isolatedmix 95 - Sraunus

Dub-techno has kind of fizzled-out for me in the last few years. Not by design, but likely more as a comparison to how much I used to listen and dig for new music in that vein. Back in 2010, I stumbled across Sraunus who epitomized the best of genre with his debut album ‘Out Of The City’. It was a classic ASIP blog find, relatively unknown and deserving of more listens. Since then, Sraunus went on to release several more lovely albums with perhaps his most revered coming on Greyscale in 2017.

For those not familiar with Sraunus, the man behind the controls is Paulius Markutis - a Lithuanian producer originating from the post-industrial town of Panevežys. Sraunus escapes dub-techno clichés by placing his sound in strangely personal narratives that weave field recordings, delicate pop harmonies and darker emotional undertones. Any dub-techno listener, knows how hard it is to stand out in this field and Sraunus has gathered a respectable following for his consistent output over the years. But, as with all producers that dabble in dub-techno, ambient music is never too far away and provides much needed inspiration.

For his isolatedmix, Paulius decided to create an ambient mix, focusing on individual pieces of tracks in a hope to depict something new to the listener, moving from dark moods to bright, layering elements and intros into one rich tapestry - a truly immersive and technically flawless journey.

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Tracklist:

01. Takashi Kokubo - 海のつぶやき
02. Iron Cthulhu Apocalypse - Circumference (4 Hz Theta)
03. ULTRA ウルトラ - クレジット u p g r a d e ° 21
04. Latin girl signing
05. Garrett - Awaiting the Light
06. Halftribe - Tuning Out
07. Field recording
08. Laraaji - Ocean Flow (Seahawks Deep Drift Mix)
09. Roberto Musci - Tower of Silence
10. Roberto Musci - Improbably Music
11. Jefre Cantu-Ledesma - Joy
12. Sraunus - Kolonista
13. Baubas
14. Untitled
15. Nouveau Life™ - アンドロイド未来
16. Dominykas Niaura - Gyvenimas ėmė ir prabėgo
17. Roberto Musci - Claudia, Wilhelm R and Me
18. Unknown - 展示
19. Ｖｉｒｔｕａｌ仮想中空（ＶＨＳ）- その日が来るとき
20. Sam Amidon - Lucky Cloud
21. Flaming Tunes - Restless mind
22. Baubas
23. Carlo Giustini - A1. Il Vicino (Si Muove)
24. Terekke - Swim
25. Blue Darkness - A Sleepless Town

Sraunus on Bandcamp | Facebook | Soundcloud | Discogs

Sraunus, Kaito, Desolate, Mikaël Delta and Hior Chronik

Sraunus - Novellas

Sraunus sneeked an old EP up on Bandcamp this week. Originally released on Blikmuzik in 2014, it's of the atmospheric, deep, dubbiness we've come to expect from Lithuania's finest.  The first three tracks echo drift and bounce in traditional form, but the fourth track, Grey, presents us with something a little more light-hearted, capping off a superb little release. Available on Bandcamp.

Kaito - Snow Flow/Light Stones

Hiroshi Watanabe and his project, Kaito last adorned our ears with his album on Kompakt - a beat-less take on Less Time Until The End. This new two-track EP signals a potential return for Hiroshi, with the first track, a secret gem he's been playing at live shows, finally setting sail, and a second brand-new production constructed during his recent live shows.

Both feature soaring strings we witnessed on his Kompakt output, but they now come with an almost post-rock, cinematic feel. Big sounds, even bigger crescendos and altogether, a completely unique take on techno music only an innovative producer like Kaito could muster. Available on Bandcamp.

Desolate - Withering Beauty EP

I'm a big Desolate fan, he's one of the very few artists I'll take a chance on and purchase a vinyl without having to listen first. And that's exactly what happened with his Withering Beauty EP whilst i was recently perusing Amoeba Records.

When I got home to give the record a spin, I was surprised. It was like the darkness had lifted from Sven's previous releases - a much lighter, lounge-esque feel to this record, reminding me of early Kruder & Dorfmeister or Thievery Corporation stuff, especially Hazy Memories... Sven Weisemann can do no wrong. Vinyl available on Bandcamp.

Mikaël Delta and Hior Chronik - The First Ray

Hot off his ASIP release with Arovane, Hior Chronik returns with another collaborative
project, this time with fellow Greek artist Mikaël Delta.

Mikaël has a long list of productions under his belt and is well known for his work in Greece, particularly for his soundtrack compositions. You can only imagine where these two netted out, and you'll be just as pleased with the output. Hior's treatment of the finer details, delicate piano and melancholic atmospheres, are accentuated by an entrancing storyline, fit for a movie backdropped against the burning mountain skies. 

Hior is quickly becoming a sought-after producer for this type of detailed, granular, soundtrack style. His presentation and multitude of emotions that carry throughout his productions, are palpable and quite simply, unmissable, especially on this release with Mikaël. Available on Bandcamp.

Passing by: Crisopa, Offthesky & Pleq, Eyesix, Sraunus

Crisopa – A Lucid Dream Kit

Spain’s electronica pioneer Crisopa has finally made a return to our beloved n5MD label with his new album. On first listen, we can expect much of the same melodic, soaring and complex beat-work we came to realise on his last endeavour with n5MD, Biodance. And you know what, I’m pretty pleased about it, as no-one else out there matches Santi’s colorful approach to this style of music. Available through then5MD Bandcamp on CD/digital.

Offthesky & Pleq – A Thousand Fields

You may have heard me bang on about Infraction Records a few times on here, primarily through discovering our very own Parks back in the day. They don’t put out many records, but when they do, they are always top-notch. Their latest, A Thousand Fields, is the first collaboration between Denver, Colorado based artist offthesky (Jason Corder) and Warsaw, Poland based musician Pleq (Bartosz Dziadosz), both of which you may have come across before on labels such as Home Normal, Hibernate, SEM and Dronarivm. Needless to say, a bunch of experience and talent between them.

‘A Thousand Fields’ is tantalising and delicate, expressing many modern-classical elements. The preview track, Ashes of America, is one of the best soundtrack pieces I’ve ever heard.. no joke, it’s beautiful. Available on limited edition vinyl to pre-order now through Bandcamp.

Eyesix – Conet Communications Workshop

It was 51 weeks ago to the day we last posted about Eyesix, and he even got a shout-out in my journey through ambient article as an artist delving into the warm retro-style helmed by the likes of Boards of Canada. Well, his latest is no different to the comparison made back then, but that’s no means to discount such a lovely bunch of music. This kind of stuff is rare to come by and loved by many so get involved. Available on CD/Digital through Bandcamp.

Sraunus – Vibrant Dead Rock

2012’s Out Of The City, was one of my favourite ambient/dub-techno releases of late and ensured I kept a close eye on how Lithuania’s Srauns developed. Three years later and the evolution is clear with Vibrant Dead Rock. I was scared at first – a haunting piece of artwork and track-names akin to what you’d expect from that album title – some kind of death metal piece, but you’ll want to invest some time in this one. Some very interesting approaches that span drone, ambient and electronica. Some, veil potentially loud experimental pieces in distortion and delay, such as Galyma, some are atmospheric synth pieces such as Litorina, and some remain in touch with his earlier dub-techno work, such as Motina. A varied and worthwhile investment. Available on tape and Digital through Bandcamp.