Articles
Andy Vaz Interview and Set
Mark O'Leary's Grønland

Albums
Acre
Arborea
Ólafur Arnalds
Kush Arora
Asura
bbcb
Steve Brand
Nick Chacona
Robert Curgenven
Cuushe
Daniell and McCombs
Delicate Noise
d'incise
Ecovillage
Danton Eeprom
Seren Ffordd
Paul Fiocco
El Fog
Koutaro Fukui
Corey Fuller
The Go Find
Ernest Gonzales
Koss
Francisco López
Ingram Marshall
Craig McElhinney
Minamo
My Majestic Star
Mystified
Nest
Nommo Ogo
Olive Oil
O'Leary - Passborg - Riis
Oy
[Post-foetus]
RPM Orchestra
Ryonkt
Richard Skelton
Slow Six
Sone Institute
Sousa & Correia
Stanislav Vdovin
Viridian Sun
Christian Zanési

Compilations / Mixes
Erased Tapes Collection II
Hammann & Janson
Leaves of Life
Music Grows On Trees
Phasen
Quit Having Fun
Scuba
Thesis Vol. 1

EPs
Aubrey
Be Maledetto Now!
DK7
Herzog
Hrdvsion
Mr Cloudy
Damon McU
Morning Factory
Neve
M. Ostermeier
R&J emp
Stanislav Vdovin

Phasen: Selected Remixes: 2008-2009
Unnamed Label

Unnamed Label's third outing is a more-than-solid remix collection from Phasen (Ryan Parmer), which features remix treatments by Parmer of other's tracks and others' rendering of his own material. At eighty minutes in length, there's lots to dig into, and a broad range of material too with artists such as Anders Ilar, Joseph Auer, and Celer taking part. There's nothing slapdash about the productions either, as a focused listen reveals. Hear, for example, how many twists and turns Phasen's reading of Rumorse's “Electrah” (from Unnamed Label's debut compilation Friendly Strangers) moves through as it deftly blends IDM gleam and hip-hop beats. Other strong renderings by Parmer include a version of Itokim's “Between The Visible And The Invisible” that retains the breezy, Detroit-flavoured bump of the original and polishes its sleek lines with tangy synth chords and a chiming vibes theme. Phasen also adds classical colour by way of harpsichord and (synthetic) string elements to an exotic techno-oriented rendering of Lackluster's “Dextro.”

Many of the guest artists' treatments of Phasen's tracks are memorable. Ilar opens the set on a rather chilled, downtempo tip with a makeover of “The Man With Two Watches,” the track's feel ice-cold and heavy on Arctic atmosphere, the sole warmth emanating from the acoustic piano that drifts alongside the track's biting winds. Mexico-based In Vitro animates the chopped acoustic guitars and IDM treatments of “Wait” (previously heard on the Phasen II: Progressions release) with a robust gallop, while Mick Chillage deepens the brooding character of “Realizing Your Own Mortality,” a dramatic setting that spotlights the more overtly emotive side of Parmer's music. “Crystal Dance” receives contrasting treatments by Monoaxial and Joseph Auer, the former a radiant, gently jacking swirl of dubby delay and vaporous chords, and the latter a funky, streamlined techno cruise down the Detroit freeway powered by a swollen synth bass line. Unnamed Label associate Five Step Path brings some welcome aggression to the release in a hot-wired take on “Spihn”; Celer's contribution, by contrast, is galaxies removed from Five Step Path's. Not surprisingly, in Celer's hands, “Lost In A Beautiful Face” becomes fourteen minutes of aromatic, clandestine shimmer—pure Celer, in other words—and therefore the collection's biggest departure.

February 2010