Orbital Video Diary Documents Making Of New Album (2011) :: Video

Orbital
P&P share making of new album through video diary, updates on Facebook and Twitter

The brothers Hartnoll are back in the lab working on a new album, and this time they're sharing their progress with fans through periodic YouTube video diary uploads, Facebook posts and Twitter updates.  In their first charmingly sheepish video posted back in mid-February, we are introduced to "the map", a large scribbly thing looking something like a synthesizer schematic that is said to be a visual representation of their plans for the album. The Map hangs on the wall above their workstation, and though we can't decipher much on it, it shows us how much further along the guys are in their process.  My favorite bit in this video however is the brief live performance of one of their new tracks - it's sounding great!  Though they just put out the banging double-single Don't Stop Me / The Gun Is Good in 2010, their last full length Blue Album was released way back in 2004, so needless to say I am well excited for a new one.

Orbital - Video Diary Part 1 (16 Feb 2011):


Orbital - Video Diary Part 2 (18 Feb 2011):


Orbital - Video Diary Part 3 (4 Mar 2011):


Orbital - Video Diary Part 4 (14 Mar 2011) at Valencia gig:


Orbital - Video Diary Part 5 (25 Mar 2011):


To be notified of future video diary entries:

Connect with Orbital :: YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Official Site

Ceephax Acid Crew - Electric Independence Video Interview (2011)

Ceephax Acid Crew
Electric Independence Video Interview
[Motherboard.tv :: 2011]

Jordan Redaelli of Electric Independence sat down with Ceephax in his east London studio to talk about his love for classic video game sounds, vintage synths, how he got his start, his jumper collection and a bunch more.  We even get a bit of a gear demo.  A fun and inspiring overview of Andy's musical approach and light-hearted philosophy.





(via Motherboard.tv)

Roy of the Ravers - Oriental X-Press :: Video

Roy Of The Ravers
Oriental X-Press
[The Centrifuge :: 2011]

Video

Roy Of The Ravers has a new album coming out soon called Green Irish Tweed, and judging by the first 2 tracks he's given us in the form of artistic music videos, it seems as though he is taking his sound, typically of the squelchy acid house dance floor variety, in a slower more meditative direction inspired by the pentatonic scales of the Far East.  Has Roy found enlightenment?  We won't know until more information about these tracks and his new album emerge, but I certainly feel enlightened every time I watch this captivating video for Oriental X-Press.  The animation (the source of which is still a mystery) looks vintage but unlike anything I've ever seen. It's a sparkly journey of spiritual transformation in the style of ancient folk lore, and Roy's soundtrack is nothing short of perfection.  It's unexpected, it's gorgeous, it's from another dimension and it makes me wonder what the rest of the album sounds like and what the connection might be to the Emerald Isle.  The beat kicks in around 1:55, but patience is a virtue my friend.

Here is the 2nd and only other video so far, even more downtempo than the first with a minimal intro beat reminiscent of Kraftwerk's Geiger Counter.

DJ Rephlex Records @ Analogical Force [Madrid, Spain] FEB 5th, 2011 :: Promo Video

Analogical Force
DJ Rephlex Records
w/ Pervert + Groof
[Feb 5, 2011 :: Specka, Madrid, Spain]
Event Info

Promo Video + Event Info

Here is a cool little video from the Analogical Force team promoting the DJ Rephlex Records RepHresh 2011 Tour stop at Specka in Madrid, Spain, set to Chaos A.D. 'Psultan (Squarepusher Mix)'. You might recognize some of the video clips from the Psultan music video previously seen on the old Rephlex.com website (shown below promo).



Original video from old Rephlex.com site:




Brainchops.net Recommended Live Electronic Music Events Calendar

Keona - nim nim ma :: Cousins Hang Drum Duet :: Video

Keona
nim nim má
from Cousins Hang Duet

If you are unfamiliar with the "Hang" drum, it is a Swiss-born instrument that looks like a UFO and sounds something like a cross between marimba and a steel drum.  French hang players going by the name Keona perform gorgeous, melodic duets that resonate with my inner Drukqs fan.  This video of their performance of a song called nim nim má is a captivating piece of intricately percussive acoustic IDM.  Their synchronization is impressive, as well as their dynamic playing and interesting harmonies.  I'd also recommend them to anyone who enjoys Plaid or gamelan music.  More songs and videos can be found as well as CDs for purchase by following the links under the video.

Keona - nim nim má



Buy Keona - Cousins Hang Duet (& 2 other CDs) :: Paypal

Connect with Keona :: MySpace | YouTube

More about the Hang :: Hang-Music.com

Equiloud & Leisure-B - fret_1 :: Geometric Motion Graphics Inspired by Autechre :: Video

Equiloud & Leisure-B
fret_1
[Humanworkshop :: 2010]

I just stumbled across this visually dazzling video by Germany based motion graphics artist Usselino a.k.a. EQUILOUD. that was initially inspired by the track "Vose In" by Autechre. When Equiloud's pal Leisure-B swung by for a beer, he took a peek at the video's initial render test and became inspired to compose an original soundtrack that would compliment the dynamics of the visuals even more. The below music video titled fret_1 is the result, and they really nailed it. 




Artist notes:

fret_1 was made with Cinema 4d 11.5 and its Mograph, Deformer Objects (like Explosion FX) and Particle Emitters. Also, After Effects CS4 was used for all the compositing work and some 2.5D-Animations. Inside After Effects, different Plug-Ins like Twitch and Optical Flares from videocopilot.net were also applied. Of course a whole bunch of standard Plug-Ins like Levels,Time-Remapping, Glow, Blur etc, were involved.

Usselino originally created the video based on the Autechre track "Vose In". After showing the video to Leisure, both gentlemen figured that a change of tune might not be a bad idea.

The audio work was then completely redone by using Ableton Live for the sequencing, and NI's Massive and Battery for instrumentation of the harmonies and rhythms. Stay tuned for presets of that.

Usselino:
"I personally very much appreciate geometric primitives. They have a certain perfection to them and appear very statical. So why not play around with them and make them more vivid somehow, and with that more interesting for a broader audience? How can I do it, and make other people enjoy it as well?

What i first came up with was this little piece: vimeo.com/11949589
Within a couple of months, my efforts evolved themselves into fret_1. After I met Gerrit I was hoping he could create an alternative audiotrack for it. Well, he did! And this is our cooperation´s result.
Hope you like it! (we do)."

Leisure-B:
"Even though I very much appreciate Autechre, the sound that they have and the thing that they do live on stage mainly as well, I felt that this video needed a little more than the sometimes overwhelmingly monotone style that they often bring. By taking a very "sound design" like approach to the composition, I hoped to take the feel animation one step higher. "

Detailed Making-Of-Video soon!

Connect with EQUILOUD. :: Official Site | Vimeo

Connect with Leisure-B :: Humanworkshop Artist Page | YouTube

Download MP3 :: fret_1

Download the Audio/Video Presets :: humanworkshop.com
There´s a bunch of Massive presets (and also a small *.c4d-file, covering the first 20sec. of the animation).

Autechre - Vose In (from LP5) :: YouTube | Amazon

The Rephlexeve :: Aphex Twin's New Year's Eve Party In Rome :: 2010-2011 :: Promo Video

The Rephlexeve

Live Event Info + Promo Video

Aphex Twin will be playing a special New Years Eve show at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome.

31st of December, 2010
Rome, Italy
Palazzo dei Congressi

Anyone going to this? It's going to be huge.

They even used an actual Aphex Twin song in the promo video this time! (Windowlicker)

The Lineup:

Aphex Twin
DMX Krew
DJ Rephlex Records
D'Arcangelo
Max Durante
Lory D
RSX

Palazzo dei Congressi
P.zza J.F.Kennedy, 1

Also, I cannot vouch for the authenticity of this [Italian] article, but it mentions 2 interesting points of note:

(Translated)

• [Aphex Twin] "has just separated from his wife, with whom he had married in a wedding held on the last day of the year. He then wanted to make a party in a beautiful place to forget the recurrence of this anniversary."

• "The night was also meant to be given to people with hearing problems, and as such must be fitted with the speakers that reproduce low frequencies also noticeable physically through vibration. To do this, handed out balloons are inflated, held in his hands,-will act as a buffer, allowing all the perception of sound."

Buy Tickets :: Hello Ticket | Green Ticket | Phone: 800.90.70.80

Info :: 328 34 21 474 | Official Event Website | Facebook Event Page | Warp.net Announcement

AFX "Seaside Specials" Video NOT New Aphex Twin Music

AFX Seaside Specials Video Features Music By dgoHn

Video + Free Download

Aphex Twin fan boys and girls were all aflutter today when they discovered UK promo agency Hyponik had posted a music video snippet on their website titled AFX Seaside Specials from Aphex Twin in a marketing effort to procure email addresses from parties interested in downloading the .mov file.  Though the video features the same type of visuals Aphex Twin has been using for recent live gigs (a face-detection technology that virtually pastes his infamous evil grin over the visages of random people on screen), the soundtrack to this video is a drum 'n' bass track called "Vase" by an artist named dgoHn.  The track was released November 14th, 2005 via netlabel Exegene Records as part of an EP and is available as a Free Download HERE.

For those of you not yet familiar with dgoHn's work, he has also released music on Aphex Twin's Rephlex record label.

Much like with the recent Boards of Canada - Chameleon incident, perceptive fans were instantly skeptical about the music's origins as it goes in a much different direction stylistically than the latest AFX output.  But why not use actual AFX music in the promo?  Was it to intentionally confuse and excite the masses, or was the MP3 labeled wrong?  Perhaps the tune was chosen simply because it was a good fit for the teaser, and no one took into consideration that the AFX-starved public would instantly assume it was an announcement of new material.  In any case, the unexplained date of "12 March 2011" at the end of the clip is likely a hint that Aphex Twin will be performing at Bloc Weekend festival, which takes place March 11-13, 2011.




Stream dgoHn EP including featured track "Vase":


Download the dgoHn EP :: Download Page

Connect with dgoHn :: MySpace

Download Video :: .MOV

Zen Bound :: App Game with Mellow Binaural IDM Soundtrack by Ghost Monkey :: Game

I am currently captivated by Zen Bound, a calm, meditative iPhone app/game in which you advance by attempting to completely wrap complexly shaped objects made of stone or wood with a single piece of rope.  It combines lovely 3D graphics and clever use of touchscreen technology with a serene, ambient/glitch binaural soundtrack and organic sound effects by Ghost Monkey for the win.  Particularly enjoyed via headphones.

Why is wrapping wooden objects with rope so addicting?  I dunno, it just is.



Zen Bound is currently available for Free Download in the iTunes app store to celebrate the November 16th release of Zen Bound 2, the multi-platform sequel on Steam.  You also get a Free Download of "Bound", the in-game music soundtrack as well as "Rebound", a stereo album incorporating music from Zen Bound and Zen Bound 2 when you sign up for the email newsletter via the Zen Bound Official Site.

Get Zen Bound :: iTunes App Store | Official Site

Aphex Twin - Polynomial-C & Fenix Funk 5 in "The Polynomial" :: Game

The game was most likely not named after the song, but it is a match made in IDM heaven.  (Be sure to watch in 720p.)



I could stare at this forever.



The vivid color spectrum... all those geometric vector shapes and shimmery stars... the Tron-like glow... a truly awe-inspiring combo.  The game perhaps isn't as clever and intense as Devil's Tuning Fork or wacky and disorienting as LSD: Dream Emulator, but it sure is beautiful and can be customized to your musical taste.

"The Polynomial - Space of the music is a 3D spaceflight music game with abstract, mathematically generated scenery and models which are set to the music of your choice. You fly around in a very strange universe, shoot the enemies, meet and protect the friends, collect bonuses, fly through wormholes, and so on, all while rocking zoning out to the music."

"The Polynomial - Space of the music" is based on the Steam gaming platform.  Get it here.

Gameplay videos via Beatnaut

New Orbital Single Due Out June 20th, 2010 :: Video

Direct from Loopz.co.uk (Official Orbital Website):

Legendary grandmasters of electronica, Orbital have just confirmed they will be releasing their first new material since 2004. ‘Don’t Stop Me’ and ‘The Gun is Good’ will be released on 20th June through iTunes and through all other digital retailers and as a Limited edition 12” on 27th June.

These tracks represent the signature Orbital sound, with hints of new elements, and definitely a few surprises, signifying a band still at their creative peak, 20 years since the release of their breakthrough debut single, ‘Chime’.

Release Date : 20TH JUNE 2010
DIGITAL / LIMITED EDITION 12”
Label: ACP Recordings

This is great news for all Orbital fans as we were lead to believe that the Blue Album (2004) would be their final bow-out. I suppose it would be difficult to keep playing live shows without writing anything new.

You can definitely hear the signature Orbital sound in the the track "Don't Stop Me" (video) but with newer elements as well. Though I'm on the fence regarding the vocals, I know how much P&P love the female voice so it's nothing out of the ordinary, and the rest of the production more than makes up for it. Anxious to hear the other "A-Side".

Boards of Canada - Turquoise Hexagon Sun [C64 Demo Interpretation] :: Video

Gotta' love the modulation that begins around the 0:47 mark.  Though this piece was programmed with the VICE emulator, it's beautifully done with interesting visuals. I only wish it would go on longer.

EOD Live - A Rarity (And Happening Again Friday May 21st, 2010 in London)

EOD Live
Friday, May 21, 2010
The Sonic Lab @ Cable
Bermondsey St. Tunnel
London SE1 3JW

Event Announcement
YouTube Videos of Past Performance

EOD is a talented and prolific acid composer from Norway that tends to be a bit mysterious.  The majority of his back catalog is difficult to get ahold of and his web presence is quite brief as well, yet his ability to make some of the most beautiful music ever to emanate from electronic drum machines should have had him rich and famous long ago.

Friday night, May 21st, 2010, EOD will be among the massive lineup performing at The Sonic Lab live event in London.  Electronic music heavies like Venetian Snares, Luke Vibert, Ceephax Acid Crew need no introduction, but we'd like you to pay special attention to the amazing artists presented by The Centrifuge collective.  EOD, Mrs Jynx, Gareth Clarke, Oxynucid and more will be taking the stage at some point during the night and are sure to blow your minds.  EOD's MySpace page shows a performance time of 1:30am-3:00am.  Tickets will be £15 @ the door before midnight and £18 after.  Event webpage: http://www.thecentrifuge.co.uk/_wp/2010/04/ldn-2105-the-sonic-lab-cable/


As this post is about EOD, I'd like to share with you a live set he performed at the end of last year.  If you don't mind the low bustle and hum of club goers having a great time, this 5-part video playlist is a great listen.

VIDEO: EOD Live @ 030303 Party - Ekko, Utrecht












EOD :: Official Website | MySpace | Twitter

Aphex Twin DJs Unreleased Material On Tour - New Album Soon?

YouTuber McGregor57 has posted footage from Aphex Twin's May 15, 2010 gig in France and fans have noticed that they include new, unreleased material.

Pitchfork reports that Warp has confirmed "Richard himself says his sets are full of unreleased tunes."

Fans have already been speculating that the current tour might precede a new album release, and this new material is just fueling the fanboy/girl fire.  We can only hope, and enjoy the clips for now. Visit McGregor57's YouTube channel for more videos from Aphex Twin's gig at the Pompidou or see related videos.




Audio Only (.zip)

Read full article @ Pitchfork

YouTube Drummer Performs Rushup I Bank 12 by The Tuss :: Video

YouTuber iutri nails it with a smooth and effortless style. Some great snare and hi-hat work in there. He's got Brainchops!

Goto80 - "Breakfast" :: Video

Here is a cool video by the C-MEN for Goto80's single "Breakfast". It's a funky little chiptune with a catchy hook, and visuals that will either scare the crap out of you out or make you hungry. As for me, I'm starving.

Buy Goto80 - Breakfast [Maxi Single] :: Amazon

Goto80

The C-MEN

BLEEPSTREET Records

H.P. Sneakstep - The Swarm (2010) :: Review

H.P. Sneakstep
The Swarm
[Karakasa Music :: 2010]
Free Download

9.5/10

Just this morning, Dr. H.P. Sneakstep released "The Swarm" - a 6-track concept E.P. complete with track-by-track cover art and a music video.



Here is a brief transmission from the Dr.'s institution:

"Today in class, Dr. Sneakstep is taking his students onto an audio and visual journey, depicting his personal history with insects and the world they occupy. This particular adventure took place over the course of 2000-2009, during his periodic infested sabbaticals to the jungle."

I downloaded it immediately and have been listening to it on repeat all day.  Shit's massive!  Dark, disorienting and steppy.  It opens up with what sounds like faint crickets and clusters of winged insects swooshing past you, only you can't see them because it's pitch black and you're standing in the heart of a dense jungle.  The track is erratic, bassy, kind of creepy, and infested with bug-like ticks, pops, and clicks.  The tone is set and continues with track 2, another heavy piece with a dark ambiance.  Track 3 "Blotto" is one of my favorites with it's bigstep bassline, a steady snare and screechy glitches.  At this point I feel a sort of FSOL "Dead Cities" vs. Two Lone Swordsmen "Tiny Reminders" vibe but darker, more modern, more dancey, and peppered with Autechre-like sound cultivations. The second half of these sonic explorations get pretty mental with track 4, suspenseful with track 5,  and wrap up with a 7m 18s final track injected with chiptune-ish sounds and an upbeat tempo that makes me visualize a never-ending army of ants marching in unison toward an enemy camp.  I'm amazed at how 6 different tracks reportedly made at different times using different sound sets can maintain such thematic cohesion.  Don't miss out - grab "The Swarm" asap and listen to it LOUD.

H.P. Sneakstep - The Swarm
[Karakasa Music :: 2010]
6 tracks



FREE DOWNLOAD + STREAM


"Dark Locust" (track 1) Music Video



H.P. Sneakstep :: Facebook | MySpace | SoundCloud

The Tuss - Rushup Edge (2007) :: Review

The Tuss
Rushup Edge
[Rephlex :: 2007]

10/10

Hello and welcome to Brainchops :: The Braindance Blog.  Though I started this blog to explore and share some lesser known braindance / IDM / acid / chiptune artists and releases, I thought it only fitting that my first post be on the man who single-handedly championed the Braindance genre: Mr. Richard D. James aka Aphex Twin.  He needs no introduction as anyone reading this blog is here because they are familiar the Rephlex Records catalog and are hungry for more.  But I'd like start this off on a solid foundation and discuss the release "Rushup Edge" by The Tuss.  It hasn't been officially confirmed by Rephlex or RDJ that The Tuss is in fact RDJ, but anyone familiar with his legacy is 99.9999% sure that The Tuss' alleged members "Brian and Karen Tregaskin" are actually him. Other evidence can be found where The Tuss tracks are credited to RDJ in both the BMI Repetoire catalog and on IMDb, but do we really need further proof?  Draw your own conclusions by all means, but I am a believer.

Consequently at the time of this posting, The Tuss - Rushup Edge [Rephlex CAT 189] is the latest output we've received from Mr. Richard D. James, and though it is nothing short of a perfect electronic music album, I have to admit it only quenched my thirst for a short time.  I can't tell if it's because it only contains 6 tracks, if his new direction is less satisfying for the long term, or if I've become spoiled with his back catalog and will never be rid of the insatiable hunger for more classic Aphex Twin.  Rushup Edge for me is an amalgamation of the different techniques Mr. James has explored over the years, a stew of AFX Acid, Aphex Twin odd wizardry, Richard D. James melody, and Caustic Window harshness, all seeping into our ears and bubbling over our brains.  Synthacon 9 starts the album off with some dirty acid, haunting pads, worky bass lines and synth leads, as well as vocoded lyrics that start about halfway through.  Absorbing this track for the first time I made an instant association with his Analord series, but much more expanded, creeping over the lines of his other styles.  In any case, he keeps the track going from start to finish with fast paced, intertwining patterns that appeal to both the brain and the feet.  Last Rushup 10 is next, a bit more downtempo and contains thoughtful melody progressions featuring some very Aphex Twin sounds.  (The apparent use of the coveted GX-1 is yet another clue leading fans to believe The Tuss is in fact Richard D. James, as he is one of the few owners of this rare synth.)  The album closes with Goodbye Rute, a very Aphexy, walking-paced meanderer with the perfect mix of resonant bass, bubbly pops, clicks, and pads both crunchy and soothing.  The last few seconds dwindle down to a mellow bassline and the ambient reverb of a sound that once was, which eases you into the following silence like a gentleman.

The meat and potatoes of this release contains some excellent sound wankery, brainy beats, and bedeviling bassline / lead combos guaranteed to give you Sequoia wood and then knock you out.  But like most fans, after a few years of clinging to this album, I am anxious for the next thing to come.  Until then, I continue to explore the underground scene of music makers scattered across the globe, and here is where I will report my findings.

Unofficial video for The Tuss - Rushup I Bank 12


The Tuss - Rushup Edge :: Stream entire album + buy @ Rephlex | CDs @ Amazon