3XL brings the surroundings to the fore

By Christian Eede · March 15, 2023

Sprung out of Berlin by an enigmatic US producer and DJ who goes by the mononym Shy (and has appeared beneath the moniker Particular Visitor DJ, uon and Caveman LSD), label 3XL is on the forefront of a wave of ambient music that enjoys its absolute strangeness. Eschewing the background-pleasing listening tag that has been utilized to the style over time, music launched on 3XLas in addition to the now-defunct sub-labels Experiences Ltd. and xpq?has a sure sort of eccentricity that makes you sit up and take discover.

The 3XL universe first got here to life in 2016 when Shy recruited many associates to contribute music to a compilation titled bliss, launched by way of an organization of the identical identify. It stays that the fingerprints solely document thus far. Three years later, Shy linked up with Canadian DJ and producer D. Tiffany to create xpq?? between 2019 and 2021, this label launched six data that includes breakfield, jungle, ambient and lo-fi home. In the meantime, one other imprintExperiences Ltd. launched in 2019, earlier than all these numerous strands lastly folded collectively to kind 3XL in 2021. 3XL’s first official launch was a five-track fuzzed-out sub-bass IDM credited to xphresh , a joint mission created by Shy and Brooklyn-based artist Ben Bondy, one other key determine within the 3XL world.

Collaboration is essential for 3XL and its sub-labels. Take a cursory have a look at their respective discographies and you will find some names showing on a lot of releases. the blessed kitty whose solely document thus far, no ice might be discovered, launched in 2020 is a trio consisting of the aforementioned Bondy with Philadelphia artists Ulla Straus and Pontiac Streator. LOG is Strauss and the prolific Berlin primarily based musician. hoodie is part nu steel, half atmospheric duo consisting of Shy and fellow Berlin-based producer Exael. Important Amnesia brings collectively Shy, exael and perila, in addition to like-minded producers Huerco S., OL and vtgnike.

Such is the prolific nature of the artists related to 3XL that it’s usually troublesome to maintain observe of all their respective solo and collective work. Lots of them can usually be discovered self-released tasks by way of their very own Bandcamp pages. They will also be discovered showing on a lot of different affiliated labels, a lot of them primarily based within the US. who take pleasure in comparable bizarre atmospheric and experimental sounds.

Bondy, Shy, exael, Pontiac Streator and Straus launched work by way of Huerco label Ss West Mineral Ltd., with the latter 4 combining with face melting in 2020 for the noise album virtualdemonlaxative. Elsewhere, Bondy and Perila have appeared on Chicagos Lillerne tapes. Shy (as uon), Perila, exael, OL, Pontiac Streator and Ulla Straus have all achieved respective solo tasks by way of LA-based Imprint Movement Ward. NYCs Quiet Time Tapes has supplied a house for data from Bondy, Huerco S. and Straus. and Shy (as Particular Visitor DJ) and Bondy have contributed cuts to compilations launched by Berlin-based INDEX:Information.

There’s loads of nice music to find by pulling in any of the assorted strands related to these artists and labels, but when all of it appears a bit overwhelming at first, we have chosen just a few highlights beneath from the actual nook inhabited by 3XL, xpq? , and Experiences Ltd.

numerous Artists
bliss

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The bliss The gathering predates the founding of 3XL, Experiences Ltd. and xpq? fully. Initially launched in restricted launch in 2016 through a short-lived imprint additionally known as bblisss, it options early productions from Particular Visitor DJ (working right here as DJ Paradise), exael (beneath the moniker Naemi) and Ulla Straus (as Ulla Anona), whereas Huerco S. additionally makes an look beneath the alias of Pendant. The seven-track compilations supply a clear introduction to the scene that artists related to the broader world of 3XL have created since its launch bliss, combining the swampy motifs of the Des Vieux Temples pendants. glittering bells and pounding on Ulla Anonas Moon. and foggy, lo-fi drones on two DJ Paradises contributions, Ssumo and Mbizi (R).

Ghostride The Drift
Ghostride The Drift

That is the primary of six data launched through xpq?, a gathering of minds between Particular Visitor DJ, exael and Huerco S. Its underwhelming, electro-acoustic sound and shuffling beats recall the oddball dub techno of acts similar to Primary Channel, Monolake, and particularly as a member of Monolake, Torsten Prfrock, aka T++. Shoegaze, dub and illbient influences run proper by way of the EP’s 5 cavernous, untitled cuts, taking you on a journey that can make you escape between the tumultuous, smeary textures of the opener and the murky, round breaks which kind the premise for the closest .

Ulla
Falling in the direction of a wall

Ulla Straus is amongst 3XL’s most prolific associates, including to her many solo releases work on collaborative tasks similar to blessed kitty (with Bondy and Pontiac Streator), virtualdemonlaxative (with Particular Visitor DJ, exael and Pontiac Streator) and the Sofa (with Particular Visitor DJ), amongst others. Falling in the direction of a wall marked Ullas’ solo debut for Experiences Ltd. and incorporates a few of her most enjoyable work thus far. Usually revolving round hypnotic, serene melodies and numerous clicks and pops, album highlights similar to New Poem, Soaking and I Assume My Tears Are Carried out supply a young entry level to Strauss within the setting.

Important amnesia
Important amnesia

Important Amnesia builds on the trio that made up Ghostride The Drift, including OL, perila and vtgnike to the fold. Launched through xpq?, this self-titled document presents six tracks that mix jungle, IDM and ambient. NS0S opens the EP with a procession of distorted jungle breaks which are usually disrupted and tossed by way of the ruins of varied malfunctioning sound results. Different cuts like 0DSN and 0SNS.B largely take away the breaks, revealing a deep, swampy mass of steel cues and chest-rattling bass. Along with his absolute refusal to bow to traditional rhythmic patterns, Important amnesia is among the most complicated and chaotic data within the 3XL world.

LOG
LOG ET3RNAL

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LOG is a collaborative mission dreamed up by Strauss and Perilla. Their solely launch with the identify thus far, LOG ET3RNAL It combines glossy, serene electronics and occasional piano prospers with cut-out ASMR-style samples that sound just like the sound of a defective Skype connection. It is positively one thing to take a seat down with and hearken to forwards and backwards, however the mournful piano melodies of LOG 5 and LOG 9, and the subtly sinister ambiance discovered inside LOG 8, are among the many data’ highlights. For extra from the pair, try the trio of releases launched by way of the Portuguese label’s silence field.

my dad
Let me put myself collectively

Mu tate is Latvian-born, London-based producer Artur Strekalov, who has been releasing a gradual stream of music since 2019 through his private Bandcamp web page. Let me put myself collectively is his solely entry thus far in 3XL’s historical past and was launched in early 2021 through Experiences Ltd. The disc’s eight tracks recall the deepest of deep, dub experiments of the ’90s releases by Vainquer and Hallucinator for the Chain Response label. Opening lower Outer stirs up wealthy synths and an abysmal, stuttering bassline that serves as a direct entry into the Strekalovs’ sonic world, whereas tracks like Impulse and All 3 introduce steel drums and 44 beats into the framework.

hoodie
tomb raider / occasion horizon

tomb raider / occasion horizon is among the ultimate releases to come back from the Experiences Ltd sub-label. Tomb Raider attracts closely on the edgy nu steel sound of the early 00’s, its huge drums, fuzzy guitars and unintelligible vocals paying homage to the a lot abused sound. Occasion horizon, in the meantime, is a darkish drone-based atmospheric observe, a maelstrom of distant guitar voices and deathly noise. This bus is undoubtedly 3XL at its scariest.

criminals
very darkish previous

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The primary of three variations which have already emerged from 3XL in 2023Windowsseekers calm fluttering takes over my coronary heart and Bondys non secular need have adopted the very darkish previous is the primary full size providing from the crimeboys, the Pontiac Streator duo and Particular Visitor DJ. Channeling the outer vibe of ’90s CDR-only releases from labels like Fax +49-69/450464, crimeboys weave warped samples, distortion and all method of different results by way of jungle breaks and trip-hop drums on eight items. Dialing the psychedelia as much as 11, laid-back cuts like trippin and deja entendu (dub) spin round loops you can fortunately get misplaced in for hours, whereas intercourse and medicines and significantly haunting tattoos recall the grim power of storage in the UK of early Burial.