various / moteer

Moteer Sampler 002

The Moteer label embodies a sound that's extremely hard to describe, fusing elements of acoustic and electronic traditions that takes in a myriad broken instruments and a love of reverberating, padded basslines that's at once innovative and timeless. The label has connections with The Remote Viewer (who run the label), Hood (personnel involved) and a small and perfectly formed selection of musicians who follow their shimmering aesthetic to produce some truly wondrous albums. Last year's first digital sampler from the label gave an overview of the their first twelve releases, while this brand new volume delivers a plethora of exclusive, unreleased and forthcoming material from much loved and established Moteer artists (including some exclusive material from The Remote Viewer themselves!) alongside a whole host of exciting new signees. The selection here is just dreamy, starting off with new additions Brael and Tokyo Bloodworm who make use of dusted instruments, chimes, Xylophone and a beautifully weighty bassline in constructing an ageless lullaby that sets the tone of this compilation perfectly. The Remote Viewer, meanwhile, take on fellow Hood member Richard Adams under his Declining Winter moniker for a heart-stopping re-working of "York City Three", if you're into Hood this track will rule your world. From here on in it just gets better and better, new signings The Ancients mixing an indie-pop sensibility with the hazy nostalgia of vintage Twin Peaks, wondrous Cellist Aaron Martin and Part Timer developing modern classical variations with some brilliance, while new additions Beppu (one half of The Boats), Then Dof, Fjordne and Con_Cetta all sink you deeper into this alluring, hazy world. The selection ends with an exclusive track from The Remote Viewer, featuring the unmistakable vocals of Empress vocalist Nicola Hodgkinson. This in itself would have guaranteed the entry fee from us lot - if you've been reading these pages for the last few years you'll no doubt already be familiar with our Remote Viewer obsession - and for our money they are just at their best when Nicola's on board. In total what you get for your money here is almost 80 minutes of utterly sublime music, and whether you are familiar with this label or not, we strongly urge you to invest. ESSENTIAL PURCHASE.