On Friday, the people of Denmark, have a national holiday for Repentance and Prayer (check here, we're not making it up) so the good people at Culture Box have organised a Thursday night of debauchery to give you something to be sorry for as they've invited Marcel Dettmann to descend on the Black Box, with the help of Wincent Kunth, to showcase the considerable sounds of MDR Records. The Berghain resident oozes techno from every creative orifice and some would say his MDR imprint is the most pure reflection of the passion and knowledge Marcel has towards his chosen artform. His Boiler Room set from last year should certainly help get you in the mood for tomorrow night.
Warming up the room will be our very own XI, as he makes his debut in the Danish capital. Having learnt the art of warm up DJ'ing across the venues of London, we know he'll have the room set up perfectly for the stars of the show to unleash their sonic offensive. The whole club will be open with US house legend George Morel heading things up in the Red Box and Rasmus Bro in the White Box. Full event info can be found on the Culture Box Website.
Hot on the heels of Ben Klock's contribution to the fabric CD series we have another techno selection from our favourite techno duo as Function and Regis, as Sandwell District, bring you fabric 69. Although the pair still DJ together regularly all over the world, this is the first release in any form, as Sandwell District, since the label ceased on NYE '11. What starts off a dark intense examination of your psyche steadily grows and expands into a full on techno workout laying homage to the 20 years of techno that the pair have been so instrumental in building and so heavily influences their sound. Check out the official teaser video from fabric below
Tracklisting 1) Silent Servant - A Path External [Hospital Productions] 2) Function - Voiceprint (Loop/Edit) [Ostgut Ton] 3) VCMG - Spock (Regis Remix) (Loop/Edit) [Mute] 4) Boyd Rice / Frank Tovey - Extraction 7 [Mute] 5) Raime - Exist In The Repeat Of Practice [Blackest Ever Black] 6) Ike Yard - Loss (Regis Version) [Blackest Ever Black] 7) Vatican Shadow - Church Of All Images (Regis Version) [Blackest Ever Black] 8) Fiedel - Andreas (Bonus Beats) [Fiedelone] 9) Cub - CU2 (UST Funk Mix) [Cub] 10) Mary Velo - Detune [Frozen Border] 11) JPLS - Basis [Minus] 12) Rrose - Wedge [Eaux] 13) Ø - Syvåys [Såhkö] 14) Rrose - Wedge [Euax] 15) Function - Modifier [Ostgut Ton] 16) Carl Craig - Darkness [Plant E] 17) Markus Suckut - Hunt [Figure SPC] 18) Samuel Kerridge - Waiting For Love Part 1[Downwards] 19) Untold - Motion The Dance [Hemlock] 20) Surgeon - As You Breathe Here Now [Semantica] 21) Mark Ernestus - Mark Ernestus Meets BBC [Honest Jons] 22) Plastikman - Plasticine [Plus 8] 23) Trevino - Uptight [Klockworks] 24) VCMG - Spock (Regis Remix) [Mute] 25) Planetary Assault Systems - Flat Tire [Mote-Evolver] 26) Factory Floor - 16-2-16-9-20-1-14-9-7 [Blast First Petite] 27) James Ruskin - Into A Circle [Jealous God Music] 28) SS/S - Sicario de Dios: Siglo 2 [Jealous God Music] 29) Laurent Garnier - At Night [F Communications] 30) Function - Voiceprint (Reprise) [Ostgut Ton] fabric first members will of already found the CD on their doorsteps or in their postboxes. For those of you that aren't members you can grab your copy from the fabric Website.
If you're lucky enough to be in London this weekend then fabric's Room 2 will be hosting the official CD launch party. If you've caught Sandwell District at fabric in the last few years you'll know just how special these occasions turn out to be. They'll be joined by Sandwell District artist Rrose, who will be making his fabric debut. As one of techno's most mysterious, yet captivating characters, the live show is likely to be one of the most impressive things you'll see. Terry Francis has been entrusted with the all important task of warming up the room as he has done expertly on many many occasions in the past. Tickets are available through the fabric website, where you'll find you can get a discount if you buy your tickets and CD together.
As many of you will know, our last SDD Podcast was recorded by one of the brightest jewels in the Dutch techno crown, Jeroen Search. The man, who's spent the last 20 years honing his talents and building his reputation worldwide as a DJ, producer and label owner, provided us with a sensational mix to add to our ever expanding series, but we wanted to get to know a little bit more about him, so we got together and fired a few questions at him. Here's what he had to say....
1) ) We're now a quarter of the way through 2013, how's it been for you so far? Well 2013 has been great so far, lots of producing, had some great liveset experiences and lots more coming up… The A&S imprint is really doing well and it’s growing with each release so no complaints from my side in 2013 so far! 2) You've recently recorded our 18th podcast. How did you put the mix together? It’s a studio mix using cdj’s only, recorded in one take. 3) The worldwide techno scene is in the midst of a current resurgence and Holland seems to be one of the main driving forces behind this. What, for you, has been the contributing factors behind it and what effect has it had on you personally? I feel techno is more appreciated nowadays than for instance a few years back, because a lot of the big names have been promoting and playing more and more techno so people get more or less used to it. For me personally it is very nice to be an actual part of this resurgence and it feels like my music is finally getting the appreciation that I think it deserves. I have been doing this for quite a long time now, my first record was released in 1994 and I managed to maintain my own specific sound for all those years. 4) So who will be the next wave of Dutch talent we should all look out for? I’m a big fan of the ESHU crew, really like what they are doing music wise and on stage There’s a lot more Dutch talent and abroad for sure.
5) We hear you're working away in the studio on some new material, what do we have to look forward to?
Just signed 2 new solo releases and info about those will be available shortly, working on some remixes, new A&S in progress and working on an album with Dimi (Angelis), so there’s a lot to look forward to.
6) Can you talk us through the way you work in the studio? In the studio I use hardware so no vst/plugins, I really like to be able to touch the machines instead of watching a screen and using a mouse. I record everything in one take doing all edits (tweaking, efxs and muting the channels) live when recording.
Funny detail: there’s no chair in front of my mixing desk so I’m making some great dancing moves when producing music. For me it’s all about trying to capture a certain emotion/feel/moment.
Thanks again to Jeroen for the amazing podcast and giving us a little insight into his mind. If you missed the Podcast first time round you can listen or download it from the Soundcloud player below, or subscribe to our podcast in iTunes.
For more info on Jeroen Search, head over to his Facebook Fan Page. If you happen to be in Amsterdam tomorrow night you'll be lucky enough to be able to catch him perform live with Dimi Angelis, under their Counterpart alias, as part of the huge Henk In De Fabriek festival which also includes the likes of Function, Tobias and Kassem Mosse. Full event info on and tickets on the Henk Website
Peter Van Hoesen has been working behind the scenes tinkering and expanding his new live setup. The combination of hardware and software will be put to use for the first time in fabric's Room 2 tomorrow night, so the Farringdon nightspot sat down with him to discuss the mechanics of it all and his decisions to change the way he performed We’re talking to you specifically about your live set up today as I’ve been told you’re now touring a new live set. In what ways is it new – is it about what you’re using to perform or is it more about you re-writing it? Both. At last year's Labyrinth festival I tested a new setup which involved two hardware synths, complimenting the laptop setup. This was so much fun that I decided to explore this more thoroughly. It took me about four months to decide on a final setup, which right now includes three hardware synths and a drum machine. At the same time as I was exploring these new options I decided to write new material. Right now I have a lot of unreleased tracks exclusive to the live performance. My upcoming fabric gig will be the first time ever with this new setup.
How often do you change things up? I have always been adding new ideas to the live set, but this is the first major change since 2011.
How much of it is new unreleased material? Do you find live sets double up as testing grounds for new tracks? About 70 % is unreleased, most of it in the form of loops or midi sequences which can be modified and edited in real time. This allows me to try out different variations, to see how they work. So yes, in a way it allows me to test the waters, see what works and what doesn't. Some of these new ideas might end up as released tracks.
What is it you’re performing on now exactly? There's an Elektron Monomachine synth which produces weird, bleepy percussive sounds. Then there's a Waldorf blofeld synth which I've programmed to play more pad-like sounds. For some shows I will add a Roland SH-101, that machine can create really deep and powerful basslines. It's a classic synth, easy to work with in a live setup. The other new addition is the iPad, running Moog's excellent Animoog synth. It's really interesting to see the iPad come to life as a real instrument, the touch interface really shines with this Animoog app.
Everything is sequenced via Ableton Live. All the sounds run through a number of outboard effects and filters to beef things up, there's a drum machine running along....it's a pretty big setup. There's lots of room for instant manipulation and even some live keyboard playing on the 101... I want to give the Jean-Michel Jarre in me a chance to come out.
Can you run us through why you’re working in this set up and what creative freedom it allows you? I wanted to have more control over the sounds and the sequences, that's why the hardware machines have been added. This setup allows for much more creative, real-time editing. Every live performance then becomes something unique. I also believe that a live set should be a bit of a challenge for the artist, there should be some tension involved. This spices things up, makes it more interesting for me and for the audience. It's interesting to step out of one's safety zone once in a while.
How different is it from what you produce with in the studio? One of the goals of this new setup is to be able to produce with it as well playing live. I want to arrive at a situation where the studio setup is almost identical to the live setup. In the past I was investing too much time into translating studio tracks into live parts. I felt a lack of spontaneity arising from this method. So right now the goal is to come full circle, to have everything integrated in one setup for both purposes. I'm not sure if I will ever get there completely, but the process is probably more important that the end goal. So basically, I am trying to re-create the studio setup as much as possible on stage. The opposite is also true: I want the studio setup to become more like the live setup. So both situations are growing towards each other. Then there's also the fact that new tools are constantly tested and added to the live and studio setup, be it software or hardware. The important thing is to be able to work intuitively, without too much of a technical barrier in the way.
How’s that developed over time? Would you say there’s been a move more in favour of digital? Hmm... I would say that there is a constant, healthy tension between the analog and the digital, or rather between hardware and software. Right now I have definitely moved over into the hardware domain more than let's say a year ago. One of the great things about electronic music is that there are new tools and instruments being released all the time, I find this very inspiring. Trying out new things, new approaches, new ways of making sound, that's why it's fun for me.
And finally, if money was limitless what’s your ultimate object of desire? I'd love to have a compact Turbosound or Funktion One club full-frequency system setup in the studio. That would be smashing. We have great monitors in our studio, but a small club system would really brings things to live.
As we mentioned earlier Peter will be performing with his new live setup for the first time in Room 2 at fabric this Saturday alongside one of UK Techno's original trailblazers, Surgeon and fabric mainstay Terry Francis. Tickets are available from the fabric website
The second We Fear Silence presents Blueprint Records of 2013 has a very special feel to it. Well they all do but this time they've moved the goalposts slightly. Since it's incarnation in 2010, the parties, which have witnessed such techno giants as Jeff Mills, Robert Hood, Sandwell District, Speedy J, Marcel Dettmann and Surgeon to name a few, has traditionally always been a Saturday night affair, but for April's party they've brought it forward a day, to Friday. This has allowed them to utilise the possibility of extended opening hours and bring us 12 hours of glorious techno. As ever the man behind Blueprint, James Ruskin, leads the way and he's joined by a couple of returning faces and a brand new one. Firstly Berghain resident and Klockworks mastermind, Ben Klock makes his first solo appearance (we have hugely fond memories of his epic b2b set with Dettmann at Blueprint in October 2011). The man from Minneapolis, who's also a Berghain regular and Klockworks artist, DVS1 will once again deliver his high octane, fist pumping, raw brand of techno to Cable. Finally, making his first Blueprint appearance is one the UK techno's most exciting new prospects, Blawan. His uncompromising strand of industrial tinged bass onslaughts have made him one of the hottest properties this country has seen for a while and makes for perfect inclusion to one of London's most consistent parties. Room 2 mainstays, Colony, take up their usual position as the supporting role and undoubtedly will take full advantage of their extra available hours. Rob Hall heads up the balcony room and is ably assisted by Colony residents Tengui and MB & CB. Tickets are available from the We Fear Silence Website if you want the full 12 hours of underground techno artistry, or if you plan to be there after 5am, the on the door price is only £10.
Jeroen Search simultaneously is one of techno’s most influential producers and well-kept public secrets. Consistently putting out quality music since the mid nineties on among many others his own genre-shaping Search imprint, he still resides where he has been for many years now: the absolute cutting edge.
Named by many as a source of inspiration, Jeroen Search embodies a clear and honest interpretation of techno. His tracks, while audibly open to new and exciting musical influences, always remain true to that typical, inimitable Search-sound. He has seen little to no need to completely reinvent himself at any stage as most, if not all, of his work communicates itself with great ease due to its truly timeless nature.
Starting out in 1993 under the DJ Groovehead alias with one of the first releases on X-Trax Records, Jeroen has so far put out his music on many respected labels including Figure SPC, M_Rec LTD, Traut, Coincidence Records, and A&S, the latter he co-owns with friend and colleague Dimi Angélis. One of his personal highlights has been the ability to do two releases on Jeff Mills’ Axis/6277 label, one solo (New Reality EP) and one as Counterpart (The Martian Mystique).
Jeroen’s approach to music production is an unorthodox one; he records all his tracks in a single take and does all his editing live. Constantly pushing his creativity by trying to get the most out of a minimal setup Jeroen remains active in the studio and he now has new releases lined up on Sect, Affin and Gynoid Audio.
Jeroen Search live, which he debuted at Berghain in 2009, is more than just an excellent showcase of his work. It’s a journey through the vast landscape of techno with an expert storyteller at the helm. When booked for a DJ-set Jeroen always aims to show a unique and alternate side of himself as an artist; bringing along some gems that other DJ’s may have overlooked or under appreciated, a Search DJ-set is bound to be something special.
We've been highly excited ever since Jeroen agreed to mix our eighteenth Slash Dot Dash Podcast and he didn't disappoint. Energetic lead patterns intertwine with ghostly undertones and brain melting percussion to demonstrate how 20 years as a student of techno have landed him the position of one the best curators of techno around.
You can subscribe to our podcast series in iTunes or you can download or stream the mix from the Soundcloud player below
Tracklisting 1) Tom Dicicco - Dying Breed [Krill] 2) Deepbass - Collabs [Unreleased] 3) Staffan Linzatti - Deception [Searchlight Records] 4) Truncate - Message [Truncate] 5) Juho Kusti - Expressway To Your Skull [Deep Space Helsinki] 6) Hannu Ikola - Dense Matter [Samuli Kemppi Remix) [Etherwerks] 7) Lee Holman - Kawl 5.0 [Kawl] 8) Psyk - Transito [Modularz] 9) Staffan Linzatti - Chronicle Event 3 10) Jeroen Search - Unnamed [Unreleased] 11) Flug - Mental Disorder (Jonas Kopp Remix) [Sleaze Records] 12) NX1 - MR3 [M_Rec Ltd] 13) Charlton - Perish [Krill] 14) Zadig - The Grip [Deeply Rooted House] 15) Thomas Hessler - Photons [Krill] 16) Surgeless - 28000 Light Years (Jeroen Search Remix 1) [Nasty Temper] 17) Ilario Alicante - Absurd Develope (Skudge Remix) [Pushmaster] 10) Elisabeth Merrick Jefferson - Astronomical Twilight [Argot] More info on Jeroen Search can be found on his Facebook Fan Page
