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.

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.
.

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.

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...

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.

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.

Agendas

Oldschool Detroit influenced electronics and techno in a three-pack of compilations from much respected dutch label Eevo Lute Muzique, released both there (21, 22) and as showcases for british label New Electronica (22, 23).

For those who don't know EevoLute, picture it as what you'd call the first european neo-Detroit label, except of course that it operated at the same time with the mass of third wave Detroit producers; they even had a collaboration with Planet E (12"). Anyway, if you like Delsin (*), this is its blueprint. It made a comeback some years ago as digital EevoNext.

Besides owners Florence (aka Terrace) and Wladimir M., appearing here are artists that went much bigger later like 2000&One and Ross 154 aka Newworldaquarium, plus some less known but not at all less interesting like The Keyprocessor and veteran Max 404.

In all, a totally recommended pack of retro sounding sentimental crap from the past. I only had #22 and was looking for the rest since ages ago to manage a full post; thanks to Renueh, it is now possible. Miss them at your own risk.


VA - 1993 Agenda 21. An EevoLute Compilation
Info here.


VA - 1994 Agenda 22. Another EevoLute Compilation
Info here and here.


VA - 1998 Agenda 23. Another EevoLute Compilation
Info here.

#21 and #23 probably are 320kbps CD rips; #22 surely is.

P.S. Links removed due to request from EevoLute.

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)

Detroit Audio (and more)

Although I've stopped downloading DJ mixes and live sets from everybody I knew (it became an addiction at a time), some names are still hard to resist to.
A lot of sites/ blogs are devoted to posting live sets; I'm not actually going that way. I just want to propose a couple of 'official' sites of Detroit and like labels with interesting sets or videos that may easily get overlooked while searching the 'illegal' sharenet.

So:
Detroit Techno Militia. Huge mix data bank here.
Kenny Larkin's Art Of Dance. Few mixes here.
Technoir Audio. Listen here, down here.
11th Hour. Here.
Bvdub mixes. Here. Press on third icon.
Bootleg DJ Cafe. DJ sets here.
Open Mind Recordings. Here.
EevoNext. Yes, the old Eevolute. Here.
Soma Records. Some videos.
Dave Angel. Mixes & videos here.
D1 Recordings & DEAFestival. Archive.
Modern Music. Tons of oldschool mixes from the States here.
The Black Dog. You know who they are. Mixes here.

NEW:
Vuistdikkeramlat. Blog of great mixes. Here.

This list will be updated sporadically (when I find new stuff, you know) and reposted.

(first post: 10th of April 2008)

Sensorama

We knew them as Acid Jesus, now as Alter Ego. Jörn Elling Wuttke and Roman Flügel need no introduction, so I won't bother. Sensorama is the name they used for their Ladomat 2000 (*) releases.


Sensorama - 1995 Welcome Insel
Info here.


Sensorama - 1996 Zu Gast Auf Der Welcome Insel
Info here.


Sensorama - 1998 Love 2LP
Info here.


Sensorama - 2000 Projektor
Info here.

Someone had asked for one of these in the comment box. I meant to post it properly, then went for the big one. 'Su Gast..' is a remix compilation on the 'Insel" album.
All rips are 192kbps, none mine - thanx to the original uppers.

P.S. Originally posted 2009-12-04. Modified thanks to Jens, who sent a link for 'Projektor' (320kbps) that helped us fill this hole. Thanx again man.

Kombination Phunk

I decided to post this low-bitrate rip I had buried in the comment's box long ago. It's the unmixed 4x12" version of an excellent compilation by The Advent (*,*,*), with a lot of crucial electro and techno tracks in exclusive edits by Ferreira.

A must for electro fans, as it contains two Dopplereffekt extended edits.

VA - 1997 Kombination Phunk 4x12''
Info here..

Better rips and/or the mix itself are of course more than welcome.

Music Is Okay

Koze's first compilation of collaborations, remixes, etc. If you liked his recent 'Reincarnations' in Get Physical (and who didn't...), definitely check this one - it might even be better than the new one.

Didn't even know it existed for a long time, then spent as much more trying to track it down. In mp3 form only, so far.

DJ Koze - 2000 Music Is Okay
Info here.

'Koze' means 'vomit', if I'm not mistaken. Reminds me of Hell (who apparently got his name out of a faded Shell t-shirt), or Highfish. I like this kind of ridiculous nicknames, they show that the persons involved retain their punk sense of adolescent humor. That they grew out of a certain scene where a lot of close friends were involved. And that they never went for the big money and fame in the first place, they would have picked much better sounding aliases - see either true or fake names or scientific terminology (Drexciya & Co. escaped that trap only through their humorous, at times satiric approach of their own material and concepts).

So, more Vomit music here and here.

More Or Less Plastic

A new producer, apparently of Venezuelan origin, contacted me today and asked me to spread his recent EP, so give it a try. It's a cluster of (very) short IDM compositions, containing sweet and dreamy tracks along with punkish cut-up electroid bursts. No further info on him, except that he spreads his stuff for free all around through blogs. I liked the slow ones better, yet that's just me.

Wah? - 2009 More Or Less Plastic EP

I guess any comments with thoughts or suggestions on these tracks will be appreciated by him. This is a perfect chance for direct feedback with the producer.

PWOG live 1995

Courtesy of Tim Freeman himself, a live set of PWOG from 1995, the Record Of Breaks era.

More than a rarity or an iffy bootleg, it's also a proof of their power in concerts, sadly a gift I never had the chance to witness in person. A lot of analog sound in there, fat and heavy, and lots of real-time FX knob twists, while samples are used in moderation and for aesthetic purposes. The mix is breathing, monotone percussion sounding clear and in your face while the more subtle atmo elements are drifting in the background, appearing in crucial moments for drama. I noticed as well their tendency to preserve the equilibrium between the ritualistic atmospheres and sheer drive, choosing their tracks well, shifting between moods. Most of the above characterize their sound at the time anyway.
Concerning structure, my favorite part is the flawless transformation of the funky take on 'A Kind of Prayer' into a 'Kraak' variation.

I guess the link comes from Tim Freeman's archive, so I hope he'll leak some more of the good stuff eventually. He released some 12"s and CDrs in the obscure I-S-I-S / Hidden (a PWOG-related den I discovered only a few months ago) as HIMOG and one half of Dogon, plus collaborations with equally respected Being - apparently all of them in good terms with the Black Dog guys (see here). Which btw did an awful lot of good to post that mix, giving them publicity and all. Because, while I truly respect the no-ego underground attitude, it strikes me as weird that even a fan like me didn't know shit about those labels - stick your heads up just a bit guys, it's a pity for you not to be recognized as you should be (and for us not to listen to your stuff).

PWOG - 1995 Live @ VPRO's Villa 65 radio show

More posts here.
I also noticed there are a few more PWOG posts by TheeBradMiller here.

Stored in zshare till I find the time to switch it to RS.

P.S. Moggieboy also got a link and already posted this set.

Hamburgeins

A Ladomat 2000 (*,*) compilation presenting the early Dial Records sound (*).

VA - 2001 Hamburgeins
Info here.

Sadly in low bitrate, found somewhere around the net. A request, but also a compilation I'd like very much to have in its 3x12'' form.

The Maenad and the Mix

The other day I came across a mix of PWOG (*) tracks in the Black Dog site, as the third part in a series where the Black Dog guys pay tribute to artists like Robert Hood and UR (so far). They mix the original stuff with some of their own re-edits, a treasure for the fans. Check the page out:

The Black Dog:
One Hour With The Psychick Warriors Ov Gaia

You know I'm a PWOG sicko. And I consider myself to be a fan of the Black Dog - not a collector per se, but 'Spanners' might be the 'IDM' album I've listened to the most (I still do, after all these years). As Robert Hood is also the Detroit guy I respect the most and UR are undoubtedly leaders in their field, seeing all these together there it felt like a serotonin-party. Then I came upon a post by Moggieboy (the Ripped In Glascow guy), where the 'Maenad' 12" was posted. It was too good to be just a coincidence, so here it is:

PWOG - Maenad 12" by Moggieboy

I'll borrow the eXquisite CORpsE 1994 Kupuri 12" later on.

P.S. Actually, he's posted a lot of PWOG stuff so go there and get them.

Totes Rennen

From Supposé, the same label that brought us this recording by Albert Hofmann, also comes the first Ester Brinkmann CD.

Similar only to other Brinkmann works of the era and to certain W.Voigt projects, it consists of groovy clicks and thumbs produced and looped by Brinkmann's decks while philosophers (and Blixa) hypnotically state rather serious sounding phrases - alas, unintelligible to us non-speakers of the german language. Still the concept is powerful and the music is minimal techno in the purest germanic sense - a very good Brinkmann record not to be missed by fans (it must be a bit rare).

I've also included a Scanner/Brinkmann collaboration in the .rar, I think I found it as a freebie in one of Scanner's sites.

Ester Brinkmann - 1998 Totes Rennen
Info here.

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.

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?