Mike Parker
The Devil's Curators Vol. 2

Album / LP Nor (pronounced “noolj") is DJ Sotofett’s Braindance album for SUED with music produced between 2002-2020. It was originally intended as a playlist for SVN between his studio sessions but quickly took the shape of this snappy LP balancing frenetic breaks and beautiful synthetics. The almost 20 year old tracks that pre-date all the Sex Tags projects are either made with one drum machine, one synthesizer and no sequencer – or Minidisc sample based collages pasted together on Qubase, while newer productions are partly programmed on Finnair.

Repress!!

Dylan Forbes is a man of sustained grooves. But for the next release on Haŵs, the Irish DJ producer deviates slightly from the sounds of his previous back-catalog to investigate the idea of collective ideals from the solitary walls of his lockdown studio back in 2020. The resulting output is ‘Mind Expander’, an idiomatic release of club-orientated house and tech tracks marbled with introspection and the hopeful craving for dancefloor unity.The opening ‘Ride The Flange’ jumpstarts the engine with an emphatic house beat, sitting beneath swathes of misty synth lines that trip over each other in their eagerness to peer into the void beyond. ‘Mind Expander’ takes the pH back to 1, with acidic iterations, delicate chimes and a protracted build up that yields a sense of broadening thoughts and augmented senses.On the B-side, ‘Searching’ slots together gruff, probing basslines beside melodic contours that seem to dance together with a subtle rapport like two figures treading the verge between companionship and intimacy. ‘Take U Over’ intensifies the euphoria for the close, assembling a prog-inspired motley crew of synths, reverbed soul vocals and breaks to gently charm the traveller back down from the 4-track ride.It’s said that reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else - so let’s make the shared journey worthwhile.

Anthony Di Franco (Ramleh, Skullflower, AX) debuts on L.I.E.S. with his infamous JFK project. Starting in 1987, Di Franco was immersed in the burgeoning UK "tape exchange by mail" scene which fostered many different strains of extreme and experimental sounds being developed during this time.Initially working in a murky, decayed industrial sound, as the project has progressed to the the present, JFK has transformed the early approach into a now razor sharp, hi- fidelity, punishing wall of sound that still envelops the listener in the same way as his early music but now with a refined and massive sonic attack.Throughout Avalanche Zone's six tracks we get Di Franco in top form alternating from blistering machine gun rhythms to stand still slow beat metallic crushers with synthetic electrified drama forcing the air from the speakers demonstrating full on sound pressure. This is a welcome addition to the JFK catalog and further expands how the artists vision has developed as the years have passed. Complete and total heaviness!

Utter presents the second full-length album by enigmatic duo Vādin - a collaboration between sound artists and performers Christian Duka and Lucie Štepánková (aka Avsluta). “Black Tortoise” is a voyage accompanied by the uncanny, the shadow-dwelling specters and arcane symbolism derived from ancient Chinese astronomy.“Astrologia” opens the album with an eerie torrent of droning voices and glassy, percussive interventions, leading into the patiently unfolding opening of the “The Presence” with it’s ominous narrative riding the swelling, thunderous rhythms culminating in swarms of hallucinatory chaos. The doom of “Calliope” follows, infused with cavernous, beastly vocalisations which lure the listener into “The Furnace”, a drowsy kaleidoscope of rhythms weaved together with Štepánková’s mother-tongue narration. And further on still, into the make-believe world conjured up by the buzzing and swarming objects overheard on “Plateau”.Available on limited vinyl and digital formats. A special fold-out pamphlet is included with physical copies.Spoken word by Lucie Štepánková. Mixed at SAE Institute by Christian Duka and mastered by Rashad Becker at Clunk. Transferred and cut by Helmut Erler at D&M.Artwork designed by Marco Maldarella.

These Tasty Records warmly welcome an exciting group of producers for their third eclectic piece of wax!Kicking off are Uruguayans Nacho CL & Muten strongly representing the underground Montevideo sound with 'Self Guarda', a pure stompy groover to satisfy your dancefloor needs. Then comes Nacho's 'Cuando Llega El Final', a real melodic breakbeat journey.Barcelona's SINM debuts the B-side with an alien-like and twisted 'Reach 4 The Lasers' and a very unexpected turn. Closing the EP, they bring the old school rave back to life with 'Bass Patrol', which speaks for itself.