Tag: mixtape

listen further = colectivo futurecast 021!

we first discovered manchester based Lawrence Roberts via twitter. gradually we started noticing that our tastes were pretty much aligned musically, and it was only a matter of time before we got him to do a mix for our colectivo futurecast series. Lawerence currently runs the archival and music exploration blog Listen Further (link), there he writes short blurbs about artists and projects he finds essential, not only from a musical standpoint but also from a conceptual one. previous posts have featured the works of influential artist such as boards of canada, burial, and more recently eliane radigue. on this mix, Lawrence explores the realm of avant-garde electronic musics to absolute perfection, resulting in a deep, bass centric selection best suited for headphone listening on late nights.

listen to & subscribe to the futurecast at colectivo futurecast

5 minutes with…

LISTEN FURTHER aka LAWRENCE ROBERTS (Manchester)
twitter | tumblr

* how and where was this mix recorded?

The mix is some current listening and a few old favorites, it’s a headphone mix really. I would say that 80 % of my listening is to ‘electronic’ music, and the mix showcases some of the diversity that makes this genre the one to keep up with, in my opinion. The mix is not recorded live, i’m no dj (yet!), I put it all together using Audacity.

* what were your first incursions with electronic music? where do you presently stand, musically speaking?

My first big musical step came during the early-00s whilst at high school (pre-broadband), exploring my local library’s ‘electronic’ cd section beyond the ‘Ibiza Anthems’ compilations. I loaned two Boards of Canada albums and an Aphex Twin remixes compilation, which instantly translated to purchases. At around the same time I started to set my minidisc to record the Breezeblock each Monday evening, so I could listen back to the show whilst doing my weekly paper round. That show really expanded my mind, and my ear.

A decade later I’m based in Manchester, UK, my job doesn’t involve music but much of my spare time is spent buying, listening, talking and reading about music. The North of England is a great hub of electronic music, we have the Modern Love Label operating out of Manchester putting out local artists like Demdike Stare, Claro Intelecto and (now Berlinite) Leyland Kirby. There’s Autechre over in Rochdale, Philip Jeck in Liverpool, SND and The Black Dog in Sheffield, I could go on…

* tell us about your current project, Listen Further. what is the concept behind the project?

I’ve been running the Listen Further project for about a month now, it currently exists as a Twitter and Tumblr stream running concurrently. It’s a little corner of the internet where I can post about current listening, online music resources and draw together some connections. I decided to stick to Tumblr and Twitter for now because I can keep it brief to read, a gateway straight into music or a quick connection elsewhere.

Last month I ran a feature where I posted a pick of six unreleased Burial tracks that have been chopped out of radio mixes and posted on Youtube by fans. This is the type of thing I’ve seen talked about on forums but never seen the videos collected in one place before. I also ran ‘Further with…’ features on two albums, creating imaginary (and subjective) ‘further listening’ lists. My first choice was Boards of Canada’s ‘Geogaddi’. I listed neighbors The Incredible String Band and Stereolab’s early sampling of numbers stations as key reference points for BOC. Amongst the other selections were Broadcast and Mordant Music, as I hear so much of this album’s influence in the current hauntological trend.

* what do you normally listen to at home? which are your top three favorite albums ever?

In terms of listening at home, I find myself going through podcasts and mixes on weeknights – listening to newer stuff, and the playing older favourites on my record player at the weekend. Things that often grace the turntable at home: Kraftwerk, Cocteau Twins, Oneohtrix Point Never, Drexciya…

Three favorite albums:

1. Grouper – Dragging a Dead Deer
2. Basic Channel – BCD I/II
3. William Basinski – Disintegration Loops

* what is your favorite thing about living in Manchester?

Best thing about living in Manchester is the dedicated promoters working like crazy to bring artists here to play!

* how do you expect Listen Further to grow in the future?

I hope to get more people involved in Listen Further in the future, the more the better I guess in terms of variety! Just working to establish an initial flow for the tumblr/twitter feeds at the moment before putting out a call.

 
listen further – colectivo futurecast 021 by colectivofuturo

4 Comments by on June 12, 2011
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shaolin jazz – the 37th chamber = wu tang meets blue note jazz!

Remember 90’s hip-hop? Both the east and west coasts were bringing you serious audible pleasure, or “Flavor in Ya Ear,” as Craig Mack said. In the west, you had the G-funk, or gangsta-funk, which brought you funk music samples, multi-layered, melodic synths, while riding on slow hypnotic grooves of drums and deep bass. Its champion? Dr. Dre, aka “father of G-funk.” The 90’s were a vital period in hip-hop’s history, and here at colectivo futuro, we concede that the most notable group of that time frame was the Wu-Tang Clan. Representing the east coast, specifically New York’s Staten Island borough, the Wu-Tang Clan stepped onto the hip-hop scene, wielding their lyrical swords with the same precision as fighters from a martial arts movie – which inspired the group’s name.

Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter The Wu-Tang (36 chambers) LP followed their immense single in which they alerted you to “Protect Ya Neck”. The clan definitely had you protecting that neck – the distinct lyrical assault their nine MCs were going to deliver was definitely something that was about to turn you on your head. They were raw and fearless in their approach. When speaking of 90’s hip-hop, especially production wise, we have to point to its distinct sampling of jazz records. Needless to say, jazz and hip-hop go hand in hand. Both genres rest on the syncopated rhythms of drums to carry trumpet melodies or deliver lyrics. For comparison’s sakes one can contend that if anyone was as vital and distinctive to the jazz genre as was the Clan to hip-hop, that would have no doubt be Blue Note Records.

Established in 1939, Blue Note Records not only brought you some of the finest records that jazz had ever heard, but it also brought you beautiful cover art designed by Reid Miles. A career graphic designer, Reid joined Blue Note Records in 1955 to design album covers after working for Esquire magazine. Miles’ graphical design work for Blue Note is to this day some of the most highly regarded and respected cover art work in music history. This brings us to the purpose of this post, since here at the colectivo we are committed to sharing with you all good things audible and visual, it is a must that we share the Shaolin Jazz project, or as NPR called it: Where the Wu-Tang Clan Meets Jazz.

Shaolin Jazz: The 37th Chamber is the meticulous union of musical selections from the legendary jazz label with one of the most significant groups in hip-hop culture. And the conductor taking us on this excursion of carefully crafted vocals, jazz tracks, and chopped up samples, is DJ 2-Tone Jones. An Atlanta native now residing in the nation’s capital, DJ 2-Tone Jones rocks many hats. Aside from catching him spinning at numerous venues throughout the D.C. area, you can hear him rock the speakers on Ill Street Grooves radio show on D.C.’s own WPFW 89.3 FM/Pacifica Radio. Additionally, 2-Tone is a member of a cutting edge art troupe/marketing group known as AM Radio: Artwork Mbilashaka. But it was Gerald Watson, a lifestyle-marketing agent, who initiated the concept of shaolin jazz. The idea was conceived after interviewing Logan Walters, a graphic designer and the curator of a series of jazz inspired Wu-Tang album covers entitled Wu-Note (most of which you can see sprayed out on this post). Watson soon reached out to DJ 2-Tone, a long time colleague, and when presented with the idea, he immediately jumped on board. Watson then went back to Walters to kick off the project and the rest is musical history!

you can download Shaolin Jazz – The 37th Chamber here. It includes 13 tracks, alongside liner notes, art work, and track credentials.

No Comments by on May 1, 2011
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paulo olarte = colectivo futurecast 019!

for our next episode of the colectivo futurecast we have a very special, and different (to say the least), offering from our man in berlin: Paulo Olarte. born in Cali, Colombia, but a long-time resident of Hamburg, and currently living in Berlin; paulo has cut his teeth making deep and tech house tracks for well regarded labels, such as liebe*detail, diynamic, or galaktika. for this occasion though, we have been graced with over an hour of music that pays homage to his colombian roots, and which according to the man himself “manages to keep my spirit warm!”. so be prepared to broaden your musical horizons and take a trip to the real dirty south…

listen to & subscribe to the futurecast at colectivo futurecast

5 minutes with…

PAULO OLARTE (Freshfish Rec./Gala – Berlin via Cali, Colombia)

soundcloud | ra profile | freshfish

* how and where was this mix recorded?

Well this mix was recorded with two turntables and a mixer, and it was recorded at home.

* tell us about your background as an artist. how and when did you first begin to play records?

I’ve been my whole life surrounded by music, since I can remember! My father is a great musician with an incredible ear, he is a guitar player, but he also has incredible skills to play almost any instrument you put in his hands. He used to have an amazing record collection so I guess this is where I start to play my first records. I started DJing in 1998 when I came to Germany to spend a few months. This was the first time I had the possibility to buy electronic music. Back then and still today it´s really difficult to buy house and techno vinyls in South America.
My very first time I played in front of a crowd was on this trip to Germany (1998) in Hamburg at the Golden Pudel Club, where I’m still playing these days. It’s my absolute favorite club. In 2005 I started with the production of electronic music, but I’ve been involved with making music since I was 13, playing bass guitar and singing in different bands in my hometown, Cali, Colombia.

* you were born in Colombia, but you’ve spent quite some time in Europe, how has that influenced your career as an artist?

Well right, I was born in Colombia and when I was 8 we moved to Germany and we lived there, here, till I was 13. That period of time was already a big influence for me, because I was in touch with all that synthesizer music from the 80´s and I was having access to a lot of music that wasn’t making it to the other side of the Atlantic. During that time there was no internet, so it was not like today, that you have access to almost everything from anywhere. And now I’ve been living for almost 11 years in Germany, so I guess living here has been a big influence for me and my work. I think the weather has the biggest influence in my life here…
But, to date, the most important music in my life is the afro-colombian and afro-latin music:
Salsa, Cumbia, Porro, Cha cha cha, Bolero and so on… and this is how I manage to keep my spirit warm!

* what do you normally listen to at home? which are your top three favorite albums ever?

I listen to all kinds of music…
For me there are no 3 favorite albums ever.
There is so much great music out there. It´s impossible for me to choose 3, no way …
But maybe the music I listen to most, is like I said before is salsa, cumbia … and all this afro-colombian and afro-latin stuff. It makes me feel like no other music does…

* what is your favorite thing about living in Berlin?

The people are great; culture here is at the top of the top. The whole city is amazing, I´m just in love with this city! But don’t think I´m here because of the electronic nightlife, ´cause I never go out at night.
It´s that multicultural thing, when you’re outside on the streets you can hear thousands of different languages, you have all kinds of restaurants and you have the possibility to live a completely anonymous life.

* what can we expect from yourself in the future? are there any plans to revive your label, Freshfish?

Well there is a lot you can expect from me in the future. More and more music, all kinds of music.
Remixes, collaborations, my own productions of course, and one or maybe two new labels, vinyl of course, as I’m still fighting against the ephemeral existence of electronic music. The first label is already on air and the first release is coming out on May 30th. The label is called GALA and I´m running it together with Maurice Aymard: the label head of Apersonal Music and Galaktika. So keep your eyes wide open or better your ears…
On the A side there is an original track written by me called “Mil años” which is dedicated to my daughter Emilina and on the B side there is a remix by Goldwill, both hot hot hot…

Freshfish is still frozen for the time being, but who knows, maybe I can convince my old labelmate Hausmann C., that we could put something out on there and take the fish out of the freeze and make some more releases, I would love to…

 

paulo olarte – colectivo futurecast 019 by colectivofuturo

No Comments by on April 25, 2011
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