July: 6 bass & club releases you need to hear this month

Umfang 'Symbolic Use Of Light' (Technicolour)

Ninja Tune’s sublabel Technicolour has been putting out some fire recently, with some of its notable releases including Chicago house artist Hieroglyphic Being’s strong album ‘The Disco’s Of Imhotep’ and Mixmag favourite Peggy Gou’s ‘Seek For Maktoop’ EP. Up next on its roster is Discwoman co-founder Umfang. With previous releases on labels such as 1080p and Allergy Season, the New York-via-Kansas producer’s brand of minimal, ambient techno has been seeping into clubs from Berlin to Boston.

‘Symbolic Use Of Light’ is a truly special record, and one that moves across moods and themes with a swiftness that feels natural. Album opener ‘Full 1’ is oriented around a synth motif that’s just a little bit fuzzy, almost space-like, in the vein of Suzanne Ciani. Three songs later, ‘Where Is She’ is an exercise in restraint, with the kind of pumping kicks that keep you on your feet in a warehouse at 6am. Umfang’s work makes masterful use of space (fitting, as the name is German for “circumference”) and weight; although she’s said the record wasn’t made with an album in mind, each song and each movement is completely realised in its fullness or lack thereof.

9/10