Singles & EPs Round Up - July 8th, 2020

Mouchoir Étanche - Kommuniqué Zéro (Black To Comm)

Vertical Divider

This is quite a remarkable slice of experimental electro-acoustic work. Old meets new, opera meets the Fourth World and  abstract meets the vaguely discernible in this psychedelic snail paced soundtrack for all your occult ritual needs.

---

Hidden Rivers - Plainsight Lakes (Serein)

A bit like reading an Arthur C. Clarke book in 2020 this is an unashamedly retro vision of future musical worlds, but when the sounds are deep and produced this well, who cares?

Vertical Divider

---

Anteloper - Tour Beats Vol. 1 (International Anthem)

Vertical Divider

I'm not sure if free jazz beat tapes are a thing, but they are now and should be from now on. Melding studio gear, effects and Jaimie Branche's trumpet, Anteloper have made one of the best sounding nu-jazz releases I've heard in a while. Somewhere in the great jazz commune in the sky, Sun Ra is nodding his approval at developments.

---

Azu Tiwaline - Magnetic Service E.P. (Livity Sound)

Tiwaline has been making waves in 2020, and this is my favourite release so far. Bringing her progressive North African aesthetic to the post dubstep party, she strips things back to basics for a lesson in bass heavy tribal minimalism.

Vertical Divider

---

the Lions - The Loser (Names You Can Trust)

Vertical Divider

Cultures of Soul are a constant source of feel good global sounds, and here they've turned up the niceness to 11 with this smiles for miles, slice of lovers rock. You see all those bright and happy colours on the cover? Well that's what the music sounds like.

---

Various Artists - New Tangents in Kampala, London & Nairobi Vol. 1 (Extra Soul Perception)

I'm glad that the Vol. 1 in the title hints at further releases, as the first EP from this Nairobi workshop of du jour UK players/producers and hot African talent has produced some killer nu-soul, funky fresh beats and outstanding Afrofuturism.

Vertical Divider

---

Kin Leonn & Hiroshi Ebina - Faraway Vicinity (Kitchen)

Once you've navigated the first track, with what sounds like a looped up swinging gate that needs its hinges oiling, this LP then gives up its bucolic joys, as field recordings meet ambient endeavour with a pleasing, laid back pastoral pleasantness.

Vertical Divider

---

Various Artists - Summer Selections 2 (NuNorthern Soul)

It's summer right, so you need a selection, and here to sort you right out is the ever reliable Nu-Northern Soul Label with a bag full of Balearic balminess, deck chair friendly floaters and sunshine grooves.

Vertical Divider

---

Mathieu Karsenti - Downstream Blue (Slowcraft)

Vertical Divider

Slowcraft Records are hard to pin down but at least you know it's going to be slow. Here vaguely cinematic memories rub shoulders with new classical forms over an experimental, but eminently listenable, ambient backdrop.

---