DJ Mag Canada 013 - January 2014 | Page 74

ALBUM REVIEWS ALBUM REVIEWS 7.0 9.0 Recondite Hinterland Templehof Frozen Dancers Bavarian atmospherics Fantastically frosty fusions Recondite’s personal hinterland is his native Lower Bavaria, and his debut LP on Ghostly International (and second LP overall) is an extended tribute to his homeland’s great outdoors. The electronic producer paints an aural landscape of frost-bitten forests and softly undulating seasonal change via a muted palette, even touching so literally on the theme as to incorporate field recordings from the region. A natural warmth permeates every percussive crevice and tendrils of melody, tacit nods to the glacial surroundings that inspired them, slowly unfurl amidst organic burbles and drones. ‘Hinterland’ is a far cry from Recondite’s technoleaning outings, but it still comes up slightly short when pitted against his first album on LA’s Acid Test label. It’s enjoyable nonetheless and expertly evokes that keen sense of calm we hold so dear when taking a respite from our urban clutter.  Zara Wladawsky If you didn’t know, Hell Yeah is the Italian label hell-bent on releasing the best modern disco(ish) you can find. Sometimes it’s blissed out and Balearic, sometimes it’s squelchy and downright weird and sometimes it’s the sort of elongated, tribal stuff that works dancefloors into a salacious frenzy. At the heart of the operation for the last few years has been Italian duo Tempelhof, and following on from some fine EPs comes this, their sophomore album. And ]\