Audio Love 22.8.14

Music

Jack J – Looking Forward to You/Take it to the Edge/Something (On My Mind) (Mood Hut)

The Vancouver based Mood Hut have only reached release number 7 but they’re already shaping up to be a ‘must check’ label. They’ve put out some ridiculously strong 12”s from the likes of Aquarian Foundation and Pender Street Steppers and this latest by Jack J is another super fine record. For this release think slow, fuzzy, warm chuggy goodness. Chunky 80s-esque drums, thick pads, little snips of vocals here and there. There’s even some saxophone involved too. Oh this one’s a belter and no mistake. Proper summer tunes – but it’s a shame the weather’s turned shit.

Out now on wax

Scherb – Late Night Safari (Uncanny Valley)

Dresden’s finest weirdo house music imprint are back with the second full EP from local boy Scherb and it’s a superb addition to their already impressive back catalogue. Scherb has had some damn good releases of late, including an EP on the fantastic Fourth Wave records plus an excellent remix of Chocky’s fine Stoney Clouds EP on Big Bait which even got the Joe Europe treatment in a previous incarnation of this column.

This current four tracker sees Scherb continuing in his vein of oddball, clunky house music, with rhythms that don’t quite want to behave themselves and layer upon layer of downbeat textures. There are lots of elements going on here which could potentially be off-putting but Scherb seems to have a knack of making everything fit together beautifully. Great EP.

Out now on wax

The Marx Trukker & Zzzzzra – SevenOne-2014 (Noorden)

Well this is a lovely little thing if ever I saw a lovely little thing. A new 7” from the Cologne based collective Noorden featuring the Marx Trukker and Zzzzra bustin out some beautifully strange electronic jams. I’m a bit of a fan of the Marx Trukker already but Zzzzzra is a new name to me. His homepage declares “This poorly designed website features infos about Zzzzra’s pathetic universe” so I like him already. Marx’s track is paranoid and uneasy but in a good way, like getting the jitters after taking too much speed. Zzzzra’s offering on the other hand takes thing’s slower, and gloriously dubby. Well worth grabbing a copy but hurry – there aint many about.

Available on their Bandcamp

Da Posse – In the Heat of the Night Edits (Freerange Records)

Long term favourite of mine Freerange Records recently got their mits on this excellent acid classic from 1988 and did a super re-release. Not content just to dust off the old tracks and repackage them they’re now dropping some re-edits courtesy of The Black Madonna, Adjowa and label boss Jimpster and they’re all excellent. The one that floats my boat the most is Adjowa’s dub as I feel it adds the most to the original (and I’m not just saying that because he used to be the editor of the R$N!!) but, as I say, they’re all top tracks.

Out now on wax