Esp Institute Vinilo y CD

Review: Bartellow is German producer Beni Brachtel, an artist that has been in involved with Lovefingers' ESP Institute for some time and as a member of label favourites Tambien, alongside Marvin Schuhmann & Valentino Betz of Public Possession. It's a pretty diverse affair on his debut Pankorama LP, starting off with the rather rather Pal Joey sounding "Sala Sensi" before he dives into some cosmo-balearic tinged ambient on the lovely "Clypp". Dusty swing-fuelled underground house is covered covered on the appropriately titled "Shufflington" or especially the stopmin' "Operator In Excelsis". "Notion" bridges the gap between label head Andrew Hogge's fascination with the exotic and analogue electronics wonderfully.

Review: Contemporary classical seems to be having a bit of a moment in the sun right now as it breaks out of its traditional confines and makes a mark on the wider world. Bartellow, who is one-third of the Tambien project and also goes by the name Beni Brachtel in the classical scene, is back on ESP Institute with a second full-length. Noosphere brings together parts of some of his theatrical scores for WUT, Odipus and Antigone and Der Zauberberg amongst others. It takes in cues from Baroque and Impressionism with plenty of sweeping drama and moments of intense emotionality across four sides of sound.