This is not a drill.
I repeat: This is not a drill.
Vladislav Delay has released Isoviha – you can buy it here, on bandcamp.
Vladislav Delay has also released Delay/Aarset – Singles. You can buy that one here, also on bandcamp.
I bought both, because I’m cool as fuck. If you want to be cool as fuck, you’ll need to buy both too. You don’t want people thinking you’re not cool as fuck. Yes, that’s what I thought.
No one asked for them, but here they are – the acappellas from Plus. Please note that some reverbs and effects have random phase elements and are impossible to remove now, but there are very few, and I still think they sound good.
Get your pre-orders in! New Ripatti album dropping June 25, 2021. THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING!
Vinyl is somewhat pessimistically limited to 500 pressing it seems – do not sleep!
Seems like we’re in for 11 tracks of Chicago footwork, distilled in the cold islands of Finland. The two previews posted are pretty great, as expected.
Pre-order now, I’m serious.
https://vladislavdelay.bandcamp.com/album/fun-is-not-a-straight-line
The following message is shared without prior consent. I do so in order to try and further the interests in quality music and artistic pursuits. Vladislav has been producing remarkable music from more than 20 years now. This is a chance to assist in ensuring that his output is (more) sustainable.
We should shake his hand, carry his suitcase, and subscribe to his projects.
Dear Listener,
i’m going to try something different this time and offer a subscription service.
I want to try and see if it could be a valid model for the both of us, the creator and the listener.
I have been contemplating this for a long time but now due to covid and all the concerts cancelled at least until the end of the year there’s no more holding back. Basically i’m trying to establish some sort of income from making music. There’s also a fact that i can’t release all the material i produce, i already have a backlog of several albums and have to wait and sit on them until labels can release them.
I’m going to offer exclusive material to subscribers that will not be released in any other way, as well as material that might be later on released for the public. There’s also a certain amount of old stuff i have never released which will be selectively released to subscribers. I’m also thinking of including other material that would be interesting to listen to, like collections of loops i have been working on, remixes of existing tracks, bootlegs or else. I’m especially keen on trying the loops concept as i myself like to listen to them a lot once i get a good one going. Just to be clear, these loops are not production material for you, it’s only for listening. It’s pre-production material for my forthcoming solo works. “Rakka” album was mostly made with such loops.
I will want to continue with “no fillers” mentality that i have always tried to adhere to my productions, but at the same time open a door to and share parts of the process and even failures in my productions.
If you ever only listened to Luomo material then i think this will not be for you.
The material will be mainly Vladislav Delay kind of stuff but there will be other more rhythmic things happening as well. I’m already working on a next Ripatti album material which is certainly geared more towards club/beats orientation and there will be other more rhythmic things happening as well.
What i’m not going to do is vocal house š
The subscription costs 10ā¬ or more per month and includes all my back catalogue as well as all the new works that i’m releasing on Bandcamp in the future. Additionally, and maybe more interestingly, there will be new material i release monthly exclusively to subscribers. New content will be released in the beginning of each month.
i know this is a substantial amount of money in the long run and i’m going to do give it a real effort to make it worth your while. Obviously you can vote with your money or otherwise tell me if there’s something missing or you wish something to be changed, added, etc.
I hope this all sounds good to you as a listener. it’d be great to establish a way i could keep on producing music while making the ends meet, and you could keep enjoying a wider range of my productions. Your support is greatly and truly appreciated. Let’s make this happen!
Sincerely,
Sasu Ripatti
Here is where you need to be: https://vladislavdelay.bandcamp.com/community
It seems like the Ripatti label will no longer be doing the beautiful vinyls we seen earlier this year. After producing a total of 8 records, and seemingly losing money on every one, Mr. Ripatti has called it a day and gone down the digital route.
I’m not too sure how to feel about this.
On one hand, I liked being the able to buy fresh releases from Boomkat. The anticipation of waiting for a new record to be delivered can’t really be replicated by Bandcamp/Paypal combination.
Secondly, because they were bloody expensive items, I was compelled to listen to them. I’m not sure bulk buying the new digital only version will give me a similar compulsion to do so. All seven of the pressing were immaculate (I’m still waiting on the Ricky’s release to be manufactured), and you can clearly see the amount of work and thought that’s gone into producing them – something I’m sure Ripatti will continue to do for his digital ventures.
On the other hand, they are now available to everyone – not just people who can afford the Ā£500 equipment to listen to them. That’s always good.
Another good point is that the vinyls and the digital copies are different mixes (in some cases, very different). I think that’s a fair compromise, and something I’ll write about a little more when I return home.
However, I am frustrated.
I’m frustrated that you fucks never bought these records. Frustrated that beard-wearing hipsters continually tell me how much they love this medium, but records of this quality couldn’t push sales of 500. I’m frustrated because the dicks on What.cd were complaining about the releases being vinyl only, and they would “buy it only if it came out on digital”. I know they’re lying. I know they’re waiting for the WEB release to be leaked so that they can download it for free, half listen to it, then add it to a collection of 20,000 other tunes they’ve never listened to.
Fucking arse holes.
This beautiful little record label died because of you.
These people suck
A few weeks ago Vladislav Delay showed off a preview of his new album “Visa” on SoundCloud. In light of his recent releases on the Ripatti label, it doesn’t sound that groundbreaking but appears more of a revisionist approach to an older ideal. It is certainly a well honed skill though.
What I’m hoping for is an announcement that Uusitalo/Luomo will make a comeback using this as some sort of self referential feedback loop – just like the old days. We’ll see, I guess.
The good news is that it’s coming out on 12″, the full album to be genuinely pressed since “Anima” a mere thirteen years ago. It will be interesting to see if the mastering approach is different, I’m assuming it will be.
Vladislav Delay “Visa”
It’s been a long time since I posted something to this blog. You can attribute that to my growing disinterest in being “on” the computer, the amount of travel that’s plagued my lifestyle the past year, or the fact that my extraordinarily expensive sound card fucked up for two and a half months. So needless to say as my favourite hobby was put on the back burner, this blog suffered the fallout – no new music, no new whiny half-baked reviews.
Then VD dropped a new record (
Why? Well here’s the deal, the dealio, the Nancy Dell’Olio (I fucking invented that – just like that too, no fucking planning, no ghost writers nor fuck all). Wait, hold on, side tracked. Breathe… So I’m going to continue to talk about some stupid fuckin’ records here that no cunt has heard of before, and continue to drive people away from my already on the fringes blog. And I’m going to be using tonnes of commas, because I love them – they’re like little fullstops that you can put fucking anywhere you like.
Anyway, right, I’m cool, I’m cool. No, I’m cool. Ignore that previous paragraph.
It’s been thirteen years since there was a new VD pseudonym – not counting the collaboration, I think Uusitalo is the newest. So it was with heavy anticipation I awaited his latest incarnation. To be entirely transparent, I need to preface this review with the admission that I find interest in everything produced by Mr. Delay. Even the unlistenable early Sistol album (who listens to music anyway? How horribly passĆ©) or the confused and messy “Love Glove” CD. I’m also more interested in what’s been invested in the making of the music than the final outcome – the reflection of the musician in the music is much more interesting than all other aspects to me. It’s what elevates music to art, and what differentiates good from bad – even in seemingly superficial electronic music.
Ripatti is both a new label and new “character” in the VD repertoire. The label is distributed exclusively through the Boomkat.com web shop and will be putting out limited runs (around 500 pre release, I think). It’s supposedly a snapshot of what is being produced in the studio, and will more than likely house pieces that are not viable as parts of albums or other projects.
Ripatti the artist is a bit more interesting to me. It’s the first occasion in which Vladislav Delay is using (almost) his real name. Or at least I think it’s his real name – at this point it’s quite difficult to tell. Maybe he’s grown to be more comfortable in his own skin, maybe he’s gained the confidence in his productions he no longer needs an alias, or maybe he just made some music and slapped his name on it. We’ll never know, but I’m guessing VD doesn’t do things without thoroughly considering the implication. What I can tell you is that this single production released under the Ripatti moniker bears little to no resemblance to any of his previous incarnations, and I have the feeling that it’s the record he’s been desperate to release for some time.
Ripatti āRipatti01ā
Ripatti “Ripatti01” contains two tracks, “#39” and “#24” – seemingly from the Mark Fell school of naming.
The a-side is a stop/start, medium tempo tech house thing. It’s choppy, glistening and really is the sort of thing I love. I think it’s aimed at replicating 2-step garage with a contemporary twist, but really it works better as a modern take on late 90’s dutch house music. It’s a fun track, and possibly the most accessible piece of music I’ve heard Delay produce, but it never crosses the line into frivolous or juvenile. He knows how to show a great deal of restraint, even when wringing the neck of his new studio.
Finely chopped samples are draped over deep analogue toms and kicks. It’s a very rhythmic record, very controlled. Gone is a lot of the syncopation and dubby depths associated with his most popular productions, and it’s all been replaced with tireless shifting of samples and insane patterns. Only once does the twelve minute track break down to expose it’s Vladislav Delay centered core – long attack, reverb laden minor chord progressions. It’s Delay, but pressed through a mesh screen of contemporary genre traditions. Very cool stuff.
The b-side is very different. It’s a frenzy of fast snappy drums, shuffling rhythms, 80s finger snaps and single note basslines. Its been called drum and bass by a few critics, but that doesn’t sit well with me. Its more chaotic than that (plus if its not an Amen Brother sample, its not drum and bass). This is a record that doesn’t fit with the canon of the rest of his material, gone is the control and self control – but that’s no bad thing.
It’s all glued together with a mulchy, mangled, unintelligible backdrop of noise. Sampled and twisted. I think V has been listening to Underworld’s “Second Toughest In The Infants” – and if he hasn’t, he really should.
It’s a lovely unexpected surprise, and one that makes me very interested in what’s to come next.
You can buy the record right now (if its not sold out) from Boomkat.com, and if you’ve got access to a reasonable turntable, you definitely should check it out. And for god’s sake, don’t leak it on the internet and ruin everyone’s fun.
And I know this aspect doesn’t matter to a lot of people but… The pressing and the mastering of the record are both excellent. Clean and deep, with lots of range and clarity. I watched a lot of interviews and public talks with the mastering engineer Matt Colton – and he said a lot of stuff I profoundly disagree with. Lots of examples of boring music and lots of talk about high resolution being smoother and clearer. Snake oil in my opinion, however I have to admit his work seems spot on. It’s difficult to master modern dance music, but this is an excellent example of how it should be done. Well done Matt!
Now about this weird HDD toy you’ve bought, what are your plans with that Mr. Delay?
Two interesting links popped up today on VladislavDelay.com – “Ripattimusic (Label)” and “Ripattimusic (Artist)”. I have little to no clue about either of these, but if I had to guess I’d say that Sasu is either setting up a new label or imprint for his music focused on digital distribution, or it will be an offshoot used primarily for installations and film projects. But as I said, purely a guess.
Either way, keep your eyes on VladislavDelay.com and ripattimusic.com in the coming weeks as it is set to be something very interesting.
It feels like a long time since Vladislav released some new material. In reality it’s only been just over a year since his last full length album “Vantaa” was issued, and only a few months ago we got the small, two-track EP “Espoo” – a quick taster of what was to come.
At first, Vantaa seemed like Vladislav going through the motions in a new studio. It was a strange mix of high tempo and no tempo.
Espoo on the other hand, was in unusual quarter note beats that wriggled and refused to remain still. Upon hearing the new Kuopio album, it’s pretty clear that the previous two releases were testing ground for a new direction, a new aesthetic.
Vladislav Delay “Kuopio”
The opening track Vastaa is a fast pulsating, dubby piece that breaks and declines from and into identifiable rhythms. Its a breathless mix of extremely processed synthesis, and near-unprocessed drums and works as an excellent and chaotic opening piece. Percussion rattles and shifts from background to foreground, and patters shift and evolve with a subtlety that I’ve not heard since “Multila”. I can almost see this track as a decomposition and re imagining of a modern Sistol track. Changed in focus, yes, but a very clear relationship I think.
The second track, Hetkonen (that means ‘moment’ to you and I) is what I’ve waited to hear a long time. Ever since V dropped the sampler for the album I’ve been desperate to hear the integral version of this. Syncopation plays a large part in the entire album, but it’s certainly most of all evident here. The bassline plays with casual disregard to the tempo and the drums, snapping back into focus whenever it pleases. A stab resonates again and again, like a sonar desperately searching in the night, desperately trying to make sense of the disarray but slowly fracturing and faulting. Hetkonen features the most effective, most subdued and well executed chord progression I’ve ever heard. The whole track is a chaotic free-for-all, beats, chords and percussion landing where ever they fall – but it’s somehow all controlled and sculpted into something no less than a masterpiece of contemporary music. I genuinely believe this is a significant piece of work, and more than reason enough to pick up the album. Amazing.
Avanne is a grove focused piece, a little unlike anything I’ve heard before. In fact, a little unlike anything else Vladislav has released before. Gritty, but groovy, and all the time managing to keep a serious and straight faƧade. The best analogy I can come up with is Multila does house music. It’s like listening to a jazz record, through your neighbour wall, all while they’re having building work done. Is it noise in music, or music in noise? Does it matter? The groove stays the main focus right until the end, giving way only into an atmosphere of haze and noise. It doesn’t envelope you, it plods until exhaustion, until there’s nothing left but rubble.
Kellute is something only Vladislav Delay can do – make interesting semi-ambient music. Do you remember tracks like Pisa, Ele, Karha, Kohde? Kellute lines up well with almost any of those, which is quite a compliment considering most of those were ground breaking pieces. The rhythms in Kellute pulse and sway in mechanical harmony, like a two-stroke engine spluttering in a shipyard. In fact at this point, Kullute actually draws more aesthetic similarity with the Conoco EP. However, at the three and a half minute mark, everything is sharply snapped into perspective. A heavy rhythms devours everything in sight, consuming all the delicate elements one by one, until all that’s left is the looping broken fragments of a chord and a one note bassline.
I don’t know what Vladislav is using for sequencing, but it’s not from this world. Osottava is composed of the same jittering, fidgeting rhythms as Kolari was on the Esopp EP. It’s essentially written in 4/4, but it’s very difficult to hear that at first glance. Where Osottava differentiates itself from the Espoo EP is in it’s final crescendo, where the entire track devolves into what sounds like a techno interpretation of hell. Swarming evil and impending ruin quickly engulf everything they touch. You can feel the size an weight of the track pressing down on you. Inevitability.
Kulkee is the damaged and broken remains of the destruction. Lone chords ring out hoping for a reply amongst the ruins, only to be answered by a staggering bass. Dysfunctional rhythms and melodies begin to rumble and clunk unevenly. The track begins to build, but in a very literal sense. Elements assemble cautiously, but with a little optimism. You hear the individual elements bond and work together to form the workings of a contraption from another world, another time. Kulkee works so beautifully as an album track, it should be used as a device to teach aspiring musicians. When I first heard the preview of Kulkee, I didn’t think much of it, but in the context of the album, it really is a masterpiece. And if you’ll permit me to use one more clichĆ©, it truly is an inspired work.
The penultimate track, Marsila, is a showcase of the new sound and new technique. Lots of untamed energy the track presses forward into a not yet defined concept. Sparkling and unusually glee, it brings everything back to life with a tom pulse. It’s a glimpse into the new world and the unknown. An optimistic look at an uncertain future.
The album closes with Hitto. Crackling and snapping drums fold and roll. Those trademark Delay pads are captured in a digital tape loop, being wound faster and faster, squealing and stretching into something au courant. Finally the tape snaps, the twisting ends, and the drums loop mechanically ad infinitum. The sound fades quickly into the distance, leaving only the memory of the scale of the journey.
The entire Kuopio album is something very special indeed. It has layers of depth that only the most perceptive listener will find (I doubt I have even scratched the surface yet). I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Vladislav Delay demonstrates why we love music. It’s evolving, emotional, unique. It’s art, not product. It’s well thought out, not rushed. It’s a beautiful thing.
Before Kuopio, if I’d been asked to name my favourite V.D. albums, I’d have said “The Four Quarters” “Multila” “Anima” “Entain”. Now, Kuopio so confidently and completely eclipses everything in terms of quality that there is no other answer. That’s not to downplay the significance of his other works, but Kuopio is such a perfect album I begin to doubt if anyone will, or indeed, can do better.
Kuopio is absolutely remarkable. Buy it now.
Kuuluuko (download only track). Sorry, you need to read the full review to see this content.
[censor]Only joking š Kuuluuko is offered as a bonus track on the download only release of Kuopio, but is it worth it? Well, yes, probably. If you like the sounds of Kullute, Kuuluuko is Kullute on drugs. Frantic, less focused, panicked almost. It’s Conoco for the year 2100.[/censor]
A while ago I made a half-hearted plea to Raster-Norton / Vladislav Delay, talking some rubbish about bonus material and the current state of things. Ā Who’d ever thought it would get answered?
Mr. Delay took time out his busy schedule to answer my inane questions, and I can’t begin express my appreciation of him doing so.
Thanks buddy!
Whatās the concept behind āKuopioā? What differentiates it between other VD albums?
I guess the main thing is that I have decided to actually focus on V.D. project. It was always closest to my heart but also I kind of gave that project least love and care, taking time to do other stuff like Luomo and other projects which would always be more difficult and challenging in some ways.
I decided to stop doing those projects and focus on V.D. as well as some other new projects and concepts. But mainly I wanted to see where I could, or would like to, go with Delay sound.
Kuopio is somewhat continuing what I started with Vantaa and working with Raster-Noton.
I had a vision about the somewhat new sound and while itĀ didn’tĀ really come out clear on Vantaa, I think on Espoo and Kuopio itās more audible already.
Iāve been getting quite bored of ambient music, as far as writing and producing that kind of stuff goes. And I definitely have been bored of rhythms and beats, so Iāve been trying to look for things that wonāt bore me. And overall I can say what I can say about each and every work I do, even though it might not be audible, that Iām trying to do something I havenāt done yet and look for new things in music.What record are you most proud of making? What do you consider your greatest success as a musician?
Iād honestly have to say Iāll be always most proud of the next album or song or whatever I will make. Ā I aim for progression, look forward to the things I havenāt yet done, or havenāt yet managed to do well, and on and on.
Of the records Iāve done Iād pick the last one, Kuopio.
Will Johanna Iivanainen or Raz Ohara ever appear on a Luomo record again?
Nope. I really donāt think I will ever make another Luomo album unless things change in major way. I find the club & dance music scene so out of it that I donāt want to work in or around itĀ any more.
I would still like to produce such music as I have done with Luomo but Iād only do it privately or something, I have absolutely no interest in working in that sceneĀ any moreĀ as it currently is.
I donāt want to offend anyone so Iād better shut up now.After 15 years in the music business, what are the most important lessons you’ve learned?
You know, I never thought myself as being in the music business. That was one thing that always bothered me, work, professional, business.
I work for hourly wage that is definitely lower than average. And I do work very long hours, just to get by, but I never wanted to be professional, maybe naively but anyhow I was worried I would lose my passion and all the other stuff that matters to me greatly, much more than money or any kind of success. So I guess not taking my passion as a professional thing or work at least, has helped a lot.
I guess the biggest lesson is not to be addicted; it kills creativity and life in general. Also it helps greatly to try stay as amateur and unknowing as possible.What are your thoughts on the end of music as a physical product?
I have tried to follow the situation and progression of this topic and have tried to not take it personally. I think overall thereās nothing we can, or should try to do, against the progression of things. I feel in general the older you get the more challenging it becomes to let these things happen and not protest against them. Younger kids just take these things for granted and jump from one thing to another, the speed is quite overwhelming.
But lately, I must say I havenāt really even made any opinion of it all. Except I try to remain somehow positive as I tend to see and concentrate on negative things always. And when you look with those negative glasses the situation definitely seems pretty fucked up.
I find it sometimes hard to not be bitter about the situation but I can also see having been spoiled in my early career where I actually could sell few albums and make a semi living out of it.
As I first and foremost focus on music, the making of it, I donāt have so much energy and interest to focus on what kind of medium it appears on and everything around the subject. It does bother me that the whole digital thing neglects so many aspects of the experience, and actually just shits on it. You have no idea who made what, where, with whom, whatās the publisher and whoās the money making dude behind it all, 10 photos of someone posing in the make-ups, etc. etc.
When I listen to music I like, from jazz to classical to mainstream hip-hop etc., there are varying infos I want to know depending on the genre etc. and I canāt find this info on digital releases.
And also they sound crap. although so much of the new music sounds equally if not more crap on CD that I think itās not so big deal actually. and everyone listens to the music on some ridiculous headphones (I think these latest-fashion 50 Cent or whatever Dre 300 dollar cans are as ridiculous as iPhone buds) that make music sound nothing like it should.
But this is again me not maybe seeing the bright side of it all.
But somehow I remain optimistic, things canāt only go to bad direction and I begin to see also some light at the end of the tunnel, maybe just because things canāt just go anymore bad.
Usually I always say it could be worse. But maybe in this aspect itās different, maybe it just canāt get more worse.
Maybe the thing I find most sad is the fact that almost nobody appreciates music anymore. Ā Itās just a cheap or often free commodity. I guess one reason why less physical products are made/sold is because the ever-lowering value and appreciation people see in music. Thereās so much of it, itās like millions of free tv-shop channels, all tooting the same stuff out of their āuniqueā channels. Ā I think it numbs the perception.
Also, too much is too much.What advice could you give aspiring musicians?
Be fucking hard on yourself, no compromises.What albums inspired you to become a musician?
In chronological order until age of about 15:
Bob Marley – Catch a Fire (I was 5 when I found that album on my fatherās collection)
Kiss, Motley Crue, etc. hard rock albums
Frank Zappa – all albums.
Miles Davis – almost all albums.You take music very seriously, have you ever considered making something light hearted or silly?
Nope š I admire the way Zappa did that, and maybe few other examples but mainly I hate it when people mix music with humour.What are your plans for your new studio?
There are no new plans for the studio except to stop spending money! And start paying back the loansā¦ I think the studio is at a point where the main thing is on top level, it sounds amazing.
I might be working with Genelec to find a bigger system at one point but for now the studio is all well. I also have trouble with how much time I spend in the studio, NOT making music but trying to make it more amazing and more suitable for new ideas I have and all that.
And then Iām off touring for weeks while my wife is using it…Has it changed how you approach your music?
Not at all. All the gear etc. is very secondary I think. Music is something bigger than some this or that technology.Pusha-T or Kanye?
Pushaā¦ Iāve been a big Clipse fan since day one. With Kanye I have daily issues, even though I like some of his things a lot as well. I liked his last album a lot but I worry to death what will come out of his opus with electronic kids and EDM bling bling.If money was no object, what kind of car would you drive?
Since having moved to country side I actually first time need a car and became aware of car in general. IĀ didn’tĀ have driving license until then even and never cared about cars.
But now I do as itās my daily life, and often the circumstanced are pretty wild where I live, 4*4 drive is essential, so I need a car that functions and delivers. I guess Iād choose a Range Rover.
ā¦sorry. I want to change my choice of car. Mercedes Benz G 500 AMG.
The thought of Vladislav Delay driving around in a G-Wagen, bumping the Clipse is fantastic š Ā I’ll dissect the rest of the interview some other time, needless to say it mirrors quite a few of my thoughts and I’m somewhat torn on the uncertainty of Luomo’s future…
Buy Vladislav Delay’s new album āKuopioā here. Do it, do it now. He’s a cool guy. Buying his music makes you a little cooler too.