Author: Jim Allen

Bjarki Empties His Archives On 3 Vinyl LPs

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bjarki

bjarki

Iceland’s Bjarki, whose work encompasses techno, house and much more, and defies easy categorization, has some releases planned that threaten to redefine the very idea of what an album is. Between June and September, the Nina Kraviz‘s Trip label will be unleashing three LPs featuring tracks selected by Kraviz from Bjarki’s archives, but they’re not meant to be traditional albums in the conventional sense. Rather than arranging the tracks (which range from years old to just weeks old) in an order intended to have a specific effect, he’s letting the releases find their own form, leaving the links between the tracks up to the listeners.

The first release, due out on June 17, is Б, which seems to bear more of a ’90s rave-influenced sound. FYI, the title is the letter “B” in cyrillic, in case you were wondering. Lefthanded Fuqs is set to arrive in August, and apparently we can expect that one to contain material of a more experimental bent, including some film scores. Æ (pronounced “I” for those keeping track) will host tracks with “restrained instrumentation, made on hardware.” Talking about the project, Bjarki commented,  ‘’I think making an album is always hard, especially with all critiques that can be scary, in the end I just want people to enjoy what I put out without the music being forced into some category.’’

Argy’s ‘Chronographic’ Benefits At-Risk LGBT Youths

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DJ argy

Not only does the arrival of Greek-born, London-based house producer Argy‘s new retrospective collection Chronographic offer an opportunity to catch up with the highlights of all the work he’s done over the years, it also allows you to contribute to a good (and vital) cause. All the profits from sales will go to a New York City organization called New Alternatives, which provides food and shelter to the homeless, the mentally ill and anyone dealing with LGBT-oriented discrimination.

There are three new tracks included on Chronographic, as well as collaborations and remixes that feature everyone from Luciano and Timo Maas to DJ Gregory and Jerome Sydenham. Speaking about the LGBT youths New Alternatives reaches out to, Argy says, “Many have suffered the indignities of having been kicked out of their homes by homophobic families, forced to flee conservative communities, aged out of foster care, or come from families torn apart by poverty, AIDS, drug abuse or eviction. House Music has given me a voice, a platform for expression, and generally a ‘passport’ to experience this world globally. I want to give something back to the very source of the music and culture, from which it sprang. Forty years ago, this same demographic was suffering from severe prejudice and violence.”

Premiere: Lifelike & Kris Menace – “Ecstasy”

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Kris-Menace-and-Lifelike

Warning: do not drive or operate heavy machinery while under the influence of the new track (or especially the video) by French/German DJ/producer team Lifelike & Kris Menace. Let’s just say that in both the sonic and visual sense, its title, “Ecstasy,” is to be taken literally. The in-your-face old-school rave vibe of the tune is bound to evoke images of people madly flinging their bodies around a late-’80s/early-’90s Manchester club under the influence of a certain substance, and the joyous emotion usually accompanied by that scenario. The mind-melting video crafted by Hexstatic, who have previously worked for the likes of Coldcut and David Byrne, is the cherry on top, completing the head-swirling experience. Lifelike and Kris themselves had this to say about the endeavor: “Manchester and the Hacienda always had a special place in our hearts: its part of our musical culture, this is where it all happened, the birth of acid-house & techno movement, Tony Wilson, Factory Records, 808 State, etc…Back home in our studio, it was obvious,  we had to do it, we had those old Roland TB-303/TR-707/Akai S950 sampler under a pile of dust that we had totally forgotten, this is what we used to produce ‘Ecstasy,’ all in one night, and we’re really proud of it, as it sounds like no other records out now on the scene.”

Other Music Will Close Its Doors

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Other Music NYC

It’s the end of an era as downtown New York City loses one of its longest-running record stores still in operation. When Other Music opened in 1995 it was, as its name indicates, an alternative on multiple levels. The small-but-savvy shop was located right across the street from the behemoth Tower Records on W. 4th St. and was packed to the gills with non-mainstream music of all kinds, both old and new. From underground techno to ’60s psychedelia and genres that don’t even have a name, if it was esoteric and intriguing, odds were you could find it at Other Music. Until now, that is.

Citing familiar specters like rising rents and the tanking sales of physical music, co-owner Josh Madell announced plans to shut down both the store and Other Music’s mail order business on June 25. After Tower Records went belly up in 2006, it seemed like David had slain Goliath, and that remained the case for another decade, but even Other Music isn’t immune to the disturbing trends befalling both New York real estate and the music industry. For anyone with an inclination to pay their respects before the final curtain falls, there will be some special events under its roof, so keep an eye on their website.