Browse by Artist: HOOD, ROBERT

Artist:	HOOD, ROBERT
Title:	Minimal Nation
Label:	M-PLANT
Format:	2CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	MPM 001CD

M-Plant presents a remastered special edition of Robert Hood's classic Minimal Nation, 15 years after it changed the face of techno -- including rare and unreleased tracks as well as an exclusive bonus mix CD. This album is justly revered as one of the most important and defining techno records ever made. Hood's iconic masterpiece, originally released on Jeff Mills' Axis label in 1994, stripped dance music back to the barest elements, yet retained a loose and dirty funk that many so-called "minimal" records lack today. Having inspired thousands of producers and DJs across the globe, and starting a genre a decade before it was popularly recognized, nothing before or since has sounded like it. Featuring the unreleased "SH-101" (made during the same sessions) and the very rare "Self-Powered" (which only appeared on the Axis test press), Robert Hood's Minimal Nation gets its first full CD release. When first issued as a vinyl double-pack, Minimal Nation not only sounded unlike any other record but also looked like no other -- with each track finishing in a locked groove that forced the listener to flick the needle to the next track. Each groove was built from harsh angular elements that, when combined, created an alien funk not bereft of warmth or soul -- a sound so unique that its single spark echoed around the world and took electronic music into new, uncharted territory. As Hood himself stated, "In order to maximize the feeling of the music, sometimes we have to subtract." In a world full of generic and similar-sounding records, Robert Hood's music jumps straight out of a DJ's set. While many more have joined the cause or jumped on the bandwagon, for Robert, "minimalism" remains just as much a way of life as a musical artform. To this day, Minimal Nation remains the benchmark, the ground zero of "minimal" -- the first record to conceptually take the Pavlovian principle of less is more straight to the dancefloor with its insistent loops and surging funk patterns. As Hood concludes, "Regardless of its diminutive nature, one should never underestimate the neural potency of minimalism." This special edition is released with an exclusive Minimal Nation mix CD from Robert, including tracks on the album plus excerpts of other tracks dropped in live with a sequencer -- excerpts taken from Stereotype, "Darkroom" (from Nighttime World Volume 2), "The Core" (from the Internal Empire EP), The Protein Valve, "Externus Oblique" (from Movable Parts Chapter 2), "Strativarius" ("The Puppeteer," Movable Parts Chapter 2), "One Touch" (from Hoodmusic 3), "...And Then We Planned Our Escape" (from Hoodmusic 3).

Artist:	HOOD, ROBERT
Title:	Minimal Nation
Label:	M-PLANT
Format:	3LP+CD
Price:	$27.50
Catalog #:	MPM 001LP

3LP version pressed on white vinyl, which includes 2 previously-unreleased tracks; plus a CD of the full version of Minimal Nation.M-Plant presents a remastered special edition of Robert Hood's classic Minimal Nation, 15 years after it changed the face of techno. This album is justly revered as one of the most important and defining techno records ever made. Hood's iconic masterpiece, originally released on Jeff Mills' Axis label in 1994, stripped dance music back to the barest elements, yet retained a loose and dirty funk that many so-called "minimal" records lack today. Having inspired thousands of producers and DJs across the globe, and starting a genre a decade before it was popularly recognized, nothing before or since has sounded like it. Featuring the unreleased "SH-101" (made during the same sessions) and the very rare "Self-Powered" (which only appeared on the Axis test press), Robert Hood's Minimal Nation gets its first full CD release. When first issued as a vinyl double-pack, Minimal Nation not only sounded unlike any other record but also looked like no other -- with each track finishing in a locked groove that forced the listener to flick the needle to the next track. Each groove was built from harsh angular elements that, when combined, created an alien funk not bereft of warmth or soul -- a sound so unique that its single spark echoed around the world and took electronic music into new, uncharted territory. As Hood himself stated, "In order to maximize the feeling of the music, sometimes we have to subtract." In a world full of generic and similar-sounding records, Robert Hood's music jumps straight out of a DJ's set. While many more have joined the cause or jumped on the bandwagon, for Robert, "minimalism" remains just as much a way of life as a musical artform. To this day, Minimal Nation remains the benchmark, the ground zero of "minimal" -- the first record to conceptually take the Pavlovian principle of less is more straight to the dancefloor with its insistent loops and surging funk patterns. As Hood concludes, "Regardless of its diminutive nature, one should never underestimate the neural potency of minimalism."

Artist:	HOOD, ROBERT
Title:	Superman/Range
Label:	M-PLANT
Format:	12"
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	MPM 003EP

Robert Hood returns with the next release on his formidable M-Plant label. The rhythmical adventures of "Superman" immediately grabs your attention, with Hood's signature stripped-down beats and perfect blending of solid Detroit techno embellished with infectious, tracky Chicago claps. Alternatively, "Range" is a deeper ride through more acidic territories as Hood demonstrates why he's still the minimal master. Aimed directly at the dancefloor, this is sure to receive as much attention on the decks.

Artist:	HOOD, ROBERT
Title:	Stereotype EP
Label:	M-PLANT
Format:	12"
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	MPM 005EP

Robert Hood starts a new, but old, Perpetual Masters series with remastered releases from M-Plant's back-catalog. The Master Builder's previously-released material has been in constant demand from M-Plant fans for years. The music sounds as fresh and innovative today as it did when first released. The originator of minimal states it is not about using as few sounds as possible, but all about stripping the music back to the essentials, only leaving the true soul, the funk.

Artist:	HOOD, ROBERT
Title:	Alpha/Omega (End Times)
Label:	M-PLANT
Format:	12"
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	MPM 006EP

Robert Hood presents two new tracks taken from his conceptual album Omega, based on the 1971 classic science-fiction film, The Omega Man, whose concept has embodied a long-held vision of Hood's, both musically and spiritually. Offering a taste of what's to come on the album, this first single launches straight into the outstanding "Alpha." He doesn't hold back on "Omega (End Times)" either, with its darker, more ominous quality that will thrill fans of late-night grooving.

Artist:	HOOD, ROBERT
Title:	Omega
Label:	M-PLANT
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	MPM 008CD

Detroit's legendary Robert Hood returns after 2009's Minimal Nation (MPM 001CD/LP) re-issue with his new artist album Omega. The album is based on the 1971 classic science fiction film, The Omega Man, starring Charlton Heston and derived from Richard Matheson's 1954 novel I Am Legend (which was re-adapted to the big screen). The album is not intended as an exact soundtrack to run alongside the original film, but Hood was heavily influenced by the movie and he has used it as his inspiration. This album's concept is a long-held vision of Hood's and the film's stimulus has presented itself both musically here, and even spiritually for him, since he watched it as a child. Its themes appear even more relevant today and continue to haunt: "It's definitely metaphoric," he says, "and if we don't heed the signs, this is where we'll end up. We live in a society where we just consume. We just take. We don't operate on the concept of giving." The film resonated with him throughout the years, and there are many parallels between the post-apocalyptic world portrayed in the film and parts of Detroit where he grew up. "You can look at downtown Detroit at night after the nine to five have migrated home and it turns into a ghost town," he muses. "You had abandoned buildings during the crack epidemic and this progressive city had these 'zombies' walking the street. Detroit is a prophetic vision of the sign of things to come." While the brooding "Towns That Disappeared Completely" and laser-strafed "War In The Streets" certainly brings these comparisons together, the album still remains a work of science fiction, albeit one rooted in decaying urban realism as opposed to otherworldly fantasy. Tracks such as "Are You God?" delve into the "messiah complex" of Charlton Heston's last-man-on-earth battle to save humankind from the infected inhabitants of earth, while the album's preceding single "Alpha" is dancefloor minimalism at its finest -- yet another lesson in stripped-down machine funk. Floating between the cinematic experimentalism of "The Plague (Cleansing Maneuvers)," the low-key minimal grooves of "The Workers Of Iniquity," and the pure dancefloor adrenalin rush of "Omega (End Times)," Robert Hood gives us another minimal masterpiece. As Hood himself concludes. "This movie is an exercise in faith. Everybody is dead. Through all this adversity, there is still hope, but man has to repent. This is a message of hope and through the adversity, people will begin to look at a higher force."

Artist:	HOOD, ROBERT
Title:	Omega
Label:	M-PLANT
Format:	3LP+CD
Price:	$31.00
Catalog #:	MPM 008LP

3LP version. Includes CD of the entire album. Detroit's legendary Robert Hood returns after 2009's Minimal Nation (MPM 001CD/LP) re-issue with his new artist album Omega. The album is based on the 1971 classic science fiction film, The Omega Man, starring Charlton Heston and derived from Richard Matheson's 1954 novel I Am Legend (which was re-adapted to the big screen). The album is not intended as an exact soundtrack to run alongside the original film, but Hood was heavily influenced by the movie and he has used it as his inspiration. This album's concept is a long-held vision of Hood's and the film's stimulus has presented itself both musically here, and even spiritually for him, since he watched it as a child. Its themes appear even more relevant today and continue to haunt: "It's definitely metaphoric," he says, "and if we don't heed the signs, this is where we'll end up. We live in a society where we just consume. We just take. We don't operate on the concept of giving." The film resonated with him throughout the years, and there are many parallels between the post-apocalyptic world portrayed in the film and parts of Detroit where he grew up. "You can look at downtown Detroit at night after the nine to five have migrated home and it turns into a ghost town," he muses. "You had abandoned buildings during the crack epidemic and this progressive city had these 'zombies' walking the street. Detroit is a prophetic vision of the sign of things to come." While the brooding "Towns That Disappeared Completely" and laser-strafed "War In The Streets" certainly brings these comparisons together, the album still remains a work of science fiction, albeit one rooted in decaying urban realism as opposed to otherworldly fantasy. Tracks such as "Are You God?" delve into the "messiah complex" of Charlton Heston's last-man-on-earth battle to save humankind from the infected inhabitants of earth, while the album's preceding single "Alpha" is dancefloor minimalism at its finest -- yet another lesson in stripped-down machine funk. Floating between the cinematic experimentalism of "The Plague (Cleansing Maneuvers)," the low-key minimal grooves of "The Workers Of Iniquity," and the pure dancefloor adrenalin rush of "Omega (End Times)," Robert Hood gives us another minimal masterpiece. As Hood himself concludes. "This movie is an exercise in faith. Everybody is dead. Through all this adversity, there is still hope, but man has to repent. This is a message of hope and through the adversity, people will begin to look at a higher force." Housed in an epic die-cut cover with printed innersleeves.

Artist:	HOOD, ROBERT
Title:	Alpha (James Ruskin Remix)/The Family
Label:	M-PLANT
Format:	12"
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	MPM 011EP

Robert Hood is firmly back in business for 2011 with more M-Plant excellence. James Ruskin remixes "Alpha," the first single that was taken from Omega (MPM 008CD/LP). This grooving, percussive remix adds a touch of Ruskin magic while maintaining the essence of Hood's original. On the B-side, Hood delivers a brand-new track called "The Family." This is classic Robert Hood with its unrelenting rhythm, powerful bass line and a good dose of the funk. Hood fans will not be disappointed.

Artist:	HOOD, ROBERT
Title:	Omega: Alive
Label:	M-PLANT
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	MPM 012CD

Following 2010's triumphant Omega (MPM 008CD/LP) album that saw Detroit techno legend Robert Hood envisage the 1971 film The Omega Man as a techno science fiction opus, he now translates the suspense and tension of Charlton Heston's last man on earth battle for survival into the frenetic energy of his own new live show. In 2011, Omega comes Alive. "When I began to put together ideas for The Omega live show, I wanted to bring together elements that would of course, reflect the movie Omega Man. I thought why not include a few past recordings, such as 'Unix,' 'Side Effect,' and 'Minus' but with a post-apocalyptic sound. The idea was to simply stay true to my roots and to represent the sci-fi essence of the movie's theme. I added some unfamiliar elements such as 'Bells At Dusk' and 'Minimal Minimal,' as well as James Ruskin's re-interpretation of 'Alpha.'" On Omega: Alive, Hood takes the raw elements of the originals and builds them into a tense and pulsating live show that propels Omega into a new light. Opening with new track "Bells At Dusk," Hood builds over a sparse drum pattern before a scattershot piano riff announces the unmistakable kick sound of the minimal master. "Run" keeps up with soft pads and then Hood drops one of the album's key tracks with the staccato-strobe flash of "Alpha" as he works the original into a mesmerizing and melodic, string-inflected monster. Then we have new track "Minimal, Minimal," whose hypnotic refrain could well be a call to arms across the world's dancefloors this summer while Hood also re-works classics like "Who Taught You Math?," "Unix," "Minus" and "Side Effect" into his unique rhythm of vision. Finally Hood wraps the Omega story up with three bonus tracks including brand-new track "Atomic." This is Omega: Alive. The saga continues.

Artist:	HOOD, ROBERT
Title:	Hoodmusic 2
Label:	MUSIC MAN (BELGIUM)
Format:	12"
Price:	$10.00
Catalog #:	MM 127EP

Original Underground Resistance member Robert Hood is a true icon in techno music, with releases on legendary imprints such as Tresor, Axis, Peacefrog, Logistic and his own label M-Plant. Hoodmusic 2 is the follow-up to his 2005 debut on Music Man. "Still Hear" is a typical Hood-styled techno burner, oldschool minimal so to speak. We are very proud to be able to offer a remix by the legendary Los Hermanos on the B-side. "School" might be the funkiest minimal techno cut we heard in years, pure dancefloor material! Wicked!!

Artist:	HOOD, ROBERT
Title:	Internal Empire
Label:	TRESOR (BELGIUM)
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.50
Catalog #:	TRESOR 10077CD

Tresor represses the genre-defining minimalist classic from Robert Hood, Internal Empire. It is clear how much Robert Hood has characterized and impressed the electronic music scene with Internal Empire. The fact that in modern days techno is characterized by Detroit is a credit that is owed to this record in particular. Originally released in 1994 and long unavailable, Internal Empire is a Detroit classic of perfectly looping minimalist repetition. Hood has since released music for Cheap, his own Drama and later M-Plant, and countless other labels, but this is his defining moment and one of the heaviest, most abstract Detroit records -- with near-perfect sound construction. Robert Hood's official contribution to the music scene in Detroit at the end of 1990 was selling records made by other musicians. He was MCing and recording music cassettes until Jeff Mills and Mike Banks discovered the young talent and got Hood to work at their studio, forming the Underground Resistance label. His premier as a songwriter debuted on X-101 with "G-Force" and "Rave New World." He received all kinds of support from the two masterminds Mills and Banks -- Hood calls the two his mentors, who also promoted his idea to found his own label Hardwax, where he developed his very own unique musical signature. After UR split up, he still worked together with Jeff Mills and the two of them founded the Axis label. A little while later, the busy Robert Hood created yet another outlet of his creativity: M-Plant Records. With Internal Empire, he redefined techno, reducing sounds to their essentials, while continuing to develop in new, revolutionary directions.

Artist:	HOOD, ROBERT
Title:	Internal Empire
Label:	TRESOR (BELGIUM)
Format:	2LP
Price:	$23.50
Catalog #:	TRESOR 10077LP

Vinyl release. Tresor represses the genre-defining minimalist classic from Robert Hood, Internal Empire. It is clear how much Robert Hood has characterized and impressed the electronic music scene with Internal Empire. The fact that in modern days techno is characterized by Detroit is a credit that is owed to this record in particular. Originally released in 1994 and long unavailable, Internal Empire is a Detroit classic of perfectly looping minimalist repetition. Hood has since released music for Cheap, his own Drama and later M-Plant, and countless other labels, but this is his defining moment and one of the heaviest, most abstract Detroit records -- with near-perfect sound construction. Robert Hood's official contribution to the music scene in Detroit at the end of 1990 was selling records made by other musicians. He was MCing and recording music cassettes until Jeff Mills and Mike Banks discovered the young talent and got Hood to work at their studio, forming the Underground Resistance label. His premier as a songwriter debuted on X-101 with "G-Force" and "Rave New World." He received all kinds of support from the two masterminds Mills and Banks -- Hood calls the two his mentors, who also promoted his idea to found his own label Hardwax, where he developed his very own unique musical signature. After UR split up, he still worked together with Jeff Mills and the two of them founded the Axis label. A little while later, the busy Robert Hood created yet another outlet of his creativity: M-Plant Records. With Internal Empire, he redefined techno, reducing sounds to their essentials, while continuing to develop in new, revolutionary directions.

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