MARCASHKEN-ROOTS DYED DARK
After a string of successful releases and remixes on Safari Electronique, Mikrowave and also numerous live shows across the globe its now time for Ashken to return to his spiritual home, Leftroom. This time he means business with 2 storming original techno cuts, and also an edit.
First up is the beast that is known as 'Roots Dyed Dark'. Standing head and shoulders above its counterparts, a classic in the making, this track has been doing serious damage from only a few CDR-s and has been an integral part of Ashken’s live set. From the tracks beginning a relentless techy groove is in effect which quickly builds and builds into mayhem. This melodic mayhem winds and then slows into....nothing! Silence ensues for a brief moment and then from nowhere the shuffle beats commence. These reach a confused pinnacle to suddenly kick straight back into a techno monster which then stops & starts, rises then falls to cause dancefloor chaos.
Ashken has generously given us a fresh re-edit of 'Roots Dyed Dark' to accompany the original. This edit is a tighter and darker affair which keeps the essence of the original, but cuts out the shuffle pattern to create a more straightforward track. Intelligent edits have been added to give the track its own identity.
Second of the 2 original tracks is 'Nimrod' whose name will become clear after one listen. Here we see more of a groovey and jacking side of Marc, or do we? From the onset he presents us with a crunchy tech groove but then as we come to expect he twists us as only he knows how. The track seems to speed to techno pitch and then in true Ashken style, from nowhere a jet screeches over the track. The dancefloor in turn is left mangled as it twists itself into the inners of the track. Awesome stuff!
With such awesome original productions we felt there was only one appropriate remixer in the name of Marc Houle. Houle needs no introduction with his output for Richie Hawtin’s Minus imprint speaking for itself. Here he has enforced his reputation by creating a remix which incorporates the same structure as the original,with a few of Houle’s trademark tweeks and sprinkles of genius. The magic really happens at about 3mins in where the track is transformed into a New Order-esque, guitar laden epic. The bass guitar, played by Houle himself, soars over the bass of the track into a live sounding crescendo from which elements of the original return, before the track eventually ceases. Not what you might be expecting, but all that can be done, is a round of applause…
Samples:
http://www.myspace.com/marcashken
Livesets Review soon
) remix by Houle that i'm sure will be played in many ends of many nights...can't wait!!! They give us some poetry music 
