Various - FabricLive 85: Jesse Rose

Fabric: 2016

Okay, throw all that I've said about FabricLive being the series emphasizing broken-beats. This edition completely debunks that proclamation, Jesse Rose a straight up house dude through and through. Maybe a little tech-house for those 'harder' moments in the night. This isn't totally unprecedented, some FabricLive sets dipping its toes into the realms of house and techno. Typically it's with more of a focus on the funk roots of those genres, or at least an inching nod towards something more disco. It's not common though, and certainly nowhere near as faithful to the deep sounds of American house music. That Duke Dumont set, perhaps, or one of the volumes featuring an artist I know little about (Jimmy Edgar? Daniel Avery? Fake Blood??). What I'm getting at is FabricLive 85 sounds like it'd be better suited for the Fabric-Prime series than FabricLive, but I guess Baby Ford had dibs on that one.

Anyhow, Jesse Rose. I feel like I should know him more, but can't help thinking I'm mistaking him for some other tech-house DJ from the '00s with a similarly phonetic name. I've only come across Mr. Rose once before, on the Rub-N-Tug Fabric CD, but was a fairly regular artist on many sets for a solid decade and half. He had his own Berlin label, Front Room Recordings (when it was impossibly cool to have such a thing in your pocket), then moved onto another print in Play It Down. Then he apparently shut most of it down towards the end of the 2010s, and I haven't found much info for him since. Did he decide to hang things up after all that time? Never returned from a sabbatical following the Pandemic Years? Your guess is as good as mine, but far as social media is concerned, the Jesse Rose story ends before the '20s.

Which makes FabricLive 85 even odder, in that it came out only a couple years before his seeming hiatus. Normally folks release a Fabric set when they're on the verge of going onto bigger things. Or maybe Jesse was already showing hints of winding things down, and wanted to pull a Sandwell District instead? Not that Mr. Rose was a prolific mix CD marketer either, this only his third outing in the field (his first being on Get Physical ...ah, perhaps that's where I remember him from?).

These are about the only quirky talking points I have regarding this set, as it's a fairly standard deep house one with only the slightest nods towards tech-house. The funk flows, the soul simmers, the vibes vibe, the mixing keeps things even keel but doesn't really feel like it goes much anywhere. The sort of tunes you wouldn't mind hearing in a second room or some place more loungy, perhaps outdoors near a bar. Again, something I'd expect to hear on the parent Fabric series, not the one more known for its eclecticism. These Fabric On A Budget sessions always seem to end like this.

Various - Fabric 73: Ben Sims

Fabric: 2013

Quite the time skip here, going from 50 to 73. What's remarkable is this is the first item out of Fabric's '70's block I've tackled. I've been close, what with doing Sandwell District's Fabric 69, but I've even done one in the '90's, Daphni's Fabriclive 93. For a time, that was the biggest gap between editions!

Makes sense that more in between will get filled though, volumes finding their way onto the cheap-o markets as time wears on. There's been items here and there throughout all of Fabric's history that I've nabbed on a pauper's budget, and now that the original run's concluded, more from its latter years will emerge. Will they be from heralded names like Sasha or Skream, or less known ones like Call Super or My Nu Leng? Time will only tell, but I can offer this little spoiler: the '80's will also get some coverage in this round of Fabric On A Budget, thus filling in every single numbers block in some form! Well, unless you also include the two '100's. I won't if you won't, though.

Ben Sims getting tapped in late 2013 for a Fabric seems about right. A stalwart of the techno scene since the '90s, he was one of the few chaps that didn't jump on the minimal bandwagon the same way so many others did. In fact, he found something of a comfy home getting in on more of a Latin and tribal take with tech-house, all the while filling in the gaps with the vintage bangin' bosh old school Drumcode resolutely held true to. As the tide of tastes turned with the 2010s, Mr. Sims found himself a perfect companion to the Berghain sound. I'm actually kinda' surprised he never got tapped for a set on Ostgut Ton as well, but seeing as how many of the club's jocks would regularly rinse out Ben's tunes, I guess that's close enough.

Anyhow, this is a pure bangin' techno set through and through. Just relentless, pounding bosh, tracks dropping one after the other in rapid success, never pausing for a single breakdown. Oh, there's periods where the bass will cut out, feigning a brief bit of tension building, but Ben lets the tracks speak for themselves, for as long as he allows them to anyway. What's most fun about this set is Mr. Sims doesn't even portend any pretension of fancy DJing, mixing seldom more complicated than a hard crossfade. And nor does he need to, these tracks uncomplicated and straight to the point, each unique from the other without ever clashing in tone. Man, after so many years of minimal's homogenized aesthetic, how refreshing was it to hear something like this? Oh, probably not that much by 2013. Can't forget that time jump I just did within Fabric's history.

And there isn't much else I can say about this set. It starts more on a tech-house tip, but soon enough, we're in the good shit, riding it out until the end.

Various - Fabric 41: Luciano

Fabric: 2008

Ah, the man who flew too close to the sun, crashing down as the trends of clubland shifted into a new decade. Actually, that's unfair, Mr. Nicolet maintaining a solid career to this day. He's simply too entrenched in the minimal tech-haus scene to fall that far, his Cadenza print too long lasting to completely fold, his Ibizan parties too well-regarded to fall out of favour. It cannot be denied though, that when I last talked about him, there was a sense he was shooting for crossover stardom, a lane many were rejecting as hubris personified. No, better to stick things out on the DJ circuit, build your fame on the Party Island, keep winning Ibizan DJ Awards in the field of tech-house over and over and over like he's Dixon at Resident Advisor. No need to indulge in artistic album expression ever again.

But nuts to all that, happening after this particular CD had come out. For sure getting tapped for Fabric 41 helped him along to that promotional period involving Tribute To The Sun, but that was still over a year away. At this point, Luciano was more frequently getting name-dropped along side Ricardo Villalobos as Very Important minimal-tech jocks with Chilean ancestry. It was a very small sample size, so quite easy to stand out in that highly specific field. I suppose releasing a record on Perlon didn't hurt either.

Regardless, we're getting the 'hot talent on the rise' Luciano here, so naturally his set hopes to capture some of the eclecticism he was getting noticed on while retaining the vibe of a live gig. He hadn't done many mix CDs before, a contribution to Soma Quality Records' Sci.Fi.Hi.Fi. series being his most prominent one prior (I'm sure he's content leaving Party New – Electro-House properly memory holed), so still in something of a feeling out process in how to put that all together. Did he pull it off?

If you like stripped but subtly vibrant style of tech-house, sure. Fabric 41 definitely has moments that remind you why this brand of 'ethnic' tech-haus was finding some ground in the latter half of the '00s. The wobbly, sleazy basslines of tunes like Getting Late from Los Updates (Luciano on the rub). The ultra-loopy deep transitional tracks that let you just get lost in the moment (Sety's Mogane, Guido Schneider & André Galluzzi's Albertino). The big obvious anthem that hadn't yet caught on as a big obvious anthem so you can't really hate on its inclusion (Johnny D's Orbitalife... gads, does that rhythm ever remain ridiculously infectious). The play at peak-time opulence, but done in a somewhat clever way (mashing M83's In Church with Julien Jabre's Jungle Beatz). The gamble on ol' school credibility by way of modern remixes (Inner City and Phuture get rubs from him and Tiefschwarz). And ooh, the 'not-trance' melodic closer, just to remind you that even though this is technically a set for the London crowds, Luciano's still an Ibizan DJ through and through.

Various - Fabric 28: Wiggle

Fabric: 2006

In some ways, it's remarkable this CD took so long to appear on my Fabric On A Budget list. It's an edition that seemed destined for the bargain bin, a name only the most ardent of Fabric faithful would be familiar with. When you've built your DJ mix series brand on featuring recognizable names from across the house and techno spectrum, most folks will come away with only confused glances of who 'Wiggle' is.

Right, you, oh tech-house disciple of yore', may know this is a reference to the Terry Francis' label of the same name, one that was celebrating a decade of existence when fabric 28 was released. It wasn't a major print though, and kinda' petered out shortly after. Some would argue the label was just the side-hustle, that it was the club nights with the Wiggle brand being featured that was the real attraction. Among particular house heads in the UK, I can believe that, but something tells me folks across waters weren't so hep to what was going on in the underground of merry ol' London, especially when tech-house was becoming quite the mainstream club thing as the mid-'00s rolled on.

From my lofty vantage point eighteen years on, however, fabric 28 feels more like a stop-gap of a set. As this is technically a Terry Francis set (did Nathan Coles contribute? Liner notes are unclear), it marks another instance of a returning Fabric alum, Terry having done the second release in the series after Craig Richards. Why go back an already tapped well when I'm sure there were plenty of other worthy candidates waiting in the wings for a crack at Fabric? Oh, right, that ten year anniversary thing of the Wiggle brand. Well sure, I guess that's an excuse for the label in having an off-month.

I really shouldn't be so nitpicky on the reasons for a Wiggle set though, because gosh darn it, at least it's a proper tech-house set. That may seem glib, but y'gotta' remember when this came out: 2006, the height of the minimal era. Indeed, Wiggle is surrounded by an Audion set and a Tiefscharz set, both of which I've covered, and capturing the minimal trend at its most trendiest. None of that plink-plonk-hiss nonsense is heard here though, with some basslines that actually make your hips wiggle. Yeah, there are portions where the vibe goes a little deeper, or things strip back so a vocal or acid line can shine, but that's all part and parcel of the ebb and flow for a set such as this. Not really peak-time, but definitely a solid warm-up for the headliner.

Unfortunately, that's likely why fabric 28 remains one of the most forgotten of the early sets of Fabric's legacy. A very meat-n-potatoes CD, released when folks expected tunes and sounds on the cutting edge of clubland. Okay, it also didn't help this was some of Fabric's ugliest cover art to date. Would you impulse-buy something sneering at you like that?

Jon Hester - Converge Part I

REKIDS: 2020

I'm not only buying MP3 releases without much care in the world about doing so, I've now begun buying them from Radio Slave's label, REKIDS. If you'd try telling 2007 Sykonee that would be a thing some fifteen years in the future, he'd have bonked you upside the head for speaking such mad nonsense. Of course, he'd also have scoffed at the notion he'd end up living in the same place for over a decade, having migrated many places in the preceding ten years before. Come to think of it, that Sykonee would have been amazed at many things that have come to pass since, maybe even this music-writing thing still an ongoing hobby. But yeah, that whole 'buying digital from Radio Slave', definitely a humdinger of a what th'? now.

What's attracted me to his print, however, is the abundance of techno names familiar and obscure adorning its discography. I feel like I can just hop about release to release checking out whatever may come, and I'm guaranteed some interesting item worth listening further. Right, not everything is golden – with the amount of records coming out of REKIDS, how could it be? Taking a couple risks here and there certainly can't hurt though, right?

Like this Jon Hester felle'r. I know nothing about him, but crikey if that isn't some cool looking cover art. And a full-length LP debut at that? Heck, that's plenty 'nuff for me to scope this out, even if Mr. Hester catalogue is a total blank to me (various singles on various labels throughout the '10s – as you'd expect of a techno up-and-comer).

First proper track on Converge Part I is an eleven-minute outing called Metropolitan with a very loopy, minimalist techno beat. There's some conga fills along the way, but the main feature is a lone piano plinking about throughout. Yeah, it's got that 'Detroit goes jazz' vibe going for it, but I can't say the piano tone does much for me, neither funky nor uplifting in any meaningful way. Still, it's better than the saxophone tooting in follow-up Haze, but my boredom of the track may have more to do with my long-standing beef with the sex-jazz instrument.

Fortunately, the album gets into a deeper side of techno I rather like after. Rain has a mellow synth tone warbling about a fine shuffly rhythm, Dreamstate gets on that dubby minimalism action, and Free lets the trance pads soar. As for the final couple tracks, I'm sure Flex will get some Drexciya triggers flaring, while closer Equinox goes a little askew with its oscillating synths. Have I mentioned how any of these tracks remain quite loopy, never having much fuss in building upon its early elements beyond whatever knob twiddling Jon does his leads as a track plays out? I haven't? Well, there we go.

So maybe not the most exciting record overall, but I could see most of these tracks working in an early, warm-up set before the real techno party starts.

Various - Fabric 58: Craig Richards Presents The Nothing Special

Fabric: 2011

This is a strange edition. Oh, not the music within, most of it serviceable deep techno and tech-house as you'd expect from a resident of the Fabric nightclub. It's not even odd, if a little self-serving, that Craig Richards would have multiple sets in the fabric series. He kicked things off with Fabric 01, and naturally concluded it with Terry Francis and Keith Reilly in the triple-disc Fabric 100. Relatively early in fabric's lifespan, he used his Tyrant alias to do a double-disc set for Fabric 15. I don't think there was another 2CD edition of fabric or FabricLive after (centennial volume notwithstanding), so clearly a format the Fabric faithful weren't keen on. How nice of Mr. Richards taking that fumble with Tyrant.

Still, an artist using different aliases for different Fabrics wasn't unheard of. Heck, using a Fabric set as a promotional springboard for another project was almost expected, especially if someone had an album, label, or club night to launch. Such seems to be the case with Fabric 58, The Nothing Special a label that Craig Richards was set to premiere later that year. Or was it something else, and simply became a label? I'm not entirely sure, finding little info about this CD a decade on. Something about Craig wanting to create a specific night at Fabric where he'd have to DJ around live acts, but I hear little in this set that reflects such a purpose, Fabric 58 going as it means to go on in the hands of Mr. Richards.

All this, yet that's still not what boggles my mind about Fabric 58. No, what truly astounds me about this CD is how it disrupts the then-current cover art theme! Fabric always featured a trilogy of unique art that never had much of anything to do with the DJ involved. Sometimes you lucked out with cool silhouette urban art or abstract drawings, other times you'd be saddled with the guy with an octopus on his head. At this point in fabric's timeline (volumes 57 to 60) , it was people in striking-coloured bodysuits being assaulted by similarly coloured technology. Hey, such bodysuits were trendy back then, and if nothing else, one of the more memorable runs of cover art in fabric's history. But right smack in the middle of it, interrupting the sequence and triggering all sorts of OCD, comes Craig Richards' stark black 58. What, does he think he runs Fabric or something?

Okay, okay. The mix. Like I said, it's basically a deep tech-house outing, with a slant towards Detroitism. He throws in a liberal amount of '90s tunes from the likes of Two Lone Swordsmen, G-Man, Eco Tourist, Joel Mull, and Johnny Fiasco, and unsurprisingly are more interesting than the upfront material. I find Craig takes a bit too long to warm things up, nor does it shift any higher than mid-gear, but compared to the occasional dry sterility of fabric's previous half-decade, this one nicely bumps once it gets going.

Various - Deeper 01.02

Hed Kandi: 2002

I started this kinda'-annual glance into the Hed Kandi legacy with a Deeper compilation, so it's only fitting that I return to it at some point. Having gotten the second collection, Deeper 01.02, I've now completed the entire series! Yep, only two of these were ever released, making Deeper the shortest series the label ever put out. Unless there was some aborted runs later in Hed Kandi's existence, when their popularity had dwindled down to bupkis.

It's funny that despite all the label's early success in cornering the disco, house, funk, and soul market, their stab at prog never caught on. Not that I blame them for throwing their hat into the pile. When the highest paid, most popular, critically hailed DJs in UK clubland are rinsing dark, dubby house music with a tribal edge, you bet your bottom dollar on the punters wanting those tracks for themselves too. Except that's not the sort of audience Hed Kandi had cultivated. When you think of prog, you think of Very Serious DJs posing, not glamour girls sashaying about. Besides, I think the label had their eyes on that burgeoning 'twisted disco' sound (re: electro house). Can definitely milk some saucy cover art with that concept!

So, familiar names and tunes. The Creamer & K rub on iiO's Rapture is here, which is about as obvious a 'prog house anthem fitting with Hed Kandi clientele' tune as you could expect. Honestly though, it's been a lo-o-o-ong while since I last heard this track, and was pleasantly surprised at how well it still held up. B.P.T.'s Moody is also here, by way of a Pete Heller remix, so not quite as dated as hearing it again a few years after Digweed's Bedrock. Other 'prog' favourites include Danny Tenaglia, Satoshi Tomiie, Timo Maas and... Superchumbo? I can't remember if they were fav's or not.

It can't all be a prog love-in though, not if you want to retain some of the Hed Kandi faithful. Thus, there's a little deep house action from Roger Sanchez, Kidstuff, and Puretone, but by and large, it's the prog vibes that dominate. Dubby basslines, deeper grooves, lengthy run-times, and all that good stuff, even from names I don't recognize in the slightest. Well, maybe Miriam Project, I think I recognize that one. Maybe Stylus Trouble too. Not Goldtrtix though. Or Dirty from Dirty.

And, in a move that makes absolutely no sense from any angle you wish to approach from, Deeper 01.02 ends off with Hardfloor's remix of Circus Bells by Robert Armani. What, pray tell, does acid techno from the '90s have to do with a 'prog' collection from Hed Kandi? Mark claims in the liner notes it was included as a summation of Deeper's manifesto, of a track that “builds and builds”. But... lots of tracks do that? I dunno, maybe I'm just perplexed by the fact that, despite it being rather random inclusion, this track always seems to follow me around.

Various - Balance 005: James Holden

EQ Recordings: 2003

So this was one of the big ones. Even if the music didn't hold up (spoiler: it does), it cannot be denied how much James Holden's contribution to the Balance series marked a prominent shift in the way the prog-house series, um, progressed. Prior, each volume mostly stuck with the dark, tribal prog of the era, save a single CD flirtation of prog-breaks by Phil K. After, Balance became known as the premier DJ mix series, where disc jockeys could indulge themselves with unconventional sets. Not to say that happened all the time, but such a rep started here.

Beyond that though, James' set marked a radical shift in the scene at large, ground zero for a splintering that would be felt for much of the next decade. Not only did Balance 005 firmly state the old Bedrock Records sound was done and dusted, but gave us a taste of what was to come. Obviously the Border Community style from Holden and his cohorts is what gets prominent focus here, but there's ample examples of the sort of prog folks initially expected of James, and got co-opted by Coldharbour instead. Grumbly basslines, side-chained melodies, poppy vocals, and whatnot.

Nowhere is this more apparent than right in the middle of CD1. Leading up, there's still a sense of the dark, dubby prog lurking about, even if a track like Petter's All Together enjoys throwing some robo-clank into the mix. Infusion's rub on JASEfos' Do What U Want is pure proto-McProg though, with a big vocal supported by a rumbly groove, the sort of tune you'd almost expect Holden to lead into his own Nothing (93 Returning Mix). Instead, it goes into the twee electro-fuzz of Nathan Fake's Outhouse (Fluffy Mix), its rhythm nothing more than twitchy clicks n' pops. And while the more traditionally thumping original version follows, this debut from Fake is basically what Border Community would heavily promote for much of its run. As I say, quite the little moment of contrast in hindsight.

Anyhow, disc one plays out with more of this push-pull between old-prog and BC-prog. Cannot deny I tend to favour the old (mmm, PQM cut), but Holden ends things off pleasant enough. CD2 kicks things off with some sleaze house in Meek's Happy (because electroclash was still kinda' a thing in 2003), then we're right back into more dark, dubby prog, with twinkly melodies sprinkled about (Epsilon 9's Lifeformation; Ficta's Eli; Kosmas Epsilon's rub on FC Kahuna's Hayling ...why does it sound like my CD's skipping during the breakdown?).

There's some bits and bobs of other sounds thrown in (acid in his own The Wheel, future-shock electro in Carl Finlow's Ghetto Server ...was Anthony Rother not available?), and Holden takes a long lead-down for the finish, each track growing ever more chill and Border Community-ey after the other. I honestly find my attention drifting, but only because the mid-set peak was so high. I'm not ready to come down yet, Mr. Holden!

Swayzak - Snowboarding In Argentina

Medince Label: 1998

Ridiculous that it took me two decades to finally get this album. I'll grant a general lack of info regarding Swayzak's discography in those post-discovery years, though not for a lack of wanting. I'd never have nabbed that Groovetechnology v1.3 without their name attached to the double-discer (!K7 Records association didn't hurt either). It wasn't that long after that The Lord That Knows All clued me into the rest of their catalogue, but for whatever reason, I kept kicking the can further down the road. Some hesitancy from dashed expectations, perhaps? It wouldn't be the first time I fell sway to the charms of an artist after hearing just a couple tunes, only to be let down by their expanded selections. Still, I can't go wrong with at least returning to the source, Swayzak's debut album that helped turn the ultra-niche dub techno sounds into something the tech-house crowds could vibe on.

I know it's a massive cliche to say it, but there really wasn't much else like Snowboarding In Argentina before it dropped. Tech-house itself was still in its feeling-out years, unsure how much techno it wanted in its house, then along comes something that strips things down further to its grooviest, toasty elements. Even Basic Channel, dub connoisseurs they were, remained fixated on techno's functionalist elements. Swayzak's all like, “Nah, guv, you gotta' put more 'sway' in that sound, Zachary.” I really hope that wasn't how they came up with their name.

Right from the jump in Speedboat, you sense you're in for a bit of a different ride than the expectant norm of ye' olde year 1998. Deep synth pads, crisp tight rhythms, pinging chords echoing down alleyways, an ever shifting track for its lengthy duration. All well-worn tropes of micro-house in the following years, true, but quite unique for its time. Follow-up Burma Heights keeps the 'deep house by way of dub techno' vibe going, while Low-Rez Skyline and Fukumachi envision late night cruises through classy metro streets. Damn it, future car commercials...

Elsewhere, Swayzak show off their downtempo chops with Blocks, their stab at a dubby trip-hop outing because late '90s. French Dub goes even deeper into the low-ridin' lane, and while Redfarm tries matching, its gets a bit too silly with its dub exploration. Also, because late '90s, here's a stab at d'n'b in L.O.9.V.E. Just couldn't resist chasing a few trends, eh lads?

Which became something of a criticism with Swayzak's later albums, especially with their forays into synth-pop. Whatever, we're still with Snowboarding In Argentina, so here's Bueno, a fourteen minute closer of goovey tech-house. Why, it could fit in a prog-house set, especially with that genre's growing interest with tribal-dub as well. Heck, it'd even sound good in a modern set. Despite so many artists jumping on this bandwagon, Swayzak's debut still stands strong all these years (decades!) later. This album really shouldn't be memory-holed, but the burn-out on 'minimal' has unfortunately rendered it somewhat forgotten now.

Various - Fabriclive 93: Daphni

Fabric: 2017

*cover art brought to you by FabricLive's “beautiful carnivorous vegetation” period*

I did not expect this. An entry in Fabric's long-running series so close to its conclusion, already hitting the dirt-cheap discount bin? Why was the seller so anxious to be rid of it?

Well, this isn't a traditional DJ set. Daphni constructed something more like a live PA outing, mixing and looping house and techno rhythms into a continuous whole. Even then, calling Fabriclive 93 “continuous” is a misnomer, tracks often leading to a moment that abruptly switches into something different. Not in a 'mixtape' fashion either, the sonic palette too singular for that, which makes sense given these are all Daphni productions on display. It's why I'm getting my 'live PA' vibe, playing out in sections, drum loops coming and going without much mixing between them, plenty of points for beatless melodic indulgences.

It's all rather erratic. Any time things start shifting into higher gear, letting a dope retro-techno groove gain momentum, it's lost, only for something just as interesting to take its lead, rather than build from it. Things do get better as the CD plays out, but towards the end, I find my interest drifting, the promise of proper payoff so continuously snatched away. It's an interesting approach to a Fabric set, I must admit, but for those weaned on a traditional DJ rinse-out, this unorthodox approach can be a turn-off. I suppose we shouldn't have expected anything less from the one-time Manitoba.

Yes, yes, (or Ye Ye?), I know Daphni is Dan Snaith, most famous for his indie-darling project Caribou (he'll always be Manitoba to me!). Daphni was his outlet in getting back to the clubs, initially a side-project for material that didn't fit with Caribou, but eventually a primary alias for DJ tours. His debut album as Daphni was well-received, and I gave Ye Ye Ace Track status as it appeared on Get Lost 4. By 2017, Dan was dusting Daphni off again, and Fabric allowed him to spring-board back out onto the scene. Everything on here was fresh material when it came out, a solid third of the tracks featured in Fabriclive 93 getting expanded versions on the album Joli Mai later that year. Did some of them ever need it.

Why didn't' I just say all this from the start? One, everyone does the bio blurb at the start, so here's a different approach (seems appropriate). Two... ah, I actually forgot specifically who Daphni was at first, leading me to go into this set mostly blind. The name was familiar to me, but I resisted doing the research before the listening, as pure an experience as I could get – I didn't even look at the tracklist. When the odd set construction had me scratching my head, I relented and asked The Lord That Knows All what the deal was. Then, it all clicked, and I enjoyed Fabriclive 93 a little more, such as it was. Wanted to share that experience, yes?

Various - fabric 11: Swayzak

Fabric: 2003

When last I talked up Swayzak on this here bloggity-bloog of mine, I made passing wonderment over how their fabric mix sounded. In fact, I wanted to start a proper dive into their discography, and figured rounding up the rest of their DJ mixes would make for a good start. Um, this is about it. Yeah, Misters Brown and Taylor weren't really all that interested in the commercial mix CD market, and judging how their two primary outings fare, it's not hard to hear why: they just can't be fussed with the technical aspects of DJing.

For sure they can do all the blending and syncing and balancing if they want to - Groovetechnology V1.3 had plenty of sublime minimalist mixing going on. Sometimes though, a tune deserves to be played out in full, with a transition into something so different it defies anything other than a crossfade, so long as the music remains thematically consistent. Such is the domain of the mixtapes and third room 'chill' zones, of which Swayzak was quite familiar with in the early '00s.

Not that the fabric brand hadn't shown wilful genre hopping in the past, though that was more the purview of the Fabriclive offshoot. The mainline series generally stuck things out with tech-house in its early years, with occasional dalliances into deep house, electro or techno. Swayzak's offering was the first time fabric really stretched beyond such narrow confines, bringing in micro-house, disco punk, reggae dub, and even proto-fidget under one mix. Which probably isn't that big a deal, since we're still quite early in the series' lifespan, and couldn't ignore Fabriclive's eclecticism for long.

Cheekily, Swayzak open things up with a little Negativland, with the cheeky sampling of a doomsday cult rattling off all the evil rock bands of the era (which Fatboy Slim cheekily nicked himself). Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Prince, Madonna, Billy Idol, Neil Young, David Bowie, Queen, Adam Ant, Billy Joel, The Police, Huey Lewis, “Weird” Al, and many more... heathens, all!

From there, fabric 11 carries on about as you'd expect of a Swayzak set from this era, chaps like Luomo, Mathew Jonson, and Akufen making the rounds. Midway though, things take a turn for the mixtapey, Röyksopp's slinky, dreamy rub on Felix da Housecat's What Does It Feel Like? played out in full. Then it's a crossfade to Rockers Hi-Fi's Push Push (yay!), blending into... Hey, Ciccone Youth! I recognize that name! Anyhow, here's LCD Soundsystem's homage to aging hipsterism, Losing My Edge, played in full.

Things kinda' jump all over the place afterwards, with sorta-electro (MMM's Donna), sorta disco punk (DFA's rub on Metro Area's Orange Alert), sorta-actually '80s synth-pop (Thomas Dolby's One Of Our Submarines), finally finishing off with ultra-twee bell-house from März. Pantha Du Prince likely heard this. They're fine tunes, but I can't deny hoping for something more consistent for a finish. Hard to top Losing My Edge though. Set peaked too soon!

Vector Lovers - Carousel EP

self release: 2016

Another of Martin Wheeler's yearly Vector Lovers EPs released through Bandcamp, though this unfortunately may have the fewest talking points. Solstice, Pale Blue Star, and even Road / To Ruin are more traditional EPs, a batch of four or five unique tracks, whereas Carousel is more of a single, one tune with different versions of it.

That in of itself is something of a talking point, most Vector Lovers singles having at most one remix to their name. Even in his Soma Quality Recordings era, very few of his tunes would have someone other that Martin provide a rub. Futures In Plastic, Microtron, Nostalgia 4 The Future were the main ones, plus a few others for a remix EP to coincide with Electrospective. I suppose you could count the 'remastered' tracks for that same compilation as remixes too, sounding rather different compared to the original cuts from many years past.

Any Vector Lovers track having multiple versions of it is rare, is what I'm getting at, and this here Carousel EP has four versions of its titular tune. I sifted through the bulk of his catalogue as archived with Lord Discogs, and this is the lone such item. Though honestly, it's only there because I submitted it (Solstice EP too, if I'm being modest), so whether there are other un-submitted examples out there, I don't know. I've just concerned myself with those EPs on his Bandcamp page. A strange fate I have found, chronicling Vector Lovers' Bandcamp singles within Lord Discogs' tomes.

The primary track is a fairly typical tech-house offering from Mr. Wheeler. Spritely melodies carry things along, while an unfussy rhythm with occasional splashes of white-noise wash keep a steady groove. It's almost proggy, back when prog was all about the minimalist twinkly sounds in the mid-'00s, which makes Carousel kinda' retro for a 2016 track. Definitely out of the norm for a Vector Lovers track though.

Carousel (Paris 92) is more in the usual electro wheel-house, the beat an odd soft thump that sounds like someone rubbing their foot along a carpet. Never mind that, it's the melody that dominates, a vintage melancholic bleepy electro ditty you can always count on Martin crafting. You'd think Carousel (Dub) would strip it out then, focusing more on the rhythmic portions, but no, the twinkly lead is here too, just subdued, more prominence given to the backing synths. I actually find this better than the original, but perhaps I'm just a sucker for the spaciousness of the sounds on display. Carousel (Ghosts) is the 'experimental' offering, minimal bleeps and tense strings teasing out the melody of the original. Some bell tones join in, but doesn't lead to anything of note before the track fades out. Definitely the sort of filler tune you'd find at the end of an album, or a B2 of an EP.

And that's all there is to Carousel. A nice tune with some decent variations, but little essential to the Vector Lovers canon.

Lionel Weets - Stellar Orchestra

Motech: 2014

Well, look at that, another Motech album. How did that slip by? Must have put it in a different 'to review' pile than the 'to review' pile that had all the other Motech releases. Why yes, I have many 'to review' piles going at the same time, is that so weird?

Belgian Lionel Weets started out making thumping techno as MGMX, releasing several singles across several labels. If Lord Discogs is anything to go by (and it usually is), these didn't catch on in any major way. Undeterred, Lionel pursued his musical interests towards a more Detroit-based sound, leading him to a debut album on Motech, this here Stellar Orchestra. His Discoggian info dries up after that, save a lone collaborative single in 2017. Uh, wha' happened? Did this album not meet expectations, causing a crises of musical faith? Not enough bills getting paid to continue on this path? Another case of Lord Discogs missing massive updates on particular artists just because no one's been keeping tabs on Bandcamp pages?

Okay, before I hype this record up more than it probably deserves, I'll say straight up that what Lionel is doing here isn't revolutionary. Indeed, you'll hear plenty of sonic markers that'll have you remembering Detroit techno anthems of yesteryear, Mr. Weets laying his influences naked and bare for all to hear. The Strings Of Life strings, the Plastic Dreams organ licks, the Man With The Red Face saxophone action. Even the... Pump Up The Jam synth stabs? Well, Technotronic was also Belgian, so I guess you had to give some nods there. Come to think of it, Jaydee is Dutch, and Laurent Garnier is French. Are we certain Lionel Weets is doing a strict Detroit thing here?

Yeah, I'm pretty certain. This is definitely tech-house as inspired by the Motor City, and though the rhythms are mostly straight-forward, they have more than enough beef to carry things forward. It's all about whatever melodies Lionel comes up with anyway, and what instrument he uses for a lead in a given track. The first few mostly rely on those archaic string samples we all associate with early Detroit techno, but I'll take Mr. Weets' use of them over hearing Strings Of Life ever again. Elsewhere we get pianos (Don't Follow Me, I Am Lost, Alien Opera), organs (The Night Is Ours), saxophone (Not Today) or synths (Rise Of The Dragons, Different Ways To Paradise). And hey, just to show it's not a total Detroit fest, here's a little garage action with Through The Universe. Oh yeah, that's some shuffle rhythm there!

What amazed me the most about this album is how well it flowed. Yeah, the tracks all abruptly stop, but they also don't waste time when starting up either, getting right into the action again. And once another fun solo breaks out, you're all in for the ride. All solid stuff, and astounding to me that Mr. Weets apparently didn't do much after this.

Vector Lovers - Pale Blue Star EP

self-released: 2017

Martin Wheeler is... back? Wait, when did that happen? I saw no big promotion for new singles, not even drive-by blurbs when I was diving into Soma Quality Recordings a couple years ago. Then again, it's not like his iPhonica album got a tonne of attention either. Indeed, I only knew he'd released that record when I was browsing about the Vector Lovers Discogs page. So it was again, with his latest album – or rather, soundtrack – but I'll get to that in due time. What I discovered, however, is it was self-released, which naturally led me to give a slap of the head, realizing in all this time, I never bothered to check if there was a Vector Lovers Bandcamp page.

There certainly is, and it looks like Mr. Wheeler's kept himself active even if Soma or any label isn't supporting his stuff anymore. Not super-busy or anything, about an EP a year since iPhonica, but it's enough to keep the Vector Lovers name out there for those who can't get enough of that sentimental electro stylee. If he's even still doing that. When I looked at some of these singles, I couldn't help but wonder if he's moved on from the anime influences and into more proper sci-fi, and maybe even some synthwave. While the Vector Lovers sound was never exactly '80s retro, it wouldn't take much to make that leap, should Martin fancy himself such a step.

So Pale Blue Star is the first EP I'm digging into here. And yes, it's 'pale blue star', not 'dot'. I know you keep seeing 'dot' in that title, keep hearing 'dot' in your mind (probably in a Carl Sagan voice) but your brain is lying to you. For one thing, that dot you see in the cover art is actually the sun as seen from the surface of Mars. As for the blue, that has to do with the Red Planet's thin atmosphere, where- ah, whoops, getting all astronomy geeky in here again. Just remember that it's 'pale blue star' in the title, not 'dot'.

As for the music, it's definitely more upbeat than a lot of Vector Lovers' album orientated tunes, but then his EPs have typically been aimed for the dancefloor. Not that the titular opener will have you bustin' your sickest moves or anything, an incredibly atmospheric slice of... prog, I guess? I'd technically call this EP a tech-house one, but man, if Pale Blue Star doesn't have you floating out among the stars (or dusty alien skies), I really don't know what else to say? There is a slight undercurrent of post-apocalyptic desolation here, rather like the vibe of his Afterglow album (or Boards Of Canada's Tomorrow's Harvest, if you must), but in that traditional, melancholic Vector Lovers way.

The remaining tracks play out in similar fashion, with Alphaville switching things up with a broken beat, and Android Nightlife getting more on that robo-boogie vibe. Good stuff, all round.

ACE TRACKS: March-July 2020

So I have shingles.

At least it's not COVID-19, right? And I don't feel sick, just frequent hot spikes of pain around my shoulder-blade (imagine a heated cactus ball rolling about) as my latent chicken-pox virus does its damage to all those tender nerve membranes. And you may be thinking, “wait, Sykonee can't be that old such that he'd get shingles?”, and you'd be right. Yet here we are. I already knew all the stress I've put upon myself this year wasn't doing me many favours, but the fact it suppressed my immune system enough such that the ol' varicella-zoster could act up again should have me rethinking the way I'm doing things.

And what's 'funny' about all this is, until it flared up, I thought I was doing fine, life-wise. Yeah, there were still things and stuffs lingering in the back of my mind, but I still had a good groove about doing it. I can only hope my stubbornness hasn't done permanent damage because dear God, this would suck to have to deal with for the rest of my life. Or get myself in on that all-encompassing opiod market America is known for.

That all said, I realized it's been five months since I last did an ACE TRACKS playlist. Figured after all that time, I'd amassed enough of a backlog to make one. Little did I realize the final list would be over 10 hours long! Gander, at the ACE TRACKS from March through July:


Full track list here.


MISSING ALBUMS:
Various - Bedrock: Jimmy Van M
Various - Better Living Through Circuitry
Various - Beyond The Machines
Cryostasis - Between Static And Distance
Coma Eye - Insufflated Brine Shrimp
Astral Engineering - Chronoglide

Percentage Of Hip-Hop: 3%
Percentage Of Rock: 19%
Most “WTF?” Track: Neo-Adventures - Whaaaauuu (because “whaaaaaauuuuu TF?”)

Okay, so I cheated a little in the length, in that I included the entirety of L.S.G.'s The Singles: Reworked at the end. Plus some of the all-time longest recorded pieces of music by both Banco de Gaia and Creedence Clearwater Revival ever committed to master tapes (ten minutes of CCR may as well be a prog-rock opus).

Even with those caveats though, the fact this playlist ended up as long as it did just goes to show I've been busier than I gave myself credit for. And diverse too, a little something for anyone's interest making its way into here, providing a surprisingly smooth listening experience compared to many playlists past. Of course, if no one wants to listen to it, because it'll remind you of *gestures wildly*, I wouldn't blame ya'. Heck, maybe it's why I put off on doing this for so long in the first place. It's been a Hell of a five months, it has.

Oh, and some may have noticed I've skipped ahead on my reviewing order. The 'B' section of my collection is too big for one sitting, so decided to split that up while dealing with a pile of other items I've had gathering in that time. Will probably resume with the 'B's in, oh, a year, at my current rate

DJ 3000 - Besa

Motech: 2013

This is the last of the six-CD bundle I got from Motech's Bandcamp, though not the album I thought I'd yet to write about. Okay, DJ 3000's Besa was in that collection too, but what I mean is there was another disc I thought was supposed to be in there, Lionel Weets' Stellar Orchestra. Indeed, it's in the bundle's list of albums, but for some reason, I was sent Galactic Caravan instead. At least, I think that's what happened? It's been so long now. Did I maybe get it, but somehow lost it before I could do a rip of it? No, I wouldn't have done that, no way no how (no... way... *twitch-twitch*). And it's not like I can verify it through Bandcamp, since those CD bundles don't include the download with your purchase. If it did, my Bandcamp collection would be nearly double its size from Cyro Chamber releases alone!

Also, I kinda' forgot about this one, or had it so far in the back of my mind that it never occurred to me that I'd be reviewing Besa as well as Sälis. Maybe I wouldn't have burned through so much detailing of both albums in the Sälis review if I had, but then I never did get around to listening to this one either. Or if I did, I totally forgot about it until now. It all goes back to that 'all you can eat buffet smoothie' experience of digesting these CD-bundle purchases. C'mon, that was a great analogy, no way I wasn't gonna' use it again!

Honestly though, I just don't think Besa is as good of any album as the other two I've heard from DJ 3000. There are good tracks on here, but that's generally all they come across as: tracks. Not even 'peak-hour' tracks either, but those tunes that lead-up to the peak-hour tracks. Say, one or two before, but not necessarily the warm-up ones either. They're just so darn loopy, is the issue, which is kinda' the point of tech-house such as this. Work that groove, work that vibe, then move onto the next track. There are little builds within them too, but they don't really explode or put an exclamation point on whatever's been introduced earlier. I'm hesitant to say they flatline, since that suggests there's no pulse in these jams, but I never feel like I'm going anywhere while listening to Besa as a whole. Galactic Caravan had remarkable vitality and sense of journey (hence why I went and checked for more from Mr. Juncaj), while Sälis showcased enough variety for an engaging listen throughout.

Can't really say the same about Besa though. Yeah, some tracks are peppier than others, while a few more highlight DJ 3000's nifty use of ethnic drumming. Yet they're all structured relatively the same, not even room for a breakbeat or downtempo cut until the very last one. You'd think this was just a singles compilation, which is funny considering that's what Sälis technically was.

Various - Berghain 05: Marcel Fengler

Ostgut Ton: 2011

Yet another item I attained after doing that which I never, ever did: following the recommendation of a Resident Advisor 'Best Of' list. It was 2011, see, a year I was slowly crawling out of my 2010 funk, but not terribly enthused about digging about on my own. Such lists are handy for such folk, and from the quick samples I heard from Berghain 05, it sounded promising enough for further inspection.

And what I'd discovered was techno had seen some upheaval in the past few years since my last serious forays into that scene (during the dark times, during the MNML). I'd heard a few items to that point, mostly out of the Ostgut Ton camp as well. Still, I needed something a little extra to convince me the scene had indeed moved on, a definitive statement that the plinky-plonk monotony of the decade prior had truly been put to pasture. And what better series could there be than the one in service of the club most responsible for the shift in clubbing taste? None better series than Berghain, so I was told.

The chap tasked with handling the fifth edition of the series is Marcel Fengler, a resident of the famed club during its peak years of prominence. He never gained the same level of critical prestige as others from that era (Dettman, Faki, Klock), but had a respectable following just the same. Then... something happened? Some sort of falling out and parting of ways between the club and he? I don't know about that, but I do notice all his releases are scrubbed from the Ostgut Ton Bandcamp page. Whatever, I'm here to review a DJ mix from before all that.

Marcel opens his set with over-dubbed vocals, then explodes into shimmery synths that... okay, isn't trance, but sure is a lot more melodic than anything I'd expected from techno in those days. You got my attention, Mr. Fengler. Oh, you're doing the minimal thing for a bit after, aren't you. Well, it's acidy and dubby, crunchy minimal techno – the vintage Berghain sound – so that's fine by me. Sweet, there's even an L.B. Dub Corp rub worked in there too. I sure likes me some L.B. Dub Corp, so rare as it is.

From there, things settle into more of a Detroit groove, or Europeans trying to do a Detroit groove. Just kidding, there's some authentic Motor City alum in this mix too, such as Claude Young (though hanging out with Japanese guys by this point) and, uh... Okay, for some reason, I thought acts like Skudge and Ben Sims hailed from this side of the Atlantic, but I was wrong. Don't matter, there's enough spacey future-funk and techno-stomp in this set to fake it until they make it (to DEMF). And hey, there's a Convextion track to end on, long before when Gerald Hanson properly unearthed the project. That counts close to a proper Detroit closer, don't it?

Various - Bedrock: Chris Fortier

Pioneer: 2002

You'd think Chris Fortier would be better at the double-disc set. Progressive house was practically custom-made for it, the long journey over several hours, and few jocks within this scene have shown such impeccable track selection when utilizing but a single CD for their mixes. Yet when given the opportunity to stretch things out some, I find Mr. Fortier's sets drag, as though he's almost flustered by the extra hour of music he has at his disposal. Or perhaps the restriction of one disc forces him to be as economical with his musical weapons as possible, thus wasting little time in getting to the goods. No more was this apparent than with Balance 007, where the genre exercise of the bonus CD3 was far more memorable than the standard set construction of the first two discs. I can recall every twist and turn of Trance America and Audiotour, yet this Bedrock outing so often just passes me by.

There's never any problem in hooking me in from the jump, CD1 opening with more of that tasty, thumping, dubby prog vibe I love from this era of Bedrock Records. Yet it doesn't quite have the same dark groove as Jimmy Van M's outing in the previous volume does. This stuff feels stiff, angular, almost like... oh, it's tech-house in prog's clothing, isn't it. Yeah, that's a Jay Tripwire track in there. It also has a lot of tribalism going for it, letting my headspace turn inward as the all-encompassing rhythm takes over my senses. Nothing really sticks though, dance music as dutiful service in losing yourself on the dancefloor and nothing else. No highs, no lows, just one, long, uninterrupted stretch of functionalism. Y'know, tech-house.

The set's almost over by the time I feel like things are finally ramping up, and I haven't the foggiest of where we've been or how we've gotten to this point. This is great when you're out movin' and groovin', but as a 'sit down and listen' experience, hopelessly dry.

CD2 hints at a bit more of a melodic outing, Elemental from Women Of Color a rather blissy opener for the supposed 'Club Mix'. Then it goes... kinda' minimal? Wow, does Kolo's Nova ever predict where prog would end up half a decade later, but doesn't do much to get the blood pumpin' here. Yep, Mr. Fortier is once again opting for the slow, burning build of a set, and fortunately, once Steve Porter makes an appearance, things do ramp up some (ah, ever dependable, that Porter chap).

But yeah, this is still more of that techy, tribal, deep prog that's drawn out and very methodical and considered in how it moves forward. Great on a darkened dancefloor when all that exists around you is the thunderous sound-system enveloping your body, not so much at home with paper-thin apartment walls (good headphones help). Fortier's Bedrock forces total mental commitment to get much out of it. Probably would have been stronger if pared to a single disc.

Kevin Yost & Peter Funk - BeatKilla: 2

i! Records: 2008/2015

I'm feeling a little stupid right now, but... Kevin Yost is also Peter Funk? Like, I know for certain Kevin Yost exists, as I've done a retrospective on that chap's work. Somehow I got it in my mind that Peter Funk was a separate entity, perhaps a collaborator who'd bring in some proper jazz solos to supplement Kevin's deep, deep, smooth house grooves. It never once occurred to me that I should, y'know, click on that 'Peter Funk' link within Lord Discogs' archives, just to see what his story is. Couldn't escape it with this BeatKilla series though, getting equal billing with Kevin on the cover and all. So follow the 'Peter Funk' link I did, and there's a healthy assortment of singles, plus also has an alias of... Kevin Yost? Wait a minute..! Peter is Kevin? Kevin is Peter? Finkle is Einhorn? That... actually explains a lot!

Okay, it doesn't explain much of anything, this revelation not really some great industry secret. I just assumed a thing, the Lord That Knows All showed me I was incorrect, and now I know better. *a shining light from heavens glows down, angelic music is heard* It's not unheard of producers to create multiple aliases, and to 'collaborate' with their aliases. I guess since Kevin's most successful pairing is with Funk (hah!), he essentially merged the two into a proper, singular alias of Kevin Yost & Peter Funk. At least for the purposes of these BeatKillas.

And whatever is BeatKilla? A series of singles Kevin Funk released throughout the '00s, is what. Lot's of them, in fact, so much so that he consolidated them into not one, not two, not three, not four ...okay, three compilations. I picked the second volume of these for the sole reason of there being a cute pooch on the cover art. Aww, just look at him, ain't he a darlin'? Who's the pweshus beatkilla'? You are, you are!

Unfortunately, while these tunes may be dubbed 'beatkilla's, they kinda' lack much in the way of thrilla's. Not that I should have expected it, Peter Yost forever (and a day) a deep house guy through and through. Even if few of the techier tracks in this collection leaped out at me as highlights within his larger discography, they still served their purpose in providing that unmistakable smooth, ridin' groove with occasional flourishes of jazzy solos. Also, a fair bit of tribal drumming too, popping up at weird points throughout this mix.

Yeah, as a DJ set, BeatKilla 2 is only functional at best, keeping the vibe moving while showcasing tunes, but not so concerned with rising tension and all that rot. Yet they fit far better together than as separate entities, the Bandcamp version of this only supplying the unmixed tracks, with all the lengthy DJ-friendly intros and outros you can handle. Why the digital release didn't also include a the mix CD too, I haven't a clue. It was done for his best of Fundamentals, after all.

ACE TRACKS: February 2020

So, a little better this past month, but man, still quite a slog. The Real World work, she don't slow down, even when I think it's gonna' slow down, it just ramps up again. Nothing like a little global viral pandemic to get folks all panicky and buying up things and stuff that seldom sell otherwise. And it's funny, because changes are coming up in a few months again, wherein my status will be in flux, and the amount of responsibility saddled upon me will be significantly reduced in whatever capacity my new role will be.

And that's fine, that's totally fine. I get paid the same one way or the other, and if it means I instead focus on singular tasks instead of doing all the things, I'm all the more for it. I always knew I had some mild ADHD (really, in our modern, technologically advanced society, who doesn't?), but never realized just how much it can affect your casual day-to-day activities when you have all the things from work following you home. All you want to do is unplug and let things set fallow but, oof, still got some Balance mixes to listen to and analyze. And them Balance sets, they don't make things easy, nosiree. Well, except that Lee Burridge one. Could tell that was tapioca bland right from the outset. Fortunately, it's not part of February's assortment of ACE TRACKS!



Full play list here.


MISSING ALBUMS:
Attoya - Based On True Events
Various - Base Ibiza 2003

Percentage Of Hip-Hop: 0%
Percentage Of Rock: 0%
Most “WTF?” Track: Oh, either of Attoya's, for sure.

Technically, the older Balance mixes are missing too, but most of the tracks are still available on Spotify, so didn't see any reason to list them as 'missing'. Like, that seems to be how the newer Balance options have been supplying their tracklists on Spotify: full unmixed version, and a separate playlist of all the unmixed tracks. It's a very good idea for DJ mixes, methinks, though obviously quite difficult to do with sets dating a decade older.

And not much else in this playlist, Balance once again eating up most of my spare listening time, though I squeaked in a couple extra items towards the end of the month. And what great, unifying wellspring of wisdom have a gleaned from my journey through Balance? There sure was a lot more space disco than I would have imagined, that's for sure.