Dopplereffekt Quantum Paradox EP NFT, Clone Aqualung reissues, Neptune's Lair 25th anniversary edition and more
DON'T BE AFRAID OF EVOLUTION email: stephenrennicks72 at gmail dot com + GOING DEEPER -
Dopplereffekt's legendary 1999 compilation of early EPs, Gesamtksunstwerk, is getting yet another reissue on double cream and black vinyl editions from Clone Classic Cuts (due 20/5/24). You can order it from the Clone shop or Bandcamp as well as other retailers. They have great new sharpened images of the personnel headshots on the label artwork.
You can now order Digital Entropy by Datashader from Tresor. The 12" and digital feature Dopplereffekt's 'Gravitational Remodel' of 'Breath Controller' (now available to preview in full on Bandcamp).
You can listen to Dopplereffekt's recent live set for Austria's Donau festival here.
The short film, Somewhere in Detroit, made by Roland about Underground Resistance and Submerge and everything they do is now available to watch (12 mins). There are some very good interviews with Mike Banks and his sister Bridgette, Cornelius Harris and many more. Drexciya get a very cool name check from Mike too. There is a very good and useful expanded text version for the film here.
One of my readers, DJ and producer Mark Turner got in touch to point out, 'Originally the sales were pretty low on the Drexciya (Elektroids/Journey Home) projects on Warp, that's why they became high value items in the 2nd hand market, plus they didn't actually do the A+R for those releases, a friend did, he was the one who pushed for them to be on Warp.' This is an excellent 2017 interview with Turner where he talks extensively about DJing at legendary Leeds techno club The Orbit and much more.
Very cool to see this new video of Drexciya's 'Aquabahn' (1994) pitched-up and played on the street of Detroit and people breaking out their Jit moves on the sidewalk.
Rob Lawrence, one of DRL's readers, gave this new info about how he first got to here The Other People Place's Lifestyles of the Laptop Cafe.
'Sometime in the summer of 2001 (August 2nd) I went to a playback of the Aphex album Drukqs at the London Planetarium, which obviously in itself was pretty f-ing cool....
Anyway, following this, in a nearby boozer, was a little after show drinks party put on by the label. During the course of the evening they played other forthcoming Warp Records releases, one of which immediately caught the attention of my ears, namely The Other People Place. I got chatting with one of the dudes from Warp and he told me this was one of the last releases that Rob Mitchell, one of the founding members of Warp who sadly passed away earlier that year, had signed to the label, Warp was starting to move in different directions at this point but he was adamant that this should be on the label even if it wasn't quite on trend....Thank you Rob, and Thank you James.'
Rob Mitchell actually died from cancer two months later on 8th October but it's good to learn he was involved with the album and so adamant it would be released. Previously, Sean Booth of Autechre has talked about how he first introduced Mitchell to the music of Drexciya in '93. TOPP's album was released on 3rd Sept and Drukqs followed on 22nd Oct (weirdly, in between these dates 9/11 happened).
There is a new four track Dopplereffekt EP Infinite Tetraspace on Italy's Curtis Electronix due on 1st March. You can pre-order and sample all four tracks on clone.nl, Bandcamp and more.
Also in March 2024 there is double vinyl re-press of Biometry (2004) by Der Zyklys on Clone Records' Aqualung label. It was last re-pressed in 2015 (for the first time), a sign I suppose of new fans getting into his forever fresh sounding music, no more so than on this futuristic album. Bandcamp link up now.
There is a new Dopplereffekt remodel included on Digital Entropy by Sheffield's Datashader on Tresor Berlin. You can pre-order the vinyl and digital now on BC and elsewhere online.
You can now get the It's Amazing EP by Lucie Antunes on Bandcamp (digital only). Its been available since last August but only now on BC. It includes a remix by Dopplereffekt.
Dopplereffekt will be appearing at Houghton Festival, Norfolk, England, which runs from 8th-11th August. Full details here. They also have a gig in Paris on 30th March and at Tresor, Berlin on 26th April .
Arpanet play live at Portugal's Waking Life Festival, which runs from 19th-24th June 2024. Full details here.
You can now purchase on 12" vinyl and digital the The Exaltics' Das Heise Experiment - The Remixes on the Solar One Music Bandcamp. It includes Arpanet's 'Helium Shell Remodel' of 'Zwoelf'.
'The mutant fishmen are back'
I noticed a Drexciya - Digital Tsunami EP press release/info sheet I hadn't seen or archived here before was shared online. I've cropped it to make it readable. While there doesn't seem to be anything directly from the group in the text, written by UK promo company ePM, it's good to know the exact release date (16/12/01) and interesting to see how they were being marketed by Tresor Berlin at the time.
One of the best things about doing DRL has been finding pieces of forgotten or not widely known information or in some cases a whole website, World Techno Nation (circa 2001). Stewart Caig was in touch to say he ran this website. He also ran the UK label Digital Soul which had another Drexciya connection. Before social media, Wikipedia, You Tube and Discogs these fan run websites and forums etc were an essential part of various underground music scenes, especially for Techno.
These Wayback Machine links will take you there
Ultradyne and Dopplereffekt live in Detroit 2001 review and Ultradyne interview (more info below)
I was looking at the old website for World Techno Nation on the Wayback Machine and one of the most interesting things they had was a review of the Ultradyne and Dopplereffekt show at Eyes Only, Liberal Arts Gallery, Detroit during the DEMF in 2001, which I have written about before. This would have been a very early gig for Dopplereffekt and it seems to have been just Gerald Donald on stage. In the pic (below) you can see the flags from Dopplereffekt's set still up when Ultradyne play. On the same page there is also a good interview with Ultradyne. Nice to find this piece of history.
BMG aka Brendan M Gillen of Ectomorph's 2012 piece on Drexciya for Beatportal is no longer accessible but you can still read it on Wayback Machine here.
The Detroit music journalist Dan Sicko's research material has long been held at the University of Michigan since his death. I've known there was tape with a Drexciya interview but didn't know the details until now. It's just over 12 mins long and most likely dates from 1997. I think the quotes were used in his Techno Rebels book and quite possibly Techno: The Rough Guide by Tim Barr (Sicko wrote a few of the entries). You can request the tape in person or listen online if connected to the campus network (for students and staff only). Text for tape below:
'[Side 1], Undated
(First Interview with musician of afrofuturist techno duo, Drexciya. discussion of influences, history and music. Discussion of album The Quest (1997) and others; Second Interview with Adam Sherburne musician of Consolidated regarding current issues in band and music direction. First Interview 0-12:38; Second Interview 12:40-end of tape)
[Side 2], Undated
(Interview with former Kraftwerk musician, Florian Schneider at Electric Music Studios. Discussion regarding his solo career, and working with Kraftwerk.)'
This video gives you a glimpse of the HOPE exhibition at Italy's Museion. At 2min 30sec there is the section introduced by DeForrest Brown Jr with music by Drexciya and his part of the show can be seen.
You can hear Zwischenwelt's 'Materialisation' (2011) used underneath 'Coven of the Dead' (2021) by German Death Metal band Crypts (the beginning is best place to hear). It's actually a brilliant combination. Bandcamp for Crypts' album of the same name.
The long out of press and highly sought after album and self-titled 12" EP by NRSB-11 has been reissued by Disciples (a sub-label of Warp Records). You can get both as a bundle along with a tote-bag exclusively from Bleep now at this link. You can also get just the album Commodified on double clear vinyl and CD. The three track 12" EP is also available on clear vinyl and features Nina Kraviz on one track. This is fantastic news and has been one fans have wanted at retail price for a long time. The EP and album were originally released on WeMe Records in 2012 and 2013.
https://bleep.com/release/410892-nrsb-11-commodified
https://bleep.com/release/411902-nrsb-11-nrsb-11
'NRSB-11 is the brainchild of Dataphysix (of Drexciya and Dopplereffekt) DJ Stingray 313 (Drexciya's touring DJ), Penelope Martin and Lana Jastrevski. Their sole and wholly singular album Commodified dropped in 2013 on Belgium label WéMè Records, enigmatically and to immediate attention. The ever current affairs of economics, capitalism, and consumer culture resonate deeply through sparing digitised voices, electrical discharges, and illustrious mechanical rhythms.'
There was a live stream of Dopplereffekt's recent show for Machina Bristonica. It's still online and I've just watched it and it's pretty incredible stuff, amazing music from sound-desk and visuals by Maria Mendes. Well worth a look, hopefully it will remain online. You will find their whole set at 1hr 33min.
It's always a good day when you discover a new Dopplereffekt remix! One of my readers brought 'It's Amazing (Dopplereffekt Hadron Matrix version)' by Lucie Antunes to my attention. Listen on YouTube here and follow links for download,
'Dopplereffekt’s remix of 'It’s Amazing' takes the dance record and morphs its playful ambiance into a synthetic conceptual soundscape. On the original track, Lucie craftily layers computer generated vocals into the production, while Dopplereffekt have stripped the robotic vocals to bare bones, reminiscent of Kraftwerk with their pulsating new wave FM synths.'
Awesome fun track inspired by Dopplereffekt and Dire Straits by the very talented Ed DMX. Love the artwork too.
There is a new track, 'Artimisia' by Avina Vishnu on their Bandcamp. They are really going back to nature with this project.
Albert van Abbe is releasing a very special four track EP of Heinrich Mueller remixes he has commissioned in the past, including one exclusive mix. You can get it on digital or as a one-off acetate dubplate. The artwork is by Erwin Thomasse. You can listen to the unreleased remix on Bandcamp too (pre-order now, out on 19th Oct).
Andrea Benedetti has made an excellent new James Stinson tribute mix for Italy's Radio Raheen.
A 30 minute Gerald Donald video tribute mix I found. The camera angle is right about the decks and mixer, good stuff. Deal With It No. 3 by DJ Tabi aka Olivia Xhignesse.
Drexciya are included in this exhibition in Italy from September 30, 2023 – February 25, 2024. Full details here.
I found this text on Tresor Berlin's old website back in 2004 via the Wayback Machine. Interesting to note how important 'Positron Island' was to the beginning of their relationship back in 1993.
'The first sightings of this nebulous Detroit Techno/Electro outfit began during 1991, forming close liaisons with Underground Resistance and Submerge. "Staying low and staying true", each instalment of the mighty Drexciya discography narrates fantastic accounts of conflict and survival in the dark depths of unwritten history chapters; tales of ...yesternow. Swimming with stories of `aquatic funk bombs and `Darthouven Fish Men, Drexciyan philosophy, technology and time travel are very real aspects and vital parts to the project.Recording mainly within the UR, Submerge, Shockwave triumverate, Drexciyan outings with labels outside of Detroit have been rare with the exception of one-offs for Warp and Rephlex. Tresor established contact with Drexciya in 1993 via UR with the release of "Deep Detroit Vol. 2: Magic Tracks Compiled by Juan Atkins" featuring Drexciya´s "Positron Island"; the track which for many European youth would become anthemic, sonically defining the magic that is Detroit. Within the then revolutionary climates found in united Germany and other Eastern European countries finding themselves anew, Drexciya was the sound of originality; music for change and identity. Armed with freestyle Electro, Techno and Funk, Drexciya defies categorization and sounds like ...`Drexciya'.'
One of my readers very kindly shared a photo of the new cover artwork for Tresor Berlin's recent Drexciya reissues. If any of you are visiting there soon it can be found outside Tresor's club. You can also just about make out a James Stinson quote underneath, "An infinite journey to inner space within". It comes from the Liz Copeland interview on Detroit Public Radio in 2002. The sentence was in response to being asked to describe the theme of Drexciya; in full he said, “An infinite journey to inner space, within, and find out the beauty that’s inside and bring it out."
‘A date for your diaries. A unique central London Drexciya event is soon to be announced for Friday 3rd November’. I have been allowed to share this much and while this event is happening outside of the Drexciya Day period, I thought it belonged here, more info soon. EDIT: It will be Dopplereffekt live with special guests at the British Library, full details here.
There will be a Drexciya Day event in Rome on Sat 2nd September, I will put up a link when I have it but for now they say this. 'This time for the annual meeting we have been doing since 2017 to remember the disappearance of James Stinson/Drexciya we change space and from Spin with Fabrizio Rega we move to Forte Antenna. At the time it was 15 years old and every year it seems more for the depth of the music that has left us, one of the greatest expressions of Techno Detroit has given us and that today seems even more unreachable. Forte Antenne has given us the opportunity to celebrate it in the Forte Court from 19.00 to 5.00. Paolo Monti aka T/Error, Alessio Qu Er Vernuccio aka Akkaelle, Bob Arctor and the Giano Electronics crew will be there. If you’re in the area come on by! More info soon.'
Clone Records have announced the reissue of Grava 4, Jack Peoples EP, Abstract Thought EP and the Transllusion EP for the first week of September, bang in the middle of the Drexciya Day period.
The 21st anniversary of James Stinson's death will be in about six weeks time, 3rd September. Since 2017 fans around the world have been celebrating his music on or around this date on what has become known as 'Drexciya Day'.
As ever there is no pressure from DRL as this concept originally happened spontaneously and I simply remind people about it and promote whatever anyone feels like doing that year. Previously fans have organised DJ nights, radio shows and online events. The former have ranged from a small get together in a bar or café to larger events.
If anyone wants to organise something please let me know and I will be very happy to share it at the top of this post and on the DRL FB page. Email or contact me through the DRL FB page with an FB event link or whatever. Please use #drexciyaday2023 for your events.
Thanks