Friday, February 27, 2009
Welcome Back
Alongside, the likes of Transmat, Warp and Underground Resistance, R & S is one of a handful of dance music labels truly deserving of the title 'legendary'. Just scrolling down their list of releases on Discogs takes an age in itself but when you start to dig around to see what's in there you really start to remember what classics they were responsible exposing to the world. Sure, the real stars are the producers themselves but the label's owners are no doubt more than a little proud of providing the homes to such greats as Beltram's Energy Flash, Jaydee's Plastic Dreams and CJ Bolland's awesome Horespower as well as classic albums from Model 500, Derrick May, and Aphex Twin plus of course not forgetting their In Order to Dance compilation series and whole host of other quality stuff.Anyway, after having being largely dormant for the past few years, 2008 saw them come back to life by not only remastering some of their classic albums but also unleashing brand new material on the world with a 12" from Radio Slave and some remixes from the likes of Redshape and Audion for a new compilation.
As well as planning to put out more new music, 2009 sees the label finally go digital and will ultimately reissue its entire back catalogue on mp3. Given the amount of tracks to encode its perhaps not surprising that this is going to be a phased release and to help entice people on board the label is offering a free download to people joining its mailing list with promise of more offers in the future.
No doubt there was some debate within the R&S camp as to which track to select from such a quality list as the one that was going to entice people to sign up for their mailing list and while their are numerous worthy candidates, it's fallen to Aphex Twin's Xtal to provide the honey pot.
Aphex Twin - Xtal // R & S Records
Labels: Aphex Twin, Audion, Beltram, Derrick May, Jaydee, Model 500, R and S Records, Redshape, Techno
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Spooky Celebrations
Ghostly International's sister label Spectral Sound is celebrating its 50th release with a compilation that comprises highlights of every one of those 50 releases. That's right kids you get a whopping 50 tracks for under a tenner plus a bonus Megamix of the catalogue by Derek Plaslaiko!The compilation is sequenced chronologically, opening with Spectral’s first release “Irreparably Dented” by a then-unknown DJ/producer named Matthew Dear. In his Audion guise Matthew Dear went on to have the labels biggest hit with the monstrous "Mouth To Mouth". A remix by Heartthrob is included in the package. Other artists include James T. Cotton’s acid-house experimentation, Osborne’s smooth retro-disco, and Kate Simko’s elegant minimalism. Bodycode and Peter Grummich both deliver jacking Techno beats, while Daso's subtle retro Tech House gives a warm edge. Basically there is Techno of all shades on this release and everyone will find something to get into.
Matthew Dear - Its Over Now // SPC - 11
Osbourne - In Gear // SPC - 20
Bodycode - Bounce Back // SPC -37
The full release of 50 mp3s and the megamix is available at Beatport and Turntable Lab
Resident Advisor are giving you the chance to win the first 50 vinyl releases from the Spectral back catalogue. The question is tough. What band’s vinyl-sleeve design inspired the original Spectral stock jackets? Enter the Competition.
Labels: Audion, Bodycode, Ghostly International, Matthew Dear, Osbourne, Spectral Sound
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Random Remixes
Two massive remixes here.Firstly it is (now everyone's favourite) Dubstep producer Burial giving his trademark refix to Bloc Party. This is taken from their 12" Flux
It is textbook Burial with rain samples, 2 step beats, haunting atmospherics, a beguiling melodic hook and snatched vocal samples. This could have easily sat on his album Untrue.
Bloc Party - Where is Home (Burial Remix) // Wichita
Buy the 12" at Juno
Next is a simple Tech-House tune from Dubfire that has been given Matthew Dear's Audion treatment.This is another classic Audion remix. It reminds me somewhat of his Hot Chip remake with echoey vocal moans and a simple analogue riff. This though is taken up to the next level halfway through the track with a huge 'French Kiss' style slow-mo breakdown and soaring synths that will have you going loopy on the dancefloor. Massive.
Dubfire - I Feel Speed (Audion Remix) // SCI + TEC Digital Audio
Buy the full 320 kbps version at Beatport
Labels: Audion, Bloc Party, Burial, Dubfire, Dubstep, Electronic, Remixes, Techno
Monday, April 02, 2007
Jazz Noodles
Just a quick post to tell you about some new material by Kieran Hebden (aka Four Tet) and Steve Reid. Tongues is the new album by the pair and while improvised, off-kilter, avant-garde Jazz noodling is not my usual bag, this track sounds rather interesting and I'm sure someone out there will like it (although I'm not quite sure who... or why).Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid - The Sun Never Sets // Domino
This is much more up ill-ec-tro-nic's street, an Audion remix. If all else fails give it Matthew Dear to sort out.
Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid - People Be Happy / Rhythm Dance (Audion's Highlight Mix) // Domino
Buy Tongues at Juno check their website www.kieranhebdenandstevereid.com
Labels: Audion, Electronic, Jazz, Kieran Hebden, Minimal, Steve Reid, Techno
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
It's Our Party...
ill-ec-tro-nic is 1!It has been one year to the day since I first created the ill-ec-tro-nic blog and since then I've been joined by my boys RAW and Bauer and the blog has gone from strength to strength. It actually took me a month between creating ill-ec-tro-nic and getting around to my first music post of some classic Detroit Techno from Rhythim Is Rhythim.
Over the past year we have given you some exclusive tracks and mixes from the world's best producers and DJs including an exclusive Villalobos bootleg, an unreleased track from Lindstrom and unheard DJ mixes from The Glimmers and Metro Area. Remember where you heard Audion's Mouth to Mouth first?
So over the next month we will be re-posting some of these gems for all of you that didn't get to them the first time round. Stay Tuned.
Over the past year we have given you some exclusive tracks and mixes from the world's best producers and DJs including an exclusive Villalobos bootleg, an unreleased track from Lindstrom and unheard DJ mixes from The Glimmers and Metro Area. Remember where you heard Audion's Mouth to Mouth first?
So over the next month we will be re-posting some of these gems for all of you that didn't get to them the first time round. Stay Tuned.
Labels: Audion, Lindstrom, Metro Area, Rhythim is Rhythim, The Glimmers, Villalobos
