hawaii, Delsin, AD93 fka Whities and of course Echocord where here returns here following the ‘Parallel Space’ EP back in 2019.

Leading the release is the murky, tense atmospherics of ‘100m’, produced alongside regular collaborator DB1 the eight minute composition journeys through unfurling, expansive pads, subtly nuanced bass warbles and gritty off-kilter percussion.

Next up, Forest Drive West joins forces with Localhost for title-cut ‘Recursion’, embracing a 4/4 approach rhythmically this time and bringing hazy, ethereal pads, earth shattering subs and circling stab sequences into the limelight. Forest Drive West’s solo cut ‘Anchor’ then rounds out the release, taking things deeper into dub territory via tumbling percussive echoes, billowing chords and heavy doses of low-end drive. More

Copenhagen’s Echocord returns this September with the ‘Invincible Nature’ EP by Altone, backed by a remix from Thomas Fehlmann and Another Channel. Atone is the guise of Tokyo’s Yuki Takasaki, one of the leading figures of the genre out of Japan with releases on the likes of Greyscale, Lempuyang, Vuo, Æ Recordings, Primary [colours] and many more. His distinctive twist on Dub Techno has earned him accolades worldwide within the underground and here he joins the roster of the esteemed Echocord, the Kenneth Christiansen helmed label that’s been at the forefront of Dub Techno for more than two decades now. The original mix of ‘Naturally Unnatural’ opens, showcasing Altone’s unique style via subtly nuanced chord flutters, expansive reverberations, pulsating low end tones and ever unfolding, subtly unfurling feel. The ‘Naturally Flowing Thomas Fehlmann Remix’ follows, the Swiss sonic wizard and former member of the legendary The Orb among many other projects delivers deep, throbbing subs and glitched out synth modulations intertwined with fragments of the original composition. ‘Unnaturally Balanced’ then opens the B-Side with Altone diving deeper into dub realms courtesy of ever alternating, billowing dub echoes and a raw, reduced rhythm section. The ‘Another Channel Version’ of ‘Unnaturally Balanced’ then rounds out the EP, embracing a more classic dub techno aesthetic as crunchy drums, swirling atmospherics and spaced out echoes ebb and flow amongst one another across the six and half minute duration. More

Repress!

Following the success of last years Babe Roots EP, Echocord revisits the package with reworks from Forest Drive West, Mike Schommer, Felix K, DB1 and Babe Roots themself.
London’s DB1 leads the package with his take on ‘Work Hard’, a mostly beatless interpretation fuelled by oscillating white noise, winding dub chords and snippets of the original’s dub reggae vocals. Hidden Hawai’s Felix K then ups the energy levels with a high-octane take on ‘Sufferation Time’, driven by upfront, shuffled and distorted drums and unfaltering, tension building dub swells. The hotly tipped Forest Drive West steps up next to remix ‘Jah Nuh Dead’, a typically classy reimagining from the Livity Sound artist, stipping things back to ethereal pads, off-kilter percussion and sporadic echoes of the original composition. Former Deepchord member Mike Schommer’s take on ‘Bless Me’ follows, the pioneer of contemporary dub techno delivers a cinematic rework employing sweeping voices, glitched out electronics and resonant swells alongside the bouncy dub reggae groove of the original. Lastly Babe Roots revisit one of their own compositions, ‘Sufferation Time’, delivering a more refined feel this time round with more impetus on drums and dark, hypnotic synths to contrast the original’s more vocal focused feel. More

Repress!

Babe Roots & Another Channel join forces with Danish label Echocord with four dubbed out cuts titled, ‘Takeover’. Turin based artist, Babe Roots’ catalogue has seen a steady growth since he started out in 2016 with releases on French label Linear Movement, Portland dub label ZamZam Sounds and Rohs! Records. ‘Takeover’ sees him team up with Another Channel, an up and coming German producer with records on Transient Audio and Modern Hypnosis. After a successful summer for Echocord with albums from Silent Harbour aka Conforce and Idealist, the label continues 2018 with consistently intriguing output from artists across the electronic music spectrum. ‘Takeover (intro)’ kicks off the pack by delivering a minute of spaced-out, dub-tinged atmospheres to ease you in. ‘Can’t See’ then provides a pitched-down, meditative ambience peppered with deep, sedative reggae drums, calming synth flutters and an enchanting vocal. Next, ‘Money Run Things’ sustains the mellow moods, spirited chants and stirring flourishes of dubby vibrations. To finish, ‘Get You Down’ offers a meditative, dropped- tempo dub-techno track – with sound system culture, dispersed grooves and undulating minimalism becoming the main focus here. More

Echocord welcomes the return of Mathimidori to the imprint with his ‘Anata’ EP, accompanied by a remix from New Yorker and Novel Sound boss Levon Vincent.

Mathimidori is the dub techno leaning guise of Germany’s Mathias Kaden, known for his works under his own name on imprints such as REKIDS, Ovum and Freude Am Tanzen, while Mathimidori material has found a home on the likes of Mule Musiq, Raum, Ornaments and of course Echocord where he returns here following 2020’s ‘Akebono’ LP.

Opening the release is ‘Anata’, a texturally dense six-and-a-half-minute composition fusing pulsating subs, billowing synth atmospherics, spiralling dub echoes and sporadic dubbed out spoken word running atop a crisp 4/4 rhythm. ‘Zanziba’ follows and dives deeper via ethereal pads, snaking low-end pulsations, choppy stab sequences and heavily echoing reggae chants.

Levon Vincent steps up to remix ‘Zanziba’ next, delivering a typically raw and dynamic rework, upping the energy levels as dub stabs dynamically unfold and retract amongst a thunderous low-end drive, intricate synth flutters and low-slung drums across its ten minute duration. More

Repress! NOTE: RE-PRESS COMES IN BLACK VIYNL.

Echocord 20th anniversary special release

echocord records marks a momentous twenty years with an exclusive release, featuring 12 iconic artists on a limited edition triple clear vinyl, for dub-techno lovers and collectors.This vinyl series celebrates artists who continue to inspire the echocord journey, from 2001 to 2021 and beyond.

Over the past two decades, the Kenneth Christiansen helmed echocord imprint has been at the forefront of the dub-techno scene, discovering and developing sophisticated artists globally.

The twelve-track release is an exploration, from energetic dub techno, with cuts like Luke & Jeff Hess’ “M1 Dub”, grad_u’s “Pacific Lair”, and Idealist’s “Ride” to more esoteric passages with Forest Drive West’s “Signals”, Mikkel Metal’s “Lakam Dub” and Brendon Moeller’s “Slow Return”. Heavy dub vibrations resound in Babe Roots feat Another Channel’s “Gunman” and Deadbeat’s sub-driven “The Old Doom and Gloom” while Fluxion turns it to a jazzy, dub house wave with “Slide”.

“To me music is life, thank you for your support keeping the sound of echocord resonating” –Kenneth Christiansen More

Echocord returns this March with a new EP from El Choop, backed by a remix from Sven Weisemann. Harvey Bones, better known to most as El Choop is a London based producer and DJ delivering dub leaning house and techno via the likes of Etui Records, Greyscale and now Echocord, a perfect home for his subtly nuanced, intricately unfolding aesthetic. Leading is title-track ‘Insane Sends’, employing a sturdy kick, cavernous percussion and choppy stab sequences, as the name would suggest all dynamically modulating across the composition’s six-minute duration. ‘Some Fall Harder Than Others’ then follows, embracing a more stripped back feel atmospherically, bringing filtered dub chords, ethereal pad textures and rounded subs into focus while dusty drums carry the hypnotic groove. Label regular Sven Weisemann then rounds out the release with his ‘Angelis Sends Mix’ of ‘Insane Sends’, a twelve-minute interpretation embracing a cinematic feel via expansive synth atmospherics, spiralling dub echoes and metallic chimes, all ebbing and flowing amongst one another throughout while a bumpy drum groove keep things moving. More

Copenhagen’s Echocord returns with a long player from Mathimidori this October, entitled the ‘Akebono’ LP and comprised on ten original compositions. Mathimidori, better know by most as Mathias Kaden has been using this alias as a way to showcase his take on dub-leaning, minimalistic and refined Techno via labels such as Dorian Paic’s Raum Musik, Tokyo’s Mule Musiq and Berlin’s Ornaments. Here though we see deliver his debut long player under the guise, and fittingly the LP will be released via esteemed Dub Techno imprint Echocord, home to releases from the likes of STL, Deepchord, Fluxion, XDB and Forest Drive West. Across the ‘Akebono’ album Mathimidori delivers hazy, spaced out instrumentals like ‘Maiia’, ‘Ork’ and ‘Soso’ while tracks like ‘Asaka’ and ‘Shao’ offer a darker approach. The project also welcomes an assortment of collaborations such as opening track ‘Java’ alongside Spain’s Pulshar, ‘Kioku’ featuring Japanese artist Tomomi Ukumori and ‘Kobe’ with Germany’s Rhauder which all lean towards downtempo dub territories. Also featured are Sakura who provides spoken word vocals for ‘Akebono’ and Shoco who joins Mathimidori for the ambient leaning album conclusion ‘Akari’. More

Echocord welcomes the return of STL this May with the ‘Take Off Music’ EP, comprised of three murky, dubbed out cuts from the acclaimed German producer. Stephan Laubner, better known as STL has long been one of the most respected producers in the underground electronic music scene. Racking up releases on the likes of Smallville, Perlon, Echospace [Detroit], his own Something and of course Echocord where he returns here. ‘Fluxxy’ leads on the package, embracing STL’s signature style via, dusty analogue drums, choppy dub stabs, penetrating low end flutters and airy atmospherics before ‘Dub Plus’ lays focus on a stripped-back, perfectly balanced drum groove, hazy field recordings and bubbling chord delays and bell chime synths. ‘Magic Thing’ then rounds out the release, fusing fm synth melodies and gritty bass stab sequences with thunderous subs and Laubner’s robust rhythmic style. Once again STL delivers a touch of class with a contemporary Dub Techno style for Echocord. More

The inimitable STL makes a welcome return to Echocord this May with a new three-track EP in the shape of ‘Take Your Seats’. Stephan Laubner, better known to most as simply as STL is highly regarded for his unique twist on dubbed out house and techno sounds and has been responsible for some underground anthems such as the lauded ‘Silent State’ on Smallville Records and other material on the likes of Perlon, Echospace [Detroit] and ofcourse his own Something imprint. Here though we see him returning to Echocord following 2015’s ‘Message Of Sound’ Part 1 & 2 EP’s with yet more mind- altering murky cuts. ‘Lost Harbour’ leads on the package with textural field recordings, crunchy distorted rhythms and an amalgamation of snaking bass, synth and piano lines, intertwining and unfolding throughout. ‘Mr Sinister’ switches the vibes over to menacing bass swells, fluttering subs, gritty percussion and an underlying tension before ‘Sensimilla’ edges into more ethereal territory with spiralling dub chords, shuffled hats and winding atmospherics. More

Idealist returns with his second long player this October, entitled ‘Mind Field’ and featuring eight dub-leaning cuts from the Swiss producer. Based out of Zurich, Switzerland, producer and DJ Idealist has become a respected figure in raw, dubby house and techno over the past five years via his releases on Echocord and his Idealistmusic and Details Series labels, picking up support along the way from the likes of Mike Huckaby, Dana Ruh, Tini and Mandar to name but a few. Here though we see him returning to Copenhagen’s Echocord with his second long player following 2016’s ‘Firewood Street’ on his own label. Leading on the package is ‘Explorer’, setting the tone with crunchy percussion, billowing stab sequences and airy dub swells before ‘Dimension’ employs pulsing subs, soft organ like chords and gritty analogue drums as its foundation whilst fluttering stabs and sweeping atmospherics wander within.‘Stage One’ is up next, consisting of a weight low end drive, thunderous kick and snappy clap running in unison with swirling dub echoes and tension building strings, a shining example of an effective dub-techno tool. ‘Golden Places’ offers something different, this time round embracing a walking bass groove, soft 303 style resonant flutters and cinematic strings. ‘M.I.T.H’ opens up the flips side of the release, upping the energy levels with a dynamic, robust rhythm, gritty stabs and murky modulating effects throughout before ‘Singularity’ edges things back into deeper territory with fluttering synth licks, vacillating pads and low-slung drums. ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ embraces a loop driven approach next with a focus on short, sharp synth cuts, bumpy drums and skippy hats before ‘Final Cut’, as the name would suggest, wraps up the album with oscillating percussion, choppy bass hits and raw drums all unfolding with the subtle nuances prevalent throughout yet another smooth and understated addition to Idealist’s catalogue. More

Conforce returns under his Silent Harbour guise this August with the ‘Noctiluca’ mini LP, a six track collection set for release via Copenhagen’s Echocord. Dutch producer Boris Bunnik has been releasing material under various guises over the past two decades such as Conforce, Versalife, Hexagon, Vernon Felicity and of course Silent Harbour which he revisits here following 2015’s ‘Hinterland’ on Deep Sound Channel and the self-tilted inauguration of the project in 2012 on Echocord. The beatless drones of ‘Riparian’ open the package, perfectly setting the tone with murky bell like chimes, rumbling subs and splashes of white noise before title-track ‘Noctiluca’ picks up the pace, tipping the focus over to bubbling dub echoes, glitched out, minute percussion and a sturdy muted kick to keep things driving. ‘Dwelling’ is up next, featuring expansive, washed out synth textures, cavernous bass tones and modulating percussion throughout. Leading on the B-Side of the release is ‘Peridinum’, employing classic dub techno tropes with an amalgamation of choppy stab sequences dynamically evolving over off-beat hats and a thunderous kick. ‘Fusiformis’ strips things rhythmically whilst keeping the bubbling delays and expansive reverbs at it’s core before closing track ‘Pelagia’ brings bright, resonant synth lines, delayed percussive hits and tension building synth bass into the limelight. More

Mikkel Metal returns to Copenhagen’s Echocord this May with his new mini LP ‘Just Enough Light’, comprising six originals from the Danish artist. Copenhagen based producer and DJ Mikkel Metal has been a beacon of light in the Danish electronic music scene and further afield for nearly two decades now, with the Dub Techno imprint from his hometown, Echocord, being the predominant home for his output, whilst also releasing material on Cologne’s Kompakt, Tartelet, Semantica and Avant Roots, a telling sign of the quality embodied in his work. Here though we see Mikkel deliver a mini album concept in the shape of ‘Just Enough Light’ and opener ‘Awake’ perfectly sets the tone with emotive, dynamically unfolding atmospherics, tension building bass drones and spiraling dub chords subtly easing us into the project. ‘Bregnan’ then stirs in some classing Dub-Techno tropes with billowing stab sequences, lumpy subs and off beat high hats carrying the hypnotic groove for six and a half minutes. ‘Jech’ then strips things back to an almost beatless amalgamation of murky chords and modulating synth whirrs. Opening the flip side of the release is ‘Include’ which embraces a brighter feel via ethereal pad swells, jazztinged synth melodies and bumpy 909 rhythms before ‘Konkin’ edges back into the eerie, brooding aesthetic with bubbling echoes, broken drums and menacing bass swells at its core. ‘Restore’ then closes the package on a stripped-back vibe, laying focus on an ever- eveolving singular dub chord to ebb and flow around thunderous subs, kicks and bright hats. More

Greek producer Fluxion returns to Danish imprint Echocord in January with his ‘Upsides & Sideways EP’, comprising three original productions. The Athens-based artist has spent nearly two decades honing his craft both on stage through his live improvised performances and in the studio, producing records for the likes of Chain Reaction, Vibrant Music and Subwax Bcn. Copenhagen’s Echocord has consistently delivered high quality dub techno from the likes of Roberto Clementi, Brendon Moeller and Luke Hess since its inception in 2001 and now Fluxion returns with his twelfth outing on the label with his latest material. Fluxion opens with ‘En route’, employing sharp percussive foundations, white noise atmospheres and haunting chord progressions which evolve throughout the track before ‘The Place’ offers dubbed out synthesiser motifs and glitching arpeggios which are underpinned by echoing drums and a subtle bass melody. ‘Flick’ then closes out the release with spacey synth riffs developing over groove-led percussion and a warm, distorted low-end. More

Sven Weisemann is set to release his ‘Bilateral Relations’ EP via Copenhagen’s Echocord this September, comprising four originals from the German producer. Sven Weisemann has been immersed in the underground House and Techno scene for quite some time now having started DJing in 1997 during the rise of the scene on his home turf of Berlin and going on to release material via the likes of Amsterdam’s Delsin, Mojuba, Telrae and liebe.detail amongst many more. Here though we see Sven joining the roster of Echocord, a perfect fit for his more dubbed out compositions with artists like Fluxion, Rod Modell and STL on the roster. ‘Lunation’ opens the release and sees Weisemann fuse emotive string melodies and cavernous vocal echoes with off- kilter rhythms and rounded sub hits before title-track ‘Bilateral Relations’ embraces a more direct four-four approach via sparse percussion and tumbling toms alongside choppy bass stabs and ever-unfolding, echoing dub chords. Opening the flip is ‘Monistic’, an airy ethereal number employing billowing pads, bright synth chimes and a dropped tempo dubbed out feel to create something truly stunning and thought provoking before the ‘Decimation (Valvle tR9 Mix) closes things on a darker tip with looming stab swells, heavily swung drums and sporadic growling bass drones. More

Echocord returns late June with a new release, Joel Alter under his Jor-El alias, entitled ‘Tilted Reality’ and comprising three originals from the Swedish artist.
Currently based in Copenhagen, Sweden born producer and DJ Joel Alter is a name synonymous with the contemporary Techno scene on both his home turf and across the globe, his back catalogue to date features a long player for the Uncanny Valley imprint, solo EP’s for D’Julz’ Bass Culture, Sweatshop and collaborative works for Kontra Musik alongside Henrik Johnsson amongst much more. This time round though we see Alter return under his Jor-El guise under which he first started releasing material on DJ Hell’s Internation Deejay Gigolo imprint. Up first is title-track ‘Tilted Reality’ laid out over seven minutes with a slowly unfolding dynamic feel, encompassing spiraling atmospherics, distorted rhythms and blooming stab- sequences. ‘Elevation’ follows and takes a more direct groove-driven approach via straight four-four percussion and hooky bass chops, whilst tension building pads and fluttering dub echoes gradually build around the foundation. ‘Solitude’ closes out the package deliving into deeper realms with soft ethereal dub chords, acid tinged leads and emotive strings. More

Sold on preorder - repress coming in 4 weeks!

..... More

AMPLE SOUL'S FAT JON returns with a 7 inch release featuring blissed out Hip Hop.On the A Side "YOUR PURPOSE" was originally featured on the SAMURAI CHAMPLOO series. On the flip,"WHY WE DREAM" is a rare Lo-Fi masterpiece. Full anime style pic sleeve included! More

Vancouver duo Potatohead People (aka the duo of Nick Wisdom & AstroLogical) make their long awaited return to Bastard Jazz with their 4th album, 'Eat Your Heart Out'. Jumping off on the clean & musical production sensibilities that they have become heavily fetishized for over the last decade, the album finds the duo further stepping out from the shadow of the boards and stepping into the spotlight as vocalists, songwriters, players and musicians standing strong in their own respect. More

FAT JON returns with the 2nd installation of "TEPHLON FUNK". This 12 track LP serves as a soundtrack to the eponymous manga published by DARK HORSE COMICS and comes with a 12"x12" manga poster, with a full print jacket. A must have for fans of FAT JON's work as FIVE DEEZ and on the SAMURAI CHAMPLOO soundtrack. More

Full Bloom is an experimental sound collective traveling through polyrhythmic timezones and psychedelic soundscapes deeply rooted in the aesthetics of Jazz, Hip Hop, Afrobeat and Dub. Whatever happens, we try to convey a feeling that sits deep in your stomach and makes your body move! More

Repress!

Minecraft is a dreamscape, a limitless world where anything is possible. Minecraft is a tool, a means of bringing the imagination to life. Minecraft is a community, a platform on which inventive minds of all ages can share their creations and ideas. Minecraft, of course, is also a game, the most popular and best-selling video game of all time. Created in 2009 by Swedish programmer Markus "Notch" Persson, this cultural phenomenon speaks volumes of our current zeitgeist's love for virtual spaces, but its unprecedented success couldn't be pinned on one factor alone. Countless layers of thoughtful artistry flow through Minecraft's singular experience, not the least of which is its transportive soundtrack. And now for the first time since releasing digitally in 2011, the music of Minecraft will be issued on vinyl and CD by Ghostly International.

Minecraft Volume Alpha, the first installment of a two-part OST, is the work of German composer and musician Daniel Rosenfeld. Using C418 as his moniker, Rosenfeld crafted the sweeping soundtrack and vibrant sound design which helped breathe life into Minecraft's voxel-based universe. Fans and critics were universally enamored with his beatless, nuanced electronic pieces upon release. Popular gaming site Kotaku named it among The Best Game Music of 2011, calling the music "remarkably soothing," and The Guardian has compared Rosenfeld's delicate piano and sparse ambient motifs to legendary artists Erik Satie and Brian Eno. In an interview feature with C418, Polygon distilled Volume Alpha to its essence: "It's not bound by the retro aesthetic of Minecraft's graphics. It transcends them. The album is an attempt to uplift the combined game/music experience into the sublime."

But for all of the critical praise, C418's crowning achievement has to be his insatiable fan base, the seemingly endless swath of players and listeners who treat his music like gospel. They are exactly who this physical release of the Minecraft soundtrack was conceived for, though Ghostly hopes to bring Rosenfeld's music to a whole new audience as well. As any cursory listen of the touching sounds will reveal, this isn't a record meant solely for lifelong gamers and MineCon diehards; anyone in love with ambient, neo-classical, or minimal music needs to hear Volume Alpha. More

"The Invention of The Human" is designed as a response to the question "what makes us human?" The question has become increasingly important in this period of history, in that many of the answers aren't good enough. "Civilisation" could be one answer; but what good is civilization where there is so much misery within it? "Progress" could be another; but what good is progress without kindness and empathy to sustain it? Taking the thought of man's relationship with technology as a measure of humanity, I asked the computer "what do you think a human sounds like?", and with that I built this album of synthesised vocals, wondering if technological development can help explain what we are. More

2024 repress

Tracklisting
A1 Rene Wise - Escaping Siro
A2 Rene Wise - Caging Green
B1 Rene Wise - Dry Beetle
B2 Rene Wise - Lonely Singing

Sales Note
Founded by Rene Wise, Moving Pressure is a record label aimed to explore the immersive dialogue between soundsystem music and the human body, celebrating the profound connection of sound and movement.

As the inaugural release, Moving Pressure 01 serves as a sonic diary showcasing Rene Wise's music storytelling. Each track on the EP contributes to a harmonious blend of innovation and restraint, inviting listeners to embark on a captivating journey through the artistry of sound and rhythm. Sometimes, it's the space between the notes that resonate the loudest. More

Factor City kicks off its third decade in full swing, led by Undo solo and accompanied by its usual partners Casiowaves and Vicknoise.

It all began in 2003 when Undo & Vicknoise laid the foundation for the label with "Noctámbula," and over the years, they continued to collaborate closely, managing the label and producing "hits" such as "Orca" or "Happy Monday." From 2011 onward, following an amicable parting, Undo began to run the label solo while maintaining the same spirit and distinctive sound of the Barcelona-based label, always at the forefront of dance music produced in Spain.

Now, in 2024, in a "digital” world where fewer and fewer things can be touched with our fingers and where 100,000 songs are uploaded to Spotify every day, Factor City is charting a different course and starts a new decade on the dance floors by returning to vinyl releases and persisting in their low key and relaxed approach, releasing few and carefully curated records from their artists each year.

“Ciudad Futura” opens with "Good Times," a track by Undo that radiates joy and positivity. An euphoric ride through landscapes of analog synthesizers and drum machines. The second track on side A is signed by Undo & Vicknoise, who hadn't produced together in 15 years. And we hope they won't take as long to get back in the studio together after hearing the fantastic track "Electric Rainbow." A delightful slice of electro-disco. The B side is signed by the recent combo of Undo and Casiowaves. The first track, "Secret Worlds," follows in the wake of their recent releases on Factor City and Melodize with that winning combination of retro 80s and 90s synths with vocoders and a more contemporary production. Closing out the record is "Astralia," a vibrant "power synth pop" anthem adorned with FM synths and acid-tinged melodies. Thanks for listening! More

Repress!

Not far off two years from the day, Bristol's Tara Clerkin Trio return to World of Echo and the EP format for a five song collection of quixotic, emotional redolence. But do not mistake their absence for inertia. If their musical output has been a little sparse during those in-between years, limited to a few solo ventures and an astonishing ten minute long piece as a trio, their time has otherwise been richly spent: continuous writing and recording, extensive live performances across Europe and Japan, a cultivation of local and more far-flung artistic connections (musical and otherwise), and a monthly NTS show that, through the voice of others, speaks most obviously to their own unorthodox interests. It's the conflux of that winding activity that leads indirectly to On The Turning Ground, 26 minutes of probing, thoughtful composition that draws from no one specific source.

Their inspirations might be centreless, but the trio still possess a very obvious anchor in the form of their hometown. Bristol stands as a city of multitudes, heterogenous and vibrant in such a way as to allow it to renew and remake time and again. Tara Clerkin Trio drink from that same well, duly reflecting a rich musical heritage built on fwd-facing electronic subcultures and experimental urges. As such, On The Turning Ground finds them subject to their own subtle internal evolution, the pervasive sense that you've caught them mid-bloom, on their way to becoming but never anything but themselves.

The two instrumental pieces that bookend the EP stand as a perfect case in point, displaying an increasing mastery of compositional space. Pensive and restrained, 'Brigstow' and 'Once Around' both emanate an interstitial quality that's not so much after- as in-between-hours, miniature dub-folk symphonies held together by the kind of tacit understanding that remains the preserve of only the closest of family units. If those two tracks are shaped by a sense of shifting temporality, then the three vocal-led pieces that comprise the record's core feel like a gentle ossifying of aesthetic into something approaching their own unique form of avant-pop. 'Pop' is, of course, a broadly subjective concept, but there's no avoiding the overt sparkling melodicism of songs like 'Marble Walls' and 'The Turning Ground', undeniable re-directions of that late 90s impulse to bend pop sensibilities into off-centre terrain, to render the familiar new again. This is what Tara Clerkin Trio do, gently pulling the ground from under your feet, turning you to face something you'd not quite seen before. To view the world as they do: sideways, sometimes, all of the time. More

Repress!
More