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  1. Alphaxone & ProtoU – ‘Consumed

Mehdi Saleh of Alphaxone from Iran and Sasha Cats of ProtoU from Ukraine come together for a brilliant journey into deep space. Starting Stardust with their 9 minute opener, ‘Consumed‘, the musical chemistry between Alphaxone & ProtoU is immediately recognizable. Alphaxone brings his deep, mesmerizing drones together with the perfectly imperfect field recordings and the dreamy drone-work of ProtoU. The attention to detail throughout ‘Consumed‘ leaves the listener dumbfounded when imagining the distance and general diversity between these two artists. Insert the earbuds, stare into the wonders of the universe, and let Alphaxone and ProtoU take you on an interstellar voyage.

Michael Barnett

  1. Bewitched As Dark – ‘Synthetic Nights

Brand-New-Song-From-Bewitched-As-Dark!!! ‘Synthetic Nights‘ released on January 14, and it is another pounding, dark masterpiece by that talent from Turkey! That one woman band is a very special case, she releases her music constantly without any long breaks in between, which means in numbers, hold your breath…almost 100 songs since December 2014!!! Her new one is a typical EBM oriented tune, dark and out of her character’s arrangements, I am amazed!!!

Mike Dimitriou

  1. Escarlatina Obsessiva – ‘Primal Beast

I chose the brand new video ‘Primal Beast‘ from the Brazilian band Escarlatina Obsessiva, released on January 11, taken from their latest 2016’s ‘Drusba‘ LP. The band is a mix of cabaret rock music, new wave sounds and all hidden in a post-punky style. ‘Primal Beast‘ is groovy, melodic in a mood to dance to! Pump it up and enjoy!

Mike Dimitriou

  1. A Thousand Hours – ‘The Desolate Hour

Cristopher Collier is the mastermind behind A Thousand Hours and the one man project Swain (slowcore, dreampop). ‘The Desolate Hour‘ is the precursor of the band’s upcoming EP in the following months and it can be described as an ethereal slowcore/dreampop gem to get lost in. Light melancholic shades while the vermilion sun sets diving in the endless sea. Don’t you worry if this tune makes you cry. Let the tear fall. Yes, you are still alive. This tune reminds that we are still humane and manages to disinter our buried feelings with its simplicity and directness. Masterpiece!

Christos Doukakis

  1. Kelly Lee Owens – ‘Anxi.’ (ft. Jenny Hval)

Rising London-based, North Wales-born 27-years-old singer, songwriter and producer Kelly Lee Owens deservedly featured in all the “one to watch” columns since the beginning of the year.

After an early interest for indie, later she played the bass for indie noisemakers The History Of The Apple Pie, her found jobs at Rough Trade East and Pure Groove record shopσ changed her musical perspectives.  Hooking up with a circle of fellow influential talented DJs and producers, none other than Daniel Avery and James Greenwood (aka Ghost Culture), and intrigued by a certain, quite renowned, customer’s taste (Bjork!), the analog electronic music virus started to get under her skin with no way out.

From that time it has been a compelling and exciting work in progress: her vocals and songwriting contribution on Daniel Avery’s debut album ‘Drone Logic‘, the Arthur Russell tribute with the song ‘Arthur‘, the EP ‘Oleic‘ after signing for Smalltown Supersound label, and now her forthcoming self titled debut album is ready to unveil all her powerful and personal vision on electronic and take the world by storm.

The lead single ‘Anxi.‘ featuring the Norwegian songstress Jenny Hval (the pair already collaborated at the rework of ‘Kingsize‘), is the intriguing fruit of the encounter of two spiritual and sonic kindred spirits, the beautiful collision between Kelly’s floating and mesmerizing subaqueous electronic soundscapes with Jenny’s eerie and brooding poetry, let you embrace and heal by such transcendental and magical beauty.

Fabrizio Lusso

Compiled by Michael Barnett, Mike Dimitriou, Christos Doukakis & Fabrizio Lusso