Review: Agata Melnikova is Sign Libra and in her utopian vision we are given 'Seas' of tranquility, serenity, knowledge and cleverness not Orwellian ministries of truth, love and plenty! With So much 'conceptronica', as it's being tagged these days, suggested to come from the social and political angst of many experimental electronic producers at the moment it's comforting to know there are still visions of peace to find. Sea To Sea, Sign Libra's second album, docks with RVNG Int'l and brings with it tales of a future exotica from the far east and beyond!
Review: Following up her 2016 debut album for Michigan based Sounds Of The Dawn, Latvian artist and composer Agata Melnikova returns under the Sign Libra moniker. Closer to the Equator was composed for a contemporary ballet for the National Opera in Riga and explores Melnikova's appreciation of BBC-produced nature documentaries. According to the label, each song is a musical tableau which plays its part in a ballet - all carefully choreographed by the Latvian artist. Themes and concepts aside, these celestial, new-age ambient excursions merge with tropical and oriental aesthetics, plus hypnotic polyrhythms and utilising a lot of FM synthesis on these '80s styled soundtracks. Undoubtedly in the vein of John Hughes films as heard on "Mantodea vs Furcifer Pardalis" and even some romantic retro-futurism inspired by the original Blade Runner soundtrack like on the sultry "Victoria Amazonica". For fans of Vangelis Katsoulis, Visible Cloaks or John Roberts.
Review: You don't need to go to the big smoke to hear the latest cutting edge sounds. Don't believe us? Well look no further than the far-flung reaches of Devon for proof. Hailing from Totnes, Libra makes the kind of head-spinning, foot-stepping hybrid house that reconfigures garage into a whole new 21st century form of dance. "Need Your Love" recalls the trippier end of deep 90s vocal house, with cosmic digital sprays and loopy organ riffs. Remix-wise Archive UK takes us into boomy, doomy DnB-meets-dubstep territory, whilst Tickles gives us some moody 2-step with an extra helping of wobble for good measure.
Review: London label Smiley Fingers has signed up an artist with a difference for its latest release. Hathor Libra, real name Cristian Comes, is inspired as much by IDM and techno as he is by deep house. This melange is audible on "Reconditum", where light melodies and tingling percussion are underpinned by a growling, frazzled bass. On "Stratos", the Italian producer also deploys a powerful bass, but on this occasion, it swaggers menacingly as it is accompanied by cold melodies. The title track offers further surprises: Comes again looks to use a pumping low end, but it's the eerie hooks, epic builds and unpredictable break downs that really impress.
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