Lackluster – Proof Of Concept {YKYK016}

Artist: Lackluster
Title:
Proof Of Concept
Label:
 Yuki Yaki
Catalog #:
YKYK016
Release Date:
2009/03/31


Esa Ruoho is always on the go around the Electronica/IDM globe. Thus it is more than a touch of fortune that his restless wanderings washed him to our shores where he left behind a little chest for you. Five lush Electronica pearls have been aligned to a handy EP under his most famous moniker, which shows certainly proof of not only some kind of concept but also of the unquestionable mastership that Esa exposes in all his musical works. Without trendy side blows some grumblers might call it traditional but the more enlightened listener is fairly aware that glistening tunes and sophisticated beat architecture in broad cinemascope will never ever become obsolete.


Credits:
original coverphoto by Nils Clauss
The cover is part of the Nils Clauss ShowCase on Yuki Yaki.


Tracklist:
01 – Montaajoo [MP3] [OGG]
02 – Whinnye [MP3] [OGG]
03 – 03rworbit [MP3] [OGG]
04 – Meyouit [MP3] [OGG]
05 – Jokatkadfs [MP3] [OGG]

Artwork:
Thumbnail
Front Cover
Back Cover

Additional Files:
Flash [SWF]
Info [TXT]


License:
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)


Lackluster – Zero Million Barrels Of Oil Per Day {mtk153}

Artist: Lackluster
Title:
Zero Million Barrels Of Oil Per Day
Label:
Monotonik
Catalog #:
mtk153
Release Date:
2005/09/25


When Finnish-born, currently Irish-based idm veteran Lackluster, aka Esa Ruoho, insistently pinged us over IM to release this stunning single track, ‘Zero Million Barrels Of Oil Per Day’, he was keen that it go live before the global oil market reached its peak. We’re not sure we actually managed that, but heck, we figure this almost 10-minute track will convey its mood perfectly well, separately of the amount of crude bubbling out of the ground at any particular speed.

Esa’s official site reveals what he’s been up to since last releasing on Monotonik early last year, and it includes a new album, ‘Slice’, on excellent Belgian label U-Cover, as well as recent live gigs in Holland, Spain, France, and Dublin, as well as a forthcoming spot this November at the lab30 mini-festival in Augsburg, Germany.

So, what of ‘Zero Million Barrels Of Oil Per Day’? Well, it starts soft, with almost imperceptible shifts in mood, before blasting into life and color, sonic earthquakes and melodic gushers to the fore. If anyone can refine pure noise into beauty, it’s Lackluster, and this carefully crafted track does just that. More soon, please.


Credits:
pic by esa


Tracklist:
01 – Zero Million Barrels Of Oil Per Day

Artwork:
Front Cover

Additional Links:
[Bandcamp]


License:
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.5)


Lackluster – Live At Freeflow, Helsinki 16/07/03 {mtk129}

Artist: Lackluster
Title:
Live At Freeflow, Helsinki 16/07/03
Label:
Monotonik
Catalog #:
mtk129
Release Date:
2004/04/18


Courtesy of probably the most renowned artist on Monotonik, Finland’s pukka idm maestro Lackluster, late of DeFocus Records, Merck, Rikos, and a host of other labels, we have a rare treat – a full, hour-long live set recorded at Helsinki’s M-Bar in July 2003.

There, using a laptop running the great Ableton Live software, Esa ‘Lackluster’ Ruoho mashed up classic Monotonik tracks, remixes, and on-the-spot jams into a cohesive whole – highlights include a gorgeous unreleased track, the super-catchy Ceniq remix which formerly featured on seminal netlabel Milk, the splicing of some surprising breaks into the classic downtempo of ‘Bothersome (Mother Mix)’, and the final jazzy ambience of a cunning Proem remix, bizarre voice modulations and all. Much kudos to Lackluster for not only recording the moment, but allowing us to put it out for free – return the favor and pick up some of his vinyl or CDs when you have the chance?

Tracklisting for the set is as follows:

00:00 01. starcell u.k. (container foc350cd/lp deFocus)
07:07 02. in passing (wrapping foc369cd/lp deFocus)
15:05 03. (unreleased)
21:55 04. 14/07/02 (unreleased)
27:58 05. ceniq: gaylab (lacklustermx) (ceniq: gaylab ep/milk (mp3))
34:42 06. ableton mashup
36:22 07. bothersome (mothermix) (container foc350cd/lp deFocus)
42:49 08. ableton mashup
47:47 09. cull streak (container foc350cd/lp deFocus)
51:46 10. proem: standard naming convention (80bpm rmx) (remixselection one cat#TBA/cd psychonavigation)

gear used:
sony vaio grx-690 running ableton live 2
rme hammerfall dsp

[You can find out more info about Lackluster at http://www.lackluster.org.]


Credits:
pre-laptop pic courtesy Lackluster


Tracklist:
01 – Live At Freeflow, Helsinki 16/07/03

Artwork:
Front Cover


License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial 1.0 Generic (CC BY-ND-NC 1.0)


Various – 101 {[one01]}

Artist: Various
Title:
 101
Label:
 One
Catalog #:
[one01]
Release Date:
2004/01/02


For this first release it was set to unite some of the best musicians we know in different genres. Gathered here, they smoothly mind the gap between their respective styles; idm, guitar, one channel, low-fi, ambient, techno, etc., What better way to represent One and protest the shortsighted slant that ‘genres’ create, than to join it all under one roof? With contributions from Makunouchi Bento, Lackluster, Ronny Pries, randomajestiq, relative q, colophon, plosive, Sense, _KhlEr3L, pinkj, and Whitenoiz — You’d be hard pressed to find such a diverse album with this level of talent anywhere on the store shelves.


Credits:
artwork by wakax and plosive


Tracklist:
00 – intro – park interlude
01 – relative qyour distant eyes
02 – plosivepavlovian fear
03 – randomajestiqmeskalin13
04 – sensezed
05 – _khER3LtemposhifterD
06 – Makunouchi BentoSoare cu dinti
07 – lacklusterll180302
08 – ronny priesbc022
09 – pinkjsylh
10 – whitenoizstatetostate
11 – Makunouchi Bentomilipong
12 – colophonmain theme or end theme

Artwork:
Front Cover


License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial 1.0 Generic (CC BY-ND-NC 1.0)


Lackluster – You Are On My Mind EP {mtk119}

Artist: Lackluster
Title:
You Are On My Mind EP
Label:
Monotonik
Catalog #:
mtk119
Release Date:
2003/10/07


He released one of the first ever Monotonik .MOD releases, all the way back in 1997, and over 6 years and several highly acclaimed CDs later, Finnish electronic wiz Lackluster, aka Esa Ruoho, fresh from live sets in Ireland and Russia and his recent ‘Showcase’ compilation CD on Merck Records, has handed over the keys to his mind and returned to the net.label fold with this sublime 5-track EP.

Right off the bat, ‘Cut1’ comes out with a tremendously complex blend of Lackluster’s signature smooth melodies, with a newer, almost dubby edge, before the languid ‘Ambling On’ shows off rocksteady beats and a drifting, just gorgeous lead. Up next, ‘Cut2’ sneaks up with an almost ‘CDR#2’ or ‘Container’-like simplicity of spirit and purity of thought, before ‘Tumbling Along’ shows up, all perfect drum programming and lolloping breaks. Finally, ‘Ender’ ends things off subtly with reversed sounding loops and a humming bass, a fitting finish to a simply beautiful EP that Monotonik is proud to be hosting for free.


Credits:
cover by lackluster


Tracklist:
01 – ll260303 (Cut1)
02 – ll030503 (Ambling On)
03 – ll260303 (Cut2)
04 – ll080702 (Tumbling Along)
05 – ll120702b (Ender)

Artwork:
Front Cover

Additional Links:
[Bandcamp]


License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial 1.0 Generic (CC BY-ND-NC 1.0)


Tim Koch – Thug:Remixed Sampler {mtk080}

Artist: Tim Koch
Title:
Thug:Remixed Sampler
Label:
Monotonik
Catalog #:
mtk080
Release Date:
2002/06/02


To coincide with the release of the long-awaited Aural Industries CD, “Thug:Remixed” (go to their page for info on how to order!), us here @ Monotonik are proud to release a 3-track sampler with a taste of the re-interpretations of Tim Koch/ Thug [Defocus, AI, Surgery] available on the disc itself.

Although the CD contains remixes by a whole bunch of other supercool idm types (Pimmon, Aspen, Superscience, Octopus Inc, Sense, and more!), we picked three of the most intriguing to put out there.

First up, Swedish duo Boulderdash, best known for their landmark 2000 release on RUC, “We Never Went to Koxut Island”, re-interpret Thug’s “123Heart” in heartbreaking style, all irregular drum gorgeousness and soulfelt layered shuffle.

Secondly, we find Sydney, Australia-based Quark Kent re-editing Tim’s “Let Us Chip” into an almost dub-sharp drum idm pot-pourri, with Orb-ish Pepperpot weird-ass vocal samples sneaked into the mix too. Eerie.

Finally, Finland’s Lackluster, not a stranger to Monotonik release-lists himself, contributes a typically pure-of-heart remix of “Quasipede”, starting out all coy and shy, before slipping in a marvellous sine-bass and allowing it to skip all around our head for the final part of the song. All in all, a satisfying conclusion.


Credits:
cover by thug/friends


Tracklist:
01 – 123Heart (Boulderdash Remix)
02 – Let Us Chip (Quark Kent Remix)
03 – Quasipede (Lackluster Remix)

Artwork:
Front Cover


License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial 1.0 Generic (CC BY-ND-NC 1.0)


Lackluster – One-Offs EP {mtk055}

Artist: Lackluster
Title:
One-Offs EP
Label:
Monotonik
Catalog #:
mtk055
Release Date:
2001/06/21


Monotonik is _very_ proud to present an exclusive 6-track EP from Finland’s Lackluster, aka Esa Ruoho, an artist we’ve been releasing (as Distance) since way back when we were putting out .MODs, and have seen go from the limited-edition “CDR#2″ on Monotonik (our only physical release ever) to critical acclaim through his 12” and album releases on the UK’s DeFocus Records, and more recent vinyl and CDs put out through Rikos, Merck, and U-Cover, to name but a few.

“One-Offs EP” is a collection of material from the last year or so which, quite simply, blows us away. From the starting bloopshuffle into expansive caverns of “Plip”, through the perverse percussives of “Shoo”, and into the suddenly retro, gorgeous simplicity of “21/01/01”, this suddenly feels eons past “Container”, even after its 5-star Muzik rating.

Pausing for the breathy interlude of “Sfacidx3mulch”, the EP forges on to the simply epic and extended multilayering of “Rumk8”, as formerly heard in the live@technature performance, and finally to the wonderful “Kcl2”, all echo-ing organ chords and zen-like calm. What a trip.

[Check out the special+exclusive Flash cover and download page from Tpolm’s super-talented Fthr here, thanks to Jaska for the great cover used above.. and see Lackluster’s own site at http://www.m3rck.net/lackluster for lots more info on all his releases..]


Credits:
cover by jaska


Tracklist:
01 – Plip
02 – Shoo
03 – 21/01/01
04 – Sfacidx3mulch
05 – Rumk8
06 – Kcl2

Artwork:
Front Cover

Additional Links:
[Badncamp]


License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial 1.0 Generic (CC BY-ND-NC 1.0)


Lackluster – 13/10/99 {mtk015}

Artist: Lackluster
Title:
13/10/99
Label:
Monotonik
Catalog #:
mtk015
Release Date:
2000/03/16


The first sign of a Monotonik return would be Lackluster, aka Distance, purveyor of beautifully serene ambient idm, and newly signed to Focus Records in the UK, with a 12” out already and an album due soon.

But Monotonik is still lucky enough to feature some of his work, and this exclusive mp3 delves deeply into classic Lackluster territory, with shuffling percussion, layers and layers of pure sinewaves drifting over the top, and echo after echo symbolising the wind drifting icily over the ships in Helsinki harbour, perhaps? Pretty much a must-download.


Credits:
cover by fthr


Tracklist:
01 – 13/10/99

Artwork:
Front Cover

Additional Links:
[Bandcamp]


License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial 1.0 Generic (CC BY-ND-NC 1.0)


ceniq – Gaylab CD {ep/lp release #10}

Artist: ceniq
Title:
Gaylab CD
Label:
 Milk
Catalog #:
ep/lp release #10
Release Date:
1999/12/05


01 ceniq – gaylab
the opening track begins with powerful, shifting pad, perfectly blended with reverbed, effected ‘snare’. later on, echoed bleep comes with tight beat. the only bad side is that the track is a bit too repetitive, for my taste, at least. but, to put it short: what an amazing electro-ambient track. this even would go as a warp -release.
(93%)

02 ceniq/amon – gaylab (tilt goddess)
again, harsh “fractal-generator -noise”, [that’s my term for it.] as one track in vetac cd. the track seems a bit chaotic, and i didn’t find any underlying structure or logic from it. and again this reminds me some of autechre’s more extreme tracks [and yes, this track would fit on some autechre -album, imho.]
(87%)

03 ceniq/lackluster – gaylab (lackluster reconstruct)
this is an different perspective to the first track by lackluster. i liked this edit more than the original one. this edit is a bit heavier, with more aggressive beat. personally i like lackluster’s style very much, and it shows also on this track. good job.
(95%)

04 ceniq/salice – gaylab backmix
this track starts with a semi-complex beat, which nearly goes through the whole track, excluding the few pauses. the are a few ambient strings/ chords, and especially the one which is dropped in through the whole track, in times, sounds nice. a great track, imho, but not the best one, though.
(87%)

05 ceniq – coan5
the start is perfect: a smooth blend of strings, bouncing on. beautiful, minimal ambient sound, without any irrelevant parts disturbing the harmony. when voq-ep came out, i thought that coan3 was the best ambient i’ve ever heard. but then comes coan5, which is, in my opinion, better than coan3.
(97%)

overall, gaylab cd is finished, perhaps a bit more professional than vetac, but if you ask me, i put them both on a same line. again, ceniq is proving his amazing talents composing wonderful ambient or electronic tracks. this cd would really go as a warp-release. but it’s better when it’s free. and the last word from the cover artwork: it’s superb! it really shows that gaylab cd is a finished product.

total: [95%]

– tuomas .r


A few words from ceniq:

Amon’s tilt goddes mix: I asked amon, a good friend of mine, to do a mix of Gaylab for me as I like his personal touch in his music. Amon hadn’t had the time to do any mix for me and I was going to release Gaylab soon as I heard his latest tune “Tilt Goddes” which originally was a part of Droids Killed My Audio series (part 4 in fact) and I insisted him to give it for this Gaylab CD. I’m happy he did give it.

Lackluster’s reconstruct: I gave mr lackluster Esa Ruoho an unfinished version of Gaylab to remix (it was only about one and a half minute long) and he did a marvellous job mixing the original patterns and riffs with new drums and ideas. I actually got some ideas from his mix for my final “original” Gaylab – that’s why you might hear some similarities in his mix and my edit.

Salice’s backmix: I liked salice’s flud mix (which appeared on Vetac CD1) very much so I had to get him to remix Gaylab too. Salice did a very nice ambient remix with some fast beats leading the first half of the song. Nice stereo flanges and hipass filter sweeps give a nice sound to the drums and the end part’s ambient pads and reverbed speech samples make just a beautiful combination. And thank you Antti for totally awesome Gaylab cover art. I just love your work.


Tracklist:
01 – Gaylab
02 – Gaylab (Tilt Goddess) by amon
03 – Gaylab (lackluster reconstruct) by lackluster
04 – Gaylab backmix by salice
05 – coan5

Artwork:
Front Cover
Back Cover


Lackluster – Bothersome (Mother Mix) {mtk006}

Artist: Lackluster
Title:
Bothersome (Mother Mix)
Label:
Monotonik
Catalog #:
mtk006
Release Date:
1999/06/29


An mp3 single taken from the limited-edition CD by Lackluster (aka Distance), this track finds him in typically drifting, understated, beautifully pin-sharp ambient form. Chords steal quietly over the top of quietly pulsating drums and weirdly insistent bass, like the slow conquering tides.. perfectly balanced, electronics practically sound natural when they’re like this.

Compare and contrast to any other mellow ambient idm you like, in the end nobody sounds quite like Lackluster (but, of course, he doesn’t sound lacklustre at all – and there’s the paradox.)


Credits:
cover by hotwire


Tracklist:
01 – Bothersome (Mother Mix)

Artwork:
Front Cover

Additional Links:
[Bandcamp]


License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial 1.0 Generic (CC BY-ND-NC 1.0)