ARKADA005

Review by Chris Nexus

After a few years of silence, the London-based label resurfaces from the depths of the underground with a new split EP, the fifth in the series, merging nu-skool breaks and futuristic electro from the like of two firmly established talents.

With standout releases on Diffuse Reality, 20:20 Vision and Specimen, it’s no surprise to see Arsonist Recorder making his debut on Arkada! The Brussels-based artist and founder of ZwaarteKracht Records takes control of the A-side to deliver two finely crafted electro gems.
"Hycell” opens the hostilities with a progressive cut built on a relentless electro rhythm, drifting through themes of collapse and renewal. A hypnotic track with stripped-back structures designed to capture the mind.

Next comes “Home Early”, another razor-sharp electro weapon. A warm, groovy bassline pulls the listener into a swirl of synthetic textures, while an unexpected and highly addictive melody leads straight to the dancefloor. Untouchable.

On the flip, Spanish producer Sigma_ALgebra, co-founder of Tensor Norm and already featured on Science Cult, Elektrodos Recordings, Anti Gravity Device, Digital Distortions or Urban Connections, just to name a few, signs two experimental yet powerful electro assaults, unmistakably stamped with his sonic signature.

“Analog Symetry” sets the tone with its precise modulations, ghostly pads and acidic flashes, shaping an electro journey as alien as it is hypnotic.

The EP closes with “Dirac_Delta”, a deep electro/glitch gem led by hypnotic 303 lines, layered leads and emotional pads, all tied together over a slowed-down rhythm with a profoundly introspective core.

The digital package includes two bonus tracks: “Melodica” by Arsonist Recorder, blending emotional strings with fresh, forward-thinking beats, and “Bayesian Approach” by Sigma_ALgebra, where glitchy tones merge with pure sonic landscapes.

Ranging from dancefloor-oriented electro to industrial breakbeats and lo-fi textures, this fifth chapter offers a deep dive into raw, hammering rhythms and pulsating grooves crafted for sweat-drenched, late-night sessions.
A fierce return and undoubtedly one of Arkada’s strongest statements to date. An essential release, not to be missed!

ARKADA004

Review by Pietro Da Sacco for Igloo Magazine

Arkada brings together the talent of ADJ and Adrien d’Elzius for their 4th extended player available as 12” vinyl and digital edition. The results are astounding as the two sculptors evolve their soundscapes submerged in darker experimental electro. ADJ’s robotic glitch blips and bleeps on “Fight for your rightz” give us just enough momentum leading us into the crunchier and more mechanical bass and acid infusion of “Break the beat.” On the flip side we see Adrien d’Elzius dissolving minimal funky breaks on an industrial slant with “Harsill Side” as closure “Battle of the shadows” reconstitutes everything into bite size chunks—the staccato drums, fidgeting electronics, and sliced vocal bits remind us of earlier Phoenecia productions. Arkada 004 is a powerful four-pack sonic assault on the senses that unsurprisingly punctuates abstract electro-breaks with machine-like precision. Amazing artwork courtesy of Lawrence Clift.

ARKADA003

Review by Pietro Da Sacco for Igloo Magazine

With introductions announced in our February 2021 newswire, the release date for this blistered Arkada EP has shifted to May 25th. The scope of audio work by these two talented craftsmen exudes creativity in the glitchy-space-bass electro spectrum. Full of randomized blips, bleeps, breaks and all the fizz-fuzz you can muster in over 40 minutes, JFrank takes on a melodic groove. “El Tecnico” represents this dynamic very well as “Java” digs deeper into hard-edged electro and industrial terrain—its robotic acid notes tend to slither into and out of focus. JFrank’s “El Rudo” is a fluid foray into flickering rhythmic glitches and yet still maintains its abstract electro core. Phausis’ emphasis on the acidic strain is a bit murkier as “Rai” offers full-on breakbeat mayhem with an ambient undercurrent pulling it together. Phausis and JFrank unveil a very concentrated and well-curated split EP focused on next-level electro-nics from the outer edges of our galaxy and comes highly recommended.

ARKADA002

ARKADA001