Jeff Mills - Emerging Crystal Universe

http://www.interstellarsounds.com/product.php?productid=5773&cat=0&bestsellers

I was actually quite excited for this album from the snippets I heard...

Up to now though I'm only seeing a vinyl edition and that...

Yeah, he seems to have switched to this USB format instead of cds and digital downloads. Also, the vinyl probably won't have half the tracks on the USB thingy. But I'm sure it'll sound awesome, the Sleeper series has been really quality so far.

that's true, but I got severely disillusioned with vinyl releases after the very,very shitty Orion release: paid 60 euro's for a cd, book and vinyl and it was the most shittiest thing I've ever purchased (safe for that bike that i bought off a junkie.. lesson learned in that sense):

here's someone else who reviews the Orion boxset

  Quote

Ok, Im a Jeff Mills fan have been for many many years now...I just got Star Chronicles box set limited edition run of 150 copies etc. I am not a collector as such, I buy Jeff's releases as and when I can but this promises to be something special and I scrimped and saved to buy this release...very excited I was too.
I shoudn't have been, what a dissapointment...the "80 pg book" is a predominantly a series of images of orions belt that look identical...only flicking the books pages reveals it is a subtle moving away from orion from the readers perspective (universal expansion is this ?). Prior to this is a one page description of orion (which I could more info from Wikipedia) and following the photos a series of blank pages for notes ! thats right folks NOTES. The 12 is great but the "special" CD ? The CD which I have waited for with baited breath that along with the book justifies the extortionate cost (I assume ?) It is a series of what sounds like not so well DJ mixed studio tracks jeff had lying around. The opening track of orion one is wonderful, a deep spacey affair but it soon descends into a lacklustre mills, that even crackles at times,...So these are not special versions of the 12 inch tracks as I was led to believe it is a DJ mix !. So all in all 100 USD (inc postage) for a rubbish and pretentious book on orion, and what is quite franky a poor and lazy DJ mix of mediocre filler tracks. Not happy, and not satisfied at all. No studio quality as seen on the sleeper wakes or even the 2087 project. Frankly with this release I think Jeff is taking the P**S from fans who love his work , value the art he provides and loyally buy his releases..Jeff mills pushes boundaries of techno more than anyone, why I guess I am huge fan ,but with this (especially with the cost !) I think it is a rip off. The 12 costs 8.99 GBP and is by far the standout here...so buy the excellent standard twelve and forget this "limited edition facade"....the extras make this most sub standard mills release in his entire catalog IMO and probably the single most disappointing Techno release I have ever bought. Don't bother with it.

I love Mills, and his Sleeper set series is awesome, but I won't buy anything on vinyl cuz that's how I roll after that Orional experience...

I understand the artistic approach. It seems like an attempt to give the music and concept a more purposeful and valued existence (while vinyl already contains that 'value' somewhat, as opposed to CD & Digital), although in doing so it embellishes the underlying idea that the music itself is worthless.

The problem I have is, I feel like the whole 'collectors edition' approach taken on by so many companies, is driven by the fact that everyone is such a victim to their desires and consumptions that they have to overindulge to the point of a £78 swarovski techno album even existing.

It seems like Jeff Mills is trying to merge his works into the already completely void world of 'art', rather than just allowing them to be enjoyed and considered art of their own right to those who believe in them.

Tight. Mills is a productive mother fucker. Keen for more space techno 8-)

  On 8/26/2014 at 11:49 AM, Mesh Gear Fox said:

pardon my ignorance and laziness but where is a good place to start with mills or detroit techno in general? watmm has never failed me

As far as Mills is concerned I like him for his Spacey techno tracks rather than his detroit routes.

A good place to start would be his more recent output, particularly the Sleeper Wakes series. My top 3 are: The Occurrence, The Messenger, Sleeper Wakes. His more recent The Jungle Planet and Where Light Ends are also worthy titles. This new one sounds like it's gonna be key as well... the guy just keeps on delivering :D

Also make sure you listen to the Alpha Centauri EP!! That thing is a masterpiece

I was gonna actually suggest something at the other end of the scale. The Final Cut - Deep into the Cut.

His more recent stuff really started gaining pace with his One Man Spaceship album.

Jeff Mills subforum imo

  On 8/26/2014 at 11:49 AM, Mesh Gear Fox said:

pardon my ignorance and laziness but where is a good place to start with mills or detroit techno in general? watmm has never failed me

Snap. I know nothing either and would appreciate some enlightment.

  On 8/26/2014 at 11:49 AM, Mesh Gear Fox said:

pardon my ignorance and laziness but where is a good place to start with mills or detroit techno in general? watmm has never failed me

I somewhat disagree with others in that the Detroit machine shit is better than the space stuff. At a conceptual level it's more interesting than stars and planets.

Waveform transmission 1 and 3 and purpose maker compilation are near flawless imo. But honestly id start with the 1998 essential mix he did that is easily available online. Two hours of assaultive, powerful stuff. The two Jamie bissmire tracks he drops are astounding-

Love the wizard!

I love Jeff Mills, I'm surprised he doesn't get mentioned more often on here. No other techno artist that I know of has explored space travel thematics so thoroughly. His series, Something in the sky, is dedicated to ufo sightings. I mean, that's original.

@Mesh Gear Fox, start with Sleeper Wakes and let us know what you think. I have all his albums so it's hard to pick up one. But Sleeper Wakes, WOW. Be careful, you might never return to earth.

I gave up on trying to get a handle on his whole discography a long time ago because it's huge and arguably a bit hit and miss, but I seem to have a penchant for the stuff under the Millsart alias. Mecca, Humana, Every Dog Has Its Day... One of my favorite tracks of his was only on the EDHID Vol. 3 vinyl, a real hidden gem, even I regularly forget this exists:

On the topic of his more recent releases, The Jungle Planet sounded more than decent from the previews but I didn't feel like paying that much for it (or stealing it, for that matter). Wish there was an affordable legit version, I might have actually heard it in full then. Still a total hero no matter how many Swarovski USB sticks he releases, let that be clear.

The Millsart album is great! Every dog has its day.

http://www.discogs.com/Millsart-Every-Dog-Has-Its-Day/master/84277

More accessible, friendly, cool beat. Yeah, The Jungle Planet is another amazing output. It's all cosmic and organic. Science-fiction techno.

Obviously a legend beyond belief but I never bothered to really dive into his discography, besides the older UR stuff, Liquid Room mix + Purpose Maker comp. Really loved all those. I did borrow a shitload of Axis / Millsart records from my brother a while back which was mostly just good, and the last thing I checked out was Jungle Planet which was A++.

Really bummed out he walked away after DJ'ing for only 20 minutes when I saw him (for the first time!) last month, because some idiot threw a plastic cup at him, again.

Samples for this new one sound great and remind me I've been really neglecting the guy's output. May have something to do with Svarowski USB sticks and such, but it's time to get back on his tail!

edit: can't help but think Aleksi Perala's Colundi Sequence is really influenced by Mills. I mean,

"edit: can't help but think Aleksi Perala's Colundi Sequence is really influenced by Mills."

  On 7/3/2014 at 2:30 AM, MassfreeKid said:

Colundi Sequence 4 reminds me of Jeff Mills' cosmic-oriented last few albums, such as The Jungle Planet, The Messenger, The Power, etc. Very minimal, pure sounding, repetitive, abstract, looping techno.

  On 8/26/2014 at 12:14 PM, Chris Toffer said:

Also make sure you listen to the Alpha Centauri EP!! That thing is a masterpiece

Now you're talking! Such a great EP.

For the hardcore fans who haven't seen it already, the first ever Red Bull Academy Lecture with Jeff Mills back in 1998...

http://vimeo.com/88067248

  On 8/26/2014 at 11:29 PM, MassfreeKid said:

"edit: can't help but think Aleksi Perala's Colundi Sequence is really influenced by Mills."

 

  On 7/3/2014 at 2:30 AM, MassfreeKid said:

Colundi Sequence 4 reminds me of Jeff Mills' cosmic-oriented last few albums, such as The Jungle Planet, The Messenger, The Power, etc. Very minimal, pure sounding, repetitive, abstract, looping techno.

 

Ah, so I wasn't that off this time :) I guess I'll be checking out those other albums (besides The Junge Planet) next!

A couple of tracks below that come to my mind off his Metropolis OST and 4Art EP. Most of his tracks, both from "dance-era" and sci-fi OST era, are very similar and best examples are spread out on multiple releases as he combine techniques, but never really focuses on a single one.

Where to start with Detroit techno? It's too much of a task for me. Jeff Mills is second wave Detroit (though he DJ'ed on the radio for the masterminds to be inspired before the thing was initiated) and i guess he was more influential as superstar DJ virtuoso, playing extremely fast-paced techno (half a minute for a track) on three decks at once. He's also very articulate guy, that's why he received a lot of attention from media and then from modern art circles. There's a famous rant about future (what will happen 1000 years from now, 5000 thousands years from now) he gave in some interview which he even pressed on a separate vinyl.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj1BvPaDeuE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMqOI-SCvxY

  On 8/27/2014 at 4:36 PM, Amen Lare said:

He's also very articulate guy, that's why he received a lot of attention from media and then from modern art circles. There's a famous rant about future (what will happen 1000 years from now, 5000 thousands years from now) he gave in some interview which he even pressed on a separate vinyl.

 

I tried to listen to an interview with him and just couldn't. He was talking so much nonsense space and how techno music can change the world or whatever. Some nice tunes though.

  On 8/27/2014 at 1:34 PM, Herr Jan said:

 

  On 8/26/2014 at 11:29 PM, MassfreeKid said:

"edit: can't help but think Aleksi Perala's Colundi Sequence is really influenced by Mills."

 

  On 7/3/2014 at 2:30 AM, MassfreeKid said:

Colundi Sequence 4 reminds me of Jeff Mills' cosmic-oriented last few albums, such as The Jungle Planet, The Messenger, The Power, etc. Very minimal, pure sounding, repetitive, abstract, looping techno.

 

Ah, so I wasn't that off this time :) I guess I'll be checking out those other albums (besides The Junge Planet) next!

 

i dunno, I've always found space and its mystery to be a really cheap and uninteresting association when it comes to synths and electronic music. "ooh this sound i just made sounds OUT OF THIS WORLD! It must have come from space!" oldest trick in the book, (see theremin as space music in the day the earth stood still)

I was always much more interested in mills when he was doing his detroit auto assembly line stuff like alarms and the extremist and his old style of mixing - incredible knowledge and use of freq ranges and fast fast fast edits. It seemed more emotional and human, as if the music was a reflection of both the beauty and harshness of his hometown.

This is, for the record, why I think Kraftwerk fantastic - using machines to make music about daily modern life (autobahns, radios, trains, computers) as opposed to UFOs and SPACE and all those silly sci-fi topics. A reflection of our own alienation through our machines is much more interesting conceptually than alienation through aliens...

/soapbox

Old-school Jeff Mills from 1996. The Dancer. Very simple track yet its got a cool, quite unique groove to it...

http://youtu.be/DGBpWEjqX9Y

@dr lopez, I know what you mean, and it feels especially wrong to me when it gets kind of new agey, bordering on cheesy space themes... I just feel that with Mills he obviously has a rare talent, so his vision of space exploration in terms of music, is more tense, thrilling, mysterious, eerie, and so on. You know his production skills... It's sometimes hit or miss with some of his ambient tracks for me, but as a whole what he is doing is completely his own thing, so respect for that. I like it as much as his older material. Plus for fans of sci-fi, black and white movies, mystery thrillers, alien abduction themes, space travel, and techno music, I think Mills 2009-2014 is spot on really and truly original.

Something in the sky 7. You know there's something up there.