Myrrh Ka Ba – There is Only One of Us Here (2011)

After giving one track from this a spin on soundcloud, I immediately went forth and purchased the EP from Tundra Dubs (Myrrh Ka Ba's debut on the label). I'll point out that this wasn't exactly heroics of the highest order because this lovely little collection is what we call “reasonably priced”. Less than $2 for 5 tracks of this quality?! FUCK YES.

I've been following Myrrh Ka Ba's career for the past year with some interest. From his solo stuff to his work with Zombelle (both before and during the Disaro tour earlier this year) he has retained a certain production style regardless of which genre he has been playing with. Maybe that's a little unfair... It's more that he creates a delicious fusion of many elements, including psych-rave synths, tight and crisp 808 beats, a fearless approach to vocal manipulation and a mixing skill that almost gives the whole thing a feel very particular to this producer.

SO! Onto the EP itself. First thing's first: “Pocket Monsters” is a fucking CHOON. The use of vocal samples, twisted and dragged and layered, gives an overall stunning effect. Add a glo-fi synth line and chill with one laid back drum beat, makes one tasty sonic drink.

Eye M Dem is goth'dup dancey masterpiece, dripping with bassy gloriousness, and bears some resemblance to “Tropocalypse” on the Tropicult EP that he and Zombelle collaborated on recently. Same sort of chord sequence and bass sound, but a more mature sound, and – dare I say it? – DANCIER.

“Go!” brings to mind some kind of twisted mashup of UK garage and trance music (BY NO MEANS A BAD THING). I think the ideas work really well together, but don't quite gel as much as I would've liked. On the other hand, EP opener “432hz” (the number which apparently expresses the true “key note” of music, and proposing a true one-ness in sound with universe, just slightly below the frequency that represents the A above middle C) modernises trip-hop in such a way to make it feel fresh and relevant again, whilst not seeming out of place with it's brethren on the EP. For a track with a transcendental name, it really does what it says on the tin, too.

To sum: fucking buy it. It's a glorious little head-fuck thing for a fraction of the price of something half as catchy.

- Bunny

Twin remix albums from Tundra Dubs

As a stroke of good fortune (and good nature), Tundra Dubs have released two fantastickal free remix albums within a short space of time of one another, for free, within spitting distance of their 1 year birthday (and subsequent party). The albums in question are remix albums of two “Tundra Classics” (as they may well be called, so seminal are they in the witch house scene these days): FUNERALS' debut EP “MARAE” and ▲AIMON's “Amen”.

On the FUNERALS remix album, each track has been transformed by the likes of Goteki, VS//YOUTHCLUB, kkoee, Ritualz and ▲AIMON into a glimmering dance classic. By each, I really mean just that – there is not one single track on this album that falls short of amazing. You can fill and bomb dark electro dancefloors across the world by simply pressing play.

The album pushes the individual songs to their limits in exactly the way remixes should do, and each remix shows a different element maximized. In my humble opinion, it even bests the original EP by FUNERALS, released earlier this year.

Standout tracks: “OUT THERE” (▲AIMON remix), MARAE (Goteki Remix)

The ▲AIMON on the other hand, features what can only be regarded as the who's who of Witch House taking the reins, going to work on the original dark masterpiece of an EP. I'm going to start by saying I'm biased as all hell on this one. For a start, I adore the source material – it's a regular on my daily listening regime. Furthermore, remix duties were then handed over to roughly half of my favourite artists in the scene. SKELETONKIDS, I††, ▲NDRAS, BL▲CK CEILING, Ceremonial Dagger, Vortex Rikers, UNISON, powwowW, SCYTHE, MARA5, RΛIN... It's a long and spectacular list. So yeah, biased, to say the least.

Much like the originals, the album is altogether twilight music – the sublime edge of darkness. The main difference is that, much like the FUNERALS remix album, each track is expanded on. In this case most of the tracks are deconstructed, added to, reformed, mutated and occasionally transformed completely. From I††'s characteristic abstracted and textural molding of “PURE,” to SKELETONKIDS shimmery and achingly beautiful re-imagining of “AMEN,” a full spectrum is explored. All manners of darkness considered for entry...

In one sense – and where it differs in totality to it's dancier counterpart released only weeks before – this album is like brief glances into each padded cell of 70's-style asylum for the mentally deranged. Each one is twisted as fuck, totally self-involved and inward looking, unique, and interesting. Some sit to one side and babble about how the sun makes them see pretty spots while urinating themselves, whereas others, regardless of the amount of medication, will happily slice your face off within a moments' contact and happily feed it to you, with or without the use of your own teeth.

What? I said nothing, nothing at all. It really is a fantastic remix album, is all.

Standout tracks (please don't make me choose): “EXU REI” (Preteen Pornstar rmx), “EXU REI” (Haunted by UNISON), “PURE” (I†† remix), “AMEN” (SKELETONKIDS remix), ○+☆≋□ (powwowW remix)

- Bunny

OPTIMUS PROM (self-titled album released on Tundra Dubs, 2011)

                   

For me Optimus Prom sounds like what would happen if you broke into your local arcade after hours and turned that sucker into a full-on bumpin' house party. 808's bang hard while Mrs. Pac-Man sparks and glitches in the distance drenched in PBR. With refined, dancish beats and ghoulish vocal samples this release is bordering constantly between pop-experimentation and respectable party music, and never comes off as pretentious by fault of favoritism. Personal fav on here 'Axe Party' sounds like the cool kids got a hold of the Devry Technical Institute music and made it into a postmodern anthem, complete with ghoulish bass that crawls up your spine and synths that say boOoOO and blow blunt hits in your face. So many great moods here all done up to perfection, this is one to check out for sure. Totally blissed-out with a little something for everyone these vibes are almost like a microcosm of the future of independent music. Released via Tundra Dubs you can pick it up here http://tundradub.bandcamp.com/album/optimus-prom in your choice of limited CD-R or digital download at a very fair price. Tundra is nothing but quality, cutting-edge tunes - check out their other releases. SO LEGIT ♥

- spf5Ø