#environmental music

Here is the second part of my 2021 in Review series, which serves to document some of the music that most impressed me from last year. As with the first part, there are 30 releases covered, with each featuring a characteristically meandering word slop of stream-of-consciousness psychedelia that attempts to capture the magic of the sounds. 

Conny Frischauf - Die Drift (Bureau B)
After two completely stunning EPs—Effekt & Emotion on International Major Label, and Affekt & Tradition on Kame House—krautrock, cloud ambient, and synth pop master Conny Frischauf made the jump to the full length format in 2021, working together with Sam Irl to produce one of my favorite records of the year in Die Drift. Metronomic bass sequences and playful poly-arps background cosmic filtrations and multi-tracked vocals from the school of Harmonia… the hook ”Rauf / Rauf / Rauf” repeating in a colorful display amongst myriad other daydream hooks. Funky squelch synths, expressive pixie poems, and tapped metals decaying through galactic vapors lead a slow and low lurch while neon acid squiggles ascend through mirage obscurations, and minimalist panoramas of looped lyricisms birth alien grooves wherein angular basslines and tapped percussions lead to rainbow colored vistas of funk-infused dreampop magic, as heavenly harmonizations intertwine with anodyne raps and space-age pads wash over handclapping boogie beats. Quivering pads slither over tribal downtempo and glassy licks bend in the desert air while malfunctioning squarewave leads cluster and crash onto the mix…the whole thing breaking down into a soulful stretch of sunny balearica that sees Laurel Canyon slide melodies obscuring into otherworldly weirdness.  Further adventures in leftfield boogie and balearic beach funk emerge from strange chordscapes—think Brenda Ray—with slinky synthetic slap bass and heatwave synth bends guiding a solar strut of anxious machine groove, over which Frischauf delivers layers of paradisiacal pop perfection. Echoing sibilance, technoid bass, and squarewave synthetics sit above tick tocking rhythms and white noise bursts, with pads and voice executing dazzling displays of childlike mirth—or otherwise locking into lysergic lullaby loops—and elsewhere, ping pong basslines and effervescent motorik beats snap together for pitch-perfect expanses of early Stereolab-style mesmerism…that same sort of merging of avant-bubblegum exotica and Neu!-indebted hypnotism, with some of the year’s most earworm vocal displays proceeding over psychedelic organ clusters and blasts of radiophonic synth. Stoner basslines jam under polyrhythms of snap, pop, and vocal hum, as bopping machine drums ride a cool and spacious fusion groove…the result a completely entrancing display of downtown jazz funk, replete with blaxploitation horn themes and soloing sax. Idiophones and tribal rhythm boxes lock into a ritualistic shaman ceremonial of exoplanetary dub as synthesized elephants shriek towards the sky, with everything guided by hyperventilating cyborg poetics and malfunctioning breaths of synth bass. And at the end sits soothing ambient seance, wherein Experimental Audio Research-style soundscapes filter and swirl around gentle rhythms, somnambulant vocal spells, and soul-stirring whistle leads.

Museum of No Art - One Night at the Pool EP (Kame House)
Following on from her spellbinding self-titled album on Séance Centre, Museum of No Art released One Night at the Pool EP last year, this time working with Kame House. As the EP opens, insect noise backgrounds sparse tribal drums, bell taps, and harmonizing jazz clarinets, with the vibe slow, spacious, and landing like a fever dream. Swells of seahaze synthesis support modular raga forms and alien percussion panoramas are built from metalloid glitch, click, and cut…these tick tocking polyrhythms guiding the body while synthetic acid whistles bring touches of sky-gazing euphoria. As we slow down to 33rpm on side B, temple bells and rusted gongs tap out layers of droning resonance as cricket chirp orchestrations birth swells of sound that flutter like hummingbird wings, and pitched down drums pound and plod…this bewitching background supporting drunken synths and pastoral clarinet leads…like rays of sunlight glimmering in a stormy miasma. Mutant bass sequences filter and burn as reeds generate moaning breaths and animalistic calls, and in a completely arresting moment of avant-pop magic, wordless vocal patterns loop around each in a narcotizing dream dance. Finally, layers of ambient woodwind trill and soft reed skronk echo across the spectrum as drones rise through birdsong, with something about the vibe reminding me both of Wilson Tanner & Henry Flynt.

Angophora - Together (Music for Dreams) 
Angophora’sScenes LP, released back in 2018 on Ken Oath, quickly became one of my favorite records, mixing as it did pitch perfect and peaceful atmospheres of world music, psych folk, ambient jazz, balearic, and tribal. I have been so eagerly awaiting a follow up, and this was finally delivered in 2021 with Together.Here, Max Santilli and Jacob Fugar continue working in a similar mold as before, though the music has grown ever gentler and more blissed out, with perhaps fewer detours into subtle club dynamics. Across the collection of tracks, the duo weave together shakers, marimbas, and hand drums into a peaceful rhythmic flow, with guitar swells landing like morning mist, silvery chime strands flowing, and ebows singing gently anthemic songs to the sea. Bowed string drones support a riverside drift of fourth world Americana accented by lulling folk rock solos, sky-searching acoustics climb over a propulsive rhythmic rustle while feedback reflects off of random surfaces, and temple bells jangle in a warming breeze while triumphant landings of piano, guitar, and bowed string stoke a sort of fragile sense of hope, in between which bongos, shakers, and guitars work through a sleepy-eyed acid folk float. Jazz-inflected world percussion panoramas bop beneath webs of acoustic guitar mesmerism—including softly epic dueling leads—while shakers move like snaketails through somnambulant swell. Elsewhere, layered kalimbas fall like harmonizing rain over hand percussions both rhythmic and splattered, starbeam pads caress a subtle exotica bass groove, and after a dopamine dream breakdown of spectral ambiance, cosmic synth leads and sun-soaked guitar progressions lead a relaxing groove of prog folk pastoralism. American primitive fantasias drift lazily over shimmering sea swells before electric guitar arpeggios signal a transition towards a shadowy psych jam, and eventually, live drums descend over the mix, guided by booming bass pulses and supporting a stargazing blues solo. Breathtaking sections of cinematic guitar folk are accentuated by hand drums, shakers, and sighing strings, and at the end, an exotic and spaced out bebop groove sees cymbal taps, swells, and chime strands supporting spells of jazz piano.

Santilli - Tidal (Growing Bin Records)
While on the subject of Angophora, in what is possibly the most sympathetic union of label and artist possible, Max Santilli joined with Growing Bin for the enchanting musical motions of Tidal. Full bodied chordstrokes and meandering leads lilt over shaker rhythms, ringing bells of multiple colorations, and smeared ambient swells as my mind drifts to early James Blackshaw, and entrancing melodic atmospheres evoke waves crashing gently to shore while ghostly guitar webs and solar ebow solos unfurl over a finger-popping hand drum flow. Noa bells drift in a droning wind and fevered pads mutate over cymbal taps and raga-esque world percussions…the melodic progressions mystical and mystifying even as they proceed far in the distance…and kalimbas sparkle over a subdued seance, wherein serene swells and shimmering chimes accompany shadowy acoustic guitar arpeggios and a dazzling display of percussive string harmonics while further rhythms from the raga-cosmos guide the soul towards hypnosis. Snake-tail shakers, twinkling metals, and acid folk guitars birth a drift of hippie balearica overlaid by sighing swell atmospherics, with an incredible climax of Espers-esque ebow psychedelia proceeding within energized expanses of tribal hand drumming. Pastoral guitar ballads evoke windswept flower fields and the lazy motions of clouds against a bright blue sky, and silvery slide leads drips liquid tones of Americana while waves of static crash around bowed string drones…all before romantic acoustic guitar progressions melt the heart with daydream themes of longing and loss. Environments are awash in quivering metal droneclouds, reverberating bells, cymbals taps, and rainbow chime strands, with whispers of acoustic, electric, and hand drum coalescing into a softly urgent hippie drum and folk guitar sway. Shaker patterns, bongo beats, and syncopated kalimba strikes dance together as ethereal wisps of light fade in and out focus, and towards the end, washes of angel ambiance surround stuttering sub kicks, barely there dub flourishes, jangling chimes, and avian song…the effect like floating at peace on the surface of some infinite sea, with only the occasional flights of birds anchoring the spirit to shore. 

Alex Albrecht - Campfire Stories (Analogue Attic Recordings)
Having ascended to the organic chill-out and ambient jazz heavens with Tidal River, the members of Albrecht La’Brooy decided to forge individualized paths in 2021, as both Alex Albrecht and Sean La’Brooy released gorgeous long players last year through Analogue Attic Recordings. Albrecht’s Campfire Stories arrived first, and the album opens as oceanic piano reveries are blown over by winds suffused with all manner of psychoactive sample detritus. Textures of jazz emerge from rustling ambiance—though the rhythms and melodies are deconstructed into a dopamine dub flow—as bebop basslines loop, horns reduce to purring breath, and ascendent piano runs radiate angelic ether. A meditative ritual of pastoral electric guitar from Carla Oliver proceeds over granular swells of light and mist, while baby birds greet the rising sun, and in a special A-side climax, Sean La’Brooy helps add synthesizer to a spiritual soundbath of world music rhythms, exotica bass, and new age ambiance, with echoing metal cascades ringing triumphantly over placid piano incantations and effervescent dub fx. The result is a heavenly headspace of dreamworld balearica, from which emerges a stunning passage of lofi jazz drumming, sun-soaked fusion guitar (from Oliver Paterson), and seaspray synth, with a vibe cutting the difference between Tortoise and Coyote. Shimmering ocean hazes open side B, with moody dub bass pulses supporting a jazz-soaked trip hop groove accented by delay-soaked pianos and aqueous melodic motions…the vibe evoking noir nights and rainsoaked streets. Clicks pan over balmy ethereal ambiance and drums drift through passages of organic dub techno while liquid basslines move beneath the echo flutes of Adam Halliwell…the result like some lost Paul Horn track given a Chain Reaction-style rerub. Ziggy Zeitgeist adds mesmerizing webs of polyrhythm to stretches of ambient tribal house, wherein subaquatic chord syncopations float on currents of subsonic bass funk while diva breaths morph into angelic haze, and the otherworldly fx and electronic atmospheres of Thomas Gray accent warbling birdsong, smoldering keystrokes, and hovering space fluids as a dusty acid jazz jam emerges, with cool-as-can-be bass stabs riding clusters of bebop-meets-DnB rhythm. And Gray’s mysterious ambient layers continue into the final track…a meditative spell of reverberating piano, alien synthesis, and hypnagogic narration from Allysha Joy.

Sean La’Brooy - Out Moving Windows (Analogue Attic Recordings)
As for Sean La’Brooy, the artist released Out Moving Windows towards the end of 2021, and like Albrecht’s Campfire Stories, the music inherits a sense atmospheric magic from parent group Albrecht La’Brooy, while also diverging off into distinct territories. Moonhazes, field recordings, and twinkles of metal swirl as broken beats are accented by filtering hi-hat fx, liquid dub basslines, echoing claps, with Fernando Ferrarone’s trumpet leading the resulting ambient acid jazz meditation. Pulsing rave chords merge with muted sequencing, new age squarewaves ride a distant bassline drift, and kalimbas mimic water drops while later, expressive hand drum ceremonials and octave bass motions background echoing idiophonics, rustling cymbal and shaker riddims, subliminal trombone textures (from Kalia Vandever), and dreamspace synth patterns like a futuristic balafon glowing…with dubwise echo manipulations kissing the edges of the mix. Sunrise swells and a soft cacophony of chitter and scrape surround trip hop basslines, tabla taps, and panning cymbals as jazz pianos radiate a midnight aura over claps, snaps, and deep house drum patterns…the whole thing hitting like an outtake from DJ Sprinkles’ Midtown 120 Blues. Percussive droplets swim side to side, sequences snake in the undergrowth, pianos and IDM electronics blur together, and urgent four-four kick and shaker patterns anchor dusty vocal samples from the school of Joe Claussell, with synthetic string orchestrations wafting like clouds.Elsewhere on the B-side, the babble of both children and dogs peaks through pearlescent pad layers and reversing blip rainfalls while Oliver Paterson intermittently lets loose blissed out and lightly fuzzed guitar solos. Then to close out the album, opener “Splash” is presented with a reworked arrangement by Phil Stroud, and here, much of the track is reduced to layers of cosmic breath and angel whisper, with dub bass, jazz drumming, and trumpet flowing in and out of the mix according to a delirious dream logic.

Copyright Linda Fox - The Last Human Memory (Doom Chakra Tapes Worldwide)
Another very strong  contender for my favorite album of 2021 is The Last Human Memory by Copyright Linda Fox. A perfect merging of 90s rave, balearic, and chill-out nostalgia with atmospheres of sad downer pop, the result proceeds like a near seamless and often post-apocalyptic narrative, and begins as flutes, tribal drums, new age pads, and subliminal samples give way to slinky rave bass and tambo-led breaks. Trance tracers filter outwards as anthemic diva choruses alternate with sleepy-eyed verse…these soul hooks awash in a KLF-style magic and vaguely dystopian raps landing as smooth as silk, with both being backgrounded by gonzo fuzz riffs and lysergic leads. Growling acid basslines and sluggish jazz breaks sit behind sickly sweet verse and springtide strings, and funky wah wah motions transition towards sax-led choruses led by blissed out masculine & feminine harmonization…with the presence of soft seaside guitar soloing eventually coloring the haze. Soundsystem sub bass slides over tropical synth accents, and desperate lyricisms proceed through balearic strings and dubby Chariots of Fire-style pianos awash in vibes of hope and light…all before a fuzz solo rips apart the sky. Elsewhere on the A-side, reggae-soaked layers of ambient jungle rhythmics background sunset-gazing lyrical dystopias; serene saxophonics, booty-shaking basslines and dark DnB drum patterns are swam across by whispered cyber spells, mystical Flamenco guitar accents, and delirium soaked horn leads; and androids speak as one over a new age ritual for the dawn, wherein granular echo-sax is rendered in hues of pastel with floating pads and field recordings suffuse the air. Over on side B, metalloid voices from dimensions unknown and Orb-ian samples lead to a passage of tribal rave, with joyous snippets of chanted vocal exotica and delaying braindance drums working together while slip-sliding subsonic liquids and sadboy indie vocals trade-off with echoing organ accents and world music pan pipe circulations…until a climactic sax solo soars towards the sun. Old timey country twang beams in through layers of aqueous space vapor and mysterious voices implore you to open your mind over GY!BE-esque railroad drone before giving way to Memphis bass-meets-college indie bliss, with masculine and feminine vocals trading off in sleepy-eyed wonderment…the hooks and occasional detours into slide guitar folk tropicalia landing like Aporia, though otherwise everything is soaked in layers of beguiling horrorcore arcana. Soft and soulful hooks emerge…the effect like gazing at a rising dawn after a terrifying night…and eventually, sadboy soul raps and harmonizing Beach Boys hooks ride a popping breakbeat and slapbass bounce, with cosmic angels singing in the background and spells of short yet incredible solo sax intercutting the flow. Then to end, multi-tracked and softly whispered poetics float on skittering hats and dubby bass waves, and as another sun-soaked reggae-meets-jungle drum mash up emerges, the vibe grows ever more tropical and euphoric even as the layered lyrics devolve into a total bummer. But then, all of a sudden, a completely spine-tingling diva hook emerges…perhaps the single catchiest musical moment of 2021…this passage of anthemic megapop and soul sonic vocal power that soars around soul-affirming saxophone serenades…before the track ends in a vaporous dreamworld of cinematic ambiance. 

Roman85 - The House You Live In, The House You Look At (Doom Chakra Tapes Worldwide)
Speaking of Doom Chakra, I was completely blown away by Roman85’s The House You Live In, The House You Look At, which imaginatively combines vibes of braindance revivalism, junglist drum science, and blasted balearica. Lullaby dream sequences of subaqueous brass filter into focus over comforting basslines of alien acid and infectious blasts of effected jungle rhythm while nostalgic pop hooks flutter through vaporous bodies of string synth, and tropical dreamhouse piano patterns dazzle over balearic breakbeat cut-ups and bulbous blasts of DnB sub-bass, with futuristic 303 lines bubbling through lyrical vocoder mysteries as the entire mix filters in and out of focus. Swaying bits of lofi guitar exotica transition towards galactic bass music, with thunderous sub bass growling beneath seasick synthesis, heady bursts of jungle rhythm cutting up the air, and dramatic descents into worlds of dark orchestral drama featuring body floating bass tones and mind-bending presentations of rhythmic madness. Echoing water drops birth a shadowy expanse of acid jazz, wherein smoldering doom electronics reverse over skipping rhythms and enigmatic voices, and which soon heads towards landscapes of night club euphoria, as jacking basslines lead a four-to-the-floor house rhythm, with melting melodic melancholias drifting overhead, and a completely dramatic breakbeat emergence that sees hardcore vocal cut-ups and jamming layers of cut-up rhythmic magic guiding the uptempo body beat stomp. Following this, we drop down into a slow syrupy horror core crawl, as bass heavy beats move through skittering echo layers and moody mists of shadow, and then, angular basslines ring out prophecies of doom over strange vocal loops. Soft sequences of muted brass swim through oceans of static as reversing layers of voice birth a dazzling display of pan-pipe synthesis, which soon intermingles with plucked chamber strings as obscuring bodies of buzz and static disturb the flow…like some new age dreamscape of oceanic mesmerism disturbed by industrial machines. Kick drums march beneath quivering brass bass and conversational samples echo towards infinity as placid pads drift in and out of tune, and progressively the rhythms grow ever more martial even as they seemingly vaporize, with militaristic snare taps fading into an abyss of filtering pads and drifting kick drum, only to re-emerge…now imbued with a startling physicality. The B-side opens with sci-fi samples and chill-out chordscapes floating over a slow and delirious broken beat rhythm and pounding pulses of sub bass warmth, as extra-terrestrial sequences filter towards a neon sky…resulting in a pitch-perfect paradise of IDM romance, one that grows increasingly powerful as it progresses, especially during moments when operatic choirs sing arcane arias over the panoramic braindance progressions. Deep dark kick drums thud behind funereal currents of sickly synthesis while madcap dub echo modulations land like bouncing marbles beneath harmonious blasts of spectral distortion, and tribal machine toms beat in manic ritual over tin can snares and growls of filter bass while sonar pings delay softly…the whole thing setting the stage for a breathtaking mash-up of jungle rhythm and child-like IDM dream ambiance, as cold choral pads and chiming melodies of faded VHS nostalgia drift like rainclouds over an ever-shifting landscape of surgical rhythmic sorcery and droning subsonic sorrow. Next, whispers of mystical eastern melody blur over a profound display of dark jungle drum and bass mesmerism, enchanting piano melodies are chopped and morphed into swells of liquid light, and pounding passages of moody new wave synth bass and cinematic ivory sadness obscure filtering DnB drum patterns as cymbals splash beneath choral keyboard currents and glowstick chime melodies, while swells of cinematic warmth birthed from the depths of some cosmic ocean overwhelm the heart. And finally at the end, marimbas bounce in tropical mirth over a joyous breakbeat display, as the track repurposes jungle rhythms and acid bass for a wistful adventure of seaside romance and gliding pop balearica, led by subdued melodies of daydream nostalgia, and including a gorgeous climax of sunset saxophone sensuality.

UNKNOWN ME - BISHINTAI (Not Not Fun)
In 2021, longstanding Not Not Fun collective UNKNOWN ME released what is perhaps their most substantial work yet in BISHINTAI…a serene suite of cyborg sauna sonics, futurist ambient, and alien environmental sound design proceeding across 12 beguiling tracks. We enter a world of crazed glitch and bleep, followed by anodyne android voices stating the albums desired purpose of mind and body connection. Percussive patterns pop alongside smearing sequences, with further loops creating a polyrhythmic flow beneath blurred wood flute synthetics and blooming bodies of sparkle…like virtual windchimes blowing in a discontinuous breeze, with malfunctions occasionally morphing the tones beyond recognition. Whirling vortices of underwater ambiance surround coral cavern drips and echoing laser strikes while mermaid choirs blow glowing clouds of mesmeric mist across the spectrum, through which a pitch-shifting pixie voices intones the mantra: ”gaze on your palm”—and in a collaboration with foodman, multiple marimbas beat mysterious patterns in counterpoint over reversing deep house chord structures, noir night guitar slides, looping vocalizations, and dubwise delay bursts of panpipe, rimshot, and bell…with an effect not unlike Tortoise’s “Four-Day Interval.“ Next appears Jim O’Rourke in an expanse of spectral static whoosh, tickling tones, plucked orchestral abstractions, and cold urban ambiance, with alien themes appearing, then morphing into tape echo glitch amidst insectoid dub electronics and sickly smears of feedback. And closing the A-side is an environment of granular tropicalia, as the steel-pans and pianica of MC.sirafu play mystical ocean spells over slow motion drum whispers and overlapping swells of glowing synthesizer seafog. On the B-side, further android incantations and cascades of futuristic bleep pull the listener back into the experience, and then, a serpentine sequence of kosmische acid magic swims through filtering oscillations and micro-bubbling fx clouds, with a vibe evoking some technoid chase scene proceeding in slow motion through a sea of effervescence. Temple bell patterns and somnambulant drum rituals anchor amorphous conglomerations of vibrating crystal and delirium drone as cyborgs affirm the beauty of the growing mind-body connection, and over tick tocking sequences, twinkling gemstone arpeggiations, and pulses of post-modern dub static, Lisa Nakagawa delivers a sacred expanse of choral wonderment…her voice first washing over the mix like the methodical motions of ocean waves, then developing into a sprightly dance of expressive pop exotica. Nearing the end, joyous sequencing from the school of Panda Bear sits beneath galactic synth strands and vaporous vocal fx until a glorious rhythm of pure balearic magic emerges…a equatorial dance of hand claps, hand drums, and myriad colorations of mallet instrument and idiophone, with dopamine hazes of Beach Boy vocal intoxication smearing into a tropical mist as the spirit is swept away towards paradises of peace, love, and light. Finally, the androids return to speak their closing thoughts…the preceding bleep and glitch cascades now smoothed into a gentle squarewave lullaby while mystifying musings serve as a debrief from the preceding adventure. And rather than guide the participants back to earthy realms, the track continues ascending towards spheres of cosmic transcendence, and unmoors the soul completely into a droning miasma of deep space esoterica. 

Masahiro Takahashi - Flowering Tree, Distant Moon (Not Not Fun)
Masahiro Takahashi released an exceptional work of environmental ambiance and new age minimalism called Flowering Tree,Distant Moon on Not Not Fun, and the result is a peaceful paean to the works of legends such as Yoshi Ojimo, Inoyama Land, Hiroshi Yoshimura, and Yutaka Hirose. Wooden tines thud as seascape synth hazes fade into view, with a soft backing of hand drum and tambourine. Seasick motions of lullaby melody and angel voice swoosh beneath morphing chimes, with dramatic bursts of sunburst sound dropping into the mix. Music box melodies melt through bodies of choral shadow, crystalline sequences race through prismatic patterns of rainbow wonderment while gentle filter manipulations cause showers of ethereal sparkle, and glimmering tones of glass pool together into a slow motion berceuse helped along by marimba dreamscapes, with everything drifting through strangely comforting approximations of alien atmosphere. Broken bells clatter through lofi cloudforms while morphing pads mesmerize the mind behind a dance of echoing tones and blurring bodies of beauteous sound, and elsewhere, ecclesiastical organ and mallet meditations give way to plinking piano placidity, before returning to a landscape of smoldering slow motion church hymn overlaid by sorrowful theremin serenades, and by heavenly LFO manipulations. As for the B-side, sonar sequences lilt lazily beneath bodies of burning organ ambiance and dissonant dreamtones of woodwind and brass…the effect like pitched down post-rock…and cacophonous strands of chime and gong waver in breezes of morphing electronic mutation while primitive synthesizers cut the difference between liquid drip and abstracted bleep. Tapped metals resonate in cavernous temple spaces and progressively morph into rainfalls of reverberation and fluid fractal glitch while flutey pads and synthetic strings generate deep ocean environments…the soul floating unmoored through worlds of oceanic bliss and abstracted minimalism, with an effect not unlike Visible Cloaks. Mirages of feedback shimmer over gemstone synth plucks, soulful chords of deep house origin, and increasingly maddening layers of twinkling star sonics while later, kosmische clouds of Leslie speaker spiral through a spiritual abyss before dropping into cold expanses of scratch, scrape, and prayer bowl resonance, only then to rebirth into a meditative mist of vibraphone and acid tracer synth.

Iguana Moonlight - Jaguar (Not Not Fun)
Last year, Iguana Moonlight made a second appearance on Not Not Fun with the fourth world future grooves of Jaguar,which found Ilya Ryazantcev using synths, field recordings, and world rhythms to conjure mystifying tales centered on a shamanic shapeshifting and spiritual transformation. Squelching synths and finger popping hand drum cascades lead slow and low tribal flows through layers of birdsong, with all manner of rattle and scrape coloring the journey. Big bottomed basslines snake over bongos while mirage electronics flow in reverse before setting towards steel drum chord colorations…the whole thing like some sweat-soaked conga line moving through humid jungle growth. Lullaby chimes smear into sequences that ease the mind as perfumes from mysterious flowers induce psychedelic visions, with the body given motion by reverberated squarewave stabs and warbling bodies of liquid and mist…the effect like floating down some extra-terrestrial approximation of the Amazon, taking in visions and sounds at once familiar, yet completely strange. Tubular rave bass dances solo over layers of ringing idiophonics and whispered hand drum patterns while monkeys call through quivering layers of string synth…all before a gonzo breakdown into technoid sequencing and tripping webs of clustering synth lead madness…and later, in a mystifying stretch of ambient jam hypnosis, wavering wah wah melodics and burning waves of futuristic soul synth descend over a funk-infused bassline groove. Finally, at the end, amidst birdsong and water, minimalist sequences and emotional pulses of bass create a delirious dream drift while haunted howls and squiggles of synthesis blend into a feverish haze.

Coconut Dealers - Coconut Dealers (Not Not Fun)
Back in 2011, a mysterious oceanographer delivered a cache of environmental research recordings to sonic collagist and synthesist Konstantin Shkolniko, who then reconfigured the recordings into multi-faceted adventures of equatorial dream energy and islander fantasy…these immersive cascades of synthesizer, idiophone, nature sound, tribal rhythm, and hypnotic hiss that transport the spirit to faraway landscapes of saturated seaside nostalgia and ritualistic rainforest magic, with a vibe landing somewhere between Wave Temples and X.Y.R. Field recorded hiss surrounds idiophone cycles that seem to emanate from ancient forest temples…as if ghostly bodies are playing futuristic marimbas in surroundings of cracked stone and overgrown vine. Swimming bass synthetics underly balafon bounce and the mythical Papaya Waterfall generates clouds of spectral mist while haunted hazes hover in the distance; faint squawks from birds of paradise peak through layers of running water while vibraphones meditate in a state of peace…as if a warm sea wind is guiding the languid motions of windchimes, underneath which flows a glowing cloud of cosmic resonance; and tribal taps, tropical flutters, and technoid sub bass stoke evocations of exotica rhythm while seafoam squelch leads quiver over popping bubbles and phaser waves. Steel pan lullabies are sanded down into a bass heavy slow burn that guides the body through solar shimmers and wood flute mirages, and soundbath studies of deep ocean resonance swirl slowly beneath a canopy of crashing waves before giving over to mellotronic flute whispers and idiophonic sonar pings…the vibe like some indigenous-indebted expanse of sonic spirituality proceeding in a subaqueous environment. Cold woodblock and rimshot patters flow through corridors of galactic static while amorphous pads generate layers of soft headtrip psychedelia, and dub chords pan over primordial pools of bubbling liquid while buried jazz fusion textures of crystalline key and squarewave solo swoon join together in esoteric communion. Watery marimbas beat out textures of extra-terrestrial forest magic beneath layers of angel ambiance, new age dream drone, and avian song while bending tape manipulations disturb the drift. Pearlescent pads invoke visages of heaven over evolving structures of psychoactive birdsong while dripping crystal liquids occasionally descend, echoing flute melodies burn into obscuring resonance while pools of earthen mud slowly simmer beneath insect chirp and dopamine dream delays, and zany mallet motions gallop over smeared spells of alien jazz synth and the ever caressing atmospheres of singing birds, while once again, extreme artifacts of wow and flutter disturb the relaxing flow of equatorial energy. And as the first tape ends, mystical metals collide, clouds of distortion breath in the distance, and blurring bodies of psychotropic flute transform into obscuring gas while primitive laser electronics accent layers of rustle and scrape. Over on the second tape, finger popping drum melodies and floating steel pans warble and waver over lapping water and wave crash while salt-suffused pad breezes blow across the spectrum. Subtle reed flourishes give way to polyrhythmic hand drums patterns buried beneath shadow while ascending and descending chime strains smear into indistinction, oceanic mirages are built from deep house chord formations as tribal tongue drum sequences flit like butterflies, and frozen ska strokes land over seaside samples and spiritual dreamtone meditations. Quivering chords, tropical drums, and washing phaser wavefronts create an ambient dub dreamscape leaning towards the more vaporous and vacuous ends of the Chain Reaction catalog, music box melodics and lilting lullaby loops circle around each other in a delirium dance of slow motion wonderment, and flutey synths songs of Native American new age flutter over somnambulant synths and lofi layers of desert caravan percussion, which slowly transform into subaquatic bubble sequences. And in a surprise B-side climax, dreary storms of mist roll over crunching basslines and a postpunk drum throb, before everything fades back towards trippy tropical webs of serene steel pan, whalesong drone, and temple mallet resonance.   

Badge Époque Ensemble - Future, Past & Present (Telephone Explosion Records)
One of my absolute favorite discoveries over the last few years is Badge Époque Ensemble, and though there have been quite a few opportunities to write about the music of this most psychedelic of prog funk and soul jam collectives, I have regrettably never made that happen. So in this sense, last year’s release of Future, Past & Present on Telephone Explosion is something of a gift, as the album mostly focuses on instrumental edits and versions of every vocal cut appearing across the groups various albums—Badge Époque Ensemble, Nature, Man & Woman, andSelf Help—resulting in a sort of greatest hits compilation in miniature which allows for the opportunity to write about some of my favorite tracks from across the group’s short yet explosive career. The wah-smothered clavinets of the instrumental edit of “Undressed in Solitude” waver over layers of lazy river soul and acid-laced fairy funk, with further wah wah enhancements of fuzz guitar moving in prog rock syncopation with pot-soaked basslines, until fantasy flutes drop the track down into smoldering psychedelic slow jam replete with melancholic acid guitar heroics…the vibe somehow reminding me of Matador-era Dead Meadow. Then, in the instrumental edit of “Zealous Child,” bombastic prog progressions and sun-gazing slides drop into whispering spells of tapped cymbal, ghostly keys, and Sabbath bass…all before launching into anthemic explosions of crunching riffs, frogsong clavinet, swinging psych jazz drums, and soaring flute, which alternately cut towards tight expanses of Rhodes-led KPM breakbeat magic not unlike the Soundcarriers, or launch into completely insane stretches of dueling fuzz guitar and flute shred mayhem. The B-side is dedicated to instrumental versions of works from Self-Help, and after a zany prog introduction of glassy rhodes, schmaltzy sax, and tapped cymbal and snare, the instrumental take of “Sing a Silent Gospel” evolves into an immersive slow burn that—devoid of the vocals—takes on an enhanced feel of pastoral psychedelia—though there are all sorts of playful progressions and alien transitions into landscapes of syncopated Zappa-meets-Crimson weirdness, as well as flights into worlds of raining guitar and woodwind romance, and towards sky-searching expanses of 60s flower power rhythm, melting AOR guitar, and looping soul horn skronk. “Unity (It’s Up to You)” comes to live on low slung city funk breakbeat groove, as thumping basslines and layers of summery soul keyboard crunch support polychrome flute panoramas and jaw-dropping slow wah guitar climbs, with the flow progressively disturbed by angular prog transitions and a smokey passages of prismatic keyboard pulsation, over which dueling flutes and wailing wah guitars drip down fluids of flowery psychedelic soul. “Just Space for Light” pits purring AOR flutes over bongo beats and Americana Rhodes meditations, with a soft sunset drumbeat and sliding fretless bass romantics evoking lazy beachside days, though of course, there are drug-laced transitions into lofi funk tropicalia and desert jam exotica, as flutes introduce popping broken beat and hand drum grooves overlaid by distorted e-piano riffs and mutant bass…the whole thing setting the stage for snake charmer guitar solos, with the track eventually flitting back and forth between myriad moods of cinematic epicness, horizon-gazing soft rock, and blasted islander funk. And as an extra special treat, the album contains a new track in “Future, Past & Present”—a sort of spiritual sequel to my all-time favorite BÉE jam in “Nature, Man & Woman” built from forgotten stems and repurposed cutting room floor ephemera. Here, bongos beat beneath droning winds of delirium flute before dropping way down into soulful midnight prog funk, with langurous and liquid bass grooves guiding a “He Loved Him Madly”-style stoner drum jam, over which horns flow between baroque 60s pop and summery 70s soul, before trading off with a dripping sunset panorama of Floydian slide guitar.

Badge Epoch - Scroll (Telephone Explosion Records)
Later in the year, Scroll was released…a 90 minute headtrip haze of Badge Époque Ensemble-related oddities which saw Max Turnbull handing over years worth of sketches and musical journaling to Andrew Zuckerman, who then further fractured the sounds into ever freakier forms, while adding all manner of subliminal samples and strange synthesizer soundscapes to the madcap tapestry. Primitive string synths lock into a pitch-shifting delirium dance of pompous prog, which is suffused through by hand drums, laser fire, and liquid e-piano meditations, before dropping into a wild and woolly psych funk soul jam, wherein wah wah keys and saxophone screams soar over greasy basslines and broken beat drum heat…with the band working back and forth through stoner stomps and a marauding blaxploitation strut. Funk keys flow over mosquito buzz, sickly drones drift aside Buchla bleep, and proto-technoid rhythms race beneath mutating sub bass and layers of anthemic orchestral sorcery before everything devolves into an unidentifiable slop of radiophonic musique concrete. Cycling fuzz clavinets lead a power trio rhythm storm while elven flutes dart and dash. Abstracted collage cut-ups are built from all manner of glitch, sample, and synth, and quiet stretches of experimentation birth drunken big band shrieks before tight rhythms and thumping basslines lead to a stretch of flowery folk and filmic funk, one where bewitching keyboard harmonizations borrowed from Italo cinema give way to stretches of saxophonic exotica. Malfunctioning broadcast electronics mutate alongside crashes of clang and scrape while muted beats lurch through potsmoke, and gonzo drum fills alternately bash in tribal jazz ecstasy while glorious chordstrokes ride layers of buzzing frog drone through baroque key changes and insectoid squelch—or elsewhere smash and crash in ascendent patterns while pianos and overdubbed reeds climb towards a shining sky. Wah wahs ride triumphantly through clouds of horror film chaos, and textures of Laurel Canyon Americana and Middle Eastern desert exotica transition smoothly into a balearic beach sway, as popping rhythms and heavenly vibe cascades underly walking basslines and shimmering surf guitars…all before a climax of dueling fuzz fireworks, and an outro of forest flute fantasy. The C-side opens with the golden jangles of a Zeppelin-esque acid folk flow, which is eventually futurized by lullaby incantations from vocoded robots before dropping down into a strutting groove of Sabbath-ian stoner rock and Funkadelic mutant jamming…as lysergic drones filter and scream over a liquid lizard rhythm lurch, and as drug-blasted guitar solos rip open the sky…the overall effect hitting similar to The Heads. Garbled distortion clusters pan back and forth over burning filter drones and alien insect chitter while new age echo percolations and blankets of Bitchin Bajas-style flute minimalism contrast the darkness, and floating chords and flourishes jazz bass support dramatic detours into landscapes phaser flute romance, which then transition towards smokey spells of noir-soaked wah wah. Heavenly hymns are ring modulated into a DMT lullaby lofi jams of squelching synth bass, blasted drum, and evaporating string synth score scenes of sunset sexuality as sensual solos scream overhead; and elsewhere, seemingly every single instrument is buried under fuzz as breakbeats pop and crack through filmic melodic themes and dueling leads awash in vibes of flower power psych pop sunshine. Classical chamber music beams in from some unknown dimension, the voices of children are manipulated alongside other samples into disturbing stretches of avant-garde abstraction, prepared pianos decay over delirium drones, and a walk through the forest is accompanied by harp plucks and singing squelch synths before whooshing static winds, snaketail shakers, and broken brass synths clear the scene. And to close, wavering liquid warbles obscure flute meditations before revealing themselves as a looping guitar elegy, which fades in and out of focus until buzzing pitch bends, aqueous glitches, and reversing loops generate a sinister synth bass and techno drum ceremonial.

Various Artists - Snippets Music presents Infinite State (Snippets Music)
I first came to Snippets Music and their compilations Perfect Trail andUndermind through the work of one of my favorite modern artists Bliss Inc., and since that fruitful discovery, the label has continued to blow me away by releasing two further volumes of rave sorcery pulled from the undergrounds of Russia and Europe. The first is Infinite State, which features a spellbinding display of trance, electro, breakbeat, acid, jungle, and progressive house… with almost everything sourced from artists I have never heard of, save for those artists who have now appeared across multiple Snippets tapes (such as Low Tape, Mounty, Marco Lazovic, Ksky, and Komartsov). The quality is uniformly excellent across the entire tape, but here I’ll just briefly mention a few personal highlights, foremost of which is Ellipse’s “1101,” a track that rides in on one of the most infectious breakbeats of the year—a simplistic yet deeply catchy pattern of kick, shaker, and snare—which grooves in support of acidic bass funk, swirling ethereal atmospheres, IDM dream textures, and a psychedelic sonar hook…resulting in a minimalistic bomb of gliding rave rhythmics and euphoria-soaked anthemics. As well, Tifra conjures deeper than deep prog on "Existentialism,” with a charging and bongo-accented beat banging the body alongside jacking sub basslines, psychotropic click cascades, and vintage squiggles of alien acid, over which flow liquid chord bursts, lysergic sibilance snippets, telephonic tracer melodies, and smearing loops of dark choral drone. As for some B-side highlights, DJ Lifegoals delivers IDM and Rephlex-esque revivalism with “Blue”, wherein futuristic breakbeat panoramas bash energetically beneath heavenly diva hazes, extra-terrestrial space sonics, and nostalgic chord patterns afloat in a calming dub dreamworld…with shards of sound periodically splattering into spectral glitch that threatens to obscure the mix. Elsewhere, on “Jump2This”, Futurereality combines big bottomed breaks, soundsystem sub bass, and layers of soul affirming synthesis into a melancholic flow of boom bap bliss, over which the artist layers junglist snare flourishes and hip hop vocal samples. And in “Feel Flight” by BRTS, immersive jungle rhythms, mutant subsonics, and distorted lines of psychoactive acid are layered into a jaw-dropping jam of breakbeat physicality and deep bass pressure, while up in the sky, LFO lasers fire across ecstasy-laced soul vocal samples and reversing deephouse chordscapes.

Various Artists - Snippets Music presents Reflection Lines (Snippets Music)
Later in the year, Snippets released Reflection Lines, which continued exploring the same sonic spheres as previous tapes, while also finding the label expanding its roster to include ever new and exciting talents. “Trancia” by Cosmic G & Laars lets breathing cosmic winds, extra-terrestrial acid tracers, alien ocean synth leads, and echoing dub chords surround banging bass stabs and an irresistible tabla-led breakbeat…with the track growing progressively more euphoric as it progresses…like some breakdance dream rave proceeding on the surface of an interstellar sea. Neporyadok’s “Jewel Box”—on the other hand—is a loved up prog house bomber imbued with futuristic textures from the Artificial Intelligence school, one that starts its life in braindance territory, then sees energized trance beats support melting UFO sonics, skittering chord patterns, squelching space liquids, and ascendent patterns of percussive tropicalia before climaxing towards sliding acid vocalizations and ambient expanses of insectoid breakbeat funk. Corbi concocts a sleazy slab of UR-indebted electro, which swings through a cosmos of percolating shadow sonics, mystifying blips melodics, sickly pad swells, old skool techno textures, and hip hop vocal hooks, and Ellipse delivers another pitch-perfect track of ambient breakbeat ecstasy that sees Lone-esque drum patterns ever-shifting and energetically evolving beneath birdsong, galactic filter sequences, and smooth lines of subsonic space funk. Komartsov’s "Shimmer Lights” starts its life in worlds of emotional garage physicality, but at certain moments, the skipping beats, pounding basslines, and disco-indebted synth chord structures transition towards ultra deep trance and techno mesmerism, with glowstick tracer patterns and whooshes of starscape magic dazzling the mind over a heads down and hands up body beat and acid bass stomp. And in Enfant’s “Frisson” a four-to-the-floor meets breakbeat groove hits with profound force as basslines bounce beneath melancholic cascades of balearic ambiance built from ethereal angel pads and islander marimba flourishes.

Bufiman / DALO / Philipp Otterbach - WAR1201 (WARNING)
2021 was a huge year for the label side of WARNING, and most notably, the Berlin-based rave collective made the jump from 7” to 12” with the release of WAR1201. The A-side is given over to Bufiman, who here is in peak form, as he delivers an absurdly imaginative and characteristically massive breakbeat energy groove. Kinetic drum patterns cut up the air while massive lines of booty-banging squelch bass guide alien vocal filtrations, and as things progress—with layer after layer of accenting percussion joining the broken beat funk jam alongside increasing textures of 90s rave—gentle cosmic sequences flutter through the clouds while melting currents of cinematic sound periodically rain down…the whole experience hitting like a transcendent climb towards heights unknown, and a total bodily surrender to an ecstatic trip of evolving rhythmic psychedelia. The flipside from DALO touches on the WARNING label’s love of bass-heavy and basement oriented electro, as pitched-down breakdance beats and growling layers of mutant sub-bass lead a triptastic glide through cosmic shadowlands, one overlaid by ghostly howls, mysterious voices, spine-tingling diva cut-ups, and a completely mindbending acid line climax. And as an extra special treat, Philipp Otterbach is here remixing DALO’s work…his take a low-slung freak jam of panning horror pads, blasted trap rhythms, mad scientist sample manipulations, and broken acid bass the periodically devolves in terrifying abstraction.

Phaser Boys / Chaos Milieu / DJ-Ungel feat. Jofr / Zonza Grind - WAR1202 (WARNING)
WARNING later released a second various artists 12” in 2021, and the vibe on WAR1202 pushes closer to the heyday of 90s rave, with sounds sourced from new artists, as well as from some of my absolute favorite practitioners of trippy dancefloor psychedelia. We start with the Phaser Boys, who set tubular filter basslines to a low slung hip hop pulse, which eventually transitions into a deeply sorcerous break, and then again into a chugging four-four acid stomp…the result a jacked out prog house slow jam overlaid by anthemic chord hooks, tambo-kissed broken beats, and melting layers of galactic pad magic. Next comes Chaos Milieu, who storms straight into the heart of dark acid dream magic, wherein cosmic lasers, liquid 303 manipulations, and slow Goan sequences slither over a big bottomed trance beat, one that is periodically interrupted by breakbeat cut-ups and hair-raising soul diva snippets. Sun Lounge mega-favorite DJ-Ungel begins the B-side in collaboration with Jofr, as a charging trance beat and a gurgling alien acid line sit beneath cracking snares and morphing vocal tracers…the energy only escalating from there…with futurist cascades of lysergic vocalization soaring over jacking siren synths and warehouse chord evocations as drums work between energized four to the floor groove, ambient void, and Florida coastal breakbeat funk…the vibe slightly unsettled and anxious as the track continuously rebirths into ever new forms. Then to close, Zonza Grind enchants the mind with a psychotropic array of cymbal, snare, and rimshot patterns while sinister acid line layers growl through galactic grease over a manic four four kick…resulting in a body banging expanse of physical trance minimalism that is given further motion by shadowspells of Middle Eastern melody. 

Leo Almunia - Minor Circle (Claremont 56)
I have only gotten to write about the music of Leonardo Ceccanti on a few occasions, and so it is with great pleasure that I present a writeup focused on his breathtaking solo debut Minor Circle, which finds the producer and solar guitar songsmith crafting an immersive aural journey that capitalizes on many of the shades and styles has been exploring over the last few years, both in his solo work, and with Gianluca Salvadori in Almunia. Rainfall and echo haze open while solo blues shred floats freely over chiming strands, and as folksy acoustic guitars shuffle into view, the whole thing morphs towards drumless disco ambiance, as fat bottomed basslines stomp beneath layered riffscapes and burning blasts of fuzz guitar heroism. Glimmering acoustic riffs waft wistfully over echoing filter sequences, slide guitars melt into a panorama of sunset coloration, and softened swaths of static filter back and forth while hand percussions and laid back trap kit accents give further shape to a paradise of pastoral groove, one where slanky southern rock basslines strut and slide while blazing blues solos rip across a cloud-speckled sky. Galactic sequences and starscape arps drop down into a slow and low disco dream dance, while serpentine guitar licks and cascading riffs add flecks of folk-infused wonderment and layers of lysergic sunshine, with the track made all the more magical by pitch-perfect transitions of Floydian feel…these epic riffs ringing out across the heavens that then give way to smokey syncopations and blasted distortion solos awash in classic rock bombast. Desert-drenched psych riffs move over a swooning exotica sway recalling expansive head trips from the likes of America and The Doors while heady lines of slippery bass funk background one of the coolest guitar solos I have ever heard… a grease smothered expanse of sleazy sensuality, sliding sexually and grinding down and dirty into clouds of refractive harmony…all before the track climaxes with sleepy-eyed psych solos and acid trip vocal hazes flowing through Leslie-speaker liquids. Kosmische colors unfurl through metronymic echo cycles and curlicues of interstellar blues, with vibes of Gottsching and Gilmore intermingling…the former’s cosmic guitar romantics eventually transitioning toward the Wall-esque space disco dreamscapes of the latter, as grooving futurist basslines, booty banging dance beats, and chill-inducing acoustic jangles support a jaw dropping display of cosmic blues mesmerism…the kind of guitar work the reaffirms everything magical about the instrument. Further sections of soft disco drum throb merge with vibes of porch jam blues while underlying dazzling passages of prismatic flower power riffing and acid folk web weaving, with ever evolving layers of acoustic fantasy guiding the spirit towards a climactic solo that lands like liquid light. Lone guitar sundowners are built from rapid folk fingerpicking and melting layers of space age blues, and feathery Italo bass pulsations chug in support of a sunny disco drums and double time hat shuffles in a glorious merging of Italo beach dance and spiritual Americana, replete with alien expanses of cinematic experimentation and a characteristic climax of soul-affirming guitar solo transcendence. Sleepy chords ride soothing echo waves in a soundbath of starlight, and emotive acoustic guitar colorations circle around a developing rhythm…a rustling and rustic jazz drum panorama from Andrea Pelosini that supports stargazing solo descents, Afro-folk dream textures, and palm-muting echo percolations. And in a heartbreaking ode to distance and loss, spiritual synthesizers background solar swells and sparkling chime strands while twilit solos and acoustic guitar riffs birth a breathtaking outro of balearic psychedelia…with Floydian evocations appearing again as swooning strings and funk-infused prog folk grooves support guitar solos of horizon-gazing serenity.

Under Allt - Mellanrum (Under Allt)
Continuing on with another master of seaside guitar, I’d next like to discuss Dan Lissvik’s new project Under Allt—a collaboration with Henric Claesson that continues developing and expanding the textures of of sunkissed disco and balearic euphoria he has been exploring in projects such as Studio and Atelje. Mellanrum opens with a slight samba beat sway while lackadaisical licks paint the air in sunset hues…the serpentine guitar patterns threading around each other over chunky bass warmth, and backings of mediterranean reed, cosmic synth, and tropical idiophone before everything reduces to a passage of interstellar and lofi prog rock dream drama. Spaghetti western leads ring out over desert exotica beats, jangling acoustics, and thumping bass while ascendent themes of shadowspell wonderment work over liquid funk riffs and alien layers of organ psychedelia, and in one of the most spectacular slices of balearic beat ecstasy all year, polyrhythmic webs of palm-muting echo percolations weave pacifying layers of White Island magic atop a syncopated sunset disco drum, bass, and shaker dance, while solar leads squiggle, slide, and shimmer in the light of a setting sun…the whole track evincing vibes of daydream nostalgia, and inducing remembrances of some island paradise now lost to time. Beatless stretches of beachside bliss open the B-side, as synths sing soft hymns of light and love beneath crystalline guitar romantics and a deep bassline sway, with the something about the track inducing dopamine dreams of 50s surf pop, only given that slow and hypnagogic Twin Peaks feel. Mysterious jams awash in South American psychedelia groove into the mystical night, with shaker led tropicalia breaks bopping slow and low aside big bottomed dubfunk basslines, heady wah wah wavers, and intertwining and ever-evolving layers of acid folk acoustic and electric guitar sun sorcery, with the track at some point backing down into a hypnotizing midtro stretch of bassline, acoustic riff, handclap, and liquid synth. Finally, at the end, sighing squelch synths, Hawaiian slide guitars, and evocative riff progressions sit over filtering breakbeats awash in vibes of slow funk and beachside dub, while throbbing basslines background an increasingly moving panorama of effected guitar and whispered synth majesty…the effect like gazing across placid wave crashes and sparkling sands at an immersive sundown ceremony.

Chari Chari - Luna de Lobos EP (Seeds and Ground)
After successfully relaunching his long dormant Chari Chari project in 2020 with the release of We Hear the Last Decades Dreaming, Kaoru Inoue spent much of 2021 releasing vinyl EPs centered on remixes, alternate versions, and bonus tracks related to the album, beginning with the Luna de Lobos EP. Kuniyuki’s version of the titular track begins in an angelic paradise of new age haze, ringing resonance, and delaying click as an intro of string symphonics, sparkling sonics, and glass-toned keys floats over developing rhythms of shaker and electronic jazz drum, which eventually join together with tribal toms to anchor a swooning sunset meditation built around cinematic chord progressions and golden glimmers of tremolo string…the polyrhythmic trapkit circulations and cascades of tapped metal growing in ritualistic magnificence and pounding intensity as trumpets soar over an ever-ascending climax of classical post-rock majesty. Next Inoue presents his own “Winter Solstice Version” of the track, which serves as a welcome come down from the awe-inspiring power of Kuniyuki’s version. Here psych folk acoustics weave webs of cinematic romance over tropical dub basslines, cabana jazz percussions, and melting layers of sunset string orchestration, with everything building towards an ocean-gazing climax of Methany magic wherein liquid synthesizer starscapes decay towards a cosmic horizon. Inoue presents a further version—his “Prophet’s Harmonic Drone Mix”—which sets fairytale acoustics over snaketail shakers, scattered hand drums, and arrays of shimmering bell, while aqueous swells arc over sonar pings, mermaid organs, and kinetic textures of underwater psychedelia…as if Sth. Notional’s “Yawn Yawn Yawn” has been given a deeply tripped out acid folk interpretation, and with a vibe akin to the collaborations of Pablo Color and Chee Shimizu. At the end of the EP sits “Luna de Ritmos”…a shadowy of expanse of skeletal house rhythms, wah wah whispers, echo guitar percolations, and drunken progressions of futuristic brass synth, which grows ever more ebullient and jacking over its length…the result a patient ceremony of temple groove and interstellar atmosphere that pulls the body ever towards the dancefloor.

Chari Chari - Tokyo Modernology (Seeds and Ground)
The second extended player of reconfigured ephemera from Chari Chari’s We Hear the Last Decades Dreaming is entitled Tokyo Modernology, and finds Mamazu and longtime Kaoru Inoue collaborator Chida remixing tracks from the album, alongside a few works from Inoue himself. Singing birds open Inoue’s “Vintage Drum Club Mix “ of “In Exotic Haze,” as polyrhythmic panoramas of deep house organ and synthetic marimba weave around each other over popping bebop snare accents and acid jazz kick patterns, with subsonic exotica basslines helping transition the track towards a hedonistic journey of humid rainforest groove…inclu