Autechre vs Taylor Swift

Autechre
vs
Taylor Swift

Shake it Off Djarum
Shake it Off Djarum

I believe I first heard Shake it Off as bumper music on various TV programmes. So after many times of listening to this tune I discovered that it was Taylor Swift who in fact sang this song that had been rattling around my head and was implanted into my sub-conscience. Speaking as someone who has spent much of my time despising mainstream corporate music, and the way that the corporate types have exploited underground music and used it for their own purposes, and as much as I hate to admit this, I find Shake it Off, by Taylor Swift to be very catchy and completely infectious.

I'm always looking at ways to blend and match music, particularly of different genres and ideals. I've been a fan of Autechre and their work since the early 90's. Anti E.P. by Autechre was released on Warp Records in 1994. The philosophy behind this release was as a protest of the Conservative Government's Criminal Justice Bill, in which banned the use of a 'succession of repetitive beats' at 'gatherings where music is played.' So the three tracks of this E.P. were programmed with beats that were designed not to be repetitive.

Whilst mixing and generally playing around with tunes I just randomly happened to notice that Djarum and Shake It Off were about the same BPM's and that the two tracks seemingly matched up very well.

I think that Autechre fans will dislike the fact that one of their early tracks has been soiled with the lyrics from pop music's new flavour of the month. Where as your average Taylor Swift fan probably isn't going to have the slightest clue who Autechre are? Never mind the genre of music that they inspired and reinvented. I personally enjoy the fact that I've blended two entirely different pieces of music that have come together, and in my opinion it gives either track a new lease of life. Of course others might say that I've created Frankenstein's glitch monster....

Subwayz Techno Explorationz Vol. 1

Subwayz Techno Explorationz Vol. 1

Subwayz Techno Explorationz Vol. 1 by Hiscoresboards on Mixcloud

Subwayz Techno Explorationz Vol. 1

This is a mix that I put together which features a combination of different genres of house, techno and also a lot of my personal favourites.

From the sumptuous, bass driven dreaminess of the remastered edition of The Passage by Model 500, to the surreal melodiousness of I Met You On BC Ferries by Lnrdcroy. There's outstanding tracks from Octo Octa, Kassem Mosse, Polygon Window, Daniel Avery, Vermont, Recondite, Moire, The Black Dog, Nathan Fake, Trevino, Mary Velo, Jasper Wolff & Maarten Mittendorff, Green Gums, TB, Randomer, and of course, Boards Of Canada.

Subwayz Techno Explorationz Vol. 1 by Hiscoresboards on Mixcloud

Notes On Subwayz Techno Explorationz Vol. 1

This mix is something that I have meant to do for quite a long time! The genesis of the structure of this mix lies in the track Übersprung by Vermont. I uploaded this track on to Youtube, and up until recently it has received over eleven thousand plays. This was a track that I specifically wanted to feature, so I went through my collection and picked some of my other favourite tracks that I thought might complement each other, and the opportunity availed itself to play quite a few favourites. A while ago I compiled a list of some of my favourite albums over the last couple of years, and in this mix there are more than a few of the album tracks that I shortlisted.

Back in 1992 I bought The True Techno EP (on Network Records) by Model 500. (from my local record shop at Worcester, Magpie Records) The track, The Passage has been an all time favourite of mine for many years. I was excited to find out that The Passage had been remastered in 2014. For me, it was the perfect choice to begin my mix. (after Kiani Industries by Boards of Canada) Between Two Selves by Octo Octo was an album that I have liked from the first time I listened to it. There are a variety of deep house tunes which pack quite a punch, and I wanted to highlight that quality in this mix. Workshop 19 by Kassem Mosse is another album that crept up on me. There is an intrinsic quality to this album that I really like. I could have put any track on this mix, but I'm happy that I put A2 on here, it's one of my favourite tunes from the album, so I'm pleased about that. I wanted to feature a track by Aphex Twin on this mix, predominantly from Selected Ambient Works 85 - 92. However, I found myself being pulled towards Surfing On Sine Waves by Richard D. James, under his Polygon Window alter ego. Portreath Harbour is one of those tracks which is minimalistic in nature, but has that Aphex Twin caustic edginess, and is counterpointed with soft ambient moments that I've always found alluring.

I have been a big fan of Daniel Avery's work. I thought Drone Logic was a great album. I wanted to feature a couple of tracks so Water Jump and Free Floating are two great tracks from many on that album that I could have put on my mix. I've been an admirer of Recondite's releases, I got Hinterland a while ago and have always wanted to use a track from that album. What I like about the track Riant, is that it's ambient in nature but still has a wonderful flow, and goes well with Ubersprung by Vermont. The Black Dog have an impressive back catalogue that features many of my favourite techno tunes. UV Sine is yet another track by The Black Dog. UV Sine has a great intro that is carried throughout the track. Shelter by Moire was another of my favourite albums of 2014. It was released on Darren Cunningham's (AKA Actress) Werk Discs label and is just a phenomenal album. No Gravity is a track with a bassline which permeates as it goes along. It was a great sequence of tunes along with Free Floating, by Daniel Avery and the ascending tweakings of Neketona by Nathan Fake. Trevino is a pseudonym of the multi-talented Marcus Intalex (which is another pseudonym, his real name is Marcus Kaye) I first heard the track Forged by Trevino on a Fabric (66) mix by Ben Klock, and also the track Detune, by Mary Velo on another Fabric mix (69) by Sandwell District. These two epic, growling, pulsating tunes have been favourites of mine since the first time I first listened to them. I also incorporated another two fantastic EP's, the reverberating Stellar Cult by Jasper Wolff & Maarten Mittendorff, and the pumping acid drone of Cestoda's Labyrinth by Green Gums

If there's one recording that has remained in my consciousness throughout this year, then it has to be City Girl, by TB on the German label Permanent Vacation. City Girl is a long, gently swirling acid tune that is as fresh sounding as it is beguiling. It's been another of my favourites of 2015, I think it's an understated work of genius. I've been a fan of electro since the 80's, and when I listen to Huh by Randomer it evokes memories of listening to track by artists like Paul Hardcastle and Man Parrish.

I discovered the album Much Less Normal by Lnrdcoy around Christmas 2014. It was released earlier on the seminal Canadian label 1080p, and initially available only on cassette, but was thankfully available later as a digital download. This year Much Less Normal was released on vinyl, via the Scottish label Firecracker Records. In my opinion, Much Less Normal is a fantastic album, if you like music of the ilk of artists like Boards of Canada, then check out Lnrdcroy. I could have put any track from Much Less Normal in my mix, but I used the track I Met You On BC Ferries, which is centred around a beautiful, quirky melody, that is used in a clever and inventive way throughout the track. I end my mix as I started it with a cameo from Boards of Canada.

I don't think I've had so much fun compiling a mix as much as I have with this. I was very happy with the end product, and I hope that you've had as much fun listening to my mix as I did producing it.  

Subwayz Techno Explorationz Vol. 1 by Hiscoresboards on Mixcloud

Tracklisting:

1. Kaini Industries - Boards Of Canada (Music Has The Right To Children 1998 Warp/Skam Records)
2. The Passage - Model 500 (2014 Remastered Edition) (The True Techno EP 1992 Network Records/Apollo)
3. Come Closer - Octo Octa (Between Two Selves 2013 100% Silk)
4. Untitled A2 - Kassem Mosse (Workshop 19 2014 Workshop)
5. Portreath Harbour - Polygon Window (Surfing On Sine Waves 1992 Warp Records)
6. Who I Will Become - Octo Octa (Between Two Selves 2013 100% Silk)
7. Water Jump (Album Version) - Daniel Avery (Drone Logic 2013 Phantasy Records)
8. Übersprung - Vermont (Vermont 2014 Kompakt Records)
9. Riant - Recondite (Hinterland 2013 Ghostly International)
10. No Gravity - Moire (Shelter 2014 Werk Discs/Ninja Tune)
11. Free Floating - Daniel Avery (Drone Logic 2013 Phantasy Records)
12. UV Sine - The Black Dog (Radio Scarecrow 2008 Soma Quality Recordings)
13. Neketona - Nathan Fake (Steam Days 2013 Border Community)
14. Forged - Trevino (2012 Klockworks 09)
15. Detune (Original) - Mary Velo (Minutes In Ice 2012 Frozen Border)
16. Stellar Cult - Jasper Wolff & Maarten Mittendorff (Cosmic Language EP 2015 Indigo Aera)
17. Cestoda's Labyrinth - Green Gums (Black Tongue EP 2015 Diagonal)
18. City Girl - TB (2015 Permanent Vacation)
19. Huh - Randomer (Residents 2014 L.I.E.S.)
20. I Met You On BC Ferries - Lnrdcroy (Much Less Normal 2014 1080p)
21. One Very Important Thought - Boards Of Canada (Music Has The Right To Children 1998 Warp/Skam Records)