Image by Daniel Swan
With each displaying their own distinct cultural influences from East Africa to Miami, these are the releases that caught our attention this week. In no particular order:
Charlie Soul Clap – Virgo’s Victory / Soul Fed (EP)
As one half of the electro-funk duo Soul Clap, Charlie Soul Clap’s solo outing draws heavily from the history of American dance music, celebrating the rhythms and motifs of classic disco, house and soul. The Miami based songwriter and producer presents a four track EP of disco and funk inflected house that dares to turn your living room into a dance floor, none more so than grooving opener Virgo’s Victory. Released via Roy Davis Jr.’s Undaground Therapy Muzik label, it is available to download here.
Don Zilla – Bujingo
Ugandan producer Don Zilla presents us with a menacing afrofuturistic soundscape on Bujingo, the first single off his upcoming album Ekizikiza Mubwengula on Hakuna Kulala (preorder here). Growling, distorted voices chant and echo across disparate drum beats and a pulsating orb-like synth, conjuring images of extraterrestrial invasions in the jungles of Kampala. It’s a dark, industrial piece of doomcore that is at once arresting and terrifying. Check out the trippy sci-fi visual for the track below:
Ground – Ozunu
Inspired by the fairytales and folklore of his hometown Osaka, Japanese producer Ground presents Ozunu, the lead single off his album of the same name. A twisty, acid soaked slice of psychedelic house, the track’s mythological influences make for fantastical and whimsical sonic flourishes. It is startlingly vivid music making, and wholly transportive in its trippy madness. Ozunu was released earlier this month via Chill Mountain Recodrings and is available to download here. Preview the album below:
INVT & Coffintexts – Media Noche (LP)
Miami duo INVT enlists Coffintexts for an eight track LP of Latinx infused techno and club bangers released via their own INVT label. Mixing the percussive patterns of cumbia and dembow with grimy techno and jungle breaks, Media Noche is a collection of richly textured and thrilling electronic music. Standout tracks include CUERPO which effortlessly flows from pure techno to syncopated Latinx flavoured beats and the flavourful breakbeats of HUMO. Download the album here.
Koreless – Joy Squad
In March, Koreless released Black Rainbow, his first single since 2016. While that track was an introspective synth-driven trance offering, Joy Squad looks to start the party with it’s progressive beat driven cadence. Featuring a hypnotic chopped vocal sample that provides the track’s percussive backbone, it’s a dramatic and captivating turn for the Welsh producer whose forthcoming album Agor, will be released in July via Young. Watch the video for Joy Squad directed by Mau Morgo and Koreless below, and preorder Agor here.
