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12"
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ACRE 089EP
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After the standout collaboration "Southern Dub", Clap! Clap! and the Italian percussionist Domenico Candellori officially join forces as TOROZEBU. This project is a marriage of traditional percussive sound sources and cutting-edge sound engineering. Clap! Clap! Explains: "In some of the tracks you can hear a sound like an 808 BD but it's a surdo percussion passed through a pile of compressors and EQs. All sub frequencies in this work are made from percussion leathers. So, the electronic sound of this project it's all about sound engineering." With inspirations ranging from Mike Dean to Babatunde Olatunji, TOROZEBU is a sound clash between the past and future of global rhythm.
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2LP
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ACRE 016COL-LP
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Northern bred, South London based duo FYI Chris announce their debut album, Earth Scum. Following 2020 EP, Black Dragon Loop, "Scum of the Earth" is a nod to the duo's Northern roots and a signal to their friends and fam ethos, featuring Watson's uncle -- Mancunian poet Thick Richard. Blending swirling synths with punk energy, on "Scum of the Earth" Thick Richard's no-frills, spoken word -- "but just remember this planet is made out of dirt, when you call me the scum of the earth" -- is peppered with broken beats and distorted vox lines. Originally a track made from a live recording of Thick Richard taken in the wee hours of the morning in the smoking area of Corsica Studios about eight years ago, he managed to re-record during the UK lockdown in 2020, adding verses from another poem, "People in Crack Houses Shouldn't Throw Rocks". A duo with strong creative vision, follow Thick Richard cycling around the canals of Manchester, tinnies in hand, in the glitchy, wigged out visuals for "Scum of the Earth", directed and edited by Dilesh Patel. Traversing post-punk, jazz, techno, weirdo house, and beyond with a psychedelic spin, across twelve tracks Earth Scum promises insight into the multiverse of FYI Chris. The duo pay homage to their strong sense of community and life as they know it in South London and the North of England, nodding to friends and family along the way. Sonically, the pair showcase their varied palettes and musicality with a darker and more rugged multi-instrumental approach, while shining a light on their gallows sense of humor. Hailing from the North, FYI Chris (Chris Watson and Chris Coupe) met in South London -- fast becoming key players in that tight-knit local community as well as the global dance music scene. Regulars at Peckham's Rye Wax and often at the helm of the Rye Wax radio show; pre-pandemic, the duo could also be found playing gigs in esteemed underground venues across the globe. With their breakthrough release No Hurry / Juliette on esteemed local label Church in 2015, FYI Chris have since released on revered platforms including Rhythm Section, Toy Tonics, Banoffee Pies, remix work for Ninja Tune. Also features Pinty, Simeon Jones, Simeon Jones, and DJ Morris. Limited first pressing of 300 includes perforated "Acid Tab" print by Miles Davies; crystal clear/transparent vinyl.
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2LP
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ACRE 016LTD-LP
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Northern bred, South London based duo FYI Chris announce their debut album, Earth Scum. Following 2020 EP, Black Dragon Loop, "Scum of the Earth" is a nod to the duo's Northern roots and a signal to their friends and fam ethos, featuring Watson's uncle -- Mancunian poet Thick Richard. Blending swirling synths with punk energy, on "Scum of the Earth" Thick Richard's no-frills, spoken word -- "but just remember this planet is made out of dirt, when you call me the scum of the earth" -- is peppered with broken beats and distorted vox lines. Originally a track made from a live recording of Thick Richard taken in the wee hours of the morning in the smoking area of Corsica Studios about eight years ago, he managed to re-record during the UK lockdown in 2020, adding verses from another poem, "People in Crack Houses Shouldn't Throw Rocks". A duo with strong creative vision, follow Thick Richard cycling around the canals of Manchester, tinnies in hand, in the glitchy, wigged out visuals for "Scum of the Earth", directed and edited by Dilesh Patel. Traversing post-punk, jazz, techno, weirdo house, and beyond with a psychedelic spin, across twelve tracks Earth Scum promises insight into the multiverse of FYI Chris. The duo pay homage to their strong sense of community and life as they know it in South London and the North of England, nodding to friends and family along the way. Sonically, the pair showcase their varied palettes and musicality with a darker and more rugged multi-instrumental approach, while shining a light on their gallows sense of humor. Hailing from the North, FYI Chris (Chris Watson and Chris Coupe) met in South London -- fast becoming key players in that tight-knit local community as well as the global dance music scene. Regulars at Peckham's Rye Wax and often at the helm of the Rye Wax radio show; pre-pandemic, the duo could also be found playing gigs in esteemed underground venues across the globe. With their breakthrough release No Hurry / Juliette on esteemed local label Church in 2015, FYI Chris have since released on revered platforms including Rhythm Section, Toy Tonics, Banoffee Pies, remix work for Ninja Tune. Also features Pinty, Simeon Jones, Simeon Jones, and DJ Morris.
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2LP
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ACRE 015COL-LP
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Red and purple vinyl. Italian producer Clap! Clap! returns to Bristol's Black Acre with his third album, Liquid Portraits. Born and raised in Florence, Cristiano Crisci's musical career extends back to the mid-90s where he started out as a rapper, before picking up a saxophone and exploring both jazz and jazz/punk fusion with Trio Cane, and then returning to his electronic roots with A Smile For Timbuctu project. By 2008, Crisci decided to strike it out on his own as Digi G'Alessio, channeling the same hip-hop meets electronic music energies as those animating the nascent Los Angeles beat scene. Soon Crisci hit upon a new formula when he started combining samples from the African continent with energetic drum programming. The results led to the birth of Clap! Clap! in 2013, which has since been recognized and supported by the likes of Paul Simon and Gilles Peterson. Crisci released his first and second albums Tayi Bebba (ACRE 006LP, 2014) and A Thousand Skies (ACRE 009LP, 2016) via Black Acre. Clap! Clap!'s third album once again deploys his inimitable technique in fine style, however with new eyes as this new project signifies a definite shift in his work having spent the last few years learning the art of mixing which has led to some breakthroughs: "In recent years I've spent a lot of time studying essential mixing techniques. I then built an acoustic-treated room and set up my new studio. I started to convert digital into analog and vice versa with good converters and achieved sounds that I've never heard before from my speakers. This had a huge positive impact on my mixes and result on my music." Entitled Liquid Portraits, the album -- as the name suggests -- is a collection of sonic paintings, an attempt at capturing furtive, subconscious memories through sound. The tracks reference trips Crisci took and people he met -- from southern Italy to Hokkaido via the Kif Mountains of Morocco -- as well as more abstract ideas of loss, calmness, and childhood. Having been approached by Paul Simon to work on his 2016 album Stranger To Stranger after Simon discovered Tayi Bebba through his son, Clap! Clap! is no stranger to collaborations and this album features a small cast of talents, such as Italy percussionist Domenico Candellori ("Southern Dub"), Belgian artist Martha Da'ro ("Moving On"), harpist Kety Fusco ("Rising Fire"), and Piero Spitilli ("Liquid Portraits").
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12"
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ACRE 058EP
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2015 release. Clap! Clap! follows his 2014 full-length debut, Tayi Bebba, with an EP of sizzling world beats as indebted to the Inuit peoples of Alaska as to the staccato footwork of Chicago, featuring traditional Italian folk rhythms and melodies mixed with a global harvest of found sounds smashed through an electronic beat machine mind-state. With all these disparate influences it would be easy to lose form and style, but this fully-fledged jazz practitioner adds his own unique gait to each track. The Simple EP is a return to the basics -- brave, exciting music for your carnival.
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12"
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ACRE 056EP
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2015 release. Lurka continues his journey into sonic bat country, following his acclaimed Holding EP (ACRE 049EP, 2014) and his highly regarded remix of Clap! Clap!'s "Ashiko" (2014). "Partials" kicks off with Lurka's typical intrigue; pads swell as distant specters of percussion build into a hugely saturated kick alongside an architecture of syncopated hats and bit-crunching snares lock the angles and a shower of haunting bells falls. Dancehall for the witching hour. "Mach" delivers an equally holodeck soundscape. Drums swing in awkward alliance with dry wooden blocks and woozy binary language. Both tracks united in their skewed viewpoint and distinctive awkward funk.
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2LP
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ACRE 009LP
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2017 release. One of Italy's brightest new talents, Clap! Clap! (aka Cristiano Crisci) returns with his second album for Black Acre, following his colorful breakthrough debut LP, Tayi Bebba (ACRE 006LP, 2014). Bringing together disparate inspirations and styles onto the dancefloor of his mind, A Thousand Skies sees Clap! Clap! create a high energy and inventive kaleidoscopic fusion of sound - drawing on the traditional global rhythms of the old world, hip hop, footwork, UK bass and house. Following Tayi Bebba, which soundtracked the tour of an imaginary island, A Thousand Skies is a mix of Crisci's career to date, combining samples and live instrumentation from Clap! Clap! and collaborators such as South African folk singer Bongeziwe Mabandla, John Wizards, HDADD, and OY. As with his debut, the album is anchored by a story - this time of a young girl's journey through the stars - which completes the work. Clap! Clap!'s unique blend of global dance and timeless sounds draws from nature, traditional music, field recordings and the electronic savvy of modern centers like Chicago and London. At its core is the inspiration of everyday life, what Crisci calls "the search for new flavors." The now internationally acclaimed producer and performer started his career age 13 in the mid-90s as a rapper, before picking up the saxophone and performing both jazz standards and jazz/punk fusion with his band Trio Cane. Now, as Clap! Clap!, he's taking his energetic live shows across Europe and Japan. Following the release of his debut album in 2013, he has found a fan in Paul Simon who told Rolling Stone the LP is "a masterpiece. He makes music sound new and old at the same time." This led to Crisci to collaborate on the production for 2016's #1 Paul Simon album Stranger To Stranger. With a passion for history and the sounds that surround us, Clap! Clap! is a unique electronic artist capable of both channeling the energy of the moment and the intricacies of creating a music that can soundtrack the dynamics of life. Includes four-page printed "Agata" fable booklet.
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2LP
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ACRE 015LP
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Italian producer Clap! Clap! returns to Bristol's Black Acre with his third album, Liquid Portraits. Born and raised in Florence, Cristiano Crisci's musical career extends back to the mid-90s where he started out as a rapper, before picking up a saxophone and exploring both jazz and jazz/punk fusion with Trio Cane, and then returning to his electronic roots with A Smile For Timbuctu project. By 2008, Crisci decided to strike it out on his own as Digi G'Alessio, channeling the same hip-hop meets electronic music energies as those animating the nascent Los Angeles beat scene. Soon Crisci hit upon a new formula when he started combining samples from the African continent with energetic drum programming. The results led to the birth of Clap! Clap! in 2013, which has since been recognized and supported by the likes of Paul Simon and Gilles Peterson. Crisci released his first and second albums Tayi Bebba (ACRE 006LP, 2014) and A Thousand Skies (ACRE 009LP, 2016) via Black Acre. Clap! Clap!'s third album once again deploys his inimitable technique in fine style, however with new eyes as this new project signifies a definite shift in his work having spent the last few years learning the art of mixing which has led to some breakthroughs: "In recent years I've spent a lot of time studying essential mixing techniques. I then built an acoustic-treated room and set up my new studio. I started to convert digital into analog and vice versa with good converters and achieved sounds that I've never heard before from my speakers. This had a huge positive impact on my mixes and result on my music." Entitled Liquid Portraits, the album -- as the name suggests -- is a collection of sonic paintings, an attempt at capturing furtive, subconscious memories through sound. The tracks reference trips Crisci took and people he met -- from southern Italy to Hokkaido via the Kif Mountains of Morocco -- as well as more abstract ideas of loss, calmness, and childhood. Having been approached by Paul Simon to work on his 2016 album Stranger To Stranger after Simon discovered Tayi Bebba through his son, Clap! Clap! is no stranger to collaborations and this album features a small cast of talents, such as Italy percussionist Domenico Candellori ("Southern Dub"), Belgian artist Martha Da'ro ("Moving On"), harpist Kety Fusco ("Rising Fire"), and Piero Spitilli ("Liquid Portraits").
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2x10"
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ACRE 074EP
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2018 release. An artist with minimal online presence, Commodo is one of an increasingly rare few who make waves through the strength of their music alone. He builds bass-focused beats with soul and substance that never perpetuate a formula, distancing himself from contemporaries with ingenious sampling and sound design influenced by his long-time affinity with the vibrancy of hip-hop. Having released on renowned labels like Mala's renowned Deep Medi Musik and Kahn & Neek's Bandulu, Commodo is indisputably a champion of the scene. Having released his debut album entitled How What Time on Black Acre in 2016, he now returns to the Bristol-based imprint to further explore the boundaries of the 140BPM template. Guitars open "Bitch & Moan" before harmonious pads, syncopated drums, and elements of jazz come into play, moving into the dubby sounds of "Leeroy" with its ghostly synths, reverbed snare and low frequency growls. Meandering forward with a grime influenced chord sequence, "Dyrge" is a moody cut from the off featuring glitchy effects and echoing atmospherics, making way for the stripped-back and intricate "Yuliya" with its subtle percussion and mesmerizing melodies -- concluding a release exemplary of Commodo's diverse production abilities.
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12"
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ACRE 076EP
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2018 release. Prayer's outsider sound is as easily recognizable as it is hard to pinpoint; it lives at a cross section of influences from classical to jungle and breaks to ambient. After his Seeing EP (ACRE 069EP, 2017) and I / II cassette release in 2017, Prayer returns to affiliate label Black Acre with VITAL EP, a heavy four tracker. Again, PRAYER blurs the lines between sorrowful sounds and high-voltage club energy in Vital EP; a piece of art that refuses to be boxed off by genre or stereotype. Opener "Fear" explores the producers love of film music; a dark sci-fi landscape punctuated with drums and melodic synths, a Bladerunner-esque track. Moving on, "I'm Still Here" is an anthem, a nostalgic mix of hardcore, jungle and classical influences with a DIY, rough and ready feel. On the other side, Prayer shows his talent for the piano with "Kind", finessing the skills that reflect his first adventures in sound. It's an emotive, stripped back number. The final track is "Vital", another drum-heavy, weighty track that sounds only like Prayer -- as ideal for the club as it is for headphones.
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2LP
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ACRE 070LP
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2017 release. Rocks FOE returns to Black Acre with the eight-track project Fight The Good? Fight, a dark and conceptual record built around the notion of, according to Rocks himself, "everything being an internal and external battle". A powerful lyricist and complex storyteller, Rocks' sound combines hyper-fierce spitting with his own, abstract beat sketches. Having released his impressive debut EP, Legion, back in 2015 -- a raw, self-produced grime-rap hybrid -- he has since remained dormant to the outside world, bar a quick-fire feature on Commodo's How What Time LP in 2016 (ACRE 007LP). Written over the course of that period and entirely self-produced, Fight The Good? Fight digs deeper than ever before into Rocks' psyche, drawing on both religious elements -- "I was more or less force fed it when I was younger" -- and his own experiences for much of its lyrical inspiration. He talks money, love, confusion, happiness, and ambition to tell the story of his own every day battles. Musically, Fight The Good? Fight also broadens horizons, with Rocks widening his scope to take in sounds from beyond the sprawling urban landscape of his home town of Croydon. On tracks like "Nitty Gritty" and "Into My Own Hands" for example, the two tracks that bookend the record, he flows at trademark lightning speed over crunchy rap beats, but it's on cuts like "Downpour" and the wandering spoken-word of "Red Hand Of Ulster" that he unmasks a new, more vulnerable guise. Toning down his flow to reflect and take stock, it is in these solemn, inward moments that Rocks shines the brightest. Comfortable spitting acapella, off-beat or even in spoken word -- over straight-up rap beats or woozy Commodo instrumentals -- he has long been considered one of the UK's most compelling young lyricists, but on Fight The Good? Fight, Rocks addresses his demons, calls out bullshit, and comes of age proper. "Downpour" features Secaina.
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2LP
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ACRE 014LP
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2018 release. Making music as Illreme for over 15 years, as well as being a member of hip-hop trio Baleine 3000, Jun Kamoda has been a formidable force in Japan's music scene for quite some time. "Surreal Tongue in Northern Osaka" kicks off the album with organic, choppy hip-hop paced drums lead by rugged Japanese vocals. Kamoda then follows with "Nightmare Club" and "Crush" -- two tuneful, funk-infused rollers. "Hakoniwa Disco Strut" switches up to a reformed new-age disco track with an emphatic '60s electric guitar solo surrounding the center. The next three tracks, "Mt. Woo", "Gravity of Love", and "Blooming Blues.o0O" are all peppered with high-energy, uplifting melodies layered over a more uniform house sound. "The Ruddy Sunset", is a pitched down, Balearic inspired dance track. The album decisively ends by throwing genre categories completely out the window with "No Rhyme Nation" -- tough, broken drums and breaks of unpredictable, eccentric melodies are the theme here. Contains four-page cartoon booklet (12x24") by Jun Kamoda.
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LP
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ACRE 012LP
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2018 release. A rising young talent, 23-year-old Leicester-based producer and artist Scott Xylo is releases his debut album Find Us When You Get There on Black Acre, following on from a string of single releases in 2017 that were championed by tastemakers like Gilles Peterson, Kojey Radical, and Stones Throw's MNDSGN. His previous single "Hold On", which was spotlighted on BBC 6 Music's Mary Ann Hobbs' show, caught the attention of UK tastemaker label Black Acre and led to his signing. Features Jon Glitches, Catherine Sera, Afronaught Zu, and Marcus Joseph.
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12"
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ACRE 078EP
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The 44th Move occurred during the six-match chess battle between Deep Blue (IBM) vs Kasparov (Grandmaster) in 1996/97. The 44th Move, per se, represents the moment when a human being (Kasparov) realized he was facing a superior intellect (Deep Blue). The 44th Move was a glitch... The 44th Move is the anonymous combination of two established creative minds adding bugs to the source code of jazz. From the word go "Broken" is unquestionably crafted by two skilled musicians. Intricate drums, twinkling melodies, and a sultry bassline generate a thoughtful composition comprising multiple interlocking layers and compelling emotion. On the flip, Dan Shake packs more punch with a house remix complete with purposeful kick drums, however it still retains the original's charm by incorporating all of its classy elements.
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7"
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ACRE 082EP
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Bristol's Sydney returns to Black Acre with two jazz infused cuts featuring saxophonist Guy Hobley and emerging guitarist Charlie J-W. One of Gilles Peterson's Future Bubblers, Sydney is a live artist and traditional instrument enthusiast who debuted on Black Acre with a Swaziland inspired debut mini-album entitled Ode to eSwatini earlier in 2019, showcasing an eclectic mix of broken beat and Jazz. Now the Bristolian returns with two collaborations featuring two vibrant jazz and blues musicians -- Guy Hobley on the saxophone and guitarist Charlie J-W. "With the record being South American influenced the titles and artwork are based on a garden in Mexico named Las Pozas. Paraíso meaning paradise and Dahlia being the native flower to Mexico found in the Las Pozas garden" Sydney conceptualized during Sydney's first session as a Future Bubbler using one distorted PA speaker in a room full of the new generation year three bubblers with Gilles Peterson present, "Paraíso" featuring Guy Hobley flutters into place with shuffling percussion, reverberating piano fills and smooth sax melodies from Guy Hobley whilst underlying world instrumentation operates throughout, including bongos, claves and shakers. Created in one afternoon alongside fellow band member and friend Charlie J-W, "Dahlia" gives a warming aural experience with a Nina Leão vocal sample, cantering south American drums, a mix of traditional guitar strums, pedal hits, and accordion strikes, all glued together with stylish synth stabs.
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12"
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ACRE 069EP
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An artist dedicated to pushing the boundaries between the classical and electronic worlds, Prayer is a producer and composer who has impressed both ends of the spectrum. After dropping Lost (2017), aimed at giving classical music a more accessible angle, Prayer's Seeing is a darker, club-orientated four-tracker. In his words: "Seeing again explores relationships between two different areas of music; pushing for the diversification of classical music. Although more aggressive and instant than my previous work, it still fully compositional in its nature. The aim was to contrast harmony with brash rhythm, balancing perceived elegance and the abrasive."
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12"
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ACRE 068EP
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Japan's Jun Kamoda has produced under his Illreme moniker for over 15 years and he is also as member of Baleine 3000. Infectious licks and raw drums come together to form "Blind Disco", an animated production that blends a cacophony of samples into a raucous party jam. "Ramen Funk" is a moodier cut by comparison, featuring a medley of percussive elements, vibrant guitar melodies, and a seedy bassline, until "Savanna On The Palm" chops up and loops a wailing vocal sample before leading into echoing chords and a twisted groove in a mesmerizing conclusion.
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12"
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ACRE 067EP
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Nan Kolé, head of Gqom Oh!, returns to Black Acre with Malumz EP, following his collaboration with Wallwork on the Facts 12" (ACRE 063EP, 2016). "Bayefal" is a joyous, steadfast drum workout made in the carnival spirit, and serves as an ode to his love for West African rhythms and the gqom sound. "Malumz" is backed by two dark, brooding remixes by Durban's Citizen Boy and Formation Boyz. The original is a stark, pulsing drum-track dotted with playful whistles and bleepy sampling, while first Citizen Boy and then Formation Boyz flip "Malumz" with harsher, grittier tones and crunching, industrial textures.
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12"
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ACRE 065EP
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The Maghreban returns with an essential new house odyssey Brooklyn, named after his dead cat. His second outing on Black Acre is a breathtaking night flight. Trance-inducing Caribbean percussion, possessed chants, Motown bass, sci-fi synths, wayward filter sweeps, analog free jazz all get their moment to shine in the weird and wonderful eight-minute microcosm that is "Brooklyn". "The Carpenters" strikes a more domesticated tone, with motorik industrial dub eventually giving way to haunted sci-fi bachelor pad lounge.
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12"
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ACRE 063EP
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Wallwork and London grime emcee, Nico Lindsay, deliver Facts. Wallwork and Tsvi's "Facts" sees the pair turn a stripped-back, minimalist hand to a beat that Lindsay takes on with a relaxed, near-horizontal flow. With neither afraid to deviate from grime's more familiar 140bpm template, their collision of styles is not only refreshing - it's fully vindicated. On "Fyah", Wallwork, assisted by Nan Kolè, leans more toward UK funky, with the beat patterns softer and the percussion less harsh, instead driven by a fierce, chugging groove and twisted, wonky bass notes that Lindsay again navigates.
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12"
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ACRE 062EP
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The Maghreban is back with the 12" Lose It. The venerable yet elusive London electronic producer has a diverse background working under various aliases and guises in drum & bass, hip-hop, jungle and old pirate radio hardcore, The Maghreban brings a bit of everything to the table on the new 12". "Lose It" is introduced by stark claps and disorienting genie noises on a front to back beat, before evolving into a sly six-minute house mongrel. "Wrong Move" puts together elements of break beat, dub and mutant bass to lure the listener into a vaporous electronic dystopia.
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12"
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ACRE 061EP
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Sully delivers a plate of austere but bass-heavy Black Acre wrongness. Departing from his junglist output, Sully turns in a distinctly futurist and spacious collection of bangers. "Vamp" is a six-in-the-morning drama piece that explodes into a juked-out binary code rinser. "Arco" features a pure military grime skank with fizzing synths, hectic percussive switch-ups, and Roger Corman's laser cannon. "Bronze" returns to seeming familiar places as the tempo is ratcheted up for an eastern junglist detour full of mystery and deft drum programming.
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LP
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ACRE 008LP
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Bristol-based multi-instrumentalist and producer William Yates aka Memotone returns with the bleak, beautiful Chime Hours, following his stunning debut album, I Sleep. At Waking (ACRE 004CD). A master of 11 instruments, Memotone comes from a family of artists and grew up on a diet of grunge, minimal classical, and electronic music. Yates is also an illustrator and film music composer (his work includes a soundtrack for a horror series produced by Eli Roth), occupations that run deep within his avant-garde productions. Creating an otherworldly state of mind with sonic soundscapes, the album's roots twist around rural horror, techno, and classical sounds mixed with field recordings of archaic seasonal ceremonies. From the spiraling darkness and crackled techno pulse of "Poison Arrow" to the ghostly melodies and brutal electronics intersecting on "All Collapsed," the album buzzes with a variety of moods and ideas from an artist not afraid to run the full gamut of emotions. Emphasizing texture over tone, Chime Hours is heavily centered around the sounds of an analog synthesizer, while also featuring live cello, piano, clarinet, violin, church organ, guitars, bass, and trumpet, in various degrees of distortion. The album also sees Memotone bring his voice further forward, creating brief flourishes of glimmering effects. On "All Collapsed" and "You Saw the Future," Memotone toys with ideas surrounding a post-apocalyptic world that's stripped bare by humans, whereas the rest of the album takes influence from the Middle Ages -- rituals, civil war, gritty hand-to-hand combat, and a fear of ghosts and the religion that surrounds them. Memotone recorded the rituals practiced at a folk celebration in a village near where he grew up, explaining, "I thought, perhaps there is a reflection of our distant future in our past. Not only the middle ages but spanning human history. We have already lived, and more importantly survived; through times as hard as the ones we are self imposing now." The album's title comes from the belief in English folklore that those born at certain hours could see ghosts. With its layers of abstract noises, analog electronica, and snatches of fragile melody, Chime Hours evokes darkened alleyways and ethereal worlds, making for a deeply immersive album that's a testament to a distinctively inventive artist.
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12"
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ACRE 060EP
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This is the first single from Commodo's 2016 debut album. An artist with minimal online presence and who keeps himself to himself, Commodo is one of an increasingly rare few who make waves through the strength of their music alone. He builds bass-focused beats with soul and substance that never perpetuate a formula, distancing himself from contemporaries with ingenious sampling and sound design influenced by his long-time affinity with the vibrancy of hip hop. "Set It Straight" features Rocks FOE, Croydon's fast-rising rapper and beatmaker, and like Commodo's 2014 Jme-featuring hit "Shift," is an instant underground anthem.
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12"
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ACRE 059EP
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Info on Croydon's shadowy firespitter and beat sculptor Rocks FOE is scarce. His attack poses a unique combination, with a rap style that combines the catch-all hooks of grime with the sheer lyrical dominance of classic US rappers like Pharoahe Monch and the GZA. Dig into Rocks's lyrical tidal wave to find arcane religious references and anime characters punctuated with frequent direct knockout put-downs. He also produced all of the EP's beats, grafting grime and hip hop with DNA from horror composers. Support from 6 Music (Mary Anne Hobbs), 1Xtra (Logan Sama), Beats 1 (Julie Adenuga), and more.
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