Few people are onto great records as quickly as a great record store.
After years spent discovering gems in Phonica’s end of year lists, it made sense to give them a regular space on FACT. Every Saturday, staff from the Soho institution will pick out the five vinyl records you should grab this week.
DEADBEAT
LP’S 2002-2005 6xLP
(BLKRTZ)
Ultra-prolific, consistently rewarding dub-techno auteur Scott Monteith reissues three albums made in (and deeply influenced by) the city of Montreal on a massive six-vinyl box set: 2002’s roots reggae-inspired Wild Life Documentaries, 2004’s introspective Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and 2005’s New World Observer.
K15
Insecurities EP
(Wild Oats)
London’s K15 arrives on Kyle Hall’s Detroit label Wild Oats with a pack of dusty house grooves spread across original music and reworks with a pounding heartbeat, including a spin on Hidden Agenda’s ‘Story of My Life’ and that classic Crystal Waters piano loop. A very strong choice for your bag.
CV313
Dimensional Space 3xLP
(ECHOSPACE)
The second greedy helping of dub techno this week is a three-disc set that marks the first vinyl outing for the grainy, pock-marked and oddly organic album Dimensional Spaces by CV313, AKA Steven Hitchell and Deepchord’s Rod Modell. Half of the tracks contain the word ‘beyond’ in their titles, which gives you an idea of the trippy direction you’re heading in.
THE MAGHREBAN
Smack EP
(Versatile)
After three 12″s this year on his own Zoot Records, The Maghreban arrives on Versatile for a four-track of whacked-out, raw-like-tartare, percussion-heavy tracks with a twinkle of African influences throughout, as the alias suggests. The title track appears in both vanilla and extra-heavy ‘Smack Beats’ flavours.
CEDRIC STEVENS
Hanging In The Wires LP
(Discrepant)
Modular synth artisan Cedric Synths offers a game of two halves, with an A side of guitars, field recordings and electronics and a vast, meditative raga drone piece on the flip, based on recordings of an Indian tambura and the result of five years’ work. Epic loveliness.
