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| 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
