Category Archives: Music

Mixes

Antinomy II

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Done a new mix. It’s a one-off, clocking in at just under two and a half hours. Probably 50% house, 50% other. I’ve only listened to it once, but I think it came out pretty much like I intended. 

2020 note: all mixes taken down for now to re-post at higher bitrate on Mixcloud in due course. If you’re at all keen for me to do this, please let me know and I will try and get anything specific you want to hear moved over ASAP.

Tracklist
Pascal Schäfer – Dawn [Karaoke Kalk]

Flying Lotus – Camel (Nosaj Thing remix) [Warp Records]

Crab – The Quote From The R [Deep Explorer]

Mark E – Slave 1 [Running Back]

Lerosa – Arctor (original mix) [Real Soon]

Reggie Dokes – In A Better Place [Psychostasia Recordings]

Kadebostan – Hidden Treasure [Freude Am Tanzen]

Kadebostan – Back To My First Heroes [Freude Am Tanzen]

Harmonic 313 – The Returners [Warp Records]

Robert Henke – Metropol [Imbalance Computer Music]

$tinkworx – Coelacanth [Strange Life Records]

Bogdan Irkük a.k.a. Bulgari – Caprice [Rollerboys Recordings]

The Mole – There’s Hope [Internasjonal]

Even Tuell – Untitled B1 Workshop 07 [Workshop]

Actress – Ivy May Gilpin [Werk Discs]

Rhythm Maker – Don’t Disturb The Monotony [Background]

Luomo – Gets Along Fine [Huume]

Anton Zap – Ain’t Got Time [Background]

DJ Sprinkles – Reverse Rotation [Mule Musiq]

Vladislav Delay – Recovery Idea (Andy Stott remix) [Semantica Records]

Seth Troxler & Patrick Russell – Love Spray [Circus Company]

Mentor Roska – Feeline (original mix) [Roska Kicks & Snares]

Titonton Duvante – Chi Doro (Titonton refreak) [Das Modular]

Neil Landstrumm – Puter Vibes [New Electronica]

Petter – Robotfood (Jacek Sienkiewicz remix) [Manual Music]

TRG & Dub U – Losing Marbles [Hotflush Recordings]

Spherix – Look Back / Drone [Tube 10 Recordings]

Jus Wan – The Crossing / Flashpoint [Tube 10 Recordings]

2562 – Channel Two (original version) [Tectonic]

Total Science – I Know [Emoticon]

Hardfloor – The Trill Acid Theme (E.R.P. remix) [Hardfloor]

Skinny Puppy – Rash Reflection [Nettwerk]

Coil – Teenage Lightning 2 [Wax Trax! Records]

New/Reviews

Narratives in albums

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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/Reviews

New music

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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]

Mixes

Straight to V.H.S.

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New disembodied “mix” tape (mostly unmixed). Lots of older stuff with a sprinkle of new(ish). It’s quite different stylistically to most of my mixes.

2020 note: all mixes taken down for now to re-post at higher bitrate on Mixcloud in due course. If you’re at all keen for me to do this, please let me know and I will try and get anything specific you want to hear moved over ASAP.

Tracklist
mOBiTh – Snuff [Unreleased]
The Cure – Like Cockatoos [Polydor]
Tones on Tail – Rain [Beggars Banquet]
Angelo Badalamenti – Moving Through Time [Warner Bros. Records]
Yo La Tengo – Damage [Matador]
Plaid – Rakimou [Warp]
Depeche Mode – Stripped [Sire Records Company]
Aardvarck – Bay 2 [Delsin]
Autechre – Tankraken (Version) [Warp]
Public Enemy – Welcome to the Terrordome [Def Jam Recordings]
Ministry – Hizbollah [Sire Records Company]
Piece – Free Your Mind [Planet E]
Laid Back – White Horse [SPG Music Productions Ltd]

Charts, Clubs/Parties, New/Reviews

Best of 2008

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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

Mixes

Antinomy I

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This one’s a bit lengthy at just under three hours. Lots of house and techno along with some other bits. Unfortunately the second hour was probably a bit too ambitious, but hopefully it still stands up. 

2020 note: all mixes taken down for now to re-post at higher bitrate on Mixcloud in due course. If you’re at all keen for me to do this, please let me know and I will try and get anything specific you want to hear moved over ASAP.

Tracklist
Matthew Herbert – Nicotine (from Nicotine, short film) [Studio !K7]

Matthew Herbert Big Band – Breathe [Studio !K7]

Koss – Air (MW Point 137E35 mix) [Mule Electronic]

Rondenion – 7 & 10 [Parker MusicWorks]

The Mole – When It Tastes So Good, You Deserve It [Wagon Repair]

Lowtec – A1 [Workshop]

Reggie Dokes – Black Children Of The Ghetto [Philpot]

Ike – Cluster Funk [Philpot]

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

Kelli Hand – Holding On [Third Ear Recordings]

Ibex – Spiritual War [Third Ear Recordings]

Reggie Dokes – Rain On Me [Philpot]

Keith Worthy – Moon Dance [Third Ear Recordings]

Morphosis – Baal [Morphine Records]

Arthur Russell – Arm Around You [Rough Trade]

Metro Area – Soft Hoop [Environ]

Róisín Murphy – Tell Everybody [EMI]

The Clash – The Magnificent Seven [Sony]

Paul Johnson – Hear The Music [Peacefrog Records]

Fabrice Lig – Bump Bump [Versatile Records]

New Order – Mr. Disco [Qwest Records]

Problem Kids – I Will Lead (Hollway & Eastwick mix) [Paper Recordings]

Glenn Underground – Disco Fusion [Defender Music]

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

Ron Trent – Journeyn2u [Future Vision Records]

Mood Men feat Nina Vidal – Why (A Gorgeous house mix) [CIMA Recordings]

DJ Gregory – Sookoos [Defected]

Dave Aju – Open Wide [Circus Company]

Neil Landstrumm – She-Ra (Extra Speaker Pop) [Peacefrog Records]

Exchange Bureau meets John Arnold – Spookie Dookie [Third Ear Recordings]

Chateau Flight – La Roquette [Versatile Records]

Kenny Larkin – Bass Mode [Planet E]

Petar Dundov – Rain (Echospace reduction) [Music Man Records]

Delano Smith – Trans [Third Ear Recordings]

Kadebostan – Caracas Soul [Freude Am Tanzen]

Aroy Dee – All That Remains [M>O>S Recordings]

Tob Jona – Metro 501 [a.r.t.less]

Wbeeza – London My Home [Third Ear Recordings]

Ben Klock – Warszawa – Original Mix [Ostgut Ton ]

Jacek Sienkiewicz – My Little Place [Cocoon Recordings]

Pangaea – Deviant [Hessle Audio]

New/Reviews

New rekkids

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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]

Kit

Waldorf Microwave XT

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New kit! I had previously convinced myself that my synth shopping was done, but I recently figured out that I would never bother using the ROMpler sounds in my RM1X (still digging it as a sequencer though) and that I didn’t need to be routing the out from my effects box in to one of the proper stereo channels in the mixer when there’s a “playback” channel that would accommodate that just fine. So I decided to fill these recently-emptied channels. I was initially toying with the idea of getting a Blofeld, but decided that since I have a Q that I love already, the XT would be the way to go. And it has two stereo outs.

I’ve not yet really spent any time with the manual, but the short amount of time I’ve spent fiddling with a couple of sounds has left me really impressed. Here’s some gear pr0n:

New synth:

Revised studio setup:

Now I just need to get some monitors and I should be basically done. There’s no space left in the mixer for expansion and no space on the desk for a larger mixer, so I think this should be a it for a while! Not that I’m left wanting, mind.

Mixes

8118 Mix

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New mix! Feels like a mix tape to me somehow. I purposefully kept it under 80 minutes to fit it on CD anyway. I think everything but the Plastikman track is pre-’97.

2020 note: all mixes taken down for now to re-post at higher bitrate on Mixcloud in due course. If you’re at all keen for me to do this, please let me know and I will try and get anything specific you want to hear moved over ASAP.

Seefeel – Through You [Too Pure]
Jam & Spoon – I Saw the Future [Apollo]
Le Gooster – Voyage Sur Hypnose [Shadow Records]
The Mighty Bop – Abstract Fever [Quango Records]
Sun Electric – O’locco (Orbital Therapy Part 2) [R&S]
The Orb – Outland (Fountains Of Elisha Mix) [Big Life]
The Black Dog – Nommo [Warp]
Async Sense – Fa [Interference Records Berlin]
Larry Heard – The Dance of Planet X [Black Market International]
Sweet Exorcist – African [Touch]
Link & E621 – Antacid (Jedi Knights Remix) [Warp]
Plastikman – In Side [NovaMute]
Sysex – Goodbye [Plus 8]
Placid Angels – Now and Always [Peacefrog]
Irresistible Force – Snowstorm [Rising High]