KILN / Lemon Borealis (ASIPV053)

After following their lush analog output via Ghostly International in recent years, I couldn’t be more excited to present an album by KILN here on ASIP. By way of an entry point to anyone new to the trio of Hayes, Marrison & Rehberg, think more electronic worlds of Christian Kleine, Bitstream, Freescha, ISAN et al, all captured as live performances, combined with micro-field recordings and further saturated with color and texture…

A big thank you to Sam Valenti IV for connecting our two worlds.

~

KILN return with an opulent new display of hue and swing on Lemon Borealis, a sumptuous gallery of dazzling motifs that display a finely hewn concoction of visual tones and vital pulse.

Across its 12 cuts, this collection utilizes a fresh process of condensing immersive sprawl into compact, punchy and colorful sound. Using aspects of live performance, beatmaking and waveform sculpting, the troika of Kevin Hayes, Kirk Marrison and Clark Rehberg III create evocative and invigorating dioramas, continuing to surprise and enchant listeners after over thirty years into their collaboration.

Deep in waves of Hi-meets-Lo Fi, KILN delivers a panchromatic daymark arranged to biochemically align and stimulate your personal syntax, forging a tapestry of sonic reveries ranging from the aquarium-on-fire radiance of DrnkGrlfrnd, a garden groove of field-recorded percussion in Maplefunk Diptych, to the sizzling guit-noise whiteout of Deacon Rayhand.

Their eighth album, and first for A Strangely Isolated Place, on Lemon Borealis, KILN expands upon the long-explored themes of mosaic texture, subtle melancholy, eroded consonance, and vivid cadence to reveal yet another aperture to their unique magnetic universe.

Lemon Borealis is available on 12” Transparent Yellow Smoke vinyl and digital on July 18th. Mastered and cut by Andreas Lupo Lubich, and featuring artwork by KILN.

See the album release page for full details to buy

Mikkel Rev / Journey Beyond (ASIP043)

Following Mikkel Rev's debut album on the label in 2023, ‘The Art Of Levitation’, the Norwegian artist returns with Journey Beyond, a selection of tracks demonstrating his innate ability to conjure the most atmospheric trance music, irrespective of BPM.

Journey Beyond was created from an extensive set of tracks sent to the label that were initially sequenced as two shorter EPs. With the first offering a slower 80bpm trance style, and the second EP, a classic ~130bpm trance style. However, over time, with tracks swapping in and out, ASIP had the idea to create a mixed version, progressing through the tracks and increasing bpm's, showcasing Mikkel’s ability in bridging euphoric worlds - and a style that is often reserved for Mikkel’s live performances amongst the forest raves held as part of the Ute Collective in Norway.

Classic trance and the art of a DJ mix have been influential to ASIP since the label’s inception, making this release and the process of creating it a true reflection of how Mikkel and the label come together to define the end output.

Featuring artwork by Ventral Is Golden and mastered by James Bernard, the album is available now on Bandcamp to preorder for just $1, with full release following next Friday and a Bandcamp listening party the day before (Thursday 22nd, 11am PST).

An homage to CCO with Christian Kleine's new album and a limited 7" lathe cut

Christian Kleine’s Electronic Music From The Lost World 1998-2001 Vol.2 is out today on gatefold pink 2LP. But not to overshadow this moment, we also have another special item as part of this release dropping shortly...

I probably don’t need to wax lyrical about the impact and role of City Centre Offices in my journey. You can connect the dots easily given the name and artists on the label, and go deeper with my interview with Thaddi Herrmann.

Outside of the artists and genre-defining output, the 7” releases from the label were undoubtedly one of the biggest influences on my obsession with vinyl and the DIY aesthetic. Minimal in design, striking colors and cute random stickers made these 7”s an instant collectible - although at the time, they probably felt much more lo-fi and budget given this was the heyday of vinyl production for emerging independent electronic music. I hate to imagine how cheap these were to make back then compared to today.

So when Christian’s return to the label was in discussion and further digs into his DAT archives, I had the idea to pay homage to one of his earliest labels and one of my favorites with a copycat 7” lathe.

Mimicking the design to the finest detail, I enlisted Robyn at Red Space Records to cut a 7” transparent lathe (currently in production), ordered a replica sticker approach for the front, and designed a bunch of different color labels to placed randomly on each copy to replicate further the strong aesthetic that formed over time on the CCO roster.

Electronic Music From The Lost World: 1998​-​2001 (Vol.2) by Christian Kleine" target="_blank">Available now on Bandcamp, just 50 copies were made due to the DIY nature of lathe cuts and assembly. I know many people won’t be able to get their hands on this special edition, but simply trying to scale something that takes time and is focused on quality can be very hard nowadays.

The two tracks, “Beyond Repair (Version)” and “Wonder Var” will remain exclusive to the 7” for the time being. Mastered by the man who did all of CCO’s early mastering, LOOP-O.

7" mock for illustrative purposes (the sleeves will be in perfect condition, don't worry).

Christian Kleine / Electronic Music From The Lost World: 1998​-​2001 (Vol.2)

Christian Kleine continues to unearth long-lost transmissions with Electronic Music From The Lost World: Vol.2 - another batch of pristine artifacts from his personal DAT archive. Much like its predecessor, this release serves as both a time capsule and a reminder of Kleine’s effortless blend of melodic warmth, intricate rhythm programming, punk influences, and a deep-rooted love for the fringes of electronica.

Where Vol.1 felt like an invitation back to the late ‘90s, a time when IDM was still an evolving conversation, this second volume extends the dialogue, revealing more of the sonic experiments and fully-formed pieces that never saw the light of day. Tracks recall specific moments from Kleine’s time living in Berlin, an era of minimal comforts but maximal creativity, where all that really mattered was that the PowerPC, sampler, and synths kept running. This period of introspection, coupled with the musical freedom afforded by cheap rent and late-night school classes, shaped the deeply personal and solitary sound of these recordings.

Visually, Vol 2 shares its origins with the first volume, as Midori Hirano’s stark Berlin photography forms the foundation, and Noah M / Keep Adding pushes the imagery into a brighter, more reflective final space. Final touches remain in familiar hands, with LOOP-O on mastering and lacquer duties, bringing new life to Christian’s OG DAT recordings. 

And much like the classic City Centre Offices era that shaped this sound and Kleine’s early career, this release nods to that legacy. A special limited 7” EP with two bonus tracks, designed in tribute to CCO’s iconic DIY aesthetic, will be available on release day direct from the label’s Bandcamp. 

Electronic Music From The Lost World: 1998​-​2001 (Vol.2), will be available on marbled pink gatefold 2LP on April 18th 2025.

View the release page for all links to buy.

Monoparts / Soothsayers (ASIPV052)

Our first release of 2025 was announced today, featuring our very own Olga Wojciechowska, (Infinite Distances (2019), Unseen Traces (2020), and the 2022 collaboration with Scanner), alongside Tomasz Walkiewicz.

The Monoparts project was sent to me as unreleased material a few years back by Olga, and it was spoken of as something that would never see the light of day, due to the duo going their own ways.

It was put into rotation on 9128.live, and since then, I grew to love it so much, I made the steps to secure it as a release on ASIP.

In a dramatic departure, Olga unveils a new and unexpected side, debuting her haunting vocals—a delicate, spellbinding performance that recalls the golden era of trip-hop, and comparisons to the sounds pioneered by Tricky, Massive Attack, and Martina Topley-Bird.

"This album is like becoming one with the earth itself—feeling the rawness of the wood, tasting the earth in your mouth, and sensing the presence of ancient spirits. The music carries a deep, primal energy, like being part of the forest, with creatures watching you from the shadows." - Olga Wojciechowska

To complete the journey, ASC lends his signature touch with a stunning drum’n’bass reinterpretation, amplifying the album’s nostalgic essence. Soothsayers emerges as a spellbinding ode to times gone by, in more ways than one.

Featuring artwork by Moon Patrol, with mastering and lacquer by Andreas LUPO Lubich, Soothsayers will be available on 12” maroon smoke-colored vinyl and Bandcamp on February 28th. Preorder is now available on Bandcamp and Space Cadets, with more stores to follow soon.

Save the Monday 24th for our listening party over on Bandcamp. RSVP here.