I'm Not One Of Those DJs Who . . . Part The Sixth

Going on holiday is an essential part of one’s annual routine, but a complete break with normality can only be achieved by living without any sonic contact. So, even though I tried to keep pace with news and interesting articles, I remained mostly in the dark,. So much so that I missed out on two new Acting Press releases, two months after the PLO Man one. This unheard of spike in activity means that I won’t be able to cash my vinyl chips in to Discogs in the not too distant future, but I’ve already noticed that a lot of people are, which is nice. The truth is that the Accelera release is really good, and I would like it, while the Money Morning one isn’t, so it can do one. Having said that, and as mentioned in previous posts, vinyl buying is at an all-time low anyway. I have to sell before buying in an adaptation of many cash-strapped football teams’ transfer policies.

Cut to now, a few days after having penned the previous paragraph, and I’ve managed to track down a face value copy of ‘Surplus’ on Discogs, of all places. It should arrive tomorrow.

Process Part 191: Back From The Dead

This is a mix that I recorded for the Modyfier 'Process' series back in 2010. It was removed by Soundcloud, presumably for copyright issues with the range of tracks I played. Anyway, Rayna Deniord, who oversees Modyfier, was kind enough to send me the file, after I wrote to ask her for help, as I couldn't find it my end. There is a full track list on the original post, and it's still on Modyfier, along with a little piece on how it came into being.

I'm Not One Of Those DJs Who . . . .Part The Fifth

The time to stop consuming music as I have done up until now is upon me. Not having lived near a decent physical manifestation of a record shop for quite some time has, no doubt, played its part. I probably stopped shopping regularly at record stores around ten years ago, all my purchases since coming from online outlets, and Discogs. Since the Internet took all the fun out of turning up at a record store and expecting to find something new or unknown, I suppose it’s been a blessing to live in a relatively isolated place. The last few visits to record stores have been fleeting affairs, with as much benefit gained from free magazines as anything else. I do miss them though; both from my youth and more recent past. And it’s definitely the case that I bought a hell of a lot less shit from them than I do online.

As mentioned before, putting my stuff on Discogs recently has been in a depressing and nostalgic exercise in equal measure. It’s been great becoming reacquainted with a lot of my old stuff, but awful when I realize how much absolute tripe I’ve bought over the years, and how much money has gone to waste. At last though, like an old junkie I’m kicking the habit, sort of. I will only be buying digital files regularly. Vinyl purchases will only happen once some of my collection has been shifted. There will be a lot of downsizing, and that’s going to be fun. Once I’ve fallen out of love with a record I can’t be sentimental about it so I will have no qualms about flogging anything I no longer want.

Even as I write though, there are records winging their way to me, and I can’t stop looking at my favourite online outlets. Once received, I know that I shall still look and survey. I’ll tell myself that I’ll just buy the odd one, but accumulate wants and then splurge. Nothing wrong with that, it’s been going on for years . . .

Paul Woolford Bits & Pieces to Download

Five of the Best from Freerotation

Shimokitazawa One Night Stand - S.O.N.S. (S.O.N.S.)

Title: Shimokitazawa One Night Stand

Artist: S.O.N.S.

Label: S.O.N.S.

Cat Number: SO-03 JP-NS

Genre: Techno

1: A New Life (Planet Earth Mix)

2: Reversed Skies

It takes a while to get going, the beats not properly coming in until around the halfway mark, but while its worth the wait it would have been nice had they come in a couple of minutes sooner. ‘A New Life (Planet Earth Mix)’ feels hoisted by its own petard.  Analogue acid and breaks from pre-Cambrian rave get some momentary traction and disappear, the desired ambience fading more quickly than a mayfly’s life. ‘Reversed Skies’ is similarly frustrating. Clocking in at ten minutes long, two more than track one, its elemental power could have been so much more effective had a little more happened along its length. These are two interesting compositions, and are magnificent mixing fodder, but they don’t justify the hype.

Range of Regularity Remixes 1 - Samuel Rohrer (ArjunaMusic Electronic Series)

Title: Range of Regularity Remixes 1

Artist: Samuel Rohrer

Label: ArjunaMusic Electronic Series

Cat Number: AMEL-EP716

Genre: Minimal

A: Uncertain Grace (Vilod Remix)

B: Lenina (Ricardo Villalobos Remix)

Minimal still divides people. It’s all about the groove and ride, but so much of it descends into self-indulgence that it can be difficult to see a beginning and an ending. It often lacks muscle, too frequently spiraling up its own spiral sphincter of linear monotony. Heard out, it needs more stamina, in isolation more flourishes. I generalize inasmuch as I believe it’s often one person’s word against another in such circumstances and there’s a time and a place for everything. The Vilod remix of ‘Uncertain Grace’ falls into the category I like; it has drive, a purpose and versatility. It’ll soak up anything layered with it and peak at the right moments. Stepping away from Max Loderbauer, Ricardo Villalobos interpretation of ‘Maria’ is in a category all of its own, and while you won’t catch me dancing to it, I may read a few Edgar Allen Poe poems to its accompaniment.

Elevation EP - Ohm & Kvadrant (Kontakt Records)

Title: Elevation EP

Artist: Ohm & Kvadrant

Label: Kontakt Records

Cat Number: KNT-1

Genre: Techno

1: Ejer

2: Laki

3: Laki (Octal Industries Remix)

4: Yding

There’s nothing I like better than muscular, dubby beats pounding out through a pair of speakers. ‘Ejer’ is one such beast; solid and uncomplicated, with barely noticeable sonic flourishes, volume is its driving force. It’ll sound great either side of your favourite JT Zeiter track. Mind you, so will ‘Laki’, a track characterized by synth washes and rim shots; not a familiar combination, but devilishly effective here. The Octal Industries remix does little, save add a plodding beat over the top and feels lazy. Said beat acts as a brake on the backing track and creates friction. ‘Yding’ is light and airy, and in keeping with the other original offerings on this EP; it goes down the dub route deliberately, and contains a slight whiff of Augustus Pablo.