Whether it’s bouncy UK garage styled beats, deep dubstep excursions, skippy house, trip hop or even footwork stylings, his vision is set firmly on creating music which takes the sounds of genres like dub, downtempo, dub-techno and early dubstep in different directions but together and cohesively.
The echoes of Stillhead’s previous alias DFRNT seem to get louder here as he takes another foray into the world of deep electronic music.
Since his days of releasing deep post-dubstep as DFRNT, Alex Cowles has been crafting his sound in multiple genres and since 2014, his Stillhead moniker has carried that torch over 4 albums and a number of EPs. His newest album “Restraint And Reverb” will be landing on 12th August on double heavyweight coloured vinyl. Released on his own Brightest Dark Place label the full 12-track album will be available in both physical format and digitally.
Copenhagen, the new album from Stillhead mixes experimental, cinematic and futuristic dub, glimpses of drum & bass and his trademark deep, expansive, intricate sound. Immersive and wide-screen electronica meets ultra-tight percussion with a variety of vocals peppered throughout.
Alongside a full album of original tracks, there are a host of incredible remixes which bring the sounds of Stillhead that little closer to the dance floor. Bop, Hatti Vatti, Versa, Tonik Ensemble, Mr. Roque, Generate, Other Spectrum and Another Channel all bring their unique sounds and production genius to the table taking their remixes in a range of new directions.
The album is Stillhead’s document of his year spent living in the Danish capital.
CD1:
01 Dusk
02 Spirit Remains
03 Hide Me (feat. pille.riin)
04 End Point (feat. Lee Chapman)
05 Bittersweet
06 Sydhavn
07 Christmas Eve
08 Colossus
09 Slowly Descend Into Madness (feat. Mu Vonz)
10 Nirvana
CD2:
01 Hide Me (feat. pille.riin) (Bop Remix)
02 End Point (feat. Lee Chapman) (Other Spectrum Remix)
03 Christmas Eve (Festive Knees-up Version)
04 Sydhavnen
05 Dusk (Hatti Vatti Remix)
06 Spirit Remains (Tonik Ensemble Remix)
07 Hide Me (feat. pille.riin) (Versa Remix)
08 Colossus (Another Channel Remix)
09 Nirvana (Generate Remix)
10 Slowly Descend Into Madness (feat. Mu Vonz) (Mr. Roque Remix)
From hefty dancefloor bass-weight on Little Light and T5YC to deep, hypnotic synthwork on Retrospective and Silence, this EP the the perfect balance of dance music and emotional expression.
Meticulously crafted empty space between full kicks and percussion clunks, carefully placed stabs and chords opposite heavy slabs of bass and rumble. This EP has contrasting light and dark all over - the ideal EP for our Brightest Dark Place.
Caldera:
Born in Duisburg, Germany and now based in Brighton, UK, Malte Schumann is a relatively new producer to the electronic scene, but anyone catching an ear-full of his house, bass or techno productions might assume that he had been producing and releasing for much longer.
After 2 strong releases on Berlin-based imprint Sonic Moiré, Caldera was picked up for an EP on the subscription label Cut, and one year later we got him onboard for an EP at Brightest Dark Place.
Alongside the Retrospective EP Caldera also has a 7”, a split 12” and an hour-long cassette release planned for 2016 already. Look like Malte is set for big things this year!