i'm still not dead, here's still some more mixes!

happy last day of the first decade of the second millennium (i think). i've been too busy to focus on writing lately but i've been enjoying some delicious mixes lately. here's some:

dasha rush - mnml ssgs mx40: intense vertical and sleepless horizontal
another gem from mnml ssgs... i had never heard of dasha rush before listening to these mixes, but since that first listen i've been keen to check out her sound and her record label, fullpanda. there are actually two parts to this mix: 'intense vertical' aptly describes the 80 minutes or so of deep, driving, atmospheric techno... i've already listened to this all the way through a number of times and it is lovely. 'sleepless horizontal' is a bit more... experimental. dasha takes a spoken-word text and layers it with ambient soundscapes. the musical backing provides an interesting context for the story; definitely an intriguing 'read.' check out the ssgs blog for more info and tracklisting.

suspect - live set, june 2007 paris
found out about this guy by looking up the fullpanda label and its team of producers. even though this is more than two years old, to me it really exhibits a bit of a timeless quality. it's only a half-hour long, but it definitely sounds like it would fit in with dasha rush and her label: more intense techno with disorienting melodies. check out his website for more information and a bunch of free tracks (which i've admittedly not scrutinized yet).

scion - dj set at nightgroove 2001
not really sure what the origin of this is and the sound quality is average at best, but who cares when it's this good. scion is substance and vainqueur, two parts of the chain reaction collective and some of the original purveyors of dub techno, so it makes sense that these guys would have an amazing collection of tracks to work with. this mix goes all over the place, and sometimes the transitions between different tracks and moods is pretty rough, but really, the track selection is stellar. the mix usually goes back and forth between hypnotic, dubby house/techno and more 'authentic' dub tracks filled with effects. did i say these tracks are fucking amazing? definitely worth a late-night listen. check an incomplete tracklisting here.

ok, that's it for now: three (well, technically four) mixes to bite into; all will require a bit of patience but it will be rewarded. i hope to discuss my thoughts regarding electronic dance music in 2009, including some of my favorite releases and whatnot... but until then, enjoy these mixes and happy new year!

vainqueur - elevation (1996, chain reaction 07)

after discussing some modern dub-techno, let's take it back to the mid 1990s and discuss one of the early proponents of the genre: rene lowe, aka vainqueur, an early contributor to the venerable post-basic channel label, chain reaction. here is one of his masterpieces: elevation.

vainqueur's music is definitely influenced by basic channel's dub-inflected minimal techno of just a few years earlier, but whereas the BC axis placed heavy emphasis on unrelenting drum loops, elevation lacks almost all 'conventional' percussion, leaving only barely-pronounced stabs of sound to indicate rhythm under a blissful, loud storm of analog noise. both tracks here extend well past the 10-minute mark; without the hyperactive drumming common in his peers' music, but with staggered rhythmic elements (in 5/4 time signatures?), vainqueur creates a spacious environment for home listening and contemplation.

i tend to dissect and analyze the music i listen to, but vainqueur's never-ending drones have, in my experience, proven basically impenetrable to such scrutiny. this is something to put on and relax to, or even sleep to. big thanks to ripped in glasgow for sharing this gem. enjoy!