Jan 15, 2012

Sundaze 1203

Hello, the world is still spinning despite all the arrested development around, ah yes as if silly humans could make it stop. That said aren't things going faster and faster. A good reason to take some Sundaze...

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My name is Evan. I make sounds. Rivers of music ancient & delicate flow through me....( Bluetech’s website)

"I’m really into plants and living things. Being aware of the currents of life, and acknowledging the intelligence and wisdom of growing things. If you only quiet the mind and listen with the heart, the Natural world has so much to teach. I’m an active dreamer, and gain music knowledge and direction from the dream sphere."


Evan Bartholomew has been one of the most active members in the digital music scene since day one, being a huge proponent of many indie artists' success online, then later going on to world recognition through a myriad of releases through his labels Native State Records and Silent Auction as well as scene stalwarts Waveform and Alpha Zero. Each year finds him getting better and better. His sound continues to develop and blossom and take on new forms as he explores the vast worlds of downtempo, psychill, and pure ambient. Also noteworthy is his Evan Marc project, taking the typically straightforward sounds of tech house and infusing them with equal portions of funk and complexity. Evan pays great attention to his sounds, his ideas, and his presentation, one of the most diverse and capable young producers around today.

Evan produces his unique style of digital downtempo from the West Coast of North America. Classically trained on the piano for public performing, Evan deviated from the traditional structure of classical music and being to relearn the instrument from an energetic and tonal perspective. This resulted in his interpretation of nature's expression of being, establishing a playing style that is dronal ambient, downtempo and improvisational. Explosions in technology and software have enabled him to explore the edges of contemporary music production, and a sound has developed which draws from the psychedelic community as well as the experimental/IDM community.

Evan Bartholomew, under the moniker Bluetech, produces his unique style of experimental noise from San Diego, CA. Classically trained on the piano for public performing, Bartholomew deviated from the traditional sounds and began to express the rhythms that sprouted from within him, and Bluetech was born. This resulted in his interpretation of nature's expression of being, a sound that is dronal ambient, downtempo, improvisational. He devoured the electronic potentials for musical expression and conveyed it in IDM, digidub, and psychedelic trance.

Bartholomew created and runs his own art collective in San Diego and does commercial sound design and production for both national and regional clients. He also writes and produces his own songs. "The Rubicon", "Prayers For Rain", and "Mezzamorphic" originally appeared on an EP released by Truffle Records, and brought the name Bluetech to a larger audience. In September 2003, these songs appeared on Bluetech's first album, Prima Materia, released by Waveform Records. It was followed by Elementary Particles and Sines & Singularities in 2005. Subsequently Evan went all out and released 11 albums 5 under the Bluetech moniker and 6 EP's in 6 years..and there's some great music in there. Without a doubt Bartholomew has become a leading light in the US electronic music scene, showing the way from one of our globes energetic nodes, beautiful Hawaii, his current residence.

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Prima Materia is the full-length debut of Bluetech (aka Evan Bartholomew), who has made a name for himself with performances at the annual Burning Man festival and San Diego's Project Cathedral. For Materia, he builds IDM and ambient-influenced songs with the aid of the instrumental invention afforded by a Reaktor modular sound studio and a host of PC-based synths. This isn't an album of bass; rather, trebly rhythms ping and pong off one another as melodies form out of the ether. It's all very tasteful, but it's initially somewhat opaque, as the opening tracks tend to blend together with no real definition. Fortunately, Materia climbs out of its rut with a remix of Sounds from the Ground's "Triangle" as well as a whirring dub mix of "Prayers for Rain," which appeared in its original form on Bluetech's introductory EP for Truffle. Bluetech might have a ways to go, since his debut full-length's memorable moments are separated by stretches of sound-alike territory that are probably more navigable when one's mind is not as sharp. The edge of sleep, for instance, or after one has "fallen through the cracks of the world" that he references in his liner notes. Nevertheless, Prima Materia should appeal to fans of the Waveform label's famously spacy biorhythms.


Bluetech – Prima Materia (flac 363mb)

01 Leaving Babylon 6:43
02 Prophetic Sines 6:16
03 Triangle (Retriangulated) 7:02
04 Rubicon 5:57
05 Prayers For Rain (Dub Mix) 6:52
06 White Magnesia 5:40
07 7th Phase Dub 6:28
08 Burning Waters 6:23
09 Mezzamorphic 7:58
10 Desperate Ends 5:32
11 Cliffdiving 1:57

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Elementary Particles sets up a totally relaxed start on this album. Floating vibes, with slow, dubby beats, echoing sounds and some beautiful sounds forming into a melody. Perfect opening on a chill out set. Then some relaxed dubby beats glide into the Alchemie Dub using plenty of ingredients great variation of melodies, sounds and dubby effects. Prayers For Rain goes into a different direction. It's a remix by J. Viewz (Jonathan Dagan) from Israel, who is one half of the famous duo called Violet Vision. Pretty experimental jazzy vibe with a lot of great variation. Overall, Elementary Particles is a relaxing, a rather mystic, psychedelic vibe all the way through, never get a boring moment.


Bluetech – Elementary Particles (flac 230mb)

01 Elementary Particles (Re-Edit) 8:12
02 Alchemie Dub 6:43
03 Cosmologic 7:32
04 Koinonea 6:30
05 Prayers For Rain (J.Viewz Remix) 4:59
06 Oleander 7:08
07 Worthy 3:05
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This release clearly demonstrates the rich maturing of Evan’s style & taste, a ripening of delicious musical fruits so it seems.
Phoenix Rising still retains Bluetech’s intelligent signature sound, but has a slightly more mature and funkier undercurrent to his previous releases. Sophisticated, clean, intricately constructed, meticulous and spacious…with dashes of fat squelchy basslines, cheeky squeaky melodies, flamboyant sound swirls, orchestral treats, and smooth rolling beats. Each track is unique to the next, making this a fine array of diverse examples of Evan’s musical genius. Don't miss it.

Bluetech – Phoenix Rising (flac 271mb)

01 My Dear Friend Kronos 7:22
02 What The Night Reveals 6:19
03 Kingdom Of The Blind (Third I Mix) 5:21
04 A Delicate Mystery (New Life Mix)7:49
05 Riding The Sky Elevator 7:56
06 Phoenix Rising 8:54
07 Invocation (The Fire Within) 7:14

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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

dear Rho-Xs,
Just a postcard to say 'Thank You +++' for your dedication to bringing back so many great albums to mind. I truly enjoyed your recent posts on John Foxx, PSB, Parliament,& Bluetech. Brings back fond memories of Evans Marc/Steve Hillage CD "Dreamtime Submersible" and System 7.
Cheers,

Rho said...

Thanks Anon Dreamtime Submersible is wonderful indeed, it may come later but for this post i wanted to keep it Bluetech.

Anonymous said...

Hi

Would it be possible to re-up bluetech?

Anonymous said...

Hi Rho, Any chance of you doing a re-up of Prima Materia by Bluetech? Thanks very much.

Anonymous said...

Hi Rho, Thanks a lot for the Bluetech re-ups. Much appreciated.

Anonymous said...

Hi Rho

A re-up of these would be much appreciated

Cheers.