Ellen Allien - "Thrills"

Well, I'm down with not really caring about beat-provenance, but some of the mechnics of the Berlinette beats still amaze all hell out of me. With electronics there's a tendency to just fit beats into genres -- IDM beats, tech beats, etc -- but some of the ones on that album just sound like gorgeous little machines, and I could probably listen to them alone for hours. On the other hand, I can't imagine that there's that much of a disconnect between the beatmaking and the rest, because everything on there is so marvelously integrated.

you have someone (misled, betrayed!) implying that because Apparat contributed beats to Berlinette (how many beats? which songs?!), this means her entire discography/creative direction of her label just might not be her doing, but rather perhaps one of her (male) counterparts is really manning the decks.

unless he has inside info ("Ellen was busy listening to the latest Kompakt comp, stealing ideas! Apparat wrote the whole thing!"), that leap of logic seems baseless.

and you're right, Berlinette is a pretty seamlessly integrated whole!

The workings of the label part was kind of off-topic for the article, but the random genre criticisms that have vague-yet-specific references really come out of nowhere. If Nick has issues with the culture as a whole, I wish he'd address them, fully, elsewhere. From the review I'd expect it to be a 3 or 4 yet he still rated it a 7 without talking about the music so much.

From Pitchfork today: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/news/05-06/21.shtml#allien

She's also set to appear on two tracks on fellow Berliner T. Raumschmiere's new album, Blitzkrieg Pop, due August 23 on Mute and is working on a 12" for Ghostly International, which should be out by the end of the year. Guess I'll be buying the T. Raumschmiere album after all then.

Also, wanted to add... with a bit of poking around, you can get a better quality (better than a realplayer stream) version of the Sónar set (also mentioned on Pfork) from her website btw. I didn't realise that's what it was until now actually! Sort of makes more sense now, how long did she play for after this? Was anyone at this? And what the hell is that track 45 mins in which is like deadly, precisely controlled acid-303 stabs + vicious military drumming?? *swoon*. I really should just make a fan page instead of bumping this thread again shouldn't I? Sorry :-( (although if anyone has answers to those questions, do say!).

at sonar ellen allien played this track at 6am (I know 'cos I looked at my watch straight after I turned to mark all goggle-eyed and wowed) it was just vicious, these dry hilti gun stabs broken up by the scream of some witch on pills. (actually looking at the schedule, she started at 5.15 so I guess it's the track you're talking about fandango).

actually listening to the set now I think we're talking about a different track but I'll post up the time for the song I'm talking about when it comes up on the stream.

heh. cheers :) it's more curiosity really, I wondered if it was something really well known.

I've heard her play things in a similar vein before, layering really active/pure acid lines over different, busy, breakbeat tracks... It's perhaps not anything super-original(?), but it stood out enough when I heard it before that it seemed like it.

still can't get into this in any big way......dunno why, usually I'd find some good in a record in this genre with acclaim like "thrills", it just feels kind of cold to me.

Gear, I totally don't want to put words into Nick's mouth on this one, so I'm a little loathe to overinterpret that sentence. What I will say is that the syntax of the sentence itself doesn't make the leap of logic you're talking about; it pretty much says "however much" someone else might have been involved, as if it doesn't matter either way. In fact, the overall point seems to be that the new album is a break from Ellen's history, regardless of who may have contributed to that history or how much; i.e., the difference isn't in Apparat's involvement versus non-involvement, but in her personal decision to shift direction.

It's kind of weird to talk about "Thrills" being a big break from Ellen's history, considering that her history as a solo artist basically only consists of one album. One album does not establish much of a history. If you go back to her mix albums, then "Thrills" seems even less like a break. It seems like a natural progression of the styles she was exploring as far back as "Flieg Mit".

Sorry - two solo albums - I forgot about "Statdkind".

the word "dictated" is what got me there, I think.

There's a pretty good discography here (the one on AMG sucks):

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Ellen+Allien

(dammit I wrote all this and you lot got there first X) )

!

There's 3 12" e.p.'s and a debut album 'Stadtkind' (plus many remixes, later collected on 'Remix Collection') before 'Berlinette' :-O

In fact 'Thrills' rather reminds me of a more fleshed-out, extended return (unfinished business?) to the sound of the pre-Stadtkind stuff (including 'Dresden', which I mentioned upthread), that of it which I've heard anyway*, no glitches, expression coming mainly from very soft & simple basic loops.

Even I'll admit to having conflicting feelings about how far I'd like her to experiment with this kind of style though. If her records are going to be seen as just dancefloor material... I think she's capable of taking things so much further, when she feels like doing so.

*If anyone _has_ those early records, I'm very curious to give them a listen (not assuming they'll be great or anything obv) - gmail me!.

I'm curious why anyone would think that Apparat is the secret genius behind the things they like on "Berlinette". If he has anything like those tracks in his discography, I'd appreciate someone pointing me towards them. The Apparat I have ("Duplex") is much more ambient IDM/Aphex Twin type of stuff, without the pop appeal or dance-floor imperatives that drive Allien's work.

They have kind of collaborated on one track before actually o. nate. "Fuse" on the b-side of Apparat's 'Koax' 12" on Bpitch. You could give that one a listen. It hardly reveals any new insights though.

Basically my take (and Gear!'s I presume) on this 'controversy' is that there's easily enough material out there already that stands up next to anything off "Berlinette" (and could actually have slotted in there without being out of place) to credit the sound and purpose of that album to either producer (Apparat or SmashTV) in it's entirety.

For fans of the previous Ellen Allien sound, there is this to look forward to (assuming it will sound like that of course).

Ellen: I will see what happens. But what is concrete is that Apparat (Shitkatapult) and I are producing an album together. We share lines of a track—he and I add something to the track—it's like a puzzle. That's exiting, because I will not know how the track will be finished. He's an amazing producer. Watch out!
(http://www.regenmag.com/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=180&pageno=2)

I think I meant (upthread) I have conflicting feelings about how far I want her to continue with the "Thrills" sound, I do want her to 'experiment'. Just because she sounds comfortable & confident on this one, doesn't mean it will be the direction she continues in forever I don't think.

Last post today, promise!

Video for "Down" - http://www.mtv.de/media/artist/ellen_allien/ellen_allien_down.ram

not sure if people found out, but there's a tracklisting of the ellen set on saumrai.fm there:

Title: Sonar Presents Ellen Allien
Published: 14 June 2005
Duration: 1:18:53
Website: www.bpitchcontrol.de

Track Listing:

1. Darkfarmer - Zion - Swayzak Records
2. Hendrik Luuk - Vikat Voei Leib - Airbag Craftwork
3. Ellen Allien - Your Body is my Body - BPitch Control
4. Monoiake - Invisible - Monoiake Imbalance
5. G-Man - Graphite - Elektronixs Network
6. Donato Dozzy and Brando Lupi - Eskimo 2 - Electronicarma
7. Modeler - Mint Condition - Dubsided
8. Ben Klock - Track B2 - Memo
9. Playtracks - A2 - Electric Input
10. Stefan Manceay and Jo Flash - Twisted Area- Starbaby Records
11. Syncomdata - Denhaag - Bunker Records
12. Like a Tim - Like 6 - Like Rec
13. 3st Vs Dash - You can bomb me in 5 minutes - Rampe
14. Audio Werner - Zwrtshak Drive - Hartchef Records
15. Monolake - Axis - Monolake Imbalance
16. Sascha Funke - Boy - BPitch Control
17. Ellen Allien - Cloudy City - BPitch Control
18. Paul Kalkbrenner - Tatu Tata - BPitch Control

this just in: fandango works with tomas andersson on his ilx posts

LOL! Um... sorry I don't no :-(

p.s. now I feel double bad about calling attention to yr review of said record. I don't want to call you a dick (see other thread) 'cos I don't think you are :<

I thought someone might want to see that vid though (just found it online now) like, vinyl buying people maybe. Anyhow, thanks for finding that tracklist david day.

apparat helping out on berlinette isnt a secret, he gets a credit on the back of the album

I also think it was no big secret that Ellen and Sascha (aka Apparat) were dating at the time. I have no idea if they are still together though...

I kind of regret going to Virus Syndicate over Ellen Allien at Sónar now, even though they were astonishingly good. Possibly I should have run back and forth between rooms.

I agree with Ronan. I'm not really feeling Thrills. First Allien thing that has left me a bit cold. (I love The Remix Collection, Berlinette and all the DJ mixes.) I was hoping for more stuff like "Bang Bang".

There are a couple of nice things in the second half. e.g. "Ghost Train" and "She Is With Me".

Will try and find a way of d/ling that Sonar set.

Not sure I should really be posting this if it's supposed to be streaming but - http://www.ellenallien.de/cms_media/mp3_stream/mix_2005.mp3 is how to download that Sonar set.

Guess that'll get me accused of promotions work once more... le sigh.

Thanks! (actually I meant I'll try and find a way to listen to the stream, but I am not a computer techie so tend to get my terminology wrong)

(just read) Michael Gill's review of Thrills in Stylus is wonderful. not sure whether approp./or need to post a link here. really made me want to listen again as i burned out quickly on this album but possibly b/c its heavy duty and it just don't get any lighter with play. i'm betting hearing the ideas expressed so well in language might remedy that a bit for me.

Hua Hsu's review in Slate is short, but at least (unlike the Pitchfork review) you feel like he's at least hearing the same record:

http://slate.msn.com/id/2121387/

Hsu's right that this is definitely a night album - it sounds very good at night. Of Allien's prior work, this reminds me the most of her excellent mix album Flieg Mit - she achieves a similar aesthetic here, except this time making the music herself rather than mixing other people's tracks.

thrills has grown on me considerably but overall i still think it's a huge disappointment

This is one of those albums which, despite having read tons of reviews of, I have no clue as to what it sounds like.

I don't consider it a disappointment at all. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up listening to Thrills more than Berlinette, which has some great tracks but is also a bit uneven. There's nothing on Thrills as cringe-inducing as "Trashscapes". But I can understand that people who were hoping she would turn into Lali Puna might be let down that she doesn't sing much on this one.

xpost

It's the most teutonically "listening" album I've heard in a while.. meaning I can't muster the desire to want to pick this up on vinyl and want to DJ it, despite it being pulsing all the way through. However, I do want this on CD to listen to.

I DID pick up the "Magma" remix 12".. with remixes by Allien, the MFA, and Modeselektor. The MFA remix is predictable but certainly the best of them all.. although the Allien remix makes for better dance fodder than the album version. I'm getting tired of Modeselektor at this point.. they almost seem to force themselves to have to do SOMETHING jagged with any beat and fuck with it, even if it's a bad idea.

While it's fair to suggest that listeners hoping for a more expansive, complex album from EA might be disappointed by "Thrills", I'd say this is the album that was right for her to make at this time: a lean, muscular, bass-heavy techno record. Given her serious views on techno, indutrialization, Berlin, etc., accompanying this release, I'd have lifted a brow if she dropped a follow-up as warm and poppy and accessible as "Berlinette", which while pretty good, still brought the "Berliniamsburg" wince out of me.

Given that silly Road Warrior URB spread following "Berlinette", and the cringe-inducing "electroclash-hipster" cover for "My Parade", I actually really like the sophistication of "Thrills", the single-minded seriousness she brought to it. Not pop. Not glitch. TECHNO record. Bam.

Plus, for whatever it's worth, the first Grace Jones record I heard was "Slave To The Rhythm", which I purchsed when I was fifteen based on the cover alone. While I liked the record, I was disappointed by how soft and convential it was in relation to the cover. I was expecting something really tough and strange and other worldy.

When I first heard "The Brain Is Lost", my initial thought was "THAT is what 'Slave To The Rhythm' should have sounded like!", based on the cover.....

fans of thrills should check out anthony rother's stuff if you haven't already.

One listen and I have to say this sounds awfully dry...

Another pretty decent review for what it's worth - http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/2257

I still don't like it very much.

I'm not trying to persuade anyone... I wouldn't mind erasing some of my gushing upthread at this point perhaps.

I hadn't really heard many artists who'd created warm and inviting sounding 'electro'. In a non-pop sense. I think I associated the term with the very opposite, which threw me way off on first listen. I've heard some since though, and it makes a bit more sense now,

But the 'sounds' here have definitely had time to sink in way past the level of familiarity by now and I still dig them a whole heap. "Refurbished" does seem an apt term to apply to her new/old explorations here, it isn't in any way a 'retro' record for me. Nostalgic at moments, but that's a different kind of dip into the past.

i don't think i've gushed enough about this. it has its limitations and is dry in a way. anyway, i'm not gushing b/c don't have time right now...will come back later.

so is this idm or dance

i'd say its definitely more idm leaning, but that distinction is weird, isn't it? do you mean, can you dance to it?

Michael F Gill to thread!

There's not much skronk/blarrrrz/pffffppptttth abrasive noises on this one. Is how I'd have to put it.

Much more broadly 'dance' than her previous work.

the spirit of it is total idm i think. not that that helps. Michael F. Gill to thread yes!

I've made a total 180 on this one and really like it now. It's still very unfamiliar and I imagine I'm gonna love it by the time I really know it. The sparsely used vocals are always really execellent.

I love this even more than when I first heard it. The opening bars of 'Come' are such a rush.