Off The Charts: Underground Dance Releases July 2023
Our new format features la Crème de la Crème of the latest music releases
Lately, I have been feeling an unexpected fatigue when it comes to writing about music. I found myself wondering, what is worth writing about? Do people even like or read music writing at all these days? Is it essentially all PR? There surely is an ongoing change in the electronic music industry, which now more heavily prizes DJing and performing over producing and releasing music. Probably this difference was not so marked just a few years ago, and the implications are huge; it’s a bigger topic to explore, but all of this is to say that I started feeling somewhat detached from writing about music, and I felt the need to review my priorities when it comes to writing. The question that I posed to myself is:
What do I want people to read about, when they come on this platform?
Going back to the roots of this project, I realized they are essentially coming from music obsession, and passion for spreading the word about music that I feel has something special to it. So I went back to spending a good chunk of my week, whenever possible, looking out for new labels, seeing what the producers I love the most are up to, and taking some focused moments for the sole purpose of listening to new music. The result is this new format, strictly focused on new releases, which hopes to highlight something special with every single pick. Enjoy.
This will be a continuing format, and we will appreciate entries for ‘Off The Charts’ - reach out to info@guerrillabizarre.com with your upcoming releases.
3024 - Tristan Arp - End of a Line or Part of a Circle?
Tristan Arp's release for Martyn's 3024 possesses a unique kind of kick - tracks like "Panspecies Rights" or the title track just forcefully shake you. But you also have some fine experiments that incorporate atmospheric elements such as the hypnotic melody and crescendo composition of "Branching Streams," or the ending of the EP with "The Language Change" that particularly tackles abstract aesthetics and a complex sound design. I never came across some music that managed to be so brainy and hip-moving at the same time.
Buy here
40% Foda/Maneiríssimo - Capetini - Perro Doblado
After just a first listen to this record by Capetini for 40% Foda/Maneiríssimo, it's immediate to recognize how it embraces quite a few ranges of genres, but I feel it has some special components that make its music innovative, not just cross-genre. The sound is dubby and left-field, and the work on bass frequencies and rhythm is rather unique and hits on some fresh frequencies - it feels like Capetini captivated elements from dub, house, breakbeat, and all over the place; then drained them well and combined them into a new proposal of his own specific style. I try to refrain from the term "DJ tools," but some of the tracks here hit tasteful dancefloor moods so well that it’s impossible not to advise DJs to check out this one for some very playable tracks.
Buy here
Basic Moves - Reformed Society - Basic Moves 19
This record is so, so nice. Apparently, producer Reformed Society has been sending hundreds of tracks to Walrus for quite a while, and after a long process of production refining on Reformed Society’s end, and selection on the label’s end, this record came to life. My feeling is that music here plays on club influences from different styles from the '90s and '00s - while ‘deep house’ could be a key term here, there are definitely other influences in play. You got the tech-house in "Touch - And - Go," the early percussive techno in "Hammer the Keys," and even a rave-y trance element with "Adrenaline Rush." One thing is sure, you can definitely hear all the hard work in the tracks. It is rare to find electronic dance music with such depth and it deserves to be highly praised - check this one out!
Buy here
B.A.D. (Black Artists Database) - VA - Synergy
Black Artists Database is an international community-based platform and database, hosting a wealth of international Black-owned record labels, artists, producers, and bands. Last month it launched its label with the VA ‘Synergy,’ featuring 8 tracks from different artists (and of different styles) - I usually struggle to find well-curated VAs, but this is one of the rare examples where I liked each single track. Most notably, I loved the ethereal rave pads and breakbeats of Afrodeutsche's opening track, the minimalist madness of Niks' ‘Badness, Can't Work,' and the marvelous deep realms of DJ Holographic's ‘Desire.’ A versatile release to buy.
Buy here
Delicate Records - Mortar & Pestle - Mortar & Pestle
This striking one needs a special highlight for what concerns the realms of higher BPMs. The ‘Mortar & Pestle’ EP launches a same-named collaboration between D.Tiffany and Maara - the Canadian sound champions smash it with four dancefloor-heavy tracks. Percussive, dark, and very energetic. Ultimately sweaty. I am already looking forward to the next Mortar & Pestle release.
Buy here
Haŵs - Admo - Elysus
I try to never be negative when judging music, but it’s undeniable that there is quite a lot of boring, listenable but kind of soulless underground tech-house around these days. Admo’s music doesn’t have anything in common with the just-mentioned -‘Elysus’ is magnificently produced, and the grooves talk to you here - from the driving basslines to all the final touches that make each of these four loopy tunes stand out. A record to really dance to.
Buy here
LMD - Shaun Soomro - Aquaplaning On The Secret Freeway
I did not know Shaun Soomro before coming across this nice release - ‘Aquaplaning On The Secret Freeway’ brings you to a universe of enchanted echoed harmonies and loopy, dubby soundscapes. Somewhere between minimal and dub techno, leftfield house, ambient, and breakbeat, each track on this record possesses its own pathos and works at a different tempo. A distended, psychedelic release.
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TSOL - Reflex Blue - Fantasy Value
This quite anthemic EP apparently encloses some of the latest Gene On Earth dancefloor bobs. While the first track feels very much on the a progressive fresh tech-house mood, the rest of the release was quite surprising to discover with some very nice psychedelic touches - you got the acid meltdown of ‘Invalid Code,’ the k-hole filtered samples of ‘Fantasy Value,’ and the sunrise-purposed synths of ‘Sacred Planet.’
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SPE:C - Destrata - Let the Dust Settle
SPE:C continues on its mission to shape a unique technoid sound that escapes easy definitions. The title track here is a true highlight with a resounding groove, tonally-modified samples, and a fast and groovy kick & bass play. The result is purely hypnotic. Then we also have ‘Silverskin,’ which explores a more suspended atmosphere through broken beats, mysterious echoed voice samples and heavy melting bass. A mental two-tracker.
Buy here
The Brane - Youandewan, Velvet Velour - The Brane #002
It took quite some time to get the second release from The Brane. The mysterious imprint by Youandewan released a first record produced by its founder back in 2017, which made quite a bit of history with its iconic dreamy and rapid tech-house style. This new release also features two majestic productions by Youandewan, here joined by Velvet Velour with two tracks on a more playful tone on the B-side, all in all forming a poker of mystical techy bombs coherently following the sound shaped by the label’s first release ‘back in the day’. Fresh, deep & well-delivered.
