First Floor #220 – Pass the Mic
a.k.a. The struggle to broaden our media diets, plus a round-up of the latest electronic music news and a fresh crop of new track recommendations.
I started listening to a new podcast this week. It’s called Pizá i Fontanals, and it’s right up my alley. Hosted by two guys in Barcelona, both of them veterans of the city’s electronic music scene, it’s a thoughtful (albeit occasionally fiesty) examination of the current state of the culture and music industry. In truth, it’s not terribly far off from the chats Tom Lea and Chal Ravens are having on their highly enjoyable No Tags podcast—which I’m seemingly incapable of not mentioning nearly every week here in the newsletter—in the sense that hosts Frankie Pizá and Albert Fontanals are turning the mics on and having the kinds of discussions that many of us music professionals (and semi-professionals) have with our friends and colleagues behind the scenes. It’s not always polished, and they do occasionally veer off into tangents and rants, but that’s part of the fun; it’s also what makes their discussions feel real, because listening to Pizá i Fontanals is akin to hanging out with some smart, funny and mildly embittered friends as they go back and forth and try to make sense of what the hell is going on with music these days.
Here’s the thing though: Pizá i Fontanals is done in Spanish, and that’s obviously a disqualifying factor for most people, including many people who read this newsletter.
(If you do understand Spanish, and are curious to take a listen, the show is available on Spotify and also via a Spanish-language podcast platform called iVoox. I’m told they’re also going to start uploading to Apple Podcasts soon.)
I get it. Not everyone is bilingual, and English, for better or worse, has essentially become the music world’s common tongue. More than anything, it’s a matter of efficiency and capital; the biggest music markets in the world speak English, which makes learning the language more or less a requirement for anyone who wants to take part—or even just follow along at home. And when it comes to more niche genres, or pretty much anything that’s not mainstream pop, it’s already extremely difficult for English-language publications, podcasts, etc. to stay afloat. How are outlets operating in other languages supposed to compete, especially when a sizable percentage of their audiences—which, particularly when it comes to independent music, often tend to come from more privileged classes—probably already have some understanding of English as a second language?
Barring some realignment of global power, this situation is unlikely to change anytime soon. Still, it’s frustrating that electronic music culture, which at this point is a truly global concern, continues to be so thoroughly dominated by English—and voices from the UK in particular. Looking at the major electronic music publications, it’s completely normal to see news stories about what’s happening in places like Manchester and Newcastle, while scenes in Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Milan, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Tokyo and pretty much any major city where English isn’t the predominant language receive only cursory coverage. (Berlin is the obvious exception here, but let’s be real—most of the voices there that gain traction are speaking English, even if they belong to non-native speakers.)
Will listening to Pizá i Fontanals change that? Probably not, but on a personal level, I have to say that it’s really refreshing to hear intelligent people talking about electronic music who not only aren’t speaking English, but aren’t from the UK or US either. Having more perspectives contributing to the cultural stew that we call “the discourse” is a good thing, and I definitely need to be more proactive about seeking them out.
And on that note… let’s get into today’s First Floor digest, which of course was written entirely by me, an American who does the vast majority of his work in English. (Hey, I never said I wasn’t part of the problem.) As usual, I’ve rounded up news items, new release announcements and interesting articles I’ve come across in recent days, and for in search of new music, I’ve put together a bunch of new track recommendations, all of them from releases that surfaced during the past week. And just to sweeten the pot, I’ve also convinced Refuge Worldwide co-founder Richard Akingbehin to drop by with a guest recommendation of his own.
Let’s get started.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Every Tuesday, First Floor publishes a long-form piece that’s usually made available to paid newsletter subscribers only. The latest one, however, was (and still is) open to everyone, as it pointed listeners towards the Second Floor column I’ve been writing for Nina during the past six months. If you haven’t had a chance to read the column before, it’s specifically focused on music (as opposed to the examinations of the culture / industry I tend to do here in the newsletter), and past editions have taken deep dives into trip-hop, minimal, progressive and more.
REAL QUICK
A round-up of the last week’s most interesting electronic music news, plus links to interviews, articles and other things I think are worth sharing.
Actress released the LXXXVIII LP last November, and he has another full-length, Statik, dropping next week on Smalltown Supersound. Well, it seems that the veteran UK producer either has tons of music in his archives, or is in the midst of an intensely prolific streak, because his new Resident Advisor podcast, which was published earlier this week, is made up entirely of his own, previously unreleased material.
Considering the rising global popularity and influence of South African dance music, it’s been encouraging to see it receiving more thoughtful coverage in the press as of late. This week The Face tapped South African writer Shiba Melissa Mazaza to put together an extended primer on her country’s various dance music styles, which should prove extremely valuable for anyone still trying to get a handle on the differences between gqom, amapiano, bacardi, Afro-house, Afro-tech, deep house and more. (She also lists key pioneers and a sampling of anthems for each genre.) Meanwhile, over at Mixmag, writer Jake Colvin, who also makes music as NKC, kicked off a new three-part series diving deep into amapiano’s second wave. His first feature specifically focuses on the music’s roots and its ties to kwaito, while also highlighting the contributions of South African artists who have so far been largely left out of the wider amapiano narrative.
One thing Bandcamp Daily does quite well is profile important / influential labels within relatively niche music scenes, and during the past week, the site has actually published two such pieces. The first, by Josh Feola, looks at SVBKVLT, chronicling the label’s beginnings in the Shanghai club scene and its gradual pivot toward a more global approach. The second piece documents the trajectory of Mannequin Records, with writer Elle Carroll speaking to founder Alessandro Adriani about his long-running devotion to Italian post-punk, cold wave, industrial and minimal synth, both new and old.
Regal86 takes the word “prolific” to a whole new level—he literally kicked off 2024 by dropping a Bandcamp release with 100 tracks on it—and the genre-hopping artist talks about both his history and his prodigious work rate in a new DJ Mag feature by Michael McKinney. Part of the publication’s Recognise series, it also includes a new DJ mix by the Mexican producer.
Bronski Beat’s timeless “Smalltown Boy” was first released 40 years ago this week, and DJ Mag commissioned Bailey Slater to assemble an article detailing how the synth-pop classic and queer anthem came together, and what happened once it was out in the world. The feature also includes thoughts from Call Super, Oliver Sim (of The xx) and Gideön, who discuss what the song has meant to them and their own work.
Teen Daze is better known for his music than his writing, but the Vancouver artist penned an entertaining piece for Nina about the idea of “smooth” music, outlining the ways it’s manifested over the years in a variety of different genres.
Suzanne Ciani has been interviewed more times than I can count during the past decade or so—I myself profiled her for Resident Advisor back in 2018—but given her wealth of experience and breadth of knowledge, I’m still always happy to read what she has to say. This week Ciani popped up in RA again, this time with writer Chloe Lula as part of the site’s The Art of Production series. Their conversation does get a bit technical at times, but the 77-year-old new age and synth pioneer provides relatable insights about her creative process and what more she’d still like to accomplish.
OBLIGATORY BOOK MENTION
My first book is out now. It’s called First Floor Vol. 1: Reflections on Electronic Music Culture, and you can order it from my publisher Velocity Press. However, if you’re outside of the UK, I recommend that you either inquire at your favorite local bookshop or try one of the online sales links that have been compiled here.
JUST ANNOUNCED
A round-up of noteworthy new and upcoming releases announced during the past week.
Given their respective geographic locations, a forthcoming collaborative record from Bristol’s Om Unit and Washington DC’s James Bangura may be unexpected, but it’s definitely not unwelcome. The two have joined forces on the Rushing 1621 EP—the title is apparently a reference to their area codes—and Local Action will be officially bringing it into the world on June 13. In the meantime, the song “Ruffneck” has already been shared.
Martyn Bootyspoon has linked up with Fool’s Gold for an upcoming EP. Details about the full release have yet to be made public, but the label has already dropped a new single from the Montreal artist, a bumping electro-house number called “Bingo!”
Floorplan (a.k.a. the collaborative project of techno legend Robert Hood and his daughter Lyric) have completed a new full-length. The Master’s Plan features a guest appearance by Honey Dijon and several other contributors, and it’s slated to arrive on June 21 via the Classic label. Ahead of that, LP track “Feel It” has already been made available.
Azu Tiwaline’s music has always been unique, so it’s not surprising that other artists would line up to work with her. Back in 2022, the Tunisian artist did an EP alongside dub maestro Al Wootton for Livity Sound, and now she’s poised to return to the Bristol imprint with a new collaborative record, this time with Forest Drive West. Their Fluids in Motion EP is scheduled to surface on June 14, but one track, “Fluids in Motion I,” is available now.
perila releases a lot of music, which makes it difficult to call anything she does a “surprise,” but yesterday the Berlin-based ambient / experimental artist shared a previously unannounced new song, “mud,” which she’s currently offering as a name-your-price download on Bandcamp.
Bartosz Kruczyński is probably best known as Earth Trax—his releases under that alias have been featured several times here in the newsletter—but the Polish artist has elected to use his own name for an upcoming album on Balmat. Dreams & Whispers, which the label describes as “ambient at its most timeless,” will be released on June 28, but LP cut “Whisper IV” has already been shared.
RICHARD AKINGBEHIN HAS BETTER TASTE THAN I DO
First Floor is effectively a one-person operation, but every edition of the Thursday digest cedes a small portion of the spotlight to an artist, writer or other figure from the music world, inviting them to recommend a piece of music. Today’s recommendation comes from Richard Akingbehin, a Berlin-based Brit (and occasional music journalist) who’s probably best known as the co-founder of radio outlet Refuge Worldwide. Though it’s only been around a few years, Refuge’s influence already reaches far beyond the German capital, and aside from its broadcasts, the station serves as a key community and organizing hub for the dance music sphere. All of that certainly keeps Akingbehin busy, as does his DJ calendar and work running the excellently curated Kynant label. The imprint is a reliable source for deep, dubby dancefloor sounds, and that same vibe emanates from the song he’s shared here.
Dialog (feat. Benji) “Respect” (DOT)
It’s quite rare that I find a new dub techno act who is making something really unique. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a total sucker for people rinsing out the formula that was perfected in the ’90s, but it’s exciting to hear something different. The first two records from the Dialog project are probably the best example of this that I’ve heard recently. “Respect,” from the first EP, is my favourite cut. I can’t wait to hear more from them.
NEW THIS WEEK
The following is a selection of my favorite tunes from releases that came out during the past week or so. Click the track titles to hear each song individually, or you can also just head over to this convenient Buy Music Club list if you prefer to listen to them all in one place.
Benjamin Fröhlich “Love Loop (Club Mix)” (Permanent Vacation)
Loopy, disco-flavored house with a catchy vocal and a sentimental streak? Count me in. This standout cut from Benjamin Fröhlich’s new album, The Love Dilemma, utilizes a familiar formula, but that doesn’t make the track any less enjoyable. With its blippy synths, sweeping strings and bouncy beat, it’s joyful enough to have you smiling on the dancefloor, but between the retro sound palette and deeply nostalgic diva, it’s also something that just might bring a little tear to your eye.
Dave Angel “May I Have This Dance” (Rekids Special Projects)
The title track of Dave Angel’s new Revolt EP is said to be inspired by Detroit, and while there are some traces of the Motor City on the record, “May I Have This Dance” does nothing to hide its rave ambitions. A galloping techno romp from a UK artist who’s been operating in the genre for more than 30 years, the big, brazen track is led by a blaring synth line that sounds something like the siren of a fast-approaching fire engine.
Kassian “Pulgueiro Baile (Extended Version)” (!K7)
Having already released a string of very good records exploring the fertile space between techno and bass music, UK duo Kassian have significantly broadened their palette on their new Supercontinent EP, on which they deconstruct and recontextualize both South African amapiano and Brazilian funk. The latter factors heavily into “Pulgueiro Baile,” most notably in its bustling breakbeats and Portuguese vocal fragments, but the song itself is closer to a brawny, acid-laced electro cut than anything one might hear coming out of a favela. That’s not a bad thing; a little functionality goes a long way, and while the song is still something unexpected from Kassian, one thing clearly hasn’t changed: these boys know how to make a big-room sheller.
DJ Latinchat “Cafuné” (Lacuna)
Taken from a new split EP with Chilean producer Nicoba, DJ Latinchat’s “Cafuné” is a slice of industrial-strength reggaeton, a half-time stepper that combines the bassweight of old-school DMZ with the undulating rhythms of a Caribbean dance party. There are elements of dancehall and cumbia in there too, but what really stands out is the Peruvian producer’s mastery of low-end dynamics, the song’s oozy basslines pulsating as the busted drum patterns speed up, slow down and occasionally go off the rails entirely.
Wes Lee “Susa (feat. Omagoqa)” (DRMTRK)
The Netherlands isn’t usually recognized as a hotbed of gqom and amapiano, but leave it to London’s Scratcha DVA to not only find someone in Amsterdam who’s been messing with these sounds, but also sign them to his DRMTRK label. Wes Lee, a Dutch-Surinamese artist who’s been active for more than two decades (mostly under the name WaxFiend), originally made his name in hip-hop, reggae and dancehall circles. But in recent years, he’s increasingly turned his attentions toward the rhythms emerging from the African continent, and “Susa”—a high point of his new The End Is Near EP—actually features Durban trio Omagoqa. The track’s percussive shuffle and drone-like basslines are gqom staples, but what really makes “Susa” pop is the dancehall-esque vocal, which adds just a hint of pop sensibility to a song that rarely stays still for more than a few seconds.
Carrier “Coastal” (Carrier)
It was only last year that Guy Brewer, after more than a decade of making top-notch techno as Shifted, adopted the Carrier alias. Since then, he’s already dropped nearly a half dozen releases under the new moniker, the latest being the In Spectra EP, and, frankly, I still can’t succinctly explain what the new project is all about. The music he’s making is deeply engrossing, but it’s definitely not techno, and its broken beat patterns and haunted atmospheres don’t neatly fit into any other genre, either. “Coastal,” which leads off the new record, is rhythmic, but not club-oriented. It’s got a weighty bassline, but it’s not bass music, at least not in the way that term is usually understood. It’s got the crackle of Burial and the subtle menace of Demdike Stare, but there’s also something ritualistic about its unpolished clanks and clatters. There’s a lot happening, and whatever you want to call it, I want more.
James Devane “Last Strut” (Umeboshi)
More often than not, the best techno albums are the ones that barely sound like techno at all. Searching, the latest long-player from San Francisco artist James Devane, primarily deals in cloudy textures and plush, reverb-soaked funk grooves, the only hectic moments coming during a series of tripped-out interludes that quite literally sound like they’re being played at quadruple speed. LP highlight “Last Strut,” however, sits somewhere in between those poles, its blissed-out vibe and soulful (albeit decidedly unhurried) swagger sounding something like Moodymann collaborating with The Orb.
Theef “Primal Age” (A Strangely Isolated Place)
Back in 2018, Theef posted a two-hour mix online, and like most low-profile artists who put stuff on the internet, he didn’t have any major expectations for it. As it happens though, Ryan Griffin—who runs the A Strangely Isolated Place label—not only stumbled across the mix, but made it a part of his regular listening diet, eventually asking the Greek producer if he might be interested in transforming the music into a proper release. The Sun & Smoke album is the end result, and its contents are gorgeous; patiently moving through various strains of house, techno, ambient and more—all of them deeply chilled—it’s almost like a more Balearic take on what Traumprinz does under his Prince of Denmark alias. Lush but not ostentatious, it’s music for a blazing Mediterranean sunset, and the standout “Primal Age” is a slow-burning prog epic, its chuggy beat and hypnotic arpeggiations cooly cruising toward the horizon.
Natalia Beylis “The Roots of the Mountain Ash Embrace the Stone (Excerpt)” (Outside Time)
This excerpt of “The Roots of the Mountain Ash Embrace the Stone” is a little more than six minutes long, but it’s easy to imagine the full composition stretching out for much, much longer. The closing track of ambient / experimental artist Natalia Beylis’ new Lost - For Annie—a release born out of examining the ecological and sociological changes affecting her community in County Leitrim, Ireland—it’s a deeply meditative piece, consisting a little more than a slowly evolving organ drone. While the rest of Lost - For Annie engages more directly with the subject matter, incorporating field recordings and even interview clips, “The Roots of the Mountain Ash Embrace the Stone” feels more like a deep contemplation of the questions raised, the song echoing the legacy of minimalist icons like La Mont Young as its seemingly infinite tones lull listeners into an almost trance-like state.
COLA REN “Lost in Bamboos” (QEONE)
Considering that China has more than 1.4 billion people, it’s ridiculous that so few of its electronic music offerings seem to get noticed by Western audiences, and after hearing something like COLA REN’s new Forest Drone EP, it immediately becomes clear that those of us in Europe, North America and pretty much everywhere that isn’t China are collectively missing out on some top-notch stuff. The Guangzhou-based producer makes music that might technically qualify as techno, but its off-kilter drum patterns are closer to the genre-stretching work of someone like Konduku than they are anything from the usual Detroit or Berlin canon. EP highlight “Lost in Bamboos” dials the percussion down to a veritable whisper, focusing instead on its jaunty array of delicate chimes and vibraophone-like melodies. What results is something like a more rhythmic take on ’80s new age, and it’s delightful.
Agnes Haus “The Holarchy” (OPAL)
Anyone who’s taken the time to read a few promotional blurbs knows that artists and labels have a tendency to fluff up their releases with grandiose narratives and flowery language. Agnes Haus, however, has gone the opposite route with Everything Is Resurrection, describing the EP as the almost incidental byproduct of “doing gothy aural shit with a modular synth at night.” (In fairness, the text does make reference to the UK-based artist’s decision to come out as nonbinary a few years back, but reading their words, it doesn’t seem that this new record is specifically about that.) “The Holarchy” closes out the release in imposing fashion, combining an ominously droning bassline with what sounds like looped fragments of a massive church choir. The whole thing has a clear cinematic bent, with a touch of neoclassical composition thrown in for a good measure, and offers an impressive level of drama for something that was quietly cooked up in the middle of the night.
That brings us to the end of today’s First Floor digest. Thank you so much for reading the newsletter, and, as always, I do hope that you enjoyed the tunes. (Don’t forget, you can find them all on this handy Buy Music Club list, and if you like them, please buy them.)
Have a great week,
Shawn
Shawn Reynaldo is a freelance writer, editor, presenter and project manager. Find him on LinkedIn and Twitter, or you can just drop him an email to get in touch about projects, collaborations or potential work opportunities.