A remastered edition of the classic vaporwave genre gets a release today.
Stranger Things (Invada Pressing)
November 22, 2016
Invada have pressed up a deluxe vinyl edition of the Netflix TV show. Personally, I was not a fan of the show with its blatant, unapologetic borrowing of just about every 80s trope imaginable - yet singularly unable to create even a single idea of its own. The soundtrack is also a suitable accompaniment - even if it feels like it has been generated by some music aggregator that has been fed a mixture of John Carpenter, Tangerine Dream and Vangelis.
If you're still interested, the vinyl is available from Bleep and other distributors.
Alan Moore - Brighter Than You Think
November 21, 2016
Due for release on the 6th of December, [^1] this collection of previously unpublished short fiction includes critical essays by Marc Sobel. You can pre-order a copy here.
[^1]: This has now moved to December 27th.
Various Artists - Glisten
November 20, 2016
Fantastic compilation of 1980s library music, compiled By Ed Macfarlane. It features a number of elusive pieces including 'Shining Ice' (1986) by Paul Williams & Andrew Grossart. It was famously sampled by The Future Sound Of London on their album, ISDN.
The compilation is available from Lo Recordings.
Phono Ghosts - Solar Dream Reel
November 19, 2016
The shadowy Phono Ghosts drifts back to the forefront of abstract electronica with a richly detailed album on the newly minted and self-operated Fonolith imprint.
Having dropped some of the best Skam releases as Phono Ghosts and under the rather tasty name Meat Bingo (a tribute perhaps to the infamous meat raffles that are a traditional Northern pub feature) Phono commits his own brand of chop 'n' drop synth sounds to wax and the fan fave format cassette. Clocking in at fifteen tracks, Solar Dream Reel perfectly mixes the disco fun(k) of Kerrier District with a strong sensibility that should see him aligned with the new wave sounds of Bok Bok's last EP but matched with the cloak and dagger approach of the best out-on-the-edge 0161 tracks.
Having been rinsing this over recent weeks, our fave's have to be the rotational swerve of Megacycles, or the VSnares going mad in the classic house racks of Iron Tones. Adding depth and variance, pieces like Mystery Lingers As A Branch Of Heaven blend atmospheric synth work with unknown sample sources of gurgling vox and film dialogue. Hands down though, the absolute highlight has to be the album closer Saturation Valley. A low-fi piece that verges on synth-pop, but executed with a rain-sodden sensibility that could easily find its way into the sets of Blackest Ever Black or Optimo.