Taka Noda AKA Mystica Tribe has been releasing deep music on vinyl since 2011 on labels including SD Records, Solar Phenomena, Silent Season, and his own Mystica Tribe Records. Working in the dub/techno continuum, he is one of only a handful of artists who creates brilliant tunes at both ends of the spectrum, from heavy, psychedelic warehouse techno to beautifully orthodox reggae-infused dubwise. For his first ZamZam, he leans hard into the latter.

Noda describes his approach to these tunes as a “virtual live band,” and while “the only real live instrument is the melodica, I wanted to capture the energy of a live band with this song.”

A master of both melody and rhythm, Noda does exactly that with “Ido” (which means a well for water). The mood hits immediately with a loose & confident groove built from impossibly-live sounding drum work, a perfect orthodox bassline, and achingly beautiful interplay between piano, clav, and melodica. Somehow both melancholy and bright, it captures that moment when winter gives way to the first hint of spring, sun finally breaking through clouds after months of rain and darkness.

Rather than a simple dub of the A side, the version is a complete rebuild of the tune. “Ido - Renren Version” (which means flowing like tears, or a river) drops the tempo down to 120 but goes harder rhythmically in spite of its slower tempo. Opening with a stark, dark, and menacingly driving bassline and warped dub siren, the vibe is completely transformed from above-ground to below. Hard percussion, new melodica parts, and 4-4 hats & kick take it into that full post-punk dub territory that the world needs more of. Much more!! More

Canada's Solar Phenomena presents three DJ Sotofett remixes of Tokyo producer Mystica Tribe. With a unique and unpredictable approach, Norwegian DJ Sotofett who runs Sex Tags Mania, Amfibia and Wania opens the remix EP with "Ash of Dub Mix", and as the names suggests, a fat dub with huge rubbery kicks, oodles of echoing hits and a spaced out curiousness that sonically draws inwards. "Dub Lawn Dub" eight minutes strips it back with a meandering top line, whimsical, dreamy and encouraging synths contrasting the rickety drums tumbling below. Lastly, "Dub'right Mix" continues the producer trademark loose limbed and jumbled drums, working into a lather while synths squelches and wobbled pads parallely prospects other dimensions. Heavy deepness with percussive highlights. More

Solar Phenomena continues a high quality and high rate of releases after EP's from the likes of STL and Fluxion with a new one from Mystica Tribe - the musical alias of Tokyo-based producer, Taka Noda. Here he draws on everything from dub, soul, bass music, rhythm and blues and will always freak you out with his unusual sounds.
This excellently absorbing EP starts with Love Is All Right, a fusion of Asian percussion and reggae drums that is high tempo and funky. The bright steelpan sounds offset the razor sharp percussion and make for a sunny dub that will get any crowd going. The same fusion vibes continues but in more blissed out and slow motion fashion on 'Lawn Track', the beautiful cosmic psyche-out that is 'Ash' and supple space journey that is 'Voyage' with its intoxicating melodies and loose, tumbling percussion. This is unusual but essential music from an exclusive talent. More

Second of two new bass-infected dub EP's with a hint of techno by the Japanese Mystica Tribe. Titletrack ''Stars Are Mine'' and ''His Temple'' immediately set off to deep dub and bass territories in these two typical Mystica Tribe excursions: grooving, but dark with lots of effects and tribal influences. ''Prayer'' evolves around a catchy melodica that won't leave your head for days or maybe even weeks and ''Zen Stone'' tops it off perfectly with this gloomy scifi dubtrip. More

"Proper destroyer," is what somebody said and it's probably the best description you'll hear for this new Syncom Data release. Syncom Data teams up with Finnish/Dutch vocalist Saara Soini for "Rumpukone". Inspired by "Me and My Rhythm Box" from the 1982 film "Liquid Sky", Saara Soini delivers a powerful vocal performance on razorsharp beats and acidic textures by Syncom Data. Drenched in shuffling machine distortion "Rumpukone" marches merciless on funky boots through moist and dark techno cellars. There's an instrumental as well, but it's all about the vocal version... In "Space Madness" Syncom Data works with Mystica Tribe from Japan, who had several records released on their label. His echoing layers of dubby melodica blend perfectly with the La Haye style beats and crashing effects by Syncom Data. Don't be fooled that it's on the b-side, this one's a sneaky winner as well.

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Syncom Data's powerful return with the hard jacking Warehousing EP, all drenched in that typical raw Syncom Data techno sewer sound with lots of emphasis on bass. Comes on stylish red-black transparent vinyl. Titletrack Warehousing is a constantly forward thrusting jacktechno track that builds to a warm string climax. A great combination of melancholy introvert feels and deep pounding bass. In Stowage Syncom Data take on a beatless electronic flight into distorted vinyl and synth territory. The whole b-side is for Ekstasis, a 13,5 minutes relentless acidsynth techno bomb for destroying some dancefloors. This live recorded track constantly evolves and builds and builds and builds. Strobo time.

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This Time Around is the long awaited follow-up to the succesful Probe album by Roswell Return. The original is a mesmerizing piece of minimal electronic music, heavily inspired by composer Steve Reich. More than 10 minutes of pure synth bliss. On the b-side Syncom Data take it into deep techno territory with a shuffling and ridiculously low-end remix that's both warm and unsettling at the same time. Deep basslines keep pushing everything forward, while the constantly rising church-like organ brings a nervous mayhem quality to it.

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Krautrock and EBM inspired post-industrial techno. Next-level electronic music made by one of The Hague's most original producers. Must have for fans of Unit Moebius Anonymous and Shitcluster

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Great debut by UK based James Marrs on the consistenly unpredictable Syncom Data Records. Four raw, sample induced industrial house tracks. Perfect dancefloor material. For a basement strobo party in a David Lynch movie, that is. Mental stuff.

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Second of two new bass-infected dub EP's with a hint of techno by the Japanese Mystica Tribe. Titletrack ''Stars Are Mine'' and ''His Temple'' immediately set off to deep dub and bass territories in these two typical Mystica Tribe excursions: grooving, but dark with lots of effects and tribal influences. ''Prayer'' evolves around a catchy melodica that won't leave your head for days or maybe even weeks and ''Zen Stone'' tops it off perfectly with this gloomy scifi dubtrip. More

Smashing debut by secretive new collective md0 on SD Records. Sepone Wisdom and Mwahaha are fresh and inspiring cuts of Asian electrowave meeting The Hague acid. Live drums with an irresistible acid line and lush vocals from Asian ladies give both tracks a unique blend of styles. Another killer from SD Records.

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