Concrete Fence - New Release (1) [Pan 39]

Concrete Fence is the collaboration of two true pioneers, Karl O'Conner (his work as part of British Murder Boys, Sandwell District, or on his own as Regis and of course his legendary label Downwards, has made him one of the key figures in the development of UK techno for the last 20 something years) and Russell Haswell (a conceptual artist who specialises in extreme computer music and audio visual installations).

The act first hit our consciousness when they debuted the live show at Corsica Studios last October. The question we've been asking ourselves ever since, will there be anything released, has finally been answered as 'New Release (1)' is soon to hit the stores care of Pan Records.

The EP comprises of 3 tracks. 'Industrial Disease' has the hallmarks of O'Conner's recent work. When combined with Haswell's love for noises from the realm of the obscure, it creates a masterpiece of experimental techno. 'Caulk' hums at you like a giant industrial demon whilst percussion echos all around before it's very matter destabilises and breaks down before your very eyes. 'The Unabridged Truth' takes on a 4/4 format and almost acts as a middle ground between the previous two and stands out as the more 'dancefloor friendly' portion of the release.

Check out the 'Industrial Disease' below.


The EP is due for release at the end of August. More info can be found on the Pan Records Website

Slash Dot Dash Podcast 022: Mikkel Metal

Mikkel Metal, aka Mikkel Meldgaard, born 1973, lives and works in Copenhagen. Completing a degree in Philosophy at the University of Coepnhagen in 2001, he now works as a teacher at KEA on an e-concept development program, besides making music.

His musical career started in the early nineties as a guitarist. Equally interested in the introspective sound of the British shoe gazer scene and the looser low-fi aesthetic of American slacker bands, he playing in various bands and developed as a guitarist.

By the mid-nineties he had grown an interest in electronic music, and bought a sampler. At first the focus laid on break beat music and melodic stuff. Later the direction changed towards a sound inspired by dub, techno and click sensibilities. While the indierock is still apparent, this is the sound that characterised Mikkel's music today.

Things kicked off in 2000, with the release of a 7-inch on the label Hal9000, that topped the de:bug's monthly chart (no. 42). Afterwards came an appearance on the net label Datamusik, and a series of 12 inches on the Danish label Echocord.

Mikkel developed and refined his sound, and also started issuing work to German label Kompakt. So far this has thrown off three 12 inches. These works still continuing click aesthetics and dub influence, but take a slightly different path, and go from shuffle techno to slow melodic 4/4 based tracks. Around 2010 his sound has showed an inspiration from more Detroit based sounds, as heard on his 'Pamon 403' EP on Echocord.

For our 22nd podcast Mikkel created a blissful dub infused soundscape, intertwining subtle grooves with elegant rhythms to transport you into the world of dub techno as seen through the eyes of the Danish producer.

You can subscribe to our podcast series in iTunes or you can download or stream the mix from the soundcloud player below.


Tracklisting

1) Boards of Canada - Transmisiones Ferox [Warp Records]
2) Moritz Von Oswald Trio - Blue [Honest Jons]
3) Valenx - Daughters Of The Everfire (Yves De May Remix) [Sonuos]
4) Mikkel Metal - Fubre [Echocord Colour]
5) Marcel Dettmann - Places Like This [Ostgut Ton]
6) Echologist - Buzz Factory [Echocord Colour]
7) Rhythm And Sound - Poor People Must Work (Carl Craig Remix) [Burial Mix]
8) Equalized - 004 [Equalized]
9) Radio Slave - Tantakatan (The Drunken Shed Mix) [Rekids]
10) Tony Blunt - Retrospective (Mikkel Metal Remix) [DPress Industries]
11) Morphosis - Too Far (Marcel Dettmann Definition 2) [Delsin]
12) Levon Vincent - Pivotal Moments In Life [Novel Sound]
13) Martyn - Bad Chicago [Nonplus Records]
14) DJ Koze - Mariposa [Kompakt]
15) Boards of Canada - Semena Mertvykh [Warp Records]

More info on Mikkel's release and upcoming DJ gigs can be found via his Facebook Fan Page

Slash Dot Dash Podcast 021: Kontort

Kontort is the production alias of London based Andrew Wright. His passion for underground music is evident in everything he does. As a DJ, under the name of XI, he's spent the last 8 years building a name for himself across the UK's capital, which has seem him perform at the very best venues for a number of London's best promotions.

The last few years have seen him dedicate his time to a small number of projects. Firstly launching his own promotion, Slash Dot Dash. After a number of events, taking in some of the worlds best techno acts, the brand was expanded to include a successful podcast series and an informative blog.

The final step for him was to make his move into production, and the Kontort project was born. Using a combination of vintage analog hardware and modern day software, his roots are based firmly in old school techno virtues, but integrating it with modern software allows him to keep his sights set firmly forward.

In 2011 he finally got recognised for his work when he was signed to Italian label, Toffler Music, and had 3 tracks released as part of the Various Artists compilation CD, entitled 'From The Grave' and then two more coming as part of 'The Brave' the following year. In the studio he continues to conduct sonic experiments and more music will be surfacing soon.

For our 21st edition of the Slash Dot Dash Podcast Kontort ventures into the dark underbelly of techno, bringing together the minimalistic ideals of Detroit and the hypnotic warblings of Berlin to supply you with an hour long expedition of twisted beats and rhythms.

You can subscribe to our podcast series in iTunes or you can download or stream the mix from the Soundcloud player below

Tracklisting

1) SS/S - Siglo 1 [Jealous God]

2) Kontort - Conservation [Unreleased]

3) Mike Parker - Lustrations One (Khonsu) [Prologue]

4) Lakker - Nevada [Stroboscopic Artefacts]

5) Recondite - Cleric [Dystopian]

6) Subjected - Vault101 [Vault Series]

7) Ventress - Typhon (Svreca Remix) [Edit Select]

8) Markus Suckut - Strength (Rod Remix One) [Sckt]

9) Reboot - Rhomb [Modularz]

10) Minilogue - Clouds And Water (Rrose Remix) [Enemy Records]

11) Rødhåd - Spomeniks [Token]

12) Pär Grindvik - Planets [A&S / Stockholm Ltd]

13) Traversable Wormhole - Universal Time (Dasha Rush Remix) [Traversable Wormhole]

14) Kontort - Secret Listeners [Unreleased]

More information on Kontort can be found on his Facebook Fan Page or you can check out his studio jam videos on his YouTube Channel

Mix Of The Day: XLR8R Podcast 302 - Marcel Dettmann

For our first Mix Of The Day of July we head to Berlin and to one of our very favourite DJ / Producers, as Marcel Dettmann compiles and mixes XLR8R's 302nd Podcast. As you would expect it features the usual amalgamation of Detroit and Berlin techno in all it's styles as he effortlessly traverses his way through stripped down to deep and back straight up dancefloor annihilators, before rounding out with the stuttery experiment work out of Other Lives' 'Tamer Animals' by Atoms For Peace. As a prelude to 'Tamer Animals' you'll the find a track off the new EP by Anthony Parasole which is forthcoming on Dettmann's own MDR imprint.

You can download the mix from the following link

Uploaded.net

Tracklisting

1) Black Deer - Chief Big Thumb [Unreleased]
2) Floorplan - Let's Ride [M-Plant]
3) I - Percussion Overdose [Pod Communication]
4) Unknown - A Side (From TFE XX 01) [TFE XX]
5) DJ Qu - Liquid Beats [Strength Music]
6) XDB - Frocks [Sistrum]
7) Baby Ford - Normal (Is It Normal? Club Mix) [Rephlex]
8) Container - Application (MD Edit) [Spectrum Spools]
9) Vedomir - Music Suprematism (Marcel Dettmann Remix) [Dekmantel]
10) Alex Cortex - Aitiai Part 1 [Source]
11) Marvin Dash - B2 (From The Uncut EP) [Force Inc. US]
12) Anthony Parasole - Off The Grid [Marcel Dettmann Records]
13) Other Lives - Tamer Animals (Atoms For Peace Remix) [50 Weapons]

If you want to catch Marcel Dettmann in the flesh, at the weekend he'll be in Ibiza (RA) tomorrow and France (RA) on Saturday. The weekend after he'll be found at T in The Park, b2b with Ben Klock, on Sunday as well as performing at his home club, Berghain, on the same day (don't ask us in which order, we really don't know). More info on Marcel can be found via his Facebook Fan Page

Slash Dot Dash Podcast 020: Northern Structures

For our 20th podcast we feature our first live set from two rising stars of techno. Northern Structures, Troels Baunbæk-Knudsen and Lasse Buhl, is a Copenhagen techno based duo focusing on organic and industrial inspired electronic music. Their debut on the label of Adam X, Sonic Groove, hit the techno scene hard in early 2011. The “Self Similarity EP” was played- and charted by DJ’s such as Regis, Ben Klock, Marcel Dettmann, Tommy Four Seven, Chris Liebing, Rolando, Xhin and Milton Bradley etc.

Shortly after the first 12” was released, Northern Structures performed their first liveset; powerful and hands-on techno, heavily influenced by the guys’ individual backgrounds in everything from house over dubtechno to drum’n'bass. Very diverse and yet focused, constantly changing and with no standard tracklist every set is unique. Their second release, the “Service and Devotion EP” on Sonic Groove, also received a lot of positive exposure, making 2011 a very successful year and Northern Structures continue their no-compromise approach to music in 2013.

The mix displays everything that's making them feature across many dancefloors worldwide. Powerful kicks, eerie submersed drones, metallic industrial hits and oscillating crescendos expertly combined to produce an hour of unrelenting techno weaponry.

You can subscribe to our podcast series in iTunes or you can download or stream the mix from the Soundcloud player below

For more info on Northern Structures, head over to their Facebook Fan Page. If you happen to be in Berlin at the end of the month you can catch Northern Structures alongside a whole load of techno talent at Magdelena. More info on Resident Advisor.

Mix Of The Day: Sigha & Shifted - Our Eternal Destination

Sigha and Shifted are two of UK Techno's biggest success stories over the last few years. Rising to international acclaim with a string of forward thinking releases and stella DJ sets. Sigha got his break through Scuba's Hotflush label, whilst Shifted made his name on another of the UK's best labels, Mote Evolver. 2012 saw both of them release their debuts albums, 'Living With Ghosts' for Sigha and 'Crossed Paths' for Shifted, which featured in the plenty of 'best albums of 2012' lists around the techno world.

It was always going to be a matter of time before the pair launched their own labels to give a true platform of their sound. Sigha's came in 2010 as Our Circula Sound launched with Marcel Dettmann remixed Sigha's 'Early Morning Lights'. The very next year Shifted's (and Ventress's) Avian imprint hit the stores with the aptly titled 'AVN #001'. The ever growing closeness of these two collectives and the intertwining of artists on both labels has lead to a number of Avian vs OCS label nights, firstly in Paris and secondly at Berlin's legendary Berghain. The next outing is back in the place where it all began, London, at fabric this Saturday.

To celebrate the occasion, the duo have put together a taster of what to expect from Saturday's b2b performance with a mix for the fabric blog. It may be just under 40 mins long but it's packed full of the distinctive and originals sounds that have made Sigha, Shifted and their labels so respected amongst their fans and peers. Throbbing basslines, metallic industrial tendencies and swirling organic atmospherics are all present in this absorbing recording, which you can download it or stream the mix from the soundcloud player below. And while you're listening, head over to the fabric blog for the interview.

As we mentioned earlier you can catch the Avian vs OCS showcase in Room 2 at fabric as they take care of Room 2 duties for Craig Richards' 'The Nothing Special'. As well as the b2b special set from the duo, Silent Servant and MPIA3 both feature with Terry Francis on his usual warm up business. Tickets are available from the fabric website and you can find all the rest of the info here

Oscar Mulero - Transversal EP (Truncate & Sleeparchive Remixes) [Modularz 11]

American based record label, Modularz, have found their way on to their 11th release since it's conception in 2006. The imprint, which has already seen the likes of Developer, Silent Servant, Jeroen Search, Shifted, Stanislav Tolkachev, Jonas Kopp and more, invited Spanish based producer Oscar Mulero to join their ever increasing family.

The end result is the Transversal EP. Two original tracks from Mulero and two remixes, one from Truncate and one from Sleeparchive. The EP kicks off with the original of 'Rótula'. Metallic percussion overlays trembling basslines and stuttering delayed stabs. Truncate's version of 'Rótula' takes a more stripped down, slightly sedated approach whilst still maintaining the originals intensity. The B Side sees Mulero continue the same theme with 'Transversal'. High energy and hypnotic rhythms oscillate amongst each other. Finally Sleeparchive's take on 'Transversal' rounds of the release perfectly with typical Germanic precision engineering. Check out the samples from the soundcloud player below


The EP will be available on both vinyl and digital in June. More info on Oscar Mulero can be found on his Facebook Fan Page. For Modularz, head to their Website and back to Facebook for Truncate and Sleeparchive. If you want to catch Oscar Mulero performing live he'll be in Germany tomorrow and Poland on Saturday. A full list of his gigs can be found on his Resident Advisor Page