Electronic introspection, sunshine soul, dreamy house, and more.
This week’s rundown is by The Vinyl Factory’s Gabriela Helfet and Lazlo Rugoff, alongside Alice Whittington, James Hammond and Emily Hill.
Albums
Loraine James
Reflection
(Hyperdub)
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Hyperdub releases the second album from exceptionally talented UK producer Loraine James, Reflection. Throughout, James explores the tremendous scope of her sound by fusing elements of pop, drill and r’n’b with techno. Over 11 tracks, Reflections acts as an intimate journey through her identity, as told via narratives through sound. ‘Simple Stuff’ uses broken rhythms alongside textured spoken words to question the reach of equal rights for Black communities, whilst the elasticity of ‘Let’s Go’ demonstrates feelings of anxious uncertainty. Taken as a whole, the LP expresses the formidable growth in Loraine James’ unique artistry. – EH
Various Artists
Club Coco
(Bongo Joe)
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Collecting Latin, Afro-rooted music primed for sun-dappling dancing, DJ and label head Coco Maria presents Club Coco. Showcasing artists who have been part of Coco Maria’s weekly Worldwide FM shows – the 11-track release includes music by Nico Mauskovic, La Perla, Meridian Brothers y Grupo Renacimineto, and Coco Maria herself. Taken as a whole the compilation is a wonderful ride through Coco Maria’s sonic world that will tide you over until you’re able to see her DJ irl. – GH
Various Artists
For The Love Of You
(Athens Of The North)
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Lovers rock has seen a resurgence over the past year, so Athens of the North’s For The Love Of You compilation couldn’t have been better timed. The tenderness and vulnerability of lovers rock evokes a feeling of connectivity and healing – and importantly, it signifies the emergence of a unique Black British sound from the 70s. Freshly re-pressed on double vinyl, we can bask in the soulful glow of these twelve reggae covers, preferably booming through a large sound system in the sunshine. Top pick: Christine Lewin’s cover of Mtume’s ‘Juicy Fruit’. – AW
Pan Daijing
Jade 玉观音
(PAN)
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Drawn from an expanse of solitude and diaristic approaches to sound making, Pan Daijing’s latest long player, Jade 玉观音, is a tangle of electricity and voice that scorches as readily as it envelops. Upping the noisier proclivities of 2017’s Lack, Jade is framed with unease and tension, with Daijing’s unfettered vocals feeling like they operate inside even more claustrophobic and insular zones. – JH
Mark Leckey
O’ Magic Power Of Bleakness
(The Death of Rave)
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Turner Prize-winning artist Mark Leckey unveils the soundtrack to his O’ Magic Power Of Bleakness exhibition, on The Death of Rave. Continuing his long-standing interest in youth, class, and folklore, the soundtrack sees Leckey conjure a liminal sonic world through iPhone notification sounds, disjointed vocals, swelling synthesizers and wooly electronics. – LR
Hassan Wargui
Tiddukla
(Hive Mind)
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Steeped in Amazigh songcraft and the cultural landscape of southern Morocco’s Anti-Atlas mountains, Tiddukla collects five banjo led compositions from Hassan Wargui. Long active in Amazigh musical communities and local groups, Wargui’s strings and uplifting vocal melodies are accompanied here by a group of close collaborators playing guembri, tamtam, bendir and krakch. Recorded in 2015 and self-released on YouTube, this is a first vinyl release for Wargui’s rhythmically complex work. – JH
Wanton Witch
Wanton Witch
(Stroboscopic Artefacts)
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Wanton Witch explores IDM, experimental club, and hardcore via “caustic electronics” on her self-titled debut album. “Reflecting Wanton Witch’s own experience navigating a hostile world as a Queer trans woman in Malaysia”, the LP presents slithering, incantatory, eyebrow-searing, sounds that are primed to get loose to on a dark basement dance floor. – GH
Singles
Slikback
‘Quoios’ / ‘Klout’
(Byrd Out)
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There are two things a Slikback EP is virtually guaranteed to be: very heavy, and very good. ‘Quoios’ / ‘Klout’ delivers on both counts. While ‘Quoios’ sees the Nairobi-based producer fusing techno with “chainsaw-wielding industrial beats”, the murky mechanics of ‘Klout’ line it up as the soundtrack to rave fever dreams in the year 2035. ‘Quoios’ / ‘Klout’ also features a remix from Bristol’s Sunun and a dub re-working from Sarmacja. – LR
Almas Fronterizas
Cruel Desperation
(Names You Can Trust)
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Oh I how love a cheeky 7” hidden gem. Almas Fronterizas – a group of cousins of indigenous Mexican origin – have been steadily honing their craft through their time in Mexico City and California – blending psych, Afro-Latin percussion, cumbia, and soul. ‘Cruel Desperation’ is a low-fi, ’60s psychedelic, jerky freakbeat trip, contrasted with brown-eyed soul vocals sung in both English and Spanish. On the flip side, ‘Linda Morenita’ is a slower, spaced-out Chicano soul jam with fluttering flutes layered over sleepy horns and breathy, aching lyrics. – AW
Vincent Floyd
Cruising
(Rush Hour Music)
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Classic Chicago house from the masterful hands of Vincent Floyd is reissued by Rush Hour. Originally pressed in 1990 via Resound Records on the Gherkin imprint, the exceptional cuts on Cruising are timeless. Driving through a sensuous 12 minutes, title track ‘Cruising’ is a voyage through a dreamy city, as you pull up into a perfect summery state of mind. The B-side bubbles with emotional depth on ‘isolation’, before reaching resolution through the euphoria of ‘Silent Noise’. – EH
VF Team