Now in its tenth year, Frankfurt-based record label Die Orakel has earned itself a strong catalogue of classy releases in a distinct sonic and visual attitude, its latest being a compilation called Braindance. 

A fair assumption about Braindance as a genre could be, that it's rather in the zone of kaleidoscopic and whimsical quirktronica, less about IDM's futurist tropes. From Die Orakel's point of view, its very own Braindance compilation marks the label's tenth anniversary by releasing an intense listener's atlas, to its own and their creative collaborators' musical slant of mind.

While much could be said about spectral traces of a leftfield past, nostalgia isn't heard anywhere. The more you listen to this selection, the deeper the tracks plug into your brain—stretching from ethereal harmonic licks rippling with fragile glitches, bleepy to bass-heavy electroid steppers of any BPM range, to abstract-scientific neo-modular artistry. 

Die Orakel's Braindance transmission can be had as a 15-track digi-release, as well as a 4-track vinyl EP. Pick either for your library of the future.

01 upsammy – Wumb (Ambient Version)
02 n9oc – Hyphae
03 Pépe – Cloudbusters
04 Gacha Bakradze – Inhumanity
05 Rali Pibs – Hooked & Strungout 
06 Teatre – Daze 
07 O-Wells – Deep Concentration
08 oma totem feat. juns – Sobre Caderas 
09 Dana Kuehr – Biota
10 Benjamin Milz – Cmos
11 Poly Chain – Turbulent
12 Katatonic Silentio – Grain Of Consumption
13 Koloah – The Highway
14 Reptant – Protectors Of The Moss
15 Edward – Blurry Trees And Peanuts

Compiled by Oliver Hafenbauer
Mastering by Lopazz at Mixmastering
Lacquer cut by Daniel Krieger at SST
Cover photo by Neven Allgeier
Artwork by Orakel Studio
Words by Patrick Raddatz 
Distributed by One Eye Witness
Funded by the City of Frankfurt Department for Culture

Braindance

Arkajo is back on his own label with two originals and two remixes by kindred spirits, Polygonia and Konduku. Starting with the warm Entwine, stepped-out beats laced with swirly stabs. Polygonia's finishes off the A-side with an organic and atmospheric rework; saturated in deep, trippy, rattling tonally percussive flows.
Arkajo's Signature leads the B-side: broken drum patterns with whispers from the realm between where Sweden and the UK meet. Konduku settles the score with his dark and eerie 4x4 techno take. A diverse record to keep in the bag for both hazy basements and the upcoming summer season.

Arkajo05 - Arkajo - Entwine   Signature (Polygonia And Konduku Remixes)

Buy/Stream

Kreggo - Swaying - Nous'klaer 036 (previews)

2023 has been a great year for Bradley Hutchings aka Guava. Alongside many successful dance singles and remixes, his self-released debut album ‘Out Of Nowhere’ is a gorgeous blend of indie electronica that steps away from his typical club focussed productions. 2024, however, sees Guava move back towards the dancefloor with his latest EP Afterglow, which drops on Faux Poly on March 8th. Since rooting himself in Berlin, Guava has drawn inspiration from across the different facets of the city, something that is strongly reflected in this release.

The opening track ‘Angel’ is a dark trip, born out of experiments with reverb and guitar harmonics influenced by UK Bass and Dubstep, an ethereal techno track described by the artist as “guitar music for Berghain”. Next up is ‘140 Drums’, an essential DJ club tool, a chopped stuttering break and hoover bass roll through a restrained but surprisingly heavy hitting finale to the EP.

‘F641’ accelerates with continuously pitching synth stabs and a rumbling low end. Inspired by F1, the track hits hard and never stops ramping up. Finally the title track ‘Afterglow’ brings a lightness and warmth to the release, delicately catchy and rooted with a bouncy house beat, the sound of Berlin in Guava’s productions is unmistakably clear.

Words from Guava:
"Putting together this EP has been a joy for me. All of the tracks are little bookmarks for the past year. I live in Berlin, and it has had an immersive effect on my music. From the grey and cold winters, trudging down a windy street in Warschauer Straße, to the hot summer in Neukolln, where the air is thick and warm, and dance music echoes off the city buildings.

...................................

soundcloud.com/fauxpoly
instagram.com/fauxpoly

soundcloud.com/guavanoise
Instagram.com/guava_noise/  

releases March 8, 2024

PREVIEW: Guava - Afterglow [FP008]

Fields Of Mist - Biospore Farmers

A1. Sunrise On Moss Landing Platform
A2. Harnessing Solar Wind
B1. Astral Projection Spores
B2. Orbital Mist
Digital Bonus. Biological Liar
Digital Bonus. Cloud Minnows
Digital Bonus. Isolated Incubation Chamber

Sunrise Beams Through Orbital Mist on 180g heavyweight vinyl.
Mastered by Tangible Air.

ITX030 FIELDS OF MIST - BIOSPORE FARMERS

Low-key producer and Ruffhouse Industries co-founder, Tymotica, indulges his fondness for precision-engineered dance music and glacial textures with Temporal Bias, a 4-track collection of crystal tipped techno and bass music soundscapes, each expertly crafted both technically and sonically.
 
This is a deeply personal journey, one that traverses ice-cold landscapes, unashamedly wearing its influences on its sleeve while simultaneously sounding completely fresh and unique. This is pinpoint-accurate production at its finest, and you’re all invited along for the ride.

1. Aerial Threshold
2. Center Unity
3. Repulse
4. Wrkt48

Tymotica: https://soundcloud.com/tymotica

Temporal Bias

OP026 // Tymotica - Temporal Bias

@CARREO
@priori-ties
@fastatwork

https://fastatwork.bandcamp.com/album/soft-fascination

Deep within the humdrum of the freeway buzz and eternal traffic of dystopian Los Angeles, there exists an unstoppable sonic gathering of minds, determined to spread a gospel believing that higher BPMs are not necessarily synonymous with harsh escapist mentalities and homogenous vibes. Lately however, as the belief system and community members have musically evolved, there has been some debate about the viability and true existence of this mantra. Is “Fast Not Hard” a sustainable ethos, guiding us towards the ultimate truth?

Just as the issue began to climax, seemingly out of nowhere, a helicopter emerged, containing a capsule from the future (or possibly aliens). Within this capsule was physical, musical, fundamental proof of the durability of their belief system – a bible of sorts, with all the thoughts and debates and beliefs and ideals of the group members mechanically infused into a shiny black disc of three original musical offerings. Upon digesting the capsule’s creed, the group accepted the music as scripture, and coined it “Soft Fascination,” – an emotional reflection of their fast-not-hard form of fundamentalism – and named group member Carré as their first chosen matriarch.

pi pi pi premiere: Carré - Soft Fascination (Priori Mechanical Dub) [Fast At Work]

MPU101 - MPU104

A1. BLOCK-1_dv190
A2. doepfARP
A3. TEAM 700_76
A4. DUES700
A5. BLOCK-1_2AREA666
B1. ppg2_3ModeMon
B2. vanlife_702 ABCD
B3. TrailerparkBeauty
B4. leavebehind
B5. rioria juice
B6. sunset memories

Trailerpark Beauty Sunset Memories on 180g heavyweight vinyl.
Mastered by Tangible Air.

ITX031 MPU101 - MPU104

Spectrum

Sepehr - Genesis Domain - Dekmantel - DKMNTL103

buy via dekmantel: https://dekmantel.com/shop/records/sepehr-genesis-domain
buy via bandcamp: https://sepehr.bandcamp.com/album/genesis-domain

a1. Genesis Domain
a2. Delicate Senses
a3. Twisted Solstice
b1. Planet Lonely
b2. Queen Of Demons

Making his Dekmantel debut with a flourish of symphonic, transcendental techno, Sepehr takes us into a fictional metaphysical zone he calls the Genesis Domain.

Over the past 10 years NYC-based Sepehr Alimagham’s versatile club music practice has taken in techno, D&B, electro, EBM and acid on a suite of scene-leading labels. This new EP builds on the pseudo-spirituality he explored on recent LP Fall From Grace with an exploration of an imagined space “where your reality can be reinvented at any given moment.”

On the A side, the title track sets the pace with a throbbing, sparkling-yet-spooky trip that allows a touch of trance into the mix, while ‘Delicate Senses’ explores snappier broken beat rhythms and edgy atmospherics with a distinctly moody outlook.

The mystical electro shades of ‘Twisted Solstice’ and ‘Planet Lonely’s melancholic 4/4 pastures strike a note between contemplative introspection and anthemic main stage energy. ‘Queen Of Demons’ is the consummate EP closer, leaning on brooding low end and snaking, intricate beats with a healthy dose of shimmering beauty up top.

Consistent with his versatile approach since day one, Sepehr proves any blend of tempos and rhythms can be folded into his vivid, evocative sound world — the results will always draw you in close until his vision becomes yours.

DKMNTL103 // Sepehr - Genesis Domain

The Rotterdam DJ producer @matadisk returns to Nous'klaer with 4 equally more demented slappers that hew the tightness of UK broken beat with that Dutch west-coast devil-may-care playfulness. Opener "Icon" is the most straight down the middle of the bunch with a blisteringly bouncy kick drum and percussive melody that's swung by outre hats, squeaks and beeps all punctuated by a simple melodica tinged stab. "Diffusion" spins a minimal dub bass with an aggressively swinging UK beat lushed out by crystalline pads, pushed harder with a staccato vocal chop and ever evolving sound effect flourishes.

Mata Disk - Two Sides of the Same Coin - Nous'klaer 038 (previews)

https://nousklaerfestival.com

Record label by @sjoerdoberman, Est. 2013.

Kreggo - Swaying - Nous'klaer 036 (previews)

Nous'klaer Audio

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