Mouse on Mars - Dimensional People

[Lada Laika]

 

 

Thrill Jockey

Thrill-461 - 2018

LP version pressed on virgin vinyl packaged with 8 page full color 11” x 11” booklet and free download.  CD version in mini-LP style gatefold package.

A limited supply of vinyl is pressed on random color "mash-up" vinyl.  During pressing a divider is put in the vinyl hopper separating up to 4 colors, then each time a new biscuit is made it draws from a different section. Making each record different from the last!

Mouse on Mars’ Andi Toma and Jan St. Werner return with their most inventive album to date, Dimensional People. The new album finds the Berlin-based duo reunited with Thrill Jockey, a powerful aesthetic partnership marked by such seminal albums as Radical Connector (2004), Idiology (2001), and Niun Niggung (2000). After a series of notorious dance floor releases, Dimensional People reveals them working deep within their own vernacular, digging into fertile terrain of their inexhaustible vault of digital and acoustic experimentation, and charismatically making elemental components new again. This album makes clear how their craft is of discovery, of finding new contexts for places, sounds, memories, sensations, ambiences, technologies, relationships, and of course, people.

A number of prolific guests joined the production: Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Zach Condon (Beirut), Spank Rock, Aaron and Bryce Dessner (The National), Swamp Dogg, Eric D. Clark, Lisa Hannigan, Amanda Blank, Sam Amidon, Ensemble Musikfabrik, and about 20 more musical collaborators. The cast of characters are as unique as they are vast, clearly a rich quarry for the prodigious duo.

Dimensional People, initially titled new konstruktivist socialism, gives each participating guest a platform to imprint the album as whoever or whatever they want to be: a narrator, a perfect moment, a jam, an ensemble member, an abstract sound, a multiple persona, a mood, a soloist. Originally premiering as a spatial composition using object-based mixing technology playing with the possibilities of sonic design and collective musicianship, the recording expands upon these ideas. Dimensional People expresses itself as a dynamic 50-piece orchestra, telling a story in sound. Each player is a multifaceted character, the recording an imagined stage, and the production is direction, lighting, and setting changes. Mouse on Mars offer sound as a means to encourage open-minded societies, aided by cutting-edge technology including their own MoMinstruments music software or a spatial mixing technique called object based mixing, with which a spatial version of the work was created. It is a conceptual puzzle composed around one harmonic spectrum within one rhythmic scheme, mostly in the tempo of 145bpm (inspired by Chicago footwork, so the dance floor is not entirely absent). Looking ahead, Dimensional People will

also be realized through installation, presenting the work as an immersive listening experience, as well as performance.

 

http://thrilljockey.com/products/dimensional-people

[Extralife]

Wasn't a huge fan of their recent "dancefloor stuff", but if this harks back to the journeys of the earlier albums, I'm in.

[Hugh Mughnus]

awesome!

[MIXL2]

very very curious...

[Verdant Hickies]

Great. I loved their recent output.

[dr lopez]

Great. I loved their recent output.

 

how recent

[Hugh Mughnus]

One of my most anticipated records for 2018. They mentioned they were working on a new album back in July or August (I think? Maybe it was earlier than that), at their new studio. 

 

Interesting to see it back on Thrilljockey - not sure what that means exactly?

[Hugh Mughnus]

 

Great. I loved their recent output.

 

how recent

 

I'm a big fan of almost all of their work, even the most recent stuff, IE Parastrophics, Spezmodia etc. 

 

Their most recent stuff (more dancefloor oriented) - I get how it could be off-putting compared to their more.. "serious"(? not sure that's the right term ? ) efforts, but I appreciate it for what it is. They've already made their mark so I think with those releases they're just having fun. Sometimes I need a release to throw on that's not chin stroking neck beardy idmz. 

 

21 Again was pretty great too, don't think it got much attention.

Edited January 15, 2018 by Bulk VanderHooj

[Hugh Mughnus]

seems like a good opportunity to ask if anyone magically has Wretch Dubbed? 

[dr lopez]

 

 

Great. I loved their recent output.

 

how recent

 

I'm a big fan of almost all of their work, even the most recent stuff, IE Parastrophics, Spezmodia etc. 

 

Their most recent stuff (more dancefloor oriented) - I get how it could be off-putting compared to their more.. "serious"(? not sure that's the right term ? ) efforts, but I appreciate it for what it is. They've already made their mark so I think with those releases they're just having fun. Sometimes I need a release to throw on that's not chin stroking neck beardy idmz. 

 

21 Again was pretty great too, don't think it got much attention.

 

me too. i was just asking. 21 again was nice, a pleasant diversion, but had people like "a hawk and a hacksaw" on it. and even worse the guy said "im from a hawk and a hacksaw" on the dang recording. no twee shit in my mouse on mars please. 

 

WOW was cool and I saw them live around that time and it was so much fun. loved it. have not listened to anything since 21 again. i think i made it through spezmodia once but dont remember it so im looking forward to this new one!

Edited January 15, 2018 by dr lopez

[Hugh Mughnus]

I'm really curious on this one tbh, not sure what it's going to sound like! I'm not sure if returning to Thrilljockey means a return to form (not so dancefloor oriented)? Or maybe it's nothing?

 

I've not seen them live! Not even really online/in videos. 

[dr lopez]

i think it's great. also great because i can get the the vinyl for 3 dollar shipping from chicago to indiana. amazing.

[Hugh Mughnus]

Indiana, Finland? 

[dr lopez]

i have a vinyl storage base in indiana (my parent's house teehee)

[Boxus]

YES

 

That description is insane but if they are indeed returning to more experimental material I'll be so excited to hear it. It kinda feels like they've been on autopilot the last few years, banging out solid tracks but without much purpose. But they've been consistently great for decades and Idiology/Niun era MOM remains some of the best music ever made.

[Lada Laika]

Okay the responses to this convinced me to preorder. Add on the fact that Thrill Jockey has never steered me wrong, and I’ve been drinking — perfect storm.

[Kavinsky]

you can listen to a track from the album here:
https://mouseonmarstj.bandcamp.com/album/dimensional-people

sounds awful like a bad version of James Blake

[AnwarAutokino]

Yes! New MoM!

 

Love the audio sample, reminds me of 'The Illking' from Idiology, same kind of vibe

[dr lopez]

i kinda liked it

[Lada Laika]

I dig it a lot actually. Space jazz

[Kavinsky]

Yes! New MoM!

 

Love the audio sample, reminds me of 'The Illking' from Idiology, same kind of vibe

I love Idiology and just discovered this music video from activist respoke, reminds me of the plaid video itsu. Sadly no ones doing music videos for idm anymore, or ?

Edited January 16, 2018 by Kavinsky

[Extralife]

 

Yes! New MoM!

 

Love the audio sample, reminds me of 'The Illking' from Idiology, same kind of vibe

I love Idiology and just discovered this music video from activist respoke, reminds me of the plaid video itsu. Sadly no ones doing music videos for idm anymore, or ?

 

That was disturbing in the best way possible.

[dr lopez]

people complaining about MoM not doing enough experimental stuff... jan has put out like 4 records of experimental stuff since parastrophics

[Kavinsky]

people complaining about MoM not doing enough experimental stuff... jan has put out like 4 records of experimental stuff since parastrophics

which people ? they are always experimenting with new sounds, sometimes even too much, and yeah the stuff from jan is amazing.

[dr lopez]

limited repress of idiology on white vinyl on the thrill jockey website