New Elektron Material. 

We're coming back after 39 years since we first plugged in our synths, drum machines and guitars & Vox in my front room.

This is an early mix of our first track, EtherialPlayboi, a nod to Playboi Carti. Vocals and other sounds will soon be the next mix.

Hope you like our first new endeavor - please do let us know what you think. Don't hold back :-).

Stay safe & keep rockin' in the free world.

Mike.

EtherialPlayboy

Elektron & Visions Of You was our first demo recorded  in Cooleycall studios in Bridgetown Wexford. 8 track reel-to-reel, engineered by the amazing Paul Spencer.

Imagine a bunch of teenagers, wired and overawed by real studio equipment. I was the synth player (Korg Mono/Poly) and needed a nappy. 

The track stands out for me because: 

a) we managed to record something, Paul Spencer cracked the musical whip and 
b) the bass player Brian Moore (me cousin) improvised one of the best bass solos I have ever heard. Take that Peter Hook. He made it up on the take - no rehearsal. Forza Brian!

The epic bass solo is about mid way through the track - hang on in there, I hope you enjoy the track. Its 36 years old (OMG). And if you don't like it, that's cool too - let us know either way.

Thanks for you time and interest, it means a lot in this overloaded world. Things were a bit more chilled 36 years ago 😎.

Keep on rockin' in the free world.

Mike Ringwood,

Visions Of You | Bass Mix

Penned by the massively talented multi-instrumentalist Brian Moore, I believe this was recorded on a TEAC 4 track in a matter of hours. Plenty of nods to the pioneering guitar sounds of Robert Fripp, but it's not just a Fripp tribute. Listen for the choir, the syncopated and omnipresent voice of William S. Burroughs. The sum of the Live Parts is something very special.

Access To Live Parts

As far as I can recall, we originally recorded this on a four track reel-to-reel in the staff room of a local school (after hours) about 1982. Or maybe it was in the Cooleycall studio. Who knows?
 
Its been given a little brush up - hope you like. And if you don't, hey no sweat. Thanks for passing by :-)
 
Mike.

Dreaming In Blue | Rêver en bleu

Captain Clarke welcomes you aboard!

This mix fixes some irksome riffs, tries to balance the mix better and properly introduces the voice of the most notorious Beat Poet. Ta da!

Our history:

Elektron morphed into The Third Mind sometime in 1983 (basically Wayne & Brian 'ad enough & buggered off), leaving Niall and myself at the helm.

'83 was producing lots of Electronica, so this track is 99% electronic - a sole bass guitar harmonic by Niall is the only instrument not requiring a plug.

Progression was part of a 10 set repertoire we toured. Remember OMD circa first album? They had a reel-to-reel backing tape machine called Winston, so being highly creative, we ripped the format for live shows.

Progression and 9 others were recorded in the staff room of a local school (ahem, after hours), 4 track, bounced to 2 track reel-to-reel, we picked Progression and 1 more to demo.

Elite SoundClounders: feel my pain as I wrestled to drop Paul Spencer's very heavy engineering hand on the bass. Took a 7 band EQ to try and calm it down.

Progression was always a personal favorite - y'know when you just write what feels like the right song at the right time and you're happy? It's that song to me.

Sleeve Note: Anyone who knows who wrote the book "The Third Mind", (no Googling please, brain cells only), will know the 'other voice' on Progression. Nod to the ultimate rebel IMHO.

I hope you enjoy and if you don't that's cool too.

Please leave us a comment if you can spare the time. Remember: this was 1983, pre-Orbital ;-)

Best.

Mike Ringwood

Progression

Elektron will be back. Soon. New material.

Child of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Music was a massive & diverse revolution, never heard before.

I landed on a combo of Kraftwerk, Joy Division, Magazine and early Human League. Newman’s ‘Friends’ still haunts me, as do many songs from the time.

Got my hand on a Korg Mono/Poly, a SoundMaster Drum machine and away I went. Joined two bands, Elektron being the primary. Great times.

Today I experiment with an Access Virus Ti (what a synth), a Korg M3 module and, of course, Pro Tools 12 & Reaper.

It’s a long way from a 4 track Tascam Portasudio. Bouncing was an art form back then, rather happily redundant now.

Keep on rockin’ in the Free World.😎

Mike.

Mike Ringwood

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