Squaredancing In A Roundhouse

Boompty Boomp. Where U At?

A Classic.

Derrick L. Carter - 2002
Squaredancing In A Roundhouse
Info here.

Highrise + Select

A double post of Savvas Ysatis' albums on Tresor, representing the not-local greek not-really-a-scene.

I knew him as a New York City sound artist, relatively famous for his abstract sound constructions released through imprints like Instinct (*,*) and 12k as Omicron, as well as for his collaborations with Taylor Dupree as Futique and Seti. So, I was rather surprised (as well as a lot of people were I guess) when he released 'Highrise', a late '90s tech house album based on deep stabs, subtly filtered Chicago-inspiration and driving minimalistic beats, full of groove and sentiment. Detroit- inspired tech house from a greek guy in NYC releasing through Berlin; I liked the sound of it. Most importantly though, the album was good, especially for home listening.

I don't know if it was really well received; two years later though a second album appeared, made on the same blueprint. Although he also released his more abstract stuff, he carried on with the idea in Greece, forming a duo with a indie-gone-commercial 'vocalist'; the project was named 'Allou', meaning 'elsewhere'. They had a release where he keeped on doing more or less the same things, the voice ruins everything though (my personal opinion, as always). After that he released a 12'' in Klik's sub Nuevo. He's still in Greece, I think.


Savvas Ysatis - 1999 Highrise
Info here.


Savvas Ysatis - 2001 Select
Info here.

So, what's up with the (not really common) name Savvas? I'll remind you of Savas Pascalidis of Kurbel, Lasergun and Gigolo; or Savvas Georgiadis aka Novatek, DJ Savage or Neuro D (*).
Who, along with Fluxion (*), might be all that you'll remember of the Greek scene in a couple of years, if we don't get our act together.

Metaphor

An album not so famous as 'Azimuth' (at least in Europe..), out in R & S. Timeless Detroit electronics by Kenny Larkin (*). No need to say much more, I guess.

Kenny Larkin - 1995 Metaphor
Info here.

Reprogramming The Machine

And here's the Aux 88 CD I had promised in the ShoutBox. A compilation of three EPs, actually; remixes by their Direct Beat friends, plus one from Octave One.

You know what to expect, after all. They call it Techno Bass.

Aux 88 - 1998 Reprogramming The Machine
Info here.

Check the ShoutBox for more.

Kotai

This one is the LP I was writing about in an earlier post about a Kotai & Mo's compilation, as well as the EP mentioned here (in the last paragraph).
I've mentioned Kotai and WMF extensively before, so I won't tire you. Just listen to it. For the fans of Berlin music it's essential.

Anyway, you can get almost anything from their site here.

Kotai - 2002 selftitled LP + Sucker DJ 12"
Info here and here.

Burgerisms

Some more EPs from Burgerland.


Trinkwasser - 1997 Cobra EP
Info here.


Trinkwasser - 1999 Extraleben EP
Info here.

plus:

The Modernist - 1998 Orange Coloured Sky EP
Info here.

Trinkwasser is a project with Lothar Hempel (aka Blitz, Magnet and Phong on Auftrieb and Kompakt) on vocal duties. Exploring this weird pop territory that Mr. Burger seems to like so much, they're combining techno, schaeffel, Air Liquide influenced electronics, even disco, with 'electro-pop' vocals. 'Extraleben' includes two Juergen Paape remixes.
'Orange Coloured Sky EP' contains two unreleased tracks plus another two from the 'Explosion' albums (in versions).
The EPs came out in Harvest and Popular Tools.

Tekkonkinkreet

You know I don't usually post recent stuff. Yet I felt these two went largely unnoticed, for reasons I cannot understand, (except that they were issued in Japanese multi-corp label Aniplex Inc).

Legendary Plaid have taken a (reasonable) turn to producing soundtracks; for films and shorts by Michael Arias for now. Though the more recent 'Heaven's Door' OST is also beautiful, this one's got me from the start. I'm all for the film anyway, a lyrical/disturbing, surreal/streetwise poetic story you should definitely see, anime fan or not. The soundtrack follows the same pathways. Almost always understated melodies blend with urban atmos; esoteric jazzy interludes blend with traditional instruments' sounds and spooky synths. It might be a dark trip for some, yet Plaid always try to keep the balance between the experimental, the cinematic and the emotional aspects of their work.

There's also a remix CD, handled by people like Uwe Schmidt, Derrick May, Matthew Jonson, Prefuse 73, Para One, etc.
.

Plaid - 2006 Tekkonkinkreet OST
Info here.


Plaid - 2007 Tekkonkinkreet Remix Tekkinkonreet
Info here.

Of course, Tekkonkinkreet is the name of the film for distribution in english speaking countries. I'd really like to know what 'Tekkon Kinkurîto' means... Any friends from Japan?

Explosions

I hope I don't have to present Jörg Burger, here as The Modernist.

'Explosion' went out in 1999 in his own Popular Tools, summarizing mostly his downtempo work of that period. Then it was re-released through Matador (as most of his work in Harvest also was) in 2000, with different versions and extra tracks though; hence the subtly different covers and titles.
Beautiful, passionate, intelligent pop electronics, not exactly surpassed yet.


The Modernist - 1999 Explosion
Part 1 - Part 2
Info here.


The Modernist - 2000 Explosion USA
Part 1 - Part 2
Info here.

More posts from him here.

'Explosion 1999' was found around the web, don't remember where.

20' to 2000 series

I wanted to post this one for some time now.

From the Raster-Noton label site:
significant for the close interaction between experimental forms of music, art and science label noton produced a new series of 12 "20 minutes" cds. the artists' concept behind is the creation of a piece for the last 20 minutes of the year 1999 as a cutting edge of the past century. 20'to2000 is a monthly magazine-like cd released for the last year of the millenium. in the 12 issues 12 artists were invited to transform their ideas - possibly a manifest of the millenium - designed for the series using new technologies and characteristic translucent materials of noton. the series was awarded the "golden nica" from ars electronica in 2000.

In short, 12 artists produce 20 minutes of their favorite stuff, hailing the new millennium. All releases were issued in 20' duration CDs at the beginning of each month of 1999; that is the Komet one went out in January, Vaisanen's in February, etc. The outcome varies from irritatingly conceptual noise art crap to deep and meaningful constructions; a neatly packaged limited edition that provokes me to bitch a little for the usual reasons (*) , still I won't. For Raster-Noton and like electronics' fans, it should be a must to listen to it.
I consider about a third of it to be really interesting, the rest sounds rather boring; that's just me, of course. Others pay hundreds to buy it...

Discogs info here:
01. - Komet is label owner Frank Bretschneider
02. - Ilpo Väisänen of Pan sonic
03. - Ryoji Ikeda
04. - CoH
05. - Byetone is label owner Olaf Bender
06. - Senking
07. - Ester Brinkmann is Thomas Brinkmann
08. - Scanner is Robin Rimbaud
09. - Noto is label owner Carsten Nicolai
10. - Mika Vainio of Pan sonic
11. - Wolfgang Voigt aka Mike Ink, GAS, etc., etc.
12. - ELpH aka Coil

VA - 1999 20' to 2000 Series
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

Voigt's contribution is the same as the one a few posts back.
Found around the net...
As always, credits to the UOA (short for Unknown Original Uploader, ok?)

Salz Attack

These two goodies are a gift from our friend PJ, who was kind enough to share them with us in the shoutbox; a proper post seemed appropriate, though. An extended rambling on the few things I know on Salz you'll find here.

In short, the first CD is a mix of some of their original tracks while the second one compiles remixes they did for other artists' compositions, mostly transforming them into their characteristic blend of archetypal Cologne techno dub with a touch of pop. Needless to say, you've got to have them, even in MP3.

When I manage to collect some more 12"s, I promise I'll get back to them.


Salz - 2000 In The Mix
Part 1 - Part 2
Info here.


Salz - 2001 The Remixes
Part 1 - Part 2
Info here.