There’s no stopping globe-trotting PSYMAMA Indira Paganotto at present. With her ARTCORE event series drawing sell-out crowds across Europe, fans of her atomic blend of psy trance and techno – to which she lovingly refers to as her WARRIORS – have been treated to a myriad of special releases over the last 12 months. After ARTCORE’s triumphant label showcase at Barcelona’s majestic Castell De Ben Viure, Indira Paganotto announces ‘Part 2’ of the labels OffSónar VA to be released on 4th July. As the successor to ‘Part 1’, the latest VA is yet another collection of robust, diverse, and high-octane electronic tracks featuring 10 exhilarating compositions by Interactive Noise, Valentinø, SUMIA, Ramiro Lopez, R.Korner, Flug, AD7USTMENT, Lørenzø Cøluccia & K4rm3 & IN6N, Akoriz and Mindstripes.
Leading the charge is Interactive Noise. As one of the more senior figures on the VA, the pioneering Mexican producer and live artist sets a high bar early on. His track ‘Ninja World’ opens with simmering strings and phasing hat effects to a soul-stirring melody shadowed by chanting vocals. ARTCORE affiliate and founder of Overtime Recordings, Valentinø takes the hardstyle reigns of the VA’s opener and sets out on an alternative psychedelic path on ‘Space Travel’. Blurring razor-edged synth, penetrating bass and warping overtones the Italian producer injects a serious of “risers” late on to further develop the track’s aerospace theme.
Short, sharp and punchy bursts of bass kickstart Sumia’s ‘On The Road’, with the young Istanbul native weaving raw, industrialised drum claps, coarse “rewind” and her own vocal samples to make for a slightly tumultuous but ultimately compelling composition. An endearing quality of any ARTCORE VA is Indira’s willingness to include established names alongside rising talent, with a prime example being Spain’s Ramiro Lopez. The Odd Recordings head, a household name for techno fans the world over, begins ‘What U Want’ with a playful vocal that morphs into something considerably darker when met with a jack hammer bass and fierce, brain-shaking percussion.
Thundering into its second half, is the young Void Milano resident R.Korner, who steps up with ‘Hell Flags’, a hypersonic trance spliced techno effort featuring a curios vocal borrowed from hardcore rapper Comethazine. Barcelona’s Flug, who is infamous for his concrete-like techno offerings, enters with a rampaging, battering ram of a track titled ‘Racing Cars’ that features a shuddering onslaught of ‘warning sign’ worthy percussion along with vocals from Liz McFarland. The unsettling vocal samples continue on Queen from AD7USMENT with tightly woven drum patterns, jungle-leaning breakdowns and acidic hi-hats at its core. The beat takes a peculiar turn late on before reverting back to type. It’s a track made unquestionably in the image of its enigmatic German creator.
The trio of Lørenzø Cøluccia, K4rm3 & IN6N unite on ‘222’ to concoct an unrestrained bass tremor that arrives at its rather regal-mid-point only to crash back into the fire and brimstone of the track’s latter stages to a chorus of hellish screams and tense pulsing pads. There’s no shelter to be had for those of a nervous disposition when the release chugs towards its final track. Akoriz, who hails from Rome, delivers a sonic amalgamation of styles on ‘My Ask’ brazenly merging hard-dance codes and admirably succeeding. In the final act of this ARTCORE thriller, Mindstripes presents ‘Bipolar Monk’. An uncompromising beat that truly lives up to its name with juddering, jittering basslines, lute-like strumming and menacing monastic vocals.
We are presenting ‘What U Want’ by Ramiro Lopez.
‘ARTCORE OFFSónar 2024 Vol.2’ VA will be available after the 4th of July HERE.
