In these strange days now that the vinyl market appears to be in the middle of a collapse, we’re seeing a bunch of new practices for moving records. One that is particularly irritating to me is this current rash of ridiculous dub-techno doublepacks that seem aimed far more at collectors than anything else.
The most recent is a new set of remixes of Model 500’s classic “Starlight”. Originally released on Metroplex featuring a remix from Moritz Von Oswald of Basic Channel fame, this was already a dub techno classic years before this new release. Do we really need five more remixes all in the same vein?
This was also the case with the double pack for Convextion’s classic “Miranda” which was originally on the now nearly impossible to find first release on Sean Deason’s Matrix label. This was actually useful as the original pressing goes for crazy loot, but adding on the three new remixes that are all in the same style and then forcing people to pay double pack prices for it seems pretty dodgy.
Last but not least, we have the much heralded “Vantage Isle” by DeepChord. This one features a whopping TEN different mixes of the same track, all in the same dubby techno mold with varying degrees of ambience. DeepChord and their associates also release records on the Octal and Echospace labels, both of which press only in very limited runs and on colored vinyl.
Now here’s my real problem with these kinds of things: it doesn’t seem to be about the music. Colored vinyl has the problem that it degrades more quickly than regular black vinyl. It also picks up surface noise much more easily, in addition to costing more to produce. Many of these releases are also coming in some fancy packaging that seem to be more of a pain in the arse than useful for actually storing the records, especially if they’re being put in a record box for deejaying.
I like most of these artists very much, but it’s not worth it to pay for a double pack with fancy packaging and colored vinyl for one track that I really like. These things can cost as much as $40+ to buy new, clearly people are buying them in anticipation of selling them down the line for ridiculous prices on Ebay because these releases are all “Limited”.
What does this actually do for the music? It puts it in the hands of collectors who are not going to be playing them out for people to hear. It makes the records less useful for those people who actually *do* want to play them out. It’s good to see alot more music from DeepChord and Convextion who have been relatively quiet up until recently, but how will these new tunes become future classics sitting on the shelves of collectors?
I wish these guys would follow Basic Channel’s lead on this issue as closely as they’ve followed their dub techno blueprint. Sure, the Basic Channel records would all have some colored vinyl for the collectors, but their catalogue was ALWAYS in print in standard black vinyl 12″s at standard prices for the deejays and people interested solely in the music. I’m not against some fancy special additions to shift some more copies, but I’m a function over form kinda person. Give me a hand written white label over any of that other nonsense!
24 Comments
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve really wanted to hear all of these recent Echospace releases, but have had no luck in getting them. I tried to order the CV313 one since people seem to be really excited by that one, but by the time my order was processed, it was out of stock. It shouldn’t be this hard to hear the music you want to hear and are willing to pay for. It totally misses the point.
Yeah, but who listens to dub techno? Only a small group of nerds.
And all the unnecessary double packs and limited releases you are talking about are from the same group of people.
Let’s not forget the redundant Coldest Season series. I feel like I should buy something in the series but I can’t make up my mind since they all sound the same.
Sometimes I hate liking this music.
Seems to me that Echospace are playing off some kind of vinyl fetish, which in turn encourages ebay profiteers, the ugly side of things that distracts from the music at hand, gotta put an end to it. While I’m at it, also dislike one sided vinyl at import prices. Moodymann I mean you!
Interesting to note that FXHE has begun offering mp3s recently. I feel this is a good thing in the sense that it ensures general listeners can enjoy the music as well…just a case of letting them know about it.
It is not like this is a new thing with electronic music. Plenty of classics from 1970 to present have been pressed in limited numbers.
It seems crazy in the current climate of vinyl meltdown that such practice is deemed advisable. Good way to put off normal joes like myself who still want, foolishly maybe, to use the vinyl format.
In the 70’s limited meant 5000-10000 copies. Now it means 300. An average release is probably 1000.
yeah, seems to be some change happening in the “industry” now. rarely do i see a dj show up with a bag full of their gems, it’s all about serato or cd’s these days — but as i think about it, i dont blame them, who in their right mind wants to bring a 1/300 copy of a record somewhere and risk fucking it up? a lot of my friends use serato now, and they all still buy the tracks on vinyl, then go rip it to digital and then they can keep that vinyl in mint shape forever…
on the other hand, i watched matthew dear fucking up left and right trying to use some janky ass final-scratch set up at a show, really sad. i felt bad for the dude.
as far as $40 double lp color sets, fuck all that shit. people just have dollar signs in their eyes these days, i dont think vinyl will ever die, there will always be purists, and there will (hopefully) always be DIY’ers like AOS selling eps for less than a pack of government tobacco. word up.
Couldn’t agree more with the sentaments sentamented… I want to buy the stuff I loke on vinyl and I will… but more and more I feel like I’m being played like a sucker.
Vinyl sales are down down down down and people are using the limited release thing as a way of making sure their stuff sells, so therefore they don’t lose money.
But what we’re left with as a punter is the need to panic buy stuff so that you get what’s out there before it goes, without the chance to fully check it out…
The latest KDJ thing annoyed me no end. 1 sided (as is pretty much his norm), the second side is etched with 3 tracks and a skit… ALL BLANK… and the side that plays has got a new tune, PLUS an already release thing on it. Feel pretty ripped off really. He only release another 1 sided thinag about a month ago… 2 one sided tunes… go mad and put them out on 1 12″.
I think theres a lot of reliance on online sales, where you can;t fully check a release, but shit gets hyped to fuck with it’s ltd status….
Interesting blog and post.
“An average release is probably 1000.”
My understanding is that’s quite a bit better than average–I’m told 600 to 800 is the norm these days. Things are pretty grim.
i’m nodding. especially about starlight. you can’t touch that EP. and those remixes of ‘clear’, what was that about?
reminds me of what happened to comics in the 90’s, they were in the middle of a boom so it’s different but Marvel started really pushing these limited fancy packaged first editions, poly-bagged, embossed covers, aimed straight at the nerd collector…stories were brutal mind you but everyone thought they were going to sell these things for profit…of course as soon as the collectors realised that no one was buying these things the whole thing went tits up..orders dried up and i think in ’96 Marvel went bankrupt…only managed to get their shit back together in the last 3 of 4 years…I wonder with rampant MP3 sharing now how many people are gonna bother shelling up for these big packages of dubby techno tunes that you can find at 12 for a pound on myspace…good luck to them…
I agree about the general theme of the rant here, but I must say I think the Starlight Remixes is one of the better releases from this crew. The echospace and convextion remixes do offer something new, imo. Coloured vinyl is one thing, but is it really so hard to provide a paper inner and cardboard outer sleeves?? plastic bags? c’mon!
also, agree, with the last comment by leo, that there’s no guarantee that these will have big sell-on value, in fact I doubt they will tbh
So far they did hold up in value. The Octal label releases are/were selling for $30-$40 months after being released for $10. But it does feel like they are pushing their luck.
but what are people paying the $40 for? i havent heard a single track off any of those records aside from rips on slsk. why are they so desired? is the music that good? from an mp3 listen i’d say no.
and someone mentioned moodymann’s single sided records…. i dont pay import prices, so for me, a single sided jam is the easiest decision to make. i either like the jam, or i don’t. so i buy it, or i dont. my problem comes with the “i like one jam out of 10 on this $40 double pack” decision, since it always results in me not getting the record. the same thing happened with that carl craig remix of hugh masekela on verve remixed. initially, it was on a 3xLP only, as much as i loved it, i just couldnt justify that since i didnt like anything else on it. when it came out on promo 12″, i hunted it down like the dirty dog it is.
Which KDJ are you talking about here Jnr. d:
“The latest KDJ thing annoyed me no end. 1 sided (as is pretty much his norm), the second side is etched with 3 tracks and a skit… ALL BLANK… and the side that plays has got a new tune, PLUS an already release thing on it.”
At least when you buy mp3s or better, WAVs, you don’t care about the packaging and focus on the music. Plus you’er not foreced to get those 10 remixes of th same track, 8 of them you don’t care.
I find thoses release with lots of remixes of the same track really shocking. Why the industry is so out of about remixes nowadays, most of which are crap anyway ?
‘I’d Rather Be Lonely’. It came out over here (UK) last week. Title track is about 3.5 minutes long, then it goes into a sort reprise of a track on Black Mahoganii II, which is not much more than a sort of single edit of one of the tracks…
I kind of flip between getting annoyed by this stuff, and then thinking well I’d rather have a nice (or semi nice) piece of vinyl than the seven quid…
But cutting what looks like 3 tracks on the b side, but with nothing on them is just a bit dry…
Ah, I’ve got that one on the way Jnr. d. That is particularly interesting to press three tracks of silence. I’ll always be a KDJ apologist, though, since he’s released so many absolutely genius tracks.
And in defense of at least the Modern Love Deepchord releases, they are available as mp3s from Boomkat’s digital store I believe. But in the end, like pipecock said, I wish they would follow BC’s lead in making the 12″s always available.
BTW, i just checked my copy of “i’d rather be lonely” and there is nothing at all on the b side, its totally smooth. what does piss me off about this release is how inferior this version is to the white label version. my man managed to wrangle up one of those, and its far better, if much less dancefloor.
That’s funny cause someone at Discogs seems to think KDJ was unhappy with the original. Which version is up at his myspace: http://www.myspace.com/moodymann313
the one on his myspace is the white label version!
From Picadilly (8/16):
Deepchord finally do the decent thing and issue their vinyl only 4 EP series as a CD. These Detroitian techno heads have caused a bit of a stir of late, with their Basic Channel styled dubbed out techno. Now available on CD in extended versions (all listed separately on the site as 12 inches), this CD will no doubt please those who understand that the depth on offer here is more than dancefloor fodder, with tracks coming in at between 8 and 12 mins, these throbbing soundscapes will suit you minimal studio flat just right.
CD – LOVE033CD – £11.99
CD Versions are all extended with bonus track “Oceans Of Emptiness”.
generally agree with you in principle. the packaging is a pain in the arse, frankly. but damn, the music’s just too good to pass on. nobody play this stuff? maybe, but you can hear quite a fair selection in my recent mix/podcast thingy…
Blogariddims 25: Echospace Odyssey
Nice blog you got here. I’ll come again 🙂
Cool, will check out that mix of yours. Glad you like the blog!