international news _ JONTY SKRUFFF _ 21th October, 2005
Plastikman Ditches 'Mundane' Mixing
Minimal techno icon Richie Hawtin unveiled details of his latest high tech compilation album DE9: Transitions this week, with an incendiary press release attacking the tyranny of beat mixing.
"DJing is more about performance now, it's verging on a live show, and part of the progression towards that is moving further and further away from turntable technology and the idea of mechanically mixing two records together," said Hawtin.
"We used to spend so much effort on getting records to stay in time with each other. But once you stop having to worry about that, you can really start thinking about what sounds work together and you can get deeper into the structure of the mix," he suggested.
"The progressive people are thinking, if computer technologies can automate one task, what can I now do better?"
One task it looks like he's been able to spend more time on is make-up artistry,
certainly judging by the immaculate eye shadow and mascara visage he's wearing on the packshot of the new disc. Featuring a heavily photoshopped close-up of half of Hawtin's face, the sleeve presents the unlikely heart-throb in quasi Sven Vath style cyber-punk mode, presented with the kind of precision he's always been acclaimed for in his music and DJing.
"It's a picture of my face which is totally made up of these track names, so it shows you that although this is made by me I'm no greater or lesser than the information I'm using, he said, explaining the logic behind the computer generated imagery.
DE9: Transitions is out on October 31 on Novamute.(Jonty Skrufff)
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