SYNTHESIS Issue #2
In this issue:
Music News
Remix News
Reviews
KRAFTWERK FAN ALERT!! If you are a fan of
the music of Kraftwerk, then there's a few things you might want to know about.... While
there's still no word about actual new material forthcoming (will there ever be??),
although there is word spreading that another album of remixes - "The Mix Part
2" - may be coming out soon. Exact release date is unknown right now, but as soon as
details are known about that and other new material (as well as any upcoming releases by
spin-off group Elektric Music) you'll see it here in SYNTHESIS!! In the meantime, there is
a new Kraftwerk tribute album out now from some fellow German artists on the Outloud label
(available in the U.S. from Cleopatra) called "Trancewerk Express Vol. 1" (as
featured in our Reviews section). Anyone who has connections
with any other electronic bands who also do cover versions of Kraftwerk should E-mail us about it, as we know of someone
who is interested in releasing a compilation CD of this nature..... Also, there is a band
on the Warp Records label called The Elecktroids whose album "Elecktroworld" is
intended to be a sort of tribute to Kraftwerk as well, and features two cuts produced by
Detroit techno legend Drexciya. For more Kraftwerk information, we suggest you check the Kraftwerk unofficial infobahr
homepage, as listed in the Electropop Links section of
SYNTHESIS.
There hasn't been much to report lately relating to
'80's innovators The Art Of Noise,
but a spin-off project is in the works. Look for The Art Of Silence with the album
"artofsilence.co.uk" and also
a single called "West 4" due out from AoN member J.J. Jeczalik early in '96.....
Belgian New Beat pioneers Lords
of Acid are back with a new single called "Do What You Wanna Do"
featuring remixes of that track plus a new '95 version of their classic hit "I Sit On
Acid". Also, listen for their song "Young Boys" in the movie
"Virtuosity" (which has a pretty cool soundtrack overall [including a new cut
from Juno Reactor called "Samurai"] ) -- both this and the single are from Lords
Of Acid's "Voodoo-U" album of last year. Lords Of Acid also appear on the
"Strange Days"soundtrack with their cut "The Real Thing".
Belgium's CJ Bolland is finally re-emerging big time
with an onslaught of activity. Firstly, he has a DJ-mix compilation available - leaning
toward the harder techno sounds - entitled "DJ Kicks: CJ Bolland". He also has a
new double vinyl EP (a 12" single and a 10" single in one package) called
"Starship Universe", and expected soon is a full-length album -- the first of a
five album deal for the Internal label, home of Orbital..... And, Orbital themselves also
have a new one out, a 4 cut maxi-single/ mini-album called "Times Fly".
UK techno-housers Spooky have released their first
new material since their 1993 album "Gargantuan" on the now extinct Guerilla
Records label. They have a 4 track EP called "Clank", and an even newer one
called "Stereo", this time on their own label Generic.
The members of Front Line Assembly have been very
busy in the studio lately, and have plenty of items to show for it from their many
alter-ego/ side projects.... Delerium release their latest album "Reflections Vol.
1", which is a compilation of newly-remixed versions of tracks from their older
albums. Intermix (FLA's more techno-oriented offshoot) releases its third album
"Future Primitive", reportedly in a trancey style with world -music influences.
Noise Unit have a fourth album out now called "Decoder" -- originally conceived
as a collaboration with Marc Verhagen of The Klinik, this is the second Noise Unit album
with just the regular FLA members, and this time around it's no longer industrial but
rather more techno-ish in style along the lines of the previous Intermix albums.
Hmmm.....are they deliberately trying to confuse people, or what...!?!) But wait --
there's more!! Synaesthesia (FLA's ambient-techno project) have their second album out as
well, this time a double CD called "Desideratum". Wow.....all this and
they do remixes too! (See the Remix News section below.)
Another flurry of activity is coming from the
Earache record label -- widely recognized as the leading independent label in the UK's
psycho-metal/grindcore scene, they are rapidly gaining a good reputation as serious
pioneers within the electronic music realm as well. Dark ambient dub act Scorn, a project
of ex-Napalm Death member Mick Harris, follows the dual release of the
"Evanescence" and "Ellipsis" (remix version) albums with a new one
called "Gyral". Scorn collaborator James Plotkin has a new album as Old entitled
"Formula". Ultraviolence, the experimental/ gabber project of one Johnny
Violent, also has a new release out - the follow-up to the "Life Of Destructor"
album is a techno-opera called "Psychodrama". On a related note, Mick Harris
(Scorn) also has a completely ambient CD on the Subharmonic label under the name Lull
called "Cold Summer" which is highly recommended.....a murky, amorphous morass
of sound that will pull you into the depths of darkness! Set it for endless repeat and
lose yourself....
Ambient experimentalists Autechre have two new EP's
on the Warp label, one called "Anvil Vapre" which sports a heavier, more
industrial-influenced sound, featuring "Second Bad Vilbel" and three other new
tracks. The third Autechre album "Tri Repetae" is due out at the end of November
on Warp. They have another single out on the Clear label as well, under the name Gescom
entitled "Puzl".
HARTHOUSE UPDATE!! The U.S. branch of
Harthouse/Eye Q continue their welcome outpouring of CD albums with the titles listed
below. Of particular interest is a new outing from Sven Vath, in collaboration with Stevie
Be Zet and released under the name Astral Pilot, called "Electro Acupunture".
For further information check our report in issue #1
of SYNTHESIS Music News and visit the Eye Q Records
site which we've recently added to our Techno/Ambient Links
section.
Astral Pilot - Electro Acupunture CD
Braincell - Lucid Dreaming CD
Eternal Basement - Nerv CD
Kox Box - Forever After CD
Soap - Dumb Funk Resistance CD
Various - Six Flags CD
Aphex Twin has been dishing out the remix
treatment to a wide variety of people lately.... He contributes a remix to the
"Redone" EP by Wagon Christ on Rising High Records and remixes easy listening
(not ambient!) group The Gentle People, a recent signing to Aphex's own Rephlex imprint,
on their single "Journey". Avant-composer Gavin Bryars has his piece
"Sinking Of The Titanic" mixed by Mr. James for an upcoming Bryars multimedia
release, and the Japanese group Nav Katze get it as well on their latest EP .
Nav Katze (or "Nervous Cat") is a
female pop duet from Tokyo who receive a number of remixes from artists involved largely
in the ambient field on their EP "Never Mind The Distortion", released on the
SSR label. Along with Aphex Twin, it includes mixes from Black Dog, Ultramarine and Global
Communication.
Jon Anderson, front man for progressive rock
megagroup Yes, also has a remix EP of his world-music oriented solo output called
"The Desco Remixes". Featured remixers on this release include Global
Communication, Future Sound Of London, Transglobal Underground and Deep Forest.
Trip hop sensations The Chemical Brothers again team
up with UK indie popsters The Charlatans, remixing their tracks "Toothache" and
"Nine Acre Court" for an (initially promo only) EP release. Tim Burgess of The
Charlatans returns the favor by contributing vocals on the new Chemical Brothers single
"Life Is Sweet". Chemical Brothers also remix"Tow Truck" by Sabres Of
Paradise, and the new soul-styled single from Bomb The Bass called
"Sandcastles", which contains the bonus track "Absorber" as remixed by
Jedi Knights (aka Global Communication).
Aside from all the other projects that Front Line
Assembly has been busy with lately (see Music News above), they also have a couple of
remixes of other bands out now that you might want to look for..... in particular Project
Pitchfork's "Renasence" (included on the "Tyranny OFF the BEAT"
compilation) and Penal Colony's "Among The Living" (on "The Digital Space
Between Vol. 2" compilation).
REVIEWS
MEGALON'S REVIEWS (#2)
Various - Rave Mission: The Summer Edition
(on Sub Terranean/SPV) ---- German release
A variety of trance styles are represented in this 2 CD release, with a couple of
house-oriented numbers, some acid stuff, some dreamier trance sounds and some hyper rave
tracks, all with a solid upfront beat to drive them along. In general, this is just an
all-around great package, with a well chosen selection of music in a very nice foldout
digipack case and for a price that's quite low for a German import -- one of a string of
good releases from this impressive label. Highlights include "Deep Star" from
Rebel Youth, "Move Raver" by Chill 'N Force, "Acid Etch" from Redeye,
"Trance Trip" by Frame and DJ Pulse's "Monotrious".
CD 1:
_1 ) Exit EEE - I Laugh
_2 ) Rebel Youth - Deep Star
_3 ) Chill 'N Force - Move Raver
_4 ) DJ Eric - Beat Goes Straight
_5 ) Liquid Bass - In Full Effect
_6 ) Spencer - Raise To Heaven
_7 ) Marmion - Schoneberg (Kid Paul Remix)
_8 ) Sequel - Dukkha (X-Mike Mix)
_9 ) Quench - Dreams
10 ) Solitaire - Chasing Clouds (Free Gliding Remix)
11 ) Redeye - Acid Etch
CD 2:
_1 ) Silent Otomo - The Rebirth
_2 ) Megalomania - The Finest
_3 ) The Chameleon Project - Columbia
_4 ) Tranceliner - Tribal Spin
_5 ) Frame - Trance Trip
_6 ) Free Envelope - Experience (X-Static Mix)
_7 ) DJ Pulse - Monotrious
_8 ) Shorty Bone - Dream Phase
_9 ) Dynamic Love Trance - Sound Is Always There
10 ) Acrid Abeyance - Speed Freak
11 ) Redeye - A Source
Various - Ambient Extractions (on C & S
Records) ---- U.S. release
A wildly mixed-up batch of tracks from old and new (and also somewhat borderline)
schools of ambient.....which is one of this album's main strengths as it turns out --
along with the fact that the artists featured are all represented by one of their very
best cuts. It all fits together surprisingly well for the most part, although the big
surprise comes when you hit tracks 7 & 8, with the indie pop of Porcupine Tree (who,
not coincidentally, are also having their back catalog of releases reissued by the label!)
and the like-sounding Bark Psychosis, both of which are still pleasantly atmospheric
despite being a noticeable departure in style. If you're looking for an ambient album with
a real diversity of music, this is it. Highlights include "Minky Starshine" by
Seefeel, "Sunrise" by Young American Primitive and Meat Beat Manifesto's
"Euthanasia".
_1 ) Astralasia - Genesis-The Spark Of Life
_2 ) Seefeel - Minky Starshine
_3 ) Young American Primitive - Sunrise
_4 ) Hydra - Zooplankton
_5 ) Meat Beat Manifesto - Euthanasia
_6 ) David Sylvian - Words With The Shaman: Pt. 1 Ancient Evening
_7 ) Porcupine Tree - Always Never
_8 ) Bark Psychosis - Big Shot
_9 ) Brian Eno - In Dark Trees
10 ) John Blackford - Ending Of The Beginning
Various - Trancewerk Express Vol. 1 (on
Outloud/Cleopatra) ---- U.S. release
A tribute to Kraftwerk from relatively new German trance label Outloud Records. Most of
these versions are not full renditions of the songs but rather take a few key elements and
work them into instrumental trance cuts, mostly midtempo tracks in a style not unlike that
of the Suck Me Plasma/Influence labels. "The Model" by Ikon also features some
nice synthetic vocals and is the most faithful to the original. Overall, this album is a
lot more electronic in sound than the more industrial/experimental "Trans Slovenia
Express" tribute but is still quite different from Kraftwerk themselves. Highlights
include "The Robots" by Teler's, "Autobahn" by Kirk and Ikon's
"The Model".
_1 ) INTRO
_2 ) Exis 01 - Music Non Stop
_3 ) Teler's - The Robots
_4 ) Audio Science - Home Computer
_5 ) Reverse Pulse Envelope - Metropolis
_6 ) Purttiv J. - Electric Cafe
_7 ) Meedom & Wind - Computerworld
_8 ) Ultravision - Radioactivity
_9 ) Audio Science - Trans Europe Express
10 ) Kirk - Autobahn
11 ) Ikon - The Model
Various - Influence 2.2: A Hardtrance Experience
(on Influence/Cleopatra) ---- U.S. release
This is the second compilation from Influence Records which, like the more established
Suck Me Plasma label, is
part of Germany's Music Research
collective of labels. The artists that are featured here sport a propulsive, upbeat brand
of medium-hard trance with a little more of an edge than the Plasma releases but still
very rave and club-friendly. Generally the direction that both labels are moving right now
is toward the sound that's being tagged Nu-Energy (or you could just call it catchy and
energetic trance stuff....), and that's what you get here with this particularly solid
collection of tracks. Highlights include "Monks Too" by Monks, "Little
Gamma's Adventure" by Argon X and Phoenixx's "The Mongolian Rider".
_1 ) Phasis - Welcome
_2 ) Phoenixx - The Mongolian Rider
_3 ) Analog Communications - Atmospheric Forces
_4 ) Unknown Control - Heaven
_5 ) Bionic Crew - Final Entrance
_6 ) Retroflex - Family Nightmare
_7 ) Monks - Monks Too
_8 ) Omicron - The Bushmen
_9 ) Argon X - Little Gamma's Adventure
10 ) Influid - We're Always Behind You
11 ) INFLUENCE MEGAMIX V2.0
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