Big Up Fifteen - Collaboration Issue

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big up fIFteen COLLABORATION issue

AKKORD "That particular Boiler Room was a 'press only' event, which was a shame, as the vibes were shit in the room. It wasn't the right place or time for our sound to be heard."

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SPEEDY J "I think there are too many labels trying to mold artists into a certain style. I really wanted to do the opposite. "

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THESE HIDDEN HANDS "We just want to play to music heads. Playing clubs is great, but the audience isn't always there just for the music."

52 Writing Contributions: katya@bigupmag.com

General Inquiries: bigup@bigupmag.com

Music Reviews: musicbox@bigupmag.com

Mailing Address: PO Box 664, New York, NY 10150

MODERAT LIVITY SOUND

"discussions and arguments will always be a part of our production process. We have to go through it every fucking time. It's not the easiest thing, and it wears you out, but I think the results justify the pain."

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"Once in Denmark we had a part of the stage collapse from the bass."

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Editor-in-Chief Katya Guseva Cover ArtistS Danny Ivan & Marta Macedo Contributing writers Luke McCann, Joe McCann, Elena Herrera, Joseph Aycox Art Direction Katya Guseva Photography Shaun Bloodworth, Lars Borges, Samuel John Butt, Vitali Gelwich, Nathan Gibson, Jody Hartley Advertising and Marketing Jochem Daelman Publishing Big Up Magazine Printing Heidel Print Distribution Ubiquity Distributors

AGATA DUDEK "I think creating music is no different from designing or illustrating books and

Danny Ivan "It's Fascinating how our minds are always creating images, trying to understand the past or the future."

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magazines."

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The advertising, features, and reviews appearing within this publication reflect the opinions of the respective contributors, and not necessarily those of the publisher or its affiliates. All rights to art, writing, photos, design, and/or likeness and copyrights are property of respective owners, and no assumption of ownership is made by this publication or the publishers. The publisher will be glad to correct any mistakes or omissions in our next issue. The content may not be reproduced in part or in whole without written permission from Big Up Magazine and the respective contributors. Š2013. Big Up Magazine.

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STORE FRONT "Skull" iPhone case and iPhone skin Protect your iPhone with a one-piece, impact resistant, flexible plastic hard case or customize your little one with a thin, easy-to-remove, vinyl decal, designed by our cover artists Danny Ivan and Marta Macedo. $$$: 15-35 dollars from society6.com

Lucetta bike light Made up of two small magnetic lights, the Lucetta is the new, essential light for your bike, designed

by Emanuele Pizzolorusso. Easy to attach to any bike, the two small lights – 1 red and 1 white – switch on with just a click and are guaranteed to stay securely in place even on the bumpiest street. You can select a steady beam, a slow or fast flashing light by simply clicking the light on the bike. $$$: 35 dollars from palomarweb.com

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Stellate Series vinyls from Stroboscopic Artefacts In each of its four releases, Stroboscopic Artefacts' Stellate Series has presented two tracks by four unique producers.

The result is a set of records which feel beyond standard musical frontiers and reach deep into reserves of artistic inspiration. In physical terms that is eight 10'' vinyls, 16 different producers and 32 tracks. In technical terms that is a spectacular array of techniques, sources and machines.

And in sonic terms that is a set of records which traverse ethereal plains, ominous precipitation, surly dissonance and the deepest questioning of our darkest selves. Featured artists: Lucy, Borful Tang, Perc, Kevin Gorman, Dadub, Silent Servant & Luis Farfan, Roll The Dice, Plaster, Kangding Ray, NSI, Xhin, Reformed Faction, L.B. Dub Corp, Dscrd, Sendai, James Ruskin. $$$: 77 bucks at stroboscopicartefacts.com

TMA-1 X Headphones by AIAIAI The TMA-1 X from acclaimed audio technology manufacturer AIAIAI takes highend award-winning design and performance down to an entry level price point for the masses. At just 160 grams (0.35 lbs) TMA-1 X headphone features a lightweight comfortable fit, a minimalistic headband, new low profile cushions and the acclaimed capsule design. The TMA-1 X offers dynamic 40mm closed drivers delivering clear and accurate sound in all frequencies for full range performance, ideal for the multi-genre DJ and audiophiles alike. $$$: 130 bucks

#100 - Very Limited Electric Deluxe Release #100 is a very special project from the creator of Electric Deluxe – Speedy J – which celebrates what the label has been doing in the last years: releases, podcasts, parties and showcases all around the world. Four hand-stamped bootleg vinyl records, featuring unedited selections of mixes from the podcast. No tracklisting, no DJ names, just music you probably haven't heard anywhere else, but Electric Deluxe podcast. This is a limited run of 200. Once it's gone, it's gone. $$$: Available only through electricdeluxe.net

Archetype Snowboard by Endeavour Snowboards This is anything but your average snowboard glass. Pulled tight under tension, pressed with heat and infused with the perfect resin to glass ratio, this carbon reinforced laminate completely replaces the heavy plastic top sheet of the board. This shaves 1/2 pound of weight and makes the board one of the most responsive and poppy flexes ever ridden.

With a slightly longer nose than the tail, directional boards are designed for all mountain riding and to float in soft snow. Adding a slight taper sinks the tail and raises the nose for effortless float in deep snow conditions, but also makes exiting turns easier on groomed runs. $$$: $1300 from ES dealers

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It's a matter of trust and commitment. if you work with someone, you gotta know they will put everything into it. photo by Samuel John Butt

MODERAT interview by Katya Guseva

It's impossible to speak about Berlin's electronic music scene without somehow touching upon Modeselektor's and Apparat's respective influences. Let alone their passionate and enthusiastic voyage spreading the sound to the rest of the world. This sound and reach only amplify when the three friends work together on their collaborative project – Moderat.

Although Moderat is much more than simply the sum of two elements, Sascha Ring (Apparat), Sebastian Szary

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and Gernot Bronsert (Modeselektor) bring all their collective experience, styles, and emotions to create a tense and extremely fruitful union, that is undoubtedly worth the trouble of combining three completely different schedules.

Sascha and Szary sat in their studio to speak with us about the making of Moderat's sophomore album II, Berlin's shittiest winter, smoking in American clubs, and eating pizza with Thom Yorke...

Hey guys, how are you doing? How's the tour going?

Are you ready to kill each other yet?

Szary: Haha, not yet, but we still need to fix a lot of things.

Sascha: The tour just started. We played five shows so far. It's really good, but still feels like a public rehearsal. Music-wise we have to try different set lists. It's very complex.

And we also realized that discussions and arguments will always be a part of our production process. We will always be talking about everything, because there are different opinions on everything, and we have to go through it every fucking time.

It's kinda nerve-wrecking, but also it's what makes the whole thing special, because there's tension involved. It's not the easiest thing, and it wears you out, but I think the results justify the pain.

SASCHA:

I'm sure you will figure it out. Can't wait to see your live show. Since this is a collaborations issue, I want to talk about the dynamic of your work together. I understand Szary and Gernot are like a married couple. How did it feel for you, Sascha, to come into this already stable union between them?

discussions and arguments will always be a part of our production process. We have to go through it every fucking time.

It's not the easiest thing, and it wears you out, but I think the results justify the pain.

Sascha: From what I remember even the last record we did together didn't really feel so much like Modeselektor and Apparat collaboration. Of course, I'm one person and they are two people, so I would always lose when we have to decide things democratically. But it's never been like that. It's either Sascha and Gernot against Szary or Sascha and Szary against Gernot. And that was always the case with the first record, but this time it is more like three guys in a band, because we experienced so many things together, being on tour for 1,5 years. This was probably when we got closer to each other.

Sounds like during this second collaboration all three of you became much closer personally. Do you feel like it shows through the music? Do you feel like this time the outcome is more evolved than the first one?

SASCHA:

I'm one person and they are two people, so I would always lose when we have to decide things democratically.

When we started working on this record, we hadn't been in the studio for so long, but it didn't take too much time to readjust. It was more complicated to adjust our schedules, but on a personal level it was quite easy. It instantly felt like we were a band together in the studio.

When we interviewed Gernot back in 2010, right after your first collaboration album, he said it was a problem that you guys didn't have a leader in the team, and you'd argue about hi hats for hours. Was it the case this time around?

Sascha: Yeah, I think it'll never change. This problem is based in the concept of our relationship.

We are three producers, so we are all capable of doing anything on our own. But this time we kind of managed to find out our strengths and tried to concentrate on that. It makes things a lot easier. It's a little like in a band, where you have different roles, but not as separated.

Sascha: Definitely. The most obvious thing is we don't have any collaborations. It's a record we wanted to make just between us, with no guests.

Because we realized we can do everything by ourselves, we don't need other people. And also it makes everything more personal. That's what we wanted. Plus we wanted to be able to perform everything live on stage without any guests, like a normal band.

SZARY:

If you have a guest voCALIST, it gives a track a special taste. Like when you add a unique spice to a meal.

Szary: Yes, we wanted to make the record alone, because if you have a guest vocalist, it gives a track a special taste. Like when you add a unique spice to a meal. For this record we only wanted to use Sascha's voice to have a unified taste for the whole record.

Sascha: Maybe that's why the record doesn't go in so many different directions. The first record was more diverse, because of the input of other people.

Since this time we kept everything between us, it's much more homogenic.

The track "Milk" on the album is entirely instrumental and doesn't have Sascha's voice.

Who of you three influenced this track the most?

Szary: For all the tracks, but especially for "Milk," it's hard to say who threw the stone in first (that's how we say it in German).

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photo by Samuel John Butt

Szary: I think Gernot was the one who built this kind of house loop, and then everybody else jumped on the train and finished the track. What's special about it, is that we arranged it at night mostly. We tried to recreate a club environment in the studio. We produced it very loud, and had a very special drink during the production.

(Schnapps with liquor). We did about five sessions and then it was done.

Sascha: It's funny you picked out this song, 'cause that's the one where it's really hard to say who contributed more in. We spent a very very long time together drinking this Schnapps stuff, smoking cigarettes, making this song. It was pretty much a jam session between all of us.

SASCHA:

It might be cool from time to time to make a track with other people, but what we do here with Moderat, is nothing you can do with another person.

We made it quite early, somewhere in the middle of the whole production process. And we were really into it; we tried to reproduce the idea somehow for another track, but it never really worked. Maybe luckily, 'cause otherwise it might not be so cool to repeat the same idea over and over again.

How did you even decide to produce a vocal-based record? Was it Sascha's idea?

Sascha: Funny you ask, because when we were talking about making a record together, I was the one who suggested to make an instrumental record. I had so many shows with my Apparat band, and I had to sing all the time. But since I used to be a techno kid, I like to play shows and not sing at all, just smoke cigarettes all the time. So doing vocals wasn't my main pleasure on this album, but it was inspiring to sing in different styles trying to match the style of the beats that Gernot or Szary would start.

Szary: At first we had an instrumental record, and then Sascha started trying out a lot of different vocals to see how it works. But the cool thing was that Sascha inspired me to start singing. Not on the record, but I now sing in the live show on "Bad Kingdom".

That's dope. So what did you guys learn about yourself by working in this collaboration?

Szary: When Gernot and I produced tracks as Modeselektor, it was different. Sometimes I would make a track and Gernot would finish it, sometimes Gernot would come to the studio alone to work on something. There are a lot of tracks we produced separately. But with Moderat, we learnt to produce as a team, sitting together in the studio, discussing things...

That was probably the biggest learning for me.

Sascha: What I realized once again, it's probably a good idea to focus on what you're best at when you work with other people. And then give the other people the freedom to work on what they're good at. So a little bit of separation of duties is helpful.

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photo by Samuel John Butt

Sascha: I learnt a lot about collaborating in the last five years: with Modeselektor, my band, and I had this theater project with many people involved... So I'm quite good at collaborating. But now I'm learning to take my ego back even more, only do a few things and be happy with that.

I'm not trying to break up a family here, but after collaborating as Moderat twice, do you think you would do something of that caliber with anyone else?

Sascha: No. I don't think so. I always say Moderat is my second band. I don't think it's good to have many bands. It might be cool from time to time to make a track with other people, but what we do here with Moderat, is nothing you can do with another person.

It takes so much time to build up, and get to know each other so well.

SASCHA:

if you really want to make something serious, you have to be sure the other person is taking it just as seriously as you do.

Szary: I have the same answer. As Modeselektor we collaborated with lots of different people. For example, we worked with Thom Yorke. He came to our studio and spent two days. It was a quality time, he even took his shoes off...

I don't think It's a very melancholic album, not for my measure anyway.

Szary: And I think it's a perfect summer album!

Haha, alright. Speaking of Berlin, I recall Gernot complaining about not being able to smoke inside clubs when touring in the States. How are you gonna hold up the next time you tour with your new live show?

Szary: It's really sad to even having to ask if I can smoke on stage. When you're on stage you light a cigarette, you have a beer and you get that feeling...

Well now, in our new show, after "Bad Kingdom" is finished Sascha comes to me from where he stands on the right side of the stage all the way to the left, and asks me for a cigarette. It's a part of the show, so nobody can say anything.

I want you to ask Szary and Gernot one question, that you maybe never asked or something they would enjoy talking about.

Szary: Sascha, do you want to have kids?

Sascha: Wow. You never asked me this one. Let's say I don't find the idea as frightening as I thought of it when we were making the first record. But we might have to make another record before it happens. It would be easier to work with Modeselektor, if I had kids, 'cause we'd have the same schedules.

Sascha: You have to see how dirty the studio is. It means a lot that he took his shoes off.

SZARY:

Szary: Yeah we had pizza together in a very unknown restaurant, because he is such a public person...

And then we thought we should do more work with him, since we have a good relationship. But it's very complicated, because he is so busy. We are busy too, but we are all very dedicated to Moderat and are serious about this project.

Sascha: I'm very bad at spontaneous questions... I'll ask the opposite question: do you ever miss not having children? ...That's a very mean question.

It's really sad to even having to ask if I can smoke on stage. When you're on stage you light a cigarette, you have a beer and you get that feeling...

Sascha: When you collaborate with someone not just for fun or to make one-off record, if you really want to make something serious, you have to be sure the other person is taking it just as seriously as you do. It's a matter of trust and commitment. If you work with someone, you gotta know they will put everything into it. We're too old to play around and do things just for fun.

Szary: I think my life would be much different. I wouldn't say much easier, but it would be different.

When working as Moderat we had to start at 11 am, then have a break at 4 pm, then come back at 7 pm, so Gernot and I were able to see our kids and pick them up from school etc... But it did interrupt the creative process at its very peak. Sometimes I called my wife to pick my daughter up...

Right. You made the Moderat II album in winter. Do you think that fact tinted the sound of the record?

Sascha to Szary: It really never felt like you had to go back home. I think you integrated it all very well.

Maybe the question for you would be: would you like to be a bass player in a band?

Sascha: I don't think it's a dark album. Even though we made it in the winter, it still sounds very optimistic. It was the shittiest winter in a long time in Berlin, and we probably wanted to warm ourselves up with the music.

Szary: I think not. I've met a lot of bass players, and their thumbs are all messed up, so no.

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Making music is a personal thing, and the reaction of a certain type of crowd ain't going to stop us from pushing forward. photo by Nathan Gibson

AKKORD interview by Luke McCann

Akkord is a production outfit and record label with a full length self-titled album coming out on Fabric’s label Houndstooth. While there’s eight different meanings in the English dictionary for the word “accord” – like “a proper relationship or proportion, harmony” and “a harmonious union of sounds, colors, etc..." – the Latin translation literally bridges the heart to the mind.

Thus, it's perfectly fitting to learn that Akkord began as a shadowy collective with an espoused passion for mathematics and sacred geometry, crafting intelligent and beautifully oppressive electronic music. Eventually revealed as a collaboration between experienced Mancunian bass producers Synkro and Indigo, Akkord blurs the lines between junglist revivalism, smoky ambience, and suctioned dub, with a consistently engaging pulse linking the styles. Carefully arranged and achieving maximum impact on a proper sound system, Akkord is creating new archetypes for those destined to come after.

Mind if I start with the obligatory “How long have you two known each other? And how did you meet?"

We've known each other for about five years, and met indirectly through a mastering engineer. We eventually ended up swapping a few tunes and then started working together in the studio. Everything just evolved from there really, and we've been good friends since then.

Time flies, but if you look back, was Akkord something you've always wanted to do together from day one? Or did it come about in a more casual fashion over a short time?

It all definitely came about in a more casual fashion, but we had always thought about doing an alias together. It was just a matter of timing and it took a while for it all to fall into place. But when it finally did, it seemed to work itself.

We never argue or have disagreements, well, not anymore!

We're way past that stage. It's a partnership all the way and we always have a constructive approach.

We learned the ropes, so to speak, with our label Mindset and releasing a lot of material on other labels. This gave us a great insight into how things operate, so we just tailored our project to fit in with the path we wanted to take.

When there is a conflict or disagreement music wise, what do you usually do?

We never argue or have disagreements, well, not anymore! We're way past that stage. It's a

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partnership all the way and we always have a constructive approach. If there has to be some sort of disagreement we have to meet half way, or go with whichever sounds best.

It's usually a pretty easy decision. Pretty boring answer, sorry...

That particular Boiler Room was a 'press only' event, which was a shame, as the vibes were shit in the room. It wasn't the right place or time for our sound to be heard.

I consider music like yours a language and, for better or for worse, a lot of people don’t seem to know how to use it. This can be witnessed watching your Boiler Room set.

Half the people there are standing around, as if they don’t realize you guys are performing surgery on the decks, pushing the sound system to the limit. I find it baffling, because despite having a sort of cult following there’s always these ones in the crowd, usually talking loud, failing the lesson. Does this affect your motivation to create and perform?

If so, how?

We never really wanted to go on Boiler Room at that time, but as we had just signed to Houndstooth, we decided to just roll with it.

That particular Boiler Room was a 'press only' event, which was a shame, as the vibes were shit in the room. It wasn't the right place or time for our sound to be heard. But it's a platform for people to observe for themselves and make their own judgement with the live recording online. This kind of thing doesn't affect any motivation and drive to create at all. Making music is a personal thing, and the reaction of a certain type of crowd ain't going to stop us from pushing forward. We played dances where people go off... It's just a time and place thing.

photo by Nathan Gibson

You both work on solo projects as much as on Akkord stuff. I assume both bring you certain satisfaction. How would you say the feeling of finishing a track different when it's your solo versus collaborative effort?

This is a hard question to answer and put into words... It's a very different feeling, because you bring things to the table in a collaborative effort to levels you couldn't quite reach by yourself. It's double the creativity, different perspectives, ideas and expansions of your own thoughts.

When do you find time and how do you balance out the multitude of projects and deadlines and still be friends, hang out etc...?

It's taken a while, but we both work full time on music now, and it all just crosses over pretty seamlessly. Music is a constant thing

running throughout our lives and the time we do spend together is what you see in our music in whichever form or alias it comes in. you bring things to the table in a collaborative effort to levels you couldn't quite reach by yourself.

It's double the creativity, different perspectives, ideas and expansions of your own thoughts.

Who does your art direction? They hit the bulls eye conveying your sound aesthetic visually. Where can we see more of this person’s work?

We do everything. We had help getting the initial designs converted into digital vectors, but as far as the aesthetic and art goes, it's all us.

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photo by Jody Hartley

photo by Nathan Gibson

The amount of technology available out there is unreal, and we love to experiment, so it's never been a better time to get creative with the machines.

What was the most surprising, interesting or flattering comment you have gotten about your music?

Someone played our track "Guidance" (as Synkro & Indigo, Exit Records) at their wedding last year, which was a very nice and humbling surprise.

With the technological possibilities ever expanding for electronic music, where do you see things going next for Akkord?

We'd love to develop our sound and try new ways of presenting our music and visuals in a live situation. The amount of technology

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available out there is unreal, and we love to experiment, so it's never been a better time to get creative with the machines.

We're playing with ideas of fusing modern recording techniques with older ones to develop interesting textures and sonics, and also getting heavily into modular synthesis, which is extremely exciting. It has opened up a new world of possibilities.

What do you say each others' strengths lie in?

This is way too hard to answer. Maybe you could tell us?

Who makes a better cup of tea (or rolls a better spliff)?

That's easy! Liam better brew, Joe better spliff.

27—31 August Fort Punta Christo Pula, Croatia Reduced price super early bird tickets now on sale from dimensionsfestival.com

Dimensions Festival 2014

Between Wednesday 27th and Sunday 31st August 2014 we will welcome 8,000 revellers back to our natural home, the 19th century Fort Punta Christo. We will transform the ancient ballrooms, dungeons, courtyards and beaches into one of the most amazing festival locations ever imagined.

With a higher technical specification of sound systems than you will find at any other festival of its size, Dimensions is the perfect place to enjoy the deep end of electronica, the finest in techno, house, disco, drum & bass and other electronic sounds.

With chilled beats playing during the daytime beach sessions so you can relax and rejuvenate by the crystal clear Adriatic Sea, and daily boat parties taking off from the harbour, there is plenty to see and do.

We will also be hosting our annual opening concert on Wednesday 31st September in Pula Arena, the 2,000-year-old roman amphitheatre in the city centre, a 10-minute sunset boat ride from our festival site.

With line up announcements coming very soon we look forward to welcoming you to what is promising to be the most special Dimensions Festival yet.

DimensionsFestival.com

@Dimensions_Fest

See, the main appeal of working with another person is the ability to listen and open up to someone else's ideas.

Homs x Dudu "French Thief". Bernay, France

AGATA DUDEK interview by Katya Guseva

Homs x Dudu "Wild Thing". Bernay, France

Agata Dudek, known in the streets of Warsaw as Dudu, eats a very big breakfast every day. It may or may not be the reason for her becoming an accomplished graphic designer, illustrator and street artist at a very young age. It could also be her curiosity and drive for collaborations, which she claims teach her not only artistic skills she didn't have before, but also humbleness, peace and trust in other people's ideas.

One of Dudu's closest collaborators Daniel Bajarbaatar, known in a graf circle as Homs, taught her how to work with spray paint. It quickly grew into a number of wall pieces combining Agata's cutely violent characters with stylized lettering by Homs, and playfully tagged "Homzkee & Dudu".

We wanted to find out more about Agata's work ethic, her music preferences, and (possibly?) run-ins with police, so we nagged her with some questions...

Hi Agata, please tell us about your artistic path? Do you come form an artistic family?

I come from an ordinary working family, but I've been drawing since early childhood. My parents would give me crayons and paper and leave me for hours alone. I drew princesses, monsters, designed fancy dresses, etc. Drawing was and is great fun for me. After finishing elementary school, I went to the School of Art, where I discovered new techniques of artistic expression. The natural next stage was the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. Today I can not imagine my life without drawing and creation.

How did your collaboration with Homs (Daniel Bajarbaatar} come about? What moved you to create together?

Homs and I have known each other for a couple of years now and we have a common group of friends. This collaboration occurred very naturally. Homs is recognized as a Polish DJ and has several years experience doing graffiti. He has a thorough understanding of graffiti styles and letters. He told me about the history of it and taught me how to work with spray paint. I was always very curious about it, always wanted to spray paint something on the walls. So we decided to work together.

Unfortunately, I can not work with the letters, so I paint characters. I

think we complement each other well in our work. Sometimes we argue about the final look, but we generally work very well together.

Do you think to collaborate with another artist you need to have similar visual aesthetic? Or do personal relationship and ability to 'vibe' together come first?

In my opinion, the most important thing is the climate of a personal relationship. By working with someone who has a different style you get a new perspective on the project and learn something new. I think the most important is the vibe. If it's someone you know and love, there is a good chance that you will work well together.

Collaborations are good.

They influence your creativity, motivate you, improve your skills and are a breath of fresh air for your own work.

Is there anything you feel you couldn't do on your own with your art, that you might be able to accomplish through collaborating with other artists or Homs in particular?

I think that I will never be able to achieve this level of graffiti lettering which Homs represents.

He has several years of experience and for me, graffiti is a new form of expression. But I feel that I learn a lot from it and it gives me the energy to continue working.

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Homs x Dudu "HOMS 100!". Warsaw, Poland

Collaborations are good. They influence your creativity, motivate you, improve your skills and are a breath of fresh air for your own work. But most of all collabs are fun!

Do you feel less personal connection to collaborative projects?

No, absolutely not. Joint work is as important for me as my personal work. I am attached to it all. Besides, I have a connection with collaborative work, because of all the fantastic memories and history of it.

I think creating music is no different from designing or illustrating books and magazines.

You co-run your own design studio with Małgorzata Nowak, so naturally you collaborate every day. What would you say is the main challenge that comes up in this particular collaboration and how do you deal with it?

Goshia (Małgorzata) is my good friend from Academy of Fine Arts. Last year we set up a graphic design studio called Studio Acapulco. It's very good for us to work together and we have a similar aesthetic. See, the main appeal of working with another person is the ability to listen and open up to someone else's ideas. You have to be open to the other person and trust in their ideas. Unfortunately, often I like to dictate the rules, but working with Goshia taught me humbleness and peace. This balance is important.

I currently work to the sound of classical music, but I have Dr. Dre in my playlist.

You've created quite a few pieces for music projects.

What is your relationship with music and what role does it play in your creative process?

I think creating music is no different from designing or illustrating books and magazines. The most important thing is the idea and the concept. I can not imagine my life without music. Music is a part of me, so it is a natural relationship in me between drawing and music.

What kind of music do you listen to when working?

I was born in the eighties, so I love old songs and bands. I like listening to the music from the 90's and rap when I work. In fact, most of my projects are made when I was listening to hip-hop. I have DJ friends who often send me cool music. I currently work to the sound of classical music, but I have Dr. Dre in my playlist.

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Homs x Dudu "Confectioner's Dream". Rouen, France

Warsaw, Poland

Detail of "Elvis La Coq". Bernay, France

Detail of "Oh la vache!". Bernay, France

Detail of "Wild Thing". Bernay, France

You've done quite a fair share of street art in Europe. Did you have any run-ins with the government or police?

Never. But I once put a sticker on a police car. Living on the edge!

Tell me about your workspace. What are the most essential things in your art studio?

This month I moved into a new studio, which I share with my friends. Until then I worked at home, but it was exhausting for me. My lab is still empty and even lacks bookshelves. The most essential thing in my studio is a table for drawing and drafting, posters on the walls and an exercise ball that I use as a seat and for jumping.

I Once Put a sticker on a police car. Living on the edge!

Any advice for the youngsters?

Be yourself and do not give up! Your best projects are right in front of you (and me too)!

If I were to spend the day with Agata Dudek, what could I expect?

The most important is a good breakfast! It's my base, so you can expect a big meal in the morning.

Dudu. Warsaw, Poland 32

As a musician I know: the only place you really thrive in, is where there are no restrictions And you can really be yourself. photo by Lars Borges

SPEEDY J interview by Katya Guseva

Since you've collaborated with a lot of musicians and all sorts of artists throughout your career, I'd like to pick your brain on working with other people. What exactly moves you to collaborate with people as opposed to creating on your own?

Well, I do both, but I like collaborating with other people, because it’s usually an opportunity to learn more about yourself. Every collaboration is different, but you learn from all of them, whether they are eventually successful or not. It’s always a learning experience. You always find out from other people how they approach certain problems or what solutions they come up with in certain situations.

With a music career spanning over two and a half decades, and unnumbered collaborations of all sorts under his belt (and in his record bag), Speedy J knows a thing or two about working with people. Be it a session in the studio, record label management, event production, or curation of the most eclectic podcast in the scene, Speedy J's approach is one of creative freedom, and letting things happen naturally.

The result is unprecedented quality overall, beginning with visual identity and packaging, rooting in innovative ideas, and extending to the careful selection of the most prolific music material.

His diverse Electric Deluxe podcast celebrated its hundredth (#100) episode with a very limited run of hand-stamped bootleg vinyl, featuring unedited selections of previous mixes, taking you on an explorative voyage through sound.

That's just one of the examples of Speedy J's restless creativity and constant experimentation.

Zeitgeber duo project and selftitled album with Stroboscopic Artefacts boss Lucy is another.

Continue reading for more details on all of the above, plus a bonus tip from the man himself on cooking a perfect Carbonara...

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Sometimes you have a lot of expectations, you sit down with a person, and all that happens is that you are kind of being polite towards each other, and there’s not really a moment where things get on fire, where things become sort of... chemical.

And it’s just nice to work with actual human sometimes, you know. If I'm working in the studio by myself, there is a certain relationship going on between me and the instruments or interfaces of instruments. I basically have to put my mind in different mindsets to be able to work with different sorts of gear, because they all approach things differently.

But it’s not bidirectional relationship.

Working with a person is obviously something which is about the relationship you have with this person, it’s about getting a feeling from each other. It’s a nice welcome change from working alone.

So do you prefer collaborations where you can learn more or where you’re teaching a person more than what you are getting from it? How do you deal with that?

Every collaboration is different.

Sometimes you have a lot of expectations, you sit down with a person, and all that happens is that you are kind of being polite towards each other, and there’s not really a moment where things get on fire, where things become sort

of... chemical. But other times it's surprisingly exciting, and it doesn’t even mean you have a conversation all the time. It can also be a musical conversation, which is more abstract you know.

I’ve experienced all of them, the whole spectrum from being stuck with each other, towards the other end not talking to each other at all, just letting it flow to see what happens.

What happens if you have a very strong opinion, and the other person has a strong opinion about what they want to do? How do you deal with that?

Well, I have certain ways to approach those situations. It doesn't really happen that often, but my attitude is usually quite diplomatic. I let the other person be very strongly opinionated, and then, in the end, I’ll jump in and get my way. But it’s a rare thing, this is rarely a part of collaborating.

If it's a good collaboration, you give and take enough to make the sum better than the parts.

I’ve never experienced at all, in any collaborations I’ve done, a fight over something musically. Eventually, we find compromise. Sometimes you have to accept that the other person’s opinion or idea is better than your own. And that works vice versa. If it's a good collaboration, you give and take enough to make the sum better than the parts. That's basically what you are looking for: you are trying to put in all of your expertise or ideas or creativity, and you expect it from the other person as well.

To get a better result in the end, collectively.

Yeah, exactly. It’s about the end result ultimately.

How does your satisfaction differ from when you finish a track by yourself versus a collaborative effort? Do you have more of a personal connection with the tracks you make alone?

Whenever I finish music, whether it's by myself or in a collaboration, I basically don’t deal with it anymore.

When it’s finished, it’s done. It starts its second life, which is the life it gets from being listened and interpreted by other people. And it’s no longer really all mine. You know what I mean?

collaboration?” These things come together backstage, when travelling, or when people play at one of my parties. Sometimes when I invite guests for our party and it’s a person

So basically, that’s where I draw the line: when it’s done - it’s done. And I never really look back. But the thing is, when I think about it, when I do listen to it or get to hear it for some reason, I think about the process and the experience of making it rather than listening to the actual music.

When I listen to something I’ve done in a collaboration, I remember the time when I was working with this person, the things we experienced, the way we’ve done it. It can be really stupid stuff, like what kind of take-away food we got or something like that. But that’s the relationship I have with my music: once it’s out of the system, it’s gone. It’s done, let’s do the next thing.

I’d like to work with I ask them to hang out for a few days... I ask them to take a few days off, before or after the event, and we just hang out and get into the studio without any expectations, without a plan, just to see what happens...

Very good answer. So then what was the concept behind your Collabs series that you started in 2003. Why did you do it?

I just came up with a name to capture all the collaborations I had been doing. I had been doing collaborations anyway, so I thought I come up with something which kind of collects all this work into one project. That’s why I started it.

I thought maybe there was some concept behind it.

The collaborations always come up spontaneously. I never think, “Oh, who should be my next

when we got to the studio we didn’t talk at all, and in two days we had four tracks. It was like a storm going on: we were competing for the mouse all the time. I'd be doing something on the computer and he was like,”No No No! Let me do this.”

But the whole thing with concepts, artists lie about these things.

Concepts usually come up afterward.

You come up with a concept to make it look more interesting. You know what I mean?

Is that what happened with #100?

No, there’s a whole story behind the podcast. There’s a lot of things I should tell you before #100 makes sense.

Let’s start with that then. Well, actually, maybe I could squeeze in one question about Lucy and your collaborative Zeitgeber project. Was this collaboration spontaneous too?

Yeah, exactly the way I told you.

the whole thing with concepts... artists lie about these things.

Concepts usually come up afterward. You come up with a concept to make it look more interesting.

Lucy was playing at one of our events two years ago. I've heard of him and his music, just as he's heard of me and knew my music. So I got in touch with him, talked on e-mail for a bit and asked him to play and if he’d want to stay a few days extra to get to know each other and do something in the studio. He was totally up for it.

This was actually one of those collaborations where when we got to the studio we didn’t talk at all, and in two days we had four tracks.

It was like a storm going on: we were competing for the mouse all the time. I'd be doing something on the computer and he was like,”No No No! Let me do this.” It was really quick, ideas just kept coming. We had a really productive influence on each other, and a very good work flow.

So after a few days we had all this material, that was quite fairy taled.

There was a large scope that we were spanning with the first four tracks, so we thought we needed more time to make it more coherent.

So the next time I was in Berlin, a few months after, we went in the studio, and we did four or five more tracks and then... ...That became an album?!

Yeah, that’s it. We didn’t do anything else. Two studio sessions. Or three in fact.

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Wow, that’s amazing.

Just a couple of days. The entire album was done in about a week.

Interesting. I'm curious if you can draw any parallels between this collaboration and your collab with Mike Paradinas. Or not really?

Well, in terms of the way we worked, it’s quite similar. Because when I worked with Mike, we were not really talking that much, and did stuff in turns on machines around the studio, and it came together very effortlessly and very naturally.

And I think this playfulness that is in both of these albums is probably the link between them. It’s because they came together naturally, that’s the best way to describe it.

Is that why you decided to actually create a different aliases for both the projects, instead of saying "Lucy and Speedy J" or "Mike Paradinas & Speedy J"? You actually gave them separate names.

Yeah, I think it’s quite common anyway, isn’t it? If you do a side project as a single, it’s usually this person versus that person. But if it’s a whole album...

Ah, so the whole album calls for a name...

I think so.

Makes sense, definitely. Does it mean you guys are going to continue working making music together?

Maybe, maybe. It all came together without any plans at all. We joined to hang out in the studio, and the next thing you know we did an album.

So, this whole kind of spontaneous vibe was the most important thing to do while doing this album. We want to keep that spirit, so if we come together some time again and it happens, we will do it. But we’re not going to force ourselves to do another project together.

Ok, let's move on to the Electric Deluxe podcast then. What's the concept here?

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We started the podcast series a few years ago. The purpose was to find out from other artist, what makes them who they are. The brief that we give to artists for the mix is to play music they are inspired by, or would like to play on their own iPod, or at home, or stuff they are influenced by, or maybe even stuff that nobody ever thought they would like.

The thing is, while you develop your career as an artist, you get a certain reputation, or people see you in a certain way because of the output that you have and the kind of gigs that you do. But most artists, and a lot of people in the audience don’t know that, most artists have a lot wider interest in music than the output they are responsible for. So I am really interested to see what this other stuff is for artists that we feature.

I ask them, if they get a chance, not having to think about whether it’s good for the dance floor, or if it's good for a certain platform, or if there was no limit, what kind of music would they really want to play to their fans or friends. Sometimes it’s predictable, but sometimes it’s very surprising.

It's not the flavor of the month. There are no playlists, which are tied to what’s hot.

It’s something that can be 30 years old or current. It’s a personal reflection of the entire music history from a certain artist.

When we hit 100 mixes, I realized that this has become such an enormous archive of music, which is timeless and discoverable, that I wanted to enhance it and create sort of a symbol for that, a homage to the podcast and to the artists that have been featured.

The key thing with Electric Deluxe podcast, in comparison to a lot of other podcasts, it's not the flavor of the month. There are no playlists, which are tied to what’s hot. It’s something that can be 30 years old or current. It’s a personal reflection of the entire music history from

a certain artist. The fact that it’s timeless makes it also possible to go back to previous episodes and be just as surprised and just as...

Inspired almost...

Yes, inspired... as when you’d listen to the most current episodes. So with this timelessness the podcast now has, I wanted to make it into a physical archive. And I thought who is crazy enough to... I don’t think anyone has ever pressed a podcast on vinyl...

No, definitely not.

Of course, it’s only eight sides on four vinyls, but it gives an overview of what the podcast is about. It’s just another way to promote the podcast too. A nice way to get attention for it, and to talk about these qualities that I think are very important.

I’m the podcast’s biggest fan to be honest. I love it. I really love it.

It's almost like an old unlabeled cassette tape with all sorts of different songs, from different times, different genres, different artists – a mix of everything. And you don’t care about who made this tape, it’s just a piece of music and that’s what it is.

This discoverable thing about it comes out really well when you are listening to the vinyls. You don’t know who you are playing, you may recognize one or two songs, somewhere, but you don’t know who put them together.

This discovery is a very important element for me as a music listener.

I love finding things which I thought would never be there. And I know a lot of music myself, because you know, I’m a musician and I’ve been doing this for two and a half decades, 24 hours a day – and still on every episode of the podcast I find tracks and artists that I've never heard before at all. So yeah, I’m the podcast’s biggest fan to be honest. I love it. I really love it.

photo by Lars Borges

photo by Lars Borges

That’s admirable that you give other artists a chance to express themselves like that, because sometime they might feel framed into a certain style or a genre...

That’s exactly what I tried to do when starting the label and the events series. I did it not because I want to enhance my own profile, I wanted to create a platform for artists to really be themselves, to display their unique authentic quality. I think there are too many labels trying to mold artists into a certain style. I really wanted to do the opposite. As a musician I know: the only place you really thrive in, is where there are no restrictions and you can really be yourself.

When you don’t have to pretend to be something else, to do a certain style, at a certain club, be a certain DJ you know? So all I want from other people is to feel comfortable enough to do what they are good at, so they can flourish and shine.

I think there are too many labels trying to mold artists into a certain style. I really wanted to do the opposite.

So you pick artists, based on your same kind of spontaneous way?

It's people I know personally, but firstly people who are doing something interesting. We have a big list of potential guests.

Sometimes it requires convincing people that they can really do what they want. Some people think since the podcast is experimental, they should do something experimental.

We have this brief saying, "don't try to be experimental, just do what you would like to do when you're making a mixtape for your friends at a barbecue".

Do you have anyone helping you to curate the podcast? Or is it your sole decision on who you feature on it?

I work together with Holly, who is our copywriter too. She basically manages the podcast. What I usually do is I collect the names for people that I would like to invite, I send out the initial invitation

myself, and when I get a response I hook them up with Holly, who takes it from there. It's our collaborative effort, when it comes to deciding who to invite. She makes her suggestions too.

Will the 100th episode ever be released online?

No. This is it. On vinyl only. I'm looking forward to the reactions actually. Technically this is not a release, this is a bootleg. The thing is we've never licensed anything, that's not what people do for podcasts. We've always been putting them online for free download, and I know it's technically illegal, but it happens to my music too, and I don't mind, because it's good for promotion. it's been online for over two years as a free download, available for everyone, and now that I put it on vinyl, all of a sudden I should be worried?!

But now that we've put #100 on vinyl, people have been saying left and right, "Are you crazy? You're bootlegging this music. What are you doing?" But it's been online for over two years as a free download, available for everyone, and now that I put it on vinyl, all of a sudden I should be worried? It's strange, as soon as it becomes physical, all of a sudden, you're liable for something.

How is it going to be distributed then?

It's going to be in our online shop, on electricdeluxe.net, and that's about it. It's a very limited thing: only 200 copies are pressed. It's just a nice way to celebrate the 100th episode, and to emphasize the concept behind the podcast and the fact that it has become such an archeological collection of music.

Of all the projects with Electric Deluxe and your own releases, events, production, what is it that excites you the most?

inviting people for the podcast, doing A&R for the label... Every couple of weeks, there's something new happening, and I get excited when something actually sees the light of day. It's a team effort, so after hundreds of emails, things going wrong, when it finally happens, I get very very excited.

What about exciting things besides music?

I like to walk my dog on the beach or in the forest.

Nice! What breed?

It's a Peruvian hairless, but this one does have hair. So it's a Peruvian hairless with hair. Her name is Luna.

Like the Moon.

Yes, exactly. I also like to cook, when I have time. I find it very similar to working in the studio, but it's much more social. Sitting in the kitchen with a lot of people, have a nice drink and a conversation...

What's the Speedy J special in the kitchen?

All kinds of things. I try out different things, sometimes just to have something to eat, and sometimes I get quite experimental. But you know what, sometimes the simplest dish requires a lot of skill. Especially in Italian cuisine. There's virtually no Italian restaurants that can make a good Carbonara. I only had one or two good ones. Ever. The rest are sorry rip-offs, or they try to unnecessarily dress it up. This stuff involves the right ingredients. You can really butcher it if you don't have the right timing or temperature. And then it tastes like shit.

So what's your secret to a good Carbonara?

95% of people use cream. And it's wrong, it's horrible! It's just eggs and cheese, that's all. Egg yolks, and Parmigiano and Pecorino cheese.

It's the most recent project usually.

Creating lineups for our parties,

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What pushes me to collaborate is curiosity in what can happen when two different styles intersect.

We Pattern

DANNY IVAN interview by Elena Herrera

Owl You Need Is Love feat Bryan Gallardo

Currently residing and working from Lisbon, Portugal, Danny Ivan creates inspiring stylized, colorconscious works as a budding digital artist. There is so much playfulness with mesmerizing bold color palettes and pop narratives in his exuberant and emotional work. It's only natural that his ability to connect with other artists produces very diverse pieces, demonstrating the power of collaboration.

During the time of conducting this interview, Danny produced more collaborative and solo works, was speaking at a technology, culture and arts conference, and showing at an exhibition. Somehow he still found the time to discuss with us his several collaborations and his path as an emerging artist.

How would you describe your creative process? Where do you begin?

My creative process can begin anywhere, anytime in my life. I'm an observer and I love all visual things; I can get ideas from a wall or a dress or a movie. These ideas start to connect in my mind, and when I feel that I have something solid, I start sketching or write down the concept in my phone,so I don't forget later.

I love the idea of two different techniques coming together and creating an entirely new one.

What inspires you to work with certain individuals?

What pushes me to collaborate is curiosity in what can happen when two different styles intersect. I love the idea of two different techniques coming together and creating an entirely new one. Collaborating can also make our lives less boring, because working as an independent artist can sometimes feel very lonely. It's like you are swimming alone in the middle of the sea, with your thoughts, and you're scared. That’s the major reason I started collaborating, and then I realized how many nice people all over the world are full of energy and got lots of happiness to share.

How did your collaboration with Marta Macedo come about? Do you feel like you adopted a particular technique while working together?

This particular collaboration came because of a common friend, who showed my work to her. I also looked at her portfolio and felt very interested to work

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together, to apply 3D effect, that she's so good at, to my artworks. I don’t have that skill and I thought working with Marta could take my work to the next level.

What made you reach out to Bryan Gallardo?

Sometimes I feel touched by the creativity of other artists. I see their work and I think, "I wish I would have done it." It's not jealousy: the success of other artists is my success too, and that inspires me to work with other artists. I receive a lot of comments and personal messages about my work. Some artists understand my work and admire my style, so it's easy to collaborate with these talented people. That’s the way we connected with Bryan Gallardo: he told me about how he admires my work with patterns, and when I saw his work I asked him, "let’s do something together", and here it goes. we push each other to our limits, and we start thinking out of the box, because we are outside of our comfort zones.

Is there anything you couldn't achieve with your own creation you were able to accomplish with Bryan Gallardo? What did you learn from Bryan?

I really don’t know, but I think I couldn’t achieve his organic style with the lines. He is a very talented graphic designer, and when we started talking about my combo colors and pattern designs I discovered I can share my knowledge about coloring, because I spend 80 % of my time studying colors and how they interact with each other and what they transmit.

Tropical Cock feat Bryan Gallardo

Color Husky feat Bryan Gallardo

In terms of collaboration what I learnt from Bryan is his skills in illustration, he impressed me with some of his highly detailed work, and it’s pretty amazing to work with such a talented artist.

It's Fascinating how our minds are always creating images, trying to understand the past or the future.

I don't think of myself as an artist.

I consider myself a "farmer of images".

Would you say you are more drawn to retro or futuristic themes?

How does your collaborative process differ from your usual methods of creation?

The process of collaborative work is very different from my usual methods of creating.

Open and free mind of the other person is very important for me. I like to work in an emotional environment, to risk more, and try something different and unusual.

Is there a difference between the way you create art with someone and by yourself?

Yes, the difference is huge. I feel like we push each other to our limits, and we start thinking out of the box, because we are outside of our comfort zones. Sometimes it's very difficult to connect my visual style with that of another artist, but somehow we find the connecting point and make something new with more concepts behind the artwork.

What's exciting you these days?

It's exciting is see so many people following what we are doing and popular sites and magazines talk about our work. I don't think of myself as an artist. I consider myself a "farmer of images". I'm creating images all day, inspire other designers, artists, creative people and whoever else like seeing my work. That’s why my works have bold and strong colors – because I want to share my strongest emotions, and I’m truthfully happy when I’m "farming" images.

I’m very inspired by the work of Neil Krug and Andy Gilmore, I feel like they mix both themes. I love the nostalgic feelings of retro art, something about what we didn’t see or touch... If you think about futuristic themes it's the same feeling, because you might never have that experience. It's fascinating how our minds are always creating images, trying to understand the past or the future.

If you could no longer create art, what would you do? Do you have any hidden talents?

I used to have a full time job in video production. My task would be to film and edit big events in one of the biggest retail company in Portugal called FNAC. I had all tools to create video and movies, and I loved getting to know authors, bands, and movie directors from my country. The biggest project for me there was filming an interview with John Malkovich. It was huge for me, because when you see people like him, you feel inspired to make quality work.

That’s why my works have bold and strong colors – because I want to share my strongest emotions.

Do you create out of a need to create or for leisure?

Both. I think when you are happy with what you're doing for work, you feel complete inside, and life makes sense.

What other media plays a part in your creative process?

Music, movies and museums can fuel my creativity. I think it's very important to see other artists' works, because sometimes we feel we are creating something new, but other amazing artists had similar ideas.

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Space Cat feat Bryan Gallardo

Pure

Trinity feat FalcaoLucas

We Color

We just want to play to music heads.

Playing clubs is great, but the audience isn't always there just for the music. photo by Vitali Gelwich

THESE HIDDEN HANDS interview by Joe McCann

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photo by Vitali Gelwich

In 2005, two university classmates shared a passion for techno and jungle as well as a collective discontent for the current state of music in the London scene. Shortly thereafter, Tommy Four Seven and Alain, teamed up and left the UK for a more creative and expressive area – Berlin – where they have both flourished as artists and producers in their own respective disciplines.

After four years of individual growth as prolific and productive artists, Tommy Four Seven and Alain have reconvened to create one of the most unique and refreshing collaborations in the electronic music scene in years: These Hidden Hands.

With self-titled album released on their own imprint Hidden Hundreds, and two remixes EPs coming up right after, the duo had some things to share with us over a phone conversation.

So for the record, These Hidden Hands, is a duo project between Alain and Tommy. The question that naturally follows is, how did you meet and more importantly why did you decide to start working together?

Tommy: We met at University in 2005. We were both studying music technology at what back then was called TVU, which actually now merged with London College of Music and Media.

Alain: Yeah, they've had like four name changes. I think now it's called University of West London.

T: Alain was in the same class with me. One day he brought his music to class, and I remember even the lecturer being blown away with it. I was then starting a record label called Shooting Elvis, and we ended up writing our first release for it called "Strix". Then Alain made his own solo release on it as James Kronier...

How many years ago was that?

ALAIN:

I mastered the album, not because we wanted to be DIY, but because the bizarre mix processing made everything awkward.

A: That was 2007.

So you guys were into the same kind of sound back then?

T: We did find we had similar backgrounds. We were both into drum and bass and UK garage when we were younger, so we had some similar interests and talking points...

A: I was probably less into UKG. T: Anyway, after University, we decided to move to Berlin together and find a studio and do what we're doing now. It's taken us four and a half years to get there, we found a warehouse space, this disused

aluminum factory here in Berlin, and that's where we have our studios now. They are separate studios, but in the same warehouse. We can both go away and write our ideas, and then swap and each of us can work on separate parts. We just bounce them back and forth.

TOMMY:

getting the response from tracks like "Armed 3", which I wasn't expecting to have, gave me confidence to keep going and experimenting more and not conforming to doing traditional "4 to the floor" records.

Since you, Alain, decided to focus on your mastering studio currently, how does this expertise impact the music you produce collectively with Tommy.

A: I suppose I am a mastering engineer as a business: mastering, recording and mixing. But I've been making music since I was nine years old. I don't approach it from simply technical side of things, I approach it musically as well. But yeah, I mastered the album, not because we wanted to be DIY, but because the bizarre mix processing made everything awkward.

Tommy, your Primate album was a sick release, one that I played time and again, standalone and in mixes.

It was a bold statement for techno at the time of its release and I’m curious how its success factored into much of the production on this release?

Thanks – it's hard to gauge. But getting the response from tracks like "Armed 3", which I wasn't expecting to have, gave me confidence to keep going and experimenting more and not conforming to doing traditional "4 to the floor" records. It sort of tested the waters and gave me confidence to experiment more with techno, kind of playing around with the techno aesthetics, but not sticking to the rules. I don't think it influenced how we collectively approach writing music, but it showed that there are people out there willing to listen to more experimental dance music.

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photo by Vitali Gelwich

"Ivy", a track on the album, is also the single you chose to release a few months ago. Its sound is fundamentally different than the rest of the album. It has hints of Autechre and even Boards of Canada in it. Can you talk a little about why you chose to release it as a single?

T: It was really hard to pick a single. We were playing our album to ourselves and to friends and kept on going back to that track, because of it having a complete package.

It was catchy, it evoked emotion, it was very direct and it was miles away from what I was doing solo, and people weren't expecting it. It just felt fresh, you know. It didn't seem wise to choose a track like "Severed" for example, which is maybe closer to what I do solo. "Ivy" sounds fresh and completely away from my solo stuff – hopefully it surprises people.

"Severed" is a particularly hard track with some wicked distortion and industrial related tones. The sound is rather unique. I’m curious, what types of instruments and/or samples do you guys use to create such a massive track?

Alain: "Severed" pretty much came from the drum kit in my studio. That was where all the beats on the album came from (It's an acoustic drum kit). I just recorded a bunch of stuff and gave that to Tom, and he did some bizarre processing across the multitrack, and that's how the foundation of the track came about.

project? How do you focus on that versus all the other things you're involved with?

T: We actually have our first live show for Not Equal at Berghain on 29th of November. We're working on our live show and we do plan to continue with this, as we're having a lot of fun.

For me it's great to work in a collaboration after doing a lot of solo stuff... We want to see how far we can take it, and we're gonna hopefully get some more festival dates next year.

TOMMY:

It's not 100% dance floor music, that's for sure.

We don't want to do the normal club circuit.

We only want to do some key festivals, and maybe use some wicked off locations, disused, abandoned, strange buildings. The original plan was to have this as a long-term project.

A: And in terms of my other projects, the punk band is definitely a smaller project. These Hidden Hands is the primary project I'm going to be focused more on. I've got multiple things on the go, but none of them are really quite as important as These Hidden Hands for me.

I was gonna ask you about touring, and you said you will be more targeting festivals in 2014. Is that correct?

Yes.

ALAIN:

These Hidden Hands is more of a group, that you go to see perform if you're into it. it's not one of those things where you can bust out a DJ set or something.

Tommy: I edited a modular synth jam Alain made and found key elements that worked such as a bass hook and FX and further processed them until it turned into sort of what you here on the track.

As Alain mentioned the drum kit in the studio has been key; it's been basically a foundation and a catalyst to starting off our beats. Alain is in a punk band playing drums, and it's been much more inspiring him jumping in the live room and bashing out some ideas, rather than us just using a sequencer or drum machine.

So the drum kit was a major influence.

You mentioned Alain is in a punk band playing live drums and you obviously do your thing. Is These Hidden Hands going to be an ongoing

So we can't really convince you to come to New York anytime soon?

T: It depends on the location and the lineup. We just want to play to music heads. Playing clubs is great, but the audience isn't always there just for the music.

A: I think an important fact is that we're not DJs. Well, Tommy is, but I haven't deejayed in like 10 years or something like that, so I wouldn't call myself a DJ. These Hidden Hands is more of a group, that you go to see perform if you're into it. It's not one of those things where you can bust out a DJ set or something. So we gotta be careful about where we play and that our music fits.

Is there an environment or a venue, where you expect your music to be played. Is it more for the headphones or a dark warehouse rave? Where is the ideal setting for it?

T: It's not 100% dance floor music, that's for sure.

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photo by Vitali Gelwich

I think it's very home listenable, like you said, on the headphones. I think it fits both environments.

On one side it's very experimental, but it's also very rhythm based.

Personally, I could really get down and get lost in it.

I can imagine it going off at Berghain. But it's also home listening. It even reflects in the way we mastered it.

When we were mastering it, we didn't scoop it and limit the fuck out of it, like a lot of people do with a lot of dance music now, it's still very punchy.

ALAIN:

I tried quite hard, especially when mastering the vinyl version, to maintain the dynamic range and get it sounding as best as I could, and not compromising it to make it louder than producer X or release Y. Alain: Yeah, I tried quite hard, especially when mastering the vinyl version, to maintain the dynamic range and get it sounding as best as I could, and not compromising it to make it louder than producer X or release Y. I just wanted it to sound good, and not have to compromise it. We've had a lot of good feedback from fellow engineers about the sound quality of the album, so we're pretty chuffed with the result.

Tommy: They'd all work on the dance floor, but it's gotta take a bold DJ to pick them out and play them.

Ok, guys, well thanks so much for taking your time, we'll probably see each other in November at Berghain or sometime here in New York.

Yeah, man, good chatting, thanks for getting in touch.

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We always knew what we wanted this thing to be, but had no idea what it would sound like.

photo courtesy of RBMA

LIVITY SOUND interview by Luke McCann

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One doesn’t need Google to know the meaning of the word "Livity", but after scanning the almighty and all-seeing internet, I learned it's a Patois word used by rastas to refer to the energy or life-force that flows through all living things. No two people will give you the same definition of the word.

"Livity" can simply mean a lifestyle, as well as loving other people in the same way as you love yourself, being connected to the life source, the Earth, and everything that sustains it.

Livity Sound is a glove-fitting name for the collaborative works of artists Peverelist, Kowton, and Asusu. Based in Planet Bristol the all-vinyl imprint stays on a roll supplying enthusiasts, and nonbelievers alike, with quality music since the hand-stamped white labels of 2010. We caught up with Peverelist to talk about how the collaboration came about, their studio rituals, and stages collapsing during their live performances.

Carrying capacity is to saturation what pollination is to cross-contamination. I’m willing to bet music is a running current in all of your lives and has been for a while. How did you all meet and make this happen?

Livity Sound came about as I felt a need to have a label, which defined my own interests and ideas, combining all my influences from dub, jungle and techno. I've been doing Punch Drunk for a few years, but that was always meant to be a reflection of the Bristol scene, and I wanted to do something that was more specifically me.

My friend Joe (Kowton) was instrumental in Livity Sound's creation. We chatted a lot about music at the time, about what we liked and didn't like, and started collaborating on tracks together, one of which became the first Livity Sound 12".

Making electronic music can take patience, so sometimes it's better to work apart. Other times, if you are bouncing ideas around, it's good to work directly with someone.

The third member, Asusu was another local DJ and producer, who I had been in conversation with about working together, and I felt his ideas were compatible with ours, so he supplied the second release. As we started to release more records, we decided to try and present them in a live show, something none of us had ever done before. And it made sense, it was a new challenge.

Physical labor can hone intellectual muscle, it's been said. So how involved is a typical studio session for you three? Is your material being worked on individually/remotely, or all together?

Different combinations for different things really. Making electronic music can take patience, so sometimes it's better to work apart. Other times, if you are bouncing ideas around, it's good to work directly with someone.

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When we are writing, it's usually a combination of the two. Obviously, when working on live stuff, that has to be as a group.

Last time we practiced together, we had all the equipment laid out on Joe's living room floor.

Where is the Livity Sounds' nucleus? I heard through more than a few artists, that there are studios right next to studios amongst artists all over Bristol. Is that true?

Yeah, quite a few people have studios. Space is expensive in Bristol, so with us, we all work from home. It's not ideal, but the best we can do right now. Last time we practiced together, we had all the equipment laid out on Joe's living room floor.

A good caffeine to biscuit ratio, and a decent resistance to the inevitable walk to the pub.

Do you have any 'studio' rituals or essential elements in the mix?

A good caffeine to biscuit ratio, and a decent resistance to the inevitable walk to the pub.

How would you describe a live set from Livity Sound to someone who wants to find out or just likes the dope aesthetic and art design?

We try and keep it fast-paced, evolving and energetic. Hopefully, it sounds alive and visceral.

That's what we're aiming for anyway: keeping the levels high.

What kind of approach do you take as far as releases and touring go?

We all work on our own things at the same time as doing the Livity stuff, so the releases have come as they are ready so far. Eight 12"s in around three years to date. 2013 has been a

photo courtesy of BBC Radio

Livity-intensive year, so we're going to re-focus on solo projects for a few months and then reconvene and plan the next move.

It's really easy to kill the initial vibe on a track if you keep going back to it and keep ironing out the creases.

As far as touring goes, it's ongoing, we're always up for it. It's a different experience of deejaying, which is the background we've all come from.

Asusu’s "Too Much Time Has Passed" is a classy title, but at what point do you feel ready for progress? How and when do you know that a certain track is something you want to play out or put out before too much time has passed?

I think you just know. You just have to try and resist going back and changing stuff too much, because otherwise you'll never finish it, and it'll never get released. It's really easy to kill the initial vibe on a track if you keep going back to it and keep ironing out the creases.

Music is made for decks, headphones, clubs, cars... Who cares, just keep doing it, because it's greatly appreciated and supported. But what about playback? Whether it's a factoryinstalled or custom-made system, the car is my favorite place to listen to music. What are

your choice ways of hearing music, when it's not through stage monitors?

I'm not an iPod person. Most of the music I listen to is on records anyway.

I don't have a car, although I agree it's a great way to listen to music. I usually check stuff at home or around friend's houses, radio or going out in Bristol. I'm not an iPod person. Most of the music I listen to is on records anyway.

It's worth it when you get there, but getting there is the real challenge.

True innovation, musically for example, comes from cross-pollination and breaking through the walls of one's specialty to tap into the energy of another. With all experience and inspiration combined (I can’t imagine the combined record collections), what is the most challenging aspect of collaborating as Livity?

Finding the time for it is one thing, but more importantly knowing where you want to go sonically and not knowing the route.

We always knew what we wanted this thing to be, but had no idea what it would sound like, so it took a while to get things moving, trying lots of different ideas and approaches. It's worth it when you get there, but getting there is the real challenge.

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When things aren't working creatively, you have to take a step back and work out a different way to move forward.

Does it ever happen that one of the crew members gets in a rut, stuck creatively? If so, how does that affect things?

I think it happens to everyone, right? It's all part of the process. When things aren't working creatively, you have to take a step back and work out a different way to move forward.

Do you get to play for people who freak out over your music? Because I know there are always those who don’t get it, yet somehow found their way into the venue?

It's different everywhere we go. Sometimes we play to a crowd of people who have never heard this music. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Ha! Once in Denmark we had a part of the stage collapse from the bass.

It's always good to play to audience that knows the tunes a bit and react to them. It's dance music and we want people to dance.

Any memorable shows or crazy stories to share? Cops surely have come to shut you guys down, like they do in Brooklyn warehouses?

The other week, a party I was at got shut down by police, after I played one record, but it's never happened with Livity. Not sure that's something I want to be aiming for – I value my gear too much! Usually our problems are sound-related, like equipment literally jumping off the table from vibrations... Once in Denmark we had a part of the stage collapse from the bass.

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bY bURSTS OF SILENcE THAT SEEMED wOvEN DEAFENING PERSISTENT AND GRINDING AGNES' EARRINGS, ScREAM, HAND DRILL...

Objekt – Agnes Demise / Fishbone

NEw Music

photo by Shaun Bloodworth

akkord – akkord

shifted – under a single banner Distal & mite – Concrete space

milosh – jet Lag

Label: Houndstooth

Label: Bed of Nails

Label: Embassy

Label: Deadly/eOne Music Canada

Release Date: November 25, 2013

Release Date: November 25, 2013

Release Date: December 3, 2013

Release Date: December/January 2013

For the fans of: Synkro, Indigo, mathematics and sacred geometry.

For the fans of: re-imagined techno.

For the fans of: bass, club, Atlanta's finest.

For the fans of: true love, minimal electronic music, classical and jazz elements, romance.

Stand out tracks: "3dOS", "Conveyor", "Hex AD".

They say: Eventually revealed as a collaboration between experienced Mancunian bass producers Synkro and Indigo, Akkord blurs the lines between junglist revivalism, smoky ambience, and suctioned dub, with a consistently engaging pulse linking the styles. Carefully arranged and achieving maximum impact on a proper soundsystem, Akkord have turned in an ominous and daring debut LP.

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Stand out tracks: "Suspended Inside", "Pulse Incomplete", "Story of Aurea".

They say: There’s a rich and earthy warmth to Under a Single Banner that’s perhaps at odds with the puerile fixation on all things noisey at the fringes of techno these days, but for the most part, the tension and momentum keeps the album definitively aimed at the floor without ever resting on its laurels.

Stand out tracks: "Drum Habit", "Got The Block Hot", "Monroe".

They say: Concrete Space is comprised of ten songs, five from each artist, displaying their vision of what a club track truly is.

Encompassing a wide range of BPMs and melodic styles both Distal and Mite have chosen to expand on percussion-rich, hard hitting, bass-heavy tracks any DJ will be able to utilize on the dancefloor.

Stand out tracks: "Do You Want What I Need", "Hold Me", "Hear In You".

They say: Jet Lag picks up where Milosh last left off, capturing a revelatory life moment, holding tight to inspiration and artistic integrity along the way; the ultimate testament to true and absolute love. The album is a collaboration between Milosh and his wife Alexa Nikolas, recording unexpected intimate moments of laughter and love together; found sounds of everything from their travels around the world together to the most private spaces in their home.

Objekt – Objekt #3

L.b. Dub Corp – unknown Origin

jonsson & alter – 2

indigo – storm

Label: Objekt

Label: Ostgut Ton

Label: Kontra

Label: Samurai Red Seal

Release Date: November 18, 2013

Release Date: November 11, 2013

Release Date: November 16, 2013

Release Date: December 2, 2013

For the fans of: techno, deep space voyaging, pulsing bass, fantasy.

For the fans of: roots, dub-influenced rhythms and poetry.

For the fans of: raw synth, deep house.

For the fans of: reverb, cinematic soundscapes, fine production.

They say: "By bursts of silence that seemed woven deafening persistent and grinding Agnes' earrings, scream, hand drill, it is that it is possible to mix, they will break the hustle and bustle, to listen to all the way from the village interruption.

Did the Richard Where am I? His bed was empty. Indifferent, in the field miles away pills and his grandmother danced his vision to horrowshow beat repeatedly reckless and unrestrained cruel twist, Richard has a gruesome demise of more than 20 contorting mess the limbs of his.

In the rush of his early, he had forgotten to shut the door behind him."

Stand out tracks: "Nearly Africa", "No Trouble In Paradise", "Any Time Will Be Ok".

They say: Ostgut Ton presents Unknown Origin the debut album from Luke Slater's L.B. Dub Corp moniker. The ten tracks recorded at Spacestation Ø form a hymnal intent on transporting you back to the roots. Digging deep into the history of dance music, Unknown Origin dares to ask the big questions and offers no easy answers. Instead, deep spiritual dubs are side-by-side with slices of piano house, and handsome slabs of techno contrast with the words of the silver-tongued poet Benjamin Zephaniah.

Stand out tracks: "Tuffa Sig", "Lyftet", "En Melodie".

They say: The realisation that struck Jonsson & Alter was that they wanted more beats, heavier beats. Thus the plan for a new album began to take shape. Without losing the lyrical melodies that make their house music unique they wanted to turn up the beats and let the rhythms take over the songs, while still letting each song tell a little story. With this in mind, they entered the studio in the beginning of 2013. The plan was definitely to release a well-produced album with clearer beats. The result is nine strong tracks that each shine and glimmer like a roughly cut diamond.

They say: The Storm EP showcases the focused menace the Indigo style is capable of, with tightly-wound musical energy bursting through the cracks on title track "Storm" and "Volta". "Spirit Of The Winds" (with Versa) lets the energy unwind slightly more with a powerful, but ultimately subtle showcase of breakbeats, while "Condition" submerges the listener in a sumptuous bed of reverb and production finesse.

C L N k – black ecstasy

Oleg poliakov – Random is a pattern

Recondite – Hinterland

DfRNT– patience

Label: Error Broadcast

Label: Circus Company

Label: Ghostly International

Label: Echodub

Release Date: December 2, 2013

Release Date: November 18, 2013

Release Date: November 11, 2013

Release Date: December 9, 2013

For the fans of: techno, future bass, glitchy synths, vast atmospheres.

For the fans of: diverse tempos, techno with heavenly dub textures.

For the fans of: field recordings, moody landscapes, moody soundscapes.

For the fans of: electronica, dub techno, ambient.

Stand out tracks: "Tears For Fear", "Sceptic".

Favorite track: "Beyond", "Anatomy Of A Shipwreck", "A Quiet Storm".

Stand out tracks: "Abscondence", "Stems".

Stand out tracks: "Concept 01", "Mountain", "A New Chapter".

They say: From out of the abyss, C L N K's Black Ecstasy is rich with ambient textures and cavernous bass lines. Influenced by the sound of early West Berlin techno, the album definitely presents the darkest of desolate and primordial imagery. If you seek lower frequencies, C L N K pushes the boundaries of just how low you can go.

They say: While some may be surprised to hear the styles that Oleg has turned his hand to, the eleven tracks are undeniably his. In his choice of mysterious chords and moving key structures, he continues along the smooth creative arc he has been carrying us on since he first emerged. When he can demonstrate such a gift for diverse tempos and moods and make them all sit together comfortably as his own, Random Is A Pattern marks a perfect culmination of what has come before, not to mention being an exciting precursor to what will come after.

They say: Hinterland shows Recondite looking towards his homeland of Lower Bavaria for inspiration, seeking to capture “the area’s mentality and natural environment” within the 10-track LP. Utilizing local field recordings taken during a number of stints in the German region, he depicts the “emotions of the four seasons” and “characteristics of people’s minds” throughout the record, an approach that finds him exploring the celestial angles of a sound that has been developed throughout a recording career still shy of half a decade.

They say: Expanding on ideas from his second album Fading, DFRNT delves deeper in his explorations in dub techno. Lush with futurist soundscapes and ethereal vocals, Patience is a full immersion into a more ambient environment. Whether you're relaxing or traveling, this album provides an ideal sonic experience.

bambounou – best of 50 weapons 2013

kRTs – The foreigner

ghost mutt – Rumble pak ep

Om unit – Threads

Label: 50 Weapons

Label: Project: Mooncircle

Label: Donky Pitch

Label: Civil Music

Release Date: December 13, 2013

Release Date: December 9, 2013

Release Date: November 18, 2013

Release Date: October 21, 2013

For the fans of: future bass, house.

For the fans of: thumping basslines, boom-bap hip hop percussion, layered vocals.

For the fans of: all sorts of bass music, UK funky, club.

For the fans of: nebula music, future bass, percussive introspective atmospheres.

Stand out tracks: Bambounou “Ignition”, Addison Groove & Sam Binga “Thr3id”.

They say: 50 Weapons French shooting star Bambounou presents a selection of his personal label highlights of the year including tracks and remixes by Shed, Benjamin Damage, Marcel Dettmann, Cosmin TRG, Truncate, Untold, Addison Groove & Sam Binga, Phon.o and naturally himself.

Stand out tracks: "Berlin Girls", " This May Be Home".

They say: The Foreigner is looking through an alien’s eyes from the first step of landing on new soil. The outsider position – not knowing the language, direction, new set of rules, personalities, and learning how to become a part of a new society.

Stand out tracks: "Rumble Pak" They say: Almost two years since his first release, Ghost Mutt returns with Rumble Pack. Delving back into his crafty R&B samplage, his expands his horizons with meshes of global dance floor styles. From Jersey club to Uk Funky, this EP has something for everyone to move to.

Stand out tracks: "The Silence" feat Jindau, "Jaguar","Wicker and Pearl".

They say: In the past year, Jim Cole has successfully reinvented himself as Om Unit. Blending pieces of his funk and toe tapping hiphop persona 2tall, his weight driven drum & bass and footwork sensibilities have placed him on everyone's radar. Gaining releases on Metalheadz and Exit has made it a big year for the London based producer. With Threads, Om Unit makes eclectic bends in genres and further pushes the notions of the slow/fast movement.

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synkro – Lost Here

graze – edges

perc – The power and The glory

30 years of R&s

Label: Apollo

Label: New Kanada

Label: Perc Trax

Label: R&S

Release Date: December 2, 2013

Release Date: December 3, 2013

Release Date: February 17, 2014

Release Date: October 21, 2013

For the fans of: inimitable melodies, intricate percussion patterns, eyes down.

For the fans of: Canada, epic collaborations.

For the fans of: freeform tracks, political edge, horror films, unnerving suspense, found sounds.

For the fans of: R&S and Apollo.

They say: "Lost Here" ascends to the clouds, hovering on cavernous chords that wrap the vocals in a cocoon of eyes-down emotion as scissoring rhythms flit underneath. Touching down again, "In My Arms" calls on circadian rhythms and oscillating layers of synthesizer to create a dreamlike environment. The B side slinks in with a playful bass riff on "Nights of Pleasure", underpinning celestial waves of chimes, tones, and chords before "Fading Lights" suspends each element in zero-gravity as a pure, heat-treated distillation of the Synkro sound.

Stand out tracks: "Stack Array", "Cold Drop", "GoldN".

They say: Fate moves in mysterious ways. The duo of Graze, aka Adam Marshall and Christian Andersen, were destined to be making music together many years before it actually happened.

Born ten years apart, both hail from the same Toronto suburb, and even lived on the same street. Within a year of meeting the two decided to start working on tracks. Fortunately for them, the outcome was undeniably electric.

They say: Using the longer album format to its full potential Perc covers much ground across these 10 tracks. From the feedback-drenched 808 jam of "Lurch" and the Tresor-storming "Dumpster" to the majestic piano closer "A Living Sound" the album finds Wells as open-minded as ever, maintaining his trademark sonic aesthetic whilst experimenting with new textual and rhythmic ideas with ease.

blossom – blue balloons / The Longest journey

energun – genome

Chants – i feel Like i feel it

pangaea – fabriclive 73

Label: Project: Mooncircle

Label: Affin

Label: Hush Hush Records

Label: Fabric Records

Release Date: December 20, 2013

Release Date: October 22, 2013

Release Date: October 19, 2013

Release Date: January 20, 2014

For the fans of: Kruder & Dorfmister, downtempo, thematic overtones, trip-hop.

For the fans of: The Clairvoyants, techno, minimal.

For the fans of: future bass, haunting vocals, trip hop, intricate melodies.

For the fans of: Hessle Audio, Ben UFO, Anthony 'Shake' Shakir, the darker side of the sonic spectrum.

They say: Belorussia's Energun has been making techno since the early 90's. A producer and live act, he also runs his own label Energun Records.

His release Genome on Affin blurs lines between minimal and industrial atmospheres.

Favorite track: "Porch Song 1 Am"

Stand out tracks: "See the light", "Eternaldream".

They say: Blossom's Blue Ballons/ The Longest Journey is a self reflective tour calumniating a year of his own life experiences. Deep, gentle and soul searching, this album mediates on inner self and nature, weaving through unique atmosphere of rich color aided by a smooth jazz presence. A journey highly recommended, Blossom walks and talks about the road that lies ahead.

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Stand out tracks: "Lurch", "Dumpster", "A Living Sound".

They say: Haunting and sensual, Jordan Cohen aka Chants delivers the thought provoking and unique sound of spacious downtempo trap. With diverse textures and complex melodies, the Wisconsin producer's signature style will arrest the attention of any listener and spotlights him as a new talent to watch.

They say: R&S celebrate 30 years in the business with this compilation featuring 30 tracks released across R&S and sister label Apollo. From early rave classics by Capricorn, Jam & Spoon, Outlander, Second Phase and Mundo Muzique to modern UK based electronic artists Pariah, Blawan, James Blake, Space Dimension Controller, Alex Smoke and Lone. Egyptian Hip Hop and Vondelpark representing the labels recent band signings. Classic techno from Joey Beltram, 69 (aka Carl Craig), Model 500 and u-Ziq (aka Mike Paradinas). Ambient classics from Aphex Twin, Bisophere, Sun Electric and Robert Leiner and the recently re-launched Apollo label represented by Nadine Shah, Tree, Cloud Boat and Synkro.

They say: It's here, four years after Pangaea's first appearance in Fabric's third room, that he steps up to deliver a mix that's as visceral as we've come to expect from the prodigious youngster, and one that exemplifies the fiercely unique approach he's taken towards his work thus far. With his productions having traditionally shared an affiliation with the darker end of the sonic spectrum, it comes as no surprise to find the confrontational palettes of Psyk and Shifted sitting alongside the gauzy textures of Lee Gamble, and distressed junglism of Pev & Kowton over the course of a compelling 76 minutes.

actress – ghettoville

echologist – storming Heaven

joker – Head Top

Rain Dog – Two words

Label: Werkdiscs/Ninja Tune

Label: Prologue

Label: Kapsize

Label: Project: Mooncircle

Release Date: January 28, 2014

Release Date: December 16, 2013

Release Date: December, 2013

Release Date: January 10, 2014

For the fans of: Disrupt, Zomby, Lukid, Actress, blurry images, hazy sounds.

For the fans of: techno, Brendan Moeller.

For the fans of: rumbling bass, purple dubstep, 8-bit, video games.

For the fans of: electronica, organic textures.

Stand out tracks: "Contagious", "Gaze", "Frontline", "Rule".

They say: Storming Heaven is a unique sound experience that is flooded with deep emotion. A fully immersive experience that aims to explore the sonic depths and worlds of synthetic sound that will resonate on many levels.

Brendon's intention for the album was to push himself beyond his comfort zone, beyond his previous work, to create an album with a distinct and unique voice. While it reflects ideas from composers that inspired him, he has attempted to personalize and interpret these influences, creating something idiosyncratic and nostalgic.

Standout tracks: "Mr. Miyagi", "Mario Ting", "Deserted Island", "Head Top" - all of them, eh?!

Standout track: "Like a Lame Man Stepping"

They say: “The scripts now carry tears, the world has returned to a flattened state, and out through that window, the birds look back into the cage they once inhabited. Spitting flames behind a white wall of silence. The machines have turned to stone, data reads like an obituary to its user. A fix is no longer a release, it's a brittle curse.

Zero satisfaction, no teeth, pseudo artists running rampant, but the path continues. R.I.P Music 2014.

Actress"

They say: The 4-track Head Top release must be the most exciting thing hapenning right now on the "dubstep" dancefloors.

Joker, the space boy, can never disappoint with his royal purple production skills and the most playful ideas in the genre. We freaking love this 4-track EP, and we're so so so happy to see more new releases coming up from the same studio.

They say: Samuel Evan says he didn't have much luck in song writing. Under the moniker Rain Dog, he turned to writing narrative within his song. For a foundation, he draws from anything that spark his interest or moves him emotionally: a scene from a movie, Tom Waits, Elle Fitzgerald. With these more organic synths (as he calls them) in place, he then layers other synths around, before finishing the production with a beat. The result of Rain Dog's work is spiritual, deeply human and inspiring.

polyrhythmic series #3

boxcutter – gnosis

Divvorce – Vanessa (a Dreamer)

pris – unbeknown To us

Label: SVS Records

Label: Cosmic Bridge

Label: Fifth Wall

Label: Resin

Release Date: December 13, 2013

Release Date: December 16, 2013

Release Date: December 3, 2013

Release Date: December 16, 2013

For the fans of: rhythm, conceptual work, collective work, social and creative interchange.

Stand out tracks: "Dream Gator" (with Ken & Ryu), "Gno515".

For the fans of: Brooklyn techno.

For the fans of: Ben UFO, Sigha, Blawan, Shifted & Sunil Sharpe.

They say: The first two parts of the compilation were released in July and September respectively. Part 3 is finally here, completing this collection of otherworldly productions. All tracks have (besides their origin) one common denominator: the subtle workout on the layers of rhythm. While the music itself works in club context, the whole series is produced with your own personal listening experience in mind.

For the fans of: 160bpm excursions into new territory.

They say: Here we see the inclusion of sweetness and intertwining melodies into the uptempo yet slowfast gait that has been synonymous with all Cosmic Bridge output. Curated by label boss Om Unit, this release is packaged in a beautiful sleeve with geometric artwork from Musashi Thoth.

Stand out tracks: "Roquentin's Release", "Anny" (Unklone Remix) .

They say: Drawing influence from such pretentious sources as Franz Kafka, the early work of Darren Aronofsky, and a solitary walk through the streets of Paris during Fashion Week, the EP consists of two compact slices of techno(?) and two remixes. First is the meandering, dreamlike “Wander 7,” followed by the truculent but jubilant “Roquentin’s Release” and finishing with remixes by fellow Fifth Wall artists Physical Therapy and Unklone.

Stand out tracks: "Scuff", "A Certain Body".

They say: Resin was forged in 2013 as an amalgamation of design, sound and aesthetic. With a focus on the intensity and passion of the underground techno scene, Resin seeks to be the beginning of a celebration of naturalistic yet industrial soundscapes mixed with melodic and driving club focused productions.

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Huxley – inkwell

Robot koch – unpaved

Nils frahm – spaces

These Hidden Hands – Remixes part ii

Label: Aus Music

Label: Project: Mooncircle

Label: Erased Tapes

Label: Hidden Hundred

Release Date: December 9, 2013

Release Date: November 29, 2013

Release Date: November 19, 2013

Release Date: December 2, 2013

For the fans of: UK dance music, UK Garage and House.

For the fans of: sound design, diverse sample sources, rhythms and melodies, soundscapes, film scores.

For the fans of: field recordings, improvisation, artists-audience interaction, experiments.

For the fans of: innovative Berlin techno, Atom™, Kanding Ray, Tommy Four Seven, Ancient Methods.

Stand out tracks: "Unpaved" ft. Alek Fin, "Calle Tierra".

Stand out tracks: "Said And Done", "Improvisation For Coughs And A Cell Phone", "Ross’s Harmonium".

They say: Following news that their debut album was to be reworked by luminaries such as Marcel Dettmann, SHXCXCHCXSH, and Old Apparatus, These Hidden Hands present the second part of their enticing remix series with Atom™, Kangding Ray and Ancient Methods all delivering essential versions of LP cuts When Told, Diesel, and Isopod respectively.

They say: Huxley's rise to the forefront of the UK dance music scene has been an exceptional and speedy process, establishing himself quickly as a figurehead with a foot in both the UK Garage and House scenes. This release will tip off a successful year, that has seen the young producer tour around America, host his own Rinse FM show all while running his ever-dependable Saints & Sonnets imprint.

They say: Spaces is an ode to the joy of live performance. It expresses Frahm’s love for experimentation and answers the call from his fans for a record that truly reflects what they have witnessed during his concerts.

Breaking the convention of a traditional live album, Spaces was recorded over the course of two years in different locations and on various mediums, including old portable reelto-reel recorders and cassette tape decks.

quest – Visitors / Dubfoot

ghita Liviu - sens

pete graham – friends

Lucy – 201 phasing

Label: DEEP MEDi

Label: Clonk Records

Label: Food Music

Label: CLR

Release Date: November 18, 2013

Release Date: November 26, 2013

Release Date: November 17, 2013

Release Date: December 6, 2013

For the fans of: deep dubstep, bass music, dark atmospheres.

For the fans of: heady hypnotic techno.

For the fans of: sub heavy house, dance, club grooves.

For the fans of: mind-bending, deep and hypnotic techno.

Favorite track: "Visitors".

Stand out tracks: "Sens" Beat Pharmacy remix.

Stand out tracks: "Something In The Water", "Worn".

They say: Lucy is back on CLR with another one of his mind-bending, deep and hypnotic techno productions. Those who have already appreciated his unique approach to modern Techno in previous tracks will surely like the 201 Phasing EP by the Berlin based, Italian DJ/producer. It contains Lucy´s slow burning original version, an excellent remix by Dadub and a skillfully crafted edit by Chris Liebing.

They say: Dark and heavy hitting, Quest's new single Visitors won't disappoint loyal fans of the deeper dub step spectrum. The opening track, "Visitors", is the first step in this weight driven release. As if abducted by aliens, the track takes you warp speed with it unrelenting baseline and haunting synths. "Dubfoot" is pure mediation for those in need of the classic dub sound.

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They say: Unpaved is a collaboration between artist Robert Koch and director Lukas Fiegelfield. The two wanted to create a short film in which the music and images were equally important.

Basing their project off the legend of "Pan", the film and music explores the notion of nature verses modern society and examines what we've become as a species.

They say: Ghita Liviu aka Marta Kokon is back! He presents the 42° release of Clonk Records: four tracks in Clonk's style! Dark and clean, especially hypnotic techno, including three remixes by Brendon Moeller, Beat Pharmacy, and Echologist.

They say: Fast rising Birmingham based DJ/Producer Pete Graham makes his debut on Food Music, and has brought some pals along for the much-anticipated release of his 4 track Friends EP.