Tag Archives: IDM

Thomas Fehlmann – Lowflow

by ·

★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

Sounds like?

bassy dub minimal electro

Moods

A slight euphoric buzz graces these minimal dub tracks / a quiet glee while pregaming for a night-out in Berlin

Thoughts

these productions are super crisp and rich, no surprise from Thomas Fehlmann. Little textural flourishes everywhere elevate this from standard minimal mood techno to a well crafted album. It has a heavy dub influence with enough bass to give it a pleasant bump throughout, sounds very much like the orb.

Quiet and stoned, it takes it's time.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Thomas-Fehlmann-Lowflow/release/338329

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHxJJPmTiTs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1iqD389dss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuTBCjJTN2M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLryCyusjOQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJFXhinVu8k

Spotify


Schema Info

Thomas Fehlmann – Lowflow

Description: Album Review of Thomas Fehlmann – Lowflow


Rating: 4 out of 5

 

Kettel – Smiling Little Cow

by ·

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

Sounds like?

IDM

Moods

Like an unpretentious aphex twin record

Thoughts

quick but not aggressive. Intelligent but fun. flirts with drum and bass but never goes there.

A representative album of golden age IDM – electronic music with folk sensibilities. Taken as a whole it drags, too over blown without appropriate variety.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Kettel-Smiling-Little-Cow/release/46619

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43ayL6PpzCI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6G7vC_T860

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isUkpMY3AIw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpGxO9bj6_4

Spotify


Schema Info

Kettel – Smiling Little Cow

Description: Album Review of Kettel – Smiling Little Cow


Rating: 2 out of 5

 

Boundary – Fantasmagórico

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

indie produced synth electro.

Moods

Modern version of the Bandersnatch soundtrack

Thoughts

80s and basic. Glitchy vaporware with ambient synths. Video Games. Has a Spanish rhythmic flair to it though I'm not always crazy about the sequenced drum machine, gives it a robotic feel. Draws from daft punk acid house at times. IDM. Arpeggios remind me of vintage prog rock.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Boundary-Fantasmag%C3%B3rico/release/10555671

Listen!

Spotify


Schema Info

Boundary – Fantasmagórico

Description: Album Review of Boundary – Fantasmagórico


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Nao Tokui – Mind The Gap

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Minimal electro / tech house / ambient / IDM

Moods

Cold winter light

Thoughts

Solid minimal record. *Blips* and *bleeps*. Uses production noise like warm record hiss to create additional character and atmosphere. Not much in the way of songwriting, this is more about mood, but there's enough of a house bump to keep this moving. Things pickup with 'rotation' and ‘pine ave’, blurring the lines between ambient and IDM.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Nao-Tokui-Mind-The-Gap/release/176683

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvh3u6zPmtw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DZrv_A4CPs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESrzFDBIZcA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3M7ckJyWj0

Spotify


Schema Info

Nao Tokui – Mind The Gap

Description: Album Review of Nao Tokui – Mind The Gap


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Rival Consoles – Persona

by ·

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

Sounds like?
Energetic electro

Moods
Rather be listening to another rival consoles album

Thoughts
Not crazy about this release. The first two Rival Console albums had a distinct intensity to them that is missing here. Instead this album favors more melodic moments that doesn’t land as well.

I do like the brief pair of calm instrumental tracks, in kind and the album closer. Introspective in tone they featured a meandering keyboard solo over some hissy electro beat. Hope there’s more of this somewhere.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Rival-Consoles-Persona/release/11887899

Listen!

Youtube



Spotify

Schema Info

Rival Consoles – Persona

Description: Album Review of Rival Consoles – Persona


Rating: 2 out of 5

 

Emperor Penguin – Extreme Gaming

by ·

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

What’s it sound like?

Indie guitar/drums/keys trio makes record to mimic found sound sample album.

Thoughts
I’d skip this album and go for their other two,songs feel less finished then the debut. Beats are laid down just kinda hang without real direction, repeating until the tracks end. Gone are the funky keys solos that made their first album so engaging. OK as background listening but for what?

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Emperor-Penguin-Extreme-Gaming/release/153812

Listen!
Spotify

Emperor Penguin – Shatter The Illusion Of Integrity, Yeah

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

What’s it sound like?

A band performing the format of an instrumental sample driven hip hop record. Styles range from funk to hip hop to rock

Thoughts

This is an interesting take on the usually tiresome instrumental beat album. At its best songs are gfunk funky and successfully creates a hazy stoner dusty rich sample atmosphere.

Reminds me of the beta band 3 ep’s at times, that’s a mighty compliment.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Emperor-Penguin-Shatter-The-Illusion-Of-Integrity-Yeah/release/155404

Listen!
Spotify

Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works 85-92

by ·

★★★★★ = Classic, essential listening

What’s it sound like?

Techno with a pleasant floating ambient element. Certain tracks utilize a drum machine for a dance vibe, others are extended and much more in the ambient realm relying on repetition to create feeling.

Thoughts

A masterpiece: this sounds great and is aphex twin at his most accessible. Though the production can feel dated at times it never detracts. It’s distinct and a key album of influence for alt-electro of all stripes, it’s easy to hear how this would go onto influence many different artists while still sounding just as relevant today.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Aphex-Twin-Selected-Ambient-Works-85-92/release/32662

Listen!

Youtube





Spotify

Oneohtrix Point Never – R Plus Seven

by ·

★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

What’s it sound like?

Avant garde electro

Thoughts

OPN has highly effective moments that will always keep me curious about his work. R plus seven is a great piece of work but it gets a little tiring at times (maddening loops, lots of nothing). Fans will recognize these as signatures of his compositions which help to build toward these bigger moments.

The Sonic profile of his music serves to create the apt description of “Facebook servers making music”.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Oneohtrix-Point-Never-R-Plus-Seven/release/5183009

Listen!

Youtube





Spotify

Ricky Eat Acid – Talk To You Soon

by ·

★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

What’s it sound like?
A scatter of modern electro styles: trap, Blood Diamonds / Grimes art-electro, pensive piano bits, confessional lyrics.

Thoughts
Another good one from Ricky, this is the third album I’ve heard of his and I continue to be impressed by his catalog.

The constant change is what makes this such an engaging album. He’s not a particularly good songwriter but strings this together into a great collage.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Ricky-Eat-Acid-Talk-To-You-Soon/release/9302447

Listen!

Youtube





Spotify