Deku- Beginner's luck

        A gorgeous new album of soothing, ambient downtempo beats blended with an array of organic instruments such as acoustic guitars, harps, xylophones, etc.-to make up one of the best relaxing albums of the year. Hearing this EP by Deku is like watching the waves slowly washing ashore or discovering a fresh green meadow tucked away in the woods. It sounds corny I know, but if you give Beginner's luck a listen, you'll know where I'm coming from.
        A breath of fresh air and a relief after listening to so much heavily processed glitch music as of late. A welcome change of pace and will become essential listening for my journeys into Prospect Park.


 

Nosmo King- Start with the chords then bring the rest

     Nosmo King transmitting live from mars... some vintage lo-fi synth sounds create a groggy swirl of subdued hip hop beats and spaced-out, but swaggering funk.  Perfect for early morning sleep deprivation and dreaming of other planets. Start with the chords...  is an easy-going ode to fat sythesisor sound and tripped-out beat making at its finest.

WaMoo Papez- We Float

      Gifted New York Producer offers us a round of subtle  but experimental glitch music with delicate melodies buried in the mix and stuttering rhythms propelling music into touching and emotive fabric of sound. A difficult style to pin down, WaMoo papez' sound touches on a light, but hectic hip-hop and electronic sound, with the hazy ethereal sample chopping of Gold Panda and Four tet. (That's actually how I found out about this guy- a link posted on Four tet's Last.fm page) Familiar styles but totally unique and original approach- A sound you can't quite place or put your finger on. Listen to Elise, with it's meloncholy vocal sample and sense of longing,  the almost anthematic title track, or the sublime nod to my home state, Detroit Piston. with all the varied moods, buried                instrumentation, and stuttered ambiance, (if that makes any sense.) We Float is unmissable.

Faust Ghoul- Brainforest

      An Album of experimental, lo-fi, ambient breakbeats and idm electronica with murky, mysterious undertones. Step into Brain Forest, a dark and out-of-focus creation by Boston/NYC musician Faust Ghoul- a collision of the acoustic and industrial to make an album that is both understated and psychedelic, with strange washes of melody and blurring atmosphere. A walk off the beaten path into uncharted territory that can captivate and confuse.






 

Astrobear- Polar Eclipse

       Brooding but delicate, spectral sounds floating in zero gravity- like some lost abandoned spacecraft, or a forgotten beacon home. The hushed ebbing of moody electronics and understated break beats like sonar pulses create a pondering and wondering look into the future ahead. Some of the later tracks on Polar Eclipse break this mold;  generating out-of-place electro house raves such as Eclipsed, but with songs like Let's not hate each other anymore and Antigua's antique elixir, you should give Astrobear a listen. 

Balmy- The Center of

       Ambling, tranquil, space-age hip-hop with a murky psychedelic pulse. Like a bio-dome in another galaxy, The Center of harnesses a breathy, out-of-this world haze and sets it in slow-motion to music. You can practically visualize the rainbow colored mushrooms sprouting from fallen logs and a supernova above in the sky- Shimmering beats made for other planets.






 

Nice Icles- ShiverBurn

        Soothing, Aquatic Dubstep tunes From Nice Icles- an artist from the insanely fresh record label Dagobot. Whether he's using the clattering found-sound drum pulses of Burial and other UK-styled producers, or just laying down  heavy, prolonged synth chords to slowly loom over the track and provide a dense texture- Shiverburn is heading in an exciting direction in bass music; a relaxed but brooding collection of glitchy dub tunes to ponder over instead of just trying to melt your face. Check it out below..

Grillo- Mean Green

      A bouncy Glitch-hop album with a Breezy Bossa Nova Influence. Created in a Series of Chip-tune Beat Tapes Themed around various Street Fighter Characters, this time Grillo releases Mean Green- beats made to reflect the tribal beast-man Blanka. Video game themes and the music of Brazil combine into something playful and tropical while the bass-heavy glitch bumps like nobody's business.
        Other Installments of this Street Fighter series include E. Honda and Ken if you want more hard-hitting Sounds from the Video-game world.

Mad Cube- Retrospection

     Laid-back and moody. It's time for Retrospection, a great tour EP and introduction to the musical world of Mad Cube. Murky and Subdued. This is a compelling listen of Instrumental Hip Hop and Glitch fed through an nostalgic, and slightly hazy filter. When the time comes that you need to slow down and reevaluate your lot in the world,  put this on and maybe some revelations will come to you.
      Mad Cube released another EP earlier this month- titled LordoPorco- that has a much glitchier and more experimental vibe. A bit more intense listen- showing the contrast and  duality of Mad Cube's production. I'm hungry for more from this guy, but there is little to find on him. Showing me the frustrations (and wonders) of finding music on the Internet.

 

Subaqeous- Emerald drops

         An EP composed of meditative techno and house elements with a thick wobbly undercurrent; ideal for prowling the city blocks and absorbing the surroundings. According to his description, Subaqueous created  Emerald drops to reflect the sights and sounds of walking around in downtown Seattle and it shows- Equal parts delicate  melodic flourishes and chaotic low end to reflect the nature and machinery of city living.
       The northwest is rapidly creating a fresh and terranean dub-step scene that's not quite like anything else out there. It's about time we take notice.



 

Thomas William- Deccan Technicolor

       A Very dense and jarring approach to Glitch Music, Thomas William threads layers and entangled Shards of sound that pull you inside, and have you try to unravel the complexity that is Deccan Technicolor.
       A lot of best albums I've heard create their own personal world to inhabit, and this album is a prime example. Not sounding like hardly any other music out there, but has reoccurring themes throughout to hold your attention and fascinate an adventurous electronic fan looking for something creative and abstract. Give this a listen if you're looking for an album to unlock and trap yourself inside. download below..


 

Thriftworks- Rainmaker

     I really should have posted this sooner... Eerie Dub step from Berkelian Producer Jay Atlas A.K.A. Thriftworks. He's a true master of his sound- slow, smokey dub with bone-rattling wobbles and dark, other-worldly vocals collide with delicate world instruments, to end up with a sound that evokes the feeling of some shaman summoning apparitions into his night-ritual.
     Rainmaker is the soundtrack to the dark and unknown, conjured in the Haunted Forest of the psyche.
       Download for free on the Bandcamp Player below. Check out his other albums too- Massive stuff.

Havelok Grim- Hoof years

   Wicked Instrumental Hip Hop with an experimental edge. A compelling album/ EP by UK Beatmaker Havelok Grim- is where you should turn to if you like your Electronic Music warped, claustrophobic, and frazzled. Fans who can't get enough of abstract producers like Daedelus and Flying Lotus, or just craving some sonic variety, should defientely give this album a listen. It may take a couple tries to grasp- with the confusing interludes and scatter-shot song structures- but once you lock in, the Hoof Years turns into a pretty fascinating listening experience that you can discover something new on with each listen. DL for free Below or on Bandcamp.