Portishead 2012

I'm very pleased to say I've just bought my ticket for one of the most important (for me) events I'm going to attend during my life. I've been listening to this group for more than fifteen years, since they published their first album, Dummy. I think no introduction is needed, so I wont be writing a long entry for this, who doesn't know Portishead and their greatness?

Portishead return to Barcelona this summer. The format of the concert, designed by the British group also includes a number of groups chosen by the band and will continue until the morning at Razzmatazz. They will be making two shows in Barcelona so two of the five concerts of their 2012 European tour are going to take place in this city.

Beth Gibbons, Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley are working on what will be their new album, the fourth in study, of which very little is known so far.

More to come...

Senoid Recordings

Everybody knows Kike Pravda but maybe only some of their followers can feel what I feel when talking about him and his work during all these years. When I say "some" I don't pretend to refer to a little quantity of fans (although it is, compared to the total number of followers he's got), neither to mean I'm one of the chosen few (although I was lucky enough to spend some of my late teen years dancing to his early sets on the club that gave him his "surname").

I can't deny it's a fact that my techno evolution has been always guided by some special artists and he's been one of them. Everyone infected by the techno virus during the mid-late 90's in the North of Spain knows what I'm talking about. Sunday mornings were great during some years and we took the chance to learn about those deep, dark and even acid atmospheres that gave sense to the struggle through the week. Yes, I feel proud of see that he keeps fighting as a veteran but still strong techno soldier. I love to see both Psychoskunk Recordings heads keep working and giving amazing results (don't forget Víctor Martínez and his recent album... a masterpiece). And now, Kike has announced he's about to release a new imprint, Senoid Recordings. Was that release on M_REC digital some kind of warning? Lots of questions come to my mind but what I'm sure is this is going to be about quality serious music, real techno!

Good luck and congratulations for this one, Kike.

Djorvin Clain: Pattern Of Thought

This time I'm bringing here another kind of sounds. Another kind because the processes used to create this album have been really different from what we're used to and we can easily feel this difference while listening to the result. Musical landscapes taking the listener to somekind of round travel from the purest forests to the center of the universe. The album includes some ambient pieces combined with some more dub almost techno tracks. All together form a  perfectly written (on sounds) story that no audiophile should miss.

I'm talking about last Silent Season album release, by Djorvin Clain:

Pattern Of Thought speaks a believers language. It was created and processed with care. We experience time and our conscious emotions in a most individual space of mind. Our thoughts are formed by what we feel. Our own personal diary, the mind and heart guides us through.

All tracks and sounds where recorded in Belgium with the use of hardware instruments and several recording techniques, from field recordings to reel to reel tape. The sounds of the album are kept authentically as possible, away from what was happening in the music world around me, it is a deepest personal reflection.

Pattern Of Thought is best listened without headphones, on a comfortable level in the right environment for sound. Written & produced by Djorvin Clain.

Source: silentseason.com

Photography: 1960’s New York Skateboarders by Bill Eppridge

Skateboarding has always been an important part of my life. Although I don't practice that much lately (my body doesn't allow me to do it), I have some friends that still kick it hard, as Eduardo Ortiz "Vision" or Daniel Yabar. I'd like this post to be some kind of tribute for them and all those not so young skateboarders that still feel the need to ride almost everyday.

I've found some pictures from the 60's related to skateboarding. I think we all think in the typical Californian ambience when talking about early skateboarding, so watching all these pics made in NYC on the 60's has been really interesting for me:

From the lens of Photographer Bill Eppridge and brought to our attention by Retronaut, 1960s NYC goes skating. You get the feeling that someone just pulled up with a truck full of boards, handed them out and looked on as everyone went a little nuts. We can’t pretend we weren’t pulled in by the amazing garms some of these guys are sporting but these images are just about big fun. Respect to all the perfectly turned out ladies who don’t even bat an eyelid as out of control kids hurtle towards their ankles. Images via Life.

Source: http://www.selectism.com

February techno promo set

Anahata (Sanskrit: अनाहत, Anāhata) is the fourth primary chakra according to the Hindu Yogic and Tantric (Shakta) traditions.
In Sanskrit the word anahata - means unhurt, un-struck and unbeaten. Anahata Nad refers to the Vedic concept of unstruck sound, the sound of the celestial realm.

Lots of music have passed trough my ears during this month. Some of the tracks are available for free and some of them are not, but what it's obvious is that techno has lived a great evolution during the last two years and I think no one has been able to scape from the influence of this new era, no matter the format... and I'm not an exception. I feel really comfortable playing with those so called Berlin sounds and I like to mix them with some non regular 4x4 techno tracks when I think it's needed.

I've recently discovered the music of the BCR Boys and I found on it that kind of effective darkness that in my opinion is perfect to punish any dancefloor. I came across some BCR free tracks on soundcloud so I've used it alongside some other free tracks that Mattias Fridell and Plus Eins generously offer to their regular fans.

I also find really interesting Isomer Transition's and Peel Seamus' (one of Marsel Delsin's alias) music but never used any of their tracks on a set, so I felt this was the right time to use two of them to mark what I think are the two turning points of this set.

There are also tracks from Mike Dehnert (pure fun for a dj), Pigon and Mr. Van Hoesen among others... It may sound even a bit trendy using so much of their music on the same set but hey, this is all about having fun and telling a musical story and, as I said before, I feel really comfortable using this kind of sounds for that purpose.

I hope you also have fun listening to the result. Any comment is more than welcome:

   humo - techno promo - febrer 2012 by humo

January chart

First chart of 2012 (a bit late). January uses to be more quiet when talking about releases and this has not been a big exception.

The first record I've added to my list this month is a quite deep two track EP that I'm really enjoying. I'm talking about the 8th reference on Dekmantel. 

My second choice, has been Chimera EP on one of the most difficult to type (for me, of course) but most active labels during the last 3-4 years: Nachtstrom Schallplatten. Yes, I know, that's not such a long name. I have memorized lots and lots of labels and references. But when I try to write the name of this one, I always put a letter in a wrong place or something like that... Pure darkness on an EP that I'll play a lot. Specially Perc's remix, a quite industrial track that makes want to dance agressively. Both tracks by Ralph Mirto are also great if you want to deliver some punishment to the dancefloor.

Figure is one of my favourite record labels and A. Mochi has always been a really interesting artist for me. If you check this EP you will know what I'm talking about. I think "Black Reign" and "Phantom" could be a great definition of what could be considered Figure's message when looking into its pure dark techno oriented side, and "Stray" contains the restrained dose of dub that this label uses to supply.

Let's go a bit more serious and continue punishing the dancers down there with Perc Trax' nr. 51. When it comes to this, this label doesn't use to have any punches, and I love it. I mean, is like when you're buying a Token release. You know that you're getting a very useful tool when looking to get some response.

And as if I were preparing a set right now, I think it would be really effective to continue with any of the tracks included on Gynoid's 8th reference. Original by Sev Dah, remixes by Mr. Suckut, Donor / Truss and Grovskopa (it looks like this is going his last released track for a while...).  I think that could be enough to start a bit of self-punishment if you miss your copy of this... I think this could be my favourite on this chart, and I'm sure it'll be a faithful sidekick. Ultrarecommended!!!

A bit of good and hot dub from Eduardo de la Calle in his own label Ánalog Solutions. This is not the firts time I talk about EDLC and AS, but the fact is he's been doing a great job during several years now and I think he's not getting as much attention as he deserves. I love the classic feeling he keeps in most of his tracks. I sometimes miss the mixture of dub and acid I used to listen in the late 90's stuff and Eduardo keeps working on that feeling and he does it at a high level.

The man of the moment, Marcel Dettman has released on Music Man an EP that has really surprised me. The oringinal track is just perfect in my honest opinion. I've never seen this kind of sounds on Dettman's portfolio before and I'm loving it... Deep, hard, away from the typical 4x4 fat bass techno beat he uses to deliver and a perfect deeper, in possible, and more hot remix. A must, even just for listening.

Let me add a bit of Electro-House to my collection. When talking about originality and effective music, I think Modeselektor is name to mention. Please, let me know if you don't agree. But I'm sure you won't. I think this is their 3rd year running their own label: Monkeytown and this is the 20th release. Ain't that amazing? Well, we all know what's the deal when talking about this duo. Freek techno, electro and house. That let me be a amateur soothsayer will be followed but some remixes EPs that will gild the lily. Let's see, maybe I'm wrong.

Token, nr. 20, Phase, sold out. I won't say anything else.

And last but not least, limited edition on M_Rec by Mr. Ben Gibson. For me, he's one of the techno lords in the line of people like Inigo Kennedy, Jeff Mills, Surgeon, James Ruskin... well, you know what I mean, right? This release, sold out too, is a clear example of what I'm talking about. The sounds on it are on a level above most of all the stuff coming out lately. That's my opinion of course. Three tracks by Gibson and a really well worked remix by Samuli Kemppi... ah! I was late for this one. I hope I can put my hands on it!!!

Check my January chart here

Obey Your Master: A Tribute to Metallica at Exhibit A Gallery (Los Angeles, USA)

Interesting and well deserved exhibition is planned from Jan 23rd to March 23rd. Art pieces by Shepard Fairey, Nicola Verlato (oil on canvas), Brian M. Viveros (oil/mixed media on maple board), Gail Potocki (oil on linen), Patrick Fogarty (sculpture), will show the personal and unique feeling and inspiration Metallica has ment to them along all this years. The artists themselves will show the explanation of these influences and memories next to their artworks or simply explain what Metallica's music means for them.

The opening will be invite only but the show will be open the rest of its existence. 

 " Limited edition Shepard Fairey prints of his piece will be available, as well as a limited number of "Obey Your Master" Alva Exhibit A Gallery skateboard decks, with the proceeds going to the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles.  

For more information, visit Exhibitagallery.com. "

Source: Juxtapoz.com