Michael Lovatt channels Berlin's minimal underbelly into these four sweet n sour slices of deep broken tech. His second EP for Ricochet is even heavier on the bass than 2014's Attractor, with colder pads, silkier legato, choppier hats and bouncier FM kicks leading the hypnosis. Classic drum machines mingle with modern minimal textures in Waves, slowing to a subtle 101bpm swing for the pounding downtempo of Pulse. The warm darkness of Reduction contrasts Michael's surgical grooves against a snarling, spacious bass wash. Binary Emotion ends things on a high with more classic synth work, taking on a melodic electronica slant to bring us back from the depths. London's Muni Manuka follows with a choppy resequencing of Waves, and San Francisco minimal guru Marshall Watson primes us for his forthcoming EP on the label with an even more expansive take on Reduction's progressions.
Lovingly crafted with a mix of acoustic, stringed instruments and electronic elements, Ironsky is a celebration of melancholy and thoughtfulness painted in rich colours and dark textures. The album features songs of sorrow and loss, mixed with subtle notes of hope and longing and the odd uplifting moment. The aim of the album is to create space for thought, contemplation and even sorrow; to allow the imagination to drift, unfettered, for a time.
Ironsky features a range of world instruments such as Spanish guitars, the Bolivian Ronroco, classical violin, the ukulele, bamboo flute and a range of percussive instruments.
Icicle's newest record SILENCE is one of the finest in his acclaimed catalogue, taking him down yet another new sonic path 5 albums into his career.
This is an act whose name has been built on the progressive evolution of its own aural dynamics, innovative compositions and stellar arrangements.
SILENCE is a bold, upfront, driving album, relying on grooves of pulsing keyboard twists, infectious guitar hooks and the off-kilter, slinky rhythms to carry the vocals of singer/bassist Krassy Halatchev.
Lyrically, the record is demanding attention and mindfulness. The topics are broad, deep and above all - painfully honest and sincere.
These 13 songs are some of the most sensual, serendipitous, sparse recordings to come from Icicle, showcasing a new dimension in his songwriting and marking SILENCE as that crucial next sonic step forward for one of Montreal's best artists.
Beachcombing captures Blue Wave Theory in an intimate "live in the studio" recording environment with no overdubs. Included in this collection are several new surf rock instrumentals along with unique interpretations of previously released material. Rounding out the album are alternate recordings of a couple of classic Blue Wave instrumentals.
