Browse by Label: MINUS (CANADA)

Artist:	HAWTIN, RICHIE
Title:	Concept 1: 96:CD/VR
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	2CD
Price:	$20.00
Catalog #:	CONCEPT 96CD

Remastered and freshly compiled collection of all the Concept 1 tracks -- previously available as two separate CDs: the now-deleted Concept I 96:CD and Concept 1 96:VR: Variations -- now reissued on a new M_nus double CD. Over 10 years down the line, it's safe to say that Richie Hawtin's 1996 Concept 1 series stands out as a body of work that perfectly represents the spirit of the time. Marking a year-long correlation between musical development and the progression of time, the original series consisted of 24 tracks spread over twelve monthly 12" singles and was strictly limited to 2000 copies per release. However, before the release of the Concept 1 96:CD in February 1998, Thomas Brinkmann made the trip from Germany to Windsor to play Hawtin some of his "Variations" of the series. The results were mind blowing -- even by Hawtin's standards -- opening up a space where emptiness and substance neatly overlapped to conjure up sounds that no one had ever heard before. It started back in Cologne where Brinkmann had employed the Concept 1 series as part of an experiment together with his own custom-built turntable system (including a 30 kilo plate and 2 SME 309 tone arms utilizing both Ortofon and Van Den Hul moving-coil pick-ups). By playing Hawtin's original compositions on his two-arm turntable -- slowing down the speed of the records and separating the left and right channels -- Brinkmann identified previously-unheard dynamics within the recordings and a melodic displacement between the channels. Even the imperfections of the vinyl pressing process added new character to his variations. Essentially, the "Variations" contain the same information as the original "Concepts." Like the idea of cloning twins, Brinkmann has taken Richie's DNA and nurtured subtle mutations to create a strangely familiar but altogether different set of grooves, allowing us to hear what he hears by enhancing something that was there but unheard until now in a triumph of sensibility over creativity. In the true spirit of M_nus, he has used an unorthodox technique based on theories of alternative listening and experimentation to produce a startlingly different perspective. A scientific yet natural way of revealing the complexity of what was originally deemed minimal. 2007 would appear to be an optimal year in which to re-visit and to re-listen to these groundbreaking pieces, collected here together in a very limited CD double pack and especially remastered by Stefan Betke (aka Pole).

Artist:	HAWTIN/PETE NAMLOOK, RICHIE
Title:	From Within I
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	FW 001CD

Reissues of these collaborations; the first 3 volumes of which were originally issued by the Fax label. "The fusion of electronic masters Richie Hawtin and Pete Namlook has set its own course of time and tone. Three chapters of musical departure and introspection have made these three albums some of the most sought after ambient recordings of the last decade. Elements of classical, jazz, atmospheric and world rhythms are all present, brought together by analog and digital synthesis. Hawtin and Namlook are currently planning the fourth and final installment."

Artist:	HAWTIN/PETE NAMLOOK, RICHIE
Title:	From Within III
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	FW 003CD

Third volume is this collaborative series, originally released by the Fax label in 1997; as the original CD length was 54.25 and this one is 78.38, it looks like some bonus material has been added. From the Fax web site about the original release: "It has taken nearly 2 years to get these two composers together again. Richie wanted to wait until the new studio (4 times the size of Klanglabor Frankfurt) was ready for recording. After successful testing with The Dark Side of the Moog VI it was time to refine the studio and to use even some more of its features. The compositions have been created in the way the AIR recordings of Peter were done. Different parts... all in one take... instead of being compiled later. With this technique all the parts lead perfectly into each other and seem to be all an organic progression of one gentle entity. As this music is another step in Electronic Fusion Music the different styles of Ambient, Jazz, Environmental and Intelligent Electronic music have been combined to what we call 'Silent Intelligence'.

Artist:	PLASTIKMAN
Title:	Nostalgik. 1
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS -001EP

"Nostalgik.1 is the first in a small series of recovered unreleased material from the Plastikman archives that sound as timely now than when originally recorded. Born from a similar vein of Plastikman classic's 'Sickness' and 'Panikattack', both of these tracks echo the tripped out, synthetic groove that came out of Richie Hawtin's Windsor Ontario Canada studios in the mid-1990's. 'Snark' builds and bubbles with its muted kick, signature Hawtin hi-hat programming and a snappy snare that manically pops like a firecracker. Recent edits by Berlin's Ricardo Villalobos help bring the schizophrenic hiccups and flares into the mix, building then rapidly dropping the beat, steering the track into even more loopy territory. 'Aquatik' moves along a similar axis as 'Snark' but walks closer in hand with Hawtin's Hardtrax, Robotman and Concept 1 identities. The off-kilter soul of Plastikman is undeniably present here as Hawtin tunes into the darker area of the dancefloor thru experimental sounds and effects. Hawtin's mixing and production from this era shows how his surgically-loose and unique off-balance rhythms can bend and flex within the lower frequencies."

Artist:	PLASTIKMAN
Title:	Nostalgik.2
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS -002EP

"Nostalgik.2 follows up 2004's Nostalgik.1 with more recovered unreleased material from the Plastikman archives, sounding as timely now than when originally recorded nearly a decade ago. The music and approaches heard within these unreleased recordings reveal Hawtin's blueprint for future mind-bending projects like Concept 1 and Plastikman albums such as Consumed and Closer. From his beginning projects starting in 1990 as States of Mind and FUSE, early on Hawtin has been able to reach futuristic rhythms while working with limited technology, found here with Nostalgik.2. Beyond the drums comes a groove -- 'Plink Plonk' is as raw and jacked as Hawtin pushed with his Circuit Breaker alias from the early 1990s, created with strict percussion, shuffling drums in between distortion and minimal effects. Caught here in a serious man-machine connection, much like the stripped playfulness behind his classic single 'Spastik,' the elements are limited but the output bounces and rattles within. Moving into more experimental zones of minimalism, the B-side delves into the drum manipulation and programming style that is unmistakably Plastikman. The sheer tonal pulse of 'Kink' gets heady right from the start with delays and echoes in the mood of his 1995 single, 'Sickness.' 'Plonker' and its detuned drums twist the few channels of sound into a psychological treatment of bass and Plastik-effects also from the time of the 'Sickness' sessions."

Artist:	PLASTIKMAN
Title:	Nostalgik.3
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$10.00
Catalog #:	MINUS -003EP

Nostalgik.3 follows up 2005's Nostalgik.2, with recovered, unreleased material from the Plastikman archives. Both tracks on this release are unsolicited (and unexpected) reworks by two producers who are long-term Plastikman aficionados. Dubfire (aka Ali Shirazinia) remixes 1993's "Spastik," adding contemporary beats, bass and hat patterns, subliminal efx and tweaks. "Panikattack" (originally released on Plus 8 in 1996) gets a more radical overhaul with Guido Schneider excavating and enhancing the gritty funk of the original for some serious peak-time action.

Artist:	ROBOTMAN/FUSE
Title:	Hypnofreak/NT
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 007EP

Split release between Minus and Plus 8. "The acid?house classic Robotman project resurfaces with a 2001 tune-up by old school believer Steve Bug, known for his Poker Flat releases out of Berlin. 'Hypnofreak' was originally released in 1993 on Definitive by Robotman, a secret alias of Richie Hawtin, well known by the single 'Do Da Doo' which also boasted a Plastikman remix shortly after the original. Steve's version brings up the bass and pulls out the catchy pulse of a melody while adding his own trademark tones. Richie Hawtin pulls one out of the acetate archives reminding us of his Fuse identity from the early-mid 90's. 'NT' was a Detroit-play-only acetate which Rich pulled out for special occasions when DJing his now legendary JAK events in Detroit. It ties in the spatial effects that branched his Fuse sound into Plastikman while sticking the dancefloor with a haunting bassline and drum programming that is impossible to ignore."

Artist:	HAWTIN + STEVE BUG, RICHIE
Title:	Low Blow
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 009EP

"No strangers to producing and performing a hybrid mix of 'call it what you want' top-notch electronic music, these two deliver up a new collaboration that brings it all together for a dark and cloudy dancefloor with Low Blow. Recorded at Hawtin's studio in winter 2002, Low Blow delves DEEP into a hard house groove backed with a gripping and edgy bassline. Precise rhythms meld into the beat and bass as the occasional weirdness creeps in unexpectedly. Styles of each of their monikers (Plastikman, Steve Bug) can be slightly detected, but something new has developed here that is sure to please."

Artist:	THEOREM
Title:	THX: Experiments In Synchronicity
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	MINUS 010CD

Theorem vs. Sutekh, Stewart Walker & Swayzak. "Experiments in Synchronicity compiles Theorem's THX series of net-based collaborations with like-minded producers of the minimal tech-house massive. Originally released as a collection of 12-inch singles during 2000-2001, the THX project was an experiment borne of technology. With the use of phone Lines, CDRs and FTP uploads, Detroit's Theorem (a.k.a. Dale Lawrence) provided source materials and Swayzak, Stewart Walker and Sutekh tweaked, layered, arranged and produced the end result. In the case of Swayzak and Walker, new ideas were bounced back to Detroit where Lawrence took over production duties, culminating in even more tracks. While trading (c)licks back-and-forth, Theorem and friends grafted new technotic hybrids rather than simply remixing each other's work. The end result is a fantastic display of risk and restraint. While straddling the line between minimal dub/techno and micro-house, all four collaborators push and pull, allowing each other's fingerprints to firmly embed themselves in the mix."

Artist:	NIEDERFLUR
Title:	ND4
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	MINUS 011CD

"The Cologne U-Bahn is a 30-track, 100-mile labyrinth that snakes itself through the city and over the Rhine, consuming every neighborhood in its path. The only vehicle capable of traversing its corridors is the low-floor tram or Niederflur. ND4 collects Niederflur's examinations of the depths of this subway system as they sample its natural acoustics, machine manifestations and other sounds indigenous to the platforms of the Teutonic unterwelt. The duo of Hannes Wenner and Christopher Bleckmann compose human-like, emotive passages from stark field recordings of the U-Bahn while embracing their city's mechanical current. Niederflur rides the rails of rhythm and repetition to a Zen-like, hypnotic effect. Their obsession with movement, precision and efficiency reaches a new height in minimal docu-techno."

Artist:	BERICOCHEA, I.A.
Title:	A
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 014EP

"Tapping warmth from his lifeless machines, the sincere introduction of A delivers Ignacio Bericochea's debut release. Interestingly, Bericochea didn't realty attack electronic music until recently. It wasn't long after that Ignacio dropped out of the Physics program at the University of Madrid, bought a computer and began composing his own tiny symphonies in the digital realm. Now he takes his influence from John Coltrane, minimalist composer Erik Satie and Tango king Osvaldo Pugliese, adding to the already complex arrangements of his first release for Minus."

Artist:	BERICOCHEA, I.A.
Title:	Rojo
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	MINUS 015CD

"With Rojo (the color red in espanol), his Minus debut, Bericochea gives lifeless machines a sense of humanity, injecting character and warmth into the coolest depths of their binary makeup. Interestingly, Bericochea didn't really attack electronic music until recently. In 1999 a friend turned him onto Richie Hawtin's Concept series and he was immediately taken with its use of intense bass and stereo effects. It wasn't long after that Bericochea dropped out of the Physics program at the University of Madrid, bought a computer and began composing his own tiny symphonies in the digital realm. Now he takes his influence from John Coltrane, minimalist composer Erik Satie and Tango king Osvaldo Pugliese, adding to the already complex arrangements of his first release for Minus. While Rojo may be an allusion to Pugliese (his orchestra always left a red carnation on his piano during his blacklisted absence,) Bericochea contends that the color refers to the heart and living emotions, those things that deliver far more feeling than any circuit ever could."

Artist:	ALGORITMO
Title:	Indus EP
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 016EP

"New project on Minus from Brooklyn's Algoritmo, aka Ilana Ospina and GoodandEvil. When Ospina moved to New York City to continue DJing and begin producing her own tracks she was introduced to GoodandEvil by a mutual friend, Felix da Housecat. The vibe was instant and the two began producing tracks as Algoritmo almost immediately. Both Ospina and GoodandEvil continue to work in other realms of the NYC art scene. Ospina is the co-founder of Sonicontinuum, an artist collective with a vision based in the futuristic philosophies of Alvin Toffler and intent on delivering audio and visual art in the digital realm. GoodandEvil has recently recorded with Northern State for Sony. In addition, he has two collaborations in the pipeline for the Thirsty Ear label, first with avant pianist extraordinaire Matthew Shipp and the second with a group of Cuban musicians."

Artist:	RUN STOP RESTORE
Title:	Geometry
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 020EP

"At a time when national borders are under scrutiny and politics make the loudest noise, Run Stop Restore is in an advantageous position. The duo actually holds dual citizenship. The studio-strong Marc Houle resides in Windsor, Ontario, Canada while Troy Pierce -- the DJ of the group and recent Berlin transplant -- spent the last few years in Brooklyn, NY. Nonetheless, like happy accidents, creativity is born out of chance meetings, even in Windsor. Their introduction was by a mutual friend (and third member of Run Stop Restore) -- now the Berlin-based Magda. Even with the help of technology, living in different cities meant their work took time to come into shape and form. Houle, the analog mastermind, delivered dozens of tracks to Pierce, who then edited, chopped, enhanced, and boiled them down to a select few, putting a more current flair on the production. That's when things really started to get. Musically speaking it's the past more so than the present that has influenced them. Kraftwerk, Human League, Berlin, Bauhaus, and some Baby Ford -- it's in there."

Artist:	DJ MINX
Title:	A Walk in the Park
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 022EP

...with remixes by Matthew Dear & Magda. "Some background...Minx was a key component of the legendary 'Deep Space Radio' weekly program on Detroit's WGPR 107.5 FM. This radio show was headed by the innovators of techno music: 'Magic' Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, Eddie Fowlkes, and Derrick May. Currently she can be heard on the weekly 'Rhythm Gallery,' an afternoon mix show that she co-hosts with Jerry the Cat on CJAM-FM. In December 1996, Minx gave birth to Women on Wax, a collective of lady DJs from the Detroit area that held frequent events to support up-and-coming female talent."

Artist:	HOULE, MARC
Title:	Restore
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	2x12"
Price:	$13.50
Catalog #:	MINUS 023LP

"Restore is the solo debut from Windsor's Marc Houle of Run Stop Restore. His new eleven track double-pack dives into a dark deep corner of melodic minimal grooved-up techno. Undoubtedly fueled by the golden age of synthesizers, Houle is captured by early 80's synth pop and the underground-turned-anthem classics of Acid House. There's also no doubt that the early years of minimal techno had their share of influence as well ('Clock Width' is a subtle tribute to Dan Bell) inspiring his own model of rhythm and resonance."

Artist:	JONSON, MATHEW
Title:	Decompression EP
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 024EP

"The irresistible force of 'Decompression' and lofty pulse of 'Ultraviolet Dream' are crafted by Latin-infused rhythms sheared by gripping basslines and synths that swell. Jonson's productions are somewhere in between cosmic house and minimal techno with influences of jazz, fusion and analog electronic music of decades past. His live shows deliver a refreshing force against a stark laptop set, with Jonson pushing live analog boards, drum machines and effects to the edge, programming, tweaking and reworking his tracks on the fly."

Artist:	VA
Title:	Minimize to Maximize
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	MINUS 025CD

Brilliant comp of exclusive tracks from Richie Hawtin's label. Features: Plastikman, Magor, Niederflur, Dinky Dog, Marc Houle, False, Hearthrob, I.A. Bericocher, Run Stop Restore, Slacknoise, Matthew Jonson. "The concept behind Minimize to Maximize, the first Minus compilation to date, was to join together new and exclusive cutting edge music rather than just collect up the past. For these producers (and many of us listeners) in the Minus family, electronic music is not simply background music to a lifestyle but has become a part of our lives. Ups and downs, changes and reflections, the music and the times Minimize to Maximize.

In 1998, Richie Hawtin set out to venture even further into the outer limits of new music and its experiences by starting Minus. Over the past six years, Minus artists have grown into a group of friends (some old, some new) from across Canada, the US, Germany, Spain, the UK and more. Building on the expansive sound and energy of Minus during 2004, Minimize to Maximize assembles an international variety of people, moods and tempos, all searching for the next wavelength in new music. M2M combines new producers on the scene weaved in with some mavericks and rising personalities like Matthew Dear and Mathew Jonson. Hawtin's 'Circles' takes his Plastikman space even deeper with pulsing beats and animated panning that lives up to its title. This sonic weirdness is equally met by the out-there techno frenzy of the unidentified Dinky Dog on 'UnEasy Horizons'. Another track to mess with your equilibrium while keeping you grounded, it twists and tweaks that deep sound to the extremes. From Detroit to Brooklyn, Windsor to Berlin, or Cologne to Madrid, the geographical scope of M2M is an inside glimpse at the time zones versus the tones. Bass professors Niederflur (Cologne) bring back their soundtrack to the U-Bahn while their Madrid-based compatriot Nacho Bericochea conjures up a precise wave of minimal flanges with 'Uno'. Matthew Dear and Marc Houle are trying to tune-up the Detroit/Windsor border with their adventurous and inventive export of minimal techno funk. Dear was named XLR8R Magazine's 'Artist of the Year' (no easy feat) while Houle has been hitting it hard with recent solo live shows showcasing his new release 'Restore'."

Artist:	DJ MINX
Title:	A Walk in the Park Remixes
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 026EP

"No strangers to high-quality remixing or releasing nothing less than exquisite productions of their own, Josh Wink and Ricardo Villalobos remix DJ Minx's 'A Walk In The Park'. The superb original of 'A Walk In The Parkl' was released on Minx's Airborne EP thru her Women on Wax label (womenonwax.com) in August of 2003. While great fans of the original, Minus re-released the song 'A Walk In the Park' with new remixes of the underground minimal house hit by Minx, Matthew Dear and Magda on the A Walk In the Park EP (Minus22) in May 2004."

Artist:	JAKSHUN, ACTUAL
Title:	Sequential Circus
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 027EP

"Lingering from the echoes of a few select owners, Actual Jakshun's 'Sequential Circus' was limited-access before 2005 to say the least. Grabbing the ears and attention of Richie Hawtin (exposed by Ricardo Villalobos), Jakshun has been present but mainly underground since the singles' debut in 2000. Originally released on Incomplet, 'Sequential' was freed out of Oakland, California's experimental techno freakout scene of the late 1990s with characters like Jakshun, Televazquez, K. Blectum and B. Blectum in effect. The label produced only two releases which were limited editions featuring detailed hand-fashioned artwork and laying down some future blueprints at the same time. Operating on 'less is more,' the track was made almost exclusively on a single Sequential Circuits Studio 440 (circa 1986), fusing sampling, sequencing, drum programming and more all-in- one machine. Half a decade has passed and the outer-edge minimal rawness of 'Sequential Circus' is back, here with a new remix by Run Stop Restore's Marc Houle along with two unreleased tracks from the original sessions -- the pulsing throb of 'Sulkr' and the erratic gallop of 'Chup Chup.' The EP is challenging as it is playful, turning and swerving with compu-rhythms and edits that seem more random than humanly accidental. Minus is proud to re-issue these underground gems, even though our jackets aren't hand-dipped in red latex paint like the original, time for respect to Actual Jakshun."

Artist:	PIERCE, TROY
Title:	Run
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 029EP

"Troy Pierce has been moving, physically and musically, working towards a mix of psycho-reactive minimal techno. Raised in the American Midwest, Pierce grew up in the cornfields of Indiana and couldn't have been in a better middle ground for music. Located just driving distances from both Chicago and Detroit, he and friends were quick to road trip to both metropolises for underground parties with DJs like Derrick Carter, Jeff Mills, D Wynn and Richie Hawtin. The urban underground and cavernous warehouse spaces inspired a haunted bounce that speaks through Run and his DJ sets today."

Artist:	FALSE [A.K.A. MATTHEW DEAR]
Title:	River Camping
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 030EP

"Drawing on the gut and outer edges of what and where Detroit techno has (be)come, Matthew Dear is in deep. Over the course of the past three years, his output has rallied him into orbit with stellar releases backed by a determined pace and power on the road as a live performer and DJ. His False alias, home to Canada's Plus 8 Records and Minus imprints, has become an escape-ground for his further experiments into expanding new horizons. 'River Camping' serves up Matthew's second single for Minus, with added bounce and texture from 2004's 'Sink the Ship' single. The brilliant title track swoons with smooth pads, erratic alarms, bells and Dear's sneaky vocals, taking the quieter but still very rhythmic path of composition. 'Falling Away's' deep bass builds the platform for a pulsing slow jam with Dear organically layering in new and unique subtleties throughout. The single finishes up with 'Tanning Booths,' the most pitched-up of the three new tracks. Haunted and pounding from the start, this is territory where Dear is most comfortable; shuffling layers of melting percussion in with bass lines and tones, from one of techno's most freely developing producers today."

Artist:	HEARTTHROB
Title:	Time for Ensor
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 031EP

"Debut single from the elastic sounds of Brooklyn's Heartthrob. One thing is certain with the wide-eared palette in the hand of Heartthrob, aka Jesse Siminski -- melody and swing are in harmony. Time for Ensor is a debut single full of playful bass lines and pop motifs decorated by animated electronic symbolism. Heartthrob's sound contains the balance of respect for dance music's past while embracing focus, freedom and fun via today's soft/hardware possibilities and potential. Dancing the line between sparse and complex, Heartthrob's subtle hooks on 'Golum' and off-world echoes in the title cut. 'Time for Ensor,' are more in the moment than moody or grabbing nostalgia. (T)his fresh outlook is a preview to much more sonic art from Jesse Siminski in the future."

Artist:	HAWTIN, RICHIE
Title:	The Tunnel/Twin Cities
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 033EP

"If 2001's DE9 | Closer to the Edit challenged the state of modern DJ mix albums then listen and look to the future with the cross-format, multi-angled sonic exploration on Richie Hawtin's new DE9 | Transitions. Moving forward beyond stereo and into 5.1 surround, high-definition audio quality and exclusive video content, the CD and DVD combination package offers even more extras like two new videos and a 30 minute live film from Time Warp in Germany. 'The Tunnel' lifts off as the album's single, boasting two very DJ-friendly excerpts from the concept mix album, with each track made up of the talents of multiple artist's work such as FUSE, DBX, Sleeparchive, K. Alexi Shelby, Slam, Roman Fl�gel, The Detroit Grand Pubahs, DJ Minx and more."

Artist:	MAGDA
Title:	Stop
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 035EP

"The words irregular and off-kilter serve a dual-purpose when (lovingly) describing Magda and her unique music mix. Judging by appearances the girl just wants to have fun, but once that needle drops prepare for a session in tension, groove and yes, good times. Her now internationally demanded DJ sets are hard to top and even harder to align to another DJ, as this Minus debut single, 'Stop' strives to follow that same path. Without a doubt Magda's sound is coming from musical influences that are more personable than 'programmed.' Picking up the slack and noise from techno and bass she shows a relish for funk and electro matched with the European-cured synth pop of the '80s. Her experiences behind the decks and living in cities like Detroit, New York and Berlin can't hurt either. One of the first users of Final Scratch, Magda schooled herself by becoming a 're-edit master' creating renditions of her record collection readymade by technology. This call to action accelerated her studio skills and has opened a new strange portal of intimately being one with your original music and your DJ sets -- ying and yang between the decks and the hard drive. Tight and yet elastic at the same time, the flexibility within the sound of 'Stop' works on the dance floor at peak hours or late morning for those Twilight Zone moments without a hitch. Stacked intricate sounds slowly build in a mental manner as she turns notes into noise and reveals beats into bass lines. 'Stop' follows up her Minus debut contribution to 2005's Minimize to Maximize compilation plus remixes & releases thru Underl_ne, Telegraph and Foundsound labels."

Artist:	GAISER
Title:	And Answer
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 036EP

"The sound and background of Gaiser delves from an upbringing deep in percussion. Starting out as a drummer in his teen years, he played with bands behind a kit. What interested him even more though was experimenting with drum machines and he learned a balance between digital and real world instruments. Living in and around Michigan (Detroit for a few years) Jon Gaiser frequented the music and underground parties from Detroit, citing heavy influences from the Plus 8 and Minus events during the mid-1990s onward. Through the kick drums, flailing blips and static, And Answer introduces Gaiser's playful sound of finesse and seduction with rhythm. Animated but controlled, his grasp on multiple elements of tone is enticing as it is anxious. The title cut slaps your ears around with anticipated smacks of shaped noise and dark notes that growl and groan. 'Pandrip' creeps along with its bouncing bassline, horns and barely transmitted stuttering voices from outer space."

Artist:	BERG NIXON
Title:	Box Escape
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 037EP

"Minus debut of elastic techno from Detroit's Berg Nixon (aka Ryan Crosson). Drawing from artists like Plastikman, Matthew Dear, Stewart Walker and a heavy dose of DJ sets by Magda, Ryan focused his attention on percussive programming, dubby basslines, and dark atmospheres. As Berg Nixon, Crosson walks in line with the elastic techno dub that has inspired him from producers such as Ricardo Villalobos and Troy Pierce. The A-side title track 'Box Escape' builds up a melody that side-steps bass tones and bendy lines with the middle of the dancefloor in mind. 'New York Minute' swells and shifts in robotic darkness while 'The Depths' and 'Abstraction' rock the B-side to deeper corners of minimalism with distortion, shuffling hi-hats and haunting bell tones."

Artist:	PIERCE, TROY
Title:	25 Bitches Vol. 1
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 038EP

"Blow-up new single from Troy Pierce + remixes by Berg Nixon and Matt John. Troy Pierce (aka Louderbach, Slacknoise and one third of Run Stop Restore with Magda and Marc Houle) unleashes one of the year's most anticipated tracks with '25 Bitches.' The original track goes back a while, coming into creation as a joke composed while stuck waiting in an airport. Not like humor is never ever a part of Troy's music or persona, '25 Bitches' has been knocking down doors in his and fellow DJ's sets like Magda and Richie Hawtin since last fall. Pierce's bass-heavy mix starts off full of dark ghosts, working into a dub bassline and surgical mix of effects and vocals. Remixers for Volume I stepped up to the challenge with steam and force. Detroit's Berg Nixon moves two ships in the night, colliding his vibes in the razor-sharp edit on side A that swells and pings while shifting to his more melodic and animated B-side version with Berg's 'ZigZag remix.' Matt John hits the chip from Berlin with his '25 Pitches' remix. Matt slices thru the bassline by creating a new intimate close-up version with a monotone pulse and subtle sneak-attack. Both remixers deliver the energy for DJs and dancefloors while also working in subtleties for deeper listening."

Artist:	PIERCE, TROY
Title:	25 Bitches Vol. II
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 039EP

"Part II of 25 Bitches with new remixes by Gaiser, Marc Houle & Heartthrob. Troy Pierce (aka Louderbach, Slacknoise and one third of Run Stop Restore with Magda and Marc Houle) unleashes one of the year's most anticipated tracks with '25 Bitches.' The original track goes back a while, coming into creation as a joke composed while stuck waiting in an airport. Not like humor is never ever a part of Troy's music or persona, '25 Bitches' has been knocking down doors in his and fellow DJ's sets like Magda and Richie Hawtin since last fall. Pierce's bass-heavy mix starts off full of dark ghosts, working into a dub bassline and surgical mix of effects and vocals. Gaiser packs dynamite into his reworking with 'Too Many Bitches Makeover'. Explosive bass and a sonic edginess are Gaiser's weapons, working with percussion and effects into a fever-pitched remix that has been destroying dancefloors in Gaiser's live sets and DJ sets by Pierce & Hawtin worldwide for months. Marc Houle reworks 'Bitches' like he's dragging it through an arcade floor from the 1980s. His bounce and snap treatment turns the original on its side, carving in a pop-ish attitude and a new aggressive side to Houle's electro analog wisdom. Under the controls, Heartthrob detunes and operates the subject into a haunted bendy swing, adding his soon-to-be-signature bassline. It's the slow punch and melody that Heartthrob hooks into with his grinding yet flowing treatment."

Artist:	VA
Title:	min2MAX
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	MINUS 040CD

Subtracting some letters from the title Minimize To Maximize and adding new artists to the collective, Minus returns with a new compilation simply titled min2MAX. The package is conceptually connected and musically collected by the eyes and ears of Minus bringing together a variety of dynamic music through a creative index of outlets. The sound of the collection features all new and exclusive material from established Minus artists Heartthrob, Marc Houle, Gaiser, Troy Pierce and Magda. min2MAX also introduces developing new artists Tractile and JPLS and joins forces with some of dance music's esteemed producers such as Loco Dice, Konrad Black and WiNK. An extension single is attached at the hip with the compilation delivering additional tracks from Niederflur (aka Cologne's Misc), Barem (Buenos Aires) plus False (Matthew Dear) and Berg Nixon (Ryan Crosson) representing Detroit. Fourteen new musical works collected and connected by shared inspirations, international friendships and unique reactions towards dance music, assembling the minimal sound of min2MAX.

Artist:	LOCO DICE
Title:	Seeing Through Shadows
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 041EP

Known for his deep and groovy productions and driving DJ sets, Loco Dice debuts on Minus with Seeing Through Shadows, a symphonic slice of minimized and maximized techno. An untouchable hit for the few DJs that possess it, "Seeing Through Shadows" is a track that delivers. Its intoxicating slow-build introduction rises to the perfect point, breaking over with a bassline and beat that kicks the night into the afternoon. "Backroom Melody" pops and pulses along a more experimental route -- tones mutate and forge together as rhythms evolve, propelling a sketch of minimal movement to another, out-there dimension. Yes, do believe the hype and look out for Loco Dice.

Artist:	HOULE, MARC
Title:	Bay of Figs
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	2LP
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	MINUS 042LP

This is the second full-length release by Ontario-based Marc Houle, only released on vinyl. Over the course of the past two years, Marc Houle's music has quickly elevated his studio prose into desired analog-soaked treasures of the dancefloor. Developing fans with each vinyl release, straight to the club, this new double-pack outing titled Bay Of Figs showcases new developments in his already minimal pop genius. From the manic title track onward, his sound continues to develop from a rich bed of electro-pop and minimal techno, with gems that stay in the groove or contort themselves by design. The Arctic storm that is Bay of Figs sends a simple yet effective message through its haunting and menacing drone. On the bouncing and loose "Thirds In Trees," Marc drops in live claps and bass guitar for a melodic and hooky mood. A clear fan of Euro and industrial attitudes from decades past, "Black Jack 13" claps and bends with electro fever, rattling around erratic effects and synth lines all under four minutes' time. One of the more intense tracks in Houle's live sets is the square-wave melody of "Edamame." But it's "Items and Things" that highlights Houle's musicianship for synth pop while also revealing his obvious contribution to another side project, Run Stop Restore (the trio with Magda and Troy Pierce). Houle's arrangements, melodies and choice effects create easy instrumentals that hold their own beauty without vocal attachments. Between DJs championing his work in clubs and after-parties, Bay of Figs is an essential addition.

Artist:	MAGDA
Title:	She's a Dancing Machine
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	MINUS 043CD

This is DJ Magda's first full-length mixed release for Minus. Evolution is a fuzzy thing when it comes to electronic dance music, especially when left in the hands of certain DJs. From experimental to disco to pop to house and everything in between and to come, the mutation is the now and new. Known for mutations of her own, DJ and producer Magda brings her influences and creations full circle in this runway soundtrack act She's A Dancing Machine. There are 16 indexes on the CD, which are made up of 71 original tracks of classic and fresh-as-hell dance burners. The selection and style is reflective yet reactive to what "minimal" music and mix albums ought to create. From robotic hustles to disco house sprinkler moves and electro-tech windmills, Magda turns the years back to phuture. Equal parts perspiration and inspiration, She's A Dancing Machine delivers with micro-edits, custom loops and lofty effects, born out of her DJ ascension from beating the bits out of her Final Scratch in clubs. The mix has the range you'd expect with top shelf artists included such as Metro Area, Ricardo Villalobos, Marc Houle and Robert Babicz and sets up some surprises from decades past by dropping in Larry Heard and Portion Control. Amongst personal favorites from The Persuader (Jesper Dahlb�ck), she's not afraid to loop in her own productions from Minus and her new label (along with Marc Houle and Troy Pierce), Items & Things. She's A Dancing Machine paints the experience and attitude from a night with Magda in control at the decks. Magda has taken the chosen path of a DJ with a mission -- searching, finding and carving her own way from being a slave to the rhythm.

Artist:	JPLS
Title:	Program
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 044EP

This linear down shift in tempo is a product of the American Midwest by way of Jeremy Jacobs, an Indiana native and adventurer searching for secrets in the spaces within the beat. JPLS's analog attitude is stripped down amongst the ever-growing digital landscape of expanding sound fields. Recording as JPLS with recent net releases on Clever and Redevice, he made his first Minus appearance on 2006's min2MAX compilation. The sound falls into a range of dub-punched techno while under the minimal aesthetic from the top down. "Program 1" sets precedent for bass and distortion, "Program 3" bumps and pans around unpadded walls, and "Program 2," is a ten-minute throb that echoes with dulled-snares, muted hi-hats and tone pulses.

Artist:	GAISER
Title:	Neural Block
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 045EP

Gaiser ups the ante with his second Minus EP. Following on his And Answer EP, Jon Gaiser cements his growing reputation with another finely-crafted selection of tunes, demonstrating a deep understanding of the intimate mechanics required for minimalist sound sculpture. "Neural Block" employs a subtle use of reverse snares, scuttling percussive bleeps and subliminal samples, while "Half Life," with its s�ance-like voices and liquid grooves, swells to the maximum. Then there's the nocturnal landscape of "Seepage," complete with sliding delays that slowly space out before giving way to moody synth-pulses and a rocking metallic snare solo. Neural Block is a classy release.

Artist:	TRACTILE
Title:	Silent Movie/Dynam
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 046EP

Tractile have come up with a full debut release so exhilarating, so packed full of refreshing takes and ideas that they could have blown the doors off the traditional minimal sound for good. Silent Movie effortlessly shifts from rough angular beats to flowing, floor-friendly grooves at the flick of a switch. Whether it's the hypnotic acid attack of "Silent Movie," the retro bass funk of "To Go To," the pummeling beats and hi-hat frenzy of "Dynam," or the lazy swagger and moody vocals of "Stay Out," there's a feast of techno-hybrid energy on offer here. One thing's for sure, with a swiftly-growing international fan base of DJs and music fans alike, Tractile will be rocking the floor the world over this winter.

Artist:	HEARTTHROB VS TROY PIERCE/GAISER VS HEARTTHROB
Title:	MVS1
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 047EP

MVS1 is the first installment in a series of collectable EPs designed to document spontaneous, unpredictable and potentially explosive collaborations. First up is Heartthrob vs. Troy Pierce with "Horse Nation Amended." The tin can alley snare rolls and "ooh yeah, yeahs" all retain their place in the mix next to a fresh staccato bass riff and a flowing 4/4 drum pattern. If you ever wondered what Prince might have sounded like if he'd grown up in Detroit rather than Minneapolis, then look no further than "Nasty Girl." Gaiser and Heartthrob have come up with a dirty, twisted dancefloor burner that will shake the life out of many an unsuspecting PA system. Also, a dark, sexy, distorted vocal hook rides the groove effortlessly.

Artist:	HEARTTHROB
Title:	Baby Kate Remixes
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 048EP

Heartthrob's "Baby Kate" with remixes by Magda, Konrad Black, Sascha Funke and Plastikman. This EP kicks off with Magda's beautifully-crafted, percussive dub, complete with a morphing, distorted motif, bouncing acid bass and subtle use of space. Then there's Konrad Black's energetic signal to rave, with its gated hookline, phat electro bass and nu-school flavor. Sascha Funke presents a blissed-out bassline, skanking hi-hat patterns and hypnotic melody, and finally the EP concludes with Plastikman's dive into the track's murkiest depths. It's an 8-minute subsonic adventure that leaves you lost.

Artist:	HOULE, MARC
Title:	Techno Vocals/On It
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$10.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 050EP

To mark the label's 50th release, Marc Houle gets back to the basics with two raw, stripped-down future classics. On "Techno Vocals" each sound commands its own space: rigid drum patterns, analog explosions, regimented snare rolls, laser-guided effects and delayed bleeps match a perfect, pitched-down vocal hook. "On It" revolves around a heavily filtered melodic bass riff and a choice selection of rough, old school samples and moody bass variations that give the track its distinctive flavor.

Artist:	JPLS
Title:	twilite
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	MINUS 051CD

This is the debut full-length release by JPLS. Hot on the heels of his Program EP on M_nus, the man from Indiana returns unscathed with a collection of refreshingly understated techno, penned between the hours of 3-5a.m. and each with a perfectly formulated musical equation at its heart. From the album's onset, as the distant echoes of "twilite 1" reach out like shards of light bending over the horizon, it's clear this journey is not for the faint-hearted. "twilite 3" provides further evidence as JPLS skillfully demonstrates the enduring simplicity of a well crafted bassdrum/hi-hat groove. Along with "twilite 6.1," "6.2" and "4," this is sparse, minimalist expression at its most raw, filled with discordant harmonies that offer beauty and menace in equal measure. Delve deeper and "twilite 8" is simply a revelation: set against an initially disjointed rhythm section, the track suddenly explodes into life in one of the most memorable sequences on the album. As if pounding the cavernous, empty hull of some great vessel, this skillful sound sculpture is guaranteed to send shockwaves across the dancefloor. Further highlights include the playful tones of "green01" (featuring the first of two appearances by Skoozbot), which dishes up all sort of mixing possibilities for the more dexterous DJ. There's a more laid-back house groove in effect here, working in perfect tandem with the urgent subsonic bass line, while the bouncing bleeps punctuate the darkness like fireflies. Similarly, "twilite 7" sheds light on a deeper, more contemplative landscape before the morning sun reclaims the sky and "twilite 9" shuffles lazily to its conclusion amid a deluge of sub bass drops and flickering hi-hats. Sometimes, in the harsh light of day, music can seem awkward, out of place even, but when experienced in the twilite hours they it comes alive, resonating at a frequency that disrupts the thin veil of reality, allowing us to slip through to the other side.

Artist:	PIERCE, TROY
Title:	Gone Astray
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	MINUS 052CD

From the cornfields of Indiana to new Berliner, Troy Pierce offers up his first CD EP release. Gone Astray continues his mission up river into the heart of darkness, with arguably his most accomplished collection of tracks to date. Made up of music composed almost exclusively on the road, this release is driven by choices and ideas that would not normally have surfaced in a typical studio environment. It's an innovative, ambitious project, not least because it tackles so many abstract themes in one sitting, often taking more than one mix to fully explore the hidden pathways that disappear off into this dense catacomb of sound. "Even If It's Alone (Black Acid)" is a good case in point. The original version is abstract, freeform techno full of disorientating bleeps, metallic snare rolls and messed-up vocal overdubs that offer the listener little in the way of a safety net. The Louderbach remix, however, is an altogether different trip. Sparser and pinned down by a mechanical hi-hat/snare pattern, it utilizes spaced-out delays and reverbs to create an equally intense atmosphere. Further highlights include the classic, arpeggiated hookline at the heart of "Lost On The Way To DC10" (prepared moments before a gig at the self same club) and the urgent tribal stomps of "Klitkut" -- another track with Ibiza after-hour origins. Dramatic changes of pressure abound throughout the whole project, with Pierce making full use of the audio

Artist:	SLACKNOISE VS. PLEXUS
Title:	Ana Tak
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 028EP

Artist:	VA
Title:	min2MAX Part 2
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 040-2EP

Artist:	VA
Title:	min2MAX Part 3
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 040-3EP

Artist:	VA
Title:	min2MAX Extension
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$7.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 040XEP

Artist:	AMBIVALENT
Title:	R U OK
Label:	MINUS (CANADA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$8.00
Catalog #:	MINUS 049EP