Category Archives: New/Reviews

Moritz von Ozwald Trio – Vertical Ascent

For those who haven’t kept up, the Moritz von Ozwald Trio is a collaboration between Moritz von Ozwald, Max Loderbauer of Sun Electric and Sasu Ripatti AKA Luomo/Vladislav Delay. They’ve played live a few times, garnering much wider interest than you’d expect from one-off local gigs, unfortunately brought further in to the spotlight by Moritz Von Oswald’s recent rumoured stroke, just before the trio were due to play at last year’s DEAF.

The Trio’s long-awaited first release, Vertical Ascent, is now available for download for £4 from the Honest Jon’s website. There are physical media available for purchase in most vinyl/CD purveyors as well.

I’ve only had the time to listen to it twice today, and my thoughts are mixed. On one hand, this could never be as good as it looks on paper. On the other hand, the end result is not entriely what I would have expected. It’s more  percussive than I anticipated. It’s also very composed, with longer tracks that vary considerably and last quite some time. This isn’t that surprising given recent work like von Ozwald’s remixes of Auricle/Bio/On and Watamu Beach. Unfortunately, like those remixes, I feel that they promise more than they deliver. There are elements that distinguish it from these recent remixes, and they are welcome, but the end result initially feels the same. The tracks never really seem to arrive. It’s all ascent, stopping shot of the suggested apex.

There’s plenty here to be excited about, but based on first impressions, this isn’t likely to be getting much play in 2010 or beyond. The third and fourth tracks on Vertical Ascent may prove to be exceptions to that critique with repeated listens, but I’m not holding my breath based on my lack of continued enthusiasm for his recent (re)work.

A few more new bits

Some stuff that I’ve only recently noticed is available digitally:

Chateau Flight – Discobole (Pepe Bradock remix) [Versatile]
Pal Joey – Chopsticks [Loop D’ Loop]
Pal Joey – Playtime [Loop D’ Loop]
Pal Joey – Spend The Night [Loop D’ Loop]
Pal Joey – Toi Et Moi [Loop D’ Loop]
Reggie Dokes – Release Yourself [Prime Numbers]
Robert Hood – Needs & Wants [Music Man]
Roy Ayers – I Am Your Mind (Pepe Bradock dub instrumental) [Rapster]
Wareika – Belonging (vocal) [Eskimo]
Wareika – Men Village (Reboot’s Women City rework) [Connaisseur Superieur]

Narratives in albums

Following a recent discussion on [313] about the narrative of an entire release, I’m reminded of a few things that I’ve bought recently which really come together as proper albums.

Actress “Hazyville” wears its Detroit influence on its sleeve while exerting some latitude on the arrangements and beats the underpin everything. There are a couple of stand-out tracks: “Ivy May Gilpin” and “Again The Addiction”, but I’d suggest that this definitely shouldn’t be picked apart, because it’s much more rewarding when taken as a whole, and nearly every track is doing something that you won’t pick up on by scanning through it. The album was a long time coming and definitely worth the wait.

A Made Up Sound (2562) “Shortcuts” uses the lots-of-short-tracks approach to building an album. Although the sound is abstract and Detroit-inspired, the beats incorporate hip hop, dubstep, house and techno influences, while never fitting neatly in any of these styles. If anyone thinks dubstep is narrow and rigid, this might be a counter-example.

Aardvarck “Pigstyle” belongs in this category because he manages to unify his recent dubstep output beside his house sound, while throwing in some new experimental twists that vaguely recall his earlier works. The characteristicness of his sound is strong enough that some might think it’s “samey”, but I reckon he’s traversing a fairly broad range of beats and pulling in a number of different influences in the process. All-told, I reckon it tells a complete story in a unique way, which = album to me.

Robert Henke (Monolake) “Atom” uses a limited set of sounds, including some traditional instruments mixed with his futuristic-sounding synthesis to achieve a really distinctive sound throughout. It’s really composed as well. You can tell that a great deal of editorial restraint went in to achieving the coherence of the album. I reckon this one will definitely stand the test of time.

New music

Complete releases
A Made Up Sound – Shortcuts [A Made Up Sound]
Aardvarck – Bloom-01 [Bloom Holland]
Aardvarck – Bloom-02 [Bloom Holland]
Aardvarck – Just Washed That Pig [Rush Hour Holland]
Aardvarck – Pigstyle [Nod Navigators/Kindred Spirits Holland]
Actress – Hazyville [Werk Discs]
Flying Lotus – LA EP 2 X 3 [Warp]
Gescom – Key Nell [Skam]
Harmonic 313 – Dirtbox [Warp]
Jus Wan – The Crossing / Flashpoint [Tube10 Holland]
Robert Henke – Atom [Imbalance Computer Music]
Seth Troxler/Patrick Russell – Valt Trax [Circus Company France]
The Mole – For The Lost [Internasjonal Norway]
V/A – 50 Compilation [Background Germany]
V/A – The Nippon Connection Singles Collection Vol 1 [Das Modular Germany]
Vladislav Delay – Anima (Bonus Re-Edition) [Huume Finland]
Vladislav Delay – Whistleblower [Huume Finland]
Zomby – Mu5h [Hyperdub]
Zomby – The Lie [Ramp Recordings]

Tracks
$tinkworx – Coelacanth [Strange Life Holland]
Anton Zap – Ain’t Got Time [Quintessentials Germany]
Anton Zap – Basement Groover [Quintessentials Germany]
Anton Zap – It’s Your Wave Too [Quintessentials Germany]
Bogdan Irkuk – Caprice [Rollerboys Sweden]
Bogdan Irkuk – Curare [Rollerboys Sweden]
Crab – Stanley C [Deep Explorer Spain]
Crab – The Quote From The R [Deep Explorer Spain]
DJ Aakmael – Get Down [Uzuri Recordings]
DJ Aakmael – Music [Uzuri Recordings]
DJ Sprinkles – Reverse Rotation [Mule Musiq Japan]
Even Tuell – Untitled B1 (Workshop 007) [Workshop Germany]
Intrusion – Intrusion (dub) [Echospace US]
Jus Ed – If I Die Play This [Zone 7 US]
Kuniyuki Takahashi – Earth Beats (Chateau Flight remix) [Mule Musiq Japan]
Kuniyuki Takahashi – Rain Of Ocean [Mule Musiq Japan]
Lerosa – Arctor (original mix) [Millions Of Moments Germany]
Luomo – Gets Along Fine [Huume Finland]
Mark E – Slave 1 [Running Back Germany]
Mentor Roska – Climate Change (main mix) [Roska Kicks & Snares]
Mentor Roska – Feeline (original mix) [Roska Kicks & Snares]
Modeselektor – The Black Block (Rustie remix) [BPitch Control Germany]
Petter – Robotfood (Jacek Sienkiewicz remix) [Manual Music Holland]
Seth Troxler – Love Never Sleeps (Adam Marshall Sedition mix) [Crosstown Rebels]
Seth Troxler – Love Never Sleeps [Crosstown Rebels]
Seth Troxler – Muse [Spectral Sound US]
Seth Troxler – Relationship [Spectral Sound US]
Spherix – Look Back (feat Kwality) [Tube10 Holland]
The Wolfgang Press – Chains (Wobble mix) [4AD]
Vakula – Loop For My Friends [Uzuri Recordings]
Vladislav Delay – Recovery IDea (Andy Stott remix) [Semantica Spain]
Zomby – 1 Up [Hyperdub]
Zomby – Kaliko [Hyperdub]
Zomby – Need Ur Lovin’ [Werk Discs]
Zomby – Strange Fruit [Ramp Recordings]

Best of 2008

Gigs (don’t get out much anymore, but this stuff was good)
Autechre @ the Hearn Street Car Park in London (easily one of the best gigs ever)
The Pole and then the Surgeon/DJ Pete Bleep 43 parties
Each of the Süd parties, which got better and better as the year went on

Rave
BLOC

New artists
Kadebostan
2562
Martyn

Old artists
Autechre
Reggie Dokes
Jacek Sienkiewicz
Wayne Gardiner
Deep Chord/Echospace
Terrence Dixon
Move D
Flying Lotus
Juju & Jordash

Labels
Third Ear
Mule
Workshop
Versatile

New rekkids

I really do hope to get around to doing some reviews for these ones.

Complete Albums
The Matthew Herbert Big Band – There’s Me & There’s You [Accidental]
Matthew Herbert – Score [!K7]
Arthur Russell – Calling Out Of Context [Audika]

Complete EPs
Martyn – Velvet [3024]
Martyn – Natural Selection [3024]
Martyn – Natural Selection (Flying Lotus/2562 remixes) [3024]
Flying Lotus – LA EP 1 X 3 [Warp]
2562 – Aerial (vinyl exclusive) [Tectonic]
Reggie Dokes – Galactic Connections / In A Better Place EP [Planet Harrier]
Aroy Dee – Summer EP [MOS Holland]
Jacek Sienkiewicz – My Little Place [Cocoon Germany]
Lowtec – Workshop 06 [Workshop]
Ron Trent – Journeyn2u [Future Vision]
Francesco Tristano – Auricle Bio On (Moritz Von Oswald Remixes) [Infine]
Reggie Dokes – Rain Redemptive Love EP [Philpot]
Ike – Pressin On [Philpot]

Individual tracks
Kelli Hand – Holding On [Third Ear]

Arthur Russell – Let’s Go Swimming (Walter Gibbons remix) [Audika]

Dimlite – Last Repetitions Pieces/Lorraine For The World [Astro Lab]
Take – Hollywood’nt [Astro Lab]

James Kumo – Koma [Ann Aimee]

Wbeeza – London My Home [Third Ear]

RippertonN & Alex Attias – The Last Hour (A&R edit) [Ann Aimee]

Rondenion – Precious Time [Parker MusicWorks]
Rondenion – 7 & 10 [Parker MusicWorks]

Dave Aju – Smog Check [Circus Company]
Dave Aju – Mallrats [Circus Company]

Dave Aju – Open Wide [Circus Company]
Dave Aju – Anyway [Circus Company]

Ibex – Spiritual War [Third Ear]
Keith Worthy – Moon Dance [Third Ear]
Exchange Bureau meets John Arnold – Spookie Dookie [Third Ear]

Population One – Radius [Frantic Flowers]

Motor City Drum Ensemble – Feel The Love [Four Roses]

Move D – Heidelberg Gals (parts 1, 2 & 3) [Running Back]

Martyn – Suburbia [Martyn Apple Pips]

Morphosis – Baal [Morphine]
Ra.H – Fall Of Justice [Morphine]

Delano Smith – Trans [Third Ear]

Poni Hoax – Antibodies (Chateau Flight remix) [Versatile]
Chateau Flight – La Roquette [Versatile]
I Cube – Supernovac (Live At The Lanchonette version) [Versatile]
Fabrice Lig – Bump Bump [Versatile]

Making myself slightly less late

Complete Releases
2562 – Aerial [Tectonic]
TRG/Dub U – Losing Marbles [Hotflush Recordings]

Individual tracks
Pangea – Deviant [Hessle Audio UK]
DJ Gregory – Labyrinthe [Faya Combo France]
DJ Gregory – Sookoos [Faya Combo France]
TRG – Feel For You [Subway Holland]
TRG – Missed Calls [Subway Holland]
DJ Gregory – You Are My Friend (dub) [SSOH France]
Julien Jabre – The Stook (main mix) [SSOH France]
Kontext – Plumes [Immerse]

Expect some reviews and hopefully some new mixes in the not-too-distant future.

Recent new music binge

First stuff I’ve bought since May. I’ve finally started shopping digitally when possible, so expect a broader range and less full releases. I’m also hoping that less time spent encoding vinyl will translate in to more time spent listening, mixing and writing reviews of this stuff.

Wax
The Little Ones – Morning Tide [EMI]
Flying Lotus – Los Angeles [Warp]

CDs
Various – Network – The Box Set: 50 Classics [Endulge]
Kenny Larkin – Keys Strings Tambourines [Planet E US]

Full digital releases
Kadebostan – Caracas Soul EP [Freude Am Tanzen Germany]
Studio – No Comply [Information]
Kadebostan – Grand Theatre EP [Fenou Germany]
Popol Vuh – Mika Vainio (Haswell & Hecker Remixes) [Editions Mego]
Kadebostan – Ruff Dancer EP [Freude Am Tanzen Germany]
Various – Innervisions Presents Muting The Noise [Innervisions Germany]
Kuniyuki – Remixed Vol 1 [Mule Musiq Japan]
Kuniyuki Takahashi – All These Things [Mule Musiq Japan]
Koss – Ring [Mule Electronic Japan]
Koss – Four Worlds Converge As One [Mule Electronic Japan]
Kuniyuki Takahashi – We Are Together [Mule Musiq Japan]
Pascal Schafer – Dawn [Karaoke Kalk Germany]
Move D/Benjamin Brunn – Songs From The Beehive [Smallville Germany]

Digital tracks
Terrence Dixon – Awaken [Yore Germany]
Terrence Dixon – Relent [Yore Germany]
Terrence Dixon – Links [Yore Germany]
Terrence Dixon – Destination [End to enD]
Stereocity – Dedicated JB [Deep Explorer Spain]
Inverse Cinematics – The Rise & Fall (Sam Irl remix) [Pulver Germany]
A Mountain Of One – Brown Piano (remake by Studio) [Information]
Rubies – Room Without A Key (version by Studio) [Information]
Zassem Mosse – Untitled B1 (original mix) [Workshop Germany]
Workshop – Untitled B1 (original mix) [Workshop Germany]
The Mole – I’ve Got My A1 [Musique Risquee]
Syclops – NR17 [DFA US]
Syclops – 5 Out [DFA US]
Syclops – The Fly [DFA US]
The Mole – When It Tastes So Good, You Deserve It [Wagon Repair Canada]
Roland Appel – Lost Valley [Sonar Kollektiv Germany]
Roland Appel – New Love [Sonar Kollektiv Germany]
Rising Sun – Untitled B1 [Workshop Germany]
Benjamin Brunn – Untitled A1 [Workshop Germany]
Mujaba – Fuelta [Four Roses Germany]
Flying Lotus – Mages Sages (Light A Dub 2 This) [Mello Music Group]
Brennan Green – Escape From Chinatown (version by Studio) [Information]
Secondo – Distrails [Soul Jazz]
Secondo – Solstice [Soul Jazz]
Secondo – Quantum Lady [Soul Jazz]
The Asphalt – 8 Mile Road (Juju & Jordash mix) [Deep Explorer Spain]
Fontan – Early Morning (version by Studio) [Information]
Terrence Dixon – Region (original version) [Nice & Nasty]
Terrence Dixon – Device (original version) [Nice & Nasty]
Henrik Schwarz/Ame/Dixon – DPOMB (version 2) [Innervisions Germany]
Tob Jona – Metro 501 [Artless Germany]
Koss – Earth (Koss Self remix) [Mule Electronic Japan]

Wayne Gardiner: Found

The search is over. Nine digital-only releases since Summer 2007 on his CIMA Recordings imprint, the format presumably being the reason for these being off most people’s sonar. I’ve just bought at least one track off each of them, and every track from most. Some of it will no doubt be a bit polished for some people’s taste, but for this type of stuff I don’t think anyone does it better.

And for those seeking to catch up on his older stuff, all the Logic stuff on Strictly has been reissued digitally and on wax and Nervous have re-released all of his stuff digitally as well. Slightly older news I know, but worth repeating.

New records catch-up since June

Cripes I’m well behind on music-related stuff.

ATTIAS – Nebukai (Still Music)
-B-side sounding nice and Prescriptiony

NO THEORY – EP #2 (Sin and Soul)
-Pascal Schafer collaboration thingy. Deep warez. Need to get the first one too

JERRY THE CAT aka JERRY JAMES feat GENEVIEVE MARANTETTE I Only Have Eyes For You (Sound Signature)
-Occasional Theo Parrish collaborator on his own. Sounds wicked. The drums are very familiar. really moody and distinct

CONVEXTION – Romantic Interface EP (Arne Weinberg)
-More Texan goodies

Front 242 – Masterhit (RRE)
-Oldie but a goodie

Wayne Kounty feat Amp Fiddler : Someone New (Premier Cru US)
-a cheapo in the waning days of the Juno sale

CV313 : Dimensional Space (Echospace Detroit)
-You’ll never guess what this is like

Deep Chord presents Echospace : The Coldest Season 3 (Modern Love)
-Or this

Quantec : Deep In Mind (Styrax Leaves Germany)
-More dubby-on-the-side-of-techno business

Sven Weisemann : Cabana Fever (Mojuba Germany)
-As is this

Mr. G : U Askin? (Rekids)
-That Dettmann ting

KSoul & Ra H : Morphine 004 (Morphine Italy)
-Detroit house vibes with a slightly techno flavour

Kai Alce : Broken Headlights (Real Soon)
-More Real Soon quality hard-to-pin-down house vibes

Aardvarck : Well Well Well (Rushhour Holland)
-More of that Cult Copy style business

I:Cube : Les Archives Cubistes Vol 1 (Versatile France)
-Sounds like the logical follow-up to Pooh Pah, or more like the Chateau Flight wares

Recent misses
Move D : Got Thing (Philpot Germany)
Kevin Reynolds : Afrik (Todchai US)
Marko Furstenberg : Surphased EP (Artless Germany)

Some oldies
Tori Amos God (EastWest Records UK)
-C2 remixes. Replacement for stolen CD copy. Can’t believe this sells for only £3

Kuni Kids Breath (Life Line)
-Nearly a Kuniyuki completist now

Miguel GraçaPineapple (Bombay Records)
-Been meaning to pick this up for ages after a friend in D.C. put it on a mix of his a while back. Wicked deep house chune

A CD
A Small Good Thing – Slim Westerns Vol II [Leaf]
-Finally picked up the sequel to one of my favorite ever albums. Can’t go wrong with a bit of ambience with slide guitar


Not so new
Depeche Mode – Get The Balance Right [Mute]
Depeche Mode – Some Great Reward (Remastered Collectors Edition) [Mute]
Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works 85-92 (remastered) [Apollo]
The Tuss – Confederation Trough EP [Rephlex]
The Tuss – Rushup Edge [Rephlex]
Deep Chord presents Echospace – The Coldest Season 2 [Modern Love]
Monolake – Ionized [Monolake]
Marc LeClair / Rechenzentrum – Musique Pour 3 Femmes Enceintes [Mutek]


Back to the new stuff
Moodymann – I’d Rather Be Lonely [KDJ]
Hieroglyphic Being – Guidance/Direction EP [Apnea]
Lerosa – Seeker EP [Enclave]

Monolake : Axis Carbon (Monolake Germany)
-Late

Iz & Diz : Love Vibe (remixes) (Aesoteric US)
-Missed this Bradock mix when it came out. Juno has one more copy of it in stock as of an hour ago

Daniel Meteo : Memento (Karaoke Kalk Pets Germany)
-Weird Kalk Pets action, less on the minimal tip than the stuff that they put out that I don’t bother with. A fair few hints at Detroit house and techno herein

Jacek Sienkiewicz : Spirits Of Life (Recognition Poland)
-The A side is well weird sounding. B side more his standard fair, but still tasty. Man can do no wrong at the moment

Studio : West Coast (Information)
-My 54th copy

V/A : Kalte Fusse II Vol 2 (Opossum Germany)
-Picked up for nice Jacek Sienkiewicz mix of the Joachim Spieth track

Mark Pritchard / Steve Spacek : Turn It On (Sonar Kollektiv Germany)
-Not what I was expecting it to sound like. More techno. Stupid baseline. I dig

Pendle Coven : Habitual Stress EP (Modern Love)
-Big synths heavy on the release. Who needs reverb?

The Oliverwho Factory : Future Funk (Madd Chaise Inc)
-Nice vocal techno

M Pittman : The Midwest Advocates Part One (Unirhythm US)
-Sick sick sick acid