Virginia-based Electronica records released this slice of wax featuring two tracks by Toni Ramos and J Psycobeat. Both sides, "Vampire Waltz" and "Dark Side of Me" are driven by beats and complemented by sounds that seem to be seeking a fragile balance between a rave-friendly techno vibe and luminous ambient electronica moods. It's like if you are listening to a Warp artist tripping out for techno-rave music and using those reso-synth sounds and slighly more dancefloor-oriented rhythmical material to interact with the quieter atmospheres of his refined synthetic harmonies. If you too are in search of such balance definitely give this a chance.

Sub:Marine records recently put out this nice little split disc featuring Chicago based Miles Tilmann on one side and Atlanta based duo Larvae on the other. Interestingly enough the two tracks have been written to complement each other as if one was a layer of the other track (hence they run at the same tempo). Windy city dude Miles' "Double" features mellow and harmonious electronica-ambient in warp style but with a personal touch, while the player duo's "Seclusion Dub" boosts cool sub frequencies and mid-range noise waveforms in line with Larvae's very own personal interpretation of dub-noise isolationism. The cute disc comes limited to 300 copies with hand-printed artwork and a lovely politically incorrect sticker by Slumber Inc. (www.slumberinc.com).

Subinterior is a solo creature of Andrea Freschi's, also in Weltschmerz and in Coma Divine. Actually, these tracks were originally created for Coma Divine, but later became a project of their own - I'm pretty glad of it, because, in all truth, I liked this better than Coma Divine's cdr (quite good in itself). The press sheet says that the main source are digitally manipulated environmental sounds, and I'd say they have been HEAVILY treated, since you can hardly recognize but a few (dripping water, etc.). While this strategy can remind of Nihil Est Excellence, I think the best possible comparison is Robert Hampson/Main (and this is a HUGE compliment for me!) in his most abstract moments. Deep drones, slowly crawling bass frequencies, and minimal electronic disturbances - yeah, isolationist ambient to the max. There can be hardly any innovation in this field, but Subinterior manages to create some genuinely disturbing and mind-altering pieces, so I guess the mission was accomplished. There are 6 tracks clockin' in at 31', which is a very reasonable length to avoid attention-slipping. I'd really recommend you this cdr if you like your ambient solipsistic and obsessive.

East Coast Dj Garon is one of those people who make of spinning drum'n'bass the art and the mission of their lives. His latest 12" vinyl features a remix of a Bukue One's track called "Mash It Up" and besides the classic drum'n'bass rhythmical drive, the frequency sweeps and all of that good stuff, it features MC-style rappin' vocals. Look for this powerful vinyl on the Urban Earth records shelves.

As All Die is the solo project of percussionist, vocalist, guitar and synth player Clint Listing, who procuces dark ambient music and who released this concept 3" CD entitled "Germanic Tales", which features three tracks and a beautiful art work inspired to the theme of the German destruction during the World War. While the first track keeps it mellow and ritualisitc, the second one steps into a more noisy direction with feedback layers disturbing otherwise solemn and quasi Laibach-like martial synth pads and bells. The third track again has vocals (like in the opening track) but this time there are intellegible lyrics and synthetic layers of sounds.