CD Album Recommendations September 2015

Review: When it comes to production, the Idjut Boys are at their best when they let their dub influences run free. It's why their early, spaced-out deep house releases remain and high demand, and why Versions - a thoroughly dubbed-out re-imagining of their so-so 2012 set, Cellar Door - is arguably their most enjoyable album to date. Presumably put together while exceedingly high, the album's seven re-titled alternate takes flit between glistening Balearic dub (the 11-minute, gently evolving journey that is "Another Bird"), thrillingly percussive, Afro-and-rock tinged dub disco ("Lovehunter Dub", "Le Wasuk"), undulating dancefloor epics (the echo-laden piano and chugging rhythms of "Kenny Dub Headband") and the kind of drowsy ambient fare that recalls the finest Fila Brazilia productions ("Ambient Rab").

Review: The legendary Black Dog return with more immaculately designed and forward thinking electronics on their own Dust Science imprint. Nowadays comprised of Ken Downie and Martin & Richard Dust, they've certainly still got it, and this is testament to it! The album goes from dreamy soundscapes and imaginary soundtracks ("Phil 0114" and "The Frequency Ov Thee Truthers") to even Autonomic style drum and bass on tracks like "Phil 3 to 5 to 3" but there's straight up techno later on in the album as heard on "Self Organising Sealed Systems" and "Commodification" and the absolutely mental "Hollow Stories, Hollow Head". Great song titles, that's a given. Essential listening.

Review: Vocalist-turned-producer Riya has been a feature on the drum & bass scene for some time, working with an impressive array of junglist talents (S.P.Y, Break, Total Science, DRS and Sabre amongst them). Here, she finally delivers her debut album for Spearhead, a sparkling set that places here slick, soulful vocals at the heart of the action. It's an all-star affair, too, with a wide range of producers taking it in turns to lend a hand. Fox, GQ and Total Science pop up up on the roughneck jungle-meets-liquid flex of "Don't You Know", while the Villem and McLeod produced, Dynamite MC hook-up "Fear Bites" sounds like a future anthem. Arguably best of all, though, is Hybird Minds collaboration "Still Remain", which is the epitome of forward-looking, liquid D&B.

Review: It's been a long time coming, but Julio Bashmore's debut album, Knockin' Boots, is finally here. With releases on Dirtybird, Futureboogie, and mixes for Mixmag and Radio One, the hat loving Bristol producer has come a long way throughout the last five years. Knockin' Boots is a ten-track blend of soulful house and minimal-edged bass music, with the title track itself being something of a Chicago stomper. There's plenty of sublime sampling within Bashmore's house servings, such as on the excellent and discofied "Hold On" featuring Sam Dew, "What's Mine Is Mine", and the juke-inspired "Bark". The LP also verges on the pop end of things with tunes like "For Your Love" or "Rhythm Of Auld", and it's simply a pleasure to play from beginning to end. Bashmore coming through diverse and explosive, as per usual. Ya need.

Review: The Mondo label first surfaced back in late-2013 under the tutelage of former Jolly Music producer Francesco De Bellis, 'powered by Gerd Janson's Running Back', channelling a dual interest in library music and the Mondo Movies of 1960s Italian cinema. Across a series of highly prized 12" releases, Mondo has cultivated a slavish following amongst the more horizontally inclined selectors out there. Given their limited nature, it's nice to see Mondo collect their 12" output to date for a wonderful compilation entitled Collezione. The tracklist is programmed to mirror the path of the 12" releases, with L.U.C.A, ROTLA, Studio 22, and Odeon essentially granted chapters to sooth the soul with their deeply textured Balearic sounds.

Review: Much has changed in the 10 years since Sunao Gonno released his debut album, My Existence. Then, the Japanese producer was obsessed with heavy techno, gnarled acid and intoxicated minimalism; these days, you're much more likely to find him exploring hazy, sunset-inspired blends of Balearica, deep house and ambient for labels such as International Feel and Beats in Space. Remember Life Is Beautiful, then, is the culmination of 10 years of musical evolution; a statement, journey and audio commentary rolled into one. Predictably, it's very good, offering attractive, trippy and superbly produced pieces that meld Jonny Nash style guitars and Tangerine Dream-esque synthesizer motifs to a variety of soft-focus drum machine rhythms and deft-touch grooves. Recommended.

Review: According to Echospace's Stephen Hitchell, the second part of the Vortextual series, under his Variant ambient alias, was designed as a "soundtrack for traveling alone in the outer depths of space". In other words, it's another continuous, hour-long journey, where soft focus dub techno rhythms and echo-laden textures rub shoulders with misty-eyed chords and slowly evolving melodies. While effectively a variation on a theme, it packs a little more percussive punch than its' predecessor, whilst still drifting from the speakers in an impressively weightless manner. As usual, it's a limited CD pressing, so grab it while you can to avoid disappointment.

Review: Since first joining forces at the tail end of the noughties, California-based duo Simon 'Woolfy' James and Dan 'Projections' Hastie have become masters of the Balearic blend, delivering albums packed full of hazy, picturesque gems that join the dots between a multitude of sun-kissed styles. They're at it again on this third full-length for Permanent Vacation. Across the 11 tracks, they variously fuse, mangle and doff a cap to flamenco, dub disco, AOR pop, stoned West Coast rock, chugging Italo, lilting downtempo grooves, reggae, deep house, post-punk dub funk, and folksy pop, all whilst retaining their now familiar beach-friendly sound. Station's greatest moment, though, is "Who", a blindingly good - and suitably baggy - cover of Odyssey's 1974 Balearic anthem of the same name.

Review: Newcomers Inhmost are either in their late thirties, or have spent much time trawling through the back catalogues of '90s ambient labels such as Fax and Apollo. You see, this hazy, evocative and spellbinding debut album for Greta Cottage Woodpile - all drifting, blissful chords, twinkling melodies, enveloping pads, alone-in-space ethos and distant, barely audible thud - sounds like a long-lost album from Biosphere, Sun Electric (circa their 30.07.94 Live CD) or Pete Namlook, with more than a little Selected Ambient Works era Aphex Twin mixed in. Dragbacks On Dockweiler State Beach, though, is more than mere hollow revivalism of '90s "chill out room" pastiche. It's a special album, full of mood-enhancing moments, vibrant aural colours and melodious, early morning intent.

Review: On Vortextual (Element One), Echospace's Stephen Hitchell once again dons the Variant mask for a trip into the "realm of sonic mysticism". It was composed and produced for Detroit's Movement Festival, where Hitchell delivered a typically spacious, dubbed-out live performance. This recorded version is in the form of an hour-long exploration of dubbed-out ambient textures, where cyclical chords and melodies - drenched in delay and produced in a typically minimalist way - slowly rise and fall. They're occasionally joined by bouts of pulsating rhythm, with subtly ricocheting hits riding a watery, outer-space bassline. For the most part, though, it's a beatless and hypnotic excursion.

Review: Paul White evidently likes to keep himself busy. Last year saw the UK beat maker turn in a wonderfully psychedelic album for R&S, but any laurel resting was cast aside in favour of getting back in his studio to work with Florida rapper-singer Eric Biddines. Together the pair are Golden Rules, with their debut 13 track album Golden Ticket coming through UK hip-hop outpost Lex. Possessing a drawl similar to Outkast's Andre 3000, Biddines seems to switch between raps and singing with consummate ease and is pretty much the perfect foil for White's supreme production. Keep a look out for a guest spot from Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) on "Never Die", a towering highlight along with "Holy Macaroni".