For the 101 release Semantica comes with a special triple album packed with talented techno producers dropping some deep trippy techno knowledge right here.
001.Features
Ian Martin – Bheal [NYH035]
Masterful electronics and industrial tinged ambient workouts by expert and SEER head Ian Martin. Some of the darkest vibes this side of Lustmord, some of the wildest electronics this side of PAN…
Alessandro Cortini – Forse 1 [IMPREC373LP]
Alessandro Cortini (Nine Inch Nails/How To Destroy Angels) composed the Forse series using a Buchla Music Easel. Forse, meaning ”maybe” In Italian, is a series of 3 double LP releases Cortini recorded for Imprec to release in 2013. ”All pieces were written and performed live on a Buchla Music Easel, in the span of one month. I found that the limited array of modules that the instrument offers sparked my creativity. Most pieces consist of a repeating chord progression, where the real change happens at a spectral/dynamic level, as opposed to the harmonic/chordal one. I believe that the former are just as effective as the latter, in the sense that the sonic presentation (distortion , filtering, wave shaping, etc) are just as expressive as a chord change or chord type, and often reinforce said chord progressions. Of all the years with Nine Inch Nails the period spent writing and recording the instrumental record Ghosts I-IV is probably the one which changed my approach to music making the most. After that record I started getting more into instrumental composition, although I tried to approach it in a different way. While we had a vast array of tools and instruments at our disposal then, I decided to approach my pieces limiting myself to one instrument only, as I found myself being more decisive when faced with a limited creative environment.”
Beau Wanzer – Issue N. Twenty [JG020]
Kris Wadsworth – Breed 04 [BREED04]
Spoiled Drama – This Is Our Mission [F//006]
Spoiled Drama reemerges exhibiting their darker side on “This is Our Mission”, their debut on the label embodiment of Berlin’s Fleisch collective. The five track EP exhibits a unique range and dexterity, blurring lines between the realms of techno, EBM, acid and electro with a touch of maladjusted pop and post-punk. From the anxious beat and shimmering tones of “Another Death Experience” to the ritualistic war drums and heavily distorted vocals of “Kisses Are Out of Fashion”, expect to feel dizzied, unnerved, yet beckoned to move. The eponymous track closes out the EP in an undeniably Drexciyan fashion, low-pitched vocals emerging from watery depths in lush sweeping pads and dissonant melodies. A mission accomplished with style.
Trancesonic – New Crime LP [DE175]
Tranceonic is the duo of Carlos Perón and Boris Blank of Yello who met in 1971 in their hometown of Zürich. From 1973 to 1976 they played in the New Wave group Urland. After the split of the group Perón founded the Tranceonic studio with his equipment in his private flat. Carlos invited Boris over to his studio and a concentrated work began. The idea was to make experimental new music with the hopes of having a hit in the United States. Everybody at this time was into punk, but Tranceonic loved industrial and electronic sounds. Their foresight and innovation created new ideas. Perón and Blank made electronic avant-garde music informed by the Berlin and Cologne schools. By 1978 the two had enough material to record an album and made a trip to San Francisco to visit Ralph Records. The Residents promised to release the music if the duo removed all the tape hiss, which never materialized. ‘New Crime’ is the first ever vinyl compilation of material produced, recorded, performed and mixed at Tranceonic Studio between 1976-1979.
VA – XXX666 [XXX666]
The first part of the limited edit series. Four obscure electronic edits pressed on a 12inch plus a digital bonus track.
Acid Jesus – Flashbacks 1992-1998 [AERO030]
Acid Jesus, the first of many collabs between Roman Flügel and Jörn Elling Wuttke. Situated in Germany’s then blistering techno scene and especially a mirror of Frankfurt at the time (and it´s holy label trinity of Playhouse, Klang and Ongaku), Flashbacks are also a feedback loop to what was happening in the UK and the USA. Flügel and Wuttke succeeded with their own and unique take on it, that owned as much to Underground Resistance and the Belleville Three as it did to Sven Väth and Andrew Weatherall. Including 3 (+1 more on MP3) unreleased tracks.
VA – PT 010 [PT010]
The 10th release from Polybius Trax is a collection of 6 tracks from Roger van Lunteren, Nikolay Sunak, Moralez and I-VIL.
John Heckle – Changes EP [SRTX019]
Super Rhythm Trax welcomes producer John Heckle to the label. On this release you’ll find heavy nods to Detroit as the music is bursting with soaring chords and emotion but all the time underpinned by the heaviest of 909 beats.
Mantra – Mindstream [PT009]
After delivering the 8th Polybius Trax’s release under Myriadd’s alias, Craig Stainton strikes again. And this time he does it under the name of Mantra with 4 tracks of jackin’, acid house and acid techno. With this EP “The Seventh Seal” (PT009) and with its predecessor in the label “A New Day” (PT008), shows us of his mastery in the art of invoicing dance music under the different strands of acid.
O Yuki Conjugate – Scene In Mirage [ERC053]
Emotional Rescue returns to the music of “dark ambient” pioneers O Yuki Conjugate (OYC) with the reissue of their debut album, ‘Scene in Mirage’. Released in 1984, it’s post-industrial; cold wave overtures mixed with an ambient oeuvre created a compelling album that has gained cult status. Quickly selling out in its original pressing, inexplicably their record label decided not to re-press, so an expanded cassette version called ‘Scene In Mirage/Soundtracks’ was re-released on the band’s own Final Image label with an accompanying video. Here, Emotional Rescue’s re-issue combines the best of both versions in a lovingly recreated sleeve taken from the original design templates. Based around original members Roger Horberry and Andrew Hulme, OYC is now returning in its fourth incarnation with live shows and hopefully, new music to come. Watch the horizon.
The Hacker – Le Théâtre Des Opérations [DE184]
Dark Entries announce the latest album from Michel Amato aka The Hacker, ‘Le Théâtre des Opérations’. Michel’s new live project sees the enigmatic artist go back to his roots, performing a 100% analogue set directly inspired by his first true loves of New Wave and dark, powerful techno. ‘Le Théâtre des Opérations’ features 8 new tracks spread evenly across 2×12’s cut at 45rpm for maximum sound quality and DJ utility. The title comes from a metaphysical journal by French-born Canadian science fiction writer Maurice G Dantec. Passionate about avant-garde techno, The Hacker has taken his influences and crafted a potent homage to the power of the synthesizer. Songs veer from gritty, raw EBM to dark, subterranean electro, effortlessly channeling the strains of the Michel’s musical DNA. The only vocal track features an appearance by longtime friend and collaborator Miss Kittin, named Time X’ after the French science fiction television series Temps X.
Intrzn – Zones [CHAR013]
Nico Nightingale, aka Neud Photo, is no stranger to collaborations. The New Yorker’s latest sees him teaming up with Cristiano F. Grimaldi to form INTRZN, a partnership meshing a free style approach to melodies with cold rhythms. Their “Zone” quartet is a twilight of fluctuating moods. Percussion is bare, allowing bright bars to shine and darker moments to fester. Music which in one breath is elated and uplifting and, the next, dejected and downtrodden.
Mr. Eff – The Parallel LP [GD028]
Introducing Mr. Eff. Part myth, part man. Dragging by the arm to safety through digital swamps and haunted houses, The Parallel stands as a singular vision of Miltonian proportions. Small vignettes and passing scenes give way to grandiose and beautiful moments, from the wave-sleaze of Midnight Predator to the pre-credits Suicide-tribute of H E A R T T H R O B, The Parallel works as much for drive time as it does for drifting off to a far off land that is both wonderful and strange.
HAEX-HRLL – North of Warren EP [GD027]
An addendum horrificata to the fantastic LP, Haex-Hrll AKA DJ Overdose returns from the nether regions of space with a louder dancefloor cut of sleeper hit ‘North Of Warren’ accompanied by witchy and dread filled extras. Remixes are provided by label heads Antoni Maiovvi who takes Test Tube Babies from the ‘Further From The Truth’ LP into tripped out waters and Vercetti Technicolor, who reimagines ‘North Of Warren’ for blood-soaked 90s Hollywood vampires.
Versalife – Soul Of The Automaton Pt.1 [TRSD005A]
A new transmission from the Pasadena Oceanlab by Versalife. The start of a new saga where he explores the boundaries between electro romantic sounds and glitchy idm percussions.
AB2088 – TX0 [CPU00110100]
AB2088 aka Andy Brown emerged from the shadows earlier this year with his critically acclaimed debut album ‘Sagittarius’ on Computer Club. TX0 follows up in the form of a mini LP and 7″ single on CPU. Brown has already shown his knack for crafting beautiful red planet-esque techno and this album galvanises his reputation. A number of different tempos and dystopian soundscapes can be found throughout, all held together with jacking TR style sequences.
Playgroup – Previously Unreleased Volume 2 [YW002X]
Following the success of last years Playgroup ‘Previously Unreleased’ album and its critically-acclaimed run of nine weekly 12′ vinyl EPs, Trevor Jackson has compiled a second volume of 20 tracks (11 unheard and 9 previously vinyl only) released as a Limited Edition Double CD and 6 track vinyl sampler on Nov 3rd via Yes Wave records. The music featured is a collection of reworked demos and unreleased recordings. A hedonistic mix of raw Disco, Dub, Funk, Dancehall. Electro, New Wave & Post Punk that all still sound as relevant today as they did when initially recorded for the debut PLAYGROUP album during 1997 – 2001.
The Hipodrome Of Music 