SittingOvation

Posts Tagged ‘minimal’

Isotroph – Eclosion EP [F4T Records F4T13]

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

F4T Records are venturing in to deep dub-techno territory with their thirteenth release. The Eclosion EP, by Isotroph is an excellent example of deep, swirling, eveloping dub-techno.

After The Moon is an absolutely epic track, starting from almost nothing and building to a pulsing heartbeat.

Biotope takes a more techno/house based approach, but is equally satisfying when that beat kicks in.

Genese sits with Biotope as a more techno led number. The bass takes more of a front-row on this one, as it pushed the track towards a driving climax.

Right – that’s enough description – Get over to www.soundcloud.com/isotroph and check his stuff out.

The three release tracks are here…
http://soundcloud.com/isotroph/isotroph-after-the-moon
http://soundcloud.com/isotroph/isotroph-biotope
http://soundcloud.com/isotroph/isotroph-genese

Then go buy the release when it surfaces!

Dave Wesley – Merkaba Sessions Alpha EP

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

Mr Wesley has certainly been busy since we last featured him on SittingOvation. With a number of other releases out on Arctic Dub he’s been working hard to bring us all that sweet dub-ambient and dub-techo sound.

His latest EP “Merkaba Sessions Alpha” is available on Bandcamp right now, and I have to say I’m still as impressed now as I was a year back when I first came across his stuff.

I suggest you take a trip over to his Bandcamp page now and check out his latest offerings!

http://bandcamp.com/files/28/48/2848463144-1.jpg

Forensics – My Strength Is My Weakness My Weakness Is My Strength

Sunday, June 7th, 2009

If ever there was an argument for the “less is more” ethos of musical production, you can be darned sure that Forensics would be right up there fighting his case. His ability to mould these semi-industrial sounding tracks from just a few elements is astounding, and his determination to break the typical structure of what one might term dubstep seems to be something of a trademark.

With no real drops or breakdowns – but more of a stream of sample-led ebbs and flows his newest (and fifth) LP on Digital Sin is certainly along the lines of what you might expect if you had heard his previous work – but with this one there’s a real element of mystery, something sinister and what sounds to me like far more textural work than I had heard from him before.

You might consider this a progression, and it’s one I’m glad to see. It’s definately something to check out – and although there’s not always a hook, riff or recurring theme in some of the tracks to grab hold of, it’s always refreshing to hear producers breaking the mould, and just doing their own thing whether people like it or not.

The album will be out onDigital Sin on June 8th

Forensics – Exile EP [DIGISIN03]

Monday, October 20th, 2008

Muted piano chords, a delicate minimal beat and a subtle bassline. “Exile” is a quietly self-assured track which is given the re-work treatment on the new “Exile EP” from Forensics.

The original “Exile” track is on there, but the real treat is the vocal version which features Indi Kaur. Her choral articulations sitting beautifully over the track, as if they had been intended from the word go.

There are two other remixes on the EP.

The first by “Phaeleh” is a bleak wintery soundscape of synths, clicks and well crafted beats, as well as a melodious line which adds to the atmosphere.

The second is from “Not In My Name” which is apparently maestro Threnody and some cohorts. Their orchestral, stuttering and more synth-line driven re-work managed to shed new light on the melody as well as provide something seemingly more upbeat than the other pieces on the EP.

The Exile EP is a fantastic example of Forensics’ ability to not only craft a track from a small number of stems, but also to bring together an EP of such wealth from just a few producers.

Currently the EP is exclusive to Digital-tunes – but you can always find out more from the man himself.

Thesis – Shadowloops & Hardstep

Saturday, October 11th, 2008

I was kindly send some dubs by a Holland based producer Theo Howard AKA “Thesis” today.

You can check his MySpace out here , where both tracks reviewed are available to listen to.

Thesis – Shadowloops

A filtered synth intro, with accompanying ethnic percussion, and slowly approaching bass give us the intro to this spaced out roller. Throughout which the bass hypnotically comes and goes at the low end, while bongos take charge up top. There’s some simple echoing melodies at points, although it would seem the focus here is very much on the percussion, which sounds as if it has been carefully structured over the whole track.

Thesis – Hardstep

Contrary to it’s name, this isn’t what I’d call hard-step. It doesn’t rip through the low end like a buzz-saw, it doesn’t throw you off your seat with massive beats and breaks – but it does sooth, relax and very much flow throughout.

The track has some incredible filtered breaks which take the track from start to finish flawlessly. There are vocal samples and some well placed synths for interest, as well as a solid sub down the low end keeping things going. The focus here is again on the percussion, but more of the break, and drumloop then the bongos (which are indeed still apparent). The chanting/singing throughout gives this an almost eastern feel – but definately more progressive samba-step than hard-step. Perhaps an oversight on the name, but those who give this a chance will definately be pleased with the results.

No news on release information, but any news will likely surface on the MySpace.

Forensics – Heavy Weather (The new album)

Saturday, October 4th, 2008

So I’ve only just managed to digest the wonderfully simplistic, and comfortably minimal “Zero Billion” from Forensics and he drops his third album “Heavy Weather” on my lap with a sense of accomplishment.

I must say this. If you like minimal, brooding, dark and steady dubstep with a pinch of eeriness, and a sprinkle of the unknown – then you will most certainly enjoy this 10-track offering.

You can check Forensics on MySpace and for those who demand a higher-quality audio player on his Virb page

Once you’ve marvelled at his ability to finely craft a track from the barest of elements – then you can most likely fire on over and buy his past releases in sheer anticipation of the next.

Word from the man himself is that although he has releases still to come, this may be the end of one era and the start of the next. Take that as you wish, but at the very least snap the album up when it arrives and give the man your appreciation for all his hard work!

Tangka – Dryad

Monday, August 25th, 2008
Tangka - Dryad

Tangka - Dryad

I’ve just been dropped in to a cave, there are frogs, and some sort of oriental drummer who’s slowly beating out this omnipresent tribal pattern of beats along to some choral synthwork echoing down the cavern, and standing right there in the middle of it I can’t help but slowly nod my head to the groove, which almost stutters along with a long slow sub-bass.

For fear of getting a little to Mary-Anne Hobbs on this one, I’ll stop at this point to inform you that the frogs still seem to like it.

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