Photo by Kristian Emdal
Yen Towers merges the grittier edges of garage/bass with unexpectedly abstract and melodious textures, echoing the tensions of underground raves.
Yen Towers is a project from Danish musician Simon Formann, one of the pool of artists in the thriving Copenhagen underground. Simon used to play guitar in Lower, a band known for its Northern brand of rough-edged post-punk with traces of hardcore and full of sharp melodic hooks. He is also involved in the twisted lo-fi pop act Girlseeker. His solo work, however, has for quite a long time been known for its gritty electronic soundscapes that balance between garage dirt, bass dynamics and elements of industrial music. His Yen Towers project uses techno deconstructions, dubby pulsations and complex rhythmics to explore the eerie nature of the financial sector. A similar trajectory, albeit in a slightly darker form, is also taken in his Age Coin project with Kristian Emdal. Yen Towers’ most recent release Bidders Must Justify Their Price released on Posh Isolation evokes the cold and calculated nature of present day economic systems. These four tracks combine cold and glassy soundscapes with the grittier sonics reminiscent of the UK underground heritage. This combination nicely complements the concept of the release.
Secret Thirteen mix 218 is a dark and punchy affair celebrating the raw and more atmospheric side of garage/bass music as well as showcasing its connection to more abstract musical forms - the concrete noise of Dave Phillips smoothly shifts into the stellar bass pulsations by FIS, and the mix closes with Vessel’s Ike Yard remix that fades into the tropical ambient washes of Mumdance & Logos. The start is filled with tension, which gradually increases and elegantly explodes throughout the mix. Such intensity reminds the pace of modern urban life and at times brings to memory the wild world of the UK rave golden age. It is like exploring South London boroughs at night, with echoes of warehouse raves resonating around you. However, there are underlying traces of more emotional and melodic textures present here, with the inclusion of such tracks as Pan Daijing & HVAD’s “Zhao Hua”, Actress’ “Marble Plexus” or the aforementioned Mumdance & Logos gem. This combination creates a powerful balance between the rough euphoria of peaktime rave and the melancholy of its aftermath.
A similar intensity in terms of dynamics and form is captured in Myron Stout’s painting “Untitled (Late September-December 10). It is reflected in a more abstract form, but it could be interpreted as the passing cityscape seen from above or from a train window.
Tracklisting
01. Dave Phillips - A Grain of Salt (Goes A Long Way) [iDEAL, 2017]
02. FIS - Independently Together [Subtext, 2016]
03. SKRSINTL meets MX7 - Discipline 1 - 7 [ICS Library Records, 2016]
04. Equinoxx - Clunk [DDS, 2016]
05. Myth - Skyz [Halcyon Veil, 2015]
06. Parris - Bloom [Ancient Monarchy, 2016]
07. Khalil - Submit So Deep [Unreleased, 2017]
08. Beneath - Occupy [PAN, 2014]
09. Lee Gamble - B23 Steelhouse [PAN, 2015]
10. Actress - Marble Plexus [Honest Jon´s, 2012]
11. NHK - 1038 lo oct short [PAN, 2016]
12. Novelist - Power (Sniper VIP) [???]
13. NPLGNN - Variance I [Where To Now?, 2014]
14. Walton - Wrench (Original Mix) [Tectonic, 2015]
15. Copout & Orlando Volcano - Rolex (Galtier Remix) [???]
16. Rhythmic Theory - The Bends [Ancient Monarchy, 2016]
17. Kingdom - OG Master [Fade To Mind, 2013]
18. Olymphia - White Clothing And Bare Feet [Posh Isolation, 2015]
19. Strict Face - Sapphires [???]
20. Daijing & HVAD - Zhao Hua [PAN, 2017]
21. Rezzett - Doyce [The Trology Tapes, 2016]
22. Ike Yard - Cherish 8 (Vessel Remix) [Desire Records, 2013]
23. Mumdance & Logos - Café del Mar [Different Circles, 2017]* Recorded with: TTX1, DJM 500, H3000
