Replacing our long-standing Mixes of The Week, we start a new series highlighting our favourite music of the previous month. In part one we rounded up January’s best music.
Mall Grab – Sunflower EP
Label: Looking For Trouble Recordings
Recorded in both Tokyo and New York, the ’Sunflower’ EP dropped this month on Mall Grab’s own Looking For Trouble imprint. Kicking off with ‘Sunflower’ where 8-bit synths are peppered over a stomping house beat. ‘Hidden Worlds’ in comparison has a more industrial feel, with a nod to early Detroit Techno. ‘Switchblade’ and ‘Leaving Tokyo’ delve into moodier territory, with rave synths and acid squelches set to banging breakbeats, and there’s also 2 re-edits included to round off an accomplished body of work.
Erol Alkan – ‘Spectrum’
(Special Request Kaleidoscopic Mix) / Spectrum (Special Request Double Vision Mix)
Label: Phantasy
Special Request contributes two remixes of Erol Alkan’s ‘Spectrum’. The Kaleidoscopic mix has potential anthem status thanks to the infectious synth hook that builds throughout the track. Whilst the Double Vision mix provides an ample alternative, with a heads down and looped up feel.
Nick Devon – Monochromatic World
Label: Steyoyoke
Athens based artist Nick Devon drops a triumphant debut LP on Berlin label Steyoyoke. Encapsulating the artists’ atmospheric and industrial approach to moody and ethereal techno.
Some of our favourites from the long player include ‘Dimensions’, that rolls out with analogue synths and pulsating rhythms, ‘Age of Innocence’ which possesses a haunting melody diced with wonky acid incidentals. ‘Monochromatic World’ ups the tempo with spacious melodics underpinned by a stomping drum workout and album closer ‘The Ghost In My Head’ features trippy vocal snippets, uplifting pads and a loosely programmed breakbeat reminiscent of early bass music.
Four Tet – Baby
Label: Text Records
A future classic from Four Tet, as he drops yet another insanely catchy house number. Loose drums with a UK garage swing, an infectious vocal courtesy of Ellie Goulding and a heavy 808 bass that’s sure to rattle many a speaker cone.
Djedjotronic – Boish EP
Label: Boysnoize Records
French producer DJedtronic drops this banging EP on the long-running and always outstanding Boysnoize Records. Aimed squarely at the dance floor, expect noisy electro and techno with a healthy dose of rave wonk.
Frankey & Sandrino – Nova EP
Label: Watergate Records
Frankey & Sandrino drop this new release on Watergate Records, the imprint brought to you by the Berlin clubbing institution of the same name. Presenting 3 tracks of late-night melodic chuggers, backed with an excellent remix of ‘Chime’ by Tiefschwarz.
Mor Elian – Clairvoyant Frog
Label: Visible Spectrum
Hailing from Tel Aviv and Los Angeles, More Elian provides Cinnaman’s new imprint Visible Spectrum with an extra fine 3 track EP. Deep, hypnotic, sci-fi techno and breaks the order of the day here as Mor Elian continues to provide us with her own unique and intriguing sound.
Caribou – Never Come Back EP
Label: City Slang
‘You and I’ and ‘Home’ were released last year, and now appear in this EP alongside the brand new ‘Never Come Back’. All the staple Caribou characteristics are present; a captivating hook, spaced out high pitched vocals, analogue synths, organic percussion workouts … All culminating in a feel-good housed up jam that’s likely to receive some serious rotation in the coming months.
Mothership – Various Artists
Label: Midnight Shift x Voitax
A collaboration VA here courtesy of Singapore based label Midnight Shift and Berlin’s Voitax. Released on triple vinyl and encompassing techno soul, breakbeat rave, drone electronica, analogue electro and more. A true joint effort, as all the tracks have been produced in pairs, featuring collaborations between Jamal Moss + KiNK, Hodge + Nico, Paàl + Umwelt, Florian Kupfer + Innsyter and many more.