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dj marcelle - for - jahmoni - vinyl

New Copy

Genre: Techno / Electro

1. TWO WALLS
2. TWO WALLS (Dubai Muezzin Dub)
3. TWO WALLS (Problematic Dub)
4. TWO WALLS (Listen! BELP Dub)
5. TWO WALLS (Studio Door Dub)
6. TWO WALLS (Emerson, Lake & Palmer Symphony Dub)

"It sounded all right through two walls, so what's the problem?" The final words of 'Two Walls', the fast and very catchy leading track of DJ Marcelle's new record, sum up an aesthetic almost lost in today's musical climate, where often a pleasing attitude and overproduced music sadly rule, even in so-called 'alternative' circles.

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The quote comes from the late Mark E. Smith (1957 - 2018), legendary frontman of The Fall, and is taken from some of the conversations Marcelle had with Smith over the years. Smith is referring to a recording process but for Marcelle his words stand for something bigger.

Although The Fall have been with Marcelle during her whole musical life (which more or less started in 1977 during the punk wars) and she has a deep love for their music, it was especially Smith's attitude that inspired Marcelle.

Smith was an iconoclast, a surrealist Dadaist breaker of conventions in music and art more generally. A magically creative individual, a brain-twisting wordsmith. An attacker of the pretentious and dishonest elements in society and music scenes. An autodidact whose singular vision, fired by both humour and sharp observation, found a voice in a body of work unlike anything else.

The day after Marcelle heard of Smith's passing she created a new track, lauding Smith, whose name was an institution in itself: MARK E. SMITH! Therefore, the repetitious use of a John Peel sample pronouncing Smith's name celebrates the life of this totally unique artist.

This track opens with another Smith quote: "You're probably right, Marcelle". And indeed, the Dutch producer / dj shares many of Smith's attitudes in that she tries to stay true to herself, doesn't think too much about audience expectations and always tries to stay ahead of the public. 'Punky' energy combined with the avant-garde and always going forward with fresh productions and dj sets. To make and play music which reflects the present and doesn't rest in the comfort zone of one dimensional party music.

There are five more versions of 'Two Walls' on this EP, but they differ so much from the original that you can count them as different tracks. 'Dubai Muezzin Dub' was partly recorded in the United Emirates when Marcelle played there earlier in 2018. 'Problematic Dub' is pure industrial techno torn apart by the wildest dub effects; its coming and going of sounds equals a ride in a calypso. 'Studio Door Dub' celebrates the repetition of The Fall and the 'Emerson, Lake & Palmer Symphony Dub' is both pure avant-garde and hilarious fun. And BELP, who owns the Jahmoni label, comes with a wicked abstract noise remix.

The 'For' EP is the fourth (get it?) vinyl release of Marcelle on the Munich label Jahmoni since 2016. As always, sleeve and label are very colourful. Both labels show special photos: on one side we see an old picture of Smith embracing Marcelle, the other side depicts the label of a 1985 The Fall test pressing that once belonged to John Peel but which was stolen out of his car in Amsterdam. Later Marcelle found the record on a flea market, recognising Peel's handwriting.

"When I'm dead and gone" Smith sang in the 1979 song 'Psychik Dancehall', "my vibrations will live on, in vibes on vinyl through the years. People will dance to my waves."