[Dial]

Phillip Sollmann might be the most impeccably dressed guy in dance music, but his music isn’t nearly as flashy. Sure, the tailoring on his stately and reduced but ultimately floor-ready house and techno is impeccable (and, should you care to take the metaphor further, a gander at his Discogs page shows he only dresses his stuff in the finest labels), but it’s hardly flashy. I sense the man you know and love as Efdemin still subscribes to the belief that dance tracks ought to be judged by the work they do, not the attention they draw to their creator. It’s hardly surprising, then, that Chicago, Efdemin’s 2010 sophomore effort, found itself overshadowed on many a year-end list, perhaps most notably by a record on the same label that owed more than a thing or two to Efdemin’s signature soft touch. Luckily, a squadron of remixers have been coaxing Chicago out of its black turtlenecks and into some brasher duds ever since. And while this latest batch of remixes — featuring Deadbeat, Fred P, Rndm, and Efdemin himself at the controls — doesn’t exactly reimagine the material as a Tavi Gevinson ensemble, at least one of the inclusions may turn some heads.

First up on the A-side is Deadbeat, the dub practitioner whose recent Drawn And Quartered took black many orders of magnitude darker than Efdemin deigns to go. His remix of “Shoeshine,” though, doesn’t so much dip the original in ink as it muddies things up, throwing knots into the bass line and potholes into the percussion. Efdemin’s mulligan of “There Will Be Singing” makes for a relatively drastic realization: the deep chords remain intact, but layers of pitchy drums recast the original’s chilled-backness as a sweaty haze quickly burning off; “Flügelization” might have been a more appropriate tag than “Future Edit.” The flip features the cut most are likely here for, and Fred P’s “Nighttrain” reshape absolutely lives up to the expectations such a meeting of deep house minds drums up. Mr. Peterkin has already gotten a fair amount of mileage out of precisely this sort of zoned-in, circular sound, but until someone else takes house as far down the rabbit hole as he routinely does, I’m not sure it’ll get old. And though Fred has only shaved 40 seconds or so off the original, it makes for one of the briefer nine-minute intervals you’re likely to experience. Oliver Kargl, who shares Pigon duties with Efdemin and appears here under his Rndm guise, doesn’t do much more than streamline and shorten “There Will Be Singing.” But given the three refixes that precede it, dance music fans should find plenty to enjoy, if not (in Fred P’s case) positively slobber over.

[Dial]

One must expect a collaboration between Efdemin and RNDM to be a special kind of subtle, and that’s exactly what their Pigon project delivers. On their first release in three years — back on original and spiritual home Dial — they offer both explorations in patience-testing sound design and ultra-hushed deep house, a bewitching EP if you can strain your ears enough to hear it properly.

For their first release of 2011, Pigon have split down the middle between the dance floor and the bedroom, the A1 bravely given over to a beatless synth meander (“Dirty Float”) that blurs and smudges like one of Richard D. James’ early lucid dreams. It’s the kind of four-minute daydream that makes for perfect set opening fodder, particularly with its unexpected foray into noise in the last minute, a subtle jolt that keeps it from turning into new age fluff. The track it shares a side with is almost comically hushed, where the fake vinyl crackle is almost louder than drums that sound like they’re buried under miles of prohibitively muffling dust. Flipping over the record reveals another functional track and another beatless exercise; “Sunrise Industry” is more boisterous than its counterpart but still restrained, a sub-aquatic pulse that bristles in the vacuum-sealed void that defines most of Efdemin’s work, buoyed by dolorous bent strings that alight like burning filaments. Closer “Flip Over Pill” isn’t quite as engaging as “Dirty Float,” more of a sound design experiment than a proper tune, but it rounds off an intriguing and surprisingly daring EP off nicely. Sunrise Industry is home-listening house in the least pejorative way possible, classy, elegant, and intriguingly detailed, but still functional (at least half of it, anyway) to work in the sets of DJs with allegiances to the Dial sound.

Talking Shopcast 04 was a mighty 72-minute house mix by Diamonds & Pearls associate Efdemin. Make sure to add this stunner to your collection before it’s archived this Friday, July 15th.

Since writing 2010′s 2Q Report on overrated tracks I’ve spent some time pondering what makes something overrated. In years prior LWE has fingered DJs as the culprits behind overrated tracks, and with good reason: jocks are the ones playing and charting the tunes. But that overlooks two important parts of the equation — audiences and critics. If it feels wrong to blame club-goers for the music they have no explicit role in picking, think again. Dancers vote with their feet, choosing to reward or punish a DJ’s selections with their presence on the dancefloor or decision to leave it. The experience of clearing the floor a few times is often enough to condition many DJs to be people-pleasers to some extent. And while there is no telling what exactly will keep a particular crowd dancing beyond educated guesses, relying on the facile and the familiar is often a safer bet than trying to “educate” with recent Discogs finds. Functional or gimmicky records are best suited at simply keeping the party going, and many of their defenders are quick to point this out. I’d argue this is not a worthwhile barometer because it prizes continuity over quality, and that’s hardly a convincing reason for whether a track is noteworthy.

The other overlooked variable is critical reaction. Even at a time where anyone with a social networking profile becomes an arbiter of taste for their friends, the impact of educated ears guiding their readers through the never-abating flow of new releases shouldn’t be understated. But for all our claims of being unbiased, critics occasionally fall prey to our desires to be read and appreciated just as artists and DJs do.The Internet helps facilitate a kind of hive-mind state where critics line up to join their peers in praising the latest buzz record/artist rather than be seen as missing out. When some publications dare to publish negative reviews their staff endure verbal abuse in the comments section over differing opinions. It all adds up to an environment where grade inflation seems likely. I took these two additional considerations into account while deciding on five records from the first half of 2011 afforded undue levels of credit and kudos.

Clockwork, “It’s You Again” [Hot Creations]

When it comes to trends in dance music, the pendulum tends to swing hard no matter which direction it’s heading. Over the last six months that’s meant a deluge of house tracks with full on vocals, not just the snippets that dotted 2010′s output. Given their tendency towards being male dominated and/or featuring pitch- and gender-bending effects (of the sort pioneered by The Knife and Fever Ray), you could attribute their popularity to the success of tracks like Art Department’s “Without You.” Whatever their inspiration, their prevalence has drawn out how easy it is to do crap vocals for the sake of fitting the fad. Perhaps the worst of the bunch is Clockwork’s “It’s You Again,” a track that boils down Art Department’s underwhelming formula to its least interesting elements: soupy, nearly incoherent vocals, rote house percussion and a synth progression so slight it’s mostly a placeholder. Disappointingly if unsurprisingly, this has made it quite the hit. But rather than dismiss the trend out of hand, it’s worth noting that some producers are succeeding at making compelling music with similar traits, some of which are listed below. Instead of praising and playing the music of low-rent bandwagon hoppers like Clockwork, we should support those who find interesting corners to explore inside of trends.

Try instead: Tale of Us, “Dark Song”; Benoit & Sergio, “Walk & Talk”; Lucky Paul ft. Milosh, “Thought We Were Alone” (Gadi Mizrahi & Eli Gold Remix)

Jamie xx, “Far Nearer” [Numbers]

Almost as awkward as watching the British press and public hyperventilate themselves into believing The xx were generational heroes has been the rush to crown Jamie “xx” Smith the next super producer. This was particularly frustrating for those not inclined to buy into the first part of his ascendance, because it seemed he was receiving these overblown credentials based on potential rather than evidence. If anything “Far Nearer,” his first solo single, emphasized just how far his boosters had overshot: a cloying mixture of steel drums, pitchbent vocals and tapped-out drums that lingered for ages in legendary dubplate stasis, out of reach from reviewers while remaining an object of obsession. It was a “cool dubstep tune” for people who didn’t like dubstep. It was held up as exemplary by press outlets with only token coverage of the genre it supposedly belonged to, never mind that it couldn’t hold a candle to its apparent peers. But it’s just so much easier to praise the artist you’ve already built up than to wade into a confusing and tangled field of sounds to find something truly excellent. Smith is not at fault for making music he believed in, even if it’s a poor example of all the creativity flowing from the UK. It’s the reactive and reductive press that shoulders the blame for putting “Far Nearer” and its creator on such a high pedestal that living up to expectations was practically impossible.

Try instead: Deadboy, “Ain’t Gonna Lie”; Andy Stott, “New Ground”; Machinedrum, “Sacred Frequency”

Efdemin, “There Will Be Singing” (DJ Koze Remix) [Dial]

The reasons for buying into DJ Koze’s particular brand of musical lunacy are many, but they all add up to one simple fact: more often than not his zany ideas give birth to beautiful, innovative sounds. But it is possible to place too much faith in the man’s abilities, as has been the case with his remix of Efdemin’s “There Will Be Singing.” On paper, giving this album highlight to Koze seemed like an inspired and even obvious choice; the only question that remained was what hidden beauties its remixer would reveal. The reality is rather sobering, starting with a slurred intro declaring Efdemin a homosexual for no particular reason. From there Koze shows little interest in developing the track beyond the taut chords from the original’s latter half, giving them just enough juice to provide a techno edge but not much else. Add vocal narration that wonders why people value art and snares that reveal themselves to be dog barks and you’ve got the entire remix. It’s the sound of a oddball genius resting on his askew laurels, banking on any weirdness being good weirdness. It’s also the kind of track that would’ve been roundly ignored without Koze’s name on it. In terms of popularity his bet has paid off: so far it’s the second most charted track of 2011 according to RA’s calculations, suggesting that DJs put great store in his bland reduction of a great track and audiences are egging them on in kind. Anyone who appreciates DJ Koze knows he’s capable of much much more, which is why settling for this tossed-off remix is a stain on all those involved.

Try instead: Heiko Voss, “I Think About You” (DJ Koze Mix); Matias Aguayo, “Minimal” (DJ Koze Remix); Sascha Funke, “Mango Cookie” (DJ Koze’s Pink Moon Rmx)

Nicolas Jaar, Space Is Only Noise [Circus Company]

Born in Chile to a somewhat famous father, precocious and well educated, Nicolas Jaar is (to put it crudely) something out of a features editor’s wet dream. Add a wonky production style that doesn’t fit neatly into current dance music narratives and the rising star piece begins to write itself. That’s not to say Jaar didn’t earn the attention he’s received, having amassed a respectable discography with popular labels since starting out in 2008. But when he released his debut album, Space Is Only Noise, earlier this year, it seemed like the occasion critics were waiting for to spill forth with praise. Their impulse was understandable to an extent: the young artist used his firm grasp of production and sound design to render an unusual take on beat music. Listening to the album, however, it feels like reviewers were rushing to congratulate Jaar for taking chances rather than making something actually spectacular. Tracks like “Too Many Kids Finding Rain In the Dust” and “Problems With The Sun” don’t sound like much else but aren’t much to listen to either. His drum patterning is solidly average, leaving many of his songs (such as “I Got A Woman,” “Specters of the Future” and “Variations”) in league with mediocre trip-hop that wasn’t so hot the first time around. Other moments (“Sunflower,” “Almost Fell” and “Trace”) come off like the noodling of a college-aged stoner and add little to his stronger work. Space Is Only Noise too often feels like student work, an album that hints at a unique, compelling perspective between half-baked, scatter shot compositions. It makes clear that Jaar is a talented guy who could probably make a staggering album at some point; but despite multiple assurances to the contrary, his debut LP is just not that.

Try instead: John Roberts, Glass Eights; The Books, The Lemon Of Pink; Prefuse 73, One Word Extinguisher

Oliver $, “Doin’ Ya Thang” [Play It Down]

It’s almost a shame to spend still more time on this prime example of lazy songwriting. Still, it’s hard to overlook a track that’s been overrated by critics, DJs, and audiences alike. The truth is, dance music fans of all stripes are in love with Moodymann and will even resort to poorly constructed facsimiles to get our fix. Oliver’s cleverness was only in realizing and harnessing this fact even more bluntly than those who attempted it before him. Because without the minute-length samples of another DJ at work it’s a plain disco beat with crowd noise and filters; with them, it allows jocks to turn the show over to a bigger, more dynamic DJ presence that audiences have been lapping up for years. One can only hope this is the moment when samples of Moodymann performances and quotes jump the shark and people instead demand that the living legend be brought to their town. I fear my hopes will be dashed instead.

Try instead: Moodymann, all; Green Velvet, “Flash”; Efdemin, “Just A Track”

[Dial]

When questioned about the mildly provocative title of his sophomore album as Efdemin in a recent interview, Philip Sollman deadpanned that he had merely chosen it as bait for journalists. It certainly generated a good deal of hot air on the Resident Advisor message boards, but Sollman went on to explain that while this was far from a Jack Trax tribute record: he has been inspired at various points by a number of musicians from Chicago, ranging from Harry Partch to R.Kelly. Certainly Chicago is a much more diverse record than Efdemin’s self-titled debut, and only one track (“Night Train”) approaches that collection’s lush neo-Detroitisms. Indeed, it reminds of Jan Jelinek’s approach in the early 2000s; folding in disparate influences to produce a cohesive, syncretic whole. The microhouse comparisons extend further to the dry percussiveness of some tracks; similar to what Efdemin has been playing in recent DJ sets, but also very reminiscent of LoSoul, for example.

“Cowbell” opens the album, and indeed sounds like an alternate take on Loop-Finding-Jazz-Records, wayward organ stabs keeping the listener guessing. “Shoeshine” follows less politely, with juddering bass and a firm slap of a beat, again similar to the style of another vaguely unfashionable microhouse veteran, the Wighnomy Brothers. “Oh My God,” and it’s later reprise, are probably the furthest developed pieces, a collaboration with Nina Kraviz which elegantly evolves into a swinging jazzy jam, complete with Art Ensemble of Chicago-esque horns. “There Will Be Singing” is similarly sophisticated, a warped vocal phrase intoning the title before furious high hats take over. The later “Nothing Is Everything” is especially glitchy, chopping up a voice until it’s unrecognisable, transmogrifying instruments until they’re unrecognisable. “Round Here” and “Wonderland” take the playful, brittle funk route plotted by early Perlon, complete with comedy vocal snippets.

Chicago is certainly excellently produced, full of filigree touches and details; very accomplished, but I can’t decide whether it’s actually any good. The first time I listened to the record, I thought it was horrible, an overstuffed and overcooked mess. The second time I listened to it, I thought it was brilliant; Efdemin’s own Alcachofa, confounding and challenging the listener at every turn. Now, I feel somewhere in the middle. It still sounds a little unresolved, an artist attempting to find his way after perhaps having been pushed into a creative cul-de-sac by the unexpected success of his first record. It’s classic second album syndrome in many ways, and while I’ve found Chicago easy to admire but difficult to love, it continues to leave me intrigued which musical cities Sollman will be traveling to next.

[Turbo]

Think of the finest modern techno and house music and Montreal’s Tiga isn’t exactly the first name that comes to mind. However, it seem as if the producer known for his trashy Ed Banger-style electro productions (though admittedly a step above many of his dime-a-dozen contemporaries) has excellent taste in remixers, or at least someone at his label, Turbo, does. The latest single from 2009′s well-milked Ciao! LP, “Gentle Giant,” is a silky downtempo number with a fantastic vocal hook; and while the original merely haunts the spirit of these remixes (they sound more like new original tracks from each producer), each offers a unique and personal interpretation of the song’s complacent lounge vibes.

Martyn leads off the EP with his stunning “Heaven” remix, an apt subtitle all cringes aside. The Dutchman crafts a lush house track laden with choral vocals, soft strings, and a jacking beat caked with a little more grit he usually supplies. The swelling riffs of the original are battered and beaten down into a familiar wired-track progression as Tiga’s wordless oohs breezily float along for the ride. It’s quintessential Martyn, taking shelter between genres and sounding irresistibly smooth and appealing no matter what side of the divide you find yourself. Efdemin’s remix sounds like it could have been picked up off the cutting room floor of his Chicago LP, dusty nocturnal beats with a surprisingly muscular low-end; but just when it seems like he is content to merely ride the groove, the beat drops out and Tiga momentarily wafts in. The track jettisons into more percussive, upbeat territory, as drums feeding off of their own infectious bounce — one of the more uplifting things Efdemin has done in a long while. Mathew Jonson rounds out the EP with a lush, floaty remix (and a full-length vocal as a digital bonus) infected with blurred acid textures and harboring a queasy bass riff, all rounded textures like most of his recent work. So, if Tiga may not typically find room in your regular rotation, maybe it’s time to make an exception, even just this once.

[Métisse]

Some two years after the original release of “Acid Bells,” Efdemin’s subtle and refined piece of minimalism, Martyn gets his hands on it and takes it to a whole new level. This had apparently been in the works for some time but was held off until Martyn’s full length was released. While you can hear the unmistakably bold drums employed by the Dutchman in his “Dark Mix,” there’s not a lick of the sweet pads and soothing textures that proliferated Great Lengths. Instead, Martyn heightens the percussion, adding densely packed tribal elements on top of the metallic bells from the original and fires up a barely contained bass line, like a monster come down from the hills to frighten the poor village folk. Uneasy strings are drawn out and just seem to hang in the air, adding tension to the track, playing off the brash sound of the bells.

Martyn’s “Bittersweet Mix” on the flip is a beatless, piano led affair that keeps remnants of the muffled bells in the background, with atmospheric washes of rain and particles of voices plumping up the track. Indicative of the title it’s hardly a warm or friendly mix, but the melodies for all their forlornness are arranged beautifully. What I’m really digging about this hot little blue-marbled 10″ is while it’s another bullseye for Martyn, it’s completely unlike his other material. Creating a remix with his “Bittersweet Mix” that manages to sit just outside dubstep, techno or breaks, yet encapsulates all three is going to get this track a lot of well deserved play.

[Diamonds & Pearls Music]

To anyone who’s been following house and techno recently, a split EP by Efdemin and Tobias. sounds like a sure shot. The former has delivered several years of ceaseless quality, while the latter had an especially impressive run in 2008. Both are at a point where it seems they can do no wrong. Unfortunately, “Phantasma Vol. 1″ disproves this notion. As the first installment in a series on Diamond & Pearls Music, it’s decent at best — more than can be said for plenty of releases in general, but much less than we’ve come to expect from these two.

Tobias. starts the record off well enough. “Clapper” is a lean and suspenseful big room track, with sinister synth cascades and a delirious sense of urgency that would work well in a long set. Nonetheless, it is distinctly less compelling than his excellent output from last year, and is unlikely to have the same staying power as anything from “I Can’t Fight The Feeling.” On the B-side, Efdemin’s contribution has fewer redeeming qualities. “Hope” sounds like a throw away track, consisting of little more than a decent beat and a nice bass line. It’s cut from the same cloth as “America/The Pulse,” but lacks the blue note allure that often makes Efdemin an exceptional artist. “Clapper” is worth the price of a digital download, but I’d recommend passing on “Phantasma Vol. 1″ overall, despite the names that appear on the sleeve.

Welcome to the fourth edition of our series of interviews and mixes affectionately titled Talking Shopcast. The majority of media and fan attention gets showered on the artists who create the music we love to listen to/DJ with/dance to, and for good reasons. But without the hard work, keen ears and business savvy of label staff, we’d be stuck only streaming tracks on their websites. Number four brings us to the eclectic and far-reaching Diamonds & Pearls Music, a distributor, record label and production studio in one. DnP has taken its time releasing records, selecting a coterie of top notch producers to fill its diverse slabs, such as Henrik Schwarz, Ricardo Villalobos, Luciano, Matthew Styles, tobias., Efdemin and more. DnP is also responsible for getting records from Mikrodisko, Beatstreet, Contentismissing, Enliven Music, Pastamusik and many more in shops around the world. All three of DnP’s founders were gracious enough to answer our questions; and although they insisted on relative anonymity, it didn’t stop them from giving us one of our best Talking Shopcasts yet. To top things off, Efdemin crafted an exceptional exclusive mix (available below) that might make it difficult to sit still long enough to read the interview.

Please tell me about the beginning of Diamonds & Pearls. Why and how did you start out? How did you decide on the name Diamonds & Pearls?

E: I wasn’t with the guys… I think I was hospitalized.
A: I can’t remember when we started the whole thing.
J: We founded DnP in 2003. The idea was to make a small distribution for house and techno music. We just wanted to do something meaningful with our time. It never was about making money, but at that time I thought the market couldn’t go any lower and that it could be good for the whole process of learning how the business works to start in a difficult situation.
A: We all know this was an mis-estimation, wasn’t it?
J: Sure it was, but I would do it again.
A: Me too.
J: As a kid you may want to be an engine-driver or a fireman, but as a youngster many people want to do something with music. It isn’t the worst thing to combine what you like with what you have to do everyday. I didn’t have the talent to be a musician by myself, but I knew a little bit about running a business and I knew that my friend A. was making music for years without even thinking about releasing something, so it was a good combination.
A: Yeah, why not. Doing something you like is definitely worth fighting for. Besides, art is one of the few political correct things to do, or a least it should be.
E: Why did you guys named the thing Diamonds and Pearls? I never get this!
A: We just wanted a “KLF styled” name, you know, a simple name everybody can remember. It was meant to be, I don’t know, I didn’t want it to be pretentious.
J: This has been accomplished and I still like the name.

How did you select the artists for the Diamonds & Pearls roster?

J: First of all, the music has to be good.
A: That’s right.
E: Hmm…
A: I do care a bit about the artists’ character too…
E: No, you don’t.
J: It’s not so bad if the artists are friends or at least could become friends, but we don’t check the people or something like this. There is a lot of intuition in the process of deciding whether we want to work with somebody or not.
A: And we should not forget that every kind of art is strongly related to the artist. I can barely imagine a total idiot who creates something we like.
E: Hmm… For example: Louis Ferdinand Céline was an anti-Semite and a fascist, and I wouldn’t want to be in the same room with the guy; nevertheless, he wrote one of the greatest books ever written “Voyage au bout de la nuit.”
A: Yeah. Many geniuses are weird and “different” …some are idiots, too. So… you are right.
E: They are scary. I’m afraid to meet one… although it could be fascinating.
A: There is only a small chance to meet a genius, most of them are dead.
E: O.K. That’s good. By the way, would you guys release an awesome track made by a total jerk?
J: Yes.
A: No. I definitely wouldn’t, would you?
E: Yes.

Do you get many demos? What are some qualities you look for when sorting through them?

E: I sometimes have the spooky feeling we are getting billions of horrible demos.
J: No. We are getting around 50 demos a month.
E: And 49 are horrible.
A: I guess the important thing is that you notice a kind of attempt to work things out. It’s not enough to use preset sounds and lots of delay and FX. It’s very easy today to make complex tracks with for example Ableton Live or a modern MPC. Anybody can easily learn this tools very fast. On the other side the process to develop your own style and your own ideas will take some time.
J: There are some good tracks coming with the demos.
E: I can’t remember a single one and I don’t think we ever released something from a demo on our own label.
J: That’s true. Mostly we ask other artists we like for tracks, maybe you can call this demos too. Often they give us very different tracks.
A: These tracks are always good. But remember! We distribute some labels which send us really good demos of their 1st release.
J: I wish there would be more nice stuff among the demos.
E: I really hope that we get a demo from a genius one day.
A: And if he comes visiting us, you are hiding in the attic.

What is one of your favorite releases on your own label? Why?

E: My favorite is “Shipbuilders Vol.1.” I am really proud on that one. It’s so orchestral. I always thought we’ll become famous with this one.
J: But in terms of money it has become our greatest flop.
A: That’s so sad. We all love this record and all of our artist friends too. But anyway it was a good example for the wrong time and place for this release. I think we are getting better every record.
E: Well, I’m not sure I want to be famous anymore, but who knows.
A: I love our first release too. The record became some kind of classic. And lots of people think both sides are produced by Henrik. I think we tried to create something different on every DnP release yet… and that is not so easy. I might have listened too much to my solo releases, but the others are great!
J: I love all our records.
A: You do? Your words are pleasing my ears.
J: Sure, I’m serious, I think they’re all great. That sounds a little boring, but it’s true.

According to many doomsayers, running a record label isn’t one of the “smartest” fiscal things to do. How do you keep Diamonds & Pearls running with sales “as they are”? How has the closure of many distributors affected Diamonds & Pearls?

E: I get 15 cents an hour, maybe that’s how it still works.
J: We learned to think economical, to focus on keeping DnP alive by always choosing the cheapest possibility without making the project lose its power.
A: The content is what we care about first. So we try to stay small and to do almost everything by ourselves. We don’t employ clerks which gamble the whole day.
J: No, we rather gamble ourselves. Wait, it’s my turn… click.
A: As we do everything by ourselves we don’t have to pay for expensive artwork or advertising.
E: Why the hell don’t we do advertising?
A: I hate commercials. Advertisement kills the arts. Besides it’s hard to find somebody who is doing a really good job.
J: To return to the question: Sometimes I think it’s not so bad that the market is thinning out a bit.
A: There are way too many labels…
E: Which suck…
A: Don’t say that. It sounds arrogant.
E: Sorry, you are right.

Do you think blogs like LWE help or hurt the music industry? Do you think blogs have a role in the future of dance music promotion?

J: I think everything made with heart is good for the arts.
E: I don’t do any blogs and I sure don’t need the music industry.
A: You don’t even know what a blog is and you don’t know anything about the music industry, don’t you E.?
J: Yeah, but to be serious, I really like what you do. Everything is well selected and nothing you do can hurt anybody. I don’t see why blogs shouldn’t have a role in music promotion. Everything new and forward is good for this crappy industry.
A: And most of the music critics or journalists are very traditional, they still have the same kind of language they used in the sixties.
E: Yes and this is strange, because everything changed but them.
J: Yes. Please go on with what you do, we need this.

There is no shortage of labels in dance music. What does Diamonds & Pearls do to stand out from the crowd?

A: We are just trying to waste nobody’s time and to bother nobody. Of course this isn’t as easy as it sounds, because most of the time it means low income if you try to do something different. Most people don’t really like to be surprised nor do they like something exceptional.
J: You have to find a way to be different and to satisfy the listener. It makes no sense to release something that doesn’t have anything never heard.
E: …and we have an outstanding quality control.
A: Do we?
J: Sure. You!
E: Evolution will do its work and erase all the bad music from the surface of this earth.
J: That will never happen.
E: I know, but it makes me happy to say it.
A: It makes me happy to hear it.
J: Yeah.

As technology advances further, vinyl is moving closer to becoming obsolete to many DJs. What are your feelings on this? Do you think the end of vinyl is in sight?

J: I don’t see why vinyl shouldn’t be even greater in future.
A: We don’t sell almost the half of the records we sold 3 years ago.
J: Yeah, yeah, but a baker doesn’t sell half the buns he sold half a year ago.
A: And…?
J: I mean, everybody struggles, that has nothing to do with the fact that vinyl will always have a glamorous sex appeal no other medium can provide.
A: That’s true. Maybe vinyl becomes less important for DJs but not for music lovers. You know I am really a computer geek but I started a vinyl distribution.
J: We know many music lovers…
A: …and do they store their music on hard disks?
J: No, they don’t.
E: I heard they sell more of alternative rock vinyls in the U.S. again.
A: Yes, it comes back.
J: Let’s hope so, by goodness!

What are a few other labels you respect/revere most?

E: I don’t know any labels, but I like the guys who are making reissues of ESG records or weird theme compilations.
J: You know the labels we distribute, and you mean Soul Jazz Records.
E: Yeah, Soul Jazz, great.
A: I’m listening to lots of different styles of music… stuff from which I could learn something new. Classical music, experimental, house, techno, jazz, punk rock, alternative music… anything. Apart from the labels we work with and to drop some other names: I like many releases on Rephlex and Warp as well as from Tigersushi from France or Sähkö Recordings from Finland. Just to name a few. Actually, I have respect for everybody who is releasing good music nowadays and we should not forget that there is lot of very good music out there. It is only harder to find something outstanding and new in the flood of trash released every month.
E: Many people are doing better than we do.
A: Yes, of course. That is a fine thing and an encouragement for us to try even harder! I have a lot of respect for big players, but I don’t know if I want to be one of them.
J: There are so many really great labels and artists that it is difficult to name them all. I think the most influence on me and our own label came through the music on classic labels from Detroit and Chicago.
A: I remember us listening to lots of cool house and techno records even before thinking about Diamonds and Pearls.
J: Yeah. I love the classic stuff! But you know that I like lots of different music too! For example I really enjoy listening to football and riot related punk bands like Cockney Rejects, Cock Sparrer and The Oppressed.
E: Yes I know. You are really a fan of… Oi Oi Oi!
A: Me too. Especially drinking songs!

What can we expect from Diamonds & Pearls in the next year or so?

J: The next big thing is our second compilation, featuring such great artists as Efdemin, tobias., Dinky and Matthew Styles, Pier Bucci, EAT, Prosumer & Tama Sumo and Marcel Dettmann. The first 12″ by Efdemin and tobias. is coming next month and will be followed by three 12″ with the other artists. It’s a huge project we are very proud of.
A: We got a really weird artwork for the compilation. I don’t want to say too much…
E: If you have all four 12″ you can put them together for a picture of a bunch of mad dudes doing mad things.
J: I thought the dudes were just standing around.
E: Sure, standing around and looking crazy.
A: Yes and we have to finish that ASAP, do you remember?
E: Sure. Lots of stuff has to be finished first.
J: We will have some new Anscorm releases on DnP. DNP 10 is nearly finished.
A: Almost.
J: We also have some promising projects with Eve White, Eliot Orphan, XDB and Quietpoint on our small beloved sub-label, Ballad Inc., in the pipeline.
A: The tracks I’ve already heard are really hot shit.
E: I heard that EAT will finish some great stuff for DnP, too.
J: Yeah that would be great. I hope all these things work out in 2009 and that our artists and friends all survive the economic pressure in hard times like these.
A: Where there’s a will there’s a way.
E: Oh god. I think I have to puke…

Talking Shopcast 04: Efdemin (72:46)

Tracklist:

01. Ferdinand Kriwet, “Voice of America” [Edition RZ]
02. Thriller, “Hubble” [Thriller]
03. Loco Dice, “Black Truffles In The Snow” (Mike Huckaby’s The Jazzed Out S Y N T H remix) [Desolat]
04. Vera, “Hooked Up With Da Drums” [Moon Harbour Recordings]
05. The Godson, “Magic Water” (Saint Jean remix) [Still Music]
06. Dplay, “Tschaka” [Running Back]
07. Rennie Foster, “Little Dandelion” [Futago Traxx]
08. Josh Brent, “A Question of Timing” [Schatrax]
09. Boris Horel, “Close To Me” [Eklo]
10. Studio 1, “Gelb 2″ [Studio 1]
11. Protectorate Collective, “Nm” [Protectorate Collective]
12. Norm Talley, “The Journey” [Nouveau Riche Entertainment]
13. Protectorate Collective, “Be” [Protectorate Collective]
14. STL, “Silent State” [Smallville Records]
15. Sian, “Red Cloud” (Minilogue remix) [Aus Music]
16. Eliot Orphan, “Twelve” [Ballad Inc.]

[Beatstreet]

In Marcel Dettmann’s rather enigmatic Discogs bio, we read that he sees techno as “a determination of both his life and music” which continually leads him on a “quest for the optimal track.” It’s a touch ridiculous in its overstatement, but it’s the kind of hyperbole that sheds a very bright light on Dettmann’s productions: he’s a purist and it shows. He avoids clichés, trends and any other kind of excess in his music, continually streamlining his vision in his productions (see his “Scenario EP” with Klock and recent “MDR 04″), remixes (like his work on Ellen Allien’s “Go”) and even his DJ sets, like the excellent Berghain 02 released earlier this year. His very distinct style provides an interesting contrast to the work of Pigon (aka producers Efdemin and Rndm), who have a more sample-based but no less fascinating approach to their brand of minimalism.

The “Kamm/Plain” EP is techno stripped to its barest core. Pigon’s opener is slow and incisive: a soft bass drum drives us through a surreal electronic landscape while metallic buzzes, bleeps and cracks float in and out of the listener’s aural space. It builds expertly and feels like being slowly sucked into a swarm of insects; by the end of the song, the tension has reached an unbearable breaking point — that is, until “Plain.” I don’t know what’s better: Dettmann’s track itself or the simple fact that it comes up next, shattering the tension created by “Kamm” like a hammer on ice. It’s as sparse as any of his songs — he uses only a bass drum, a hi-hat and a distant, two-note melody — but each element’s mechanical, self-contained pulse proves to be the most powerful kind of minimalism. It’s not “tribal,” it’s not trendy and it sure as hell isn’t any worse for it. It’s music whose whole fully outweighs the sum of its parts, music so quietly penetrating it becomes brutal. Both “Kamm” and “Plain” are pure club dynamite; and whether they’re used for making tension or breaking it, they’ll be sure to send shivers down any crowd’s spine. (post by Jeremy Cohen)