Happening Again #61
You can almost smell summer
Hello!
I’ve had an influx of new subscribers recently. So I’d like to start this issue by saying a big thank you to everyone who not only subscribes but shares Happening Again, whether in the real world or online. I never take any of it for granted.
I hope you continue to discover new music through this newsletter, or maybe some older records you might not have come across.
Anyway, here’s what I’ve been spinning recently…
Are you a musician? Do you have a certain band or artist you think I should be listening to? Drop them into the Happening Again inbox: wearehappeningagain@gmail.com
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Sferro
ESCAPISM
NewRetroWave
Happy belated birthday to Eric Sferro, who turned 40 last week. And what a way to bring in the big 4-0 with this. ‘Escapism’ is, in Sferro’s own words, the “house record I’ve wanted to write since I was 16”. That’s an idea that’s been cooking for a while, but it was worth the wait. ‘Escapism’ is one of the first true “summer” records I’ve been spinning this year, and draws from the likes of Fatboy Slim, Basement Jaxx, and Justice. Where to start? Firstly, just look at that gorgeous sleeve, created by German artist Jaqueline Ruther (known online as Mizucat).
The vibes are set. It’s impossible not to nod along to the title track, those kinetic drum machines and synth tones bobbing forward without a care in the world. There’s a whiff of Daft Punk about ‘Eternal Summer’ (no bad thing), while the Balearic closer ‘Tranquil’ will whisk you off to a beach somewhere. ‘Escapism’ is truly that - a short trip away from reality, full of buoyant electronics and thudding basslines. Someone pass me a cocktail. And get Sferro one while you’re at it.
Hunter Complex
VOICE OF THE COAST
SFI
Hunter Complex has been on my radar since his 2019 record ‘Open Sea’, but his musical history is far greater than that. For the uninitiated, Hunter Complex is Dutch artist Lars Meijer, who’s been tinkering with synthesisers since the late ‘80s. ‘Call Of The Wild And Void’ is his sixth studio album and this time around comes via Seattle-based label SFI Recordings. It’s due at the beginning of July, so look out for more words on that closer to the time, but for now we’re treated with this. There’s a lot to love about ‘Voice Of The Coast’. Beginning its seven-minute runtime with gentle aquatic tones and a blast of trumpet, we’re soon joined by a delicate piano melody, sci-fi arpeggios, ghostly hisses, and electronic drums. It all has a discordant harmony that makes for really dynamic listening, each part taking turns to be front-and-centre without ever outstaying its welcome. If this is a taster for what’s to come then we really are in for a treat.
Discovery Zone
LIBRARY COPY DO NOT REMOVE
RVNG Intl.
Originally a commission for a spatial audio performance inside the Zeiss-Groß Planetarium dome in Berlin, ‘Library Copy Do Not Remove’ is “a creation mythology for the simulated universe”. Say no more. Written by American-German composer JJ Weihl (Discovery Zone), in conjunction with Lucas Chantre under his WORLD BRAIN moniker for all but one track, this is a gloriously imaginative slice of electronic experimentalism. The concept around ‘Library Copy Do Not Remove’ revolves around the idea of the universe as a simulation - in that even if that is the case, by definition of us existing within the simulation, we are still shaping reality (don’t think about that too much). Written for live performance and shaped through Ambisonics, this is a record best listened to from start to finish (as all albums should). But if I’m being picky, the bright ‘Dusk’ is like diving headfirst into a computer running a copy of an Encarta encyclopaedia from 1999, while ‘Arp Angels’ is a biblical cybernetic chorus, presumably descending from simulated Heaven. Jokes aside, this is all cracking stuff, and an album I will be coming back to for the forseeable.
K Wata
GIVE U SPACE
Short Span
The very ‘Backrooms’-esque album sleeve is initially what drew me to this record - and thank God it did. K Wata is the alias of New York-based producer Kenzo Perron who creates spacious dub techno. And ‘Give U Space’ is certainly very spacious. Ripe with minimalist ambient dubstep and meticulous sound worlds, this is a record that’s been produced with capital “P” precision. Perron is great at conjuring atmospheres. The otherworldly ‘Looking Glass’ ripples with cavernous microsounds, and while there’s a vein of disquiet that runs through the entire album (most pronounced in the closer ‘As I’ve Always Said’), it’s never overbearing. ‘Whisper Dub’ is the track you’d most likely find on a club dancefloor, layered with breathy percussion. But my personal favourite is ‘There Will Be Love’, a transportive 13-minute epic that swells with textures - echoing clangs and whirs that highlight the importance of negative space.
Jake Kaufman
MINA THE HOLLOWER (ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK)
Yacht Club Games
I’ve been really into ‘Mina The Hollower’, the newest game from developers Yacht Club Games. I’ll have more to say on that in Stray Thoughts, but for now this original soundtrack by composer Jake Kaufman is the business. Across a whopping 96 tracks (which includes compositions for cinematics and trailers), this is rich with retro chiptune melodies. It’s a proper analogue affair (with some digital enhancements), as Kaufman created this score with the Game Boy sound chip, along with the Konami Sound Cartridge (052539 / SCC+). The music was then written in the free open-source chiptune music program Furnace. It’s all good stuff, and impossible to pick favourites - just start from the opening ‘Cinematic Intro’ and you’ll get the idea. And don’t miss out on the game either, if that’s your sort of thing.
Boards Of Canada
INFERNO
Warp
I should have known that the online discourse surrounding this album (and any hyped bit of media these days) was going to quickly dissolve into chaos. Boards Of Canada’s ‘Inferno’ is both “the best” and “the worst” album they’ve ever released, depending on who you ask (and what time of day it is, what phase the Moon is in etc). I’m almost reticent to add any further opinions. But in short: ‘Inferno’ is really rather good. I love how much it leans into the occult (‘Age Of Capricorn’, ‘Acts Of Magic’, ‘Blood In The Labyrinth’), as well as its use of eerie cut-up vocal samples. The blend of dreamy post-rock with sinister dark ambient works a charm (or a curse, to be more thematically relevant), and it’s definitely one of those records that rewards repeated listens. In a lot of ways it reminds me of ‘Tomorrow’s Harvest’, with a more pronounced hauntological sound running through it. But it’s Boards Of Canada, there’s not much more to say. But ignore all the noise and dive right in. You won’t be disappointed.
That’s it for this time. As always you can find my ramblings elsewhere in both print and online in Electronic Sound. I am going to tentatively dip into the world of microblogging again, so follow me on Bluesky if that’s your sort of thing.
But before I go, here are some Stray Thoughts and some things from across the internet that have caught my eye…
// Good news! There’s a rise in children and teenagers enjoying reading in their spare time for the first time since 2021.
// Take a trip through a small part of West Yorkshire via the album covers of worriedaboutsatan aka Gavin Miller. I love that Gavin put this together, and I’d never really realised how much of Shipley and Saltaire had been featured on the sleeves of his records. And while you’re at it, treat yourself to something from his catalogue on Bandcamp.
// I was very sad to hear about the death of Marjane Satrapi, the Iranian-French writer, cartoonist, and director best known for her amazing autobiographical graphic novel and film ‘Persepolis’. ‘Persepolis’ follows a young girl as she comes of age during the time of the Iranian Revolution. It feels more timely now than ever; I must be due a re-read.
// On a similar note, RIP David Hockney. I won’t pretend to have been any sort of huge follower or fan of his, but I always loved his painting of Salts Mill.
// I like the look of this TraumaGotchu, the “virtual pet with baggage”. It’s a quirky modern twist on the popular ‘90s virtual pet, and I do love that art style. It’ll be launching soon on Kickstarter, but you can watch a demo of it below.
// Stop reading now if you have no interest in video games, but as I said further up the page, ‘Mina The Hollower’ is as good as you’ve heard (if you’re in any way plugged into the video game ecosystem). It’s a cross between FromSoft’s ‘Bloodborne’ and the Game Boy ‘Legend Of Zelda’ games. Chock-full of fiendish fights and intricate puzzles (and great music), I can highly recommend it. Have a gander at the trailer below if you think it might be your sort of thing.