The Last Thing You Pack Is The Stereo
Moving house is loooooonnnnnnnngggggggg
Welcome back to Music Is The Answer, the fortnightly newsletter from me, myself and I - Marcus Barnes.
A shorter edition this time around as I’ve moved house and really haven’t had the time or energy to get anything substantial together.
That said, I managed to get all my reviews done. There’s still lots of really great music being made and I want to give my respects to all the artists out there, keep it coming!
Support is always welcome, so feel free to send feedback, or share my newsletter where possible. It all helps.
Music Really Is The Answer
Another month almost done and dusted already! This year has passed in record time and it feels like I’ve lived a lifetime of experiences since March. I’m sure most people reading this will feel me on that.
This month it was the big move.
I really hate moving house, it’s shite. Being reminded of how much unecessary crap you own and having to push yourself to declutter, downsize and pack it all up, then lug it from one place to the next is so demoralising. Then there’s the post-move clean up and unpacking at the other end. Urgh… Everytime I move I promise myself to downsize because no one needs as much stuff as this. It’s such a burden.
Through it all though, what kept me (just about) sane was having a soundtrack. I remember a good few years ago, a guy I know posted about moving house on Facebook and he said something like, “Everyone knows, the last thing you pack when you move house is the stereo”. That got a big thumbs up from me, shout to Toby! The power of music is impossible to describe so I’m not even going to attempt to put it into words, all I will say is that everytime I need to escape, everytime I need solace, music is always the answer. It’s therapy, on tap, and it’s always been there.
In the end I spent two whole days doing a deep clean of the old place, which was pretty exhausting after a stressful move the day before but music carried me through, mostly drum’n’bass (what else?!).
Below are a few of the mixes from that difficult few days at the beginning of last week…
Techno Reviews: September 2020
From this month onwards I’m gonna stop giving tunes numerical ratings. The reason for this is I don’t ever really give negative reviews. I may occassionally turn in a lukewarm write up but I’m not one of those critics who publishes really scathing reviews of music. Essentially, what I’m saying is, everything I review I both like and recommend. I often find my reviews are full of 8 out of 10s, so it started to feel a bit unecessary giving each one a score.
I’ve also done away with the Monitor section for now, with the potential for some other type of sub-section to replace it, though I haven’t thought of anything yet… maybe a brief roundup of other releases from the month. We’ll see.
Enjoy the reviews, please share if you can and, more importantly, if you’re feeling any of the tunes make sure you buy them and support the artists/labels.
ALBUM OF THE MONTH
Dyani
UNDER
[Chann3l]
Let your soul drift Under and experience another reality
In light of everything that’s been going on with the huge social change around Black civil rights over the past few months, this album is a critical piece of work. Dyani is a queer, Haitian artist inspired by the Drexciyan mythology to produce a collection of tracks that explore the aquatic possibilities presented by the fate of slaves thrown overboard across the Middle Passage hundreds of years ago. They combine the underwater themes with Haitian spirituality to compose music that is enchanting, uncomfortable in places and enlightening. Techno tropes are merged into highly affecting compositions, music that will stand up in a concert hall or on the dance floor. Dyani uses their voice on cuts like ‘Ascension’ and ‘Precipice/Purgatory’, with more organic instrumentation featured on other tracks, such as ‘Dan-i (Interlude)’. This is a beautiful, challenging piece of work fueled by generational trauma with an activist heartbeat.
TUNE OF THE MONTH
Systems 1991
Dancer In The Dark (Enyang Ha Remix)
[System Records]
This is a special remix
Korean Enyang Ha turns in a leftfield rework of Systems 1991’s original and it’s a BEAST. From the haunting opening to the dystopian feel of the beats and bass, her remix is off key and utterly raw. This is the kind of tune that really gets me, big time; the drum programming and the progression, blossoming into an emotive second half… Amazing.
Isola
Ricorda (Tell Me)
[Godmode]
Dub techno with sultry vocals = WIN
Isola debuts on Godmode with this vocal-driven collection of deep, nuanced cuts. ‘Ricorda (Tell Me)’ comes with a dub techno flow, as Isola’s sultry voice writhes over the top, pitched down in places. The occasional tinkle of a piano key adds to the solemn atmosphere as that low end keeps it simple and hypnotic.
Al Wooton
Snake Dance
[Livity Sound]
Proper head nodder business
If there’s one thing you can say about Livity Sound it’s that the consistency is ridiculous. The label runs with a soundsystem-meets-techno kinda vibe and their releases are always an instant ‘buy on sight’. ‘Snake Dance’ percolates with malice, the rhythm maintaining an anxious yet purposeful agenda. Eyes down for this one, straight head nodding all the way.
Plus Size Models
Cork Town
[Databass]
Faster pace puts a smile on your face
High speed BPMs across all the cuts on this EP make it a lively one. There’s something about faster tunes that sparks fun and silliness, especially with these tunes. It feels less serious than most techno releases, and ‘Cork Town’ definitely counteracts the po-faced attitude that can come with certain techno outfits.
Varuna
Pasop
[Mantis/Delsin]
Disappear into infinity
We go from Plus Size Models’ high octane fun and games to more pensive contemplation with this slow moving odyssey by Varuna. Delsin’s Mantis off-shoot specialises in the more introspective side of techno, with plenty of room for self-exploration. Shut yourself away from the world, close the curtains, lie back, relax and drift off into the ether...
Fred Asquith
Carnival
[Room 2]
Slammin’ slammer
This one snarls and froths like a rabid dog. The kicks pump furiously while a jagged riff throws a hissy fit, keeping the energy high. Aimed at the dance floor, Asquith’s cut will have you stomping your feet with a perpetual grimace on your face as he pounds your mind repeatedly.
Francesco Terranova
Electromotive (Dekeyden Remix)
[EPM]
Brace yourself, this is quite a trip!
You’ll be feeling the pressure from this new one on EPM as the bassline peppers your brain with low end frequencies. The density teeters on the edge of oppression, while a menagerie of twisted effects keep the atmosphere dark and deadly. There’s some respite halfway through, but after that it’s more of the same.
Audiokern
Fog
[Klangkeller Records]
Minimal excellence
Nine minutes of minimalist solemnity designed to pull you into its web of wonder. Audiokern uses the longer running time to compose a stripped back symphony utilising a bounding bassline, and unusual sounds and samples that sound like the analogue calls of strange cyborg creatures.
Electric Rescue
Dream Warriors (Cri Du Coeur Remix)
[Arkham Audio]
Large and in charge
Cri Du Couer is a name I keep coming across lately. His production style definitely appeals to me and this remix of ‘Dream Warriors’ (a Nightmare On Elm Street reference?) by Electric Rescue is a good example of his professional approach. The crisp kicks and percussion already had me, then the main riff comes in and it’s game over.
CYRK
Recalibration
[Burial Soul]
Electro for the year 3020
Quite a bit of electro in the reviews this month, and why not… CYRK always come with the goods. The drums sound like futuristic piston-driven robots marching to the dance floor ready for a breakdance battle. CYRK build up the energy gradually, adding layers of funk to take us into the mainframe. Love the vocal clips which add to the fidgety rhythm of this cut.
Sheefy McFly
Go N Jit (Feat. Lola)
[Databass]
Drop, drop, drop it. Pop, pop, pop it!
This is the second release from Databass in my reviews this month, what a great label. Shout to DJ Godfather! If you’re not familiar with jit, it’s a type of dance from Detroit. Sheefy McFly’s cut is packed full of ghettotech energy, rapid, retro and oozing Blackness with Lola’s vocals instructing you to ‘let me see your footwork, go n jit’. If you’re not jittin’ to this within seconds, you might want to consult a doctor.
Perc
E-Mono
[Perc Trax]
NOOOIIIIIIIISSSSSSSE!!!
Some of the tunes on this EP were way too noisy for me. I like a bit of industrial and noise, but they were a liiiiiittle bit much… ‘E-Mono’ is a touch less noisy but still packs an almighty punch. Perc’s music is not for the faint hearted, it’s for dissolving your physical form so that all is left is the tiny waves of vibration that make us all up. It’s for worrying your parents and upsetting your neighbours. Turn it up.
Italo Brutalo
Knightmares
[Bungalo Disco]
Retro disco techno… or something
This could have been made way back in the seventies. The rhythm is disco-inspired, that repetitive analogue riff made to lull you into a hypnotic state and keep you locked to the dance floor. Italo Brutalo constructs a superb cut around that central motif, upping the ante as he puts it through a filter now and again to increase the intensity.
Setaoc Mass
Moon Groove
[SK_Eleven]
Screwface time
‘Moon Groove’ is taken from a massive eight track EP where he explores a few different styles and flexes his creative muscle with aplomb. This rugged cut has power combined with a mysterious melody, which creeps in midway through. Really feeling the energy on this one, there’s lots going on but it retains quite a simple outlook. Bound to leave you with a screwface.
Atroxx
Breathe
[Analytic Trail]
Just breathe...
Canadian producer Atroxx drops the first single from his album, due later this year. A self-confessed studio obsessive, his attention to detail is clear and the tune bangs. A sparse intro leads into the gargantuan track which booms out with fury. A buzzsaw riff slices its way through the dense kick drums while an emotive melody tantalises your emotional centre.
Sync 24
Hyperway
[Cultivated Electronics]
Electro with BASS
More electro, this time from a split EP featuring Sync 24 and Anthony Rother. ‘Hyperway’ has all the essential ingredients for a typical electro cut; pumped up beats, robotic riff and all that 808 good stuff. Wait for the bass to drop in… The tremors will rock your world.
Tetelepta
My Way
[Eshu Records]
Oh to be on a dance floor when this gets played!
Really digging the rhythm on this; heavy, tribal-esque and utterly contagious right from the very first second. Tetelepta executes this one masterfully, adding eerie futuristic effects to take you into the unknown. The energy is so raucous that I have a clear vision of the madness that would ensue when this one gets played.
Ryan James Ford
Structure of Civilization (Youth Mix)
[Sävy Records]
Superb debut from IDA’s label
IDA launches her label with this brilliant EP from Ryan James Ford. This heady cut rolls out with spirited energy and an old school feeling. It’s like pumped up nineties techno with uplifting elements and a good helping of emotion, too. Ford does a great job of splicing ravey production with an undercurrent of barely audible spoken word samples.
unknown artist 001
unknown artist 001 - b2
[Unknown Untitled]
Unknown is no joke, you know
Stuttered, two-step canter combined with sleek, future-facing production makes this one a winner. The sonics are crisp and smooth, with sweet electronic chirps and tweets along with stepping bass and non-linear arrangement, so there’s always a little shift or change every few bars. Nicely done.
Random Alias
Basilisk
[Breakfast On Mars]
It’s electro story time
Another electro banger. This time Random Alias goes for the robotic ravers with a hard-hitting cut that incorporates sweeping pads and a melodramatic b-line. Not forgetting the bitch slap snares, as standard. ‘Basilisk’ tells a story and you’ll be wrapped up in it from start to finish.
Marcal & Hosben
Renoir
[Rekids Special Projects]
Bass-heavy banger
The bassline on this one is thick and rubbery, pumping constantly to keep you under pressure while also encouraging you to twist and contort your body in a myriad ways. The other elements add depth and increase the velocity here and there but really, those low frequencies at the core dominate this tune.
Templefeld by Kirk Degiorgio
Vertical Life
[Midnight Shift]
Laid back techno lullaby
Techno veteran Kirk Degiorgio goes halftime with his Templefeld moniker on this lush EP. ‘Vertical Life’ meanders along like a techno lullaby, ushering in a dreamworld where all of the planet’s ills have disappeared in a glowing cloud of hope and joy. It’s reminiscent of a video game soundtrack, and it’s sure to have you feeling chiiiiiillllll maaannnnn.
Revm
Fast Groove
[Unconfined]
Bass-heavy banger
This is from a siiiiick V/A by Unconfined Records called Quantum Entanglement. The aim is simple: allow all the artists to have complete creative freedom and see what they come up with. Each track is full of character and charm and I have to shout out Melissa D Lima for ‘We Don’t Talk When We’re Sober’. Revm’s ‘Fast Groove’ has a cavernous feel thanks to liberal use of reverb on all of its elements, it romps all the way through with thunderous power.
Sentient State
Fear Is The Mind Killer (Cromby Remix)
[E-Missions]
One-way ticket to electronic heaven
Big shout to Cromby, who’s really doing great things at the moment. His remix of ‘Fear Is The Mind Killer’ rounds off the reviews this month in style. The soothing ambience of cosmic pads open this one up and we quickly move into what feels like a techno-trance cut from almost 30 years ago. Close your eyes and let the tension evaporate from your body as you’re beckoned into electronic heaven...
Feel free to sign up so you don’t miss future editions.
In the meantime, tell your friends!