First Floor #244 – Nostalgia Apparently Has Its Limits, Even in Dance Music
a.k.a. A look back at nu-skool breaks, plus a round-up of the latest electronic music news and a fresh batch of new track recommendations.
If you’re in the United States today, happy Thanksgiving.
(That said, why are you reading a newsletter right now? Shouldn’t you be spending time with your loved ones? Put your phone down.)
If you’re anywhere else in the world, happy Thursday.
For music industry types, this time of year is always a little strange. With the end of 2024 looming, the usual churn of promo blasts and new releases has begun to slow taper off, leaving much of the music press in something of a holding pattern until their annual onslaught of year-end round-ups and “best of” lists can begin. (Some of this content has started leaking out already—think of it as the music journalism version of Christmas creep—but I imagine the floodgates will properly open up sometime next week.)
In the meantime though, a dizzying volume of new music continues to be released, holidays and industry norms be damned. Sorting through it all is damn near impossible, which is why First Floor always makes a point to direct readers toward the good stuff. True to the spirit of Thanksgiving, today’s digest includes an oversized helping of track recommendations, along with a special guest recommendation from Berlin-based synthesist Layne. Also included are a smattering of news items, release announcements and suggested reading links, and for those in search of a truly meaty read, I’d like to suggest the piece I published earlier this week about nu-skool breaks.
Seeing that last sentence, some skeptic are surely thinking, “Nu-skool breaks? Really?”
Really. And believe me, I’m as surprised as you are.
You’ll find that article below—and yes, the paywall is currently (albeit temporarily) down—though I do want to make one small addition / clarification. Although the piece does argue that it’s strange that nu-skool breaks—a genre that which was legitimately quite popular during the ’90s and 2000s—has never experienced a major revival, I’m not personally advocating for its large-scale return. Yes, there are some good tunes to be found, and yes, the story of nu-skool breaks’ rise and subsequent decline is interesting, at least for electronic music nerds. But a lot of this stuff has aged very, very poorly. This was brazenly big-room music, released during a time when industry forces were actively commercializing club and rave culture. There was a lot of cheese and a lot of bravado, and as I was listening to a bunch of nu-skool breaks tunes this week, I repeatedly found myself thinking, “this stuff is so overtly MALE,” which in the context of the Y2K era’s hypermasculine music culture says a lot.
So yeah, nu-skool breaks might not be for everyone, especially not in 2024. But do read the article. Whether you’re an old head looking for a trip down memory lane or someone who’s never even heard of the genre before, there’s probably something in there for you.
Or don’t. There’s plenty more in today’s newsletter that’s worth a look.
Let’s get into it.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Every Tuesday, First Floor publishes a long-form piece that’s initially made available to paid newsletter subscribers only. But if you’re not part of the paid tier, now’s your chance to see what you missed! The latest piece is now (temporarily) open to everyone, and it’s an article looking back at an oft-forgotten genre from the late ’90s and early 2000s: nu-skool breaks. The piece recaps the music’s (relatively brief) lifespan and also highlights some quality tunes, all the while questioning how it’s possible that even in a time of rampant dance music nostalgia, the genre has yet to experience any sort of significant resurgence.
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.
Metalheadz is probably the most renowned jungle / drum & bass label of all time, and it will soon be celebrating its 30 years of existence with a limited-edition hardcover book. Entitled THE BOOK OF GOLDIKUS: VOL.1 METALHEADZ / THE RUFIGE FILES, it’s described as “part archive, part time capsule,” and its 424 pages include “rare and never-before-seen photographs, sketches, flyers, press clippings, releases and artefacts from Goldie’s personal archive,” along with behind-the-scenes narratives and recollections from various members of the extended Metalheadz family. The expected release date is December 12.
International Feel founder Mark Barrott has a new album, Everything Changes, Nothing Ends, that’s set to drop tomorrow, and as he explained in a gripping interview that was published last week on writer Andy Beta’s Substack, the LP was born out of an unexpected tragedy—namely, his wife’s sudden death from cancer in early 2023. It’s not an easy read, but Barrott’s words are refreshingly honest and emotionally vulnerable, offering a good reminder that music can be so much more than consumer content.
One of the most interesting aspects of the latest album from Lifted (a.k.a. the ongoing collaborative project of Future Times boss Max D, Matt Papich and a rotating cast of characters) is that it’s all but impossible to tell where each sound on the record came from or how it was generated. That said, anyone curious to find out more about how the LP was made should check out this Nina Q&A feature, in which writer JB Johnson gets the duo to shed some light on their creative process and reflect on how the new full-length compares to previous Lifted releases.
Although I do like Boards of Canada, I’ve never been a full-blown obsessive, which made it difficult for me to personally identify with this recent piece that Stephan Kunze wrote for his zensounds newsletter. I did, however, very much enjoy his willingness to lay out the nitty-gritty details of his long-running BoC fandom—and his explanation of why a recent upload to the group’s official YouTube channel might potentially be a genuinely big deal.
Released earlier this month, Lara Sarkissian’s debut album Remnants makes for an interesting listen on its own, but her recent interview with Matthew Schnipper for his Deep Voices newsletter provides a wealth of additional context that further enriches the record. Diving deep into her Armenian heritage, their conversation lays out how Sarkissian’s music echoes the specific history of her people, and how her life was directly impacted by the long-simmering conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan when it reignited in 2020.
Have you ever wanted to pitch up or slow down songs while browsing Discogs? Now you can, thanks to a new web extension created by nohup. Digital diggers may remember that the Seattle-based artist and developer released a similar web extension for Bandcamp last year, and while both tools are currently available as free downloads, those wishing to support nohup’s efforts are welcome to make a donation here.
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.
Blawan has a new solo EP on the way. Entitled BouQ, it’s slated for a December 6 release on XL, and while the vaunted UK label hasn’t provided much in the way of supplemental details, it has already shared one track from the record, “Fires,” which it’s describing as “broken pop.”
Whether they’re working solo or joining forces as DOVS, Vienna-based Tin Man and Mexico City native AAAA are best known for their acid experiments, which over the years have largely focused on the dancefloor. Nevertheless, the duo have elected to switch things up on their forthcoming sophomore full-length, Psychic Geography, which the Balmat label is billing as a “strictly ambient affair.” It’s due to arrive on January 17, but two tracks from the LP can already be heard here.
Following up on I. JORDAN’s I AM JORDAN album from earlier this year, Ninja Tune this week unveiled a new Octo Octa remix of LP track “Close to You.” It’s available now.
Adding to the growing volume of benefit compilations to help victims of the recent flooding in Spain’s Valencia region, Barcelona outpost Lapsus has assembled Horta Sud, a 24-track collection that includes contributions from artists like perila, µ-Ziq, Patricia Wolf, oma totem, Pye Corner Audio, Gacha Bakradze and Lord of the Isles. (Full disclosure: the compilation also includes a song from my wife Dania.) Horta Sud is available as a name-your-price download on Bandcamp, and all proceeds will be donated to the Fundació Horta Sud, which Lapsus describes as “a Valencian foundation that supports local associations, councils and on-the-ground technicians in the reconstruction of the hardest-hit area.”
LAYNE 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 Layne, a Berlin-based artist with a penchant for dark, industrial- and EBM-tinged sounds. A synthesis obsessive, her passion has been fueled in no small part by the many years she’s spent assisting the legendary Suzanne Ciani, and more recently she’s also become part of the team at Korg Berlin. As for her own music, only a handful of Layne’s hypnotically textured productions have been released so far, but her catalog does include appearances on two different compilations from Regis’ Downwards label. She also maintains an active DJ calendar, and just last monthcompleted a lengthy run of dates opening up for iconic French band Air on their North American tour. Now back home in Berlin, she carved out a few moments to put together this recommendation, and found herself flashing back to her formative days in the San Francisco club scene.
Nightmoves “Transdance (GC1 Version)” (GC / Dark Entries)
This is one of my all-time favorite songs. I first discovered it when I started exploring San Francisco’s vibrant club scene during the early 2010s. The sound was raw and futuristic, perfectly embodying the experimental spirit I was looking for. The song's lyrics, centered on fleeting moments of connection, identity and existence, left a lasting impression on me. “Transdance” beautifully expresses the impermanence of life—transient encounters, the fluidity of emotions and the ephemeral essence of nightlife itself. It captures the magic of those nights when time feels suspended, but also reminds you of how quickly those moments slip away.
Originally released in 1981, the 2017 reissue of “Transdance” on Dark Entries was dedicated to the 36 lives that were tragically lost in the Oakland Ghost Ship fire on December 2, 2016.
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.
Benjamin Damage “Vitalator” (NIX)
“Playful” is not a word that’s often been applied to the music of Benjamin Damage, but listening to the hardware-loving, Berlin-based UK producer’s new Violet Ray EP, he seems to have undergone some sort of significant creative reset. Though he’s still making techno, this new record is bright, bouncy and at times even a little unhinged—in a good way. There’s a newfound looseness at work, most notably on the standout “Vitalator,” a fervently chiming tune that’s part Jeff Mills and part Looney Tunes, with a touch of growling, EDM-style mayhem thrown into the mix for good measure. To call this surprising would be an understatement, but after more than a decade of producing relatively buttoned-up music, it seems that Damage had decided to let his freak flag fly, and the initial results are very promising.
Relaxer “Jackals” (29 Speedway)
Techno, house, dub, noise, post-punk, ambient … that’s just a partial summary of the sounds that Daniel Martin-McCormick (a.k.a. Relaxer) has experimented with over the years, and his new Break EP adds drum & bass to list—sort of. Although it’s by no means a traditional take on the genre, the record is rooted in a friendly challenge from NYC crew Headznite, who suggested that he write and perform a live drum & bass set at one of their parties. At the time, Martin-McCormick was also in the midst of reuniting Black Eyes, and some of that band’s penchant for noisy chaos clearly leeched into Break. In truth, much of the EP could qualify as techno, albeit a messy and thrillingly tumultuous variant of the genre. “Jackals,” however, is the track most heavily indebted to drum & bass, and the one on which the record’s “bull in a china shop” energy reaches its peak. Powered by repurposed breakbeats, the song practically slams its way onto the dancefloor, but what’s most striking are its rubbery, distorted basslines, which conjure visions of an alternate universe in which electro-funk was primarily the work of Satanists.
Insolate “With Everyone but Alone (SCB Edit)” (Who Whom)
Even with all the time he’s invested into podcasting during the past few years, Scuba will likely always be primarily known for his contributions to dubstep and the wider world of bass music. That being said, the guy does have a legitimate passion for techno, and this new edit from his SCB alias demonstrates, he’s got the production chops to back it up. A rework of “With Everyone but Alone” by Croatian artist Insolate, the track strips some of the melody out of the source material, and transforms what was already a pulsing tune into a straight-up locomotive, its insistent gallop bolstered by ominous bass tones and a welcome onslaught of high-velocity claps.
Nexus 21 “I Really Know We Can Make It” (Network)
Nexus 21 “Everything (No Statues)” (Network)
Music geeks love a “lost” album, and the story behind the previously unreleased Mind Machines is more than compelling enough to sell records on its own. Recorded in 1990 and 1991, the LP was the work of UK artists Chris Peat and Mark Archer, who at the time were doing two different projects: the Detroit-indebted Nexus 21 and the darker, rave-centric Altern8. The former had debuted in 1989 with an album called The Rhythm of Life, and in hopes of topping it, Peat and Archer actually traveled to the Motor City to work on the follow-up, recording in Kevin Saunderson’s studio and collaborating with artists like Marc Kinchen (a.k.a. MK) and Anthony “Shake” Shakir. After returning home, however, the growing buzz around Altern8 soon prompted the duo to put the album on hold, which is how the already-mastered Mind Machines ultimately wound up sitting in a box in Birmingham for more than three decades.
Now available in full for the first time, the album—which very much sounds like a product of the era in which it was made—could easily be a mere historical curio, but Mind Machines’ appeal isn’t limited to its epic backstory. Aside from being a genuine bridge between early-’90s Detroit techno and the bleep & bass sounds that were concurrently sweeping across the UK, the LP is fun, soulful and littered with highlights. “I Really Know We Can Make It”—a diva-driven dance-pop cut which takes some major cues from Inner City—might be the brightest among them, but the somewhat more subdued “Everything (No Statues)” is another delight, its bewitching vocal refrain floating atop a joyously bloopy bassline.
SHXCXCHCXSH “!!!…” (Northern Electronics)
Sometimes the best techno is the stuff that’s that’s largely unconcerned with the typical needs of the dancefloor. SHXCXCHCXSH have always been unconventional, but by refusing to bow down to the gods of DJ functionality, they’ve unlocked an ability to craft intensely detailed, richly complex albums that make the confines of the club seem downright pedestrian. ......t is the duo’s cryptically titled new full-length, and while its quiet moments and forays into static-strewn murk are just as rewarding as its percussive outbursts, the standout “!!!…” is a prime example of the latter category, its thundering drums and fourth-world accoutrement sparking visions of sprawling netherworlds and looming danger.
Bambounou & Priori “Polyester Mood” (Bambe)
When Priori’s This but More album dropped earlier this year, the Montreal mainstay solidified his standing as one of contemporary dance music’s foremost purveyors of dubby textures and proggy excursions. And while that’s a perfectly fine thing to be, his new C.R.U.S.H. EP—a collaborationwith French artist Bambounou—adds a new wrinkle to the Priori equation, asking the question, “What if those tripped-out sounds he makes could be more lively and fun?” It’s not that C.R.U.S.H. is a jokey record, but it is a lighthearted one, as the two producers affix its twinkling melodies and warm pads to rhythms that are bouncy and borderline carefree. “Polyester Mood” ups the ante even further by adding some acid crunch and chirpy vocal fragments into the mix, and its effervescent spirit makes clear that even the proggiest tunes don’t need to be somber or ruminative.
96 Back “Bxtter” (SVBKVLT)
Just when you thought you couldn’t possibly stomach another dose of trance experimentation, 96 Back shows up with “Bxtter,” a song that revels in the genre’s vibrant colors and boisterious energy—and does so without indulging in its formulaic builds and drops. It’s taken from tender, exit, a “long-form eulogy” to the years 96 Back spent living in Manchester (he’s since moved to London), and the album also includes gems like the baby-voiced, R&B-infused “Do Something to Forget” and the irreverently elastic bass cut “Calcified.” Sticking to one genre has never really been 96 Back’s thing, but “Bxtter” shows why that doesn’t matter, giddily showcasing his talent for transforming even his zaniest musical impulses into concentrated blasts of brilliance.
Borusiade “Darstellar” (Dark Entries)
Borusiade has always had something of a goth streak, and on the Romanian artist’s latest album, THE FALL: A Series of Documented Experiences, that impulse is fully in the driver’s seat. Billed as an investigation of the “fragile bridge between body and mind,” the LP borrows heavily from the moodier corners of synth-pop, and infuses that sound with an almost theatrical flair, much of it provided by the rich baritone of Borusiade’s own voice. It’s not a dark record, but it is a meditative one (even when its beats are pumping), and the swirly “Darstellar”—a tribute to the late French electro producer Porn.Darstellar—is one of the album’s brooding highlights. If Alison Moyet had become really sullen at one point and joined a coldwave band, perhaps she would have made something like this.
ana reme “demands of the times” (blush)
Only two years have gone by since Somewhere Press dropped its first release, and yet the Glasgow imprint has already established itself as a highly reliable outpost for ambient and avant-pop sounds. That’s an impressive feat in its own right, but Tim Dalzell—one of the label’s two founders—has now set up an additional outlet, blush, with an eye toward “the arcane and DIY sound work.” Launching this new venture is an album from ana reme, a collaboration between poet / performer Natalia Panzer and Voice Actor’s Levi Lanser. Entitled key, it’s a decidedly minimal effort, one whose bare-bones compositions often consist of little more than static, atmospheric haze and the alluring deadpan of Panzer’s spoken word. On the dreamy standout “demands of the times,” an unassuming guitar strum enters the fray, channeling the skeletal post-punk of Young Marble Giants and the lo-fi pop traditions of the Pacific Northwest.
upsammy “Aqualizing” (topo2)
When upsammy’s new Strange Meridians LP was first announced, she described it as an “ambient album.” That’s fair enough, but given that her productions have never really ventured into banger territory, the record—which also happens to be the inaugural offering from the topo2 label—isn’t a wholesale departure from her past output. The album does dispense with some of her past nods to classic electronica and IDM, clearing the way for her luminous melodies and glistening psychedelia to more fully blossom. Nature has long been one of upsammy’s biggest influences, and much of Strange Meridians has an almost bucolic sensibility, its delicate tones—and her obvious attention to detail—echoing the enchanting complexities that can only be discovered by spending time in the wilderness. On LP highlight “Aqualizing,” that wilderness is particularly beguiling, and upsammy explores it with an almost childlike sense of wonder, accentuating her plinky synths and uncluttered environs with feelings of wide-eyed amazement.
Daisuke Hinata “Hich Tech Tree” (WRWTFWW)
Originally released in 1989, Daisuke Hinata’s Tarzanland is a quintessentially Japanese record, one whose pristine strain of ambient-ish music instantly evokes visions of cozy, impeccably designed interiors. Newly reissued by German label WRWTFWW, the album is being touted as “Steve Winwood on the Synclavier” and “John Hughes meets Japanese ambient,” and while those descriptors do make sense, the music also feels like a kind of proto-vaporwave. With its plucky string melodies and Enya-esque textures, LP standout “Hich Tech Tree” has an almost corporate sheen, albeit one that now feels charmingly retro, as though the song was originally composed for a late-’80s commercial hawking instant coffee or a new long-distance provider. Barring that, it could have easily served as the hold music for a multinational insurance company. Does that make its appeal heavily dependent on nostalgia? Probably, but there’s something to be said for an era in which music that was this blatantly artificial could still feel so warm and inviting.
Celia Hollander “Earth / Air” (Self-released)
The idea that everything in the natural world can be boiled down to four essential elements (earth, air, fire and water) dates back to ancient Greece, but it’s also at the core of Perfect Conditions, the latest full-length from experimental artist Celia Hollander. Across 16 tracks, she tests out different combinations of those elements, and while that leads her down various paths—some ambient, some jazzy, some more new age—there’s a remarkable consistency to the record, which more than anything conveys a sense of awe, marveling at the everyday wonders of the world we all inhabit. “Earth / Air” is an early highlight, and embedded in its sparkling melodies and scuttling rhythms are echoes of quirky ’80s pop, along with an undeniable sense of optimism—not the dopey or overly naive kind, but the kind that seeks out joy, and knows better than to take it for granted.
Pefkin “The Rescoring” (Nite Hive)
UK artist Pefkin has been making music—both solo and as part of groups like Burd Ellen, Electroscope and Meadowsilver—for nearly three decades, but her new album is something of a back-to-basics affair. The Rescoring was composed using only the viola, synths and her own voice, and its three songs—each one recorded in a single take—are essentially expansive soundscapes. It’s a beautiful record, but also a stark one, and it tantalizingly unfolds without the slightest sense of urgency. Yet even with its economical sound palette, the LP—which recalls classic 4AD, and This Mortal Coil in particular—feels vast and immersive, and its arresting title track combines those qualities with a tangible sense of vulnerability, its warbling strings and elegantly drifting vocal passages seemingly offering a direct portal to the most tender portions of Pefkin’s psyche.
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 Instagram—and make sure to follow First Floor on Instagram as well—or you can just drop Shawn an email to get in touch about projects, collaborations or potential work opportunities.