Articles
Anile, dBridge, and Mako
Liam Singer's Arc Iris

Albums
Allison & Owen
Billy Bang
Barbacana
Tim Bass
Ben Lukas Boysen
Chasing Kurt
Deep Magic
Drumcell
Lawrence English
Esmerine
Ex Confusion
Fazio
Gideon Wolf
A Guide For Reason
Andreas Henneberg
Ikebana
Illuha
Jumpel
The Last Hurrah!!
Lazercrotch
John Lemke
Nektarios Manaras
Maps
Sean McCann
Melorman
James Murray
Sarah Neufeld
David Papapostolou
Personal Life
Ross, Oberland & Claus
Seaworthy & Deupree
Liam Singer
Wadada Leo Smith
Tonefloat: Ikon
Wenngren & Nästesjö
Sebastian Zangar

Compilations / Mixes
dBridge
EPM Selected Vol. 1
Friction
Kode9
The Outer Church
Michelle Owen

EPs / Cassettes / Singles
Andyskopes
Anile
Rudi Arapahoe
Rachael Boyd
Break / Detail
CKSNL
Ed:it / Mikal
Marcus Fischer
Full Intention
Gain Stage
Lullatone
Pillowdiver
Gail Priest
Skittles
Andy Vaz

VA: EPM Selected Vol. 1
EPM

EPM makes no bones about the fact that EPM Selected Vol 1 is a deliberately designed advert for the music label side of its operation—not that anyone would begrudge the company in these times for doing whatever it can to get music by roster artists like Paul Mac, Carl Taylor, Kristian Heikkila, and The Third Man across. It's a moot point anyway, as the sixty-eight-minute compilation, which leans towards the label's housier side (and adds a couple of unreleased exclusives to a selection of highlights from the past two years), holds up perfectly well on purely musical grounds.

Esteban Adame previews his upcoming debut album with “The Reason,” an iridescent exclusive that inaugurates the set powerfully with a svelte fusion of emotive, strings-heavy atmospherics and driving house beats that are equally crisp and tight. Thoughts of Ibiza won't be far away when Marius breezily rolls out congas, disco strings, and a rollicking, bass-spiked house pulse for the sunkissed splendour of “Jet Set”; in stark contrast, Heikkila's “Stakker” (from 2012's Kombinations) oozes, appropriately enough, a stalker vibe in its emphasis on dark techno grime.

Skip the introductory minute of Lee J. Malcolm's “Rhodes Home” and proceed directly to the fulminating breakbeats and organ-drenched psychedelia that give the track such individuating character. Though it never careens out of control, the ride is nevertheless wild and epic, especially when a euphoric peak crests at the six-minute mark in a way that's frankly awesome. Though one pities the producer who has to follow that scene-stealer, Luis Martinez makes a pretty strong case for himself with “Marife,” a jazz-inflected exclusive that weaves Latin-styled acoustic guitar and piano playing into an irrepressibly swinging house framework.

In contrast to the other contributors, Taylor gets two swings at bat, with the first “Lost Memories” a punchy, Detroit-styled techno throwdown from his 2011 set True Faith, and the second “Only U” a euphonious jam tailor-made for open skies and trouble-free times. And don't leave early ‘cos if you do you'll miss Mac's “Hotel Insomnia,” a light-speed, string-drenched techno anthem that roars with a supernova-like energy. In sum, the compilation earns its recommendation on quality grounds, but also for the fact that it includes the right number of tracks—ten being neither too little nor too many—and gives each one enough time to make a case for itself without overstaying its welcome. While no game-changer, EPM Selected Vol 1 certainly presents a strong argument for EPM as a quality label enterprise.

August-September 2013