igloomag.com

RICHARD BORGE :: Visual archive

igloomag — Wed, 16 May 2012 04:14:37 +0000

igloomag.com recently got in touch with Richard Borge—being a fan of his unusually organic displays of color, texture and subliminal messages—and in turn what we were able to gather is a snapshot of images spanning over a decade featured in a scrolling image gallery.

INDEED you could easily read Richard Borge’s bio page here—an impressive slice of artistic works for music, film, commercial and video is revealed. Having been in creative mode for several years, Richard has amassed an array of visual perplexity that continues to bypass the norm and inspire and question reality.

Primarily focused on editorial and corporate/advertising illustration and music packaging (imaging and design) and animation/motion graphics, Richard Borge’s vivid images are mind-boggling and timeless in their execution. Not a single detail is missed as each uncannily beautiful life-form is unveiled. Unique symbols, robots, brains, characters and miniature scenes, spatial/nuclear environments and political/societal views are crafted with attention to layer upon layer of definition. Lifelike creatures and characters offer limitless perspectives—as well as open-ended questions—to each pair of eyes.

We recently got in touch with Richard—being a fan of his unusually organic displays of color, texture and subliminal messages—and in turn what we were able to gather is a snapshot of images spanning over a decade featured in a scrolling image gallery.

For more info about Richard Borge, visit his website at richardborge.com.

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Five questions for Enig’matik

igloomag — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:24:53 +0000

“[Enig’matik Records] explores rich soundscapes that often have deep emotional content, bringing music that really shines in a personal environment and invokes past memories with interesting and abstract visions.” Jake (aka Sun In Aquarius and Enig’matik director) connects with igloomag.com’s Five questions.

Enig'matik

Igloo Magazine :: When did Enig’matik Records start up and what was your inspiration?

Jake / Enig’matik:: Enig’matik had its first release just over 12 months ago, with the process leading up to that first release about 6 months in the making. My inspirations came from various spectrums of life and also the music industry in general. I’m lucky enough to call some of the most talented producers in Australia my friends so I knew that I had a good platform of artists to start building a aural portfolio in order to inspire a lot of people and in turn have a solid base to start inviting more internationally based artists to join the collective.

I was inspired at the thought of growing a label and then giving talented up and coming producers a real chance to shine on an international level with some of the worlds finest experimental producers—I didn’t get a whole lot of pleasure self-promoting myself as an artist, as I’m sure most people don’t—so one of my main focuses behind creating a label was to be able to promote other artists music, while in turn having my name in the mix as well. I guess it’s a bit of a guilt-free way for me personally to spend a lot of time promoting, because it s for something I truly believe in and it benefits others in a sense. In my limited experience I also found record labels to be sometimes tedious to work with, mainly for the delay in release time, royalties etc, so I wanted to give myself and fellow artists something we could all agree on together was a fair deal, as a collective.

I also wanted to open up the lines up communication between artists and hopefully spark a collaborative environment that will hopefully see Enig’matik being joined by various film-makers, animators, designers and so forth, which will in-turn grow into a exciting cutting-edge platform for artists to express themselves in new and exciting ways that they previously didn’t have access to.

Igloo :: Who were some of your initial artist relations and did your physical location hinder any progress?

Enig’matik :: Being an artist myself, I had spent the previous year travelling quite a bit to play at festivals and events around the country, slowly meeting all the regular artists that often done the same, I found that they are all some of the most genuine nicest people I had ever met, and their music was incredible, so there was no hesitation in inviting them to be a part of Enig’matik in the first stages of its conception. there’s a select couple of artists that have been with us from the beginning that I truly believe are producing some of the best experimental music in the world, such as Mindtree/Mindbuffer and Auma—so they will alyways remain at the forefront of Enig’matik and I will be pushing and helping them to hopefully end up being signed to some of the worlds most well known labels.

With access to the internet I found physical location is not an issue with a net-label for me personally, I was fairly remotely located from the other artists involved but it didn’t cause any problems, the only thing that was slightly frustrating was slow internet speeds living in a bush environment, but coupled with amazing surroundings I couldn’t really complain.

Igloo :: What were some of the challenges (if any) starting up a label? How did you envision the label to stand apart?

Enig’matik :: Experimental music and in our case the more deeper glitch based end of the spectrum is obviously not as popular as some other forms of electronic music, so there was a challenging aspect in gaining a fan base, this attracted me more than anything though as I have always preferred to steer clear of current social trends and instead forge my own path, so it gives us a chance create our own brand of music with no expectations which I find very exciting, I think we will continue to gain respect as a unique label by showcasing real depth and cutting edge sound design in our releases, Personally I believe more richer detailed music has much greater longevity with listeners finding hidden nuances even years after their first listens, so I feel this will ensure a long life for Enig’matik.

I [also] wanted to open up the lines up communication between artists and hopefully spark a collaborative environment that will hopefully see Enig’matik being joined by various film-makers, animators, designers and so forth, which will in-turn grow into a exciting cutting-edge platform for artists to express themselves in new and exciting ways that they previously didn’t have access to.

Igloo :: What is your motivation in keeping the label moving forward into the next decade?

Enig’matik :: I am never short on motivation and am constantly surrounded by incredible artists pushing boundaries in various forms of media. I have every intention of growing Enig’matik into something which I cannot yet fathom and am very driven. The fact that we are now getting some of the world’s most respected producers like Si Begg and Kilowatts wanting to join our collective without waving money in front of them is enough satisfaction for me to know that we are making waves in the right places. I believe we will continue to earn respect with incredible artists joining our collective for this reason.

Igloo :: Tell us more about how you (and your staff?) take the label’s “sound” to the listeners and fans. Distribution, campaigns, word of mouth etc.

Enig’matik :: I produce music under the alias Sun In Aquarius, which most people associate with liquid sound design. I find this the most satisfying namely due to my upbringing and love of the ocean and all marine life, when I started to focus on writing music more full time it drew me away from the ocean and surfing which was my main focus at the time, so by producing this type of music I find it puts me in a meditative state in the studio which I find extremely similar to surfing and the thought cleansing aspect which comes with it.

Enig’matik’s sound is quite eclectic, we don’t want to put any genre tags on our label, I would prefer most of the output to be unclassifiable and unique to be honest. We explore rich soundscapes that often have deep emotional content, bringing music that really shines in a personal environment and invokes past memories with interesting and abstract visions. With technological advancements coming very regularly there are some amazing new aspects for sound creation and we hope to bring music that exploits these new advances and can really make people stop and listen to some of the awe inspiring creations that can be emitted through frequencies.

In terms of distribution we have started as a net label but we have lots of ideas to expand this into leftfield methods such as mobile apps and some more interesting unique methods which will be revealed soon. I am also touring North America for 3 months in just over a months time to help promote our forthcoming compilation, whilst on the tour I plan on getting some people that will represent our label in key places to ensure our artists can tour over there regularly. Not long after that I will be expanding to other countries such as India, Brazil and Israel to ensure the Enig’matik artists can get a platform and stage for their music that they deserve.

For more information about Enig’matik, visit their website at enigmatiksounds.bandcamp.com or visit facebook.com/enigmatikrecords.

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Crisopa :: Biodance (n5MD)

igloomag — Sat, 12 May 2012 11:29:11 +0000

While its exterior may shed elements of sun-soaked shoegaze balanced perfectly with lively electronics, Biodance is an abundant kaleidoscope of feel-good ear candy that will surely settle on many a top list for 2012..

Crisopa 'Biodance'

n5MD continue their growth into powerful forays of emotion-filled audio extraction—but what’s astounding is when you can physically hear it buried inside the music. Not relying on a specific genre—though you might relate n5′s sound as splinters of ambient and shoegaze, which they excel at—Crisopa segues around these stylistic leanings and progresses more on instrumental sound design that peals away at every turn.

Exuding percussive outbursts, subdued bass, treated vocal swells and rhythmic acrobatics, Biodance is an upbeat masterpiece that merits repeated listening. Direct and open to interpretation, shifting melodies transition among heartfelt harmonies and a dosage of port-royal, Syntaks, Proem and even Telefon Tel Aviv pierce through the mist. Tracks like “Biodance With Me” and “Planets With Lava Oceans” bring with them a renewed sense of mystified electronic beauty. Elsewhere you’ll be hard-pressed to prevent a flood of goosebumps from emerging during “Cosmos Wallclock” (perhaps the most post-shoegaze of the lot) and “White Vacuum.” “Ques Nos Ataquen” rips through a cacophony of intense drumming and smoldering bass as it takes over the entire sound field.

While its exterior may shed elements of sun-soaked shoegaze balanced perfectly with lively electronics, Biodance is an abundant kaleidoscope of feel-good ear candy that will surely settle on many a top list for 2012.

As Santiago-born, Madrid-based Crisopa accurately describes, “Biodance is a system of self-development that uses music, movement and positive feelings to deepen self-awareness.” We wholeheartedly agree.

Biodance is available on n5MD. Buy at n5Mailorder, Amazon, Juno or iTunes.

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Posthuman :: Nebula EP & Remixes (Acroplane)

Andy Gillham — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:25:28 +0000

Continuing a musical style inhabiting acidic sci-fi techno and dark-side Detroit leanings, Posthuman return with the five track Nebula EP on Acroplane plus a follow up remix selection from Datasette, Kirk Degiorgio, Nightwave and Boxcutter (under Planet Mu pseudonym The Host).

Posthuman 'Nebula' & 'Nebula Remixes'

With a discography going back to 2000, a rave CV that covers club nights in disused tube stations, a further club night dedicated to the 303, a variety of record label runnings and a whole host of other shenanigans and one wonders how this busy duo find time to crank out new material.

Continuing a musical style inhabiting acidic sci-fi techno and dark-side Detroit leanings, Posthuman return with the five track Nebula EP on Acroplane plus a follow up remix selection from Datasette, Kirk Degiorgio, Nightwave and Boxcutter (under Planet Mu pseudonym The Host).

Taking in the original EP first and we find “Synapses” pitching dislocated voices against delicious 303 and spacey pad progressions breaking down to an excellent sample culled from Sid Meier’s Alpha Centuri: “I think, and my thoughts crossed the barrier into the synapses of the machine” before we are pulled further in to our deep space excursion. Continuing the theme of man and machine—”Tessier Ashpool” references William Gibson in title and is a properly deep 303, kick, snare and hat work out with clipped voices and subtle desolate planet pads adding to the detached vibe. “Marrus Environ” spits out stepping drums against bleeps and spazmodic acid whilst “Genetic Coder” wonks into spooked deep space territory, adding warped acidic work to a wheezy organ progression. The final title track takes things even deeper with moody samples, a brutalist 303, ponderous strings and dancing 808 snares.

And if that wasn’t enough to whet your aural appetite, the remixes deliver further shadows with Nighwave tearing a fat new break and claps across “Marrus Environ” before thumping things out in 4/4 style. Kirk Degiorgio and Datasette desconstruct “Tessier Ashpool”—the former slowing the tempo a touch with some throbbing early-hours acid techno, the latter messing time and space into a highly effective clunking dub techno shuffler. The Host rounds things off, ripping in to “Marrus Environ” with hyper-fast rolling kicks, mechanoid bleeps, stabs and repetitive vocals guaranteed to scare the neighbors.

Darkside work at its finest, this is an EP best summarized by a continuation of that earlier Alpha Centuri quote: “In my dreams, the sensibility of the machine invades the periphery of my consciousness: dark,
rigid, cold, alien.”

The Nebula EP & Remixes is available on Acroplane.

Buy the Nebula EP at Bandcamp, Amazon, Juno or iTunes.
Buy the Nebula Remixes EP at Bandcamp, Amazon, Juno or iTunes.

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Derek Piotr :: Airing (Bitsquare)

Leigh Bartlam — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:15:15 +0000

Carefully processed, minimal and manipulated layers of various instruments, beats, clicks, field recordings and his own vocals are lowered down from above and slotted together with the delicate precision but contradictory force of an industrial crane, placing steel girders into concrete foundations and often leaving you in the centre his own musical construction site.

Derek Piotr 'Airing'

The “Noise,” “Avant Garde,” “Experimental,” “Glitch” genre (or whatever you want to call it) is a scene that hasn’t really had any “rising stars” in a long time. Not that it’s ever had any “stars,” as such. A better analogy would by akin to a published professor who’s papers are held up as credible benchmark to their chosen science, but are then forever expected to trade off their token “Eureka!” moment so that it may be studied by future generations.

While the 90′s saw a steady rise of highly experimental, minimal soundscaping as electronic music in general exploded throughout the underground, younger new producers have since tended to jump on passing bandwagons rather than truly develop a sound for themselves, or explore (less financially lucrative) experimental terrain. While names like Alva Noto, Sutekh and Matmos found their feet and their profile’s rising around the turn of the millennium, the genre’s true pioneering, post-Musique Concrète chin-strokers of the Mille Plateaux and Thrill Jockey type-camps are very much still the active torch bearers of the scene, and have been largely untroubled over the years by any young whipperesnapper keen to dethrone them. After all, this isn’t dubstep, and is perhaps one of the few corners of electronic music where age and experience really do account for success, and the glossy marketing potential of something newer, younger and perkier simply mean nothing. However, it is somewhat refreshing to notice the development of a genuinely promising emerging young talent within the field, who clearly has a massive “thing” for this niche corner of music; 21 year old Polish-born but Connecticut based Derek Piotr. An artist who in the space of barely five years has gone from bedroom producer to interning for Meredith Monk, producing an entire collaborative project with AGF on 2011′s AGORA album, and attracted the likes of both Scanner and Blevin Blectum to contribute remixes to said album’s remixed counterpart, AGORA Regathered.

Piotr’s approach could easily be summarized as “building” or “sound construction.” Carefully processed, minimal and manipulated layers of various instruments, beats, clicks, field recordings and his own vocals are lowered down from above and slotted together with the delicate precision but contradictory force of an industrial crane, placing steel girders into concrete foundations and often leaving you in the centre his own musical construction site. While at times, as with any “sound artist,” if you’re not in the right frame of mind to focus on this technique, it can often leave you desperate for the plasterers and interior decorators to come in and spruce the place up a bit. But, when approached with a wide imagination and appreciation, standing in the middle of that construction site can really set the imagination alight, and allow you to become your own sonic decorator who can only get to work after really appreciating and working with the foundations beneath their feet. As Derek Piotr proves on his newest effort Airing, he is growing ever closer to wielding that very platform with ease and confidence.

As with any good ‘experimental’ album, there is, of course, a concept. Airing (as in “Air—Ring,” as we’re duly informed) pays homage to the early composers of electro-acoustic music, and explores the relationship between how these opposing elements interact. While that in itself is a pretty standard blurb for nearly all electronic musicians at some point in their career, Piotr’s angle on the subject is greatly narrowed down to “radio waves and bells,” and how mostly chimed or struck instruments (such as bells, croatles and cymbals) weave around the waves of electronically produced sound, with the vision of how such experiments would sound during a vintage midnight shipping broadcast across the airwaves. Despite getting off to a slightly jarring start with the brash and brittle pelt of raw beats and highly dissected vocal cries on “Colossus,” the album duly unfolds and genuinely engrosses at times when the balance between the electronic experimentation and acoustic treatment reach a frequent equilibrium.

Piotr’s usual staple instrument (his voice), which on previous releases has been his own headliner, has been reigned back and only prominently features on just three of the fifteen pieces here. Otherwise it has been selectively woven around most of the other pieces and left to add texture and cohesion where they otherwise would have left their angular corners exposed. “Will Rise (Will Love)” quietly and steadily takes what sounds like a walk down a corridor in hard shoes and drizzles it in a manipulated backdrop of chimes and clicks as Piotr and the girlish vocals of Lisa Ackerly softly duet to eerie effect. While the two following pieces, “Święte Marsz” and “Glass Broadcast,” both fold out the very concept of the album plainly open on the table like a road map. The former taking the bells and chimes into a brief, rhythmic, coma-like state, and the latter washing delicate crunches and insect like clicks through an air of light interference and atmosphere. While there are more than just a handful of these shorter, minimal affairs that lean in either one direction or the other, they tie the collection together neatly and help carry you over the slightly clunkier moments where the scales tip toward the more challenging on the ear, such as on “Islets,” where vocals, chimes and a simple harsher beats are all left to float a little too exposed on the surface of an unsettled, choppy water.

While never allowing the intensity to stray too far, moments such as “Nineweek,” “Marsz Ducha” and the beautiful “Clandestine Spread” with its pizzicato strikes and surprise inclusion of warm violin strokes, are where all elements find themselves working in fluid unison, and give Piotr’s sonic construction site a green, moist and fertile ground. Closing piece “Vehicle” adds another warm pulse to the album, by turning Piotr’s sombre lone-choir into an almost monk like hymn, as the deep bells and distant reverb carries the it along for over six minutes.

Like all truly experimental concept collections, when you’re likely to be in the mood for this kind of body of work is a niche occasion in itself. However, in openly seeking to explore the album when writing this review, I found its generosity to open and unfold apparent with each repeat, and sounds that were previously missed jump out and surprise each time as though you were listening to an entirely new record once again, bar its few rougher moments. Despite his youth, Piotr’s determination and conviction to his cause is admirable and can not once be questioned throughout Airing. Although some of the corners of his angular sonic construction site will likely remain bare and un-plastered for a while yet, he is already making impressive steps forward in allowing the open minds of his listeners to become their own architects on top of his solid, well surveyed and fertile foundations.

Airing is available on Bitsquare. Buy at Amazon or Juno.

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Dub Mentor :: Versions (EnT-T)

Stephen Fruitman — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:10:18 +0000

Dub Mentor’s warm, peeled-down arrangements, comprised of loping drum loops, chocolatey bass and treated field recordings for texture, lend these tunes the intimacy of late-evening jazz.

Dub Mentor 'Versions'

In its pursuit of optimal clarity of sound, Tel Aviv label EnT-T has been compared favourably with ECM. The Manfred Eicher of this operation is Lior Suliman and his handiwork is indeed uncommonly deep and luxurious. Unspectacularity is his secret; whether electronic or man-made, each sound is separated from the next with precision, allowing resonant voices and instruments to focus our minds. As a recording artist, Suliman trades under the great handle Dub Mentor, and Versionsserves as a kind of curriculum vitae, a collection of singles, album tracks and alternatives. It is presented as a six-song, digital EP featuring four bonus tracks on the CD version. Dub Mentor’s warm, peeled-down arrangements, comprised of loping drum loops, chocolatey bass and treated field recordings for texture, lend these tunes the intimacy of late-evening jazz.

On “Johnny,” singer Anna Domino reunites the Civil War-era “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” with its Irish precursor, “Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye.” Accompanied by fife and drum, Domino channels folk icon June Tabor standing alone in a field hung with fog and fresh gunpowder smoke. Her grim, one-woman protest is immediately balanced by the kittenish delivery of Robert Palmer’s “Want You More” by Parisian Jil Caplan, her voice tipped with glockenspiel. “Losing the Will to Survive,” by UK songsmith Findlay Brown, is sung by Suliman’s production partner Tal Weiss and features a sumptuous viola da gamba accompaniment. The album reaches its first peak with Lidwine’s edgy rendition of Tanita Tikaram’s lyrcially hermetic anthem of emotional numbness, “Twist in My Sobriety,” Dub Mentor steadily following her every step with a distinct rimshot.

Accompanied by a steady bass and dubbed melodica, Iris Aneas lisps a bright rendition of “Porque te Vas,” a genuine international cult classic originally recorded in the early seventies by Anglo-Spanish singer Jeannette. “The Crying Game” strips the Brenda Lee country wall of sound down to its bare studs—Caplan’s winsome song, a melodic bass and the clack of wooden claves. Lyrically, then, the girls all seem in a miserable state, but together with Suliman they a craft a compelling six-chapter story out of an unfashionable selection of old pop songs.

The bonus section begins with an abridged, multi-tracked acapella English madrigal by soprano Hila Baggio. It seems an odd entry, especially at only two minutes. It is followed by a mechanical and angular version of Weiss’ debut album title track, “Motion Drawing” that is a bit of a drag, actually. With a tiny bell outringing the voice of a muezzin’s call to prayer, “Being Boiled” (said to be loosely based on an early single by The Human League) is a showcase for percussionist Noa Vax. It’s the only instrumental track but Vax’ kit has a strong, charismatic voice. Finally, “Trouble Comportemental” is a “special” version of a single off another debut album, by French actor-singer edo.

While the EP is thematically and stylistically cut from whole cloth, the bonus section is a bit of a crazy quilt. The link between the two sections is of course Dub Mentor’s distinctive skills, passion through restraint.

Versions is available on EnT-T. Release page—Buy at Bandcamp, Amazon or iTunes.

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Funckarma vs. Onionboy :: Rusty Kokon EP (Shipwrec)

Chris Bolszo — Wed, 09 May 2012 04:27:53 +0000

Funckarma (the Funcken brothers) and Darko Esser’s Onionboy project combine to creatively sinter a four-track compilation and remix EP, (Rusty Kokon) on the Netherland’s Shipwrec label.

Funckarma vs. Onionboy 'Rusty Kokon EP'

Funckarma (the Funcken brothers) and Darko Esser’s Onionboy project combine to creatively sinter a four-track compilation and remix EP, (Rusty Kokon) on the Netherland’s Shipwrec label. Musically, each track is composed or arranged quiet differently in style, facade and genre.

Funckarma’s “Rusty W” builds and unleashes their signature molten wobble-scapes in a dubstep/breakbeat bass-melter. Ever-present is the raw and distorted slurping synth work, gritty metallurgical sound forging, and bouncy bass lows. Vocalized synthesis sets up a bridge submerged in low-end ambience, connecting and maintaining high energy throughout. For the fans, “Rusty W” is complimented with the recognizable Funckarma style stripped and dubbed-out lead. Onionboy’s “Kokon” set forth a melody composed of pristine, crystal clear, far reaching echoes fused with a lullaby type ambience. A change up reveals the tracks stripped down heavy, deep & bouncy bass complimented with funky dubstep percussive progression. The melody wavers in and out with a dreamy, washed out character, which may be described as bright lunar illumination onto dark, cold and crisp textures.

Agreeing with Shipwrec’s description, Onionboy’s “oxidized” rework of “Rusty W” is arranged in a classic 80’s electro structure, creatively interspersing Funckarma’s bleeding synth lines and harmonically rich overdriven stabs as aggressive hooks and breaks. TR style basslines ride central to the track’s dance groove. Maintaining tight sequenced drum programming—the overall fusion works for a creative juxtaposition in periods of modern electronic music, which is very well suited for the dance floor.

Funckarma’s remix of “Kokon” offers a glitched IDM rearrangement; cut, restructured in terms of melody, progression and overall energy. Specifically, the chopped up nature maintains a great melodic character and the withholding or absence of notes, textures and percussion effectively utilizes negative space. Lastly, a good amount of reinterpretation of Onionboy’s sounds were utilized for different sonic affect; sweeps, rises, building of tension and release, as well as breakdowns, working to produce a quite different overall feel to the track. Braindance friendly and recommended!

Rusty Kokon is available on Shipwrec. Buy at Clone.

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Asonat :: Love In Times Of Repetition (n5MD)

Philippe Blache — Wed, 09 May 2012 04:27:34 +0000

A very picturesque musical journey through introverted winter-like soundscapes which deliberately bring to the fore a certain sense of mysteriousness and sentimental brilliance.

Asonat 'Love in Times of Repetition'

[n5Mailorder] Love In Times Of Repetition is the first full-length release of a dream pop / electro ambient duo newly formed by two musicians from Island. This astonishing and deeply moving collection of intimate ambient pieces is an obvious reminiscence to the magnificent minimal-evocative naturalism of Arovane, Arc Lab and Boards of Canada. Despite the presence of this clear musical affiliation, the duo develops and impulses a very unique artistic sensibility, expressing a particular interest for textural pop-ish experimentation largely turned to colorful and splendidly sentimental nuances. The compositions partly include deep vocal qualities. With a certain simplicity and with a constant honesty Loves In Times Of Repetition pushes the boundaries of smoothing ambient electronic thanks to an alchemical mixture between discreet cinematic atmospheres and classic dream-pop spaces within a constant romantic spleen-like flavor. Some chilling moods (“On the Other Side”) come close to the delicious sense of melody expressed by artists such as Bjork, Soap and Skin. A few silky-floating dronescapes create an unique sense of space. With their aerial and beautifully calm electro rhythmical grooves, pieces such as “Forgotten,” “Love In Times of Repetition” and “We have come so far again” unintentionally remind the beautifully touching musical sensibility of Flutterspot, Fieldtriqp, Biosphere and Myers Briggs.

A very picturesque musical journey through introverted winter-like soundscapes which deliberately bring to the fore a certain sense of mysteriousness and sentimental brilliance. Inspired and fragile ambient pieces largely recommended for dreaming time and reflective moments.

Love In Times Of Repetition is available on n5MD. Buy at n5Mailorder, Juno, Amazon or iTunes.

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(val)Liam :: Dissolving Archetypes (Beats & Pieces)

igloomag — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:00:05 +0000

Surpassing the limited confines of classification, Dissolving Archetypes bubbles in a mist of soothing percussive textures, tranquil atmospheric notes and wilting melodic layers.

(val)Liam 'Dissolving Archetypes'

It’s inevitable that a series of adjectives will likely embed themselves in reviews of Dissolving Archetypes, (val)Liam’s third album released on Israel-based Beats & Pieces. Chill, downtempo, ambient, electronica and dub immediately come to mind as a catch-all frequently used to encapsulate this type of sound. Canadian composer Liam Skogland justifies these genres with swift delivery of simple, refreshing and direct rhythmic formations. Surpassing the limited confines of classification, Dissolving Archetypes bubbles in a mist of soothing percussive textures, tranquil atmospheric notes and wilting melodic layers.

Without delving into the plethora of individual mutations exuded within, time stands still as if subliminally placed into a comforting state of flux. However soothing each track appears, they ebb and flow like a calming breeze in the midnight hour. Though delicately covered in a thick fog hinting at technoid shapes, Dissolving Archetypes feels more therapeutic above all else—a sort of prescription for healing.

Transmitting softened loops that migrate into patches of warm data, (val)Liam details these sonic explorations as a road-map to the subconsciousness—a non-obtrusive gem meandering through classical constructs and heartfelt pulsars. Listen, consume, reflect and take note—Dissolving Archetypes is simply an audible stress reliever.

Dissolving Archetypes is available on Beats & Pieces. Buy at Bandcamp, Juno, Amazon, iTunes.

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Photophob :: Wasteland Vibes (Laridae)

Gustave Savy — Tue, 08 May 2012 03:37:42 +0000

Photophob has got a very deep, dark and densely textured sound going on with hints of apocalyptic dubstep, shoegaze and industrial influences. Thick rasping basses sear through oppressive textures like missiles across the sky of a city razed to the ground.

Photophob 'Wasteland Vibes'

Photophob has got a very German sound going on. He’s Austrian, but I don’t really mean German as in specifically coming from Germany, it just has a vibe to it that I associate with German (and maybe Dutch) speaking countries. This sounds all wrong—I’m not making some generic racial stereotype categorization with that comment, but more of a reference to Germany as the birthplace of electronic music thanks to the famous Cologne studio. Not that I want to stir up the old Musique concréte vs Elektronische Musik debate! Germany has traditionally been the home to some of the more heavy, dense and outright scary types of electronic music over the years, from Stockhausen to Kraftwerk to the techno artists who carved out their own area of the genre. Maybe the German reference was a poor one, let’s leave it at ‘Photophob has got a very deep, dark and densely textured sound going on with hints of apocalyptic dubstep, shoegaze and industrial influences’. Thick rasping basses sear through oppressive textures like missiles across the sky of a city razed to the ground. Oh right, I get it now—Wasteland Vibes. That’s exactly what it sounds like.

This is a pretty angry sounding release. The whole thing seems to growl and snarl from the swirling beds of sonic texture. It reminds me of Hecq, Mobthrow and Niveau Zero, all of whom, coincidentally, have released on the Ad Noiseam label. In fact, this feels very much like something from the Ad Noiseam stable, which can only be a good thing.

For those who like their dubstep/bass vibes heavy, intricate and verging on industrial, this is for you. If you want to imagine a world that has been ravaged by global war, leaving nothing but the half demolished remnants of reinforced concrete buildings for the surviving humans to exist in caveman-like tribes, this is definitely for you.

Wasteland Vibes is available on Laridae. [Release page]

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Bob Chance & Suns of Arqa :: Double review (Emotional Rescue & Emotional Response)

Robbie Geoghegan — Tue, 08 May 2012 03:36:34 +0000

This is but a small sample of a fledgling label. Bob Chance rings with intensity and grit, a precursor of a sound that would be taken up by EBM and New Beat. Suns of Arqa comes from a different tradition, that of disco, dub and spiraling sounds.

Emotional Rescue & Emotional Response

Despite the grim economic forecasts there are some foolhardy folk starting up labels. From London comes not just one, but two new imprints. Emotional Response and Emotional Rescue are two sides of the same coin. After just opening the doors, the double edged label has a spread of re-issues and new releases on its books. But, here’s what’s made it to vinyl so far.

The first record hanging up in the Emotional Rescue shop is Bob Chance and Wild It’s Broken. The record first came out in 1973, a piece of psyched out rock funk. The track is a prototype. There’s aspects of punk rooted in its guttural expulsions, touches of synth wave coming through in its quirkiness and definite experimentation running throughout. The original rumbles with some great analogue stabs and movements, with the TP version pulsing with a grittier D.I.Y. aspect.

Suns of Arqa follow with a descent into reggae disco cosmology. “Anata Snake Dance” is a hypnotizing piece of tripped tribalism. Wind, string and beat weaving together in a smoke filled starter. An edit of “Brujo Magic” enters next. The piece sounds like Loud-E has gotten his hand to it. The beats are bolstered as the piece gets an immersed disco injection.

This is but a small sample of a fledgling label. Bob Chance rings with intensity and grit, a precursor of a sound that would be taken up by EBM and New Beat. Suns of Arqa comes from a different tradition, that of disco, dub and spiraling sounds. Across the two imprints a spread of interesting excursions are mapped, such as Steve Summers cinematic score as Alan Hurst on Emotional Response for one will get tongues wagging. So far, a couple of cuts of the past have been revived and dipped once again in the wax. The doors cracked open, just a few inches, and an immediate flood of vintage obscurity has poured forth. Wait a bit longer and a deluge of quality seems guaranteed. Emotional Rescue and Emotional Response—two exciting new imprints.

Both releases are available on Emotional Rescue and Emotional Response.

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Five questions for RecordLabelRecords

igloomag — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:27:43 +0000

RecordLabelRecords‘ own Robbie Martin (aka Fluorescent Grey) takes the Five questions spotlight to new levels with an in-depth historical overview of the label and its spawning. Central RLR theme’s generally hover around “layers of custom-cut sounds, derailed electronics, distorted audio warfare and a virtual smorgasbord of unique electro-acoustic fragments.”

Igloo Magazine :: When did RecordLabelRecords start up and what was your inspiration?

Robbie Martin (RLR) :: RecordLabelRecords technically started back in 1996, as a pseudo umbrella ‘label’ for a self-released track rap parody album I made with a friend riffing off of Coil’s Scatology. At the time, I was trying to discover all this weird music using AOL, pre web browsing, mailing lists and usenet (alt.noise, rec.music.ambient). I then met Kush Arora by typing in ‘noise’ into the music genre profile search in AOL and we struck up a friendship after I discovered that he lived 20 minutes away (and still lived with his parents and was in high school as was I).

I think the Coil mailing list itself was probably the way I discovered most of the music I grew to love like Scorn and Autechre. Brainwashed was just starting up at that time, but by the end of my ‘tenure’ on the list (after the rap parody and my friend and I trolling the list under different aliases), I had already burned several bridges including that of the guy who runs Brainwashed and who ran the old Coil list (who still won’t talk to me 15 years later). I will admit I was a cocky 17 year old who lived in a suburban town where I was the only person my age within a ten mile radius who had heard of these obscure musicians. From Coil’s association with Nurse with Wound, Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV I had fallen in love with their jarring and psychedelic sounds. Aside from being a chin scratching elitist who didn’t care to have many friends in my home town, I was what most people would describe as straight edge. I had never smoked weed, nor cigarettes, hadn’t done acid, mushrooms or even alcohol. Music like Coil vs Elph Worship the Glitch put me into states that made me feel outside of myself; lying on my bed with headphones, I was constantly listening to this type of music fully sober and by myself. It wasn’t until I did psychedelic drugs for the first time in my twenties when I realized “Oh yeah, this is why this album is called Love’s Secret Domain.” My inspiration overall came from my adoration of the ‘post industrial’ wellspring of creative dark electronic / raw / electro-acoustic / idm music that seemed to have peaked in the mid 90’s. I feel like that aesthetic approach, even if it’s packaged in more modern advertising style branding *now*, its essence is making a big comeback in 2012 and that’s really encouraging to see.

Igloo :: Who were some of your initial artist relations and did your location help or hinder progress?

(RLR) :: My location did both; I grew up in a town where the only music scene for young people was Christian punk. It was only after meeting local experimental artists like Moe Statiano (who at the time was like a local one man band version of Einsturzende Neubauten) and the folks at Ovenguard Records in Berkeley like Chris Stecker and Erik Gallun (whom I met through Kush after they bought his noise tape at Ameoba called Too Pissed to Masturbate) did I really feel connected to any sort of artistic community in the San Francisco bay area. Living in Pleasanton I didn’t venture out to San Francisco, Oakland or Berkeley very much but over time I started to break out of my anti-social shell a little; I was still very young compared to most of the other performers I would play with, so I always had this “out of place feeling.” Almost every show I attended or performed at back then the average attendee’s age was 35, unlike today where noise and experimental shows seem to attract a lot of young people; back then it wasn’t like that at all. At some point shortly after I fell out of the music scene for a while, started ingesting psychedelics regularly and got really into some generic and some really good psychedelic electronic music. Tetsu Inoue gave me some of the best trips. I smoked DMT for the first time while listening to Elevator Drops from World Receiver. I got really into Plastikman, especially Consumed. My DXM/ketamine trips were dominated by 1 hour long techno songs like Fax Records’ “Alien Community.”

The spirit of true industrial music is making a comeback and I think it’s a perfect time to show people that RecordLabelRecords has been there all along; we were just waiting for music fans to come back.

Ben, the free-style rapper who I made Scatology with, I also met on the internet. We met on the Coil list coincidentally and he happened to be my age and lived only 15 minutes away. Both he and I shared an affinity for ridiculing the artsy fartsy self indulgent aspect of a lot of the experimental music scene. I’m sure anyone who’s seen Portlandia and who’s been to a “not very good ‘experimental music show” can appreciate what I’m talking about. He’s partly the reason I got into psychedelics, or I should say his love for Coil’s tales about psychedelics got us into psychedelics. I discovered Soulseek as I was attending audio engineering school, used it to proliferate my own tunes, and met Oliver aka Tomoroh Hidari by trying to pass some fake Matmos tracks to him. He immediately caught on that they were fake and said something like “this isn’t Matmos, but it is interesting,” and after admitting to him it was my own music, he took many hours to walk me through via online chat how to master my album—a really helpful, nice dude.

Igloo :: What were some of the challenges (if any) starting up a label? …and how did you envision the label to stand apart?

(RLR) :: After getting back into music again, and only having RecordLabelRecords as a part time hobby limited edition cassette and CDR label, I decided to rethink the direction and I envisioned something more cohesive that would try to inspire other people to break outside of the ‘electronic music’ or the ‘experimental music’ paradigm but still heavily playing into the best aspects of each ethos. I wasn’t sure if my heart would be more into running a label
or releasing my own music as Fluorescent Grey, so I sent around a demo of my first album Lying on the Floor to several labels, some in Europe, some in the US (one of which was suggested to me by Oliver, Isolate Records) and Canada. Only one person responded, Wai Cheng who ran Isolate Records. He didn’t bother emailing me first, I just remember getting a phone call from this guy who seemed like he didn’t like talking on the phone but seemed very intent on releasing my demo and was extremely interested in what I do and in my process. I was resistant to just releasing what I sent him but he wouldn’t settle for anything less. So I relented and waited 7 months or so for it to come out. During this time he introduced me to the guys in Nommo Ogo who lived out in Oakland and who I much later became good friends with. When the album finally came out, Wai invited me out to his home in Brooklyn, New York for a month long East Coast tour. I learned a lot from Wai about what channels of independent distribution would be the most receptive, and an organized way of doing promotional mailings, touring do’s and don’ts.

Around 2 months after my stay in Brooklyn, suddenly and tragically Wai Cheng died while in Europe visiting some of the other Isolate Records artists. It was a shock for me because I was just getting to know Wai really well and spent time with his mom and dad. Wai’s parents were some of the most supportive and loving I have ever met. Wei’s parents, though seemingly very traditionally Chinese, were funny; his mom would tell us stories about having to hand assemble the packaging to Venetian Snares limited vinyl release Shit Fuckers and she made a point to make sure we heard her say the title loud and clear! Oddly enough, Wai had been in the bay area for almost the whole time I was involved in the scene but we never crossed paths until 12 years later (when he called me on the phone). Through the next few months after things settled down emotionally for me I found a lot of camaraderie, love and passion among people that Wai knew in the San Francisco bay musical world, like-minded folks from Katabatik, Spaz, 5lowershop. These relationships brought about a positive transition for RecordLabelRecords and for myself in life

Igloo :: What is your motivation in keeping the label moving forward?

(RLR) :: I’ve wavered many times in the past about keeping the label going, but right now I feel more motivated than ever before. The spirit of true industrial music is making a comeback and I think it’s a perfect time to show people that RecordLabelRecords has been there all along; we were just waiting for music fans to come back. As a label I have a lot of future plans in the works. I have some interesting re-issue projects on the table right now; the rights have not yet been negotiated but your readers will definitely recognize two of the artists. Pakistani qwalli master Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s nephew has some video we may release on DVD of street performances he did.

Igloo :: Tell us more about how you (and your staff?) take the label’s “sound” to the listeners and fans. Distribution, campaigns, word of mouth etc.

(RLR) :: Online information gathering was something I learned early on; I’ve been collecting mailing contacts from across the world since the mid 90’s for tape trades, radio stations, zines. Now it’s moved to blogs, podcasts, print magazines and newspapers. I wasn’t always the best about spreading things literally word of mouth, unless you count internet chatting. I can understand why other record labels have stayed off the digital grid, but we aren’t opposed to it. I do like making very limited edition runs of vinyl, and soon we will be doing only vinyl and cassette. No more glass mastered duplicated CD’s after the Thomas Dimuzio / Voice of Eye split. I personally enjoy CD’s, but practically everyone I know has stopped buying new CD’s. Physical distribution is an uphill battle for us sometimes because our label can’t be pinned down to a sub genre or a spread of sub genres. A lot of our stuff crosses over so we have many different distributors carrying different titles (one distro might only carry our noise or ambient stuff, another only our beat oriented stuff) at any time. Doing the compilations of Electric Carpets and Drinking the Goat’s Blood gave people the opportunity to hear the whole spectrum of what we do. We also wouldn’t have been able to reach our fans without like-minded supportive people like your staff here at igloomag.com.

For more information about Record Label Records, visit their website at www.recordlabelrecords.org.

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Zygote :: 00/10 (Architects + Heroes)

igloomag — Sun, 06 May 2012 17:00:25 +0000

What’s been excavated on 00/10 are microscopic fractures of armchair electronics—sprinkles of chimes, pulses, acid, bass, clunks and textured synth noise falls from every edge.

Zygote '00/10'

[Bandcamp] A collection of untitled tracks has been packaged up from Southern California’s busy Architects + Heroes‘ main detailer Stephen Ruiz (aka Zygote). After having combed through several hours of DAT’s, thumb drives and dusty CD’s, this retrospective gleans upon sparks created over the last decade. Each sonic window has been wiped clean of its title in order to facilitate a seamless bundle of bits, bytes and brass tacks.

The Zygote project was initially conceived during the laptop techno days of Kit Clayton, Kid606, Cex and Sutekh (to name just a few) and is infused with these experimental roots. What’s been excavated on 00/10 are microscopic fractures of armchair electronics—sprinkles of chimes, pulses, acid, bass, clunks and textured synth noise falls from every edge. Not overtly constructed nor subtly manipulated, the introductory pieces slip by almost invisibly and are broken up via analog noodling which makes room for the larger sounding distortions of its closing entities.

Hinting at the early 00′s sound of imprints like Neo Ouija, City Centre Offices, Merck and n5MD, 00/10 carefully unfolds and spotlights a grip of genre-bending techniques. From twisted electronics to minute ambient slivers, Zygote exhibits skewed soundscapes—both minimized and maximized—that alters the inner consciousness. And while several others might have branched off from similar explorations of sound collage, Zygote seems content in re-sculpting his varied signature and unleashing them at a name your price download fee. These sonic architects running the A+H stable have kept a steady stream of releases afloat and 00/10 marks the hopeful reemergence of Zygote’s newer audio works.

oo/10 is available on Architects + Heroes. Download at Bandcamp.

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Chris Moss Acid :: Bay of Cadiz (030303)

Robbie Geoghegan — Sun, 06 May 2012 04:59:58 +0000

It was never too clear what Bay of Cadiz was going to be about. There was a chance of 303 bedlam, a chance of house pastiche. Instead Moss Acid delivers a measured and modern sound using the vintage acid box. There’s a definite slice of AFX to the sound.

Chris Moss Acid 'Bay of Cadiz'

It seems that wherever you turn these days there’s a 303. The second coming of the Windy City sound has doled out a feast for the acid enthusiast. The infamous Roland box was never just reserved for house, with techno employing its squalid liquid sounds for years. One label hooked on the machine, and its sound, is the eponymous 030303. The acid addicted imprint returns with Chris Moss Acid of Mathematics fame. Mr Moss Acid has been dishing up a myriad of digital tracks, but comes back to vinyl for Bay of Cadiz.

The title track opens. If you were expecting a floor punch, think again. “Bay of Cadiz” is considered and soulful introduction of lengthy proportions. Moments of Chicago and Detroit are present, but the track comes to you from a Rephlex tradition, specifically the Analord material. Measured and rich, an epic work of 101s, 303s and 707 beats. The flip sees a triumvirate start with “Lynchett Matravers.” Bass and claps are out in force for this rumbling acid menace; the stomper of the EP. “The Big Freeze” draws back the terror, leading the listener into a warm restful place of gently tweaked electronics. The finale, “The Rhythm,” returns the intensity. A lumbering and powerful bass runs alongside solid beats with a shimmering backdrop. A cracker to end on.

It was never too clear what Bay of Cadiz was going to be about. There was a chance of 303 bedlam, a chance of house pastiche. Instead Moss Acid delivers a measured and modern sound using the vintage acid box. There’s a definite slice of AFX to the sound. For a more contemporary comparison you might turn to fellow 030303er EOD or Lunar Disko’s Automatic Tasty. Whatever way you look at it, Bay of Cadiz is a clever and cerebral EP from an artist who will hopefully find his way onto more vinyl. A quality return to the preferred format.

Bay of Cadiz is available on 030303. Buy at iTunes, Amazon, Juno or Clone.

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Nimh :: This Crying Era (Synästhesie Schallplatten)

Philippe Blache — Sat, 05 May 2012 23:22:12 +0000

This Crying Era is a gorgeously cinematic and ominously bewitching album that will ravish fans of the most uncompromising facet of the dark ambient genre (masterful works from Lustmord, Raison d’être, Never Known…). Absolutely recommended for beginners in Nimh’s dark ambient and mystical droning minimalism.

Nimh 'This Crying Era'

Nimh is an avant-garde deep ambient industrial electronic project formed by the multi-instrumentalist and sound designer Giuseppe Verticchio. Nimh has evolved on the territories of truly ecstatic-drone ambient music since the 90s with a vast catalogue of releases published on various independent labels such as Afe, Silentes, Eibon Records. Within a much more sonic industrial direction, Nimh has published complex, intricate releases in collaboration with pioneers of electronic-noise music (Mauthausen Orchestra, Maurizio Bianchi). After a series of innovative releases (The Missing Tapes, Travel Diary etc.) which admit self-reflexive use of acoustic instruments and turned to ethno-ritual droning music, Nimh is back from the roots of blackened ambient music.

This Crying Era clearly announces the color with psycho-acoustic and deeply moving dark ambiences in a pure classy sounding form. This LP provides a stunning assemblage of rumbling drones, ghostly like melodic textures, background noises. A sweeping dark melancholia and an isolationist splendor prevail all along the album. The droning aesthetism seems to be focused on doomscape laments and frozen- neurotic sounds. The albums starts with the otherworldly and metaphysical “Crying Era,” an atmospheric epic tune which slowly emerges from a charged catalogue of bleak electronic noises. The leading melodious theme provides hauntingly mysterious and beautiful eerie lines taken from processed piano textures. An incredible touching and languid piece which carries on the more conceptual, cinematic but still deeply immersive “Streets of Teheran.” This soundscape features environmental sound geologies, acousmatic-drone metallic sequences. Typical sound realms followed by Nimh in the latest releases. “The Thadandar’s Room” is a breathtaking and amazingly oppressive ambience made of sustained buzzing phrases and resonating bleak interferences. A mesmeric dronescaping synthesized piece. The Side B provides burgeoning droney-aesthetic sound tapestries, made of harsh noises, doom-like ambiences and sinister guitar vibes. Very reminiscent to Giuseppe Verticchio’s collaborative works with Andrea Marutti (notably the first release of Hall of Mirrors entitled Reflections on Black).

This Crying Era is a gorgeously cinematic and ominously bewitching album that will ravish fans of the most uncompromising facet of the dark ambient genre (masterful works from Lustmord, Raison d’être, Never Known…). Absolutely recommended for beginners in Nimh’s dark ambient and mystical droning minimalism.

This Crying Era is available on Synästhesie Schallplatten.

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Mirt :: Artificial Field Recordings (Cat Sun)

Stephen Fruitman — Sat, 05 May 2012 22:59:17 +0000

His sound has the aural texture of a daguerreotype, the mid-nineteenth century photographic process that makes every nuance, every pore so sharp and visible, though eerily, silvery. The trumpet he plays is a very wise choice as it adds some carnal juice. Wooden rhythms, fizzling wires, springs and flywheels and dub echoes bouncing off bare concrete.

Mirt 'Artificial Field Recordings'

A bundle of documents unearthed from the stacks of an archive hardly anyone visits anymore, its folder fusty, foxed and frangible, containing writing almost effaced from its loose leaves, a few sketches of some world H. G. Wells got started on but abandoned.

Mirt wants his places to be half-lit and indistinct. And yet, as intended, Artificial Field Recordings immediately draws you in deep. Seven untitled (of course) pieces, made mostly with synthesizers, guitar and a Wurlitzer piano by Polish ambienteer Tomek Mirt. His sound has the aural texture of a daguerreotype, the mid-nineteenth century photographic process that makes every nuance, every pore so sharp and visible, though eerily, silvery. The trumpet he plays is a very wise choice as it adds some carnal juice. Wooden rhythms, fizzling wires, springs and flywheels and dub echoes bouncing off bare concrete.

All the more effective for being vague and suggestive, a subtle variation to the genre of imaginary landscaping. It is populated, but with evasive figures who quickly disappear around corners. A hollow city, a Wonderland you can only reach by falling into the wrong rabbit hole. Left incomplete, it takes no definitive form, although the fifth track has an Ennio Morricone twang, the only track with any kind of melody.

Mirt states that he “wanted to create a small space detached from reality, but made of its fragments” and has succeeded in making a stimulating, innovative sound indebted to no predecessor, conjuring up an anti-Eden that is neither dark nor light but dim and faded.

Artificial Field Recordings is available on Cat Sun. Release page.

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Axxess :: Novels for the Moon (Medical)

Robbie Geoghegan — Sat, 05 May 2012 22:38:40 +0000

The album is pure synthesizer, from beginning to end. Mimran takes Barhardt’s machine and test drives it to the limit. Melodies are poured from one speaker to another, counter rhythms rushing forth and accelerating past tapered beats. Axxess traverses a gamut of sounds, cornering ambience whilst pursuing a new electronic destination.

Axxess 'Novels for the Moon'

[Buy at Amazon] You’ve got to keep your ear to the ground when it comes to records. Blink and you could easily miss something. So peelers wide and ears open for the latest from Seattle’s Medical Records. The imprint has once more dived below and retrieved not only a forgotten gem from the depths, but a wonderful back story to accompany it. In 1983 French multimedia artist Patrick Mimran aka Axxess released Novels for the Moon on his Lamborghini Records. Mirmran’s label appellation was inspired by his day job, being co-director of Lamborghini Motors. It is from such a grand background that Mimran’s LP comes. The Lamborghini man was inspired by the electronic pioneers of Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk and Karl Schluze. But Mimran didn’t emulate the sounds of the greats like most others, cobbling together a synth by mail order. No, Mimran decided to develop his sound like the Head of a supercar company would. Mimran commissioned the German engineer Andreas Barhardt to create a custom-built synthesizer. Barhardt had previously built synths for Peter Baumann of Tangerine Dream. Eventually 16 voice analogue synthesizer was created by Barhardt’s hand for Mimran’s use. Now armed with his artisan analogue box, Mimran was ready to get down some tracks.

“When The Lips Fly High” gets things under-way in fine form. A merging of terse movements and polyphonic sounds blend to produce a wonderful opening. From the get go the Axxess taps are open, releasing a veritable flood of analogue music. Aspects of rock are in here, elements of pop and outright experimentation; all served up through Barhardt’s synth. The machine is torn into by Mimran, from the arpeggio medleys of “Twilight Ride” and beyond. Some of the material has parallels to the work of S.C.D. or even some of Sauveur Mallia’s material. Other pieces, such as the ephemeral “Sad Blue and I” are straight off the Tangerine Dream shelf. You’re never too sure where Mimran is going to lead you, from the sample heavy jungle of “Owls” to the soft reverberations of “Traditional Moon Dance.” The abstract sounds of the record are not mysterious drone or subterranean silence, instead they involve Mimran having something of a jamming session on his machine. Melodies rise and fall, tripping over one another in a clean yet frenetic manner, as in “Kissing the Desert Ghost.” From time to time the album takes on a soundtrack aspect, such as the synthesizer ingenuity of “Dancing Shadows” which coaxes a range of ideas and emotions from the electric chords. A disco column supports the album, but its influence comes to a head in specific pieces like “Pages.” There is a playfulness that runs throughout. Mimran seems like a child in a Moog shop, running out a buffet of melodies with Western and Eastern influences. Other pieces border the realms of C64 themes, the polyphonic machine giving a complexity to the familiar 8bit pieces. Axxess saves one of the best for last, the lengthier “Flying Rabbit” with its rolls of analogue sound and quirky flurries.

The album is pure synthesizer, from beginning to end. Mimran takes Barhardt’s machine and test drives it to the limit. Melodies are poured from one speaker to another, counter rhythms rushing forth and accelerating past tapered beats. Axxess traverses a gamut of sounds, cornering ambience whilst pursuing a new electronic destination. The record feels like a precursor of artists like Skanfrom and labels like Astro Chicken. The album is truly an awesome feat, with a back story that only adds to the musical accomplishment. Medical Records hitting the obscure target once again.

Novels for the Moon is available on Medical. Buy at Medical or Amazon.

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SYNCRATICA Mix by missaw of The Centrifuge

igloomag — Sat, 05 May 2012 19:59:36 +0000

“Syncratica” is a mix compiled from tracks featured on The Centrifuge‘s 5th Anniversary Compilation, produced by missaw in London—April 2012.

The Centrifuge :: Cutting edge live electronic and electro-acoustic music, audiovisual installations, music PR & consultancy and lecture / seminar sessions.

Tracklist ::
—Yellow Then Blue :: “Big Dipper”
—Eraserhead :: “Cusp”
—Rival Consoles :: “sebastian”
—vaetxh :: “Resonant Bridge”
—Gareth Clarke :: “Folie A Deux”
—Lodsb :: “Cyan”
—Point B :: “Fen”
—Roel Funcken :: “Gallice”
—Eutechnik :: “Alex Makes It Good”
—Soundex Phonetic :: “Celestial Navigator”
—TCO :: “Errors And Fatality”
—Prima Mater :: “Eternities (Remix of Carl Brown)”
—Sense :: “The World Is Yours”

Download this mix here!

Events & Label | Management & Booking Agency | Supernatant Laboratories Seminar Programme

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COMMUNIKEY FESTIVAL 2012 :: Visual Archive

Thomas Fang — Sat, 05 May 2012 19:45:50 +0000

This gallery features photographs from the fifth year of Communikey Festival, held in Boulder, Colorado. The festival took place in a dozen venues, including Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder Theater, Naropa University, Odd Fellows Lodge, and ATLAS Institute at the University of Colorado.

[April 25—29, 2012] The Communikey Festival focuses on electronic music, including a wide variety of styles ranging from ambient and experimental to techno and psychedelic dub. Performers were selected from around the world, curatorial quality was high, and overall the event resembles a smaller version of Decibel or Mutek. Film screenings, workshops, lectures, and art installations supplemented the music, and the festival heavily valued community involvement and environmental responsibility, not just entertainment. Laurie Anderson headlined with a performance incorporating spoken word, music, and visual projections. Modular synth pioneer Morton Subotnick presented a new live reimagining of his classic 1967 album, Silver Apples of the Moon, with visual projections by Germany’s Lillevan. Dark ambient legends Biosphere (from Norway) and Lustmord (UK/US) unveiled a new collaboration entitled Trinity, referencing the first detonation of a nuclear weapon in 1945. Pictured in this visual archive: Laurie Anderson, Lesley Flanigan, Morton Subotnick, Zammuto, Nils Frahm, Jacaszek, Radere, Nathan Wheeler, Offthesky, Biosphere, Lustmord, Pole, Peaking Lights and Sun Araw.

For more information about Communikey, visit their website at communikey.us.

Communikey 2012
Laurie Anderson
Laurie Anderson
Morton Subotnick lecture
Lesley Flanigan
Lesley Flanigan
Lesley Flanigan
Morton Subotnick with visuals by Lillevan
Morton Sobotnick with visuals by Lillevan
Buchla system 200e
Zammuto
Nils Frahm
Nils Frahm
Jacaszek
Jacaszek
Radere
Nathan Wheeler
Offthesky
Biosphere
Lustmord
Lustmord and Biosphere
Pole
Pole
SP4C3CR4FT installation by Jason Rogenes
Peaking Lights
Sun Araw

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SYNC 24 :: Cultivated Electronics Promo Mix

igloomag — Sat, 05 May 2012 01:45:23 +0000

New Cultivated Electronics promo mix from CE label head Sync 24 for Igloo Magazine, May 2012.

Tracklist ::
—Sonar Base :: “The Journey Home” (CE010)
—Scape One :: “Time Falls” (CE008)
—Morphology :: “Tangent Spaces” (CE009)
—Scape One :: “Potent Mutagen” (CE008)
—Morphology :: “Information Paradox” (CE009)
—Boris Divider :: “Primary Functions” (CE011)
—Sonar Base :: “The Swarm” (CE010)
—Sync 24 & Deixis :: “Who Knows” (forthcoming)
—Morphology :: “Information Paradox (Sync 24 Remix)” (CE008)
—Sync 24 & Deixis :: “Ah Ah Ah” (forthcoming)
—The Exaltics :: “Ten Days” (CE012)
—Sonar Base :: “The Deadly Storms of Uranus” (CE010)
—Sync 24 :: “Where This” (forthcoming)
—Scape One :: “Time Falls (Dynarec Remix)” (CE008)
—Scape One :: “Substorm (Sync 24 Remix)” (CE008)
—Sonar Base :: “The Deadly Storms of Uranus – (Sync 24 Remix)” (CE010)

Buy Cultivated Electronics releases at Juno Records or Juno Download.

Download this mix here!

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Seetyca :: Bleakscapes (Essentia Mundi)

Stephen Fruitman — Fri, 04 May 2012 05:09:54 +0000

The pieces Seetyca calls Bleakscapes are not grey and barren, they are near impenetrably inky black and evoke scary amounts of space far away from where we are. The only ripples in the fabric are radio signals heading even further off and some static circling the drain of a black hole.

Seetyca 'Bleakscapes'

German dark ambient artist Seetyca has apparently released some eighty solo albums and collaborations, but the present reviewer only ever encountered him before on the impressive Nekton Fallsproject (2006), a fascinating, triple-disc leviathan on life and death in the ocean depths. Initiated by Swiss geologist and paleontologist Achim G. Reisdorf, Seetyca was in charge of overall sound design, linking the twenty-odd contributions by various artists both familiar and unknown with freshly-composed interludes. Canadian colleague Etheocles Stevens, who contributed one of the best selections to that album and has partnered with him on six albums in a series dubbed “Sulphur,” provides Seetyca with string samples recorded with the Oregon Origo String Quartet.

The pieces he calls Bleakscapes are not grey and barren, they are near impenetrably inky black and evoke scary amounts of space far away from where we are. The only ripples in the fabric are radio signals heading even further off and some static circling the drain of a black hole. Each track is a numbered “Bleakscape,” except for a nine-minute “Bleak House,” where Dickensian spirit voices are trapped among the rafters and ghost candles sputter. As we draw toward the close, however, Seetyca’s space becomes a little more operatic, with gravitational forces acting on matter to create a forgiving space in “Bleakscape #3,” an organ-like melody in the vacuum. The four minute coda, however, is out of character and out of place.

Not light years from Lustmord’s genre-defining The Place Where the Black Stars Hang of fifteen years ago.

Bleakscapes is available on Essentia Mundi. Buy at Amazon.

Claro Intelecto :: Reform Club (Delsin)

Cory Perla — Thu, 03 May 2012 06:30:07 +0000

It becomes clear that the “reform” in Reform Club points not only toward tighter, slicker production but also to the combination of tech house and dub oriented beats that has evolved so much since his 2008 release Metanarrative.

Claro Intelecto 'Reform Club'

There are multi-insturmentalists in the more physical world of music but in the world of electronic music it’s not quite as obvious when a producer is master to many diverse modes of sound making. One might call a producer like Manchester, England’s Claro Intelecto a multi-platform or multi-software virtuoso. It takes a certain amount of dedication to sit down to a program like Cubase, settle in and begin creating, but it takes a more adaptive quality to move from the piano, to trackers, sequencers, to the universe of synthesizers, and really sink into each in order to discover a desired sound. Claro Intelecto, a.k.a. Mark Stewart rediscovers his desired sound on Reform Club.

Stewart’s love of synthesizers is apparent right off the bat with stabs of swelling atmospheric tones and a pillowy bass kick on the records opening track “Reformed.” As the subtle, minimalist bass gives way to a metronomic hi-hat click and punchy swung kick drum, it becomes clear that the “reform” in Reform Club points not only toward tighter, slicker production but also to the combination of tech house and dub oriented beats that has evolved so much since his 2008 release Metanarrative.

Reform Club progresses through a series of steamy, Gui Boratto-esque vaporizing hi-hats on “Blind Side;” to reverberated, ringing tones and dense rhythmic globular beats on “Scriptease.” Stewart slips in a gliding bass track on his more frantic 120bpm track “Control,” a change from the 95bpm “Still Here”—with its far off curtains of slow motion synth—before slipping back down on the hypnotizing, mechanical track “Second Blood.” As bereaved as some of the chords on these tracks may sound, the emotional release often comes with this variation in tempo from track to track.

Claro Intelecto may have slipped off of the map after a four year gap between albums, a gap that is equivalent to an entire generation of music in the ever changing electronic music scene, but Reform Club displays Stewart’s ability to adapt to this changing environment while still maintaining the sound he’s known for.

Reform Club is available on Delsin. Buy at Delsin, Amazon or Juno.

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Stephen Hummel :: Meld (Self-Released)

igloomag — Thu, 03 May 2012 06:25:04 +0000

With a handful of genres lapped over each other, Meld is an adventurous foray of raw electronics melded to lyrical lava flows that trickle into the subconscious with ease, simplicity and style. A well-oiled release that will surely agree with fans of Bitcrush, Tobias Lilja, Syntax and even mid-80s Depeche Mode for that matter.

Stephen Hummel 'Meld'

[Release page] Stephen Hummel has traveled long distances with his SubtractiveLAD vehicle and has amassed quite a catalog on n5MD since 2005. Fast-forward seven years, and 2012 has yielded his splinter solo effort of more upfront synth electronics, silky keys, strands of shoegaze and experimental foundations of yesteryear.

Undeniably featuring windswept vocal treatments reminiscent of Bitcrush and Tobias Lilja, the Vancouver-based artist carves a unique path that drifts into its own spheres. Slivers of emotion-filled instrumentals—”Sunshine” and “Revolve” come to mind—hint at the sparks exuded by Syntaks’ on their seminal Awakes full-length. Analog warmth and chilled melodies gravitate around ambient textures as evidenced on “Glorious,” a time-stretched escape node that echoes in the night. Shades of electro and synth-pop break through the clouds as these pieces rattle the senses in awe. But there’s a flickering light behind these undulating slabs of software-driven grooves versus hardware activated acrobatics. A more direct songwriting approach is administered from start to close and an emphasis on clean-cut structures reaffirms Hummel’s varied skills after venturing deep into his SubtractiveLAD moniker. With a handful of genres lapped over each other, Meld is an adventurous foray of raw electronics melded to lyrical lava flows that trickle into the subconscious with ease, simplicity and style. A well-oiled release that will surely agree with fans of Bitcrush, Tobias Lilja, Syntax and even mid-80s Depeche Mode for that matter.

Meld is available at stephenhummel.ca. Buy at Bandcamp.

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