RSSTraxx: Files # 13
Kenny Hanlon talks Rob Hood, the Mathematics label and his love of the mid-west.
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Quite a bit was said last year about a re-emergence of deep house in clubbing in Europe with some criticism being levelled at DJs and producers based on the idea that a lot of it was a case of Emperors New Clothes. While there was a certain truth in this it's interesting that a lot of techno that has come to the forefront in recent years is arguably just as guilty of this too.
Be it the likes of Sandwell District, Ostgut Ton/Berghain and the over abundance of Basic Channel knock offs seeping out from labels such as Styrax there has been a softer critical response from many, partly I feel as people were just happy to see a heavier, more intense sound do it's best to stomp out the drab, pissant sounds of mnml. Also many artists and Djs involved in popularising these techno sounds are very open in name checking and giving the nod to the likes of Planetary Assault Systems, Rob Hood and Maurizio, instead of pretending that what they are doing is all brand new. And, of course, Regis, one of the pioneers of the Birmingham/UK sound is heavily involved in Sandwell District itself. Last year Luke Slater brought back the PAS moniker on Ostgut - and ended up showing all the young pretenders just how its done with the fantastic Temporary Suspension album - Robert Hood decided to bring back his M-Plant label - more of which in a moment - while Maurizio released the MVO3 album which saw him moving into a more abstract and less dancefloor orientated sound.
After a mix and match of re-issues and new material on M-Plant Rob Hood brings things up to speed with his latest project, a new soundtrack to 70s flick The Omega Man, which brings those classic bedfellows of sci-fi and techno back together again. The lead off 12" for the forthcoming album is arguably Hood's finest work in many a year. "Alpha" is a searing, metallic beast, where we see Hood reduce the bpm a little but keeping the intensity as high as ever. Each element of the track is clearly defined, various percussive elements appearing and re-appearing at exactly the right moment throughout it's 8 minutes. He manages to use just one note throughout the whole track, but it really does not need anything else. "Omega (End Times)" on the flip side is a deeper, less instant track, once again containing those trademark Hood shifting elements. I await the full album with baited breathe. Also, for those who missed it first time around, Hood's "Funky Souls" cut he released under the Floorplan name in the mid 90's has gotten a pristine reissue from Rush Hour in Amsterdam. In this instance Hood took a housier approach to his minimal aesthetic.
Sticking with Rush Hour for a moment they are certainly leading the way this year in the re-issuing department. While Clone's Classic Cuts series has slowed down it's release schedule over the last couple of years this year has seen Rush Hour come through with some truly special re-pressings. Along with the Floorplan 12 they've given the uber-rare "Sensation" by Ron Hardy - at one stage the most expensive Trax Records rarity out there - a new lease of life. Hardy's classic slams in diva-ish vocals, thunderous, crashing piano chords and synths with a thumping jack backing track. One can only imagine the sweaty abandonment this caused in the Music Box. Rush Hour have also taken classic Virgo 4 tracks, some of which were also first released on the seminal Trax label, and put together a self titled double album (dropping the 4 so we can seemingly get confused with the other Virgo that featured Marshall Jefferson and Adonis). It contains 8 crisp and jacking examples of late 80s Chicago house, which similarly to Hardy's "Sensation" wear their European influences openly with some wonderfully dramatic synths layered over some piercing high hats and deep kick drums. Both releases are perfect examples of what happened when artists took the melting pot of sounds that were been heard in the clubs of Chicago at the time and moulded them into their own original wares. The likes of which went on to make their mark all over the world, to this day still influencing many house producers.
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jacob over at gridface has a short interview with Rob Hood up on his blog
and the intro to Wonderful Christmas Time IS pretty cool :)
Like a few of Jamal Moss productions, particularly under his moniker - Africans With Mainframes.
your talking sht!
dubb tech is a style as is true minimal and deep house,
how then is styrax singled out as a KNOCK OFF!
is theo knocking off KDJ, is KDJ knocking off Rick Whilhite?
better record sales is the reason labels that have been dormant have now come back.
Deep House didnt emerge last year, its always been here, just your noticing it a little more cause your pissed off listening to (minimal tech, not Robert Hoods style of min-tech) german minimal shite maybe....
3 pages of badly described reviews and your own opinion
you should be proud,
i checked you out on youtube....
leave it alone
bye a fiddle
sorry
buy a fiddle!
Couldn't agree more 10fold, some searing insights there. The bit about 'the drab, pissant sounds of mnml' really shows just how much the author is in thrall to Richie Hawtin and the rest of the minimal mafia. Sickening stuff really.
everything seems to be a rip off, stolen or knock off with this guy.
obviously has never been influenced or inspired.
i can just tell he's an innovator from how he percieves or feels the music, especially when he's trying to mix.
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Nice article Kenny, absolutely love that Scott Ferguson track, its ridiculously good.