http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/index/ en chris@halfstereo.com Copyright 2012 2012-01-29T13:05:00+02:00 http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/tee_turzi_electronique_experience/ http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/tee_turzi_electronique_experience/#When:13:05:00Z French pyschedelia virtuoso Romain Turzi gone wild with his real synths and analogue recording techniques blended with high-end musical toys and fresh ideas. After his album named ‘A & B’, the French pyschedelia virtuoso Romain Turzi has gone solo, back to his original roots, as on his debut album but this time experimenting with his new musical toy Yamaha Tenori-On, digging deep on synths and real electro sounds. Coproduced with Pilooski, Turzi’s new solo album is full of energy and real electro rhyme. Let’s lend an ear to his abum ‘Education’ and fantastic new project, Turzi Électronique Expérience.What do you want to teach to your listeners with your newly project?Feel free to do with the music what you want without thinking about the other's opinion, without thinking about the fashion things, without respect to your influences, without respect to your parents.Just do your stuff trying to integrate your past and your actual feelings in terms of love, violence, and emotions. It is also a new way for you, experimenting and experiencing new ways of doing music right?It's a new way because I've made this LP alone (with a little help of Pilooski on production- a polish guy living in Paris), I mean all those songs were imagined, invented and created by me, although before I used to create the music with four others people, which results in a tourbillon of rock/electro/psych stuff.I was quite bored about reading chronicle saying that my music was only kraut or psych, at some point I decided to put my carrier in danger by touring to digital sounds and just doing the opposite that I did before… I just don't care about fashionistas and musical ways that everybody likes…. So I closed the door of my studio to make something personal, without thinking at the other's comments.Is it your comment to the current electronic music scene: A purified retro move which is more real than anything going around?As I was trying to say, I've got no basics in electro… I come from experimental/noisy indie rock scene, I was influenced by obscure French composers (as Catherine Ribeiro & Alpes, Catharsis, Hellion…) but also by the German 70's scene (Gottshing, Can, Kraftwerk, Harmonia) and by bands like Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine… but that was O.K. for previous LP (‘A and B’)… for that one as I wanted to start from zero I've turn into electro 'cause I had no baseline… I've never been a DJ and I've never collected obscure white label from Chicago or Detroit. So I had start from zero and that was exiting for me of course. I sometime came back to my "rock" reflexes but in an electronic way that's why some people consider this LP as Education LP as a new statement in electronic music, and to be honest I appreciate it!How long did it take to finish the debut?It took a year, although there's only 8 songs the beginning of the session was completely different from the final result. I came from something Berlin school to something really ambient ala Chill out from KLF, to something gabber to finally stop on this. Working with Pilooski helped to consider that my music was not just based on difference ambiances but based on real composition. I just didn't realized it at the beginning. I record new stuff everyday since three years now and my laptop is full of things that will never be released, until I die!What were the inspirations at the starting point and where do you think you reached at the end?The inspirations were all the things you've learned at school, history, sports, mathematics, geography, religion, sex, power, romanticism, love, drugs.What equipments did you use other then your Tenori-on and the old DX-27?The tenori-on is at the center of my actual configuration, I use it as a mdi step sequencer that controls everything from the tempo (as a master clock to my modified Roland TR-606 which also controls two simians brain) the notes, the tension plays five midi channels which are respectively : 1 : the DX27 and the Roland system 100 model 102 (expander which doubles the DX) also a vocoder2 : the Roland system 100 model 101 and the vocal section of the vocoder3 : The three o three and the bass section of this XXX vocoder.4 a Korg MS105 : another DX expander which is the TX7 which do some synthetic vocals.To conclude, it's a mix between FM and analog technology… Now that this album is done, I'm into 12bit samplers as the emulator II. it's totally new for me, so very "fresh". And that's it. When I play live I of course bring all that stuff if the promoter can pay the extra luggage. This set up allows me to improvise a lot, as if I were in the studio.Your new moniker T.E.E. does it have any allusion to Trans European Express?Ha ha … Trans Europe Express was a kind of starting point for me. Ten years ago it's by this LP that I started to consider the electronic music as an entire genre living by itself.What are your new and forthcoming projects? Will there be any new remixes from the album?I asked KLF, Michael Cretu (Enigma) and Robert Miles (Mr Dream) but they didn't want, so my friend Rebotini did one for me, I've done another myself and some other guys did too. I'm open minded for remixes but I've always preferred buying EP's with unreleased material instead of remixes. But that's the way record companies work so… I really like remixing people, especially genre that has nothing to see with my style (or tastes).Have you ever been to İstanbul, Would you like to be here again for the T.E.E. project?I've never been there but it will with a big pleasure. It's always good to travel with your music, meeting some new people and learning from them. If you invite me there, it would be with a great pleasure!Your press sheet finishes with 'The Rest Is Silence' Is it really?Yeah, because it’s just rime with experience and all the names of my tracks (‘deviance’, ‘enfance’, ‘connaissance’, ‘croissant’, ‘constance’, ‘en france’…).But if you deeply listen to the "Ecstatic Dub Mix" of the DM track "Enjoy The Silence" you'll understand this sentence better!Interview: Christopher Çolak28 January 2012   Features, Interviews, Music, Promote 2012-01-29T13:05:00+02:00 http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/two_decades_of_hardfloor/ http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/two_decades_of_hardfloor/#When:11:27:00Z One of Germany’s best techno outlets, Hardfloor has been doing electronic music for 20 years now.   “Two Decades of Hardfloor” album is a milestone in Germany’s techno and acid history because Hardfloor duo are really one of the most important figures in not only Germany’s but also European dance music history. The have been releasing music since the late early 90’s as Hardfloor and they are now a trademark for what we once called ‘the acid sound’. Ramon Zenker & Oliver Bondzio answered my questions about Hardfloor’s two decades. How did the T.D.O.H. album go, so far? Are you happy with it? We´ve sold 250.000 copies so far. That means ‘Gold Status’. Just kidding, we´re happy so far.  Why did you wait so long to release such an album? We think the timing to release a 20th anniversary album is perfect after 20 years! Do you still love acid? What do you think about the current techno scene & sounds? We still love acid and for us it’s always a challenge to create something interesting for ourselves while almost nobody else is doing it on longplayer format. We don’t think about the scene, we’ve just realized that acid is almost not happening on today’s parties and festivals. You also released an album called, 'Two Guys, Three Boxes' at the same time. Were you working in both projects at the same time? How long did it take you to finish it? “Two Guys Three Boxes” was released in 2010. After that we’ve compiled “20 Two Decades of Hardfloor”. You also collaborated with E.R.P. on some tracks. How did that happen? We’re fanst for years. Since he remixed two tracks from our 2007 album “The Life We Choose” we decided to work together again. But this time as a real collaboration. Electro also seems to be as important as acid for you right? What else? What do you listen and from which channels do you feed yourself? Oliver: All music is important to me but I mostly listen to hip-hop, funk, soul & jazz besides all electronic genres. What labels and producers do you like these days, could you please tell us your current picks and favorites from you case? Oliver: I’m only following vinyl releases. Most interesting are done by newcomers on new labels. Since most vinyl pressings are around 500 copies or even less, really interesting and a lot of new stuff is coming every week. What is the unforgettable club moment you had during those two decades? 1994 first time in Japan. We were sold out  at the Liquid Room in Tokyo. Two nights in a row, goosebumbs from screaming audience when entering the stage! What are the forthcoming projects and releases? More 12”s currently in the pipe line: HF015: "Eternal Tweak" / "T.D.O.H." HF016: Acper’ence 1  - Robert Babicz Remix HF017: "Skill Shot" Remixes What do you know about istanbul and Turkey? Would you like to play here? We would love to play there! Since it’s one of the countries we have’nt performed so far. Interview: Christopher Çolak 28 January 2012   Features, Interviews, Music, Promote 2012-01-29T11:27:00+02:00 http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/v_a_systematic_colours_vol3_mixed_by_phonique/ http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/v_a_systematic_colours_vol3_mixed_by_phonique/#When:19:37:00Z Phonique mixes the new Colours serie which is one of the best way to hear Systematic sounds.Marc Romboy's Systematic Records is already a trademark with it's unique and easily recognizable sounds scheme. One of the best records labels around, Systematic is home for uplifting and high-end tech house music with the deepest edge at the times. Talented Phonique keeps this scheme at it's best and with his selection of 14 tracks with the best names from the scene, he defines what Marc Romboy has wanted to build once. A true listening experience that any dance music listener would not stay without attention. A true romance!Christopher Çolak  Music, Reviews, Albums 2011-10-23T19:37:00+02:00 http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/till_von_sein_feat_tigerskin_lazarus_meggy_non_existent_love/ http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/till_von_sein_feat_tigerskin_lazarus_meggy_non_existent_love/#When:10:38:00Z Till Von Sein brings Soul's groovy tradition with the help of Tigerskin, Lazarus & Meggy. Suol continues to release such groovy & soulful music with fellow house man Till Von Sein who will also release his debut longplayer '#LTD' from the same label this october. 'Non Existent Love' lifts up our expectations for the Sein longplayer. With it's fat, groovy & melodic posture. With the help of vocal efforts from Meggy & Lazarus, Sein smoothly builds up an ideal house scene, backed by piano strings & disco kicks. This makes up a very good summer ending EP, supported by remix treatments from Jozif and El_Txef_A. I do not believe in seasons for albums so this EP is just more than right start for a forthcoming Suol longplayer. From a true beat dweller, Mr. Sein. 'Non Existent Love' EP gives trance moments mixed with pure Suol style sweet house music.Christopher Çolak Music, Reviews, Singles 2011-09-02T10:38:00+02:00 http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/v_a_berghain_05_marcel_fengler/ http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/v_a_berghain_05_marcel_fengler/#When:09:10:00Z Berghain mix series continues with the fifth installment from the resident Marcel Fengler.Marcel Fengler's sets are open minded and as the artist info says: 'opposites attract'. That means you can find every aspect of electronic music, from ambient to harsh electro gems within his ruff techno sets, which he is famous for.Berghain 05 is a scenically composition of the above told musical atmosphere, backed with lots of unreleased material ranging from E.R.P. to Skudge & Marcel Fengler himself. A purified snapshot of the Berghain music structure in 'camera obscura'.Christopher Çolak Music, Reviews, Albums 2011-09-02T09:10:00+02:00 http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/fraktal_110830/ http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/fraktal_110830/#When:10:42:01Z Christereo's Fraktal live at Dinamo 103.8FM Istanbul 30 August 2011 playlist;Turzi Électronique Expérience - Connaissance EP - Connaissance (Naum Gabo Remix) [Record Makers]Steilos Vassiloudis - Bite Down EP - Bite Down (Compuphonic Dub) [Moodmusic]Efdemin - Please EP - Farnsworth House [Curle]The Midnight Perverts - Hooker's Door EP - Hooker's Door (Miss Jools Remix) [Dame Music]Gregor Tresher - Lights From The Inside (Remixes) EP - Lights From The Inside (Nick Curly Remix) [Break New Soil]Roman Fluegel - Fatty Folders LP - Deo [Dial]Reagenz - Various - Berghain 05 EP - The Labryinth [Ostgut Tontraeger]Max Essa - Various - Roots For Rules 2 LP - Back To The Beach (John Daly Remix) [Bear Funk] Music, Playlists 2011-09-01T10:42:01+02:00 http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/solomun_stimming_challenge_everyday/ http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/solomun_stimming_challenge_everyday/#When:10:36:00Z Solomun's imprint Diynamic is one of the most dynamic and contemporary house music imprints as the name says for itself.Solomun and the partner in crime Stimming delivering two huge gems with dub versions in this spilt EP. Also Solomun's mother starring with her pretty English as an introduction. Sweet sounds here. Especially Stimming's 'Challenge The Air' is one of the best tracks of this summer and already in my September Top10 list.David Stoltzenberg's vocals poured within his soft guitar riffs, makes 'Challenge The Air' one perfect combination of contemporary song writing skills merged with ultimate clubbing sound. This track is truly extraordinaire! Solomun's 'See You Everyday Alone' also digs with the sweet vocals and field recordings catching Hamburg's polite rain. Diynamic is all about sweet discoveries in contemporary electronic music production always in touch with humanly side; vocals and instrumentation. Christopher Çolak Music, Reviews, Singles 2011-09-01T10:36:00+02:00 http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/v_a_hamburg_elektronisch_vol_01/ http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/v_a_hamburg_elektronisch_vol_01/#When:10:31:00Z Germany's second biggest city may be the first when it comes to house music.HFN Music's new sister label Hafendisko is going to release a very strong compilation, representing Hamburg's finest & most precious musical predecessors in electronic dance music. To name a few; Smallville's Lawrence, Diynamic's Solomun & Stimming, Pampa's DJ Koze and many more who are related with the city and has a spice on that so called 'Hamburg Elektronisch' vibe, are incorporated in this 20 tracks digital compilation. I would say one of the best and biggest compilations for this month, 'Hamburg Elektronisch Vol. 01' is also an ultimate introduction for those who are in search of original and intimately pure house music. You are going to hear sounds and grooves from the river Elbe. All embroidered with passion and house music feeling at it's highest. You will find a wide range of sound spectrum within the compilation and be satisfied utmost.Check the sounds & the teaser on the new Hafendisko website: http://www.hfn-music.com/hafendisko/Christopher Çolak Music, Reviews, Albums 2011-09-01T10:31:00+02:00 http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/john_tejada_justin_maxwell_not_that_but_this/ http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/john_tejada_justin_maxwell_not_that_but_this/#When:07:36:00Z This is techno legends' Trapez debut, 10 years in the making of first class techno.We can also name them as two of the writers of modern techno history with itchy rhymes & melodies combined with high-end production skills. Machine-funk meets motorsoul and further in terms of techno & beyond.After all those years only a few has changed in their sound. Still consistent and beyond it's time. 'Not That, But This' EP covers all aspects of John Tejada & Justin Maxwell sound including a top notch remix from Traum superstar Roland M. Dill. Love all tracks but especially 'Our Aimless Dance' is a special one for me. IDM side of things. I do not like to use this term but I think there is no other way to describe John Tejada & Justin Maxwell. Top of the tops EP and one of the best for this month, this year. Buy the vinyl if you are still collecting!Christopher Çolak Music, Reviews, Singles 2011-09-01T07:36:00+02:00 http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/kate_simko_soul_heart/ http://www.halfstereo.com/index.php/site/kate_simko_soul_heart/#When:15:24:00Z Chicago's Kate Simko is digging deep with her diverse style, full of soul & heart. Even if she looks at her debut as an art project, 'Lights Out' reaches more then a debut state and shows the ultimate talent of Kate Simko, one of the forefront producers around these days. It seems We are going to hear her more on Hello? Repeat and other labels including Turkish ones and she will continue visiting İstanbul hopefully on a regular basis. Residency? Why Not!How are you, what are you doing these days?Hello, I’m great, thanks. Right now I’m flying back from playing Picnik Electronik in Montreal.  It was an amazing gig. There were 5000 people of all ages in a park by the river. Still buzzing from it.How did the touring go and how are the first impressions for the debut?The album tour went really well. It was fun and fresh to perform my new A/V live set. I think the debut album has been received well. But I looked at this project as an art project, so whatever happens, happens. I just am happy if came out on a good label and is out there for people to check out.How was your gig in İstanbul it was your second time here, would you like to come again?I love İstanbul. It is one of my favorite cities, and I really connect with the Turkish people. You guys have some of the best food too. Yes, would love to come back.Was there a very specific night or party which for you is now unforgettable?There are lots of unforgettable nights, but one that stands out is an outdoor party between Chicago and Detroit around 1996. Jeff Mills and Claude Young finished things up as the sun came up. Those guys were tearing it up back then.Is there a favorite track for you in the LP, or a track with a special story?One song that has a special story is “Flight Into BA.” This song is about taking a flight into Buenos Aires, alone at night. It’s a melancholic song that was inspired by the tango music of Buenos Aires. When I played the album for a close friend, he suggested adding some vocals on this track, so I took the idea and San Francisco-based Kevin Knapp created some smooth vocal additions. I guess it’s natural that BA influenced me because I was writing the songs while living there. I’ve always loved that city, which is why I chose it!I know that you wrote the album mostly while residing in Buenos Aires. How long did take to decide that the debut was ready to go?I made the first half of the album in Chicago, then worked in Buenos Aires, then finished the finals back in Chicago. Basically I started a bunch of songs, then went back and saw how the ideas could fit together to form a bigger story. Once this was done, there was a lot of micro-editing (too much, probably!) then it was finished.Why Hello? Repeat but not Spectral Sound or any other label?The album was originally intended for Spectral Sound –they asked me to make an album for the label- however, by the time it was completed; the label was going down a different path. Spectral was heading on a more digital-only route, so it just wasn’t going to work logistically.I went with Hello? Repeat because. ’Lights Out’ doesn’t really fit into one box, and Hello? Repeat is an open-minded label that allows that freedom. Also, they are vinyl lovers and the release will be out a double-pack vinyl as well as CD.  Which labels will you be releasing on in the future?I plan to continue to release with past labels like Ghostly, Spectral Sound, and Hello? Repeat, but also have just released on Supplement Facts, and have upcoming music on Tevo Howard Recordings and Leftroom.  Other than dance music, are you dealing with various pieces like the track 'Monochrome'. I think it is very nice…I’d like to make more ambient music, but for now I’m being drawn to making new songs that are more melodic and songlike. ’Music From The Atom Smashers’ is an ambient film sound track in this vein. Hope to do more of this sooner than later.Did you have the chance to go on a vacation? Would you like to spend time in the east or south coast of Turkey?I was on vacation in Rio De Janeiro in February, which was great. Would love to check out the south coast of Turkey!Did you started working on new material?Yes, it’s been great to be back in the studio. Also, I’m adding live keyboards to my live set and taking that to another level now too.  Will there be any remixes from the debut?No remixes from the album, besides the Daze Maxim and Tevo Howard remix from the 12” Mind On You on Hello? Repeat. But, I have upcoming remixes for the Turkish label Vesvese and Laura Jones’ track “Love In Me” on Leftroom. Thanks for the interview. Hope to see you soon in Turkey.Interview: Christopher Çolak31 August 2011 Features, Interviews, Music, Promote 2011-08-31T15:24:00+02:00