MUSIC RECOMMENDATION

A mini-mix of the release:

ATMOSPHERIC TECHNO

Mankind gets more and more vulnerable due to global warming and the subsequent water scarcity, particularly severe in equatorial countries, but not only: an unusual climate over our heads, a sharp increase of fires in the vicinity, a tree dying in front of our window, the consequences are palpable everywhere. Politicians and scientists look for solutions and start by raising awareness among the public to motivate new behaviours. Artists may contribute with their impactful creations: this is precisely what Cio D’Or aims to do with “Polar Q”, supported by the Ministry of Culture and Science in Western Germany. In her case, such a battle is inherent to her artistic blood and vision. It matches with her usual creative process, consisting of starting from a concept, a “message to share”, before finding the sonic elements that will translate it into timeless perspectives. Then Cio D’Or selects a label with the heart: yesterday, it was Prologue, today, it’s Kynant Records. “Polar Q” is a monument of minimalism, an orchestra of silence, but with a loud message: save the water resources…

The four musketeers in our first video documentary:

VARIOUS ARTISTS

IO Record‘s four musketeers Dycide, MTRL, Delusional Circuits and Polygonia are meeting in a new series of VA designed by the stalwarts of the label. The talent of each artist being regularly mobilised in other projects (with Polygonia having even created a new one lately), it’s a real pleasure to see the Munich companions back together. MTRL’s track seems to be the result of some jam session, deep and mesmerising like always. Delusional Circuits’ music is in his image: fun and creative. So his Polygonia’s track, whose luminous and excentric side somehow recalls Delusional Circuits’ work: maybe an unconscious influence… The artists definitely express their personality musically, although Dycide brought a much more extroverted work than usual: sure he has some DnB blood from his early productions, sure the key elements of his deep and elegant sound signature are present, but his crystal rhythmics surprise: he seems to opens the musical chakras and we love it.

ATMOSPHERIC TECHNO

Kontinum is originally a talented DJ and one of the founders of the Nebulla Kollektiv in Leipzig, Germany. When he crossed the bridge toward production in 2017, his cutting-edge aerial techno got quickly noticed by other great imprints, from Circular Limited to TGP.

Though undoubtedly well-designed, his music was very “formatted” for us, with the classic formula “aerial pad / dark bassline”. Earlier this week, he publically announced his will to get rid of the labels, having found certain confidence to “fly by himself”.

He somehow broke some chains, an emotion that we can sense in the present EP, literally “on fire”, or at least “finally different”.

VARIOUS ARTISTS

With almost 30 releases up to date, Postdynamic starts to have a quite big discography for a label that only exists since 2020. Label owner Cliche Morph doesn’t only play the card of quantity but also delivers uncompromisingly high quality with his project. It is worth to mention also that it is mainly made of compilations that give voice to unknown artists most of the time: Cliche Morph is what you call “a digger of new talent” and this VA shows good instincts again, by diffusing mainly dancefloor-oriented dark techno with superb intriguing textures and deep dreamy sci-fi vibes. One more time, we got connected to the label’s space antenna and enjoyed the ride.

An example of his past music:

DRUM’N’BASS

Samurai Music’s owner Presha explained in one of our interviews that the word “drum and bass” just came out in the nineties to clean the bad reputation of the word “jungle”, but that both genres were in fact labelling the same sound, which then evolved. Andreas Angerer AKA Zero Crossing seems to also thumb his nose at the distinction, looking at the sarcastic title and layout of his new EP. He’s also a veteran from the nineties, who used to play synth “like a kid” on jazzy labels such as Spinning Wheel and Perfect.Toy Records, and who’s back today with some dope deep DnB tunes, in the vein of what Zodiac Music and Onset Audio share.

ELECTRONICA

It’s the first time that we see a release conceptualised around the birth of a child and the ongoing metamorphosis from “being free” to “becoming a parent”. The vibe being globally pretty positive, it doesn’t seem to be too much of a trauma so far… The parents however know it: having a child brings another indescriptible freedom, linked with a certain satisfaction of accomplishment and meaning in life that translates beautifully in Aspetuck’s album. The American artist being not a member of our community (yet?), he hasn’t been corrupted by our outrageous campaign against “claps ‘n’ snares”, but their presence in some tracks is “forgiven” by the generous care given to each journey, obviously intended to make us live a very pleasant moment.

ATMOSPHERIC TECHNO

When walking on the Chinese walls, you can instantly feel the weight of history. When listening to Chinese artist CTAFAD’s music, you can instantly feel the weight of HIS history in the production world: more than two decades of electronic music exploration, from chiptune to melodic techno to ambient techno. The tracks are rich, melodious, coloured, served here with a remix by Polygonia, who brings great minimalism to “Desert”, and an aerial version by the duo Fase Bipolar, whose member Moy Santana co-owns the housey label.

ELECTRONICA

Art is nothing but “self-expression” for us, therefore, why do some artists request the opinion of others? One answer: “the lack of confidence”… Martyn Päsch is on the exact opposite side of this consideration: he knows exactly what he wants, when he wants it and how he will express it, and “right here, right now”, what a beautiful deep release! It’s been three days that we play it on loop, lost on the caravan route in the desert of our “imagination”.

Co-owner of KVLTÖ Records with Sheol, Päsch has the necessary confidence to bring character and personality to his various projects, giving the listeners that instant feeling of safety while getting lost in his music, magnetic and creative. “Be like Päsch”, break your artistic chains, make art “your initiation rite“…