Planet Mu Records
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Ekoplekz returns with his fourth album for Planet Mu, in the shape of 10-tracker "Bioprodukt". The unique lo-fi, woozy sound of Bristol's Nick Edwards stays intact while he veers towards the nineties for inspiration: the bleep and bass sound of the north of England is one touchpoint and the acid gurgles of the 303 are another.Visit product page →
While the murky lo-fi production levels and evocative melodies remain, they are now bolstered by a more muscular rhythmic chassis. Snappier kicks and snares mingle with dense layers of percussion and deep undulating sub-basslines adding a funkier edge, as typified by opening track "Elevation" where playful beats interlock with breezy keyboard flourishes to create something uncharacteristically upbeat. Similarly, the gentle, fluid motion of "Slipstream" and "Calypzoid" represent some of the most appealingly chilled grooves in the Ekoplekz canon to date.
But the darker-edged material remains. "Expedition" has a pensive, percussion-heavy feel whilst "Acrid Acid" is a dirt-encrusted slow-mo techno meltdown. "Transcience" displays the Ekoplekz trademark dub-fx in full flight over a driving lo-end, before "Descent" leads down to the final section, where the beats fade out, replaced by rippling layers of spectral ferric ambience on the epic "Low-X Over", before finishing with the radiant looped stasis of "Denier Daze".
The albums shifting, imperfect patterns and muted colours are visually mirrored in the beautifully realised sleeve by the Print Project.
2LP
Side A:
1. Elevation
2. Consequences
Side B:
1. Expedition
2. Acrid Acid
3. Slipstream
Side C:
1. Calypzoid
2. Transience
3. Descent
Side D:
1. Low X-Over
2. Denier Daze
CD:
1. Elevation
2. Consequences
3. Expedition
4. Acrid Acid
5. Slipstream
6. Calypzoid
7. Transience
8. Descent
9. Low X-Over
10. Denier Daze -
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With Unfidelity the music aligns itself with Mu's melodic sensibilities and lets the early 90's electronica influences bleed in, although the album still has the intensely transporting feel that all his work possesses.2LP:
A:
1. Trace Elements
2. Nerva Beacon
3. Robert RentalB:
4. Severn Beach
5. Sea 90
6. UnfidelityC:
7. Coalpit Heath
8. Pressure LevelD:
9. Analogue Twitch
10. Tuning Out
11. Sleng ZenCD:
1. Trace Elements
2. Nerva Beacon
3. Robert Rental
4. Severn Beach
5. Sea 90
6. Unfidelity
7. Coalpit Heath
8. Pressure Level
9. Analogue Twitch
10. Tuning Out
11. Sleng Zen