Carl Craig spielt und kommentiert seine liebsten Disco, Funk und Jazz Nummern im aktuellen Bodytonic Podcast.

Bodytonic Podcast 059 : Carl Craig :: Podcasts.

Carl Craig @ Bodytonic Podcast 059 24.11.09

Han gör elektronisk musik med själ. Om människa, maskin och spirituell panik i Detroit.

CARL CRAIG brukar inte le när han blir fotograferad. Han tror att höjda mungipor innebär sänkt trovärdighet.

— Folk blir alltid så glada när de får ge ut skivor. Sedan står de där på skivomslagen och ler för att tillfredsställa sina föräldrar. Det är vansinnigt dumt. Fotografier av dig påverkar hur andra lyssnar. Om du ser allvarlig ut tar folk musiken på allvar.

Craigs elektroniska dansmusik hör till det mest inspirerande som producerats i Detroits DJ-kultur. Hans namn brukar nämnas i samma andetag som scenens gudfäder Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson och Derrick May. Den senare mötte Carl som tonåring och assisterade 1989 vid inspelningen av den varmt vibrerande klassikern »Strings of Life«. Sedan dess har Carl släppt otaliga tolvor med techno för både hjärta och hjärna.

— Jag blev förälskad i musik när jag bara var en liten spoling och hörde låten »Flashlight« med Parliament. Sedan upptäckte jag elektronisk musik och köpte singeln »Pocket Calculator« med Kraftwerk. Jag fantiserade mycket om dem. Ett tag trodde jag att de var japaner.

Carl pressade in namn som Prince, Cameo, Brian Eno och John Robie i sin skivsamling. Han fick lust att göra musik och lärde sig spela gitarr. Men först 1984 —när han var 15 år — lyckades han på keyboard ta ut melodislingan i Harold Faltermeyers hit »Axel F« från soundtracket »Beverly Hills Cop«. Då fattade han tycke för syntar.

När han några år senare rattat in den techno som radiolegenden The Electrifyin’ Mojo pumpade ut i Detroits eter, förstod han att det var elektronisk musik han ville komponera.

Carl har inte behövt ångra sitt val. Visserligen har han — som de flesta amerikanska technovirtuoser — svårt att få uppmärksamhet i sitt hemland. Men i Europa har klubbfolk spelat hans white label-tolvor sönder och samman. I fjol refererade en journalist till honom som »Gud« i NME.

— Jag är inte särskilt förtjust i det uttalandet, kommenterar Carl. För mig som kristen finns bara en Gud.

Personlighetskulter står inte högt i kurs hos honom. Han har ständigt gömt sig bakom pseudonymer som Paperclip People, 69 och Im.mortal Music för att undvika alltför stor uppmärksamhet kring sitt namn.

— Jag vill känna mig anonym. Om jag släppte all musik under namnet Carl Craig skulle jag bli en slags popartist. Och det vore synd.

När Carl uttalat ordet »pop« infogar han ofta bisatsen »and that kinda shit«. Han har inget till övers för kommersiell musikunderhållning. Knappt ens för Detroits klassiska musikfabrik.

— Jag respekterade inte Motown förrän jag läste en bok om Berry Gordy. Då förstod jag att han inte bara släppte skit. Jag föredrar de Motown-skivor med Stevie Wonder och The Temptations som släpptes i slutet av sjuttiotalet. Då var Gordy upptagen med filmprojekt och hade inte tid att hålla ögonen på musikindustrin. Därför blev skivorna bättre och mer experimentella.

En brinnande lust att laborera med ljud utmärker även Carls produktion. Han är en eftertraktad remixare och har stökat om låtar av Yello, Inner City, Ultramarine, La Funk Mob och Tori Amos.

Nya albumet »Landcruising« känns mer intimt än de tidigare tolvorna. Det beror inte på att Carl Craig valt att sätta sitt eget namn på omslaget, utan på de föreställningar om mänsklighet och modernitet han illustrerar med sina rytmiska harmonier.

— »Landcruising« är ett resultat av min leda över att flyga. Jag ville göra en skiva om att färdas på marken. När jag var liten och min familj åkte på semester brukade vi alltid åka bil. Det var mer äventyrligt än att flyga. När du kör bil ser du allt som du passerar, du kan titta in i andra människors bilar, njuta av skog och mark och stanna vid restauranger.

Flygplan är inte det enda Carl Craig får kli i benet av. Platserna där de lyfter ger honom också ångest.

— Första gången jag var i Belgien gick jag runt på flygplatsen i Bryssel med min freestyle. Det var en kassett med den tyske elektronmusikern Manuel Gottschings 6o minuter långa låt »E2E4«. Hela upplevelsen skrämde livet ur mig. Den dystra musiken fångade den där deppiga, europeiska stämningen. Utomhus var det molnigt och grått, jag frös och människorna som gick förbi såg väldigt bleka ut.

Den kyla som förknippas med elektronisk musik vänder Carl Craig till motsatsen. Han komponerar en eldig musik vars svindlande basloopar gärna far ut och griper tag i begrepp som »soul« och »spirituell«. Ibland blir syntesen lika häpnadsväckande som i »Mind of a Machine«, en låt om den klassiska antagonismen mellan människa och maskin.

— Alla maskiner har hjärnor. En dator har en hjärna eftersom den kan utföra allt som den programmerats för. På samma sätt är den mänskliga hjärnan en maskin som ständigt programmeras. Vi skapas först av Gud och programmeras sedan av våra föräldrar, av regeringen, av TV och av all möjlig skit.

— Jag vet inte hur min musik påverkar eller programmerar människor. Men jag vill att den ska leda till alla möjliga känslolägen. Om man blir glad av att lyssna på den är det okej. Om man blir arg och får lust att gå ut och sparka en hund är det också okej.

Etienne Jaumet - Night Music - Domino Records (2009)

This new lp by Etienne Jaumet opens with a 20-minute track called “For Falling Asleep.”

A short description is all you need. Contemporary French techno that borrows heavily from both minimalist classical and 1970s-era Krautrock. That last part, combining the French and the German, could of course by itself be the subject of a medium-length monograph.

But that’s not all. Jaumet layers his own free-jazz-style saxophone playing over the electronics. Plus he gets Emmanuelle Parrenin to contribute wordless vocals and a harp solo (!) at the end.

And, oh yeah: the whole thing is produced by the master himself, none other than Carl Craig.

Needless to say, all of those forces combine to make this one of the most over-the-top spectacular dance tracks of the year.

D2,

Nevsky Prospekt, St. Petersberg, Russia

Not to be confused with the clothes shop chain, this uninspiring record shop along the bustling Nevsky Prospect street,  is a pirate-ship of stores, albeit with a treasure trove within.

Offering knock-off DVDs and video-games in one room, and CDs (most of which are pirated copies)  in another, the shop on the whole has little of interest to anyone with more than a passing interest in music.  We had entered the shop, browsed the racks with disdain and were turning to leave as I spied the store’s single redeming feature.

A bargain bin offering legit CDs at 30 roubles (59p) grabbed my attention, with it’s pile of Fabric mixes sitting near the top of the pile.  I sort through the lot and find Fabric 25 Mixed By Carl Craig (a classic techno/ house mix with tracks from Kerri Chandler, Scott Grooves and, err, The Pasta Boys), along with Fabric 26 mixed by Global Communication (aka Tom Middleton & Mark Pritchard).

Beneath a dirge of R&B compilations, I find another mix entitled ‘Elektrik 02′, a double disc outing from King Unique and Nubreed,  filled with goodies from Modeselektor, Claude Von Stroke, Steve Bug, Booka Shade, Felix Da Housecat, Thomas Schumacher, Milton Jackson… I could go on.  The shop, despite its lack of character, ambience, or selection, is on is way to becoming legendary.

Above: Nevsky Prospect

The last CD I discover, at the very bottom of the bin, is Moby’s 2008 album, Last Night – a homage to the disco and house tracks of the early ’90s, when the bald headed leftie was still making his name.  The album got lukewarm reviews on its release in 2008, but I think it was under-rated and, as a concept album, work wells.

As I take my armful of CDs to the counter and hand them to the grimacing clerk at the till (who is fashioning the kind of vacant expression made famous by American teenagers), I remind myself that sometimes the best purchases are in the worst shops.  And with that depressing manta, I lay down the cash and give the attentdant a genuine, unreturned, smile.

Purchase:

Elektrik 02 – Mixed By King Unique & Nubreed – £0.59 [Tracklisting]

Fabric 25 – Mixed By Carl Craig – £0.59 [Tracklisting]

Fabric 26 – Mixed By Global Communication – £0.59 [Tracklisting]

Moby – Last Night – £0.59 [Tracklisting]

Total Purchases:

Armand Van Helden – Ghetto Blaster – £1 [Tracklisting]

Club Azuli 1 – Mixed By Dave Piccioni – £0.48 [Tracklisting]

Club Azuli Part 2 – Mixed By Dave Piccioni – £0.79 [Tracklisting]

Chemical Brothers, The: Brothers Gonna Work It Out – £2.77 [Tracklisting]

Defected In The House – Mixed By Copyright – £0.79 [Tracklisting]

DJ Hardy Heller – Mix In Motion – £1  [Tracklisting]

DJ Shadow – The New Collection – £2.38

Elektrik 02 – Mixed By King Unique & Nubreed – £0.59 [Tracklisting]

Fabric 25 – Mixed By Carl Craig – £0.59 [Tracklisting]

Fabric 26 – Mixed By Global Communication – £0.59 [Tracklisting]

Le Le – Breakfast 12″ – £8.24 [Tracklisting]

Moby – Last Night – £0.59 [Tracklisting]

Samim: Flow – £1.98 [Tracklisting]

Total Spend: £21.77

Don’t you love it when a plan comes together? When two titans collide and a magic so organic and so perfect simply happens and you’re left to wonder what ever kept these forces apart in the first place? Don’t believe me? Grab a listen to U Can Dance, the blistering new single from two of the bigger gigolos we’ve come across in recent memory. On one side, we’ve got International Dee Jay Gigolos headman himself, DJ Hell and the incomparable ladies’ man of glam, Roxy Music icon Bryan Ferry. It’s fair to say the resumes of each artist is known to all of you so it really doesn’t bear repeating here. The single is release in January and will feature remixes from the likes of Carl Craig, Simian Mobile Disco and Tim Goldsworthy from the DFA crew. Heavyweights remixing heavyweights. It’s only right.

The song itself is a banger. A nine-minute mindbomb that dares you to be satisfied with a simple headbop. Oh no no…this one will get you out of your computer chair and into the club as you slither and sway to the groove. This track is hot.

DJ Hell on MySpace
DJ Hell on Facebook
Bryan Ferry on MySpace
Bryan Ferry on Facebook

“U Can Dance” by DJ Hell featuring Bryan Ferry

Carl Craig visitará la cabina de la Sala Albéniz de Gijón el 6 de noviembre. Será el único protagonista de una noche en formato “All night” de seis horas. Una oportunidad única para disfrutar de uno de los productores y DJ’s más prestigiosos e influyentes de la escena electrónica.
El de Detroit, forma parte de la segunda generación venida de la ciudad del motor tras la irrupción en la segunda mitad de los ochenta de la “santísima trinidad” (Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson y Derrick May), creadores del “Detroit Techno”.
Lleva produciendo desde 1991 con su nombre ó bajo alias ó grupos: (Paperclip People, Psyche, 69, Innerzone Orchestra…), y durante todos estos años ha practicado diferentes estilos como techno, ambient, future jazz ó drum & bass. Además es propietario del label Planet E.
Durante las seis horas que pinchará, Mr Craig ha prometido que irá cambiando de registro: house, jazzy, techno house, techno ó drum & bass. Así la noche se hará más amena y perfecta.
Este evento, producido por LoveJoy y La Real Producciones, no es el primero de estas características que realizan en Albéniz. Anteriormente ya han probado este formato artistas de la talla de Oscar Mulero ó Marco carola.
Solo he visto una vez a Carl Craig. Fue en la Groove Parade 2003 (actual Monegros) en la zona “Chill out” y me encantó, pero no pude comprobar de lo que es capaz ante una pista llena dispuesta a bailar. Esta es una buena oportunidad para resarcirme de ello.

Viernes 6 Noviembre a partir de la 1:30h.
Sala Albeniz de Gijón.

+info: Carl Craig Wikipedia

Het jaarlijkse Amsterdam Dance Event is vanaf vandaag weer begonnen. Lees er alles over op de ADE website. Zelf ben ik woensdagavond (Dubstep met o.a.Martyn, Gaslamp Killer) en vrijdagavond (Techno/house met o.a. Carl Craig, Radioslave) te vinden in Trouw. Vorig jaar maakte ik deze warming up 4 ADE-mix:

Iuister online/download op SOUNDCLOUD

Carl Craig talks Dilla’s ‘Big Booty Express’, Steve Reich, Detroit (of course) and why Leonard Cohen’s band need to loosen up. Interview from ‘Sup Magazine by Kelly “K-Fresh” Frazier and photography by Dennis Duijnhouwer.




[Apiento]

Few cities in the world can claim to have produced as many legends as Detroit.

From Motown through to todays Techno stars – Detroit has consistently drummed out untouchable talent much to the envy of many other cities. Over the last two decades its producer/DJ roster has mostly consisted of the likes of Derrick May, Juan Atklins, Underground Resistance, Jeff Mills and Carl Craig aka 69 (aka a tons of other pesudonyms) flying the steely soundscapes of Motor City.

Detroits fascination with vinyl seems never ending despite the fact the rest of the world having turned mostly digital. Above brigade swears by the black stuff, and insists of having 1210’s installed when playing.

Carl Craig – has just released an extreeeemely limited edition box set on vinyl only entitled – “The Legendary Adventures Of A Filter King” – which comes packed in 5 x 12″ on coloured vinyl containing 69 classics and some unreleased mixes. In fact – the box is so limited it’s only been pressed in 400 copies for the world with mastering by D&M Berlin.

If you have money to burn – the set will part you with nothing less than 125,-  UK Pounds, but for the time being you can sample some tastes in shape of the unreleased track – “Poi Et Pas” – and a the classic 69 track – “Ladies & Gentlemen”.

As usual – Detroit doesn’t do things by halves!

MP3: 69 – Poi Et Pas (Original Unreleased Mix)

MP3: 69 – Ladies & Gentlemen

Joy Orbison -  In the Mix on Mary Anne Hobbs 09-24-2009
Home Park – ‘Beatdown’ [Joy Orbison's Narcissismix] (White)
Joy Orbison – ‘GR Etiquette’ (White)
Joy Orbison – ‘BRKLN CLLN’ (Doldrums)
Joy Orbison – ‘The Shrew Would Have Cushioned The Blow’ (Aus)
Joy Orbison – ‘Ode To The Brudio’ (White)
Joy Orbison – ‘J. Doe’ (Doldrums)
Joy Orbison – ‘Hyph Mngo’ (Hotflush)

Joy Orbison Mix on the Greenmoney show from Brooklyn Radio (zshare)

Dark Star – Aidy’s Girls A Computer – Hyperdub

Zomby – Rumours and Revelations – Ramp

Guido – Beautiful Complication – Punch Drunk

Geeneus – Get Low – Dubplate

—Leo Greenmoney “Blast From The Past”—

Ms Dynamite – Dynamitee – Osunlade Remix – P Records

—Guest Mix: Joy Orbison—

Intro

1. Shed – Warped Mind // Ostgut Ton
2. DJ T – Dis // Get Physical
3. Stush & Hard House Banton – We Nah Run (Sirens Riddim) // Unreleased
4. Greena – Maracay // Forthcoming Applepips
5. Ghosts On Tape – Predator Mode (Roska Remix) // Forthcoming Wireblock
6. Joy Orbison – BRKLN CLLN // Forthcoming Doldrums
7. Pearson Sound – Wad // Hessle Audio
8. Shortstuff – A Rustling // Ramp
9. Joy Orbison – The Shrew Would Have Cushioned The Blow // Unreleased
10. Mount Kimbie – Sketch On Glass // Hotflush
11. Strickly Dubz – Realise // Urban Dubz
12. Joy Orbison – Tentative Bidding // Unreleased
13. Joy Orbison – Wet Look // Hotflush
14. –One For The Money “Single Of The Week”—
15. Jack Beats – U.F.O – CDR

Joy Orbison – NPIP Mix (zshare)

01. Jamie Lidell – Another Day (Rustie Remix)
02. Martyn – Vancouver
03. Quantec – Ray Of Hope (A Made Up Sound Remix)
04. Headhunter – In Motion
05. Telepathe – Devil’s Trident
06. Joker – Grimey Princess
07. Headhunter – Your Say
08. Howie B Vs Casino Royale – Royale Sound (Ramadanman Refix)
09. Horsepower Productions – Gorgon Sound
10. Pangaea – Router
11. LV Ft. Dandelion – CCTV
12. Joker – 80’s
13. Gemmy – Back 2 The Future
14. Darkstar – Thugged Out 9

Joy Orbison – DLDRMS001 (zshare)

01. Pearson Sound – Indelible // Aus
02. Karizma – Drumz Nightmare // R2
03. Nu-Birth – Anytime // Locked On
04. Tonya Renee – About You (Karizma Boucha Remix) // Home Recordings
05. Altered Natives – Rass Out // Fresh Minute Music
06. Joy Orbison – Smother // DOLDRUMS
07. Efdemin – Acid Bells (Martyn Remix) // Curle
08. Shed – Selection One // Soloaction
09. Ultramarine – Hooter (Carl Craig Remix/JORb EdiT) // Real Soon
10. Joy Orbison – Tentative Bidding // DOLDRUMS
11. Martyn – Hear Me // 3024
12. Joy Orbison – J. Doe // DOLDRUMS
13. Joy Orbison – Hyph Mngo // Hotflush// <![CDATA[//

Joy Orbison – BSRkR01 mix (zShare)

Thriller – Genie
Floating Points – Love Me Like This
C.O.M.B.I. – It A Late
Eddie C – Make It Better
The Revenge – Night Flight
B.W.H. – Stop
James Pants – We’re Through
Alicia Meyers – I Want To Thank You
Fudge Fingas – DinsDins4Dada
Bumblebee Unlimited – Lovebug (DK Edit)
Arthur Russell – Hop On Down
Nite Jewel – Weak For Me
The Samps – Traincummings…..
C.B. Funk – Subway To Cologne
Kate Bush – Cloudbusting

Desde Detroit, se extendió al este y al oeste de Estados Unidos como un virus, utilizando microchips, circuitos y cables. Es mutante, y dividido entre cada una de sus propias características – ghetto duro, profundo, y dubero, minimalista, melódico y ambiental, cargado de percusiones, y sonidos ácidos – todos diferentes, pero todos con la marca indeleble del Detroit techno siempre estampado en sus genes.

Lo que comenzó como un proyecto después de la escuela para Derrick May, Juan Atkins y Kevin Saunderson a mediados de la década de 1980, se convirtió en uno de los géneros más apasionantes de la música moderna que conoce el hombre. Un cuarto de siglo más tarde, el techno es tan emocionante como lo fue siempre.

La tecnología, la electrónica, y los sueños de muchos han contribuido a su evolución, pero ¿cómo hemos llegado hasta aquí? Un intento de construir una línea de tiempo para cualquier género musical sería una tarea colosal, por eso hablaremos estrictamente de techno y no profundizaremos en la cantidad de variaciones que tiene este genero.

Por eso, les ofrecemos 20 pistas de antepasados techno que se sienten parte integral del desarrollo del género. Esta lista podría correr y correr, y hay probablemente miles de temas dignos de ser incluidos, pero esperamos que los aficionados al techno esten acuerdo en la importancia de estos artistas y de sus registros.

Éstos son 20 temas que cada aficionado debe saber acerca de techno (por todos los medios, siéntase libre de añadir sus propias sugerencias a esta lista en la sección de comentarios abajo).

01. Terrace – War Zone (Motor City Mix) [Djax-Up-Beats] (1990)

02. Joey Beltram – Energy Flash [R&S] (1990)

03. Public Energy – Three O’ Three [Probe Records] (1991)

04. FUSE – F.U. [Probe Records] (1991)

05. CJ Bolland – Mantra [R&S Records] (1992)

06. DBX – Frogger [Probe Records] (1992)

07. Basic Channel – Axis [Basic Channel] (1993)

08. The Martian – Star Dancer [Red Planet] (1993)

09. Cari Lekebusch – Live And Direct C [H-Productions] (1994)

10. Robert Hood – Museum [Axis] (1994)

11. Neil Landstrumm – Custard Traxx [Peacefrog] (1995)

12. Carl Craig – Science Fiction [Blanco Y Negro] (1995)

13. Cristian Vogel – Bite And Scratch [Tresor] (1996)

14. Jeff Mills – The Dancer [Purpose Maker] (1996)

15. Regis – HE.3 [Downwards] (1997)

16. Steve Stoll – Captive [Proper NYC] (1997)

17. Steve Rachmad – Skyance [Music Man Records] (1998)

18. Damon Wild – 2112 [Synewave] (1998)

19. Surgeon – LaReal Part 1 – [Counterbalance] (1999)

20. Richie Hawtin – Minus Orange 1 [M_nus] (1999)

Vía: Beatportal

Hey kids, not so much lately with the old updates, suffice to say I have just started a Journalism postgrad and as such am mired in other blogs and work…

However I will do more! I am up almost 20 hours a day so I’m sure I can fit in a few pop sundries to general course of the things.

Amusement this week from Muse, my youtube favourite of the week. Muse arrive in Italy and are to perform a pre-recorded session for Italian Chat Show, Quelli che, which as far as I can tell is pretty well respected platform, maybe even as much as Richard and Judy…

‘No live playing? but we’re musicians!’  Muse say, ‘hmm well lets watch 80’s Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd classic Trading Places on sky in our hotel room until showtime then’… (dramatisation – may not have happened)

I do apologise if the video has not inserted itself – I’m low on tech here boys! will sort it soon.

Matt on drums is quality.

Much else have I had time to listen to not, mainly due to my community college Yoda colloquialism classes at the Met, I have found time to watch the 2007 action anime movie, Vexille.

*Spoilers* Wow Japan got totalled then, Daaammmmnn.

The film itself is likable enough, plenty of action up front, an interesting idea, bit thin on the plot and character development beyond that but well made visuals, however the soundtrack is the thing of interest. A bit of an odd mix in a way as though a high action and ultimately tragic tale, the sounds of Paul Oakenfold, The Prodigy, DJ Shadow, Asian Dub Foundation, Carl Craig, Basement Jaxx, Underworld et al don’t quite gel with the movie. The tunes are good the movie is pretty good but some correlation has been lost between fitting the mood of the movie and theme of the scene. As such, while the movie is ok and good if you like superpowered agents, cyborgs and alabaster unrequited love stories, the music is actually worth your volition taking a listen based on the soundtracks own merits. Top track is without a doubt M.I.A’s ‘Birdflu’.

No music to download this time, but a very cool live concert video.

New Carl Craig crossover jazz project. “Slide trombones, trumpets, and wild percussions – all looked over by the producer and musical mastermind Carl Craig“.

Check it out, it’s like being there.

Last year in between four straight days of partying and boarding a Tuesday morning flight to Thailand, I somehow wrote a review of the epic, amazing time I had at Seattle’s Decibel Festival.

A party like no other, Decibel is a city festival held in the clubs, bars, parks and museums of Seattle, an event for the people, by the people. I will be reposting my review from last year along with photos and links, in five parts: Intro, Day 1, Day 2….you get it.

Decibel Festival 2009 takes place September 24-27 and you can check the lineup and buy ticketshere.

DAY 4:

After a respectable amount of sleep I was up on Sunday and made it to Havana’s just in time to catch Suntzu Sound, though not so for the barbeque from Austin which was long gone. This Texas girl was very sad, although the bartender had stashed some chicken back so I did get a little fix of homefood. I wasn’t expecting to dance, just to relax, but the warm, tribal sounds echoing out of the parking lot had a different idea, and soon I was getting down with a few others in the shady pink parking lot- so perfect for a city barbeque. Jeremy Ellis was out chillin’ in his sweet yellow suit and red ponytail and jumped in for a minute to play along with Suntzu. People kept strolling by the gates, watching us dance and listening to the beats and wondering where they took a wrong turn in life. I think it was at the intersection of Mainstream Avenue and Live-For-Art Street.

Still hungry from my teaser barbeque experience, I drove over to the Triple Door to the Ambient Showcase for a little Deaf Center and a cheese plate. At the second door I ran into Akira Rabelais and we had quite the lovely wine experience all backed up with some creepy-ass music that would chill my bones right off if I played it late at night at my house, and would no doubt inspire me to turn on every single light that I had. I think they call this kind of music “haunting”.

I went to this Ambient Showcase on the recommendation of everyone who has ever told me in my life to slow down- which is like 80,000 people. I did, and it was as lovely as the wine I shared with Akira. I hung on for a little of Eluvium and then took my leave to go get down for one last night of Decibel. It was time to dance!

Over at Sole Repair my favorite people in the world, Innerflight, were getting things started with J-Sun and then Kadeejah Streets up on the decks and swinging hard and low with their music- I don’t know who loved it more, the DJs or the crowd below. Upstairs once again in the gallery the dance freaks were rocking it; the crowd wasn’t as thick as it had been for the weekend nights but for those of us there it just meant more dance floor, because the music was definitely right up there with the best of the weekend.

Again, tough choices had to be made. I left Sole Repair to catch Flying Lotus who was incredibly entertaining and a gentleman to boot. He has to be one of the most talented and critically-acclaimed artists of the weekend, and for good reason. The Bug and the Warrior Queen didn’t entirely do it for me, I loved the heavy vibrating bass but couldn’t seem to get into it and found myself outside socializing more than dancing- which shouldn’t happen in Shilo World.

Supermayer brought it back for me though with their adorably clever musical attitude and I would have rocked out until the sugar-sweet ending, but m.0 was on fire next door and I wanted to blaze with him. I walked into Sole Repair to see him in the middle of the dance floor with his trademark giant smile and seriously talented beat-mastery. Fantastic, beautiful, and epic. m.0 is the shit in this town, plain and simple, and he is only going up, up, up! Seattle will be right behind him with a big “Hell Yeah.”

After two I headed out for my fourth afterhours of the weekend where once again the music was top notch, the crowd was off their heads with excitement, Flying Lotus was chilling on the windowsill and I danced until I was wringing out my shirt AND JEANS. Wringing out my jeans, people. I was in bed by 6:30AM which didn’t quite give me the sleep I needed to be all perky and Shilo-like by my office meeting at 10AM, but I sure as hell was still dancing on the inside, as I will be for a while, thanks to Decibel Festival.

And thanks to you, everyone involved which is about a billion people, from the director down to the kids who shucked out money to see a show and over to the bouncer sweeping up cigarette butts. The electronic music community in Seattle is alive and well, full of passion and smiling faces, exploding with talent and gaining more momentum every day. We must harness the excitement and enthusiasm for our music that you are all feeling right now and use it promote the talented artists among us, to work for more and bigger music venues in Seattle, to support newcomers to our scene, and to share with others what electronic music has meant to us, which is more than can be put into words.

I too am inspired not only by all the new music and art in my head but by the fact that one person with a little help from friends can make a huge impact on the international electronic arts community which we are part of: mad mad props to Sean Horton. And thank you to everyone who handed out a flyer, reposted a Myspace bulletin, told a friend about the festival or simply showed up and danced. Rest assured that people returned home with respect for the Seattle electronic music community in their hearts, and I am honored to have been able to contribute to this epic electronic arts mania riot love dance fever weekend we like to call the Decibel Festival. Thank you.

And I seriously have a flight to Thailand in a few hours and should probably go home and start packing.

That’s it! Catch you on the flip-flop. And one last time until next year, Happy Decibel.

****************

OH SHIT! NEXT YEAR IS HERE!!!!

The 2009 Decibel Festival takes place September 24-27 in Seattle; for tickets and more information please click here.

Joey Beltram – Energy Flash (R&S Records, 1990)

Terrace – War Zone (Motor City Mix) (Djax-Up-Beats, 1990)

Fuse – F.U. (Probe Records, 1991)

Public Energy – Three O’ Three (Probe Records, 1991)

H&M – Sleepchamber (Axis, 1991)

DBX – Frogger (Probe Records, 1992)

CJ Bolland – Mantra (R&S Records, 1992)

The Suburban Knight – Nocturbulous (Underground Resistance, 1993)

Bassic Channel – Axis (Basic Channel, 1993)

The Martian – Stardancer (Red Planet, 1993)

Robert Hood – Museum (Axis, 1994)

Cari Lekebusch – Live and Direct C (H-Productions, 1994)

Damon Wild – Avion (Geometric – Synewave, 1995)

Neil Landstrumm – Custard Traxx (Peacefrog, 1995)

Carl Craig – Science Fiction (Blanco Y Negro, 1995)

Jeff Mills – The Dancer (Purpose Maker, 1996)

Cristian Vogel – Bite And Scratch (Tresor, 1996)

The Vision – Detroit: One Circle (Metroplex, 1996)

Population One – Return Of The Speaker People (Metroplex, 1997)

Regis – HE.3 (Downwards, 1997)

Steve Stoll – Captive (Proper NYC, 1997)

Surgeon – LaReal (Counterbalance, 1998)

Damon Wild – 2112 (Synewave, 1998)

Steve Rachmad – Skyence (Music Man Records, 1998)

The Aztec Mystic – Ascesion (Underground Resistance, 1999)

Ignacio – Sikora (Music Man Records, 1999)

Pascal F.E.O.S. – Technique (PV – Planet Vision, 1999)

Richie Hawtin – Minus / Orange (M_nus, 1999)

Robert Hood – The Art of War (Peacefrog Records, 2002)

Diego – Mind Detergent (Robert Hood Mix 2) (Kanzleramt, 2004)

PS: cine detine vreuna dintre melodii, sa ma anunte

First & Foremost, I would like to thank Rico @ Darkestral for allowing me to play the excellent “Dreadtone” by Consequence, forthcoming on Darkestral Excursions. Check out Darkestral at any of the following sites:

http://www.darkestral.com/
http://www.myspace.com/darkestralrecordings
http://www.myspace.com/darkestralexcursions

Following last month’s format, this month’s selection kicks off with some top-drawer drum & bass, followed by a hand-picked sequence of the finest electro, detroit techno, and other lush electronica.

CONSEQUENCE – DREADTONE – FORTHCOMING ON DARKESTRAL EXCURSIONS
INSTRA:MENTAL – WATCHING YOU
SPECTRASOUL FEAT. MIKE KNIGHT – MELODIES
SPECTRASOUL – ALIBI (BREAK REMIX)
CARL CRAIG – SPARKLE
CARL CRAIG – SCIENCE FICTION (VERSION)
PSYCHE – ELEMENTS
DREXCIYA – AQUA WORM HOLE
DOPPLEREFFEKT – Z-BOSON
DOPPLEREFFEKT – HYPERELLIPTIC SURFACES (EXCERPT) / MESSAGE FROM MISSION CONTROL
DREXCIYA – DAVY JONES LOCKER
TELEX – MY TIME
WAX STAG – SHORT ROAD
THE WHITEST BOY ALIVE – COURAGE
THE OTHER PEOPLE PLACE – MOONLIGHT RENDEZVOUS
SLEEPY TOWN MANUFACTURE – CHERISH

To download via the itunes podcast directory, click the image below; or alternatively, for a direct download link, click here

Last year in between four straight days of partying and boarding a Tuesday morning flight to Thailand, I somehow wrote a review of the epic, amazing time I had at Seattle’s Decibel Festival.

A party like no other, Decibel is a city festival held in the clubs, bars, parks and museums of Seattle, an event for the people, by the people. I will be reposting my review from last year along with photos and links, in five parts: Intro, Day 1, Day 2….you get it.

Decibel Festival 2009 takes place September 24-27 and you can check the lineup and buy tickets here.

Saturday morning started with a trip to Seatac airport to pick up my very favorite producers in all of the universe- edIT and Boreta of the Glitch Mob. Sadly I missed a lot of Decibel in the Park but I heard that Noisemaker and Manahan laid it down proper, as usual. I rolled up in style with my precious cargo around 4PM just as Jacob London was finishing up and Truckasauras were getting set up with their Americanakitsch: gold Zelda cartridge, Uncle Sam hats and all. Who wants to bet that was Maker’s Mark in that plastic cup?

Truckasauras was good but I live for the Glitch Mob and now my dear children, you can see why. I think I personally called every single one of my friends and told them to go to this performance or I would kill them. And over a dozen of them came up and thanked me afterwards for the mind-blowing experience. edIT and Boreta (and Kraddy and OOah, the missing mobsters) create something new with each live show; you either get it or you don’t, and something tells me the mass of people dancing their asses off for an hour and a half GOT IT. Burner breaks, glitch hop, laser bass, Crunkedouthyphyfunkadelicpsybrokenwhomphopmusicforbasssluts or whatever you want to call it; the Glitch Mob pushes through boundaries like they aren’t even there (like the spoon) and they have a hell of a time doing it.

Great success! Decibel in the Park was mad fun, just like you knew it would be. The fact that the showcase was free added to the aesthetic and I know of at least one person who asserted that the Glitch Mob changed his life (me too). I hope to see more outdoor shows at Volunteer Park and of course, more freaks.

After a nap and a shower I headed over to Grey Gallery quickly to say hi to the Sweatbox and Knight Riders kids (I LOVE TECHNO) and then got myself to the Baltic Room where I made yet another exciting artist discovery at the Ghostly International Showcase: Deru, who was taking things on a dark and twisty turn there on the dance floor.

The dirty sounds got me all worked up which was just perfect because I hopped a cab up to Chop Suey where things were CRACK-EN’ in mad bottle rocket style. In the hot-as-hell side room Swank was ripping it up like a pirate and Sean Majors followed suite, keeping the energy ramped up, and over in the main room LA Riots started laying crazy on the crowd who flipping loved it.

Once again I was forced to pull myself away from the bRave New World Showcase and head to Neumos for Carl Craig; the end of Audion’s set had the people bursting in bubbles and then THE DETROIT LEGEND stepped up- and this is where I should stop writing. I danced for his entire set like a raving madwoman, like a lunatic with no lunch, like the insane devotee of the cult of dance that I am. I don’t know what tracks he played, I don’t know what he mixed in or how he did it, I don’t know his no-doubt long list of props, awards, and accolades. I was dripping, dripping with sweat; it was in my fat eyes and in my stupid smile which did not wear off all night (and is in fact still there right now).

This is what I live for. This is why I stay hours late into the night at my office writing for you, why I go out all the time in search of it, why I do what I do- so that I can have this divine experience, and it is no less than that. My brain stops working completely and the music takes me over and I experience something that I cannot find elsewhere- not from a person, not from a drug, not from anything else on earth. THIS IS WHY WE DANCE. THANK YOU CARL CRAIG. No really, I love techno.

After three days of dancing of course I wanted to dance more and headed to a friend’s afterparty first; the dubstep was sticky-icky but just not what I was searching for so I trolled down to the Church of Bass once again for yet another WOW experience and discovered yet another new favorite performer of the festival: Dixon. Oh. My. God. You would think the people on his dance floor had been sleeping for a thousand years instead of going for three days of Decibel. Taimur Agha kept it bangin’ as well and I left after several more hours of epic dance trance- a very very great day in the life, right?

***********

The 2009 Decibel Festival takes place September 24-27 in Seattle; for tickets and more information please click here.

Photos by Sudapop of Rockit Science and Tap Tap of Tap Tap Productions.

Spark is the new saturday night concept of Café Capital in Antwerp. It is the  follow up concept of ‘Play’, where we had the honour to dj too a few months ago.

The first international guests of this fresh new party concept were Pilooski, Shit Robot, Chymera and Detroit legend Theo Parrish. Artists who will perform in a couple of weeks are  Trus’me, Tom Trago and Âme.

An eclectic selection of fine artists like we could expect  from Café Capital. Last season they welcomed  icons like François K. and Carl Craig but also promising newcomers like Holy Ghost! and Jacques Renault.

To end this post we’ve got 2 old school goodies for you. Both space-disco tracks from 1979, the first one is from Munich Machine aka Giorgio Moroder. The second is a very beautiful and not so well-known track by Hans-Peter Stroër.

• Munich Machine – Space Warrior (1979)
• Stroër – Don’t Stay For Breakfast (1979)

i had attempted to write up my thoughts having revisited the flaming lips‘ 2006 album at war with the mystics. i was looking for an album to talk about, and the flips (as i like to call them) are playing electric picnic so i figured i’d give it a whirl. but i found it terribly difficult to get a handle on the album. for one thing i feel ill-equipped to talk about a band when i’m only familiar with three of their 11 albums. secondly, their lyrical content is either bafflingly bizarre or so plainly beautiful it merely bears repeating, rather than any analysis. the really bizarre thing is that the album sounds so out of time, that it doesn’t feel right placing it in 2006. that’s not to say it’s timeless – i’d be naive to assume that this album will last forever; indeed it doesn’t match up to 1999’s the soft bulletin. but for what it’s worth, this is definitely an album that should be listened to more often than i have. if it weren’t for the band’s insistence on returning to this island so often with the same show, i probably wouldn’t have lost interest in their output.

returning to the music. the one-two punch of the yeah yeah yeah song and free radicals really gets the blood pumping, before a series of melancholic down-tempo pieces calls sadder thoughts to mind.

off in the future, maybe there ain’t no heaven,
it’s just you and me and maybe it’s just as well,
’cause if there ain’t no heaven maybe there ain’t no hell?

the glorious the wizard turns on… raises as many questions as the (admittedly wonderful) lyrics above, and even won a grammy for best rock instrumental performance. not that the grammys always get it right… i can still remember sitting in a friend’s living room and feeling the cold grasp of shock when i heard the snarling guitar of the w.a.n.d. in an ad for budweiser. although i can’t be mad when i consider the fact that the night before i was at the crazy bud rising event in the guinness storehouse, where i saw diplo and carl craig. for free. my shock came more from the supposedly anti-establishment flaming lips lending such a song to an ad for beer – “we’ve got the power motherf*cker that’s where it belongs.” the rousing guitar theme is even further contrasted by the dramatic flute-led pompeii am götterdämmerung, which seems to capture the fear, anticipation and exhilaration of the citizens of pompeii as they attempted to flee the wrath of vesuvius. and album closer goin’ on takes things hurtling back to the present, pondering as it does the end of the bush administration.

it’s an album that relies heavily on the use of elaborate sonic textures, using the inimitable whine of the band’s frontman as an instrument in itself, colliding and playing with the warm and lush sounds created beneath him. it’s cinematic in its vision, dramatic in scale, and yet at the same time it speaks to listeners on such intimate terms that the band could be right there in your bedroom. it’s certainly more than just “those songs from the ads.”

The Flaming Lips – Vein of Stars
The Flaming Lips – The Wizard Turns On…
The Flaming Lips – The W.A.N.D. (The Will Always Negates Defeat)

This is how I feel right about now…

Four walls surround me
Don’t think, don’t speak
Just listen
I was once like you
Can’t feel my face anymore

Klassische Musik, klassische Aufnahmen neu zu denken, neu denken zu lassen, ist die Idee der Recomposed-Reihe der Deutsche Grammophon. Wie sehr ein solches Vorgehen ein Unterfangen mit offenem Ende ist, zeigte nicht zuletzt Jimi Tenors Recomposed Version vor zwei Jahren. Tenor widmete sich Klassik jenseits der „ausgetretenen Pfade“ des Klassikradios und fügte Kompositionen von Esa-Pekka Salonen, Edgar Varèse und anderen eine starke visuelle, eine Kopfkino-Komponente hinzu.

Moritz von Oswald und Carl Craig setzen sich nun vordergründig mitten rein in den viel gegangenen Weg. Maurice Ravels „Bolero“, seine „Rapsodie Espagnole“ sowie seine Orchestrierung der „Bilder einer Ausstellung“ von Modest Mussorgsky dienen als Ausgangsmaterial. Genauer: Sechzehn einzelne Spuren von Aufnahmen aus den mittleren 80er Jahren des 20. Jahrhunderts – dirigiert von Herbert von Karajan – werden genutzt um – unter Beibehaltung einzelner Ideen der Originale – Neues zu schaffen. Die Wahl der Stücke provoziert den Ausruf: „Wieso diese ausgelutschten Kamellen?“, die Umsetzung ein ungläubiges Aufsperren von Mund und Augen, sowie ein unverständiges Achselzucken. Die ursprünglichen Kompositionen und Aufführungen bedeuten für die hier präsentierten Rekompositionen fast nichts. Verwendete Ideen und Motive führen zu einem Effekt des Wiedererkennens, doch selten erscheint es, als habe es gerade dieses Loop, dieses Samples bedurft, um den wahrzunehmenden Effekt zu erreichen.

Die Originale werden von den Technoveteranen von Oswald und Craig nur als ein Element in der Schaffung von neun vollständig neuen Kompositionen genutzt. Die Entwicklung dieses neunteiligen Sets ähnelt dem Vorgehen bei einem chemischen Experiment. Um die leicht identifizierbaren Ruhephasen „Intro“ und „Interlude” platzieren sich die so bezeichneten „Movements“ I bis VI.

Der Einschränkung entsprechend, „Bolero“, „Rapsodie“ und „Ausstellung“ seien nicht entscheidend, empfängt das „Intro“ als sphärisch-ambiente Wohnzimmermusik. Im Kontext der Verbindung von Elektronik und Klassik ließe es sich in Beziehung setzen zu Wolfgang Voigts unter dem Alias GAS veröffentlichten Alben. Alleinig Verwendung finden Synthesizer und ganz offenbar nicht die neuesten ihrer Bauart. Einen Beat zu suchen, bleibt ohne Erfolg, bis zwei Minuten vor Ende des „Intro“ langsam, aber unaufhörlich der unverkennbare Rhythmus des Bolero als gelooptes Fragment seiner selbst nach vorne schreitet, zwei sich wiederholende Gitarrentöne ihn aufnehmen und hinüberführen in „Movement I“. Samples und Loops einzelner Instrumente aus den ursprünglichen Aufnahmen ergeben einen ausschließlich perkussiven Track, in dem – das ist das eigene dieser Herangehensweise – aber doch nicht nur die einzelnen Instrumente, sondern ebenso die von ihnen ursprünglich gespielten Stücke erkennbar bleiben. Dies unterscheidet „Movement I“ auch von der Idee, der Methode der GAS-Alben, von einem Track wie „Zauberberg 2“. Dort gehen die – zum Teil klassischen – Samples in der Idee unter, ihre Übereinanderschichtung, ihre Unkenntlichmachung schafft etwas Neues, in dem sie nicht mehr erkennbar sind. Hier bleibt jedes Element und dient doch der Schaffung etwas eigenen. „Movement II“ erhält das Perkussive, überlagert die drei Ausgangsaufnahmen, nutzt die Instrumente mal in längeren Sequenzen, mal in einzelnen Tönen. Grundrhythmus bleibt unverkennbar der „Bolero“. Zwischen die neu genutzten alten Teile schiebt sich synthetisch Erzeugtes. Hektische Bläser-Samples geben den Einsatz für „Movement III“, in dem sich das Synthetische in den Vordergrund zu drängen versucht. Im Hintergrund blubbert es leise, bis plötzlich eine heiße Schlammblase hervorquillt. Die Bläser-Samples verabschieden sich in den Hintergrund, ein nervös flackernder Beat übernimmt die Kontrolle. Von einem sonst wie gearteten klassischen Ausgangsmaterial verbleibt Rauschen. Der Rest ist House. Wie auch „Movement IV“, die Single.

Spätestens hier lässt sich fragen, ob das vom Auftraggeber so gewollt sein kann und mit etwas Electrophonie lässt sich bewundern, wie schlüssig die Musiker in ihrem Set von klassischen Samples zu einem sehr exzentrischen Housetrack vorangeschritten sind. Im „Interlude“ bestimmen Dröhnen und Flirren, ursprüngliche Electronica, den Übergang zu den zwei großen, von Carl Craig und Moritz von Oswald jeweils alleine produzierten „Movement V“ und „Movement VI“. Das eine ergeht sich zunächst recht werknah, bis prominent der Beat einsetzt, tatsächlich die Originalwerke vertechnot werden. Beeindruckend der rituell wirkende Einsatz eines Flötensamples. Das andere, der Abschluss, nimmt sich zurück, betont das Hypnotische, das Sphärische, das meditativ Repetitive. Eher minimalistisch – der GAS-Bezug sei ein letztes Mal erlaubt – schlingen sich Samples der zugrunde liegenden sechzehn Spuren umeinander, während im Vordergrund einzelne Synth-Schleifen ihre Wege ziehen und insbesondere die Perkussion zum Tanzen einlädt. Einmal mehr jedoch eher im urtümlich rituellen Sinne.

Ganz nah an Ravel und Mussorgsky, an Karajan und den Berliner Philarmonikern, aber auch vollkommen ohne ihr Schaffen, produzieren Carl Craig und Moritz von Oswald ein Set, das die Auftraggeber bei der Deutschen Grammophon sicher überraschte, das vom Hörer sicher nicht so erwartet wurde, das Maurice Ravel vermutlich interessiert hätte. Urväter des Techno, Fachleute des Bass, geben hier Musik des 19. und frühen 20. Jahrhunderts eine Neudeutung, indem sie eine Aufnahme der 1980er Jahre zerlegen, in Fragmenten verwenden, sie mit sich selbst kollidieren lassen und eigene Mittel und Methoden hinzunehmen. Im Hören des fertigen Produkts vollzieht der Konsument nach, wie die beiden Musiker improvisierend und in Form einer einjährigen Jam sich die Musiker „Bolero“, „Rapsodie Espagnole“ und „Bilder einer Ausstellung“ aneignen, erkunden und weiterentwickeln. Einfach genießbar ist das nicht. Interessant schon.

Keeping with the theme of the convergence of musical forms, in this case techno and classical, here’s another treat from one of the pioneers. Carl Craig performs at Cité de la Musique, Paris, France in October of 2008. Allow some time (and some patience) to get in the mood. Opens up new dimensions of possibility.

Does a recording of the show exist? Anyone know?