obsolete machines [w​/​cv313 reshapes]

radius

An unreleased classic from the vaults emerges with beautiful reshapes by cv313 (recorded and reshaped from 2007-2016) This is where the sound of cv313 was realized, culled from cassette tapes recorded live (1995-2000) with nothing but analog/digital hardware, no computer in sight (excluding our Commodore 64 midi sequencer, which is still alive and

An unreleased classic from the vaults emerges with beautiful reshapes by cv313 (recorded and reshaped from 2007-2016) This is where the sound of cv313 was realized, culled from cassette tapes recorded live (1995-2000) with nothing but analog/digital hardware, no computer in sight (excluding our Commodore 64 midi sequencer, which is still alive and well today). The radius project has been absent since the final release in 2001, the first 12" appearing in 1996 (limited white label run of 100 copies pressed at Acme pressing in Canada) after revisiting these works we realized there was truly some magic here. This project was initially sent to Rod Modell & Mike Schommer shortly after they launched their brilliant deepchord label in 2001. They were incredibly kind in saying it was the best demo they had ever heard and passed it on to Octal records for release, sadly, that didn't materialize and since then these masters have been collecting dust in our cassette rack for nearly 20 years now. We've spent months doing our best to restore the old tapes from our Tascam 688, an 8 track cassette recorder purchased and abused since 1992 and to our ears still sounds quite impressive even by modern standards. (that is of course, if you can get past the tape hiss) We've had nearly every component replaced and re-calibrated to bring this obsolete machine back to life, it's been a truly nostalgic experience re-visiting these masters.

We truly hope you enjoy reliving these magical times of music, very inspired by all that was happening in those years, there was just something in the air, an undeniable energy, long may it live on...

Review:

Radius Obsolete Machines Echospace 2X12”

Speaking of concealing brilliance in smoky space, here the principle is taken to far distant limits. Three tracks here are culled from Steve Hitchell’s cassette demos from the early 1990’s, led by the 16 minute “Ethersonic” which manages to be constantly shifting yet changeless, like the beating subterranean heart of a sleeping city; inhuman, incomprehensible, sublime in scale yet paradoxically comforting. Even by the standards of the Deepchord/Echospace axis, it’s a gorgeously enveloping embrace. The pleasure is prolonged by two equally long new remixes of the track by Hitchell and Rod Modell as cv313: they add watery sparkle and electric cracks, making new experiences that, while they can’t match the totalizing wonder of the original, stimulate other synapses. Of the two other old tracks, the distorting “Oscillation Range” in particular can teach supposedly lo-fi producers a thing or two about how much scope can be achieved with bare bones tech.

The Wire – November 2017

Echospace nuzzle your cochlea with a painstakingly restored demo of Steve Hitchell’s work as Radius, initially recorded live to tape between 1995-2000, now restored to gauzy bliss and repackaged with a bonus disc of CV313 reworks. Oceanic, intergalactic, timeless; total manna for dub house ambient fiends! -Boomkat

written and produced by radius [1994-1999] restored from analog tape. reworked and reshaped by cv313 [2006-2016] mastered in echospace.

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