Motor City Machine Music

Something old.

This is a compilation issued in 2005 of Cybotron tracks released on Fantasy label from 1982 to 1985 with two X-Ray tracks from 1987. For the oldschool fans mostly, as most of these are in mono and sound like they were transferred from tape (which probably is the truth anyway).

Interesting view in the first steps of Juan Atkins, although I would emphasize a little bit the influence of Rick Davis aka 3070 on the whole concept and theory that gave Cybotron its special character and later was copied by all Detroit. Major influence sounds to be Kraftwerk as far as the sounds and rhythm go but the music genre I'd say is Space Funk, dopey and jazzy and dreamy stuff flowing over those robotic beats. It's a reminder for all those who forget the influence of '70s soul-r'n'b-funk music on electro.

Cybotron - 2005 Motor City Machine Music.
An Exploration Of Cybotron
Part 1 - Part 2
Info here

The Forest Trilogy

Again, not much to say. Another Wolfgang Voigt project, GAS released 1st album at 1996 and this trilogy during the next four years at the legendary Mille Plateaux, along with some remixes here and there, mostly in Kompakt.
Mostly using strings and FX over a bass drum, W.Voigt manages a wall of sound totally psychedelic and lyrical, yet unsettling and spooky. The first two albums are deep and dark, sometimes like a blizzard on the Mountain of Magic mentioned in the title, sometimes like a night ride through a thick forest. 'Pop' is different, more ethereal, based on flute and harp samples. Comes like the sunrise to scatter the fears, still the feeling of awe is there.


GAS - 1997 Zauberberg [MillePlateauCD45]
Part 1 - Part 2
Info here


GAS - 1999 Koenigsforst [MillePlateauCD65]
Part 1 - Part 2
Info here


GAS - 2000 Pop [MillePlateauCD83]
Part 1 - Part 2
Info here

'Koenigsforst' was downloaded from Square Dancing In A Round House blog, go there and read Voigt's interview also (thanx man).

Soon I'll upload the first one.

Eau de Cologne

Fly back to grandma continent.

In 1998 Kompakt label was officially born. From very early, founders W.Voigt, J.Paape and M.Mayer tried to establish its name as a pop culture phenomenon through the standard use of custom graphic design (following the Profan/Auftrieb example), their city as a symbol and, more importantly, custom sounds. All labels aimed for the spreading of this special kind of trance derived and house infected minimal techno, trademarked as 'Cologne minimalism'. Obviously did a VERY good job, as now Kompakt is as large as it can get, the Cologne sound is everywhere and Michael Mayer is rightly considered one of the best and more respected DJs internationally.

Back then apparently he needed a little introducing. As far as I know, this is his first released mix CD, released by Neuton. Fully promoting the local sound by the Voigt brothers, Joerg Burger, Jurgen Paape, etc., alongside some close friends' work (Herbert, R.Fluegel, etc) and some personal contributions (Zimt, Forever Sweet).

Try to place that CD where it belongs, in 1998. At that time only the Basic Channel posse was in a similar path in Germany, while outside Detroit the world danced to disco house, psy trance and was happily shocked by Daft Punk. Maximalism at its peak, I'd say. Anyway. I like Kompakt better at it's later era, where it had established a balance between the neu trance aesthetics and the monomaniac glitchy tool tracks. Still, it's a rare CD to listen and it's nice to spot that Mayer was playing back then with the same attitude he still does.

Everytime I hear 'Fackeln Im Strum' after all these years it still feels the same.

VA - 1998 Mix CD
Kompakt Koeln praesentiert Michael Mayer
Part 1 - Part 2

Info here

Biometrics

In the same vein with the previous post, Heinrich Mueller as Der Zyklus in 2004 releases this one in Clone's electronic (as opposed to electro...) sublabel D.U.B. Abstract dark ambient tracks flow thickly over a really interesting concept, yet still it feels that it's a solo effort, a little single-minded and simple. Of course only compared to previous and later efforts of the same people, full of the crossbreed of styles and ideas that characterize them. Still, it's a Drexciya Nation record.

Der Zyklus - 2004 Biometry
Part 1 - Part 2
Info here.

Linear Acceleration

Gigolo 99 vinyl release in 2003 presented two tracks of rare beauty by Dopplereffekt. The CD version that followed was a weird long play including these and four more.

Instead of the typical Drexciyan electro or the '80s retro sound of earlier releases, a more experimental approach was attempted. Two repetitive fully FXed dark & noisy abstract tracks of 21' and 14' duration each for a start, followed by a 15' ambient excursion into really deep space. Then the 12" tracks fall from the sky, full of analog synth beauty and melodies and weirdness. Borrowing heavily from the Berlin School of Kraut electronics, it's like they're out of a '70s soundtrack for a sci-fi film or a thriller, such as the ones Tangerine Dream members produced in plenty (check some of them here). The closing act is the more typical Drexciya one, sweet pads and soft arpeggios over a chopped, no bass drum electro beat. Overall it's a difficult album, with it's three quarters of being too weird for the average Gigolo fan and no beat at all.

A smart move of Mr.Hell, this one. Although experimentation was always a part of Gigolo mentality, it was only the second time a listening album was issued (after the Tuxedomoon one which didn't go well I think). Only Dopplereffekt could made this effort more accessible to the critics and interesting to the listeners at the same time.
After this one Gigolo tried to make a drastic turn towards more 'difficult', non dancefloor music, away from the '80s electro and oldschool techno norms (although there was always an appropriate remix available). The infamous NYC associated Gigolo Rock phase came along with the Fisherspooner releases and kept me away from Gigolo for some time (I liked the older ones more, no other reason). It's interesting though that after four years rock influenced electro still rules the market. Hell was making a leap forward then and soon others followed (he took no credit for that).

Still, this for me is the last release of the first era of Gigolo, even if it's an atypical one. And it's a Detroit affair. Check the vinyl if you find it.

Dopplereffekt - 2003 Linear Accelerator CD
Part 1 - Part 2
Info here.

P.S. In Drexciya Research Lab, a different opinion is stated here on the reason of this album's inaccessibility.

The Detroit Escalator Co.

Some more forgotten jewels.

Neil Ollivierra aka The Detroit Escalator Co. has been an active part of the Detroit scene since very early, yet with only scarce releases through the last decade. An obviously talented musician (just one among other artistic skills), first released two 12"s in 1996. The first of these was included in his later first LongPlay 1996 release "Soundtrack [313]" on Russ Gabriel's Ferox Records, now deactivated. A personal top ten of all times album, it's an ambient masterpiece and simply one of the best sounds to ever come out from Detroit.

Later Peacefrog took care of all D.E.C. releases, starting in 2000 with the "Black Buildings EP", most of which was included in the "Black Buildings" album. During the same year, both of the first 12"s along with a yet unreleased track appeared in "Excerpts". Later on in 2003 a remix track appeared in Charles Webster's "Remixed in the 24th of July", and in 2006 a Ltd.Ed. (see previous post) 10" "Blue Science/Between Dubnotes EP".

Again, so few have heard of The Detroit Escalator Co., it's a shame. Although after "[313]" all releases became more introvert and never peaked that high (personal opinion), they're still important to have and to listen too. When I'll be able to upload from vinyl, I'll post the rest of them. For now:

The Detroit Escalator Co. - 1996 Soundtrack [313]
Here
Info here.

The Detroit Escalator Co. - 2000 Black Buildings EP
Here
Info here.

The Detroit Escalator Co. - 2001 Black Buildings
Part 1 - Part 2
Info here.

Charles Webster - Put your hurt aside (The Dub & Space Mix by The Detroit Escalator Co.)
Here
taken from this compilation

P.S. I realize Ferox is revived through digital only releases. Hope it goes well, GO AND BUY '[313]' if you find it there.

Limited Edition

Indulge me for the long post. There's a story I need to share.

Once upon a time, in an second hand vinyl store I came upon a 10'' in an would-be-exquisite but was-badly-pressed folder. I have one worn-out copy of this somewhere in my place. We recorded this with a band I was then part of it in the early 90s.
It was what now is called a 'Limited Edition'. By that I mean that neither the label nor we had the money to print more than 550 copies, so we made do with these at first and gave away some promos and finally covered the expenses. Then we printed an extra 450, as far as we were told. That adds to a 1000 copies. It was also red colored vinyl and a 10" cut, totally unusual at this time for my country.
With no money for publicity and due to crappy distribution, not all of them were sold. Overall, as a band we got paid the equivalent of 250 to 300 euros (we had drunk and smoked more than that to record it, of course). Some years later the (really small) label shut down and sold all stock to the distributor. We got nothing. I saw then a few copies in the low-price section of some stores sold for about 3 euros. I had no interest then in buying my own records, yet I felt bad about them selling out so cheap. This was more or less the story of the indie scene in Europe those days, CDs were coming forth. Then the distributor went off too, and that was it.

Year 2007, in front of me, this average early '90s indie EP was priced 170 euros.

Qui bono, comrades?

For whom does this used-vinyl market exist? Who profits? The artist? No. The label? Not really, unless they're very clever and they set things up for 15 years ahead. The industry as a whole? I doubt it. Money spent on old records are not spent on new ones. The "I've GOT to have it" collector? Only if he intends to sell it at a higher price. Some merchants and E-bay? Ahh, yes, I think we're here.
I'm a vinyl junkie. For me a record is always a vinyl record. I go at used-vinyl stores and sit through rows of dirty boxes for hours, literally. I'm always looking for something good but overlooked, or badly appraised. And I like old stuff, which is often highly priced. But I've promised to myself I will never pay a big amount for anything 'rare'. I think the most expensive record I ever bought was X-102's 'Atlantis' second-hand for 25 euros. Because I know where the money goes. How come that when the vinyl market is supposedly going down, some vinyl stores get richer? It's only enough that vinyl stores sell on a 80-100% profit on new records, throw in the 'Vintage', 'LtdEd' and 'Rare' commerce and if you don't get mad, you never will. A collectible vinyl record is the same thing as a collectible stamp, a persian carpet or a silver plate. It's merchandise.
If I share this record through the internet, am I stealing from someone? Actually, not even the stores' owners give a shit cause what they really sell is records, not the music in them. It might even work out good for them, cause if the record becomes famous through the net in 'specific circles' then more people will be willing to pay 170 euros for it. Everything is promotion.

And I really disagree with this whole attitude of 'Limited Edition' releases, which certain labels and artists keep pushing, especially in the avant-garde scene. And I can't understand how music fans who may have really deep knowledge in this field and truly positive intentions, always fall for this crap and support it. A cool folder and 20 minutes of uninspired "Improvisations" (aka rehearsals) or "Experiments" (half an hour with a laptop and an afternoon of writing a page of text to explain why this release is different than last week's) is NOT important by default. But if it's released in only 300 copies and it's a part of a series of 20 similar projects, it will get an article and an ad in the Wire and most or all of it will pre-sale. It's ridiculous. Most of these records would never sell more copies than the ones printed, so it's good they don't print more. But calling them 'Ltd.Ed.' it's only for raising their price.

Don't be fooled. It's more of a cultural thing than it seems. Limited supply raises the prices but also creates an Elite for the richer, the more informed, the inside people, the Savants. Simple people should do the Animal stuff, like dance, shout, smoke, take drugs and fuck at the disco/club/bar remaining ignorant of the Deeper Meaning, while they alone have access to the Higher Forms of Contemporary Art (installations, video art, experimental music, performances, you know) in museums, galleries, art-cafes and similar establishments.

Mass distribution of art brings it closer to everyone so everyone can be inspired by it. That's what 'publishing' is about. If you don't publish you're not an artist. If you publish for the few you're an Elitist. If a label wants to publish a special but expensive edition, they may do it for a number of copies and then present a simpler one for the 'people', us poor bastards who can't afford a 200 euros box set. Or they wait a little for the first one to sell, and then print again or distribute it through the net.

Dance labels are somewhat different. Excluding promos and bootlegs, of course, who play a different role (big discussion). Due to the small average amount of copies printed (from 500 to 2000) virtually all 12''s are LtdEd, so mostly they play with picture or colored vinyl. Hardwax based labels traditionally print an small amount of colored vinyls for the collectors and feed this market anyway, yet they're not too expensive and they always print some pure old good black vinyls for the others. They constantly repress older releases (thus making the older ones more valuable for the collectors...) so they 're always available. The 7x7" pack by Rhythm & Sound's "See Mi Yah" was limited, but was sold at half the normal price and then got re-printed at LP form. On the other hand, I'm not able to find the Deepchord/Echospace 12''s and it's a real shame cause I love their music and I cannot buy anything by them to listen to and play it. Cause it's Limited Edition.

Recently, I heard Jay Haze talking about the Contexterrior project and the rejection of the need for physical existence of the music medium. His ego aside, it's a valid point expressed very well and supported many years by a lot of people. Maybe they're right and surely that's the future. Yet I'm a little old and set in my ways. I am a vinyl junkie. Call me a consumer, if you like. I like to believe I have a right to feed my 'sickness' as long as I want to, without anyone taking advantage of me. I won't store my records in a shit plastic bag and treat them like 'investment'. I wanna be able to enjoy them and play them in front of other people. It seems that soon I'll have to fight for that too.