modes

ARTIST: Moderat
TITLE: Bad Kingdom
LABEL: Monkeytown
R/D: OUT NOW

Moderat are Modeselektor and Apparat...

Hardly anybody has brought electronic music from Berlin to the farthest flung corners of the world with more passion and enthusiasm than these two heavyweights.

Modeselektor – Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary – are bass music heroes. Together with a veritable army of collaborators, guest artists and with their two labels Monkeytown and 50 Weapons, they have built a broad network. They assimilate and process the tiniest vibrations in the global bass continuum and at the same time, their wobbly salvos and their oblique sense of humour are unmistakable. They became known to a select audience through their records on BPitch Control with which they catapulted themselves out of the Berlin 4/4 cosmos, whilst simultaneously reflecting the raw and full-on spirit of the 1990s Berlin club scene.

Apparat (real name: Sascha Ring) could hardly be more opposite. He fuses tricky electronics with heartfelt and auspicious pop. Together with T.Raumschmiere, he founded Shitkatapult. From early on, Apparat realised that the LP was his preferred form of expression. With each album, he reinvented himself on a personal, stylistic and social level: gradually bringing ever more strata of his emotional persona to light, exploring previously unknown musical styles and involving guest musicians in the process.

In 2002, Sascha, Gernot and Sebastian met for the first time. At that point in time, Apparat and Modeselektor were well established in the Berlin music scene. Sascha had already released his debut album and Gernot and Sebastian, a series of 12”s. Their shared studio time wore them down to such an extent, that they were forced to shelve the project almost immediately. But the foundations were laid and the three of them were able to present the fruits of their labour: the “Auf Kosten der Gesundheit” EP. Eleven years later, one still can have a sense of the sparks that must have flown in the studio: complex beats wrestling with furious bass and reduced rap elements.

Six years went by before they got together again. In the mean time both acts had established sensationally successful careers. In 2005, Modeselektor’s debut album “Hello, Mom!” gained them international recognition at light speed. Pitchfork rejoiced and Thom Yorke constantly mentioned them. Their second album featured vocals from Otto von Schirach, Maximo Park and... Thom York. Modeselektor stormed the festival stages and were honoured by Beatport and Resident Advisor.

Apparat had not just one but two breakthrough albums: in 2006 and together with Ellen Allien, he founded the “Orchestra of Bubbles”, with which the two of them explored the language of song. In 2007 he released “Walls”, his first time working with a band. He developed a live show that fused together acoustic and electronic, and club and pop music. Just as with Modeselektor, Apparat is the epitome of the Berlin sound, but nonetheless lifts the sounds of the city to another level. Significantly, both acts toured with Radiohead.

In 2008, Gernot, Sebastian and Sascha came together once again. Their eponymous debut album was released on April 20, 2009. Busdriver, the Californian rapper, the German reggae heroes Seeed and the dup poet Paul St. Hilaire joined them on a several songs. Perhaps the secret of Modeselektor’s and Apparat’s collaboration lies in the fact that they never even tried to get close to one another. Modeselektor’s thundering bass rumbles in the cellar, Apparat’s sensitive and subtle melodies float high in the eaves. The fact that what one assumes to be incompatible actually communicates, is what makes Moderat so unique. Moderat is not just a studio project: with a set of visuals created for these concerts by Pfadfinderei, they toured all five continents.

With Monkeytown and 50 Weapons, Modeselektor created a highly potent label empire, which unites the music scene’s old heroes with crazy bass kids. The two of them have curated a whole stage at the Melt! Festival a number of times and have released their third album. Apparat travelled the world with the freshly re-formed Apparat Band. He relinquished his position as auteur for the first time by becoming part of a theatre performance and in the album that resulted, released the raw and mostly unedited sessions.

Now, twelve years after their first meeting, Modeselektor and Apparat have come together once again: more mature, but not worldly-wise, wiser but not unquestioning, more experienced but without having sacrificed any of their pioneer spirit. 

They release the 1st single "Bad Kingdom" today 1st July 2013 and drop longplayer " II "  in August 2013 through Monkeytown Records ... You can catch Moderat Live in the UK at Eastern Electriks Knebworth House on August 2nd 2013...

MODERAT " Bad Kingdom " ( Lauren Laverne BBC 6Music RIP ) MONKEYTOWN OUT NOW

2-09 Run Through The Jungle

Born On The Bayou -Creedence Clearwater Revival covered by TinMan

STEPPENWOLF - BORN TO BE WILD (LYRICS)

Following an amazing debut show at the Royal Albert Hall, Alan Clark, Phil Palmer & Chris White from Dire Straits will be heading out on an 11 date UK tour this October due to the substantial demand to hear the band’s much loved catalogue of great songs.  

Formed by former members of Dire Straits; The Straits includes 3 original members and some of the top session players to form a great live band.

Tickets now on sale from www.gigsandtours.com

The Straits - MONEY FOR NOTHING

taken from vinyl copy of golden erring live 1984

"Twilight Zone" - Golden Earring (vinyl)

Download the album at https://djshadow.lnk.to/tmwfso

DJ Shadow, widely acknowledged as a crucial figure in the development of experimental, instrumental hip-hop, has returned with ‘The Mountain Will Fall’ via Mass Appeal Records [and Believe Digital in France], his first full length release since 2011. The 12-track album finds DJ Shadow exploring new realms in addition to the deep samples and kinetic soundscapes that helped to launch his career 20 years ago. On ‘The Mountain Will Fall’ he’s shifted further toward original composition, a vast experimentation of beats and textures, synthesizers and live instruments including horns and woodwinds. The album features Run The Jewels, Nils Frahm, Matthew Halsall, Ernie Fresh and more.

"Occasionally, I make a beat that demands a specific vocal treatment and  attitude. In the case of 'Nobody Speak,' I wasn't going to settle for anyone other than Run The Jewels; in my mind, it was them or no one. Fortunately, they  agreed, and they took the track to a place I could never get to on my own. That's the definition of a rewarding collaboration." – DJ Shadow

"Shadow is a legend and a friend. When he makes music he often changes music forever.  When he asked us to jump on the record we didn't blink.” 
– El-P of Run The Jewels 
 
The album is available in all formats with artwork designed by Paul Insect including a gatefold double LP. Order 'The Mountain Will Fall' here: https://DJShadow.lnk.to/TMWFYT
 
ALBUM TRACK LIST:
1. The Mountain Will Fall
2. Nobody Speak feat. Run The Jewels
3. Three Ralphs
4. Bergschrund feat. Nils Frahm
5. The Sideshow feat. Ernie Fresh
6. Depth Charge
7. Mambo
8. Ashes To Oceans feat. Matthew Halsall
9. Pitter Patter feat. G Jones & Bleep Bloop
10. California
11. Ghost Town
12. Suicide Pact
13. Swerve (iTunes Bonus Track)

Pre-order

DJ Shadow - Nobody Speak feat. Run The Jewels

The Kinks - You Really Got Me

True dedication is difficult to find these days, as is motivation when digital media has overthrown old school methods, which makes running a label an even more sinuous mission. Despite a wealth of hurdles that increasingly come with the territory, this hasn’t put an end to people’s desire to push out their own imprints. Concurrently, the same digital revolution that has thrown off the industry has also made it possible for many projects to come into the spotlight, and many of these have made a spectacular difference. Whether it’s smaller side projects of well known artists, serving up quirkier, more experimental tracks, enabling further sonic exploration, or newborn collectives doling out fresh takes on contemporary sound, 2017 has been a prolific year for record labels.
But it’s not just the approach related to creating and promoting labels that has shifted recently. In recent times, the way we make and consume music has transformed as well. A label’s role has changed into that of a full on curator, influencing current musical trends based on their selection of outputs. But it’s not a status that is easily achieved, by all means.
Moving at its own pace, ten years in the world of dance music come as a century in real life, as dancefloor trends fluctuate. In such a surrounding, creating timeless pieces is essential when maintaining a high calibre establishment. But thanks to platforms such as Soundcloud or the ever-pervasive social media channels, it’s easy to showcase tracks and kick off labels without needing the once coveted record deal. Nevertheless, record labels serve as beacons in a world where we’re inundated by more and more content.
More than just a release platform, labels are indispensable partners in artists’ careers as the one to curate only the best music, accompany it with according designs, as well as bringing in new marketing ideas or even music videos. Shir Khan’s Exploited label has been a true example of such a label, hand-picking new producers to showcase, nurturing them from early beginnings into popular household names.

Shir Khan’s strong ear for talent has seen him responsible for launching the careers of Claptone, Adana Twins, Joyce Muniz through their releases on Exploited, the label also providing a platform for established remixers and artists such as Siriusmo, Freeform Five, Munk, Modeselektor, John Tejada, Phil Weeks, Cosmin TRG, Locked Groove, Deetron, Detroit Swindle, Acid Pauli, Ralph Lawson...
Now the label Exploited celebrates ten years of releasing amazing eclectic club music with some of the best tracks from its catalogue (from 2007 until 2017). 

Artist: Various Artists
Release: 10 Years Exploited 
Label: Exploited 
Cat: EXPDIGITAL160
Publishing: Exploited Ghetto Music Publishing
Releasedate: 25.12.17 (Beatport) / 25.12.17 (I-Tunes)

10 Years Exploited

Wow (Modeselektor Edit)

Siriusmo - Wow (Modeselektor Edit) | Exploited

The awesome last track from the brilliant 1969 album "Bayou Country". The brothers Fogerty get down on lead and rhythm guitars in this southern boogie workout.

Keep on Chooglin' - Creedance Clearwater Revival

The Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil (live) HQ

The Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar with  E.Clapton

"Hey, hey, mama, said the way you move, gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove!"

Black Dog - Led Zeppelin

Shine - Grand Funk Railroad

Stu Cook and Doug "Cosmo" Clifford may not have intended it, but their band Creedence Clearwater Revisited has taken on a startling life of its own. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame rhythm section (bass and drums respectively) from the legendary group Creedence Clearwater Revival launched the Creedence Clearwater Revisited project in 1995 to once again perform live Creedence Clearwater Revival hits - touchstones of a generation. Though the pair initially only planned to play private parties, Creedence Clearwater Revisited now performs up to 100 shows a year and has released the album "Recollection."

"We never really had any intention of playing for the public," says Stu. "But a friend wanted to promote a couple of concerts. We got talked into it, but didn't know how it would go over."

Since then, the reaction to Creedence Clearwater Revisited's concerts has been astounding, and driven in part by a generation of kids who, as Cosmo says, "weren't even born when the music came out." Likewise, the release of a double-live CD on Universal's Hip-O Records label, which features passionate, authoritative versions of 22 classic hits - was the result of public demand. "It was generated by requests of the people who came to the shows," Stu acknowledges."Over and over they would ask, "'do you guys have a CD?'"Creedence Clearwater Revisited's "Recollection" has proven so popular that it was certified as a platinum record by the RIAA in 2008.

Having now toured North America, South America, New Zealand, Europe and Asia, knocking out audiences with astounding concerts jam packed with songs that are still a staple of radio and movie soundtracks, Creedence Clearwater Revisited has come a long way. "In the beginning Cosmo and I decided that if we could find the musicians that could capture the sound and recreate what the music was about, we'd do it," recalls Stu.

As fans who have experienced a Creedence Clearwater Revisited concert can attest, Stu and Cosmo found the right players. Lead singer/rhythm guitar player John Tristao, a powerful tenor with the energy to power songs, initially rose to prominence as lead singer for the band People when their hit "I Love You" bulleted into the top ten. One musician in particular, Cosmo and Stu found in a surprising place. “Every interview we do, people ask ‘Well isn’t this a weird combo?’” Stu notes, referring to lead guitarist Elliot Easton. Though Elliot gained fame playing lead guitar in the cool detached new wave band The Cars, “Elliot’s playing always had a bluesy rock feel. In fact, Elliot has the same musical roots and grew up on the same stuff Doug and I did.” Talented multi-instrumentalist Steve Gunner rounds out the group. As Cosmo puts it, "Gun provides live all the overdubs that were on the records. He plays keyboard, acoustic guitar, percussion, harmonica and sings the high harmonies."


With this new lineup, Stu and Cosmo and their band Creedence Clearwater Revisited add a new chapter to their legacy with vibrant and exhilarating energy and pure American spirit. As the Hollywood Reporter's music critic John Lappen wrote about a Creedence Clearwater Revisited concert in Los Angeles, "Their set was an amazing list of hit after hit that was done serious justice by the players involved. If anyone in the cheering crowd was disappointed [anyone] wasn't there, they hid it well behind their big smiles and whoops of joy at hearing live some of the best American rock ever written and recorded." "People don't want to be involved in an endless debate," Cosmo sums up. "They want to hear the music." And Creedence Clearwater Revisited always delivers.

2-09 Run Through The Jungle

CCRevisited

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