va – md8 (n5md)

the second release for reviewing from n5md is a compilation. after their previous compilations n5md continue with their md series but now in a friendlier format. they used to release (almost) all releases on pre-recorded minidisks. but unfortunately sony has decided that there is no actual market for them and stopped the sales. anyway today they continue with the same ideology but on cds instead. emotional experimental electronica is the main slogan of this california based label and it is the sound that you can generally find on this compilation. md8 features rare and unreleased tracks by artists that are obviously into (post)idm and the melodic electronic sound. from melodic rhythmic tracks by headphone science and ml, to deep and dark pieces by quench, vesna and similar. sohcahtoa and portland are presenting themselves with a sound that’s on the ambiental side of idm music. while rivel, phaeon and spark offer a pure oldschool idm track that inevitably remind of plaid’s work. gridlock is contributing with one long ambiental deep track in remix of loss, as well as vcam this time remixed by the hypnotic master proem. gimmik is a bit different from all the other tracks. it is break beat and drum n bass oriented, heading towards drill n bass. not very related to the classic or post idm, however n5md is not an idm label anyway. at the end mercurial offers a completely dark melody flavoured track with a fractured rhythm, emotional piano, raindrops and thunders that closes this release. a lot of warmth, electronics, layers of dark melodies, textures, broken rhythms…