First Floor #222 – Optimism Where You Least Expect It
a.k.a. An interview with music AI platform Voice-Swap, plus a round-up of the latest electronic music news and a fresh slate of new track recommendations.
Few people would accuse me of being an optimist. I’m okay with that.
(For what it’s worth, I don’t really like being called a pessimist, and will often counter the charge by saying, “I’m a realist.” But that’s exactly what a pessimist would say, right?)
It’s funny. Here in the newsletter, I actually spend far more time and effort highlighting things I like—bits of news, new releases, innovative and interesting artists, well-written articles, entertaining podcasts, etc.—than I do on even the most acerbic of my essays and other long-form articles, yet it’s the negative stuff that’s far more likely to grab people’s attention, especially on the internet. Algorithms certainly deserve some of the blame for that—it’s no secret that social media incentivizes conflict—and in nearly all fields, there’s a steady market for narratives that say the sky is falling. I swear I’m not deliberately trying to exploit that, but I’m also not shy about speaking up when something seems awry. In a time where a so much of music journalism feels like little more than a corporate branding scheme or an extension of the industry’s marketing apparatus, I’d argue that it’s necessary to have at least a few rabble rousers out there asking tough questions, but…. See? There I go again.
So yeah, as much as First Floor is sometimes perceived as a clearing house for grievance about the current state of electronic music, I have to admit something: I’m kind of fascinated by people who take the opposite view. I’m not talking about empty-headed, unquestioning optimism. I’m talking about smart, well-informed people who look at all the ugliness, stupidity, pettiness and corruption out there, and still say, “You know what, I think things might still turn out alright, and I’m going to try and make that happen.” I don’t always think they’re right—at times, I think they’re wildly wrong and will publicly say so—but I admire their perspective all the same.
That’s part of what prompted me to interview Declan McGlynn and Michael Pelczynski from AI platform Voice-Swap. There are a million reasons, many of them wholly legitimate, to be skeptical, and even fearful, about AI and its potential impact on not just the music sphere, but the whole of humanity. I’m not terribly confident that the technology is going to make music culture better, or fairer, but rather than just screaming into the internet void, fearfully curling up into a ball or only seeking out narratives that confirm my biggest anxieties, I’d rather hear from people who are not only willing to make the opposite case, but are actively working to bring it to fruition. At the very least, it’s a good way to learn something.
You can find that Voice-Swap interview below, and if you’re looking for some additional optimism, the rest of today’s First Floor digest should leave you feeling pretty good. First of all, there’s a surprise new Skee Mask album out, which is enough to make anyone excited. Beyond that, I’ve put together a big batch of new track recommendations, all of them from releases that dropped during the past week, and I’ve also recruited Patricia Wolf to chime in with a special guest recommendation. Otherwise, you’ll find electronic music news, the latest new release announcements and a few articles I’d suggest you read as well.
Pretty much every week is a busy week in electronic music, but if you’re looking to get caught up, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s get started.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Every Tuesday, First Floor publishes a long-form piece that’s exclusively made available to paid newsletter subscribers only. The latest one, which is now (temporarily) open to everyone, is an interview with two of the key players at Voice-Swap, an AI-powered platform that enables users to swap their voice for that of another singer. We talk about how that technology works, but, more importantly, we also discuss the current music AI landscape, its various legal and ethical pitfalls, and how Voice-Swap is working to create protocols that not only get artists paid fairly, but incentivize both users and industry types to the right thing.
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.
This was also mentioned as part of my interview with Voice-Swap, but over the weekend, 5Mag reported that legendary Chicago vocalist Chuck Roberts had died following a battle with cancer. Often called “the voice of house music,” he was responsible for the iconic “In the beginning there was jack” sermon, which first appeared on Rhythm Controll’s 1987 classic “My House.”
Resident Advisor hasn’t completely revamped its editorial since Gabriel Szatan and Rachel Grace Almeida were hired, but subtle changes have already begun to emerge. One such change is the return of Rewind, the site’s retrospective review series. It’s now running on a weekly basis, and the latest edition was penned by former XLR8R editor in chief and RBMA contributor Vivian Host. (Yes, she and I have worked together many times over the years.) She spoke to Gerald Mitchell and Santiago Salazar while taking a detailed look back at Underground Resistance-affiliated group Los Hermanos and their 1992 album On Another Level.
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.
Skee Mask unexpectedly unveiled a new album this morning. News of the record first surfaced yesterday when presale links appeared at a few online shops, but today Ilian Tape officially released the album, which is called Resort. Little in the way of accompanying information has been shared so far, but it’s a new full-length from Skee Mask. What else do you need to know?
Earlier today, Physical Therapy dropped a surprise new EP from Fatherhood, his long-running collaboration with fellow NYC artist Michael Magnan. Available through his Allergy Season label, Round People includes remixes from OSSX and Ali Berger.
Continuing a recent prolific streak that has seen him release records on Hessle Audio and AD 93, Olof Dreijer—who was formerly one half of The Knife—has now teamed up with Dekmantel for his next EP. Brujas is a collaboration with Diva Cruz, a Colombian-Swedish percussionist, and before it arrives on June 28, the duo have already made the title track available.
Los Angeles dubstep producer Carré has appeared here in the newsletter several times during the past few months, and now the fast-rising talent has lined up a new record for Darwin’s SPE:C imprint. The Air Sign EP is due to surface on July 11, but closing track “Type AB” is available now.
Bodhi’s Edge of Blue was one of 2023’s underrated gems, and after teasing listeners with a few singles this year, the Welsh duo has revealed plans for an upcoming new EP. Laurus Ascending will arrive on July 5 via Hotflush, but two tracks from the record can already be heard here.
Timedance founder and Bristol stlwart Batu today offered up a new two-track release on his A Long Strange Dream imprint. Zeal / Sunday is out now.
Fresh off her recent to belong album, Los Angeles ambient artist marine eyes has assembled a new EP, which she self-released earlier this week, partially in celebration of her own birthday. endings, beginnings includes collaborations with City of Dawn and zakè, and it’s available in full now.
PATRICIA WOLF 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 Patricia Wolf, a Portland-based ambient artist whose albums I’ll Look for You in Others (Past Inside the Present, 2022) and See-Through (Balmat, 2022) both received gushing praise here in the newsletter. A nature lover and dedicated collector of field recordings, she’s infused both of those passions into her latest release, The Secret Lives of Birds, which is slated to drop later this month. Ahead of that, however, she’s taken a few moments to highlight the work of another ambient / experimental artist, one whose music is just as detailed and engaging as her own.
Alexandra Spence “Suddenly Silent” (Theory Therapy)
A few months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting the brilliant Australian sound artist and musician Alexandra Spence. She was visiting the United States for an artist residency and got in touch with me to see if I could help set up a show for her where I live in Portland, Oregon. Some friends and I organized the show and she gave a phenomenal performance. I was already a huge fan of her work before I ever saw her perform, but once I saw how she actually makes her sounds and music in the live setting, I was utterly blown away. She played tuning forks and a unique handmade string instrument, which she plucked and bowed. Alexandra also shared field recordings and excited found objects, including a piece of old ceramic pipe that she found in the Thames River that produced curious sounds, which she captured with an array of specialized microphones and processed in brilliant ways. She also performed her poetry as hypnotizing spoken word, and tastefully engaged with dynamic panning that makes your ears travel. Her performances feel alive and it’s exciting to watch her handle these sounds delicately as if they are precious living objects. I am sharing the first song that I ever heard of hers, which caused my ears to perk up and made me want to run deep into her sound world.
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.
Actress “Rainlines” (Smalltown Supersound)
Even by his own reliably murky standards, Actress’ new Statik LP is a subdued listen. The product of what’s described as an “extensive flow state,” the album—which also happens to be the UK artist’s first outing on Smalltown Supersound following a lengthy run on Ninja Tune—leans heavily on textured static and featherlight melodies, swapping out some of his usual chrome and greyscale for a few pastels. While it’s by no means a breezy record, it does exude a certain lightness, floating along and refusing to be tethered to the earth, no matter how much tape hiss is applied. LP standout “Rainlines” definitely has a little crackle to it, but given the song’s understated thump and melancholy chords, that crackle winds up conjuring thoughts of raindrops tapping against a window, preferably while you sit at home in your bedroom and get deep into your feelings.
Outrage & Sonar’s Ghost “The Darkest Light” (Future Retro London)
Regardless of how you feel about EDM—and I, not surprisingly, have never liked it—there’s no denying that the genre has a bombastic streak, not to mention a flair for the dramatic. Unfortunately, those characteristics tend to be employed in the service of empty spectacle and absolutely braindead tunes, but what would happen if they were used for something good? “The Darkest Light” may not be the answer, but it is an answer. A highlight of the new FR040 EP from UK artists Outrage & Sonar’s Ghost, it’s a brawny romp, a jungle-techno hybrid that skillfully employs brassy bass blasts and the kind of darting string passages you’d expect to hear during the chase scene of a 1970s thriller. It’s lively, yes, but it’s also limber, joyfully bouncing around as its gnarled sonics roar like some sort of unleashed ancient beast.
Om Unit & James Bangura “Saporro Drums” (Local Action)
A transatlantic link-up between Om Unit and James Bangura brings a whole lot of low-end knowledge to the table, and the duo’s first collaboration, the new Rushing 1621 EP, does not disappoint. The rough-and-ready “Saporro Drums” is particularly good, its cracking, junglish rhythms buffeted by some seriously heavy bass. Remember the scene in Jurassic Park where everyone is trapped in a stalled car during a rainstorm and a T-Rex is approaching, but the only signs of impending danger are some gut-rumbling thuds and some ripples in the surrounding puddles? These guys’ low-end booms could inspire the same sort of terror, though the whole “Saporro Drums” is far more likely to leave people roaring on the dancefloor than quaking in their boots.
Only Now “I See” (Shaytoon)
In recent years, Only Now has taken a scorched-earth approach, his mutant blends of techno, noise, bass music, bhangra and Indian classical music laying waste—metaphorically, of course—to their immediate surroundings. Watching the Bay Area producer harness that darkness has been thrilling to behold, but while his creations have certainly been informed by the club, and soundsystem culture in particular, they’ve rarely been optimized for the dancefloor—until now. The Eyes of Pain EP is still stuffed with charred sonics, but they’ve been fashioned into heavy, hypnotic rhythms, folding in bits of kuduro, grime and other drum-forward sounds, primarily from the Global South. The standout “I See” could be a sped-up gqom track, or perhaps just a heavily percussive slice of techno, but its exact categorization is ultimately secondary to its ritualistic magic, which invites listeners to surrender themselves to the relentless physicality of the dance.
Van Belle “Dreams (Final Dance)” (Full Circle Released)
For better or worse, the reputation of psychedelic trance has been rehabilitated somewhat during the past few years. The term “Goa trance,” however, is something most people still stay away from, probably because it immediately prompts thoughts of dirty hippies traveling halfway around the world to partake in some extremely privileged hedonism. In all likelihood, that stink will never wash off completely, but a new compilation curated by French duo Full Circle (a.k.a. Alexis Le-Tan and Joakim) does make a convincing point that the music being played in Goa, at least during the scene’s early years, was actually quite good. Kicking Dust : The Goa Way, A Full Circle Compilation is largely populated with chuggy industrial rhythms, many of which came out of genres like EBM and new beat. There are tracks from recognizable names like Cabaret Voltaire, Clock DVA and Front Line Assembly, but the most compelling number might be “Dreams (Final Dance),” a track that Belgian artist Wouter Van Belle first released in 1988 under the name Dreams. Too spooky to be called synth-pop, too slow to be called techno and much brighter than the average industrial fare, it’s an anomaly, to be sure, but it’s damn compelling, especially once the fake saxophone kicks in.
Steve Moore “Point Dune” (L.I.E.S.)
L.I.E.S. founder Ron Morelli—who was interviewed by First Floor last year—is obviously the label’s MVP, but Steve Moore has always been one of its most talented contributors, despite the fact that his gleaming synthscapes have little to do with the gnarled sonics and gritty hardware jams the famed imprint is most often associated with. The American artist has always had a cinematic sensibility—it’s not a coincidence that his catalog includes multiple film soundtracks—and that carries over to the excellent Eye of Horus, a six-track outing that could easily accompany a wide range of ‘70s and ’80s sci-fi. The opening “Point Dune” is a mesmerizing exercise in twinkling arpeggios and weightless drift, the sort of thing that immediately makes you want to stare into the cosmos with wonder.
FaltyDL “I Need You” (Central Processing Unit)
Is it just me, or has FaltyDL’s new In the Wake of Wolves album received surprisingly little attention? Perhaps that’s because the electronic music world doesn’t know exactly where to put the veteran producer. The Brooklyn-based veteran is nearly a decade removed from his time as a regular contributor to labels like Ninja Tune, Planet Mu and Swamp 81, and even during those years, he never fit snugly into the lineage of UK bass music. Garage, house, techno, dubstep, IDM, instrumental hip-hop, ambient—he’s experimented with them all over the course of his career, to a point where he’s now legitimately something of a genre polymath. As such, it’s no surprise that In the Wake of Wolves capably delves into frantic electro (“Minds Protection”) and wobbly grime (“Mila’s Dream (Mea Culpa)”), but FaltyDL is at his best on LP opener “I Need You,” a heart-tugging and relatively stripped-down bit of not-quite-pop music. Imagine a Hope Sandoval ballad produced by PC Music, and it might sound like this lovely little lament.
Iceboy Violet & Nueen “Everything Ends with an Inhale” (Hyperdub)
The slate-grey misanthropy of Manchester and the sunny shores of Barcelona don’t make for the likeliest of bedfellows, but Iceboy Violet and Nueen have found some incredibly fertile middle ground on their debut collaboration, You Said You'd Hold My Hand Through the Fire. In truth, this isn’t totally shocking; although Nueen grew up on the island of Mallorca, his music has always been closer to “digital haze” than “Balearic bliss,” and his gaseous constructions are the foundation of what’s ultimately a pretty fantastic record. The album’s highest point might actually be the opening “Heartbreak of a Broken Stitch,” a gauzy, gently skittering meditation on which Iceboy Violet hands over the mic to fellow UK artist Harriet Morley, but it almost seems wrong to highlight anything that doesn’t feature the Mancunian MC, whose distinctive voice is at the heart of the LP’s appeal. Reining in some of the fury that has characterized past Iceboy releases, their voice on You Said You'd Hold My Hand Through the Fire is often subdued, and even sludgy, as though they’re trudging through Nueen’s foggy expanses and busted drum patterns. (A more detailed accounting of their working relationship can be found in this interview with Nina’s JB Johnson, which surfaced earlier this week.) The record has numerous standouts—it’s an album, in the truest sense of the word—but the duo unquestionably shines on “Everything Ends with an Inhale,” a lush tune where Iceboy Violet’s moody stream-of-consciousness and Nueen’s sneakily warm textures coalesce into something that feels like a worthy successor to classic trip-hop.
Penelope Trappes “Harmonic No. 1” (Paralaxe Editions)
Let’s get this out of the way—my wife runs Paralaxe Editions, and I wrote the little promo blurb that accompanies Penelope Trappes’ new Hommelen tape. So no, I’m not exactly unbiased, but I’ve also been writing about this UK-based Australian for many, many years, including when she was one half of electro / techno outfit The Golden Filter. Her solo output, however, has long inhabited more haunted territories, and that’s been taken to a new extreme on Hommelen, a project born out of a winter residency at Stockholm’s EMS where Trappes got up close and personal with a halldorophone. And by close, I mean that she literally got on the floor and put her body against the cello-like drone instrument, engaging in an unorthodox kind of conversation that produced an array of brooding, long-form groans and textures. “Harmonic No. 1” is the most hypnotic of the bunch, an ominous piece that combines the halldorophone’s guttural growl with Trappes’ siren-like vocalizations across more than 10 spellbinding (and moderately unsettling) minutes.
Miaux “The old pavilion near the lake” (VIERNULVIER)
Listening to Maiux’s new Never Coming Back album, my first thought was, “This sounds like some sort of haunted carnival music.” Consisting of little more than the Antwerp-based artist and her evocative synth wanderings, it’s admittedly not the sort of manic thing you’d hear while riding the tilt-a-whirl; it’s slower, and more nostalgic, as though it was meant to accompany smudgy, half-forgotten memories of childhood trips to the fair. As it turns out, a carnival did factor into the LP’s creation, but it was the 1962 film Carnival of Souls, for which Miaux was asked to create a new score in 2022. The movie itself apparently involves a pavilion, not a carnival, but its themes of isolation and alienation seeped into Miaux’s compositions. (She described the creative process in greater detail in an interview with Foxy Digitalis that went live yesterday.) “The old pavilion near the lake” does sound a bit like a bummed-out take on something you might hear on Stranger Things soundtrack, but a better parallel is Angelo Badalamenti’s iconic work on Twin Peaks. Both beautiful and unmistakably sad, it’s as though the song’s warbling keys were meant to obscure the scars of something deeply traumatic.
Caroline K “Chearth” (Mannequin)
First released in 1987, Caroline K’s Now Wait for Last Year album is sure to attract the minimal synth crowd, but the late UK artist created something far more epic than what most of her post-punk and industrial colleagues were doing at the time. There’s a gloominess to the record, and its intermittent beats do have the lo-fi thwack of rudimentary drum machines, but the music is best when it leans into a sort of stately grandeur. The LP actually takes its title from a novel by Philip K. Dick, which is perhaps why “Chearth” has such a distinct sci-fi feel, its chilly synths and deliberate pulse evoking a sense of awe that seems perfect for surveying the landscape of a newly discovered alien planet—or perhaps as a soundtrack for the arrival of extraterrestrials right here on earth.
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.