Acronym
Millennial Lowlife

Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. No one in particular is renowned for that cliched statement, but when something is so universal, who cares who said it? And is there anything more nostalgia inciting than a blurry film, bursting with colours but aged just perfectly so that you know, it's from a past which will never return. Het Jaarronde, a 1977 short film by Dutch amateur filmmaker Jan van Keulen is a picture perfect study of Dutch rural life. Filmed at an observer's distance it, as the title states, follows the Netherland's throughout the year. It's not bombastic and grand like 1967's John Fernhout film, Sky Over Holland. Instead it's modest, even shy, as if afraid to document too much because to document means to acknowledge change and loss. For the second time, Nous'klaer and The Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision's RE:VIVE initiative have teamed up for a split 12" featuring two new film scores of Nous'klaer staple, Mattheis and newcomer Ranie Ribeiro. Each artist was given half the film to compose for, resulting in two sonically disparate pieces that are emotionally twinned. Mattheis offers a lush, heart melting wave of pianos and synths and field recordings to appease his own inner-nostalgia, as the images struck an immediate chord with his childhood and youth in Goeree Overflakkee, South-Holland. Ranie Ribeiro, known under his solo moniker for his slamming chopped beats and earlier club oriented releases as D-Ribeiro unveils his talents as a harpist for the first time. His work, is an encapsulation of a calm autumn day. A work in the present rather than a reflection on the past. But as the day fades into night, one can't wish for it to stay, just a little bit longer, because who knows what tomorrow is going to bring?

If there were a parallel universe, Silverlining would surely inhabit it as a devoted silviculturalist (one who cares and cultivates forest trees; a forester), empowered with superpowers to converse with the plants. But in this realm, the South Londoner can only daydream about a life in the woods from the warmth of his log cabin-inspired studio in the depths of the urban sprawl, accented with the aromas of forest air freshener. His latest Forest Dreams EP channels his pining for pine onto yet another slice of black PVA for your listening and dancing enjoyment. “The Lumberjack’s Call” laments the woodcutter’s cry for “timber” (or is it saying “deeper”?), stripping a disco-tinged house groove through a metaphysical sawmill, punctuated by Motor City-inspired synths. “Tepozteco”, named after the neotropical national park and mountaintop pyramid outside Mexico City, draws inspiration equally from US house grooves of Mood II Swing as it does the ethereal synthetics of early Warp Records. The release closes off with the title track “Forest Dreams” where the latter earthly tones are swept aside to meet the demands of dayglow techno sprites that haunt the electrics of Silverlining’s studio.

12th Isle quickly follow on from the double LP 'Athenian Primitivism' by Christos Chondropoulos with two recordings from performance, voice and sound artist Lucy Duncombe. Cut to 10" vinyl and mastered by Morgan Buckley (Wah Wah Wino), 'Brace / Mend' are collaborative works exploring an early musical fascination with theatrical vocal transposition and its duality with machinic interference and technologies. Lucy recently expanded upon this practice with a joint tape release with DJ Crud (Al White) entitled THE RAPTURE OF CELLULAR ACCRETION. This limited run single continues 12th Isle's on-going relationship with musicians in their city of Glasgow.

A new label, run by an old head, Paul Wise aka Placid is the driving force behind ‘We’re Going Deep’. Known to many who inhabit the realms of underground House and Techno, the imprint sprang to life at the tail end of 2020 from his hugely popular Facebook community under the same banner.Born out of a lifelong affair with the many shades of deep electronic rhythms, coupled with a thirst for collecting records since 1988, Paul’s mission is all about sharing and releasing new music for the dance floor, front room or even just your headphones. Rather than staying hung up on the past, his reputation for digging into the annals Acid, Electro, Techno, Deep House alongside the odd slice of Downtempo precedes him, as he readies the third WGD volume for release.Bubbling up with another 4 track EP comprised of cuts from equally brilliant artists, the opening shots are fired on Side A with the unmistakeable sounds of Moy “Ouroboros”. A finely crafted slice of robotic acid funk entices you into the wilds and waves of moody 303 action as machines collide with precision accuracy. Bringing you back to a calmer vision and seas of tranquilty, Rekab aka James Baker’s “Summer Dreams” demonstrates just how blissful ambience and slowing the pace in these testing times can soothe the soul. Leading Side B, fans of Chi-town grooves will not be disappointed with Garrett David’s “Cruisin Through”. A Smart Bar resident and Gramaphone Records employee, he’s no stranger to sumptuous jackin’ edged house jams packed full of bouncing beats. Blending an irresistible rump funking groove to synth-led melodics that build and build, the total sum of these parts will not fail to get you out of your seat. Signing off in style, Moody Waters takes us into hypnotic house territory as low slung beatdown vibes meet mysterious atmospheres and vocal fx, emerging from the haze of that 5am smog that all too often glazes your inner mind.

For its eighth release Griffé welcomes Rambal Cochet aka Volta Cab. The prolific electronic producer has been on the circuit for more than ten years and has explored a wide musical spectrum: from house to techno and new wave to electro. More recently his productions have taken a more progressive & trancey turn. On "Unknown Pharmacy" the producer is blending some trancey dancefloor weapons (Pharmacom & Muscle Fields) with crazy breaks (Autismo1) and a downtempo track (Underworld) to close the record in a calmer note. Out June 10th.

Amsterdam based REISHI RECORDS debuts with its first release 'Sound Order EP'.The sound comes from the collaboration between two Italian masters, Stefano di Carlo and Mauro Ruvolo (Vibraphone Records, Male Production, Synthetic Records) and strikes with 3 juicy and solid different tracks.