ST/NE
ME/WE

EM Records: ...Rie Lambdoll and MAYUKo are the two euphoric Synth Sisters, Osaka-based musicians who also comprise Crossbread. “Euphoria” is the duo’s long-awaited second release, following their 2014 debut. This release consists entirely of new Synth Sister recordings, featuring MAYUKo’s synthesizers, and Rie’s electric piano and synthesizers as well as her celestial vocals. The euphoria on offer here features equal parts of angelic arpeggios, seraphic sequences, meditative melodies and transcendental timbres, masterfully mixed and mastered by Kabamix The pieces here, all composed and produced by Rie Lambdoll, combine drifting drones with rhythmic elements sure to appeal to fans of Tangerine Dream; (Terry) Riley-esque meditations melding with psychedelic musings in blissful ease. Available on CD, 12-inch vinyl or as a download, “Euphoria” is yours for the asking. EM Records delivers the goodness.license

Butter Sessions: ...Canadian born and Naarm (Melbourne) based Jennifer Loveless returns one year on from her debut release Hard/Soft (Pure Space Records) with Water, a 12” EP presented by Butter Sessions. Bestowing us with five tracks of dystopian dance-floor thump, Water is a bustling showcase of Jenn’s breadth as an artist. Reflecting on the contrast of Water with her first EP, Loveless comments “I wanted a hard contrast to the Hard/Soft release. I always had a plan to release an energetic frivolous fun type EP after Hard/Soft. I had a feeling people might see me as an ambient producer (although I wouldn’t really categorise Hard/Soft as that), and I guess this EP, Water, is my response”. At its core, Water is a hyper-charged cetacean maelstrom of electronic music, sampling weddell seals, humpback whales, pacific walruses and water itself. Water kicks off with the rumbling patter of Out/Under before moving into the unabating Syzygy (Scissor Me). Jenn stamps a joyful yet skittish imprint onto ECC, while fly on the wall Backroll Buddy sits on a sound bed of audio Jenn recorded at parties, capturing friends chattering and an edit of a Whitney Houston earworm she heard a DJ playing, paying ode to a night out. B L U YOU is a charming endnote; a fusion of fluorescent pop and a catchy bassline. The verdict here is that Water allows Jennifer Loveless to prove herself truly as a jack of all trades. Water takes shape as an engrossing palette of bold dance music.

tags: electronic, ambient, experimental, folk, japanese, thai, Japan