First Floor #307 – The Shadow of War
Thoughts on what's happening in Lebanon, plus a round-up of the latest electronic music news and a fresh bundle of recommended new releases.
A couple of days ago, First Floor published a lengthy article about Lebanon, placing a spotlight on some of the country’s electronic and experimental standouts during a time when the Middle Eastern nation was (and still is) being bombed, invaded and partially occupied by Israel. Less than 12 hours later, a small ray of hope emerged when the US announced that it had reached a temporary ceasefire agreement with Iran, but that hope was quickly snuffed out when Israel declared that its adherence to the agreement did not include halting its ongoing attacks on Lebanon.
In fact, Israel stepped up its assault on Lebanon yesterday, the intensity of its airstrikes reaching new heights—and killing more than 250 people in the process. Is anyone in power willing to put a stop to this? The US, sadly (but not surprisingly), doesn’t seem inclined to rein in Israel, and if things continue down this path, there’s a solid chance that the ceasefire agreement, which was precarious to begin with, will unravel sooner rather than later.
Good times!
Look, I know that readers don’t come to First Floor for this sort of information, but as I said earlier this week, it’s honestly hard to place much importance on anything else when all of this is unfolding. Even so, I have a job to do, and I’ve done it, rounding up the latest electronic music happenings in today’s digest. As usual, there’s a robust assortment of news items, new release announcements and suggested reading links for you to devour, and if you’re looking for some sort of emotional boost, you’re most likely to find it in this week’s batch of recommended new releases. The world may be in a particularly dark moment, yet the onslaught of quality new music continues unabated.
Maybe that’s something to be grateful for. Let’s get started.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Every week, First Floor publishes a long-form piece that’s usually first made available to paid subscribers only. The latest piece, however, was made available without a paywall, but if you missed it the first time around, consider this a reminder to take a look and see what you missed! As mentioned, this week’s article focused on Lebanon, specifically highlighting some of the most talented figures in its musical ecosystem.
FIRST FLOOR x IMS IBIZA
Ibiza isn’t the most obvious place for First Floor to land, even temporarily, but I’ve been invited to participate in this year’s IMS (International Music Summit) on the famed Balearic isle. It’ll be happening from April 22 to 24, and while there’s an entire slate of conference programming—most of it organized around this year’s theme of “Reclaim the Dancefloor”—I’ll specifically be taking part in two different talks:
On April 22, I’ll be moderating a conversation called “Beyond the Dancefloor: The Electronic Continuum - Legacy, Experiment and the Future of Sound,” in which I’ll be speaking with Suzanne Ciani and Kangding Ray about how the culture, sound and toolkit of electronic music has evolved over the course of their lifetimes. (Artist and sound engineer Coco Francavilla will also be on hand to introduce us and get the discussion started.)
On April 23, I’ll be part of a panel entitled “Culture vs. Capital: The Ethics of Investing in Electronic Music.” Moderated by researcher Rufy Ghazi, the talk will look at the way investment capital is reshaping the industry, along with the ethical implications of that change. Also participating are Andrea Rosen of the Jägermeister-affiliated Best Nights VC, Edward Little of private equity firm Ardian and Helen Sartory of Beatport.
Full disclosure: I am being paid a fee in exchange for my participation at IMS.
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING
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.
Just when you thought the modern music industry couldn’t get any worse, news broke this week that Pershing Square, a hedge fund led by billionaire investor Bill Ackman, has submitted an offer to purchase Universal Music Group for €55 billion. Ackman—a vocal supporter of Israel and Trump who last year gave $1 million to a PAC seeking to stop the election of Zohran Mamdani, and more recently donated $10,000 to a fundraiser for the ICE agent who shot protestor Rene Good in Minneapolis—was previously a member of Universal’s board, and Pershing still holds a stake in the company, but he now seeks to properly take over what is essentially the largest record label in the world.
The announcement of the acquisition proposal declared an intention to shore up UMG’s sagging stock price—which has dropped 30% in the past six months—but it also praised the job being done by current CEO Lucian Grange and his management team, saying they weren’t to blame for the company’s financial ills. More details of the proposal—which has yet to be approved by UMG shareholders—were laid out in this Reuters article, but one thing that immediately sticks out is Pershing’s desire to sell Universal’s stake in Spotify for €1.5 billion.Mixmag’s The Mix series has reached 100 installments, and the publication has marked the occasion by featuring Sama’ Abdulhadi. The piece, of course, includes a brand-new DJ mix from her, but what’s far more interesting is the accompanying interview, in which Abdulhadi talks to editor Patrick Hinton about the realities and challenges of being arguably the most prominent Palestinian artist in dance music. Along the way, she touches on the inherently political nature of the genre, her participation in the boycotts against KKR and the deep disappointment she’s felt as many of her colleagues and contemporaries have stayed silent in the face of an ongoing genocide.
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.
Following more than a decade of working with Ninja Tune, bass-loving shapeshifter Machinedrum has struck out on his own, resurfacing last week with a new single called “NO 1 KNEW.” The North Carolina-based artist then quickly followed it up with another single, “BL0000M,” and shared the news that both songs will appear on a new EP, which is slated to arrive on April 24 through his IAMSAM imprint.
Speaking of bass music, Sam Binga and Addison Groove both have imposing catalogs of low-end heavy sounds, and the Bristol veterans soon be rekindling their long-running collaboration with a new album. BAGS INC. is said to draw on “techno, electro, raw Chicago house, juke and acid influences,” and it’s going to be released on July 10 via Binga’s Pineapple Records label. No tracks from the record have been made available yet, though a little preview can be heard on this Instagram post and more details about the album can be found in this Resident Advisor news story.
Nature has long had a major influence on the work of Patricia Wolf, so it makes sense that the Portland-based ambient artist has linked up with the Music to Watch Seeds Grow By imprint for her next release. Entitled Yarrow, it’s rooted in an artist residency she completed at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado, and is said to contain “her reflections on the life cycle of plants and their dynamic ecological relationships.” June 4 is the official release date, but in the meantime, the song “Inflorescence” has already been shared.
More than a year has passed since Ukrainian artist Yana Pavlova unexpectedly passed away, but one of her most frequent collaborators, Pavel Milyakov (a.k.a. buttechno), has pieced together an album using recordings captured before her death. The forthcoming Thrill is actually the third LP from the duo, and though it’s scheduled to land on May 1 via Milyakov’s psy X label, the track “running through” is available now.
RECOMMENDED RELEASES
The following is a summary of First Floor’s favorite new releases that came out during the past week. Each one has been published with a brief excerpt of the accompanying write-up; to view the full text (and hear the actual music) for an individual release, click the “Listen + Read the Full Write-Up” link, or you can also just head over to this convenient Buy Music Club list if you prefer to listen to all of the selections in one place.
Ancient Methods – Society of the Spectacle (Persephonic Sirens)
… So, yes, while Society of the Spectacle is most certainly an Ancient Methods release that’s full of industrial-grade kick drums and greyscale synths, and, yes, it’s an EP where you will be treated to some vaguely ominous critiques of the attention economy and late platform capitalism, it’s also also an extremely fun record of surprisingly groovy techno. [LISTEN + READ THE FULL WRITE-UP]
mother – A Simple Procedure (Delusional)
… On her debut release, the Brooklyn-based artist finds her own compelling language as she offsets noirish low-end with artful noise and melancholic flourishes. [LISTEN + READ THE FULL WRITE-UP]
oma totem – exercicis rítmics volum 2 (Hivern Discs)
… Although this second volume of “rhythmic exercises” does flirt with a bigger sound—a possible byproduct of his association with Kalahari Oyster Cult—he never overloads the spring-loaded drums that form the essential core of the oma totem aesthetic. [LISTEN + READ THE FULL WRITE-UP]
ex_libris – 003 (Self-released)
… How many other widely respected electronic music artists have effectively disappeared for the better part of a decade, only to return with even stronger material? Add in the fact that said material is also significantly weirder and harder to define than the old stuff, and Huisman’s current run looks even more impressive. [LISTEN + READ THE FULL WRITE-UP]
Urner – Afterimages (topo2)
… Packed with twinkling tones and gentle melodies, the album recalls antique music boxes, vintage new age records and the 16-bit ambience of ’90s-era video game soundtracks. [LISTEN + READ THE FULL WRITE-UP]
Unknown – uu014 (unknown - untitled)
… Declaring allegiance to the syncopated swagger of UK garage, opening cut “a1” practically prances its way across the dancefloor, but it does so while dropping a low-end hammer, unfurling wubby basslines that recall the early days of dubstep. [LISTEN + READ THE FULL WRITE-UP]
Nikos – Spine (Nous’klaer)
… Nikos—a Rotterdam artist whose commitment to DJing, performing live and throwing events has made him a staple of the city’s nightlife—strikes a confident balance between spacey psychedelia and percussive pressure. [LISTEN + READ THE FULL WRITE-UP]
Millia – Sprawll (Future Times)
… “Sidetrip Sprawl,” for example, opens the proceedings with an enticing suite of glistening pads and steady (albeit not terribly forceful) drums, but those drums disappear entirely on “Sidetrip Crawl,” a woozier, waterlogged cut which feels like the musical equivalent of calmly chilling at the bottom of the nearest pool. [LISTEN + READ THE FULL WRITE-UP]
fields we found – thoughts persist (quiet details)
… It’s an ambient album, yes, but it’s richly detailed and designed for deep listening, as Gold populates the stereo field with an intricate quilt of scratchy static, modular tones and intermittent bits of emotive grandeur. [LISTEN + READ THE FULL WRITE-UP]
Loula Yorke – Salix (Truxalis)
… Adding to the eccentricity of the record is the fact that the instrument in question—which she came across after someone basically abandoned it in a local studio—was not only in what Yorke describes as “poor condition,” but was also “fascinatingly, painfully detuned.” [LISTEN + READ THE FULL WRITE-UP]
That brings us to the end of today’s First Floor digest. Thank you so much for reading the newsletter, and remember, you can find all of this week’s recommended releases on this handy Buy Music Club list. (If you like them, please buy them.)
Until next time,
Shawn
First Floor is published and overseen by Shawn Reynaldo, 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 other potential opportunities.