Best New Releases from March 2019
The arrival of March brings us much closer to the blossoms of spring, and of course exciting new albums, releases, and remixes in the likes of Konduku, Gacha Bakradze, New Jackson, Mano Le Tough, Smallpeople, JMII, Black Light Smoke, Felix Leifur, Mark Du Mosch, Birds Ov Paradise and Golden Baby.
We selected the top 10 tracks for you to listen and enjoy. Tracks are listed in no particular order.
Konduku
YTK
Nous’klaer Audio
Konduku’s musical journey continues with a new “Gegek” EP as part of the “five-piece sub-label series” on the respected Nous’klaer Audio Records. The four-track record boasts an impressive set of radiant and immaculate percussive rhythms that range from twisted broken beats to drum-dominated incessant minimalism.
Dense and intricate closing track “YTK” is a gorgeous testament to Konduku’s revered production technique pairing a wide palette of percussive rhythms with rich sonic soundscapes.
Gacha Bakradze
Meurve
Fever AM
Georgian producer Gacha Bakradze is the first artist besides the label founders Rhyw and Mor Elian to join the Fever AM family with his impressive debut EP “Monument”.
Sophisticated and intricate, this gorgeous record is “taking us on a refreshing, sublime journey over 4 pieces featuring his signature melodies, broken beats, and striking sound design. Gacha pulls off a very well rounded EP here that works perfectly on headphones at home or on a sound system in the club.”.
“Meurve” beautifully reflects the introspective mood of the EP. Gacha Bakradze’s hypnotic groove, elegant dubby ambiance and subtle haunting atmosphere masterfully transport the listener down shadowy alleyways and into the darkest corners of the basement clubs.
Mark Du Mosch
Resonance Delay (She)
Something Happening Somewhere
Dutch respected record label Something Happening Somewhere has been firing out outstanding releases with likes of label boss Nuno Dos Santos, Love Over Entropy, Kiani & His Legion, Roger Van Lunteren, Quentin, the legendary King Britt among others, all making impressive appearances on the label.
The latest addition to the label is the veteran artist and one of the major producers of Rotterdam, Mark Du Mosch. With releases on credible labels such as Moustache, Dekmantel, Royal Oak and now of SoHaSo, he has proven himself to be an exceptional talent. The stunning five track “The Heavens” EP is perfectly reflecting with the ethos of the label.
Here is what the label intends to say about an utterly gorgeous “Resonance Delay (She)”.
“His versatile style draws on sounds that evoke strong mental imagery and a sense of eternity, which clearly shows on the introspective Resonance Delay (She) on the B-side. In which a melancholic melody is supported by muffled slow-motion beats.”
Smallpeople
Benevolent Receiver
Smallville Records
Smallpeople, a musical alliance between Julius Steinhoff and Just von Ahlefeld, a.k.a. Dionne continues to blossom with the highly-anticipated and long-awaited sophomore album “Afterglow” released via their own Smallville Records. It comes seven years after their 2012 impressive debut “Salty Days”, an album that established Smallpeople as a major musical force in the underground electronic music world. The album is composed of eight tracks “carved directly from the hearts and record collections of two individuals whose understanding of dance music appears to be some sort of blissful second-nature.”
Hinges around a twilit breakbeat, the seventh track “Benevolent Receiver” is a gorgeous musical mastery driven from start to finish by its colorful wheel of beautiful melodic undertones and hazy acid flourishes melting over hypnotic house breaks.
Felix Leifur
Brot 4
Lagaffe Tales
Icelandic record label Lagaffe Tails is excited to welcome the Reykjavik-based rising producer Felix Leifur to the family for a new Brot series which comes split into three installments. The trilogy starts with an impressive ‘BROT 01’ EP that draws on edgy electro and elegantly twisted breakbeat while existing in a unique space all its own.
“Brot 4” closes out the record with an odd chill-inducing breakbeat groove punctuated by twisted undercurrents beneath mesh of crispy electronic textures.
New Jackson
By Its Own Light (Mano Le Tough Remix)
Maeve
Maeve has an impressive track record for releasing sophisticated and forward-thinking electronic music from the label owners Mano Le Tough, The Drifter, Baikal, and as well as its longtime friends such as Ripperton, Isolee, Ed Davenport, Aera, Adam Marshall, Chymera, Kev Sheridan among others. This March sees Maeve label reissuing New Jackson’s “The Night Mail”. In label own words "Originally released on POGO Recordings back in 2011, it became something of a sleeper hit. Having always been fans of the original we are delighted to bring this newly remastered version along with an original B-side entitled “By Its Own Light”. Each track gets a remix treatment from Mano Le Tough.
Irish producer Mano Le Tough continues his acclaimed discography of eloquent and effective remixes. He gives his own unique spin on the “By Its Own Light. While keeping the essence of an elegant original tune, the new version is pairing the core melodic elements and David Kitt’s silky vocals with hypnotic percussive instrumentation to create a big-room mesmerizing beauty.
Birds Ov Paradise
Kalgarden
Konstrukt
Following on from his dazzling 2018 full moon musical trilogy on Swedish Hypnus Records, Birds Ov Paradise brings his magical dub techno fairy tales to Konstrukt. The eponymously titled record sees David Sabel in his element as he delivers five unique dub techno excursions, further cementing himself once again as a force to be reckoned within the underground electronic music scene.
The third track “Kalgarden” laces broken hypnotic dub techno rhythms on top of melding hazy atmospherics, echoing synths and twinkling electronic touches, bringing a new twist to Birds Ov Paradise palette but still leaving his trademark style imprinted in it.
Golden Baby
Aciid
Forgotten World
This March, the German enigmatic producer Traumprinz ( DJ Metatron, a.k.a Prince of Denmark, a.k.a. Prime Minister Of Doom, a.k.a. DJ Healer) took his music fans by surprise with two brand new records “Forgotten World 1” and “Forgotten World 2” under his new Golden Baby alias. Both records consist of some tracks dating from 2012.
One of the standout tracks on the second “Forgotten World 2” EP is an impressionistic “Aciid” which made an appearance on DJ Healer’s 2018 mix “Planet Lonely”. It gives off an air of poetic magnetism coupling an immersive pulsating rhythm with delicate sonic colors of the drenched in melancholy pensive melody.
Black Light Smoke
Up In This
Scissors and Thread
A multitalented producer, musician, and composer Jordan Lieb, a.k.a. Black Light Smoke makes a welcome return to esteemed Scissor and Thread, a Brooklyn label run by Francis Harris, with a brand new EP. Entitled “City Life”, the mini-album collects stunning music masterfully crafted to fit and reflect spaces both raw and deep.
“Up in This” is a skilled artistic interpretation of a dialogue between deep timbres, moody bass line and melting sparks of intricate melodies.
JMII
Communication
Hivern Discs
Catalonian producer Jami Bassols, better known as JMII, steps up to the spotlight this month for the next release on John Talabot’s stylish Hivern Discs imprint. His new “Modulations” EP marks a triumphant return to Hivern Discs. The five-track mini-album beautifully flows together to “display a universe filled with inventive synth lines, smart production and quirky references to the “ day to day of producing music and the strange world of those who like to read machine manuals and learn to program new synths”.
Bringing together intrinsic elements of deep emotive undertones, multidimensional atmospheric textures, mysterious voices, and channels of slow-burning rhythms, the concluding track “Communication” masterfully strikes the balance between being intelligent, radiant and groovy.