SECURE SHOPPING
Finnish duo Renaissance Man are getting ready to unleash their debut album, entitled The Renaissance Man Project, which is an accurate title based on the above footage.
Julio Bashmore and Chloe are among the artists set to feature on a rather plush looking triple 12″ that marks the landmark 100th release for Tiga’s Turbo Recordings imprint.
The organizers of Serbia’s legendary Exit festival have unveiled the first batch of headliners for this summer’s event, with Arcade Fire, Tiga and James Zabiela amongst the star attractions.
Representing the Glaswegian branch of the Turbo Empire overseen by brothers Tiga and T Von P is Sei A, whose new album White Rainbow will be encouraging many a techno head to dip into their wallets.
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Tiga’s sophomore album Ciao! already boasts impressive names on writing and production duties with the likes of Soulwax, Gonzales, Beck and James Murphy. The latter co-wrote and produced the sincere original “Gentle Giant”, sounding reminiscent of the Pet Shop Boys or even more so, Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love”. On this remix EP, three more amazing producers are brought together, each offering very unique reinterpretations.
Loving the first entry by the ever-evolving Dutch producer, Martyn. Pursuing either techno, dubstep, garage, or house, he is always fusing many influences, which making his music harder to categorize with every new release. It also makes his music more interesting with every listen. Here, Martyn takes the loopy hollowness of the original and injects it with new life, breaking the elements up garage style, and adding (for lack of a better term) an “Enigma-like” dreamy effect on the vocals.
If you’re looking for the club version go straight for Berlin producer Efdemin’s awesome tech-house mix. He barely allows any of the original material to penetrate the driving 4/4, jacking hi-hats and rippling pulses, except on the break where it comes up for air with Tiga’s vocals “One step and a little touch can change the way you feel tonight”. The subtlety in Efdemin’s arrangement, and careful builds, are hypnotic.
Mathew Jonson’s heavier, spaced out versions offer a dub and vocal (although the vocal is a digital only affair). The dub version is an absolute killer, rocking a heavier beat, while spine tingling analogue synths replace the vocals. It reminds us of The Human League’s “Rock n’ Roll” instrumental or creepy visions of “Doctor Who’s” opening video. Three different yet talented artists all featured on one great release. Succeeds with good remixes, as well as individually sounding like different songs. Surely on this EP, there’s something for anybody, any mood or any place. Solid.
Review: Shingo Shimizu
Two of the driving forces behind the esteemed Turbo imprint (fronted by the Canadian crooner Tiga), Mike Mind and Thomas Von Party know their way around a dancefloor. Both are DJs and producers du jour, and quite good friends to boot – so we asked Mike to interview Thomas about his role as the label manager of Turbo, the changing world of A&R and why DJing after Proxy sucks.
Artist: Tiga
Title: Sex O’Clock
Label: Turbo
Genre: Electro house/Electroclash
Format: 12″, Digital
Buy From: Juno Records, Juno Download
2009 was a watershed year for the Turbo label, fronting up massive releases from the year’s big winners – Zombie Nation, Proxy, Brodinksi and, of course, Tiga himself. The Omnidance compilation was a veritable who’s who of this year’s popular techno-banger sound. Whether you’re a disc-carrying convert or not, you can’t but admire Turbo’s relentless release schedule.
Turbo swing right into the twenteens with a remix EP of Tiga’s “Sex O’ Clock”, a new single lifted from last year’s Ciao. However the title and Tiga’s Shoe-like vocals, belie the brooding, twisting house of this release. Eschewing the original, three musical polymaths, each with roots in DIY techno and analogue machinery, have contributed a new remix for this EP.
Jamie Lidell cuts and thrusts through feral, fuzzy synths. Just a slight hint of Lidell’s stage show funk shines through the fog. Messy, exciting electro-funk.
Matias Aguayo, owner of up-coming label Comeme, flattens things out. Supplanting the original’s stabbing, acid vibes with Argentinan street rhythms and warm, analogue tones, it keeps to Aguayo’s tested formula. Any fan of Comeme’s 2009 releases will find something here.
Trevor Jackson, wearing his Playgroup house moniker, injects an extra level of driving acid groove, building up into spooky, Blade-running synth pads. All sass has been stripped away from the vocals. This is a twisting grind into moody realms of big room acid. Totally hypnotic and equally pumping. Grab the dub if you’re not into Tiga’s trademark vocals.
Review: Duncan Byrne
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Featured DJ Chart: Matt Walsh
It’s been a watershed year for Londoner Matt Walsh, with the release of the debut Clouded Vision EP on his own imprint, some fine remixes on esteemed labels Turbo and XL and a slew of DJ slots at festivals and clubs across the UK and Europe. He’s a man with a finger very much on the pulse of electronic music – a connoisseur of everything from deep techno to peak time disco. He guided us through his top 12″s for November (plus a CD or two).
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Artist: Jori Hulkkonen
Title: The Man From Earth
Label: Turbo
Genre: Techno
Format: CD, Digital
Buy From: Juno Records, Juno Download
Jori Hulkkonen loves his vintage synths – indeed he’s the conductor of the world’s first Acid Symphony Orchestra, comprised of 11 mad/brilliant Scandinavians armed with dinner suits and Roland TB-303s.
It therefore comes as little surprise that Man From Earth, the Finnish producer’s tenth studio album, has its fair share of acid house stylings. It’s at once moody and melodic, with Hulkkonen deftly using his machines to produce ethereal beats one minute and storming dance floor fodder the next.
Some of these tracks have been lurking in the recesses of Jori’s collection for nearly 20 years (the chorus on “Man From Earth” comes from a song Hulkkonen originally wrote in 1991, aged 17); some are more recent productions. And despite – or perhaps because – of this, the album maintains an incredibly cohesive, mature feel.
The slow burning growl in “Dancerous” is one of the album’s highlights, as are Jerry Valuri’s vocals on “I am Dead” and “Man From Earth”. Elsewhere Turbo boss Tiga chips in with a vocal cameo on “Undercover” under his alias as the Dove. The vocals on that track – “undercover as a music man, I bide my time and plan, I have a greater calling” – could quite easily be an ode to Hulkkonen, who often boasts about a stellar career in which he “has never become popular”, thus allowing him to work unencumbered by the strains of stardom.
The quality of this album suggests he’ll be lucky if he remains “undercover” for much longer.
Review: Aaron Coultate
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Artist: Proxy
Title: Who Are You?
Label: Turbo
Genre: Electro House
Format: 12″, Digital
Buy From: Juno Records, Juno Download
Enigmatic Moscow producer Proxy must be every audio engineer’s nightmare. His new EP, as usual, shows little regard for small PA systems. “Who Are You” stomps off with a tribal bounce, before slamming into Proxy’s signature subby drawl.
All the while a vocal hook regurgitates itself over the cacophony. Simple stuff that will deliver for any big-room jock at bass friendly venues. Watch that gain knob… “8000” is Proxy’s own Eastern Jam. Sub-continental sitars and flutes syncopate over a crunchy, up-tempo bass line.
When that descending scale of screeching bleeps kicks in, this track absolutely takes off. Definitely the pick of the bunch, so don’t waste it on your iPod.
Review: Duncan Byrne
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