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Richard H. Kirk - Earlier / Later. Unreleased Projects Anthology 74/89 - 15-May-07 09:30 AM
Theres something new with this anthology; the demos tapes of Richard H Kirk of Cabaret Voltaire, dating from 1974 to 1989. The old bear from Sheffield states that he never played these tracks to anybody, even not his old friend, the singer Stephen Mallinder. By listening closely, you can hear the rubbings of the magnetic tapes, which havent received any post-production treatments before becoming an amazingly mature double CD. The first part is made of a mix of icy funk, close to the "Black Jesus Voice" sessions. The socio-political themes dear to the mentor Kirk are already present (war, dictature, weapons, drugs...) and theyre underlined by obsessing rhythmics collages. The second part dating of 1974 is a whole of primitive electronic pieces prefiguring the sound of the 80s industrial music, as well as the approach of the current techno-minimalist generation. Its also, according to Kirk, the kind of album he would like to produce now. Even some avant-garde people look back in the past, and theyre right to do so.

AOKI Takamasa - Silicom Two - 15-May-07 09:30 AM
Here comes Aoki Takamasas second release, soberly entitled "Silicom Two", a name designating the collaboration between the Tokyo-based musician and the film-maker Takagi Masakatsu. Both artists won the respect of all digital creations enthusiasts thanks to the brilliant quality and innovative aspect of their work. All of Aokis musical concept is based on the free interpretation of the frequencies and sequences produced by his own software equipment (an equipment he made up himself thanks to the Max/MSP program system). Aoki manages to move us with these 11 tracks alternating from abrasion to melancholy but all providing a trip through an unusual sensory landscape.

Front 242 - Geography - 15-May-07 09:30 AM
The reissue of "Geography", originally released 22 years ago, gives a historic insight of Front 242, these remarkable artists who, in their times, stunned the pop music world. The cultural context of 1982 was dominated by political cynism (Thatcher, Reagan) and the materialism of the yuppies who liked a bland music which was already a prey to mercantile considerations. The punk rebellion wasnt clever enough to break this system. Then, these four "warlike insects" rose up, as much influenced by the pictorial avant-gardes of the last century than by televisions news. Their way of doing was radical, and their aesthetics was rough and even "terrorist". The only European cousins of Front 242 were called D.A.F, Fad Gadget, Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire. They were geographically isolated, but they shared the same idea that sound creation and plastic arts are one, and that it should be practised with a philosophy close to electro-acoustic researches. Later, it was said that the members of Front 242 were the first sound designers of techno. Indeed, "Geography" is in the line of the irreverent DIY inherited from punk music. We feel that the band didnt have a very modern equipment (which was very expensive then), but they already know how to deal with these unstable monsters that were the first digital synthesizers which were available to everybody. At first, the icy vocal entices you. It reminds a kind of mutating Joy Division, probably the sublimated version of New Order in gestation. The cover was totally coherent with the "basic product" that the band controlled from start to finish. The record company didnt have any control over these home studio musicians who evolved in an artistical desert. The first round was won, then theyll have to face the conservatism of rock music who was really shocked there wasnt any guitars on stage. "Geography" is the Galileo of modern music. Right in the middle of rocknrolls obscurantism, it announced the radical advent of Detroit techno, of New York hip-hop and of Chicago house. Later, some tried to burn these wizards and to hush their influence, but if its easy to persecute human beings, the sound stays elusive. The hardcore fans of the band will rejoice to learn that the limited edition of the record goes with novelties, demos and live recordings. This is a bonus in this remastering and dusting off work of the original album. A cult record!

A Certain Ratio - Early - 15-May-07 05:08 AM
Toward the late 70s, two Manchester-based tribes of young people lived together in a weird harmony. On the one hand, the bewitched devotees to the heretic smack of the Velvet Underground and to the ambiguous appeal of David Bowie (Joy Division, Section 25, Crispy Ambulance). On the other, the children of the Northern Soul, fans of black soul music. A Certain Ratio is the perfect link between these two cultures sharing a similar sense of repartee. No need to know how to play an instrument to create a rich musical environment, even when you opt for the difficulty of funky rhythms. "Early", launched at the initiative of the London-based Souljazz label, relates the history of a combo who, alike Cabaret Voltaire, cultivated an absolute taste for singularity (A Certain Ratio started their experimentation with magnetic tapes after attending a Cabaret Voltaire gig). Complete with 2 CDs and a Quicktime video, this anthology will sound like a total musical UFO to whomever never danced on icy-cold dancefloor hits such as Shack Up or Blown Away. The sophisticated booklet is an additional treat to those who still long for this very special period in time that only existed on a microcosmic point of the worlds music map.

Fizzarum - Monochrome Plural - 14-May-07 11:35 PM
In the great soviet tradition of supremacists and constructivists, Vlad and Dmitry are looking forward to the musical future. Theyd tell you that the were influenced by the adventures of Autechre in the land of asymmetries, although they think they are "a bit too abstract and mathematical", by Depeche Mode "because their tunes are so romantic" and by Jean-Michel Jarre, "the first synthesiser show man". Sharing similar aesthetic choices than other Russian bands such as EU and Solar X, Fizzarum first had to deal with the problem of the artistic isolation behind the now dead iron curtain is the main problem before being able to release their compositions of the mp3 format. Yet it is on the English label Domino that their real first album "Monochrome Plural", a modest manifesto of Slav electronica, is now released. Even if they are interested in the complexity of the composition, the research for melody remains the pair’s main concern.