NEWSLETTER
BJARKI // FLORIAN KUPFER // MATHIMIDORI // PONDLICKER // HANS BERG // SEE SIGNALS SEA NOISE // WILL YOU & PHILIPP PRIEBE
IA MIX 389 //
INTERVIEW BY ASMI SHETTY
Bjarki Rúnar Sigurðarson is an artist in flux, slipping through definitions as easily as he does genres. His early output on трип suggested a clear trajectory—big-room techno, high-impact, and high-energy. But Bjarki has always been more interested in disruption. He loves veering off the beaten track.
Over the past decade, his identity has splintered across at least twenty documented personas (and perhaps some more hidden from the voyeur’s view), each serving a vessel for the unpredictable. He functions in a space of humour and unease—shaping music that is erratic, raw, and wholly untamed.
And there is a lot of it—keyword: a lot. Bjarki doesn’t just release music; he floods the system. His latest album, ‘A Guide to Hellthier Life‘, is a sharp, satirical dismantling of the wellness guru social media economy, where self-care is commodified and monetised at scale.
Stepping up to deliver IA MIX 389, the Icelandic producer extends that same critique—a surreal, self-aware meditation on the absurdity of performative well-being. Dark humour is nothing new for Bjarki, but here, his observations feel more honed, more biting, more necessary.
The mix itself is impossible to bracket, moving through states rather than styles—thoughtful, meditative, ridiculous, and deeply melancholic all at once. It’s a trip, in every sense. And, as always with Bjarki, it’s best not to ask where it’s going.
INVERTED AUDIO IN-STORE //
STÓLAR WITH WILL YOU & PHILIPP PRIEBE (LIVE)
SATURDAY 1 MARCH (5-9 PM)
Berlin-based record label Stólar touches down in London on Saturday, 1st March (5–9 PM) to host a special record release party at Inverted Audio Record Store in Peckham, celebrating the launch of Will You’s debut physical extended player, 'Is It 2 Late?'.
Mastered by Sven Weisemann, 'Is It 2 Late?' features two original cuts from Will You, alongside remixes from rising Swiss producer Lb Honne and Italian production duo Orion. For the occasion, Will You is set to perform an all vinyl DJ set and Philipp Priebe will play an intimate live set.
A selection of Stólar back catalogue vinyl and t-shirts are up for pre-order now, which you can collect at the in-store event.
REVIEW //
FLORIAN KUPFER - UNMASKED EP
WRITTEN BY TOM DURSTON
Following last year’s limited-edition lathe-cut 12″ and the full-length cassette album ‘Lifetrax II‘ on Ediciones Capablanca, German producer Florian Kupfer returns with ‘Unmasked‘, his debut EP for Barcelona-based label Urban Legend. Across four tracks, Kupfer crafts an immersive world where darkwave electro, industrial, EBM, and noise converge, bound together by disorienting drones and a brooding sense of unease.
At its core, ‘Unmasked‘ delves into the human condition, using the spider as a central motif—an emblem of creation and destruction, patience and control. Just as a spider methodically weaves its web, each track unfolds with deliberate precision, ensnaring the listener in a dense mesh of tension and release. Kupfer’s sonic landscapes shift between light and shadow, revelation and concealment, mirroring a psychological unmasking.
Serving as an extension of his ‘Lifetrax II‘ explorations, ‘Unmasked‘ EP distills Kupfer’s raw, hypnotic techno experiments into four uncompromising cuts. Opener ‘Sidelined‘ plunges listeners into a cavernous space of reverberating sonics and spectral vocals, while ‘Integrating The Shadow‘ conjures a storm of serrated sci-fi electro.
REVIEW //
PONDLICKER - SOFT FOCUS
WRITTEN BY JASON CABANISS
Montreal’s Adam Feingold explores outer limits transmissions of breaks, lo-fi techno, and laid back grooves as a producer and label curator. Under his own name and as Ex-Terrestrial, Feingold pilots his gear towards wide open, experimental soundscapes within the electronic zone. His debut EP, ‘Paraworld’, was a low-key masterpiece revelling in 90s ambient house aesthetics that offered a new era of chill-room sonics. Similarly, his Temple label occupies a niche of like-minded artists and producers navigating the clouds and beaming back dispatches of Braindance indebted electronics.
With pondlicker, Feingold’s latest moniker, listeners are treated to a neon-kissed palette of pillowy keys and dub techno on ‘Soft Focus’, the project’s inaugural release. Released on another of Feingold’s labels, NAFF Recordings, the album presents a set of skilfully crafted tracks that incorporate bright, playful melodies astutely configured for adventurous dance floors. It builds on and expands the excellent foundation set up by previous releases from, among others, Priori, Purelink, and Cousin.
‘Soft Focus’ works its magic best during the night and early morning hours. Whether you’re a late night club goer or an early riser, the delicate synths and percussive springs come off especially well when the sky is still dark, the streets are empty, and the mind is either fighting off the circadian urge to crash or firing up for the start of a day yet still a little bleary eyed.
REVIEW //
MATHIMIDORI - KINGSTON RIDDIM
WRITTEN BY TOM DURSTON
Mathimidori, the dub-infused alias of German producer Mathias Kaden, delivers a deep and mesmerising trip with ‘Kingston Riddim‘, a limited edition 10″ on Freund Der Familie blending dub techno’s hypnotic pulses with the organic warmth of reggae and dub music.
Mastered by Sven Weisemann and released on the ever-reliable Berlin-based record label, this record is a masterclass in atmospheric sound and rhythmic depth. Whether you’re a longtime dub enthusiast or simply seeking something rich and soulful, Kingston Riddim is an essential release.
Complementing the original, the flip-side features a masterful reinterpretation by Japanese producer Satoshi Tomiie, who enhances the depth, delays, and effects to craft an even more immersive sonic experience. Limited to just 200 units, FDF’s commitment to quality is once again evident, with a striking red-blue tie dye vinyl pressing that allows the warm, analog textures to pop.
FEATURE //
HANS BERG DELVES INTO THE CREATIVE PROCESSES OF THE NORD DRUM TO CRAFT ‘CAVE DWELLERS’
INTERVIEW BY MATHIAS CHABOTEAUX
Swedish modular alchemist Hans Berg delves into the realm of machine-made improvisation with ‘Cave Dwellers‘, his latest release that distills years of avant-garde instinct and computerised manipulation. Raised in the secluded forests of Rättvik, where oak forests extended into the horizon, Berg’s creative foundation was shaped by solitude, an open space for sound to take on limitless forms. Without the constraints of an established scene, he crafted his own universe, driven by the freedom machines offered.
Out now through his own Berlin-based UFO Station Recordings, ‘Cave Dwellers‘ encapsulates a textural excavation of ultra-wired hypnosis, limestone drones, and dreamlike echoes — all born from a singular instrument, the Nord Drum synthesiser. Repurposed from its original percussive role, the Nord Drum transforms into an atmospheric shapeshifter under Berg’s touch. In bending function to his will, he cements his status as a bold sound architect, fusing textural techno with modular club energy.
The concept took root with ‘The Magic Drum‘, a track that felt, to Berg, like “troll music”, a phrase that snowballed into a whole post-industrial mythology. Rather than relying on an arsenal of gear, he embraced limitation, focusing on extracting maximum expression from a minimal setup. His approach thrives on spontaneity, letting the machines breathe, evolve and ultimately shape the contours of his sound.
To mark the release, we caught up with Hans Berg to discuss his creative methods and relationship with techno. Whether constructing an immersive score for Nathalie Djurberg’s surrealist animations, improvising 90% of his live sets in a high-stakes game of instinct or steering UFO Station Recordings alongside Johanna Knutsson, Berg thrives in the unpredictability of his work. With ‘Cave Dwellers‘, he opens the door to a labyrinth of high-voltage transmissions, where mind-bending percussion meets extraterrestrial ambiance and echoes from an imagined past ripple into the unknown.
NEWS //
SEE SIGNALS SEA NOISE: UNDERWATER SOUNDSCAPES INSPIRE SOUND ART EXPERIMENTS FROM BEN KACZOR, LB HONNE, DIANITA, HATARII
An innovative initiative that captures underwater soundscapes off the coasts of Spitsbergen and Helgoland using hydrophones. These recordings encompass both the natural marine environment and the operational sounds of scientific instruments, creating a unique blend of oceanic and technological noises.
Over a decade, the project has amassed 50,000 hours of audio, now accessible through the Computer Signals Archive. This archive now invites artists & enthusiasts to explore and contribute to engage with the material, creating music, installations, and sound experiments.
Swiss musicians Ben Kaczor, Dianita, Lb Honne and Hatari are collaborating to develop innovative formats that bring these underwater sounds to life. See Signals Sea Sounds plan to host workshops, live performances, and interactive exhibits over the next 1-2 years, aiming to inspire installations, sound experiments, club nights, and music releases derived from the underwater audio landscape.
The Computer Signals Archive, developed by sound artist Valentina Vuksic and operated by Birk Weiberg and Christoph Stähli is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and hosted by Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) represents an unprecedented fusion of art and science.
NEWS //
SWEATER ON POLO LAUNCHES SIGNAL ROUTE IMPRINT WITH ‘MECHANICAL CONFUSION’
Following EP’s on Fixed Rhythms and Basement Floor Records plus a mini-LP in 2023 on L.I.E.S. Records, NYC-based producer Sweater On Polo kick-starts his own record label Signal Route with ‘Mechanical Confusion’, a 6-track extended player packing pumping acid, jacking house and DIY techno.
ECHOSPACE [DETROIT] RELEASE REMASTERED 3XLP EDITION OF DEEPCHORD ‘VANTAGE ISLE’
Nearly 20 years since its release, echospace [detroit] announce a fully remastered reissue of Deepchord’s legendary album ‘Vantage Isle‘, including Convextion’s first ever remix, available for the first time on 3×12″ clear vinyl.
MATTHEW KENT LAUNCHES SHORT SPAN IMPRINT WITH SA PA ‘THE FOOL’
After a series of acclaimed releases on Australian imprint Rosa and Bristol-based label Lamassu—along with standout albums on Astral Industries and Mana—the enigmatic producer Sa Pa makes a striking return with a new four-track extended player on Matthew Kent’s freshly launched label, Short Span.
BAD LSD TRIPS LINE UP SOPHOMORE ALBUM ‘ULTRAFEST’ ON ENMOSSED
Recorded and arranged between Miami and New York in 2023, ‘Ultrafest‘ weaves a hypnotic array of experimental electronics, inviting listeners into an open temporal architecture of the stereo field – exploring unconventional electro-acoustic techniques, field recordings, and fragmented voices, creating a richly textured and lysergic soundscape.
LORADENIZ UNVEILS DEBUT SOLO ALBUM ‘SUN SHONE’ ON MUSIC FROM MEMORY
Following up a split EP on Artificial Dance with Interstellar Funk in 2022 and a split LP on Nous’klaer Audio with Kems Kriol in 2024, ‘SUN SHONE‘ marks the producers debut physical album, delivering eight tracks of fantastical ambient electronic music painted masterfully with a palette of synths, effects, percussion, deeply layered melodies all tied together with her ethereal voice.
OUTLAW RECORDS KICK-START LABEL COMPILATION SERIES WITH DOT & MATTHEW OH, NICOLAS BARNES, MODERNISM, IAN OSKADEV
Founded in 2015, Outlaw has built a reputation for delivering uncompromisingly deep, dub-infused vinyl-only releases, spearheaded by label boss Matthew Oh. Now, they now expand their vision with this inaugural compilation, showcasing a stellar lineup of artists and surefire club heaters.
THE VINYL PIMP IS FOR SALE
After two decades of selling rare and sought-after vinyl records online and in-person from a temporary store in Hackney Wick, Hon – better known as the Vinyl Pimp – has announced that his business and record collection are up for sale.
WAVE TEMPLES LAUNCHES SPOTTED LOCALES IMPRINT WITH ‘TEMPLE RITUAL/FLOATING JUNGLE’ FROM LIVE AT THE MYSTIC PALACE
After a string of acclaimed releases on Not Not Fun and Possible Motive – along with an appropriately beguiling 376th edition of the IA Mix Series – mysterious Florida musician Wave Temples unveils a new label and private press, Spotted Locales.
RECORD STORE PICKS //
FENNESZ - ENDLESS SUMMER [EDITIONS MEGO]
JAN JELINEK – KOSMISCHER PITCH [FAITICHE]
VRIL - SATURN IS A SUPERCOMPUTER [OMNIDISC]
HEATHERED PEARLS – BODY COMPLEX [GHOSTLY]
WILL YOU - IS IT 2 LATE? (LB HONNE & ORION REMIXES) [STÓLAR]