DEATHPROD The Sound Of Silence
Interview with Helge Sten
Helge Sten, who officiates under the Deathprod, is by far one of the most important musicians of his generation, yet his solo albums have remained largely in the shadow of his work as sound engineer and record producer, and, mostly, his work with avant-garde jazz pioneers Supersilent. To celebrate the release of his new album, Morals & Dogma, his first in eight years, Rune Grammofon have compiled his first two albums, Treetop Drive and Imaginary Songs From Tristan Da Cunha, plus a handful of rare and previously unreleased tracks into a sumptuous four CD boxset, also containing Morals & Dogma. Perhaps one of the most important releases of the last ten years, this boxset gives some perspective on Sten’s solo work, his input into his various other projects and the impact of his approach to sound on the Scandinavian electronic scene. We caught the opportunity to talk to the man about his career, his solo albums, Supersilent and the future of Deathprod.

MIRA CALIX Sticks & Stones
Interview with Chantal Passamonte
Over the course of two albums and a handful of EPs, South-African-born Chantal Passamonte, aka Mira Calix, has developed a unique style, mixing electronic wizardry and found sounds to create compelling little organic vignettes. As Warp Records just released a mini album compiling the original version of her seminal NuNu, a commission from Geneva’s Museum D’Histoire Naturelle, the version of the same piece recorded with the London Sinfonietta during the Ether Festival at the Royal Festival Hall in 2003, and Le Jardin De Barbican, a commission played as part of Helen Chadwick’s first retrospective at London’s Barbican art gallery. With us, Chantal talks about moving from her day job as PR for Warp to being a full time recording artist, working with the London Sinfonietta and playing live.

SI-CUT.DB / POLE Dub Etc...
Live, Spitz, London, 23 September 2004
Both Si-Cut.db and Pole have been rewriting the rules of dub and electronica over the last few years, so it was only logical to have them both play one after the other at the Spitz in East London. Colin Buttimer reports.

DEATHPROD Deathprod
Despite being one of the most highly regarded musicians of his generation, Helge Sten’s first two albums as Deathprod have long been unavailable. They are now collected in one sumptuous boxset together with the man'slatest album and a CD that compiles rare and previously unreleased tracks. There is no more essential release than this.

808 STATE Prebuild
Already responsible for re-releasing 808 State’s seminal first album, Newbuild, five years ago, Rephlex document the early days of acid house and of the band on this essential record.

BRAILLE Partir
There is something child-like about Partir. Braille reads between the lines to dissect found sounds and acoustic components, tear melodies apart and crush rhythmic structures, creating an often disconcerting and disturbing piece of work

MIRA CALIX 3 Commissions
Coming at the end of a very busy year for South-African born Mira Calix, 3 Commissions compiles two versions of her seminal NuNu together with Le Jardin De Barbican, a piece which was played for the reopening of the Barbican art gallery in London.

EFTERKLANG Tripper
Danish formation Efterklang’s first album is at once delicate and emotional and marries electronica with acoustic instrumentation.

KING OF WOOLWORTHS Rediffusion
Jon Brooks revives his King Of Woolworths treasure chest and continues his journey through library music, TV soundtracks and analogue electronics with his third and most accomplished record.

QUANTAZELLE Coaster
Chicago’s premiere lady of electronica Quantazelle crafts an often intriguing and slightly paranoid soundtrack to city life and manages to challenge the mind while remaining utterly accessible.

SAVATH & SAVALAS Mañana
Following the unexpected sweet delicacy that was Apopa’t, the second Savath & Savalas album, Scott Herren, once again with vocalist Eva Puyeulo Muns, returns to his sun-drenched soundscapes.

MATTHEW SHIPP Harmony & Abyss
Matthew Shipp’s latest album represents a significant development from the low-key and slightly too cautious Equilibrium of last year and sees Shipp combining tradition and modernism with brio.

JIMI TENOR Beyond The Stars
Finland’s funk master Jimi Tenor follows up his superb Higher Planes with his eighth album, his second for Berlin-based Kitty-Yo.

THEODORE A Summer She Has Never Been, A Winter She Fears
First album for Greek musician Theodore, A Summer… is a beautifully poetic journey through unusually contrasted musical landscapes.

ASCOLTARE Mutiny In Stereo
WAGON CHRIST Shadows
MILANESE 1 Up