‘Nobody Here’ team returns with a new compilation of “unique and often experimental” takes on the classics.
The ‘Nobody Here’ team are back with a new compilation that celebrates Vaporwave’s plunderphonic roots, revisiting some of the scene’s most iconic tracks and inviting contemporary Vaporwave artists to re-approach and reinterpret the samples behind them.
‘Eccos of the Past’, which will be released on My Pet Flamingo, includes tracks from a wide number of legendary artists including Luxury Elite, 猫 シ Corp. and Nmesh (and more).
The brief was ambitious, but simple: artists were invited to work with tracks of their own choosing; songs which had inspired them and changed the nature of Vaporwave as a genre.
The result is a collection of unique and often experimental takes on the ‘classics’. Some will be instantly recognisable, while others are equally iconic and influential tracks that shaped the way the artists themselves went on to create Vaporwave.
Some are sample flips, mining the same source material in new and interesting ways, while others are straight up ‘Vapor-covers’ or remixes; showcasing the many varied styles and sub genres that make up the scene today.
It’s an eclectic set and we wanted to give FutureSounds readers an exclusive taste of what’s in store.
First up, is ev.exi’s take on the Macintosh Plus classic リサフランク420 / 現代のコンピュー. Arguably the most well known Vaporwave track of all time, ‘Lisa Frank 420’ is a bold choice by any artist, but this reinvention (if you will) subverts Vektroid’s “dizzying nosedive into a painful euphoria” and offers up a floor-friendly future funk cut. This track was played live for the first time at the recent FutureSounds event in Hackney.
ev.exi: Lisa’s Got a New MacBook
Enraile’s take on the Death’s Dynamic Shroud classic ‘CD player Part 2’ is arguably one of the most faithful editions on the album, losing none of the trademark chaotic glitch for which DDS are known and somehow managing to summon a similarly detailed, yet fragmented tapestry of sounds.
Enraile: DVD プレーヤー パート 1
Finally, we are also able to bring you a preview of Dan Mason’s luscious take on the Donkey Kong classic – Aquatic Ambience – itself once given the Vaportrap treatment by none other than Blank Banshee.
Dan Mason: Aquatic Overflow
Tracklisting in full:
Various Artists: ‘Eccos of the Past’ (My Pet Flamingo)
Nmesh: Never Forget
ev.exi: Lisa’s Got a New MacBook
Mélonade & Strawberry Station: Better & Better
Groovy Kaiju: All About You (And Me)
Enraile: DVD プレーヤー パート 1
VANITAS命死: Zomer Nacht
3PeaceSweetz: B Reel (Ecco Breaks)
Dan Mason: Aquatic Overflow
Luxury Elite: Pillow Talker
Tupperwave: Aptitude
Eyeliner: Sneakers For Men (Timeshare’94 Remix)
Donor Lens: My Desire
猫 シ Corp.: स्थलचिह्नेषु
Limousine: His Touch
*****
The album itself is expected to be out later this year, so expect Vinyl, Cassette & MiniDisc versions. The artwork has been put together by Belgian Vaporwave visual artist and producer – VANITAS命死.
As with the Nobody Here companion album which accompanied the crowdfunding, all profits will go to the making of the film.
We’ve covered the latest state of play in the making of the documentary in a recent podcast episode, but with most of the filming now in the bag any additional funding will be used to improve the post-production work and to enable the team to make one more filming trip to Europe early next year.
See if you can spot some of the influences behind the other tracks in the album…
Follow Nobody Here online on Twitter and Instagram.
Written by Enzo Van Baelen