Selections 008
Selections 008 is a curious potion of electronic subgenres from new wave to acid, some falling under the category of albums and bandcamp finds, all analogue based and always with the groove in mind. The connection between robotics and the soul is a central question throughout the selections.
Lagowski - Scatter 4 [Self-released]
Broken Audio - 6BrokenBones [Perty]
Frak - Scientific Bella-Donna [Futurepast]
Exterminador - Deep In The Mess Of Night [Bad Manners]
Jared Wilson - Positivity [RAWAX]
Looking first hand at the list of track names it may all seem a bit ominous, but actually, as is hinted in the last track ‘Positivity’, the tracks are more accessible and fun than a first glance might suggest.
Lagowski – Scatter 4 [Self-released]
We start the selections with this beautiful opener by Lagowski, Scatter 4, a track uploaded to his bandcamp as a single release, and originally intended to be part of his wonderful album Smokescreen (but which really stands on its own).
The track features captivating and angelic strings that could easily be played at the gates to heaven. Lagowski’s new wave punk band roots are present in the very analogue bassline, which brings a sense of realness to the piece. There’s adventure in the track too, from what sounds like a didgeridoo instrument, stomping, military drums and fluttering sounds, evoking images of The Outback and authenticating the connection between machine and the environment. Heaven, human, nature. There’s soul and spirit in this hardwired track.
This particular musical genius has been recording electronic music and playing live analogue shows since 1982 (following his earlier work drumming in punk and new wave bands). His name holds a safe spot in the 90s GPR hall of fame, his early nineties releases on Chromium Industries are DJs’ favourites, and in the past few years he’s released twice on Sleepers as Clans of the Alphane Moon and Project Ghost. Fortunately for us, Lagowski continues to be prolific today with a library of updated material on his bandcamp page. He’s also just uploaded ‘Scatter 1 + 2’, premixes to the finished ‘Scatter 4’. It’s interesting to hear the previous versions, which are also very good! We will be switching back and forth between these three for a while - but will we get to listen to number 3 too?
Broken Audio – 6BrokenBones [Perty]
The second release on this Selections list is another Bandcamp oriented production: Nocturnal Entropy EP by sound engineer and electronic music producer Broken Audio is the first edition of a series of cassette tapes led by DJ Octopus. For Octopus, tape carries a special meaning as it was the first media he used to record music, from the radio and from machines when he started producing music. You can even hear a grainy effect throughout on the digital files.The style of Nocturnal Entropy is categorised as “breakbeat” but, he explains, it really stands out as a complete journey into sounds. Emotional pads and atmospheres glide through the piece, mixing with the diverse audio sources used, including thunderstorms and ASMR! We couldn’t resist picking the dance-oriented track on the release: ‘6BrokenBones’ is a solid UK garage track with a banging attitude.
The vocals are the producer’s own, having first experimented on the opener ‘Baio’, an ambient track dedicated to his friend who sadly drowned in a lake near his hometown last year. “It was a really tough time for me and right after he passed away I decided to honour his death and to reflect all my sorrow on a track. I recorded some vocals, a piano line and a lot of reverb in around an hour and suddenly felt better.”
“Once I started to experiment with my voice like I did in ‘Baio’, I wanted to include it more in my tracks and I remember having this garage tune in the making and said to myself: ‘Why not pitch it down some semitones and see how it sounds in here?’ Hahaha.”
The second edition on Perty has just been released on Bandcamp – a different yet still beautiful mix of atmospheres and textures. Check it out here.
Frak - Scientific Bella-Donna [Futurepast]
We continue on the ‘experimental’ thread with Swedish electronic group Frak on Futurepast. We have chosen ‘Scientific Bella-Donna’, which really seems more techno-house than heavily experimental. When listen we picture the scene in Fritz Lang’s Metropolis where Maria the robot is surrounded by a moving, buzzing electric field, while also imagining dancing in an after-hour, with the track’s edgy and sexy, deep and minimal sounds. It’s an interesting balance between the machine and the soul, two styles which are also reflected in Frak’s previous discography as a group that has been producing dance tracks since the late eighties, and sharing their own funky hardware sound through their label Börft.While listening to Frak we can’t help but recall Futurepast founder Davy’s own long after-hour sets, which we adored while he was still living in London a few years ago: dark, industrial and hypnotising yet deep, playful and groovy.
A reunion of the group members also occurred for this release: “We hadn’t met for some time, as we live in different cities. So, when we joined forces for this recording, it was all from scratch and a bit of fumbling at first. But it struck us that this is it, this is the pure reason why we do what we do. Jamming our way through machines and ideas is what it’s all about.”
Exterminador - Deep In The Mess Of Night [Bad Manners]
We move to young Berlin based artist Exterminador, who has really captivated us. We first heard him a few years ago on YAY’s podcast series, and he was also a key figure in the establishment of The Record Loft. In 2016, he opened his own Exterminador Records label and in 2019 he started collaborating with Marcel Dettmann on new imprint Bad Manners, being responsible for the whole output so far with one EP and recently a whole album, from which we have picked a track for this edition of selections. We really enjoyed the first EP: A techno and electro release with EBM tendencies rather than acid wormhole melodies.Exterminador’s album Age of Consent certainly doesn’t disappoint! He takes the electro and 80s influence from the earlier release and presents them on a delicious platter. At first our ears perked up to ‘Broken Glass Door’ with its rolling 80s influenced bassline and sharp synths. To be honest it’s a challenge to pick just one track but ‘Deep In The Mess Of Night’ got the trophy – it’s a brilliant composition and there just isn’t any track quite like it! There’s a uniqueness and playfulness to it all, starting with the funny as hell title, drum rolls and even laughing in the track itself. It’s not silly though, and actually very new wave with its yearning synth, knock out bassline and broody vocals.
Jared Wilson - Positivity [RAWAX]
We’ve chosen a classic ending with underground dance music royalty: Detroit native and acid mastermind Jared Wilson on ‘major’ label RAWAX. You can count on Jared to produce solid bangers that hone in on the essence of dance music, with the Roland drum machine as his main weapon of choice, releasing on a plethora of established labels such as Super Rhythm Trax, Dixon Avenue Basement Jams, Dolly, FurthurElectronix, Lux Rec, Undersound and his own 7777. He’s clued up and keeps it fresh, reinventing his style yet staying true to his roots.
A DJ would get a run for their money with the 4 out of 5 peak time tracks on this EP, with their sexy grooves, tight hats, slapping snares and fun acid melodies. 3 out of 5 tracks are named ‘Lynnwood’ with a few mostly numbered variations on each. Lynnwood first appeared on all the tracks on Jared’s new label Jason, Jared & Brians' Records. The tracks are named after Lynnwood city in Snohomish County, Washington, which is where Jared moved to a couple years back. The label’s debut release New Era represents a new chapter indeed, with a fresh new sound combining solid Detroit techno with atmospheric, fairy-tale melodies inspired by the woodlands around his new family home.
For this most recent release on RAWAX, Lynwood vibes are present but with raw house sounds suiting the label. We’ve picked the A1 ‘Positivity’, which is also the name given to the EP. We can’t get enough of this unique, catchy, sexy, emotional bomb! The composition is just so beautiful and it’s never tiring. It’s got DMX Krew vibes with its wormhole melody, but with a Detroit edge.
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