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Right, that’s Christmas and New Year done with – which means it’s time to get back in front of the computer screen for 2015. I’ve just had my first sift through the promo pile, and there’s a release in there that you, the good reader, deserve to hear about.

It’s from audio/visual crossover label Derelicht, and it’s their very first sampler. What stands out immediately is the concept, behind both the label and the EP itself.

Derelicht don’t just focus on music, and they don’t just focus on visuals. Their roster contains creators from both disciplines, and releases seem to be a marriage of the two. This sampler has three different musical artists, interpreted for video by three of Derelicht’s visual artists. It’s a level of care and presentation not often seen for a pretty simple release, and it’s refreshing to say the least.

The music here is very good, the standout for me being Carpe Noctem, by ThermalBear. The beat is as solid as they come, and there’s a lovely floating melody shimmering over the top, with the song progressing in an undulating, hypnotic way. The video for this one is by the super-talented Oliver Jennings – I’d recommend heading to Derelicht’s Vimeo channel and having a look at more of his work. If you’re a geek like I am you’ll be fascinated by his creative process; misusing architectural software, measuring the electrical signals given off by plants, and other such weirdness.

Although the other two tracks on the EP aren’t as instantly accessible, both are sonically and visually very interesting. Icaria, by The Soft is a driving, pulsating piece that you can imagine being totally immersed in live – especially combined with the visuals of William Glass, who does supremely odd things with basic stock footage. Killawatt’s Aeolis Mons is dark, throbbing and almost anxiety inducing, and the Liam Roberts directed video uses physical VHS tape manipulation to tie into the apocalyptic sonic landscape.

Derelicht have set the bar pretty high with this one, let’s hope they can carry on putting out such gems.

The Soft – Icaria (Directed by William Glass) from Derelicht on Vimeo.

Killawatt – Aeolis Mons (Directed by Liam Roberts) from Derelicht on Vimeo.

ThermalBear – Carpe Noctem (Directed by Oliver Jennings) from Derelicht on Vimeo.

James Brown

is a musician/producer from the north-east of England, now residing in a charmingly frenetic area of north London. He is generally engrossed in music production under his Plainview moniker, and has a soft spot for old-school sci-fi novels with badly drawn covers. You can find him out and about in Dalston and Stoke Newington most weekends, or Djing at his residency for club night French Cafe. Feel free to contact James at james_philip_brown@yahoo.co.uk