Genres
Almost a decade after the first Batu single, Bristolian producer and DJ turns to his own label Timedance for his first full length release. Born in 2020, Opal is the result of reflection in a time of upheaval and uncertainty. Traces of Batu’s past work can be found in sonic fossils across the record, carved and weathered until they reveal completely new forms. Like many jewels, opal is formed by pressure. Groundwater carrying silica forces its way through fissures in rocks, compacted by layers of sediment, and eventually solidifying into dazzling displays of mineral fire. It’s no wonder that Batu’s prismatic debut album takes the same name.
Scraping metal moves with instinctual force, opening portals to the past in ‘Former World’. It’s an intricate and intimate introduction to an album that relies heavily on sound design. Sounds are amorphous chunks of hewn rock, split open to reveal iridescent cores. They exist in the dark yet familiar world that Batu has created, full of dripping crystal stalactites, and the shifting of gravel as creatures pound the earth.
‘Convergence’ explores the negative space of these labyrinthine audio crevasses, where streams of consciousness merge as the track’s corrugated rhythms collapse on themselves. A thrillride of musical non sequiturs, ‘Atavism’ reveals many of the album’s themes. Vocals tap into primal energies, and synths have intensely natural conviction under Batu’s molecular level of detail. The thunk and twang of wooden arrows on ‘Solace’ meet serpentwithfeet’s melismatic delivery, and surging synths on ‘Squall’ shake the earth with tremendous might.
Opal is an aural excavation of electronic music, a celebration of the Earth’s geological heartbeat, and Batu performs his sonic metallurgy with breathtaking execution.
Batu
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- Artist
- Batu
- ReleaseProduct
- I Own Your Energy
- Label
- Timedance
- Catalogue Number
- TIMEDANCE025
- Release Date
- November 12, 2021
- EP
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- Artist
- Batu
- ReleaseProduct
- False Reeds
- Label
- Timedance
- Catalogue Number
- TIMEDANCE017
- Release Date
- May 17, 2019
- Download
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- Artist
- Batu
- ReleaseProduct
- Rebuilt
- Label
- XL Recordings
- Catalogue Number
- XL922DS
- Release Date
- June 1, 2018
- EP
- Download
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- Artist
- Batu
- ReleaseProduct
- Marius
- Label
- Hessle Audio
- Catalogue Number
- HES030
- Release Date
- June 23, 2017
- EP
- Download
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- Artist
- Batu
- ReleaseProduct
- Bleeper Feed / April These
- Label
- Livity Sound Recordings
- Catalogue Number
- 299YTIVIL
- Release Date
- January 29, 2016
- Download
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- Artist
- Batu
- ReleaseProduct
- Dekalb / Collate
- Label
- Mistry
- Catalogue Number
- MSTRY005
- Release Date
- September 18, 2015
- 12”
- Download
Timedance
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- Artist
- Air Max '97
- ReleaseProduct
- Psyllium / Eat The Rich
- Label
- Timedance
- Catalogue Number
- TIMEDANCE024
- Release Date
- September 17, 2021
- EP
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- Artist
- Various Artists
- ReleaseProduct
- Sharpen, Moving
- Label
- Timedance
- Catalogue Number
- LP002
- Release Date
- November 27, 2020
- LP
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- Artist
- Metrist
- ReleaseProduct
- Pollen, Pt. II
- Label
- Timedance
- Catalogue Number
- TIMEDANCE021
- Release Date
- June 5, 2020
- EP
-
- Artist
- Lurka
- ReleaseProduct
- Rhythm Hi-Tek
- Label
- Timedance
- Catalogue Number
- TIMEDANCE020
- Release Date
- May 8, 2020
- EP
-
- Artist
- Air Max '97
- ReleaseProduct
- Ice Bridge
- Label
- Timedance
- Catalogue Number
- TIMEDANCE019
- Release Date
- September 27, 2019
- 12”
- Download
-
- Artist
- Metrist
- ReleaseProduct
- Pollen Pt. I
- Label
- Timedance
- Catalogue Number
- TIMEDANCE018
- Release Date
- June 21, 2019
- Download
-
- Artist
- Laksa
- ReleaseProduct
- The Amala Trick
- Label
- Timedance
- Catalogue Number
- TIMEDANCE016
- Release Date
- November 23, 2018
- 12”
- Download
-
- Artist
- Lurka
- ReleaseProduct
- Heat Mover / Battery
- Label
- Timedance
- Catalogue Number
- TIMEDANCE015
- Release Date
- September 21, 2018
- 12”
- Download
Experimental House and Techno
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Pre-order
- Artist
- Various Artists
- ReleaseProduct
- Bleeps, Breaks + Bass
- Label
- Musique Pour La Danse
- Catalogue Number
- MPD041
- Release Date
- April 7, 2023
- LP
- CD
-
- Artist
- Beau Wanzer / Hieroglyphic Being
- ReleaseProduct
- 4 Dysfunctional Psychotic Release & Sonic Reprogramming Purposes Only
- Label
- Natural Sciences
- Catalogue Number
- NATURAL060
- Release Date
- December 9, 2022
- 12”
-
- Artist
- Son Zept
- ReleaseProduct
- New Ireland Chrome EP
- Label
- Analogical Force
- Catalogue Number
- AF047
- Release Date
- March 10, 2023
- EP
-
- Artist
- Kassem Mosse
- ReleaseProduct
- Workshop 32
- Label
- Workshop
- Catalogue Number
- Workshop32
- Release Date
- February 10, 2023
- LP
- Download
-
- Artist
- Tzusing
- ReleaseProduct
- 孝忍狠 (Filial Endure Ruthless)
- Label
- PAN
- Catalogue Number
- PAN123S
- Release Date
- February 2, 2023
- Download
-
- Artist
- 99LETTERS
- ReleaseProduct
- Makasfushigi DJ Edits
- Label
- Disciples
- Catalogue Number
- DISC18.5DLEP
- Release Date
- January 2, 2023
- Download
-
- Artist
- Cio D'or
- ReleaseProduct
- Polar Q
- Label
- Kynant Records
- Catalogue Number
- KYN019
- Release Date
- September 16, 2022
- EP
- Download
Limited Editions
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Pre-order
- Artist
- Laurent Garnier
- ReleaseProduct
- 33 Tours Et Puis S'en Vont
- Label
- COD3 QR
- Catalogue Number
- Cod3QR33TEPSVBox
- Release Date
- May 26, 2023
- Box Set
-
Pre-order
- Artist
- Various Artists
- ReleaseProduct
- Soul Jazz Records Presents YO! BOOMBOX - Early Independent Hip Hop, Electro And Disco Rap 1979-83
- Label
- Soul Jazz Records
- Catalogue Number
- SJRD530
- Release Date
- May 19, 2023
- LP
- CD
-
Pre-order
- Artist
- Jordan Stanley
- ReleaseProduct
- A Cry for the Moon
- Label
- Bytes
- Catalogue Number
- BYTES22
- Release Date
- April 28, 2023
- Cassette
- Download
-
Pre-order
- Artist
- Georgia
- ReleaseProduct
- Euphoric
- Label
- Domino Recording Co
- Catalogue Number
- WIGLP479
- Release Date
- July 28, 2023
- LP (special)
- CD
- Cassette
-
Pre-order
- Artist
- Jungle
- ReleaseProduct
- Volcano
- Label
- AWAL Recordings Ltd / Caiola Records
- Catalogue Number
- CAI002
- Release Date
- August 11, 2023
- LP (special)
- CD
- Pre-order