Blue Hawaii - "Untogether"

Alex Cowan & Raphaelle Standell-Preston have made a fantastic debut LP together under the moniker Blue Hawaii.  Relaxing and hypnotic, the softly kinetic acoustics of "Try To Be" skitter under an ethereal new age wash.  Dubstep-esque drops harken the arrival of "In Two" before the song takes on new life as a trance-forged butterfly.  Unlike so much electronic music being made these days, Blue Hawaii manage to avoid so many of the same cliches and pitfalls that ensnare their contemporaries.  Infusing their sound with ambient and new age influences gives the entire affair a feeling of intimacy and meditative sensuality that will titillate devotees of The xx.  This is baby-making music that has depth and substance from a compositional standpoint.  Light some Nag Champa and get lost.

 

BLUE HAWAII - "UNTOGETHER"

Arbutus Records 2013

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The Range - "Nonfiction"

A seemingly out-of-nowhere release, "Nonfiction" was a pleasant surprise to me during the cool autumn months of 2013.  The Range has created an album which reminds me of some of my favorite parts of Bonobo and Four Tet without ever compromising his unique sound.  Jungle drums and R&B-indebted keyboards coalesce into a compelling froth, adding a signature twist to the downtempo goodness.  Not quite a total chillout album, as some of these albums could take on new life on the dance floor, "Nonfiction" is still a remarkably relaxing listen.  I've spent many a late night and early morning immersed in it, and it continues to draw me in nearly a year later.

THE RANGE - "NONFICTION"

Donkey Pitch/Project: Mooncircle 2013

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Synkro - "Acceptance"

I feel like I'm doing a disservice to both Synkro and Volor Flex by posting their albums so close to one another.  It's not that the two are necessarily similar in sound, but they both have the unfortunate similarity of being compared to a certain mysterious UK dubstep producer who shall remain nameless.  Ok, it's Burial.  The thing is, Burial has become synonymous with this sound, which makes it difficult to review other releases within the genre without at least cross-referencing him in some way.  But where Burial is more likely to whip and chop his beats into a frantic groove that gets bodies moving, Synkro is content to work his magic in a more downtempo way.  Penultimate track "Mutual Divide" is a spare, melancholic paean that conveys a sober mood before the robotic seduction of "Don't Want" wraps you up in a blanket of binary code & kisses you goodnight.  This is subtle post-dubstep that is perfect for that late-night/early-morning comedown.

SYNKRO - "ACCEPTANCE"

Apollo Records 2013

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Ghost Cinema - "Ghost Cinema"

Bandcamp is a pretty amazing tool.  In the few years since I first heard of the site, it has lead me to discover countless bands & musicians I would have never known existed.  Take Munich electronic producer Ghost Cinema, for example.  I found Ghost Cinema's debut release last spring while sifting through the electronic music section on Bandcamp, and was immediately captivated.  I have listened to the entire album all the way through dozens of times, entranced by the bubbling synths & murky snare hits.  I immediately scoured the information superhighway for anything I could find on this producer or album, but to no avail.  There isn't any information about Ghost Cinema on Bandcamp, and an internet seach proves similarly futile.  With under 100 listeners on Last.fm, it's safe to say that Ghost Cinema remains unknown to a good deal of the world.  However, a few more releases with as much to offer as this promising debut should shine a spotlight on this mysterious German producer.  If you enjoy downtempo electronic music somewhat akin to what the Tri-Angle label offers up, spend some time with Ghost Cinema.

GHOST CINEMA - "GHOST CINEMA"

Self-released 2013

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