A phoenix rising…

A varied release, to say the least. Many different well known techno artists from Japan’s techno-scene, featuring DJ Tmykisb, Yebisu303, Doremimate and 909 State to name just a few. Ranging from acid bleepery to danceable and deep to surprising. The release demonstrates a love for the original techno sound lost in the days of minimal unimaginativism and dubstep repetition.

DJ Tmykisb opens the album with the filter-happy ‘Chrono Kitten’, an uplifting track that makes the waist wiggle. Even if seated it’s hard not to move to this sliced madness slightly reminiscent of ‘Tokyo Disco’. 909 State gives a distorted slammer likes he does so well, after which Beel’s ‘RTF_SHT’ takes over with a surprisingly deep track not unlike Richie Hawtin’s better (Plastikman) tracks. The compilation wouldn’t be complete without a good acid track! And that’s where Pulse2Pulse comes in. I should say the same for dub, and the compilation also satisfies those needs with Yebisu303′s ‘Blueprint’, a last-minute favorite of mine. In the track’s layered background there’s a loop playing which stimulates the imagination while the recognizable dub synth does it’s work of playing with your sense of rhythm. (Watch out for a very groovy break followed by a drop like we haven’t heard since at least 2005.) Yes, there’s even a melodic techno track like Carl Craig is good at producing, Choochoogatagoto is the one responsible.

The CD supplies well to the techno loving people out there that are missing the original vibe. We need kickdrums, not plops. We want acid, not just a simple sine-wave. Minimal and tech-house have their place, on this album too. But playing the same sounds over and over is what kills a genre, a scene. This album bravely steps-up where even the hardest techno DJ’s have sold-out to simple bloops and over-used samples. It’s been enough!

A CD release is rare these days, especially for electronic music (Techno). But it does give a sense of nostalgia to open-up a sealed CD box. Welcome to the post-digital age where physical releases are becoming a rarity and more of a promotional tool than an actual selling point. That’s why I appreciate Cassette Records effort to put this out there, no matter what the market is doing. To step-up and say, nay shout: Techno isn’t dead yet! I haven’t even finished listening to the CD yet, and this is what the music is telling me. The CD holds even more surprises towards the end, but I’m not gonna spoil anymore for you. You should go out and check this out for yourself.

Track List

1. dj tmykisb / Chrono Kitten
2. POP STORE JUNK / ZTN
3. iserobin / 7420247
4. Limited toss / Gus
5. 909state / Armed poker
6. BEEL / RTM_SHT
7. Pulse2Pulse / Bouncer
8. Yebisu303 / Blueprint
9. jackmaster YOSHIKI / PTOLEMAIC SYSTEM
10. choochoogatagoto / Hat Season
11. doremimate / Gymnopedia
12. Sakoo / Heartbeat
13. tofubeats / technoizer X
14. SOL / One More Thing…

The album’s liner notes were written by Bibinba. I’m proud of you, 友達!

One of the best consequences of a new (net-)label is the fresh names it brings; Hyo

After missing the third EP, (I might do a review of it anyway) Cicuta releases a hard hitting six track EP with three original tracks and one remix each. The tracks are dark and abstract and take you (back?) to a sentient industrial machine gone rogue.

Here are some previews to give you an overall impression.

1908 Tunguska (PREV) by ‘Hyo

Chemical Imbalance (PREV) by ‘Hyo

Skyquake (PREV) by ‘Hyo

The tracks miss a bit of bass sometimes, a matter of taste perhaps, but the overall sound makes up for most of it. Some parts of the tracks remind me of Unmarked Noise’s release; V. Black with it’s quirky synth riffs and off-beat rhythms. The remixes take the idea of  ‘dark and industrial’ and give it a little more structure and in case of the Bran Lanen remix add a bit of imagination, a small silver-lining at the end of the storm. If, like me, you’ve got a yearning for more retro-techno this is well worth your bandwidth.

Tracklist:

01. Hyo – 1908 Tunguska
02. Hyo – 1908 Tunguska (Po Remix)
03. Hyo – Chemical Imbalance
04. Hyo – Chemical Imbalance (Bran Lanen Remix)
05. Hyo – Skyquake
06. Hyo – Skyquake (Drugstore Remix)

Download link (Active on December 15th!)
Can’t wait? Here’s a download for Cicuta003 : Ajana EP.

The second Cicuta EP features a single artist, Drugstore presents his latest productions.

Download here

Kicking off with the intro to the EP, ‘The Birth’ is a short ambient/noise soundscape to set a mood for the EP. A rhythmic track follows, which shows influences from Detroid-bass with an experimental twist. The ‘Hermético Remix’ takes the track’s hook and transforms the song into a big-room techno remix.

Shadai is where the EP picks up in speed. An up-tempo techno track comparable to, and missed since, the sounds of the start of the millennium; Dark, thumping and spacy. The remixes of Shadai are not my cup of tea though, and this is also my only critique on this release. The remixes don’t do for the EP what they should have. They offer a different perspective, a very spooky one at that. But the remixes failed to grasp me.

All-round a less dark EP than the first Cicuta release. One that’s dancable and a little more experimental, rhythmic, and crisp. Crisp for it’s great stereo-image and clearness in sound. The tracks Drugstore delivers are good and usable in your DJ-set, but get dragged down a bit by the remixes. Be sure to listen to ‘Shadai’ and ‘Night Dream’ though, the EP’s little deejaying pleasures.

[CICUTA 002] Drugstore – Shadai EP by Cicuta Netlabel

Cicuta Netlabel
Drugstore on Soundcloud

If for some reason you didn’t have these tracks yet, than this is the time to buy this album and act like you knew them all along…

A whopping 48 tracks produced by (among many others) Slam, Funk D’Void, Silicone Soul, The Black Dog, Samuel L. Session and an unreleased Daft Punk track that has been collecting dust on the shelves. Some of the best Soma had to offer in the past twenty years. Tech House, (minimal) techno, electro, all-round good dance-music lovers and even non-techheads can all get into these classic tracks that you’ve bound to have heard before. (Well, except for the much touted Daft Punk remix that didn’t see the light of day before.)

For real though, if you haven’t heard any of these before than go stand in the corner for at least half an hour… (while listening to the album of course!)

Conforce’s melodic dub-techno landscapes return for this grim look on to the future.

Slow moving, dark yet entrancing, this EP takes you through 4 short stories of a civilization that collapsed on itself. Leaving a desolate place with foreign looking objects and remnants of what could be described as a disaster in a physics experiment. (Nuclear, sub-atomic, gravity, take your pick!)

The minimal nuances do all the talking in this release, moving you through the barren cities and ground that remain. But it doesn’t leave an impression of simpleness that has diseased the minimal scene the last few years. It takes from the past what it needs to create familiarity but not shy of innovation through Boris Bunnik’s (Conforce alias) own interpretation and style. I haven’t heard intriguing techno like this in a while. I feel like techno is returning to it’s core: A little more abstract, a little more dark, and much less bleepy.

The release is also available as WAV, MP3 and two flavors of vinyl on Delsin Records.

• Delsin Records
• Conforce official website

Cicuta, A new net-label based in Spain will release it’s first EP next week (September 15th). Floor-filler or nothing but net?

Artwork: David Collado Photography: Remoto

LIBRIUM by VEGIM

The EP kicks off with a minimal techno track titles ‘Quantum’ by Kike Pravda, who we’ve also heard on the now defunct label Offaudio. A bit of the usual minimal chatter that we’ve heard the last years but with a warm sound nonetheless. People who’ve had enough of minimal techno be warned; This theme runs throughout the entire E.P. However, starting at the second track already shows it’s diversity; ‘Librium’ by Vegim. A trip through abstract slighty off-beat up-tempo techno which I’ve been missing the past seven years! After just two minutes of rolling into the track the machine like drums and synths start their entrancing process. The break around four minutes stops the process, showing it’s payload only to start-up the process again and crush it, leaving you begging for more. The third track, ‘Home’ by i1 Ambivalent, is a perfect follow-up. Keeping the machines running and slamming you and everyone else listening.

Growing shadows- by ONE D & Edrian Sailing

Track four is a complete surprise, exploring a progressive minimalectro soundscape that will also be appreciated by many electro-house DJ’s the world over. It creates an oasis of organic melody in a harsh electronic landscape. (Not that that’s a bad thing!) The fifth track, ‘Growing Shadows’ by One-D & Edrian Sailing, lifts you from the oasis up in the air. It takes it’s time to get up to speed but the wait is well worth it. After about two minutes the synth starts it descents from the progressive air surrounding it and impacts with the ground on numerous occasions. It’s payload is delivered spread over the next 3 minutes after which it flies off into the air again.

Another ex-off regular shows his cybernetic muscles to finish off the EP, Drugstore with a new production titled ‘Udayan’. A big-room techno track with trippy vocals and long reverbs. It shows Drugstores progressive prowess, with many twists and turns keeping the listener dancing and surprised throughout the track. A great climax for a heavy techno set reminiscent of productions by Christian Smith and John Selway.

Utilizing the Creative Commons license means the music can be spread far and wide, allowing artists to play, edit, remix and sample the tracks unhindered by copyright laws. I’m very curious how this label is gonna pan out over the next couple of years. This first release shows a lot of potential and isn’t afraid to go it’s own course. It breaks free from all the repetitive minimal we’ve heard the last few years and strikes a chord with my personal objectives; Taking techno back into a more abstract darker realm where dancing is more important than tripping-out over simple bleeps. and with that I consider Cicuta’s maiden voyage a successful one, and one hell of a trip to boot!

Tracklist:

01. Kike Pravda – Quantum
02. Vegim – Librium
03. i1 Ambivalent – Home
04. Mootiv – Work’Em Out
05. One D & Edrian Sailing – Growing Shadows
06. Drugstore – Udayan

Download

Unmarked and perhaps unknown. Does the first noise remain the last?

It’s been a while since I heard a new IDM album. In fact, with the Board Of Canada spending time with their families and Aphex Twin remaining silent since Druqs (except for the AFX series and The Tuss), good IDM, also known as Braindance, is hard to come by these days. (If you know something I don’t feel free to leave a comment!)

The album starts with Barbaguda, the track you’ll hear in the above video. From what I’ve heard, Unmarked Noise searched the archives by himself to find old video-material and edited the whole thing by himself too! But I could be wrong, see, just as vague as the opening track kicks-off the album, the same applies to how much is known about Unmarked Noise. (Next to nothing!) Which is the real shame, cause once you’ve entered the realm, and the second tracks kicks in…

You’re lost! Lost in sound, lost in beats and you’re unwillingly scanning your brain for anything recognizable to hold on to. There are many familiarities, many sounds which you might have heard before, but, you have no clue where, when, or by who. Don’t get me wrong, this is not some “abstract, just for the sake of abstract” kind of album. Not some weird stuff played at weird intervals “just to be original”. Heck, Unmarked Noise’s album is probably all written in the most used annotation of all, 4/4, quarter-notes. And that’s where it gets interesting, cause how many IDM tracks can be heard at an average minimal-techno party? Sure, Windowlicker managed to infiltrate, and James Holden manages to mix the most obscure stuff very well, but did you ever hear Squarepusher or Venetian Snares anywhere else besides Breakcore parties? Probably not. But this album can do just that; Add a little freak to your Jack.

I must say I’m impressed by the album. Having that twisted IDM feel that Aphex Twin did very well in his AFX series and under his other, other alias; The Tuss. While retaining a danceable beat reminiscent of Acid-Techno and experimental 80′s electro like Afrika Bambaataa and The Soul Sonic Force. There’s even a hint of Future Sound Of London to be found in there, and some cool Minimal breaks and climaxes. This album offers a lot a lot of replay value: See what hints, parts, influences (and perhaps Easter eggs?) are to be found.

The official press-release can be found on Mi2n. To download the opening track Barbaguda for free, visit the Prowess Records releases page. Subscribe to the Prowess Records Newsletter and get a 2nd songs for free!

Where pixel-art and design meet; Geek Diva

Personally I’d love me one of those cassette cases and a whole bunch of those small plush Super Mario accessories. (And get my girlfriend an ecobag, of course!)

If you like yourself one, or a whole heap, of these, then head on over to Facebook and meet the creator of these fun designs.

Click to buy at Play-Asia.com

Detune Ltd. unleashes it’s newest and first creation onto the masses.

Although it’s a follow-up to the Famous KORG DS-10 and KORG DS-10 Plus, the KORG M01 Music Workstation is the first under the Detune flag. So, how does the software turn out?

A lot of fun, as expected. Great for everyone who wants to make music on the go, wants a bit of lo-fi in his or her set-up or wants an emulation of the real M1. It sounds like you expect it too, a little lo-fi (because of the NDS’s 22050Hz sound-card.) But the sound is crisp with a dash of 16-bit crush in the form of anti-aliasing in the low-end and a bit of stutter in the lowest part of the dynamics. (A sounds low-volume tail will blink in- and out- of existence.) The layout of the app is easy to use and will have you writing all kinds of music in no time. No matter if you want to make something electronic like techno or Dubstep or want to try and throw in a real composition. This app can do it with the quite large collection of samples built into the application. These samples include the original sounds of the KORG M1 and some bonus sounds to broaden the spectrum and give you some modern sounds to play with. Sometimes modern means Roland 808 or an Amen snare though. As a whole, it’s perfect for re-creating an end 80′s/begin 90′s vibe. Chicago house, Tears for Fears, Detroit Acid here we go!

But there are three small things that I think should and could have been included. It features two effects: Delay and reverb. But you can only choose 1 for the whole track. I would have liked me some delayed beats and reverberated melody. The second thing is that I would have preferred a DSi mode in the app. A little bit more memory and CPU so the app can do a little but more like DS-10 Plus has double mode on the DSi. (I could surely use 2 effects if it featured DSi mode!) And finally, linking with the KORG DS-10 is impossible. There’s is no link mode in the game at all, so syncing two M01′s is also out of the question. But yeah, that’s revenue management for ya, it will probably be featured in a new version called M01 Plus…

At the end of the day, the software is great fun and a recommended buy. But it’s probably going to be sold out for a while.. Keep an eye on the following link to see when it will hit the stores again.

Buy KORG M01 Music Workstation [Amazon.co.jp Limited Edition] (Nintendo DS™) at Play-Asia.com

EDIT: Preview of a track I’m working on.

EDIT 2: Finished version! (Released on the EP: Y.A.M.A)

Seymour Bits’ latest CD (with the same name; Seymour Bits) arrived in the mail the other day (yes, I’m a bit late with this one), time for a good listen!

“…Seymour, he’s a.. He’s the man with the records.”

Bas Bron, producer of his own work under the pseudonyms ‘Seymour Bits’, ‘Bastian’, ‘Comtron’ and producer of ‘De jeugd van tegenwoordig’ comes with a new album. Funk that’s just begging to bob your head too. Songs that’ll sound great on the radio as well as on the dance-floor. Just like I had been anticipating. Squealing old school (sounding) synths, beats that’s break your neck and feet, basslines that make you feel like you’re in a Prince video, and there’s even epic guitar solo’s to be found. The funk just drips off the album.

The album can be heard over at VPRO’s luisterpaal (meaning: Listening pole). You can build your own opinion there. But I guess you’ll listen all the way through.

Now what’s this?

I helped Seymour a very little bit by getting a Japanese vocal for the intro of the track ‘Top Priority’. intro vocal by Prowess Records own Niki Brumas!