Analogue Solutions / Regis / Skudge

Just bombed up the new RA chart for the month, loads of notable mentions in there including the double-sided track from Cobblestone Jazz, Dark Sky and the new drop on Cratesavers International (a four track compilation 12″ worth picking it up sooner rather than later), but there’s a handful of joints on the darker side of electronic music that are downright inspiring.

 

Analogue Solutions has now been named as the project / label / alias of Eduardo De La Calle, though unconfirmed if he’s been responsible for everything released to date. Back in January, the Analogue Solutions label started releasing unnamed edits of tracks reimagined and reversioned as DJ tools, using sampled hooks and parts from classic techno tracks. We’re talking proper flip-ups, not just changing a few things here and there, released in limited amounts, wax only. Nice video below where he talks about 2010 release Vasudeva’s Worker EP, ancient languages and not using midi to work among other things. Interesting cat no doubt, though not entirely sure what the connection is to Underground Resistance, though I would be interested in sporting their new range of vehicles.

I just got around to checking out ASR007 which is the first in the series to be credited in any way, and the one to name Eduardo as the man behind the project. Two Carl Craig tunes (one track under Carl Craig and another from his Paperclip People alias) get worked in here, as does Mathew Jonson, though not sure what the first cut is just yet. Check out the track Food and Revolutionary Sampler below.

ASR007 – B1 Food and revolutionary sampler (Colored Vinyl..) by EduardoDeLaCalle

 

As far as music that is art goes Regis is an absolute don. I’ve followed his movements for a while including the relatively recent Sandwell District releases and his own Downwards imprint, but his new drop on Blackest Ever Black is arguably his finest work to date. In A Syrian Tongue compromises of a live remix and the original of Blood Witness as well as a separate joint Blind Horses, making for a well rounded and completed record. Dark, eclectic, electronic work, with a tempo and tribal drums to play out on a good system for the heads-down massive. One of the records of the year so far, though they’ve only given us the short clips below to bomb around, but it’s linked to the record samples above.

 

It’s been said before, but seriously, everything Skudge does is good. Not just “throw in the box and play everywhere” good, but also “take it to the best monitor’s you can play and play loud” good. The sounds they get and the way they structure them take time, and I’ve no idea how they do it on the regular. Something about the way they can make a track sound stripped down and incredibly complex mixed with the way their four-four bumps puts the Swedish duo firmly on top of the list of active techno producers. Two original tracks then backed by a Conforce remix, big plate, released on Echocord Colour.

Incidentally, for those that missed it there’s a cool diagram-based article on Skudge from a few months back here: http://www.residentadvisor.net/feature.aspx?1321