Mixes of the Week

Ok, here's new edition of mixed collected for YOUR listening pleasure, so when you don't feel like clubbing/raving, check them. They passed the quality control! Yeah!

Electronic Explorations 390 - Chris SSG



First time I bumped, on Rob Booth's Electronic Exploration was actually intentionaly, I was looking for  (then) mysteriously project named Akkord, cause their RA podcast was something that really blow my mind. And there I found archive of mixes, ranging from hard-as-nails (Ancient Methods), to deep and introspective (Avian) to bass-driven music (Pinch). And I have some feeling that Rob is a nice guy.

Their new instalment is an ambient mix by guy called Chris SSG. Chris SSG and his partner PC edited and write their mnml ssgs blog, that for me was some kind of secret society blog, with texts, reviews, and of course: their podcast. Well throught the mnml ssgs blog I discovered, someone who is cult-following figurenow: Donato Dozzy, also someone like Cio D'or, or Svreca, or... I'm pretty sure that they made me dream about the Labyrinth festival.
I can only say  mnml ssgs blog was smart, educational, and minimalistic. I think their statement then was: "where the real techno gone? Come on, it's not all about plonk-plonk-48hrs-non-stop thing."
Chris now plays very interesting music and you can check it out and edit his own blog.You can call this mix ambient or whatever, but it isn't all about chillin' and let yourself. It has some weirdness that makes you even more awake. Yes again: it is intelligent, it's introspective, hypnotic, academic (erm... what?).  

Fully check Electronic Exploration here.


Redizork -  Trovanje Krvi Hrđom

Trovanje krvi hrđom by Redizork on Mixcloud

Let's stay in same atmosphere as first mix up. Artist named Redizork and didn't know it was a guy I know and few times find something I lost, and return it to me. He has his mixcloud account with other mixes there, but this one was great. I didn't listen others yet, cause this one hour and nine minutes of fog, rain, rust and abandoned buildings are for repetitive listening.
I like it so much and shouldn't speak about it, but I should tell this only once: there will be something more.
If you don't know Serbian, then translate it for yourself. It's nothing obscene, trust me.


Dekmantel Podcast 034 - TRAXX



You all know that, but but there are two things to know:1. There are DJs who are good in certain style of music, they know how their music works, and how to mix that music. Some styles require slow and long mixing of the tracks, others needs fast execution. Sometimes records needs to be played in full, some records only their significant part. DJs are people who know their musical styles and tastes and love to play it. Yes there are certain rules about DJing, and I'm here, only to remind you on them.
2. You can dance to anything, anything can be dance music. Yes when punks get down in mosh it is also way of dancing, or people who used to go out to listen Disco, how they bust their moves. There is nothing wrong with how you dance, or what you dance to. Dancing is human normal response to the music and rhythm. Problem is when you feel the music, you feel need to dance, to express yourself through the movement - but you are inhibited with some kind social norms and accepted social behavior and when it's fueled with low self-esteem... well that can be problem, right?

Bonus fact 3. Traxx is great DJ, he plays what he wants, the way he wants, whenever he wants. And he do it for You, for me, for himself.. Stop reading.
Dance motherfuckers, dance.


Ninja Tune Solid Steel Radio: Bill Brewster 




I must that a lot of people actually would connect this mix their summer vacation and their endless fun on summer night air (yeah right, fcuk you).
No! this music is not only for summer, it's purpose isn't just to make you happy after you made yourself drunk on the pool. Actually it is good to listened anytime, so throw a house party at someone's else, or hit your local club. Or just get yourself groovy anytime. This mix just do that. Especially when Jill Scott - Gimme drops in, or that deep modernesque acid track Fx Mchn - Pieter De Vries slowly gets in. Oh yes, Yoko Ono - Never Say Good Bye... I wonder where did he get that.
Well "he" is Bill Brewster, of course if there is a title it would be Profesor Bill Brewster of dance musicology. Yes "professor" actually does educate, so check his djhistory.com or read his Last Night a DJ Saved my Life (w/Frank Broughton), The Manual: The Who, The Where, The Why of Clubland or The Recordplayers: The Revolutionaries (both with Frank Broughton) books.
We all say that DJ must educate and make people dance, well here is your man. And he provides us even a playlist:
 Aax Donnell & Eric Malone – Golden Cage (Tobacco)
Cowboy Rhythmbox – The Natives Are Having Us For Dinner (Phantasy Sound)
Dan Lissvik – Airwalk (Smalltown Supersound)
Jill Scott – Gimme (Epic)
Contact – Big Fun (Mainline)
Yoko Ono – Never Say Goodbye (Polydor)
T-Coy – Regret (Deconstruction)
Bohannon – Rock Your Body (extract) (Phase II)
FX MCHN – Pieter De Vries (Transit)
Clandestine ft. Ned Sublette – Radio Rhythms (S-I-G-N-A-L S-MA-R-T) (Sleeping Bag)
Bicep – Just (Aus Music)
Fatima Yamaha – What’s A Girl To Do (Dekmantel)
Prince – 1000 X’s & 0’s (NPG)


Hunee: NTS Radio August 2015 Residency



I just LOVE to listen NTS Radio. I won't go there to explain everything, check for yourself. My girl and I sometimes consider ourselves as 24hrs NTS people, especially with their mixcloud, you can check those shows again.
They have this simple monthly concept. They choose passionate person, who knows their music, who knows lots about music, and like to share with others. And on one week - one show basis, they are allowed to play whatever they want, or even to play us their live music.
True story: in the last two weeks, I went to my bed, with my headphones, next to my girl (Irena I love you!!!), and not spend two hours of listening - but dissected every part of show. Two hours, every night, before sleeping. Someone upload all of those shows in one playlist with four parts, so it was easy to choose what to listen. Imagine: every night two hours - from 1st September till three or four days ago.
Hunee is a great selector,, for example this or that.
I just want to go and hug all those people at NTS, and I want to hug Hunee.

Various Artists ‎ – Sherwood At The Controls - Volume 1: 1979 – 1984 (On-U Sound) (English txt version)

Oh yes, I can only be thankful to specialize music magazines of my youth like X Zabave and Ukus Nestašnih (they don't publish them anymore), cause they educate me, inspire me to do this some sort of scribomania, and the most important: they helped me to not become just brainless music consumer, but for really understand it in it's totality. Now I can fully blame those mags and those journalists for my musical elitism. I just don't let the radio play whatever in the background while I do my chores, or even worse if I'm in some public spaces or someone's crib. Clubs and concerts - well we won't even go there.
Now when I shoved my gratitude, now it's the time for our main subject. When I was reading those reviews, they were crediting someone as "producer", or "produce this and that". I was like: "Why? Why this persona is so important?  In what way he made some records masterpieces, or what is his contribution in bend's  change in their sound better?" Come on, aren't the musicians, the artists themselves capable to write, play and record their own music.A young troubled mind was intrigued.

Wikipedia says: "A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording (i.e. "production") of an artist's music. A producer has many roles that may include, but are not limited to, gathering ideas for the project, selecting songs and/or musicians, coaching the artist and musicians in the studio, controlling the recording sessions, and supervising the entire process through audio mixing (recorded music) and audio mastering. Producers also often take on a wider entrepreneurial role, with responsibility for the budget, schedules, contracts and negotiations." Hey, it's a dirty job but someone got to do it.

In modern, pop culture history, fact is that there weren't any musical releases now considered as masterpieces or become part of mainstream culture if there wasn't collaboration between musicians with certain producers. Or even in some cases some of that same musicians didn't become producers themselves  Let me name some of them who shaped pop music: Brian Eno, John Cale, Mark „Flood“ Ellis, Steve Albini, Phil Spector, George Martin, Connie Plank, Trent Reznor and Brian Wilson, even some blokes  named Rick Rubin and Bob Rock. There are also other names, but let's stop right there.




 
Adrian Sherwood is a producer, owner of On-U Sound label, who has with his unconventional ideas of producing, shifted perimeters of Dub and Reggae and mixed it with other genres and styles.Adrian Sherwood is highly influential and still (hyper)active, all over from 1979th till today. BUT the records he has produced and released didn't make to wider audience, into the mainstream and top lists, so you for sure wouldn't hear them on "your favorite radio station" while you do your chores.

Musically, it started with Prince Buster and other soul records that came from Jamaica. Those records, in those times, were sold on the street corners, directly from dealer's/distributor's cars. In those days that was the only way to get records, cause major record shops wouldn't sell them. And like all young fans he get himself into the "business" by being a records courier for small network between labels and specialize record shops, who would by foot or a car, take the records from one place to another. And in the meantime played some records on private parties and matinees. He couldn't play any instruments, so in his first band Tacklehead he used mixing desk to make sounds and noises, so he was mixologist. And by the time he could save money for the studio, he produced his own first record for Creation Rebel, that soon will be backing band for Prince Far I. Sherwood's friendship with Prince Far I should be crucial for both of them, but specially for Sherwood, cause it build his reputation as a producer, and opened many "doors" for him.
                                                                                                        



In 1979 he started On-U Sound, where he started to produce for others Reggae artist like Mikey Dread, Bim Sherman, Singers and Players, and many more. And more important all of those artists released on his own label. Because he didn't came from original school of craftsmanship like pioneers Reggae/Ska/Dub producers, his production had some kind, let me say, pretty metallic, with a lot of sounds unfamiliar in Reggae and Dub.
Somewhere in that time two subcultures, separated by racial segregation and legacy of imperialism, and poverty will start to merge into one.All that energy of youth, and DIY activism created whole new independent music "industry", beneath the radar of mainstream pop media. It was the time when everyone who wanted to release a record, he could do it without a lot of money, set up studio from used and cheap gear, and create independent label. Moto was: it doesn't matter what you have, just use it, use it everyday, go create! 
Trivia: Even if he was a friend with people who was in punk, and who played in punk bands, Adrian Sherwood didn't like punk at all. I read somewhere, that he went to concert organized by some of his friends, and expected some "harsh punk noise". But the band was The Jam, and that changed everything. He started to work with Generation X, The Clash, The Slits, even  John Lydon's PIL.

Just because his unconventional production style  he was invited to produce or remix other bands like: Lee Scratch Perry-a, Ministry, Primal Scream, Sinead O'Connor, Depech Mode, Einstürzende Neubauten, Cabaret Voltaire, KMFDM, Terminal Power Company, Nine Inch Nails, The Slits, Blur, Afrika Bambata, The Fall, New Age Steppers, Air - just to mention few ones. But with his African Head Charge he will create strangest postpunk record ever made: My life In The Hole In The Ground, where he will successfully combine Industrial/Dub/African Ethnic Music. 





He believed in every record he produce, and paid from his own pocket expanses for recordings. He was even put his family house on mortgage. But in the end, even with the quality of releases, low sales and On-U Sounds will cost him a family house. Somewhere he said it was shittiest period of his artistic life, cause he was producing other people's music to pay the dept. I can only imagine him ironically smiled and said something like: "Yeah people said that releases are great, and the On-U has cult following, but theirs child won't go to sleep at his school friends house. I agree with people who say that we were before our time, but it isn't cost effective to come from the future." 

Incredible carrier that lasts for 40 decades now, and with over 100 releases with his name on it, it would be appropriate to release a compilation that will summarized that. But Adrian Sherwood decide to celebrate most creative and productive period.
Sherwood At the Controls is great compilation, and for those who are unfamiliar with his productions, and even those who are still unaware of Dub and similar genres. Of course compilation shows wide range of Sherwood's production work, as his significance and influence. But compilation is not only about Adrian Sherwood and On-U Sound, it's also legacy for the future and the history books of pop culture about certain age.
It was an epoché where musicians wanted to experiment with genres and styles, also to collaborate with each others from different niches, to mix cultures and elements till the moment where we can't distinguish what came from where - where genres and styles don't exist anymore. It was time of explosion of independent music labels, and freedom from big money and their control over creativity.  
Unfortunately it was also age of Thatcherism and Reaganism. Whose war cry was: consume! Whose main principal was materialism and ownership. Whose greatest ethical principal was greed is good! 

Only one tune from the compilation that you going to hear on this review is unreleased track from Prince Far I.
The piece of music in which, I could only try to determine, what is the ethos of On-U Sound. More delay, more delay!!!




Playlist:
01. Medium Medium – Hungry, So Angry (1981)
02. Maximum Joy – Let It Take You There (1982)
03. Nadjma – Some Day My Caliph Will Come (1984)
04. Mark Stewart + The Maffia – Learning To Cope With Cowardice (Flexi Version) (1983)
05. The Fall – Middle Mass (1981)
06. Gardening By Moonlight – Strange Clues (1983)
07. Shriekback – Mistah Linn He Dead (1984)
08. Voice Of Authority ft. Congo Ashanti Roy – Running (Feeling Wild) (1984)
09. The Slits – Man Next Door (1979)
10. Annie Anxiety (aka Little Annie) – Third Gear Kills (1984)
11. Prince Far I – Nuclear Weapon (1983)
12. Singers & Players – Reaching The Bad Man (1981)
13. African Head Charge – In A Trap (1982)
14. Vivien Goldman – Private Armies Dub (1981)


damir.plicanic@gmail.com

Various Artists ‎ – Sherwood At The Controls - Volume 1: 1979 – 1984 (On-U Sound)

Želio bih zahvaliti specijalizovanim muzičkim magazinima koje sam čitao tmurnih 90-ih (pozdrav za X Zabave i Ukus Nestašnih, etc), što su me edukovali i inspirisali da se bavim ovom vrstom skribomanije, i da promišljam o muzici u totalitetu. Slobodno sada mogu da krivim časopise i novinare-recenzente za moj muzički „elitizam“. Radio ne slušam samo da „zvrnda“ u pozadini, nije mi svejedno šta se pušta u kafani, ili u nečijim privatnim odajama. Da ne govorimo o odlasku u klub ili neki veći događaj.
Pored zahvalnica, spomenuo sam časopise iz razloga što sam u recenzijama često nailazio na termin: producent. Izgledalo je da je producent jako zaslužan zašto je album remek djelo ili kako je „bendu x“ promjenio „zvuk“ na bolje. Pa zar umjetnici sami ne stvaraju svoju muziku?
 
Wiki kaže: da je producent čovjek zadužen da nadgleda snimanje, mixanje materijala, skuplja ideje za pojedine pjesme ili dodatno angažuje druge muzičare, u isto vrijeme konsultuje i pomaže muzičarima oko tehničkih „finesa“. Znači pored svega toga da nadgleda i rukovodi čitavim audio masteringom i post-produkcijom, u večini slučajeva da pazi na ekonomsku stranu projekta, kao i brigu oko vremenskog roka, ugovora muzičara i da pregovara sa izdavačkim kućama. Težak posao.

„Recenzentska struka“ je ustanovila da pojedina remek djela ne bi postojala da umjetnik/umjetnica/umjetnici nisu sarađivali sa određenim producentima, ili da muzičari nisu sami postajali producenti. Onda dopustite da pomenem producente koji su oblikovali pop kulturu: Brian Eno, John Cale, Mark „Flood“ Ellis, Steve Albini, Phil Spector, George Martin, Connie Plank, Trent Reznor i Brian Wilson i dva potpuna bezveznjaka: Rick Rubin i Bob Rock. Ima tu još imena, ali stanimo tu i prekinimo ovaj dugačak uvod o producentima i njihovoj ulozi.



Adrian Sherwood.je producent, vlasnik izdavačke kuće On-U Sound, koji je njegovim tehničkim eksperimentisanjem pomjerio granice produkcije Dub-a i Reggae-a, kao i drugih muzičkih žanrova.Taj Adrian Sherwood je uticajan, i dalje (hiper)aktivan, još od kraja 70-tih. Jedino ploče koje je producirao i izdavao nisu završavale visoko na top listama, i ne puštaju se na „talasima vašeg radija“.
 
U ranom djetinjstvu je bio zaluđen  Prince Busterom i sličnim soul pločama koje su dolazile sa Jamajke, koje su se prodavale, bukvalno, iz auta muzičara ili distributera koji su ih dovozili na ulice. To je bio jedini način na koji se moglo doći do takvih ploča u Velikoj Britaniji, jer ih veliki lanci prodavnica ploča nisu željeli. Kao svi klinci fanovi, ubacio se u "business" kurira ploča, koji su prevozili pakete ploča od jednog mjesta do drugog, a s vremena na vrijeme su puštali muziku na dnevnim matinee-ima. Pošto nije znao svirati nijedan instrument, u svom prvom bendu Tacklehead, bio je mixologist, tačnije sjedio je za mix pultom i stvarao buku i puštao čudne zvukove. Dok nije skupio dovoljno novca da zakupi studio i producira ploču za bend Creation Rebel, koji će postati prateći bend Princ Far I-ja. To poznastvo će biti odlučujuće za njegovu karijeru producenta, jer ime Prince Far I je otvaralo mnoga vrata na dub/reggae sceni.  1979 on odlučuje da osnuje On-U Sound i počinje da producira svoje dub i reggae instrumentale za druge muzičare.




 
Sherwood je već početkom 80-ih posjedovao reputaciju, tako da je pored produciranja albuma za Prince Far I-ja, radio i za Mikey Dreada i Bim Shermana, Singers and Players, na On-U Sound. Pošto nije dolazio iz okruženja originalnih dub/reggae/ska producenata, njegova je produkcija imala neki metalizovan zvuk sa puno srednjih tonova i zvukova nekarakterističnih za Dub.
Negdje u to vrijeme dve kulture, razdvojene rasnom segregacijom, punk i reggae su se spojile krajem 70-ih i iz rastućeg DIY aktivizma. Iz te mladalačke energije će izaći cijela jedna muzička industrija, ispod radara mainstream pop kulture: biće to vrijeme kad će svako ko je želio, a bez para, izdati ploču, osnovati izdavačku kuću i praviti muziku kakvu su željeli. Glavno geslo je bilo: nije bitno kakvu opremu imaš, samo je koristi, svaki dan.
Trivia: I dan danas tvrdi da iako je se družio sa punkerima, i da je išao na punk svirke, nije volio punk sve dok nije čuo The Jam. I od tada je pomogao pri produkciji bendova tipa: Generation X, The Clash, The Slits, kao i John Lydonov PIL.  Zbog svog nekonvencionalnog načina produciranja privukao je ljude iz drugih muzičkih niša, bo je tražen kao producent i remixer na albumima Lee Scratch Perry-a, Ministry, Primal Scream, Sinead O'Connor, Depech Mode, Einstürzende Neubauten, Cabaret Voltaire, KMFDM, Terminal Power Company, Nine Inch Nails, The Slits, Blur, Afrika Bambata, The Fall, New Age Steppers, Air. A sa svojim bendom African Head Charge, čiji prvi album svi smatraju najčudnijom postpunk pločom, spojiće Industrial, Dub i Afričku folk muziku.

Vjerovao je u svaku ploču koju je producirao, plaćao iz svog džepa troškove za snimanje albuma, da je na kraju potpisao hipoteku na porodičnu kuću. Na kraju ga je, pored kvaliteta izdanja, slaba prodaja i On-U Sound koštala te iste porodične kuće. Po njemu je to najmučniji period života jer je morao raditi muziku, samo da bi vraćao dugove. Za taj period će reći, i ironično će se nasmijati: „ljudi se razmeću kad govore da je On-U Sound kultna izdavačka kuća, da su izdanja nevjerovatna, ali neće njihovo dijete sutra ići prespavati kod školskog drugara. Jednostavno se slažem sa ljudima, da smo bili prije svog vremena, ali je ekonomski neisplativo dolaziti iz budućnosti.“

Nevjerovatna karijera koja traje 40-tak godina, sa preko 100 izdanja sa njegovim imenom, red bi bio da se uradi kompilacija koja bi obuhvatila tu karijeru. Ipak Adrian Sherwood je odlučio da kompilacija obilježi period najvišeg stepena njegove kreativnosti, i raznolikosti. 
Kompilacija je odličan uvod za sve one koji nikad nisu imali "posla" sa Sherwoodom, kao i one kojima je Dub muzika potpuna nepoznanica. Njezin značaj je svakako to što obuhvata šarolikost Sherwoodovog pristupa, njegovog značaja i uticaja.
No kompilacija nije samo o Sherwoodu i njegovoj izdavačkoj kući. Ona je ostavština za budućnost i knjige istorije pop kulture jedne epohe. Epohe gdje su muzičari težili da eksperimentišu sa žanrovima, da kolaboriraju jedni sa drugima, da mješaju kulture i uticaje sve do onog momenta gdje više ne možete njihovu ploču staviti pod određeni žanr - da budu slobodni od odrednica njihovih izvornih žanrova. To je i vrijeme eksplozije nezavisnih izdavačkih kuća, što znači i sloboda od uticaja kapitala menadžera na njihov rad.  
Nažalost to je i doba reganizma i tačerizma, čija su glavna načela materijalizam, potrošnja, i pohlepa kao etičko dobro.  Jedino šta ću objaviti sa kompilacije je jedina eksluzivna, nikad neobjavljena traka pokojnog Prince Far I-ja. Ona je zasigurno najreprezentativnija traka u kojoj bi se opisao, iako je to zaista nemoguće odrediti, ethos Adriana Sherwooda i On-U Sounda:

Playlista:
01. Medium Medium – Hungry, So Angry (1981)
02. Maximum Joy – Let It Take You There (1982)
03. Nadjma – Some Day My Caliph Will Come (1984)
04. Mark Stewart + The Maffia – Learning To Cope With Cowardice (Flexi Version) (1983)
05. The Fall – Middle Mass (1981)
06. Gardening By Moonlight – Strange Clues (1983)
07. Shriekback – Mistah Linn He Dead (1984)
08. Voice Of Authority ft. Congo Ashanti Roy – Running (Feeling Wild) (1984)
09. The Slits – Man Next Door (1979)
10. Annie Anxiety (aka Little Annie) – Third Gear Kills (1984)
11. Prince Far I – Nuclear Weapon (1983)
12. Singers & Players – Reaching The Bad Man (1981)
13. African Head Charge – In A Trap (1982)
14. Vivien Goldman – Private Armies Dub (1981)


damir.plicanic@gmail.com

Mixes of the Week

Dragi moji , kao što vidite, ponovo sam aktivirao svoj blog. Tokom hiatusa sam puno razmišljao o tome šta bi još mogaso da uradim sa blogom. Ovo je samo još jedna od  novih rubrika, na kojima ću redovito raditi na blogu. U ovoj rubrici ću vam redovito preporučivati mixeve koji su ostavili utisak na mene, a mislim da će ostaviti utisak i na Vas. Svi ovi mixevi su downloadovani, paste-ovani i koji nisu napuštali moj iPod, winamp, a neki su slušani sa soundcloudu ili mixcloudu - i prošli su kontrolu kvaliteta.

NAPOMENA: ovi mixevi su besplatni, postavljeni na internet od strane tvoraca istih da bi ih ljudi preuzimali, i da bi uživali u njima. Neke od njih je moguće besplatno downloadovati, dok se drugi mogu samo stream-ovati sa stream-servisa kao što su Soundcloud ili Mixcloud  BESPLATNO!
Kao ljubitelj ove vrste muzike i muzičkog izražaja preuzeo sam ulogu, i odvojio vrijeme da "češljam" bespućima interneta u potrazi  za njima - da se VI ne biste mučili. Uživajte!



Dekmantel je grupa holandskih promotera,dj-eva, duvača trave, kao i vlasnika istoimene izdavačke kuće, Od 2013 Dekmantel je počeo da organizuje najbolji mali festival elektronske muzike, koji se  3 dana održava u najvećem parku u sred Amsterdama, gdje se dozvoljeno kretati se samo biciklom. Organizator je složio takav program, da sam ja doživio nervni slom, čitajući izvođače. Da sam otišao, vjerovatno bih ostvario mnoge od svojih želja što se tiče nastupa pojedinih umjetnika. Šta ja pričam, SVAKI IZVOĐAČ na Dekmantelu  je osoba čiju muziku obožavam. No ima lijeka. Resident Advisor je na soundcloudu postavio (po njihovom izboru) tri najbolja mix sa festivala. A dok slušate više o festivalu pročitajte ovdje. BRING THE NOISE!

Mark Du Mosch i DJ Overdose su Holandske legende, i njihov petosatni mix je bio lagana zagrijava na početku festivala. Hirurški precizan eklektičan mix svega: Hip Hopa, Roller Skate Disco-a, Old School Electro-a (savršenog za b-boyse), Electro Pop-a, 80's proto House-a, Soula-a, Rare Groove, Deep House (ne ono moderno govno što vam proturaju), Salsa, Hip-House-a, Acid Techno, Detroit Techno-a, Kraftwerk i Princa (koji su žanrovi sami za sebe.) Sa savršenom tehnikom miksanja kao i nijednom pogrešnom pločom, mix za napijanje i pravljenje svinjarija, a drugim okom posmatrati suprotni ili isti pola kako mrda guzom.






Peverlist je DJ (Bristolska institucija) kojeg duže vrijeme "ganjam" da čujem u dugačkom setu. Zajedno sa svojim b2b kompanjonom A Made Up Sound-om (aka 2562). Inače ljudi su jedni od prvih koji kombinovali Dubstep sa House i Technom. Mix je petosatna vožnja kroz tvrđi House i funkoidni bass-driven Techno. Posljednji pola sata su rezervisali za Jungle, Breakbeat i Drum'n'Bass što je dodatno izluđenu publiku dovelo do stanja egzaltacije.
"egzaltacija • ženski rod Uzdizanje, uznošenje, veličanje, slavljenje; ushićivanje, oduševljavanje, zanos, duhovni polet; razdraganost, razdraženost, ushićenost. (lat.)"

Pokušaću biti kratak. Sandrien i Inigo Kennedy su 4 i po sata lagano dizali tenziju svojim fluidnim, mračnim i hipnotičkim Technom. Ako želite da neko čuje najbolji Techno danas, pustite mu ovaj mix. Od uvodnih ambientalnih pasaža do no-prisoners momenata, bez podilaženja publici, ovo je bila savršena egzekucija. Ovaj mix je soup-de-jour  današnjeg Techno-a i zeitgeist underground dance muzike. Sandrien je mračna kraljica, a Inigo Kennedy industrial svetac.






Poznato vam je da kad se spremate za počinak, kad želite da čujete mix koji volite i za koji znate da će da vas smiriti, pripremiti i odvesti daleko... "Take my hand. We're off to never-never land". Ali neki mixevi su TOLIKO dobri da ih želite da ih poslušate sve do kraja. Vaši kapci postaju sve teži, mozak lagano prelazi u san. A muzika je jedino što vas drži povezane sa stvarnošću. Taj čaroban momenat između sna i jave se lagano pretapa, a vi sretni, imate soundtrack za takvo stanje.
Meni se to dešava već pet noći zaredom, i zaista uživam u melodijama i ritmovima, kao i borbom sa samim sobom da odslušam mix do kraja. Što se tog stanja međusna tiče, znam da lebdim, da obilazim  fantastična mjesta, i susrećem čudesna bića - tvorevine moga uma.
Čarobni mix je Dekamental podcast 33 by John Talabot. Vjerujte mi, ne želim znati nazive traka koje slušam, i još manje od kud Talabotu takva muzika. Još važnije, koliko god mi bio težak i negativan dan, da ne kažem odvratan - mix mi je omogućavao da imam krasne i mirne snove svih ovih noći kad ga slušam pred spavanje.
I onda, u neko gluvo noći, čarolija nestane. Mix je gotov, a muzika prestaje. A ja tužno ustanem, odem u toalet, popijem vode, izađem na balkon, udahnem vazduh, vratim se u krevet, poljubim svoju dragu osobu. I  čim stavim glavu na jastuk: nastavim letjeti iznad gradova koji liče kao gljive, a ljudi na gigantskom drveću mi mašu na mom putu ka nekoj drugoj zemlji iz snova. Mix mjeseca!!!

Michael Mayera, suvlasnika i suosnivača imperije Kompakt uradio je ovaj folk/acustic/dreamy pop music mix za vaše nedeljno popodne. Sunday Morning je podcast serija čiji je idejni tvorac Denny Daze.
Mayer je za ovaj mix jedino rekao: Enjoy Your Breakfast. Toliko.


damir.plicanic@gmail.com

Seraphym Rytm – Aeterna (Silent Season)

"I wasn't going to parties as much, but just that sound of being in the forest, away from the actual party but hearing the way it echoes through a forest and feels soft... I still remember those moments where it was morning and cold and the music was just right, echoing from just being outside." - Jamie McCue, isječak iz intervjua.

Silent Season nije još jedna nezavisna izdavačka kuća u nizu. Kada vidite njihovu vizuelnu estetiku ili čujete muziku prosto ste odvučeni u šumetine sjeverno-zapadne Kanade. Ona je antropomorfni, kulturološki produžetak prirode i okoline u kojoj je nastala. Još jedno drvo, kao dio beskrajne šume i ekosistema jednog dijela Britanske Kolumbije.
 
Zvučna estetika, i modus operandi izdavačke kuće je: osluškivanje, apsorbovanje atmosfere i ambienta, da bi pomoću svog uma i duše, pomoću unutrašnje refleksije pretvorio nadražaje u muziku.
Muzički proizvodi, tj. izdanja Silent Seasona, se mogu okarakterisati kao naturalni Ambient/Dub/Field/Techno. Negdje na pola puta što su napravili Basic Channel i Kompakt (Pop Ambient edicija) sa „elektronikom pacifičke obale“ The Sight Below i bvdub. Ali da naglasim posebnost i originalnost: zvuk Silent Season-a je duboko je ukorjenjen za svaki komad drveta, kišnu kap i gustu maglu tog ljudima netaknutog područja.

Glavni junak naše priče, tačnije ovog albuma, je misteriozni čovjek, kako u propagandnom materijalu piše, nastanjen u Dinarskim Alpama, i njegov album Aeterna je inspirisan atmosferom filmskih dijela vizuelnog mađioničara Andreiya Tarkovskog. Muzika na albumu na apstraktan način priča priču o Mistiku, koji luta Dinaridima u potrazi za „znanjem“ i „moći“, koristeći vodu i njenu snagu da bi skupio svoja iskustva i da bi odabranima (slušaocu) prenio svoja iskustva. I pri tome uspio da se spoji sa svijetom i sa samim sobom.


Spot za naslovnu traku možete pogledati ovdje:



Uvodna Aeterna podsjeća na scenu sna iz Stalkera, gdje pod vodom vidimo artefakte naše civilizacije. Ovo se može povezati sa teorijama pojedinih fizičara, da voda ima moć pamćenja, voda može biti spoj prošlosti i sadašnjosti – vrata između te dve dimenzije. Traka Kalinovik  u kojoj Mistik pronalazi stare, izbljedjele, crno-bijele fotografije, koje su  fotografisane u budućnosti. Slike su sa motivima mrtve prirode, iako su Mistiku poznate, on se ne može sjetiti kad i gdje je slikane, i zašto su mu bitne. Trake Nastir Sina i U brdima su optimistične zbog melodija, a Mistik osjeća radost zbog putovanja u nepoznato, i usuđuje se ići bez obzira kakva ga opasnost čeka. Sutra zvuči kao ritualna muzika pomoću koje naš Mistik prelazi u stanju transa i „vidi“ drugačiju stranu stvarnosti. I to nas dovodi do trake Kozara. Kozara je dark wave/dub techno traka o košmaru koji doživljava za vrijeme transa, u kojem je srušen spomenik na Mrakovici – u njemu čujem samo hrpu kamenja i čelika koji se krivi. I traka Sana čija se tema lagano razvija, prikazuje nam Mistika u stanju gdje je njegovo putovanje završeno. Šta je naučio, da li je pronašao ono što je tražio... mi to ne znamo. Slušaocu je ostavljeno da sam završi priču.

Ovaj album, zbog svoje složenosti i apstrakcije zahtjeva vašu punu pažnju, kao i maštu. Produkciju ovog album odlikuje široka paleta zvukova, melodija i harmonija, koji se spajaju, sinkopiraju, razdvajaju, spajaju, i opet razdvajaju. Ovakav vid produkcije daje mogućnost slušaocu da u svojoj glavi, pomoću sopstvenog znanja, pravi sopstvene muzičke strukture, kao i da sam konstruiše Mistikovo putovanje.  Da objasnim slikovitije: zamislite svaki od ovih zvukova kao oblake, i zavisno od vašeg raspoloženja oni će dobijati oblike po vašoj želji i posjedovati značenje bitno samo vama.

Album možete preslušati ovdje:




U divljini, čovjek koji dopusti da osluškuje, gleda, da prima ono što ta divljina daje, može u sebi da nađe određeni odgovor ili „dar“ – koji opet zavisi od individue do individue. Ovdje bih upotrebio Kastanedin pojam „zaustavljanja unutrašnjeg dijaloga“, tačnije dovođenja sopstvenog uma u stanje očišćenosti od svih drugih uticaja koje nosimo sa sobom, da je samo tada naš um, spremam da „vidi“ pravu stvarnost. Po mom mišljenju to bi bio „dar“ koji Mistik ostavlja slušaocu ovog albuma.

 Zaključak je taj da je Seraphym Rytm (umjetnik poznat i kao Damaskin) uspio, muzičkim jezikom, iskazati tu interakciju između divljine i sebe.
Naš opis Mistikovog putovanja će stati ovdje. Dalje ćete morati vi da nastavite, da putujete, da doživljavate, da učite, da stičete znanje.


Zaista jedan od onih albuma koji na svako sledeće slušanje zvuči drugačije... i rado mu se vraćam. Ovaj album je kao izvor rijeke: nalazi se daleko, na vrhu planine odakle imam savršen pogled na svijet ispod mene, i utažuje (duhovnu) žeđ.


Više o drugim izdanjima, kao i mixevima izdavačke kuće Silent Season, možete saznati na:.
https://soundcloud.com/silent-season

damir.plicanic@gmail.com