First Floor #179 – A Lot Can Happen in Three Weeks
a.k.a. A hearty round-up of recent electronic music news, plus a fresh batch of new track recommendations.
I often talk about the staggering amount of electronic music that’s released every week, but after taking a few weeks off from my usual newsletter routine, I’ve also been floored by just how much news broke while I was away. Granted, most of that came in the form of announcements. New albums. New EPs. New singles. New newsletters. New books. Even for a professional musical journalist like myself, keeping up with all of this stuff is borderline impossible, and that’s before I even consider the many, many articles that are constantly being published in various media outlets. (Speaking purely from a time-management standpoint, maybe it’s a good thing that only a handful of those articles are actually worth reading.)
This week has been all about getting caught up with First Floor, and while today’s edition doesn’t quite cover everything, it does include a lot of interesting things that happened during the past few weeks. Of course I’ve put together a batch of new track recommendations as well, and have also enlisted Manchester hero Samrai to pop in with a recommendation of his own. Let’s get into it.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
More or less recovered from my recent book tour, I began getting back into the swing of things earlier this week by publishing an extra-large round-up of my favorite tracks from releases that came out while I was hopping around the UK and Europe. It’s overwhelming to see just how much music can surface in the span of only two weeks, but I did by best to only highlight the good stuff.
OBLIGATORY BOOK MENTION
My first book is out now. It’s called First Floor Vol. 1: Reflections on Electronic Music Culture, and folks can either order it from my publisher Velocity Press, or if they’re in the UK or Europe, find it in a local bookshop. (And yes, it’s also available on Amazon.) The book is still making its way to North America—copies are literally on a boat crossing the Atlantic, and should arrive within the next few weeks—but in the meantime, consider preordering it from your favorite shop or via one of the links here.
ANOTHER THING I DID
While in Berlin earlier this month for my book tour, I was invited by my old friend OttO Kent to be interviewed for Electronic Beats Telekom’s podcast The Week, which always offers a fun and informative look at what’s happening in electronic music. Our conversation is featured in the series’ latest episode (which went online just a few hours ago), and mostly focuses on ideas raised by my recent First Floor piece, “Being a DJ Is Embarrassing.”
REAL QUICK
A round-up of the past few weeks’ most interesting electronic music news, plus links to interviews, mixes, articles and other things I think are worth sharing.
Writer Declan McGlynn is someone who’s carved out a unique space at the intersection of (often electronic) music and emerging technology, and after years of contributing to outlets like Rolling Stone, DJ Mag, Resident Advisor, Water & Music, he recently launched his own newsletter, Future Filter. Having already published deep dives into stream-powered DJing and the potential marketplace for AI voice models, he’s gotten off to a rather promising start.
Speaking of newly launched newsletters, Barcelona-based writer and radio host Ben Cardew—who regularly contributes to Pitchfork and DJ Mag and also has a steady gig at Radio Primavera Sound—has also started up a Substack to share his work, along with what he promises will be a few exclusive extras.
This isn’t specifically related to electronic music—although it is related to newsletters and independent music culture—but earlier this week, Norman Brannon, who some may recognize as the guitar player of Texas Is the Reason (and a current touring guitarist for Thursday), announced that he’d relaunched Anti-Matter, the seminal hardcore zine that he originally founded in 1993. As you might have guessed, it will be a subscription-based newsletter, and Brannon’s introductory post makes clear that he intends for the publication to be more than just a nostalgia exercise, as he’s inspired by what’s happening now and asserts that “hardcore is quite possibly the biggest it has ever been.”
Moodymann doesn’t grant many interviews, but whenever he does, it doesn’t take long for him to show why he’s one of dance music’s most beloved, unique and entertaining personalities. The Detroit icon is the subject of Resident Advisor’s latest cover story, for which writer Nyshka Chandran flew to the Motor City and spent a few days touring through both the local scenery and the details of Kenny Dixon Jr.’s singular career.
Music journalist Philip Sherburne also had the chance to jump on a plane recently, traveling to Ibiza to interview Róisín Murphy for a new profile in Pitchfork. The two discussed her modest (and surprisingly post-punk-oriented) youth in Ireland and the UK, her eventual discovery of dance music and, most importantly, the unorthodox process of making her upcoming Hit Parade album with DJ Koze.
Speaking of Sherburne, writer David Turner—who also pens the excellent Penny Fractions newsletter—popped up on No Bells with a piece directly responding to Sherburne’s recent-ish Pitchfork article, “Trance Is Back—and It’s No Joke.” More of an alternate perspective than an angry takedown, it puts forth the notion that trance never went away and has long been exceedingly popular, despite the fact that critics have usually dismissed the genre (or at least kept their distance).
PC Music has undoubtedly been one of the past decade’s most influential labels, but it was recently announced that 2023 would be the imprint’s final year of new releases. Once a final run of new music makes its way into the world in the months ahead, the label will solely be dedicated to “archival projects and special reissues.”
The Chemical Brothers have a biography on the way. Penned by Robin Turner—the UK duo’s longtime press officer—and based upon interviews with Beck, Beth Orton, Noel Gallagher, Michel Gondry, Erol Alkan and others (including Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons themselves), Paused in Cosmic Reflection is slated to arrive on October 26 via White Rabbit. In the meantime, new single “Live Again”—which will apparently feature on a forthcoming new album—has already been shared.
UK techno veteran Kirk Degiorgio is retiring from DJing. As he told Resident Advisor, he was informed last weekend that he would need to be fitted with a pacemaker, and since that will require him to keep away from electro-magnetic devices, he’s decided to officially hang up his headphones. All of his forthcoming gigs have been canceled, but Degiorgio plans to focus on his studio work, which he can continue to do safely.
Gen Z is said to drink less than previous generations of young people, which prompted writer Shaad D’Souza to take a closer look in a new article for The Face. The piece first considers whether or not the claims about Zoomers’ drinking habits are even true, and goes on to question the wisdom of a live music economy that’s so heavily dependent on alcohol sales.
After the Teklife label last month cut ties with longtime member DJ Taye via a now-deleted Instagram post, Resident Advisor recently followed up with a news story detailing two women’s allegations of physical and verbal abuse against the Chicago footwork artist. In a statement to RA, a representative for DJ Taye denied the allegations of physical abuse while saying that his relationship with the primary accuser “wasn't a healthy one” and “was a toxic situation on both sides.”
JUST ANNOUNCED
A round-up of noteworthy new and upcoming releases announced during the past few weeks.
Burial and Kode9 obviously have a tight relationship—the latter’s Hyperdub label has been home to the vast majority of the former’s releases—and the two have now joined forces yet again for a forthcoming split 12” on fabric. Kode9’s “Infirmary” was actually made available earlier this week, but Burial’s contribution, “Unknown Summer,” won’t be shared until the record officially drops on July 21.
claire rousay has a new record on the way. That’s not unusual, as the LA-based experimental artist is nothing if not prolific. What is unusual, however, is that Sigh in My Ear is slated to arrive via storied emo outpost Saddle Creek, which has previously been home to artists like Bright Eyes, The Faint, Jets to Brazil, Big Thief, Cursive and others too numerous to list. Before the two-song effort arrives on August 11, its title track has already been shared.
Jlin has completed a new mini-album, Perspective, which is essentially a collection of electronic versions of songs she made in collaboration with Chicago ensemble Third Coast Percussion. Set for release on Planet Mu, the record will surface on September 29, but lead single “Fourth Perspective” can be heard now.
A new record from DJ Koze always feels like a big deal—his most recent album, Knock Knock, came out all the way back in 2018—but he apparently has a new EP in the pipeline. Wespennest / Candidasa is set to drop on July 27, and its two tracks are said to be inspired by a “stay in a secluded Benedictine monastery on the enchanting island of Sulawesi.” No music has been shared yet, but more details about the record can be found here.
Five years removed from her last full-length, Laurel Halo will soon be releasing a new album, Atlas, that will inaugurate her own Awe imprint on September 22. Billed as “a suite of sensual ambient jazz collages,” it includes contributions from Bendik Giske, Lucy Railton, James Underwood and Coby Sey, and the first single—a piano ballad called “Belleville”—is already available.
It’s not quite a new Oni Ayhun record, but Swedish producer Olof Dreijer (who also used to be one half of beloved outfit The Knife) recently popped up on Hessle Audio with a surprisingly club-oriented new single, “Rosa Rugosa,” which is out now.
The name Yetsuby may not be familiar to many First Floor readers, but the South Korean artist, who’s also one half of playful ambient duo Salamanda, will soon be stepping out on her own with a new solo EP. Water Flash is due to arrive on July 21 via the Third Place label, but two tracks from the record have already been shared here.
Patrick Holland has turned his attention back to the dancefloor, and earlier this week the Montreal artist dropped a surprised new EP called Ending with 1000 via his personal Verdicchio Music Publishing imprint.
UK club producer and visual artist Murlo has put the finishing touches on his second album. Puckle will be issued through his own Coil imprint on August 11, but opening track “Carapace” is available now.
T2’s “Heartbroken” is arguably the biggest bassline song of all time, and Manchester producer 96 Back has put together a cheeky new deconstruction of the track. “H34RTBR0K3N” is out now on his Bandcamp page.
Forest Swords has spent a few years away from the spotlight, but the evocative Liverpool artist re-emerged this week with a new double single, “Butterfly Effect” and “Tar.” Both tracks are already available via Ninja Tune, as is an official “Butterfly Effect” music video, and the full release also includes a “Reprise Edit” of the song.
SAMRAI HAS BETTER TASTE THAN I DO
First Floor is effectively a one-person operation, but every edition of the newsletter 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. This week’s installment comes from Samrai, a Manchester DJ, producer and tireless behind-the-scenes presence who’s perhaps best known for his role as a founding member of the city’s much-loved (albeit now-defunct) Swing Ting crew. He’s also a co-founder of SEEN, a publication “created by global majority and marginalised communities” that looks to counter London-centric perspectives in music journalism while simultaneously celebrating unheard voices and stories. As a musician, his work has previously appeared on labels like Unknown to the Unknown, Don’t Be Afraid and Keysound, and he’s just recently released his debut album Work & Roti, a collaboration-filled effort focused on the inherent complexity of migrant experiences.
Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer and Shahzad Ismaily “Eyes Of The Endless” (Verve)
I first heard Arooj Aftab’s music when they became the first Pakistani artist to receive a Grammy in 2021. This track is from their recent album Love in Exile, which was done in collaboration with pianist and jazz composer Vijay Iyer and multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily. Their work continues to redefine and reimagine what South Asian music can be on their own terms. I recently heard the album whilst away in the Cairngorms (a national park in the Scottish Highlands) and was mesmerised in particular by this track, its beautiful sonics resonating with the mountainous area of natural beauty surrounding me.
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.
Zaumne “Oeil Rouge” (Sferic)
Parfum, the latest album (and Sferic debut) from Zaumne, is a real stunner. Marked by a sort of lush stillness, it’s akin to sitting quietly by a moonlit watering hole and allowing one’s mind to wander. Admittedly, that metaphor might be influenced by the LP’s cover art, but in truth, the Polish artist has also filled his record with a near-constant (albeit subtle) hum of various nature sounds: buzzing insects, chirping birds, splashing water, etc. Of course the album includes more traditionally musical elements as well (e.g. softly ringing chimes, pitter-pat percussion, gently strummed string instruments, the woozy saxophone of guest contributor Patrick Shiroishi), and standout cut “Oeil Rouge” is highlighted by fluttering, Steve Reich-style sonics. Yet the LP’s most distinguishing characteristic is probably its heavy usage of whispered, ASMR-style excerpts of a woman reading French poet Baudelaire’s The Flowers of Evil; on paper, that might sound like a horribly pretentious idea, but to Zaumne’s credit, those clips have been employed—especially on “Oeil Rouge”—in a way that only enhances the music’s contemplative allure.
Fennec “If U Want (My Love)” (Self-released)
Fennec “Fantasy Sweets” (Self-released)
After stretching his legs on last year’s exotica-inspired a couple of good days LP, Fennec has returned to the deep house zone on new EP Nice Work Vol. 1, a joyous effort born out of the busier DJ calendar he’s found since relocating to Austin from Indianapolis. Citing “Detroit house music, Thomas Bangalter’s Roulé label, and Lemon Jelly” as influences, it’s no surprise that Fennec has created tunes with soulful grooves and a loopy sensibility, and both “If U Want (My Love)” and “Fantasy Sweets” sound like a more irreverent spin on what folks like Marcellus Pittman and Pépé Bradock have been doing for years.
Maral “Setar Rock” (Self-released)
What if grunge music had come of age in Tehran instead of Seattle? What if Touch & Go at its ’90s height had signed a group of Persian kids with guitars? Maral is one of the few artists equipped to wrestle with these hypotheticals, and while the subtly swaggering (but also a bit dreamy) “Setar Rock” doesn’t necessarily provide a concrete answer, the one-off track—billed as “the disintegration of conversation between guitar and setar”—does create a fascinating link between traditional Iranian sounds and what might be described as the American post-hardcore continuum.
Zombies in Miami “Take Me Back” (Permanent Vacation)
Italo-flavored house is one of dance music’s seemingly unkillable variants, and after hearing “Take Me Back,” I hope it never dies. The b-side of Zombies in Miami’s new Zombie Dance EP, it’s full of gleaming synths and Moroder-esque glamor (those string pads!), but the Mexican duo have upped the endorphin levels even further by pairing the song’s glitter-fueled chug with a drama-filled, take-no-prisoners piano riff that’s simply begging to be dropped on heaving dancefloors everywhere.
FAFF “Translucid Poppers Got Me Moving” (Planet Euphorique)
Naming a track “Translucid Poppers Got Me Moving” isn’t the most subtle of decisions, but UK duo FAFF have little use for subtlety amidst the technicolor rush of their new Camp Summer Hits EP. This helium-voiced standout is particularly euphoric, openly nodding to the glory days of UK acid house and hardcore with its Rainbow Brite melodies and irrepressibly bouncy rhythms, the whole thing punctuated not only by a pitched-up diva, but also a “where were you in ’92?” piano vamp that’s sure to light up the pleasure centers of even the most serotonin-deprived ravers.
K-LONE “Strings” (Wisdom Teeth)
K-LONE “Volcane” (Wisdom Teeth)
Cape Cira was by all accounts a successful and critically acclaimed record, but given that K-LONE’s debut album dropped in April 2020, it will forever be something of a “what if” record. (The world—understandably—had its mind on other things at the time.) Yet if Wisdom Teeth co-founder K-LONE has any regrets about how much bigger that LP could have been, they have yet to show up in his work. New album Swells is actually a bubblier, brighter and more colorful effort, one whose sense of whimsy bears especially delicious fruit on the lilting “Strings” (which bares traces of Y2K indietronica) and the percolating, not-quite-ambient-but-definitely-chill “Volcane.”
Florian Kupfer “Valiant” (Ediciones Capablanca)
Although Florian Kupfer never actually disappeared, it does feel like the German artist (and onetime L.I.E.S. mainstay) has kept a lower profile in recent years. New album Lifetrax II—which he touts as a sequel to his 2013 debut—may be a signal that Kupfer is ready to re-emerge from the shadows, but irrespective of his intentions, the LP is populated with moments of stripped-down analog excellence, “Valiant” chief among them. Armed with little more that a distorted arpeggio and some unpolished rhythms, it’s minimal machine music, made all the more evocative by the presence of a haunted vocal melody that could have been lifted from a ’90s new age record.
Vardae “Kaipo” (OODA)
OODA is a new label curated by Forest Drive West and localhost, and they’ve inaugurated the imprint in fine style with The Kaipos EP, the latest effort from Vardae. The Lyon producer has set up shop in the deep end of the bass music pool, and EP standout “Kaipo” offers a hypnotic dose of slow-motion sludge, its oozy basslines calmly flexing atop the song’s low-key (albeit undeniably lively) percussion. Though it doesn’t feel like a throwback, it’s a definite nod to the early days of dubstep, back when that term was more about meditative bassweight than rowdy rave-ups.
Bluematter “Voltage” (Western Lore)
Violet Mist “Orbiting” (Woodford Halse)
Joseph Kindred is best known for his work as Jozef K, but it’s a testament to the UK producer’s talent that two of his other projects have landed in the newsletter this week. Bluematter is his ongoing collaborative endeavor with fellow Brit Thomas Ragsdale, and “Voltage” is the duo’s latest slice of moody jungle. Taken from the new Shadow Rhythms Pt. 3 compilation, the track stands out not for its percussive rumble, but for its lush pads and melancholy (or at least pensive) vibe. “Orbiting”—a highlight of the new Fading Light EP—offers an even headier trip, its cloudy textures, persistent tape hiss and new age-adjacent melodies coalescing into something subtly epic. The song is reminiscent of ’80s film scores, and its soft keys could potentially soundtrack a scene in which the main character wistfully stares off into the distance as they ponder some life-altering decision.
Ylia “Flowers in June” (Balmat)
Ame Agaru, the new album from Ylia, is a nominally ambient effort, but serenity isn’t the record’s dominant vibe. Created during a time of personal upheaval, it’s a response to grief, which is perhaps why some of the LP’s best moments are marked by tension, and in the case of “Flowers in June,” aren’t really ambient at all. The only track on the record that specifically grew out of the Spanish artist’s live sets, it explores a hazy strain of beatless techno, shrouding its bubbling blips in smoky textures and ephemeral sheets of distortion before the whole thing seemingly evaporates into the proverbial ether. (Full disclosure: Ylia is a friend and her first album, 2020’s Dulce Rendición, was released on my wife Dania’s Paralaxe Editions label.)
That’s all for today. Thank you so much for reading this latest edition of First Floor, 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.)
Until next time,
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.