Async Figure is the ultimate alliance of UK based artists MM & Suda. The project was first unveiled with a live show at 2018’s Unsound Festival, inside a gutted industrial kitchen in Krakow. Their debut release Figure I features three high-intensity, melody-first club statements and marks the first in a trifecta of releases for Sea Cucumber.

Sea Cucumber is a label founded in 2021 by Tzusing. 
Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide.

Photo by xiaopeng_yuan

Figure I

Async Figure - Harsh Realm

V/A - Kikommando
Label: PAN / Hakuna Kulala 
Cat.No. PAN 124 / HK029 
Format: DL / Book
Release Date: 6 August 2021
Purchase: pan.lnk.to/Kikommando
Video: https://bit.ly/3i2EgSg

A collective effort from a vital scene in Kampala, KIKOMMANDO takes its name from Ugandan street food of flat bread and beans. As a ‘food of soldiers’ offering maximum energy for minimum funds, the eponymous mixtape, video series and book project is an equally nourishing and ambitious proposition. It all began in the East African summer of 2018, during a two-month residency at the Nyege Nyege label and collective’s villa, in collaboration with their sublabel Hakuna Kulala. Producer and PAN artist Simone Trabucchi (aka STILL) opened the door to his temporary studio in the city and a crucial cross-cultural collaboration was born.

“The intention was to record as much as possible,” Trabucchi says about KIKOMMANDO’s musical showcase of eight Kampala-based artists, coming from the spectrum of musical influences, crossing trap, drill, cut ups, kuduro, electro, smooth jams—the list goes on. In creating a sonic space to support the expression of its featured singers, poets and emcees, the mixtape ties countless styles and flows into a single snapshot of a particular part of the Kampala music scene, at a particular point in time. The invective of rapper and street legend Blaq Bandana’s “Nkwaata” is laid over a spare and brooding ambient. Kampala Unit trumpet player and first-time singer, Florence, rolls a thick melodic texture through the organic clicks, knocks and atmospherics of “Bae Tasanze”. Jahcity’s unique lyricism combines a personal take on traditional music and soulful-reggae with a jerky, wobbly collection of drops and donks.

Meanwhile, Ecko Bazz applies his grimey vocals and rhythmic, introspective words to lead single ‘Ntabala (Rolex Riddim) at a particularly pertinent moment of self-reflection. “I was trying to listen to the voice inside myself and wanted to achieve a higher level of understanding of things, life,” he says about the themes that he felt inspired to explore with Trabucchi at the recording desk. The accompanying video, shot on a rooftop in the Kampala neighborhood of Ggaba, is one of a series of slick and high-definition films complementing each one of the KIKOMMANDO tracks. These also include contributions from Ugandan emcee and key Hakuna Kulala member Biga Yut, don dada of the GabaGaza gang Swordman Kitala (with Omutaba on percussion) and South Sudanese poet and singer Winnie Lado.

Also accompanying a ‘visual mixtape’ of moving images for each song on KIKOMMANDO is a recording diary of sorts, where Trabucchi compiles a vibrant collection of pictures, colours and textures reflecting the its heterogeneous sonic palette into a book. Together this multifaceted, interdisciplinary project showcases, what Lamin Fofana’s liner notes describe as, “amazing originality, complexity”, while “embracing dissonance”.

Trabucchi’s personal take on a kind of ‘digital dancehall’ defined the sound of his ground-breaking rumination on Italy’s colonial history on debut STILL album, I, in 2017. KIKOMMANDO is a different proposition entirely, where he finds new ways to complement the personality and skills of its contributors sprung from a constant stream of visitors arriving at the Nyege Nyege Villa’s makeshift studio. “It was a dialogue,” stresses Trabucchi, who has always preferred collaboration as a means to escape branded and stereotypical identities, while creating something new. “I created the musical platform to make the singers confident, and challenged them at the same time. Working together accelerates ideas and reveals that nothing is your invention alone. That’s why KIKOMMANDO is a mixtape to me, and not an album.”

The mixtape is mastered by Rashad Becker, featuring artwork by NMR. Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 11 & 12 mixed by Ville Haimala. Tracks 5, 6 & 8 mixed by Lorenzo Dal Ri.

@hakunakulala

KIKOMMANDO

STILL, ECKO BAZZ - Ntabala (Rolex Riddim) (PAN 124 / HK029)

♛  𝓝𝓮𝔀 𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓮𝓻𝓮  ♛

@prmsss (Promesses) is the name of one of the most interesting forward-thinking alternative labels coming up from Paris, France. It's also the name of the DJ duo, who hosts their regular show at Rinse France radio. The aim of this release is again (as was with the first compilation) to push the boundaries of experimental club and bass music.

Listen to heavy @freddymn (Slikback) collaboration with @holy-strays (Sébastien Forrester).

Read more about the compilation ↛ ✿ bit.ly/SwinePromesses2 ✿

♫ ♥ ☀
↛ Swine Daily
↛ www.swinedaily.com

[Swine Premiere] Slikback & Sébastien Forrester - Ignition (Promesses)

VA - Astraltopia
APR128 | Out Now

Available here: https://astralplanerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/astraltopia

Astraltopia is the third and final compilation in the Topia series, as well as the terminal release in the Astral Plane Recordings catalog. Made up of contributions from longtime APR artists and friends, Astraltopia traverses outgrowths of past label releases, novel sonic formulations and the infra-zones between and underneath extant club sounds. Accompanied by artwork from Sam Meier and mastering by Will Mitchell, the compilation follows 2012’s Heterotopia and 2015’s Psychotropia, both of which preceded the formal inauguration of Astral Plane Recordings. Contributions include material from Alis, Amazondotcom, CHANTS, Dane Law, LOFT, Maral, MICHAELBRAILEY (with Iceboy Violet), nunu and SHALT. Astraltopia is out now as a free and/or pay-what-you-want download.1. CHANTS - Seven Billion Spheres
2. Maral - lita
3. SHALT - Face Like A Wet Sun
4. LOFT - an safe heavenn
5. Alis - Catra
6. Amazondotcom - Pico Blvd
7. nunu - ransom
8. MICHAELBRAILEY - dead space (prod. MICHAELBRAILEY, Iceboy Violet)
9. Dane Law - Summer's End (Lift Me Up)

Astraltopia

CHANTS - Seven Billion Spheres

A promising track of EP2, plays around with a catchy and naive vocal phrase, insisting that ‘Sometimes It’s Hard’. The statement, sung by a soft but mechanical female voice, is underlined by a glitchy and relentless breakbeat layered with visceral subs. The track’s weltschmerz disposition is equally seductive and destructive, which makes ‘Sometimes It’s Hard’ an unusual tune that will satisfy both seasoned ravers and a wider festival crowd.

EP2’s mesmerising cover art, a piece created for affected called ‘Crinoid Scanner’, was made by local 3D artist Caroline Vang. The work is inspired by the alien yet familiar look of crinoid fossils. Finding her inspiration in the most alien and quirky parts of nature, Vang specializes in an experimental and surreal play of texture and shape, to challenge the line between fiction and hyper-reality.

Sometimes It's Hard is mastered by SUGAR aka. Nikolaj Jakobsen in Copenhagen.

Hedo Hydr8 - Sometimes Its Hard

Ice_eyes and Sueuga have linked Athens and Mexico for a percussive and industrial EP labeled post-pandemic club music.

Read more on CxC 🔗 couvrexchefs.com/en/ice_eyes-sueuga-arboretum-records-superficie-ziur-remix

Article

PREMIERE: Ice_eyes x Sueuga - Superficie (Ziúr Remix) (Arboretum Records)

‘Inflatable Gravestone’ is the debut album by Mun Sing (aka Harry Wright) released on https://soundcloud.com/planetmurecords on 2nd June 2023

https://munsing.bandcamp.com/album/inflatable-gravestone

The motivating force of the album is the sudden loss of Harry’s father in 2020. Their father struggled with substance addiction and the album explores ideas of 'spirituality' and the ‘higher self’ in relation to addiction and its parallels with the coping mechanisms of grief. It also aims to highlight the importance of humour and distraction when coping with loss.

Serving as a narrative for their own experiences, the album is largely built around club-centred tracks (such as ‘Spider’ and ’Squabble’) broken up by moments of yearning and reflection in tracks like ’The Poison Garden’ and ‘Helhest (Azrael Smirks)’ and moments of dark anguish like 'Inheritor' with its heavy slab-like chords and pensive piano. Flirting with awkward and suggestive rhythms, Wright deliberately suspends moments of resolution and groove in favour of drama and jerky, unexpected cartoonish humour, taking as much influence from the likes of the Art Of Noise as Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. 

Wright rewards the listener with moments of clarity and introspection like flags on the journey, recruiting vocalist MX World to deliver lyrics and melodic ideas created by them and their father. Their father’s journals in rehab helped inform most of the lyrics. Some take whole sentences as a way to physically ‘give life’ to his words for the first time. The lyrics describe feelings, revelations and  apocalyptic hallucinations. MX World's clear, direct tone suggests folk music and the timelessness of the human condition.

The album concludes with the title track ‘Inflatable Gravestone’ which features a chorus of giddy manipulated laughter from Wright’s friends and family to a truly maddening effect. This is then resolved by bright and clear piano chords and the sound of Wright’s father breathing in his sleep. A deeply affecting and personal record with corkscrew twists and turns and a healthy dose of absurdism. 
credits
releases June 2, 2023

All tracks written and produced by Harry Wright. Lyrics by Harry Wright, except track 10 lyrics by Harry Wright and William Wright. Lead vocals by MX World. Additional vocals by Nashne, Akiko Haruna and Mouse.

Mastered by Beau Thomas at Ten Eight Seven Mastering.

Published by Domino Publishing.

Waiting In The Car

Taken from SBKT058: Nahash - A Snake In Your House
Release date: 21st June 2023

Nahash returns to SVBKVLT with ‘A Snake In Your House’, a 4-track club EP, including collaborations with XXLAB’s Elise Massoni and dOP’s JAW, and packaged with two deadly remixes from Tim Reaper and Brodinski.

‘’ A snake came into your house, he said it was just to talk. A snake always has an agenda, it’s never just to talk. He crawled around and criticized your art and your lifestyle. The snake brought an apple pie and didn’t share any. He talked of the days in Eden, the time of plenty. He talked of his time in the court of the emperor Davide IX. He shed his skin and overstayed his welcome. He came to steal your land and chase away your friends and family. When you invite a snake in your house keep a broom close, he might never leave’’

Artwork by Tina Blakeney
Mastered by Raphael Valensi

A Snake In Your House

Nahash - A Snake In Your House

Collaboration release Eco Futurism Corporation x Hyperboloid Records that include 27 remixes to "tropical interface - Orchid" from residents and related with label's artists. 
https://eco-futurism-corp.bandcamp.com/album/orchid-recycle

@tropical-interface
@daniel-ruane-2

tropical interface - elements (Daniel Ruane 'biotic' recycle)

https://houndstoothlabel.bandcamp.com/album/alterity

This globe-spanning compilation takes in artists from almost every continent in the world, piecing together the story of how shared sounds and ideas connect many seemingly disparate scenes and cultures across the planet.

More exclusive music

Premiere: Amazondotcom & Siete Catorce 'Absent City'

Following guest shows on NTS and Radio Bonita, Philadelphia based artist and producer Kat Nzingha joins TT to present their debut EP, Angeltribe.

Mixing and mastering - Kat Nzingha
Artwork - Josh Crumpler
www.katnzingha.com
soundcloud.com/katnzingha

Angeltribe

Kat Nzingha - Antinomianism

Sea Cucumber is a label founded in 2021 by @Tzusing 
Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide.

Async Figure - Harsh Realm

Sea Cucumber

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