LABEL:JAZZ-O-TECH RECORDS
REMIXES:SUNIL SHARPE, FABRIZIO RAT, DINAMITE, SILVER GALAXY
RELEASE DATE:2022-11-18
FORMATS:DOUBLE-VINYL
This double album deeps dive into the label‘s carefully nurtured sound with music from artists all over Europe and exclusive and very unique artists colllaborations. All tracks are previously unreleased on vinyl.
The Jazz-o-Tech label serves up a second volume of „This is Techno Jazz“ which again lays out a clear sonic statement. What unites this label and its broad array of artists is a desire to fuse the traditional improvisation of jazz with the avant-garde experimentalism of techno. Over the last couple of years, it has done that to critical acclaim with a series of innovative EPs and LPs from artists all over Europe. Some are studio wizards, some are jazz trained musicians, all are cooking up fresh new sounds that push the boundaries of electronic and acoustic music further than ever.
„For each track, we put together jazz musicians and techno producers and asked them to freely express their vision of what techno-jazz should be. Our polycentric musical identity speaks of many possible futures in a multitude of individual dimensions, unified by an ambitious artistic effort to write a new chapter in music. The result is an innovative musical language that aims to provide a new sonic vocabulary for jazz and avant-garde electronic. We really hope you like it as much as we do!“
Finnish duo Aki Himanen and Aleksi Kinnunen kick things off just as their new album “A Thing with Feathers” is about to drop. Their ‚Valediction‘ is led by melancholic trumpets and hypnotic drums, while Reeko, Katharina Ernst and Leonie Freudenberger combine to create dark, heavily percussive rhythms and eerie synths on ‚Snake Spirit.‘ Flat Maze pairs glitchy techno with edgy piano chords and Mattia Prete, Daniel Calvi and Leonie keep up the pressure with clattering drums overlaid with a snake charmer like sax line. After Lyder‘s soothing and suspensory ‚Sea of Thought‘ with its gorgeous wind sounds and soulful vocals, techno legend Sunil Sharp remixes his collaboration with experimental label regulars TUN into a frenzied mix of free jazz motifs and industrial rhythms.Stanislav Tolkachev comes together with Aki Himanen & Aleksi Kinnunen for more detuned, unhinged synth madness, Bodek Janke & Studnitzky reset the mood with a calm yet menacing fusion of ambient synths, prickly rhythms and fluttering wind sounds, then Fabrizio Rat remixes his work with Bada-Bada into a pounding techno groove with mysterious jazz melodies. A Dinamite remix brings textured broken beat techno to the fore, Morgen Wurde & Tis keep it deeply dark and atmospheric on their cut with Tetsuroh Konishi and Sliver Galaxy then races off into the cosmos on high energy and uplifting jazz-techno rhythm. Finally, Bada-Bada releases the tension with a celebratory sound before Key Clef and Luigi Ranghino‘s ‚Piano Movimento 2‘ closes down in gorgeous Neo classical fashion.
This collection once again proves that jazz and techno belong together as it takes you on a roller coaster ride through many fascinating fusions. Jazz-O-Tech is a label that draws on the rich heritage of two of the most visionary and experimental genes in music: jazz and techno. Taking inspiration from the free form creative nature of those two musical worlds, artists on the label mix tradition with modernity, improvisation wit h experimentation, and create a new sound known as techno – jazz. Modern music needs to be ambitious. It must aim to deliver a musical message which is one step beyond what has already been heard. It must take you on a new musical journey into unknown dimensions and emotions. That is the Jazz-o-Tech mission.
Additional infos exclusive artist collaborations
Bodek Janke & Studnitzky: Rebirth/ Set up: Sebastian Studnitzky piano, trumpet, keyboards, electronics, Bodek Janke vocals, drums and percussion. Recorded live in Emmanuel Kirche in Berlin by two of the finest jazz artists in the Berlin scene. A jazz improvisation on a texture of electronic fabric beautifully crafted by these two great musicians. From an atmosferic start, the then tracks slowly evolves and morphs into a deep techno track. Incredibly dense from start to finish.
Reeko, Katharina Ernst & Leonie: Snake Spirit/Set up: Reeko synths and electronics, Katarina Ernrs drums, Leonie alto saxophone. Recorded at Jazz-O-Tech “Garden 505 studio“ in Berlin, this tracks is the perfect blend between the deeply hypnotic techno groove by reeko and the explosive drum parts by Katharina Ernst, on which Leonie carves out an abstract sax; the combination of these three elements creates a strong energy in the track and in the listener a compelling need to listen again and again.
Stanislav Tolkachev and Aki Himanen, Aleksi Kinnunen: Breakers Ahead / Set up: Tolkachev synthesizers, Aleksi Kinnunen drums, Aki Himanen trumpet. Jazz-o-Tech involved Aki, Stani and Aleksi to work on a vision that was missing on the label. The trio worked together on something different: intellectual and experimental, while keeping the true spirit of improvisation. The finnish duo‘s organic sounds glide perfectly over Stanislav‘s distorted sonic reality: „Breakers Ahead“!
Mattia Prete, Daniel Calvi and Leonie: Palettes /Set up: Mattia Prete electronics and synths, Daniel Calvi bass and synthesizers, Leonie alto saxophone. Mattia Prete and Daniel Calvi worked together on the construction and arrangement of the track „Palettes“, then invited Leonie to play a powerful tune on this groove with her saxophone. „Palettes“ is highly energetic, where the techno grooves arranged by Mattia are “hacked” by a bass and sax arrangements which give the track an original style with a clear flavour of rock and roll. A dancefloor filler.
Key Clef and Luigi Ranghino: Piano Moviemento 2 /Set up: Luigi Ranghino piano, Key Clef modular synthesizer, drum machines. Key Clef has collaborated with Luigi several times before, and this piece is an excerpt from an original recording session they did together in Luigi’s studio in Vercelli, Italy. This refined composition gives the A side of the compilation a meditative close and, overall, brings great elegance to the release.
