Since the beginning of this magazine that we have been receiving great electronic tracks. For some reason, we didn’t post about those submissions because we felt they should be integrated into a specific mood. We are now building that mood with a monthly post focusing on the best of indietronica. This is Electromental – part 13.
Big in Borneo – Control
Describing himself as “an avid disciple of the ‘Big Beat Manifesto’“, Big in Borneo 4th release to date is entitled “Control“. This is a track that incorporates trip-hop with UK garage and a bit of House, and that finds in its sense of control a nice relaxed trip that alternates with powerful hooks and vocal samples “all about control“. Very danceable and very much to contemplate with, the track is somewhere between an ambience track and a full electronic flow and grows from start to end until it turns a bit more aggressive/powerful with the beats around the mid-end. A track for the listeners who like electronic music that grows and lets you get into that inner voyage.
B O Ḵ Ë – Time For Change
B O Ḵ Ë is the musical alter ego of Scott Russel Wilson Jr. a music producer from Scotland who is currently on the brink of introducing his new sounds to the Nation. Released a couple of days ago on Youtube (only), “Time For Change” is part of his new project called “The Rambling Mute“, a full album to be released today (4th of February). It is released alongside a collection of NFT that includes the ability to buy royalty percentages off the entire Album! This is the future talking and it takes a lot of power as the track may sound slow and constant but gently evolves into a great electro-hip-hop vibe that also incorporates Glitch elements. Filled with a distinctive drop that goes all along the track, the sonority sounds modern, powerful and machine-like futuristic.
Fontana – Deal With It
Fontana is the experimental house project of multi-instrumentalist and producer Dan Murch and DJ and producer Giorgio Trisciani. Murch & Trisciani came together during the 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic, utilising their time, creativity and drum machines to produce a well-received debut EP and numerous singles made popular by the group’s presence on social media. Getting influences from a wide range of influences, from 70s funk & disco to modern-day house & electronic music, they create a dynamic blend of lo-fi house, indie and techno. “Deal with it” is a track that incorporates James Brown vocal samples pushing the boundaries of the Fontana sampling technique. Perfect for any post-covid retro disco floors or modern discos, there is a super engaging vibe in this that just makes us go along with every single time.
Habitat Canada – Blindsight
“Blindsight”, is the new single from Habitat Canada and it showcases yet another side of the incredibly versatile producer’s creativity. This is a darker, moodier piece than previous releases, that can be defined as mysterious, but charming. Incorporating Kavinsky like elements that are best described as 80’s retro, there are a lot of breathy elements in this, with warm dusty arpeggios and daunting melodies that display the project’s inclination towards synth and chillwave. “Although cars are yet to fly, in the Montreal sky, you can still get high, with a beat in your feet” perfectly describes the sonority and the spirit of another great electronic release from Habitat Canada.
HummingbirdXYZ – Satellite not a kite
Even though almost not electronic and very short for the amount of quality it has (we just wanted to last for large minutes) HummingbirdXYZ second release is another stunner. Entitled “Satellite not a kite” the track features subtle messages around love with a fully instrumental setting composed of piano, drums, shifts, delay pedal and masterful loops. Certainly on spot for why we created something called “electromental” the track easily enters into our inner beings and provides a great ambience for us to contemplate around and about. The only minus factor is that it ends quite quickly. Again, we wanted this to last a bit more forever.
RLGNS – Chronemic
They are one of our favourite new electronic acts. Hailing from Portugal, but currently based in Poland, RLGNS‘ type of electronic sonority is always a mix of experimental cinematic music with deep and danceable electronics. “Chronemic” is their latest track, and one of the first tracks we’ve been fans of in 2022. Not only the bass elements are crazy gorgeous, but the amount of tech-based beats and hooks that make the track groove are both futuristic and unique. There is a strong cadence in the entire track and the usual capacity to reinvent the song from start to end. Deeply gorgeous, it’s the best way to frame it.
Older Future – Never Younger
Alon Yaish aka Older Future is the name behind this superfine and peculiar production called “Never Younger”. The track comes out courtesy of the mighty Glitchworld Recordings, a young and fast-growing label founded in 2017 with already more than 200 releases and counting with top-notch placements around the digital platforms charts. The track matches the Israeli producer skills, reflecting his wide creativity and showing off his characteristic trippy sonorities that blend 90s nostalgic vibes and unexpected rhythm changes based on drum grooves and glitch elements.
Teen Daze – Translation
Over the years, catalyzed by synthetic sights and sounds from oceans away, British Columbia producer Jamison Isaak aka Teen Daze patiently taught himself primitive software and recording programs, reverse engineering the heady, swooning horizons of the dance music that had permanently bewitched him. He didn’t anticipate adulthood of globe-trotting songcraft, but teenage exposure to iconic French house music videos cast a spell on him that still holds: “I knew then – this is what I wanted to do”. His latest, released already two months ago, is the gorgeous “Translation“. A track that starts slow until about half of the track until it emanates a glorious and energetic vibe that sounds like a nice Friday.
Toxic Positivity – Zenith Nadir
“Zenith Nadir” is part of Toxic Positivity newest EP with the same title. Introducing himself as a free-range, bedroom producer and highly influenced by improvisational music, the electronic producer presents us with a sort of dark trip into what sounds like a mix of cultural elements encapsulated into bizarre electronica. He states “I like being transported to another place with music. Sounds the listener defines as pleasing takes them to a profound state of contentment and happiness. But is this as far as we can go? Feelings of confusion and alienation can also be tools to an altered state. Instead of turning off music that initially repels oneself, embrace it. Realize you are being haunted by ghosts of another world“. The track is perfectly produced and truly invites us into getting lost in it as it also does make us want to dance to the dark beat. Definitely novel and surprising.
All these tracks (and previous tracks featured in Electromental) are also in our Spotify Playlist: