Chord Soup

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DJ Seinfeld - Sagrada

DJ Seinfeld is one of a number of artists who emerged under LoFi House banner in recent years. The Barcelona based producer is best known for his debut album ‘Time Spent away from you” featuring the breakthrough track “U”. It was a emotionally charged album that thrived on its distorted imperfections. His new EP Sakura is a departure from this sound. Its darker, cleaner yet deeper while retaining some of the Lo-Fi haziness of his previous work.

‘Sagrada’ is the second track of the EP. In my opinion it exemplifies the change in musical direction perfectly. Its spooky and seductive, and there is space in the mix to get lost in. Echoey melodies intermingle, bleeding into each other amongst a backdrop of rolling snare hits and twinkling percussive melodies. A monstrous bass sound lends force and juxtaposes the delicate vocals and the fluttering synth chords that offer a sense of unease and mystery.

In my mind this is some of the most interesting material DJ Seinfeld has released to date. The tones are striking and evocative, it encapsulates the classic elements of 90’s house music while offering something fresh and of real purpose. Its perfect music for the night, whether you’re in a club or at home listening on headphones, here is a dream world to lose yourself in.

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Zakir- Save the Children (David Mayer Remix)

A track I happened to stumble upon in my Soundcloud feed, this is David Mayer’s remix of ‘Save The Children’ by Zakir. Though unfamiliar with Zakir, David Mayer is a prominent electronic producer based in Berlin and while being unaware of the original track, I was hooked by the immediacy of this mix. I was drawn in from the start by a wonderful array of sounds and textures.

Here is an exercise in suspense. The driving element here is the melodic percussive rhythms that give the track a raw energy. The chanting choirs echo feed into the space, offered adding a haunting element that evaporates into the spaces. The punchy lead synth line has a 80’s sci-fi feel that blends interestingly with the acoustic sounds of the percussion, giving a multi-dimensional edge to the aesthetic. This remix is broad in its scope and offers the listener a surreal dreamscape full of mystery and menace.

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Olaf Stuut - Canopy Conundrum (Atomnation)

Olaf Stuut is a electronic producer based in Amsterdam. There is a celestial element to his sound that transports the listener into dreamlike state, with moods and tones that challenge the listener at different turns. He draws from various genres of electronica that can range from ambient downtempo to primally percussive tech-house. Experimentation and versatility are hallmarks of an artist that offers endless sense of intrigue.

His newest track Canopy Conundrum dropped the other da, preceding the release of his new E.P. Crown Shyness. Peculiar tones stab through the soundscapes that offer spooky vibes reminiscent of Boards of Canada. Deep punchy house grooves that underpin the surreal interplay of the synthesisers. At just under 11 minutes Stuut takes the listener on a journey that while consistently flowing, offers variations between sparse minimalism to teeth baring tenacity. Synths growl at its most aggressive and clattering percussion creates a sense of disruption in the synthetic dreamscape.

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Harrowing beauty that grips and stirs as it unfolds

Groeni are a three-piece from Wellington New Zealand. Nihx is their debut LP, following up three previous EPs. It is their first release on Berlin based label Project Mooncircle.

Groeni are notable for their rich sonic palette that utilises an abundance of feedback, analogue synths and hauntingly fragile vocals. Their sound is atmospheric and reflective. There is a sense of harrowing desperation that gives them a real substance. Nihx builds upon these themes, taking the listener on into a dream-like state of introspection.

Evergreen stands out as a track that embodies these characteristics. The vocals are of angelic in their beauty, carrying a sense of pain which offers an emotional weight to the song. The backing vocals are haunting and wistful, blending into layers of feedback and foggy synthesisers give the piece a very organic feel. The menacing chord progression repeats throughout much of the song as the different tones swirl amongst each other. It forebodes until surrendering to a baseline that is deep, sinister offering a sense of justification to the preceding sense of anxiety that lay before.

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Brooding minimalism that provides a sense of mystery amongst the calm.

Roman Azzaro is producer hailing from Nantes in France. He performs under the name Rogue Mecanique and also runs his own label named Rogue Mecanique musique. This particular track features on a YAM records label release YOUANDMUSIC VOL.2

Its a brooding and atmospheric piece that gradually builds. Layerings of guitars and percussion create psychedelic flurries that texture the piece. The meaty bassline that drives the piece is hypnotic in its continual rotation. Its a piece that provides calm while also offering a sense of mystery and intrigue.

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Meditative ambient house that encompasses the beauty of the elements

Albrecht La’Brooy are an improvisational electronic duo from Melbourne. Sealers Cove is on their first full length album ‘Tidal River’ that was released earlier this year. This was the first track I’ve heard of these guys and was one that instantly caught my interest.

There is a peaceful and meditative feel to this track that guides the listener to a place of serenity. The soothing ocean sounds that ease you in and run as an ever constant set the precedent for a dreamy sound that is rooted in elements. There is a very natural feel to the groove that has a real depth and presence. The mix is fantastic, with sounds that feel like they harness the most powerful and subtle forces of nature. The chunky bass tones add real depth. The reverb soaked piano and guitar flutter amongst each other like a cloud of intermingling particles. The synth textures a light and airy, lending the sound an ethereal quality that elevates it into the atmosphere.

If you’re a fan of ambient electronic artists like Kiasmos or Gidge then this most certainly tickle your fancy.

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Sit down and explore your senses with this evolving kaleidoscope of sound.

I discovered Polynation on the Atomnation label sampler titled ’SOMEWHERE’ with a song titled ‘Anther’. There is an abundance of fantastic artists to be found on the Amsterdam based label, none of least of whom are Weval, an artist I posted about recently.

Polynation are a two-piece Experimental Electronica based in Amsterdam who describe themselves on their Soundcloud as being ‘foremost an exciting live-act that seeks out to start a musical conversation based on spontaneous interaction, improvisation and a more band-like approach towards electronic music’. This approach creates a sound that is rich, exciting and endlessly evolving within the performances.

I feel that this video sums up what makes Polynation such an exciting artist. A slowly building performance layered with beautiful textures that feed into each other to create something that really comes alive. A colourful spectrum of sound to get lost within. The vibe seems to evoke feelings of 80’s Pink Floyd within a futuristic framework that is still rooted in pure raw energy that is offered by the drum performance. It lends real gusto amongst the subtleties and nuance of the soundscapes and melodic interplay.

Its a joy to listen and a joy to watch such talented musicians create something exciting and truly unique. With an album, E.P. and newish single available too, there is recorded material to digest that will no doubt have you hooked.

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A thrilling contemporary take on a traditional format that channels the broadest spectrum of emotion.

I feel I’m treading foreign territory a bit by delving into bluegrass. It’s a genre that I’ve only dipped my toe into at best. This song was linked to me amongst a plethora of unread messages and true to form I ignored it only to be shown the song a few weeks later. I’d have never guessed that what i ignored what such a hair-raiser.

The Punch Brothers are an American Progressive bluegrass band. They have released several albums to date. Familiarity is taken from 2015’s ‘Phosphorescent Blues’, an impressive collection of intricately assembled compositions that fuses of bluegrass, country, blues and classical into material that is dexterous, rousing and ultimately accessible amidst its complexities. Moments of the album are thrilling, and the band is really shines when the music is at its darkest, channeling moments of hauntingly beautiful melancholy that tingles the spine.

This song is the clearest example of this sentiment. The chord progression and guiding string sections captivate, setting the mood. There is uncertainty as to each step the band will take but each works to devastating effect, building in stunning fashion. Every second of this composition is painstakingly assembled, with phrasings that grab the attention each bar, never waning in suspense. The vocal harmonies lend further drama to the sound, hauntingly evocative in the style of Crosby, Stills and Nash.

The end of the song does take things down a notch, easing the listener out slowly amongst pleasant picking and simple interplay. It’s a nice way to end proceedings after the spectacle that lay before, but the drama of the first half is what makes this one of the most impressive contemporary songs I’ve heard.

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Astral Walkers- Passage (Astral Stroll)

A colourful whirling vortex, the true embodiment of an astral stroll.

Quite often you’ll be able to find decent music among the recommendations on various streaming platforms. Sometimes you’re met with gold, which is exactly I’ve found in this entrancing Deep House with vibrantly painted with jazz. The Astral Walkers are a collaboration between the artists AYBEE and Lars Bartkuhn of Berlin and Frankfurt respectively. While this is my first encounter with either of these artists, each has a reasonably lengthy back catalogue there to be explored.

The Passage (Astral Stroll) is the second side of the Passage E.P. released in 2017. The E.P. as a whole is a magnificent journey through different textures, feels and instrumentation held together by a the consistent mixture of primally charged rhythms and swaggering jazzy lead instrumentation.

Rhythmically this track is hypnotic. Arpeggiated bass, melodically proficient drum parts and rhythmically whispered vocals intermingle through a fog of synthesisers to create a vibrant soundscape for the lead instrumentation to shine through. The organic tones and jazz chording of the piano add a particular warmth and colour to the piece. It is a great melding of styles that makes this so attention grabbing and worthy of recognition. 

If you enjoyed, the check out the whole E.P. on the link below. 

http://deepblakmusic.bandcamp.com/album/aybee-and-lars-bartkuhn-are-the-astral-walkers-dbr-v031

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Weval- It’ll be Just Fine

Captivating in their restraint, ‘It’ll be just fine’ is Weval’s exercise in beautifully sustained tension.

An electronic duo based in the Netherlands, Harm Coolen and Merijn Scholte Albers have released several EP’s and one full length album through the label Kompact (except 2013′s ‘Half Age’ released on Atomnation). The progression of their sound has shown increasingly embrace elements of pop songwriting while retaining the haunting qualities that makes their sound so gripping. Their talent is showcased by an array of well crafted songs loaded with emotional suspense that are undercut by pulsating grooves and intricate rhythms. Their debut self-titled album was released in 2016 to critical acclaim, a wide screen sonic journey that builds upon the previous EP’s to devastating effect.

This song was released as a single in 2015 and is a perfect example of their ability to build suspense, captivate and keep the listener on edge throughout. It is wonderfully atmospheric in its layering of synths that float comfortably within the mix, juxtaposed by the jagged sharp tones that cut through during the vocal breaks. The beats are complex and urgent, lending the track a danceability amongst the emotional weight to which the piece gravitates around. The production is also top- draw. The breathing room in the mix helps emphasise the the individual parts flourish and intermingle perfectly. 

I only discovered these guys two weeks ago and have been thrilled by almost everything I’ve found so far. Here’s hoping for some more material in the coming year.

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D.D Dumbo- Walrus

This gem of a track sparkles with its beauty and strikes with the force of a tectonic shift. 

D.D. Dumbo is the solo project of Australian multi-instrumentalist Oliver Perry and Walrus is the first track off his debut album ‘Utopia Defeated’. With this album and his previous E.P. ‘Tropical Oceans’, Perry has shown himself to be one of the most inventive singer-songwriters to emerge in recent years. with a sound that is rich, bombastic and full of emotion. The album is endlessly inventive and thought provoking, tackling difficult environmentally issues that belie the euphoric nature of the instrumentation.

In an album packed with standout moments for this just edged it for me as the highlight. The chugging main riff carries real weight behind it and hooked me in instantly. Perry’s vocals soar in a manner not too dissimilar to Jeff Buckley. In fact this song gave me the same chills as when I first heard Buckley’s ‘Mojo Pin’. This a wonderfully layered and inventive piece that transports the to another world else for a brief three minutes. I am also compelled to give extra props for the the seemless transition to and from the Zeppelinesque bridge in the middle of the song, nice..

If you enjoy this the rest of the album is certainly worth your time, or if you’re short on time give ‘Cortisol’ or ‘Brother’ a listen.