Juno Recommends Leftfield: July 2024

Review: Enjoy The Silence, Depeche Mode's standout single from Violator, marked a significant moment in the band's career, becoming their most successful UK single since 'Master & Servant' in 1984. 'Enjoy The Silence' captured both critical and public acclaim, peaking at number six in the UK charts and achieving top spots in Denmark and Spain, as well as reaching number eight in the US. The 12" version is beloved by fans with the myriad of great remixes the song provided. This new yellow vinyl version helps meet the demand of an always desirable dance record. The single's success earned Depeche Mode their first Brit Award for Best Single of 1990. This newfound positivity extended to the subsequent reception of Violator, solidifying 'Enjoy The Silence' as an iconic track in Depeche Mode's discography. The song continues to be celebrated for its brooding, tender qualities, and its ability to resonate with audiences globally as well as the iconic video.

Review: In January, it was revealed that Thom Yorke composed the original score for Daniele Luchetti's film, Confidenza, which is based on Domenico Starnone's novel. XL Recordings now has that soundtrack on vinyl and it follows Yorke's acclaimed score for Luca Guadagnino's 2018 Suspiria remake, Suspirium, which earned a GRAMMY nomination. Yorke collaborates with producer Sam Petts-Davies again here , as well as the London Contemporary Orchestra and a jazz ensemble, including Robert Stillman and Tom Skinner. It is a grand and emotional work from the cult Radiohead legend.

Review: Depeche Mode's 1983 concert at the iconic London venue - now the Apollo - boasts a stunning set list that feels like a complete impression of a band that have helped defined pop, and specifically UK pop, for the best part of half a century. It's almost as good as seeing them live, at a London spot that speaks to a less polished period in cultural history we really shouldn't take for granted.

Review: 'Autobahn' by Kraftwerk, released in 1974, is a seminal track that redefined the future of electronic music. Its significance lies not only in its innovative use of synthesisers and electronic instruments but also in its ability to evoke a specific visual and emotional landscape. Here, the song's repetitive, motorik rhythms are given an overhaul - or more specifically three - by Jim Rider, a regular at Lee Burridge's All Day I Dream parties. They're beefed up for the floor, certainly, but maintain the kind of delicate touches that makew the original such a great listen.

Review: Roy Budd's soundtrack for Get Carter is an iconic piece of British film music history and this expanded edition celebrates its 50th anniversary in style. Budd's jazzy and groovy score perfectly complements the gritty atmosphere of the film, showcasing his musical genius. The addition of a bonus disc featuring outtakes and dialogue adds depth and nostalgia for fans of the movie. The newly illustrated artwork by Tony Stella pays homage to the film's noir aesthetic, while Charlie Brigden's liner notes provide valuable insights into the creation of the soundtrack. Limited to just 2000 copies, this 180-gram 2LP edition is a must-have for collectors and enthusiasts alike, offering an exciting listening experience that engages you in the world of the movie with each needle drop.

Review: Carsten Nicolai has left an indelible mark on electronic music since his debut 24 years ago, carving out a genre uniquely his own characterised by surgically precise sound shapes, glitched-out percussion, and vast atmospheres rich in frequency. Continuing his exploration of astrophysics and digital mechanics, HYbr:ID II is the second installment in Nicolai's series. Accompanied by a 12-page booklet of visually arresting diagrams, the music takes precedence. Immersive dub and electronica elements define the journey into intricately manipulated digital production, drawing inspiration from Minkowski's spacetime model. Each of the ten compositions, stemming from a score for Richard Siegal's Ectopia performance, offers a cosmic ballet of rhythm and resonance. Dense with pensive moods and resonant pitches, Nicolai's soundscape conjures a vast cosmic expanse, occasionally guiding listeners down unexpected auditory paths and prompting moments of deep reflection. The album's meticulous craftsmanship and expansive sonic palette underscore Nicolai's ability to seamlessly merge conceptual exploration with musical innovation. Perfect for fans of spatial manipulations, digital structures, and flawless sound design, Alva Noto adds another significant piece to his outstanding discography.

Review: Los Angeles-based artist Inquiri aka Lacey Harris blends choral, orchestral, IDM, glitch, and ambient music with silken vocals and diaristic field recordings on her sublime new album See You Someday. This emotional album explores grief, loss, and self-discovery as tracks like 'My Eyes Opened' and 'Be The Hero' showcase Harris's ambient prowess with delay-steeped electronics and intricate rhythms. 'They Come Around' features glitchy beats and reversed synths, while 'Our Souls Kissed' includes angelic vocals. Composed over a decade, the album documents Harris's journey through personal upheavals and healing so it is a deeply personal and rewarding work.

Review: Dave Tipper, formerly a key component of the late 90s/early 00s breakbeat scene both as a producer and as bossof the Fuel label, reissues this Tipper album released in 2014 but still garnering immense interest a decade later. His 12th full-length release masterfully blends IDM, breakbeat, glitch, and downtempo, veering from downtempo to sound design and his impeccable, inimitable breaks sound. Through innovative sound manipulation techniques, he juxtaposes skewed, chopped, and distorted low-end transmissions with ethereal orchestral melodies, making this a must have for fans of challenging - in all the right ways - music.

Review: Balmat proudly present their 11th release with a new record from Polish artist Bartosz Kruczynski, whose minimalist atmospheric sensibility has caused the label to ease their worries over being dubbed an 'ambient' label, at least for the time being. Better known by his Rhythm Section-releasing house alias Earth Trax, Kruczynski takes a stark turn here, presenting a fierce yet fine selection of acidic ambient vignettes. On Dreams & Whispers, the pH scale is piquant without verging on completely corrosive; each ambient free association here - called either a 'Dream' or a 'Whisper' - is able to melt some psychic substrate without totally eviscerating or untying others. This is revelatory, yet not overthought ambient music, designed to treat, yet not brute-force-expose, the unconscious wishes behind our dream-distortions.

Review: The brilliant Dark Entries celebrates its 15th anniversary by going back to its roots and offering up a reissue of its inaugural release: New York collective Eleven Pond's 1986 classic, 'Bas Relief'. This mega-rare record has become a stone-cold cult classic album revered by dark pop devotees. It features James Tabbi, Jeff Gallea, Jack Schaeffer, and Dan Brumley on a mix of guitars, synths, vocoders and drum machines and is a sound inspired by seminal labels like 4AD and Factory Records, and moody acts like Joy Division and Fad Gadget. For this reissue, it has been remastered to correct previous reissue flaws and comes in a screen-printed jacket with a lyric sheet, postcards, and a bookmark. Only 500 copies have been pressed so don't sleep on this one.

Review: Prolific experimental musician Eiko Ishibashi and filmmaker Ryusuke Hamaguchi follow up their for-the-ages 2021 collaboration for the latter's film adaptation of Drive My Car, with a slick and bold proclamation in jazz, electronica and improv: Evil Does Not Exist. Indeed, only the enlightened among us know that the ills of the world largely boil down to misunderstandings - oversights contra insights - thereby rendering any recourse to real malice by bad actors null, even when they themselves think it true. Evil Does Not Exist once more appears as both an album and film; the former artist's soundtrack here is as sublime as the realisation itself, combining dense copses of brass and freeform drumming to produce a euphoric miasma.

Review: Depeche Mode's 1983 performance at London's Hammersmith Odeon comes here on a special limited edition picture disc. It marked a pivotal moment in their career and listening back now is still an iconic live recording. Their burgeoning synth-pop sound with its pulsating rhythms and introspective lyrics shines through classics like 'Just Can't Get Enough.' Dave Gahan's charismatic vocals and Martin Gore's evocative melodies remain unparalleled. This concert tracks their evolution into electronic music pioneers, delivering an emotionally-charged performance that resonates with fans to this day, making it a timeless experience worth revisiting.

Review: It is at this point a given that every Joe Hisiashi / Studio Ghibli soundtrack should land on our doorsteps. Hayao Miyazaki's latest film, The Boy And The Heron, is the very latest anime fantasy film to be released through the esteemed film franchise; described as a 'big, fantastical film', it follows a boy named Mahito Maki who moves to the countryside after his mother's death, discovers an abandoned tower near his new home, and enters a fantastical world with a talking grey heron. Whereas many of Hisiashi's other soundtracks deal in wide variegations of whimsy and heart-warmth, The Boy And The Heron skews purely to the latter, working in the bare but endlessly affecting mode of solo piano, and evoking the lonely but ultimately revelatory internal process that occurs during grief. Befitting of Miyazaki's controversial decision for the film not to pander to audiences or spell out meanings, so too does Hisiashi's contribution find reams of expression in a spare, single instrument.

Review: In 2008, the Thanksgiving release of Twilight, based on Stephanie Meyer's bestselling novels, captivated audiences with its action-packed love story. Bella, an ordinary teenager, moves to a small town and finds herself drawn to the enigmatic Edward, sparking a perilous clash between vampire clans. The film features every song from its soundtrack, including the exclusive Paramore track 'Decode' alongside music from Muse, Perry Farrell, Linkin Park, Collective Soul, Iron & Wine, and others, enhancing the cinematic experience with a blend of emotion and intensity.

Review: Rite Here Rite Now, directed by GHOST's Tobias Forge and Alex Ross Perry, is an ambitious blend of live concert footage and narrative storytelling, picking up the threads of the band's Chapters series. This feature-length film captures GHOST's electrifying performances from their sold-out shows at Los Angeles's Kia Forum, coupled with a fictional narrative that delves deep into the band's mythos. The film promises a unique cinematic experience that melds the raw energy of live music with engaging plot elements, designed to both entertain and engage GHOST's fans into a deeper understanding of the band's artistic vision. This soundtrack to the film sets a new standard in the rock cinema genre, aiming to engage not just GHOST's dedicated followers but also lovers of innovative film-making and rock spectacle.

Review: Video game soundtrack issuers Iam8bit continue to do god's work in pressing the scores for noughties console classics to high-qual, heavyweight vinyl. This time around we're graced with the championed OST for Persona 4 by Shoji Meguro and company, who lent their spacious, effects-laden broken jazzdance and ambient pop production skills to Japan's premier game deveopment company Atlus, amounting to a hilariously phat and still DJ-mix-worthy OST. With the series following a high school student dragged into a string of murder mysteries, the eponymous Persona superpower emerges as the ability to manifest one's own psyche, a power that becomes increasingly vital to successfully unmask the perpetrator. The soundtrack is quizzical, chin-scratching and yet boisterous to match, mirroring the urgency and drive of a beside-the-law adolescent PI with a just cause.

Review: In the 70s and 80s, nothing was as revolutionary as the synthesiser. Electronic sounds became essential for forward-thinking adverts, with TV producers and advertisers seeking music akin to 'Tubular Bells,' Tomita, and Jean Michel Jarre. Music libraries like De Wolfe, Bruton, Parry, and Chappell swiftly adapted. Bob Stanley's new album, 'Tomorrow's Fashions,' compiles advertising jingles, TV themes, and space exploration tracks with ambient beats from that era. Despite being 40-50 years old, the music feels fresh, featuring jazz veterans like Brian Bennett and John Cameron embracing synthesizers. This electronica predated new age and ambient music, influenced pop, early Human League, Warp Records, and has been sampled by MF Doom and Kendrick Lamar.

Review: Depeche Mode's performance at Hammersmith Odeon in London, 1983, captured the band at a pivotal moment in their career. This iconic live recording showcases their burgeoning synth-pop sound which blends pulsating rhythms with dark, introspective lyrics. Songs like the ever-green classic 'Just Can't Get Enough' resonate with irresistible signature sounds while Dave Gahan's charismatic vocals and Martin Gore's evocative melodies still sound like nothing else. The concert tracks Depeche Mode's evolution into global pioneers of electronic music and is an emotionally charged performance that is well worth reliving.

Review: To mark the 50th anniversary of the iconic British gangster film Get Carter (actually released in 1971) which starred Michael Caine and was directed by Mike Hodges, Beatball South Korea presented the soundtrack that propelled jazz musician Roy Budd into film music stardom. This expanded edition draws from the original Japanese and British OST releases but also offers a bonus disc with outtakes and dialogue snippets. Part of Beatball's Roy Budd Classic Soundtrack Scores series, this one offers up Budd's jazzy and groovy signature style which very much defined the essence of the film's scenes along with key dialogue. It's a great nod to Budd's genius as well as a still cool standalone listen.

Review: Windy & Carl's album Consciousness encapsulates the duo's exploration of ambient and drone music with a warmer, more pastoral feel compared to their previous works. Absent are the vague dread and claustrophobia, replaced by buoyant soundscapes that evoke sense of tranquility. The song titles themselves, such as 'The Sun' and 'Elevation,' reinforce this lighter tone. 'The Sun' opens the album with simple yet direct electric guitar chords, setting the stage for the serene journey ahead. Even tracks like 'Balance (Trembling)' touch on darker shadings but quickly transition to glowing, comforting tones. Tracks like 'Elevation' and 'The Llama's Dream' contribute to the dream-like atmosphere of the album, with shimmering tones and ethereal vocals adding to its hallucinatory quality. 'Resolution' concludes the album with a final, contemplative note. Consciousness shows Windy & Carl's dedication to perfecting the drone. While there may not be a major departure in style, the album is commitment to crafting immersive sonic experiences. For fans of ambient and drone music, Consciousness is another great album to have and enjoy.

Review: A new drone collaboration for the ages comes in the form of a heads-on collision between Kevin Martin (aka. The Bug) and Joseph Kamaru (The Bug). Firmly rooted in the esoteric, nigh chthonic drones of which both are now more than adept in evincing - Martin in tandem with his many collaborative efforts with the likes of Earth, and KMRU across the likes of recent albums such as Logue - this is a six track mesmeriser whose titles recall everything from apocalypses to hidden histories, and with each piece spanning anywhere between four to eleven minutes a pop. Beginning on a slow, soil-caked march and moving further into a land of serener incantations, on which KMRU submits his vocals, Disconnect is a haunting (yet equally, it could be said, calming) record for arrested epochs.

Review: This re-press follows the highly demanded 2020 clear vinyl edition, which celebrated 40 years since the original 1980 release and sold out immediately.The 2024 edition features a deluxe clear orange vinyl with updated sleeve and vinyl onbody designs. This new edition of Mutant Moments is pressed on deluxe 10" clear vinyl to upgrade the sound quality from the original 7" and the four tracks have been remastered especially for vinyl using the most cutting-edge digital technology available. Soft Cell's Dave Ball has personally supervised the remastering process, and comments: "A vintage slice of lo-fi polytechnic synthpop, lovingly remastered for you." Fans and collectors of Soft Cell won't want to miss this opportunity to own a piece of the band's history in this striking new format. This reissue not only preserves the groundbreaking sounds of Soft Cell's debut but also offers a fresh, collectible presentation for new and long term fans alike.

Review: Gesaffelstein's fourth album, GAMMA, marks a departure from his previous work, embracing camp over cool. With influences ranging from seventies electro-punk to synth-pop, the album is a riot of overdriven synth-pop and vintage rock'n'roll. Singer Yan Wagner's oily baritone adds depth, channeling Dave Gahan's toughness with a humorous twist. The album's eccentricity shines through in Wagner's deranged lyrics and unpredictable delivery, injecting humor and unpredictability into the mix. Tracks like 'The Urge' and 'Hysteria' showcase Gesaffelstein's knack for crafting sharp hooks and infectious grooves. Clocking in at concise lengths, each track contributes to the album's charm, focusing on thrusting hips and sharpened hooks rather than lofty concepts. GAMMA is a refreshing departure from Gesaffelstein's previous sound and a exciting new direction.

Review: Persona 3 Portable is more than just a handheld adaptation of Atlus' renowned roleplaying game. It's a full-blown reimagining, introducing fans to Kotone, an all-new female protagonist who brought with her new Social Links, story tweaks, and, of course, new music. The vinyl soundtrack edition represents the very best of that new P3P music, all carefully selected by the Atlus Sound Team themselves. From the fresh opening theme 'Soul Phrase' to the brand-new battle tune 'Wiping All Out', this LP is your chance to experience the music of P3P like never before. Plus, it wouldn't be a Persona x iam8bit release without incredible album art from the label's friend Drew Wise.

Review: A true enigma, an artist that represents all that was fascinating and romantic and alluring and intriguing about 20th Century sounds, Brian Eno was always going to need a feature length documentary, when the time was right. Premiering at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Eno, Gary Hustwit's ode to the man, myth and legend, wowed critics and blew audiences away. Not least because it uses a computer programme which selects footage and edits the movie so a different version is shown at every screening. Innovation befitting Eno, removing the visuals and focusing on the sounds readjusts our vision to bring Eno into greater focus. The breadth of what's on this soundtrack is remarkable, from upfront indie on 'Stiff' and the weird folk-pop of 'Spinning Away', a John Cale collaboration, the ghostly post-rave of 'Cmon' with Fred Again, spectacular pianos of 'Motion In The Field', ethereal ambient vocals on 'There Were Bells', the angular punk dominating 'Third Uncle' - we could go on, and on, and on.

Review: I Saw The Glow is the latest movie-meme to be peddled by film auteurs and distribution powerhouse A24; written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun, this contemporary horror-comedy explores themes of alternate realities and cancelled futures, centring on the chaos that ensues after two friends endure the axing of their favourite TV show. Slated to have become a success from its inception, the film's soundtrack is bedazzling to match, corralling the likes of Caroline Polachek, Sloppy Jane, Phoebe Bridgers, Kristina Esfandiari, Florist and Yeule into a single soundtrack nonetheless made up of original songs. Curated entirely by Schoenbrun, the artists selected reflect a contrarily modern take on the retro-nostalgic moods of the film; in going into the soundtrack's curation, the director herself recalled seeing commercials on MTV for film soundtracks, and wanted to emulate this long-lost approach whilst also reflecting the film's setting between the late 90s and early 00s. Reviving a forgotten formula - a soundtrack album for which artists record original material - this isn't one to be missed.

Review: Habibi Funk cannot contain their excitement in sharing a second collection of deep grooves and unreleased songs from Algeria's Ahmed Malek soundtrack works. Ahmed Malek - who has often been compared to Ennio Morricone - recorded the majority of these songs in the 1970s and early 1980s, during which time his own native Algeria was in its film heyday. Malek became known for his combination of traditional music with jazz, psych-rock, and R&B, and yet did not find international recognition beyond his hometown; Habibi Funk recount the mission of tracking down Malek's sister to unearth a box full of master tapes, which formed the foundation of this miraculous new release salvage. As Ahmed says, "I didn't choose music, music chose me": it shows here.

Review: Nick Cave and Warren Ellis's soundtrack for the National Geographic documentary about an imagined 2033 manned mission to Mars feels like a sketch for the atmospheric soundscapes of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' 2016 album Skeleton Tree. Both works inhabit the same dark-hued, super-charged sonic atmosphere. Cave's cinematic music, enriched by Ellis's imaginative contributions, explores a wide range of sounds: distorted guitars in 'Space X,' sibylline keyboard arpeggios in 'Space Station,' and vast synthesized swathes evoking space's void. 'Planetarium' features soulful drones and synthesized strings, creating anticipation and stillness. With few vocals, this ambient soundtrack is perfect for chilling out and daydreaming. It's a departure from the intense emotions of the Bad Seeds, reflecting Cave's inward focus after personal tragedy. Unlike many soundtracks, this one stands apart, integral to Cave and Ellis's collaboration, and can be savored without thinking about Mars. Now available on vinyl for the first time!