smallfish records

P Jørgensen - To - Low Point CD

2009-09-25T07:55:00.000+01:00

Crumbs, it’s a new Low Point release! And what a cracker it is as well. Having only heard a couple of samples thus far and being impressed with those, I’m stoked to be enjoying the whole album now.

It’s a piece of work that is instantly striking due to some awesome sound design and sublime textures which continue throughout the CD. Consisting of short-ish, focused tracks, the way these snapshots of sound are put together is an object lesson in fluidity and atmosphere. Ranging from the powerful to the minimal, the relaxed to the intense and pretty much every flavour in between, I’d really hesitate to call this a drone album per se, but there are undeniable elements of drone throughout – it’s just that it’s so expansive and deep and the transitions between the work so seamless that it feels like more than that; an ever-changing single work, of you like.

Punctuated quite brilliantly around half way through by a delightful field recording piece with twittering birds and natural sounds, it then glides gracefully into the final stages with a resonant bell style texture that grows in intensity towards the penultimate track before quietening down and drifting away in a haze of true beauty. I’m absolutely smitten with this work I have to say that for fans of acts like Celer or the naturalistic works of Andrew Deutsch this really is something to savour.

A huge recommendation on this one. Wonderful.

Check it out here...

Chihei Hatakeyama - The River - Hibernate CD

2009-09-24T07:00:00.002+01:00

Ah yes, Chihei Hatakeyama; a purveyor of quality electronic and organic music if ever I heard one. It gives me great pleasure to bring you this lovely release on the young, but already incredibly mature Hibernate label.

From the off you know exactly what this is going to be about – and it really doesn’t disappoint. Chihei has provided another delicious cocktail of gentle processing and guitar based works that have a lovely soft and warm feel to accompany you on these increasingly autumnal evenings. Serene and pastoral passages of sumptuous sound form a robust backbone for Chihei to work with as he softly plays with resonances, textures and instruments to give everything a magical feel. The slightly raw feeling of the recordings plays to the strengths of this type of ambient music by giving you an earthy layer of sound that acts like a cushion for the gorgeous melodies whilst framing the tracks at the same time.

One of my favourite aspects of this album, apart from the music of course, is the titles of the tracks themselves. They have simple quality to them that amply reflects the sounds and there’s a quiet poetry to both that’s immensely appealing.

As you probably already know I’m a fan of Chihei’s work and I’m an equally big fan of this super label that’s being curated with love and attention to detail. Do yourself a favour and enjoy some luscious and thoughtful music from this brilliant artist. Superb from beginning to end.

Check it out here...

Coldstream - Alarums - Under The Spire 3" CDr

2009-09-23T06:50:00.002+01:00

Another new Under The Spire release this week and this time we find ourselves face to face with two utterly exquisite tracks on a 3” CDr from Coldstream. Seriously, if you’re into the deeper, slightly darker side of drone / organic soundscapes, this is an absolute must I would say.

Kicking off with the wonderful seven minute title track you’ll find yourself treated to a low-key, impeccably designed and fluid work that gently ebbs and flows throughout with a deliciously hypnotic two chord progression (my favourite type, if I’m honest). I love the way the chords always resolve into each other as they have that timeless minor 7th feel that makes them instantly moody and full of emotion. They roll on and on, yet it never feels relentless – indeed, when the track finishes you almost feel as if it could have gone on for way, way longer without ever losing their focus.

The second track is a super eleven minute track that’s built in a different way, yet retains a thematic similarity to the first piece. That is to say it’s deep, earthy and beautiful. Gliding gracefully into the territory of beatless shoegaze you can really hear elements that recall a band such as, for example, Slowdive, yet it has a more stripped back, contemporary feel to the simple, effective composition. It’s beautifully put together and has, once again, a totally natural flow that builds up to the middle of the piece and then ever-so-slowly fades away again.

Compelling and delightful, this is a splendid release indeed. Limited to 100 copies – so don’t delay! Superb.

Check it out here...

Yui Onodera - Entropy - Trumn CD

2009-09-22T16:44:00.004+01:00

Originally released in scant quantities in 2005, this stunning work from the wonderful Yui Onodera gets a timely re-issue here on the newly formed Trumn imprint out of Tokyo. What this proves (as if it needed proving) is that Onodera has been ploughing his own furrow in a low-key way and, in a lot of respects, is only receiving the plaudits he deserves. I know that I feel like I came to the party a little late. But, I’m here now and ‘Entropy’ is exactly the kind of album that I love to sit back and collapse to, or work to, or just sit and daydream to.

It has an ethereal, drifting quality and the variety of the pieces is lovely. Once again, it’s the sort of album that you could call drone, and indeed there are plenty of subaquatic textures and muted chords here, but there’s more in the shape of more experimental sounds and recordings that punctuate those more ambient moments. That’s the beauty of this – one moment you’re submerged in a filtered down, bubbling sound and the next there’s an uplifting, sublime chord awaiting you before adding in a gentle guitar and then something a little more abstract. Predominantly, though, Onodera is all about the feeling and mood and the one thing that’s common throughout every track on this album is the fact that there’s always a delicate and fragile beauty residing within each piece.

The combination of music and absolutely wonderful oversized packaging with beautiful printing mean this is an item you’ll be enjoying for years to come. A big warm welcome to Trumn here at Smallfish – and what a way to kick things off. Highly recommended for fans of the deep side.

Check it out here...

Pillowdiver - Tony On A Bike - Under The Spire 3" CDr

2009-09-22T16:38:00.002+01:00

Following on from Pillowdiver’s excellent recent album for 12k comes this lovely little 3” CDr from the rapidly expanding Under The Spire imprint. If you heard ‘Sleeping Pills’ you’ll be thrilled to find out that this gorgeous four-track EP is very much along the same lines – and it’s a real treat for the ears.

Using guitars as the main instrumentation, Pillowdiver constructs deep, evocative soundscapes that sit somewhere between the sculpted sound of 12k and a slightly more shoegaze kind of feel (think Lightsway, Dawn Chorus Ignites or some of the older Televise material). These pieces have an easy flow and a cunning way of introducing melodies into the bountiful chords whilst using background processing and effects to keep everything in exactly the kind of ball park I love. The title track itself, along with the last track, ‘Black Metal Dream’ are super examples of that blend and while the guitars strum out the tunes the lightly droned-out accompaniment really combines with them to give it an earthy and organic feel. In fact the last track even has an incredibly subtle, pulsating 4/4 kick underneath everything to give it even more movement. The third track, ‘Nine’, is a rapturous noise of effected, gained up guitars and even drums that collide to make a slow, driving and quintessentially beautiful shoegazer of a track – really awesome stuff.

All round it’s another brilliant release for this label and something to really enjoy from this talented producer. Limited to a paltry 150 copies and on the strength of how quickly the 12k album flew out, definitely one to snag while you can. First class.

Check it out here...

Segue - Grey - Tokyo Droning CDr

2009-09-20T16:01:00.003+01:00

I’m very pleased to bring you the second release from Home Normal sister label Tokyo Droning and this time we find ourselves in the very pleasing company of Jordan Sauer, aka Segue.

I really like his work for the numerous labels he’s produced for and I think that this set of tracks is absolutely natural for TD in every possible way. From the pastoral guitar-led opening track through a series of gentle, meditative and always melodic pieces this is a finely focused and very friendly album indeed.

It’s an interesting to contrast to Offthesky’s release as that was all about the flow of melodic and dissonant drone whereas this is much more of an ‘album’ if you know what I mean? Each track has its own character and they really do take in a wide range of styles yet with a common theme of the organic running through them. There are subtle drones, lovely warm textures, exquisite guitar licks and melodies, the occasional foray into a slightly more traditional electronic sound and even some naturalistic field recording based works – and at this point I have to give a special mention to ‘Futures’ which is, if I was absolutely pushed into choosing one, probably my favourite track. It features some gorgeous ethnic style background recordings along with a slowly growing texture and even a hint of what sounds like cello or violin - lovely. There’s plenty going on but in a low-key and beautifully realised way that actually, I have to say, gets better and better each time I hear it (and that’s quite a few times I can tell you!)

Quite apart from the fact that this is limited, once again, to 100 copies and TD is an ace label, this truly is an album to savour from a very talented artist. Really, a wonderful piece of work.

Check it out here...

Autistici - Complex Tone Test - Kesh CD

2009-09-18T07:16:00.001+01:00

Audiobulb head honcho David Newman provides us with another very compelling full length album, this time on Simon Scott’s superb Kesh imprint. It’s no secret that I loved his previous CD on 12k and it’s therefore fairly unsurprising I’m sure to discover that this is also a beautifully realised set of tracks as well.

What I really like about Autistici is the variety that he manages to cram into not just the album as a whole, but even the tracks themselves. Combining electronics, found sounds, field recordings, organic instruments and some utterly awesome 3D stereo effects, you’ll discover an entire world of music here. From the gentle flute-led intro track and into the syncopated, almost techno-sounding ‘Meticule’ right through the evocative ‘Resonating Wire’ and beyond, there’s a fascinating sense of exploration and discovery at each and every turn.

This isn’t just a lovely album with a seemingly innate sense of melody that shines through, oh no, this is an experimental work of huge substance that constantly finds the comfortable and homely in some unlikely places. There are times where the sounds almost overwhelm, and yet it always holds back a little, allowing you some room to breathe and get accustomed to the atmospheres that evolve.

From just plain gorgeous through to hallucinatory and tense, this really is a journey into sound that’s as exciting as it is relaxing. A paradox, then, in some ways, but considering the pedigree of the artist and label it should come as no surprise that this is an utterly exceptional album. A real experience and something that I’d urge you to check out and enjoy. Pure quality.

Check it out here...

Aaron Martin - Grass Wounds - Under The Spire 3" CDr

2009-09-17T07:23:00.001+01:00

I do like a spot of Aaron Martin you know. Last thing was the Mobeer release and that was marvellous so it’s rather nice to have this absolutely exquisite little 3” CDr from Under The Spire landing on my doorstep today. I feel like classifying it as electronic / organic / classical, but to be honest I don’t really want to make up yet another category on the site so this will have to do.

It really is a blend of beautiful classical influences though and has a thoroughly modern feel to it with gorgeous arrangements and beautifully atmospheric string playing. The cello, as you’d expect, plays a large role in creating the deep sound that runs throughout the five pieces and whether it’s a straight-up piece of melodic beauty or more of a cinematic soundscape or experimental work there’s a really tangible sense of the sound always being anchored to the cello.

Tense, at times dramatic and at others just really sublime, this is music to savour from a consistently brilliant artist. If you know his work you’ll want to be all over this gem and if you don’t know him I would urge you to check this out immediately. As ever this is a limited run so they won’t be hanging around for too long I suspect. Really quite superb.

Check it out here...

Mountain Ocean Sun - Peace Conference - Home Normal CD

2009-09-16T06:50:00.004+01:00

Mountain Ocean Sun. A dreamlike combination of music and nature that’s as beautiful as it is serene, as charming as it is earthy and as bounteous as you could hope for.

Repeated listens of this stunning hour-long album brings you a new tone, texture or incidental background noise each time and as you soak up the radiant atmosphere it leaves you with a harmonious sense of inner peace. Recorded in various locations at various times by various people, this work takes on a shimmering life of its own with bells, bowed strings, harmonium and Indian shruti boxes all playing their own endearing and crucial part to setting the scene. It’s a meditative mixture of drone and uplifting, almost spiritual sound that quite honestly transcends being pigeonholed into any obvious genre here at Smallfish.

Sitting back and allowing it to wash over me was an incredibly evocative experience and having lived in Japan I can attest to the fact that there really is a certain oriental feel to this that will conjure up deeply vivid images of forests and shrines and sunlight dappling across mountain streams. If that sounds overly poetic then, well, maybe it is… but music is a tangible living force that surrounds us even when it’s not overtly ‘music’ and this paints more than just a simple aural picture. The tranquillity and beauty that Mountain Ocean Sun have captured here has an elemental sound that’s so wonderfully hypnotic and marvellously organic.

This is another exceptional album from the superb Home Normal label. But then, what else did you expect? Highly recommended.

Check it out here...

Pub - Cassette Three - Ampoule 3" CDr

2009-09-15T07:21:00.001+01:00

A really nice little treat here in the ongoing Cassette series from, I believe, Pub. Following what I consider to be two epic 3”s with the kind of divine electronica that keeps me coming back for more comes this third instalment and it’s just what the doctor ordered; two tracks of pure, deep, melodic, funky and outright class slices of magic.

‘Lady Legs Of Swords’ opens things with a skipped-out and rolling rhythm that’s downbeat but lively. Add some almost flavours to the melodies and some straight-up lovely chords and you’ve got a track that’s fluid, yet head nodding, deep and spacious, yet tightly focused. ‘I’m Sick Of Your Kicks’ follows and travels down a more classically electronic kind of avenue. It’s no less rhythmic, mind you, but it has that lightly clicky sort of groove that you’ll find very pleasing if you’re a fan of Arovane and, of course, some of Pub’s older material. Low-key, delightfully put together and oozing a genuine beauty that you rarely hear these days.

In some respects this really does have a similar touch to some of the Lucky & Easy releases and it definitely harks back to a time when electronica was a lot more innocent. In my opinion that’s definitely a Very Good Thing and this release comes as highly recommended as anything I’ve ever recommended by Pub before… and that’s virtually everything I suppose as I’m a bit of a fanboy!

Limited as usual but, just to let you know, I do have a couple of spare copies of the first two releases just in case you missed them. Wonderful stuff.

Check it out here...

Ekca Liena - Drones Between Homes -Under The Spire CDr

2009-09-14T07:28:00.002+01:00

After a run of releases on the excellent Dead Pilot label, Ekca Liena now delivers a superb two track drone-based work for the homegrown Under The Spire imprint.

This is a CD that demands to be listened to from beginning to end as it layers up and processes all manner of textures into a seamless and very beautiful whole. There’s an organic feel to the sounds which gives them a natural warmth – always a good thing in my humble opinion – and allows you to sink right in and enjoy the flow. The structure is canny with a gentle build in the first track, ‘The More I Cut From One’, which grows into a tense finale before drifting into the second track. ‘The More I Add To Another’ follows suit but somehow feels darker and more melancholy.

The initial segment almost comes across like the ambient elements from an Echospace release which gives it a really nice feel. From there the chords and layers take on a more muted and aquatic tone with an almost choral / church style flavour to them. Again, it drifts gently into a superb finale with epic sounds before ebbing away into more ethereal territory and then fading out.

I have to say this is absolutely brilliant and really perked up my day. You’d be advised that if you’re a lover of atmospheric or drone music that this is a strictly limited edition of 100 copies and it looks suspiciously like there aren’t any left. Another really top class release from Under The Spire.

Check it out here...

cv313 - Sailingstars - Echospace 12"

2009-09-12T07:46:00.002+01:00

Two years after cv313’s debut release (on Smallfish, no less!) and following on from a few 12”s and the, sadly only available in Japan, Live CD comes this cracking new slab of wax.

A three-tracker, it features, for starters, the title track ‘Sailingstars’ which blends to wonderful effect the dubwise undertones of Echospace and Intrusion along with Steve’s trademark Soultek vibe on the rhythms. It’s a groover and no mistake with a 100% hypnotic 4/4 vibe and super-nice chords and sounds that roll beautifully along in conjunction with the lowdown bassline.

Flip over to find two very pleasing versions of ‘Subtraktive’, both from Intrusion. The ‘Twilight Dub’ takes it into stronger rhythmic territory whilst remaining totally true to the original vibe of the track. Heavily sub-bass laden and with those signature chords drifting along over the solid 4/4 it’s exactly the kind of mix a lot of people have wanted. Next up is the Intrusion ‘Reform’ which I really thought was going to be an ambient edit, but after some swirlingly lush pads at the beginning is actually joined by an even more robust kick drum than the previous track. Short, sweet and full of Echospace vibes through and through.

This, as they say, is a winner. Marvellous stuff – and funky looking marbled vinyl too!

Check it out here...

Various - Lo-Fi Soundsystem - Intrusion 12"

2009-09-12T07:36:00.003+01:00

Another excursion into the dubbier side of techno here from Echospace sister label Intrusion with a compilation 12” that’s rocking it. Two tracks from Intrusion and one each from Lo-Fi Soundsystem and Mildiou (neither of which I’m familiar with I’m ashamed to admit, although I believe there may be a Jamaican connection with LFSS – I’m sure I’ll be corrected on that though!)

Anyway, Intrusion is up first with a romper of a track that has an almost Soultek vibe to it (like the cv313 actually). A grooving 4/4, distant echoes, funky basslines and the kind of production that’s aching to be heard on the dancefloor. Lo-Fi Soundsystem deliver ‘De Lion’s Den’ which really is a superlative slice of pure dub underpinned by a solid, effective kick and snare. Purist sounds no doubt.

Flip for Midiou which, I have to say, is my personal highlight of the EP. Uber-deep and subterranean to the max, this is a track that got right into my head as soon as I heard it and kept me coming back. Classic dub techno in some ways, yet it has enough personality of its own to shine through. And, ultimately, it’s just a very, very track and that’s the most important thing. Intrusion finishes up with ‘OceanView’ which has more of a downbeat flavour but sticks resolutely to the dubwise feel. In fact at one point I thought I could hear a melodica fading into the mix, but I think it was a combination of harmonics on the chords. Slow, low, reverb-drenched and pure, this is a slice of gold.

So, in summary, it’s a wicked EP and I believe that once again we’re on fairly limited copies of these. Be assured you can buy this with confidence if you’re a fan of the label in any way, shape or form. Pure class.

Check it out here...

Solo Andata - Look For Me Here - 12k CD

2009-09-09T10:27:00.002+01:00

This really is a superb companion to the full album release from Solo Andata.

Coming on a beautiful looking clear plastic edged 3” disc (I’m sure there’s a name for them, isn’t there?) it features remixes by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Giuseppe Ielasi (who, incidentally, mastered the album I believe).

As you’d expect, there’s a whole world of beauty going on here with Sakamoto delivering an incredible version based around gentle guitar strumming and pure atmospheric ambient sounds. It’s an exquisitely beautiful sound and works perfectly as an interpretation of Solo Andata’s original.

Not to be outdone, Giuseppe Ielasi delivers an equally luscious mix that once again concentrates on the key elements of the original and turns them into a spacious and haunting sound work that hits all the right spots. A gently growing background chord layer which adds in some light graininess, a wonderfully atmospheric guitar passage midway through, then adding in those processed layers once again before fading away into the ether.

It’s beautifully produced, serene, calming and full of charm. Realistically, if you’re getting the album you’ll want to snap up a copy of this as well because they work so well together. Essential stuff once more from this might label. Truly gorgeous.

Check it out here...

Solo Andata - Solo Andata - 12k CD

2009-09-08T08:01:00.001+01:00

It’s fair to say that I’ve been eagerly awaiting this album in a pretty large way. Although I haven’t heard a lot of Solo Andata’s music the track that appeared on the ‘Live In Melbourne’ 12k release was fantastic and I hoped I’d hear more. Well, here’s the full length release from this duo and I have to say it’s astonishingly beautiful in every way.

From the cello laced opening track with it’s incredibly detailed, yet completely flowing sound right through some of the most downright gorgeous textured works and on into some absolutely charming guitar-led moments this is an album that screams quality and depth at every turn. There’s a gently introspective feel that pervades this work – it’s sad and melancholy but has twists and turns that take it into more robust territory every now and again with tense guitar drones and fuzzed out layers, but they manage to feel restrained and never overwhelm you. Sound design is frankly stunning and there are some wonderfully dislocatory elements that work in the background in a seemingly huge stereo field.

Ultimately this is an album that I don’t want to break down too much as it’s the combination of everything coming together into a musical journey that makes it so very special. I could talk about each individual track but I strongly believe that it would do it an injustice. What you need to know is that altogether it’s melodic, dense, refined, beautiful, powerful, organic… really, everything I could want and hope for from a contemporary electronic work.

It’s stunning from beginning to end and yet another massive recommendation. Don’t miss out on this one.

Check it out here...

Ian Hawgood - Snow Roads - Dragon's Eye Recordings CDr

2009-09-06T08:29:00.002+01:00

Okay, let’s talk about Snow Roads. You’ll forgive me if I seem a little over-familiar with the artist but he’s a good friend and I know exactly how much has gone into this release – both in time and work. The accumulation of 18 months of production, Snow Roads is a clear labour of love and it only takes a very small glance at the credits to see why 1) you should paying very close attention to this release, and 2) why it’s so damned good.

Collaboratively speaking there are a number of artists that have been involved along the way including Celer, The Remote Viewer, Le Mepris, El Fog, Katherine Morrice, Ben Jones and Wataru Osaka as well as Taylor Deupree on mastering duties. These elements are brought together by Hawgood’s guiding hand into an album of such depth and beauty that you’ll find it simply doesn’t quite hit you the first time you listen to it. I’ve heard it too many times to keep track of and each and every time it gives me something entirely new.

Maybe the first time you’ll feel the space and minimalism that begins the work with bowed instruments layering together to create an almost classical sound. Then you’ll start to really pick out the tangible journey that the music takes you on as the addition of field recordings and bell sounds give it an earthy, naturalistic quality that’s really quite divine. It’s probable that you’ll be so entranced by this time that you’ll begin to notice the delicate background noises and samples that form a dusty layer which allows the delightfully melancholy instrumentation to shine through in all of its glory. By the end you’ll have been taken in by violin pieces, guitars, processed found sounds, deep, ambient soundscapes and textures as well as a real sense of movement and variety that hangs together exactly as it all should.

Pardon the gushing commentary, but this is simply a delicious work of musical art that should be considered a real opus for Ian Hawgood. In some ways it’s completely different to ‘Wolfskin’ and ‘We Are Better…’ but you can hear his sound in there at all times and that’s what gives it such personality. Putting something like this together and being able to call on such talent to provide additional elements is really a wonderful position to be in and he’s done it so, so well.

Another utterly essential release for the artist and another string to the bow of the marvellous Dragon’s Eye imprint. Quite simply brilliant and another highlight of the year for me.

Check it out here...

Variant - The Setting Sun - Echospace CD

2009-09-05T17:18:00.006+01:00

It’s been a heck of year for the kind of music I love and two of the highlights so far have come on CD from the Echospace stable. Following Brock Van Wey’s stunning album comes this new project from label main man Steve Hitchell. Having been responsible for so many awesome tracks over the years, collaboratively or in a solo capacity, it’s really refreshing to find Steve coming to the fore with this style of deeply atmospheric music.

You could, in some ways, call it ambient I suppose, but it has way too many hints of his rhythmic background to be 100% beatless. On the contrary he uses percussive elements in such a keen way that they serve to accentuate what we all know he’s so good at: those chords and melodies. Another big feature of this album is the inclusion of a wealth of field recordings made whilst experiencing a late night storm in Berlin and a train journey in Japan. These recordings perfectly fit the ambience of Steve’s work, particularly the train journey elements. There’s something about his tracks that gives you a sense of movement – I can vouch for the fact that this album sounds utterly amazing whilst gazing out of the window sitting on a train.

There’s a captivating spaciousness and mood that instantly clicks with the melancholy side of me and I’m still not 100% sure what it is. The layers, pads and chords are probably mostly responsible, but it’s also the little touches of melody that fade in and out, never overwhelming, just complementing the sound. The other big key is the pure emotion that drips from every moment of every track - you can feel the love that has gone into this, even when it sits on the darker side. The care and attention that pervades the production and structures of the tracks is gorgeous and the title track itself is nothing short of divine, clocking in at a healthy 23 minutes which really allows the artist to give you an intimate and personal sense of how he’s feeling.

Ranging, as it does, from pure ambient / drone through to organically inclined guitar moments (yes, that’s right, guitar) via some uber-chilled out dub-inflected moments you’ll discover that this is a listening album of absolutely the highest calibre. I’m glad the label has this avenue of music to explore and I can’t think of many other people that I’d enjoy hearing do it quite so much.

This is a must for fans of not just Echospace, but beautiful, deep electronic music in general. Pure gold and something you’d be well advised to grab as soon as possible.

Check it out here...

Spekk Titles On Special Offer

2008-11-05T19:54:00.000Z

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...

Grit - Expanse - Shoreless00.2...

2008-11-05T19:49:00.002Z

...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!

Databloem arrives at Smallfish

2008-10-23T21:58:00.000+01:00

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.

Mohlao

2008-10-06T20:16:00.000+01:00

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...

Forthcoming on Smallfish

2008-10-06T20:08:00.001+01:00

but who knows when...

Relapxych.0 / Quantec / Deer - Shapes And Phases Of Ambience CD - In stock

2008-09-29T16:24:00.002+01:00

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...

Smallfish Reborn

2008-09-28T16:53:00.002+01:00

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.

Smallfish Label Release - Zainetica - Formulation EP - FISH8CM-09

2007-04-16T13:14:00.000+01:00

Welcome aboard to Zainetica, the man behind the excellent Rednetic imprint and producer of Detroit-laced Electronica for labels such as Boltfish, Bubblewrap Industries, Wyrd Skies and now Smallfish.

Zainetica's sound concentrates on a great hybrid of styles using crunchy rhythmic elements, synthetic chord sounds and a healthy nod to the Motor City which fuels most of his tracks. Electro influences abound on this quirky, beautifully produced 3-tracker and there's as much groove and funk as there is melody. Interestingly this is one of his most 4/4-based releases and a couple of the tracks here should really appeal if you're into Detroit Techno... particularly the 2nd cut which is a real hypnotic number with super sounds and a deep bassline. You'll also find that if you're a fan of labels like Rednetic and Boltfish that this should definitely tickle your fancy and we're really chuffed to be able to bring you yet another quality edition in our limited 3" series.

Many thanks to Zainetica for getting involved and allowing us to put out yet another high class Electronica EP!

Check it out here...

Smallfish Label Release - Pola - Perdu - FISH8CM-08

2007-04-01T16:02:00.000+01:00

We're stoked to be able to bring you this thoroughly brilliant 3" CD release from Japanese artist Pola. You may remember his quite frankly superb releases for both Plop and Commune Disc... if you do, you'll know just what a treat is in store for you.

I first heard a couple of these tracks just under a year ago and was blown away by them. After a little negotiation and a couple of conversations (big thank you to Nao Sugimoto for sorting it out for me!) I was thrilled to have secured both tracks I really wanted and a real bonus in the shape of 2 extra cuts.

You'll warm to these immediately I know as Pola has given them such a warm, clicky and deep sound that fans of minimalist Techno and Electronica are sure to be mighty impressed. What's really great though is the middle section of the EP which comes on in a surprisingly funky Detroit kind of way... looped chords, wicked 4/4 beats and a truly hypnotic feel. Superb! The final track is just sublime and allows itself to drift magnificently with luscious chords and intricate, yet almostbeatless percussive style.

As ever this is coming in an edition of 100 copies never to be pressed again so make sure you get your hands on a copy! Big thanks to Pola for providing us with this absolute gem. Highly, highly recommended.

Check it out here...

Smallfish Label Release - Remote_ - Celestion - FISH12CM-01

2007-02-27T16:48:00.000Z

It’s with a great deal of personal pride that I can reveal the new Smallfish CDr release by Remote_ coming, for the first time, on a regular sized disc instead of a 3”.

Celestion was originally going to be split into 2 parts and released on 2 separate 3” CDs. However, the decision was taken to put out our first 5” CD instead and leave it intact as one long 40 minute piece.

Those of you that are familiar with the edited version on the Celestion EP released on Meanwhile in 2005 will probably instantly recognise it from the chord sounds. Suffice to say that the edit used a variety of static samples of the chords whereas the original was filtered and tweaked and delayed live throughout the whole 40 minutes!

It lies within the dub Techno sphere of music using a minimalist style with two simple chords, a meaty bassline and a simple melodic tone to add depth. Using the mixer the delays and reverbs were then fed back on themselves to give it that echo tone that you associate with the Berlin sound. It glides gracefully, gently morphing, dropping out and then fading back in with a simple groove that should lock you in.

Halfway through, though, the tone changes into a more groove-based arrangement with a stronger, pulsating beat kicking in, a more percussive tone and an even more hypnotic use of the chord sound. Again, it’s all about the gentle movement of the effects and that’s what gives Celestion its momentum.

Close in spirit (if not in actual sound) to the longer works of Rod Modell or even the classic 40 minute epic of TV Victor, this is a CD to put on, relax to and engage with.

We hope you love Celestion as much as we do and we’re thrilled to be able to announce this numbered limited edition as an exclusive for our customers.

Check Celestion out here...

Smallfish Label Release - Joseph Auer - Monochromatic Sunlight - FISH8CM-07

2007-02-22T11:32:00.000Z

We're proud to unveil a release from Joseph Auer who has a previously recorded work for Boltfish, Rednetic and a whole host of netlabels. His sound is one of Detroit-styled warmth and groove and that's exactly what we've got for you with this super EP.

Monochromatic Sunlight comes with 4-tracks, all of which are imbued with a deliciously honest approach - Joe's never afraid to wear his heart on his musical sleeve - and a sense of melody which is timeless. 4/4 beats collide with lush pads and are then treated to analogue melodies which set the tracks off a treat. I've always compared his work to the likes of the Delsin and Headspace labels and artists like Vince Watson and Arne Weinberg, and that still holds true to a certain extent. But the more you listen to his work the more the personality shines through and you instinctively know when you're listening to an Auer production.

A gorgeous release, then and one which we're thrilled to be able to offer you.

Big thanks to Joe for sharing his sounds and allowing us to put this out!

Check it out here...

Pre-orders available from Smallfish - 08/02/07

2007-02-08T10:08:00.000Z

Deepchord - Vantage Isle - Echospace - 2x12"+7" - £18.99 - Coming soon

I don't really think I need to say a great deal about this most anticipated of releases. Due at the beginning of March (or thereabouts) it's going to be a whopper of a must-have item for fans of deep, dubby Techno. Featuring not only the Deepchord track but also remixes from Echospace and Convextion, it's one of those things that youll really kick yourselves over if you miss out. Use the link below to head straight on over to the pre-order page. This item will ship as soon as it comes into stock.

Pre-order item here...

Convextion - Miranda Remixes - Matrix - 2x12" - £17.99 - Coming soon

Once again, this is a record that doesn't really need a great deal of introduction. Convextion's Miranda is a wonderful track and this double pack comes with the original plus remixes from Deepchord, Echospace and Psykofuk (Sean Deason). Large stuff indeed and a classic slab of vinyl in the making. Do not miss out on this one! Scheduled for the next couple of weeks or so this item will ship as soon as it comes into stock.

Pre-order item here...

Various - Brittle Behaviour - Cactus Island - CD - £7.99 - Released 16/02/07

Wonderful new compilation (5", not 3") from one of the UK's premier Electronica labels and it features something of an all star cast. Tracks from Isan, Maps and Diagrams, Soundhacker, Slemper, Digitonal, Poborsk, Bichi, Weave, Sabi, Quiroga and more all guarantee you a fine, fine listening experience with the emphasis firmly on crunch and melody. Beautifully put together and nicely presented, this is an essential for collectors of the 3" CDs and fans of good music in general.

Pre-order item here...

Joseph Auer - Monochromatic Sunlight - Smallfish - 3"CD - £4.99 - Released 19/02/07

Another splendid release in our series of limited edition 3" CDs and this time it comes courtesy of the frankly brilliant Joseph Auer. Deep, lush, authentically Detroit sounding tracks with acres of warmth and depth. We love Joe's music and we're proud to be able to bring you this absolute beauty of an EP. 4 tracks of sheer pleasure limited to 100 copies.

Pre-order item here...

Remote_ - Celestion - Smallfish - CD - £7.99 - Released 28/02/07

First release on a 5", full-length CD for Smallfish and its from our very own Remote_. Its the 40 minute, original version of Celestion (edited and remixed for the Celestion EP 12" on Meanwhile). Smooth, hypnotic and dubbed out Techno with a head-nodding flavour and plenty of echo and reverb. Fans of the deep stuff will probably rather enjoy this. Limited to 100 copies only.

Pre-order item here...

Shuttle358 - Frame - 12k - CD - Available for pre-order

2007-02-07T11:17:00.000Z

Exciting news... one of the key releases from the wonderful 12k label is being reissued on the limited edition offshoot of the main label. Shuttle358's 'Frame' is undoubtedly one of the most lovely electronic albums of the era and still sounds absolutely cutting edge to this day.

Originally released in 2001, Dan Abrams used his considerable skills to provide us with a delicious cocktail of melancholy melody, deep chords and simple, effective clicky percussive elements. Altogether it makes for a compelling, beautiful and engaging listen... an essential listen, in fact, if you're a fan of Electronica or 12k.

We're pre-selling it at the rather splendid price of £7.99 so get in there to secure yourself a copy of this genuinely brilliant album. Scheduled for a mid-February release.

Smallfish Review

"I wondered if this marvellous album would ever get a reissue and I'm extremely pleased to announce that, yes indeed, Taylor Deupree has decided to press up a limited run of one of Dan Abrams' most startling pieces of work.

Frame was originally released in 2001 to huge critical acclaim - not surprising as it took the established clicks & cuts sound of the time and imbued it with such a luscious amount of depth and warmth that it charmed an awful lot of people around the world. That said, 12k was a slightly more low-key label back in those days and a whole lot of people missed out on what was to become one of the key releases in the electronic music genre.

Since then his other albums have gone on to be hugely succesful and Frame has become even more sought after, so here, at last, is your chance to grab yourself a copy of this beautiful, mellow, thoughtfully engaging album. Deep swathes of electronic sound and melody combine with seemingly simple (yet, I suspect, surprisingly complex) rhythmic structures that keep the whole thing flowing from beginning to end.

You only need to listen to some of the tracks to understand why this album is so good and after 5 years why it's still one of the best releases of its type. OK. That's enough ranting from me... nab yourself a copy without delay... you won't regret it!"

Check out and pre-order...

Smallfish Recent Items - Tuesday 06/02/07

2007-02-06T15:20:00.000Z

In a bid to keep everyone up to date, I'll be posting
the days releases on a daily basis.

To kick things off, here are the most recent releases at Smallfish.

SHED - "REMIXES IN FOUR PARTS - 2" 12"
techno / electro, soa1210, 02/02/2007 -- £6.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=SOA1210

** RECOMMENDED! Shed can't do a thing wrong.
Simple as that. These remixes are great and come
from Echoplex, Shawn Rudiman and MBC...

               * * *

SVEN WEISEMANN - "VIVID MOMENTO" 12"
techno / electro, styraxleaves008, 02/02/2007 --
£7.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=STYRAXLEAVES008

** RECOMMENDED! Sven Weisemann has put together a
lovely 4-track EP here for the brilliant Styrax
label. Concnetrating on deep, flowing, lightly dubby
Techno sounds, this has the flavour that you just
know you're going to love. It's all about
the hypnotic sounds and gentle chord structures as
well as classic Detroit-laced percussion...

               * * *

REDSHAPE - "ALONE ON MARS? / SPECIES" 12"
techno / electro, present02, 02/02/2007 -- £6.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=PRESENT02

** RECOMMENDED! Redshape puts in another brilliant
release, this time on a green vinyl slab on Present
records. 2 cuts of wonderfully produced, gritty, yet
flowing Techno of the variety that I think we all
know that I love to bits! One side has a more
heads-down, tracky feel whilst the flip ups the
melodic content with some lush Detroit chords and
pads. You know the deal with this.....

               * * *

CHRIST - "BLUE SHIFT EMISSIONS" CD
electronica, ben031-cd, 02/02/2007 -- £6.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=BEN031-CD

** RECOMMENDED! Christ has garnered something of a
reputation for himself. Apart from the fact that
he's got quite a musical pedigree (and I think
we all know why that is!) he produces fine quality
Electronica of the variety that makes for soothing,
mellow, occasionally strange listening. With Blue
Shift you get a full length album for a real bargain
price and it's full of beautiful, detailed, warm
and friendly tracks that will charm even the most
jaded punter...

               * * *

ARNE WEINBERG - "PATH OF THE GODS" 2xLP
techno / electro, aw006, 02/02/2007 -- £13.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=AW006

** RECOMMENDED! The one-man producing machine that
is Arne Weinberg gives us his first long-player on
his own AW label. Not only is he very, very good at
delivering Detroit influenced, machine-funk Techno
but he also gets his hands on some deliciously put
together interlude tracks that take the form of
ambient Electronica and fresh beats. They serve to
punctuate the more upbeat Techno and Electro tracks
beautifully and really give it a personality of its
own...

               * * *

DAVID NEWLYN - "ANCIENT LIGHTS" CD
electronica, bolt036, 05/02/2007 -- £5.49
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=BOLT036

David Newlyn's full-length CD for Boltfish is a
splendid adventure through the sound of melodic
Electronica. There's not a moment here that
doesn't capture a superbly melancholic feeling
of genuine blissfulness. Sunny afternoons and warm,
hazy days spent with friends spring to mind and the
mellow, downbeat flavour of the beats perfectly
compliments the sparkling showers of melodic
sound...

               * * *

ZAINETICA - "REDIRECTION" CD
electronica, bolt035, 05/02/2007 -- £5.49
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=BOLT035

Back in stock. Boltfish kick off in 2007 with a
superb long-player from Rednetic boss and prolific
musician Zainetica. A seriously fine collection of
tracks that blur the boundaries between Electronica,
Electro and Techno with a great deal of ease and
skill...

               * * *

LAWRENCE ENGLISH - "FOR VARYING DEGREES OF WINTER"
CD
electronica, karu7, 05/02/2007 -- £10.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=KARU7

Back in stock... One of my favourite releases of the
moment! Room40 head honcho Lawrence English has
really produced quite a sublime piece of work here
for French label Baskaru. Featuring additional
elements from the likes of Janek Schaefer, Aki Onda
and Mike Cooper, he's blended his sound sources
to create a soothing, deeply textural and amazingly
warm collection of tracks...

               * * *

LUOMO - "REALLY DON'T MIND" 12"
techno / electro, huume11, 05/02/2007 -- £4.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=HUUME11

Luomo really does have a unique sound and it shines
through, as ever, on this 12" taken from the CD
album. Not sure why it's taken so long for us to
get it, mind you, but that's another issue
altogether. Anyway, musically it's a cunning
blend of sweet vocals, House elements and an overall
minimal Techno flavour that all blend together to
make a compelling, instantly accessible vibe...

               * * *

KNIGHT ACTION - "SINGLE GIRL" 12"
house, c-cc04, 02/02/2007 -- £6.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=C-CC04

Funky, old-School, proper sounding Electro-House
that has a definite charm (and some wonderfully out
of tune synth sounds as well!), perky vocals and
chunky old rhythms. Flip for the key track
'D'Rail' which is a classic slab of
Acid House with a springy bassline and splendid 303
tweak. ...

               * * *

BENJAMIN FEHR / FFWD - "TRUTH & CONSEQUENCES
VILLALOBOS REMIX" 12"
techno / electro, catenaccio06, 02/02/2007 -- £6.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=CATENACCIO06

Can't remember the original of this track to be
honest, but what I can tell you is that Ricardo
Villalobos has turned in a smashing remix in his
trademark style. Bumpy, stripped-down beats and a
fat bass texture mixed with cunning edits that make
you want to dance. High class...

               * * *

PETAR DUNDOV - "RUNNING MAN" 12"
techno / electro, mm130, 02/02/2007 -- £6.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=MM130

Cracking slab of Techno wax from Petar Dundov. Has a
slightly vintage sound on the A-side with a driving,
punchy piece of looped up pleasure. Using a 303 to
punctuate the track, it has a bit of an old school
tone...

               * * *

CLAUDE VONSTROKE - "WHO'S AFRAID OF DETROIT?
REMIXES" 12"
techno / electro, db008, 02/02/2007 -- £6.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=DB008

It's the big one! Audion and Kevin Saunderson
have provided remixes of this perky old Techno track
and, by gum, they've done it proud.
Audion's version is stripped, funky and full of
his flavour. Bumpy percussion and a full-bodied
dancefloor feel...

               * * *

PORTABLE - "SPEAK OUT" 12"
techno / electro, sud009, 02/02/2007 -- £4.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=SUD009

Sud Electronic's releases are always deep,
always funky and always worth checking out and now
label honcho Portable has delivered a very fine
2-tracker. I must admit I wasn't that sure
about the vocal element to begin with, but the more
I listen to it the more I'm convinced that they
really do work! Beautifull production and a hypnotic,
underground feel all combine to give you a tracky
slice of minimal dancefloor action that really
stands out. Quality....

               * * *

MOONDOG - "RARE MATERIAL" 2xCD
guitar based, rd263372, 02/02/2007 -- £15.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=RD263372

Moondog's sound is so unique, so oddball and
yet so utterly engaging and this double CD of rare
recordings is just fascinating from beginning to
end. Spanning 5 decades the compositions on offer
here range from his earlier, traditional, yet
classical sounding pieces with lyrics right through
to his more percussive, abstract work towards the
end of his life. Often quoted as a major influence
on a host of musicians.....

               * * *

VARIOUS - "JUKEBOX BUDDHA" CD
electronica, staubgold72cd, 02/02/2007 -- £12.49
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=STAUBGOLD72CD

Well, I guess it was only a matter of time before
the Buddha Machine was the subject of a compilation
of reworks. What's surprising is just how damn
this is. Featuring tracks by Robert Henke, Thomas
Fehlmann, Mapstation, Minit, SunnO))), Alog, Adrian
Sherwood, Blixa Bargeld, Kammerflimmer Kollektief,
ES, Gudrun Gut and more it's a real voyage
through the compositional possibilites of this
humble looking machine...

               * * *

LUKE EARGOGGLE - "PAWNS OF THE FIELD" 2xLP
techno / electro, kust001, 02/02/2007 -- £13.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=KUST001

The master of analogue Electro is back, and this
time he's brought a whole double pack with him.
Every track here is put together with a retro,
underground feel and features his trademark synth
sounds and wicked beats. From Drexciyan style
aquatic grooves to upbeat, slightly more
Dopplereffekt-ish sounds this album really covers
the whole gamut of styles...

               * * *

JTC (JAMES COTTON) - "PUMP THE PLANET" 12"
techno / electro, cr12-31, 02/02/2007 -- £6.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=CR12-31

Rough and ready sounds from the one and only James
Cotton under his JTC guise. There's a menacing,
deep and dark feel here that gives a healthy nod to
Chicago and Detroit and you also get some wicked
clattering percussion. Minimal in style, full of
flavour and, generally, just a solid slice of
dancefloor action...

               * * *

SYNCOM DATA - "BEYOND THE STARS" 12"
techno / electro, sd04, 02/02/2007 -- £6.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=SD04

Freshly squeezed goods from the SD imprint. Syncom
Data provides 3 wicked cuts of Techno / Electro that
will seriously fill some floors. The beats version is
tracky, groovy and full of synthed out bass sounds
that make you want to dance...

               * * *

CLATTERBOX - "STORMDRAIN" 12"
techno / electro, trust13, 02/02/2007 -- £6.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=TRUST13

Dave Kempston's Clatterbox project has been
delving into the field of sci-fi Electro for many
years. First on the legendary Clear label, then on
his own Z-Bop imprint and now for the most excellent
Austrian Electro label, Trust. This EP features 4
future funk tracks that rock it out
consistently.....

               * * *

RAPOON - "FROM SHADOWS SLEEP" CD
electronica, ess006cd, 02/02/2007 -- £13.49
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=ESS006CD

Rapoon's 'From Shadows Sleep' is a
masterful series of ambient, drone-based excursions,
evocatie of lonely places and dense, otherworldly
experiences. Drifting flutes and intensely heavy
layering give you just the right level of immersion
to really let yourself go and coupled with the wall
of sound (yet still subtle) guitar textures
you've got a truly majestic work. Stunning,
quite frankly....

               * * *

MEN-AN-TOL - "MEN-AN-TOL" CD
guitar based, van128, 01/02/2007 -- £4.99
www.smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=VAN128

A beautifully presented limited edition CD from the
marvellous Static Caravan label. 100 copies
available and well worth snaffling if you're a
fan of Joanna Newsom (vocally) or Tunng (musically).
Deep, folky sounds with lively percussion and guitar
playing combined with quirky vocal elements and a
footstomping tempo...


www.smallfish.co.uk - virtually a record shop...

Smallfish Label Release - Level - Aeus Part 1 - FISH8CM-05

2007-01-11T09:24:00.000Z

Level will almost certainly be a name that's familiar to plenty of Smallfish regulars due to the overwhelming response to his superb 'Cycla' CD on Japanese label Spekk. B G Nichols' work over the past 10 or so years has consistently been met with high praise and as Si_Comm he's worked with several key players in the experimental music scene.

Level forms a natural guise for him to release his more relaxed, lush music and that's why I'm so thrilled to be able to bring you this first part of a two part work for Smallfish. Aeus is all about themes... themes of beauty, depth, feeling and a superbly implemented manipulation of organic elements. With original recordings of Linden Hale playing the piano as the source of most of the tracks here, Level has taken those sounds and produced a simply sublime interpretation.

Lovingly sculpted fragments are stretched and dreched in effects to conjure an absolutely magical spell over you and, honestly, the 20 minutes of music here just fly by. Melancholic chords engage you from the start, yet there's an uplifting undercurrent that will satisfy you and leave you feeling refreshed. Starkly beautiful and evocative ambient music like this is something to be savoured... I suggest you check this out immediately as it's really quite superb. As ever these are limited edition copies with a run of 100 only.

Check it out here...

Smallfish Label Release - Cheju - Shifting Focus EP - FISH8CM-04

2006-12-19T13:36:00.000Z

We here at Smallfish are lovers of Electronica. We make no bones about it and we don't particularly care whether it's trendy or not. We like it because it's good to listen to and it's just plain good for the soul.

Cheju is an artist that's been putting out great Electronica for some time now and as one half of the Boltfsih outfit he's responsible for releasing great electronic music by other artists on a regular basis. So it's *extremely* pleasing to be able to announce this fab 3" CD in our limited Smallfish series which sees Wil giving us 4 soothing, delightful and downright excellent purist Electronica tracks. Everything you'd want is here, be it melody, downbeat grooves, luscious strings and a lovely attention to detail.

From the very beginning you know you're in for a soothing ride with slightly classical sounding strings and a smashing beat. From there the tracks vary and flow beautifully with a vintage, warm and friendly sound that will appeal to fans of Cactus Island, Expanding and, of course, Boltfish. It's great to have Cheju on board and we're thrilled to be able to offer this great little EP to you.

Remember, though, that it's a strictly one-off edition of 100 copies and we'll never be re-pressing it! Buy with confidence!

Check it out here...

Smallfish Label Release - Monostation - Greyscale EP - FISH8CM-03

2006-06-19T12:08:00.000+01:00

Monday 19th June spells the releases of our new limited edition 3" CD and we're thrilled to be able to announce that Monostation have provided us with a 3-tracker of exceptional quality.

Their Alchemy series has been growing in popularity with every release and Greyscale follows a similar path, sound-wise. Deep, ultra-refined and textural guitar ambience with a wonderfully dense sound and gentle electronic manipulation. Fans of Kranky's recent output as well as the work of Windy & Carl will find this to be a most engaging piece of work. Shimmering, shining and beautiful, Monostation's Greyscale is quite simply a gem.

Only 100 copies available and only £4.99. Get in there quick at http://www.smallfish.co.uk

Smallfish Label Release - Mikkel Meyer - N. EP - FISH8CM-02

2006-05-24T13:18:00.000+01:00

Once again we're thrilled to be able to announce another Smallfish label release.

The second in the limited edition 3" CD series from Smallfish comes from Danish artist Mikkel Meyer and, boy, it's a goodie! Following the complex, ultra-deep tones of Soundhacker's EP last month, Mikkel turns his hand to a dubbier, more Berlin-centric EP. Fusing Jazz, Electronica and pure dub Techno, he imbues his tracks with static, hiss and funk to the point where this could quite easily be the new ~Scape label release.

Freaked out samples that are cut-up and looped to perfection meet incredibly detailed rhythmic structures to create a dense, funky vibe that will move you as well as engage you. Jan Jelinek, Pole and Andrew Pekkler are all valid reference points, yet Mikkel gives each and every track his own unique flavour, partly thanks to his own live double bass playing. Fourth track 'N4' is simply a beast with its heavy 4/4 beat, wonderfully deep bassline and layers of reverbed stabs and chords... stunning!

As per the last release this comes in an edition of 100 copies only... that's it... never to be pressed again, so get yourself in there and experience some pure Danish pleasure - you won't regret it!

Check it out at http://www.smallfish.co.uk

Smallfish Label Release - Soundhacker - #_One EP - FISH8CM-01

2006-04-27T07:05:00.000+01:00

Smallfish is proud and excited to announce the official release of the first in a new series of limited edition 3" CDs on our very own label!

Coming in an edition of 100 copies we're positive that they are going to become a nicely collectable little set of EPs with stylish, minimalistic artwork that's very much in keeping with the identity of the shop.

First up, then, is a wonderfully deep and moody slice of crispy, crunchy Electronica from the superb duo of Soundhacker.

Their name may sound familiar to some of you and that's probably because you may have heard their quite simply stunning remix of Remote_'s 'Celestion' on Meanwhile Records. And you can certainly expect to be hearing a great deal more from them in the near future - another 3" CD for a certain label called Cactus Island, for example.

'#_One EP' is a dense, rhythmically complex beast with swathes of atmosphere and an attention to detail on the production that puts a lot of other artists to shame (myself included!). It's a classic slice of UK electronic music in one respect, but has such a sound of its own as well that it's hard to resist.

We're sure that if you're a fan of Electronica in any way, shape or form that you're going to simply adore this release and we'd urge you to snap it up as soon as possible because, once they're gone, they're gone for good.

We hope you enjoy this first release and look forward to bringing you a diverse range of superb music over the coming months.

Available from http://www.smallfish.co.uk at the very reasonable price of £4.99.

AFX - Chosen Lords - CD - Pre-order information

2006-03-24T15:49:00.000Z

The relase date is rapidly approaching for what is undoubtedly going to be one of the albums of the year... AFX - Chosen Lords. It's due for release on Monday April 10th and we are now taking pre-orders with the following special deal:

Anyone who pre-orders a copy will get it for the mighty fine price of £9.99... surely something of a bargain!

Additionally, the first 20 people to pre-order themslves a copy will receive a copy of the Rephlex compilation 'Rephlexions' on CD COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE!

And if that wasn't enough anyone who pre-orders a copy will also be automatically entered into a draw to win themselves one of 2 copies of the LIMITED EDITION 100 COPIES ONLY SPECIAL VERSION of the CD (in the alternate packaging) instead of the normal version. Can't be bad, eh?

All pre-orders should be e-mailed to mike@smallfish.co.uk along with your name, address and telephone number so that we can contact you for payment details when it arrives in stock.

Remember... it's fastest fingers first!

Isan In-store show @ Smallfish - Thursday 16th March

2006-03-07T16:33:00.000Z

Yes! This one's going to be a biggie!

The mighty Isan are coming to play an in-store show at Smallfish on Thursday 16th March at 7.30pm!

These guys will need no introduction at all, but suffice to say that they are still amongst the most highly respected UK Electronica artists around. A beautiful sound but with a real punch in the bottom end, they have consistently impressed over the years.

All we can say is that we're thrilled and we would urge anyone who plans to come down to be there ON TIME as it's very possibly going to be a busy one.

Bring a beer and some friends and once again enjoy some great free music here at Smallfish.

Smallfish Records - 329 Old Street - London - EC1V 9LE - Nearest Tube: Old Street

Smallfish hits Myspace!

2006-03-07T16:27:00.000Z

Finally we caved in!

Everybody else seemed to be doing it so I figured we should join in the fun and games.

Why not drop on over to http://www.myspace.com/smallfish_records and add yourself to our friends list?

We'll be doing regular updates on events and happenings at the shop and, you never know, we might even post up some of the music being written by the Smallfish crew!

That'd be nice wouldn't it?

Hope to see you there!

Oto-graph - Sounds In Motion - Ryoondo-tea - CD

2006-03-07T16:18:00.000Z

Ryoondo-tea is another one of those excellent Japanese labels that release delightfully melodic Electronica that's relatively hard to get hold of.

Their new release comes from Oto-graph and really is a little belter!

Melancholy, perky and very, very sweet it uses electronics and organic sounds to create a lush palette from which they've arranged some lovely tunes. Chopped-up samples and fresh rhythms feature along with a similar musical element to, for example, the work of Keiichi Sugimoto (aka Fonica). It has a less experimental sound, though, and there's a purity here that's very easy-going and very appealing.

As ever, if you're into electronic music in any way, this label is always worth checking out.

Available now for £11.99.

Mille Plateaux / Force Inc. Back Catalogue - IN STOCK

2006-03-07T16:11:00.000Z

One of the most influential labels of modern times, Mille Plateaux was responsible for some seminal releases - just look at their back catalogue and you'll see what I mean.

Initially a collaboration between Air Liquide's Blue label and the already well established Force Inc. Music Works it was created to represent the more leftfield, Electronica-based side of the sounds they were creating.

Looking back at albums such as the 'Modulation & Transformation' series, the 'Clicks & Cuts' series and watershed releases from artists such as Alec Empire, Wolfgang Voigt (aka Gas), Steel, Oval, SND and many more, you get a sense of just how important their output really was.

Bearing that in mind I'm pleased to say that we've struck gold in the way of old and exciting bits from the back catalogue.

Included in this windfall are albums from the likes of Dan Abrams (aka Shuttle358), Shuttle358, Frank Bretschneider, SND, Geoff White, Mikael Stavostrand (aka Vita), Donnacha Costello, Sutekh, Twerk, Achim Wollscheid (on Ritornel), Stephan Mathieu, Sturm and many many more.

These releases are on Mille Plateaux, Force Inc., Force Lab and, of course, Ritornel and feature some truly wonderful music.

If you're into Electronica and fancy hearing some of the best music that came out in the last 10 years, do yourself a favour and check these out!

RF - Views Of Distant Towns - Plop - CD

2006-03-07T16:04:00.000Z

Finally, the new Plop CD from RF is available and it's an absolute beauty. Feturing a host of live musicians and instruments it uses gentle electronic processing to form a melancholy and beautiful sound that's one part Post-Rock, another part Folk and yet another Electronica.

There are vocals as well and they form an interesting part of the album by seeming more like an instrument than anything else... breathy, sultry and full of atmosphere.

A superb album available for £12.99.

New Sahko releases coming next week

2006-01-06T19:29:00.000Z

Sahko is one of those labels that has had such an influence on so many electronic artists and musicicans that it's impossible to not be excited about a new batch of releases... even if they are just re-issues!

Chances are, though, that a lot of you will have missed out on them first time around, so this is a perfect opportunity for you to reaquaint yourself with some of the most strikingly minimal sounds ever commited to vinyl or CD.

With represses of Rontgen, Kvantti and Tulkinta by Mika Vainio under his Null guise plus the Pansonic EP and even the wonderful Philus CD, you're guaranteed to be wowed by the undeniably unique nature of these records.

Expected sometime midweek you'll be advised to keep your eyes peeled!

Ryoondo-tea CDs - In stock

2006-01-06T19:17:00.000Z

I'm pleased to announce that we finally have the new Ryoondo-tea releases from Japan in stock. Been waiting for them for some time and they've more than lived up to expectations.

Plot. and PsysEx deliver artist albums of the highest calibre and there's also a beautiful compilation featuring tracks from some of the recent releases plus a few new bits as well.

If you're unfamiliar with the label you can expect a serious amount of high-class Electronica which ranges from Plop / Spekk style organic minimalism to a more groove based, refined and reduced flava (notably on the PsysEx release).

Packaging is lush, sounds are crisp and mastered to perfection and generally if you're a fan of modern contemporary electronic music, this should definitely be a label that you check out with all haste.

Sublime.

Head on over to http://www.smallfish.co.uk to check them out.

Happy New Year from Smallfish

2006-01-06T18:26:00.000Z

Happy New Year to you all and welcome to a brand new year in the life of Smallfish Records.

Expect lots of posts and lots of news about what's happening release wise and events in the store wise this year as we've got some great shows lined up and plenty of good things for you to listen to.

Peace to you all and may 2006 be a fabulous year for everyone.

Cubic Music / Cubic Fabric CDs - In stock

2005-11-23T23:00:00.000Z

I'm pleased to announce that we have copies of all the available titles from the wonderful Cubic Music label run out of Tokyo by Keiichi Sugimoto (of Minamo, Fourcolor and Fonica fame).

Featuring titles from Mokira, Z_E_L_L_E, Gnu, Toshimaru Nakamura, No.9, Samurai Jazz and more you get a lovely range of contemporary Japanese Electronica with the occasional moment of Post-Rock-styled Jazz (from Gnu).

Deep, beautifully produced and gorgeously presented in cardboard slipcovers, these are items that are going to be of a lot of interest to fans of Ryoondo-tea, Plop, Spekk and Amorfon.

Go check them at http://www.smallfish.co.uk.

Amorfon CDs available now

2005-11-21T19:41:00.000Z

I'm pleased to announce that Smallfish has got its hands on some wonderful Japanese CDs from the excellent Amorfon label run by Yoshio Machida.

Erring on the slightly abstract and playful side of Electronica for the most part the five releases that are available are fun, sweet, beautifully produced and feature a range of engaging styles and sounds.

The only exception is the CD from Cinc who are a traditional band from Serbia. They play amazing, authentic traditional folk music from their homeland and it really makes quite a refreshing change to hear some lovingly crafted Eastern European music.

Head over to http://www.smallfish.co.uk to check them out.

Smallfish Experimental CD sale

2005-11-21T19:32:00.000Z

Smallfish is having a sale on some of its Experimental CDs. There are some great bits in there from V/VM to Matmos via Bill Laswell and beyond.

For those people who are into the outer reaches of the Electronica / Electro-Acoustic spectrum this is definitely something to check out.

Prices have been cut by roughly 50% in most cases so there are definitely bargains to be had!

Head on over to http://www.smallfish.co.uk to check them out.

New releases on 12k & Line [Part 2]

2005-11-18T09:31:00.000Z

Antti Rannisto - Aaniesineita - 12k [12K1034] - CD - £10.99

Sawako - Hum - 12k [12K1035] - CD - £10.99

Doublevends Vert - Cistern - Line [LINE_024] - CD - £10.99

New releases on 12k & Line

2005-11-17T19:08:00.000Z

Smallfish has some fabulous new Electronica releases this week from 12k and Line. All of them are on the more experimental Electronica tip and they're all well worthy of investigation.

Antti Rannisto - Aaniesseita - 12k [12K1034] - CD - £10.99

I've been waiting for this one for what seems like months now after having one heard one sample MP3 and now it's finally here I'm blown away by the full album. Whilst it's something of a departure for 12k in a lot of respects it's still very much in line with the general minimalist nature of the label. Antti's previous 12" for Audio.nl was clearly a good signifier for what was to develop and its stripped down, quite blatantly Finnish style Techno was very refreshing indeed and this wonderful 11 track work is heavy, deep, ultimately reduced and really quite superb. Imagine a blend of Frank Bretschneider, Mika Vainio, Pansonic and general early Sahko releases and you're getting close to how this sounds. Ultra-minimal tones and bass sounds with immaculately heavy production and mastering coupled with some crisp, yet subtle 4/4 beats make for a devastating and incredibly intense experience. When he concnetrates on just the tones there's a resonance that vibrates through your whole body and leaves a residual impression long after the track has finished. Simply an incredibly good album that really gets into your head and an essential for fans of the aforementioned labels and artists. Props to 12k for going out on a limb and massive respect to Antti for representing in a big way. Highly recommended.

Sawako - Hum - 12k [12K1035] - CD - £10.99

Japanese artist Sawako's work is concerned with the manipulation and processing of organic and electronic sounds and the creation of delicate yet full sounding tracks that fully expoit the range of her talents. 'Hum' is a delicious cocktail of flavours that is friendly, charming and engaging right from the outset. Magical tones and textures are conjured from the most everyday of scenarios and the incidental recordings of found sounds adds a personal level to the recordings. Always warm, but with the occasional challenging moment, this CD is similar at times to the work of Keiichi Sugimoto (Minamo / Fourcolor) or Greg Davis, but has less of a strict feel and with musical contributions from both Taylor Deupree and Kenneth Kirschner, you're absolutey guaranteed to be getting pure quality. Beautiful, heartwarming and an absolute must for fans of ambient, atmospheric music everywhere. Highly recommended.

Doublevends Vert - Cistern - Line [LINE_024] - CD - £10.99

Doublevends Vert provide Line's first acoustic-based album. And what a splendid piece of work it. They are a four piece act that use violin, accordion, clarinets and timbales to create dense, musical textures and soundscapes and 'Cistern' was recorded in a two million gallon underground reservoir in Fort Worden, Washington. The sonic acoustics of the environment add a striking quality to an already amazing sound and the processed nature of the music is heady, intense and incredibly hypnotic. The instruments used create a semi-classical feel to the music and this theme recurs throughout. Melodic, for the most part, and arranged (albeit in an improvised fashion) to perfection, there's a cohesive sound to everything that keeps it flowing. At times it soars and uplifts and at others it haunts you... surely the sign of a good album. Possibly one of the most accessible releases so far on Line and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Recommended? You bet. With knobs on.

Seriously good sounds for those of you into contemporary digital minimalism.

Smallfish Records starts a Blog

2005-10-20T22:24:00.000+01:00

Everyone's doing it, aren't they?

Certainly seems like it!

So I thought it might be fun to get in on the act and do a Smallfish Records blog just to give you advance information, juicy gossip or just an insight into the daily goings on at the shop.

Starting today seems like a great idea and I'll certainly try and update it as much as possible.

So whether you come here to find out what's coming up in the shop release-wise, or in-store show wise, hopefully if you're a fan of Smallfish and what it stands for musically and otherwise you may find a little nugget of interest every now and again.

Here's to the future!

Peace.

The Fish.