WE FORFEIT (Mix 21) :: 20 Y(Ae)rs of Electronica 1996-2016

• APRIL 19, 2020 1:22 PM 
• ROBBIE GEOGHEGAN

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There is a hope that such a mix will introduce and reintroduce people to some of these past treasures of electronica (in Robbie’s book this ain’t IDM, but that’s another story), a genre so beautiful, broad and deep that you can simply dive into it.

The spread is wide and varied, with juggernauts of electronica

The recent reissue of Michael Fakesch’s Marion (Bit-Phalanx, 2019) reminded Robbie of something. Not just the quality of the cracking album from the Funkstörung man, but of the WE FOREIT mix he did in the Summer heat of Madrid. Now with this prolonged time we are spending in our homes with COVID-19, Robbie is several weeks under lock and key in the badly hit Spain, it seemed like a good idea to release this mix of tracks spanning a twenty year period.

This is a real trip down memory lane for our contributing editor, with most of the vinyl records used for this mix being bought as a teenager. The spread is wide and varied, with juggernauts of electronica like Autechre, Funckarma, and Phonem sitting across lesser known entities like Protocol and Swap.

A glut of labels, pillars of the sound, are represented. Yes, Skam (arguably the most important) is not on here; but its sublabel 30mil Recordings is. We’ve also tracks from the US to Europe with imprints like Chocolate Industries and Schematic sharing space with Germany’s Morr Music and Ireland’s own Ultramack. You’d be forgiven for pointing out that the bulk of these tracks are from a certain time frame, roughly a five year span. Nevertheless, hopefully the quality of the tracks will make up for the lack of material from the late 2000s.

Likewise, there is a hope that such a mix will introduce and reintroduce people to some of these past treasures of electronica (in Robbie’s book this ain’t IDM, but that’s another story), a genre so beautiful, broad and deep that you can simply dive into it.

  

Tracklist ::
Aesthete :: Plus One (Computer Club) (2016)
Phonem :: Untitled (Morr Music) (2002)
Dual Purpose :: Rubbaband (30mil Recordings) (2003)
Push Button Objects :: Non-Existant (Chocolate Industries) (1998)
Protocol :: Ndc (Boomchain Mix By Shad T. Scott) (Isophlux) (1999)
Takeshi Muto :: Ntak (Schematic) (1999)
Funckarma :: Lellectr (Djak-Up-Bitch: DUB) (2001)
Phonem :: Bliphop (Jetlag) (1999)
Swap :: Untitled (A2) (Musik Aus Strom) (1999)
L’usine ‎– Coded (Isophlux) (1998)
Kettel :: I Live You (Djak-Up-Bitch: DUB) (2002)
Ambulance :: Redudents (Ultramack) (2000)
Solenoid :: N120d (Outward Music Company) (1998)
Phonem :: Phonetik (Morr Music) (1999)
Gescom :: Keynell (Autechre Rmx) (Warp) (1996)

Best wishes to all and their loved ones during this challenging period. WE FORFEIT.

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WE FORFEIT (Mix 20) on Radio Relativa :: Show #5 Top Tracks of 2019

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The WE FORFEIT lads might be a wee bit behind on the whole Best of 2019, Unmissable from 2019, Why I Loved 2019 shenanigans, but they are firmly on the bandwagon and rolling down that hill and off that cliff.

WE FORFEIT · 20 Y(Ae)rs of Electronica 1996-2016

Unmissable from 2019

That time of year, when lists are made and passed around and folk summarise the previous twelve months; February. Right, the WE FORFEIT lads might be a wee bit behind on the whole Best of 2019, Unmissable from 2019, Why I Loved 2019 shenanigans, but they are firmly on the bandwagon and rolling down that hill and off that cliff.

Sarcastic witticisms aside, 2019 was a cracking year for music with some seriously savage stuff released by established talent, fresh faced newcomers and labels from far and wide. Mixed live, and lovingly, from the new Radio Relativa studio near Marques de Vadillo in Madrid, Robbie and Chris make their way through wave bangers, techno smoothness, fragile electro and even a bit of italo inspiration. Thanks to the gang, all three hundred of ’em, who came down, especially Dani (Clase Media), Juanpablo (Frigo), and Guillermo (ArD2, SETI), to Radio Relativa and all the music that made 2019! ¡Muchísimas gracias a todo y sigamos con el año nuevo!

Tracklist ::
Todo Todo :: Digital Dancer (Juanpablo’s Edit) (Frigio)
Kord :: Vilse (Femur)
Fimmaker :: Extinction Wave (HC)
Assembler Code & Jensen Interceptor :: Rotorwerks (Rattleznake)
The Sun Corporation :: Te Suena (Primitive Version)
Tonovelle :: Event Horizon (Where We Met)
Tagwell Woods :: Bench on the Hill (Distant Worlds)
BOA Featuring Mathieu Deranlot :: Lumière Électronique (FireScope)
Russ Gabriel ‎:: Planet Discovery (Exalt)
John Shima :: Empires (FireScope)
Ziggy :: Trance Gigolo (Bahnsteig 23)
Electro Force :: Getting High (303)
Younger Than Me :: Dirty Sex Ft Justine (Bar Rotterdam)
Exhausted Modern :: Cima Da Lägh (Electronic Leatherette)
Junq ‎:: Altered State (Furthur Electronix)
E.R.P. :: Spurned (Forgotten Future)
Negocius Man :: Meditation (Microm)
Versalife :: Clandestine Development (20:20 Vision)
Vangelis Katsoulis :: Earth Beat (Edited By – Bartoszek)
WLDV :: Inner Communications (Waste Editions)
Simona Sierra ‎:: Muchacho (I.D. Limited)
Antoni Maiovvi :: The Wolf Void (Artificial Horizon)

First broadcast Feb 10, 2020. Blogspot | Facebook

Muchas gracias a Dani (La Clase Media) por la imagen!

WE FORFEIT (Mix 19) on Radio Relativa :: Show #4

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WE FORFEIT · Radio Relativa #4 enero

Maintain the poor choices in most things, but never in music.

After such wanton consumption over the Christmas period, WE FORFEIT have taken on a new years’ resolution. No fad diets, although the lads are already yo-yoing on about three each at the moment. No gym memberships, in spite of the lads already being part of two different ones each (hence the bungee dieting.) No, this year the WE FORFEIT mission statement is simple; to continue as before, maintain the poor choices in most things, but never in music.

Chris gets 2020 rolling with a morphing piece of ambient techno on Spain’s Hooded with Robbie once again showering Aleksi Perälä in praise with three selections from the Finnish master. Chris, an avid digger, surfaces with a superb selection from Artificial Horizon with Itako.

Thanks again to Hyboid for a cracking interview and all the insight he gave into himself, his music and his label Astro Chicken. As a sort of homage, the gentleman have picked out some tracks they think would be right up Hyboid’s alley.

Caustic Window was named as a firm favorite by our Berlin based buddy so Robbie dug into his ample Aphex Twin collection (he’s featured in every Radio Relativa show to date, as was noticed by Callum McCallum who we need ask again not to contact Chris’ family) and plucked out “Cordialatron” from Joyrex5 which is gently mixed with Red Tape on the excellent 030303 before a cracker by RX-101.

Keeping the 90s alive, 3 Phase delivers a bending shapeshifting wonder with Surgeon hammering home a pounding machine assault. Mark Forshaw and John Heckle represent with some acid clout and silken daydreams before Chris serves up a tasty selection from Negocious Man, Affective Sauna and Fractions.

WE FORFEIT’s vision of the future is encompassed in music from the past with Nighthawk, Freeez and Bam Bam leading to the tear jerking melancholy of Decadence.

Competitions come but once a year and whoever knows the sample for the TR One track might win themselves a WE FORFEIT mug, send us in your ideas: weforfeit@gmail.com or through the Faceless or the Flogspot.

  

Tracklist ::
Intro :: From the laps (Bitmapped)
Aleksi Perälä :: Nl-L56-18-07473 (Djak-Up-Bitch)
Mr. Fingers ‎ :: Inner Acid (Aleksi Perälä Remix) (Alleviated)
Aleksi Perälä :: NLL561606935 (Clone Basement Series)
Itako :: Fly Over The Forgotten Cities (Artificial Horizon)
Caustic Window :: Cordialatron (Rephlex)
Red Tape :: Coir (030303)
RX-101 :: Themis (Suction)
3 Phase :: Rota (Tresor)
Surgeon :: (Dynamic Tension)
Tr One :: Viceroy-9c (Apartment)
Mark Forshaw :: Table Etiquette (Computer Controlled)
John Heckle :: Blindman’s Bluff (Tabernacle)
Negocious Man :: U Gotta Bounce (Microm)
Affective Sauna :: Lobby Groove (Galaxunity)
Fractions :: Dissuasions (Rotterdam Electronics)
Anthony Rother :: Sex With The Machines (Kanzleramt)
Nighthawk :: Eye of the Tiger (RFC)
Freeez ‎:: A.E.I.O.U (Virgin)
Bam Bam :: Where’s Your Child (Tresor)
Decadence :: On & On (Mannequin)

¡Feliz año!

Soundcloud | Mixcloud

WE FORFEIT (Mix 18) on Radio Relativa :: Show #3 Interview with Hyboid (Astro Chicken)

WE FORFEIT · Radio Relativa #3 Interview with Hyboid (Astro Chicken Records)

WE FORFEIT know how to do Christmas. Long silences with loved ones, gritted teeth and processed ham. In this tradition, and that of making some mixes to ease the season, the lads are back at the stocking filling coalface to bring listeners messages of love and music. Through fictitious serendipity, a hackneyed flair for rhyming couplets and a fair bit of organisation, Robbie and Chris have a very special guest for their third show on Madrid’s Radio Relativa: Astro Chicken’s Hyboid. Expect two hours of hard hitting questions, insight into Hyboid’s influences and inspirations, his creative process, unheard music, guilty pleasures and the answers to the issues of our time.

A chill on a…

Dark December night, a cold wind whips the city,
The pavements soaked, roads wet, dirty and gritty.
Winter claws a lone passenger, a passenger who hurtles through the rain,
A passenger who feels no misery, a passenger who feels no pain.
Disembarking, the collar is given a flick,
Chris’ head is down, his step is quick.

This Christmas weather bites to the bone
And our intrepid traveller is not set for home.
He’s off recording a two hour set,
One filled with electronic music and banter I’ll bet.
The streets are dark and the headphones are in,
Chris’ attention is grabbed, “Could that lad be my twin?”

Thud. Confusion. A bump between two.
“Pardon Me”, “Aye, wait, Hyboid, is that you?
The head of Astro Chicken? In our neighbourhood?”
“Doing some sightseeing, but a warm house would be good.”
“Well you’re in luck, my mate lives ‘round here,
We’re doing a radio show, would ya pull up a chair?”
“Questions and music, sound good to me!”
“Synth Pop. Electro. And a decent cup of tea!”

Warm sounds fill Robbie’s house, a buzzer cuts,
“Who’s tha? Yeah, come on up, no ifs or buts!”
“Brutal night, who’s that you’re playing?”
“Some Hyboid tracks, for an interview I’d be praying!”
“Well let me tell ya, those prayers have been answered,
You’re not gonna guess who I just encountered!”

O Saints be praised, O Heaven. O Joy,
It was like the WE FORFEIT lads were again but a boy.
With Hyboid they sat and warmly nattered,
Music, a snifter of port, nothing in the world mattered,
Questions, answers and a tasty cheeseboard
Christmas merriment and laughter to the sound of an electronic music record.
A glut of audio presents left under the polythene tree,
Festive fun and musical frolics from this happy three.

Thanks Hyboid!

Happy Christmas everyone! – WE FO FO FO FORFEIT

Tracklist / Interview Questions ::

Intro :: From the laps (Bitmapped)
Starlight Hammer Sounds :: Turrican 2 (Astro Chicken)
Hyboid :: Telepath Or Psychopath (Aspecto Humano)
Hyboid :: Trip To NGC891 2 (Astro Chicken)
Anbau :: Disco Z (Aspecto Humano)
Question 1 :: For our listeners who might not know, how is Hyboid and what is Astro Chicken Records?
Question 2 :: So when did you set up the label?
Hyboid :: Dr. Dabic’s Pain Amplifier
Risk Risk :: Digital Love
Sternrekorder :: Sugarshaker
Question 3 :: And how long have you been producing music?
Hyboid :: Space Haze
Hyboid as Erwin Eiswürfel :: Roboterbrösel (Störgeräusche aus dem Evangelium)
Question 4 :: So what are your early influences? What three records really stand out from these influences?
Klaus Doldinger :: Das Boot
Paso Doble :: Computerliebe
Caustic Window :: Italic Eyeball
Question 5 :: And who is influencing you nowadays?
Jan Hammer Group :: Don’t You Know
Bernard Fevre :: Max Stroke
Telex :: En Route Vers De Nouvelles Aventures
Question 6 :: As Hyboid you have released five albums. What draws you to the LP medium instead of EP?
Hyboid :: Terrör of the Üniverse (Intro)
Hyboid :: Les Aventures des Synthés
Question 7 :: How are you producing your music? What machines are you using?
Hyboid :: Crystal of the Ancients
Question 8 :: Tell us about your recently released album, Silent Signals has just hit the shops. What is this fifth album about? How is it different to your previous LPs?
Hyboid :: Starcrush
Hyboid :: Strange Signals
Hyboid :: Future Fever
Question 9 :: We are here in Madrid, can you tell us about the time you played here? Will you be back soon?
Question 10 :: What does the future hold for you? The label?
Hyboid :: Apocalypse in Neon
Hyboid and the Astro Chicken Allstars :: Untitled
Question 11 :: What are your predictions for electronic music in the future?
Question 12 :: To end, what about a guilty pleasure track?
Jon & Vangelis :: I’ll find My Way Home

astro-chicken.com | soundcloud.com/astro-chicken-records

WE FORFEIT (Mix 17) on Radio Relativa :: Show #2

WE FORFEIT · Radio Relativa #2 octubre

WE FORFEIT return to the airwaves of Spain and the inter-waves of the world with the second instalment of their eponymous show on Madrid’s Radio Relativa. Starting as they mean to go on, to paraphrase Aphex Twin, the lads continue down a line of electronic music exploration and inquiry with tracks taken from far and wide for this latest two hour session.

A selection from Britain’s Tagwell Woods, recently on Distant Worlds, is followed by whimsical banter and cosmic disco care of Xenon before delving into the darkness with Dramatis Personae. Following this heartening introduction comes the heart of this month’s broadcast, a cold core of electro around which the lads select choice cuts from Central Processing Unit, Schrodinger’s Box and FTP to name but a few. To thaw those icey sounds, pockets of warmth can be found form Daniel Andréasson, Roger 23 and pure sunshine from Kano.

Oppenheimer Analysis and Hyboid close the set with two rounding renditions of incandescent synth pop. Next month one of these two artists will be interviewed by the WE FORFEIT men. Expect piercing musical journalism, hard hitting questions, juicy tidbits and much more with some personal selections from the lads and their very special guest.

Thanks, as ever, to Radio Relativa and Callum McCallum of Bishopbriggs who can look forward to drinking his Bru from a WE FORFEIT mug. Gracias a todos! Intro :: From the laps (Bitmapped)
Tagwell Woods :: Hardware (W.T.)
Tagwell Woods :: Christmas (Photic Fields)
Tagwell Woods :: Tagwell Woods (W.T. Records)
Xenon :: Galaxi (ZYX)
Dramatis Personae :: Carcosa (Vielspaß)
Mr TC & Lo Kindre :: Contaminant (Phase Group)
Diffuse Arc :: ACTO 5. Soledad (odio)
E.R.P. :: Wishing Still (Forgotten Figure)
Stratowerx :: Secret State (Sync 24 Remix) (Caught London Sleeping)
Sorrowbot :: Palpit-8 (Schrodinger’s Box)
Franck Sarrio ‎:: Army Of Robots (Radio Mars)
Will Web :: D Playas (FTP)
DMX Krew :: Urgent Enquiry (Breakin’)
Cybonix :: Shake Yo Body (Frustrated Funk)
Detroit’s Filthiest :: Baby Makin Music (Philphtrax)
Bradley Strider :: Bradley’s Beat (Rephlex)
Parris Mitchell :: Computer (Dance Mania)
Dj Ford Foster :: Gold Cans (Unknown to the Unknown.)
Dynamite Winter Palace :: Transiberian (Knekelhuis A Parigi)
Kano :: Ikeya Seki
Daniel Kyo :: Blood Running (Giallo Disco)
Daniel Andréasson ‎:: Track 4 (Skudge White)
Roger23 :: Deep, Deeper & Deeper (Bio Rhythm)
Plant43 :: Tellarium Snow (Central Processing Unit)
Oppenheimer Analysis :: Subterranean Desire (Minimal Wave)
Hyboid :: Walking The Milky Way (Astro Chicken)

WE FORFEIT (Mix 16) on Radio Relativa – Show #1

Before Robbie and Chris started making their WE FORFEIT mixes the original idea had been a wee sort of radio show. Bitta chat. Bitta discussion. Bitta misty eyed reminiscing about the past and how things were in our day. Now that original idea is coming to fruition.

Once a month WE FORFEIT will have a two hour show on Madrid’s Radio Relativa, an independent digital radio station based in the Spanish capital. The lads will finally get to have that bitta chat and whatnot alongside music from all areas of electronic music.

For the first show the lads go through their record collections, picking out teenage favourites, pensive tech-poetry and modern day melters. The result? A rich soup of electro, italo, house, lotsa IDM, wave and techno bruisers garnished with pearls of wisdom, mispronounced words and difficult to make out accents. A meaty platter of dusty vinyl, gleaming wax and obscurities drizzled with anecdotes, reflections and tangential memories. A meringue filled with music, good humour, love, tears, bribes, cat hair and Aphex Twin.

Thanks to Radio Relativa for the opportunity and young Huw Stephens for his incisive and insightful question for Chris. Gracias a todos!

Intro :: Ya Gonna Have to Guess What (Bitmapped)
Fred Ventura :: Looking For The Western Beat (Mannequin)
Alba feat Fred Ventura :: Without You (Aube)
UBahnX :: Young Hearts Of Europe (Essential Mega-Mix) (EMI)
East Wall :: Ice Of Fire (Dark Entries)
Esplendor Geométrico :: Rotor (Contort Yourself)
Esplendor Geométrico :: Francotirador (Original – 1989) (Frigio)
Tim Jackiw ‎:: Before You Go (Offworld)
M GUN :: Snap In (Futurepast)
AFX :: Phonatacid (Rephlex)
Jega :: Nausicaä (Skam)
The Kosmik Kommando :: Something from Frequenseize (Rephlex)
Dave Clarke :: Wisdom To The Wise (Bush)
2001 ‎:: Space Age (B12)
Germ Featuring Hillary Jeffery:: Black Chair (V-2-3) (GPR)
Peel Seamus : Chatsubo (Delsin)
Heinrich Dressel :: Space Wave Shaft (Ma Spaventi Chill Mix) (Slow Motion)
Plant43 :: Sentient City (Semantica)
Visonia & Mad Moizel :: Beat Frequencies (Last Known Trajectory)
Hisperius Draco :: Tronitum Domini (Frigio)
CCO :: Voskhod (Endless Illusion)
Mescalinum United :: We Have Arrived (Industrial Strength Records)

WE FORFEIT will be back on Radio Relativa in November.

WE FORFEIT mixes will also continue, with a few already in the pipeline so keep an ear out. Love them here: https://weforfeit.blogspot.com

WE FORFEIT · Radio Relativa #1 septiembre

WE FORFEIT (Mix 15) :: Bunk3r @ Utopia — Madrid June 14, 2019

DL https://drive.google.com/open?id=1YuVmRiIg8co2Xo-q0DQCXnk7pOqQTAU5

There is nowhere Chris and Robbie would rather spend their Friday night than in an industrial estate, especially if that industrial estate is home to one best sound systems in the Spanish capital and WE FORFEIT have been invited to hammer out some tunes alongside some of Madrid’s finest. Amongst a line up including Juanpablo (Frigio), Ruben Montesco (Industrias Mekanikas), Fake Robotique, Mora and DJ Zabor, the “Ireland and Scotland” pairing served up near two hours of sweat inducing goodness.

Robbie was up first and reflected the grit of the industrial surroundings with the mechanical groan and grunt of DJ Spider & Phil Moffa before the gruesome grind and vicious slice of Chemotex. A brightening begins with the mysterious finale Wargames 12”, a brightening that is carried into two 90s EBM burners from Interactive and one of Jeff Mills’ first projects as Final Cut. Canada’s Psyche shift us into some angular wave with Justin Van Der Volgen arriving on the scene for a smoulder synth burner and Armando’s lost gem, “Don’t Take It”, adding some Chicago punch. Mick Wills, under his rarely used Kinky Lovers guise with Isabella Venis, reimagines the chilling Hollywood Seven by Alides Hidding as Manse waiting in the wings for some industrial wallop. Colder moods continue with Delta Funktionen before a thaw sets in with the analogue warmth of Dona. The mix ends with a simply superb yet sadly overlooked electro masterpiece, Redshift’s timeless and tense “Glide.”

Chris takes over with a straight for the cerebellum selection from Negocius Man, Franck Sarrio and Mr Batman from the excellent Lunar Orbit Program. Filleting those ruffled edges, Lena Wilikens dreamy remake of Lena Platonos’ “Lego” gives way to the rough and ragged edges of Sanisbar smashes before calm is restored by the pioneering Neil Landstrum. Chris toys with his tracks, meshing with harsher tones and smoother lines. “Signal 27” is a cold dipped dystopian Kraftwerk-like creation, Dawl and Sweet adopting sci-fi modulations against cold vocals. The frigid funk follows into Larionov & St Theodore’s ice clad concoction with temperatures rising for the lipstick stained disco romance of Machinegewehr entangling Nouvelle Phenomene. Chris spikes this love tale with the bloodshot banger that is “The Scene” by Im Keller with Tonnovelle trying to add a modicum of sanity to the proceedings to end.

A muchísimas gracias a toda la gente de Bunk3r y Utopia por la oportunidad. WE FORFEIT.

WE FORFEIT · WE FORFEIT (Mix 15) :: Bunk3r @ Utopia - Madrid 14.06.19