Article
Spotlight 9

Albums
Cory Allen
Ellen Allien
Barry Altschul
A-Sun Amissa
Matt Baldwin
bvdub
Cass.
Gensu Dean & Planet Asia
Dreissk
Mats Eilertsen Trio
Farthest South
Ben Fleury-Steiner
William Ryan Fritch
Function
Ben Goldberg
Graveyard Tapes
Julia Kent
Annea Lockwood
Madegg
Stephan Mathieu
Moss Garden
Papir
Ian Pooley
Quiet Evenings
Seba
Dirk Serries
Nadia Sirota
Space Dim. Controller
Splashgirl
Mark Templeton
Versalife

Compilations / Mixes
The Aftermath
DJ Sprinkles
Finding Time
Friends Will Carry You
Future Disco Vol. 6

EPs / Cassettes / Singles
Break / Enei
Consequence
Elektro Guzzi
Stefan Goldmann
Hogweed And The Aderyn
Karol XVII & MB Valence
Mise En Place Pt. 2
Reverence
Warszawa
Whodat

Karol XVII & MB Valence: Plastic Age EP
Loco Records

The seventieth release on Loco Records, Karol XVII & MB Valence's Plastic Age EP presents three artful and thoughtfully sequenced tracks that do more than just lay out a groove and drive it into the ground. At the same time, their huge bass presence ensures that they're more than up to the challenge of filling the club space.

Oozing slinky soul, “The Bar Around the Corner” (written and produced by Stereofonik) overlays a crisp tech-house bounce with a tasty bass part, mystery-laden synth stabs, and a jazzy electric piano solo. Multiple twists and turns ensue over the course of its six minutes, making for an always stimulating and, yes, even seductive ride. A little less tightly wound by comparison, the middle cut “Simple Minds” (written and produced by Soultunes) rolls out a relaxed groove, female vocal accents (“Simple”), piano chords, and synth flares before going deeper with the added growl of a chunky bass line. “Days Without You” (written and produced by Deeprisoner) brightens the mood with a bouncy groove whose swing is bolstered by percussive detail—even when it's plunging down the rabbit hole in its weirder moments. Confronted with the track's distorted vocal accents and tiny cuckoo motif, one can't help but recall Alice's “Curiouser and curiouser!” comment.

March 2013