October 5th Tracklisting

A little overdue, but as promised, the tracklisting to a brew we made for our My Aeon TEA party on October 5th.

1.Tadeo - Winds Of Glory (Marcel Dettmann Remix) [Cyclical Tracks]

2.Mod.Civil - Einfachheit Gewinnit [Ornaments]

3.Raffaele Attanasio - Black Block (Markus Suckut Construct) [Non Series]

4.Markus Suckut - Shine [Figure SPC J]

5.Woo York - Void (Truncate Remix) [Mutex Recordings]

6.Robert Hood - Hate Transmissions [Music Man Records]

7.Ctrls - Socket [Token]

8.Shifted - Leather [Mote Evolver]

9.AnD - Making Circles (Sverca Remix) [Repitch]

10.Pfirter - Multiverse (Markus Suckut Remix) [MindTrip Music]

11.Rhauder Feat. Paul St Hilaire - Sidechain [Ornaments]

12.Delta Funktionen - Challenger [Delsin]

Kr!z Podcast Tracklisting

1. xhin - elliptic

2. woo york - boloto

3. psyk - track 3

4. developer - entrada

5. henning baer - folsom

6. truncate - untitled

7. ignacio - chios

8. sigha - how to disappear

9. francesco baudazzi - untitled

10. developer - migrations

11. oliver ho - from modern to ancient

12. digital princezz - press the button 1

13. ad/s - transversal (sigha rmx)

14. mike parker - pulse trader

15. echoplex - searchin'

16. sunil sharpe - landing strip

17. pacou - flames

18. developer - revisited

19. lucy - tof (tommy four seven rmx)

20. sawlin - techno dumping

21. o/v/r - rapid eye

22. function - descending

23. peter van hoesen - transitional state 2

24. quake - device overload (marcel fengler rmx)

25. developer - trade

26. p.a.s. - cold bolster

27. phase - binary opposition (process 2)

28. 2000 and one - ethics

29. the nightripper - tone exploitation (p.a.s. rmx)

30. steve stoll - model t

31. broom & williams - volunteer

32. shifted - leather

33. silent servant – untitled

TEA Podcast #20 - Kr!z [Token]

Belgian imprint Token has been a standout label for the past two years. With a back bone made up of Inigo Kennedy and Phase, Token’s speedy and skeletal beats deviate from the current dubby and house tempo productions currently on trend. Other artists to grace Token's impressive roster include; Oscar Mulero, Grovskopa, Go Hiyama and most recently Xhin. A lack of inspiration toward techno in the mid 2000s saw Kr!z do what many techno cynics should, he started a label. Inspired by the visceral and uncompromising sounds of Axis, Downwards, Blueprint and Cosmic, Kr!z laid foundation to a venture which after 5 years is enjoying many of the superlatives used to describe a clutch of Belgian labels, past and present defining electronic music.

With over a decade of DJ expertise and a penchant for quick mixing, Kr!z delivers a seasoned podcast featuring new, unreleased and upcoming Token material. We contacted Kr!z via email ahead of his podcast for TEA where he spoke fondley of his community library, Daft Punk and (lack there of) black tea.

How and where did you records the mix?

At home on a Sunday afternoon, still fuelled with energy from Saturday’s gig. I used a mixer, two decks for vinyl and one CDJ for some unreleased material.

How did things first begin at Token?

I started asking people for tracks in late 2006. I emailed a few artists who I’d been a fan of for some time and that I knew weren't releasing that much music. I was buying records on a weekly basis for my gigs, but I wasn’t enjoying a lot of what was being released at the time. A lot of my favourite artists and labels had taken a break or even quit the scene for various reasons. The idea for the label was simple, I wanted to make good records available again. I took a chance and started emailing a few people about the idea of starting my own platform. Inigo was one of the first people to respond and he sent me some crazy tracks. I was really lucky to have those for the first release because it immediately put Token on the map, I guess that was early 2007. Everyone was playing it, sales were good and I started receiving a lot of music by new and established artists. Ashley (Phase) was one of those more established guys. Inigo & him quickly became the centre points of Token.

Token releases have earned somewhat of a trademark through their faster BPM's. Is that a part of the Token sound?

It’s quite hard to describe the sound. Some call it ‘Dark techno’ but that sounds so cliche and boring, plus we have released music that is ‘not so dark’. Initially the energy levels were really important. The tracks had to have power as well as fit into my sets. The speed of the releases is something that felt natural as I had always DJed with faster BPMs, Inigo & Phase also produce that way. Lately the pace has slowed, but to be honest I don’t care about tempo that much. Hail to the pitch control. I’ve heard DJs play 140 BPM Token tracks at 125 BPM, or play 125 BPM Token tracks at 135 BPM, it’s all good. I think the BPM discussion is as irrelevant as the digital vs analog or the vinyl vs mp3 discussion. Each to their own.

What is your relationship with Inigo Kennedy and Phase.

It’s a close one. After 5 years, my main focus is still to put out their records and to help boost their profile, basically create more awareness around their sound. I’m still excited each time they send me new tracks and I feel they’re still getting better. We’ve become good friends over the years, so it’s also a family thing. That’s what I want to create with all the artists I’m signing; a good relationship that's not just on a musical level.

How have you seen the label develop since 2007?

It’s been getting more and more recognition. As I stated before, the first release gave the label a kickstart. After that all I wanted to do was keep the standard high. The key focus is still quality. I spend a lot of time listening to demos and testing them out at gigs before I actually sign them. I think things through to make sure it fits the plan. Sound wise I feel the labels output has remained pretty consistent, at least that’s what I’m aiming for. I am taking more chances now however. 5 years ago I probably wouldn’t have released deep IDM or tracks at 120 BPM. I would have worried that it might not have sold well, or fit into my sets. I don’t really care about that anymore, quality is the only requirement. I am happy to see we have established a following over the years and I’ve noticed it’s a very open minded one.

How much has Belgium influenced you and your label?

My main influence was through techno parties. Seeing Jeff Mills at I Love Techno for the first time just blew my mind. Same goes for when I first heard Steve Rachmad DJ at Fuse club. Those moments directly influenced me, I wanted to do the same thing; take the dancefloor on a journey, have them follow you throughout your set and control the room with a hypnotic sound. As far as musical output I think my main focus was more on what came out of US, UK & Berlin. As far as Belgium goes I always did keep an eye on Music Man, with all the Rachmad, Dundov, Green Velvet & Cherry Bomb stuff. Great catalogue right there. But for Token I think the main influence came from labels like Surface, Axis, Downwards, Blueprint and Cosmic. Those labels always stood on their own, without compromise. Amazing music, interesting concepts, mysterious artwork. Real art to me.

I see you were a big hip hop and drum and bass fan. Tell us about those days, some of your favourite artists and how you made the transition to Techno.

I am still a big fan of hip hop. But also jazz, funk, soul, IDM, dub and glitchy stuff. I buy and collect a lot of different music, probably more than what’s good for me. I think it all started as coincidence. I was listening to a lot of terrible music around the age of 12 and 13. I didn’t have any money to buy CDs so I went to the local public library, loaned a bunch of them from the music section and recorded them to tape. After a year or so I had listened to most of the music I that I knew, which wasn’t a lot. I then started taking music home from the eclectic section, my choices were based on the sleeves or interesting names. I digested a lot of crap music, but finally I discovered stuff like DJ Shadow, Gang Starr, Krush, Photek, Aphex Twin, De La Soul and Amon Tobin, all by accident. This was pre CD burning and internet days. I developed a big love for the 90s style of hip hop, mostly jazzy stuff like A Tribe Called Quest, but I was really into Wu Tang & Nas too. I have a few close friends to thank for some important discoveries, but all in all that public library saved my musical life. I was DJing at local parties during this time and in retrospect I was playing some horrible music. I was lucky enough to pick up Daft Punk’s Homework when it came out and I started playing some house after that. Then I discovered techno, bought a lot of bad techno records but I eventually made it to the good stuff. I left out most of the embarrassing moments here.

Do you produce yourself?

I do, but not on the level that I’m ready to share with the world just yet. I’ve always been really demanding of my artists, to get the best output for Token as possible, so I guess I’m even more strict when it comes to my own material. There will be a release from me in the future, but I don’t really feel any pressure to do so. I have a lot of new music by other artists ready to go so I’d rather focus on that for now.

Whats coming up for Token?

The new Xhin record is out now. I am really happy with that one, he blessed Token with four genius tracks. We have talked about doing another one already. Token 22 will be by Ctrls of Northern Structures. I liked what Northern Structures did on Sonic Groove a lot, and when I heard Troels solo stuff, that impressed me even more. He’s a former drum and bass producer and he’s definitely got his sound right. There is lot of power in his productions. Ctrls will be a new regular on Token, he’s already working on a new ep. After that there will be some remixes for Phase’s ‘Binary Opposition’ ep. The feedback on that one was amazing and a lot of people were eager to put their own touch on it. The first mixes are coming in and sounding big. Next to that there should be a new Inigo Kennedy record coming soon. Phase’s next ep sounds very promising and there’s a few other artists confirmed that I can’t talk about just yet. Should be a very busy and exciting year.

What is your favourite tea?

I like black tea, but I’m more of a coffee guy to be honest. Maybe I just need more schooling.

TEA Podcast #19 - Jobody

Techno in the traditional sense has yet to make an impact on the boom town sounds of Bristol according to local producer and label partner Jobody. Releasing under his Jobody epithet, Jobody's steely, dub tinged and industrial sound is a Bristolian techno vision he shares with Damien Schneider, Jamie Curnock and Patrick Bolton. Together the 4 produce for, and run apologue, fashioning four to the floor rhythms not so commonly seen in their locale. Comparisons could perhaps be drawn to the club orientated and Berlin based Fachwerk. Both troupes release their own music on their own terms, with apologue enjoying the added bonus of receiving remixes from Perc, Truss and Sawf.

Jobody is no stranger to DJing and production, but it was in 2008 that Jobody saw his first limelight release with "Spade For Hands" on Richie Hawtin's Sounds Of Can Elles, an exclusive mix for DJ Mag where the Minus controller "Shines a spotlight on the next generation of unsigned producers who've been invigorating his DJ sets this year". That same mix included tracks from Gary Beck, Pysk and Joel Alter.

Jobody's orientation has changed considerably since, dropping his melodic tendencies for a more abrasive sound, but in no way losing his groove. Ahead of his podcast for TEA, Jobody shared with us how techno can be a lonely place, the role of music videos in electronic music today, the apologue sound and a good tea to enjoy on the daily.

How did you first become involved in electronic music and how have you found your way to where you are today?

My old man is an awesome drummer, so I was always focussed on rhythms and beats. I grew up on blues, country, jazz, rock, kate bush, rolling stones and anything my parents listened to. I didn’t really hear dance music until the Chemical Brothers - Exit Planet Dust and Leftfield’s - Leftism. I remember getting my first VW Golf kitted out with some 16x9’s plus a 100-watt amp and rinsing Leftism. After that I got into Drum and bass and Jungle by guys like Kenny Ken, Mampi Swift and all that Helter Skelter stuff that came in packs of like sixteen tapes. It was an eye opener. My first bit of kit was an Apple LC2,I used it for sequencing midi and triggering an Alesis SR16 drum machine. Never really recorded stuff, just fiddled around with it. There is only so long you can listen to an SR16. I got decks when I was about 16 and I still love to play vinyl.

Recently I have been DJing using 3 or 4 decks in Traktor so I can incorporate my own tracks and loops. I’ve started playing live with ableton and it’s something I am sorting out at the moment. It’s going to be simple, a small poly synth like a Tetra of Evolver, a laptop running as a Drum Machine and Sequencer and a Cathedral reverb. It will be pretty raw and uncompromising but will still have a bit of funk to it. These days I make a lot of music, I have about 20 tracks that need releasing. I use lots of drum samples and found sounds, Logic, a tape deck, a Microwave XT and a few soft synths.

How did you work your way into the clubs?

I first started promoting and playing out when I lived up north in Newcastle. I put on a drum and bass and funk night which was great fun, messy times. That’s when I began to go out to loads of hip hop, drum and bass and funk nights. Meanwhile back home in Monmouth, two of my really good friends from school were well into four four structured music and when I came back from Newcastle I started getting involved in that sound. It was all pounding groove. Dave Clarke and Drumcode stuff. We made the trip up to the Q Club pretty often which made the connection with techno that much stronger. That place is infectious.

Your track "Spades For Hands" made Richie Hawtin’s Sounds From Can Elles compilation in 2008. What did that do for your confidence and exposure?

Yes, that was an experience. I used to send a lot of my demo’s to minus. I was almost too late to contribute to that compilation, Richie asked me for some tracks when I was on holiday and I just managed to get them to him. That track is filthy when it gets going. I recorded the synth live when I was very drunk, and somehow that was the track he chose. It definitely boosted my confidence but I didn’t get much exposure following the release. I don’t think the track was ‘minimal’ enough for the masses.

What were you making prior to this release?

I was making a kind of melodic techno, a bit minimal and a bit emo (laughs). Some tracks were hard as nails though. I was still finding my sound and that is something that has only clicked in the last year or two.

Your sound now is quite different to that of "Spades For Hands". How have you seen you productions evolve since that release?

My production techniques haven’t changed that much. I think it is more that my ears have become tuned into what I am doing and my mind is set on something before I start. It may be only a tiny element but as long as I have that, things can evolve from there. I am obsessed with kick drums at the moment and I am forever striving for bigger, lower and dirtier kicks, that’s one thing that can easily get me immersed in a track. The tracks I am making at the moment are a bit different to my Same Same EP and what I am doing at the moment is really working. I also make sure I use plenty of real sounds, be it drum samples or recordings of any old sounds I like. I need those sounds in my tracks to keep what I’m making real. I am finding it hard to find a software synth that is good for drums, but I recently discovered that Waldorf Attack which has a great sounds for drums, it is a bit wild though.

What brought about the change?

Age! And being fully focussed on directing the sound I am creating rather than it directing me. You’d think that I would get into softer sounds as I get older but it’s going the other way.

How much has Bristol influenced your productions?

Let me think about that. Not at all really, unless subliminally something happened that I am unaware of. We are the only techno label that I know of in Bristol and it can feel a bit lonely sometimes. There are plenty of labels doing great things in Bristol, like Punch Drunk and Idle Hands, but I find that Bristol is a bit closed off when it comes to techno. I tend to cut myself off from the music scene quite a bit, I am so picky. I can quite easily annoy my friends by moaning about the music. I mean I love all kinds of music, but only if it is well done. For me that is the blessing and curse of being a musician. I am easily disappointed with a lot of what I hear.

apologue crew from left: Patrick Bolton, Damien Schneider, Jobody

How popular is techno in the traditional sense in Bristol?

It is quite rare to find any proper techno in Bristol these days. See, I told you I moaned (laughs) but I am 30 so I am allowed to. We recently had Ben Klock play and have had Dave Clarke, Legowelt, Surgeon and others over the last year so it does happen, there just isn’t that much of a demand for it. We put a night on last year where we booked Function, we promoted the hell out of it for months and only about 60 people came. That’s Bristol and techno.

Tell us about your relationship with Damien Schneider.

Firstly he’s my very good friend and secondly he is one of the co-founders of Apologue. I have known him for about 6 years. We have spent a lot of time in Bristol together, partying, playing, producing, listening to music and drinking cider. Damien shot and cut the first two Apologue videos and we did the third one together. It is a very interesting process and it is an area that I am pursuing at the moment. He is an absolute perfectionist and always has a strong vision of how things should look.

So you shoot, edit and produce your own videos?

I am currently working on a couple of audio visual pieces. The idea is to start with a visual idea, usually an interesting texture or something with natural movement. Then I begin putting sounds to them. I then go back and forth with the video and audio and the piece slowly evolves into a really interesting and immersive experience. The locations I choose are where natural meets man made, where decay is happening and where textures are abundant. I have also produced a number of video interviews at TB2 Bristol, they are quite simple, using lots of footage from the night, then cutting an interview in the middle.

What role do you think music videos play in underground electronic music today?

I think it's a tricky one when it comes to music videos. If the music is leaning more towards the commercial side of things then I think music videos work really well, but when it comes to a 7 minute underground techno track, I think it would be a waste of time. Music videos are a big task and take quite a bit of time if you want to do something special, they can also be expensive. 2 minute promo films like we do are crucial for our promotion, people who listen to our music are going to be using the web and a promo video is a surefire way to grab their attention. Do something different and make an impact.

Tell us about your involvement with RFID.

There was a very successful night in Bristol many moons ago called Cuisine. Damien was part of this with his good friend Joanie Lemercier (antivj). Cuisine had a strong visual element and it really set the night apart from anything else. Cuisine brought out artists like Apparat, Stephan Bodzin, Redshape and Transparent Sound, so the music was always spot on. Joanie was experimenting with mapping techniques that just left people including me standing there in amazement. Since then I have always been really aware of how important visuals are in relation to sound. They just work so well together when done right. The RFID crew are a great bunch of guys and have developed a unique project where they display some amazing visual in a dome. When you are in there you are completely surrounded. We will be doing more projects with them in the summer and there is also the possibility of us doing some surround sound sets in the dome.

How did establish your label apologue?

Apologue was born because we wanted to have control of all aspects of our music. There are four of us running the label. Jamie and Patrick are both friends from school and Damien came later, he was like the missing piece. It just made sense to start the label as our tastes in dance music are very similar. We all produce and we all want to release our music on our own terms, making sure that we are in control of each step of the creative process.

What is the apologue sound?

The Apologue sound is the culmination of our influences over the last 15 years or so. We like our EPs that have depth. We are all for allowing the artist to experiment, without losing sight of what works in terms of a set. The four of us definitely differ in our styles but there is always something coherent from release to release. Something that all our tracks have in common is combining clarity with dirt, plus a bit of warmth and soul. There will usually be something gritty going on but it will be complimented with a really clean element. These two elements working together is part of our sound.

What platform does apologue offer its artists?

A platform to produce without having to stick to a pre-defined brief, giving the artists the freedom to express themselves. We make sure everything is right before it goes out. From the mastering, videos and artwork to promotion, we believe in quality over quantity. We like to make sure our artists EPs looks and sound as good as they can. Reaching the right people is key. We have our tracks mastered by Chris McCormack who has been an integral part of the process. He nails the balance of loudness and dynamics perfectly.

Tell us about your choice of remixers for the label so far?

Truss was a few years above me at school so we have known him for quite a while. He is one of my favourite producers. He heard my track ‘same same’ and really liked it, so it was a no brainer really. His remix is filth, I love it. I met Ali (Perc) in Bristol when he was up here to play and I picked his brain about starting a label. His tracks are really distinct and raw which worked well alongside Damien’s tracks. Sawf’s productions are quite experimental and we knew that he would bring another interesting aspect to Patrick’s EP.

How much is apologue a platform for Jobody?

It is very much a platform for me, but not just for me. It’s so all of us can get our music out there in the way we want. Apologue is a really good project for me to be involved with, not just for the music, but it gets me thinking about the style, the design and the whole feel of what we are about. I have learned a lot over the past two years on how to run something that I really care about.

How important is vinyl to apologue?

Extremely important, we all grew up with it. We will be releasing our first vinyl this summer. Starting with digital releases was the only viable way to start. We needed to be established before we could approach someone for a pressing and distribution deal. The first record is a collaborative project between the four of us, which I am really looking forward to.

What is the concept behind your artwork?

We believe that it is important to have a visual aspect integrated in what we are doing, it sets the tone for the music. The depth and perspective which feature in the artwork reflect the depth of sound we aim for in all our releases, the colours and textures also adds to this feeling. The use of tunnels, roads and tracks seems to be used by a lot of other labels, so that is something that we are discussing at the moment. Not that we invented it or anything!

What’s next for Jobody and apologue?

We have a digital release coming up from Jamie Curnock, it is his first release. I am really exited about this one. The tracks are huge and we are going to film the promo in an old castle which will look amazing. After that it’s full steam ahead with the vinyl release and we will be picking up the pace of our existing schedule. We had an absolute nightmare with our first distributor during our first year, that really set us back, but we are back on track now. As for me I have a couple of vinyl only releases in the pipeline for two labels that I am really looking forward to working with.

What is your favourite tea?

Love a bit of Darjeeling but good old builders tea is the daily.

Podcast Tracklist

1. Heel - Threats [Unknown]
2. Tessela - D Jane [Punch Drunk)]
3. Unknown - Untitled [Unknown]
4. Reeko - Empirical Science [Pole]
5. Autechre - Overand [Warp]
6. Area Forty - One Mjolnir [Ann Aimiee]
7. Patrick Bolton - Half Cut [Apologue]
8. Samuel L Session - Four To The Floor (Tiger Stipes Remix) [Ground Factory]
9. Redshape - Plonk Dub [Present]
10. Basic Soul Unit - Soulspeak (Shed Remix) [Dolly]
11. Thom Yorke - The Clock (Surgeon Remix) [XL Recordings]
12. Donor - Stepping Over (Truss Remix) [Miniscule]
13. Karenn - Auflen Whip [She works the long nights]
14. Unknown - Untitled [Unknown]
15. Joey Beltram - Shaking Trees [Tronic Soundz]
16. Jobody - Bound [Unknown]