It must be stated immediately: this compilation is a magical gem – a living organism. It has been in my life for 14 days now, breathing with me in a variety of environments; at work; in my bedroom; whilst making dinner; whilst window shopping; and now, sitting in a quiet park transcribing my thoughts about it. Every day has yielded a new favourite track, a new overwhelming emotional attachment. This phenomenon has continued in a gravitating, spiral form, to the point where now the depths of my soul have been parented by the album as a whole.
One of my initial thoughts when the aura of this music first began ingratiating itself upon me was of a Godly nature – who created these spiritually piercing sounds?
Not altogether surprising to me, I discovered this ‘God’ was, in fact, Japanese producer Susumu Yokota (unsurprising, because Japan has always had a sense of mystique and ethereality, as seen in the nobility and spirit of the Samurai culture, or the inter-planetary, technologic Anime fascination). A highly creative artist, whose output covers everything from early techno/house production, and later, ambient electronica (of which this compilation focuses on), through to graphic design and planning, Susumu Yokota has been flowering a burgeoning body of work in the music realm since his debut release, in 1993.
The title of this compilation, ‘Skintone Collection’, refers to a collation of back-catalogue tracks from Yokota’s record label, ‘Skintone’. Plucking some of the most emotionally engaging tracks from 10 of Yokota’s Skintone albums, this collection has been compiled and arranged by the highly accomplished UK radio producer/DJ, Ben Eshmade. Eshmade began his music career as a DJ in the early 80’s, impressing niche audiences and breaking convention by steering ears away from the popular ‘New Romantics’ synth-pop affection of the time. With an ever-developing, eclectic taste in music, Eshmade eventually moved into the field of radio, where he now presents the widely regarded digital broadcast, ‘The Chiller Cabinet’. More recently, he has begun promoting live music as part of the collective, ‘The Arctic Circle’. It is therefore appropriate, and justified, that Eshmade be called upon to compile this, the first, ‘Best of’ compilation of the prolific Japanese producer’s much adorned body of work.
‘Skintone Collection’, for those unfamiliar with Yokota’s music, is the perfect invitation into his magical world, and one which will leave you with a thirst for the juices of his back-catalogue. For those already aware of Yokota’s genius, this compilation will be a wonderfully melancholic and nostalgic reflective journey into the memories of your soul.
Click here to hear a track off the album on YouTube
Skintone Collection was released in 2007, and is available to download from Amazon - click here
Showing posts with label Electronica. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Electronica. Show all posts
Thursday, July 31, 2008
[CD Review] Kiln - Dusker
Nostalgia
n. homesickness; sentimental yearning for (some period of) the past
Onomatopoeia is the term used for words that aurally sound like the object or thing being described. For example; ‘buzzing’, or ‘cracking’. I am not aware if there is a term coined to describe words that have a heavy emotional correlation, words like ‘melancholy’, or ‘nostalgia’. Considering the piercing omnipotence of such a concept, I am sure if I looked hard enough I would find one.
‘Dusker’, the new album from the Michigan-based project ‘Kiln’ (an electronic/ambient trio comprising Kevin Hayes, Kirk Marrison, and Clark Rehberg III) invokes an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. But here is the somewhat extraordinary twist to the usual connotations that encapsulate nostalgia: it invokes feelings of reminiscence that don’t actually exist in my memory. In other words, it is conjuring up emotional connections that do not exist in real terms. As an atheist, I believe that this is as spiritual as our reality can get, and as such, this album is a precious beacon to a world in which humanity is getting bound closer together, yet spiraling more out of touch every day.
‘Dusker’ is released on ‘Ghostly International’; a label founded in 1999 by Samuel Valenti IV from the humble beginnings of a college dormitory in his home state of Michigan, USA. Heavily influenced by the electronic dance music coming out of Detroit, Valenti acted on a vision to create a label which maintained a certain artistic aesthetic, and represented a wide range of quality sounds in the electronic genre. Breaking such key artists as Tadd Mullinix (aka Dabrye) and Matthew Dear (aka Audion), Ghostly International has steadily grown into a widely respected label with global receptivity. Indeed, with a grasp reaching as far flung as Germany, where the likes of Fedde Le Grande are putting their hands up in homage for the label’s first release – Matthew Dear’s ‘Hands Up For Detroit’.
Similar to all the great landmark albums in contemporary music (The Beatles ‘Abbey Road’, Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’) Kiln have condensed their album to a palatable running time of just 52 minutes. Despite an availability of up to 80 minutes on an audio CD, it is widely accepted that such running times are inductive to enabling the listener to form an attachment to albums as a whole. It is for this fact, and also through utilizing similar key tones and pitch across various tracks - almost (but calculatingly not quite) to the point of questionable repetition – that Kiln have produced an album which holistically embodies its listener. ‘Dusker’ is the perfect ear-piece accompaniment for travel across metropolitan city landscapes; whereby the population is abundant, yet the isolation is rife.
Click here to hear a track off the album on YouTube
Dusker was released in 2007, and is available to download from Amazon - click here
n. homesickness; sentimental yearning for (some period of) the past
Onomatopoeia is the term used for words that aurally sound like the object or thing being described. For example; ‘buzzing’, or ‘cracking’. I am not aware if there is a term coined to describe words that have a heavy emotional correlation, words like ‘melancholy’, or ‘nostalgia’. Considering the piercing omnipotence of such a concept, I am sure if I looked hard enough I would find one.
‘Dusker’, the new album from the Michigan-based project ‘Kiln’ (an electronic/ambient trio comprising Kevin Hayes, Kirk Marrison, and Clark Rehberg III) invokes an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. But here is the somewhat extraordinary twist to the usual connotations that encapsulate nostalgia: it invokes feelings of reminiscence that don’t actually exist in my memory. In other words, it is conjuring up emotional connections that do not exist in real terms. As an atheist, I believe that this is as spiritual as our reality can get, and as such, this album is a precious beacon to a world in which humanity is getting bound closer together, yet spiraling more out of touch every day.
‘Dusker’ is released on ‘Ghostly International’; a label founded in 1999 by Samuel Valenti IV from the humble beginnings of a college dormitory in his home state of Michigan, USA. Heavily influenced by the electronic dance music coming out of Detroit, Valenti acted on a vision to create a label which maintained a certain artistic aesthetic, and represented a wide range of quality sounds in the electronic genre. Breaking such key artists as Tadd Mullinix (aka Dabrye) and Matthew Dear (aka Audion), Ghostly International has steadily grown into a widely respected label with global receptivity. Indeed, with a grasp reaching as far flung as Germany, where the likes of Fedde Le Grande are putting their hands up in homage for the label’s first release – Matthew Dear’s ‘Hands Up For Detroit’.
Similar to all the great landmark albums in contemporary music (The Beatles ‘Abbey Road’, Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’) Kiln have condensed their album to a palatable running time of just 52 minutes. Despite an availability of up to 80 minutes on an audio CD, it is widely accepted that such running times are inductive to enabling the listener to form an attachment to albums as a whole. It is for this fact, and also through utilizing similar key tones and pitch across various tracks - almost (but calculatingly not quite) to the point of questionable repetition – that Kiln have produced an album which holistically embodies its listener. ‘Dusker’ is the perfect ear-piece accompaniment for travel across metropolitan city landscapes; whereby the population is abundant, yet the isolation is rife.
Click here to hear a track off the album on YouTube
Dusker was released in 2007, and is available to download from Amazon - click here
[Music Mixtape] Psychedelic Rock / Acid Electronica
Over the past 6 months or so I've been really getting back into rock music sounds (previously I had been enraptured by house music, and house music alone). As with any sort of new sound, I find that I prefer getting an idea as to its origins before involving myself in the contemporary releases. About 3 months ago, I went to a psychedelic electronica warehouse party, and took magic mushrooms for the first time. This experience coincided with the 60s/70s psychedelic rock music that I had just started collecting. The planets were aligned, and this music made a real connection with my soul.
Here is a 20 minute mixtape that I compiled in homage to psychedelic rock / acid electronica.
01) Woodstock Announcement
02) Tangerine Dream - Impressions Of Sorcerer
03) Gershon Kingsley - Sunset Sound
04) Hendrix - Live At Woodstock
05) Pink Floyd - Any Colour You Like
06) Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells
07) Le Tone - New Memory
Download (right-click, save as...)
Here is a 20 minute mixtape that I compiled in homage to psychedelic rock / acid electronica.
01) Woodstock Announcement
02) Tangerine Dream - Impressions Of Sorcerer
03) Gershon Kingsley - Sunset Sound
04) Hendrix - Live At Woodstock
05) Pink Floyd - Any Colour You Like
06) Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells
07) Le Tone - New Memory
Download (right-click, save as...)
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