#technical electronic

[darthemed]

Mika Vainio - 20′ to 2000: October (Untitled) [1999; Raster-Noton]

Presenting his entry in the 20′ to 2000 series as a single ~19-minute track, Mika Vainio leads with a wall of staticky feedback and limiter popping, slowly finessed into thrumming drones and clearer tones, before reintroducing the feedback in more controlled ways for a howl into silence.  Subtle aftershocks persist through the rest of the track, occasionally swelling into full audibility, but most of the theatrics are over with after the first eight minutes.  Somewhat interesting for the intent direction of the piece, but stretched further than its content justifies.

[darthemed]

Ryoji Ikeda - +/- [1996, Touch]

+/- collects two suites by Ryoji Ikeda.  It begins with the three-track 'Headphonics' section, comprised of precisely-modulated electronic tones which gradually move into high-tempo throbbing, while the rest of the album consists of the seven '+/-' tracks: "+", "+.", "+..", "-", "-.", "-..", and the coda, "+/-".  Imagine minimal techno composed around radiation half-life algorithms, and you're in the right neighborhood.

Headphones (or a surround sound system in a room with excellent acoustics) are probably the best way to go about listening to these tracks, as heavy use is made of panning, phasing, fading, and micro-shifting, making it difficult to catch the intricacies without heavy focus.  If you're familiar with the Raster-Noton label's style of pared-down electronic rhythms, this will slot right into place; if not, it makes for a solid (though dry) introduction.

[darthemed]

Visit Original Link

From 2008, when I was doing laptop music.

[darthemed]

Taylor Deupree - Polr [2000, Raster-Noton]

Eight tracks of softly bubbling, burbling, glittering electronic arrangements.  Quiet hums and pulses fill the spaces, electrical hiccups provide some flux, and the whole thing glides smoothly forward.  Recommended for fans of Basic Channel, Pomassl, Alva Noto, and Pan Sonic.

[darthemed]

Noto - Endless [1997, Eva-Tone Soundsheets, Raster-Noton]

A three-minute piece of glistening, flickering, twittering electronics, with wavering background electrical hums.  And then it's over.  Not bad, certainly technically skilled, but really not that interesting, either.

[playthejams]

Flying Lotus - About that Time/ A glitch is a glitch (2013)

sounds like: even i have been woo'd into the warm absurdist embrace that is Adventure Time.

[darthemed]

Various Artists - Forma. 1.02 [2002, Progressive Form]

This compilation of Japanese artists brings together a number of electronic pieces characterized by unusual sounds, sample- and beat-chopping, and novel approaches to rhythm integration.  It's a bit like the Clicks + Cuts compilations, or the general output of labels like Mille Plateaux and Raster-Noton; focus on adroit use of electronics drives nearly all of the pieces, while micro-second flashes of tone give the impression of melody.

Some of the artists included are Aoki Takamasa, #DE.NIRO, Yasuyuki Tsuchiya, and Yoshihiro Hanno.  Each has their own interesting style, making this compilation a neat look into what the experimental electronic scene of Japan was like a decade ago.

[playthejams]

Koreless - Sun (2013)

sounds like: I realize that no one gives a shit about anything today except the free streaming of Daft Punk's new record over at itunes. Unfortunately I don't have itunes at my place of work, which I'm actually ok with since Koreless dropped this track on Souncloud this morning, which is one hell of an electronic jam.