Oysters - Snippets

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The sounds of Cleveland seem to grow increasingly abstract with each passing release and a third Kalahari outing is no exception. Manipulating house and techno templates into newly mutated forms, ‘Lola Ran’ is a testament to a producer always playing fast and loose with concepts of genre. It’s possibly his most probing set of productions thus far.

Where predecessors came bearing remixes, it's strictly originals for the duration here. 

‘Rand’ and ‘PrideBRK’ are direct but decidedly off-kilter; at once modern and faintly retro in their approach to breaks and deep-dwelling techno. ‘Lola Ran’, ‘Mano’ and ’Temp Oro’, on the other hand, shift gear into opiated, rhythmelodic territory. There are no doubt traces of Detroit-style sci-fi but the Brussels-based producer terraforms an alien microcosm unto itself.

Cleveland - Lola Ran | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER49)

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KG Beat - The Breathing Engine © 1995 Quake Records
Cosmic Soup Sound System - Eddie De Boing De Boing © 1994 Filterless Records

2 tracks.
45 RPM.

Compiled by Rey Colino.
Mastered and Cut by Marco Pellegrino.
Design by AJAM.

KG Beat & Cosmic Soup Sound System - MINERAL07 | Mineral Cuts (MINERAL07)

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Big one from our reptilian overlord. On a landmark 50th release for the label, Reptant returns to Kalahari Oyster Cult with a one-two punch of cybernetic machine funk.

The followup to 2019’s ‘Phasic Reflex’ EP, ‘Duality of the Gecko’ picks up where its predecessor left off: 2 tracks demonstrating an innate ability to achieve Detroit-styled deepness without sacrificing dancefloor propulsion.

Curdled sci-fi melodies and neck-snapping rhythm take centre stage across both tracks. Nocturnal, mainframe-tapping biz from one of contemporary electro’s foremost proponents.

OYSTER50

Reptant - Duality Of The Gecko | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER50)

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Having emerged from the chrysalis for a debut record on Roza Terenzi’s Step Ball Chain label, we induct Benoit B’s fledgling side project into the Oyster Cult.

Blush represents a departure from the esoteric climes @benoitb 's known for under the primary alias, not to mention the curation of his label, Banlieue Records. Eschewing notions of introspection, these are nocturnal, sultry club trax; immediate dancefloor pressure primed for the witching hour.

Benoit kicks it seductively on the opener. Complete with trace echoes of ‘90s bleep, the French producer strikes a balance between insistent groove and a dank sexiness that would leave anyone weak at the knees. Then, laced with the same steamy romanticism, ‘Sassy’ keeps pace with another slice of late nite propulsion.

Nudging closer to the big room with driving, direct torque, ‘Main Stage’ is perhaps the most pumping we’ve heard from Benoit to date. But where that one falls somewhere between prog house and hard trance, ‘Trippy’ and ‘Over Inflated’ head even further into the shadowy nether-realm on a tunnelling, lysergic flex that hangs heavy in the air like incense.

Blu:sh - Felt Cute | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER48)

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OK EG, AKA Lauren Squire and Matthew Wilson, take intrepid recce’s on a Kalahari debut of fathoms-deep techno minimalism and opiated braindance styles. 

With release titles like ‘Intertidal zone', 'Anther' and 'Prismatic Spring’, their ambition to evoke natural worlds is evident. But these tracks aren’t of this planet. Navigating truly alien terrain, ‘Rivulets’ finds the duo imagining uncharted environments into existence through the medium of analogue hardware. 

This is very much an album of two halves; the first on heads-down tips aimed straight at the dancefloor, with a second plate that veers further into abstraction. That said, they’re all the kind of far-reaching explorations where close listening yields great rewards. 

Between ‘Oxygen Channel’’s cavernous throb and the dub techno-leaning ‘Circular Arc’, the Antipodean duo set their stall out with a widescreen sense of space. Then, ’Rivulets’ comes in strong with the spiralling, trance-inducing gear. Stripped-back, no fuss; proper live improv techno for the most inquisitive souls.

Sending signals into the endless expanse, the second half is a demonstration of OK EG’s versatility. Where ‘Surface System’ and ‘Matched Grip’ further indulge dubby tendencies, ‘Flow Regime’ and closing gambit ‘Endless River’ traverse dreamlike dimensions through breaks and flow state IDM.

OK EG - Rivulets | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER52)

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Almost exactly a year since fellow De Lichting co-founder RDS made his Kalahari debut, Eversines returns to the label in a big way. But this is the Dutchman like you’ve never heard him before; tough and direct, coming through with a mean streak of sci-fi propulsion that leaves the sanguine reflections of releases past in its wake. 

We’re flexing attitude from the off. Almost reminiscent of something I-F might have cooked up back in the day, ‘Gaze’ might reference Detroit, but there’s also something decidedly Dutch about it. There is, however, no mistaking the Motor City influences on ‘Fast Fall’. Jacking, Detroit-inspired gear, it most closely resembles the introspection of previous Eversines releases.

On the flip, where ‘Affection Towards The Urban Environment’ lights up neural pathways with some seriously spannered, acid-fuelled electro-techno, ‘Wavedash’ rounds things off with another nod to the American Midwest. Tensile-strength, hi-tek machine funk that’s retro-tinted without ever resorting to pastiche.

Eversines - Gaze EP | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER54)

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Grain - Does Jesus Have Buddha Nature? (Sømeøne Remix) © 1998 Fragrant Music
Logue II - Keep Me From Pain © 1994 Back In The Black Records

2 tracks.
45 RPM.
It's a steal!

Compiled by Rey Colino.
Mastered and Cut by Marco Pellegrino.
Design by AJAM.

Grain & Logue - MINERAL08 | Mineral Cuts (MINERAL08)

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Maara’s out to make mischief with the wryly titled ‘Hear Me Neigh’.  

Whether that title’s in reference to a certain equine dissociative or purely a love letter to our majestic, four-legged friends, well, we’ll leave that for you to decide. Either way, the prolific prog house luminary lends her Midas touch to four equally deadly traxxx.  
Following last year’s ‘Fancy Feast’ EP comes another proper dose of heads-down hedonism. It’s an eagerly-awaited return to the Kalakari fold, and true to form, opener ‘The Horse Track’ comes hurtling into the first furlong at full pelt. Big equestrian NRG packing some seriously rugged heft and neighing samples aplenty. Then, bringing more of that insistent throb, ‘Juicy Tracksuit’ is no less alluring or propulsive, albeit while channelling some Y2K aesthetic.   

There’s more of that turn-of-the-century flex on the next one too. Evoking Love Parade circa 1999, ‘God Save The Bender’ deploys scything hard trance flourishes while opening a portal to the fractal realm. And finally, ‘Sheela Na Gig’ lands dripping with more of the seductive appeal that has become Maara’s hallmark.

Maara - Hear Me Neigh | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER53)

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The Naarm chapter of the Oyster Cult has been coming through with in a big way lately, and this one is no exception. Introducing Reflex Blue, the latest Antipodean export to put his stamp on a lysergic dancefloor sound indebted to the early ‘90s.

If Australia’s South East has proven itself a fertile breeding ground for tripped-out dance music, Reflex Blue is a case in point. Rather than sliding into pastiche, tracks like ‘Outdoor Dance’ and ‘Tension Rise’ offer forward-facing slants on trance-inducing prog house styles. They plumb the depths of nostalgia, all in the pursuit of dancefloor unity and fractal elation.

The flip-side comes bearing nocturnal house incursions. But where ‘Creepin’ Around The Bend’ opts for rude, jacking propulsion, low-slung number ‘Low End Freqz (Dial Up Mix)’ dials up the seductive appeal while sticking to the same sonic palette. Seriously indulgent gear primed for the witching hour.

Reflex Blue - Fuzion EP | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER47)

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Huge, triumphant return for the man they know as Olsvangèr. This might be the most radiant, life-affirming manifestation of his devotion to trippy dancefloor propulsion.

If last year’s EP with fellow Tofistock co-founder MYKI was the pre-induction, ‘OYSTER51’ signals his full initiation. Solo manoeuvres from the Berlin-based producer and starts as he means to go on with the buoyant flex and ‘90s nostalgia of opening cut ‘Grand Slammin’. Blissed-out vocals vocoded beyond recognition, this is pure dancefloor jubilation but not at the expense of directness or heft.

Clearly, he’s no stranger to a late-nite tech house incursion either. Where ‘Paranoweed’ comes thru with the tuff, full-bodied groove, ‘Bubble Toy’ recalls the oddball, mescaline-strength tribalism of his DJ Headshot alias. Then, just as uplifting as its predecessors, ‘Quadi B’ shuts things down with a heady, levitational dose of fractal fuel.

All proceeds (label + artist) will be donated to Save The Children - Gaza and West Bank Emergency.

Free Palestine. Cease Fire Now.

Olsvangèr - Icy Hookups | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER51)

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Striking a rich vein of atmospheric dance music on the latest record with Convergence founder Kosh. Chameleon biz from a producer operating right at the intersection of Midwestern and New York styles, OYSTER55 traverses lacerating electro, rugged house trax and freestyle pressure with ease.

Possibly the meanest we’ve heard from the Moroccan scene flag-bearer, opener ‘Human Condition’ sets a menacing pace. But if that one batters down doors with some hurtling electro-breaks, ‘The Chopper’ opts for sleek aerodynamics and dappled, luminous hues. It’s another example of Kosh’s restless, breaks-fuelled ballistics, but this time deeper, more immersive.

Back with more urgency, where ‘Come On’ recalls the baddest freestyle Latin electro, ‘The Zinger’ closes proceedings on an anthemic tip. In fact, neither would have been out of place on NYC labels like Nu Grove or Nervous Records, highlighting Kosh’s capacity for skewing classic styles to his distinct design. It’s exactly the kind of material you’d expect for a producer that first coming to prominence on Casa Voyager, where exquisitely crafted dance music has become their trademark.

Kosh - The Chopper EP | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER55)

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The Oyster Cult’s Naarm continent grows larger with the addition of Ebbs N Flow. The unholy alliance of Dashiell and Will Holden of Hybrid Man touching down with some precision-tooled tech house variants, and considering their only previous collab came on an Animalia compilation back in 2022, this has been long in the making. 

OYSTER56 marks the first full release from this lesser spotted project. The handiwork of two producers, both accomplished in their own right but transcending their respective styles for a 4-track dose of late nite propulsion. Seductively stripped-back and engineered for optimum impact. 

Flexing a deftness of touch, and a far cry from the smudged, dubby FX Holden tends to deploy under the Hybrid Man banner, these tracks set the duo’s stall out as purveyors of the nocturnal and club-ready. Sultry, sleek, and sumptuous like only the dankest cuts can sound. 

It’s fitting that a track with the title 'Deeper Dream' might feature on a release feeling like a transmission from the other side; a parallel dimension where the after-hours never end.

Ebbs N Flow - Bunch Of Amateurs | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER56)

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Pavel Milyakov, AKA Buttechno, coming through with the kind of impeccably-produced, trance-inducing deftness we've come to expect.

A kindred spirit of the Oyster Cult, this is a union long overdue. While he’s often found working in horizontal zones, inhabiting the intersection between ambient and downtempo, these are dancefloor dynamics for pure contemplation. Gone is the amorphous abstraction of releases like ‘PSY X’ and the kind output reserved for release under his birth name, instead opting for a lean, hypnotic kind of minimalism. 

‘OYSTER57’ picks up where the ‘Inorganic Demons’ LP and aptly-titled ‘Minimal Cuts’ series left off. Saying that, the first three tracks navigate territory gloomier than the aforementioned; uneasy at times but deeply engrossing, smudged and frayed into heads-down interzones of tunnelling throb and icy melodic flourish. Girder-strength pressure primed for metaphysical experience. 

Then, like a vestige of the finest turn-of-the-century progressive trance, ’bleeps’ ends proceedings on a slight departure. A showcase of restraint from the Berlin-based maestro and a fitting way to close.

Solstice Peaks (OYSTER57)

Buttechno - solstice peaks | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER57)

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Out 26/07/2024

Barna mainstay oma totem is dishing out the cerebral and dubby like it’s nobody’s business. 3 tripped-out accelerators courtesy of the Oyster Cult debutant, complete with an OK EG rework for good measure.

No messing with this purveyor of reverb-drenched dynamics and fractal polyrhythm. But this time, rather than the inward contemplation of releases past, we get something a little more full-frontal.

Robust club gear rooted in ominous portent, opener ‘The Trick’ recalls the heyday of early 00s bass music. It’s tunnelling prog caught on a dark side flex. Then, in a coming together of kindred spirits, Melbourne hardware duo OK EG take it upon themselves to provide some introspection. Expect depth charge bass-weight primed for meditative moments. 

‘Choreos’ finds the Hivern Discs affiliate at his deftest. Intricate and kaleidoscopic with careful attention to rhythmic intricacies, but never at the expense of dancefloor propulsion. The same could be said for the follow-up. 

Equal parts driving and trance state-inducing, closing number ‘Mania’ has oma returning to the inky abyss from whence he came. Detailed, dubbed-out and quintessentially Kalahari.

oma totem - the trick | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER61)

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All killer, no filler type biz as Naarm hardware donny Furious Frank makes his Oyster Cult return.   

Strictly dancefloor wreckers from beginning to end. Girder-strength rhythm and driving, direct torque on the menu as Frank opts in favour of club-ready ordnance. 

Those with a taste for the rough n’ ready have never been in safer hands.    He’s bringing the heft like it's going out of style while keeping true to sci-fi and hallucinatory tendencies. Future-proofed forays into acid and trance backed with some of the toughest breakneck groove you’re likely to hear this summer. Darting synths, flourishes of 303; all the good stuff.    

Dealing damage from the controls of his drum machine, urgent basslines and lacerating percussion are primed for maximum impact. Quintessentially Furious."

Furious Frank - Raving Lunatic | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER62)

Out 04/10/24

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With a remix and a compilation cameo already under his belt, Canadian figurehead Priori makes his Kalahari return for the debut proper. 3 squelchy incursions complete with a hefty remix from fellow Oyster Cult acolyte Sansibar.

Known for traversing breezy, horizontal zones, the NAFF co-founder sets downbeat and ambient concerns aside for the direct and propulsive. Expect insistent, urgent forays down the wormhole as nocturnal jaunts made of ritual and darkroom throb coalesce with meditative, essential rhythm.

This is fractal gear born from the the traditions of European, Japanese and American Mid-West techno; tunnelling and immersive, conjuring moments of ascension for the gathered masses.

Finishing on Sansibar’s meaty refit, the one-two punch of seismic kick and dry-as-bone snare propels Priori’s original in a whole new direction.

Priori - Lexica | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER63)

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Almost exactly a year since since ‘Felt Cute’ debuted on Kalahari and Blu:sh is back in the building. But this time around, it’s with a record evoking the muggy closeness of a dancefloor suspended somewhere between peak-time elation and wide-eyed vision quest.

Tweaking the blueprint to rapturous ends, the latest offering from this Blu:sh project propels itself forward with a muscle-bound groove. Six robust, deadly club trax replicate the breathy seduction of its predecessor, but this time, with added velocity.

Pinky Promise is full frontal and deadly while channelled through the same explorative prism characterising Benoit’s best work. Probably the toughest material the prolific shapeshifter has put out to date.

Nods to Eurocentric styles shine through with particular emphasis on the sexy and trance-inducing. It goes straight out the traps with a big dose of fractal fuel and stays murkily psychedelic to the very end.

Blu:sh - Pinky Promise | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER64)

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Denizens of the Oyster Cult, rejoice. Elusive dancefloor operator S.O.N.S has followed last year’s compilation cameo up with the deadliest of full debuts.

Booting off with some rough 'n ready gear, "Drive" is the latest chapter as S.O.N.S undergoes his metamorphosis into a more brooding entity. The esteemed Junction Records and Junction Forest proprietor oscillates between tunnelling acid techno and a darkwave-indebted workout somewhat reminiscent of Dutch pioneer Das Ding. Three night-stalking club trax rooted in ominous portent.

Trading the gentler touch and sound sensitivity of releases past for something tougher, and meaner, but there aren’t any diminishing returns. Quite a departure from the introspection of that aforementioned compilation appearance while retaining the transcendent qualities that always typified his work.

S.O.N.S - Drive | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER66)

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Berlin scene figurehead Gilles Aiken, AKA Edward, coming through with a massive Kalahari debut (and it’s safe to say he understood the assignment).

Booting off on a massive remix tip as the veteran producer reinterprets Mike Parker & Aric Rist’s Trybet project, but trust him to allow for a moment of dancefloor introspection. It’s prime early morning gear in a rousing juxtaposition of beatific string harmony and tough-as-nails deepness. Triumphant ‘window shutters open in the club at 5 AM’-type shit.

The other two are quintessential Edward: impressionistic, widescreen odysseys across lysergic terrain, but groove-forward where it counts. A pair of head-spinning explorations intended for the dancefloor, flush with shadowy flex, insectoid detail and tripped-out flourishes while keeping it funked-out in the tradition of Detroit.

The ‘Deep Sea Villain EP’ plumbs the depths of smudged abstraction, and as we’ve come to expect from Edward, it’s big on hallucinatory detail. It all oozes the multi-layered surrealism that typifies his best work. Proper transcendent biz.

Edward - Deep Sea Villain EP | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER65)

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With Roza Terenzi and Sleep D on the remix, Alfred Czital & Ayu summon divine frequencies across a debut recalling the finest turn-of-the-millennium trance.

Spirits are high as we strive for utopia. Like relics of times passed – a bygone era where the free party reigned supreme – this is a union forged out of a mutual affinity for trippy dancefloor dynamics and live performance.

Rapturous and ecstatic, both originals evoke pure club hedonism. Sensual, sultry gear made of euphoric melodrama, close sweat and lysergic throb. Wide-eyed optimism coursing throughout, but like any good proggy majick, it’s not without a decent dose of shadow and ritual.

Coming in hottt with the remixes and both are befitting a release bent on traversing the wormhole interior. Oyster Cult acolyte Roza Terenzi keeps it taught and tightly-coiled on her rugged, propulsive re-fit, and not to be outdone, Butter Sessions founders Sleep D let atmosphere pull focus with a sprawling, dubby workout.

Alfred Czital & Ayu - Talk To Me | Kalahari Oyster Cult (OYSTER68)

Run by @reycolino
Brussels - Amsterdam
info@kalaharioystercult.com
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