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Record of the Week
Fat Freddy’s Drop hit the ground running with new studio album SLO MO, a bass-heavy blast of redemption and resolution. Renowned worldwide for euphoric live shows, the Aotearoa band stepped inside their BAYS studio in Wellington, sunup to sundown, to craft a sixth studio album.
Freddy’s beatmaker, Fitchie describes the heady mix as “Afro rhythmic soul music, an exploration of Black music from Polynesia”.
The nine track full length album drops first on double vinyl in October, opening the door for SLO MO to be experienced as a body of work curated as Freddys intended, on a format the band has always championed.
“SLO MO is the strongest studio representation yet of a Freddy’s live show” says saxophonist Chopper Reeds. “It captures the undefinable Freddy’s sound. Usually we take the stage to the studio and this time, we're excited about taking our studio creation on to the stage”.
SLO MO kicks off with Avengers, a tune originally captured on LOCK-IN live album, now reworked and extended. Title track Slo Mo is a funky jam with Aotearoa singer Louis Baker on the soul outro. Next Stop is a soul soaked salve that lifts you up, featuring Freddy’s toastmaster MC Slave with a fresh verse, Stand Straight keeps the light shining, Oldemos is a cinematic desert ride, Out To Sea raises the tempo with a drifting electro beat, Roland instrumental celebrates horns and distorted electronic rhythms, Getting Late gives a serious bass heavy slap while I Don’t Want To See You slips into heavy synth vibes and dub echoes.
Chopper Reeds continues, “Towards the latter part of the record, Joe Dukie’s vocal presence becomes quite spectral allowing listeners to inject themselves into the music”. The evocative cover art is by Dan Tippett, Aotearoa New Zealand Artist, who describes the image as ‘an ancient ngahere forest in a Jurassic Aotearoa dreamtime.’
In celebration of SLO MO, Fat Freddy’s Drop is hosting and encouraging drop-the-needle vinyl events across the world. The legends then hit the stage with the new album music live for the first time, returning to Europe and UK in November-December for a headline tour off the back of an epic summer roady. For Australasian fans, Aotearoa and Australia tours will be announced soon.
Hailing from Wellington, Aotearoa, Fat Freddy’s Drop is an eight-piece juggernaut that’s navigated its way from the incubator of dub and reggae through a colour-saturated field of soul psychedelia before swerving onto a desolate Detroit superhighway at night. Resolutely independent since establishing in 1999, the band’s successful album releases include Based On A True Story, Dr Boondigga & The Big BW, Blackbird and Special Edition. Sell out shows and festival headliners are testament to the band’s potent mixture of jazz virtuosity and diaphragm-wrecking digital sonics.​
On September 9th, Cercle Records is releasing COSMOS, the fourth instalment in their annual vinyl compilation series. The exclusive eight track compilation is in conjunction with their highly acclaimed and sold out festival that took place in May (Notion Magazine review here). The latest edition of the comp features music from Indira Paganotto, Ann Clue, Bantwanas, Romain Garcia, Brina Knauss, Vitalic and Notre Dame. Their compilation series aims to represent the dynamic range of electronic music and provide a platform for new talents.
In celebration of the comp, each single (excluding those from the live streamed performances) will be accompanied by a compelling video series titled MATTER. This innovative concept delves into the profound relationship between music and the physical world, with all videos inspired by the theme of the 2024 festival, air and space. The videos will be released on the Cercle Records YouTube channel, providing an audiovisual experience for fans. The MATTER series is directed by the talented Josef Gatti and produced by Cercle’s Head of Video, Mathieu Glissant. Each video promises to enhance the listener's connection to the music, bringing a new dimension to the festival’s artistic expression.
Kickstarting the comp is Romain Garcia. Born in Paris with Spanish roots, he has always infused his music with diverse cultural influences. In 2020, Cercle Records released Cappadocia, a collaboration with Ben Böhmer which garnered over 22 million streams. The artist kickstarts the compilation with Kako, a captivating blend of melodic house with driving percussion and a mesmerising vocal, ideal for closing a set.
Up next is the African collective Bantwanas with Mama, a deeply emotive, organic afro house cut, positioning them at the forefront of artists who are redefining African house music. The collective's sound is a danceable and soulful blend that captures South African musical heritage while innovating in the electronic music genre. They frequently collaborate with various artists, enriching their music with diverse influences. Known for energetic and immersive live shows, they incorporate live instruments and vocal performances with electronic elements, creating a sensory experience for audiences. They have released music on notable labels such as All Day I Dream, Get Physical Music, and Anjunadeep.
Notre Dame is a Parisian electronic music artist, musician, and producer who has been influenced by French electronic legends like Daft Punk and Justice. His emotionally driven music has caught the attention of influential DJs and led to international recognition. The artist has performed worldwide and released music on prestigious labels such as Innervisions, Cercle, and Human by Default. His featured single Kids Never Stop Dancing, is an indie-dance piece with an upbeat, groovy melody and positive energy, embodying his message of warmth and freedom.
Brina Knauss, a Slovenian DJ, is celebrated for her perfectionist approach and exceptional DJ skills, creating a strong connection with her audience through her music. She has performed on prestigious stages worldwide and shared the stage with renowned artists like Carl Cox, Solomun, Dubfire, and Black Coffee. Her track Drowning is an indie melodic house piece characterised by a fast melody, heavy kick, and varying rhythms, blending indie and house notes with touches of techno, evoking a summery, solar atmosphere.
Vitalic is a pioneering French electronic music producer and composer, renowned for his influential debut LP OK Cowboy, which achieved gold status. In 2021, he announced a tour for his fifth album "DISSIDÆNCE" while celebrating his 20-year career. Vitalic was also nominated for the Best Motion Picture Soundtrack at the 49th César Awards. He has collaborated with artists like Kiddy Smile, I Hate Models, and Miss Kittin, and remixed works by Björk, Daft Punk, and Mylène Farmer. His track You Are Not Alone, featuring Vimala, showcases a techno-influenced sound with melodic, dark disco, electro, and techno elements, culminating in a signature massive drop and an organic, instrumental melody.
Ann Clue, a passionate German DJ and producer, has rapidly made a name for herself in the electronic music scene. Known for her high energy and deep, hard-hitting tracks, she has quickly ascended to performing at major festivals like Awakenings, Ultra Miami, EDC Las Vegas, Time Warp, Sonus, and OFF Sonar. Her single Ethereal exemplifies her powerful and energetic style, featuring cosmic themes, heavy kicks, and futuristic vocals, taking listeners on a dynamic sonic journey.
If Only I Knew is a high-energy track that conveys nothing but positivity, and is a masterclass in Denis Sulta's signature style, combining infectious melodies, pulsating rhythms, and an uplifting energy that transcends the dance floor. Born Hector Barbour in Glasgow, Scotland, Sulta is a renowned DJ and electronic music producer celebrated for his vibrant and eclectic sound. He burst onto the scene with the 2015 hit It's Only Real, which quickly established him as a key player in the house and techno genres. He has released tracks on prestigious labels such as Ninja Tune, Dixon Avenue Basement Jams, Numbers and his own imprint, Sulta Selects. Alongside his musical output, Denis has played at Berlin's Panorama Bar, Ibiza's Pikes as well as showcasing his 'Sulta Selects' takeovers at Tomorrowland, ADE and Printworks.
Concluding the comp is Indira Paganotto, one of Spain's most iconic artists who is famed for her diverse and rhythmic sets combining 90's and contemporary underground techno. Indira's energetic eclecticism and constant smile have become her trademarks. She has performed at major festivals and clubs worldwide, including Awakenings, Tomorrowland, Circoloco, and EDC Las Vegas. Collaborations with renowned artists like Charlotte de Witte and Nina Kraviz have further elevated her status. Blackbird SR-71 is a powerful cut featuring oriental throat singing and a trance rhythm in true Indira style.
The release follows the launch of her feature length film “Blue Carbon” — which Jayda hosts, featuring additional music from RZA (Wu-Tang Clan) and Brazilian icon Seu Jorge — and accompanying single “If We Knew”.
“Lose yourself tonight” sings Jayda G during the final breakdown of new single, “Feeling Alive”. It’s as much an uplifting affirmation as it is an instruction to the listener, who should have no problem obliging to the emotive stabs and a driving rhythm that shortly kick back in to close out the track in triumphant, hands-in-the-air fashion.
On “Feeling Alive”, Jayda — the Grammy-nominated Music Producer, DJ and Environmental Toxicologist — draws on the more upbeat elements of her most recent full-length ‘Guy’ which, despite its heavy and personal themes at times, is ultimately filled with hope and joy.
“'Guy' was really me exploring and, you know, pushing my sound to the next level,” she explains. “‘Feeling Alive’ is me kind of taking that into a real pure dance music form. Knowing that my album was largely about loss and grief and death, this is me focussing on the joyful celebratory part of my life, because I know I have a lot of things to be happy for!”
“Feeling Alive” came to life during a recording session with Sam Knowles AKA Karma Kid and Baz Kaye — who co-produced the track — as Jayda recalls: “We were just sitting in the studio working together, and I was very conscious of just wanting to focus on how good life can be, and how I really want my music to emulate that this time around. We talked a lot about different times in our lives when we were feeling really good and positive about life, and I started telling them this story from when I was living in LA, and I was driving down Sunset Boulevard late at night, seeing all the lights and everything going on, and how I just felt just really alive at that time. That’s how we hit on that tagline of “feeling alive” which helped form the sentiment of the whole track.”
The result is an undeniable summer banger, one that’s already been firmly road-tested across Jayda’s busy DJ schedule — which she maintains even while heavily pregnant — including a roadblock set at this year’s Glastonbury festival, Tomorrowlands and a debut set at Pacha in Ibiza.
The single also follows the recent UK and US launch of her feature length film “Blue Carbon”, which Jayda presents, and which also features additional music from RZA (Wu-Tang Clan) and Brazilian icon Seu Jorge; and accompanying single “If We Only Knew”, which drew on field recordings taken throughout the filming process.
Directed by Emmy/BAFTA-winning filmmaker Nicolas Brown (The Serengeti Rules) and produced by multi award-winning studios MAKE Waves and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, the feature-length “Blue Carbon” documentary is an environmentally-focused musical journey. One that follows Jayda on a quest to understand how Blue Carbon — the term given to three key coastal ecosystems that fringe every continent: seagrass meadows, mangroves and tidal marshes — can help to mitigate the effects of climate change, and how we can protect these fragile ecosystems from further destruction.
Additionally, Jayda has recently launched her new podcast series “Here’s Hoping”, which aims to be a platform for scientists, environmentalist activists, authors, musicians, psychologists, artists and Jayda herself, to discuss why they still feel hope, and the tools we can use to foster and maintain hope, for ourselves, our community and our planet. Guests have so far included the likes of Elijah, Alluna, Stephanie Yeboah, Alice Aedy and Leah Green, with The Guardian recently including the podcast in their ‘Best of the Week” roundup, describing Jayda as ”a proper force of greatness.”
“Feeling Alive” is out now on Ninja Tune, alongside an official video edited by director Greg Barnes.
Any Anxious Colour is the new album by The Mark Cherrie Quartet. Written and arranged by the steel pan aficionado during the dreaded lockdown period of 2020, this new recording marks a change of approach from the quartet’s previous album ‘Joining in The Dots’, as Mark explains: “Seeing as the band hadn’t released an album since 2018, I thought it high time that we had some new tunes to play (and ultimately record), so I set quill to paper. Joining The Dots was more weighted towards covers of both pop and jazz classics and I had thought that the new album would take the same shape, but with my imagination being given free rein, I found that these tunes virtually wrote themselves and there was little room for covers.”
The result of this is a deep dive in to the psyche of a creative mind, projecting a set of unique songs that are as varied as they are exciting. Mark was keen to explore some other musical idioms too, including a nod to calypso music, his favourite period being from the 50’s to the late ‘60s. Mark observes that “Ole Mas came out fully formed in no more than five minutes. Sometimes composition to me feels more tuning the dial of some cosmic radio.” The process was further enhanced by Mark Cherrie’s experience on BBC One’s hit TV programme ‘The Repair Shop’, who brought one of his old tenor pans back to life, which he then used during the recording of his new work. Mark comments: “My dad had two tenor pans made by Lincoln Noel, considered by many to be one of the great Trinidadian pan tuners. Despite being twin pans, one of them was vastly superior to the other and so I gigged with the better one in my dad’s band for quite a few years. The poor brother pan was left languishing in a sorry state, never having been gigged. It was this pan that received the Repair Shop treatment and it miraculously sprang back to life, almost as if it had spent decades in a kind of coma.” He goes on to say that: “The steel pan of course has no particular history in jazz music itself, unlike many other instruments. Whilst some might regard this as a hindrance, I always felt that this was in fact liberating, since as a writer & player, I didn’t feel particularly married to any period of jazz’s rich history. It enabled me to dance around any era of jazz’s evolution.”
Joining Mark Cherrie on Any Anxious Colour are John Donaldson on piano, Tom Mason on acoustic bass and Eric Ford on drums, with special guest vocals from Chantelle Duncan, percussion from Fergus Gerrand and tenor sax from Dave O’Higgins. “When I write, I always have the musicians in the band in mind, with the knowledge that they will always bring their own musicality to the project.” Says Mark “I have always thought that with improvised music, it is essential to pick musicians carefully and to allow them to express themselves freely. The musicians in this quartet are not only technically excellent but have a keen awareness of what their bandmates are playing in the moment and react to it. And speaking of musicians, sadly Mick Hutton was unable to participate but Eric recommended Tom Mason, who turned out to be superlative. A top chap all round.”
Discussing each player, Mark says that “John brings his imaginative approach to improvising, encompassing a deep understanding of bebop without overplaying and lightness of touch, when necessary. Eric plays like no other drummer I’ve ever worked with. It’s all there for me, swing, knowledge of rhythms, effortless ability to switch time signatures and seemingly endless creativity. And he loves to give me a good kick up my rhythmic arse, ha ha! Tom really is a complete bass player. He has great tone, time and his intonation is spot on. Oh, and he is totally at home improvising too, with ideas on tap and the ability to navigate his way intelligently through changes.”
Talent and sincerity shine through in droves on Any Anxious Colour, clearly a stand out release this year and something with the potential to be viewed as a seminal recording for decades to come.
Tim Reaper & Kloke - Alienation
'Alienation' is the first single from South London's Tim Reaper & Victoria Australia's Kloke album 'In Full Effect' which is released on 20th September.
It's taken us 20 years to release a jungle album and we're very happy to feature two of the best of the new wave of producers of the most important sound of Hyperdub's pre-history.
'Alienation' is a bombardment of bass lines and amen breaks, switching up it's demonic, detailed energy every 8 bars.
Paul White - Peace in Chaos
Multi-instrumentalist and synth wizard Paul White readies his third album for R&S Records, offering up a cinematic journey on ‘Peace In Chaos’ that captures the current mood with its shadowy electronic prowess. Single drop ‘Glory In Stories’ precedes the album release with an esoteric vocal driven song that encapsulates the album’s mood.
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With an unabashed love of 80s synth music and film scores, the South London based producer presents an album of perhaps his most pop leaning tracks yet, following on from 2018’s ‘Rejuvenate’ and 2014’s ‘Shaker Notes’. Across eleven tracks, White delves into a world of esoteric electronic pop, as waves of melodic synths wash over towering drum patterns and majestic bass, with White adding his own enigmatic vocals to many of the productions.
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Having previously written & produced for many artists, including Danny Brown, Sudan Archives and Jessy Lanza, White puts himself centre stage on ‘Peace In Chaos’, writing, performing, producing and recording entirely on his own, flexing his prodigious studio skills and keen ear for a powerful and engaging tune. None more exemplified than on this new album.
Banksia’s new EP 'Clay' for his Ordinary Pleasures imprint thrives on creative impulse and a no-rules approach to production with its two tracks each being written in under 30-minutes. Sampling Radiohead and Indian composer Ravi Shankar, it’s a steer away from the club-orientated label releases which banked support from Mixmag, Inverted Audio, DMY, Rinse FM, Balamii and Beats In Space. The San Francisco-based DJ and producer is eager to show the breadth of his artistry with this ambient-leaning record.
Banksia was inspired by visual artist and composer Christian Marclay, who plays with sound, photography and film. Sampling anything and everything, he pioneered using gramophone records and turntables to create sound collages. Marclay’s anarchic output feels limitless which appeals to Banksia. “No thinking about the BPM or the key of the track - it was important to abandon some standard practices, and be more creative with sourcing sounds and samples.”
On the EP’s A-side, Banksia samples a piano arrangement from a live performance of Thom Yorke’s ‘Bloom’. Pushing through a recent relationship split, he kept coming back to the track, keen to work with it to shift the gloom. Chopping and looping the chords, he’d then lean into his Indian heritage, weaving it across a vocal sample from the globally celebrated Ravi Shankar - founder of the National Orchestra of India and legendary musician who taught The Beatles’ George Harrison how to play the sitar. “I’m proud to bring through my heritage in a bigger way. I also embraced traditional Hindu practices during production - leaning into meditation and prayer where the repetition of Hindu mantras brought me to a state of much-needed peace and calm.”
The B-side is a continuation of excavating the closure of his relationship. He also leans into his years growing up in Kitwe, Zambia, with a vocal sample from the archives of Hugh Tracey, an ethnomusicologist who made over 35,000 recordings of African folk music from the 1920s to 1970s. The vocal evokes a sense of how he felt towards the end - feeling betrayed and as though he were speaking into the void. He’d lift unfinished piano sketches, working them alongside his strings and soft synths, as well as field recordings from orchestras he’d attended, to the sounds of chains, water and the echo of footsteps. “The arrangement of this track is focused on the journey from the initial excitement between us to it coming to an abrupt end.”
In gigs, he’s been busy in San Fran. 2024 highlights include performing at the Museum of Modern Art, curating the listening room for the Art of Noise exhibition alongside Tycho, Fred Again and Beck. He supported Mount Kimbie, and was on warm up sessions for Ewan McVicar, O’Flynn and Yung Singh. He’s set to play across the States later in the year, with dates in San Francisco, New York and Dallas, including Portola Festival as he shares the bill with South Asian artists Raf Saperra, Nooriyah, Bobby Kang and Asad Khan.
Banksia 'Clay' EP is out September 24th on Ordinary Pleasures.
Alan Fitzpatrick - Replicant (EP)
Up next on Eli Brown’s Arcane Records and needing very little introduction is techno maestro Alan Fitzpatrick with his Replicant EP. The two tracker showcases Fitzpatrick's impeccable production, encapsulating the essence of techno, blending dark, driving beats with emotive, melodic elements, resulting in a standout release that will command attention on the dancefloor.
“I’ve had a long friendship with Eli Brown, and he’s released multiple times on my We Are The Brave imprint. It’s been a pleasure to be a small part in his journey to where he is flying now. I felt it would be great to release on his label to complete the circle and when I made ‘Replicant’ I knew this was the right track for Arcane. Alan Fitzpatrick
Title track Replicant is a quintessential techno masterpiece, brimming with the signature elements that have made Fitzpatrick a stalwart in the electronic sphere. On the flip is Limitless, a collaborative affair featuring Just Frank and Kat Chu on vocals. When talking about how the track came to light Fitzpatrick recalls how, “Frank and I have known each other for twenty years and recently reconnected after losing touch. We immediately started working in the studio again together on a bunch of collaborations. ‘Limitless' was the result and I knew straight away it would partner ‘Replicant' perfectly for an EP. We wanted to add a spoken word vocal to it and Kat Chu’s delivery was perfect for this", The powerful fusion of driving techno beats and emotive, human elements elevate the track so that it resonates on a deeper, emotional level, leaving a lasting impression on its listeners.
“The inspiration behind 'Limitless' stems from the sense of freedom I experience on the dancefloor. In those moments, the music transcends all thoughts and negativity, creating a pure connection. When we're in the club, the music empowers us, making us feel like we can be everything and do anything. It's a powerful reminder of our true selves, free from the thoughts that often weigh us down.” Kat Chu
Southampton-born techno legend Alan Fitzpatrick has carved out a unique niche in the underground electronic music scene. Known for his raw, hard-edged sound, he has headlined prestigious venues like Berghain and had hits on daytime BBC Radio 1. As one of the most popular and influential techno DJs globally, Fitzpatrick has collaborated with top artists such as Carl Cox, Adam Beyer, CamelPhat, and Skream. He also runs the innovative label ‘We Are The Brave,’ known for forward-thinking techno. In 2024, Fitzpatrick continues to thrive with new collaborations and releases on major labels like Drumcode and Cocoon, with upcoming performances confirmed at Awakenings Festival, the Pyramid Amnesia Opening Party, Hideout Festival and more.
Just when you thought you had Kasper Bjørke figured out he comes back with another great musical surprise. His new album Puzzles, which will be released April 5th on hfn music, follows two recent collaborative EPs on Live at Robert Johnson and Mule Musiq as well as his second Kasper Bjørke Quartet neoclassical/ambient album Mother on Kompakt.
Puzzles is Kasper’s love letter to the sound of early 2000s New York - merged with his Scandinavian sense of producing songs that goes beyond conventional club music; combining disco tinged instrumentations mixed with elements of 80s funk, jazz and contemporary pop songwriting, creating something familiar yet, something very fresh and innovative at the same time.
The album includes collaborations with a wide range of musicians and vocalists. From California based indie-disco troubadour Woolfy (DFA, Rong, Permanent Vacation etc.) to the Icelandic dream-folk trio Systur aka Sísý Ey (who also featured on Kasper’s 2014 single Apart, where the Michael Mayer remix became a timeless club anthem), as well as other longtime collaborators and artist friends: Toby Ernest, Jacob Bellens, WhoMadeWho’s Tomas Høffding on bass, Posh Isolation affiliate Frederik Valentin on guitar and the young, rising jazz star Oilly Wallace on saxophone and flute. Essentially, the majority of Puzzles is played and recorded live, including the drums by Rasmus Littauer (School of X, MØ). Many of the songs emerged from chord progressions written during studio sessions between Kasper and Toby - which Kasper then produced into a colourful and effective album, rooted in an expressive live feeling far from programmed patterns.
The first single to be released from the album, Conversations features Systur (Sísý Ey) on vocals and immediately grabs you with its slinky groove and gorgeous melody. Reminiscent of a great, lost Fleetwood Mac tune which will feel equally at home in your living room or on any discerning modern dancefloor.
Tears We Haven’t Cried featuring Toby Ernest on vocals, gets under your skin in the best possible way. The subtle groove hooks you in and the emotion and beauty conveyed in the lyrics and melody keep you coming back to it again and again, discovering something more with each listen.
The song So Much, features Woolfy on vocals. Its simple yet seductive synth bassline, upfront and conversational lead vocal, along with gorgeous female backing vocals, makes it a crisp take on a Balearic beat classic.
I Was There is the dance floor weapon of the album. Full of proper post-disco energy propelling the groove, bass, swirling synths, guitars and subtle percussion on top make this track simply irresistible.
Another stand out track is the album’s opener, Corridor of Dreams - a cover version of a song by the revered cult indie project Cleaners From Venus, which sets the perfect tone for the rest of the album ahead. Thoughtful and never overplayed, every part, instrument and vocal (performed by Systur) feels necessary. The album also includes a second cover version, both of them coincidentally released in 1982 by British indie artists: The Psychedelic Furs‘ Love My Way featuring Jacob Bellens on vocals is a catchy reinvention that never strays too far from the infectious hooks of the original.
Puzzles is a new step for Kasper as a producer and artist, showcasing his ability to move and flow freely between genres and expressions, however still deeply rooted in his love and affection for the classic disco groove - which is only natural after more than two decades as an active DJ.
Kasper confided that this was the album he was most proud of and wished he had made 20 years ago but didn’t know how to at the time. Thankfully he honed his craft over the years and certainly figured it out and the result is simply stunning.
Another piece has been added to the musical puzzle of Kasper Bjørke.
After a hiatus of several years, Amatorski are set to release their new album Curves and Bends, Things Veer in March 2024, once again through the Crammed Discs label.
The title of the new album is taken from Timothy Morton's book All Art is Ecological, which explores the complex and nonlinear nature of reality. Unlike Amatorski's previous releases, Curves and Bends, Things Veer focuses less on interpersonal relations, it rather attempts to conduct a modest and subtle search for the relationships between humans and nature, time and phenomena. Other inspirations for the album came from Taoist poetry (translated by Ursula K. Le Guin) and the work of Anna Tsing, Donna Haraway, Karen Barad and others.
The album was written, composed, arranged and produced by Inne Eysermans (vocals, keys, guitar, beats). Additional arrangements were recorded with the collaboration of guitarist Jasper Segers, drummer and percussionist Christophe Claeys, and Liew Niyomkarn, who integrated various field recordings and synthesized sounds into the songs. Dienne Bogaerts played the oboe on Echo Variations. These collaborations resulted in an extensive collection of recordings, which Inne further processed at home and used to finalize the album.
Inne is affected by unilateral deafness, which prevents her from perceiving stereophonic sound or music. After years of mixing in stereo, she seized the opportunity to explore the idea of a mono mix, with the help of Yves De Mey, who mixed the album (except for High the Tides and Come to Dust which were mixed by Inne Eysermans).
Amatorski’s previous releases include the Same Stars We Shared EP (2010), the albums TBC (2012) and From Clay to Figures (2014), and several singles (2015-2017). They composed soundtracks for films and television (including the title track for the BBC series The Missing), and explored the boundaries of music, internet, and video art in their interactive multimedia project Deleting Borders. They wrote and performed an original soundtrack for Impatience, the 1928 pioneering experimental film by Charles Dekeukeleire, and released the performance-cum-film on a DVD.
Inne then put the project on hold, and spent some time doing personal research away from pop music. Meanwhile, Amatorski’s music continued to circulate, a.o. through the use of their songs in numerous films and commercials.
During the 2020 lockdown, Inne started creating new songs and reviving older sketches. Her solo activities and collaborative projects, the exploration of experimental approaches to text and storytelling, her interest in the practice of listening and in bioacoustics have brought forth new themes. Recent events such as the pandemic, and the surge of activism related to climate change and to the Black Lives Matters movement have also influenced the creation of the new album.
Che Go Eun’s artwork for the album depicts a 'digital garden' or synthetic still life, showing a symbiotic relationship between human and non-human entities. Inspiration for this was taken from Che Go's own work, the films of Bertrand Mandico and Apichatpong Weerasethakul, illustrations such as those by Ernst Haeckel and Maruyama Okyo, sonograms of body tissues and muscles, microscopic images of bacteria (including, for example, the vibrio bacteria), and a 3D model of a virus.
Champagne Dub is a mission in space-dub whose ‘crew’ took a few too many wrong turns. “We are here to bring raw metamorphic rock-rituals that escaped our minds.”The bubbling alchemy of this wildly oscillating four piece is as ethereally potent as the perfected elements that swirl to a climatic maelstrom, ebbing away inevitably to a formless illusion.
The pressure front of ‘Rainbow’ reverberates deep into the band’s dub suffix.This ‘Rainbow’ long player from Champagne Dub shares OtC’s fertile approach of impressing worlds upon the humble groove of a platter and leaning deeper into the ride. Swelling through the sultry mangroves of inner minds and outer spaces.