Electronic & Dance Music: drum n bass/ jungle, electro, breakbeat/ nu skool breaks, industrial/ electro-industrial/ ebm, synth pop/ electroclash, techno/tech house/deep house/progressive house, psychedelic trance, IDM/ experimental electronics/ ambient/ glitch sounds/ folktronica/ downbeat, jazztronica/ electro-jazz, leftfield/ instrumental/ electronified hip-hop/trip-hop. Rock Music: art-rock/ avant-prog/ avant rock, electro-rock/ epic alt-rock, experimental rock, jazz-rock, kraut rock/ math rock/ post-hardcore/ post-rock/ space-rock, darkwave/ gothic/ ethereal, dark metal, hardcore/ metalcore/ noisecore, post punk and shoegazer/dream pop sounds. Other Orbits:Kozmigroov, avant / free jazz, dub, modern composition, improvised music and many other hybrids and musical mutations.
Age: I entered this world in 1970. A British Blogger.
2008 ALBUM RELEASES: 2008 FORTHCOMING ALBUMS
using rateyourmusic.com: 2008 Album Releases [Updated Regularly]
This information is updated on a continual basis.
[These dates apply to the UK and can change as record companies/distributors do have a habit of messing us around!]
In 2002 Paul Oakenfold does seem out of place, his style of music is not in vogue in Britain, apart from a few high profile clubs that still support his trance style in the North of England. His debut studio album, Bunkka is released in June. If the album had been released 3 summers ago, at the peak of the trance comeback - the album probably would have sold a million, but in 2002? It just seems dated and people have moved on to other things. In the UK his profile had dipped, a few years back he would regularly top those best DJ polls, since then Oakenfold has spent a considerable amount of time in the US where he is seen as Brit-megastar DJ - and that is where his popularity/focus is these days.
Paul Oakenfold 'Bunkka' album is released on 24 June and he has roped in a string of collaborators, Grant-Lee Phillips, the Jane's Addiction singer Perry Farrell, So Solid Crew's Asher D, Tricky, Nelly Furtado and Ice Cube, and three not so famous singers..Carla Warner, Tiff Lacey and Emiliana Torrini - so it is not a full on trance album. But apart from diehard Paul Oakenfold fans/Mixmag readers, who else will be buying this album in the UK? I will be surprised if the album lasts a month in the top 40 UK album charts. # posted by DJ Martian 2:09 PM
Pitch Adjust
Pitch Adjust is a club music community website, that is well designed with fresh content: news, reviews and events. Produced in Stockholm, but strangely keeps mentioning London ! Indeed I thought it was a UK based website at first. Sign up for their weekly newsletter. # posted by DJ Martian 1:02 PM
Packed with fantastic songs, liberally sprinkled with intriguing touches, Heathen is the sound of a man who has finally worked out how to grow old with a fitting degree of style. # posted by DJ Martian 12:48 PM
DJ Shadow - The Private Press (Mo Wax) ***** # posted by DJ Martian 12:39 PM
ALEXANDER RISHAUG - PANORAMA
Another artist, on Norway's Smalltown Supersound label is, Alexander Rishaug. His debut album Panorama is set for a UK release on June 17th.
ALEXANDER RISHAUG - PANORAMA
Smalltown Supersound is proud to present the debut album from one of Norway`s finest electronic artists. Alexander Rishaug is part of the highly innovative electronic scene in Norway together with Jazzkammer, Alog, Biosphere, Kim Hiorth�y, Phonophani and Lasse Marhaug to name a few. With minimalistic electronics, abstract beats, glitches and digital noise he explores tones and textures creating a detailed, rich, subtle, melancholic and even melodic sound. Always with a sharp focus on structure, rythm and melodies. Rishaug himself describes the music as "small melodic changes and amplifies clicks and skipping, random shifts and breaks". The album was recorded at home, direct to DAT with no after dubs and was created with midi, computer and realtime software. # posted by DJ Martian 1:49 AM
Jaga Jazzist - A Livingroom Hush (Smalltown Supersound)
Jaga Jazzist are a ten-piece instrumental jazz/electronica/post-rock act from Norway.
Their album, A Livingroom Hush is picking up considerable praise, and has just been releaased in the UK via Pinnacle, Jaga Jazzist - A Livingroom Hush
A lot of comparisons have been made about their music, from Talk Talk, Soft Machine, and Don Cherry to acts like Aphex Twin, Stereolab, Squarepusher, and Tortoise.
"Ground floor for musical innovation, lunacy and special-offer ideas..." (NME)
"Like Charles Mingus with the Aphex Twin up his arse. Delectable." (SLEAZENATION)
"� a feast of infectious beats and exciting arrangements delicately resolved with nuance to produce a variety of atmospheric pleasures" (THE WIRE)
Smalltown Supersound is proud to present "A Livingroom Hush" by Jaga Jazzist. This 10-piece instrumental jazz/electronica/post-rock act and their debut album "A Livingroom Hush" (STS056CD) was hailed as a sensation in the Norwegian press when it was released through Warner (in Norway only) in 2001. Now the album is finally ready for release outside of Norway through Smalltown Supersound.
Jaga Jazzist`s arsenal includes trumpets, trombone, electric guitar, bass, tuba, two bass clarinets, Fender Rhodes and vibraphone, but it is the mixture of these instruments and the electronics, that makes the genuine, characteristic and wonderful Jaga Jazzist sound. It is melodic, hypnotizing, delicate and subtle.
A lot of comparisons have been made about their music, from Talk Talk, Soft Machine, Eric Satie, John Coltrane and Don Cherry to acts like Aphex Twin, Stereolab, Squarepusher, Isotope 217 and Tortoise. But Jaga Jazzist is impossible to classify, because of the diverse influences of the 10 participants, and their many different musical platforms. The band members are all active on the many different musical scenes in Norway, such as the electronica scene (R�yksopp, Kim Hiorthoy etc), the young future/nu-jazz scene (Bobby Hughes Experience, Bugges Wesseltoft etc), the rock scene (Motorpsycho, Big Bang, Euroboys) and the experimental electronic scene (Jazzkammer, Biosphere, Supersilent, Alog, Lasse Marhaug). Jaga Jazzist is known in Norway for contributing on almost every Norwegian record released. In many ways the band is a mixture of all the good music in Norway. You might even say that Jaga Jazzist is Norway at it`s very best! # posted by DJ Martian 1:45 AM
"Anyone who thinks 'jazz' is a dirty word should be forced to listen to Chris Bowden, he is jazz for the next generation" - The Wire . This fresh and eclectic album displays Bowden's powerful playing, awe-inspiring imagination and unique way with a string arrangement on a extraordinary adventure that draws on elements of Jazz Fusion, Latin Jazz, Classical, Soul, Funk, Big Band and Broken Beats. The inspired player and arranger for K-Creative, 4 Hero and The Herbaliser, his new album breaks down like this��Only Angst� kicks in like 100mg of adrenalin, a mad brash big band sound dropping in samples and screaming horn solos, forcing us to examine the preconceptions of our musical reference. It�s a hypnotic swirl of brass and beats that speeds around the bloodstream, oscillating between confusion and amazing clarity ., �Crockers & Killers� is the album's stylistic signature tune - an immense collage of heroic horn lines, rich toned strings and delicate piano stylings. The impressionistic use of strings (not dissimilar to classical chamber music), the myriad tempos, haunting bass lines and bold mixing of brass and woodwind provide the perfect backdrop to soulful vocals. On �ZOO ZOO� Andy Hamill and Tom Gordon lay down a 70's space funk vibe, a slow jam tempo and a fat drum break. �W'p De f'n' doo� would please the gamut from fans of 'dinnerjazz' to the sweat-soaked dancefloor of Casa Latina. With its cheeky riffs, the funky and upbeat W'p De f'n' doo showcases a more urban raw sound on the sax - Bowden paying homage to jazz hornography - soaring over piano riffs and a hyper drum score, before wormholing out into the future.
Cranes - Submarine Ep
CD on Instinct
New material (�submarine�, �don�t wake me up� & �driving in the sun�) from everyone�s favourite scary angst-ridden brother-sister duo, remixed by jack dangers / meat beat manifesto, dietrich schoenemann, thin men, saru, paul smith, tripnotic, dimitri tikovoi, and greg long. 8 tracks total. Original version of �submarine� appears on cranes� new album �future songs� .
Pfeuti - Pigeon Post
CD on Oh Tonito!
Post jazz/post rock unit pfeuti combine influences that range from free jazz to dub, noise, electronica, exotica and movie soundtracks. Angular, evocative themes are punctuated with jarring sax and guitar improvisations over a driving rhythm section to create pfeuti_s unmistakable sound that is both immediate and constantly surprising.
Sian - Rhino Flower
CD on COOKIN
LTJ Bukem has been listening out for special talent amongst his A&R box, and unearthed artists with wide ranging tastes and techniques, armed with a long player of material. First up is Dublin based producer Sian, who�s passions for music and nature combine to form �Rhino Flower� � a gritty funk statement, warmed with deep musical flourishes and a perceptive seventies sheen . This is an exciting debut from a musician with distinct flair for the down-tempo genre
Various - Anthology Of Noise And Electronic Music
CDS on Sub Rosa
Volume one of sub rosa�s vast anthology series (totalling seven double-disc volumes) acts as a chronology from 1921 to 2001, selecting at least one highly influential artist or piece from each decade. Represented here are the first traces of a musical form that was necessarily revolutionary, created from nothing and without reference to the past. Many of the archive pieces on this set were never published or only informally distributed. Most of the contemporary pieces are previously unreleased. The eclectic noise makers gathered here are : luigi & antonio russolo (1921), john cage (1965), sonic youth (1983), einsturzende neubauten (1998), walter ruttman (1930), pierre schaeffer (1948), iannis xenakis (1958), paul d. Miller / dj spooky (2001), gordon mumma (1965), angus maclise, tony conrad & john cale (1965), philip jeck, otomo yoshihide & martin tetreault (2000), survival research laboratories (1992), konrad boehmer (1966), nam june paik (1958), henri pousseur (1957), edgar varese (1958), pauline oliveros (1966), ryoji ikeda (1997). Also includes extensive 24 page infromation booklet. # posted by DJ Martian 9:59 PM
Norwegian downtempo picking up a lot of airplay (BREEZEBLOCK, XFM, BLUE ROOM (radio 1) etc...The thing about Flunk is quite simple. It's all about the love of music - and the lack of words. Organised by Ulph, Flunk are the collective enterprise of the former, guitarist Jo Bakke (he used to be in Norwegian pop act Happy Campers, who moved on to electronic music and released a 12" on Ninja Tunes, is also one half of house-combo Antenna who released their first 12" on US label Guidance this autumn), and Anja �yen Vister. There are also others adding layers during the process of making Flunk music, including Ivar Winther and his flute, and Ulphs girlfriend, Tine Skarland singing. Ulph has made four albums with Norwegian pop act Folk & R�vere since 1996, receiving both critical acclaim and some brief moments of chart success for the slightly odd mix of Norwegian lyrics and downbeat music.Flunk, then, is basically about letting the music speak louder than the ever flowing words. The soundscapes are mid-tempo, and with the sound of guitars almost always present, it puts a kind of rock touch to the chill-out feel and pop tunes. That's the general idea, anyway..
Piano Magic - Writers Without Homes
CD on 4AD
Like their 4AD predecessors This Mortal Coil, Piano Magic have press-ganged an array of friends and spiritual acquaintances into service. But despite the variety of tone and multiplicity of voices this approach brings into being, �Writers Without Homes� reveals on repeated listening a rich focus, and confirms that Piano Magic are operating with assurance and poise in a territory few of their contemporaries even bother to explore. Simon Raymonde (ex-Cocteau Twins) plays piano on 3 tracks; Paul Anderson from Tram sings on "Already Ghosts"; Tarwater guest on "Modern Jupiter"; John Grant from The Czars adds his voice to "The Season Is Long"; Life Without Buildings guitarist Robert Johnstone plays on "It's The Same Dream", which also features vocals from Suzy Mangion of new Manchester unit George. But the real coup came when the band coaxed long-retired 60's folk starlet Vashti Bunyan out of retirement to sing on her first recording in nearly 30 years ("Crown Of The Lost").
Someday 1 - Ref 4
CD on Owned And Operated
Someday I, with their second release on ALL�s label, Owned & Operated Recordings, have produced a thematic opus. "Ref 4" serves as a back yard fence over which a self-absorbed, auto-pathetic, sociopath peeks occasionally at his neighbours reaffirming why he lives alone (in his parents� basement), has no friends, and works in a vacuum. Combining nihilism and misanthropy, SOMEDAY I have fashioned an ethos and managed in two short years with two long releases to accomplish that which many more storied artists have taken decades and dozens of releases to accomplish: perfection of the art of career suicide. Their obtuse hatred of everything secular and non is very personal and should not be misunderstood as to not pertain to you. Taking unequal parts Jawbox, Drive Like Jehu, Shudder To Think, DJ Shadow, Shiner, The Police, and The Clash, Someday I are excited to have ripped off all these well known bands & produced the best record yet for Owned & Operated # posted by DJ Martian 9:44 PM
Debut full-length from this San Francisco trio who write unique, dense, scattershot rock that goes for the jugular, even when it lets you breathe. More Specific, Less Pacific finds Caesura seething through cutting, dissonant guitars, drummer Mike Shoun's taut, complex rhythms and Brad Purvis' angular basslines that contort and writhe beneath the chilling, lost wail of guitarist Evan Rehill. This is forty-five stunning minutes of smart, riveting stuff that will have folks lining up outside the club waiting to see Caesura bring it live. RIYL: Gang of Four, Unwound, Sweep the Leg Johnny, Minutemen, the Jesus Lizard, early Unsane, Mission of Burma, Roadside Monument
Cripples - Dirty Head
CD on Dirtnap
Released on 17/06/02
This record's got real catchy songs and a stiletto-spiked garage attitude. They've got electronic synth sounds that totally annihilate the stock presets that whimper on every other "band-with-a-keyboard" record. Sensitive depeche mode this ain't. The cripples are on the screamers side of the galaxy. Still don't get it? Ok, imagine if add n to (x) played pop songs. We've got yer real drums, real bass, and two guys with keyboards strapped around their necks! Featuring hard-hitting, genre-bending tunes - starting at wire and devo, driving through pussy galore and early modern lovers - this album blasts white noise to the surface in such a way that even guitar wolf would be envious.
Durutti Column - Return Of The Sporadic Recordings
CDS on Kooky
Released on 01/07/02
The sporadic recordings passes through and over 20 years of music by the durutti column . Originally released in 1990 as a single cd ( cd2 of this album ) , it was limited to 4000 copies , it contains the out-took , the unheard , the unfinished , the early version , the re-recorded and the pre-recorded from 1979 to 1990 . This 2 c d set is a re-issue of the highly collectible �sporadic recordings � along with a new collection of 15 new tracks from 1990 to the present day . This album illustrates vini reilly�s unique kaleidoscopic sound � combining infuences including czech classical , punk , flamenco and latin america , blues bollywood , reggae , hip-hop and rock . Since his 1979 debut � the return of the durutti column � vini reilly�s music-writing has been prolific and as a result sporadic includes many unavailable tracks . Reilly spent most of his musical career signed to factory records , the subject of much discussion after the recent release of owner/granada tv presenter tony wilson�s book and film � 24 hour party people � . � in the final scene of the film god suggests that we should all revisit vini reilly�s work . � good music to chill out to ,� is god�s own phrase . And that�s fair enough � cause it�s god�s own music . � tony wilson � 24 hour party people
Enon - High Society
Touch and Go
Released on 17/06/02
FEATURING MEMBERS OF BLONDE REDHEAD, THE LAPSE AND BRAINIAC, 'High Society' is ONE OF TOUCH & GO'S STRONGEST ROCK RELEASES FOR YEARS! K K K K K R E VI E W I N K E R R A N G ! ! "AS AN ALBUM 'HIGH SOCIETY' HAS EVERYTHING; IT ROCKS, IT'S POPPY, IT'S ABRASIVE AND IT'S CHALLENGING. IN SHORT, IT'S F**KING BRILLIANT!!!!!". Enon is NOT your average rock and roll band! This band forges some traditional rock vocabulary together with samples, electronic creations and an "anything goes" attitude.It's a celebration of technology, for certain, but not at the expense of actual songs.The songs are ROCKING and POPPY and DOWNRIGHT CATCHY!! *John Schmersal cut his teeth in Brainiac, the Dayton Ohio freakoutfit. After their sad demise, John then moved to New York City. He put out a few singles on various labels under the name Enon and a record under the mysterious name John Stuart Mill. Enon was still, at this time, basically a solo project, Now joined by Toko Yasuda (Blonde Redhead/The Lapse) and Matt Schulz (Let's Crash), Enon is a bright spot in the current state of rock and roll. Originally using John's former band Brainiac as a jumping off point, Enon have since forged their own unique sound of surprisingly melodic songs and pure rockers. The addition of Toko on vocals and songwriting opens up an entire new world of pop frequencies. For Fans Of: Pavement, Devo, Sonic Youth, Blonde Redhead,The Lapse
Hot Hot Heat - Knock Knock Knock
CD on Sub Pop
Released on 17/06/02
HOT HOT HEAT play an updated post-punk style that recalls the Cure and Joy Division, but without all the mopin' around. �This is a band that the hardcore punk kids and the dorky new wavers could get along to. Mixing equal parts new wave danceability with snarling punk vocals, Hot Hot Heat is the quirky cousin that would have been played alongside Oingo Bongo!, the B-52's and Gang of Four with equal ease. These yound gentlemen are making quite a name for themselves in Seattle. Sub POP will be releasing Hot Hot Heat's debut full length later on in the year... produced by Chris Walla of Death Cab For Cutie
Pia Fraus - In Solarium
CD on Clairecords
Released on 02/07/02
�In Solarium� is the second album from Pia Fraus. It sees the band reaching new heights of sonic texture. The band�s six members utilize a bevy of instruments including farfisa organ, synthesizers, �noise�, two vocalists, bass, drums, and of course those wonderful guitars. Their songs have a remarkable sense of melody that�ll be stuck in your head for ages. The layers upon layers of guitars, keyboards, and boy/girl vocals put you in a different place - a land of daydreams and bright colors. It�s pop. It�s noisy. It�s brilliant.
Rumah Sakit - Obscured By Clowns
CD on Temporary Residence
Released on 24/06/02
Steeped in progressive rock influences, rumah sakit blends their intricate polyrhythms and subtle beauty with massive walls of destructive improv. Currently on hiatus while the collective members pursue their many other projects (incl, howard hello, sweep the leg johnny, thingy and jargon), rumah sakit have recorded a high watermark for angular rock music. Jazz infected structures, funky rhythms and beautifully frenzied guitar interplay. This is the type of record that the likes of don caballero and tool only wish they could conceive.
Steroid Maximus - Ectopia
CD on Ipecac
Released on 01/07/02
THE RETURN OF THE MIGHTY FOETUS! This time on Mike Patton's Ipecac label! This long awaited album contains the cinematic stylings of FOETUS/JIM THIRWELL encompassing twisted neo-blaxploitation,spy/crime noir-intrigue, haunting soundscapes, sinuous carnal funk, exotic soundtracks of the unimagined and ethnic music from civilisations yet to be invented! Throughout his long illustrious career J.G.Thirlwell , aka Foetus, has been anything but conventional. (He can't even stick to one musical sobriquet; he requires several: Steroid Maximus, Clint Ruin, Wiseblood, DJ OTEFSU, myriad Foetus hybrids, and the brand new Manorexia.) Seen as a seminal and influential force behind that thing the kids call "industrial", as well as an accomplished remixer and producer,he's worked his magic on the likes of NIN,Pantera, White Zombie, JSBX, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Coil and countless others. File Under: Avant-Lounge For Fans Of: Foetus, Fantomas, Vampiros Lesbos
Systemwide - Pure And Applied
CD on Bsi
Released on 17/06/02
Pure and Applied is the long-awaited full length follow-up to 1997's Sirius (produced as a demo in very limited quantities and sold out for years). Singles, EP's and compilation tracks have come and gone, but this is the album fans have been waiting for - totally live & DIY dub rock. No simple downtempo or reggae cutout, Systemwide have an absolutely unique sound, approached by no other band that we know of. They are a link from the past to the future, firmly planted in the punk/dub hybrid bands of the 70s and 80s - crews like The Slits, Gang of Four, the Pop Group and Creation Rebel. The band's devastating sound has been called "militant dub," dystopic dance music," and "genre dissolving." Press has come from all corners, including The Wire, XLR8R, All Music Guide and Spin. Shows with luminaries such as Lee Scratch Perry, Scientist, Adrian Sherwood, Mad Professor, Mikey Dread, Badawi, DJ Krush, Dub Syndicate, Dr. Israel, Andrea Parker and many more have cemented their rep, and top ten records on the charts of tastemakers like DJ Spooky have gotten the word out even wider... With production by Josh Derry (aka Alter Echo, aka Sound Secretion), Allan Fisher (of Bucolic) and King Fader (of Dahlia), Pure and Applied captures Systemwide's live sound & energy to a degree that none of the band's previous releases has done. Two vocal appearances by Brooklyn's Dr. Israel round out a 13 track set, an even split between vocal tunes and instrumental tracks. The range of vibes & tempos is expansive, but always coherent and flowing - from heavy, heavy dub to laid back soul-clap funk to raucous breakbeat, drum &bass and 2 Step flavors, Pure and Applied captivates from the beginning and doesn't let go until the final fade.
Tarentel - Ephemera
CD on Temporary Residence
Released on 17/06/02
Inspired by pioneers like my bloody valentine and mid period (70�s) pink floyd, tarentel began properly in 1998, and 3 albums(2 studio, 1 live), 3 eps, four singles and several compilation tracks later they are issuing �ephemera� a 5 track cd compiling their singles, it plays like a flawless album. Reference points aside from the aforementioned are steve reich, brian eno, terry riley, zoviet france and this heat!
Windsor For The Derby - Emotional Rescue
Aesthetics
Released on 17/06/02
This is windsor�s 4th full length. This album sees them create a fantastic collection of skeletal, Orchestrated folk / lo-fi pop songs, drenched in a delicate spaciousness, reminiscent of early Bedhead, yet with a more folk leaning, hanging out with michael gira has paid off dividends, windsor Have moved on from their third lp on young god delivering an album of exquisite beauty and indicative Of their increased musical proficiency. # posted by DJ Martian 9:28 PM
Trans Am - TA
Playlouder enjoy the new Trans Am - TA comparing the album to Simple Minds before the hits ! # posted by DJ Martian 8:21 PM
Color Mixing Is Supersprite's First Full Length Release. Frontman Howard Gillam Wor Ks Hazy Melodies From Dense Sonic Tones, Fueled By Mellow Down-Tempo Beats For A Spaced-Out Pop Effect. Though Sampler Is His Instrument Of Choice, Samples Don't Come From Prerecorded Sources, Rather From An Arsenal Of Synthesizers, Drum Machines, And Pro Gramables (Or Sometimes The Cat) Spinning Your Head Into The Clouds Or Creating Colorful Dreamscapes That Would Play Well As An Alternate Soundtrack To Fantastic Planet
Various Artists - 0161(Skam)
A compilation of tracks by a diverse range of manchester bands, and musicians. featuring exclusive tracks from :- the fall, bola, gescom, jega, v/vm, datathief, yunx, and more
Various Artists - Skampler (Skam)
Ltd edition repressing, black jewel case, hand built stickering layout, cd only. lego feet, boards of canada, jega, bola, freeform, and gescom. featuring old, and very rare skam material, and two exclusive tracks
RELEASED 10th JUNE
Phako - Bolnes Shipyards & Engineering Co Ltd (Dub)
Phako's Debut Full Length Cd Compiles His 'Bolnes Constructed' Ep And Last Winters 'Bolnes Fragmented' Ep, Along With Some Extra Works Like A Remix For Math. Also Included Is A Bonus Quick-Time Movie With The Works Of 010
Janek Schaefer - Invisible Architecture (Audiosphere / Sub Rosa)
Third In A New Series Documenting Noteable Live Recordings And Unique Collaborations In Improvised Electronic Music. This 51-Minute Uneleased Work Comes From An April 2002 And Is Highly Abstract With Obsessive Slow Changes And His Own Unique Variations On Scratching
Senking - Forge (Raster/Noton) Ltd Import
Senking Creates Those Moments By Only Using A Few Sound Fragments. A 20 Minute Flow - A Linear And Uncensored Piece Of Sounds, Emotions And Moments
RELEASED 17th JUNE
Ai Phoenix - Lean That Way Forever. (Glitterhouse)
Their spindly guitar lines, shuffling drums and funeral keyboards create a mood of sombre reflection, if you thought that Norway had given up making pop music the day A-Ha packed away their mullets, then it\rquote s time to re ajust your prejudices. Al Phoenix are Norway\rquote s most brooding and beautiful buried treasure
Alexander Rishaug - Panorama (Smalltown Supersound)
Small-town Supersound is proud to present the debut album from one of Norway\rquote s finest electronic artists. Alexander Rishaug is part of the innovative electronic scene in Norway together with Jazzkammer, Alog, Biosphere, Kim Hiothoy, Phonopani and Lasse Marhaug to name a few
Tarentel- Ephemera (Temporary Residence Limited)
'Ephemera' Is A 5 Track Cd Compiling Their Singles, It Plays Like A Flawless Album. Features Tracks From The Resonant 12" And Static Caravan 7"
V/A - Perspective Fragments Vol One (U-Cover)
Not Just A Kind Of "Best Of" But Serves Only Exclusive And Unreleased Tracks From: Electric Birds (Ontayso Remix), Tim Koch, Lusine Icl. (Quenchremix), Kettel, Skipsapiens, Crunch, The Buddy System, Ten And Tracer, Funckarma, Lusine Icl, Cosmic Connection And Llips
RELEASED 24th JUNE
Asa Chang And Junray -Jun Ray Song Chang (The Leaf Label)
Asa-Chang's music is wildly exotic, playful and lovingly crafted by human hands.. A heady brew of Eastern percussion, babelogues of spoken word, horns, toys, flute, mandolin and an analogue synthesizer drum, which together resonate like a struck bell, oscillates wildly between breathtaking futurism and timeless spirituality. Circulating on white label and CDR since last summer, and to be released as a limited edition 12" in May, it has picked up an enviable cult following,(including John Peel). A bolt from the blue of intense, hallucinogenic sounds, it's one of those tracks you hear once and will never forget
Kotai - Kotai (WMF Records)
Better known as member of the legendary ELEKTRO MUSIC DEPARTMENT (EMD). The Label ELEKTRO MUSIC DEPARTMENT evolved from the cult club Elektro in Berlin and is run by former club owners and now "just" artists. 9 exclusive tracks from one of the stars of the electronic scene in Europe
The Pilot Ships - There Should Be An Entry Here (Bluesanct)
Brian Mcbride's (Stars Of The Lid) Side Project, That Also Features Members Of Monroe Mustang. Their Tonal Explorations Add Something Thats Often Missing From New Genres Of Ambient Rock. Awe-Inspiring Cinematic Styled Swathes Through The Soundscape / Ambient Rock Genre
Rumah Sakit - Obscured By Clowns (Temporary Residence Limited)
Rumah Sakit Blends Their Intricate Polyrhythms And Subtle Beauty With Massive Walls Of Destructive Improv. Jazz Infected Structures, Funky Rhythms And Beautifully Frenzied Guitar Interplay
Windsor For The Derby - The Emotional Rescue (Aesthetics)
A Fantastic Collection Of Skeletal, Orchestrated Folk / Lo-Fi Pop Songs, Drenched In A Delicate Spaciousness, Reminiscent Of Early Bedhead, Yet With A More Folk Leaning. Hanging Out With Michael Gira Has Paid Off Dividends
RELEASED 1st JULY
The Durutti Column - Return Of The Sporadic Recordings (Kooky)
This 2cd Set Is A Re-Issue Along With A New Collection Of 15 New Tracks From 1990 To The Present Day
Steroid Maximus - Ectopia (Ipecac Records)
THE RETURN OF THE MIGHTY FOETUS! This long awaited album contains the cinematic stylings of FOETUS/JIM THIRWELL encompassing twisted neo-blaxploitation,spy/crime noir-intrigue, haunting soundscapes, sinuous carnal funk, exotic soundtracks of the unimagined and ethnic music from civilisations yet to be invented! # posted by DJ Martian 8:00 PM
BBC Music recently caught up with avant guitar hero Fred Frith to chat about Henry Cow, guitars and his new label, Fred Records. # posted by DJ Martian 7:31 PM
If I were an editor of a weekly music magazine this week's front cover would feature:Digital and High Contrast
Another double front cover choice selection this week. With two leading lights of the UK jungle/ drum n bass scene in 2002, Digital and High Contrast.
Digital
Digital (Steve Carr) is from Ipswich mixes up dub and jungle sounds to create a full on deep production sound. Fans of Dillinja will appreciate this album. The Digital album Dubzilla is released this week on Function records. Digiital has been making music for over 10 years but this is his first album.
Though underscored by a consistent amalgam of rolling old skool breaks and bombastic basslines (through which can be seen Jamaica's massive influence on d & b), Digital's arrangements here highlight his talent for pushing the sound in various directions
High Contrast
High Contrast (Lincoln Barrat) is from Cardiff, the album True Colours is released on Hospital Records on June 10th. I have enthused about High Contrast several times in the past on this weblog. I dubbed his style Future Funk Jungle, tracks such as Return of Forever and Make it Happen - have been amongst the biggest dancefloor and radio tracks on the DrumnBass/ Jungle scene in the past 6 months. ATM magazine has already called it an instant classic ..no doubt about it.
TRUE COLOURS showcases High Contrast�s wide spectrum of influences from Italian soundtracks to breakbeat garage, Detroit house to bossa jazz, and Brasilian rhythms to deep rare groove. It�s quality from the onset with the NYE anthem Return of Forever, followed by the 2-step flecked True Colours. Music is Everything is the uplifting vocal gem, reminiscent of Inner City Life according to Fabio. High Contrast goes deep with nostalgic junglist vibes and sultry vocals on Remember When and peaks with Metalheadz influenced Amen Sister (exclusive to the vinyl). Disco flavours roll out in Passion whilst Make it Tonight catches the soulful vibe of Motown on a dance-floor anthem bringing a tear to one journalists� eye! TRUE COLOURS displays the diversity of High Contrast as an artist, and in his own words, each track shows a different side to his sound.
The rise of High Contrast has been breathtaking: within the space of a year he has risen from the unknown to one of the hottest producers in dance music. Along the way, picking up best producer at the Welsh music awards (with nominations for best remix and deejay).. # posted by DJ Martian 12:23 AM
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
This week's NME: beware of false phrophets from King's Reach Tower Hyping Guitar Bands - episode 1001
Oh dear the NME are back on the mediocre bandwagon hyping no mark rock bands that are crap now and in 5 years people will say who. It seems that British and OZ version of the Strokes have arrived in the shape of The Libertines and The Vines respectively. Not necessary in this sense of being carbon music copies of the strokes, but in the sense of being hyped guitar merchants and seen as something important - when they clearly are not !
Both bands are thoroughly unremarkable trad songs mid paced typical retro alt rock merchants with catchy choruses, with some members supporting Strokes like hairstyles and casual dress style in the image dept. They seem squarely aimed at middle class teenage males who think they are somehow alternative for liking the latest hyped rubbish that the NME shoves under their faces, ofcourse by virtue of age/experience they have a small frame of reference and are duped into believing that this is it.
Last night for his sins, John Kennedy on Xfm interviewed a member of The Libertines on the phone, I have never come across such a boring, mumbling, insignificant, unresponsive, dull emptyheaded dullard ever being interviewed on the radio. Then he played their new single and to but it bluntly it was typical safe alt rock rubbish. Apparently they are set to chart with this single, next Sunday. The NME has deemed it single of the week to, it is called What a Waster? All hype and splutter - with no meaning, the blank generation with nothing to say.
No doubt that muppet Steve Lamacq on his Radio 1 has this band and The Vines on heavy rotation as the in thing. Oh dear indeed. The Libertines are this year's These Animal Men or Smash - veteran readers from the 90s inkies will know what I mean.
As for The Vines NME has them down "as the best band since Nirvana", time to laugh? time to move on. These chancers have had more than 15 minutes of limelight already.
[King's Reach Tower is where the NME offices are in London, SE1] # posted by DJ Martian 11:15 PM
KEITH LEVENE MURDERGLOBAL EP
Keith Levene from Public Image Ltd fame is back, as Murderglobal !
No he's not dead! Far from it. Keith Levene is back, and he still
only knows what he doesn't like...
June 18th sees Keith Levene's first solo release in nearly 13
years. After years of record company turbulence, Keith has
decided to go it alone and release a new EP by himself, his
way... The 5 track `MurderGlobal' CD EP will be available
through the official MurderGlobal web site, and by mail-order
(more info soon).
The tracks are as follows;
Killer in the Crowd / Object B / Aztek DUBD / Aztek Legend /
Sound Stage 1
Although very much a solo release, MurderGlobal is more than
just Levene. Continuing from the PiL umbrella theory
MurderGlobal features a whole host of contributors, some
prominent, some behind the scenes, but all working together to
help sow the seeds of the MurderGlobal manifesto.
All five tunes are pretty hard to describe, which can only be a
good thing. All are very different; a great mixture of rock,
electronica, funk and dub. Although parts of MurderGlobal does
feature the classic Keith Levene guitar sound we all know and
love, Keith doesn't limit himself to just one sound, or one
instrument. All tunes are fresh and definitely now...
Killer in the Crowd
A full blown Levene `rock' track, `Killer' has to
have one of the best intro's I've heard in years! Layers of raw
sound with raging vocals, and a subtle funk influence. Not to
mention a classic Levene guitar break at the end...
Object B
Choppy guitar with steady pumping bass along with Eastern
violas and cellos. Very atmospheric with unexpected tempo
changes: an eerie and unintentional hybrid of PiL's
Fodderstompf and Led Zepplins's `Kashmir'!! A classic
Levene `Sound - Track'.
Aztek DUBD
Layered, primal sounds, together with weird effects and a
building drum rhythm, `DUBD' is unlike anything Levene has
done since his PiL days. This has to be most unique track on the
EP. It should played at clubs and scare the shit out of people.
Aztek Legend
Another Keith Levene `Sound - Track'. Leading with previously
unheard real horns, `Legend' sounds like it could be from
some fucked up sci-fi gladiator movie! And as you'd expect from
a Keith Levene composition, it's completely different from
`Aztek
DUBD'...
Sound Stage 1
The biting rhythm makes this track sound almost industrial but
the huge `funk' bass takes control and drives the whole tune.
This is `Commercial Zone' 2002! A stand out track at a
different tempo to the others. They should definitely play this at
clubs.
MurderGlobal (Keith Levene) are currently working on a new
ideas which should be released sometime in the autumn
through a well known record company - or maybe not if things
carry on as they've begun. There are no plans for a tour (says
Levene), however, there are always possibilities of one-off
MurderGlobal events...
Anniversary retrospectives can often be a tricky business. In the turbulent world of magazine publishing, looking back at past incarnations of yourself can often lead you into alien territory, whether you find yourself in bemusement at your early naivety, tracing various U-turns taken in search of the contemporary pulse or discovering original ideals that got lost in the process. And yet comparing #1 and #100 of Terrorizer, it's as enlightening to note the continuity that's survived over the past nine years as much as the differences. On a superficial level, although the design has evolved from its original chunky style to one of the most elegant looking mags in any field, our dripping logo has remained intact as a constant reminder of our roots. While the general musician's career-span appears to be shortening with every passing year, take a brief look at the artists we covered in our debut - Morbid Angel, cover stars Sepultura, At The Gates, Type O Negative and Skyclad to name but a few - and you'll find that they're still with us in some form or another, while others such as Death remain ever-present in our memory.
This, I believe, is one of the keys to Terrrorizer's continued existence, and the huge amount of respect and devotion it has garnered since its debut - not just for our attention to detail and the wealth of knowledge the writers have at their disposal, but also because we have proved ourselves time and time again to be the most forward-looking of all music magazines. We broke now-seminal bands such as Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir and Emperor in Britain when all our rivals were either ignoring them or treating them with disdain, and we have constantly sought out the most enrapturing, extreme music out there, whether it be from the metal, hardcore/post-hardcore, doom/sludge or electronic scenes. If bands such as these have now become more widely acclaimed, that's not because we've simply stayed still and waited for the fashion to come around again, it's because over time we have steadily built up a discourse covering the span of extreme music that has now become impossible to ignore.
There has never been any contradiction in Terrorizer's dedication to both classic metal and the innovative outer limits, and we have always believed that it takes an understanding of the past to make the present come alive. Terrorizer has never fallen prey to the cynicism, or the deliberate, manipulative shortening of memory spans that infects so much of the mainstream press, for whom the world of music is reduced to a desperate mayfly dance as a succession of chancers appear and fade away overnight. In developing our own aesthetic we've always kept hold of the most crucial element: a capacity for awe.
So as it happens, we find ourselves celebrating our 100th issue in what is one of the healthiest periods for metal in years. Immortal, Dimmu and Vader are packing out venues, Bolt Thrower, who left England in disgust seven years ago after miniscule attendances, returned recently to play to a rapturous sell-out crowd, and we're being struck left, left, and left again by breakthrough bands such as Akercocke, Anaal Nathrakh, Converge and The Dillinger Escape Plan, bands who are redefining the limits of extremity. We were, of course, first on the ball with all of them, and that's because keeping faith with your guiding principles, those initiated by original editor Rob Clymo, and continued and expanded upon by my predecessor Nick Terry, isn't an act of reactionary worthiness, it's the one true means of picking up speed.
I would like thank everyone - you, the readers for sharing our passion, all the labels and artists we have worked with over the years, all the writers who have devoted Herculean efforts over the years, our designer Dave Tonkin who has done as much as anyone to define the magazine as the singular entity that it is, and our publishers, European Quality, for their unqualified support - without you, we would have never gotten this far. The best way to repay your commitment is to take ourselves further still. Here's to the next 100... Jonathan Selzer # posted by DJ Martian 8:31 PM
New Order Box Set
NME report the planned New Order Box Set that could be released in time for Christmas 2002. # posted by DJ Martian 8:09 PM
themilkfactory - June Reviews
Another month, another selection reviews @ themilkfactory summaries below are the milkfactory's, to see the full reviews please visit their website !
Twine - Recorder
Fourth album by American duo Twine, Recorder offers more complex structures and beautiful sounds. The pair swathes acoustic instrumentation and found sounds in a blanket of intricate electronic.
Dot Allison - We Are Science
After over two years of silence and with a new record deal under her belt, Scottish singer Dot Allison is back with a very strong second solo album. A self confessed return to her roots, We Are Science is a kaleidoscopic take on vintage granular electronic
Biosphere - Shenzhou
Ten of the twelve tracks of Shenzhou are based on the orchestral work of French classical composer Claude Debussy. Here, Geir Jenssen wraps his beautiful ambient soundcapes around excerpts of a few of Debussy's compositions.
Burnt Friedman & Jaki Leibezeit - Secret Rhythms
German musician extraordinaire Burnt Friedman adds yet another fruitful collaboration to his already well filled list. His new album was recorded with legendary Can drummer Jaki Leibezeit.
Galerie Stratique - Nothing-Down-To-Earth
Galerie Stratique is French Canadian Charles-Emile Beullac and Nothing Down-To-Earth is his first album. With beautiful sweeping soundscapes and short melancholic vignettes, Beullac proves to be a very talented musician.
Head Noise - The Day I Stopped Reading Wired
Dublin's Power FM DJ Josh O'Connor presents his first self released album. Disconcerting and unsettling, The Day I Stopped Reading Wired brilliantly mixes post rock and dub electronica in its darkest form.
Joseph Nothing - Dreamland Idle Orchestra
Japan Joseph Nothing releases his second solo album on Planet Mu. Inspired by a deserted theme park of Yokohama, Dreamland Idle Orchestra is a festive and fascinating album. Brilliant.
Speedy J - Loudboxer
Dutch DJ and musician Jochem Paap, aka Speedy J, returns to his roots with this club orientated record. Loudboxer showcases the harder edge of Paap's sound.
Aoki Takamasa - Silicom 2
Second album in the beautiful Silicom series, this new Aoki Takamasa release takes the sonic experimentations of the first volume to new abstract territories.
Transistor Six - Johnny Where's My Purse?
Twisted pop on maverick electronic background, the debut from Transistor Six's Frances Castle is a hidden treasure.
Also
Four very different albums... one place.
V/A - Documenta 2
V/A - Bip-Hop Generation 5
V/A - Electro Commando 1: Welcome To PSICity
V/A - Instrumentals: Staedtizism # posted by DJ Martian 12:46 AM
Monday, May 27, 2002
NEW ISSUE OF MUZIK - ON SALE JUNE 12TH
Just received an email from Muzik magazine, that included a track-by-track preview of the Sasha album and details of the next issue of Muzik:
- Underworld new album preview - EXCLUSIVE!
- Lottie, the new Queen Of Ibiza, brings acid house back to Radio 1
- WIN! Free UK clubbing for a year
- Is progressive house dead?
PLUS: FSOL, Ils, Andrew Weatherall, Mr C, Classic Oakey remixes, DJ effects units and new album verdicts for Miss Dynamite, Steve Lawler and Layo & Bushwacka! # posted by DJ Martian 9:50 PM
Tim Bowness / Peter Chilvers - California, Norfolk
Stephan Mathieu And Ekkehard Ehlers - Heroin
The Melvins - Hostile Ambient Takeover
A Small Good Thing - Slim Westerns Vol 2
Peter Murphy - Dust # posted by DJ Martian 9:42 PM
SPOTLIGHT...KEY NEW RELEASES THIS WEEK:
Key new album releases for May 27th [A more detailed release listing including other new releases, compilations and reissues - can be found further up this webpage.]
This Week: May 27th
Biosphere - Shenzou (Touch)
Danny Breaks - Vibrations (Droppin Science)
Loren Connors - The Departing Of A Dream (Family Vineyard)
Controlled Bleeding - Can You Smell The Rain Between (Tone Casualties)
Ian Crause - Head Over Heels (Acuarela)
Digital - Dubzilla (Function Records)
Dillinja & Lemon D - Big Bad Bass (Valve)
Fantasmagramma - Ab (Extrasensory)
Farben - Textstar 12" Collection (Klang Elektronik) [Included as a new release as first time on CD]
Faultline - Your Love Means Everything (Blanco Y Negro)
Golden Boy - Or (Illustrious)
Jaga Jazzist - A Livingroom Hush (Smalltown Supersound)
Makato Kawabata - Infinite Love (Ochre)
Kilowatthours - The Bright Side (Temporary Residence)
Heiko Laux - Ornaments (Kanzleramt)
Le Car - Auto-Biography (Ersatz Audio)
Malory - Outerbeats (Clairecords)
Medusa Cyclone - Tangier (Smallstone)
Nautilis - Are You An Axolotl (planet mu)
Panacea - Underground Stardom (Position Chrome)
Parlour - Octopus Off-Broadway (Temporary Residence)
Post Human - Post Human (Seed)
Johan Skugge - Buildings And Objects (Source)
Venetian Snares - Higgins Ultra Low Track Glue Funk Hits (Planet Mu)
Wire - Read & Burn 01 (Pink Flag) ep
For Reference
Last Week: May 20th
Dot Allison - We're Only Science (Mantra)
Apotheosis - Farthest from the Sun (Nocturnal Art Productions)
Mr C - Change (End Recordings)
Fucking Champs - V (Drag City)
Girls Against Boys - You Can't Fight What You Can't See (Jade Tree)
The Great Deceiver - A Venom Well Designed (Peaceville)
David Grubbs - Rickets & Scurvy (Fat Cat records)
Killswitch Engage - Alive Or Just Breathing (Roadrunner)
Justus Kohncke - Was Ist Music? (Kompakt)
M.R.I - All That Glitters (Forced Tracks)
Mum - Finally We Are No-one (Fat Cat)
Murcof - Martes (Leaf)
The 3rd and the Mortal - Memoirs (Voices Music and Entertainment) # posted by DJ Martian 12:03 AM
Sunday, May 26, 2002
3 Key electronic compilations Released Monday 27th May
Hundreds of dance/ electronic compilations are released each month, most can be ignored, but not these three: released tomorrow: three sublime compilations:
Machine Funk Specialists (Rotters Golf Club) Picked by Andrew Weatherall
Radioactive Man Vs Transparent Sound - Beatz Clash Volume One (Longhaul) sublime electro tracks
Tyrant 02 - No Shoes, No Cake - Craig Richards And Lee Burridge (Fabric) Compilation album of the month 1 in Jockey Slut magazine. # posted by DJ Martian 11:27 PM
Noteable Retrospectives - Monday 27th May
Reminder that these retrospective compilations are released tomorrrow,
David Sylvian - Camphor (Virgin) the best of instrumental Sylvian material, including collaborations with other artists.
The Jesus & Mary Chain - 21 Singles (WSM /Warner Strategic Marketing) the singles between 1984 and 1998. # posted by DJ Martian 11:21 PM
O.rang Related Project
Some vague update news on an O.rang Related Project that I mentioned last year on this weblog.
Paul Webb of O.rang is recording a joint album with Beth Gibbons of Portishead fame, it is currently being mixed by the producer Phil Brown. No news on a release date. # posted by DJ Martian 10:16 PM
what artist/group do you really wish would get off their ass and release something?
I have extended the question, to 50 artists that I wish would release new albums ASAP ! particularly when their albums have been delayed, or when news of current activities is a mystery.
1. A Perfect Circle - release date keep slipping back, probably pushed back to an early 2003 release.
2. Arovane - when will the new album be out?
3. Arthur Baker - new studio album been working on it for yonks, including help from Mogwai and New Order.
4. Bark Psychosis - DustSucker album delayed due to legal problems.
5. Beyond Dawn - when will they follow up their debut peaceville album, Electric Sulking Machine, they seem to have spent yonks recording an album, however expect them to deliver the goods.
6. The Blue Nile - new album due 2002, but when? Expect more delays this is the Blue Nile way!
7. Kate Bush - new album apparently in the Summer, ha I can see EMI pushing this back !
8. CJ Bolland - stated too busy doing other things to release an album !
9. Carl Craig - album now due in 2003 !
10. Cave In - RCA debut will IMHO be delayed in 2003 - no major label releases an important album in December, hydrahead ep in the interim.
11. Circulation - when will they follow up the sublime Colours album. Tech-House sounds par excellence.
12. Dave Clarke - too busy DJing, album delayed to 2003.
13. Death in Vegas - new techno/ electro direction - but when will the next album be released?
14. DJ SS - The S-Files (Formation) - Leicester Jungle producer in will this album ever be released.
15. The Fire Theft - new Sunny Day Real Estate project/ September - i.e. nearly 2 and half year wait since last SDRE album !
16. Elizabeth Fraser - Signed to Blanco Y Negro label, but no news.
17. Adam Freeland - debut studio album on Marine Parade label, when?
18. I Monster - no news at all of the album?
19. Jonny L - will he ever make a studio album again?
20. Killing Joke - album delayed again, till 2003
21. Klute - a new album would be cool, I enjoyed the last album that mixed up different electronic styles and sounds.
22. Kraftwerk - rumours of a new album last year, but then nothing.
23. Laika - next studio album 2003.
24. Larmousse - no news on the follow up album.
25. Lemon D - longest award for working on a debut electronic album ever! trying to snatch the award from his mate Dillinja !
26. Lengsel - superb atmospheric dark metal band from Norway, been working on a new album - no news of a release date.
27. Zan Lyons - It has been over two years since Desolate, but at least Zan is back in the limelight he is DJing in London in June.
28. Matrix (Virus) - It is about time Matrix dropped a new album.
29. Medicine (Regal Records) - debut album sometime this year - this is a house genre artist not the 90s alternative band Medicine !
30. My Bloody Valentine/ Kevin Shields - ? Big mystery, however will he surprise us all one day and suddenly announce a new album?
31. Obeah (13 Amp) - Superb new band from Northern Ireland with Suicide and MBV sound inspirations, signed to David Holmes's label.
32. The Opposition - Mr. & Mrs. Jones album delayed again, band in the same epic rock terrain ala The Comsat Angels/ Sound/ The Chameleons
33. Andrea Parker - new album, when?
34. Photek - all quiet on the Photek front at the mo.
35. Radio 9 - Krautrock inspired band from Oxford/ London, they released a superb limited edition single sometime time ago - that was about 9 minutes long, sublime.
36. Rico - follow up on the way from this Scottish electro-rock artist. Now on his own Independent label after EMI Chrysalis.
37. Ed Rush & Optical - new album please.
38. Shriekback - in the process of recording a comeback album.
39. 16B - How long has it been since the 16B debut, yonks - hurry up Omid - new album sometime 2002 on Hooj Choons. One of Britain's top tech-house artists.
40. SikTh - the most talked about innovative underground rock band in the UK, release an album this year please.
41. Sirconical - apparently an album coming up on Twisted Nerve.
42. Strapping Young Lad - Devin Townsend is recording the follow up to the mighty, City album.
43. Surgeon - Birmingham based Techno/ tech-house artist, no news in 2002.
44. Technical Itch - new album when?
45. Max Tundra - apparently new album is coming but when?
46. Voivod - been talk of producing the new album for yonks.
47. Witchman - Innasylum (Deviant) - again another promised come back, but when?
48. Vince Watson - superb tech house producer from Scotland, when will a studio album be dropped - seems to prefer Vinyl only releases for DJs.
49. The Young Gods - when will the mighty TYG return?
50. Zinc - on DJ Hype's label, will Zinc ever finish and release his album?
The next big thing in metal seems to be Killswitch Engage who are picking up a lot of praise/ support for their metalcore sound on Alive or Just Breathing album. # posted by DJ Martian 8:27 PM
Mansun - Paul Draper Interview
Mansunite have a recent Paul Draper interview, the next album will have elements of the Six sound. The first single is due October, then the album - that is likely to be called just Mansun. # posted by DJ Martian 8:14 PM
This is not the 80s
Audiostreet provide a tracklisting of a compilation called This is not the 80s due for release June 10th on INCredible. This covers the latest electro/ electroclash tracks. # posted by DJ Martian 8:09 PM
Following their excellent EP for Adult�s Ersatz Audio imprint, Ontario�s Gregory De Rocher returns with this ace 6-tracker on his very own Suction imprint. The trademarked quirkoid electroisms are maintained, albeit with a crispier delivery that sits gorgeously comfortably between the crunchier end of dancefloor electro and it�s retroglazed synthpop cousin. The opening title track bublles forth with a warm oscillating bassline and perfectly executed key transitions that flow with enough squashed bounce to satisfy all who cross its path. �Starting The Stereotypes� removes the beats alltogether, revealing a spacious analogue underwater world that brings to mind the oriental-tinged lullabies that Isan have perfected over the years. �Flakmot� displays beat brilliance with some casio-treated percussive bursts and edible body-poppin� interjections.....all complete with the usual intuitive melodic flair that Rocher appears to have mastered so effortlessly. Fans of Ersatz, electropop and pure old dancefloor jacking will find much enjoyment within. Ace.
Biosphere - Shenzou - Touch
A brand new Biosphere CD is always something to look forward to. The reflective patterns and ocean deep feelings brought through on his last CD 'Cirque' have here developed into a modern ambient overhauling of the finest works of Claude Debussy selected and re-wired by Geir Jenssen. The sounds or atmosphere are pure Biosphere, dark in nature, like reading from old books, delicate brittle paper fraying away at the edges. Music for the great outdoors which is where most music of this ilk is best heard, the perfect soundtrack for a walk in the woods or a lazy sunday afternoon in the back garden. Twelve tracks. Usual beautiful artwork and photography by Jon Wozencroft. Quietly stunning.
Blevin Blectum - Talon Slalom - Deluxe
One amazing solo record from one half of the most amazing/enigmatic of all the current electronica gals Blectum From Blechdom. This is a kinda conceptish CD about a pioneering space pirate's adventures on earth alongside his magic blackbirds as they collect flora and fauna. Yes !!! Try viewing the additional quicktime movie to make sense of it all. The hour long recording builds on the success of previous BFB records and is a massive leap forward from Blevins previous solo CD as D84 for Phthalo. Eighteen tracks in one hour of whacked sonic explorations in quirkdom. Not at all as shockingly provocative as the Tigerbeat missives, there is an assured maturity on display here, though still restless and mischievous that truly delivers track after track... Through the spastic breakbeatravepop of 'en gaard' to the lo-fi hiphoppopbeat of 'Rockitship...' then onto the spooked vocal tracks, truly dispossesed and worryingly beautiful at the same time. Alongside the 'Messy Jessy Fiesta' and 'Snauses and Mallards' this is the finest yet from these girls on a mission and as with Kevin Blechdom's solo efforts it shows they open up to a whole world of possibilities and desires when left to their own devices. A sonic success from 00:00 to 60:01
Calla - Custom - Quatermass
Calla is a three-piece band with Aurelio Valle (guitar/vocals), Wayne b. Magruder (drums/ programming/ percussion), and Sean Donovan (keyboard/bass/programming). Calla�s self-titled debut was released in mid 1999 on Quatermass. Their second album "Scavengers" (co-produced by Michael Gira) was released in 2001 (on Quatermass, Young God in the USA,). �Custom� is a remix project featuring contributions from Tarwater, Pan American, I Sound, Couch, Metrotech and Datach�i. Check
Coldcut - Journeys By DJ : 70 Minutes Of Madness - JDJ
Oh My God!! After years of this being one of the most sought after Mix CD�s ever and going for silly sums of money, the legendary Coldcut Journey�s by DJ has been re-released. This is very probably, and I say this in all honesty, the best mix CD ever conceived. Flying through genre�s and years like they don�t exist Coldcut pull off the shroud of pigeonholing and give two fingers to purists everywhere. Including Junior Reid�s 80�s reggae classic �One Blood�, KLF�s mindsoothing �Chill Out�, Photek�s crushing �Into the 90�s�, a smattering of their own break ridden productions and sooo many classics under one CD its the standard all mix cd�s should be judged by. If you have any interest in music at all this is as essential as having ears, don�t rest on your laurels, because you REALLY don�t want to miss this.
Much delayed but finally out in the UK this is a genius jazz album from the same label that houses electronica wunderkid and design master Kim Hiorthoy. Featuring members from the Norwegian jazz, improv and electronics scene to make up what is akin to the Charles Mingus big band for the 23rd century. Influenced by 70's Weather Report to the manic rhythms of Squarepusher from darkness and serene light (there are some truly beautiful melodic sections). So if you like electronics and jazz this album comes strongly recommended though it's more jazz than anything else and in so being is one of the best jazz CD's of 2002 that's had strong reviews across the board. Excellent.
Johan Skugge - Objects And Buildings - Source
Move-d�s Source label comes up trumps once again, 4/4 tracks of minimal construction and the cleanest noises, swoops and beats. Imagine Farben versus Brinkmann and you�re quite close, clickhouse competes with clicks and squirts : seriously deep with a sub bass that reverberates with just the right amount of depth to warrant high volume. The sense of space is evident within the title �Objects and Buildings� fitting this description perfectly. Lush.
Radioactive Man Vs Transparent Sound - Beatz Clash Volume 1 - Longhaul
A Corker and no mistake, Radioactive man pulls no punches and mixes some of the strongest electro around at the moment. Tight beats come from artists such as Carl A. Finlow, Dexter, Tipper, Radioactive Man himself, EON amongst others. The vibe is electronic floormovers and the selection is as good as the mixing itself, Carl Finlow�s �Devices� builds the groove up nicely and gives way to the devastating �Echo Park� from Dexter, that�s just one little killer moment off a large mix CD. The second CD comes courtesy of Transparent Sound, and is a viable opponent to it�s predecessor. They really are trying to outdo each other across the CD�s, and that means it�s all the better for the listener, as the quality is top notch. The Silicon Scally mix of Spy-Tek�s �Transmission Origin Unknown� mashed superbly with Scape-One�s �260 Speakers� is just one moment on the mix that devestates. Its about time the standard was set for mix-cd�s as they become ever popular, this is a showcase of electro as well as the dj�s, and the tunes are as good as the mixing. Which is nice!!
Hugely anticipated new full-length from Aaron Funk under his Venetian Snares moniker. The stature of the Snares has just grown and grown, giving him the kind of fevered attention that�s normally reserved for the likes of Autechre, Boards, Richard James and Squarepusher. The sound here is another broken beatfest, samples galore and all manner of mentalisms that ever so often betray the man�s sheer talent not only for intricate structure, but also for melody and atmosphere. The frenetic opening salvo of �Dance like you�re selling nails� streams through fractured, time-stretched and mutilated beats complete with malladjusted operatic samples and an unnerving aroma, although even here a breakdown towards spacious Piano notes appeals to something more than just adrenalin-driven. �Make Ronnie Rocket�, on the other hand, is exactly that. Exhilirating in the kind of way that only 6 minutes of pure aggression can be, this is seriously enjoyable stuff from a man with a healthy ability to vent his spleen sonically. In all, wonderfully angry, enjoyable from end to end. Essential.
Janek Shaefer - Pulled Under - Audioh
New full length and follow up to the �Above Buildings� album for Fatcat from a year or so ago (which was awarded an 'honorary mention' at the Prix Ars Electronica). �Pulled Under� forms an enveloping and dense stream of macrosonic soundscapes. Navigating fluidly through a series of absorbing and granular abstract environments. Recommended.
Meira Asher & Guy Harries - Infantry - Sub Rosa
Meira Asher is a composer/performer born in Tel Aviv. She studied percussion, voice and inter-disciplinary arts in Varanasi-India, Jerusalem, Ghana and at the California institute of the arts. Guy Harries works extensively as a flutist and vocalist. His current musical work consists mostly of the interactive combination of live electronics and acoustic instruments. 'Infantry'dives headlong into the harsh reality of a child in an adult's world. It is an intimate document exploring manipulation, militarist education and war. The mood shifts rapidly from the violent and tragic to the comic and grotesque, reflecting the ambiguous nature of the subject. The sound material draws from a wide scope of sources: extensive use of text and voice, recorded sounds of children in their natural or unnatural surroundings, acoustic instruments and a variety of the latest electronic techniques in the field of synthesis and sound processing. The album combines different genres; heavy beats, soundscape narratives, noise and theatrical elements merge into one. Both text and sound refer to different places, ranging from the middle east (where the artists grew up) and Africa to Europe. 'Infantry', although a painful and intense listening experience, cannot amount to the harshness of the reality it reflects. It will not leave you untouched. Digipack wallet with 20 page libretto booklet. File under soundworks.
Merzbow/Jazzkammer - Live At Molde International Jazz Festival - Smalltown Supersound
For the prestigious 2001 Molde International Jazz Festival Merzbow and Jazzkammer (Rune Grammofon) were asked to do an exclusive collaborative project. Having known each other for years, the two happily accepted. This CD brings to life highlights from these recordings, illustrating some of the best work to date from both acts. Noise, hyperrhythmic tinkering, jazznoise at it's most intense and free thinking. A pure blast.
Fat Jon - Wave Motion - Mush
�Wave Motion�, the first full length instrumental release from Fat Jon The Ample Soul Physician of Five Deez fame explores the deeper side of instrumental hiphop. Using mature production and seductive jazz samples, Jon has created a truly notable record. Taking equal inspiration from 60's 'Kind Of Blue' jazz and 70's 'Innervisions' soul, Jon has crafted a release that Chooses understated melodies and chord changes over cheap thrill loops and scratches. It is the work of someone who has spent years in the studio; something which comes forward with the sheer levels of production brilliance found within. Excellent.
L'Altra - In The Afternoon - Aesthetics
�In The Afternoon� is an elegant venture through a pastoral blossoming with sonic textures, melodic tenderness and emotional depth. �In the Afternoon� personifies what the best guitar bands (the Mogwai's, Radiohead's, Sea & Cake�s etc..) hope to accomplish; a synergy of new ideas with musical craft and above all, emotion.
Melvins - Hostile Ambient - Ipecac
The Melvins are back with their eighteenth album to date and this is the royal best yet! �Hostile Ambient Takeover� finds them at their most melodic, a flavourful mix of quiet intensity and noisy calm. Having released five (count them) records in the last year alone, you�d expect this band to be struggling for new ideas - well, you�d be wrong. With this record you will know there is nothing or nobody ahead of you, nobody knows nothing that you don�t know, all the cards are on the table. To quote the fine press release : �The Melvins are about Punk; The Melvins are about Rock; The Melvins are about wringing necks and the Melvins are the opposite of Pop�. Nuff said.
V/A Machine Funk Specialists - Rotters Golf Club
[The CD version includes the 12 inch part 1 and 2 - plus 4 extra tracks]
The CD compilation of the 3 separate 12"s of Machine Funk Specialists. Tracks from Rude Solo, Klart, Aramchek and Frish und Munter, Radioactive Man, Decal, Craig Walsh, and many more. The 12" all have killer cuts on them and the CD is a superb way of having them all in one place, genius beats!! .
Machine Funk Specialists - Part 1 Rotters Golf Club 12
The new Rotters Golf Club 12� is worth it just because it does what it says on the tin, 5 tracks of Machine Funk is the order of the day and delivered in fine style from one of the finest houses of electro in the UK. Tracks from Rude Solo, Klart, Aramchek and Frish und Munter all collide on the same 12� and give you a headache as to which tracks to play first! Klart�s �Booty Bill� has old school samples stating �Work it back and Forth� over a seriously heavy bassline, with some of the maddest noises coming in on each break, a rolling 808 beat cements the bassline to the track and some little scratching samples add to the old school flavour, killer!! Rude Solo�s �Slate Resk� is a slightly less hurried tempo, but the noises, squelches and the bassline are just as mad, especially when the full squelch line comes in, backed by a resonant 303 bubbling away and the sub heavy bassline rumbling under the groove, work it up!! Aramcheks �Driver� has a 2-step feel, yet remains firmly in electro territory, its square-wave feel is accented by the drum�n�bass style �hoover� bass line that really pushes the track forward into floor destroying territory, there are 2 other killers on this 12�, but I will let you freak out for yourself when you hear them, Essential.
Machine Funk Specialists - Part 2 Rotters Golf Club .
Step up Part 2 of the Machine Funk Specialist 12�s. 5 more destroyers for your feet, this time from Decal, The Hold, Craig Walsh and Andy Weatherall delivering a remix of Radioactive Man. This 12� is a tad understated in comparison to Part 1, a little deeper, though by no means any less essential. Decal head us off with �Giver� a repetetive journey through analog funk, a real groove is built around a 4/4 beat with a superb swing feel to the track, quite Detroit in its construction. There are even strings that appear through the track, a floor filler before you drop the really heavy tracks. The Hold drop the superbly titled � you can take my glowstick...but don�t touch the white glove�, a swooping bass line leads into spooky strings, added are stabs and samples staggered to play around the beat to great effect, all the while the beat keeps the rhythm flowing. Mr Weatherall drops a remix of Radioactive Man�s �The Mezz�,a distorted 808 kick drum leads the way into some freakish sounds and high strings, the drums build incessantly across the track and a wicked rolling groove is created, a head nodder of the first degree, there are 2 more tracks to tempt you with, but you need surprising...essential, again!!
also
Swayzak - Make Up Your Mind - K7
First single before the debut K7 album drops. 'Make Up Your Mind' is a gliding click hosue ride with breezy air vocals from sometime Marcus Nickolai collaborator Clair Dietrich. Moody briliance. The 'Slight Return' roughs the edges up and strips the vocal back a little for some crunchyclick action. Third and last cut 'Ikea' is some minimal tech funk cut with sprinkles of acid flashes and jackin' beats. Bring on the album. # posted by DJ Martian 8:05 PM
Post-punk anthems sent through the glitch machine. Best use of IDM technologies in a non-IDM environment we've heard all year # posted by DJ Martian 7:23 PM
Massive Attack: The Future?
Rumours concerning Massive Attack's future are mentioned in this NME.com article. Nothings confirmed or denied at the mo. Their next album is scheduled for a September release. # posted by DJ Martian 7:16 PM
Layo & Bushwacka
Alert ..Layo & Bushwacka - Night Works (XL) is released on July 1st. # posted by DJ Martian 2:53 PM
Raw Digits is one of the year's most exciting albums, an innovative fusion of noise and attitude that dispels once and for all the canard about the intrinsic soullessness of electronic music. Jamie Lidell and Cristian Vogel have both released solo albums before ............ Highly Recommended # posted by DJ Martian 2:24 PM
Faultline - Your Love Means Everything
Blanco Y Negro don't seem to have sent out many promos for this album?, as this is the first review of Faultline - Your Love Means Everything I have seen online, but first appeared in print in the NME.
Just seen a second review by The Independent - the reviewer Andy Gill however has some reservations about the album.
By the way, The Official Faultline website has just been relaunched but requires macromedia flash six, with no HTML alternative options. [Don't you hate it when trendy-mad-techie web designers get carried away with technology, and don't understand anything about information architecture and how people interact with information !] # posted by DJ Martian 2:20 PM
Created over the course of almost 4 years, the 7 tracks on Octopus Off-Broadway are primarily the work of Tim Furnish (although several friends contribute to about half the tracks). A moonlighting member of many different groups (For Carnation, Aerial M) and an influencial person in the early to mid-90's Louisville Kentucky music scene, Furnish sort of secluded himself for awhile while working through the different ideas for tracks on this release.... # posted by DJ Martian 1:10 PM
Beta Band
NME report that The Beta Band plan to record a new album this Autumn. # posted by DJ Martian 12:56 PM
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Zan Lyons - Comes out of Hibernation !
Britain's most talented young electronic sound composer/producer/artist, Zan Lyons comes out of hibernation !
Context...
In May 2000 Zan Lyons released an astonishing debut album, in Desolate that gathered phenomenal critical praise.
From a band Zan Lyons supported in Cardiff last June, Mountain Men Anonymous stated Zan had recorded a new album entitled: London Fields. However since then his small Independent label, Foundry Recordings has folded and will no longer release any more albums.
Throughout Autumn and Winter, and indeed most of Spring - Zan's media profile was been non existent - What had happened to Zan Lyons?. But looking through the new June edition of The Wire I noticed that Zan Lyons was listed as appearing at a club night at the ICA Bar in June, as part of:
Presented by Cybersalon in conjunction with the ICA, University of Westminster and the Centre for Arts Research Technology and Education (CARTE). In association with Addictive TV, Cinefeel and soundtoys.net.
Cybersonica is a three day international festival of music and sound, Wednesday 5th - Friday 7th June 2002 @ ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art), The Mall, London SW1. Cybersonica brings together the whole community of sonic innovation, from musicians, artists, DJs and VJs, to designers, academics, software developers and record labels in a snapshot of current significant work in sonic art.
Dedicated to defining the frontiers of electronic sound culture Cybersonica consists of five elements: Symposium, Performance, Exhibition, Installation and Cinema.
10pm � 1am, ICA Bar
ZAN LYONS - DJ set
NICK LUSCOMBE (XFM) - DJ set
EAT YOUR OWN EARS - DJ set
ZAN LYONS' experimental electronic soundscapes combine futuristic brutality with a fragile beauty. Spellbinds with glitchy, noisy beats, strings and obscure vinyl.
NICK LUSCOMBE (XFM �Flo-Motion�) plays mellow, atmospheric electronica including tunes from his own London/Tokyo based label Bambola Recordings.
EAT YOUR OWN EARS are one of London�s premier electronic club promoters.
What next?
The two big questions - has Zan Lyons got a new record label yet?, when will the album be released?
If Zan has not got a new record deal then If I were Daniel Miller at Mute, I would use some of that EMI money - to make Zan Lyons my first signing. Or maybe Tony Morley at Leaf can sign Zan Lyons up? # posted by DJ Martian 9:27 PM
Compassion is a stunning, emotionally charged masterpiece that not only bears repeated listening, it bloody well demands it. Essential. # posted by DJ Martian 8:14 PM
Music Weblog..Freezing to Death in the Nuclear Bunker
