Well, I've put a few cheeky Spekk CDs down in price for a few days and you'll find that these exquisite albums are *very* much worth investigating.
Releases from Mathieu Ruhlmann + Celer, The Alps, Joe Grimm and Ken Ikeda as well as the superb Small Melodies compilation are included and if you're missing any of them, I'd say they're a snip at £9.99 - particularly when you consider how beautifully presented they are as well as how gorgeous they sound.
You can check them out here...
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Grit - Expanse - Shoreless00.2...
...is on it's way!
Yes, I'm really happy as the second release from Sven Schienhammer's Shoreless imprint is due to arrive imminently. It's been a wait - almost as long as the Simplicity Is The Key 3" on Smallfish! - but now the wait is almost over... and just in time for Christmas.
Keep an eye on the site as it'll be in next week hopefully!
Yes, I'm really happy as the second release from Sven Schienhammer's Shoreless imprint is due to arrive imminently. It's been a wait - almost as long as the Simplicity Is The Key 3" on Smallfish! - but now the wait is almost over... and just in time for Christmas.
Keep an eye on the site as it'll be in next week hopefully!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Databloem arrives at Smallfish
You know, it always depresses me a little when you realise that you should have stocked something ages ago but didn't. And a prime example of that is Databloem.
Thanks to a really cool phone call last week from Dennis I now have a superb selection of Databloem releases for sale at Smallfish and, let me tell you, they really are just wonderful.
When you find something to love as much as this it's a special day indeed and I've joyously listened through all 10 releases and clicked with every single one of them. Yes, that's right, literally every single one!
However, that leaves me with a bit of a dilemma because if I rant on about how amazing these albums are it might seem like over-the-top hyperbole. That's always a diffculty at times like these.
But, let me say this... today I bought every single one of them. Yup, the whole lot. And I really don't have any money at all at the moment (thanks to running Smallfish and, of course, buying *ahem* yo-yos) but they're simply that good that to not have them in my collection would be criminal.
It's almost as if they were made for me. I think I said that in one of the reviews actually, but it's completely true. There's a sense that the music is directed at me, produced solely for my listening pleasure. It feels personal is what I'm trying to say.
Regardless of the reviews and the fact that I genuinely love the albums, I'd urge you to at least check for yourself and see if you're feeling them the way I am. Which is a *lot*.
Peace.
Mike.
Thanks to a really cool phone call last week from Dennis I now have a superb selection of Databloem releases for sale at Smallfish and, let me tell you, they really are just wonderful.
When you find something to love as much as this it's a special day indeed and I've joyously listened through all 10 releases and clicked with every single one of them. Yes, that's right, literally every single one!
However, that leaves me with a bit of a dilemma because if I rant on about how amazing these albums are it might seem like over-the-top hyperbole. That's always a diffculty at times like these.
But, let me say this... today I bought every single one of them. Yup, the whole lot. And I really don't have any money at all at the moment (thanks to running Smallfish and, of course, buying *ahem* yo-yos) but they're simply that good that to not have them in my collection would be criminal.
It's almost as if they were made for me. I think I said that in one of the reviews actually, but it's completely true. There's a sense that the music is directed at me, produced solely for my listening pleasure. It feels personal is what I'm trying to say.
Regardless of the reviews and the fact that I genuinely love the albums, I'd urge you to at least check for yourself and see if you're feeling them the way I am. Which is a *lot*.
Peace.
Mike.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Mohlao
A little while back I received a lovely message from an artist named Mohlao. I'd been friends with him on Myspace for some time, but hadn't actually been in touch at all - such is the way of it on the monstrous sprawling beast that it's become. He gave me some props and then sent me some tracks and I've got to say that they were absolutely up my street in a big, big way.
He's influenced by dub, techno, Berlin and Detroit and he's got an awesome grasp of the stripped back groove that, in my humble opinion, will always be timeless.
Having heard a whole heap of sounds since then I can only say that I'm enjoying his music more and more. Every time I hear something new it seems to be more refined and focused, deeper and more spacious. In fact, the more recent tracks have had a beautifully groovesome flavour as well to add some balance to the ambient flavoured works - in spirit, not necessarily in sound, you understand.
Simplicity really is the key (to coin one of my own phrases) it would seem!
It won't surprise you to learn that he's got a 12" coming out in the near future on a label that's at the forefront of bring us the deepest, purest techno sounds. That's all I'll say for the time being...
In the meanwhile, I suggest you check out his Myspace page and enjoy some absolutely top class music.
Check out Mohlao's Myspace page right here...
He's influenced by dub, techno, Berlin and Detroit and he's got an awesome grasp of the stripped back groove that, in my humble opinion, will always be timeless.
Having heard a whole heap of sounds since then I can only say that I'm enjoying his music more and more. Every time I hear something new it seems to be more refined and focused, deeper and more spacious. In fact, the more recent tracks have had a beautifully groovesome flavour as well to add some balance to the ambient flavoured works - in spirit, not necessarily in sound, you understand.
Simplicity really is the key (to coin one of my own phrases) it would seem!
It won't surprise you to learn that he's got a 12" coming out in the near future on a label that's at the forefront of bring us the deepest, purest techno sounds. That's all I'll say for the time being...
In the meanwhile, I suggest you check out his Myspace page and enjoy some absolutely top class music.
Check out Mohlao's Myspace page right here...
Monday, September 29, 2008
Relapxych.0 / Quantec / Deer - Shapes And Phases Of Ambience CD - In stock
Yes, this is an absolute belter... although perhaps belter isn't the right word. I don't know. What I do know, though, is that this is a beautifully put together three-way split CD from Relpxyxh.0's own label and features a delicious combination of ambient, mellow, atmospheric and beautiful electronic music.
To a degree, the Quantec tracks deliver a hit of dub techno but, in a similar way to his release on Quietus, there's a more introspective, relaxed tone here that's driven more by the sounds than the beats. Whichever way you look at it, these are great tracks.
Deer (aka Martin Hirsch - new co-boss of Neo Ouija) provides the electronica connection with some delightfully crunchy and classically melodic electronics. It's got an organic lilt to it as well as an almost sculptural feel. Very nice.
Relpxych.0's own tracks bridge the gap between the two other artists to a degree and they feature a wonderful blend of both melody and soundscape textures. It's not quite Berlin sounding, but there's a hint of it, and it's definitely not UK electronica style, and yet again, there's an influence in there. You also get a super mixture of minimal techno sounds that are definitely from the deeper end of things. Almost a bit Benjamin Brunn / Move D-esque is what I'd say if pushed.
In conclusion this is a total bargain at £6.99 as you get a full albums worth of material and it's all of exceptionally high quality.
On the strength of this I'll be keeping a very close eye on future releases from this label. Marvellous stuff!
Go straight there now...
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Smallfish Reborn
New logo and ownership but retaining the same passion for quality electronic music... Smallfish is once more entering a new phase.
I've always loved electronic music and as Smallfish has slowly become more and more my baby, it seemed natural to take it on on my own. Yes, it's going to be hard and very much a full time job (oh yes...) but I still feel it's important to represent the physical side of music in this day and age.
As people move towards downloading more and more, I have to ask myself if we're not losing something that's an integral part of music. The tactile side, if you like, where a sense of ownership and simply having something is an important part of the experience.
Now that there are more labels producing more releases than ever it can be somewhat overwhelming. And the fact that a lot of these releases are limited in nature can make it even more difficult to source new releases. I aim to try and provide an outlet for those people that like to get as much as they can in one place making for a more convenient way of shopping.
As ever I'm driven by love, not money, which is why you'll find Smallfish stocking small quantities of very hard to find releases. As I get back on a more even keel over the next few months you can expect a more regular dose of releases that are more widely available, but they'll be mixed in amongst the likes of U-Cover, Experimedia, Ghost Sounds, 12k, Silentes, Boltfish, Ampoule and all the other labels I love to represent. Not to mention, of course, the releases on my own Smallfish imprint.
So, here's to another era for Smallfish... may it be a long and happy one!
Peace.
Mike.
I've always loved electronic music and as Smallfish has slowly become more and more my baby, it seemed natural to take it on on my own. Yes, it's going to be hard and very much a full time job (oh yes...) but I still feel it's important to represent the physical side of music in this day and age.
As people move towards downloading more and more, I have to ask myself if we're not losing something that's an integral part of music. The tactile side, if you like, where a sense of ownership and simply having something is an important part of the experience.
Now that there are more labels producing more releases than ever it can be somewhat overwhelming. And the fact that a lot of these releases are limited in nature can make it even more difficult to source new releases. I aim to try and provide an outlet for those people that like to get as much as they can in one place making for a more convenient way of shopping.
As ever I'm driven by love, not money, which is why you'll find Smallfish stocking small quantities of very hard to find releases. As I get back on a more even keel over the next few months you can expect a more regular dose of releases that are more widely available, but they'll be mixed in amongst the likes of U-Cover, Experimedia, Ghost Sounds, 12k, Silentes, Boltfish, Ampoule and all the other labels I love to represent. Not to mention, of course, the releases on my own Smallfish imprint.
So, here's to another era for Smallfish... may it be a long and happy one!
Peace.
Mike.
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