Memory keeper. Mostly music and movies, plus some series and video games. Obscure darkness meets pop culture glow.
After Kruder & Dorfmeister’s new release here’s a new album by dZihan & Kamien. Alright, so what’s going on? Is nu jazz making a comeback or what? In any case this is a totally fine album, as good as any Couch Records release from back in the day. I’ll be instered to see whether this series continues or even someone tries something new with the future jazz angle. Maybe even Jazzanova produces something new AND worth listening to?
I’ve been listening to a lot of ambient music lately. The days are quite busy, focus is needed for extended periods, and music that gives me peace and mental padding helps me keep up the drill longer. When I need to grind through a night of work I usually go for something harsh and fast, like hardcore metal or jungle, but I cannot run the sprint for several days in a row, so that’s when ambient kicks in and helps.
This is a very drone-like modern composition record, cinematic at certain places. The title track is the slowest form of catarsis I know—the soundtrack of a super slow motion capture of someone bursting into tears, or having an orgasm.
This is the case when I find it hard to believe that this is a debut album. If this was the new Fever Ray record I’d be 100% satisfied and rank it among the best of the year. And this one’s a first long player by someone? Come. On. One part mid-tempo club beats with neon synths, other part slow moody songs, and a cold wave atmosphere maintained. Not the sorrow kind of cold wave though, but this introvert little wondering headspace—think Röyksopp or Ladytron.
Bass heavy, melodic, dreamy and moody, slow paced but not fully ambient electronics. It explores space, goes under the ocean, travels in the belly of the Earth—all the places where dark is the domain but textures can be observed by some shimmering traces of light.
Exactly what it says on the cover: the best downtempo, nu jazz, chill out sound from the golden days of the genre. Supposedly these are some old recordings found and dusted from the G-Stone studio. Sounds like time travel, smooth as ever.
Beautiful, easing ambient, IDM, and some very soft techno. Think Moderat but with more chill.
Minimal techno, coming from one of the godfathers. This shines through with purity and a good sense for essence, but also some retro sounds here and there. Although, it’s not the most important record of the year, not even in techno, but it’s a good listen.
I probably haven’t listened to this much Róisín Murphy since the solo debut. Signature sound, great pop music, disco vibes.
Honestly I don’t follow Faithless that closely so I’m not sure how much this record fits the overall body of work, but personally it checks all my boxes that I expected and wanted from a new Faithless album. Not exactly the uptempo party hits but rather the midtempo electronica, which has this vibe of landing somewhere on the Booka Shade-Bonobo axis. I can also see how the new collaborators bring new colors and that’s pretty good, like the voices of Suli Breaks and Nathan Hall.
Half moody jazzy tunes, half mid-tempo mellow house beats, nice and relaxing. The title track and Moral Dilemmas are the peak points, the previous reminding me of Miles Davis’ electronic explorations.