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News
Reviews
Festivals
Listen
Feature
Charts
Credits
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January 4 - 17
Earplug is a twice-monthly email magazine, delivering a handpicked selection of news,
sounds, videos, and original features to the international electronic-music community.
Still reeling from James Brown's passing, we find 2007 dawning on a decidedly
smaller, unfunkier world. But smallness can be a virtue too. This issue, we
check in with some body movers and head bangers that are
narrowing international divides, catch up with an American wave-maker in Berlin, and recap a north/south collision in Buenos Aires — bearing in mind
that none of these encounters would have been possible if the Godfather
hadn't given the drummer some.
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In 2006, Flavorpill hand-picked seven emerging designers to interpret the
Budweiser Select brand and create unique artwork for the Select Flavor project.
Now, great creative efforts have been expended, all the entries are in, and it's
time for you to Select. Go to www.selectflavor.com to vote for your favorite
designer!
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Speaking in Tongues
Jesse Rose presents new Get Physical mix
Britain's Jesse Rose is to helm the third installment of
Get
Physical's Body Language mix series. The UK
producer and DJ, now living in Berlin, has caught the eyes of house
fans for some time with jacking tracks and remixes on labels like Dubsided and
Rekids, as
well as an album on his own Made to Play imprint. Since moving to Berlin,
Rose has teamed up with Mobilee records, contributing two remixes to
the label's Back to Back series. He will also release a
single on Get Physical, backed with an Audion remix, in early 2007.
His Body Language mix — the first in the series
mixed by an artist from outside the immediate Get Physical family
— will feature tracks and remixes by Tigerskin, Switch,
Sinden, Radio Slave, and Bobby Peru, among others. (RF)
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Paris Is Bumping
Vice to distribute Ed Banger
The people over at Vice Records are on a mission to ensure that American
electronic-music fans can easily get their hands on international
releases. This month the label begins distributing nine titles from
Paris' Ed
Banger Records; this comes on the heels of a deal to reissue
six records from Japan's Boredoms. The first release is Ed
Banger Vol. 1, a compilation showcasing the label's sounds
throughout its three-year history, with tracks from artists like DJ
Mehdi, Mr. Flash, Uffie, SebastiAn, Ed Banger founder (and
former Daft Punk manager) Busy P, and Justice, who were dubbed 2006's best artist by
XLR8R magazine. To those unfamiliar with the label, it's a
good introduction to the variety of the Ed Banger sound, which
ranges from bratty hip-hop to chopped electro-disco beats. (MH)
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MORE HEADLINES
It's Raining Rave
Resident Advisor's year in review more »
Never Mind the Box Sets
SF Weekly's top ten DJ mixes of 2006 more »
Bonkers Index
The Fader's year in esoterica more »
Diamond Tips
Stylus reviews the year in dance music more »
Scratch That Itch
XLR8R names the year's best gear more »
Textura Messaging
Albums, singles, mixes, and moments of 2006 more »
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Artist: |
To Rococo
Rot |
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| Title: |
Taken from Vinyl |
| Label: |
Staubgold |
| Release: |
December 5, 2006 |
Early '70s Krautrock bands like Can, Neu!, and Amon
Düül are the indisputable precursors to a rich
contemporary post-rock landscape that has since spread from its
German birthplace to all corners of the globe. While bands like
Tortoise or Stereolab have garnered the lion's share of attention
over the last decade, To Rococo Rot have amassed a highly
respectable catalog right on the genre's home turf. Taken from
Vinyl assembles the best of the trio's vinyl singles onto
one CD and, surprisingly or not, results in their finest full-length
listen since 1999's The Amateur View. Stefan Schneider and
brothers Robert and Ronald Lippok have always wielded a refined
restraint in their experimental combination of looping
instrumentation and sterile electronics, but their newest collection
shows most clearly a direct line back to their antecedents.
Taken from Vinyl ranges from the captivating to the
occasionally humorless, but music of this scope is often best
experienced with a little bit of seriousness. (SM)
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Artist: |
Lithops |
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| Title: |
Mound Magnet |
| Label: |
Thrill Jockey |
| Release: |
November 7, 2006 |
Lithops, the solo project of Mouse on Mars' Jan St. Werner, is the
producer's away-day from the mothership's schizophrenic electronic
pop. On Mound Magnet, the fourth Lithops album, Werner
pieces together weirdly compelling, Tinguely-esque experiments,
joining wrong limbs to right sockets. Werner's palette hasn't
changed too much: he still favors grainy electronics, tin-lid
percussion, and woozy, pea-soup fogs that blast through air vents to
create great shuddering walls of noise, as on "Opposite of Windward"
and "Evacoda." The first half of Mound Magnet is defiantly
abstract, but by the album's close, Werner tickles your funny bone
with his singular take on right-angled funk — rhythms
consistently on the brink of capsizing. (JD)
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Artist: |
Xela |
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| Title: |
The Dead Sea |
| Label: |
Type |
| Release: |
October 24, 2006 |
Manchester-based producer Xela (John Twells) describes his production
in terms of murder and reanimation, which is an apt summation of his
album's deathly tones. But these experimental instrumental
compositions, laced with lo-fi percussion reminiscent of Tom Waits,
create a sonic mood that's intellectually gothic rather than truly
gory. Brooding church organs meander through foggy graveyards
replete with clinking iron gates and droning noises, while solemn
acoustic-guitar interludes ground the album in earthly realms. The
album definitely shares a common ancestry with the narcotic work of
industrial folksters Nurse with Wound or Current 93, minus any moldy
attempts at vocals. The Dead Sea is ultimately an
uncomfortable listen, unless you're of the undead persuasion, in
which case Xela's haunted acoustics will provide a soothing
soundtrack to your nether realms. (TP)
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Artist: |
KTL |
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| Title: |
KTL |
| Label: |
Editions Mego |
| Release: |
November 11, 2006 |
KTL member Stephen O'Malley terms this recording "DABM," or "digital
analogue black metal," but anyone familiar with O'Malley's work in
the groups Sunn O))) or Khanate will know that it needn't be a
contradiction in terms. O'Malley and his collaborator Peter Rehberg
(aka Mego co-founder Pita) layer waves of electromagnetic resonance,
kicked-amplifier crackle, and racetrack-worthy white noise in six
long tracks of gruesome drone. Considering the artists at work, it's
not surprising that KTL shapeshifts uneasily, at times
laying bare the vibrations of strings and tube-driven air, at times
disappearing into a morass of signal processing. These works offer a
first glimpse of the duo's score for Gisèle Vienne
and Dennis Cooper's theatrical piece Kindertotenlieder,
which will premiere in 2007. From the sound of things, expect a very
bleak production, indeed. (PS)
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MULTIMEDIA: DVD+CD
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Artist:
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Fad Gadget |
| Title: |
Fad Gadget by Frank Tovey |
| Label: |
Mute |
| Release: |
September 11, 2006
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Frank Tovey's Fad Gadget project has never received the retrospective
acclaim accorded to contemporaries like Cabaret Voltaire and the
Human League, despite being Mute's first signing. A 2001 slot
supporting longtime labelmates Depeche Mode might have helped
introduce the synth-noir pioneer to a new generation, but Tovey
passed away the following year. This double-CD, double-DVD
"Retrospective in Sound and Vision" offers a copious recap of
Tovey's life and work, including a bounty of live footage from 1981
through 2002, TV performances and music videos, and the short film
Grand Union. The bulk of the first DVD is a
biographical documentary featuring interviews with Tovey and his
many colleagues and collaborators; both a historical curiosity and
contemporary inspiration, it goes to the heart of his studio
processes and incendiary live performances. The audio portion of
this four-disc collection compiles unreleased tracks, demo versions,
collaborations with Boyd Rice, work from his Mkultra project, and a
"Fans' Top Five" that includes his abrasive (and addictive)
synth-pop hit "Ricky's Hand." (PS)
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REVIEW: MUTEK Buenos Aires
December 13-16
Buenos Aires, Argentina
www.mutekba.com.ar
Never content to weather the winter in Montreal, the MUTEK festival
headed south once again this year, this time setting up shop in
Buenos Aires for a four-day variation on the annual Canadian
soirée. The event kicked off with an intimate gathering in
the basement of the Elevage Hotel — feeling a bit like a
rec-room version of the SoHo Grand — with sets from locals
Sr. Replicante and DJ Violett; the latter, with a bumping set of
minimal techno that went down as smooth as maté,
proved one of the fest's great discoveries. For the opening
ceremonies at the Ciudad Cultural Konex, a gaping post-industrial
space that served as the principal venue, locals Tremor served up future jazz with a
porteño twist, while Thomas
Brinkmann looped lacerated vinyl into a lopsided haze.
Saturday night's main event offered a dozen shades of techno, from Gustavo
Lamas' ambient reduction to Damián Schwartz' finely
honed minimal grooves. Córdoba's Frikstailers, Mexico's Lineas de Nazca, Paris' Cabanne, Montreal's Chic Miniature, and Chile's (via
Berlin) Dinky rounded out the international lineup, while Original
Hamster and Atom TM's Surtek Collective proposed an
audacious fusion of acid and reggaeton — aka
acitón, for those who knew Surtek's impromptu debut at
MUTEK 2005. Brinkmann closed out the night with a brain-bending set
that swelled from the studiously pumping to the downright abrasive,
before wrapping things up with a crooked smile and an aural sorbet
of Laurie Anderson. Only one complaint: in a city of 12 million
people, the crowd of 500 or so seemed sorely wanting. Buenos Aires,
represent! (PS)
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MORE FESTIVALS
Festival in the Desert
January 11-13
Tombouctou, Mali
MIDEM
January 21-25
Cannes, France
Nordlysfestivalen
January 22-28
Tromsø, Norway
Netmage
January 25-27
Bologna, Italy
Club Transmediale
January 25 - February 3
Berlin, Germany
by:Larm
February 8-10
Trondheim, Norway
Spark Festival of Electronic Music and Art
February 20-25
Minneapolis, MN
Barcelona VisualSound
February 22 -
March 14
Barcelona, Spain
(K-RAA-K)³ Festival
March 3
Hasselt, Belgium
Winter Music Conference
March 20-25
Miami, FL
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Teqnicolor Sound Presents Isolée (stream)
After a monster 2005, Isolée has had a quiet year, so we're
overjoyed to come across this rare live set, courtesy of Samurai FM and
their Japanese collaborators Teqnicolor Sound. His lopsided funk is just
the thing to bring the New Year loping in.
 LISTEN |
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Guns 'n Bombs: Mixtape Number One (MP3)
Fluo Kids tipped us off to this wicked mix from Kitsuné act Guns
'n Bombs: a three-way face off between pop (Depeche Mode, the Gossip),
disco (Gino Soccio, Serge Santiago), and nu-electro (Digitalism,
Soulwax) that lives up to the duo's combative name.
LISTEN |
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Violett: DJ Set June 2006 (MP3)
We couldn't get enough of Buenos Aires' Violett at last month's Argentine
MUTEK; this 23-minute mini-session is a good indicator why. Short and
sweet and just a little bit dark, it's a cavalcade of bleeps as heard in
a fever dream.
LISTEN |
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Jazzanova: Futureboogie Mixtape (MP3)
Who said future jazz was stuck in a rut? Jürgen from Jazzanova
blows through Jesse Rose, International Pony, Markus Intalex, DJ Shadow,
and Stereotyp, in a mix that puts broken-beat clichés to
rest.
LISTEN |
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Shapemod: DJs Anonymous 15 (MP3)
Our favorite new mix site, DJs Anonymous, hosts Shapemod, aka
Terranova/Lotterboys member Sebastian M. He comes clean about his
black-crack addiction with a binge of Mu, Lindstrøm,
Sleeparchive, AC/DC, Nitzer Ebb, Map of Africa, and more — we
always knew 45s were a gateway drug.
LISTEN |
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Looking for more hot mix sets and fresh new tracks? Check out Blentwell for an ongoing document of the evolution of blended music
online.
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WATCH
Cut Chemist, "Spat" watch »
Clark, "Herr Bar" watch »
Zero dB, "Bongos, Bleeps, and Basslines" watch »
Amon Tobin, "Foley Room Trailer #2" watch »
Pop Levi, "(A Style Called) Crying Chic" watch »
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Hazed and Confused
Inside the mixed-up mind of Jay Haze
Peripatetic producer Jay Haze brings a splash of color to the
grayscale world of European techno. The American-born artist, DJ,
and label head came up through Berlin's minimal-techno scene, but
he's increasingly turned his back on what he views as a funkless,
carbon-copy community. (Haze's recent beef with Kompakt
co-founder Michael Mayer was the closest thing to a hip-hop-style
feud that techno's had in years.) Haze runs a number of labels, most
notably Contexterrior and Tuning Spork, and in 2006 he released a slew
of 12-inch singles, as well as a widely acclaimed full-length as one
half of Fuckpony on Berlin's hugely popular Get
Physical label. Earplug's Ronan Fitzgerald caught up with
Haze to take stock of his breakout year.
EP: What are you working on right now?
JH: This week I had a vocalist, Dexter, in with me for the whole
week. We're working on material for the new Fuckpony
album.
EP: What was your highlight of 2006?
keep reading »
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MORE FEATURES
Expressway to Yr Skull Disco
Shackleton sidesteps dubstep more »
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Each week, Earplug sneaks a peek inside the crates of our favorite DJs. We'll even help you beef up your own bag: click on
selected titles to preview tracks, download MP3s, or purchase vinyl.
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Sian
(Poker Flat/Dessous)
Barcelona, Spain
www.sianmusic.net
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- Cristian Vogel, "Spank Bass"
(Tresor)
- Sian, "Merman"
(Karmarouge)
- Funk D'Void/Phil Kieran, "White Lice"
(Soma)
- Audiofly & Scarlett Etienne Present Loose Lips, "Earsex (Sian Warm Red Remix)"
(Tsuba)
- DJ Yellow and King Britt, "Tranzylvania/Beyond the Forest"
(Poussez)
- Thomas Fehlmann, "Powdered"
(Kompakt)
- Studiogemeinschaft, "Cut the Crap"
(Multicolor)
- Alex Bartsch, "Shinkansen to Kyoto (Arnaud Le Texier Remix)"
(Sportclub)
- Selway/Smith, "Silver Bullet (Slam Remix)"
(CSM)
- Zentex, "Koko Kokko"
(Kickboxer)
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About Us |
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Earplug is an email magazine dedicated to electronic music and
its many dynamic styles and influences. Published every two weeks, it features a handpicked
selection of music news, cultural spotlights, tip sheets, CD reviews, original reporting,
and music festival previews and reviews. Earplug offers only pure editorial and unbiased
news — no money is accepted from any artists, labels, promoters, or companies
seeking mention.
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Media Partnerships |
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Every other week, Earplug presents one exclusive media
partner. Click for more information about
advertising opportunities on Earplug and across all Flavorpill
publications.
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Cover Art |
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We have an open call to create the covers that run at the
top of each issue. If you would like to submit a design, please email us at design and we'll send you the necessary specs.
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Submissions/Feedback |
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Tell us what you think is exciting and worth including in Earplug by dropping us an email at tips. Writers interested in getting even more involved should reach us at contribute. To criticize, praise, or generally comment on this publication, please send an email
to feedback.
In addition to this twice-monthly digest of new electronic music, Flavorpill also publishes ten other email
magazines, covering ART, BOOKS, NEWS, FASHION, and cultural events in six cities — NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES, SAN FRANCISCO, CHICAGO, MIAMI, and LONDON.
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