SATELLITE SELECTS - October 2020: New Music From Rian Treanor, John Frusciante, Actress, and More

Each monthly Spotify playlist, ordered by premiere date, focuses on showcasing at least one song from forward-thinking electronic music released during that timeframe.

Keep up to date - follow our Spotify playlist here

Welcome to another edition of SATELLITE SELECTS. October was a highly anticipated month for us as we were teased with summer announcements of new releases from both potent newcomers and distinct maestros of the electronic world. Thankfully, I am here to report that the month lived up to its abundant hype, except with many twists and surprises. Our expectations were surely blown away, just maybe not by who we anticipated to deliver some of our favorite releases of the year.

Reviewed earlier this month in its own article was "Cosmic Transmission" by Zenker Brothers, easily one of our best albums of the year. Aside from that, below are more of our favorite releases from October, followed by the Spotify playlist and written track list to archive since the playlist is updated each month.

Though our monthly playlists are usually about 20-30 tracks long, because of the sizeable amount of releases this past October, we had to cap it at 50.

Rian Treanor - File Under UK Metaplasm (Planet Mu)

Released on October 2nd, 2020 - support on Bandcamp here

Only a year after releasing his debut full-length project, Rian Treanor returns to the legendary Planet Mu label to deliver a standout sophomore album full of club-ready tracks, except the setting of said dancefloor lies beneath the foreground of a rundown, futuristic venue. Every song included sits on the same 90/180 BPM tempo but provide different results each time. Treanor does a stellar job at fusing jungle, dancehall, and juke/footwork with sharp-edged synths and brain-tickling drum arrangements.

Favorite tracks: Hypnic Jerks, Vacuum Angle, Metaplasm

Hyph11e - Aperture (SVBKVLT)

Released on October 16th, 2020 - support on Bandcamp here

Excuse the gut-wrenching, NSFW cover art - I promise that the album hidden within is worth it.

One of the most compelling music stories to follow over the last few years has been the emergence of China's underground electronic scene. Specifically in Shanghai, the SVBKVLT crew has sonically taken over clubs around the world, providing DJs a wide range of secret weapons for their sets. Their newest release is the debut album of Hyph11e, one that lives up to what the label is known for: eerie pads, chopped up breaks, thumping low-end, and an overall sneak peek of club music's dystopian future.

Favorite tracks: Knots, Doppelganger, Shatter

Audeka - Leisure Lands (YUKU)

Released on October 22nd, 2020 - support on Bandcamp here

Emerging from the infamous netlabel MethLab comes a new project named YUKU, which pushes an interesting digital/physical exclusivity concept to its devoted listeners. Their newest release comes from Wisconsin-based trio Audeka, best known for their monumental work in the 2010s neuro/glitch hop era. Though their newest EP does rekindle some of the elements that created their identity, it feels like complete progression and maturity all around. It boasts a new arsenal of production tools and a fitting art style, making it one of our favorite overall releases this month.

Favorite tracks: Snails Gets Armor, Until The Morning, Batu

John Frusciante - Maya (Planet Mu)

Released on October 23rd, 2020 - support on Bandcamp here

One of the biggest surprises this year (not like we needed more of those) came from legendary Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante. Adding another accolade to his fabled career, he ditches his old acid house Trickfinger alias to release the first electronic album under his real name. His longtime friend and collaborator Venetian Snares welcomes him onto his Timesig imprint, a sublabel from none other than Planet Mu. The album is a clear nod to the glory days of dusty jungle and drill 'n' bass, a time capsule of the label's early releases, yet aged like fine wine.

Favorite tracks: Blind Aim, Reach Out, Anja Motherless

Actress - Karma & Desire (Ninja Tune)

Released on October 23rd, 2020 - support on Bandcamp here

After a long-awaited year since its initial announcement and strong yet teasing prequel released back in July, British producer Actress is back on our radar with his seventh studio album, this time fusing his recent experimentation in ambient music with his past club roots. The byproduct is an album unafraid to get as emotional as it is groovy - full of warm-bodied soundscapes yet always follows up with a rhythmic track that is ready to (eventually) attack the dancefloor. The sonic diversity of this record is merely one of the many qualities of his acclaimed work over the last decade and beyond.

Favorite tracks: XRAY, Loose, Diamond X

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We hope you enjoy our selection of new music to discover; a typed list is provided below for archiving purposes as the Spotify playlist is updated each month to showcase new releases.

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SATELLITE SELECTS - OCTOBER 2020: TRACK LIST (ARTIST - TRACK NAME)

1. Curios - Lantuk

2. Lloyd Stellar - The Ordeal

3. Rian Treanor - Hypnic Jerks

4. Addison Groove - Brand New Drop (Thys Remix)

5. Gyrofield - The True

6. Loraine James - The Starting Point

7. Surgeon - Crater 101

8. DJ Plead - Going for It

9. THUGWIDOW - Order of the Crew

10. Euglossine - Brains In The Vat

11. Morphology - Triangulum

12. Tom Hall - 1542

13. Former & Posij - Missle

14. TMSV - Ritalin Jam

15. Malsum - Artificial Evolution

16. Machinedrum & Jesse Boykins III - Wait 4 U

17. Mary Lattimore - Til A Mermaid Drags You Under

18. Numinos - San 3am

19. Seskamol - Summit

20. Zenkers Brothers - Sphere Force

21. Border One - Split

22. Historical Repeater - Paranoia

23. Huerta - Explorateur

24. Hyph11e - Shatter

25. Ivy Lab - Baywatch 480p

26. Autechre - Metaz form8

27. Tim Arndt & Near The Parenthesis - Second

28. Audeka - Batu

29. Luke Sanger - Through the Muddied Glass

30. Rumpistol - Last Venture At The Edge Of The World

31. Arigto & Nicolas Savva - Prancing on the Edge of the Abyss

32. Actress & Christel Well - Loose

33. John Frusciante - Blind Aim

34. Coco Bryce - Blacklist

35. Mikal - Subterrestrial

36. Was A Be - The Walk

37. LCY - Milan

38. Eliphino - Eddy

39. Delay Grounds - Stompy

40. Air Max '97 - Triple Pendulum

41. Ternion Sound - The 14th

42. Commodo - Crooked Law

43. Sorrow - Mourner VIP

44. Mad Zach & Yunis - Ballerina Mechanique

45. Little Snake & Amon Tobin - Loophole

46. Nkisi - La Parole

47. Autechre - X4

48. DJ Ride & Subp Yao - Gotta Act

49. TOBACCO - Mythemim

50. Oneohtrix Point Never - No Nightmares