robert hood

Robert Hood – Paradygm Shift [DKMNTL050]

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Paradygm Shift is the first Robert Hood album to be released since 2012. A staggering record of techno dynamite sees the Detroit legend excelling at what he does best. Paradygm Shift is return to the distinguished style that defined Robert Hood’s music in the early 90s. It is the older, and more mature brother to Hood’s classic Minimal Nation, highlighting his more evolved, technical craftsmanship, It is an album of crisp, smooth and delicately orchestrated techno that is quintessentially minimal in focus, and grandiose in sound, juxtaposed with electronic funk, wrapped up in blisteringly urgent, and honest, pulsating techno.

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Robert Hood – Paradygm Shift [DKMNTL050]

Robert Hood – Paradygm Shift Vol. 2 [DKMNTL038]

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Earlier this year, Dekmantel announced the signing of Robert Hood for a new project titled Paradygm Shift. Over the course of three different EPs, which will eventually evolve into an album, the Detroit but now Alabama based legend presents Paradygm Shift. Hood: “The idea behind Paradygm Shift is similar to a shift in our focus. We can become so complacent, we are so comfortable with our surroundings, I think this is the time for electronic music to find a new mindset”. Volume II serves up two more killer techno floor bombs by the never disappointing originator. ‘Master Jack’ is a classy and deadly effective cut that gets its strength from a simple, yet biting stack of funky chords, while pulsating bass lines and rattling hats are holding it together. More fast-paced action can be found on ‘Magnet’, a no-nonsense, minimalist stomper you can store in your peak-time section. Refined techno action times two, but what did you expect.

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Robert Hood – Paradygm Shift Vol. 2 [DKMNTL038]

Robert Hood – Paradygm Shift Volume 1 [DKMNTL031]

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Dekmantel announce an exciting new project by the impeccable Robert Hood. Over the course of three different EPs and an album, the Detroit legend presents Paradygm Shift. Hood: ‘The idea behind Paradygm Shift is similar to a shift in our focus. We can become so complacent; we are so comfortable with our surroundings, I think this is the time for electronic music to find a new mindset.’

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Robert Hood – Paradygm Shift Volume 1 [DKMNTL031]

Robert Hood / Floorplan – Shaker / Ritual EP [EPM010V]

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For the first time this EP unites Robert Hood’s two dancefloor personalities on a brand new release. With one track as Robert Hood and the other under his Floorplan alias we certainly get the best of both worlds. ‘Shaker’ immerses you in those late-night moments when Robert graces the decks. It’s pulsating and hypnotic; stripped-back to the essentials. The beats, the groove, the perfectly placed vocal snippet – nothing is superfluous here. Robert’s Floorplan touch is all over ‘Ritual’. A shuffling Chi-town flavour, trademark hi-hats and a beast of a bassline underlies the track, with elegant synths that build to dizzying heights.

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Robert Hood / Floorplan – Shaker / Ritual EP [EPM010V]

Robert Hood – M Print: 20 Years Of M Plant Music [MPM025]

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Thirty three seminal Robert Hood productions: The M-Plant Mother lode has landed. Even if you’re well up to date on the Detroit legend’s storied career there’s no stopping the joy at what material has been included here – including – the best minimal techno production of all time: Monobox’s “Realm”. For something funkier there’s the “The Pace”, “The Greatest Dancer”, the all praising “We Magnify His Name” and “Monkey”. But wait: there’s more! “Alpha” and “The Family” from his Omega Man LP makes the cut as do the epic James Brown and Aretha Franklin samples from newer school Floorplan material “Baby Baby” and “Never Grow Old”. There’s also the legendary stuff like “Who Taught You Math” and “Minus” to “Protein Valve” and much, much more.

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Robert Hood – M Print: 20 Years Of M Plant Music [MPM025]

Robert Hood – Moveable Parts Chapter 1 [MPM024]

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If one variation of confused blips and synths gurgles underpinned by a rock solid 909 beat by Robert Hood isn’t enough than indulge yourself in two. For this first chapter of the Moveable Parts EP series, Hood’s work here will please those after some more Monobox action as both “Untitled 1” and “Untitled 4” are discombobulated versions of each other. If you’re after a mutant version of the latter for the packed dancefloor however, Hood’s got you covered with “Untitled Sketch”.

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Robert Hood – Moveable Parts Chapter 1 [MPM024]

Robert Hood – Protein Valve EP [MPM023]

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M Plant’s 20 Year anniversary celebrations are set to end on a high with a triple CD compilation featuring a wealth of new, remastered and unreleased material alongside some classics from the Robert Hood canon. Before then, the latest in an ongoing series of celebratory 12″ releases sees Hood look to the classic Protein Valve, which was the first 12″ issued on M Plant back in 1994. The title track has already been subject to some edits as part of this M Plant 20 series, but it’s nice to see three tracks from that original 12″ reissued here as a reminder how Hood’s pioneering minimal approach first took shape.

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Robert Hood – Protein Valve EP [MPM023]

Monobox aka Robert Hood – Film / Rectangle [MPM022]

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As part of M-Plant’s 20th Anniversary, it’s the perfect time for Robert Hood to re-visit one of his other decisive monikers, Monobox. The deep and melodious tones of ‘Film’ are beautifully offset by the tougher machine groove of ‘Rectangle’, with both tracks conveying the hypnotic minimalist approach of Hood’s otherworldly Monobox sound.

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Monobox aka Robert Hood – Film / Rectangle [MPM022]

Robert Hood – Protein Valve (Re-Plants) [MPM021]

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The Floorplan project show-cased Robert Hood’s love of gospel-tinged house, but as this, his latest release demonstrates, he remains a techno artist through and through. The Protein Valve record originally appeared on M Plant 20 years ago and like Hood’s Internal Empire and Minimal Nation releases, became a blueprint for minimal techno. On the “Re-Plant” and “Edit 1” versions, nagging, insistent percussion and an eerie organ sound create a sense of drama. However, the old approach proves to be the most effective and the second edit remains closer to the original sound, with jittery hats, unsettling organ riffs and the wind whooshing past in the background.

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Robert Hood – Protein Valve (Re-Plants) [MPM021]

Floorplan – Never Grow Old / Phobia (Re-Plant) [MPM020]

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Continuing the 20th anniversary celebrations of Robert Hood’s M-Plant label which began with Mark Broom’s edits of ‘Untitled 1’ and ‘One Touch’ in March, Hood now delivers remixes of two of his Floorplan tracks taken from the 2013 Paradise album.

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Floorplan – Never Grow Old / Phobia (Re-Plant) [MPM020]

Robert Hood – Mark Broom Edits [MPM019]

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This year Robert Hood celebrates the 20th anniversary of his M-Plant label with a sequence of EPs featuring classic M-Plant releases and rarities remixed and re-edited, a compilation bringing Hood’s huge body of work together and a series of special events. Kicking off the EP releases, UK techno stalwart Mark Broom delivers these exceptional edits of ‘Untitled 1’ from Hood’s series ‘Moveable Parts’ and ‘One Touch’ from the ‘Minimal Nation’ album.

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Robert Hood – Mark Broom Edits [MPM019]