Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Ssg Special - Ancient Methods 'Some Strings Attached'


Occasionally a mix comes along which re-defines what you think is possible within a style of music. In my view, what you are about to hear is that mix for techno in 2011. It makes almost everything ‘techno’ I’ve heard this year sound a bit lame, emaciated, and rote. In fact, it’s so powerful, I’m scared of it: I have to handle it with care, respect. As if my puny human arms can barely lift this warrior God hammer... indeed, it's many times more powerful than their previous mixes for us (ssg mx 26, handmade blend mix) building on their already unique style, which was aptly called 'pitch black techno war funk'. It's also more subtle: this mix totally hammers, but it never pummels or resorts to 'bangin' it out'. There's a beauty in the power, a swing in that hammer. It's martial, yes, but it's also very artful.

Most of the time, mixes are our accompanists: for commuting, for desk work, for the gym. Or perhaps, like the commercial '04 electrohouse fan who lived above me in Paris, for noisy lovemaking. Fine, we all need accompanists. I dare you to make love to this mix. On a third date. Or try commuting. This is not ‘another mix’, or your faithful servant. It demands you submit to it. It’s ssgs fourth birthday this week, so the original plan was to offer this mix to ourselves and you people as a gift... but I ended up having to offer myself to it, as a sacrifice, to bless the impending intergalactic warfare. If there’s a great big dancefloor in Valhalla (can you imagine the system?!), this is the music the warrior Gods dance to... both before they destroy their transdimensional demonic robot enemies, and in celebration when they have vanquished them.

Ssg Special - Ancient Methods 'Some Strings Attached'



After placing our hearts back in our chest cavity post sacrifice, we decided to offer the mix to Disk Union, who’ve agreed to make it the next in our ongoing series of collaborative CD-Rs.‘A Few Strings Attached’ is now all set to follow in the fine footsteps of other classic mixes by the artists we’ve been so proud to present over the past four years: Dozzy, Cio D'Or + Dozzy, Steffi, Peter van Hoesen, SCB and Marcel Fengler. If you’re in Tokyo over the next few months, don’t forget to keep an eye out for it. If you’re not, well then: here, my dear. For old fans and new converts, Ancient Methods also have a new EP, Ancient Methods 6, coming out in late January. If you haven’t let the five published so far bend and pierce your ears, you should.

Shamanic tradition teaches us of power animals; Ancient Methods’ power animal... is techno. Are you ready for full power? It's time to submit...

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31 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. the most over-the-top explanation of any mix ever. the mix is better up for it, lol.

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  3. @ Aditya: sometimes, when you go into battle, the only way to go in is - over the top!

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  4. I must say that the description is getting pretty close to Boomkat territory... But it is hard not to get excited when listening and/or writing about this mix.

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  5. Exactly what I needed these days. Thanks a lot and happy birthday !

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  6. i somehow felt it would be AM that was special gift! thanks alot, cant wait to listen!

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  7. so when i got to the 20 minute mark i realised this mix isn't really conducive to work productivity.

    will wait til i get home.

    feels like i should be drinking some hard liquor while listening.

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  8. OMG!! Makai - Beneath The Mask in the mix! :))

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  9. Finally some real techno again on mnmlssg... yes!

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  10. F*CKING BAM!!! TECHNO ISNT DEAD.

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  11. Had my mind totally blown by them (or one of them anyway) in London recently.

    Just in case you are reading this Mr Methods, I was the (only) guy in the shirt at the back dancing, more and more vigorously/messily as our time together went all elapsed: Did that really happen or was it all in my head?

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  12. fucking nora.
    i had a few jobs to do around the house so i put this on in the background.
    now my family are dead and the walls are painted with their blood.
    thanks a bunch lads. well worth the 30 years i'm going to spend in pokey off the back of this caper.

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  14. I generally just wanted to see terrible things happen to people while I listened to this mix, unfortunately nothing did. There's always next time. :)

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  15. ridiculously huge whilst still containing a vital, hip shaking wiggle amongst the stomping. it's a cracker.

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  16. i think i am on my 7/8th round of this. still as good, probably better. thanks a lot for posting!!

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  17. Never, EVER thought I would hear a sample of Kenji Kawai's seminal work on the Ghost in the Shell OST used in a *Serious Techno* mix. Must say, it really works. Along with a number of other moments during the mix, every hair on the back of my neck stood straight up when I heard the first note of the choir.

    Good. Ness. What an incredible, exhilirating mix this is. I would expect nothing less from ssgs/AM. Many thanks.

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  18. very good D: some serious "oh sh*t" factor with this mix.

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  19. Nice. All those string loops like strings from the 90's, leftfield, fluke, reload.

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  20. @ Matthew: Pretty sure this is where the Ghost In The Shell bit comes from http://www.discogs.com/We-Can-Do-It-Der-Geist-In-Der-Muschel/release/1008863

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  21. Wow with the review and the following comments, this mix is gonna have some serious standards to live up to!

    Looking forward to giving it a whirl :)

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  22. OK, so this is perhaps the most awesome mix I've heard all year. This is what it's all about.

    Bravo mnml ssgs. Bravo Ancient Methods! Take a bow lads.

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  23. well. its finally happened! iv lost my mind! ~for the best

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  24. anyone know who is responsible for Ancient Methods artwork?

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  25. The treadmill broke down so I ended up going out for a 6km run in the dark listening to this.. It felt SO GOOD. I sprinted the last few hundred metres up the hill punching my fists in the air and going "WOOOAAARRGHHH!". Sorry neighbours. Last time I experienced a mix like this was the Casual Violence set recorded at Detatched a few years ago, but I think this is even better. Cheers for putting this set out there guys. Restored my faith. The machines love you.

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  26. Brilliant mix. More like this in the new year!

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