Welcome to this weeks In Strict Tempo. It feels right that I should start this week by paying tribute to Juan Atkins, founding father of techno, who died a few days ago. So much has been written already, by those more knowledgeable and closer to him than me, so all I can say is that NOTHING we listen to these days would sound like it does without him. The best tributes I’ve seen are from Jeff Mills and Rubadub’s Richard Chater, so I’d recommend reading those, before playing your favourite Cybotron/Model 500/Infiniti tunes as loud as possible. Whilst we’re paying tribute to past pioneers, we also lost house legend Cevin Fisher this week too. A dark week for sure.
I meant to kick off this weeks newsletter with some thoughts on my trip to Amsterdam a couple of weeks ago for ADE, where as long term readers will know, In Strict Tempo was conceived three years ago.
Did I still think I’d be writing this three years later? Who knows. I don’t really go in for long-term plans if I’m honest, but I’ve enjoyed writing every one of the ONE-HUNDRED-AND-TWENTY-FIVE issues of this newsletter to date.
So forgive me if I reflect back on the past three years a little, in which time I’ve interviewed some of my favourite artists, reviewed some absolutely incredible music (plus the odd stinker), and mused on the state of the music industry and the predicaments it finds itself in. I’ve also shared six Ceremony mixes from some amazing DJ’s (and have a new one lined up to drop on Monday!), looked back at some foundational record labels and delved deep into the catalogues of some of the best of them.
I started In Strict Tempo as an outlet to talk about music with anyone who cared to listen. In my day job I work from home and don’t really get to talk about music like I have done in previous jobs. Sharing little thoughts and reviews of it was my way of trying to keep the fire burning, and putting some spotlight on those artists and labels doing interesting things, of which there are so many.
I’ve never charged for it, because I believe that there’s only so much money people have to spend on things like this, and that I’m fortunate enough to make a living from music already. I’d much rather you spent money supporting artists and labels, those who are really taking risks with their art than putting it in my pocket.
Recently I’ve added a new string to the In Strict Tempo bow, having launched an online record shop. I’m still finding my feet with it all, but really appreciate those of you who’ve given me feedback on it or purchased something. There’s some really good things there, including a lot of stuff that’s sold out everywhere else plus some really great second hand bits. In the next couple of weeks I have a really exciting exclusive product to launch that I can’t wait to share with you all.
Anyway: How was ADE? Enjoyable as usual. A great city, with great people all over the place (and some great record shops too). As always with these conferences the best discussions are had in the bar after the panels and that are all finished, and it was good to catch up with people and peers. There didn’t seem to be one overriding topic this year - which might be a good thing, or it might just be that we’re in a state of flux right now. Time will tell, I guess.
New Music
Here’s this week’s new music then. You can find all of this at the In Strict Tempo store.
TRJJ - Music Compilation: 12 Dances [Stroom]
Stroom has been one of the labels of the year for the past couple of years now, and with releases like this it's clear to see why. From the same German collective that did that incredible Music For Desert Reboot tape (and LP on World of Echo) a while back this is... nothing like that, really. Stoned downtempo pop is the order of the game here, you know the kind of stuff Dean Blunt peddles, or the most dreamlike of Mica Levi's work. If I'm honest, it's releases like this, things that are just so out-there, so boundary-pushing and so - let's be earnest here - just absolutely magical that restore my faith in music and what it can be.
Shelley Parker - Screed [Sneaker Social Club]
Shelley Parker came to wider attention when she released the Red Cotton EP on Hessle Audio back in 2018, although she’d been making tunes a fair while before that. That EP felt like a line in the sand for Hessle, signalling a bit of a change in direction for the trio, but we’re not here to talk about that today.
Having released an album back in ‘22 on Hypercolour, Shelley Parker heads over to Jamie Russell’s Sneaker Social Club for her new one, fitting in with the foundational soundsystem ethos of the imprint. On Screed Parker lands fimly in the dance. Opener You Look So Beautiful When You Cry is a contradiction in terms a militant powerhouse punctured with noisy dissonance, whilst Relentless gets right to the point with a neverending beat that feels like it won’t end. Cleft brings rave stabs into the place, whilst Titus harks back to that golden 10’s era of BEB-style dubbed & broken techno.
One thing’s for sure - you’re not gonna hear many albums like this this year.
Intellitronic - Pixel [Rubadub]
Okay, now this is quite the turnout. Four tracks - three of which are unreleased - from Intellitronic aka Heinrich Mueller aka Gerald Donald aka Dopplereffekt aka Drexciya... you get the idea.
First dropping on a Magic Juan EP back in ‘93, this is pure Detroit electro at it’s absolute finest. Put it on, stick the biggest set of cans you can find over yer head and let this take you on a trip
Civilistjävel! - Alvgang [Six of Swords]
Ever since I discovered Civilistjavel through Low Company way back when I’ve picked up pretty much everything I can find. That’s a ringing endorsement if you’ll ever hear one, right? If you’re familiar with their work then you know this is a buy-on-sight, if not then I heartily recommend you delve straight into their back catalogue, and then buy this anyway.
With collaborations from Soccer Committee and none other than Carrier in a true meeting of minds, this is the kind of record that drifts you off to faraway lands, comforting the whole way there. In short, don’t miss it.
Boots for Dancing - Dance & Resist [Athens of the North]
Okay, maybe a little funkier than the usual In Strict Tempo fare, but the first Boots for Dancing record has been a long-time favourite here at IST towers so it’s only right the second one reaches our humble record shop.
Boots for Dancing were a short-lived group born from Scotland’s fertile late 1970’s post-punk scene. Their “debut” album The Undisco Kids was recorded in 1982, but didn’t see the light thanks to Athens a decade or so ago. This collection catches the band in the period leading up to that, taking influences from US funk and the growing discontent amongst British musicians to rebel against the ‘here’s a chord, here’s another, and another, now form a band’ rock styles prevalent at the time.
