imomus: (Default)
[personal profile] imomus
I stepped into Dense, my favourite Berlin disquaire on Danziger Strasse yesterday and chatted with Tim Tetzner, who runs it, and Torsten from Karaoke Kalk, who put out Toog's last album in Germany. Tim knows my taste pretty well, so I asked him to recommend me some records. He started pulling out the sort of Franco-Japanese stuff I tend to like -- the new Konki Duet album Mountain Mouton, for instance. (See them play cardboard instruments in their new video Inflammable.)

The thing about someone knowing your tastes so well is that you tend already to know the stuff they know you'd like. Which means that you're probably getting a free copy of the record. You certainly are if, like me, you've already co-written a song with Kumi Okamoto of the Konki Duet, which will appear on her forthcoming solo album. Anyway, the whole thing gets very "famous for fifteen people", very circular.

So today I've taken it upon myself to recommend a new artist to myself. And you. So I've picked Joe Howe, a Glaswegian laptop kid (he's about 20) who makes records under the name Germlin. He's also in Gay Against You, whose new album you can download entirely free from Last FM. They play Madame Jojo's in Soho, London, on Tuesday.

Young Mr Germlin -- who reads Click Opera and has commented here, hello Joe! -- makes "laptop gabba" and "nerdcore". He's supported Jason Forrest, a fellow Adaadat label artist, as well as DAT Politics, and you can hear some of their digi-splatter stuff going on in his sound. I'd say he also crosses over, soundwise, with my friends Super Madrigal Brothers and Digiki (whose new Polypunk podcast has just gone out; unmissable -- it starts with a track from the new Cagesan release, a bird-artist project produced by Toog and a bunch of people, including me, and outfitted by Flo Manlik).

So, anyways, here's more stuff about Germlin. His album came out in January. He was in i-D magazine looking like a psychedlic nerd-hiker. His own comment on his looks is "I don't think I have ever looked more Jewish or spazzy than in this photo which Emma took. I was obviously in a good mood."

Here's Joe on YouTube performing live. Here's a very nice Resonance FM You Are Hear session he did in late 2005 (he even sings a bit in it!). You can see Joe's other photos on his Flickr page. I think it's important, before endorsing someone, to see his bedroom, for instance. Joe's passes the test. According to his LiveJournal he's currently spending a lot of time in there, suffering from headaches -- the downside of digi-splatter, perhaps. Get well soon, Joe!

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-08 02:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] me-vs-gutenberg.livejournal.com
Konki Duet, c'est super! I've yet to buy a bad record from active suspension.

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-08 04:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] imomus.livejournal.com
To see how many light years Click Opera is ahead of The Grauniad, check the Scottish musician they're recommending to their readers today (http://music.guardian.co.uk/video/page/0,,1967753,00.html).

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-08 04:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mini-snape.livejournal.com
A question: is 'gabba' the bastardised term for 'gabber' music (crazy techno from the late 90s, the word is Dutch for 'mate')? I think it is but the word confuses me.

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-08 04:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cap-scaleman.livejournal.com
Do you mind if I recommend Gogol Bordello (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJlGutqFqfg)?

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-08 04:58 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lord-whimsy.livejournal.com
I rather like the design of that Germlin sleeve.

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-08 06:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] nickink.livejournal.com
Nick, for some reason I thought of you when I came across Boomkat's reviews of these:

http://www.boomkat.com/label.cfm?l=3962

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-08 06:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] iloveacomputer.livejournal.com
Woah! I actually had to call him at his work when I read this. A nice surprise.

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-08 07:17 pm (UTC)

nothing to do with anything

Date: 2006-12-08 07:39 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
but v. v. interesting:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-08 07:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] betrayyrfriends.livejournal.com
wow, super surprising and flattering!!!!!!
thanks very much nick!

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-08 08:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] evenhanded.livejournal.com
momus, you're kind of creepy.

Ocky

Date: 2006-12-08 08:34 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
Speaking of new music, I am really enjoying your new album. According to I-tunes I have already listened 10 times since getting it a week ago (always a good sign). I like how it has the best elements from all of your work. The standouts for me ( at the moment!): Ex-Erotomane, Hang Low, The Birdcatcher, Permagasm, Dialtone, 7000bc and Moop Bears...

This is definitely a rich concoction which needs time to unfold. It also has a good quotient of hooks that get stuck in the head. I like that the the lyrics are less prominent and only become apparent after many listens. I also like that with it has that bell sound at the start and end, as a kind of book-end. I think it was a good idea that you did not blog this one too much. It is much better to hear it with fresh ears and as a piece. John's morphs are great as usual and I like the Rusty Santos production which I feel has allowed you to focus on the music rather than the production and also adds a necessary antidote to the sweeter melodies (was it your idea to vocode the vocals ? I like the effect it as it keeps it in the sphere of pop music). Hope others are enjoying it.

Richard

Re: Ocky

Date: 2006-12-08 08:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] imomus.livejournal.com
Thanks, Richard. Yeah, the vocode vocal thing has to be blamed on me -- and the software I happened to be using.

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-08 08:46 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
12 days of Xmas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owK5tHjL0aE

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-08 08:52 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
Maybe a tube, but he DID model for your new wig.

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-09 01:35 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] intergalactim.livejournal.com
well, i've got no idea who that Paolo chap is, but Germlin is mentioned in this Guardian article from today http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguide/games/story/0,,1966534,00.html
so maybe more like "light hours"?

I can't wait to get home from work and listen to some Germlin on a computer with actual speakers. I saw the ID article and thought he sounded interesting...

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-09 01:48 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] imomus.livejournal.com
Shameless copying. The very day after I mention him!

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-09 04:19 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lord-whimsy.livejournal.com
...but the tunes do make you wonder where the ice cream is.

Re: nothing to do with anything

Date: 2006-12-09 10:26 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] qscrisp.livejournal.com
There was an article about this in the first issue of Strange Attractor (http://www.strangeattractor.co.uk/). Apparently it's still available.

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-09 09:09 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hairparty.livejournal.com
joe how is great guy. i did the album artwork for their latest adaadat release muscle milk....they (and the label) were a pleasure to work with. i actually havent heard joe's solo stuff yet...

(no subject)

Date: 2006-12-10 10:03 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] charleshatcher.livejournal.com
I think that's his problem. He sounds more interesting than his music.

blurp

Date: 2006-12-11 07:10 am (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
Konki duet = Kimochi warui