Adaptogen by Gagarin - Geo Records [GEO012] FLAC download included with physical items

Adaptogen

Gagarin

A 10 track leftfield/idm album (51m 7s) — released January 26th 2009 on Geo Records

#electronic #leftfield-idm
ADAPTOGEN is the latest album from GAGARIN released on GEO records. It comes as the culmination of an incredible year of creative activities from the intrepid musical space explorer. 2008 has seen him contribute atmospheres, synth and drums to Pere Ubu's performance of UBU ROI at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, electronics, beats and production to acclaimed releases from label mates Raf & O, and Roshi as well as festival dates including Glastonbury on drums with the legendary Suns of Arqa. ADAPTOGEN is a development from previous releases showing further exploration of a recurring theme in Gagarin's work - the collision of urban and pastoral sound worlds. The sound of the album is edgy, littered with crackles and noise but also featuring aching melody and moments of blissful calm. From the glitchy down tempo melodictronica of "Straiff" to the clanking urbanism of "den Bosch", via the free-jazz drone clash of "B Plas", the distorted ambience of "Aconite" and a huge melting pot of sounds gathered from field recordings, classical samples, synths, improvisation and live and programmed grooving. Packaged in a lovely CD digipack of shimmering rust colours. GAGARIN's history as a musician is well documented. He started out, as Dids ( a drummer), in Manchester cult band Ludus, before embarking on an extended working relationship with Velvet underground legend NICO, recording and playing also with JOHN CALE, ERIC RANDOM, MOONTWIST, SUNS OF ARQA, BILL PRITCHARD and many more. For the last 10 years he has worked with DAVID THOMAS and PERE UBU, in a variety of roles - remixer, synthesist, samplist, sound designer and has contributed several pieces to Ubu's forthcoming Ubu Roi album.

A rare and solemn beauty - breathlessly lovely. You cant get more compelling proof of the benefits of maturity and hard won experience. - Joe Muggs THE WORD

A fine piece of modern atmospheric electronica - behind the elegant facades and gentle melodic flourishes hide deeper undertones which resonate. - Milkman Milk Factory

“a velvety tapestry of romantic idm inlaid with spartan yet effective rhythms - Rockerlilla - Italy

Raw ,sharp-edged sound design, elegiac width and rhythmic non-conformity-very serious but nevertheless charming - full of nostalgia and contemplation. - GROOVE – GERMANY

Gagarin’s latest album sees him capitalise on his previous releases – a dark mix of ethereal synthesisers and random(ish) beats, to create a combination of the come-down after a drum and bass rave, and the soundtrack to a ride through the countryside – if that countryside is on Io, the year is 3328, and all the agriculture is being done by tiny robots – even though the scenery is bloody brilliant. A nice album for when you need to chill out, but you’re too fired up to really relax. It won’t help, but it’ll suit your mood perfectly. - subba cultcha

On "Golden Cap" from the album: "Dids is a mainstay of underground London and as Gagarin makes strange and fascinating ambience. Golden Cap is like a strsngely 80s vision of the future with hints of vangelis' Blade Runner soundtrack. Gavvers is a dubbier, moodier piece." - Mixmag

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