Harlem Electronics – Cage (Digital/Vinyl Album – Veyl)
Johan Skugge and Martin Thomasson founded Harlem Electronics over two decades ago. After a long hiatus, the project was reactivated in recent years, marking a strong return with the “Bait”-album in 2021. Now, they are back on Veyl with its successor, “Cage”—an eight-track offering of pure Electro, seamlessly blending Minimal-Electro with EBM influences.
While the compositions may seem straightforward, the meticulous sound production reveals the depth of their craftsmanship. Driving basslines and icy synth leads form the backbone of the album, while the whispery vocals, subtly mixed into the background, add an eerie, hypnotic touch.
Though “Cage” consists of only eight tracks, each one earns its place on this stunning release, leaving no room for filler—just pure, immersive sound. (Rating:8½).
Listen to “Sleuth”:
About Harlem Electronics
Harlem Electronics is the duo of Johan Skugge and Martin Thomasson, whose first run as a project lasted from 2004 to 2011. In the years that followed, Skugge released music as Hidden Operator while Thomasson worked on the Leftfield Disco project Jackpot, issuing two 12-inch records on Permanent Vacation and RVNG Intl., and the pair also put out a 12-inch as Arab League in 2012. A new generation of listeners rediscovering their early-2000s material led to a live comeback in 2019, and the new songs written for those shows became “Bait”, released by Veyl in 2021. “Cage” is its follow-up, again for Veyl.
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