Author Archive: Brandon Bussolini

Ugandan Methods, A Cold Retreat

The scope of the Ancient and Ugandan Methods projects feels significantly broader than much of the music being released under the industrial techno banner, and A Cold Retreat is another single-minded arrow in their quiver.

Matmos, The Marriage of True Minds

After the no-microphone synth outing Supreme Balloon, The Marriage of True Minds‘ methods mark a return to their hyperactive, IDM-flavored update on musique concrète.

A Made Up Sound, Ahead / Endgame

A Made Up Sound’s latest doesn’t have much to do with Theo Parrish’s “Any Other Styles,” but its strategically incoherent aesthetic delivers a similar shock.

Justus Köhncke, Timecode Remixe

Both remixes of Justus Köhncke’s “Timecode” by Tyree Cooper and Axel Boman feel more urgent than the original, although neither changes the script too much.

Powell, Untitled

Like Powell’s 2012 debut, this untitled record on The Death of Rave outline a highly individual and historically informed take on avant-dance.

Aybee, Worlds

Worlds is a unique mélange of deep house, Sun Ra, hip-hop, and the radioactive background glow of Autechre’s Amber, among other coordinates, but stands out as a work of deliberate individuality.

G. Marcell, Sound Extravagance EP

Chicago’s G. Marcell plays up his experimental side on Sound Extravagance, his first solo release for Hakim Murphy’s Machining Dreams label.

The Black Madonna / Rahaan, We Don’t Need No Music (Thank You Rahaan) / On & On Pt 2

Built on a particular moment in Chicago house music history, The Black Madonna and Rahaan shape their sample source into two compelling new additions to it.

Redshape, Square

Distinctly less immediate than Redshape’s previous LP, The Dance Paradox, Square develops his sound in a more insular direction.

Bee Mask, When We Were Eating Unripe Pears

When We Were Eating Unripe Pears is a logical development of Bee Mask’s sound, but in terms of listenability and structural coherence, it’s a leap forward.

Matthew Styles, Aji-No-Moto

The three sleek tracks offered on Aji-No-Moto are heartily functional, while their precision-tooled construction holds its own sit-down appeal too.

Lukid, Lonely At The Top

While on the surface Lonely at the Top has much in common with Actress’s latest release, beneath this veneer, Lukid’s fourth LP is his strongest and most distinctive work to date.

Legowelt, The Paranormal Soul

Legowelt’s at his best when his music embodies the uncomplicated desire to meld minds with whatever machines are lying around. The Paranormal Soul delivers on this account without a pause.

NeferTT, Blue Skies Red Soil EP

NeferTT may be an anonymous collaboration between two established producers, but far more enjoyable than sounding out who’s involved or where it belongs is sitting back and enjoying their light touch.

Milton Bradley, Reality Is Wrong

Milton Bradley’s second EP for Prologue picks up where the first left off, preferring small tweaks and chance collisions to dynamic or structural changes.

Recondite, DRGN / Wist 365

DRGN/Wist 365, Recondite’s first release since the breathtaking On Acid, adapting the blueprint guiding his Plangent EPs to a darker hue.

Hakim Murphy, Wet Analog

Immediately following the duo’s Innerspace Halflife 12″ on M>O>S, Hakim Murphy sounds more confident flying his freak flag on these four idiosyncratic solo outings.

Frak, Prisma

Prisma, Frak’s latest for Kontra-Musik, focus the group’s energy in a more stable direction, but it lacks the distilled power of the first EP.

Aaron Dilloway / Jason Lescalleet, Grapes and Snakes

PAN is an excellent home for Grapes and Snakes, a brief 40 minutes of basement musique concrète from tape-loop manipulators Aaron Dilloway and Jason Lescalleet.