Фирма Ninja Tune

With Human Energy, Travis Stewart (aka Machinedrum) has made a career-defining album, one which will take him from best-kept-secret of the electronic music cognoscenti to breakout star of the US music scene. Why and how? The simple answer is that he’s fallen in love and moved to California, let in light and warmth to his always technically stunning productions. The complex answer is, well, more complicated. But then, you can spend forever trying to explain or you can just revel in this remarkable album. Let’s begin with the simple. Written between January and April 2016, the record “reflects a period of great change in my life. I moved across the country to a new city, I proposed to the girl of my dreams, I moved into a new house, bought a brand new computer and set off to write a new album.” But as well as these personal elements, moving to California allowed Stewart to explore a long-held interest in “esoteric and new age concepts… When I was younger I started researching energy healing, meditation and other pseudosciences after learning that my great grandfather was a healer.” Somehow, these ideas began to provide a vitality and intensity for his music-making: “I played the songs for friends and their immediate reaction was that the songs made them feel something in their bodies, like the music was pouring energy into them. I realized that I was creating an album that will make people feel something instantly, connecting my intention with the listener.” Stewart is well aware that some of these ideas will come over as “straight up cheesy.” His best rebuttal is his album, which astounds over and over again with the sheer brilliance of its execution, the warmth and beauty it resonates with, and yes, the unremitting energy of the music. Who can say if Human Energy can heal you? It will certainly leave you with a huge, goofy smile slathered all over your face. From opener “Lapis,” Machinedrum sets out his stall — an arpeggio ascending to heaven which, apparently building towards the mother of all drops, instead fades up and off into the ether. The music throughout is scintillating, from the mind-candy riffs of “White Crown” (featuring some crazy guitar work from Tosin Abasi of progressive metal band Animals As Leaders), the ecstatic d&b finale of “Do It 4 U” (an absolute stand-out with showstopper vox from singer-of-the-moment D∆WN), the smile-inducing, melodic brilliance of “Color Communicator,” or the precision and build of first single “Dos Puertas,” featuring Rihanna collaborator Kevin Hussein. Hussein, D∆WN and Abasi aren’t the only collaborators to have bought into this new take on the Machinedrum universe. Fresh off the back of two prominent collabs on Beyonce’s Lemonade, MeLo-X offers understated, classy assistance on the wonderful “Angel Speak,” sitting his voice in amongst heavenly vocal chops. Jesse Boykins III offers a moment of astral r&b goodness on “Celestial Levels.” Rochelle Jordan provides the lift off as Machinedrum works the rhythm flips on “Tell U.” There are telling contributions, too, from Ruckazoid, Roses Gabore and SK Simeon. You could in fact, pick almost any track from this record and argue that it is a standout, all of which adds to the sense that Travis Stewart, having discovered that rare thing—spirituality and purity in electronic music—is about to have a very big year. “It’s an exchange of energy through sound,” he finishes by telling us. “It’s a healing experience. We’re living in dark times and with so much negativity existing in the world I want to be a rare voice of positivity.” You don’t really need to read any more of this — you just need to hear it Record Label: Ninja Tune Style: Electronic Pop

limited coloured vinyl version of the new The iinvisible album! Record Label: Ninja Tune Style: Electronic

Record Label: Ninja Tune Style: House/Disco

Record Label: Ninja Tune Style: Electronic

Record Label: Ninja Tune Style: Electronic

Seven Davis Jr will release his debut album Universes via Ninja Tune – his most honest and heartfelt musical statement to date. Recorded in LA, San Francisco, Amsterdam and London, it’s a unique exploration of his musical landscape, traversing tempos and flipping styles with typical panache but always embedded in the bedrock of soul and funk. Record Label: Ninja Tune Style: Electronic Pop

Teasing ahead to their brand new album Starfire Norwegian octet Jaga Jazzist drop the thundering 12-minute synth juggernaut that is "Oban" backed with a stellar rework from friend and fellow countryman Todd Terje (Olsen Records). As expected, Mr Terje smashes it out of the park, turning in a smouldering heater of epic proportions. Cop all 9 minutes of it on lovely transparent 12" wax on 18th May 2015. Record Label: Ninja Tune Style: House

Where do you start talking about a suite of recordings so concerned with the commonalities between beginnings and ends? You could start by saying that Living Fields is an album of catharsis and redefinition, born of a desire to create newness out of loss and change. You could also say that the band Portico themselves have undergone a process of ending and re-beginning, but none of this quite captures what you will hear. The best thing you can do is listen. Portico make music which moves forward towards distant places while offering rare intimacy as well, arriving somewhere between structured pop songs and a disintegrating ambience, a unique blend of the sublunary and the celestial. Reverb drenched piano meshes with swathes of studio noise while vocals float high above a world of textural atmosphere. Drum machines crisply puncture the air around shimmering arpeggios of synth and electric bass.You can be untethered, detached in space only for a moment of detail to rush into focus. Melancholia and euphoria sunk into each other. The effect is profoundly emotional without ever needing to emote. Portico are Duncan Bellamy, Milo Fitzpatrick and Jack Wyllie. Previously they were three-quarters of the highly successful and critically-acclaimed Portico Quartet. But Living Fields is no continuation under a shortened name. As far as the band are concerned this is a debut. There are three remarkable singers on this record:Jono McCleery, Joe Newman (Alt-J) and Jamie Woon. These are not just guest performances and it shows. Woon shared a house with Portico in East London when they were writing and recording the album that would become Isla and he was working on “Mirrorwriting.” Joe Newman is a childhood friend of Wyllie's and Jono McCleery was introduced to Portico by Jamie Woon and has opened for them in the past. These existing relationships allowed for a consistency of thought and expression which makes this a truly remarkable record. Where do you start talking about a suite of recordings so concerned with the commonalities between beginnings and ends? It doesn’t really matter so long as you listen. Record Label: Ninja Tune Style: Electronic

Record Label: Ninja Tune Style: House/Disco

Record Label: Ninja Tune Style: Electronic

Record Label: Ninja Tune Style: Electronic

Record Label: Ninja Tune Style: Electronic / Dance

Record Label: Ninja Tune Style: Electronic

Record Label: Ninja Tune Style: Electronic

Record Label: Ninja Tune Style: Electronic

Artist: Matthewdavid Label: Brainfeeder

Artist: Matthewdavid Label: Brainfeeder

Artist: Moire Label: Werkdiscs (rough trade)

Artist: Bonobo Label: Ninja Tune (rough trade)