Tuesday 21 February 2017

Various Artists – Emerald City – Verdant Recordings

Artwork by Sophie O'Leary

IF ever there was a man destined to run a record label then that man is Andy Green. London clubland stalwart, DJ and occasional promoter, voracious record collector, prolific producer of online mixes and a chap with the most impeccable taste in music, at long last his passion, past-time and peccadillo has crystalised into the rather promising Verdant Recordings.

Mr Green has clearly curated his first release, the Emerald City EP, with much due care and attention and anyone who follows his live broadcasts and online mixes – guilty as charged – will not be in the least bit surprised at the quality, depth and style of Verdant’s debut. Not only that, but the original 100-copy lathe-cut run sold out within minutes at the back end of last year before being snapped up for this the full-press treatment courtesy of Juno.

It is very easy to see why. For the label’s first outing Green has managed to pull in a veritable who’s who of producers of intelligent electronic music aimed at the more discerning punter.

Highly-respected Sheffield-based artist John Shima has a record as long as your arm for this type of turnout having rocked up previously on labels such as Boe, Common Dreams and Contrast-Wax. His contribution Omni is right up there with earlier must-have outings, a satisfyingly solid slice of deep techno with a pleasingly emotional undercurrent.

Another UK stalwart, Plant43 (aka Emile Facey), introduces a more electro-inspired twist to proceedings – which has generally been his stock-in-trade for imprints such as Ai, Bleep43 and Semantica – with the sparse yet hauntingly beautiful Light The Way.

Newcomer Mihail P enters the musical fray with six-and-a-half minutes of accomplished and pulsating deepest techno in the shape of Prismatic. It augurs well for the forthcoming solo twelve on Seventh Sign.

Another old hand, the excellent Leigh Dickson – For Those That Knoe/Qube  – turns in another show-stealing performance with the emotive and lush electronica that is Follow, rounding off a joyous debut from the Verdant collective. Miss it and turn green with envy.

Check out:
Emerald City @ Juno
Verdant Recordings on Facebook

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