Various
Visitations (Chapter One)

Le temps lent by Enfant MagiqueSlowing down time with Eric GingrasThe simple acoustic guitar plucks out a lulling back-and-forth, accompanying a voice that seems to arrive from another, far-off era. Elsewhere, the guitar moves around in the background, repetitive and drawn-out. But here, alone, it takes the time to find its rightful place, much like the deceptive simplicity of a hand-made quilt. This humbly whimsical patchwork seeks out form, succeeds, and is reunited with the voice. Articulate and elastic, it sometimes crisscrosses, sometimes circumnavigates this landscape of song both subtle and rich. Its clear lines of flight point to a remote village and its recent arrivals, a motley crew of hybrid things and beings: woolly sheep, beat-up robots, small synthetic drums, minimalist jaw harps, obsessive alarms, light footsteps on a gravel path, a few propellers, many layers of slow time.The sea’s waves break against this shoreline where our mutant from the 1970s seems to have washed up. He isn’t looking for a fight, and he isn’t looking to show off. However, as the custodian of utopian leftovers from an open agreement between artifice and artful making, he is clever and skillful in a thousand and one little ways. His voice is stubbornly discreet, but also able to take flight, carrying with it words devoid of preciosity and over-categorization. This is a voice that prefers attention to affectation. Bresson-like, it knows how to recount when recounting is needed, articulating both quivering fatigue and deep doubt.Joined now by others, the mutant feels supported, loved. He withdraws, and an assertive, childlike voice moves into the foreground. The mutant accompanies, discreet but fully present. And what better medium for this finely woven poetry and play of childhood’s expression, both clumsy and bold.- Anne Lardeux (translated from French by Simon Brown)

New York’s indie disco funk crew is back with a new album. And it’s the right moment: With new acts like Toro Y Moi, Sault, Parcels, The Internet around… the funky, disco, old school vibe is big in 2020. And The Phenomenal Handclap Band fits perfectly. Probably all these new artists are fans of the Phenomenals. Because The PHB popped up for the first time 10 years ago. Some top knotch musicians from NYC’s funk scene playing dirty discofunk. Some of the bandmembers played in Mark Ronson’s projects and in Amy Winehouse’s backing band. Head of the band: Daniel Collás. Their self-titled debut album on Gomma records 2010 made them many fans in the music scene. A nasty fusion of forward-thinking disco, psychedelic prog rock, and classic soul with a splash of yacht rock. Back then the band took the road, supporting Bryan Ferry and Franz Ferdinand, playing shows at Glastonbury, Wireless, and Latitude… as well as getting praise from Sir Paul McCartney about their album! After the album Collás began to produce other artists in Brooklyn. The band paused. Now they are back. With Daniel Collás in the centre, along with new members multi-instrumentalist Juliet Swango, and vocalist and synthesizer wizard Monika Heidemann. Their sound is still essentially analog dance music, with an emphasis on raw soul, vocal harmonies, African percussion, fuzzy guitars and analog synthesizers.Toy Tonics · Phenomenal Handclap Band - PHB [TOYT110]

2021 repress on black vinyl, first released in only 50 copies in the legendary Bunker Mantra Box, but now for a short time available to the general public. Dark and manic house from the Acid Coloniae of Cologne, by Andreas Gehm (aka The Minister), whos profile has been raised recently with a ton of hyped releases and remixes for o.a. Snuff Traxx & Robert Ownes. First part of a two parter.

The full 12 tracks from the original release will be released on vinyl for the first time - with the majority of tracks exclusively re-edited for vinyl extended play.Takahiro Suzuki is hugely prolific within Japanese electronic music culture yet has remained under the radar despite releasing over 9 albums between 1993 and 2006. Thought was his debut long player and is a perfect example of his minimal and poised approach to production. Across the 12 tracks he shows off his aptitude for creating delicate yet effective house and techno, referencing the Detroit sound that was eminanating and revolutionaising electronic music at the time. For sleeve notes of the release Suzukiski lent this quote, speaking of the Detroit influence “These artists created these simple and minimal tracks that were so beautiful and gave me joy, yet I’d never seen their faces before.”Based on a solid groove and created on the limited hardware setups which were key to the time of its creation, the album carries all the charm of minimal all hardware made music. The result is a timeless collection of tracks that show a serious commitment to refined sound with a joyous and carefree uplifting feeling.SAISEI - run by London based, Japan born DJ Junki Inoue continues to unearth and present vital and special recordings from the 90s era of Japanese electronic music production. In this case Thought was first self released by the artist as a private CD that was literally delivered hand to hand or by post until it was licensed by Soup Disk licenced the music in 2003 and received a wider CD release with some export outside of Japan.

Featuring 8 different artists from Mexico to Lithuania, Peru, Portugal, Florida, UK and Belgium, ‘Maloca Vol. 1’ outlines the worldly focus of Le Motel’s new label.Launching Maloca Records earlier this year, the label’s ethos is to build bridges interlinking disparate yet like-minded musicians dedicated to blending organic electronic and acoustic elements. The global network of makers highlighted on Maloca Vol.1, the label’s first compilation, confabs a terrestrial and borderless percussive sound that has been bubbling in clubs and Le Motel’s orbit.Opening the compilation is esteemed Peruvian duo Dengue Dengue Dengue followed by Lithuania's DJ JM who has previously released on the likes of Nervous Horizon and Goon Club Allstars, Miami artist and NAAFI affiliate Nick León and Lisbon’s DJ N.K. On the second half of the compilation, there are contributions from the label founder himself, Mexico’s Omaar, UK’s Coen and mysterious artist Tsongo. Maloca Records has put out three vinyl releases to date from Oakland’s Farsight, Beijing’s Howie Lee and Le Motel. The label is quickly building a reputation for releasing brilliant forward-thinking club records whilst capturing specific international sounds.