H:U:M - Dark Matter

Liquid Frog Records: 2021

Back in the summer of '21, Juan Pablo Giacovino released a pair of H:U:M releases simply titled Dark Matter. Only, he didn't title each one distinctly from the other (like Dark Matter II, or such as), creating a glitch in my music library sorting. Thus both Dark Matters ended up in the same 'album' folder, despite being separate sessions.

Or maybe they were all the same session, and Mr. Giacovino sold them separately? Even though each track is numerically titled, it's clear they all flow into each other. Yes, there's a fade between them, but that's more a consequence of the annoying streaming service handicap that doesn't allow for smooth, uninterrupted playthroughs between digital files. You either offer up a single, long track, or do light fades between so they don't abruptly start or end.

And I get that this is a bit of a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' situation. Not everyone wants to hear a thirty-to-sixty minute session of music in one go, sometimes content skipping to preferred sections. It's the sort of feature even Pete Namlook realized was a nice point of convenience for the listener, many of his older, hour-long ambient jams broken up for easy CD indexing. That simply isn't doable with digital files though, always that micro-second gap lurking between tracks. Hence, all the fades. (note to producers: it's very annoying when that digital file fade makes its way to a CD copy, just sayin').

So I assume it went with Juan Pablo's Dark Matter session. He ended up crafting an hour-plus long piece, but figured folks wouldn't be interested in a whole outing, so split things up into ten-to-eleven minute chunks. Why split them into two separate releases though? Or maybe there was just the first one, and he carried on with another shortly after? I mean, the fade between Dark Matter 3 and Dark Matter 4 isn't so noticeable – indeed, doze and you'll miss it. And the music of Dark Matter 4, 5, and 6 is distinct enough from 1, 2, and 3 such that they could be considered two separate half-hour tracks. Why am I micro-analyzing such things anyway? I dunno', just find it interesting how artists present their art, especially in the fickle environment that is streaming services.

Anyhow, Dark Matter 1-3 is the most ambient of the lot, mostly spacious pads gently floating along for all your stargazing needs. The whispiest of effects gradually emerge in 2, while twinkling synths finally add a little rhythmic momentum in 3. If you are listening to all six parts in one shot, you'll definitely hear a tonal shift in 4, with slightly busier elements coming and going throughout 5 and 6. Oh, and be prepared for a vocal sample that will rudely knock you out of whatever state of bliss you're feeling, so abrupt and piercing compared to the general tranquility as it is. Also doesn't help it always seems to appear when you're least expecting it.

The 13th Sign - Da Story Never Ends

On Delancey Street: 1996

You want music rabbit holes, you got 'em!

The 13th Sign is a name I recognized via exactly One (1) compilation, the acid-jazzy, trip-hoppy CD from Waveform Records titled Frosty. You might remember it for its distinct cover shot of an ice-encrusted buffalo. Chill-out music indeed. The track included of theirs, Take Me To A Distant Bass, definitely fit the bill of an acid-hop, trip-jazzy excursion, one of those vintage 'nothing's off the table' '90s tunes of sampledelic dub vibes. I quite liked it, but not enough to dig much further into the artist, assuming it just some one-off project by an unknown individual. Well, I was half-right.

The 13th Sign definitely was a one-off, but Chris Bangs is far from an unknown. Or at least, to those well-versed in the UK acid jazz scene. I'm not, only having a passing familiarity with the label Eddie Piller and Gilles Peterson built (and all that followed from it), but as I said, it's a super-massive rabbit hole one can get lost down for quite some time. Shit's over thirty-five years old now!

Anyhow, Chris Bangs was a major contributor for them, releasing multiple albums and singles under multiple aliases and group projects. Names like The Quiet Boys, Break 4 Jazz, Original Soulboy, Extasis, Mr. Electric Triangle (hey, another Frosty track!), Boogie Boy, Galaxy 21, Two Dam Hot, and Yada Yada. When acid jazz' popularity started waning after the turn of the century, he tried getting into the garage and deep house scene (including starting a label called Dadhouse (!)), but that seemed to fizzle out, and he seemingly retired from production after. Oh, and in the middle of all that, he released a trip-hop, illbient-leaning record under the guise of The 13th Sign, as was the style at the time.

This is another one of those albums that deservedly flew under the radar, as trip-hop was getting quite overdone by '96, but ain't half-bad in its own right. Mr. Bangs was far from a slouch in the producer's chair, knowing exactly what sort of samples worked best with what sort of beats and solos, slickly produced with little fuss. Very meat 'n' potatoes stuff, is what I'm saying, that sounds solid as it plays, leaves a nice little impression upon your afternoon, but doesn't really spark much discussion about after. Perfect compilation fodder, is what I'm sayin', and so did Thievery Corporation for their DJ-Kicks CD.

Chris does mix things up though, offering some welcome spice to all the the street-level grooves. Come Off This Trip gets on some freestyle action, Someday gets brisk in its beatcraft hovering near jazzy d'n'b (with acid!), and Back In The Day raids funk's fathers for the b-boy throwdown. Elsewhere, Anthea Clarke gives us the soul singin' in Pressures, while Travis Blaque gives us the conscious rap in 90 Infinity (hmm, I wonder where he got that from?). Again, all solid stuff, but I'm not surprised few know of The 13th Sign's existence.

Sykonee's 'Sportsing' Surveys: AC/DC

This past winter was rough, including me falling out of my regular work-out routines far too, um, routinely. There were plenty of reasons contributing to this, but I cannot deny my musical choice for surveying purposes weren't always the best options either. The jazzy funk 'n soul stylings of The Roots was only good in spurts, and N:L:E's Caravan Of Healing Sounds... well, that was more a marraige of convinience. No, I needed real motivation. Not just any ol' firing of the adrenaline, but a serious shot in the arm of hype music, a tried and tested discography that has endured for decades. Yeah, this little Australian rock band, they'll do.

I know the hits will hit, and I have to assume their larger body of work will too. I mean, the longest running rib in rock music has been that every AC/DC album sounds the same. Do they, though? Do they really? I mean, they've been releasing music for damn near forty years, there had to be some stylistic variaton in all that time. Maybe a bandwagon jump here, or an unfortunate studio session there. And hey, if not, at least I could count on them keeping me moving while engaging in my 'sportsing' activities, right? Right, so let's get it on!
















And boy, did Mr. Prindle ever catch some flack for his thoughts on Ballbreaker. I've... a feeling I won't be getting such bile thrown my way, especially since hardcore AC/DC fans can't deny the band's music after that one is much better. No, really, it totally is!

As for my impressions of AC/DC, can't say much has changed. I went in expecting a certain sound, and they've maintained that right up to 2020 (ol' Angus looking a bit funky still wearing the school-boy uniform while now sporting white hair, it must be said). I'm honestly more suprised they didn't hop on any bandwagons, but that's probably for the best. I can't imagine AC/DC with a rapper or synths or fancy studio trickery. They are who they are, and made no few compromises for that. And hey, I got in some of my best 'sportsing' sessions while going through their catalogue, so that's a plus!

Don't know how my next survey will pan out though, going with a duo I only know from a namedrop. At least they're an electronic act?

Cypress Hill - Cypress Hill

Ruffhouse Records: 1991

The only Cypress Hill album you're supposed to have, even if you're not much of a Cypress Hill fan. That's not my opinion, mind you, as I feel they have other records in their discography that surpass this one. And, as someone who has literally listened to every single LP they released, I feel somewhat qualified in making that assessment. What their self-titled debut has, however, is the gritty, street-level aesthetic that can't be recaptured after a group starts going platinum on the sales charts. The hungry spit-n-fire of young talent out to prove themselves worthy of standing in the same arena of all the established names. It's why so many debut hip-hop albums of this era are held in the highest regard - you either fire your best shot first, or get dumped to the dustbin of time.

As I said though, I think what Cypress Hill artistically accomplished on some future albums was even better than what we get here. Still, it's undeniable the group came out damn hot, and if you're strictly all about gangsta' rap sounding as raw and unpolished as can be, then I've no problem with folks proclaiming this is the one true Cypress Hill record above all.

And boy, does this record ever come in hot out the gate. Rappers had been making screeds against cops for a few years already, but none dared to open a debut on the topic, much less show no respect in titling it Pigs. Have I mentioned the Rodney King beating had happened shortly before Cypress Hill dropped?

But yes, the big tune off here is second track How I Could Just Kill A Man, where B-Real and Sen Dog go off on how life on the streets sometimes leads to committing acts you never thought capable of. More than that though, it established the vintage Cypress Hill parlay of Mr. Real chanting the chorus with Mr. Dog offering an earwormy call-and-response. Not to mention proving DJ Muggs had bigger things in mind than just producing basic hip-hop loops, throwing in squealing sirens and an organ breakdown for no other reason than he could. The original single for it though, featured The Phuncky Feel One, one of the tracks that kinda' holds this album back for me, more of a throwback '80s rap tune than featuring anything distinctly Cypress Hill. There's a couple tracks like it on here, such as The Funky Cypress Hill Shit, Real Estate, and Born To Get Busy. Production's still solid, just way more 'vintage' than what Muggs would go on to make.

Same can be said of their nods to weed smoking (Light Another, Stoned Is The Way Of The Walk) and the Latin side of street life (Hole In The Head, Latin Lingo, Tres Equis). They're gritty and unvarnished, but I've heard them make better. I guess it really does boil down to personal preference, which has enabled Cypress Hill to maintain a career for over three decades now. Something for everyone!

N:L:E & Kiphi - Crystal Vision

Liquid Frog Records: 2022

After kicking off my block of 'C' albums with ten volumes of Caravan Of Healing Sounds, we had to wait until the end of this batch for another item of Juan Pablo's to appear again. Technically, there's two down here, Crystal Vision and Cycle, but the latter was already covered in the consolidation collection of N:L:E and Kiphi material Between Dreams Or Reality. Well, okay, there's one other track on the Cycle single, a shorter beatless version, but doesn't warrant any more attention than what I'm providing in this sentence. The original version is better, and I've done sorted that out. Let's stick to Crystal Vision here, and worry not about redundant releases. I've plenty more music from Mr. Giacovino as it is.

Have to admit, I'm surprised at seeing another 'collaboration' between these two aliases this far into Juan Pablo's discography. I thought he'd fully kept them separate at this point, finding enough distinct characteristics with his Kiphi project (specifically looping melodic arps) such that it didn't need the N:L:E bump helping it along.

Then again, he put out another N:L:E & Kiphi joint just this past December, Lights Between. And another prior in June called Floating Orbs. Hmm, maybe he just likes releasing them around solstices? *checks month of Crystal Vision* Oh, this one came out in May. Welp, so much for that theory. Also, I know I've said it before, but good God is this man ever relentless in his output. My last proper review of one his albums, Botanical Adventures, was late December, and he's added five more releases since. That makes for thirty more releases since I bulk-bought his Bandcamp catalogue! Almost makes me thankful I did buy in when I did.

Three tracks are the main feature of this EP, with alternate versions featured in the back-half. The titular opener certainly imparts visions of shimmering crystals, pulsing bright synths and angelic flowing pads building upon each other, eventually ebbing out for a little gentle piano playing. Follow-up Lifetime ups the energy some, bringing in a simple rhythms and soaring synth work that'll have it nestled nicely within the realms of AstroPilot psy-chill. The tune fades down, and while Ilusion is billed as a separate track, it essentially carries on from Lifetime with similar music themes, going more minimalist and groovy as it does.

And the rubs? Crystal Vision [ Retouched ] brings in an ambient dub groove, Lifetime [ NLE Version ] surprisingly goes beatless (isn't N:L:E the alias with the beats?), and Ilusion [ NLE Version ] extends out with a little Tubular Bells building before going full psy-chill itself. That one at least tracks.

That's another item out of Mr. Giacovino's catalogue covered, then. Still a long way to go before finishing his discography off, but take heart, intrepid readers, there's not a whole lot in the 'D' block coming up. At least, nothing where I'll have to 'cheat' again with a bevy of microblogging recaps.

Sun Project: Marco & Matt - Crazy Stories

Suntrip Records: 2022

In the beginning, there was only one S.U.N. Project, and it was good. Sure, a little silly with the metal guitars mashing with psy trance, but these chaps fully committed to the bit, going whole ham on the shredding action. Not wanting to get type-casted as just the 'buttrock goa' guys, the trio flitted about other forms of psy in the ensuing decade, even getting into that darker, minimalist vein many adopted for a spell there. Maybe hitching onto that potentially lucrative Infected Mushroom hype (“Hey, we guitars too!”). At the turn of the '10s, however, a split occurred, Maik Hinkelmann going off to create McCoy's S.U.N. Project, while Marco Menichelli and Matthias Rumoeller became Sun Project – Marco & Matt.

How... does that even happen? The retention of the project name for both parties, I mean. Like, could you imagine if Metallica split apart, but James and Lars got to both use the band name, save some minor punctuation differences – Hettfield's Metal-Allica versus Lars & The Metallicas. I'm assuming the S.U.N. Project members, not wanting to get all embittered, resentful, and tied up in legal courts over a silly psy trance alias, amicably came to this compromise. Which version should you check out if you want the more 'authentic' S.U.N. Project experience? Heck if I know, I haven't kept that close of tabs on either side. Heck, I only learned of this split when I started my preliminary research into this here Crazy Stories EP. It took me entirely too long to finally understand why it wasn't listed under S.U.N. Project's regular Discogs page.

Which still makes it something of a conundrum. Crazy Stories and the other tracks included on this four-tracker were initially made back when Maik was still making music with Marco and Matt. Although they remained unreleased in all this time, they are not credited to S.U.N. Project, but instead to Misters Menichelli and Rumoeller's Sun Project. And for that matter, why these particular tunes? Best I can glean, Crazy Stories, Space Dwarfs, Casio-Paya, and Out Of My Brain were songs Maik doesn't have writing credits on, so are fair game for Marco and Matt to re-release under Suntrip Records' 'classic goa trance' banner. Always something regarding copyright retention, I guess.

And the tunes themselves? Yeah, it's classic goa trance through in through. Driving rhythm, driving acid, spacey synths and pads. What's most interesting about these cuts is, as they're chronologically sequenced (from '96 to 2000), you can hear how psy was evolving in that time. From the straight-forward trance vibe of Crazy Stories (1996 Mix), to growing ever more darker and twisty by Casio-Paya (1998 Mix), to things getting stripped down by Out Of My Brain (Acid Remix). An intriguing snapshot of a scene morphing before our ears.

Oh, and the guitar action? Only heard on Out Of My Brain. Hey, I said S.U.N. Project wasn't just about the shredding, even if it was their most endearing trait.

ReKaB - Counting The Days

Intellitronic Bubble: 2020

Does this mark the end of another run of box-sets? Granted, these 'two-for-the-price-of-one' double-discers from Intellitronic Bubble aren't really box-sets, and I did skip the first volume featuring Metamatics and Futuregrapher. Still, I grabbed three out of the four, with ReKaB's Counting The Days at the end of this run. Counting to what? Whenever I finally got around to a review of his 'debut' album, I wager!

Yes, like a few other artists in these double packs, this counts as ReKaB's first full-length – heck, it's even paired with G-Prod's debut in the same pack, Space Time's Bubbles LP. Unlike that French electro duo, James Baker, the man behind ReKaB, hadn't been releasing much music prior to putting this out. In fact, of all the featured artists in these collections, Mr. Baker is basically the rookie of the roster, rubbing shoulders with scene vets like Lee Norris, Mick Chillage, and Devin Underwood. Well, this chap must be an exceptional producer for getting shine like that, even if its on CD2 of a double-pack deal.

That said, I wasn't expecting Counting The Days to be so mellow. I don't know why I would have come to that assumption. The styles of electro I've heard from those other Bubble albums being grittier and more menacing, perhaps? Still, the tracks of his I heard off the label's numerical compilations were rather mellow for electro as well, almost dipping into ambient techno as heard out of the FireScope camps, so I should have gone in ready to chill out on some future-city patios.

Only eight tracks make up Counting The Days, and while about half of them do stick with the relaxed side of robot music, there's some nice and surprising variety sprinkled about too, usually within the longest tracks no less. Space Echo Dub is, as amply titled, a spaced-out session into the dubbier side of slowbeat techno. If that don't get your Silent Season triggers flashing, I don't know what will. Unless you have another label doing the loopy, dubby techno thing as your primary reference point. That'll do too.

Elsewhere, the spritely synths and bright melodies of There Maybe Times has me vibing more on synthwave than electro. Ark goes as menacing as ReKaB will allow, a pulsing throb of a bassline the only rhythm offered while ominous synths and tones permeate the atmosphere. Then there's the trance track Drifting. Or neo-trance, if you must. Or melodic techno, if you will. Or hypno-house, if you choose. Or hypnotic-melodic tech-house, if you wear five different sets of socks per day. I'll keep calling tunes like this trance, thank you very much, but I'm sure we can all agree its a wonderful little space groover.

So another dope artist out of the Intellitronic Bubble camps. Now I gotta' get more of ReKaB's music. Which means I'm probably gonna' splurge on more items from the label. And now the sister label, Móatún 7. *sigh*... Bandcamp Fridays can't get here fast enough.

Various - Cottage Industries 11

Neo Ouija: 2022

It's interesting jumping ahead twenty-two years in this series, giving me an intriguing look in just how much the field of melodic IDM has grown in two decades. Or not, the music contained within volume eleven of Cottage Industries remarkably straight-forward when compared to the more experimental beatcraft as heard on the first edition (also going titleless for some reason, hence its alphabetical placement within my music library). Don't get me wrong, there's ample amounts of scatter, broken rhythms, just not presented in the glitchy sort of way that had been a staple of the series for much of its run. Heck, it was on as recently as Clockwork Manor, volume nine released just a few years prior to this one. Does the mastering touch provided by Futuregrapher really make that much of a difference in how IDM beats sound? Guess I'll find out when I get around to reviewing Decima Circuits (Cottage Industries 10), the edition he jumped into the series.

Not gonna' beat around the bush with this one: Cottage Industries 11 doesn't really sound like a Neo Ouija collection to my ears, but rather an off-shoot of Intellitronic Bubble or Móatún 7. Again, part of that likely has to do with Mr. Grétar's influence, his feel for icy-cool electro and techno a defining trait in those labels' discographies. Having consumed five of the Bubble's compilations (among other assorted releases), its an aesthetic I'm quite familiar with now, so hearing it here isn't that much of a surprise.

And to be blunt, I find that makes Cottage Industries 11 a better overall listening experience when standing it in stark contrast to the first edition. Sure, the twee electro-pop of early Neo Ouija is mostly absent here, but I'll take synthy future-soundscapes over that any day. Personal preference is a Hell of a critical bias, y'know.

Did I mention there's also lots of acid on here? There's lots of acid too, a bit more on CD1 than CD2, but plenty 'nuff leading this compilation further away from the realms of IDM and into vintage techno. If the spaced-out electro doesn't quite do it for you though, there are some skittery rhythms and distorted analogue fuzz tracks littered here and there. Downtempo ditties that hint at the twee melodic side of vintage Neo Ouija too (Novel 23's Step By Step, Xylic's Dinky's Acid, DJ Dorrit's Apotek, Daveeth's Pro Pos, Weldroid's Sandal Warrior Disarmed), but not that much.

Nay, as mentioned, Cottage Industries 11 feels more in line with what Lee Norris' other labels have been up to as of late rather than carrying on with its legacy. It's a whole new generation of artists doing their own thing now, finding influence from other sources. Some of them end up on Intellitronic Bubble, others end up on Móatún 7, while a few continue wandering the wilds of label hopping. For those hoping for a little extra shine on an established brand, however, it seems Cottage Industries will always be here for them.

Various - Cottage Industries (A Neo Ouija Compilation)

Neo Ouija: 2000/2020

Humble beginnings for this humble label, a tidy single CD kicking off the continuing Cottage Industries series. Seriously, it just came out with its twelfth volume this past month, once again indulging in a triple-disc collection of... well, if you don't know what the deal with Neo Ouija's musical showcase by now, I don't know what else to say.

That does leave me wondering how Cottage Industries: Da' Kickoff fared when it first came out. Obviously it didn't have commercial aspirations – almost nothing with this much glitchy-twitchy rhythm making had much financial hope at the turn of the century. Surely though, the abundant twee melodies lurking underneath all the leftfield beatcraft would lure in many a passerby, melancholic moods in a rapidly digitizing age. Some, I wager, but if the original CD's Discoggian data is accurate, this was not a widely distributed compilation. Less than three-hundred folks claim to hold a copy, which is a shockingly low amount for a release nearly a quarter century old now. Or perhaps it never had much promotion in the first place, forever remaining ultra-niche in an already incredibly niche micro-scene, unable to gain the critical attention similar prints like Raster-Noton and Mille Plateaux attracted.

Does this make Cottage Industries: Comin' On Cool an overlooked gem within said scene? I honestly don't know, as my own interactions with it remain skint. I'm sure the CD has its die-hards proclaiming its genius, but nor have I seen it relentlessly name-dropped abroad. It just doesn't contain those essential tracks or artists a classic compilation needs for that demarcation. Sure, a few familiar names crop up: Geiom would go onto a decent career in future garage and dubstep, Clatterbox made his way into techno sets throughout the '00s, Yunx has featured in Nick Warren set, and that Lee Norris fella' collaborating with Geiom as the one-off Consumer Durable seems to have done well for himself. Other names are complete blanks to me, however, some of whom have sparse Discogs data beyond this CD. Sometimes its hard getting hype for names like Phonem, Penfold Plum, and Plod.

And I have to be honest: this era of clicks 'n cuts has long been hit or miss for yours truly. It's an aesthetic thing, the micro-glitchy sounds too often rubbing against my cochlea the wrong way. Not to mention I can't shake the assumption some of these producers are just showing off what they can do with whatever plug-ins or gear they're using, rather than composing an actual tune worth listening to. And there's only so much the twee melodies included can do to hide that postulation. Eegh, now look, this egg-headed music making me use egg-headed terminology.

It's not all skittery micro-edits, mind. Quinoline Yellow's Eythl Maltol goes more drill 'n bass on his beats, Clatterbox' Power Up gets on the chiptune vibe, while Yunx' Nemo-Sis sounds like a regular ol' ambient techno tune. Beyond that though, expect lots of experimental digital rhythms coupled with charming synths.

Khetzal - Corolle

Suntrip Records: 2005

This is a big one, maybe THE big one, cementing Suntrip Records as that label you went to for your goa trance fix in the modern era. How big was this record? Corolle was so big, it even got covered at TranceCritic! Okay, we were covering sporadic psy already, but I do remember quite the hullabaloo over this release when it came out. It let the scene know that classic goa was alive, even if barely by a thread, and that it could still offer material of high quality.

I can't stress enough just how shocking that was in ye' olde year of 2005. Israeli full-on was completely dominate, while dark psy was gaining ground, with prog-psy establishing itself as a trendy alternative. As with most electronic music of the early '00s, the general mentality remained things had to keep evolving, growing, trying new things. Even the '80s revival was more a reinterpretation than a complete retro return. And the rest? Forget it, not even acid house having a comeback yet, much less any other genre of electronic music, to say nothing of got'dang goa trance! Heck, I'm sure you'll find early criticisms of Corolle for being too on-the-nose with its vintage vibes. Given how fondly the album's regarded now, it just goes to show how time and distance can change even the most stubborn holdouts. I mean, technically this album's closer to goa's glory years than whatever is getting released on Suntrip now. Holy cow, it old!

But yes, Corolle does hold up, if for no other reason than it isn't a complete throwback of an album. In fact, the first couple tracks are basically prog-psy in that wide-screen way you'd hear out of Ultimae or Sunline/Altar Records of the day. Which makes sense since the second cut, Anamatha, is actually a DJ Zen track with Khetzal on the rub. Yet even there, you'd suspect something a little different from the contemporary norm was afoot, the track rather brisk so early on.

Then with Bells Of Sarnath, Khetzal is done playing coy, going full gonzo goa for a four-track run. Squiggly acid lines! Indian tonal scales! South Asian chants! Tabla beating! Bansuri tooting! Elephants trumpeting! And holy cow, that high BPM! Every cliche you can think of classic goa trance having, it's here, and somehow sounding not one bit tired or rote. All that was old is new again, so gloriously resurrected as though the scene had never experienced a creative crash.

As if to drive the point home, the final run of uptempo tunes sound more of the time than the strict goa exercises preceding them, including those rather plastic synths commonly heard in full-on. They're still solid tunes, indeed would have been stand-outs in their own right, but coming off the ultra-melodic material earlier, are somewhat of a let-down. All's well that ends well though, with a requisite downbeat closer with Avasari.

Surely nothing but great things from Khetzal following this smashing debut, right, Ani? ...Right, Anikan...?