philip sherburne

Random factor

Not sure whose blog Random Generator is, but there are some great sounds and ideas here: urban planning, green architecture, Jesper Dahlbäck, Sähkö (God, it's been forever since I thought about the Olento CD). Even some artists without umlauts in their names. One of those rare blogs that seems to be the product of time and forethought and labor (unlike, say, this one).

The neverending yawning jawn

How fucking much do I love these new remixes for M83? Superpitcher's version of "Don't Save Us from the Flames" sounds like it's on some U2 Unforgettable Fire shit, all ostsinato bung-bung-bung-bung on the piano and monstrous, cavernous Red Rocks ginormity that makes you want to fling your puny ass into space and float for eternity. And then the zipgun bassline assumes the position just as some Sigur Ros falsetto tomfoolery comes howling down to hover like a spaceship promising sweet annihilation. (And I'm not even going to go into the bridge, which sounds like coming up all over again, high piling upon high like an eternal internal kaleidoscope.) No one else could make ten and a half minutes sound so effortless — well, no one except Luciano, maybe, who extracts "Teen Angst"'s vocals ("How fast we burn/ How fast we die," stumbling like a winedrunk from fifths to shivering seconds) and isolates them like a precious element, twisting out five minutes of shoegaze overdrive into nearly a dozen of wristslit minimalism, outsized expressionism straining against a grid of shooming kick drums and saskatooning congas. And then, yeah, all over again, those angelic vocals like a climber's grip for the come-up, and some billowy New Order landing pads underneath, just in case. Please, god, let me hear this out — in the open, preferably at sunup — just once this year.

If it's not clear from the above, let me reiterate: (Nova)mute deserves a fucking medal this year. Lawrence, Motor, these mixes, Luciano's Tim Wright mix from last year — someone over there is doing something very, very right.

No really, this is important:

Devendra Banhart and Lucien Nicolet: one and the same? Separated at birth? Does Ricardo know about this? (And if Luciano is Devendra, who's Joanna Newsom? Ada?)

La coqueta

So you probably want to know about Mexico.

About the smog;

the scene;

the hobnobbing. (That's Andy Vaz, above.)

(And that's Tobias Freund; Sieg Uber Die Sonne indeed.)

We can tell you a thing or two about what went down at MUTEK México

but it may take some time;

memory loads slowly, like these photographs.

But our enthusiasm is not lacking.

Stay tuned! We're not going anywhere.

Cough, test

Before uploading the promised photographic bounty (batch processing my ass), two quick notes. The new issue of Earplug is up here, featuring reviews of Optimo, Jane, and more; an Ubercoolische feature; streaming techno, drum'n'bass, and otherwise — and did I mention three free Kompakt MP3s? Send yr feedback to us here and let us know what you like, what you don't, and what you want more of. (Puppies, rainbows, and curly fries are already in the queue.)

Also, my story on New Order made the cover of the SF Weekly this week, which is exciting for anyone into extended remixes, family anecdotes, or Wilson High School. Stephen Morris was a lovely interviewee, I feel a bit bad I don't love their new album more.

Like a bad penny

Well, whaddaya know, I'm back. Crisis averted. Actual post coming real soon now. Including scandalous MUTEK Mexico photos and everything, promise. So don't go anywhere. Unless it's to put in your copy of Isolée's We Are Monster, which is the album of the year, easy. You can do that. Otherwise, hang tight, await instructions. As for us, we welcome our insect overlords.

Help, I'm trapped in a box

Dear readers, we are experiencing technical difficulties. Due to some PHP/CGI hokey-pokey that I do not understand in the slightest, www.philipsherburne.com is currently not working. If you found your way to this page by another means, I applaud you. Regular posting will resume as soon as my hosting crisis is sorted out.

Regards,
The Mgmt.

More MUTEK

I know it sounds like I'm shilling for my friends up north, but that's not the case — I just love'em to minimalistic bits. And so I can't resist passing on the news that both Luciano and Ricardo Villalobos have been added to this year's lineup. They play together as Sense Club on Saturday, June 4 — right before Bruchstuecke's Galoppierende Zuversicht, who Villalobos singled out as the highlight of a recent 50-hour fest in Switzerland — and Villalobos DJs the Sunday afternoon Pik Nik Eletronique, a Montreal summer highlight, alongside Serafin, Stephen Beaupré, and Pier Bucci.

Also just added is Brazil's Nego Moçambique; check the MUTEK website in the coming days for more announcements.