The last couple months have been unusually slow for finding really good new music on Spotify. Still when I go through my list of recently hearted albums there are four entries that stand out above the rest.

Space Dimension Controller – Love Beyond the intersect

The first one is a concept album from Space Dimension Controller aka Mr 8040, bringing us fresh galactic funk from the edges of the universe. As expected, the retro feels runs strong on all the tracks. Think late 70’s, early 80’s funky space disco, vocoder included. If you like this, you should also check out his album Welcome to Mikrosector-50 from 2013.

Underworld – DRIFT Series 1

My all-time favorite Underworld recently released the final compilation of all the material from their DRIFT EPs.

Not everything here is top notch but there are still enough gold nuggets to say this is the best I have heard from them in close to 20 years. My fav piece of Karl Hyde lyrics is from the short track Mile Bush Pride. It’s the perfect example of describing as much as possible with as little words as possible.
Just listen to this: “Fierce beauty in the dance hall. One-time raiser of hell. Copper blonde. Skin in tight black.”
Beatiful.

Vince Watson – DnA

Next up is Glasgow producer Vince Watson – DnA, which was actually released earlier this spring. 18 tracks of glorious Detroit techno and classic deep house.

Jacques Green – Dawn Chorus

Finishing off with something perhaps a bit more accessible but still oozing with quality, good melodies and well-crafted beats. Dawn Chorus by French-Canadian producer Jacques Green. Although there are several gems on this album, my fav track has to be old-school Acid House-tinted Night Service.

It’s time for another ‘Here’s what I’m listening to’.
These are some of the albums that I have gravitated towards for the last month or so. All within the spectrum of electronic music.
All with my personal stamp of approval.

First out is Bones by Datach’i, aka Joseph Fraioli from Los Angeles, California. Friends of glitchy probability electronica have probably heard his music before, his first release 10110101=[rec+play] was 20 years ago. Very well produced with interesting textures and unexpected twists and turns. An album for special moments.

Next up, dreamy synth based pop. MOTSA is a new discovery for me. His debut album Perspectives was inspired by his acute awareness of modern society’s dependence on technology and the social media bubble also responsible for globally polarizing our current civilization. The highlights on this album are No Fear (with David Österle), Harp Enough, Rolling Back (Madeline Kenney) and Salvation (with David Österle).

Techno time. Gëinst produces music mainly inspired by nature. Released in 2018, Gallery is all about beautiful drones and ambient sounds soaked in bass. Long journeys into sound. Basic Ambient Techno that I enjoy very much. More of this please.

We finish with Melt, another fine release on All Day I Dream by the man himself, Lee Burridge together with Lost Desert. Deep technicolor emotionalism for lazy days by the pool, sunset or sunrise. Comforting Deep House at its finest.

It’s time for me to once again write something about the music I’m listening to at the moment. Yes it’s time for another I recommend post. First I must apologize. Yes I know I’ve been lazy but to make up for that laziness here are four of the best albums right now, IMHO. Hope you enjoy.

Teen Daze – Bioluminescence

Try to say that title ten times without faltering. This artist is new discovery for me. Cinematic, atmospheric, pulsating and sometimes danceable deep, in this his sixth full-lengther.

Plaid – Polymer

New electronic weirdness and playful melodies from the British duo and veterans comprising of Ed Handley and Andy Turner, both actual original members of Black Dog Productions.

Watergate 26 Mixed by WhoMadeWho

A fairly new mix-album with a very tasteful selection of genre-traversing laid-back atmospheric grooves from the pride of Copenhagen.

David August – D’Angelo

Another new artist discovery for me. This reminds me a bit of Kauf, with that same distinct retro-feel, mainly because of the sounds and effects that was used. Great songs and melancholy allover.

There have not been much music released lately that I liked enough to recommend here on Fogelberg.com. That was until yesterday when London based Haelos released their second album Any Random Kindness. Lots of great tunes and melodies on this one. Their music has been described as “dark euphoria” and an “angelic combination of male-female vocal interplay and atmospheric soundscapes.”

Amen to that. Instant favorite for me.

I haven’t listened to The Chemical Brother for a very long time. Saw them at the Sonar Festival a few years ago but apart from that I think I stopped following them somewhere around Push the Button in 2005. Don’t know why really, but I suspect I just grew tired of their sound at the time.

Fast forward a decade or so and their latest album No Geography is out.

I’m surprised to say it’s really really good. I like it a lot. Good tunes.

In this week’s list of recommendations automatically and specifically handed to my by the all-serving algorithms of Spotify I found this newly released gem from Amsterdam-based Harm Coolen and Merijn Schotte Albers, aka Weval.

As usual these days, no doubt the result of me training the recommendation engine for god knows how many hours, it was once again correct in assuming I would like this. So thank you once again Spotify for showing me another gem that I would probably never have heard otherwise.

The songs on Weval range from blissed-out retro-chill-pop to more experimental trips into the land of 60s string reverb. Somewhat similar artists with this sound, at least in my mind would be Washed Out, WorriedAboutSatan and Chrome Sparks, to some extent. There are singing or pieces of singing on all the songs and it’s always run through some sort of effect, like pitch, phaser or harmonizer. The selection of effects heightens the overall retro-feeling on The Weight. It sounds 60s, but yet modern and fresh.

My favorite pieces of music so far are the title track, Are You Even Real, False State of Mind and Same Little Thing.

Released on Kompakt.

Finally the latest full-lengther from Apparat has been released. It’s a satisfying collection of beautifully contemplating ambient pieces built around the pleasant voice of Mr Apparat himself, Sascha Ring.

There are three tunes here that stand out above the other for me. The first one is DAWAN, which was the first single released a couple of months ago. Then we have CARONTE where Mr Ring’s voice is heard through a harmonizer effect supported by a whole section of cellos, violins, guitars and a slightly distorted bass sound. This is also one of the tunes on the album which most reminds me of the sound of Moderat, of which Apparat of course also is a part of.

My third favorite is IN GRAVITAS, the finishing tune on the album, which is the most, I suppose, dance-ish piece on LP5. All in all a great album which I will listen to again and again in the near future.