Saturday, July 19, 2008
Luciano Lovin'
The New Fabric 41 mix CD mixed by Luciano is upon us and I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy which has been on heavy rotation on my stereo for a couple of weeks now. It's an interesting mix of shuffling House beats mixed with melodic Techno rhythms. I always associated Luciano with minimal Techno like his fellow countryman Ricardo Villalobos. His own productions on his label Cadenza and collaborations with Pier Bucci and Quenum have reinforced this reputation. However this mix is much more melodic in style with deep grooves running throughout.Highlights include a great breakdown into the beatless 'In Church' by M83 before throwing up remixes of classic artists Inner City, Phuture and the brand new Planet E release from Kenny Larkin. This is all topped off by the hugely uplifting end track 'Arabesque' by Chymera with it's lush soaring synths and playful melody. Highly recommended.
I can't include any of the mix in this post so I thought I'd treat you to a couple of tracks from Luciano's back catalogue. Here's a minimal classic and his cheeky remix of 'Amelie'
Luciano & Quenum - Orange Mistake // Cadenza 2003
Luciano - Amelie on Ice (Remix 2) // Mental Groove Records 2002
Buy Fabric 41 at Phonica and the usual outlets.
Labels: Cadenza, Fabric, Luciano, Mix
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Sound of Silence
It has been some 10 years since the duo Michael Golding & Steve Rutter otherwise know as B12 have broken the silence since their last recorded output. The 3 EP in 1998 was their last release following on from their 'Time Tourist' LP and their classic 'Electro-Soma' which was a highlight of Warp records seminal 'Artificial Intelligence' series.Last Days of Silence is a new release of unheard material, tracks only ever heard live plus music only available on limited edition vinyl. The continuity however is difficult to miss. This album follows on superbly from where their previous outings left off, fusing their unmistakable Detroit influences with the sounds of early nineties Warp electronica.
Listening to this release brings back great memories of my formative years spent listening to Black Dog, Aphex Twin and the classic sound of Detroit with all it's soul and warmth. There's none of yer soulless minimal here.
B12 - 32 Lineup // B12 Records
B12 - More Than One // B12 Records
Last Days of Silence is available as an 18 Track double CD with the second disc, a set of unreleased live recordings. It is also available in a signed limited edition metal box, available here.
You can get your hands on all their back catalogue through Bleep
Labels: B12, Electronica, Warp
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Splash the Cash
Following on from my previous post about vinyl enthusiasts, I can only assume that this is exactly who Cocoon target their annual 'Compilation x' boxsets at (either that or the rich or slightly mad) as paying fifty quid for half a dozen 12"s in a box is a bit beyond my comprehension really. Cocoon's 2008 offering, Compilation H has recently been released and while I have no major gripe with the music on offer and 6 (import) 12"s would cost somewhere in this region, I can't imagine that many people making that much use of all 12 sides. Thankfully, the compilation is also available as a (regular price) CD and in this form it's a worthy purchase for anyone wanting to increase their collection of dancefloor friendly house and techno. The artist selection reads a bit like of who's who of contemporary techno with input from the likes of Raudive, Mark August, Efdemin etc. Most of the cuts are solid but for me it's Simon's Baker's 'U' that really owns it with a trademark builder that unleashes a wonky synth from it's echo chamber confines - nice!Simon Baker - U
Most of you will no doubt know Baker from his gargantuan 'Plastik' that came out last year and for those of you that haven't heard this it's definitely one to seek out. It's just been remixed by Todd Terje and rather than trying to turn it into an even bigger speaker shaker he's decided to take it in a totally new direction by giving it a laid back disco feel. I haven't heard the new version in full yet but you can check out a sample and pick up a copy at Phonica.
Pick up a copy of Compilation H on CD at Play or if your piggy bank is about to burst then you can get a vinyl copy at Juno.
Labels: Cocoon Recordings, Efdemin, Mark August, Raudive, Simon Baker, Todd Terje
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Collectable Cool
As most vinyl enthusiasts will tell you, there's something strangely appealing about those shiny slabs of wax that amounts to more than just the fine sounds contained within their grooves. For this reason, limited edition releases always hold that extra special interest and as subscribers to Ai Records' mailing list will know (as they get first bite of their limited run pie) this is something that this label excels at. Ai's latest vinyl offering is a clear disc with dots embedded within it and is one of the most unique examples of such artistry I've seen.The packaging of the release is of course secondary to the quality of the music and this is what really makes Ai a label to keep your eyes on. Right from their very beginning, Ai has specialised in releasing music from new talents and the series of 'dotted' releases brought to a close with this latest offering has delivered music of the highest order from Plant 43, Najem Sworb and The Third Man (not to forget the superb Datassette LP that dropped earlier this year, albeit not as part of the same series).
A listen through Ai's back catalogue unearths all manner of delights ranging from ambient armchair affairs through to full on dancefloor destroyers and keeping variety within their releases is something that they maintain to this day. The label's latest CD has also just come out and is an 11 track (mid-price) sampler with a summery feel that nicely portrays the breadth of their roster.
Several of the tracks from the dot series are contained within the (exclusive) label mix below and the Plant 43 live set showcases his fine brand of emotive electro.
Najem Sworb - Ai Artist Mix
Plant 43 - Live at Bleep to the Bone NYE 06/07
You can buy Ai releases direct from the label's shop.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Master of the House
Coming from the same school of musical lunacy as the likes of Modeselektor and many of the artists associated with the North South Divide, Germany's Housemeister has just dropped his second album.Who Is That Noize came out a few weeks back on All You Can Beat, a label co-run by Housemeister and the superbly titled Dirty Doering.
Sitting somewhere between techno and electro house with some crunk attitude thrown in for good measure, the album bucks the recent trend of over-production, preferring to keep things a touch rawer and concentrating more on the age old tradition of delivering good honest party music; a manifesto Housemeister was also sticking to when I saw him DJ a couple of weeks back and one to which the crowd was wholeheartedly signing up to.
Housemeister cites a love of classic analogue equipment and this is abundantly clear throughout this album as well as on this live set from earlier this year:
Housemeister - Live at Registratur, Munich 2008
Head on over to his website for more free downloads and pick up a copy of the album here
Labels: All You Can Beat, Housemeister
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Be Kind. Rewind
I've not been inspired to write about much new music recently so I thought I'd give you a blast from the past and share what I have been rediscovering recently.
Plaid are one of the foremost Electronica artists on Warp records. Having grown out of a side project of Black Dog Productions, Ed Handley and Andrew Turner released their first proper full length album, Not For Threes in 1997. This was followed by Rest Proof Clockwork in 1999, Trainer (a compilation of early works) in 2000 and Double Figure in 2001. Spokes followed in 2003 and Greedy Baby in 2006. Lazy this duo is not.
Here is but a taster of their unique electronic sound which has a purity and clarity all of its own encompassing many styles and influences. Enjoy.
Plaid are one of the foremost Electronica artists on Warp records. Having grown out of a side project of Black Dog Productions, Ed Handley and Andrew Turner released their first proper full length album, Not For Threes in 1997. This was followed by Rest Proof Clockwork in 1999, Trainer (a compilation of early works) in 2000 and Double Figure in 2001. Spokes followed in 2003 and Greedy Baby in 2006. Lazy this duo is not.
Here is but a taster of their unique electronic sound which has a purity and clarity all of its own encompassing many styles and influences. Enjoy.
Plaid - Rakimou // Not For Threes. Warp 1997
Plaid - Ralome // Rest Proof Clockwork. Warp 1999
Plaid - Squance // Double Figure. Warp 2001
EDIT: The links are now fixed.
Buy all these releases at Bleep
Labels: Black Dog, Electronica, Plaid, Warp
Sunday, June 15, 2008
The Sound of [Mu]sic
Despite their long running and prolific release schedule, Planet Mu isn't a label that I know a great deal about as I've always associated it with the more caustic end of IDM (something which I can only take in small doses). However, I was recently given some of the label's latest releases and although the crazed breakbeat of Venetian Snares' Detrimentalist resulted in a fairly short slot on the CD player, it was the efforts of two artists that I'd not heard of previously that tickled my ear buds and have been on frequent rotation since.The Standoffish Cat (dodgy title!) is the debut LP from Mrs Jynx and is 13 tracks of electronica goodness. While none of the tracks are particularly groundbreaking they are all high quality mixes of floaty melodies and clicky percussion and if you've been hankering after the good old days of mid 90s electronica then this album should be just up your street.
Mrs Jynx - Time Missed //The Standoffish Cat
Buy The Standoffish Cat here.
iTAL tEK is another relatively new producer with only a handful of EPs ahead of his first full long player here. Cyclical shows off another of dubstep's many facets only this time it's luscious electronica melodies that have been thrown into the melting pot to spice up the sparse rhythms and gargantuan sub-bass.
iTAL tEK - Cyclical //Cyclical
Buy Cyclical here.
And for those of you that are fans of the slightly more deranged face of Planet Mu's releases, here's something from label owner Mike Paradinas from a few years back:
u-Ziq - Siege of Antioch //Bilious Paths
Buy Planet Mu here.
Labels: Dubstep, Electronica, iTAL tEK, Mrs Jynx, Planet Mu, u-Ziq
Monday, June 02, 2008
The Death Disco
One of the darkest Electro Disco tracks I have heard has landed in my inbox. This is just the B-side to a new Discodeine release from the Dirty Soundsystem crew and it wipes the (dance) floor with the much more pedestrian Electro House of 'Joystick' found on the A-side. Described as music for fans of Dario Argento and Goblin, it utilises bass synths so dark and nasty it is what Radioactive Man would sound like if he ever made a Disco record. Be Afraid.And the reason it's called Homo-Compatible?
"Male electronic duos always convey a load of queer eroticism, latent (Silver Apples, Ralf & Florian) or assumed (Softcell, Pet Shop Boys).
For their love of the moustache, DISCODEINE was almost named "Homo compatible". But Benjamin and Cedric still fall for epilated ladies."
Discodeine - Homo-Compatible // DLL 011
Another slice of tripped out druggy Techno has also just been released from the same stable. Photonz are two Portuguese producers that describe their sound thus... "Think Kristof Komeda, Kevin Shields, Throbbing Gristle"
Photonz - Trembler (Discodeine Mix) // DLL 010
Trembler should be out by now, The new Discodeine will be out mid June. Both limited to 1000 vinyl copies.
Labels: Dirty Crew, Discodeine, Photonz
Thursday, May 22, 2008
I Call It Dubtec.
The amalgamation of two genres and two sounds, both with very different origins has started to materialise. The Berlin Dub Techno scene has been around for over 15 years now, with the godfathers of the metallic Techno sound, Basic Channel, (Pictured) having influenced everyone in the electronic scene since their inception in 1993. Since then they have created era defining Techno, dubbed out House and Electronic Reggae all with the metallic shards of sound that became their signature and which has been imitated by so many.Dubstep has its origins in a very different place. Out of the UK Garage/2 Step scene in the late Nineties emerged two separate genres. Grime, with its influences from Hip Hop and its utilisation of the MC as the main focus for the music and Dubstep, with its influences coming from Drum 'n' Bass and Dub Reggae. The commercial strains of 2 Step have been totally bred out from Dubstep's genetic structure, this has led to innovation and exploration of Bass and rhythm that now shares Techno's passion for innovation and pushing boundaries of sonic exploration.
Recently however a divide in the genre has become more evident. like Drum 'n' Bass a decade ago, Dubstep is becoming fractured between the heavy sounds and punishing bass for the dancefloor and the deeper strains which which are starting to be influenced by the Techno scene. One could argue that it all started with Ricardo Villalobos' remix of 'Blood On My Hands' by Shackleton, a tune which was already heading into deeper sonic territory than previous Dubstep offerings.
There are a new crop of artists emerging that are taking the Dub Techno influences to produce music that now seems a logical merger between the two sounds. Artists from the Bristol scene including Shackleton himself, Skull Disko co-founder Appleblim, and artists Peverelist and (dutch producer) 2562, both on Pinch's Tectonic label are merging Techno influences to create a new hybrid of Dubstep. I like to call it Dubtec.
Shackleton and Appleblim have always cited Basic Channel as a big influence and now what with Shackleton moving to Berlin and Appleblim being shown the 'secrets' to the Basic Channel sound from the Hardwax crew, and remixes by both camps now doing the rounds, this amalgamation of sound is set for a very interesting future.
Check the following releases to hear what I'm talking about.
Shackleton and Appleblim have always cited Basic Channel as a big influence and now what with Shackleton moving to Berlin and Appleblim being shown the 'secrets' to the Basic Channel sound from the Hardwax crew, and remixes by both camps now doing the rounds, this amalgamation of sound is set for a very interesting future.
Check the following releases to hear what I'm talking about.
Appleblim and Peverelist - Circling // Skull Disko 008
2562 - Channel Two // Tectonic
Peverelist - Junktion // Tectonic
Appleblim has just mixed Vol 6 of Dubstep Allstars. Buy.
The new album 'Aerial' by 2562 is released on Tectonic on June 2nd. Buy. Check out the review at FACT
Buy Peverelist and listen to his remix of Pole here.
Labels: 2562, Appleblim, Basic Channel, Dubstep, Skull Disco, Techno, Tectonic
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Radioactive Man Competition
The Langer reviewed Radioactive Man's latest album, Growl, way back in February and now I've had a chance to listen to it too, I'd have to agree with the glowing report he gave it. The official release was only a couple of weeks ago and as is customary with such things, Keith Tenniswood is about to embark on a live tour to promote it.The launch party takes place at London's Fabric this Saturday where his performance will also incorporate live vocals from Dot Allison. So, for an extra special Bank Holiday treat we've not only got a pair of tickets to give away for this Saturday but also two copies of the album!
A couple of people told me that I made the last competition a little too hard so this time lets go for something ridiculously easy:
Q) Who is Keith Tenniswood's production partner in the Two Lone Swordsmen?
Send your answers to us as illectronic.blog(AT)gmail.com and please indicate whether you are entering for the tickets, the CD or both.
The winner for the tickets will be notified on Friday but we'll leave the album comp open a little longer and the notification for these will be next Tuesday.
Saturday's Fabric lineup also includes techno legends Dave Clarke and Sterac as well as a Kompakt-themed Room 1 - full details available here.
Growl can be purchased from all the usual places including here.
Labels: Dot Allison, Fabric, Kompakt, Radioactive Man, Steve Rachmad
