Genre/Influences: Drum’n’Bass, IDM, ambient.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: “Transfiguration” is an EP featuring British project Eusebeia, which for the two first songs joined hands together with Atiq from The Netherlands (and label owner of Mindtrick records) and for the two last songs together with Italian project Arlow.

Content: Both songs together with Atiq reveal a fusion between d’n’b loops and a more ambient sound atmosphere. It feels pretty evasive although there’s something dark in the background. This darkness really emerges at the surface on the tracks together with Arlow while the deep resonating bass lines have been accentuated        as well.

+ + + : I often experienced d’n’b music as powerful, repetitive sequences, which are hard to mix with other elements. And that’s precisely what this record is trying to achieve. The ambient aspect has something unexpected, but creating a mysterious sphere, which becomes haunting at the first cut together with Arlow.

– – – : I like these kinds of concepts although I prefer to hear all of these projects separately. The tracks feel a little less repetitive creating a sterile composition.

Conclusion: I like the idea behind this work although I expected a bit more out of it! This is not my favorite Mindtrick release.

Best songs: “Matter”, “Transfiguration”.

Rate: (6½).

Artists: www.facebook.com/EusebeiaMusic / www.facebook.com/Atiqmindtrick / www.facebook.com/arlow170

Label: www.mindtrick-records.com / www.facebook.com/mindtrickrecords

About Eusebeia, Atiq & Arlow

Eusebeia is a British drum and bass and ambient project whose catalogue on Discogs starts with the “Exit Trappings” EP in 2018, followed by releases including “Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction / Charade” and “Breakdown Of Illusion” the same year.

The “Transfiguration” EP (2020) pairs Eusebeia with Atiq, the Dutch DJ, producer and founder of Mindtrick Records who also records as part of the duo Atiq & EnK, and with the Italian project Arlow.

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I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

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Genre/Influences: IDM, cinematographic.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Guido van den Brink (Atiq, Mindtrick Records label owner) and Pim Arnoldus (Enk) have already released a few productions together, but “Paradigm” is their first new experiment since the albums “Fear Of The Unknown” (2013) and “Embracing The Unknown” (2014).

Content: Time goes fast, but some values remain! “Paradigm” remains faithful to the earlier productions from this duo dealing with IDM. The work features 5 cuts, which are characterized by deep, blasting bass sounds, minimal bleeps, and astral synth lines and down tempo rhythms.  Zinovia Arvanitidi has been asked to sing on one of the tracks (cf. “Moth”) while Tangent (another familiar project from the Mindtrick roster) has been featured at the last cut (cf. “Redemption”). One of the tracks (cf. “Leviathan”) is moving into a more cinematic experiment.   

+ + + : This EP (or mini-album) is a remarkable comeback from this talented duo. Atiq & Enk are complementary artists and should just consider never making music without each other! The sound intelligence and global minimalism of the composition both remain intact; the magic is still operating. You can hear it throughout the blasting bass sounds, but still the little sonic effects –which are more noticeable by using headphones, confirm the genius of the project.

– – – : The main point with intelligent electronics is that it only catches the attention of a restricted number of music lovers. I can only encourage the duo to move on and hopefully release a new full length album.

Conclusion: Atiq & Enk belongs to this imaginary list of visionary electronic artists; musicians who only look forward opening paths for the further generations of composers!

Best songs: “Relativity”, “Within The Realm Of My Headlight”, “Moth”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.atiq–enk.com / www.facebook.com/atiqenk 

Label: www.mindtrick–records.com / www.facebook.com/mindtrickrecords

About Atiq & Enk

Atiq & Enk is the Dutch duo of Guido van den Brink, who also owns the Mindtrick Records label, and Pim Arnoldus. The pair had already released the albums “Fear Of The Unknown” (2013) and “Embracing The Unknown” (2014) before returning with “Paradigm.” Later in 2020, Guido van den Brink continued working under the Atiq name on the label, teaming up with Eusebeia and Arlow for the “Transfiguration” EP.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Loyal Side-Line readers will remember that we always have had a soft spot for the now defunct idm, electro label Tympanik Audio which launched in September 2007. The Chicago-based electronic music label closed in March of 2016 and as a result its back catalogue ceased being distributed… until now!

The fine people from Storming The Base have taken over the complete back catalogue stocks and are selling it now at rock bottom prices (US,98 per CD album) via this hidden link.

Attention: For the US-readers, keep in mind that Storming The Base is offering free shipping from US$100 on, so you might want to take advantage of this by filling your basket with plenty of goodies. The same goes for overseas fans as the shipping diminishes a lot per item once you buy in bulk.

Tympanik Audio’s artist roster includes: Totakeke, Displacer, Ad·ver·sary, Stendeck, ESA, Unterm Rad, Pneumatic Detach, Broken Fabiola, Integral, Atiq & EnK, Geomatic, Flint Glass, Haujobb, Erode, Tangent, Normotone, Disharmony, Anklebiter, Comaduster, Tineidae, Known Rebel, C.H.District, MultiColor, Subheim, [Haven], Fractional, c.db.sn, EyeScream, Zentriert ins Antlitz, SE, Black Lung, Worms Of The Earth, r.roo, Access To Arasaka, Ex_tension, Candle Nine, Tapage, Zinovia, Meander, Dirk Geiger, Endif, Zeller, Lucidstatic, Undermathic, Autoclav1.1, Opposite Exhale, Pandora’s Black Book, Famine, and Aphorism.

Recommended!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Genre/Influences: Electro-ambient, rhythmic-ambient, IDM, dubstep, experimental.

Background/Info: Mindtrick Records was set up in 2007 by Guido (Atiq) v.d Brink and is operating from Rotterdam (The Netherlands). While the label this year celebrates its 10th anniversary this label compilation got released at the end of 2016 featuring 16 bands plus an intro.

Bands: Atiq, Tangent, Rlyeh1, He3dless, Delete, Suboctane, Funckarma, Aeon Waves, Huron, The Travel, SB-Six, Known Rebel, The Travel ao.

Content: I always have considered Mindtrick Records as one of the most visionary labels in electronic-underground music. This is the kind of label, which really brings a bonus to the contemporary underground music by having a nose for intelligent and often avant-garde minded electronic bands. This new compilation is the right sound canvas to discover established bands from the label like Atiq, Delete, Tangent, Sb-Six, Huron, Aeon Waves, Rlyeh1, Known Rebel, He3dless, The Travel… but also a few guests, new names and possible next new signings. Funckarma is for sure the most famous name among the list.

While the first part of the sampler is more based around different kind of ambient music styles, the second part features the most sophisticated and danceable cuts leading the listener towards a sonic horizon made by IDM, dubstep and rhythmic-ambient.

+ + + : A compilation often is the right way to get an idea about a label’s music taste. I think it still is a more appropriated format then streaming, but we all know the CD-sales are going downwards. And yet there are CD’s you better put your hands on especially when they’re exposing such fascinating and well-crafted music like “Frequencies Of The Mind”. Known Rebel and Delete both are without a shadow of a doubt my favorite bands on this series, both composing great sound sculptures supported by fascinating atmospheres. I also have to mention Suboctane and the more indus/IDM cut by Huron.

– – – : It’s not really a point, but I was rather surprised by the more ambient approach featured in the first part of the album. I’m more used to hear more dynamic work from some of these formations.

Conclusion: “Frequencies Of The Mind” is the right work to get more familiarized by the future-electronics of Mindtrick Records.

Best bands: Known Rebel, Delete, Suboctane, Rlyeh1, The Travel.

Rate: (7½).

Label: www.mindtrick–records.com / www.facebook.com/mindtrickrecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

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Genre/Influences: IDM, ambient, d’n’b.

Background/Info: Guido Van Den Brink aka Atiq also is the owner of Mindtrick Records. This label from The Netherlands rapidly became a reference when it comes to discovering new talented artists active in the wider fields of IDM, dubstep and related genres. “Sonorous” has been released on the American d’n’b-inspired label Onset Audio and features 7 cuts.

Content: “Sonorous” has been presented as the ‘new’ sound from Atiq. I rather experience this work as an evolution in sound. The intelligent and sophisticated electronic basis of the Atiq sound remains pretty similar. It’s featuring a mix between IDM, electro-ambient, dubstep and d’n’b influences. The work once again reveals this meticulous approach in sound creation and a kind of fascination for little bleeps and delicate treatments.

The new songs are absolutely amazing featuring Tangent (known from their work on Mindtrick Records and Tympanik Audio) on the debut cut.

The final part features 3 remixes by Red Army, Aeon Waves and DYL.

+ + + : The global sound creation and –production of Atiq remains a must have for lovers of progressive electronics. The new Atiq songs reflect a high degree of sound intelligence featuring multiple impressive sonic details, beautiful sequences, deep-vibrating bass blasts and poignant atmospheres and sensual rhythms. The 4 new cuts are brilliant, but I have a preference for the somewhat tribal-minded “Real Life (Awaits Us)”.

– – – : I expected a bit more out of the remixes. They reveal a more explicit d’n’b approach, but none of these cuts can really compete with the original Atiq versions.

Conclusion: Atiq once again takes me by surprise unleashing a new visionary piece of electronic music. It definitely sounds like music from the future and a real relief to cheap productions and artists repeating themselves.

Best songs: “Real Life (Awaits Us)”, “The Euclidean Perspective”, “Hiraeth”, “Sonorous feat. Tangent”.

Rate: (9).

Band: www.facebook.com/atiqenk / www.facebook.com/GuidoAtiq

Label: www.onsetaudio.com / www.facebook.com/OnsetAudio

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com