ElectronicMusicGuide.com

FutureEverything Festival 2012 - 16th -19th of May

2012-04-06T04:29:00.001-07:00

FutureEverything 2012 will take place in Manchester over the weekend of 16 – 19 May, bringing together an explosive music programme, premieres of contemporary visual art and trailblazing speakers from around the world, in an entertaining exploration of the artistic and political possibilities of new participatory technologies. The Festival was named in the Guardian’s Top 10 Ideas Festivals, 2012.

Amon Tobin will be headlining the music programme with his ISAM (Live), the spectacular A/V show from the Ninja Tune artist. FutureEverything brings the show to the North of England for the first time, with the only other 2012 shows taking place in Brixton and at Coachella festival.

To purchase tickets click on the link here

The FutureEverything website is here

Looks like it's going to be an amazing event. Here's all the festival info. in more depth....

FUTUREEVERYTHING FESTIVAL MUSIC PROGRAMME

Dates: Weds 16 – Sun 20 May 2012

Venues: Manchester Academy, RNCM, Islington Mill, St.Philip’s Church, Quay House Spinningfields, Contact Theatre, Instituto Cervantes + more to be announced

Acts: Amon Tobin ISAM (Live), Matthew Herbert One Pig, Deadbeat, Andy Stott, Szare, Shabazz Palaces, Tim Hecker, Forest Swords, Dieter Moebius, Polinski, DJ Cheeba Solid Steel, alt-J, Money, No Ceremony, Stealing Sheep, Great Waves, Pins, Trojan Soundsystem, Death Grips, Marcel Dettmann, Levon Vincent, John Talabot, Falty DL, Holy Other, The Haxan Cloak, Vessel

FutureEverything is an award-winning multi-arts festival, based in Manchester. It comprises a conference, art exhibition and live music programme that focus on the impact of digital culture on our everyday lives – by curating playful and experimental projects which invite audiences to bring the future into the present.

Now in its 17^th year, the FutureEverything 2012 music programme re-aligns the festival with its ambitious, electronic and experimental history, presenting artists who are active in shaping the future of their genre.

Headlining the festival is Amon Tobin ISAM (Live), the spectacular A/V show from the Ninja Tune artist. FutureEverything brings the show to the North of England for the first time. With the only other 2012 shows taking place in Brixton and at Coachella festival, this offers a real opportunity for Northern audiences to experience the dizzying onslaught of projection mapping onto an enormous stage set – an A/V show that is truly dependant on both sound and visuals to create a masterful, 3D assault on the senses.

Where Amon Tobin heralds the pinnacle of A/V, Matthew Herbert’s One Pig marries production techniques with the absurdly theatrical to underline a political point. Tim Hecker performs his organ compositions in-situ within the wonderful St. Philip’s Church, a space also utilised by Forest Swords for a special performance with a choir. Alt-J, who have been generating huge radio airplay and acclaim ahead of their widely anticipated debut album release in May 2012, and No Ceremony headline a specially curated North-West showcase at Quay House, whilst artists such as Deadbeat, Andy Stott and Szare refine their craft by going back to basics at the FutureEverything Opening Party with MUTEK.

Venues

FutureEverything 2012 offers a smaller, cohesive musical footprint around the City Centre. Our venues have been carefully chosen to allow a natural progression from show to after-party.

We will be re-using venues across each night, to allow a festival ‘feel’ and will combine large scale venues (Manchester Academy and RNCM) with smaller, underground venues such as Islington Mill, St Phillip’s Church and a disused office block in Spinngfields called Quay House.

Working alongside key venues and promoters across Manchester’s music scene, the FutureEverything festival hosts audio-visual events, live performances, club nights and workshops across the city.

Tickets for all gigs can be purchased via See Tickets

Weds 16 May: Tim Hecker + Forest Swords at St. Philip’s Church (8pm-10.30pm) / Shabazz Palaces at Islington Mill (8pm-10.30pm) / FutureEverything Opening Party w/ MUTEK Deadbeat (Live) + Andy Stott + Szare at Islington Mill (10.30pm-4am)

Thursday 17 May: Dieter Moebius ‘Metropolis’ + Polinski at St. Philip’s Church (8pm-10.30pm) / Tri-Angle Showcase: Holy Other + The Haxan Cloak + Vessel + special guests at Islington Mill (8pm-10.30pm)

Friday 18 May: DJ Cheeba Solid Steel A/V Set (9pm-late) at Islington Mill / alt-J + Money + No Ceremony + Stealing Sheep + Great Waves + Pins at Quay House Spinningfields (5.30pm-11pm) / Matthew Herbert One Pig at RNCM (8pm-11pm)

Saturday 19 May: Amon Tobin ISAM (Live) Audio Visual Show (8pm-11pm) / Trojan Soundsystem at Contact Theatre (9pm-2am) / Marcel Dettmann + Levon Vincent + Falty DL + John Talabot at venue TBC (10.30pm-late)

Sunday 20 May: FutureEverything Closing Party w/ Now Wave: Death Grips at Quay House Spinningfields (5.30pm-10pm)

Don't miss it :)

Max & Harvey - Space Therapy (Woob Mixes)

2012-04-05T03:34:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest EP from Woob. There's three different mixes of the track Space Therapy. Each mix offers something truely different and give fans another glimse into the mind of sonic genius Paul Frankland. Be sure to check out his Return to the City (Original Soundtrack) from last year if you missed it. It is a cinematic gem. You can listen to both releases below....

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://maxandharvey-music-emporium.co.uk/album/space-therapy-woob-remixes"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Space Therapy [Woob Remixes] by Max &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Harvey&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://woob.bandcamp.com/album/return-to-the-city-original-soundtrack"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Return to the City (Original Soundtrack) by woob&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

You can follow all things Woob by checking out the links below....

Woob blog

Woob homepage

Woob on bandcamp

Of course Woob is one of our recommended artists on emg...

Woob on ElectronicMusicGuide.com

Lastly here's a time lapse video of the track Paradigm Flux (Tokyo Cut) taken from his Paradigm Flux EP. Enjoy....

Evil Art Form's music displays many influences

2012-03-29T03:05:00.002-07:00

We try to support creative talent when we can and one such artist that came to our attention is Washington DC based Evil Art Form. What we particularly like is the variety of influences in his music. Omar Waqar is the man behind Evil Art Form. He's a producer, songwriter and beat-maker. An improviser and electro-stimulator. He explores a mixture between funk, drum and bass, jungle, dance hall, hip hop, bhangra and Indian classical to create a sound that is unique. He set up his own label www.suchrecords.com to release his output.

Here's a few words from the man himself.....

"I soon came to realize that nothing is truly original, and history repeats itself in beautiful and sometimes frustrating ways. There are these amazing parallels that exist in the world if only we look for them. For me it was the rebel’s art, anywhere you look they are there."

Here are some Evil Art Form releases, there is even a free album download amongst them.

This release is called Mabilis....

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://suchrecords.bandcamp.com/album/mabilis"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Mabilis by Evil Art Form&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Fighting the Transformation is a free download....

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://suchrecords.bandcamp.com/album/fighting-the-transformation"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Fighting the transformation by Evil Art Form&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Here's a more ambient release called Dream....

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://suchrecords.bandcamp.com/album/dream"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Dream by Evil Art Form&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Lastly a meditative release called M.M.M. Relax....

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://suchrecords.bandcamp.com/album/m-m-m-relax"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;M.M.M. relax by Evil Art Form&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Evil Art Form is currently putting together a show to take on the road....he says it'll be part dance party and part theatre with either puppets or animation. Sounds creative for sure...

Here's some other links to investigate this artist further...

www.evilartform.com

Evil Art Form on soundcloud

Evil Art Form on facebook

12 Angry Snowmen album on itunes

Hope you enjoy :)

Some visually stunning electronic music videos

2012-03-09T04:31:00.002-08:00

Here's a selection of videos worth watching for their visuals as well as the music. Music can work well on its own but sometimes when it's presented with visuals it gives us a whole new take on the music. We'll see if you folks enjoy these, we might even make it a regular feature....

This one's called Lost Disciple by Spectrasoul

Shpongle - Star Shpongled Banner (this made me laugh)

Solar Fields - Touch of Mother Earth

Vector-Lovers - Neon Sky Rain

Carbon Based Lifeforms - Reaktion

Lemon Jelly - Spacewalk

Global Communication - 9:39

If you enjoyed these videos please spread the word about this blog and the site. Thanks :)

Bas Welling mellows for his new release on Shipwrec

2012-02-21T04:32:00.001-08:00

Dutch artist Bas Welling has released music under different names such as Rioteer, Neurobit and The truth is in the eyes of the deer. Previous releases have seen his music steer through breakcore, industrial, hardcore and 8 bit chiptune to often create a sound which is similar to early analogue synths.

Former Descent is his latest moniker and is a far more friendly dancefloor orientated sound. His EP is called 'My life in the box of ghosts' and is released on the excellent Shipwrec label. We're not saying this is a complete departure from what he's know for, just more restrained and considered in its approach. It still contains elements of industrial, breakcore as well as his use of strange and old gear, like nintendo's gameboy which give it that video game type sound.

What we like about this EP is the variety of different sounds and ideas put into this work. Diverse but cohesive at the same time. We look forward to what Former Descent comes up with next.

The EP is available as a 12" limited to 200 copies (you'll need to be quick) or as a digital download.

Here's a teaser from the EP...

Here's the shipwrec promotion / release info.

Former Descent is a new project by Bas Welling who created loads of chaos the past few years with his label Crackbeats wich has a focus on the extreme side of breakcore, noise and digital hardcore. Some might know him as Neurobit who released quit some 8 bit mayhem on labels like Enfant Terrible and vatican Analog over the years. With Former Descent his music goes in a new direction, with strong influences by his aliases. The first track on this EP takes off with tunes that sound like breakcore, but don't be fooled, when the track developes it opens up and it get's quite catchy towards the end. A perfect intro for the second track, a dancefloor friendly electro experience with strong melodies. The 3th track has got a weird dubstep like broken beat with again suberb melodies and a phat acidic bassline. The last track end's the EP in a beautiful ambient way with some crispy electronics on top. This EP is not for the faint-hearted and shows anything could happen on the Shipwrec label. Highly limited to 200 copies!

Links to investigate artist / puchase release :

www.shipwrec.org/

Former Descent on soundcloud

The Flashbulb - Opus at the end of everything out today

2012-02-10T12:48:00.000-08:00

Benn Jordan has recorded under many different pseudonyms over the years but the name he has used most widely is The Flashbulb. Other notable aliases are Acidwolf, Human Action Network and FlexE. The Chicago based musician was heavily involved in the breakcore scene until his album 'Soundtrack to a vacant life' (2008) saw a shift in direction and displayed an amazing gift for blending live instrumentation with cinematic sounds and electronics over its 31 tracks. What is even more amazing is that he released the ambient album 'Pale Blue Dot - A Tribute to Carl Sagan' in the same year. If you haven't got these albums already we highly recommend you track them down.

'Opus at the end of everything', his latest long-player, has been released today and is available on cd through his alphabasic website or via download through bandcamp. You can listen to / purchase the entire album (25 tracks) below for $9.99, that's only £6.52. It's a beautiful album and reaffirms what a talent Benn is.....

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://theflashbulb.bandcamp.com/album/opus-at-the-end-of-everything"&amp;amp;gt;Opus At The End Of Everything by The Flashbulb&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Here's the new album promo video for 'Opus at the end of everything'....

Here's a few other videos showing off some other Flashbulb tracks....

This track is called 'Undiscovered Colors'

Benn Jordan - Leaving Earth (from 'Pale Blue Dot')

The Flashbulb - Remember Tomorrow (Dirty)

The Flashbulb - Highway One

Enjoy :)

Antibreak - Horizons EP out now on Absys Records

2012-02-07T03:24:00.000-08:00

Antibreak is Zach Ronstadt, an American drum & bass / breaks / dubstep / experimental producer based in Phoenix, Arizona. To date he's released three acclaimed albums and a number of singles. Listening to his work it's interesting to hear how his sound has progressed. Some of his earlier works are cinematic in approach, which stems from him being influenced by many a different film score. In contrast, his latest long-player is more experimental but still accessible and highly atmospheric.

One thing is clear...Antibreak is continuing to challenge himself, challenge the listener and push the boundaries of electronic music further.

Antibreak - Horizons EP has just been release on Absys Records. Check it out below :-

What follows is a description taken from the Absys Records Antibreak - Horizons EP soundcloud page.

What is progress? Among others, it’s what you get on the newest EP from Absys by the one and only Antibreak. The man behind such tunes as ‘Progression 9’ or ‘Travelling Gnome’ and the amazing album ‘Eleven Shades of Night’, this time takes his producer workshop even further and delivers futuristic and complex vibes from the borderline between drum & bass and dubstep. Taste the new face of deep, atmospheric d’n’b by the recipe of the master himself and submerge into the depths of purring basslines and shattering beats. This time the pace slows down, but the dynamism remains alive and vibrant, associated by mesmerizing backgrounds, full of subtle details. So, grab your ‘Talisman’, look straight into the surrounding ‘Horizons’ and ‘Prepare for Flight’ in the direction of ‘Another Life’ along with your guide, Antibreak himself on the board of Absys plane.

Expect more from this talent in the not too distant future. We'll keep you posted. Be sure to check out the following links though :-

www.absysrec.com

www.offworldrecordings.com

www.redmistrecordings.co.uk

Here's the video for the Antibreak track 'My Love is Forever' from the album 'Eleven Shades of Night'

Here's the track 'Taj' from his 'Layered' album, available through Red Mist Recordings

'Riot control'...another number from 'Eleven Shades of Night'

Antibreak is also one of our recommended artists on Electronic Music Guide.

Explore / listen to this artist further by clicking on the following link -

Antibreak on ElectronicMusicGuide.com

Mrs Jynx - Atlanta EP out today on juno download

2012-02-03T02:54:00.000-08:00

The cat-loving Mrs Jynx (otherwise known as Hannah Davidson) has become a firm favourite on Electronic Music Guide. What with her strong melodies, catchy beats and sprinkling of ambience she has a sound all of her own. Her new EP is released today through Juno download with an official release on the 17th of February. Fans of Ulrich Schnauss should lap this up.....

Listen to her Atlanta EP below :

Mrs Jynx - Kiss behind the ear (Mutex Remix) is available to download for free in mp3 or wav format. Well worth a download. Here's the link below :

Complex Sound Sagacity

Here's a few youtube videos of her work. This first track is a remix of Intertwiner by Xurba. Xurba is also featured on EMG, you should check him out as well :

Mrs Jynx - Martian

Mark Swift - Swiftlings (Mrs Jynx Remix)

Here's another couple of links to investigate this talented female artist further :

Mrs Jynx on facebook

Mrs Jynx on the Planet Mu label

Pilote - Shapeshifter Blues and Monoytoro forthcoming

2012-01-25T05:58:00.000-08:00

Pilote aka Stuart Cullen has always charmed us with his music. He has ventured into many different sonic furrows over the years but always seems to have the knack of creating music full of emotion.

Pilote has a new single on its way (release date February 13th). It's called Shapeshifter Blues and features remixes by Nightdrive, Yellowhead and Analog Imposter. Each remix gives a new slant on the original and are right up our street.

Pilote paves a unique path in blending organic with electronic. The original soothes with a clever guitar riff, laid back beats and whistling before deeply satisfying electronic manipulation give it an extra dimension. Some may call it folktronica, all i know is this.... it hits the spot!

Listen to Shapeshifter Blues below -

Pilote - Shapeshifter Blues

Pilote also has a side project called Son of Run.

Son of Run - Monoytoro is due out any day now on the Igloopop label.
Check it out below -

Son Of Run - Monoytoro by Pilote

This track below from the 'A Future Without' label is unmissable. So melodic and heart-warming....

Pilote - Nothing Else Blues Mix by A Future Without Press

Here's the Pilote track Coltrane from his 2007 album 'Pop will make us free'

He has a new album due for release later this year called 'Slow down before you fall down'. Be sure to check out his blog to keep in touch with all things Pilotemusique -

http://pilotemusique.wordpress.com/

Of course Pilote is one of our Recommended artists, you can listen to more of his work below -

Pilote on ElectronicMusicGuide.com

Ghostek - Easy Changes EP on the Shipwrec label

2012-01-20T06:45:00.000-08:00

Ghostek has just released his Easy Changes EP through Shipwrec. It's the labels 11th release. Cutting edge sounds are what they are building their reputation on and this EP certainly helps to consolidate what the label is all about.

Ghostek continues his deep and dark style. Low frequency passages meld with dubstep elements. Clever use of space, effects and samples challenge our thought processes giving a fresh approach on the dubstep style.

Check out the Ghostek links below :-

www.shipwrec.org

Clone records

Ghostek on soundcloud FREE DOWNLOADS

Ghostek on facebook

Here's a few youtube videos of some other Ghostek tracks...enjoy....

this one's called Night & Low Light

Mutual Surrender

Distances & Coffee

Ghost Interlude

Offworld Recordings - atmospheric DnB from another world

2011-12-14T05:11:00.000-08:00

I thought it appropriate to cover some records labels that are musically on our wavelength. One such label that we've been listening to a lot of late is the Edinburgh based drum and bass label Offworld Recordings.

They have a passion for the atmospheric / intelligent / melodic / ambient side of drum and bass. If you were feeling Good Looking Records back in the nineties (LTJ Bukem - Logical Progression for anyone who needs to ask) then Offworld Recordings is a firm reminder that there's plenty of life in the atmospheric side of drum and bass yet.

Offworld was launched in 2009 by LM1 (Allan Cowie) and has seen a fine roster of artists join them, helping to establish the label further. Offworld has received much support from big names in the music industry which isn't surprising from the quality of their output.

Before we go any further here's the link to Offworld Recordings - releases are available in both cd and download

Offworld Recordings

Below are some videos showcasing the talent on offer.

The debut album from LM1 - Reshift is a must have. Here's a taster below...

Here's some other tracks by LM1....

This one's called Season of Descent

Destiny

Blue Mountain

It's tough to pick out artists / albums from this label as there's so much great music here. However, the compilation Offworld Transmissions Vol. 1 (2010) is an outstanding release and could be a good starting point if you're new to the label. Then there's amazing new artist albums from Scenic & Advisory - Paradigm Shift and Seathasky - The past in my mind.

Also be sure to check out the Offworld EPs with deep releases from Bass' Flo, Oscillist, Opuscape, Shadowboxerz, Operon and Submatic.

Here's some other tracks to wet your appetite....

Johnny Beverton - Whatever you want

Scenic & Advisory - Rising

Seathasky - The past in my mind

Sundancer - Into the emptyness

Oscillist - A new shade of blue

Seathasky & Beatchemist - Learn to fly

Opuscape - In the clouds

Clearly Offworld Recordings is a drum and bass label that has an affinity towards melody and atmosphere. It's the kind of drum and bass we digg on electronicmusicguide.com, music that takes us on a journey.

Hope you enjoy the music / artists and if you like what you hear please support the label :)

New Fanu album Serendipity out on Lightless Recordings

2011-10-31T07:29:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the inactivity on emg of late, things have been hectic. Things should be back to normal very soon though. You can also expect a few changes on the site. In the meantime you can check out and listen to some artists we've been digging over the last few weeks. Just go to the 'What's on our stereo?' panel on the site.

One album covered in that panel is a new release from Fanu. Fanu, otherwise known as Janne Hatula, has a new album out today called Serendipity. Janne is a junglist, sampler, dj, breakbeat and general music lover. His sound could be described as atmospheric drum and bass, drumfunk and experimetal. Some of his music is reminiscent of Photek. Fanu has released some fine work to date, namely Daylightless (2007), Homefree (2009), Lodge with Bill Laswell (2008), the album Focused Minds (2006) under the name FanuSamurai as well as a host of amazing 12 inch releases. His new album shows he's kept the button firmly on the quality control.

Here's a few links for you to listen to / purchase the album and check out Fanu in more depth : -

Fanu website

Fanu blog

Fanu on soundcloud

Fanu on facebook

Here's a few videos of his work.....

Hope you enjoy the new album......more music updates coming soon...

Even Weight by Enduser pushes the sonic boundaries

2011-10-24T03:55:00.000-07:00

Hi folks

Sorry it's been a while since my last blog, things have been hectic of late. To try and make it up to you i'm going to post a number of blogs over the next while covering some great electronic music, music that deserves your attention. First up...Enduser....

Enduser was championed by John Peel and has released a number of great albums. He creates industrial strength drum and bass and hip-hop flavored breakcore but there's plenty more influences going on in his work. He's just released a new album called 'Even Weight' and what a finely crafted piece of work it is. Here's two tracks from the album....

This track is called Praise

Enduser & Hecq - Reciprocal

Here's the track Fallen from the 2006 album Form without Function

Here's a few links to investigate this artist further :-

Enduser homepage

Enduser on Soundcloud

Enduser on facebook

Hope you enjoy the sounds...more to follow very soon....

Tropics releases his debut album 'Parodia Flare'

2011-09-29T04:33:00.000-07:00

Chris Ward, otherwise known as Tropics, has just released his debut album 'Parodia Flare' on the ever evolving Planet Mu record label. Having released his Soft Vision EP through the same label, we were eager to hear his full length album and it certainly doesn't dissappoint. Shimmering guitar sounds combine with dubbed-out electronics and understated vocals. The elements on this album come together beautifully, that's for sure. Here's a taster from Chris' Soft Vision EP....

It's a fine album from the young British multi-instrumentalist. At 22 years young, Chris shows real promise. If you like music that's emotive, psychedelic, layered, sun-drenched, delicate and melancholic be sure to check him out. A few words of caution....this is music for the headphone generation rather than the dancefloor. It'll move your mind rather than your feet. But I'm sure that was always his intention. And to think we almost missed out on Chris being a music producer....music production was his second choice of subject at Uni.....some things are just meant to be :)

Here's some Tropics links below :-

Planet Mu link

Tropics on facebook

Tropics on soundcloud

Tropics homepage

Sundial Aeon release their new album Mimesis

2011-09-02T03:21:00.000-07:00

Previously called Sundial, Sundial Aeon are an ambient trance/chill out band from Poland. Mimesis will be their third studio album to date and is due for release any day now. Their previous albums Metabasis (2006) and Apotheosis (2007) were released on Flow Records. Apotheosis was quite a find for me and I couldn't help comparing it to the unmissable Northern Exposure compilation by Sasha and John Digweed. This double mix album came out in 1996 but is still a timeless masterpiece. No wonder people will pay a small fortune to get their hands on a copy.

Sasha and Digweed added effects and sounds which really created an engagingly layered listen. This certainly added an extra dimension to the tracks. They were the first to do this and pull it off in style imho. In a similar vein, Sundial Aeon's production on Apotheosis draws on emotive layers of sound which suck you in from the start. What's even more impressive though is their tracks morph and flow and as such always keep the listener interested. If you know Northern Exposure you might catch my drift by listening to the video below...

Their new album was inspired by RIESE, the secret military complex located near Waldenburg (now Walbrzych in Poland). It addresses a whole bunch of unexplained details, legends, myths and conjectures relating to RIESE . It definately sounds like a worthy follow-up to Apotheosis from our first listen. You can preview their new album Mimesis below....

Sundial Aeon - Mimesis link

Happy listening folks :)

New Blade Runner Movie gets the green light

2011-08-24T03:05:00.000-07:00

I know what you might be thinking....they shouldn't make a follow up to the classic sci-fi film Blade Runner simply because it will never come close to the original. Okay, I admit there's a thousand reasons why there shouldn't be another Blade Runner film (we won't discuss them here), but then again, if they are prepared to take that gamble they will have to come up with something pretty epic to try and hush the critics.

According to Deadline, Ridley Scott is going to direct and produce the film which is a good start. What isn't clear at present is whether the film's going to be a follow-up or a prequel. There are three follow-up Blade Runner books written by K. W. Jeter. Jeter's Blade Runner 2 : The Edge of Human really explored the Blade Runner universe in depth and could be a good starting point for a follow-up film. The original film was only loosely based on Philip K. Dick's book 'Do androids dream of electric sheep?'

One factor that will be paramount to it's successs, or it's failure, is the film soundtrack. Vangelis created a futuristic masterpiece for the original film so it'll be fascinating to see who composes the score for this one.

Let's remind ourselves of the Vangelis score with a taster below....

Will they want Vangelis to compose the soundtrack for the new film or will they go for an artist who makes more futuristic sounds to try and achieve their vision?

Whoever they choose has a massive task on their hands. Here's a few suggestions of electronic artists that could be considered for the job :-

Boards of Canada - the Scottish duo have a huge following but have yet to compose a film score. Maybe they are waiting for something that they can really get their teeth into. They were rumoured to be composing the Tron Legacy soundtrack before it was announced that Daft Punk were doing the honours.

Underworld have shown off their soundtrack skills by shifting with ease to a more cinematic / ambient sound with the film scores 'Breaking and Entering' with the help of Gabriel Yared and 'Sunshine' with John Murphy.

Cliff Martinez came up with the sci-fi score for the film Solaris back in 2002 which some compared to Vangelis and Blade Runner. Whilst I think the Vangelis score is superior to his Solaris score, it still stands out as a fine piece of work.

Then there's Clint Mansell who's composed some unique scores. Requiem for a dream, The Fountain, Smokin' Aces, The Wrestler and the Britsh sci-fi film Moon are among his works that could see him become a candidate.

One thing worth noting is ambient music as a genre generally ages well. The Blade Runner score by Vangelis still sounds fresh and futuristic all these years later. So whoever does compose the soundtrack for the new Blade Runner film will be looking to create a body of work which will stand the test of time. A massive challenge to say the least....

Salt Tank are set to return to our stereos

2011-08-15T07:42:00.000-07:00

Salt Tank were championed by the late great John Peel back in the 90s with their unique style of progressive trance and chill out. Their 1996 album 'Science and Nature' was such a well crafted piece of work touching on elements of techno, ambient and house. Their follow up album 'Wavebreaks' (1997) was more experimental but also a rewarding listen.

They're back after a long period of meditation so it'll be interesting to see what they come up with....let's hope they release a new album very soon....

Find out more about them on their website below...

www.salttank.co.uk

Now let's remind ourselves of some of their work below...

Eugina - Probably their best known track

Into the light of the shining path

Ocean

Swell (Eden) - Kate Bush is sampled on this track

Hope you enjoy :)

New Plaid album release date and new EP by Kalya Scintilla

2011-08-08T15:15:00.000-07:00

Hi folks

I just wanted to mention that stuff we blog about we'll try and follow up on....
I talked about Plaid in a previous post and now we have a release date for their new album 'Scintilli'. The album will be released on the 26th of September on warp records. Here's a video from a track off the album called '35 Summers'.

You can pre-order the album now and there's also a rather cool Scintilla t-shirt you can purchase through Bleep. Relevant links below....

www.scintilli.com

Bleep.com link

Now to move on from Scintilli to Scintilla. Kalya Scintilla has just released his new Illusions EP on bandcamp. It seems he still has the button firmly on the quality control. You can listen to all 6 tracks by clicking on the link below. Enjoy....

Illusions EP on Bandcamp

Like Boards of Canada? Here's some similar sounds....

2011-08-03T05:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, the blog a day thing didn't happen. I did manage it for a whole week though....

Boards of Canada (from Edinburgh, Scotland by the way if you didn't know) have a nostalgic pastorial sound that many have fallen in love with. They have released some great work, 'Music has the right to childrem' and 'Geogaddi' are must have albums. Their music contains themes of chilhood and is largely influenced by the natural world. Since they haven't released an album since 2005 here's a few other artists that share elements of their sound.

Yimino - kind of a cross between BoC and Plaid

Christ. - was a former BoC member before he went solo

Com Truise - Tripyra

Milieu - Paddyscapes

Casino vs Japan - It's very sunny

Tycho - The daydream

Hope you enjoy the videos and music :)

Plaid interview and a new album fast approaching

2011-08-01T15:05:00.000-07:00

I'll come back to other artists who aren't part of EMG yet at a later date. Now let's talk about Plaid.

Plaid are Andy Turner and Ed Handley from the UK. They have been making forward thinking electronic music for more than 20 years now and are damn fine at it too. They started out as part of The Black Dog before parting ways. They have collaborated with the likes of Bjork and Nicolette and have remixed many artists including Red Snapper, Goldfrapp, Bjork and The Irresistible Force. Plaid have worked extensively with Bob Jaroc (who creates visuals to go with their tracks). He also created the visuals for their Greedy Baby DVD/CD.

Sometimes, because of the complexity of their music, it may take a few listens before you properly appreciate it. One things for sure, Plaid have produced a fine body of work over the years. Perhaps what's more impressive though is that they are always looking at ways of reinventing their sound. Here's an insightful interview with Ed and Andy...

Plaid have done two animation soundracks to date. Both are strong compositions. Tekkonkinkreet and Heaven's Door are soundtracks that are characteristically Plaid but also work well on the big screen. Here's the track 'White's Dream' from Tekkonkinkreet....

Plaid have been working on a new album for a few years now called Scintilla. All indications point towards a 2011 release. Because of the wait some believe it may be a double cd. And it looks like it's going to be released on Warp Records. Check out the Plaid website for their latest news, gig dates, etc....

www.plaid.co.uk

They also have a youtube channel called The Plaided for your visual and listening pleasure....

The Plaided Youtube Channel

Plaid have always made quality electronic music and we can't see the new album being anything less than another Plaid masterpiece :)

Brian Eno - A true innovator and pioneer of electronic sound

2011-07-31T15:22:00.000-07:00

Brian Eno has had such an influence on many different music genres. He was a keyboard and synthesizer player as part of Roxy Music in the 70s. He went solo in 1973 making art rock before producing ambient landmark albums such as Ambient 1 - Music for Airports (1978) and Apollo : Atmospheres and Sountracks (1983). The 1983 album he made for the documentary film 'For all mankind'. Here's the track 'An Ending (Ascent)' from that album....

Brian has worked with a host of artists including David Bowie, Paul Simon, Grace Jones, Depeche Mode as well as U2. He's produced seven albums for U2, mostly notably 'The Joshua Tree'.

There's a vast music catalogue of his to explore. He's only just released a new album on Warp Records called ' Drums between the bells' with the words of Rick Holland. It's definately worth a listen.

We've only touched on this artist here. We appreciate we'll need to cover him properly on EMG in the near future. After all, Eno is one of the original pioneers of ambient music. In the meantime, here's a few links if you want to explore this genius further....

www.brian-eno.net

www.enoweb.co.uk

Electronic music that isn't part of EMG

2011-07-30T15:17:00.000-07:00

There's loads of artists that deserve to be a part of EMG but aren't on the site as yet. I thought it was important to talk about a few that deserve mentioning... I know, there are so many more that I've missed out before you start reeling.....

Anyway, let's make a start...

First up, The Chemical Brothers. This is a difficult one. Only because I don't think they've released a bad album yet. So if you're new to them where should you start. Well, I suggest from the beginning - 'Exit Planet Dust'. It's an amazing journey which touches so many different genres I'd say it's impossible to classify. Here's a track from the album to wet your appetite...

Next up is the Future Sound of London. This could be a research project in itself, they've made that much quality music. They've also released plenty of material under the name Amorphous Androgenous with a more psychedelic edge. Anyway, for starters here's one of their best know track to date. To say it's a classic is a bit of an understatement...

Let's pick up this tomorrow with the ambient pioneer Brian Eno.... See ya tomorrow :)

Kalya Scintilla's Shimmer EP is a satisfying Dubstep journey

2011-07-29T04:06:00.000-07:00

Kalya Scintilla is from Australia. His latest EP takes Dubstep into a whole new direction largely using Middle Eastern samples to devasting effect. His Shimmer EP dare I say it is his best work yet and it's clear that he's fast becoming a master of his craft.

Here's a taster from Kalya, the tracks actually called Eastern Liquid....

You can download this track for free from his bandcamp page - just click on the 'Feelin' Good' release. You can also name your price for his album 'Beginnings' - a collection of his early works from 2007-2008. Here's the link below...

http://kalyascintilla.bandcamp.com/

Here's his Soundcloud page, loads to listen to here....

http://soundcloud.com/kalyascintilla

There's 2 tracks from the Shimmer EP on his soundcloud page - Tribal Generator and Shimmer. You can listen to and buy the EP here....

Kalya Scintilla on addictech.com

Here's a few other links....

Myspace

Facebook

A satisfying listen from a producer that's really honed his sound. I'm looking forward to hearing the Illusions EP when it comes out.

Hope you enjoy :)

TPower has a new album in the works on Adastra Recordings

2011-07-28T03:04:00.000-07:00

To say that I've listened to this guys work a lot is an understatement.

His album ' The self evident truth of an intuitive mind' was such a find for me back in 1995. It immediately blew me away. I never thought drum and bass could be so experimental and yet such a rewarding listen. I've never heard anything that's come close to the genius of some of his works. Here's a couple of tracks from the album. I suggest listening to 'Amber' 2 minutes in, that's when the track really kicks in...

Here's another track from the album called Octogon....

T Power (aka Marc Royal) produced some phenomenal stuff around that time bofore achieving mainstream success with the album 'Set it off' in 2002 in collaboration with Shy FX. Their single 'Shake ur body' reached number seven in the UK singles chart.

I'm pleased to hear that with Adastra Recordings TPower is coming home. And he's working on a new album titled 'MUSiC4LiF3'.

Here's what Marc says about the new album -

"For the fans who have patiently waited for a follow-up album to either one of these TPower classics (The self evident truth of an intuitive mind and Waveforms), it likely won't happen. That's the bad news. The good news is that a new TPower album is now in the works. MUSiC4LiF3 has two main intentions: to remind fans as to why they waited in the first place and to reassure them that their wait was well worthwhile."

Check out the TPower blog by clicking on the link below.... Deep.....

TPower Adastra Recordings blog

I can't wait to hear what he comes up with and I'm sure I won't be the only one....

Here's another TPower track I came across from 1999

Happy listening....bye for now :)

Our plan....to talk about a different electronic music producer every day

2011-07-27T07:35:00.000-07:00

Yeah right I hear you say....

Well that's the plan anyway :)

I'm not going to discuss the artist in depth, just a little bit about their music project/s, releases worth mentioning, a few links so you can listen to the artist, free stuff, etc.

Ultimately you'll make your own mind up whether you like the music or not. If you do please support the artist.

Okay, first up is an artist called Auditory Canvas. Otherwise know as David Holmes. (No, not the Irish film score producer by the same name). He resides in London and has a few EP releases under his belt not to mention the sublime debut album 'Fabric of Life' (2010). Below is a track from the album. This is one track where spoken word really works well. And there's a real message here. Food for thought....

David is giving away his latest EP for free. It's called the Rise EP and incorporates elements of Glitch, Dubstep and Downtempo with Middle Eastern samples thrown into the blend. Here's the link to download it below.

http://auditorycanvas.bandcamp.com/

You can also download the track Snow Fall from the same link. Check out his Earth EP, Destinations EP and Portraits EP too. They are all cheap and any EP you buy David donates 25% to NextAid.

Here's a couple of other relevant links

http://auditorycanvas.net/

http://summerrainrecordings.net/

Auditory Canvas on Facebook

Hope you enjoy....until tomorrow then ;)