Podcast 559: Volruptus

Who is Volruptus? Writing an introduction to one of techno’s most mysterious figures is no easy feat; it’s almost impossible to find any information on him—so let’s compile and present what we can determine. 

Volruptus is from Iceland and started making music aged 14 using Garageband, initially just for fun: “[we’d] use the silliest combination of loops that came with it and record our voices and manipulate them in funny ways,” Volruptus said in a rare interview. “Later I realized that I could sample tunes from my iTunes library and make beats” — and then came Ableton live. His early music was hip-hop-focused, inspired by the documentary Scratch—”I wanted to be a DMC world champion at scratching”—but the Volruptus sound quickly progressed to that of today, combining the mutant techno-futurism of Underground Resistance, the warped melodies of Rephlex, and the high BPMs of Miami bass and Detroit electro. 

Volruptus is now based in Berlin, and has been for just over three years. He makes music using a modest modular synthesizer, a Bellari tube compressor, and an ART graphic EQ, plus some VST software synths and the Ableton sampler. The name first appeared in 2016 via digital label Sweaty Records but Volrutpus has since become a central figure on Bjarki’s bbbbbb and Nina Kraviz’ трип, releasing via the labels and playing live at the label showcases. Volruptus recently performed at Sónar Reykjavík and will soon return to bbbbbb with Alien Agenda, another EP of breakneck techno and acid-drenched basslines with underlying sci-fi messaging. And that’s really all there is to say. 

Volruptus’ podcast is typical Volruptus. Filled with weird, warped out, and futuristic, bassy cuts, you don’t really expect it to work but it really does. All tracks come from Volruptus’ close network of artist friends. “I wanted to promote music that my friends make,” he explains. 

What have you been up to recently?



Making tunes and playing gigs.
 But also just partying, hanging out, and playing games and stuff


Can you briefly talk to me about your journey into music?

Well, it all started when I crashed my ship on Earth. Electronic music here is in a way similar to what we have on Oxblob, but I really like Earth style, so I guess it was something I could relate to.

How did you become involved with Nina and Bjarki? 

My friend and the amazing DJ Árni was sending Bjarki my tracks, and then played some of them out in a bus on the way to one of the Trip parties that were held in Iceland. 

When and where was this mix recorded?

In my room, like a week or two ago. 

Did you have a specific idea you wanted to convey? 

I wanted to promote music that my friends make. 

How did you choose the specific tracks that you included? 

It’s just tunes from my friends who I think are really fucking good, while keeping a certain flow of vibe and emotion or something

What else is on the horizon? 

I guess I’ll stay on earth, invite some friends over from Oxblob to join the party. 
Make more tunes and play more gigs and also do more partying, hanging out, and playing games and stuff. Also, watch out for Sweaty Records.

Due to temporary issues regarding the GDPR, EU readers can download the podcast here.

Tracklisting

01. Jadzia “Saatana Perkele”

02. Odo & Quark “Majdica”

03. Odo & Quark “Holodeck”

04. Volruptus “KAR+ STRONK”

05. Kuldaboli & Volruptus “Night Vision”

06. A.l.l.s.k.y.n.z. “Spaceflite”

07. Odo & Quark “Sólgleraugu”

08. A.l.l.s.k.y.n.z. “Castle Jit”

09. Dj Snar “Do U Want 2”

10. Kosmodod “?”

11. ThizOne “Ectognatha”

12. Helgi “e02.02.18”

13. Dj Sharpnel “Torinouta” (Noise-Rave-Remix)

Noname Details Debut Album, ‘Room 25’

Noname has today announced her debut album, Room 25, scheduled for September 14 release. 

Noname—real name Fatimah Warner—grew up in Bronzeville, a historic neighbourhood on the Southside of Chicago. She discovered her love for wordplay while taking a creative writing class as a sophomore in high school, and became enamoured with poetry and spoken word, pouring over Def Poetry Jam clips on YouTube and attending open mics around the city. She appeared on our radars when her guest verse on fellow Chicagoan Chance The Rapper’s “Lost. She followed this with her debut mixtape, Telefone, which arrived to almost universal acclaim. She’s since spent two years playing shows backed by a full band; only over the last few months has she started to tease new material.  

We’re told that the 11-track album, released independently, sees Noname return as “a more mature and experienced artist.”

The album artwork is provided by Chicago artist Bryant Giles. 

Tracklisting

01.Self 

02. Blaxploitation

03. Prayer Song

04. Window

05. Don’t Forget About Me

06. Regal 

07. Montego Bae

08. Ace

09. Part of Me

10. With You 

11. no name

Room 25 LP will land on September 14.

Check Out These 10 Discogs Gems

In support of XLR8Rplus and independent music, we’re now compiling 10 of our favorite Discogs gems into an easy-to-digest list each month; all submissions come from independent labels. You’ll perhaps know some but you’re unlikely to know them all—but these are some of the tracks that are on repeat week after week in the XLR8R offices. 

XLR8Rplus is a monthly subscription service to complement the main XLR8R site. Each month we share three unreleased tracks from three different artists—both known legends and lesser-known pioneers—that we feel are pushing the scene forward in inspiring ways. These tracks will be available for download in high-quality WAV format for the duration of one month; only subscribers for that particular month will have them. They will not be available anywhere else and there will be no access to archived material. You can find more information here. 

CVO “Bonus” (1995)

Balance 

The name Glenn Underground is synonymous with house music. The founding member of Strictly Jazz Unit and a Chicago native, he has taken inspiration from the pioneers of the Chicago House movement and been a key figure of the scene since the mid ’90s. “Bonus” by CVO—one of his many aliases—was released in 1995 on the Party Time EP and, considering the diversity and quality of the track, it is still relatively unknown compared to Underground’s other work. A timeless classic. 

Carmen McRae “How Long Has This Been Going On?” (MJ Cole Remix) (2002)

Acid Jazz 

The name MJ Cole is synonymous with late-’90s/early-’00s UK garage and 2-step—Matthew Coleman is, without doubt, one of the scene’s prominent figures and biggest names. “How Long Has This Been Going On” was originally sung by jazz legend Carmen McRae in 1960 and her beautiful soothing tone provides the perfect accompaniment to Cole’s garage beat. Released in 2002 by Acid Jazz, a label co-founded by Gilles Peterson in 1987, this is an example of the profound soulfulness of garage.

Mike (µ-Ziq) and Rich (Aphex Twin) “Mr. Frosty” (1996)

Rephlex 

Aphex Twin (a.k.a. Richard D. James) and µ-Ziq (a.k.a. Mike Paradinas) released this record as a duo in 1996. The album, titled Expert Knob Twiddlers came out at the height of the IDM wave and was reissued in 2016 due to popular demand. Originally released on Aphex Twin’s co-owned label Rephlex, it was later released through Planet Mu, Paradinas’s label. Paradinas has described the album as “an updated version of easy listening and funk.” 

Einzelkind ‎”Bad Wire” (2018)

Naural 

DJ, producer, and label owner Einzelkind has been producing and DJing behind the scenes for longer than some realize. With his labels Pressure Traxx and La Peña he has been a consistent presence in the house and minimal techno scene with some of the biggest artists releasing on his labels, including artists such as Ricardo Villalobos, Arapu, Vinyl Speed Adjust, Federico Molinari, and Barac. “Bad Wire” was released in March earlier this year, a rolling house groover. His most recent outing is a contribution to XLR8Rplus and the sort of track that when played at the right moment, would create one of those dance floor moments that linger in the memory long after the party’s over. You can check out the current edition of XLR8R+ here and listen to the track below.

Alex Reece “Pulp Fiction” (1995)

Metalheadz 

Originally, Alex Reece was more interested in acid house and early Detroit techno, both of which had an influence on his music when he rose to prominence as a jungle DJ in the ’90s. Known as a founder of the jazz-step sound—a mixture of drum & bass and jazz—Reece’s “Pulp Fiction” is a seamless fusion, pairing jazz horns with a heavy, unforgettable bassline, and was one of the defining drum & bass tracks of the ’90s. It was released by Metalheadz, the infamous label founded by Goldie and Kemistry & Storm in 1994—a special mention needs to go to “Chill Pill,” the underrated B side on this iconic release.

Doctor Rockit “Tape Measure” (Herbert Remix) (1996)

Clear 

Matthew Herbert is a cult figure in the music industry. Whether he’s releasing experimental, minimal, techno, or house, or even a 400+ member big band album, he has a way of captivating listeners and dancers alike. He has sampled everything from bullets to The Guardian newspaper and has constantly evolved, refining and morphing his style with an unashamed English swagger. His Doctor Rockit alias is known for jazzy electro cuts but this Herbert remix of his own track has a minimal house feel to it reminiscent of his work in the late ’90s.

Roman IV “14x7x4” (1995)

Ladomat 2000 

Roman Flügel has been an integral part of the electronic scene for almost 30 years. Upon moving to Frankfurt he helped establish the Klang Elektronik, Ongaku, and Playhouse labels in the early ’90s. He’s since gone on to release under a plethora of aliases and orchestrated many successful collaborations with artists such as Ricardo Villalobos and LoSoul, showcasing a versatility and originality that is so often lost. “14x7x4” was released in 1995, a driving deep house cut entwined with elements of soul. Flügel also contributed an exclusive track to our most recent XLR8Rplus edition, which you can check out here, with the track streaming below.

Get F**ked “Hangover” (2000)

Euakahouse

British label Euakahouse launched in the mid ’90s and helped create the original tech house sound. They released music from Terry Francis, Nathan Coles, Audio Soul Project, Mr C, Armand Van Helden, and many more, being cited by a multitude of the world’s top DJs as a hugely influential label. The most notable track for us is “Hangover” by Get F**ked (Nathan Coles & Nils Hess), which has been on repeat in our offices over the years. The album the track appeared on, Wet Dreams, was released in 2000. 

Enrico Mantini “Whenever You Want Me” (2013)

Shift Limited

Italian producer and DJ Enrico Mantini is considered one of the founders of the deep house movement. The consistency in the quality of his tracks, which span over two decades, has made him somewhat of a legend within the underground scene. Starting out in the early ’90s producing deep house grooves, he still champions a similar style today and to great effect. His label Purism consistently represents exciting talent and we can’t think of one release that we haven’t wanted in our collection. The break in “Whenever You Want Me” is a piece of sonic beauty.

Wata Igarashi ‎”Mood Of The Machines Part II” (2016)

The Bunker New York 

DJ, producer, composer, and sound designer Wata Igrashi’s rise to prominence in the techno scene started in 2013 with his release alongside Mike Parker on Mariana Wax. In 2016, he released the EP Mood Of the Machines on The Bunker New York, with “Mood Of The Machines Part II” being our pick of an excellent collection of moody, minimal techno tracks. He also recently featured on our recent XLR8Rplus edition with a psychedelic techno number called “Drift Away,” which you can listen to below.

Logan Takahashi Returns to Ghostly

Logan Takahashi will return to Ghostly with Crema, an eight-track EP traversing “dub-techno, earthly electronics, and meticulously crafted melodies,” the label explains.  

Over the past seven years, Takahashi and his former college-mate/fellow producer Nick Weiss have released records as Teengirl Fantasy on labels such as True Panther Sounds and R&S, collaborated with Kelela, Laurel Halo, and Panda Bear, and scored a Blade Runner-inspired Fashion Week collection for Opening Ceremony. Takahashi released his first solo album, NoGeo, in 2016, built on the minimal backbone of an Elektron Monomachine and named after the cross-cultural compositions of Ryuichi Sakamoto. 

Crema was largely composed on hardware for live sets over the past two years. We’re told that its “magic lies within its penchant for a kind of rhythmic playfulness that taps into a sense of oncoming elation—all punctuated by arpeggiations that trickle down the subconscious.” 

Tracklisting

01. Intro

02. A Temple

03. Feela

04. Ichi

05. Crema

06. Nukit

07. Plant Fat

08. Outro

Crema EP will land on October 5, with “Feela” streaming in full via the player below. 

Premiere: Hear a Relentless Techno Cut From PRG/M

Next month, Unità Psicofisica will return with its second release, a various artist EP titled Collisioni Sonore Pt.1.

The Italian label launched back in May with Assioma, an EP from fellow Italian Manent that encapsulated the label’s sonic signature with four deep and textured techno cuts. Now, with Collisioni Sonore Pt.1, the label widens its musical breadth with four more mind-bending cuts, ranging from Korridor’s cavernous “Geotetra” to the menacing rhythms of PRG/M‘s “Quantum Decay,” SHLTR’s otherworldly ambient cut “Pashupatinath,” and Von Grall’s alien-like exercise in deep polyrhythms. Although Collisioni Sonore Pt.1 presents tracks from four different artists, it has a expertly curated cohesion to the release, marking a standout sophomore offering from the rising label.

Collisioni Sonore Pt.1 is set to drop on October 5 and can be pre-ordered here, with PRG/M’s “Quantum Decay” streaming in full via the player below.

Den Haas “Insomnia”

Den Haas is a young Dutch DJ- producer, and part of the RESET crew. Being influenced at a young age by every odd, repetitive sound he heard, he started to develop his “addiction to beats,” he says, and soon ended up creating and playing his own for days, hours and years in his bedroom studio. At the age of 16, he started DJing at a local radio station. He’s since shared his music via Innocent Music, Moral Fiber Music, and Mood 24 Recordings. 

Today he shared a rework of Faithless’ “Insomnia” classic, morphing it into a groovy dancefloor roller. Grab it now via the WeTransfer button below—or here for EU readers due to temporary GDPR restrictions.

Clouds Next on Speedy J’s Electric Deluxe

Clouds will release a new album on Speedy J’s Electric Deluxe in November. 

Heavy The Eclipse is the Scottish techno duo’s second album, following 2017’s HTID: Heaven-Sent Tekno Impakting Dancefloors, Or Hardcore Till I Die, also released via Electric Deluxe. It tells the story of a dystopian Glasgow 400 years into the future—”After numerous waves of social collapse, Glasgow, a once prosperous city thriving off an industry of trade and shipbuilding, had run to waste in lawless ruin,” the label explains. We’re told to expect “ravaged and warped breakbeats haunted by wailing euphoric noise, vivid and graphic reflections of fractured post-industrial hardcore, moments of poetry flashing within a thick impending fog.”  

The Neurealm world was conceived and then carefully developed in close collaboration with graphic designer David Rudnick. It’s also accompanied by a website that tells the whole story with maps and illustrations. 

The entire album was recorded over 14 days at Speedy J’s studio in Rotterdam in 2016 and will arrive on November 23, with “Parkzicht” streaming in full via the player below. 

Tracklisting

01. Neurealm «After The Fall» 

02. Clubber’s Guide To Wreaking Havoc 

03. Klaw Dealer, Unterverein 2522 

04. DJ MCD «Heavens Tilt Into Darkness» 

05. Dark Leviathan Krew 

06. Warped Amphetamine Flex 

07. Skulcoast 

08. Welcome To Lebanon Ark 

09. Eclipser 

10. Strong Outside «» Onslaught Ash Krew 

11. Parkzicht 

12. Nachtstorm Hardcore 

13. Dedzone «Cold Eye Krew» 

14. Skyline «Àrdkaserne To Fantazia» 

Daniel Avery Shares Gorgeous Ambient Work

Daniel Avery has today shared a rare ambient piece, available for download below. The 46-minute recording, entirely beatless, was recorded last month in Avery’s UK studio in advance of his US tour alongside Jon Hopkins. Ambient soundscapes, as Avery explains, have long been part of his music but rather in the background than at the forefront; this is one of the first ambient pieces he’s shared, and it’s likely to be followed by some more. To explain more about the recording and the thinking behind it, Avery answered our questions. 

This is a very beautiful piece of music. When did you record it, and what is the idea behind it? 

I recorded it about a month ago. I’ve had a rough sketch of something like this in my head for a while; I’m interested in quiet pieces that take time to fully unveil themselves. 

And why now? What’s inspired it now? 

Jon [Hopkins] asked me to support him on his North American tour. We’ve become friends over the years and I wanted to offer something from my world, something more than simply turning up and playing techno records before a gig. As a DJ, I love to play all-night-long sets, I love how immersive that feels. I wanted to bring some of that energy to the tour so we decided that I would play from doors opening until Jon’s first note. It’s about building the atmosphere from the ground up. I was asked to make an ambient mix to demonstrate these quieter moments and one piece within it wouldn’t leave my head. I was transfixed. The idea formed very quickly and the resulting track came from a single, intense studio session.   

What’s the sample?

It’s by Hiroki Kikuta, a Japanese composer. His music has been a part of my life from a very young age. 

How do you find playing these downtempo sets, and why are beginning to appreciate them more now?

I love being able to draw a line between different parts of the night. It’s a rush to see folk sitting or laying on the floor at the beginning of a night, only to be climbing the walls several hours later. It’s a challenge but I find it the most inspiring part of DJing. 

I suppose this is how it started for you, too, playing the warm-up sets?

It is. It’s exactly how I started and it’s been inspiring for me to revisit it recently. I would do it every time if I could; I would love to play all night for every gig. 

Do you find yourself producing a lot of ambient material, even though you don’t release a lot of it?

There is a lot that I have not released, yes, but I plan on getting it out there. I find that producing this music helps to reset my thoughts; it has been a crucial part of the process in the studio.

So when you’re playing these ambient sets, do you find yourself producing lots of your own material that you haven’t released? 

Yes, that certainly happens. Some is inspired directly by the nights themselves, some is made specifically with certain sets in mind and some comes as a result of playing already-existing music in a new context, pitching it down and running it through a string of guitar pedals on stage. The reverb of a large, unpopulated room can throw up new sounds in an interesting way. Music can take on a whole new life if you give it that time and space. 

I suppose it’s difficult to release ambient music because as a techno DJ you’re expected to make music that makes people dance. 

Well, I couldn’t survive if dancefloor techno was all I did, all I listened to, or all I made. I get the same feeling from making an ambient piece as I do something intended for the club. I think there’s a legitimate connection between these two worlds. I love any music that grabs you by the hand and takes you somewhere else. 

So this ambient piece is one of the first times that people have seen this side of your character. 

It’s always been a part of what I do but it’s true that this is the first extended piece of music in this style I have released. 

And I suppose it’s very different from what you’ll be playing when you support Nine Inch Nails later in the year. 

Yes, that’s going to be entirely different to the Hopkins tour. I want those sets to be much more visceral, more direct. The other side of my personality.

EU readers can download the work here, due to temporary GDPR restrictions. 

Carl Finlow “Definition”

Back in March, 20/20 Vision Recordings released Introspective, a 21-track collection from Carl Finlow.

Finlow was co-founder of 20/20 Vision and produced many of the early records on the label, as well as an almost uncountable amount of records produced under the pseudonyms Voice Stealer, Silicon Scally, and Random Factor on labels like Warp, Klang, and NovaMute. The new album collates all his very best electro works, including timeless classics “Anomaly,” “Convergence,” and “Broken Mirror,” and a good chunk of under-the-radar weapons, such as the wall-shaking bass grooves of “Undercover,” the spacey futuristic atmospheres of “Unintensional,” and the fierce rhythms of “We Suspect.”

In support of the release, 20/20 Vision has offered up “Definition,” a five-and-a-half minute slice of robotic electro funk, as today’s XLR8R download, available via WeTransfer below.

You can purchase the album here.

Due to temporary issues regarding the GDPR, EU readers can download the track here.

Premiere: Hear a Breakbeat Remix From Jad & The

Later this month, Monologues will release the debut EP from Australian newcomer A Most Wanted Man.

The EP, titled Hep Cat, will be the third release of the year for Monologues, following an outing from Kolja Gerstenberg and a various artist EP, featuring cuts from Je Dàvu, Lrusse & Kraymon, Danvers, and Voyeur. Musically, the EP sits snuggly in the deep house realm, ranging from the more driving end of the spectrum (“Hep Cat”) to the deep and sultry (“Voice From Above”). On the remix front, fellow Australian Jad & The delivers a groove-led breakbeat remix of “Importance Of A Hi-Hat,” twisting the deep house vibes of the original into a swirling exercise in deft drum programming. The EP is already picking up steam amongst house jocks the world over, popping up in the sets of artists such as Todd Edwards, Danny Tenaglia, Jazzanova, and Auntie Flo, among others.

In support of the release, the label has offered up a full stream of Jad & The’s remix, available via the player below. You can pre-order the EP here.

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