I always wanted to provide a review for this group, but I postponed it for some reason. I guess that nostalgia reasons surfaced the today's post...
Back in 2006, 3 guys living in the suburbs of Athens form Invisible Rockers Crew, the first electro funk group in Greece (according to their claim). To be honest, I was not aware of any other local group focused on this music genre, so I believe that their assertion is truthful.
I happen to have known one of the guys since high school years, discussing about old school hip hop (later I got acquainted with all of them). I was not very familiar with the electro funk scene (only the big names like Afrika Bambaataa, Egyptian Lover, Hashim & Jonzun Crew), only to discover a couple of years later the existence of IRC. Their sound is heavily influenced by old hip hop/electro, polished with a new touch aided by the contemporary hardware and software.
That was it! I was instantly hooked with their music. I remember as a personal favorite one of their first tracks called "We Will Prevail", which had been uploaded on their MySpace account. Unfortunately, it is not available in the Internet, to be posted here. Therefore, I will present a track taken from their only EP, released in 2010 by Vicious Freak Records (a one-off label of IRC).
INVISIBLE ROCKERS CREW - ELECTRO EMPIRE
For those who are not very fond of the "tribute" vocals, there is the dub version:
INVISIBLE ROCKERS CREW - DUB EMPIRE
Their sound was spread outside of Greek borders, appearing in compilation/mix CDs by various European labels (NoiZe Electro Hub, City Beat Records, Electro Avenue Records and the iconic Street Sounds). Additionally, the team has performed live along with masters of the genre (in 2009 with Egyptian Lover at BIOS and in 2011 with Afrika Bambaataa at Fuzz Club). I had the chance to attend the second event and I was amazed by their show (cannot say the same though for Bam, who was unfortunately very boring...).
The today's post is a thank you message to the guys:
- Truant the master (Andreas) *
- Devastator (Jorgan)
- Fres the freak (Giannis)
* Nowadays, Andreas is co-owner of Entropia Records, an online record store, specializing in obscure releases of various electronic music styles. Their base located in Athens is worth visiting for their hand-picked stock.
I hope that the guys will someday release some new material. However, I am certain for one thing: if the robots are going to be evolved in the future to perform all human operations, they would break dance to the sound of IRC!
Πέμπτη 9 Αυγούστου 2018
Κυριακή 13 Μαΐου 2018
Tune #88: 3KZ - A Love Supreme
Italian techno music delivers:
3KZ - A LOVE SUPREME
3KZ is the collaborative project of Italian producers Giuseppe Maffei and Nico Campanella. Hailing from Puglia (a district of South Italy), the two youngsters shared parallel paths in music, since they both were captivated by the techno music of the 90's.
Giuseppe is mostly known with this solo alias Z.I.P.P.O. since 2014, when his first production Symmetrica Therapy was surfaced in a EP by German label Figure. His alias is associated with the composition of eclectic techno tracks, presented by various European independent labels (Suburban Avenue, Involve Records, Enemy Records, Virgo). Additionally, he is the owner of Fides, a record label focused on releasing his and Nico's material. At the end of this month, his new project Midnight Conversation (with the fellow Italian Mattia Trani) is expected to be released, whose output seems a fine mixture of nu funk / nu jazz.
Nico emerged in the music scene as Kaelan, via his label Subosc in 2012 (initially in digital-only format). His work can be considered as a harmonic interpretation of the Detroit sound, since his training on classical piano blends perfectly with his inspiration from techno legends (Jeff Mills, Robert Hood, Derrick May), in order to produce a trippy musical experience. His other solo aliases are also interesting for listening purposes (2030 for electro productions and Ixm for dub techno tracks).
Personally, I believe that their collaborative effort as 3KZ is the most creative. In 2017, their debut album Parallel Reflections was released via Fides and it is undoubtedly a top notch LP (with an amazing artwork cover!). The two guys work splendidly into crafting sublime melodic techno with modern equipment.
This year, they return with a new killer EP called A Love Supreme, released in March by Berlin-based label Arts. For some reason, the tracks remind me the early works of Ludovic Navarre (St. Germain anyone?), who was one of the pioneers for the French techno scene.
Finally, I hope that they visit someday Greece for an ambient jam session like this one!
3KZ - A LOVE SUPREME
3KZ is the collaborative project of Italian producers Giuseppe Maffei and Nico Campanella. Hailing from Puglia (a district of South Italy), the two youngsters shared parallel paths in music, since they both were captivated by the techno music of the 90's.
Giuseppe is mostly known with this solo alias Z.I.P.P.O. since 2014, when his first production Symmetrica Therapy was surfaced in a EP by German label Figure. His alias is associated with the composition of eclectic techno tracks, presented by various European independent labels (Suburban Avenue, Involve Records, Enemy Records, Virgo). Additionally, he is the owner of Fides, a record label focused on releasing his and Nico's material. At the end of this month, his new project Midnight Conversation (with the fellow Italian Mattia Trani) is expected to be released, whose output seems a fine mixture of nu funk / nu jazz.
Nico emerged in the music scene as Kaelan, via his label Subosc in 2012 (initially in digital-only format). His work can be considered as a harmonic interpretation of the Detroit sound, since his training on classical piano blends perfectly with his inspiration from techno legends (Jeff Mills, Robert Hood, Derrick May), in order to produce a trippy musical experience. His other solo aliases are also interesting for listening purposes (2030 for electro productions and Ixm for dub techno tracks).
Personally, I believe that their collaborative effort as 3KZ is the most creative. In 2017, their debut album Parallel Reflections was released via Fides and it is undoubtedly a top notch LP (with an amazing artwork cover!). The two guys work splendidly into crafting sublime melodic techno with modern equipment.
This year, they return with a new killer EP called A Love Supreme, released in March by Berlin-based label Arts. For some reason, the tracks remind me the early works of Ludovic Navarre (St. Germain anyone?), who was one of the pioneers for the French techno scene.
Finally, I hope that they visit someday Greece for an ambient jam session like this one!
Δευτέρα 26 Φεβρουαρίου 2018
Tune #87: KiNK - Cloud Generator
Dope Generator!
KINK - CLOUD GENERATOR
One of 2015's strongest releases was delivered by producer Strahil Velchev, hailing from the Bulgaria's capital, Sofia. Currently, he is considered one of the top live acts, a fact which is not strange for a synth and machine aficionado. However, his road to glory was not an easy one...
Mr. Velchev's musical background was shaped by the explosion of house & techno music of the early 90s, supported by pirate cassette tapes that circulated the country after the collapse of communism. His first attempt on music production started in 1999, performed on a simple computer system due to weak financial viability for more sophisticated hardware.
In 2001, he teamed up will fellow Bulgarians KEi, SuB & Ogonek, in order to create pBPM (porno bpm), aiming to push the boundaries of club culture and to promote the different genres of electronic dance music. One year later, a promo CD was released in Bulgaria, consisting of the first works of the group members.
The first production years (until 2005) were not fruitful for Strahil, since no label was interested in signing his tracks. This inactivity caused him to feel isolated from the wider techno culture, but it also fueled him for a more creative output in his future works.
In 2006, KiNK discovered that UK DJ and producer Neville Watson had included his track Same Old Thing in his DJ sets. As a result, the two guys communicated and exchanged tracks via social media, since they shared the same taste in music. Two years later, their first collaborative work Inside Out appeared in Hour House Is Your Rush Records. The funny thing about this story is that they did not actually met each other until 2010, in order to perform as a DJ duo in an electronic music event.
KiNK's greatest success to date is the today's post; Cloud Generator was created in an indeliberate manner during a rehearsal for a live show. The combination of a turntable loop and a bassline forged a strong techno track, which led to an EP release by German label Running Back in 2015. Needless to say that the influence from Laurent Garnier's trademark sound is evident throughout the track. Supported by notable DJs around the world (Laurent Garnier, Dixon, Andrew Weatherall & John Digweed to name a few), KiNK's sound has made its mark to the club scene. Besides Cloud Generator, the homonymous EP is worth listening, especially for the arpeggio of Pocket Piano's two versions, which creates a nostalgic tone.
A side-project of Strahil Velchev is Cyrillic (or Kirilik), which is more techno-oriented and limited in terms of gear; while KiNK live sets involves various digital, analog and DJ equipment, Cyrillic sound is based on a standard DJ setup. Hopefully, the current year will find the first release of his other alias!
KINK - CLOUD GENERATOR
One of 2015's strongest releases was delivered by producer Strahil Velchev, hailing from the Bulgaria's capital, Sofia. Currently, he is considered one of the top live acts, a fact which is not strange for a synth and machine aficionado. However, his road to glory was not an easy one...
Mr. Velchev's musical background was shaped by the explosion of house & techno music of the early 90s, supported by pirate cassette tapes that circulated the country after the collapse of communism. His first attempt on music production started in 1999, performed on a simple computer system due to weak financial viability for more sophisticated hardware.
In 2001, he teamed up will fellow Bulgarians KEi, SuB & Ogonek, in order to create pBPM (porno bpm), aiming to push the boundaries of club culture and to promote the different genres of electronic dance music. One year later, a promo CD was released in Bulgaria, consisting of the first works of the group members.
The first production years (until 2005) were not fruitful for Strahil, since no label was interested in signing his tracks. This inactivity caused him to feel isolated from the wider techno culture, but it also fueled him for a more creative output in his future works.
In 2006, KiNK discovered that UK DJ and producer Neville Watson had included his track Same Old Thing in his DJ sets. As a result, the two guys communicated and exchanged tracks via social media, since they shared the same taste in music. Two years later, their first collaborative work Inside Out appeared in Hour House Is Your Rush Records. The funny thing about this story is that they did not actually met each other until 2010, in order to perform as a DJ duo in an electronic music event.
KiNK's greatest success to date is the today's post; Cloud Generator was created in an indeliberate manner during a rehearsal for a live show. The combination of a turntable loop and a bassline forged a strong techno track, which led to an EP release by German label Running Back in 2015. Needless to say that the influence from Laurent Garnier's trademark sound is evident throughout the track. Supported by notable DJs around the world (Laurent Garnier, Dixon, Andrew Weatherall & John Digweed to name a few), KiNK's sound has made its mark to the club scene. Besides Cloud Generator, the homonymous EP is worth listening, especially for the arpeggio of Pocket Piano's two versions, which creates a nostalgic tone.
A side-project of Strahil Velchev is Cyrillic (or Kirilik), which is more techno-oriented and limited in terms of gear; while KiNK live sets involves various digital, analog and DJ equipment, Cyrillic sound is based on a standard DJ setup. Hopefully, the current year will find the first release of his other alias!
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