Jazz Futurism

Edition #42 with songs by Binker and Moses, Vitalic, Ikarus, HVOB, and Dolphin Love.

It was obvious that this week will be a challenge to curate as many songs, albums and EPs were bound to be released. But I couldn't imagine that I could actually fill up the Weekly5 three times over without cutting corners.

However, I reminded myself of the Weekly5 values—especially diversity—to select five tracks. So artists that were previously featured had to fall short this time.

Nevertheless, I can highly recommend The Angel, the latest single by London's upcoming songwriter Louis Dunford. And you should definitely check out The Dream of Reason, the brilliant debut by ZUSTRA, and Fishbach's long-awaited sophomore record Avec les yeux.

Moving to today's recommendations: It's a constant contrast, a back and forth between avant-garde, jazz, ambient and deep, futuristic beats. Flowing lines and hammering bass, ornate capers and ecstatic hooks.

Enjoy,

Binker and Moses – Accelerometer Overdose

Binker and Moses are rising stars in London's vibrant jazz scene, turning heads and captivating ears with their colourful free jazz filled with culturally diverse influences. Feeding The Machine is the third record by Binker Golding and Moses Boyd, who got support from Max Luthert to create the stunning soundscapes.

Dominated by Golding's virtuous saxophone and Boyd's complex drumming, Accelerometer Overdose is a freakishly haunting sonic experience, a labyrinth of strange echos and loops. This track's nature is both earth-bound and otherworldly—especially in the almost 10-minute-long album version.

Vitalic – The Light Is a Train

French techno producer Pascal Arbez-Nicolas is also known as Citizen Crew, Dima, and Hustler Pornstar. But since 2001, he mainly released his tracks as Vitalic and remixed the likes of Daft Punk, Björk, Röyksopp, Jean Michel Jarre, Moby, or Paul Kalkbrenner.

The Light Is a Train is Vitalic's latest tune, also announcing the follow-up to his 2021 record Dissidaence Episode 1. It's a pumping, gasping, and somewhat dark track with bright synth highlights that sounds excitingly weird. At the same time, The Light Is a Train stays in line with Vitalic's signature minimalistic sound.

Ikarus – Tritium

The Swiss quintet Ikarus just released their new record Plasma. Their unique groove jazz is as complex as it is fascinating. Five songs and each seems to live in a world of its own.

Tritium, the record's first track, demonstrates Ikarus's eclectic sound immediately. Singers Anna Hirsch and Andreas Lareida carve out a vocal melody without lyrics that feels like an ancient ritual. However, Tritium is impossible to pigeonhole. Bandleader and drummer, Ramón Oliveras, explains: "We all have very distinctive tastes, but are nonetheless able to refer to a fruitful ten-year-long history together as a band."

It's Ikarus's secret: No matter how eccentric their sound might be, it's deep down a purely human creation. A constant challenge and collaboration between individuals that form a unit.

HVOB – Gluttony

HVOB, the Austrian duo founded by Anna Müller and Paul Wallner, push more and more to the top tier of electronic music. With Capture Casa, HVOB finally arrived in my conscience last year.

This week, Müller and Wallner have delivered Gluttony. Again, the track melts hard and unforgiving techno beats with melancholic vocals and a sombre melody. This exact contrast makes HVOB's sonic signature attractive to both admirers of danceable electronic music and dreamers of darkness. Gluttony is a powerful, mysterious song that already is a classic of more thoughtful techno.

Dolphin Love – areyougoingtobehere

999 is the debut EP of Constantin Kopp, aka Dolphin Love. A 7-track record filled with warm glows of futuristic, synth-driven indie-pop music. The only 21-year-old artist immediately shoots into the spheres of Tame Impala or Pond.

areyougoingtobethere, the EP's second song is a groovy, feathery tune; a funky guitar hook adds to the track's shining nature. And still, areyougoingtobethere is very much grounded by the deep, vibrating synth roaming out of the spotlight. It's a hopeful and exciting piece of music.