Out on July 5th via Axis Records, The Eyewitness explores themes of shock and trauma. It follows March’s The Trip: Enter The Black Hole, a black hole-themed album that was accompanied by an immersive audiovisual show.
Listen to “Those Who Worked Against Us (Vendetta Mix).”
Tracklist
A1. Jeff Mills – In A Traumatized World A2. Jeff Mills – Menticide B1. Jeff Mills – Those Who Worked Against Us B2. Jeff Mills – Mass Hypnosis C1. Jeff Mills – Hold And Command C2. Jeff Mills – Wonderous Butterfly D1. Jeff Mills – Sacred Iridescent Mirror (The Pledge) D2. Jeff Mills – In A Traumatized World (Human Toll Mix) D3. Jeff Mills – Indoctrination
The full-length is out on July 5th through Axis Records.
Antwerp-based composer and synth virtuoso Miaux presents her new album, Never Coming Back on VIERNULVIER Records. The record is rooted in the recent film score she composed for the surreal and haunted cult movie ‘Carnival of Souls’ (1962).
“An impeccably tuned ear” – The Wire
“Armed with a synth and devastating song writing skills, her music is minimal, melancholic and timeless, somewhere between Roedelius, Ruth White and electronic realisations of Baroque music” – Roope Eronen
“The general gloom MIAUX spreads on her sandwiches is darker than Tatort and could replace any soundtrack of a Fassbinder movie” – Dennis Tyfus
Stream below
Tracklist
A1. Too much current, too much sand A2. Put your soul into it a little, ok? A3. Thank you but I’m never coming back B1. The old pavilion near the lake B2. What’s the matter with everyone, why don’t they answer me? B3. I have no desire for the close company of other people
Olive oil dub, ambient, Detroit inspired meta techno.
The Klein blue horizon, gliding seagulls, a ferry purring between two languid islands, dotted with ultra-white villages and ancient ruins… These idyllic visions run through Glika, the ultimate musical project of Les Cyclades. An exciting electronic odyssey from West to East, from Belgian effervescence to Greek mysticism.
In 2020, confined to the neighborhoods of Yser and Mystère in Brussels, Alex and Ludo dream of Greek islands, of scorching sun on their skin, of salty baths, chilled ouzo and braised octopus. But everywhere, time stands still. Must one necessarily move to travel? To levitate? In the absence of Elsewhere, the Franco-Canadian duo will compose the imaginary soundtrack to their escape.
Glika (which means “sweet” in Greek) perfectly synthesizes the musical influences of Les Cyclades: a cosmic saxophone inherited from Alex’s dub and free jazz past, an architect-pastry chef-botanist from Normandy, and Ludo’s “Balearic” tracks, a musician-performer-wine lover who frequented his first raves in 1995 in Houston, Texas.
From a hedonistic encounter on a friendly terrace in the 19th arrondissement of Paris to their chosen exile in Brussels, these hypersensitive jacks-of-all-trades first danced and mixed records. Before creating their own phantasmagorical sonic territories, where cinema and poetry meet more or less human voices, brass instruments, synthesizers and analogue drum machines.
On Yser Mystère – the names of the two stations on tram 51 that physically linked Alex and Ludo’s psyches during the lockdown – Alex’s astral sax balances out the industrial mechanics of a locomotive, against a backdrop of urban soundscapes.
And then a rising bpm dominates Alocasia, with its deep and sensual light foot. So sunny. From one track to another, there are interludes influenced by Xenakis, Vangelis and Jean-Michel Jarre. Seminal heroes of the Cyclades… But soon, the duo unleash hostilities at the helm of Epigone, their meta-techno anthem. “I know”, “You know”, echoes Alex.
Laughs of friends, “mouth noises,” and “bizarre rhythms” still dominate Parc Fou, while DRAM eyes the minimalist techno of Detroit. So dear to Ludo’s heart… And what about PAME, that post-modern Greek epic. Or Glossa, a timeless track that finishes with a fascinating – because diffracted – elegance, this multi-sensory journey through Les Cyclades. Let’s close our eyes. Silencio! Hay Banda!
Tracklist
A1 Glika A2 Yser Mystère A3 Alocasia A4 Short Hero A5 Epigone B1 Parc Fou B2 DRAM B3 Niko B4 PAME! B5 Glossa
Hypnotone’s iconic self titled mini album reissued and released just in time for this Summer (Solstice).
Exclusive liner notes by band member Tony Martin “The Hypnotone Story: From Manchester to Creation” and including after hours favorite “Sub” and Balearic hit “Dream Beam” featuring vocals by Denise Johnson.
Formed in the vibrant milieu of Manchester’s legendary Hacienda nightclub, Hypnotone emerged from the creative partnership of Tony Martin and Martin Mittler. Tony, initially involved as the in-house lighting designer, and Mittler, a bar staff member, fused their interests and talents amid the fervor of the late ’80s Acid House movement that pulsated through the club. Their musical venture began earnestly after an introduction to Alan McGee, head of Creation Records. This connection would soon lead to a record deal, propelling Hypnotone into the heart of the emerging electronic dance music scene, releasing 2 albums, multiple singles and standout remixes for artists such as Primal Scream, Sheer Taft, and The Lilac Time.
With Creation Records’ support, Hypnotone crafted their unique sound combining state-of-the-art digital samplers like the Akai S1000 with a collection of classic analog synths. Their debut self titled mini album includes after hours favorite “Sub” and Balearic hit “Dream Beam” featuring vocals by Denise Johnson. Hypnotone not only shaped their distinct sonic footprint but also influenced the broader trajectory of electronic music. Their journey, marked by innovation and a deep affinity for Manchester’s music scene, exemplifies the transformative power of the era’s cultural and technological shifts in music.
This is another must have for collectors and fans of early British (pop) house music, and very happy memories.
Files under Ambient / Dream House / Soft Bleep
Tracklist
A1. Hypnotone – Dream Beam A2. Hypnotone – Junovia A3. Hypnotone – Potion 90 A4. Hypnotone – Italia B1. Hypnotone – In Joy B2. Hypnotone – SBX B3. Hypnotone – Sub
Musique Pour La Danse will releases Hypnotone on June 21, 2024
Lefto Early Bird showcases the next generation of Belgian jazz artists on its third comp on Sdban Ultra, out this May.
Lefto presents Jazz Cats is back with volume 3 and still doing what it does best: putting you in the front row of what the thriving Belgian jazz scene currently has to offer and revealing a melting pot of the musical talent coming out one of the smallest countries in Europe. Never change a winning team they say, so we’re happy to have Belgian DJ and eclectic connoisseur Lefto on board again.
Although you expect the compilation to be talking jazz, volume 3 explores a broader array of styles, genres, and sounds than ever before, arriving at a point where the young cats of today don’t bother no more. It may focus on the Belgian scene, but let’s face it, seeing the influences, this one could be compiled from all over the world.
From the empowering and bittersweet voices of Oriana Ikomo and Adja, over the more acoustic-electronic productions of Moodprint, Ciao Kennedy, Kassius and echofarmer. It’s even expanding the Jazz Cats universe to dub and bass-heavy tracks with Kin Gajo and Le Ministère, Ethio-jazz from Azmari, while sending you back to earth with bodies’ swirling sax and drums. That saxophone still rings in your ears when you end up in the orbit of the march-like drums of Bodem, Orson Claeys‘ piano testing your ability to follow him, slamming the breaks to go smooth cruisin’ with HONEY (Morricone meets Khruangbin, anyone?), to crashing in a raging tempo on that last track of Bruno x Soet x Moene. And there you are, back with us.
Watch Orson Claeys’s ‘Conversations’ – Live at Music at Mari’s
“Another release in less than two years!”, says Lefto. “I am very impressed by the amount of creative “jazz” talent we’ve managed to compile over the last couple of years. Thanks to the internet, young musicians find inspiration from around the globe and incorporate diverse influences into their work. Given the history and heritage of jazz in this country, it has managed to create a healthy jazz scene supported by festivals, venues, press, and labels. Therefore, I am very proud to present to you the third installment of Jazz Cats. This compilation is dedicated to the young and hardworking musicians who are the present and the future of Belgium’s jazz scene.”
Tracklist
A1. Oriana Ikomo – NEVER FORGET A2. Moodprint – Eartha A3. Kin Gajo – Exit, Gajo! A4. Adja – Told you so A5. bodies – brioche B1. Orson Claeys – Conversations B2. Bodem – Kleine Mars B3. HONEY – Bossa dolce C1. Azmari – Sheep Party C2. Le Ministère – De l’Amour C3. Ciao Kennedy – Parcifal Pt. I D1. echofarmer – beginning would have been outside D2. Kassius – Escapism D3. Bruno x Soet x Moene – OTT
Sdban Ultra will releases Jazz Cats Volume 3 on May 3, 2024
What happens on the cosmic journey toward the black hole? What is on the other side of the black hole?
Jeff Mills is set to explore these questions through a performance and an album release, that appeals to the auditory and visual senses.
An art performance focusing on being lost In space
The Trip began about leaving Planet Earth and searching the cosmos for a new locations to live. Now, at 23 years later, we are entering a new chapter of the project where we encounter The Black Hole “Black Hole”. A black hole is a celestial object whose gravity is so strong that no information leaks out, so it was impossible to observe it, and it was only a theoretical existence, but its location was identified for the first time in 2011. The latest research shows that it rotates on its own axis. Black holes are physically contradictory entities that are difficult to imagine, but what Jeff Mills is trying to deal with in “The Trip” also overlaps with singularity, which is the beginning or possible end of time and space. Displayed in 5 theoretical scenarios of what could happen after entering through the Black Hole and exiting on the other side.
Special guest: Jun Togawa
The provocative vocalist artist Jun Togawa was invited to participate by Jeff Mills as one of the highlights for this project. Among many talents such as acting and modeling, she is a trailblazing artist representing Japanese new wave, and her emotional songs have an unparalleled impact and continue to break down generational barriers. She is one of the greatest influences on Japanese avant-garde music and media, and her career spans over 35 years.
Jeff Mills, fascinated by Jun’s unique way of singingas well as a commanding stage presence, approached her through the right channels and by the evening of the same day, Jun Togawa agreed and the lyrics had been written. The recording sessions of the collaborated songs which were conducted remotely between their locations in Japan and the US, went smoothly.
Two songs are: Contradiction and Hole. For both songs, Jun added the vocals to the rhythm originally composed by Jeff Mills, and the final synth pad added by Shinichi Yamaguchi was edited by Jeff Mills. On “Contradiction” (Long Radio Mix), he wanted to include a guitar similar to the style of rock and roll legend Bo Diddley, which is masterfully played by Kazuhide Yamaji of the current Yapoos.
Tracklist
A1. Jeff Mills – Entering The Black Hole A2. Jeff Mills – Time In The Abstract B1. Jeff Mills feat. Jun Togawa – Contradiction (Silent Shadow Mix) B2. Jeff Mills – Wandering C1. Jeff Mills – When Time Stops C2. Jeff Mills – Time Reflective D1. Jeff Mills – Infinite Redshift D2. Jeff Mills feat. Jun Togawa – Hole
*This double LP is cut in reverse, plays inside out
Axis Records will release The Trip on May 10, 2024
