The Re-Ups: Abstract Audio Vols. 1-3
February 3, 2011 at 9:00 am 7 comments
More re-uploads of old mix CDs, although none of these have ever really been available online before. In fact, volume three of the Abstract Audio series never even made it beyond the Bubblegum Cage III’s office stereo. Anyway, the important thing to know about these is that – other than the UK Post-Rock compilations – no mixes could be any closer to this here blog’s heart.
Roughly speaking, Vol. 1 surveys the late 90s/early 00s glitch sound (Oval, Fennesz, Ekkehard Ehlers & Stephan Mathieu etc.). It was originally circulated among friends as a CDR called Audio Classics Vol. 1, in April 2006.
Vol. 2 posits a kind of “post-glitch” scene (Mountains, Tape, Greg Davis etc.), which combined – and continues to combine – granular textures with bucolic acoustic instrumentation, in a fashion that recalls Fennesz and late-period Gastr del Sol. It was originally circulated as a CDR called Unplug, in February 2007.
Vol 3. investigates related sounds in a more immersive and rhythmically-focused context (Rhythm & Sound, Monolake, Gas etc.) This one was originally called Loscil Substitutes, which is the only available excuse for the fact that it doesn’t feature any music by Loscil. It was originally compiled as a lullaby of sorts for an unimpressed sweetheart. Maybe you’ll like it more than she did, dearest reader.
In summary then, we’re talking experimental electronica here, folks. And we love it! Track listings and download links below. Enjoy!!
Abstract Audio Vol. 1
Abstract Audio Vol. 1
1. Farmers Manual – “Mystery Cellar”
2. Fennesz – “Caecilia”
3. Oval – “Do While (Cut)”
4. Vladislav Delay – “Anima (extract)”
5. Basic Channel – “Mutism”
6. Alva Noto – Untitled (track 6 from Prototypes)
7. General Magic – “Temko”
8. Pita – Untitled (track 3 from Get Out)
9. Ekkehard Ehlers – “Plays Cornelius Cardew 1”
10. Stephan Mathieu – “Für Frans”
11. Stephan Mathieu & Ekkehard Ehlers – “Rose”
12. Fennesz – “Codeine”
13. Farmers Manual – “Final Lap”
Click here to download Abstract Audio Vol. 1
Abstract Audio Vol. 2
Abstract Audio Vol. 2
1. Sébastien Roux – “The Classical Guitar Song”
2. Giuseppe Ielasi – “Plans (extract)”
3. M. Rösner – “Decay”
4. Tsukimono – “Punked Up Fuck Attitude”
5. Tu M’ – “What You Say?”
6. 3/4HadBeenEliminated – “In Every Tree a Heartache”
7. Mountains – “Bay”
8. Tape – “Sand Dunes”
9. Hauschka – “Hauschkamp3”
10. Ogurusu Norihide – Untitled (track 2 from Modern)
11. Greg Davis – “Campestral (Textured)”
12. Chihei Hatakeyama – “Swaying Curtain in the Window”
13. Anders Dahl – “Hundloka (extract)”
14. Lawrence English – “Ghost Towns (extract)”
Click here to download Abstract Audio Vol. 2
Abstract Audio Vol. 3
Abstract Audio Vol. 3
1. Monolake – “Void”
2. Pan•American – “How Much Progress One Makes”
3. Rhythm & Sound – “Distance”
4. The Sight Below – “No Place for Us”
5. Biosphere – “Daphnis 26”
6. Basic Channel – “Quadrant Dub I Edit”
7. Vladislav Delay – “Raamat”
8. Deepchord Presents Echospace – “Celestialis”
9. Porter Ricks – “Biokinetics 2”
10. Gas – “Pop 2”
11. Vainqueur – “Elevation (Version 1)”
Click here to download Abstract Audio Vol. 3
Entry filed under: electronica, mix CDs, MP3s, re-ups. Tags: electronica, mix CDs, MP3s, re-ups.
Bubblegum Cage III 
1.
b_neptune | February 3, 2011 at 10:22 am
I almost feel like we’re long lost brothers. After the dream-pop thing turned into space rock (flying saucer attack, amp, etc.) and eventually ran its course, I spent a few years buying only lo-fi indie 7″s (pavement, guided by voices, cornershop, etc.) until I really grabbed onto the whole, well, what I coined “newgaze” that’s encapsulated quite well right here in these three downloads. It’s what my whole record store, neptune records (royal oak, MI) was based on.
Great job Biggie Samuels!
2.
Biggie Samuels | February 3, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Ha ha ha! Not sure what my actual brother would make of these comps. Still, record store clerks across the world are my brothers and sisters, so…
Funny that you called this stuff “newgaze”. Nowadays, that term (or “nugaze”) tends to mean stuff like The Pains of Being Pure at Heart or School of Seven Bells. Most people really wouldn’t see the connection between cerebral digital electronica and dreampop. But to me (and you, presumably) Oval and Fennesz represented the next logical step after MBV and post-rock.
Reminds me of a couple of Simon Reynolds quotes I vaguely remember: (i) The one in his review of Loveless where he said he’d have been quite happy if the whole of side two had sounded like “Touched”; (ii) The one where he said that 94 Diskont was like having MBV’s collected works injected into your spine. Hope I’m getting those at least somewhat accurate.
3.
Tristan | February 6, 2011 at 5:46 pm
I’m pretty excited for these mixes, and I love this discussion.
4.
Biggie Samuels | February 9, 2011 at 6:34 pm
Cheers Tristan, feel free to re-blog this post, if it doesn’t fall too far outside the remit of your Tumblr.
5.
Andrew McLean | May 10, 2012 at 4:29 pm
Volume 2 has gone down, although the other volumes are still active. It would be great if you could repost it at some point, always lilke exploring new sounds.
6.
Biggie Samuels | May 12, 2012 at 2:58 am
I noticed a while ago that Vol. 2 had disappeared from Mediafire but I didn’t have the motivation to re-up it until I saw your comment, so thanks for your interest! The links should work again now. If not, try this:
http://www.mediafire.com/?fa8vvc10dxe270m
7.
Andrew McLean | May 14, 2012 at 5:35 pm
Thanks very much! Your compilations have proven a good source of leads on more music to buy – my wallet might not appreciate it, but I do 🙂