Review: Supposedly, the Swedish word for porch is 'altan', and the gathering referred to in the title is about a private gathering at label owner Ulf Eriksson's home to celebrate Kontra's ten years in business. Frak then decided to name their latest release on Kontra after said soiree. It starts with the low-slung electro of "Greater" - a mood later replicated on the sleazy "Humalog" - before moving into the rougher acid house of "De Klos". By the time the veteran trio reach "Reynerdes" and the gritty lo-fi pulses of "Arcade 1673", they have entered full on fuzzy analogue techno mode. As birthday party soundtracks go, it takes some beating.
Review: New Kontra Musik goodness out of The Netherlands and, as always, this is some very special material, indeed. As a side note, we should say that this label has really impressed us over the last three years, growing into what is now a powerhouse for both house and techno; the sort of material that is shaping the scene. There's plenty to get stuck into with this new X Color compilation, and it all starts with Sebastian Mullaert's remix of "Brevet Hem" by Jonsson and Alter, a frosty house groove with subtle techno influences, which falls neatly into Porn Sword Tobacco's conga rework of Jason Fine's "Workin' It Out". Echospace's version of "Axis Audio" from Mokira is a stupendous sub-techno voyage, Dorisburg does his best to strip down TM404's acid chigger "303/303/303/606/606", Sun Pa goes for the ambient treatment on Mokira's "Manipulation Musik", and the great Max Loderbauer transforms "Wallouian", by Tyler Friedman, into a glitchy, minimalistic tribal soundscape. Excellent and recommended.
Review: This release follows last year's The Dance mix-CD on Kontra, which featured some of Sebastian Mullaert's own material - alongside tracks from Marcel Dettmann, Prince of Denmark and Tin Man. The Swedish producer's contributions have now been remixed by Joey Anderson and Markus Suckut. The latter delivers a linear but hugely effective club techno take on "Fusion", while the New York DJ diverts from the script and explores the outer limits of acid-soaked, drone-laden house groove for his take on "Movement". Of course, it wouldn't be a Kontra release without some eccentricity and it comes courtesy of Mullaert's abstract but engaging versions of "Fusion" and "Movement" under his Wa Wu We guise.
Review: Kontra-Musik first allowed Andreas Tilliander the space to explore his love of Roland gear as TM404 back in 2012, issuing an album's worth of material from the highly-decorated Swede as well as a Morphosis Korg Response 12" from Rabih Beaini. Having returned to the TM404 project intermittently since then, Tilliander and Kontra-Musik realign for a second album project entitled Acidub. Fans of those whacky track titles from the first TM404 set will be disappointed to see Tilliander has opted for more traditional names for the eight cuts featured here, but that's a minor quibble as Acidub finds Tilliander guiding his chosen vessels through a most immersive array of moods, weighing in heavy with that Scando-techno melancholy but adding an extra strong dose of dub to the broth.
Jason Fine - "Half" (Anton Zap remix) - (6:14) 120 BPM
Gunnar Jonsson - "Massagerutin 1" - (10:59) 120 BPM
Review: In all honesty, this latest compilation by Sweden's ever-impressive Kontra Musik caught us by surprise! Before we tell you how much we love this release, it's important to mention that we saw them as a label releasing disparate slices of quality techno, but hadn't predicted their unity as manifested by this get-together of artists. The opener "Weggeputscht" by The Durian Brothers is almost enough to invest the money in this release, a slow-burning tribal nodder with a deep bassline, but the rest of the material by the likes of TM404 or Jason Fine is also pure gold. Our favourites are: the 3D-layered techo of Fishermen on "Black Haze", Frak's bumpy "666", and Silent Servant's remix of "Time Track" by Mokira. Very warmly recommended.
Sebastian Mullaert & Ulf Eriksson - "The Dance" (CD-Version live mix) - (1:19:38) 127 BPM
Review: Sebastian 'Minilogue' Mullaert and Kontra-Musik boss Ulf Eriksson have a "long-lasting musical love affair". It's one that's seen them frequently play club gigs together, where they blend the boundaries between DJing and live performance. The Dance was recorded at one such session at Inkonst in Malmo, Sweden, and sees them deliver the kind of atmospheric, undulating, slowly evolving, minimalist techno journey for which they've become renowned. Amongst the 17 tracks you'll find nine previously unreleased cuts, including three from Mullaert, and some impressive exclusives from Andreas Tilliander and Porn Sword Tobacco & SVN.
Review: Kontra-Musik facilitate another round of Mariana trench deep techno from City Centre Offices experimentalist Porn Sword Tobacco and SUED man SVN. Last year's debut hookup for Ulf Erikkson's label, Complaints, was a fine record but the pair have really honed in on a truly creative channel with the three tracks on Feels Good. If you are a fan of the SUED output in general, this triplet of untitled tracks will truly resonate, ranging from the hypnotic shuffle and subdued bleeps of "Track 3", to the alien tribalism and watery melodies of "Track 2", via the sludgy, subterranean minimalism of "Track 1".
Review: Dusseldorf trio The Durian Brothers arise on Kontra-Musik with Das Macht Modern, the latest release wrapped in sonic intrigue from the Malmo-based label. Made up of Stefan Schwander, Mark Matter and Florian Meyer, this trio are Brothers only in name, and perhaps the unique bond they have for creating music using modified turntables, sequencers and other machinery, an unorthodox method that ensures The Durian Brothers are fully deserving of the term experimental. There's plenty of variety in tone and sound achieved across the five tracks, even if they all share a certain loose limbered rhythm and ooze organic vitality (in the case of "Secession" it sounds like bodily functions are being manipulated). One of this year's most interesting techno records without a doubt!
Review: If there's someone you can trust to remix your music it's Svreca, so why not get him to remix everything like Kontra-Musik has done for Andreas Tilliander's TM404 project. Svreca shapes TM404's experimental Roland drum and acid machine productions into something more accessible for the DJ than the original album, while adding his own, brooding, trademark touch to each track. Basically, if you want five cuts of sublime, deep acid techno that's on more of a linear tip than Varg's productions, look no further than this - Ulf Eriksson, you've done it again.
Review: Whilst not quite appearing at the same dizzying rate of last year, it's still quite difficult to keep a hold on all the material that surfaces with the discernible sonic stamp of veteran Scandinavian scamps Frak. Aside from their own Borft Records, Kontra Music has been a steady outlet for Frak material for the past two years and Fusion In Park is a welcome addition to the Malmo label's output thus far this year, providing something different to Rivet's Bear Bile EP and the minimal collaboration between Porn Sword Tobacco and SUED and Acido Records man SVN. For their part, Kontra mischievously describe Frak as "the Swedish House Mafia for people who actually know what house music is", and this 12" offers two distinctly different sides to Jan Svensson and co's production palette. "Machines Drifting Away" merges stinging EBM and 303 basslines with jacking drums, deep house chords and other swathes of synths, while "To Find A Way Home" is a bumping techno track pumped full of filters and flange and their trademark Swedish machine-funk that at one point sounds like Frak covering the Wooly classic "Erotic Discourse".
Review: Kontra-Musik's latest record sees the label welcome a new and intriguing hook-up between SVN and Swedish producer Henrik Jonsson, aka Porn Sword Tobacco. The latter's production alias is said to come from a shop in Jonsson's home city of Gothenburg that sells exactly those three products; SVN, of course, has increasingly become more recognised by the release, with three great 12?s on the Sued label, and has collaborated with with Dynamo Dreesen under the Dreesvn name for Sex Tags Mania and Acido. The results of their hook up is something quite unique; "Complaints A" provides a more soulful piece of minimalist yet still decidedly odd techno, while "Complaints B" delivers a more Detroit-like take on the minimal sound reminiscent of early Robert Hood. Two killer tracks, not to be missed.
Review: Since emerging on Frozen Border offshoot Naked Index back in 2011, Rivet has become a name synonymous with the current wave of Swedish techno, gracing the Skudge Presents label with two fine 12"s, remixing Tyler Friedman, Dungeon Acid and Ben Sims, and generally demonstrating a capacity to produce both the merciless and the offbeat. His return to Kontra-Musik sees a continuation of the sound showcased on his Driftwood release for Skudge Presents last November, and is so titled because it highlights the plight suffered by some 20,000 bears in captivity who are daily tapped for their gall. Skewed vocals characterise the release throughout, the three parts, whose house-inspired synth textures are some of the meatiest work yet from the Swede.
Review: Kontra faithfuls Jonsson & Alter are gearing up for the release of the snappily titled 2, their second LP for the superb Malmo-based label (watch out now Dettmann) and what better way to raise expectation than issue a preceding EP featuring a remix from those merry Scandinavian pranksters Frak? Having established a reputation for ambience and atmosphere, minimal effort and maximum impact sounds on their previous material together, the forthcoming 2nd LP from Jonsson & Alter looks set to continue that on the basis of "En Melodi" and "Tribunen," the two album cuts featured here with the former particularly crisp and deep. Despite having the sort of discography that would intimidate many, the Frak remix of "En Melodi" is only the trio's second ever commissioned remix. Nonetheless it falls in line with the harsh, raw industrial techno they are sometimes known to lay down.
Review: Released back in 2011, Mod stands head and shoulders above nearly any other contemporay deep house/techno album. It starts with the shimmering ambience of "Dikt", moves into the subtle, teased out bleep bass of "Acapellan" before the duo drop "Djup House", like a cool but dreamy Scadinavian riposte to Larry Heard's Mr Fingers releases. While they are also capable of making harder material - the bugged out acid of "Dvarg" being a prime example - this release is all about Jonsson & Alter's ear for melodies, shimmering synths and low slung house rhythms. When all of these elements come together, as they do so magnificently on "Hela Berget", the results are nothing short of spellbinding.
Review: Andreas Tilliander's been on impressive form this year, gracing Borft with a mini LP, featuring on the debut release from Skudge and Kontra Music's collaborative SKUM label and of course releasing the sublime TM404 LP. Here he returns to the alias and to Kontra music for an addendum EP that expands on the Roland-based themes explored on the album. "303/303/303/606/606" starts off dubby and stepping before gradually giving way to acid lines that almost unfurl in slow motion, yet as the track progresses a menacing undercurrent reminiscent of Plastikman's mid tempo intensity takes centre stage. The accompanying "202/303/303/606/SY1.TG33" offers some contemplative contrast with 303s in sublime mode and generally takes on the air of mid-90s ambience.
Review: Think you heard all there is when it comes to techno made from Roland analogue gear? Andreas Tilliander has other ideas. Well regarded for his musical endeavours as Mokira with numerous albums on labels such as Kontra, Raster Noton, Type and Mille Plateux, Tilliander is a fan of aliases and unveils a new one in TM404 with illuminating results on this eponymous album. Tilliander presents eight polyrhythmic productions apparently recorded live in one take without any post arrangement using a combination of Roland gear, including the TB-303, TR-606, TR-7-07, TR-808 and MC-202 drum machine. Track titles are amusing literal, displaying what combination of each model Tilliander used and the name itself is an in joke for Roland nerds. Strangely meditative and possibly one of the most unique albums released so far this year.
Review: Swedish label Kontra Musik's twisted psyche grows stronger with each new step, placing them on a merited podium as one of the most consistent manufactures of noisy, techno-infused psychedelia. The Morphosis Korg Response presents us as witnesses to a war of vintage machines, a combat response in the form of two remixes by Rabih Beaini aka Morphosis cultivated from material by Andreas Tilliander under his newly anointed TM404 alias. "202/202/303/303/606" is a near fifteen minutes of squealing, sub-acid trickles and prophetic synth bleeps yearning for a way out of the nomadic tunnel built by its shimmering hi-hats and weighty kick drums, while "202/303/303/303/606/606" begins with a flurry of scattered synth improvisations and 303 growls, taking its time to emit the distant bass drum spawning from the depths of its core.
A Night In The Woods (Rivet remix) - (7:47) 124 BPM
Review: California's Tyler Friedman continues to explore the outer hinterland of techno on his second release for the ever excellent Kontra Musik imprint. Much like his debut missive Revolve, Friedman is not afraid to use every inch of wax to experiment sonically with your perceptions of techno here. "A Night In The Woods" begins as a ball of impossibly ravelled rhythmic textures that suddenly unfurl into an intense hailstorm of melodics which reaches a peak and attains a whole new chiming, cinematic gloss. As musically refined as Friedman's original is, those craving something more appropriate for the dancefloor will revel in the accompanying remix from Rivet, who turns in a pounding, disjointed remix brimming with dirty funk.
Review: Friedmann pushes open the door discovered by Villalobos and goes into a new world. There, glassy percussion and slinky rhythms prevail, with a humming bass leading the organic, trancey melodies into a feather-light ambient break down. It's all very surreal sounding, but the oddness doesn't end there. The A Jonsson and Alter take on "Tyler's Dream" delves even deeper into this dream like state. There, a woozy, pitch bent bassline and samples of liberal chunks of dialouge from the movie Taxi Driver - this writer's favourite part used is the De Niro monologue - prevail, ensuring that Revolve remains the preserve of dreamers, freaks and wide-eyed lovers.
One - "Kontrafunk" (Scuba's Hotflush Remix) - (6:04) 140 BPM
Review: The Swedish label showcases its diverse approach on this remix package. First up is Berghain resident Marcel Dettmann; like his last remix on the label, of Mokira, he succeeds in shattering perceptions. Instead of dreamy dub techno however, on this occasion his remix of Agaric's "Playing Games" delivers a rolling, housey rhythm, with repetitive stabs and rasping percussion sounding similar in tone and tempo to his recent reworking on Trus'Me. Scuba also surprises with his take on One's "Kontrafunk". Harking back a decade, it captures the spirit of UK breakbeat as it fuses a booming bassline with a cut-up filtered vocal sample. As always with Kontra, it's a case of expect the unexpected.
Review: Luke Hess drops one of his most dancefloor-friendly tracks so far. "Believe" is powered by a combination of a ticking, acidic groove and a prowling bassline that threaten to but never quite take off. The climax does finally, but it's on the back of a trancey chord segue that seems slightly at odds with Hess' work. The real highlight though is Shed's 'deepanddubbydub' remix. Not content with releasing one of this year's finest albums, Rene Pawowlitz drops a slamming, acid-soaked track with an unmistakable off-beat - something that is pervasive on so much of his work - and couples it with a ghostly melodic filament that harks back to the days of hardcore rave.
Human Need (Heinrich Mueller Celestial Sphere mix) - (5:25)
Review: As one of the younger breed of Detroit talents, Jason Fine is still just starting to get a foothold, despite having a good few years of releases behind him. His Kontra Musik relationship has proven to be the most fruitful, and this remix package capitalises on that with two top shelf commissions. A Made Up Sound brings his unmistakable broken house swing to bear, with warming subs and thick swathes of pad and melody twisted to Dave Huismann's crafty designs. Heinrich Muller brings the Drexciyan vibes in abundance with his punchy electro stance that remains peerless after all these years.
Review: After a series of house releases, Agaric brings an experimental techno sensibility to Swedish label Kontra. "Subaquatic Mechanic" is an unusual lead track; like much of Agaric's output, it is based on a stripped back groove full of intricacies and which houses emotive synths random vocal samples and bursts of noisy sounds."Playing Games" is less adventurous and sees Agaric bring deep chords together with hazy percussive licks, but he returns to the kitchen sink approach on "High Voltage Monkey". A warbling bassline is at its heart and crunchy break beats steer a path to a place at the fringes of conventional techno.
Review: Ulf Erikson's label has been one of the techno success stories of recent years, and this is mainly down to the owner's ability to release diverse music with a common thread. In Kondens's case, glitchy, stop-start rhythms abound, but underneath the splintered rhythms sits the same kind of dreamy, tranced out melodies that featured on the recent remixes of Alter & Jonsson. "0451" sees Kondens go more out on a limb, with the glitchy, skewed percussion and heavy broken beat occupying centre stage. Berghain's Norman Nodge has been commissioned to remix the title track, and once again Kontra surprises. Instead of jaw-clenching depravity, the rework is a swirling, hypnotic dub techno affair, gentler than a room full of Quakers.
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