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One of the world's most influential electronic music labels gears up for its 100th release: Richie Hawtin and John Acquaviva's legendary Plus 8 imprint. Hitting the net on December 23 as a digital only compilation, 'Plus8100 - The Remixes' brings together Plus 8 artists old and new, reinterpreting 22 classics from the label's archive.
We are especially looking forward to Function's take on Final Exposure's 'Vortex', Marcel Dettmann's version of Cybersonik's 'Technarchy', and Mark Broom rewiring the F.U.S.E. classic 'Substance Abuse', but with artists like Tiefschwarz, Ken Ishii, Barem and Tobias. also on the bill the entire package is looking mighty promising.
What better occasion could there be to look at some of early classics that made the label one of the major sources of inspiration in techno history.
States of Mind - Elements of Tone (Richie's Dream Mix)
Taken from 'Elements of Tone' (1990) 'The record that started it all: Acquaviva and Hawtin kicked off Plus 8 in 1990 with this rough gem programmed in their basement. Think LFO-style bleeps over a pounding Roland TR-808 house groove and you have a perfect idea of the aptly titled 'Elements of Tone', pre-empting the art of reduction, which should become Hawtin's trademark in the years to follow. A glimpse of the future.'
Kenny Larkin - We Shall Overcome (Ken's Mix)
Taken from 'We Shall Overcome' (1990) 'Plus 8's second release was the debut of someone who was soon to be recognised as one of Detroit's brightest and most eccentric talents: Kenny Larkin. 'We Shall Overcome' displays a rare proficiency for a first release, up there with the finest producers of the time. The Martin Luther King-sampling title track is backed up by 'Rubber Notes', which still stands out today as one the finest Detroit techno tracks ever written.'
Final Exposure - Vortex
Taken from 'Vortex' (1991) 'Before exploring the concept of minimalism, Richie Hawtin set a milestone in quite a different terrain with 'Vortex': hard, relentless sawtooth techno. Backed up by Joey Beltram and Mundo Musique on this release, 'Vortex' was a monster of a track: Its spiralling, endlessly incrementing sequences took dancefloors in storm and proved a major influence on the development of techno at the time.'
F.U.S.E. - Substance Abuse
Taken from 'Substance Abuse' (1991) 'Possibly Richie Hawtin's biggest hit up to this point, 'Substance Abuse' was released the same year as 'Vortex', but develops its intensity in a more subdued fashion. Its bassy acid line drives the track until the haunting 'Overdose' vocal sample comes in - a warning to over-ambitious ravers, as well as to the participants of the 2006 Winter Olympics, where Hawtin played the track during the opening ceremony. Only days before the Austrian cross-country skiing team was busted and expelled from the games for doping.'
Speedy J - De-Orbit
Taken from 'Rise' (1991) 'Every single track on this, Speedy J's third release for Plus 8 stands out as a classic in its own right - the sophisticated title track, the famous 'Something For Your Mind', and the catchy 'Tresor'. The most unusual however - both for Jochem Paap and Plus 8 - is 'De-Orbit', a beautiful, slowed down breakbeat anthem and an impressive testimony to Paap's abundant musicality.'
Plastikman - Spastik
Taken from 'Sheet One (Remastered)' (1993) 'The birth of Plastikman! The influence of Hawtin's 'Sheet One' album can hardly be overestimated - improvised and minimalistic acid house, yet realised with a sense of coherence and composition that is singular to Hawtin's productions. Plastikman's biggest tune of the time, the shuffling snare drum monster that is 'Spastik' was actually not part of the original album, but licensed to Nova Mute at the time.'
LFO vs. F.U.S.E. - Loop
Taken from 'Loop' (1995) 'Actually recorded a few years earlier, this collaboration between Richie Hawtin and LFO was initially only available as a white label, since in a fit of rare, yet spectacular, misjudgement Warp Records didn't think the track strong enough to warrant a regular release. 16 years of continuous club rotation have of course long proved them wrong and 'Loop' stands out as a perfect techno classic.' |
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