Australian electronic duo Nocturnal Tapes has only been working together for about 2 years but their musical palette is quite broad, with influences ranging from hip-hop, blues and funk, to psychedelic, electronic and dance. New single “Pieces” sees them significantly progress by introducing Tech-house influences, drawing inspiration from Caribou, The Presets and LCD Soundsystem.
With solid 4/4 beats, escalating arpeggio and vocals awash with reverb, the track shines a different light on the band’s creative depth but their pop sensibilities and smart approach to songwriting still remain intact.
Bonus track: “Superficial Light”
With more new material up their sleeve, this is an act to keep an eye on in the coming months. Find out more on their Facebook or SoundCloud. Buy the music on
Moderat are Modeselektor and Apparat, two electronic music heavyweights who have brought IDM from Berlin to the farthest flung corners of the world for the past 10 years. Released last April, III is the third and final installment in their trilogy of dystopian albums. One standout track from the album came as the song “Running,” which has since been making its rounds in the remix world.
The song’s sonic palette spans intricate percussions, cascading synths, a driving kick drum and a wealth of feel-good vibes. This is a highly emotive kind of pop, built for dancing, but never simple. As described by Sascha Ring (aka Apparat), “Running is about being part of a mass. A mass that constantly needs to move to function, but one that’s not deciding directions by itself.”
Following up their 2013 hit album Pacifica, Aussie dance heavyweights The Presets return with their brand new single “Goodbye Future”, a euphoric electro thumper, with a distinctively spiky late 90s tech house sound. Written and produced by the duo, the track is the first of a series of singles to be released across the coming year.
The Presets enlisted talented duo Worldlife to produce the first official remix of “Goodbye Future” and the result is a gripping house anthem that takes you straight back to the smokey sweat-soaked dancefloors of bygone decades.
The remix is part of an upcoming package set for release next month, also including reworkings by The Aston Shuffle, Ilan Bluestone and an extended club edit by The Presets themselves.
German DJ/producer Jan Blomqvist has been dubbed as one of the most interesting and promising young artist in Berlin at the moment. He describes his music as a mixture of Radiohead, Muse, Bodi Bill, Stephan Bodzin and James Holden – a beautiful balancing act between melancholic, melodic electro-pop and euphoric minimal techno.
For over 7 years he was the singer, bassist and songwriter of a band who rocked North Germany with a dark melodic grunge-rock sound. After moving to Berlin, Jan discovered a real passion for electronic music and he soon decided to quit the band in order to explore new sounds and influences. He traded his guitar for a synth and never looked back! As a solo artist he has released countless singles and EPs with labels such as Stil vor Talent, Dantze, Hive-Audio or Miteinandermusik.
More info on Blomqvist’s Facebook. Buy the music on
When asked to describe his music, German beatmaker Christian Löffler explains that it’s a subtle mix of melancholy and euphoria, “connected by a gloomy spirit, which is minted by a warm sincerity”. Löffler recorded his debut album, A Forest, while living in a small house in the woods near Usedom, in Northern Germany, and you can really feel the closeness to nature. Sounds of leaves and breaking waves surface through layers of polished beats, creating an intimate and mysterious atmosphere.
A very new aspect in Christian’s work on this album is the use of vocals. In the track “Feelharmonia” Christian collaborates with the Danish musician Gry Bagøien and creates a hypnotic track in which the vocals slowly develop into really sung words.
On “Eleven” he works with Mohna, singer of Hamburg based band Me Succeeds, and uses her fragile voice throughout a whole track.
