First Floor #251 – The Worst Wellness Product
The newsletter goes outside, plus a round-up of the latest electronic music news and a fresh bundle of new track recommendations.
This morning I woke up and immediately said to myself, “Don’t look at your phone. Let yourself have at least a few minutes of peace first.” I don’t mean to be melodramatic, and I’m well aware that the world was going insane long before Trump’s most recent inauguration, but even so, it’s been hard to avoid the sheer volume of chaos and mean-spirited nonsense being vomited into the world by the American government during the past few weeks. (For those curious, I think I lasted about five minutes before I checked the news.)
Even here in Spain, that stuff tends to affect the tenor of conversations about pretty much anything, and while First Floor is not a political publication, I am finding it a bit difficult at the moment to feign excitement about electronic music (or, honestly, any cultural activity). I don’t think I’m alone in that. Looking around at what usually passes for the “discourse,” it does feel like a kind of malaise has set in, and while it will undoubtedly fade in the months ahead—over time, humans do tend to acclimate themselves to even the most heinous of situations—what we’re left with now is a whole lot of “blah.”
And, of course, festival announcements. Those things seem to be unstoppable, and would probably continue to hit the newswire even if a meteor was about to crash into the Earth. I can see it now … “Special Apocalypse Presales Now Available!”
Is that too dark?
Also, did I mention that First Floor announced its own new series of live events earlier this week? Oops.
Before I dig myself any deeper, perhaps I should just get started with today’s digest. The aforementioned malaise hasn’t stopped new releases from coming into the world, and having gone through the sizable batch of records that dropped during the past week, I’ve assembled a rather robust collection of new track recommendations. There’s also a special guest recommendation from UK artist Otik, along with a round-up of news items, new release announcements and suggested reading links. Is any of this stuff more important than the actual news? Absolutely not. But if you need a little break from the madness, maybe First Floor can help you with that.
Oh no, did I just pitch this newsletter as some sort of wellness product?
Let’s just get into it.
FIRST FLOOR LIVE
In case you missed the original announcement earlier this week, First Floor is launching a new series of live events, in which I’ll be heading out into the real world to engage in public conversations with artists and other intriguing figures from the world of electronic music.
The first one is happening in Barcelona on Friday, February 28 at Casa Montjuic, where I’ll be joined by UK artist, writer and thinker Elijah (a.k.a. the man behind the Yellow Squares project that you’ve undoubtedly seen on Instagram during the past few years). He’ll be presenting the latest version of his “Close the App, Make the Ting” lecture, and then we’ll be sitting down to dissect the current state of the culture and the music industry. And yes, we’ll also be talking about his new book.
Tickets are available here. Capacity will be limited, so make sure to grab one now before they’re gone.
REAL QUICK
A round-up of the most interesting electronic music news from the past week, plus links to interviews, articles and other things I think are worth sharing.
The excellent writing of Ghostly International founder Sam Valenti usually happens within the confines of his Herb Sundays newsletter, but this week he penned a brilliant guest entry for Why Is This Interesting? that dives into bootleg culture. More specifically, he examines the evolving relationship between bootleggers and brands, and highlights how in some cases, the bootlegs have become more interesting (and more coveted) than the real thing.
Did the world go to hell after Fugazi went on hiatus? This is probably a “causation does not imply correlation” situation, but things haven’t exactly gone great in the world since 2003—a point writer JR Moores makes in his new article for The Quietus about the famed DC post-hardcore outfit. Inspired by the appearance of a new Fugazi documentary that’s been making the rounds, Moores looks back at the band’s career and catalog, highlighting some of the best work they created along the way.
Huerco S. came out of 2024 as one of contemporary electronic music’s most celebrated figures, and a new profile by writer Michael McKinney digs into the native Kansan’s backstory. Part of DJ Mag’s Recognise series, the piece—which also includes a new Huerco S. DJ mix—covers a lot of ground, giving the artist space to discuss his musical evolution, his relationship with dance music and his current desire to pick up his guitar and start a shoegaze band.
Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst are a couple of electronic music’s most cited thought leaders, particularly when it comes to the intersection of art and technology, but over the past few years, the Berlin-based duo have largely let their work do the talking. But with a new exhibition, The Call, having recently opened up in London, the two talked with Resident Advisor’s Chloe Lula about AI, politics, parenting and more in a new episode of the RA Exchange.
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.
Barker has a new album on the way. Following the torrent of accolades that was showered on his last full-length, 2019’s Debiasing, anticipation will undoubtedly be high for the Berlin-based producer’s next LP, which is called Stochastic Drift. Slated for release via Smalltown Supersound, it’s another venture into ambient techno, one that’s said to be rooted in his newfound embrace of unpredictability. Ahead of the record’s official arrival on April 4, the song “Reframing” has already been shared.
Speaking of Smalltown Supersound, the Norwegian label is also planning to issue a new album from Hieroglyphic Being. Aside from the title (Dance Music 4 Bad People) and release date (April 18), few details have been shared, but a stream of LP track “I’m in a Strange Loop” has been made available.
e-Dancer is one of Kevin Saunderson’s most famed aliases, and the Detroit legend this week announced that he’s teamed up with his son Dantiez to create the project’s first new album since 1988. Entitled e-Dancer, the LP will be released on May 2 via One House, but two tracks from the record—including last year’s “Melodica” single and the newly unveiled “Emotions”—can be heard here.
Back in 2022, ambient / experimental artist Grand River created an installation piece called Tuning the Wind, and while it’s gone through several iterations since then, the music she wrote for it—which was created with the idea of turning wind itself into a prepared instrument—will soon be issued on a new album. Also called Tuning the Wind, it’s going to be released by the Umor Rex label on March 7, though a preview excerpt is available now.
There aren’t many supergroups in the ambient / experimental realm, but Annie A—a one-off collaboration between Félicia Atkinson, Time is Away’s Jack Rollo and Elaine Tierney, Christina Petrie and Maxine Funke—surely qualifies for the designation. Together they’ve created an album, The Wind That Had Not Touched Land, which will be released by Australian label A Colourful Storm. The LP won’t land until March 24, but its first two songs have already been shared here.
The purple dubstep era of the late 2000s and early 2010s is most often associated with Joker, but the music of Guido was just as essential during those days. Following a long hiatus, the Bristol-based producer is making an unexpected return with a new EP, State of Flux, that’s inspired by one of the most iconic role-playing games of all time, Final Fantasy. (He’s even created a limited-edition version of the EP that comes packaged like an old SNES game.) The Lifted Icons imprint will be issuing State of Flux on March 7, and though no music has yet been shared, more details about the record can be found here.
Hessle Audio co-founder Pangaea popped up on the fabric Originals label this week, as he’ll soon be appearing alongside Atlanta producer Leonce on a new collaborative 12” called Dusted / Stuck. “Dusted” has already been made available, while “Stuck”—and the vinyl version of the record—will drop on February 28.
UK artist aya has completed a new full-length. Billed as something that confronts “the desperation and dysfunction of addiction,” “internalised phobias” and “suppressed traumas,” the LP is called hexed!, and it will be released via Hyperdub on March 28. In the meantime, first single “off to the ESSO” has already been shared.
Dekmantel’s newly revived UFO series (more on that later) will soon be releasing a full-length from industrial techno auteur Broken English Club. Entitled Songs of Love and Decay, the LP is dedicated to the late Silent Servant, and is set to surface on March 21. Ahead of that, three songs from the album have already been made available here.
OTIK 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 Otik, a London-based artist who during the past decade has quietly become one of UK bass music’s most reliable—and versatile—talents. Techno, house, jungle, garage … those are just a few of the genres he’s dipped his toes into, and a quick scan of his catalog turns up releases on labels like Keysound, Dext, Shall Not Fade, Steel City Dance Discs, Aus and 3024, who issued his debut album, Cosmosis, back in 2023. Otik also heads up his own Solar Body imprint, and this week will be returning to Aus with a new record, Retrograde / X-Dream. Ahead of its official arrival, he took a few minutes to share one of his secret weapons.
Keane Angst “Too Fast to Last, Pt. 2” (Self-released)
This is one of my favourite tunes to both listen to and play out during my sets. It’s got the perfect middle ground between the club and deep listening. I love the gradual progression and beautiful pad work crossed with those thumping and precise techno drums. Keene Angst is super underrated and I was so surprised to find out that he didn’t have a huge following or much of a back catalogue—he has such a polished sound. I’ve been able to use this track as a secret weapon for a number of years now, mainly because he’s relatively unknown, but I really hope more people start to discover his music.
LISTEN UP
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.
Sharda “Jasmine 4x4 (feat. Gemma Dunleavy)” (Self-released)
Released back in 2015, the original “Jasmine” was a relatively chilled slice of R&B-infused pop dancehall. It was also credited to Murlo, but in the years since then, the UK producer has spent a lot of time cultivating his Sharda alias, which is more focused on bassline and speed garage sounds. As it turns out, that effort began with this bubbly edit of “Jasmine,” which was first made in 2016 but only popped up on Bandcamp last week. In true 4x4 fashion, it ratchets up the tempo of the source material, pushing Gemma Dunleavy’s voice into chipmunk territory as a dizzying array of chimes, pads and synths makes the whole thing sparkle. What results has more sugar than a Krispy Kreme donut, but damn does it taste good.
Jack U Late “Chuggin’ Thomas” (The Sound of Limo)
As a general rule, I’m not a fan of jokey artist monikers, especially when the “joke” involved is puerile enough to reference the release of bodily fluids. Yet “Chuggin’ Thomas” is such a charming house cut that I’m willing to overlook the stupidity of its creator’s chosen alias. The lead track of a new EP on The Sound of Limo—an offshoot of Berlin selector Gene on Earth’s reliable Limousine Dream label—”Chuggin’ Thomas” is essentially a tech-house roller, one whose rubbery bassline is flanked by a series of unintelligible (yet also kind of chic) samples. Irresistibly bouncy and irrepressibly cool, it’s the sort of tune that can get even the most buttoned-up of dancefloors jumping.
Diogo “Londres Chama” (Discos Extendes)
It’s a common complaint that there’s too much nostalgia flowing through dance music culture, but I’d wager that borrowed nostalgia is an even bigger phenomenon—and one that, thankfully, sometimes inspires some pretty great music. The title of Portuguese producer Diogo’s latest EP, Saudade das Raves a que Nunca Fui..., literally translates to “I Miss the Raves I Never Went to…,” and the record itself takes a satisfying tour through early-’90s breakbeat / hardcore revivalism. Has this sound previously been explored ad nauseam? Absolutely, but Diogo still manages to squeeze some fresh life out of a familiar formula, most notably on “Londres Charma,” a bashy heater that weaves a bit of Rodigan-esque MC banter into its rave-ready rumble.
STS “Souvlaki Man” (Texture)
Motor City imprint Texture got off to a strong start with last year’s Late To The Party, Start Without Me EP from Berlin-based artist Data Plan, but the young label’s second go-round sticks closer to home, offering up the debut EP from Detroit producer STS. Entitled Swallowed by a Whale, the record includes an eye-catching collaborative remix from Danny Daze and Jonny from Space, but while their take on “Souvlaki Man” delivers a bit of stompy fun, it’s the original track that shines brightest. Combining percolating drums with a bassline that sits somewhere between a growl and a motorcycle engine, it’s a rollicking bass-techno hybrid, and the song’s use of a looping, impossible-to-decipher vocal only adds to the (borderline maniacal) revelry.
Piezo “Sok Lung” (Dekmantel)
Wata Igarashi “The Sailage” (Dekmantel)
Sonically speaking, “Sok Lung” and “The Sailage” are quite different songs, but the EPs they come from—Piezo’s Ecstatic Nostalgia and Wata Igarashi’s Kaleidoscopic—were released on the same day, jointly relaunching Dekmantel’s techno-focused UFO Series. Techno, however, can lead down many different paths, and the Dutch label is smartly just as interested in celebrating the genre’s iconic sounds as it is in challenging its boundaries. “Sok Lung” does a lot of the latter, with Milan-based producer Piezo layering Eastern strings atop the track’s semi-aquatic thump and looming, dubstep-indebted bass blooms. Japanese artist Wata Igarashi takes a more linear approach on “The Sailage,” though his swirly synths are perhaps more indebted to the cosmos than a sweaty night at the club. That’s not a bad thing; techno has always had a major sci-fi streak, and on “The Sailage,” the genre’s inherent retro-futurism reveals itself with an alluring psychedelic flair.
Etch “Allusions of Grandeur” (French Tabloid)
Taken from the new Versus EP—a split with fellow UK producer Illegal Shipment—“Allusions of Grandeur” is a brooding drum & bass hybrid. Armed with neurofunk wobbles, laser-like synth blasts and booming drum hits that sound like the slamming of a door, the track plays fast and loose with the hardcore continuum, its darkened corners brightened only by the intermittent siren calls of a disembodied diva. Hard enough for the gunfingers crew but moody enough for the hoods-up, heads-down crowd, it’s something that should appeal to bass fanatics of all stripes.
JLSXND7RS “Gunman Gqom” (DRMTRK)
Descriptions of JLSXND7RS often refer to him as the “de facto kingpin of Dutch grime,” but if he keeps releasing things like the new Gunman Gqom EP, he may be in line for a different royal title. The Netherlands isn’t known for gqom, but the EP’s title track puts an invigorating spin on the South African genre, bringing its crooked rhythm into the big room with the help of some Tiësto-sized, horn-like synth riffs and a pulse-raising array of vocal outbursts (“hey” seems to be JLSXND7RS’s favorite) that wouldn’t be out of place on an old crunk record.
Rumina “Quarry” (Precious Metals)
Some tracks are fun and whimsical. Others are more contemplative. “Quarry,” on the other hand, sounds like it was designed to lay waste to its surroundings. A standout from the new Chase EP by Swedish-Turkish artist Rumina, this marauding tune could perhaps be classified as bass music, but its jagged textures, metallic drum strikes and aggressive posture are perhaps more indebted to the industrial canon than any part of the hardcore continuum. As menacing as an oncoming bulldozer and about as friendly as a junkyard dog, “Quarry” may not be for the faint of heart, but for those who can withstand its serrated attack, it’s a genuine thrill ride.
Hieroglyphic Being “Velleity” (Mathematics)
Whether you’re listening to one of his records or seeing him live, sensory overload is often part of the Hieroglyphic Being experience. The Chicago house veteran has long been a one-of-one artist, and as incredible as his free-flowing hardware jams and unorthodox machine soul can be, it sometimes feels as though the man has never encountered a left turn he didn’t choose to take. That said, his new PROMETHEAN SOUNDS VOL 3 EP—which he’s currently offering up as a name-your-price download on Bandcamp—is a surprisingly “normal” affair, one that strips out some of the usual chaos and instead settles into comfortable (albeit still enjoyably freaky) grooves. Closing track “Velleity” ends things on a particularly high note, its robotic squawks and churning rhythm coalescing into a satisfying strain of soulful machine music.
Will Long “The Right Choice” (Long Trax)
Putting MLK samples in a track was once commonplace, but these days it’s an undeniably risky choice, one that lands most artists who attempt it in devastatingly cringey territory. Will Long must have known that when he was putting together “The Right Choice”—a highlight of his new Long Trax 4 release—yet the Tokyo-based producer forged ahead anyways, slotting King’s righteous words into a deliciously deep slice of house music. How deep? “The Right Choice” cruises along for more than 11 and a half minutes, but while its rich tones are indeed pillow-soft, the song never once feels snoozy. With its bare-bones rhythms and palpable sense of soul, the song sits comfortably alongside the work of deep house giants like Larry Heard and DJ Sprinkles, its meditative grooves sure to be all but irresistible to anyone lucky enough to encounter Long’s music.
Davis Galvin “Naming It” (Music to Watch Seeds Grow By)
Pittsburgh’s dance music scene has been punching above its weight for years now, and in that time, Davis Galvin has emerged as one of the city’s most promising talents. A proper shapeshifter, he routinely drifts between house, techno, ambient, dub and experimental sounds, sometimes within the span of a single release. That stylistic wanderlust can certainly be detected on Galvin’s plant-inspired latest outing, Prism (Delphinium Elatum), but the release is more importantly held together by its lush sonics and relaxed vibe. Closing number “Naming It” sits somewhere between dub techno and ambient house, its plush pads and cloudy textures creating a womb-like atmosphere as the song’s underlying pulse gently bops along, each reverb-soaked beat sounding like the tapping of a finger on a distant windowsill. It’s a gorgeous tune, and a rare instance where a song’s 10-minute runtime doesn’t feel like it’s nearly long enough.
Brendon Moeller “Ruins” (ESP Institute)
Fresh off his fantastic Further LP for the Samurai label, veteran producer Brendon Moeller has returned with another batch of dubby goodness. Connecting the dots between dub techno and atmospheric drum & bass, his new Blue Moon EP deals almost exclusively in bliss, provided that your definition of bliss involves nuanced low-end reverberations and a luxuriously lush soundworld. A standout on a record that’s full of them, “Ruins” defies gravity, its broken drum patterns dreamily alluding to the hardcore continuum as its warm, zoned-out textures nudge listeners back toward the pool.
Sara Persico “Brutal Threshold” (Subtext)
What would it sound like if Sun O))) recruited Enya to join the band? That fantasy team-up is almost certainly never going to happen—Enya seems content to keep a low profile and hang out in her Irish castle—but those intrigued by the idea can find something resembling an answer with “Brutal Threshold,” a standout track from Sara Persico’s new Sphaîra LP. Intriguingly, the album’s building blocks are field recordings that the Berlin-based Italian captured at the Rachid Karami International Fair, an exhibition center in Tripoli, Lebanon that was designed by famed Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. Persico then warped and manipulated those recordings, and on “Brutal Threshold,” they take the form of haunting drones and stark, detailed soundscapes, exuding a sort of heavy, post-industrial dread that’s only slightly tempered by the song’s ethereal, quasi-devotional (and, yes, Enya-esque) vocal tones. It’s unsettling, but it’s also quite beautiful.
Drum & Lace “Echium (redux)” (Self-released)
Having flashed her production prowess on last year’s beat-driven ONDA album, Drum & Lace has not only gone back to the ambient realm on her new Tempora EP—she’s also gone back to basics, delivering four tracks “that bloomed out of live vocal improvisations.” The spellbinding closer “Echium (redux)” consists almost entirely of vocal loops, which Drum & Lace weaves together into a sort of otherworldly choir, the magic of her multi-part harmonies enhanced by a dusting of reverb. In a time when the availability of technology often prompts artists to push their music into sonic territories that would have once been impossible, songs like this one offer a reminder that the human voice might still be the most advanced instrument of all—and even if it isn’t, it’s almost certainly the most compelling.
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.