Don Herbert
Ekow

EM Records: ...These recordings pull back a curtain to reveal the mysterious world of Syntoma and early-80s underground Mexico. Founded by Alex Eisenring in 1980, making use of synths and drum machines and driven by a freedom-seeking DIY ethos but informed by a "rock-jazz-prog-experimental" background. These 70s-born influences throw crazed funhouse mirror reflections onto later Kraftwerk, UK synth-pop, post-punk and pure pop forms. The first five tracks are instrumental, evidencing some intelligent melodic and harmonic conceptions; the same can be said for the remaining female/male vocal tracks, but the sense of otherness is boosted as the vocal stylings combine a definite UK 80s feel with an unplaceable geo-temporal essence, spanning decades and continents. Primarily a trio during the period of these recordings, 1981-84, Syntoma transcends the era and stands apart from their peers with a surprising melodic sense, harmonic adventurousness, interesting arrangements and, above all, an atmosphere of freshness and enthusiasm. Available on CD and 12" vinyl with liner notes and lyrics.

Lost icebergs off the arctic, hollowed out memory, an acerbic embrace.Third Space presents his first long-player via .jpeg artefacts. Venturing from previous, punchier, swinging percussion found on previous releases, the LP delivers careful introspection, experimentation, and rich conceptual development.The beatless iterations and encompassing walls of sound that stuck their heads out on earlier EPs are embraced in full here; it’s claustrophobic but space is found in the right areas. Tension and release to the nth degree, but without becoming a trope. Percussion remains, but slowed to a crawl.The release calls on memories of Ambarchi’s Oystered (as well as, notably, Grapes from the Estate) and the clicks and hums of Pan Sonic, but it’s the development past this that allows Scissor Kick to shine. The areas where intimacy is pushed through field recordings, live scattered percussion (from R.Rebeiro, as well as TS), and those subtle reminders that Third Space still has an iron-firm grasp on percussive rhythm, is where this record stands on its own solid ground. What was foggy red-roomed speaker stacks has given way to arctic tundra, vast expanse, acid rain.Layer up.~~

Thirteen perfectly balanced, keyboard saturated songs flutter like flags threaded on a string: a collection of fleeting thoughts stirred by the winds of Eighties pop. Riffs soar, the drum machine gallops and vocals are as carefully blended as a mango smoothie on a white-sky day.Modal Melodies is the duo made up of Violetta Del Conte-Race (Primo! / The Glass Picture) & Jake Robertson (Alien Nosejob, etc.) The group stemmed from a loose chat at Geelong’s Jerkfest in early 2021, where they made plans to help each other complete some unfinished demos. After emailing ideas back and forth through lockdown, they were soon able to be in the same room together to structure their quickly blossoming songs. Vio added vocals from home and Jake mixed them into their sessions. Six to eight months after making their first arrangements, Modal Melodies had matured into this debut record.There’s something about a duo - something intimate and serious: it requires full trust and an act of balance. These are people who have listened to so much music they know how to make tunes in a way that seems intuitive. Karen Marks, Saada Bonaire and Lena Platonos have been mentioned as influences, but it seems like the biggest inspiration to cite came from each other. There’s an untamed instinct for melody, and layers like clouds, slowly rolling in. Drenched with colours and understated tension in parts, coupled with reckless joy, this album speaks to this moment.