Tag: vinyl only
Session Victim (DJ) – Cookies, Berlin
Session Victim (DJ) & Quarion (DJ) – Suicide Circus, Berlin
Session Victim
Quarion
Andre Lodemann
http://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?243578
Quarion – Moons around Jupiter – RTR08
More than a year after his last EP, Quarion returns to Retreat for a fantastic expedition: a journey to the »Moons around Jupiter«. Consisting of four tracks dedicated to the four Galilean satellites, »Moons around Jupiter« is a sonic masterpiece that blurs the lines between House, Techno, Broken Beat and Disco. A certain Detroit mystique (the futurism & outer space themes) also surrounds this mesmerizing ep which Quarion himself ranks as possibly his best work to date … come and take a ride!
We may share the ultimate bond with the moon Europa: the presumption of oceans underneath its crust of ice as well as an atmosphere that is mostly filled with oxygen make this satellite a good candidate for possible extra-terrestrial life (more micro-organisms than 3-eyed aliens though). Quarion’s »Europa« hopes to reveal the secrets underneath the ice layer: beginning with a skippy beat and a tinkling piano, the track evolves rapidly as subtle keys and a cosmic choir appear from beyond. The voices morph into pure excitement during the breakdown while gorgeous new chords are being introduced. The bassline drops and an irresistible groove settles in, soon followed by a catchy synth melody. The song rises to its apex only to be brought down immediately with a new set of Boogie drums. Extra analogue synths make a welcome entry while the main chords rise again from the background. That is until the reappearance of the Boogie beat which tones the music down and brings the mysterious »Europa« to its conclusion.
The moon Ganymede has much in common with Europa but scientists agree that it is impossible for the former to harbour life. This is why »Ganymede« is the beatapella version of »Europa«, a short but effective rework with only the basic drum elements…
The moon Callisto is the furthest away from Jupiter’s radiation. It is said to be highly suitable for a human base, in case we intend to explore this part of the solar system one day. »Callisto« is therefore Quarion’s ode to space travel in the form of lush organ chords, heavy drums and ethereal pads. The track is a deep and dreamy journey that flows effortlessly as cosmic rhodes melodies and detroitish synths move around the stereophonic landscape.
The moon Io has over 400 active volcanoes and its atmosphere is made up of sulphuric dioxide. A very, very dangerous place indeed, which inspires Quarion to show his rougher side via a raw and heavy 110 bpm workout. The sounds are kept to a minimum (weird pads, strings and a heavy bassline) but »Io« is full of surprises, the best of all being a minute long break where the listener feels suddenly lost in deep space … before »Io’s« gravity pulls him back on its perilous grounds.
A1 – Europa
A2 – Ganymede
B1 – Callisto
B2 – Io
Release: December 15th 2010
(Releasesheet)
Session Victim (DJ) – Wilde Renate, Berlin
Session Victim (DJ) – Farbfernseher, Berlin
with Andreas Andersson
Iron Curtis – Stumbled Across – RTR07
We’re thrilled to welcome IRON CURTIS as a new character in the retreat saga! Hailing from Nuernberg but now based in Berlin, Mr. Curtis is known for his contemporary take on the classic Chicago House sound and has been making waves for the past two years with quality releases on Mirau, Morris Audio, Mule Electronic and Jackoff. However, we strongly believe that Iron Curtis is presenting a different aspect of his personality with »Stumbled Across«, an EP that ventures in weirder territories with the help of Hip-Hop, dubstep and techno influences. A definitive statement from a blossoming producer who brings the element of surprise back to the dancefloor!
»Cover Me« provides the tone for this EP, starting off with a distinctive un-straight kick drum that underlines a pad motif and a percussion build-up. The aquatic bassline lures you in the track while new chords are rising up from the background. The whole song breaks down after 3 minutes only to start again with renewed energy. Shuffling hi-hats, vocal snippets and quirky synths provide an ecstatic groove and lift the track to new heights of bounciness. No doubt that »Cover Me« would become a Co-op classic if the party was still happening in London …
Flip the record over and »Stumbled Across« introduces guitar stabs, crowd noises and reversed chords until the whole thing crashes down into a House beat that is jacking beyond comparison. A tribute to one of the founders of the Chicago sound, “Stumbled Across” is that seldom tune that manages to feel 100% classic yet 100% fresh at the same time: the 808 & 909 sounds are familiar but the arrangement and overall vibe allow the track to stand proudly on its own two feet. A masterpiece!
»Creeps« clocks around 90 BPM and showcases Iron Curtis’ talent in leading music into unexpected directions. The track begins with melancholic chords but evolves quickly into a fascinating journey, complete with strings, organs, bell-like sounds and bizarre interjections from what appears to be cocktail aficionados in an upper class party! The beat alone is definitely not your average Hiphop drum track (with a gated snare that Phil Collins would die for!) but excels in providing depth and consolidation to the whole structure.
The Ep concludes with the mind-bending »All My Friends«, a 2 minutes, 80 bpm neck-breaker whose wonky synth could make your body want to perform krump moves. Lethal!
A1 – Cover me
B1 – Stumbled Across
B2 – Creeps
B3 – All My Friends
Release: November 10th 2010
(Releasesheet)
Session Victim (DJ) & Quarion (DJ) – Farbfernseher, Berlin
all night with Andreas Andersson
Retreat Label Party – Edelweiss, Berlin
After a little summer break, we’re happy to continue our residency in Edelweiss with a magical lineup that should kickstart the indoor party season!
Our special guest this month goes by the name of tomtomgroove and has been an important figure in Berlin’s underground House scene since the late 90’s. Thanks to his deep musical knowledge and faultless mixing skills, tomtomgroove has been playing in some of the city’s best clubs (Tape, Horst and Arena among others). Tom is also a talented producer who has released on Polyfon and Konsequenz while his track “Mr. Funkman” got licensed for Dinky’s “Get Lost 3” Mix on Crosstown Rebels.
Another highlight will be Session Victim‘s first ever live set for our monthly Retreat party! From Zürich to London via Hamburg, the dynamic duo have been turning many clubs upside down with their funk-infused live performance and we’re certain that Edelweiss will be no exception. Having just finished another wicked EP for Delusions Of Grandeur aswell as a few remixes, Hauke and Mathias are bound to make big waves in the upcoming months. Take notice!
Quarion will be in charge of bringing everyone into a frenetic dancing mood, something that he intends on doing with a sweet selection of Hip-Hop, Disco, Boogie and slo-mo House. The Japan-loving Q-chan has recently produced remixes for Plak and Meakusma while his follow-up to “Dusty Fingers” is currently getting padded…
RTR Reels 04 – Matthias Reiling “Kickstart my love” Mix
The Hamburg half of Session Victim has delivered a very special set for the fourth Reels podcast. Digging deep into the influences that made Das Gespenst von Altona such a fantastic debut (not to mention his recent Retreat output), Matthias Reiling blends twenty-three 7″ and one 12″ of raw Soul into a dazzling 34 minutes mix. The selection is flawless, alternating with ease between classic performances from Sam & Dave or The Soul Searchers to obscure gems such as Jerry Washington’s energetic “Baby, don’t leave me”.
Hotter than a chili contest, “Kickstart My Love” is set to be the soundtrack of the current heatwave sweeping over Europe!