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Rise of the Replicants

The news that Clone is returning with no less than six sublabels is good news for fans of electronic music, but of equal importance and significance is the Dutch operation's decision to embrace a range of specialities. Focusing on German club techno, Drexciyan electro, classic NY house as well as the Chicago and Italo Disco sounds they are better known for sends out a strong signal that they are taking a wider view of what constitutes contemporary underground electronic music. In so doing, Clone is following a modus operandi that has been advocated a few times on this site over the past few years, albeit with their own spin on it. The approach that I advised was for a group of small labels to come together, form their own physical/digital distribution operation and sell directly to shops, cutting out the middle man. Given that Clone already have a third-party distribution firm in place as well as a virtual and 'real world' shop, the launch of the six outlets provides the missing part, well since the mother label closed a few months ago, of the picture. Clone now not only have the sales and distribution sorted, it looks like they will also own a huge bulk of music they will sell. What impact if any this development will have on the other independent labels that Clone distributes is unclear-  my feeling is that it won't make any difference - but the next burning question is whether Clone  have plans to take total control and to open a digital download store or to acquire a pressing plant. Given what they've just announced, it doesn't seem too far-fetched...

Return of the Clones

Well this good bit of news (and great concept) puts paid to the 'it's quiet out there' post from a few days ago. Look like my credit card is going to get some serious abuse over the coming months...

To Hell and back

In the same month that The Hacker & Miss Kittin release the follow-up to their 2002 debut album, their former label boss, DJ Hell is also putting out his new album. It's a coincidence, although the conspiracy theorist in me wants it to be a concerted attempt by one of them to steal the spotlight because they had a falling out, but it also serves to show how far apart they now are sound wise. The French duo's 2002 debut was one of the few good things about the awful electroclash 'explosion' of that time, especially Caroline Herve's deadpan singing over glorious pure synth pop ditties like 'Stock Exchange'. Fast forward seven years however, and Kittin sounds bored, a half-assed tone accompanying Hacker's often ridiculously upbeat pop. Hacker tries to redeem the partnership with noisy, bleepy techno like 'PPPO', but listening to Function's mighty remix of the same track, his limitations as a producer quickly become clear.  Hell on the other hand, has reinvented himself yet again on 'Teufelswerk' (devil's work in English). While his fascination with celebrity, especially cartoon rap star P Diddy, is grating, at least he has co-opted someone geuinely cool, Bryan Ferry, to sing on the album. Divided into 'day' and 'night' sections, the latter features one or two decent Chicago and 90s techno bangers ('The DJ' and 'The Disaster' ) and a surplus of dull grinding electro-techno tracks ('Bodyfarm'). However, on the 'day' disc, Hell delivers a more rewarding sound. Inspired by Neu, Can and early Kraftwerk, there are sprawling epics like 'Germania' and even an inspired cover version of prog rocker Hawkwind's 'Silver Machine'. Whether it'll connect with the be-mulleted peeps who wanted more of the same is another question, but unlike his former proteges who are stuck in the 80s, Hell has moved on.

Pondering the divide

There's an interesting discussion going on over at ISM about a new documentary about techno music, 'Speaking in Code', which is set to be released this year. Unfortunately, part of the discussion has broken down into claims that US and specifically Detroit producers are not represented in the film, and that they are more deserving of a place in the documentary that the European producers who do feature. The discussion reveals an underlying feeling and indeed an assumption that Detroit producers suffer for their art, whereas European artists have it easy. I can only speak from personal experience, but when I started listening to techno music I had no idea who was behind the records, who was making the magical sounds that I'd never heard before, and in a way, I never wanted to find out who was responsible. I felt that the music had succeeded in bringing me to a different world (albeit only a hitherto unexplored 'inner space'), had showed me new possibilties for music - and that in learning who made the records and where they came from would demystify the music and, inevitably, detract from the experience. Thankfully, that didn't happen when I later learnt that producers in Chicago and Detroit, but later on producers in London, Sheffield, Leeds and Frakfurt were responsible for the music, nor did geographical distance prevent Detroit DJs from releasing for labels like Berlin's Tresor and gigging all over Europe. I can appreciate that, as a European, I have no idea nor will ever have an idea what it is like to be born, raised and live in Detroit or Chicago, nor will I ever be able to fully understand or appreciate the difficulties that many people in those cities face. However, I would also refute the claim that US DJ/producers don't get their dues on this side of the Atlantic; clubs and labels in Europe have supported American electronic music since the get-go. Sure, there are exceptions where someone gets fleeced or ripped off by an unscrupulous promoter, label or agent,  but it would be naive to assume that such behaviour is limited to one continent; didn't Trax Records, and even further back, Motown, mete out shockingly bad treatment to some of their artists? I'm going to stop now, mainly because I'm veering into the kind of 'us vs them' argument that some people relish and also because the notion of taking 'sides' is irrelevant -  there is only the music -  where it comes from is, to me at least, unimportant. I haven't seen 'Speaking in Codes', but from what I gather, it's more of a personal insight by a group of friends into a scene that they are part of. As far as I'm aware, it makes no attempt to provide definitive answers or conclusions about electronic music -  let's leave that to the listener (and the viewer).

It's quiet out there

Around this time every year, I start to check my credit card and wince at the big chunks that record buying knocks of my creditworthiness. It’s a happy complaint though; I’m more than willing to go deeper and deeper into debt if the pay-off is access to great new music. That’s the way things usually pan out; unfortunately this year hasn’t followed that pattern yet. Maybe I’m just getting pickier and picker, perhaps my sense of ennui with most contemporary music is getting sharper or maybe there is something approaching lingering dread in the back of my mind about what might be about to happen (eg, things get worse and we’re reduced to a hunter-gatherer state of existence), but whatever the cause(s), I have bought far fewer new records this year than in recent years – although I continue to mine the rich back stock/reissue sections of my favourite stores. So is it just me, something that’s entirely feasible, or has this end of days scenario that’s gripping the world a real concern in our own little micro world, in turn making labels, producers etc more fearful and less willing to release music, physically as well as digitally? It's impossible to provide empirical evidence to support this theory, so in the absence of same, I'd like to open the floor to you guys...

Dark music for dark times

Something that has been on my mind recently, and I’m sure that this is an issue for many people, is how the global recession is affecting music. Apart from the effect on sales, which warrants not just a separate post but a thesis, surely there will be some unspoken impact on listening habits. Will people choose happier music to brighten their day, give them some hope and provide a sense of escapism from the doom, and will it lead to a resurgence in happy house or even happy hardcore (although the logic dictates that we’d want to be well and truly screwed for that appalling vista to become a reality). My reaction to the recession is to immerse myself further and deeper in dark music. There is something infinitely rewarding and strangely uplifting about music that sounds like it’s a product of strife, dissent and misery: is it morally/ethically wrong to get a lift from others’ sadness, or do the authors intend for their gloom to be interpreted as enjoyment? I feel it’s not and that it’s intended to provoke such emotions. For that reason, I think that in these dark times, we need all the dark music we can get…

Making more shapes

Anyone who visits this site probably knows that I'm a bit of a Redshape fan, so it was only a matter of time before one of his live performances featured here. Recorded at Rote Sonne in Munich last year
(and via Filter 27), this hour-long set shows again that the red masked man's music is, well, without sounding trite, next level. The clarity and depth of sound in the drums, the ferocious intensity of the basslines and the eerie, pure otherwordly feeling he squeezes from his synths are second to none. Some comparisons have been made between Redshape's releases and those of Carl Craig's, but I feel that we're all beyond that now. While rooted in Detroit techno/house, this performance shows that Redshape has moved on to a more evolved and crucially distinctive stage. On the other hand, C2's increasingly overblown remixes are wearing ever more thin. However, such comparisons are ultimately futile: in the end, all that matters is this one hour of intense (though not frenetic) masterfully driving techno. Grab it here and here....

A much-needed break

That's what I've been taking for the past week and a half or so. I've been running this site for exactly three years, and with the exception of a few weeks' holidays here and there, have constantly updated it at least a few times a week (as well as engaging in discussions in the comments section). Like many things in life, my decision to take a break was unexpected - I got up one day and decided that, my full-time job, family committments as well as all the reviewing/feature writing work would be sufficient for a week or so. I think it's probably natural for most people who run a blog that from time to time, they experience burn out. That's not to suggest that I'm tiring of the music that features here -  far from it. Actually, it's interesting that my blog break coincided with me getting out to hear some great electronic music -  Convextion and David Vunk being the highlights of the past weekend -  and now I feel refreshed and revitalised, ready to dive back into the fray again. Look out this week for a set from the mighty Redshape as well as some pontificating about dark times for dark music and a list of great records that are rocking my world. It was good to be away, but it's great to be back...

He's the Don!

I mentioned earlier in the week that I’d be putting up a mix by Don Williams, so thanks again to Bjorn from Roof FM for sharing the set. This selection pretty much sums up for me what’s great about house and techno right now. It also shows that it’s possible to mix up US producers like Omar S and Patrice Scott with European techno like Ben Klock and Norman Nodge without sounding like a cheesy hipster. Anyway, here's one hour of smoothly put together electronic music for the mind and the body. Enjoy! Grab it here and here

Tracklisting:

Unknown Artist: 12 Inch Tools
 Patrice Scott: Far Away (Mike Edge Remix)
 Various: Endless House Tools 1 of 9
 Rezkar:  Arabian Nights
 Omar S:  Blown Valvetrane
 Scan 7: You Have The Right (Accapella Mix)
 Kerri Chandler: Pong (Bones & Strings Dub)
 Norman Nodge:  ManMade
 Gowentgone: Love And Respect (Oracy Mix)
 Loco Dice - Black Truffles In The Snow (Mike Huckaby Mix)
Wbeeza:  War Fear
 Octave One:  Night Illusion
 Convextion:  Untitled
 Ben Klock:  Gold Rush

Linkage

I've just updated the links section on the site. I've added the websites of anyone who emailed or asked me in passing to do so. If I have forgotten anyone or if you have suggestions for other sites I should link to email me or just drop a comment after this post. I'm quite forgetful, so chances are I overlooked a great site or a likeminded soul -  if this is the case, please forgive me in advance...