VARIOUS ARTISTS:
GDX: "Want You"
AURA ANTHROPICA: "Drummondii"
Once again Austria and in particular Vienna finds itself the focus for new and creative sounds being heavily sought after worldwide. It’s been a little while but history of course has the uncanny ability to always repeat itself. Being Vienna too, it should come as no surprise that this nu-breed will be fashionable out of town long before they get their props and respect in town. Tastemakers such as Mary Ann Hobbs and Gilles Peterson have been quick out of the blocks to acknowledge the nu-breed of boy-wonders from these shores.
The new sounds of Austria though offer a new heightened and elevated sound from those of the mid nineties. Experimental and courageous are definitely in, and safe and laid-back have been deservedly shown the door. Gone too is the notion that Austria and Vienna make the very best background and elevator music. Damn, that used to drive me mental hearing Viennese electronica in Starbucks.
And this is where Phlox come in. A new label, a new identity with their own ideas of melodic subjects in musical composition! They bring much dissimilitude and unconformity. They prosper in the ‘absence of likeness’, their music policy is that they don’t actually have a music policy. The Viennese electronic music rule books of the mid nineties have all been torn up or burnt.
From the gun Phlox show us that they mean business with this course of governing. The first release proposes two vastly different experiences from Aura Anthropica and GDX.
Aura Anthropica aka Hans Platzgumer a long time Austrian beat mechanic finds himself on some sort of archaeological exploration for long lost bottom-end. His excavation finds a dark and brooding bass monster and a drummer that sounds like he very disinclined to hard work. It’s almost a scene score with synth colour touches and some edgy paint to add to the tension and the hostility. Mysterious, mystifying and very heavy, “Dummondii” will have you digging deep inwards and looking for the comprehensible.
GDX is Gerhard Potuznik aka GD Luxxe, another undercover exponent of the true experimental in Austria for many years. He arrives and debuts at Phlox HQ with a lush late night two stepper featuring plenty of buoyant boogieness and animation. A seducer and a lady killer “Want You” will entice babes everywhere to come wiggle some on the floor. Billy Badass bass, some clandestine claps and alluring vocal snippets make this a proper little ‘your place or mine?’ dating agent.
Phlox001 is the humble beginnings of a small group of Austrian experimentalists who enjoy the musical investigations of auditory artistic communication. It’s bound to be an adventurous and daring journey in which we hope you enjoy the ride.
Alan Brown, Soul Seduction, Vienna
phlox001. various artists. 12" vinyl. available soon. by Phlox