MethLab Mix Series // Subsistenz vs The Sect Music

Our next instalment of the MethLab mix series is a mighty offering indeed - a collaborative creation that sees the light of day for the first time here. Mixed by The Sect, representing their label 'The Sect Music' and then mashed up by Dean Rodell, representing 'Subsistenz'. Featuring exclusively tracks from their labels, and packed almost exclusively full of dubs and forthcoming tunes - this is an incredibly special mix. Sounding like a slice of the future, and delivering swathes of Neurotechnic DnB from - it's truly representative of the sound of Berlin's DnB underbelly right now. Tracks from The Sect, Machine Code, Dean Rodell and Current Value dominate the mix - serving as a weighty declaration of their manifesto. Prepare for your delivery into the future of DnB...

For bookings for The Sect, Machine Code, Dean Rodell or Current Value - contact jef@methlab-agency.com. We're taking offers for Winter // Spring right now...

Current Value // Stay on This Planet Album Tour

We're proud to announce the first MethLab tour for one of our artists in both Japan and Australia. In celebration of the launch of his most recent and widely praised album ' Stay on This Planet'; Current Value hitting the shores of the Far East in November! His cultural mission to further educate foreign dancefloors in the art of precision filtered breaks and extreme synth manipulation starts in Nagoya on 8th November, and finishes in Perth on the 30th. 

You can see from the October release roundup the extent to which CV has been busy recently, with a stack of releases for both his DnB and Dubstep sounds, as well as his partnership with Dean Rodell under the Machine Code moniker. With the Machine Code album set to drop at the end of the year, and subsequent tour, the booking schedule is set to be quite tight. However, we're now looking for a few more dates for the Stay on This Planet tour - to continue the tour in Europe through December // January. So it's time to get booking if you want to be involved in bringing Current Value to your city!

Contact: Jef@methlab-agency.com for availability

MethLab // October News Roundup

Some seriously sick things have happened and are yet to happen this month - plenty of incredible releases, intensely good mixes and great parties. Loads of activity from the MethLab DnB crew, with a slew of sick releases across the spectrum of the genre to keep Drum and Bass parties across the globe moving! Also, we have new Dubstep from Current Value, one of the first downtempo tunes from The Sect, a preview of the evolution of Oyaarss's sound into a live band. Loads of incredible sounds to process! 

// NEWS                                                                                                                                            //

Oyaarss

Oyaarss has redeveloped his incredible heavy electronic show into a more live context, having formed a band to reinterpret his sound. The collaboration with the Jerusalem Burners brings Oyaarss's sound to life in a completely new way, and they have released a video for the track 'Maldugans' (The original of which was released on the Ad Noiseam release 'BADS' earlier this year and you can listen to here). Oyaarss is still available for one man electronic live sets, but is also available for full live performances with the band. Contact jef@methlab-agency.com for more information.



Plaster

Fresh back from their performance at Taipei's Onsite festival in Taipei; some footage of Plaster's full AV show in collaboration with Lasal have started emerging. The results are completely mind-blowing and we can't recommend you watch the videos below enough. We're now looking for European dates for Plaster, so get in touch if you want to bring this show to your city - jef@methlab-agency.com

You can also listen to the latest of the new MethLab Autumn Mix series from them below - featuring a complete live set recorded at Moscow's Arma17 club.







// RELEASES          (Alphabetical by Artist)                                                                                //

Cause4Concern

Long-running champions of the Drum and Bass sound, Cause4Concern have released a 2nd remix EP. Featuring remixes from well known artists such as Neonlight and Mob Tacticsl; the EP deals out 4 well reimagined steppers that faithfully elaborate on the strengths of the original material. The remix EP is available now from Beatport, and you can buy it here. Cause4Concern are currently back in the studio, working on new material that will see the light of day in the coming months.




Cooh // Balkansky

Two quite different releases from Ivan Shopov through his main aliases, Cooh and Balkansky. Prspct delivers another dancefloor crusher through Cooh's collaboration with C-Netik, that we're sure will quite confidently tear its way through a multitude of ravers in the coming months. On a completely different tip, the Balkansky - Dubsidia linkup ventures into 'EDM' territory, with big arena style synths against cut up beats and the kind of edits heavily associated to the genre. Both releases are out now and you can buy the PRSPCT release here and the Soul & Ice release here.




Current Value

The last couple of months have seen Current Value on true form, flexing his newfound trademark sound with confidence and a series of truly excellent releases that effectively showcase his current direction. We're building up now to his Japan & Australia tour that will be running through November and the first part of December, and looking to fill more tour dates in Europe across December and January.

First up is another Dubstep outing for Current Value, in collaboration with Cyberoptics for his recent Soular album. Another synthetic journey into the CV music mechanism, with layers of grinding synths gnashing their teeth atop a solid beat. You can grab the release here. 



Also now available, in true form to Subdivision Media's nature, are several incredible tracks from Current Value, Machine Code and brothers in Techno-fuellled DnB - The Sect (check further down the blog for The Sect's incredible offering). First up is a free download from Current Value's Stay on This Planet album. The track 'Plasticines' is one of our favourites from the release, so we recommend you grab it straight away from below while it's still up for free!
Current Value also features on the 'Burn The Machine EP' with 2 incredible tracks. The EP is out in advance of the incredible BTM festival at Berlin's Subland club at the beginning of November. MethLab crew will be there in force, so represent and ensure you get down there if you're local. But before that, get your hands on the EP here!





Dean Rodell

One of DnB's most under-rated producers, and lifelong contributor of incredible and original Techno, DnB and Dubstep - Dean Rodell - is working in full force at the moment. Last month saw his painstakingly developed and exquisite reimagining of one of Hecq's pieces, and he follows that up with 3 more excellent offerings this month. Our favourite of these is possibly the collaboration with Ad Noiseam's latest signing, Monolog, for their album '2 Dots Left' which will be out on 21st October, but it's a difficult call to make because also out on 21st October is Dean's remix of one of our favourite tracks from earlier this year - 'Recall' on The Sect Music. DR does this track justice, anchoring it firmly into the Techno DnB structure, whilst retaining the oldschool rave and hardcore vibes that we loved so much in the original.

If you're impatient for these releases, then you can grab the Techno-DnB label Perkussiv's latest release here - featuring excellent original tracks from both Dean Rodell and The Sect.



Machine Code

Machine Code are also appropriately featuring on the Burn The Machine EP, with a track that we can only describe as Aggressively Acidic Jungle! So sick.. we recommend again that you buy this EP immediately here!






The Sect

After a bit of a Summer hiatus, The Sect are back on full form with 2 very solid releases for the BTM EP (here) and Perkussiv's Inner Sense EP (here). The Sect continue to pioneer their hybrid Techno-DnB sound and push their own boundaries. We're really exicited to see the gears of The Sect Music label start grinding again, with the previously mentioned remix of Recall from Dean Rodell, and another very strong remix from fellow crossover artist C.A.2k, who is on remixing duties for The Sect's track 'Protected'. TSMDIGI004 is out on 21st October.

And if you've ever wondered what The Sect would sound like making something other than DnB, now you can find out - as they've released a downtempo track with a singer called Joanna Syze. Check it below!

MethLab // September Release Update

Autumn is here, and while there may be a few more sunny moments creeping in before Summer's final termination; our minds and ears at MethLab are turning to the more sultry sounds that sit so aptly in the dimming Winter light. Also awakening from post-festival induced coma season; many of our artists have been busy preparing a fresh round of releases designed to inspire and fill listeners with the kind of kinetic energy that demands release on the dancefloor..

PLASTER                                          //

It's been a busy month for Plaster, with 3 massive releases with well respected backing on Andrea Parker's Touchin'Bass label, Stroboscopic Artefacts and most recently SonuoS. Plaster continue to push their unique blend of darkly textural sounds through multiple mediums, contrasting between Ambience, Techno and Electro. With the backing of some of the most relevant Techno labels around at the moment, and remixes from the likes of the legendary Substance - this duo continues to build their impressive mark on the electronic landscape.

All 3 releases are out now!

For bookings: jef@methlab-agency.com

Hecq                                             //

One of the most respected sound designers working today, and truly an inspired creator of music that is happy to move both within serene ambience, and the more rugged terrain of broken beats and cut up breaks. This month saw the release of Horror Vacui, on Hymen records - a collection of unreleased pieces from the past years, and backed up with some remarkable remixes, including a particularly exemplary slice of Dean Rodell's mind. Horror Vacui is out now and available in good record stores.

To book Dean Rodell, contact: Jef@methlab-agency.com




The Sect Music                                             //

The Sect's label is back for this remix EP, with longterm Berlin collaborator Dean Rodell on remix duties alongside C.A.2k. The result is a well-suited combination, with both Dean and C.A.2k bringing very fresh and unique takes on The Sect's already powerful source material. This digital release will be available soon, so keep your ears to the ground and listen out for the far away pounding of intense Tech-focussed DnB!

For booking The Sect, or for The Sect Music label events - contact jef@methlab-agency.com

Also - on October 12th, a 2nd The Sect Music label night will be happening in Subland, Berlin, featuring the mighty Concord Dawn as a special guest. So if you're local then get down there, and if not, then get a flight ;)

Subsistenz                                            //


Later in the year, in November, will be an incredibly well formed festival in Berlin, at the ever more established Subland club. The 2nd edition of the Burn The Machine festival will feature many artists from the MethLab roster, as well as some incredibly special guests such as Svarte Greiner (a personal favourite). To celebrate the approach of this incredible event, the Burn The Machine EP will be released, and the first preview is now up. Comprising a particularly jagged piece of music from Current Value, that remains true to the theme of mechanical destruction. Brutal and uncompromising synthwork, like an agitated mental patient chained down to relatively minimal percussion.

This release is the first since Current Value's latest LP 'Stay on This Planet', which was released earlier in the month and has been widely praised. You can also listen to the album below!

For bookings for Current Value, please contact: jef@methlab-agency.com

MethLab Artist News & Release Update // MethLab Summer Mix Series

Well, we've attended some blinding festivals this year - Boomtown, Fusion, Festival Nowa Musyka to mention some - and had our brains musically splattered across various fields around Europe. We hope that you've all had an awesome time so far, and that there's still a little life in the old beast of Summer yet....

But looking at recent times and into the future, there is an awesome array of releases to enjoy from MethLab artists - all of whom are bookable for the Autumn / Winter months....

//    Current Value - Stay on This Planet

Dropping on 2nd September, this creature is full of the kind of experimental percussion that everyone knows and loves from Current Value. 'Stay on This Planet' looks to cement his status as one of DnB's leading crossover artists; unfraid to foray into unknown territories, as well as unleash his staple sounds. 

Current Value will be touring Australia and Japan between 8th November - 2nd December. But we're open for bookings in October / December as part of the European side of the tour - so get in touch asap about that if you're interested.

To whet your appetite, check out the latest Subcast, featuring tracks from the new album!

//    Plaster - Monad XV

Out now! Plaster's unique brand of darkly textural Techno sits right at home in the Stroboscopic Artefacts camp. With this release series seeing the likes of Tommy Four Seven, Dadub, and Kangding Ray - all of whom are notorious in the experimental Techno scene for very good reasons. This release sees the pair tighten their ambience into four tracks of tight and exploratory Techno, which is set to blend so perfectly with their unique live show visuals. 
Following a brief tour in Taipei at the end of September, they will be available for gigs in both Europe and Australia. Get in touch with jef@methlab-agency.com for more info.

Check out one of the tracks in full along with a fan-made video below!

//    MethLab Summer Mix Series - The Teknoist

Finally the meat towards the end of the blog - the latest instalment of the MethLab Summer mix series. We have just a few more in our series left before the end of the Summer... this one will tear your nuts off...

TANK ALLIGATOR… Sounds like some fucking hefty killing machine right? Well that is what it does sounds like. A monster perhaps part mecha warship and part prehistoric immortal killing machine. This is obviously a creation of The Teknoist. His new solo album of said title has just been signed to perhaps the most influential hardcore label of all time, INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH RECORDS and is going to be appearing for war very soon.

While your waiting for this to be available, we at MethLab have a summer core mix from Miike, aptly titled ‘Kick Drum Sledgehammer’. It features a couple of tracks from the new album and a whole heap of brand new material from his friends around the globe.

As if that wasn’t enough, don’t forget that Miike’s Core label, Niinja Columbo has just released it’s latest ep also (featuring MethLab artists Dr.Bastardo and Ladyscraper). Available at the hardstore, beatport and all good stockists.

Miike is looking for as many shows as possible from now leading up to the release and around it and if you have ever seen and heard Miike’s DJ/Live shows, you’ll know that you want to get on to him asap. Especially with this brand new audio artillery.

//    Enduser European Tour

Enduser's European tour is now filled up for September, but we have just a few dates available in October - to bring the breakbeat surgeon to your city, contact - ash@methlab-agency.com


//    Hecq - Horror Vacui

(not the original album artwork)

Legend of diverse audio, from ambiently serene to intricately brutal - Hecq - has a new release coming out in September. Horror Vacui will be unleashed on the long-running and much respect-worthy 'Hymen' records and comprises a number of unreleased gems from the past 10 years, including an incredible remix from Subdivision and MethLab's Dean Rodell... With an aptly fitting name - 'Horror Vacui' means the 'fear of empty space'... resulting in filling up a piece of artwork so completely that no space is left. We believe, reference to Ben Boysen's attention to detail at a microlevel with his music, even if the filling of the space is with moments of negative space.  This is a totemic compilation of truly excellent music, and is a must buy for anyone who possesses ears. Listen for yourself in the minimix that Hecq has pulled together masterfully below -

New Release // The Sect Music vs Subsistenz Pt.2

And so comes the second part of the collaboration between the  DnB crews that haunt Berlin - The Sect Music and Subsistenz. When 2 of the finest and most forward thinking labels in this Neuroid hybrid of Techno and Drum and Bass come together; expectations are high... and we are not disappointed. In my opinion, Machine Code's 'Red Unit' represents one of the finest examples of a tilted form of this long running genre in recent times. It sounds like a form of impatient Techno, that's given up on a slower pace of life and decided to make better friends with a particularly tight snare. This is a track that resounds with clarity and both production and mastering give it the kind of high definition that begs to be heard on a huge and well balanced system. An interestingly syncopated beat in combination with squelching synths that sound like they are escaping being crushed by the weight of time itself, are set amidst the kind of beeps that are so resonant with Machine Code's sound and easily conjure the vision of being deep within some the efficient confines of a relentless machine factory. This is truly future music. 

Coupled with this are 2 tracks from him known as Current Value, which provide much the standard that we've come to expect from this towering figure of an artist.  The excellently named 'Flip Step' (it should have a genre of its own), provides a restrained assault of synth and scientifically ordered percussion. A brief but brilliant half-step breakdown in the middle of the track provides some much needed air, before the assault continues. The remaining track 't350' is somewhat of a slightly newer sounding direction for CV and wouldn't go amiss at a big arena DnB rave - in both the friendly pads and the call/answer lead. I'm guessing that these 2 tracks are a prelude of what we can expect on the new Current Value album later this Summer.. but let's eagerly wait and see.

Buy the EP HERE

For bookings for both Machine Code, Current Value and The Sect - contact: jef@methlab-agency.com

New Releases // May Roundup

"April is the cruellest month..." apparently.. but for the MethLab roster, it was a pretty awesome month - seeing the releases one of the year's finest albums - Rebirth, from Cooh (one of our favourites alongside Machinecode's Under The Sun). May is set to continue this trend of sheer awesomeness, with the first part of the collaboration between Berlin's The Sect Music and Subsistenz out now, and a slew of other excellent releases incoming. Check below for some tasty previews of what's out now and what you can expect later this month...
To book any of the artists below contact: jef@methlab-agency.com


Current Value // Flip Step (The Sect Music vs. Subsistenz pt.II)

The first part of this excellent collaborative ep is available to buy from Beatport now, following its release last week. But if this left you hungry for more, then check out one of the forthcoming tracks for the second part, due at the end of the month. 




Current Value // So Loud / Go Offline / Experiment / Gear Up (Subtrakt)

Forthcoming on Subdivision Media's dubstep element - Subtrakt; comes this shuddering wall of technically precise machinestep from Current Value. Available to buy from 13/05/2013 from here. CV remains one of the most consistent producers in the scene, with his unique sound flourishing at slower tempos - providing space to concentrate on the detail of his off the wall synthesis. Current Value is available for Dubstep as well as DnB sets, so get in touch with jef@methlab-agency.com to get him to your event.




Dj Producer // Modus Operandi (Third Movement)

An absolute monster of a tune - tightly undulating breakbeats wrapped around a deliciously chunky kick. Like some bastard offspring of Crossbreed, tight halfstep DnB, Techno and Hardcore... it is nothing short of a dancefloor tremor in the high end of the richter scale. Get your hands on it on May 16th...





Balkansky // A Storm (ABCD - Free Release)

The ever generous production machine, Ivan Shopov, has released a 2 track experimental E.P. under his Balkansky moniker which you can grab for free here. 2 tracks of lovely murky downtempo electronica to evoke visions of the tense interactions of particles and static discharge of Spring storms. You can also enjoy the official video that complements it below.





Optiv & CZA // Journey Inwards EP (Cause4Concern Recordings)

Optiv (One part of Cause4Concern) in collaboration with CZA are set to put out another of their trademark forays into explorative DnB. 3 tracks with different takes on the sound, varying between minimally restrained and emotively phrased. A true demonstration of their production prowess, this EP isn't to be missed - check out the previews below and keep an eye out for a release date!





Drum Kid // Gravitation / Arel / Racks (Space Research)

Last but not least is another of Ivan Shopov's pseudonyms - Drum Kid. A project that started life as making tracks at airports and on his various journeys across the world, and focusses on minimal techno. If techno is your thing (and it's certainly ours), then check these out... and buy them here

New Release // The Sect Music vs. Subsistenz

An awesome collaboration of 2 of Berlins best evolved DnB labels is set for launch next Monday (6th May 2013), with some serious technoid business from the unarguable pioneers of the sound Current Value, The Sect and Machinecode. This EP represents the first of a 2 part release - with the first appearing through Subsistenz, and the 2nd through new, and uncompromisingly solid label - The Sect Music, at the end of the month. It's been an amazing year so far for releases from the Berlin DnB crew, with Machinecode's excellent 'Under The Sun' album seeing the light of day (or dark of night), the launch of The Sect's own label and the continuation of a heavy schedule of releases set for the coming months - including a new album from Current Value and further releases lined up from The Sect.  Check the previews of the release below, and get ready to order this essential wax on Monday.

MethLab Artist News // Something for Your Ears

A lot of exciting news for Feb/March for the MethLab roster, with more heavy releases from heavyweights both new and old! We've got a slew of mixes and previews for you to check out for these recent and upcoming behemoth system killers..  get your ears involved!

Gore Tech //                               Bookings //    Ash@methlab-agency.com

Machine Throne - Ad Noiseam - March 11

A man who's seemingly appeared out of nowhere, and has quickly been selected for a succession of awesome releases through labels very close to our heart like Peace Off, Murder Channel and now Ad Noiseam. 'Machine Throne' is set for release March 11thRead more about it and get you pre-orders in over at Ad Noiseam and in the meantime - check out the taster medley of tracks from the EP below, as well as his recent 'Mainframe Warfare' mix covering many of his upcoming releases for the first quarter of this year!

Machine Code //                         Bookings //    Jef@methlab-agency.com

Under The Sun - Subsistenz - March 4

We've had a lot to say about this album in the past couple of months, and simply that's because it's amazing. One of the tightest sounding DnB albums we've heard in the past year, but with some unusual and nice amen rinseouts amongst the precise kick and snare experimentation going on here. You can get your pre-orders in for the vinyl and album CD pack here at Tirple Vision, and in addition to this, we're taking bookings between Feb-April for the release tour.

Current Value //                         Bookings //    Jef@methlab-agency.com

Stay On This Planet LP - Subsistenz - March / April

Perhaps one of the busiest and more prolific experimenters in the world of DnB, and hot off the heels of the Machine Code LP... there's also word of a new CV album set to drop suddenly in the next few months. You can probably hear some of the tracks on this forthcoming album in his most recent Ultramonics mix - which you can listen to below!



Techno Sedation (CV Remix) - Underground Promotions - Feb 25

A heavy dubstep - techno hybrid that has one of the most brutal and well designed kick drums that I've heard in recent times. A 'sedation' of Mystification original DnB piece on the flip of the record; this futuristic, primarily techno stepper, with it's smeared and twisted bass elements, is an essential purchase - you can grab it from Triple Vision here or purchase online.

The Sect Music //                         Bookings //    Jef@methlab-agency.com

Current Value - The Sect - Dean Rodell // BURN IN / GLITCH / THOUGHT MACHINES - Out Now

Another road cut in the path Berlin DnB residents' DnB // Techno // Neurofunk crossover sound. 3 of the sound's most productive and forward thinking pioneers on a single release.. and incredibly loaded slab of vinyl for this label's 2nd physical output. We're looking for promoters to put on TSM label nights across Europe currently - with successful events already underway in Bristol and Berlin... more cities need to get close and personal with this powerful form of DnB.

2methylBulbe1ol //                         Bookings //    Jef@methlab-agency.com

Your Computer is Under Arrest (2methylBulbe1ol Testify) - Acroplane - T.B.A

A faster and glitchy melodic IDM affair from 2methyl, on another great label - Acroplane. This from Stazma's Acid Bleep EP, which features more of the amazing artwork from Artist Shift.. whose logos and artwork adorn the covers of many of our favourite artists.

Cooh //                         Bookings //    Jef@methlab-agency.com

Rebirth LP - Position Chrome - T.B.A

A new full-length LP from heavy DnB legend Cooh, also featuring tracks from a selection of artists from the heavy hall of fame, including Limewax, Current Value, Counterstrike, Donny and The Panacea. Cooh continues to innovate and generate an inhuman amount of music through his various aliases... one of the most talented producers in this scene today.

New Release // Machinecode - Under The Sun

The mighty collaboration between 2 of the most significant artists in contemporary experimental Drum and Bass, Dean Rodell and Current Value, is set to release their 2nd full length L.P. in the first half of February. 

Machinecode first came to my attention a few years ago with a mix that they created for Combat Recordings; the complexity and dynamic nature of which totally blew me away. The precise technicality of the drum edits, with soaring and beautiful lead lines and shimmering ambient vistas setting the background for the brutal annihilatory techno infused syncopation... this duo plugged a hole musical gap that was begging to be filled since the inception of this technoid form. Following their early release, their first album 'Environments' was nothing short of a manifesto of experimentation of kick/snare placement, spanning multiple genres and defining new territory in each.

However, this new album represents a slight shift in sound - retaining their influences, while really placing focus on creating a truly DnB led album with 'riff led main arena smashers' alongside 'organic gritty rollers'. Seeking to take their potential that they've accrued to date to put out a truly towering record that is set to set the world of Drum and Bass alight, or perhaps rather mechanise this landscape and bend it to their vision. The release will include a collaboration with fellow MethLab artists 'The Sect' and a remix by the ever forward thinking dancefloor destroyer 'Dj Hidden'.

You can check out a few previews of 3 of the 11 tracks in the Soundcloud player below.. and this will be continually updated as more previews are added in the run up to the release, so keep checking back! Also expect an imminent mix incoming, which we'll be putting out everywhere humanly possible... everybody needs to hear this!

New Release // Subtrakt Subland Ep // Dean Rodell, Balkansky, Sinister Souls

Subtrakt's Subland E.P. featuring tracks from Dean Rodell, Balkansky and Sinister Souls came out yesterday! Listen to Dean Rodell and Balkansky's collaborative heavy stepper 'The Thing' above. Some seriously heavy heavy artillery with shimmering bass and speaker challenging distortion. Buy it today on Beat Port and smack down the hard crew with it at the next party!

Interview // Current Value

Tim Eliot, aka Current Value is a very busy man; one possibly reaching the top of his game and continually pioneering new directions in Drum and Bass, Dubstep and Techno. Possibly his crowning moment to date came this last week, with the release of one of his contributions (of 2) to Bjork's Biophilia remix series. This is following hot on the heels of providing the beats to her album track 'Sacrifice', and a high-profile Noisia remix on Deadmau5's Mau5trap label. He has continually pushed the boundaries of the genres he operates in, with his incredibly unique sound and highly technical and precise production values. The time is ripe for booking this iconic member of the electronic scene, and with more exciting (secret) projects and collaborations in formulation, he is only set for bigger things. 


He's taken the time out of his schedule to answer a few of our questions, as well as piecing together the latest edition of his ongoing 'Ultramonics' series of mixes as a MethLab dedicated special - one of the best mixes that we at MethLab have heard to date. So hit play on the mix and read on to find out a little of what goes on in CV's head...


MethLab // What were you doing just before this interview?

CV // I was doing some shopping for next weeks fruit ration.

MethLab // When did you fall in love with snares?

CV // That must have happened around the late 90'ies when I became aware Tech Itch's work.
I've always loved it's kind of crunchy jazzyness combined with a solid tech step arrangement.
I think it was generally my love for harmonics and overtones and thus the singing and ringing within various drumsounds - snares in particular.  

MethLab // You're about to have your 75th release (the Bjork remixes) launched, with each year since the 90's seeing an increase in your output. Do you feel you have come close to perfecting your style in this time? 

CV // I think one's style is constantly moving and changing as well as being inspired by other music.
I certainly learned a lot in all the years and what matters most for me is to be able to transform certain ideas into music as quickly as possible to be as true to your intentions as possible.
A well trained ear and a certain level of skill are inevidable on the way to perfection...
The journey is the destination.

MethLab // Recent years have seen you branch out into dubstep, and you maintain your distinct sound in this output. Where do you see the heavier end of dubstep heading in the next few years? 

CV // I could imagine a growing gap between the noisier end of hard dubstep and the more focussed cleaner and weightier end. There already is one. But I think it will grow...

MethLab // Do you think that the possibilities of the amen break have been exhausted, or is there always more to discover?

CV // For me there's definitely always something new to dicover with amen breaks. Not only in terms of manipulation... Im talking about inventing or recreating amen breaks. My recently released tune "Prism" could give a bit of an insight about that.

MethLab // What was it like collaborating with Bjork? Where you sharing the studio, or was it a distance collaboration? How much input did she have on your beats for Sacrifice? 

CV // It was a distance work from my side creating the beats but I didn't touch the mix of the tune.
I got contacted by Bjork's manager who told me that Bjork wanted to sample beats of my tune "The Good" out on my Tech Freak LP. I replied with a clear  "no" offering to create a similar beat as close as possible to the one in "The Good". The thing was that they were running out of time and it was literally the last night before the Biophilia album mastering! So I recreated the beat that same night and sent it to them. Later they requested me to render the single parts of this beat for the iPad/iPhone/iPod - App.

MethLab // Having worked with Bjork, and then being first in line for the Biophilia remix series, it seems like you are reaching the top of your game. Where will you go from here? 

CV // Yeah, I'm really happy about that as I got two parts (pt 1 and pt 4) of the remix series providing four remixes for them. So let's say "Im aiming high" as for collaborations and remixes in the future :)!

MethLab // Can you imagine producing other types of music than techno, DnB and Dubstep? (Are there any other very popular artists who you would like to work with?)

CV // Yes, I could!
It's just that energetic momentum that catches me in loop based dance music.

MethLab // You keep your production techniques a cloesly guarded secret - is there anything insightful you can tell us about your studio? 
  CV // I'm working on laptops with FL Studio, Ableton Live, Reason, looking into Studio One now as well.
since I want to keep my setup as mobile as possible I use headphones for monitoring.
Among my recommendations:
Over/On Ear:
- Sony MDR CD900ST
- Roland RH  A30
- Brainwavz HM5
- Beyerdynamic DT990 (2005 Premium, 250Ohm)

In Ear:
- Monster Cable - Turbine Pro Miles Davis Trumpet Edition
- Sony MDR 7550 / EX800ST

MethLab // You're a vegetarian.. it seems counter-intuitive to what can be seen as an aggressive sound =) Have you always had this diet? 

CV // I'm a vegetarian for 14 years now and happy with it. I really dont see it as a diet.
Yeah some people came to a similar conclusion as well - of it being counter-intuitive...but thats maybe just to first look. I look to it more as being a system of energetic levels - on a food level as well as on a sound level of things. It's more about creating rather than destroying.
I see these things from a producers side.
For me it's a clear win in life when I realize I'm the one to decide, I'm in control if it - to not have meat. Secondly it's surely not about survival - at least not where I live - in a big western city where you can get anything you'd ever dream of in terms of food. I even thought about going raw some day.

MethLab // Favourite country for playing? 

CV // Really hard to say... I love to play everywhere but if I'd have to put it in a nutshell,
probably Russia.

New Release // Current Value & Cooh - Subsistenz Natural Selection Album

New album dropping on Subsistenz, aptly titled 'Natural Selection' with tracks from some of the alpha predators of the techno-oriented DnB scene. Set for release April 30th, and featuring tracks from Current Value, Katharsys, C.a.2k, The Sect, Absurd and Cooh. Check out some of the MethLab artists' tracks below! For bookings: jef@methlab-agency.com 

New Artist Singing: Current Value

Current Value ///

We're really happy to be able to announce that the other half of Machine Code, Tim Eliot, has joined the Methlab roster, and we will now be open to taking bookings for him. Current Value represents the forefront of the underground Drum and Bass scene, and is a rapidly emerging force in the harder, and more techy end of the Dubstep spectrum. His forward thinking production combined with a highly technical approach to music and lean, tight arrangement, makes for some of the most instantly recognisable music currently getting released.


His recent Crude Chronicles and Dance of the Mech releases are totally rude, offering perfect examples of his unique sound, as well as being an unmissable component in any self-respecting heavy DJ's toolkit. Expect big things to lie ahead - as he's set to release a number of remixes in March for Bjork's most recent Biophilia album. Check his last Ultramonics mix below - but expect a fresh Methlab exclusive mix soon!

New Artist Signings: Machine Code // Dean Rodell

Dean Rodell ///

Heading up the impressive Subdivision media entity, grouping 4 sub-labels as well as Berlin's new, but already well-respected 'Subland' club; Dean Rodell represents a significant force in the underground music scene. He has been involved since the early 90's, and is behind dozens of innovative, genre-fusing records and remixes on many of the worlds leading Techno, DnB & Bass labels.


Machine Code ///
aka Current Value & Dean Rodell - is a project formed out of true respect and passion for dance music with its origins deep-rooted in Techno. Neither artist needs introduction to any of the scenes they have been busy infiltrating, as these two heavy-weights of underground electronica have been continually releasing tight cuts and forward thinking music for over 20 years between them to date.