Gassyoh – Gets EP [MARU-030]

Ambient & Experimental, Deep House & Techno, Electronika, House, Instrumental, Minimal, TechHouse, Techno & Detroit // By: simiolioliocloseAuthor: simioliolio Email: simon@netlabelism.com
More Authors Posts (41) // 10/09/2011 // 2 Comments

The world of netlabels has given tens of thousands of artists the opportunity to express themselves in ways that would have never been possible under more traditional methods of music distribution. Imagine the millions of demo CDs that have landed on the doorsteps of commercial labels, and been subsequently thrown away, some not even listened to. Running a label is a risky business, and in order to sign an artist, the gamble must have odds in your favour. If the music isn’t quite good enough, it will never be be given the opportunity to land on a large number of appreciating ears.

‘Maltine Records‘ is a fantastic netlabel, with an explosive character and a more individual angle than most netlabels out there. They are currently showcasing 99 releases of delightfully experimental music, which can range from quirky jazz house to ‘complete-mess-core’. I love the comic-like image of the crazy alien DJ at the top of every page. I also love clicking on the heading ‘Text’, and reading ‘nothing…’ on the page that loads. Above all, I love the way you can stream or download the track very easily. Being able to stream a tune before you commit to downloading the whole EP can save a huge amount of time when trawling through netlabel websites, and I don’t understand why a netlabel wouldn’t implement this feature.

My favourite artist on this label is Gassyoh, and he makes some of the most bizarre techno/house I have ever heard. He has released 8 EPs on this label, and the ‘Gets EP’ was released in 2009. I first heard one of the tracks from this EP on the Machtdose podcast, and I was instantly drawn in by his surprising techniques, and super-fun fuzzy style. Take, for instance, ‘I am a Clicktrack’

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Although the pretty melodics in this track are supplied by ‘Antonelli’, the funky cutting and track progression is the deal maker here. Gassyoh has a jokey style to his music, and I love this form of anti-pretentiousness. This remix could very easily go off the rails (based on some of his other tracks), but there is a leisurely consistency and exciting progression to this track, which seems to slide through a gauntlet of subtle twists and changes.

This track is followed by ‘Erotic Frange Disco’:

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I like to think of the inside of Gassyoh’s mind being inhabited by evil-looking cell-based organisms, all with mischievous smiles and dark, deranged eyes, dancing around like speed-balling Smurfs. As it starts, it is apparent that this is the same artist. The funky chords arrive, but then…. demolition. I have just never heard anything like it. Yes, perhaps it does sound a bit like a 9 year-old Nathan Fake discovering a high-feedback short-time delay effect for the first time, but the very virtue of this music is that it is free expression, limitless composition, not conforming to trends and standards due to money-making tactics and requirements, and this links back to my original point.

You send this to a commercial electronica label, and it won’t be signed. It has too much house/techno in it, it should be on a house/techno label. You send this to a commercial techno label, and it won’t be signed. The production isn’t strong enough, the style isn’t going to compete with current techno trends, and no DJ would ever play it, unless he wanted everyone on the dance floor to leave!

It fits into no niche, so would be unlikely to get signed by any commercial label. Luckily, netlabels are run by interesting and open-minded people with enough dedication to devote time to non-profit organisations. I might start a netlabel called ‘WAPP’. We Are Privileged People!

Deeplink : Maltine Records

Deeplink : Release Page

Deeplink : Gassyoh on Soundcloud

Fineline – World E.P [WIM03]

Techno & Detroit // By: simiolioliocloseAuthor: simioliolio Email: simon@netlabelism.com
More Authors Posts (41) // 12/08/2011 // No Comments

If you have an album on vinyl / CD, and the label that produced the album ceases to exist, it doesn’t matter too much. You own it, and as long as you take care of it, you can listen to it far into the future.

Good news: Fineline’s ‘World EP’ was released on ‘White In Music‘ in July 2007. It is a melodic, sophisticated and organic techno release which sticks out more to me than others that are similar. ‘Berauschen’ ducks and dives through different textures and timbres, held together with a crunchy characterful bass line which you can almost feel grating against your ear drums. It is a very pleasant and polite track; there is no infringement of space, or intrusion of your mind, yet isn’t so passive that it flows in one ear and out the other unnoticed. The J.Bacon remix of this track compliments it beautifully, filling out the space without destroying the minimal textures of the main sequence. This is very much an original-sounding release, oozing with character and quality.

Bad news: The Whiteinmusic.net website is down, and has been for some time. This could mean the netlabel is no more. Luckily, the release is still available for download from the ever-growing archive.org, so all is not lost. But with netlabel releases, there are no second-hand shops selling previously owned mp3s. If there was a fire in the archive.org server room, and you lost all the data on your own hard drive, this release would be unobtainable!

Furthermore, it seems sad to me that newcomers to the netlabel scene have dramatically less chance of ever hearing this fine release; with archive.org so difficult to navigate due to its colossal size and chaotic growth, stumbling across this release is near impossible unless recommended. Perhaps if the unearthing of this release to netlabelism readers is met with high appreciation, we could create a stir and encourage this netlabel to open its doors once more!

Fineline – Berauschen:

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Fineline – World E.P (Archive.org Link)

The Crisis Project – Scans [BFW123]

Downbeat & Downtempo, Electronika, IDM, Indie & Indietronica, TechHouse, Techno & Detroit // By: simiolioliocloseAuthor: simioliolio Email: simon@netlabelism.com
More Authors Posts (41) // 18/05/2011 // No Comments

The first time I ever heard The Crisis Project play live was at a delightful house party hosted by The Crisis Project themselves. Michael Marshall and Andy Russell were playing a thumping yet beautiful array of seamless never-ending dance music which transformed the party into an ecstatic maelstrom of glee and good-hearted misbehavior. Gentle giant Andy was wearing a head torch, which gave him the remarkable resemblance to a human lighthouse…

If Matthew Dear hung up his dancing shoes and spent a few years living in a forest, he too could make music as emotionally invigorating as The Crisis Project. Their deep, euphoric sound is not too uncommon in a world swamped with plentiful progressive techno and indie-dance hybrid. However, the extra kindness and nurture which is instantly apparent in their music is guaranteed to strike a chord with today’s electronic music fans. Lovers of Apparat, James Holden and Nathan Fake will be eager to add this music to their collection.

The total playing time is 13:53. Quite a sizable length for just two tracks, but each one is loaded with content. The evolving and developing nature of this EP strikes the perfect balance of repetition and variation. The gentle, deep pumping of ‘White Expansion’ is a lovely introduction to Crisis, with quirky juvenile basslines and memorizing vocals. ‘This Is Me’ starts with an eerie vocal and dubstep flavour, continuing into a fine blend of classic sequenced-synth elements, a catchy chord progression, and glitchy passages to bring the track to a climax.

The haunting piano used to the close the EP leaves me desperate to hear more, and as Crisis get more shows and gain more popularity, this wont be too far around the corner. They recently played alongside Zero 7 at the ‘Simple Things’ festival. They also featured on ‘BBC Introducing Bristol’, and ‘This Is Me’ was included in the May edition of the ever popular Machtdose Podcast. I cannot wait to see what happens to these fine gentlemen in the very-near future.

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Deeplink: Release Page

Deeplink: Crisis Project on Facebook