If one were to single out an overarching narrative for the trajectory of electronic music in 2009, it would surely be the emphasis on the past — on the founding myths and legends that electronic music emerged out of — as a source of inspiration. With disco breaking out from small-scale revival to established Room Two, even Room One fare, with deep house announcing itself as the heir apparent to the ubiquity of mid-decade minimal, and with the cavernously retrospective, Detroit-flecked techno of the Berghain/Hard Wax crew dominating tracklists, it seems that in 2009, the only way to look forward, was to look back. Accordingly, Mathew Jonson chimed in with his take on the theme for Ghosts In the AI, his last Wagon Repair release of the year and the decade.

The EP is the first solo production to come out of Wagon Repair’s new Berlin studios. The eponymous opener couples handclaps with a disconcerting electro warble that aims to growl you into submission. Unlike “Marionette,” which played an elegant game of cat and mouse between the ascending chords and the descending beat, a ruse that was wholly of its time (think James Holden’s “Sky Is Pink” remix), “Ghosts” posits no internal dialog, but instead searches for a middle ground between Drexciya-era electro and late-00′s techno. On the flip, “Technology” is also at once old and new, which is fitting given its curious back story. Apparently created around the time of “Octagon”‘s release in 2004 on It Is What It Is, it has only seen the light of day now following a gentle push from Jonson’s brother, Nathan, better known as Hrdvision. The elusive is grounded only by a repetitive synth pattern that seems to hint just as much at the dawn of a new age, as the closing of an old one. This unresolved dichotomy is further muddied by the beatless track “The Alchemist,” taken from Jonson’s score to the silent film “Faust,” a fitting companion piece no doubt, but unlikely to give the headphones, let alone the dance floor any cause for concern.

Admirable as Jonson’s endeavour is, the legacy of the past year has shown that creating something new out of something old, and doing it well, is no easy feat. Although the electro Jonson favours here seems more than due a comeback, the EP as a whole feels less like a statement of intent for next year than a footnote to this one.

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

Mathew Jonson: Wagon Repair was born out of an idea to release good music no matter what the sound or idea behind it. The name came from an expression “that will fix your wagon” after one of the founding members, Graham Boothby, heard “Marionette” for the first time.

How did you select the artists for Wagon Repair’s roster?

Most of the artists are people we have known for a while personally. I think we are really lucky to have such talented friends that supply us with good music.

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

[We get] lots of demos. But very few from people who have there own sound. It’s pretty uncommon for us to come across demos that hit the press. Certainly a happy surprise though when we find them!

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

Modern Deep Left Quartet’s “Babyfoot” is the best for me. It makes me so proud to be able to release music like this. Funny that the worst selling record we have released is the best one. But that’s kind of the point of why we are doing this label.

According to many doomsayers, running a record label isn’t one of the “smartest” fiscal things to do. Is it difficult keep Wagon Repair running with sales “as they are”?

Seems like a pretty smart idea to me. Release good music and promote good artists. Then set them up so they are basically on permanent vacation. The music business kicks ass!

Wagon Repair family reunion.

Is it at all difficult to be located in Canada as opposed to Europe, where so much of dance culture resides?

We have offices in Vancouver and Berlin now so it works.

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

Blogs are good for the industry as long as they do not give the music away for free.

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

If we do stand out then it is because of the artists and musicians involved. We are all very diverse and I think that makes for an interesting label.

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?

People will always love records. They make girls want to fuck. [Guys too! -ed]

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

Warp, Can’t Fight the Feeling, Minus, !k7, Metalheadz, No U Turn, Perlon, Ruthless Records, Blue Note, Motown. I could go on and on.

What can we expect from Wagon Repair in the next year or so?

Lots more records. Thanks for your support! Peace!

[Wagon Repair]

“Through a leaking bodily cavity resembling the pork found in Chinese restaurants, Satan shat out a crystal beaming with glowing red embers. This crystal matured into the fetus of Seth Troxler.” Thus begins Beyond Booking’s bio for the artist behind “Sexplosion,” the newest EP on Wagon Repair. Both the absurdity and the extravagance of this blurb fit Troxler well. At the tender age of 22, Seth has completed the proverbial techno journey from Detroit, where he was born (err, shat out), to Berlin, where he currently resides. With releases on Circus Company, Crosstown Rebels, and now Wagon Repair, as well as a killer podcast for The Bunker and numerous performances at Watergate, Panoramabar and Robert Johnson, Troxler is really killing it this year. For those who were unconvinced thus far, “Sexplosion” should seal the deal.

In just two and a half tracks, “Sexplosion” showcases the refreshingly bizarre talent that makes Troxler such a badass. “Jus Your” starts off with some haphazard organ doodling and no beat — perfect for a starting track. Cartoon house vocals usher in the drums, a few high hats slip into play, and soon we’ve got a bright and simple groove going. The track has a fantastic just-got-laid strut to it, and is probably the best manifestation of Troxler’s weird sense of humor I’ve heard yet. “Internude,” aside from the admittedly decent nuthouse synths in the background, is nothing but humor, but it’s a nice touch; when was the last time a producer threw a slapstick monologue between two tracks on an EP? Not sure who did the vocals on this one, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that over-the-top DJ caricature is Troxler himself. The wackiness subsides, more or less with “Face (A Tribute to Head).” Much like “Love Never Sleeps” (another killer Troxler track), “Face (A Tribute to Head)” sports a deep but campy style with a bit of sci-fi flair. This one is much darker than “Sexplosion,” with heavy-handed panning and extra-warped vocals stirring up a rather druggy vibe. It’s hard to say which is the stronger track, as they both achieve completely different ends with such charismatic swagger. “Sexplosion” makes it clear enough that while Seth Troxler may not take himself too seriously, he’s certainly no joke.

[Wagon Repair]

The adjective I keep reaching for when describing The Mole’s debut album, As High as the Sky, is “minimal,” even though I feel guilty of a misnomer. There’s nothing sparse about it; and even though the changes are slight, there is definite forward movement coursing through many of its 11 filled out tracks. So why am I stuck on the word?

I’ll admit that I’m still sorting through Colin de la Plante’s seven-year-deep back catalog, but what I’ve heard backs up my seemingly incongruous word choice. De la Plante’s talent is carving out flexible and compelling loops to serve as the foundations for his tunes. And while they’re often furnished with enough ornamental sounds to give the feeling of development, there’s a certain austerity about his relying on so few sounds for the basis of an entire track. Take his 13 minute long barn-stormer, “Baby, You’re the One,”  which jumps rope around a frantic flurry of three notes and goes double dutch to avoid stepping on the sugary patchwork of vocals chirping the title. It’s nothing if not fun, but de la Plante’s clever editing and impressively drawn out arranging disguises just how reduced its contents truly are. (Granted the album version is greatly pared down, but the effect is much the same.)

It’s a trait that cuts both ways, as some tracks flourish under constraints while others struggle to have the same impact. Perhaps the most effective is the halcyon “Smiling and Running,” a deep and reverberating pool of rippling tones driven by a brawny bass line and scissoring hi-hats which seems weightless despite its abundant low end. Repetition lends tension to the slowly unfolding “Ain’t the Way It’s Supposed to Be,” a galloping tech-house number borne from stretched strings and waterfall flute runs. And for the plucky “Hey Girl (I Feel So Good),” the school yard ambiance and hard-ridden funk groove recall Pepe Bradock with fewer quirks.

But when de la Plante weaves “Knock Twice” from a similar cut-up disco cloth, the combination starts to get tired. “Alice, You Need Him” just barely saves itself from toolish stagnation, slowly revealing a syncopated counter melody among the sonar swirling pings which dominate much of the track. Less lucky is the ravish “Still In My Corner,” which gets stuck on barely modulating synth spine. When tracks like the wobbling groove-centered “Gracias a Los Ninos” and chanting “Like the Way” offer only a patina of tone color on their percussive structures, the first few minutes of each can feel more than sufficient. With all that’s on offer throughout the album, one might wonder why The Mole was compelled to hold back when a few extra melodic strains would’ve hardly weighed things down.

In the end, As High As the Sky feels something like a referendum on minimalist restraint, with “yes” voters loving every repeated note while the “no” crowd more often reaches for the skip button. Still, Colin de la Plante’s loop-centric viewpoint, meticulous handiwork and ear for what’s worth repeating make for a fairly compelling album that generally retains its value after repeated listens. Whether it registers as “minimal” — good or bad — depends on the ears of the beholder.

[Wagon Repair]

After nearly 25 years in the music business, some artists find their skills and instincts dulled, often leading to inadvisable collaborations, obtuse vanity projects and waning popularity. Lucky for us, electronic veteran Tobias Freund’s near 25 years of experience as Pink Elln and as half of NSI, Odd Machine and Sieg Über Die Sonne continually sharpened and honed his talents. Freund’s uncompromising analog sound and solid, steady arrangements made “Street Knowledge” a near instant classic in 2006. Since then, well received remixes for Efdemin, Tampopo and Two Armadillos have only strengthened his cachet with a third generation of audiences. “I Can’t Fight the Feeling,” Freund’s unexpected and stirring debut for Wagon Repair, finds the seasoned producer at the top of his game and offering a near perfect text for soulful minimal techno.

One thing I admire about Tobias is his ability to inject just enough inertia into repetitive beats to keep listeners begging for the next bar, and “I Can’t Fight…” makes great use of this skill. The shuddering synth line of the title cut oscillates in place with a sultry vocal narrating the stasis, “I can’t fight the feeling.” Though he only adds a single note melody to the mix after a rhythm-revealing breakdown, the tune’s entrancing simplicity is enough to keep dancers gyrating. A similar method drives “Go,” whose nail-biting minor progression mutates cyclically as a vocal sample is twisted inside and out and metallic percussion shoves to the forefront. The EP also includes two “Beat Study” tracks, the first of which features Freund’s NSI partner, Max Loderbauer (of Sun Electric fame). “One” absolutely sizzles, its analog textures rubbing together in tight patterns over a modest 808 beat and a faraway chant, “the rhythm takes you.” “Two” is less intricate and almost mimics artfully sculpted feedback: its deep, grinding beat shifting almost imperceptibly while a fleeting counter rhythm fills in the cracks. On this EP, standing still is the new dancing.

Whereas previous tobias. releases showcased his housier side, “I Can’t Fight the Feeling” embraces techno with a harder edge. So while it’s instantly accessible to all kinds, this release strongly courts techno heads feeling left out in the cold in today’s house driven climate. Mr. Freund has lived and produced through many different popularity cycles and survived them all. Another stunning outlier (for now at least) is just par for the course. (post by Steve Mizek)