[[ Phonobox 008 ]]
**White Vinyl** Sven Schienhammer goes under the waves with four tracks of dubby house for Phonobox. 'Circles (Re-Edit)' offers a slow, lurching groove just below 110bpm, but the rest of the cuts settle around the 120bpm mark, from the intricate shuffles of the title track to the streamlined Detroit shapes of 'Swayings' reminding of Mike Huckaby's S.Y.N.T.H works.
Sven Schienhammer, who makes dub techno as Quantec, keeps his tracks focused on a defined tonal range, but exploits his options within each range to its fullest. This EP has four good examples. At first the re-edit of "Circles" is soothing: very thin synth lines criss-cross each other all through the track. But around the sixth minute, those elements audibly slow down; it's disorienting, but the track keeps its fascination.
The title track is the easy highlight. "Force Vive" treats every element to sound very soft-focus; nothing is inaudible, and everything hits the body like a padded jab. Clean handclaps break it up at two-and-a-half minutes, and there are lots of spangly synths, but this is mesmerizing start to finish—even, I'm betting, if you don't particularly like dub techno.
"Ramified" takes a while, which confirms Schienhammer's way with pace. Eventually it becomes apparent that the star of the show is this pitter-pattering workin'-the-Stairmaster bassline that is twee-er than Superpitcher remixing the Vaselines. It's a perverse combination that works—the pert bass cuts through and gives shape to the dry fog surrounding it. Finally there's "Swayings," whose pitch-happy synths offer more of that follow-all-the-bouncing-balls roundness he does so well.
[[ Eintakt 024 | Upward Spiral ]]
some feedbacks:
Jephte Guillaume (tet kale | new york):
“Great sounds ! thank you. I like them
...all but I think the Quantec song is my favorite. Keep up the good
work!!”
Serafin (mountain people):
danke für die musik....die nummer 4, quantec
gefällt mir sehr gut....genau die richtige deepness für einen
wunderschönen feiertag
Eintakts new compilation >Liquid Garden< makes this summer to an evergreen. Extraordinary airy and deep sound combined with the ease of sunlight warming the skin is everything whats needed to create a smile on your soul. Der Dritte Raum, Quantec, Einklang freier Frequenzen and Bekeschus tribute their brilliant acoustic artwork to this team-playing vinyl. Just steadily surprising …
[[ Piece Communications 001 ]]
Quantec - Synchrotron EP / Piece Communications 001
The first release on new UK label Piece Communications. And what a cracking start! This 12" not only looks the part (shrinkwrapped plain white sleeve, smokey coloured clear vinyl) it also sounds the part. Techno stalwart Quantec delivers a 3-track EP of exceptional quality here using his trademark deep, dubbed-out sounds. Atmospheric, grooving and full of that subtle shifting tone that recalls the best of Berlin and Detroit. Poles Apart is worthy of particular note (because it happens to be my favourite track on the EP) with its superb chord sounds and deep, insistent percussive elements, but ultimately the whole record is just very, very fine indeed. A brilliant debut for this label and if you're a fan of Meanwhile, for example, you should treat this as an essential. It's limited edition too.
[[ Pong Musiq 003 ]]
Quantec - Deeper Basement EP / Pong Musiq 003
*Red Vinyl* Great EP of deeper dub house variations from Sven Schienhammer aka Quantec. Following from his brilliant 'Cauldron Subsidence' album, this limited red-vinyl offering contains the blue effervescent keys of 'Hymn To Ra' and the deeply padded dub reductions of 'Unknown Perception' for the more esoteric heads, while the title tracks and 'Planet View' are leaner and more streamlined tracks with the dancers and the DJ's in mind. Lush goods.
Pong Musiq presents Sven Schienhammer aka QUANTEC! He grew up in the 80´s and have been working on electronic music since 1995..He maintains a fruitful relationship with the Styrax label and produced a plethora of dub tech gems over the recent years in labels like Echocord, Millions Of Moments, Meanwhile, Smallfish and Francois K's Wavetec label. ...... He's been considered the natural successor of Moritz Von Oswald and Mark Ernestus (Basic Channel).... This 3rd EP on Pong Musiq records contains 4 absolutely massive tracks for all the Dub-Techno fans out there. Sven proves his amazing talent and moves his sound to the next level. Floating music with hovering chords and his characteristic kick-drum shuffle, shimmering keys edging into the mix for a truly tripped out excursion from the deepest recesses of Berlin's techno dub vault. It is very hard to capture the feeling arising from this great music in words.
[[ 6one6 CD007 ]]
Quantec - Thought Experiment / 6one6 CD007
German recording artist Sven Schienhammer aka Quantec (Echochord, Styrax, !K7, Aesthetic Audio Detroit,
Millions Of Moments),
graces the 6ONE6 camp with 5 deep moving tracks. Thought Experiment is just that – an aural experiment
into sound, that evokes
subconscious thought. Those that know the Quantec sound, are familiar with the washed out grooves and
sub‐leveled depths present
in his soundscape. An excellent addition to a growing collective
'Thought Experiment', (6ONE6CD07) from German Sven Schienhammer (aka Quantec) is a five track
exclusive CD release, full of that down dubby groove and warm resonance that Quantec is known for. -- "an
album that further cements his reputation as one of the best producers in the dub-tech and dubstep
German recording artist Sven Schienhammer aka Quantec (Echochord, Styrax, !K7, Aesthetic Audio Detroit,
Millions Of Moments), graces the 6ONE6 camp with 5 deep moving tracks. Thought Experiment is just that –
an aural experiment into sound, that evokes subconscious thought, and inspires reflection. Those that
know the Quantec sound, are familiar with the washed out grooves and sub‐leveled depths present in his
soundscape. Quantec explores the vacant emptiness, envelops it – and responds. A moody, yet subtle
introspective – and an excellent addition to a growing 6ONE6 collective – Tip !
[[ Statik Entertainment 032 ]]
Quantec - A leap in the dark / Statik Entertainment 032
Hi quality dub interception! LTD quantity in green vinyl ask your sales rep. Echocord, Styrax Records, Meanwhile - these are the references for the artist of our upcoming release on Statik Entertainment. Quantec, aka Sven Schienhammer, is wellknown for his dark stuff and his brilliant dub techno - he alraedy said about himself, his sounds are digitized thoughts and emotions. “Leap In The Dark” is an awesome four-tracker, the tracks “Nabu” and “Nightshade” are the developement in best tradition of the basic channel - sound, without copying the originals! “Leap In The Dark” and “Leap In The Dark Reversion” are brilliant slow beat excursions in a deep deep way. a must-have!
[[ Silent Season CD04 ]]
Quantec - Journey of Mind - cd
I’ll start off this review by saying that I believe this is Quantec’s best work since his wonderful Quietus release - without a shadow of a doubt in fact. It’s good to hear him putting out this layered, atmospheric and predominantly ambient kind of sound and I really think it suits the style of his music as well as being perfect for the label. That’s not to say it doesn’t have beats, of course, because it does, but they’re in that low-key, unobtrusive style that allows you to just get on with the serious business of feeling the sounds and enjoying the space and form. One thing that’s quite clear from the outset is that this is a deeply hypnotic set of tracks and there’s a distinct split between ambient flow, a lightly drone-esque feel and then those trademark 4/4 sections. If you check out the samples you’ll hear it immediately – you’ll be taken in and enveloped in a single chord which resonates serenely before being gently nudged by an insistent pulsating rhythm in the next track. The overall feel is of darkness and melancholy which is exactly the way I like it and even though it has an expansive texture I’ll stress that at all times there’s room all over the place for the sound design to shine through. There are highlights, naturally, and they come in the shape of the haunting, disembodied voice in ‘The Unknown’ which is beautifully spooky when combined with the chord and static that accompanies it. The seemingly static groove of ‘Depth Of Immersion’ is another as it rolls along dreamily with more reverb than is probably legally allowed in a track like this – talk about echoes! And the final track ‘Atmospheric Noise’ is just straight-up a killer slice of thoughtful minimalism par excellence. But as ever with this kind of music it’s about the whole journey rather than the individual moments – you’ll find your favourite bits, I’m sure, but it all gels together into yet another wonderful album of the highest calibre. Mastered by Relapxych.0 and strictly limited to 100 copies, this is *definitely* not one to miss out on. Superb work.
Quantec takes you deep into the ethereal regions of space on a journey of the mind. Hypnotic sounds suspend you motionless high above the mystic moon and down deep into the unknown. The sounds weave and evolve in an meditative way from drones to percussive soundscapes and carry you away through a timeless space. Atmospheric noise becomes a perfect stranger helping you navigate through the abyss and ending the journey at the dawn of a new day.
[[ Echocord 40 ]]
Echocord 40 | Echocord CD 06 Album and 2x12"
Quantec's second full-length fin0ds Sven Schienhammer infusing more variety into his signature sound, this album moving from spacey, psychedelic bliss to straight-up bangers. In contrast to Unusual Signposts, which seemed tailored for deep headphone listening sessions, Cauldron Subsidence places the debut's ethereal wash of synthesizers and dub chords over a heavier, more propulsive pulse. His minimal sound is rooted in the tried and true Basic Channel tradition, with a purity that harks back to KMS Records, but there's still plenty of subtle experimentation going on. From the Detroit-meets-Berlin opener "Absolute Level" and the sun-baked "Profound Experiences" (complete with congas) to the weighty Rhythm & Sound-inspired dub of "Deep Rooted" or the heady broken house of "Magic Potion," Schienhammer plays with layers of sound and beats and even throws in some vocals without sacrificing the underlying ambience of his Quantec productions. What results is an album that further cements his reputation as one of the best producers in the dub-tech and dubstep worlds.
This is the second album by Sven Schienhammer aka Quantec on Echocord. After releasing several 12" on labels like Styrax leaves, Meanwhile, Snapshot and Echocord Sven is back with another fulllenght album. This album contains older tracks from the year 2001 and some of his newer works from 2009. On this album you will hear many of Sven's personal favourite tracks and Echocord are really proud to release it. Its not really the typical Quantec sound, its absolutely different to his last album on Echocord, some of the tracks with vocals, but you can still hear the quality Quantec sound. Brooding dub techno laced with the remnants of dubstep permeate the album. A true accomplishment for one of today's most accomplished electronic dub producers out there.
This is the second album by Sven Schienhammer aka Quantec on Echocord. It’s not really the typical Quantec sound, its absolutely different to his last album on Echocord, some of the tracks with vocals, but you can still hear the quality Quantec sound. Brooding dub techno laced with remnants of dubstep permeate the album. Opening cut ‘Absolute Level’ combines a rolling crash cymbal with a tripp Detroit-ish melody (ala Kenny Larkin). The classic strings throughout Satisfied ripple with a rolling broken beat and strains of vocals throughout, shedding new light on the classic Chain Reaction sound of yesterday. Slo-mo dubstep crooner Transmitters glides and floats through a broken beat and smoky haze of dub infiltration.
Quantec is set to release his third album in just two years in October.
Sven Schienhammer has made his mark on the dub techno scene in a very short time, amassing a staggering amount of releases on labels such as Styrax Leaves, Meanwhile, Quietus and Shoreless since early-2007. His Cauldron Subsidence album (named after the collapse of volcanic craters due to magma movements) will see him return to Kenneth Christiansen's Echocord imprint, following on from the release of last year's Unusual Signals LP.
The record sees Schienhammer continue in the tradition of his previous work, with the pulsing dubby chords that have become his hallmark appearing throughout. The forthcoming album seems to have a slightly more dance floor bent, however, with most tracks carrying a more propulsive sound than the work on Unusual Signals. Mixing up the percussion throughout gives the album a little more depth, with Sven darting between tribalism ("Magic Potion," "Profound Experiences"), snare workouts ("Obstacles"), Rhythm & Sound-esque dub reggae ("Pandemonium"), and even a swinging steppy cut in the form of "Transmitters."
After a series of warmly recieved releases for Styrax, Shoreless and Piece Communications this year, Quantec's Sven Schienhammer arrives at his second full length album in fine form. Opener 'Absolute Level' shows an expansion of his sound with a swirling Detroit/Berlin mixture reminding us of a dubbier Urban Tribe, before 'Deep Rooted' pays dues to the classic 90's house structures of Chez Damier and Maurizio etc. 'Profound experiences' works out skanking conga patterns, while 'Obstacles' shapes metallic shimmering dub chord licks inna 2562 style and 'Magic Potion' will appeal to fans of Terre Thaemlitz's more broken-rolling house productions as DJ Sprinkles. The impressive 'Plateau' closes the set with a final piece of pulsing ambience to melt the heads of anyone who bought the Meanwhile releases last year.
Sven Schienhammer hat sich mit seinen Quantec-Releases in ziemlich kurzer Zeit einen festen Platz im Dubtechno-Universum erspielt und mit Veröffentlichungen auf Styrax, Quitus oder Meanwhile sein traditionsbewusstes Verständnis von Dubtechno ausdefiniert. Nach seinem Erstlingsalbum Unusual Signals folgt mit Cauldron Subsidence nun auf Echocord der Nachfolger, der mit wunderbar wattierten Chords und reduzierten Grooves ganz tief mit beiden Beinen im Dubtechno der Basic Channel-Ära steht, diesen aber auf seine ganz eigene Weise mit Prescription-artiger Deepness paart. Die Reise reicht von zeitlos verhallten Soundscapes („Plateau“) über Rhythm & Sound-esken Dub („Pandemonium“) bis hin zu kristallin rockenden Dubtechnotracks („Deep Rooted“, „Obstacles“) die häufig durch eingestreute Vocalsamples an Struktur gewinnen. Quantec’s Tracks sind dabei aber immer ganz weit weg vom sterilen Minimalfunktionalismus der letzten Jahre und atmen jeder für sich pure Technogeschichte. Cauldron Subsidence ist damit vielleicht das schönste Kompliment das man Maurizio und Chez Damier heute noch machen kann. SD
Über Quantec's Person lässt sich nicht viel sagen, ausser: Der Typ produziert Dub-Techno als wäre er im Hardwax gezeugt worden. Seit 2007 releast Sven Schienhammer auf Labels wie Styrax Leaves, Meanwhile und dem Copenhagener Label Echocord, auf dem nun auch sein zweites Album "Cauldron Subsidence" erscheint, welches in die Fußstapfen von Größen wie Basic Channel und Chain Reaction tritt. Quantec's Sound ist repetitiv, tief, verträumt, jedoch weniger düster wie der des Labelkollegen Luke Hess. Die Subbässe wobbern graziel, die Vocalfetzen fliegen durch den Raum, verebben wieder; die Chords klingen warm und haben ein Volumen wie frisch aufgeschüttelte Daunendecken, wodurch hörbar wird, dass hier mit analogen Gerätschaften hantiert wurde. So darf der Herbst beginnen, so muss der Herbst klingen!
Zweites Album von Sven Schienhammer aka Quantec auf Echochord. Nach etlichen 12” Veröffentlichungen für renommierte Labels u.a. Styrax Leaves, Meanwhile, Snapshot und natürlich Echochord erscheint am 16.10.2009 endlich sein brandneues Album. 10 fantastische Tracks irgendwo zwischen Dub Techno, Detroit Techno á la Kenny Larkin und Dubstep. Watch out!
[[ Styrax 002 ]]
Quantec - Isolate / Styrax Records 002
what other DJ say:
Laurent Garnier
superb moody atmospheric techno
Great stuff
Terre Thamlitz (aka Dj Sprinkles)
I like the quantec, especially the 2 b-sides of quantec
Sebo K (Mobileé, Get Physical)
finde ich auch super! full support.
Alex Flitsch (Connaisseur Rcordings)
Three timeless dub-tech cuts, however, especially The Formula is touching my heart on this release.
Matthias Schaffhäuser (Ware)
Love this one too, even if it is very very rhythm'n'sound like. but this sound goes on forever.
Daniel (Moon Harbour)
dubtechno at its best.
Patrick Lindsey (Kanzlermat, Harthouse)
love it..! will play it @ my afterhour sets!
Rubadub
Deeper than deep House and Techno from Quantec.
First track on the B-side… pure killer dub techno. It has a wonderful bass sound, awesome chords and a delectable atmosphere. The is Quantec at his most pure from beginning to end with some seriously hypnotic tracks all round. The title track is long and deeeep with plenty of room for head nodding and foot tapping. Flip side really is tremendous with both tracks doing great things on the reverb and echo side. Considering how long the gestation period for the release has been I reckon these still stand up as some of Sven’s nicest tracks. Pure 4/4 techno goodness. Clear vinyl, so don’t miss out!
[[ shoreless 00.4,5 ]]
Quantec - uprise/explore / shoreless 00.4,5
It's good to see yet another label delving into the world of the 3" CDr as in my opinion it's a wonderful format. It has just the right amount of space on it to deliver a real hit - be it ambient, groovy or otherwise. What's really cool about this release is finally getting Sven doing some pure ambient music. Bear in mind that he's a bit of a master of the chord and textural groove, then imagine stripping out the beats and you're getting there. To be fair though the first track, Uprise, is altogether more epic and drone-driven than you might be expecting and it works out so, so well. A moody texture that hits you right it needs to to make an impact is what this is all about andI have to say that there's some real menace in there. But, importantly, it's also beautiful and that's what makes it so fine - this delicate balance between dark and light that never seems to resolve itself throughout the piece. A beautiful work of ambient art. Explore follows and, in some ways, is even more surprising. It uses a more organic tone to convey a sense of happiness and bliss (well, it does to me) with clicks, hisses, pops and crackles all completely intact. I don't know exactly what Sven's been listening to recently but there's an almost, dare I say it, 12k-esque feel to it. It certainly wouldn't feel out of place on a Giuseppe Ielasi album, let's put it that way. It's a lovely track and finishes the EP off in a heart-warming fashion. So, in conclusion this is a splendid piece of work.
[[ Echocord 036 ]]
Quantec - subliminal state ep echocord 036
After 2 12“ and his very successful full-length album last year, here
comes the next bomb from our man Sven Schienhammer aka Quantec. This
3rd ep on Echocord contains 4 absolutely massive tracks for all the
Dub-Techno fans out there. Again Sven proves his amazing talent and
moves the genre to a new level with his organic powerful sound.
[[ Snapshot 005 ]]
Quantec - The Landing / snapshot 005
Elliot Dodge hands over his beloved Snapshot reigns for the first time, and what better a man for the job is there than Quantec? With a CV that reads like a hall of fame of today’s hottest Techno labels, Quantec aka Sven Schienhammer is one of the most interesting producers this planet has to offer. A more than fruitful relationship with the Styrax label has produced a plethora of hits over recent years added to appearances on the finest Dub techno imprints such as Echocord, Meanwhile, Smallfish and Francois K’s Wavetec label. “The Landing” is Quantec in his classic form; Basic Channel style chords, ambient soundscapes and deep, broodings basslines combining to stunning effect. Elliot Dodge provides a remix in his classic style. Limited to 500 copies for the world!
[[ Meanwhile 014 ]]
Quantec - Distant space part 3 / Meanwhile 014
The impeccable Meanwhile imprint springs forth with the final chapterin the Quantec 'Distant Space' series from Sven Schienhammer. With themeanwhile label recieving a lot of focus at the moment, including abrilliant podcast for Resident Advisor this week, the label show thatthey have polished a very focussed sound with a strict line in deepestdub house and techno for the hardcore heads, leading onto probably thefinest track on the label in some time in the form of 'ElectromagneticPulse'. This is the sound of Quantec succinctly honing his skills toproduce a pure Berghain/Dettmann & Klock style pounder, with theupmost respect. The bottom-end contains those thick, slightly muffledbut still powerfully effective kickdrums with a touch of reverb tosound awesome through a big system, and in the upper echelons theglancing hi-hats are surrounded by a sweaty mist of dub effervescenceand meditative dub chords that will work so well in the rightsituations. 'Specters' on the flip has a slightly rougher aestheticwith abrasive dub licks swirling about a cool dub tech track, but forall the club heads you only need the A-side. Very good.
This is Quantec's third release in histhree-part series for the Meanwhile imprint. Continuing on from itspredecessors, 'Electromagnetic Pulse' is a 4/4 killer with bass thatsounds as though it's been recorded through Burial's privatesound-proofed wall -- all haze and blurriness, synced up to a crisphi-hat. 'Specters' features grainy analog synth-stabs over anothermurky groove. Nine and-a-half minutes of sonic bliss, sure to rattlearound in your brain cage for what seems like an eternity.
Is this the finest of the three Distant Space releases on Meanwhile? I
don't know, but it's certainly another damn fine piece of work from Mr
Schienhammer. There's something almost more spacious about this 12" and
I can't put my finger on exactly why that should be. The B-side track
'Specters' in particular uses a magnificently constructed chord sound
and rolling, subterranean beats to give you some real movement. Panned
out delays and reverb echo around you and it's really back to a
stripped down Berlin-esque vibe that I think works really well. It's a
Meanwhile 12" and it;s by Quantec and, ultimately, that's a very good
thing indeed. Highly recommended.
[[ Echocord Colour 03 ]]
Quantec - Ray of Hope / Echocord Colour 003
Quantec hits up the third release ofthe Echochord Colour series with 'Ray Of Hope EP', yet another masterstoke from producer Sven Schienhammer;
sublime, minimal dub-tech,spacious and heavy, and the sub-bass will totally kill you. Followingon from a series of long sold out 12's on the
Echochord andMeanwhile labels, the Quantec sound has established Schienhammer asone of the key players on the techno scene.
B-side 'Crank Eye'drops a protracted 4/4 drift, immersed in swirling analog synth-stabsthat will totally break you brain at 3am. This is a late nightdeep
groove for those of you that have played out every lastM-Series 12' and still want more.
Echocord Colour is the new sublabel of Echocord Records. This is the third release, produced by Quantec aka Sven Schienhammer. After the big succes with the Quantec album on Echocord, he is back with another masterpiece.
'Ray Of Hope' is a quite upbuilding track that goes straight into your mind, a beautifull piece of music, while 'Crank Eye' is a subling floorburner for all the dub-tech fans out there.
[[ Meanhwhile 012 ]]
Quantec - Distant Space Part 2
single of the week
Sven Schienhammer emits some more incredibly deep dub techno transmissions from his base on a cloud somewhere above Berlin. Following on from his massively acclaimed first installment for Meanwhile earlier this year, 'distant space pt.2' contains two of the deadliest dub tech tracks you're likely to hear in 2008, with 'Greenfield Mill' carving out a comfortable slot next to the M-Series with a massively sub driven slab of skank house cushioned by those unbelievably deep atmospherics, while 'Affluent Society' toughens up the patterns for a deeply affected 4/4 roller, heaving under the pressure of dense kick/sub/bass pressure and licked by some luscious dub chord stabs that just leave us in a dribbling mess. It can sometimes be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff with the glut of dub techno in recent times, but we can definitely assure you this comes with the Ian Botham seal of approval. Good for your heart.
Following on from the massively acclaimed Distance Space Part 1 released earlier this year, pt.2 contains 2 of the deadliest dub tracks of 2008. Sven Schienhammer, we salute you.
This second volume of Distant Space features one of my favourite tracks by Sven. The A-side cut, Greenfield Mill, is simply an incredibly deep slice of dubbed out techno. Lush reverberating chords and a rock solid 4/4 rhythm track give this a life of its own in my opinion. Hissing static and a subtle basstone work in unison to give me shivers. An
awesome track. That's not to take anything away from Affluent Society on the B-side as this is also a superb slice of aquatic sounding techno par excellence. All in all it's another wonderful release from this quality label. Highly recommended.
[[ Echocord 30 ]] Album of the week @ Boomkat
Quantec :: Unusual Signals (Echocord)
"... In terms of sub-genre, Quantec does not seek to re-invent, more to refine and deepen, and lend a different colour and texture, making ambiance the area where his take on dub-techno finds more of a voice of its own..."
It's been a busy 12 months for Sven Schienhammer - the artist currently known as Quantec, now riding the crest of something of a New Wave of European Dub-techno. After a stream of 12"s and short-format insertions for Styrax, Meanwhile, and Smallfish, as well as EPs on his own Shoreless Recordings and kindred spirit bvdub's Quietus, his latest outing sees a return to Mikkel Metal's Echocord imprint. Here he pushes the dubtech-boat out even further for a 76-minute album of sub-aqueous and fog-bound post-techno with downtempo deep house tendencies and a miles-deep undertow. The Berlin past is ever-present, the whole steeped in the tradition of Chain Reaction and Mille Plateaux - attended by the soft-industrial dub-pulse and cirrus trails of Fluxion and Porter Ricks, of Gas and Yagya. Quantec's signals are, in fact, not that unusual, albeit re-configured. With 4/4 techno-pulse and hi-hat house-shimmy more of a given, the main sphere of creative operations lies in a Big Blue of submariner ambiance and a heady wooze of FX-ooze. With this kind of music, premised as it is not on taking liberties with structure, but on taking structure for granted, what fills the slots is crucial in a template that could almost be expressed as an equation.
Quantec's debt to sub-genre pioneers is worn on his sleeve, the opening tracks trafficking in modulating metallic synth stabs redolent of Substance and Vainqueur, billowing like clouds edged with a silver lining of static-y hiss, and that insistent hyper-compressed thump. The most obvious present point of reference is the even more prolific Modell/DeepChord/Echospace axis, but Unusual Signals is somehow a much sparer and more internal recording, resolutely more downbeat, more minimalist in musical means.Quantec's textures are indeed a work of considerable art, but they rarely stray far from home, other than to idly dally with delay. It's pretty much a case of WYHFIWYGT (what you hear first is what you get throughout). A default setting for a Quantec track emerges by midpoint, one with a slowed down jack dynamic and a topping of what is essentially ambient drone made fuzzy with a drizzle of reverb and delay. From opener "Amantita Muscaria" to halfway-housers "Yage" and "Panaleous," this single-tenet creed is spread by Schienhammer, varied only to the extent it gets the thunk out of your face, either in part, as on the deep chill of "Iboga," or in toto, as on the bulk of "2082," on which great globs of musicized molasses dribble thickly lava-like back and forth across the soundfield, before the low-end kick cavalry return for a darkdrone-throned tech-processional finale.
Ultimately, there's no point chiding Schienhammer for not doing what he does not set out to do, since he does what he seems set on doing so effectively. Quantec's invariance and template-drivenness are evidently part of a steadfastly held to mission statement. In terms of sub-genre, Quantec does not seek to re-invent, more to refine and deepen, and lend a different colour and texture, making ambiance the area where his take on dub-techno finds more of a voice of its own. It is indeed a sound which is appealing enough to be dwelt on, a zone deserving of due time to get properly zoned-out in, though, for this listener, the mini-album/EP length is a more apposite container for Quantec. Nevertheless, if you're an adept of BC/CR/DC transmissions, Unusual Signals, neither loud nor clear, but distinctly deep and richly resonant, should definitely be picked up.
Unsusual Signals
Während Ital Tek bei aller Sound-Fiktionalität letzten Endes sehr weltliche, von Heutigem gesättigte Musik produziert, höre ich bei Quantec den Sound der Teleskope. Als würde Sven Schienhammer, der verbirgt sich hinter Quantec, den ganzen Tag auf einer weiten Wiese sitzen und sich in die großen Weltall-Aufzeichnungs-Anlagen hacken. Die geraden Beats, die Unendlichkeiten der mit Blue Notes gesättigten Synthesizer-Harmonien und überhaupt all die retrofuturistischen Klänge auf »Unusual Signals« wirken, als haben sie schon immer existiert und jemand habe sie einfach eingefangen. Kaum vorstellbar, dass ein Mensch sich das ausgedacht haben soll: schwingender, klingender Dub Techno von der Schönheit frisch entdeckter Himmelskörper.
Spex.de
ALBUM OF THE WEEK:
Following a succession of very well recieved 12" cuts for the likes of Styrax Leaves, Meanwhile and Millions of Moments, Sven Schienhammer returns to the home of some of his best work with a studied album of dub techno variants for Echocord. Sven's agenda is made clear with the title of the first track 'Amanita Muscaria', a familiar term to the trippier readers out there (Fly Agaric mushies to the more straight laced), signifying a love of or respect for psychedelic substances and sounds which are echoed in the esoteric dub depths of the opening cut. From here we plummet into the dense spaces of 'Deliberate', populated with wide open chord stabs and intangible analog ephemera that will sound lush on any system. From here on in the tracks seem to merge into a hazily tripped blur of feathered synth washes, barely audible sub undulations and glimpses of melody carried along by massively compressed kicks, lush stuff to completely give yourself up to. The track names become sign posts for the territory you're about to enter, with classic reverberating and psychedelic effects such as 'Iboga' and 'Yage' referencing deeply affecting states of mind induced through the course of the album. Of course, if it were that effective we probably wouldn't be able to sell you this album for legal reasons (or maybe we'd have to meet you after work by the goods entrance) but this is still some deadly and affected gear which we urge you to give a chance sometime soon, especially if you're a follower of the Deepchord/Basic Channel school of dub reduction. Awesome.
- Boomkat.com
[[ Quietus 00.2 ]]
Quantec - Thousand of Thoughts / Quietus 00.2
"Much proudness here as I can bring you a very limited quantity of the second Quietus Recordings release. Following on from Bvdub's epic Daydreams Of Exile comes this absolutely fabulous release by the one and only Quantec. Sven's style is so deep, so fluid and so full of atmosphere that it's incredibly hard to do it justice just by talking about it. Essentially his style is clearly moving into new sounds and tempos with this work and there's a delicious ambient texture to the tracks which counterpoints beautifully with the more classically rhythmic tracks. Each cut is simply drenched in feeling and mood with a dark, haunting and full sound that is fully captured in those chord sounds (oh, those chord sounds!). There's a feeling of isolation or distance here that drags you in for the full duration without you ever really realising it... kind of like some subconscious magic spell! When I tell you that, once again, there are about 40 minutes of music on here you'll realise just what a bargain you're getting. Props to Sven for unleashing some serious tunes here and my thanks once again goes to Quietus for giving me the chance to bring this to you. Strictly one copy per customer."
[[ Meanwhile 010 ]]
QUANTEC - Distant Space Part 1
single of the week
One of the finest operators within the new school of dub techno and house producers, Quantec has steadily been building a strong fanbase for his own brand of Maurizio influenced dub house goodness with a highly consistent string of releases for Styrax Leaves, Echocord and Francois K's WaveTec sublabel. Taking the aforementioned Moritz Von Oswald project as a definite cue point, Quantec launches his first effort for the excellent Meanwhile imprint and continues to plough that fertile furrow and emerges with a wholly organic dub house rhythm, structured around a thick wave of bass, nutrified by organic plumes of electronic dub curling and licking the surface, making for an immersive experience whether on your sofa or for those with dancefloor inclinations. 'Comatose' on the flip is definitely one for the sitters, with delicately wilting dub chords falling around an unconscious dub techno groove. Killer twelve - Buy!
[[ Echocord 028 ]]
Quantec - Moonstruck EP
Echocord usher in 2008 with another dense-as-anything dub killer, this time from man of the moment and Styrax luminary Quantec. The A-side is dominated by "Lunar Orbiter", a stretched twilight dub reduction that captures a light yet bass-heavy variation on the whole Chain Reaction sound, capturing the spirit of vintage Berlin techno and merging it with a more floating, hazy agenda that works a treat in developing this well-worn sound into something new. A "Version" of the same track opens the flipside, the sparkling synths etched out in favour of a more contemplative low-end session that's just immense, but its EP closer "Crescent Moon" that steals the show, a dark texture spreading its influence through a padded kickdrum and brooding synths made for the early hours. Shocking stuff, another absolute killer from Echocord...
single of the week @ Boomkat
Quantec just seems to age like good French wine. Every release since his "Deep In Mind" debut for Styrax. "Moonstruck EP" is along the same lines of deep dubby techno but the tracks are just a level higher. Dreamy, trippy, elegant... All three of them!
- Phonica
[[ Wavetec 50179 ]]
Sven Schienhammer - Aural Dazzling Ep / Wavetec 50179
"Aural Dazzling EP" is for everyone those who loves dreaming through music. It's not the first time German underground scene brings out producers of that kind (Who don't know Basic Channel?) like Sven Schienhammer, aka Quantec, whose tracks hones among ambient, techno and dub sounds. The single offers up two tracks which are "Realm Of Possibility" and "Aural Dazzling": both tracks are musical deep journeys but the first is resolutely more relaxing unlike the impulsiveness of the other one. It was about time a project of this musical genre had been released on a well known label like François Kevorkian's Wave Tec who always paid attention to this sound thanks also the analogous precedent named Beat Pharmacy.
Underground Music Rome
single of the week @ Boomkat
With releases for Styrax, Echocord and (soon) the Meanwhile label under his belt, Sven Schienhammer's Quantec project comes with the very highest pedigree and a stamp of quality that followers of Sven Weisemann, Deepchord, Murmur and the like will find impossible to ignore. "Realm Of Possibilities" opens the twelve with a 10 minute reverb-drenched epic, singular synths and an edgy bassline evoking classic Chain Reaction material, with a widescreen quality lending proceedings a more contemporary sheen. "Aural Dazzling" on the flip is where the money's at though - with a more substantial bassline rubbing itself into the very heart of the track and dense, Vainqueur-like stabs layering themselves into a padded cell of dub bliss, it's just beautiful, heaving material. Awesome stuff, 20 minutes of exactly the kind of sublime post Basic Channel bliss we can't resist. Buy!
Boomkat
Sven Schienhammer alias Quantec ist derzeit derbe am Drücker, jetzt ist er, unter seinem bürgerlichen Namen, auf Francois Ks Label gelandet. Doper Shit, der etwas mehr uptempo als seine sonstigen Veröffentlichungen ist. Dub mit House-Elementen, der nicht nur sachte die Hüften der Frauen in Schwung bringen wird. Die B-Seite ist etwas dunkler, housiger und es geht noch tiefer, für die Stunden, wenn die Sonne schon scheint und keiner nach Hause möchte. Ist der Himmel oder der Marianengraben das Limit? Wau.
Groove.de written by RAR
[[ Echocord 024 ]]
Quantec - Subsurface Structure EP - Echocord24
single of the week @ Boomkat
Sheer mammoth depth from this awesome Styrax Leaves associate, here getting big on the dubness for Echochord. Sven Schienhammer is about to become your best friend in dub: anyone with a yen towards Basic Channel, Deep Chord - i think you can tell the way this is going - positively needs this record. "Lush" spans bottomless chasms and suggests impassable heights to be scaled, steadfast trudging dub, capable of subtle rhythmic shifts, whilst tugging the earwaves pleasurably at every turn with secret emissions. "Drowning" has us calling for the diving bell its so brave in heading still deeper, whilst "Long winded edit" recalls that excellent Remote_ twelve "Celestion" for Meanwhile, ladies and gentlemen we're floating in layered melodic dubbed-out bliss - acquire!
Boomkat
After blowing us away with his Styrax release a few weeks back Quantec returns once more and provides the best Echocord release for ages in the shape of Subsurface Structure. 'Deep In Mind' had an almost House-like quality to the chords whereas this takes it into Vainquer-style territory using hardware synths to create great washes of chord stab sound and incredibly deep dub-style delays. Pulsating underneath, giving it that signature aquatic movement, are the heavy sub bass tones that keep the tracks moving beautifully. This is Dub Tech at its finest and most essential... serious sounds and highly recommended.
smallfish
Dub Electro - Quantec returns once more and provides the best Echocord release for ages in the shape of Subsurface Structure.
MainStreet Records
Out of all of the dubby techno artists from this new wave, Quantec is definitely one of the strongest. Subsurface Structure is enjoyable throughout.
