Quick post to share the embedded player for the new release. Open up Bandcamp for the full release details (but stay here to listen to the release in full during the pre-order period).

Horse Category closes out its first year with the third Phonopsia release, Peaks and Troughs. The EP presents four tracks that cover different sides of analogue and digital synth exploration. It’s a further expression of his off kilter approach to making dance floor oddities, which completes a set of three releases that publish works from the last 19 years for the first time. “Peaks and Troughs” has a core of tracks from 2006-2010, with one track made entirely in 2021.

First on the A side, Prepaternal (Paternal Revision) locks itself in over a solid, heads down groove, guided with an eerie melodic hook and cutting, metallic synths. Secrets of the Pedal Bone is more syncopated, but still drives forward playing along with its wiggy acid and synth parts.

Over on side B, Ooze wavetables dominate the palette of this melodically-driven slow techno jam where complex structures twist along with tech beats on this late morning dancefloor head twister. The EP rounds out with Figuring Out This Damn Jet Pack, a four-four track which is set all the way to jack. 

In addition to Bandcamp, pre-order is also now available at:

• Juno
• Deejay.de
• Disco Piu
• Horizons Music
• Cold Cuts Hot Wax

Additional digital services will be added here on release.

Headless Horseman is the second release on Phonopsia’s new Horse Category label, releasing on 21 May on transparent, blue, 180 gram vinyl. The music was created entirely in 2006 during a period of intense focus and renewed energy. Headless Horseman gathers four of the five tracks from this period (the fifth track will be released on HC003), which are only now being published for the first time. “Lumina” was the first to emerge, and was the most refined Phonopsia track at the time, balancing minimal elements with melodic depth to create a techno track that works as well at home as on dancefloors.

Having finished “Lumina”, the sister track “Luna” followed in short order. It cast some elements aside, slowed the tempo to a medium house pace, and added a bassline that pulls the track in a different direction, owing a large debt to the Gemini tracks that were a huge influence on Phonopsia’s musical development in the mid-’90s.

The second pair of tracks started with “Jacqued”, unveiling some of the range of the Nord Modular that formed the heart of the Phonopsia palette at the time. The dense beginning makes way for a slower groove that could be house or techno, underpinning a composition that requires the full length of the track to complete its initial pass. Not much later, “Jacqued” was joined by a sibling, “Jacked”, which (as the name suggests) converts the fuller techno of its predecessor to a stripped down Chicago format where space displaces depth. Although the palette of the two tracks shares much in common, most of the sounds on “Jacked” have been reduced to their essence to fit the new style.

With the exception of “Lumina”, no more than a dozen people have heard these tracks until now.

In addition to Bandcamp, vinyl is also available through these shops:

• Juno 
• Coldcuts // Hotwax 
• Phonica
• HHV
• Deejay.de 
• Technique.co.jp

Headless Horseman will also be available on many of the obvious digital channels on the release date. So far it can be found at:

• Beatport
• Amazon
• Apple
• Tidal
• Qobuz

“Love this” – Justin Robertson

“Great variety of styles and tempos. All very playable.” – Kim Cosmik

“Nuba Tuba for me” – dBridge

“Love this release, thank you, will support.” – Scape One

“It’s as good as I knew it would be – awesome stuff” – Bodyjack / HeaT

Horse Time released on 26 February 2021 on Bandcamp, and has now appeared in most shops where it will be carried. For many reasons, I always encourage people to use Bandcamp, although I am listing all stores and services I am aware of here, as certainly for vinyl purchases Bandcamp doesn’t always make sense from abroad, and I know some people are wedded to some digital services. A full list of stores and services that I’m aware of is included below.

List of places you can get Horse Time other than Bandcamp:

• Juno (Vinyl)
• Coldcuts // Hotwax (Vinyl – Sold Out)
• Phonica (Vinyl)
• Decks.de (Vinyl)
• Deejay.de (Vinyl)
• Technique.co.jp (Vinyl)
• Beatport (Digital)
• Amazon Music (Digital)
• Apple Music (Streaming)
• Tidal (Streaming)
• Qobuz (Streaming)

More about the release
Horse Time is the first release on Phonopsia’s new label – Horse Category. As a statement of intent for the sounds to come, this debut record shows the breadth of Phonopsia’s craft in the studio looking to not be limited by genre or tempo. Across the EP he delivers a slow techno track with housey leanings, a room shaking minimal techno track, up-tempo electro wigged out with oddball elements, and a down-tempo finale that abuses time.

The first and last tracks on Horse Time are siblings, products of Covid, and homages to our new post-temporal existence. Trace Signals from a Temporal Dimension and Memories of Time are connected by a shared twinkling melody line – one has all the house music feels of dancing in the day time and the latter offers up a more quirky and playful take on the hook.

Deadline: Gala was recorded as a production demonstration for the Georgetown Film Festival gala in Washington, D.C. in 2002. It was created live with an audience in a two hour window – start to finish. It’s a track that people have enjoyed in his sets now 18 years later will be released on vinyl.

Nuba Tuba was made in 2009, and while it is a bonafide electro track it also brings in influences of early Hemlock/Hessle influence on the large tuba-like bass.

Phonopsia has been making and playing music for a good number of years and was Süd Electronic resident from 2007-2009 and regular guest for Bleep43 from 2002-2010.