Al Chem - Weird Fiction (2017)

In the dozen or so years of the Artyard's checkered career, the label has taken on the largest official reissue program of the works of Sun Ra, with earth shattering spin-offs like the incredible Egyptian Jazz album by Salah Ragab, and the essential tome for anyone's home, Hartmut Geerken and Chris Trent's book: Omniverse Sun Ra (last few in stock, by the way).

The label also ventures into the murky waters of electronic music. In 2009 it released Berliner Ring's "Orbital" abum, and now follows with the foggy electronic dub meditations of Al Chem.

This is Mr Chem's first album, after a release on Tim Lee's Tummy Touch label.

No Hopper is a reworking of a Ras Michael tune No Hoppers, from Rastafari Dub, Chem's version merging electronic percussion with organic, almost Moondog-like rhythms and misty atmospherics. The Prophet pinpoints Chem's GPS firmly in Berlin, just as The Red Tower blurs that kick drum border between reggae and house music. Baudelaire randomly sputters digital delay, building up the pressure, Ladder of Perfection rounds off the set with a drone, creaking with squashed fills.

Darkness, mystery and percussive electronic dub, the alchemy of Al Chem

Tracklist:

01. Al Chem - No Hopper
02. Al Chem - Prophet
03. Al Chem - The Red Tower
04. Al Chem - Baudelaire
05. Al Chem - No Hopper (Instrumental)
06. Al Chem - Ladder of Perfection