IDM Mailing Archive

Just had to share this laff-riot Pole review that appears in this week's Now Magazine (Toronto's version of The Village Voice, basically). The guy who wrote it - Tim Perlich - is basically a jaded hack (like most professional rock-crits, I guess), so this is exactly the sort of thing I'd expect him to write: POLE CD 1 and CD 2 (Matador) Rating: N The intriguing thing about Pole is not that Stefan Betke was able to create two distinctly monotonous recordings by trying to control the crackle of a busted Waldorf filter. Hey, if you had a day job at a mastering plant listening to terrible German techno for subtle variations in sonic frequency, errant bits of radio static would probably seem like an exotic treat worth preserving to you, too. No, the real entertainment here is knowing that there are people who will take at face value the effusive critical praise bestowed upon Pole by jaded Brit music hacks and actually believe Betke's time-wasting foolery is the future of dub. Better still, Betke's figured out a way to have people pay to watch him coax some sputters out of his little filter set-up. Pole will join Neotropic at Mockingbird Saturday (May 29).

On 27 May 99, Greg Clow wrote re: (idm) funny Pole review:

quoted 2 lines POLE CD 1 and CD 2 (Matador)

> POLE CD 1 and CD 2 (Matador) > Rating: N

Just a quick question : what does an "N" rating mean? I * np : POLE CD1 ~ you can also mail me at <lime909@hotmail.com>

On Sat, 29 May 1999, Irene McC wrote:

quoted 4 lines POLE CD 1 and CD 2 (Matador)

> > POLE CD 1 and CD 2 (Matador) > > Rating: N > > Just a quick question : what does an "N" rating mean?

Now rates the records they review out of five, using "N" instead of the usual stars. So one N is pretty much the worst rating you can get. For what it's worth - Toronto's *other* weekly arts/ent paper, Eye, give the Pole discs a great review. As did the Toronto Star, Canada's largest newspaper. (They have Ben Rayner, the most techno-savvy mainstram music writer in the country, writing for them - he also gave Theorem's "Ion" a glowing review this week, and had Plastikman, Boards of Canada and Massive Attack in his top ten for '98.) Greg

Greg Clow wrote:

quoted 5 lines Just had to share this laff-riot Pole review that appears in this week's

> Just had to share this laff-riot Pole review that appears in this week's > Now Magazine (Toronto's version of The Village Voice, basically). The guy > who wrote it - Tim Perlich - is basically a jaded hack (like most > professional rock-crits, I guess), so this is exactly the sort of thing > I'd expect him to write:

well, pole's got cool sounds going, but i have to agree that like most of berlin techno, he is immensely boring. observe the difference: chain reaction record -> thump tss thump tss thump tss thump tss thump tss thump tss thump tss weeeeaaaaoooowwwwwww thump tss thump tss thump tss thump tss pole record -> pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click weeeeaaaaoooowwwwwww pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click & as a means of comparison: autechre record -> crunch clack bang blip kank crunch-a-ching bang klank crunch blip klang tcheecka boom ding bump crunch crunch bloop blip funkstörung record -> crunch clack bang blip kank crunch-a-ching bang klank crunch blip klang tcheecka boom ding bump crunch crunch bloop blip heh heh. -- david turgeon at http://www.notype.com

This needs to be in the FAQ or on the hyperreal website. "observe the difference: chain reaction record -> thump tss thump tss thump tss thump tss thump tss thump tss thump tss weeeeaaaaoooowwwwwww thump tss thump tss thump tss thump tss pole record -> pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click weeeeaaaaoooowwwwwww pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click & as a means of comparison: autechre record -> crunch clack bang blip kank crunch-a-ching bang klank crunch blip klang tcheecka boom ding bump crunch crunch bloop blip funkstörung record -> crunch clack bang blip kank crunch-a-ching bang klank crunch blip klang tcheecka boom ding bump crunch crunch bloop blip"

On 27 May 99, david turgeon wrote re: Re: (idm) funny Pole review:

quoted 1 line observe the difference:

> observe the difference:

:-))) Think I'm going to laminate this post and hang it on the wall! I * ~ you can also mail me at <lime909@hotmail.com>

quoted 2 lines well, pole's got cool sounds going, but i have to agree that like most

> well, pole's got cool sounds going, but i have to agree that like most > of berlin techno, he is immensely boring.

I don't mean to step on your opinion, but I find it curious considering that: 1. Tomas Jirku sounds much like the Berlin techno you describe 2. notype released the Tomas Jirku record 3. you run notype 4. you post this critique of a sound that one of your label's artists sounds like. Comments? For the record: I really like the Tomas Jirku record on notype. And I'm not trying to be a jerk, I'm honestly curious what your take on this situation is, David. Bill -- Sigma6 Interactive Media / http://www.sigma6.com dj marathon: june 2 - Solar @ Blind Pig, Ann Arbor june 11 - Motor Detroit - in the Big Room

quoted 2 lines I don't mean to step on your opinion, but I find it curious considering that:

> I don't mean to step on your opinion, but I find it curious considering that: > 1. Tomas Jirku sounds much like the Berlin techno you describe

call me biased, but i sincerely think tomas is better than most chain reaction stuff i've heard, & even pole. the compositions are warm & alive, rather than being just exercises in sound.

quoted 1 line 2. notype released the Tomas Jirku record

> 2. notype released the Tomas Jirku record

& quite proudly, too.

quoted 3 lines 3. you run notype

> 3. you run notype > 4. you post this critique of a sound that one of your label's artists sounds > like.

ahh, so i'm not entitled to my opinions because i run a label? :) i think there's way too much minimal techno that's done & that most of it isn't up to par. it is, obviously, my sole opinion, based on turning down lots of new ultra-hip records because i thought they had nothing to them, just a repetition of the oh so famed berlin (& i guess koln) sound. then again, i don't find the boringness of minimal techno that appaling. it's actually quite nice; a total absence of obnoxiousness or something. very soothing. but not my taste, for the most part.

quoted 3 lines Comments? For the record: I really like the Tomas Jirku record on notype. And

> Comments? For the record: I really like the Tomas Jirku record on notype. And > I'm not trying to be a jerk, I'm honestly curious what your take on this > situation is, David.

i just happen to like & dislike very different things, & not based on genre but on artists. the artists on no type all make music i like listening to. that's why they're on the label. i should also mention that i don't consider any artist to be a sacred cow & that i like making fun of music which is held as such by many. hope that clears it up. :) -- david turgeon at http://www.notype.com

quoted 3 lines call me biased, but i sincerely think tomas is better than most chain

> call me biased, but i sincerely think tomas is better than most chain > reaction stuff i've heard, & even pole. the compositions are warm & > alive, rather than being just exercises in sound.

I don't know if I'd agree that Tomas's material is better, but it's very good. Are there any of the Berlin records that grab you like Tomas's stuff? Personally, the Vainqeuer "Solanus (extracted)" record and Various Artists "no. 8" really blow me away each time I listen to them because they are alive in the same way you describe. I don't listen to "no. 8" very often because it's such a special record...like a snifter of expensive brandy or something to be savored only on special occasions, not partaken of on a daily basis. Anybody else have records like that?

quoted 5 lines ahh, so i'm not entitled to my opinions because i run a label? :) i

> ahh, so i'm not entitled to my opinions because i run a label? :) i > think there's way too much minimal techno that's done & that most of it > isn't up to par. it is, obviously, my sole opinion, based on turning > down lots of new ultra-hip records because i thought they had nothing to > them, just a repetition of the oh so famed berlin (& i guess koln) sound.

I understand completely. I'm addicted to the Chain Reaction sound, and even more addicted to the Rhythm & Sound material, but I don't know if I'll be buying their latest (CR-24 & RS-05) because from the reviews I've read, they're doing something of a re-hash.

quoted 8 lines i just happen to like & dislike very different things, & not based on

> i just happen to like & dislike very different things, & not based on > genre but on artists. the artists on no type all make music i like > listening to. that's why they're on the label. > > i should also mention that i don't consider any artist to be a sacred > cow & that i like making fun of music which is held as such by many. > > hope that clears it up. :)

That does it nicely, thanks. I appreciate your well thought-out response, since that's what I was after. Cheers, Bill -- Sigma6 Interactive Media / http://www.sigma6.com dj marathon: june 2 - Solar @ Blind Pig, Ann Arbor june 11 - Motor Detroit - in the Big Room

correction, SC. post of the year. right here. << Subj: RE: (idm) funny Pole review Date: 5/27/99 12:32:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time From: lr2@glimmering.com (L. Rollins) Sender: idm-owner@hyperreal.org To: eerie@mnemonic.net (david turgeon), stained@interlog.com (Greg Clow) CC: idm@hyperreal.org This needs to be in the FAQ or on the hyperreal website. "observe the difference: chain reaction record -> thump tss thump tss thump tss thump tss thump tss thump tss thump tss weeeeaaaaoooowwwwwww thump tss thump tss thump tss thump tss pole record -> pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click weeeeaaaaoooowwwwwww pop click pop click pop click pop click pop click & as a means of comparison: autechre record -> crunch clack bang blip kank crunch-a-ching bang klank crunch blip klang tcheecka boom ding bump crunch crunch bloop blip funkstörung record -> crunch clack bang blip kank crunch-a-ching bang klank crunch blip klang tcheecka boom ding bump crunch crunch bloop blip"

William Van Loo wrote:

quoted 11 lines call me biased, but i sincerely think tomas is better than most chain

> > > call me biased, but i sincerely think tomas is better than most chain > > reaction stuff i've heard, & even pole. the compositions are warm & > > alive, rather than being just exercises in sound. > I don't know if I'd agree that Tomas's material is better, but it's very good. > Are there any of the Berlin records that grab you like Tomas's stuff? > Personally, the Vainqeuer "Solanus (extracted)" record and Various Artists > "no. 8" really blow me away each time I listen to them because they are alive > in the same way you describe. I don't listen to "no. 8" very often because > it's such a special record...like a snifter of expensive brandy or something > to be savored only on special occasions, not partaken of on a daily basis.

i have to admit that the only various artists record i own (& have heard, too) is the remix 12" on fat cat. i've been hearing such good things about this act though that i'll probably get more when i can find it. as for berlin records that blew me away... i have yet to hear one, but i'm open to suggestions. -- david turgeon at http://www.notype.com

William Van Loo wrote:

quoted 7 lines Personally, the Vainqeuer "Solanus (extracted)" record and Various Artists

> Personally, the Vainqeuer "Solanus (extracted)" record and Various Artists > "no. 8" really blow me away each time I listen to them because they are alive > in the same way you describe. I don't listen to "no. 8" very often because > it's such a special record...like a snifter of expensive brandy or something > to be savored only on special occasions, not partaken of on a daily basis. > > Anybody else have records like that?

Yeah, that's a good way of describing certain releases. For me it's Oval's "Dok", Bochum Welt's "Les dances d'ete", and Gescom's "Key Nell" (the SKAM one, 2nd side). Records made for sipping and rolling the flavor over your tongue. GD

David Turgeon wrote:

quoted 3 lines i have to admit that the only various artists record i own (& have

> i have to admit that the only various artists record i own (& have > heard, too) is the remix 12" on fat cat. i've been hearing such good > things about this act though that i'll probably get more when i can find > it.

Ooooohhh...try to track down the original - I like the remixes, but none of them hold a candle to the original "no. 8". It's on Fatcat - check out http://www.fat-cat.co.uk/ for more info.

quoted 2 lines as for berlin records that blew me away... i have yet to hear one, but

> as for berlin records that blew me away... i have yet to hear one, but > i'm open to suggestions.

OK, 3 great Berlin records (I'm talking 12" vinyl here, and there are way more than 3 great ones, but I'm keeping this short) .Vainqueur - Solanus (original) b/w Solanus (extracted) - Chain Reaction CR-13 is a great mix of the moving-sideways-to-dance-oriented-techno and waves-of-sound ambience that Chain Reaction is known for. Solanus (original) is a track that'll still move a dancefloor, while the (extracted) version is a gorgeous beatless soundstructure. The (extracted) version is my personal favorite choice, but the real gem is hearing the relationship between the original & the extracted. Plus, the idea of "extracting" a beatless mix from a semi-dance track is just too freakin' cool, and it works really well here. Check the Vainqueur CD on CR ("elevations") for these 2 tracks plus more. .Rhythm & Sound - any of the 5 10"s on Burial Mix Take your pick here, I can't possibly choose between the 5 great songs (complete with versions on the B-side) that make up this series. "Never Tell You" would be the logical place to start, being that it's the first in the series, but you can get any of 'em. The compilation CD is another great way to get all of these. .Porter Ricks - nautical dub [tidal mix] / port gentil (Chain Reaction) "Nautical Dub" is really the jam here for me, but Port Gentil shows that grimy, grinding side of Porter Ricks that some people really dig. I get more into the floating aqua sound of "nautical dub" but either one is a great track. As with the others, there's a CD with these tracks plus more ("Biokinetics" is the disc, on Chain Reaction). There are lots more, check out http://www.snafu.de/~circonium/music/cr.html for the fullest scoop possible. Cheers, Bill -- Sigma6 Interactive Media / http://www.sigma6.com dj marathon: june 2 - Solar @ Blind Pig, Ann Arbor june 11 - Motor Detroit - in the Big Room