Phthalo Records

Released in conjunction with John Tejada’s Lucid Dream: Recovered Data 95 full-length album as part of the Phthalo Origins series, Reworked Data is two singles and EPs featuring (as the release name implies) updated remixes, reworkings, and versions of John Tejada’s original electronic compositions by his contemporary peers in techno and house production.

Reworked Data Vol. 1 features Bodycode applying the house and techno sensibility of his recent Immune album for Spectral Sound to Tejada’s production, followed by labelmate Broker/Dealer’s sophisticated melding of the source material’s nearly fifteen-year-old Anvil Vapre-era sense of melancholy to an insistent 4/4 rhythm. Traum Schallplatten’s Dominik Eulberg continues his tradition of developing elaborate, drawn-out explorations of the ebb and flow of techno dynamics by adapting the asymmetrical IDM sounds of Tejada’s source into a persistently propulsive techno narrative. Finally, Ninja Tune and Plug Research’s Daedelus applies the accessible synthpop template of last year’s Love To Make Music To to Tejada’s melodies — almost crafting another “Fair Weather Friends” in the process.

Reworked Data Vol. 1 is available in a limited edition, hand-numbered run of 300 12” EPs — as well as digitally via iTunes, etc.

Reworked Data Vol. 2 is to be released digitally, and features a roster of Phthalo artists having a go at Tejada’s output…giving the source material a decidely non-techno sheen. Blevin Blectum, Libythth, and Terminal 11 dismantle the Lucid Dream material, and reassemble a slew of often frenzied, chaotic, yet contemplative tracks. Meanwhile, Gerald Wenzel and Eight Frozen Modules (here recording as DubLoner) produce gentler, dubbier reworkings of Tejada’s tracks.

House and techno music producer John Tejada has been producing music for 15 years now, and his newest album, Recovered Data 95, is also his oldest, released under the name Lucid Dream as the second in Phthalo Records’ Phthalo Origins series, recorded back in 1995 and showcasing the artist's sharp ear for electronic music that manages to be both brittle and melodic at the same time. Here are some of John’s notes on this earliest material of his:

“I rediscovered this release while digitizing old DAT tapes recently, and it still holds a special place for me. I’ve put out so many releases since then, but this one had yet to see the light of day. Back then it was a special time for making music. The tools were limiting, forcing you to be creative. No plug-in synths, DAW workstations, or email and cell phones, even. So we didn’t download music, we drove to the record store to get new music.”

(Sorry, grandpa, but thankfully for modern music buyers, Recovered Data 95 is available for purchase in both CD and via iTunes.)

The much anticipated Dntel tripledisk is now available. As the very first release in our "Phthalo Origins" series of re-released debut material by respected contemporary electronic artists, it includes remastered versions of the first two Dntel albums (Early Works For Me If It Works For You and Something Always Goes Wrong), each of which were originally released in their original forms on Phthalo over ten years ago.

But that was the 90s. This updated Phthalo Origins collection notably includes a heretofore unreleased album, Early Works For Me If It Works For You II, which features tracks and songs that were recorded around the time of Jimmy's third album, Life Is Full Of Possibilities, released on Plug Research.

The tripledisk set has 40 tracks in total. It can be ordered now for $23 within the U.S. and $26 outside the U.S (those prices do include the shipping cost). It can also be purchased as a digital download for $17.99 on iTunes.