Some months are quiet release-wise, but this July has been bountiful.
The weather might be shit but we’ve been spoiled with good tunes at least, including the first new official EP in years from Aphex Twin, Blackbox Life Recorder, plus my album of the month from Nntng.
In the interests of time, I’ve jettisoned any notions of crafting a clever introduction for this article.
Instead, I’m posting this as a swift roundup of some of the other releases I’ve been listening to this month, ranging from house to downtempo to funky electro and breaks.
Summer Sounds From K Lone
The Brighton-based producer might not be experiencing the brightest of summers but his new album, Swells, is the perfect soundtrack to the summer we all wish we’d had.
It’s a brightly coloured cocktail of downtempo chill plus that rarest of things these days, some deep house that’s actually deep.
Stand-out tracks for me include the slow groove of With U and the stomping groove of Gel.
Expect lots of jazzy synths and soothing Rhodes chords shaken and poured over intoxicating beats, this summer might not have been the best (either a complete washout or a searing inferno depending on where you live) but before the autumn comes I urge you to take a refreshing dip in the Swells.
Think I Didn’t Notice? Trust Me, I Noticed
My producers of the month for July 2023 are Not Even Noticed.
I noticed this German duo a while back and I’ve begun to notice them popping up more and more lately.
When there’s breakbeats and acid I’ll always sit up and take notice, “Hmm…” 🤔
I noticed them again on labels like Diffuse Reality Records, ensuring they kept blipping away on my radar scopes.
But when they dropped two exceptional releases on two of my favourite labels in the space of a month, well, it was impossible not to notice.
Not Even Noticed – you now have my full attention.
First came the Microtransitions EP on Scottish label Craigie Knowes, a blissful four-tracker of techno, electro and breaks.
Electromagnetic Field is a bouncy four to the floor techno track with bubbling acid and smooth pads. Radiance is an epic breakbeat-driven sunrise anthem for slowing down racing heartbeats.
Amber Signal is a swirly smiley breakbeat number once again showcasing their penchant for crafting infectious 303 lines. Finally, there’s Abyssal Zone, another uplifting breakbeat-driven number where the silver box once again rises gloriously up through the mix to take centre stage.
Now, when I saw the name Not Even Noticed crop up again, this time on Holding Hands, hell, it was like def con 4 in the gaff! Quality like this does not go unnoticed.
Don’t You Dare is heavy on the breaks, seasoned once again with acid but less dayglo vibes this time, while Step Aside has more of a melodic junglist vibe. Sacrificed doubles down on the jungle sounds with deftly sliced Amens, gated pads and chest-rumbling bass.
Finally, there’s Petulant, another infectiously sweet breaks and acid tune that’s been living on repeat on my phone for weeks now pretty much every time I step outside the door.
I love both of these releases. In fact, every release from these guys keeps getting better and better so can’t wait to hear what they’re cooking up next. Heard some sneak peeks on their Soundcloud mixes already and it sounds very promising indeed, more choppy breaks and acid to bring a smile to my face, can’t wait.
Orlando Magic
Also on a roll with a double helping of releases this month is Orlando Voorn.
First the Outerworld EP, another four track release with dark electro vibes which dropped right at the end of June.
Honestly, this one caught me unawares. It’s proper filthy shit with crunchy snares, deep booming bass and dark, dystopian vibes.
Then towards the end of July came the Handshake EP, so drastically different you’d be forgiven for thinking it was made by a completely different producer.
At the risk of sounding repetitive here, it’s four track EP, but this time it sees the Dutchman sporting his funky disco hat in collaboration with Emil.
For me, the original mix of Handshake is the standout track on this release. It’s all about that Bootsy-style slap bass for me, making it a perfect warm-up track guaranteed to get asses shaking on a Saturday night.
Scan QR For Electro
Returning once again to the outer limits of techno and electro, Cod3QR Sel3cts Vol. 1 is my compilation of the month.
Released on COD3 QR, the newish label run by Laurent Garnier and Scan X, this release is focused squarely on bboy beats, 808s and breaks, but also delivers the depth, emotion and inventiveness we have come to expect from Garnier and co.
Pep In My Step
Always good to hear from Pepé.
I became aware of this guy around 2021 and he rapidly became one of my new favourite producers. This accolade was officially cemented this year, with the release of his debut album Reclaim – easily one of my favourite albums of the year.
Angels / Birdfeed sees Pepé returning to the jungle, but with those same symphonic sensibilities so evident in his album now riding roughshot over the breaks.
Seriously, I don’t know much about this guy other than he looks really young on his Bandcamp photo yet his sound is already matured to such a high standard and he continues to improve rapidly.
As with Not Even Noticed, I think we’re only just beginning to hear with this guy can do from a production standpoint so very much looking forward to hearing more.
Mix Of The Month
Finally, my mix of the month is Fabric presents Saoirse.
It does exactly what a real DJ mix should do (cliché trigger warning) – it takes you on a journey.
Starting off in wonky broken beat territory it gradually coalesces into a smoother groove before slowly gaining altitude. Lots of different flavours on show, often abstract, always funky.
You’ll find no Beatport top ten-techno-by-numbers here, but rather a riveting listening experience from one of my nation’s finest exports.