IDM Mailing Archive

[] Operator EP "OS1.1" released end of this month [] operator os1.1 Lewis Lachlan MacColl hails from Edinburgh and has been making music in various bands for the last four years. Two years ago he helped produce local electro-punk band, The Magnificents' debut ep. He moved on to concentrate on solo work and a circulated demo spawned the classic "Optic Peril" on the Alba Absurdia compilation. Now almost a year in the waiting, his debut ep is to be unleashed to the world. Operator is one of the few electronic acts whereby the live performance has to be witnessed to truelly appreciate the recorded material. Operator gigs extensively in Edinburgh and recently supported Beans from Warp. “ … combines the most eclectic and contemporary aspects of new electronic music and manages to be both muso and funky at the same time.” (John Kelly, Daily Record, 20/2/4) [] Operator also played for the Benbecula Showcase at Triptych 2003. Afterwards his live shows brought more good press. “There’s no easy way to entertain a room full of people when you’re just one man twiddling a few pots on stage, but … it’s nice to hear he’s also pretty damn talented, with the obligatory Aphex Twin fuzz and rumble and the odd arch Fischerspooner moment neatly balanced by some basic, funky house breaks.” 4/5 (David Pollock, The List, October 2003). [] His live work was quickly recognised by those at the BBC where he has received regular airplay and was invited to perform a session on Vic Galloway's Air Show in February 2004. The EP illustrates Operator's skill for diversity and depth of sound. The opening track "Streetlight", ushers warm swathes of electronic mist into the dub/house beats of closed circle. The soporific tones give way to a more spartan metallurgy of "Tisch". "Dad Boggon" takes over and increases the bass with some fat beats and neat arpeggiated work. The pace is slowed again for the last two experimental and sometimes deeply disturbing compositions. [] "Taking the usual structure of beat and sample based experimental music to different places ... recommended" Dan Shirai, Pitchadjust "OS1.1 is a v cool operating system, I want it on this pc now. v(ery) recommended" Tesselate "The Operator EP is versatile, from the Detroit influenced opening tracks onto the finishing experimentations. If you like an interpretation of the Detroit way of doing things and don’t mind some experimentation, you should investigate." Electronic Desert ”… moments of true individuality” The List track listing 01 streetlight constellation 02 closed circle 03 tisch 04 das boggon 05 for a whale 06 i want to go to host LISTEN TO TRACKS 1 2 3 All tracks written and composed by Lewis Lachlan MacColl Vinyl Mastering by Console 7, Edinburgh AVAILABLE ONLINE IN APRIL "Music Volume One and Two" revisIted - SPECIAL OFFER FOR LAST REMAINING STOCK [] various artists - music volume one and two Benbecula Records' first official release was the limited 12" vinyl EP "Music Volume One", released in autumn 2000. The EP's first beginnings were the collaboration of co-founders Phase 6 and Beluga who each submitted one track from recently recorded works. Other submissions from local and international artists were a result of discussion about the framework of how the label would likely take shape in years to come. In an attempt to differentiate between electronic music and pure experimentation, the title of the EP was born. Even now the tracks are timeless melodies which prove that the goal originally mapped out has been achieved. The follow up, Music Volume Two, followed the series' dual purpose, to introduce new acts to the public, in the hope that one or more would go onto greater things. Again, things have worked out. In an attempt to introduce the label to an international market in the summer of 2002, the two EPs were combined onto one CD, as both original formats had long since sold out. Weighing in at 14 tracks in total, this CD compilation of the label's early works is a unique image of a point in time, and a treasure trove of music that is exclusive to this release. The "Music" series is a mixture of home grown talent and submissions from friends and artists abroad. However the skill in selection allows the tracks to gel into a whole. Beluga and Phase 6 are co-founders of the label and submitted their last recorded works. Beluga's technical help since then has been production work for both Reverbaphon and Mikael Romanenko's "To Let Go" EP which is still regarded as the label's best work to date. Copies of this long deleted vinyl have been known to fetch triple figures on Ebay. The track from Romanenko on this compilation, "eval.all" is by no means an out-take and for some was the best song on the Music Volum One EP. Beluga has also overseen track selection and sequencing of Reverbaphon's forthcoming album. The track by Phase 6 may also be used as the title track used in a forthcoming feature film. Watch this space. [] Local scottish talent figures highly in both compilations with pieces from Clubbed to Death, East of Insanity, Joni and this guy called Christ.. Christ.'s track "Moxley Moy" is a mature song that was finally put to DAT not longer before the release of Music Volume Two. A stripped down track with a basic piano riff and synth line, it was the first widely available work by Christ. and served as the perfect introduction to his skill as a musician. Joni's submission "Too Stupid" was a certainty chosen from a demo of retro-electro songs and covers that was discovered on mp3.com. Joni continues to gig with the Benbecula crew. [] One other Scottish artist who has gone on to greater things and had already established his own works through record label Mouthmoth was Frog Pocket. The track "Tony Blair" pretty much encapsulates his skill as a writer and also the construction of playful and almost childish sounds and rhythms. Frog Pocket has obviously gone on to release a full length mini-album for Benbecula "Moon Mountain of the Fords". [] The Marcia Blaine School for Girls, hail from Glasgow and submitted their track "Ned Rites" a few months before their debut EP on Glasgow label Dalriada. The School have since recorded for labels Awkward Silence and Static Caravan. International artists also include Mr Projectile (USA), Fibla (Spain), Novel 23 (Russia) and Bauri (Sweden). [] Mr Projectile later recorded an album for Toytronic which brought him to public attention and went onto release records for prolific labels such as Merck and 1010. He has also recently started his own imprint Semisexual. Fibla of course started the Spa.rk Releases label in Barcelona and has recorded so much music for different labels it is very hard to keep track! Look out for his best works on Quatermass. [] Novel 23 started recording electronica in 1997 but came to worldwide attention with his album "Melodies for Childhood for Advanced Imagination" on Pitchcadet, possibly the most highly acclaimed CDR release of all time. Various small scale releases ensued including Awkward Silence. 2003 saw the release of his excellent album on Bip Hop. One split EP was with Bauri of Sweden who's output has been massive in both quantity and quality. Releases include EPs and compilation appearances for Neo Ouija, City Centre Offices, Merck, Mille Plateaux, English Muffin, Expanding and last but not least, his own imprint, New Speak. [] track listing 01 beluga - tundra 02 novel 23 - blink run away to east 03 fibla - djam 04 mikael romanenko - evel.a l l 05 bauri - cargo slip 06 phase 6 - deep motion 07 christ. - moxley moy 08 joni - too stupid 09 mr projectile - absorption 10 clubbed to death - junk 11 frog pocket - tony blair 12 east of insanity - retrospect 13 marcia blaine school for girls - ned rites 14 _ - london has let me down again 2002 benbecula records LIMITED TIME SPECIAL OFFER!! £8.99 £7.99 WORLDWIDE!! www.benbecula.com to order benbecula artists live dates 01/04/04 christ. zurich, switzerland 02/04/04 christ. dachstock berne, switzerland 08/04/04 christ. toulouse, france 09/04/04 christ. bordeaux, france 10/04/04 christ. lille, france 18/04/04 greenbank kraked, rising sun arts centre reading 22/04/04 christ. printemps - bourges festival france 02/05/04 creeping bent 10th anniversary party (part of triptych): frog pocket tron theatre glasgow 08/05/04 'planet mu's tram trax': frog pocket, chevron, telstar musique insomnia, topping st, 10.30pm - 3am blackpool 12/05/04 frog pocket, chevron, random number the cooperage, 8pm newcastle upon tyne 15/05/04 frog pocket, chevron, kasule dr drakes aberdeen 25/09/04 christ. la villette numerique nr paris, france benbecula records po box 23250, portobello, edinburgh eh15 2ww, scotland www.benbecula.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org