Demdike Rarest

So, I was looking for something - probably images from the 2xCD release of Elemental (2012) - and what do I see on Demdike Stare's Discogs.com page?



Demdike Stare live [*NSFW* background films], 05/28/2011,
Milan, IT (more videos)

An all-new live CD! Live at Golden Pudel Club (2012) - 59 minutes from "15 Mai 2011" on the Hamburg club's own label, Pudel Produkte. I haven't found any source for the disc outside of Germany, but it's totally worth it. I got it with minimal translations from Hamburg's Hanseplatte for only 6,90€ - or try at Otaku for 7,00€ (minimum purchases may apply at either).

Nothing to stream or whatever, so you have to go on faith. I've really come to prefer Demdike's live/mix work a bit more than the original material. It's good stuff - thought it was a limited edition, but I can no longer find evidence of that. Maybe not.



Just found a 46-minute really new mix, another free download. In the very good interview at that link, Demdike says "this mix has more of a rock feel, most of the tracks are taken from rock records." Only just, but mainly relative to the usual...



"All Data Lost" by Chrome, from Alien Soundtracks (1977)

Tracklist
1. Arzachel: "Excerpt From Arzachel"
2. Black Cat Bones: "Chauffeur" (excerpt)
3. Graham Collier Music: "New Conditions" (excerpt)
4. Kristof Knittel [sp??]: "Niskie Dzwieke"
5. Third Ear Band: "Music From Macbeth" (excerpt)
6. Terrence: "The Emperor"
7. Cosmic Jokers: "Galactic Joke" (#6, 1973)
8. Jan Schaffer: "Harvest Machine" (excerpt)
9. Chrome: "All Data Lost"
10. Demdike Stare: "All This Is Ours (Sunrise)"
11. Glenn Branca: "Dissonance"
12. Demdike Stare: "Unction"
13. Sunn O)))): "Black One"
14. The Amazing Blondel: "Seige Of Yaddlethorpe"
15. Conjoint: "Bar Rock (Earprints)"

Well, that is pretty rock/jazz/folk for them.



On Boomkat, I'd seen a ltd-ed Slant Azymuth cassette (of 100) in a large-shell case, since sold-out & deleted. But I'm pretty sure it was only this Dublab session - still available for download. Ahhh, found it! Helical Scans (2012) on Per-Cert.

From intrepid, creaking atmospheres to typewriter rhythm attacks suffused with viscous ambience, from eerie, unidentified Giallo voices to driving spy themes and mindless drones, it's a labyrinthine session that'll test the knowledge of even the deepest heads and frazzle the rest. Highly recommended!

Unfortunately, I'm not yet completely taken with the Slant Azymuth LP (2012), but you should definitely get the free download of the ultra-rare cassette release of an internet podcast live-mix! Also, the record's still available at Forced Exposure, just in case it becomes one of my favorites of this year.



"Erosion of Mediocrity" from Elemental #4: Rose (2012)

That one's on both the 4th vinyl EP (Rose) and the 2xCD version, which has some all-different tracks and alternate versions of some vinyl tunes. (Here's a Not Safe For Work video version!) As with all Demdike Stare official releases, I'm getting past the stage of focusing on the spare-yet-clattering rhythmic framework, and starting to feel more familiar with the proceedings. "Familiar" in a recurring nightmare scenario, moreso than a safe-at-home sense.


Demdike Stare - Elemental (2CD Version) by modernlove

Modern Love never put up any of the four Elemental vinyl EP's for streaming, but now they've got the CD-edition up on Soundcloud. I'm enjoying having the handier plastic-digital version for more regular listening & loaning. Still need to do some close comparison on the alternate vinyl/CD song versions, listen to locked grooves ad infinitum, etc...