From Mark Stevens Sent Sun, Feb 14th 1999, 13:19
From Mark Stevens Sent Sun, Feb 14th 1999, 13:19
On Wed, 10 Feb 1999 14:13:34 -0600, you wrote:
>Could someone please tell me what this sounds like (in comparison to
>earlier SE work), and whether it's worth it to search out the Japanese
>version with extra tracks?
Here's something I posted last year:
artist :: sun electric
title :: via nostra
label :: r&s records
cat :: amb8950cd
tracks :: tee
fried ed
things you like to hear
tortuga
the long walk
blue led
emanon
bonga
entresol
7:07
el trauco
sierra
Just as 'Present' sneaked up on us, during the tail end of 1996, and
forced us all to rewrite our top ten lists, 'Via Nostra' does the same
two years later.
'Via Nostra' carries on from where 'Present' left off, although Max
Loderbauer and Tom Thiel's style has evolved slightly to create a more
organic sounding experience. Each track is still tightly structured,
with percussion, bass and melody never fighting for dominance, but
unlike previous Sun Electric albums, there is a certain live element
to each track on 'Via Nostra', with all the spare gaps being exploited
with improvised segments.
In this respect, there are many tracks that sound very Black
Dog/Plaid-ish, others a bit Orblivion-era Orb. Nevertheless, Sun
Electric's trademark bubbly, scattershot style still reigns supreme.
There's not a single fast-forward moment to be found, although
definite highlights include the opening 'Tee' (imagine Plaid remixing
Ozric Tentacles), 'Things You Like to Hear' (Orb-style dubbiness with
gorgeous strings, vocoder trickery and ever-shifting pace of rhythm),
'Tortuga' (more Plaid-style slickery), 'Emanon' (head-itchingly
repetitive groove) and '7:07' (a very clever remix of the James Bond
theme).
'Via Nostra' is definitely one of the best IDM releases of 1998 and
should be snapped on general principles. (And Black Dog/Plaid fans
will love it!)
artist :: thomas fehlmann
title :: flowing:ninezeronineight
label :: r&s records
cat :: amb8951cd
tracks :: superfruhstuck
hermosa
zauberwort
banda (i.a.o.o.l)
baratti
unisize
6ix days
kirsche
wee wee mademoiselle
globus
sangita rana
cuddle
teufel
face the day
kufi & nashi
speedo
luster
snake salvador
dingo
schizoprehnia
Thomas Fehlmann's name may not be instantly recognisable to everyone,
but having co-written and co-produced enough of the Orb's recent
output to be the band's third member, as well as a fair few of Sun
Electric's offerings, you'll certainly have heard him in action.
As the title of this album may suggest, what we have here is a
compilation of Fehlmann's solo efforts over the past eight years, the
vast majority of them (ie, sixteen out of twenty) previously
unreleased. Although there are a fair number of collaborations to be
found -- '6ix days' and 'Teufel' with fellow Orbster, Alex Paterson,
'Snake Salvador' with Sun Electric and 'Schizophrenia' with
Chainreaction honcho Moritz von Oswald.
All of the tracks on offer are short and sweet, averaging around three
and a half minutes each. There's no time for messing about -- each
track gets in there, does its stuff and legs it whilst the going's
good. Having said that, the pace never feels frantic. The overall feel
of 'Flowing:ninezeronineight' is probably on par with the Orb's
'Orblivion' -- tranquility occasionally breaking into a light trot.
As with Sun Electric's 'Via Nostra', you'll want to play this album
from start to finish every time and not indulge in any track skipping.
Personal favourites includes the excellent opener, 'Superfruhstuck',
'6ix days', 'Globus', 'Cuddle', 'Snake Salvador' and 'Dingo'.
--
/\/)ark
headspin - http://www.sonance.demon.co.uk/