The fourth release in Dekmantel Record’s tenth-anniversary, celebratory release series is a collection of new material from some of the label’s favourite artists. A blend of the old and new, brought together through a shared love of electro, and wave influenced grooves by the likes of Palms Trax, The Egyptian lover, Interstellar Funk and Syracuse & Epsilove.
Robin De Wolf is a man of many talents (and identities). Almost two years ago, he co-produced a groundbreaking debut EP, as one half of SHIN. At the moment, he’s making a name for himself as ‘Phara’ with uncompromising hard techno on labels such as Black Sun and Stockholm LTD. And now he delivered us three solid tracks under his new alter ego ‘Robert D’. While ‘Un Ni Yo is a house track with a wavy sound and affective synths, the second A-sided track ‘Dommel’ is a banger that begins with a smooth intro that changes over into hard kicks and raw bass chords. On the B-side, you can find a more melancholic uptempo track that goes by the name of White’s Wisdom. Interstellar Funk’ tops it all off with a remix of ‘Un Ni Yo’ that combines the wavy sound of the original with synth-heavy electronics.
Private Eyes, a duo made up of Interstellar Funk and Jeroen, two storied members of Amsterdam’s underground electronic music community. Two analogue-heavy electronic workouts that tend towards the atmospheric. A-side “Mirror Image” is spacey and melodious, with an Italo-disco inspired arpeggio bassline underpinning galactic chords and memorable piano lines. It’s a collection of complimentary analogue elements tweaked for maximum late night enjoyment. On the flip you’ll find Interstellar Funk going solo with “Anasazi”, an altogether deeper, more hypnotic affair. Its’ distinctive rhythm comes not from bold drum machine beats, but rather the rising and falling of intricate, micro-house style melodies and looped electronics. It feels like it was influenced by the aural textures of dub techno, the phase-based minimalism of Steve Reich, and the deep space ethos of early ’90s European ambient music.
Ace four-tracker. Caves was created in the aftermath of a devastating set by DJ Stingray, and sounds like it: storming but funky, infused with the spirit of classic Detroit techno. Spacetown marries Arpanet and John Carpenter, with a saturnine melody which sticks in the mind. Flip it for a deadly Caves remix by man-of-the-year Convextion, inimitably sci-fi but banging; and the elemental, ambient accomplishment of The Strips, consolidating the promise on show throughout.
Inter the Dragon: two of Holland’s absolute finest rumbled through 90m of burners for a very rare tag-team at ADE.
World of Rubber 3 is compiled to make you cry, love, stomp and vomit. Rebellious heavyhitter and lovely melodic excursion provided by Japanese Wave-duo Group A, acid smash and catchy synthpopper by Interstellar Funk, basement 808 TECH-NO-SHIT by DJ Overdose and Dutch ”Pop not Pop” by Leuk & Ko. Brought to you from Den Haag on a white immaculate platter with fresh inlay design.
Amsterdam based Faster Action surfaces on L.I.E.S. with a fresh two track 12 inch. Stated as ”DJ Tools for the DJs” this is what we get here, with the a-side sounding like an late-80s industrial strength 909 driven EBM cut, while the b-side goes strong with a metallic beat track perfect for the adventurous working DJ.
“Electric Park Square” is Interstellar Funk’s debut EP on the Rush Hour label. The mystical six tracker takes you on an adventurous multidimensional journey. Part of a new breed of young Dutch producers and DJs, Interstellar Funk crafts magical melodies and textured tracks that look to the future whilst taking cues from the past.
Dekmantel launches Selectors, a new intimate festival and a compilation series. The concept of Selectors focuses heavily on Dekmantel’s support for the art of DJ’ing, celebrating the extra-ordinary DJs that turned collecting and playing music into an art form. The festival will take place at the Garden Resort in Tisno and will host just 1500 people with amongst others Aroy Dee, Carlos Souffront, Helena Hauff, I-F, Traxx, Intergalactic Gary, Juju & Jordash and Motor City Drum Ensemble on the bill. The latter is also responsible for the first Selectors compilation.
Continue reading “Selectors 2016 @ The Garden (Tisno, Croatia) 1-5.09.2016”
First solo EP by Interstellar Funk on Tape Records. Driving sinister tracks giving you an eerie sensation of spaciousness supported by subtle melodylines bubbling up and touching you right where it matters.
Amsterdam’s fastest, getting down with the machines and laying down some proper dirty rhythm tracks.
3rd installement in the Tape Sampler Series. Only local artists again: Deniro, Tape dj’s, Interstellar Funk and Haron & Jeroen.
The Hipodrome Of Music 