2MR - Forced Exposure

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Kosaya Gora (English translation: Oblique Mountain), a new indie project from acclaimed electronic producer/singer Kedr Livanskiy and experimental producer/visual artist Flaty, have announced their first full-length album, Kosogor. Kosaya Gora is an entirely new sonic direction for them both. The debut is a multilingual foray into guitar-based folk, haunting dream pop, and moody synth, underpinned by Livanskiy's signature hypnotic vocals. The two recorded Kosogor in a mobile studio which they took through remote villages in their native Russia. Having worked together on each other's solo electronic projects in the past (Flaty co-produced Livanskiy's Your Need and features on her most recent album Liminal Soul), the two artists found themselves exploring new territory during a period of experimentation between 2020-21. With a spirit of curiosity and no specific plan, they took inspiration from all over during these sessions, likening their process to that of Gray, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Michael Holman's experimental band of nonprofessional musicians and artists. As a result, Kosogor contains echoes of '60s psychedelic folk, underground rock, country, DIY, and experimental electronica tapes, '00s and '90s indie and trip-hop, dub, and more. Though these touchpoints may be new to fans of both artists' solo work, they're deeply familiar to Livanskiy and Flaty themselves, echoes of their youths spent traversing Russia's underground music scenes. It makes sense, then, that a free-spirited approach to music-making would naturally resurface these familiar sounds. The resulting album is fittingly expansive: traditional folk guitars swirl alongside moody synths and '90s-era distortion. "V Pole Na Vole" has an upbeat, infectious melody and glitchy electronic production, while "Musika Voln" has a danceable trip-hop beat. All of the songs on Kosogor seem to dart between eras in a way that would be dizzying if it weren't so skillful. This sense of timelessness is underscored by the lyrics, which borrow from ancient folklore, 18th century German poetry, contemporary American writing, and more. The otherworldly "Empty Realm" is even written in an entirely invented language, an elvish dialect which Livanskiy describes as "a language of dreams." Channeling both the vibrant sounds of their city-dwelling youths and the more ancient atmosphere of the forests and small towns they traversed in their mobile studio, Kosogor is an enchanting debut from a group that, though brand new, feels oddly timeless. Clear vinyl.

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Known for driving lo-fi house tracks, funky breakbeats and their annual epic 4-20 mix, the duo of Julian C. Duron and Michael Sherburn (also of Dust) have taken a more playful turn on their twelfth vinyl release as Earth Boys. As its title suggests, Ditties is a lighthearted yet earnest dance-pop EP, featuring catchy melodies, conversational lyrics, and whimsical storytelling. Lyrically, it draws on both nostalgic memories of raves past and dreamlike fictional scenarios to craft a timeless paean to dance music through the years. For this project, the duo mined their decades of experience as NYC rave stalwarts for inspiration. Intro track "We Didn't See the End" is a personal and poetic tune that sees Duron recounting his first memories producing music, promoting events, and relocating to NYC in the early '00s. Later, on "KIM 3.6", he recalls his time operating an illegal weed delivery service in New York. Lead single "Freight" has a similar, if more universal, air of nostalgia. An homage to Duron's hometown of Dallas and its connection to early American rave culture, the track is a wistful celebration of underground warehouse raves, where people gather "like some freight". The accompanying music video (also sourced/directed by Duron) is comprised of footage shot between 1996-2000, and features sweeping shots of old Dallas, large-scale raves, legendary cameos, and most importantly, as Duron puts it, "no cops, no security team, not too many cameras or phones around, just 1,000+ kids vibing in a warehouse." While the song itself is not arranged like a typical house track -- it's a pop song written on a lofi deep house loop -- the lyrics and music encapsulate a message as old as dance music itself: get together and dance. This is the through-line of all the songs on Ditties, even those that feel less diaristic. EP closer "Autobahn", for instance, is a chugging ode to the foundations of dance music; namely Juan Atkins/Cybotron and Kraftwerk. It plays like a techno action film: screeching tires and gunshot sounds are woven into the dancefloor-ready beat for maximum cinematic effect. Though it differs sonically from tracks like "Freight" and "Touchdown", it reflects the same deep and studied love for dance music in all its forms. The songs on Ditties may have a playful air, but they also have a palpable depth; the kind that could only come from decades in the scene.

$14.50 IN STOCK

Russian producer/musician Kedr Livanskiy returns with her expansive, timeless new record on which she pushes the boundaries of electronic songwriting. Liminal Soul plays like an opera as Livanskiy brings her crystalline voice to the forefront, channeling it into operatic choruses, looping falsetto, and one of her first full songs in English. This conviction is evident in the album's instrumental arrangements as well -- Livanskiy expertly fuses acoustic elements with electronic ones, deconstructing pop songwriting with Björk-like prowess. The haunting vocal loop and house beat on lead single "Stars Light Up" sound almost underwater, distorting our sense of physical space and prompting the listener to "plunge into the night skies." The "Stars Light Up" single is release with an introspective video captured on 8mmfilm in one of the oldest church complexes in Moscow by director Sergey Kostromin. Kedr describes, "White-hipped roof vaults -- antique arches, but with a Slavic tint. This place is very personal to me. I feel the connection of antiquity, with those times when people turned their gaze to the sky in search of answers to their questions, in order to feel some kind of otherworldly energy and strength. 'Look at the sky' is sung in the song, urging people of our time not to lose contact with heaven - not necessarily in a religious sense, but rather a broader metaphysical one." On Liminal Soul she injects her infectious club beats with a dose of the natural, crafting a transcendent collection of deconstructed break pop. Contributions from Flaty and avant-electronic group Synecdoche Montauk on "Your Turn" and "Night" add texture to the album's dancier tracks, while the use of older acoustic instruments on "Storm Dancer" and "Boy" add a sense of timelessness that furthers the otherworldly tone. From the angelic choral opener "Celestial Ether" to the moodier outro "Storm Dancer", the listener enters a state of suspended reality where they are transported to dark cityscapes and verdant rural sprawls, futuristic societies and ancient ones, all in the same stroke. In the end, Livanskiy doesn't propose a single path forward. The point, instead, is to make peace with the fluctuation itself.

$22.00 IN STOCK

LP version. Russian producer/musician Kedr Livanskiy returns with her expansive, timeless new record on which she pushes the boundaries of electronic songwriting. Liminal Soul plays like an opera as Livanskiy brings her crystalline voice to the forefront, channeling it into operatic choruses, looping falsetto, and one of her first full songs in English. This conviction is evident in the album's instrumental arrangements as well -- Livanskiy expertly fuses acoustic elements with electronic ones, deconstructing pop songwriting with Björk-like prowess. The haunting vocal loop and house beat on lead single "Stars Light Up" sound almost underwater, distorting our sense of physical space and prompting the listener to "plunge into the night skies." The "Stars Light Up" single is release with an introspective video captured on 8mmfilm in one of the oldest church complexes in Moscow by director Sergey Kostromin. Kedr describes, "White-hipped roof vaults -- antique arches, but with a Slavic tint. This place is very personal to me. I feel the connection of antiquity, with those times when people turned their gaze to the sky in search of answers to their questions, in order to feel some kind of otherworldly energy and strength. 'Look at the sky' is sung in the song, urging people of our time not to lose contact with heaven - not necessarily in a religious sense, but rather a broader metaphysical one." On Liminal Soul she injects her infectious club beats with a dose of the natural, crafting a transcendent collection of deconstructed break pop. Contributions from Flaty and avant-electronic group Synecdoche Montauk on "Your Turn" and "Night" add texture to the album's dancier tracks, while the use of older acoustic instruments on "Storm Dancer" and "Boy" add a sense of timelessness that furthers the otherworldly tone. From the angelic choral opener "Celestial Ether" to the moodier outro "Storm Dancer", the listener enters a state of suspended reality where they are transported to dark cityscapes and verdant rural sprawls, futuristic societies and ancient ones, all in the same stroke. In the end, Livanskiy doesn't propose a single path forward. The point, instead, is to make peace with the fluctuation itself.

$27.50 LOW STOCK LEVEL

LP version. Silver marble vinyl; includes full color poster; edition of 450. Russian producer/musician Kedr Livanskiy returns with her expansive, timeless new record on which she pushes the boundaries of electronic songwriting. Liminal Soul plays like an opera as Livanskiy brings her crystalline voice to the forefront, channeling it into operatic choruses, looping falsetto, and one of her first full songs in English. This conviction is evident in the album's instrumental arrangements as well -- Livanskiy expertly fuses acoustic elements with electronic ones, deconstructing pop songwriting with Björk-like prowess. The haunting vocal loop and house beat on lead single "Stars Light Up" sound almost underwater, distorting our sense of physical space and prompting the listener to "plunge into the night skies." The "Stars Light Up" single is release with an introspective video captured on 8mmfilm in one of the oldest church complexes in Moscow by director Sergey Kostromin. Kedr describes, "White-hipped roof vaults -- antique arches, but with a Slavic tint. This place is very personal to me. I feel the connection of antiquity, with those times when people turned their gaze to the sky in search of answers to their questions, in order to feel some kind of otherworldly energy and strength. 'Look at the sky' is sung in the song, urging people of our time not to lose contact with heaven - not necessarily in a religious sense, but rather a broader metaphysical one." On Liminal Soul she injects her infectious club beats with a dose of the natural, crafting a transcendent collection of deconstructed break pop. Contributions from Flaty and avant-electronic group Synecdoche Montauk on "Your Turn" and "Night" add texture to the album's dancier tracks, while the use of older acoustic instruments on "Storm Dancer" and "Boy" add a sense of timelessness that furthers the otherworldly tone. From the angelic choral opener "Celestial Ether" to the moodier outro "Storm Dancer", the listener enters a state of suspended reality where they are transported to dark cityscapes and verdant rural sprawls, futuristic societies and ancient ones, all in the same stroke. In the end, Livanskiy doesn't propose a single path forward. The point, instead, is to make peace with the fluctuation itself.

$20.00 IN STOCK

Beloved DJ, producer and songwriter Lauren Flax announces Out Of Reality out via 2MR. Much of Out Of Reality's cohesion comes from Flax's expansive production, using simple elements to craft intricate backdrops for the questions posed by her songs. On the EP's titular track, Alejandra Deheza's (School of Seven Bells) crystaline vocals are woven against a delicate tapestry of arpeggiated keys, sparse percussion and haunting cello. Detachment isn't always detrimental; sometimes you have to step outside to get a better view. Lauren Flax knows this -- as a DJ, producer and songwriter, her discography is notoriously genre-defiant, consisting of an impressive array of solo tracks, collaborations, and remixes. The most recent of these -- her mesmerizing take on Pale Blue's "Breathe" -- saw her experimenting with a new style of writing. "I wanted to explore that sound more," Flax explains, "more of a synth exploration, textures with less beats." The pared-down songwriting approach lent itself to thematic considerations as well: she'd been thinking about the repetitive nature of the life cycle -- the Indian concept of Samsara -- and felt a general disappointment at humanity's lack of progress. On her new EP Out Of Reality, she washes that disappointment in lush sonic hues, stepping outside the Quotidien for a new perspective. Though its themes span beyond the scope of our current socio-political moment, Out Of Reality feels, right now, like an especially tantalizing proposition. Pandemic-driven escapism has bred a new crop of otherworldly music designed to transport the listener somewhere better. But Flax isn't interested in escapism for its own sake -- there's still work to be done here on Earth, after all. Instead, through a combination of live instrumentation and ethereal synths, Out Of Reality grants you a respite from the real so you can return to it with a clear head. Features remix by Skream.

$18.00 IN STOCK

Producer/DJ (and Georgia native) Drew Briggs's roots in the Atlanta club scene stretch back to the 2000s. In that time he's also notched releases for a number of internationally-recognized labels including CGI, Harsh Riddims, and Two Circles, receiving nods from Resident Advisor and XLR8R. Briggs's second release as Divine Interface (and first on 2MR) plunges the listener directly into his nightly routine in Atlanta -- from club to afterparty to cab ride home. "Sometimes" features Fit Of Body.

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It's rare for a dance artist to deliver peak time jams with a raw political message. Lyrically, "Breathe" is an acute portrait of an abusive relationship where one feels stuck -- be it through financial necessity or trauma bonding in a violent, emotionally abusive or dysfunctional relationship. Musically it's ageless, rolling, harmonic acid house (there's also two exceptional remixes by Lauren Flax and Olive T). "I Walk Alone At Night" continues Elizabeth's essential message but from the perspective of fear and the heightened sense of danger abusive experiences create. Pale Blue have released 12-inches on labels such as Crosstown Rebels, Correspondant, and Me Me Me -- as well as releasing tracks for charities they believe in. Nothing they've released so far, however, hits with such a strong, poignant and critical message than these new tracks.

$19.50 IN STOCK

LP version. 2017 release. On I Have What I Gave, Italian musician Bottin outdoes himself. He crafts propulsive, disco-laden scores for films not yet made, and introspective, mind-expanding cuts designed to ensure that people who want to dance never get caught up in conventional experiences. There's the hypnotic, pop-disco cut "Y-A-M-L" featuring past collaborator Lavinia Claws on vocals. It existed in parts for a decade before coming together during the sessions for this album. It's an energetic and transcendent affair. "L'Amore" has a foundation that recalls the cascading minimalism of Steve Reich and the cinematic work of the likes of Howard Shore. By the time the beat comes in, it's pretty clear this is no mere exercise in routine nu-disco. Another cut that proves Bottin should be scoring films is "Varosha" with its dark, arena-sized John Carpenter vibes that traffic in dystopia to balance out the bubbling optimism of "L'Amore". The record's quest extends back in time on "Perfect Mind", featuring words from the ancient Greek prayer, "The Thunder, Perfect Mind" found amid the famous Nag Hammadi texts in Egypt in 1945. Over a pulsating, acidy backdrop the words are delivered through various vocal synthesis engines, evoking a cold, artificially intelligent singularity discussing the most human of matters. All throughout an album filled with intricate and nuanced arrangements, Bottin doesn't forget to keep people moving. There's "Stellar Parade" another in a line of great collaborations with legendary Italian electronic musician Alexander Robotnick. There's also "Twenty-Three" an organic-sounding arp bath that perfectly channels the tension that builds over the course of a night. Bottin's work as one-half of experimental synth outfit Deardrums rubs off on "Microdisco" which is fat with pulsating analogue synths and resonant beat experimentations. One thing that sets I Have What I Gave apart from his pioneering horror disco and much-loved Punica Fides LPs is that this time around Bottin didn't see to it to create a concept-album structure. Everything came at once during the writing and recording process, which no doubt gives the album its intensity and sense of immediacy.

$12.50 IN STOCK

2015 release. Mike Simonetti split from Italians Do It Better to focus on his new project, Pale Blue, as well as his new venture: the freshly minted label 2MR (Two Mikes Records). A collaboration between Simonetti and Captured Tracks, 2MR is an opportunity for Simonetti to start from a blank slate and release music he believes in. The first release on 2MR was The Past We Leave Behind, the debut album from Pale Blue. During the writing process of Capricorn Rising (2011), Simonetti was asked to remix tracks from the West Coast twosome Silver Hands. Immediately taken by the incredible range of lead-vocalist Elizabeth Wight, he reached out to collaborate. The result of the bi-coastal email exchange would eventually become Pale Blue. Pale Blue, referencing the term "Pale Blue Dot" coined by Carl Sagan to refer to a photograph of planet Earth taken by the Voyager 1 space probe in 1990, was originally conceived around the time that Hurricane Sandy hit New York and came to completion with Simonetti's severance from Italians Do It Better. Thus, many of the tracks that make up The Past grapple with themes of loss and new beginnings. The Past encompasses a myriad of sonic elements, ranging from rhythmic, melodic techno to atmospheric ambient productions, while also incorporating Simonetti's varied background in noise, drone, and even experimental dream pop. Above it all though, Wight's vocals remain the focal point, saturating the record with a lush melodic warmth that's so often missing in the electronic world. Musically, Pale Blue is a response to modern dance music and its constant fluctuations. It intentionally bears no obvious singles, nor club hits. While Simonetti, Wight and Jana Hunter (vocals on "Dusk In Parts") remain at its core, Pale Blue's philosophy is to keep everything open to collaboration. It does not aim to pigeonhole itself into a genre or any new vistas in music, but instead to a unifying sound produced collectively and harmoniously.

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This "Like A Prayer" edit has been a secret weapon in Mike Simonetti's DJ sets for almost three years, and has been one of his most requested tracks. The fact that it has amassed over 15,000 downloads on SoundCloud before being taken down by Madonna's people has only added to the mystique of this particular rework. The b-side is the polar opposite -- yet equally as effective -- rework of krautrock legend Faust. Here, Mike takes a meandering kraut masterpiece, and in a more classic edit style, turns it into an 11-minute dancefloor journey with bigger drums, faster BPMs and buildups/breakdowns. Where the Madonna edit is sparse and bare, the Faust edit is lush and ecstatic.

$19.50 IN STOCK

New Cold Dream is a thoughtful yet heartfelt amalgamation of dark electro, synth pop, and industrial dance music. "Lie Awake", an irresistibly classic dark-electro song underpinned by an infectious dance beat, embodies this balance perfectly. Past influences abound -- from John Maus to Bauhaus, from Suicide to Depeche Mode -- but this record lives distinctly in the present. For all its themes of fear and uncertainty brought on by the times we live in, New Cold Dream isn't a pessimistic record -- Matt Weiner seeks to embrace the unforgiving nature of these realities. Balancing optimism with cynicism, oscillating between hot and cold. This duality can be heard throughout the record -- from the foreboding refrain of "Slow Decline" to the sublime choral tones of "Misuse". Ominous, industrial beats offset dreamy synth melodies, while Weiner's fervid vocals reconcile tensions throughout: hot vs. cold, fear vs. courage, light vs. dark. Twins finds the similarities in what appear to be opposites, and invites you to do the same. "I want people to feel moved; both moved to get up and move and also moved in a deeper sense of connecting with ideas that may not have made sense before," Weiner says of his project. It's music for contemplating while dancing, for letting go while you hold on tight. As we grow tired of a world that deals in extremes, we wake up to a new cold dream." Comes on pink and white color vinyl.

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2016 release. This will mark the first time all of these tracks will be available on vinyl -- previously they could only be found on cassette or download. Further, the album features an unreleased track from Cringe Machine. An interview of Harsh Riddims' Ryan Parks by 2MR's Mike Simonetti (and vice versa) make up the liner notes. Harsh Riddims started a few years back. Their first release was a compilation tape featuring some of their best friends. Stefan Ringer (REKchampa), Drew Briggs (Divine Interface), and Matt Weiner (TWINS) lives in Atlanta. B L A C K I E is good friends with Negashi Armada (Bluntfang). Negashi suggested asking him for a track, and he turned in "It's hot livin n' tha south". About a year ago, they released the second compilation. This record is a mix of the two, featuring a few unreleased tracks. Love Letters is Parks's friend Maxime Robillard, who lives in New York City. ThinkThrice is a kid in Atlanta that ordered one of Stefan's tapes. WGM is Gavin Mays out of Memphis. He also produces as Cities Aviv. Cringe Machine is Parks's good friend Justin Bauman. Lastly, Co/Coaches is one half of Coco and Clair, Taylor Nave. She's such a talented song writer and performer. Also features RAMZi.

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2016 release. Kedr Livanskiy is Russian for "Lebanese Cedar". The sinister synths in "Sgoraet" (English: "Burning Down") are inspired by the otherworldliness of Russian winter; Russia in winter is a terrible thing, but it also has a strange romantic presence to it. The drum and bass coda emulate the feeling of impending death and transition to another state when winter is over one's shoulder. The mood of "Razrushitelniy Krug" (English: Destructive Cycle) is a little lighter, but it is about self-reflection becoming self-destructive in a vicious cycle. It's not all doom and gloom; "April" is almost tropical in its celebration of the arrival of spring. It's for exploring the Russian countryside after the sun has unlocked the trees, debris and dilapidated buildings frozen in time.

Kedr on growing up in Russia and the influence that had on her music: "Of course the big problem was perpetual drunkenness -- people would drink themselves to death. I was born on October 4, 1990. It was a very interesting but critical time for Russia -- a time of great change. The Soviet Union was no more, and old values were anathematized because of the reconstruction. In my early teens no one seemed to understand me in this world (I thought), so I read Washington Irving novels and listened to The Cure. At around 20 years old I felt a real need to find myself, so I entered the directing department of the Moscow School of New Cinema. At the same time, electronic music fascinated me completely. A small circle of my friends formed around a mutual interest in music. We always went to concerts together, of which were mostly international artists: Inga Copeland, DJ Spinn, and DJ Rashad, Legowelt, Death Grips, Florian Kupfer, Dean Blunt, etc. It wasn't long until we organized the community and DIY record label known as John's Kingdom. It's not only about music; it's also a channel for art, videos and lifestyle. Now it's the most alive and honest thing in Moscow. My music is strongly inspired by Autechre, Aphex Twin, and Boards of Canada, but with the lyrics and mood of Mazzy Star. I admire contemporaries Inga Copeland and Laurel Halo, however, my songs are more pop-leaning because of the powerful influence MTV had on my adolescence."

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Double LP version. 2016 release. Fantasy Techno collective Dust -- a trio comprised of audio engineer Michael Sherburn, DIY nightlife entrepreneur John Barclay, and multi-disciplinary artist Greem Jellyfish -- present their debut full-length, Agony Planet. The nightmarish, alien horror narrative is released on Mike Simonetti's 2MR imprint. Immersed in Brooklyn's DIY rave community, all three members held roles in the genesis of notable extinct venues 285 Kent and Trip House, and now Bossa Nova Civic Club. In 2012, Sherburn and Barclay joined forces to found Dust and were joined shortly thereafter by Jellyfish; the following year they released their first 12", Onset of Decimation, on Mannequin (MNQ 039EP). Between 2013 and 2015, they released several more 12", two on Mannequin, as well as one for Sci-Fi & Fantasy and one for 2MR. Over these years, with Sherburn at the helm, the framework and themes for Agony Planet began to be conceptualized. Thirteen tracks, spanning in genre from digital hardcore, dungeon techno, and celestial ambience, are all held together by a theme of extravagant extraterrestrial warfare. Club-savvy techno engineering accompanied by frontwoman Greem Jellyfish's bizarre monologues and warped screams beckon listeners on a journey through the occult mysticism of the nightmarish and torturous deep ocean of an alien hell. Agony Planet is an unrelenting and bold debut from a trio not afraid to explore the dark caverns of the underground.

$19.50 IN STOCK

2016 release. Acclaimed Italian pair Deardrums, aka Bottin and Leo di Angilla, present their adventurous debut album on 2MR. The 13 track LP is a continuation of their analog-heavy and inventive synth style as showcased on their EPs to date which have received support from the likes of Laurent Garnier and Chloe and covers plenty of musical ground with great aplomb. African influences, tin pot percussion, and scorched synths all bring a real sense of Savannah heat to proceedings on cuts like "Mami Wata" and there is a sense of tribalism in the tightly programmed drums and claps of "Mayan Machine" that really stands this one apart. Authentic and unique throughout, this is a brilliant LP that is hard to categorize but easy to love thanks to its constant evolution and wide sphere of sonic influences.

$12.50 IN STOCK

2016 release. Fantasy Techno collective Dust -- a trio comprised of audio engineer Michael Sherburn, DIY nightlife entrepreneur John Barclay, and multi-disciplinary artist Greem Jellyfish -- present their debut full-length, Agony Planet. The nightmarish, alien horror narrative is released on Mike Simonetti's 2MR imprint. Immersed in Brooklyn's DIY rave community, all three members held roles in the genesis of notable extinct venues 285 Kent and Trip House, and now Bossa Nova Civic Club. In 2012, Sherburn and Barclay joined forces to found Dust and were joined shortly thereafter by Jellyfish; the following year they released their first 12", Onset of Decimation, on Mannequin (MNQ 039EP). Between 2013 and 2015, they released several more 12", two on Mannequin, as well as one for Sci-Fi & Fantasy and one for 2MR. Over these years, with Sherburn at the helm, the framework and themes for Agony Planet began to be conceptualized. Thirteen tracks, spanning in genre from digital hardcore, dungeon techno, and celestial ambience, are all held together by a theme of extravagant extraterrestrial warfare. Club-savvy techno engineering accompanied by frontwoman Greem Jellyfish's bizarre monologues and warped screams beckon listeners on a journey through the occult mysticism of the nightmarish and torturous deep ocean of an alien hell. Agony Planet is an unrelenting and bold debut from a trio not afraid to explore the dark caverns of the underground.

$19.50 IN STOCK

Double LP version. 2015 release. Mike Simonetti split from Italians Do It Better to focus on his new project, Pale Blue, as well as his new venture: the freshly minted label 2MR (Two Mikes Records). A collaboration between Simonetti and Captured Tracks, 2MR is an opportunity for Simonetti to start from a blank slate and release music he believes in. The first release on 2MR was The Past We Leave Behind, the debut album from Pale Blue. During the writing process of Capricorn Rising (2011), Simonetti was asked to remix tracks from the West Coast twosome Silver Hands. Immediately taken by the incredible range of lead-vocalist Elizabeth Wight, he reached out to collaborate. The result of the bi-coastal email exchange would eventually become Pale Blue. Pale Blue, referencing the term "Pale Blue Dot" coined by Carl Sagan to refer to a photograph of planet Earth taken by the Voyager 1 space probe in 1990, was originally conceived around the time that Hurricane Sandy hit New York and came to completion with Simonetti's severance from Italians Do It Better. Thus, many of the tracks that make up The Past grapple with themes of loss and new beginnings. The Past encompasses a myriad of sonic elements, ranging from rhythmic, melodic techno to atmospheric ambient productions, while also incorporating Simonetti's varied background in noise, drone, and even experimental dream pop. Above it all though, Wight's vocals remain the focal point, saturating the record with a lush melodic warmth that's so often missing in the electronic world. Musically, Pale Blue is a response to modern dance music and its constant fluctuations. It intentionally bears no obvious singles, nor club hits. While Simonetti, Wight and Jana Hunter (vocals on "Dusk In Parts") remain at its core, Pale Blue's philosophy is to keep everything open to collaboration. It does not aim to pigeonhole itself into a genre or any new vistas in music, but instead to a unifying sound produced collectively and harmoniously.

$19.50 IN STOCK

LP version. 2017 release. Laura Callier came across the phrase Body Copy while using some now forgotten freeware at a now forgotten job that didn't want to pay for the name brand goods -- body copy, as in -- the text to be entered into the body of a document. "What is the content of your body's copy?" she asks you to ask yourself. Then, she moved from Chicago to Los Angeles, a bit on a whim, a bit to escape winter, a bit to pursue sound design and post production. She would go out, and search for familiar faces at shows, in stores, on sidewalks. It's an overpopulated city, but it's a lonely city. Strangers everywhere looked slightly familiar, like if you took the face of a loved one and popped it in the microwave for ten seconds. The world is full of Body Copies, and the nerds haven't even perfected replicants yet. Gel Set is the art that Callier makes in her noisy bedroom, currently in Koreatown. She sold most of her gear before moving to LA, but on this album, in varying amounts, she used a Tempest, a Monomachine, an Evolver, a Mopho, a Yamaha RX5, Arturia soft synths, Ableton, a TR-8, a Nord Rack, and a Virus A. Maybe some other things? She also says she got a bunch of film samples/sound effects from an unpaid job she did in LA that she used as much as possible on this album to justify her excessive free labor. By got, she possibly means stole? Stealing is wrong, she says, but so is the exploitation inherent in some unpaid industry jobs. "Just sayin," she mutters, and changes the subject. When asked her influences, she says "I like crunchy, hard electronic music that sounds like it was made by someone who is growing mushrooms on their person," whatever that means, and she says she loves the raw emotion of Karen Dalton, the abstract story-telling and dissonance of late Scott Walker, the synthesis of Mort Garson and Tangerine Dream, the heavy sounds of Hogg, and she's ever flattered by comparisons to Chris and Cosey. She says she also loves music with a pop sensibility, from Erasure to Jesse Lanza. She's a multimedia artist who plays in several bands besides Gel Set (her solo project): Simulation, dreamy psychedelic electronic duo with Whitney Johnson (Matchess, E+, Verma); Athleisure, duo with video artist Jason Ogawa (Tarnation); God Vol 1, duo with visual artist Nicole Ginelli.

$12.50 IN STOCK

2017 release. John Barera and Will Martin Proceed To The Root of their sound on their second album and strongest work to date. A tough collection of techno and house styles collide with soulful electronics and touches of dub and jungle for an album of finely crafted, sculptural, storytelling, and no-nonsense club music. John Barera and Will Martin's musical partnership grew out of a close friendship. Their chemistry with production and DJ'ing has been honed through many years of working, and sometimes living, together. Both have a wide-ranging appreciation for all kinds of music, filtered through a love for house and techno which brings them together. The recording process for Proceed To The Root started almost immediately after their first album Graceless came out (2014). That was when they wrote the track "Golden Hour". There was a lot of momentum after the release of the debut album and buoyed by its reception, they knew they wanted to do another album together and started writing for the next one right away. Although they've released a couple EPs since the album, all of those records had been recorded before it came out. So Proceed To The Root is really the beginning of the next chapter for them and their music. There was a lot of transition in their lives going on during the writing of the record: chiefly being Martin moved to New York and got married, so they weren't just writing music casually after work together anymore, and they were never going to be roommates again. Each session was very deliberate, or was happening where they could fit it in. This included doing edits at Gatwick airport, writing synth pads on a night train to Germany and spending a blackout day in Berlin producing by candlelight. Thus, each track on Proceed To The Root was born under a different sign, bottling moments across the course of many years and settings, yet the pair manage to combine it all into a cohesive whole.

$12.50 IN STOCK

2017 release. On I Have What I Gave, Italian musician Bottin outdoes himself. He crafts propulsive, disco-laden scores for films not yet made, and introspective, mind-expanding cuts designed to ensure that people who want to dance never get caught up in conventional experiences. There's the hypnotic, pop-disco cut "Y-A-M-L" featuring past collaborator Lavinia Claws on vocals. It existed in parts for a decade before coming together during the sessions for this album. It's an energetic and transcendent affair. "L'Amore" has a foundation that recalls the cascading minimalism of Steve Reich and the cinematic work of the likes of Howard Shore. By the time the beat comes in, it's pretty clear this is no mere exercise in routine nu-disco. Another cut that proves Bottin should be scoring films is "Varosha" with its dark, arena-sized John Carpenter vibes that traffic in dystopia to balance out the bubbling optimism of "L'Amore". The record's quest extends back in time on "Perfect Mind", featuring words from the ancient Greek prayer, "The Thunder, Perfect Mind" found amid the famous Nag Hammadi texts in Egypt in 1945. Over a pulsating, acidy backdrop the words are delivered through various vocal synthesis engines, evoking a cold, artificially intelligent singularity discussing the most human of matters. All throughout an album filled with intricate and nuanced arrangements, Bottin doesn't forget to keep people moving. There's "Stellar Parade" another in a line of great collaborations with legendary Italian electronic musician Alexander Robotnick. There's also "Twenty-Three" an organic-sounding arp bath that perfectly channels the tension that builds over the course of a night. Bottin's work as one-half of experimental synth outfit Deardrums rubs off on "Microdisco" which is fat with pulsating analogue synths and resonant beat experimentations. One thing that sets I Have What I Gave apart from his pioneering horror disco and much-loved Punica Fides LPs is that this time around Bottin didn't see to it to create a concept-album structure. Everything came at once during the writing and recording process, which no doubt gives the album its intensity and sense of immediacy.

$12.50 IN STOCK

2017 release. Laura Callier came across the phrase Body Copy while using some now forgotten freeware at a now forgotten job that didn't want to pay for the name brand goods -- body copy, as in -- the text to be entered into the body of a document. "What is the content of your body's copy?" she asks you to ask yourself. Then, she moved from Chicago to Los Angeles, a bit on a whim, a bit to escape winter, a bit to pursue sound design and post production. She would go out, and search for familiar faces at shows, in stores, on sidewalks. It's an overpopulated city, but it's a lonely city. Strangers everywhere looked slightly familiar, like if you took the face of a loved one and popped it in the microwave for ten seconds. The world is full of Body Copies, and the nerds haven't even perfected replicants yet. Gel Set is the art that Callier makes in her noisy bedroom, currently in Koreatown. She sold most of her gear before moving to LA, but on this album, in varying amounts, she used a Tempest, a Monomachine, an Evolver, a Mopho, a Yamaha RX5, Arturia soft synths, Ableton, a TR-8, a Nord Rack, and a Virus A. Maybe some other things? She also says she got a bunch of film samples/sound effects from an unpaid job she did in LA that she used as much as possible on this album to justify her excessive free labor. By got, she possibly means stole? Stealing is wrong, she says, but so is the exploitation inherent in some unpaid industry jobs. "Just sayin," she mutters, and changes the subject. When asked her influences, she says "I like crunchy, hard electronic music that sounds like it was made by someone who is growing mushrooms on their person," whatever that means, and she says she loves the raw emotion of Karen Dalton, the abstract story-telling and dissonance of late Scott Walker, the synthesis of Mort Garson and Tangerine Dream, the heavy sounds of Hogg, and she's ever flattered by comparisons to Chris and Cosey. She says she also loves music with a pop sensibility, from Erasure to Jesse Lanza. She's a multimedia artist who plays in several bands besides Gel Set (her solo project): Simulation, dreamy psychedelic electronic duo with Whitney Johnson (Matchess, E+, Verma); Athleisure, duo with video artist Jason Ogawa (Tarnation); God Vol 1, duo with visual artist Nicole Ginelli.

$22.00 IN STOCK

Double LP version. 2017 release. John Barera and Will Martin Proceed To The Root of their sound on their second album and strongest work to date. A tough collection of techno and house styles collide with soulful electronics and touches of dub and jungle for an album of finely crafted, sculptural, storytelling, and no-nonsense club music. John Barera and Will Martin's musical partnership grew out of a close friendship. Their chemistry with production and DJ'ing has been honed through many years of working, and sometimes living, together. Both have a wide-ranging appreciation for all kinds of music, filtered through a love for house and techno which brings them together. The recording process for Proceed To The Root started almost immediately after their first album Graceless came out (2014). That was when they wrote the track "Golden Hour". There was a lot of momentum after the release of the debut album and buoyed by its reception, they knew they wanted to do another album together and started writing for the next one right away. Although they've released a couple EPs since the album, all of those records had been recorded before it came out. So Proceed To The Root is really the beginning of the next chapter for them and their music. There was a lot of transition in their lives going on during the writing of the record: chiefly being Martin moved to New York and got married, so they weren't just writing music casually after work together anymore, and they were never going to be roommates again. Each session was very deliberate, or was happening where they could fit it in. This included doing edits at Gatwick airport, writing synth pads on a night train to Germany and spending a blackout day in Berlin producing by candlelight. Thus, each track on Proceed To The Root was born under a different sign, bottling moments across the course of many years and settings, yet the pair manage to combine it all into a cohesive whole.

$14.50 IN STOCK

Saine & Smith's Dirty Games is the second project from Jaja Saine and Leo "Love Tiger" Smith. The duo has been making their mark both as DJs and producers in the electronic music scene in Stockholm. Dirty Games is a wide range of tracks for various moods and settings. None of the tracks are alike; this EP highlights the various elements and styles they have been influenced by as artists, the title track "Dirty Games" and "Moon Monster" being the tracks to which one just can't help but dance.

$14.00 IN STOCK

2019 repress; 2017 release. Moscow's Kedr Livanskiy (real name Yana Kedrina) confesses, "Synthesizers help me maximally feel the present moment." Livanskiy was born into a shifting and critical time for Russia. The Soviet Union had exhausted and old values were anathematized because of reconstruction. A sense of displacement drove Kedr to find herself. She's escaped reality repeatedly in her explorations into the imagery and ideas of romanticism, mythical, and fairytale themes which visibly bleed throughout her work and especially on her debut full-length Ariadna. The title track which was named after the Greek goddess, Adriane, debuted via Thump who've stated it "anchors its elegantly drifting shoegaze melodies with a knocking electro beat." Ariadna marks a change in her recording approach: her critically-acclaimed breakthrough EP January Sun was written and recorded completely in Ableton, while Ariadna was written using the Roland SH-101, Roland Juno 106, and Korg Minilogue synthesizers, then mixed down in Ableton. According to Kedr, "This way, one gets into a flow of live interaction, here and now, with the instrument." There is a definite leap in production values this time around, but Kedr manages to keep true to her sound despite the greater polish and depth. "ACDC" features Martin Newell.