DeepChord – Hash-Bar Loops

VINYL RELEASE PLEASE VINYL RELEASE PLEASE VINYL RELEASE PLEASE …

A vinyl release? Sure, why not?

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So far this is still my favorite Deepchord Album. It offers a sweet experience, when i listen to this i am transported to an ancient city where i explore its streets and buildings at night, surrounded by a hypnotic, deep, relaxing and magical atmosphere. My top track in this release is "City Centre".

Deepchord makes the move to its new home on Soma Quality Recordings with HASH-BAR LOOPS, and from the opener, “Spirits,” one could be tricked into thinking that Deepchord has maintained pure ambience, carried over from LIUMIN REDUCED. And you wouldn’t be wrong, at first, since “Stars” continues the airy suspension, but the beat finally returns on “Sofitel,” a minimal tech track that carries dub techno DNA. “Merlot” brings in warmer synth pads, whereas “Tangier” is starker, subsisting primarily on the rhythm. “Electromagnetic” has a thicker throb, like listening to a windy artery through a stethoscope, before “Balm” gives a more melodic texture amongst the electronic gravel. The subdued groove of “Oude Kerk” shifts into “City Centre,” which carries a little more movement in its bass. “Crimson” introduces some wobble, but it disappears by the time the subterranean rhythm of “Black Cavendish” takes over. “Neon and Rain” bring the melodic tones back up to fight with the sonic suspensions and stabs of dub. Though it’s not quite the portrait of the Netherlands, as LIUMIN was of Toyko, it’s still a compelling journey.

for me this is an exceptionally atmospheric nighttime album; some tracks (Merlot, Oude Kerk, Black Cavendish, Neon and Rain [don't forget checking out the video provided by Rod himself] ) are hands down masterpieces. especially Black Cavendish, so peaceful and relaxing. I even made my own version of it with birds singing quetly at 4am in my hometown and rain and far thunder on background [the mic worked all night - forgot to switсh it off and take it from windowsill.. I just felt asleep to be honest]. that was summer of 2011, the last before I became a student and moved to a bigger city. gorgeous.

A gorgeous collection of loops ready-made for relaxing at home, or playing in the background in some smoky chilled-out lounge (just as the title suggests). "Loops" is the emphasis here, though; don't take this trip expecting to hear tracks that evolve. Most end the way they began, fading out rather than resolving, with subtle layering and EQ tweaks along the way for variation (similar to "Incense & Black Light"). Not a problem for those who appreciate texture -- these are deep, hypnotic dub techno passages to lose yourself in, as only Modell can deliver.

I waited a while on purchasing this album, the thought of Deepchord on Soma was kind of strange, after listening for months on end I really wish I hadn't. There's a very special element to this album I still haven't quite put my finger on, a strange feeling that lingers with you hours after listening to it. Psychological, dramatic and expressive, a sort of emotional roller coaster very different from anything else I've heard from them.

This album has been a life altering purchase for me. I dont buy every Rod or Steve CD that comes out but after hearing some of these on youtube I had to get myself a legit copy. These sounds are therapy for me. I literally can feel them both physically and mentally. Tracks like "Stars" create a sense of well being and the more aggressive tracks such as "Electromagnetic" are like a pillow made out of bass that I can rest my head on. "Electromagnetic" is so techy and relentless, and even though the bass is soothing at the same time it inspires me and creates an adrenaline rush that makes me want to dance. I'm taking bboy lessons (I'm amateur). We used "Electromagnetic" during our cypher this past week. I was feeling the spirits in my soul. The cd is partially mixed so that one track glides elegantly into the next with a subtle, gentle, simple, and well-placed cross fade. The whole project is immaculate and has been on neverending loop in my car this entire week. I've been through it a good 20 to 30 times because my work commute is just so long. The feeling you get when looking at the cover..that omninous, mysterious, intriguing sense transfers straight away into the beats. You're right there with Rod the whole way. I'd recommend this to people who are not even fans of dub or techno or tech house. Its in its own category. I'll leave it at that.

Hash-Bar Loops is the dub techno album I've been waiting for. The word "loops" in the title doesn't bode well, and I always thought DeepChord's much-sought-after material from a decade ago was more than a bit monotonous and overrated, so I didn't have high hopes for this release. But after the29nov's video for the atmospheric and catchy "Sofitel" piqued my interest, I gave the album a chance, and it did not disappoint.

Modell's command of sonic space has improved by an order of magnitude, expanding on the aesthetic cultivated during his collaborations with Michael Mantra. Well-placed, low-level field recording and drone-ish ambience combines with constantly developing rhythm/noise motifs that fade in and out. Compared to his older material, it's not that different, but the tempo is higher, the composition more complex, and the sound twice as dense, yet it never sounds cluttered or muddy or like it was all made on one computer (even if it was). There's also a good balance of tonal and atonal elements, and I feel a general attention to detail not found in many post-Basic Channel-era examples of the genre.

The beginning of the album is more-or-less a warm-up to "Sofitel". Things then veer a little too close to standard-issue dub-cliché fare, but this just makes the shoegazey "Oude Kerk" and the Burger & Ink-reminiscent "City Centre" progression all the more satisfying. "Crimson" is a bit regressive, but again, in context, it builds anticipation for the long exhale of the final two tracks, which are a bit like having Robert Rich playing in the chill-out room as distant echoes of the bangin' main room keep pulsing in your head.

Nice trivia: according to somarecords.com/news, Rod Modell ceremoniously gave up the master cut of this album "to the murky depths of an Amsterdam canal as an act of gratitude to the city – 'giving back to the place that inspired the music' – a self-effacing and sentimental gesture which perfectly reflects the deep thought and careful consideration put into this release." I came across his video of this pretty unusual act at http://vimeo.com/22320617 and now I'm almost tempted to dive into the canal and salvage this precious item :).

"Oude Kirk" is surely a misspelling on the CD, or a rather odd Star Trek reference, because Oude Kerk (Old Church) is the name of a 700-year-old church smack dab in the middle of the hectic red light district. It's also featured on the cover.