Wednesday, June 7, 2017

GAS - Narkopop (Kompakt)



"From Ancient Greek ναρκόω (narkóōI put to sleep); in terms relating to drugs, it is a back-formation from narcotics, which ultimately derives from the same source.
narco - Pertaining to stupor, sleep, or a state of unconsciousness."



It was never been easy to write about Kompakt records. Why? Because there is certain trigger in your brain, that responds when you sense that "Kompakt" marker. Like when you see that fast food chain "MCcsomething", and ultra famous water + sugar drink "Coke Cola". You know what it is. And you know it is good. As a label Kompakt wasn't first who tried to play the game of pop-consumerism and underground music, art and media, all under one roof, one banner. but they are only one who, in mine humble opinion made it. They were the first who walked that fine line and still walking.


        



But most of us wouldn't never hear or become the witnesses of super-global success of Kompakt if there weren't Wolfgang Voigt's GAS project. Voigt even said: " GAS is the vision of a sonic body between Schönberg and Kraftwerk, between French horn and bass drum. GAS is Wagner goes glam rock, and Hansel and Gretel on acid. GAS is there to take you on a seemingly endless march through the under woods - and into the discoteque - of an imaginary, nebulous forest."
I would not spend my time on writing the history of Herr Voigt and Kompakt, you can do it on your own. But have to mention GAS. try to imagine the sound of walking through the woods, and imagine the trees that making a symphony, that tree over there is violin, that tree is the trumpet, and so on. And of course there is conductor and compositor all in one person: Wolfgang Voigt. GAS changed the face of ambient music, it gave that wagnerian feel, that sense of epic and greatness - not a wallpaper or elevator music.



                           

When you hear previous albums like Pop, Königsforst, or Zauberberg, you will, I guarantee, you will see ambient music presented as a art form, or even it would transcendent the experience of "plain old records listening". It will push you more and more into the "forest".


                           


First of all I know my words sound so grandiose, and there is a fact that I am the fan (not the fan, but fanatic), and it all sounds like I want to sell you something, so hard.
No, just walk away. And when you find the right time, put Narcopop on, and you be the judge, like you always are. Like a guy who has listened GAS for some years, maybe the greatest difference between these records, is that simple, minimalistic kick-drum, but once melodies get into your nervous system it will become part of the "forest", like your footsteps when you walk. and that is another magic of this album, everything has its part, just like in opera, every step, word, sound... everything has its part and purpose. And here we have magic.

Maybe I didn't tell you everything i know, I didn't made strong point here, or maybe this isn't review at all. I just follow the old path through the forest...
 

Monday, June 5, 2017

Darth Vutrax - Battlecruisers In Starlight (Krv! Produkcija)



LO-FI psychedelic space warmongering bard is back! I When this space traveler/warrior/musician visited us, some of use took the opportunity to listen and review his strange, minimal music, and the writer of this lines was mesmerized (for non-serbo-croat readers, sorry, It was my transitional period from my native language to English) with the material that was in his (bloody) hands. His album Intergalactic or No Galactic At All was combination of weird space sounds, ethno instrument, supersonic flute, made of rarest Ulgharis wood, and atmosphere from distant worlds.



+

That was then, now let us hear/see what a couple of light years spend all over the Galaxy, and all that experience has brought us. If first album was all about dark atmosphere of deep space traveling and first contact with us, now this EP is little more coherent then album. Opening track is  of imperial march, a soundtrack for all the fallen ones in the battle for Cerni XIV, called The Fall of Cerni Xiv, with usage of some strange flute-like instrument. cause maybe those warriors will rise again and defend their planet. It is only beginning.

Cosmic Demon revelations is track of madness if you ever find yourself somewhere in depths of Universe, and summoned demon show itself in front of your eyes. cause my knowledge of  language of
Urgalis people is not worth to be mentioned, I could only imagine what was going on there.
But track is, if you keep your ears open and concentrate on the music, you will hear quite realistic interplanetary battle, I guess between multidimensional demon and our bard - with lo-fi synth sounds that follows the battle, like a flag that our ancestors use in their own battles - but without iron and steel, instead there is high tech space materials, and far advanced tech. Like some strange machine or computer wrote a diary of the epic battle. Quite dramatic. Like an Aphex Twin's track - you can't lay in your sofa, nor you can dance to it. You can only focus your senses on the sounds, and listen archetype myth, of confrontation between monster and some humanoid being.



My favorite track is Towards the Great Attractor is pure sonic synth orgy. Like the engines of the ship sings and star ship's computer are singing in syncopation, as they and their passenger are approaching something with great gravitational force. This tune, will be a cherry on the top on my next ambient/electronica mix, that is for sure.

And the forth track actually is evidence that Blues, in it's classical form, is space:time phenomenon. track called continuum . "OH, Urgalis (Jewel of Universe), explicitly shows that homesick and existential crisis is not only Human thing.
It is universal feeling, which serves as beacon for all creatures of Universe, to show us where The Source of all things is... at least we all must search for it, even to give our physical bodies in search for it. And as I said, Blues is one of the great pylon for a beacons of light in the darkness.
But I must confess, I guess that bard made this EP very fast, while he was on course to Earth. He put the musical standard bar so high with his first (at least for earthlings), and if you really want to see genius true of Darth Vutrax, I recommend his album, but in the meantime this will keep us warm/cold, until his return.



Tuesday, May 23, 2017

The Bug Vs Earth - Concrete Jungle (Ninja Tune)



Prologue:
When I first heard rumors that doom Dylan Carlson aka Earth, superhero and his guitars are ready to collide with pure dub impact of Kevin The Bug Martin, I was super-excited, then start to wonder how it would sound, can they pull it off. Both are masters of their own craft... it sounds epic on paper, but... well I could't imagine. Before that first release I was really thinking, who will be in front - from whom we shall hear more, and most important - could that extreme opposite sonic spectrum will become one musical (master)piece.
                                    



Then Boa/Cold EP (Ninja Tune) is released, and when I got my copy I heard something great. It wasn't epic or grandiose, it was just as it should it be, at least for me. And I will say it: after I heard it, some strange images were coming from my head. And of course: Oh my... it would be hell-off-a-ride if they ever decide to do full length LP. They did.

Boa/Cold EP was perfect combination 50/50 of both sides giving their best and music was magical. Aggressive but with sense of peace when you touch just awaken force. Force that slowly slurps out of some kind The Well. It's The Well where you can comeback and drink when ever is necessary. And typical human reaction: "I'm the only one - who knows - where is the Well. - I MUST hide this from others. It's mine." 
Prologue over.
                                      


First for those who do not know, The Bug is powered dubstep project by Kevin Martin, his last album as The Bug, which I reviewed for another blog, "Angels and Devils" showed us how can someone turn unique dancefloor style into pure aggression, torturing sound. Album which had more in common with industrial or industrial metal sound, then for example, the dancehall or any modern style that is continuation of UK hard core continuum.   
           
                   

 On the other side Dylan Carlson, with or without moniker Earth spent, I guess, whole his life in search for perfect riff and guitar tuning. I visioned him like a guy who always carry his guitar case, wherever he goes, with trench coat, and there is always snow around him, while he search for hotel or place to stay, just to play same riff - one after another, with slightly changes - hey that is just my vision. Dylan Carlson is one of the pioneer of many modern styles - from slowness of doom metal, riff-hardness of sludge, or stoner, or space rock/metal. But most important: he is able to create unique visions of vastness, visions of space, certain feeling of man that is surrounded by nothing, and everything.

                  


So what we got here: The Bug with his in-the-face punch, bass driven music that awakes most savaging in pre-apocalyptic man, and Earth which takes us on journey into the desert of our souls. That is why this album is so important. Music actually call our primal side, and on the other hands, tell us to not be feared by dark, but to embrace it. Cause when the last street lamp stop shinning, who's gonna go there and fix it? Those who can operate in the darkness, and have technical knowledge to bring the light. Even if the names of the tracks are all about urban decay, and apocalyptic end - it is actually about fight your demons of fear of the dark, go, learn, be active, do something. And every time I listen this - let's call it meisterwerk, a triumph of two different approach - I feel energy to do something good today, to be strong, to love and keep my love ones, or help someone who needs it.

                                             



Maybe, you do not hear or see what I see, but you will certainly enjoying music with so much controlled anger, right on the edge of explosion, that still it manages to stay controled, determined and focused.  


                      



       
Damir Plićanić




                                                                                                 


         


All photos of The Bug and Earth by Phil Sharp!
All other audio/video media by my ninjas from Ninja Tune. Stay sharp!!!





Thursday, May 18, 2017

Ryuichi Sakamoto - async (Milan)

Name me, currently the greatest name, not fortune or number of records sold, but influence in electronic music. OK let me change the question: greatest and maybe the oldest, and influence on generations after, THE ultimate star of Electronica? Could you answer me?
All hats down to
Georgeo Moroder and his funky beats, and all hats down to Jean-Michel Jarre and his melodies and spectacle music that celebrate life.
Let me answer for you:
Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic Orchestra. There is no debate here either. While Kraftwerk were perceive like some electronic geeks, even "robots", electronic music with pop-art aesthetic and conceptual art never had chance in Europe and USA, that was rockin' to the sound of electric guitar and virtual created messiahs: Rock'n'Roll superstars. Even if they manage to sell millions of records, influenced millions, but it is nothing, in compare to YMO.

Short story: Yellow Magic Orchestra were megastars in Japan, country that was already in digital age, and where synthesizers were cheap, and considered as normal instrument. Not only synths... rhythm machines, sequencers, and digital recording and all electronic instruments and gadgets - they were one of the first who used it constantly.They were the first to use sampling technique during recordings of their records. Yes you could buy it all very cheap at every corner. And they also combine music with politics, turning pop hits into musical subversion.

Also, they were on charts, they had number-ones, golden and platinum records.
They were a soundtrack to rising Japan economic boom!!! 
In Europe, specially in USA you were not being consider seriously as a musician with synth - "hey it is keyboard, a grown-up child's toy."  If Japan has the size of USA and  population, they would be Electronic Superstars. YMO were: Haroumi Hosono, Yukihiro Takhashi, and Ryuichi Sakamoto.




Today Ryuichi Sakamoto 65, is an Oscar winner composer (with Carsten Nikolai aka Alva Noto for The Revenant soundtrack), composer, pianist, producer, writer and even dancer. Man who survived throat cancer, have 20 solo studio albums, and also worked with Alva Noto (classic Raster-Noton records Vrioon and Summvs), Fennesz, David Sylvian, Thomas Dolby, and many more. Also worth to mention soundtracks for The Last Emperor, Handmaid's Tale, High Heels, Little Buddha, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence just to mention the most important movies. This musical giant didn't release much in the last decade, duo his fight with cancer. 
But that battle thought him most valuable lesson:"After serious disease, you look at everyday life with fresh eyes. Doing normal things, like having breakfast or having a lunch, drinking glass of wine, it becomes a very, very joyous pleasure. I get this feeling with every day sounds.





After I read a couple of interviews, and in one interview Mr. Sakamoto mention that working on The Revenant, he discovered that the Nature itself could also be part musical piece.
And when you combine such a musical knowledge and skill, with allowing yourself field recordings - and after full remission, you could expect that this album will be about living your life to the fullest. Enjoying every breath. Also very important, async album has it's main inspiration from Andrei Tarkovsky's never made movie, imaginable movie. And when you connect dots about sense of end, the thought of "one day I wouldn't be alive", you immediately recognize themes of Tarkovsky's movies: life and death, and everything else between those two moments. Two moments that transcendent everything else.

         

                           

async is very naturalistic album, even there is a lot of classical instruments, and some unnatural field recordings, and small samples, it is all about visioning a forest, and mild rain, and look to the hills, woods, and some valleys in the back. But in the head there is the clock that clicks away, but don't hurry - but quite opposite, enjoy these views, listen the rain, try to focus leaves of grass in the valley, or some leaf in the tree on the hill across.




Or very special track, for author of this lines, Walker - meditative track, but with constant sound of someones walking. Walker doesn't walk just trough forest, you can hear (if you listen carefully), that he change surface on which he walks - a subtle lesson of "walking through the life".



Then there is dramatic tune, that was originally made for Bertolucci's The Sheltering Sky, and he decide to loop a certain part of the text from the 30 years old movie, small line, and decide to play that same texts on English, Chinese and Russian language, in the same time.
Also same thing he did in the track called "LIFE,LIFE", and it is a poem by Tarkovksy's father Arseny, which the Sakamoto used to read a lot.

And finally one of my favorite tracks... wait whole album is masterpiece, but there is something about track "honj", with classic Japanese instrument and dramatic strings that build short, but strong emotion, with almost unheard, underline sound of the wind, and wind-chimes.

Album finishes with two great tracks "ff" and "garden", like a circle of life. I would said specially track "garden", with that fade-off drone, try to reflex moments of ending (not ending of life) but key to ending this album.

                                




Please, cut yourself from the world, play this record, and you will see that you do not need my philosophy about async. Just listen, every detail is important. It's not another ambient/modern-classic album on the market.



Damir Plicanic

Monday, May 15, 2017

Iz Arhive: Dobri duh grada



Kartofel Osvetnik - Depopivo (Slušaj najglasnije 2013)



























   (njem.) Kartoffel (f) - krompir, Krtola; fig. veliki nos, babura; Krompir - Solanum Tuberosum (lat.)


Opis: Gomolji krompira su krajnja zadebljanja podzemne biljke. Nadzemna biljka je skoro kao prst debela i 3/4m visoka i uglasta. Plod je žućkasto-bijelo-zelenkasta bobica. razmnožavanje se vrši samo vegetativnim putem tj. gomoljima
Stanište: Potiče iz Amerike  te se u Evropi odomaćio i uspjeva na svim zemljištima.
Ljekoviti dijelovi i svojstva: Skupljaju se gomolji za vrijeme berbe Krompira. Sirovi krompir nije za jelo, a u nezrelom stanju je škodljiv jer sadrži alkaloid Solanin. Kuvani Krompir, međutim, je važan sastavni dio naše ishrane, da se bez njega više ne može ni zamisliti.
Gomolj krompira sadrži skrob, jabučnu i mliječnu kiselinu. krompir sadrži vitamin A koji djeluje na regeneraciju, tzv kužni vitamni F, i oblina vitaminom C.
Krompir je zaslužan što je pomoću njega u Evropi gotovo nestala masovna bolset nazvana Skorbut. Od Skorbuta nisu strahovali mornari, nego i kod seljačkog stanovništa epidemije Skorbuta su bile veoma česte. iako važan vitamin C sadržan u najvećem dijelu povrća, međutim kuhanjem on se sasvim razara. Kod Krompira, iako se peče sadržaj vitamina C spada samo za pola. samim tim krompir ima čitav niz primjena u pečenju, pa se punim pravom može nazvati ljekovitom biljkom.




Odmah da riješimo, neću da spominjem njihov lokalni karatkter, drugim riječima lokalna kafanska atrakcija. I da ne bježim od "dječijih bolesti" kao što su podrum produkcija (???) ili svako završavanje numere crescendom (momenat za koji vjerujem da nastaje kad ne znate kako da završite). Onako sa starne ću spomenuti da mi zvuče na spoj Ramba Amadeusa i Einsturzende Neubauten. Ali vjerujem da se svaki muškarac i žena izgubljen u tranzicijskom društvu, i državama do grla zaduženim kod MMF može pronaći u ovome.






No, pošto gledam da izbjegavam dnevno-političke teme (a ne ide mi nešto od ruke/tastature) ovaj album svojim temama svakako dodaje oker boju na sivu pozadinu sadašnjosti. Morate razumjeti da su sa razlogom orkestralni dio benda sklonio da bi pjevač vodio, ipak bih spomenuo na momente tripoidnu trubu i klavijature, kao i funkoidni bubanj i bass. Članovima benda mogu da zaželim puno sreće sa svojim originalnim projektima gdje su poprilično uspješni, a tekstopiscu i spiritus movemensu (špiritus maximusu) da u dolazećem vremenu izda knjigu-dve, drugi album možemo sačekati dve godine - i za ovaj prvijenac, na skali od loše - odlično, dobija: dobar i zabavan. Od koga je ocjena -  dobro su prošli. Na ocjenu se muzičari mogu žaliti čak i čuvenom: "Nije lako biti umjetnik- muzičar, hajde ti nešto uradi!" Eto mogu - napisati recenziju.







    
                                  



Iako sam ovaj tekst napisao prije dva mjeseca, moram dodati da i dalje u glavi vodim mali cirkus sa ovom muzičkom pozadinom. Pa je tako dvorska luda, u mojoj glavi ižlogirala pojedine tekstove pjesama iz Sobni bicikl, ko nov a stari.. u Kožni bicikl, konobar stari... Kao i recimo azil za lutalice pse, u Brazil za budalice sve. Cirkus ide dalje...

Damir Plićanić


tekst pisan 2014

Sunday, May 14, 2017

Don't Care About The Podcast 008 - Sev Dah - Taṇhā (Part I)



Interview: Sev Dah (PROLETARIJAT)

I know a guy, artistic name is Sev Dah. I wanted to have him on board, buggin' him for a long time to do a podcast. And finally he sent me this masterpiece. We were talking a few times months back, planning details about what we can do, to make this podcast special, and I'm super-surprised what he has done, from sevdah and sevdalinke to more experimental electronics. Hope you will enjoy like I did for the last couple of weeks. No playlist here, just enjoy.

Datzee: How’s electronic music, especially techno, got in your life? Which album do you think took you over to the techno side, and is there any other kind of music you prefer?
Sev Dah: I have always felt that I’m not like the others, in a way how I dress, eat etc. Different in general how I think and how I want to live my life. I felt inside myself that I need something more than ordinary life, I felt that call, and that something wanted to get outside of me. My first contact with electronic music was somewhere around 1994, maybe a little bit earlier. There was some style, in Germany, I do not know if that still exist anymore, people around me called that style „cosmic“. I can’t remember any artist or track, and all I know is that the music was slow and different from anything I heard before. Later I discovered old school techno, in which I found myself. That’s the fact, some things challenge you, push you to go beyond limits of your mind. And I find that attractive, and Techno have that, let me say, power to push you to do that, and it still does. I’m a big fan of trip-hop, heavier hip-hop, and always have a place in my heart for dub and reggae. When you asked me hip hop, in my formative years there were a small group of people and bands that did the sound I liked. I could easily name Freundkreis from Germany. Albums like Esperanto and Quadratur des Kreises, they had that combination of oldschool, jazz and some deeper things, which was different at that time from anyone else. I said deeper, and darker, with that I mean they had deep and wise political lyrics, and much darker, self-consciousness and state of human existence. 


Datzee: "Cosmic", what do you mean “cosmic”. Can you describe?

Sev Dah: I don’t know, frankly I can’t remember... it was something like Goa Trance but on 100bpms. Maybe it sounds strange for the people when I said, I drain inspiration for my production from all kinds of different musical styles. I listen a lot of music that isn’t easy to find like Bosnian “sevdah” and “sevdalinke”, and they are direct influence on my sound and production. Also focus is on dark and melancholic elements and parts of genres and styles, to feel them, to understand them and then to turn them into the sound. 


Datzee: Since you are Swedish I assume that leaving your home Bosnia also was that certain factor how to feel the music. Would you still make music, generally electronic music if you didn’t leave Sarajevo? 

Sev Dah: Well generally I didn’t do anything but electronic music while I was living in Bosnia, and from this perspective it was getting me down. I was limited either because I lived there, or maybe it was because lack of my age and experience, which I got now. But the fact that I left Bosnia broad my vision and knowledge of the music, DJ or production-wise. Still I have my memories from Sarajevo and Bosnia, because it all started there: first gig, first serious production, and I had a vision (like all of us – editor’s comment) and I wanted to start something there, but because lots of reasons, I decide to start that somewhere else, outside Bosnia. I think that leaving from hometown and that environment is a major influence and I think it made me find myself as an artist. I see some positive things in Bosnia that I didn’t see while I was living there, or I think I didn’t want to see. I still wore these positive things proudly on my forehead from where I came from, to use something pure Bosnian and try to translate that into my music. I strongly believe that I’m on a good way. If I didn’t leave Bosnia, probably I would continue in that same direction. I would, for certain, produce techno records, but right now I’m focusing more on experimental Techno. Maybe that nostalgia for Bosnia and all those positive things that are still there makes me want to try something new in the studio. 

Datzee: Did you find an underground techno/house scene when you moved to Sweden, and was it easy to find clubs and happenings? Is there any kind of electronic scene in Helsinborg? 

Sev Dah: I lost 3 years of my life trying adapt myself to my environment , and I didn’t worked much on music at that time. Scene is pretty small because the state doesn’t support much anything about techno at all, everyone knows that Swedish artists are giving so much to the Techno scene but there are lot of rigorous laws and rules than you might think that those who want to do something legally will not be worth the try On other side, the positive thing is that underground scene is strong. There are STILL people who do it and are trying to bring it to the next level. They held their parties in abandoned factory halls with dirty walls on highest professional level – and that keeps local scenes alive. I just became a member of one crew in Helsingborg who own a factory floor, where we clean up couple of smaller rooms for cultural happenings (painting studios, audio studios and rooms for workshops). We even tide it up and now we are trying to decorate the club, and we hope that it could be in use after the Summer. It’s a space for around 500 people, and I’m so blessed to be the part of this project. But when we speak about Swedish DJs and producers, that is the most positive thing! They are all passionate and evolved their own unique style, and I play their music a lot. They work really hard, they really live techno, and even if you got strict laws and rules, you need to work harder, and there are visible results. Their music is played almost everywhere – and that is positive, that spirit to do as much as you can and that you can succeed. If you ask me I love that uncompromising and rigid sound that Swedes are known for. That is also my philosophy of techno: it should be simple, sometimes raw, but with healthy dose innovation and modern sound, all wrapped up into one killer beat! That is why I know I’m in the right place when we talk about inspiration, and I feel good, like it is a place where I belong. There is also that Scandinavian climate, that pushes people to more prolific, maybe they aren’t so sociable at first (like us – aut. com), they have their social rules, their work, and that they are committed 24hrs a day so there is some kind of bitterness and isolation that you can feel in their music – not everybody likes it, but on contrary, I enjoy it. I like that, they do not separate music from other forms of art. It is the same thing, but with different tool and different working material, and most important: they all are into the art, and making no differences between the arts. I don’t like to say that I’m part of certain scene cause I feel my sound is universal, and I’m continuing to work that way. 

Datzee: Now that you have kids, how many time do you actually spend in the studio and behind the decks right now? Does the new-born child influences your music and how? 

Sev Dah: Well, I try to spend all the free time I can get, but it is hard these past months with two kids and full time job, which really is draining me both physically and mentally. This year I’m more focused on shows, and I want to spread the message and agenda what is behind PROLETARIJAT. Unfortunately that means a lot less music, and I haven’t planned many releases on PROLETARIJAT in 2017. But with every gig I get inspired, every time I come home I want to go to the studio and transfer all that experience, which I have gain, into my sound. Yes, it’s hard, but got no time to pity, cause that’s what I want to do. When times are hard, the sound gets better, and better. When I became father for the first time in 2010, many things turn better in me. I’ve became better person. I can’t really say that this life-event changed my sound drastic, but changes of priorities have changed their places, so I learn to less indulge myself in everyday life. I will stick to my plan, that till 2019 I will quite my daily job and try to live only from the products of my music. Right now, that sounds like impossible from this point of view, but i will try to manage to come to this goal. I’m also glad that in 2017 was my busiest year in my DJ/producer carrier, I’m proud of the achievements I did in this year, and I’m looking forward to my next gigs. I’m happy to be able to do at least 2 gigs per month, and sometimes I can’t accept more because day job and my family – but those gigs allowed me to live Techno to the fullest, so at those gigs I give my maximum. PROLETARIJAT has been little bit left by side, and we plan Proleterijat004 to release at autumn. There will be even more, but still not sure when – but there will be more info about it later for sure.



 
Datzee: How and when did “I want to be a DJ“ bug bite you? Can you recall the place of your first gig and the reaction of the crowd? Can you remember that special moment when you know you got the crowd in your hands, the moment when you become aware of your role and power of the DJ?
 
Sev Dah: Since I’m into this kind of music, I always wanted to perform in front of a crowd, to create my own version of that music. After my first serious production steps I wanted to test it in front of the crowd, and I think it is a logical and natural step, to try myself as a DJ. First gig was somewhere in 2006, in a club called AG in Sarajevo. I was very nervous, it was my first contact with pro gear, even I thought I made a mistake for accepting the gig. It is funny story, because I didn't have money for two turntables and proper mixer. And four days before the gig I meat this guy who had everything, at least for bedroom DJ, and with help of my friend who knew him, she arranged a meeting between me and the guy so I could come to his place the and to prepare myself for gig. We told him I have experience and I just need to practice a little, to get in form since I didn’t play for a long time. What a lie! I never stood behind the decks before! But that moment when he asked me what style I play I responded: "Techno", just like that! He just pull out two techno records and said, here you go. And when I started, it was like I was doing it for years. My mix between those two tracks were almost perfect. I was shocked, but I also felt that I’m born to do this! First gig was, at least for me, perfect. I had jitters, that drained me emotionally, but at least I knew people had a good time. One of the best feelings in the world!!! But for the very first time where I knew that people are “eating out of my hands” and I had control of every aspect of the ambient was at Beghain. And I will remember that for my whole life, and I will take that with me as one of my best gigs ever done. I know I can take crowd on a journey, I had experience, but again Berghain is a very special place, where all things are on the highest level. 4 hours of darkness on the best sound system, under my control, left the mark inside of me, and that experience I’m trying to transfer to every place. I feel so lucky I was able to do that, and I think Universe collide for that brief moment – for letting me do that – to do what I want to do! And once you asked me how did it happened to play at Berghain. Well there is a story: I was invited by Luke Slater, at that time we planned my release on his Mote Evolver. That year Luke was on his world-wide tour “22 Light Years Of Planetary Funk” where he invited almost every artist he has released on Mote Evolver, even before Mote Evolver-phase, and that was a reason for putting me on the bill for the Berghain show. I was ashamed of my prejudices about Berghain that the whole place was over-hyped – I was super wrong!!! The whole vibe, professional organization and the people who flock there every weekend is really something over-the-top… I still can’t describe my feelings and emotions about that evening and morning. I remember the night before the show Steve Bicknell (legendary English techno dj, driving force behind legendary LOST club that even create myth about Jeff Mills before he even came to play his first show, just for example) asked me if this is my first visit to Berghain, and when I answered yes, he just whispered with the smile: “mate, be prepared to stay longer inside than you are used to stay inside a club! this place has some kind of strange magical magnet inside". Everything he said was true. I would like to point out that Berghain was one of my highest point of my carrier, I meet new friends and made friendships with the people who were my heroes. And one more thing: you get orgasm when you play your tracks in there. It was the honor and I hope it is not my last gig there
 
Datzee: Please could you tell me how PROLETARIJAT started anyway? From basic need to release your own music, or are there any other reasons? 
 
Sev Dah: The idea was to just work on my own production, without any restrictions. I never intend to sell my music, I just needed artistic freedom. From the first moment I knew I will have to pay for everything from my own pocket. On the other side, all I wanted is just to start and get this thing going and I was mentally ready, because I thought it will never sell enough, I will always be in minus. It was pure luck, and pretty right time for that kind of music. I was able to get myself out, so I can press another records. I feel grateful that people react and bought my records, thanks to them, all the ravers all around the world. I spend a lot of time for planning, what can be concept, and even name itself. I realize, I’m proud of resistance of my/our people during WW2, and concept could easily fit into techno esthetic. Techno was all about struggle in it’s core. Connecting the resistance movement from history – it was a perfect match. With sound I can easily wake my other artistic potentials, so every release of Proleterijat have a specific story. I wanted through my music and artwork to present spirit of community, spirit of friendship and mutual respect. PROLETARIJAT is essentially my own platform for expressing my own freedom of speech, without someone over my shoulders telling me: „No, you can’t sell that, it is not the right time“. In nearby future I’m planning to release other artists. In short, PROLETARIJAT is a rebellion against all that "cheapness" on the Techno scene! Datzee: I’m very honored that you made a special mix for our podcast series. I have listened and it shows your other side, the oposite of what you regularly play at your sets and clubs. I’m glad it is different, but why did you want to record this kind of mix? Sev Dah: I always wanted to play something else, that don’t fit into my sets, so I got finally the chance to do that. Opportunity came and I grab it, I always wanted to go beyond my own limits wothout restrictions. I want to prove myself that ambient and darker dance music have much more in common then people more think, same emotions and stories except the fact that you can lay on your bed or sit in your couch while listening. With this mix I wanted to connect different styles and tracks that I love and connect with drone, ambient, some bleak trip-hop and electronica, with sevdalinka style of music into one coherent story. I hope I can reach deeper, and to trigger deeper and newer emotions into the listener. And I wanted to leave a mark, some kind of longevity to the mix, and to challenge listener and myself, with traditional Bosnian folk music and newer tracks. 
 
Datzee: I wanted to ask you, do you know and are you in contact with ex-pats, people from Bosnia who also make Techno and House and other forms of electronic music? I ask you that because I want to know are they doing something special, are they giving some special touch to the scene? 
 
Sev Dah: Oh man, I suffer from that disease, so you can call me Yugo-nostalgic. I consider all of our newly created small and young countries my homeland. So I got my ears on what is going over there in Serbia, Macedonia, Croatia etc. I see lots of our producers making great trackswith worldwide reputation. I would like to mention Nihad Tule and Suncica (Insolate), both of them actually inspired me for the last 5 years. I really follow what they are doing right now, and where they at. They are also owners of labels Sloboda and Out of Place, and I regurarly play their tracks in my sets. Also I would like to mention LAG from Novi Sad, Serbia, and all I can tell you about his music: it‘s fire. I would like to give my credits and great support to the guys from Drugstore from Belgrade, Serbia, and I wish them to stay at the top of the game for the future as they usually do. We got a lot of things that goes into our advantage to move up together – like a language and state-of-mind, but there are also many things that hold that idea down. Hopefully that will change so we can achieve even bigger goals together, for the best of our scene. 
 
Datzee: I know what PROLETARIJAT stands for and message the label spreads. It is wonderfull to see that people escape from their problems with music, but what is the deeper message? Is there ethos that stands on the other side of escapism? 
 
Sev Dah: Great question. Techno is religion for me, I can see goodness in people, unity, and united we can change the World. Techno is love and respect. I want to bring people together through my music, to connect them. My primary goal is to make people loose themselves, and in the end to find something new, something better that was laying inside them. It doesn’t matter would they remember the tracks or what I played that night. Just want them to feel good, to feel love and some kind of unity between themselves. I think that is the first step to the final goal: unification. 
 
Datzee: For the end - can you give me your top 10 all-time favorites? And after that, can you name some producers we should keep on our eyes/ears in the times that comes?? 
 
Sev Dah: I’m still a big lover of hip hop, and it is very hard for me to mention my favorites in one specific style but here is the list: 
10: Fugees - The Score 9. Freundeskreis - Esperanto 8. Freundeskreis - Quadratur Des Kreises 7. Cypress Hill - Temples Of Boom 6. Kontra - Sutnja 5. Umek - Cavist 4. Gecko - Close Your Eyes 3. Hardcell & Grindvik - Square 2. Nihad Tule & Bauri - Metal 1. Amotik - Satrah

And the artist of the future, by my humble opinion: Neznan (Split) and Oetam (Rijeka).

One more from me: Loves Conquer All!


Damir Plićanić

Monday, May 1, 2017

Talaboman - The Night Land (R&S Records)




I really dig what John Talabot and Alex Boman are doing. I really dig what they did with their project/group Talaboman, since Sideral single.




                                              


On the other side it is easy sometimes to see why this collaboration is working, actually it sounds so good. They both are peers, both produce and play their own, lets say, styles of House music. I will play the game of stereotypes here, and hope it will work.

For those who don't know anything about these two guys, little reminder. Axel Boman is Swedish, extrovert House joker, one-third of Barnhus Studios label (check new Art Alfie and Baba Stilz albums - both reflects Barnhaus Studios ethos - fun, pure fun and intelligent fun), successfully combine house and pop melodies. Axel Boman's music and DJ sets are full of life, always on that sunny-side-up and reflects "Oh man, I feel so... yeah! let's go!", how I perceive Bowman character. For sure I'm wrong but it seems that Axel is always happy, never sad. But like every person he has his times of doubt and insecurity - BUT I never heard that side in his music.
On other side, there is his partner in crime John Talabot (real name 
Oriol Riverola), Spanish introvert who makes such a beautiful, melancholic house music, perfectionist's producer, with unique style - don't want pigeonhold him, but you know when you hear his tracks - and that means he got unique style. And you can't buy the style or try to copy it. John Talabot is also unique DJ, and I really like to listen all those mixes and podcast he has release over the years. One of the best mixes in respectful DJ-Kicks series, in my humble opinion, is his own. I still play it once per month. He release his music mostly on Hivern Discs and Permanent Vacation labels.                                                                          

 Boys on the ride of their lifetime!



Ok join them both and you got one entity called Talabomen. At the same time extrovert party music, with introvert melodies and sounds for journey inwards.
Now when I tried to present 
them in typical stereotypes, to show the difference in their approaches, they fit to each other like a hand in the glove. Talabomen is actually one  imaginary personality. We got one of the best house albums - in this year, so far, truly unique album made by two best producers of European house, or something called "outsider house". And yet it is not all.
In their interview they mentioned that album is: "an attempt to reach our subconscious and to document our dreams."

                  
      


But my vision of the album is like two friends who meet in Berlin decide to take a trip all over the Europe. After they bought some of the cheapest cars - first they travel to London - via Amsterdam, visit Brighton, and then got back to  the main land. 

                 

It's raining hard in Paris



Visit Belgium, and then get to the Paris. After some hard rest they travel trough french villages, all over down to Pyrenees, and then Madrid, also check out all small villages on their way to Barcelona, and instead of going to Ebeefa (Ibiza), they decide Portugal and Atlantic is far more better idea.


                                       
We both were in Ibiza who knows how many times, do you agree? 



So in my mind this album is all about two good friends are having fun, trying to spend their time together, driving around, meet new people, meet new places, and then write a musical diary about what they have experienced. Can it be better musical diary, in a dance music style than this? No! And for the end, cause I really want you to enjoy and let you experience the music on the album on your own. If you ask me, I had best times in my life - cause I was with them. You do not believe me? Then who made all those photos you see in review? I did it! John Talaboman and Axel Boman thanks for the ride. Next year, somewhere else???







Damir Plicanic

Friday, April 28, 2017

Not For Sale: Ø ‎– Olento (Sähkö Recordings 1996)


Dear my friends and family.
I always wanted to start a new feature: reviewing of the old records (mostly CDs) that stood Test of The Time!!!
My old friend and colleague (both electronica fanatics, but his passion is Psy/Goa Trance - imagine that, he is in his 30s and still plays Psy??? Common dude. Just kidding DamZah, check his soundcloud and mixcloud, great DJ with lots gigs per year), asked me, why don't I write about all those classic albums that we used to speak about for hours, and both agree that those artifacts from past/future deserve re-thinking.

Tell us what album DO YOU think is ELECTRONICA classic??? please send your message, communicate. I'm sure we would agree.
 I could pick any V
ainio's works, but this one was first and also have sentimental value, it is not for sale. No.



 Ø ‎– Olento (Sähkö Recordings)



                             





Unfortunately Mika Vainio is dead, people talked, analyze his work and wrote a lot more (just in two days), than I will ever write on this blog. They wrote about of what Mika Vainio did and his legacy, and discography, but my favorite writing is form author who called him the "Nordic King Tubby", with intriguing info, and I will quote same author from The Wire: "It’s not clear exactly how or why he died; the reasons why he ended up alone on a cliff on northern France on 12 April remain unexplained".They have better expertise and they get money to write about it.
So I will not!!! I'm here to write about what this special album did to me, and how still resonating and sounding so futuristic and mind blowing. But we will talk about the past. We must, but not about Vainio's past. I must touch all those themes that got nothing with music, but certain situations. Also there will be about the music, I promise.


                                          

Mika bringing the noise with Ilpo Vaisanen - as Pan Sonic

Imagine, fresh from high school, I started my university years.They used to call me walking catalog number, cause I knew almost every catalog-number of the record I held, listen, or read about it, 
I even knew year when something was released - I was still so hungry for information. And when I thought I got everything in my little finger...

One of my friends, Bosnian ex-pat, out-of-blue, send it to me, via his mom, three CDs, and I still remember: Add N to (X) - On The Wires of Our Nerves (synth-pop, electroclash before Electroclash, funky break-beats with modular synthesis, and all on max distortion, and punky vocals), second was (all hats down to) Jimi Tenor - Utopian Dream (still one of the most futuristic jazz and synth pop album, ever made) and something I couldn't even read on the cover, Ø ‎– Olento.


                                              



I wasn't ready for it, at that time, and this album was, at least for me "avant-garde-of-avant-garde" of electronic music, last frontier -  something I don't understand. I knew I have to immerse myself into Olento, to be in perfect mood and environment to listen to, get it in to my ears, my mind. It was very slow and delicate process, and believe me, it is still in progress.

Album starts with miniature track that contain sound of those clockwork toys (wink to Richard D. James), and then suddenly out-of-nowhere there is that sound like glaciers are moving far away, that you can feel, instinctively fear, in your stomach.Track Hallitaajuus is nothing but the low frequency drone, but if you listen carefully, there is some strange sound or "melody" in the background, like a secret message. Youngster like me was thinking: "that was it?", but it is great introduction into next track Tila. Nine and half minutes of vision: pure and empty place, like valley that stretch as far as eye can see, with clouds that give some strange light brown on the surroundings around me, and all stand still. Ilta is also a beauty, minimalistic melody that reminds of dub techno, and also that low frequency of moving glacier, but less loud.






Stratostaatti is classic track from this album, with the bleep sounds like lights of alien probe in the woods, with half-rhythm, and it's getting even eerie when quite dramatic sound simply fade-in. Perfect for watching night sky (with no clouds if possible), in the cabin somewhere in the woods, without artificial (city) lights - maybe a candle. I like another miniature, Kunnes, which is nothing but Mika's playing with some low frequencies, and also that "dot-dot-dot" sound, that Raster-Noton championed in some of their releases.




Ohipumppu, imagine that, have 4/4 rhythm, perfect for DJs who prefer minimal techno, pardon micro minimal glitchy dance music. Well Kaskaat is hell-of-a-track, with sounds of crickets and other insects (for sure field recordings), with weird half-rhythm (again) and drone tone - then in the middle of the track another eerie melody comes in, and to be alone, in the cabin, in the woods doesn't sound like good idea. Wrong! Track is great, cause you can hear that Vainio plays (with the toy) with those samples, interchanging sounds of insects.



     

         Just a regular Mugwamp relaxing at the bar

Mugwamp
 as I know is a creature from book called Naked Lunch by William Burroughs, that looks like insect, likes to drink and suggest our main character to leave USA, and go to the Interzone... yes Mr. Burroughs can be such a inspiration. And I think this could be soundtrack for Mugwamp porn, except if Mugwamp means something in Finnish. But track is cracky, minimal and glitchy, with some spaced-out sounds from modulator. With that, I tried to explain dot-dot-dot sound, but here again: if you can imagine a sound, imagine small dot, like pixel or less like this "." - try to imagine what it would sound like. Two tracks Throb-s and Tutkama are faster minimal techno, and with all those bleepy sounds, and the rhythm, I think could easily fit into, what we call first-wave-of-minimal-techno-in-the-90s.
                                       

What is important here? First of all, this album thought me to be patient and to listen, to really focus my ears on small details (that "dot.dot.dot" sound??), it opened my mind to sounds that will come after, and embrace it. Also I learned how pure drone, or simple melody can change atmosphere in sound and in place where you are listening this music. How sound sometimes can gave you physical sense of space - with just listeningOr how can texture of sound can effect your imagination of emptiness and vastness.

                               

   Me listening to Ø ‎– Olento for the n-th time.


Once I said that Mika Vainio's music is equivalent of Monolith:
First when someone ask me how to describe most of Vainio's music, I would like to say to that individual to try to imagine to touch the Monolith and feel his texture. I mean really try with all your sense to describe what do you touch. Can you describe? For me: it is cold, without any sign of work on that material, perfect slide texture, microscopically without any roughness, and perfectly clean, without any reflection of light - even it absorbs, swallows the light that touches it - I'm far away but closest thing to my mind and senses it would be the marble, but multiply marble 1000x and wouldn't been not even close.


Second explanation: If you watched 2001: A Space Odyssey - yes it was Monolith for me, the homo sapiens, and after I touch it, examined with my mind I gained possibility to understood more music, to give a try to, understand music as art form. To try to change my view, my perception, my mind.
I still get confused, and still can't understand everything, but that was moment when mine real journey begin - to listen, feel, absorb, think and contemplate: the music.

Third, the most important, I write a glimpse of it in the text if you scroll a little bit up. It gave me a lesson how to listen the (certain) music. To listen with body also. How those anti-melodies, anti-sounds, create such a space... and most important how they affect me? How can I find the meaning and musical satisfaction in dot.dot.dot.dot.- well maybe there is no message!? Maybe it is all about sound-design or is it all in certain situation, moment in which I listen to dot.dot.dot.dot.dot

Maybe I didn't learn anything - at all!!!

Thanks again Mika Vainio. Your music will be listened for ages to come. Just like Monolith, it would last forever.




                      






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Damir Plićanić