next strong output by mantra & myriadd

since efficient space excavated andy rantzens mind-bending will i dream? the rest of the world has become better acquainted with the darker & dubbier side of one of australias rave superstars. were excited to present a selection of tracks from andys incredibly diverse oeuvre, 6 songs that sit somewhere between 80s digital reggae, 90s rave and the horizon of our accelerating future. lifting the veil speeds up snappy drum programming and a thundering bassline to breakneck speeds, pitting them against sombre chords and strings, perfectly capturing the reflective headspace of a night drive through babylon. cosmic vibrations harks back to the development of fully computerised rhythms emanating from jammy and tubbys waterhouse studios, by way of erskineville. in the same vein, bedtime for boo boo sees andy joined on the boards by sydney dub technician sheriff lindo, creating a dynamic digi-dub number that is sure to come alive on any soundsystem worth its weight - a heady showcase for two of australia’s finest reggae talents. flip the disc to find move it, the most concentrated dose of the jungle vibes that permeate the ep. rantzen channels the headrush sonics, breakneck drums and euphoria of d n bs heydey, nailing the red-eyed early am atmosphere of a sydney warehouse ca. 95 - and its just as likely to cap off the night of many a secret inner west location to come. magic lantern marries a dreamy synthesizer melody with a wicked, subby bassline. if there was a dancehall scene in ferngully, this wouldve been the soundtrack, with enough low end to really rattle the treetops. on closer dub generator, a slightly-creepy mechanized voice urges you to “leave your worries at the door come and join your friends upon the floor - an introduction to the dancefloor or an induction into some sinister cult? whatever the message, the dub chords and massive bassline lull you into the headspace where these words take hold. all songs recorded at masking tapes, liquid blue and 1/66 enmore rd, 1997-2000.

preceding the release of his debut album, curses presents gold & silber, a five track ep led by a hypnotic, post-punk leaning roller, as well as four additional remixes from antoni maiovvi, chinaski and fango. for the title track, berlin based artist perel provides cathartic vocals on top of a drowsy rhythmic framework drawing influence from early ebm, synth music and new wave. fango provides a more angular, computerised take on the original, whilst antoni maiovvi raises the heat to a peak time flow. across two interpretations, chinaski provides maximal 80s synth work on the painkiller bonus vmix and trippy dancefloor energy on the tech noir remix.

marlon hoffstadt is a rising star as both a dj and producer, effortlessly joining the dots between classic rave and the future of techno. taking a break from running his retrograde label, marlon has cooked up observing the known for ransom note records. over three tracks of warm synths, bubbly acid and emotional chord progressions, the ep sees marlon reimagining house music for todays dancefloor, taking the passion and energy of ‘80s chicago and giving it the production heft of 2017 berlin. opener ‘floating’ is a piano house classic, shot through with chimes and 303 gurgles, nostalgic for a golden age whilst optimistically looking forward. this is peak time house for dancefloors with heart. it’s followed by the computerised funk of ‘arp+’, an acid house roller that teams jacking 303 bass with mournful strings, as sorrowful as it is uplifting. b-side opener ‘batavus’ is a driving tribute to detroit, kevin saunderson-esque keys stabbing over soaring washes of synth, the sound of late nights and starry eyes. london-based scott fraser has added a remix of arp+ that takes marlons classic techno to darker lands, with snapping electro drums and deliberately seasick bass pressure ramping up the claustrophobia. this mix has already been causing huge damage when dropped on dubplate at fraser’s feted body hammer night.

new york coterie sheik ‘n’ beik line up the next 12” in a string of successful releases including legowelt & xosar under their now defunct xamiga guise, jeffrey scott and label owner rechulski. enlisted for their 7th record is the japan based mister saturday night and 1080p affiliate keita sano. with a strong affinity to analogue sound and old school audio processing, sano renders personal mind-maps in his work - eclectic and off-kilter productions shot-through with warmth and propelled by potent drums. his latest offering for sheik ‘n’ beik is one fans old and new will relish: a series of 4 warped excursions showcasing sano’s refined and idiosyncratic studio techniques. ‘bypass motion’ kicks things off with a fizzing 909 and a loose-limbed bass pattern set churning under brisk, steely atmospheres. dense in the low-end, ‘child’s play’ then follows up with a hard-nosed groove carried by horror-movie sweeps and distant computerised vocals.

adult only shape is back with an intriguing collaboration, between the mysterious frenchie monsieur georget and young parisian talent le loup. a combination of the old skool with the new skool, the sounds are just that. each take a pounding bass and a solid minimal-tech stance and layer their character on top. a1 is scattered with futuristic bleeps and computerised murmurs, interspersed with reminiscing vocals, while a2 is the most raw in nature, with a tough techno feel until the smooth overtones set in and a feeling of euphoria takes over. but some may say b1 is say arguably the standout track, for its intoxicating vocal and irresistible underlying swing and groove.

this ep on memento records sees alfonso leon take his production skills to the next level. vinyl compresors soulful melodies and tribal percussions are matched by a deliciously funky and luscious bass line, until acid synth stabs open the way to a low-pitched, creepy, almost manic dark vocal that crawls along the groove.
fabrizio maurizis unique taste resonates hugely in his remix: a computerised, robotic low frequency bounce underpins a loopy rework of the dreary vocal, bringing its more rhythmical and human elements to the fore, marrying them to the relentless beat. outstanding works, both tracks.