Techno

Four Tet - There Is Love In You (Domino Records)

Monday, February 15th, 2010 | Sounds | No Comments

It’s been a while since I’ve paid much attention to Four Tet, the artist first heralded in the early 2000s for kickstarting the so-called “folktronica” scene because he combined samples of folk instrumentation with electronic sounds. Nearly five years have passed since the British producer released a proper full-length (“Everything Ecstatic” in 2005) under the Four Tet moniker. Instead, he opted for a foray into the improvisational jazz world, collaborating with drummer Steve Reid for four albums(!) and releasing them under his real name, Kieran Hebden. The 2006 two-disc compilation “Remixes” showcased some of his remix work of tracks by disparate artists like Boom Bip, The Notwist, Andrew Bird, Radiohead, Badly Drawn Boy, Beth Orton and many others. Interesting, yes, but “Remixes” simply didn’t have much staying power for me.

It was the 4-song EP “Ringer” in 2008 that caught my attention again. Sparse, minimal and more rooted in techno than anything else Read more and listen…

Tags: Ambient, Four Tet, Techno

Just Good Music 12/29/09 - Best Of 2009 Pt.2

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 | Podcast, Sounds | No Comments

Some more of my favourite artists, tracks and labels from the past 12 months.

1. Reagenz - Dinner With Q (Workshop) Info
Jonah Sharp and Move D’s Reagenz project released their ‘Playtime’ album in late November. It’s everything that you could want from techno - deep and melodic, pushing analogue synths to their fullest (but never going overboard) coupled with a nice amount of live instrumentation. Highly recommended.

2. Pepe Bradock - The Path Of Most Resistance (Atavisme) Info
Pepe Bradock graces us with one of his few and far between releases. The “Path Of Most Resistance” see’s Pepe back in fine form with a track that is on par with “4″, “Life” and “Deep Burnt”. “PLAY SUPER LOUD!” indeed.
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.3kk

3. Reggie Dokes - Chicago Pimp (Clone) Info
Reggie Dokes had a stellar year of releases. The “Chicago Pimp” 12″ was a fine way to kick-off Clone’s Loft Supreme Series - hipnotic, raw and jacking. Treading a similar path was the “Spectacle of Deepness” EP on We Play House as well as “Until Tomorrow” on Royal Oak. Quality music from one of Detroit’s most consistent producers.

Music I’m Feeling

Sunday, September 13th, 2009 | Sounds | 2 Comments

There’s been a tonne of great music released recently that I’ve been feeling - here’s just a few. First up is the latest offering from Omar S, “Still Serious Nic”. 2009 has been the year that Omar S has finally got the wider attention that his music deserves. The new 12″ doesn’t deviate too far from the raw, analogue, jacking sound that Omar is known for; “Flying Blind” reminds me of “Psychotic Photosynthesis” and “Still Serious Nic” a lot like the Omar S produced “Space Station” by Theo Parrish. Speaking of Theo Parrish, his remix of LCD Soundsystem’s “45:33″ is finally being released - completely dope. Also, forthcoming on Sound Signature is a new double 12″ from Leron Carson, “Red Lightbulb Theory” - 5 tracks of raw techno on a similar tip to his “China Trax” from 2001. Fellow Detroiter Reggie Dokes, also seems to be set for another year of stellar releases. The “Chicago Pimp” 12″ was a fine way to kick-off Clone’s Loft Supreme Series. Treading a similar path is Reggie’s latest, the “Spectacle of Deepness” on We Play House; both releases build on the distinctive sound that Reggie has crafted over the years. Quality stuff from some of Detroit’s most consistent producers.

Interview - Stephen Hitchell (Echospace)

Friday, June 26th, 2009 | Sounds | 3 Comments

Chicago based Stephen Hitchell dons many guises, producing as Soultek, Phase90 and Variant, as well as collaborating with Rod Modell as echospace and cv313. Hitchell (along with Modell) also runs the echospace [detroit] label, which earlier this year released his first solo album ‘The Seduction Of Silence’ under the Intrusion moniker. In this interview, Stephen tells us about the finer details of running a label, as well as what’s coming up for him and echospace [detroit].

Guest mix for Energy Flash

Sunday, April 19th, 2009 | Sounds | No Comments

Last year Kuri Kondrak provided a quality mix for the podcast, and in return asked me to provide a mix for his Energy Flash site. I finally got my act together and the mix is now up. You can also find some great interviews with Kyle Hall, Tony Lionni and Samoil, as well as reviews and other great mixes. Check out the site at http://kurikondrak.wordpress.com/

Tags: Chicago House, Detroit techno, Energy Flash, Guest mix, Techno

Martyn - Great Lengths (3024)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 | Sounds | 1 Comment

In the past couple of years a number of key artists and labels have been pushing dub-step into new territories, cross-pollinating with other genres and infiltrating other music scenes. Producers like Appleblim, Kode9 (and his Hyperdub label), 2562, Shackleton (and his Skull Disco label) have been instrumental in moving dub-step forward sonically. Another one of these key artists, Martyn, is set to release his debut album “Great Lengths” on April 20th through his 3024 label.

Although Martyn has come to prominence because of his recent dub-step productions, on “Great Lengths”, he hops from genre to genre effortlessly. Tracks like “Right? Star!”, “Far Away” and “Hear Me” reference Martyn’s drum & bass and 2-step roots. The devastating “Vancouver”, “Little Things” and “Elden Street” draw upon Detroit techno and Basic Channel influences and shows us why Martyn has been turning so many heads of late. Kode9 collaborator, Spaceape, provides vocals on “Is This Insanity?”, which is a clear nod to the Hyperdub / Skull Disco sound. The excellent “Seventy Four” is on a house tip - hopefully there will be more in this vein from future Martyn productions. The album even ventures into beat-less ambient territory on “Brilliant Orange” and the piano interlude “Bridge”. The whole album is tied together by what is Martyn’s own unique sound and his take on the music that has influenced him. An album of such high quality and variety is going to appeal to a lot of people and will surely end up being one of the highlights of 2009.

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