If you subtract all associated costs with a CD release –i.e. distribution and licensing, the video director’s fee, the PR fee, etc –you end up with simply the cost of production and the raw talent itself. That is what Boltfish are trying out; as a non-profit label, they are happy to give new electronica artists some profile for next to nothing, but demand only that produce is of a high quality.

Boltfish have collated a sampler together from artists in the UK, Japan, Thailand and Norway, tying together a raft of contemporary electronic styles and tones that float together as one item. The people at Boltfish, namely Cheju and Mint, have done well by gathering so many similarly-minded artists on the one release.

It’s all good to listen to, from the well-rounded bleepers of Zainetica, Ochre and Cheju to the distant wind-chime ambient overtures by Mint, J-Auer and Richard Haughten. No mad beats here, just nice and laid back. Karmoy (from Norway) had the best track I believe with ‘Klem’, a bassy groover with sophisticated overlays and homages to Autechre and Plaid.

There were some ponderous tracks; Countripsyde could have made more effort alongside such erstwhile chums on the album and a confusing, anagramatic thing by the aptly-named Sveto the Fool made me reach for .ffwd after a few minutes.

Regardless, this is a solid release by Boltfish that will certainly get some well deserved attention with electronic types as it will with me. What they have decided to ignore in terms of wealth they have certainly made up for in terms of scope, depth and giving artists a chance to flourish. Long may it continue.

words: Rufus Sanders

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