The Blackploid resurgence of recent years continues to gather steam. After laying dormant for some time, Martin Matiske’s project roared back into life in 2021 with a pair of EPs for Central Processing Unit. It doesn’t look like he’ll be taking his foot off the gas any time soon - not only does the new Blackploid collection Planetary Science complete Matiske’s hat-trick for the Sheffield label, but it also serves as a prelude to the full-length album which Blackploid will deliver on CPU in 2023.

If that LP is as good as the tracks we get here, then it’s safe to say that we’re on to a winner. This EP contains a quartet of top-tier machine-funk productions, the kind of crisp post-Drexciya joints we’ve come to know and love Blackploid for. Each track on Planetary Science makes good on the record’s title by delivering club tackle flecked with FX which sound distinctly like spaceships blasting off into the cosmos.

There is also progression across Planetary Science. While it still aims for the dancefloor, Planetary Science is a somewhat more textured listen than either Strange Stars or Cosmic Traveler, Blackploid’s previous CPU drops. Most notable is the increased use of synth pads, with Matiske draping chord progressions over all of these tracks in order to give his music a newfound depth.

Blackploid’s subtle evolution is clear from the opening track. ‘Dimension Unknown’ may begin with a precision-engineered groove reminiscent of an early Legowelt joint, but things soon soften with the introduction of some rich keyboard chords. A few well-chosen bleeps and bloops flit in and out of the mix, but whereas some would use these to scuff up the track further here they are warm and playful.

The more confrontational stance of following cut ‘Magnetron’ makes it a yin to ‘Dimension Unknown’s yang. Blackploid works with similar tools here - machine-gun beat programming, chords playing off boinging bass - but there is a tension and buzz to the track which isn’t apparent on its predecessor. The synths have a slight Eighties deep space thriller vibe about them, and the FX cut through the mix with more bite.

‘Magnetron’s energy carries through to ‘Wire’, the first track on the Planetary Science B-side. Here a big, brutish bassline takes centre stage from the off, a chunk squarewave equal-parts Dopplereffekt and early Eskibeat. Around this swirls a queasy brew of synthesised tones, with the component parts all arranged in order to channel ‘Magnetron’s sense of unease.

Planetary Science closes out with ‘Neurotransmitter’. On this cut, Blackploid returns somewhat to where we started off, finding a midpoint between ‘Dimension Unknown’s more spacious feel and the livewire flavour of ‘Magnetron’ and ‘Wire’. Tension remains, particularly when Matiske serves up one of the EP’s snakiest basslines, but there’s also a deftness to the synth pads here which makes ‘Neurotransmitter’ a little softer around the edges.

Blackploid limbers up for a forthcoming full-length on Central Processing Unit with Planetary Science, an EP of stargazing electro joints that quietly expand the project’s sonic world.

RIYL: Drexciya, Dopplereffekt, DMX Krew, I-F, Annie Hall

Blackploid - Planetary Science

Part 1 – Ben Pest, UK, interview & selections (www.patreon.com/benpest)

iNFO & 4th Genome – Bass Agenda Intro
Ben Pest – 87 Game
Ben Pest – Swim Acronym
Harold Faltermeyer - Shoot Out
The JBs – Givin’ Up Food for Funk
Jeff Mills – Reverting
Ben Pest – Vitals (update: this track will now be released on Hearse Records)
Ben Pest – My First Rodeo
Ben Pest – Strict Saws
Imogen & Ben Pest – Shibooty
Ben Pest – Direkt Slaps
Ben Pest – Mouth Lawson
Ben Pest – Titanium Bizness
Ben Pest – Mizherd featuring Akrti
Blawan – Under Belly
G Jones – A2C2I2D
Radioactive Man & Ben Pest – Old Tight Selekta

Part 2 – New Music Round-up

Club Cab – What I Want
Alavux – Ghetto Trash featuring JJ MC
AE35 & Shun – Blunt
Oliver Way – Shuffle Rush
Rene Wise – Don’t Care
The Subdermic – Slipstream
Fleck E.S.C – B Love
DJ K-1 – On My Computer
Mono Junk – Jam Band
No Moon – Go 2 Bed
DeFeKT – Terraform
Mike Ellison – Covalence
The Wavejumpers - Cetacaen Nation
DJ Maaco – The People

Part 3 – Remembering Dutch producer and friend w1b0 (RIP)

Space - Airforce
Derrick May - Drama
w1b0 - Main Squeeze
w1b0 - Utopia Planitia

Part 4 – Podcast exclusive - Shun, Japan, guest mix

Man2.0 - Stammer [Unreleased]
dynArec - Stabilized [Central Processing Unit]
Shun - [unreleased]
Tunik - Elektro 02 [Further Electronix]
--- (Shun Remix) *Upcoming
FRB, Alex Jann - Bioscan Devices -Luz1e's Mechanical Cut-[Censor Music]
Alonzo - Cause and Effect [Cultivated Electronics]
Power - Sea Snake (Human Rebellion Remix) [Mini Man Records]
Shun - [Unreleased]
Zeta Reticula - Out of Range [Mechatronica]
Alienata + CYRK - G Factor [Burial Soil]
Viikatory - My Mind (Dagga Remix)
Fleck E.S.C. - Walking Free [Woodwork Recordings]
E-bony - Dancing Under Misil Lights (PRZ Remix) [Italo Moderni]
Gesloten Cirkel - Halfman[Solar One Music]
DJ Overdose - Wrecknology [LIES Recordings]
Lloyd Stellar - Cosmic Vultures [Cyber Domain]

Part 5 – Bonus - Ben Pest interview parts (On Glastonbury, sound design, and gear) (track in background = Silver HiHo by Ben Pest)

BassAgenda 221 Ben Pest Interview & Shun Guest Mix

+++ VINYL OUT MID OCTOBER '22 +++
PREORDER 12" PURPLE VINYL + DIGITAL: https://bit.ly/3TzTno1
—
CAT: AF044
ARTIST: JAMES SHINRA
TITLE: SURFACE EP
————

A1   MILUV                                     06:22  
A2   CIRCULAR                                  05:59

B1   EKKO                                      07:08
B2   SURFACE                                   05:47

—
©+Ⓟ Analogical Force 2022. Copyright Control
Written, produced and mixed by James Clarke in UK
Mastering by Carlos Koschitzky at Koschitzky Studio, Gijón
Design by Acid Hazel, Berlin
Distributed by Clone, Rotterdam 
www.clone.nl
www.analogicalforce.com

Buy Now

[AF044] JAMES SHINRA 'SURFACE EP' [2022]

Underground hero Bill Converse returns to Dark Entries with Take Parts, perhaps his most muscular and floorfocused work to date. Converse has honed his analog craft since the early days of the Midwest rave scene, absorbing lessons from luminaries like Claude Young and Traxx. His skill as a producer has been established with releases on labels such as Dark Entries, Fit Sound, and Obsolete Futures, and his prowess as a DJ has been witnessed on floors the world over. On Take Parts, Converse peels away the layers of acidic gauze that have characterized much of his work, revealing his sharp grasp of dancefloor dynamics and DJ functionality. While the 808’s, 909’s, and 303’s are on full display, Converse does not indulge in retro-fetishism; he channels the future forward impulse of the originary rave ethos. Tracks like “Stroke” and “What You Have” pit seasick chords and analog squelch atop funky but unsettling loops. The flurry of 808 snares on “Measurement (Of What?)” nods towards both footwork and jungle, but feels ultimately planted in a world of Converse’s own. With the acid-electro masterpiece “Take Apart”, Converse implores us to both join him in this new world and reconfigure the one we’re living in now. The 6-tracks on Take Parts present a new focus for Converse, and will excite DJ’s and thrill dancers.

Bill Converse
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/billconverse
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063718346773

Dark Entries
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/darkentriesrecords
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarkEntriesRecords
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darkentriesrecords/

Take Parts

PREMIERE: Bill Converse - Take Apart (Dark Entries Records)

pre-order :: https://trust.bandcamp.com/album/calanhi-remixes

austrian electro explorers /DL/MS/ (@dl-ms) assemble an international all-star crew of sonic scientists, rhythm agitators, and techno bass renegades to take apart and reconstruct their recent 'Calanhi' album.

buckle up and join Electric Indigo (@indigo), 214 (@214_electro), Mister Bellini (@mister-bellini), Reptant (@reptant_the_lizard), Annie Hall (@anniehallmusic), Roger23 (@roger23), R 325 (@room325), Shun (@shun1music), and Beatprozessor (@beatprozessor) on a high-g warp-speed ride across the known electroverse.

mastered by Keith Tenniswood (@radioactiveman)
art by dextro_org

Download

[TRUST40.RX] /DL/MS/ - calanhi remixes [out december 2022]

Digital only release, available from Bandcamp.

@ch415

CH415 - Magnetic

https://www.juno.co.uk/products/investigations-of-physics-of-the-human-mind/855491-01/

Yet again, Helena Hauff's Return To Disorder label brings us a new talent from the world of electro production, this time in the shape of India's Investigations of a Dog. The four tracks here contain a lively, energetic feel sure to tempt the reticent onto the dancefloor, matched with a dreamy optimism that gives them an ultra pleasurable head-in-the-clouds celestial feel. 'Heliocentrism' has echoes of classic LFO's naive melodicism, '11 July' is sunny and gently bubbling in the same vein as Aphex's first 'Ambient Works' LP, and the rest is generally infectious and loveable yet employed with a touch of subtle restraint. We look forward to further Investigations

Investigations Of A Dog - Physics Of The Human Mind RTTD020

TL Premiere #1112 (2022.12.01) : Zobol - Data Wars [20/20 Vision Recordings]

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

For this 310th Premiere of 2022, we have an unreleased exclusive new track by the Electro Producer from Birmingham (UK) "Zobol" titled ‘Data Wars’ from the forthcoming Compilation "Exit Planet Earth - Launch" on the label based in Leeds (UK) founded by Ralph Lawson : 20/20 Vision Recordings.

▶︎ The Compilation will be available from December 7, 2022 on all digital platforms.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Release Info :

Various - Exit Planet Earth - Launch [20/20 Vision // EPE10]

Exit Planet Earth started as a series of records, selected and compiled by ralph lawson, featuring exclusive tracks from the emerging wave of exciting electronic music that emanated across the planet as we approached 2020. Inspired by sounds that captured the imagination the records seemed to hit a nerve as the world turned upside down and faced increasingly unstable times.

It was always the intention that the individual tracks would form a body of work that acted as a snap shot of how people were feeling worldwide as a steady stream of super villains seized power at the very worst time possible. During hard times people turn to music to express emotions as well as escape reality but we don’t know where that creativity process will lead until we turn on the machines - the results can be unexpected.

Over a collection of 25 tracks Exit Planet Earth delves into the reaction of electronic music artists across the planet during the craziest times of the 21st century. We find rules being broken, boundaries being crossed and genres being defied resulting in some moments of magic. Only by losing what we took for granted did we realise what we had in the first place.
Only by leaving the planet can we gaze back on our pale blue dot and appreciate our fragile existence…

Tracklist :
Futurenauts - We are the Futurenauts
Egyptian Lover x Soul Clap - Hai Karate (Dub)
Reptant & Dashiell - Gortexia
Kosh - Chaos in the City
Mr Ho & Xiaolin - No Change To How I Feel
Zobol - Data Wars
James Shinra - Launch
Ste Roberts - Rebirth 2_0
Lost Souls of Saturn - Karma is Back
Kim Cosmik - Moonrise
Sound Synthesis - You are the Force
Extrawelt - Hail The Whale (The Coexisting mix)
CKFT (Keith Tucker x Carl Finlow) - Coder
London Modular Alliance - Lump of Coal
DeFeKT - Radar
The Advent x Zein Ferreira - Carpe Diem
Sansibar - Tamagotchi
The Exaltics & Paris The Black Fu- wea poni zedin form ation
Konerytmi - Pulssi
Telephasycx! Index Case
Cignol - 51D
Mick Wilson x August Artier - Akira's Cry
Annie Hall - Invisible dust
Alfred - Galaxy Quest
Ivna Ji - Rescape

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Follow Zobol :
Bandcamp : www.zobol.bandcamp.com
Facebook : www.facebook.com/ZobolUK
Instagram : www.instagram.com/jonski.zobol
SoundCloud : www.soundcloud.com/Zobol

Follow 20/20 Vision Recordings :
Bandcamp : www.2020vision.bandcamp.com
Facebook : www.facebook.com/2020VisionRecordings
Instagram : www.instagram.com/2020vision_recordings
SoundCloud : www.soundcloud.com/2020visionrecordings
Twitter : www.twitter.com/2020Visionlabel
Website : www.2020recordings.com

Exit Planet Earth - Launch

Data Wars

TL PREMIERE : Zobol - Data Wars [20/20 Vision Recordings]

Blackploid has become one of Central Processing Unit’s stalwarts in the past couple of years. Martin Matiske’s project contributed a trio of EPs to the Sheffield label across 2021 and 2022, with each of them showing off the kind of electro chops and production sensibilities that made Blackploid an ideal fit for an imprint which also boasts the likes of Cygnus, Silicon Scally and Bochum Welt among its catalogue.

Now, for CPU’s first release of 2023, Matiske levels things up with the debut Blackploid LP Enter Universe. Across these twelve tracks, Matiske leaves us in no doubt that he’s a prime mover in the world of modern electronic music. Enter Universe does not let up from start to finish, delivering a dozen pieces of leftfield electro that draws from the sound’s greats while also showcasing an unpredictability and flair that is all of Blackploid’s own.

The tone is set from the first frosty chords of opening cut ‘Pulsation’. The track traverses the starscape on pitter-patter drums and chirruping synths, a lively and slightly dystopian roller with an adventurous undercurrent reminiscent of classic Rephlex drops. It’s a style which Blackploid often draws for throughout the rest of Enter Universe, albeit with elements added or subtracted at each stage.

Indeed, this album features some of the most unusual production you will hear on any record this year. While the grooves pulse away in a manner reminiscent of Drexciya or Legowelt, Blackploid layers the mixes with a whole cornucopia of synth tones. ‘The Mission’ boasts a bleep-bloop breakdown that sounds like malfunctioning rotary telephones; ‘Silent Room’ is a ghoulish jam which harks back to Warp’s legendary Artificial Intelligence compilations; ‘Automatik’ and ‘Wormhole’ are defined by some brilliantly strange low-ends - you’ll be thinking of Mr. Oizo’s ‘Flat Beat’ with the wiggly former, while the gurgling, writhing anti-lead that dictates ‘Wormhole’ is oddly thrilling and more than befits the track’s title.

This inventive approach is also apparent in some of the structural choices on Enter Universe. While the tracks here all keep a steady, dancefloor friendly pulse, several of them surprise you by switching up the approach after a minute or two. ‘Pulsation’, ‘Automatik’ and ‘The Mission’ all feature moments where a new element - extra hi-hats, a synth line entering from leftfield - inject fresh impetus into the tune to keep the listener on their toes.

Blackploid may push the sonic envelope on Enter Universe, but this does not mean there is no room for melody. In particular, the cuts here which most strongly channel ‘Computer World’-era Kraftwerk do so by fronting some slyly tuneful work, particularly in the low end of the mix. ‘Unidentified’ serves up delightfully springy chords, ‘Cell Mutation’ leads from the bassline, and ‘Space Curve’ features little cells of melody and counter-melody working together to close Enter Universe out on a high.

Blackploid’s debut LP Enter Universe marries Drexciyan electro and Warp-school electronica with some brilliantly inventive production choices.

RIYL: Legowelt, Cygnus, Proswell, Jensen Interceptor

Enter Universe

Blackploid - Enter Universe

buy here: https://whoispaula.bandcamp.com/album/shades-of-acid


Vertical67 - Shades of Acid

A Side (45 RPM) 
A1 - Soleil Acid
A2 - Woozy

B Side (33 RPM)
B1 - Head In The Clouds
B2- Broken Rays
B3 - Sea Of Lights

Who Is Paula WIP003

Format 12” (incl. Free DL Code)
Digital Formats (Bandcamp only)

Written & Produced: Thomas Pahl
Artwork: Sebastian Grap
Mastering: Johanz Westerman
Pressing: Deepgrooves Pressing Plant

Paula took a trip. And as she was walking on clouds,
beautiful clouds, hovering through kaleidoscopic
forests and gliding through multicolored reefs, she
couldn’t help but cry. In glee, in absolute
enchantment. And when she had to leave, all that was
left were Shades of Acid. And dry tears, tears of joy.

There will be a release party at Crack Ballmer Berlin March 3rd. 2023 ✌🏽

Shades Of Acid

WIP003 - Vertical67 - Shades Of Acid - Snippets

From the album, Voyage available on Bandcamp @ https://undergrounddancemusic.bandcamp.com/album/wormhole-open-your-mind

Voyage

Wormhole (Open your Mind)

Wormhole (Open Your Mind)

Central Processing Unit, commonly referred to as CPU Records, is an independent British record label, founded in Sheffield in 2012, specialising in electronic music.

Distributed by Kudos Records London UK.

We are not currently seeking unsolicited demos. Due to the volume of digital submissions, it is impossible to listen and respond to each one.

Blackploid - Planetary Science

CPU RECORDS

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