Pino R.
The Analog Signal

Rushing us headlong into a vorticist maelstrom of hard-edged drum stutter and polychromatic synth fragmentation, Sansibar sophomore long-player for Kalahari Oyster Cult - “Sans Musique” - tackles the very essence of post-trancey, breaks-loaded UK blends with unabashed joy to wreak havoc on his path. Throughout seven tracks oozing burnt kerosene and depleted uranium residue merged with a hint of sacred incense, Sansibar deploys his extra-wide vision for the present and future of dance music.“Scully” attacks pedal to the metal, hi-intensity bass onslaughts and knee-buckling breaks roaring as the groove slings us at bullet-speed into a hot, narrow barrel of floor-focused aggression. Fusing rattling DnB engineering with Goa trance motifs, “Force of Equilibrium” showcases Sansibar’s hybrid attachment to functionality and headspace fractalisation. Hi-velocity rimshots, pep vox samples and alien basslines blazing, “NRJ” eases us into a shape-shifting network of underground tunnels dwelled by shady raving creatures, harking back to Prodigy’s early wares and subsequent offshoots of the 90s era.One to bend your mind to, “Teal’c” taps into an even darker vein with its fast-cascading hats and von Oswald-ian dub whirlwind set against a surgically laid-down, unstoppable EBM bass comber. Jagged and oneiric to the finest extent, “Send It” peeps at prime Hokusai and Photek material in its first stretch, slowly making room for further spacious liquid junglism as bars run by. Cranking the 2-step/garage power levels up a notch, “Fantasmas” sends us spinning into orbit right away, while the LP’s closing track “Aurora” takes us on a languidly serene voyage of a finale, tempo slowed-down and suave trip-hop flavours exuding with increased sensitiveness.--Hailing from Helsinki, Finland, Sansibar is a non-pareil cosmic traveller - also producer, resident DJ at Kaiku and Post Bar and wave agitator on IDA Radio and EOS Radio - whose genre-unbound sound credentials for the likes of Kalahari Oyster Cult, Natural Sciences, Émotsiya, Darknet, Avoidance et al. have helped establish as one of today’s most intriguing talents in the European scene

Viewtiful Joe (Casa Voyager, mindcolormusic, Fundamental) continues his run of sublime electro EPs with this joyful 5-tracker for Welt Discos. Futuristic in sound yet harking back to the heyday of breakdance in the early-to-mid 80s, these battle-ready boogie jams explode with wiggly slap bass, soaring pop melodies and the funk to make you jump. Lock in and freak out!

Far over on the west coast of the USA we find a room full of drummachines, samplers and keyboards. Hard at work is Israel ‘Iz’ Gravning aka Tone Scientist, who’s been using this Seattle studio to produce genre-defying future music for more than 25 years.An avid student of jazz fusion, hip hop, house, techno and others, hewas galvanised to build his own studio after hearing jungle and drum & bass on a trip to London in 1995. His musical course thus intersected with the collectives then pushing new dancefloor sonics rooted in the rich tradition of Black music – like Nuyorican Soul over on the east coast, and the new broken beats of IG Culture, Dego and Bugz In The Attic in London. Then, in the early 2000s, Iz put out a handful of EPs under different aliases, including ‘Lion Dub’ on the Guidance sublabel Subtitled, but soon stepped back from the public stage. That’s not to say he stopped making or playing music, though. Far from it. Fast forward two decades and our very own Walrus, chilly but happy in the depths of a Toronto winter, happened across ‘Lion Dub’ in the legendary Play The Record store. Intrigued, he tracked Iz down and discovered he had been active all this time. A short email exchange later and this 2xLP of archive material was born.These six tracks explain fully why Iz calls his studio the ‘Time Machine’: vintage equipment and instruments converse with up-to-date software; classic sounds and textures twist into fresh configurations; and Iz’s own creativity and musicality sings to us from a location beyond the trappings of time or genre.All music written, produced and mixed by Israel Gravning aka ToneScientist in Seattle/Washington between 2005 - 2008 except for “Things

62*2: Ice crystals decorate the well-worn machines. There's a positive buzz in the air, as construction on the purple plane is progressing smoothly. I'm still getting used to my new form, but I feel like I can be of help.

After shifting clandestinely between second hand crates as a bootleg vinyl for the last 25 years, Eddie Fowlkes’ Deepcover finally gets a proper pressing and 2 remixes by one of today’s most dedicated students of electro funk, OCB (Driss Bennis). Originally released on the Magic Tracks compilation CD by Juan Atkins, featuring tracks by artists like James Stinson and Keith Tucker, the track has all the elements of early techno soul straight from the hands of its inventor. Indescribable sounds combine in unexpected ways that just fit, pushing and pulling in all the right directions.

Paul Wise aka Placid is the driving force behind ‘We’re Going Deep’ – a thriving online community and record label that keeps you coming back for more. Born out of a lifelong affair with the many shades of electronic rhythm and an obsession for collecting records since 1988, Paul is known and respected by many in the realms of underground House and Techno. Renowned for making hips and feet move at parties, clubs and fields across the UK and beyond over the last few decades.As a label owner, his mission couldn’t be clearer - releasing new music for heads of all persuasions. Fresh cuts aimed squarely at the dance floor, front room or even just your headphones. Rather than staying too hung up on the past, he continues to serve up the freshest in Acid, Electro, Techno, Deep House alongside sweet slices of Electronica. Sticking to the format of 4 superlative cuts from equally talented producers, the quality remains unquestionably consistent on Volume 8 of his various artist series. Kicking off A1 in style with a family affair from Acid House aficionado Affie Yusef and his daughter Leila, ‘Dublovr’ is a Class A slice of pure late night chug that rides clockwork rhythms to a rolling bassline. As dubbed out synths ring out to lift you skywards – eerie sweeping undertones add another dimension. Tried and tested since the summer season, the added layer of a TB-303 brings everything nicely to a head. Not to be outdone, Bristol based Electro emissary Zobol delivers a pure slice of machinist joy on A2 ‘Sense The Consesus’, showing his ability to finesse and balance uplifting melodies with warm synthesis on this finest of jams.Over on the flipside, Maltese producer Acidulant takes up the reins with the hushed tones of ‘The View of Her Shade’ on B1 – a thoughtful excursion into electro hinterland that’s a textbook lesson in making more with less. Last but not least, mysterious I Love Acid affiliate Type-303 turns out an exquisite IDM inflected serving of woozy broken Electronica on the mysterious ‘Knowhere’. Steeped in rippling melodies and aquatic atmosphere, the depth of focus resonates with a singular clarity that enchants on repeated listening.