Mall Grab (whose real name is Jordon Alexander) debuted the EP’s lead single, “Liverpool Street In The Rain,” in his BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix last year. The song’s antiquated production values and simplistic melody liken it to the releases of lo-fi artists like Ross From Friends and DJ Seinfeld.

The other three tracks on How The Dogs Chill, Vol.1 serve to broaden the horizons of the genre, however. “Bust” and “Get Impetuous” exhibit almost grime-like influences, each concept hinging around samples of gritty hip-hop verses. “Looking For Trouble,” on the other hand, is underscored by a syncopated drum pattern that – when coupled with the nostalgic production values – hints at ’80s electro.

In the context of Mall Grab’s discography and the greater lo-fi genre alike, How The Dogs Chill, Vol.1 is a step forward. Music fans who fetishize the sonic flaws of old recordings will delight in its calculated imperfections, but it successfully avoids rehashing the concepts delivered by similar artists.

How The Dogs Chill, Vol.1 by Mall Grab arrived by way of Looking For Trouble on September 21st. Download the digital album or purchase a limited edition 12″ vinyl record via Bandcamp.

Source: Mixmag

The Italian duo themselves kicked the effort off with “Nova,” which they teased out two days ago as the lead single. While not poorly produced, its slow-building melodies don’t shy away from sonic clichés that also dilute plenty of other entries in the album. “Paradigm” and “Nuits Fauves” by Agents Of Time and Ovend, respectively, lean on similarly overused Moog Mother-32 synths (assuming they weren’t hastily pulled from Beatport‘s Deep House Visionary sample pack).

A handful of tracks carry the compilation. The clearest standout is “Motion” by Recondite and Henrik Schwarz, whose tasteful disharmony creates a simultaneously soothing and suspenseful mood. Sterac‘s “Universum” and Edit Select‘s “Phase In” encapsulate an ambient-infused style of deep techno that, although popular as of late, hasn’t totally run its course.

Although the selective listener may not not enjoy the entire Realm Of Consciousness Pt. III tracklist, it bears mention that nearly every entry maintains some measure of dance floor utility. More passive enjoyers may still find much of merit in the compilation.

June 29th marks the official release of Realm Of Consciousness Pt. III on Afterlife. Find the album’s tracklist below, and pre-order it via Beatport.

1. “Nova” by Tale Of Us
2. “Paradigm” by Agents Of Time
3. “Motion” by Henrik Schwarz and Recondite
4. “Nuits Fauves” by Ovend
5. “Portal” by Mind Against
6. “Lotus” by Fideles
7. “Tide Slide” by SCB
8. “Quantic” by Øostil
9. “Universum” by Sterac
10. “Phase In” by Edit Select
11. “Subterrel + Ex Funzione” by Antonio Ruscito and Luigi Tozzi
12. “Cyclone” by Kosme and Konstantin Sibold
13. “Changing Weather” by Hunter/Game
14. “Magoa” by Kevin de Vries
15. “Ibn Sina” by Tone Depth

Whereas Atmospheres Vol. 1 offered up sterile soundscapes that almost clashed with the natural imagery of their titles, plenty of organic samples and instrumentals find their way into arrangements on Vol. 2. Tracks like “97 Dreamin” and “Latitude” still feature a scant few organic elements if any. “Reflections” is the most melodic entry on the tracklist, with piano chords likely inspired by Annie’s background as a jazz musician.

By and large, the diversity exhibited in Atmospheres Vol. 2 works well in the context of the ambient genre. Clips of bubbling brooks and waves crashing against shorelines don’t seem out of place between the lush synths framing them.

The Unified Field

Modularfield is a Cologne, Germany-based record label. Although some of the other artists they champion produce ambient similar to that of Ann Annie, for the most part they release stylistic amalgamations that can be difficult to categorize.

Annie herself also uploads modular synthesizer videos to her YouTube channel. As with many such videos, only her hands are visible for the duration and she has branded the quirk in her press photos.

Atmospheres Vol. 2 arrives by way of Modularfield on May 31st. Stream and download the album on the label website.

As with much of Octave One’s body of work over the past three decades, the 430 West release doesn’t stray far from the suspenseful melodies of second wave Detroit techno. Genre diehards will likely delight in the antiquated sound design of tracks like the title track, “Crank” and “Thee Arrival.” For those who prefer techno that makes more of a “futurist statement,” as Jeff Mills famously put it, only “Alkalyze” and “Refraction” sound sufficiently current.

Two of the songs on the album already came out earlier in the month. The EnFinate Soul EP consisted of “N2 The EnFinate” and “Rock My Soul,” which can be heard below.

It bears mention that the concepts themselves are strong for the most part. For that matter, significantly updating their production methods could dilute their signature sound. The Burden brothers are nothing if not consistent, in any event, and while Endustry may not win over fans from the younger generation it surely won’t alienate any of the latter.

Endustry by Octave One Presents Random Noise Generation comes out through 430 West in both digital and vinyl formats tomorrow, April 27th. Find the tracklist and album art below.

DIGITAL:

01. Endustry
02. Alkalyze
03. Crank
04. N2 The EnFinate
05. Refraction
06. Soul Xchange
07. Thee Arrival

DOUBLE VINYL:

Disc 1 – Side A
01. (Age Of) Endustry
02. Refraction

Side B
01. Soul Xchange

Disc 2 – Side C
01. Thee Arrival

Side D
01. Alkalyze
02. Crank

Escajeda said necessity inspired the pursuit more than novelty. “It took over four years,” he told Selector during an interview before the night’s first performance. “I didn’t have a computer at the time so I just said, ‘Fuck it.’”

Kristopher Escajeda grew up in Boyle Heights, California, a once crime-riddled area east of Downtown Los Angeles (that ironically faces quite the opposite dilemma as of late). Having lost friends to gang violence during his formative years, he worked with a number of grassroots activist organizations in parallel to his career as a rock and folk musician.

Given his background, it comes as no surprise that Escajeda would seek to assign a deeper meaning to his creative endeavors. He explained that the NKRIOT project is but one component of a greater artistic vision that he calls the GOJI movement, saying:

First it’s music, and then it’s technology. Basically, repurposing items that were broken and then recreating them. Also cinematography and film, being able to capture something on a very low budget and making it polished and nice. Then, fashion and wearable technology. It’s not just a gimmick, it’s not just a helmet – it’s a piece of hardware that I’m using that actually creates the tone of what I do.

According to Escajeda, other artists have gotten onboard with GOJI as well – although they have yet to embrace its multimedia ethos to the extent that he has. A Los Angeles indie rock band called Dream Clinic (who have enlisted Escajeda to produce their album) fit the bill on account that they repurpose lyrics, and local producer INJUN incorporates traditional Hopi drums into his cacophonous brand of dubstep in the spirit of preserving his culture.

Escajeda has found a unique venue in the Art Battle events, where a collection of local artists compete by painting the best pictures they can in a short span of time. The DIY methodology of GOJI meshes well with Art Battle’s focus on the creative process. Contacts in the art community introduced him to the company’s founders, Craig Olejnik and Simon Plashkes, and he was already well acquainted with the Los Angeles event’s new producer, Dustin Treinen. Being that Exchange LA not only specializes in electronic music events but also actively supports the art movement resurgence taking place in Downtown Los Angeles, NKRIOT seemed a sensible booking.

However, the lack of refinement in Escajeda’s finished product became evident on stage.

He started his first set with “REALITY PAGES,” the lead single from his 2017 album, RIOT. Once processed live, his crooning topline hinted at the vocal hooks of ringtone rap songs from a decade prior. It contrasted too sharply with the underscoring melody, which called to mind memories of early ‘80s synth wave.

Songs featuring electric guitar solos showcased Escajeda’s keen fretwork, but revealed the shortcomings of his method at the same time. Playing on the Riot Lab forces him to sacrifice the organic timbre of live instrumentals and leaves him unable to compensate for it with the sonic subtlety of more polished electronic music.

Where a skilled disc jockey could gauge crowd response and tailor their set accordingly, his pre-planned setlist hardly fit the event. His lively stage presence only turned the gaze of a scant few attendees, although some admitted that his music distracted them from the rest of the entertainment. Escajeda did improvise the transitions separating each song, but mostly filled the space with atonal noise and excessive stutter effects.

“Everyone is so conditioned to this one sound that they’re used to,” he said in defense of his music. “Why can’t we do something different? It’s all so cookie cutter; why can’t we push it?”

Even accounting for personal preference, the objective flaws in his sound are too numerous to ignore. In the final masters of several of his official releases, high end frequencies fight over each other for breathing room while static white noise occupies unnecessary space in the dynamic range. His kick drums often clash with his bass lines as well, resulting in muddy low end subsonics.

Escajeda has recently tasked himself with learning to produce music using Ableton Live, which has made an audible difference in his newest material. His third and final set during Art Battle Los Angeles consisted of songs from his upcoming album, Virtual Climax Recording (which is slated for release in May of this year). What improvements could be heard came at the expense of his signature style, however. A cohesion of concept had tied all of his previous work together, but most of the singles he performed before the event drew to a close came across as mimicries of mainstream EDM genres.

Ironically, Escajeda said that “going against the whole EDM realm” underpinned the philosophy behind the NKRIOT project. “If I was going to go head to head with a DJ I could battle him out,” he boasted. “Instead of him going to his playlist, I am the playlist.”

Perhaps his words themselves shed light on the blind spot keeping his sound from moving forward.

The term “electronic dance music” (EDM) dates back as far as 1985, but was scarcely used until 20 years later. In the late aughts, North American Festival promoters pushed it as a means of distancing themselves from early rave’s mired reputation. Although some who actively participated in dance culture prior to the EDM movement adopted the initialism, most of them now associate it with gross commercialization.

If EDM is the only subset of electronic music with which Kristopher Escajeda is well acquainted, it is by no fault of his own that he fails to appreciate its finer points. The house music genre alone has spawned a culture through which musicians from around the world have exchanged techniques and traditions in the 30-some years since its origin.

NKRIOT may yet come into its own as a world-class live music stage show. Escajeda’s ambition has brought him this far and nothing suggests his efforts cannot grow further yet. The Art Battle Los Angeles organizers stand by him in any case; this Wednesday, March 21st he returned to Exchange LA to perform at the next edition of the series.

For that matter, the GOJI philosophy by no means prohibits Escajeda from tapping into the wealth of knowledge left behind by other electronic music innovators. Just as he repurposed microKORG synthesizers and Line 6 POD HD300 guitar pedals when assembling his onstage equipment, in time he may come to value the collaborative input of tenured DJs and producers.

At its best, dance music fosters a culture of sharing. Nothing prevents NKRIOT from being part of such a global community.

Photo Credit: Piero F. Giunti

Characterized by euphoric synth stacks and unrelenting kick drums, “F3F” might as well be the blueprint for uplifting trance instant classics. The most compelling section arrives after the break, however. Even sans vocal, the melodic progression that follows results in a nuanced and memorable concept.

Tenure in Trance

Both Paul van Dyk and Alex M.O.R.P.H. hail from Germany, and each played no small role in the formulation of early trance. While Scott Bond is no newcomer himself, his fellow Englishman Charlie Walker launched his current artist project as recently as 2015.

Alex M.O.R.P.H. boasts numerous releases on Vandit, the most recent of which being last month’s “It Is Full Of Stars.” While the single wasn’t mediocre by any means, it didn’t make as profound an emotive statement as his new collaboration.

Alex M.O.R.P.H., Scott Bond and Charlie Walker’s “F3F” arrives by way of Vandit Records tomorrow, August 11th.

Source: Trance Project