When Dave and Sebastian’s paths crossed at djummi records in 2019 and they began exchanging ideas about music through their correspondence, it quickly became clear that an interesting overlap was opening up. John Bonham, for example. Dave found him fascinating as one of those drummers who like to play his instrument sometimes without the rest of the band. Sebastian, in turn, appreciated his uncompromising, expansive sound. Dave sparked Sebastian’s interest in Jon Hassell, and Sebastian inspired Dave with Tortoise and Trans Am. They also agree on the Violent Femmes.
Krautrock is always a recurring theme, but so is ambient. Sebastian didn’t understand this music for a long time because it seemed to dispense with rhythm. Dave instead was looking for the sound for his solo drumming there. The goal: a percussion section that sheds its brutality, achieves a lightness of touch, and is thus capable of telling its own stories. In Sebastian’s previous work, lightness expresses itself more as a playfulness in the handling of ideas than in a reduction of means. His songs are often weighty and rich in sounds, motifs, and ideas.
With suralarm, these intersectional opposites meet and intertwine perfectly. Through a ping-pong of ideas, the two developed the EP’s four tracks. Each musician brought two basic ideas into the ring as a starting point. The title track, “train of thought,” perhaps symbolises the record’s creation process. It corresponds to the equally figurative German word “Gedankengang” (Gedankengang). Just as one thought connects to another during reflection, ideally with the goal of insight, this track develops throughout the successive musical ideas, like how this little album came about.
It’s kraut, it’s ambient. At times powerful, at times light. It offers material for the listener’s undivided attention, but certainly also has the potential to be elevator music. If so, then Paternoster, please!
Oberlin is the musical project of Alexander Holtz from Koblenz (Coblence), Germany. The centerpiece of his instruments is a modular eurorack synthesizer, which he often combines with guitar, piano and field-recordings. His music invites the listener to contemplate, it often is developing quite slowly, it never demands to be in a certain focus of attention, but it never tries to fulfil any ambient-clichees in the sense of creating just an aural wallpaper either. It is musical improvisation maybe in a more subtle kind of way. Oberlin has released music on Handstitched*, cosmic winnetou, Thirsty Leaves, Vaagner, Hibernate, Secret Press, AOsmosis, some tapes and downloads by himself and, notably two beautiful cassette albums on Mahorka.
Xu is Nicola Fornasari from Cremona, Italy. He began his musical career in 1995 as the bass player and singer for the hardcore band Entropia. Starting in 2007, he began exploring new musical projects, including Xu(e) (a duo with Andrea Poli), Xu (his solo project), La Petite Vague (a duo with Diego Balconi), and That Which is Not (a duo with Pier Giorgio Storti / Belaqua Shua) in 2020. His music has been released on a variety of labels, including Fluid, Whitelabrecs, Shimmering Moods, Slow Tone Collages, Krysalisound, Eilean, Flaming Pines, Rottenman Editions, Rohs! / Lontano, Twice Removed, Cathedral Transmissions, Triple Moon, Thirsty Leaves Music, Audio Gourmet, Tessellate, Haze, Many Feet Under, Subterranean Tide, and Laverna. He has collaborated with artists such as Darren Harper, Bill Seaman and Francis Gri.
“Velvet Meadow Resonance Fragment” is the third collaborative album between Xu and Oberlin. For this project, Oberlin provided acoustic guitar sketches, asking Xu to process and transform them into the foundation of the tracks. The recordings were then manipulated through a modular Eurorack system or altered using the Samplr iPad app. Oberlin handled the final polishing and mastering. This work marks the first chapter of an ongoing experiment. In the next chapter, currently in progress, it will be Oberlin who develops everything, starting from the material provided by Xu. Stay tuned.
Released March 23, 2025 as free (cc) digital download and beautiful limited cassette edition.
Recorded in the Summer of 2023 in Koblenz, Germany and Cremona, Italy
Xu: electronics
Oberlin: guitar
Artwork photo taken and edited by Alexander Holtz
Artwork design by Angel Draganov
“Many thanks to Ivo Petrov and the Mahorka label for taking care of this release”
Recorded & Mixed in 2024 by:
Róbert Sipos – composition, mixing, bass guitar, sound samples [Noise Sculptor, Premex Solus, Robotron – creator of many mixes in techno, noise, industrial genres]
Mihály Rácz – composition, mixing, sound samples, ambience [Hideg Roncs, Premex Solus, HYRO; writer, author and editor of Lángoló and his own books, Második Látás / Second Sight fanzine]
Ádám Jäger – sound samples, vocals / throat singing, zither, metal drum, graphics & design
[jagarin, JäGeR; photography & music themed blogger, formerly Blogisztan and Drót]
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Insectorama proudly celebrates its milestone 200th release with a special Various Artists compilation that embodies the label’s deep commitment to dub techno. This landmark edition brings together eight exceptional tracks from a roster of visionary producers: Dubtrak, Depthbarhat, Markus Masuhr, Davor Tosovic, Leopoldolll, Lotech_Hijack, and Narcotic303 (Roman Ridder Remix).
Marking this occasion with a fresh perspective, each track has been reinterpreted and reshaped by Dubree into a set of exclusive edits that breathe new life into the originals. The result is a cohesive yet diverse sonic journey, where atmospheric textures, deep grooves, and hypnotic rhythms merge into a timeless dub techno experience.
A tribute to 200 releases of innovation and underground sound, this special compilation stands as a testament to Insectorama’s enduring dedication to the genre—a deep, meditative space where echoes and reverberations sculpt the future of dub techno.
Dive into the sound and celebrate with us!
Alexei Borisov – Guitar
Igor Levshin – Texts, Guitar, Keys (8), Virtual ANS, Voice
Pavel Bannikov – Bass
Suren Akopyan – Drums
Kostya Suhan – Trumpet
Mastered by Artyom Amatuni
Artwork by Natalya Levshina
Music / Performed / Recorded / Mixed : Fake Cats Project, 2021
AutomatA – Bento EP
Catalogue: DigitalDiamonds107
Format: EP
Released: January 2025
Introducing ‘Bento’, the highly anticipated debut EP from AutomatA on Digital Diamonds! Just like a meticulously crafted bento box, this release is a diverse yet perfectly balanced collection of techno flavors, designed to satisfy your sonic appetite.
‘Bento’ serves up five distinct tracks, each offering a unique auditory experience while maintaining AutomatA’s signature precision and depth. From hypnotic grooves and pulsating basslines to intricate sound design and unexpected twists, every track is a carefully placed ingredient that brings variety and harmony to your speakers.
Whether you’re seeking a main course of driving rhythms or a side of atmospheric textures, ‘Bento’ delivers a rich selection of techno delicacies. Dive in and taste the future of underground techno – prepared and served fresh by AutomatA.
Igor Levshin: Voice, Guitar, Bass, Virtual ANS Synth, Flute.
Kirill Makushin: Voice, Accordion (Bayan), Mouthorgan
Alexei Borisov: Bass, Guitar, Drums, Analog Synths, Tape Recorder.
Ilya Gnoensky – Piano
Pavel Sheveliov – Didgeridoo, Bass-Clarinet
Design by Natalia Levshina
Music / Performed / Recorded / Mixed : Fake Cats Project, 2016,2018
Shortcuts went on a beach holiday! They came back with an EP in their luggage, which is tellingly titled “Strand”.
It is sometimes about “lying in the sun” or “swimming in the sea”, “journey” in the literal and figurative sense is a recurring motif. But anyone who expects a kind of vacation report set to music or even concept music is thinking too short-sightedly.
There are a few things different on “Strand” than on the previous two releases. The record is not only the most electronic, but also the most guitar-heavy in the band’s history to date. The music is also much more straightforward this time, which brings the duo closer to their live sound. “Strand” is also the first Shortcuts record with completely German lyrics. Another special feature is that Jule does not play drums on any of the songs, as usual, but guitar.
The rest remains the same. On “Strand” Shortcuts again live up to their name: you can hear short, concise songs in which nothing more is said and played than necessary.
In October 2023, a number of artists submitted tracks for a compilation project intended to serve as a time capsule, set to release exactly a year later. While some artists drew connections between their work from the 1980s and the present day, others included messages aimed at the future, meant to be read in 2024. This project served as an exploration of timelessness, with each artist’s perspective on their work being deeply personal and not easily shared with the outside world. Their inspirations varied — some drew hope from the past, while others tackled their fears. For a few, it turned into an exercise in nihilism, as they stripped their work of all meaning to reflect their views on the world, offering a glimpse into their personalities. And, others expressed a desire for drastic changes to make the world safer.
Artwork & Mastering: Origin_Blueprint.
Layout: Aria Argento.
Igor Levshin – Virtual ANS, Guitar, Upright Electric Senkov Bass
Alexei Borisov – Various Synths, Guitar, Radio
Sasha Zayats – Toy Electric Drums
Kirill Makushin – Voice, Accordion
Music / Performed / Recorded / Mixed : Fake Cats Project, 2024
Many thanks to all artists who make this compilation something very special with their track.
In the symphony of a distant world, seasons were played in chords.
Spring arrived as a light, gentle hum, its notes shimmering through
the air like a distant echo. Summer roared with vibrant,
esonant chords, filling the sky with heat and harmony.
Autumn fell in rich, slow minor scales, leaves swirling
in its fading echoes. Winter, a quiet, hollow hum,
pulsed through frozen air, each note sharp and distant.
The planet turned, its seasons woven in endless cycles
of sound—chords stretching through time, echoes bouncing
softly across the horizon, never fading completely.
Cinnabar Club has returned with a four-song EP titled “Machine Magick”. The tracks have a menacing industrial atmosphere and strong motorik rhythms—first energising and then hypnotic—with a dose of satire and humour in the vocal performances.
The vocals and music evoke scenes reminiscent of a beleaguered dictator delivering a last frantic address from a barricaded radio station as ominous synthesisers and mechanical clangs signal the impending chaos. Cinnabar Club uses the format of electronic dance music to create a dramaturgy in which the keen listener can get lost.
