First Floor #122 – Passive Listening and the Rise of Fake Artists

a.k.a. Why imaginary acts thrive in the streaming world, plus a round-up of the week's electronic music news and a big batch of new track recommendations.

Apr 14, 2022

THE MONETIZATION OF APATHY

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Spotify (and pretty much every other major streaming platform) has a fake artists problem. That’s not news—the media has literally been reporting on this since 2016—but during the past few years, it’s only gotten worse, with all sorts of less-than-ethical actors now looking to step in and game the streaming system.

That reality is depressing in and of itself, but there’s one aspect of the story that’s rarely discussed: how the success of these schemes is largely dependent on the apathy of the streaming audience. Simply put, most consumers just don’t care that much what they’re listening to, and while that’s always been true to a certain degree, the particular dynamics of streaming have made exploiting that apathy easier—and more profitable—than ever before.

Digging further into the topic, I penned an article examining what’s going on, how it’s transformed the economics of casual listening and the deleterious effects of that transformation on the world of independent music. That article went live earlier this week, and it’s now been made available for everyone to read here.

REAL QUICK

A round-up of of the last week’s most interesting electronic music news, plus links to interviews, mixes, articles and other things I think are worth sharing.

As someone who’s written a fair amount about the growing intersection between Web3 and music, I do my best to focus on the positive and not give too much oxygen to all of the hysterical anti-crypto rage bait out there. That said, it’s hard to stay optimistic when I see stories like this New York Times article about crypto lobbyists and their growing influence in the halls of various government bodies across the US. (Spoiler alert: the loudest crypto voices in these conversations are not the ones trying to bring more equity to the world, let alone the music industry.)
Overmono are on the cover of DJ Mag’s latest issue, and the UK duo sat down with Lauren Martin for an in-depth conversation about their backgrounds and their steady (if somewhat unexpected) march towards dance music stardom.
What do you know about electronic music in South Korea? Probably not much—for the record, I don’t either—which is what makes this “Guide to Seoul’s Experimental Electronic Scene” that Henry Ivry put together for Bandcamp Daily such a useful primer.
Shifting its focus toward South America, Bandcamp Daily also commissioned Allyson McCabe to put together a profile of Oksana Linde, a Venezuelan synth pioneer who’s recently had some of her compositions from the 1980s reissued by Peruvian label Buh Records.

JUST ANNOUNCED

A round-up of noteworthy new and upcoming releases that were announced during the past week.

Jamie xx unexpectedly dropped a new standalone single this week. Entitled “Let’s Do It Again,” the celebratory tune is available now via the Young label.
It’s borderline embarrassing that the excellent Longform Editions label hasn’t been highlighted previously in the newsletter, so allow me to 1) apologize and 2) mention that its latest batch of releases—all of which came out during the past week—includes new long-form works from Perila, KMRU, prelude (a.k.a. Taylor Deupree and Stephen Vitiello) and Matt LaJoie. (And if you’re not familiar with the label, do check out this introductory feature that Philip Sherburne put together for Pitchfork last year.)
A new Hercules & Love Affair album called In Amber is set to drop on June 17 via Skint/BMG, and the record’s latest single “Poisonous Storytelling”—which features a guest appearance from ANOHNI—dropped last week, along with remixes of the track by Justin K. Broadrick and Giant Swan.
Björk is set to star (alongside famous actors like Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe) in The Northman, a Robert Eggers-directed film that will premiere in most countries on April 22. That’s also when the digital version of the movie’s soundtrack—which has been done by Robin Carolan (founder of the now-defunct Tri Angle Records) and Sebastian Gainsborough (a.k.a. Vessel)—is due to be released, with the physical version due on July 1 via Sacred Bones. In the meantime, “Storm at Sea / Yggdrasill,” one of the 43 (!) tracks on the record, has been shared.
Nearly a decade has passed since French duo Air last released new music, but one of the group’s members, JB Dunckel, has finished up a new solo album, Carbon, that will be issued by the Prototyp label on June 24. Ahead of that, the LP’s first single, “Corporate Sunset,” is already available.
Alessandro Adriani has completed a new full-length, a sprawling effort called Program & Rhythm that’s inspired by Italian library music and film soundtracks. It’s slated for a May 9 release through his own Mannequin label, and several pieces from the record are already available here.
After showcasing a softer side as Kas with his album on Ilian Tape last year, Galaxian is now returning to his long-running electro(ish) moniker with We Are Power, the Scottish producer’s first full-length under that name in more than a decade. The LP will be jointly issued by Shipwrec and Foul-Up on May 23, but the album’s manic title track has already been shared.
Deep house legend Larry Heard will soon be returning to his Mr. Fingers alias with a new LP. Entitled Around the Sun Pt. 1, it will be released via his own Alleviated label early next month. No songs are available just yet, but track previews can be heard at many of the major online shops, including Juno.
Adam X’s Sonic Groove label has assembled a new Ukraine benefit compilation called Stand Up in Defiance, which is available now and includes music from Frankie Bones, Ron Morelli, REKA and a slew of other artists.

NEW THIS WEEK

The following is a selection of my favorite tunes from releases that came out during the past week or so. The ones in the ‘Big Three’ section are the songs I especially want to highlight (and therefore have longer write-ups), but the tracks in the ‘Best of the Rest’ section are also very much worth your time. In both sections, you can click the track titles to hear each song individually, or you can also just head over to this convenient Buy Music Club list to find them all in one place.

THE BIG THREE

DJ Stingray 313 “Interest Rate” (Micron)

DJ Stingray 313 “Image Search” (Micron)

When F.T.N.W.O. first dropped in 2012, it sounded like the future, and now that DJ Stingray has reissued the album on his on Micron Audio label, it… still sounds like the future. Maybe the rest of the dance music world will finally catch up in another 10 years, but in the meantime, this LP is still running circles around most contemporary electro offerings. Rooted in “conspiracy theory, science, prepper [doomsday preparation / survivalism] and social commentary” (i.e. things that have only gained additional momentum during the past decade), F.T.N.W.O. is dark and deeply paranoid, which gives razor-sharp cuts like “Interest Rate” an almost nightmarish feel, the song’s rhythms snapping away as a series of foreboding vocal clips narrate our oncoming destruction. “Image Search” is a tad lighter—mostly because its voiceover sets aside armageddon for talk of “the most beautiful woman I have ever seen”—but its scuttling undulations are no less potent, even as the song charts a more melodic, almost dreamlike path.

IVVVO “Bleached Butterfly (feat. Abyss X)” (AD 93)

IVVVO “Drugs” (AD 93)

When the Bleached Butterfly album was announced last month, Portuguese artist IVVVO offered only a few cryptic phrases of accompanying text. In truth, they didn’t provide much of a window into the record, but they did include words like “confusion” and “disorientation”—two things that I definitely felt when listening to the LP’s title track, which owes more to bands like Sonic Youth than the UK hardcore continuum. That’s not a bad thing. On the contrary, the song sounds great, its fuzzy guitars driving the action as guest vocalist Abyss X (whose rasp is downright PJ Harvey-esque) channels any number of ’90s-era rock ghosts. The instrumental “Drugs” employs a similar sound palette, but the track is more of an oscillating drone, with waves of distortion darting back and forth across the horizon as piercing melodies burrow into listeners’ grey matter.

Frantzvaag “Become” (Fuck Reality)

Frantzvaag “Anyone Everybody” (Fuck Reality)

Solo Super, the debut full-length from Norwegian producer Frantzvaag, isn’t a flashy release. It is, however, full of the same sort of deliciously deep house that once made artists like Move D the toast of underground dance music. (Considering that it’s being issued on a sub-label of Smallville, which has released more than a few Move D records over the years, perhaps the LP’s chosen soundworld isn’t all that surprising.) Loopy, low-key and quietly funky, “Become” opens the album on a particularly inviting note, its contours bathed in a layer of soft fuzz that lends the music a pleasantly out-of-focus aesthetic. “Anyone Everybody” brings up the energy level—or maybe it just puts the drums higher in the mix—but its snappy snares continue to float through Frantzvaag’s hazy ether, resulting in something that’s perfect for those late-night moments when the lights are low and the dancefloor is still simmering.

BEST OF THE REST

Mr. Mitch “R U IN2 IT?” (Gobstopper)

WORK!, the surprise new EP from UK artist Mr. Mitch, apparently came together during the past few weeks, and while there’s nothing sloppy or unfinished about its contents, there is a notable lightness to “R U IN2 IT?,” the record’s obvious standout. Initially sounding like a low-key slice of R&B-flavored garage, the track unexpectedly introduces a rudely vibrating bassline about two minutes in, taking the proceedings down an agreeably rowdy new path.

Dr. Rhythm “Hit the Vibe” (Cold Blow)

A bubbly, vibraphone-led house cut, “Hit the Vibe” is very much in the mold of Dream 2 Science and other Ben Cenac productions from the early ’90s. Given that the track was first released in 1991, the similarity makes sense, and although the Dr. Rhythm project didn’t last long—the UK artist behind the moniker, Mark Woollard, apparently went on to become a library musician—a collection of his work called Hits The Vibes 91-92 has just been issued.

DJ Wiggle “Cheese & Pickle” (Unknown to the Unknown)

The effervescent “Cheese & Pickle” wasn’t created in the ’90s, but it’s filled with many of the era’s sonic signifiers, its bouncy house beat flanked by Korg M1 organ lines and a hearty helping of canned saxophone. Original it is not, but fun seems to be the primary objective here, and in that, the song—one of two on the new Wiggle VIP EP—is a smashing success. Hearing its glorious (some might say gloriously tacky) riffs just might get folks reaching for their old MK and DJ Duke records.

Whatever the Weather “4°C” (Ghostly International)

This might be blasphemous to admit amongst certain sectors of the electronic music world, but I think I prefer Loraine James’ output as Whatever the Weather to her (admittedly critically adored) work under her own name. Stepping outside the club, the project’s self-titled debut album is deeply indebted to IDM and ambient, and while that leads to many moments of beauty and serenity, LP highlight “4°C” keeps some chaos in the mix, blending digital crunch and jittery beats with trippy, elfin-like manipulations of James’ own voice.

Lila Tirando a Violeta & Sayveeyun “Whirlwinds” (N.A.A.F.I)

A highlight of Lila Tirando a Violeta’s new Desire Path LP, “Whirlwinds”—on which the Uruguyan producer collaborates with Montreal artist Sayveeyun—is loosely rooted in reggaeton and other off-kilter Latin rhythms, but the song’s silky sheen and dreamy, R&B-infused atmosphere brings to mind the similarly cross-cultural (not to mention genre-agnostic) club sounds of acts like Nguzunguzu.

Nico “Unhal” (Akita Club)

Although he tends to fly beneath the radar, Nico has been one of Mexico City’s finest producers for years now, and “Unhal” is a slithering standout from his new Everyone Sees But Only a Few Know EP. Parallels to the output of labels like Timedance and Livity Sound are obvious, but the song is no mere UK soundalike, as its pitter-pat percussion and woozy melodies conjure an almost Middle Eastern atmosphere, while the song’s deadpan vocal clips and synth blips lend the proceedings a sense of sci-fi futurism.

Josi Devil “Breathe Easy” (Nervous Horizon)

DJ Plead “RB C” (Nervous Horizon)

Over the past few years, the Nervous Horizon label has rocketed into bass music’s top tier, and if the new Nervous Horizon Vol. 4 compilation is any indication, the imprint won’t be relinquishing its position anytime soon. Boasting 13 tracks—including efforts from Aquarian, Happa and Ehua, along with two cuts from label co-founder TSVI—the record has no shortage of club heaters, but Bristol talent Josi Devil stands out with “Breathe Easy,” a high-stepping, grime-flavored cut that fully leverages the power of low-end pressure. DJ Plead has long been one of Nervous Horizon’s breakout acts, and his hot streak continues with “RB C,” which offers a bass-fortified flip of traditional Middle Eastern rhythms.

Cumhur Jay “A minor 5” (Riverette)

Not many artists who come up through the EDM circuit go on to do anything (musically) interesting, but Cumhur Jay—a co-founder of Spanish outfit The Zombie Kids—has left pop aspirations and the proverbial “drop” behind. His new BUG cassette has more in common with Plaid and Tangerine Dream than Swedish House Mafia, and “A minor 5” is an exercise in dreamily distorted atmospherics, its alien vocal choir sounding like something Oneohtrix Point Never might have cooked up.

Nailah Hunter “Forest Dark” (Leaving)

Maybe it’s the harp, but Nailah Hunter’s “Forest Dark” brings to mind the chilly sonics of Björk’s Vespertine album, but the influence of LA beat scene is in there too, as the track—which was produced by her Leaving Records labelmate Brogan Bentley—is built atop a subtly bumping lo-fi rhythm. The song’s prominent sax line makes for a smooth atmosphere, but it’s Hunter who shines brightest here, her exquisite plucks elegantly floating alongside her own sonorous voice, which has never sounded better.

More Eaze “crii” (OOH)

The word prolific is hardly adequate to describe More Eaze, an experimental Austin producer who seems to be in a battle to death with close friend / frequent collaborator / fellow Texan Claire Rousay over who can release more music. oneiric is her latest album, and while Rousay does make an appearance, the LP’s high point is “crii,” an intimate More Eaze solo joint that straddles the line between R&B and ambient, its subdued glow conjuring images of a lonely android sending late-night “u up?” texts to old flames while Sade quietly plays in the background.

Drum & Lace “Waxing Crescent” (Past Inside the Present)

It’s not easy to trust any artist whose chosen moniker is a pun, but Natura, the colorful new album—and first proper full-length—from Drum & Lace, is enchanting enough to dissolve any cynicism. Much of her prior work involved scoring for film, television and theater, which is perhaps why LP standout “Waxing Crescent” has something of a cinematic bent, its pastel blips and bloops jovially bubbling alongside ethereal snippets of the Italian composer’s own voice.

Jack J “If You Don’t Know Why” (Mood Hut)

Club DJs may not reach en masse for Jack J’s long-awaited debut album Opening the Door, but the Mood Hut co-founder—who granted his first-ever interview to First Floor just last month—is okay with that. The LP bears only faint traces of the dancefloor, and while breezy opening track “If You Don’t Know Why”—thanks to its sashaying guitars and chunky bassline—has a definite groove, the song also puts the Vancouver artist’s smooth voice front and center, his dulcet tones propelling what ultimately feels like an invigorating, sunshine-filled throwback to the soft-rock sounds of the late ’70s and early ’80s.

Chimère FM “Allergie de l’adulte” (Versatile)

Inspired by French pirate radio broadcasts from the 1980s, Chimère FM is a new collaboration from veteran producers I:Cube and John Cravache. The duo’s self-titled debut LP promises “dreamy synth funk [that] rubs against pagan rhythms and minimalist electronic drones,” and album highlight “Allergie de l’adulte” does just that, its corpulent bass slowly strutting into the room as the song’s dramatic piano and twinkling melodies create a sultry (albeit still elegant) atmosphere.

Nik Colk Void “Interruption Is Good” (Editions Mego)

“Interruption Is Good” isn’t the best track on Nik Colk Void’s Bucked Up Space album; it is, however, the only one that Editions Mego made available to stream on Bandcamp. (For what it’s worth, “Demna” and “FlatTime” are my favorites from the record.) That being said, the whole LP deserves a listen, and might just be one of the best electronic full-lengths that’s emerged during the first months of 2022. After years of collaborating (both as one half of Factory Floor and alongside Chris & Cosey and the late Peter Rehberg), the UK artist has now stepped into the spotlight on her own, and “Interruption Is Good” showcases her talent for taut, subtly hypnotic techno, the song’s swirling synthesis seductively floating above its sneakily muscular undercarriage.

Jensen Interceptor x Viikatory “Drop ‘N’ Shake” (International Chrome)

Is nosebleed electro a thing? If so, “Drop ‘N’ Shake”—a collaborative track from Australian producer Jensen Interceptor and Belarusian artist Viikatory from their relentless new I Just Want 2 Dance EP—just might fit the description. Blazing along at more than 160 bpm, the song feels like a ghettotech jackhammer, and the duo’s use of imposing, EBM-style synths only adds to its impact. Still, despite the danger of potentially caving in a few skulls, the song is a joyous riot, its spirited raps and bouncy rhythms conjuring images of the world’s most intense round of schoolyard double dutch.

Overmono “Gunk” (XL)

Let’s start with the obvious. Overmono makes great tunes, and their new Cash Romantic EP will do nothing to harm their sparkling reputation. “Gunk,” however, does represent a tweak to the UK duo’s formula, as it sets aside ’90s breakbeats—which have arguably been the pair’s sonic signature—and indulges instead in R&B vocals and percolating trance riffs. What results is effectively an energetic, hook-filled house cut, but it’s also a clear sign that attempting to box these boys into any one sound or style is probably a foolish idea.

That’s it for today’s edition of First Floor. 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.