Techno Bass Multi-Universal Network
Label Highlights
June 2010 Label Highlight | Electronic Corporation:
Originally a project of Rene Kirchner, MAS 2008 was joined in 1999 by now long-time member Ive Muller. With releases dating back to '97 on labels like Twilight 76 and Mikrolux, the onslaught of some of the most complex Techno Bass beats to meet the needle and the speaker has been quite devastating. Ranging from old school beats, to modern Techno Bass, even delving into some more Synth Pop oriented material, this duo has rightfully gained the reputation of being incredibly versatile at their craft.
Soon after the addition of Ive Muller, "Electronic Corporation" was founded in 2000, and released their first title under a pseudonym named after the label itself. The name of the EP was called "N'coded Tracks", and featured the tracks "Illuminate", "Acuatic City", "Elektromechanik", and "Freaks Are Electronic". During the course of the next year or so, the label continued to be a platform for this new project between the members of MAS 2008, something that to the artists was a symbol of their brotherhood, as well as their dedication to the sounds of Electro and Techno.
In 2001, barely completing 2 years as a label and already 5 releases deep, the label would see yet another addition not just to their artist roster, but also to its inner workings: Interfunk. Releasing his debut "Electromagnetic Compatabilities" on Electronic Corporation, the artist would go on to release a few more tracks on the label's "Artificial Material" compilations, as well as a remix for Psyche's "Unveiling The Secret" remixes EP; eventually seeing the birth of his own imprint, "Automatik-Datamatik Records".
Over the years, the label has also released other great artists like Sbassship, and Bastards Of Love; also introducing material from the original project between the founding members as MAS 2008. Most notable of these releases was perhaps Sbassship's "Block Universe", a thundering Techno Bass classic with some of the most hypnotic and unforgiving sounds to date. Raw basslines, powerful beats, and deep and persuasive synth lines, make this record still a very sought after piece of wax.
Still releasing material to this day, with the latest being the second chapter in their "Artificial Material" compilations, the label has remained a strong force in the Electro/Techno scene. Not amassing a great quantity of artists, the label has simply focused on the sound that they believe in and sticking to it, perhaps what you could call a "quality, not quantity" mentality. If only more would follow this type of philosophy, perhaps music as a whole could go back to being a passionate medium, where only what truly meets the highest standards in production and composition is existent.
- Electronic Corporation's' website
- Electronic Corporation's Myspace page
- Electronic Corporation's Discogs page
Written by: Santino Fernandez - technoBass.net
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April 2010 Label Highlight | 430 West:
The first release on the label was by none other than the Burden brothers as "Octave One", on an E.P. called "Octivation". Following that was Metro D with "What Is A Dancer?", to then have the return of Lenny and Lawrence Burden as "Random Noise Generation". The label continued to release a mixture of Techno and House, until 1994 when it released Aux 88's first album, "Bass Magnetic", marking the beginnings of a new direction that the label would take; releasing a new sound that they came to call "Techno Bass". Of course, the label did not completely gravitate away from Techno and House, it simply expanded their horizons, giving them a new avenue to pursue; eventually seeing the birth of 430's sub-label, "Direct Beat".
Another one of 430 West's very sought after Techno Bass releases was one of Aux 88's other projects called "Alien FM", composed of Tommy Hamilton, Keith Tucker, and BJ Smith. The trio released a self-entitled 2x12 L.P. featuring tracks like Infinity, Journeys, and Art Of Illusion. The group only had one more album on 430 West, a CD release called "88 FM", which included some of the tracks that appeared on the Alien FM L.P. Other releases were included in compilations on 430 West, Studio iK7, Direct Beat, Electrofunk Records, Gagarin Music, and Dance Arena Productions.
One of the most unique and perhaps less known artists on 430 West was a duo called "Wild Planet", originally debuting on Warp Records in 1992, and consisting of Simon Hartley and Richie Brook. After their second release, an album called "Blueprint", Simon continued with Wild Planet as a solo project, releasing its first title on 430 called "Synthetic". Wild Planet followed up with the Genetic Remixes E.P. in 1999, following with the act's second album, "Transmitter". Wild Planet has had their tracks also appear on labels like Submerge, Stockholm Records, BPitch Control, to name a few.
Still releasing quality material to this day, 430 West has been and always will be one of the reasons that Techno and House have continued, and the sounds of Electro survived. Having been the "birthlabel" of some of our music's greatest artists, their open mindedness and ability to see outside of the box proved to be a key to their success, helping to create the sounds of Techno Bass and giving the world a brand new sound that would over time have such a tremendous influence, that it's effects are still being felt and will be for many years to come. In the world of Underground music, it isn't necessarily wrong for a label or an artist to focus on one style of music, however, versatility can often be the one virtue that truly allows us to fully blossom, giving us the ability to reach a greater audience, thus allowing for a greater impact on society. This is something that the Burden brothers and 430 West will always be a testament of.
Written by: Santino Fernandez - technoBass.net
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February 2010 Label Highlight | Breakin' Records:
Founded by Ed DMX, the label was the beginnings of artists like Bass Junkie, Mandroid, Paul Blackford, and other Ed DMX projects like DMX Krew, Bass Potato, and Computor Rockers. The first release, DMX Krew's "DMX Bass/Rock Your Body", started things off showcasing both sides of Ed DMX's musical influences and aspirations, Techno Bass, and Synth Pop. The following releases, Bass Potato and Bass Junkie's "Unknown Funk E.P.", kept introducing their new sound, while paying homage to the old school influences that helped inspire these releases.
Probably one of the most notable releases in the early days of Breakin' was the debut of Mandroid, with his ground breaking E.P., "Retrospect". This release was not just a great beginning for who has become one of the most legendary Electro artists of the new school sound, but it was a great step in the right direction for a label that was aiming to showcase the many sub-genres that exist under the name Electro and Techno.
Perhaps something that is not realized by everyone who was into Breakin', maybe overlooking or not catching the intentional references to "Techno Bass" or "Techno Rock" in many of Ed DMX's vocals in his songs, was that his work and his label where actively taking the sound of Detroit Techno Bass to the next level and showing that this style was something that could truly be a global thing. Something that shouldn't come as a surprise, taking into account the high demand for the 430 West/Direct Beat releases in Europe since their beginnings, and the success many of the artists in Detroit had in the continent. The influence of these artists was quite obvious in the works of Ed DMX, his side projects, that of Bass Junkie's, and Mandroid's; who not only built on the formulas designed by the Electro Funk pioneers, but also on Detroit's, injecting it with a somewhat darker, and more enigmatic melodic element that is a forte of English musicians.
The label went on to release many more releases and still continues to this day, even after a small hiatus in the mid '00s. The musical direction of the label has changed somewhat from its earlier days, gravitating more towards the sounds of Acid House, Breaks, Techno, and progressing on Ed's earlier flirtations with Synth Pop. They do however, now and again, release material that is true to the older styles that launched the label to success in the Techno Bass and Electro Funk scenes.
With nearly 15 years under their belt, the label has been a foundation to many of today's most prolific artists, as well as a platform for many to begin their careers under what over the years has become an incredibly prestigious label. It has been an icon for what kind of influence one country can have on another, and how this influence can in return, begin to have its own effect on newer movements within music circles. In many ways, a replay of the days when groups like Kraftwerk influenced cities like Detroit and Miami, only to then have these places create a sound that would then go on to have its own wave of influence on the world...a microcosm of the constant exchange of information that has been occurring between human beings on this planet since the beginnings of time.
Written by: Santino Fernandez - technoBass.net
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