After approximately 4 years of doing mixes we will shortly be bringing them to an end. It is time. When we did our first mix with Bvdub in April 2008, we announced our intentions in the following terms:
"What we are trying to do is to showcase artists that are really exciting and interesting us. The point is not just to slap a mix up, but for this series (like the blog as a whole) to be a medium for promoting DJs and producers that we feel people should be listening to. The mandate we've given to those that have agreed to do a mix is simply to express themselves and their music: to use the mix to tell us who they are and what they are about."
We identified two things we hoped to do: (1) introduce new sounds and names, and (2) present mixes that have a timeless quality to them.
On the whole, we feel that we have managed to stay true to our original intentions. We certainly exceeded all our expectations with what we hoped to do with the mixes. During this time we have been incredibly lucky to present a diverse array of interesting, exciting and high quality mixes across a relatively wide spectrum of music. We have been very fortunate to have contributors that have constantly put in considerable time, effort, love and care into creating special, lasting mixes. We have also benefited greatly from an audience that has trusted our judgment, and has been willing to follow us in the different directions we have gone with the mixes. And none of this would have been possible - at least in the way it took shape - without the ongoing support of official.fm. We have been working with official.fm almost since the beginning, and they have helped us tremendously. In that time, our mixes have - in total - been downloaded more than 592,000 times (according to official.fm stats). For us this is a really amazing figure... We are incredibly grateful for official.fm's unwavering support and provision of an excellent service that has allowed us to share all of these mixes with you. We wish them the best of luck with the launch of their new platform. While we will be finishing the mixes, we plan to keep the archive online and encourage you to revisit the diverse range of mixes we have had over the years. We stand by all of the mixes we have presented, and we hope that collectively they might serve as a worthy document and resource that reflects one interpretation of electronic music between 2008 - 2012.
In the coming 2-3 weeks we will be presenting a series of final mixes from a number of old and new contributors. Each mix - and the person that made it - we feel talks in important ways to what we have tried to do with the mixes we have hosted on mnml ssgs, and where we think electronic music is - and crucially - should be headed. Normally we space the timing of our mixes out a bit more, but these will be presented in relatively short succession. We strongly encourage you to spend time with these final mixes. Each deserve considerable attention, and all reward multiple listens. We leave them as the final statement of what we have tried to do with the mixes we have presented on mnml ssgs.
We would like to again express our deepest thanks to all the artists that have contributed mixes over the years, and to all of you for listening. We will post the first of the final mixes in the coming days.
PC and Chris
Wow, I'll be sorry and saddened when you stop; however I think it's understandable.
ReplyDeleteI've been with you guys almost from the very beginning. You were there and were the narrative of my exploration into electronic music. You charted and captured those brilliant, and exciting years that happened a few years back when possibility abounded. In fact you are evidence that they occurred, and have perhaps now departed. When the mix series ended, I felt a loss. Which is why I can understand your choice.
Thank you.
Despite the deluge of mix podcasts, the absence of this one will definitely be felt. I don't think there's another site out there presenting carefully-curated boundary-pushing techno. Bravo.
ReplyDeleteSvreca?
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ReplyDeleteEnd of an era. I've thoroughly enjoyed the mixes these past years. Most podcasts and mix series are disposable, but I've never deleted a mnmlssg mix. What you guys have done is truly special.
ReplyDeleteSad to read that you guys are ending the series but thanks so much for bringing the various sounds to my ears over the last few years.
ReplyDeleteI'll still be listening to many of the ssgs mixes long into the future. They will be the perfect soundtrack for when I'm retired and sitting in my armchair with a small glass of whiskey and a good book in my hands.
Bravo.
xx
Whats the point? Why stop if the mixes was getting you the most readers? Dont get me wrong, i love reading stuff you write, but stop something which was the main thing, kinda sad really..
ReplyDeleteWhats wrong with situation right now? You just ask some people around and if they have a mix that you want to share, just share.. Why stop it and then regret you cant put something up because you said you wont..
I dont really grasp the concept here.. Unless you stop with music altogether..
Rokas,
ReplyDeleteI don´t want to speak for PC and/or Chris, but personally, I understand this decision
They feel that they achieved what they set out to do, and they prefer to go out on top.
The scenario in 2012, as to what regards podcasts, live streams, online mixes of all sorts and in all kinds of platforms, is quite different than when they started doing this. I´d venture to say, it´s excessive, in "dance music" in general and of course, house and techno in particular. Now, the type of artists showcased here in the past, have many outlets for exposure; and the lovers/listeners, many different resources to turn to to get their fix.
Finally, I get the feeling they aren´t as excited about techno as they were.
When I put all of this together, not only does it make perfect sense, I would also probably do something similar (assuming I am at least partly correct as to why this is being done).
I can only say a massive THANK YOU to mnml ssgs and all the contributing artists, for all the music I´ve discovered, enjoyed and fell in love with because of what they showcased here. Even when taking risks going outside techno, I took risks with them, and 9/10 times, it paid off and my horizons were expanded.
Cheers guys!
I feel two ways about this news. The first is that i'm truly saddened by it. I've been reading (and listening to) ssgs since the beginning and over these years the music presented in the mixes has had a huge influence on me and my taste.
ReplyDeleteI can think of numerous 'breakthroughs' i've had musically as a result of listening to these mixes and it has always been a comfort to know that sounds I may not be aware of yet were coming soon to a post near me (and you), so naturally the selfish part of me feels sad to hear that this is coming to an end.
I do however completely understand, and paradoxically approve of the decision. The thing I first reacted to about this blog was the lack of presentational journalism, hype or the sense that it existed for the sake of existing. One of the things I love about Electronic Music is that there is a kind of self-governed culture; perhaps not unlike the peer review system of Academia, that encourages evolution. There's very few (or at least fewer) examples of Rolling Stones type figures being wheeled on stage to perform at their 50th greatest hits tour, lauding the same old formulas or resting on a celebrated nostalgia for achievements made 30 years ago (please note I have no problem with reverence for the past, its important that we value Krafwerk, just as long as the past is not the only thing we value - or immitate).
Fans of this music and artists alike are interested in pushing things forward (or at least trying to) and this blog has been a huge exponent of this attitude. Some people were confused by the move toward the drone/tape/electronica type stuff and away from 'dancefloor techno' as if the blog was explicitly involved in promoting the latter from it's inception. In my opinion it's always been about promoting sounds and artists who doing something new, something interesting.
For me there are a lot of parrallels between the approach of mnml ssgs and what is good about Electronic Music and its cultures. With this in mind I completely understand and respect their decision to put the mixes to an end if they feel they no longer serve a purpose or have a place. The mix series as it stands is a phenomenal archive of work and who knows if this would be the case if it had continued for another 10 years - the chances are it wouldn't be.
After having had the privellage of being spoon-fed this level of new and interesting music for so long I see the end of the mixes as a challenge to maintain this quality of exploration through my own devices - and I embrace it.
Maybe something else that is good and doesn't currently exist will come of this, i'm excited for whatever it is. All I can say is THANK YOU and good luck.
What a pity. Is this the end of the sessions at Orbit as well?
ReplyDeletethanks for the kind words.
ReplyDelete@ Lindsay: this post is just about the mix series. so yes, definitely there will be more sessions at orbit. the next sound garden is on sunday 22 july.
It's NEVER quite what you want with ssgs, is it Rokas?
ReplyDeleteMany people will look back on the mixes put up here with very fond memories. I first came to these mixes auspiciously in the form of Donato Dozzy's 2008 Labyrinth set. From there, Ancient Methods, Silent Servant, Panabrite, etc followed. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteLook forward to what comes next, lads.
Not so much suprised about this decision. If the mixes serie has continue you could find the risk to be repetitive and then maybe forget the original roots of the project.
ReplyDeleteMusic change, party and people continue to grow up in a strange way but i'm definitly sure that all your works about ssgs and friends could be a really good base to encourage the rest ofr promoting and support other artist who 'll come.
I mean it's really not easy decision to stop a journey but i feel like most of what u could do has been did.
TIP for all trippy and fantastic mixes, they 'll stay for long time as a reference about creative electronic music and done honestly with respect.
Best
Thanks for the hard work guys.
ReplyDeleteHearing some of the earlier sets from this site got me back listening to music after a few years in the wilderness.
It's cool to think back some of the sets and the different approaches to music, and how they've all influenced my current tastes in different ways.
f*cked up, funked up, finished, fanks
ReplyDeleteSo long and thanks for all the mix.
ReplyDeleteThere have been so many standout mixes and artists featured... the effect you guys have had on my listening tastes over the last four years has been huge, although I hope that will continue to be the case as that's not completely a result of the mix series itself. Whilst I'm sad in one sense, I'm goddamn excited about what's to come over the next few weeks. Thanks for the hours of listening pleasure.
ReplyDeletePS I'm hoping for another beasting Ancient Methods mix as part of the farewell, they're still up there in my favorites.
Thank you for opening our minds to a whole new world of sounds and a whole culture of like-minded people.
ReplyDeleteyes there are many other podcasts, but what really shaped me as a dj and a listener was mnmlssgs...
ReplyDeletethanks alot for everything! i hope there will still be a niche for some mixes in the future, something special that you always presented and just simply could not be found anywhere else!
I really can't imagine life without Chris and PC curating music for me! But like the tone of the blog the whole time, this was for the music and not for money or fame, then there is no point sustaining it if you have achieved what you set out to do.
ReplyDeleteThis has been the best curated techno blog in the world for many years. RA and others have had to keep up, and a better because you found the music before they did.
Your honesty and sharp intellect was so refreshing and very seldom found in the techno world. You both put some challenging views out there, many couldn't handle it, but I think we all were forced to reflect on what we were listening to (and how) and are too better for it.
You should be so proud.
Mnml.ssgs is one of maybe 2 or 3 websites I came back to consistently, simply because your skill in curation was unmatched. I've always likened this space more to a gallery of performance art than anything else. I would download mixes of artists I had never even heard of, simply because I trusted the opinions that uploaded them. Incredibly sad to see the end of the mixes. Please do not dispense with musical content completely. I enjoy your writing...just not as much as the music.
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