// A handful of new things.

Right, so its been a while now but I'm finally able to do some more First-Stage blogs for you. I had gotten a little bogged down with all the other things that life throws at you from left field but I now have a little more time to myself to be able to write some more blogdates.

Firstly:
Diamond Version have released their EP1. I have had some time to listen to some of the tracks and I must say they are mighty impressive considering that the two artists involved (Alva Noto and Byetone) started this project by just doing LIVE performances together as fill gaps at their shows. On the other side I was slightly disappointed with it too. After hearing their music in videos posted to youtube I was looking forward to something more gritty. Ever so often they are able to pull together something that is pure genius but the EP can leave you a little deflated in other tracks.

Secondly:
Diamond Version have released a video on youtube for their EP2 which can be found below.

Visit Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6DFZB_k2bY

After listening to this I am thinking that they might be able to sway me back to becoming a believer in them once more. With their new music it sounds much more like what I was expecting the first time around. Then again I was thinking that when i heard the first few things to do with the EP1, so, lets just wait and see.

Thirdly:
Emptyset. Ever heard of them? Well I hadn't until I stumbled unceremoniously across them on raster-noton one time, and I must say that I am very impressed indeed. A future post might be about their latest release so keep those eyes peeled and we'll see what they have to offer.

And Lastly:
NEW VLADISLAV DELAY! Yes, you read that correctly. Assuming that you havent already heard (it is possible) Vladislav Delay has written his follow up to Vantaa and Espoo with Kuopio, which is expected this year. You can listen to a preview mix of the tracks at the link below.

Visit Link: http://soundcloud.com/vladislavdelay/vladislav-delay_kuopio-preview

// New Release from Grischa Lichtenberger (German)

AND IV (Inertia) is the new release from Grischa Lichtenberger released on the Raster-Noton label that you are hopefully getting used to hearing about by now. Grischa Lichtenberger's music is a really interesting blend of the acoustic and the digital sound fields, a blending of the two worlds around us. He works as a found sound engineer, recording interesting sounds such as old radiators etc. Using these sounds he then goes into the studio environment and mashes them up to create new and intriguing sounds or effects that he then uses to make music similar sonically to the works of Alva Noto and Ryoji Ikeda.


The best way I could personally describe Grischa's music is as a blend of music that would be created if Alva Noto and Amon Tobin collaborated together.

For more information on the new release head on over to the Raster-Noton website at Link 1 below.

Visit Link 1: https://shop.raster-noton.net/?pid=269

Image taken from the Raster-Noton website.

// Mille Plateaux Artists of Interest

I have recently been looking for some new and interesting music for myself, when I remembered about the long established Experimental and IDM label Mille Plateaux. While there I have stumbled across a few artists that you may find interesting too.

Kabutogani
Kabutogani is a french producer who's work would easily fit in on a label like Raster-Noton with his scientific approach to glitch samples and awkward rhythmic patterns, but I found his 4th album, BEKTOP at the Mille Plateaux Label who's link is at the bottom of the blog post. I have been listening to Kabutogani's BEKTOP now for about three weeks and it still has the refreshing feel of brand new music.

Visit Link 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT3t4M1_tJ4
Visit Link 2: http://vertical.fm/releases/258.htm

Yu Miyashitu
Miyashitu one of those artists I actually stumbled upon by pure accident. The music produced is not an easily accesible mix of glitch and noise but when analysed in greater detail it is hard not to be impressed by the absolute raw skill of the producer at work. This work should maybe approached with extreme caution, (it may not be to everyones liking) but, if you manage to listen to it in greater detail, it doesn't fail to impress.

Visit Link 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=einCVG9s3A8
Visit Link 2: http://vertical.fm/releases/335.htm


Ametsub
Ametsub has managed to gain interest from Ryuichi Sakamoto as well as other notable producers and composers for his mature productions and intriguing blend of lounge piano melodies mixed with the IDM/glitch electronica that artists such as Alva Noto would be proud of. A mix of the classical and the electronic, Ametsub is one of those artists that can be filled easily under chill out and glitch in your music library and manage it without clashing.

Visit Link 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8keG0Gv-SYg
Visit Link 2: http://vertical.fm/releases/264.htm

Visit Link: http://milleplateaux1.wordpress.com/

// Latest Release From Atom™ (Germany)

Atom™ is the moniker for German born Uwe Schmidt. Schmidt runs his own record label, Rather Interesting and he also owns his own design company which is called Linger Decoree. The electronic producer is regarded as the "father of electrolatino" and now lives in Santiago de Chile.

Uwe Schmidt has a great number of alias' but I will be looking at his Atom™ moniker for this blog post and his latest release, Winterreise.

Winterreise is released through german label Raster-Noton and is seen as a natural sequel to his previous album Liedgut. While creating the album Liedgut, Schmidt was inspired to do a photography art installation. While doing work for this, he started on the soundtrack which complimented the pictures. The resulting work is his latest album release Winterreise. The sound of this album can be considered as an ambient clash between long droning synths and electronic glitch which creates a sense of chaotic ambience that coincides with the art that was created.

You can listen to tracks from Winterreise by putting "Atom TM Winterreise" into Youtube.

The album Winterreise can bought through the Raster-Noton online shop at Link 2 below.

Visit Link 1: http://www.last.fm/music/Atom%E2%84%A2
Visit Link 2: https://shop.raster-noton.net/?pid=259
Visit Link 3: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uwe_Schmidt

// Electric Campfire 2012 feat. Artists from Raster-Noton

Another quick post to let you all know (a little late perhaps, sorry) about the annual event, Electric Campfire which will take place on 7 Sseptember 2012 at Accademia Tedesca Villa Massimo, Rome, Italy. (Access only with prior online registration. This will be announced early September.)

Some of the All Stars from the Raster-Noton label will be performing at the Campfire.

More information can be found at the links below.

Visit Link 1: http://www.raster-noton.net/main.php?action=newsdetail&dat=319
Visit Link 2: http://www.villamassimo.de/

Ive just found some further information so i thought id perform an update. The artists that will be performing from the Raster-Noton label are:

Alva Noto, Byetone, Robert Lippok, Kangding Ray, Grischa Lichtenberger, Senking, Anne-James Chaton and Emptyset.

// Spot On: Artist - Vladislav Delay (Finland)

Vladislav Delay is Finnish artist Sasu Ripatti. Born in 1976, Ripatti is a drummer and electronic pioneer who is known for his unique sound that blends the ambient, with elements of dub and arrhythmic structuring. He has gone on to write an iconic discography that includes Whistleblower (2007), Tummaa (2009) and Vantaa (2011).

Originally starting his musical life as an acoustic drummer for a band in his native Finland, Ripatti started to experiment with what could be done with samplers and effects. Through these experimentations, Ripatti found that he could no longer appease his own musical interest as part of the band he was in and decided to sell his drum kit and start experimenting further with electronic music.

His first performance as Vladislav Delay was captured on recording and was released as his first EP under this moniker, A Kind of Blue.

Sasu Ripatti has released many of his works on his own (now defunct) record label and has built studios all over the world including in Finland and Germany. His latest Vladislav Delay releases have been through raster-noton (yes, that label again) and more EP's are expected in the near future.

Ripatti has also written music under other monikers that have slightly different sounds from his Vladislav Delay project. These are, Sistol, Uusitalo and Luomo.

Visit Link 1: http://www.vladislavdelay.com/site/
Visit Link 2: http://www.discogs.com/artist/Vladislav+Delay
Visit Link 3: http://www.raster-noton.net/

// Latest Release from Byetone (Germany)

Raster-Noton artist, Byetone is Olaf Bender's experimental electronic project. He has had a range of releases on the label most noticeable his Plastic Star release which has been remixed by some of the most notable artists on the Raster-Noton Label, including his good friend and label co-owner Carsten Nicolai.

Byetone's latest release Symeta has very strong rock influences but still retains his trademark sound and rhythms. The minimalist electronic glitch based beats are constantly battling with rock styled rhythms that drive you through the tracks but the heaving synths are ever powerful, tracking you through an industrial soundscape.

A music video for one of the tracks from the album can be found on youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j09AO2n9tnM.

Throughout the album, you are presented with the feeling of listening to an almost "unpolished" band in a rehearsal room, recording the sounds that emerge from an ever evolving live improvisation. It can be hard at times to believe that this is just a one man outfit writing music instead of a full band, but the album is a spectacular blend of rock and the experimental electronic music scenes.

Raster-Noton's review of Symeta can be found via Link 1 and you can buy the album at Link 2.

Visit Link 1: http://www.raster-noton.net/main.php
Visit Link 2: https://shop.raster-noton.net/

// Spot On: Record Label - Raster-Noton (Germany)

Raster-Noton is a german record label which is run by Olaf Bender and Carsten Nicolai, created when the two labels, Rastermusic and Noton joined together in 1999. The two artists also release their own music on this label under their respective monikers, Byetone (Bender) and Alva Noto (Nicolai).

The label has a specific "brand" and style of music and art. The sound of many of the artist on the label is very similar to each other, although they perform and write in completely different manners. Glitch and drone music, with a vast array of effects is the sound you expect to hear from a label like Raster-Noton. And it isn't just the music that sets the brand of the label away from other similar labels.

When you flick through the album covers of the many releases that Raster -Noton has (the label houses some circa 58 artists), it becomes clear that the art direction of the label has a specific look and feel too. Minimalism and experimentation is the way that this label sells itself and this is carried through the art. Good examples can be found from Alva Noto (Unitxt, Univrs, Xerrox vol 1 & vol 2), Frank Bretschneider (Rhythm, EXP), Byetone (Death of a Typeographer, Symeta) and the labels latest in house EP Series Unun which has had a variety of artists such as NHK, AOKI Takamasa and Mika Vainio showcasing their music.

If you like experimental music and especially the glitch experimental electronica scene, add Raster-Noton to your browser bookmarks and make sure to keep checking back on a regular basis, I do.

Visit Link 1: http://www.raster-noton.net/

// Spot On: Artist - Diamond Version (Germany)

Diamond Version is a new collaborative project created by Carsten Nicolai and Olaf Bender.

The duo are the brains behind the raster-noton label, which specialises in a specific sound and artistic direction on their musical products.

Diamond Version are planning to release a selection of EP's, the first of which is expected to be released later this year. You can listen to snippets of music from Diamond Version on the 3 Links provided at the bottom.

Diamond Version's first EP is expected to be available from mute records on the 3rd September 2012.

Google Search for Diamond Version ModeOperator (Biespiel A)

Visit Link 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fTWS7WBKgA
Visit Link 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqSLba9P-zw
Visit Link 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzRf1B8gKTc

Update:
You can now download the first single from Diamond Version at Link 4 below, plus if you only want to listen to it or if you wish to preview the track first you can use Link 5 below.

Visit Link 4: http://itunes.apple.com/album/technology-at-speed-life-empowering/id540936216?v0=9988&ign-mpt=uo%3D1
Visit Link 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGYJmnqclVU

// VIRUS Boxset Release by Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakamoto

Firstly, for those of you who aren't in the know, a little bit of information about both artists.

Alva Noto is a one of the pseudonyms of Carsten Nicolai. Nicolai is one of the founders of the record label raster-noton, the other being Olaf Bender (Byetone) who's music can also be found released through the same label. You will find the link for raster-noton at the bottom of this post.

As Alva Noto, Nicolai has written (in my opinion) a couple of the most iconic glitch electronica albums in the field, Unitxt (2008) and Univrs (2011). These albums are drenched with extreme glitch beats and, especially noticeable on the latter release Univrs, long drones that immerse the listener into an incredible soundscape that you will never forget.

Ryuichi Sakamoto is one of the most iconic pianists in modern music and has won awards in the process of becoming so. He has become known the world over for his crossing over between musical and technological boundaries. He is probably best known for his track Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence which you will no doubt recognise from somewhere. As well as doing collaborations between himself and Alva Noto, he has also done collaborations with numerous others, including Fennesz. He is one of the founding members of Yellow Magic Orchestra (1978-1984, 1993-1993, 2007-present) along with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi. The YMO as they are often abbreviated to, are a strong influence on many artists within the experimental electronic genre to this day.

Together, Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto have released the VIRUS boxset of albums. Vrioon, the first album by the duo was released in (2002), and was followed up with Insen (2005), Revep (2006), utp_(With Ensemble Modern) (2008) and their latest release Summvs (2011). This group of albums is an absolute master class in how to mix the acoustic piano with glitch electronica, feedback, drones and live manipulation. The live performance's that the duo performed with Ensemble Modern to promote their album utp_ can be found at Link 2 and I hope you enjoy these as much as I did. An absolute blast of experimental electronica and modern classical music. A link can be found below for the complete VIRUS collectors boxset.

A quote taken from raster-noton website, on the creation process between Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto:
"… the material that was given to me was already layered with digital effects. From one little clean piano piece I made the first track. Those simple piano chords I combined with a clear rhythm constellation. … somehow Ryuichi was very surprised and really liked my work. Weeks later he sent me another specially for this project recorded track."


Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto's Virus Collectors Edition Boxset can be bought from the raster-noton online shop now!

Visit Link 1: http://www.raster-noton.net/
Visit Link 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nIPyCG8jnw
Visti Link 3: http://www.raster-noton.net/main.php