In the 2000’s Chee Shimizu helmed an untouchable Tokyo DJ collective called Discossession alongside Dr Nishimura (House music buyer for Cisco Records at the time). Balancing out this unit were a young Scotsman-abroad named Jonny Nash (who’d later form Sombrero Galaxy [ESP001] and Gaussian Curve as well as the Melody As Truth imprint), and the late guitar virtuoso and tattoo artist Zecky. Formidable DJs and multi-talents on the Tokyo scene, Discossession released two EPs on Kenji Takimi’s Crue-L imprint and various mixes individually on www.lovefingers.org, all holding well-deserved eternal cult status. Chee’s 'Denshi Meisou' [2006] and 'Follow My Dream' [2007] for Lovefingers as well as his legendary “listening sessions” at HiFi lounge SHeLTeR in the Tokyo suburb of Hachioji, laid foundation for what would become known to his followers as “Organic Music” or “Obscure Sound”, the former extending as the name of his record shop and the latter as the title of his 2013 book. 'Obscure Sound' chronicled his tastes in detail and has since become a sort of diggers bible for peers and younger generations.

At the ESP Institute’s inception in 2009, Shimizu contributed two tracks to Lovefingers’ 'Concentration Vol 1' compilation as apéritifs to a later release. “Later” eventually became “forever” and the mythical piano track (appearing only as a demo on 'Golden Age' and 'Dekmantel 061') is still, to this day, not ready for formal release. Skip a dozen years, musical interests and major life changes, and Chee has now unveiled something quite special in accordance with his Obscure Sound — rather than making new out of old rope, he presents a collaboration with Tokyo guitarist miku-mari a.k.a. Takahiro Matsumura. The artists frequently collaborate at the experimental audio/visual event, 'Sacrifice', held irregularly at Tokyo’s ForestLimit, and in 2018 when Chee was invited to DJ at Japan’s only Ambient festival 'Camp Off-Tone', he and miku-mari endeavored to expand these works into a 2-hour improvised performance. Chee collaged various percussion samples and personal field recordings utilizing four CDJs, supplementing with live windchimes and Andean chajchas, while miku-mari coupled a guitar-controlled synthesizer, 'Sound Tube' software (developed by Japanese Ambient composer Hiroshi Yoshimura) and more live elements such as Tibetan bells and pyramid crystals. Rehearsals for this performance were held prior to the festival at ForestLimit, recorded as multi-tracks and edited into these two cerebral Reconstructions.

Buy from ESP

[ESP030] CHEE SHIMIZU + MIKU-MARI - Reconstructions - Vinyl/Digital EP

Hoshina Anniversary returns from forever for a majestic dance. This is his second offering for the ESP Institute. Side A’s 'Karakuri' contains all the elements of Hoshina’s signature sound; bouncy staccato bassline, minor chords and organ stabs, a Chick Corea-inspired Rhodes that walks all over the place, all tracked along sparse bits of Japanese percussion and cymbal that juxtapose organic texture with precision-machined timing. The lead keys feel at first as if they’re freeform, however, Hoshina’s obsession with order becomes apparent as the bars develop and his systematic control and repetition is revealed. On side B’s 'Michinoku', we’re treated to a deep and slow burner. A roller of a beat based on 808 toms and a pishy snare sets the somewhat bumpy base for this groove, and again the meat of the rhythm is built with dirty chords, this time on the upstroke, in an almost Reggae style. What the flipside taught us about Hoshina’s controlled chaos, is here again the lesson and perhaps even moreso. The voice of the track remains the Fender Rhodes, played in brief but wild phrases and arranged into patterns upon which Hoshina builds layers over some 8+ minutes. There is a deep and dark mood throughout both sides of the record, but perhaps more sultry than devilish, and one that listeners educated in the stoned arts will appreciate. These two songs have built the end into the beginning.

[ESP098] HOSHINA ANNIVERSARY - Karakuri b/w Michinoku - 12"Vinyl/Digital Single

Afrikan Sciences carry the torch and grant the sight. This is his second offering for the ESP Institute. On the A side, 'The New Dun Language' shows us the meaning of loose. Literally everything about this masterpiece takes its time and operates in its own space, rhythms work together but stand apart, timbres inherantly laidback are made aggressively present, like the diffused attack of a shaker that’s shook with such purpose it’s no longer granular but razor sharp. The soundstage drops all around you like percussion shrapnel, splitting your attention every which way, while the string lines remind you that no matter how deep inside your head you’ve gone, there is always a nearby exit to the comforts of familiarity. Flip the record over, however, and the track 'In His Convenient Way' will even further discombobulate your sense of self. Do you have dreams you’re on a merry-go-round and with each revolution you try to hop off, but you can’t? Each time you cycle around, the tension grows and grows? Well, this is like that, menacing but not dark, a demented odyssey through an impossibly thick swamp where you swear the trees are whispering to you but can’t quite understand their language, yet still you manage to communicate. As the time passes, and you near end of the track, the impenetrable veil slowly lifts and you realize you’ve been in control all along. These two songs will two songs will help to contemplate, heal and transcend.

[ESP090] AFRIKAN SCIENCES - The New Dun Language b/w In His Convenient Way - 12"Vinyl/Digital Single

Something wicked this way comes. Following singles 'Know The Future' b/w 'Digital Warfare' in 2019 and 'Hypersocial' b/w 'Safety Test' in 2020, ESP’s own Patrick Conway has now teamed up with the illustrious Appleblim (of Skull Disco and Apple Pips fame) for a meaty self-titled debut 2xLP under the new collaborative moniker, Trinity Carbon. There is something to be said for art created in the face of global unraveling, while mass transgression and the friction of culture shifting produce poignant commentary, but more often than not, it’s the personal coping mechanisms within our work that have the power to speak directly to the receiver. After a number of sessions resulting in wild imaginative beginnings, it was the untimely passing of Andrew Weatherall and a coming to terms with that loss that moved the two Brits-via-Berlin to herd their roaming sketches into a more narrative statement. In the uphill struggle to retain some sense of individualism, it’s always outsiders like Weatherall whose risks illuminate the roads of creativity less traveled, and when those beacons go dark there is a disorientation felt far and wide. Conway and Blim concede to the internal inquiry, “What would Weatherall do?” bringing to mind the man’s pervading morale, always soldiering onward through mediocrity, as it was undoubtedly an impetus for the duo growing steadfast and chiseling 'Trinity Carbon' into completion. While employing trusted machines in the bass department, they established a warm euphonic home base from which they could stray in a variety of tonal and rhythmic directions without straining a tether to the album’s core. However, as soon as any hint of familiarity may arise, or listeners begin to mentally assign stylistic epithets, the duo boldly change course to remind us that while the banal stay safely defined, it’s the iconoclasts, the outsiders who make us feel.

[ESP105] TRINITY CARBON - s/t - 2xVinyl/Digital LP

Prodigal son of the ESP Institute, Juan Ramos, rises from the cesspool of a world gone mad with 'Agua Del Cenote', his fifth release with the label. Whilst many artists are following their inner light to bring us some much needed joy amidst these rotten times, Juan (being the little shit that he is) follows an inner demon and delivers listeners and dancers a demented clusterfuck of sadistic chaos. The title track opens with what sounds like a butane torch and we metaphorically freebase into oblivion. Our perception of reality unravels, writhing in abrasive textures smeared across a low-slung, mid-tempo erotic thump. Everything feels blurry and distant, as if we’re swimming through an underground aquatic tunnel, in a panic, searching for an invisible band of spirits whose tune summons us into certain annihilation. Following this is a remix from a decorated lord of 20th Century electronics, Harald Grosskopf AKA The Synthesist. Harald wipes away grit and lethargy to reveal elements hidden deep within the mix as well as softens Juan’s sense of terror by building up to an optimistic layer of added synth. We’d love to offer some relief with the balance of the EP, however, the remaining two tracks paint complimentary hues in the same cerebral palette. 'Let It Go (Freaks Only)' veers closely to House in terms of tempo and gestalt, utilizing a vocal sample from Third Generation (Kerri Chandler) and a healthy dose of sub bass, but Juan hardly apologizes for his masochistic tendencies and certainly never relents into an uplifting mood. Closing the EP, Juan serves an antidote of sorts with 'Cuko', as if suggesting a way out of the swamp, but leaves it up to the listener’s intuition to not only see the carrot, but actually follow it into the light, thus completing the quest.

[ESP085] JUAN RAMOS - Agua Del Cenote - Vinyl/Digital EP

Afrikan Sciences carry the torch and grant the sight. This is his second offering for the ESP Institute. On the A side, 'The New Dun Language' shows us the meaning of loose. Literally everything about this masterpiece takes its time and operates in its own space, rhythms work together but stand apart, timbres inherantly laidback are made aggressively present, like the diffused attack of a shaker that’s shook with such purpose it’s no longer granular but razor sharp. The soundstage drops all around you like percussion shrapnel, splitting your attention every which way, while the string lines remind you that no matter how deep inside your head you’ve gone, there is always a nearby exit to the comforts of familiarity. Flip the record over, however, and the track 'In His Convenient Way' will even further discombobulate your sense of self. Do you have dreams you’re on a merry-go-round and with each revolution you try to hop off, but you can’t? Each time you cycle around, the tension grows and grows? Well, this is like that, menacing but not dark, a demented odyssey through an impossibly thick swamp where you swear the trees are whispering to you but can’t quite understand their language, yet still you manage to communicate. As the time passes, and you near end of the track, the impenetrable veil slowly lifts and you realize you’ve been in control all along. These two songs will two songs will help to heal, concentrate and transcend.

[ESP090] The New Dun Language b/w In His Convenient Way

[ESP090] AFRIKAN SCIENCES - B1 - In His Convenient Way - SNIPPET

[ESP090] AFRIKAN SCIENCES - A1 - The New Dun Language - SNIPPET

[ESP105] Trintity Carbon

B1 - Safe Distance - SNIPPET

A4 - Star & Garterlude 1 - SNIPPET

A3 - Fade II Black - SNIPPET

A2 - Ghost Army Redemption - SNIPPET

A1 - Mild Bunch - SNIPPET

[ESP106] - Cellular Housekeeping

C2 - Eat Thyself, Sustain Thyself

[ESP085] - Agua Del Cenote

[ESP085] JUAN RAMOS - B2 - Cuko

[ESP085] JUAN RAMOS - B1 - Let It Loose (Freaks Only)

[ESP085] JUAN RAMOS - A2 - Agua Del Cenote (Harald Grosskopf Synthesist Mix)

[ESP085] JUAN RAMOS - A1 - Agua Del Cenote

[ESP085] JUAN RAMOS - B2 - Cuko - SNIPPET

[ESP085] JUAN RAMOS - B1 - Let It Loose (Freaks Only) - SNIPPET

[ESP085] JUAN RAMOS - A2 - Agua Del Cenote (Harald Grosskopf Synthesist Mix) - SNIPPET

[ESP085] JUAN RAMOS - A1 - Agua Del Cenote - SNIPPET

Various productions and remixes by The Stallions (Lovefingers and Lee Douglas).

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Round & Round (Stallions Remix)

The Canyons - My Rescue (Stallions Festival Version)

THE BACKWOODS - Cloud Nine (Stallions Remix)

Die Wilde Jagd - Jagd Auf Den Hirsch (The Stallions Remix)

Thunder Tillman is a cosmic vagabond who travels through space and time accompanied by his personal shaman. Together, as if having fallen to Earth, their mission is to recreate the music of their estranged home, reuniting with their brothers and sisters through an exquisite form of storytelling. While Western music may have degenerated over the past 65 years, troopers such as Thunder Tillman continue to drill down toward an elusive core, searching for something holy while never bastardizing their art with insincere advents of technology or convenience—as is apparent throughout their immaculate analogue production on this ESP Institute debut, Jaguar Mirror. Comparisons to genres like Krautrock are predictable, however we feel these four songs are so heavily narrative and wildly visceral that attempting to categorize the music would be a disservice to your imagination. We implore you to lay back in a nice stereo environment and absorb the purity of Thunder Tillman’s endeavor—appreciate their command of melody, composition, spectrum, magic… and try to recall the last time you chanced upon something truly different.

[ESP038] Jaguar Mirror

Jaguar Mirror

THUNDER TILLMAN - Exact Location of the Soul

Recorded live at Hostal la Torre, Ibiza during sunset, Summer 2016.

[MIX] Lovefingers - Live in Ibiza at Sunset (Hostal La Torre - August 30, 2016)

[ESP048] Artificial

Artificial

BENEDIKT FREY - H For Hysteria

Lovefingers heard ‘The Atmospherian’ years ago on ‘Milk Beach Settlers’, a promo-only mix CD comprised solely of Australian artists, mixed and released by seminal Melbourne DJ duo and good friends Hey Convict! (Tamas Jones & Jason Evans). Tamas explained that Warp Factor 9 was a one-off project by John and Russell Kilby of esoteric post-rock bands The Crystal Set and Bhagavad Guitars respectively, and who are brothers of Steve Kilby (frontman of The Church, a prolific Australian band we’ve adored since adolescence). We had an immediate epiphany and this project was set into motion. 

Tamas, now living in Sydney and working with Melbourne producer Harmon under the name Carpentaria, sought out the Kilbys in an attempt to collaborate and license ‘The Atmospherian’ which originally appeared on their self-released 1993 album ‘Five Days In A Photon Belt’. The idea was to unearth this lost cosmic noodle and repackage it with a couple contemporary remixes by the ESP’s Australian family members but, as is often the case, there were no usable multitrack tapes in existence. This wouldn’t be Tamas’ first time at the rodeo however, it was the same situation with Hey Convict!’s collaboration with Dominik Von Senger entitled ‘No Name 2009’, on Golf Channel Recordings. Being limited to a single stereo mix and no remix stems to play with, Carpentaria had to edit linearly and replay certain elements from scratch along with some re-recorded vocals from John. During this process, Tamas and Paul generated elements that would subsequently be used for a remix by fellow Aussie producer and prodigy Tornado Wallace.

Now finally, after three years of obstacles, the ESP Institute is proud to announce this beautiful release, ‘The Atmospherian’ — a celebration of a lost tune that originated, was re-discovered and re-imagined down under, but sits far left of center.

[ESP056] The Atmospherian

B2 - The Atmospherian (Tornado Wallace Remix)

Swiss artist and veteran producer Ripperton contacted the ESP Institute out of the blue mid-2017 to share a gorgeous mix of self-produced material, a collection of pieces made without any agenda outside of representing the self, not geared toward the dancefloor or a specific environment but simply a bi-product of introspective exploration. We were floored, the mix was on constant repeat in our world for weeks, then was subsequently pulled apart into separate titles to form this beautiful double LP, Ripperton’s debut with the label. The title 'Sight Seeing' speaks of someone stepping outside their current reality to look in the mirror, as if to ground themselves and keep sight of who they are in a world of extreme highs and lows. Inspired greatly by expansive landscapes and views from airplane windows (imagine your commute flying over the Alps every weekend), Ripperton describes this collection as postcards to himself, messages from his subconscious recorded on tape (both conceptually and literally), melancholy soundtracks to the Mondays that follow weekend journeys. While musical genres tend to cycle through bandwagon moments, the ESP Institute strives to operate independently of these, and while 'Sight Seeing' is undoubtably an Ambient album, we’re simply proud to revel in the chance moment where an esteemed artist such as Ripperton spreads his wings in a beautifully unexpected mode of expression.

[ESP072] Sight Seeing

[ESP072] RIPPERTON - B1 - Eloigné

A5 - Ignition - SNIPPET

A4 - Vespéral - SNIPPET

A3 - Uroboros - SNIPPET

A2 - Puente De Los Enamorados - SNIPPET

A1 - The Dove - SNIPPET

[MIX] Lovefingers - Golden Age

Cleveland is forever in search of the brown note. This is his second offering for the ESP Institute. Side A’s 'Tusk' is a beautiful paradox—rhythm programs that churn like the inner workings of a grandfather clock, unmistakably mechanical, yet fashioned through muted analogue instrumentation that paints a deceptively organic picture. The crystallized jangle of FM synth voices toy with the softened drum patterns and vibrant animal-like chord gestures over nearly seven minutes of splendor. On side B, 'Aku' digs further into mysticism, manifesting digital jungle themes, cleverly abstracted through erratic bleeps, distant tribal drums, atonal flutters and synthetic bird calls. The cinematic quality of Clevelands production shines through both tracks, but its 'Aku' that sweeps us from reality to embark on a moonlit expedition in search long lost treasures, proving Cleveland a virtuoso skilled in building complex narratives with sound. These two songs will modulate your frequencies.

[ESP075] Tusk b/w Aku

[ESP075] CLEVELAND - A1 - Tusk

Ground (@dj-ground) is an Osaka native, but his soul is truly that of a nomad, traversing the planet, befriending kindred spirits found in humans, animals and plants. He is exceptionally receptive to the beauty in everything that surrounds him — the incidental music of a city street, the orchestral chaos of a scrambling radio, the syncopated grace of migrating birds, the simplicity of an isolated hand clap — and as his roadmap continuously unfolds, he accumulates a vast catalogue of visceral tools to musically recount his experiences. 'Sunizm' is a cross section of the artist’s process — an array of complex microcosms overlapping to comprise a thematic whole — gathering field recordings, found instruments, jagged electronics, synthesized chanting, and weaving all into a dense narrative that appears obsessively constructed yet divinely improvised. With each consecutive track, the artist gradually layers hypnotic patterns to 1-up the mind as it struggles to break free from the seduction of loops, steadily intensifying until reaching an apex of sound collage so cerebral that the listener might consider a post-album shower. But alas, the fourth quarter releases a bit of pressure, the gob remains smacked but a warm confidence takes hold as this psychedelic trial delivers us home to nod out. Attention all humans, animals and plants, Ground and the ESP Institute present, 'Sunizm'.

Artwork by Misha Hollenbach.

[ESP063] Sunizm

A1 - Osaka Native (ft Kaloan, Chang Ohta, Ryo Kiriakehata)- SNIPPET

Nathan Micay fell asleep in the schnee and awoke in the shvitz. Side A’s 'Never Rhythm Game' is a bubbling cauldron of acid worms, almost seven steady minutes of liquid squelch and bleep that rolls over an assortment of boom-boom kicks and claps, all glued together by droning strings and soaring feedback modulation. Aimed for peak time, this big-room monster builds on a major chord and carries us to that perfect rave apex, functioning as a pivot from where the witty DJ might steer into any subsequent direction. Side B’s 'Team Player' is equally poignant, yet to contrast its optimistic predecessor, Nathan constructs a dark mechanical narrative that summons influence from a distant sci-fi metropolis — sophisticated metallic rhythms that sound less polished as they do scrubbed with steel wool — lead by a seductive robot who chants degenerate dancing instructions. These two songs will oil your engine and grease your gears.

[ESP083] Never Rhythm Game b/w Team Player

Pre-order from ESP

[ESP083] NATHAN MICAY - A1 - Never Rhythm Game

Various productions and remixes by the The Stallions (Lovefingers & Lee Douglas).

Findlay Brown & The Stallions - Stallions' Suite

Findlay Brown - Teardrops Lost In The Rain (Stallions Remix)

Recorded live at Dublab in LA and broadcast on redbullradio.com on February 4th, 2019.

[MIX] Lovefingers - Choice Mix (Red Bull Radio, February 4th, 2019)

Lemmi Ash is a Swedish duo comprised of producers Samo and Martinou, and their debut EP with ESP Institute, 'Osmin Uratoma', has been a long time coming. Samo has been a friend of the family since prior to the institute’s inception — dropping in on us in NYC, occasionally as a guest DJ at The Stallions’ residency in Chinatown — and ever since those halcyon days in the late Noughties, we’ve been slowly circling a moving target, poking at his potential contribution to the label. It wasn’t until recently, when fellow Stockholm depth-charger Martinou stepped into the picture, that stars finally aligned and Lemmi Ash was born. Now a steadily growing lovechild, the collaboration displays a finely balanced ratio of the duo’s DNA, complimentary in both aesthetic and character. Across four seemingly disparate tracks, we can sense Samo’s penchant for Dub is subliminally leading the way — from minimal organ stabs and off-kilter hi-hats on the relentlessly pounding 'Apsu', to the hybrid-Dancehall rhythm box and hazy familiar vocal snippets on the late night stormer 'To Dare Is To Do' — while Martinou’s masterful brush is a bit more broad and subtle, shifting the shape of Lemmi’s arsenal into a deep and ethereal Techno head-space full of warm pads, softened percussion and sub bass on both the iconic 'Lemmie Ash Theme' and the EP’s melancholy closer, 'Horror Vacui'. The artists explain that this music was “made with birds in mind” — a somewhat poetic and abstract notion which (to us) symbolizes their stoned veil of indifference, a carefree fluidity of influences, and an ease of traversing stylistic positions — alluding to the rewards of an effortless and non-compulsory collaboration, a genuine creative simpatico.

[ESP050] Osmin Uratoma

[ESP050] LEMMI ASH - A1 - Lemmi Ash Theme

The Project Club - El Mar Y La Luna (Lovefingers Remix)

Hoshina Anniversary is conquerer of the mind, creating the most beautiful sound, other than silence. This is his first offering for the ESP Institute. Side A’s 'Sagano' is fairly representative of the Hoshina sound — raw organic samples and instrumentation, of traditional Japanese origin, mercilessly bent and tweaked to suit the needs of his obsessively precise arrangement. Midway through the track, we’re bewildered by his demonic breakdown on the Rhodes, which daringly tags the bassline and strings into a synchronized trio of jazz-funk noodles, and he even throws in a key change before dropping us back into the main hook for the duration of the dance. It's a major flex, and indeed makes an impression. On side B’s 'Haru Wa Akebono', Hoshina displays an alternate and equally significant side to his songwriting, merging optimistic twinkles and arpeggios with slightly detuned dry percussion for an overall uneasy vibe, not dissimilar to early video game aesthetics or circuit-bent toys. Across both sides, there lies an unhinged overtone, such that we feel one small step from spiraling deep into a demented quicksand, a freak-out where hallucinations get the better of us. Initiating a breadth of releases planned with the ESP Institute, this single summarizes a few of Hoshina’s most compelling modes, and though there is a whole circus yet to unfold, we hold his cards close, no spoilers before the main act. These two songs will have you drinking moon juice and dancing naked at the Mardi Gras.

[ESP097] Sagano b/w Haru Wa Akebono

[ESP097] HOSHINA ANNIVERSARY - A1 - Sagano - SNIPPET

[MIX] Lovefingers - Live on KCRW, Dec 13, 2019

Oldie but a goodie! I went on Beats In Space in 2009 and made this mix "Lullabies" for my newborn son. Finally uploaded it to Soundcloud. Mellow vibe, lay down and sink in.

[MIX] LOVEFINGERS - Lullabies (Live on Beats in Space – Dec 29, 2009)

[ESP030] Reconstructions

[ESP030] CHEE SHIMIZU + MIKU-MARI - B - Reconstruction 2 - SNIPPET

[ESP030] CHEE SHIMIZU + MIKU-MARI - A - Reconstruction 1 - SNIPPET

Hoshina Anniversary returns from forever for a majestic dance. This is his second offering for the ESP Institute. Side A’s 'Karakuri' contains all the elements of Hoshina’s signature sound; bouncy staccatto bassline, minor chords and organ stabs, a Chick Corea-inspired Rhodes that walks all over the place, all tracked along sparse bits of Japanese percussion and cymbal that juxtapose organic texture with precision-machined timing. The lead keys feel at first as if they’re freeform, however, Hoshina’s obsession with order becomes apparent as the bars develop and his systematic control and repetition is revealed. On side B’s 'Michinoku', we’re treated to a deep and slow burner. A roller of a beat based on 808 toms and a pishy snare sets the somewhat bumpy base for this groove, and again the meat of the rhythm is built with dirty chords, this time on the upstroke, in an almost raggae style. What the flipside taught us about Hoshina’s controlled chaos, is here again the lesson and perhaps even moreso. The voice of the track remains the Fender Rhodes, played in brief but wild phrases and arranged into patterns upon which Hoshina builds layers over some 8+ minutes. There is a deep and dark mood throughout both sides of the record, but perhaps more sultry than devilish, and one that listeners educated in the stoned arts will appreciate. These two songs have built the end into the beginning.

[ESP098] Karakuri b/w Michinoku

[ESP098] HOSHINA ANNIVERSARY - B1 - Michinoku - SNIPPET

[ESP098] HOSHINA ANNIVERSARY - A1 - Karakuri - SNIPPET

Welcome to the ESP Institute. Please remove your shoes at the door. Thank you.

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