Arovane Atol Scrap Import 2LP

Originally released in 1999. The story of each re-release begins with the original. In the late ’90s, Uwe Zahn (Arovane), along with Robert Henke (Monolake) and Stefan Betke (Pole), began releasing music on Torsten Pröfrock’s (Dynamo) newly launchedDIN label. This was a very inconspicuous undertaking, but fans of the flourishing IDM, glitch, and constantly evolving abstract techno genres quickly picked up on the quality of sound coming out of Germany.

After a few successful EPs, Zahn began working on his debut full-length, Atol Scrap. The release was a success, at least in the underground circles, where followers of the melodic harmonies, stuttering off-beat rhythms, and, most importantly, advancedsound design feverishly consumed the imprints output. There was only one thing missing — the album was never pressed on vinyl, and for decades remained in the digital domain. The fans, of course, inquired.

“I thought of taking everything into my own hands and releasing the record myself,” says Zahn, “but at the end of last year, Matthias from Keplar asked me to re-release Atol Scrap on vinyl.”

The label and its owner revolve in the Morr Music universe, and so it made sense for Zahn to trust the platform to treat the record right. Listening to Atol Scrap over twenty years later it is inane not to admit how well it has held up. Where other genresclearly aged, becoming stale, bland, and dull, the music on these eleven tasty tracks still keeps the neurons tickled with each note.

Many of the newly evolving techniques are recognizable on the album. “I created the digital artifacts with a digital multi-track recorder, the Fostex D80,” recalls Zahn. “The thing had a scrub wheel with which I could achieve wonderful glitch effectsby winding through the audio data. I have sampled and further processed these artifacts.”

And this approach is still embedded in Zahn’s sound design. “I still use my 24-track analog desk from Tascam to mix my audio. I love to use hardware synths and samplers. I’ve definitely built upon my studio experience in the ’90s.” From this debut tothe most recent output, Arovane’s sound has evolved to become more intricate, detailed, and pronounced.

Remastered and cut to vinyl by Kassian Troyer at Dubplates & Mastering. Cover art by Jim Kühnel based on a photograph by Uwe Zahn. Die-cut sleeve with full-tone artwork, poly-lined inners; includes download code.

Atol Scrap features a full hour of some of the most intriguing electronic listening music recorded during the late ’90s. Uwe Zahn’s productions balance two competing sides of electronics with apparent ease. On one side, the warm and inviting; on the other,the relentlessly technical and complex. There’ve been plenty of producers who’ve excelled at either heavily processed rhythms or haunted melodies (think Autechre and Boards of Canada, respectively), but Atol Scrap documents the emergence of that rareartist who displays astonishing skills at both.