Archive for September, 2007

μ-ZIQ: Duntisbourne Abbots Soulmate Devastation Technique (Planet-μ)

David Abravanel on Sep 28th 2007 01:07 pm

μ-Ziq: Duntisbourne Abbots Soulmate Devastation Technique

μ-ZIQ
Duntisbourne Abbots Soulmate Devastation Technique
ZIQ190
Planet-μ 2007
17 Tracks. 59mins58secs

It’s no secret that Mike Paradinas’ alias μ-Ziq has reached legend status in the world of experimental electronic dance music. Even Paradinas himself labels his μ-Ziq work “classic” on the Planet-μ website, and rightfully so. Along with Richard D. James, Luke Vibert, and other luminaries, μ-Ziq’s prodigiously playful releases have guided electronic music through a plethora of different styles, from the ambient techno of 1993’s Tango N’ Vectif to the rapid-fire drill n’ bass of 1997’s Lunatic Harness.

In 2002, Paradinas released Bilious Paths, his first μ-Ziq album on his own label. An exhilarating victory lap, it showed that μ-Ziq could continue to be a relentlessly cutting edge force, while still building upon a classic structure. Continue Reading »

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CANON BLUE: Colonies (Rumraket)

themilkman on Sep 27th 2007 11:32 pm

Canon Blue: Colonies

CANON BLUE
Colonies
RUM010
Rumraket 2007
11 Tracks. 43mins55secs

Signed to Efterklang’s Rumraket imprint, which originally spawned Grizzly Bear, Canon Blue is singer song writer Daniel James. Originally from Virginia, James moved to New Orleans in early 2005 where he found himself playing guitar in a band. However, things soon turned sour and he returned to Virginia, escaping the devastation caused by hurricane Katrina by a couple of weeks. He now lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

James shows a taste for catchy melodies which are then wrapped in distortions, treated guitars, electronics and acoustic instrumentation, which is not without recalling Echoboy or Khonnor. Continue Reading »

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SUPERMAYER: Save The World (Kompakt)

David Abravanel on Sep 26th 2007 12:22 pm

Supermayer: Save The World

SUPERMAYER
Save The World
KOM 164 / KOMPAKT CD 61
Kompakt 2007
13 Tracks. 63mins12secs

Despite its stark minimalist aesthetic, there’s no denying the underlying sense of humor pervading Kompakt releases. Founded by veterans of the Cologne techno scene, its playful song titles, singsong melodies, and oft-eccentric samples suggest that with age comes an almost child-like compositional approach. Additionally, The Orb, the patron saints of techno absurdity, have a slough of characteristically silly releases on Kompakt. The Orb’s eclecticism, infatuation with dub, and willingness to throw out genre boundaries are a likely reference point for the risk-taking and consistently rewarding Save The World. Continue Reading »

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INTERVIEW: EFTERKLANG The Dream Factory

themilkman on Sep 25th 2007 12:19 am

Efterklang: interview

A little over three years ago, a formation answering to the mysterious name of Efterklang and hailing from Denmark appeared with their debut album, Tripper, and rapidly gathered critical acclaim and respect. The re-release of the band’s debut EP, Springer, originally released in 2003, a year before the album, and a limited edition one-sided LP, confirmed the band as one of the most interesting acts to have come out of Denmark. Following the release of the superb Under Giant Trees EP earlier this year, Efterklang return with their second album, Parades, on which they have developed an entirely new approach, more focused on acoustic instrumentation. In this interview, Casper Clausen and Rasmus Stolberg talk about what influences them, how their new album came to life, running their own record label and playing live is like playing football.

Header: line Continue Reading »

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TERRE THAEMLITZ – You? Again? (Mule Electronic)

Max Schaefer on Sep 23rd 2007 11:57 pm

You? Again?

TERRE THAEMLITZ
You? Again?
MULE007CD
Mule Electronic 2007
10 Tracks. 70mins39secs

Writer, DJ and owner of the Comatonse Recordings music label, Terre Thaemlitz has established something of a reputation for restless social activity and focussed artistic intent. Japan-resident Thaemlitz dabbles promiscuously with electroacoustic computer music, deep house and composed works for solo piano, yet despite all of this endless sliding, not to mention the voluminous pseudynms under which he operates, his distance from the respective styles and concentration on seducing the signs themselves animates and organizes much of his data peddling. Continue Reading »

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BLUE STATES: First Steps Into… (Memphis Industries)

themilkman on Sep 21st 2007 01:00 am

Blue States: First Steps Into…

BLUE STATES
First Steps Into…
MI090CD

Memphis
Industries 2007
13 Tracks. 47mins16secs

The history of Blue States has been a much more tumultuous affair than the band’s music. Originally the solo project of Brighton-based Andy Dragazis, Blue States got caught up in the chillout craze of the late nineties with a series of EPs and a debut album, Nothing Changes Under The Sun, released in 2000 on Memphis Industries, which showed a penchant for largely instrumental down tempo compositions and cinematic orchestrations. Determined to prove that Blue States was not just another act on a rapidly fading scene, Dragazis recruited the services of vocalist Ty Bulmer and put together a live band to take his instrumental pop to a new level, with a second album, Man Mountain, released in 2002. Following Bulmer’s departure, Dragazis was joined by Chris Carr (vocals and guitar) and Jon Chandler (durms), and released The Soundings, an album on which the band showed a much more indie pop approach, but tensions developed during the tour that followed and the band eventually imploded. Dragazis went on to produce a handful of records, including the deliciously Spector-driven Pipettes album of last year. Continue Reading »

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ANIMAL COLLECTIVE: Strawberry Jam (Domino Recording Co.)

themilkman on Sep 20th 2007 01:10 pm

Animal Collective: Strawberry Jam

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE
Strawberry Jam
WIGCD199
Domino Recording Co. 2007
09 Tracks. 43mins31secs

Two years after the wonderful Feels, the quartet of Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Geologist and Deacon reconvene on Strawberry Jam, Animal Collective’s seventh album, their first for Domino, and it is very much business as usual. Except that Animal Collective don’t really ‘do’ usual. If they have undoubtedly developed a unique musical style, each one of their albums has seen them go in new directions, taking them from the molecular drones of Spirit They’ve Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished (2000) and the lo-fi of Campfire Songs (2003), to the luxuriance of Here Comes The Indian (2003), the psychedelic brushes of Sung Tongs (2004) and folk grain of Feels. Continue Reading »

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APPARAT: Walls (Shitkatapult)

David Abravanel on Sep 16th 2007 06:19 pm

Apparat: Walls

APPARAT
Walls
STRIKE84
Shitkatapult 2007
13 Tracks. 59mins54secs

As the press release for Walls is prompt to point out, Sascha Ring’s profile has risen rather exponentially in the past year. Most noticeably, there was his acclaimed collaboration with Ellen Allien, Orchestra of Bubbles, a best-of-both-worlds in which Apparat’s crunchy clicks and Allien’s metropolitan house fused to form a release that blurred the lines of pop, techno, house, and even psychedelic music. As Ring noted at the time, working with Allien inspired him to open up – to a more dance-based sound, and even providing his own vocals for the first time, on the exquisitely exhausted Leave Me Alone.

Fresh off letting down his confrontational guard, Apparat here returns with a smorgasbord of different styles – from isolated minimalism to warm techno bangers. Continue Reading »

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MICE PARADE: Mice Parade (Fat-Cat Records)

themilkman on Sep 5th 2007 11:54 pm

Mice Parade: Mice Parade

MICE PARADE
Mice Parade
FATCD63/FATLP63/FATDA63
Fat-Cat Records 2007
09 Tracks. 35mins28secs

Over the years, the music of Mice Parade has gained in lightness and contrast, evolving from post rock to airy pop, with a greater emphasis given to acoustic instruments, vocals and melodies. Yet, the essence of the band is as alive today as it was when New York-based Adam Pierce first appeared as Mice Parade back in 1997. Having moved away from New York to the country where he built his studio and began work on the follow up to 2005’s Bem-Vinda Vontade, Pierce delivers a superb collection of pastoral experimental pop music. Continue Reading »

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LUKE VIBERT: Chicago, Detroit, Redruth (Planet Mu)

themilkman on Sep 4th 2007 12:54 am

Luke Vibert: Chicago, Detroit, Redruth

LUKE VIBERT
Chicago, Detroit, Redruth
ZIQ157
Planet Mu 2007
12 Tracks. 63mins07secs

A true veteran of the UK electronic scene, Luke Vibert has, in the last few years, finally gained the recognition he deserves. His first dispatches saw him go from the ambient textures of his debut album as Wagon Christ to a much more acute and varied sound, infused with hip hop, soul, electro, techno, acid house and drum’n’bass. Distilled under a variety of pseudonyms (Wagon Christ, Plug, Kerrier District, Amen Andrews, Spac Hand Luke to name but a few) these have progressively become the staple diet for his fans. Yet, it took for the man to focus on one of his until-then somewhat overlooked strengths, acid, with his monumental YosepH (Warp, 2003) for the world, or at least electronic followers, to finally take stock and listen. Continue Reading »

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