Cool And Frank
Sick of Symbols EP

SAISEI founder Junki Inoue continues his vital archival work uncovering the riches of Japan’s distinctive electronic music scene and bringing them to new audiences around the world. The Sounds Of Transonic compiles six tracks recorded in Tokyo between 1991 and 1995 and released by the pioneering Transonic label, founded in 1994 by Kazunao Nagata and active until 2004.Transonic’s catalogue is a glittering roll call of the scene’s major players, whose inventive and genre-blending work established forward-thinking house and techno in Japan in a way that would shape the country’s electronic sound for years to come. Transonic was instrumental in giving exposure to the work of these artists with its emblematic series of CD compilations, released over a short couple of years in the mid 90s. Beginning with 970-1450km/h, Feedback and Range, the series also included The Roots Of Transonic, featuring music from parent label Trigger. Alongside these compilations came much sought-after solo albums each packaged with striking cover art that makes the discs a visual treat for collectors to this day.The Sounds Of Transonic brings together six tracks from the catalogue into one breath-taking package. The influence of hi-tech jazz and machine funk from Detroit is undeniable in ‘Dream Trance’ (Mind Design) and ‘Blasting Soul’ (Interferon), while ‘Under The Ground’ (Palomatic) and ‘Chelsea’ (Suzukiski) are permeated by the artificial intelligence and trip hop emanating from the UK at the time. The compilation is bookended by two tracks by Nagata himself (as Organization): ‘Space Ball’, a Model 500-worthy chase through the cosmos, and ‘Call’, an eerie echo of Kraftwerk’s telephone, transmitting expectantly out into the void and, finally, receiving its celestial answer.With The Sounds Of Transonic these formative pieces of music will now be available internationally and, for the first time, on vinyl.SAISEI is a Japanese word which translates to ‘reproduction’ and ‘to play’ (as in playing records). Japanese culture is widely known for its traditional nature just as much as it is for being forward into the future and this label’s concept does justice to exactly that. Having started digging for records as early as 16 years old, Inoue delved into productions from 1990s Japan to uncover these native gems. SAISEI’s core concept is to recapture and reintroduce unique pieces of Japanese electronic music onto vinyl, to an audience it never reached before as most of this music was only released in Japan.

Strange Echoes 95 - 99 is music that woke up yesterday bearing a message for tomorrow. Excavated from the late-90s and largely rematerialising for the first time on vinyl, the album carries a selection of sonic diamonds by bona fide sound experimenter Xingu Hill (John Sellekaers). The fully remastered tracks pull the curtain back two decades to offer a snapshot of a prolific five-year period in Sellekaers' expansive soundverse, which runs the gamut from brain-bending, emotive ambient outings to driving, acerbic industrial experiments. Timeless music for keeps in the age of disposables; a reference to early rave and trip-hop aesthetics that could just as very well be one music clairvoyant's nostalgia-inspired preview of things to come.

For Delft-based label Omen Wapta's first release, Japanese musician/sound designer/coder/producer JEMAPUR explores the far reaches of abstract experimental techno on his album Mode Cleaner. Pulling from music made between 2016 and 2020, JEMAPUR demonstrates his distinctive use of glitch, microsampling, live coding, and granular synthesis techniques. The album was made when the producer was drawn to subjects like physics, geometry, murals, ancient civilisations, the logic of nature, and the observation of the universe.

Judas on Arts.

Wax’o Paradiso Recordings presents its debut outing on vinyl, OK EG’s Intertidal Zone EP. The new label from the long standing Naarm (Melbourne) party is set to explore hi-fidelity, landscape-driven and cerebral music from the antipodes and beyond.After sold out pressings on local imprints Animalia and Steeplejack, this EP explores a more contemplative side of OK EG, suitable for discerning dancefloors and meditative home listening alike.Conceived in 2019 and completed in 2020, Intertidal Zone was recorded in collaboration with percussionist Phil Stroud. The rhythm tracks are a fusion of drum machines and hand drums, loose percussion, human voices and tuned percussion immersed in water. Joined by analog synthesisers, layered vocals, processed guitar and field recordings, the music evokes solastalgia and a reverence for nature. The final track, Golden Hour, came from an improvisation with multi-instrumentalist Adam Halliwell on flute and jazz musician Jack Doepel on Korg bass, later transposed to modular synthesiser.Wax’o Paradiso and OK EG acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which this music was recorded, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, and pay their respects to elders past, present and emerging.

When the great mystic Meister Eckhart went out from Gotha into the world to investigate the states of the souls of the clergy, the faithful and mankind in general, he soon ended up in the desert regions. A flash of lightning quickly passed through him, one of insight: the desert is us, it is within us. It is the place of total contemplation, a fortress of solitude. The real desert, whether Gobi, Sahara or Atacama, on the other hand, is populated: by animals, small and large, crawling and flying; by plants, prickly, green, brown or in permanent sleep; by billions of micro and macro-organisms. PAWEL, your insights are like those of the mystic: THE DESERT IS ALIVE!

PAWEL'S BAR is the alias of Leipzig based Marvin Uhde aka QNETE. While as the latter he’s known for sophisticated house and shows a preference for breakbeats, Pawel's Bar is much more reserved and subtle. Its dub and downbeat structures that build the foundation on »Pawel’s Desert Trip«. Instead of facing the dancefloor head-on, tracks like the shimmering WELWITSCHIA, the mellow MANY BIRDS or the nature-dubby PHARAOHS work excellently as companions for any life situation. Rather soundtracks of withdrawal than mere ecstatic escapism. Big feelings. Meanwhile, on RECYCLE, REFRESH and BEACH NIGHTS you can hear why QNETE is such a sought-after DJ and producer (X-Kalay, Shtum or 777): a deep knowledge of what a party might need, although nobody expects it - as Pawel's Bar he can prove this knowledge as well, even if he tries to disguise it.
 With this, he also follows the rumor that has been around for a few years about the Kame House Records: This is where great producers come to think outside the box and deliver their unexpectedly best records.