Photic Fields usher a new name into the fold, Switzerland's Contra Communem Opinionem aka CCO. The Lux Rec and Mathematics alumni arrives with The Road to the Stars, five tracks of his trademark acid elegance. The ferocity of the 303 has been sheathed, percussion pared down with lush chords and deep warmth being the focus. House is the foundation from which CCO builds. Those time honoured sounds support cascading melodies and fragile keys for a 12" that borders between armchair abstraction, floor funk and the night sky.

More

Vertical67's 13 track debut CD album including a remix by Wisp (Rephlex Records). Thomas Pahl, aka Vertical67, steps up with a full album after a few EP's on labels like 100% Silk and Lunar Disko. Yet the longplay format surely isn't new to him, as his albums, dating back from 2008-2009 on Acroplane Recordings, prove. With Panta Rhei however, the analog guy from Berlin finds himself in a more calm, serene mood. Pahl made his interest in ambient music clear at an early stage with his 'The Coloured Chaos' project. While that project was based around the use of samples and a guitar, the project here is about synth driven textures. A versatile selection of 12 beautiful and very personal tracks. Deep, melancholic moods are present, as well as more lightweight and uplifting moments. To top off this project, Thomas' friend and acclaimed producer Wisp, aka Reid Dunn (of Rephlex Records fame), delivers a remix of the opening track. With this album, Photic Fields i nitiate a series of CD releases, that focuses on the (even) more quiet, home-listening vein within the electronic music spectrum. Limited to 125 publicly available pressed CD copies. MP3 download cards included. "All entities move and nothing remains still". More

Perseus Traxx, aka Nigel Rogers, is returning to Photic Fields with a four track outing. This young Briton has time and time again shown his ability to sculpt soulful soundscapes using the building blocks laid down by Chicago House. Harmony of Elements is further proof of this. From the outset lush key strokes are laid down, warmth and texture brushed with subtle beats. Percussion patterns are used to scaffold achingly delicate bars. Autumnal tones swirl amongst warm winds and colder currents. Darker moments are present, nightskies bruise under weighty bars. M>O>S man ASOK is on remix duty, blotting "Grey Skies" with his ink-stained sounds; eclipsed moods balanced with honeyed notes. Harmony of Elements sees Nigel Rogers full range of ability on display. There's a revived and renewed complexity to this layered EP. A landscape of emotion is lovingly created, edges are smoothed and richness flows. Undoubtedly some of the most developed, heartfelt and involving sounds to come from Perseus Traxx to date.


More

Nick Lapien has been sharpening his music sound a number of monikers; Metropolis, Nepal and his own name. On labels like Other Heights and Sequencias the Dutch man has moulded smoke stained Chicago, textured Techno and drifting Ambient. For Photic Fields this homegrown talent brings together two of his nom de plums under the banner of Marchland. Basslines bulge, pressing against dampened claps for "Ballad of a Man." Banks of harmony drift off an analogue ocean, arcs of string dawning into a rich radiance. Submerged notes bend and blur with "Bobby Konders", streams of synth flowing past columns of carved percussion. Rolling chords see Lapien don his Metropolis mask for "Black Motor Boogie." Acid vultures circle with beady eyed intent, claws writhe and flex amidst a flurry of beat and pad. The shimmering keys of "The Gatekeeper" takes the listener throw a winding pass. Curving 303 contortions fold and reform under pressurised bursts of tom, cymbal and snare to end this journey into Marchland.

More

Fields Of Light' is an ambitious compilation release containing 6 tracks by BNJMN, Aroy Dee, Lerosa, Metropolis, Perseus Traxx and Tr One, that focuses on other qualities than the usual style-similarities. Here, the focus has been put on some other aspect; their soulful and melancholic nature. On each side 15 minutes of dreamily emotive and sometimes alienating works from these 6 producers have been pressed. Some of them appeared earlier on Photic Fields, others are new here. Among these works you'll find a deep and multilayered sonic excursion (by BNJMN), a dark, futuristic and movie-inspired piece (by Metropolis) and an emotion-drenched late 80's inspired house music-cut (by Perseus Traxx). Each of these tracks may have their moment to be played, some might work on dancefloors while other are 'just' for the home-listener. But a true sentimentalist should find these moments.
More