The City Of Tomorrow

Aalto

Discosexo - Therapy

bandcamp

mauv - Paradise

Comme Des Garçons is a statement piece from Front Bench. Across 41 minutes, he announces himself as an artist keen to tell a deeper story, as he ditches format and enters the sprawling, moody longform.

Through moments of synthy ambience, electronic hip-hop, sample-heavy dubstep, and full-blown vocal pop, these 10 tracks - written in two lonely lockdown weeks - pensively reflect on what has been a challenging and formative period.

London’s Holly Wilks makes a stunning vocal appearance on I Would’ve Meant It, the album’s jewel, and regular collaborator Tom Jarmey lends glitchy production to For A Very Long Time, as the album winds to its finale.

Comme Des Garçons marks an experimental shift towards a more commercially structured
sound, and marks an evolution for Front Bench, as well as for the sonic direction of his label.

Front Bench - Cellotape The Wall Back Together

It's dark in the forest. Especially in the »northwest«. You have to adjust all your senses. But once you have, the forest will take you in his arms. The forest will protect you. Just like Daniel Herrmann's first album for Live At Robert Johnson will protect you.

Herrmann is far from being unknown in the world of music - let alone in the art or photography world. In the music field, he is probably much more known under his Flug 8 moniker where he released five albums on Disko B, Doxa Records, Ransom Note, and Acid Pauli's Smaul Recordings. Under his given name, Daniel Herrmann's relationship with LARJ's label boss Ata Macias goes way back. As an artist and photographer Herrmann was the only one allowed to take pictures inside Ata's ROBERT JOHNSON club, thus creating an iconic series of pictures of clubbers and club life in general. Herrmann’s pictures of the partying punters themselves were presented as wallpaper all over Robert Johnson back in 2002.

With »Enroute« Herrmann enters new territory: It is his most ambient work up to today. And yes, it is a piece of work created during the lockdown. Herrmann's studio is situated in the outskirts of Frankfurt, near the forest - a quite remote place already in-between the Taunus mountain range. Imagine life during the lockdown in such a place … This is where Herrmann set up his former basement studio in the large living room with a variety of instruments besides a cozy fireplace spending warm light and warmth. A warmth that despite its seemingly rather "cold" atmosphere can be heard all over »Enroute«. Once you soak in the sounds (or get soaked into the sounds) of the first tracks like album opener »northwest«, »Fly By Wire« or the 11min »Dark Trace« you might feel this warmth too. A cold warmth you could say, yet a warmth that only modular systems and synthesizers can create.

There is a change of mood with »Intercontinental« - literally as it seems that Herrmann indeed is on an intercontinental journey here despite the strolls and long walks in silence through the Taunus forest. This is also the place where Herrmann took many photographs of the forest and its trees (to be seen on his Instagram account) - and the picture on the cover: This spooky yet fragile high seat in the mist in front of those trees. Yet darkness alone is not dominating this album. Even during these dark days, there was a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. And it shows in the beauty of »Bouncing Rays«.

»Enroute« is done all alone and in total isolation. And one can hear it. But it also invites the listener to be a part of this lonely world. And we all know that being lonely is made easier with someone on your side - »enroute« to a better place. A place that isn't lonely at all.

PS: For all digital music lovers we have included two bonus tracks: The GLOK remix of »Bouncing Rays« and Herrmann's clattering and creaking tune »Economy« - enjoy!

Flug 8 - Enroute LP - Snippet

Berlin-based record label Bulging Discs celebrates their first vinyl release with a glorious six-tracker 'On the Zonts' by OKAYOKAYOKAY. 
OKAYOKAYOKAY, an Australian-born producer who has called Berlin home for the last six years, created a release that fits your downtime at home or the foggy dance floor during early mornings in Berlin. 
'Interference Fits,' our premiere for today, uses the 'breakbeat with acid' recipe, a formula that brought us some of the most iconic tracks in the past few decades (especially in the '90s). With that in mind, this track sounds like a contemporary take (in the best way possible) on our beloved genre - the 90s electronica. Melancholy melody layered with rolling percussions and acid bassline fits together marvelously to create a pleasant journey with a 'feel good' stamp on it.
OKAYOKAYOKAY - On the Zonts marks the label's physical release debut and will also be available for streaming & download on all major platforms from 18 April 2022.

https://soundcloud.com/alrightisaidokay
https://soundcloud.com/bulgingdiscs

https://linktr.ee/okayokayokay


www.itsdelayed.com
www.instagram.com/_itsdelayed_
www.facebook.com/itsdelayed
https://t.me/itsdelayed

On The Zonts

PREMIERE: OKAYOKAYOKAY - Interference Fits [Bulging Discs]

'XLR8R+037' is a Kenyan special in partnership with Ableton, presenting tracks, art, and editorial from Jinku, Nu Fvnk, RVMP, and Jebet.

Get the package: https://bit.ly/XLR8Rplus_Edition037

@nufvnk

Nu Fvnk - GWIT [XLR8R+037]

Pre Order here : earthlymeasures.bandcamp.com/album/esp-ritus-ep

Earthy Measures 13th release sees them delving deeper with a 5 track EP from the Colombian, OKRAA - very much inspired by his native country, and his most personal release to date.

First track on the EP 'Song To Say Goodbye' is inspired by African communities in Colombia, Desplazamiento, & based on a native Colombian rhythm called 'Bullerengue' with added Electro & Acid elements.

Baile de Fuego (Fiebre Mix) takes its inspiration from communities from the Pacific coast of Colombia. Their native instrument, 'Marimba de Chonta' was used as the main source for the track, which was then processed and combined with elements of the UK Bass Continuum and Acid House

Bunde Niebla was inspired by the tradition of Colombian 'Alumbranzas', a local religious musical ceremony, with which the indigenous group of Yanakona's in the region of Nariño meditate through the use of self-made bamboo flutes and drums + prayer.

Many testimonies speak of spiritual healing and premonitions. This was also the chance to pay a nice homage to Colombian Indigenous musician and Luthier Cenen Omen, who inspired and taught music to several generations of local and indigenous people in a sadly forgotten area of Colombia.

The song also samples a track by an ancestor of OKRAA called 'Bunde Tolimense', which is the anthem for the Colombian region of Tolima.

Aura explores a more introspective nature, the lyrics in Spanish speak about facing your own ego, to understand it's a burden that you can let go of to finally become free/yourself/one.

Arbol: Ex-Humano was an experiment that OKRAA always wanted to try: Salsa + Acid House, which he did it after an Ayahuasca trip. In English - Tree: Ex-Human.

Notes from the artist -Desplazamiento (El Baile Como Salvación / Dance as a Salvation): Many indigenous people, and members from the country-side communities in Colombia have been forced through the years to leave their hometown due to expropriation of their lands, forcing them to live in cities in extreme poverty. The feeling of helplessness and the wish to help them but not being able to make a huge difference for the lack or shortage of money. There's many artists and musicians that have had to go through this, and they make art their way of coping with it.

-Espíritus y Árboles: The 'Awá', an Indigenous group from the area of Nariño in Colombia, have several ways of seeing life and beliefs that inspired me, one of them especially, which was that all humans become trees after they live their human lives, and they remain in the land as living creatures to guide or sometimes punish humans.

PREMIER: OKRAA - Song To Say Goodbye

The debut single from usr/friendly

LYRICS
Faithful wounds
Obey the noise
In function
Of the fright

A daylight reminder
Awaking the sleeper
In bodies of water

A shadow pleaser
Painting a picture

Servants of
The phantom wall
Fixed on
Veiled voids

Just a daylight reminder
Awaking the sleeper
As birds become feathers


CREDITS
Written & Arranged by Steven DeLair, Bradley Clevinger, Karlee Reiss, and Collin McCarthy
Recorded by James Fleege at Silver Street in Ashland, NE
Produced by usr/friendly and James Fleege
Mastered by Doug Van Sloun at Focus Mastering in Omaha, NE

Sleeper

Usr/friendly is the new iteration of the Oketo, A creative collective of Long Time Friends and Creative Partners, Bradley Clevinger, Karlee Reiss, and Steven DeLair. Currently Living in Olympia, WA, usr/friendly continues to shape-shift, living and working together creatively and communally.

Usr/friendly will be releasing their debut LP in 2020.

contact: usr.friendly.collaborations@gmail.com
management: john@jpsmgmt.com