Andy Weatherall Live In Liverpool

This just crossed my radar, so here it is. First Weatherall mix, aside from his NTS show, in a while.

Getting Through The Day

The random thought processes which evoke our daily soundtracks remain shrouded in mystery, so I thought I’d try and shed some light on them. Are our internal scores just accidental earworms, or is there more thought behind them? A combination of both I think, and no matter how spontaneous, when all is said and done, there is a sense of more organization than chaos. There is no reason why any type of music can’t fit any type of situation,  so here’s a sample of what goes through my head when I’m going through the daily grind.

I was in Tesco about thirty minutes ago, and as I was confused by their packaging for the umpteenth time, you know, where apples are loose they’re weighed in grams, and then in packets it’s by kilos, I had side A of ‘Codebreaker’ by Underground Resistance going through my head. One of my favourite techno tracks, it’s one I return to again and again when I’m fondling fruit. Before I’d left , I’d got into the Mike Huckaby remix of Precession’s ‘Sancastle’,  and Chiapet’s ‘Tick Tock (Apocalypse Now Mix)’, fragments of course . . . in and out of the mix, perfect every time. It’s very difficult to fuck something up on purpose in your head.

‘Parasight’ by Balil, is another one that constantly enters my headspace; its dawn of time ambience the perfect foil for the local one pound shop. There’s always a few people in there who look like they’re one step away from cellular slime moulds, so happy days!  

And maybe this is one of the reasons why I tend to listen to my ipod rarely now. Apart from anything else, it’s incredible how many mixes I keep, only to listen to a small fraction. However, there are a few who rarely disappoint: Intergalactic Gary, Eli Verveine and Andy Weatherall to name just three. Each has a different approach and technique, but all three demystify the process of mixing by keeping it simple. Something which takes experience to perfect.

Facette EP - Luke Hess (Echocord Colour)

Title: Facette EP

Artist: Luke Hess

Label: Echocord Colour

Cat Number: ECHOCORDCOLOUR038

Genre: Techno

1: Emerald

2: Lumen

3: Myriads

Reviewing a release like this is never easy. I really like all three tracks, they groove along so effortlessly and their subtle shifts in range and tempo mean that they are so interchangeable as to be able to squeeze into a set at any given time. They are, however, anonymous and formulaic, and there’s the dilemma. I knew that they would be what they are before I even started listening to them, are they any good though? Well I find their predictability comforting and can find a lot of use for their versatility. They are well produced and sealed in a sonic air lock, where they are hermetically looping for all eternity. I don’t mind that though.

Ofog EP - Tilliander (Echocord)

Title: Ofog EP

Artist: Tilliander

Label: Echocord

Cat Number: ECHOCORD073

Genre: Techno

1: Storet

2: Oliveros

3: Risset

Dub techno takes on many forms, most of them dull as ditchwater, but releases on Echocord normally strike a competent balance between chin stroking and throwing shapes. This release by Tilliander keeps the bpms at a serviceable level while dwelling in a shadowy netherworld of synthetic neuroses. ‘Risset’ stands out, due to its engagement with echo and reggae, Oliveros for its chiasmic, unhurried, almost Asiatic overtones and ‘Storet’ for giving yet another layer to the tried and tested Basic Channel-influenced soundscape. All good, but rather antiseptic.

The P Connection - Niro (Boards)

Title: The P Connection

Artist: Niro

Label: Boards

Cat Number: SPMB011

Genre: Deep House

1: Fill The Colours With Soen

2: Train of Vicissitudes

3: Reminiscence

Right from the first few notes, you can see why Fred P thought this would be a good fit for his label. The deep house seam doesn’t have much left in it, and a release like this is largely preaching to the converted, but it’s a potent message in the right hands, and Mr. P is a curator of some renown, so the quality control is strong in this one. It’s left up to ‘Reminiscence to go out on a limb, and Iit succeeds, its self-contained randomness making a real impression. Both other tracks are pretty strong too, with ‘Fill The Colours With Soen’ the more energetic accompaniement to ‘Train Of Vicissitudes’ parallax lope.

Source EP - Idealist (Echocord)

Title: Source EP

Artist: Idealist

Label: Echocord

Cat Number: ECHOCORD072

Genre: Techno

1: Flow

2: Nucleus

3: Accumbens

There’s not a lot on first listen to gush about on this release, but if you want three meat and potatoes dubby beasts to guide you through life’s more trying times, then you should give this release serious consideration. You’ve heard it all before but that doesn’t matter when it’s this well executed. ‘Flow’ is the standout here, sounding like a more aquatic version of ‘Wax 10001 B’, it does everything you want of it. ‘Nucleus’ has a grandiose, confident lilt to its bass-heavy plod, while ‘Accumbens’ rounds things off by refusing to go out on a limb. Familiarity doesn’t always breed contempt.