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CD
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SOMA 105CD
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Electronic music pioneers Slam return to their home base of Soma with their brand-new album, Reverse Proceed. After tireless months in the studio, the Glaswegian duo are ready to unleash what is easily their best body of work to date. Not only does this album capture where the two are at musically at the moment, but is an extension of their unending fascination with all things Electronic. Lending their 22 years of experience to this new project, Slam have delved into the past for inspiration while simultaneously heralding future technologies in the production process. Conceptually, Slam wanted to have the human experience in mind when recording and to base the architecture of the album around "the sequence." This led them to a locally-built hardware sequencer called the "Sequentix Cirklon" that became the heart of the album. Allowing them to access older machines and also a modern modular synth set-up simultaneously, Stuart & Orde merged live manipulation and recording techniques to full potential to bring soul to the album. Reverse Proceed is more than an album; it is a well-defined experience built on the principle of the sequence. Having been meticulously woven together to create a seamless listening environment, Reverse Proceed aims to capture the audience and guide them through the sonic landscape of the album. This method allowed Slam to fully explore the concept of the album being more than just a collection of tracks but rather a thoroughly immersible piece. With this concept in mind, the album's opening drifts in over the course of several tracks as the malevolent "Tokyo Subway" opens what is the ambient first third of the album. Tension is built through sweeping pads and dubbed-out synths, leading perfectly into the more delicate "Visual Capture," where a sea of field recorded rain splashes over subtle bell tones and dream-state strings. The title-track begins with intensity as pulsing sub-bass fills the void with yet more time-induced percussive fluctuations though synthesis, the haunting pads giving more depth to this deep, evolving track. The hardware at the center of the album takes hold now as "Cirklon Bells" brings a slight edge of melancholy to proceedings. Heavenly pads bring "Synchronicity" into existence as we hear the first semblance of a 4/4 make its way out of the depths of the ambience. "Ghosts of Detroit" stamps that typical Slam sound on the album. This ode to the Motor City sees an almighty melodic upheaval as tones begin to form complete harmonious coexistence and the album sees the shift into a more dancefloor-oriented state of being. The ethereal interlude of "Relevant Question" proves to be little respite, as "Pattern A3" stomps in with flourishing modular-based sequential tones and sparse, kicking 909 drums -- the album's defining heads-down techno moment. Tweeked-out, delayed and cerebral, "Factory Music" continues on perfectly as yet more off-kilter sequences makes heads spin with its subtle use of FX and crisp percussion. The wail of "Convolute" keeps things in check as discord swells enough to keep you ready for the solid and hypnotic "Catacoustics." Dark and brooding, it sets the tone for "Irritant," with its broken beat and roomy percussion riding spaced-out, otherworldly forces. "Rotary" helps see the album out with its elastic synths and driving rhythms, showing Slam's credentials as straight-up dance-floor killers. As we finally wind down from the journey, we are brought into great depths with the sublime "Resolved." Modern techno albums come and go, but the dynamic duo of Stuart McMillan & Orde Meikle have once again raised the bar for the world of techno.
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12"
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PARAGRAPH 003EP
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"Slam bring us the third chapter in their devastating Paragraph series, following up their dancefloor destroyer, Hot Knives that was played by the biggest DJs around and dubbed as one of Carl Craig's favourites of the last few months. The label's previous releases have already had big support from the rest of the techno fraternity, including legends Richie Hawtin, Adam Beyer, Dubfire, Anja Schneider, Len Faki and Francois Kevorkian. Paragraph number 3 delivers some deep, bass-heavy electronic funk on the A-side, with 'One Note Samba.' Grooving from the off-set, the percussive elements of the track wind around a solid and heavy sub bass, introducing dubbed-out horns reminiscent of Slam's Freelance Science days. Hypnotic and tripped out, Slam return to their house roots. On the AA 'Room 2,' dedicated to one of the world's best clubs, Fabric, where Slam hold a residency, keeps with the stripped-down, rhythmic and gritty sound of Paragraph. Whilst constantly fluctuating echoes and delays control the rhythm of the track, a swirling, yet straight to the point synth creates some frenzied and panic-inducing builds throughout, leading to a wholesome and satisfying ride cymbal. 'Room 2' is a killer, peak-time track that will be sure to induce some serious convulsions on dance-floor."
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12"
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PARAGRAPH 001EP
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"Paragraph is a new Soma offshoot that will release Slam tracks in strictly limited quantities. We kick off proceedings with this devastating double A-side that's being played by Richie Hawtin, Len Faki, Laurent Garnier and more. Focusing on the darker side of electronic dance music, Paragraph will feature Slam tracks exclusively."
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3LP
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RESIST 054LP
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Triple vinyl version. 13 tracks off the CD mix, featuring: Alex Smoke, Dominik Eulberg, Nathan Fake, Luci, Slam, Guide Schneider & Andre Galuzzi, Mathias Schaffhauser, ADJD, John Dahlback & Staffan Linzatti, Roman Flugel, SaD MaFioSo, Vector Lovers, Basteroid.
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2CD
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RESIST 054CD
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"Slam is Stuart McMillan and Orde Meikle. Synonymous with Glasgow's underground club scene and their sound-searching record label, Soma, the duo has garnered a reputation as international DJs, accomplished recording artists and respected collaborators. Together with Resist, Slam is proud to present Nightdrive, their new brand mix project available in 2CD and 3LP. Nightdrive takes in all that is currently hot in the world of deep, glitchy, minimal electronic house and techno, with a distinctively pan-European flavor. Some of the hottest names in the scene come together, including Soma's Glaswegian wonder kid Alex Smoke, Swiss minimal maestro Luciano, Berlin's uber-cool Poker Flat label's Guido Schneider, Canadian genius Mathew Jonson, Parisian demi-gods Blackstrobe, and not forgetting a few choice cuts by Slam themselves. The mix takes a different direction from the tougher techno sound, and provides the perfect soundtrack for -- among other things -- driving!"
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