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12"
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SVT 327EP
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Following in the footsteps of Mind Palace and Lost Spirits, respectively issued in 2018 and 2021, Hidden Empire return to Stil vor Talent with their eagerly anticipated third studio full-length, Momentum. Going the same route that came to define their sound throughout the years, Branko Novakovic and Niklas Schäfers cook a savvy mix of deep electroid flavors and prog techno magnitude which flourishes in the long-playing format. Orbiting the frontier between proper no-nonsense, floor-focused effectiveness and a trademark exploratory take on electronics, Hidden Empire here delivers one of their most accomplished slices to date, which not only spans the largest span of their many-faceted influences, from tribal anchorage to hypermodern escapology, but breathes a truly epic wind into it. Featuring Felix Raphael on vocals, "Who We Are", is a pop-influenced chugger that perhaps best defines Hidden Empire's ambivalent style, both hi-NRG and innervated with a melancholy that infuses down to the bass and most functional elements. Geared up for big-room traction with its seesawing synths and clinical drumwork, Raphael's moving timbre does more than offer a sensible counterpoint to the track's overall sturdy backbone, it takes it to a whole other dimension completely. "Repeat The Good" featuring Wolfson balances out a fast-ticking groove with those subtle melodic lines Hidden Empire champion to astounding vibrancy, offering a particularly satisfying glimpse into their vortical imaginarium, whereas "Last Call" has you journeying to straight out Moroder-esque territories, flush with the aptly configured palette of fuzzy space disco bass, fast-paced Italo churn, and vocoder talk for good measure. Encompassing all of the pair's idiosyncratic merger of styles -- from pop-laced Italo to spaced-out techno wares, through jagged motorik and heavily mecched-out jacking house, "Alright" shows off Hidden Empire's wide arsenal of pyrotechnics under the most compelling of lights. A more openly jagged and quirky weapon that hatches into a full-fledged solar number around the half, "Momentum" roars up the club's highway at full throttle. A stroboscopic eclipse is predicted as "Dark Sun" enters the room. Its brittle piano lines and heart-wrenching vocals cutting a path into the crowd's pulsating hearts. Graceful as Hidden Empire's music can be, a moment of utter exhilarating beauty. A piece of elusive nature, clearly designed for the club and yet telling a tale of off-piste initiation through twelve fascinating movements, Momentum will undoubtedly etch on the listeners' mind as one of the German pair's most strikingly powerful emanations. Includes download code with full 13 track album.
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2LP
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SVT 286LP
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Lost Spirits is an exploration in sounds for dancing. Catalyzed by the catastrophe that was 2020, Hidden Empire step off the stage and retreat to the studio on a quest to find out what moves the people. They seem to have found it. One out of the box, this 16-track album is designed for diversity. Hidden Empire oar their creative rudders, lending their hand from techno to deep house with a cheeky reach-around to a more downtempo vibe. The first three tracks send you down the rabbit hole on a toe-tapping, hip-slapping aural escapade to the heavier edge of techno, the sublime vocals of Artche taking you directly back to those dancefloor moments when time stands still. Taking the stairs two at a time in polyamorous heels, you'll fall in love with the sassy, classy, savage vibes of "Resurgence" and "Dark Matter". Transitioning to a more tribal-esque vibe is "Organic Train" a cut which blends the primitive, esoteric influence of the old world with the punchy, industrial sounds of the new world. Continuing on the exploratory sound voyage of downtempo, broken beaten space techno, "Mr. P" stands in the forest listening to the plants talk to the people. Bebetta slips in with her inimitable style in the collectively inspired "All of Us", keeping the fun dial turned right up. Delving deep into the tundra, "Hectic Dreams" become reality as the album turns towards the chunkier end of the musical spectrum. Punching out the bass-heavy bangers like "Once Upon" (with a cameo from South African slam poet and spoken word artist, The Lazarusman), Hidden Empire roll out with a flurry of cuts that are limitless in genre and luminous in effect. The Lost Spirits album is a nod to the certain kind of limitless magic which happens when people come together, without preconceptions, to get lost in the music together. Packed full of 100% pre-pandemic dancefloor-approved cuts, wrap your ears around these tasty morsels, in anticipation of a live show where we can all dance together en masse. Includes MP3 download with three extra tracks.
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2LP
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SVT 216LP
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Bridging instrumental tact with melodic mysticism, live act and DJ duo Hidden Empire present their debut album Mind Palace, the fruit of their labor of one whirlwind year. On Stil Vor Talent they find a welcome home, having already gained traction with several releases on the label as well as other renowned imprints such as Suara and Filth On Acid. Ranging from downtempo electronica to iterative techno with groovy house incursions, the diversity of the genres explored across the 12 tracks mirror the Cologne-based artists' own sonorous influences as well as their diverse musical sympathies. Fluid, atmospheric tracks set a consistently lush vibe overall, from the esoteric kick-off track "Journey Into Self" to subtle warm-up tools like the oriental-instilled "Hummus" and "Fafnir", or the couple's first vocal collaboration "Pure". Fellow Cologne singer Inga Nelke brings a touch of sensuality with her soft vocal chops atop a broken beat-infused melody accented with gripping piano chords. But it's in club tracks that the album abounds, found often in antithetical pairings, whether it's the marriage of a Moog bassline and warm Caribbean rhythms in "Limbo In Detroit" or the juxtaposition of analog and digital rhythms on "In The Woods", created using Sylvan Recordings as percussion. It's the title track "Mind Palace", however, that reaches the apex of antipolar combinations, displaying a breakbeat-heavy lead doused in exotic vocals perched onto a steady bassline, underlining the artists' knack for innovative rhythms. A nod to the classic heydays of acid comes in the shape of "Acid Flashback", centered around a massive synth hook courtesy of the iconic Roland 303, a tinge slightly present on the spiraling fierce cut "Asmoday", albeit a fraction more subtle. Energy is one of the key traits of the album, as Branko and Niklas conceive a copious amount of hard-hitting tracks that amplify and engage towards the second half of the record. "Black Beauty" oozes stamina from the get-go, its relentless groove guiding a subdued bassline and minimal elements towards the peak point. With "Natural Takeover", a tech powerhouse with a tenacious lead and ominous vocals, the album reaches its darkest corner of the "Mind Palace" universe. All in all, the artists showcase a plethora of straightforward tracks with heterogeneous sound aesthetics, where a closer listen can only reveal further and more elaborate depths. Includes download code.
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