rüts
Various Artists
-
rüts
cat. RÜTS4
release DVD + digital
release date January 2009
mastering Rashad Becker
distribution none

[bandcamp width=100% height=272 album=2534334208 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=63b2cc artwork=none]

reviews

Die DVD featured 23 Tracks mit Videos, fünf Kurzfilmen und obendrein gibt es die Stücke auch noch als Wav Files damit man damit machen kann, was man will. Natürlich würden wir uns wünschen, dass alle Alben so aussehen, aber klar ist auch, dafür braucht man Unterstützung. Hier von Airbagcraftworks und dem Youth in Action Programme. Sensationell ist es aber trotzdem. Einige der Tracks haben wir schon auf der Vinyl Serie gehört, aber in dieser Zusammenstellung machen sie fast noch mehr Sinn. Wer seinen Glauben an Elektronika als Umfeld, in dem spannende Klangexperimente, unerwartete Grooves, nicht vom Dancefloor diktierte elektronische Musikwelten und akustische Abenteuer den Ton angeben verloren hat, der wird ihn über Impressionistisches bis hin zu Experimentellem. Musik u.a. von Clatterbox, Kate Simko, Terrence Dixon, Move D, Benjamin Brunn, Wang.Inc und Pub.

Bleed

Charted as number 1 in De:Bug 130

www.de-bug.de

Na drie “rüts”-minicompilaties op vinyl kiest het Belgische electronica-collectief meakusma voor haar eerste DVD-release. Muziek van onder meer Bachel, Terrence Dixon, Clatterbox en Benjamin Brunn wordt begeleid door clips van ego, Chris Parks, Mostardesign, Dirk Ignoul, en nog een hele zwats ander visueel talent. Naast de 23 muziekvideo’s krijg je’r nog vijf kortfilms en één poster bovenop, en alle tracks staan bovendien ook als aparte .wav-files op dit schijfe om op je harde schijf te droppen. Van cut-ups over kortfilms tot gelikte navelstaarderij: het grillige overaanbod op “rüts” is een beetje de ziekte van het genre, maar het leuke aan een compilatie is dat je van verschillernde borden tegelijk kan eten. Kijk het na!

TS

www.rifraf.be

meakusma takes a particular interest, in the spirit of the times, in overlaps between different disciplines and fields. Along with the exploration of cross-fertilisation between sound, image, design, and to a lesser extent architecture, meakusma stands for interweaving the outdated concepts of high high and low culture. Their audio activities, for example, can relate to the dance floor and also to composition and improvisation. As well as organising a variety of events in and around Brussels (on 13 March there will be a label night in Recyclart) and further afield (such as the Resonance festival on 28 February in the Vooruit in Ghent), meakusma holds workshops and releases material itself. In the past they have issued three 12-inches entitled rüts: vinyl records in beautifully designed sleeves, each with four tracks by established artists along with material from younger talent.
Just recently they brought out the rüts DVD, which contains tracks previously released on the 12-inches, work by film-and video-makers, and much more. rüts is in two parts: new work that experimental film-maker, video groups and designers came up with for music by their colleagues which resulted in 23 music videos and five short films. In addition, 24 tracks, the sound material for the videos, can be downloaded as .wav files. As well as international artists including big names such as Move D & Benjamin Brunn, Clatterbox and Wang.Inc,… you will find quite a few from Belgium and Brussels. On the musical side of things, for example, there is the minimal-sound architect Peter Van Hoesen, as well as the group of people known as the nerds extraordinaires, Herrmutt Lobby and Rony & Suzy, two brothers from eastern Belgium with a passion for electronic sound experimentation. Visual Kitchen and Boris & Brecht Debaeckere were among those who contributed to the visual material, a mixture that ranges from digital design to cut-up video clips to short films. rüts is a handsome, impressive compilation and one that offers an excellent introduction to post-Techno culture as of 2009.

Ive Stevenheydens

www.agenda.be

Thank fuck the ultra-grim month of January is almost over… To ease the pain Ampoule have collaborated with meakusma to unleash a mighty DVD containing 23 music videos, 5 short films, 1 poster and 24 tracks as .wav files. The disc is PAL region free. More excitingly for vinyl freaks there are 3 volumes of limited edition 12″s containing tracks from the DVD. The artists on the wax include Clatterbox, Pub, Terrence Dixon, Peter Van hoesen, Immer.Chic, Even Tuell, Vakula, Move D & Benjamin Brunn, Morthern Kiang, Rezkar, Valyom and Roger 23. We’ve not had a chance to play the DVD but I’m sure it’s wicked if the 12″s are anything to go by. I headed straight for the Clatterbox tune (from 1997) and Detroit’s Terrance Dixon’s track. Both of which satisfied my daily Techno/Electro urges with some high quality deep tunes. Other artists on the DVD worth noting are Bachel, Subjex and Wang Inc. The others I’ve not heard of but I’m sure there’ll be some tasty stuff on there.

www.normanrecords.com

Here’s the deal in brief. 23 videos, 5 short films, 24 audio tracks to be dragged and dropped (in wav format) on your computer. Includes Pub, Bachel, Peter Van Hoesen, Benjamin Brunn, Roger 23, Valyom, Even Tuell, Wang Inc., Kate Simko, Subjex, Clatterbox, Move D, Immer.Chic and plenty more. A collection of tracks from the Ruts series of 12″s on this collaboration between meakusma and Ampoule, and it works a treat. As a multimedia release it’s jolly good as the videos are really nicely done, the short films are put together with style and class and, even better, you even get to stick the tracks on your computer for listening purposes. Not many releases give you all of that in one package. Muscally it’s a solid and very varied collection and, as you’ll have guessed from my write-ups on the 12″s, I’m rather partial to them. From subtle electronica, through funky minimalism and deeper tech right on into a more club-based and pulsating style. It’s all here and then some. A quality release indeed with jolly nice artwork as well. Samples coming tomorrow.

www.smallfish.co.uk

Het puike Belgische elektronicalabel meakusma bracht vorig jaar drie uitmuntende minicompilaties uit met verrassende technotracks van onder meer Peter Van Hoesen, Clatterbox, Even Tuell en Move D & Benjamin Brunn. De reeks, die internationaal aansloeg, kreeg de naam rüts mee en ze is nu ook verkrijgbaar op dvd.
Concreet: het platenlabel vroeg aan toonaangevende videocollectieven, experimentele filmmakers en digitale beeldenstormers om elk nummer van een visuele interpretatie (lees: clip) te voorzien. De kunstenaars kregen carte blanche; de muzikanten werden buitenspel gezet. Al kunnen we ons niet voorstellen dat iemand teleurgesteld is in het resultaat. Behalve misschien Terrence Dixon, voor wie de Brit Chris Parks, het brein achter de visuele effecten in The Fountain van Darren Aronofsky, een soort veredelde Windows-screensaver maakte. Toegegeven, het filmpje sluit aan bij de rest van diens oeuvre, maar iedereen heeft al eens een inspiratieloze offday.
Het gros van de andere clips bevat knappe staaltjes grafisch design, beeldmanipulatie en montagetechnische hoogstandjes waar niet alleen digitale animatie, maar evenzeer vintage pellicule aan te pas komen. Ook erg aangenaam is dat alle tracks als wav-files op de dvd staan, zodat u ze makkelijk naar de harde schijf van uw computer of MP3-speler kunt slepen. Voor wie liever eerst ziet, dan gelooft, staan er op meakusma.org korte fragmenten van de verschillende filmpjes.

Ben Van Alboom

www.knack.be/focus/