back to basics

since i was first introduced to the sounds of basic channel and the related projects surrounding it, i don't think there is any sound that has influenced me more greatly. and despite a tendency of mine to use and abuse music, where i am always looking for a new hit, the creations of moritz von oswald, mark ernestus and their close collaborators are ones that i never stop returning to. i know i am hardly alone in this regard. their music is truly timeless. its breadth, depth and general goodness never cease to amaze me.

something i've often struggled with is the most basic issue of defining what exactly the music i listen to is. what is techno? for me, the best i have managed is that it is more of an ethos, or an aesthetic, than something strictly definable. i am highly sceptical of definitions in general, and especially ones that serve to limit and exclude. where does this relate to basic channel? well, i guess for me they have always been - and remain - perhaps the purest, and best representation of what techno is to me. their music really embodies the very essence of those indefinables that lead me to listen to these sounds day after day, after day...

this is all a very long prelude to a special treat that has just appeared. a rare live recording of the mighty moritz. here is a recent live workout with regular collaborator tikiman (keep track for how many times he uses the word 'massive'. it is a truly massive amount).

mortiz von oswald with tikiman @ shanti, moscow 11.04.08

respect to the basic channel massive. massive respect.