Es ist mittlerweile kein Geheimnis mehr, dass auf Net-Only-Labels hervorragende Musik veröffentlicht wird, wie auch hier im Fall von Headphone Science. Gleich vorweg: es handelt sich um keinen Web-Release, die vorliegende Veröffentlichung erscheint als CD und wie der Pressemitteilung zu entnehmen ist, ist ein weiterer Release auf dem Wiener Skylab-Label geplant. Und das ist auch gut so, denn Headphone Science ist eine absolute Bereicherung für alle Addicts von Hip Hop-orientiertem IDM. Tighte Grooves, teilweise an Boards of Canada erinnernde Vocal-Schnipsel und sphärische Soundbackings, das sind die Hauptzutaten einer EP, die direkt und ohne Umweg den Kopfnicker-Button anspricht. Word.

Man liest das Booklet der vorliegenden CD und ist entsetzt. Da ist doch wirklich die Rede davon, dass das in vier Akte geteilte Stück „mit offenen Augen komponiert wurde”, dass „Musik der Ausdruck der in der Realität verankerten Sensibilität wäre” und dass es um Hilflosigkeit, Verunsicherung und andere Existenzialien geht. Wer bitteschön getraut sich heute noch an solche Themen — wohlgemerkt in der betont gefühlslosen Welt der Elektronika? Monique Jean zum Beispiel und wer glaubt, dass man es dann mit mollastigen Ambientorgien a la spätem Klaus Schulze zu tun bekommt, irrt gewaltig. Die Soundscapes, die hier gezeichnet werden, sind atemberaubend, keineswegs emotional-naiv, sie sind zumeist von einer digitalen Kühle getragen, deren fragile Textur durch Rauschkaskaden und wirre Sprachfetzen durchbrochen wird. Die Lektüre der CD ist sicherlich nicht leicht, aber man wird durch die vielschichtige Tiefe der Komposition und eine fesselnde Klangsprache mehr als belohnt.

Since forming the electroacoustic duo Coin Gutter in 2000, Vancouver’s Emma Hendrix and Graeme Scott have been blessing local ears with their consistently beautiful noise. The pair’s latest release, All your dreams are meaningless is like a surrealist landscape painting rooted firmly in our city’s rich tradition of experimental sound design. As if October hadn’t already given us enough wonderful electronic music concerts, Coin Gutter adds to the lovely din with an appearance on Tuesday (October 28) at the Railway Club. Noise freaks unite!

Books on Tape, a.k.a. ’puter noodler Todd Drootin, are an acquired taste. Unquestionably interesting and indisputably arcane, Books’ synthetic-music experimentalism is a nuthouse art gallery for your brain. Fixate on a track title and let the scene gel in your mind’s eye: She’s Dead To Me (manic and disturbing), Death In the Sex Shop (stranglehold manic), Church Bus (ominous industrial), See You In Tokyo (curiously Teutonic-styled menace intermingled with Talking Heads frivolity), Circus Animal Battle Rap (instrumental) (edgy and onomatopoeic). The best moments are definitely the darker ones. When things get too vanilla (e.g. the Pollyanna minimalism of Pointe du pied) the engagement quotient declines noticeably. But all that’s forgiven and forgotten when you hit cuts like the sax-n-drugs The Crucial. A tumbling bundle of samples, loops and general electro doodling, Sings the Blues plays hopscotch across your synapses and gets you thinking about things you’ve never done and probably shouldn’t.

[…] Valley native Todd Drootin (a.k.a. Books on Tape) suffers from a severe case of electronic epilepsy. Standing behind his series of odd sequencers and mysterious boxes bursting with knobs, levers, and who-knows-what, the man seems to compose in a fit of spontaneity. However, the brilliant premeditation is evident in how friggin’ good his stuff is. Using samples as minimal as a single guitar chord or bass line as his palate, Drootin mixes in blips, buzzes and other kinds of primitive electronic noises to create music that is somewhat punk, somewhat dancey and often cinematic in scope. The project began when Drootin wanted to play music but lacked the space necessary to store his various bulky traditional instruments. Sequencers, about the size of shoeboxes (but a lot more fun), seemed like the way to go. What has grown out of this space-issue is a full-fledged act that is less “electroclash,” and more a direct result of influences such as jazz, punk, indie, and just plain rock. Books on Tape shows have been described as “high-energy gymnastics” and even the most die-hard electronic traditionalists and jaded indie-rockers have been known to break a smile watching the frantic, knob-turning, pedal-slamming spectacle that is a Books on Tape show. Drootin has had the opportunity to play with such established acts as Cursive, Rilo Kiley and Stars as Eyes. The debut Books on Tape album received high critical acclaim and became a staple on college radio stations nationwide. Drootin feels that his recently released second album, Sings the Blues, captures the vibe of his live performances. He has been invited to play at this year’s CMJ festival in New York City and can be expected to surpass the Los Angeles underground soon enough. […]

I feel this array of warmth and romance when I listen to Sings the Blues (for a hopeless romantic like me that is a good thing). This release by Books on Tape is mainly comprised of samples from Todd Drootin’s girlfriend Kerri’s record collection. He explains in his liner notes “Books on Tape is as much hers as it is mine… besides I love her and I sample her records…” How sweet is that…

Todd also explains that Books on Tape would not have happened without Pavement, Talking Heads, Albert Ayler, Sonic Youth (the band of dreams), Sun Ra, Wire, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Neil Young, Mike Patton, Gang of Four, The Pixies, Public Enemy, The Fall and David Bowie. Sounds like she has an awesome record collection to me. The music on Sings the Blues is to say the least captivating and interesting. Ranging from these slow, sexy, experimental dub-esque sounds to upbeat clip hop this release as a whole is like this awesome mix-tape of a listen, with each song building towards the unraveling of the next song. It is seamless and powerful and full of bubbly fun. I really enjoyed the track Frisson as it demonstrates Todd’s immense talents in the musical arrangement of collected fragments, segments and slices. Frisson is a heart drenched lullaby sung to you from outer space. I love this CD more each time I listen again and again…