textura march 2006With only three original pieces included on Removed/Acetate, Thaddi Herrmann and Michael Zorn would seem to regard No Movement No Sound No Memories as a side-project - and that's a shame, if those cuts are indicative of what an album-length collaboration might offer. Based on the available evidence, the pairing brings out the best of both: their haunted "Edit" treatment of "Removed" layers increasingly tumultuous squalls and scurrying pulses over a loping base, "Fabric" moves the duo into a dubby tech-house zone, and "Acetate" throbs beatifically amidst a swarming mass of machine swirls and billowing flickers. Still, electronic music devotees assuredly won't complain over the disc's other contents: five remixes of "Removed" by Arovane, Pole, and others, and five remixes of "Acetate" by Claro Intelecto, DJ Maxximus, and more.
The format's the same as Lux Nigra's last full-length, Karl Marx Stadt's 1997-2004, with an earlier EP paired with a later one; thus the first half of Removed/Acetate reprises the 1999 vinyl release of Removed with the second presenting tracks from Acetate's 2006 vinyl release; sweetening the deal, the bridging track "Fabric" is exclusive to the CD. The first half therefore coincides with the emergence of Berlin's Chain Reaction scene and Pole's first recordings while the second half finds the material moving into hip-hop-influenced territory.
Arovane's lush confection "Amx" is as superb as one might expect, and very much in Uwe Zahn's Atol Scrap style. "Vacuous_Movement" from Lux Nigra head Multipara visits a noisy factory during its busiest shift, with a hammering heartbeat rhythm keeping workers on schedule. Artificial Duck Flavour (Zorn alone) gives the tune a lop-sided funk groove in his "Infarct Mix" while the shuddering chords and gaseous dub pulses of Pole's treatment remind us of how remarkable Stefan Betke's originating sound was and how well it still holds up.
In the second half, DJ Maxximus gives "Acetate" a swaggering stutter-funk "Cold Water" overhaul to nicely complement James Din a4's crisp, pinprick strut. Something J/Bill Youngman's "Skeletal Decisions" takes the tune on a dystopic hip-hop trip, pairing an MC's logorrheic flow with clattering breaks, before Modeselektor's bright carousel machinery and drill'n'bass stutter returns us to familiar territory. Claro Intelecto brings the 73-minute collection to a dramatically bleak but relatively subdued closeÑnot an unwelcome move, either, given the intensity of what's come before. Removed/Acetate will no doubt greatly satisfy Lux Nigra fans but also offers an excellent overview of key electronic styles that developed during the last decade. ----Ronald Schepper
groove #99, märz 20061999 veršffentlichten Thaddi Herrmann und Michael Zorn ihre erste EP als No Movement No Sound No Light, 2006 eine weitere. Diese CD vereint nun die beiden EPs inklusive einem Bonus Track, "Fabric" sowie Remixes von Arovane Ÿber Pole bis zu DJ Maxximus, Modeselektor oder Claro Intelecto. Ruhige Mitternachts-Elektronik zwischen Dub und IDM mit Hang zu verrauscht-atmosphŠrischem Sounddesign und stolpernden Beats. Die Remixe der Šlteren EP lehnen sich zumeist an diese KlangŠsthetik an, die der neueren aber gehen weiter. Maxximus entwirft einen holprigen Subbass-Dubber, Something J & Bill Youngman nehmen den Weg verfrickelten DigiHops, James Din A4 sitzt der Schalk im Nacken, Modeselektor tŠuschen erst dubbigen Ambient an, bevor sie die Stotterbreaks aus der TŸte lassen. Hšhepunkt aber ist Claro Intelecto. Auch da scheint erst relaxte Ruhe Hauptbestandteil des Remixes zu sein, ab der HŠlfte des Tracks wird dann aber ein treibender Latenight-Groover daraus. ----Timlo
gridface, march 2006For the first time, No Movement's 1999 12-inch "Removed" is available on CD, with the added bonus of a new 12-inch, "Acetate." There are mixes here by Arovane, Claro Intelecto, Modeselektor, and Pole, among others.
The original version of "Removed" (actually an edit of a track from the Biophilia Allstars compilation) features droning, changing static and a slow beat. It's a surprisingly busy track with hints of industrial and ambient influences. Arovane's version hides the static squeal, but adds a speedy snare and delicate electronics. It's a warm, melodic take on what was originally alienating material. No.9's mix takes the opposite approach, dispensing with beats altogether and applying squelchy filters to the static, breaking it into stutters. Multipara's "Vacuous Movement" is a sped-up version of the original with added clanking noises, heavy breathing, and moments of skipping clacks. Pole also stays fairly true to source, adding his patented clicks and echoes. Finally, Artificial Duck Flavour provides a riveting version with roiling bass and Public Energy-esque percussion.
"Fabric" is an exclusive bonus track in a dubby, Porter Ricks style. The original version of "Acetate" is actually pretty IDMy, with glitchy beats and honks over a slow-moving static cold front. DJ Maxximus somehow incorporates the honks into a basic, bass-heavy grime break. The "Skeletal Decisions" version by Bill Youngman and Something J also takes a grime approach, with a stilted rap over churning synths. This is a candidate for Futurism Ain't Shit to Me 3! James Din A4 contributes a Casio calliope cover version, while Modeselektor's mix is melodic drum and bass. Last but not least, Claro Intelecto merges quiet synths with electro beats. This is my favorite mix, with hints of Autechre's Amber.
It's hard to sum up such a diverse selection. The first half of this CD is a great overview of the electronic music scene seven years ago. The second half's new tracks should sound fresher, but they actually seem a bit shallow. It will be interesting to see how well "Acetate" ages. ----Jacob Arnold
clash, march 2006As is oft the case with releases under the all-encompassing 'electronic' genrebrella, 'Removed/Acetate' by No Movement No Sound No Memories has the kind of cover which gives about as much away concerning the noise within as a leather-faced Poker crone. Yet pop the bonnet and give it a run, and you'll soon discover a seeting bed of dub-wired circuitry capable of placid-to-utterly-agog in under ten seconds. Guaranteed.
The collaborative moniker of Thaddi Herrmann and Michael Zorn, No Movement No Sound No Memories first piqued discerning lobes with the 12" only release of 'Removed' back in 1999; where lead track 'Edit' delivered a master class in Basic Channel-indebted electronic that eroded the more formulaic aspects of Detroit from within. Backed by the first ever remix to be undertaken by the mighty Pole, 'Removed' immediately entered eBay folklore - a situation that will likely become even more acute with the imminent release of follow-up 'Acetate' and its stellar line-up of rejiggers (Modeselektor, Claro Intelecto and DJ Maxximus).
Yet for those who don't have money to line the nests of eBay shitehawks, fear not; German label Lux Nigra are putting out a handy CD which collates both 12"s (remixes and all), as well as chucking in an extra track ('Fabric') for good measure. Explaining the project's gestation, Herrmann (who, lest we forget, happens to edit the world's greatest electronic magazine, De:Bug) puts some of its success down to their long running friendship. "We've known each other for ages and (Zorn) introduced me to a lot of music - he'd been buying Detroit stuff much longer than me and I think with the first 12" we just wanted to come up with a Basic-Channel influenced hommage, taking their unique sound and drones, but fuck it all up by making it loud and distorted. It was just a jam, never intended to be released." Thankfully for us it was.
Described by Herrmann as "cold, windy, dark, intense, fucked up", 'Removed/Acetate' is the sound of nuanced electronic music reaching beyond the accepted borders of the genre and presenting a faultless diktat on the power of machine emissions. Plenty of movement, astonishing sounds, beautiful memories. ----Adam Park
dj, march 2006Eschewing any notion of musical fashion and trend, Lux Nigra have been consistently carving their own electronica niche for the last several years now. And the proof in this release couldn't be more evident.
Reconstituting their pivotal release 'Removed' courtesy of Michael Zorn and Thaddi Herrmann from 1999, complete with the set of original spatial mixes from Pole, label owner Multipara and Arovane, the label brings us up to date with a new offering 'Acetate'. Whereas 'Removed' concentrated on the cerebral with great swathes of industrial-sounding backwash, 'Acetate' and its accompanying mixes from Claro Intelecto, Modeselektor and DJ Maxximus add an array of pulsing rhythms and more instant sonics that bridge the seven year divide that separates these two exemplary releases.
A must have. ----Found Sounds
The brainchild of Thaddi Herrmann and arch-experimentalist Michael Zorn, this release involves some of the world's most respected electronic producers remixing vintage NMNSNM material. Although some of the interpretations end up trying the listener's patience in the name of making an artistic statement - the annoying vocal repetetition [sic] on Multipara's remix of 'Vacuous_Movement' being the main offender - 'Removed' offers up the symphonic, orchestral chill meets harsh beats of NMNSNM's own version of 'Acetate', the pastoral glitch and drill'n'bass of Modeselektor's treatment of 'Flos Sanctorum' and the swirling textures and off-time beats of Arovane's take on 'Amx'.
File under 'interesting' rather than 'innovative'. ----Richard Brophy
igloomag, march 2006This record follows the formula of Karl Marx Stadt's 1997-2004, it collects two vinyl EPs, one from the past and another one released to coincide with the CD. The title is also clear: first you have six mixes of "Removed," and then six mixes of "Acetate," with the nice bonus track "Fabric" which is on CD only.
The "Removed" side starts with an eerie rework by Arovane, followed by a rustling skeletal dub reassembled by No.9 and then the tension increases with the "Vacuous Movement mix" by Multipara which is almost a living thing, heart-beating and deep breathing between noisy reverbs and ticking drums, very much unsettling but even more fascinating. To relax a bit there's the unmistakable crackling dusty dub of Pole, just before the original edit is unleashed: it's a sublime piece of minimal dub, where the deep rhythm is overwhelmed by whirling noise, composed by supersaturated reverb and feedback. Finally, the "Infarct mix" by Artificial Duck Flavour is, despite the title, a regular and steady hybrid between hip-hop beats and industrial distorsions, with only some reminiscences of dub moods. "Fabric" is something the vinyl addicts will sadly miss, because it's an absolute masterpiece of slow paced techno dub, every time I listen to this tune I'm completely charmed, there's no use in spending meaningless words describing it. I would say it might justify the purchase of the entire album, but you could say so for the other five tracks (at least). The first being the original "Acetate," less spooky and claustrophobic than its predecessors, with joyful vibes over a pulsating beat, and whose remixes are literally another side of this record, maybe it's the time gap between the first EP track or maybe it's just the choice of the remixers.
DJ Maxximus pushes steppy breaks and woofer crushing bass, with a dubstep style very close to his latest releases, while Something J sets up a grime environment for the lyrics of Bill Youngman. These two mixes retain a almost no elements from the original version, while James Din A4 and Modeselektor pick up just the happy tones: the former adds some sugary synths and creates a bouncy, whistling techno track, while the duo jump from a slow tempo to a jungle rush, always emphasizing the basic uplifting melody. Last but best, comes Claro Intelecto with the pure essence of techno concentrated in five minutes, the combination of sneaky sounds and vibrating toms send shivers down the spine. There are no clearly recognisable samples from "Acetate" here too, but it's really the last thing you should think about when listening to such a perfect tune.
There are no alternatives. You must own this record, seriously. ----Luca Maini
angry ape, march 2006Removed/Acetate is an awkward listen, but only because of its apparent versatility. It drifts between easy electronica, experimental noise and minimal drones, with hidden stitches pulling a multitude of genres together. The album is a collective work between Thaddi Herrmann and Micha Zorn, consisting of Removed, an EP released in 1999, supplemented by a handful of new works and remixes from Removed tracks by the likes of such establishednames as Arovane and Modeselektor.
Herrmann and Zorn's style has evolved explicitly in the seven years since the original EP, with tracks on the recent half of the album existing as a more challenging listen but carrying a definite air of maturity. Tracks are better structured, even under the remixed Removed tracks.
Vacuous Movement is a difficult five minutes, with relentless high end beats driving a backdrop of heavy breathing, mechanical clunks and throbbing heartbeat. Other tracks vary in style quite astoundingly, with the opening track delving into sublime electronica and basic channel drones whereas the Pole remix digs its claws into minimal techno territory.
An incredible force to be reckoned with, Removed/Acetate is for the very adventurous listener, it depicts perfectly a confused consciousness, struggling for continuity and a sense of self identity. ----Jennifer Allan
xlr8r, april 2006All cut up, with rips and tears in its sonic fabric, this is a great, challenging, darkly complex release from a superb label. A combination of two EPs (one early, one just released), dub, techno, and noise collide and then get run through the abstract filters of the remixers, ranging from Pole's soft whispers to Modeselektor's harder edge. Youngman and Kool Pop's Something J cut up tech-hop, Arovane lends trademark beauty, James Din A4 serves up bounce, and the whole thing gets wrapped in soft gauze, evoking the feeling you'd get looking at a blank Berlin winter sky. ----Matt Earp
black # 43, april 2006ZORN und THADDEUS HERRMANN haben es seit 1999 geschafft ganze drei Tracks zu machen. Solch einen Produktionsausstoß ist man in elektronischen Kreisen wahrlich nicht gewohnt. Da werden Alben im Halbjahresrhythmus in die Läden gestellt. Bei NO MOVEMENT NO SOUND NO MEMORIES unterstelle ich mangelnde Zeit eher als bewusste Limitierung des eigenen Werks. Dennoch: Gut tut es dem Sound durchaus. Da nutzt sich nichts unnötig schnell ab und man kann einfach ganz andere Sachen einfließen lassen über die Jahre. Noch dazu, wenn man jeden Track von fünf Leuten remixen lässt. Die CD vereint nun alle Schaffensphasen. Wenn man die ersten sechs Stücke, die bereits 1999 als Vinyl veröffentlicht wurden, mit den letzten sechs Stücken, die gerade frisch gebacken wurden, vergleicht, wird einem die Entwicklung schon klar. Kurz vor der Jahrtausendwende räkelte sich der rauschige Berlin-Sound. Auch NMNSNM schoben die schartigen Flächen über die krickeligen Beats. Und POLE und AROVANE durften remixen. Im CD-Bonustrack 'Fabric' erfährt der Debüt-Stil von 'Edit' einige Aufwertung mit groovenderem Beat hin zum neuen Hauptstadttouch. 'Acetate' klingt nämlich glockenhell mit melodischem Klavieranschlag und perligem Knirschbeat über hallender Atmo. Sehr geniale Mischung. Dessen Remixe wurden dann auch deutlich urbaner. Mehr Hip-Hop-Hüftschwung von DJ MAXXIMUS und auch von BILL YOUNGMAN beispielsweise, der direkt kreativ-selbstbewusst seine Verortung in Berlin-Friedrichshain in den Rap einbaut und mit zackigem Bass unterlegt. Oder MODESELEKTOR, schon seit ewig und drei Tagen Geheimtipp in der Hauptstadt, die der melancholischen Grundstimmung einen unruhigen, trippelnden Groove beiseite stellen. Bin schon auf den nächsten Schlag gespannt. Dem bisherigen Tempo entsprechend, dürfte dies in circa sieben Jahren so weit sein. Vielleicht sind wir dann ja wieder bei Berliner Marschmusik und Drehorgel-Moritaten angekommen. ----T(TM)
gaz-eta nr. 42, april 2006To kompaktowe wydawnictwo zbiera material z dwóch winylowych plyt, które ukazaly sie w 1999 r. i 2006 r.- "Removed" i "Acetate". Twórcami podstawowych wersji obu nagran, jakie sie na ich znalazly, sa Thaddeus Herrmann i Peter Gebert - obaj znani przede wszystkim, jako szefowie cenionych berlinskich wytwórni - City Centre Offices i Lux Nigra - ale dzialajacy tez jako muzycy i didzeje. Na kazdym z krazków znalazly sie remiksy "Removed" i "Acetate", dokonane przez znanych producentów.
Pomiedzy jednym i drugim materialem slyszalne sa wyrazne róznice. Na "Acetate" dominuja postindustrialne brzmienia, wpisane w ambientowy kontekst - swietnym przykladem tego jest "Amx" w wykonaniu Arovane, pioniera takiej wlasnie estetyki. Bajkowe plumkanie klawiszy, podszyte zostaje tu basowym pulsem, wpisanym w metaliczne struktury rytmiczne. W podobnym klimacie utrzymany jest remiks Pole'a - industrialny strumien przemyslowego szumu, przenikaja dubowe akordy, oplecione onirycznym loopem syntezatorowym. Multipara (czyli sam Peter Gebert) odziera w swym "Vacuous_Movement" oryginalna wersje "Removed" z bardziej muzycznych elementów, zestawiajac ze soba dzwieki pneumatycznego mlota i uderzajacy w rytmie serca bit w kontekscie dzwieków otoczenia o niemal filmowej narracji.
Lacznikiem pomiedzy "Removed" z 1999 r. a "Acetate" z 2006 r. okazuje sie "Infarct Mix" w wykonaniu Artificial Duck Flavour - fabryczny zgielk niesie tu hiphopowy rytm, bedacy zapowiedzia modnych obecnie eksperymentów z polamanymi bitami, dominujacych w drugiej czesci zestawu. Slychac to przede wszystkim w "Acetate Cold Water Mixie" DJ Maxximusa oraz "Skeletal Decisions" duetu Something J & Bill Youngman (w tym nagraniu pojawia sie nawet rap), ale takze we flirtujacym z drum and bassem "Flos Sanctorum Mixie" Modeselektora oraz metalicznym electro w "Claro Intelecto Remixie". Oryginalna edycja "Acetate" to mroczne IDM, zanurzone w perkusyjnych chrzestach i bulgotach.
Bonusowym nagraniem na kompakcie jest "Fabric" - finezyjna synteza klikajacego bitu z dubowym basem na ambientowym tle. "Removed/Acetate" to fascynujaca historia ostatnich siedmiu lat inteligentnej elektroniki w niewiele ponad godzinnej pigulce. ----Pawel Gzyl
die elektronische welt july 2006Apparso per la prima volta nel 1998 sulla "Biophilia Allstars", una compilation che fermò la sua tiratura a sole 500 copie, il progetto No Movement No Sound No Memories torna a splendere di luce propria. Fondato da Thaddeus Herrmann e Michael Zorn, No Movement No Sound No Memories punta sulla sperimentazione accesa che contraddistingue da sempre lo stile eclettico dell'etichetta berlinese Lux Nigra. Ad 8 anni dalla pubblicazione dell'e.p. d'esordio ecco sopraggiungere un cofanetto di remixes ambiti dai patiti del genere: per la prima volta su cd le inedite versioni pulsano in territori elettronici e si sviluppano attraverso suoni trip-hop, acceni ambient, fantasie melodiche e beats lenti. Si parla di 'minimal dub' e poi si tira dentro anche il broken beat, l'experimental, il rumorismo e tutto quello che potrebbe far parte del prototipo ideale del 'dubstep'. Accanto all'inedito "Fabric", che segue per vie sommarie la strada minimalista di Ricardo Villalobos, "Removed/Acetate" propone una ricca serie di rivisitazioni a firma di Arovane, Multipara, No.9 ed Artificial Duck Flavour ai quali s'aggiungono nomi meno sotterranei come quello di Dj Maxximus (quello della MG77), James Din A4 e Claro Intelecto. Di rilevante interesse l'inedita versione di "Flos Sanctorum" realizzata da Sebastian Szary e Gernot Bronsert uniti nel progetto Modeselektor che schiude il mondo della berlinese BPitch Control. 72 sono i minuti di puro sound spaziale e geniale che non potrà far altro che confermare la qualità della Lux Nigra, una (piccola) label che negli ultimi anni sta facendo parlare positivamente l'Europa connessa all'underground tecnologico. ----DJ Gio
trax december 2006Thaddi Herrmann et Michael Zorn ont lancé No Movement No Sound No Memories en 1998. On les retrouvait dernièrement avec Removed/Acetate, sur Lux Nigra, rassemblant compositions du duo allemand et des remixes, désormais disponibles en vinyle, avec au palmarès Modeselektor ou Claro Intelecto... À la nonchalance de Maxximus, on préféra la drill'n'bass de Modeselektor. On se rem´ora les anciennes productions Warp avec Claro Intelecto. On restera longtemps avec le sombre "Skeletal Decisions" de Something J et les ritournelles "sonig-iennes" de James Din. ----LG
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