Utility Fog

Sunday, 17th of June, 2012

A very krautrocking good day to you.
Can's Lost Tapes 3CD boxset of unreleased music dominates tonight's procedings, but there's lots of other sounds too...
LISTEN AGAIN on demand at the FBi website, or via podcast/download right here.

Two tracks open tonight's show from Russia's Oceania, from an excellent EP of dubstep/bass music with a pop edge.
The second track I played, the last on the EP, moves into almost-drum'n'bass regions, and that brings us to our next selection.

In 1997, Mute released a 2CD set called Sacrilege, featuring remixes of the legendary krautrock group Can in various contemporary electronic styles. I didn't really know Can at that stage, but I loved my drum'n'bass and experimental electronica, and that was here in spades. I'm well acquainted with Can's legacy now, but I still have a fondness for these remixes, however of-their-time they are. A Guy Called Gerald here delivers a track which could hardly be accused of containing any references to Can's original, but is a storming piece of beat-choppery whatever.

So, Can. There's not much need for me to introduce them — one of the most important groups in the legacy of "krautrock", a genre name redolent of anti-German bigotry, but strangely embraced by its proponents (on the whole, I think). Can's influence can be felt across punk & post-punk, electronica, postrock, ambient music and so much more. For me, Jaki Lebezeit's propulsive funk-influenced drumming is the core to their best tracks, some of which are heard tonight — along with the adventurous analogue sampling, and the stream-of-consciousness lyrics from their two main vocalists. We heard some previously unreleased gems with both Malcolm Mooney and Damo Suzuki tonight from The Lost Tapes boxset, including a 12 minute soundtrack excerpt which is a sort of extended jam on the brilliant "Vitamin C".
And at the end, Mute's Daniel Miller and Gareth Jones appear as Sunroof, to remix another legendary track, "Oh Yeah", once again taking it into the drum'n'bass realm, albeit with a lot more of the original track intact.

Sydney's Kevin Purdy has certainly ingested a lot of krautrock in his time, and some of his earlier albums, along with his duo Tooth with Sir Robbo. His new album is his take on ambient music, but isn't lacking in beats and experimentation either. Hopefully next week I'll play a longer, freakier track!

We heard a couple more takes from Shoeb Ahmad's newie, Watch/Illuminate, which was launched at London's Cafe OTO earlier this week. I can't recommend the album enough.

Also appearing at that show, launching their own new album, was Leverton Fox, featuring Sam Britton of Icarus along with live drums and trumpet. Improv meets electronics, with some very beguiling sounds.

Oneohtrix Point Never has a new EP out shortly of remixes and collaborations from his Replica album. Mostly short and sweet, they include Matmos and Surgeon, plus two vocal renditions of his tracks. Roger Robinson of King Midas Sound drops his characteristic vocals over "Replica", with OPNon the subtle edits. Meanwhile Richard Youngs, of all people, turns "Nassau" into a howling, distorted mess. Quite disturbing, really :)

Two Australian labels, Sydney's Feral Media & Brisbane's lofly, have teamed up for their second remix compilation, Strain of Origin II. As with the previous volume, it pits artists from the two cities "against" each other, but in a "team" fashion, so the same artists don't actually remix each other. Very fine from my first quick listen, and it's a free download from Bandcamp!

Launched this weekend in Sydney was Clan Analogue's tribute to Severed Heads, entitled Headspace. It's strange to hear covers of and artist with such an iconic sound, but there sure are a lot of catchy tunes in Tom Ellard (& co)'s catalogue. We heard two Sydney artists, Kazumichi Grime and Aeriae, doing very distinctive but still recognizable takes — plus I had to play something by Severed Heads from my favourite late-'80s-to-early-'90s period.

After an epic special on Amon Tobin a couple of weeks back, I've been shying away from playing too much more, although there's a plethora of great material. Tonight I had Julia Kent's cover of "Surge" as my excuse, and I played a couple of very beautiful multi-tracked cello pieces from her as well.

Next up, a little special I've been meaning to play for a while on Japanaese electronica artist Geskia!, including a remix from the always brilliant Bracken. Crunchy beats and ambient textures.

Ending with one more cut from Shoeb's album, preceded by one short track from the new glitchy opus from Markus Mehr — definitely recommended, more from it next week.

Oceania - Mantra [7even Recordings]
Oceania - Forest [7even Recordings]
Can - Tango Whiskeyman (A Guy Called Gerald Mix) [Spoon/Mute]
Can - Spoon [Spoon/Mute]
Can - Millionenspiel [Spoon/Mute]
Can - Dead Pigeon Suite [Spoon/Mute]
Can - Your Friendly Neighbourhood Whore [Spoon/Mute]
Can - Oh Yeah [Spoon/Mute]
Can - Oh Yeah (Sunroof Mix) [Spoon/Mute]
Kevin Purdy - Mountains Dreaming [Soft Records]
Shoeb Ahmad - the orchids [Mystery Plays Records]
Leverton Fox - Le Tombeau de Monsieur Whippy [Not Applicable]
Oneohtrix Point Never feat. Roger Robinson - Replica (OPN Edit) [Software]
Oneohtrix Point Never - Nassau (Richard Youngs Remix) [Software]
Ambrose Chapel - A Small Return To Big Nothing (Underlapper Remix) [Feral Media/lofly] {free download from Bandcamp!}
aheadphonehome - Think Music (AFXJIM remix) [Feral Media/lofly] {free download from Bandcamp!}
Kazumichi Grime - Petrol [Clan Analogue]
Aeriae - Snuck [Clan Analogue]
Severed Heads - Golden Height/I'm Your Antidote [Volition, now available direct thru Sevcom]
Amon Tobin - Dustmen Suspense [Ninja Tune]
Amon Tobin - Surge (Cover by Julia Kent) [Ninja Tune]
Julia Kent - Overlook [available from Bandcamp]
Julia Kent - Tempelhof [Important Records]
Geskia! - Sour Leaf [Home Normal]
Geskia! - Inside Out Night [flau]
Geskia! - Second Coming (Bracken Remix) [flau]
hopeless local marching band - the old man chokes up with tears, thinking he will be saved soon (geskia! remix) [Symbolic Interaction]
Geskia! - Requiem For Genome (aus remix) [Home Normal]
Geskia! - Answer Song [Home Normal]
Markus Mehr - I'm Gonna Make You Love Me [Hidden Shoal]
Shoeb Ahmad - this is how you fall apart [Mystery Plays Records]

Listen again — ~ 159MB

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