Syncopix - Icarus (Syncopix)

I just love dark and dirty drum'n'bass. But... I also love its jazzy, organic, and carefree flip-side. That is the sound of Syncopix. You walk out the door, on a crisp summer morning; the sun casts off the sharp shadows of the trees; and with the headphones on you trot to the beat. The light and upbeat rhythms tickle your eardrums with the high frequencies of snares, hi-hats and cymbals. You get into the groove with the minor chords and melodic pads. And just when things get rolling, the deep bass kicks in. An uncontrollable smile creeps in. This is what I'm talking about. Hamburg (Germany) based Roland Bogdahn, has been producing drum'n'bass under his Syncopix alias since 2001. Along with Yaw O. Afram (MTC Yaw) he founded Form Recording, and then spun off Syncopix Records sublabel, on which he already put out about half a dozen of his own 12-inchers, and finally his debut full length album, Icarus. All the years past, Bogdahn has been mostly releasing two-track DJ friendly vinyl on London Elektricity's London based Hospital Records and its sub-label, M*A*S*H; as well as Integral, Dutch Fokuz Recordinngs (sub-label of Citrus from Triple Vision), and Berlin based Hard:Edged among the many. There are also numerous collaborations and remixes - too many to mention for this writeup. But this is Bogdahn's first album. Even though it is unmixed, it flows very well, and is worthy of being a standout release apart from being just a collection of tracks. In fact, it only has two out of thirteen pieces which previously appeared on vinyl. The rest are all new (as far as I know). Geared more towards the listener, rather then the nightclub, Icarus is an album to add to your d'n'b archives. Recommended. Favorite tracks: Nightlistener and Disc Go!



myspace.com/syncopix | syncopix.com
myspace.com/syncopixrecords

The Sight Below - No Place For Us (Ghostly)

Entering the domain of ambient techno producers, is a newcomer by the name of The Sight Below. Ghostly didn't think twice (and better for it), and snatched TSB for his first three-track EP, titled No Place For Us. The fact that I'm even taking the time to mention a digital single should tell you how excited I am about the upcoming work from this Seattle based musician [yes, I like to pretend that I'm very busy ;) ]. And before I forget to mention - this is a free release, so go download your copy directly from the label's site. During the first track, No Place For Us, the ambient washed out sweeps yawn and stretch in swells of shoegazer's agonizing obsessiveness over thick guitar and pad layers. The tonality of these resonant chords remind me of Lusine Icl's Language Barrier (Hymen, 2007) and Murcof's Cosmos (Leaf, 2007). Soon enough the kick drum comes in over the lazy vapors of sound. Like the soothing whispers of a river flowing through the dry lands, pumped by a steady heartbeat of the earth. I quote when I can't say it better: "The music of TSB conjures half-remembered dreams and soft-focus sentiments with elegiac beauty; his video art works similarly, blurring snippets of film until they're recognizable only as organic objects: black-and-white amoebas milling about, or a sunset rendered in grayscale." The knowledge that the three pieces were performed live, only excites my neurons further. Really looking forward to The Sight Below's first upcoming full length release on Ghostly, so that I can stop looping only these three tracks! Recommended for the likes of Yagya, Gas, Vladislav Delay and Echospace.



myspace.com/thesightbelow | ghostly.com/artists/the-sight-below
myspace.com/ghostlyinternational | ghostlyinternational.com

Two and a Half Questions with The Sight Below

How did you get into producing this type of music?
I enjoy music that is repetitive in nature, but also contains multiple tonalities, and on further listening keeps captivating your attention. Similar in a way to how "film noir" feels - the more you focus, the more elements you uncover. The ancient Greeks argued whether an occurrence is perceived the same exact way twice. Brian Eno theorized a little about this: "repetition is a form of change," he said. I ascribe to that theory. These days music seems to be me very ephemeral (and interchangeable). My intent is to create something that grabs your attention today, but also still feels interesting tomorrow.

Which comes first in your production, the ambient layers or the deep grooves?
I have a very primitive setup in my studio: a few guitars and 12-bit effect units (old Lexicon reverbs and delays). I play either by barely touching the strings with a pick or with a viola bow and run everything thru a few loop pedals to create a few layers. I record everything live with minimal editing - mostly to fix fadeouts or adjust levels.

Which musicians do you draw your inspiration from?
I listen to a lot of old Creation, Factory, 4AD, Chain Reaction records. Kevin Shields is obviously a huge inspiration - to me it is perfect music.

Tell us more about your visual artwork.
I work inversely, trying to visually recreate the series of emotions that were going thru my head while I created the music. I predominantly use found footage, which I manipulate and rearrange to the point in which the images become subverted and de-contextualized.

How do you think, getting signed to Ghostly, will change your career path as a musician?
I love working with Sam, Jeff and the rest of the crew there. Ghostly reminds me aesthetically of Factory (one of my all time favorite labels). I'm really proud to be part of the Ghostly family.

So when will we see the debut album?
November 10, 2008

myspace.com/thesightbelow | ghostly.com/artists/the-sight-below

Ginormous - At Night, Under Artificial Light (Hymen)

It's not enough for Bryan Konietzko to be large. To be enormous. Ginormous suits him better. Extremely digital and artificial in all its glory, the sound of sharp saw waves and crisp percussion cuts right through the trippy hip-hop beats. Listening to At Night, Under Artificial Light, I feel like I am crawling through a neon illuminated passageways under a futuristic city. Beneath the surface of a metal casing, I hear a granular and twisted meow. The animal unfolds itself from underground conduit and hastily escapes on its mechanic legs. Cling, cling. Yet I remain, impeccably, still human. The melodies are dark and harmony is morbid. With every track I swallow prickly copper balls. And as they make their way into my stomach, the ancient medicine for pain begins to work. The beats of Konietzki's third full length on Hymen are punchy and assured (the 2006 double CD on Hymen titled The Endless Procession and Our Ancestors' Intense Love Affair is actually two albums). Besides producing artificial beats in his studio, Konietzko is also a co-creator and executive producer for Avatar: The Last Airbender, an Emmy award-winning animated television series that lasted three seasons on Nickelodeon!! There's more on Bryan on Wikipedia or IMDB (many will be delighted to learn that he worked as a character designer for Family Guy). It's tough to classify this album. But if I was pressed, I'd file it along my dark, and experimental IDM collection. As is common with my favorite Hymen releases, Ginormous shoves his way into the circle of Lusine Icl, Hecq, Kattoo and Gridlock.



myspace.com/ginormousmusic | thisisginormous.com
myspace.com/hymenrecords | hymen-records.com

Two and a Half Questions with Bryan Konietzko

You seem to drift further into digital sound. Do you incorporate any "organic" elements in your production?
This new album is definitely the most "digital" of my three, but I still used a lot relatively organic source elements. I think every track started as a recording of one of my stringed instruments, lots of acoustic and electric guitars that were subsequently edited and processed, a kalimba, frame drums, a metallophone... But even though the tracks were born the same, I intentionally embraced a more synthetic sound overall. I picked the title "At Night, Under Artificial Light" very early on in the process and tailored the tracks to suit that aesthetic.

Some artists absolutely despise the umbrella term "IDM". How do you usually explain your music to your relatives?
Yeah, I feel no connection between the term IDM and my music. I certainly like some music that falls under that category, but I don't think it applies to Ginormous. I just focus on emotional content over heady "intelligence." As for describing it to my relatives, I gave up on that years ago! I just give them the CD if they are interested. My sister thinks ice skaters should perform to it, which I take as a compliment. I usually describe it as emotive, dynamic, cinematic, instrumental, industrialized electronic music. Or something...

What is the relationship between your work as an electronic musician and your production and character design for animated television series?
For the last 6 years, my music has worked as the counterbalance to my animation career. Making "Avatar" was great, but a very slow, collaborative process. Making music alone at home is a very immediate, intimate form of expression. Having the two was a good mix for me – it satisfied the polar aspects of my creative needs. Now the show is finished and I am sort of experimenting with a new musical direction. I guess I'm looking for a new balance.

Tell us about your next album on Hymen.
My next record is "The Sound of Love Impermanent." It started as a score for a contemporary dance piece by Maria Gillespie of Oni Dance. In that regard, it is the most collaborative album I've done yet, since the music was made with someone else's purposes in mind. It was a fun project and it got me to work in a different way that ended up influencing "At Night, Under Artificial Light," since I made them both at the same time. It is a more spacious, ambient collection than my first three records.

myspace.com/ginormousmusic | thisisginormous.com

Evan Marc + Steve Hillage - Dreamtime Submersible (Somnia)

Mr. Evan Bartholomew... For connoisseurs of tech house, he is known as Evan Marc. For fiends of psybient and dubbed out downtempo, he is Bluetech - the West Coast producer of psychedelic influenced IDM sound (PsyDM) and an owner of a prolific record label, Native State Records. But a recent shift in economics of the music industry pushed Evan to create another independent label, Somnia, where along with a roster of modern classical musicians, he releases limited copies of minimal, electro-acoustic and ambient dreamscapes under his own name, Evan Bartholomew. In this fourth Somnia release, Dreamtime Submersible, Bartholomew compliments his ambient soundscapes with dub techno influences. This album is a continuous mix of evolving sweeps, that becomes a single unfolding composition within seven movements, each transforming and elaborating on the theme. And... ahem!... This time he is collaborating with a visionary extraordinaire, Steve Hillage, whose discography trails into the 70s - most notable for his ambient techno project with Miquette Giraudy, System 7. I can dedicate a whole exclusive article just to Hillage, and yes, you should feel ashamed if haven't heard the name. So all I can say is... wow... A continuous sweep of a story-telling emotion that is impossible to interrupt in mid-sentence. Not once a repeated pattern of signal processing attributes! Each note carrying an immeasurable delay that feeds into an eternal release of ADSR's tail. The duo paint volume envelopes with an artisan brush of an Irezumi master. There's another interesting phenomenon that I always experience when listening to Dreamtime Submersible which I must share. The album begins with a bass theme which evokes a 4/4 kick drum that my brain just can't place at the beginning of each measure. It comes in between the bars (as a hi-hat would). Try hard as I might, I can't get my brain to switch to the correct meter. I can only fix the perceived rhythm by pausing the track and restarting a few seconds later. Obviously, on different occasions that decision is made at various portions of the track. And then I'm all good. But because for the next ten minutes (at least during the first piece) there are no perceivable codas, or defining signs of a virtual bar, I end up listening to a unique melodic pattern every time. And approach on a different path towards the core of dreamtime. On each arrival, I am fully submerged in a warm trance of bliss and harmony. Enjoy...

For an indepth view on the inner workings of Somnia and Evan's musical inspiration, check out my friend's Bazooka Joe's (Solipsistic Nation Podcast) interview appearing on Igloo: Interview with Evan Marc



myspace.com/iamevanmarc | evanmarc.com
myspace.com/stevehillage | somniasound.com

Near The Parenthesis - L’Eixample (n5MD)

Tim Arndt is back with another release on n5MD! L'Eixample is immediately a more mature, focused, and detail-oriented design. The title (Catalan for "extension") refers to a Spanish district in Barcelona, and indeed draws on impressions and inspirations on Arndt's latest travels to Spain. The production employs a composition of subdued tones and light beats that moves even further into the realm of melodic, atmospheric, and ambient IDM. Arndt lays down the foundation of swirling, reversed and reverberated pads, adding micro programmed rhythms sprinkled with gentle, glitchy, and fuzzy digital errors, all wrapped with an emotional theme of warm melodies, and an occasional eavesdropped conversation in the background. L'Eixample is Arndt's third full length release under the solo project, Near The Parenthesis, following on the heels of the 2007 album, Of Soft Construction, on n5MD as well. Arndt's past experience includes playing guitar and piano for several bands, most notable among them is the Urban Needle project with Steve Mehlman (Pere Ubu) and Mark Gamiere (The Wake). I would say that L'Eixample has more texture then Arndt's previous work, improving on creativity, atmospherics and the overall listening experience. L'Eixample is a further extension of Near The Parenthesis unique style and production techniques that have been perfected once again. Excellent music for those tranquil lazy mornings. Recommended if you follow n5MD's excellent roster, which includes Last Days, Bitcrush, SubtractiveLAD, and Another Electronic Musician.



myspace.com/neartheparenthesis | neartheparenthesis.com
myspace.com/n5mafia | n5md.com

Two and a Half Questions with Tim Arndt

In your words, what is the dominant mood or state of being that you're trying to convey with your music?
I think it's probably obvious that I typically compose in what would be described as a melancholic aesthetic. That's really not so much a function of mood or what I'm specifically striving for as it is my trying hold pieces somewhere between major and minor keys --- not wanting the music to be too happy or too dark. Maybe contentment is the mood I'm trying to convey. I'm usually trying to produce something more ambient and atmospheric than winds up in the final mix. I keep saying my next record will be beat-less...we'll see if it ever comes to fruition.

I love the subliminal background conversations in your tracks. Can you reveal the source of some of these recordings?
Most of the field recording material on my records has been from the audio tracks of video I've recorded, often when traveling. In early works, like on "Go Out and See", I just picked up old video tapes at random and sought out passages of audio that fit the music. Sometimes I know the people talking, but most often I don't. On "Of Soft Construction", and especially on "L'Eixample" the recordings were more purposeful and less random. In fact, the audio on L'Eixample was even more upfront in the composing process - specifically recording airport noise for 'departing gate' or church bells and crowds for 'santa maria del mar' (SMDM). I was composing this record in my head through that trip and knew which field pieces I wanted to pick up to make it complete.

What were some of the most memorable moments that you took away from travels to Barcelona?
While it's probably a little simple for me to say visiting "La Sagrada Familia", I have to highlight it because it's true. I've never seen anything so magnificent in my life, and it was during the morning I spent exploring it that I decided I wanted to make it and the whole city the focus of my next record. From there, little moments easily turned into inspiration for specific pieces; Parc Guell at sunset, walking in the Mediterranean after pitchers of sangria in the afternoon, or waiting in the airport to leave the city I so quickly fell in love with.

myspace.com/neartheparenthesis | neartheparenthesis.com

Igorrr - Moisissure (self)

Slap! What an album... I'm really out of words. Let me attempt. Track one - Valse En Décomposition - baroque organ chords with a low-fi trip-hop beat followed by a bee buzzing turning into glitchy classical piece. Track two - Oesophage De Tourterelle - light piano arpeggios, tremolos and octave scaling progressions turning into insane breakcore. Track three - Putrefiunt - solo monk voice over a flamenco guitar exploding into hardcore death metal cookie-monster mayhem. Or how about 40's gramophone swing laced with gabber? And then there are eight more tracks! I haven't heard such a collection of molded styles before, and it's working... it's working really well! Gautier "Igorrr" Tighten, is a French (unsigned!) producer skillfully experimenting with samples, beats, breaks, and genres. Tighten is also the founder of a speedcore death electro metal/nica project WHOURKR with a single album Naät (self, 2007). Look, I absolutely love Venetian Snares and any crazy juxtaposition of hard styles, but when I happen to venture outside of the leading names, I encounter mostly noise and thoughtless production. Igorrr changes all that. He brings the fun back into breakcore and intelligence into design. Igorrr is a sonic painter who throws nails into aged strawberry jam, lets the slime dribble over your favorite toy, and serves it on a silver plated toilet seat. With a goat shake on the side. Eat it. Moisissure is so fun, you'll be back for more. Perhaps you're secure a copy of his 2006 release, Poisson Soluble. Recommended for the fans of V.Snares, Bong-Ra, Enduser, and Doormouse. Have fun chasing flies with your mouse on Igorrr's web site.



myspace.com/igorrrrrrrrrr | igorrr-music.com

Two and a Half Questions with Igorrr

What are you influences and how did you decide to mix classical with speedcore?
I'm used to listening to quite a lot of different styles but mainly metal, baroque and electronic music. A lot of extreme things anyway, but always artists that get as close possible to the limits of their ideas, to the point where they can't go any further. Then what I find so frustrating is to appreciate all those different styles knowing that they most of the time don't get along, even turning their back to the qualities of each other. You see, I like Chopin just as much as Meshuggah or Venetian Snares, so why not cross these styles?

I really love that you have real vocals on your track - how did you go about getting people to sing for you?
The guys that sang on Moisissure are good friends. Simon Fleury sings on "Putrefiunt", he's a fat beardy Irish guy whom I've worked with for a few years now and he's also the singer of a rock fusion band called City weezle. And Laurent Lunoir on "Phasme Obèse" and "Moelleux", who has more of a classical-meets-black-metal voice, he too is a good friend. He was the first singer in WHOURKR and currently has a doom project called Oxxo Xoox. Theses guys are 2 really good singers and I like working with both of them.

What instruments to you play?
On moisissure, "Putrefiunt" is the song with the most acoustic instruments on the album: guitar and piano mostly, but I also play some drums. On "Phasme Obèse" I also kinda did some screwin' around with the piano and the guitar afterwards, but these instruments were recorded acoustically.

How come you're not signed yet?
AAAaaahh I dunno why, I've refused a few because the offers just didn't seem good enough. I can't say why I haven't had any interesting offers yet. I keep my hair nice 'n' neat, and my armpits smell like sweet roses. Well... Maybe it's the thickness of my eyebrows that scares them off.

Tell us about your upcoming WHOURKR release.
We've been workin' on this baby for 2 years now with -i snor, It's really extreme and very intricate down to the milisecond... We are using the same mix of death metal and electronica/breakcore, but the vocals are particularly ignominous. There are also more tracks than we had on Naät on this one, with a featuring from Laurent Lunoir (WHOURKR's first vocalist) on one called "Santo". But on the overall perspective I think we have something really good going on with this album, the tracks are quite short and it is Very violent and very worked-upon music. My god! I sometimes even freak myself out listening to this album...

myspace.com/igorrrrrrrrrr | igorrr-music.com

Nineteen Ninety Five

1995... It was the year of Oklahoma City bombing, launch of Yahoo!, Windows 95 upgrade, Nasdaq climbing over 1000, and the acquittal of O. J. Simpson. It was the 50th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb, the announcement of DVD format, and the launch of eBay. But for me it was a year of newly reborn music. It was the commercial success of electronica, the acceptance of IDM as a genre, the underground warehouse parties, and the letters PLUR smudged on my sweaty wristband. In this article, I wish to commemorate the year of 1995, remembering the monumental albums and the artists that continued to buildup on the foundation of electronic music. My purpose is to honor the contributions that still retain their quality and the position on my playlists. Take a look and see how many of these albums are in your collection. Pay attention to the currently well known names that had their first debut back in 1995. And, if after reading this article you dust off a few CDs or even 12-inchers, then my task has been accomplished.

Read Full Article : Nineteen Ninety Five

Kamran Sadeghi - Through Thickness (Dragon’s Eye)

Exploring the rhythm beyond its regular structure is the main objective in this abstract and experimental album by Kamran Sadeghi, titled Through Thickness. Like little insects beating their wings against an aquarium where rabid fish circle the dying microphone, the sharp frequencies in the swirling noise of clicks is just one image floating to the surface in this harmonically deprived composition. Sadeghi "draws from [the sound's] potential palate of sonic mass, color, and points in space in order to create compositions of aural depth perception and sculptural form." Through Thickness is a first album in Sadeghi's Kha series. Sadeghi explains on his site: "'kha' is an ancient Hindu [Sanskrit] word meaning "emptiness" which was used in early numerical systems to imply space in tabular arrangements, 'zero'". In the digital twist and decomposition of rhythm, that emptiness breathes on its own. The electronic circuitry of sound pulses and twitches in a final dance of death. Sadeghi's curriculum vitae of audio and visual live performances and installations include OkOk Gallery, The Henry Art Gallery and the Decibel Festival. This is my first taste of material from Dragon's Eye Recordings, an independent label out of Seattle, focusing on experimental, textural, ambient, drone and minimalist recordings from an interesting roster of artists, releasing limited edition albums. In that sense, I place it somewhere around Touch, 12k, Sähkö and Raster-Noton. Definitely a label to keep your eye on. Through Thickness is very much in the spirit of Alva Noto, Pan Sonic, and the darker side of Autechre. For a more musical side of Sadeghi, check out his side project, Son of Rose, with multiple releases on Dragon's Eye.



myspace.com/kamransadeghi  |  kamransadeghi.com
myspace.com/dragonseyerecordings  |  dragonseyerecordings.com

Two and a Half Questions with Kamran Sadeghi

Can you possibly describe your composition process?
My compositional process begins with an acute act of listening, no matter what the desired result may be at the start of a project. I often spend hours listening to just one facet of a sound, building this intense dialogue and relationship with it. As the dialogue develops this snowball effect begins were I'm so buried in constructing, deconstructing, enhancing and reducing..... the next thing you know hours, sometimes days, have passed without me even knowing how one line became this landscape of sonic events.

Tell us more about the concept behind the Kha series.
The Kha series has two main facets at this stage of it's conception; rhythmic centric composition, and using sound as a source of pure data. Over the years I have abandoned the use of rhythm in my work for one reason or another, and it has been a refreshing and challenging addition/reunion to my process. I have also been using sound to determine the outcome of things such as text, color and dimension in my audio video installations and performances. Overall, I'm fascinated and engaged with the integrity of sound beyond a musical context.

I'm always fascinated when artists release material concurrently under different names. How do you decide which releases will go under the Son of Rose or your real name?
Yeah, I agree it is fascinating and for me it was a decision based on a few ideas; to have the creative liberty in doing very different projects, both musical and non-musical, without concern for how it may or may not fit into a certain identity framework, and also to add variation to my day. Son of Rose will remain the outlet for more electroacoustic based work for the time being.

At which point does "digital" become "organic"?
Well... when you can bite into it!

myspace.com/kamransadeghi | kamransadeghi.com

Meat Beat Manifesto - Autoimmune (Planet Mu / Metropolis)

Jack Dangers is back! And on Planet Mu out of all the labels (for European distribution; Metropolis picked up the US release). What a perfect fit, seeming that Planet Mu is one of the established labels spearing the evolution of experimental and intelligent flavors of dubstep. Right off the bet, what's amazing is that unlike other classic electronic acts (ok, I'll say Orb and Orbital), Meat Beat Manifesto is _not_ locked into the past. Dangers is fresh with the times, embracing and re-inventing dubstep, as well as excelling in every aspect of the genre! He puts pretenders to shame! Dangers lays it on thick, heavy on the bass, exquisite on the intricate beats, bringing back familiar samples, with production skills of a seasoned master. Autoimmune is MBM's tenth studio album, whose discography spans over two decades of releases on a huge roster of labels, such as Wax Trax!, Elektra, Mute, Nothing, Run Recordings, and Play It Again Sam. For a full profile, history and discography you can reference the lengthy Wikipedia entry. The newcomers should be impressed by a true veteran of electronica. And the longtime fans will not be disappointed. For a great interview with Jack Dangers, flashback tracks, and some special treats, be sure to check out my good friend Bazooka Joe's show, Solipsistic Nation - Episode No. 88: Meat Beat Manifesto, Live.



myspace.com/meatbeatmanifesto | meatbeatmanifesto.com
myspace.com/childrenofmu | www.planet-mu.com

Ólafur Arnalds - Variations of Static (Erased Tapes)

Pórhallur Gunnarsson hosts a popular Icelandic talk show, Kastljós. The show is broadcast six nights a week on a national television network. Almost a hundred thousand viewers tune in each night. That's about one-third of the population of Iceland, which is located in the North Atlantic Ocean just south of the Arctic Circle. The climate must be cold. My hands are cupped around a hot coffee mug; I'm halfway across the globe, sitting in my pajamas, waking up to the latest post on YouTube. In the clip that I'm watching, Gunnarsson opens up with an introduction in Icelandic, a language I don't understand. No matter. The music that follows requires no words. The show cuts to a boy sitting behind a grand piano. He is skinny and wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. Next to him is a string quartet. The camera zooms in on his hands. The boy plays a single melody composed of exactly six notes. In the background there is an echo of digital hiss. After an introduction of four repetitions, the quartet joins in. The accompanying harmony and chord progression is indisputably classical. But at about two minutes, the bass kicks in. The boy in a white T-shirt and jeans is a twenty-one year old Ólafur Arnalds. Born in a suburban Icelandic town, Mosfellsbær, he composes melancholic, emotionally fueled, and undeniably beautiful music. Ólafur studied piano when he was very young. After about a year of lessons, he decided to switch to drums instead. He kept his studies in drums up until two years ago, when he switched over again, this time adding classical theory and composition. Influenced by electronic, post-rock, and modern classical music alike, Arnalds incorporates various stylistic elements into his work. He seamlessly embraces contemporary symphonic composition and instruments but also makes use of electronic instrumentation. After I listened to Arnalds's 2007 debut, Eulogy for Evolution, I wanted to express my feelings and thoughts about it. Majestic, graceful, gorgeous and sublime are words that popped into my mind. But they are meager words when compared to the emotion in that music.

Read full Headphone Commute exclusive article:
ÓLAFUR ARNALDS : beautiful in the same way the arctic is…



myspace.com/olafurarnalds | olafurarnalds.com
myspace.com/erasedtapes | erasedtapes.com

Headphone Commute’s review featured on MOG

If you've been following my reviews, you should have already guessed that I try to steer clear of self promotion. I am not affiliated with any entity and only write about the music that I like. It is my way of sharing those special finds with you. Back in the days it was just a  matter of making a mix tape off some treasured records. Now it's all about the intarweb, blog-o-sphere, social networking, etc. It's hard to dig through the onslaught of information, most of which is only trying to hook you in, for another click, for another bump. That being said I want to extend my sincere thanks to all the readers and say that I appreciate your audience - I wouldn't want to talk into the void. In return I promise to deliver the same unbiased content. There's only one purpose and agenda behind these words - to spread the word about the music that I love. OK. Now time for self promotion. Hehe. I am proud to announce that MOG has featured a selected review by yours truly. MOG is an online community of music lovers and bloggers (aka moggers). It's a free social network which is centered around the music that you listen to, with recommendations, tracks, and most importantly, reviews like this one. My featured review is covering one of my favorite artists, Ólafur Arnalds and his latest EP, Variations of Static. I will syndicate the review in its entirety in the upcoming post. Meanwhlie, be sure to drop on over, say 'hello', and if you already hold an account, add me as your Trusted MOG.

Read: ÓLAFUR ARNALDS : beautiful in the same way the arctic is…

www.mog.com/Headphone_Commute

Headphone Commute’s Best of 2008 on The Blend

So you've read my Best of 2008 [so far...] (you've read it, right?), and seen some familiar artists, while the rest seem unknown and mysterious. If only you could check out all of these recommendations... If only you had the time to plow through the samples and purchase the mentioned albums... Well, fear not. I've got a special treat for you. Bevin Campbell from the Australian radio show, The Blend (PBS 106.7FM) has contacted me to feature the Headphone Commute's Best of 2008 selections on his July 22nd episode. I was able to secure a copy of the broadcast with the permission to re-post on Headphone Commute! That's right, kiddies, over an hour of music, spanning the best of my selections across a variety of genres ranging from ambient, downtempo and IDM... to dubstep, experimental hip hop, minimal techno and even breakcore. There's only so much that Campbell is able to fit into his fine program, but after a nice opening with The Herbaliser, he squeezed in the following roster (in order of appearance) : Hecq, Emanuele Errante, Evan Bartholomew, Hol Baumann, Kangding Ray, Kettel, The Flashbulb, Barry Lynn, Meat Beat Manifesto, Benga, Ital Tek, and Venetian Snares... What a superb sweep of genres, that is starting on a minimal side of the spectrum and progressing towards the insanity of jungle infused drill'n'bass! But wait, there's more! The second part of the show opens up with my favorite Reader's selections for the first part of '08, which includes Quiet Village, Kelpe, Flying Lotus, Scuba, Ellen Allien, Black Dog, 2562 and Portishead in closing. And best of all, this is a free download with almost two hours of music! You can't afford to miss out on this one. Let's face it - I shouldn't even have to sell you on this one. A great preview of best of the crop! Huge thanks to Bevin for his hard work the and a fantastic show! This one goes down into the archives. Forever...

The Blend - Headphone Commute's Best of 2008 [so far...]
Download : [PART 1] [PART 2] [PLAYLIST]

myspace.com/blendcorp | pbsfm.org.au/theblend

Cougar - Law (Layered)

On the first listen, Madison based (Wisconsin, US) instrumental five-piece band, Cougar, sounds peculiar - not fitting into any specific classification (and proud of it!), yet tending to be loosely associated with post-rock more than any other genre. But after returning to their debut album, Law, for the second time, I realize that it's exactly what I want to hear. Describing their music as "emergency rock" geared towards "rescue culture", Cougar experiments with beats, harmony, and structure. The production ranges from electronic to organic, reminding me of earlier tracks by Telefon Tel Aviv (minus the glitch) and perhaps even Four Tet. Some rhythms are influenced by electronica and I would go as far as say upbeat instrumental hip-hop beats. There's also a special treat in the "intermissions" between the main tracks. Throughout the album, Cougar sprinkles five consecutively named sketches. These are the experimental pieces that are extremely fun to listen to, reminiscent of pieces on Radiohead's Kid A - I only wish they were expanded into full tracks. The exploratory approach of Cougar's composition brings back the curiosity and excitement which I first encountered through Grails. There is no formula. There is no tiring structure. On Law, Cougar switches gears and takes you into a new direction at a whim. And the mastering is outstanding - I guess it has to be, when you find out that John McEntire (Tortoise and The Sea and Cake) is behind the production. I find myself returning to Cougar over and over. Recommended for the above mentioned names, plus if you like 65daysofstatic, Yndi Halda, Saxon Shore, and This Will Destroy You.



myspace.com/cougarsound | cougarsound.com
layered.org

Two and a Half Questions with David Skogen of Cougar

I love the experimental tracks. Who are your influences for those?
Hmm. Honestly, I try not to think about any sounds I've heard before, when listening to a new song, be it full-out or more interlude-ish. I just listen and wait for funny things to pop out, or into my head. Then I start trying them, banging around the studio, and attempt to be aware of when something interesting starts making noise. If I think about the interludes on 'Law' specifically, most of them came out of found sounds in the studio or with different percussion instruments that we thought were unique enough to warrant their own space, as opposed to being buried within a proper song. I'm a sucker for metal sounds. Cymbals are like the most strange, beautiful idea to me. Putting my ear to the edge of a cymbal and just listening to the overtone cycle, especially the really low information, is one of my secret pleasures. I like recording the actual shells of the drums, the large chunks of material that resonate on their own, whether wood or metal. But anyway, back to the question... I have no idea.

Ever think of making an electronic album?
Sure. Although MY electronic album would still be all organic sounds. That's kind of one of the things that gives Cougar its sound... almost all sounds on the record are actually REAL sounds, organic, acoustic sounds, that we apply with a kind of electronic mindset. I think it makes it a much more warm album, and it gives me a little happiness. Our laptop guy, Aaron Sleator, is probably the only one who could make an actual electronic album. One of our guitar players, Dan Venne, does extensive work with Ableton Live, but not so much in Cougar.

What are some of your side projects?
I tour a good chunk of the year with YoungBlood Brass Band, which is what we call riot jazz. It's basically a really aggressive hiphop brass band with 3 drummers and all horns. I've been doing that for almost 10 years now. Dan Venne (guitars) has an improv trio called Hans Blix, and he plays around New York quite a bit doing improv, experimental and compositional work. Todd Hill (basses) lives in Chicago and freelances all over down there. Aaron Sleator (guitar/electronics/keys) has his own solo acoustic stuff as well as solo electronic stuff. We all met in Madison, playing in Richard Davis' Black Music Ensemble at the University of Wisconsin, so we were all entrenched in the world of jazz/improv for a long time. Funny that we settled on a band that's almost entirely compositionally based, and not improvised.

Tell us about your upcoming new record.
From what my friends that have heard it are telling me, it's more aggressive, more electronic, and more concise. There's less overarching emotional moments, and more complex narratives. Things don't take as long, and more happens in less space. Man, talking about your own music sounds pretentious no matter what, huh. We're excited about it, it's a blast to play, and at the root of the band, we're all players, so hitting the stuff live is really what makes it worth it.Thanks for listening. We're looking at maybe a winter 08 or spring 09 release, depending on who's actually releasing. It's all up in the air right now.

myspace.com/cougarsound | cougarsound.com

Daturah - Reverie (Golden Antenna / Graveface)

I don't know why, but I simply love extended post-rock tracks that evolve over a course of ten to fifteen minutes. A track becomes a whole story, a movement, an extraordinary composition. And Daturah, the Frankfurt (Germany) based instrumental five piece band, accomplishes just that. The dynamics build up and drop, the rhythm breaks and picks up again, and the melodies draw me in, unfolding like a trip through a familiar mountain climb, only to reveal a new breathtaking view once you reach the top; and once I'm at the peak, I fall and soar with music towards the sea of sound. I also can relate to this description in the band's bio: "Sand disperses. Counterpoints are set discreet. Suddenly and abrupt you climb up. Newly awoken the listener gets pulled up in a mighty swirl. Resistance seems pointless, but maybe someone is rescuing the listener from an apocalyptical, stormy sea..." Reverie is Daturah's sophomore album. The five tracks seamlessly flow into one another, at times dropping into the ambiance of shoegaze, at times insisting on crashing down the post-metal barrier. Daturah formed back in 2003. After the self titled debut release in 2005, Daturah has toured the world, playing alongside The Thermals, Do Make Say Think, Gregor Samsa, and Mono. Reverie is released on Golden Antenna, a German label previously responsible for Maserati; and on Chicago based Graveface Records with a roster of artists such as Black Moth Super Rainbow, Dreamend and Monster Movie. I would love to see Daturah live. Perhaps Graveface will bring them in [wink]. Be sure to pickup the first self-titled album, Daturah. Recommended for the likes of Mogwai, GSY!BE, Caspian, Yndi Halda, This Will Destroy You, Red Sparowes, as well as Isis and Pelican.



myspace.com/daturah | daturah.de
myspace.com/goldenantenna | goldenantenna.com
myspace.com/gravefacerecords | graveface.com

Blackfilm - Blackfilm (Spectraliquid)

Dark and brooding, Blackfilm envelopes you like a thick fog creeping off a cooling swampland. I recall a quote by Jim Morrison (which got embedded in my brain after Emmanuel Top's 1994 single Turkish Bazaar) - "The music was new, black, polished chrome and came over the summer like liquid night". Blackfilm is the anonymous Hungarian artist on Spectraliquid Records, a Greek independent label organized by Mobthrow, Subheim, Katja and Xsoz. The self-titled debut album from Blackfilm is the label's only second release (first being an obligatory compilation, titled Konkrete, with a taste of things to come). And I believe it's off to a nice start. Blackfilm's sound is a bricolage of downtempo, breaks, instrumental hip-hop, and an excellent selection of sampled modern classical strings. The Amon Tobin reference was not accidental - Blackfilm indeed reminds me a lot of his earlier works. I would even be bold enough to declare that my sensitive ear picked up a few familiar samples (Stalingrad is an excellent example). That can only serve as a compliment from every direction for Blackfilm. I'm a big Amon Tobin fan and have been craving and begging for someone to defibrillate his pioneered sound. Of course Blackfilm introduces his own cinematic and orchestral elements that "move from fearsome, lonely frames to chaotic feelings of urban self-destruction." Spectraliquid goes a step further and brings in Volker Kahl (Kattoo) to master the album. And once you cross that line, there is no going back. The production is crispy, tight and menacing. Excellent soundtrack to contemplate your existence on. Highly recommended!



myspace.com/blackfilmmusic
myspace.com/spectraliquid | spectraliquid.com

Two and a Half Questions with Blackfilm

How do you digest my comparison to Amon Tobin?
I don't mind that comparison at all in fact it is very flattering. I listened to Amon Tobin a lot. Especially his first two albums. I thought he had put himself above the crowd in his ability to implement samples into his music. The same of FSOL. These two I think outdid everyone in electronic music for a long time in their ability to truly be able to take samples, put them in a different context, and make the samples their own. They didn't just take a sample and put it over a beat. It was so skillfully edited together into their music that it sounded like that's where it belonged. It was hard to tell where one sample ended and another began.

What is your favorite sampling source?
I would have to say everything. A lot of the album contains samples from 20th century pieces as that's the road I wanted to go down. Having said that, I really don't have a favorite source or sources. Everything from Portishead, country music, tango, film soundtracks, free jazz to dub is on the album. It might just be a snare or a guitar chord, but these are some of the other sources on the album. Relates back to the first question I guess and trying to put together something out of a number of small pieces from completely different sources and make something new out of them.

Do you have a fascination with urban decay?
I don't think so. I might have had at one point but not anymore I don't think.This question made me think of LaHaine. The face of Baudelaire painted on the side of the building, looking down at the final scene taking place. Those are the only references to urban decay I would be familiar with, the writings of Baudelaire ,for example, but that's not an influence for any of the music on the album believe it or not!

Who and/or what inspires you?
Musically it would be an enormous list, as I'm sure it's the same for most producers. But the biggest inspiration is usually a more personal one, and it happens indirectly. Something you happen to be going through at the time I find becomes the biggest source of inspiration. People that are close to you in a weird way also become an inspiration. I've read this in several interviews before and its definitely true. Especially if someone produces music alone. You're stuck in a room for hours, usually dark, and there's noone else around, and for some reason thoughts of people that are close to you always enter your head. I would have to say this is a constant, this is always present no matter what piece of music I'm working on.

If you were to produce a soundtrack for a film, what would it be about?
In a way, a lot of the music on the album is a soundtrack. Every song on it has a meaning and is either based on a film or a scene from a film or a passage from some written work. So for me, it kind of is a soundtrack already. If I could choose though, I would love to do a completely ambient and dark soundtrack to a Tarkovsky film if he were alive, or for a film by Aleksander Sokurov.

myspace.com/blackfilmmusic

Lustmord - [ O T H E R ] (Hydra Head)

Lock all the doors and walk up the stairs. Turn down the lights and slightly raise the volume. Breathe slowly and try not to wet your pants. The boards creek somewhere in the attic. Lustmord enters the house. With deep moans, low drones, and bass rumbles, the walls begin to ooze evil, and if you stare long enough into the darkness, you'll start to see the path to hell. Like the unspoken dark power of a Ouija board, there is no telling what evil spirits will be called forth, when playing Lustmord's latest album, [ O T H E R ]. Brian Williams is a true pioneer of the dark ambient genre - as dark as they come. Usually referred to as the soundtrack to all your nightmares, Williams has worked on sound design for over 44 film scores, most notable of which include additional compositions for The Crow and Underworld. Lustmord's sound is not just digital effects of haunting echoes - he has actually made field recordings in slaughterhouses, caves and crypts. An interesting album to get your hands on would be a live performance at The Center for Inquiry, recorded on 6/6/6 for the Satanic High Mass celebration of 40th anniversary of The Church of Satan. That album is called Rising. On [ O T H E R ], Adam Jones (Tool) contributes slow solo guitars riffs, with additional appearances by King Buzzo (Melvins) and Aaron Turner (founder of Hydra Head Records and vocalist for the Isis). Speaking of Hydra Head... This is a great American label releasing everything from post-metal, like Pelican and Isis, to drone and doom metal, like Sunn O))) and other heavy metal styles from groups like Cave In, Boris and Jesu. And all joking aside - my dog ran out of the room and was afraid to get back into the studio, standing outside, looking in, until the [ O T H E R ] ended. If you've never heard Lustmord, this is a guaranteed unforgettable experience. For the same reasons that you watch horror films. This is music that truly makes you feel - never mind the fact that I can't wash off the goosebumps. Not recommended for sunny days and little girls. Impeccable production.

myspace.com/lustmord | lustmord.com
myspace.com/hydraheadindustries | hydrahead.com

Two and a Half Questions with Lustmord

I believe you're an atheist... What was it like performing live for the first time in 25 years on 6/6/6?
More than anything it was fun - which has no bearing on my being an atheist, though you do have to have a sense of humor to be one.

You stick close fulfilling a very specific stylistic niche. What is the most difficult part about producing in this genre?
(I presume you're referring to my work as Lustmord in this question, though I've worked on plenty of things that have quite a different sound - see Puscifer for example). I don't find anything difficult about it at all and don't believe in such things as boundaries, especially those set by any "genre". Not that I feel part of any genre. I never try and please others with my work and as such I don't feel any pressure either internal or external to conform to expectations or rules implied by others.

Do you ever creep yourself out?
Of course not. I have been known to amuse myself though.

myspace.com/lustmord | lustmord.com

Jasper TX - Black Sleep (Miasmah)

The fragmented world of random memories mixed by a disk jockey is one thing. An album is another. Listening to an album you always start at the beginning. You always start at track one. Dag Rosenqvist, under his moniker Jasper TX, opens up Black Sleep with a swell. It dynamically expands into a quiet drone, setting the tone for the things to come. Using layered pads, lo-fi treatment, and low rumbling tones, Rosenqvist builds a distant soundscape that drapes over my ears like a Valerian pillowcase. Black Sleep drifts me out of collective consciousness, through a tranquil voice of a Buddhist wordless sermon. The tracks on Black Sleep range from serene lullabies to haunting drones. Although the sleep is certainly black, it's not too dark to be enjoyed outdoors. Jasper TX is a perfect artist to end up on Miasmah, which recently stepped up from operating as a net label, the current album being its eighth official release. Miasmah's previous hailed albums include Rafael Anton Irisarri's Daydreaming, Elegi's Sistereis, and Jacaszek's Treny. Jasper TX is Rosenqvist's solo project, under which he has a couple of self released EPs, and a few albums, most notable of these are In A Cool Mansoon (Pumpkin Seeds In The Sand, 2007), and I'll Be Long Gone Before My Light Reaches You (Lampse, 2005). This past February, Jasper TX released yet another ambient album titled This Quiet Season (Slaapwel, 2008). I highly recommend you check it out as well. Besides releasing ambient bliss under Jasper TX, Sweden based Dag Rosenqvist is a member of a post-rock group, De La Mancha. For the likes of Deaf Center, Klimek, Marsen Jules, Fennesz, and Machinefabriek.

myspace.com/jaspertx
myspace.com/miasmah | www.miasmah.com

Modeselektor - Happy Birthday! (Bpitch Control)

Mixing up everything from IDM to dub, electro and hip-hop, Modeselektor puts out a truly fun album that keeps me bopping up and down. There is evident humor in some of the tracks and that's exactly that attitude that forces me to spin Happy Birthday! on for a fun ride. Not to mention an excellent array of featured artists. We've got French hip-hop from Paris, TTC; some Dominican style fun vocals from Paul St. Hilaire; throw-your-hands-up party rap from Puppetmastaz; and an absolutely excellent track featuring Thom Yorke, titled The White Flash. [Side note: the 2008 12" Happy Birthday! Remixed #1, features The White Flash remixed by Trentemøller - it's worth picking up just for the B side]. Modeselektor returned the favor and remixed Thom Yorke's Skip Divided from The Eraser (XL, 2008). Modeselektor is a Berlin based duo of Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary. When Bronsert and Szary initially met in 1992, they were producing music under alias Fundamental Knowledge. In 1995 they renamed themselves to Modeselektor, after a function on Roland RE-201's effects module. Another interesting side project is called Moderat - a collaboration between Modeselektor and Apparat which only saw a single 12" on BPitch Control back in 2003 and now returned with a track on Happy Birthday! titled Let Your Love Grow. This is Modeselektor's sophomore release, named in anticipation of the unplanned accidentally synchronized births of the duo's children. Modeselektor is not afraid to whip any stylistic trend back into its cage. From four-to-the-floor acid infused electro beats, to heavy grime, this is already a favorite party album. In the middle of the album, after a heavy beat from The Black Block, my ear pricks up to a familiar melody. The track's name is The First Rebirth, and I immediately recognize the classic trance anthem from 1993 under the same name, written by Jones & Stephenson for Bonzai Records (and I still have my copy - actually just dug up Commander Tom's '94 Remix on Prolekult). The album finishes up with an excellent up-beat glitchy hard breaks featuring Maxïmo Park. Pick up this album and treat yourself to one of my 2007 favorites! Recommended if you enjoy Boxcutter, Pole, Plaid, Funkstörung and Mouse on Mars. Be sure to grab Modeselektor's 2005 debut, Hello Mom! p.s. Excellent popping music!

myspace.com/mdslktr | modeselektor.de
myspace.com/bpitchcontrol | bpitchcontrol.com

Ital Tek - Cyclical (Planet Mu)

OK, I was going to de-capitalize the artist and album name appropriately, but it screws up my nice formatting. I'm sure that Alan Myson won't mind. Hailing out of Brighton (UK), this is Myson's first full length release. There were a couple of 12" back in 2007 various labels, plus a few file releases here and there, but that's all. I first came across iTAL tEK on 10 Tons Heavy compilation, followed by 200, and now Mary Anne Hobbs drops his tune on her Evangeline - all released on Planet Mu. The above appearances should lovingly pigeonhole Myson's music into a dubstep genre. Through eleven tracks, Myson explores all facets of the uprising style, from dark to melodic, and from experimental to dance-floor. As an album, it is a very involved listening experience, begging to be returned to over and over to uncover its multi-layered production that will satisfy the break-,IDM-,and bass-heads alike. In the recent years, dubstep has been a hit or miss for me. I mostly end up tossing away records that exploit the genre's popularity by applying the tiring old formula - sample this here, apply the syncopated beat there, drop in the wobbling bass, and repeat. The volume of current underground output reminds me of the days when gabber swept Rotterdam in the mid-90s: anything was up for grabs as long as it employed the squirrely vocals and distorted 909 kicks spun above 150bpm. Only the gems outlast the hype to survive through history for another rotation. Myson stands among the few artists that integrate and employ the genre's characteristics with an intelligent design, bringing dubstep closer to the electronica for listeners, and gaining a permanent presence on my shelves of classic albums. That being said, Planet Mu is responsible for pushing the boundaries of electronic evolution, keeping up with the trends and exciting our neurons. It is with a full support of such an established label, among the many independent and progressive smaller counterparts, that the musicians and fans alike, will benefit for the years to come. Thanks, Mike [ed. Paradinas]! Keep it rolling. My good friend, Rob Booth, over at Electronic Explorations, is also a big fan. He recently hosted Ital Tek's Exclusive Mix with a couple of unreleased tracks - it's a must. Recommended for fans of Boxcutter, Pinch, Vex'd, The Gasman, and Distance.

myspace.com/italtekmusic | planet-mu.com/artists/italtek
myspace.com/childrenofmu | planet-mu.com

Two and a Half Questions with Ital Tek

I placed you somewhere between dubstep and IDM - how would you describe your music?
I'm really bad at this question usually! I think that's a fair description though. I've tried to create a middle ground in my records between bass heavy music that works really loud in a club but also so you can listen to it at home/in the car/walking about etc. I think albums are really important as whole pieces rather than just collections of tracks and so I wanted to make one that people would want to listen to all the way through. I love bass music/dubstep but sometimes I want to listen to something with a nice melody aswell. I try to tick both the boxes. Old electronica - Aphex, Muziq and then the sort of textures and soundscapes that bands like Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead make have had a big influence on the way I go about making music.

Do you feel that you have found your own unique voice in your compositions?
I don't know about having created a unique voice, I'd say it's pretty hard to be creating anything unique. I just enjoy sitting for hours making something I want to listen to, and something that excites me.

Anything fun on the horizon? Live shows? Collaborations?
There are a couple of collaborations that I had been putting off whilst finishing my album so hopefully they will get sorted now. I'm sure there will be something new out later this year, there's lots of things I'm working on at the moment. Aside from writing I'm doing some more festivals for the rest of the summer and then more gigs around and about most weekends after that.

What's the story about iTAL tEK capitalization?
The capitalisation thing was just how someone wrote it a few years ago on a flyer and then it kind of stuck with some other people doing it, and it going on the records like that etc. I don't mind how people want to write it. I've told some people who've asked that it's because of a sponsership deal with iTUNES... I think they believed me.

myspace.com/italtekmusic | planet-mu.com/artists/italtek

Kettel - Myam James Part 1 (Sending Orbs)

Reimer Eising, producing under the name of Kettel, is no stranger to the IDM scene. Since 2001, Eising has vigorously released a dozen EPs and nine full length albums on a handful of respectable labels, such as Planet Mu, Neo Ouija, DUB, Merck, Kracfive, and his home label (which he co-runs with his brother, Wouter Eising and Kristian Peters), Sending Orbs. His last album, Myam James Part 1 was originally scheduled to be an EP, but Eising's onslaught of his mind-to-music-stream has borne not one, but two albums in the Myam James series. Based out of Groningen, The Netherlands, Eising is a classically trained musician, growing up playing piano since he was five years old. His love for Bach is clearly evident through complex, mathematical, and harmonic progressions in the acid driven, micro programmed, and organically acoustic pieces. From the album page on Sending Orbs: "Kettel manages to squeeze uplifting, warm, cheerful and enjoyable music out of his kettle and pottery factory, which is sad, melancholic and sensitive at the same time." The tracks on Part 1 are as intelligent as Inteligent Dance Music can be, with excellent production, masterful effect control, and instantly memorable melodies. Towards the end of the album, the track My Dogan (from the album My Dogan, on Sending Orbs [2006]), gets a treatment by Phoenecia. We also get an excellent remix from Secede, of another track, Church. Highly recommended if you like Aphex Twin, The Flashbulb, Jega, Barry Lynn and Wisp.

myspace.com/captainkettel  |  kettelmusic.com
myspace.com/sendingorbs  |  sendingorbs.com

Two and a Half Questions with Kettel

What do you imagine it would be like to hear Bach playing the organ for the first time in church?
What I have read about Bachs improvisational skills on organ, is that it was even better than his composed work. I don't know who said it, I have no source, but it's a famous quote so it may bear some kind truth. I want to believe it does, at least. I can't even imagine improvising a fugue, because for me it seems you have to have 4 different brains to do so. It is known that Bach improvised perfect fugues. What can I say? I know I would love it, I know it would be an amazing and miraculous thing.. I also know I'm not good enough at English to express the right superlatives at the right time in this matter. I'm such a great Bach-lover, I would seriously consider giving up an organ (HA!) to hear him improvise on it!

How much of your music is mathematical in nature?
Hard one. I don't go around calculating anything when I write music, but I think when a melody is "good" it has some kind of mathematical symmetry or 'truth'. If one is able to do it -have the scientific basis and knowledge to do so- can 'prove a melody'. If not equipped with math skills (like me, by the way), there is this way in which you can 'feel' good melodies go round. It's all about consistency I think when it comes to good music. Things have to sound intentional and consistent. I certainly believe that music is math in some way. I'm not sure if I want to find out how so.

How much do you participate in running of the label [Sending Orbs], and which tasks do you usually pick up?
It has always been my brother Wouter and my friend Kristian's label. My involvement in it is on and off. I'm usually part of the process of contemplating decisions tho.. Basically just someone that is not officially affiliated, but in the loop. Tasks.. I have helped out working the shop, done setting up some labelnights.

Do you recall the first electronic release that made you want to produce this kind of music?
I think it was a mixtape ridiculously called "Pfffff" my brother made for me with various electronic tracks on it that initially got me interested. Then I picked up a lot of Mouse On Mars and mid-90's Plaid, Autechre and Aphex. It wasn't really 1 release that turned the wheel for me, but I remember listening to Plaid's Not For Threes and wishing I made it. (But I kind of still do that). If you put a knife to my throat for this question I'd say Mouse on Mars was the first electronic love i had. Iahora Tahiti is still one of my most dear albums in the world.

I know that you're a 303-fiend, do you own a couple of teebees; and what other fun toys can we find in your studio?
I work the most basic and simplistic setup thinkable by a badger. All my music is based upon me playing keyboard; whether it's a synth or a 303. That is really the basis of everything I do; I can't make music if I can't jam/play. I find hardware toys hard to get into most of the times, merely because I think i find my roots in pianoplay; give me a few keys and I'm happy. But of course hardware synths can sound amazing, and they are amazing, and I'm even really into sound toys, I just don't own them. Let's just say I've never really gotten into knobtwiddling and experimenting with sounds. So far I've always found enough satisfaction and challenge in trying to write beautiful melodies. Different approach, I guess.

Who is Myam James and when are we going to hear Part 2?
Myam James is a viking a once dreamt of, throwing little blue balls at me. Part 2 is coming up, I'm actually working on it right now. It's supposed to come out in fall, so it will. It's a different album than Part 1; it's gonna have some more chilled out, soundtrackstyle, classical moments among more Myam1 acid stuff. That's the way it was all planend out and I still feel comfortable sticking to it. Showing a few different musical sides of myself; that's why it was a series in the first place. An album is always like a summary of the past year.

How different are your live shows from the album tracks?
Quite. They have been at least. The last year I have been doing a few Myam James tracks live, actually most of the Myam James tracks started as live tracks. But also during the releases of ambient albums my livesets would always been a little more upbeat and party, I think I just enjoy that the most myself.

Any memorable moments from your recent North American tour?
A lot. One memorable moment is this. We (Flashbulb, me, and a ..guest) had just travelled a long distance from Montana to Washington, somewhere. Note that during my tour the European Soccer Championships were on, and me being a big (Holland) soccerfan, upon arrival in the motel I instantly downloaded the match (that was already played back home, time difference). While I was getting loaded with Rolling Rock waiting till the download to finish, the Flashbulb was practicing his set and played some awesome guitar. I watched the match, we beat France 4-1 and I caused a beep in Flasbulbs ear screaming and yelling. By the time it finished I was nothing more or less than a drunken dutchman, far away from home, celebrating a party that was originally already over. Anyway, that night we took off to the festival to check out what it was like. It was already dark and the festival was up on a high mountain. Somehow we took a few detours, and although we were told the roads were gonna be unpaved and steep, the roads we drove on that night were life-threatening. We even were caught up in stream of sliding rocks that made it's way into the ravine, our brave SUV and SUV-driver (Benn) fighting with it. Anyway, all I can say is I'm glad I was drunk when that happened.

myspace.com/captainkettel | kettelmusic.com

Rudi Arapahoe - Echoes From One To Another (Symbolic Interaction)

As Eve Basilides opens up with strumming of the harp, a distant lo-fi hiss transposes you into a surreal world of shadows and broken dreams. By the time Kaithlin Howard's voice breaks through the reverb and lightly touched piano chords I begin to wonder if the imagery is indeed from my long lost memory. Rudi Arapahoe's spellbinding soundscapes accompany my daydreams into a world of modern classical and magical realism. "A strange and beautiful tale, voiced across the windswept plains and forests of purgatory." Here I give into another temptation to repeat the Echoes From One To Another poem: "In a dream I am standing / At the entrance to a forest / Here there are constructed / Numberless arches that radiate light / When I step through them at night / My body floats gently in the air / At this precise moment / When I am on the cusp of sleep / My shadow vanishes / And with it my weight." Why bother attempting to even describe such beautiful and timeless experience? Rudi Arapahoe has captured it all. As if the music wasn't enough, the photographs included in the packaging perfectly echo the artist's message via the visual senses. Echoes From one To Another definitely reminds me of Max Richter, especially The Blue Notebooks. It's mostly because of the melancholic piano, cinematic strings, and of beautiful spoken word. And when being compared to Max Richter was a bad thing? I hope Arapahoe's future is bright with creating mystical soundtracks to a world that we carve out of this visible reality. For when I close my eyes, it rapidly vanishes. And only music remains.

myspace.com/rudiarapahoe
myspace.com/symbolicinteraction | symbolicinteraction.net