Podcast : Low Light Mixes – The Landscape Listens

Today we're presenting to you one of our favorite ambient journeys from Low Light Mixes. Although this mix was made in the dead of winter, we still feel that its calm nature can soothe away your daily worries, stress and aches. It definitely hits the spot on this side of the mixing board. Here's Dave Michuda talking about the inspiration behind the mix: It's the dead of winter, just trying to outlast the snow & cold, trying to make it to spring break. The music in this mix has a sort of lonely winter feel to it. The tracks are not too dark or depressing, they just seem to conger up images of vast, snowy landscapes. We hope you enjoy this entry, and I'm sure Dave will be back with more!

See full track listing, plus stream or download the mix on Headphone Commute

Melorman - Out In A Field (Symbolic Interaction)

Before I dive into this melodic and emotional IDM album, I want to talk about the label. Symbolic Interaction is an independent label run by Kentaro Togawa out of his hometown, outside of Tokyo, Japan. Togawa started the label in 2007, and in the last three years released about twenty five albums (Out In A Field is cataloged at SIC024). I first came across the label upon hearing Rudi Arapahoe - Echoes From One To Another (2008). The following release was by my all time favorite glitch masters, Funckarma - Psar Dymog (2008), and then Ard Bit's - Spanon (2009) shook me a bit off balance. So, it's no wonder that I'm keeping my tabs on Symbolic Interaction. Now on to Melorman. Antonis Haniotakis is an Athens (Greece) based electronic music producer with smooth undertones and clicky downtempo beats, who previously released digital EPs on netlabels, such as Summer Rain Recordings, IVDT, and Archaic Horizon. Thus, Out In A Field is Haniotakis' first physical release. His sound is a combination of silky synth lines, hazy soundscapes, and relaxed intelligent percussion. His music is reminiscent of laid back sounds of Boards of Canada, Tycho and Arovane. Hmmm. That should get you excited. Words like 'atmospheric', 'melancholic' and 'cinematic' are begging to find their way into this review, but the music of Out In A Field speaks louder than my words. Personally, I miss music like this. Emotional electronica can not exist without the music that evokes emotion. And on Out In A Field, Haniotakis does just that. Painting a relaxing atmosphere of summer car rides, hammock swings, and morning walks, perhaps somewhere out in a field, with a touch of vocal contributions from Helen Day, Melorman evokes those melodramatic melodies that mellow all the melancholy thoughts away. If you like this sort of sound, be sure to pick up a three-track free digital EP, Expressing Thougths, out on Archaic Horizon. And don't forget to check out Symbolic Interaction's latest release from Melodium, titled Palimpse.

See also Two and a Half Questions with Melorman

melorman.com | myspace.com/melorman
symbolicinteraction.net | myspace.com/symbolicinteraction

Two and a Half Questions with Melorman

You're based in Greece, and Symbolic Interaction is in Japan. How did you end up getting signed on the label?
With internet of course. Internet helped me a lot in my music. I made my first step in releasing music through various netlabels. There I met Headphone Science (Dustin Graig) with whom we collaborated in two projects. Dustin later on released an album on Symbolic Interaction. Through this way I was introduced to Kentaro Togawa who runs Symbolic Interaction. At that time I decided it was about time to make a physical release and Symbolic Interaction really fits with what I do. We discussed about a potential release with Kentaro and finally it came up some months later.

What is the theme behind this album? Is there a main protagonist?
To make this album beside some new tracks, I collected tracks and ideas from the past and I re-processed them without having in mind a theme or a project or a protagonist. But when I was processing the old ideas I found many forgotten memories in these tunes. So the theme its basically my childhood and how I was looking at things then. Sometimes is just a feeling of happiness or sadness.

[ - s n i p - ]

Read the entire interview on Headphone Commute

See also Headphone Commute review of Out In A Field

The Black Dog – Music for Real Airports (Soma)

Paying homage to Brian Eno's ambient masterpiece, Music for Airports (Polydor, 1978), which Eno created for the whole purpose of being played in actual airports, to convey calmness and reassurance to the passengers about to set off on an airborne journey, The Black Dog set out to create their own version, designed for real airports. But, unlike Eno's version, this album is "not a utilitarian accompaniment to airports, in the sense of reinforcing the false utopia and fake idealism of air travel". The album is a pristine selection of beautiful tracks, with an overlay of field recordings collected through the three years of the group's tour travels. And instead of conceptual and abstract, The Black Dog delivers a cinematic and very personal album, that will captivate you in any surrounding. To further elaborate on the contrast between the two works, here's a Brian Eno quote from a TV interview: "One day I was sitting in this beautiful airport, Cologne airport. It was a Sunday morning and the sun was streaming in. It was the most beautiful piece of architecture... And the most idiotically stupid pop music playing... You put all this attention into the architecture and the ambience in every respect except the music. What is the music? It's what some person's brought in that morning and stuck in a cassette player... So I started constructing in my mind what would be the right music for the airport." In general terms, Eno's view was that the music should communicate a feeling rather than a narrative, and that it should be soothing. It should help people feel comfortable and resign themselves to the inconvenience and ultimately disconcerting nature of air travel. The Black Dog take a different approach. Based on over 200 hours of field recordings at airports, Music for Real Airports is not a record "to be used by airport authorities to lull their customers." Rather, it embraces the underlying fear and anxiety and revels in it. "Wait Behind This Line", for example, is a gloomy death march, a bottomless pit of despair and hopelessness. In other places, the album swings the other way and captures the excitement and sense of adventure that airports can also evoke. On the whole, it's an engaging album. I'll save my breath in covering the history of the group. I trust you can point your clickers to their Wikipedia entry for all the details. But in case you didn't know, the group was originally founded by Ken Downie, Ed Handley and Andy Turner, and were one of the founding figures of IDM as a genre. Handley and Turner set off to create and focus on Plaid back in 1995, while Downie was joined by Martin and Richard Dust to continue the legacy, that, in my opinion, is only blossoming... If you missed the group's earlier releases, pick up Radio Scarecrow (Soma, 2008) and Further Vexations (Soma, 2009). In contrast to Music for Real Airports the above mentioned are more beat oriented albums, falling into the techno genre, as defined by The Black Dog's original style. Be sure to also check out the mixes that The Black Dog regularly make available on their website. The latest - Drifting Ambient Mix May 2010 - is a doozie. Recommended if you loved the ambiance of Lusine ICL's Language Barrier (Hymen, 2007), Arovane's Lilies (City Centre Offices, 2004), and Autechre's Amber (Warp, 1994). As I'm writing this review, I'm on my fifth listen of the album, becoming more and more convinced that it will go down in history as one of my absolute favorites.

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Review prepared by Tigon and HC

dustscience.com/live | theblackdogma.com
myspace.com/somarecords | somarecords.com

Architect - Consume Adapt Create (Hymen)

While other Architect albums have been somewhat minimalist affairs, Consume Adapt Create is crammed full of sounds... individual and myriad in number, placement and aesthetic. You might have wondered what happens when Daniel Myer is placed in a creative vacuum and allowed free reign to run as far as his imagination will take him. This is the concrete evidence of where it goes. 'The Shadow of Eve' is the only hint I am going to give for this record. It's breakneck pace should confound and contuse any PA it is played through. Myer weaves in melodic lines throughout it, a hi-hat roll here... a syncopated break sped up to maniacal pace there. Power restored indeed. The connection to previous work could best be ascribed to his track 'Sir Alfred'. Suspense drum 'n' bass is alive and well. There's been a remix contest for this tune initiated by the band, it's no accident this track was the one chosen. You have not heard him push it this far before. One gets a healthy inoculation of atmosphere on this record, sure, there are alien peel offs into sci-fi land but more often than not it's the overall composition which unleashes this tone. Consume Adapt Create is all about this somewhat elusive aural currency. Van Delta's album 'Studio Reality' is the only thing which comes remotely close to the end result of this and even it didn't contain as many changes in tempo or emotion. Myer somehow manages to squeeze a lot of feeling out of his machines, a feat few others have pulled off convincingly. It is as though a part of him has been subsumed and re-patterned in an electronic exorcism of sorts; it's a lot to ask of the listener, I know, but the pay off is that by the time you do finish listening... the world is pleasantly askew. He's spent his time very wisely creating some masterful electronic scenes if this is the right word; each song is a soundtrack to places we have never been and worlds we never suspected existed. Christmas may have come late but at least it showed. If you were to take Galactic Supermarket and heap on the maturity accumulated in the last twelve years by this musician you'd have a small measure of the majestic heights Myer has encapsulated here. Unlike that record, though, there's a lot more flesh on the bones. He knows his sound design almost too well. All the time spent in the trenches of Haujobb's love/hate existence with it's fanbase was not undertaken lightly, neither was this record.

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Review prepared by Peter Marks, exclusively for Headphone Commute.

See also Two and a Half Questions with Architect

myspace.com/architectmusic | ant-zen.com/architect
myspace.com/hymenrecords | hymen-records.com

Two and a Half Questions with Architect

Five albums into the Architect project, what has changed since its original inception well over a decade ago?
Actually not a lot. I am older, which is the obvious:) But its still me creating the Music. Trying to push my musical Direction with no Limits.

Consume Adapt Create is a record which functions on many levels. What were the concepts you were going for this time, and did they evolve consciously on your behalf?
I just tried to get rid of all my Ideas. I buy a lot of Music, I am really an addict and most of Music I am buying inspires me, challenges me. So I tried to create something, that I can listen to myself. That I might can spin on my DJ Gigs. I tried to push myself to create something new for myself.

The field of "idm/electronica" has become quite bloated in the last five years. How much would you say your production and design elements contribute to your success? What makes you stand out among the many as the Architect?
Hmmm, I am not quite sure, if I stand out at all. Of course, I think I am special, ahaha. But for real. With Architect there are no limits. On Consume Adapt Create you hear a lot of different styles and influences. But the thing is, you cant really tell, oh, this is dubstep, this is drum&bass. There is always another layer to it, I think.

[ - s n i p - ]

Read the entire interview on Headphone Commute

See also review of Consume Adapt Create

Sound Bytes : Audiobulb Special

It's a lazy Sunday afternoon. It's that hour when the weekend is almost over, but the work week has not yet begun. How do I stretch the remaining hours in peace and tranquility, cherishing the hours that are left for me to enjoy? Sheffield (UK) based Audiobulb Records, run and operated by David Newman, aka Autistici, comes to the rescue. Since the early part of the last decade, Audiobulb has been releasing experimental, electro-acoustic, and emotional electronic music among the spectrum of minimal, glitch, and micro-tonal frequencies, allowing your brain to relax and be active at once. "Audiobulb has always been about the spirit of exploration. The aim is to stay with the moment and exploit the possibilities of sound." I hope you enjoy this installment of Sound Bytes, peeling away at the latest layers of Audiobulb.

Autistici Reworked : Resonating Wires
First up is a remix album from David Newman himself, comprised of reworks and interpretations by an incredible roster of artists. The contributors include Simon Scott, Sawako, Jimmy Behan, ISAN, Ian Hawgood & Danny Norbury and Richard Chartier, among the many in this 10-track release. This is a glitchy, hissy, lo-fi collection of tracks, drenched in field recordings and electro-acoustic noise. All accomplices on this recording remix Newman's single track: Resonating Wire, from Autistici's 2009 album, Complex Tone Test (KESH) [see our selection in Headphone Commute's Best of 2009 : Music For Bending Light And Stopping Time]. At the center of the album is an 11+minute concoction, ripped and torn by Francisco López, with deep rumbling drones, background synth swirls, and a rhythmic noise checkpoint. Ian Hawgood & Danny Norburry's piece incorporates soaring strings, double bass plucks, and a confetti of crackles and jitters. And then Richard Chartier rolls up his sleeves. A skillfully executed descent into a place where sound becomes air and noise becomes wind. Resonating Wires is an excellent compilation of minimal, experimental and electro-acoustic soundscapes that stands high on the shoulders of contemporary reductionist giants.

Milinal - Honey Meredian
St. Petersburg (Russia) based Valentin Yakovlev creates warm emotional electronica with triggered glitches and tweaked out bleeps. And emotional electronica can not exist without emotion. With this in mind, this 23-year old Russian sailor, releasing his debut full length under the moniker Milinal, enters the scene, drenching your neurons in thick cerebral cocktail as prescribed by the IDM doctor. Haunting vocals ping-pong around the stereo field, beneath the deconstructed guitars and soft synth pads. Micro programmed percussion pushes the rhythm forward, while plucked guitar strings and processed sounds swirl around in a smoky whirlwind. Fans of that Telefon Tel Aviv sound, looking for another treat in this post-glitch-everything world, will be especially delighted. Other quoted influences for this record include Tim Hecker and Radiohead. Be sure to also check out Yakovlev's first 6-track EP, Folgefonna released by Siberian Electronica netlabel in 2009. This album deserves much more attention, and it should be surely considered for everyone's Best of 2010 lists!

Autistici - Detached Metal Voice - Early Works (Vol I)
Early Works, as the title suggests, is a collection of previously unreleased compositions recorded by David Newman within the last decade. This is a rasterized array of sounds, bleeps, clicks, and field recordings, ala musique concrète digitalis. The first volume, subtitled Detached Metal Voice, is a selection of early works "exploring the anxiety of disconnected elements striving to find connection in a world of digital communication." These are experimental pieces with many exploratory techniques and tools, like sinewave oscillators, home-made tone generators, and works with ASY, a synthesizer based on vocal tract models developed at Bell Laboratories in the 60s. Be sure to check out Whispering Mongo Man, featuring an audio interview with John Lennon, composed entirely out of edited-out speech, leaving behind the space occupied by his breath. "The tracks encourage the listener to consider the complex question of how meaning, relationships and connections are constructed, communicated and perceived."

Autistici - Slow Temperature - Early Works (Vol II)
The second volume, subtitled Slow Temperature, contains more archival material from David Newman, featuring "abstract ambience, a focus on microsounds and digital sculpting of audio from everyday objects." In this selection, Autistici explores silence, space and sound, reflecting on individual parts of his own life. The composition is heavy with elements requiring your full listening attention, further decomposition, and reflective analysis, worthy of sound installation in a museum, or an exclusive performance at this sound technician's audio lab. The last piece, Workshop for Ambitious Dreamers, is a study into the "manipulation of sinewaves, oscillators and analogue electro-harp plucks exploring themes of subjectivity and freedom in thought and speech." Truly remarkable, thought-provoking, and deep. You'll need a few hours to absorb... Be sure to also pick up Autistici's lauded Volume Objects, released on 12k back in 2008.

:papercutz - Do Outro Lado Do Espelho (Lylac Ambient Reworks)
Last year we reviewed Bruno Miguel's debut as :papercutz - Lylac (Apegenine, 2008). Miguel followed up the album with Ultravioleta Rmx's on the same label. Two years later, Lylac still resonates... Do Outro Lado Do Espelho (translated as "from the other side of the looking glass") is a compilation of reworks from yet another amazing selection of artists. After releasing Lylac, Miguel was inspired to allow other artists to extract the foundation beneath the songs and erect upon it a structure of their own interpretations. This is an ambitious project with contributions from Helios, Emanuele Errante, Simon Scott, Taylor Deupree, Rameses III, Autistici, Christopher Bissonnette and Jasper TX. Whew! Are you impressed? Here are twelve amazing tracks by masters of ambient and modern classical composition! The Helios remix alone is worth your attention [watch the music video below]. Taylor Deupree incorporates the vocals into a delicious composition of guitar chords and harmonic song progression [didn't expect that from him], while Jasper TX scratches on the surface of peripheral hearing with his slow paced filtered piano chords and swelling cinematic atmospheres.

Ambient Software Module
As if releasing beautiful music is not enough, Audiobulb has recently ventured into software, with a standalone Max/MSP Application. Feel like generating some ambient textures? Then Ambient is your tool! Developed by Christopher Hipgrave (yes, the same Hipgrave with releases on Home Normal and Low Point), with graphic interface designed by Mike Podolak, the module can process any file with multiple effects, that will twist your samples into beautiful soundscapes. Unleash your imagination! What's next? iPad?

audiobulb.com


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

DeepChord Presents Echospace - Liumin (Modern Love)

I am always hungry for new music. I think I continue to consume the sounds, so that I can recreate that moment. That moment of when one hears that sound, and is taken away out of this world into another. That moment, reminiscent of your childhood memories, when you would put on your headphones and melt away in the hypnotic beat beyond all thought and worries. It is the music you would turn to, for answers and escape. Remember? I do. And so I search, among the hundreds of albums, for the one that would bring back those memories, and take me to that place. What can I say? I think with Liumin I have found it. Big thanks to Rod Modell and Stephen Hitchell of echospace [detroit]. First of all, I think it's a huge plus, when an album seamlessly transitions from one track to another. That solidifies my reasoning for listening from beginning to end. The tracks flow smoothly, in that velvety, dubbed out, and incredibly hypnotic beat. The duo is not apologetic for letting the tracks evolve over the ten minute marker. Although some may find this rolling rhythm a bit repetitive, I think that it's only after the first six or seven minutes that the mind latches on to the beat and new environments unfold. If there was a science behind this process, then Hitchell and Modell should base their thesis on their work, their magic, and their art. Incredibly simplistic, yet awesomely complex percussion is drenched in vaporous white noise, as it envelopes the chords that swirl around in the stereo field of infinite dimensions. Complimented with a touch of field recordings captured by Modell in Tokyo, Japan, the kick trends on, falling out of the foreground of the typical warehouse sound system, into the ether of organic pulse. For me, the absolute masterpieces on the album include "BCN Dub" and "Maglev". The latter, in particular, takes me to a mysterious place, elusive in its existence, with hidden doors and passages that only open up somewhere in the middle of the track. Liumin is the duo's second full length album, releasing under the alias DeepChord Presents Echospace for Boomkat's Modern Love. Of course, both have been pretty active in their Chicago and Detroit dub techno scenes. Rod Modell has recently released Incense & Black Light Plop, 2007) and a two-track 60-minute dedication to Michael Mantra (Silentes, 2007), while Stephen Hitchell has been busy releasing remixes on Kompakt and Echocord as well as his critically acclaimed 2009 beauty, The Seduction Of Silence on echospace [detroit]. Together, they have been making quite a splash on the scene of dubbed out minimal beats, specifically after the absolutely incredible The Coldest Season back in 2007. This double-disk release, contains a bonus 80-minute CD with the original field recordings from Tokyo. This second place is only accessible after you've made the journey through the hollow caverns of Liumin, revealing itself like a secret garden hidden deep beneath the earth. This is indeed a surreal, almost narcotic, experience, which, like that most treasured childhood memory, is a  momentous trip. Move over Basic Channel, and let the boys from echospace impress you for a change.

See also Two and a Half Questions with Echospace

myspace.com/echospacedetroit | echospacedetroit.com

Two and a Half Questions with Echospace

Interview with Stephen Hitchell and Rod Modell of Deepchord Presents Echospace

Liumin is a lot warmer than your previous release, The Coldest Season. To what do you attribute that change, and how has your sound evolved between the albums?
[SH] This is a great observation and one we attribute to our travels. The Coldest Season was recorded primarily in the winter months so the mood of the music reflected the environment in which they were recorded. This album is a reflection of the many shows we've played and the sound we brought before an audience, it's sort of a sonic travelogue. We eventually sat down and went through what we felt was our best material from our live shows and started building an album from that point but of course altering and expanding on the live material.

Can you shed a little light on your collaborative process?
[SH] The creative process for Rod and I is always different, from the time "The Coldest Season" was recorded to "Liumin" the dynamic in which we worked has been modified a bit. I also contribute a lot of this to moving quite a few times over the past 3 years, I've had to re-assemble my studio each time we've moved and I never remember how things were hooked up before, I just rip it all apart and put it together again but it always ends up different in the end. Our studio's have both changed a bit over the past 3 years and now we work a bit more efficiently with the help of some editing tools and software advancements. On this album I worked on specific elements, mainly the synths, atmosphere and bass loops and then sent the work I had to Rod and let him assemble and make sense of it all. Of course we had some key rhythmic starting points from material we culled from the live shows but in the end Rod mended all the sonic tape. We still use a good portion of analog equipment in this album but with the help of the computer we were able to take these elements in different directions. Rod also used a variety of microphones and field recording equipment (including a few custom made underwater hydrophones) to try and capture and push the threshold of natural organic sounds around us and submerged beneath us.

[ - s n i p - ]

Read the entire interview on Headphone Commute

See also Headphone Commute review of Liumin

Sound Bytes : Tones, Drones and Earphones [part two]

Here's the second installment of Tones, Drones and Earphones which started in part one, where I covered Cut Iowa Network, Locrian and The Golden Sores. Hope you have a blast with the rest!

Yellow Swans - Going Places (Type)
Released on the beloved Type Records, run and operated by John Twells (Xela), Yellow Swans spearhead the development of sound, as it's concerned with noise, drone, and power electronics. But in their latest release, Going Places, it's not all about distortions and sheer cringing fuzz. There's clear structure, texture, and even pulsating rhythm behind each track, allowing the foreground instruments to carry out the development, while the background noise soars to new heights. Based out of Portland, the duo of Pete Swanson and Gabriel Mindel Saloman describe their music as "powerful rendering of free rock, black electronics, and white light vibrations." Their latest work is a product of over a decade worth of music, released on CD-Rs, cassettes, and vinyl, coming to an end. In April of 2008 the band announced their decision to split up, concentrating on finishing up their final album. Even the title suggests that they might be going places, and the same-titled last track fades away, like a burning rocket into deep space. Farewell, my devastated friend. The album is available for purchase directly from Type. It's also available for streaming from Type's SoundCloud. If you are at all curious about the capacity of noise, start off with Yellow Swans and then work your way into darker territory...

Aun - VII (Important)
To continue the exploration of noise in this unique installment of Sound Bytes, I turn to Aun. I met Martin Dumais a few weeks ago in Montreal at Mutek. His captivating doom ambient performance, complimented by the visuals from his partner, Julie Leblanc, only inspired me to check out his latest, titled VII on Important Records. This is indeed the seventh full length album from Montreal based Dumais, where he explores his black metal roots infused with dark ambiance and post-doom-everything. But unlike his beatless guitar driven swirls, VII is an album worthy of moving your entire body to. I think it's due to percussion, since this release features an appearance by Michel Langevin (aka Away), the drummer from the Canadian metal band, Voïvod. Snarling guitars rip through the fabric of psychedelia infused with "gut wrenching ultra downtuned avant black dirge". On "Broken Hills", Langevin suddenly kicks in with his drums, and the thick de-tuned riffs are now cut with crystal clear cymbals and snares, and the album takes on a rhythm, structure and progression. Excellent. Check out Aun's 2009 release on Alien8, titled Motorsleep. Recommended for fans of KTL or Bowery Electric.

Aidan Baker - Liminoid / Lifeforms (Alien8)
I couldn't possibly return from this voyage without mentioning one of the most prolific artists, Aidan Baker. Look, I couldn't even begin to rummage through Baker's discography, so after reviewing Fantasma Parastasie, which he released together with Tim Hecker in 2008, I settled on his latest for the Montreal based label, Alien8. This is a two-track release, with Liminoid broken up into four distinctive parts, while Lifeforms is a single 30 minute piece. It starts off quietly, with lucid textures, soft guitar strums and distant drones. "Incorporating composed and improvised segments, the piece uses elongation of sound and layered polyphony in an attempt to create a liminal and/or numinous state". In an almost apocalyptic setting reminiscent of the darkest hours of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, the ensemble of guitars, violins, cellos, and drums, engulf the beauty unleashed by the romantic classical orchestra with that of a skilled master of drone and noise. And then the vocals come in! Lifeforms is a whole other beast. Unfolding from a continuous string bowed drone-chord, the cellos are plucked around the 10 minute marker, and then, half way through the piece, the strings drop out in lieu of pulsating metallic sounds, played by Alan Bloor (aka Knurl). Commissioned by The Penderecki Quartet in 2003, this is indeed a symphonic masterpiece, that lifts me out of the abyss into the aural bliss. This may be Baker's best. Highly recommended.

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

Sound Bytes : Tones, Drones and Earphones [part one]

This installment of Sound Bytes, as the title suggests, features six full length albums [published in two parts] that I have recently enjoyed, covering guitar driven noise, dense drone, dark ambient and even black metal. It's sunny outside, but I still feel a bit of doom approaching. What can I say? It's that kind of day... In terms of sheer intensity, and physicality of sound that these pieces convey - you either get it, or you don't. I'm not here to defend the genre or convince you otherwise. But if you want to experience it first hand, turn up the volume, and let your hair flap in the whirlpool of sound.

Cut Iowa Network - Projector Gunship Held {Ø,{Ø}} (Champion Version)
We begin our aural journey on a lighter side, with a three-piece UK band, Cut Iowa Network, with Tim Evans on the guitar, Adam Barringer on the bass, and Steve d'Enton on the drums. The trio collage expansive soundscapes, that are cut through with mid-tempo percussion, to create the second volume in their Projector Gunship Held trilogy. The first volume was released on Panic Arrest, while this follow-up comes out on a Champion Version. Both labels appear to be members of the Eat Sleep Repeat network. The group quotes Tarentel for the experimental instrumental influence, and Tangerine Dream for the "sprawling ambient dreamscapes". At the core of the record is a definitive krautrock reference, with the drums making up the structure of the album, drenched in abstract textures of bass and effected guitar. The skilled percussion alone makes up a larger slice of the record, and in turn gives it an up-beat feel. And before I descend into the doom-drone-gloom territory, it's worth mentioning another release from the folks at Eat Sleep Repeat, which is a 7" EP from Eric Chenaux with two folksy tracks, Warm Weather and Le Vieux Favori 4. Check out Chenaux's previous releases on Constellation records. I'm looking forward to the final installment in the Projector Gunship Held series...

Locrian - Drenched Lands (At War With False Noise / Small Doses)
Although the prolific Chicago based Locrian duo, André Foisy and Terence Hannum, had quiet a few releases since Drenched Lands, I'm still enjoying this dense, drone heavy, massive album. Released on a Scottish drone/noise label, At War With False Noise and Small Doses in 2009, and later repressed by BloodLust!, Utech, and DeathSmile, Drenched Lands is a dark voyage into post-apocalyptic land of abandoned concrete highways and obsolete ruined structures. The inner desperation of desolate landscapes and overgrown wastelands is conveyed with howling vocals, growling guitars and power electronics, blending dark ambient and black metal into cacophony of thick layered sonic palette. With its narrative structure, the album "starts with a slow descent into a dark abyss, moving torturedly, gradually rediscovering the light, then leaving you where everything began - completely transformed". Background distorted riffs are punctuated with foreground guitar strums in an epic buildup, appealing to cinematic soundtracks of deep caverns and cold cells. The last, 30-minute track, is a complete trip. If you dig this sound, be sure to also pick up Locrian's Rain of Ashes (Fan Death, 2009) and their latest album, Territories (2010).

The Golden Sores - A Peaceable Kingdom (BloodLust!)
Kicking off with soaring guitars and mid-range background drone, The Golden Sores, open up their sophomore album, A Peaceable Kingdom. This is another release by the Chicago-based BloodLust! label, which has already put out numerous records by the above mentioned Locrian. Unlike the latter (also from Chicago), Christopher Miller and Steve Fors tend to create resonating reverberations mostly in the major key, physically abusing your ears to euphoric heights that can only be reached at higher volumes. A Peaceable Kingdom is an album without any percussion, composed entirely of vibrating strings and oscillating synths, smudged layer upon layer through effects chains and pedals until its density is viscous with blood slowly oozing somewhere from your cranium. These sounds, meshing between the incredibly beautiful and the insanely grotesque, create an atmosphere of lust and anguish, as only music can, in a single sonic onslaught. My favorite exercise is to keep raising the volume throughout the track, as my ears adjust to the levels, then hitting the stop button, absorbing the ringing silence with apparition and fumes of ghostly melodies, then hitting play again to get slapped with the noise. Be sure to pick up the duo's debut release, Ashdod to Ekron , available from Drone Cowboy.

[ - part two coming up next - ]

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

Akatombo - Unconfirmed Reports (Hand-Held)

From the mysterious depths of Hiroshima, Japan, arrives an inconspicuous, yet meticulously packaged 10" square packet. Inside is a hand-numbered elaborately printed envelope containing two photographic prints, two random newspaper clippings (I've got a photo of an Italian train station, and a shot of an Asian artisan), and a full length album from Akatombo, titled Unconfirmed Reports. But that's not all! There's also a bonus DVDr with three promotional films featuring music from the album. So why do I begin my review with a description of the packaging? Because the presentation and the appearance of the album plays a considerable role in its initial impact and the overall appeal. How serious are you about your music? This is Paul Thomsen Kirk's sophomore full length release. His debut, Trace Elements, appeared on the London based Swim~ label, in 2003. With this very first catalog release, Kirk propels his very own Hand-Held Recordings, onto the underground electronic music scene. Your attention is grabbed from the very first track, "Friend For Hire", which has a dark, almost industrial, hollow rhythm, a la Pan Sonic and earlier Autechre. Aha! Do I have your attention now? Well, read on... Unconfirmed Reports is a dark, almost gloomy affair, at times sounding tormenting with its brooding guitars. But beneath the layers of thick pads, punctuated with carefully selected percussion, lies an audio/visual travelogue "as seen through the warts-and-all tinted-spectacles of" Paul Thomsen Kirk. More from the press release: "From skimming the surface, to trawling the dank underbelly; the daily minutiae of life in a large Japanese city is duly presented in all its garish hues and faded glories. Accessing all areas, and dispelling numerous urban myths along the way, 'Unconfirmed Reports', allows you, the willfully willing participant, the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself completely in a thoroughly enticing, 360-degree, technicolour, sonic adventure." And a few words about the videos, if I may. These are extraordinary short pieces, which already had numerous screenings at notable Independent Film Festivals around the globe. Along with the nine-track album, Unconfirmed Reports is an excellent addition to any follower of electronic and experimental music. Especially if you're in the mood for post-apocalyptic, urban alienation, and social exclusion themes. Usually, in this portion of my review, I list a few similar artists, but for the ex-pat Scotsman, Paul Thomsen Kirk, it's tough to pick the closest ones. And that's a good thing. Check out something new, for a change.

See also Two and a Half Questions with Akatombo

myspace.com/akatombohiroshima

Two and a Half Questions with Akatombo

Tell us about your label, Hand-Held Recordings
HHR was set up about a year ago. Presently, it's main function is to release Akatombo recordings, and hopefully, in the not too distant future, recordings from other artists & projects that I think deserve a wider audience. The label's ethos is, literally, a genre-free zone - anything goes, if it's good.

Let's talk about album presentation for a bit. What are your thoughts on packaging?
I think that in these very tough times, music sales-wise, packaging is a very important part in attracting potential customers. My feelings are that each Akatombo release should be as special as possible; the packaging for each album should be as enticing and intriguing as I can conjure up & put together. With "Unconfirmed Reports" I spent almost as much time on the packaging as I did on the recording. It's THAT important. The overall aesthetic of each release from the outer sleeve right through to the label design are of paramount importance. It doesn't take too much effort to source the most suitable printers, stationery suppliers, etc., once you set your mind to it.

In the 80's, you used to be in the punk rock scene, is that right? What was your transition into electronic music?
Yes, I played in a few punk bands & released a few records back in the early 80's .... fun times! However, ever since my mid-teens I also listened to a lot of early electronic music from the likes of Cabaret Voltaire, Suicide, Brian Eno and the like. So, it wasn't as difficult as it might have been to switch genres. Even when I was listening to a lot of guitar-based groups, I was also listening to experimental bands like Zoviet France & early Chrome too.


[ - s n i p - ]

Read the entire interview on Headphone Commute

See also Headphone Commute review of Unconfirmed Reports

Podcast : Shukry Adams – kw1v3r

After sharing with the commuters his previous mix, Ethereal Cinematicism, Shukry Adams returns with an edgier side of his likings. Listeners should expect to get enveloped in drone, noise, and even "douchestep", in this slowly evolving, hour long journey.

See full track listing, plus stream or download the mix on Headphone Commute

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

Two and a Half Questions with Roel Funcken

First, I've got to ask, what prompted you to go solo?
Don and I are both trying out other avenues right now while we maintain doing our brother funck. It's natural that every person also has something to say on their own, so while Don got busy being a father for his new guy I took the opportunity to create/finalize Vade.

What does "Vade" mean? It's not short for View, Add, Delete, Edit, is it? Or is it something in Norwegian?
It doesn’t mean anything. I like using words that sound cool. Mostly I come to these words by playing with 2 or more and switching the letters around between them. Most of the time it doesn’t come to anything but then all of a sudden you say something cool (8-) Btw my norwegian is not that great at all.

How has dubstep influenced your sound?
Well, the Funckarma Dubstoned series made the statement that we had gotten into the step universe (shameless plug: Dubstoned 4 just released in our shop). But the DS series also showed that we had a different slant on the formula. There are aspects of Vade that expand on that exploration through my own flow, what i love most about the step. Part of that is bridging some more dancefloor oriented aspects to the music while I maintain my vision.

[ - s n i p - ]

Read the entire interview on Headphone Commute

See also Headphone Commute review of Vade

Podcast : Arkady – But I-

I’m pretty psyched up to get this mix out into your ears! This one has been in the making for quiet some time, and it is finally here! Get ready for some massive dark IDM, grinding dubstep and raging drum’n'bass, perfectly mixed up by Arkady! If you haven’t heard this type of music before, then I’d be proud to introduce you to this style!!! I am a huge fan of the artists featured in this mix, which is why, when I found Arkady spinning these tracks, I’ve asked him to prepare a special mix just for Headphone Commute listeners!

See full track listing, plus stream or download the mix on Headphone Commute

Scuba - Triangulation (Hotflush)

It begins with Descent. A slow, quiet, and eerie slide of minor chords into a track that kicks off the album, followed by Latch, a light syncopated beat with rolling bass, organic strings, and ghostly vocals. Scuba's latest release, Triangulation, is more than a collection of tracks - a few have previously appeared as 12" EPs - it's an intelligent headphone experience of lush atmospheres and dub influenced environments. The tracks evolve and carry forward their themes, blending from one to another, locking your mind into the hypnotic rhythms of Scuba's staple sound. Let's rewind a bit to 2003. This is the year when Paul Rose founded the now famous Hotflush Recordings. On it he released about a dozen of 12" under his Scuba alias (see Catalog numbers with SCUBA prefix), as well as his first full length, A Mutual Antipathy (Hotflush, 2008). And I'm not even counting a few 12-inchers on Abucs (Scuba spelled backwards), a sublabel of Hotflush. Triangulation is Rose's second full-length release that breaches a classification of genres, which I would almost classify as ambient two-step meeting minimal techno in the abandoned tunnel of dub. On the title of the album, Rose hints at the blend of genres: “It’s basically the three central musical ideas of house/techno, dubstep and this weird drum ‘n bass stuff. These were the three inputs, if you like." And that's not a surprise. Having lived and performed in Germany as of late (Rose runs a monthly event at Berlin's Berghain), the sound of minimalism has clearly crept up into his production. That includes a few four-to-the-floor stomping tracks in the spirit of Berlin's sound, as well as crystal clear and tight production wrapped around the low frequencies of rumbling bass. If you're only waking up to dubstep, it's time for you to whip out your wallet and add a few albums from the label's catalog. The highlights of the label's roster include Pangaea, Untold, TRG, Boxcutter, and Sigha. Oh, and don't forget to check out out Joy Orbison and Mount Kimbie! Be sure to also check out the label's Podcast, for which you can subscribe to on iTunes

myspace.com/paulhotflush | hotflushrecordings.com

Access to Arasaka - Oppidan (Tympanik / Spectraliquid)

Once introduced to that delicious, sweet nectar, the addict constantly searches for more. Just another hit, another bump, another tweak to get one smiling. In my case, the choice of drug is music. Whether it be a melodic harmony within the player's piano keys, or nasty glitch within his framework - I ... WANT ... MORE! Hungrily consuming every minuscule release by a handful of favorite artists, I'm also on the lookout for new names. Who will be the next dealer of bliss, of poison, and of true love? Yessss... Give it to me... Inside these headphones, a digital structure gets transformed into a swallowed pill, an inhale of ambiance, a prickle of a crunchy beat. A newcomer to the scene, Access to Arasaka wishes to remain anonymous, hoping to have his real name "erased like unwanted hentai pictures on a 3.5 floppy disk." With Oppidan, his unique output has been finally picked up by Tympanik and Spectraliquid in one shot. Prior to signing, he has released a few digital EPs all on his own: Korova EP (2006), Cassiopeia (2007), and Vessel EP (2007); with a few additional free releases on Danish illphabetik net label: METAX (2007) and :Port (2008). Oppidan is his debut full length, featuring vocal contributions by Beau Jestice and Jamie Blacker (aka ESA). This is the delicious clicky, crunchy, and super melodic IDM that your brain has been craving. Luscious pads, modulated synths, and sporadic percussion will keep you at the edge of your seat, as you attempt to hold on to the kaleidoscope of sound thrown up in the air like abstract confetti, only to be arranged back into intricate designs before it lands on the floor. And this incredible intelligent complexity is what makes Oppidan an exciting and entertaining listen that begs for multiple returns. It's like finally solving a challenging puzzle that only reveals to you one side at a time. Highly recommended if you are a fan of Gridlock, Kattoo, Hecq and the purveyors of digital organisms that eat through the neural network of your brain. Be sure to check out AtA's entertaining Matrix-like geeky web site where you can also download his latest digital EP, ==null for FREE.
- - -
p.s. On June 2nd, Spectraliquid announced its demise. With only nine releases by this Greek label, Spectraliquid introduced the world to Blackfilm, Frank Riggio, Cardopusher, and of course, Access to Arasaka. Their farewell letter ends with promises of new albums, remixes and contributions by Xsoz, Mobthrow and Subheim. I wish Kostas, Angelos and John the best of luck... We will miss you...

See also Two and a Half Questions with Access To Arasaka

myspace.com/accesstoarasaka | accesstoarasaka.com
myspace.com/tympanik | tympanikaudio.com

Two and a Half Questions with Access to Arasaka

- Where did the name Access to Arasaka come from, and what does it mean?
::Access To Arasaka, quite directly, came from Netrunner. It was a card game shoot-off of the Cyberpunk 2020 roleplaying game. When attempting to find a name to fit this project, that one leapt out at me. It felt like a call-to-arms for everyone interested in dark futurism, in a way.

- How would you describe your music?
::I don't entirely know. The style is really just a mixture of every influence I've ever had, past and present. As the general idea of this project is a way to describe the future I anticipate, the sounds and styles themselves are an homage to every song that has already taken me there.

- Who are some of your influences?
::Many of my influences seem to be split between the newer IDM and glitch-oriented music (Autechre, Clark, etc), and the electronic music from the 90s (Orbital, Spacetime Continuum, etc). And, as I am unashamed to admit that I'm an 80s child, I am still inspired by Pet Shop Boys, Visage, Depeche Mode, and the like.

[ - s n i p - ]

Read the entire interview on Headphone Commute

See also Headphone Commute Review of Oppidan

Sound Postcards : Malibu Mountains, Coffee Maker, and Indoor Pool

Yes, I've dropped a few captured sounds before, and here are some more for your enjoyment. Just point your clickers to Headphone Commute and hear the sounds of Malibu Mountains, Coffee Maker, and Indoor Pool... with screaming children... It's kinda fun sharing these with you, so I hope you enjoy. Oh, and send me a Sound Postcard back from wherever you are out there!!!

Podcast : bvdub - 2 hours and 20 years

This weekend we have another outstanding mix for you! 2 hours and 20 years has been put together by Brock Van Wey, releasing under bvdub, exclusively for Headphone Commute. It is indeed special, since this is Brock's first mix made in 15 years with moments of elation. It was made on a 2-hour morning bus ride from Shanghai, where Brock reflected on the last 20 years immersed in electronic music. Carried by his emotional ups and downs, the mix incorporates a verity of tracks along the memory lane...

Be sure to check out bvdub's Return To Tonglu (Quietus, 2008), We Were The Sun (Quietus, 2009) and his amazing White Clouds Drift On And On released on echospace [detroit] in 2009 under his real name.  If you have time, read also Headphone Commute's Conversations with Brock Van Wey.


See full track listing, plus stream or download the mix on Headphone Commute

Sound Bytes : Planet Mu Special

I really enjoyed covering Hyperdub in my last special edition of Sound Bytes, so this time I'm turning my ears towards Planet Mu. I'd rather not spend the time on words praising this amazing label, run by none other than Mike Paradinas (aka µ-Ziq). What's interesting to note though, is that in the last few years the label not only adapted to the latest trends in dubstep, but rather grabbed the reins of this unstoppable machine and began seeding the scene with some outstanding quality titles. Even Meat Beat Manifesto put out a dubstep record on Planet Mu (see Autoimmune, 2008). And it was the same label that brought us compilations from Mary Anne Hobbs, as well as the excellent latest releases by Slugabed, Boxcutter, Kuedo, and many others. I think I've said enough, so let's dive into this installment of Sound Bytes, covering the latest 2010 twelve inchers from Planet Mu.

Ital Tek - Moment In Blue EP
Alan Myson, releasing under Ital Tek, joined the label back in 2007, with his Blood Line EP. Since then, iTAL tEK (an inverted capitalization version of his moniker), dropped his debut album cYCLiCAL in 2008. Last year, we saw his Massive Error EP, and now Myson teases us with another EP, titled Moments In Blue. In addition to the two tracks (also appearing on the album), the 12" features two remixes by Ikonika and FaltyDL; while the digital release contains an extra track, Moment In Blue V.I.P. This is a solid dubstep release, with deep rumbling bass, chirping glitchy twists, minor chords, and a heavy kick. FlatyDL's remix, comes in with a solid beat and ghostly vocals, approaching 4/4 territory towards the end of the track. While Ikonika's remix features her staple syncopated snare rhythms (almost Latin sounding - I think I hear marimbas in the background!). Make sure to pick up Myson's sophomore release on the label, Midnight Colour, dropping on the street on June 7th, 2010.

Swindle - Airmiles EP
Blending elements of UK Funky with grime and dubstep, Swindle layers pulsating bass with almost tribal percussion and driving dance floor rhythms, creating his own flavor of synthed-out funk. On this Airmiles EP, the tracks, "Coffee" and "Molly" in particular, feature a vibrant confetti of funkadelic kaleidoscope, in stereo-sound of spacey guitar, lo-fi filters, 80s soaring synths and all. Super smooth! Quoting influences by Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, George Benson, Bob Marley and even Michael Jackson, it's no wonder that his style leans heavily towards a blend of reggae and jazz. In the past, Swindle [who's real name remains a mystery] has released a grime compilation, The 140 Mixtape (2007), and an album, Curriculum Vitae (2009) on his own, Swindle Productions. Let's hope Planet Mu serves as a cannon to catapult this rising artist onto the scene. See also Swindle's remix of Terror Danjah's track, "Zumpi Hunter", appearing on Industry Standard Part 4 (2009).

Rudi Zygadlo - Resealable Friendship
In May, Glasgow (UK) based producer, Rudi Zygadlo released his debut album, Great Western Laymen, but right before that, in late March, he teased us with a four track single, Resealabel Friendship. For this installment of Sound Bytes, let's concentrate on the EP. Let's see, how do I describe Zygadlo's sound? It's as if Frank Zappa started baking pop pastries within the dubstep cookie cutter's template, twisting and stretching the dough in every direction, then slapping you upside the head. This release is complimented by two remixes from Planet Mu's rising stars. Starkey neatly folds the track into a deeper bass dance track, while Slugabed drenches the vocals in a mixture of 8-bit synthed out potion, that spices up the flavor and kicks it up a notch. BAM! So don't forget to pick up that full length, Great Western Laymen, ok? I don't want to ruin it, but the credits contain contributions by musicians on trumpet and alto sax.

FaltyDL - Phreqaflex
On this three track 12", NYC based Drew Cyrus Lustman, aka FaltyDL, returns with a flavor of housey minor chords, glassy pads, and shuffling 2-step rhythms. Gearing up for yet another full length, Planet Mu will release another EP, Endeavour, scheduled for September 2010. Meanwhile, Lustman's last year album, Love Is A Liability received some critical acclaim, including a selection for Headphone Commute's Best of 2009 : Music For Vibrating Your Neighbors’ Dusty China. On Phreqaflex, Lustman flexes his freakishly versatile muscles to squeeze out some nostalgic garage, sub-bass rumbling frequencies, with dusty fading vocals, and heavily layered vibe. Fans of Burial will be in for a treat once they hear "My Friends Will Always Say..." - I particularly dig the use of lip smacking in between the words, which are usually muted out by the producers from their tracks, leaving something empty, non-human, behind... This is a dance floor hit for sure!

Oriol - Coconut Coast
Wrapping up this installment of Sound Bytes on Planet Mu Special, is a newcomer to the label, Oriol. On his very first EP, Coconut Coast, Barcelona born and Cambridge based Oriol Singhji mashes up grimy beats with saturated synths, syncopated rhythms and elements of 70's soul, disco, and mid-80s electro. Preparing for his debut album, this four track teaser release features a remix by FaltyDL as well as an appearance by Mike Paradinas himself, disguised behind his Jake Slazenger alias. We are also treated with a remix by Shortstuff who released a collaboration EP with Geiom last year, No Hand Signals (2009). "[Oriol's] music connects the dots between his musical tastes, from the 70’s fusions of Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder to Theo Parrish, and Larry Heard to Recloose, drum 'n' bass and dubstep". This is something completely out of this world, so you better keep your eyes out for Oriol's upcoming, Night And Day hitting the streets this summer.

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

Milhaven - Milhaven (Valeot)

I remember when I first discovered the sound of post-rock with the inevitable introduction to Godspeed You! Black Emperor. And I thought that I'd never get into 'rock' music. Since then, I dug through countless albums, each with their unique elements, building up on the foundation laid down by the masters. I don't want to say that after a while the sound got dull. That would be the wrong word. Nevertheless, it just stood there, still, in all its beauty, unhindered by change. The formula staked into the stage and jagged by every band in different directions. But always bouncing back to the original sound. And the problem with that is that you either sound like the originals, or you don't. Which one would you prefer? Enter Milhaven - a four member band from Bochum, Germany, consisting of Christoph Freudenberg, Jens Reichelt, Hannes Zagermann, and Andreas Fanter. Milhaven doesn't care about being labeled, or further experimentation, or ... that always sought out individuality... They just care about making great music. And if it means that their sound is more traditional, and in a sense classical, then so be it. Perhaps that's precisely what makes it sound so fresh - finally someone recording great post-rock with zero regrets. This is the band's second full length release, self-titled Milhaven, after the debut Bars Closing Down (12rec, 2004) and I. M. Wagner EP (12rec, 2006). A quick note here for the collectors - the aforementioned music was released on German 12rec net label, which means that you can download the music legally for FREE! And the music is worth your time! Beautifully crafted guitar riffs and melodies soar above precision controlled drums, and just enough reverb to create that floating feeling... Unapologetically delicious flashback to the warm currents of nostalgic 90s. Flawlessly executed. Recommended if you like Mogwai, Explosions in the Sky, Mono, and Stars of the Lid. Milhaven is released on Austrian Valeot Records, owned and operated by Alexandr Vatagin, who also introduced us to Port-Royal's Afraid To Dance (Resonant, 2007 / Valeot, 2008). Be sure to pick up Vatagin's own release, Shards (Valeot, 2009), as well as releases by a band Slon [where Vatagin is also a member] - Antenne (Valeot, 2009) and Nachtnebel (Valeot, 2009). Keep your eye on this label for more solid output to come. This album is limited to 500 hand-numbered copies in a hardback cover, available in the US through n5MD, and in UK through Norman.

See also Two and a Half Questions with Milhaven

milhaven.org | myspace.com/milhaven

Two and a Half Questions with Milhaven

- Can you tell us how Milhaven was formed?
Milhaven was founded as a trio in 2001 by Christoph, Jens and Johannes (b). Three years later, we played a live show at our home town, where we met Andi, a former school mate of Christoph. Andi (g) joined us on the second guitar to provide more melodies. 20 days later, we performed our first show as a quartet.

- Where does the name come from?
It is borrowed from a Nick Cave Song. But irresponsibly and obviously misspelled.

- I see the image of the whale on your album, and I always confuse your name with Melville (who is the author of Moby Dick). What is the symbol of the whale?
The whale is the most powerful creature living on earth, something to be feared and adored past belief and, finally, the downfall of Ahab and his crew.

[ - s n i p - ]

Read the entire interview on Headphone Commute

See also Headphone Commute review of Milhaven

Track of the Week : Four Tet - Angel Echoes (Jon Hopkins Remix)

Alrighty... Trying out something new here. In an attempt to bring you even more music, here's a section which should not be a novelty to anyone - Track of the Week. More music, less words! We pick a track, you hit play! And don't forget to leave here some comments on this selection! So let's get to it.

Our very first installment is a Jon Hopkins remix of Four Tet's Angel Echoes:


For those of you not familiar with Hopkins' sound, check out his 2008 album, Insides released on Double Six / Domino. As followers of Headphone Commute it was actually _you_, who have chosen Insides as one of the Best of 2009 in Readers' Selections. Jon also released two more EPs, Light Through The Veins and Seven Gulps Of Air in 2009, both on Double Six.

Four Tet's single, Angel Echoes, comes out on July 19th in the UK as a 12" and a digital download. Besides Jon Hopkin's remix, there's also a Caribou remix of the same track on this EP. More info and pre-order on the Domino.

myspace.com/jonhopkins | jonhopkins.co.uk

Clyde's Treats : Peanut Butter

Hey there! Before we get into my special treats, let's get the cat out of the bag. My name is Clyde, and I'm an English Bulldog. OK, I'm just a dog, get over it! HC may not talk about me much, but that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy the music. I spend a lot of time in the studio, laying on the floor close to the sub. And I've got my own opinion! Personally, I prefer when the bass vibrates my itchy butt! So it's no wonder that I'm a fan of deep rumbling clydestep. When I'm in the beasty mood to rip up some of your mailed in promos, I love to run around and growl to clyde'n'bass. I'm a big fan of modern clysical, and I also enjoy the soothing sounds of clybient. I snore to it for hours! And pretty much anything else clytronic. And peanut butter! I loves me some peanut butter!!! Enough about me. So what's the purpose behind my column? Well, while HC is too busy gathering the factoids about another upcoming review, a few albums that are played on these speakers never make it to this page! So this is my time to take control and summarize a few things that get my booty moving. These bits are like the fallen food crumbs off the dinner table! It's clyde'o'clock! Get it? Oh, and peanut butter! Oh, man, I can lick a tablespoon full of peanut butter! Just give me the whole jar!

[ - s n i p - ]

Read entire entry on Headphone Commute

Podcast : Sysyphe – Under the Wood

This weekend we are very excited to bring you a chilled out, psybient mix by Philip Contamin, who records some lush downtempo under the name of Sysyphe. Check out his debut album, Running Up That Hill released on French Hadra Records. We've been meaning to introduce you to some of our favorite psychill artists for a while! And Headphone Commute’s Best of 2009 : Music For Awakened Spirits And Open Minds, has been a testament to that endeavor. So it's a pleasure to have an artist select his [and our] favorite releases from labels like Aleph Zero, Space Baby, Blue Hour Sounds, and of course, Ultimae. Hope this takes you on a journey...

See full track listing, plus stream or download the mix on Headphone Commute

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.

Wisp - We Miss You (Rephlex)

Wisp makes laptop music in the same way an armorsmith fashions plate mail, with structural integrity and superb craftsmanship. For the huntsman, it deflects the arrows of the enemy and makes thorny underbrush traversible. For the artisan, it speaks volumes of the wearer's lineage, a coat of arms woven into the filigree. It is a noble work. After all, dragons don't slay themselves. Drawing from his personal experience in the wilderness of Niagara Falls and his reverence for medieval fantasy, Reid Dunn (Esq.) has, fresh from the adventure of his LP The Shimmering Hour (Rephlex, 2009), bestowed us with another chapter in his ongoing braindance epic. We Miss You is Dunn's third release from Rephlex, and has been made available digitally, though it may as well take the form of ink on dried parchment. In this scrolling screed is a collection of bard-y ballads and honour beats, delivered sometimes in haste ("Pogonip"), other times in requiem ("Four Thistles") and even in jest ("Happy Sneakers"). When all appear on a single track ("Moss On Stone") the result is pure wonder. Like his contemporary Benn Jordan (The Flashbulb), Dunn is at home in his element, never once letting formula get in the way of personal expression. What comes through in the music can best be summed up by the six D&D attributes : strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, wisdom and charisma. Wisp's character levels up with each album. Recommended if you also dig Kettel, µ-Ziq, Ochre, Squarepusher and of course, AFX. It's about time that Dunn got signed to Richard D. James' Redruth (UK) based label, Rephlex. Welcome home.

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Review prepared by Autodestruct exclusively for Headphone Commute

See also Two and a Half Questions with Wisp

myspace.com/wisp | wisp.kaen.org
rephlex.com