Audio Love 20.8.15

 
Music

Various Artists – Music for Autobahns Volume 2 (Rush Hour)

Gerd Janson has now completed curating the second instalment of Music for Autobahns and it more than lives up to the sheer class of the first edition. The general idea is that Gerd gets together a collection of artists and commissions them to produce music inspired by that feeling of hypnotic serenity that comes from sailing along the motorway with the cars whooshing past and the white lines ticking by with rhythmic regularity. The first installment was fantastic, with it’s heavy leanings towards cosmiche and ambient but not regaling too much in pointless nostalgia. So, when volume two came up on the horizon, I was very excited to check it out.

The result is another very fine collection of warm, ambient leaning music that fits so perfectly the idea of drifting down those tarmac highways. It’s a bit of an all star cast, with the likes of Fort Romeau, Joy Orbison, Disco Nihilist and even Orlando Voorn in the mix too. I love the fact that there’s a theme and that these artists aren’t just chucking in any old tracks they have lying around but they’re working to a brief and being challenged to work slightly outside of their usual scope. Fucking brilliant from start to finish – even from some artists who aren’t usually my cup of tea. I bought volume one for my mate for his birthday when it came out. Maybe he’ll repay the favor this year for me?

Out soon on wax.

Willie Burns – Single Life (Off Minor)

Jordan GCZ’s awesome Off Minor are back with one of their strongest releases to date. The legend that is Willie Burns turning up the heat with this four tracker and it’s absolutely outstanding. We kick off with 'Doesn’t Feel Right' which is an intense, pulsing mess. Next up is '2nd Try' which again throws your senses into disarray with claps on the upbeat and then a double time kick drum that melts your mind. That said it’s not over the top and still manages to be restrained and pleasing on the ear, rather than awful, head mangling headache. Over on the flip we have the title track which takes the intensity down a bit, but still manages an edgy calm and has a nice element of drama about it. Rounding things off we have 'Still Water' which brings an edge of funk to the proceedings with its tasty little synth licks but still manages to keep things very individual. This is a consummate record.

Should be hitting the shops very early in September. Keep your eyes peeled for this one – it’s the real deal  

Terrence Pearce – Last Night Lover EP (Fina)

Fina have long been a stand out label for high quality house music and their current output remains strong. They’re almost set to drop a lovely EP from the South African artist Terrence Pearce and it’s really quite good.

We kick off with the title track which is a nice, understated yet classy groover that’s all about a bumping rhythm and some lovely strings. Next up 'Come on Yah' with its repeated string stabs that are pure hype. Then we have 'Taxi' which is the pick of the bunch for me. Weird, off kilter, jerky goodness that is just perfect after the nice but conventional first two, and takes this EP from being just a straight up release to really having something different to offer. Finishing things off is the Francis Inferno Orchestra mix of 'Taxi' which is a quality percussive house work out but not quite capturing the oddness of the original. Great EP and well worth checking.

Out on 7th September.