Dance With The Dead - The Shape

Neuropa Records: 2016/2017

Yep, another Dance With The Dead review. This will be the last of 'em for quite a while though, their remaining releases way up in the front-half of the alphabet. Believe you me, it's gonna' be a lo-o-o-ong while before I loop around to the beginning of my queue again. How long? Hell, I'll be lucky to finish off my current clutch of 'S' albums before the start of spring!

The Shape is a significant album from the band for yours truly, in that it's the only one I have a physical copy of. How can that be though? Isn't the whole catch of bulk-buying a Bandcamp discography that it must be in a digital format? Erm, no? Like, I just did the same for Suntrip Records, not to mention others offering their catalogues on whole as well (Ultimae Records, to namedrop just one). But yes, it is rare, and typically only done through label offers, not artist pages. Plus, it's not like Dance With The Dead had such a deal available either. Did I simply buy a CD from the label re-issuing their catalogue then? Huh, never occurred to me to check out Neuropa Records. What are they, the Belgian version of Blood Music?

Regardless, I have this CD for no other reason than I bought it from the band's swag table. Yes, instead of laying down my last $20 on a couple more 'cheap' beers, I got myself a souvenir instead. Look, the counter was taken mostly up by Magic Sword's paraphernalia: t-shirts, stickers, posters, comic books, etc. All Dance With The Dead had was CDs and vinyl. Gotta' stick with what I collect, y'know?

Anyhow, let's talk about The Shape. As if the John Carpenter influences weren't clear before, the title comes from the actual name for Halloween slasher-star Michael Myers, as often referred to in script and novelization. Obviously this is common knowledge for fans of the franchise, but I feel like I'd be tut-tutted if I didn't at least mention it. I'm actually a bit surprised the cover-art didn't incorporate it somehow, instead going with this campy gothic horror motif instead.

Their third full-length, The Shape is Dance With The Dead finding their final form, hitting all the sweet spots that makes their blend of synthwave and shredding metal so endearing. The straight-up head-bangers (Eyes Of Madness, Screams And Whispers, Riot... holy Hell, is this one epic!), the slower, rugged chuggers (Diabolic), the more melodic driven numbers (Her Ghost, Watching You), the obligatory 'ballads' (Adrift, Quietly Into The Night), and that one track that feels like an entirely different genre. Seriously, add a little acid and Horizon would be a dead-ringer for some vintage S.U.N. Project. Buttrock goa will never die!

A good introduction to the band, then? Well, you could say that about any of their records after 2015, but yes, if you still haven't been zombie bit by them, The Shape is as solid as any of their albums to get infected by.

Eskostatic - Serpentines & Valleys

Ultimae Records: 2019

I just can't stop giving Ultimae chances, can I? It's like, my interest drifts, thinking the label I once adored has forever moved onto a sound that, while I don't dislike, am not in any hurry to rush out hearing more of either. Then I'll hear something that sparks my synapses again, some fresh wrinkle or genre exploration I hadn't considered being given the exquisite Ultimae Mixdown™. Next thing you know, I'm blind-buying another clutch of CDs, almost always based upon what cover art intrigues me the most. And this Serpentines & Valleys, it doth intrigue me indeed. What are those, dirt bike paths? Rally car race courses? Whatever the case, it's certainly unique among Ultimae's typical focus on natural land forms, no denying the touch of man in this environment. Eskostatic? Never heard of this artist before, so maybe someone new to the Ultimae ranks. Sure, let's pick that sucker up!

And opener Sky Cottage hints at some vintage Ultimae sounds, a simple drone and spritely bit of subtle melody slowly emerging. Half-way through this piece, a deep, digital bass throb glitches in and out, the sort of dub techno that gradually came to define much of the label's more recent output. In fact, the more I hear it follow-up Morning Star, it starts sounding rather familiar. Wait, is this...? *checks liner notes* Ah, Martin van Rossum, also known as Martin Nonstatic, one of Ultimae's regulars now, and an artist I really haven't kept tabs on. His Granite and Nebulae Live At The Planetarium releases just never inspired me to do so. I sometimes think maybe I should, perhaps an album or EP exploring a different facet of his technical dub techno that might latch on properly. Sadly, I can't say this collaboration with Esko Barba (Marcel Montel) does much in getting me hype to hear more.

There's twelve tracks on this album, and most of them follow a similar pattern: spacious ambient drone, ultra-deep dub-glitch bass, with occasional upping of the tempo going from a cool simmer to a gentle bubbling. Some tracks have a more prominent feature added, like the acid in Coastline, guitar in Viamala, or the relatively 'epic' build of the titular cut, but with music performed so subtly, you're gonna' have to really be paying attention to notice the differences. It almost feels like they made a standard track, then someone (Mr. Villuis himself?) kept saying, “No, you need to pull it back more. No, pull it back more. No, more subtle, less obvious leads!”

Again, I don't dislike what I'm hearing on Serpentines & Valleys, but it sure doesn't go out of its way to lure me in either. It basically needs a deluxe, high-grade sound system (or damn fine headphones) to get enough out of its nuances, with no distractions pulling your attention this way or that. As for Martin Nonstatic, I guess I still haven't quite clicked with him either. Maybe one more try, down the road. And another, and another...

Various - Serenity Dub 2.1 p.m.

Incoming!: 1995

Even for short-lived '90s ambient dub and techno labels, Incoming! feels among the most short-lived of them all. I mean, probably not, in that it had a three year run with a few home-grown acts sustaining it in that time. I even crossed paths with the print once, via S.E.T.I.'s The Geometry Of Night, as fine an example of the darker, more paranoid side of downtempo dub as I'd ever heard from that era. That seemed a chance encounter though, so who knows if I'd have stumbled upon any other Incoming! releases in those years, much less be as drawn to cover art. Maybe that Golden Star CD from Nonplace Urban Field? Or the warped speakers from the compilation Submerged – A Collection Of Blooming Breaks + Bulging Beats - that looks a little familiar.

Regardless, as is tradition with many labels starting out, a compilation or two showcasing their musical manifesto doesn't hurt, and Incoming! did the deed with a pair titled Serenity Dub. I got the second one because, well, I knew more names on it than the first. Names like Rapoon, Biosphere, S.E.T.I., Loop Guru, Scanner, and Mouse On Mars.

Those first four, I already had their tracks, though you can't blame me for not recognizing them as such. Like, I find Rapoon's Vernal Crossing a captivating listening experience, even gave Bol Baya Ace Track honours, but that still don't mean I can I.D. the piece blind. As for Biosphere, Botanical Dimensions kinda' gets overshadowed by Novelty Waves as the highlight off Patashnik. Same can be said for Loop Guru's Tchengo as heard of Duniya. That's all the familiar tunes though. Let's hear what fresh dub music I get to experience for the first time on Serenity Dub 2.1 p.m.

The CD opens with Transonic's Low Space Monitor. Hm, I know that name, but from where...? *THAT bass tone emerges* Oh, it's another Bill Laswell joint. Of course it is. Actually, a pairing with Robert Musso, where the two dropped a few albums over on Fax+. Interesting get for Incoming!, but their world beat vibe does fit. The dub business carries over onto Nemesis Dub System's Caravan (In Dub), a rather dated instrumental, even for '95.

Further along, Scanner does another of his noir-ish downtempo tunes as radio chatter chatters about, while the always interesting Mouse On Mars gets in on some early sound experiments with a minimalist dub throb. Their Chagrin grows very chill over time with relaxing layers of reverb and echo – serenity indeed. Following that, Cosa Nostra almost goes pure space noir on This Thing Of Ours, with ultra-dreamy pads and trumpet playing. Damn, now I want to watch some Cowboy Bepop.

Rounding out the rest are Seefeel and Unitone Hifi with some dubby jams (weirdo shoegaze-reggae and world beat, respectively), and you have about as well-rounded a collection of '90s underground dub music as you could hope for. Well, if you're starting a label promoting the stuff, at least.

ACE TRACKS: December 2022 - January 2023

Such a busy past couple of months. Yeah, December is rather hectic regardless, but all the snowy weather put an extra bit of craziness on the usual activities - never thought I'd get stranded at an afterparty because of white-out conditions! January though, that's usually the downiest stretch of days, winter doldrums hitting me as hard as they ever do (November typically a close second, damn loss of daylight), but getting a bit obsessed about physical activity kept me well enough distracted, perhaps did good for my mental health. Or maybe not, getting at times dejected when the amount of work I put into burning calories some days would yield only small changes compared to others. I think I simply found my limit though, what my body's willing to endure without going to extreme measures that no one should. No, not even Hugh Jackman when getting ready for his Wolverine abs photo-shoot!

Anything else? Oh, I just happened to buy the entire catalogue of Suntrip Records off Bandcamp:

Man, between this and that bulk-buy of Natural Life Essence's label, 2023 is looking stacked for specific genres. May need to bulk-buy some other labels just to space things out some. Damn you, Bandcamp, and your bulk-buy options! Anyway, here's the ACE TRACKS for the last 60 days:


Full playlist here.


MISSING ALBUMS:
CYPHER 7 - Security
DEVROKA - Processor Overlord
Various - Planet Wax Vol. 1

PERCENTAGE OF HIP-HOP: 0%
PERCENTAGE OF ROCK: 0%
MOST "WTF?" TRACK: Unless you're already familiar with his turn towards IDM, some of the latter era Speedy J.

Yeah, lot's of Speedy J, which is kinda' new to these playlists now that he's finally added his back-catalogue to all streaming services. Usual assortment of tracks from those other artists I bulk-bought from (Lucette Bourdin, Dance With The Dead), plus a fair bit of other ambient, but some techno and new trance too! Fairly typical playlist from me, all said.

Dance With The Dead - Send The Signal

self-release: 2014

Spare some time for an anecdote?

The setting, a little post-clubbing afterparty, which is always nice being at when you're not quite ready for a night to be over. I didn't know these folks in the slightest, but sometimes the conversations you're having are just too good to let die. Still, it became clear to me that our musical tastes weren't so compatible. Lots of Drake, Bieber and the like being played, plus they could tell I was one of those guys, who knew too damn much about music (guilty as charged). But that's fine, I was having a fun enough time chit-chatting about other things (and watching the World Cup Final), so whatever music was playing wasn't a concern for me. Until it was.

At some point, I suggested music a bit more 'peppy', to which I was put on the spot to recommend something. Friends, that has to be the worst thing for me to be asked! Of all the music I know of, I now have to pare it down to just a singular song that my new one-night clubbing pals might enjoy. For some reason, my mind went to Dance With The Dead. It went over like an iridium weight in the atmosphere of Saturn.

I bring this up because, for a time after, I had a crisis of faith, a flailing sense of doubt over my own taste in music. Yeah, I know not everyone will dig what I dig, just as I won't dig what everyone else will dig, but surely Dance With The Dead was bullet-proof? How can some folks not get hype to those pounding darksynth rhythms, the soaring John Carpenter synth leads, and Tony Kim's righteous shredding?

I realize I may have over-committed to this band in buying their entire catalogue off Bandcamp, but man, perhaps I was wrong about enjoying the duo all along. Might they have always been cheesy, corny, and just not cool? Am I so out of touch? I mean, sure, I was one of the 'geezers' when I went to go see them in concert last year, throwing up devil's horns among a crowd of millennials, but might synthwave already be past its prime, with me clinging to a nostalgia of... *checks calendar* a decade old?

Then I listen to Poison off this Send The Signal mini-album, and all is right in the world again. Oh, Dance With The Dead, I can never stay doubtful of you.

Anyhow, Send The Signal is another of the band's earlier EPs, released after the Near Dark album. As such, we're in their era where the synth leads and rhythms dominate over a given track, Tony's guitar action still mostly relegated to a bit of soloing at a track's peak, if featured much at all. Of the six songs (plus an intro), they touch on all the synthwave bases, so a nice little appetizer of the Dance With The Dead stylee. Just, y'know, don't play it for J Cole fans.

Cypher 7 - Security

Subharmonic: 1995

It started with Psychonavigation, then moved on to include Divination. That only left Cypher 7 as the remaining artist from that Alien Ambient Galaxy compilation I hadn't properly indulged in yet. I wasn't so sure I would though, as from what I could glean, this project had the least amount of Bill Laswell input out of all three, his primary credit being “Navigation & Ground Control” (re: producer). Then again, the chaps behind Cypher 7 – Alex Haas and Jeff Bova – worked with Laswell on some of those Divination sessions, so there was bound to be some connective sonic tissue there. Not to mention appearing on Bill's Subharmonic label.

Then again, said label wasn't really a major focal point for the Laswellian One, more of a means to distribute some of his European releases (re: Fax+ output) on American shores, so how much attention could Cypher 7 really be given? Then again-again, Subharmonic also was where he released his take on ambient dub, so maybe the rest of Cypher 7 would lean that way? Ah, fek'it, let's just buy one of their albums should I find a Discogs seller offloading it on the cheap. Ah, here's one! Guess I'll settle with Security, as it not only has two familiar tracks on it (The Suspicious Shaman and Nothing Lasts), but has a cooler bit of cover art too.

Sure enough, opener Message Important gets into some of that vintage Laswell downtempo dub action, with a groovy rhythm, ominous string pads, a quirky sample of French resistance broadcasts, and jazzy playing with organs and bass guitar provided by, yup, Bill Laswell. Just no mistaking that bass tone. Unlike some of his lengthy jams though (this one lasts upwards of fourteen minutes), Message Important is tight and compelling as it plays through. It feels like you're immersed in some noir flick, silhouettes of smoke flowing through the shadowy cracks of a dimly lit basement.

In fact, much of Security has that vibe. Tokyo A.M is a pure, minimalist ambient piece with sparse field recordings of damp back alleys and subtle, sinewy pads, lurking in the dark of door enclaves. Following that, Benares (Open Secret) gets more operatic with opulent orchestral strings and... light Indian singing and drumming? Not quite so French noir as the other tracks, unless you want to count Moroccan into that equation. Which I will because I like me some consistent themes with my albums, yo'. And nothing says French film like having Jeanne Moreau going on about passion and love in Nothing Lasts.

Final track Falling Backwards is another moody, minimalist, experimental ambient piece. At sixteen minutes in length though, it finds room for a little dub jamming towards its end, the piece even morphing into more of an uplifting tone. Ooh, a positive outcome in a noir setting? What is this, modern Hollywood? Sadly not, as Cypher 7 would move on from the project after this. Another intriguing story of '90s underground ambient dub, cut too short.

loscil - Sea Island

Kranky: 2014

A local lad, this loscil is. Not that I realized it at the time of purchase, simply drawn to another bit of familiar cover art with a title also intimately familiar (technically grew up on a 'sea island'). Many a Pacific Northwest beach front is little more than a rubble-strewn wasteland of old cedar driftwood washed upon the shore. Ancient trees felled by strong winter winds, carried out to the ocean where they cruise along currents and tides, piling upon each other in tiny enclaves and fjords all along the coastline. Not the most inviting areas if you're looking to lounge in the sun for an afternoon, but all those dropped logs are handy in a pinch if you need to drop a log of your own.

Anyhow, Scott Morgan has been an active musician for over two decades now, at times working in bands like Destroyer, but primarily producing music as loscil, and fairly active at it too. Lord Discogs lists some thirty items to his catalogue, including works on Ghostly International and Glacial Movements Records. And while I wouldn't say his output is heavily inspired by the general grey-tone of the region's sights and weather, album titles like First Narrows, Strathcona Variations, Sketches From New Brighton, and, yes, Sea Island, will certainly get some Vancouverites' notice. To say nothing of that cover art for Endless Falls. We know that sight all too well wherever we are sat within a traffic jam.

As you may have guessed from those label name-drops, loscil primarily deals in minimalist, dubby ambient drone, with the occasional subtle techno pulse thrown in. Sometimes the music is tranquil and soothing, other times reflective and melancholy, perhaps at times amorphous and non-committal to any particular mood. Whatever you fancy, I'm sure Scott has made some iteration in the past twenty years.

Sea Island touches upon a few of these themes, a nice little soundtrack should you find yourself wandering about such a locale. The bell tones of opener Ahull brings you into the album with a bit of whimsy, even as some of the backing, throbbing synths create a sense of unease. In fact, we don't get anything quite so 'lighthearted' until Sturgeon Bank towards the album's end. In between, there's sombre pieces (Bleeding Ink, Sea Island Murders, Catalina 1943), contemplative pieces (In Threes, Holding Pattern), and gently beautiful pieces (Iona, Angle Of Loll), all performed within a warm layer of foggy dub drone.

Admittedly, the heavy use of said dub tones does give Sea Island a bit of a samey vibe throughout, so it's nice that En Masse towards the end focuses more on piano over the drone. Not that each track doesn't feature a unique sound, it's just everything tends to blend together over the course of a playthrough. That's just the loscil style though, and if you're down for that, you'll be down for Sea Island. Now if you'll excuse me, it's time for my three-hour walk in overcast skies.

Lucette Bourdin - Rising Fog

Dark Duck Records/Fantasy Enhancing: 2007/2021

I keep wondering which album of Lucette's was her proper breakout – or at least, as much of a breakout as an ambient artist could hope to have in such an overstuffed scene. By my best guess, it's this one right here, for a few reasons. One, it was her first released on any sort of label, in this case Dark Duck Records. Nothing like a little extra promotion in getting one's name out there. Second, when Stephen Philips started remixing her albums after Lucette's passing, this was the first one he did. Maybe that's more just a coincidence of catalogue sequence though. Same I guess could be said for the first Retrospective that appeared back in 2014, that collection of Lucette pieces opening with Rising Fog's opener, Crack Of Dawn.

Not sure why that one was selected over the titular track from this album though, Rising Fog a clear highlight in Ms. Bourdin's early discography. Is it because of the length? Sixteen-plus minutes is a long one, though not that long compared to some of the behemoth pieces Lucette was crafting in previous, self-released albums. And if space is an issue for your CD, you could just edit it down a little, like some other tracks were for Retrospective.

Why would you want to though? Rising Fog is just about as perfect an example of the meditative, soothing nature of ambient music, simple drones that endlessly glide along, all the while you wait for a return to a moving harmonic portion that seemingly lifts your very soul, like the unveiling of a valley from a dark, damp, low-hanging cloud. Ambient music where you don't even notice the passing of time as it plays, and would be quite content in hearing it carry on for an hour. Yeah, some of her previous works could tap into that wellspring just as effectively, but if the piece Rising Fog was most folks' (re: ambient connoisseurs) introduction to her, it's small wonder her profile grew after.

There's other tracks on this album though, seven in total. The aforementioned Crack Of Dawn reminds me of that Ave Marie animation sequence at the end of Disney's Fantasia, like I'm wandering through a forest with overhanging trees shaped like a cathedral. Autumn Light too, and maybe a bit of Russian Snow as well, though even more angelic with its gentle pads, tickling your ears with their satin tones. Elsewhere, A Sunny Afternoon is surprisingly deep and dubby in its synth drone, when you'd think a title like that would offer something brighter.

The final two get into ambient music with a bit of a rhythmic pulse to them, so maybe not true blue ambient? Berlin-School, I guess, without the sonic weirdness that genres sometimes indulges in, though we're threading needles again here. Either way, they're nice cappers on Rising Fog, an album that, yes, I'd say is worth a 'break-out' status, if such an album can be designated as such for Lucette.

Speedy J - Rise

Plus 8 Records: 1991/2021

“The Rise Of Speedy J”? “Speedy J Rises”? “Speedy J ...Arise!”? Hmm? Oh, don't mind me, just mulling over some silly thoughts. Like, you know how “rise” is a total cliche in movie marketing, right? So naturally I can't help but think of this EP in those terms. “Jochem Paap is... The Speedy J, Risen!”, and such nonsense. Look, when one has exhausted nearly all the Very Important talking points regarding an artist's catalogue, the temptation to succumb to the cockamamie grows ever more prominent. It happens to the best of us, and I'm far from the best of us. Maybe the best of us of what's left of us.

Anyhow, after Jochem had made his mark on the Detroit techno scene with International, he followed it up with this EP, four tracks that, for better or worse, showed just how diverse his early career would go. The titular cut kicks things off right where International left off, a near ten-minute rinse out of Detroit future funk with bright synth stabs and soaring strings. As per the title, all the elements in play keeps building upon itself, such that Rise has all the momentum going for it by track's climax, needing a good two minutes worth of cool down. Still, a strong opener, letting folks know the Dutchman is keeping the 'proper techno' spirit alive and well in Europe.

Then second track Something For Your Mind hits. Okay, it's not as inane as Pull Over, but this is still a fairly dumb track, just barely on this side of the 'Good Dumb – Bad Dumb' divide. I guess because this is a live recording (lacking any crowd noise), there's a bit more free-wheelin' flow with the thumping percussion and playful effects on the vocal. I don't have much else to say about Something For Your Mind at this point because, hoo, I'll have a better opportunity down the line.

Tresor's an odd one, in that on its surface, it's a more straight-forward bumpin' techno tune. For some reason though, I can't help but think I'm playing an old arcade racing game while it plays. Or maybe a subway station level in a beat-'em-up. Some of the synths used sound so... arcadey, y'see. There isn't anything as immediately ear-wormy as the first two tracks either, so maybe that's why Tresor has a feeling of a background tune, or a transitional one in a late set towards the end of a night.

And speaking of 'end of night', here's De-Orbit, the track that put Speedy J in the headlights of those 'intelligent' followers of techno. In the context of Rise, it's a wonderful little chill tune, Jochem showing off his downtempo side for the first time (no, I don't subscribe to the theory the speed was a mispress). Really, this whole EP plays out like a condensed night out: the 'get pumped' start, the big anthem, the 'deep' cut, and the afterhours tune. “The Rise And, um, Come-Down, Of Speedy J.”

Sven Väth - Retrospective 1990-97

Club Culture: 2000

Kinda' wild to think there aren't many Sven Väth compilations. Plenty of Harthouse or Eye-Q collections, sure, where he's had his hand in the production chair one way or another. An actual LP dedicated to just his works though? This simple little nine-tracker released in the year 2000 is about it. Okay, also a Mixmag set he did for his 30th anniversary as an artist. This CD doesn't go that far back though, only focusing on his Harthouse era. I assume because Club Culture – and by extension, WEA – only had licensing rights to these tracks, thus it was all they could include. And with Sven's Cocoon print and nightclub gaining plenty of plaudits at the turn of the century, time was about right for those licence holders to cash in.

Nine tracks may not seem like a lot of music covering a seven year span, but considering a few of these cuts breach the double-digit length, I'd say that's reasonable bang for your buck. Not so much, though, if you were already a hardcore Harthouse follower, very little on Retrospective even the most casual consumer of that label's output wouldn't already have. Heck, I already have two-thirds of these tracks in some form, but there are a few remixes that I haven't plucked up yet, plus a few others missing from my own library, so springing a few bones for this compilation was an easy buy for yours truly.

Sven Väth's retrospective collection opens up with the early trance hit of Zyon's No Fate ...which isn't actually a Sven Väth joint. Oh, he and right-hand man Ralf Hildenbeutel are definitely on the Struggle Continuous Mix (the version with d'at piano!), which is what's included here. And this is a perfectly suitable track to open Sven's CD on. Just, y'know, hilarious how Sven technically isn't much involved with it, but rather those other two Eye-Q all-stars: A.C. Boutsen and Stevie B-Zet. Speaking of, Vernon's Wonderland is also on here, but again as remix (called The Future) handled by Sven and Ralf.

Anyhow, of the tunes I already have, Spectrum is here, as is An Accident In Paradise. Heck, I even have that ultra-long Underworld rub of Harlequin – The Beauty And The Beast, which I assume would have been a selling point for this CD for most others. Nice to finally have an original version of the classic, chipper My Name Is Barbarella, though this moody, minimalist Michael Mayer version of L'Esperanza isn't much to get fussed about – darn edits.

That leaves just two tracks I've never talked about. The first is Sven's own Ballet Fusion but it's also an edit, so nuts to that. Electro Acupuncture then, with B-Zet under the guise of Astral Pilot. It's a twelve-minute outing of bouncy techno that's a lot of fun and would probably get huffed out of Very Important techno circles but is so Very Sven Väth – especially of this period – so who gives a hoot?