Token Records | NovaFuture Blog

out now: Oscar Mulero – The Stranger [Token Records]

Artist:
Oscar Mulero

Title:
The Stranger

Label:
Token Records

Cat#:
TOKEN125

Release Date:
17th May 2024 (vinyl & selected digital services)
31st May 2024 (other digital services)

Format:
vinyl, download & streaming

Tracklist:
01.
The Sweat And The Salt

02.
The Reddish Glow

03.
Why Are You Holding A Gun?

04.
The Sunlight Blinded His Eyes

Press Info:
Known for his intense DJ sets and heavily textured productions, Oscar Mulero embodies all that has made him a central figure in the international techno scene in ‘The Stranger’. His first release on Token since 2021’s ‘Titan’, the Spaniard announces his return the only way he knows how, through layered concoctions of noisy synth work and impactful percussion wrapped up in a four track EP of impressive weight.

The record’s first track ‘The Sweat and the Salt’ is a representative introduction to the rest of the project. Mulero holds nothing back with his moody, obscure style and funnels measured grit into every detail he can. Hypnotic to its core but noisy and saturated enough to give it an industrial edge, the intricacies of this first track are upheld and continued in ‘The Reddish Glow’. Here, we have more of a melodic back and forth being played between synth sequences. With no small dose of reverb to open up the dimension of the track, the incessant tapping of high to low frequency plucks make it a destabilizing mind trip of a club record. Complete with racing hi hats and his signature kick, Mulero plays with his elements to ensure depth in disorientation. ‘Why Are You Holding a Gun’ flattens up the space a little bit, creating more of a two-dimensional ambiance and taking synth distortion to a new level. A mess of an analog sequence hissing in the high end is paced out by metallic rides and short hi hats, making an effective dancefloor instrument. As powerful as ever, the PoleGroup boss controls his chaos with rhythmically questionable elements that add to the general delirium of ‘The Stranger’. As the final chapter, ‘The Sunlight Blinded His Eyes’ is the perfect arrival to a stomping EP. A meditative pad hovers in the back while a rhythmically centered track forms, shuffling through drum patterns and an infectious bassline. Still packing a punch in the kick, this final song takes us out into the cosmos after a high pressure club music display by one of Spain’s most respected contributors to techno.

Snippets:

Full Track Streaming:
“The Reddish Glow”

Special:
“N2MU PDCST100”

Recommendations:
all stuff on Token Records we featured

Buy Vinyl:
Token Records @ Bandcamp
Deejay
Decks
Juno
Red Eye Records
Clone
HHV
Hardwax
more soon

Buy Download:
Token Records @ Bandcamp
Qobuz
Beatport
7Digital
iTunes
TraxSource
Bleep
more soon

Commercial Streaming Services:
Tidal
Qobuz
Spotify
Deezer
Apple Music
Youtube Music

Booking:
Source Artists for Oscar Mulero

Websites:
Oscar Mulero
Token Records

out now: Nørbak – Sopro EP [Token Records]

Artist:
Nørbak

Title:
Sopro EP

Label:
Token Records

Cat#:
TOKEN124

Release Date:
19th April 2024

Format:
vinyl, download & streaming

Tracklist:
A1.
Teste

A2.
Sopro

B1.
Clima

B2.
Veneta

Press Info:
With his first full-length EP on Token after a contribution to last year’s Fuga IV compilation, Nørbak proposes his unique take on movement and grain through the four tracks on ‘Sopro’. Constantly searching for new textural story telling, the Portuguese producer balances grit with technical depth.

‘Teste’ begins the record as the most minimal of the collection, setting a somber tone with percussive accents whipping through a cavernous atmosphere. Reminiscent of German style club music with booming kicks and resonating hits, Nørbak plays to his strengths by alternating through confronting sound design and imposing rhythmics. The title track ‘Sopro’ maintains the weight of its predecessor, however the focus shifts to the lead synth line. The Hayes member juggles through a hypnotic sequence, bending dissonant keys to ensure a funky swing while keeping things cool and collected. This stylistic hybrid segues perfectly into ‘Clima’, where Nørbak masterfully retreats into the mind for paced percussion over delirious ambiances in half-time. A slow rolling bassline pushes through the arrangement like a tidal wave with chanting snares egging it on, making ‘Clima’ almost ritualistic. The hypnotic touch completes ‘Sopro EP’ in a subtle way and leads into an epic of a closer with ‘Veneta’. Nørbak thickens the rhythmic section once again, with an accent on the high end, to shout far off notes describing a stretching landscape. These stuttering keys make for an intense ride supported by shaking hi hats all along the way, persistent through every transition. The record comes to a satisfying close with a meditative conclusion, an appropriate way to wrap up a sensorial adventure.

Snippets:

Full Track Streaming:
“Clima”

“Teste”

“Veneta”

Special:
“CLR Podcast 365”

Recommendations:
Nørbak’s “Myelination EP” on Soma Records
Nørbak’s “Struggle In Vain EP” on Soma Records
all stuff on Token Records we featured

Buy Vinyl:
Token Records @ Bandcamp
Deejay
Decks
Juno
Clone
Hardwax
more soon

Buy Download:
Token Records @ Bandcamp
Qobuz
JunoDownload
Beatport
iTunes
TraxSource
Boomkat
Bleep
Clone Digital
more soon

Commercial Streaming Services:
Tidal
Qobuz
Spotify
Apple Music
Deezer
Youtube Music

Booking:
Nørbak

Websites:
Nørbak
Token Records

out now: Ignez – Tides [Token Records]

Artist:
Ignez

Title:
Tides

Label:
Token Records

Cat#:
TOKEN122LP

Release Date:
09th February 2024

Format:
vinyl, download & streaming

Tracklist:
01.
Enchant

02.
Bliss

03.
Veiled Dreams

04.
Euphoria

05.
Oceanid

06.
Drama

6
07.
Scene

08.
Delusional Bond

09.
Awakening

10.
Immersive Mind

Press Info:
Ignez makes his Token comeback for a new format yet again, presenting his first ever LP with the Belgian label. One of the scene’s most intriguing artists to emerge in the past few years, the young Dutchman has paved his road to acclaim by experimenting with sonic narratives and interpreting them with dance floor efficiency. Constantly working the conceptual intentions of his records, Ignez offers a refreshing take on club music by giving it his unmistakable touch of cinematic storytelling.

‘Tides’ is an ode to his personal connection with nature, and each track represents a shift in energy and emotional ambiance, rising and falling with each transition. With this approach, it only makes sense to release a project of this length; Ignez is able to tell his story through waves, washing over assertive rhythmic work with far off keys and soothing pads. Songs like the album’s introduction ‘Enchant’ and ‘Delusional Bond’ inspire curiosity of what lies beyond murky waters and the impactful aftermath of these tracks explains the untameable quality of ocean tides through erratic percussion and razor-sharp sound design like in ‘Bliss’. Ignez’s synth work throughout ‘Tides’ is elusive if anything, swimming through his arrangements in an unpredictable manner. He tells the story of an environment that imposes the sometimes harsh rules of its territory with restless elements ready to jump out at any given moment. This feeling of almost powerlessness can be felt in ‘Awakening’ for example, a record that’s bent on intrigue and suspense over a stomping four to the floor kick. Curiosity, anticipation, discovery: these are all things that can describe the chosen theme and, of course, Ignez’s work as a composer. The album serves as a look into the respect the artist has for unstoppable energy and his translation of it thereof through the expressive sound design and thick atmospheres that propelled him to the forefront of his scene.

Snippets:

Full Track Streaming:
“Oceanid”

Special:
“Eerste Communie #038”

Recommendations:
all stuff on Token Records we featured

Buy Vinyl:
Token Records @ Bandcamp
Deejay
Hardwax
Clone
Red Eye Records
Juno
OYE Records
Decks
HHV
more soon

Buy Download:
Token Records @ Bandcamp
Qobuz
JunoDownload
Beatport
iTunes
TraxSource
Bleep
Clone Digital
more soon

Commercial Streaming Services:
Tidal
Spotify
Deezer
Apple Music
Youtube Music

Booking:
Outlined AM for Ignez

Websites:
Ignez
Token Records

out now: Border One – Strange Attractor EP [Token Records]

Artist:
Border One

Title:
Strange Attractor EP

Label:
Token Records

Cat#:
TOKEN123

Release Date:
15th March 2024

Format:
vinyl, download & streaming

Tracklist:
A1.
Strange Attractor

A2.
Astral Plane

B1.
Time Dilation

B2.
Fractal

Press Info:
Border One’s fourth contribution to Token Records is an ode to the cosmic, an ever-present theme in the Belgian’s acclaimed career. ‘Strange Attractor’ takes techno and applies Border One’s bubbly modular sound glossing over thick drums, weaving through sound design destined for sophisticated sets on worthy sound systems. Calm and collected, he offers yet again his attention to detail and devotion to effect.

As an introduction, ‘Strange Attractor’ presents a gripping story. Displaying sustained tension, he takes his time to reveal his channels. Forcing the listener to settle in and anticipate, the elements diverge and converge over the space of six minutes, shifting groove throughout. A return to calm, slightly uneasy control helps us arrive at an influx in energy for the rest of the project. Moving along to ‘Astral Plane’, we are introduced to more extroverted sequences. Boomy through fluctuating synth lines and stomping claps, the seasoned producer uses the size of his design in the low end to justify a more erratic arrangement. Spread noise in the background interweaves with confronting synth work, making ‘Astral Plane’ impressive in weight without losing the intricate quality that its producer is known for. Opening the dimension of the project through far spread elements, ‘Time Dilation’ creates linear focus with a cloudy entourage. An always club efficient throbbing main synth persists through an exciting structure, highly resonant transitions whip through drum machine patterns, making the third track on the record nothing if not a nail biter. The shuffle of the hi hats does nothing to slow down the energetic peak of the EP; we find Border One confidently in control of layered machinery. Drawing the project to a close, ‘Fractal’ blinks through persistent tension. Linear rides and drones open and close with each transition, making for a bent atmosphere of intrigue. With a sturdy rhythm dotting along from start to finish, the tonality of Fractal makes it the perfect final bow to grasp Border One’s intentions and the universe he puts his work in.

Snippets:

Full Track Streaming:
“Astral Plane”

“Fractal”

“Time Dilation”

Special:
“Vault Sessions #183”

Buy Vinyl:
Border One @ Bandcamp
Deejay
Decks
Juno
Red Eye Records
Clone
Hardwax
HHV
more soon

Buy Download:
Border One @ Bandcamp
Qobuz
7Digital
Beatport
iTunes
TraxSource
more soon

Commercial Streaming Services:
Tidal
Qobuz
Spotify
Apple Music
Deezer
Youtube Music

Booking:
Border One

Websites:
Border One
Token Records

out for a while: Altinbas – Spirit Moves EP [Token Records]

Artist:
Altinbas

Title:
Spirit Moves EP

Label:
Token Records

Cat#:
TOKEN121

Release Date:
01st December 2023

Format:
vinyl, download & streaming

Tracklist:
01.
Presence

02.
Spoken Word

03.
Spirit Moves

04.
Blue Lace

Press Info:
Following a string of unavoidable releases in only the past two years with unprecedented international support, Brussels’ own Altinbas returns to Token with a second release entitled ‘Spirit Moves’. Recognisably full-bodied tracks, riddled with classic techniques yet designed for the modern dancefloor, Altinbas offers intention in the age of impulsivity.

‘Presence’ opens the EP, easing the listener into what has become Altinbas’s marque de fabrique. A steady, round low-end eggs us on to zip through vast celestial bodies, with euphoric inclines and cloudy descents. Traveling through ‘Presence’ is fluid if anything, establishing an introduction of boundless dimension to a record made with precision. Following this opening, Altinbas re-focuses his attention to centric rhythm. Bold, toned percussion makes for an infectious groove, instrumental in the most efficient way possible. Swapping drum machine sequences as an arrangement, the Belgian producer presses on to the second side of his project with the title track ‘Spirit Moves’. Taking yet another turn, the third part of the EP focuses on playful synth work with raspy hi hats; a seemingly randomized arpeggio runs along a head-bobbing rhythm, scattering melody for tension. Having departed from depth in the middle of the project, Altinbas comes full circle for the last chapter, ‘Blue Lace’. A return to stabby dub-like synths spread out in the stereo image make for a club record reminiscent of German classics. Mixing it with an eager tempo and present drums over a glossy ambience, Altinbas closes his second solo contribution to Token records by reaffirming the value of his sonic identity.

Snippets: