In a sea of mediocrity – 7 cuts that are worth it..

Music has become a commodity, like oil, gas, or foodstuffs. X amount of releases on the right labels in the right styles = X amount of gigs. Pick your own formulae and stick to it- the people know what to expect then, and won’t be scared by the fact that the next release is different. Always follow the latest trends, but make sure you strip it of all character and honesty – people that go out to clubs won’t notice anyway – they’re usually far too out of it on the latest designed legal high to notice what it really sounds like – you are only making the music that will become the soundtrack to their debauchery anyway…..
In a sea of mediocrity – 7 cuts that are worth it..

Isn’t the music scene getting depressing? I heard an R&S compilation with some classic trax on it today, like Capricorn’s “50hz” and Human Resource “Dominator”, which were remixed for the 21st century, but instead if taking a really modern interesting and new take on these absolutely classic trax, it was like the brush of blandness had been swept over them.. I mean, seriously, it’s sacrilege..

However, here are Seven different records I found whilst trawling through juno which are actually doing the biz right now:

Funk Gadget “Blah Blah” (Slidebar)

Andrez Bergen gets his awesome networking hat on to dish up 4 remakes of his own work, with offerings from SI Begg, Patrick Pulsinger, Dave Tarrida and Paul Birken, along with the original track. Yet again, Tarrida and Birken come up trumps..

http://www.juno.co.uk/ppps/products/385717-01.htm

Hertsi “Kohina (Reissue)” (Sahko)

One of those records that I probably heard some total minimal head play at a Virus party back in ‘93 that sent me on the mission I have been ever since. going to be doing my very best to snap up a copy, and I suggest that you do too as they don’t make em like this anymore.. For some reason I hear the first Crystal Distortion record in there, but this was waaaay before – 17 years old, no way!

http://www.juno.co.uk/ppps/products/386384-01.htm

Villa Nah “Remains Of Love” (Keys Of Life/Sahko)

Which then brought me to this – indulging myself in a guilty pleasure of eighties-esque electro pop. Ignore title track “Remains of love” and go straight to “Benny’s Burning” showing of some amazing melodic harmonies which I just love out and out. Proper robo-soul, and totally amazing to think that this is on a sub label of Sahko. Although this is 17 years on, and I’m guessing that you can only go on for so long releasing distorted undulating subbass tones. “Remains Of Love” is as bad as “Benni’s Burning” is good, and somehow it’s making me think of those IKEA styled (Ok, I know IKEA is Swedish) triangular shaped houses in the woods during a Finnish summer, which is probably quite a nice place to be.

http://www.juno.co.uk/products/Remains-Of-Love/384018-01/

Knarz “Uns Verbrennt Die Nacht” (Wavescape)

More guilty pleasures in the form of Thomas P Heckmann’s “Knarz” Project, where he gets on the microphone and gets on a proper EBM crossed with Techno tip. Yes, it’s a bit cheesy, but it’s got bags of character, and does remind me somewhat of the Horrorist and would probably smash dancefloors to bits. And it has Casio RZ-1 drums on it which is always a winner for me..

http://www.juno.co.uk/products/Uns-Verbrennt-Die-Nacht/388949-01/

Hieroglyphic Being “Ancient Echoes EP” (Mathematics)

Jamal Moss returns with more of his old school sounding stuff, “Letters For The Edge” being the one for me..

http://www.juno.co.uk/products/Ancient-Echoes-EP/386711-01/

Stephen Brown “Red Room” (Music Man)

Glasgow based electrician Stephen Brown has been doing his thing a good few years. I really respect where this guy is coming from, having been informed from mutual friends that Stephen refers to himself as “Just an electrician”, having no big musical career ambitions other than to make the lushes sounding synth pads known to man. There aren’t so many beats on either of these tracks, but the synth lines are just simply gorgeous…

http://www.juno.co.uk/products/Red-Room/384787-01

Jacek Sienkiewicz “X Years Later” (Recognition)

Poland’s best known electronic music export Jacek Sienkiewicz (Non Polish speakers take note- it’s pronounced YAT-SEK SHI-ENK-EA-VICH – I hope I got that right Jacek!) is back with his dreamy minimal techno styles. Yes, you can accuse it of being “minimal” but it beats the hell out of a lot of minimal out there, and the bottom line is, I like stuff like this, either in room two of a club, a beach bar maybe or even just on sunday morning with a nice cup of coffee..

http://www.juno.co.uk/products/X-Years-Later/386751-01/