Gradient | NovaFuture Blog

out now: Jamaica Suk – Framework EP [Gradient]

Artist:
Jamaica Suk

Title:
Framework EP

Label:
Gradient

Cat#:
GRA008

Release Date:
14th October 2024 (vinyl)
later in 2024/2025 (digital)

Format:
vinyl, download & streaming

Tracklist:
A1.
The Fall

A2.
Tes Levrés

B1.
Framework

B2.
Synchronicity

Press Info:
Following up after the 4x vinyl Uncertain Landscape V/A series is Gradient 008 – Framework EP 4 original tracks from Jamaica Suk “Tes Levrés” previously released on Seelen’s vinyl only V/A

Full Track Streaming:

Special:
“KHIDI Podcast 142”

Recommmendations:
“CO.LAB 011 EP” by Jamaica Suk & Jonas Kopp on Tremsix
all stuff on Gradient we featured

Buy Vinyl:
Jamaica Suk @ Bandcamp
Deejay
Juno
Hardwax
HHV
Decks
more soon

Buy Download:
soon

Commercial Streaming Services:
soon

Websites:
Jamaica Suk
Gradient

out now: Various – Uncertain Landscape (Part 4) [Gradient]

Artist:
Various

Title:
Uncertain Landscape (Part 4)

Label:
Gradient

Cat#:
GRA007

Release Date:
23rd November 2020

Format:
vinyl & digital

Tracklist:
A1.
Milton Bradley
Driving Force

A2.
Kill Ref
Subbaculta

B1.
Jamaica Suk
Escape

B2.
Nicolas Bougaïeff
Nocturne 3

Press Info:
The concluding chapter of Jamaica Suk’s 17-track ‘Uncertain Landscape’ series arrives with a bang, with another four explosive tracks to round it off.

Milton Bradley — aka Alien Rain — begins proceedings with a hammering assault in the form of ‘Driving Force’. Detuned, ravey synths produce a cacophonous barrage of sound as the rubbery kick groove intones more hardcore vibes. There’s a touch of John Carpenter vibes in the spooky arpeggios that permeate the more stripped back sections. Bone-crushing groove abounds throughout.

Italy’s Kill Ref delivers a distorted thumper on ‘Subbaculta’, slowly eeking out a rasping groove from the underbelly of his pummeling drums. The track keeps building throughout, the shuffling rhythm bolstering some seriously raw machine funk in the latter half that emerges almost imperceptibly.

The ringmaster herself, Jamaica Suk, makes her contribution to the series on ‘Escape’. She conjures up a tripped-out soundscape where layers stack in potent combination. Squelchy acid licks do battle with the stomping bass groove and heavily-reverbered sustained textures. It sounds as if there are monsters loose in the speakers…

Nicolas Bougaïeff closes this momentous four-part release with his second contribution, ‘Nocturne 3’. Rocking a stuttered kick pattern, it revolves around grunting swathes of industrial noise, on-beat clap patterns and all manner of weird and wonderful sounds that pitch-bend, tweak and freak to delightful levels of intensity. It’s a very well arranged and sequenced track that keeps you guessing.

Last but not least, a film by Anthony Vouardoux ties in the whole Uncertain Landscape V/A. The soundtrack is a DJ mix of all 17 tracks from the V/A mixed by Jamaica Suk.

Snippets:

Specials:
Milton Bradley – “Quintessence Podcast 30”

Kill Ref – “Abaddon Podcast 102”

Jamaica Suk – “at Klub Verboten x Pornceptual”

Nicolas Bougaïeff – “Earmilk Presents ….”

Recommendations:
EP “Crossing 011” by Milton Bradley presents Doomsday Device on Crossing
split EP “A Shared Objective” w/ Milton Bradley on K209
split EP “Going Forward” w/ Milton Bradley on K209
Milton Bradley’s “The Dark Of The Psychic Unknown” on DNRTB
split EP “K209-3” w/ Milton Bradley on K209
Nicolas Bougaïeff’s remix album “Higher Up The Spiral” on Mute
Nicolas Bougaïeff’s “The Upward Spiral” on Mute
Nicolas Bougaïeff’s “On The Grid EP” on NovaMute
Nicolas Bougaïeff’s “Permutation Djinn” on NovaMute
Nicolas Bougaïeff’s “Cognitive Resonance” on NovaMute
“Projections” by Nicolas Bougaïeff & Marcus C. Maichel on Denkfabrik
Nicolas Bougaïeff’s “Dust (Remixes)” on Mesh
Nicolas Bougaïeff’s “Dust” on Mesh
Gradient releases

Buy Vinyl:
Gradient @ Bandcamp
Deejay
Hardwax
Decks
HHV
Red Eye Records
more soon

Buy Download:
Gradient @ Bandcamp
more soon

Commercial Streaming Services:
soon

Websites:
Gradient

out now: Various – Uncertain Landscape (Part 3) [Gradient]

Artist:
Various

Title:
Uncertain Landscape (Part 3)

Label:
Gradient

Cat#:
GRA006

Release Date:
02nd November 2020

Format:
vinyl & digital

Tracklist:
A1.
Temudo
L9

A2.
Ersatz Olfolks
Reflecting Surface

B1.
Oliver Deutschmann
Hunting

B2.
Pharoah And Yogg
Betelguese

Press Info:
Berlin techno bastion Jamaica Suk’s generous ‘Uncertain Landscape’ series continues with the third part of this weighty 17-track release serving up another quartet of rugged grooves.

Representing Portugal, Temudo brings fierce tribal energy on ‘L9’. Channeling the driving sounds of early 2000s techno, he brings it up to date with pummeling bass and kicks and taut percussive loops that flex and fire with a mighty intent.

It’s over to France next and a big tempo change from Ersatz Olfolks with the meditative ‘Reflecting Surface’ chugging along at an unhurried pace. Resonant metallic sounds chime over the stuttering kicks, with wet acidic gurgles rising and combining with a complementary hi-hat shuffle. Distorted, overdriven edges emerge, gentle screeches and hisses forced into existence.

Techno royalty Oliver Deutschmann pitches in next with the pacey contrast of ‘Hunting’. Its manic tempo is contrasted by its comparative lightness of touch, with the acidic theme continuing. The 303s are teasingly muted, meandering relentlessly under rapid-fire clap patterns and urgent hi-hats.

Parallax Records boss and Berghain and Concrete guests Pharaoh and Yogg provide the closing salvo, an experimental cut by the name of ‘Betelgeuse’. Broken beats underpin glitchy textures and gnarled surfaces, providing a challenging workout for discerning dancefloors.

Snippets:

Full Track Streaming:
soon

Specials:
Temudo – “Vault Sessions #021”

Oliver Deutschmann – “Circulation Fridays #2”

Pharaoh & Yogg – “Scopávik 093”

Recommendations:
Oliver Deutschmann’s “Lay Down Your Soul EP” on Off Recordings
Oliver Deutschmann’s “School Of Hard Floors EP” on made of CONCRETE
Oliver Deutschmann’s “Special Interests” on made of CONCRETE
Oliver Deutschmann’s “Plant Division EP” on Off Recordings
Oliver Deutschmann’s “Archives #5” on Slim Audio
Oliver Deutschmann’s “Lost In A Loop EP” on Mote-Evolver
Gradient releases

Buy Vinyl:
Jamaica Suk @ Bandcamp
Deejay
Red Eye Records
more soon

Buy Digital:
soon

Websites:
Gradient

out now: Various – Uncertain Landscape (Part 2) [Gradient]

Artist:
Various

Title:
Uncertain Landscape (Part 2)

Label:
Gradient

Cat#:
GRA005

Release Date:
12th October 2020

Format:
vinyl & digital

Tracklist:
A1.
Nicolas Bougaïeff
Nocturne 1

A2.
Keith Carnal
Infringement
B1.
Helrad
Groove Addicts

B2.
Insolate
Sanchin

B3.
Manuel Di Martino
Runout

Press Info:
Jamaica Suk’s 17-track, quadruple-volume ‘Uncertain Landscapes’ series continues with its second part, bringing five tracks of uncompromising cutting-edge techno.

NovaMute artist Nicolas Bougaïeff kicks off with the rasping sounds of ‘Nocturne 1’, a tense juggernaut of a track. Sheet metal textures clash up against eerie FX the most throbbing of kick drums, with a twisted, distorted feel to the breakdown.

Keith Carnal’s ‘Infringement’ injects rhythmic bleep patterns into its chattering percussion, creating an almost dubby feel that’s contrasted with an urgent energy. Well-timed filtering adds to the tension.

The warped wiggle of Helrad’s ‘Groove Addicts’ comes next, with intense machine energy filtering up from the depths. A manic cacophony of detuned bleeping creates a heavy, relentless feel over the succinct beat.

Insolate’s ‘Sanchin’ rocks a pulsating bass chug that underpins washed-out textures and synth delays, with rasping metallic sounds washing over the track in the second half while the shuffling percussion keeps ticking away.

Manuel Di Martino channels some classic Detroit vibes in the chattering clap & snare patterns and rolling groove of ‘Runout’. Resonant tones blip, loop and pitch-shift in hip-shaking fashion to give the feel of a classic Jeff Mills set in action.

Snippets:

Full Track Streaming:
Nicolas Bougaïeff – “Nocturne 1”

Insolate – “Sanchin”

Keith Carnal – “Infringement”

Specials:
Nicolas Bougaïeff – “The Upward Spiral Mix”

Keith Carnal – “@ DRLD Livestream 18-08-2020”

Helrad – “Helrad_Limited_Podcast_001”

Insolate – “Korpus 9 Radio Episode 023”

Manuel Di Martino – “DTMIX198”

Recommendations:
Nicolas Bougaïeff’s remix album “Higher Up The Spiral” on Mute
Nicolas Bougaïeff’s “The Upward Spiral” on Mute
Nicolas Bougaïeff’s “On The Grid EP” on NovaMute
Nicolas Bougaïeff’s “Permutation Djinn” on NovaMute
Nicolas Bougaïeff’s “Cognitive Resonance” on NovaMute
“Projections” by Nicolas Bougaïeff & Marcus C. Maichel on Denkfabrik
Nicolas Bougaïeff’s “Dust (Remixes)” on Mesh
Nicolas Bougaïeff’s “Dust” on Mesh
Keith Carnal’s “SEC NDº 003” on SEC NDº
Keith Carnal’s “Retrofit” on SEC NDº
Keith Carnal’s “Enabler EP” on ARTS Records
Insolate’s “Order Is Chaos” on Out Of Place]
Gradient releases

Buy Vinyl:
Gradient @ Bandcamp
Hardwax
Decks
Deejay
HHV
Red Eye Records
more soon

Buy Digital:
soon

Websites:
Gradient

out now: Various – Uncertain Landscape (Part 1) [Gradient]

Artist:
Various

Title:
Uncertain Landscape (Part 1)

Label:
Gradient

Cat#:
GRA004

Release Date:
28th September 2020

Format:
vinyl & digital

Tracklist:
A1.
BNJMN
Abyssal Surge

A2.
Arthur Kimskii
Natasha

B1.
Wrong Assessment
The Eight

B2.
Electric Indigo
Volcanite

Press Info:
Berlin techno luminary Jamaica Suk announces her most ambitious project yet: Uncertain Landscape.

This 17-track, 4x 12” vinyl release on her acclaimed Gradient label will be released in four installments from Autumn to Winter 2020 and brings together a host of diverse techno talent.

She will release a DJ mix featuring all 17 tracks to complete the series accompanied by a film from Anthony Vouardoux. The project is made up of a wishlist of names whose music she has been heavily supporting in her sets over the last few years. “I wrote specific producers inquiring for tracks that would be fitting to the label and also fit the DJ mix that I’m recording from these tunes. I’m looking to promote music that shares the same vision as I do.”

It marks the first original releases on Gradient from producers other than herself, which is a change of tact from her original plan for her imprint. “Initially I wanted to only release my music on Gradient including remixes – but it doesn’t make sense as there’s so much inspiration out there. By expanding the label’s network we create our own tribe.”

Jittery rhythms with a touch of ‘Spastik’ about them propel BNJMN’s ‘Abyssal Surge’ into life, with a big riverbed sound abounding as the track builds through haunting sustained tones and glitching mechanics.

Arthur Kimskii thundering ‘Natasha’ pummels from the first moment, with shuddering sub bass carving its way through the sound field as hypnotic bleeps pulse in the distance. Rapid-fire. Filtering percussive waves accentuate the bassline’s incessant 16ths rhythms, all the while the resonant kicks hammering away beneath.

Wrong Assessment’s ‘The Eight’ is a dissonant avalanche of warped textures, where grunting synth thrusts rub up against industrious pulses and chattering hi-hat patterns weave in and out of the mix. Stuttering bass and cymbal rides complete the urgent feel.

Introspective respite comes from Electro Indigo’s ‘Volcanite’, a stirring piece of broken beat experimentation where graceful pads slide hauntingly over taut kick and bass patterns and beautiful ghostly analog synth notes.

Look out for parts 2-4 coming soon and special audio + visual showcases.

Snippets: