Press Info:
Five years ago Ancient Methods sealed the emissions of the eponymous label with the „Seventh Seal“. But one chapter remained to be written – the very first one. Labeled as a prequel to those seven releases „The Jericho Records“ materializes an idea, that has been in its creators head since the beginning of this project: to transform the biblical story and the accompanying picture, that can be found on almost all previous Ancient Methods releases, into sonic images.
However „The Jericho Records“ is not aiming to be a soundtrack in a traditional sense, but rather an attempt to create the pictures by the music itself. Throughout the three chapters of the album (The City Of Jericho, The Battle and The Aftermath, each represented on one vinyl) these pictures appear sometimes as a rather abstract scoring of a mood, for example the tiptoeing sequences of „Treason Creeps In“ or the orchestral, melancholic prospects of the final track „In Silence“. In contrast you find very figurative pieces like the rhythmic battle in „Swordplay“ or the impenetrable wall of sub-bass throughout the album’s opener „Walls“.
The album implements the „Music Will Tear Down Walls“ – approach, another conceptual layer that does not only radiate as one possible subtext from the ambiguous „Battle Of Jericho“ picture but has been also an integral and fertile part of Ancient Methods’ work to connect different music subcultures. It is just as conclusive to find all former collaborators with distinctive but yet coherent contributions being involved. Regis’ rough, „Gymnastics”-reminiscent synth lines fit seamlessly into the tribalistic assault of „Array The Troops“, whereas Orphx’ psychedelic noises in „The Seven Shofars“ manage to both pair up with the wall-shaking brass and deliver a stark contrast to the almost latenight-melancholic trumpet. Extraordinary vocal improviser Cindytalk delivers a moving, almost fragile sounding piece over dramatic strings („Moonset“) while industrial legend Prurient presents his impressive sonic and dynamic vocal range over epic 10 minutes („Walking On Cursed Soil“). For some the appearance of dark-folk majesty King Dude might be the surprise here, since only the keener listeners might have noticed the collaborative work. He ennobles the hypnotic percussions of „I Am Your New King“ with his unmistakable husky chants dignifying the track with true genre-bending qualities.
Albeit the typical machine stomp is not entirely neglected („Twelve Stones To Divide Jordan’s Sand“, „The House Of Rahab“) Ancient Methods’ broad influences emerge all over the record and burst through the „pitch black techno war funk“ (qtd Boomkat). Medieval liturgical chants fuse with techno-metal („Omen’s Duty“), global folk music is meeting post-punk („The City Awakes“), industrial parts explode and collapse into a „Knights & Bishops“-styled techno rave („Collapse and Crack In The Storm Of Lights“), early 90’s techno is melting into a wall of noise with („neo“)-classical shimmers („Walking On Cursed Soil“). The comprehensive use of the trombone is not only another reference to the Jericho picture but a confession to the creators favorite instrument, lending the album not only an orchestral but also a personal guiding thread.
Beyond the mere music one might discern contemporary statements here and there, e.g. when the composition of the opening track is juxtaposing a traditional western scale to a Phrygian scale divided by a central wall of bass, while the lyrics transform Kafka’s world-worn „Bridge“ into „Walls”. In any case inevitable to conclude: „The Jericho Records“ is a very personal artistic statement, mirroring the past of the project and leaving a foretaste of the things to come. And last – but certainly – not at least: It is an album you can dance to.
Listen:
Trailer:
Full Track Streaming:
“Array The Troops” (feat. Regis) edited version
Press Info:
Facing a period of significant change, Anasisana decided to funnel his emotionally jarring, yet creatively invigorating journey into music.
The result is a cluster of sentimental hymns and arresting compositions, resulting in Anasisana’s debut album being a deeply compelling listen from start to finish.
“Sorrow’s Hymne” sees Anasisana collaborate with the enigmatic Fortunes Brine, creating a emotional composition of forlorn optimism and sanguine grief, reflecting on a time of personal adversity
Listen: soon
Full Track Streaming:
“Stuck Between Worlds Colliding”
Release Date:
31th August 2018 (vinyl)
21th September 2018 (digital)
Format:
vinyl & digital
Tracklist: 01. Provide The Future (Dax J Remix)
02. Acid Head (CUB (Regis & Simon Shreeve) Remix)
03. Acid Head (CJ Bolland Bad Acid Remix)
04. Departure (The Horrorist Remix)
Press Info:
Thomas P. Heckmann’s album Body Music on Monnom Black gets remixed with 4 acidic and EBM cuts from techno legends; CUB, CJ Bolland, The Horrorist and label boss Dax J.
08. Polished Chrome (The Friend Pt. 1) [feat. Gary Numan]
09. Trilogy
10. No Regrets (The Friend Pt. 2) [feat. Aleen]
Press Info (English):
Chris Liebing has announced details of his first album release for Mute, Burn Slow, out on 7 September 2018 and shared ‘Polished Chrome (The Friend Pt. 1)’ featuring vocals from Gary Numan (listen below).
This, and ‘Novembergrey’ are the first taste of what to expect from Burn Slow, a 10-track album with vocal contributions from a diverse range of artists: Miles Cooper Seaton (Akron / Family), Mute labelmate Polly Scattergood (onDeadWaves), Cold Cave, Aleen and, of course Gary Numan.
Burn Slow is a minimalist electronic epic and start of a new chapter for one of techno’s leading authorities. It might not be what you expect for a DJ synonymous with fast, hard, and heavy techno, but according to Chris Liebing, he’s always been something of a slow starter. “I’ve wanted to do something like Burn Slow all my life,” he says.
While retaining the framework of the techno beats that Chris Liebing has dedicated his life to for the past 25 years, here he also seeks out new harmonic territories, taking aim at the heart rather than the feet, in order to tackle some deep themes. The key concept of presence – the idea that everything is happening in this moment, and that everything in the past is mere memory – form the thematic backbone of the record. It’s something Liebing got in touch with via the philosopher Alan Watts, not to mention decades of getting entire dancefloors lost in the present. “If people would stay in the now, everything in the world would just have a bit more harmony,” explains Liebing.
Liebing has teamed up with Ralf Hildenbeutel for Burn Slow (a key part of the long since defunct Eye Q family), and at his Hildenbeutel’s Frankfurt studio Liebing began drifting into new territory with his new musical ‘enabler’.
The Burn Slow project began its evolution with two remixes, for Depeche Mode’s Going Backwards and Goldfrapp’s Everything Is Never Enough – both artists associated with his new label, which has been an inspiration for Chris Liebing since a young age: “Without realising, a lot of the music I was into came from just one label, Mute. I vividly remember dancing around at my neighbour’s house in the early ‘80s to songs by Depeche Mode and Yazoo. Banging my head in dark basements to the likes of DAF, Laibach and Nitzer Ebb to name but a few.”
Chris has channeled his passion to the performance, production, distribution and broadcasting of music on a global level. His DJ sets are sonic journeys between darkness and light, always far from the beaten tracks of the musical mainstream.
Press Info (German):
Chris Liebing veröffentlicht Details seines Album-Debüts für Mute: Burn Slow erscheint am 07.09. Zudem gibt es mit Polished Chrome (The Friend Pt. 1) feat. Gary Numan als Gastsänger einen Vorgeschmack auf das Album zu hören (siehe unten).
Es folgt dem Stück Novembergrey, das bereits vor einer Weile veröffentlicht wurde. Burn Slow ist ein 10 Stücke umfassendes Album, das mit Miles Cooper Seaton (Akron / Family), Mute-Labelmate Polly Scattergood (onDeadWaves), Cold Cave, Aleen und natürlich Gary Numan eine ganze Reihe an Gastsänger*innen bietet.
Das Album ist ein minimalistisches elektronisches Epos und zugleich der Beginn eines neuen Kapitels für Liebing, der als DJ eine langjährige Autorität vor allem in den Bereichen schneller, harter Techno ist. Doch offenbar war er schon immer ein slow Starter: „Mein ganzes Leben lang wollte ich schon immer so etwas wie Burn Slow machen“, sagt er. Während er den Beat, dem er sich seit 25 Jahren in Techno verschrieben hat, beibehält, sucht er nach neuen harmonischen Territorien und zielt diesmal, wenn man so will, weniger auf die Füße als vielmehr nach dem Herzen. Das Rückgrat des Albums folgt dem Konzept einer reinen Gegenwart: Alles was passiert, passiert genau Jetzt, in diesem Moment, alles, was der Vergangenheit angehört, ist bloße Erinnerung. Es folgt damit den Ideen des Philosophen Alan Watts – und natürlich Liebings Erfahrung, ganze Dancefloors in der Gegenwart verloren gehen zu sehen: „Blieben die Leute in der Gegenwart, würde die ganze Welt ein klein wenig harmonischer sein“, erklärt er.
Um Burn Slow aufzunehmen, tat sich Liebing mit Ralf Hildenbeutel (vormals Eye Q Family) zusammen um in dessen Frankfurter Studio das Album zu entwickeln und aufzunehmen…
Die Wurzeln des gesamten Projekts gehen jedoch viel weiter zurück. Alles begann mit zwei Remixen für Depeche Mode („Going Backwards“) und Goldfrapp („Everything Is Never Enough“) – beides Künstler*innen, die lange schon mit Mute assoziiert sind, einem Label, das Liebing ohnehin schon seit seiner Jugend verfolge: „Ohne es damals bemerkt zu haben, kam eine Menge der Musik, die ich mochte von nur einem Label, Mute. Ich erinnere mich lebhaft daran, in den Achtzigern im Haus unserer Nachbarn zu Depeche Mode und Yazoo herumgetanzt zu haben. Und in dunklen Kellern meinen Kopf zu DAF, Laibach und Nitzer Ebb geschüttelt zu haben – um nur ein paar wenige zu nennen.“
Weltbekannt für seine einzigartigen DJ-Sets, gehört Chris Liebing zur Speerspitze des deutschen Techno in Performance, Produktion, Distribution und Aufführung. Seine Sets wurden an anderer Stelle als sonische Reisen zwischen Dunkelheit und Licht beschrieben, immer bleiben sie weit abseits des musikalischen Mainstreams.
Listen: soon
Videos:
“And All Went Dark” (feat. Polly Scattergood)
“Polished Chrome (The Friend Pt. 1)” (feat. Gary Numan)
