Friday, March 21, 2008

all that glimmers...

in an earlier post about people to keep an eye on in 2008, one name i put forward was cio d'or. while i haven't heard that many of her productions, the few dj sets i've managed to find have all been bang on. my feeling that there is something special about this woman has been further confirmed by a new mix which has appeared on the excellent modyfier blog. for those who haven't come across modyfier yet, each episode consists of a mix and an explanation by the dj on the thinking and intent behind the mix (kind of similar to what pete did in his last post). this is a really unique and worthwhile way of presenting the music. so big respect to modyfier. and double respect for getting cio d'or to contribute the latest mix. definitely make sure to head over to modyfier and read cio d'or's explanation for how she constructs mixes and what she tries to do with them. while you are there, have a look through the impressive archive of previous episodes.

this modyfier mix from cio d'or has really grabbed me, largely as it has the same basic elements which have attracted me to her previous mixes. the structuring and programming is spot on, and through the records and her mixing she creates a certain sense of space which really appeals to my aesthetic. anyway, i could keep trying to explain her sound, but it would be much easier and more enjoyable (for all of us), if you just download the mix and give it a good listen.

cio d'or - process part 069 (polarlicht 22)

01. planetary assault system - the dream [peacefrog]
02. planetary assault system - the electric funk machine [peacefrog]
03. m.parker/d.dozzy - excavations [donato dozzy records]
04. riley reinhold - lights in my eyes [mbf]
05. function isolation - isotope [sandwell district]
06. d.dozzy/m.parker - excavations [donato dozzy records]
07. imek - elirios [apnea]
08. max cavalerra - der weg zur sonne [karmarouge]
09. mike parker - light&dark part 4 [ld004]
10. minilogue - space ep [traum]
11. dj galax - ruido & colorismo [cara]
12. jens zimmermann - blub [international freakshow]
13. cio d´or - psst! [motoguzzi]
14. marc romboy vs. stephan bodzin - puck [herzblut]
15. planetary assault system - the dream [peacefrog]

15 comments:

  1. it's good to see mike parker featured three time on this mix. i saw him dj at a small techno party in st.louis over seven years ago and he totally blew my fucking brains out. it was the most memorable experience i've ever had with electronic music--real deep n' dark, twisted snake-charmer voodoo techno

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  2. to be honest, i'd never heard of mike parker before this mix. after listening, i did make the effort to find out more. anyone associated with donato dozzy seems to be top quality. will keep an eye out for parker...

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  3. Great mix, Cio!

    I didn't know you were a trance fan, Chris ;)

    -Jeremy

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  4. what do you mean jeremy? surely you don't think this set of cio's is trance, do you? (or are you talking about dozzy?)

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  5. Yeah, I always think of this deep hynotic shit as trance. if it's about the pads, melody, repetitive loopy basses, slight sci-fi vibes, i call it trance. in the original sense of the word. I realise it's supposed to be called deep techno but i like to distinguish between this and actual techno, eg the berghain stuff, etc. it's a style which can easily acommodate more accessible trance-ish stuff like minilogue or bodzin (which you wouldn't hear many techno DJs play), as well as techno records on Sakho, etc,

    so it's a bit of wish-fulfillment

    the only problem is that hardly any DJs seem to play or produce this style: you've got Dozzy, Cio D'or...who else? I can't be listening to that Paul Van Dyk shit

    -jeremy

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  6. Something rotten happened to trance in the mid 90s, and it was never the same. But listen to the old stuff – old Speedy J, Air Liquide etc – and there were some really interesting directions... maybe (Chris) we should post that old M Mayer set from 2002? That's 'good trance' if you ask me.

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  7. fair point jeremy. i dont mind the earlier understanding/version of trance. i am a sucker for the deep hypnotic stuff now and then. dozzy's sound is especially nice - i'd put him more in this category than cio.

    and pete is spot on - something went wrong since the halcyon (and on and on) days of (tech)trance. what is really interesting is the that around 2005-06, the whole neo-trance sound looked like it was throwing back to that early tech-trance sound. but most of it never really ended up doing that. the whole neotrance movement has ended up being a bit of a disappointing dead end in my books...

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  8. Yeah, what ever happened to Holden & Border Community? He had all his ducks lined up on 2005, and then... ?

    Then they released Misstress Barbara records is what... nah, but Holden had such a great platform, and he's squandered it now. Was it the haircut wot dunnit? He just never made his transition, did he? The idiots won, I suppose.

    For feek's sake, I interviewed a Goa Trance DJ the other week, and now the psy heads are into Border Community - abort, abort!

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  9. well i cant say i am too worried about border community screwing up their little zeitgiest. i never had any/much time for holden and the community. always just a little bit too close to stinky trance for my liking. but they did definitely blow their chance.

    but the neo-trance movement was/is bigger than border community. i was thinking more specifically of kompakt. remember MFA's 'the difference it makes'? that kind of stuff. it never really panned out. instead you get stink like the field...

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  10. and this is the michael mayer set that was mentioned:

    Michael Mayer @ Love Family Park 2002 (Mainwiesen Hanau, 07/07/02)

    http://www.megaupload.com/de/?d=GANHB0GF

    Tracklist:
    01.[00:00] Polmo Polpo - Acqua (Slight Return) [Lautmaschine EP001]
    02.[01:33] Morgan Geist - Smear (The Connection Machine Remix) [Environ - ENV 001]
    03.[06:45] Air Liquide - If There Was No Gravity [Rising High Records - RSN 79]
    04.[14:15] Funktaxi - B-Vision [Electrocord - ER 700]
    05.[17:03] Connective Zone - Function [Unxplored Beats - UXB 006]
    06.[21:56] Losoul - Sunbeams And The Rain [Playhouse - PLAY 40]
    07.[27:18] Superpitcher - Don't Think Too Much [Kompakt - KOM 35]
    08.[33:53] Sasha - A Key To Heaven For A Heavenly Trance (Night Dubbing Mix) [UDRGRND 424]
    09.[39:09] 42 Cows In Town - Coffeeshop People (Orlando Careca Coffee Dub Mix) [66 Degrees - 66D02]
    10.[44:29] Klubfilter - Illumination (In The Garden Of Love) [Royal Flush Records - RF 018]
    11.[49:31] Gus Gus - Anthem [4AD - GUS15]
    12.[58:29] Underground Resistance - The Illuminator [Mad Mike Music BMI - UR-033]
    13.[69:51] Aril Brikha - Aqua [Transmat Records - MS25]
    14.[77:02] Mathew Jonson - Magic Through Music [Itiswhatitis Recordings - IIWII007]
    15.[80:44] Swayzak - Ikea [!K7Records - !K7 128 EP]
    16.[85:30] Dennis DeSantis - Promotion Of Vice (Alexander Kowalski Remix) [K2 O Records - K2O-18]

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  11. Yeah, I'm not mourning the loss, I'm noting the passing. What'd be interesting is to note the bandwagon& backlash of the whole thing, kind of a 'where are they now'...

    Did anyone listen to Fairmont's recent album?

    What about Nathan Fake? Is he keeping it real?

    And James, is he Holden on?

    Or the MFA and the indifference it makes?

    Anyone heard this?

    http://www.discogs.com/release/1272741

    What's interesting is where the 'harmonic mixing' proggers have gone... where are you, proggers? Dreaming of whooshy noises and mixing dishwater (in key)?

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  12. First time reader here... chinstroking.com sent me this way. Downloading your mix right now and looking forward to become more versed in techno music.

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  13. life's a beat - welcome. we try and post what we think are really worthwhile and interesting mixes here, so definitely stay tuned. this cio d'or mix is fantastic. hope you like it. (ah, i should clarify it is not our mix, actually modyfier blog that provided it. we just highlighted it). anyway, welcome and go cio!

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  14. Argh, I get a bit overwhelmed and neglect to read this blog for a couple weeks and look what happens!

    Looking the tracklisting and this is EXACTLY the kind of stuff I love playing. I even have a few of those records. And I agree with Jeremy that trance is the perfect name for this sort of stuff, especially Mike Parker records. That's how I found this post. I heard the Mike Parker/Dozzy record in another mix and was looking for where to buy it and this was the second Google match. I already have a bunch of Mike's other records and while they all sound pretty much the same it's a really unique and beautiful sound.

    I am just excited to find like minded people. Definitely will have to keep an eye on this Cio D'or person.

    And while neo-trance is slightly different, I adore that stuff too. I don't agree that it's a dead. Just the other month Dominik Eulberg released his Herbarium EP which I think is a worthy addition to the genre. I am a fan of The Field too.

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  15. I was searching for the Michael Mayer tracklist of Love Family Park years and years, for me is his best session. Finally i found it... THANKS A LOT!!!!!! :)

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Say something constructive, bitte. Or if you're gonna take a swipe, at least sharpen your nails.

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