DJ Plead DJ Slyngshot DJ Neewt
Genre Music

Originally released digitally in August 2020 and supported by DJ Stingray, Martin Gore (Depeche Mode), Manni Dee, Rommek and Tapefeed, OBSCUUR is thrilled to present the vinyl issue of Catartsis & Otone's split EP "Mechanical Gesture". Catartsis and Otone explore, both in their collaborative and respective work, a wide spectrum of electronic and electroacoustic music with the practices of field recording and attentive listening at the core of their creative process. Inspired by musique concrete and electroacoustic sonic manipulations, they combine and alter sounds from the real, from their surroundings and from found (mainly metallic) objects. Stemming from this approach, they engage in rhythmical and textural research to elaborate a - peculiar, acousmatic and almost tangible - percussive and club-oriented music. With "Mechanical Gesture" Catartsis & Otone bring us an EP that is the very definition of the word "groove" while investigating rhythms and timbres from various mechanical apparatuses. Press, slice and carve your way through this assortment, it's guaranteed to get you moving.

Boiling club music down to a brutal, incisive essence, Anthoney Hart AKA Basic Rhythm returns to Sneaker Social Club with a trio of sharply honed Drum & Bass cuts for the dance.With releases on labels as varied as Type, Warp sub-label Arcola, Planet Mu and Future Retro, Basic Rhythm has always presented a clear-sighted vision of what works in the context of hardcore-rooted sounds without ever sounding derivative of what has come before.Following 2019’s New Style and 2020’s I Don’t Know What I Would Do, Basic Rhythm returns to Sneaker Social with the icy impact of ‘Still’. The lead track runs across the A side in a nuanced sound field of atmospheric impressions, architectural punctuation and an understated but deadly effective beat. With a minimalist approach these subtle touches carry all the more weight.On the flip, ‘Le Samouraï’ has a similarly spartan palette, albeit with a much knottier rhythmic framework and a more pronounced bed of dread-filled string pads ensuring the vibe remains as moody as possible in a time-honoured UK style. The extraneous silence around the 2/3 marker is the definition of an anti-drop.Referencing a totemic study of magic and religion, ‘Still (Golden Bough)’ approaches the A side from a subtly altered angle, switching up the textural matter and thus shifting the atmosphere towards something more ritualistic and unnerving. As with the rest of the EP, In something so stark your ears relish every individual element, and yet each subsequent listen brings another dimension of the track to the fore. In the rigour of his sound, Hart once again demonstrates how his rhythms are anything but basic.

Four epic space jams to play as your attack ship goes down in flames off the shoulder ofOrion. 'Go big or go home' could be Dream Ticket's motto by now, and Seoul-basedPyramid Of Knowledge has the sonic weaponry to live up to it: breaks, bass, acid and anextra heaping of laser noises. Hearing is believing!

Undersound marks its 20th release with a collection of tracks from Scatterbaux. While the producer has a few sparse releases online, he displays considerable dexterity on these hardware jams.The A-side heavily features the classic 303 synth and opens with “Ghosts On The Wing”, where the artist is experimenting with an 8 bar acid pattern overlayed with dreamy leads and pads. This is followed by “Acid Squabble”, where two 303 lines bounce off each other exchanging their filter positions conveying a range of feelings and emotions.The B-side follows with “Chamber 27”, an electro jam with 808 drums and a driving 101 bassline. The EP closes with the fast paced “Womp Bucket”, with its evolving drum patterns and emotional overtones, completing a showcase of the producer’s signature acid tinged style.

Pure Space Records welcomes a newly emerging Naarm (Melbourne) producer, Dividens with his EP ‘Blueprints’. Across four tracks Dividens masterfully guides us through the fringes of modern drum n bass, eerie Dub and restrained Jungle styles. Starting strong, ‘Audio Blueprint’ provides a fast and erratic baseline cushioned only by a deep, squelching synth. It’s a textural and delicately refined track, with each sound finding its perfect place with twisted effect. Completing the A-side, in confidence, is ‘Rollin Smoke’. An acid tinged take on electro, composed with trancey pads and tight percussion. Flipping over we find ‘Bionic’, luscious pads swirl amongst a deep sub bass rhythm before free-falling into stints of breakbeat. The ominous tone of the track is coloured by the disorienting vocals; lean in and let the bass hold your feet firmly on the ground. Finally, ‘Tell Dem’ rounds out the release with a tasteful amount of dub. Here a mass of swamp-like synths envelop you completely, while the tight break patterns elevate the energy through to the final moments of the release. ~ Tracks written, produced and mixed by Dividens on Wurundjeri Land. Pure Space and Dividens both acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded. ~Pure Space Recordings is the label venture from the beloved radio show hosted by Andy Garvey, and produced by Mija Healey which has broadcast weekly on Eora Nation (Sydney) radio station FBi Radio for over four years. The label focuses on Australian music both for home listening and that made for the club.

Jochem Peteri comes drifting back into earshot with some new NWAQ tackle in tow. Beyond the plentiful reissues of his timeless earlier works, Peteri is just as productive in the here and now. Now he’s minting a new label with three pieces that embellish the NWAQ soundworld with a fresh slant. ‘Above II’ is a crystal clear beam of light strapped to a kick that trips over itself with grace and poise. It’s forthright and yet wholly untethered, a pre-echo for the anchorless expanse of ‘Above I’, which buries some heavy bass ruminations very far down in the mix. That leaves it to ‘Dume’ to come staggering out all bleary-eyed, caked in last night’s distortion and yet still exuding a cracked beauty that stands up to the first light of dawn. The artwork which adorns this record is by environment sculpting internet artist Jan-Robert Leegte. NWAQ has always stood for a kind of environmental immersion, and this new emission compounds that idea in three distinct, refreshing ways.