"Tapes, 2008 - 2011" brings together the early, formative output of the Bomb Shop label, including tracks from Elias Linn, Los Vampiros Lesbos, Sous Section 5, Jingai and YTAC. From the lo-fi textures and harmonies of SS5's "6 Flights" to the bassy shakes of YTAC's takes on "Hellersdorf", this compilation sums up the breadth of electronic styles which seeped out of the collective in it's infancy.
SS5 combine simple sound sources (piano, sine waves, a child's speaking toy) and relatively simple processing with emotive and, at times, ruthless editing techniques. "Six Flights" blends more than 50 recordings of the same simple piano piece, each one degraded slightly in quality, to form a spatially deep texture where cracked and fizzing harmonies jostle for position.
Jingai's "Equator" blends euphoric rhythms with deep textures to massive effect. Not for the faint of heart, the drum levels have been driven to breaking point- the cracking and distorting of the digital signal becomes an integral part of the rhythm track and burns through the other elements like acid.
Elias Linn's third outing on Bomb Shop - "Hellersdorf/Mariendorf" - was among his most intricate and explosive work, ranging from deep, Basic Channel-esque grooves to ecstatic synth-driven space funk, this is a huge sound destined to destroy (or at least happily confuse) dancefloors. The two remix packs which followed pulled things further apart with wickedly deep and chunky Parrish/Moodymann style house mix from Los Vampiros Lesbos and a sublime, beat-less landscape from Sous Section 5.
Part two of the "Hellersdorf" remix project hands the baton over to Parisian collective YTAC, and the results are shockingly effective. Progressing from tough but harmonic dubstep to face-melting techno, these three versions are highly original, insanely detailed and ridiculously heavy.
Illustrator Simon Clark (www.si-clark.co.uk) supplied the original art for these releases, and a selection of his work is compiled in this release's digital booklet.