Astor Bell are a particular favourite of ours (and maybe yours). Not only are they a label that releases consistently dope electronic-based music, they release it all for free. ‘Consistently dope’ is the key here because, unlike most of the time in life, the fact that it’s free doesn’t make it shoddy and won’t hook you into some lame promotional bullshit. Sucks though because I can’t say anything like ‘you really get your moneys worth’ or whatever. My perception of reality is based on monetary value and this is blowing my mind.
But I digress, Klangblid is all about the relationship between sound and image. Kind of pointing out the obvious with that one but still, this little EP is pretty epic. The 4/4 in the opener with some sparse piano work is real boat-floating stuff and ’2seiten’ adds a lovely bit of funk for the old folk. The low frequencies dominate all 6 tracks, creating the foundations for a ”colorful and dreamy world of synthesizer driven synesthesia”, none more so than the during the languid string meanderings of ‘Harmonium Pump’. Food goes in one end and comes out the other, but which end am I talking out of? My head hurts. Silence is music. Reality is absurdity.
‘TreiToTrei’ down there happens to be the best track but the soundcloud quality doesn’t do it any justice. It’s only there in case you’re too lazy to click through or you don’t believe me. So it’s all been in vain then? Unbelievable.
The man from Sweden has done it again. I’ve spent a large portion of the last year pimping Socket Science’s previous two mixes to everyone that has working ears and now he’s dropped another; my pitch shall only get stronger! Featuring beautiful tunes from the likes of Extrawelt, Thomas Bjerring and Kollektiv Turmstrasse, this 80 minute instalment is every bit as enchanting as its predecessors. From the subtle yet luscious depths of ‘When Love Feels Like Crying’ to the emotionally downbeat territory of ‘Sinina’, the whole thing will have you jauntily tipping your hat and saying “Cor blimey guvnor” like an injured cop on The Bill…before it was cancelled.
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I don’t know what Socket Science eats for breakfast but whatever it is, it’s the perfect fuel for producing ridiculous mixes. His latest melange of electronic goodness was strung together exclusively for Belgian blog SSSSound, and appears as the 7th incarnation in their SSSSoundtrack series. Entitled ‘The Subway Edition’, it’s a characteristically diverse blend of captivating tunes from the likes of Joy Orbison, Four Tet, Astor Bell colleagues Caribou and Bubble Shield and, amongst others, Socket Science himself. Beginning with the jazzily beguiling ‘Minimal Elvis’, it soon becomes clear that proceedings are going to enchant more than Cinderella with a pumpkin on her head and, well, they most certainly do. Gui Boratto’s remix of Simian Mobile Disco’s ‘Bad Blood’ marks my personal high point but the whole thing is through and through quality. Mmmmm delicious.
Bang it on, punch a nun, have a barbecue. What more is there to say?
Lord knows I’ve been rinsing Socket Science’s insane Moon Landing Mix ever since the sun first rose in the West, so imagine my delight when another member of the Astor Bell roster dropped a new selection for my listening pleasure. Dubbed ‘Empire’, Mattias Edholm’s latest minimal conglomeration comprises just over an hour’s worth of disconcerting aural delicacies. Featuring the likes of Steve Bug, D.Diggler, Mike Wall and Mikael Stavöstrand, a distinct sense of foreboding characterises this peculiarly hypnotic mix and every time I listen to it, I feel like someone’s creeping up behind me. Nevertheless, I’ve fused it thoroughly into my stereo and it’s smiling at me via the graphic equalizer like a stoned dalek. Excellent.
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I’ve been bombarding you with utter filth recently, so I thought I’d take a step back and provide something a bit more tranquil for once. This is Socket Science’s Moon Landing mix, which he recorded at The Consulate Studio in Stockholm late last year, and it’s a delightfully smooth mosaic of minimal vibes. Part of the roster of free netlabel Astor Bell, you’d expect him to include a fair few tracks by his label-mates, but this is not the case. Instead we are treated to a line-up from far and wide, showcasing the likes of Piemont, Thomas Muller and Dominik Eulberg, amongst others. My highlight, however, is Microtrauma’s incredible tune ‘Input’, which builds up like a strangely satisfying panic attack in your chest and then seamlessly transitions into Oliver Huntemann’s ‘Shanghai Spinner’. This is sunny music.
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