You get the feeling had Richie Hawtin been born 200 years ago, he would have been one of those intrepid explorers, sailing the high seas in search of untold treasures, spices and cultures, or perhaps a canny inventor tinkering in his basement.Thankfully for us, he’s chosen to devote his life to exploring the nether regions of electronic music. It’s brought him many things – fame and notoriety, a swelling legion of fans few in the industry can match – but never has he strayed from his singular vision.
2010 saw the somewhat unexpected (but very welcome) revival of Hawtin’s most revered project: Plastikman. A host of well received live shows were performed at major festivals across the US and Europe, offering a new generation of electronic music fans a glimpse into one of techno’s most enduring pseudonyms . Anyone lucky enough to have witnessed one of these shows will remember the new material showcased alongside many a classic, with the timeless drumroll of “Spastik” teased in before being fully unleashed.
Juno Plus editor Aaron Coultate recently caught up with Richie – central to discussion was the Arkives 11-disc boxset, which compiles the finest moments from the original Plastikman era alongside remixes from some of the artists who inspired Hawtin most.
Artist: Marc Houle Title: Drift Label: Minus Genre: Techno, Minimal Format: 12", Digital
Minus Records mainstay Marc Houle returns with his new full-length album, Drift, and continues to refine his sound. Written in Berlin during the bleak winter months of 2009, Drift stands apart from anything Houle has released to date. He’s stripped away much of the wackiness and playfulness that has become his signature, opting instead for a dark and cold aesthetic. Houle’s sound has never been one that is easy to classify, as he’s always been a bit left of centre when it comes to techno — he doesn’t just write dancefloor bangers and/or head-bobbing numbers for home listening, yet his music always fits comfortably both in and out of the party.
With tracks “Seeing in the Dark” and “Drift” one envisions the darkest Berlin club — an abandoned warehouse in a cold grey industrial neighbourhood, or a claustrophobic basement rave in a dilapidated building in Detroit— where night has long since switched over to morning, but the kids seem compelled to continue as long as the party allows them. Those tracks and the 7-minute “Melting” are perhaps the moodiest compositions on the album, driven by Houle’s subtle use of analogue synths and rumbling bass. Drift all but abandons the quirky use of 8-bit sounds that Houle seemed to love so much in his earlier releases, yet what is interesting with this album is that he has replaced those sounds with guitar. Opening song “Inside”, which we imagine would be an amazing track for driving on the Autobahn, as well as “Sweet”, “The Next”, and “Hammering”, feature processed guitar lines that hint at new wave and dark wave and are a great addition to his sound. By the album’s last track, “Hammering”, there seems to be some light in the grey winter, the sun has peeked its head after months of absence, and the old playful Houle peeks his head out as well, closing with a guitar-based track that is funky and jazzy and reminiscent of Tortoise. Drift is undoubtedly a cold and dark album, but Marc Houle is as hot and bright as ever. Check it.
Artist: Plastikman Title: Kompilation Label: Minus Genre: Techno Format: CD
Following a summer when Ritchie Hawtin has wowed festival audiences from Barcelona to Detroit with his newly revisited Plastikman project, Minus release this Kompilation. A Greatest Hits by any other name, it rounds up 8 of Hawtin’s personal favourite Plastikman productions. Kompilation is a chronological document too, commencing with the acid thump of “Plasticine” taken from 1993’s Sheet One and ending on the menacing abrasive throb of 2004s “Ask Yourself”. Sandwiched between you get the seminal machine drum funk of “Spastik” interspersed with the nocturnal insect stomp of “Kricket” and the escalating acid jack of “Marbles”. This release serves as a superb starting point for new converts who might have seen the Plastikman show at Sonar or Time Warp; it’s also handy for the Hawtin obsessives to see how their own Plastikman mp3 playlists compare to the master. In fact it’s more than enough to forgive him for THAT cube.
Earlier this year, Plus 8 and Juno teamed up to ask fans to create a DJ mix of their favorite Plus 8 classic tracks to celebrate the label’s milestone 100th release.
Guest Blog: Hobo (Minus) – “Rulez of the Road” – Pt 4
In his penultimate Juno Plus guest blog, Hobo finds himself down and out in Budapest, but, as always, comes out of the experience a little bit stronger and wiser.
Guest Blog: Hobo (Minus) – “Rulez of the Road” – Pt 3
In the last post it was Manchester’s cavernous Warehouse Project; this time it’s Amsterdam. Techno producer Hobo continues his guest blog with one of his biggest shows of 2009.
In our Guest Blog section, we’ll be regularly roping in a globe-trotting DJ to share the literary burden at Juno Plus. They’ll bring you a weekly first hand account of life on the road; the parties, the highs, the lows and everything in between.
Guest Blog: Hobo (Minus) – “Rulez of the Road” – Pt 2
Last week Hobo played in Italy and Spain, had a blast, and learned one of life’s valuable lessons (don’t party on an empty stomach). In his second post the techno starlet takes us on board his trip to Manchester for the Minus Warehouse Project gig. We also have a very cool teaser to promote his forthcoming album.
In the Guest Blog section, we’ll be regularly roping in a globe-trotting DJ to share the literary burden at Juno Plus. They’ll bring you a weekly first hand account of life on the road; the parties, the highs, the lows and everything in between. First up we have techno starlet Joel Boychuk, aka Hobo, who’s signed to Richie Hawtin’s revered Minus label. The young Canadian will be taking us on his European tour alongside stable buddy Magda for the next few weeks. In his first post Hobo recounts gigs in Spain and Italy, and discovers one of life’s most valuble party lessons.
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