First Floor #228 – The Covid Boogeyman
a.k.a. Examining the pandemic's impact on dance music, plus a round-up of the latest electronic music news and a fresh crop of new track recommendations.
I swear I’m not a grumpy guy. My writing might sometimes lead people to believe otherwise, but as much as I might criticize the current state of dance music, or music journalism, or the wider music industry, I wouldn’t do this job if I didn’t still come across things that made me feel excited on a regular basis.
That’s a big part of the reason I’m so looking forward to going to Amsterdam this weekend, where First Floor will be hosting the first two days of the conference at this year’s Dekmantel festival. More details on that are below, but this is the first time I’ve been invited by an outside organization to curate multiple days of conference programming, and while I don’t want to toot my own horn, I do think the talks, panels and workshops the Dekmantel team and I have put together are all pretty interesting. More importantly, they go beyond the usual rah-rah optimism and industry shop talk—there’s no “how to maximize your social media impact” roundtable, I promise—and instead invite artists to share their thoughts on the culture and industry that they themselves are participating in on a daily basis. In other words, they’ll be the ones sharing their “takes,” not me.
In the meantime though, I’ve of course assembled the usual First Floor digest, and I have to say that I’m also rather excited about the latest batch of new track recommendations, all of them from releases that dropped during the past week. There’s also a special guest recommendation from Braille, not to mention some electronic music news items, a substantial list of new release announcements and links to some articles I think are worth a read.
Oh yeah, there’s also an entire essay challenging the idea that the pandemic is responsible for everything currently ailing dance music. You’ll find that below, and I will admit that there’s some grumpiness in there, but it’s frustrating to see how much the pandemic been turned into a rhetorical boogeyman in the dance music realm, especially by aging heads who are angry about things that started long before anyone had even heard the word “Covid.”
As always, we have a lot of ground to cover, so 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 essay examining what dance music was really like in the years before the pandemic hit. As it turns out, many of the problems most frequently cited by those unhappy with the status quo were set in motion well before the world went into lockdown.
FIRST FLOOR x DEKMANTEL
Dekmantel Ten gets underway tomorrow in Amsterdam, and this Saturday and Sunday (August 27-28), First Floor will be at Het HEM, hosting the first two days of the festival’s annual conference. The Dekmantel team and I have curated a robust slate of talks, workshops and panel discussions—all of the details are here—and I personally will be moderating the following:
A panel discussion with Verraco and Sunju Hargun about the challenges that artists from outside of Europe and North America face when trying to navigate the electronic music industry.
A multi-generational panel discussion with Luke Slater, Aurora Halal and Amoral examining how techno has evolved during the past four decades, and where it stands now in the TikTok era.
A conversation with stylist, writer and cultural commentator Ashiyat Akanabi, who will share her thoughts about how to effectively foster dialogue around difficult issues, and do so in a way that moves beyond the echo chambers and surface-level platitudes of social media.
A panel discussion with Young Marco, JASSS and Toma Kami about the entrance of pop and other supposedly “tacky” sounds into the electronic music “underground,” and whether the genre takes itself too seriously.
A conversation with Eris Drew and Octo Octa about their efforts to build community and transmit knowledge from one generation of ravers to the next, and the challenges of doing those things in a culture that increasingly exists online.
The conference is free and open to the public, although RSVP is required. If you’d like to attend this weekend, please make sure to register and secure your spot here.
(Full disclosure: I am being paid a fee for my curatorial input and moderation work.)
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.
Hijinks-loving UK duo Two Shell have finally revealed themselves—sort of. As part of Mixmag’s latest cover story, which contains an email interview with the group by writer Philip Sherburne, the pair have decided to show their (previously hidden) faces in a series of photos. However, the “conversation,” if you want to call it that, doesn’t contain a whole lot of new information, as the duo largely stick to their internet-pilled schtick, dodging questions while oscillating between self-aggrandizing language and blithe, “it’s no big deal, LOL” pronouncements. In many ways, it’s akin to reading the transcript of a Discord sever populated by disaffected teenagers, but perhaps that’s the point. All that said, Two Shell superfans will surely appreciate the new DJ mix that accompanies the story, along with the supplementary article by Nathan Evans, in which he documents his months-long journey deep into the rabbit hole of Two Shell fandom.
Alan Sparhawk, best known as the longtime frontman of Low, has a new solo album on the way, his first since the tragic passing of his wife and bandmate Mimi Parker, who died of cancer in 2022. Ahead of that, the Minnesota-based artist got rather personal in a new interview with the Guardian, perhaps because the article’s author, David Hutcheon, had also lost his wife to cancer.
Burial has been rather busy in 2024, at least by his own standards, and news surfaced this week that he composed the score for Baby Invasion, the latest film from Harmony Korine. It’s actually his second movie score this year, as he also contributed music to Andrea Arnold’s Bird. There’s no word yet as to whether or not the Baby Invasion score will eventually be given some sort of proper release, but the film is slated to premiere at this year’s Venice Film Festival, which runs from August 28 to September 7.
Chicago house legend Ron Trent went public last week with accusations that a British booking agent, Darren James-Thomas, had committed theft and fraud. More details can be found in Trent’s original Instagram post on the matter, and in a subsequent news story by Resident Advisor, but he claims that James-Thomas fraudulently accepted several bookings in his name and also received tens of thousands of dollars in payments, which he then pocketed.
The story of Larry Levan and the Paradise Garage has been told countless times, but for anyone who’s unfamiliar with the tale—or is simply hungry for a few new details—the latest Rewind review in Resident Advisor makes for a compelling read. Penned by Rich Juzwiak, the piece focuses on The Final Nights of Paradise, a bootleg compilation that captured some of Levan’s marathon set during the nightclub’s final weekend in 1987.
I didn’t expect to learn much from a new Radio Slave interview—after all, the UK producer has active for more than two decades, and has remained fairly consistent throughout that time—but a new DJ Mag feature by Kristan J Caryl digs surprisingly deep, touching on the veteran artist’s family life and move to Croatia, along with his worries about where techno is headed and the challenges of adapting to the streaming era.
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.
And for those of you in Amsterdam, a limited number of copies will be available for sale this weekend at the Dekmantel conference.
JUST ANNOUNCED
A round-up of noteworthy new and upcoming releases announced during the past week.
Jonnine, the Australian artist many people likely know as the vocalist of HTRK, has a new solo album on the way. Southside Girl is actually her fourth solo full-length, but it’s also her debut on UK outpost Modern Love, who will be releasing the record on July 26 (i.e. tomorrow). In the meantime, the video for the LP’s title track has already been shared.
It’s hard to believe that Hyperdub has never before released a proper jungle album, but that’s set to change, as Tim Reaper and Kloke have teamed up on a new LP that’s slated to arrive on September 20. Entitled In Full Effect, it’s the product of an intercontinental collaboration—Reaper lives in London, while Kloke is based in Victoria, Australia—and one of its eight songs, “Alienation,” has already been made available.
Following multiple reissues of the group’s ’90s-era output, UK experimental / electronic / rock outfit Seefeel is now ready to release their first new material since 2011. Containing six songs composed primarily by the core duo of Mark Clifford and Sarah Peacock, the new mini-album is called Everything Squared, and the track “Sky Hooks” has already been shared ahead of the record’s full release on August 30 via Warp Records.
Adding to her already impressive list of collaborative endeavors, drummer / composer Valentina Magaletti has joined forces with Portuguese producer and longtime Príncipe affiliate Nídia for an upcoming LP. Estradas is said to showcase “the duo’s rhythmic expertise,” and before the Latency label issues the record on September 13, the song “Mata” has been shared.
Shigeto has been relatively quiet in recent years—his last solo album, The New Monday, dropped back in 2017—but the Michigan producer and drummer has completed a new full-length, Cherry Blossom Baby. Slated for an October 25 release on his longtime label home, Ghostly International, the genre-blurring effort leans heavily on collaborations, enlisting Tammy Lakkis, Zelooperz, KESSWA and several other members of the Detroit music community. Ahead of the LP’s arrival, one track, “The Punch,” has been made available.
Less than two months removed from the release of his Statik album, Actress has turned up on a new cassette from the Nice Music imprint. THRASH, which is out today, is a collaboration with label founder Simon J Karis, and it features both artists delivering their own edits of the title track.
Experimental composer / multi-instrumentalist more eaze has a forthcoming solo album, lacuna and parlor, that’s said to be focused on “leftfield chamber music and incidental recordings.” The song “blanking intervals” has already been shared, and the Mondoj label will be releasing the rest of the record on September 20. Before that happens, however, more eaze will be appearing on another LP, Night of Fire, from her collaborative, unusually named ---__--____ project with Seth Graham and Recovery Girl. Two tracks from that album can be heard here, but the full release will surface on August 30 via the Orange Milk imprint.
Alejandro Cohen, who was previously part of the group Pharaohs and also happens to be the executive director of dublab in Los Angeles, has decided to release an album under his birth name for the first time. Chamber of Tears is said to be marked by “high-minded melancholy, platonic playfulness and sardonic sweetness,” and it’s due to appear on September 6 via Geographic North. The first taste of the record, a song called “Del Mar,” has already been shared.
Polish ambient / experimental artist Martyna Basta, whose Slowly Forgetting, Barely Remembering and Diaries Beneath Fragile Glass were both highlights of 2023, has resurfaced today with a new standalone single, “Flame After Flame.” It’s available via the Stroom label, and Basta has also published an accompanying music video.
DEFTR is a new collaboration between techno veteran Answer Code Request and pianist / producer / mixing engineer Jan Wagner, and the German duo will soon be bringing their debut album into the world. Described as a collection of “blissful and resonant soundscapes,” it will be issued on September 20 by UK imprint npm, but dubby LP cut “no knock, no doorbell” is available now.
BRAILLE 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 Braille, a versatile, Brooklyn-based house / techno / bass music artist who’s perhaps best known for the many years he spent as one half of the now-defunct Sepalcure project alongside Machinedrum. That being said, he’s also been responsible for a string of quality solo records over the years, including efforts for labels like Rush Hour and Hotflush, and next month he’ll be returning to the latter imprint with a new full-length called Triple Transit. In the meantime, he’s already let loose several teaser EPs, and has also been creating gear- and production-focused videos for his new YouTube channel, which launched earlier this year. Clearly he’s a busy dude, but he carved out a few moments to share something that changed his life more than two decades ago.
Brothomstates “Mdrmx” (Warp)
It was just starting to cool down during the fall of 2001 and I had received the latest shipment of music to put on the shelves at Rhino Records in Hyde Park, NY. Excited by the prospect of a new release on Warp Records from none other than demoscene star Brothomstates, I threw his record Claro on the turntable, accidentally starting with this song, “Mdrmx,” on Side B. I played it for nearly an hour straight until customers started to arrive. For that brief moment in time, Brothomstates’ naive, child-like melodies and percussive clicks and cuts helped me escape the anticipatory anxiety brought on by recent, world-changing events. Maybe they will help you escape for a bit today.
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.
Dawn to Dawn “Yours to Know” (Self-released)
Nearly two years have gone by since Montreal dream-popppers Dawn to Dawn dropped their debut album Postcards from the Sun to the Moon, but new single “Yours to Know”—a song they say was previously a “forgotten B-side”—makes clear that the group’s gauzy songwriting skills are still very much intact. As always, they’re mainlining a deliciously hazy brand of ’80s-era synth-pop, and the warm tones of singer Tess Roby—whose vocalizations here are largely wordless—make the track even more inviting.
Llewellyn “Instant Crush” (Riotvan)
Speaking of ’80s synth-pop, Llewellyn’s “Instant Crush” sounds like a long-lost Bronski Beat track. Although Jimmy Somerville is nowhere to be found, the song—which is completely instrumental—taps into a familiar well, infusing its pastel synths with soft-focus sentimentality as the German producer, who’s also previously made music under the names Lake People and Amrint Keen, keeps his New Order-ish bassline and drum machine beats bopping at the edge of the dancefloor. It’s a bit moody, and more than a little nostalgic, but it’s also a worthy option for anyone who’s already listened to their Visage and OMD records a few too many times.
Two Way Mirrors “Saints” (Frosti)
Sulk Rooms, Ffion, Winter Son, Two Way Mirrors… Thomas Ragsdale is a many of many aliases, but irrespective of what moniker he’s using, the UK producer—who also works extensively under his birth name—has a real knack for cinematic beauty. That’s probably why he’s been tapped to score numerous films and television shows, but “Saints” is actually taken from Torn, a new split release with Veins Full of Static. Opening with a fluttering synth loop, there is a bit of a Stranger Things vibe at work, but Ragsdale quickly ups the drama, taking flight with an awe-inducing (but not ostentatious) array of swells and pads that feels a lot more like a floaty trek through the clouds than a lazy afternoon of watching Netflix.
Elori Saxl “Surfaces” (Western Vinyl)
As a general rule, imitating the work of Arthur Russell is something that’s probably best avoided, simply because it’s nearly impossible to measure up to that level of genius. That being said, when an artist inadvertently stumbles into Russell’s unique soundworld—which is what seems to have happened with “Surfaces,” a track commissioned by the Guggenheim Museum in conjunction with a retrospective of painter Alex Katz—the results can be sublime. The closing song on experimental NYC composer Elori Saxl’s new Drifts and Surfaces release, it’s a humble, albeit elegant piece, its meditative brew of quavering string fragments, ponderous saxophone melodies and delicate glass marimba chimes sitting somewhere between jazz, ambient and new age.
Mary Lattimore “I Spent the Day Inside” (Self-released)
As much as Mary Lattimore is to be commended for consistently pushing her music into new territory, particularly on her various full-lengths, some of the LA artist’s most poignant material can be traced back to moments where she simply sat down and started jamming on her chosen instrument. The self-explanatory and relatively minimal “I Spent the Day Inside” is a perfect example. Lattimore claims it was made in a single day, yet the song is positively exquisite, its intricately plucked melodies and relaxed pace conjuring thoughts of high-born, extravagantly-dressed women—think Marie Antoinette—enjoying an afternoon of delicate cakes and springtime splendor.
Jupiter Jax “Silver Linings” (100% Silk)
What if the Italian dream house of the early 1990s hadn’t sounded so dreamy? Maltese producer Jupiter Jax seems to be searching for an answer with “Silver Linings,” the closing number of his new Summer Grey album. While the song’s perky chimes and lush atmospherics are its primary calling cards, what makes “Silver Linings” truly pop is its rhythmic underbelly, which sounds more like the early days of Chicago house than anything stereotypically Mediterranean. Can a track be both narcotic and pumping? Apparently it can.
Al Wootton “Midnight Paseo” (TRULE)
Though he’s moved further and further into dub territory in recent years—often with fantastic results—Al Wootton did get his start making music for the club, and “Midnight Paseo,” a highlight of his new Albacete Knife EP, finds the UK producer skillfully applying his bassbin worship to the needs of the dancefloor. As expected, there’s plenty of echo and syrupy reverb in the mix, along with the crystalline tones of what sounds like a wind chime, but it’s the drums that lead the way here, the track’s steady, half-submerged pulse buffeted by a sturdy assemblage of organic smacks and clacks.
Pépe “Porygon-Z” (CEE)
After Pépe’s 2023 album Reclaim took extensive cues from ambient, new age and the work of artists like Steve Reich, it was fair to ask whether the Valencian producer had decided to permanently leave the club behind. His new TRS Wavefolder EP, however, answers that question with a resounding “no,” offering up three tracks of jittery beats and bubbly bass music. “Porygon-Z” is the best of the bunch, its low-end machinations channeling Dance Mania as the song’s frantic melodies—which at times sound like a hyperactive kid excitedly tapping an empty glass bottle with a small metal rod—lend the proceedings an almost cartoonish, video game-like atmosphere.
Andy Martin “Codex Borges” (Diaspora Echoes)
If Andy Martin hailed from Bristol, or lived in Berlin, his new La creación de las aves EP might be a huge record, but since he’s a Mexican-Jamaican artist who resides in Guadalajara, it’ll most likely fly under the radar. (Even with all the attention thrown towards Latin America in recent years, electronic music audiences in Europe and North America still have a troubling tendency to disregard anything that doesn’t fit their preconceived notions—some might say stereotypes—of what Latin music is supposed to sound like.) That’s too bad, because Martin’s bassy techno hybrids are excellent, and on an EP loaded with quality material, the propulsive “Codex Borges” is an obvious standout. With its cybernetic synths and machine rhythms, the track has a definite sci-fi feel, and its no-bullshit approach brings to mind the work of artists like MMM, along with the more techno-oriented output of folks like Peverlist and Wata Igarashi.
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.