The Way Eye See

Late '90s techhouse, somewhere between Svek's minimalistic house excursions and the various US hybrids of house and techno, from Alexi Delano - who has of old built his reputation in creating soulful and deep tracks with dancefloor appeal and still releases quality stuff under various monikers, in collaborations and through various labels. This is an one-off project
through Germany's Plastic City, full of lush chords and groovy elements over tight and phat beats for house lovers with open ears.

A.D.N.Y. presents Leiva - 1999 The Way Eye See
Info here.

Resuscitation

Out through Ersatz Audio, this is a compilation of several 12"s released by ADULT. on E.A. as well as labels like Intuit-Solar, Bolz Bolz' Electrecord and Clone.
"Working class electronic music", they say. I call it retro electro with edge, cold synth influenced. Not dancefloor material per se, yet that's its appeal, in some sense. The artwork is also essential and a big part of the concept, Ballard-like in essence, so check more of their artwork where you can find it.

ADULT. - 2001 Resuscitation
Info here.

Sheen

It's been some time since I posted some music from KK Records, so here's a classic compilation - full of techno, harsh industrial beats and dark atmos.

Highlights include legendary Test Dept.'s excursions in electronics, plus classic stuff from artists already presented in this blog, like Uwe Schmidt's Lassigue Bendthaus project, PWOG, Riou, etc. The first CD focuses on technoid beats, the second one is more abstract and experimental in its sound.

VA - 1995 Sheen. Kk Records Compilation
CD1 - CD2
Info here.

Objects D' Art

From New Electronica, this was a strictly limited 4LP compilation, gathering the similarly strictly limited first 12"s of Kirk Degiorgio's Applied Rhythmic Technology (see ART) label.

Presented here are Carl Craig's early stuff as Psyche and BFC, some Black Dogs operating under the names of Balil and Atypic, Redcell, Neuropolitique and of course Kirk Degiorgio himself as As One, Future/Past and Esoterik. No need to say that it's a must hear for all lovers of the electronic sound; listen-and-learn stuff.

I seem to remember someone had requested this one ages ago. Found somewhere, sometime, it's supposed to be a 320 rip, although it doesn't sound like it. Still, the original LPs reach 50GBP prices, so...

VA - 1994 Objects D' Art 4LP
Info here.


As for the year 2010, well... I have mixed feelings. It was a really really hard year, that yet filled me with unsurpassed joy with the birth of my daughter - and was eventually so full of experiences that I can only compare it to a long rollercoaster trip. So, no big talks and resolutions and stuff from me. We're here, we survived and we're heading to the future, one step at the time.

For reasons that hopefully will be revealed soon, I recently revisited In The Nursery's 'Duality' with its Max Ehrmann quotes and finally found the whole poem ('Desiderata') and read it. Cast its moral teachings aside and see if it works for you.

So, happy new year to everyone. Take care of your loved ones and yourselves; and if I may, strive to be happy. It is still a beautiful world.

Share Vari

The song that started it all gets remixed.

A 2x12'' Puzzlebox release, trying to reinterpret an axiomatically absolute classic. You'll be the judge of whether it's successful or not, although it's sure you'll check it out.

A Number Of Names - 2001 Shari Vari Remixes
Info here.

Found around the net somewhere, sometime.

My Sol Dark Direction

James Pennington's only album, out through Peacefrog.

Hardware-based Detroit techno and electro, just like that.


Suburban Knight - 2003 My Sol Dark Direction
Info here. (Link removed)

P.S. Oops, it seems he released a digi album in 2010 as well. My bad. Although I couldn't find it anywhere.
P.S.#2 Link removed due to complaints.

The Music Hall

Spencer Kincey's last album as Gemini. See previous posts here for info and more.

After this one he disappeared, I don't know what happened to him. Sincerely, I had overlooked this one for years; then last week I played it in my car and it stayed there all these days on repeat mode.

Gemini - 1999 The Music Hall
Info here.

Adventures In Techno Soul

From Russ Gabriel's label, here are the two compilations that along with the '[313] Soundtrack' should be enough to establish Ferox in our minds as a forward thinking label to respect and cherish. With tracks and remixes by the likes of Carl Craig, Derrick Carter, Bjørn Torske, Aubrey, Mark Broom, etc., etc., these are a must for all lovers of the '90s sound, be it techno, house or whatever.

The first one is in 192kbps, found around the net; the 2nd one is a typical 320kbps CD rip.


VA - 1996 Adventures In Techno Soul
Info here.


VA - 1998 Further Adventures In Techno Soul
Info here.

P.S. New 'Further' link added. I think it's OK this time; although I noticed that ripping took some extra time, so it's probably a typical damaged CD case. First posted 2010-10-24.

Staedtizism

Seminal nu-dub vs. clicks 'n' cuts compilation by Stefan Betke aka Pole's ~scape label (see *,*). Everyone here is a star (just check the tracklist) and all tracks are more than just good backdrop for smoking. For those who don't have it already, just don't miss it.

VA - 2000 Staedtizism
Info here.

Unfiltered Sky

Here's the CD by David Alvarado & Kenneth Graham's project Sunkiss, appropriately released through Plastic City.

No time to write much. Check earlier post here for descriptions, though this one sounds more like typical Plastic City late '90s techhouse.

Lovely artwork, by the way.

Sunkiss - 1998 Unfiltered Sky
Info here.

Lakeside

Estelle Montenegro is Kenneth Graham's alias for Electrolux, this one being his debut there.

I only have a couple of his 12" and the Sunkiss album; besides that I know very little about him; some info on HisSpace. The keyword here is techhouse; repetitive arrangements of traditional house sounds and themes, deep dubby treatments and (as far as I can understand) mostly hardware made. Closer to the mid/late '80s sound than to the over-produced '90s typical house stuff. Also some chilled electronic stuff in here, being an Electrolux record; but over all it's an uptempo album.

Estelle Montenegro - 2000 Lakeside
Info here.

Microfunk Klickhouse

While on that trip, here's a 2CD compilation by techno devoted distributor Neuton, presenting a multitude of artists from their labels cluster to define the (2003) cutting edge sound of ... (insert fanfare) ... Microfunk. Or Clickhouse. Microhouse, maybe. Noticed the initials? Anyway. I was going to post Akufen's track (that appeared as an extra in the 2nd print of his 'My Way' album, as noted here), then decided to post the whole compilation anyway.

The thing is, gathered here are artists from the rosters of Force Inc., Perlon, Boxer, SubStatic, etc., etc.; most of them have been presented through this blog before, so just check the tracklist. CD1 focuces more on techhouse a la Forcetracks, while CD2 delves more into mini-techno and occasionally experimental territory. In all, a representative comp of the tendencies of the time; once more, it's easy to recognize here the blueprint of what shortly became mainstream everywhere.

It was really weird to see Neuton crash (as was with EFA earlier); its labels did at that time really well; most of them still do, after all.

VA - 2003 Microfunk Clickhouse
CD1 - CD2
Info here.

Four times I wrote and erased the above text, took me more than an hour; which probably reveals more for the state of my mind during these last weeks (I'm working two office jobs overtime...) than a genuine oh-so-blogger-like gut spilling would do. Sorry for any delays in requests, keep annoying me for what I promised; assume I've forgotten everything.

Putting The Morr Back In Morrissey

I realized that the title's wordplay is lost on most ears nowdays. Anyway, I won't go on about that label that redefined contemporary electronic listening music by combining experimental sounds and techniques with indie pop and aesthetics, blah blah blah. I'm talking about Morr Music and similar stuff, of course - a scene mentioned many times before in this blog anyway (*,*,*,*,*,*).

The first CD mostly contains unreleased stuff, the second one remixes between label artists. Simply one of the best listening compilations I own - still sounds good as gold. Enjoy.

VA - 2000 Putting The Morr Back In Morrissey
CD1 - CD2
Info here.

Circulation. Abstract Funk Theory

From Obsessive's Abstract Funk Theory series, this is the one compiled by Circulation (*); it's unmixed and, along with Carl Craig's, my personal favorite of the lot.

Tech, house and electro sweetness by artists already presented in this blog, like Carl Craig (*), Carl Finlow (*) and themselves; plus from The Timewriter, Atjazz, Touche!'s Jamez vs. H.P.Vince and an early Bushwacka!. Despite the compilation's global representation and chronological variety, it sounds tight and stylish without losing its clubbish character, allowing us a glimpse of the late '90s UK techhouse/ techfunk/ whatever sound.

Sounds good in the summer heat too; hadn't noticed that before.

VA - 2001 Circulation. Abstract Funk Theory
Info here.

Tec House Living

A groovy mixed compilation, the first of Jesse Rose back from 1998, through Subversive Records (also see the Liquid California compilation).

Showcasing what was commonly thought as the UK tech house sound, contains tracks by local heavyweights like Jamie Anderson, Dave Angel, Charles Webster, Cevin Fisher and a newbie called Vince Watson, plus a couple of highly influential guests like John Tejada, Maurice Fulton, Steve Rachmad and Orlando Voorn (with early classic 'Flash').

In all, a great track list and a lively mix, full of emotional and energetic house anthems with that extra techfunk touch. I remember playing in sets that Plastic Avengers/C.Fisher mix a lot, possibly the only time I did something similar (I had neither the tracks themselves nor a way to edit them yet). Freaks came out.

VA - 1998 The Deeper Sound Of Bristol presents
Tec House Living
Info here.

The Vault

He used to call himself Prince of Techno.

Well, I don't know about that. But the first time I heard 'When We Used To Play' I almost cried. I like his DJ style, hard and fast yet accessible and definitely sexy for the ladies. He played his part in the whole Detroit-Berlin thing, with his Tresor collaboration - I think he was the first one to go there to live and work and DJ. And his vocal contributions, his trademark and an example to many (the recent ones no less) are always interesting, either mood-fueled stoned whispers and deepnight mumblings, or mating calls and aggressive declarations. As a musician he's not the greatest you've listened to, but his tracks' power drive and his expressive persona are reasons enough to get you moving.

This is a Disko Bomb.
It's a house record; with its raw, percussive tracks spiced with disco samples and vocal snippets, the whole album points directly to Chicago. Still, he's an artist from Detroit releasing in a label from Munich, so things get complicated - he's quirky, rough and all-out house at the same time. Speed these tracks up and they fit in any techno set, can even be used as tools and blended together with little effort. House for bangers, fit for DJ Hell's sets. The 'techno' label underneath is there just to give you a hint of this.

When I first heard it, I honestly didn't like it much. As time passes, while its age is showing, I feel I get it better now in a way. It's not rare, but I don't remember to have seen it anywhere, especially around the share net.

Blake Baxter - 1995 The Vault
Info here.

P.S. I was informed that the rip had accidentally been a 128kbps one, so I re-uploaded it in 320. First posted 2009-06-18.
P.S.#2 Link updated

3MCs&1DJ

And since we're into video, here's a lesson in DIY promotion by the Beastie Boys.


And here's Mix Master Mike's angle.

The Detroit Experiment

Of all the Carl Craig (*) related projects I know, this is the only one I truly have mixed feelings about. Still, it's not a Carl Craig record per se, so I'll put my doubts aside.

This album is the second one in a project that started with the Philadelphia Experiment'; attempting to "fuse the new and old musical elements of the motor city". So, basically it's full of soulful, jazzy funky trips with lots of brass and string, clashing with more 'contemporary music' forms (see: a few synths and drum machines plus rapping). The outcome favorites the live drumming and improvisational trumpet performances far more than its 'contemporary' elements - so it's okay if you're into that. On the other hand, others have managed to fuse such elements much more effectively, in my opinion as always; even Craig himself did better in his Innerzone Orchestra project.

Here it is anyway, draw your own conclusions. This was a request. Released through Ropeadope and Rycodisc for Europe; vinyl was released through Planet E. There were later released a couple of 12"s, as well as some interesting 'Think Twice' remixes through Juno Records, the most notable ones by Henric Schwarz.

The Detroit Experiment - 2003 selftitled
Info here and here.

Hoodlum

A vinyl only '90s Hood album, out through his own Drama label. Similar to his Nighttime World LP (*), it combines house sounds with jazz elements and his trademark minimal interpretation of techno, with excellent results as expected.

A 256kbps rip from vinyl, ripper unknown.

Robert Hood - 1988 Hoodlum
Info here.

Nighttime Worlds

A couple of masterpieces from the man himself; some his more out-of-the-box moments (and rather hard to find in decent prices), drawing from Detroit techno-funk as well as from purer forms of funk, soul and jazz. In my mind, these albums are his tribute to the pre- and post-WWII nightclubs, evoking the spirit of those places where black music tradition was cultivated. Vol.1 is raw and beat-oriented, trying certain things yet retaining its techno-house character; Vol.2 is more multi-faceted and sophisticated, possibly Hood's best work music-wise, a work of beauty and power.

I was been playing Vol.2 for some time in my HPs when I saw that 'Internal Empire' (*) was reprinted; I decided to remove the posted link and to post these instead. So, enjoy.
.

Robert Hood - 1995 Nighttime World Vol.1
Info here. (LP rip)


Robert Hood - 2000 Nighttime World Vol.2
Info here. (CD rip)