Review: Kate Shilosonova, otherwise known as Kate NV, is breaking through the mould as we speak. Her opening releases have been a revelation, particularly her debut LP for Orange Milk, a lovely synth-wave deviation called Binasu. She returns this week with her follow-up LP, FOR, which we had a preview EP for not too long ago. The vibe and aesthetic are more improvisational here, relying less on known formulas or tactics and, instead, allowing freedom and experimentation to enter her domain. In fact, there isn't much that is predictable about this album; the only way we can describe it is 'tropical', offering gentle waves of euphoria at every turn. Imagine the rainforest in the future, or in hyperspace, and you're one step closer to appreciating Kate NV's vision of rhythm.
Review: And just like that, the sublime RVNG Int'l come up with a solid beat of new hear, the sort of cosmic, outer-space stuff that really gets our juices flowing. It's newcomer Mikael Seifu with five songs, not tracks, that span the very edges of reality and structure - a sort of sonic wormhole with a lo-fi edge. From "The Protectors", through to "Soul Manifest" and "aaaa", this is pure music for the bedroom DJ, and it is bound to go down a storm with lovers of the subtly tropical, glitchy sonics heard on NTS radio shows such as Knee Deep, Pipe Down, and Reverie. A gorgeous slice of emotion and experimentation.
Review: Pink Skull's impressive 2011 album Psychic Warfare - a triumph of trippy electronica/alternative rock fusion - gets a welcome re-release. The original album - a thirteen-track assault on the senses that variously touches on krautrock, psychedelia, space rock, stoner pop, spacey electronica and industrial funk - is here accompanied by a swathe of bonus cuts. Of these, it's the 15-minute, deep space ambient epic "Geos" that really stands out, though the jangly, swirling instrumental "Sphinx Proof" is also impressive. The accompanying remixes are largely impressive, too, with Ray Mang's punk-disco dub of "Summer Reading", Worst Friend's hazy Balearic rework of "Human Hair Disco", and Brassica's thrillingly quirky revision of "Bee Noise" all hitting the spot.
Review: RVNG come up trumps once again, delving much deeper into the Kerry Leimer archive for a most compelling collection of works the Seattle based musician released under the Savant banner during the rich 1980s period. Calling on a cast of local musicians, Leimer created Savant as an 'artificial band' if you will, using the project as an outlet to explore a wilder style of music to the loop-based minimalism he was focusing on in solitude. Some 14 tracks deep, Artificial Dance is a most compelling listen, with a series of odd percussive sketches and strange new age compositions that will leave a similar impression as the Byrne-Eno classic My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts. A must if you enjoyed the Leimer retrospective on RVNG last year. One wonders what other Leimer-shaped treats the label has in store?
Mille Voix (Infinite version - bonus track) - (12:46) 96 BPM
Review: Rvng Intl's FRKWYS sublabel is focused on collaborations that bridge a generational divide, which has been marvelously demonstrated in the past with the crossover between M, Geddes Gengras, Sun Araw and The Congos. For the twelfth release in the series, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe of Om and other such highly regarded concerns travelled to the East coast of Australia to work with veteran ambient musician Ariel Kalma, which has resulted in this enchanting, organic album steeped in natural field recordings and harmonious melodic tones. From synthesiser pulses to cooing saxophone, Lowe and Kalma flow together in an incredibly natural way and the resulting record is a marvel from start to finish.
Review: RVNG Intl's reissue series has been the jewel in the label's crown this year, with K Leimer's A Period of Review and Craig Leon's Nommos both offering killer retrospectives that put many other labels to shame. The third and final subject for this year is Ariel Kalma, a French-born musician who found inspiration in India's sacred music traditions on a trip to the country in the '70s. An artist whose minimalistic style is comparable to Terry Riley, La Monte Young, and Charlemagne Palestine, An Evolutionary Music (Original Recordings 1972 - 1979) collects unheard material from the artist's archives, and is essential listening for fans of psychedelic floatation tank sounds.
Review: RVNG Intl's FRKWYS series continues to bring together like-minded artists from the past and present for a series of immaculate collaborations. Here, veteran British blues-folk guitarist Mike Cooper - whose first album dropped back in 1969 - and new school guitar virtuoso Steve Gunn join forces for an album of glistening, Portugal-inspired downtempo sketches. Touching on Americana, blues, British folk, Balearica and the classical Spanish guitar stylings of Pierre Bensusan and Isaac Guillory, Cantos de Lisboa is an evocative and engaging set that simply ripples with sun-kissed beauty. Highlights are plentiful, from the glistening brilliance of "Saudade Do Santos-o-Velho", to the fuzzy, string-laden experimental lo-fi stylings of "Song for Charlie".
Review: It would be wrong to say that Seattle-based electronic explorer Kerry Leimer made his name in the late 1970s and early '80s, as few picked up on his work at the time. Of course, this may have something to do with the obscurity of his albums; he famously put out just a trickle of cassettes and LPs - mostly on his own Palace of Light imprint - during the period. Thankfully, RVNG are fans, and here present a 30-track archive of previously unheard material recorded in his home studio - mostly using tape-loops and cheap synthesizers - between 1975 and '83. For those interested in ambient, experimental electronica and new age, it should be essential listening, containing as it does thrillingly fuzzy but wonderfully melodic sketches influenced by Eno, Terry Riley, Steve Reich and acid-friend 1960s pop.
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