First Floor #230 – Trying Something New
First Floor #230 – Trying Something New
a.k.a. Talking politics and protest with writer and journalist Vincent Bevins, plus a round-up of the latest electronic music news and a fresh slate of new track recommendations.
I can’t believe that I didn’t mention hit em in last week’s First Floor digest. I swear it was right there in my notes, and somehow I just skipped over it. Since then, the nascent microgenre—which Matmos member Drew Daniel (a.k.a. The Soft Pink Truth) quite literally dreamed up—has been covered by NPR, The Guardian and the No Tags podcast, and has also been the subject of all sorts of internet chatter. A week can be an awfully long time in electronic music, and now I’m terribly late to the hit em party, although I did get a chance to share some of my thoughts in Stereogum when writer Daniel Bromfield called me up and asked me a few questions about this unlikely phenomenon. Will hit em blossom into a real genre, or is this just a faddish bit of online revelry? Probably the latter, but even if everyone’s forgotten about hit em a few months from now, it’s been a welcome reminder that even though the internet often feels like a fetid trash heap, it can still, on occasion, be a legitimately fun and joyous place.
Less joyous, however, was my trip into the comments section of that Stereogum piece, where I was greeted with sentiments like “most ‘electronic musicians’ are idiots pressing buttons” and “Well this music sucks really hard but I'm glad they had fun.” I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised—Stereogum, which mostly focuses on pop and indie sounds, hasn’t exactly cultivated an audience of thoughtful electronic music fans. But speaking as someone who probably spends far too much time in an electronic / experimental music bubble, where Aphex Twin’s every action is painstakingly scrutinized and the weekly recommendations from Boomkat carry serious weight, it’s good to remember that most people, especially in the US, not only don’t know about this stuff, but don’t even have the social / historical / cultural framework to engage with it.
Looking outside our bubbles is something all of us should probably do more often, and it was partially the motivation behind my recent interview Vincent Bevins, which was published earlier this week. He’s a professional journalist whose involvement with electronic music is tangential at best, but he’s also someone with a deep knowledge of protest movements, the media and the evolving nature of political speech and activism. We talked about these things in a very “big picture” way, but many of the insights he shared absolutely apply to the world of electronic music, even if we weren’t talking about Jeff Mills, pop edits or the hardcore continuum.
That interview is below, as is the rest of this week’s digest. News, new release announcements, reading suggestions… you’ll find all of those too, along with my latest bundle of new track recommendations, all of them from releases that dropped during the past week. I’ve also enlisted cellist Lia Kohl to pop in with a guest recommendation of her own, so don’t miss that.
We’ve got 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 interview with Vincent Bevins, an award-winning journalist and writer whose work focuses on international politics, global culture, protest, the media and more. Given the growing politicization of electronic music discourse in recent years, along with increased demands for artists and institutions to be politically active, it seemed prudent to seek out the wisdom of someone who’s dedicated their career to observing and analyzing protests and political movements around the globe.
ANOTHER THING I WROTE
What’s going on with UK funky? The genre is often spoken about as a purely historical phenomenon, but as I lay out in the latest edition of my monthly Second Floor column for Nina, the idea that funky “died” more than a decade ago isn’t really accurate. The article looks at how the music has evolved over the years, and points out that although few contemporary artists specifically subscribe to the funky tag, plenty of producers are still making it, and even more have been influenced by it. (Funky diehards may also be interested to know that this Nina column is something of a spiritual sequel to a First Floor piece I published back in June. That one highlighted many of my favorite funky and funky-adjacent tunes from 2009, when the genre was arguably at its peak.)
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.
As someone who’s written extensively about the contradiction between electronic music’s futurist ethos and its growing aesthetic conservatism, I was delighted to read Kieran Press-Reynolds’ new essay for Resident Advisor. He questions why the industry has been reluctant to embrace Brazilian funk, phonk, singeli and other emerging, wildly creative sounds from around the globe, especially when those sounds already have massive fanbases.
After Bandcamp was sold in 2022 (to Epic Games), and then sold again in 2023 (to Songtradr), users and industry observers have been anxious about the platform’s future, wondering at what point the whole thing might suddenly go belly up, or get transformed into something different altogether. Online, it’s not hard to find people clamoring for a Bandcamp alternative, and while many of those conversations have entailed little more than talk, Austin Robey—who previously co-founded platforms like Metalabel and Ampled—last week unveiled plans for a new, collectively owned Bandcamp successor called Subvert. Other than an extensive manifesto, which promises a platform “owned and controlled by its artists, workers, and community” that can also become “a replicable framework that can be applied across various services and industries,” not much has been shared with the public. Subvert, however, is inviting those interested in participating and becoming co-owners to sign up and declare their interest here.
Finn is at the helm of this week’s The Mix, which is Mixmag’s flagship mix and interview series. And while his DJ mix, which showcases a bevy of ’90s house gems and what the Manchester artist calls a “Sunday Club Mindset,” is definitely worthwhile, it’s his conversation with journalist Jamaal Johnson that may raise an eyebrow or two. Much of their discussion is pretty standard, detailing Finn’s dance music beginnings and his recent Greatest Hits release, but he also (politely) lodges some complaints about contemporary dance music culture, lamenting younger generations’ seeming disinterest in the history of the genre.
Speaking of dance music history, journalist Ben Cardew can always be counted upon to compellingly celebrate and contextualize the sounds of decades gone by. The latest edition of his Line Noise newsletter puts a spotlight on Mood II Swing, the oft-underappreciated NYC house duo whose massive catalog not only contains numerous classics, but also played a major role in laying the groundwork for what would eventually become UK garage.
The pop music critic for The Washington Post, Chris Richards is one of the best of what sadly feels like a dying breed. Jobs like his are exceedingly scarce these days, but the DC music journalist—who once upon a time was also the frontman of post-hardcore band Q and Not U—refuses to play it safe, consistently spotlighting local artists and challenging pop dogma, and impressively doing so without seeming like an out-of-touch old guy or a bitter snob. This week Richards popped up in the latest edition of Matthew Schnipper’s Deep Voices newsletter / playlist series, where he talked about both his day job and his continued involvement in the zine world, as he recently released the 20th and final edition of his own Debussy Ringtone publication.
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.
When I published an article about experimental cellists earlier this year, Oliver Coates was literally the first artist on my list. Now the London musician and composer has declared his intention to release a new album, Throb, shiver, arrow of time, which is enigmatically billed as a “portal into somatic chiaroscuro.” It’s slated for an October 18 release on RVNG Intl., but in the meantime, he’s shared opening track “Ultra valid,” along with the song’s official video.
As a DJ, Madam X has been a staple of the bass music circuit for quite some time, but the Athens-based UK artist will soon be making her first proper foray into production, releasing a debut EP on her own Kaizen imprint. Entitled Homecoming and due to surface on October 24, the record is a collaborative effort that finds her teaming up with DJ JM, Cartridge, Andy Martin and Doctor Jeep. That final collab, “Rasssputin,” has already been made available.
Before last week, Slikback hadn’t released any new music in 2024, which was rather surprising—the bass-loving, boundary-obliterating Kenyan producer’s prolific nature has long been one of his calling cards. The new FORZA EP, however, broke his temporary silence, and it’s now available as a name-your-price download on Bandcamp.
Koreless had an extended hiatus of his own going until a few months ago, when he released the “Seven” single via the Young label. That song, along with a remix of it by Jorg Kuning, is now going to appear on a full Koreless EP, Deceltica, which is scheduled to drop on August 16. More info can be found here, where both versions of “Seven” can also be heard.
B.D.B is the collaborative project of Bicep and techno producer Benjamin Damage, and this week the trio re-emerged with a new single, “CHROMA 005 A.L.O.E.” As the title implies, it’s been issued via Bicep’s CHROMA imprint, and the song is out now.
Clark was recruited to produce the score for In Camera, the 2023 debut feature film from director Naqqash Khalid. Apparently the veteran UK producer was happy with the results, as he ultimately elected to expand that work into a full-fledged, 20-track album. Also titled In Camera, it will be released on September 13 through Clark’s own Throttle label, although one song, “Green Breaking,” has already been shared.
Back in 2022, the FELT label was launched with a release from Civilistjävel!, and since then, the Swedish artist has become one of the Copenhagen imprint’s core artists. On September 13, he’ll be returning to the impeccably curated label for the fourth time with a new album called Brödföda, which features collaborations with Laila Sakini, Mayssa Jallad, ELDON, Withdrawn and Thommy Wahlström. The latter appears on “VI,” the one song from the LP that’s available now.
Alessandro Cortini has completed a new release. Based on “an immersive audio installation that ran across four floors of the Museu de Lisboa’s Fábrica da Moagem,” it’s called Nati Infiniti, and it’s apparently a “40-minute piece separated into five movements.” The veteran synthesist and longtime member of Nine Inch Nails hasn’t yet shared any music from the release, but it will be available on October 4, and more info can be found here.
LIA KOHL 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 Lia Kohl, a cellist, composer and sound artist based in Chicago. Regular First Floor readers may remember seeing her name earlier this year in this round-up of boundary-pushing cellists, but since then, she’s unveiled plans for a new full-length, Normal Sounds. An effort “built around field recordings of human-made, non-musical sounds,” the LP includes bits of everything from tornado sirens to ice cream trucks, along with more traditional instrumentation from Kohl and collaborators like Ka Baird and Patrick Shiroishi. Before the record arrives at the end of this month, she’s taken a few moments to go back in time and unearth a classic piece of Japanese music.
Haruomi Hosono “Talking” (Fuyukisha)
Haruomi Hosono’s Watering a Flower was originally commissioned as background music for Japanese homeware store Muji in 1984. “Talking” is the first track, and it's among the only music I can listen to while working (or doing anything that requires my mind). Obviously it’s designed that way, but its calm brightness far transcends any incidental music I’ve ever heard. I highly recommend perusing the YouTube comments, which are full of people telling each other what they think it sounds like—everything from “can only assume this is what it feels like to be a fungus” to this absolute gem: “you're sitting on the floor of your grandparents' house, making something out of cardboard. you're not sure exactly what it is, but it's never existed before you made it. you find an old toy and put it somewhere on it. your parents come to pick you up, and you tell them you had a great time.” In a world of music saturated by flat, marketable emotions, I find this group of strangers and their complex imagery deeply heartening.
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.
Command D “Heavy Clouds” (Pure Space)
During its five years of existence, the Pure Space label has primarily been focused on lively electro and techno, but New Devices, the latest EP from Command D, offers up something more meditative. Perhaps that’s because it was created in the aftermath of the Sydney-based producer getting his laptop stolen, but whatever the cause, he’s filled that blank canvas with a supremely chilled strain of dub techno. EP closer “Heavy Clouds” is especially satisfying, as Command D has drenched every corner of the song in pillow-soft reverb, to point where even its chunky low-end grooves seem perfect for a cozy afternoon of daydreaming and watching the clouds float by.
Danny Daze & Jonny from Space “Slime” (Craigie Knowes)
Many Americans are already familiar with the slogans “Keep Austin Weird” and “Keep Portland Weird,” but maybe it’s time to put “Keep Miami Weird” into circulation as well. Although the city is somewhat paradoxically known for its love of both glamour and tacky fun, it’s also long been a hotbed for weirdos, especially in the realm of electronic music. That’s rarely been mentioned by the trend-chasers and music journalists who’ve lavished Miami with attention in recent years, but no amount of tastemaker flattery could stop Danny Daze and Jonny from Space from flying their freak flags. The two have joined forces on the new Tumbadora EP, and the record—which also includes a remix from fellow Floridian Nick León—is intriguingly unconventional, offering up haunted electro mutations (“Sweet Spot Radio”) and trippy, crunched-out techno deconstructions (“Tumbadora”). And “Slime,” which closes out the release, might be the most bizarre tune of the bunch, its sci-fi-flavored excursion occasionally sounding like grime, albeit in a way that feels a lot more like South America than the streets of London.
Dubbel Dutch “Computer Sanity” (Rare Earth Tones)
Cosmic Tone Poems is the first new EP from Dubbel Dutch in more than a decade. (For more information about what the now-Hawaii-based producer was doing during that decade, make sure to check out his recent interview with First Floor.) While he still has plenty of old material sitting in his archives, the new record contains nothing but tracks he created during 2024, and it’s highlighted by “Computer Sanity,” a spritely bass-techno hybrid that sounds like a lost dancehall cut from the Mario Kart soundtrack. There’s always been a lightness to Dubbel Dutch’s productions, and hearing the dancing chimes and synthetic flutes on “Computer Sanity,” it does seem that the man is happy to be making music again.
Physical Therapy & Patrick Holland “7 AM Drive” (Allergy Season)
Both Physical Therapy and Patrick Holland have tried their hands at a variety of styles over the years, so what should we expect from a collaboration between the two? “Good vibes” is the only answer I could have confidently given before hearing their new Daymaxxing EP, and they’re in abundance on the new record, which was specifically designed to embody “the distinct moods of a day on the dancefloor.” The release opens and closes with laid-back grooves; the title track is a colorful slice of slo-mo house music, while the woozy “7 PM” indulges in Balearic luxury. But it’s the EP’s most bumping tune, the proggy “7 AM Drive,” that truly stands out, its rubbery bass notes and string flourishes joyously borrowing from ATB-style beach trance and “Strings of Life,” respectively.
Eff & Tim Reaper “Wavebreak” (Future Retro London)
Kloke “Sirens” (Unknown to the Unknown)
Next month, Tim Reaper and Kloke are set to release In Full Effect, the first-ever jungle album on Hyperdub. In the meantime though, the two artists continue to release their own material at an impressive clip. Reaper ended last week by dropping two new volumes of his ongoing collaborative series, Meeting of the Minds, showcasing tunes he made alongside the likes of Nebula, DJ Trace, Percussive P and others. “Wavebreak” closes out Vol. 12, and it’s a joint effort with Eff, a relatively unknown artist who literally works the door at Reaper’s Future Retro London events. Sparkly, soulful and ’90s-indebted, it borders on atmospheric, but also includes a strident drum attack. “Sirens” the floaty lead track from Kloke’s new The Cosmik Connection Lost Tape release, walks a similar line, channeling the spirit of old Photek and J Majik productions as it rumbles its way across the dancefloor.
Loidis “Sugar Snot” (Incienso)
Is Brian Leeds (a.k.a. Huerco S.) joking when he repeatedly refers to his new Loidis album as “minimal emo tech”? It’s possible, and considering the degree to which his work has been lionized, scrutinized and intellectualized over the years, you can’t blame the native Kansan for wanting to have a little fun with the press and electronic music’s overly serious commentariat. Before now, Loidis was one of his little used aliases, a name he’d only employed on a single 12”: 2018’s A Parade, in the Place I Sit, the Floating World (& All Its Pleasures). Even so, Leeds had a relatively defined vision for the project, describing it in a First Floor interview as a vehicle for his music with “a minimal, microhouse / dub-techno vibe.” His new One Day LP stretches that vision across an entire album, taking generous cues from iconic acts like Shinichi Atobe, Basic Channel and Jan Jelenik along the way. It’s dance music, yes, but it’s also a captivating exercise in restraint, one that places a premium on minute details and the hypnotizing power of a precision-crafted loop, particularly as that loop is slowly tweaked over the course of six, seven or even ten minutes. The whole record is excellent, but the unpleasantly titled “Sugar Snot” is a clear highlight, a dubby deep house roller that undoubtedly sounds best when the hour is late, the club is packed and your eyes are shut.
Anton Friisgaard “Kampaka (feat. Dewa Badukz)” (STROOM)
At first glance, “Danish electronic artist makes a gamelan album” seems like an incredibly dicey proposition, the sort of thing that could quickly devolve into milquetoast, cafe-ready “world music,” deeply problematic cultural appropriation or both. Anton Friisgaard, however, not only appears to have made his new Teratai Åkande the “right” way, traveling to Bali and working in close collaboration with local musicians, but he’s also made a spellbinding record, one that honors gamelan traditions while also (tastefully) pushing the genre into new sonic territory. With its plethora of bells and chimes, the LP does at times bring to mind the work of artists like Shackleton and Aleksi Perälä, yet Friisgaard never seems to be overly concerned with needs of the dancefloor, eschewing repetitive drum patterns while allowing the music to chart its own psychedelic course. Even “Kampaka,” the most overtly propulsive song on the album, is more likely to inspire slack-jawed wonder than a jaunt across the dancefloor, as the swirling maelstrom of its crystalline melodies demands the listener’s full attention.
Time Is Away “turn on arabic radio oscura” (Knekelhuis)
It was just a few weeks ago that Yu Su sang the praises of Time Is Away here in the newsletter, recommending a track from the Searchlight Moonbeam compilation that the London duo and NTS Radio hosts curated last year. “turn on arabic radio oscura” also speaks to their enviable ear, albeit in a different way. The track is actually an edit, one which combines the music of Muslimgauze and SSIEGE into a breezy bit of new age-flavored laptop pop. I use the word “pop” in the loosest way possible; with a runtime of more than 10 minutes, and nothing resembling a verse, chorus or even sung lyrics, the song isn’t exactly karaoke material. It does, however, go down remarkably smooth, even as its free-floating melody butts up against bleeps, bloops, static and crunchy digital detritus. Even better, all proceeds from the track—which is also being sold on a limited-edition 10” dubplate—will go to the Delia Arts Foundation, an organization “dedicated to supporting children and musicians in Gaza and other conflict areas around the world.”
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.