Byetone - Death Of A Typographer (Raster-Noton)

Chemnitz (Germany) based artist Olaf Bender has musically been in the shadow, as one of the co-founders of the Raster-Noton label, together with Carsten Nicolai (Alva Noto) and Frank Bretschneider (Komet). Mostly focusing on the visual presentation of the label’s catalogue, he had only produced two solo outings before offering to the world Death of a Typographer. Where his earlier projects presented us with a very abstract experience, filled with static and rhythmic clicks typical to the Raster-Noton sound, the sound of his new album shifts to a more approachable terrain. The first track quickly exemplifies this change of character. An almost danceable bass line takes hold when “Plastic Star (session)” starts, and only slows down four tracks later, when the first segment of “Capture This” sets in. Distorted tones and short stabbing percussion can not hide the melodies that encompass the songs as we move through the album. As Bender balances the distant and cold background, that has typified the label with a sound that scuffs against the techno-genre, the album really unfolds when "Rocky Soft" starts. You can quickly discern the Bretschneiderian jabs to your earlobes, accompanied by an almost funky bass that makes you want to move. “Black is Black” is probably the most accessible track of the album, with its almost threatening build up that finally melts in to the dark dystopic feel that both installments of “Capture This” convey. Rounding up with an almost Alva Noto-esque “Grand Style” and “Heart” filled with rhythmic yet dark percussion this album is something special. Created in the Berlin winter, it is very well suited for those cold days when you are still coming to grips with the fact that the summer is really gone. Play this record when you feel that there is no way you’re getting out of bed. Its energy, even though it is cold and distant, is infectious, and will have you master the cold temperatures of autumn and the upcoming winter in no time. Suited for listeners that are into the Raster-Noton aesthetics, but also listeners of Sleeparchive, SND and Pan Sonic.

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Review prepared by Caspar Menkman for Headphone Commute.

myspace.com/benderbyetone | raster-noton.net

Nils Frahm & Anne Müller - 7fingers (Hush)

What's great about this album, is that there was more than a few times when I had that "aaaah..." moment. Perhaps what drove me to write this raving review about 7fingers is that there were those moments one too many. On every single track. I first found out about this album when the new release from Nils Frahm popped up on my radar. But as many anticipated moments in life, that July came and went, and another two months went by before I realized that I have missed this Hush Records release. And here I was, listening to Nils Frahms's latest EP on Erased Tapes, Unter | Über, wondering, whatever happened to that collaboration with Anne Müller? And what's this genre that it's listed under - modern classical and glitch. Modern classical and glitch? What what? As soon as the second track on the album, similarly titled, 7fingers, came on, I knew that I was in for a trip down my favorite lane of clicky electronica, glitchy elements and most importantly, elegantly produced musical pieces. Here, in Müller's hands the cello cries, then hiccups, skipping through Frahm's piano notes, and dropping on the floor in tiny granulated frequencies, then re-arranging back and flying up in the reverse, into the wood from whence it came, all obsessively constrained with micro programmed beats and rhythms. The clicks and cuts are composed of chopped up seasoning, gently sprinkled over a smooth, and creamy melody, oozing with melancholy out of every pore. The album's tracks flip between the glitchy tracks that I keep rating with 5 stars, and strictly modern classical pieces, composed of experimental swirling cello work, some field recordings, and of course, Frahm's piano keys. Besides the obvious string arrangements by Müller, and contemporary classical progressions by Frahm, it's tough to tell where the collaboration comes together - where one begins and another ends - it is a single unit. Yet, for a better picture, I'd love to quote this section from the press release: Two heads, four hands, 7 fingers that want to and are able to, that search and that find. Their company are raging and resting machines, algorithms, oscillations and scratches at the window. They create the broken orchestra, the smooth club drive, the acoustic reflections, fireworks, tiny gramophones. „7fingers“ dissolves into sound, combines into rhythm, becomes pulse and motion and sleep and acceleration. Nils Frahm and Anne Müller, cello and piano and all that is good and music. And what is this Hush label? I am embarrassed to admit, but the only artist I seem to recognize from the roster besides Nils Frahm is Peter Broderick. In fact, there's a "free gift" from the two artists titled, Two Tracks, available as a free download directly from the Hush shop. But with over 60 releases, this Portland based label, seems to keep on pumping beauty out of its heart into ours with a great tagline: "Not so much a business as an unstoppable force of nature, not so much a label as a shield, not so much a publisher as a conduit, not so much an enterprise as an uprise, not so much commerce as community, HUSH is here to BRING IT." I've listened over half a dozen times since I got 7fingers, and I can't stop listening!!! I can't recommend it more for followers of glitchy goodness, like Lusine, Ametsub, Arovane, and the beautiful Yasume. Intoxicating and delicious!!! And while you're dropping this into your shopping cart, be sure to grab the latest from Peter Broderick - How They Are released by Hush as well!

See also our Two and a Half Questions with Nils Frahm

nilsfrahm.de | hushrecords.com
myspace.com/nilsfrahmannemueller

Roel Funcken - Vade (Ad Noiseam)

Here's my remedy for a sleepy brain. A shot of caffeine with a touch of Funcken in my headphones. First the mixture goes down easy, drifting in and out of my peripheral hearing - then the beat latches into the neuron receptor, and unlocks its secrets with a click. Roel Funcken is one of the Funcken brothers, together releasing as Funckarma, Quench, Shadow Huntaz [as well as half a dozen other monikers]; and Vade is Roel's very first album as a solo artist. Vade is released on Ad Noiseam, where the brothers have already released Dubstoned Vol 2 back in 2008. This album marks a full on crossover between glitchy IDM and gritty dubstep. Delicious. Packed with 16 intense tracks (averaging about four and a half minutes each), Vade is a deconstruction of smooth flowing dubbed out beats, with that familiar Funckarma style. Bringing to the operating table an arsenal of razor sharp DSP tools, Roel cuts deep into the harmonics, pulling out coiled frequencies while keeping his eye on the rhythm monitor. The beat staggers, then skips into the oscillating pattern, spewing out old skool 909 percussion, and leaving stains all over the floor. And just as the melody seems to choke, smothered beneath the metallic wires and valves, Roel shocks it with his sonic defibrillator, giving it another reason to soar, out through the window and into my brain. [I write this as I listen to the title track, Vade, and if these words seem abstract, you must hear the music.] Let me be honest - in my selection of boundary pushing electronic music, the Funcken sound is at the top. Without actually rating the music, it stands alongside output from Autechre, Hecq, Gridlock as well as Deru, Lusine, Proem and Loess. This is that crunchy, glitchy IDM sound that I've fallen in love with from the early days of n5MD, Neo Ouija, and Merck (RIP). Among the latter, only n5MD seems to be still kickin' [still waiting on the return of Neo Ouija], while the Funcken brothers find their albums released by Symbolic Interaction, Skam and thankfully, Ad Noiseam. Music like this deserves to carry on the legacy, as well as the flagship of experimental and ground breaking sound. Let me put it another way - when people ask me for the top notch electronic sound, I always say - Funckarma. And with Vade, I am able to single out Roel as the force behind group. I wonder if Don is working on an independent release - doesn't seem that Vade had any of his input. It does appear, however, that Cor Bolten (who previously worked with the brothers as member of Dif:use and Legiac), has heavily contributed to this release. In the album credits, he appears as a co-writer and a synth player (Jupiter4, Jupiter 8, Arp 2600, System 100, Monopoly, and others) on half of the tracks. I also see an appearance by TJ Dimoon and one of my favorites, Reimer Eising, aka Kettel. And while Roel split off into a single entity in Vade, it doesn't mean that the Funckarma project is over. The brothers will continue releasing EPs in their Dubstoned series on Eat Concrete, with vinyl coming out this summer. Be sure to pick up some of my most treasured Funckarma output: Bion Glent (Sublight, 2006), Hip Hop Instrumentals (FUNCK Music, 2007), Vell Vagranz (n5MD, 2008) and Psar Dymog (Symbolic Interaction, 2008). Really like the last one, although I keep buying a corrupted digital copy with annoying 4-5 sec silence before each track in this continuous play album. Oh well - it's still worth it!!!

See also Two and a Half Questions with Roel Funcken

myspace.com/funckarma | funckarma.com
myspace.com/adnoiseam | adnoiseam.net

Sound Bytes : Blue Hour Sounds, Mille Plateaux, and Sutemos

In this installment of Sound Bytes, I wish to cover a few compilations that recently grazed on the cones of my speakers. I've got some ambient, downtempo, and IDM here for you to munch on. And what's more delicious about this organic cocktail is that a lot of it is FREE! Bon appetit!

Made of Dawn (Blue Hour Sounds)
Kicking off this label's birth is a chill-out 10-track compilation titled Made of Dawn. This very first release from the Italian Blue Hour Sounds label features many well known artists in the downtempo scene, as well as a few newcomers. Followers of psychedelic and morning trance should recognize a few names on here, such as Sebastian Taylor (Digitalis, Kaya Project, Shakta etc.) appearing here as Hibernation; Eliot Morgan Jones and Nick Woolfson appearing as Sounds From The Ground; Michael Hodgson and Paddy Free as Pitch Black; René Gundel Nielsen & Martin Spanner Zimmermann as Beat Bizarre and many others... This is a beautiful selection of psybient vibrations, perfectly curated for the fans of Headphone Commute's Best of 2009 Music For Awakened Spirits And Open Minds. The founders of the label, Luca and Jasmine plan on following up this downtempo release with a psytrance compilation, The Garden of Delights. And if you're not a fan of psychedelic music, well maybe now is the time to check it out, because this compilation is 100% FREE!!! A 128kbps MP3 version is available for download in exchange for your email.

Clicks & Cuts 5.0 - Paradigm Shift (Mille Plateaux)
Mille Plateaux is back!!! That's right, kiddies, this is the influential German label that introduced us to genres like click-hop, glitch-pop, clicks and cuts! Kicking off back in 1993, Mille Plateaux brought us compilations like Modulation & Transformation with appearances by Aphex Twin, Cristian Vogel, and Air Liquide. In 1996, the label released the infamous Gas record, and in 1999 they catapulted SnD. In 2000, Vladislav Delay joined the roster and introduced us to the Clicks + Cuts series! And Alva Noto's debut, Prototypes also came out on Mille Plateaux. In 2004, the label went into hiatus, and now, four years later, it's back with it's fifth installment of Clicks & Cuts, subtitled Paradigm Shift! Now it should be no wonder to you, why I am so excited about this release! Many new and familiar names on here, like Kabutogani, Aoki Takamasa, Kiyo, Gultskra Artikler and of course, Ametsub! As the series suggests, this is a selection of fresh glitch sounds: "from Minimal Clicks to IDM-/Dub-ish tracks via Ambient and Sound Art to the 2 'Evac' tracks going to the Artcore and Organic extremes" that should get your taste buds wet for all the music to come!

Intelligent Toys: We Make Music (Sutemos)
I'm going to start off and state outright that Sutemos is one of the most influential net-labels! A lot of new and established talent has come through the doors of this Lithuanian purveyor of electronic and experimental sound! Its ability to spread the music far and wide, is what makes it 'influential' in the scene - especially since all of the releases can be downloaded for FREE! What better way of putting the music in your ear? The very first volume of Intelligent Toys series was released back in 2004. Eight years later we say the fifth installment, featuring artists like AGF/Delay, Deer, Monoceros, Ulrich Schnauss, Yagya, Swod, Miwon, Funckarma, Sense, Praveen, Kero, IJO, Ruxpin and many many others! This sixth entry, subtitled We Make Music is a three volume compilation with over 50 tracks! That's right, it's over 4 hours of music available to you for free! And the roster? We've got AGF, Monokle, krill.minima, Maps And Diagrams, Jan Jelinek, MINT, Sabi, Esem, Sleepy Town Manufacture and more than a handful of debuts - I can't possibly list all of them here! As with all Intelligent Toys, this release is accompanied by a gallery of nearly 30 images, which in itself makes this compilation a collector's dream. So don't delay, and experience the sound of evolving electronica for yourself! Remember, it's FREE!

Be sure to read this entry directly on Headphone Commute for audio track samples.

Jega - Variance (Planet Mu)

It took almost nine years for Dylan Nathan to return to the scene with his intelligent breaks and glitchy melodies, slapping it across the entire IDM spectrum under his Jega moniker. There were some hiccups in this release - the album leaked back in 2003, and Nathan chose to pull back the tracks, refile the scraps, and rearrange the bits into his third full length, double disk release, Variance. Here and now, Nathan brings back the vigor with which he left us with Geometry, once again selecting Planet Mu as the label of choice for his experimental beats. It's tough to approach the review of this album, especially since it spans across two discs and 18 tracks! I'll get right down to it, and skip the first volume altogether, which is melodic electronica and light IDM. The only reason I am jumping over the first disc, is because with the amount of great music on this double volume, I want to get straight to the goodness. Apologies for that, but I do not mean to send a wrong signal. So with your permission I'm moving on to the darker side of Jega, because the second disc is where he truly shines. Here, the random palette of synth melodies is replaced by the darker strand of electro, that breaks its jagged tooth against the broken beats. Atmospheric pads still linger in the background, while the front-lines are dominated by impeccable rhythm structures and a heavily processed dose of virtual effects. Synthesis geeks will be proud to hear their brains being tweaked through the naughty twists of Jega's ridiculously time-consuming production. I have a feeling that it took Nathan nine years to release this album simply because he chose to tweak every possible VST plug-in out there and throw each and every one of them into the mix. Variance is like a detox manual for DSP junkies on a thousand ways to mess up the beat. Listening to Latinhypercube I find myself cringing my nose and going "What in the world was that?" Drilling rhythms decompose into voices, into flashbacks of a bad trip, into sick mental sound too crippled to dance. A few tracks (like Aerodynamic and Kyoto) remind me of Chris Cunningham's short film, Rubber Johnny, where an erratic and delusional mutant child is dancing in his wheelchair to a spasmodic beat of Aphex Twin's "afx237 v7" track taken off of his album drukqs (2001, Warp). Looks like Cunningham may have a new challenge! For the full background on Nathan's history, see my Headphone Commute flashback to Geometry where you will learn of his releases on Skam and Matador, as well as his influence on Mike Paradinas (µ-Ziq) and the beginnings of Planet Mu. This album is a must have for fans of Autechre, AFX, Wisp, Squarepusher, Clark and all things juicy erratic. Come and get your fix.

myspace.com/dylanjeganathan | jega.com
myspace.com/childrenofmu | planet-mu.com

Grischa Lichtenberger - ~Treibgut (Raster-Noton)

~Treibgut fits snuggly into the sonic world of Raster-Noton. For this EP, his first release for the label, Grischa Lichtenberger's primary sources are found sounds from the world around him, including the sound of a sliding tabletop, the noise of a radiator and the humming of a broken device. Apparently, the music reflects Lichtenberger's reflections on the landscape of the river Rhein. Which, frankly, comes as something of a surprise since nature is just about the last thing that the music evokes. The atmosphere is extremely industrial and manufactured. Like the music of label primus motor Alva Noto, Lichtenberger's work is all percussive. He takes his sound sources and manipulates and processes them, cuts them up and rearranges them into rhythmic structures. But while Noto's music is often quite refined and minimal, ~Treibgut is like a jackhammer and power drill got together and decided to form a band. Opening track, 0406_01_RS!, is like the cacophony of a factory – metal on metal, pistons pumping rhythmically, distorted bursts of steam, flying sparks from a welder’s blowtorch. With one exception, the tracks all bear similar names, rows of numbers and letters, like numbered incidents in a long line of laboratory experiments. Or products on an assembly line. There are no melodies in the conventional sense of the word or other discernible instruments at play. The drill effect that users of the Ableton Live's Beat Repeat are so familiar with is the defining sound throughout. It’s a mechanical world. The one exception is calipso, which appears to refer to the CALIPSO environmental satellite launched jointly in 2006 by NASA and CNES, the U.S. and French space programs, and which measures aerosols and clouds 24 hours a day. Appropriately, it features a slightly lighter touch and an unusual sounding guitar providing the sole instance of melodic content on the EP. But the power tools are back in full force on the closing track, 0106_13_lv_3 sand ausheben, which translates as "excavate sand" - an indication that there is more heavy lifting to come. The title ~Treibgut refers to the German proverbial Treibholz, describing a piece of wood floating in a river or the sea. "In this sense it expresses a relation to things: between the observer and the floating thing, which has obliterated its functionality, there is no immediate connection – there is a lack of unifying meaning. Of it, the observer always only sees aspects, while the thing, without him on its mind, drifts by." It'll probably take you a while to grasp the meaning of the concept. Meanwhile, it is best to let the power tools do their work... Recommended for all Raster-Noton fan, as well as Pan Sonic, SND, Hecker, and Atom™

myspace.com/grischalichtenberger | raster-noton.de

Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto with Ensemble Modern - utp_ (Raster-Noton)

Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto are unquestionably among the masters of modern experimental music. Noto has crafted a musical language all his own based on the most elemental of sound sources - electricity, static, white noise - and helped to raise laptop production to new heights. Sakamoto has such a varied an brilliant career, ranging from his days in the pioneering Yellow Magic Orchestra and his Neo Geo Japanese pop, to bossa nova, classical works and majestic film scores - including the unforgettable theme from Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, in which he also starred opposite David Bowie. And, of course, his explorations in electronic music where his collaborations with artists like Fennesz and Noto stand as milestones. The release of a major new work from the duo is noteworthy to say the least. Utp_, the third collaboration between Noto and Sakamoto, opens with a sustained electronic tone that is gradually joined by a cello note to form an electro-acoustic drone. On top, a series of angular jabs from the Ensemble Modern string section combine with rhythmic bursts of white noise from Noto. Sakamoto's muted piano is introduced on track 2, "grains", but is much less prominent throughout than in the duo's previous collaborations. The piano is only out front on a couple of tracks - "grains" and "broken line" 1 and 2 - which also happen to be the most melodic and easily approachable tracks on the disc, bubbling along to Noto's delicate microbeats. Like the previous collaborations, utp_ blends together electronic and acoustic sounds to hair-raising effect. The contribution of Ensemble Modern, one of the world's leading ensembles of 'new music', adds dynamism and breadth to the sound pallet but the tone is not so far removed from the intimacy and melancholy of Insen, the duo's last full-length release from 2005. The most striking difference is that while the previous outing centred on Noto's laptop treatment of Sakamoto's piano, here it is the Ensemble - particularly the string section - that is most prominent. There's a sombre intensity to the music, which blends modern classical with experimental electronic music in a way that bridges the divide between past and the present. The piece was commissioned on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the city of Mannheim in Germany and at times the deep and vibrant cello tones seem to be calling from that distant past. But most of the time the Ensembles' instruments are employed to produce sounds that are far removed from the 'classical' conception of music, melding seamlessly with the bleeps and glitches of the present in a way that feels completely organic. On tracks like "silence" and "particle" 1 and 2, the result is a blanket of ambient sound while on "plateaux" 1 and 2 the electro-acoustic drone is all encompassing. The title of the piece, utp_, is derived from the word "utopia" and the concept that Sakamoto and Noto developed for it is derived from the rasterized structure of Mannheim, which was conceived as the "ideal city" in the 17th century. This and more is explained in the documentary film on the development of the piece, which is included along with the utp_ concert movie on a DVD that accompanies the CD. So far I've only had a chance to listen to the music but it looks like the DVD provides a lot of insight into the development of the piece and the way Noto and Sakamoto work. I can't wait to get my hands on it. Also included in the impressive package, which is indeed worthy of the music, is a full colour booklet and the score. Utp_ is another feather in the cap of these two masters of modern experimental music and one can only hope that there is more to come.

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Original review posted by Tigon on Tigon World.
Republished with permission of the author.

alvanoto.com | sitesakamoto.com
raster-noton.de

Ametsub - The Nothings Of The North (Progressive Form)

On some level, I'm a little surprised that no one is talking about Ametsub as much as I am. And I'm not just hyping up this Tokyo-based Japanese artist. Even Ryuchi Sakamoto has allegedly proclaimed, "I love this album. I have become a fan". Meanwhile, I've been listening to Ametsub's music since his debut release three years ago, Linear Cryptics (Progressive Form, 2006). For me, the discovery of this artist was totally accidental, and to this day I don't know the original source that incited me to pick up the album. But here I am, raving about his second solo release on Progressive Form, titled The Nothings Of The North. And here's what I love about it. Ametsub's music masterfully incorporates precision glitch into modern classical and future jazz. An accompaniment of tight bass lines and micro programmed rhythm is dominated by Ametsub's beautiful piano playing. The gorgeous and melancholic melodies have been in turn re-sampled, re-looped, and re-triggered to create frantic digital errors that skip across my dazzled memory. The light grooves incorporate elements from trip-hop, dub and abstract idm. The predominant cuts and clips are also extended to vocals, eventually morphing them from words to instruments to choppy bits of percussion. This should keep your cranium busy. Ametsub has already performed alongside respected artists such as Vladislav Delay, Bichi, Numb, and Takemura Nobukaza. His second release to date was actually a collaboration with Jimanica titled, Surge (Mao, 2007). I recommend you pick that up as well, and seriously, get your hands on Linear Cryptics! I guess the single reason why Ametsub has not been completely recognized is the lack of distribution in North America and Europe. It is difficult to get your hands on a physical copy of the album unless you actually order it to be shipped from Japan [I got Linear Cryptics by contacting Ametsub on myspazz]. Digital copies of both albums could be found on iTunes and Beatport. This album is highly recommended for fans of Arovane, Plaid, Murcof and Lusine.

myspace.com/ametsub3110 | drizzlecat.org
myspace.com/progressiveform | dropcontrol.com/~p_form

Alva Noto - Xerrox Vol.2 (Raster-Noton)

Alva Noto returns with a second installment in his five-part planned Xerrox series. On this follow up to Xerrox Vol. 1 (Raster-Noton, 2007), Carsten Nicolai turns up the volume in static electricity working with the concept of copying sounds. A copy of a copy of a copy in digital format may be flawless, so what does Nicolai do? For this feat, Nicolai along with Christoph Brünggel created a "sample transformer". This software manipulation device downsamples, chops and fragments the original source, until it no longer resembles itself, becoming an error prone original, becoming a copy corrupted with noise, becoming a newly created entity in itself. Here's Nicolai, giving us a little more color on the second volume on the label's website: "xerrox vol. 2 undertakes an intense journey and affords the luxury to take its time. while xerrox vol. 1 (r-n 78) referred to the ‘old world’ with its tradition deeply rooted in classical music, xerrox vol. 2 tries to access a ‘new world’. it works with samples that have been gathered and developed in the usa – the so-called ‘new world’ – where the album also has almost completely been recorded. the dramatic and dynamic approach of xerrox vol. 1 on vol. 2 has been replaced by a structural density. instead of working with individual musical entities the new album rather develops an overall, linear aesthetic that refers to musical strategies of film music. hence there are no implicitly singular pieces, but open musical structures – a journey without a predetermined target." On Xerrox Vol. 2, Nicolai turns to a roster of contemporary musicians, including Michael Nyman, Stephen O'Malley, and Ryuichi Sakamoto. This volume of work is more musical and warmer, while at the same time noisier and metallic. Organic instruments are re-sampled and drenched in scattered white noise, washed out with waves of bitcrushing storms, and pierced through with needles of errors. This is not a sound of a stretched magnetic tape. This is a sound of a laser disk passed through a Hollerith punchcard machine, stamping out valuable bits of binary data, daring your brain to fill in the rest. Strip away the conceptual process, and we are left with beautiful dark ambient and modern classical pieces that are haunting and melancholy in their nature, to the likes of Jóhann Jóhannsson, Max Richter, and Fennesz. Highly recommended if you enjoy the releases from the acclaimed Roster-Noton label. Make sure you pick up the first volume and watch out for the upcoming releases to complete your set. By the way, expect the entire set to spell XERROX through cover art, as the virst volume displays letter 'X', and this one, if you look closely, are letters 'E' and 'R'. While you're shopping around, I recommend you also pick up Alva Noto's Transform and Unitxt. Oh, and one last thing. Make sure to grab Byetone's Death of a Typographer and Kangding Ray's Autumne Fold.

myspace.com/alvanoto | alvanoto.com
myspace.com/rasternoton | raster-noton.de 

Jega - Geometry (Planet Mu)

Here's a brief history of Planet Mu, which is very much relevant to Jega. Planet Mu was born in 1995, and was originally setup as a sublabel of Virgin Records, on which it initially planned on releasing music by µ-Ziq (Mike Paradinas), and similar artists. The experimental electronic genre that initially was vultured upon by the major labels never took off in the United States, and Virgin gave up spending their marketing dollars on this back-shelf product. In 1998, Paradinas decided to take on the label single-handedly, and, prefixing the releases with ZIQ, released Jega's Type Xer0 as the very first 12-inch. This teaser was followed up with Jega's debut album, Spectrum (Planet Mu, 1998), and from that the rest is history. Prior to his signing on Planet Mu, the man behind the Jega moniker, Dylan Nathan, has already released material on none other than Skam Records. There, with his two EPs, Phlax (Skam, 1996) and Card Hore (Skam, 1997), Nathan fit along perfectly with such contemporary abstract and experimental IDM artists as Bola, Lego Feet, Freeform, Boards of Canada, and of course Gescom. On Spectrum, Nathan rips through melodic breakbeats with newly perfected IDM elements, fitting right at home with Paradinas' µ-Ziq style. Glitched out percussion draws influences from Aphex Twin and even some leftfield downtempo beats ala Amon Tobin, whose first release, Bricolage, came out a year prior on Ninja Tune . Two years later, and a few EPs in between, Nathan releases his sophomore album, Geometry (planet Mu, 2000). This album is much different in tone, and immediately made its impression on me. A lot darker, machine-like chopped up percussion, jitters its way through the cold corridors of sonic spectrum towards the experimental Autechre sound. Although a few atmospheric melodies remain throughout the album, the deep electro beats and metallic effects hold their solid ground. Geometry is definitely among my list of influential albums. In 2004, Jega showed up with a Theme From 1998 on Planet Mu's compilation, Children of Mu. Another track, Aerodynamic, appeared on the label's compilation, Sacred Symbols Of Mu, two years later, in 2006. In 2003, as Nathan was working on his third album, Variance, a copy leaked out onto the sharing networks, and Nathan had to scrap and rework almost all of the tracks. The album is definitely still in the works, and Paradinas mentioned that Variance Vol 1 and Vol 2 will be released as a double album sometime in July, 2009 (!!!). As a matter of fact, Jega showcased his upcoming work during his exclusive set on BBC Radio 1 Experimental on March 11th, 2009 (do your own digging  on the planet-mu.com forums to grab a recording). I hope that bit of news got your juices flowing, as I'm sure I'll be reviewing the album once I get my dirty hands on it.

myspace.com/dylanjeganathan | jega.com
myspace.com/childrenofmu | planet-mu.com 

Rival Consoles - Helvetica (Erased Tapes)

From the label that brought you majestic modern classical music from Icelandic rising star, Ólafur Arnalds, comes a new installment in emotional... wait... what's this? My expectations for melodramatic orchestral stabs are shattered by explosive drums and drilling breaks. Completely unexpected and incredibly welcome, Rival Consoles catches me off guard with his cinematic progressions, which are complemented by breakcore elements a la Venetian Snares. And this is only after I hear a single track on  Erased Tapes Collection I, which is available as a free download from the label's website. And so I reach out for some more. Helvetica is Ryan Lee West's second EP on Erased Tapes released under the Rival Consoles moniker. In only four tracks, the record is enough to grab your attention with delicate classical piano arpeggios, IDM influences deriving from the catalog of Rephlex artists, with acid bleeps, breaks, and beats palatable to fans of the above mentioned V-Snares, Aphex Twin, and Boxcutter alike. Yes, I can honestly admit that I'm excited about this artist, because all of these cutesy frequencies are skipping right down my alley, past the puddles of tears and walls punched with mud. Playful, adventurous, and confident, the tracks produced with intricate attention to detail, are only a teaser for the things to come from this Leicester (UK) based producer. The 7-inch vinyl is quickly selling out (already out of stock on some places I checked), but is still available directly from the label; and then of course there is the [mandatory] digital release. Be sure to also get your hands on Rival Consoles debut release, The Decadent EP (Erased Tapes, 2007). And don't forge to pick up the label's digital showcase compilation, commemorating its 1st anniversary, where, besides the track that tipped me off, Ryan Lee West contributes a remix and yet another track under his alter ego, Aparatec. Remember, it's free! Jump on this wagon. Quick!

myspace.com/rivalconsoles | erasedtapes.com

Gescom - ISS:SA (Skam)

So we'll never know who's behind Gestalt Communications (Gescom), so what? It's pretty obvious that Sean Booth and Rob Brown of Autechre have a hand at this. This 2003 EP only reveals the well respected label, Skam and its title, ISS:SA, and even the latter is slapped as a braille sticker. The release did however follow on the heels of Autechre's DRAFT 7.30 (released only a week later) so many fans pick up the glitchy destroyed patterns, doomed abstract chords, and unrecognized splattered percussion to be as an extension of the album. Unlike any other collective, Gescom continues to lead us into the dark alley of nightmarish pleasures. All the while you're protecting your valuables and trying to scratch your head and place that sound that you've heard before. C'mon brain! Reconstruct this puzzle into a four second jingle! There!!! No, gone again. Smack! The last track, titled Slow Acid is a favorite of mine. This needs to be turned up much louder to hear all the tiny little white noise melodies in the background, while the AE kick progresses forward in a steady beat, and the common acid-house chords are choked up beyond comprehension. Sub woofer required. The artwork contained in the sleeve of the record is a special bonus. Another testimony to why records can offer just a little bit MORE. The insert is a two sided glossy print featuring a digitally modified image of trumpet, or perhaps a polished motorcycle exhaust pipe, creating an astonishingly bizarre brass instrument, the likes of which could only belong to Booth and Brown. The CD version of the record has a bonus track, titled Megamix. This is a 15 minute Gescom concoction which was originally featured on BBC Radio One's show when they did a Skam Records label profile. Here, the metallic rhythms and bit-crushed patterns are continuously looped into tiny fragments. I can only speculate if all the pieces are from previous Gescom releases and if it was performed live by sliding the loop window over an area of some track(s). Only like Autechre.

myspace.com/skamsmak | skam.co.uk

Deru - Trying To Remember (Merck)

It's been almost two years since one of the leading IDM labels operating out of Florida, closed its doors. My dear Merck... I'm tired of sighing. Your impact on the music scene still resonates till this day - with new artists drawing inspirations from your past releases, and abandoned musicians still scrambling to find a new home for their future work. In the same light, I haven't heard anything from Deru since his 2004 release on Merck, Trying To Remember. He has, however, just finished his third album, Say Goodbye To Useless, which is scheduled to be released in the first half of 2009. About a year ago, I saw Benjamin Wynn play out live, at an outdoor festival, and his deep bass and punchy beats sent the vibrations far through the woods. Add to that some subliminal melodic samples with a glitch and swirling effects, and you got somewhat of a staple sound as spearheaded by the likes of Funckarma, Hecq, Kattoo, Gridlock, etc. (I can go on and on). One of my favorite tracks, is Deru's remix of Yasume's Rengoku, appearing on Colonized 01 (Colony Productions, 2007). Some very cinematic and futuristic moments there. His other treasured releases include the Pushing Air LP (Neo Ouija, 2003) and a remix compilation of his originals, released on a beautiful 10" vinyl, Pushing Soil (Delikatessen, 2004), with reworked tracks by Xela, Ginormous, Lo Grey Beam and Lusine. Deru returned the favor to Jeff McIlwain by remixing Auto Pilot on Lusine's Podgelism (Ghostly, 2007). Deru also appeared on Sutemos' Intelligent Toys 3 and even remixed KiloWatts' Two Days Off on Problems/Solved (AMM, 2006). Throughout his short discography, Wynn has managed to perfect his found sound. It is atmospheric. It is thumping. It is fractured. And once you hear it, you'll be able to recognize his touch and influence in others. Highly recommended. And I am anxiously awaiting his upcoming new album!



myspace.com/iamderu | meisderu.com
myspace.com/merckrecords | m3rck.net

IJO - (Untitled) LP (self)

Queuing up the self released (Untitled) LP by IJO on my iPod, I find that my collection is already sprinkled with tracks from this Lithuanian artist [currently residing in London]. A few of Audrius Vaitiekunas' tracks appear under my favorite Sutemos compilations: Draumar Um Kalt Sumar (Sutemos, 2006) and Intelligent Toys 4 (Sutemos, 2007). And I find that I have already rated those melodic IDM pieces high within an amazing collection of artists. But now I turn to check out IJO's more experimental work, that originally appeared on Plain Productions as a digital Untitled EP in 2006 (still available from this netlabel as a free download), later to be re-released by Vaitiekunas himself, with four more tracks from Quastic! Tracks (Envizagae, 2007), as a pressed 12" LP (this is a limited edition, and I've got mine right here!). IJO rips through the breaks, twisting up triggered percussion and acid bleeps into a whirlpool of distortion, that deserves to be analyzed under a microscope. The deep well of the brilliant Amen Break cutups still hasn't run dry (neither for me, nor for IJO), and when its mayhem detonates into jazzy and melodic interlude, my evil grin melts into a smile. The unheard (Unknown) track on this unsigned (Untitled) is simply unbelievable. It is the unmeasurable uncredible undarkness... er, sorry, got glitched in a groove there... I was trying to say that the (Unknown) track is the absolute highlight of the album for me. It is everything I ever wanted drill'n'bass to be. Evil grinds in the vain of DJ Hidden, lightning rhythmic patterns in the higher frequency, all phased and mashed up into the finest breakcore, as institutionalized by Venetian Snares, Squarepusher and Jega. Highly recommended.



myspace.com/theijo | plainaudio.com/ijo
myspace.com/plainaudio | plainaudio.com

Silences Sumire - Return Is Selective (Ropeadope Digital)

Silences Sumire sounds as if Arovane remixed the live improvisation of Miles Davis, laying on his glitchy swishing drum patterns over electro-acoustic treatments of jazzy instrumentation. Hailing from Chicago, the group consisting of Thomas Faulds (Mercury Effect) and Charles Gorczynski (Colorlist, Leaves) compose a blend of light, electronic, and digitally crunchy percussion over woodwinds (alto sax) and female vocals. The sound of Silences Sumire is a abstract and modal, featuring extemporaneous saxophone overtones, voicing and glissando, with a continuous playful DSP effects of sample chopping, filtering, and bit-crushing. Chicago has a complex music scene that spans across genres like contemporary classical, rock, hip-hop, blues, jazz, and electronic. The duo skillfully merges the latter two, belonging [perhaps] on John Hughes' (Slicker) famous Hefty Records (with acts like Savath & Savalas, Eliot Lipp, Beneath Autumn Sky and Telefon Tel Aviv). I could even see this track appearing on Compost Records Future Sounds Of Jazz compilation series. Instead [and probably for the better], Return Is Selective is released on Ropeadope Digital label following a couple of EPs from Silences Sumire on Chicago local ears&eyes collective. Recommended for the jazzy glitchy fiends, and for fans of the above mentioned artists.



myspace.com/silencessumire | silencessumire.com
myspace.com/ropeadopedigital | ropeadope.com

Renfro - Mathematics (Meltwater)

The recipe for Renfro requires a variety of carefully scavenged ingredients. Locate field recordings of wild animals and sonic atmospheres. Add fragments of material ranging from NASA feeds of deep space to burning credit cards. Mix in some static, glitch, and a pinch of distortion. Now slowly fold in a melancholic melody and Tim Branney's hushed falsetto voice as he sings intricate lyrics over Atom-James Draper's electro-acoustic manipulations. That's Renfro, "meld[ing] experimental electronic musical techniques with dream-pop songwriting", and doing a damn good job at it too. I'm not big on vocals (haven't I said that before?), (I think it's something to do with constrained concepts), (or perhaps the forced structure of a 'song'), but Renfro breaks out of boxed rules and layers voice as another instrument over ambient soundscapes and light percussion fused from cliky flippity-flop bleep lo-fi pops. The duo formed in late 2005, and is based in East London and North Devon, where they have been playing with microphones and "poetics of isolation, difference and collapse". Along with the release of Mathematics, Meltwater Records will also promote with two remix EPs with contributions from Marsen Jules, Porn Sword Tobacco, AGF/Loeb and Christian Fennesz [that alone should excite your appetite!]. The instrumental sound is reminding me of Xela, Skyphone, Julien Neto, and Swod. Like Thom Yorke singing over William Basinski with dying circuits driving the beat. Favorite track: Half-Life Of Happiness.

myspace.com/renfromusicspace
myspace.com/meltwaterrecords | meltwater-records.com

Nautilis - Are You An Axolotl (Planet Mu)

One day in a record shop, I saw a Planet Mu logo on a record with incomprehensible green reflection. Being a fan of pretty much everything Mike Paradinas puts out on his label, I grabbed the vinyl as one of those random finds. Back at home I played the record over and over. I was struck by its ingenuity of combining instrumental hip hop beats with jazzy breaks and glitchy elements of IDM. But it was the melodies and the intelligent micro rhythms that kept on ringing long after in my ears. Skyler McGlothlin's fun and confident approach to creating his first LP, Are You An Axolotl, is still refreshing and exciting to listen six years later [and not just once in a while]. Based out of Texas, McGlothlin followed up his critically acclaimed debut with a second full length, Sketches. In 2005, however, McGlothlin moved to Florida based Merck (RIP, sigh...), and produced more downtempo and instrumental hip hop, under Malcom Kipe alias. The two quick releases were Breakspiracy Theories and Lit. I thoroughly enjoyed both, but must admit that I dig his Nautilis sound a lot more. It's a bit tighter, DSP-driven, production that continuous to unravel new elements within each listen. Since Lit, however, McGlothlin has been silent. I attempt to catch up with Skyler to see what he's been up to, and if we'll hear from him again. And in case you were wondering, yes... I am ... actually... an axolotl.

myspace.com/nautilis | myspace.com/childrenofmu

Fraction - Superposition (Infiné)

Superposition is a delicately packaged EP, with intricate designs and CMYK offsets that at first looks like it's going to deliver some club sounds from a French label, Infiné. And the first track from Eric Raynaud, aka Fraction, hints a little bit of that. With a light four/four beat the headlining A1 begs for the dance floor. But for me things start getting interesting right afterward. For the next four tracks on the EP, Raynaud drops minimal techno inspired rhythms, and instead twists and turns through some dark and experimental IDM, from steady flow to glitchy hip-hop flavored hiccups. Since I'm a bigger fan of the latter, this is where Fraction truly shines for me. Eric Raynaud turned his attention to electronic music after a decade of playing in an indie band. After moving to Paris from Boston, Raynaud pursued electronica production, drawing from inspirations like Aphex Twin, Monolake, J. Coltrane, and even John Cage. While on US tour of 2005, Raynaud got to meet Marco Haas (T. Raumschmiere), who invited him to release some tracks on his own label, Berlin based Shitkatapult. His track, Waiting For Josh, appeared on a compilation 12-incher with Apparat, Magnum 38, Soap & Skin, and T. Raumschmiere himself. My favorite tracks on the Superposition EP remind me of that Warp Records sound from Clark, Prefuse 73, Plaid and of course, Autechre. If this is just a teaser of things to come, than Infiné (who also has released a remix EP from Apparat) may be in as much anticipation for a full length from Fraction as I am. Favorite track: Supermarket of Soul.

myspace.com/myfraction | fraction.fr
myspace.com/infinemuzik | infine-music.com

Nebulo - Kolia (Hymen)

I'm really trying to be unbiased when it comes to one of my favorite labels, Hymen, but there's just way too many great releases from this German offshoot of And-Zen, and I can barely keep up. While I'm refreshing my memory with Nebulo's 2006 debut, another artist that I blindly "collect" everything by, Hecq, has released his fifth album (more on that later, I don't want to digress). Nebulo is an alias of French composer Thomas Pujols. Pujols received a degree from Bordeaux Conservatoire, and began producing the dark and melodic crispy IDM after embracing noise from electro acoustic composition courses on experimental and avant-garde sound. He also works with several agencies as a sound designer, composer, and audio consultant for various media. Nebulo has previously contributed remixes to Hecq's 0000 and Architect's Lower Lip Interface. The tracks on Kolia are full blown compositions, each with a unique story transforming the listener into a world of surreal dreamscapes painted with tears and sometimes even with blood. The gentle harmony and calm melodies are offset by glitchy percussion and rhythmic labyrinths carefully deconstructed and molded back into one whole. I was last this excited about an outstanding production when I picked up Kattoo's Hang On To A Dream (coincidentally [?] on Hymen as well). Kolia is a perfect soundtrack for the imagery within a melancholic soul, locked in the prison of a troubled mind. The intelligence and complexity of the sonic onslaught immediately catapult Nebulo to the ear-candy's favorites. And I want more! Recommended for the above mentioned names as well as Lusine Icl, Gridlock, Keef Baker and Somatic Responses.

myspace.com/nebulo
myspace.com/hymenrecords | hymen-records.com

Markant - Infam (Markant)

Digging through obscure archives of older IDM, I come across Infam. Released in 2001, by Carsten Endraß, who goes by the name of Markant, the album appears to be a compilation of two previous vinyl releases by the same named label (all of which were Untitled), plus five exclusive tracks. Based out of Riedering (Germany), Endraß set out to press his own music on his own label, and has been at it since 1997, releasing 30 strictly limited twelve inchers. Those familiar with Markant probably became collectors of his specially packaged records which sold out with incredible speed. And those snapping up the vinyl know what they were after. The vast warm soundscapes of ambient analog pads are distorted with micro programmed beats and glitches. The sound instantly reminds me of my all time favorites - Autechre and Funckarma. And I think that’s all I have to say to give you a good idea of the music (and I mean that in a positive light). This seven year album may sound at times dated, but it is perfect to refresh one’s memory and the nostalgic moments of hearing Autechre for the first time. You will also like this if you follow Yunx, Proem, Phonem, Pole, and the above mentioned artist’s side projects, Gescom and Quench. The last Markant album was released in 2005, titled Feedback. Since then the void seemed to swallow him up. And all is quiet...

markant-records.com (site gives 404 error, but that’s all I could find)