PointBender - Violaceous (Harmonious Discord)

Music creation is not all hype and roses, and few understand that as deeply as Harmonious Discord owner and synthesizer composer Sean Anderson aka PointBender. His fourth artist album is a two-and-a-half-year journey into a growing studio discipline formed by a worldwide pandemic. In a time when humans felt so lost, the importance of being close to music and the artist community was a healing force that was ever-powerful. Calm, almost serene at times, to points approaching mania. Sean encompasses the entirety of the spectrum of human emotion in sound.

Violaceous is a journey through deeply moody ambient, heady electro, and boundary-bending house and techno music. Creative concertos process moments of joy, grief, and experimentation. This stand-alone album offers a musical listening experience all its own. From the ambient and melodic beginnings of "Conflict" and "SY35" — which feature live clarinet instrumentation, experimental synth applications, and manipulated field recordings — to the deeply textured electro offering "CBD." For "Agent of Peace," we see PointBender partner with longtime collaborator KiloWatts for beautifully constructed ivory implantations that elevate the bliss factor. "Plastic Cities" is an homage to the early Plastic City sound, featuring the vocals of Suza Kanon who originally released recordings with Sean on the Guidance and Fair Park imprints. Shifting powers to more playful arenas is "Mistakes Are OK," a fun and bass-centric smooth mover that progresses into haunting overtones. Keeping it light, the undeniable weightlessness of "The Bells Found Me Motionless" collides staggered bells, growing pad tension, and sonically special drums into a growing cacophony of layers. Capping off our ascent is "Altocumulus," an homage to early hard techno composed on all hardware and recorded linearly in real-time with friend Harmon Giddles. The final descent offers a sonic reminder of forgiveness and understanding channeled through a synth-driven ambient outro.

Violaceous, a collection of creative curiosities, aims to please the ears and at times tickle the cerebrum, a familiar formula from PointBender.

Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit Recordings) – “Plenty to play here. Lovely release. Will support on my radio show.”
Michael de Hey (Circle Records) – “Excellent release, thanks!”
Tony H (Late Night Munchies) – “Lovin’ the vibes of Mistakes are OK.”
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle radio show) – “Great work again from PointBender. Plastic Cities in particular is a gem.”
Jon Fugler (XLNT radio show) – “Sy35 is such a lovely piece it had to be the fave. Some great tracks jostling for the coveted silver.”
Jon Barnes (Airpusher) – “yes! Funky, spacey, original. Mistakes are OK and CBD are the ones for me.”

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

Adam Nathan - Hyacinth (Viva Recordings)

Adam Nathan is a London-born, Toronto-raised DJ and producer quickly making a name for himself on the global deep house scene. Previously collaborating under various monikers and part of Toronto’s influential Release Records crew, Adam is now unveiling potent solo tracks under his name. This new EP for Viva Recordings, titled Hyacinth, is his second for the label, and has the well-honed sound of a studio veteran, with a smooth, warm sound and emotive passages. Adam’s roots as a drummer come through with the stripped down emphasis on rhythm, while melodic flourishes and dynamic builds play masterfully on top.

The EP opens with ”Hyacinth”, featuring dramatic strings and a fine, pulsating kick drum. The cut builds in a mesmerizing fashion, like the beautiful unfolding of this flower in Spring. “Soul Council” gets into even deeper territory, with deep and melodic inspirations, echoing some of the earlier work on the label. “Wave Hands Like Clouds”, finishes the EP off with dreamlike touches. Synth stabs, percussion that rolls, and the blissful strings will have you soaring. Float away on these deep vibes.

Rory Cochrane (Deep Site Recordings) – “Wow wow wow. Loving all 3 cuts here, the finest deep house grooves and a great sequel on VIVA by Adam. Great stuff!”
Tom Lown (Lucky Sun Recordings) – “Really nice. Quality production. Subtle yet warm flavors.”
Eric Davenport (Mind Loop Music) – “Top notch tracks with everything written for a purpose.”
Dr. Best (Radio Z, Germany) – “A fantastic release. Three great tunes.”
Zack Hill (Triberadio Podcast) – “Deep, dark and driving. I’m feeling this.”
DJ P-REZ (The Session Worldwide Week) – “Wow! This is a proper deep house record. This is also a testament as to why I’ve been such a supporter of Viva for over 20 years!”

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

Ransel - Islands (Beatservice Records)

Beatservice Records is thrilled to announce the *Islands EP from Ransel – an intriguing new project birthed from the inspired mind of Øivind A Sjøvoll, better known as Kohib.

The Islands EP sees Sjøvoll adopt a floor-focused sound for the all-new moniker, serving two typically finessed compositions that each exude the distinguished quality of production we've come to expect from the skilled sonic craftsman. Having released scores of well-regarded titles on some of the world's most revered underground labels, his latest project is a perfect fit for his familiar Beatservice home.

Both tracks on the EP feature bewitching vocals performed by Charlotte Qamaniq and Kathleen Merrit, who spent time visiting his Tromsø hometown back in 2018. Embellishing the music with a delightfully mysterious charm, their traditional throat singing lends itself perfectly to Sjøvoll's profound sound signature. The opening track "Qimmiq" unfolds over a hypnotic midtempo rhythm, with the unforgettable vocals echoing over a bed of immaculately formed synth textures as thick waves of percussion add endless depth to the groove. Undulating over a deeply immersive arrangement, the music mesmerizes as it effortlessly builds. Nudging the tempo while delicately upping the energy levels, the propulsive strut of "Islands" is equally atmospheric. Rugged drums and infectious percussion provide the club-ready power before the almighty bass hook adds infinite weight to the groove. Purposefully ebbing and flowing over a full-bodied arrangement, saucer-eyed synths and loose-limbed congas swirl over the grainy vocal chants, combining to create a gloriously enigmatic moment of dance-focused abandon.

Striking, original, and overflowing with class, this is yet more impressive work from Sjøvoll, leaving us waiting with bated breath to hear more music crafted under his fascinating new Ransel alter-ego.

Peter Kruder (Kruder & Dorfmeister) – “Islands is great! Thank you.”
Flash Atkins (Paper Recordings) – “Pure heat from Kohib. Loving the murky, swampy Islands.”
Trent Banks / Citrus Age (Reflect) – “Wow! What a deep, visceral project. This will take people to other places.”
Sean Johnston (Hardway Bros) – “Both of these tracks are excellent.”
MGiK (Sofa Surfing) – “On air a must!”
Quincy Jointz (Ibiza Global Radio) – “I like ‘Qimmiq’. Also, I can imagin playing ‘Islands’ with it’s heavy percussion in my DJ sets at the right time.”

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

Dj Sulli & 5657 - Dreaming of You (Hype & Soul)

The crucial Northern California house music imprint Hype & Soul Recordings returns with "Dreaming Of You," the latest from DJ Sulli & 5657. Expertly sculpted for the late-night underground dancefloors, the single features four different mixes to get the party in high gear.

The single opens with the Missin' You Mix, hand-built on a chassis of chiming acoustic guitar chords and a lowdown bass riff. Horn-like calls and cosmic swooshes float in and out of the huge reverb space. Sulli's The Sweaty Mix is next, seemingly pulled straight from the MURK Records playbook. The gigantic bass line is in the forefront, making nightclub speakers tremble around the female vocal hook: "Yes, I dream of you, all of the time." DJ Sulli & 5657 return with combined forces for the My Oculus Lover Remix. designed as a merging of the two previous versions. The title refers to the inevitable virtual love affairs spawned in the metaverse. And then, Hype & Soul enlist legendary L.A. DJ and producer Dirty Dan for the Dirty Dan Epic Rework. A sweet, rolling sub-bass line and textured manipulation of the vocal hook gives this version a stellar tech-house touch. Solid all around.

DJ P-REZ (Not So Fast Records) – “Good stuff! These are fun, I’m looking forward to playing these out.”
Pat Lezizmo (Conya Records) – “I like Sulli’s Sweaty mix. Cool groove.”
Piiit (So Watt) – “Great track. Summer vibest at their best.”
DJ Firefly (Couch Dancing) – “This record belongs in the bag of every good deep house / tech house DJ! outdoor summer parties. Great to hear what Sulli is up to. This is a balanced release with polish.”
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle Radio Show) – “Strong set of mixes. Love the Dirty Dan rework, dark and powerful.”
Ornette (Radial Blur on My House Your House) – “Verdy dancefloor-friendly package here. Dirty Dan with the nasty vibin’ groover while the Missin' You Mix has that heady outer space mood for the latenight and outdoor summer parties. Great to hear what Sulli is up to. This is a balanced release with polish.”

Available Now From: Beatport, Traxsource, Juno Download, And Spotify.