Robert Hood – Internal Empire

right now on his insta:

roberthood313
‘Internal Empire’ album release party in 1994 !
In 2019 Tresor remastered and re-released the album for the 25th anniversary. Link in bio.

When I originally produced that album I was faced with the challenge of following up on ‘Minimal Nation’. I cancelled all my tour dates for that summer, setup my studio in the living room and began to work on ‘Internal Empire’. My intention was to create something distinctively different. Looking out my living room window in Detroit watching people go by gave me a new perspective. It made me look at the world within myself. All these years later I am still discovering 🔈

I listended to the record at 33rpm for 20 years and thought it was great. But 45 is ok too :-)

This is a heads-up to you all who want to differentiate pressings without opening the package:

1994 original:
It does not have the catalog number on the front cover. The bottom middle part of the back sleeve sports the M-Plant logo next to the Tresor one. Barcode is: 743212477214. Above the barcode, you have the following inscription: LC 3702.

1998 reissue:
Front cover has the catalog number stamped in the top left corner: Tresor. 77. The bottom middle part of the back sleeve sports the M-Plant logo next to the Tresor one. The barcode is: 718752927765. Above the barcode, you have the following inscription: EFA 2977-6.
You will find the following copyright statement on the back sleeve: ℗&© tresor records 1998
**beware, as the identical one can be found on the 2010 version**

2010 reissue:
The front cover is identical to the 1998 version. The bottom middle part of the back sleeve sports the M-Plant logo next to the Tresor one.
The barcode is different though. Here, the barcode is: 5414165035992.
Above the barcode, you have the following inscription: TRESOR 10077LP.
You will find the following the following copyright statement on the back sleeve: ℗&© tresor records 1998
**beware, as the identical one can be found on the 1998 version**

2019 reissue:
The front cover is identical to the original 1994 version, meaning that the catalog number is nowhere to be seen on the record's front. The spine should read: Robert Hood / Internal Empire / Tresor 27. The barcode is as follows: 666017330112.
Unlike all of the previous versions, there is no inscription above the barcode. Also, the back cover does not have the M-Plant logo on it.
Also, this being a 180 gram remaster, this vinyl will be considerably heavier when you lift it. You will feel il right away.
But the easiest way to spot it is the following:
The last bit of writing you will notice above the barcode contains the following sentence:
"℗ & © tresor records 1994 - 2018"

All the other versions have either 1994 or 1998 as the date. None have both, and obviously, none of the earlier pressings can have 2018 for obvious reasons.

All of these little tips will make you identify your copy without taking the records out of their respective sleeves!

Is there anything to distinguish the original 2x12" Album and the subsequent repressed 2x12" Albums from 1998, 2010 and 2019?

I think he was playing marbles and sampling the noises whilst making this album,

His best album by far.

sound first class.
Robert Hood (genius).

A thing of beauty.

Hood's genius is he goes beyond techno as just an assemblage of samplers and drum machines which create a sound, to actively creating Music. The word 'minimal' is often used in connection with his work but Hood's genius here is to create variety and produce something interesting and engaging for the listener. The word classic now seems to mean 'golden oldie' but Internal Empire is a classic record in the sense that it is first class.

Minus is exceptionally brilliant. Its amazing to think that music as minimal as this can sustain the attention span of the listener, yet the subtle variations that develop over the length of the track keeps the rhythm moving. A masterclass in space, structure and composition.

Yes, the cat# TRE02 is scratched into all of this series. There is also to read the speed, 45rpm. On the labels is printed by mistake 33rpm. Was very confusing because some of the tracks were produced in very strange speed for this time.
Minus is one of my favourite minimal tracks of all time. If you take two copies you can play them for hours - GREAT!