Sigemundsen 'Sofa Crash' Review

Artist: Sigemundsen

Title: Sofa Crash

Label: Cosmicleaf

Released: 17^th January

Copehagen based Claus Sigemundsen has a background in classical music from a young age and produces progressive trance and chill out music. It’s fairly obvious by the title which category this release falls into and as I haven’t come across his productions before I’m keeping an open mind.

We get underway with ‘Dream State’ which begins with slow delayed keys and keeps you waiting for the introduction of the beat. At this point the piece takes on a lighter feel encompassing the former section. Whilst ‘Coffee Daze’ places the focus on piano keys reflecting his classical influences, over an ambient drone and crackling drum pattern. This is followed by ‘Sins in Science’ which again places the focus on the piano, this time with more delay and eventually accompanied by strings. Thus creating a more more moody orchestral feel.

Now we reach the title track which surprisingly has a bit more drive to it than it’s predecessors. It’s a nice enough piece of ambient electronica none-the-less that pretty much blurs the lines with deep house. The pace drops back once again with ‘Breaking Dawn’ a gentle piece of ambient electronica with those stereo-typical ocean waves making sporadic appearances. The album then takes another change in direction with ‘Eyes on the Horizon’ where choral synths juxtapose with moodier darker sounds and a drum pattern that teases you into the feeling it could break out into a dnb number at any given moment.

Now we reach the latter part of the album with ‘Earth Aid’ a laid back piece of electronica with added air pressure like releases and occasional chimes which sets me in mind of Vangelis. Then to see us out is ‘Pilgrim’ which once again picks up the pace somewhat, peppered with Balearic’esque guitar strings against a darker bassline. Creating a sense that the piece is gliding between the light and the dark.

Reviewed by Woodzee

Links

https://cosmicleaf.bandcamp.com/album/sofa-crash

Dan Wainwright 'The Effect' Review

Artist: Dan Wainwright

Title: The Effect

Label: Oddball Records

Released: 26^th January

This up-and-coming single produced by the boss of this previously unknown to me Liverpool based label was inspired by a dog training class, where the teachers moved in circles faster and faster all the time, otherwise this would not achieve the ‘effect’. This struck Dan as cult like and ritualistic as he imagined heavy percussion and summoning demons. My introduction lies in the first of the two re-mixers Leeds based John Paynter who hosts the Space Aged Freakout radio show/event and has recently warmed up for none other than Andrew Weatherall and Sean Johnson at their A Love From Outer Space event. The other guys on remix duties are psychedelic rock group Children of Night who draw inspiration from Pink Floyd’s ‘A Saucerful of Secrets’ album.

The original track sets me in mind of the Art of Noise a semi funky nod back to the 80’s, chugging along with a heavy plodding tribal beat. Whilst John places the emphasis on eerie theramin like sounds stretching off the bassline. Which lives up to the ‘Space Aged’ moniker, being reminiscent of those old sci-fi movies and in my opinion it works a treat. Last but not least the Children of Night’s ritualistic re-vision is another superb adaptation of the original, this full band re-working features heavy percussion and plenty of echo alongside the guitars.

Review by Woodzee

Links

Eguana 'Invisible Civilizations Vol 4' Review

Artist:

Eguana

Album:

Invisible Civilization Vol 4

Label:

Cosmicleaf

Released:

13^th January

The fourth instalment in this space ambient series from Russia’s Eguana which creates wonderful beat less atmospheres with which he takes you on a journey incorporating lush synth waves, harmonic voices and ambient drones. The first track ‘Deep Dive’ is a great example of this style within the ambient umbrella and he completely nails it.

I find with this type of music it’s really just about lying back, closing your eyes and drifting off and this album suits that purpose. So it’s hard to maintain focus on these subtle changes for review purposes with no obvious change of pace or beat. The one track that really caught my attention throughout this journey was ‘Recalling Experience’ but I can’t really put my finger on why it appealed to me more than the other tracks.

My conclusion if you like beat less space ambient then you can’t really go wrong with this release. However, if you prefer a little acceleration check out his previous album ‘Destiny’.

Reviewed by Woodzee

https://cosmicleaf.bandcamp.com/album/invisible-civilization-vol-4

The Russian Linesman 'Monomyth II - The Road of Trials' Review

Artist:

The Russian Linesman

Title:

Monomyth II – The Road of Trials

Label:

Loki Recordings

Released:

24^th January

The second release of this six part series inspired by Joseph Campbells ‘A hero with a thousand faces’ which is an analysis of centuries of human storytelling, based around the anthropological theories of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, and this fascinating book provided the blueprint for this new Russian Linesman project – an artistic abstraction of the concept of the Monomyth – a formula we are all familiar with in modern day films and books.

In narratology and comparative mythology, the Monomyth, or the Hero's Journey, is the common template of a broad category of storytelling that involves a hero who goes on an adventure, and in a decisive crisis wins a victory, then comes home changed or transformed.

These productions layer recorded storytelling over collated instrumentation and field recordings. Throughout the series the storytellers often prefer to remain anonymous. However, this release contains two of his favourite poets Ben Norris and Malaika Keygode.

The opening track ‘The Belly of the Whale’ featuring Ben Norris is a light and airy piece of feel good electronica whilst Ben’s poetry juxtaposes between apology and positivity although the words are positive there’s a melancholic feel to his voice. This is followed by ‘Enemies’ featuring Malaika Keygode, where the atmospheric intro is followed by a chugging beat, whilst Malaika’s voice makes this piece reminiscent of Anne Clarke’s ‘Sleeper in Metropolis’ which in my opinion is no bad thing.

Now the anonymous take over the storyteller roles firstly with ‘Temptress’ a combination of laid back sequenced synths with a theme of fantasies and attraction. The finale ‘Dragon Battle’ could be described as a piece of laid back trip-hop, counterbalance with a tale of subduing a drunken man on a plane from opening the door in flight.

Reviewed by Woodzee

Links

Beatport: https://www.beatport.com/release/monomyth-i-the-departure/2740891

All Stores: https://lnkfi.re/Monomyth-I

Obsqure 'Eight' Review

Artist: Obsqure

Title: Eight

Label: Cosmicleaf

Released: 8^th January

Tunisian producer Obsqure has previously impressed me with his blend of eastern fused down-tempo trip-hop. Here he unfurls a journey into future garage with the title track and for me hits the spot musically. Layered on top are spoken samples of a child counting to eight and just as you think it’s wearing thin the numbers spin out in all directions and work really well with the track.

This is followed up by field recordings of children playing with a laid back downtempo shifting ambience on ‘Kissing the Sky’. Although it’s nothing that hasn’t been done before, it’s done well. A vocal is added which doesn’t really do it for me but may well boost his music into a new territory of fans? The final track of this single ‘A Foolish Game’ is clearly reaching into the future garage style and musically it’s superb. However, a vocal is present which one again spoils it for me.

Reviewed by Woodzee

Links

https://cosmicleaf.bandcamp.com/album/eight

Recent releases from Cosmicleaf worth exploring

Cromocode ‘Morning White’ a modern classical single the title track places the focus on the piano. However, it’s the orchestral ambience of flip side ‘Brown Wet Soil’ where he really weaves the magic for me.

D. Batistatos ‘Encore’ where once again he treats us the to those mediterrianian grooves that are so reminiscent and would easily slot into Cafe del Mar compilations.

Aquiver 'Conexion Divina' Review

Artist: Aquiver

Title: Conexion Divina

Label: Desert Trax

Released: 10^th January

This producer from Israel who is totally fresh to my ears puts forth a concept E.P. dedicated to re-harmonizing human hearts to the wonders of nature. Across each of the five tracks he flirts with tempos and genres but has given them all a full psy exploration covering breaks, dub, dub-step, glitch and downtempo.

We get underway in slow motion fashion with light beautiful strings juxtaposed against glitchy dub on ‘Gen’ which overall is a pleasant enough enticer to the release. This is followed by ‘Crystalizer’ which is more of a bass heavy dub-step affair, injected with little touches that you would associate with psy-dub.

The next piece crunchs slowly before unfolding with some typically psychedelic spoken samples and dubby keys on ‘In Our Heads’. Whilst the title track utilises more ecological focused spoken samples and once again utilises some nice strings against a dubby background. From the snippet samples I first played this track stood out. However, it’s this final piece ‘The Great Barrier Reef’ when playing the full versions I found appealed the most. Where the harmonious vocal of the intro leads into a mellow piece of ambient dub.

Reviewed by Woodzee

Links

https://soundcloud.com/aquiversound

https://deserttrax.bandcamp.com/

Kick Bong & Squazoid 'Magic Beetle ' Review

Artist: Kick Bong & Squazoid

Title: Magic Beetle

Label: Cosmicleaf

Released: 23^rd December

The latest single from this on/off Parisian collaboration of Franck Jousselin & Jeremy Bringué continues to conflate their individual styles of downtempo electronic dub.

The single begins as you would expect with the title track and the initial organ tones are strikingly familiar. However, this is almost immediately transforms into a slow chugging piece of electronica with plenty of delayed sitar. The piece then drops and re-builds in places with plenty of rhythm changes and sounds fx, constantly shuffling new threads to identify and enjoy.

This is followed by ‘Space Exploration’ where mellow synth sounds are pushed slightly by a beat that ticks along nicely. There’s a few other electronic effects that push the piece somewhat in places and like the first piece it slows down and rebuilds.

The final track ‘Nervous Breakdown’ as you might suspect has a darker edge and initially Depeche Mode came to mind. As the piece progresses I still have Depeche Mode in mind … Depeche Mode in Dub to be precise and eventually it leads to melancholic cello like strings and morphs into a more eastern sound.

Reviewed by Woodzee

Links

https://cosmicleaf.bandcamp.com/album/magic-beetle