Four years after the re-release of their debut The Dream Tec Album on U-TRAX, the Dutch downtempo techno duo The Connection Machine returns with a second highly anticipated re-release. BlackHole+ contains remastered versions of most of the tracks on their original The Black Hole EP, released on U-TRAX in 1995, plus five tracks from their EPs on Tabernacle Records: Lost Connection and Lost Machine (with electro outfit Lost Trax on the flipside).
The original Black Hole EP had black labels and all details of the release were added as a computer-spoken track on the b-side. For this re-release, this track was replaced by a Legowelt remix of the still immensely popular track Echoes From Tau Ceti.
To make room for this remix, the opener 8 Minutes was shortened to roughly 8 minutes, from its original length of well over 13 minutes.
The Black Hole EP tracks and remix are on disc 1 of the double vinyl EP, with the Tabernacle tracks taking up disc 2. As such, the album is symbolic for the evolution in sound of band and label alike.
The CD, cassette and digital versions will bring even more goodness in the form of two brand new tracks, bringing the total number of tracks to eleven. As usual with U-TRAX releases, the cassette version boast yet another previously unreleased bonus track, plus the original full-length version of 8 Minutes.
The Connection Machine are Natasja Hagemeier and Jeroen Brandjes. The two met in the early 90s, working at famous Utrecht club Fellini and got infested by the techno bug that was taking over town then.
With Natasja being trained as a classical piano player and Jeroen having had a past in punk bands in the 80s, the couple created a unique blend of techno, that they themselves dubbed ‘Dream Tec’. Though Jeroen stated in a recent interview for U-TRAX Quite Deep Radio that all their music starts with the dancefloor in mind, we would probably categorize their dreamy and melancholic music as ‘downtempo’ nowadays.
TCM’s release Bitflower on Planet E is another classic techno EP, and later the two released highly acclaimed albums on Down Low and Tabernacle.
The album starts with an edit of 8 Minutes, an uncharacteristically fast and fierce track, with rolling bassdrums and trancey, sequenced synths. The track was shortened to roughly eight minutes, down from the original thirteen-and-a-half minutes, to provide room for Echoes From Tau Ceti. This track is an all-time favorite for many techno connaisseurs, including successful producers like Legowelt and Modeselektor. The former testified the music of The Connection Machine even sparked his own career and the warm and romantic atmosphere of Echoes From Tau Ceti makes it his favorite TCM song. So when we approached Danny Wolfers for a remix, he immediately said yes.
For his Legowelt remix, he tracked down the instruments used in the original with the help of TCM, and Danny played all parts from scratch, by lack of stems or even midi files. He upped the tempo and added some simply delightful string parts and vocoder lines (“The Connection Machine, forever in space!”), making his remix sound both modern and vintage - and very danceable!
The track accompanying this remix on side B is Space Cadets On Leave, which has always been one of the label’s favorite tracks. Repetitive little melody patterns lay on top of an immense universe of vocal strings and make the track literally sound like from outer space.
Side C presents the TCM tracks from the Lost Connection EP on Tabernacle (2011). It opens with the stunningly beautiful Evil Earth, that starts off with a tentative organ melody, that gets accompanied by a pleasant saw tooth synth and processed voices, before it mercilessly kicks in with loud, fat synth tones, playing sparce, but emphatic notes.
Next is Speel, that joyfully kicks off with drums and a bassline that echoes Planet E’s soulful approach of techno, then gets a thick layer of thoroughly deformed vocals on top of it. In the last minute of the track, this vocal continues solo, making it one of the more experimental tracks on this release.
Side C closes off with Keen [on Life], which reminds us a lot of downtempo gods Boards of Canada. Low-fi technoid sounds flow from left to right before an incredible funky and freaky lead part kicks in. An absolute gem!
The two TCM tracks from the Lost Machine EP on Tabernacle (2012) take up side D, starting off with Klute, a song with a thoughtful beat that has a somewhat jazzy feel. But of course, nothing is ‘regular’ in a TCM song, like the cricket-like sounds that enter the stage halfway the track.
The vinyl album ends with After, probably the deepest song of all. It starts off ever so dreamy and then breaks into dark, overwhelming melodies, that get accompanied by captivating voice samples that, in typical TCM-style, have been processed in such an extensive way that they can hardly be recognized as such.
Buyers of the CD get treated on two entirely new songs. Theorems Theorems is a jazzy affair, obviously with a TCM angle that makes it sound super futuristic. The funky bassline that gets introduced at two thirds of the song, is the cherry on top. Never mind the ghastly, muffled screams towards the end.
Together is a worthy closer, with spacey ambient strings and a certain electronic sound that has an unmistakable resemblance to Paper Clip People’s Oscillator, as if TCM wants to pay tribute to their hero Carl Craig. The sea of strings forms a soothing end to the CD.
People lucky enough to get their hands on one of the only 50 cassette copies not only get treated on a remaster of the full-length version of 8 Minutes, but also get one extra nugget in the form of Thinking Machine 23. This is an edited and deeply enhanced version of Thinking Machine, a track from the 90s that was never released and that was only found on a VHS cassette that served as an archive tape for the label. The Connection Machine edited the almost ten minute track back to less than four minutes, but added a ton of immensely deep melodies, that add an incredible warmth to the upbeat track with its rolling kickdrums. It’s almost a shame a gem like this will be this hard to get!
U-TRAX spared expense nor effort to make purchasing the physical releases of this album a treat for the real music lover. 180 grams vinyl discs with special bi-colored vinyl come in a beautifully designed gatefold sleeve, on which all text is printed with spot varnish. Two double sided art prints are added, designed by TCM’s own Jeroen Brandjes, who also made artwork on the cover (depicting himself and Natasja Hagemeier).
The digipack CD comes with an eight page booklet that has all four of the artworks, plus an extra one, representing the extra tracks.
Finally, the cassette edition comes in a plastic free, fold out Maltese Cross packaging and a full on-body printed cassette shell.
Download this album or buy the vinyl, CD or cassette at:
Available on limited edition black and white heavyweight double vinyl [5 UTR QDM30], digipack CD with 8-page booklet [5 UTR QDM29] and Maltese Cross cassette [5 UTR QDM31], and for download and streaming: November 24, 2023.
Art by The Connection Machine
Design by Studio Moan
Mastered by Johanz Westerman, Ballyhoo Studio Mastering.
Vinyl cut by Simon Dawey @ The Exhange
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