OndaQuadra.003

AA.VV. – Underground Anthems 2 [Aestetic]

A second chapter for what had been an underground anthem back in 2007, this time on Keith Worthy's Aestethic. Fotmeijer delivers a dizzying track, pure solar drama, Worthy sticks to his own alienated style, and behind them Patrice Scott with one of the finest tracks he's ever written, an absolute classic.

(m.v.)

Dj Rush – Mind Games [Cosmic]

Bam! Every Rush record is Bam! This reissue is a reminder of how cool our man was, of what he's done for all of us. With the dirtiest tracks on the planet, a slab of concrete on vinyl!

(m.v.)

Don Williams – Detroit Red EP [a.r.t.less]

Much acclaimed, this latest from Thomas Wendel, though not quite as striking, still it does the job. A great dancefloor pounder, a voice repeating "detroit" and plenty more. Well done.

(m.v.)

Kirk De Giorgio – I Do Not Exist [B12]

Here's techno's most underrated man. Kirk has the vision, and he manages to translate it onto record like few others can. This new "I Do Not Exist" gets him back on track, leaving behind his most recent output (thoroughly enjoyable as it was), and returning to the sound that made his history, Kirk's techno. B12's remix is nice, but the original is pure space.

(m.v.)

Tang – Ominus [Emphasis]

Steven Tang has talent. His first records were great, and this one is too. Few releases, but always on point, this Ominus, pure Black Dog style, is a dream. There's also a remix by Arne Weinberg, who has a field day with this record and keeps failing to disappoint any expectation or demand, because Arne knows his stuff.

(m.v.)

Prosumer – Turn Around [Ostgut Tonträger]

It works in Milan... not in Berlin. Or rather, it doesn't work quite like it used to - Panoramabar is stuck on this record. Because this is a Panoramabar record, not really a Prosumer one, whatever you might think. Every track made and conceived for that club, which holds on, which endures. "Turn Around" is nice, but it lacks the edge it should have; Cassy, who's got the guts, weaves it into a dub that's seriously hypnotic.

(m.v.)

Omar-S – Psychotic Photosynthesis [fxhe]

Here's the prodigal son back with a killer B-side. After spending many months in Berlin, he too has become a bit Europeanized. The result is excellent, a suite that picks up more on the path taken with his Oasis project - hypnotic and emotional, lots of synths, and a sound that's a touch more polished than the man's previous hardcore outings. Another gem.

(m.v.)

Deadbeat – Eastward On To Mecca [Wagon Repair]

What an o.v.e.r.t.h.e.-t.o.p label WR is. With this EP, Deadbeat picks back up the second personality he'd already shown in his work with Monolake. Mecca is 10 minutes of tribal dub-techno that pounds like a freight train: once you're on it, everything else drifts by while the beat gallops underneath. On the other side, a B-side and a half. The full one is the dub version for anyone scared to let the trippiness of the other side run wild, the second is the percussion take featured in Mecca, one of those dj tools to be used with caution. Let it build up and it takes over completely.

(a.g.)

Jeff Mills – Systematic [Axis]

Not that we were crying out for it, but it's still essentially unreleased material. The title track never made it onto its original version on Lifelike. The usual dry stuff from mid-90s Mills. "The Sin", on the other hand, plays on deep lows and piercing highs; it was never released before precisely because the mastering never satisfied the Detroit man. But now, here it is. Jeff, talk to us, what's going on?

(a.g.)

The Field – Sound Of Light [Heartbeats International]

Kompakt's golden boy returns with an EP that's an EP only in terms of track count: 4, but in terms of length we're firmly in album territory. An hour of music commissioned by a Norwegian hotel, with Willner working through four movements representing the phases of the day. The structure is the one we already got to appreciate on "From Here We Go Sublime", but here things get heavier because time stretches out and the songs sink into repetition and micro-variation, in a kind of sanctification of music that should really be sound sculpture. Ecstatic synths, endless drum patterns, and every sampleable, loopable thing thrown on top: we're pushing the limits. Night is pure vision, wild cutoff on the synths and nothing else for 15 minutes, hands attacking the keys and the brain in ecstasy.

(a.g.)

Carl Craig – Sessions [Studio !K7]

What's Craig been up to these past few years? For anyone who missed it, here's a double that recaps everything worth knowing. From work for Rhythm & Sound, to Junior Boys, Xpress 2 and more. There's original material and a slew of remixes, the kind you'd easily file under the perfect remixer's handbook heading "where no one else will ever go". Not to belabor the point, but: Faze Action – In The Trees (C2 Remix). From 1996 to infinity.

(a.g.)

Azzido Da Bass – Dooms Night [Kontor]

What's that you say? "Dooms Night"? Again? Yes, Azzido Da Bass, "Dooms Night" again. Except this time it's "Switch" that takes control of the A-side, and off we go with the plumbing. Ferocious breaks and pop attitude, and once the bongos kick in, it's time to say goodbye to the party.

(a.g.)

Sascha Funke – Double-Checked [Bpitch Control]

It's hard to understand the decision to have Fritz Zander remix anything, not just this "Double-Checked", which already works fine as it is, but as a concept in general. No offense to Fritz, but International Deejay Gigolo and Kitsuné aren't exactly the right credentials to win me over. Caution? No: understated minimalism that won't appeal to the cool crowd. Funke is well worth the vinyl, and the album's already in heavy rotation. "The Ballerina", with that treacherous opening, tries to play both sides before the Ame-school synths come in and sweep everything away. Style!

(a.g.)

Sebo K – Far Out [Mobilee]

Bench-warmer of a record.

(a.g.)

Mathew Jonson – Symphony Apocalypse [Wagon Repair]

We were saying earlier that Wagon Repair is a great label, and this year, between Cobblestone Jazz, our own Luca Bacchetti, Deadbeat, and now Jonson's new solo effort, it's decided to kick a lot of people's asses. Not that it hadn't done so before, but let's be clear, here we're on unthinkable levels. Jonson goes down into the underworld and doesn't come back, two ferocious tracks that fester and get under your skin; it's a spiritual legacy running through twenty years of music, from Aphex's analogue blasts circa '91 to the sweatiest deep cuts of Redshape and co. Symphony, with those little synth steps, is a vinyl nightmare.

(a.g.)

Anthony Romeno – I Wont Let You Go [Purple Music]

I'm on a purple velvet sofa, in my white suit, watching the sea at night from the terrace of a summer club. I'm sipping a fruit cocktail, surrounded by a few models dancing sensually. That's me, I'm the "pimp" of the night, ready for another night of transgression. Crazy? Maybe; but if you want to feel that way too, go get this track right now. No point saying more, I can't find any other way to describe it.

(r.d.c.)

D.N.A. & Per QX – Jack To The Sound [Hoxton Whores]

Repetition!, repetition!, repetition!. The underlying idea is as old as the world: kick drum, bass, synthesizer and endless repetition. It might sound like a shortcoming, but when the beat is spot on, we couldn't care less. Get up off your chair and start dancing.

(r.d.c.)

Ozgur Can & AGS – Melodic Beat

Openly electro house. A very tense track, built on a cyclical, unmistakably hypnotic melody. It recalls some old-school trance touches. It climbs progressively toward genuinely gripping peaks of intensity, creating a very dreamy backdrop. Nothing earth-shattering, but truly enjoyable.

(r.d.c.)

Halo, Kemal & Arnold Jarvis – Lift Me Up [MN2S]

With this track we dive into the darkest deep-house. Hushed, almost whispered vocals seize our emotional receptors, backed by a supple, enveloping rhythm section, in a kind of electronic embrace. Worth noting is the whole EP, which packs in numerous versions of the main track, including dub and instrumental mixes.

(r.d.c.)

Roger Sanchez – Not Enough / Again [Tinted]

For one of the "old guard", it's a great pleasure to hear these two tracks from Roger Sanchez. Our S-Man finally seems back in form, after a somewhat murky spell of decidedly "commercial" singles and unconvincing live sessions. On these two tracks Sanchez churns out killer melodies that get into your head and are hard to shake off. "Not Enough" comes across as a continuation of classic house-garage, always a favourite of his. The main melody is coloured by barely-there electric guitar flourishes, but above all by the singer's gorgeous voice, which takes us on an ecstatic ride. As ever, there's the usual vocal weaving sinuously through the rhythmic interlocking, punctuated by the words of whichever guest MC, tossed in almost at random as the track unfolds. Another little treat for fans: the EP is packed with remixes of every kind, so you can enjoy these tracks in every possible flavour.

(r.d.c.)

Toby Tobias – Nervoso Ep [Rekids]

Now a renowned producer, Tobias delivers another EP, the latest in a decidedly fortunate series. Here he continues his reworking of the most "Moroder-esque" disco, infecting it with typically house electro touches and beats. Tobias has class and he shows it in full, slotting in one killer pattern after another. Don't be fooled by the almost relaxed pace of the tracks: the groove is present in industrial quantities, even if it doesn't mind taking us into almost lounge territory.

(r.d.c.)

Swayzak – Silent Luv [!K7]

Swayzak return with this single taken from their latest album "Some Other Country", offering us the original version along with various remixes and alternative takes. The EP is definitely interesting for fans of the English duo's cold sound. Moreover, "Silent Luv" is certainly one of the most successful tracks on the album it's taken from, so this is the perfect chance to hear how Swayzak's twisted minds have reshaped their own creation.

(r.d.c.)

Rhythm Of Elements – Tribe #2 [R2]

Listening to this track was an almost moving experience. Decidedly "from Chicago" sounds, with a cascade of piano to bring you to tears of joy. A blend with Jazz the way it used to be done, truly compelling. If you want to feel like you're back at the Warehouse, this is the track for you.

(r.d.c.)