The Download Munkey : Tracking the Treasure Down …

© Ben Stokes

A look at some of Ben Stokes’ creative outputs, who’s probably better known as Dimensional Holofonic Sound or D.H.S to techno fans. His track House of God or one of its many remixes has been played by DJs for two decades now, check out its music video at Youtube, also directed and animated by Ben Stokes himself. Or listen to the track itself at Junodownload.

© Ben Stokes

Also check out the music video for Steel Pulse and Damien Marley’s No More Weapons directed, shot and animated by Ben Stokes. Look for the video labelled Music Videos Part 1 at the Video section of his official website at holofonic.com or at YouTube – you definitely can’t miss the reggae vibes or the animated silhouettes of soldiers moving onscreen (reminds me of the Massive Entertainment animated production logo in the game World at Conflict).

© Massive Entertainment

My favourite work from Ben Stokes is definitely the ultra funky Drum Attack video released in 2003 consisting of multiple video clips of drummers doing their thing and expertly chopped and spliced together into a delicious two and half minute mini-mix, not unlike how hip hop DJs mix in different records at lightning speed like DJ Spinbad (or Aquasky for that matter, who crammed in 150+ records for a 5 minute mini-set for Annie Mac’s show on BBC Radio One in Jan 2006).

© Ben Stokes

Karate chops! Wait, have those got anything to do with drumming?

© Ben Stokes

Ends with a visual of Clyde Stubblefield who played the drums for James Brown’s Funky Drummer.

The quality of the Drum Attack video posted at Youtube is rather crappy so you might want to check out a clearer version at the website for Ben Stokes’ label Tino Corp or the Video section of holofonic.com where a longer 3 minute version of Drum Attack awaits in the Other Works video (fast forward to 2:34 mins).

Enjoy!

MORE @ THE DOWNLOAD MUNKEY:
Audiotool – Virtual Music Production Studio
Links to Direct Downloads for Selected Annie Mac 5 Minutes Mixes
Promo Video for Gayle San’s .Network Audiovisual Livemix Compilation
Tony-B Machine – Flash Toy for Creating Early 90’s Techno/Electro
Be Your Own One Man Band

A promo video for a new CD + DVD release titled .Network from techno producer/DJ Gayle San. Hailing from sunny Singapore, she moved to Europe to further her DJing career many years ago (and probably won’t come back since there’s hardly a techno scene here – hell, over here people even confuse rave and eurohouse with techno ).

I won’t attempt to bore anyone by posting her bio here as you can check out her official site at www.gaylesan.com where you can preview five of her tracks in their entirety, including the very funky The Sell Off forthcoming on her own label, Equator.

The CD contains a live mix (or half mix since Discogs lists it as partially mixed) and the DVD contains a feast for the eyes and ears (supposedly, since I don’t have it in my grubby hands yet ) I’m actually surprised at the utter lack of electronic music releases featuring a similiar combination of audiovisual experiences out there – the two that immediately come to mind is Jeff Mills three deck wizardry on 2004’s Exhibitionist and the other by minimal master Richie Hawtin on DE9 : Transitions.

Gayle San contributes two unreleased tracks to this release with the rest of tracks from techno producers around the world including Cari Lekebusch (Sweden), Jay Denham (America), Oscar Mulero (Spain) and DJ Boss (Slovakia). Tracklist as follows:

1. Cari Lekebusch – Psyphonic
2. Gayle San – The Sell Off
3. Jay Denham – Strings Of Madness
4. Oscar Mulero – Clava
5. Gayle San – Sanmonsaks
6. DJ Boss – Brain Damage
7. Space DJz – Black Mantis
8. Cristian Varela – Mentaloide
9. Eric Sneo – Interrupt
10. Glenn Wilson – Removal

Snapshots of the videos exclusively produced for each track in the 1:11 mins long promo video (arranged in the same sequence as they’re played in the video).

Jay Denham – Strings Of Madness

Cari Lekebusch – Psyphonic

Gayle San – The Sell Off

Oscar Mulero – Clava

Gayle San – Sanmonsaks

DJ Boss – Brain Damage

Space DJz – Black Mantis

Cristian Varela – Mentaloide

Eric Sneo – Interrupt

Glenn Wilson – Removal

Heading down to the local HMV soon to see if they’re bringing this in, otherwise I’ll probably have to order it online from the ever reliable folks at Juno Records (no, I’m not paid for recommending them but they do have free worldwide delivery for this item as I’m writing this )

Check out the promo video for .Network on YouTube.

MORE @ THE DOWNLOAD MUNKEY:
Why I Love Techno – Takuya Kashiwada @ Under Water Bar Praha
Audiotool – Virtual Music Production Studio
Tizzy Bac! Wallpapers
10 Favourite Mods (Music, Not Games)
Jeff Mills Exhibitionist Mix (2004) Video Excerpt

Frank from Web Talk (www.webtlk.com) was very kind to drop me an email about his review of The Download Munkey last week (yay!)

While I didn’t really have to write a recipriocal review of Web Talk in return, I did feel a need to recommend Web Talk since Frank and I share a similar love for sourcing and writing about interesting stuff on the web and a common belief in only writing about topics that we’re genuinely interested in as well as publishing only those articles that we write ourselves (which means no wholescale cut n’ paste from other sites ).

As the title implies, Web Talk focuses mainly on computers and the Internet. While I’m not a big fan of techie blogs primarily because I deal with enough technology and computers at work everyday, I do have a soft spot for collecting helpful tech tips and how-tos.

And that’s precisely where Web Talk shines as it hosts a large and rapidly-growing collection of concise and easy to understand articles on getting the most out of your computer, be it Windows XP or Vista, Firefox or even tricks for Youtube like searching for HD videos or converting YouTube videos for iPod or PSP.

For the readers who are neither Firefox users nor Youtube fanatics, here’s a trio of my personal favourites from Web Talk that you might also enjoy

• A feature on Animata for creating your own real-time animations
• Tools and tips on playing Flash games offline – for those times when you’re stuck with a laptop with no Internet and no entertainment
• A tutorial on getting your first Wordpress-based blog online (!)

Readers who love computers and technology will be delighted to know that Web Talk is updated with original content daily (and usually multiple times per day )

Check out Web Talk.

I learnt a lot from James Cunningham aka PivotRJ’s animated short asdfmovie last weekend, things like:

• I must not want a birthday cake this year.
• I must not smell the flowers
• RPG games make you violent

© James Cunningham (PivotRJ)

Don’t smell the flowers!

© James Cunningham (PivotRJ)

Stay away from RPG gamers!

© James Cunningham (PivotRJ)

Don’t kill him (or her or it)!

© James Cunningham (PivotRJ)

Ties are evil!

Sure, most of the animations are rather frivolous but if just a single one cracks you up, I think it has more than fulfilled its purpose. Besides, laughter is the best antidote for those damn blue Mondays .

Did I also mention the excellent mouth-synching of the animation with the voiceovers by Tomska & Bing too?.

Watch asdfmovie on YouTube.

MORE @ THE DOWNLOAD MUNKEY:
Tofu The Vegan Zombie : Zombie Dearest
Cheers Beer – Because It’s Friday

For those that still confuse Euro-house with proper techno, this post is really not for you

Check out this 1:40 min video clip edited from video footage taken during Japanese DJ Takuya Kashiwada’s two hour set at the Under Water Bar Praha (Niigata) on 03 Nov 2007. I think it perfectly sums up the reasons why I still love techno after listening to this genre since 2000 (although the current minimal craze is slightly distressing )

First track played is fellow Japanese producer Takaaki Itoh’s Shadow Play, followed by Hideyuki Eto’s Permutations and finally two copies of Studio 1’s old skool minimal track Green.

The fact that multiple techno tracks can usually be layered on top of each other coupled with the genre’s suitabilty for turntable and mixer trickery sets it apart from most other electronic music genres which tend to favour either fluid mixing or turntable antics but seldom both (with the exception of perhaps drum n’ bass e.g DJs like DJ Hype)

The full 2 hour set by Takuya Kashiwada which spans multiple genres of techno can be downloaded from Japanese techno/house label Asian Dynasty’s site which happens to be the very same label that homegrown electronic music producers/DJs Angela Flame and Case Woo release their tracks on. Check out the tracklist which includes tracks like Damon Wild’s Avion, Ian O’Brien’s melodic Jarrett’s Blues, Octave One’s lush Detroit classic Blackwater, Fumiya Tanaka’s percussive Talking Drums and of course, Takaaki Itoh’s Shadow Play and Studio 1’s Green.

His earlier 40 Tracks Abuse Mix from 2004 which is also downloadable from Asian Dynasty contains even more funky minimalistic techno – especially the final track : Captain Funk’s O.Y.M.

Also check out the other newer mixes on Asian Dynasty, my firm favourites being Dualtek’s energetic set at the massive Awakenings 2007 festival in Amsterdam and Toshihiro Komine’s digitally mixed house/electro/techno set at Tokyo’s Womb club. Notable tracks in the latter mix include Kei Kohara’s uplifting house track Anklet remixed by Yasu.exe from the Heavenly Reworks EP (below) and Locutus’s shuffling Datch Dragon

© Asian Dynasty

If I’m correct, the artwork for the Heavenly Reworks EP was done by Roy Gerritsen of Boompje Studios who has designed several of the sleeve artworks for Asian Dynasty’s releases such as the Perfect Strangers EP. (below)

© Asian Dynasty

Download Takuya Kashiwada’s Under Water Bar Praha set, other mixes or check out Asian Dynasty releases on Beatport and Juno Records.

MORE @ THE DOWNLOAD MUNKEY:
MP3 Samples of Some Older Electronic Music Faves @ Juno Records
Resident Advisor Podcasts – Quality Electronic Music Mixes
Make Your Own Tracks with Orange Mixer
Saiko Electronic Music Generator
Ken Ishii – Extra MV @ YouTube