Soma Coma 5 Various Compilation

Various Soma Coma 5

Glasgow based Soma records are celebrating their 20Th birthday this year, to mark this occasion they are releasing their 5Th Soma Coma compilation.
Soma maybe best known for their techno and house music releases from the likes of Slam, Funk de void and many many more but the label is certainly no stranger to other forms of electronic music, most recently they have ventured into the full on ambient album territory with the ambient classic "Music For Real Airports" by The Black Dog.

So the fifth in the Soma Coma series yet again displays a rather eclectic range of electronic music with some previously released tracks and some new artists to the Soma roster..

Some of the highlights are, the albums opener "Later Vexations" by The Black Dog, the track effortlessly combines beautiful shifting pads and electronic bleeps with distant melodic flourishes and then a deep bassline and a minimal downtempo groove appear, keeping this haunting track evolving with a graceful momentum.

Recent newcomer Joe Starwarz delivers an emotive string soaked epic "Cry" which rides along a deep dub tech structure and subtle jazz breaks. Hatikvah moves us with his thought provoking electric piano composition on "Daedalus". From Decimal we have the dreamy uplifting and infectiously melodic "The Lesson of Hope" which takes me back to the days of labels like "Recycle or Die".

Another new comer to the label, Vakama AKA Conor Dalton, debuts his mesmerising "Yemaya", its a deep grinding dub tech epic set adrift with a Steve Hillage style solo guitar jam which kinda makes you think this is what the Orb and David Gilmore's recent collaboration should have sounded like.

Gene Farris serves up "Smoke Session Pause" which is a Delicious downtempo funk jam, that wouldn't sound out of place on a Nightmares On Wax album. Harvey Mckay's "Life" returns us to the more emotive side of the album, a rather short but delicate and haunting track.

Counter Plan treats us with a melodic yet deeply soulful slab of electro minimalism that is "The Morning After" and in a similar vein "Sleazy Listening" by Chaser is an excellent shimmering electro jazz jam with a deep funk vibe. Universal Principles keeps thing's in the funk arena with "Dons Different Ducks" Smokey Keys, throbbing bass and a tastefully modulated synth line sit nicely on top of some classic breaks all designed to keep your head nodding blissfully.

The album finishes with the rather quirky minimal hip hopper "The Strip" which has a synth melody that reminds me of Lalo Schiffrins "Enter The Dragon".

So a truly solid collection of downtempo cuts from Scotland finest electronica label which will suit any mood and one that certainly displays Soma's dedication to quality music, here's to another twenty years!!!

The Album will be released on CD and digital 23rd May