Reverse Commuter - Exposure (Hallucienda)

Exposure is the long-awaited debut album from Reverse Commuter, a project of the multi-faceted Los Angeles-based producer Kenneth James Gibson. Featuring collaborations as well as solo productions, this kaleidoscopic set of songs gives a bird’s eye view into the influences and techniques that make Gibson’s music a special experience. Reverse Commuter joins [a]pendics.shuffle and the band Bell Gardens – among other pseudonymous projects – as distinctive musical activities of Kenneth Gibson, with Reverse Commuter showcasing an adventurous and song-focused electronic music sound. From the first track, the subdued and haunting “Take It”, the design becomes clear … Exposure presents a sonic world that exists to get inside one’s skin. Kelly Johnston affirms this with her alluring vocal contribution to two of the album’s more evocative tracks: “Still Voice Convincing” and “Icarus”. Exposure’s seduction completely takes over on “Whispers In”, featuring Douglas J. McCarthy (Nitzer Ebb, Recoil) providing a masterful vocal performance over Gibson’s pulsating, otherworldly soundscape and rhythm. The full nine tracks complete the spell, an audio conjuration that holds the listener within an entrancing web. As Kelly Johnston states on Exposure’s third track, “Do you see it? Do you feel through it?”

Asadinho - "This is really very special. Organic, natural, yet modern in so many ways. A sure sign that we're in for some serious treats on Hallucienda."
Mazi (Audio Soul Project) - "Some beautiful tracks here. After several listens the ones that will work for my set should present themselves."
DJ Tennis - "'Exposure' … that's the track."
Chris Fortier - "Big. I have been killing the 'Icarus' track and love so many others on the album, too."
Terry Francis (Fabric / Wiggle) - "I like all of these!"
Lee Curtiss - "Sounds good! Nice and smooth, building grooves."
Behrouz - "Great package … amazing! Full support."
Clint Stewart (Second State / Safeword) - "Always a good moment to see new stuff from Reverse Commuter and even better on the Hallucienda label. Love this whole package and will play all of them somewhere at some point."
Nick Warren - "Great album from Kenneth, wicked sounds!"
Derek Plaslaiko - "'Icarus', 'Suction Suction', and 'Give Me Once (24 hours a day)' are what I would play out but the whole album sounds like a nice listen."
Tronik Youth (Nein Records / Back-Yard Recordings) - "'Whispers In' for me … good stuff."
Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit) - "Unique, dark, deep, and powerful … a really nice feel."
Myxzlplix (Subdivisions Global Radio Show) - "I love the consistency of each track. As a big fan of Nitzer Ebb, I am really glad to hear Douglas J. McCarthy on 'Whispers In'."
Al Bradley (3am Recordings / Fabric) - "A really stunning collection of beats … something for all palettes, with deep, electronic, and club vibes all catered for in excellent style. The whole release is exceptional."
Mathias Schaffhäuser (Ware Records / Groove Magazine) - "Like XTC used to say: 'This is POP, yeah yeaheaheah.....' I really like the album and its variety and courage."

Available now from Beatport and Juno Download.

Various Artists - Phono Obscura (Hallucienda)

Phono Obscura confidently charts the course of Hallucienda, the new imprint that is the evolution of Hallucination Limited, curated and collated by renowned DJ and trusted tastemaker Three. With an eclectic assortment of established names and future candidates from the electronic music globe, Phono Obscura’s nine tracks present a focused vision through artists that balance the need to push envelopes and the desire to fill dance floors. These producers represent the initial Hallucienda family, with future album artists rubbing shoulders with 12“ mercenaries. Opening on Lock Smith’s hypnotically oozing ”Wouldn’t You“, Phono Obscura proposes a dream-zone safe house in between the head space and the bass bin. As one forwards to Reverse Commuter’s ominous remix of ”History Is Not Shrinking“, by The Bystanders in collaboration with Mount Sims and Linda Lamb, and J. Alvarez’s vintage machine funk of ”Strut”, the sound and thematic binding string of Phono Obscura is clear. Other contributions from Wiggle’s Terry Francis, Sunshine Jones of Dubtribe, Radio Slave, Remi Mazet, Öona Dahl & Johnny Cruz, and NYC’s Ulysses further cement Phono Obscura’s status as a step above a mere compilation project. There is evidently a lot of thought and strategy in Three’s selection to accurately convey the message of Phono Obscura and its series, as this is just the first of many planned editions.

Gavin Hardkiss - "This is timeless music. A proper inquiry into the nuances of the darker side of house music."
James Zabiela - "'Strut', 'Dance Gravity', the Radio Slave remix, 'Oceans', 'The Sun' … all dope! Congrats on the new label"
Laurent Garnier - "I really love Lock Smith's 'Wouldn't You'. I'll be playing this a lot."
Soul Clap - "Wow, loving this compilation … Hallucienda 'til ya burn!"
Doc Martin - "I'm slightly biased towards these producers and grooves … a little something for the headstrong. Full support!"
Nick Warren - "Excellent compilation, guys. Some killers here!"
John Digweed - "Good stuff."
Peter Kruder - "Cool compilation with loads of good stuff on."
Greg Oreck (Thugfucker) - “I've been excitedly awaiting this reincarnation of Hallucination and even my high expectations have been exceeded. PHONO OBSCURA is a lot like Three himself. Sometimes deep, sometimes hard, often trippy, and always a sight for sore eyes / ears when you're about four days into an after-party that doesn't seem like it will ever end. We'll surely be playing every single one of these tracks and I honestly can't remember any other compilation I could have said that about. Quality stuff from a quality source. And a great and diverse collection of sounds and artists that we'll be definitely waiting to hear more from."

Available now from Beatport, iTunes, and Juno Download.