ASIP Wantlist #3 Mike Cadoo (n5MD)

Mike Cadoo is a man of many talents and many guises, and I'm sure plenty of you reading this are familiar with his legendary label, n5MD and his post-rock epic-ness as Bitcrush.  

It was a crate-digging session with him and Brock last year at Substrata Festival that part inspired me to start this mini series; intrigued by the many musical influences that have shaped such well-respected people in the ambient community.

Here's five records Mike's on the hunt for, ranging from a classic ambient LP to modern classical, metal and industrial rock - a spectrum that no doubt influenced his interests and output for both n5MD and his own productions. 

1. Autechre – Amber [Discogs]

While my want-list is not in any specific order I think of this one often when I think of record I truly am looking out for in decent quality at price that is not too over the top. I'm not 100% sure if stock of the repress was lost in the Sony DADC warehouse fire in 2011 as it is "plentiful" on discogs. But the prices for decent quality copies are running in the mid to upper 200s not including shipping. I have special place for this album as it was the only CD I had with me on a west coast tour back in '98. The track Slip being the highlight of the album for me even to this day.

2. Skinny Puppy – Last Rights [Discogs]

I often have heated discussions with Skinny Puppy fans about this album and its predecessor Too Dark Park. I find that Last Rights still holds up to this day where Too Dark Park doesn't (please save your complaints - it's just one person's opinion :P ). I feel Last Rights' more decoupage of sound layering that is barely held together by Oglevie's production gives it a more timeless feel than their other more “fleshed out” efforts.   I have never actually seen an original pressing for sale. While even the 2XLP prepress is going for a decent price when they become available. There is also a Capitol Records version, from Germany I believe, where side A was erroneously pressed with music from a live Poison (yes that Poison) album. Not that I would want that one mind you...

3. Brambles – Charcoal [Discogs]

The LP of Brambles' Charcoal on the Serein imprint was crowd funded back in mid 2014. I completely missed out on it as I didn't even know that there was a crowd funding campaign for a vinyl version. Charcoal is very personal listening and there is no better format for heartfelt electro-acoustic ambient music than vinyl in my opinion. I find this release to be very similar in tone and mood to Last Days or Helios whom in addition to Brambles, I often immerse myself in. While the prices for these aren't as astronomical as some of the others on this list, it might not be as out of reach as I originally thought...

4. Swans – Cop [Discogs]

Showing my age? Well, so what... :) this is a record that I've wanted for quite a long time. There was a time when releases from Neubauten and Swans were played so much in my youth the neighbors I'm sure were wondering what the hell was wrong with me. Cop and the other Swans EP at the time, Young God, were so damn bleak and heavy. Cop was the clear winner in its dystopian weight. There is that heavy double drum stupor of Your Property that still gets my head nodding today. And Gira is so damn mad on this EP. He sounds genuinely fed up with something. Cop even out-weighed most of the metal of that era. While not on this list, I later found similar nihilism in Godflesh's Streetcleaner which I sorta think was the point.

5. God Machine – One Last Laugh In A Place Of Dying [Discogs]

The God Machine were a trio originally from San Diego Calif. They moved across the pond to the UK and then released two albums and a small string of eps on the Fiction label. They made a sort of atmospheric rock-quasi-metal that utilized a decent amount of melancholia and personal introspection. This album is their second and was released after the band had disbanded due to the untimely death, shortly after the album's recording, of their bass player Jimmy Fernandez. It came out in 94' when vinyl was less convenient and the vinyl was fairly limited in release. I did own the CD at one time and I remember that even being hard to come by back in 94.

Purl & Sinius - Oceans Of Sound

There exists a subtle boundary between ambient music and beat-driven electronica. Dub-techno for example, is an obvious style and by that, I mean it often exists within a particular realm, with particular patterns, instruments and recognizable synths - it's hard to perfect but all too often, easy to replicate. And it's not often you find artists that leave you wondering where a piece fits all-together within that spectrum. Not everything has to be tagged or labelled, or even 'fit', but by the very nature of you struggling to place it, makes it all that more interesting and intriguing. 

One artist that continues to blur the boundaries of ambient music, is Purl. Ludvig's releases on Dewtone and Silent Season, have helped establish this expansive, bubbly, organic style which he is now synonymous for, and his latest album alongside Sinius, on Eternell, is another stamp on his lush, silky take on beat-driven ambient music.

With each track averaging around ten-minutes, Purl & Sinius' music is allowed the time and patience to grow and emerge. Be it a tiny cocoon, or a time-lapse of an entire habitat's emergence, each piece holds a sentiment that stays true throughout, yet develops unto itself as if it were an ever-expanding organism. It's this deep attention to detail that enriches each listen, and the swathes of glistening ambience that continue to carry you through like a bird soaring high in a jet-stream, looking down amongst the minute detail of the earths canopy. Crossing dense jungles, hitting blankets of fog, emerging in-front of majestic plains, this music moves you from all angels, and demands more attention.

It's an interesting partnership on paper, but one that makes complete sense once you're soaring with the transcending pads that no doubt come from Bass 'Flo's (Sinius) previous production experience (and who's Discogs page notes an upcoming album with Ulrich Schnauss no-less). Combined with Purl's organic and nurtured detail, it's a must listen to anyone that cares for ambient music. 

With so much detail amongst the ten pieces, mentioning individual tracks is like reviewing an entire album in itself. Oceans Of Sound, is best left up to you and the majestic night sky; or like the album art suggests, the beautiful dance of mother nature. 

Available on Bandcamp

port-royal - You Ware Nowhere (Remixes)

I'm a sucker for remix albums and I'm certainly a sucker for remixes by  a whole bunch of artists on this remix album of port-royal's, You Ware Nowhere.

With thirteen takes on port-royal's distinct glistening euphoria, you can expect the best of n5MD's powerful roster with a wide array of styles.  However, n5MD also opened this one up to a remix competition, so alongside the likes of bvdub, The Sight Below, Arovane and Ocoeur, comes competition winner Gustaf Fjelstrom. Not content with label regulars in full-force, n5MD also invited the likes of Atomnation's catchy electronica artist Tonik Ensemble and techno legend John Tejada amongst many others.

With Ocoeur's latest album coming down the pipeline soon, I was keen to see how he would handle the port-royal magic, and his take on Ain't No Magician is a nice little taster of Frank Zaragoza's upcoming album Reversed; melding modern classical styles with stripped-back electronica.

Remix competition winner Gustaf Fjelstrom elaborates on port-royal's unique style, taking the trance-like original down a notch and adding a touch of class, replacing the Italian's heavy synths with a subtle bass undercurrent.

Adding space, succinct drums and a twist of analog flair, Arovane opens up the vocal-heavy Alma M into a familiar IDM space, whilst fellow ASIP collaborator Rafael drives home the bubbling, twinkling expanse of Heisenberg as The Sight Below.

Tonik Ensemble lay down a dirty bass-line for Alma M serving up the polar opposite to Arovane's earlier careful caress. And in another similar extravagant take on the original, bvdub raises his notorious imagination level to eleven, with an energetic trip through a multitude of breaks, complex beats, trance-like pads and highly pitched vocals - undoubtedly a palette Brock had fun bringing to life. 

If you're not content with the range of styles so far, there's a touch of 80's flair and pop to a few of the remixes too, with John Tejada and Ambidextrous bringing out the european in port-royal. 

With such a wealth of energy, complexity and power in the original music from port-royal, the remixers certainly had a wealth of material at their fingertips, leaving us with an absorbing and intense listen from start to finish, and an educational journey across one of our favorite labels out there; n5MD.

Available now via n5MD and Bandcamp.

Tracklist:

The Last Big Impezzo (HatGuy Remix)
Disco-Adorno (Ambidextrous Remix)
Ain't No Magician (Ocoeur Remix)
The Last Big Impezzo (Remix by Gustaf Fjelstrom)
Alma M. (Arovane Amx)
Tallinn (bvdub's 46 Pieces of Estonia - feat. Aaron Molyneaux)
The Man Who Stole The Last Big Impezzo (Nseven Remix)
Whispering In The Dark (John Tejada Remix)
Alma M. (Tonik Ensemble Remix)
The Last Big Impezzo (Northcape Mix)
Karl Marx Song (To Destroy A City vs port-royal)
Heisenberg (The Sight Below Remix)
The Last Big Impezzo (Attilio Novellino Rework)

ASIP Wantlist #2 Jamie McCue (Silent Season)

Our second dive into the Wantlist comes from friend and label-head, Jamie McCue from the well respected Silent Season. I had anticipated these lists to throw out some obscure digs, bringing to life hints of personality from each person featured, and it looks like we're on track to fulfill that ambition. Some lovely hard-to-find selections from one of dub-techno's finest curators. 

1. The Future Sound Of London ‎– Lifeforms. 1994. [Discogs] 

In 1994 while I rolling around on the floor with my punk band screaming about teenage angst I completely was overlooking a genre of music that would later be hugely influential on life. I probably never heard of FSOL until the late 90’s which was maybe a good thing because this album is a masterpiece that deserved my more mature attention. My mom used to listen to Enya in the late 80’s and while it seemed cheesy at the time I think it’s what subconsciously implanted an interest in new age / ambient, which was literally the opposite style of music I was listening to at the time. Anyway, for better or worse I made it out of those years a little wiser and more open minded to downtempo and experimental electronic music. I hope to find this record in a dusty old record store one day.

2. Modern Art - Circuit Lights (1982-1986). 2011. [Discogs]

Growing up I was a huge fan of new wave, synth pop and 80’s music. I loved regularly tuning into the local radio stations and I remember hearing bands like Echo & The Bunnymen, Love and Rockets, The Cure, and similar music. It felt so right given I was listening to punk and ska at the time. It was like this gritty danceable punk influenced sound that still to this day gives me goosebumps when I hear the right song. I first heard Hello/Goodbye in a Silent Servant mix from a few years ago and it really hit home when I hear this track specifically. The Modern Art original was released on tape in 1982 but was re-released in 2011 as Circuit Lights (1982-1986). It’s on my wantlist and I hope to blast it one day.

3. Cymande - The Best Of. 1972. [Discogs]

Hey you can’t go wrong with this classic Cymande record from 1972! It’s a perfect BBQ beats record for those summer afternoon backyard parties. The record is loaded with roots, reggae, funk and soul. Not sure why I never owned a copy. I think maybe I preferred when friends play it while I puffed a spliff and got tipsy on rum. One day I’ll own it, one day. Classic!

4. Murcof - Martes [Discogs]

I completely missed buying Martes on vinyl when it first came out in 2002. I’ve regretted it all these years later until recently when the Leaf Label re-released it as a 3xLP set with Martes + Utopía. Murcof has a sound of his own that is one of a kind. As noted on his Discogs page, Murcof works with orchestral samples, microscopically detailed textures, sounds and rhythms. I”m happy to be a proud owner of the latest vinyl. Check it out!

5. The Dub Syndicate - The Pounding System (Ambience In Dub) [Discogs]

After crawling out of the 90’s with a massive hangover it was time to chill out. A trip to Central America was in order to smooth my rocker edges. What I found while down there was beautiful beaches, cheap weed, and beach bars that played some pretty cool reggae and dub music. Since those hazy days I’ve become a bit of a head for dub. A few years later I started following artists like Bill Laswell, Twilight Circus, Sly & Robbie and Pete Namlook. I loved their use of the studio to create some magical dub and ambient vibes. I first heard of Adrian Sherwood and his label On-U Sound from the Kid Hops radio show on KEXP Seattle on Saturday mornings. Instantly I was hooked on the experimental reggae/dub sounds from the label which led me to the The Pounding System album by Dub Syndicate. I still don’t own a copy, and it’s been on my wantlist for years. Once I own it you can put me in a beach chair with a spliff in hand with this playing out of the tiki bar speakers. 

~

Up next on the Wantlist, we ask another great friend, Mike Cadoo (of n5MD) for his crate digging targets. 

Dextro - In The Crossing

There's a unique style that exists in Dextro's music and it's one I've appreciated since I first heard his 2009 album, Winded. Ewan's combination of longing piano, euphoric drums and ambient textures is a rare recipe that straddles post-rock, downtempo, experimental and in many instances, ambient music. His upcoming album, In The Crossing, is his latest production capturing this enigmatic sound and we're lucky enough to hold an exclusive stream of the album prior to release.

Some of you may know Dextro from his inclusion on ASIP's Europe, in 2015, and it was everything I could have wished for to best depict his brilliant style I had followed for years. A swirling texture built to a crescendo of drums portraying the ascent of the Isle Of Barra. 

Dextro's upcoming album, In The Crossing, is another dive into a dramatic landscape. What starts as an unsettling and confident assault in Evacuate, soon transcends into a deeper journey. Perhaps the awakening was the rocking of the boat, the sinking of the ship, the crash on to shore, with a sudden realisation that survival is now your primary goal, amongst a barren and desolate land.

Dextro's gently rolling guitar follows the evacuation on Amor Fati, with crushing guitar drones caressing, then threatening and dancing in the background. Introducing the uptempo breaks and jagged synths of Break Off.  By now, the journey has picked up pace, and Ewan's experience with live performances dictating the flow of the recording, embracing a narrative and juxtaposing approaches to each track - Ewan's armory on full show just four tracks in, as Clearing, signals the melancholic piano we loved in his previous EP, Zero Circle.

One of my favourite tracks on the album, Clearing, is a crashing of energy, a realization of sorts and a chance to reflect before a more lively, brilliant, Silent. A swirling synth backed by a gentle chant, grows into a euphoric palette of glistening colors - a break in the sky. 

Sharp drums define a more downtempo-esque style in The Passage, with some lovely attention to detail in the guitars, as the track ascends into the powerful, climbing drones of Sum Poly; a slow post-rock style lullaby. Dextro saves his most epic treatment for last in Occupy, as heavy drones drown out an ominous string melody, immersing a tinkering beauty into a slowly sinking plateaux. 

Dextro has spent time narrating this album and developing the story, rather than trying to fit together individual pieces. Each track has an extremely distinct mood, a tangible feeling that's at times, extremely dark, or alternatively distinctly up-lifting. Either way, Dextro's strength with the album comes with his multitude of moods, told through his signature instruments and style. Brooding atmospheres, puncturing drums, melancholic pianos and just the right amount of electronic injection here-and-there, paint a beautiful, wet, windy landscape that screams adventure, drama and danger.

Embrace it with everything you've got.

In The Crossing will be pressed on limited 180g vinyl (200 copies) and 1000 Gatefold CD's through Bandcamp and available in all good record stores.