This was a request, I had honestly forgotten about it; but after listening to it again after those few years, I have to say it has aged extremely well. Full of loopy, dark techno with industrial references both sonically and thematically (see Coil), it's a classic Surgeon album revealing in full his idiosyncratic tendencies for bastardizing righteous techno beats with weird atmospheres and post-breakbeat loops. On that account, he always reminded me of early PWOG, amongst others; but that may be just me. Anyway, it's no wonder he made a turn towards the tech/dubstep crossover during the last few years.
His downtempo interludes are (according to Anthony Child himself) influenced by the work of his mentor/friend, Napalm Death's ex-drummer Mick Harris aka Scorn or Lull, who also contributed a dub in a 12" of remakes of tracks from the album.
Surgeon - 1999 Force + Form
Info here.
Most people would call it 'experimental techno'. I like to think that techno music is experimental by nature, although I would have to be braindead and/or deaf to believe something like this for all that music categorized as 'techno' and published in the last two decades.
P.S. I found the EP (not my link), so check it here:
Surgeon - 1999 Force + Form Remakes
Info here.
P.S.2: Link updated. Original post 2010-05-05
Force + Form
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.
Datcha Studio
Two compilations full of artists from eastern and central Europe, compiled by Jean-Marie K., for Le Maquis.
Including works from the finalists of Radio France International's contests 'Prix RFI Musiques Electroniques', with Ludovic Navarre and Laurent Garnier in the chief jury positions respectively, it's a honest attempt to capture the multi-faceted 'sound' of ... half-a-continent or so. The project brings in mind certain french releases, with their glossy productions and eclectic, semi-intellectual approach to 'ethnic' sounds; which in this case means a lot of strings and unidentified vocals. On the other hand, it brings forward several direly neglected heroes of european electronics like Random Logic and Octex (see here for more), while post-breaks, loungey downtempo sounds have the biggest representation with shining stars like Yonderboi or Alexandroid (also mentioned here).
VA - 2002 Datcha Studio
Info here.
VA - 2003 Datcha Studio Vol.2
Info here.
Morgernstern
I had promised a Christian Morgenstern post ages ago. You've waited for long, so it's gonna be a big one. A large bio can be found in his discogs page, so check there first.
I first encountered him in Kanzleramt (*) compilations and for years mistook him for a typical techno artist; then it came that I listened to Forte and realized there was more, so much more to like. I won't try to describe his style, as it shifts from record to record. The only thing certain is that as time passed, as he gathered experience through his (numerous) releases, his music became more and more personal, more than an amalgam of his various influences - attempting a crossover sound with electro and techno elements and pop sense, keeping his attitude and aesthetics underground and uncompromising.
All albums posted here were found through the net at some time or another. They're generally low bitrate, yet who cares... I consider 'Hawaii Blue' to be his masterpiece, but you knew anyway I'm a sucker for retro electro. Although the tracks I have (and have posted here) sound weirdly like a bad cut-up; don't know if it's bad ripping or the CD is like put together that. His last one 'Carolea' was left unfinished and released post mortem. He had also compiled his Kanzleramt records in two CDs. The only album missing here is 'Re:Death Before Disco' of which I have only half of it, I hope I'll up it at some time later on.
Rest in peace, man. You did more than well.
P.S. Mario was kind enough to send us a link for missing CD 'Re:Death Before Disco'. I added it below. Thanx, man.
Original post 2010-11-15
Christian Morgenstern - 2000
The Future Is On Fire. The Kanzleramt Years
Info here.
Christian Morgenstern - 2001
The Future Is On Fire Pt.2 More Kanzleramt Years
Info here.
Christian Morgenstern - 1999 Death Before Disko
Info here.
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Christian Morgenstern - 2000 Re.Death Before Disko
Info here.
Christian Morgenstern - 2000 The Lydia EP
Info here.
Christian Morgenstern - 2001 Hawaii Blue
Info here.
Christian Morgenstern - 2003 Carolea
Info here.
Radioactive Man
From Weatherall's Rotters Golf Club, here are the first two albums by Keith Tenniswood aka Radioactive Man. For all lovers of electro with attitude.
Previously posted RGC compilation here.
Radioactive Man - 2001 st
Info here.
Radioactive Man - 2003 Booby Trap
Info here.
Tempovision
We've met Etienne De Crécy before in the Motorbass posts (*,*). Here's his last solo project, an album of great craftsmanship and undeniable beauty; I'll only say that it's kept me company for all these years without losing even a drop of its appeal.
Where 'Pansoul' was a nocturnal urban affair, this one is full of sunlight and melodies - expect slo-mo filter disco, electronic funk and breaks, plus lots of twisted synths and sensual voices. Its commercial success was rather easy to predict; it rightly deserved all the attention it got. I also posted the remix compilation released a couple of years later, mostly top notch french house at its weirdest, along with three included videos.
Although Zdar continues releasing stuff as Cassius, I've lost de Crecy's tracks. An early retirement, possibly?
Etienne de Crécy - 2000 Tempovision
Info here.
Etienne de Crécy - 2002 Tempovision Remixes
Info here.
Etienne de Crécy - 2002 Tempovision Videos
More from him later on.
Life's A Gas
One of Wolfgang Voigt's peak moments in my opinion, collecting his mature work as Love Inc.,out through Force Inc. From groovy techno to sample based chilled soundscapes, his minimalistic approach and those beloved and characteristic obsessions of his leave us little room to comment on - you'll either love it or just pass it by. As for the final track, I could listen to it anytime, anywhere, on repeat for hours.
Love Inc. - 1995 Life's A Gas
Info here.
I've been playing it a lot these hard days, so I'd thought I'd share it. CD rip by UOU...
Ocean Club
I've mentioned Gudrun Gut and the Ocean Club before here and here, so I won't go into all that again. Just remember: Malaria! and Monika Enterprise. Anyway, this is the 2CD version of the Ocean Club album I was looking for back then (took me a year and a half... nice...).
The first CD is a reprint of the original 1996 album, with some video clips added (posted separately). Honestly, sometimes it sounds like trance made by non-dancers and it did so back when it was first released; but a couple of tracks are good and guests include Blixa, Anita Lane, etc (see pic above).
The second CD is a compilation of remixes from the several 12"s they released, by artists like (...deep breath...) Klaus Schulze, The Orb, Thomas Fehlmann, Ian Pooley, Paul Van Dyk, Ellen Allien, Effective Force and more; definitely the one to check first, some dreamy moments inside here, plus a lot of trancey tracks for those who can take it.
Gudrun Gut - 1996 Members Of The Ocean Club
Gudrun Gut - 1996 the Ocean Club videos
Gudrun Gut - 2004 Mixes For The Ocean Club
Info here and here.
Ambient Ibiza
From Kenneth Bager's danish Flex, this is a compilation of downtempo tracks I'm posting mostly for the contributions by Lucky People Center (*), Dub Tractor (*) and the divine 'Journey' by The Gentle People (I think I have their debut somewhere...).
A couple of other known names in here as well, although many of the tracks barely escape mediocrity. And another unfortunate cover/title combination, by the way.
VA - 1996 Ambient Ibiza
Info here.
Future Funk + Voltage Control
Some more web finds concerning Russ Gabriel (*). From General Production Recordings' sublabel Input Neuron Musique, these are the two LPs he released there in 1995; sadly in low bit format (160 and 192kbps respectively).
'Future Funk' is more tool-like and dancefloor oriented; the real treat here though is 'Voltage Control', a sublime mix of all progressive tendencies of the time: Detroit elements, IDM and electrofunk forge the style soon to be named techfunk and to become UK's primary underground techno export. A hidden classic.
This was a request - and at the same time a wonderful opportunity to revisit Russ Gabriel' masterpiece. Once again, credits to the Unknown Original Uploaders.
Russ Gabriel - 1995 Future Funk Vol.1
Info here.
Russ Gabriel - 1995 Voltage Control
Info here.
Staedtizism
Airbag Craftworks compilation
From the same guys that were mentioned here and later built the Workshop label, here's an early compilation of mostly unreleased tracks I managed to track down only a few years ago.
Airbag Craftworks is a fashion design company producing tasty and rather expensive bags, t-shirts, etc. - and putting out music apparently. Unsurprisingly, I first spotted Out To Lunch in one of those tasty and rather expensive shops Berlin has by the dozens, where my wife was window-shopping overpriced bags, coats or whatever. I found inside a bunch of CDs and two packs of 12"s, respectively parts 1 & 2 of Airbag Craftworks Compilation Vol.2, which I unthinkingly grabbed for less than a fiver each, if I remember correctly. I'd very much like to post them as well, yet I haven't found them around the web (and vinyl ripping is still not an option). Anyway, this one came later and sealed the deal; now I watch Workshop growing and I feel that there is some justice in this world after all.
Besides artists mentioned before, there are also contributions by Isolée, Soylent Green and Freestyle Man vs. Corrado Izzo (*). It could have been a Source record, don't pass it by.
VA - 1999 The Airbag Craftworks Compilation
Info here.
Utopia. The Big Chill
This is a mixed compilation by Miss Elke K. and Henny V., an obscure DJ duo also going by the name of Dutch Ambient Federation; out through Guardian Angel, a trancey sub of Basic Beat.
With a cover pointing to just another mediocre compilation of easy listening 'balearic' music and an equally unexplainable title, the CD contains two mixes, one from each of the DJs.
The first mix by Elke K. partly borrows from the british tradition of chill-out DJing, yet without resorting to sloppy fem-vox stuff or anything like that, keeping the tones down and (like most successful female DJs) aiming for the heart with sentimental tunes and rich melodies. With tracks from the likes of Dr.Atmo & P. Namlock, Dub Tractor (*), Neotropic and A Reminiscent Drive, it's great for coming down, which probably was the purpose after all.
The second part on the other hand is a rather darkish, more abstract and experimental excursion, including some obscure tracks and highlights from Chain Reaction's one-off Ridis, Experimental Audio Research vs. Thomas Köner, Wolfram Spyra, etc. I could have actually named this post "What were they thinking?" judging from that 2nd part; if this is Utopia, what would Dystopia sound like I wouldn't know. Besides the more unconventional tracklist, this one doesn't flow that well as a mix but most of you will probably like it anyway.
VA - 1997 Utopia. The Big Chill
mixed by Elke K. & Henny V.
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.
Anima - Naima
The following two CDs are actually one piece of work, the original and a live performance. They signify one of the peaks of Mr. Ripatti's fame, while he was still enjoying the world's general wonderment and critics' ramblings about releasing in the same year (2000) the great 'Multila' in Chain Reaction and three albums in Mille Plateaux, ForceInc. and ForceTracks ('Entain' as Vladislav Delay, 'Vapaa Muurari' as Uusitalo and 'Vocal City' as Luomo). The volume of releases was not surprising as such (especially for an 'experimental' artist). The big surprise was the quality and originality of the material, as well as the chameleon-like way he overruled genres' stereotypes and norms, whether he chose to play techno, vocal house or just glitchy reverb noise.
The next album (out 2001) was a daring release in Mille Plateaux. Although there was also a 3x12'' release, it works best in the CD format as it's one solid ambient track, to my ears an improvisational smocky piece based on excellent quality raw material and tons of effects. It's obviously the closest he ever came to gallery 'art' music, still he manages to preserve all these qualities that make him that good in what he does as a musician and without the academic stench of most of the already mentioned 'art' works.
Not surprisingly, he performed that work in Ars Electronica 2001 in a more clear and a bit more abstract form, with a female beautifully accented voice on top giving a different meaning in this sea of reverberations. The recording of this version was later (2002) printed as a limited release in Staubgold, named 'Naima'.
P.S.: Both links were erased without notice. 'Anima' is reprinted through Huume (with an extra track), but 'Naima' remains in obscurity so I re-upped it. Original post 2008-03-30.
Vladislav Delay - 2001 Anima LINKS OFF
Info here.
Vladislav Delay - 2002 Naima
Info here.
Welcome to Lucky People Center
I first watched the outstanding 'Lucky People Center International' film in a VHS copy, at about the same time I watched 'Modulations' (*) and 'Synthetic Pleasures'; at about 1999, I think.
I knew nothing of LPC, save that they were a Swedish collective. Took me 5 or 6 years to find out bits about them, and only thanks to sites like imdb, discogs, etc. The film was actually made by Erik Pauser and Johan Söderberg (definitely check his adorable site for more); some info here. Bringing in mind Coldcut's audio/video sampledelic cut-ups and musically focusing on fast acidic beats, the film is a trip around the globe, people-focused and compassionate. Using fast-paced editing followed by gentle breaks of stillness and heart-aching beauty, the film touches on trivia such as alternate states of consciousness, the importance of dancing and singing, the clash between free will and society's restrictions; and of course death. Human stuff, you know. I was actually planning on posting the film itself, when I found out that it's reprinted on DVD and it's available for sale through one of the the directors' shop. It's so good it'd be a shame of you to pass it by.
So, I choose to post their breaks influenced debut CD instead. But I still think that the 'just music' CD version lacks a bit when compared to the original video cut-ups; just check this one, then go to soderberg.tv, press 'Musicvideo', then 'LPC' and click on 'Rodney King' or 'Live In The World' and you'll know what I mean.
LPC - 1993 Welcome to Lucky People Center
Info here.
Blue Skied An' Clear
Another quality Morr Music compilation; check that post first for more info.
It's actually a tribute compilation to Slowdive; in CD1 Morr artists do covers of their tracks, in CD2 there are original tracks inspired by them. Purists might not like it, no many wall-of-sound guitar sounds in here; most of the tracks are simplistic and transparent sound-wise and retro-electropop stylistically. But the dreamy/smokey spirit is still there, bittersweet vocals dominate and Slowdive's influence on this scene becomes apparent, more notably in the second 'originals' disk.
VA - 2002 Blue Skied An' Clear
CD1 - CD2
Info here and here.
This was a request, yet I was planning on posting it at some time anyway. Enjoy.
Everdom
Anders Ilar's debut on Shitkatapult, a deep masterpiece blending ethereal ambient atmos with contemporary electronics, rumbling bass and tons of effects.
Occasionally dark and introvert, this one is more appropriate for relaxing, thinking, mind traveling in general, than for dancing or coming down. And rather unlike his 12"s of the time (see that great Hydro EP); only 'Make Believe' follows the mini dub techno norm. It's a low profile work, but it grows on you; I liked the stylistic switch, gave it some extra attention and was rewarded accordingly. I'd say that in here are the roots of his later tech-IDM-ish excursions through Merck/Narita, Level, etc.
A free album and some mixes/podcasts here.
Anders Ilar - 2003 Everdom
Info here.
Alphabet
Silex is Konstantinos Soublis aka Fluxion, famous from his releases in Chain Reaction, first introduced in this blog here - all I said back then apply here as well. Using one of his less known alias he's going stylistically much more towards IDM than you'd expect (meaning, no techno dub in here), occasionally with an isolationist's edge.
I think you'll find this interesting; his recent Resopal and Echocord releases were decent, yet on the same '90s dubby blueprint; more danceable but without the trippy feeling.
Silex - 2002 Alphabet
Info here.
