The anonymous newcomer will issue a debut album through Function’s label later this month.
The trio cross swords once more for the latest release on Function’s Infrastructure New York label.
The Infrastructure New York boss selects cuts from Steve Bicknell, LB Dub Corp, Cassegrain and more for the seventh edition of Ostgut Ton’s reconfigured mix series.
Material originally released on the Synewave label in the ’90s and early Sandwell District tracks appear on the label’s next two records.
For two artists whose records are characterised by dramatic flourishes, iconoclastic imagery and distinctive sound palettes, the Games Have Rules collaboration is a decidedly understated affair. While it focuses on a largely ambient approach, the album was conceived in and inspired by New York and is fuelled by a sense of quiet determination and undulating vitality that defines that city. If there are prior reference points in either producer’s back catalogue, they are traceable back to Dave Sumner’s releases. The former Sandwell District member has recently been engaged in a series of projects that brought him back to his roots since the techno collective closed its doors. First, there was his debut solo album, Incubation, which contained influences from the 90s output of Speedy J and Plastikman in its sleek rhythms and teemed with acid ticks and trancey synth bursts.
In the time-slipping tendencies of modern music, it’s rare to find many artists pushing solely forwards without some nod to the past, whether stated or otherwise. So it is that Dave Sumner revives his dormant Infrastructure label, previously put on ice as Sandwell District ramped up its operations in the mid ’00s. Sumner has made it clear that in its second coming this label will be focused on “melding classic ideals with a modern viewpoint,” and it’s an interesting position to take for an artist that has spent years charging ahead without spelling out too literally what his intentions are. On listening to this first of the new wave of releases, produced alongside Ed Davenport in his burgeoning Inland guise, there is no masking the nostalgic glances that embody the music.
Function’s previously dormant label will return in May with a whole host of further releases planned.
When sitting down to discuss and finalise the albums worthy of inclusion on this list, it soon became apparent just how many great long players were released over the course of the past twelve months. In fact, it felt that this year saw the LP as a medium for electronic producers really come into its own, realising through the course of our discussions just how many artists used the album format as a means to explore concepts or themes that go far beyond collecting a series of tracks aimed at getting people on the dance floor. With the number of 12-inch singles being released on a weekly basis continuing to rise, and a increasingly unfavourable signal-to-noise ratio, the electronic LPs of the year largely offered us an opportunity to step outside the rising number of uninspired dance singles and see things through new eyes.
Although this is a selection of albums that covers many of this year’s more prevalent narratives in the underground – contemporary grime, the jungle revival, industrial techno, and the fringes of house music being some of the most notable – these albums were the ones that took those concepts and stretched them to breaking point. For those fatigued by the near-constant revisitiation of the past in 2013, there are plenty of albums on this list that offer a tantalising suggestion as to where dance music could be going next, as well as a selection of albums who didn’t try too hard to do anything massively different, but instead focused on just doing it well. In fact, this year was so good for albums, that we felt it justified to expand the list to 25 to accommodate those the editorial team just could not countenance missing out on the recognition they deserve.
Get a taste for Rrose, Vatican Shadow, NSI and Recondite remixes of Function’s debut album Incubation.
A shift in focus for the latest Separate Mind column as Richard Brophy discusses the possibility that techno has grown up.
It’s been a long time coming, but Function is finally about to release his debut artist album. One of the founding members of Sandwell District, Brooklyn-raised and Berlin-based Dave Sumner has maintained a low-profile since the seminal label/collective closed at the start of 2012. Over the past year, Sandwell’s other key artists Silent Servant and Regis have been busy; the former releasing his debut artist album, the latter curating and starring in a post-punk compilation and expanding the Downwards label into the US.
When this writer spoke to Dave ‘Function’ Sumner last year, it was clear that he wanted Incubation to be more than a standard techno album. Sumner’s aspiration and hope was that it enjoyed a permanence that has become increasingly rare as attention spans diminish.
Ostgut Ton have revealed full details of Incubation, the debut album from Sandwell District alumnus Function.
Richard Brophy does some research into what happens when remixers rework classics cuts of yesteryear.
Core Sandwell District member Function will release a new single via Kenneth Christiansen’s Echocord imprint backed with remixes from Substance and SCB.
As of December 31, 2011 the cult techno imprint Sandwell District have ceased “regular audio communications”.
The mysterious Sandwell District imprint has built a certain aura around their artists, thanks in no small part to their austere cover art, usually accompanied by a fax number as the only point of contact. Vitally important though, is the music itself, and a slew of releases from a small but tight knit crew (Function, Kalon, Silent Servant, Female, Regis) have been – without exception – utterly impeccable examples of deep, brooding techno.
Since then they’ve come out of their shell somewhat (or to be more accurate, the media have forced more attention on them), and the label run by Function (Dave Sumner), Female (Peter Sutton) and Regis (Karl O’Connor) is now one of the most revered in contemporary techno. Indeed, their appearance at this year’s Sonar festival will almost certainly be one of the highlights of the event, with those still standing come 5.30am on the final morning set to be well rewarded.
Here we are treated to the first of a two part sampler showcasing new material from Function, Regis and Silent Servant, ahead of full length albums slated for later in the year. Printed on clear vinyl, things kick off with a suitably menacing intro, followed by a Function track titled, in typically no-frills fashion, “Function”. Arpeggiated bleeps wash over long synth sweeps and a deep bassline, taking you on a 10 minute ride that’s tough and raw yet deliciously danceable. On the flip we are treated to a Regis edit of fellow label stalwart Silent Servant, which displays Regis’ new found dubstep sensibilities and a love affair with radar bleeps. The b-side ends with an uncredited, beatless growl that leaves you wondering what the second part of the sampler will bring, let alone the albums.
Review: Aaron Coultate
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