gullbuy music review

Immer - a mix by Michael Mayer

title

Immer - a mix by Michael Mayer

label

Kompakt

format
various artists CD

Immer, a mix by Michael MayerI really like this disc because I know so little about the artists and I enjoy the sound. I can divide the 13 tracks into three categories: artists I own stuff from, artists I know but have only briefly been exposed to (maybe through compilations), and artists I have never heard before.

The artists who I know already and own stuff by are A Rocket In Dub and Carsten Jost. A Rocket In Dub is another project by the guy who called himself Antonelli Electr. The song on this CD (Rocket No. 3) is also on an Italic Records 12inch reviewed in the gullbuy. I like his stuff. Carsten Jost an artist with a full length on Dial Records, a division of Ladomat. His full length shares the same name as the track here (which also appeared as a 12inch), 'You Don't Need A Weatherman'. The song has birds chirping throughout and is one of my faves on this CD.

The artists I know by name but are not really familiar with (except maybe the odd track on a compilation) are Auch, Phon.O, and Thomas Fehlmann. Shitkatapult, the Berlin label run by Marco Haas (who records as T. Raumschmiere) put out a 12inch by Phon.O recently. I only listened to it once in a store and did not buy it. If the tracks on it are half as good as 'Palersam The Cat' I missed out. Phon.O have a choppy post-electronica sound that reminds me a bit on another Shitkatapult artist, Kero. I also like the Farben remix of the Auch song 'Remix tomorrow Goodbye'. If has a sound like a car horn which appears at the oddest time, to my delight.

Finally, there are the artists I have never heard of, that I know nothing about. My favorite track on the CD is among these. 'Psychometry Vol. 3.0' bu Akufen has electronic vocals and a 4/4 beat, but it is pulled off with such taste and style that you've got to love the track (I do). Near the end of the song I swear that the voice is saying 'Heinz rich, too thick' (reminding me of an American advertising campaign for Heinz ketchup in the 80's). Other artists on this comp that I do not know are Audison, M. Rahn, Stargazer, Phantom/Ghost, Selway, Paul Nazca, and Frank Martiniq. Even though this is a mix CD each track has its own time and space and can be played separately.

---Carl, March 26, 2002