A compilation from the golden age of french electro techno, also mentioned with some extra info here, summarizing Grenoble's top label Goodlife.
All the usual suspects are here: Kiko, Oxia, The Hacker, Vitalic as Dima, Naughty, Len Faki(*), plus less known but equally gifted artists like Arno Riva & DJ Speep (top 12''), Eric Borgo, Anthony and Evil C & (Dave) The Hustler. A bonus treat comes in the form of a Heinrich Mueller remix on a track from The Hacker.
VA - 2002 GoodLife Vol.1
Part 1 - Part 2
Info here.
There was also a 12'' with the unreleased tracks.
Goodlife Compilation Vol.1
In Synch
So, through the S.A.E. sponsorship we managed to sneak into Synch Festival, undoubtedly the most valid electronic music gathering in Greece, held this year in an old gas factory's premises in downtown Athens (hence the name, Gazi). For info on Plasteline here and here.
The only thing worrying me is that probably I'll play at the same time as Juan Atkins, which is an honor and a pity at the same time (he's the last of Detroit legends I've not yet seen a gig of).
Performing on Friday are old friends: long time co-conspirator Dura and label owner Funkslut, while Thodoris Triantafillou aka one half of Novox and me will play on Sunday, as a closure.
For Athens residents or visitors, we'll be there. Fear & Loathing in Gazi.
The Newest Funky Brutalizm
Some blah-blah coming on, feel free to skip the rambling and scroll down to the beat.
I had the fortune to spend 3-4 months during 1998 in Barcelona, by then the focal spot for urban travelers (and students) in Europe, a petite metropolis without a lot of problems usually associated with such. Supported by their rich heritage, a strong economy and a weird anarcho- nationalistic concept, Catalans lived their life rather easily and in full. 'Downtown' there were lots of bars and clubs where every rising star of the European scene to the last punk was about to visit, supporting a strong and variable local scene as well (especially regarding city's size). Of course, in direct contrast to Berlin's tanz monocultural tendencies, the key word was 'crossover' and bands and DJs alike preffered to mix stuff, each for their own ends (punk + folk, disco + techno, coke + hash, etc.)
Regarding electronic dance music their main influences were the US and France, though by that time Germany had established a strong foothold and the Barcelona-Berlin axis was working overtime (Tresor ruled). As to dance joints I remember Dot and Moog, where everybody passed by from time to time. Musically, Spain thrived on hip hop, house, funk, '80s pop and disco, while electro and techno beats were revered by a specialized Barcelona crowd. Most of the here presented DJs and producers come from this background, so it's no weird thing the way they mix all those elements you'll hear. The city's hedonistic lifestyle combined to their cut & blend aesthetics produced rough diamonds that maybe didn't have the state-of-the-art productions of the northeners or the French, still they had the one thing important to have fun: the Funk.
I stayed until June for the Sonar Festival and got rewarded by seeing for the first time Kraftwerk (well, 2 out of 4), Hell at 7.00AM, Coldcut, Fr. Kevorkian, Aux 88, Jimi Tenor and a lot lot more and I danced my ass off and had a wonderful time in this successful gathering. Which naturally got so big so quickly that a few years later when I visited it again even I was frustrated (though happy in a way that it grew) just from the sheer mass of it, while the locals were keeping away and organized anti-Sonar parties, etc.
Few souvenirs I brought from there back then, I was seriously broke. Some Mills stuff, first Speichers and a few CDs from local labels as So Dens (that released the Sonar compilations), Cosmos and Minifunk. Never regretted the money I spent for these, I played so much some of that stuff for the next years my CDs went off and I had to buy them again. Cosmos Records goes to a housey direction, while Minifunk tries some harder paths.
This one came out a year later and gives a good overview of the Barcelona style of dance music, late '90s era. Foreigners that released in Minifunk (most of them participating here) are Gemini, Tim Baker, Pacou, 20:20 Vision, Mark Ambrose, Steve Bug & Vincenzo as The Discocowboys and my personal favorites Glory B (I have to post their album...). Local stars included are An Der Beat, Loe, Angel Molina, Alex Martin, Groof and a lot more. Check and pick your favorite. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
VA - 1999 The Newest Funky Brutalizm
CD1: Part 1 - Part 2
CD2: Part 1 - Part 2
Info here.
Haven't been to BCN since 2002, I just know it got more and more expensive to live in. By then these labels were rather off, some dropped off, some moved to Berlin and the market focused there.
Fucking Consumer
Erinnerungen eines Psychonauten
Something strictly for the german-speaking, a document by the Man himself, prof. Albert Hofmann, recently deceased (age 102).
Read some stuff for him here and here.
This autobiographical book can be found in English here.
This CD was released in Cologne's Supposé in 2003, a label specialized in spoken word CDs by highly influential personalities and experimental music (a lot of Brinkmann). Here is the label site. Not my rip, but once more I don't remember from where I've got it.
Albert Hofmann - Erinnerungen eines Psychonauten
Von der Entdeckung entheogener Drogen
Here.
Info (in german) here.
Albert Hofmann has been the equivalent of a cultural grandfather for entire generations of people in the west world, whether they know it or not. Rest in peace and thank you for all, Herr Professor, you did a great job.
Elements Of Life
A techno landmark, the first LP from the original line-up of The Advent, that is Cisco Ferreira and Colin McBean aka Mr.G.
Dark and fast and robotic, Detroit- and speed- influenced techno and cold stellar electro dominate musically this release, although subtle dub and funk influences are traceable throughout the whole thing. It influenced deeply the evolution of hard, funky techno during the '90s with blueprint cuts like 'Mad Dog' or 'Bad Boy', still almost every track has a proposition to suggest, from the self explanatory 'It One Jah' to the futuristic 'City Limits'.
Later they released a second LP which was buried by their then label (Internal) and then they splitted. Mr.G moved towards a more soulful house direction, while Ferreira retained the name and founded Kombination Research through which he releases much of his stuff and others as well (*), working for a long time towards an even darker and heavier version of their paradigm when it comes to techno. The level of his productions is always top and he's rightly considered an icon in european techno, leading many festivals, etc., on the other hand I occasionally feel he is repeating himself a little. Of course his Gigolo experiments were interesting, I prefer though his cold dark electro cuts in the occasional Kombination 12''. Lately I sense he's trying to redefine himself, which is always an interesting thing to watch.
It's sad that in none of their personal sites Ferreira and McBean don't link each other, as if they have a grudge or something.
This is an old rip from the 4x12" vinyl version. There is also a remix project for this one (which I haven't managed to find). If anyone is interested in more from The Advent let me know, I have some of the albums.
The Advent - 1995, Elements Of Life 4x12''
Part 1 - Part 2
Info here.
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