• Label: BRUIT CLAIR
• Cat No: BC-02
• 09/02/2010  

This, my friends, is an awesome EP. Going back some time I remember really digging Lena’s album on Sub Rosa (or Quatermass – can’t remember which) as it was a supreme blend of techno, electronica and a Berlin-styled flavour that was deeply appealing to me. Now, nearly 10 years down the line here’s the first in a series of releases that absolutely rocks it for me. I’ve been privileged enough to be listening to this for several months now and I have to say it really is simply one of the best dubbed out releases I’ve heard in a long time. Not content with just sitting back and doing the obvious techno vibes, Lena delivers 4 delicious cuts that range from straight 4/4 heads-down goodness through to offbeat, more electronica sounding moments. Each and every track is wonderful with special props going to Variation 2 for being well… just utterly brilliant. If you have *any* love for deep techno and the sounds of Berlin this is a truly essential release. White vinyl, limited copies – killer sounds. Don’t miss as I can’t recommend this highly enough.

• Label: PLIIANT RECORDINGS
• Cat No: PLIIAN005
• 07/02/2010  

I’m well pleased to be able to bring you the third part of Pliiant’s Diipliioviila series! This is another cheeky, quirky selection of electronic based music with some really quite excellent funkiness going on. Every release has a slightly different vibe whilst keeping the overall flavour of groove intact and, as such, this one kicks off with some extremely toothsome disco vibes. Using that as a basis Pliiant strips it back to basics and then layers up some stupendously dramatic chords and sounds that give it more of a contemporary feel than you might expect. Clocking in at a mighty 11 minutes this is some seriously hypnotic gear and when that Hooky-style bass comes in you can’t help but tap along. The rest of the tracks are given over to varying styles ranging from funk to jazz and on through ambient and soundscapes. What can I tell you about Pliiant other than he’s one unique producer of very cool music. Lovely presentation once again and a killer collection of cuts. Check.

• Label: PLIIANT RECORDINGS
• Cat No: PLIIANT004
• 07/02/2010  

And here’s yet another example of why I dig Pliiant so much. Not content with funking me out grooves wise, here’s a 5-track EP that sits at the other end of the electronic spectrum. Corson Sinclair blends the purest of electronica vibes with a deep and washy shoegaze / ambient sound that at times recalls the sounds of Ulrich Schnauss, Gas, Last Days and even Celer (particularly on the last track). Layer upon layer of chords and melodies are blended together to create soaring textures that will uplift you, whilst the more low-key and rhythmic pieces are sure to find many a fan with lovers of Sight Below or the Pop Ambient releases. Add in Pliiant’s breathy vocal elements and you’ve got some well structured and beautifully produced low key sounds. Each piece has a feel of its own, yet thematically there’s a really nice continuity between the tracks. For sheer flow, beauty and versatility you really need to check this little gem out. Props to Mr P!

• Label: BRAINS AND HUNCH RECORDS
• Cat No: BAH
• 07/02/2010  

Hot off the press comes this debut physical release for the collective known as the London Snorkelling Team. Quite apart from the fact that this really is an immaculately presented work that comes complete with an oversized cardboard cover and a delightfully quirky illustrated map (nope, they really weren’t lying about the map bit in the title!), we’re also treated to one of the most delightfully potty selections of music I’ve heard for some time. Well known for their live performances featuring trombonists and tap dancers (both of which feature here) this CD captures their unique blend of cocktail, jazz, lounge, TV music and eclectic electronic elements. From a mad waltz through to spooky detective music and on through Latin and low-key jazz styles via some super outright funkiness this is absolutely something that fans of Ghost Box or Trunk are going to adore. There’s something similarly and quintessentially ‘British’ about this music and it brings back memories of childhood, public service films and flared trousers… well, it does for me anyway. I’m loving this as it’s completely out there and really quite tremendous fun. If you’re a fan of the aforementioned labels you simply have to check this out. Pure class and something I’m extremely pleased to have acquired for Smallfish. Bravo gentlemen.

• Label: SEREIN
• Cat No: SERE001
• 07/02/2010  

Retold is an exquisite collaboration between Otto Totland and Huw Roberts that aches with emotion from the very start. A collection of melancholy and deeply beautiful works with cinematic influences as well as a modern classic feel within some of the arrangements, this is music that hits you right in the heart. Sumptuous instrumentation ranging from pianos and Welsh harp and on through horns and strings strike a wonderful balance between emotion and power. You can sense the narrative unfolding as you listen even though there is no tangible story – it’s a tale of ever expanding and flowing music that allows you to conjure your own images as you experience it. This feels timeless in the way that Johann Johannsson or Max Richter do as there’s nothing here but the purest of sounds and compositions. Music of this calibre simply never dates and will be as relevant in 50 years time as it is now. Come the end of the album you’ll have enjoyed a stunning selection of work culminating in the ambient, classical drone-scape of the finale – a perfect way to end and leave you wanting to go straight back to it. This is something that I’ll be playing all year and I strongly believe that you will be as well. Delicate, indefinably lovely – a truly stunning release.

• Label: HOME NORMAL
• Cat No: HOMEN012
• 05/02/2010  

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Jason Corder is one heck of a talent within the electronic music scene. With a stupendous catalogue of releases behind him we are now treated to a beautiful album for the wonderful Home Normal label. Corder’s sense of melody and structure is second to none and the way he weaves tracks together is a real showcase for his innate ability to write music. Hiding Nature is a collection of naturalistic sounding tracks using a huge range of recorded sounds and electronics to convey a gentle and serene atmosphere. There’s something distinctly Japanese about some of the tracks with fluttering bell sounds and field recordings layered in the background, but then you’ll find a delicate and calming contemporary electronic passage that really wouldn’t sound out of place on 12k. The overall sense here is a tangible feeling of warmth and friendliness, but put together with an eye for abstract detail. That’s why it works so deliciously in my opinion as the blend of styles is pure bliss. Home Normal does it again and Jason Corder adds yet another string to his already bursting bow. A seriously fine album indeed and highly recommended.

• Label: BRUIT CLAIR
• Cat No: BC-01
• 02/02/2010  

From the first moment I heard the releases that were forthcoming from Bruit Clair I knew it was going to be a label that Smallfish would be very, very happy to be stocking! With this debut release label owner Mat has put together a marvellous collection of works that surf the line between experimental, organic and processed. There’s a whole world of sound to discover here as the ever-present guitars lock horns with prepared instruments and electronics to provide a constant background of intriguing tonality and background layering. The work here seems improvised, as far as I can tell, but adheres to a structural style that holds all the sounds together while allowing them to be fully explored in a number of compelling ways. Clattering percussive forces sit happily next to quiet moments of introspective drone with an almost ambient quality, but the prevailing sound is one of lively, playful and inventive sound design that uses noise as one of the main focuses of the tracks. Be prepared for some awesome future releases from this label that’s very much one to watch. Highly recommended indeed and a really excellent beginning for Bruit Clair.

• Label: HIBERNATE RECORDS
• Cat No: HB10
• 01/02/2010  

Leeds based artist David Horner has put together a real beauty of an album here. Hibernate’s sense of bringing together the electronically processed and organic is well established and this full length work really fits like a glove with the label’s ethos. All of the source sounds and recordings were captured in the morning, hence the name, and it gives everything a surprisingly tangible freshness which more than comes across in the music. Always melodic and 100% thoughtful, this evocative series of meditations lies somewhere between the free-flowing and the more structured. It’s never a rigid feel though and the tones and textures are allowed free reign to be explored in depth. The variety here is one of the keys to its appeal I think and the breadth of ideas and styles is deeply satisfying. One moment you’re being lulled by a low-key drone and water sounds, the next a guitar harmonic punctuates the atmosphere, bringing everything into sharp focus. The field recordings and background tones are charming and, as ever, add a layer of natural sound and feeling. Although there are moments that move into a slightly darker feel they only serve to highlight the grainy sense of musicality here and the balance between the styles is marvellous. Another brilliant release from Hibernate and something that the artist should be very proud of. A gorgeous album. Recommended.

• Label: MATTER
• Cat No: MATTER004
• 31/01/2010  

Koyuki man David Sani under his Shinkei guise along with Shay Nassi as Mise_En_Scene come together here on the Japanese Matter label with a collaborative work that’s simply wonderful. As you’d imagine this delves right into the minimalist depths of contemporary electronica and it does so with such finesse and style that I sincerely believe you’re going to love it as much as I do. For the first track alone, Cryptology, this album is worth the price in my opinion. It’s a stark, yet beautiful drone work with the kind of texture you might expect to hear early on in a Chartier set, for example. They allow it to develop, grow, reduce itself to barely anything, then fade out with infinite slowness using field recordings and plenty of incidental sound. It’s an awesome intro for what is proving to be one of my highlights of the year so far. From there the textures and tones move in various directions, from higher frequency and a-tonal works and back into micro-fragment compositions that sound structured but have a remarkably freeform feeling. Adding to that are three interpretations from Luigi Turra, Michael Hartman and Yukitomo Hamasaki that each take a distinctly different direction and you have a complete package that no fan of Line, White_Line and Dragon’s Eye should be without. An absolutely superb album from beginning to end. Highly recommended.

• Label: KOYUKI
• Cat No: YUKI008
• 31/01/2010  

Now this is a classy and unique release from Koyuki. Having concentrated on micro electronics in the past it’s very refreshing to find this unusual release from Ryota Kanasaki. One of the main ingredients of the tracks is the use of vocals as not only a melodic component but also as rhythm, percussion and bass. We’re not talking about Bobby McFerrin here or a spot of beatbox – no, this is considerably more experimental than that and yet there’s an accessible feel to the resulting works that allows it stand out in the crowd. Angelic female snippets are combined with an earthy male voice and everything is restructured into lively and engaging music. The third piece adds in more of an electronic feel with some interesting samples overlaid whilst the fourth piece seems, on the surface anyway, to be completely free of vocals (although on subsequent listens I believe the main wind sounds may well have been sourced from recorded voices) and concentrates on an intense and, to these ears, very beautiful mid-range drone. All in all I have to say this is a release of the highest quality and it’s extremely pleasing to have Koyuki back in the fold here at Smallfish after a brief hiatus. Check at once!