TROVE 003 | Angus Mills

As a kid, Angus Mills started rubbing a bow on the strings of a violin. As time went by, along with a move to London, he soon became enthralled by the electronic genre after hitting many gigs and club nights across the UK capital.

For all the local club heads, you may well remember him as James i.V, having released music via Melbourne labels Soothsayer and Local Traffic.

It was a radio show back in 2017 when FBI stalwart Simon Caldwell commented on James i.V moniker being “not confusing at all” that Angus decided to drop the name and live his truth as Angus Mills.

Since then, he’s had superbly close ties with Sydney imprint Moonshoe run by Jackson Fester (AKA Cousin). Funnily enough, Jackson and Angus’s partner Claudia were pals well before the two lads connected over music.

Just days ago, Angus released a delectably atmospheric EP “Alva” through Moonshoe. Do yourselves a favour HERE.

Seeing as “Alva” blew us away we had to ask the producer what tracks made by his peers have resonated with him recently.

This is TROVE 003.

1. Khan | “Super 8.3”

I came across this compilation of some of Khan’s music titled ‘Passport’ a few years ago in Papa Disquo, a great little record store on Enmore Road operated by the ever-charismatic Gonz. I was already fascinated with some of the Khan, Walker, and Air Liquid productions on labels like Harvest and DJ.Ungle Fever. This compilation is fairly eclectic but has a handful of excellent productions from his works as Khan, Global Electronic Network and 4E. Some of the post-punk/experimental tracks are a bit intense but otherwise an awesome record.

2. XCor | “Adelaar”

This is a more recent discovery from the XCor or Exquisite Corpse album titled Evolution. I came across Bandcamp a few months ago and then recently Transmigration has done an awesome reissue of some of the tracks on here including Adelaar. Kind of reminds me of some of the Shackleton, African Headcharge, T++ releases, really haunted, pitched down & warbled psychedelic electronic music.

3. Isor29 | “Doll House City”

I was drawn to this release because of Tomas Station’s involvement in the Iriie Nation release, 5.1398° N, 3.3238° W and this Isor29 record has not disappointed. One of few contemporary full-length electronic releases which I’ve listened to comfortably as a whole album. Some of the other standouts include Spirals, Genesis and Raga Soledad.

4. Neil Ardley | “The Dong with the Luminous Nose”

Heard this one on a Mark Pritchard NTS mix a few years ago and haven’t stopped listening since. I’m determined to learn all the words at some point in case we have children so I can recite it to them, I actually put it on a sleeping playlist for my little nephew. Just so magical and captivating, maybe because of my Scottish ancestry.

5. Solar Quest | “Save The Whale”

I was put onto Solar Quest from an Alex Albrecht mix for Worldwide FM which I’ve played far too many times. He played the track ‘The Bell of Atlantis’ which is also remarkable. Would highly recommend the entire album, just a stunning piece of ambient/electronic music from 1994.