Tag Archives: techno

MAS 2008, heimelektronik, Electronic Corporation – heimelektronik & MAS 2008 – Electronic Corporation 1998-2006 (Mannequin Records)

Posted by John Lithium on

Label Description: Mannequin Records is elated to present Electronic Corporation “1998–2006”, a compilation bringing together rare and long unavailable recordings by the German electronic projects heimelektronik and MAS 2008.

Active around the turn of the millennium, both projects share the involvement of producer Ive Müller while developing distinct collaborations and approaches to electronic music. H.E.I.M. Elektronik was founded in 1996 by Holger Erlenwein and Ive Müller (after the two artists split in 1999, Müller continued using the name), while MAS 2008 is the project of Ive Müller together with René Kirchner. Though separate entities, the two projects explored a similar sonic territory: stripped-down electro, minimal electronics and machine-driven body music shaped by analog hardware and a raw DIY production ethos.

The roots of Müller’s work go back to the final years of the DDR. As a teenager he worked as a licensed DJ — officially known as a “Schallplattenunterhalter” — operating a travelling disco across Saxony. With limited access to official Western releases, music circulated through cassette recordings taped from West German radio stations such as RIAS Berlin, NDR2 and Bayern3. Together with friends he travelled between youth clubs and discos around Leipzig with a “rolling discotheque”: a Russian Wolga pulling a trailer loaded with Electro-Voice sound systems sourced through the black market.

At the turn of the 2000s this background in underground electronic culture resurfaced in a series of recordings rooted in electro, EBM and minimal machine music. The tracks collected on Electronic Corporation 2000–2002 capture this moment: cold sequences, driving rhythms and stark synthetic textures produced with a direct and uncompromising approach.

Compiled and remastered by Rude 66 from the original sources, Electronic Corporation 2000–2002 documents a small but fascinating chapter of German underground electronics from the early digital era.

For fans of: Le Syndicat Electronique, I-F, Dopplereffekt, Drexciya, Legowelt, Adult., The Hacker, DMX Krew, Gesloten Cirkel, and early Bunker Records electro. 

Tracks recorded between 1998 and 2006, originally released across various Electronic Corporation catalogue numbers.

All tracks composed, programmed and recorded by Ive Müller & René Kirchner.

Mastered by Rude 66, 2025.

JK FLESH – PREHUMAN. FLESHSTEP (Avalanche Recordings)

Posted by John Lithium on

Label Description: PREHUMAN. FLESHSTEP

This is how the material, for what became the first JK FLESH album ‘POSTHUMAN’, sounded originally.

Presented here, is the original album, mastered by JKB in 2026, with the addition of an unreleased single from the same period, intended for a then new JKB label FLESHSTEP, which for many reasons, never materialised, and the tracks were temporarily shelved.

Also inc. is a rare dub of FEAR OF FEAR, that was occasionally played out live only.

MORE DETAIL :

‘POSTHUMAN’ was the debut album for the JK FLESH project, in 2012, although the project had existed since about 1994, albeit without releases.

“POSTHUMAN wasn’t initially designed as an album that hybridised guitar and vocals with heavy electronica, it was a suggested move; those components were added after the compositions had been completed. I was happy with the tracks without the physical additions, but although never really entirely happy with the marriage, it was still an interesting and rewarding juxtaposition, that with dedicated intention (in the future, for my new post GODFLESH heavy/ugly music project) could be even more pleasing, for myself.” Justin K Broadrick / August 2026

AREC094 /
AVALANCHE RECORDINGS / 2026

All music and productions by Justin K Broadrick
at Avalanche Studio, UK. 2009 – 2013 /

Mastered by JK Broadrick 2026 /

Original ‘POSTHUMAN’ sleeve and photography by Ambigraph;
Magnified flesh. Re-treated by JKB, for this release /

Sweet Freeze – In Our Dream EP (Dragon Trax)

Posted by John Lithium on

Label Description: Sweet Freeze – In Our Dream EP

This is the label’s first collaboration with Portland, Oregon lofi dream pop/experimental artist Sweet Freeze.

Dragon Trax approached Sweet Freeze to cover the song “In Our Dream’. You might remember the original by Socool & Edward Spark, which dropped in March 2024 with a brilliant jungle remix by Ordos Mk.0

Sweet Freeze has created two intriguing new versions of In Our Dream harnessing her leaning towards organic, minimalist sound, with her distinctive vocals, field recordings, and bittersweet instrumentation.

Sweet Freeze incorporated, and replicated with analog instruments, one of Socool’s skittering breakbeats into both versions.

AJ&JG and Asha Patera also reworked the Melodic version in line with their own aesthetics, taking it more towards the propulsive and the ambient respectively.

To make the EP even more special, the cover art is a stunning photographic work, Fleurs, by artist Donna Enticknap.

Percussive & Melodic versions: All instrumentation, field recordings, and vocals by Sweet Freeze, with the exception of a single electronic drum track by Socool from the original song.

Recorded on 8-track and iPhone.
Mixed and mastered by Michael Southard.
Lyrics by Socool, rearranged and revised by Sweet Freeze.

AJ&JG Mix produced by Andy Stockton and JG Stockton, mastered by JG Stockton

Asha Patera Remix produced by Asha Patera, mastered by JG Stockton

Cover Art: Fleurs (detail) by Donna Enticknap