Lieven Martens Moana
Three Amazonian Essays

EM Records: ...YPY is back with his third full-length album, his second on EM Records, following his 2016 debut “Zurhyrethm”. YPY is the solo alias of Osaka-based Koshiro Hino, who has honed his rhythmic instincts as leader of the acclaimed Japanese band “goat” and the sound installation/theatre project “GEIST” and “Virginal Variations”. His preoccupation with propulsion is on full display here, across five tracks of varying density and intensity, all thoroughly beat-oriented, with skeins of synthesized and sampled sound stretching to the horizon, rising from a bedrock of minimal drum machine pulses, all lovingly embraced in a cassette-borne sonic fug. The cover image and title hearken back to Hino’s past, with the image obscurely referencing his yesteryear green mohawk, and the title derived from Talking Heads, but this effervescent album, though recorded using cassette technology, is not a sad tale of nostalgia, rather a look at a present/pleasant reality. Available on digital, 12-inch vinyl and CD. Cover drawings by NAZE.

hellosQuare: ...Pushing further than his initial beat scene influences with a sharp focus on strong songwriting, LP's marriage of punchy edits and sonic detail weave the analog melodies and sampled sounds around the structures to create a beautifully textured production.Conceived and recorded in various spaces around Canberra before being brought to life by guitar'n'glitch musician Reuben Ingall, LP also features the saxophone sounds of free improvisor Andrew Fedorovitch (Splinter Orchestra) while label boss Shoeb Ahmad provides vinyl textures and additional production across the record.

The genre, electro (or electro-funk), is sometimes perceived to have a separate identity to hip-hop; however, this electronic cousin was integral to the early development of the hip-hop sound. Drawing on drum machines, such as the Roland TR-808, and influenced by funk, these two genres were intertwined and rode a parallel axis for a while, with rap, breakdance, and graffiti as pillars of the culture and community. The mechanical sound of electro would later go on to inspire a different set of producers and played its part in influencing contemporary electronic dance music. For this 7" release we are taking things back to 1984 and 1985 with a split single from The Egyptian Lover and Jamie Jupitor.First up is a track from The Egyptian Lover, AKA Greg J. Broussard, the cult Los Angeles-based producer, vocalist and DJ, who is a true hip-hop / electro-fusion pioneer. 'Computer Love (Sweet Dreams)' is a seminal electro-fusion / machine- funk classic that saw a release on the iconic label Freak Beat Records (owned by Greg himself). The original 7" release is now very sought-after by collectors.On the flip we have another electro jam from The Egyptian Lover disciple, Jamie Jupitor. 'Computer Power’ was additionally produced and arranged by The Egyptian Lover, and was released on Egyptian Empire Records (the label that evolved from Freak Beat Records). For this release we have opted for a special 7" unreleased radio edit, that has Greg kindly provided us with, which differs slightly in composition from the previously released versions. One for fans of Dãm Funk, electro and 80s funk.