Intergalactic Gary
Signs Of Disarray

The latest drop from Low End Activist finds him teaming up with East London’s Razor for a blistering, mutant grime throwdown. Razor has been coming up for some time now, and the clue is in his name. Staggering, swaggering, diamond-sharp lines bending and flexing over LEA’s 10-tonne beat. Stepping on from past work with the likes of Filthy Gears and Trooh Hippi, this is as clear a statement of Razor’s skills as you need to hear. His versatility reaches beyond purist grime to become something more malleable – the perfect fit for the grey area of bassbin pressure LEA occupies.

The story of each re-release begins with the original. In the late 90s, Uwe Zahn (Arovane), along with Robert Henke (Monolake) and Stefan Betke (Pole), began releasing music on Torsten Pröfrock’s (Dynamo) newly launched DIN label. This was a very inconspicuous undertaking, but fans of the flourishing IDM, glitch, and constantly evolving abstract techno genres quickly picked up on the quality of sound coming out of Germany. After a few successful EPs, Zahn began working on his debut full-length, Atol Scrap. The release was a success, at least in the underground circles, where followers of the melodic harmonies, stuttering off-beat rhythms, and, most importantly, advanced sound design feverishly consumed the imprint’s output. There was only one thing missing – the album was never pressed on vinyl, and for decades remained in the digital domain. The fans, of course, inquired. There were multiple offers on the table, but Zahn retained control until he was assured that it was properly attained. “I thought of taking everything into my own hands and releasing the record myself,” says Zahn, “but at the end of last year, Matthias from Keplar asked me to re-release Atol Scrap on vinyl.” The label and its owner revolve in the Morr Music universe, and so it made sense for Zahn to trust the platform to treat the record right.Listening to Atol Scrap over twenty years later it is inane not to admit how well it has held up. Where other genres clearly aged, becoming stale, bland, and dull, the music on eleven tasty tracks still keeps the neurons tickled with each note. More than an echo of the past, the bottled sound truly has matured. Many of the newly evolving techniques are recognizable on the album. “I created the digital artifacts with a digital multi-track recorder, the Fostex D80,” recalls Zahn. “The thing had a scrub wheel with which I could achieve wonderful glitch effects by winding through the audio data. I have sampled and further processed these artifacts.” And this approach is still embedded in Zahn’s sound design. “I still use my 24-track analog desk from Tascam to mix my audio. I love to use hardware synths and samplers. I’ve definitely built upon my studio experience in the 90s.” From this debut to the most recent output, Arovane’s sound has evolved to become more intricate, detailed, and pronounced. “My music has become much quieter and much slower. But that’s probably also due to the noise in the world.” And just as Atol Scrap reminds Zahn of the past, retaining charm preserved in a container traveling through time, it also jitters memories of long ago, when we were twenty years younger, less experienced, and bold. For me, among the many records of the time, this album held a special place in life, my heart, and many CD boxes moved across the world. And now I’m only happy to restock the vinyl space, where Atol Scrap belongs among the beloved records. Welcome home. - Mike LazarevRemastered and cut to vinyl by Kassian Troyer @ D&M. Cover art by Jim Kühnel based on a photograph by Uwe Zahn.

Obvious Transfer are back with a killer third release from QNTM CTRL. The super limited OBTRAN003 EP delves further into the wormhole, with a heady mix of dub and techno on 'Smokehouse Shift', followed by experimentations into outlandish abstract electro, in a King-Tubby-meets-Autechre trip through outer space and beyond. An unmissable, otherwordly release from the new Cultivated Electronics-born experimental collective!

Julian Perez’s sound never stops evolving into a wide variety of directions, and this release is no exception. After his second album “Break-Even”, he’s delivering a proper dancefloor banger EP right here. Don’t snooze on this one, copies won’t be “Unlimited”.

Making their return with further innovative output this Spring is Bucharest based outfit, VARME, a label curated and cared for by, Paul Popa. Crafting the seventh release on the label is the incredibly talented beat maker, Maximo. The Uruguayan’s “XKP” EP meanders through low end leaning electro, and intelligently arranged spaced out techno, rough and ready for the club.Title track “XKP” moves in mechanical motions, chugging by as trippy beeps and bleeps make themselves known. Futuristic elements breathing life into the chunky drums. The A2 “Trip To the Moon” teeters on the fine line of techno, and trance, sitting comfortably between the two, blasting you with dusty nostalgia from records of the past but maintaining the modern twist Maximo consistently captures.On the flipside delving deeper into the mind of Maximo is “1945” is a sleek and crisp trip, a punchy kick and ice cold hi-hats drive the groove. The vocal sample used fits perfectly, transcending the listener as it continues to flash in and out. Closing 007 is “Sinrazón” a curious journey through shimmering pads and synths, teasing you down a path of mystery with the dark bassline that simmers throughout.Solid impressions from a label that continue to propel their distinguished energy, showing no signs of slowing down, continuing to become somewhat of a diggers paradise with their catalogue. VARME are not afraid to push music they believe in, never taking the restraints of genre on their shoulders. Whilst not making music Maximo is helping steer the ship at Deeper, a collective who share their musical vision in their native country of Uruguay.

Carriego on Vostra