Each month, Spinback highlights songs and mixes by electronic artists that we think are exceptional but might’ve missed on the first pass. Unlike any other genre, electronic is an incredibly singles-based style of music, meaning whole hosts of artists can fall through the cracks if we follow the ebbs and flows of album cycles alone.
Jerico, “Voyé Monté”
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Jerico is a promising young DJ and producer based in Montreal who has built a reputation in the city’s scene through countless late night DJ gigs and the release of a handful of EPs. He returned this month with Walls, a new three track EP for local label NEW. “Voyé Monté,” which features the label’s co-owner Chris Vargas on vocals, is centered around an enticing rhythm. The production feels open to the point of being cavernous, casting the warm sounds of the percussion against a dark backdrop. This marks a departure for Vargas, whose usual biting vocals in Pelada have been softened here to compliment Jerico’s own aesthetic.
Agnes Obel, “Poem About Death”
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While not exactly an electronic artist, singer-songwriter Agnes Obel has been chosen to helm the latest release from the Late Night Tales mix series, and electronic is just as much about selecting as it is about performing. The series has previously commissioned mixes from Jon Hopkins, Four Tet and Royksopp. The final track on Obel’s mix and first glimpse at the release we’ve been given is Obel’s exclusive performance of Danish poet Inger Christensen’s “Poem About Death,” with an insistent rhythm courtesy of the looped sounds of plucked strings.
Honey Dijon Feat. Sam Sparro, “Stars” (Disco Version)
Vodka/spirit company Smirnoff commissioned house DJ and producer Honey Dijon in October 2017 to create a song based on their campaign of improving inclusivity in nightlife and dancefloor spaces. Dijon volleyed back this month with this excellent rework of Sylvester’s 1979 hit “Stars” with help from vocalist Sam Sparro which makes for a loving and fitting tribute to the disco pioneer. Sparro’s falsetto and Dijon’s irresistible bass line make this song a must have on any dance-y mix. In addition to this work, Dijon’s kept incredibly busy readying her remix album of The Best of Both Worlds, a record we named one of the Best Electronic and Experimental Records of 2017.
Machine Woman, “You Give Me Bristol Bass I Give You Bristol Cream”
Machine Woman knows her way around a hard-driving dirty hook and “You Give Me Bristol Bass” is no different. Beginning with a lurching beat, the song feels both oppressive in its grating sonics yet liberating, compelling you to join it in its unstoppable path. The song arrives via her latest release When You Think Of Yourself As A Machine, You Become A Machine issued from her own Berlin-based label, Take Away Jazz Records.
rRoxymore, “Mythical Technology”
This electro cut taken from rRoxymore’s upcoming follow up to Thoughts Of An Introvert Part 1 will mark the Berlin-based artist’s third release via Don’t Be Afraid in as many years. Beginning with a vocal sample slowly saying nonsense syllables like they’re Kanye West, the song takes shape from a loose, spacey odyssey once the delightfully squelching and wobbly synth lines arrive.
BLYPKEN, “Hylemorph”
Romanian post-club experimentalist Blypken’s latest is a stuttering, shifting cluster of anti-matter that moves in electrifying and unexpected ways. Rhythms take shape, drawing out vocal performances from the ether, only to dissipate just as quickly. The near sixteen-minute song’s dynamic of uncertainty doesn’t try to harness this chaos but emphasizes and celebrates it, making it altogether a thrilling experience.
