Bandcloud 286

Have you ever seen Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance? One of the only plots to my knowledge that hinges upon the existence of the 29th of February. That is tomorrow.

Jump Source - JS02
This is the second release from Patrick Holland's Jump Source project. It's very unexpected, at least for me. JS01 passed me by so I didn't know what might be in store but this is some wonderfully dubby stuff. Fast, fizzy techno, tonnes of reverb, dare I say druggy vibes? I dare. Shouts to JM again! 

Bake with Taylor Trostle - 24 February 2020
Bake invited the wonderful Taylor Trostle to contribute a mix to his monthly Rinse show. Dedicated to her mother, who passed away a year ago, it's a gorgeous mix that flows so brilliantly. Housey and chunky, vibey, colourful and emotional. And Bake's selections are ace as ever. Two hours well spent. 

Scratcha DVA - Natty / Ganja
This release is 10 years old and Scratcha's put it up for free for a week. Sick beats.

Elijah - Augmented
I don't have enough words for this release! Contagion Discs (perhaps an unfortunate name given the current climate) is a new venture from Gabe Meier of Astral Plane fame. As he says, Contagion is not "an Astral Plane imprint or sub label, but sits alongside it in harmony (in my mind at least)". This debut release comes from Kansas City's Elijah, who has managed to create a modern take on 90s trance, and by that I mean the gnarly acid type stuff, not the Gatecrasher side (personally I love both, but I know that's not true for everyone). There are some really incredible numbers here, switching up tempos, delving into different sounds, but the winner for me is the closing track, 'Eli's Exodus'. Like a slower, beatless version of Ariane's 'Eternity'.

VA - Never a Land Without People vol. II
A few years ago Jaclyn Kendall gathered a group of artists to put together a compilation to raise money for Adalah, a Palestinian-run non-profit organisation dedicated to defending the human and legal rights of Arab minorities in Israel. This is the second volume in a series. I honestly haven't had time to get through it all but it features tracks from Hiro Kone, Jaclyn Kendall herself, Bookworms, Ilana Bryne and DINA so the quality is hardly in doubt. Win win.

Hence Therefore - Signal Drift
These are some wickedly good tracks from Hence Therefore. Hard to believe I first came across him working in an ambient mode, but there we are. These are clubby and percussive yet incredibly abstract and weird. Apparently it's built from a brief eight seconds' worth of samples from London pirate radio. Incredible artistry. 

Gordo - Blue Velvet EP
From 90s trance to 90s house. This one revisits the sound of Latin house with visions of New York nightlife. Think labels like Strictly Rhythm, Twisted and Tribal, Junior Vasquez, Danny Tenaglia, Masters At Work, you know the drill. Congas and kick drums. 'Tu Calor'!

Dj Science-The Noisferatu - Malfunctioning
The Noisferatu! What a name. Spacey nightmare electro. 

ose | ओस - हम होंगे कामयाब // We Shall Overcome (Delhi Protest 2020 Fundraiser)
The situation in Delhi is far too complex for me to boil down here, yet the violence and death toll is plain to see. This track was composed and released by ose to aid victims of these clashes. It's her take on the Hindi version of 'We Shall Overcome', the famous protest song. There's also an instrumental version included.

JWords - SÍN SEÑAL
This is the debut release of JWords, an afro-latinx producer, composer who also teaches production with Ableton in after-school programmes. This release spans tempos and styles, from dreamy house to higher-tempo numbers, with forays into raucous rhythms and powerful vocals. A thrilling release from an exciting artist. 

Nikki Nair - Number One Slugger
Nikki Nair has such a sound you know? I don't usually check out the stuff on Banoffee Pies but I made an exception cause I love Nikki so much. I wasn't disappointed. Perfectly designed sound worlds, beautifully rendered percussion and lots of space in the mix. Until things get super crunchy towards the end.

{arsonist} - Reality Structure
Finally this week, another debut, this one from Pittsburgh's {arsonist}. This album could conceivably fit into the whole world of conceptronica (I'm sorry), with similar elements to the likes of OPN and Holly Herndon, but it's definitely the artist's own sound. Part computer meets classical, part noisy smash, it combines these elements with grace and nuance. The artwork looks like the protomolecule from The Expanse coming to life.