RIP. A weekly roundup of releases on Bandcamp and Soundcloud selected and delivered by Aidan
bergsonist
favorite events/things/projects in 2019
- NTS Guests shows (muqata’a, Rose E Kross, AGF, King Vision Ultra)
- Release Bizaarbazaar T-shirt Comp 2 and doing the release via NTS radio + Motto Books store in Berlin
- Curating a swap meet at PS1 as Pick Up The Flow
- Pick Up The Flow Forum :)
- Playing in Vancouver with Deep Blue Crew
- Playing at Eflux Bar Laika with Muqata a
- Playing with ZULI @ Sonic Acts Festival in Amsterdam
- Starting my own party with DJ SANNA : 3afak
- Going back to Morocco after 5 years exile :)
- collaborating with HECHA on a soundtrack and flyers artworks
- Working on the artwork for my upcoming Optimo Album :)
- releasing on my bandcamp 14 EP fearlessly:
- Borft EP
Sybil (SIREN/NTS)
2019’s Deepest Mind Music or sonic~salutations~for~hibernation (◡‿◡✿)
Grant Aaron at Organik Festival 2019
I’ve listened to this set by Mysteries Of The Deep’s Grant Aaron more than any other ambient mix this year. It ebbs and flows between washing into the background of your thoughts and magnetising your attention with curious textures and shapes. 3 hours long too, a deep trip.
Matt LaJoie - Plane of Return
I found this track on recommendation from tarotplane (another artist to check!) It sounds to me like walking home at the end of a long night and serendipitously seeing the most majestic sunrise cresting over a hill.
Ana Roxane - Nocturne
This whole release by Ana Roxanne is amaaaazinggggg (thanks to my friend Moonbow for the recommendation <3) ‘Nocturne’ is my fav track, for it’s vulnerability, depth and subtlety. I find it transcendent and ethereal.
**~sneaky bonus from 2018 (but which I only found this year)~**
Getting Warmer with Jen Monroe - 24th January 2018
This Ana Roxanne track inspired me to share my fav NTS show by Jen Monroe. It’s a special on early choral music & gregorian chant. I love to listen to it in the bath, and when making pancakes.
Moonbow's 'Piano Drone' Mix
Also speaking of my friend Moonbow, I would be remiss not to include this gorgeous piano focussed mix they made for If-Only. Melting soft piano music with wistful drone, they have a knack for mixing ambient music in a seamless, emotional way.
REZ - True North
Something about this track captures the pain of modern life, or how-I-feel-on-London-trains-at-rush-hour, when you just glaze over, zoom out, and slip through daily life like a ghost. I hold on to music like this in those moments.
Philipp Otterbach - The Weak Song
I’ll close this little list with this magical track which was introduced to me when I was in the (now lost, RIP) Intergalactic FM bunker in the Hague with Nazira who had just played on Onderwereld on IFM, and Lounes (from traumgarten) popped this record on as we were hanging out there. We all listened to its sad and haunting beauty.
(✿◡‿◡)
DINA (Molten Moods, n10.as)
DINA’s 2019 Highlights
Releasing my debut EP Sea Trial on Molten Moods
Continuing to throw Nachtcrew with my sister Nadia
Very grateful for all of the incredible artists we’ve booked and the most fun crowd that shows up every time
Falling asleep on the train ride home after Nachtcrew and waking up in a remote town in Southern Germany
Crailsheim is lovely
Closing The Villa in Oslo, Norway
Met Skee Mask (one of my favourite producers, he played there the night before)
Made so many friends
The energy was so so special that night, I didn’t want to stop playing
Playing Boiler Room twice
Cairo and Abu Dhabi
Spending a lot of time with my niece and nephew
Going to Nachtdigital with my friends
Techno Safari
Getting featured in DJ Mag
Finding my favourite Vietnamese restaurant in Berlin
Thanks to Jürgen for joining my quest
My friends lifting me to crowd surf at a gig of mine
Nadia, Angelo, Leif <3
BFTT (Mutualism / Gobstopper / Whities)
Top 10 Club Moments 2019 (in no order)
AYA stage diving @ Unsound, The Kitchen, Krakow
Nuff said tbh… words escape me — She Flew :’) AYA won Unsound 2019 (and let’s be honest all of 2019) and it was All Very Emotional.
akash, King Of Blends @ Season, Wharf Chambers, Leeds
DJ Dread. D - Invade into Bloc Party - Banquet... to this day remains the hypest moment of the year, listen carefully and you can hear the reaction below. Extra special shout outs to Anz for carrying on the extremely high levels after akash + Season for continuing to put on The Best parties this year <3
‘Martin’ rising from the dead for Hesska b2b Clemency @ P13, The White Hotel, Salford
A friend who will remain anonymous (let’s just call him Martin for now shall we?) spent most of Hesska b2b Clemency flat out just behind the decks whilst they unleashed chaos — only to rise from behind a screen for the final track which was some 180 BPM gabber, fist in the air… just before Daniel Avery took over (looking quite terrified) What a moment… [Extra special s/o 2 Giant Swan, Dis Fig and Ossia who were all utterly incredible that night]
Junior XL + Bianca Scout @ TT 5th Bday, The Four Quarters, Peckham
I genuinely do not know what Junior XL did with the CDJs that night, at one point screaming with a friend “BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER CDJ” + Bianca Scout giving it all on the vocals in between power cuts was an absolute moment. Everyone else killed it that night and I got to go b2b with the one and only object blue — so all in all pretty special! Long Live TT <3
DREAMCRUSHER @ Unsound, Manggha, Krakow
This whole set was an absolute moment from start to finish to be honest, hard to pick out any single point as it was pure ecstatic fun from start to finish — highlight of the festival and the whole year!
‘Pull up ur live set m8’ - Mun Sing @ Mutualism, Aatma, Manchester
Crowd calling out for a wheel on Mun Sing’s live set: which we decided would involve throwing all the gear off the table and re-setting it all back up — one of the best live sets I saw all year hands down.
Hesska playing That Hyde Trakk to close @ Mutualism, Partisan, Manchester
I could quite honestly write a whole essay about this track — but some other time perhaps… I’ve seen That Hyde Trakk close out many a night this year, but none can compare to the levels of Hesska closing out Mutualism w/ Ariel Zetina, lights on, full family inside Partisan > Lucky for you we recorded it all too.
LITERALLY EVERY TIME I HEARD HMURD - SHEPARD’S DELIGHT
Could not even guess how many times I heard this in the dance in 2019, everytime was as wonderful as the last. Take a bow hmurd. If I’m picking out one ‘moment’ it would be Rian Treanor playing it in Leeds at the NTS Yorkshire Sculpture festival at ~180bpm.
Hesska b2b Clemency @ Kiss Me Again, Soup Kitchen, Manchester
I think this was the best night i went to all year — Kiss Me Again put on a right good do init! What can I say… I think 2019 kinda belongs to this pair — in January Mutualism hosted their first b2b and the rest is history. If I had to pick out a ‘moment’ it would be Aya jumping on me during Pangaea — Hex and me hitting my head really hard on the stage but then rolling around for a while — beautiful stuff.
15 Minutes of Finn b2b Anz b2b India Jordan @ Soup Kitchen, Manchester
Had to double check myself that this actually happened… thought this b3b lasted an hour, only found out a week later from India it was just 15 minutes. Very Very Hype and a lot of ground covered in a short time! Don’t miss Finndiajordanz @ Soup Kitchen on NYE!!! [v special mentions to object blue and Perko who were equally stunning that night]
Pic via NTS
Crystal Gause (TMA)
Fave releases from the D in 2019
1. Soften by Kesswa: Detroit’s Afro-Surrealist siren blends haunting vocals over d’n’b percussion to sculpt a score for healing and meditation.
2. Stand On Your Square by Julion De’angelo: Southern bred, Detroit based producer/dj Julion Deangelo stakes his claim with Stand On Your Square. In your face rhythmic vibrations that push the mind.
3. Ten Toes Down by Waajeed: Sweet beats from the Slum Village collaborator. Nestled in between full length From The Dirt and the recent Hocus EP, TTD brings classic dance tracks alive with the vocals of Wu-Tang member Blue Raspberry.
4. Huey Mnemonic EP by Huey Mnemonic: Vanity Press highlights Flint based producer Huey Mnemonic with this 4 track electro infused release. Club ready
5. Pussy Magnet by Sheefy Mcfly and Milfie: Renaissance man Sheefy Mcfly collabs with the ghetto tech princess of Detroit to produce a provocative jacking release.
6. Loitering In Public Spaces by Bale Defoe: Smooth house grooves from Detroit bred Bale Defoe. Warm + familiar.
7. Orbital by J Shaw: A loosie from Jit king and electro devotee J Shaw.
8. Workshop 26 by Whodat/Viola Klein: Those who know, know. Whodat dazzles on this release with Viola Klein, blending Detroit sensibilities with a delicate introspection.
9. Remixes and Tings by Tall Black Guy: TBG is a seasoned vet of the underground with collaborations spanning the globe. An unhyped release full of beats with a capital B.
Tony Poland (Boiler Room / 4:3)
TBQH 2019 has been a weird year for me and music. I stopped writing about it almost entirely, didn’t really go to any clubs or gigs outside of my job, lost interest in staying on top of online mixes/music podcasts, and didn’t engage with a lot of the music everyone in my bubble was listening to (I’ll get round to the Barker LP one day, I promise Aidan).
Looking back I sort of fell down an introspective rabbit hole focused on my own radio show. Very selfish of me. However there was still loads of music in 2019 I fcking adored, so here is some of that. I’ll try and be better in 2020.
Artists you should have consumed everything by in 2019
ELLLL, AceMo, MoMa Ready — everything these artists did in 2019 was immense, EPs, edits, remixes, DJ mixes, radio shows.
Album I listened to loads at the end of 2018 that I also listened to loads throughout 2019
Ossia - Devil’s Dance (Blackest Ever Black) — RIP BEB. Thanks for putting this album out as one of the last bits of business for the label. Love live Low Company.
How come nobody wrote about this record in 2019?*
Ondo Fudd - Eyes Glide Through The Oxide (The Trilogy Tapes) — It was weird that there were no reviews of this sizeable chunk of Ondo Fudd greatness for The Willogy Tapes no??? So much duff music gets a few throwaway paragraphs and no word love for this. I bloody loved it! Loads of different shades of Fudd, the usual esotericisms from Joe by way of announcement, sick TTT artwork, a double pack. It ticked all the boxes. Definitely played cuts from all sides on my radio show for months after purchasing it.
*Ed.- I didn't write about it but I bought it twice (digi from Bmkt, 12" from HoJo's)
The most perfect 7” released in 2019.
Roger Robinson - Stay (No Corner) — Wow. Was not really ready for how much this one gripped my attention. Tender lyrics and singing from Roger over some delightful production from Jabu’s Amos b/w a delicious Ossia dub. It’s really fun to play with these two tracks on a mixer with fun effects. Special shout out to No Corner for the E B U album too! That was superb too.
Favourite label of 2019
Andrew Lyster’s YOUTH — I already tweeted this a few weeks back so I’d look dumb if I put anything else. Big Lyster from the meandyou lot has quietly assembling a killer array of compromised electronics from names familiar and unknown on YOUTH since 2017. This year he’s put out albums (on CD no less, bandcamp too before you format jerks scoff) from Georgia, Hoshina Anniversary and L.Lund as well as the killer SPORTS compilation. Go seek it out mate.
Group I wanna hear more from in 2020
5AM — Powder, 5ive & Andry’s sad pop group delivered a killer closing cut to the Future Times FIGS compilation. Must have played it 396 times since and I really wanna hear more from them. Album please!
Favourite music video of 2019
Nodey: 'G.H.O.S.T.' (dir: Tianzhuo Chen) — I spent this year programming music videos for Boiler Room’s vertical, 4:3, and I’ve been blown away by the levels of creativity film-makers are putting into this medium. Tianzhuo Chen’s mental and 100% NSFW video for Nodey really stuck in my mind.
Best online radio show thing
Gigsta B’s FICTIONS — there are far too many online radio shows for any sane person to handle/listen to. One that really stands out for me is Gigsta’s show for Cashmere Radio. It’s a joy to see how she uses a concept to weave all these different strands of music together and really puts my own attempts to do a radio show to shame. The interview Gigsta did with TRUANTS this year was really very inspiring too — read it!