1.25.19 by Ryan Masteller

By now we know Tingo Tongo Tapes as the upstarts, the disruptors, the game-changers in this underground world of outsider music. Mike even took some heavy stock in them at one point. But TTT is nothing if not a fun bunch, and you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get with any one of their releases. That’s the exciting part – what’s gonna happen next? What fringe act are they gonna rip to tape before said fringe act disappears back into the ether? Are they gonna print the cover art upside down on the jcard? Are they gonna get the track order right?

The answers to all four questions are, we’ll find out here, JRM, yes, no. TTT today stands for Tingo Tongo techno, as shadow act JRM deals in propulsive longform microhouse on “Clock,” a charming full-length release and one of my favorites that the label has released. Over the course of an hour, the shady shaman serves up what SHOULD be a batch of electronic standards, dark club classics that pulse through PAs and seep into your bones, causing you to wiggle and jiggle, but in like a blacklit, robotic, German way. I don’t know what that means either, but I do know it’s a lot of fun. And I’m the kind of person who goes to bed at 10 p.m. and STAYS THE HELL AWAY FROM ANY CLUBS.

Kids these days.

You can buy JRM’s “Clock” from Tingo Tongo Tapes, but only by emailing them! Have at it: tingotongotapes at gmail dot com. I don’t know how many they’ve got left, it’s all a friggin’ mystery.