I finally bought the Kevin Drumm subscription so whenever I check the recent purchases in my Bandcamp I have to wade through all 131 of his previous releases... Big complaint.
Uli Federwisch - Hurricane of Passion (theme from Psy-Chopper Team 12)
The label described this as "a 15 minute, 180 BPM (but it fluctuates) EDM TV show theme", so honestly I didn't even want to listen at first. They're usually a home for good stuff though, so I'm glad I gave it a go. It's weirder and glossier than that, taking the kind of intricacies of an Objekt or a Minor Science, yet it's brimming with both overblown seriousness and absolute piss-takey charm.
Terri Lee - Harvest Jams in a Sweetless Time
Four gentle jams from Terri Lee.
Yuni Wa - The Era Of Wa (2013 - 2014 Unreleased Compilation Tape)
A selection of short unreleased tracks, all sample based, these run from house loops to colourful hip-hop jaunts.
A selection from JamesBangura
This takes me back. Remember when people used to use SoundCloud to share stuff they'd just made? That's what James Bangura is doing, it seems. New cuts, fresh and ready for you to hear. That's not to say they're rough and ready, these are seriously accomplished jams from James.
Bored Lord - in case we never get to rave again
There are a huge number of releases entitled "quarantine mode" or "lockdown jams" or "isolation chamber" but this one is doing something interesting. Bored Lord has taken a bunch of tracks that get stuck in her head - from Kylie and Icona Pop to Thugger and Nirvana. A personal highlight is the UKG-flavoured take on YNW Melly's Murder On My Mind - not a cheery track but an almost uplifting remix. It comes as a 46-minute mix and broken up into tracks. What a concept.
Deskplayer - Myself Party
The first track here, 'Crystal Dance', is a slow rumbler that doesn't really sound like anything else. Slightly chuggy, with weird electronics gurgling like factory machinery, it's driven by an almost-melody that could be the sound of someone blowing in bottles. Think Lisa Simpson blowing into a jug when her saxophone is stolen. Ostensible "b-side" 'Tough Dance' is less interesting. Workmanlike, it's a steady slightly trancey house track. Fine, but nothing special. But 'Crystal Dance' is a true gem.
Declan Synnott - Old Lavender
Good man Declan. These strange, intriguing electronic tracks make up a rather interesting and intriguing piece of work. As usual it's great on its own terms. AND. It's raising money for MASI, the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland, a body seeking freedom and justice for asylum seekers. In this current moment, the conditions in Direct Provision in Ireland, as well as in spaces such as hotels, are highly conducive to virus spread. This is simply unacceptable. I'm not best placed to speak on such issues so read more here. Enjoy the music. Give if you can.
VA - Athens UHD (Trial & Error)
Some absolutely riotous techno coming out of Athens. I don't even recognise any names here bar maybe three, so this is a nice introduction. Aroent's 'T Capsule' is super. NatCase's 'AI Mass Panic' is fittingly terrifying. Label boss bonebrokk's 'Nessus Chant' is just banging. But it's all good! Get into it.
isabella & felisha - chain mail vol 1
As I often do with releases like this, I was skipping through the 17-minute tracks here and stopped at a random point, only to hear the sound of a tinny trumpet playing the Largo from Dvořák's Symphony No. 9. Quite unexpected. The two tracks are a true collage of sounds culled from everyday life, old records, clanking noise and of course strange and ominous synth work. Masterful work.
Amanda Feery - errāta EP
This is a gorgeous release from Amanda Feery. She calls them diary pieces that were never intended for release, yet she has shared them with us to contribute to the Civic Theatre Artist Emergency Relief Fund, raising money for small Irish artists out of work. These piano, harp and accordion pieces show Feery at her most intimate and relaxed, while short vocal piece 'Interstices' features the words of a Latin exorcism. Nice.
Chynna - Shangri-la
RIP Chynna.