Last week I went on holiday by night train and listened to a few excellent recordings which I would like to share with you.

While Karin Dreijer was busy creating and promoting one of the best albums of 2009 with her solo project Fever Ray and scaring people with public apperances like this:

… her brother Olof creates music which sounds like “steep, rugged canyons, painted rock minarets, desert vistas framed by blooming wildflowers, soaring raptors and singing canyon wrens on the wildest remaining rivers” under the alias Oni Ayhun. So far, three records have been released,of which all have sold out in a very short time. Fortunately, there is a live recording of one of his live shows over at mnml ssgs.

The same blog also brought us a mix by Levon Vincent, who, in my humble opinion, created the most outstanding house records of 2009. For example this one:

Speaking of outstanding house music, Culoe De Song comes to my mind. There is a review of his debut album on Resident Advisor but taking a closer look at the tracklist it appears to be rather a compilation of released tracks, remixes and forthcoming material. There is a podcast mixed by Culoe De Song which provides an insight into the album which can be downloaded here. Besides two physical releases on Innervisions and Mule there are digital releases on the South African label Soulistic Music that can be bought via the AFROdesiaMP3 web shop.

As I rode deeper into the night I put on a live recording of Miracles Club out of Portland/Oregon. I found this at Linger & Quiets’ blog and if you like Black Meteoric Star you’ll love this! You can download it here. There is a 12″ and an album coming from these two respectively later in the year.

After those tasty synths I was craving for more so I put on Synth Summer by JD Twitch of Optimo. They have recently relaunched their website and it’s definitely worth a look or two or three…

I should have fallen asleep by now but as you might know from your own experience, there’s always someone who snores at night trains. What I was longing for now was machine driven sub-bass to cover those annoying human sounds. Plus, something to match the state of transcendency I was in by now.

This is it! The first mix CD released in conjuction with the SUB:STANCE party at Berghain. Don’t expect classic dubstep though (if that even exists…), to my ears it’s just music. Beautiful bass music. Due to a lack of words describing it more precisely I leave that to the people at Ostgut Ton and hopefully leave you with the urge to preview and buy the mix at Hardwax.

I’m off to Berghain to enjoy Detroit’s sexiest mutha fucka Moodymann tonight. Have a good weekend!

Seht her, seht her. Hört hin hört hin: Sie ist da. Da kann man schon mal erleichtert “Endlich” rufen und verzückt mit den Hufen scharren. Quadruple-D, wie wir den dreckigen Detroit-Degen aus Dresden hier nur noch nennen, kann seinen Frieden mit Running Back machen.

Die Mär, dass zweieinhalb Jahre seit dem ersten Kontakt von Labelboss Gerd Janson mit dem Titelstück ins Land gegangen sind, mag durchgekaut sein. Auf den Kranz ging die lange Wartezeit natürlich trotzdem – und nicht nur dem Künstler. Da mutet es fast schon zynisch an, dass das Cover so fix hingekritzelt wirkt. Führt man aber den Songtitel ins Feld, wird man mit der knuddeligen Zeichnung schon eher warm (man mutmaßt ja Spektakuläres über deren Urheberschaft). Wenn man dann noch um die Übersetzung der lateinischen Schnitzerei auf der Platte weiß, geht einem endgültig das Herz auf: “Die Sonne scheint für jeden.” Übrigens lohnt auch ein Blick auf die Cover-Rückseite, auf der sich Jacob als sensibler Kenner seiner Wurzeln und Förderer ausweist.

Aber nun endlich zur Musik: “I Like The Sun (But Not on LEDs)” ist unbestritten ein kleines, großes Epos und eine würdige A-Seite. Der Track quillt fast über vor Sounds und Ideen, ist Hifi-House, so called Nu-Disco, später sogar sowas wie Clone-Electro. Es passiert irrsinnig viel, manchmal fast zuviel. Hitpotential entfaltet aber vor allem die präsente, herrlich verquietschte Melodie.

Deeper und für mich die schönste Nummer auf der Platte ist “Selene”, jenes auf- und abgleitende Stück, das von hektischen, aber bestimmenden Claps vorangetrieben wird. Eine düstere Erfahrung kann man das durchaus nennen, wenn irgendwann ein klagendes Vocal einsetzt und unten herum bedrohlich wirkende Synthies für wohlig-beklemmende Erregung sorgen. So muss sich Fallschirmspringen anfühlen.

Abschließend dann Prins Thomas’ Diskomiks für “I Like The Sun”, der erst mal schön krautig-scheppernd Schagzeug spielt, ähnlich wie auf dem letzten Album mit Kumpel Lindstrøm. Dann setzt die nun kosmisch klingende Lead auf einer Gitarre ein und nach fast zwei Minuten übernimmt Onkel Bass die Kontrolle. Ab jetzt ist Norwegen offen und man wird beherrscht von diesem angenehm unelektronischen, treibenden und rasselnden Prins Thomas-Sound, bei dem ich mir immer wünsche, er würde ihn irgendwann mal mit Liveband auf die Bühne bringen. Zum Ende gibt es dann noch ein tolles, perkussives Schlagzeug-Solo, wie gemalt für lustige Mixmastereien.
Auch wenn man Kumpanei unterstellen könnte: Diese Platte sollte man wirklich kaufen. Sie bietet ein bisschen was von allem, was im House heutzutage Spaß macht.

Zum Reinhören

How apt to review an album entitled ‘ A Brief History of Love’ ahead of our special edition of Cosmic Dancer that (hopefully) promises to be a LONG night of…err…love.

The Big Pink (good choice of color btw) hail from east London and comprise of members Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell. Furze, who is the musical brain behind the name has toured extensively with Alec Empire in the past and runs record label Hate Channel. Uh.Ah. Alec Empire? I had to google what he is up to these days and to put your good hearts at rest: He is still making ‘digital hardcore’ ! Good. Cordell on the other hand is the son of legendary record producer Denny Cordell (Procol Harum, Joe Cocker) and heads record label Merok, home to Chrystal Castles, The Teenagers and Klaxons. Favorable.

That is probably EXACTLY what came to their minds on that rainy day outside Tesco Express on Kingland Rd. September. 2007. Plastic bags in puddles on the floor, containing dog-eared 7″ records of the latest Comanchi release that they had intended to deliver to Rough Trade that day. Cars passing. They had waited for half an hour, but the 149 bus to Liverpool street was nowhere to be seen but infinite bleak mist surrounding them. Milo amused himself by squelching the tip of his new Converse sneakers in a pool of water in front of him. Four concentric rings. But. A manoeuvre he began to regret instantly as his soles started to soak with water. “There is nothing worse in life than having wet feet” Milo muttered, his head buried deep inside the lined collar of his battered dark blue parka, hands violently thrust in his pockets. Robbie nodded in agreement.

Disengagement of concentric rings -check. Stop shifting records for other people-check. Forming a band-check.

(Note: The name of the band The Big Pink is not inspired by a John Hughes movie but by The Band’s seminal album ‘Music From Big Pink’. )

After three limited edition singles on House of Anxiety The Big Pink were signed to reverred independent label 4AD earlier this year and the rest is history. Of love. Brief? Ok!

Countbackwards from Ten. (Ok) 10. Tonight (Ok) 9. A Brief History of Love (Haunting) 8. Frisk (Agreeable) 7. Golden Pendulum (Good) 6. Velvet (Brilliant) 5. At War With The Sun (Acceptable). 4. Love in Vain ( Charming) 3. Dominos (Spanking) 2. Too Young To Love (Lovely). 1. Crystal Visions (Buzzing).

Begin quote: “Speaking to BBC 6 Music, Milo explained why they chose that album name: “Every song is a love song to some degree, about every different aspect of love.The good, the bad, the boring, the exciting, the dreams, the nightmares, the whole thing and I guess that’s what encompasses the whole album. End quote.