Ransel - Taiga (Beatservice Records)

Ransel makes a stunning return to Beatservice Records, evoking exotic atmospherics via the heads-down rhythms of "Taiga." It's the latest sonic treat under the relatively fresh Ransel moniker by venerated artist Øivind A Sjøvoll. Perhaps best known for his work recorded under the Kohib alter-ego, Sjøvoll has made a habit of surprising with his impossible-to-predict musical output, expertly drifting through stylistic barriers with each carefully constructed release. True to form and in keeping with the Ransel catalog to date, "Taiga" is immaculately produced and primed to enliven esoteric floors.

"Tiaga" utilizes a deceptively slow tempo, throbbing rhythms, an undulating synth bass drive, and exotic melodies across a stripped panorama, with Eastern motifs bursting into focus as harmonic guitar rhythms meander in the distance. Nocturnally charged and brimming with mystery, the magnetic groove captivates throughout as the arrangement bubbles and builds.

This compelling Ransel release is another powerfully evocative work from Sjøvoll, an intriguing addition to the evolving Beatservice roster.

Bill Shephard (Push Music) – “Balearic bombshell.”
Steve ‘Griffo’ Griffiths (The Flow Mechanik) – “Sublime! Chilled to the gills.”
Black Mighty Wax (Irma Records) – “intriguing mood here.”
Spaceotter (Camp Conception) – “Great sneaky groover. Hits just in the right way.”
Brad Eller (Glass Slipper) – “Nice and cinematic.”
Jon Fugler (XLNT radio show) – “Sublime … right up my street and lovely for those more discerning terraces as summer approaches.”

Available Now From: Beatport, Bandcamp, Apple Music, And Spotify.

Ransel - Phoenix (Beatservice Records)

Beatservice Records presents the latest single from Øivind Sjøvoll's recently birthed Ransel moniker, the talented artist taking time out from his familiar Kohib project to craft the powerfully atmospheric brooder, "Phoenix."

Sjøvoll launched the Ransel project in 2022 as an outlet for his more club-focused productions, maintaining his immaculate production aesthetic while constructing subtly new sounds with a kinetic charge at their core. Having released a dazzling body of work on some of the underground's most revered labels as Kohib, he's long been a key feature in Beatervice Record's roundly compelling roster. His latest material is just as engaging as one comes to expect from this unique musical voice.

"Phoenix" launches with gorgeously evocative chords simmering over a percussive rhythm. Effortlessly building as the arrangement unfolds, haunting motifs and dubbed-out delays meander across the panorama, with sinister bass notes and grainy synth textures adding tension before the seductive groove resolves into a pulsating heads-down strut.

Deep, vivid, and gently poignant in tone, this is sublime work once again from Sjøvoll, his Ransel alter-ego demonstrating another string to his creative bow.

Jon Fugler (Fluke) – “Loving the effortlessly cool vibes here. A treat to drift away to.”
Chris Simmonds (Cross Section Music) – “Super chilled. Will support.”
Merlyn Martin (Baker Street Recordings) – “This is a very solid release.”
Jamie Topham (Summer Soulstice) – “Silky production and late night vibes.”
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch) – “STUNNING! A must for the show this month. Love me some hangdrum.”
Simon Kirk (Proton Radio) – “A real treasure here. Beautiful chords and those delicate, thoughtful melodies fill me with joy.”

Available Now From: Beatport, Bandcamp, Apple Music, And Spotify.

Legs 11 - Welcome Home (Beatservice Records)

Oslo-based four-piece Legs 11 return to Beatservice Records with their third studio album, serving seven beguiling tracks on the delightfully off-kilter Welcome Home.

Comprising of deviant players Sigmund Floyd, Torstein Dyrnes, Nils Tveten, and Audun Severin Eftevåg, Legs 11 have been Beatservice mainstays since making their label debut back in 2016. Fusing a disparate blend of esoteric sounds that include synth-pop, post-punk, new wave, house, and more, the quartet journey from the murkiest depths into the pop-leaning stratosphere, taking in all manner of mind-altering detours along the way. Throughout their production journey, they've reveled in the unexpected, and Welcome Home masterfully continues this aberrant trajectory.

Kicking things off in an energetic mood, the new wave swagger of "Flawless Logistics" dives deep into late-night rave abandon, Unhinged vocals and throbbing synth bass drive the cut through a futurist landscape of stripped rhythms and sinister tones before an atmospheric sax solo rises in to augment the searing lyrical message. Casting a critical eye on consumer-driven culture and mercenary musical forms, the vital composition is at once an unmissable social commentary and an irresistibly floor-filling groove.

Next, the glistening synths and sing-along vocals of "Coup" saunter over bouncing bass notes and crisp machine drums. Acid licks rise in to add thrust to the club-primed groove while brooding pads and sultry spoken words meander through the sonic space. Elegantly sashaying into post-punk swirls, the hallucinatory swagger of "Sax Consensual" bursts with theatrics. Seductively dart across the hyper-atmospheric backing track of pointed instrumentation, with glassy synths and fizzing drums joined by an evocative sax solo to vividly conjure late-night moods.

"Into The Darkness" bubbles with sinister intent, as striking bass and stripped rhythms charge through nocturnal synths, the serrated vocals purposefully projecting through the powerfully vivid subterranean mist. Maintaining the floor-focused tempo, "This Is Your Home" sees sleazy vocals soar across an alien landscape. Distorted toms drive the groove as mysterious swirls and metallic textures fizz across the off-world horizon. Growling bass arrives alongside a searing sax lead as the endlessly-morphing rhythm undulates and evolves.

"The Crawley Within" sees darkly suggestive vocals enveloped by ominous synths and snarling acid licks, the determined rhythm steering the sparsely-woven instrumentation across alien topography as sensual whispers permeate the groove as the music undulates to an aberrant climax. Finally, completing a strikingly coherent collection, "fuckboi" brims with attitude, with unhinged synths joined by growling rhythm guitar as the erotically-charged vocals project the steamiest of post-club invitations.

This is an entirely unique work from Legs 11. Deviant, potent, and fiercely energetic, each track is propulsive enough to ignite dancefloors while embodied with more than enough profundity for headphone immersion. Utterly compelling.

Psycho-Jones (Kater Blau) – “Wow! I love it.”
De Fantastiske To (Paper Recordings) – “Digging these. ‘This Is Your Home’ is insane!”
Black Mighty Wax (Irma Records) – “Reminds me of those good old years.”
DJ H4L 9000 (Excuse Me? Club) – “Great album. It’s too difficult to choose a favorite. The spirit of the 80’s but with a contemporary view.”
Wazac Martin (FM4) – “Relaxed & Elegant.”
Jon Fugler (XLNT radio show) – “I love the way these guys have no intention of drawing within the lines. Great to listen to, that’s the bottom line.”

Available Now From: Beatport, Bandcamp, Apple Music, And Spotify.

Boblebad - Tidlig Oppe (Beatservice Records)

Creative polyglot Boblebad is back with his latest Beatservice offering, serving up four stirring tracks on the powerfully emotive Tidlig Oppe EP.

Ulf Moen Denneche – better known by his familiar Boblebad moniker – has artistic juice coursing through his very being. Endowed with a formidable creative flair, the producer, musician, and painter has been a much-loved Beatservice mainstay since making his label debut in 2021. With a stylistically adventurous sound that stubbornly refuses to rest in generic boxes, he's released music on some of the electronic underground's most important labels – joyfully meandering through Balearic soundscapes, simmering deep house, and proudly uncompromising electronica.

The EP launches with the hyper-atmospheric title track, "Tidlig Oppe." Here, a sturdy four-four rhythm powers waves of harmonic textures, with luscious chords gliding over throbbing bass as phasing pads. Spacey synth motifs intertwine across propulsive conga lines. Continuing the refined forward motion, "Stoisk Uro" steadily builds over warm bass strokes and energetic drums, with evocative synth solos soaring over undulating pads as free-flowing percussion adds a glorious dynamism to the emotionally-charged harmonics.

"Klam Klem" maintains a characteristically sumptuous sound palette, with tom-heavy drums cutting through space-age pads as staccato synth refrains deliciously ebb and flow over an undulating ever-building groove. Finally, "Kruttugle" completes a sparkling set in a suitably enigmatic style. Snappy drums and loose-knit percussion saunter over thick bass as fizzing pads usher in a soul-searing lead melody, and the affecting chord progressions are joined by bubbling arpeggios for a life-affirming climax.

As ever, this is compelling work from Boblebad. Imbued with more than enough weight to stir esoteric floors, the emotionality that permeates the music augments the rhythms with a profundity that sets it apart from the strictly club-focused — ensuring the collection is equally suited to both introspective meditations and energetic dance abandon.

Jon Fugler (Fluke) – “Stoisk Uro ticking every box for me here – perfect for a blissed out sunrise.”
Nick Warren (The Soundgarden) – “This is a super good EP.”
Scheibosan (Shanti Roots) – “Some nice cosmic house here.”
Wilbour Craddock (Groovewest) – “Layers of deep goodness.”
DJ Firefly (Couch Dancing) – “Sexy off-kilter funky techno – yum!”
Jon Wesley (Music Goes On Radio Show) – “Tidlig Oppe and Klam Klem are my favorites, but I like them all. Nice production and different sounds make it a winner for me.”

Available Now From: Beatport, Bandcamp, Apple Music, And Spotify.