Function lays down the Sandwell District style on this week's RA podcast.

Over the space of the last four years, Sandwell District have managed to carve out a place in the hearts of techno fans worldwide with their austere minimalist sound aesthetic. The label was actually founded by Birmingham-based Peter Sutton (AKA Female) back in 2002, but lay stagnant until it was revitalised with two releases from Sutton three years later. It has since developed into an international effort, with the Sandwell artist roster sharing the label managing responsibilities.

One member of their American wing is David Sumner (AKA Function), who got his first break via a trio of techno twelves for Damon Wild's Synewave imprint. Sumner then went on to launch his own label under the Infrastructure banner, releasing a flurry of his own material before getting in contact with Sutton's Downwards bedfellows Regis and Ian J. Richardson to sign some of their tracks. Their relationship has since grown, with Sumner becoming a fully-fledged member of their techno alliance and using it as a platform for his claustrophobic Sähkö-esque minimalism and bleakly hypnotic warehouse techno. For this RA podcast, Regis and Sumner picked the tracks, while Sumner did the mixing, and, as you might expect, it's a journey deep into the world of techno.

What have you been working on recently?

Finishing up a new Function 12-inch that will form the basis of an album and John's finishing a new Silent Servant 12-inch. Regis has been working with Ancient Methods on a 12-inch for DN.

Where and how was the mix recorded?

It was recorded at our studio in Berlin, Regis and I decided on the records together but it then made more sense to just have me do the physical mix. I had set up a chain that included Ableton, turntables, hardware and effects.

Can you tell us a little about the idea behind the mix?

I think the idea was to somehow represent what we have been doing live/out over the past year (this was a challenge to do in one hour as we play between three and five hours as a rule). From the outset it was about creating tension.

Sandwell District seems to have its basis in a lineage of anonymous techno production. Yet you consent to interviews, do podcasts, etc. How do you walk that tightrope effectively?

I think that's maybe a misconception as artist names do appear on the label. People may come to that conclusion due to operational methods we sometimes employ, as an example, artist names are sometimes added onto a release a few months after it has come out (no doubt due to indecision at the time or some internal squabble). The N/A thing was an experiment in human nature .... probably.

You recently played the Labyrinth Festival for the first time. Can you talk a little bit about the experience?

Macbook Pro, UC-33, Roland TR-808, TR-909, SH-101, Space Echo, Lexicon PCM-80, 24 Channel Mixing Desk, three hour time slot after the legendary DBX in the mountains of Nigori...

Regis and Silent Servant have a reputed love for post-punk. Are you also listening to quite a bit of rock music, or is it all techno?

From Sonic Youth to Rob Hood, Einsturzende Neubauten to U.R and The Jesus and Mary Chain to Mr. Fingers there is a connection that makes perfect sense to everyone involved with this so-called label.

What are you up to next?

A Function longplayer, a Sandwell collective album project, a limited Sandwell Mix CD, a remix package of Function tracks featuring mixes from Ben Klock, Norman Nodge and CH-Signal Laboratories and a collaboration with Jerome Sydenham, among a number of other projects.


HG - 02A - Horizontal Ground
Sweet Exorcist - Testfour - Warp Records
FB - 04A - Frozen Border
Ben Klock - Check For Pulse - Ostgut Ton
Ø - Sähkörausku - Sähkö Recordings
Function - Variance (Marcel Dettmann Edit) - Sandwell District
Silent Servant - Discipline - Sandwell District
Choice - Acid Eiffel - Fragile Recordings
Moritz von Oswald - Watamu Beach Rework - Desolat
Peter Van Hoesen - Face Of Smoke - Komisch
The Vision - A-472.0 - Hardwax
DVS1 - Running - Klockworks
DBX - Losing Control - Accelerate
G-Man - K.6 - G-Man Records
Marcel Fengler - Twisted Bleach - Ostgut Ton
Function - Disaffected (Ben Klock Remix) - Sandwell District
Function - Variance - Sandwell District
Daniel Stefanik - Effervescing Elephant - Freude Am Tanzen
Tadeo - IO (Cassy Movingonmix) - Apnea
Ben Klock - Subzero (Function-Regis Remix) - Ostgut Ton
DJ Slip - Every Time Takes a While - Creation Rebel
Lil' Louis - Frequency - Dance Mania
Ø - Atomit - Sähkö Recordings
T++ - Audio 1995 #8 - Apple Pips
Shed - Estrange - Ostgut Ton
John Carpenter - Police State / Romero And The President - Milan

RA.177-Sandwell District (19.10.2009)

On the 13th episode of Lasya, we had a signature-style mix by host @klara_vedis, delivered to us in audio-only straight from Frankfurt. For the second hour, she has invited an artist coming from Leipzig - @kontinum, who contributed a live mix including only his original works. On this show, you could also hear the remix he did for Klara - The Desert Of Dream track, coming soon on Circular Limited. 

Guest Bio: 
Jonas, who grew up in the far north of Germany, moved to Leipzig after
20 years of wind and rain. There he was quickly inspired by the
prevailing sounds of the Institut fuer Zukunft and finally started the
Kontinum project in 2016 with a focus on atmospheric and dissociative
Techno. Over the years, the palette of sounds grew and now ranges from
ambient to deep techno to contemporary club-oriented techno.

In 2017, he founded the Nebula collective with a couple of friends and
started hosting the first illegal events. In the course of time, Nebula
has also found its way into the Leipzig club scene and is now an
integral part of it.

Over the years, Jonas has continued to develop and perfect his own sound
and has had the chance to release on labels such as The Gods Planet,
Lowless and Circular Limited.

Since 2021, he has the privilege of being a resident at Institut fuer
Zukunft.

Links:

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/kontinum
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KontinumTechno
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kontinum.lpz

www.amokradio.co

Lasya - Klara & Kontinum (18.02.22)

TRACKLIST

John Plaza - Puelche
John Plaza - Mar De Nubes
John Plaza - Zorro
John Plaza - Falco
John Plaza - Cenote
John Plaza - Nativo
John Plaza - Glaciares
John Plaza - Aerodynamic
John Plaza - Amplitud
John Plaza - Copihue
John Plaza - Telescopio 
John Plaza - 5 - HT
John Plaza - Siluetas Verdes
John Plaza - Gato Por Liebre
Alexskyspirit - Subconscious
Naetek. Deeperwalk -Mourning ( Mechanist Remix)

JOHN PLAZA - WARM UP CLAUDIO PRC - ESPACIO 93 ( June 23th, 2022) freedownload

This podcast is full of ethereal pads, mysterious echoes, and subtle nuances which plays a crucial role in shaping the mood. The music is not merely heard but felt, creating an immersive environment that transcends the traditional boundaries of electronic genres. Let’s welcome the new year.

Van Morph is a restless spirit that has been around since the early 90's as a clubber but also as a listener. In the mid 90's his love for electronic music brought him close to the desire to learn the art of DJing. With this initiation, he officially began his journey in the field of the music industry . He is Co-Owner / Founder of the record Labels Khoros Records, Eurynome Records and Chronos Records, continues to this day to share his musical concerns since music for him is a way of life, a choice that has determined to this day his course so far. His style changes and reshapes from time to time and that does not make him boring.
His music is characterized by dancing bass lines and psychedelic accompaniments while other times his dub mood with various percussions and melodies show the other side of him.

SC: @morphvan1
IG: www.instagram.com/vn_mrph77
FB: www.facebook.com/MorphVan

Art Rave Culture / Podcast #027 / Van Morph

11th April 2024 episode with Juho Kusti

TRACKLIST
1. Backbone - Mundo Novo - Counterchange
2. Arthur Robert - Worries - Conundrum
3. Telos - Stasis - Unspace 
4. Daryn Steytler - Depths - Duplicity Records
5. D-Leria - Fragments - Monument Records
6. Dhæür - Cirkle - No Signal Records
7. Neen - Planificación - Semantica
8. Dejan - Iskupitelj - Illusoriska Takter
9. Mike Derer - Pecatonica - (MS)
10. UMA Soundsystem - Chacarera - Kusiya Records
11. A4 - The White Light Flashing - Evod Music
12. Thomas Ridley - Mopsey - Sine Language
13. Vardae - Dance With The Spirits - Konstrukt (NL)
14. ASEC - Equus - Float Records
15. Stroef - Corpse Run 1 - Boomstraat 1818
16. Final Balance - Spabila . Stale
17. Elias Garcia - Counterfit - Kusiya Records
18. Fixeer - Cuaatro - Newrhythmic Recs
19. Ivision - Arrow (Skaliger Remix) - Blush Recordings
20. Pfirter & Oliver Rosemann - Epsilon 1 (Lakej Remix) - Recorded Things
21. Alexander Johansson & Mattias Fridell - Bidevind - Blueprint
22. Space Program - Intricated Soundscape - Faut Section
23. Drucal - Solitud - DkN Selections
24. Drumcell & Luis Flores - Stuck In My Mind (Truncate Remix) - Blank Code
25. Kmyle - Mutations - Kmyle Records
26. Lidvall - Think Twice - Kazerne
27. Lakej - Stories Of Burden - MindTrip
28. Roll Dann - El Madito Vicio - Gordo Trax
29. Ivision - Quantum Future - Blush Recordings

Thanks for listening!

Deep Space Helsinki - 11th April 2024

Ancestral Landscapes is the artistic project of a producer and DJ from Messina, Sicily, who has made hypnotic and dark music his signature style. After gaining experience with his previous project, SAAM, Ancestral Landscapes has established himself as a prominent figure in the Italian electronic scene, creating immersive and intense atmospheres where enveloping synths, pads, drones, and intricate textures come together to transport the listener on a unique sonic journey.

His sound is characterized by the ability to blend deep and dark elements with dancefloor energy, thanks to powerful and experimental kicks that maintain high emotional tension in his sets. Ancestral Landscapes aims to hypnotize and captivate, creating a musical experience that goes beyond mere listening.

As an active member of ERAM Records, where he is one of the four founders, Ancestral Landscapes has built a solid repertoire of releases on various renowned labels such as (Space Texture, Bhan, Khoros, Hypnotic Motion, Modern Minimal), among others. His catalog also includes numerous remixes, showcasing his versatility and ability to reinterpret sounds and atmospheres in a personal and innovative way.

In addition to music production, Ancestral Landscapes has collaborated with numerous podcasts and has brought his sound to parties and events worldwide, further solidifying his international reputation in the genre.

With Ancestral Landscapes, the sonic journey is always a hypnotic, deep, and immersive experience, designed for those seeking a more intense connection with electronic music.

@ancestrallandscapes
www.facebook.com/ancestrallandscapes
www.instagram.com/ancestrallandscapes

TEOCHAO PODCAST #072 - Ancestral Landscapes

104 | Technícaros 1 | Icaro de la mujer sanadora + Atavic (Knobs) | 130 bpm

Buy on Bandcamp

Blaise Amoussou - Ancêtres (Do Moon)

Buy on Beatport

Tik Tak Time (Original Mix)

We invited Peter Van Hoesen who is one of our personal heroes. He creates some of the most complex and futuristic high fidelity techno and is the mastermind behind the amazing Time To Express label. 

We hope you enjoy those 60minutes of carefully selected and blendet psychedelic techno perfection. 


Originally aired during our Raw Imprint Radioshow on Rinse France.

Rinse

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R-Imprint Podcast 028 | Peter Van Hoesen

One-Hundred-Sixty Hate exclusive podcast with Desroi.

Download available.

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Deep Space Helsinki is a radio show hosted by Samuli Kemppi and Juho Kusti, serving you with the most essential underground techno since 2009.