I miss clubs, and writing about these three releases has been tricky. When lockdown began I started making a mental list of music I was waiting to hear in a dark room with a heavy sound-system. As that list grows weekly, almost daily, the feeling of suspense and anguish grows with it. This month I have been listening to Fraise’s new digital compilation, the new Anz record on Hessle Audio and an incredible Phonica find; Alien Talk EP by Acid State and Duality. It is tricky needing to constantly remind myself, but every day that passes without a club and festival in my daily routine, will make the day that those things finally return even more special.
Fraise Presents – Mixed Fruits
After speaking with Max and Will Owen at the beginning of lockdown, I was left with a quiet sense of confidence about their label and brand. Last Friday Fraise records released a digital compilation comprised of tracks by some of the labels most exciting affiliates, and it has provided me with some serious festival blues.
Opener “Hot Nine” by Matt Wills is an easy opener, a gentle breakbeat bounce flows into an assertive acidic flavour.
Fraise’s latest release was brilliant, a mesmerising deep house collection by Frankel and Harper. Tom Frankel’s “Drop Top” is my personal favourite flavour in this moorish collection of house and garage productions. Accompanied by a thumping kick, there is a beautiful chime throughout, Frankel has mastered how he is able to inject emotion into a genre often gentrified and samey.
Tesselate creators and curators; The Trip, have formed a close relationship with the Fraise duo and have made some waves in the world of parties in the past 18 months, but more recently productions. “In the Shade” is a wonderfully spooky track and one of the duos best productions to date.
Max and Will’s production and DJ alias is Duowe, and having spoken to them previously about their productions I was eager to listen to their first release. When we spoke, they mentioned influences such as Mike Millrain and Jeremy Sylvester, and in this production those influences are clear to hear. “Sound Community” would fit perfectly into one of those legends DJ sets, it is a track which sounds produced by an artist who is thirty years into the game, not a duo barely a year into the industry.
The compilation features some productions from across the world, DJ Cream hailing from Bologna, and Just Will from across the pond in Minnesota. “Doing The Rounds” robotic melody sounds a little out of place alongside a school bell and a vocal surely out of a classic beat em up video game, but it works. This track is exciting and energetic and makes me want to whip out my old playstation 2 and play some Tekken 5.
Last but not least, Northern Division’s production “Yorkshire” is the compilations most directly garage inspired track. I do not know much about Northern Division but with some fast and fierce speed garage I will definitely be on the look out for them in the future.
Fraise up to this point have focused on physical only releases and this compilation digital accessibility will entice many, almost as much as the beautiful array of music does as well.
https://fraiserecords.bandcamp.com/album/fraise-presents-mixed-fruits-various-artists
Anz – Loos In Twos (NRG) – Hessle Audio
I think like many, the second I saw and heard Anz had music to be released on Hessle Audio I paused and tried to imagine what it was going to sound like. The Manchester based artist has been the standout producer on both the Physically Sick 3 and the In Order To Care compilations, and her own digital compilations have been equally impressive, but she has only released one physical record in her career thus far.
Every production of hers has been as different and diverse as her infamous DJ sets, my imagination was running wild upon hearing she had music coming out on Hessle Audio.
Loos In Twos (NRG) is an ode to everything Anz represents as an artist, modern dance music has no boundaries or genres, and this record is an exceptional example of that. Title track has a prudent percussive focus, before its rave inspired breakdown and build up. Greater than the sum of its parts, this tracks concluding acidic melody left me bewildered and blinded by the simplistic complexity of Anz’s productions.
“Gary Mission” opening touches on techno, rolling and rilling the listener into a frenzy, before a broken and bouncy electro thump slides into the scene. Once again a great representation of simplicity being queen, this track doesn’t feel particularly complex in terms of its composition, and yet it has the power to reach and evoke many complex emotions within the listener.
Final track “Steppers” double vocal is what shines most in my ears. The blend of the male and female ‘go’ with a dubbed and deep drum conclude Anna-Marie Odubote’s confident debut on Hessle Audio.
Hessle Audio’s reputation is second to none, and their confidence in the now established, not upcoming, Anz has paid dividends. Hessle Audio’s releases are as unpredictable as they are excellent and these are two of Anz’s most prolific traits.
Acid State, Duality – Alien Talk EP – SEQUALOG
My first trip back to Phonica since lockdown was genuinely glorious, I was only able to spare twenty minutes back in my favourite record shop, but after a flustered and stressful series of listening off the wall I emerged with a number of records I couldn’t afford to buy and grabbed anyway. For anyone interested in music, dance and beyond, I would recommend visiting Phonica. Some of my favourite records and most exciting discoveries have emerged from their wall and staff’s infinite wisdom. Whenever I lack any musical inspiration to dig or download, I try and visit London’s best record shop.
Whilst I stood listening to record after record, I was handed ‘Alien Talk EP’. Recorded in Barcelona, but based in France, this E.P is the latest by label Sequalog. Normally I would ramble here about the labels big past or exciting future, but I knew and know nothing about this label.
Listening to any kind of music without any pre-conceptions is quite a beautiful thing, simply listening and enjoying a record feels so rare and unique during a time when so often I use my Spotify or YouTube account to soundtrack my day.
First track “Alien Talk” is acidic, downtempo focused and lovely. Short and sweet and an excellent opening. “Dance of Junction” is the second track and is what made me buy the record. It opens as a bumping tech house track, the thud of a familiar loop accosted by an alien and awesome melody. At around the three minute mark, the 4×4 disappears and the mean melody remains, before a return to form and fun soon after.
“Voodoo” concludes the first side, with a muffled and filtered intro, where an acid-line beautifully blossoms throughout. Never at the forefront of the track but also a significant and sure element, I love acid. This track an excellent example, it is an element best used when it is the most crucial part of a melody, and yet never overpowers and takes over from the other foundations of the beat.
The second side is where the e.p. takes it’s steps outside our atmosphere, “Bass Odyssey” sounds so 90s, every element rough and raw, almost with a lofi feel, this track blends acid and electro to provide an otherworldly anthem fit for aliens on acid.
https://www.discogs.com/Acid-State-Duality-Alien-Talk-Ep/release/14694510