Dark Science Electro

Dj Mag Review:
UMWELT
Post Human Satamile
The title really says it all. While NY imprint Satamile has a reputation for releasing uncompromising material,, French producer Umwelt applies his focus even deeper into the electro abyss. 'P.O.W', with its ghoulish riffs and industrial influences,, recalls a time when it was dangerous to walk the streets of New York. 'Biological Entity' and 'Zeta Reticuli Incident - a reference to Umek's electro alter ego - are powered by humming low-end intensity, while the hyper-breaks of'Delinkant' suddenly spiral out of control, like an angry crowd on the verge of rioting. This is the sound of new world disorder, frightening and unpredictable but strangely alluring.

UMWELT
biography
Lyon, France !


Behind Umwelt is a french music fanatic and an electronic music promotion activist. 
He is a real radio passionate: he has run radio broadcasts since 1993 and Teknocity since 1999.

As a DJ, going by the name of Freddy'J, he started mixing hardcore in 1993.. Now he is more eclectic. He plays electro, electrobreaks, breakbeat, breakcore... but he still has a weakness for dark sounds . 
He has outstanding mixing abilities; a french journalist saied “he is the Mozart of descks!”. Actually, he has not only a perfect technique but also a huge feeling by   leading people on a physical and mental travels.

As an artist, Umwelt he has been composing electronic music since 1996 and released his first tracks in 1997. He began producing techno and electro on his own labels Shelter and Fundata Records that have met a great success. Now his sounds are more electro, dark and broken. From the beginning, he has exclusively worke with hardware: this man loves machines ...he doesn't find computers and softwares very attractive and very sexy...


- “Post Humain” - SAT28  – Summer 2005
- “La Nouvelle Chair” - K6 XIV – 2005
 - “Telek” -  on Beatzclash vol1 compilation LP + CD  LHLP03/LHCD03 – 2002

- "Mountain Wilderness" - SH 05 (100 ltd) – 2000
- "Revisited EP" - SH 04 – 2000

 - "Landscape EP" - SH 03 – 1999
 - "Swelt EP" - FDT 04 - 1999
 - "...City EP" - SH 02 - 1999
- "Tchoukar EP" - SH 01 – 1999

 – "KinderspielL" (aka Junkman)  - FDT 03  - 1998
 - "Un:Real Convenience"  cd album - FDT01CD  - 1998
 – "STYX" - TK 01  - 1998
 - "Gas 41" - FDT 02  - 1998
- “Action” -Trax CD Sampler 008  - 1998

 - "Zeltron EP" - FDT 01 - 1997
 - “Traboul” (exclu) - license on Futuria 97 compilation - 1997


Bandcamp

The Zeta Reticuli Incident by Umwelt

NTT DoCoMo

Illuminated Displays

Reference Frame

Event Horizon

Weltherrschaft Kompilation I

So Say We All

Motorized Pedestrians

A Pedestrian

External Operant

Traction Control

Return Of Atlantian EP

Humans Act Like Robots

Hi, here is the first full stream of EMS's "Rythmus Machine" , and tons of info about this overlooked producer. Also we have his limited Edition T-shirts for sell, 8$  on bandcamp. Buy one T'shirt and get the full Wav. file of the LP in return. Pretty good deal and great way to support the Artist and the Wunderground!!

http://satamile.bandcamp.com/




EMS is one of our most diverse and talented artists on the label. I found him living above Strange? Records in 1995 making his own modular synths, vocoders and drum machines for his electro productions. Stephen Machnowski currently has 3 eps on Satamile Records and a full length 2x12. He falls into the category of genius electro producer with records that have charted amongst the worlds top DJ’s and radio stations both nationally and internationally. It’s rare to find someone such as him who can build the exact modules from transistor up, write, engineer , perform live and dj!! 

XLR8R (USA) May 2004
"...six exceptional cuts in which minimal groove, analogical modulations, subtle vocoders, gloomy melodies and heading hypnotic bass lines combine perfectly, EMS introduces his definition of a both deep and funky syncopated music. The final result is just simply amazing!!

Dave Clarkes Techno Tip Sheet 
TOP FIVE ELECTRO 
1) Non Stop DJ's "Furious Ep" 
2) Blotnik Brothers "Elapse Current Loop" (Satamile) 
3) Manasyt "Sore" (Touchin' Bass) 
4) Ems " Synchronaut" (Satamile) 
5) RA-X "The Overthrow Ep" (RMR) 

EMS - SYNCHRONAUT - SATAMILE - 2xLP (SAT017) 

"EMS - Synchronaut" and "Blotnik Brothers - Elapse Current Loop" are two of Dave Clarke's 
TOP 5 electro picks 
--May 7, 2004 www.daveclarke.com (UK) 

"...more ears are primed for real electro than ever...ems brings unrelenting beats and time tested robotic vocoders to the dancefloor" 
--Review XLR8R (USA) May 2004 

"...six exceptional cuts in which minimal groove, analogical modulations, subtle vocoders, gloomy melodies and heading hypnotic bass lines combine perfectly, EMS introduces his definition of a both deep and funky syncopated music. The final result is just simply amazing!!" 
--Review by Atome.com (France) May 17, 2004 

"‘Crack In The Sun’ is a brilliant opener, almost hittting Detroit territory due to its warm analogue synths that play a lush sequence and modulate throughout the track, while underneath a stripped and jacking electro beat rolls with the sub bass, class groove. Also head for ‘Ginetik’ which has one of the warmest swooping basslines that hugs the beat with classic arpeggiator-esque synths that deliver a killer electro atmosphere. My fave has to be ‘Ellipticophasic’ which has an amazing and hard beat backed by acidic synths to drop what is probably the hardest cut on the album, it stands out so much due to the punchy drums that will rock a dancefloor solidly, ace New York electro shizzle." 
--Review by Boomkat.com (UK) May 2004 

"A full six track double pack that's bursting at the seams with cracking dancefloor electro grooves. After two great singles they cememt their place as key players for this top new york label. Hefty grooves, deep basslines and a more than liberal sprinkling of wicked sounds. Recommended." 
--Review by Smallfish.co.uk (UK) May 2004 

* The very first Satamile signature strikes back in full length version! After releasing three magnificent EP's, ''Exoplanet. Voice. Transistors'' ''Robotronic Rhythm''and ' 'Colonized'' on Andrew A. Price NYC based structure, rare and precious talent Stephen Machnowski signs here a dancefloor and mental electro deluxe album in its own and inimitable trademark. In six exceptional cuts in which minimal groove, analogical modulations, subtle vocoders, gloomy melodies and heading hypnotic bass lines combine perfectly, E.M.S introduces his definition of a both deep and funky syncopated music. The final result is just simply amazing! Grade A to sumptuous ''Crack In The Sun'', ''Ginetik'' and ''Ellipticophasic'', three tracks that confer ''Synchronaut'' opus its essential status. 
--Review by Dropshop.com (USA) June 2004 

Radio Plays: 
Kiss 100 Dave Mothersole 5/11/04 
Kiss 100 Tayo 
Kiss 100 Rev Milo 5/16/04 
Spin 103 Barry O'donoghue 5/20/04 + 5/27/04 
Passion FM Dan Bean 5/15/04 

Selected DJ Comments 
Keith Tenniswood - "The EMS ting I got is ace!!!" 
Tomaz (switch) - "I really love this! Ginetik and Getghetto are the best tracks. Chart and 
Airplay (Charted #10)" 
Percy X - "Love one of the trax on this LP, still playing loads of em" 
Mark Broom - "Yeah into it. Satamile can't put a foot wrong for me...going from strength to 
strength. Big up the NY Possee" 
The Hacker – “Good album, pure electro. I like it!” 
DJ Hyper – “Love it” 
Ade Fenton (Advanced/Atomic Jam) – “Best tracks are ‘Illusion Mode’ & ‘Ginetik’. I prefer 
the harder tracks on the album” 
Xander (Romp) – “This is the business. 9/10” (Charted #7) 
Barry O’Donoghue (Hotpress/Spin 103) – “Absolutely fantastic. Two tracks on this week’s 
show. Word.” 

Grooves Magazine 
Following up on the original vinyl released earlier in 2004, the CD version of Synchronaut adds five new tracks. With a distinctively deep, dark analog sound that harkens back to a mix of early acid, Detroit techno, and classic Elektroids, the record is packed with the classic 4/4, relentless 16ths of percussion , and robotic vocals of the 80's b-boy sound. Brisk and biting, tracks like "Close Encounters" and "Get Ghetto" establish an oppressive futurist vision early. But "Plt_lounge_eur" is a lovely, almost nostalgic electro piece that lubricates the ear canals, being plush and synthetic at the same time, and "Rhthmus Machine" slows down to an introspective crawl, its sensuous knob-twiddling making the piece grow and rise like a post-massive dawn. EMS has put together these extra pieces with as much care and attention as his homemade instruments. Highly recommended. 
Written by Alex Reynolds
credits

released 26 April 2004 
Stephen Machnowski, Frankford+Wayne Mastering, Gabe @ B'constructive design, Roland 909, 808, Juno 106, Satamile
tags



http://www.electromusic.com/studio/
Technical History
The electromusic specialist began designing and assembling his studio in New York in 1994. The initial purpose was to have a live setup that he could use to construct songs directly on the dance floor with few pre-written sequences.
Many of his synthesizers and drum machines were self-engineered from recycled, discarded electronics; converted into chaotic but solid techno music machines. From the transistor up they were engineered for raw bass power and allowed stray noises and malfunctions to become part of the recording or show.
The main foundation pieces of equipment at the time were his "CMS-01" modular synth, "Modularhythm System-3" drum machine, and "Sputnik Voice Processor SVP-02" vocoder. After his first couple records, EMS started to incorporate some commercial synthesizers into his studio to fill out tracks for the third record with plenty of live-performed layers without having to multitrack, but instead doing a 1 shot composite recording. Some of his most-used additional instruments were the Oberheim SEM, Sequential Circuits Pro-1 and Roland SH-101, which contained several modifications and enhancements.
CMS-01 Modular Synthesizer
The CMS-01 contains the following modules: VCO(2), VCF(2), VCA(3), AR Envelope, ADSR Envelope, Sample&Hold, Ring Modulator, Patch Bay, Trigger Extractor, AC/DC Mixer, LFO/HFO, VC Glide, Comparator, Envelope Follower, VC Slew Limiter
VCO 1
Based on an old design which is mostly discrete, this VCO is quite temperature sensitive. This one was fun trying to keep in tune every time someone opened the door or cranked up the fog machine. Cold makes the pitch go flat on this unit. Other than that, it has a very warm sound and has a massive frequency range.
Listen to: Rhythmus Machine
VCO 2
Standard 1970s "3340" oscillator design with sub bass.
Listen to: EMS acid/switch mix
VCF1
Diode ladder filter.
Sample & Hold
Labeled S&H, this little component helped a lot at shows. To fill the silence between live or DJ sets this one was patched in to VCO2 with a slow clock for sample rate and the voltage was output to a self-oscillating VCF1. Lots of blips and bleeps that could be tweaked to sound like computers from early scifi movies. Some notes could shake the floor with bass where the next could hang on almost inaudible high frequencies.
Listen to: Sample and hold example
LFO
Well, this might as well have been called HFO since it was mostly used as a high-frequency modulation source often applied to a VCF. The sound from that kind of patch is described as "talkie" because at certain settings you can almost hear vowel sounds. The component is on the bottom left, look for the small blue LED.
Listen to: Gemini

Bandcamp!! Buy It!

"Spyware" by EMS for Satamile Rec.

Traction Control

Dr. Siak

Related tracks