It's been a long while. We shouldn't have left you without a dope beat to step to. Tird is, as the name might imply, the third vinyl from the Swedish duo Kondens. The first two were out 2010 and 2011 on Kontra-Musik and included remixes by Chain Reaction's very own Substance and Berghain resident Norman Nodge. Since then, Kondens has slowed down the tempo a bit, both production wise as well as musically. Andreas Tilliander has focused on his TM404 and Mokira projects but did a rare release as Tilliander for Borft Records too. Stefan Thor is currently working on the followup for his Folie moniker which gave birth to two albums in the beginning of this decade. Slammin glam techno! More

By now, Frak needs no formal introduction. Let's just say they are the Swedish House Mafia for people who actually know what house music is. Lately, there has been somewhat of a surge in house and techno influenced by synth, ebm and obscure sub-genres that end with "-wave". So the timing couldn't be better for Frak to return to Kontra-Musik with this remarkable synth and acid flavoured release. This is of course a bit ironic as no-one could possibly care less about trends and hypes than Frak and Kontra-Musik. Time is an illusion. Our music, however, is not. But it may flabbergast you all the same. Machines drifting away is an intriguing piece of music; straightforward and multi-layered; futuristic and old school. The first half of the track molds itself around an ebm-like bassline which seems to be moving through a desolate landscape with hard hitting kicks, claps and drums marching on beside it, while the sky above is filled with the wails of brooding synt hs. The second part introduces a mean 303-bassline as the intensity of the journey heightens. To find a way home has a more elaborate rhythmical body, which only can be described as Frakish. The sound of an echoing metronome sets the tempo at the beginning, soon to be joined by heavy kicks and toms. Several analogue synths then joins in; bending, distorting and moving through the soundscape, almost battling for space. Everything is kept on the right path, though, thanks to an ingenious use of hi-hats - a trademark trick and treat from Frak. Everything is composed and recorded in legendary Studio Styrka, Karlskrona. More

Rivet is back on Kontra-Musik with a classy funk affair that will be luring us ever deeper into dancefloor delirium. It is a matured Rivet we meet on Bear Bile EP. The complexity of sound and composition of his latest EP, Driftwood continues here. Sometimes we hear Rivet complain that his production and release rate is to slow. When listening to his resent music you definitely understand why. Rivets music contains all the classic elements, but decomposed, manipulated and built together again in his own updated, very distinguished way.


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Rivet puts a lot of effort in his sounds and his production. This is not another copycat. First out on the EP Amid the Roar is Metrist, a sexy march that blends the stiffness 80-ties disco with techno from the future. On the b-side Marcel Fengler takes his turn on Metris. He keeps the string of the original, chops up the bass and creates a dancefloor monster with a big anthem alert stamp on it. Amid the Roar ends with what might be the strongest track on the ep. This EP will make us dance, of course ,as always, with a bit of a Kontra-Musik twist. More

The much-anticipated album from Jonsson/Alter, the new project from Henrik Jonsson (Porn Sword Tobacco/Gunnar Jonsson) & Joel Alter (Joel Alter/Jor-el), has finally arrived. If the very well received preceding EPs, Olidan (km019) and En Livfull Skildring (km020), are future classics, the album Mod, sets a new standard of what a dance music album could be. With personality and grace Jonsson/Alter blend soul, atmosphere and space with heavenly monotone funk. Or as the artists put it: “This album just landed in our laps like the sand falls inside an hourglass, every note is a breath of air and each kick pumps like a woken heart.” Tension is the key word to this album. The raw funk of bass lines and drum programming always grinds against the smooth and beautiful, almost sacral and poetic parts of the music. You can feel the work of two producers, two styles, two ideas, meeting and blending to create something new - a sound of their own. This can cle arly be heard on Acapellan. A sharp acid bass line meets smooth church-bell pads and Pet Sound choirs move freely in and out of the piece. Djup House p
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The much-anticipated album from Jonsson/Alter, the new project from Henrik Jonsson (Porn Sword Tobacco/Gunnar Jonsson) & Joel Alter (Joel Alter/Jor-el), has finally arrived. If the very well received preceding EPs, Olidan (km019) and En Livfull Skildring (km020), are future classics, the album Mod, sets a new standard of what a dance music album could be. With personality and grace Jonsson/Alter blend soul, atmosphere and space with heavenly monotone funk. Or as the artists put it: “This album just landed in our laps like the sand falls inside an hourglass, every note is a breath of air and each kick pumps like a woken heart.” Tension is the key word to this album. The raw funk of bass lines and drum programming always grinds against the smooth and beautiful, almost sacral and poetic parts of the music. You can feel the work of two producers, two styles, two ideas, meeting and blending to create something new - a sound of their own. This can cle arly be heard on Acapellan. A sharp acid bass line meets smooth church-bell pads and Pet Sound choirs move freely in and out of the piece. Djup House p
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There has been a lot of talk about a Nordic house sound lately. Here two guys thatit hit it right on the head! Jonsson/Alter aka Jonsson (Porn Sword Tobacco/Gunnar Jonsson)and Alter (Joel Alter/Jor-el) checking out some abandoned synthesizers Alter found in the streets. A jam session started that has not yet ended. Kontra Musik again manages to pick out some gems. Recommended!

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Part II – 'Axis Audio'. Mokira once told Kontra-Musik that three analog tape echoes are needed to produce one Mokira track. When listening to the track Axis Audio you can hear why. Metallic bursts of sound hits like waves on an Irish shore in autumn. Kept together by a solid bassline and a fragile melody Axis Audio is an excursion in beautiful sounds. On the b-side, Echospace (Deepcord, Modern Love) makes you dance. It is distorted, it is minimal, it is raw and last but last not least, it is oh so funky. This track will move dance floors. Be so sure.

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Part III – 'Manipulation Musik'. Manipulation Musik is the darkest and most cinematic piece on this collection of EPs. Delicate manipulated melodies and melancholic strings moves in and out of a crackling and distorted soundscape, telling an experimental sound tale with a sad ending. On b-side Redshape (Present, Delsin) makes a remix solely using sounds from the original. Redshape described his tape dub version like this: “think disco dub, plonk & pain”. Not much to add to that – it kind of says it all. Enjoy!

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Kontra Music comes up with two mind-blowing techno pieces from Marcel Dettmann. Constructed out of parts, samples and inspiration from Swedish experimental dub/drone act Mokira (Type, Raster Noton & Mille Plateaux), Dettmann delivers two brand new cuts. On the A-side, Factory Report 1, Dettmann takes you on a deep and industrial dub ride. Kicks roll like thunder. Dub chords and processed sounds move gently in and out of this elegant composition. Without disturbing the monotony, Dettmann skillfully creates music generating strong feelings of movement and travel. The B-side is more aggressive. The kick on Factory Report 2 is harder and so is the momentum. Sharp, industrial and reverb-soaked sounds twist the droning soundscape, moving the receiver forward and deeper into this cinematic music piece. A limited series of three Mokira 10-inch records and a digital album will follow this release. Mokira is Swedish producer Andreas Tilliander known for hi s retro futuristic analogue recordings. The vinyl will contain remixes from no less than Redshape, Silent Servant and Echospace. Great new Kontra Music project!

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