John Wink's esteemed Ovum Recordings has been at the forefront of techno and house for nearly three decades. The Philadelphia-based label has birthed many anthems, all of which will live on in the annals of electronic music history such as Wink's own "How's Your Evening So Far?” (featuring Lil Louis) from the turn of the millenium, Vaggio's 2011 dancefloor smash "Don't You Want Some More" or UK legend Tom Middleton's evocative 2012 offering "Penrose Steps". In more recent years, Ovum has consistently remained on the genre's pulse, with key artists including Gel Abril, Frank Maurel and Amberroom to name but a few.
Review: Josh Wink's institution is back and giving us a massive forecast for the musical climate on The White Isle this summer and it looks like it's gonna be pretty hot! Sure enough most of this heat is coming from Ovum's current label roster and it's all good on Ovum Over Ibiza 2016. We're pretty sure that New Yorker by way of Los Angeles' MANIK's "Recourse" will be remembered beyond this year due to its slinky deepness, as will Nottingham's Dudley Strangeways with his tunnelling piece"'Keep It Clean". Delft boss Ambivalent also appears with the epic and melodic journey track "Phase Doubt" as does New York City legend Harry Romero, surprisingly, with the peak time techno monster "What What" which really packs a punch!
Review: Israel's finest Gel Abril is back on Ovum with "Raver" nailing that classic late noughties minimal sound of Berlin; is this sound making a comeback or what? It comes complete with woozy pitch-shifted vocals. Next up "Akasa" is a lot more energetic on this loopy, minimal and tunnelling effort which is in the same league as recent work by Julian Juweil or Sian. Finally "Optical Drama" offers something different yet on this high-octane house cut for the peak time that'll get some right hand-in the air moments like any Innervisions track at the moment with its grinding synth ruff, tight rhythm and emotive strings. A return to form!
Review: Released last year on Wink's own label, "Denial" now gets two reshapes from Luke Slater. The UK techno veteran's first version is as Planetary Assault Systems and sees him push Wink's tweaked acid down a cavernous tunneling groove, accompanied by waves of whooshing filters and spiky, percussive bursts. However, it's Slater's lesser-known alias, LB Dub Corporation, that provides the best interpretation. On this occasion, the beats are rough and less streamlined, the percussion rickety and skeletal and the pulsing bass underpins a vocal that urges the listener to 'live in the future'. Both Wink and Slater may be approaching middle age, but they have more energy than producers half their age.
Review: NYC's Manik made a big splash when he appeared on the scene fives years ago with releases on Culprit, Poker Flat and Ovum. He's managed to keep up with the game and still bringing the goods since his relocation to new hotspot Los Angeles. Teaming up with local chanteuse Cari Golden (of Narcotourist who has also lent her talents to the likes of DJ T and Fur Coat) he serves us with "Recourse" a smooth and slinky tech house groove that's made for sexy dancefloor moments and sure make the walls sweat too. Ode to his new hometown "Los Angeles" is a bit darker though with those emotive pads and rusty, dirty rhythm patterns: unlike its namesake it has a distinct Detroit vibe to it though ,which is great anyway!
Review: Irishman-in-Berlin Bren Gregoriy returns to Josh Wink's label after 2014's Tidal with two superb house tracks. The title track is redolent of Chymera's melodic techno roots, but sounds more polished and assured. A surging bass and chiming cowbells provide the basis for crystalline synths, hissing percussion and dramatic woodwind. "Canavan Calling" is even more impressive; apparently inspired by a session with a Mini Moog, it revolves around a huge, dense bass which underpins thumb clicking percussion, chopped up, half-heard vocals and a building, droning riff. Once all of these elements are combined, they sound like a particularly malevolent version of Redshape.
Review: Yamamori, one of Japan's best known house and techno DJs, leaves the confines of his 951beat label for this release on Josh Wink's Ovum. Trinity shows that Yamamori has mastery of a number of styles. "Overwork" is a bugged out minimal house, led by detuned stabs and fractured percussive ticks and whirrs, while "Resource" goes down a different route. Dubbed out claps roll in like thunder against a robust, pulsing bass to create Yamamori's version of dark, linear techno. The standout cut is "Hasu". It sounds like Yamamori has been listening to deep house producers like Patrice Scott - the drums are crisp and highly defined, the groove elegant and the chords sound angelic.
Review: New York house and techno legend Josh Wink is back with a full EP on his own - and legendary - Ovum label. "Denial" sees the veteran DJ and producer unleash four versions of the track. The "Eyes Closed" mix is twisted and moody thanks to that disjointed vocal sample, the "Prise D'Acid" version is bleeping and rolling, then there's the "Tweak Dub" with its glitchy structure and sinister atmospherics - this one is for the late night antics - and the "Futurepella" for all your DJ tool needs. Live in the future!
Review: This Avocado release by French producer Alexkid may well be the best thing he's released yet, which is quite the praise seeing as Alexis Mauri has been putting out records since 1997. Avacado also provides him with a debut on Josh Wink's Ovum, and what a debut it is. "The Dope" is deep, squiggly and atmospheric with pulses of bass tones bleeping in and out of sync like a modular system gone mad, while the future Chicago house of "For Josh" will indeed be a hit, if it isn't one already, for Wink's DJ sets, whether it be in Ibiza or the basement venues of NYC.
Review: Recline head honcho and general tech veteran Moss returns to Ovum for the first time in over a decade with a crisp dish of loopy bliss. Soft and synthy, complete with delicate use of an imagination-capturing vocal, its subtleties ensure full floor hypnosis. Looking for added edge? Jump straight on Karizma's more direct rub; all choppy vocals and a more obvious riff, it plays the perfect counter to Pete's original.
Review: Given that he usually releases rambling but charming ambient with Marcus Henriksson under the Minilogue guise, it comes as no surprise that Mullaert's solo work doesn't favour brevity. Clocking in at over 16 minutes, the title track is a pulsing, acidic affair that moves form eerie chants to warbling jazzy keys and into a gloriously tripped out, acid-soaked climax. By contrast, "Recapturing The Radical Self" clocks in at a modest ten and a half minutes and favours a more direct approach. Thumb-clicking percussion and clattering claps prevail as grinding riffs and spiralling 303 lines lead the listener to another denouement - this time it's an atmospheric synth outro.
Review: Ovum's 20th anniversary has been heralded by this very special collection of remixes. Taking on the 1998 classic, techno superstars from across the globe have taken to their artfully darkened studios to create their own version of events, making ten new insights in total. From German techno powerhouse Ben Klock's frighteningly impeccable take to Harry Romero's rather more dancefloor-driven affair; Size 9's minimal injection progresses into an addictive bass loop and My Friend wraps things up with an abstract lesson in sound design, cutting sharp textures and flaccid bass tones to create something totally alien. A must buy.
Review: On Dive, French producer D'Julz shows how to achieve less with more. The title track is a hypnotic, stripped back techno groove, its tweaked frequencies combined with crashing cymbals to make for a relentless groove that ebbs and flows hypnotically. By contrast, "Self Construction" resonates to the sound of rich Detroit chords and features a wide-eyed breakdown. However, D'Julz doesn't sacrifice the dance floor impetus and its firing percussion ensures it'll have a place in more discerning DJs' boxes. In any event, there is also a dub take on "Construction", which focuses on the original track's percussion and adds in tough claps and slick acid lines.
Review: Josh Wink's Ovum label returns with one of its regular faces in the form of Manik, a New York producer whose deep yet slick blend of techno and house has provided some of the label's finest releases. The House Cut 1 EP is shows his strengths to the fullest; the title track sees classic house stabs given a contemporary twist, with that slightly odd touch common to Matthew Dear's productions, while "Nothing Better" goes down a contrasting route, as dark acid textures are joined by as crisp techy beats and lighter pad sections. Finally, "Finch" takes things in an almost psychedelic direction, as spiralling keys dance over a swelling bassline.
Review: Balls is Wink's first single in many, many years, and it sounds like he is playing homage to his pure techno roots. The "Big Mix" is as its title suggests, a jacking, wiry rhythm festooned with analogue yelps, trancey - with a small 't' - riffs and a grinding, aggressive swing. The 'Groove' version is also inspired by older sounds, with a ravey siren riff and rolling percussion, reminiscent of Masa's "Basscharger", prevailing. The third version - "Groove mix - No Synth" - calls to mind the recent Function reshape of Planetary Assault Systems, with its crashing snares and epic riffs, while the confusingly titled "Big Mix - Radio Edit" revolves around a noisy, acid-soaked breakdown that would indeed require balls to be played on daytime radio.
Review: Josh Wink's label takes it back to the old school on Elixir. "No Loss" is like an amalgamation of 90s deep house and early 00s San Francisco tribal, its rolling groove and bouncy, buzzing bassline providing the basis for a breathless vocal sample. By contrast, "BDRK" opts for a more purist sound, its tight claps and brittle, metallic groove and powerful bass undercurrents sounding like the output of labels like 20/20 Vision and Paper. On "Champion Sound", Alvarez opts again for an approach loosely based on the San Fran sound as plaintive reggae vocals are fused with contemplative keys. Finally, "Treat Me" opts for a stripped back rhythm, populated by heavy claps.
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