Info:
One of the founding members of the Ostgut Ton family, Marcel Dettmann recorded his debut 12″ for the label alongside Ben Klock with “Dawning” some five years ago. Now after a stringof highly praised releases, his debut album “Dettmann”, and a handful of uncompromising records on his own MDR label, we arrive at this new EP for his home label.
Launching us into the space-race, “Barrier” documents those tense moments of discovery as we reach into new territories. Dettmann’s unique textured sound design sets the scene before diving into “Translation One” – a frantic, quivering and snaking snapshot into the kind of Techno the producer stands for these days. Metallic bass spins sideways, while evermodulating percussion drives forward.
The sinister sci-fi tones of “Translation Two” warble and jive in glorious syncopation as a systematic heavy kick and hat program works the bass frequencies and rhythmic zones. Open and spacious, its meandering theme hangs deliciously between paranoia and positivity.
In “Planning” Dettmann further explores his inclination for intricate, tripping synth patterns. A staggered, wonderfully immersive theme builds from delayed staccato notes in a classic analog sequence, underpinned by rumbling dub bass pressure.
Press Info:
The Planetary Assault Systems project has been active for some 15 years now, channeling an exploratory theme into cutting edge, non-conformist techno for the clubs but also for listening at home. His previous album for Ostgut Ton, “Temporary Suspension”, re- instated that classic P.A.S sound and found the dextrous artist touring even more with this tougher, purist techno aesthetic.
And yet again Slater maintains his prolific output with the announcement of “The Messenger”. In his own words it’s a project that stays very true and honest to the Planetary Assault Systems goal: a journey of discovery, to create new sounds which are not otherwise present in club music at this time.
From the album’s beautiful introduction track “Railer (Further Exploration)”, which floats through the bubbling ether before leading into the mysterious depths of “Beauty In The Fear”, it is clear that Slater’s role as sound explorer and adventurer has been dutifully fulfilled. With the sense of timing that can only be expected from such an experienced DJ and musician, we are led through a series of stand out tracks, where no one feels less pure, yet each has their own voice.
Indeed there’s a strong club element present here – Slater play-tested all the tracks and employed a careful editing process to make sure they all fit the description. Highly playable works of club-intended sound art, early heavy moments like “Bell Blocker” or the playful “Wriss” give way to even more severe messages as “Kray Squid” pulses onto the radar with magnetic energy. The drum barrage of “Rip The Cut” speaks directly to the dancefloor, perhaps the most rhythmically intense moment of the album, which is not to be put lightly as the rolling, filtering tones of “Cold Bolster” and “Black Tea” urge us further into perfectly frenetic moments.
“The Messenger” is a great tribute to all true explorers out there, striving to find enlightenment or chasing what Slater describes as the “undamental wave”.
Record release party:
29th October 2011 @ Berghain, Berlin
>>> Planetary Assault Systems live
>>> Shifted
>>> James Ruskin
>>> Norman Nodge
Review (5/5 stars): Planetary Assault Systems are back with a new album on Berlin’s famous techno label Ostgut Ton.
And once again it is a masterpiece. Starting slowly in the eastern atmosphere the system engine gets more and more power and rings the bells to rip cuts.
Great stuff…. looking forward to see the performance at the record release at Berghain.
Press Info:
Berghain’s Marcel Fengler presents the fifth installment in the club’s expanding mix series. Marcel Fengler has proved filling floors doesn’t have to be about ticking boxes. The versatile mix is a perfect example of the type of dexterity, sensitivity and scope he possesses as a DJ. These same attributes can be found in the work of the producers featured on this 12 inch sampler.
A similarly dedicated DJ and producer, Peter Van Hoesen’s incredible „Axis Mundi“ is a real modern opus. Hoesen’s rich synth warblings and deep bass elements could raise hairs you’d never even discovered before…
Talented duo Reagenz aka Move D and Jonah Sharp have had a productive year, and their exclusive track, „The Labyrinth“, proves just that. Leading us into a psychedelic dance of funk, dub and abstraction, this slow burning jam fits perfectly in the later stages of Fengler’s mix.
The mysterious Vril is behind the dirty, dusty releases appearing on the Staub series from Geigling. „UV“ follows that convention in a pounding, searing filtered techno tool that explores many zones over its powerful 10 minute reign.
Unofficial videos & listen:
Peter van Hosen – “Axis Mundi”
Info :
Underwater techno. That could be ‘Leaning Over Backwards’ in just two words. Tobias Freund’s debut album for Ostgut Ton also serves as the long player introduction for his tobias. moniker, giving a fascinating and profound insight into his special world of music and sound science. Having been involved in the music industry since 1980, you could easily fill tomes with his work and creations. Formerly based in Frankfurt am Main and for a few years now happily living in Berlin, tobias. started his quest in sound as a synth experimentalist with a Korg MS20, worked a day job as a studio engineer (for acts as diverse as Milli Vanilli and more recently Aerea Negrot, Ellen Allien, Nina Kraviz and Heartthrob amongst others), remixed, released as Pink Elln or in collaborative projects Sieg über die Sonne and NSI. (together with Max Loderbauer) and runs his own label Non Standard Productions. But that’s beside the point, even if tobias. does bring friends, old and new, on his debut album. Named after a lyric from a Wire song, ‘Leaning Over Backwards’
suggests the feeling one gets when doing exactly that, bent over a rail, testing how long you can possibly do it before gravity takes hold, toppling you over. In this case it can last forever. Amongst other things, tobias. renounces the ubiquitous dictate of computer sequencing. Reduced to a plain recording device, the computer makes way for the classic drum machines Roland TR 808 and a Korg Mini Pops. Known for their stubbornness, the character brought by unpredictability wins over standardised convenience. Tobias’ sound is rewarded with a dynamism that doesn’t forego attention to detail, accuracy of sound or thoughtfulness.
Rooted in jam sessions with just beats and FX units, the mood and sound of the tracks on ‘Leaning Over Backwards’ follow these parameters. The results are sometimes unswerving club tracks (‘Skippy’, ‘Party Town’, ‘We Stick to the Plan’), occasionally an ambient or drone-like atmosphere (‘Zero Tolerance’, ‘Observing The Hypocrites’) or a hybrid of the two, as in the title track. All united by the imagery of “being underwater” that is apparent from the start with ‘Girts’. Take ‘The Key’ for instance; produced in Santiago by Tobias and his long standing colleague Uwe Schmidt aka
AtomTM, you can listen to splintered beats and gloomy pads submerging into the Drexciyan depths. It all comes full circle with ‘Now I Know’. Both fantastical and fey, tobias. once again makes use of Aerea Negrot’s (from Hercules & Love Affair) powerful vocals. As before on ‘Party Town’ or ‘Zero Tolerance’, Negrot is the icing on the cake, turning the album closer into a yearning slice of Blade Runner-esque pop.
‘Leaning Over Backwards’ insists and bewitches with its nonconformity and almost frightening idiosyncrasy. tobias. creates a style of techno that is as far away from the steam roller kicks and traditional rules of functionalism as it is from being purely synthetic. Techno as perpetual motion machine, both above and underwater.
Press Info :
Berghain’s Marcel Fengler presents the fifth installment in the club’s expanding mix series. A central resident at the club since its early days, Fengler continually and consistently fires up the Berghain floor with his vast and exemplary collection of Techno, House and Electronica.
Opening with the eerie echoes of Emika’s „Count Backwards“ – treated by Marcel Dettmann – we quickly discover the first exclusive gem of the mix as Peter Van Hoesen’s incredible „Axis Mundi“ sets the tone from here on in: full, lively and not short on drama.
Pushing into darker zones, Regis’ typically haunting mix of Tommy Four Seven’s „G“, or Luke Slater’s L.B Dub Corp mix of Fengler’s own „Thwack“ segue with more classic cuts from Secret Cinema’s „Timeless Altitude (Minneapolis Mix)” and Ratio’s “Doublefeature”.
Fengler keeps the surprise element alive while maintaining tension and pressure throughout. Gerd’s tripping „Time and Space (Duplex Southside Mix)“ mixes wonderfully with UK bass veteran Seiji’s „More of You“ in a glorious mid point throw-down. The mighty Claude Young teams up with production partner Takasi Nakajima on „Think Twice“, which then swells to pick up the tension in a beautiful piano-led hypnotising moment.
With the focus on more current developments in more edgy Techno and House, combined with a hearty nod to the past, the mix continues with newcomers like Puresque showing promise, alongside a weighty new Ben Sims track, and the pounding filtered glory of Vril’s „UV“ – another exclusive for the mix.
Marcel includes a new track that heads straight for the floor with „Sphinx“, while men of the moment Skudge put forward „Man On Wire“. The slow burning house of Reagenz’ „The Labyrinth“ leads us into a psychedelic game of funk, dub and abstraction as the mix winds down.
Before drawing to a close with Convextion aka E.R.P’s stunning „Vapor Pressure“, we’re treated to a UK house classic by 20:20 Vision’s „Future Remembrance (Livestyle Mix)“, in all its analog glory.
In Berghain 05, Marcel Fengler has proved filling floors doesn’t have to be about ticking boxes. This mix is a perfect example of the type of dexterity, sensitivity and scope he possesses as a DJ.
Unofficial videos & listen:
Peter van Hosen – “Axis Mundi”
Reagenz – “The Labyrinth”
Vril – “UV”
Videos created by the29nov films.
more soon
Review (5/5 stars):
2011 is the year of Marcel’s breakthrough. I am sure.
He released excellent stuff on Ostgut Ton and Luke Slater’s Mote-Evolver (#1, #2).
And now he delivers the next instalment of the famous Berghain mix compilation series. It is a great mix… That’s the way we know Marcel playing at Berghain and love him. Nice track selection and perfect mixing. Definitely the mix cd of 2011!
Record release party: Date 29th September 2011 Venue Berghain City Berlin Country Germany Line-up Marcel Fengler, Norman Nodge, G-Man (live), Sandrien, Ratio (live) LinksResidentAdvisor | Berghain
