Mountain Ocean Sun - Peace Conference - Home Normal CD

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

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

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"

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"

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

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

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

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

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

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...

...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

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

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

but who knows when...

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...

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.

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

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

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

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

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...