Unknown Artist - Knef EP

One of the defining features of electronic music back in the day was that its makers often preferred to stay in the background while their music does the talking. Hand-stamped slabs of vinyl left a lot to the imagination but not much in the way of clear answers as to who was (or were) behind the record. Music was the medium that brought producers and listeners together – your interpretation of the music was everything and as long as you enjoyed it then the fact who made it shouldn’t really matter….right?

Things have changed fairly drastically over the past years and with the advent of social media the ethos of ‘music comes first’ is long gone. There are, however, those who chose a different path and MASK is one such label. What unites their releases thus far is the artwork; bringing imagery of elaborate, tribal face covers that could have been used by people in a far-flung corner of the world. That, and the consistent quality of music present on the records they put out. Artists’ IDs remain unknown and, one could argue, not relevant at all.

Their 8th offering is no different. We’re given six tunes and each of them stands tall in its own right. Proceedings are opened by a more upbeat, almost twisted disco-ish vibe; yet A2 and A3 round the side off with an audibly more eerie and tone-down feeling. The real gems lie ahead when you flip the record though, with B1 and B2 having that incredibly rare feat of being minimalistic yet packed with emotions at the same time. It’s that sort of atmosphere which brings all kinds of memories back, without being overly specific or vivid. That gentle vagueness allows the listener to immerse themselves in whatever their brain decides to serve them with. You are in full control and it’s the music that gets you going – no need to check the producer’s Instagram account for more info. It’s the feeling that matters.

Mihai Pol - Make Noise EP

There are a lot of minimal records coming out of Romania. Dubbed Rominimal, it does, at times, become the victim of its own success – its intricate rhythms, minute and constant shifts in sound architecture, moods taking their time to flourish; are all elements prone to misuse in the hands of producers looking to make a quick buck on the back of success built by others. At times one may feel that this genre is among the most demanding out there when you truly set out to appreciate its subtle beauty

This three-tracker by Mihai Pol is what will make even the most ardent sceptic turn their head. Jam-packed with that understated warmth that sets him apart from a lot of his peers, every track here ebbs and flows across 8+ minutes each. The title track, occupying the entire A side, is probably the most lively of the bunch, almost screaming to be played by (pun intended) someone looking to stir things up a notch. It’s ‘Aceface’ though, sitting firmly in B2 – which, oddly, seems to be the case rather often – that really grabs the imagination.

Yet again, it’s all hidden in the details: the vocal snippets, the recurring synthwork and stabs that fade in and out; it all adds up to create an unforgettable atmosphere which is never in-your-face yet always prods you on to fire up your imagination. If Aceface was the nickname of a detective trying to piece his life together while solving a brutal murder case, then this could be one of the tunes used as soundtrack for that never-to-be-shot neo-noir movie.

Caim - Preta EP

Caim are Tommy Koruijt and Mark Peeters – a Dutch duo that excels in the moody, full-of-life, and deeper side of driving four-to-the-floor electronics sitting in that elusive territory where house meets techno. After initially hearing the tunes, the (typically) Dutch ephemeral, sometimes slightly broken, analogue, and steering towards rawness (yet never venturing too far into that sphere) school of 4x4 comes to mind immediately – and here it’s done in the best possible way across all four tracks. It is a mark of a true artist when inspirations are clear yet far from dominant and never take over the end product before us.

The thing that stands out in all four propositions is just how spacey they are, even when there is quite a lot going on. This is a distinctly Dutch skill – a nation which had to fit themselves into a rather small space of land, with the added threat of sea trying to swallow them up from one side. Not an easy task; yet they managed to do it, and prosper. This, despite being potentially a fairly far-fetched comparison, is evident to the ears on the B side of the record (‘Preta Dancer’ / ‘Vidigal’) which are almost transcendental in their overall feeling, but are firmly rooted in the driving kick/ snare combination. Magnificent four-tracker and one can only hope Caim’s ‘quality over quantity’ approach will continue to bear fruits like this EP.

Gunnter - EP

Yoyaku is a real institution in the world of minimal-leaning deep and tech-house. The French brick-and-mortar location houses a number of labels, with Aku being one of them. Having put out records by the who-is-who in the scene (incl. Audio Werner, Molly, Janeret, Steve O’Sullivan to name just a few) it was time for Gunnter, a French newcomer, to step to the frame. And oh boy, did he deliver.

Let’s take a step back for a second here – if Rominimal has a distinct sound, then the minimal(ish) deep/tech house coming from France has a unique feel to it as well. More often than not it passes the ‘night drive’ test, i.e. the type of 4x4 that, upon hearing, you immediately wish to stick on when driving across your city late at night. That feeling of seeing an unusually empty downtown area, basking in neon and artificial lighting, is in itself quite stunning and otherworldly; when you pair it with a matching soundtrack this is an experience that’ll likely stick in your memory and you’ll be looking for a chance to relive it as soon as possible. This is exactly the sweet-spot Gunnter hits like a nail on the head on this EP.

Chock-full of ethereal emotions, the lush pads present in all tracks are an absolute joy. The powerful beats seemingly leave nothing for the imagination but rest assured, this impression fades away after a few more listens – you realize it’ll work a treat on the dancefloor or in a more party-orientated set; yet you’ll happily return to it in a more home-listening environment, too. Or just come up with an excuse to go for a late night drive.