I really wasn’t sure that this January write up was going to happen. Between a very slow January music wise, the new job I started and the fact my end of year write ups broke me made this whole thing pretty unlikely. Then on the 28th I came across some amazing music and that was all I needed to get started again. So here we go. 3 EPs from January and one great album that I missed in December…
ANNA
Journey to the Underworld
ANNA has been making quite a name for herself in techno circles with some cracking singles and great remix work for people like Jon Hopkins and Orbital. Here she’s bringing a more melodic sound to her techno.
The title track is tough, driving techno. It has a low key feeling but ANNA’s secret weapon is some lovely synths to lighten the tone. Track two, Surender, darkens things with a slightly claustrophobic feel. It’s a perfect mood setter and would be great for starting to lift a set into higher gear during a club night.
This is a fantastic single to start off the year with.
Jacques Greene
Fantasy
I’m always in two minds about Jacques Greene. He’s always had killer tracks but I find his sound gets very samey over a long time. Happily that isn’t something I have a problem with here, Fantasy leans more on the House side of this production style. That’s not to say that his Post Dubstep sound isn’t here, there’s pitched up vocals and huge subs, but this feels like there is more flow to the tracks, everything feels easier than his previous releases.
There’s something about the first track, Taurus, that puts me in the same mood as Halcyon by Orbital, which is high praise. The last track, Leave Here, is more what I’d expect from Greene but this is just a lovely piece of music that just has that warm bass fuzz that feels like sunlight on my face.
This is a perfect 5 track EP, no clunkers, just a fantastic collection of beautiful music.
Long Island Sounds
First Contact
I can’t really find much about there apart from the Bio on their Bandcamp that simply reads “2 boys from Dublin!” Fair enough lads, we’ll let the music do the talking then.
I’ll get straight to the point, this EP is a delight.
The opener, First Contact, brings us into the EP gently, with more than a little Bicep flavor to the track. Things toughen up with track two, Memory, a much harder club focused number, but it’s the title track, Aurora, where the EP comes into its own. It’s a beautiful track that just pours sunlight out of your speakers, the Lisa Gerrard-esque vocal floats on the warm bass and just helps dissipate the winter dark.
To be honest, this EP isn’t going to win any awards for originality but it is a fantastic piece of music that is already sitting in my EP of the year folder.
Sansibar
Sans Musique
I’ve spent most of my life kicking against nostalgia. To me it’s the death of creativity and always seemed to hold on to some idea that things were better in some nebulous “back then” so imagine how much I’m eating my words with the current 90’s dance revival going on at the moment. I’m embarrassed to say it but I love it so much. There’s a life being pumped into the music, adding modern techniques to sounds that are pretty much part of my DNA.
That’s a lot of talk to introduce Sansibar. This album is just catnip to me. The opening two tracks are dark and downbeat techno, with track two, Force of Equilibrium, giving me an Underworld vibe that I love. The mood changes and lifts on NRJ and the breakbeats rattle in and the album starts to breathe.
How much do I love this album? There’s a track called Teal’c and if that isn’t a way into this geek’s heart nothing is.
The back end of the album gently brings you down as things chill out. Aurora Eclipse is a warm chill out track that reminds me of Enigma of all acts! Luckily we’re spared the chanting but even if I was a bit wrong stepped by the song, once I got used to it it has become a favorite.
It’s a pity I missed this when it came out in December, but it’s never too late for great music.
The ways of exile 