Downbeat | Electronica | Leftfield 175 Items

A familiar place that doesn’t exist, a soothing song from a distant nowhere. From Zer0 れい comes an enveloping slushwave experience where tangible reality meets the achingly ethereal. OST comes to vinyl, compact disc and cassette

It has been some five years since US ambient maestro zake dropped the first volume of his Orchestral Tape Studies. We're glad to finally have the second instalment in the series available because there has rarely been music as cathartic and soothing as this on our shelves. It's made from drones, field recordings and richly layered movements of fragmented orchestral loops. It is heavily inspired by the sound of the greatest minimalist symphonic composers and orchestras of the last 100 years and comes in several different colours. This version is a transparent rose vinyl LP and download code.

A retro-futuristic journey from folk to free exploring the shores of the Mediterranean, claiming its power as a living core, never as a deadly border. The TransMegaCobla fuses traditional Mediterranean culture –from bulería to kopanitsa, from gnaoua to sardana– with contemporary culture to create a fictional but deeply human and festive universe. Resurrecting the Phoenician language, the octet seeks common roots to fuse and remake them with contemporary molds such as rock, punk, free jazz and conducted improvisation. A timeless orchestra ready to invent, with real elements, a science-fiction Mediterranean in a parallel reality.

Putting a pigeon amongst the cats we are back with that good shit. An out of step, incidental artifact of peaceful sophistry: YS - Brutal Flower (2 x “12 LP). A no airs and graces piece of cool future-proof ambience. A modern ballad for brave young clubbers, local pubbers, slipstream warriors, and emotional doggers. The distinctive aesthetic hallmarks of YS are all here: slabs of urban flavor from emotional interior; raw data straight from the interface. ‘Untethered’ and ‘Down’ are chopped-up cuts of searching R’n’B - jaded jams of lustful erasure. On the flipside, blunted desire lingers in ‘Fading Memory’. Both hopeful and mourning: this is the lay of the land in Brutal Flowers sharing that rare strain of underground synesthesia best located in dark undercurrents of early Mo Wax. The orchestral ambience of ‘Autumn Ost’ is a potent stupor of end credit cinematics. Coming up for air. It feels young in an ancient sort of way: pure as first snow. And from here in the album unfolds with the patience, tranquility and the expansive poise of a work that is for now and always. Pulsating gently to assured ending with ‘Be Together’ - a flickering skyline, swarming with warm memories. In between there’s flashes of heartbreak reminiscent of Beltran's Ten Days of Blue and Blunt’s Stone Island (‘Look Up’ feels like a sort of spiritual successor to ‘Wake up’), that being said, when push comes to shove it only it ever flirts with its own reality. An aesthetic reflection of a creative process that is delicate and restless. Created in the edges, where long distances, fast cities and global melancholia are wrought large. Burning the midnight oil Berlin-Singapore style: from real to reel. A sentimental exercise of modern faith by old friends. With a nudge and a wink, Brutal Flowers is a (de)coded map of memories wavering with familiar intrigue. Patient listeners and the already initiated will be rewarded on re-visits - as playful & profound as you please, as deep as the heart. The scathe that cuts is clean and deep. There are no sleight of hands to be found in this opus, only hearts are worn on the sleeve here. A hill we’d gladly die on. Pace & luv,

This album was originally composed in October 2017, performed and recorded live in Kasteliotissa Medieval Hall, Nicosia, on the 19th of November 2017 as an accompanying soundtrack to Fritz Lang's two hour-long edit of the film Metropolis (1927). Commissioned by the the curators of the 'German expressionism in Cinema exhibition' to compose and perform a live soundtrack, Panagiotis and Yiannis employed a hardware heavy arsenal to produce one of their longest pieces. modular synthesizers, guitars, drum samplers and drum machines are all protagonists. The performance lasted for two hours and was recorded in its entirety. It was later edited down to preserve all sound design qualities and a somewhat live feel. The title is an homage to the main actress of the film.

Panagiotis Mina and Yiannis Eliades, longstanding members of 'do it together' collective Honest Electronics and producers of their own material as Panayotis and Isel respectively, often collaborate on projects such as Brigitte. Panagiotis Mina is a producer, musician and visual artist. He lives and works in Cyprus from Pyrgatory studios, his out in the country home diy studio project. Yiannis Eliades produces and performs music using a blend of analog and digital synthesizers, drum machines and twisted recordings, on his own or as part of duos (myhn, Carnal Throes).

A cult was built around this truly ominous original tape by Vatican Shadow. With slowed down mega-apocalyptic drone drum contemplations. Despite being created over a decade ago for limited double cassette and then compiled on ‘it stands to conceal’ this is long form esoteric cold industrial perfectly suitable for our accelerating global amnesia.

Both a marketing firm and metaphysical mission, Valley of the Sun synthesized style and spirituality to produce an extensive catalog that at once defines and defies new age music. Founder Dick Sutphen worked with tireless devotion to spread a message he believed could change the world for the better. This 18-track overview of Vots' fertile 1977-1990 period includes music from Upper Astral, Robert Slap & Steve Powell, David Naegele, David Storrs, Steven Cooper, and Gloria Thomas, a 24-page booklet with extensive liner notes, J-card scans, and a hint of Sedona sand. Subliminal hypnosis likely.

Yellow wax.

Extra Muros - Czech Republic is the result of the fourth edition of FLEE's creative residency program which took place in December 2022 on the dance floor of Prague's most infamous nightclub Ankali.

For two weeks on wooden floor, and under a yellow-tinted skylight, the room usually filled with movement and vibrations became home to six musicians and producers from the Czech Republic and all over the world who came together to experiment on new sounds, inspired by a large variety of artistic environments and soundscapes.

Documenting from various perspectives the music production process, capturing those exchanges, this compilation celebrates a unique form of artistic expression and collaboration. credits releases October 20, 2023

All tracks and compositions by Jay Glass Dubs, Oliver Torr, Haich Ber Na, Rlung, Timmi & Andriy Kostyukov.

Compilation, concept and production by Olivier Duport, Carl Ahnebrink & Alan Marzo

Analog mastering by Jaakko Viitalähde

Price tag.

We are proud to present Undermedvetenheten, a new live action role playing game developed alongside London games company Frand. Undermedvetenheten is a simple, science fantasy game for 1-12 players, with a focus on atmosphere, storytelling and player cooperation - perfect for newcomers to live action role playing. It takes 2 minutes to set up, lasts around 30 minutes, and no two games are ever the same. Players take on the roles of humans aboard a vessel on an endless journey into the depths of space. They are not lost, but all hope is, as they hurtle stricken into the void. Your only access to the universe outside is through the ship's altruistic artificial intelligence, Mima. As immersive chapter cards are revealed one by one, players must interact with Mima in order to shed light on the universe around them, indulge in fantasies of worlds past, or attempt to right the ship's blighted trajectory. Can you make sense of the abyss? Undermedvetenheten comes complete with a soundtrack composed by John B McKenna. Together with our partners Lost Map Records and Foundation of the Teacherock, we have pressed this to a limited run of 300 records.

Limited to 150 copies. Yellow double LP edition.

‘Destiny Waiving’ completes a collaborative trilogy that began with 2011’s ‘Underrated Silence’ and followed by 2013’s ‘Tomorrow Is Another Day’ (Schnauss also became a full time member of Engineers at this time). Initial sessions began at Ulrich’s East London home studio in early 2017 and final mixes were completed there in late 2020. Despite its extended conception, most tracks were completed during 2017, in part informed by improvisational sets in London, Dublin and St James’ Church in Birmingham (as part of the Seventh Wave electronica festival).

Available on LP/CD/digital plus a limited edition with a bonus disc of alternate versions with added live drums by the Von Spar drummer Jan-Phillip Janzen.

The debut release on Central Scientific with THE Valley AND THE Mountain (josh Dahlberg) and Detroit based producer JO RAD Silver. The A side is an expansive soundscape imbibed with skin tingling modulation. On the B side JO RAD Silver routes a guitar into a synth, strumming a twangy line accompanied by sporadic and timely chords and noisy drones to create soothing, meditative atmospherics.

Packaged in an old school, tip-on sleeve. Includes hi-res digital download.

Legendary debut album by Junko Tange (mystery woman who showed up on the NWW list), originally issued by Osaka’s Vanity Records in 1979. Dadaesque recitations and sparse guitar, piano and electronic meanderings combine for a beguiling, hypnotic dreamworld. Officially licensed from the custodians of Yuzuru Agi's Vanity Records archives, this edition has been fully remastered from new transfers of the original analog tapes by Stephan Mathieu.

Recital presents a new double album of rarely heard Robert Ashley compositions performed by baritone singer Thomas Buckner.

“(Robert Ashley) turned speech into music” - Alvin Lucier.

In the 1960s, Robert Ashley pioneered the American avant garde with the Once Group and festivals, before irrefutably changing the face of American opera later in the 20th century. Buckner, in addition to running the fabulous 1750 Arch record label in the 1970s and 80s, is a noted baritone who has collaborated for decades with the likes of Roscoe Mitchell, Annea Lockwood, and the late Noah Creshevsky, amongst countless others.

The title of the album, Spontaneous Musical Invention, refers to Ashley’s method of instructing the singer to do what he called “spontaneous musical invention based on the declamation of the text.” A vocal practice that Thomas Buckner perfected over the 33 years that he collaborated with Ashley. First performing in Ashley’s 1984 opera Atalanta (Acts of God), Buckner continued on as an integral performer in the ensemble until Ashley’s death in 2014.

The album is composed of two halves, the first is a new rendering of Ashley’s second opera Atalanta (Acts of God). Robert Ashley wrote about ten hours of music for the opera Atalanta, divided into three acts: ‘Max', for the surrealist artist Max Ernst; ‘Willard', for the composer’s uncle, Willard Reynolds, a great story teller; and ‘Bud', for Bud Powell, the great jazz pianist and composer. One is invited to construct a version using any material from these ten hours. Over the years they worked together, Thomas Buckner commissioned three reworkings of arias from Atalanta that he could perform in concert: the ‘Odalisque' aria from Max, 'The Mystery of the River' from ‘Willard', & 'The Producer Speaks' from ‘Bud'. So this first section of the album is one of many possible versions of Atalanta, albeit in strikingly different versions from the originals.

The second section of the album is dubbed Occasional Pieces, and holds two unpublished Ashley works. ‘When Famous Last Words Fail You' & 'World War III Just the Highlights' are not from any Ashley opera. However, each is highly dramatic and theatrical. They were written as standalone pieces for Thomas Buckner. Buckner’s distinct vocal cadence projects the sharp wit and wry storytelling of Ashley’s librettos.

A portion of the record was recorded live at Roulette in Brooklyn, NY, at an intimate memorial concert held for Robert Ashley in 2014. Spontaneous Musical Invention, in essence, functions as a tribute to both exceptional artists, and to their decades of collaboration.

Vinyl edition comes with a 24 page 12” x 8.5” booklet of Ashley librettos, scores, & program notes, with an introduction by Alvin Lucier.

Copy is close to NM!

Bobby Krlic is an artist, producer and multi-instrumentalist hailing from Wakefield, Yorkshire and now residing in Los Angeles. His music stems from a fusion of the punk, metal and post hardcore of his teens and later discovery of avant garde music, drone metal, ambient and modern composition. It combines acoustic instruments, synthesis and field recordings manipulated to create a singular, visceral listening experience.

Ivano Tetelepta's third album Veldhuizen is another masterclass in deep, shrouded in smoke, spaced out electronics. Touching all half spaces in between dubby minimal, ice cold techno and hazy deep house - the prolific Nijmegen based producer shows on Veldhuizen he's more on point than ever before. Starting the journey with the lush ambiance of 'Sterkenburg' via the deep dubbing 'Opveld', Tetelepta shows his trademark minimal grooves on tracks like 'Langenhorst' and 'Tolhuis'. But there's more, there are multiple efforts in deep hypnotic techno -- 'Halsterenstraat' is one of these impacable hypno grooves that get you locked in space. Together with 'Balearenstraat', 'Klepperheide' and 'Toekomst' it makes this one of the most techno focussed albums of Tetelepta to date. A well balanced pack of deep electronics, influenced by its many branches and restructured with a very personal touch by Tetelepta himself.

Cover has slight storage wear and a stuffed corner! Vinyl has a few scuffs!

Pulse 01' is the first release in PITP's new series, which is an ongoing exploration of ambient tech, while offering a more structured display of beat-driven ambient music. Pulse 01 features brand new tracks by Syne and Influx. Syne is Dennis Huddleston from the UK, who is most recognized for his ambient work as 36. He returns to his Syne alias for the first time in nearly 5 years, with only his second record since his 2017 self-titled debut LP. 'Dystalgia' is a 12 minute opus, spread over 3 movements. Soaring pads and razor sharp percussion combine for a dynamic, emotionally charged journey in sound. Showing love to the Detroit greats, but recognising the distinct UK influence which made him fall in love with Techno in the early 90's, it's a surprising pivot in Dennis' sound and one which all lovers of beautiful, melodic ambient techno should enjoy. Influx is James Bernard from the US, who is most recognized for his solo work in recent years. Influx was his trance/techno alias for much of the early to late 90's and released his work with well-respected UK and US labels.

Pulse 01' is the first release in PITP's new series, which is an ongoing exploration of ambient tech, while offering a more structured display of beat-driven ambient music. Pulse 01 features brand new tracks by Syne and Influx. Syne is Dennis Huddleston from the UK, who is most recognized for his ambient work as 36. He returns to his Syne alias for the first time in nearly 5 years, with only his second record since his 2017 self-titled debut LP. 'Dystalgia' is a 12 minute opus, spread over 3 movements. Soaring pads and razor sharp percussion combine for a dynamic, emotionally charged journey in sound. Showing love to the Detroit greats, but recognising the distinct UK influence which made him fall in love with Techno in the early 90's, it's a surprising pivot in Dennis' sound and one which all lovers of beautiful, melodic ambient techno should enjoy. Influx is James Bernard from the US, who is most recognized for his solo work in recent years. Influx was his trance/techno alias for much of the early to late 90's and released his work with well-respected UK and US labels.

Before New Angels is the debut album by Swills & Phil Mills, a Dutch mixed electronic duo in which vibrant talent and solid experience swirl together in a hazy cloud. Ten cinematic ambient tracks that combine the imaginative power of Biosphere and the hallucinatory club DNA of Huerco S and GAS.? Take for instance a track like Common Parlance. It's a centerpiece and forms the beating heart of Before New Angels. With its elongated, shuffling chords and deadpan kicks it seems to come from an early Wolfgang Voigt recording.?? Utrecht-based Sabine Willems is the newcomer of the two. Her work is experimental and does not conform to any genre. She likes to challenge herself by keeping her instrumentation to a bare minimum. Phone recorded samples of the world around her sometimes serve as a building block. But where her earlier tracks still contain rhythm, Before New Angels is virtually beatless.? Phil Mills is the experienced side of the duo. He's from the North of The Netherlands. Anyone who dives into his musical past will come across dance productions that date as far? back as the early nineties. Mills' experience pays out on Before New Angels, where its layered melodies and slow evolving arrangements never smother the minimalist compositions.?Is this one of the better ambient albums of 2023? We tend to think so.?You better lie down and feel for yourself.?

Surya is a project from Rome formed by Joe Casagrande, Matthew Mountford and Roberto Lycke. Born in 1995 with consistent dub roots influenced with breaks and ethnic music samples. The duo was quite active in the Roman scene in the late '90s, collaborating with clubs like GOA, Brancaleone, MCA and playing with seminal groups like ORB and Loop Guru. "Wide Tuning" is Surya's first record, an extremely unique debut that goes beyond dance music boundaries. Self-produced in 1997 and released only on cd until now.

Label cover.

Fake Yourself is an act of revolt as much as it is a celebration of life and an expression of human alienation. As usual in most of his work, soFa here reflects contrasts and contradictions as our existence so often does. It’s about sadness and joy, ups and downs and the fine line which connects them to tell a story. Fake Yourself comes as a spontaneous output of an artist escaping a scene of which the constant superficiality is unavoidable. Mistakes and wrong production with a strong DIY flavor are a conscious choice to not lose the spontaneous feeling which defines these recordings. A pure and direct self, exploring a realm of sound with sharp curiosity, emotion and humour. Where simplicity and complexity marry. This album is a good example on how some of the most authentic musical explorations are the most personal ones. soFa leaves all boundaries behind and let many of his influences confluence. Unconsciously or not, traces of IDM, Disco, New Beat, Dub and mostly Krautrock cross heavenly paths, followed by ironic and confronted vocals and his hypnotic signature basslines. Everything seems to make sense, to fill the chapters of an adventurous short novel.

What makes Fake Yourself remarkable is not the deep blend of genres, but the definition of one man shaping and finding his authentic sound. Killing boundaries to create this journey in his very own "style-no-style".

All tunes were improvised, recorded and arranged within 10 days in a wooden cabin, isolated in the middle of the nature in Alentejo/Portugal in 2022. This album was not meant to happen and one can strongly feel its spontaneous soul. No overdubs.

A new name joins the array of anonymous white labels on Yuku that have been doing the rounds and generating a fair bit of hushed hype among the heads.

Birmingham's Bethany Aka DJ Skirt Including a remix from Berlin's T++

‘Snake Chain’ will be released on November 18th by Upset The Rhythm, a 180g red/clear splatter vinyl version (600 Only) is available to pre-order now. Shake Chain will also be performing at Marina Abramovic’s private view at Modern Art Oxford on September 23rd. Shake Chain have been busy demolishing audiences and expectations for the best part of three years. Vocalist Kate Mahony sets that standard by starting each live performance by crawling from the back of the room through a disbelieving crowd’s legs in a shiny yellow raincoat. The resulting questions that frantically arise of ‘what’s going on?’, ‘am I hallucinating?’ and ‘is this part of the show?’ are hallmarks of how Shake Chain approach making their unruly, lyric-bespattered rock music.

A more upfront and streamlined proposition than last year's 'Dias da
Aranha' on Souk, 'Cornos' is a reflection of Serpente's solo live
apparitions throughout this last year.
A cycle tainted by tragedies and a maze-like feeling of loss, 'Cornos'
mirrors both the urge of overcoming and its ghostly remnants through
five digressions that pulsate with crippled rhythmic symmetries and loner
harmonic motifs. Maybe just the sound of moving on with broken legs.

2013 24 bit technology dubbing of the original Abramo Allione master tape!

Still in shrink but opened. Original inner sleeve. Vinyl is close to NM.

Youcef Debbihi continues to impress and surprise after already his 3rd volume as Sea of Disillusions. This 4 tracker extends what was already started and established in the previous volumes, expanding his studio excellence into more break beat oriented directions, either at high speed in the form of almost Drum'n'Bass with "k2" or slowed down as a more trip-hop tempo with "Break Whale". B-side slows down to upper 90bpm range of driving rhythm under atmospheric dubby hints of humidity "5deF", and, finalizing with a beatless Ambient mix of "Loon River" which sounds like the slow motion intro to an epic trance anthem that never fully takes off, setting the stage for something heavy to be mixed in. Essential for any reasonable DJ record bag.

Santpoort is a dreamy bedroom-pop project from the imagination of Melbourne based, Netherlands born visual artist and electronic producer Julien Mier. With his signature psychedelic beats as the backbone, Mier adds his dreamy, measured vocals weaving a new dimension to his work for this debut album. It's a surreal companion for someone who likes to roam with their journal and headphones in tow.

Limited hand stamped copies.

Edition OF 100 Copies

Known as the co-founder of Climax Golden Twins, Messenger Girl's Rrio and AFCGT, Robert Millis really delivers the goods here. The songwriting has depth, stinging clarity and vaporizing ambiguity. The LP features percussion by Dave Abramson (Diminished Men, Master Musicians Of Bukkake) and backing vocals by Alan Bishop (Alvarius B, Sun City Girls).

"Rediscover your love of Bossa Nova!"

Tiger Blood Tapes proudly presents for the first time ever on cassette, Richard Bone's 1998 Ambient Electro Jazz album "Electropica". Features an unreleased outtake "Cosa Nova".

"Electropica" is part one in a trilogy of Richard Bone's Ambient Electro Bossa Nova albums.

Originally released in 1998 on CD by Quirkworks Labratories.

Press Release:

"A curious thing happened to me during the summer of 1996. While leaving a favorite music store, I detoured down the jazz isle. Suddenly, one of the discs flung itself out of the bin and landed squarely at my feet. I was immediately drawn to its cover. A giraffe was gliding across cobalt blue sand beneath an emerald green sky. Without a second thought I bought the disc and brought it home. My life was about to change.

The disc was Antonio Carlos Jobim's "wave". Recorded in 1967, it was one of the most sensual works I had ever heard. The gentle rhythms, the haunting melodies were mesmerizing. The stereo imaging of producer Creed Taylor was magical. I must have played it ten times that night. These were beats of another time, another place. Innocent, yet primal, but most of all...romantic. This was Bossa Nova!

I have spent the last year and a half researching this old/new music. I discovered the masters of this genre: Jobim, Luiz Bonfa and Joao Gilberto. During those many months I listened to little else.

Electropica is my homage to these artists. Through the melding of sampled, found and created sounds, I have tried to capture my impression of this music, these rhythms. My work in the past has been described as ambient or electronic. For this release, I set those catagories aside.

I hope you will take a little time and listen to Electropica with unbiased ears. Close your eyes and envision a different world. With giraffes, perhaps, and emerald skies above cobalt sand.

Peace Always," -Richard Bone

Rave At Your Fictional Borders emerges as the fervent brainchild of multi-instrumentalist producer Dave De Rose (Moloko / Rokia Traore / Electric Jalaba / Agile Experiments). Building upon the avant-garde-step traditions established by the Agile Experiments international collective (led by Dave since 2015 between London and Athens), Rayfb aspires to forge ahead in its era, encompassing the diverse soundscape of 2023. It exerts pressure on the confines of genres while infusing the soulful essence and improvisational spirit of jazz into its sonic journeys. Embracing repetition and unconventional groove concepts with a confident stride, it delves deeper, incorporating elements drawn from ambient, noise, and techno influences.

Collaboratively improvising on the particularly inspired evening of November 24th, 2022, four musicians converged at Electricity Sound Studios in Exarchia – the historical heart of radical political and intellectual activism in the Greek capital. It was in this vibrant setting that they intricately crafted the instant-compositions showcased on this EP.

The title 'Potion Trigger' whispers of the world's awakening, as our global tapestry unfurls, revealing society's festering flaws. It hints at the slow dawning, where it becomes clear that those in power have forgotten their pledge to the people. In this newfound clarity, the cloak of corruption within states and the intertwining of corporations with governance is lifted. The potion becomes the elixir of collective revelation, a taste of the genuine reality we must confront. This trigger, a ripple in the waters of our awakening, is the surge of momentum as we ascend into this heightened state of awareness.