Marion Hawkes from Sound Advice returns with her next set of reviews... Marion opened the ace record store Sound Advice Belfast in 2021 to cater for electronic & left of centre needs. The shop has been a hub for locals, hosting DJs, record launches, book talks & more, creating a vital outlet for music in the industrial east of the city. You can head to the Sound Advice website HERE where you can sign up for the mailing list and get in contact with Marion. Over to Marion...

Sloopey G – Domine (Thank You)

I don’t know if someone has been swigging from a dusty bottle fortified wine but Gregorian chants are having a moment again and suddenly it feels like 1990, when Enigma had a Number One with 'Sadness Part I', Nelson Mandela was freed from jail & 12 year old me was mesmerised by the World Cup.

Domine consists of dreamy new age elements, UK street soul rhythms and breathy European dialogue. All very solid, all extremely playable. The Sound Metaphors camp have been on fruitful run of releases this last quarter of 2024, completists of the extended family of labels are going to have a job keeping up.

Jacob Ohrberg – Vinyl Vanity (Vessel Australia)

After a bit of Bandcamp digging to find some fresh music for a recent mix I came across Jacob Ohrberg’s new 12” on Australia’s Vessel. Promoted with the tagline "deep tracks, open minds” with it’s 2 tracks coming in at 10 and 14 minutes long you’ve got to commit to fully listening. Neither are an instant ‘hit’ but the listener is rewarded with their patience.

Choreosexual's stripped pads build before chopped vocal snippets weave in and out in a sort of catatonic synergy while the flip, 'No Respite', develops into a leisurely house jam, light keys layered on top. One for the slightly deeper heads to get immersed in. Delighted to find it on my distributor lists and duly copped.

The Bandcamp version has a wicked bonus edit not on the vinyl if you are digi only.

Palomatic – Trill (Feedback Waves)

Palomatic is an alias of Koji Takahashi, a busy contributor to the thriving Japanese electronic music scene of the early-to-mid 90s while also working as a synth programmer for supergroup Denki Groove. 'Trill', originally released on CD in 1995, like a lot of releases from Japan at the time, became a bit of a cult classic in forum circles so deserving of a run on wax.

9 tracks ranging from electronic lullabies ('Flutter', 'Soar') slower overlaid jams ('Halo', 'Palomatic') and peak time house groovers ('Idiot', 'Acrobat'), it’s bursting with soul and effervescent energy with enough quirks for those who gravitate toward a hook.

'Under The Ground' is the pick of the punch, rich wonky pads wobbling like something from the Dutch Masters era, heavily influenced by Detroit & Chicago, each demographic adding their own take on a sound and making it totally distinctive.

Vinyl only, clips on Bandcamp HERE.

Fergus Jones – Ephemera (Numbers)

Edinburgh born, Copenhagen based Fergus Jones (aka Perko) pulls out his most personal record yet with 'Ephemera', crafted over the last five years reflecting on natural surroundings and a loose attitude of direction.

Opener 'Yield' is a gentle lean into the album , before hooking up with Huerco S & James K on the skippy trip hop-like 'Heima'. 'Stack' glows with subtle little nuances, languid stripped back dub bloops on 'Can't Touch' before 'Heap'’s metallic reverb forms into a Norken like cerebral head nodder. An album brimming with textures , it’s unhurried pace forces the listener to slow and be present to fully grasp the intricate and rewarding listen.

Bandcamp link HERE.

Orion Agassi – Bolero Drum Tracks (L.I.E.S)

Orion Agassi’s output on Bandcamp has been nothing short of prolific, the Spanish producer’s energetic style of blending latin sounds with classic 80s hip house via his Ritmo Astral label has propelled his star through the roof.

L.I.E.S seems an unusual label choice but it’s a refreshing addition to Ron Morelli's label, whose recent housier output has been pretty great. No track names, only bpms, if your happy tempo range is 122 - 126 and partial to an energetic vibe changer check it out.

Bandcamp link HERE.

Head to the Sound Advice website HERE for more info on the store and to sign up for their mailing list.