Showing posts with label Compilation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Compilation. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Various - Cottage Industries 11

Neo Ouija: 2022

It's interesting jumping ahead twenty-two years in this series, giving me an intriguing look in just how much the field of melodic IDM has grown in two decades. Or not, the music contained within volume eleven of Cottage Industries remarkably straight-forward when compared to the more experimental beatcraft as heard on the first edition (also going titleless for some reason, hence its alphabetical placement within my music library). Don't get me wrong, there's ample amounts of scatter, broken rhythms, just not presented in the glitchy sort of way that had been a staple of the series for much of its run. Heck, it was on as recently as Clockwork Manor, volume nine released just a few years prior to this one. Does the mastering touch provided by Futuregrapher really make that much of a difference in how IDM beats sound? Guess I'll find out when I get around to reviewing Decima Circuits (Cottage Industries 10), the edition he jumped into the series.

Not gonna' beat around the bush with this one: Cottage Industries 11 doesn't really sound like a Neo Ouija collection to my ears, but rather an off-shoot of Intellitronic Bubble or Móatún 7. Again, part of that likely has to do with Mr. Grétar's influence, his feel for icy-cool electro and techno a defining trait in those labels' discographies. Having consumed five of the Bubble's compilations (among other assorted releases), its an aesthetic I'm quite familiar with now, so hearing it here isn't that much of a surprise.

And to be blunt, I find that makes Cottage Industries 11 a better overall listening experience when standing it in stark contrast to the first edition. Sure, the twee electro-pop of early Neo Ouija is mostly absent here, but I'll take synthy future-soundscapes over that any day. Personal preference is a Hell of a critical bias, y'know.

Did I mention there's also lots of acid on here? There's lots of acid too, a bit more on CD1 than CD2, but plenty 'nuff leading this compilation further away from the realms of IDM and into vintage techno. If the spaced-out electro doesn't quite do it for you though, there are some skittery rhythms and distorted analogue fuzz tracks littered here and there. Downtempo ditties that hint at the twee melodic side of vintage Neo Ouija too (Novel 23's Step By Step, Xylic's Dinky's Acid, DJ Dorrit's Apotek, Daveeth's Pro Pos, Weldroid's Sandal Warrior Disarmed), but not that much.

Nay, as mentioned, Cottage Industries 11 feels more in line with what Lee Norris' other labels have been up to as of late rather than carrying on with its legacy. It's a whole new generation of artists doing their own thing now, finding influence from other sources. Some of them end up on Intellitronic Bubble, others end up on Móatún 7, while a few continue wandering the wilds of label hopping. For those hoping for a little extra shine on an established brand, however, it seems Cottage Industries will always be here for them.

Monday, March 4, 2024

Various - Cottage Industries (A Neo Ouija Compilation)

Neo Ouija: 2000/2020

Humble beginnings for this humble label, a tidy single CD kicking off the continuing Cottage Industries series. Seriously, it just came out with its twelfth volume this past month, once again indulging in a triple-disc collection of... well, if you don't know what the deal with Neo Ouija's musical showcase by now, I don't know what else to say.

That does leave me wondering how Cottage Industries: Da' Kickoff fared when it first came out. Obviously it didn't have commercial aspirations – almost nothing with this much glitchy-twitchy rhythm making had much financial hope at the turn of the century. Surely though, the abundant twee melodies lurking underneath all the leftfield beatcraft would lure in many a passerby, melancholic moods in a rapidly digitizing age. Some, I wager, but if the original CD's Discoggian data is accurate, this was not a widely distributed compilation. Less than three-hundred folks claim to hold a copy, which is a shockingly low amount for a release nearly a quarter century old now. Or perhaps it never had much promotion in the first place, forever remaining ultra-niche in an already incredibly niche micro-scene, unable to gain the critical attention similar prints like Raster-Noton and Mille Plateaux attracted.

Does this make Cottage Industries: Comin' On Cool an overlooked gem within said scene? I honestly don't know, as my own interactions with it remain skint. I'm sure the CD has its die-hards proclaiming its genius, but nor have I seen it relentlessly name-dropped abroad. It just doesn't contain those essential tracks or artists a classic compilation needs for that demarcation. Sure, a few familiar names crop up: Geiom would go onto a decent career in future garage and dubstep, Clatterbox made his way into techno sets throughout the '00s, Yunx has featured in Nick Warren set, and that Lee Norris fella' collaborating with Geiom as the one-off Consumer Durable seems to have done well for himself. Other names are complete blanks to me, however, some of whom have sparse Discogs data beyond this CD. Sometimes its hard getting hype for names like Phonem, Penfold Plum, and Plod.

And I have to be honest: this era of clicks 'n cuts has long been hit or miss for yours truly. It's an aesthetic thing, the micro-glitchy sounds too often rubbing against my cochlea the wrong way. Not to mention I can't shake the assumption some of these producers are just showing off what they can do with whatever plug-ins or gear they're using, rather than composing an actual tune worth listening to. And there's only so much the twee melodies included can do to hide that postulation. Eegh, now look, this egg-headed music making me use egg-headed terminology.

It's not all skittery micro-edits, mind. Quinoline Yellow's Eythl Maltol goes more drill 'n bass on his beats, Clatterbox' Power Up gets on the chiptune vibe, while Yunx' Nemo-Sis sounds like a regular ol' ambient techno tune. Beyond that though, expect lots of experimental digital rhythms coupled with charming synths.

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Various - Clockwork Manor (Cottage Industries 9)

Neo Ouija: 2019

As mentioned in my first review of a Cottage Industries, the Neo Ouija series has pretty much become the label's sole output in recent years. Really, it's kind of funny Lee Norris would dust off the old print just for this reason. Then again, he's got so many labels and affiliates since this one's early '00s heyday, I doubt he'd be able to keep track of what artists should go where and so on.

Yeah, its relaunch probably had as much to do with releasing new Norken and Metamatics material than anything else, but why waste the opportunity to bring other talents into the fold, even if its only via compilations. Still, it must have proved successful, as after the first couple Cottage Industries tested the waters with single CD options, the ninth edition, Clockwork Manor, goes hog wild with a triple-disc, thirty-six track extravaganza. Or overload, depending on what your enjoyment threshold is for various forms of experimental IDM glitch-pop.

Of these thirty-six, I only recognize a handful of names: John Tejada, Ambidextrous, Ruxpin, Drøn. That led me to believe I was dealing with a bunch of new artists, the compilation going out of its way to highlight up and comers. Yet clicking through most of their Discogs entries, that's hardly the case, many actively releasing material throughout the '10s. They may have been extremely obscure, getting shine on Neo Ouija their biggest break and all, but still, some spent in the trenches getting there is good.

This is also one of those collections of music where you could assign a unique genre to every single track, if you're anal-retentive enough about music classification. I gave a very generalized style-salad above, but that's only scratching the surface. There's honestly something enjoyable for everyone here. Randomly picked, there's Boards-like downtempo (Velum's Break Infinis) or confounding skitter-skatter beatcraft (BLN's Ly Oc) or noisy electro (Carbinax' Capable Beast) or shuffly frigid-acid (Octavcat's Icefield) or clicky mood music (h7 buffer's Qwon Trill). Only duff I recall is a lone dubstep track, 4D3x from Dialed, sounding like an out-of-place 'alleyway toff' among so much undeniably dorky music.

If there's this much music worth discussing across three CDs, why don't I split this review up as I've done in the past? Well, despite ordering the 3CD option off Bandcamp, I never received them (not the first time this happened from this label, sadly), leaving me with the thirty-six track digital version. And believe you me, when trying to sit down and take in nearly three hours of this stuff, a lot of it kinda' mushes into your brain. Matters aren't helped when the sonic diversity is wildly abrupt, with track lengths averaging four-to-six minute, such that material doesn't have much chance of standing out in single playthroughs. Frankly, I often felt like I was listening to a glorified label sampler rather than a thematic compilation. Which kinda' sums up my thoughts about most mega-massive 'streaming playlist' collections of the modern era.

Sunday, February 11, 2024

Various - Classic Goa Trax

Suntrip Records: 2022

Some half-decade ago, Suntrip got it inside their heads that, while it's all well and fun keeping goa trance alive with new talents, what about the unheralded acts of old? The big names managed to keep their stock alive, whether through retention of label rights or re-issues through other sources. Could there be others though, who never had enough scene clout to keep their music out of legal limbo, forever lost to publishing purgatory, their original CDs demanding stupid sums of second-hand market money? Some, yes, so they launched a sub-label dedicated to digging deep into psy's history for such trance artifacts: Classic Goa Trax. It started rather small, but has since seen digital re-issues of material from luminaries like Prana, Etnica, and Pleiadians.

Well, some folks must have been itching for something tangible, as we now have a double-disc compilation of Classic Goa Trax. Acting as a means of additional promotion in case folks somehow missed the sub-label's existence doesn't hurt either. Regardless, surely this will serve as a nice highlight of all those digital releases, right? No, not really, nothing from them making it on here. Ah, then it's a proper classics showcase then, consolidating the best of the best from goa's glory years! Nope, not that either. In fact, there's only a handful of featured artists among these two CDs I'd consider actual 'classic' worthy. S.U.N. Project, Bypass Unit, Mystica. I also recognize Twisted Travellers, but by and large, we're dealing with some ultra-obscure projects on this compilation, many having never released more than a couple tracks back in the day.

What this should actually be called is Goa Trance In A Classic Style. Or, more accurately, Unreleased Goa Trance From The Classic Era. Neither have quite the same marketing punch as Classic Goa Trax though, do they.

With that in mind, I can only recommend this compilation for those who can't get enough of the vintage '90s sound because, hoo boy, does the production and songcraft ever show its age. I'm sure Suntrip did all they could to beef the quality to acceptable modern standards, and there are those who are weary of how bricked a lot of contemporary tunes are. When you're dealing with a bunch of artists that never got much shine, however, offering up tracks that originally never saw the light of day, you're gonna' have to keep your expectations fair and low.

Of course, it's not outright awful or anything – Suntrip does maintain some standards, even if many cuts are rather basic and frequently wibbly. Still, as a comparison, I threw on one of those Goa Trance discs from Rumour Records, that stuff clearly weaker than what's heard here. If even the likes of Astral Projection or Total Eclipse never did it for you though, then this collection of tunes hasn't a hope in Hell. Props to Suntrip in having the gumption for even releasing such a compilation, but this one's strictly for hardcore fans of an ancient style.

Monday, February 5, 2024

Various - Carpe Noctem

Suntrip Records: 2021

I took a month off because I was feeling burnt-out reviewing so many items within the same genres, so of course the very first item I'm covering upon returning is more. No, really, I'm cool with it, I knew this was in store for me. I just find it funny, is all. Someone else would ditch the music that was creating said burn-out, and focus on something else, but not me! But hey, looking at what other music I have in the pipeline, that will be the case, eventually. Just, y'know, gotta' go through some regular business to get there.

The good news is that, unlike many Suntrip CDs I've thus far covered, this one is different. Like, really different. 'An entirely different genre' different! Okay, sub-genre. It's still psy trance, but in a move I was totally not expecting, this one goes dark. Or maybe I should have expected that from a compilation titled Carpe Noctem, and a promo spiel fully admitting they're doing something different for their annual label showcase. They don't want to go full dark psy, mind, calling their take 'melodic forest', but the sentiment remains the same: trippy trance music for the punters in full motion during the hour of the wolf.

I also don't recognize many names here. Ka-Sol is one, because they were among Suntrip's earliest releases. With a sound that didn't quite mesh with the young label's future retro-goa manifesto, however, they moved onto prints more accommodating of their darker aesthetic. The other name I recognize is Battle Of The Future Buddhas, because once you see a name like that, you'll never forget it ever again. And wait, is that the Xenomorph I spy? Like, the dude who practically kicked off the dark psy pantheon way back in the day? Didn't even know he was still active. Well, that's certainly a get for your tentative steps into a different sub-genre.

The rest of the roster rounds out with names like Spindrift, Smuds, L.A.B., Proxeeus, and Dragon Twins (think I've seen that one too?). And the music is definitely dark psy, though not nearly as twisted as some of the stuff I heard out of Trishula back when. Okay, that Xenomorph track definitely is, but then I'd expect nothing less from an O.G., while the Proxeeus track Breaking Down The Barrier almost has me reminding of Procs, never a bad thing. Towards CD end, however, you can hear hints and feelers of Suntrip's usual foray into the more melodic and ear=wormy, which I guess makes sense if this is meant to represent the transition into morning psy.

Except the last track JaraLuca, which goes way back with Flashbacks. Like, before there was even really a thing as goa trance, when the genre was still in its primordial industrial roots. The acid is chunky, songcraft is straight-forward, and the rhythms are quite under-produced, deliberately so. It's the sort of track you'd expect on a long-lost New Beat compilation, not one released in the current decade.

Thursday, December 28, 2023

Dance With The Dead - B-Sides: Volume 1

self-release: 2017

Yep, I've still got Dance With The Dead material too. Man, have I ever been burning through a lot of those bulk-buy bundles this past month. Something about the letter 'B' artists just love utilizing in titles. And you'd think, having reached the B-Sides of Justin and Tony's band, I've finally come to the end of their discography. Like, how can there be anything more after the also-ran tracks from their back catalogue? If I was reviewing their stuff in sensible order, that would be true, but no, there's still One (1) more album I've yet to cover. Talk about timely.

Incidentally, having snagged all their stuff off Bandcamp, you'd think getting a b-sides collection would be redundant. After all, aren't such songs the extra cuts you'd find on the backside of singles or bonus tracks off albums? Traditionally, yes, but we're in a brave new world of digital now, where obscure cuts are easily available with an artist's entire library. Instead, b-side collections serve the purpose of rounding up wayward releases that have appeared on label compilations or guest features on other artists' albums. So more like rarities and such, but B-Sides: Volume 1 has a nice ring to it nonetheless.

That said, I'm wondering if this compilation of songs should mostly be called 'rare and unreleased', as by Lord Discogs' count, barely a quarter of them have appeared elsewhere. And the ones that have, hoo boy, are they ever Dance With The Dead at their absolute best. Pumping Outrun rhythms, bright synth riffs in overdrive, and Tony's impossibly epic shredding in spades. I mean, if you're gonna' get a feature on any ol' synthwave CD, you generally want to send your best shit for all to hear, get them intrigued to hear more. Hell, it worked on me, though it was that remix they did for GosT's Reign In Hell that got my curiosity piqued. Hey, why isn't that on here? Or any of their remixes, for that matter? Huh, guess they gotta' save some stuff for Volume 2.

So this volume may or may not have many unreleased songs, since I've no way of confirming so few of them actually appeared on other compilations. Oh alright, I could dive deep into the ditches of the synthwave compilation scene, but dear God, do you have any idea how stupidly vast that is, with so few folks having actually gotten any? I'm not surprised Lord Discogs has many supposed gaps in this info.

What I can tell is B-Sides: Volume 1 does seem to be in chronological order, the band's earlier emphasis on the metal side of things quite prevalent in the first run of tracks. There's a couple slower songs too (Stoic, Blood Moon, Surrender, They Only Come Out At Night), which confirms to me many of these are just unreleased tunes that didn't make an album cut. Which does make the lengthy fifteen tracks of this kinda' ironic, what with most DWtD LPs quite svelte and tightly sequenced.

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Solar Fields - Blue

Droneform Records/Sidereal: 2014/2018

I made a big hullabaloo about having two 'beyond' albums in a row, but let's be honest here: I have far more 'black's and 'blue's. And why not, artists always eagre in finding ways of combining sensory input such as sight and sound. It's easy for us to associate certain colours with types of music, especially when something goes 'darker' and such as. Lordy, for 'blue' alone, I have Blue Lines, Blue Mountain, Blue Planet, Bluenote Cafe, The Blueprint EP (spoiler!), bleu, and Blumenkraft. Oh, and Solar Fields' Blue Moon Station, that one too. Hay, guess what song's on this compilation!

Yep, it's finally time to wrap up another box-set, the quite small yet somehow long gestating three-CD collection of Red / Green / Blue. Which I, naturally, reviewed out of order, though at least the Blue CD came last. Good thing I didn't start this from my usual alphabetical placement, eh? Throw everything into utter chaos, everything I says!

If you've forgotten what this coloured series from Magnus is about, they're essentially round-ups of all his wayward tracks, singles, and remixes as found on various label compilations, primarily from his '00s body of work. Considering he managed to gather three album's worth of material is a testament to his relentless work-rate throughout that decade but to be honest, it feels like Mr. Birgersson was stretching things to fit the concept to meet Blue's quota. For instance, that track I mentioned two paragraphs above? Yeah, there's an alternate version of it on here, but rather subdued compared to the grandiosity as heard on Blue Moon Station proper. It's fine as is, just can't stand toe-to-toe should you feel inclined to compare.

And that's the impression I get with most of Blue. Granted, I've been so got'dang spoiled by Solar Fields over the year that even what I might find 'mediocre' is still downright brilliant when stacked against the yearly bilge. Good Times? Such a deep, groovy slice of world beat and psy chill. Just, y'know, I've heard similar stuff from the man before. Water Silence? Oh yeah, that's a dope tune, but that was on Ultimae Records' Fahrenheit Project Part Five: aka: the one with so much amazing music, Solar Fields actually sounded ordinary on it!

Okay, let's get some neat/interesting stuff out of the way. The opening track, Life: where's this from? Lord Discogs seems to have no record of this chipper world beat tune existing elsewhere. Closer In Motion (Good Morning Edit): ah, good ol' prog-psy Solar Fields, gotta' love those slow, considered builds. Small Little Green Cubes: vintage opulent Magnus, and classy of him offering it to help kick off the Electrik Dream Records print. And finally, a remix of Cloud-Kingdom by Filteria, which really had me thinking Solar Fields was going a little synthwave at the start, before getting back to typical psy-chill territory. Still, that name, Filteria, seems familiar to me somehow. Let me check on Discogs a moment to... Oh son of a...!

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Various - Blacklight Moments

Suntrip Records: 2013

And right back to Suntrip again, with yet another compilation at that. I wonder if I should start taking bets from folks guessing how many releases I'll get to cover before the next one crops up. Or maybe enough precedent has been set (roughly 2-1 odds), making bets far too predictable. Perhaps, but surely that's more coincidence of alphabetical stipulation than patterns? Heck, I'll give a freebie: there's absolutely no Suntrip albums in the 'Q' block, and even Cryo Chamber has one of those!

While we're on the subject of my owning excessive amounts of label catalogue, I actually (now) have a larger Cryo collection than Suntrip. The only reason it doesn't seem quite so extensive is because I've gathered their releases in spurts for nearly a decade rather than one huge bundle. If I'd jumped on the Suntrip bandwagon from the get-go (which would have been... gosh, the early TranceCritic years?), I wouldn't be dealing with such ham-handed progression through the label's history. The lesson from all this, then? Don't go bulk-buying music catalogues if you intend to review them right after, or at least with a better contingency plan of breaking potential monotony than “bulk-buy other massive bundles!”.

Anyhow, Blacklight Moments. This was Suntrip's annual compilation contribution for 2013, showing the label exactly where you'd expect it to be: goa trance for days, featuring names familiar and new. Artifact303 is here, with a rub from E-Mantra, and the tune is about as peak time neo-goa as it can possibly get. It almost seems unfair instantly designating this the best track, given how much both these names have stood out thus far in my Suntrip sojourn, but it's hard arguing the pedigree. Khetzal's also here, who I know is Very Important to the history of this label, but I want to save his talking points until I cover his albums. Other names recognized include Cosmic Dimension and Mindsphere, though they weren't exactly Suntrip regulars by this point.

K.O.B. definitely was though, or at least the man behind the alias, Jannis Tzikas with Filtera. This project sounds like a dabbling into something a little more dark-psy, which is nice in providing variety to Blacklight Moments, though perhaps a bit harsh sounding for second track status. And speaking of harsh, it's amusing hearing that classic 'doot-doot' kick in Mindsphere's cut. Surprised it hasn't made more of an appearance but perhaps its too retro sounding for most neo-goa producers.

Most producers on here, like Skarma, Uth, Daimon, and Javi & SkoOma, don't appear to have done much beyond an album and some compilation appearances. Heck, this is Psychic Voyag's lone appearance anywhere (so sayeth Lord Discogs). And frankly, I can hear why, their offerings of goa and psy mostly solid but doing little to stand out from the pack either. Which is about where Blacklight Moments stands in my head as well. It was fine as it played, but its another Suntrip CD I doubt I'll return to much either.

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Various - Aurora Sidera

Suntrip Records: 2015

What is this, a Suntrip CD every other review now? Is this, like, gonna' be my whole next year of reviews? Hey, the probability of it is high, but not stupidly so. When I look at two of my 'to review' CD towers, one of which is filled with discs from the goa trance label, the other filled with everything else, it certainly seems like it will be so. Ah, but that doesn't factor in the digital items lodged between them all, of which there are many. Honestly, almost all of my purchases these days are digital, mainly in support of Bandcamp Friday. So... maybe a mere third of my current queue is Suntrip CDs? Yeah, that'll break up any potential psy trance monotony, I'm sure!

Still, it feels weird that half of the half-dozen CDs I've covered thus far have been compilations. Suntrip isn't really heavy with the label showcase collections, letting artist albums do the lifting. One a year, sure, and perhaps a celebratory edition every now and then, but even with a near two-decade lifespan behind them, not a seriously robust number. Not such that they should have been so front-loaded in my alphabetical queue anyway (as if 3 out of 70+ is significant).

Anyhow, Aurora Sidera. Seems even Suntrip weren't entirely sure where to go with their annual compilations, what theme to explore each year, as the little Bandcamp blurb provided is almost a shrug. 'Cosmic Dawn' is the loose translation of this Latin phrase, and the reason for choosing this title is... because it sounded cool, I guess? Yeah, they claim this compilation is all about showing how the neo-goa movement isn't just about paying sonic tribute to the scene's roots, but also evolving into new forms as the years move on. Well, I dunno' about that – I mean, I've heard some of the releases that came after this CD too – but let's at least hear what Aurora Sidera has on offer.

Things kick off with acid. Welp, not gonna' complain about that! Three tracks worth, actually, growing more dynamic with each cut while still retaining those ol' school vibes. Then Morphic Resonance's Altered Perception adds squealing synth leads to the TB-303 action, while E-Mantra gives Artifact303's In Your Mind a thumpin' rub as the acid takes a backseat. Oh, and there's L.S.G.'s Microfish again. I'm starting to wonder if Oliver Lieb is the original source of that distinct spaced-out twisty-bleep sound, hearing it so much in psy trance over the years. On the other hand, he made the most memorable use of it, melding it with the vocal from Netherworld and all (itself a sample), so can you blame me for forever (and a day) linking it to him?

Ah, whoops, got distracted talking about Lieb again. Um, the rest of Aurora Sidera leans heavier into goa trance after that, solid enough stuff as always from Suntrip Records. Excuse me now, I want to listen to Vol. 2 again...

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Distant System - Astral Map Error

self release: 2022

I don't know if Tyler Smith has any plans continuing this project. Probably not, as it was already a lo-o-o-ng gap between Spiral Empire and Infinite Continuum, and this doesn't seem a style he's rushing on returning to. Not that he should feel beholden for my sake or anything – sometimes an artist instinctively knows they've said all that needs to be said with an alias, content leaving it at that.

Which is why I was quite happy seeing this odds 'n' sods collection emerge on the Distant System Bandcamp. Sure, it's only five tracks, three of which are remixes of existing singles. That still leaves two new cuts! In the 'feast or famine' discography of this project, it's a gift from the Star Gods. Of course, no CD version came out for it, but seeing as how there wasn't a physical option for the second album, I wasn't too fussed about- Eh? What's that, you say? There is a physical option for both these now? Let me look into that. *time passes*

Oh, wow, this is new. Apparently a label called Digital Reprints exists, specializing in box-sets of discographies that are either out-of-print or never had a print in the first place. Their most recent item is the Distant System catalogue, including both albums and this compilation! Oh man, I know I already have Spiral Empire but it sure would be nice having Infinite Continuum and Astral Map Error on CD and they're already sold out. Damn, didn't even last long enough for my FOMO to kick in.

Anyhow, Astral Map Error. The original track first appeared on the Altar Records' CD Ether, which was awesome there, but perhaps a bit off-kilter for the prog-psy label. Not much different here, the low ends a little more gnarly, but still a kick-ass tune in that pumpin' Distant System style. The other two, Lost Sequence and Pupillary Response, are given a little extra production heft, but remain mostly the same from their original incarnations.

That leaves the two-part Synthetic Synapses, and it's exactly what I wanted to hear from Mr. Smith: more psy-dub of the Cosmic Grande. Seriously, how can this guy just hit that perfect sweet spot of groovy rhythms, soaring synths, spaced-out pads, and tasteful bleep 'n' glitch? And more to the point, how can he be so resistant to make more!

As a bit of catalogue closure on my part, one of the quibbles I had with Infinite Continuum was how its pacing was thrown off by having the album non-mixed, each track featuring ultra-long fading intros. The good news is Tyler somewhat fixed this with a 1-Hour Mix of Distant System material that heavily featured music from his second LP. Granted, I didn't grab that for myself, mostly satisfied with Infinite Continuum as is. It gave those tracks some deserved oomph though, and is worth a listen, especially if it does end up being the final transmission from the Distant System realm.

Thursday, November 2, 2023

Speedy J - Armstrong / Klave

self-release: 2021

Oh yeah, Speedy J singles. I still have some of those to finish off, don't I? A lot more, if I decide to ever spring for all of his post-2010 material on Electric Deluxe and Stoor. Okay, not Stoor, that label forever only for the vinyl fetishist market. The other label looks like it might have some interesting items, should I ever get the impulsive Speedy J itch again down the line.

This particular single is a bit of an outlier though. While the music within came out around the same period as Electric Deluxe's early years, neither track ever appeared there. In fact, both Armstrong and Klave came out on totally different prints, Radio Slave's REKIDS and Chris Liebing's CLR, respectably. They were paired with other tracks on those records, so likely produced as favours to those labels in giving them some Real Techno Artists Be Here cred'. Like, ol' Jochem sure didn't need to release anything on them, what with his own labels already up and running.

It did create a bit of a pickle for Speedy, however, in that he couldn't re-issue all of his old material on Bandcamp if these specific tracks were already tied to still-existing prints, with other producers on the original flips. What do? Eh, just grab them back anyway, and release them as a brand new single, that'll do. Does that make this single a compilation then? I don't know about that, but I submitted this to Lord Discogs' tomes as one, so if They That Know All are okay with it, let's run with it.

As Armstrong appeared on Chris Liebing's label, it's small surprise the track is pretty much a heady thumper in that distinct, minimalist Liebing style. In fact, there isn't much to it at all, doing the super-gradual tension build of pounding beats with white noise washes teasing out a potential climax. It never really comes though, the loudest peak coming some two-thirds deep before fading off as though it never was. I'm sure it's an effective piece of business as a techno tool, but a little disappointing for yours truly.

Klave, by contrast, is a little more interesting, in that it treads closer to the realms of tech-house – because of course it would on a Radio Slave label. There's plenty of knob twiddling on reverb and flange effects, which keeps the track evolving for its ten-minute duration, but not much else goes on with it. Frankly, I found the fact the record Klave appeared on had Chris Liebing on the flip more intriuging in a funny sort of way – you'd think that would have been the case with Armstrong, wouldn't it.

So pretty much just a couple functional tracks, but one neat thing did emerge from this session: my discovery that REKIDS has gone techno retro! No, seriously, Radio Slave, the guy who broke out with epic tech-plod tracks, has been making ol' school rave tunes in recent years. As always, everything old become new again!

Monday, October 30, 2023

Various - Apsara

Suntrip Records: 2005

It's remarkable how one's impression on a CD can have such a turnaround the deeper you dig into it. Right off the bat, I figured Apsara would provide something a little off the norm from Suntrip Records' music. Aes Dana is on here, opening the compilation with an exclusive track titled Digitalys. Wait, Vincent appearing on a label who's musical manifesto is nothing but retro-nu goa and psy trance? How did that happen?

Unsure, but Aes Dana really does feel like the odd-man out on Apsara. If you know your ol' school Ultimae prog-psy (oh God, it really is an 'old school' era now, isn't it?), you'll know this track, a solid, pulsing rhythmic rudder with widescreen pads and multi-tap synths and voices. Really makes me want to throw on Season 5 again. If I'm getting such vintage vibes off this one Aes Dana track though, then this compilation must be from way early in Suntrip's catalogue, right?

Right, Apsara in fact their second release ever. Ah, that would explain why, following that One (1) example of (then) current prog-psy, the rest of the compilation features a pile of goa trance very much on that retro tip. In an instant, the BPMs jump by twenty points, and Yesod's On The Edge Of Time goes hard on the squiggly acid sounds with slightly Indian tonal scales. Same with Avigmati's Babylone Beach, and Filteria's Tiny Universe, though also bringing the the spaced-out atmosphere to the party. And through it all, that unmistakable Suntrip adherence to the classic goa sound, maybe even a bit too much so. Like, compared to the Aes Dana track, these sound a bit flat and unpolished, but hey, it is early in the Suntrip story, before the folks making these 'return to the roots' tunes realized it was perfectly fine beefing things up to modern production standards.

Aside from the Ka-Sol cut Scraqp getting wickedly twisted, the rest of Apsara was good enough for what it set out to do. I didn't have much else to say about it until noticing something odd about my digital copy of the compilation: there was a track missing. I double-checked my CD copy, and sure enough, a ninth track, Lost Buddha's Metamorphosis, wasn't available on the Bandcamp page. Weird, but not uncommon, original artists sometimes retaining rights to their works for their own distribution.

I didn't think much else of it until spotting a recent comment left on Apsara's Discogs page. Well, not so much a comment, but a snarky screed, from a Filipe Santos. That's when I noticed the production credits to the Lost Buddha track went to a chap of the same name. Ooh, juicy, what's the deal with this guy, then? His Discogs stats are rather cluttered, and could only tell me so much. If I wanted more, there was only one place I knew would have details, the website with ties to Suntrip since day one: the psynews.org forums!

And, my friends, the rabbit-hole went deep there indeed.

Sunday, October 15, 2023

Various - Annexe (Cottage Industries 2)

Neo Ouija: 2002/2020

Though the original run of Neo Ouija never made a huge splash across the world of electronic music, it was successful enough to garner a dedicated cult following while it lasted. Among the various releases that helped solidify said following was a series of compilations called Cottage Industries, three volumes worth springing forth during its initial heyday. Whenever the label would stir awake after many years absence, it was usually a Cottage Industries collection that would declare its arrival.

In fact, it's about all that Neo Ouija releases now, including digital uploads and CD re-issues of the early editions. I even bought a few, but for some reason, those CDs never showed up. Hmm, are those the items that got switched for all those Intellitronic Bubble CDs? I swear, I appreciate all the various labels Lee Norris juggles with these days, but there's sadly been a few too many missing orders as of late for me to buy any more from them. One more reason to just stick with digital, I guess.

Annexe (Cottage Industries 2) came out two decades ago, and boy does looking at the track list ever feel like a time warp. So many names within the ambient techno and IDM scene getting their start here: Sense, Ambidextrous, Bauri... Erm, that's honestly all I recognize off hand. Hey, can't be a proper cult label known for giving ultra-obscure artists within your scene their starts if you don't have a compilation series doing the work for you. Like, where would the likes of Biosphere, Autechre, Black Dog, and Speedy J be without Artificial Intelligence, right? Okay, pretty well-off regardless, but you know what I mean.

And just because I'm not familiar with them doesn't mean some of the featured artists didn't have fruitful future careers. Yeah, names like Phonex, Idmonster, Sica, Pem, and Qeshi didn't amount to much after, but Yellow6, Maps & Diagrams, Kettel, and Ilkae remain active to this day. By and large though, many of the acts on Annexe had respectable output throughout the '00s before petering off as the '10s took hold. So it goes.

Ah yes, the music. Lots of simple, charming IDM and melodic, glitchy techno. It feels like Neo Ouija was throwing a little bit of everything into the original double-discer, which is great in providing variety. When you're dealing with music as esoteric as this, however, much of it can slip on by during a casual listen. So it's no surprise tracks with more melody in them (Sense's Icyltap, ENV(itre)'s Atodeq, Kettel's Nestingbox Seventeen, Qeshi's Island Dryad, Maps & Diagrams vs Pem's Orteip) stick with me more than the more experimental stuff (Qeshi's Schem, Sica's Mykeys, Tandy's Bell_Libbing). One thing's for sure, if you like your micro-pop rhythms, Annexe has you covered but good. Xela's Don't Talk To Strangers, Bauri's Neo Robot Party Crash, EU's Lytop, Ilkae's Pilve, and so on. Not that it's surprising, the early 2000's pretty much peak micro-pop within IDM circles. Darn clicks 'n' cuts hype machine...

Saturday, September 30, 2023

Various - 026028

Intellitronic Bubble: 2022

We've come to the last of these Intellitronic Bubble compilations (for now!), and I have a confession to make: I hadn't intended to get the previous two. It was the cover art, y'see, doing little to inspire an impulse buy, after which I simply let them fade from my initial interest. This one though, with its stark white and bubbly patterns... wow, how could your eyes not be drawn to it? And gosh, what if the label went an extra mile, giving the CD cover a little texture with those bubbles? Right, they probably wouldn't, but it was enough to get me buying in regardless. Only I didn't get this CD in the mail, receiving 016020 and 021025 instead. I honestly can't remember how this mix-up occurred, but it's nice that it did. Even if I never got a CD for 026028, I at least got one for 021025, which I feel a stronger collection of tracks than this one. Oops, spoilers, I guess?

Before getting into that, you may have noticed a slight change in the titling of this compilation. The first five were named after the clutch of five singles from which the tracks were plucked. Since those CDs weren't twenty tracks long, a few cuts were made along the way. For whatever reason, the folks behind the Bubble said nuts to that after 021025, opting to include all the tracks in future collections. Sweet beans. Even if that means only three singles get repped, at least all the tracks are included now. Oh, wait, I already let slip 026028 isn't quite as good as the last, so maybe not as good a deal as initially thought.

Right, we're still dealing with quality electro and retro-techno for the most part, I just feel the selection of tracks on this outing run rather singular in comparison. For instance, G-Prod is back for two more tunes, and while I generally like G-Prod, many of the other producers on this CD sound rather similar. Stefan Kibellus spaced-out chill vibes is also featured twice, as well as Konerytmi, who's synth-poppy style sticks out rather sharply being only separated by Andartak's Sunnudagskirkjan (praise be c+p with that title). Not because it makes sense to have them sequenced like this, but because of circumstance regarding the original vinyl these tunes came from. I know this is still the most OCD of nitpicking here, but I can't help but feel the pared-down earlier collections made for leaner, tighter listening experiences.

Anyhow, Owen Ni offers an ultra-dubby, spacious tune in Ancient Science, Deeb's Software_Selection 1.1 pushes into the hardline bleep-n-bloops end of electro, Devroka's Helix supplies the requisite acid cut in _Nyquist's absence, Hidden People joins Konerytmi in going a little more twee, and Orang Volante tries going tech-house in Song For Futuregrapher. I swear between that and Sunnudagskirkjan, I've heard some of these hooks before, even if under garbled electronic distortions. As I've said, there's only so much electro can do before some repetition become apparent.

Thursday, September 28, 2023

Various - 021025

Intellitronic Bubble: 2021

I cannot deny being a bit put off by Intellitronic Bubble's change of cover art. Right, there's only so much they could do with black and white photos of folks blowing bubbles, but it was a unique theme, one I'm sure could have carried on for at least a few more editions. Get real creative with it, y'know? Like, have someone pose with a bubble-maker in front of a Icelandic lava field! Or just feature bubbles in various sizes and numbers, maybe with nifty reflections of brutalist architecture! Just something other than whatever it is they currently got going on. At least the label's Bubble Flowers series has maintained a flower theme thus far, even if it's a lone dandelion sprouting from a crack in pavement. Nay, their mainline compilations instead get various shades of brown and burgundy.

Okay, I'm picking at the nittiest of nits in that paragraph, because I honestly have little else to criticize about 021025. All the things I claimed needed to happen for this series to show growth and evolution pretty much happen on this CD. A greater variety of fresh artists? Got 'em. Less reliance on pure electro retroism and ambient techno familiarity? Sorted. Erm, I think those were the only two major ones, and even calling those 'complaints' is a stretch. More like hopeful conditionals to keep me engaged with this label long-term.

The returning regulars are as expected: Futuregrapher, _Nyquist, and ReKaB (but no G-Prod). Considering that's all, it leaves plenty of room for other names to make the cut. And even then, their contributions are rather different to the sort of electro and techno heard prior. Futuregrapher's Norðurmýri has something of an urgent, paranoid feel going for it, all the while riding a rather smooth rhythm. Later, his Qualopec prominently features rather simple acid, with a splashy beat and subtle hum in support. Meanwhile, _Nyquist tones back his usual acid workouts for something almost trancey, in a bouncy techno sort of way. ReKaB also gets two tracks, and they're ultra-chill, Sky High proper ambient techno for the downtempo sect, Trying To Cope only a smidge brisker. A couple other returning names include Rob Belleville and Orang Volante, providing the proper Detroit nods.

Rounding out everyone else are names like Xylic, KEDA8, ENUIT, Akero, k_schreiber, and CNTRLD MND. Some do regular ol' electro jams, while others really stretch into the experimental side of the genre, even splicing with others. Hell, Stefan Kibellus' Fog almost sounds like what would happen if The Bug went electro. And what's this Krystian Shek As Usual, dropping some Ultimae Records' dub techno vibes into the electro party? Hmm, I've seen that name a bunch on Carpe Sonum Records. May need to investigate further. Does he have any CDs with blue cover art?

021025 proves mixing things up yields positive results. Granted, this CD may be a bit too chill if you prefer your electro body jackin', but I'll take variety over over-reliant repetition any day.

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Various - 016020

Intellitronic Bubble: 2021

Well, that didn't take long. Not that it's a bad thing, per se, I just felt the Intellitronic Bubble showcase could stand to see more artist diversity as the editions carried on. Yet here we are in the fourth edition, 016020, and we're right back with familiar names as featured in the first two. And, as such, we're right back to leaning more into the ambient techno side of electro than the pure robot fetishism as heard on 011015. Then again, I couldn't help but quibble that that CD was almost too dedicated to the mechanical menace aesthetic, so what do I know? Always gotta' find something to pick nits about, always.

I suppose that's how many electronic music labels shake out though: a core set of artists that keep the print afloat, with sprinklings of outside talent given their chance to shine. I got so used to ambient and IDM prints featuring a wide variety of producers, I just assumed the same would be true of any of Lee Norris' joints. And who knows, maybe that will come to pass with Intellitronic Bubble as well, but I'm having some doubts. It simply may be the nature of these particular genres, electro rather insular within its core scenes, versus the near free-for-all ambient and dub techno seems to enjoy online.

So returning names for the fourth round-up of Intellitronic Bubble releases include Futuregrapher (of course), _Nyquist, G-Prod, ReKaB, and Mr. Norris operating under Metamatics (what, no Norken?). Lloyd Stellar and Konerytmi also return, providing the more twee, synth-poppy side of electro, while Mick Chillage comes back as... Mick Chillage? Wait, don't tell me his dedicated electro alias The Shape is moth-balled? That's the whole reason for having a genre-specific handle!

Since we're well versed in all these artists' style, let's focus on the new additions. There's The Droid and Info, about as generic of electro aliases as it gets, which Lord Discogs confirms with these being the fifth and tenth such instance of such aliases, respectably. They're also solid electro numbers, the latter getting a little more Detroit-melodic, if that's any way to describe techno. Same can be said for Dokun's Build Boards, which is actually Darren McClure (add another from the extended Lee Norris metaverse). More anonymous is Mr. Signout, his bass-heavy Unknown giving us some proper trunk-rattling representation. Bound By Endogamy is a name I feel like I've seen, but their Discogs data is skint. Regardless, enjoy their way experimental slice of broken-beat techno with Mir Laine.

The track that really turned my head was closer Signal Flows Back from Komarebi. You know that brand of Balearic-leaning future garage most associate with Bicep these days? Think that, but with an electro sheen. Now that's the genre exploration vital for an upstart label!

So once again, another compilation with little to dislike, but hard to give heaping praise upon either. It's all solid stuff, and enjoyable while played – it just won't convince the unconverted machine lovers either.

Sunday, September 24, 2023

Various - 011015

Intellitronic Bubble: 2020

Jumping into the next of this label's compilation showcases, and almost immediately I know I'm in for a different outing. Compared to the last couple CDs in this series, I only recognize a handful of artists on 011015: G-Prod, MO-DU, _Nyquist, and Futuregrapher. I think I've seen Hidden People about as well, but this is my first direct exposure to the project. Everyone else though, completely new to my eyes and ears, with a few relatively new to many others' as well. At least, when this first came out, three years ago.

For instance, the chap who kicks off 011015, Lloyd Stellar. Lord Discogs states this here track is among his earliest items ever released, though he'd been making techno as Tramtunnel for a couple years prior. He's had a modest career of activity since, but far as the wider electro 2020 market was concerned, this was his breakout. Or he'd been burbling in SoundCloud obscurity for a decade earlier, and no one's bothered to upload that discography data to Discogs yet. I'll bet on the former being the case. Regardless, his track is titled Destory Him, My Robots, and while it's definitely not a cover of the Anthony Rother track of the same name, it's a suitably gnarly slice of electro just the same.

And yeah, we're fully in electro's domain once more – it is Intellitronic Bubble's breaded butter, after all – but something about this clutch of tracks feels stiffer. Like, the artists involved are stricter adherents of the robot manifesto compared to the group out of the first two CDs. Which makes sense, since a lot of those artists were coming in from more of an ambient techno and IDM route. If you want your retro-techno and electro label to truly go all-in on it though, you gotta' get yourself some musicians who's made it their style since day one. I think they done did that here with 011015, for better and worse.

Yeah, the bass is booming, the rhythms are robotic, the computers sing and whirl, and it's all properly dope. It kinda' gets samey after a while though. Like, remember that Electro Compendium data-dump I covered over a decade ago? It's a bit rather like that, but without the overwhelming desire to succumb to the machine within.

Anyhow, here's a few tracks that break the robo-mode dominating 011015. The prolific Kirill Junolainen, operating as Konerytmi, gets rather twerpy and twee in an ol' school Suction Records sort of way. Carbinax' In My Other Life gets real retro-Detroit, offering up a track that sounds like what Strings Of Life should sound like with decent piano and drum samples. So much bass in Astrobee's Junk Technology; just... so much. Rob Belleville's 406 Lucy Avenue is a nice, little chill electro number, and couldn't be more obvious about his inspiration if he tried. And finally, Daveeth brings the acid bass action in Utan Við Sig. Ooh, that's what this compilation needed: moar base aciiieeed!

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Various - 006010

Intellitronic Bubble: 2020

Brace yourself, one more 'discography dive' is coming. Did I buy another box-set? Purchase a package deal? Acquire a collection of discounted compact discs? Nah, the truth is rather mundane. Some may recall me covering an Intellitronic Bubble compilation called 001005, essentially a label showcase of their first five singles released on vinyl. They never stopped making them, each subsequent CD coming out after an additional five new EPs, and I never stopped collecting them. Only thing is, because they remain numerically titled, they got slotted into my alphabetical queue way back at the top of it, patiently waiting until I finally looped around. That time has now come, and, well, I gathered up five more since then. Seems appropriate.

As 006010 gathers up the then-latest five EPs out of Intellitronic Bubble, it doesn't have much new compared to the first set. Which I guess makes sense for a young label still relying on trusted, familiar names hanging out within the same circles as Lee Norris and Árni Grétar. It takes time for a retro-leaning electro and techno label to make enough of a name for itself such that it lures in other producers looking to contribute. Yet with the print pushing out wax at about two releases a month, not to mention all those double-album items for a spell there, the early roster was a little skint with fresh faces. Don't come into 006010 expecting much different than 001005, is what I'm saying. And hey, if you're all the more down for an extra round of their tasty electro and Detroitism, all the better.

As with the first, the second kicks off with a Milieu track, and it's... much lighter and twee? Wow, this is some real synth-pop chipper vibe going on here, a rather bit like some of the stuff I heard out of Solvent's label. Well, whatever, ReKab (with Mihail P on the rub) once again brings the follow-up, and Is This The Year is as pure a slice of vintage Detroit techno as you could ever hope to hear in the current decade Elsewhere, _Nyquist brings his touch of ambient techno to the electro party, Devroka brings the shoulder-shakin' electro, and G-Prod drops two ultra-deep space-bass tunes. You already knew that though, what with me having recently covered their albums.

All the others, then, what do we get? Black Data's Wireless Connection reminds me of that turn-of-the-millennium strain of stripped, sleazy electro, though I'm hesitant to lump it into the actual electroclash camps. 01Cerulean's Icy is, well, definitely icy, in a bouncy, acidy sort of way. I can't help but sense a little Drexciya inspiration from Orang Volante's Planktro (it's the title, yo'!), while Scape One's Different Worlds, Same Stories keeps up firmly in the outer atmosphere of sky-craft cruisin'.

While I'd recommend getting both, if you have to only get one, I think 006010 the stronger collection of tunes. Everyone involved feels more assured in what Intellitronic Bubble's manifesto will entail at this point.

Monday, September 11, 2023

Various - The 50th Parallel

Suntrip Records: 2018

This is what I mean. Time skip a decade later, many releases between, now the quality of retro-leaning goa and psy trance coming out of Suntrip Records is much improved over what was heard on Ra's 9th. And their album wasn't even bad! It just felt a tad safe and mild compared to what I knew what was coming down the line. So it goes when indulging a label catalogue in non-chronological order. Sometimes the older stuff just can't hold a candle to the newer stuff. Then again, same can be said the other way around, but I cheated a little, splurging on Suntrip because I heard a couple newer releases first. Their ol' school rep' just helped sell the impulse buy.

By logical standards, I should be reviewing The 50th Parallel after having reviewed fifty of Suntrip's releases, but I don't do things that way. Instead, alphabetical standards decrees I must review this anniversary compilation super early into this discography dive. Yes indeed, this double-CD set marks the fiftieth outing for the little neo-goa trance label that could, no small feat considering how ultra-niche their sound is in the new millennium. Never mind folks hearing it always enjoy it, goa trance simply doesn't get the same broad recognition as popular full-on psy or trendy prog-psy does. As for why The 50th Parallel, I'm assuming it's referencing where Suntrip Records' head office reside in Belgium. And is just one parallel north of where I live, incidentally. Ah, the good ol' 49th, forever dividing Canadians and Americans across vast swaths of mountain and prairie.

As befitting a milestone release, all the Suntrip heavy-hitters are on hand for the party. Khetzal is here! Ka-Sol is here! Clementz is here! Cosmic Dimension is here! Cosmic Serpent is here! Uh, Crossing Mind is here. So is Hada, Triquetra, Morphic Resonance, Battle Of The Future Buddhas... Okay, I can't front – I have no idea if these are the A-listers of the label or not. Like, I know for certain Khetzal is, as his Corolle album put the label on the map. And I know Clementz because I reviewed his album last year. Ka-Sol I recognize more for the unique artwork of Fairytale than anything else. The rest though? Not a got'dang clue. Guess I'll find out in the coming year!

As or the music, eight tracks make up each disc, the first designated Sun (re: goa trance), the other Moon (re: psy trance). And, um, that's kinda' about it, if I'm honest. Whatever sound you associate with those genres, these CDs offer them in spades. Soaring melodies with a slightly Indian tonal scale? Sure thing. Twisty acid tear-outs with peppy rhythms? Yep, that too. I rather like the ones that dip close to vintage Juno Reactor waters, but that may be recency bias, having just re-listened to some of their early albums again. Regardless, The 50th Parallel is '90s as fuck, but it wouldn't be a Suntrip Records collection if it wasn't, right?

Sunday, August 13, 2023

Various - Sven Väth: What I Used To Play (CD3)

Cocoon Recordings: 2023

Can I say how weird it is seeing photos of Cherub Sven? RIght, I've chosen his most puckish mug shot out from the ones included with the booklet as CD3's cover art, but most aren't that much older looking. I'll grant decades of clubbing will age anyone in rapid order, but he looks like a wee chile' compared to the soul-patch sporting harlequin of his Harthouse days. To say nothing of the Papa Sven look he adopted at the height of his Amnesia fame. Heck, for a large portion of contemporary punters, the grizzled German has always been 'that kooky uncle you love'. I, of course, knew of him earlier than that, such that the 'wet look era' came off quite shocking to yours truly, but man, just how young can this man actually get? Yes, I know that don't make a lick of sense.

We're into the rave years of What [Sven] Used To Play on the final disc, though nothing too bangin' or hype, so if you're expecting some vintage Frankfurt trance, this ain't it. Yes, even though we're definitely in the OMEN era, and even dip our toes into the '90s with tracks like Bobby Konders' Nervous Acid and Primal Scream's Loaded with Andrew Weatherall on the rub. Oh hey, it's that remix, which basically kicked off that whole 'rockers go rave' movement of the Second Summer Of Love.

Other essential rave classics here include A Guy Called Gerald's Voodoo Ray, Ecstasy Club's Jesus Loves The Acid (that's “Aciieedd!” to you), and Meat Beat Manifesto's Helter Skelter. You probably know this tune more for its wildly popular b-side Radio Babylon; aka: that one with the rhythm break knicked by a lot of folks after. And speaking of sampling, here's the first proto-plunderphonic single that charted, M|A|R|R|S' Pump Up The Volume (“Pump up the volume... Dance! Dance!”). Man, did that ever set off an arms race of throwing whatever one could into the production pot, soon after getting suits paranoid over what the actual legalities of all that cribbing of 'found sounds' actually was.

That's most of the familiar tunes sorted. Can't say I ever heard Foremost Poets' Reason To Be Dismal or Lhasa's The Attic, so it's cool filling out a couple personal blanks. The latter sounds like a very primitive piece of New Beat trance, so I can understand why Sven included it, the sort of tune that'd go on to inspire much of Eye Q Records' output. Just, y'know, up the BPM some twenty to thirty notches.

Rounding things out is a re-interpretation of Manuel Göttsching's epic E2-E4 from Sueño Latino – and by 're-interpretation', I mean sampling the tune for their own Balearic house jam. And what collection of early Väth vibes would be complete without at least one OFF track, in this case Electrica Salsa. I dunno', was this popular? I appreciate it for its historical context, but yeah, I'll take Rhythm Is A Dancer or An Accident In Paradise over that any day.

Things I've Talked About

...txt 10 Records 16 Bit Lolita's 1963 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2 Play Records 2 Unlimited 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 20xx Update 2562 3 Loop Music 302 Acid 36 3FORCE 3six Recordings 4AD 6 x 6 Records 75 Ark 7L & Esoteric 808 State A Perfect Circle A Positive Life A-Wave a.r.t.less A&M Records A&R Records Abandoned Communities Abasi Above and Beyond abstract AC/DC Ace Trace Ace Tracks Playlists Ace Ventura acid acid house acid jazz acid techno acoustic Acroplane Recordings Adam Beyer Adam Ellis Adam Freeland Adham Shaikh ADNY Adrian Younge adult contemporary Advanced UFO Phantom Aegri Somnia AEI Music Aes Dana Afgin Afrika Bambaataa Afro-house Afterhours Agoria Aidan Casserly Aira Mitsuki Airwaves Ajana Records Ajna AK1200 Akshan album Aldrin Alex Smoke Alex Theory Alice In Chains Alien Community Alien Project Alio Die All Saints Alpha Wave Movement Alphabet Zoo Alphaxone Altar Records Alter Ego alternative rock Alucidnation Ambelion Ambidextrous ambient ambient dub ambient techno Ambient World Ambientium Ametsub Amon Amarth Amon Tobin Amplexus Anabolic Frolic Anatolya Andrea Parker Andrew Heath Androcell Anduin Andy C anecdotes Aniplex Anjunabeats Annibale Records Anodize Another Fine Day Antendex anthem house Anthony Paul Kerby Anthony Rother Anti-Social Network Anzio Green Aoide Aphasia Records Aphex Twin Apócrýphos Apollo Apollo 440 Apple Records April Records Aqua Aquarellist Aquascape Aquasky Aquila Arcade Architects Of Existence Archives Arcturus arena rock Arista Armada Armin van Buuren Arpatle Artifact303 Arts & Crafts ASC Ashtech Asia Asian Dub Foundation Astral Engineering Astral Projection Astral Waves Astralwerks AstroPilot AstroPilot Music Asura Asylum Records ATB ATCO Records Atlantic Atlantis atmospheric jungle Atom Heart Atomic Hooligan Atomine Elektrine Atrium Carceri Attic Attoya Audiobulb Records Audion AuroraX Autechre Autistici Autumn Of Communion Auxilary Auxiliary Avantgarde Avatar Records Aveparthe Avicii Axiom Axs Axtone Records Aythar B.G. The Prince Of Rap B°TONG B12 Babygrande Balance Balanced Records Balearic ballad Bålsam Banco de Gaia Bandulu Barker & Baumecker Battle Axe Records battle-rap Bauri Beastie Boys Beat Buzz Records Beat Pharmacy Beatbox Machinery Beats & Pieces bebop Beck Bedouin Soundclash Bedrock Records Beechwood Music Benny Benassi Bent Benz Street US Berlin-School Beto Narme Beyond bhangra Bicep big beat Big Boi Big Dada Recordings Big L Big Life Bill Hamel Bill Laswell Bill Leeb BIlly Idol BineMusic BioMetal Biophon Records Biosphere Bipolar Music BKS Black Hole Recordings black metal black rebel motorcycle club Black Swan Sounds Blanco Y Negro Blasterjaxx Bleep Blend Blood Music Blow Up Blue Amazon Blue Hour Blue Öyster Cult blues blues rock Bluescreen Bluetech BMG Boards Of Canada Bob Dylan Bob Marley Bobina Bogdan Raczynzki Bombay Records Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Boney M Bong Load Records Bonobo Bonzai Boogie Down Productions Booka Shade Botchit & Scarper Bows Boxed Boys Noize Boysnoize Records BPitch Control braindance Brandt Brauer Frick Brasil & The Gallowbrothers Band breakbeats breakcore breaks Brian Eno Brian Wilson Brick Records Britpop Brodinski broken beat Brooklyn Music Ltd Bryan Adams BT Bubble Buffalo Springfield Bulk Recordings Burial Burned CDs Bursak Records Bush Busta Rhymes Buttertones bvdub C.I.A. 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