Hendrix (EP / Kohvirecords, 2002)

Reviews:

Kohvi – and sunday is saved. ST-8 starts with „Tarve“ – cool clicky and funky at the same time. Timeless dronyness interlaced with a guitar – a perfect lead-in. „Cheek“, heavily chirping and plinkering, shoves itself into our ears, where people sit and sing in the harbour while dreamily watching the open sea. „Muera“ goes mad at the beginning and then digs through a massive pile of haycart noise, before the drone collapses into Grundrauschen, a close friend, and everything becomes clear techno. Then Miwon, who obviously is in a terrible good mood and keeps an eye on how pop harmonies can be kicked with a grin. One for the sunrise. „Seisund“ is a little bit stunned, shifts down one gear and indulges itself in opening a tiny filter, which gives the sawtooth a move on. Finally „Kite“ – a drony ballade with the ease of dripstone caves – takes us leave into… we don’t know, but definitely feel better. I love these kids. (Thaddi / de:bug)

Miwon trifft mit seinen unwiderstehlichen Harmoniekonstruktionen und herzerwärmenden Pluckerbeats voll ins Schwarze, ST8 aus Estland schliesst sich nahtlos an. Die Devise heisst: Repitition und trotzdem Pop, dabei aber eingängig wie Spätsommerhits sein sollten. Ein Fest der Sinne, oder um es noch eindringlicher zu sagen: Feingeschliffene Perlen der Schlafzimmerproduktion von unschätzbarem Wert. Von diesen Leuten wird noch zu hören sein. (Beam Me Up)

Kohvirecords beschert uns mit Hendrik Kröz (Miwon) und Hendrik Luuk (ST8) die „Hendrix EP“. Kröz startete bereits 1985 seine ersten musikalischen Ausflüge als Gitarrist der Formation „Snoozy Blues Band“ und wuchs mit Depeche Mode und Talk Talk auf. Ein wenig hört man den Popfaktor in „Cold Beauty“ tatsächlich noch heraus, was irgendwie Spass macht. Miwon verbindet seine Einflüsse mit neuzeitlichen Beatfassaden und etabliert einen eigenen Stil. Ein atmosphärischer Klangteppich und analog klingende warme Bässe verleihen „Seisund“ (Miwon Version) den entscheidenden Faktor an Lebendigkeit. Am meisten überzeugt mich die Kreation „Kite“, die zwar nicht wirklich tanzbar ist, aber eine traumhaft düstere Stimmung vermittelt. (electronic art network)

Miwon’s trademark is pop, but not the vulgar commercial synthesizer melody like we heard them in the eighties. In this processes sit original German electronics that remind of Kraftwerk. Specially in the case of „Cold Beauty“ and the version from the ST8 track „Seisund“. His last tune „Kite“ is much darker. With ST8 we were a bit more familiar, through the Kohvi samplers on which he was often represented. He could be on the Future Sound Of Jazz compilation next time. Especially because of his opening track „Tarve“, where he uses many traditional instruments (piano, guitar, organ) and jazzy rhythms – the same thing in his version of Miwon’s track „Cheek“. The closing piece „Muera“ goes more in the direction of trip hop. Both sides mark themselves through very warm sound collage were Miwon sounds smooth and open, while ST8’s complex sample collage sounds a bit jazzy. Undoubtedly worthwhile listening and VINYL. (L’Entrepot)

Germany meets Estonia. Ein kleiner Einblick ins Minimalisten-Sortiment. Bei dieser luftdichten Produktion bleibt für Kooperationen genug Platz – immerhin hat so’n Vinyl ja zwei Seiten. Großartig im Abgang, hinterlässt auch keinen Pelz auf der Zunge. (Intro)

Wunderschönes findet sich auf der deutsch/estnischen Minivinyl-Kooperation von Miwon und ST8. Die „Hendrix EP“ offenbart zunächst Musik für Mitternachtssonnennächte oder lauschige Chillouts im Mondlicht. ST-8 aka Hendrik Luuk kreiert minimalistisch angehauchte Tracks, die in ihrer Schlichtheit an Labradford erinnern, aber verträumter wirken. Hendrik Kröz alias Miwon baut schattseitigen melodienumflorten Elektronikpop, dank Sampling (samtene Streicher) und Modularsynthie im Hier und Jetzt. (skug)

Two „Hendriks“ meet on this 12“ – on the one side, Hendrik Kröz a.k.a. Miwon from Berlin, and, on the other, Hendrik Luuk from Estonia. Miwon starts with a nice light hearted track driven by a naive melody and a little tiny beat – definitely poppy in its atmosphere and original in its sound. The following track, a remix of ST8, is calmer and more ample, sliding slowly around waves of light sounds, while the beats, always present, are more in the background, and almost all traces of melodies are removed. Same thing more or less with the last track on this side, which strays further from the rhythmic beginning and slowly introduce the calmer soundscapes of ST8. On his side, ST8 (say „state“) starts with a gentle and subtle oscillating track, the kind of thing that catches your attention by its minimalism and calmness, then unveils its pulsation and changes slowly, with layers of dreamy electronic sounds. Imagine an Ultra Milkmaids tracks to which would have been added a drop of light but essential beats. „Cheek“ is a somewhat more accessible track. If the sounds are basically the same, it also contains some short vocal samples, echoed over a calm but slightly hypnotic mix of little effects and delicate sounds. Drowned in reverb, this is an almost ethereal, yet catchy and definitely rhythmic track. Finally, „Muera“ is pretty close to „Tarve“, just a bit lushier and warmer. All in all, ST8’s three tracks are well done and quite dreamy. Calm and relaxing, the tracks on this 12″ are pleasant. (recycleyourears)