Friday, April 19, 2013

Martes Complete


One of this century's best and most original albums. Difficult to categorize it's a hybrid of electronica, modern classical, holy minimalism and glitch. Originally released in Mexico, it was picked up by a UK label where it received mass distribution and slowly achieved its current status as an essential electronic album. The original label reissued it as a 2 CD set containing variants of his follow up, also essential.  

Microscopically sampling Arvo Part, Morton Feldman, Giya Kancheli and others (I've seen Henryck Gorecki mentioned as well), he synthetically blends electronic and modern classical music into an infectious hybrid that is somehow filled with a warmth much electronic music lacks.  You know it when you hear it; I have yet to tire of it and always pick up something new with each listen.

I have yet to see anyone really analyze which samples were used but he talks a little about the creation of the album here.  Though there are slight differences in the times between versions, you'll find all the tracks in one place.

2 comments:

  1. Thank for this!
    P.S. When you cover the more recent stuff, have you considered BVDUB (also known as Brok Van Wey)?
    In 2009 he released The Art of Dying Alone, and every album since then has been, in my opinion, some of the most advanced & creative music to hit the planet. I don't say that lightly.
    He is due to release an Lp on Echospace next month, he also did a an Lp in the untitled, white sleeve, "Knowone series" #001 (although you were supposed to puzzle that out at the time).
    No doubt you have heard of him, but just as Demdike Stare re-invigorated you love of music beyond the pleasant shuffled playlist, well said!, so did BVDUB for me. If you listen to Most of his work (minus a fail here and there, so try a few) with your deep listening ears, I think you would like it alot. Or am I preaching to the choir?

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  2. I'm right there with you. Still have an original first pressing of the White Clouds CD purchased when it was first released. Looking forward to his "Home" album on Echospace.

    P.S. http://hadtocallitsomething.blogspot.com/2013/02/knowone-lp001-and-002.html

    ;-)

    (not very good about tagging things)

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