Monday, February 5, 2007
DJ Olive
Gregor on the one's and um's in Australia 2007.
www.djolive.com
Discography
Powerhouse Sessions (CD) Room40 2002
Bodega (CD) theAgriculture 2003
Coonymous EP (12") theAgriculture 2003
Buoy (CD) Room40 2004
Perfect Partner (12" + Box) Electra Editions 2005
Scories (CD) Sub Rosa 2005
Heaps As, Live In Tasmania (CD) theAgriculture 2006
Sleep (CD, Album) Room40 2006
Remixes:
Barbecue Beets EP 2 (12") Oddity (DJ Olive Remix) theAgriculture
Mix Oscillations (CD, Comp) << Tea Time On Doomsda... Noise Museum 1998
Sub Rosa vs. Kompakt (2xLP) DJ Olive vs. Jürgen P... Sub Rosa 1999
Sub Rosa vs. Kompakt (CD) DJ Olive vs. Jürgen P... Sub Rosa 1999
Barbeque Beets (CD) Vaus (DJ Olive Remix),... theAgriculture 2001
Polyhedric Tetrapak (CD) Dag Oozebap 2001
I Swear I Saw Garlic Growing Under My Father's Steps (CD) Asako's Notebook Interzone (Belgium) 2002
Most Events Aren't Planned (CD, Maxi, Promo) Most Events Aren't Pla... Elektra 2002
Barbecue Beets EP 1 (12") Vaus (DJ Olive Remix) theAgriculture 2003
Firecamp Stories (CD) Scorched Earth theAgriculture 2003
New York Soundtracks (CD) Halo (One Note Dub Remix) Human Highway 2004
New York Soundtracks (LP) Halo (One Note Dub Remix) Temporary Residence Limited 2004
Igneo (CD, Album) Frenetic Records 2005
Production:
Crooklyn Dub Consortium - Certified Dope Vol. 1 (CD) Second Hand Science WordSound 1995
Welcome To Execrate (CD) Foil Leaf 1999
The Goldberg Variations (2xCD, Album) Winter & Winter 2000
Sub-Radar Liveset By Loan (Débauche Sonore) (CD, Dig) A Fond 2003
Anyways (CD, Album) theAgriculture 2004
Crooklyn Dub Consortium - Certified Dope, Volumes 1 & 2 (2xCD) Second Hand Science WordSound 2006
Mix:
Crooklyn Dub Consortium - Certified Dope Vol. 1 (CD) Second Hand Science WordSound 1995
Crooklyn Dub Consortium - Certified Dope, Volumes 1 & 2 (2xCD) Second Hand Science WordSound 2006
DJ Mixes:
Barbeque Beets (CD) theAgriculture 2001
Appears On:
Nosferatu (CD, Album) Knitting Factory Works 1995
Triptycal (CD, Album) After The Gold Rush, T... Antilles 1996
Pre-set (CD, Album) Knitting Factory Works 1997
Urlicht / Primal Light (CD, Album) Winter & Winter 1997
The Road To The Western Lands (CD) Joan's Haunted Hints A... Triloka Records, Mercury 1998
Mahler In Toblach/I Went Out This Morning Over The Countryside (2xCD) Winter & WInter 1999
Welcome To Execrate (CD) Foil Leaf 1999
Record Player (DVD) Record Player Intermezzo Films 2000
The Goldberg Variations (2xCD, Album) Winter & Winter 2000
Blue Marble (CD, Album) Tzadik 2001
052402 Echo 4 (12") Table Of The Elements 2004
djTRIO (CD) Pittsburg, July 5, 200... Asphodel 2004
Text Of Light (CD) Starlight Furniture Co. 2004
Two Novels: Gaze / In The Cochlea (CD) Gone Fishing Crónica 2004
Keystone (CD, Album + DVD-V) Greenleaf Music 2005
Reel 1 (CDr) Not On Label 2005
Shelf-Life (CD, Album, Sma) Winter & Winter 2005
Transit (CD, Album, Car) That Was A Lucky One Cajid Media 2005
Trax#15 (CD) Washington, September ... Trax (Magazine) 2005
Live in Sweden (CD) Greenleaf Music 2006
Plays Mozart (CD, Album, Sma) Winter & Winter 2006
Rotterdam 1 (Minimax, EP) Room40 2006
Scotty Hard's Radical Reconstructive Surgery (CD, Album) Thirsty Ear 2006
Cosmic Debris Volume I (CD) 033103 Paris A Silent Place 2007
Tracks Appear On:
Headz Pak V.1 (CD, EP, Promo) Back Fence Suite / Chi... theAgriculture
Valis l - Destruction Of Syntax (CD) Quark Soup Subharmonic 1995
Axiom Dub - Mysteries Of Creation (CD, Promo) Illbient Axiom 1996
State Of The Union (2xCD) Nontheory Atavistic 1996
Funk: This Is Jungle Sky Vol. 6 (2xCD) Contra Quien Jungle Sky 1999
Land Of Baboon - An Illclectic Compilation (CD, Album) Lulla Baraka Foundation 1999
This Is Jungle Sky, Volume 6 (7xLP + Box) Contra Quien Jungle Sky 1999
Welcome To Execrate (CD) Foil Leaf 1999
Cloudwatch: A Soundtrack To A Freeform Gathering Vol. 2 (CD, Comp) Cloudwatching You In Dub Sonic Soul Productions 2000
Copier Coller (2xCD) Bank It A,B,C,D,E,F Quatermass 2000
Copier Coller (2xLP) Bank It A,B,C,D,E,F Quatermass 2000
Up From The Archives (CD) The 3rd Avenue El Sub Rosa 2000
Vooruit Geluid Fe5tival 2000 (CD, Comp, Promo) Modulana Vooruit 2000
A Diagnosis, 1998-2001 (LP + CD + Cass + Box) Extract Number One, Ex... Revolver - Archiv Für Aktuelle Kunst 2001
A Mutated Christmas (CD) I Saw Mommy Kissing Sa... Illegal Art 2001
Barbeque Beets (CD) Enter, Exit theAgriculture 2001
BitStreams (2xCD) Perpetual Sound Check JDK Productions 2001
Emit One (CD) Cooneymus EMIT 2002
City Sonics 2003 (CD) Perpetual Soundtrack (... Transcultures 2003
Illicit Sounds Of Maffia - Chapter 3 (CD) Hallum Kom-Fut Manifesto Records 2003
052202 Tonic / 020103 RAW (Vinyl, Ltd) 052202 Tonic, 020103 Raw EN/Of 2004
Back Up Exec (CD, Mixed, Comp) Telekinetic Soulmate (... We Nod Records 2004
BBQ Beets II: Return Of The Yams (CD) Round Fire Strut, Coon... theAgriculture 2004
Melatonin: Meditations On Sound In Sleep (2xCD, Comp) Yard Swing Sunrise Room40 2004
Festival Voor Nieuwe Muziek > Happy New Ears 2005 (CD, Dig) Walking Slowly, Intern... Gonzo Circus 2005
Music For Plants (2xCD) Coffee, Oxygen & Gas PerfectIfOn 2005
Evening At Room40 (CD, Comp, Promo) Sleep, First Light Sunday Wire Magazine 2006
Mutek 08 (File, MP3, 320) Running Snail Mutek_Rec 2008
Saturday, February 3, 2007
Markus Guenter
Selected Discography:
Regensburg (12") Kompakt 2000
Äpfel Und Birnen (12") Festplatten 2001
Untitled (12") Ware 2001
Regensburg (Remix) (12") Kompakt 2002
Appears On:
Pop Ambient 2001 (CD, Enh) Regensburg, Pilot Kompakt 2001
Pop Ambient 2002 (LP) Donaunebel Kompakt 2001
Pop Ambient 2002 (CD) Donaunebel Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2003 (CD) Express Yourself, Chrom Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2003 (LP) Express Yourself Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2004 (CD) Damit Du Endlich Weiss... Kompakt 2003
Pop Ambient 2004 (LP) Damit Du Endlich Weiß... Kompakt 2003
Pop Ambient 2005 (LP) Innenfeld Kompakt 2004
Pop Ambient 2005 (CD) Innenfeld Kompakt 2004
Pop Ambient 2006 (CD) Baghira Kompakt 2005
Pop Ambient 2006 (LP) Baghira Kompakt 2005
Pop Ambient 2007 (CD) Altocomulus Opacus Kompakt 2006
Tracks Appear On:
Pop Ambient 2001 (CD, Enh) Regensburg, Pilot Kompakt 2001
Pop Ambient 2002 (LP) Donaunebel Kompakt 2001
Sven Väth In The Mix - The Sound Of The Second Season - Noche Y Dia (2xCD Regensburg Cocoon Recordings 2001
The State Of E:Motion Vol. 9 (2xCD, Promo) Re-form E:Motion, E:Motion 2001
Unser Eins (CD) Äpfel & Birnen Festplatten 2001
Warenkorb #3 (2xLP) Carrier Ware 2001
Warenkorb #3 (CD) Carrier Ware 2001
Kollektiv Kraft Pt.1 (12") Enterprise Cleansuite Records 2002
Pop Ambient 2002 (CD) Donaunebel Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2003 (CD) Express Yourself, Chrom Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2003 (LP) Express Yourself Kompakt 2002
Warenkorb #4 (3xLP) Fastbreak Ware 2002
Pop Ambient 2004 (CD) Damit Du Endlich Weiss... Kompakt 2003
Pop Ambient 2004 (LP) Damit Du Endlich Weiß... Kompakt 2003
Speicher CD 1 (CD) Regensburg (Wasserman ... Kompakt Extra 2003
Tape 10 (CD) Markthalle Ware 2003
Kompakt 100 (2xCD) In Moll (Hannes Teichm... Kompakt 2004
Pop Ambient 2005 (CD) Innenfeld Kompakt 2004
Pop Ambient 2005 (LP) Innenfeld Kompakt 2004
Warenkorb #5 (CD) Royal Decree Ware 2004
Warenkorb #5 (2xLP) Royal Decree Ware 2004
Fabric 24 (Radio Mix) - Rob Da Bank (CD) Umgebung Fabric (London) 2005
Pop Ambient 2006 (CD) Baghira Kompakt 2005
Pop Ambient 2006 (LP) Baghira Kompakt 2005
Sounds Of Instruments 01 (CD + DVD) Never Want To Stop Playing Klik Records 2005
Underarms And Sideways (2xCD) Sideways One, Sideways... 4AD 2005
Underarms And Sideways (2xCD) Sideways One, Sideways... 4AD (US) 2005
Groove CD #99/N°8 (CD) All The Time (Renato F... Groove 2006
Pop Ambient 2007 (CD) Altocomulus Opacus Kompakt 2006
Pop Ambient 2007 (LP) Altocomulus Opacus Kompakt 2006
Spirit Of NETLAG (File, MP3) Snoevit Zerinnerung 2006
Spirit Of NETLAG (File, MP3) Snoevit Mixotic 2006
Trax#28 (CD) All The Time Trax (Magazine) 2006
Friday, February 2, 2007
Post Ambient Baby!
Wired Magazine made "Post Ambient" a "hype" term in 1994:
3. Post-Ambient
Most musical genres rapidly divide, mutating into a handful of different strains. Punk, for example, split into categories such as thrash, straightedge, oí. Ambient, however, may become the genre that expands to fill the universe. From the original warblings of Eno and Aphex Twin, ambient DJs now spin everything from ethnic chants to Schoenberg. Ambient has come to resemble The Face's facetious description, "anything remotely electronic that lasts longer than 10 minutes and has less than 80 beats per minute." Which, perhaps coincidentally, is also a good definition of Muzak.
Nice.
Ambient Mailing List
Ambient Music mailing list: The Hyperreal ambient email list is flush with advance-release news, philosophical debate and creative tangents (ambient movies, ambient novels); like IDM, it's a mediated list. Visit http://www.hyperreal.com/music/lists/ambient/ to learn how to subscribe. Started in 1994. Trying running some scripts over the terrabytes of archived converations.
ROOM40
In the history of cryptography, Room 40 (formally NID25) was the room in the Admiralty which was the first location of the British cryptography effort during World War I.
This case, ROOM40 is Australian Lawrence English's music project and label.
An interview from Australian Music Online:
In between writing about and making music, Lawrence English also runs his indie electronic label, ::ROOM40::.
Who are your 3-5 favourite Australian artists and why?
Oren Ambarchi, Pimmon, Biftek, Frost, The Necks. Five artists/groups each exploring interesting approaches to their chosen form of music.
Tell us about your label...
::ROOM40:: is an imprint and multiarts organisation. The imprint is primarily focused on releasing material such as improvisations, installation soundtracks and themed recorded works. ::ROOM40:: has released material by artists such as John Chantler, Scanner, David Toop, DJ Olive, I/O3, Frost and we have also curated several compilation releases including EMIT one for QUT.
What do you think is the most influential Australian album of all time?
An impossible question to answer – so many high points from so many genres and movements. I like to think I have a wide-ranging taste, so answering something like this is always difficult, if not simply impossible.
Who/where/when was the first local gig you ever attended?
I seriously can’t recall. I remember seeing bands like Regurgitator and a lot of the Valve related acts when I first started reviewing for magazines in Brisbane such as Time Off. I do know I’ve seen somewhere in the vicinity of 1000 bands/artists since first heading out at the tender age of 17. So many impressive groups too!
Describe your most memorable Australian music moment?
There’s been so many - probably too many to make sense of really... too many late nights.
What are your three favourite music websites?
http://www.emit.qut.com
http://www.synrecords.com
http://www.timeoff.com.au
What is the most crucial advice you could give a local artist seeking success?
John Zorn once said something like ‘respect the work, otherwise no one else will’ – that’s a sound idea and one I can recommend to other people. Other than that just be willing to work hard and face up to the creative and logistically challenges that will inevitably get in your way.
If you could have signed any act in Australia (part or present), who would it be?
Again an impossible scenario to access…there are just so many creative people making music in this country.
What do you think is the most important issue facing Australian music today?
The redefinition of the fringe/independent music scene verses the shifting role of major record labels/distributors – a global issue to be sure.
Labels:
Lawrence English,
origin: Australia,
ROOM40
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Chillits
Chillits
Northern California Chillout Weekender
apologies, the sound recording is a little glitchy. Try it without the sound on.
Northern California Chillout Weekender
apologies, the sound recording is a little glitchy. Try it without the sound on.
Ulf Lohmann
Ulf Lohmann - Because
Because (12") Kompakt 2001
Because Before (CD) Kompakt 2001
Before (12") Kompakt 2001
On Frozen Fields (12") Kompakt 2005
Remixes:
Kompakt 100 (2xCD) Intershop (Ulf Lohmann... Kompakt 2004
Kompakt 100 (4xLP) Intershop (Ulf Lohmann... Kompakt 2004
Warp Mart Mix 001 (CDr) Intershop (Ulf Lohmann... Warp Records 2004
Appears On:
Pop Ambient 2001 (CD, Enh) Because Kompakt 2001
Pop Ambient 2002 (LP) Java Kompakt 2001
Pop Ambient 2002 (CD) Java Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2003 (LP) Nicht Die Welt Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2003 (CD) Nicht Die Welt Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2004 (CD) Audrey Kompakt 2003
Pop Ambient 2004 (LP) Audrey Kompakt 2003
Pop Ambient 2005 (LP) Wasted Years Kompakt 2004
Pop Ambient 2005 (CD) Wasted Years Kompakt 2004
Okie Dokie It's The Orb On Kompakt (2xLP) Because/Before (Sibiri... Kompakt 2005
Okie Dokie It's The Orb On Kompakt (CD) Because/Before (Sibiri... Kompakt 2005
Okie Dokie It's The Orb On Kompakt (CD, Promo) Because/Before (Sibiri... Kompakt 2005
Okie Dokie It's The Orb On Kompakt (CD) Because/Before (Sibiri... V2 Records Japan 2005
Pop Ambient 2006 (CD) Burning Bright Kompakt 2005
Pop Ambient 2006 (LP) Burning Bright Kompakt 2005
Pop Ambient 2007 (CD) Lai King Est Kompakt 2006
Tracks Appear On:
Pop Ambient 2001 (CD, Enh) Because Kompakt 2001
Pop Ambient 2002 (LP) Java Kompakt 2001
Total 3 (CD) Because Kompakt 2001
Pop Ambient 2002 (CD) Java Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2003 (CD) Nicht Die Welt Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2003 (LP) Nicht Die Welt Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2004 (CD) Audrey Kompakt 2003
Pop Ambient 2004 (LP) Audrey Kompakt 2003
Speicher CD 1 (CD) Before Kompakt Extra 2003
Kompakt 100 (2xCD) Because Before (The Or... Kompakt 2004
Kompakt 100 (4xLP) Because (Thomas/Mayer ... Kompakt 2004
Pop Ambient 2005 (CD) Wasted Years Kompakt 2004
Pop Ambient 2005 (LP) Wasted Years Kompakt 2004
Trax Sampler 075 (CD) Because (Thomas/Mayer ... Trax Sampler 2004
Pop Ambient 2006 (CD) Burning Bright Kompakt 2005
Pop Ambient 2006 (LP) Burning Bright Kompakt 2005
SonneMondSterne Compilation 05 (2xCD) Night's Blood EMI Catalogue Marketing 2005
Pop Ambient 2007 (LP) Lai King Est Kompakt 2006
Pop Ambient 2007 (CD) Lai King Est Kompakt 2006
Because (12") Kompakt 2001
Because Before (CD) Kompakt 2001
Before (12") Kompakt 2001
On Frozen Fields (12") Kompakt 2005
Remixes:
Kompakt 100 (2xCD) Intershop (Ulf Lohmann... Kompakt 2004
Kompakt 100 (4xLP) Intershop (Ulf Lohmann... Kompakt 2004
Warp Mart Mix 001 (CDr) Intershop (Ulf Lohmann... Warp Records 2004
Appears On:
Pop Ambient 2001 (CD, Enh) Because Kompakt 2001
Pop Ambient 2002 (LP) Java Kompakt 2001
Pop Ambient 2002 (CD) Java Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2003 (LP) Nicht Die Welt Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2003 (CD) Nicht Die Welt Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2004 (CD) Audrey Kompakt 2003
Pop Ambient 2004 (LP) Audrey Kompakt 2003
Pop Ambient 2005 (LP) Wasted Years Kompakt 2004
Pop Ambient 2005 (CD) Wasted Years Kompakt 2004
Okie Dokie It's The Orb On Kompakt (2xLP) Because/Before (Sibiri... Kompakt 2005
Okie Dokie It's The Orb On Kompakt (CD) Because/Before (Sibiri... Kompakt 2005
Okie Dokie It's The Orb On Kompakt (CD, Promo) Because/Before (Sibiri... Kompakt 2005
Okie Dokie It's The Orb On Kompakt (CD) Because/Before (Sibiri... V2 Records Japan 2005
Pop Ambient 2006 (CD) Burning Bright Kompakt 2005
Pop Ambient 2006 (LP) Burning Bright Kompakt 2005
Pop Ambient 2007 (CD) Lai King Est Kompakt 2006
Tracks Appear On:
Pop Ambient 2001 (CD, Enh) Because Kompakt 2001
Pop Ambient 2002 (LP) Java Kompakt 2001
Total 3 (CD) Because Kompakt 2001
Pop Ambient 2002 (CD) Java Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2003 (CD) Nicht Die Welt Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2003 (LP) Nicht Die Welt Kompakt 2002
Pop Ambient 2004 (CD) Audrey Kompakt 2003
Pop Ambient 2004 (LP) Audrey Kompakt 2003
Speicher CD 1 (CD) Before Kompakt Extra 2003
Kompakt 100 (2xCD) Because Before (The Or... Kompakt 2004
Kompakt 100 (4xLP) Because (Thomas/Mayer ... Kompakt 2004
Pop Ambient 2005 (CD) Wasted Years Kompakt 2004
Pop Ambient 2005 (LP) Wasted Years Kompakt 2004
Trax Sampler 075 (CD) Because (Thomas/Mayer ... Trax Sampler 2004
Pop Ambient 2006 (CD) Burning Bright Kompakt 2005
Pop Ambient 2006 (LP) Burning Bright Kompakt 2005
SonneMondSterne Compilation 05 (2xCD) Night's Blood EMI Catalogue Marketing 2005
Pop Ambient 2007 (LP) Lai King Est Kompakt 2006
Pop Ambient 2007 (CD) Lai King Est Kompakt 2006
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Andrew Thomas
Prior to issuing the full-length Fearsome Jewel on Kompakt in 2003, New Zealand producer Andrew Thomas was responsible for a limited-edition release (100 copies) on Involve titled So You Wanna Be a (Death) Star. Thomas' first Kompakt venture was a significant improvement over his obscure, glitch-inflected debut, with most tracks falling somewhere between Ulf Lohmann's Because Before and Dettinger's Oasis. He fell into the Cologne label's "pop ambient" division with little trouble. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide.
So You Wanna Be A (Death) Star (CDr) Involve 2000
Fearsome Jewel (CD) Kompakt 2003
Fearsome Jewel (LP) Kompakt 2003
Hushhh (12") Kompakt 2004
Gaps In The Sun (File, MP3) KOMP3 2006
Co-production:
The New Face Of Smiling (CD) Frozen Cut Grass Carpark Records, Involve 2004
The New Face Of Smiling (LP) Low Light Sleep, Froze... Carpark Records, Involve 2004
Appears On:
Pop Ambient 2004 (CD) Fearsome Jewel (3), Fe... Kompakt 2003
Pop Ambient 2004 (LP) Fearsome Jewel (3) Kompakt 2003
Pop Ambient 2005 (CD) Soft Bullets Kompakt 2004
Pop Ambient 2006 (CD) M+K Kompakt 2005
Pop Ambient 2006 (LP) M+K Kompakt 2005
Pop Ambient 2007 (CD) I Am Here Where Are You Kompakt 2006
Tracks Appear On:
Earwork (CD) So You Wanna Be A (Dea... Capital Recordings 2000
Pop Ambient 2004 (CD) Fearsome Jewel (3), Fe... Kompakt 2003
Pop Ambient 2004 (LP) Fearsome Jewel (3) Kompakt 2003
Compilation (CD) A Dream Of A Spider, U... Involve, Capital Recordings 2004
Michael Mayer Präsentiert (File, MP3) Hushhh Kompakt 2004
Michael Mayer Presents Kompakt (CD) Hushhh Cornerstone Player 2004
Pop Ambient 2005 (CD) Soft Bullets Kompakt 2004
Pop Ambient 2006 (CD) M+K Kompakt 2005
Pop Ambient 2006 (LP) M+K Kompakt 2005
Pop Ambient 2007 (LP) I Am Here Where Are You Kompakt 2006
Pop Ambient 2007 (CD) I Am Here Where Are You Kompakt 2006
Trax#37 (CD) Shinny Garden Trax (Magazine) 2007
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Twerk and Audible Oddities
http://www.audibleoddities.com/twerk/
In addition to some great production Twerk's mastering exploits as Audio Oddities has been a major part of the Post IDM sound music of super sick labels like Merck.
Labels:
Field Recordings,
origin: San Francisco,
Twerk
Mixmaster Morris
"Lay Down and Be Counted"
The Irrestible Force
Writer, DJ and composer Mixmaster Morris was one of the major players in new-school ambient electronica and its emergence from the dance world in the late 80's and early 90's. A passionate, kooky campaigner for the ambient cause ("it's time to lie down and be counted"), he first picked up a following via stints as a chill-out DJ in the early days of the U.K. acid house scene. His live shows combined looped sounds and samples from vinyl records with live electronic instruments with which he created layered, free-form mixes of sound and mood. As Morris told David Toop in the book Ocean Of Sound: "We've had sixty, seventy years of making records. That's stage one. Now we sample them".
It was a logical progression to take these techniques into a recording studio, which he did under the name Irresistible Force. Released on Casper Pound's iconic ambient techno label Rising High Records, Flying High is superior post-rave ambient that’s by turns playful, transportive and awe-inspiring. Elements of Tangerine Dream, Pink Floyd and Jean-Michel Jarre are in evidence but deployed only tastefully and sparingly, leaving plenty of room for original, inventive hi-tech mindscapes. A sequenced kick drum appears on occasion to anchor things down but only rarely does it actually rise above the echoing ripples of melody and richly detailed atmospherics. Track titles like "Sky High", "Downstream" and "Moonrise" are a good indicator of the mindspace Morris occupies, though the plainly titled "Symphony In E" provides the album’s most striking moment. Seemingly out of nowhere emerges a simple, hypnotic violin phrase which Morris then pairs with a spastic, wobbly bass line to startling effect.
The classic It's Tomorrow Already is the third IR album, released long after the Rising High label had sadly folded. Here Morris has found a new home at the experimental breakbeat/hip hop label Ninja Tune and the album finds him in spellbinding form. Interestingly, the template here is quite different. Once it was ambient techno, now it's the equally fertile and far out fringes of hip hop. Highlights include the lazy space funk workouts "12 O'clock" and "Nepalese Bliss". Morris has also recorded the Dreamfish albums with German ambient maestro Pete Namlook.
The Irrestible Force
Writer, DJ and composer Mixmaster Morris was one of the major players in new-school ambient electronica and its emergence from the dance world in the late 80's and early 90's. A passionate, kooky campaigner for the ambient cause ("it's time to lie down and be counted"), he first picked up a following via stints as a chill-out DJ in the early days of the U.K. acid house scene. His live shows combined looped sounds and samples from vinyl records with live electronic instruments with which he created layered, free-form mixes of sound and mood. As Morris told David Toop in the book Ocean Of Sound: "We've had sixty, seventy years of making records. That's stage one. Now we sample them".
It was a logical progression to take these techniques into a recording studio, which he did under the name Irresistible Force. Released on Casper Pound's iconic ambient techno label Rising High Records, Flying High is superior post-rave ambient that’s by turns playful, transportive and awe-inspiring. Elements of Tangerine Dream, Pink Floyd and Jean-Michel Jarre are in evidence but deployed only tastefully and sparingly, leaving plenty of room for original, inventive hi-tech mindscapes. A sequenced kick drum appears on occasion to anchor things down but only rarely does it actually rise above the echoing ripples of melody and richly detailed atmospherics. Track titles like "Sky High", "Downstream" and "Moonrise" are a good indicator of the mindspace Morris occupies, though the plainly titled "Symphony In E" provides the album’s most striking moment. Seemingly out of nowhere emerges a simple, hypnotic violin phrase which Morris then pairs with a spastic, wobbly bass line to startling effect.
The classic It's Tomorrow Already is the third IR album, released long after the Rising High label had sadly folded. Here Morris has found a new home at the experimental breakbeat/hip hop label Ninja Tune and the album finds him in spellbinding form. Interestingly, the template here is quite different. Once it was ambient techno, now it's the equally fertile and far out fringes of hip hop. Highlights include the lazy space funk workouts "12 O'clock" and "Nepalese Bliss". Morris has also recorded the Dreamfish albums with German ambient maestro Pete Namlook.
Labels:
DJ,
Mixmaster Morris,
Nubient,
Nunja Tune,
Rising High,
The Irrestible Force
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