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 Vainio'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 listening. Or 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.



                      






 dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot.dot 

Damir Plićanić                             

Mixes of the Week(s)

Hello dear readers!!!

In this feature we have listened and then listened again some Dj mixes and now we can recommend to YOU some of the best mixes we heard from the last time. Of course we weren't online for some time, but regardless that, we cherry pick some of the mixes we think they might be great listening experience for you.

We will also try to explain why we choose them, and say some kind words about their makers - the DJs.

Here what we choose:

Mysteries of the Deep - Patrick Russell -KYYNELIN 1 



Sadly, one of the greatest experimental, ambient, noise, or and iconic figure in electronic music, Mika Vainio has passed away, he was 53 years old.

By our humble opinion Mika Vainio, also known as Ø or Philus, Kentolevi, Takonivel one part of iconic group Pan Sonic, was musical Monolith. At least writer of this lines can describe his music as Monolithic (we plan to review one of his early albums, but that is another topic in near future.) He worked with people like Ilpo Väisänen and Sami Salo (as Pan Sonic), with Alan Vega (Suicide), Vladislav Delay (Vladislav Delay Quartet), Gagarin-Kombinaatti, Rancho Relaxo Allstars, Charlemagne Palestine, Merzbow, Keiji Haino just to name most popular ones. He mostly released his solo records on Sähkö Recordings, and Raster-Noton, PAN, Blast First, Editions Mego, just to name a few. Always radical, his music ranged from noise, drone, avant-garde electronics, actually it is not easy to put genre label on his music. Always working, he left behind huge catalog of music - so just try to immerse yourself into it. I think you will find incredible music. His latest works include Mika Vainio and Franck Vigroux  "Peau Froide, Léger Soleil" (Cosmo Rhythmatic), "Reat"(Elektro Music Dept.) and   "Tectonic Plate" (Ideal Recordings)

So the people from Mysteries of the Deep and Patrick Russel decide to make a mix specialy around his ambient work, and this is what they said:

"Mysteries of the Deep Podcast, Kyynelin 1 by Patrick Russell.

A heavy-hearted tribute to the sonic design and emotional potency of Mika Vainio, here exploring a brief cross-section of his vast ambient and experimental catalog. Mika shaped how I perceive and present music. His work was, and will continue to be, an incalculable influence on my sets at Mysteries of the Deep and beyond. Rest in Power.

Kyynelin 2 will be a tribute to his more aggressive, floor-friendly sounds, presented in a live context only."

Tracklist:
1. Ø - Radio
2. Mika Vainio - Hengityttajä / The Breather
3. Mika Vainio - Jos (If?)
4. Pan Sonic - Kylma Massa
5. Ø - Kohta
6. Ø - Hikari
7. Ø - Monneista Viimeinen / Last Of Catfishes
8. Pan Sonic - Etaisyys
9. Pan Sonic - Alku
10. Ø - Kentta
11. Pan Sonic - Aleneva
12. Ø - Stratostaatti
13. Ø - Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun
14. Ø - Kohta
15. Mika Vainio - -27
16. Popol Vuh - Nachts: Schnee (Mika Vainio Remix)

                                                    Mika Tapio Vainio

                                                             (1963 - 2017)

picture by: josephine michael


OSM 020 - Finn Johannsen



OK class, today we will learn dance music history and how to mix it. Profesor Finn Johannsen will show you, actually listen how to make everybody dance on any occasion. Anyone who can stand on their feet, even those who can't, will make some kind of moves due to music Mr. Johannsen present to you. So "dance music" is such a large category and span from, in this case from 70's till today. From funk to punk. Listen carefully and you could for example: make some random grandma dance to your music gig at someone's wedding.

I can surely say it works, cause I secretly played this mix to my future father-in-law and his Deep-Purple-loving friends. They didn't realize I turn this mix secretly, they thought it was radio. At beginning they just nod their heads and slap their feet on the ground. After few drinks they even start to casually move their bodies and have good old fun, to talk, eat cheese and drink beer.
A true lesson from a man who is walking encyclopedia of dance music. Don't forget to relax and have some fun. I'll bet you will have a blast.



Drifting in Space by Funky_Jeff



"A music junkie, sometimes DJing at some places, a radio show host at CHYZ (Where I’ve had funk and ambient shows) and an avid record collector. Music I like : funk, jazz, new wave, electro, house, Detroit techno, ambient, dub, deep house, soul, post punk, and classical." - Funky Jeff about himself on his blog.I would love to be friend with this guy. In Vivo!
 First of all we share common interests like DJ-ing, music in general, Space and science fiction... and conceptual Dj mixes. His, as I like to call "space program" DJ sets, are ambient mixes with Space as major concept sets you in specific condition: feeling that you float around space station, or exploring new solar systems, watching wonders of Cosmos or just travel "shape shifting from place to place, banding time, curving space..."
His mixes are very special for me, it sets me in special mood, right before I'ready to fell asleep and dream.

This one Drifting in Space mix is no exception. Filled with dreamy, space tracks and samples from random communications between astronauts. Those who have problems with sleeping, who need something to focus their mind before they get to that pre-dream state, or perfect soundtrack for reading classic Science Fiction classics. You can hear he have experience with programming the sets with right tracks, execution. It all gives such perfect result.

Also, if you check his soundcloud  you can find sets tribute to certain artists like Massive Attack, Aphex Twin, Drexciya, Boards of Canada, Global Communication and my significant other/future/wife's favorite 2hrs tribute mix to Biosphere.
Also he made special funky, soul, dub sets.

Check this guy, all I can do is highly recommend it to you. He is  professional, and on other hand he is genius.

Blog, facebook page, and you can start exploring Funky Jeff's out-of-this world.

Man... I really love this guy's mixes. Cheers Funky One!!!



Clubberia podcast 284: Petre Inspirescu




"Oh, minimal is dead, no minimal is alive." Quit that argument! Music is good or bad, no matter what do you call it these days. Yes I could talk ages about certain style/movement in techno history. I always loved good minimal techno or micro-house (oh my headache!!!) tunes and mixes. No doubt.

But there is country, actually a scene, where people don't think about it, and specially don't care how do you call their music. Romania and it's specific techno/house style will here to stay. There is something in the water that nice peeps from Romania drink and you can hear that in their music. Yes it is minimalistick, with constant deep locked groove, melancholic melody, that lead to hypnosis. And people love it, people producing it. I don't think it is only in Romania, but from my point of view, girls and boys live it that way, and it is phenomenon directly connected to this country.

When we talk about that certain style of electronic dance music, the most important export items, are... well I hate these capitalistic words. lets try again, shall we? The most important figures that came from that scene are guys known to the world as [a:rpia:r]: Rhadoo, Raresh and Pedro Inspirescu. and I must say they were under the wing of grande brujo Ricardo Villalobos, and when that moment happened: the explosion of minimal house/techno in mid 00's, they become one of game biggest draws. Just like Ricardo, they adopted his modus operandi: they rarely give any interviews or promo shootings, or any kind of modern promotional stunts. They simply don't need any. They let their music (magic) do things for them. All that "wall" of mystery give them possibility to do what they want to do - practicing musical magic were ever they perform. Their real success is that they used they popularity to move focus on other people, who do the same thing - and that is why Romania has such unique and strong minimal/micro house/techno scene, not only in Europe, but the whole world.

When I mentioned [a:rpia:r] earlier, one of those three guys, really caught my attention - and it was Petre Inspirescu. His music isn't much different from two others, but if you listen closely and match it with two other guys, you will find Petre Inspirescu much more melodic, with much more strange bass-lines, even chords and harmonies are complex then others. Of course it is not pissing contest, or who have larger one (pardon!!!), but I'm trying to give you my impression on Petre Inspirescu.

Just close your eyes and listen closely, maybe you will found something I didn't, and I hope you will be amazed - like I was.  
And here is the end of thought of this mix. Romanian scene is getting stronger, and more and more people are releasing more and more different music right now. After all it is not all the same in "minimal nation" and it would never be.


JD Twitch (Optimo) - Balearic Rhythms:

It is very hard to talk about Optimo, when my first review of their fabric mix was full of my snobism and lack of knowledge who and what Optimo are, and what they are doing and represent. I feel shame about that review, but I was young. Luckily for me that review was for one mag/portal that doesn't exist anymore.

But let's look at this masterpiece here. It is release like 90 minutes cassette with two sides, and it could be yours.

JD Twitch gathered, at least for me, lots of obscure to identify EBM tracks, that JD has collected through the decades. And he show his knowledge and the will to educate people. I hear EBM, no-wave, post-punk, synth/dark wave, industrial, sounds-like-Chris-and-Cosey, Depech Mode dub, and other genres. Records that should satisfy young and free who maybe dream about  Ebeefa (Ibiza, yes I know!) and Amnezia during 80s.
What is most important, we can dance our asses of to it now in pre-apocalyptic world of 2017.
I could write this down and just say three words: free-minded, exotic and educational. And his DJ technique here is incredible, constant building the tension, drop, rising and aggression.

Be happy to have this on soundcloud cause on original release of the tapes, these was written:
 "2 exclusive DJ Mixes from JD Twitch, exclusive to Monorail, limited to 100 on C90 Cassette. Screenprinted inlay."


Damir Plićanić

Thundercat - Drunk (Brainfeeder)

                                          

“I feel weird. Comb your beard, brush your teeth. Still feel weird

Beat your meat, go to sleep.

I think I left my wallet at the club!!! Jesus, take the wheel!”

- Thundercat - Captain Stupido

I could easily say that this album is perfect for falling in love, holding hands, watching sunsets, early mornings. Ideal for seasons changes when you throw your scarfs and heavy jackets, and start wearing lighter clothes... There is always "but"...

                                      

But it is so much more… It is personal musical confession of a man who is in love with music, his Ibanez six (or more strings) bass guitar, manga/anime connoisseur ("Gonna blow all my cash on anime, yes! Don't try to stop me 'cause i'm over 9000. Just point me to the pachinko machines. I think I'm Kenshiro, I think I'm Goku. Can I just stay one more day?" - Thundercat - Tokyo), plus long time friend and collaborator with Flying Lotus (Godfather), Daedelus (dandy technology freak who make his own synths and instruments), Gaslamp Killer (most blunted lover of psychedelic rock and jazz from all around the world, and hip hop academic) and one of masterminds behind Brainfeeder label/party/movement. 

                                           

Brainfeeder became collective of music open-mind  musicians and fans and who throw parties called Low End Theory, in the beginning with “open mic” concept, where anyone could make their (debut) before crowd. You could do anything, play anything, only if crowd respond to it.
                                               
And then, suddenly most celebrated artist Flying Lotus and his signing with Warp for an album Los Angeles, and his BBC Essential Mix - all happening in the same time, created such a buzz. That buzz turned the heads around the world, and suddenly whole music industry discovered small and dedicated scene full of artists – who didn’t give a… about fame. But they are here. The thing is that you can’t describe the sound of Brainfeeder, every musician/artist has his unique sound (and vision). Everybody went in their own musical wonderland. But they all worked with Stephen Bruner.

Steven Bruner aka Thundercat is the wunderkind, one of the kind, multi-instrumentalist, producer, singer, and bass player – but what a bass player. Before Drunk he already have three releases under his moniker. Also add to his CV playing with Suicidal Tendencies, actually their three albums, how about that!?  In musicologist-serious-music-journalist-wannabe words: imagine Miles Davis from On the Corner phase, with Steve Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life, meets Madlib and J Dilla, and add little bit of dreamy Californian psychedelia. He even sings: "Everybody wants to be a cat. It's cool to be a cat. Everything the light touches, it's where I will roar. My roar would be so powerful. I would scare off everything!" 

Bruner with such easiness combines free/spiritual jazz with pop and hip-hop. He is so sonic healthy, like an onion. Every time when I listen to Drunk, I find a new layer - that can be one second of the beat, new sound that wasn't there before or some chord changes, or new instrument in the background, or even some new meaning to the lyrics. Oh and his lyrics... he is such amazing poet. He touch things like negative sides of social media, how literally change our moods: "From the minute I wake up I'm starring at the screen, watching the world go insane. Gotta stay connected so I know what's happening, in these streets. Thank God for technology 'cause where would be if we couldn't tweet our thoughts? Won't you leave some things to mystery?", or consumerism and conformism ("You are so drunk, you miss it all, yay. Just make sure you have the right Jordans on, or be left behind to rot and die. Face down the gutter"), of course the climate change and environmentalism: "Oh 'cause look at the mess we've made. Who's gonna clean it up? Oh my God, where's Captain Planet?") Also want to mention song about finding Knowledge with capitol K, named Blakkk with lyrics combining with instrumental and voice that send chills through my spine: "...Take me to the highest mountain and the lowest seas...I want to experience all the light has to offer me... Bathing in your glow. Patterns in the light! Pressing your frontiers! Totally reborn!!!"

Ok for the great balance early mentioned educational and self-consciousness and world awareness there are pretty nice relaxed tracks like Tokyo (about that megalopolis), Friend Zone (we all been there hahaha), or slow-chill-man-dude-take that-drink-and-hug-your-love-one Show You the Way.


My significant other (Irena, I washed the dishes and made the lunch for you, before I started to make this review - true story) asked me, would you ever write review about some album that you didn't like, maybe to show people that there is so much hype about certain artist(s) but their last album was shit. Well honey I will. But first I must tell the World about this beauty on wax. Music is great, remember I said it is for both worlds: serious music lovers who want something special, and those who don't care what they're listening, or they just turn their top 40 radio station (you know those people, they are your family, friends, co-workers and passers-by on the street).
Yes, it went in shops in February, like a perfect background music for May and April, but for me, like Drunk's predecessor The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam EP, it will stay in my heart and soul for-ever. A spaceship to planet called Drunk.
Now I must choose words wisely cause, I glorify this album all the way: cause it's bare emotion, and you can't escape it's easiness and then discover it's depth - just as you can't escape first beam of Sun when you open your eyes in the morning... or afternoon, depends on your style of life. Even in night you will catch the glimpse of light beam from planet Drunk. 

meow-meow-meow


Damir Plićanić

Here We Go Again!

Hello my dear readers, friends and family. Datzee blog spot is back! For now, hopefully for good!

We are now in period where we are working on new, more sophisticated blog, project named Datzee blog 2.0. But until then we will for sure continue to spread love for music, art, make new friends, write reviews, posting podcasts... and again, LOVE.

!IMPORTANT
1. If you want to review your new music album, LP or EP contact us, send message, or old fashioned way damir.plicanic(at)gmail.com!!!
2. If you want to show the world your fascination with music, and want to share with us, and also like to mix, or make mixtapes for your friends, sent us (only exclusive, please don-t send us something that was already uploaded or share somewhere. From Death/Doom/Extreme metal over Breakcore, to Synth-Pop or Hip Hop, over Ambient till Techno and House: please send us your (for datzee podcast) on this blog as the message, or old fashioned way damir.plicanic(at)gmail.com or simply with letters and through post-office.
3. If you have any ideas you want to share with us or simply get in touch, you know the drill!
Contact over the blog, write email on damir.plicanic(at)gmail.com
 

So, for a fresh start I would like to share my new mix, just for you. If you want a tracklist? We will provide it. If you want to download it? We will make download link.
For now this is it. More fun and words are coming your way. Please, we would like if you comment, share or simply want to do something with us. We are here and please come by and say hello or what a bad review or podcast. or YOU Datzee SUCK, BITE IT YOU SCUM!!!

Only Love!!!