ARTICLES
Benoît Pioulard's Précis
Label: Dynamophone
Label: Hidden Shoal

ALBUMS
Aemae
A Lily
Arc Lab
Blotnik Brothers
Gui Boratto
Cagesan
Jeremy Caulfield
Loren Dent
Do Make Say Think
Eats Tapes
Enduser
Domink Eulberg
Explosions in the Sky
Michael Fahres
The Field
Frivolous
Maximilian Hecker
Hug
Hush Arbors
Jan-M. Iversen
Espen Jørgensen
Kattoo
O.Lamm
Bruce Levingston
Tobias Lilja
Lusine
Marcia Blaine School
The Missing Ensemble
Nebulo
Ölvis
Charlemagne Palestine
Palomar
Pornopop
The Postmarks
Propergol Y Colargol
The Retail Sectors
R/R Coseboom
Sankt Otten
Scratch Massive
Slow Dancing Society
Stars of the Lid
subtractiveLAD
Sunosis
Aoki Takamasa
Amon Tobin
Tokyo Mask
Kate Wax
Wes Willenbring
Windmill

COMPILATIONS/MIXES
Chaos.Lovers
Cryosphere
Hub: 2004-2005
Rufs
Satoshi Tomiie

3" /7" /10"/12"/EPs
Agnes
AM/PM
Arctic Sunrise
Audion
Characterize 1
Dartriix
Death is Nothing To Fear
Don't Be A Stranger
Einóma
Fusiphorm
Heartthrob
Human Nature
Infant Cycle / Antmanuv
Lilienweiss
Luci
Mauve
Paco Osuna
Ben Parris
Carola Pisaturo
Portable
Sutekh
System
Aoki Takamasa
Cortney Tidwell
Andy Vaz

VA: Chaos.Lovers
Lovethechaos

At first glance, Chaos.Lovers, the second release from the Barcelona-based Lovethechaos label, doesn't look terribly promising, considering that it appears to be merely one more in a seemingly never-ending stream of computer-based compilations produced by relatively obscure artists, many of whom share a weakness for data-oriented song titles like “Chd3u” and “Neogaritm.” How refreshing, then, to discover that beyond that first impression lie ten inspired and exuberant pieces that may be almost wholly electronic in origin but are no less compelling for being so—in short, there ain't a dud in the bunch.

Despite the brooding tone of many pieces, the artists' jubilant creativity bursts forth in every case, and some pieces (like Nikka Vs Morbia's “Inorganic Agent” which drenches the listener in a harrowing swarm of creaks and glitch) showcase a remarkable command of atmosphere and sound design. There's also variety in style and mood: amidst the glitch of Strand 's “Nik J” lies a wistfulness and warmth, much of it due to the vocal whispers that add soothing sweetness, while Strange2 allows funk and hip-hop to seep into his pulsating, piano-enhanced “White Thought.” In addition, Az-Rotator's “Neogaritm” offers an emphatically musical sampling of breakcore (despite the tune's occasionally seizure-gripped character) and Signalform adds an appealing dance dimension to the collection with the acid-funk swing of “Assembly.” Ab Ovo's “Abstract” provides a slow-burning and majestic coda that—as ridiculous as it might sound to say so—bears an uncanny resemblance to the chord sequence of The Bee Gees' “Nights On Broadway.” Best of all, 3tronik's “Fluvermax” slams into position with the annihilating force of a crazed mastodon as voices groan and snaking rhythms writhe. With equal attention given to beats and atmosphere, Chaos.Lovers inhabits a solid middle ground between Spezial Material and Miasmah.

April 2007