Picks Of The Week (06.01.24

1. Anvo - The Beginning EP 💎 [IN:DEEP Music]

Recommended if you like: Askel & Elere, GLXY, SiLi

The longer I do this, the more I come to realise Austria isn't just a great place for the regular type of mountains, it also has huge mountain ranges of talented artists to offer! The latest name to throw on this ever-growing pile? 18-year-old Andrej Vogel, maybe better known as Anvo, this week's Hidden Gem Of The Week™️!

That's... basically all the research about the Vienna-based newcomer I've managed to gather. Well, he's been DJing at a couple partys and had a guest mix on a BassDrive radio show, but that's it. This is his first release, aptly (or should I say alp-ly? probably not) called The Beginning, after all!

So who is responsible for unearthing this gem then? Georg "Phlage" Temml and his label IN:DEEP Music! Over his now 20 years in the game, Georg has amassed a ton of experience in the industry and, as shown in the almost 10 years of running IN:DEEP, scouting talent. Across 45 releases, they not only managed to sign early tunes from now well-known artists like Wingz and Phentix, they also built up an impressive discography of more underground names, including the likes of Black Opps, AnnGree, OaT and a whole bunch of new-to-me names. I mean, their first release was the Hidden Gem (no ™️ though) compilation, putting a spotlight on underrated talents is basically their whole thing. For their five year anniversary they announced their catalogue includes 60 artists from across 30 countries, most of which were early in their respective careers or simply underrated, and those figures have only gotten bigger and bigger. With the amount of underground work they have been doing, they might as well be called diggin:deep!

Alright, so what does Anvo's Beginning sound like then? Well, right away, EP opener Nightwalker already sets the tone for the three-tracker, contrasting classic, heavily reverberated piano chords and a gentle, constantly buzzing melody with more futuristic elements like all the different glitch-glittery atmospheric glitz floating around the auditory plane. After such a lovely entrace, our second stop Entrance takes us even further down this unique lane. Subtle chords, rolling drums - sure, but also some really sick out-of-control-wobbling synths! While this formula alone would've probably already made for a cool track, Anvo went above and beyond by injection a real healthy dose of interesting progression into it all. More and more atmospheric, almost whale song like, elements start to appear, the synths escape from their confines and do all sorts of crazy stuff, and in the second half we're even being treated to some earthshattering basses! One might call it a voyage, but I'd say it's more of An-voyage.

Lastly, we end our little journey by relaxing on the beach, listening to the Dream Waves gently crashing on the shore. While it's still vibey as hell and full of lush synths and warm basses, as the climax of this whole experience, it of course also is the most fast-paced and mechanical. Over the course of the tune, a massive, diverse assortment of glitched-out mechanical sounds join in on the fun, eventually resulting in a whole zoo of digital wildlife creating a concert unlike anything you've ever heard. It's honestly so good!

Super unique spins on classic liquid formulas - I'm so here for it! With a debut this excellent, I'm extremely excited to hear what else Anvo will come up with in the future.

Other liquid things from this week:

Low:r - Bubbles
DRS - Everything Must Go!
Artsea - Don't Know, Don't Care
Waypoint, Mila Falls - Done With You

2. Oryx - Nightfall 💎 [Selfreleased]

Recommended if you like: Healian, Sign, Jon Tho

Hold up, that's another diamond in the title? That's right, I've got two Hidden Gem Of The Week™'s for you this week!

This one is London-based multi-genre artist Sam McCabe's current outlet Oryx. As you can tell from my wording, this isn't his first rodeo! It's not even just his second rodeo, in fact there were a couple of redo-rodeos happening in his journey so far. There was Exopunk, there was Hardbite, and, I assume, even more that I am simply unable to find with mere googling - point is, Sam has been around the blocks a couple times. House and Techno were his main thing for most of this, but as soon as the aforementioned Oryx alias rolled around in 2019, DnB also became part of his repertoire. While most of his music is self-released, his multi-genre drifting approach to production has also lead to releases on the late and great ProtoCode, and regular appearances at legendary clubs like Fabric, Ministry Of Sound and O2 Brixton Academy. These past few months, or the whole of 2023 really, has seen Sam building up quite the outstanding DnB discography, while still continuing on with his other sounds on his amazing multi-genre long player SPIRITS. He has already announced he's planning to focus more on the House/Techno side of his for a while, but luckily, we've still got a few more DnB releases before that happens.

One of which being his newest single, Nightfall! As the latest in a long line of skillfully produced, deeply techy compositions (go check them out please!), it doesn't come as too much of a surprise that this one is as emotionally resonant, excellently arranged and all-around sick as it is. Larger-than-life, effectively used synths, a simple, perfectly fitting vocal, chopped up as needed, almost creepy bass that developes into an outright menacing force of nature in the second half - it's honestly crazy how underrated he is, with tunes like this.

Much like the antelope genus his name is based on, Oryx is a member of a rare breed: Artists, who are not only genuinely talented, consistently amazing and multi-faceted, but also criminally underrated. Check him and this newest tune of his out, you won't regret it!

Other deep/techy things from this week:

Various Artists - Perspective II [Phase Records] 💎
DANEY - Fractured / S.O.P 💎
Rohaan - Lost Kingdom
YAANO, william light - Claim Our Back