what is on topic...: how are the different senking releases different
from each other? i'm looking for mellow minimal vaguely-dub influenced
oceanic bass heavy "techno" (although it doesn't need to have a 4/4
beat, or a beat at all) along the lines of Various Artists' later stuff,
vladislav delay's early stuff, and i've heard senking is a good place to
look...which album is the best? are there other artists i'm missing?
I could recommend every Senking, Komet also on Raster:Noton...
Recently I was very impressed by Chris Degiere. A very promising
newcomer,who has some interesting stuff on Tiln.net :
http://home.rochester.rr.com/tiln/index.html
And obviously I can post info on Tennis, and recommend recent Si-cut.Db
music.
SI-cut.DB aka Douglas Benford
http://home.earthlink.net/~efrans/benford
"Enthusiast" is the 4th si-cut.db album, and another move forward for
Benford's sound, following on naturally from the groundwork done by
Tennis, his project with Ben Edwards (Benge).
si-cut.db presents the varnished sound of "Enthusiast" Music of
different timbers: this 4th si-cut.db (previously si-{cut}.db, but now
stripped down) is the bridge between and micro rhythms and carpentry. A
major proportion of the sounds are samples of woodwork noises, different
timbers, turning processes, shavings, planings, splintered pieces,
contact mikes on veneered surfaces, acoustic instruments such as piano,
fused with microsounds to create a rhythmic template between digital
glitch and organic sources. Literally, different timbers and timbres;
the grain on the wood becoming almost the grooves of a vinyl record,
spiralling forward. The music speaks for itself.
Douglas Benford has covered many musical bases with si-cut.db (previous
outings being more dance-based, electronica,
drum n' bass and jazz), Radial Blend (abstract electronca), Media Form
(Eno-like ambience), Phoenix Jig (exotic techno), Pantunes Music (a dark
drum and bass and jazz hybrid), founding the Suburbs Of Hell and Sprawl
labels. Lately Benford has been returning to his germanic roots with
Tennis, which has garnered comparisons with Vladislav Delay, Pole etc.
SI-CUT.DB was apparently in the top 200 of US College radio acts played
in 1999....!
A new EP of Si-cut.db material is out later this year on BACKGROUND
(Germany), and new compilation tracks have recently appeared on Fibla's
SPA.RK (Spanish) label, BIP-HOP (France), The Wire magazine's
WIRETAPPER, also also track on a MIXMAG cover mounted CD, the
CounterIntelligence (germany), Hmm (SPRAWL, UK) collections...
A further new si-cut.db album is due on the FALLT label.
Recent remixes by Benford/si-cut.db include ST ETIENNE, Youth's DUB
TREES, JANEK SCHAEFER, and HRVATSKI. In the past Benford has also
remixed, produced, and collaborated with Andrew Weatherall, Scanner,
Momus, Sarah Cracknell (St Etienne), Add N TO (X)...
In London, Benford has played at places as diverse as the Rumpus Rooms,
the Electronic Lounge, Sunday Best, the British Arts Council website
launch event, the Dogstar, and abroad: The Monastery Of Sound events and
Le lieu Unique (Nantes), Batofar boat, Nouveau Casino in France,
Berlins' Avantpop 2001 (with Matmos/Mu-ziq/kid 606/safety scissors), and
The Frigid Club, Sydney, Australia (plus radio interviews on ABC's Other
Worlds, Paradigm Shift at 2ser). Si-cut.db has also performed at
Sprawl's GROUNDSWELL (along with VERT, SUTEKH, FENNESZ, JAN JELENIK,
DAVID TOOP and HALLUCINATOR) event at the ICA, London.
Never one to remain idle, Benford currently is also working live with
BENGE on TENNIS (who recently played along side TO ROCOCO ROT and LUOMO
at the AQUAPLANING festival france), on some live collaborations with
string outfit CHI2 (KLF/Laurie Anderson/Moby), whilst helping with their
debut album. SI-CUT.DB are performances coming up in Scotland, Paris and
New York and there will be a piece for the Centre of Contemporary Art in
Glasgow (with BitTonic) alongside Evan Parker & The Sneaker Pimps.
Aside from appearing on BBC TV, SKY TV, KISS FM, Benford appeared with
Stockhausen (!) amongst others on "The Well Tempered Computer - Are
Computers able to compose?" a documentary that took place on national
Culture-TV's "ARTE" in Germany.
si-cut.db has been regularly played on JOHN PEEL, BBC RADIO'S MIXING IT
and across the world..
What the press have said about SI-CUT.DB releases :
ALTERNATIVE PRESS (US) "reveals new nuances with each play."
THE WIRE "excellent...startling...ambient acupuncture of the highest
order"
current websites
D. BENFORD SITE
<
http://home.earthlink.net/~efrans/benford>
SPRAWL
<
http://www.dfuse.com/sprawl/>
NEWS
http://home.earthlink.net/~efrans/benford/news.html
TENNIS
http://www.bip-hop.com/
TENNIS is Benge (real name Ben Edwards) and si-{cut}.db (real name
Douglas Benford), two renown solo sonic artists in their own rights;
Tennis is part of an on-going London based collaboration exploring
digital and electro-acoustic sounds and rhythms combined with 21st
century audio software. All tracks are recorded at Benge's Expanding
Studio bunker.
"Wooden Sweets" was the first Tennis release on the Cologne label
ElectroChemicalResearch.
The latest album is entitled "Europe on Horseback", and shows a
progression of the "Tennis sound" into a harder and more digital/glitchy
but accesible rhythmic realm, with dub and german influences to the
fore. Tennis have already played a few gigs, one of which was was
supporting Vladislav Delay in London. Tennis have also jammed on
Coldcut's pirate.tv and provided a mix for their Solid Steel radio show.
TENNIS : europe on horseback [bleep 03]
Europe on Horseback, as its title suggests, is a relaxed voyage. The
rhythms slowly draw you into a cushioned saddle and an electronic trot
then begins, taking us through fields of bubble bass, valleys of sonic
glitches, and mountains blooming with digitalia. Not quite as minimal as
Pole but just as deep. They never break into a gallop, conserving energy
rather than letting it run wild. This record is a form of deconstructed
dub / house which avoids 4/4 time at every corner creating a relaxed,
challenging and accessible electronica lined with interesting bass
lines. A great full-length from bip-hop stables.
REVIEW WRITTEN BY Black Sifichi - www.novaplanet.com