Various Artists - Tessellations

Facts In February 2016 the Houndstooth label celebrated its third anniversary, an occasion marked by the label's 50th release, Tessellations. A compilation of brand-new, exclusive tracks from each of the 14 artists to have released on the label, the album serves to simultaneously trace common threads and highlight tensions within such a stylistically extensive roster. Tessellations charts a path from Guy Andrews and Aïsha Devi's widescreen soundscapes and the offbeat electronic pop of 18+ and Snow Ghosts through the analog 4/4 pulse of Marquis Hawkes and Shift Work to Akkord and Special Request's visceral reimagining of hardcore. Tracks from Call Super, Throwing Snow, and Second Storey occupy those hard-to-define -- yet often most exciting -- spaces in between, gluing together the selection along with contributions from House of Black Lanterns, Soft as Snow, and _Unsubscribe_. Mastered by Matt Colton, MPG Mastering Engineer of the Year 2013.