11.7.23

Taking his cue from seminal mix albums of days gone by, Glenn Astro is back with a compilation of original productions from a cast of fictional artists on Nothing Is Real, releasing May 4. 

Across 13 tracks, the Tartelet mainstay celebrates the thrill of discovery which came as standard listening to new entries in series’ like X-Mix and DJ Kicks, moving between head-nodding downtempo, ambient techno, broken beat and all manner of chill-out room delights. You might be left wishing artists such as DJ 1999, Mental Trance and Eye Soul8r had actual discographies to go and explore, but as Astro himself is keen to point out, “nothing is real.” 

Astro has never been shy to embrace classic tropes and tones in his past albums for Tartelet, Apollo and Ninja Tune, but he’s drawing on a different set of influences for this album and embracing the flexibility afforded by using imagined aliases for varied production styles. 

“I had the idea to do a mixtape, preferably with unknown dance tracks that also reflect that whole 90s/early 00s vibe,” Astro explains. “Instead of digging for some records that haven’t been sourced yet or trying to find those ‘forgotten’ treasures, I made the tracks myself. That way I had full control over BPMs, feel and the whole arrangement of tracks. I thought of a few alter egos and started producing the tracks in the order that I intended to play them in a mix. In the end a whole compilation of tracks emerged.” 

While the concept might suggest you’re going to hear a lot of over-familiar sounds, don’t be fooled. Astro is inspired and inquisitive, channeling the experimental spirit of the 90s and early 00s when electronic music was still continually being redefined in all kinds of micro-scenes. In many cases, Astro’s productions slip into the cracks between genres rather than specifically mimicking a style. 

In the run up to its release on May 4, the album will be framed by four key single releases which embody the omnivorous attitude Astro brings to the album. As Crystalline Reality, he explores classic breakbeat in detail, fusing it with starry eyed ambient techno synthesis in an unlikely but wholly convincing combination. Eye Soul8r’s ‘Autumn Subs’ injects ambient synth work in a Fax Records style with a rolling drum funk calling back to the trip hop era. ‘Steppers Worldwide, Unite!’ by The Foundation lands somewhere between pitched down breakbeat hardcore and dubstep, echoing the seldom-mentioned breakstep sound but injecting it with a subtle touch of dub techno. Brain Liquor’s ‘Jaque?’ revels in beatless, Detroit-informed machine funk, laces in some wriggling 303 squelch and gives everything a generous dubbing, but hold tight for the plot twist. 

Even if the reference points are detectable, the end result is a curious blend as indebted to ambiguity as the overall concept of the compilation. Like the spine-tingling sensation of hitting play and awaiting the waves of unknown sonics on one of those seminal mixes, you never know exactly what you’re going to get as you take the trip through Nothing Is Real. 

“In terms of dance music, the 90s and early 2000s are pretty much the blueprint for everything that I’ve later on made myself,” Astro admits. “At the same time, I don’t want to be overly nostalgic about it. We often look at those times, specifically the Y2K years, as being a lot simpler, realer, more honest, which in some cases might even be true. Simultaneously, it's insanely naive. Everything plastic isn’t necessarily futuristic, you know?” 

Nothing is Real drops May 4th on vinyl and digital. 

All tracks written and produced by Glenn Astro

Nothing Is Real V.A. - DJ MIX - Mixed by Glenn Astro

Taken from the album 'Slugs of Love', released 07 July 2023 on Ninja Tune: https://littledragon.lnk.to/slugs-albSo

Slugs of Love

Easy Falling

Sweet Again

Southern Shores - Sweet Again

Buy: https://ffm.to/ff042

FF042 - Tigerskin - Tools à la Chef

01 - One For Kenny
02 - Tool à la Chef
 
One For Kenny is one of those super deep, seemingly endless warmup groovers Tigerskin does best. A hypnotic Acid bass line and a woody drum set form the fundament for dub vocals, noise shots and strange, muted sax sounds that explode in and out of nowhere. Tool à la Chef instead comes out with a more uptempo Garage vibe that might set dance floors on fire. It’s main attraction is a far out female vocal in a totally unidentifiable style and language. Wild stuff!
 
All tracks mixed by Stefan Janson in Berlin. Mastered by Salz Mastering in Cologne.

Tools à la Chef

Buy Here!

Tigerskin | Tool à la Chef Master | Forms & Figures

A producer, vinyl-only DJ, and label founder, @hectoroaks emerged from Madrid’s underground dance scene, later moving to Berlin to become one of the most sought-after selectors on the international club circuit. 

His mix for this month’s Carhartt WIP Radio show explores the edges and planes of unfiltered techno, with a selection of tracks taken from his labels OAKS and KAOS. As ever, the mix is accompanied by an interview, where Oaks discusses his early love of 80s synthpop, countryside raves in Madrid, and why he’s chosen vinyl as his medium. Read the words at www.carhartt-wip.com/journal/music

tracklist:

1. Coco Paloma & Héctor Oaks - Intro 
2. Earwax - Direct 77 
3. Héctor Oaks x Schake - U Want Me 
4. Sugar - Downwards 
5. Tim Tama - Brun (Tool Version) 
6. Rumenige - Fast Food  
7. Rumenige - Fast Food (Takaaki Itoh Remix) 
8. Takaki Itch -  Killing 
9. Héctor Oaks - Grown From The Ashes 
10. Syndromania - Telangictasia 
11. DJDJ - Bloody Mary 
12. VTSS - Track for Héctor 
13. U.R.Trax - Brain Goes 404 
14. Anetha - Dishinibation 
15. Coco Paloma & Héctor Oaks - Chasing Highs  
16. Héctor Oaks aka Cadency - Neanderthal
17. Darc Marc - Running With The Devil 
18. CLTX - Beat The Jack
19. Dimi - Face Down  
20. Jheal Bashta & Meatl Fence - She won't make me sad 
21. P.E.A.R.L - Unknown Discipline 
22. Not A Headliner - You Should Go Out Of My Space
23. DJ Deegon - Back The Fuck Up
24. Ascion - Tribute To Bad Passion
25. DJ Plant Texture pres. A662 - Non Siamo Soli 
26. Wilko pres M.V.P. - Player Three

https://www.carhartt-wip.com/journals/en/music/radio/2023/07/artist-feature-hector-oaks

Carhartt WIP Radio July 2023: Héctor Oaks KAOS/OAKS

They share a special connection to the search for rare gems. They are an integral part of this school, which is defined by the search for new or little-exploited sounds. 
This edition's thematic recital focuses on liquid and ambient jungle on ChewChew's mix. Rigo has opted for a set that honors the channel's name, with a selection of 100% early trance and progressive music. 2 mixes that follow on perfectly from each other, demonstrating the extent of the guests' talent;

@chewchew_cc
La Muralla Roja x Lyon Saint Exupery Station

Tdt #32 - ChewChew

topangrey

Hugely inspired by Flying Lotus' latest record "Your'e Dead!", I wanted to hear the sounds of 'Siren Song' being placed in another context. I took the vocals form Angel Deradoori and sampled a few bass, fx and harmonical parts to create my own version. Enjoy!

Siren Song (SF remix)

Flying Lotus - Siren Song (SF remix)

Soundtrack for documentary directed by LEE INHOON(Segaji Video)
All tracks produced, mixed by @O3ohn except @Xin Seha's 3 tracks

Weirdcat

LoveTrue Opening

Until The Quiet Comes

Dream To Me

Cosmogramma

Do The Astral Plane

All In

Natural Habitat

Watering Routine

Music Lover. Interested in Jazz, Funk, Soul, Elektronic Music, Songwriting, Old Stuff, New Stuff, Hip-Hop.

11.7.23

Julia