DRUGDEALER : the end of comedy : Weird World/Domino (09.09.16)

Dars: Excellent hymns of organic psych folk to be found here, while keeping a proggy edge. “The End of Comedy“ will let you drift away, dream and dance throughout the whole album. A true sprit catcher! 5.8/10

Seven: Michael Collins is just fantastic, a pretty cheeky and brilliant musical entertainer that isn’t shying away from big gestures and unnecessary grandeur when requested. Ariel Pink, Mac DeMarco and members of Mild High Club - amongst others - helped him to get this opus magnum out of his system, which sounds a bit like Father John Misty wearing a worn-out leather jacket while tripping on LSD. 8.75/10

 

LOST IDOL : chrome machine tales : EOE (30.09.16)

Seven: James Dean aka Lost Idol is back after a way too long hiatus. Definitely one of the most underrated bedroom producers hailing from the UK, his latest album is informed by the same airy self-conception for contemporary electronic pop like his previous album - it just feels more coherent and even more bittersweet this time around. 8/10

Dars: A perfect concept all around, which should be admired for its creativity. And the electro pop shade has a bit more colour payoff compared to previous offerings. Well done! 8.2/10

 

PREOCCUPATIONS : s/t : Jagjaguwar (16.09.16)

Seven: Depending on the girl you tried to impress back then, you either did a mixtape for her that’s all gentle and bittersweet in order to show what a sensitive super-guy you are, or you compiled something filled with gruffy, sometimes weird and generally bold songs that will crush her Kompaktanlage with attitude. Preoccupations - the band formerly known as Viet Cong - would’ve definitely landed a prominent slot on the latter. 7/10

 

MNDSGN : body wash : Stones Throw (16.09.16)

Dars: Yes ma’am. When it comes to modern funk, this is pretty much it. Tasty, familiar, and completely out of it. A warm summer breeze, this crazy thumping journey. 8/10

Seven: The former Klipmode collective honcho returns with his second album for Stones Throw, and it’s one filled with enough sleazy funk and soul and weirdness to make  you wanna work on your awkward close dance routine immediately. Would love to see this guy tour with Connan Mockasin. 6.75/10

 

 

TIM BURGESS & PETER GORDON : same language, different worlds : O Genesis (out now)

Dars: Crisp, electronic pop goods to be found here. Seriously great stuff from NY avantgarde composer Peter Gordon, but, dude, I was hauling ass when vocalist Tim Burgess hit the scenery. U feel me? 5/10

Seven: What's your beef with the Burgess? I never was a fan of The Charlatans, but the very very majority of musical projects he touched besides his band were solid gold. This collaboration with Peter Gordon - who must easily be in his 60s by now - is certainly included. Great, timeless stuff. 7.5/10

 

WARPAINT : heads up : Rough Trade Records (23.09.16)

Seven: A lot has been written already about Warpaint’s new found love for the dancefloor, after they’ve teased their new album with “New Song“. In actuality though it’s all-clear for the diie-hard fans: just because a lot of the new songs are definitely a lot more uptempo than on previous releases, doesn’t automatically imply that they’re actually uplifting as well. “Heads Up“ still feels pretty hazy and melancholic and sometimes even dark - and therefore like the logical follow-up to their self-titled breakthrough album from 2014. 7.75/10

BIOSPHERE : departed glories : Smalltown Supersound (23.09.16)

Dars: For his latest album, Norwegian producer Geir Jenssen merged hundreds of snippets of Eastern European and Russian folk music recordings into a soundtrack of Bambi being mutilated in slow-motion by a bunch of shivering woodland creatures, gasping for the white-tailed deer’s codeine-filled blood. 6.4/10

Seven: True. Ambient music has the tendency to be treated as this gentle background music. If you listen closely though - or: with the volume in the red - it can be a very rewarding experience. In the case of the long-awaited return of pioneering Biosphere it even is a frightening one since he's delivering a very sinister kind of beauty with “Departed Glories“. 7/10