premiere: Andrus – Flush-Flushing (Nektar Agu Remix) [Selekt Sounds]

feeder sound exclusive premiere: Andrus – Flush-Flushing (Nektar Agu Remix) [Selekt Sounds]

The 4th release coming from the Brooklyn-based record label Selekt Sounds presents two mesmerizing NYC-influenced cuts signed by Andrus alongside TIJN adding some techy flavours with his remix and Nektar Agu taking us on a dreamy psychedelic journey. Titled “Junkbox EP”, the material delivers a solid dose of swanky stripped-back grooves, adding even more magic to the imprint’s expanding catalogue which so far featured artists like Easterle Paolini, Herck, Vermeil, Modebaku, Firesc, Ali Demir, Hendriks Toth and label founder Rupert Wall, among others.

Josh Andrus or simply Andrus is an artist, designer and researcher based in Brooklyn, New York. Despite having a classical training background, he was heavily influenced by the music of the 90s/00s Midwestern rave scene and emerging music festivals like Bonnaroo. This, combined with the availability of Napster and LimeWire, led him to play in various bands covering genres such as math and psychedelic rock, jazz fusion, reggae and even a short-lived live drum & bass duo. Nowadays, he mainly focuses on producing house, techno and minimal music, incorporating elements from his diverse musical range into his compositions.

“I wrote both tracks simultaneously in the spring of 2022. I was digging through an old hard drive and found some live drum & upright bass samples. I tossed a bunch of them in the Digitakt and that was it really – the tracks came together relatively quickly. This was right after Elektron released the slicing and time-stretching firmware update. The melodic stuff was mostly written on the Syntakt and a bit on the Digitone and they were all run through the Zulu tape machine and a shitty DBX compressor. IMO, both tracks are kind of an homage to the power of the Elektron boxes and me trying to not get carried away with the endless possibilities of sound design.”

Andrus

The exclusive premiere we present today reveals Nektar Agu‘s remix of “Flush-Flushing”, a toned-down version of the original track powered by inspiring arrangements. The thump of the drumming patterns is cut, the pads and textures are brought into focus, the atmosphere receives more space and whispering vocal samples can be heard here and there, creating an immersive sound.

Argentinian artist Nektar Agu is well-known for his elegant blend of minimal techno, microhouse, IDM and breaks, all carefully balanced by organic atmospheres or dissonant pads, hypnotic textures and carefully calculated percussion layers. Since his debut in 2008, he collaborated with a lot of people from the underground electronic music scene worldwide, having numerous performances and releases under his belt. Among the labels he dropped his productions we find Eli.sound, WAPM Records, Memoria Recordings, Osmosis Audio, Fake Records, Re.Face Limited, Na Zrak Records, Sleep is Commercial and Tied, among others.

Here’s what Andrus has to say about the original version: “This was the first of the two tracks that I wrote and mostly the style that I naturally write in. I was really diving into chopping up those jazz drums on the Digitakt. The brushed snares spoke to me and I was listening to a lot of Jethro Tull at the time, so having the flute melody and the ride cymbal just made sense. It’s a chill-type vibe with the melodic chords that carry the mid-range (pretty unassumingly) until it starts playing off the flute leading into that half-time energy shift in the middle of the track. That’s the idea behind it and where I think the magic is. The drums are like a snappy march moving you along and the melody is smooth & wobbly taking the harsh edge off.”

The title track “Junkbox” and TIJN‘s reinterpretation are equally engaging, offering two distinctive grooves influenced by microhouse and tech house that can easily be mixed at key moments at any party, as both are well-fitted for the dancefloor and drop a solid swing.

More insight about the process of creation comes from Andrus: “I wanted to write an upbeat party track with jazzy bass and chopped-up live drum breaks – keeping it a bit moody, but still having a positive vibe with the overall resolve of the track. Junkbox was my ideal outcome from selectively choosing only a few key elements that when combined, make a complex and jazzy, multi-genre influence house track. Coming from a live music background, I like to jam and improvise long takes and this track is definitely a byproduct of that. The supporting rhythm of chords and stabs was basically how I’d write something for a guitar part. I improvised a bunch to get the lead variations where I wanted them. It’s easy to get carried away and sound more chaotic and raw like a Phish song or structural and polished melodic techno track, but I’m practising stripping back as much as possible while still sonically and musically challenging myself and not over-engineer the production quality of the recording.”

Pre-order your copy of Junkbox EP from Bandcamp.

Andrus on soundcloud / instagram / bandcamp
Nektar Agu on soundcloud / facebook / instagram / bandcamp
Selekt Sounds on soundcloud / facebook / instagram / bandcamp
Title/Cat.No.: Junkbox EP / SLS004
Release Date/Format: 07.12.2023 / Digital

Words by: AndreiB

About feeder sound

feeder sound is a showcase of local and international talent alike, comprised of DJ sets and fresh tunes meticulously curated in a sound collection that promotes mutual recognition and cultural exchange between musicians worldwide. Visit the project’s page feeder sound, EP reviews and exclusive premiere to find out more about past, current and future activities.