Ulysses has been an essential part of the New York scene since the late 90s. He's thrown parties with legends such as Alexander Robotnick and Arthur Baker, as well as stars like I-f, Adult, and Miss Kittin and the Hacker. His productions have spanned techno and house to experimental and disco, and always pack an exciting musical surprise. The labels he's released music on are as varied as his productions. Over the years Ulysses has found himself on Guidance Recordings, Bear Funk, Throne Of Blood and his own Scatalogics Records amongst others. It's fitting that his latest is on The Bunker New York, the label started by the New York party of the same name. The label combed through years worth of unreleased material in Ulysses' basement studio for The Casual Mystic. The three productions are tied together by their dark sensibility, an undercurrent of uncertainty gives them on ominous feeling. But the similarities end there. "Throne Of Bubbles" appears as the peak between the droning valleys of "The Casual Mystic" and "Nanook." It's an energetically morphing track that refuses to let up. Quality material, not for the uninitiated.

• music label: The Bunker New York 2014

reviewed by Joey Coco 06/2014