Yukihiro Takahashi Yukihiro Takahashi
Murdered By The Music = 音楽殺人

"In the spring of 2016, Gigi Masin, Jonny Nash and Marco Sterk got together in the studio for the first time since they recorded Clouds, the critically acclaimed debut album from their Gaussian Curve project.By the time they reconvened in Sterk’s new studio in Amsterdam, a stone’s throw away from the temporary, second-floor space where they recorded Clouds, much had changed. When they first got together in March 2014, it was for a spontaneous, weekend-long exploration of shared musical passions. They were merely three new friends expressing themselves, and having huge amounts of fun in the process.By the time they got together again last year, the album they recorded on that famous weekend had taken on a life of its’ own. To their surprise and delight, Clouds had become one of the most admired ambient albums of the 21st century.They’d initially reconvened in the studio to rehearse for their first live performances. It soon become clear that all three members were brimming with ideas for new Gaussian Curve material. Over the four days that followed, and fuelled by the same spontaneous working method that drove Clouds, a new album began to take shape.Although their methodology remained the same, the inspirations were different. Whereas Clouds was intimate by design, The Distance reflects more on spaciousness, distance and time. It is instantly recognizable as a Gaussian Curve record, but feels different in scope and tone.The Distance is a different musical beast to its’ predecessor, but shares the same timeless, emotion-rich feel that made Clouds such a hit. While the fundamental ingredients remain the same – Masin’s masterly piano and synthesizer work, Nash’s blissful, meandering guitar lines, and Sterk’s synths, drum machines and production – The Distance is an album brimming with fresh ideas, and more complex musical arrangements. It’s the sound of three confident collaborators crafting magical musical moments in their own unique way.This expansive new approach can be heard on “T.O.R”, where Nash’s haunting trumpet and hazy guitars wrap themselves around the kind of hypnotic piano and synth patterns that were once the preserve of American minimalist composers, in the gently breezy positivity of “Four For You”, and in the loved-up chord progressions and bubbly electronic beats of “Breathe”. Close your eyes, and you’ll also hear it amongst the sunrise shuffle of “The Distance”, Masin’s hushed vocals on “Another Place”, and within the kosmiche influenced sensuality of “Ceremony”.With The Distance, Gaussian Curve is embarking on a new journey. Happily, we can all share their adventures."

Bruno “Patchworks” Hovart is definitely one of the top producers of today’s groove music scene. After playing as a bassist and guitarist for various bands, he started producing in the mid-nineties and has kept on mixing today’s technologies with the raw spirits of House, Electronic, Disco, Funk, Soul, Reggae & Jazz music’s golden years since then.Following the trail of success left by his various projects as Patchworks, and under many aliases, he’s proved his musical ubiquity and unexpectedly stroke in various genres. For this new EP, he’s back under the EDR Records’ umbrella, following up to his acclaimed EPs called Give My Love (EDR019) and Dedications (EDR021), and meanwhile pursuing a comeback to his early love for House music.Many House music diggers would indeed remember that before Favorite Recordings was launched in 2006, Patchworks and Pascal Rioux produced many Deep-House titles on the Rotax Disques imprint. Besides since the late 90s, Patchworks has also collaborated with labels such as Q-Tape, or Still Music, delivering many clubbing hits such as “Million Toes”, “Sugar”, or “Minautor” to name just a few.On this 4 tracks EP, he again delivers 4 dancefloor killers, ready to convince any listener from old-school “footstomping” aficionados, to Detroit House heads. For the occasion he also invited his long time mate Eric Duperray aKa Mr Day, who brings his soulful vibes to the mix.

Antipodean Anomalies 2 is Left Ear Records most ambitious project to date, a compilation that took over 4 years to license and includes 17 artists across a double LP. AA2 picks up where the first iteration left off, with co-compilers Chris Bonato & Bridget Small continuing to dig through the music of the geographically isolating and maverick landscapes of Australia & New ZealandAs with the first iteration, Left Ear continues to excavate the music from these vast micro-scenes that evolved out of a number of small community-focused domains creating their own unique reinterpretation of musical influences from near and far, spanning the years 1980 – 1992.The compilation scopes an overlooked epoch from Adelaide, presenting acts such as the DNA Lounge, TCH & Will Kuiper. A close-knit community of like-minded mates that made distinctive electronic music together throughout the 80’s, all of which remained unreleased until now. Buchanan Holbrook capture the ambiance of Perth’s heat prodded afternoon’s perfectly with their track Hunger, a breezy 9-minute minimal-jazz jam that includes kalimba, water samples & conga. Furthermore, artists like David Watson & Colin Offord use samplers and handmade instruments to offer a more abrasive and experimental aesthetic.To round out the compilation, artists such as Jane Stevenson, discovered a 7” at an op-shop and found the needle stuck on the word, ‘Aloha’. Using tape loops, she chose to highlight imperfections rather than hide them and in unison managed to cross boundaries of time; the 60s (album voice) and the 80s (my voice), of location; Hawaii and Australia, and of language; “Aloha and Hi”. This ethos echoes the compilation's vision, to champion artists that implement impromptu creativity, and who have a desire to create regardless of their surroundings and resources. AA2 signs off with the Back to Back Zithers, drawing inspiration from the haiku poems of Basho. To illustrate this, Kari set a Kacapi improvisation to the backdrop of the cicada chorus of summertime in outer Melbourne.

Multi-instrumentalist and Frenchman Jype serves up a sumptuous debut album here that finds him link with a host of fine collaborators. The tracks are all brain cleansingly clean and melodic, airy and free from clutter. There are elements of pop and jazz, funk and soul from the likes of Sade and Wham! littering the horizontal Balearic grooves and the results are perfect. This is lush poolside music with proper songs and hummable top lines, deep bass and lush vocals. Only two of these slo-mo bliss-outs have been heard before, so dive in .