Customer Reviews

De9: Transitions (W/Dvd)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have to say I'm as impressed with the packaging as I am with the music inside it. For roughly the price of a single CD you get both a CD and a DVD. The full hour and a half mix on DVD is in 5.1 surround, and there are visual cues on screen that show you which tracks are being mixed in and out, so you get a glimpse of Hawtin's editing processes. There are also two videos, a long excerpt from from one of Hawtin's shows, and an interview in which Hawtin discusses how he made the mix. Finally, a high quality MP3 (without DRM) of the entire release is included for mobile listening. I think this release really shows the way to avoid/discourage piracy--not by threatening and using onerous software protections, but by being generous and giving music fans a real value for their money.

For many techno as a word carries a bad stigma. Among modern youth it is associated with obnoxious throbbing music played at a gym, elevator, or clothing store. In this context, Techno displaces the listener from accomplishing his main purpose for occupying that space. Therefore, by existing it annoys the casual listener.

The definition of techno is often misconstrued as well. Its associated currently with a very narrow but popular genre called Progressive House. This genre incorporates elements of techno, trance, and house music. All three of these genres are distinct however. Techno by itself is a drum machine beat looped over many keyboard and other electronic devices. (this definition is intentionally simple; I believe its a lot more) This sound represents, for many, the urban wasteland of Detroit and other cities full of warehouses and urban decay. As a primarily underground medium, those who know it best will rarely use the term techno by instead using its prognosticators (Hawtin among the best) as signifiers of a certain sound. Thus the word by itself and in context cannot be denotated simply.

Techno heroes, such as Hawtin, must accept this definition nonetheless and move the genre forward. Hawtin advances techno(distinct from his Plastikman moniker) by employing the party atmosphere into the armchair listener. His success in this medium, in my opinion, is so complete that his albums will create new sonic documents of certain spaces and times. A chief example is in the liner notes of the first DE9, Hawtin suggests that the listener enjoy this disc en route from Detroit to Ann Arbor via I94 (A route which connects with Belleville--home to Derrick May) To be sure, sonic inferences to place and time such as these elevate him to the level of genius in the minds of many fans.

Whether a genius or not this latest offering is a sample of a transition between the tracks of his youth and moving toward another point in his life. Having spun in nightclubs since the age of 17, Hawtin's immersion into the club culture has now occupied his entire adult life. This release, from my initial listen, charts the incredible career through tracks of Hawtin's many professional phases of existence.

And it is a fascinating snapshot. The shreds of different pieces are interwoven so well that the listener cannot help but become transfixed. By purchasing this CD a veteran will be able to pick out the bits and enjoy a master at his craft. For early techno fan it is a chance to erase misconceptions about techno. More importantly by sitting and admiring the work a listener will be able to appreciate the care and dedication techno musicians cling to in order to forward their craft.

This release, regardless of what purists will tell you about Ableton beat matching, is a major step forward for the genre as much as it is a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a great techno purveyor.

Richie Hawtin's "Transitions" is the latest installment of the DE9 project. For those unfamiliar with the Decks/EFX series, it is Hawtin's exploration into the manipulation of multiple overlaid tracks through different effects; each album being progressively more intricate. In that fashion, "Transitions" builds upon the previous DE9 releases, taking the project into a much larger scope. The content is much more complex; Hawtin advertises his manipulation of not only time and volume, but the spatial dimensions and depth of sound as well (which is why 5.1 is recommended). Hawtin focuses on the transitions between the sounds, sometimes with nearly a dozen songs at one time, making the full composition seem like one large interwoven web.

Hawtin's original conception of "Transitions" is 96 minutes long -- though he recognizes the convention of the CD format, which is a shortened 74 minute version. Along with the CD, Hawtin has included a DVD containing: the full 96 minute version of "Transitions", complete with a visual element that allows the listener to recognize the transitions between songs; two music videos; a half-hour live performance from Berlin; and an interview with Hawtin who describes his vision of the DE9 project. Not only that, but the data portion of the DVD contains the full 96 minute version of "Transitions" in mp3 format, which Hawtin has generously provided for fans who make use of portable music devices.

Hawtin obviously holds his fans in high regard, and wants them to understand his intentions to better appreciate his music. Though Hawtin has set the standard so high (especially for himself), "Transitions" deserves a full five stars for the package, value, and overall experience the listener recieves -- and in every aspect, "Transitions" is an experience.

First I purchased DE9: Closer to the Edit. I thought it was absolutely incredible and exactly what I needed at that point. Then I decided to buy DE9:Transitions. At first listen, I thought it was OK. Upon a second, I realized that it is technically better, and that I would have to reach a new level of appreciation for Richie Hawtin's subtlety. I think people need to acquire an ear for Richie's minimal...my advice to you...dimly light room (somewhere cool), let your eye lids relax (they might eventually do this naturally), and bob your head from side to side to the beat of DE9: Transitions. Perhaps then you will understand.

This has to be one of the greatest works of its kind. I know of only a handful of individuals capable of creating art of this caliber. Truly a timeless piece by a legend who consistantly innovates while raising the bar, and eyebrows alike.

Bell'e Magnifico

If you like Hawtin's brand of near-minimalist techno, this album is a must have! Great beats, good melodies, everything you expect from Hawtin and more. The DVD version of the album (when played with 5.1 surround sound) is INCREDIBLE. Unlike any techno heard at home before.

I've been a long time Richie Hawtin fan. I have both vinyl and cds going all the way back to the F.U.S.E. release in 1991. That being said I always expect the best from Hawtin in whatever stage name he's releasing under. I always look forward to his album/track releases. DE9 Transitions however doesn't really live up to the Hawtin reputation. While the mixing is good and it sounds great the track selection leaves a lot to be desired. It's not to say the tracks are bad, because they aren't. They're just really plain. Of course I realize Hawtin's style is minimal techno but this mix has more of the Artificial Intelligence/Warp Records sound than the traditional Plastikman beat. Here are my thoughts and track ratings on DE9 Transitions;


1. Welcomm(in) 6/10
2. TZ Entry Point 6/10
3. Adding and 6/10
4. Subtracting 6/10
5. Prebuild 6/10
6. Seiltänzer 6/10
7. Visioning 6/10
8. We(all)Search 7/10
9. Jupiter Lander 6/10
10. Reduction and 6/10
11. Seduction 6/10
12. Minimal Master 6/10
13. All 4 Du*** 4/10
14. Tonarzt 6/10
15. The Tunnel 6/10
16. Minimission 6/10
17. Noch Nah(r) 7/10
18. Weiter Noch 6/10
19. Where is Mayday? 6/10
20. The Hole 6/10
21. (D)ecaying Beauty 7/10

I don't have the following tracks on my mix as it's a promo release so I can't speak to them;

22. Noch Ein Mal
23. Do you know Dimbi?
24. Power Nine/Six
25. R2
26. Regaining Control
27. Ich weiß nicht
28. Transitions


Richie Hawtin will always be one of my all time favorite DJ/Producers along side the likes of Dave Clarke, Josh Wink, Carl Cox and Oliver Huntemann, just to name a few. But this mix really left a lot to be desired. It was just sort of blah. It's not a bad mix at all, just one that didn't stick out of the crowd and remain in my memory.

I've been studying music in the classical realm for a long time, but have always been interested in electronic music in both performance and composition. Of all the electronic I've heard from Kraftwerk to Daft Punk, I must say this is perhaps the best I have ever heard. This two-disc set is nothing less than magnificent. The formal structure and sheer smoothness of the sounds from minute 1 to 95 is how music SHOULD be heard in the preset day. I have played every Beethoven Sonata, the complete Etudes of Chopin, Islamey, Gaspard de la Nuit, on and on... As an experienced pianist and professional classical musician, I think I can safely say that these master composers would have GLADLY accepted Hawtin into their inner circle, if not for the plethora of distinct, yet related sounds, then for the complexity of the underlying formal structure that holds the entire soundscape together. This is a modern master-work. Don't miss the chance to experience it...

I have been listening to techno for over 20 years (since I lived in Detroit in the late 80's) and Richie Hawtin is still producing some of the best progressive music of the genre. The varied rhythms are layered with such delicate precision that I need a better sound system to truly appreciate all the nuances. A couple of the tracks had some silly "lyrics" that I felt marred an otherwise excellent mix by the Minimal Master.

another hawtin masterpiece if u have never seen him live try to im from detroit so he come around to the music festival hawtin is like no other blows ur mind live