Audio Love 22.01.15

 
Music

Stump Valley – The Wilderness Sessions Present: Stump Vallery Recorded at Summer Forest Camp (Uzuri)

I first came across Stump Valley last year when a fantastic EP of theirs surfaced on Jordan Czamanski’s Off Minor imprint, which was definitely an impressive first release from them. Now they’re set to drop another EP, this time on Lerato Khathi’s Uzuri imprint and it’s brimming with all of the same high-end production and diversity of outlook.

The EP kicks off with “Searching Mtrpls – British Hustle Mix” which is a lovely, laid back broken beat affair with a sweet vocal. My favourite thing about it though is the weird little saw wave bass sound that underpins the track and seems at odds with the pleasantness of the rest of the tune. It kind of makes you feel a little bit sick – but I like that. It pulls subtly in the opposite direction to the lushness of the rest of the sound pallet. Next up, “Caruso” is a dense, fuzzy, slowmo house number with a melancholic feel. Over on the flip we’ve got “Quazar” which may just be the best track I’ve heard so far this year. Slow, warm, open, heart wrenching and exquisitely produced. Finally “Down the Dirt Road” wraps things up with a dirty, jazz based number. This is A grade material so check it!

Out on the 26th Jan on wax – pre order here 

Black Merlin – Tremblez Deviant EP (SORN)

SORN is the new imprint by the guys behind the excellent Bokhari Records and, if this first release is anything to go by, we should definitely be keeping our peepers peeled for them in the future. While Bokhari focuses on warm house music this new SORN material promises to be dark, brooding and just a little bit mental.

We kick off with the title track which is an intense, pensive affair. We’ve got a moody, atmospheric bedding with lots of industrial percussion pinging off left, right and centre. The track also has one of the most pleasing snare drums I think I’ve heard. Next up “Stalky Tarkovsky” nods to the classic Russian film with a schizophrenic but driving techno number. Finally “Orbit” rounds things off with a more restrained vibe, taking you away to a dark montage section in a sci-fi film. This is cracking stuff. Looking forward to more of this from SORN. 

Out now on wax 

Akra – Sonnox Reworked (Teng)

Teng have dropped some excellent records over the last year or so and now they’re ready to kick off the digital arm of their business with this revisiting of head honcho Akra’s excellent Sonox. Nick Woolfson (AKA Akra) gives his original a new going over with his deep but funky “Funk Da Edit” and he’s joined by Gnork, Owain K and Yard One who all deliver excellent versions. Well worth checking out.

Out on the 16th Feb – Digi only.

Red Axes – Na Da – I'm A Cliche

I think I've forgotten what music is… this is the only thing I've heard since being back in this fair – but very cold isle – that has litten (actuallyl not a word) my fire. Menacing throb from Red Axes in a surprisingly straight diversion for the
 

Ghost Culture – Dummy Mix

This was a nice 'easer inner' too.

Right, now back to Jimmy…

xx