TOTL by Stereo Minus One

STEREO MINUS ONE's third full-length album, TOTL., marks out a number of new directions, occupying a completely different sonic space to the raw, noise-fuelled excesses of 2001's The Sound Inside Sound or the more melodic, melancholic atmosphere of 2002's He Made Strange Noises. At times showing a much more conventional approach to structure and rhythm, the grain and texture of these 15 new tracks is perhaps even more stark and uncompromising than ever.

REVIEWS (TOTL.)

SOUND NATION: 'Imagine the combination of a sun-warped country record playing at the wrong speed and the nauseating chime of a knackered Ice Cream van being chased by an Apache Strike helicopter, and you have almost got the opening to this delightful record. Cardiff's Machine Records are responsible for unleashing Stereo Minus One's third album, and as usual the beats are twisted, jarring and enveloped in a world of static terror and occasional shafts of warped bliss. It is safe to say that Totl is a must for fans of everything in the vein of Rephlex and Warp Records, and the title track testifies this, embodying that lovely industrial glitch dynamic that Kid 606 and the like have made their own. Oh, and you could almost dance to it.'

SMALLFISH RECORDS: 'An excellently varied piece of work from STEREO MINUS ONE on this label that I'm not at all familiar with. You ought to check it out though, if you're into labels like SCHEMATIC, BETA BODEGA or REPHLEX as it manages to casually mash up playful electronics, phat, dancehall style basslines (at times) and some thoroughly engaging electronic manipulation. A bargain at this price as well. Nice.'

BUZZ MAGAZINE: 'More quality budget bass n breaks from Cardiff's number one underground electronics imprint ... Stereo Minus One's album is a huge step on from the previous two, recorded in 2001 and 2002 respectively; the beats are less Baby's First, the noise less freeform, all packing a crunchy breakbeat-you-can't-dance-to feel. Shades of Two Lone Swordsman and Third Eye Foundation in here, and you wouldn't listen to them at 4am with The Fear either.'

ABOUT STEREO MINUS ONE

Dan Haines (aka Stereo Minus One) has released seven albums, an EP, and three singles on Machine Records since founding the label in 2001.

Dan featured on the Metal Machine Music, Machine Music 2, and Machine Music! The New Dance Sound of Cardiff, and Machine Music 4 compilations and three compilations released by other labels.

'Alarums', from The Sound Inside Sound, was included on You're All Over The Map... (WRN59) ("The Welsh Stereo Minus One take an electronic beep, part car alarm, part computer game, loop in constantly, gradually adding more processing and effects in a quite wonderful sensation of information overload. ") and 'The Night in Ruins' was included on An Eloquent Mass: Experiments In Sound v1 (KRF13) in 2003. Dan also had a track featured on Fourier transform's Brave New Wales compilation in 2008 - now available on Bandcamp!

Live performances have included supporting Mira Calix, Mike Paradinas, and with Shoji Hano and Gary Smith. Dan also ran the monthly Terminal club night from 2003-2006, bringing ground-breaking live electronics to the Capital.

Dan Haines Cohen has been releasing music as Stereo Minus One since 2001 when he founded Machine Records in Cardiff, Wales.

machine-records.com