Ambient/Drone Juno Download

FEATURED RELEASES

James Burnham has built up a considerable body of work as Instinct, and Happening sees him augment his catalogue with a flowing, meditative work. Divided into 13 separate pieces, this release moves from the pensive ambience and easy listening of parts 1 to 3, before the fourth and seventh "Happening" both conjure up the melodic, evocative sounds of chill out act Zero 7. On the sixth iteration, Burnham picks up the pace slightly for a sprawling, jazz-fuelled affair, while the ninth piece in this release leans into neo-classical influences. Best experienced as one piece, Happening is a wonderfully evocative release.

Etari

Rainbow Eucalyptus 100% Silk

Deep house from the heavily electronic, more leftfield side is the order of the day on this debut long-player from Los Angeles-based Etari. After the obligatory beatless ambient intro, 'Euphoric Disclaimer' comes on like Larry Heard getting a fit of inspiration from listening to a Youngsta CD, the title track is a more floaty, dreamy, Balearica kinda cut, 'Funky Fuchsia' is all stuttered beats, long drawn-out pads and much use of echo/reverb-style FX, and so it goes on... definitely one for home listening rather than the dancefloor, but worth investigating if your house tastes tend towards the more cerebral.

Jordan Rakei / Various

Late Night Tales: Jordan Rakei Late Night Tales

A most intrepid selection for the next instalment of the Late Night Tales series come from an equally beguiling soundtrack by multi-instrumentalist Jordan Rakei. Known for lending his vocals to the music of Disclosure to releasing with Blue Note and on Ninja Tune, the New Zealand born artist introduces himself to Late Night Tales with something neoclassical. Taking on folk, jazz & free jazz to spoken word, warm instrumentals and ambient dualities, the spaces between are filled with percussive electronics, solo acoustic numbers and walls of instrumental noise, culminating in two exclusives; Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's poetic closer, "Imagination", and Jordan Rakei's very own cover of Jeff Buckley's "Lover, You Should've Come Over".

Burial / Blackdown / Heatmap

Shock Power Of Love EP Keysound

Keeping with themes of continuum is Burial's return to Keysound backed by a Blackdown VIP dub and remix of the track "Arklight" by Joseph Whittle's Heatmap project. For Burial, it shows a '90s-inspired and hopeful sound from an artist revelling in the skylit clouds this time opposed to the dusty streetscapes of his known soundworld. "Space Cadet" sounds exactly that, with spirals of Asiatic chimes and new age synths - peppered by crackles and white noise - matched by the rave and post-hardcore melodies of "Dark Gethsemane". Keeping the EP firmly rooted on terra firma though is the hype dub cut "This Journey" by Blackdown - preaching more of a positive message - next to the boxy claps and spiralling arpeggios of that Heatmap remix. An EP for the times: Shock Power Of Love.

Leon Vynehall

Rare, Forever Ninja Tune

A true artist with the ability to go from strength to strength - Leon Vynehall presents the follow up to the lauded 2018 album, Rare, Forever. Still serving up some of the most original hybrid-form house music there is, Vynehall's sound here is as deep, abstract and mysterious as it is colourful, gritty and polished. Flirting with downbeat and drone activities across the album in numbers like "All I See Is You, Velvet Brown", "Ecce! Ego!" and "Farewell! Magnus Gabbro" - to ambient rave in "Worm (& Closer & Closer)" - there's atmospheric jazz to catch in "Alichea Vella Amor" next to the lonely horns and cascading strings of "Mothra". Beatwise, Vynehall's perplexity for dance music goes all the way in "Snakeskin - Has-Been" & "Dumbo" - with "An Exhale" a melodic, breathing wall of synth-tuned noise.

Minimalarchiv

Transfigured EP Integrity SG

Eddie Niguel's Singapore-based imprint Integrity returns, with more emotive techno explorations on the Transfigured EP by shadowy UK producer Minimalarchiv. The title track's style of 'hi-tech soul' is right in line with the label's aesthetic and will no doubt evoke some life-affirming vibes on the dancefloor. The mesmerising "Burning Heat" gets off the grid with a broken electro beat which underpins some some heady elements which altogether add to its knackered style of groove. But it's all about the rework by Detroit techno legend John Beltran up next, whose singular style is lent to the track - taking it into truly evocative realms.