The Hardcore Overdogs: June 2024

Sunday, June 30, 2024

Dreamweb 30 years later: A look back at the game, its dark setting, and its soundtrack

Box Cover Art

It's been 30 years since dreamweb shook the gaming world; its complete soundtrack had been re-released a while ago; so it's time to cast our gaze at this little gem once more.

Upon its release, "dreamweb" created quite the stir within the gaming community and press; in large part due to the themes and tropes of the game.
It featured some of the most explicit content related to sex and violence at its time (and in some scenes, both of these combined).
The story, set in a "cyberpunk noir" type world, is, in my opinion, amongst the most bleak and nihilistic, in any game or media, ever.

Cyberpunk Style

It even came with a "real", paper novel included in its box, aptly called "diary of a madman" (reading it helps you understand some things in the game world).
And it's a truly harrowing, very disturbing book showcasing the descend of a troubled, marginalized urban loser into insanity. The "diary" leaves it decidedly ambiguous whether he turns into a homicidal lunatic or a "chosen messiah". The game itself is less ambiguous on this part.

I heard accounts by people stating that the game and its story was so disconcerting to them that it profoundly changed their view of the world and their way of living. Not in a negative way, though, to the contrary.

One person summed up this idea as follows:

"Is the lunatic really 'the other'? Or do we not, hidden deep within ourselves, share some of his traits?
And how can we use this knowledge to become more kind, compassionate, and understanding in the way we treat others?"

Not sure if this was exactly the intended message of the creators of this game - but it would be a worthwhile message.

Because the game definitely does not try to shock people by being "evil for evil's sake". It's more like a surreal and over-the-top, but at it's core sincere study and exploration of what could be called the "philosophy of insanity".
And this makes everything even more unnerving.

The writing of a madman?

We're a music mag, so let's go to the music now.
As it was ported to several systems, there were various soundtracks, and even soundtrack CD releases.
All of these have been put up within one big re-mastered re-release on bandcamp.

Most relevant for the sonic scope of our magazine is the "side B" of the release;

It's a bona fide Rave / Techno soundtrack. Think mid-to-late 90s UK rave, "post-hardcore", with lots of ambient sounds, downtempo breakbeats, "dub-y" basslines, but still possessing quite hard and rough sound aesthetics.

And it is has a similarly dismal / nihilist feel as the game itself.
This bittersweet melancholy is what makes it marvelous.

The other, "side A" of the release tugs at our blackened heart strings, too.
Beatless ambient sounds for the most part; but "dark, darker, darkest" ambient.
Some of these tunes are essentially "doomcore techno tracks without drums". Especially tracks like "traveling" or "septimus" could be secretly added into a doomcore dj set.

As a bonus, the tunes from the amiga release of the game are included, too.

So, all of this is a massive release of twisted and energetic music.
Putting across a unique feel, situated somewhere between brooding darkness and elated rave euphoria.
Make sure to check it out, and the game, too!

Uh Oh

Links

Game soundtrack at Bandcamp:

https://dreamweb-remastered.bandcamp.com/

Game information at mobygames:

https://www.mobygames.com/game/1905/dreamweb/

Free playable version of Dreamweb at ScummVM:

https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php/Dreamweb

Dreamweb at Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DreamWeb

Friday, June 28, 2024

Five smaller sub-labels of Planet Core Productions - all releases listed, rated, and short-reviewed

This time we look at "smaller" PCP sub-labels - 5 releases or less.
Also check:

All Planet Core Productions main-label releases listed, rated, and short-reviewed
https://thehardcoreoverdogs.blogspot.com/2024/06/all-planet-core-productions-main-label.html

Note:
The rating means "compared to other PCP releases".
So if a record has "only" 49 or 31 percent here, this does not mean it's bad; compared with other Hardcore or Techno they would be 88 or 94 or higher; the percentage just "seems lower" for the sake of rating these PCP records, and to have a bit of comparison with the other releases.
So please do not misunderstand the ratings - all records are even better then they seem.

Tranceform

TF 101 - Dark Hero – Volume One

"tranceform" was marketed as being the sub for "trance" music, but imho, the releases are far away from typical trance.
this release is more like trance-infused dark pcp-style techno. and we like it that way.

42 / 100

TF 102 - KS Project (2) – Volume Two

as the name says, a follow up to the first release, by the same producers.
both releases are stylistically very similar, and that ain't a bad thing this time!

42 / 100

TF 103 - 3 from io - ffm ep

Apparently members of the FFM shadow orchestra were involved in this EP.
This is one of the most remarkable releases on all of PCP, imho.
Not "Hardcore", but going more into the direction of "Trance" - but 'FFM Shadow' style Trance.
Surreal, twisted, extraterrestrial... fulfilling a deep cosmic longing.

99 / 100

TF 104 - Craig Tayaffo – Reduction

another aka of marc. and the track name, "Reduction (Back For Acid-The Expanded 0,25 Hrs Mix)", says it all:
this is an actual acid techno track running for a quarter hour!
hypnotic, club-ready, pearly!

66 / 100

TF 105 - 69 Juice - System of love

Another alias of the FFM Shadow Orchestra on Tranceform.
Even though both tracks are listed as being edits / mixes of each other, they sound quite distinct.
one is filled with beautiful, sweet piano sounds, the other with celestial swirling of synth sounds.
and both have a very exotic, almost oriental feel.
Once more: "FFM Shadow Trance" at it's best!

99 / 100

Narcotic Network Recordings

NNR 01 - Frozen - Soul Saver

distinctive, special, highly sought after.
This releases fuses electro and lory d-esque sounds with miro's trademark darkness. It encompasses some of the best and most idiosyncratic melodies he ever created. Go get it!

97 / 100

NNR 02 - Destination - Nowhere

Preliminary names of the tracks of this 2 tracker release were 'the trip" and "the theme".
So both are connected - yet both tracks are worlds apart the trip is a very experimental, non sequitur electro-affair. And "the theme", now turned into "destination - nowhere", is one of the most fascinating compositions in the history of music.
No beats, vocals, anything, just a movie-score like world of utter heartbreak and melancholy.

99 / 100 ("Nowhere" is perfect!)

NNR 03 - The Mover - Countdown Trax

Don't expect any "standard" mover fare here - this is a true blue electro release. It has a more vast, dense soundscape to it than earlier mover outings. exquisite and recommended.

94 / 100

Future World

World 1 - The Overlord - Digital Orgasm

The first release of the Future World label, which features exclusively output by Miro.
Master of the universe is one of the most extraordinary tracks I ever heard; it is outside of any genre, elements of techno, hardcore, doomcore, but more like a hymn for the intronization of a new intergalactic emperor.
The flipside is an orgasmic workout for outer space dancefloors.

92 / 100

World 2 - The Overlord – Move My Bod-E

"move my bod-e" is a secret favorite for many fans, but I actually prefer "future of the world".
an over 9 minute long tour de force, that makes me feel as i'm forced to march through a desert on an alien world; while "miro-esque" cascades of sounds invade the track now and then, and cause you to speed up.

81 / 100

World 3 - The Overlord – Kill

the tracks from world 1 and 2 got a lot of praise, yet I feel this third, final release of the label remains a little bit under-rated.
it has two absolutely fantastic tracks: "countdown 2017" is one of the most infernal techno tracks in history; while avoiding most of the usual "hardcore" elements, it drowns everything in a cascade of drums and distorted synths.
"kill" is a doomcore track, but a very reserved, serene one; yet it creates a wonderful atmosphere filled with powerful emotions.

95 / 100

100% Acidiferous

100% Acidiferous – Tank / 303 State

the very first release on 100% Acidiferous - apparently a label solely dedicated to the output of Fernando Sanchez and Patrick Vuillaume, also known as 303 nation.
"tank" is a cult classic by now - a hypnotic acidcore track enforced by what seems to be a splintered, broken arpeggio.
303 state invokes 808 state, but not exactly in the sound of 808 state: another acid smasher

87 / 100

101% Acidiferous – Droid Sector / Annihilate

"Annihilate" proves that acid does not need a 303, or even a bassline.
Droid Sector is a powerful, hard-hitting acidcore track - or maybe even "acidterror".

77 / 100

102% Acidiferous – Worldisorder / Nu Horizons

"worldisorder" is the track to go to, here.
acid-techno-hardcore-mayhem that keeps on growing and building and becoming more unsettling and disordered as it goes on.
"Nu Horizons" is an almost trancey subdued little acid track with a great ambience.

81 / 100

103% Acidiferous – Alarm / Warning

Be alarmed! the A side track has frequencies and acid bleeps that surely will warp your mind a bit.
while "warning" is a double speed acidcore track underscored with squealing, haunted 303s.

73 / 100

Elastic

Elastic 1 - Two Tonys – Best Bitch EP

one of the most cult releases of PCP. and one of the most baffling ones at that, too!
which style is this? parts of dancefloor-house, but also hardcore sounds, at lower speed, and then the vocals...
must be heard at least once by any PCP fan!

52 / 100

Elastic 2 - SexDrive Entertainment - Check The Flow

another "house-gabber" anthem... interesting... and cool.
don't ask too many question about this type of music... just go... well.. you know... "with the flow"!

33 / 100

Elastic 3 - MC 2 Long & DJ Full Nuts – Dog Face Bitch

obviously the best artist name combination ever...or not?
judging by the sound, attitude, and lyrics, this could be some kind of answer to 20 fingers classic "short short man".
it has PCP's later trademark MCing (think tracks like "kings are coming" or "are you with me"...), but this time not in gabber setting, more like a hard "club hit" again.

57 / 100

E 4 - Barracuda - Braineaters

I assume that even a lot of PCP die-hards more or less ignored Elastic records; it's a very obscure sub-label for PCP.

yet this release alone would make it worth it; a mover style track in 4 mixes that are only in subtle ways different from each other.

a drum, a chorus, some fx... what more do you need?

this is the stuff of futuristic dreams.

and you better take care... because "their brains go *pop*!"

99 / 100

The 90s Gabberpedia

Hello,
We present the first draft of The 90s Gabberpedia!

https://thehardcoreoverdogs.blogspot.com/p/the-90s-gabberpedia-underground.html

It already features information about topics such such as:

Speedcore
Acidcore
Doomcore
Oldschool
Extreme Hardcore (also known as "Terror")
Experimental Hardcore
Breakcore
Hardcore out of France (before Frenchcore)
Tracker Hardcore
Industrial Hardcore
Ravecore (sometimes called Trancecore)
Futuristic Broken Hardcore
Chipcore
Artcore (or Ruffneck-Style)
"Thunderdome-Style"

90s Hardcore Labels
90s Hardcore Artists

If you have suggestions for improvements, please let us know!

Thursday, June 27, 2024

Hardcore History - 10 of the Most Brutal Early Gabber Tracks

or: "Hidden History - Early Gabber Brutality"

when looking at music history and researching sounds from the past, it is often overlooked that styles, sub-styles, and sub-sub-styles often let to the formation of camps, sonic cults, and social circles, that were divided, or even hostile to each others.
Death Metal kids did not like Black Metal kids. Punks often did not like Goths, Billies, or Skins - and vice versa. Van Halen fans did not like Depeche mode.

The same was true for the Gabber genres, so when I joined the Hardcore world in the mid 90s, I associated with the emerging Speedcore, Breakcore, Experimental Hardcore scenes; and these social groups all agreed on one thing: the "Dutch Gabber" sub-scene is the enemy. It's "commercial, cheesy, pop-y, just for drug kids, they sold out, they ruin hardcore".

just like members of joy division ripped their pink floyd posters from the wall in the "24h hour party people" movie, or euronymous gets called out for having a "scorpions" LP at his record store in "lords of chaos", i tried to part ways with what i considered to be "sell-out gabber music".

Now, all this is of course a thing of the past, and i think we can enjoy one or two tracks of bouncy or happy hardcore alongside evil speedcore noise or metal influenced breakcore.

But, for me it meant that I missed out on a lot of good stuff back in the day, because i snubbed my nose at all that seemingly came from the "commercial hardcore moloch".
And I was especially surprised to discover that just 1-2 years before I and others got into the more extreme hardcore and speedcore scenes, the "dutch labels" already put out a lot of stuff that was very similar to "our" ultra-violent sound a few years later.
metal guitars, high bpm, hyper-distortion, sex, screams.... it was all there in 1994 already.
and it was quite astonishing how fast the "dutch gabber" scene could mellow and disown their own violent music history in such a short time in the 90s. it seems that until the advent of discogs, the big companies managed to "wipe out" most of the memories to this sonic adventure. (people might underestimate how hard it could be to find information about labels, releases, preceding the days ot the big online date exchange.)
of course, the gabber veterans remembered - they kept silent, though.

but now , with the early hardcore / terror revival and the abovementioned discogs diggers, this silence is broken by deafening noize, and this "secret knowledge" is spreading like wildfire again.

(in fact, i suppose there are already people that have forgotten - that this sound was once forgotten!)

And to add more fuel to this fire, here are 10 tracks to showcase this early dutch hardcore and gabber brutality.

1. Scarface - Death Is The Future https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnCQBzeqVJM

2. Sauerkraut - I Don't Believe In You https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LamWgf9Qns

3. Underground Nation Of Rotterdam - 666 (Damion's Edit) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npeg6fFHYoA

4. R. Wagner - Zone of Disaster https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKxRwNzyjDA

5. De Klootzakken - Dominee Dimitri https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2POZufeJsg

6. Igor - Talking About God https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osRBJstCvso

7. The Undertaker - Flatliner (Graveyard Shift) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm0oYb2G9vU

8. Sons Of Aliens - So What! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erMixj73boo

9. Krimson - Praise Jesus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nyPmzPNinU

10. Ech Heftag! - Uit Je Dakkie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN-ul4Xi5T0

honorable mentions:

Scarface - Blow Your Head Off
Noisegate - Goddamn' Mind
he Undertaker - Flatliner (Frankfurt Affair)
Euromasters - Alles Naar De Klote (250 Bpm Mix)
Rave A Graphixx - There Is No Other
Dr. Mindfuck - Ich Bin Ein Berliner
Triplet - Move It Faster
R. Wagner - It's Drivin Me Sick
Mental Hardcore Associates - Let's Get Wappie
The Undertaker - You're Finished
Scarface - Shock Intro
Rich in Paradise - Kick out the jams
The Falcon - Tear You Apart
Speedloader - Fuckin' Speedloadertosti
el bruto - El Bruto
sauerkraut - bomb

Sunday, June 23, 2024

Review: Minimum Syndicat - S.C.H.O.R.L. (KILLEKILL029)

The long, long awaited album by Minimum Syndicat finally dropped. Their record label tells us:

"S.C.H.O.R.L. is their first full length album [...] At this point subgenres are less important than in the past, it's more like the alternative electronic scene against the industry turning techno into moronic money-driven entertainment."

And indeed, we discover a bold and eclectic, even at parts non-sequitur clash of the most different styles here.
Or, from another perspective: it's not multiple styles: it's *their* style. As this style runs like a red thread to all the tracks.
Heavy electro hardcore cinematic Sci-Fi dancefloor score music. At it's best!

The track titles underscore the idea that we are enjoying a movie with its soundtrack here:
"The mantis-priests have gathered", "Signal from Vertrem-4", "Requiem orbital" (a collaboration with Umwelt)... and this definitely adds to the moods and atmospheres of the respective tracks.
And I am hallucinating this, or does the track order compose a whole, a complete, genuine Sci-Fi story from start to end? Starting with strangely received signals from outer space, and later tracks such as "Scorched earth" or "The aftermath (a bitter Victory)" hinting at a disastrous end for humanity, brought upon them by the hands of the incoming aliens.

Either way, this is already one of my favorite releases (of all artists, all genres) for this year - and maybe even my favorite MS release in general!

So, doomed scifi hardcore aficionados, grab your popcorn, take a seat, and then - lights, sounds, action!

https://minimumsyndicat.bandcamp.com/album/s-c-h-o-r-l-killekill029

Saturday, June 22, 2024

Off-Charts: Moonlight Tracks

It's a full moon, so why not go to a secluded place in the night, sit down on a bench, tree stump, or on the ground, turn your gaze towards the sky, and listen to these sweet moon-related hardcore-techno-adjacent tracks?

1. Lunatic Asylum - Chaos Effect
2. The Mover - Underwater Operations
3. Alien Christ - Of Suns and Moons
4. Predator - Mind of a Lunatic
5. The Horrorist - Into The Moonbeam

6. The Man Unknown - Full Eclipse
7. Zekt - The Last Dawn
8. Marusha - Whatever turns you on
9. Alec Empire - Blutrote Nacht Über Berlin
10. Neuroviolence - Surfing On A Sea Of Blood

11. Ec8or & Moonraker - Smash Him To The Ground
12. Cherry Moon Tracks - The House of House
13. Headshop - Universe
14. DJ Freak - Off-Planet Interference
15. Moon Babiez - Take Me To The Moon (Rave Mix)

16. Ultra-Spaceman - Electric (Cross)
17. Somatic Responses - Sickwave
18. Miro - Purple Moon

19. Zoundbasdardz - Metaluna '53
20. Biosphere - Novelty Waves

21. Genlog - Mockmoon
22. Chucky Chunk - Oceanic
23. Thunderwolf - Natural Wolf Production

The Hidden Gems of Swedish Rave: 15 Spine-Chilling Tracks from '91-'92

When someone remembers the height of the “Techno-Rave” style of Hardcore Techno during 1991, the usual countries that come to mind are Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, or Italy as the main producers of that trend. Spain, France, and the USA can also be seen as countries that produced a considerable amount of early Hardcore in this similar vein.

But what about Sweden? Surely, that's a country that isn’t top of mind when talking about early Hardcore or Rave. Contrary to this omission, Swedish producers made a significant contribution to the roots of Hardcore during its initial stage when it was taking shape. If narrowed to the harder Techno-Rave sound with buzzy synths and crazy stabs, there aren't many Swedish records in this style compared to other regions, but the quality and uniqueness of some of these tracks make them mandatory listening!

Here we narrow down a list of 15 essential “Swedish Rave” tracks from 1991 and 1992. They come from Swedish labels such as Btech, BTB Records, Sidelake Productions, SweMix Records, and Ohm (a sublabel of Telegram Records). But we also have a white label (or yellow?) like Mindbender’s EP, with some tracks listed below.

At a certain level, these tracks can be quite similar to the popular harder tracks of those years. However, they feature unusual riffs, very distorted synths, and high-energy beats that make them quite unique. A special mention must be made about “V12,” with two high BPM tracks on this list that are quite powerful and ahead of their time. They sound almost like a primitive form of Hard Acid / Goa that would come later during the mid-90s but with the apocalyptic Rave vibe of '91. It's worth mentioning that those tracks by V12 were produced by Douglas Carr, one of the co-producers of the huge pop music hit “The Sign” by Ace of Base, a curious fact to include in this list.

So, without further ado, here is the list of 15 Swedish Rave tracks, along with a bonus video from Hysteria featuring a very powerful and newbeaty vibe:

1. V12 - Sacrifice (The Dragon Fly Diskonnektion Edit) [1991]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqozavmcVD4

2. Cyborg - Predator [1991]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAAwRkKgeBE

3. Hysteria - Take Me Higher [1991]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh6VYGUuDNE

4. Alter-E-Go – Go Ahh! [1991]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2VQVjDjGBc

5. Mindbender - Red Alert [1991]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPoj4bjSPsY

6. MDA - Take an E (Billy Nasty & Morgan King Remix) [1991]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxzyDH-rTv0

7. Full On Sound - Mayhem (Doin' The Mayhemizer) [1991]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkHl5R-WKjw

8. Concorde Movement – 7 Trips And Then... (The Love Dove Machine Part 1) [1991]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LAOmRZoIxo

9. Cyborg - I’m Alive [1991]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qGRxV2YNyk

10. Lon & Lee - Vitamine X [1991]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9vVnZIXoQY

11. Hypernature - Kaos [1991]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w7Yg39zuRI

12. V12 - Make Some Noise (The Dragon Fly Hardcore Edit) [1991]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-Cd6AqHil8

13. Trauma - Coming Up Good [1992]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U9FT1ipZAY

14. Transfiction - Fight the Devil [1992]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdh2chEXt_4

15. Mindbender - Do Not [1991]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2DCUYnJHcQ

Bonus Music Video: Hysteria - Take Me Higher (Original Video Mix) [1991]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sShskuAc4YI

Do you know any other Swedish Rave tracks from the early 90’s worth checking? If you do, please let us know in the comments!

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Hithouse Records Tribute: 10 Techno-Rave hits from the Hithouse!

Hithouse Records was a techno and house label founded in 1990 by Peter Slaghius (1961-1991). Although its parent label was from Belgium (ARS Productions), Slaghuis and his associate producers under the Hithouse banner were Dutch house/techno pioneers like Paul Elstak and Speedy J. The most famous acts from this label were Meng Syndicate and Holy Noise, responsible for several rave hits of the era.

This label had a considerable output in a wide range of styles, from house, breakbeats, and bleep techno to the hardcore-ish techno-rave style hallmark of 1991. Through this early hardcore output, the seeds were sown for the gabber scene to take the mantle after the tragic death of Slaghuis in a car accident in September 1991. Producers like Paul Elstak and Speedy J, among others, would carry this legacy forward to form the Dutch gabber scene.

Within the techno-rave trend of 1991, Hithouse's output was characterized by being very raw compared to the Belgian, UK, German, and Italian tracks of the same style. This can be appreciated in their more explicit references to horror topics and the grittier use of stabs, something that was also shared by other Dutch techno-rave tracks from 1991-1992.

Here, we list some of their hardest hits in their later techno-rave style.

1. Problem House - Syncage Trouble [1991]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ako7mkAj710

2. Holy Noise - Father Forgive Them (The Truth Mix) [1990]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyWFvUPp-kU

3. Roundabout - The Guillotine [1991]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh05CwmKdy8

4. Meng Syndicate - Luminary (1991)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EPBFYaydHU

5. Holy Noise - The Nightmare (Freddie Krueger's Message) [1991]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AokOrNhIWVY

6. Hithouse - Epilepsia [1991]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnOlbi6T6MU

7. Problem House - Dayner Overload [1991]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG8Lec7MlQs

8. Spirit of Adventure - L'Hysterie [1991]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF63C08AIf4

9. Meng Syndicate - Sonar System [1991]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4Hh0BhTxb4

10. Holy Noise - James Brown is Still Alive!! [1991]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THyI8GGLykE

Bonus horror track:

Holy Noise feat. The Unknown - Psycho (N. Bates Mix) [1991]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBIgkxWvItw

Bonus video mix:

Problem House - The Party Mix (1991)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un6zP1WuY6s

From Wikipedia: "In 1990, Slaghuis founded his own label, Hithouse Records. As the manager of Hithouse Records, he discovered young talented producers such as Ferry Corsten, Paul Elstak, Michel de Hey and Speedy J, who released some of their first records on the label. He also worked with some of them under the name "Problem House", released the singles "A Bright Day" (featuring Dave D.M.D.) and "I've Been Waiting for Your Love" (made with Réjane Magloire from Indeep), and was part of electronic dance music group Holy Noise, consisting of Elidio Gomes, Elstak, Richard van Naamen and Rob Fabrie, with vocals by MC Alee. In 1991, they released the album Organoised Crime and the single "James Brown Is Still Alive!!" (in response to "James Brown Is Dead" by L.A. Style), which reached the top 10 in the Dutch Top 40. Slaghuis also worked on an album called "Acute Sense Of Hearing"." [Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Slaghuis]

Monday, June 17, 2024

Praxis Records and Datacide release Almanac for Noise & Politics Volume 2 as an eBook

Textual material relating to Hardcore, related scenes, or even its subcultural and political interconnections is very hard to come by. Hence this is one of the reason we started our mag here.
*But* long before us there was Datacide; an originally paper-based magazine out of London, centered around the Praxis label, its artists, and that whole social and cultural surrounding.
And we got some good news here, they just put out their second almanac as an eBook!

If this spikes your interest, please consider subscribing to their magazine - as they the money helps them to continue their excellent work.

Relevant links:
https://datacide-magazine.com/almanac-for-noise-politics-volume-two-out-now-as-ebook/
https://linktr.ee/noise_politics

Table of contents:

Sunday, June 16, 2024

All Planet Core Productions main-label releases listed, rated, and short-reviewed

It is what the description says. (minus the "Frankfurt Trax" compilations, of course).

But let us add some further words:
For the purpose of rating, I decided on a percentage format. (aka "x out of a hundred points").
But these ratings are "PCP-stretched": I love all these records and, normally, would all give them a 111 out of 100.

So the rating means "compared to other PCP releases".
So if a record has "only" 49 or 31 percent here, this does not mean it's bad; compared with other Hardcore or Techno they would be 88 or 94 or higher; the percentage just "seems lower" for the sake of rating these PCP records, and to have a bit of comparison with the other releases.
So please do not misunderstood the ratings - all records are even better then they seem.

And in the end it's very subjective anyway.

A discogs user wrote this about PCP:

"The label that set the standard for the harder techno sound.Started in 1989 and stopped it's activities in late '96.
Some of the darkest record were released here, including the Frontal Sickness ep's and of course the later Mescalinum United records.
Mindtripping, dark, doomy, it's all here, with the Mover being on front, responsible for most of the tunes."

But now, let's rock!

PCP 001 - Mescalinum United – Into Mekong Center

The very first PCP release. The one that started it all.
Some have described it as "still being in an EBM sound", but I don't think it sounds like that at all.
A bit of Electro, maybe - but in the end this release has its own style.

Rating: 067 / 100

PCP 002 - Freebase Factory – Born To Go

A rap release on PCP, and not even a Hardcore / Techno crossover, but genuine hip hop.
Maybe not what you expected, but I like it!

62 / 100

PCP 003 - Cyborg Unknown – Year 2001

Again, this is a very unexpected release, "even for PCP"!
I've never heard anything like it by any other artist or label.
A crossing of Detroit, EBM, Techno, 80s Electro-Funk, with enchanting vocoderized rapping.
And it gives off a super-futuristic atmosphere, that makes you want to watch movies like "brainstorm" project or "lawnmover man" (sic!) again.

2001 / 100

PCP 005 Trip Commando – Trip Commando

Very trippy "1990 era" club Techno. Not bad!

59 / 100

PCP 005 - The Mover – Frontal Sickness Part 1

Do I need to review this? One of the important releases of Techno ever, and if you have not dived into it yet, go for it!
This is the very beginning of Doomcore. Hard hitting Techno beats and an almost minimalist use of some of the darkest synth lines you ever heard.

99 / 100

PCP 006 - Mescalinum United – Reflections Of 2017

Yes yes, this is the release with the "first ever Hardcore track" on it! The flip side is great as well.

2017 / 100

PCP 007 - Pandemonium - Boris Boris (Radio Edit)

There's the story that PCP threw copies of this EP in the garbage can after the release!
No matter if it's true or not, it would not have deserved it.
A radical detour from the other PCP styles, this sounds almost like a take on the popular German project "Enigma":
Monks chanting, slow breakbeats, mystic / esoteric sounds...
I'm digging it!

Rating 58 / 100

PCP 008 - Whalekommittee – Save The Whales

Of all the unusual PCP releases, this is even a bit more unusual.
A mixture of ambient, breakbeats, early club beats... almost like an "underwater enigma".
And it gives off a great oceanic atmosphere.

69 / 100

PCP 009 - Alien Christ – Of Suns And Moons

All three tracks on here are inspired by Suburban Knight - The Art of Stalking.
PCP goes for Detroit Techno sounds, and they nailed it.

90 / 100

PCP 010 - T-Bone Castro – Radical Padrone (The Remixes)

I think this could be best described as PCP's take on 1991 club sound techno.
Very nice, and quite "hardcore" already!

57 / 100

PCP 011 Al Rakhun Feat. Bunker Youth – To The Audience

002 was already a rap EP, and this is a bona fide rap album, on PCP!
I'm not that much into hip hop, but this is a nice release with a true PCP touch on this kind of music.

49 / 100

PCP 012 - T-Bone Castro / Ace The Space – 4-Track E.P. / Ace In The Hole

I love the "weird" mixture on this EP. Something between Belgium Techno, UK Artcore and Gangsta Funk.
The laid-back, almost rap-like quality of these tracks would make them fit well to a harvey keitel movie.

63 / 100

PCP 013 Raw Power Organisation – 1991 (And I Just Begun)

Nomen est omen, because in 1991, PCP really had just begun. Heavy Techno mixed with rapping and UK Artcore style breaks and synth hits. Why did they not make the #1 spot in the European Charts with this? The EP would have deserved it.
A true cult-hit and a massive sign of the things to come.

78 / 100

PCP 014 - Ramin – Vol. I - Essence Of Ecstasy EP

Ramin was a frequent visitor on PCP, and I like to describe this EP as "Pcp style early 90s club techno".

39 / 100

PCP 015 - Free Base International – The FBI Futureworld E.P.

This EP sounds a bit like the follow-up to Raw Power Organisation: MCing, powerful mentasm and t99 sounds - a very rough techno anthem that comes in 5 mixes.
But the true gem is the A1 track "The Factory Of Free Base".
It's what could be described as fusion of rap with the style of PCP.
Apocalyptic, phuturistic lyricism, synths, beats... legendary, and one of a kind!

91 / 100

PCP 007 - Alien Christ – The Art Of Shredding

The second outing by Alien Christ. Funky, phuturistic, detroit techno! Underground Resistance would love this.

81 / 100

PCP 008 The Mover – Frontal Sickness Part 2

An absolute cult release. Every track is a killer on here. My two picks would be: "Astral Demons", one of the most haunting techno tracks ever, and "Illuminated", a cinematic ambient piece that was once described as "Terminator Techno".

89 / 100

PCP 009 - The Possessed – Black Blood

Very peculiar release. Breakbeat tracks in a PCP style. Ultra-dark and ultra-menacing synths.
And an epic, almost "prog-rock" like ambient / muslim-chant / breakcore creation on the flip side.

"Und es sind welche unter uns, ohne Seele..."

79/100

PCP 010 - Program 1 - Louder Than A Bomb EP

Was one of the hardest at the times of its release. Killer bassdrums. "Betrayer" is a special pick.

71/100

PCP 931 - Alien Christ – III.

I think PCD ("Planet Core Distribution") once described it as "Outer Space Trance" in the catalogue; depending on your definition of "Trance", this descriptions fits!

Rating 78 / 100

PCP 932 - The Mover – The Final Sickness

One of the most sought-after releases - at least until it's digital re-release.
An album that could be seen as a follow-up to the "frontal sickness" releases (and a precursor to "frontal frustration").
It features Marc's The Mover aka at its hardest and dirtiest;
Distorted drums, howling synth, shrieking percussion and noises;An onslaught of sounds, dismal and tenebrous.

Rating: 99 / 100

PCP 933 - Mescalinum United – Vs. Evil (A New Level)

Very out of the ordinary release for mescalinum united. Just one groove on this vinyl has any sound in it, and it's a techno-electro affair, which has a few hints of early Egpytian Lover or Hashim (when american electro funk still was doomy as hell).
Recommended!

Rating 78 / 100

PCP 934 - The Mover / Alien Christ – Waves Of Life / The Eagle Has Landed

"Waves Of Life" was / is a sleeper club hit and widely known far beyond the "hardcore" circles - and deservingly so.
"The Eagle has landed" is another re-visit to the "Art of Stalking" theme, and quite good at that.
Some time in the future!

Rating: 68 / 100

PCP 935 / PCP 194 - Planet Core Productions – Phuture

The very first PCP compilation. And it is quite unconventional, as, even though it is a "compilation", almost all tracks are exclusive for this release. Plus the majority of the tracks are quite experimental, even for PCP's standards.
It features so many classics and cult tracks - like "MF Skulls", a live-taped drum-only Energiehal performance.
Or "acid bitch", an almost trancey acid-hardcore track with a haunting choir (and a double-speed bassdrum).
"Nervous Flight" lists one of my favorite production credits ever - and I quote: "Produced by someone sometimes somewhere -sowhat-"

Rating 94 / 100

PCP 936 - Mescalinum United – Symphonies Of Steel Part 1

One of the most infernal Techno records ever!
Wave after wave of distortion and shrill, disturbing noises... every gain is turned to 12 here.
Includes the classic track "Light Bringer"... this universe is mine... i am god here!

Rating 82 / 100

PCP 069 - The Phuture Project – Light Bringer (Escape From 2017)

Almost like a mini-compilation; as even though all tracks are marc in disguise (as expected!), they have a very distinct sound (also as expected!)
Escape From 2017 (The Theme) is a hardcore track that was once described as sounding like "a cyborg whale dying on a futuristic battlefield", Freez-E-Style - Radar is cold rush-esque Doomcore track; and, finally, "Time Traveller" is in Mover style, with a melody that almost feels like a flashback to 80s industrial / no wave experiments.

Rating 666 / 100

PCP 961 - The Mover – Signs Of '96

The signs Of 96! Isn't this the most legendary Mover release ever?
While most people go for "Over Land & Sea", I think the flip side, "Underwater Operations", is even a bit better.
But, let's face it, both track blow all the competition out of the water (pun intended).

100 / 100 (a perfect release)

PCP 962 - Mescalinum United – Symphonies Of Steel - The Second Level

A quite remarkable release. PCP are known for their "drum only" tracks, and Jupiter Union almost fits in that category; as the bassdrum is very prominent here, and also very distorted and threatening. Only at the 3 minute mark, a gloomy melody is introduced.
And the flip side is very special, too: a beatless ambient track that is at the most dreary and chilling you can get; a 12:26 minute trip which makes you feel as you are flying to jupiter by yourself.

Rating: 97 / 100

PCP 971 - Mescalinum United – Symphonies Of Steel Part 3

Rumored to be the last track ever to be released by PCP. I think there *were* some releases after that, though.
Either way, it's a worthy ending. Wailing synths create a hellish inferno, before Industrial Slowcore beats come in, only to steadily increase up beyond Speedcore territory. And then it is happening again,
When you go out, you gotta go out with a bang, right?

Rating: 94 / 100

Saturday, June 15, 2024

Hardcore and Techno fans against fascism

A new initiative has been set up:

Hardcore and Techno fans against fascism

The fascist menace is on the rise in Europe and other places in the world.
We are artists, DJs, producers, enthusiasts, and other members of the Hardcore Techno scene and related genres.
We want to send a strong message against Fascism, Nazism, Racism.

Let's unite and stand together against this threat!

Signed by:

Primitik
Composer / Producer
https://soundcloud.com/primitik2

Schirin
Artist
https://soundcloud.com/schirin-schirin

Yoko
DJ
https://twitch.tv/yokointhemix

Low Entropy
Producer
https://lowentropyproducer.blogspot.com/

Teknoland Production
Underground Label
https://teknolandproduction.bandcamp.com/music

Librarium
Producer
https://soundcloud.com/librarium

DJ Quartzlocker
DJ / Producer
https://soundcloud.com/djquartzlocker

Gabbaret Records (Ben Jalvingh)
Label owner
https://gabbaretrecords.bandcamp.com/

Rites
DJ
https://www.soundcloud.com/rrrites

Free Spirit / Chase Records Netlabel / Counterflux Series
Label manager
http://chaserecords.free.fr

Nkisi / Initiation / The Secret Institute
Label manager
https://nkisi.bandcamp.com/

If you are an artist or fan of Hardcore Techno, and want to add your name to this list, please send an e-mail to tapeductseven@gmail.com

Please spread this message!

Friday, June 14, 2024

10 Initiatory Tracks: Early Breakcore

So we started this new series: "10 initiatory tracks: [xyz]".
this is aimed at newcomers to hardcore techno, or newcomers to that specific style.
it should give them a quick overview of that genre, and a good idea how it actually sounds like.
thus we will choose tracks that represent this concept.

these lists are not complete or exhaustive; there is much (much!) more stuff out there to be found.
these might not be the best tracks of the genre, or important artists might even be missing, due to the reduced amount of entries in these listings.

in these cases, you should feel very free to list these "missing tracks", or the tracks that *you* consider to be important and relevant for the genre, or even your very personal favorites, in the comments below!

10 Initiatory Tracks: Early Breakcore

1. Patric Catani - Still Wanna Win (I Can't Lose) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysRs1E_-25c

2 .Christoph de Babalon - Residuum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW-MPWVwyVE

3. DJ Scud & Christoph Fringeli - Bodysnatcher - bodysnatcher https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96ArxhH3SYI

4. Somatic Responses - The Stalker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG5pZTmT2RA

5. Alec Empire - We All Die https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llVf0ZnBBmc

6. Atari Teenage Riot - Raverbashing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BiufWpfiKw

7. DJ Scud - Mash The Place Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPrl0wVmOFk

8. Bazooka - Lethal Breaxx https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxuBRTScEvk

9. Amiga Shock Force - Keep Your Enemies Close https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ha_PFUefhc

10. Eradicator - Streptocock Gee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBk9DSyS-ug

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Looking back at the 90s: Underground Futuristic Organisation

"Looking back at the 90s" is a new series of features that we're doing.
Revisiting important, outstanding and possibly underrated Hardcore Techno related labels, artists and projects from the 90s era.
We're using information from the Hardcore Primer ( https://hardcoretechnoprimer.blogspot.com/ ) and our other publications, and we will provide listening examples for you as well.

These features will be more like short introductions / overviews, less like "in-depth reports". To give you a quick taste of the specific project and let you dive right in.
If you want to learn more and "dig deeper" - then the resources are out there!

There are plenty of underrated labels from the 90s, but rarely is a label so deserving of that title as U.F.O., aka Underground Futuristic Organisation, out of London.

Almost forgotten now, it was host to some of the best and most interesting releases of the 90s. Two excellent EPs by the one and only Lasse Steen under different monikers (as usual). A rare apperance of Vdd Energise who did only a few releases in the 90s - brilliant as usual.
Two brutal releases by Lee Humphreys himself (one of these together with Ken Dutrieue), who seemingly was also behind the label as a whole. A curious release by Max de Grote. But last but not least - the Passages EP by Somatic Responses, which shook the underground music world when it was released, ended up in everyone's fanzine top 10 chart features, and even made it onto German mainstream TV (featured in a small segment about Christoph de Babalon's DJ activities).
These releases really left a mark on the Hardcore and other scenes.
It is be about time to look back on this label again. Acid, Hardcore, Techno, darkness, in various BPMs, it's all here.

Listening examples:

1. Somatic Responses - Sickwave

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsE6dhZ0vmo

2. Choose - Fatality In Work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvdAM6OFR4o

3. Dark Unitz - Crush Rush Console

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zuCeul8Ha0

4. Vdd.E - Duvels

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_YAUVBE-KA

5. DSL - Inferno

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N52tVqFXA2A

6. M. De Grote - Little Ann

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f92ea6_XdqM

Additional visuals:

Somatic Responses

Vdd E.

Label Logo:

You can also find the label on discogs: https://www.discogs.com/label/20026-Underground-Futuristic-Organisation-UFO

Monday, June 10, 2024

Mental Hardcore Newsletter #8: You decide how you want to live your life

A new edition of the Mental Hardcore Newsletter.

As fans, enthusiasts, artists, who are into darker and more disturbing forms of music, or as being interested in deeper topics like philosophy, psychology, counterculture, surrealism, and so on, there is always the tendency to burrow yourself and live an isolated life, away from most human interaction.
And, all that life, people told us we should stop this, get away from it, and "join society" and "live normal lives" like everyone else. But we did not do that.

Now as we get "older", or rather as we enter the present times, this social isolation and everything that comes with it can become quite unbearable.
So there is the tendency to finally "give in", and trying to do what we have been told earlier: "re-join" normal society.
Maybe life would be easier to bear then?

But things are even more complicated nowadays: Normal society is falling apart and will soon be no more.
So any thought or plan about "going the normal route", get a normal job, buy a house, build a family, do "normal" things etc, maybe planning a vacation or going to or a conventional discotheque have become complete nonsense.
As the big, big "system" that is supporting all these "normal activities" is disintegrating and crumbling to dust.

So, both options - staying isolated or mingling with "normal society" - are doomed to fail.
What to do now? I don't know.

But my idea would be: going out in the world again, but as an active agent of change, someone who spreads cultural liberation, and not someone who *adapts* or *conforms* to other people, not as someone who is obedient and tries to fit in. Come as a conqueror, not as a slave.

Connect with your own tribe - not with the drones who march by the beat of authority.

Yours is the choice, but choose wisely.

For previous issues, go to: https://thehardcoreoverdogs.blogspot.com/p/the-mental-hardcore-health-newsletter.html

Sunday, June 9, 2024

Oldschool Renegades - an early Hardcore Techno documentary

God knows there is not many documentation about the early Hardcore / Techno scene out there; neither visual nor otherwise.
Authentic material, that is not overly hyped, sensationalized, or simply bullshit, is most rare.
But we are very happy that there is a movie called "Oldschool Renegades"; a doc about this very special era of music, made by one of the people that helped to shape it: Maurice Steenbergen aka Rotterdam Termination Source (I'm sure you do remember his track "Poing"!).

As the tagline reads:

"It is the story of the techno-culture rebels responsible for the world domination of house music and rave culture in the 1990s."

You can find out more info here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3323012/
and the trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQn0iO5CXKQ

Here is a little text snippet and excerpt taken out of it, mentioning the 'very first Hardcore track', "We Have Arrived" by Mescalinum United. (Which is also the topic of our feature:

Hardcore History: "Was 'Mescalinum United - We Have Arrived' really the first Hardcore track? Let us take a look!" https://thehardcoreoverdogs.blogspot.com/2023/06/hardcore-history-was-mescalinum-united.html )

LENNY DEE
Marc Acardipane, the guys and I were hangin’. He said: ’listen, do you want to come and hear my music?’’. I was like: ‘yeah, totally, if you could do two or more of those tracks, I’d love to do it’. I said: ‘I’m starting this label, and I think I’m gonna call it ‘Industrial Strength’, and I want to feature this. This is what I’ve been looking for. I’ve been playing records faster and mashing things together. Making this sound, but without these records.’’

LENNY DEE
‘Mayday 2’, I’m standing there and I’m in an amazement with what i’m seeing. I looked at Marc, he looked at me, looked at Mike, and I said: ‘here we go’.

LENNY DEE
If you were in that room when that record came on, I did not see one hand down, not one. I don’t think anyone did not scream when that record came on. The amount of energy that it created for the four and a half minutes that I played it, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced that. It was like adrenaline beyond. Renaat (Vandepapeliere) comes to me, he goes: ‘I knew you were gonna do that, I just had no idea it was gonna be like that.’’ He goes: ‘What the hell was that? It’s f*cking Hardcore’.‘I think it is Hardcore, huh?’ If anything is gonna be named that, or whatever we were talking about that brief thing, it was Hardcore. Thanks Renaat, you really coined it there too. You’re a genius.

PAUL ELSTAK
He hadn’t even heard it himself. Marc (Acardipane) came to Holland to buy stacks of this particular record. He loved that track, and he had a record store in Frankfurt. He hadn’t even heard that it was his own record that I sampled. You can’t really compare the two, they were quite different. ‘Mescalinum United’ was not really a Gabber track. It didn’t have the same type of kicks. It was a different production, it was more of a hard Techno track. But it was quite hard. When I just started ‘Rotterdam Records’, the style was not yet defined. I just releases what I liked. I also released tracks by ‘Meng Syndicate’ (Jeroen Verheij), and then I got to you guys. You were number four weren’t you?

It’s a nice story to tell, it started with Lars (Tindal). He worked with me in the record store called ‘Mid-town’. ‘Mid-town’ has been very important in my career, in terms of meeting people, know-how, knowing what the crowd likes. I could see which records sold well. “Lars” played me a tape from a guy hew knew, that was you. It was pretty much an instrumental track with a bouncing sound at the end. So I said: ’this is nice, tell the guys to use the bouncing sound more’, right?

DANNY SCHOLTE
‘Poing’ came to mind when House music started to sound harder. And because music became harder, people started to jump instead of dance. That’s when I thought: ‘what if we made a record with the sound of a bouncing ball?’

PAUL ELSTAK
That became a massive hit, it was insane. I believe it sold more than 100.000 singles. The media were all over it, and because of ‘Poing’, Gabber became internationally known. It grew really big."

Sources:

Oldschool Renegades by Maurice Steenbergen

https://poing.com/

Friday, June 7, 2024

10 Dark, Melancholic and Haunting Hardcore Techno-Adjacent Tracks

Hardcore Techno is a genre known for its ferocious aggression, for it's "go straight for the throat" mentality, for aggressive postures, images, artworks.
Yet, paradoxically, there is also hardcore music with a more moody quality, maybe a calmer, subdued, more "silent" essence - dark, haunting, and melancholic tracks.
These tracks are not necessarily less wild or energetic - they're just more bleak and nihilistic, attached to the perimeter of all the hardcore anger.
These strange attractors once more showcase the quality of hardcore techno to mend and overcome seemingly contradictions and dual opposites.
Again, this is not just about hardcore, but also hardcore-adjacent genres.
But, now, let's go. "Music, maestro, please!"

1. Current 909 - The Lockdown

The vocal intro is taken from "ghosts... of the civil dead". If you have seen the movie, you will know it's one of the most drab, nihilist, dystopic movies out there.
The track evokes feeling of claustrophobia, being locked up, social control and cultural oppression.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zttXZgPLe2Q

2. Taciturne - Mourning

Sorrow and austerity permeate this track. The angelic choirs portray the feeling of a funeral rite. Beautiful and frightening.
"Mourning", indeed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IP0XgsuXFI

3. Somatic Responses - Umbrella

A listener once described this track as evoking images of "burnt out landscapes and ruins of destroyed cities" before his mental eye. We could not agree more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjWQA2Ro_XI

4. Kerosene feat. 4E - Heroin

A very grim "hardcore" dub track. This is amongst the most dismal. The completely non-melodic, disturbing rendition of the lyrics to velvet underground's classic song is guaranteed to haunt you for a long time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI9IpJGKExk

5. Frozen - Soul Saver

Stirring sounds made up of very strong emotions.
If your soul stands in peril - this track might verily save it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNc9Sg9VTdE

6. Alec Empire - Blutrote Nacht Über Berlin

More subdued and "chilled" than Alec's total-aggression tracks.
The title translates to "blood red sky over berlin" and imho it feels like watching the sky at night, alone, isolated, and drowning in a wave of bittersweet sadness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94ViEUp-_P0

7. FFM Shadow Orchestra - D.N. Acid

"From here to there, from star to star..."
Powerful sentiments of infinite cosmic melancholy define this wonderful track by the Shadow Orchestra.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RIfnHXO9r0

8. Arrivers - The Arrival

Just four notes, a hardcore beat, and sparse percussion plus effects. Yet this minimal approach is able to generate a very strong feeling of desolation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD8P0_7m76k

9. Disintegrator - In The Sun

Cold, slow, marching Techno beats. The "Defcon, Defcon" voice creates the feeling of a nuclear apocalypse going down. Aligned with this, the haunting choirs morph into howling sirens towards the end of the track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AyvjLrw1uc

10. Tanochinjaii - Fallen Angel

One of Cold Rush's best and most forlorn tracks.
Falling from grace, and falling out of the sky, out of the heavens.
Is there hope for redemption, after all?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgAaq1RGWTk

Thursday, June 6, 2024

Comprehension of Sweet Sounds: A New Section Dedicated to the Occult, the Symbolic, and the Philosophical in Hardcore.

“Shadows of shadows passing. The comprehension of sweet sounds is our most indefinite conception. Music when combined with a pleasurable idea is poetry. Music without an idea is simply music. Without music or an intriguing idea, colour becomes pallor, man becomes carcass, home becomes catacombs and the dead… motionless.”

Spoken by Orson Welles, written by Edgar Allan Poe

Techno and Hardcore have a rich tradition of conveying ideas through the inherent limitations of a genre that often lacks lyrics. This is achieved through the use of vocal samples and the cut-up technique, inherited from industrial music, to establish a central idea or emotion for the track. Synthesizers and beats act as futuristic onomatopoeias, evoking spaces. Creative use of samplers and sound design is employed to evoke emotions. The track's architecture itself represents a synaptic landscape or an escape to otherworldly realms. These are all techniques intrinsic to Hardcore Techno, appearing in each track to varying degrees, as it is the medium’s way of communicating.

However, despite the commonality of these qualities, there are times when certain tracks or sounds push beyond the usual boundaries. Sometimes this occurs by expressing an idea or emotion rarely found in Hardcore, which we have explored earlier in this e-zine. Instead, in this section, we will focus on those sounds and tracks that break through the veil of the obvious. These are tracks that, through symbols inherent to Hardcore, express hidden or philosophical ideas, making us reconsider music and reality, deepening our understanding of the genre and expanding its expressive possibilities.

In this first article of this new section, we begin with an analysis of the EP "Comprehension of Sweet Sounds" by FFM Shadow Orchestra, which gives its name to this section. This serves as a starting point to explore tracks that challenge our understanding of Hardcore and music in general. This particular track, through its ingenious use of sounds, art, quotes, and symbols, compels us to question the very nature of Hardcore as a musical genre. Thus, we have an EP that stands out not only for the quality and intensity of its tracks but also for its ability to lead us into a dark reflection on Hardcore Techno, using some of the most iconic sounds of the genre.

Key to understanding this EP is the Edgar Allan Poe quote about music and ideas found on its back cover. “Sampled and processed” by Orson Welles and resampled by FFM Shadow Orchestra, it is not just a poetic analogy for the genealogies of resamples so intrinsic to Hardcore. It also provides us with a crucial metaphor for understanding these samples of samples as shadows of shadows. We will explain this in depth.

As the text on the back cover of the record points out, the “comprehension of sweet sounds” is our most indefinite conception as listeners of music in any of its forms. In other words, music opposes the clarity of ideas and concepts, a challenge that becomes more acute in genres like Hardcore Techno, which often lacks lyrics. Facing this difficulty, the title track of the EP (specifically the Stickhead Remix) tells us: “Music, when combined with a pleasurable idea, is poetry. Music, without the idea… is simply music.” After a brief prelude of breaks that guides us to the core of the track, a new sample tells us "Shadows of shadows... the dead".

And then we are assaulted by an intense and bombastic choral riff, as if a multitude of specters were howling in our faces, unwilling to confine themselves to the afterlife. The rest of the track becomes a drastic and syncopated onslaught of kicks and snares where the howls repeat and insist with various patterns, confronting us with their presence, their insistent and inconsistent repetition, creating a track with a primitive, spectral, and unpredictable vibe.

And in the eye of the hurricane of this furious swarm of howling specters, the question arises: isn’t the iconic choral stab of T99, resampled ad infinitum in Hardcore since the early '90s, precisely that? The shadow of a shadow of a shadow. The voices of a choral ensemble, captured in an audio recording, sampled and processed by T99, to be resampled or emulated by FFM Shadow Orchestra and countless hardcore producers over the past three decades. What started as a singular human chant became multiple shadows of shadows, immortalizing this choir beyond the limits of time and space. The ghost in the machine no longer corresponds to the consciousness that emerges from the circuits, but to human energy captured in them.

This already suggestive proposition is further reinforced by the EP's cover art. It features several elements: a wolf howling at the moon, a kind of vortex or tear in reality, and the duplication of this set through an inverted mirror effect. Wolf, moon, vortex, mirror. Considering these in relation to the track itself, the cover seems to allude to the same idea of a spectral howl that tears or twists reality, connecting it to the beyond or another dimension, to the madness symbolized by the moon, and to repetition. It is as if it describes in an occult and symbolic manner the essence of what hardcore techno and rave were at that time: howls repeating, within the track, between tracks, like a horde of necromancers conjuring spirits and unknown energies to drag the audience into a ritual dedicated to madness and the unreal. Similarly, the back cover of the record contains an ode to the goddess Juno, deifying the Roland Alpha Juno 2 synthesizer, responsible for the other most iconic Hardcore Rave sound of that era: the Hoover or Mentasm. Thus, completing this work that pays homage to the sonic deities of Hardcore.

To avoid prolonging this extended reflection, we close this feature by celebrating the evident effort of FFM Shadow Orchestra to contemplate the essence of this style and communicate these complex ideas. They do this by using the elemental building blocks of Hardcore Techno, well-arranged symbols, and an excellent quote. This symbolic staging challenges us to go beyond the empty repetition of these shadows/samples, which, on the contrary, can be full of meaning, intriguing ideas, and become true poetry.