[ESP106] - Cellular Housekeeping

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C2 - Eat Thyself, Sustain Thyself

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] - 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

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

B1 - Eloigné - SNIPPET

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

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[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)

Following 'Jaguar Mirror' [c.2016] and 'Night School Of Universal Wisdom' [c.2017], psychonaut Thunder Tillman and his personal shaman Pony deliver another sublime EP, completing an illustrious trilogy with arguably their most expansive work to date, 'Condor Sunflower'. The title track is emotionally overwhelming, a drum procession that carries a righteous battle hymn to epic heights, accumulating primitive instrumentation, ceremonial chants, emotive chord changes and Beach Boy harmonies before exiting on a tear-jerking coda. The intermediary track 'Sväva' is just as vulnerable, a modestly-arranged and leisurely-paced lullaby, where angels coalesce with a droning organ and eventually unfurl into the warm glow of rapture. Before we hit rock bottom, Thunder and Pony halt the elevator, abandoning any sense of melancholy and climbing to new heights with 'Creation Discoteque', an 11-minute Prog beast that chronicles a myriad of their musical adventures. This retrospective of altered states does seem designed to drop the curtain on their meticulously-crafted narrative, but not without foreshadowing their future and throwing in an air-shaking rave-up that sprints toward the finish line. What we find enviable, spanning 3 glorious Thunder Tillman EPs and short films, is the duo’s creative simpatico, something that many artists in collaboration never truly behold. It's not their joint musical intuition, their intrinsic understanding of one another’s craft, or even the power of their improvisational tether, but their spiritual alliance that nobody can touch. It's as if they share a tandem bicycle ride on the highest plane of consciousness to lounge in the members-only spa where they telepathically discuss secrets of high-grade musical alchemy.

[ESP089] Condor Sunflower

[ESP089] THUNDER TILLMAN - A1 - Condor Sunflower - SNIPPET

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)

[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)

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 - A1 - Karakuri - SNIPPET

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