13… Unlucky for some. But not Current Value. He dropped his 13th album The All Attracting yesterday, on October 13.
For added numerical significance, it’s also the 13th release on the label he’s releasing it on – YUKU. A relatively new Prague-based label/exploratory arts platform/shop launched last year, as well as the hyper prolific German producer Current Value, YUKU is home to the likes of Subp Yao, A.Fruit, Audeka, and Missin to name a few. And anyone who subscribes to the label’s diverse, boundary-blurring output enjoys the label’s output months in advance. Make that half a year: The All Attracting will be available on vinyl for non YUKU subscribing mortals March 2021 and on digital in April 2021!
Not a subscriber? Maybe this album mix from Current Value might persuade you otherwise…
Taking off from where the brazen futurism and unruly nature of last year’s double album Puer / Senex left us, it’s another dastardly brain-tickling delve into the outer limits of drum & bass. Listen closely and you can hear collaborations with MVRK and kindred experimental spirit Amon Tobin.
“I guess it’s often overlooked, but drum & bass and I have been in a bit of a relationship since I started out. You could say we’ve been going steady since about 94,” states Tobin. “Needless to say I’ve been a Current Value fan for many years. Hearing the sound evolve over the years to a point where it’s closer than ever to something transcending the limitations of genre. It’s been a privilege to have had a chance to work together after all this time.”
Tobin and Current Value’s collaboration is the title track of the album and one of 13 intense All Attracting audio investigations (not including two bonus tracks for the YUKU subscribers – just in case the number 13 wasn’t lucky enough for them) We called up Mr Value to find out more…
Phew! You’ve announced an album this year. 2020 has been awful anyway but if you didn’t release, or at least announce, a big project then something would be REALLY wrong…. A year after your double albums Puer & Senex, it’s about time really isn’t it?
Yes it seems that way. I didn’t push for it, I just happened to be inspired. The lockdown helped with that in a weird way. Once “locked in” there is no way back…
The All Attracting…. Tell us about the concept
The All Attracting circumscribes the source of all being, the atma (soul), god in everyone and everything. It’s used in hinduism to describe Krishna. It’s absolutely not about religion, but rather about the diversity and complexity of the god entity…”The indivisible force”, if you like, to use a track name from my early Current Value days.
As for process and execution, in some way my music is always concerned with the invisible and indescribable, and I usually choose the names after the creative process of actually writing the music. It hasnt been any different with this album.
This is now your 13th album! Are you superstitious?
No, I’m not. But enough people have been giving the “13” and its malicious meaning room enough for it to become real. It’s the same with many things: seek and you will find. I’m not afraid of 13, though. Everything’s going to be alright, I’m sure.
With 12 albums under your belt does that cause other challenges in terms of making sure you’re exploring something new and not going over old ground?
I see it more as a constant journey that brings new things to the table every time. I keep working from scratch, which keeps me fresh and ready to explore new things. I’m not a fan of building big sample libraries or tons of presets. To me, a musical signature, isnt connected to using the same sounds over and over. It’s the approach—the technique combined with a certain skillset.
How did lockdown and rave shutdown affect the writing and creative process?
I think it gave me even more focus and time dedicated to music making. I’ve also started doing 1:1 tuition which also keeps one in the training constantly. So all in all it was a very explorative and creative time. The Covid issue — as harsh as it is — also has some inspirational things in itself and puts a different perspective on things.
Got to find the silver linings, indeed. We need to chat about Amon Tobin! That must have been a lot of fun?
It definitely was! He’s a beast, no doubt! YUKU got in touch with him to see if he was interested in a Current Value collab, as he’s always included my tracks in his DJ sets and he said yes! He send me a bunch of modular noodles, sounds and sequences and was keen to know what I would do with them. It felt like a fest! So I had a couple of goes at these and the tune came together — it literally wrote itself at some point. He put some more bits in and I did and so forth and bam, we had a tune! It would have been nice to meet and collab in person but Covid, and most of all, time, didnt allow it this time around. Nevertheless, it was an absolute pleasure to work with him! Goodness, I’ve known his music since I played Splinter Cell – Chaos Theory back in 2005!
Did you learn anything from Amon? Do you feel there was anything he learnt from you?
All I can say so far is that the “musical chemistry” between us is excellent! It felt like I could write a whole album with him… Effortless is the word, I believe.
What else does the world need to know about The All Attracting right about now?
The album artwork is by legendary Dutch visual artist and graphic designer Boris Tellegen, who is also known as the graffiti artist Delta. The original pieces for the cover and vinyl inner sleeve – which are paper collages with paint – are highly technical but at the same time loose, experimental and expressive, which seems analogous to my approach at the moment.
There are just 75 copies of the limited-edition vinyl available to pre-order, which comes with two bonus digital tracks and a print of the artwork signed by me. There will be an announcement this week on my mine and YUKU’s social media, so keep an eye out for that, as the YUKU LTD edition vinyl seem to go in just a day or two. More copies of the vinyl will be available at a later point, but without the signed print and bonus digital tracks. Vinyl copies will ship out in March 2021, and the worldwide, official release date is April 2021. Thanks!
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