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Category Archives: Music

Beat By Beat: Isagen’s c.b.a.g. EP

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Japanese electronic artists have become far more interested in individual sounds over the last few years. From the experimental headscratchers coming from Foodman or the Wasabi Tapes label, to netlabel adjacent creators like Taquwami or Metome, it’s a good time for fans of individual sounds sticking out. It’s the element that makes producer Isagen’s new EP for Trekkie Trax such a charmer. Space plays a valuable on nearly every song, making the vocal samples and machine beats resonate more clearly on glassy opener “Add On,” while the room carved out on “Child” makes the pitch-shifted voice at its center all the more effective. Most importantly, this approach makes moments of release — like the beat explosion of “Bloom” — hit all the harder. Get it here, or listen below.

New Halfby: “Diamond Head”

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Halfby’s island explorations started out high-energy, but in recent years the producer has started slowing things down a bit. Maybe it’s just getting older — Dorian kind of went down the same path — but it has been a nice shift for Halfby. “Diamond Head” offers one of his most relaxed cuts yet, with sweat-soaked guitar notes and an easy-breezy pacing in no rush to get anywhere. Yet just because Halfby’s chilling out a bit more than he used to doesn’t mean he isn’t working interesting details into the edges. As “Diamond Head” develops, parts become blurred, and the vocal samples in particular give this a blazed-out feel all the more inviting. Listen above.

New Ruby Lemon: “The Party”

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Consider it closer to an out-of-body experience at a social gathering than a tune designed to soundtrack one. Ruby Lemon’s “The Party” takes its time unfolding, the Fukuoka-based artist letting the synth notes stretch out while her singing comes through at half speed in an electronic haze. It’s about mood over movement, and like her previous creations, it is one to sink into and think about parties rather than actually get one going right away (though, credit to the beat, which makes sure it doesn’t get too lost in its own head). Listen above.

Making Me Feel: nikoi0227’s Feel My Emotions

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At its best, “future bass” functions as this overwhelming force of sound that feels like a big burst of joy. The latest from Omoide Label — currently on a heck of a hot streak for the netlabel — comes from producer nikoi0227, who nails that release on the aptly titled Feel My Emotions. Part of it comes by nikoi0227’s decision to just load these songs up with sounds, apparent right away from the opening title track, which crams in bright synth melodies, pounding bass, piano plonks and bed springs. Yet all these details make for a dizzying rush of joy. Even better is “Stay With Me,” which adds to the maximalism with a disorientingly fun start-stop synth melody, that builds to a rap-sample segment dropping into something more aggressive. The feeling of always being taken off your feet is half the fun of this one. Get it here, or listen below.

New FNCY: “Silky”

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After a handful of songs embracing throwback pop, FNCY give themselves a little more space on “Silky.” Besides striking a balance between three artists that results in a really good mash-up, FNCY has been a showcase for G. Rina’s production side, both her more immediate side and, with this on, something a bit more subdued. There’s more room for reflection, and even Zen-La-Rock sounds deep in thought over the course of “Silky.” Listen above.