Lawrence Le Doux
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Robert Fleck makes his return after a lengthy spell on the side-lines, delivering a stellar EP packed with genre-bending purlers. Limited pressing!

Recorded during the first few periods of lockdown and originally released as a cassette midway through 2021, O Yuki Conjugate's A Tension of Opposites Vol. 1 & 2 is now to be released as a limited edition, double-disc gatefold LP via World of Echo on 1st April. The enforced conditions of its creation represented a new way of working for O Yuki Conjugate founders, Andrew Hulme and Roger Horberry, a pioneering duo who have worked as close collaborators on multiple projects for almost four decades now. As such, their writing is for the first time divided in two and recognised as distinct, Horberry contributing the shorter eleven tracks that make up Vol. 1 (subtitle: At Variance), and Andrew Hulme the longer four that constitute Vol. 2 (Into the Pleasure Garden). It's fascinating to hear their approaches separated. At Variance is defined by its mostly short-form approach, characterised by an airless ambience that recalls the late 20th Century modern minimalism of Thomas Koner, Markus Popp and the Mille Plateux universe, while in other parts, an element of the grander aspects of Eno circa Discreet Music, though retaining a characteristically gritty feel. Into the Pleasure Garden provides a notable contrast, forgoing the lightness of the preceding eleven tracks and embracing what might be understood as some of the more 'classic' elements of the OYC sound: their storm cloud-forming, heavy weather, post-industrial, fourth-world dystopia. Together and apart, OYC celebrate their 40th birthday this year, but remarkably, even under challenging circumstances, their music still retains an almost mystical power.Future releases in the series are planned for later in the year and will continue with this approach, charting the outer reaches of the individual members musical inclinations. In the meantime, it might be worth giving some thought to start considering this pair an institution of sorts, or at least their own cottage industry.

A producer with multiple aliases and projects, the sound wizard behind world recognized mastering studio Jammin Masters and brother of Khan, owner of the legendary New York record store and record label Temple Records. Cem Oral, the aforementioned, raised in Germany by a Turkish father and a Finnish mother, heavily influenced by Jamaican dub and electronic music pioneers, began his career at a tender age playing with four-track recorders and synthesizers, juggling between collaborations with many pop music stars, or as sound-designer of film soundtracks, and in underground solo or group projects, writing some of the most beautiful pages of German and European alternative music in general. At the same time since 1993, he has mastered over forty thousand tracks for countless prominent artists and labels. "Never Been On E" as Oral Experience is definitely an odd release if you know La Bella Di Notte catalog, but probably one of the most representative of his own vision. The reissue comes courtesy of Cem Oral and fully restored by none other than himself.

Verdant returns with an intriguing release and continues to follow its unique, meandering path through the electronic music landscape.The label's tenth record invites listeners to explore rich, enchanting, ambient textures and the sonics for which the Verdant name was first associated with decades ago. Naturally, the line up and music is overflowing with quality and its 4 artists are afforded an expansive 20 minute, untitled, single cut each. One of the UKs cherished electro producers, Reedale Rise, graces side A with a rare excursion into beatless space. Next, Out.lier casts an imaginative spell before talented live and recorded musician Jo Johnson captivates with cascading synthesis. Romanticise The World (who appeared under an alias on Verdant before) closes, assembling Detroit [Escalator] Inspired landscapes to fall into. Ambient music how it needs to be experienced on vinyl.

Kreggo on Furthur Electronix!

ISLE011 is a collection of cassette recordings made in Athens by Christos Chondropoulos over the last five years. Coming from an avant-garde percussion background, Christos calls upon themes of ancient Greek folklore and musical tradition through a futurist lens depicting robotic societies in post-human harmony. He constructs worlds reminiscent of Marcello Giombini’s Mondial Folk series or Umiliani’s exoticised Omicron outings. By looking to the future rather than the far-off past, he builds upon these early instances of technologically charged cultural geography and presents an authentically Greek reading of a parallel Athenian basin. Where his last work for 12th Isle explored once-forbidden tunings and unplaceable tonalities, these recordings further expand on the artist’s simultaneous concern for heritage and imaginary projection. Across the final Side D, Chondropoulos explores themes of maternal love present across the album by working with local singer Sofia Sarri to record six piercing, beautiful acapella phrases.