Inspired from Romanian cultural heritage, be it film, dance or musical instruments, Folclor Abstract is a glance back to the roots in search of a meaningful future.

The first track is inspired from the soundtrack composed by Cornelia Tăutu for the Romanian historical adventure film "Buzduganul cu trei peceți" (1977). The film presents a politicized version of the events that led in 1600 to the unification of the three Romanian countries, in the aftermath of a victorious battle against the Ottoman invasion (Călugăreni, 1595). Dance your way through as the story unfolds.

Dans cu balans is the result of a personal fascination for the cimbalom, an instrument of high versatility, frequently used in the Romanian fiddle music. In contrast to orchestral performances, which adhere to the composer's notes to reproduce a work faithfully, fiddling is also open to improvisation and tends to produce rhythms that focus on dancing, with associated quick note changes.

Searching for inspiration within Romanian folklore, I found Ivan Braga who was on his own pursuit of cultural heritage, experimenting with a variety of traditional instruments and rhythms from different regions of the country. Doba lu' Braga is Ivan's modern take on Romanian drum patterns performed on a traditional Moldavian drum (dobă) with an uplifting twist and arrangement for the dancefloor experience.

Reverie is an expression of the creator's state of mind. Lost in thought, stolen by imagination, haunted by memories, liberated by dreams.
credits
released April 19, 2021

samples taken from: Cornelia Tăutu, Marin Constantin, Corul Național de Camera Madrigal, Ivan Braga

Produced by Ovidiu Stanciu
Mastered by Johanz Westerman at Ballyhoo Studio

Folclor Abstract

Buzduganul Cu Trei Peceți

taken from: VC-118A - Spiritual Machines - Delsin Records - 146dsr

vinyl: https://www.delsinrecords.com/release/6980
digital: https://chaindata.bandcamp.com/album/spiritual-machines

Following 2019’s Inside, VC-118A returns to Delsin to present his fourth album, Spiritual Machines. It marks an exciting shift in focus for Samuel van Dijk as his flagship project nears a decade skirting the deeper ends of techno and electro.

Over the past two and half years, van Dijk forensically reviewed the key aspects of his production process as he dug down in search of the essence of the VC-118A sound. By creating his own complement of sample banks, software racks and devices, van Dijk was able to work with a hybridised analogue-digital system purely of his own making. Less in thrall to the strict rigours of techno and electro standards, Spiritual Machines’ 13 album tracks encompass more fluid shifts into abstract and downtempo, dub-inflected realms, without losing sight of the elements that have made VC-118A so compelling from the beginning.

Burnished machine soul, aqueous atmospherics and immaculate drum programming abound, but in the mellow, enveloping sound world of Spiritual Machines you can hear van Dijk guiding his music into a broader form that sounds at once more assured and more inspired.

Artwork designed by Samuel van Dijk.

VC-118A - Serge Extract (taken from Spiritual Machines)

Tolouse Low Trax induces trance states on Knekelhuis with a hypnotic, dirge-like KΣITO remix.

'Manget' is out July 12th on Knekelhuis.

Pre-order: bit.ly/36g7hEl

@keitosuzuki
@detlefnet
@knekelhuis

Premiere: KΣITO - Kannon Yu (Tolouse Low Trax South Atlas Remix) [Knekelhuis]

Never Been is the first collaborative release by Loradeniz and Interstellar Funk, who produced the EP at a Volkshotel artist residency in Amsterdam, in 2021. The record examines the interplay of synthetic melodies and Loradeniz’s vocals, which are underpinned by meticulously crafted rhythms. Steeped in melancholy, many of the tracks on Never Been evoke the essence of departure, complex emotions and fading memories.

‘Freefall’ – which has already been played by DJs last summer – opens with a solid bassline and crystalline melodies. An urgent kick and racing hi-hats intensify the composition, while the dominant topline brings to mind a rapturous dance at twilight. An allegory of communication, ‘Hidden Tongue’ has Loradeniz pronouncing splintered vowels, like a malfunctioning public service recording, over a reverberated snare, deep kick and repeating glockenspiel figure.

‘Fly Me In’ begins with an arpeggiated melody, before slowly combining multiple electric accents and delicate vocals with spoken word passages exploring notions of escape. The heroic overtones of ‘Situational Lullaby’ develop subtly with layers of synths reminiscent of mid-90s soundtracks, while ‘Lurking Orange’ closes the release with its listless refrain and snake-like percussion.
credits

https://artificialdance.bandcamp.com/album/never-been-ad019

Interstellar Funk & Loradeniz - Lurking Orange (AD019)

https://blackseedacts.bandcamp.com/track/desert-rhythms

Desert Rhythms

A new Deep production comes from the genius Dek Xster. Delicious sounds and vibes by this beautiful House project. DEEP!

Morning In Ibiza

Dek Xster - Morning In Ibiza

Tassilo Vanhöfen - Matama Irriqula

Pete Namlook - Oui (Anatolian Weapons Acid Edit)

Articulat is the artist name of Ovidiu Stanciu, a Romanian dj/producer living in Rotterdam. His first release on the AM label was very well received by critics an dj’s over the world, so now he present his second EP "Reflections". 
"Reflections" is an exploration of dance floor narratives, intending to induce a trance-like state of mind through a very physical sound experience. Drums, voices and machines come together to create a ritualistic, almost visual atmosphere. 
Gare du Nord is exploring a different kind of narrative, without words but with sounds crafted to depict a scene in which you write your own plot. It builds up slow and once it gets running it carries on a lot of weight. Just like an old steamer. And yes, it's with trains. 
Four track record is out today on digital format, you can buy it here: https://afrobotic.bandcamp.com/album/reflections

https://soundcloud.com/articulat010

YouTube

PREMIERE #695 | Articulat - Gare Du Nord [Afrobotic Musicology] 2019

Lead single from the "Psycho Romance and Other Spooky Ballads" LP (The Bunker New York BK-041)

Sometimes you want something so badly you don't even know to ask for it in the first place. Like Adam and Eve stumbling upon the fruit of knowledge — or psychedelic techno wizards Donato Dozzy and Retina.it (aka Lino Monaco and Nicola Buono) producing a pitch-perfect, vintage-styled minimal wave record, filled with icy synths, shuddering bass, and anthemic vocals, sounding like a lost gem unearthed from 1982 for the first time.

Except it's not — this record is brand new. The three Italians first came together under the moniker Le Officine Di Efesto, releasing an EP of murky left-field techno on Dozzy's own Spazio Disponibile. They quickly discovered a shared love of classic post-punk, wave, and synthpop, and not long after, Men With Secrets was born.

"Men With Secrets" might sound like an old-school synthpop act you've never heard of, but the name is actually borrowed from Richard Bone, an early New York electronic musician and minimal pop pioneer. The trio's name is but one of their many homages — Cabaret Voltaire, The Human League, New Order, and even Dopplereffekt are additional reference points — but this album is neither imitation nor rehash. It's just as carefully and ingeniously produced as you'd expect a record from Donato Dozzy and Retina.it to be, except it's filled with poppy hooks so brilliantly catchy they'll stick in your head until you hit 'Repeat' and find yourself singing along.

These Men With Secrets clearly have their tongue placed firmly in cheek: check the record's title and artwork for proof. But the music is deadly serious. The drums hit hard, the synths soar to emotional heights, and the vocals intone rhythmically. All of it's coated in the warm fuzz of analogue tape. Not many records on The Bunker New York are as likely to be played in goth clubs as they are by adventurous techno DJs, but then again, this is not your average Bunker New York record. 

releases January 31, 2020

Written and Produced by Donato Dozzy, Lino Monaco and Nicola Buono
Published by The Bunker New York 2020
Mastered by Peter Van Hoesen
Design by Common Name

Psycho Romance and Other Spooky Ballads (BK-041)

Pre-order vinyl/digi

Men With Secrets - "Cabaret (Démodé)"

Available on the 24th edition of XLR8R+, featuring three female-led artist projects: Eluize, AIDA, and Slumber.

Get the package: http://bit.ly/XLR8Rplus_Edition024

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