First Floor #236 – Coping with an Avalanche
a.k.a. An interview with Oliver Coates, plus a round-up of the latest electronic music news and a fresh crop of new track recommendations.
I only took a single week off, and yet it feels like years of activity have unfolded in the electronic music world. Why does everyone insist on announcing and / or releasing things in September and October? It’s too much! (It also means that the end of today’s newsletter may get cut off by your email provider. If you’re on Gmail, you’ll need to click the “view entire message” link at the bottom of whatever lands in your inbox.)
Given all that’s happened, I must admit that today’s First Floor digest doesn’t quite capture everything that took place during the past two weeks, but I’ve done my best to highlight the good stuff. Below you’ll find news items, new release announcements, reading links and, of course, lots and lots of track recommendations. (Just FYI: One of those tracks comes from Chilean artist Valesuchi, who was kind enough to drop in with a guest recommendation.)
You’ll also find my interview with composer and cellist Oliver Coates, who I was thrilled to talk to. He’s one of those artists who’s quietly been kind of everywhere during the past decade or so, popping up on lauded film scores and a slew of great records, both other people’s and his own. Despite all of that activity, he hasn’t spent much time talking to the press during the past few years, so it was a pleasure to dive deep into his work and try to ascertain exactly what makes him tick—and also what makes the cello so damn appealing.
As always, we have a lot of ground to cover, but before we get started, two quick things:
I want to give a massive thank you to all of the First Floor readers who signed up for a paid subscription during the past two weeks. I asked for help, and so many of you answered the call, which made me feel very appreciated. I hate to be cliché, but it’s people like you who make this newsletter possible, so THANK YOU for the support. It means a lot.
Unfortunately, I am going to be taking another short break from First Floor next week. I promise this will be the last one before the holiday season, and it’s only happening because I have a multi-day, long-haul travel saga happening, and it’s all but impossible to publish this thing when you’re moving through multiple airports and time zones. My apologies for that, but First Floor’s regular publishing schedule will resume on October 8.
Alright, let’s get into this.
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 in-depth interview with acclaimed cellist, composer and experimental artist Oliver Coates, who in recent years has notably expanded his practice into the world of film scoring. Our conversation dives into the particulars of that shift, but also touches on his upcoming album, the legacy of classical music and his complicated relationship with his chosen instrument.
SOME OTHER THINGS I’M DOING
This Sunday, September 29, I will be at Paris Electronic Week, where I will be leading a workshop called “How to create your music newsletter.” I’ll be sharing some of the knowledge and strategies I’ve picked up during the past five years of doing First Floor, and will talk about the editorial, financial and logistical aspects of running a newsletter. More information about the workshop, and all of the Paris Electronic Week programming, can be found here.
Second Floor is my monthly column for Nina, and the latest edition—which was published in two parts—focuses on the oft-overlooked history of tropical bass and global bass. These sounds swept across North American and European dancefloors during the late 2000s and early 2010s, and while there are a lot of parallels between that era and what’s happening now with Latin club, the focus back then was on cumbia, baile funk, tribal guarachero and a number of other rhythms with roots in Latin America, The Caribbean and Africa. As it happens, I myself was deeply involved in that scene, so the article does have something of a personal bent, but it also includes a sober examination of how the hype around tropical / global bass formed in the first place—and why it notably fizzled, just a few years later.
REAL QUICK
A round-up of the last two weeks’ most interesting electronic music news, plus links to interviews, articles and other things I think are worth sharing.
In a brilliant piece of music journalism—one that involves actual journalism—Pitchfork’s Isabelia Herrera has put together a thorough examination of the current legal battle over the dembow riddim, which is essentially the foundation of reggaeton. The battle stems from a lawsuit by the estates of Jamaican producers Cleveland “Clevie” Browne and Wycliffe “Steely” Johnson, who cite more than 1800 songs which they see as infringing on the copyright of the duo’s 1989 track “Fish Market.” It’s a fascinating case, one that not only has potentially enormous ramifications for the music industry and copyright law (which has always been geared towards melody, not rhythm), but also speaks to a litany of social and racial inequalities, particularly within Latin America and The Caribbean.
Speaking of actual musical journalism, Resident Advisor’s Carlos Hawthorn did some impressive digging while preparing his recent Rewind review of legendary 1994 Nuyorican house album The African Dream. Made by a Puerto Rican artist whose legal name was Lee Rodriguez, the LP is a deep house classic, and Hawthorn recounts (some of) its origin story. But, as his conversations with some of Rodriguez’s former collaborators reveal, the LP’s creator has seemingly disappeared, leaving many—including the label which released The African Dream in the the first place—wondering what happened to him.
The recent closure of Aslice has made clear just how big of a gap exists between the electronic music world’s rhetoric around “community” and its willingness to back that rhetoric up with real-world support. That has prompted quite a bit of soul searching, and while I recently did some of that in my own First Floor essay, the topic also features prominently in the latest edition of Son Raw’s enjoyably grumpy No Country for Old Men column for Passion of the Weiss, in which he meditates on the idea that “raves are not safe spaces.” And here in Barcelona, the Spanish-language Pizá i Fontanals podcast this week kicked off its second season with an episode questioning whether or not solidarity actually exists in the electronic music realm. (Spoiler alert: they don’t think so.)
Earlier this month, long-running Berlin club Watergate announced that it would be closing at the end of the year, with co-founder Ulrich Wombacher explaining that the decision was motivated by inflation, rising energy prices, rising DJ fees and a shift in consumer preferences. This caps a wave of club closures in the German capital, and prompted the Electronic Beats Weekly podcast, which recently returned for its second season, to devote its latest episode to discussion of whether anything can be done to stem the tide.
In more positive club-related news, Buenos Aires techno venue Under Club, which was shuttered earlier this year following a police raid—a raid which the club’s owners have repeatedly said was rooted in false allegations—announced that it will be reopening in November. More details were reported by Resident Advisor, and the club is also currently putting together a forthcoming benefit compilation to help cover its legal costs.
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 two weeks.
Formerly known as Perko, Copenhagen-based Scottish artist (and FELT label founder) Fergus Jones has decided to move forward under his own name, and will soon be releasing his debut album. Ephemera features a number of guest appearances, including the likes of Koreless and Laila Sakini, and it’s due to surface on October 18 through the Numbers label. Ahead of that, LP track “Heima,” which features Huerco S. and James K, has already been made available.
Barcelona duo Tarta Relena have unveiled plans for their forthcoming second full-length, És pregunta, which is said to dive into “themes of tragic contemplation.” Rooted in the vocal and folk traditions of the Mediterranean, the new record will once again find the pair singing in a variety of different languages, and before it lands on October 18 via the Latency imprint, the song “Si veriash a la rana” has already been shared.
Mood Hut co-founder Jack J—who granted his first-ever interview to First Floor back in 2022—has completed a new album. Entitled Blue Desert, the record—which, not surprisingly, appears to focus on Balearic-tinged pop grooves—is slated to arrive on November 1. However, two tracks from the LP, “Wrong Again” and “Foolish Shoes,” are already available here.
Two Shell have spent much of the past few years pushing their schtick to the absolute limit, but the prank-loving UK duo will soon be releasing their debut full-length. Not much is known about the self-titled album, but the Young label will be issuing it on October 25, and a predictably silly first single, “Everybody Worldwide,” can be heard now.
Despite being is a very busy artist, Mica Levi apparently found the time to record an entire album with Spresso, a trio that also includes Alpha Maid and drummer Zach Toppin. That album, Pretty Penny Slur, was quietly self-released last week and is available in full now.
Djrum’s reputation as a DJ is practically unparalleled, but the UK artist has also produced some pretty excellent records over the years, and will soon be sharing his first new material since 2019. His upcoming EP is called Meaning’s Edge, and though Houndstooth will be releasing it in full on November 22, the track “Codex” is out now.
A collaboration between rRoxymore and DJ Plead likely sounds like a dream come true to many fans of bass music and the weirdo fringe of techno. The pair recently dropped an EP, Read Round City, via Smalltown Supersound, and while it’s currently only available on vinyl—Boomkat have copies, and some preview clips—the music will be available digitally on September 27 (i.e. tomorrow).
VALESUCHI 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 Valesuchi, a Chilean artist who makes her home in Rio de Janeiro. A veteran raver who’s spent decades digging for tunes and finding herself on the dancefloor, she primarily moves between the worlds of house and techno, albeit with a distinctly Latin American twist. (It’s no wonder that’s she’s found common cause with labels like Matías Aguayo’s Cómeme and Mamba Negra offshoot Mamba Rec.) Her most recent EP, Cascada, arrived earlier this year, and her she’s shared something that highlights her love of rythmic eccentricities.
Marcelo Gerab “>A*fR@91LeˆEx7r4” (Boston Medical Group)
This song soundtracks 100 years in six and a half minutes. A simultaneous zoom, decoding in opposite directions. Material and sentimental. <3
From Uberlandia via São Paulo: Marcelo Gerab.
NEW THIS WEEK
The following is a selection of my favorite tunes from releases that came out during the past two weeks 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.
ABADIR & Nahash “Tenterlé تنترليه” (SVBKVLT)
What if Jersey club had been invented in Cairo instead of Newark? Well, it obviously wouldn’t be called Jersey club, and it might sound something like the head-spinning rhythms of ABADIR. The Egyptian producer has been on an absolute tear during the past few years, but his latest offering, Marchadair مرشدير, is a collaboration with French artist Nahash. The two apparently bonded over their love for ’90s rave, Beth Gibbons, Sun Ra and grilled lamb, but they also seem to share a passion for rapid-fire percussion and bass-fueled mayhem. On their new EP, much of the mayhem has a distinctly Middle Eastern flavor, and the standout “Tenterlé تنترليه” is a joyously frantic number, its flurry of riotous horn blasts backed by brain-rattling, stop-and-start drum programming.
Tim Reaper & Kloke “Juice” (Hyperdub)
In news that most First Floor readers—especially the ones who read my recent interview with Tim Reaper—will find completely unsurprising, I think his new full-length with Kloke is real good. Although In Full Effect is technically the first jungle LP ever released on Hyperdub, it’s not an album with a capital A; there are no ambient passages, awkward attempts at pop crossovers or deeper themes to be found. More than anything, t’s a collection of jungle rippers, one that pays homage to the genre’s golden era and primarily lets the percussion do the talking. Many tracks on the record could be mistaken for recordings of a virtuosic jazz drummer going absolutely wild behind their kit, but LP highlight “Juice” is a proper rave exercise, complete with vamping pianos and what sounds like a clever interpolation of the iconic melody from ’90s club classic “Show Me Love.” It’s a little surprising to hear something so overtly fun coming from two leading figures of what’s often a deadly serious genre, but perhaps “Juice” is a sign that junglists are ready to start smiling again.
Joe Milli “Mono” (Faux Poly)
First Epoque “Le Cap” (Self-released)
Is UK funky coming back? It’s too soon to tell, but traces of the genre’s soca-infused shuffle are starting to pop up rather frequently across the bass music spectrum. As I laid out in a Second Floor column last month, those traces are often being combined with elements of gqom, amapiano and other African sounds, and “Le Cap”—the lead track of First Epoque’s new Grande Terre EP—is a compelling example of this hybrid approach. The anonymous producer claims to reside in the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, but regardless of whether or not that’s true, “Le Cap” is a wonky delight, its percolating drum pattern humming along at 147 bpm as the song’s rubbery basslines recall vintage funky gems like Mr. Mageeka’s “Different Lekstrix.” Those looking for something less eccentric, however, may instead be drawn to the champagne chic of “Mono,” which opens London artist Joe Milli’s new Manifest Leisure EP. With its crystalline chime and dreamy vocal chops, the track has something of a classy, dressed-up vibe, but its chunky bassline is rude enough to perk up even the most gully of dancefloors.
Elpac “Outside Ride” (SPE:C)
Elpac hails from Bristol. Of course he does. While there’s no need to tout the city’s bass credentials for the millionth time, one can’t help but be impressed by the consistency and quality of its low-end-oriented offerings. “Outside Ride” closes out the new Clay EP, and it’s ostensibly a dubstep tune, right down to the guttural rumblings of its omnipresent wobble bass. Yet this isn’t some ponderous stepper, nor is it a rowdy tearout track; “Outside Ride” is lively, but it also has a sense of groove, its jittery percussion bopping along like popcorn kernels over an open flame.
Kayper “Warning” (Hypercolour)
“Warning” sounds like … something. Honestly, it sounds like a lot of somethings, in the sense that Kayper has basically distilled several decades of UK dance music into one highly lovable tune. It’s “RIP Groove.” It’s “Out of Space.” It’s Groove Armada. It’s breakbeat. It’s big beat. It’s any number of speed garage bangers. Most importantly, it’s fun—and not in a way that feels dumb or cheap. Put this one on when the sun is shining, you’re hanging with a crew of friends and the vibes are good.
Space Ghost “Dream Tool” (Peace World)
Larry Heard is thankfully still alive and kicking, but it seems that Space Ghost is more than ready to follow in his impossibly smooth footsteps. “Dream Tool” is the title track of the Oakland producer’s latest EP—which also happens to be the first release from his new Peace World imprint—and it’s a chilled cruiser, as indebted to the funky legacy of 1980s Chicago as it is to the lush, piano-flecked sounds of Italian dream house. It’s a gorgeous tune, and its soulful grooves unfold at a luxuriously leisurely pace. And why not? When you’re relaxing on an inflatable mattress in the middle of a giant swimming pool, there’s no need to do anything too quickly.
Interstellar Funk “Particles” (Dekmantel)
upsammy “Galax P.” (Dekmantel)
The assemblage of talent on the new Dekmantel Ten box set borders on ridiculous. Kode9, Marcel Dettmann, Wata Igarashi, Nick León, Peach, Palms Trax, Roza Terenzi, Verraco, Call Super … that’s just a partial list of participants. Yet it’s somehow fitting that even with all of these top-shelf producers on board, the two tunes which stand out the most come from artists that—like Dekmantel itself—call Amsterdam home. “Particles” is a laid-back dancefloor cut from Interstellar Funk, whose understated chug and spritely array of cosmic (and slightly new agey) melodies coalesce into a comfortably bubbly groove. upsammy’s “Galax P.” goes even further afield, as her scuttling rhythms and playful melodies lend the IDM-adjacent track a mischievous, almost childlike sensibility. It’s miles away from the usual festival fodder, but the song’s impish nature is captivating all the same.
Phran “Recipe (feat. Marta Szewczyk and Club Nuclear)” (Ediciones Villasonora)
Phran is one of those artists who does a little bit of everything. The Barcelona-based Venezuelan was flying the flag for raptor house more than a decade before it became trendy amongst the gringo set, and his ACA label (which he runs alongside NAP) played a major role in putting DJ Babatr on the global dance music radar last year. When it comes to his own music, he’s mostly focused on making techno and electro hybrids, both solo as as one half of People You May Know (with Ylia), though he also explores more traditional Latin sounds under his DJ Phidias alias. Most artists would stop there, but with his new Laguna EP, Phran has taken a turn into deeper, darker sounds, taking cues from trip-hop, dub and ambient while slowing things down and focusing on hazy, late-night grooves. “Recipe” is the highlight, and it might be the most bleary-eyed track on the record, its languid drums made all the more hypnotic by the deadpan, Polish-language vocals of photographer and visual artist Marta Szewczyk.
Big Hands “Girde Maye / Astere (Paperclip Minimiser remix)” (Blank Mind)
Italian artist Big hands must be a patient man. “Girde Maye / Astere” first appeared on 2021’s Ossario EP, and now, more than three years later, he’s followed it up with a remix EP. In a time when most releases fail to lodge in listeners’ memories for three weeks, let alone three years, this kind of delay is unusual, to say the least, but Girde Maye / Astere remixes delivers the goods, offering up reworks from the likes of Notte Infinita, Tammo Hesselink and Paperclip Minimiser (a.k.a. Cong Burn label founder John Howes). It’s that last one that really steals the show, as the UK producer taps into the spacey, ritualistic feel of the source material while taking his version even deeper into orbit. More of a refinement than a revolution, he draws out the song’s grooves and adds a touch of psychedelic crunch into the mix, landing in a tripped-out zone where gravity is at a minimum and absolutely no one is in a hurry.
Quasar 554 “Albedo” (One Instrument)
The Jupiter-6 may not be the most beloved of vintage Roland synthesizers, but the machine proves its mettle on Jp6Book, the new EP from Italian artist Quasar 554. True to the One Instrument ethos, no other sound sources appear on the record, which is at its most compelling on opening track “Albedo.” Less than three minutes in length, the song—which might be better described as a synthscape—immediately establishes the EP’s cinematic tone, its ice-cold melodies spreading out across a vast horizon and slowly drifting toward the cosmos. Call it sci-fi, call it space music, but whatever descriptor you ultimately land upon, “Albedo” will have you casting your gaze skyward.
Civilistjävel! “I” (FELT)
Can a piece of music be both ambient and orchestral? Brödföda, the latest full-length from Swedish artist Civilistjävel!, makes a very strong case that it can. Stuffed with delicate flourishes, free-floating textures and deliciously deliberate tempos, the album unfolds in a way that parallels the slow blooming of an exquisite flower. “I” opens the record, and while its percussive thwacks are perhaps too numerous for the song to be considered truly ambient, it’s a spellbinding piece of music. It’s also the longest track on the LP, and its vaporous allure increases with each passing minute. There are echoes of artists like Tangerine Dream and Huerco S. in the mix, both here and throughout the album, but even when Brödföda is at its most melancholy, it remains a deeply enriching listen—and something that only Civilistjävel!, a master of aural murk, could have made.
Sarah Davachi “Prologo” (Late Music)
In a time when many artists are actively adjusting their output to better fit the demands of the proverbial algorithm, Sarah Davachi continues to look at the status quo and say, “Nah, I’ll do my own thing.” Her long-form drones swim against every prevailing cultural and technological current, and yet they remain reliably mesmerizing. “Prologo” is the first track on the Los Angeles-based Canadian’s latest full-length, the extravagantly titled The Head as Form’d in the Crier’s Choir, and it’s a solo pipe organ piece. Recorded at churches in Helsinki and Oberlin—a fact which might explain why its ponderous tones are marked by what feels like a distinctly devotional weight—the slow-burning song demands total surrender, a not insignificant request when most people instinctively fiddle with their phones during moments of extended quiet. Not many listeners will be up for the challenge, but Davachi makes sure that those who do are rewarded—slowly, of course.
Ulla & perila “lasting like a grass leaf” (Paralaxe Editions)
Jazz Plates is far from the first time that Ulla and perila have worked on a record together, but it is the first time that they made something together while both were in the same room. Recorded in Berlin over the course of a few days, the double album—which, full disclosure, has been issued by my wife Dania’s record label, Paralaxe Editions—is loosely inspired by the duo’s shared love of jazz greats like Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, but it’s not jazz in the traditional sense. It’s not really anything in the traditional sense, as their smudged songs also borrow from ambient and the most mournful edges of avant-pop. On “lasting like a grass leaf”—one of the LP’s many highlights—it’s perila’s vocals that take top billing, wordlessly cooing and emoting atop a suite of reverb-drenched piano and wandering clarinet groans. Sonically, it’s not far off from Ruins-era Grouper, though Jazz Plates isn’t nearly as tormented, and even has a sense of warmth, or perhaps just intimacy—a likely byproduct of two longtime friends finally forging an IRL connection.
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.)
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.