The Field - Yesterday and Today

Our review
Customer reviews
Press release
Soundclips
Tracklist
Videos

A1 - I Have The Moon, You Have The Internet
A2 - Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime
B - Leave It
C1 - Yesterday And Today
C2 - The More That I Do
D - Sequenced
CD-1 - I Have The Moon, You Have The Internet
CD-2 - Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime
CD-3 - Leave It
CD-4 - Yesterday And Today
CD-5 - The More That I Do
CD-6 - Sequenced

Note: videos may not match the album...

5...according to our Brian on Thu 14 May, 2009.

The Field i've only just recently been getting into, this man who creates what Brett hilariously terms as "emo-house". I'm unsure how to categorise his music, i'd rather not. His tunes in the past have apparently been constructed from micro edited vocal snippets and this symphonic, hypnotic brand of minimal techno and house and has a similar feel in places to Wolfgang Voigt's more ecstatic moments. 'Yesterday & Today' is his new opus, 6 long tracks of cerebrally massaging electronic loveliness, the opener like a glistening motorik symphony which melts deliciously inside your head, 'Everybody's Got to learn Sometime' is a blissed out version of The Korgis classic which also became an early 90s rave anthem. Axel Willner smothers it in the finest downtempo sheen, static clicks, his debut spot on gentle vocals, that euphoric yet languid stuttering synth that's so distinctive, almost quasi religious. This is the new wave of lounge rave! The next two numbers each clock in over 10 mins each, Pulsing micro-techno from another galaxy, so crystalline & gently hypnotic with some gorgeous detail flowing under the tranced out synth washes & understated 4/4 thump. There's moments that take you the same places as early Ulrich Schnauss, when a gliding bassline wanders into the fold, enveloping the song in a peaceful groove. This is modern home listening techno, lovingly constructed with an ambient heart beating within a body of cheeky backroom club slayers. On Kompakt, CD/Dbl vinyl

To play these clips you need to either update your browser (Norman Records recommends Google Chrome) or update your Flash plugin.

New album from the biggest name in crossover ambient techno!.

Now, Willner’s label, KOMPAKT, moves forward with his sophomore full length, Yesterday And Today. On the new album, Willner expands his palette, continuing the oblique sampling strategy of From Here We Go Sublime while
building up the rhythmic architecture.

The album features a group of different musicians and on the title track, Willner collaborates for the first time with BATTLES/HELMET drummer John Stanier, further emphasising the fact that The Field are just as comfortable with an All Tomorrow’s Parties-style indie crowd as a dance crowd at Fabric.

CD tracklisting: 1. I Have The Moon, You Have The Internet 2. Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime 3. Leave It 4. Yesterday And Today 5. The More That I Do 6. Sequenced

5...according to Joe.

bought this on the basis of brians review, and the mention of a vague similarity to some of wolfgang voigt's work. i was not disappointed. sounds not dissimilar to 'nah and fern' (everyone should buy the 4 CD set instantly - or the vinyl if you can find it) in places but without that 'wall effect' that voigt so ably uses to muffle the bass lines, but a bit more layered than his studio 1 type stuff (again, buy his compilation CD from the normans now). the version of 'everybody's got to learn sometime' grows on you, though i think beck's version off the soundtrack to 'eternal sunshine of the spotless mind' (only) just pips it. track 3 - 'leave it' - is an absolute stormer, and as soon as the needle gets to the play out i just want to pick it back up and start it again - superb - i wish it could just go on and on. an excellent album to just lie down, relax, empty your mind of stress, and watch the clouds scurry by. not a duff note played anywhere on this lp, and i just hope they can keep this level of musicianship up on future work. vying with tBDs 'further vexations' for best electronica of the year so far.

Rating: 5 out of 5

So, what do you think? Best reviewer each month gets £10 off their next order!