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THUMP Abuja

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The Techno and House Underground Music Project - a community for all lovers of electronic music, in Abuja and Nigeria as a whole.

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Joe Armon-Jones & Maxwell Owin – Idiom (2017)

Hello everyone! This one is for the jazz lovers here and a recent discovery of mine as I continue to dig further into the lighter and more improvisational side of electronic music. Idiom is a light-hearted, jazzy, breaky, little thing that somehow stays completely digestible from start to finish. It pulls from broken-beat, 2-step, dub, and jazz without ever feeling cluttered or trying too hard; and then in some tracks it finally gives you moments of the comfortable 4 by 4 beats. Truly, a lovely listen._

Yours musically,
Aldeen

Link: https://yamrecords.bandcamp.com/album/idiom

P.S. – Personal favorites: "Idiom", "Midnite Oil (Sparkzzz)"
P.P.S - If you like what you are hearing here, come join us for sunset at Moeshen cafe this Saturday, you might just hear me play something from this album. ;) by @thump_abuja

For the next music suggestion, it feels right to go with something a little more political. We are living in turbulent times, surrounded by information that so often clouds the truth. In moments like these we look to artists, whose role has always been to shine a light; to speak truth without softening it into something more digestible. Music and art are, and always will be, political by nature… because speaking one’s truth is among the most political things a person can do. This album, released earlier this year by Darkside, has its finger on the pulse of a collective emotion. It is less about politics directly, and more about the weight of existing in a world overloaded with distorted information.

*Darkside – Nothing (2025)*

The Artist:
Darkside began as the collaboration between Nicolas Jaar and Dave Harrington, and more recently welcomed drummer Tlacael Esparza. Their music is slow-building and impactful, bridging experimental electronic textures with the warmth of guitar and now the grounding of live drums. This dialogue between digital and physical is what makes Darkside’s sound so distinctive. With Esparza in the group, the music breathes in new ways; the rhythms feel embodied, and the use of negative space has become more deliberate, reminiscent of the best psychedelic traditions in music.

The Record:
To borrow the words of Pitchfork’s review: “Darkside’s rich and arresting third album evokes the split second between turning off the alarm on your phone and clocking the gruesome news alerts that popped up overnight.” Nothing feels less like a collection of songs and more like an atmosphere, crafted to evoke emotion beyond what words can capture. It recalls the spirit of the great rock and roll albums of the 70s and 80s: built with purpose, meant to linger, and unafraid to lean into discomfort. It rewards listeners who sit with its more challenging moments and allow themselves to be carried by it.

Best listened to with headphones; let the details surface slowly, in their own time.

Yours musically,
Aldeen ( @sygerian ) by @thump_abuja

For the next one, we are slowing things down with another masterclass of an album. Thora Vukk is one of those albums that feels like it was made with intention and care in every single detail; minimalist and yet warm and melodic at the same time. I always go to this album on the mornings after a long party, as the sun rises and I just want to wind down to a beautiful soundtrack. It is also a great accompaniment for working, jogging, and most other introspective activities. <3

*Robag Wruhme – Thora Vukk (2011)*

The Artist:
Robag Wruhme, born Gabor Schablitzki, is a German producer and DJ known for operating on the softer, more melodic edges of techno and house. He first gained attention through releases in the late 90s and 2000s under his aliases DJ Robag, Die Dub Rolle, Machist but mainly as part of the duo Wighnomy Brothers, known for their quirky, break-heavy sets. Over the years, Robag has developed a sound that is as precise as it is soulful. His productions often feel handcrafted; full of tiny, expressive sounds, melodies, and textures that speak volumes without being overstated.

The Record:
Thora Vukk is a rare thing: a minimalist techno album that manages to be texturally, emotionally, and melodically rich. Across the record, Robag blends organic field recordings with subtle melodies, live piano, and rhythmic synth pulses. The result is deeply immersive. It is music that can really register on a deep level. There are moments of quiet joy, soft melancholy, and a sense of space that feels almost architectural but still soulful.
It is also one of those records that rewards full listens; each track flows into the next, with some interludes in between, creating something more than the sum of its parts.

Best listened to during sunrise, sunset, on long walks, or while watching the world pass by through a window.

Yours musically,
Aldeen ( @sygerian )

P.S. Personal favorites: “Pnom Gobal”, “Tulpa Ovi”, "Ende" by @thump_abuja

Up next, we are tuning into the lush, dubby world of Thievery Corporation; a duo that has consistently released original music and provided spaces for it to flourish without pressure. The Richest Man in Babylon is one of their most beloved and complete works: warm, deeply textured, and unafraid to speak truth. It feels so organic, you might question whether this is a band or an electronic music producer behind the computer. I hope you enjoy it!

Thievery Corporation – The Richest Man in Babylon (2002)

The Artists:
Thievery Corporation is the Washington D.C. based duo of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton. Since the late 1990s, they have fused Downtempo, Dub, Trip-Hop, Bossa Nova, Reggae, and Middle Eastern classical music into a sound that is unmistakably theirs. But beyond the grooves and atmosphere, their music has always carried a message—often addressing themes of war, inequality, and injustice with a calm but focused intensity.
Their catalog is layered, multilingual, and globally minded; every release sounds like a carefully curated mixtape.

The Record:
The Richest Man in Babylon is an ideal entry point into their universe. The production is rich and immersive, while the lyrics explore themes of greed, power, and corruption.
It is protest music disguised as lounge music: political reflection wrapped in warm basslines, dusty beats, silky vocals, and melodies that drift like incense. Guest vocalists sing and speak in multiple languages, giving the album a sense of movement across arbitrary borders.

Yours musically,
Aldeen ( @sygerian )

P.S. Personal favorites: “Facing East”; “The Richest Man in Babylon”; “All That We Perceive” by @thump_abuja

For this drop, we’re diving into one of the most emotionally affecting records to come out of the deep house world; a record that I keep coming back to, again and again. This album was originally intended for the dancefloor, but shifted direction entirely after the passing of Francis Harris’s father; what emerged instead is a deeply personal, meditative record that sits somewhere between ambient and deep house. It is a soft expression of grief, sorrowful, but soothingly so.

Francis Harris – Leland (2012)

The Artist:
By the time Leland was released in 2012, Francis Harris was already a fixture in the scene with over a decade of touring as a DJ and dozens of releases (many under his more club-oriented alias, Adultnapper). But this album marked a shift toward something more vulnerable and brooding.
To give space for that shift, he founded Scissor & Thread, a label dedicated to slower, warmer, more emotional expressions of electronic music. It became the perfect home for Leland and the equally powerful records that followed.

The Record:
Leland is built around delicate instrumentation, textured atmospheres, minimal broken rhythms, and haunting vocals. You’ll hear tape hiss, fragile keys, and live contributions from some incredible collaborators: Greg Paulus on trumpet, Emil Abramyan on cello, and Gry Bagøien on vocals.
Together, they create a space that feels suspended in time. There’s grief in this music, but it’s never heavy-handed; it floats, it lingers, it listens back. It’s not a dance record. It’s a quiet reckoning.

Best listened to during a rainy morning, a long solo drive, or when you need to slow everything down.

Yours musically,
Aldeen ( @sygerian )

P.S. Personal favorites: “Lostfound” & “Plays I Play” by @thump_abuja

So this time I'm sharing a single track, that's right, just one, but this isn't any ordinary track; it is a hefty 28 minute anthem. This is also record that has become something of an entryway, for many, into the underground world of minimal and microhouse. For those of you who put this on, and just allow it to play, I hope you enjoy the journey!

Mari Kvien Brunvoll – Everywhere You Go (Villalobos Celestial Voice Amnesia Resurrection Mix)

The Artist:
Ricardo Villalobos is a Chilean-German producer, DJ, and a godfather figure in the minimal techno scene. His name alone can spark intense opinions, but one thing is clear: nobody sounds like Villalobos.
Known for his marathon sets, long tracks, alien percussion, and deep understanding of groove, Villalobos operates in his own dimension. He builds tracks that to the untrained ear may seem repetitive, but they are far from linear; they breathe, morph, and unravel in real time. His music doesn’t tell you what to feel. It invites you in and lets you figure it out for yourself.

The Record:
This remix of Mari Kvien Brunvoll "Everywhere You Go" has become legendary; a cult favorite that was intended for underground dancefloors (in the after hours) but somehow made its way to the surface as one of Villalobos' most recognizable tracks. It’s long, slow, dubby, and deeply hypnotic. A perfect example of minimal done right.
For many, myself included, this was one of the first tracks that cracked something open. That moment when you stop chasing the drop and start falling in love with the space between things. This record gently pulls you into the deeper corners of dancefloor centered electronic music. It’s understated, but once it gets its hooks in, it doesn’t let go.

Yours musically,
Aldeen ( @sygerian )

P.S. Personal favorite moment - when those teased vocals finally kick in at 5:24 mark. by @thump_abuja

For this drop, we’re going back to the heart of Detroit with On A Journey, a bold and stripped-back statement from the late great Kelli Hand — better known as K-Hand, the First Lady of Detroit. Raw, soulful, and confidently underground; this one is for the true Techno lovers.

K-Hand – On A Journey (1995)

The Artist:
K-Hand was a true pioneer. She came up in a scene dominated by men and carved her own path with a sound that was both uncompromising and full of groove. Mentored early on by legends like Mike Banks and Jeff Mills, she eventually launched her own label, Acacia Records, in the early 90s — a move that gave her full control over her sound and legacy.
Her work spans house, techno, acid, and everything in between, always with a distinct touch: gritty, hypnotic, sometimes rough around the edges but always full of purpose.

The Record:
On A Journey feels exactly like its title. This isn’t polished or overly produced — it’s honest music, designed for movement, repetition, and flow. The kicks are thumping, the grooves are lean and direct, and the arrangements are hypnotic in that classic Detroit way.
There’s no filler here, every track feels like it was made for a system, for the dancefloor, and for the dancers. But it’s not just functional music, it’s music with identity and intention; the true spirit of Techno music. To me, this record represents what it means to find power through persistence, and joy through rhythm. Hope you enjoy listening and grooving to it as much as I do.

Yours musically,
Aldeen ( @sygerian ) by @thump_abuja

We are diving into the deep end with one of the most original artists out there, my personal favorite, Nicolas Jaar. This was some of the first ambient/experimental music that truly tested my patience but ultimately captured my undivided attention. I hope you’ll allow it to capture yours, too. In today’s short-attention-span world, this is music that makes you wait for the dopamine — and reward you for the patience.

Nicolas Jaar – Nymphs (2011–2015)

The Artist:
One of the most unique minds in electronic music, Nicolas Jaar is a classically trained musician known for blurring the lines between electronic music, jazz, ambient, and classical. He exploded onto the scene at a young age, known for his slow, emotional take on house music. But over time, he’s made it clear that he’s never been interested in just one lane.
Jaar’s work often feels like it’s pulling from something deeply personal — sometimes poetic, sometimes cinematic, but always sincere. He’s one of those rare artists who can make you pause and listen differently for a message that is there, but between the lines.

The Record:
Nymphs isn’t a traditional album. It’s more like a time capsule — seven tracks released in 3 EPs over 4 years. They’re loosely connected, not by structure but by tone. This is a great entry point into Jaar's more emotional and avant-garde work; full of warped sounds, reversed vocals, and a masterclass in tension/release. These aren’t club tracks — they’re slow-burning, abstract, and unfold like scenes from a dream. It’s only through patient listening that each track fully reveals its story to you. It’s meditative. It’s patient. And in the right headspace, it hits harder than anything fast ever could.

I personally love listening to these tracks during night time flights (pro-tip: listen to _The Three Sides of Audrey and Why She's All Alone_ during take-off or landing, and you will see what I mean) , long road trips, solitary walks or while jogging. Goes without saying, but this is best experienced with good headphones.

Yours musically,
Aldeen ( @sygerian ) by @thump_abuja

For this drop, we will be venturing into House, and not just any House music, one of those classics that is closest to the hearts and souls of many selectors and listeners alike. This one’s for the heads who like their house music deep, soulful, and full of life.

Blaze – Basic Blaze (1997)

The Artist:
Blaze are true house music royalty. Throughout the 90s and early 2000s, they helped define the sound of deep and soulful house. Warm instrumentation, gospel-rooted vocals, jazz textures, and messages full of love and soul. They’ve released under different aliases and worked with many of the greats, but something about any of their tracks is always defined by heart, purpose, and a whole lot of groove. You are more than likely to have already heard their tracks sampled across hundreds of more recent productions; but here we take it back to the source.

The Record:
Basic Blaze feels like a full expression of everything they represent. It’s not just a bunch of dance tracks put into an album. It breathes a soulful message that somehow makes you feel like everything is gonna be okay.
You’ll hear songs about love, dance, faith, sex, healing, struggle, and joy. Some are floor-ready. Some feel like they belong to early mornings after a long night out. It’s music made with care and with soul.
Even if you don’t usually lean toward vocal house, give this a chance. It’s a reminder that electronic music can be deeply human.

Yours musically,
Aldeen ( @sygerian )

P.s. Personal favorites: “My Beat” & “Sacred Sex” by @thump_abuja

This drop, I’m going with a deeply loved work from one of my favorite producers, Susumu Yokota. A friend once said recommending an artist with a clearly Japanese name makes you feel like a snobby music connoisseur... and yeah, that’s correct lol. Seriously though, for those of you who give this a proper listen, and perhaps delve into his other works, you're welcome in advance.

Susumu Yokota – Acid Mt. Fuji (1994)

The Artist:
Susumu Yokota was a Japanese producer with a rare gift for blending electronic sounds with nature and emotion in a way that feels timeless. He started out in economics and graphic design but eventually chose sound as his form of expression. His music isn’t loud or attention-grabbing; it sneaks up on you, pulling you into a world that feels both strange and familiar. I can tell you, I’ve never played a Yokota track without someone asking, “Who is this?”
Over the years, he released over 30 albums under different aliases, so there is a lot by him to be explored, but no matter the name, I find that the music always carries his very specific vision and soul. Yokota passed away in 2015, but the beauty he created still feels as fresh today as ever.

The Record:
Acid Mt. Fuji is one of those albums you can’t explain without just saying: put on headphones and close your eyes. It’s ambient, it’s techno, but more than either, it is a dreamlike sound map of Japan and a vivid example of how far techno can stretch as an art. Yokota weaves his own field recordings of forests, birds, and water into soft, hypnotic beats weathered smooth by the elements. When I first heard it, it felt like stepping into a parallel world where everything moves slower and breathes deeper. If you ever need music that feels like meditation without being boring, this is it. Highly recommended for working, solo walks, or quiet moments. Just a heads-up: no skipping through; these tracks unfold at their own pace.

Yours musically,
Aldeen ( @sygerian )

P.s. Personal favorites: “Kinoko” & "Tanuki"
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#SusumuYokota #AcidMtFuji #JapaneseElectronic #ExperimentalMusic #ElectronicClassic #classic #DeepListening #NowListening #THUMPSelections #technomusic by @thump_abuja

Djrum – Under Tangled Silence (2025)

The Artist: @felix_djrum
Felix Manuel, known professionally as Djrum (pronounced "drum"), is a UK-based producer and DJ celebrated for his genre-defying approach to electronic music. Since his debut in 2010, Djrum has seamlessly blended elements of jazz, hip-hop, dubstep, ambient, techno, and classical music, creating a distinctive sound that transcends traditional categorization. A classically trained pianist, Djrum made a big name for himself as DJ virtuoso and producer.

The Record:
Released in April 2025, Under Tangled Silence is an album that blends ambient textures, jazz-inflected piano, and complex rhythms. This is a work that defies genre boundaries. After a hard drive failure during the pandemic erased much of his work, DjRum rebuilt this project from scratch, so imagine the raw emotion that he has put into this labor of love. This isn't just an album; it's an experience that invites deep listening and reflection. Whether you're on a drive or seeking a meditative backdrop for your jog or walk, this record offers a journey worth taking.

Hope you enjoy!
Yours truly,
Aldeen ( @sygerian )

Personal favorites: “A Tune For Us” & “Galaxy in Silence"
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#Djrum #UnderTangledSilence #NowListening #ElectronicMusic #ExperimentalMusic #AmbientMusic #Breakbeat #IDM #LeftfieldSounds #CinematicMusic #UKBass #DeepListening #AlbumRecommendation #THUMPSelections #UndergroundMusic #MusicThatMovesYou #HeadphoneMusic #ListeningMusic #ElectronicJourney #MusicForTheMind #PostClubMusic by @thump_abuja